The Vahini series of Bhagavān Śrī Satya Sāī Bābā

Gītā Vāhini

536 Passages

  1. 1To understand the value of the Gītā, one must first approach it with reverence. An outward examination and careful observation are necessary; only whe…
  2. 2The meaning of the first three ślokas of the fourth chapter, Jñāna Yoga, makes this clear. Kṛṣṇa Paramātma Himself says that He first taught this Yoga…
  3. 3The message of the Gītā stands like a boat for man: it frees him from imagined bonds, leads him toward Mukti, and carries him back to his original fre…
  4. 4It is the vāsanās that create attachment to actions and to their fruits. Therefore the teaching of the Gītā begins by giving the foundation for uproot…
  5. 5Such a sacred Gītā arose directly from the lotus-mouth of Kṛṣṇa Paramātma; otherwise countless millions would not have taken refuge in it. The subject…
  6. 6Why say more? The chief purpose of all the śāstras is to determine the svarūpa and svabhāva—the essential nature and character—of Dharma. All Dharmas…
  7. 7This does not mean that Bhagavān is not all-pervading. Butter pervades milk, yet only when the milk is made into curd and churned does the butter beco…
  8. 8Because Arjuna's vision was fixed only on bodies, the aim of all Sādhana is to grant the vision of the Ātma by distinguishing the body from the Self.…
  9. 9'But,' you may say, 'when bodies with which we have lived closely for so long are no longer seen, will sorrow not arise?' If you begin grieving on tha…
  10. 10Even viṣāda—sorrow—can become a blessing when, like Arjuna's, it is free of deceit and leads a person with honesty and steadiness to take refuge in Bh…
  11. 11Although Kṛṣṇa Paramātma repeatedly uses the word Yoga in the Gītā, and describes the state of the jīva in Yoga or union, a careful reader may wonder…
  12. 12Through Bhakti He explains to Arjuna many paths by which the highest state may be reached. The eighth chapter contains a brief description of Rāja Yog…
  13. 13To carry out one's svadharma with courage is itself the highest Dharma. But what is duty? In this very question arises the apparent conflict between r…
  14. 14'Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru; mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo 'si me.'
  15. 15'Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja; ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ.'
  16. 16Its purport is: Let your mind dwell in Me. Be devoted to Me. Worship Me. Let your sacrifice be for Me. Bow to Me. You shall come to Me alone. This is…
  17. 17Ah! The subtle essence of these two ślokas is Ātma-arpaṇa—self-offering. Is that not enough to cross over, to delight the Lord, and to attain Mukti? '…
  18. 18When the experience of the Divine becomes abiding in every being; when the senses of knowledge see Him, hear Him, taste Him, touch Him and smell Him;…
  19. 1There is a certain beauty in calling the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā the 'Gītā of Arjuna' rather than the 'Gītā of Kṛṣṇa.' Overwhelmed by grief…
  20. 2But Sañjaya, endowed with divine sight, thought within himself: 'Foolish king! Why this mad joy? When Paramātma Himself stands on the side of the Pāṇḍ…
  21. 3As a person may be possessed by a spirit, Arjuna had been possessed by this ghost called pity. Yet there was no reason to fear, for Kṛṣṇa Paramātma Hi…
  22. 4'Does not the very name Arjuna mean one of pure nature? What is this weeping without regard for time and circumstance? War is already upon you. The cl…
  23. 5'Until now you have endured many hardships without departing from truth. You fulfilled the conditions and periods they imposed upon you. As for effort…
  24. 6'When Urvaśī herself desired you, you refused her. When she asked you to give her a son, you asked her instead to regard you as her son. You were then…
  25. 7At this point Kṛṣṇa Paramātma used four expressions: kaśmalam, anāryajuṣṭam, asvargyam, and akīrtikaram. Kaśmalam indicates ignorance; anāryajuṣṭam, a…
  26. 8'Those standing in the foremost ranks of the opposing army are all supremely worthy of my reverence. Bhīṣma, our elder, took us in when we had no fath…
  27. 9'Dear one! My Kṣatriya blood and Your piercing words push me forward, but fear of the sin of killing those whom I revere pulls me back. I do not know…
  28. 10Until he reached the battlefield, Arjuna's inner instrument had been filled with hostility. But when he stood between the two armies and saw Bhīṣma, D…
  29. 1For a disciple, it is far better to search out and remove his own faults than to search for his good qualities. Such a person can advance quickly. Onl…
  30. 2If we pause and reflect, we can see clearly for whom this nectar was given. Milk need not be drawn from the cow for the cow's own sake. Arjuna, the ca…
  31. 3There is much that may be said about this Śaraṇāgati. In the world, man takes refuge in many forms of pride, possessiveness and ego; he seeks shelter…
  32. 4'Tvam evāham, mamaiva tvam, tvam evāham iti tridhā'—first, 'I am Yours'; second, 'You are mine'; third, 'You are I.' Considered in sequence, each is h…
  33. 5Then Paramātma takes the devotee's good and bad entirely as His own and extends His grace. The Lord's promise in the Gītā, 'yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham'—'…
  34. 6Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of the senses; Arjuna is one who had mastered them. Hence Kṛṣṇa is called Hṛṣīkeśa and Arjuna Guḍākeśa. If we ask the cause of sorro…
  35. 7'Why, dear one, are you weeping like a coward? Is it because Bhīṣma, Droṇa and the others will die? Your tears are not merely because they will die. I…
  36. 8Śloka: 'Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase; gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ.'
  37. 9In this śloka Kṛṣṇa refutes two errors in Arjuna's position. The first is grieving for those who are not truly to be grieved for, because he attribute…
  38. 10'Arjuna! Think for a moment about who you are and what you are doing. You speak as though you know everything, yet you weep like one who has lost all…
  39. 11('Paṇḍā' here means Buddhi capable of determining tattva; one who possesses it is a paṇḍita.)
  40. 12'Those who know the secret of the body and the Dharma of the Ātma as they truly are—such alone are paṇḍitas. They do not grieve either for those whose…
  41. 13'Why then are you weeping? Your grief itself shows the absence of Ātma-jñāna. Battle is the svadharma of a Kṣatriya. You ask, "How can I kill Bhīṣma a…
  42. 14'Enough, foolish one! Rise and be ready. You have smeared upon your head a possessiveness that has no reality and collapsed under its weight. Sarveśva…
  43. 15Arjuna then recovered some clarity and replied: 'Kṛṣṇa! You may be Bhagavān and therefore indestructible. But I am not grieving for You. Tell me about…
  44. 1Though the Ātma dwells together with the body, it remains beyond the body's guṇas and attributes. Just as the body passes through childhood, adolescen…
  45. 2Arjuna asked with doubt: 'Swami! You say that changing bodies is like changing states of the same body. But we remember events from earlier states of…
  46. 3Yet Arjuna moved to another aspect. This doubt is not Arjuna's alone; Bhagavān knew that ordinary people too would raise it. Hence, in the words 'dhīr…
  47. 4'Suppose you are twenty-five years old. If I ask you where exactly you were on some particular day ten years ago, you may not be able to say. Yet it i…
  48. 5'When the senses remain in their proper places there is no fear. Fear arises through contact with their objects; the conjunction of sense and object i…
  49. 6'These contacts are like heat and cold. Coolness gives comfort in hot weather; warmth gives comfort in cold weather. So too with the contacts of the s…
  50. 7'If you say, "I shall not bathe in the sea until the waves subside," when will the waves ever stop, and when will you bathe? You must learn how not to…
  51. 8Titikṣā means endurance amid the pairs of opposites. Such endurance belongs to the strong; it is their wealth and companion. The weak man, struck by d…
  52. 9This deserves reflection. Endurance born merely of helplessness, with no choice and no inner strength, is not Titikṣā. When one has capacity and optio…
  53. 10Here Viveka means remembering that experiences are āgamāpāyinaḥ—they come and go. They are not permanent. Titikṣā should therefore rest upon discrimin…
  54. 11Hardships make Viveka flourish and strengthen the power of inquiry. Pleasures can make one forget even recent lessons and become dull. Therefore, even…
  55. 12'Kaunteya! In the ocean of saṁsāra, waves of pleasure and pain rise without pause. One who remains unmoved by them, does not lose the equilibrium of C…
  56. 13'Dhī means Buddhi. A true puruṣa is one who possesses such Buddhi—not merely one who grows a moustache and wears the clothing of a man. The puruṣa is…
  57. 14'Dear one, perhaps you will still doubt—you are a very mine of doubts! You may ask again, "Even if I conquer all these, what do I gain?" The destinati…
  58. 15Kṛṣṇa Paramātma established the distinction between sat and asat: the Ātma alone is the abiding reality; the body and the contacts of the senses are p…
  59. 16A person without Jñāna may perform actions and still remain bound; the jñānī is not tied by Karma. One who knows how to swim may enter a river without…
  60. 17Therefore Kṛṣṇa Paramātma began with Ātma-jñāna. He taught that the Ātma neither kills nor is killed. Those who think 'I kill' or 'I am killed' do not…
  61. 18'Birth, existence, growth, transformation, decline and destruction are the six modifications called ṣaḍ-bhāva-vikāras. Birth means coming into manifes…
  62. 19'To stand for Dharma and remove adharma is the supremely sacred duty of a Kṣatriya. Dear Arjuna, it is your great good fortune that warriors such as B…
  63. 20'Have you considered the meaning of kṣatriya? Kṣata means injury or suffering; one who protects multitudes from suffering is a kṣatriya. A Dharma-yudd…
  64. 21'What wrongdoing have they not committed? They dishonoured elders, rejected what was good, humiliated chaste women, persecuted those who stood for Dha…
  65. 22'Dear one, you say that fighting is pāpa. You are greatly mistaken. To refuse battle and thereby fail to end the reign of the wicked, bringing harm up…
  66. 23Action performed with Buddhi, relinquishing attachment to its fruit, is Niṣkāma Karma. This is Buddhi Yoga. Without clear determination of Buddhi, how…
  67. 24'Arjuna! In kāmya-karma, action undertaken for a desired fruit, an effort may be lost or interrupted. In Niṣkāma Karma there is no such loss of beginn…
  68. 25'Dear one, expectation of fruit belongs to rajoguṇa and does not suit you. But when I say "give up the fruit," do not abandon the action itself—that w…
  69. 26Arjuna should be understood as the representative of humanity. This is one of the first points a reader of the Gītā should grasp. There is another poi…
  70. 1Expectation of results brings restlessness. One may ask, 'If I give up concern for the fruit, how am I to live?' Why such weakness? He who declared 'y…
  71. 2That is a serious mistake. Bhagavān says in the Gītā, 'mā phaleṣu.' 'Mā' means 'do not' or 'let it not be your claim': the fruit exists, but you consc…
  72. 3When a person has the capacity and responsibility to act, the fruit of action also naturally arises in relation to him; this cannot simply be denied.…
  73. 4Nor does the teaching stop there. For the Karma Yogī, sama-buddhi—equanimous intelligence—is more important than saṅga-buddhi, the intelligence of att…
  74. 5Kṛṣṇa Paramātma therefore praises the one who rises beyond saṅga-buddhi. Equanimity itself is Yoga: 'samatvaṁ yoga ucyate'—Yoga is equanimity.
