CHAPTER I: ARJUNA GRIEF

The Bhagavad Geeta speaks both esoterically and pragmatically to embrace the broad spectrum of human seeking. Counsel and solace is found in the verses of the Geeta... it cites not only the practical application of spiritual principles required by a student of Vedanta, but expresses the principles as realized by a yogi, in this case Krishna.
The First Chapter of the Geeta serves as an introduction to the holy discourse that follows. It is not just a backdrop to be taken lightly. Vyasa introduces the basic principles of the science of Yoga and describes the initial struggles of a seeker on the path of Kaivalya or liberation for the purpose of attaining oneness with God.
In this Chapter, the stage is set. Arjuna is sad at the prospect of fighting his kith and kin, even though he knows that an injustice has been done against them. Arjun knows the tyrant and certainly wishes to retaliate, but his strength to avenge has been mired with a sense of helplessness which has robbed him of his potency.
The first stanza of the Bhagavad Geeta is the only verse wherein the blind King Dhritarashtra asks a question. The rest of the 700 verses in the 18 chapters is Sanjaya's report on what is happening on the Kurukshetra battle field, just before the war.
The blind king is very conscious of the injustices against his nephews, the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra is also aware of the relative strengths of the two armies and is confident of the larger strength of his son's army. The viciousness of the crimes perpetrated by his sons is weighing heavily upon the heart of the blind king and therefore he has doubts about the outcome of this war.
Vyasa has given Sanjaya the power to see and hear the happenings in far off Kurukshetra, even while sitting beside Dhritarashtra in the Hastinapur palace.
Dhritarashtra asks Sanjay to explain to him about what is happening on the battle field of Kurukshetra. Chapter I is about a psychological survey on the spiritual battlefield.

Verse 1 is Dhritarashtra saying: "O Sanjay, what are the two armies, meaning, those of Panadavas and the Kauravas, doing on the plains of Kurukshetra, where they are assembled to fight?"
Since Sanjay has the divine insight for self-analysis and discerning introspection, he has the ability to describe the universal battle that rages in man's mind and life. After all, man is certainly able to determine the favourable and unfavourable outcome of our actions, whether these are inner or outer conflicts.

In Verse 2, Sanjay says: "Having seen the armies of the Pandavas in battle array, Duryodhana approached his teacher and mentor, Drona and said ...."
The second stanza of the Geeta indicates that as soon as a spiritual aspirant introspects and discriminates, there is immediate opposition from the senses and desire that Duryodhana represents.
Drona represents samskars and old habits gathered over many previous births. Duryodhana therefore seeks to reinforce his need for worldly enjoyment by consulting with the inner urges, tendencies and propensities that influence the intelligence.. this is represented by Drona who allows us to repeat the same thoughts and actions to create impulses of compelling habits.

Duryodhana continues his train of thought in verse 3 with: "Oh teacher, behold this great army of the sons of Pandu, arranged in battle order, by the talented disciple, son of Drupad"
The son of Drupad, called Dhrisht-dyumna, was born of extreme spiritual ardor and devotion. He represents the calm inner light of perception that awakens in a spiritual seeker's heart.. he was therefore, very skilful in the art of psychological wars. Dhritarashtra knew that Dhrisht-dyumna, was a fit general to lead the forces of discrimination, that the Pandavas represent.

Verses 4, 5 and 6 indicate how inner tendencies have the power to deter a seeker from pursuing spiritual practice. Sense lures distract one into indulgences. Past habits create restlessness despite good intentions and inclinations. Duryodhana therefore lists his concerns - they are all archers of discrimination which must be practised in all spiritual endevours:
4. "Here present are mighty heroes, extraordinary bowmen as skilful in battle as Bheema (Life Force Control) and Arjun (Self Control).. the veteran warriors: Yuyudha (Devotion), Virat (Samadhi of Meditation), and Drupad (Dispassion)"
5. "The powerful Dhrishta-ketu (Power of Mental Resistance), Cheki-tana (Spiritual Memory), Kashi-raja (Discrimination); eminent among men: Puru-jit (Interiorization), and Kunti-bhoj (Right Posture or asana) and Shai-bya (Mental Adherence)";
6. "The strong Yudh-manyu (Life Force Control), the valiant Uttam-aujas (Celibacy), the son of Subadhra (Abhimanyu for Self Mastery)... and the sons of Draupadi (Control of Senses and Habits of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, matsya, mada and ahankar).. all lords of great chariots"!
By enumerating these heroes, Duryodhana implies that although the Pandava forces were less in number, their effectiveness was much greater than the larger and better equipped army of the Kauravas.
In the next two verses, he now addresses Drona as a "twice born" or brahmin... he lists the names of his own great army:

7. "Know also, Oh best among the twice born, the names of those who are more distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of our own army; these I name for your information".

