Hari Aum.
Let us now look at the ninth chapter of the Gita-- one of the most interesting chapters in my view. It also contains some of the most famous verses of the Gita (and we will discuss these here).
In this chapter, Krishna builds upon some important points that He had mentioned in previous chapters. He tells us a bit more about who He is and the path of devotion. He tells us how to convert our entire lives into yoga-- how to connect with Him at all times
Remember, in chapter 6, He had said that the best among yogis, is the one who practices devotion to God, one who practices the presence of God. In chapter 7, He states that refuge in God is the key that grants one spiritual success (thus reassuring Arjuna who had said the mind was impossible to control and that he was worried about failure in the spiritual path). In that chapter, He had also said that, when people desire various material and spiritual goals, He is the one who grants them the faith they need to make efforts to acquire their self-chosen goals. In addition, He had given some examples of how the world around us consists of His manifestation as the sun, water, fire and so on.
Now, in the 9th chapter, Krishna gives Arjuna more knowledge related to Himself and the path of devotion to attain Him. At the beginning of the chapter, He tells Arjuna that the knowledge that He is about to reveal is supremely purifying and also easy to perform (as Arjuna had previously complained that the spiritual path involving control of the mind seemed very difficult).
He then goes on to say that He is omnipresent, pervading everything that exists. He states that all beings exist in Him just as air exists in space.
He then explains a bit about the cycle of samsara, saying that all beings (who have not attained liberation) dissolve into Him at the end of a kalpa (an extremely long cycle of time). These beings spring back into existence again at the start of the next kalpa (when creation begins afresh). He states that His power, known as Prakriti, creates everything under His guidance.
Krishna then explains the different fates of people who are spiritual versus those who are materialistic.
He declares that people who believe there is nothing beyond material existence do not attain Him (do not realise their own immortal nature) and return to this world where death exists (for the body/mind). He says the knowledge and deeds of such materialistic people on Earth are all in vain (because these involve only temporary material things and do not lead to everlasting peace and joy). People who are greatly materialistic are often willing to go to any lengths to acquire wealth and other objects of their desires, even if these involve negative actions-- Krishna therefore says that the minds of materialistic people are undivine (thus clouding their own true, divine nature). (The yogis say that the sufferings in this world eventually transform materialistic people into spiritual people--this may take lifetimes--eventually all will attain God and experience peace and bliss).
In contrast, He says that His devotees have a divine nature--they focus their mind upon Him and worship Him in a variety of ways. He makes a powerful statement declaring that He takes care of every need of His devotees, both material and spiritual (as they have sought refuge in Him). This is a famous promise of His and is stated below.
He says:
"Ananyash-chintayantoh mam ye janah paryupasate,
tesham nityabhi-yuktanam yogakshemam vahamyaham"
Meaning (as per my Guru, Sivananda):
"For those people who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I secure what is not already possessed, and preserve what they already possess".
Sivananda explains that this means that God takes care of all needs, material and spiritual, of those who take refuge in Him (He does not impose Himself on us-- if we feel we can manage without Him, we are welcome to try our luck. But the challenges of this world are not easy to face alone and so many people turn to God for help. Ideally one would turn to Him not just in bad times, but also in the good).
He then makes another famous well-known statement declaring that it is not difficult to connect with Him, to please Him.
He says:
"Patram pushpam phalam toyam, yo me bhaktya prayachati,
tadaham bhaktyupahritam-ashnami prayatatmanah"
Meaning (as per Sivananda):
"Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water--that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept".
Sivananda explains this verse as meaning that God does not require expensive donations and elaborate rituals from us; rather, He prefers simplicity and true devotion. In the Srimad Bhagavatam too, Krishna tells Uddhava that He is pleased with simple offerings made with love rather than lavish presents made without devotion/with egoism.