  75. 6In the second chapter four major stages are set out. First, the tattva of Śaraṇāgati; second, Sāṅkhya-jñāna; third, Yoga-buddhi; fourth, the character…
  76. 7'There are two movements here. One is eliminative, the other constructive. To remove all desires from the mind is eliminative; to abide in inner conte…
  77. 8'Consider a cloth. Threads crossing one another give it the form of cloth. If every thread is removed, where is the cloth? In the same way, the thread…
  78. 9Mental power is like a tremendously strong electric current. It must be understood and handled from the proper distance; one should not grasp it blind…
  79. 10The sthita-prajña does not depend upon external objects for Ātma-ānanda. No external aid is necessary. Ānanda is naturally present within each being.…
  80. 11Because this was not yet clear to Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa explained it more simply through the essence of the fifty-sixth, fifty-seventh and fifty-eighth ślokas…
  81. 12The sthita-prajña is contemplative; in this sense he is a muni. Stable Buddhi is the basis of stable Prajñā. Control of the senses is necessary for th…
  82. 13Man has three principal instruments: Manas, Buddhi and the senses. Only through their relationship with one another do they lead either toward saṁsāra…
  83. 14Complete mastery of the senses is a mark of the sthita-prajña. 'That which is night to all beings is wakefulness to the sage; that in which beings are…
  84. 15One who relinquishes all kāmas, moves without craving, and is free from ahaṁkāra and mamakāra attains peace. Kṛṣṇa concludes the description of the st…
  85. 16To man who stands bewildered and desolate upon the Kurukṣetra of life, unable to see direction or path, Mādhava grants the teaching of Sāṅkhya Yoga. T…
  86. 1From the fifty-sixth through the seventy-second ślokas of the second chapter, the marks and greatness of the sthita-prajña are explained. Bhagavān the…
  87. 2'Without action even the journey of embodied life cannot continue. Actions that do not bind are those performed in the spirit of yajña; all other acti…
  88. 3'Dear one, one must move in harmony with this revolving wheel of the world. Listen carefully. In all the three worlds there is nothing that I am oblig…
  89. 4'For Bhagavān's wheel of creation to move in order, every being must perform its part. No one is exempt. Even the highest jñānī cannot live without so…
  90. 5'Why say more, dear one? This entire vast universe is one great workshop. Every human being is like a component within it. According to the place of e…
  91. 6'Therefore no one comes into this embodied world and remains wholly without Karma. Only when each performs the work suited to him with vigilance can t…
  92. 7For the protection of Dharma, therefore, elders must uphold it in their own lives. They should first practise Dharmic action themselves and then pass…
  93. 8Consider one simple matter. The human body maintains a temperature around 98.4 degrees. From where does even this bodily warmth ultimately come? Is it…
  94. 9If the Sun were to say, 'Why should I endure such heat?' and become inactive, what would happen to humanity? In the same way, if one who knows were to…
  95. 10Arjuna then asked an urgent question, and Kṛṣṇa Paramātma replied: 'Dear one, the root and seed of every pāpa and every calamity is kāma—desire.' He e…
  96. 11Jñāna Yoga shines in the Bhagavad Gītā like a priceless jewel. 'Na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha vidyate'—there is nothing here so purifying as Jñān…
  97. 12Even the body's apparent inactivity does not become an action of the Ātma. To know this clearly is Jñāna. Every action should therefore be informed by…
  98. 13'Dear one, I taught this sacred Jñāna Yoga long ago to the Sun. Through the lineage it passed to Manu, then to Ikṣvāku, and through them the rājarṣis…
  99. 14At first there appears to be a contradiction: how can Kṛṣṇa say that this Yoga 'disappeared' and also call it avyaya, imperishable? There is a reason.…
  100. 15There is also something to reflect upon concerning the Sun. Indians have a close and sacred relation to Sūrya. From ancient times the Sun has occupied…
  101. 16Nor is Sūrya only for Indians; for the whole world he is the directly visible form of Bhagavān. The world moves through time, and the Sun is the princ…
  102. 17Day after day he measures and consumes the span of human life. Yet his service to the world is beyond the need for a thousand words; daily experience…
  103. 18Sūrya is a mahā-tyāgī. Not for a moment does he seek personal pleasure or rest. Performing his duty without expectation, he is a Niṣkāma Karma Yogī, f…
  104. 19He bears immense heat with patience, performs unceasing work, and gives well-being to the world. If the Sun himself felt burdened by his labour, one c…
  105. 20If Sūrya were overcome by disgust or weariness, the world could be destroyed in a moment. Yet without resentment he protects it with immense patience.…
  106. 21That is the mark of sahaja-karma—action natural to one's being. In unnatural or ego-driven action, such peace is difficult. Natural action does not fe…
  107. 22Consider another example. If a person is living happily, no one ordinarily asks, 'Why are you happy?' But if he is unhappy, everyone asks, 'Why are yo…
  108. 23In this way Sūrya Bhagavān teaches humanity directly that weariness, burden, astonishment and pride are artificial distortions, contrary to the ease o…
  109. 24The Karma of Sūrya Bhagavān is not artificial. Therefore, without agitation or publicity, silently and at the proper time, he performs it in perfect o…
  110. 1When Bhagavān declares, 'Whenever Dharma is harmed, I—though formless—take form, incarnate, raise Dharma again, and protect the sādhus,' a question ma…
  111. 2Readers, consider carefully: from where has this sacred Dharma come, and for what purpose does it exist? Then the importance of protecting it becomes…
  112. 3Consider the pañca-bhūtas that support creation. Movement and coolness are natural Dharmas of water; heat and the power to burn are Dharmas of fire. E…
  113. 4In the same way, man has certain natural qualities as vital as life itself. These may also be called his powers. Only while they live in him does he d…
  114. 5From ancient times the Upaniṣads have cried out, 'satyaṁ vada—speak truth; dharmaṁ cara—live Dharma.' Today the essence of these sacred words is often…
  115. 6When Dharmic practice grows, adharma disappears by itself; no separate campaign against it is necessary. Therefore establishing the practice of Dharma…
  116. 7Once, speaking playfully with Arjuna—and the reader may taste the tenderness in this exchange—Kṛṣṇa Paramātma said, 'Dear one! You are My supreme bhak…
  117. 8Now consider Arjuna's next movement. Taking Kṛṣṇa's words seriously, a great doubt arose in him—so heavy that he could hardly carry it. Such doubts ca…
  118. 9Kṛṣṇa was born, as it appeared, near the end of Dvāpara Yuga; Sūrya belongs to an age far before Manu. How can the two be brought together? What relat…
  119. 10Given the opening, Arjuna held Kṛṣṇa's hands and prayed: 'Mādhava! I cannot understand Your words. Instead of making things clearer, they are drawing…
  120. 11Gopāla happily asked him to state the doubt. Arjuna said: 'Kṛṣṇa! You said that long ago You taught this Yoga to the Sun and that the Sun later taught…
  121. 12'Why should the Infinite, all-pervading One descend into such a small locus? Kṛṣṇa, however I think about it, I cannot understand. Your words may be c…
  122. 13Then the sage-like Gopāla smiled softly, pleased that the awaited moment had come. 'Dear one, listen. What do people mean when they say "sunrise" and…
  123. 1Avatāra Puruṣas are not born because of accumulated merit or sin from former lives. The causes that bring about an ordinary human birth do not apply t…
  124. 2They are these: the protection of the sādhus, the correction of the wicked, and the restoration of Dharma. By “sādhu” one should not understand merely…
  125. 3That sādhutva is found even in animals, birds, and wild creatures. That is why, in the Rāmāyaṇa, Jaṭāyu was blessed, the elephant was protected, the m…
  126. 4Then whom does “the correction of the wicked” concern? It concerns those who cross the rightful limits proper to their life, move in injustice and mis…
  127. 5There is a subtler meaning within the raising up of Dharma. One who will not abandon the Dharma of his duty even when his very life is in danger is, i…
  128. 6To think that God is somewhere other than oneself is parokṣa-jñāna—indirect knowledge. To know that the all-pervading Paramātma abides within oneself…
  129. 7“Arjuna! Those who are free from attachment, hatred, fear, and anger; whose thought is absorbed in My Name and Form; who know no refuge other than Me;…
  130. 8Arjuna replied, “Nandakumāra! Why should You not bring everyone in the world into such a pure and exalted state? You Yourself say that You are the emb…
  131. 9“Arjuna! Your questions are indeed necessary. People everywhere are tossed about by these very doubts. You stand as their representative; therefore yo…
  132. 10“First is the ārta—the one afflicted by bodily or worldly suffering. Second is the arthārthī, who longs for wealth, possessions, vehicles, position, n…
  133. 11“The ārta-bhakta remembers and worships Me chiefly when worldly suffering, unrest, crisis, pain, or difficulty arises. Hearing his cry, I give relief…
  134. 12“Bāvā! Instead of worshipping Me as their own Ātma and seeking Me, people often turn toward lesser powers that can grant impermanent, untrue, and pass…
  135. 13“Jñāna-siddhi belongs to the antaḥkaraṇa and ripens slowly. Human beings seldom cultivate the patience it requires; they give chief importance to the…
  136. 14“This varṇa order is necessary for the orderly functioning of society and creation. Its inner meaning is not easily grasped. In ignorance people may t…
  137. 15Those who, through a sāttvic disposition, know Brahma-tattva and inspire spiritual, ethical, and progressive life, helping others turn toward their ow…
  138. 16This fourfold ordering, Bhagavān says, was given as a boon for the welfare of humanity, and Bhārata was especially entrusted with it. To live so that…
  139. 17Very well—everyone must seek the welfare of the world. But thoughtful people should calmly investigate whether society has retained even this much sta…
  140. 18The fourfold ordering is not something that exists only in India; some form of functional division is necessary throughout the world. Other countries…
  141. 19In Bhārata, the varṇas are determined by birth; elsewhere they are determined by Karma—by the work performed. This is the distinction between the two.…
  142. 1In matters of spiritual life, Citta-śuddhi has the foremost place; in matters of social administration, an ordered division of functions and the disci…
  143. 2Another explanation compares the four varṇas to the limbs of a single body—the body of Bhagavān. The Brāhmaṇa is compared with the mouth, because spee…
