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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00138 Jun 2004

 
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SrI:
      
Dear BhakthAs of  Lord  PaarTasArathy :
      
Today , we  will  study the FOURTEENTH Chapter of
SrImath Bhagvath GeethA .This chapter has 
27  slOkams . This chapter is about Division 
according to the Three guNAs .

Introduction to the Fourteenth Chapter:
******************************************
AchArya RaamAnujA's commentary as translated by 
Swamy AdhidEvAnandha is as follows : 

" It was shown in the 13th Chapter  that by knowing 
the truth concerning the nature of Prakruthi and  
the Self , which are conjointed with one another , 
one is freed  from  a bondage by means of Jn~Ana 
consisting of modesty etc., when favored by devotion 
to the Lord. And it was also stated that the cause of 
bondage consists in attachment to pleasure etc ., which
arises from prior linkage with GuNAs such as SatthvA 
etc., on the authority of passage like "its attachment to 
the guNAs is the cause of birth in good and evil wombs "
( GeethA: 13.21) . Now , it is proposed to describe how
the GuNAs become the cause of bondage and how their 
hold can be removed " .  

 Swamy AlavanthAr's summary of the 14th chapter
*****************************************************
guNabhandha-vidha: tEshAm karthruthvam tannivathanam
gathithraya-svamoolathvam chathurdasa udheeryathE 
--- --- 18th slOkam of GeethArTa Sangraham

(Meaning ): " In the fourteenth chapter are expalined 
the various ways in which the guNAs bind the self 
(JeevAthman),  how they (guNAs) are the agents in respect of 
all works and how the Supreme Person (ParamAthmA )
is the basis of all the three ends attainable , namely ,
heavenly sovereignity , the abidance in the pristine 
state of the self , and dwelling in the Lord " .

There are FOUR key group of words that have been 
chosen by Swamy  AlavanthAr to summarize the core of
the 14th Chapter of GeethA :

1) GuNa-bhandha-vidhA , (2) tEshAm karthruthvam , 
(3) tannivartthanam , (4) Gathithraya -svamoolathvam .  

Let us comment on them one by one following the way 
chosen by  ThirukkaLLam Swamy :

1) GuNa-bhandha-vidhA : This is the way in which the three
guNams-- Sathvam , Rajas and Tamas -- bind the jeevan 
to SamsAram . Among the three , Satthvam promotes bonding
to Sukaham , Jn~Anam and facilitates the performance of 
(puNya) KarmAs  that binds the jeevan to samsAram. RajO 
guNam creates desire for every (worldly ) thing other than
BhagavAn and leads the jeevan to perform karmAs that ends up
in the Jeevan  swirling in SamsAric ocean . Tamas shackles 
the jeevan very tightly to SamsAric jail and creates sleepiness ,
disinterest , procrastrination in doing things .These are 
the prAkArams ( ways ) of GuNams which ties up the jeevan 
to SamsAram (GuNa-bahndha-vidhA:). 

2. tEshAm karthruthvam : Jeevan's acts based on desire , anger ,
sorrow ;  attachment  is caused by the operation of the three guNAs.
It is not jeevan's nature to have desire , anger etc. Water does not 
scald one in its intrinsic form . Jalam however scalds due to 
sambhandham with  fire. Similarly , Jeevan's svaroopam ( intrinsic
nature ) is endowed with auspicious attributes(Sath guNams). 
Jevan however through sambhnadham with Prakruthi made up
of  three guNams ends up in egaging in activities , which are 
inconsistent with its intrinsic nature. This is referred to by 
the two words : "tEshAm Karthruthvam" .

3) Tannivartthanam : Those who elect the Lord as their ultimate 
goal ( phalan , fruit of their efforts) and exhibit unwavering Bhakthi
to Him will not be influenced any longer by the three guNams .
They cross the MaayA of BhagavAn (Prakruthi) and attain a status ,
which equals the Lord's attributes in many areas ( Parabrahma Saamyam).
Such a person is a Parama SaathvIkan. He looks upon a lump of 
earth with the same feeling of detatchment as he looks at a ball of gold. 
These people , who have overcome the Bhagavann-MaayA are known as
"GuNAdheethar". Unwavering Bhakthi to Me is the only route to cross
My maayA says the Lord . All the three goals -- -- Iswaryam ( worldly
wealth , Kaivalyam ( direct visualization of the Self) and Moksham
( freedom from the cycle of birth and death ) are  granted by 
the Lord and Lord alone .

4) Gathi-thraya-moolathvam: Our Lord (VaasudEvan) alone grants 
the three purushArTams : Kaivalyam , Iswaryam and Moksham .
Gathi Thrayam refers to these three Phalans .     

Swamy  Desikan's summary of the 14th Chapter
*************************************************
mukkuNamE uyir muRRavum kattida mooNDamayum
mukkuNamE anaitthum vinai koLLa muyanRamayum
mukkuNa mAyai kadatthalum mukkathi tanthaLippum 
mukkuNam aRRa PirAn mozhinthAn mudiyOn tanakkE

--- 15th Paasuram of GethArTa sangraham of Swamy  Desikan 

(Meaning ): Jeevan by Svaroopam is not capable of doing 
Paapa or PuNya Kaaryams . It is pristine pure and is of
Jn~Ana Svaroopam . Satthva , Raajasa and TamO guNams
( the triad making up Prakruthi) does these karmAs 
and makes the Jeevan believe that it did these karmAs . 
Satthva guNam creates the attachment for the Jeevan 
in Sukham and knowledge and makes the jeevan
perform karmAs that are appropriate towards that goal. RajO 
GuNam creates the desire for carnal pleasures between men
and women and  pushes the jeevans to engage in karmAs 
that bind them to samsAram . The TamO guNam creates 
laziness , viparItha Jn~Anam and lack of focus in activities 
and leads to Jeevan accumulating many Paapams that 
shackle the Jeevan to SamsAric prison . 

