Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.
Chapter 2, Sloka 71
The man attains peace who, abandoning all desires, moves about without longing, without the sense of ‘I-ness’ and ‘my-ness’.
Chapter 2, Sloka 72
This is the Brahmic state, o Son of Pritha. Attaining this, none is deluded. Being established therein, even at the end of life, one attains to oneness with Brahman.
“We are at the end of the chapter. It tells us about overcoming the desires. A lot has been said, how desires are the root of all our problems. No confusion, clarity comes and we act in a satisfactory way. Desires disturb that clarity and make us to act in a wrong way. Even giving up desires at a late stage in life brings all the good that it can do to us . Not that at a very young age you should give up desires, they may continue. At a later stage when the realization occurs and one gives up – the good has happened. So the chapter ends with a lot said about desires and the results from these desires – confusion and losing the peace of mind. You don’t desire peace, you experience peace – no thoughts – it is a state which is the highest in yoga – the ‘Niruddha’ state – complete stoppage. If we can imagine an entity like God – He doesn’t have desire. He is postulated to be there, watching, but no desires. We can’t get that state. No sooner we come to the point than we have ideas and action and that creates pain.
So this has been studied by the Yogis and they have come to this conclusion. The stages of Samadhi beginning with some objects – gross then subtle, mental, intellectual and then a switch off. There are no states, just awareness. That is not our nature. We can’t be aware and do nothing. We want to get into the picture and do something for ourselves and for the others. This tendency for action is very intrinsic. So, all our life we are foolishly running here and there. When we are asked, for what? We don’t know, but we are active.
There is a story where an army is marching and they go on marching for four hours and nothing is found. The leader inquires from the villagers the direction and they say, ‘Just a little ahead.’ They keep marching for another four hours. Again the leader inquires and gets a similar answer – a little time and you will reach your destination. The leader turns to his tired soldiers and says, ‘Congratulations (he speaks in the army language), we are still holding on.’ That is a great thing in an army, in a fight. We have not lost ground. We are still holding on. So all the day they have been marching and still at the end of the day , marching goes on. So this is our condition. We are intelligent, thinking, planning, organizing, trying but still at the end we are trying again. We can’t say at any moment that we have achieved anything. The culprit is the mind and if the mind is allowed to be free, it should always be busy. To be busy, it has to have some reason, some goal, purpose. The ultimate in yoga is where there is no desire, no goal – just being in a consciousness state – remaining aware all the time. Things will go on, we have not selected any area, we don’t wish for anything, we are like a spectator.
We are at the beach, watching the sea and sea waves keep rising and coming closer and closer to you and you can remain there all the day, all the night. The sea will keep looking threatening whenever you look at it, but it has its own limit. So this external material world, does a lot of things and makes us frightened. Ultimately, it remains where it was. Though small changes happen and if we can understand that they are small changes, then we are complacent. A house gets built and gets destroyed – such things happen. But we are attached to it. So every little thing that happens can disturb us. Our next fear is what will happen to me or to mine. We have not thought of anything better than that. One who reaches this higher state, has made ‘watching’ as the ultimate. Just watch the change, the world as it carries on and that is a great thing. You recognize the changes, you know they are endless. If you are in a certain state, it’s not that wonderful, it will also change. This understanding and therefore not associating further with the object and not associating with any change and getting disturbed or happy.”
“The second chapter talks about Samkhya yoga. Samkhya yoga gives a clear picture of the evolution of life and how we should be keeping certain things in mind very clearly. The last two Slokas make things very clear. A person who has no desire, a person who doesn’t want to enjoy; no ego, no attachment – then he is at peace – Brahmi Sthiti. Only a realized person can achieve this state. A normal person has some attachment, some desire, desire to be happy, desire for knowledge. Some or the other desire is bound to be there. But once a person is totally tuned with God, has realized God, then there is no scope for desire or even desire for enjoyment.
When you start analyzing, you realize that the moment you have any desire, it causes only pain. If one desire is fulfilled, a new desire comes and when it is not fulfilled, it gives pain. All desires can’t be fulfilled. Anything which gives you enjoyment, gives pain also. That part is also understood very well. Ego has no scope. We get attached to somebody – he changes after some time – he may also die. Slowly, stability and wisdom has to come that all these things have to be reduced and reduced to zero level. The zero level can’t come so easily. When a person starts living like this, then in the last phase of his life, that stage comes, when he is released from the bondage, he is in tune with God, merges with God for a few seconds. In Jainism they say it takes 8 seconds to realize God. Intellectual realization is there, but living that way where you become God, you are in tune with God — that type of a living has to continue for a long, long time and finally there is a release from birth and death.
These Slokas tell us that we have to work on our Klesas and then everything will fall into place. Even having ‘good’ desires is not correct. For e.g. you want to come to The Yoga Institute every day. Now one day you fall and have a fracture and you can’t come. Don’t regret it. Ask the others what happened, take notes. Even if you can’t come physically, you still can be there mentally. Don’t become rigid. The purpose is to progress – the purpose should always be kept in mind. The first step is to leave the desire for bad things and create desire for good things. Don’t hate anyone – if you can love, love; but don’t hate. The entire negatively has to be converted to positivity. This itself will take a long, long time.”
About Parisamvad
On every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz holds Parisamvad sessions – Free interactive sessions that are open to all. These session begin at 7:20 am and end around 7:45 am.
The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.
All are welcome to attend.Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.
(Picture credit http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).