  144. 3Those who argue that abolishing the varṇa system alone will secure the welfare of the world may suppose that only they desire the common good, and tha…
  145. 4Thus the varṇas are compared to instruments of protection: each has its duty, and each must be used within proper limits. Disorder arises when boundar…
  146. 5Just as the body is vital to an embodied being, the whole land is one body for a nation. Harm to any part concerns the whole. If the country is one bo…
  147. 6Paramātma shows no partiality in this arrangement; partiality is not in His nature. Some imagine that God Himself creates divisions, but there is no s…
  148. 7From the spiritual standpoint, the four varṇas can be understood in yet another way. One established in Brahman is the true Brāhmaṇa. One who destroys…
  149. 8Returning to the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna: “Bāvā! The four varṇas were brought forth by Me according to the divisions of guṇa and karma. Though I am t…
  150. 9“Bāvā! Act with that same understanding. Then Citta-śuddhi will surely arise in you. Listen further, and I shall explain what karma and akarma truly m…
  151. 10“Many are bewildered by karma and akarma because their truth is subtle. Svadharma expressed in action is called karma; action illumined by Ātma-jñāna…
  152. 11Passengers in a bus, train, or boat may see stationary trees and hills appear to move while they themselves seem still. The motion of the vehicle is s…
  153. 1“Bāvā, Dhanañjaya! The one who has true vision of karma and akarma is the real paṇḍita. A person does not become wise merely by memorising what is in…
  154. 2It would be a mistake to call a person who has abandoned puruṣārtha altogether—becoming lazy, inert, and purposeless—“content with whatever comes.” Tr…
  155. 3“Bāvā! The pairs of opposites—pleasure and pain, victory and defeat, gain and loss—do not rule over the jñānī. He is dvandvātīta, beyond the sway of d…
  156. 4“When Citta runs one way and the senses another, a person loses both inner and outer balance. Keep away from the fault of attachment. Then Citta will…
  157. 5Dāna is therefore a way of preventing such painful imbalance. To use what is in one’s hands for good is śāstra-approved dravya-yajña. Gifts that susta…
  158. 6When body, speech, and mind are disciplined and employed for the practice of Dharma, that is tapo-yajña. Merely going hungry because food is unavailab…
  159. 7Then there is jñāna-yajña. This is not yet aparokṣa-jñāna, direct realisation, but parokṣa-jñāna used as Sādhana. One listens to and studies the relev…
  160. 8“Jñāna does not arise from these externals. It must be awakened through the presence and guidance of great ones who know by experience. Take refuge in…
  161. 9When one comes to the Guru, one should serve according to what is needed, putting aside self-centred preoccupations, honouring the Guru’s direction wi…
  162. 10“Just as a cow lets down its milk when it sees its calf, let the disciple become so humble and receptive that the Guru’s grace flows naturally toward…
  163. 11A person who merely memorises a book and repeats it before crowds, as though bringing back up food already eaten, is not thereby a Guru. Such people m…
  164. 12The Guru should look primarily to the disciple’s qualities, not to wealth, authority, or social standing. The true Guru can recognise the capacity of…
  165. 13These sacred words are not meant for Arjuna alone. They are amṛta-upadeśa for the whole world, and especially for all who would truly enter the relati…
  166. 14Now look at the qualifications often found among Gurus and disciples in the present age. They reflect their times. Formerly, Gurus who lived according…
  167. 1How can Mokṣa come to disciples who seek only softness, comfort, and sensory pleasure? What loss is there to a true Guru if such troublesome disciples…
  168. 2In that sense, an ordinary householder who faithfully observes the Dharma of his or her āśrama, performs duty without wrongdoing, does not stray from…
  169. 3There are no ordinary comparisons for those two. Blessed is the life that takes Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna as the measure of Guru and disciple. Arjuna is the pu…
  170. 4“Kaunteya! Through the power of Jñāna, first see all beings in yourself, and then see them in Me. In this way ajñāna and moha fall away. As darkness d…
  171. 5“Bāvā! I know the whole course of your births. Your birth is not ordinary; it is endowed with daivī-sampat, a divine disposition, though this is not k…
  172. 6“Śraddhā means faith and earnestness toward the śāstras, the Guru, and the gaining of Jñāna—but above all, you must have Śraddhā in yourself. Without…
  173. 7“Bāvā! Do you think Śraddhā alone is enough? No. There must also be real eagerness to understand what is taught, and neither of these should be accomp…
  174. 8“Dhyāna Yoga needs the support of Karma Yoga; that is why Karma Yoga had to be taught first. Arjuna! One who performs duty while relinquishing the fru…
  175. 9“Come, Bāvā! Practise Dhyāna Yoga. Keep regularity: do not constantly change the time, place, or method, and work steadily to restrain the mind. Order…
  176. 10“The Citta of the practitioner should be steady like a lamp in a windless place. Whenever Manas moves, gently but firmly bring it back and do not let…
  177. 11“Kṛṣṇa! Everything You say is beautiful to hear and blissful to contemplate, yet it does not seem easy for everyone to practise. If this Yoga of samat…
  178. 12Bhagavān smiled at these words. “Bāvā! You have observed the nature of Manas well. Yet even what seems impossible can gradually be brought under maste…
  179. 13“Bāvā! Attain this sacred state of the Yogī. Yet there is a state still more blessed: the one who fixes Citta in Me and meditates upon Me with Śraddhā…
  180. 14“The five elements together with Manas, Buddhi, and Ahaṅkāra form the eightfold Prakṛti from which the subtle and inert universe is constituted. This…
  181. 15“The Vedas declare that Bhagavān first brings forth the inert universe and then enters it as jīva, making it conscious. Understand Aparā Prakṛti as th…
  182. 16The inert is dependent; jīva is that which bears and manifests life. As Antaryāmin, the inner indweller, the living Consciousness enters all. Therefor…
  183. 1Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued: “This is also called Aparā Prakṛti, and it is only the manifestation of My power. Bāvā! To gross vision the world seems…
  184. 2Though Reality is one, it appears as many. Consider a familiar example. At dusk, in dim light, a rope lies coiled across a path. It is truly only a ro…
  185. 3So too Parabrahman, without any change in Its own Svarūpa, appears through Māyā as this world of countless names and forms. However many ways we imagi…
  186. 4To recognise that unseen support requires vicāra. Without enquiry it remains hidden. By examining the garland one discovers the thread; by digging ben…
  187. 5Though present in every object and throughout the five elements, He remains unseen, the Antaryāmin dwelling within all. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: “In wate…
  188. 6Everything in the world is apprehended through two aspects: nāma and rūpa, name and form. Remove name and form and the world as we ordinarily know it…
  189. 7As beads are strung upon a thread, so the Vedas are strung upon Praṇava, the anāhata sound. Kṛṣṇa teaches that Manas should be dissolved into this all…
  190. 8A snake is described as having two troublesome habits: it moves crookedly and it strikes whatever comes in its path. The human mind displays something…
  191. 9Yet the snake also shows a striking responsiveness to sound. When the nāgasvara is played, even a venomous serpent is pictured as spreading its hood a…
  192. 10Paramātma did not create the human being to forget Him, lose Ātma-viśvāsa, live without Jñāna, consume the fruits of Prakṛti without gratitude, and ro…
  193. 11“Bāvā! Many go into deep forests thinking they must find a special place in order to worship Me. This is a kind of delusion. To worship Me you need no…
  194. 12Kāma is the desire for an object even before the means or opportunity to possess it appears. Rāga is the insistence that an object already obtained—th…
  195. 13One more point must be understood. Kṛṣṇa also says that all Rājasic, Tāmasic, and Sāttvic things, states, and tendencies arise through His Aparā and P…
  196. 14“Arjuna! Everything arises in Me and abides in Me; yet I am not subject to any of it, nor bound by relation to it.” Here there are two standpoints: jī…
  197. 15A doubt may arise: if all good and bad arise from Him, and yet their defects neither bind nor touch Him, does that mean human beings are not responsib…
  198. 16At times those defects may seem to cover Bhagavān Himself, but they do not truly touch Him. Clouds arise in the sky and move within it, yet the sky do…
  199. 1The whole world is ādhēya, that which is supported; Paramātma is the Ādhāra, the Support. Yet people usually think only of what is supported and scarc…
  200. 2Arjuna once asked Kṛṣṇa about this very matter: “What exactly is this defect of vision? Explain it clearly, and tell me its cause.” Arjuna was no ordi…
  201. 3Paramātma answered with a smile: “Bābā! Listen. Between this world and Me moves the bewildering power called Māyā. Human beings find it difficult to o…
  202. 4“Māyā is not some newly created substance that came into existence later. Its nature is to forget the eternal Paramātma and take the products of guṇa—…
  203. 5“Those caught in jīva-bhrānti become subject to Māyā; those established in Tattva stand beyond it. Māyā prevents Tattva from being seen, but it cannot…
  204. 6“One crosses Māyā through knowledge of Paramātma; no merely external route can carry one beyond it. Māyā is the superimposition of the dharmas of what…
  205. 7Ordinary people do not readily feel the impulse to take refuge in Bhagavān and cross Māyā. Their disposition reflects saṁskāras carried from prior mer…
  206. 8Those shaped by sukṛta, by contrast, spend their lives in good qualities, good thought, and remembrance of Sarveśvara, longing for Bhagavān. They may…
  207. 9Some may then ask: “Did Arjuna not still have desires? How can the Gītā call him a devotee?” In this world it is difficult to find anyone utterly with…
  208. 10Thus, even if desire remains a defect, seeking Sarveśvara rather than making a finite being one’s ultimate refuge removes the second error. One fault…
  209. 11Among the four devotees—ārta, arthārthī, jijñāsu, and jñānī—the first three conceive Bhagavān somewhat indirectly and pray to Him as other than themse…
  210. 12The jñānī has eka-bhakti, single devotion. The others have a devotion distributed among many concerns, for their love still flows toward desired objec…
  211. 13Fire naturally removes cold, but if a person refuses to come near the fire, how will the cold be relieved? The failure to feel warmth does not prove t…
