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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00097 May 2003

 
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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:
Dear Soundar,

svabhAva jEna kaunthEya nibadhDha: svEna karmaNA |
karthum nEcchasi yan mOhAth kariShyasy avashOpi thath || 18:60

The natural duty of kshatriya is to fight. Bound by this duty,he will 
be unable to suffer the enemies' insults and he iwll engage them in 
the battle which he now does not want to, out of ignorance. Lord 
says "kaunthEya,you will inevitably do(springs from your own 
nature/kshatriya) what you do not want to do out of ignorance".

iShvara sarvabhUthAnAm hrdhEshErjuna thiShTathi |
bhrAmayan sarvabhUthAni yanthrAruDAni mAyayA || 18:61

All beings are forced by the Lord to follow their prakrthi in 
accordance with their previous karman; Lord says "The Lord of all 
creatures is inside their hearts and with His skill revolves all the 
creatures mounted on His water wheel".

thamEva sharaNam gaccha sarvabhAvEna bhAratha |
thath prasAdhAth parAm shAnthim sThAnam prApsyasi shAshvatham || 
18:62

Arjuna should be completely submitted to the Lord. If not,then he 
will still have to fight the battle inevitably,for his 
ignorance,stimulated by God's mAyA,will make him do so. 
Therefore he should fight teh battle in the manner which God has 
explained. Then God's grace will make him attain supreme shAnthi -- 
the release from all bonds of all acts -- and the eternal end. 

Now comes your verse!
ithi thE j~nAnam AkhyAtham guhyAdh guhyatharam mayA |
vimrshya Ethadh ashEShENa yaThEcchasi thaThA kuru || 18:63

Lord says "reflect upon this knowledge I have propounded to you,this 
mystery of all mysteries 'in its entirety' and then do as you are 
pleased to do". 

What has been set forth here by the Lord? The knowledge(karma,j~nAna 
and bhakthi) which is to be acquired by the aspirant to release. 
Considering it in its entirety one should do what one wishes to do as 
per his qualification(varNa); one can't practise whatever one wants 
but based on one's qualification,one can follow the paths explained 
by the Lord in all the previous slokas(say till 18:62). Basically you 
choose one of the three paths(as per your qualification) and lead a 
life thiking about God and His devotees and serve the same. If it 
satisfies yyou,you can think you have 'LIMITED' freewill:-) Can a cub 
of a Lion be like a Deer? 

sarva guhyathamam bhUya: shrNu mE paramam vaca: |
iShto'si mE dhrDam ithi thathO vakshyAmi thE hitham || 18:64

It has been said[cf BG 9:1] that bhakthiyOga is the most secret of 
all secrets because it is the best way to salvation. Now Arjuna 
should hear God's final word on bhakthi; God speaks this word to 
Arjuna because Arjuna is very dear to Him and for Arjuna's benefit.

manmanA bhava madh bhakthO madhyAji mAm namaskuru |
mAm EvaiShyasi sathyam thE prathijAnE priyo'si mE || 18:65

Arjuna should practise that continuous representation(should be like 
a continuous flow of oil). He should love God excessively and 
practise bhakthiyOga while being completely absorbed in the worship 
of God and humiliate himself before God. If he does so,then God 
promises that he shall attain God for he is very dear to God,He can 
not endure being separated from him and hence makes him reach Himself.

carama slOkam:
sarvaDharmAn parithyajya mAm Ekam sharaNam vraja |
aham thvA sarvapApEbhyO mOkshaiShyAmi mA suca: || 18:66

EmperumAnAr gives two interpretations in GBh:
(1) While performing all DharmA - i.e., karma,j~nAna and bhakthiyOga 
which are means of attaining supreme bliss - at his option according 
to his qualifications,and at the same time relinquishing their 
result,his agency etc., he should realize that "God alone is the 
agent,the object,the means and the end". The God will release him 
from all evil incompatible with his attainment of God,evil piled up 
by endless wrong activities since time immemorial. Therefore he 
should not despair.

(2) But those who are not eligible(as per varNa)or those who find 
difficult to practise any of the abovementioned yOgAs,need not 
despair. They simply have to take refuge in the Lord as the sole 
means and the end. This is prapatti. This is not an act to be 
performed but a state of realization. Note prapatti is the shortest 
route and the other three are longer routes and hence none of the 
four is a means for salvation! Lord alone is the Means as well as the 
End. 

AzhvAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE sharaNam
NC Nappinnai







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