8. "Yourself (Drona) (Tendencies of past births), Bhishma (Ego), Karna (Attachment or "raaga" born of "likes") and also Kripa (Delusion or avidya) - all victorious in battle. Ashvathama (Latent Desire or vasanas), Vikarna (Non-attachments or "dvesha" born of "dislikes") and also the son of Som-dat and Jaya-drath (Fear of Death)"
The vanity of the dictatorial tyrant, Duryodhana, is clear when he arrogates unto himself, the stupendous honour that such a vast array of heroes are ready to lay down their lives for "my sake", for he says:

9. "And many other heroes also who are determined to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all skilled in battle"
He then continues to make further statements that are revealing..he admits that, his forces of unlimited desires and sensory temptations which are protected by ego, is still inadequate. Duryodhana admits that the minimal forces of life's guides would likely be more capable of destroying them, for he says:

10. "These our forces, protected by Bheeshma, are unlimited but may be insufficient ... whereas, their army, led by Bheem, is limited but adequate"
Therefore, he warns:

11. "All of you, remain stationed in your places, in each division of the army. Please protect Bheeshma"
The metaphysical meaning of this verse asserts that all the sense inclinations and habits should remain firm in their respective locations on the bodily field of Kurukshetra and the pranic (life force) centres to protect Bheeshma, the elder statesman who has lived many lives as the Ego!
It is only through the desires (Duryodhana) and habits (Drona) that man remains mired in body identifications. However, for every evil tendency, there is a good quality (Pandus) capable of destroying the sloth preventing man from sitting at the seat of meditation!
The soldiers of the soul are:
1. Sahadev who has the power to negate all earthly lusts (kama) by following the rules of "thou shalt not" (yama) through restraint
2. Nakul who is capable of following prescribed spiritual rules. These are rules as yet without form, like the water. They are the "thou shalt" (niyama) rules acquired through adherence and application and without invoking anger (krodh)
3. Arjun who is the fire force of patience and self-control capable of negating all greed (lobha). Much of this is attained through correct asanas and meditation.
4. Bheem, the valiant son of Vayu (air) who controls all physiological life force (prana). His ability of introversion and detachment (pranayama) leads him to mastery over attachments of all "my and mine" (moha).
5. Yudhishtra, the soldier of calmness has won over all the preceding elements that drag a seeker to becoming a "bhoga" or extrovert. He recognises his intuitional oneness with the Spirit which is likened to space, but is not space! He has overcome pride (mada) and therefore capable of discrimination.
6. Krishna, the "I".. the Spirit of the Soul, who can be contacted at the Kutastha Chaitanya, between the two eye-brows in the seat of meditation through love and surrender ...for only through Love can one destroy Ego (Bhishma or ahankar) and reach the realm of superconscious ecstasy of Divine Consciousness!
Synchronization of the different operations is the backbone of an army's success.. as a strategist, Duryodhana is instructing his various commanders working in their different wings to work out the single policy of protecting Bheeshma.
Sanjaya notes that the lack of response from Drona, makes Bheeshma send a strong message of pride and determination to prevent Duryodhana from getting discouraged. Bheeshma blew the conch of restlessness which interrupts the stillness of the army on alert.

12. With the purpose of cheering Duryodhana, the grandsire Bheeshma, the oldest of the Kauravas, blew his conch shell with a resounding roar of a lion.

13. Then suddenly (after Bheeshma's first note), a great chorus from the shells, kettledrums, cymbals, tabors and cowhorn-trumpets sounded from the Kaurava side; the noise was terrific.
The spiritual interpretation of the 12th and 13th verses describe the agitations of the physical body as it is trying to uplift the mind in meditation... but is interrupted by the demands of the senses!

Verses 14 to 18, in contrast, describe the spiritual experiences of an uplifted mind of a soul who is trying very hard to free the body of its physical restlessness and wandering thoughts.
14. Then, also Madhav (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjun), seated in their magnificent chariot (body seated in meditation) with white horses (senses and organs of action), blew their divine conches
15. Hrishi-kesha (Lord of the Senses with short hair) blew the Pancha-janya (that which generates the five elements or tattvas) and Dhanam-jaya (winner of wealth or Arjun) blew the Deva-data (that which gives joy) and Vriko-dara (Bheem), the doer of terrible deeds, blew the conch called Paundra (that which destroys the lower states)
16. King Yudhishtra, the son of Kunti, blew the Anata-vijaya (that which conquers infinity); Nakul and Sahadev blew the Su-ghosha (that which sounds clearly and sweetly) and the Mani-push-paka (that which manifests by a sound)
17. The King of Kashi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi the mighty commander of eleven thousand archers, Dhrishta-dyumna and Virat and Satyaki, the unconquered
18. Drupad and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the Earth (Dhritarashtra) and the son of Subhadra, the mighty armed, blew their respective conches
These verses make reference to the various sounds of Aum coming from the different conch shells of the Pandavas. The "pranava' or the sound of the creative Aum vibration, which works through the tattvas (elements) is what the meditator "hears" intuitively. It is the vibration that links Spirit with matter.