  212. 14It is meaningless to blame Sarveśvara for deficiencies in our own effort and then declare that God discriminates between sinner and virtuous, jñānī an…
  213. 15The jñānī is beyond Māyā and no longer governed by the guṇas. The jijñāsu, though not yet there, gives little room to lesser expectations and spends t…
  214. 16The stages are like ways of travelling toward one destination. One does not usually leap to the end in a single movement. Jñāna may be compared with a…
  215. 17The jijñāsu is like a through-carriage attached from one train to another: the traveller remains in the same carriage though the outer vehicle changes…
  216. 18The jñānī’s Bhakti is sahaja-bhakti, natural devotion; the others possess gauṇa-bhakti, devotion that still depends upon secondary aims. The jñānī kno…
  217. 19So too, if one appears today as a mahā-jñānī, much Sādhana and deep saṁskāra must have ripened into that state. Yet today people readily announce them…
  218. 20Such a state alone makes one a Jñānī. Merely writing the title “Jñānī” after one’s own name makes one a Jñānī in name and an ajñānī in experience. The…
  219. 21It was precisely because shallow claims to Jñāna would arise that Kṛṣṇa gave the mahā-mantra-like teaching “Vāsudevaḥ sarvam.” That one realisation is…
  220. 22One may look like a sannyāsī outside while carrying greed within; display Yoga outwardly while harbouring diseases of desire; bear a name ending in “Ā…
  221. 23The text says such misconduct especially weakens the ethical and spiritual culture of Bhārata, because it can cause people to lose faith even in Bhaga…
  222. 24Among householders too there are many truthful, Sāttvic, well-conducted, and hatred-free hearts. Jealousy, Ahaṅkāra, and display can destroy any sādha…
  223. 1“Na hi jñānena sadṛśam—there is nothing equal to Jñāna.” That which carries one across the ocean of saṁsāra and leads to the supreme attainment is cal…
  224. 2Two disciplines support its attainment: an outward Sādhana and an inward Sādhana. The outward is Niṣkāma Karma; the inward is Dhyāna leading toward Sa…
  225. 3Ātma-saṁyama therefore means the discipline by which Manas is brought under mastery. This is the true purpose of human life: to know Paramātma and att…
  226. 4The truth proclaimed as “Śṛṇvantu viśve amṛtasya putrāḥ—hear, O children of immortality” is to be enjoyed in experience, not merely heard as a phrase.…
  227. 5“Bāvā, Arjuna! One who takes refuge in Me and practises in order to be freed from the sorrows of old age and death comes to know Brahman, the fullness…
  228. 6“But wishing alone is of little use; one must live in accordance with that longing. When a person truly places the burden upon Bhagavān and practises…
  229. 7Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, then can such people not attain You? You say relief from sorrow becomes an early motive for reaching You. What is the root cause…
  230. 8“Arjuna! The root of every sorrow is ajñāna. You may ask what ajñāna is: dehātma-bhrānti, mistaking the body for the Self. To remove it, Jñāna is need…
  231. 9“Where ajñāna is absent, sorrow too is absent. Therefore take refuge in Me, the path by which sorrow ends; gain the lamp of Jñāna and experience etern…
  232. 10Arjuna replied, “Kṛṣṇa! So far You have given several paths by which You may be reached. But Your words fire one after another like cannon-shots—how a…
  233. 11Kṛṣṇa said, “Bāvā! Listen. When Brahman, Adhyātma, Karma, Adhibhūta, Adhidaiva, and Adhiyajña are understood, My Tattva is known in its fullness. Whoe…
  234. 12“Then first tell me about Brahman, Swāmi,” said Arjuna.
  235. 13“Arjuna! ‘Akṣaraṁ Brahma param.’ The supreme Akṣara is Brahman. Akṣara means that which does not perish. Brahman also means the vast, the great—howeve…
  236. 14“To attain that stable Brahman is the goal of humanity. ‘Goal’ and ‘Brahman’ sound like two words, yet ultimately they indicate one Reality, approache…
  237. 15“Now hear the second. Brahman abides in every body and every being as the shining sense ‘I, I.’ Every body depends upon this ‘I.’ Each organ performs…
  238. 16“Only when the power of ‘I’ is present can the senses carry out their respective functions. This inner principle is called Adhyātma, Bāvā. It is not e…
  239. 17“Brahman may be taken as the meaning of ‘Tat,’ and Adhyātma as the meaning of ‘Tvam.’ To understand more simply, think of them as Svarūpa and svabhāva…
  240. 18Let us enquire a little further. The śāstras call Brahman Sat-Cit-Ānanda-svarūpa. In another Sanskrit formulation the same is indicated as asti, bhāti…
  241. 19Ātma has no relation to death. The experience called death belongs to the body, not to the Nitya, Satya, untouched Ātma. What recoils from annihilatio…
  242. 20Now consider Cit, the power that longs to know. When a human being sees something, the question naturally arises: “What is this?” Some investigate and…
  243. 21Cit is itself conscious and has the power to make even inert objects shine within awareness. This is why the impulse of knowing appears so vividly in…
  244. 22Third comes Ānanda. Not only people but animals and birds naturally seek well-being and avoid pain. Human activity is no exception. Whether in pūjā, b…
  245. 23The jīva is, in its truth, sukha-svabhāva and Ānanda-svarūpa. It is not fundamentally the body; Ātma is its truth, and happiness is natural to Ātma. T…
  246. 24The same is seen among adults. If a friend is happy, we do not usually demand, “Why are you happy?” If the friend is sorrowful, we ask at once, “What…
  247. 25Such daily experiences point to the same principle: sukha is felt as natural, sorrow as contrary to nature. To whom is happiness truly natural? To Ātm…
  248. 26Arjuna then asked for the third term, Karma. Kṛṣṇa replied: “Bāvā! Karma is the outgoing, sacrificial movement that gives rise to the becoming and con…
  249. 1“Bāvā! Karma is My own Svarūpa. I Myself appear in the form of Karma,” Kṛṣṇa declared, making it unmistakably clear that action too is not outside Him…
  250. 2Then He said, “Arjuna, you now know Brahman, Adhyātma, and Karma as My own expressions. You will surely become free and attain Mukti. There is little…
  251. 3But Arjuna is not one to let a question go. Had he been an ordinary person, he could not have continued questioning Kṛṣṇa in this way. Arjuna is fitte…
  252. 4Unsatisfied with a partial answer, Arjuna prayed, “Tell me the remaining three as well. Free me from this thicket of doubt, remove the darkness, and s…
  253. 5“Put another way, Aparā Prakṛti itself is Adhibhūta. All these bodies belong to Adhibhūta—and yet they are not truly separate from Me.” Having said th…
  254. 6Kṛṣṇa had earlier declared, “I am Sat-Cit-Ānanda, the eternal Reality; I am indestructible, unborn, and deathless.” Now He says, “Even this perishing,…
  255. 7Yet Kṛṣṇa did not wish to waste time. Knowing Arjuna’s heart, He immediately began to remove the doubt. “Bāvā! Is your confusion that I called this un…
  256. 8“Māyā, My upādhi, becomes Ākāśa; Ākāśa becomes Vāyu; Vāyu takes the form of Agni; from Agni comes Jala; from Jala, Pṛthvī; from Pṛthvī comes grain; gr…
  257. 9“So along with Brahman, Adhyātma, and Karma, Adhibhūta too is Myself. Follow the relation of cause and effect and these bodies called Adhibhūta also r…
  258. 10“You may ask who these Adhidevatās are. They are deities embodying particular powers, attendants of Bhagavān: the Sun presides over sight, the directi…
  259. 11“And Adhiyajña too is Myself. The experiencer within every body who receives the fruits of action is Adhiyajña. The one Consciousness that, through th…
  260. 12Kṛṣṇa opened Arjuna’s eyes to the meaning of Adhiyajña, though the idea may still seem subtle to an ordinary reader. A simple worldly example helps. F…
  261. 13Seen separately, these devices appear entirely different—air, light, heat, sound, and print seem unrelated. Yet one current of electricity powers them…
  262. 14The appliances differ and their functions differ, but their support is one. As electricity stands behind many devices, the Supreme stands within all u…
  263. 15Kṛṣṇa then taught the seventh point: whoever, at the time of the prāṇa’s departure, remembers and meditates upon Praṇava reaches Akṣara-Parabrahman. A…
  264. 16“Bāvā! ‘The final time’ is not merely some remote future instant. For a perishing body every passing moment is, in a sense, an ending. Whatever is rem…
  265. 17“What must be relinquished is the body; what must be attained is Parabrahman. Whatever can be left behind cannot be your ultimate Svarūpa. That which…
  266. 18“Ātma neither comes nor goes. Bāvā! One caught in deha-bhrānti cannot grasp Ātma-tattva, because attention is fixed upon what is unstable. The deeper…
  267. 19Arjuna asked, “Swāmi! If noble thought is needed at the end, must one begin practising from today? Can one not simply remember then?” Paramātma unders…
  268. 20In the same way, whatever else may or may not come to a human being, death will certainly come. Therefore one must learn beforehand how to sanctify th…
  269. 21The essence of the Gītā is gathered here. Why perform satkarma, prayer, japa, dhyāna, arcana, or tapas if not to move toward the highest good? Those w…
  270. 22A further point requires care. Some create agitation by saying that only this group or that group may utter Oṁ. The text rejects such narrowness as ar…
  271. 23The Gītā does not say “these people” and “not those people.” Kṛṣṇa says whoever is qualified through Sādhana. He does not make tribe or sex the criter…
  272. 24Likewise, planting a fruit seed does not immediately produce a mature tree laden with fruit. It must be protected, watered, and nourished through its…
  273. 25A sādhaka should therefore be concerned not merely with how to be born well, but with how to die well. The manner of death conditions what follows. Or…
  274. 26Therefore the sādhaka should seek a good and sacred end rather than merely a fortunate beginning. A good birth can still be followed by actions that t…
  275. 1For an ordinary person, it is not easy for the thought of Mādhava to arise at the moment of death. Earlier saṁskāras must support it. Manas must be tr…
  276. 2Through these two, the remembrance of Mādhava can arise in Manas at the final moment. Manas is central: when the mind goes astray, the person goes ast…
  277. 3“Bāvā, Arjuna! People describe Me in three ways: first as Nirguṇa-Nirākāra, without qualities and without form; second as Saguṇa-Nirākāra, with qualit…
  278. 4“Listen to how Bhagavān is to be remembered in this mode: as Kavi, Purāṇa, Anuśāsitā, subtler than the subtlest, Sarvādhāra, Acintya-rūpa, Āditya-varṇ…
  279. 5Kṛṣṇa replied, “Arjuna, Kavi does not merely mean one who composes poetry. Here Kavi means Sarvajña—the All-knowing, the knower of the three times. No…
  280. 6“And what is Anuśāsitā? He is Sarvatantra-Svatantra, utterly sovereign, the One who governs all. Even the Pañca-bhūtas are bound by His command and ca…
  281. 7Arjuna asked, “Swāmi, what of the fourth description—the subtle form? What does ‘subtle’ really mean?”