Another beautiful and famous verse follows the above one. This is written below:
Krishna says:
"Yat karoshi yadashnasi yajjuhoshi dadasi yat,
yat-tapas-yasi Kaunteya tatkurushva madarpanam"
Meaning (as per Sivananda):
"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever you practice as austerity, O Arjuna (Kaunteya), do it as an offering to Me"
Here Krishna is telling us to make everything into yoga-- an act of connecting with God (actions performed in this way do not produce any karma; they become the divine, karma-free actions Krishna describes in chapter 4 of the Gita).
This verse is the basis of the message of the Gurus who tell us that yoga is not something we do for half an hour a day as a wellness exercise. No, they say, it is much more than that. It is a change in our vision, a change in our outlook, a complete way of life.
Externally, a yogi appears like everyone else-- eating, drinking, walking and so on. But internally, a yogi is different-- s/he offers all this mundane actions to God, thus making the whole of life into a yogic practice, a means of attaining God. This is what Sivananda and other true Gurus advise. Quietly, secretly, not ostentatiously/publicly, make the whole of life into an act of worship. This leads to God.
Obviously, making every action into worship may not feel like an easy task as we often forget God. To remember God constantly is not easy for the mind. But as Krishna says (when Arjuna complains it is too difficult in the sixth chapter), "Abhyasena tu Kaunteya"-- keep practising Arjuna!
Sivananda says that if we ask God to help us on the spiritual path, then He will definitely respond. He says that God takes ten steps towards us if we take one step towards Him. This is encouraging.
At the end of the chapter, Krishna again reinforces the message of the above verse.
He says:
"Manmana bhava madbhakto, madyaji mam namaskuru,
Mamevaishyasi yuktvaiv-atmanam matparayanah"
Meaning (as per Sivananda):
"Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me; bow down to Me; having thus united your whole self to Me, taking me as the supreme goal, you shall come to Me"
Aside from the above famous and valuable verses of spiritual instruction, Krishna makes some other important points in this chapter. These are as follows:
1) Krishna states that He views all beings with equal vision (He does not reject anyone, nor is He partial to anyone). However, He says that those who worship Him with devotion are in Him, and He is in them.
Sivananda says that God is like the sun which shines equally on all, both the saint and the sinner. However, if we close the doors of our heart and stay indoors, we cannot enjoy the sunshine. We need to come out of the house to enjoy the sun. In other words, the grace of God is always upon all beings. However, we need to make some effort and do some spiritual practice to experience this in our lives.
2) Even the "most sinful" person who begins to worship Him, becomes purified of all sin and attains the supreme abode of peace and bliss. Krishna states that His devotee "never perishes".
3) People go after death to the being that they worship during their life on Earth. Those who worship the demi-gods, lower spirits and other entities go to these beings in the afterlife (they do not attain moksha, so will be reborn on Earth again after some time). Those who worship God go to God (and attain liberation from the suffering of samsara)
4) Having come to this "impermanent and unhappy world", Krishna tells us to worship and attain Him (and thus experience spiritual peace, bliss and wisdom)
5) As in chapter 7, Krishna provides some further description of His manifestation all around us (this is an aid in remembering Him).
He says that He is the:
1. Father/grandfather and mother of the world (the creator)
2. One who gives us the results of our karma (the creator of the law of karma)
3. One thing to be known
4. Purifier
5. Om
6. Rik, sama and yajur Vedas
7. Goal of human life
8. Support of all beings
9. Lord of all
10. Witness of everything
11. Abode of all existence
12. Shelter of all beings
13. Friend of all beings
14. Origin,end and foundation of all creation
15. Treasure of all beings
16. Imperishable seed, the cause of all beings
17. Sun, the giver of heat to the Earth
18. Controller of the rain (who holds it back and sends it forth)
19. Immortality
20. Death
21. Existence
22. Non-existence
23. Enjoyer and Lord of all Vedic yajnas (sacred fire rituals)
Summary:
This concludes the 9th chapter of the Gita. The overall message of this chapter is that God is pleased with even small acts of devotion made sincerely/with our best efforts.
He is our friend, protector and refuge. By fixing our minds on Him with devotion and living our life as worship of Him, we shall certainly attain Him (and thus experience our own true, immortal nature).
To be continued....
