Monday, March 18, 2013

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8- Akshara Brahma Yoga - Essence of Chapter 8

GeethaarTa Sangraham which has been Annotated as a Commentary in English By Oppiliappan kOil SrI Varadachari Sathakopan (www.sadagopan.org). 
This ebook is available at http://www.sundarasimham.org/ebooks/GitaSHM.pdf.  I have also attached the book for ease of download.
Translation of Alavandar's Gitarthasangraham, by Diwan Bahadur VK Ramanujachari, published by Andavan Ashram has also been provided below.


SWAMY DESIKAN'S SUMMARY OF THE 8th CHAPTER OF GEETHA – PAASURAM 9



The EIGHTH Chapter of SrImath Bhagavath GeethA, which is the second chapter in the 
second hexad of Geetha adhyAyams.

ஆர்த்த செல்வமும் ஆர் உயிர் காணும் அரும் பயனும் பெறாது தன் கழல் கீழ் அமரும் பேரு வாழ்ச்சிகளும் 
சோராது உஹன்தவர் துமதி கொள்வதும் செய்வனவும் 
தேரா விசயனுக்குத் திருநாரணன் செப்பினனே
aarAtha selvamum aar uyir kaaNum arum payanum
pErAthu tann kazhal keezh amarum peru vAzhcchikaLum
sOrAthu uhanthavar thUmathi koLvathum seyvanavum
tErA Visayanukkut-ThirunAraNan seppinanE

MEANING:
Lord Krishna, the direct incarnation of SrIman NaarAyaNan, performed upadEsam to the confused Arjunan about the doctrines to be grasped and the practices to be observed by the four different adhikAris (qualified ones) who desire either undiminishing wealth or the enjoyment arising from the direct visualization of the Self or the parama purushArTam (the Supreme Goal) of living forever at the sacred feet of the Lord in His Supreme abode (SrI Vaikuntham).

PRELUDE TO THE 8TH CHAPTER
At the very end of the 7th chapter, Bhagavan used two slOkams (29th and 30th slOkam) to instruct ArjunA about the need for a clear understanding of three tatthvams by those who wish to get a release from dhOshams like old age, death et al and to enjoy the aanandham of direct visualization of the AathmA (KaivalyAnubhavam). These three tatthvams to be understood were mentioned without elaboration as “Brahmam, adhyAthmam and Karmam”.

Here “Brahmam” stands for the Supreme abode of auspicious attributes (viz). Svaroopam of Vishnu AdhyAthmam- Kruthsnam” refers to the blessed JnA~na svaroopam of the JeevAthma seen during KaivalyAnubhavam. “akhilam Karma” refers to the entire karmAs of the Lord. The adhikAri (seeker) here is the one who desires the joy of KaivalyAnubhavam. This upadEsam was covered in the 29th slOkam of the 7th Chapter and was for the benefit of KaivalyArTi, the one seeking Kaivalya anubhavam.  In the 30th and the final slOkam of the 7th chapter, our Lord aimed His instruction at the other remaining three adhikAris (Aartthan, arTArTi and Jig~nAsu), who are collectively named as the seekers of Iswaryam (IsvaryArTi). Our Lord indicated that these three adhikAris should know about AadhibhUtham, Aadhidhaivam, Aadhiyaj~nam and anthima smruthi (remembrance of the Lord even during their last moments on earth).

STRICTLY SPEAKING THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF ADHIKARIS INSTEAD OF FOUR:
1. KaivalyArTi, who desires pure aathmAnubhavam (visualization and enjoyment of the Self). He should know about the svaroopam of Parisuddha jeevan freed from the blemishes of Prakruthi. He should know that Jeevan in that pure state is to be enjoyed. This is known as Tathbrahmam. Next, KaivalyArTi should understand achEtana  prakruthi known as adhyAthmam. Finally, this type of adhikAri should stay away from visarga karmams. That leads to garbha vaasam from union with a woman to produce a child and life in samsaric world.
2. IsvaryArTi, who desires the best of worldly joys. The one wants to regain lost wealth (aarTi) and one who wishes to gain wealth for the first time, are both clubbed under “IsvaryArTi”. He has to understand Pancha bhUthams and the sabdha, sparsa, roopa, rasa, gandham concepts, which are known as adhibhUtham. The concept of enjoying bhOgam from a stand above that of Indhran, Brahma et al is known as the state of adhidhaivatham. This has also to be understood by the IsvaryArthi.
3. MokshArTi, who desires neither Kaivalyam nor perishable lOka sukhams but longs only for Moksham (residence in SrI Vaikuntam to enjoy the bliss of nithya kaimakryam to SrIman NaarAyaNan). He should know that during karmAnushtAnam, Indhran and other DevAs are bodies of the Lord and the Lord is the indweller in them and it is indeed He who is worshipped by that karma of theirs. That EmperumAn is known as adhiyaj~nan. This type of reflection(anusandhAnam) is common to IsvarthyArTi, KaivalyArTi and MokshArTi).

Each of these three kinds of adhikAris need to understand different tattvams (Brahmam, adhyAthmam and Karmam for KaivalyArTis and adhyayaj~nam). Arjuna was confused between these terminologies and the requirements that each kind of adhikAri should possess. In the first slOkam of the 8th Chapter, Arjuna pleads with the Lord to explain these concepts clearly.