The Jeevan becomes a muktha jeevan by performing 
its karmAs without expecting any Phalan , rejcting anya 
devathA aaradhanam even by mind and pursuing bhakthi
yOgam firmly . That type of Jeevan crosses the Sambhandham 
with Prakruthi made up of the three guNams and becomes 
the Muktha Jeevan .

BhagavAn is the only omnipotent One , who can grant 
the three PurushArTams ( Kaivalyam , Iswaryam and 
Moksham). The Lord devoid of the three guNams described
these tatthvams to Arjuna in the 15th chapter . 

Some key slOkams of the fourteenth chapter :
************************************************
sarva-yOnishu KounthEya Moorthaya: sambhavanthi yaa:
thAsAm Brahma mahathyOnir-- aham Bheejapradha: pithA
--- --- SlOkam : 4

(Meaning) : " Whatever forms are produced in any womb , 
Oh Arjuna, the Prakruthi is their great womb and I am 
the sowing Father ". The Lord says that He is " the imbedder 
of muliplex of conscient  selves according to each one's
karmAs ". 

Satthvam Rajas-tama ithi guNA prakruthi-sambhavA:
niBhadhnanthi MahAbhAhO dEhE dEhinamavyayam 
--- --- SlOkam 5 

(meaning ): " Satthva , Rajas and Tamas are the guNAs that 
arise from the Prakruthi .They bind the immutable self in
the body , Oh ArjunA " . 

Jeevan is not in its pristine state, when it is conjoined 
with the three guNAs ( of Prakruthi). GuNAs bind the Jeevan ,
when the jeevan resides in the body . Sathtva guNam for instance 
conjoined with the Jeevan binds latter through attachment to pleasure 
(Sukham ) and knowledge ( Jn~Anam) . Rajas binds the embodied self 
with attachment to work ( " Karma sangha dhvArENa , rajO 
dEhinam niBhadhnAthi). Tamas arising from erroneous knowledge
deludes ( causes Mohanam ) all embodied souls .Tamas binds 
the Jeevan with "negligence , indolence and sleep" ( aalasyam , 
anArambha svabhAva: and sthaBhdhathA ) . 

KarmaNa: sukruthasyAhu: saathvikam nirmalam Phalam
rajasasthu phalam dukkham ajn~Anam tamas: phalam
--- --- SlOkam 16

(Meaning ): " The fruits of a good deed , they say , is pure
and is of the nature of SatthvA . But the fruit of rajas is 
pain ; and the fruit of tamas is ignorance.

naanyam guNEbhya: karthAram yadhA dhrashtAnupasyathi
guNEbhasccha param vEtthi madhbhAvam sOadhigacchathi
--- --- SlOkam 19

(Meaning ) : " When the  seer beholds no agent of action
other than the GuNAs , and knows what transcends the GuNAs , 
he attains to My state " . 

One who stays in pure Saathvic state gets there by partaking
Saathvic food and the practise of asanchala (unwavering )
Bhakthi yOgam and through  nishkAma   karmAnushtAnam 
(i-e)., He does every thing to please the Lord and does not seek
any phalans for his karmAs . This noble seer comprehends that 
the guNAs are the agents of action and not the self.   The pure-
natured self (pristine by inherent svaroopam)  " gains agency 
through various actions by contact (sambhandham) with
the guNAs springing from past karmAs . When one percieves 
the self in this way , namely , that the self by itself is no agent 
of actions and is of the nature of infinite knowledge (Jn~Anam) ,
then , that self attains to the likeness of the Lord ( Brahma saamyam) ". 
That self attains immortality (vimukthO amrutham asnuthE).
That noble seer has the vision of the self being totally different
from the three guNAs . He rises above the guNAs . He becomes 
qualified for the state of Brahman ( Sa: BrahmabhUyAya kalpathE).
through his unswerving , unshakable practise of Bhakthi yOgA .
That noble seer with the conviction that realizing " VaasudEva 
is all " is a rare one and is a MahAthmA dear to the Lord ,
who is immortal( Saasvathan) , the embodiment of eternal 
dharmA and the perfect sukham ( bliss principle) . By taking
refuge in the Lord , the Jn~Ani with one pointed mind 
transcends the three guNAs to attain Braham saamyam state .
The concept of Prapatthi is introduced here as an angam (limb) of
Bhakthi Yogam . There is another point of view that holds 
that Prapatthi by itself is an independent path (means) to
attain Moksham and Brahma Saamyam. Bhakthi yOgam is
not with in the reach of all .It is extremely difficult to practise.
Hence the act of Prapatthi that is open to all and is doable
in a trice ( short time) and does not take long to yield fruit 
is considered by AchAryAs to be superior as the means for
Moksham . 

Sarvam KrishNArpaNam asthu ,
   
Daasan , Oppiliappan  KOil VaradachAri SadagOpan 
Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka
SrivaNN Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: 



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