Om Namo Narayanaya
Hari Aum Tat Sat
Let us now look at the ninth chapter of the Gita-- one of the most interesting chapters in my view. It also contains some of the most famous verses of the Gita (and we will discuss these here).
In this chapter, Krishna builds upon some important points that He had mentioned in previous chapters. He tells us a bit more about who He is and the path of devotion. He tells us how to convert our entire lives into yoga-- how to connect with Him at all times
Remember, in chapter 6, He had said that the best among yogis, is the one who practices devotion to God, one who practices the presence of God. In chapter 7, He states that refuge in God is the key that grants one spiritual success (thus reassuring Arjuna who had said the mind was impossible to control and that he was worried about failure in the spiritual path). In that chapter, He had also said that, when people desire various material and spiritual goals, He is the one who grants them the faith they need to make efforts to acquire their self-chosen goals. In addition, He had given some examples of how the world around us consists of His manifestation as the sun, water, fire and so on.
Now, in the 9th chapter, Krishna gives Arjuna more knowledge related to Himself and the path of devotion to attain Him. At the beginning of the chapter, He tells Arjuna that the knowledge that He is about to reveal is supremely purifying and also easy to perform (as Arjuna had previously complained that the spiritual path involving control of the mind seemed very difficult).
He then goes on to say that He is omnipresent, pervading everything that exists. He states that all beings exist in Him just as air exists in space.
He then explains a bit about the cycle of samsara, saying that all beings (who have not attained liberation) dissolve into Him at the end of a kalpa (an extremely long cycle of time). These beings spring back into existence again at the start of the next kalpa (when creation begins afresh). He states that His power, known as Prakriti, creates everything under His guidance.
Krishna then explains the different fates of people who are spiritual versus those who are materialistic.
He declares that people who believe there is nothing beyond material existence do not attain Him (do not realise their own immortal nature) and return to this world where death exists (for the body/mind). He says the knowledge and deeds of such materialistic people on Earth are all in vain (because these involve only temporary material things and do not lead to everlasting peace and joy). People who are greatly materialistic are often willing to go to any lengths to acquire wealth and other objects of their desires, even if these involve negative actions-- Krishna therefore says that the minds of materialistic people are undivine (thus clouding their own true, divine nature). (The yogis say that the sufferings in this world eventually transform materialistic people into spiritual people--this may take lifetimes--eventually all will attain God and experience peace and bliss).
In contrast, He says that His devotees have a divine nature--they focus their mind upon Him and worship Him in a variety of ways. He makes a powerful statement declaring that He takes care of every need of His devotees, both material and spiritual (as they have sought refuge in Him). This is a famous promise of His and is stated below.
He says:
"Ananyash-chintayantoh mam ye janah paryupasate,
tesham nityabhi-yuktanam yogakshemam vahamyaham"
Meaning (as per my Guru, Sivananda):
"For those people who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I secure what is not already possessed, and preserve what they already possess".
Sivananda explains that this means that God takes care of all needs, material and spiritual, of those who take refuge in Him (He does not impose Himself on us-- if we feel we can manage without Him, we are welcome to try our luck. But the challenges of this world are not easy to face alone and so many people turn to God for help. Ideally one would turn to Him not just in bad times, but also in the good).
He then makes another famous well-known statement declaring that it is not difficult to connect with Him, to please Him.
He says:
"Patram pushpam phalam toyam, yo me bhaktya prayachati,
tadaham bhaktyupahritam-ashnami prayatatmanah"
Meaning (as per Sivananda):
"Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water--that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept".
Sivananda explains this verse as meaning that God does not require expensive donations and elaborate rituals from us; rather, He prefers simplicity and true devotion. In the Srimad Bhagavatam too, Krishna tells Uddhava that He is pleased with simple offerings made with love rather than lavish presents made without devotion/with egoism.
Another beautiful and famous verse follows the above one. This is written below:
Krishna says:
"Yat karoshi yadashnasi yajjuhoshi dadasi yat,
yat-tapas-yasi Kaunteya tatkurushva madarpanam"
Meaning (as per Sivananda):
"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever you practice as austerity, O Arjuna (Kaunteya), do it as an offering to Me"
Here Krishna is telling us to make everything into yoga-- an act of connecting with God (actions performed in this way do not produce any karma; they become the divine, karma-free actions Krishna describes in chapter 4 of the Gita).