  282. 8“Pārtha, do not imagine that ‘subtle’ simply means very small. Here it means Nirguṇa, beyond the grasp of the senses. As the number of perceptible qua…
  283. 9“Earth possesses all five qualities—sound, touch, form, taste, and smell—and is therefore the grossest. Water has four, lacking smell, and is subtler…
  284. 10“Bhagavān is beyond even these subtle elements. Since no limiting guṇas belong to Him, He is Sūkṣmāti-sūkṣma, subtler than the subtlest and more perva…
  285. 11The fifth description is Sarvādhāra, the Support of all. In the world there is ādhāra, the support, and ādhēya, that which depends upon it. Everything…
  286. 12“Now hear the sixth: Acintya-rūpa, the One who cannot be circumscribed by thought. It is Manas that thinks, but Manas is fleeting and jaḍa, while Para…
  287. 13“Arjuna, Āditya-varṇa means that Bhagavān is self-luminous like the sun. Indeed, even the sun’s radiance belongs to Paramātma. The sun illumines the w…
  288. 14“Now the eighth: He is beyond Tamas. Tamas here means ajñāna, and ‘beyond’ means the Witness of it. Māyā and ajñāna are closely related, and Paramātma…
  289. 15“Pārtha, while contemplating in this way, Manas must be centred on one object alone and not allowed to roam among many. There must also be Prīti and B…
  290. 16The distinction in Kṛṣṇa’s words is important. He says the senses are to be brought under saṁyama, not rendered completely inactive through mere nigra…
  291. 17One should therefore consider what truly opens the heart and brings inner joy, and lead the senses along a straight and wholesome path. When they are…
  292. 18Arjuna then wondered: if the senses are held under control, how can Om be uttered? Kṛṣṇa understood and said, “Bāvā, the utterance of Om is to take pl…
  293. 19“Pārtha, that is why I spoke of Abhyāsa-yoga. Through long practice Manas learns to perform both together with ease. Even animals acquire remarkable c…
  294. 20“In the same way, if Manas is repeatedly withdrawn from the senses and trained over a long period, these powers become natural to it. One who departs…
  295. 21“Arjuna, you are mistaken. Bhagavān makes no division between weak and strong, great and small. All are eligible for His Anugraha. The doors of His co…
  296. 1“Whoever, with ananya-citta and constant inward union, remembers Me unceasingly and whose prāṇa departs through the upward gate rather than another ga…
  297. 2“I do not demand Yoga, Tapas, or even Jñāna. Whether one lacks the power for such disciplines or has the power but cannot undertake them, what I ask i…
  298. 3“If even that cannot be offered to Bhagavān, what kind of Sādhana is it? A person who claims to have no strength to remember Me with ananya-citta some…
  299. 4“Because human beings are drawn outward, they surrender Manas easily to sense-filled objects. But when asked to turn it toward Viśveśvara, they behave…
  300. 5“If the longing is genuine, a sādhaka does not allow weariness or disappointment to overcome him, however many difficulties arise. With ananya-citta h…
  301. 6Arjuna asked, “Swāmi, You say Ananya-bhakti is simple and demands no other great hardship, and that to such a devotee You too are easily attained. Wha…
  302. 7Kṛṣṇa smiled. “Bāvā, it has little meaning to ask what fruit comes from Bhagavat-prāpti. What greater fruit could there be? Through that sacred attain…
  303. 8In such a Mahātma, the Antaḥkaraṇa is free of the stains of Rajas and Tamas; this purity is what the name Mahātma properly signifies. Today the title…
  304. 9Arjuna asked, “Swāmi, the Upaniṣads say that one who reaches Brahmaloka does not return. For whom exactly is there no return? Please explain.”
  305. 10“Bāvā, the Upaniṣads speak of two kinds of Mukti: Sadyo-mukti and Krama-mukti. Sadyo-mukti is also called Kaivalya-mukti. Such a one need not travel t…
  306. 11“Kṛṣṇa, what is the difference between Laya and destruction? Are they not the same?”
  307. 12“Pārtha, Laya is not destruction. It is a state in which a thing is no longer separately visible.”
  308. 13“Swāmi, if it is no longer visible, what is that except destruction?”
  309. 14“Bāvā, invisibility alone is not destruction. Put salt or sugar into water: it disappears from sight, yet its taste remains. Has it been destroyed, or…
  310. 15Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, if even Brahmaloka does not by itself end rebirth, what is the path beyond return? Is there no other way?”
  311. 16“Pārtha, beyond all such transient worlds there is a distinct eternal state. Human beings wander through many routes because they do not know it and c…
  312. 17“Four broad paths are found among people: first, the state beyond Karma; second, Niṣkāma-karma; third, Kāmya-karma; and fourth, the way of those falle…
  313. 18“The first are Karmātītas—Jīvanmuktas. All their Karma has been burnt in the fire of Jñāna. For them the ordinary injunctions of ‘must do’ and ‘must n…
  314. 19They have no separate necessity for Sādhana, charity, ritual duty, or Tapas as means to an end. Whatever they do has become Bhagavat-karma. Wherever t…
  315. 20“The second are practitioners of Niṣkāma-karma-yoga, called Mumukṣus—those whose longing is for Mokṣa. They perform all actions in the spirit of Bhaga…
  316. 21“The third are Sakāma-karma-yogins. They perform good and śāstra-sanctioned actions, but with expectation of fruit. They avoid prohibited and sinful a…
  317. 22“The fourth are Karma-bhraṣṭas. They recognise neither puṇya nor pāpa, good nor evil, discipline nor Śāstra, Dharma nor God. Their aim is temporary pl…
  318. 23Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, tell me: at what time does one leave the body and not return, and at what time does one depart and take birth again?” Kṛṣṇa repl…
  319. 24“Hear the answer. Niṣkāma-karma-yogins and upāsakas travel by the path symbolised by Agni, light, day, Śukla-pakṣa, and the six months of Uttarāyaṇa,…
  320. 25“Sakāma-karma-yogins, by contrast, are described as travelling through smoke, night, Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa, and the six months of Dakṣiṇāyana—the Dhūmādi-mārga.…
  321. 26Here a natural question arises. How are we to understand the favour of the deities of Śukla-pakṣa and Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa? What of one who dies at some time n…
  322. 27Śukla-pakṣa is the fortnight in which the moon’s light increases day by day. What has that to do with death? The moon is closely linked in traditional…
  323. 28Outwardly the calendar time may be anything; inwardly, this ripened luminosity is the sacred time. For the body there is the visible light of sun and…
  324. 29The same enquiry applies to Uttarāyaṇa. Worship and Sādhana undertaken with understanding purify the heart and dispel doubt and inertia. In the outer…
  325. 30Its subtler meaning is inward. The human heart is the inner sky. When clouds of ajñāna, abhimāna, and mamakāra no longer obscure it, Buddhi shines the…
  326. 31Jñāna itself is the Sun; purified Buddhi is Jñāna-bhāskara. One who departs established in this luminous state does not return to birth. This too is c…
  327. 32Dakṣiṇāyana is described as the opposite image: a sky covered by dense cloud and smoke so that the sun is obscured. Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa is the waning of the m…
  328. 33In the inward sense it is the gradual waning of divine bhāva in Manas until, at the final moment, the heart-sky is dark like the new-moon night—covere…
  329. 1The Uttarāyaṇa path is called the Śukla-mārga because it is filled with the pure light of Jñāna. The Dakṣiṇāyana path is called the Kṛṣṇa-mārga becaus…
  330. 2Those who leave the body in the light of self-knowledge are spoken of as travellers on the Uttarāyaṇa path; those who depart without Ātma-jñāna, in de…
  331. 3There is also an inner yogic symbolism in the two nāḍīs, Iḍā and Piṅgalā. Piṅgalā is on the right and is associated with the solar path; Iḍā is on the…
  332. 4Every conjunction ends in separation; one who is born dies, and one who dies is born again—this is the law of Prakṛti. The state beyond coming and goi…
  333. 5Do not doubt whether this is possible for everyone. No extraordinary outward feat is required. Keep Manas continuously fixed on Paramātma; meditate on…
  334. 6Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, I still do not understand what Jñāna really is. Is it what we hear from Ācāryas? What is contained in the Śāstras? What is heard…
  335. 7Paramātma replied, “Arjuna, all those forms of knowledge have their proper usefulness, but by themselves they do not free one from the bondage of beco…
  336. 8Śāstra-jñāna and what is heard from Ācāryas can assist, but they do not by themselves reveal Reality as direct experience. One who is free of envy and…
  337. 9Such a person must also possess Śraddhā. Without Śraddhā no one accomplishes even a small task; indeed, no living creature acts effectively without so…
  338. 10“Bāvā! Prakṛti, with all moving and unmoving beings, functions through Me while I remain the Witness. Because people do not understand this supreme Re…
  339. 11“However one worships and whatever name one uses, it is I, Paramātma, who receive that worship. There is none other than Me. I alone appear in the man…
  340. 12“To attain Me, the very Svarūpa of the Cause, is Mokṣa; to live in that attainment is Jīvanmukti. But Bāvā, to become a Jīvanmukta one must undertake…
  341. 13Arjuna objected: “Kṛṣṇa, do You think complete renunciation of attachment is so easy? Even great tapasvins struggle to overcome body-identification, l…
  342. 14Seeing his despondency, Paramātma drew near and reassured him. “Bāvā, do not lose heart so quickly. Here lies the supreme secret. Hearing alone may no…
  343. 15“There is no impossible labour in practising Niṣkāma-karma, but Śraddhā must be complete. Even the smallest worldly undertaking requires Śraddhā. Shou…
  344. 16“Those supreme devotees who allow no alien thought to occupy them, who perform every action with Īśvarārpaṇa-buddhi and constantly meditate on, serve,…
  345. 17This declaration about Yoga-kṣema is often not understood correctly. From the learned to the unlearned, people repeat the Gītā’s words in many ways wi…
  346. 18This sacred saying is like the navel of the Gītā. Just as Brahmā is said to arise from Viṣṇu’s navel, the declaration ‘Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmyaham’ becomes…
  347. 19Many fanciful explanations are given of this sacred verse. The text tells of a renowned scholar who used to discourse on the Gītā in the presence of a…
  348. 20The scholar’s confidence collapsed. Deeply distressed and humiliated, he tucked the Gītā under his arm, returned home, placed the book aside and fell…
  349. 21The scholar began again: ‘ananyāś cintayanto mām...’, explaining each word separately. His wife smiled. “Nātha, what is gained merely by learning to e…
  350. 22The lesson is sharp. Even today many speak about the Gītā without living it. Explanation without Ācaraṇa can become an offence against the very teachi…
  351. 1Today there are many who speak in the name of the Gītā, inventing meanings for Paramātma’s sacred words and obscuring their true import. Repeating one…
  352. 2Every word of Paramātma is meant for practice, not for mere publicity. Yet the opposite has become common: listeners rarely ask whether the speaker li…
  353. 3Some boast that the whole Gītā is committed to memory and that they can instantly recite any verse from any chapter. Such learning, without even a gra…
  354. 4Arjuna demonstrated in experience every word Kṛṣṇa Paramātma taught him. That is why he became fit for Kṛṣṇa’s Anugraha.
