Why is it necessary to undertake the study of the Bhagavad Gita?
Before we venture to acquire any new knowledge, we need to do a thorough enquiry as to why we need to acquire that knowledge and the necessity of it. If we understand the reason why we should study Gita,presented by Lord Sri Krishna, at this stage of our lives rather than at an old age when we are retired from all routines of life, it will help us study the text with a proper attitude and enthusiasm.
A sloka explains the similarities and the difference between a human being and an animal.
आहारनिद्रा भयमैतुनंच सामान्यमेतत् पशुभिर्नराणाम् ।
(Aahaara nidra bhaya maithunancha saanyamaethath pashubhir naraanaam)
The first line tells the similarities between the two of them. Intake of food, sleep, self defence and reproduction are the similarities between a human being and an animal.
बुद्धिर्हि तेषां अधिकोविषेष: बुद्याविहीना पशुभि: समाना: ।।
(Buddhirhi thesham adhiko vishesha: budhyaviheena pashubhir samaanaa:)
Man is specially endowed with his intellect. The one who does not utilize this intellect properly will only be equal to an animal. Hence intellect is the one faculty that differentiates a human being from an animal.
What is intellect?
Intellect is an instrument. It functions in three ways as an instrument.
1 Self-awareness. The ability to be aware of oneself.
2. Discriminatory power. The ability to know of what is right and wrong.
By nature, every human being is endowed with this ability to differentiate between what is right and wrong.
3. The knowledge about reality and appearance. The moment we realize that a mirage is only an appearance and not real water, we start appreciating a mirage as just an appearance and the knowledge continues even while the appearance of a mirage continues. But an animal will not be able to differentiate between reality and appearance.
If a man loses all the above three abilities of intellect, then he will only be considered an animal. Hence the human intellect must be put into its maximum use and when one puts the intellect into good use one attains the following benefits.
What are the benefits of human intellect?
Higher the intellect higher the pleasures of the world that one can enjoy. For example, a man with a higher intellect will be able to appreciate the fine arts and literature and enjoy the pleasures they offer while a man with a lower intellect will never know what these pleasures are.
The potentiality to control everything. We have seen people with higher intellect control things and people around them easily.
One can avoid papa karmas, which are prohibited actions, actions that harm others and oneself and choose to do punya karmas, actions that bring good to others and oneself with the use of one’s intellect. By gaining punya and avoiding papa one is eligible for the pleasures of this world and the world beyond. A question may be asked here on how gaining of punya karma helps one to enjoy the pleasures of this world. Oftentimes we see in this world that people have what they want but are unable to enjoy due to their inabilities. One may have all the money in the world but may lack physical and mental health. Hence it is said one requires punya in order to enjoy worldly pleasures. That punya helps one to gain a place in heaven is purely a thing of faith. A spiritual aspirant is neither interested in worldly pleasure nor in the other worldly. Hence there is a third benefit to a spiritual aspirant that comes from acquiring punya and avoiding papa. He gains the purity of mind that is required for the spiritual practice and the study of scriptures. He qualifies for the ultimate goal of life, self-realization.
One attains the ultimate goal of life which is realization of one’s self.
What are the drawbacks of not putting one’s intellect into proper use?
One attains greater sorrow than animals. He suffers from lack of sleep; suffers due to his comparing himself with others; fears his own future. Due to intellect not properly put into use one will entangle himself in the problems created by himself.
Being a slave to things created by oneself. People often become addicted to things such as cell phones, movies, music, food etcetera, and struggle to come out of that addiction.
Accumulating papa.
One attains shoka, sorrow, and bondage due to intellect not properly put into use.
Texts such as Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads instill the right knowledge that is required for one’s intellect. These philosophical texts clear one of the doubts about what is right and what is wrong; provides the knowledge about reality and appearance (Satya and Mitya) and makes one qualified to live as a human being. If we realize the necessity and importance of the Gita then the eagerness to study the Bhagavad Gita will increase. Now let us try to know the importance of studying Gita with an attitude of trust.
Gita is one among the Prasthana Traya:
The upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutra are together called the Prasthana Traya. This means that these three texts are the ultimate instruments of Knowledge of the ultimate reality. The explanation of the ultimate reality is presented in a proper order in these three texts. No other text has any further explanation about the ultimate reality than presented in these three texts. The other spiritual texts can only be the elaborate explanations of the above three texts.
The Central theme of Gita:
The realization of the Self. The knowledge of who I really am.
The knowledge about Dharma, the righteous action.
The knowledge about how to purify and strengthen your mind through various spiritual practices and make your intellect to qualify to attain Moksha, the freedom from bondage; freedom from the life of becoming.
Gita’s location:
Gita is located in the MahaBharata, a great classical epic composed by Vyasa. It is in Bhishma Parva, starting from the twenty fifth chapter and ending at forty second. Hence Gita consists of eighteen chapters and has seven hundred slokas.
Background:
The war between Pandavas and Kauravas has been finalized. Vyasa tells Dhritarashtra that he would give him the eyes of wisdom so he could witness the war. Dhritarashtra does not like to see his kith and kin die. Hence Vyasa gives those eyes of wisdom to Sanjaya who is the charioteer of Dhritarashtra. With these eyes, he will not only be able to see what happens in the battlefield but also will know what goes on in everyone’s mind in the battlefield.
Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya to tell him only the result of the war each day. At the end of the tenth day, Bhishma was defeated by Arjuna. After hearing this, having lost faith in his own side, Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya to tell him everything from the beginning. Sanjaya begins to describe the moment the war began and the confusion that happened in Arjuna’s mind.
The entire first chapter and the first ten slokas of the second chapter describe the battlefield and the confusion in Arjuna's mind. But Shankara in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, starts to give explanation only from the eleventh sloka of the second chapter.
First Chapter
Arjuna Vishada Yoga (अर्जुनविषादयोग:)
The chapter explains Arjuna’s sorrow. Yoga here means topic. The word yoga has multiple meanings. Yoga can mean spiritual practice as well. Vishada means sorrow.
Here the sorrow is of two kinds.
Duryodhana experienced sorrow due to the jealousy about the Pandavas. This sorrow led to destruction for him and others.
Arjuna’s sorrow was due to his compassion for the fellow beings. This sorrow helped him attain a mental maturity. The sorrow turned into a yoga (spiritual practice) for him. Because of his sorrow lord Krishna gave us the Gita. Hence Arjuna’s sorrow was the seed from which Gita sprouted.
We should realize what kind of sorrow will bind us and what kind will liberate us. The real bondage is the incompleteness that one feels in his mind. This incompleteness in the mind leads to jealousy, anger, fear and hatred.
No comments:
Post a Comment