This verse is the basis of the message of the Gurus who tell us that yoga is not something we do for half an hour a day as a wellness exercise. No, they say, it is much more than that. It is a change in our vision, a change in our outlook, a complete way of life.
Externally, a yogi appears like everyone else-- eating, drinking, walking and so on. But internally, a yogi is different-- s/he offers all this mundane actions to God, thus making the whole of life into a yogic practice, a means of attaining God. This is what Sivananda and other true Gurus advise. Quietly, secretly, not ostentatiously/publicly, make the whole of life into an act of worship. This leads to God.
Obviously, making every action into worship may not feel like an easy task as we often forget God. To remember God constantly is not easy for the mind. But as Krishna says (when Arjuna complains it is too difficult in the sixth chapter), "Abhyasena tu Kaunteya"-- keep practising Arjuna!
Sivananda says that if we ask God to help us on the spiritual path, then He will definitely respond. He says that God takes ten steps towards us if we take one step towards Him. This is encouraging.
At the end of the chapter, Krishna again reinforces the message of the above verse.
He says:
"Manmana bhava madbhakto, madyaji mam namaskuru,
Mamevaishyasi yuktvaiv-atmanam matparayanah"
Meaning (as per Sivananda):
"Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me; bow down to Me; having thus united your whole self to Me, taking me as the supreme goal, you shall come to Me"
Aside from the above famous and valuable verses of spiritual instruction, Krishna makes some other important points in this chapter. These are as follows:
1) Krishna states that He views all beings with equal vision (He does not reject anyone, nor is He partial to anyone). However, He says that those who worship Him with devotion are in Him, and He is in them.
Sivananda says that God is like the sun which shines equally on all, both the saint and the sinner. However, if we close the doors of our heart and stay indoors, we cannot enjoy the sunshine. We need to come out of the house to enjoy the sun. In other words, the grace of God is always upon all beings. However, we need to make some effort and do some spiritual practice to experience this in our lives.
2) Even the "most sinful" person who begins to worship Him, becomes purified of all sin and attains the supreme abode of peace and bliss. Krishna states that His devotee "never perishes".
3) People go after death to the being that they worship during their life on Earth. Those who worship the demi-gods, lower spirits and other entities go to these beings in the afterlife (they do not attain moksha, so will be reborn on Earth again after some time). Those who worship God go to God (and attain liberation from the suffering of samsara)
4) Having come to this "impermanent and unhappy world", Krishna tells us to worship and attain Him (and thus experience spiritual peace, bliss and wisdom)
5) As in chapter 7, Krishna provides some further description of His manifestation all around us (this is an aid in remembering Him).
He says that He is the:
1. Father/grandfather and mother of the world (the creator)
2. One who gives us the results of our karma (the creator of the law of karma)
3. One thing to be known
4. Purifier
5. Om
6. Rik, sama and yajur Vedas
7. Goal of human life
8. Support of all beings
9. Lord of all
10. Witness of everything
11. Abode of all existence
12. Shelter of all beings
13. Friend of all beings
14. Origin,end and foundation of all creation
15. Treasure of all beings
16. Imperishable seed, the cause of all beings
17. Sun, the giver of heat to the Earth
18. Controller of the rain (who holds it back and sends it forth)
19. Immortality
20. Death
21. Existence
22. Non-existence
23. Enjoyer and Lord of all Vedic yajnas (sacred fire rituals)
Summary:
This concludes the 9th chapter of the Gita. The overall message of this chapter is that God is pleased with even small acts of devotion made sincerely/with our best efforts.
He is our friend, protector and refuge. By fixing our minds on Him with devotion and living our life as worship of Him, we shall certainly attain Him (and thus experience our own true, immortal nature).
To be continued....
Om Namo Narayanaya
Hari Aum Tat Sat
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