  355. 5If even those called great paṇḍitas do not embody a single teaching, what need is there to speak of the unlearned? Many celebrated Gītā lecturers act…
  356. 6The sixth chapter, tenth verse, warns that parigraha is a great fault. If one truly accepts the Gītā as pramāṇa, should one not live accordingly? Yet…
  357. 7If such people truly have faith in Kṛṣṇa’s sacred words, why act against them while knowing the contradiction? Perhaps, the text says with deliberate…
  358. 8The same problem appears in the honour shown to sacred books. Thousands press the Gītā, Rāmāyaṇa, Bhāgavata, or Mahābhārata to their eyes, place them…
  359. 9It is not the physical book that must be enthroned on the head, but its bhāva in understanding. The worship belongs to the truth it teaches; the real…
  360. 10Whether one is a Gītā preacher or a reciter, the teaching must be given a place in the heart and enjoyed through Ācaraṇa. Memorising ślokas, placing a…
  361. 11A plate of delicious food does not fill the stomach because one touches it reverently to the eyes or places it on the head. One must eat. The Gītā is…
  362. 12So too, one who hungers for Bhagavān’s Anugraha need not swallow the entire stream of the Gītā at once. To put even one śloka into practice can be eno…
  363. 13This is the sacred use of the Gītā. To exploit it for name, prestige, honour, or display while neglecting Ācaraṇa is not only selfish but a betrayal o…
  364. 14See God even in a stone; do not reduce God to a stone. This inward search is the great inheritance given to India. Pearls are not found by skimming su…
  365. 15Indian spiritual culture, at its best, regards the practice of Dharma as sacred and seeks divine vision inwardly, rather than becoming enslaved to app…
  366. 16The Gītā is for Dharma, not for wealth. Raising money under the names of Kṛṣṇa temples, Rāma temples, āśrams, or Gītā-propagation can itself weaken fa…
  367. 17If that inner temple is neglected while only man-made structures are raised, what permanence is gained? The eternal Paramātma deserves the enduring te…
  368. 18External temples have their place until a certain stage is reached, but countless ancient temples already exist. Why not preserve them and put them to…
  369. 19The great ṛṣis and elders of earlier times are remembered here as people of Tapas and renunciation who established disciplines for loka-kṣema and hand…
  370. 20How then can Bhārata remain Dharma-kṣetra, Yoga-kṣetra, and Tyāga-kṣetra? The text laments that Bhāratāvani, whose very form is Annapūrṇā, has come to…
  371. 21Mere speaking is not enough. To be eligible for the sacred assurance ‘Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmyaham’, the sādhaka must examine whether he is observing the co…
  372. 22The promise is not a severed head without a body. ‘Ananyāś cintayanto mām… ye janāḥ paryupāsate… teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām’ are integral to ‘Yoga-kṣemaṁ…
  373. 23The verse beginning ‘Ananyāś cintayanto mām’ is again described as the central jewel in the Gītā’s garland. Yoga can mean the attainment of what has n…
  374. 24However pure the external naivedya, if the vessel of Manas is dirty and not coated with Bhagavat-cintana, the offering is spoiled. Bhagavān seeks the…
  375. 1The Gītā makes it clear that the true offering fit for Paramātma is the heart-flower, the jewel in the lake of Manas. Kṛṣṇa therefore tells Arjuna: “B…
  376. 2Arjuna again became doubtful. “Kṛṣṇa, You say all are equal to You. Then why are some happy and others sorrowful, some yogins and others sick, some we…
  377. 3Paramātma smiled. “Bāvā, Arjuna, I speak only truth. Whether you believe it or not does not alter Truth. I am equally present in all, but all do not s…
  378. 4“So it is with the rays of Bhagavat-jñāna. Those who come near in longing receive their light and warmth. Everyone has the right and freedom to approa…
  379. 5See the tenderness and truth in Paramātma’s words. It is ignorance to ignore our own limitations and impose fault on another—still more to place such…
  380. 6Because Paramātma is free of division and equal-hearted, the world has whatever order and welfare it possesses. A patient may deny his fever, and a ph…
  381. 7If Bhagavān were partial, would He have granted Sāyujya to the Gopikās, accepted Śabarī’s tasted fruits, allowed Janaka to become a Brahma-jñānī, give…
  382. 8This is the meaning of ‘manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṁ namaskuru’: “Keep Manas in Me; worship Me with Bhakti; bow to Me; love Me; and you will re…
  383. 9To know a thing truly, one must become fitted to its mode. Viveka is known through Viveka; light is seen through light.
  384. 10Likewise, to know Mādhava-tattva, one must grow into Mādhavatva. While remaining absorbed only in ordinary manava-bhāva, one cannot comprehend the Div…
  385. 11Kṛṣṇa teasingly told Arjuna, “Bāvā, the devas are above ordinary human beings, and Jñānīs are higher still. Yet even such Jñānīs cannot exhaust the co…
  386. 12Arjuna bowed his head in humility. “Swāmi, it is true. None can fully know You. I firmly believe You are Ananta-rūpa, that You are Parabrahman, and th…
  387. 13“Still, tell me how You assume Your forms of power in this world. In what forms do You pervade the universe? Make my understanding fruitful, and tell…
  388. 14“Arjuna, you have asked a ‘small’ question indeed!” Kṛṣṇa replied. “You imagine it will be easily grasped, but since you ask, I shall tell you. I am t…
  389. 15“Know also the forms in which I stand throughout creation. Earth, water, fire, air, and space—the Pañca-bhūtas—are My forms. I am the consciousness in…
  390. 16“There is no object in the world that is not Me and no name that is not Mine. As the same blood flows through every part of a body, I, the All-pervadi…
  391. 17Arjuna folded his hands. “Kṛṣṇa, the whole universe is Your form. Its Jñāna, Aiśvarya, Śakti, Bala, Vīrya, and Tejas are expressions of You. Will You…
  392. 18At this point the sādhaka should pause over a subtle teaching.
  393. 19The Vedas, Śāstras, Purāṇas, experienced seekers, and great scholars all declare Īśvara to be Sarva-vyāpī and Sarva-bhūtāntarātma. Some then argue: if…
  394. 20Beholding the Viśvarūpa, Arjuna wept with wonder. “Paramātma! I see all the devas, the four-faced Brahmā, the ṛṣis, and hosts of moving and unmoving b…
  395. 21Kṛṣṇa said, “Arjuna, now do you understand that I am the creator, sustainer, and dissolver of all? Know therefore that on this battlefield you are nei…
  396. 22This episode directly illustrates Bhagavān as Bhakta-vatsala and even Bhakta-parādhīna. Arjuna, trembling like an ordinary man, faced warriors such as…
  397. 23For the sake of a devotee’s glory, Bhagavān can bring about deeds beyond ordinary human capacity, remaining the Witness and true Karta while appearing…
  398. 24Kṛṣṇa replied with compassion: “Arjuna, you have seen My Viśvarūpa, which cannot be obtained merely through Vedic study, severe Tapas, charity, or rit…
  399. 25Swāmi answered serenely, “Arjuna, I make no distinction between the two. Both lead to Me. What matters is that Citta be surrendered to Bhagavān. Worsh…
  400. 26Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, is Citta-śuddhi alone sufficient? Do distinctions of gender, āśrama, or varṇa become obstacles?”