There are 8 questions from Arjuna:
(1)   Who is that Brahmam? (2) What is adhyAthmam? (3) What is Karmam? (4) What are the activities of Brahmam? (5) What is AadhibhUtham? 6) What is Aadhidhaivam? (7) How can one find adhiyaj~nam in the body of Jeevans? Who is Aadhijaj~Nan? (8) During the last moments, what is the purpose of Yours (Lord's), what form are You (My Lord) appearing and how can one recognize You then?

Throughout the entire 8th chapter, BhagavAn answers patiently and clearly the above 8 questions from Arjuna.

SWAMY ALAVANTHAR'S SUMMARY OF THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
Swami Yamunacharya
Aishwaraya akshara yathamya bhagavad charanar thinam I
Vedhyo padeya bhavanam ashtame bheda uchyate II sloka 12
ऐश्वर्य अक्षर यथाम्य भगवद् चरणर थिनं I 
वेध्यः पदेय भवनं अष्टमे भेद उच्यते  I I श्लोक 12


(MEANING):
There are three kinds of seekers: (1) the wealth seeker wanting to enjoy the bhOgams superior to those enjoyed by Brahma, Rudra and Siva (2) KaivalyArTee, who wishes to see the Suddha Satthva svaroopam of the Jeevan untainted by Prakruthi and (3) MOkshArTee,  who wishes enjoy the eternal, blemishless bhOgam at Sri Vailkuntam.

In the Eighth chapter, instructs them on what has to be known and which pathArTams have to be taken into account and their differences.

Meaning from Alavandar's Gitarthasangraham, translated by Diwan Bahadur VK Ramanujachari, published by Andavan Ashram


Aishwaraya akshara yathamya bhagavad charanar thinam I
Vedhyo padeya bhavanam ashtame bheda uchyate II sloka 12
ऐश्वर्य अक्षर यथाम्य भगवद् चरणर थिनं I वेध्यः पदेय भवनं अष्टमे भेद उच्यते  I I श्लोक 12


Reference was made to three classes of persons - those that desire material enjoyment, those that seek self-realisation, and those that long to be with the highest atma. What they should know and what they should do are stated in the eighth chapter.

Explanation : What they should do is meditation on the highest atma in the for suited to desired fruits; the last thought at the point of death; and meditation on the devayana.

The first class should think of superior smells, tastes, forms, touches and sounds and of objects in which they are found, as things to be attained by them. They should also think of themselves as having enjoyments superior to those experienced by Indra, Prajapati and other devas. The second class should think of their atmas as divested of matter in the form of body and senses, of the subtle body, in which an atma goes and returns to the earth to be reborn on earth; and of the sexual union of the parents, by which the atma attains a body.The first item should be thought of as a thing to be attained; the second as a thing to be rid of; and the last as a matter at one should shudder. All the three classes should know in doing the prescribed karmas that it is the highest atma that is worshipped. (verses 3&4)

Each class attains what it seeks in accordance with the form, in which it thinks of the highest atma at the point of death. This is the peculiar feature of the last thought; and the last thought is of what one ever thinks on. Having stated this princple, Sri Krishna directs Arjuna to think of  him at all times, and to do the daily duties prescribed by thevedas and smritis as a means of doing so. He gives the assurance that if he carries out the instruction, and if in consequence he thinks of Him at the point of death, he will reach him.

Having stated that one attains what he desires as the effect of the last thought at the point of death, the chapter describes how each class should meditate on the highest atma. First one, that deals with material enjoyment, is dealt with in verses 8-10. He ust train the mind by practise and yoga to remain fixed on an object and not to wander on anything else. By the term practise reference is made to the dwelling of the mind on the object of meditation, when it is disengaged; and yoga is meditation in the manner at the time selected for it every day. If the mind is so trained, he thinks of the highest atma at the point of death, he will aspect of him, in which he is thought of. The aspect to be thought of is that the highest atma is all knowing ; that he is ancient; that he is the ruler of all; that he is subtler than the jiva; that he is the creator of all; that he is unique in his svarupa (substance); and that he has a body bright as the sun, and not made of matter with the three gunas. At the point of death, he should place his pranabetween the eyebrows and think of the highest atma at that place. One that seeks to attain his true nature divorced from matter in the form of a body, and resembling the nature of the highest atma, is dealt with in verses 11-13. He should withdraw the senses from all objects and make them inactive; he should fix his ind on the highest atma in his heart and think of nothing else; he should utter the syllable known aspranava  and think of the highest atma denoted by that syllable; he should place his prana on the head. If doing all this, he throws up his body and departs, he attains his goal.  One, that longs to reach the highest atma and wishes to be ever with him, is dealt with in verse 14.  He should from the time he commences yoga, think of the highest atma at all times without his mind going anywhere else.This will be possible, if he loves Him deeply; for he will not be able to live without thinking of him. He will reach the highest atma alone; not his aspect as others do. And he will do so with ease; for the highest atma unable to bear His separation, will himself choose him. This means that he will make his meditation grow in intensity, so that he might  be reached, and will remove all obstacles. 

In the remainder of the chapter, it is stated that the aspirant  for material enjoyment returns to samsara and that the other two do not. The reason is, all places uptil the abode of Brahma are perishable; one that goes to tthe hem must return. But the highest atma is not like other devatas. They donot know everything; they are not able to carry out their will; they are among the products of evolution; they are without mercy; they are agitated as the effect of the gunas like Rajas and tamas




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For an introduction given earlier to the Gitarthasangrahas by Swamy Alavandar & Swamy Desikan

For Essence of the 6th chapter go to
http://haricharanam.blogspot.in/2012/07/bhagavad-gita-chapter-6-dhyana-yoga_24.html

For Essence of the 7th chapter go to
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