  401. 27“Bāvā! After all that you have experienced, why this doubt again? One who truly offers everything to Īśvara and fixes Manas in the eternal, pure Reali…
  402. 28Arjuna then asked, “Kṛṣṇa, for those who still possess body- and world-identification, Nirguṇa-upāsanā is not easy. Can ordinary people purify the Ant…
  403. 1“Arjuna, people imagine that Saguṇa-upāsanā is easy, but that is not entirely true. In the beginning, until some mastery of the senses is gained, Sagu…
  404. 2“Worship of a chosen form by itself does not automatically bestow Mukti. One who seeks Mukti must ultimately relinquish deha-abhimāna, for without tha…
  405. 3“For such freedom, Nirguṇa-upāsanā helps one transcend body-identification. Yet Saguṇa-upāsakas too can reach Me if they offer all Vedic and worldly f…
  406. 4“You may therefore ask whether another path exists. It does. Whoever delights in actions that give Me joy also comes to Ātma-sthiti and Mokṣa. Prayer,…
  407. 5The reader should enquire carefully into this. Only such Vicāra gives rise to understanding joined with Viveka. Consider the difference between the co…
  408. 6Ordinarily such enquiry is neglected. People measure only the worshipper’s emotional love toward Paramātma; as a result they may fail to examine wheth…
  409. 7That is why Kṛṣṇa gives greater weight to Bhagavat-prīti—to what is pleasing to the One worshipped—than merely to the worshipper’s personal preference…
  410. 8The Gītā therefore does not call someone a bhakta merely because deep feeling for God coexists with conduct opposed to Bhagavān’s command or to Dharma…
  411. 9Hence spiritual teaching often explains bhakta as one who is not vibhakta—not divided from Bhagavān. At all times and in all places, bhāva and action…
  412. 10One should not seek God only when life turns bitter, as one reaches for pickle when the mouth has lost taste. Yet such display-oriented devotion is co…
  413. 11These are outward displays born of avidyā. True Bhakti is Sarvātma-bhāva at all places and times. Some say ‘Kṛṣṇārpaṇam’ with the mouth while offering…
  414. 12With firm conviction that Karta, Karma, and Kriyā all rest in Paramātma, become a devotee of the Divine—not of wealth, possessions, spouse, children,…
  415. 13That Triveṇī—the union in which the three currents find one centre—is Manolaya, freedom from mamakāra. External disciplines such as daily bathing and…
  416. 14Bhakti has no necessary dependence on dress, language, or outward religious appearance. Smoke can indicate fire, but one cannot say every fire must pr…
  417. 15Bhāva-śuddhi may therefore exist even without external display, and that inner purity is primary. Sadācāra supports it. Actions performed with Bhāva-ś…
  418. 16Arjuna’s question distinguishes two modes: Saguṇa-bhakti and Nirguṇa-bhakti. The Ārta, Arthārthī, and Jijñāsu generally worship through name and form…
  419. 17This doubt belongs not only to Arjuna but to seekers even now. Some insist Saguṇa-bhakti is highest, others Nirguṇa-bhakti, and still others a synthes…
  420. 18Consider a person with two feet. In certain actions we distinguish right from left, yet for walking both belong to the same person. Injury to either i…
  421. 19Saguṇa and Nirguṇa are like the two feet of Bhagavān. Each has its proper place and cannot simply be dismissed. One may call Nirguṇa the right foot an…
  422. 20Bhakti does not fall from somewhere outside, nor is it bestowed as a foreign substance. It rises from within as Bhagavad-anurāga. When the stream of P…
  423. 21The same basic current takes different names according to where it flows. Toward children it is vātsalya; toward relatives it may become moha; toward…
  424. 22When that love flows toward venerable parents or Ācāryas, it becomes gaurava, vinaya, and obedience.
  425. 23But the love that flows wholly toward Bhagavān is called Bhakti. Instead of letting the current divide into countless channels and lose itself in unre…
  426. 1Taking up the thread again, Arjuna asked, “Gopāla, You have beautifully described the qualities of the Saguṇa-upāsaka and even called such devotees Yo…
  427. 2Nandakumāra replied, “Bāvā, Arjuna, the first mark of a Nirguṇa-upāsaka is mastery of the senses. The second is sama-buddhi—an equal mind in every cir…
  428. 3Arjuna was delighted but asked what he himself should do to become worthy of grace. Nārāyaṇa raised him and said, “Arjuna, you do not need to master a…
  429. 4“If you say that none of even these is possible, then the consequence is for you to consider.” The teaching makes clear that the seeker’s attention sh…
  430. 5As water and fire do not naturally mix, hatred and Bhakti cannot coexist. Kṛṣṇa says those free from divisive hatred and rāga-dveṣa, who look upon all…
  431. 6A reader may then ask: is the absence of hatred by itself enough to realise ‘Vāsudevaḥ sarvam idam’? The text now explains.
  432. 7Merely removing hatred does not by itself bring God-realisation or Ānanda. Take the farmer. Before sowing, he removes weeds; but a harvest does not ar…
  433. 8So the teaching is not only ‘remove hatred’ but also ‘plant Maitrī’. A wall, tree, hill, anthill, or lump of earth does not hate anyone, yet no one ca…
  434. 9The first mark of a bhakta is freedom from hatred; the second is Maitrī; and Kṛṣṇa adds a third—Karuṇā toward those who suffer and are in need.
  435. 10Arjuna asked whether these three qualities were enough. Kṛṣṇa replied with the farming image: sowing alone does not make a crop grow; water and nouris…
  436. 11Mamakāra and ahaṅkāra are not independent; possessiveness grows from the sense of ‘I’. Where ajñāna is absent, ahaṅkāra has no secure place. Hence one…
  437. 12If even a small obstacle comes in the way of one’s preference, Manas is driven into agitation. Why speak of great matters? If coffee does not arrive a…
  438. 13Arjuna asked, “Swāmi, You often speak of Prakṛti and Puruṣa. What is Prakṛti and what is its nature?” Kṛṣṇa explained: “Prakṛti is also called Kṣetra,…
  439. 14“Arjuna, Puruṣa, Kṣetrajña, and the Jñeya point to the conscious knower. Prakṛti may be treated as the body-field; Puruṣa as the conscious principle t…
  440. 15Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, why call this decaying and perishable body a Kṣetra, a field?”
  441. 16Kṛṣṇa replied, “Bāvā, through this very body one can earn puṇya and cultivate the plant of Jñāna; because divine bhāvas can be grown here, it is a Kṣe…
  442. 17Arjuna asked, “What is gained merely by knowing Kṣetra and Kṣetrajña?”
  443. 18“Pichchi-bāvā! Enquiry into Kṣetra brings freedom from duḥkha; enquiry into Kṣetrajña brings the attainment of Ānanda. Together this is called Mokṣa.”…
  444. 19Arjuna, speaking for seekers, asked, “Who experiences this freedom from sorrow and this Ānanda—the jīva, or the body that is Kṣetra?”
  445. 20Kṛṣṇa answered, “Because Kṣetra is joined with the guṇas, people attribute its experiences to the jīva through association. But Puruṣa in himself has…
  446. 21Thus it is not ultimately correct to attribute sukha and duḥkha to the conscious principle merely because it dwells in a guṇa-filled body. As soil con…
  447. 22Tamas obscures true knowledge, mistakes one thing for another, and binds through heedlessness, inertia, and dullness. Sattva suppresses the causes of…
  448. 1Because Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas undergo many combinations and transformations within Prakṛti, Prakṛti appears in changing forms. Ātma, by contrast, i…
  449. 2Sattva is steady, clear, selfless luminosity; where it predominates, craving grows quiet and the person becomes fit for Ātma-jñāna. In Rajas, even act…
  450. 3Arjuna listened carefully and asked, “Swāmi, what qualities must a Jñānī possess?” Paramātma replied, “Pārtha, the twenty qualities beginning with Amā…
  451. 4What a careful order! To speak of Brahman before establishing nīti and niṣṭhā would be like trying to light a lamp without wick, oil, or vessel. Prepa…
  452. 5In the same way the sādhaka must transcend the disequilibrium of the three guṇas to realise the Jñāna-jyoti and taste Mokṣānanda. Even Sattva remains,…
  453. 6Arjuna said, “Kṛṣṇa, You say a Jñānī must possess the twenty qualities beginning with Amānitva. Please explain them one by one so that I may understan…
  454. 7“Arjuna, your Śraddhā gives Me joy. The first is Amānitva—absence of self-importance and the hunger for honour. As water takes the colour placed in it…
  455. 8“The second is Adambhitva—absence of pretence. It is a great virtue not to pose as what one is not: not to pretend greatness without greatness, power…
  456. 9Sādhakas must open their eyes carefully to this. Today the world is filled with dambha. Look in any field or at almost any public figure and pretence…
  457. 10“The third is Ahiṁsā. To cause pain, hardship, or mental distress to another is hiṁsā. Ahiṁsā is not merely refraining from physical injury. In Manas,…
  458. 11“The fourth is Kṣamā, also called Kṣānti or forbearance. Even when others injure, betray, oppose, or hate you, let the hurt pass like a dream or a mir…
  459. 12“The fifth is straightforwardness and honesty. Let thought, word, and action have one form, without deceit, manipulation, or hidden crookedness. This…
  460. 13“The sixth is Ācāryopāsanā. Just as a teacher is needed for worldly learning, guidance is needed in Vedānta. Guru-bhakti awakens the Guru’s vātsalya t…
  461. 14“The seventh is Śauca—purity. Outer cleanliness is necessary, but inner Śauca is even more important: the purification of Antaḥkaraṇa from rāga-dveṣa,…
  462. 15“The eighth is Sthairya—steadiness. Do not change direction every minute or adopt a new mood every day. Having recognised something as good, remain wi…
  463. 16“The ninth is Indriya-nigraha. The senses exist for you; you do not exist for the senses. Do not become their servant. Bring them under your direction…
  464. 17“The tenth is Vairāgya—non-attachment to the sense-objects of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. The senses naturally ask for what pleases them, bu…
  465. 18“The eleventh is Anahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra is the birthplace of many defects. When it dominates, it recognises neither Dharma nor truth nor the sacred. Fre…
  466. 19“Next is continual discernment of the defect inherent in janma, mṛtyu, jarā, vyādhi, and duḥkha. Birth, death, old age, disease, and sorrow are seen c…
  467. 20“Another quality is Anāsakti—freedom from grasping attachment. Āsakti is the urge that says of everything seen, ‘I want it; it is mine.’ Its root is m…
  468. 21Before birth these relationships, possessions, and vehicles were not ours; after death they are not ours. The intermediate drama is only a temporary a…
  469. 22“Next is Samatva—equal-mindedness toward pleasant and unpleasant, sukha and duḥkha, heat and cold. Do not swell in one circumstance and collapse in an…
  470. 23“Then comes Ananya-bhakti—Bhakti without another centre. This is not remembering Veṅkaṭaramaṇa only in crisis and forgetting Śrīnivāsa as soon as comf…
  471. 24“Next is love of Ekānta. This does not merely mean carrying the body into a forest where no people are present. Inner solitude is Manas becoming nirvi…
  472. 1The eighteenth quality of Jñāna is freedom from delight in indiscriminate crowds and in the company of those absorbed in sense-attachments. One may re…
  473. 2Because it is difficult at first to judge every influence correctly, some withdrawal from ordinary entanglement can protect Sādhana. Manas is compared…
  474. 3The nineteenth quality is sustained interest in Ātma-anātma-viveka. Kṛṣṇa teaches: “I am the Eternal. Remember Me constantly and fix Citta in Me. Then…
  475. 4The final quality is Tattva-jñāna-darśana: an outlook directed toward the Reality to be known, with Mokṣa as the governing aim rather than scattered w…
  476. 5Of the twenty qualities described, if two or three are sincerely established, others may begin to arise without separate forcing. It is neither possib…
  477. 6One who cultivates them becomes fit for Sākṣātkāra. Through this enquiry it becomes clear that body, Buddhi, senses, and Antaḥkaraṇa all belong to Pra…
  478. 7To know oneself as the Witness of all is Ātma-sākṣātkāra. To know one’s own truth, to know oneself, to realise the same Ātma as all, and to know in ex…
  479. 8Arjuna said, “Swāmi, I now understand somewhat about Kṣetra and Kṣetrajña, Prakṛti and Puruṣa. But You also used the word Jñeya. Please explain it.” P…
  480. 9Through Jñāna one knows, ‘Ātma itself is I’; through ajñāna one takes the body to be ‘I’. This is the central difference. The same Reality is also cal…
  481. 10‘Jñānād eva tu kaivalyam’—through Ātma-tattva-jñāna and complete vision, Kaivalya is realised as one’s own Reality. Prakṛti may be beginningless in ap…
  482. 11Do not project the guṇa-dharmas of Prakṛti upon Ātma. Ātma is by nature distinct from them. The guṇas have jurisdiction only within the kingdom of Pra…
  483. 12So too, in the presence of Ātma-Caitanya, the senses carry out their respective functions. At sunrise birds awaken, flowers open, lotuses close or ope…
  484. 13Birds fly in countless patterns through the sky yet leave no scar upon it. In the same way the senses may range through the ‘heart-sky’ without leavin…
  485. 14Human beings, however, notice the supported objects and forget the support. In a flower-garland, the thread alone holds the flowers together, yet the…
  486. 15Consider pots, bowls, and vessels made of clay. Does the clay exist in the pot, or the pot in the clay? In clay as such there is only clay, not a coll…
  487. 16Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, this Paramātma who is Sarva-bhūtāntarātma and the support of all seems very difficult to know. Though all-pervading, He is not s…
  488. 17Kṛṣṇa replied, “Arjuna, Ātma is extremely subtle. Look again at the Pañca-bhūtas. Earth is grosser than water, water than fire, fire than air, air tha…
  489. 18For one endowed with Buddhi, this is reasonable. The complaint ‘If God is everywhere, why can no one see Him?’ misses the mode of seeing. If Paramātma…
  490. 19The Purāṇic contrast between Hiraṇyakaśipu and Prahlāda illustrates this. Hiraṇyakaśipu searched and concluded that Nārāyaṇa was nowhere. Prahlāda dec…
  491. 20Readers, as rivers find their fulfilment in the sea, Brahma-prāpti is the true destination of jīvas. Caitanya cannot find permanent fulfilment in jaḍa…
  492. 21Ananya-bhakti becomes possible when Vairāgya has arisen toward the world of changing forms; it then opens into Ātma-jñāna. To teach Vairāgya toward Sa…
  493. 22“Arjuna, the tree of Saṁsāra is a strange Aśvattha. Ordinary trees have roots below and branches above; this tree is inverted, with roots above and br…
  494. 23Arjuna asked why the name Aśvattha was chosen. Kṛṣṇa replied, “The name itself carries the teaching. Aśvattha suggests what does not remain the same u…
  495. 24To know anything completely one needs both outer and inner observation. There is Īśvara’s world and the jīva’s subjective world. The latter becomes th…
  496. 1Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, You said that one who no longer sees the visible world merely as ‘world’ but knows it as Paramātma is a true Vedavit, and that t…
  497. 2Kṛṣṇa replied, “Bāvā, every appearance in the world has what is called svabhāva, a quality or mode. A quality depends upon that which possesses it. Be…
  498. 3Kṛṣṇa answered, “Bāvā, your question is curious. You yourself say I do not act without meaning or speak untruth, yet at once become anxious over what…
  499. 4“Daiva and Asura are not two separate species of being. They are distinctions according to guṇa. The guṇas are superimposed modes. A potter makes pots…
  500. 5Arjuna asked, “Kṛṣṇa, what is the relation between Your Svabhāva and the Svarūpa of Prakṛti?”
  501. 6“Bāvā, I have already told you that Pṛthvī, Jala, Agni, Vāyu, and Ākāśa—the Pañca-bhūtas—are expressions of My Svabhāva. Could the world stand without…
  502. 7Arjuna replied, “No, Kṛṣṇa. Without the Pañca-bhūtas no object of this world can stand. Life itself is bound up with them.”
  503. 8“Then accept also the deeper tattvas associated with them. Behind what is seen there is always an unseen support. Even Manas, Buddhi, Citta, and Ahaṅk…
  504. 9Arjuna asked, “Mādhava, if differences of guṇa create Daivī and Āsurī dispositions, what qualities mark each?” Kṛṣṇa replied, “Bāvā, for one with your…
  505. 10Those who embody Daivī qualities may be called persons of divine tendency; those in whom Āsurī qualities dominate are human in form but asuric in disp…
  506. 11As roots sustain a tree, desire-bonds sustain the tree of saṁsāric identification. Cut the roots little by little and the tree weakens; leave even one…
  507. 12For Pūrṇa-ekāgratā, the network of craving must be completely weakened and finally released. If complete concentration has not arisen, it shows that s…
  508. 13Those whose guṇas are rākṣasic are the real danger to the world. A beautiful body and charming speech do not prove Daivī birth. When Āsurī qualities d…
  509. 14Therefore understand clearly: Daivī-sampat and Āsurī-sampat belong to guṇa and disposition, not to the mere shape of the body.
  510. 1Arjuna prayed on behalf of all seekers: “Kṛṣṇa, You said that Daivī and Āsurī tendencies arise from saṁskāras of puṇya and pāpa carried from earlier b…
  511. 2Kṛṣṇa immediately replied, “Bāvā, there are ways. The guṇas are three—Sāttvika, Rājasika, and Tāmasika—and they condition the Antaḥkaraṇa. The Antaḥka…
  512. 3Kṛṣṇa said gently, “Bāvā, defects in food can cloud Manas. In a polluted Citta the secret of Dharma does not shine, just as a face is not clearly refl…
  513. 4Arjuna asked, “Swāmi, please tell me with love what Sāttvika, Rājasika, and Tāmasika āhāra are.”
  514. 5“Arjuna, Sāttvika food should strengthen both Manas and body. It should not be excessively sweet, excessively hot, nor such as to produce excessive th…
  515. 6Arjuna asked about foods cooked in oil or ghee and kept for later. Kṛṣṇa replied that the same rule is not mechanically identical for every preparatio…
  516. 7Arjuna asked, “Paramātma, forgive my question. Can guṇa really become Sāttvika merely by changing food, or are there further forms of purification con…
  517. 8Kṛṣṇa replied, “Bāvā, if it were that easy, Āsurī tendencies would disappear from the world in a moment. Three further purities are important: purity…
  518. 9It is not enough that the ingredients look wholesome. One should consider how they were obtained: they should not be stained by injustice, falsehood,…
  519. 10Mānasika Tapas is to refrain from brooding over harmful thoughts, to wish well to all beings, remember Paramātma, restrain Citta from running after un…
  520. 11Śārīrika Tapas is to use the body for service and sacred action—paropakāra, worship, bhajan, pradakṣiṇa, āsana, brahmacarya, prāṇāyāma, care for the s…
  521. 12Vācika Tapas is to avoid excessive speech, falsehood, slander, gossip, abuse, and cruel words; to speak sweetly and purify Vāk through remembrance of…
  522. 13If even one of these—mental, bodily, or verbal Tapas—is neglected, the Ātma-jyoti does not shine steadily through the personality. The image is again…
  523. 14Some also regard dāna and dharmic service as Tapas. That is good, but charity must be suited to deśa, kāla, and pātra. Where education is lacking, est…
  524. 15Kṛṣṇa replied, “Certainly. Many give with expectation of return; some seek only Bhagavān’s grace as the fruit. Giving for Bhagavad-anugraha, without w…
  525. 16“Bāvā, therefore be careful in dāna. Do not give indiscriminately merely because someone asks or because a place presents itself. Consider whether the…
  526. 17Arjuna asked about Sāttvika seeing and hearing. Kṛṣṇa replied with affection: “To see Bhagavad-ārādhakas, sacred images and forms, noble people walkin…
  527. 18Readers, this teaching is like the heart of the Gītā. The body, whose life depends upon food, is led toward higher or lower states by anna—by āhāra it…
  528. 1Just as clothing covers the delicate form of the body from sight, Ahaṅkāra covers the pure Brahmatva within jīvatva. Ahaṅkāra is the root of many defe…
  529. 2Human beings ordinarily act according to expected fruit and abandon actions when no fruit is foreseen. The Gītā challenges both tendencies. Whether fr…
  530. 3Before closing His holy teaching, Kṛṣṇa said: “Arjuna, abandon all dharmas and take refuge in Me alone; I shall free you from all pāpa.” To take refug…
  531. 4Some dry Vedāntins and lazy devotees seize upon this teaching as an excuse for inertia. They stretch out their legs, close their eyes, live on roots a…
  532. 5True devotees should therefore reflect carefully on the sacred words themselves:
  533. 6Śloka: ‘sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja; ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ.’
  534. 7Paramātma says ‘sarva-dharmān parityajya’; He does not say ‘sarva-karmān parityajya’. The meaning is not abandonment of all action, but surrender of e…
  535. 8Those who stand by Dharma may face severe hardship in the immediate world, yet final victory belongs to Dharma. Those who stand in Adharma may tempora…
  536. 9…Complete…