19. That tumultuous sound reverberated throughout the heaven and earth and pierced the hearts of the Dhritarashtra clan
In Verse 19, Sanjay warns Dhritarashtra ...it is a vivid description of the superiority of the Pandava forces. Perhaps, the blind king can be persuaded to stop the war!

Verses 20 to 23 describe Arjun observing his enemies that have to be destroyed
20. Then, seeing the Dhritarashtra dynasty standing ready to discharge their weapons of war, Arjun, the son of Pandu who bears the flag of the monkey emblem, took up his bow and addressed Krishna
21. & 22. Arjuna said: O Krishna, Lord of the earth, please take me between the two armies, that I may see those who stand ready in battle formation. On the eve of this war, let me understand with whom I must fight
23. Here on this field of Kurukshetra, I wish to observe all those who have gathered with a desire to fight on the side of Dhritarashtra's wicked son (Duryodhana)

Verses 24 and 25 are introspective conclusions of Sanjay which are being revealed to the blind king who is a descendent of King Bharat, the common ancestor of both the Kauravs and Pandavas.
Sanjay said to Dhritarashtra: 24. Thus addressed by Guda-kesha, O Bharata, Hrishi-kesha having stationed the best chariot between the two armies
25. In front of Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of the earth, he (Krishna) said: O Partha (Arjun), behold the Kurus gathered together
Gudakesha is Arjun, the worthy spiritual aspirant who has conquered sleep and sloth for the purpose of long and deep meditations. Only a partially advanced devotee (Arjun) of Hrishi-kasha (Krishna) has the ability to centralise (in meditation) his chariot (senses) on the plains of Kurukshetra (organs of action), to identify with the struggles and goals of spiritual practices.
A yogi, the likes of Arjun, is ever conscious and mindful of good and evil tendencies in man. His discriminating tendency make him ask his charioteer (Krishna) to take him to the battlefield to review his habits (Drona) and Bhishma or ego-state!
Partha is the son of Prithiva meaning "clay-made" or Kunti, to remind us that the Immortal Song of the Gita is being sung to a mortal, of which Arjun is representative

26. Then Partha saw stationed there in both the armies, fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends too
27. He saw father-in-law and friends also in both the armies
If these two verses are taken for their esoteric meaning, Arjun, the consummate devotee of Krishna has come about, midway, in the initial stages of his meditation sadhana.
He now beholds the psychological grandfathers and relatives.. they are good and evil ego-consciousness, negative tendencies, delusion intoxicating desires and sensory inclinations
Krishna shows Arjun his enemy lines of kith and kin, many of whom are beloved members on both sides of the army forces.. he realises the full import of the sacrifices he will have to make. He also realizes the extent of sacrifice that society will be called upon to make in order to avenge the Duryodhan's cruelty.
Pity and compassion are natural and instinctive, but not necessarily noble... one's weaknesses cannot be given angelic names of goodwill. Pity is a shattering of mental equilibrium which is subjective and divorced from objectivity of knowing right from wrong.
Very few wish to speak of Spirituality in earnest, because they believe they cannot do without "minor" evil or pleasures they are addicted to!

28. Arjuna said: Seeing these my kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed and eager to fight
29. My limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body quivers and my hair stands on end
30. The Gandiva bow slips from my hand and my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand and my mind is whirling around
Verses 28 to 30 is a true description of the state experienced by seekers who have travelled some distance on the spiritual path. The initial soul contact is of eager happy souls basking in the flush of Krishna contact.
With further progress, the sense desires and diehard instinctive tendencies require killing in order to make further progress in spiritual aspirations.
In meditation, body perceptions and tendencies must be "killed" in order that Arjun can take possession of the calmness of inner awareness... to deepen the gains of sadhana, the subconscious has to be uprooted of its samskars of wrong past actions. Arjun feels a loneliness and behold a mental desert created by renunciation of materialism. He refuses to fight!

31. And I see adverse omens, O Keshav; nor do I see my good in killing my kinsmen in battle
In this state of mental confusion, when mind is totally divorced from the intellect, the subjective mind is hysterical and although it desires pleasures, the self confidence for success, through self sacrifice is undermined!

32. For I desire no victory, O Krishna, neither kingdom nor pleasures. Of what avail is dominion to us, O Govinda? Of what avail are pleasures or even life itself?
33. They for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyment and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth
34. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives
In verses 32 to 34, Arjun continues to justify his retreat from the post of duty. He repeats what he said earlier because of Krishna's pregnant silence, which is itself a criticism of Arjun's attitude.

35. These I do not wish to kill..though they kill me, O Madhusudhana; even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; how much less for the sake of the earth
Feeling he has not stated his case strongly enough, Arjun declares in a mock spirit of renunciation, that he would kill none even if they kill him!

36. Killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, O Janar-dana? Sin alone will be our gain by killing these felons
In spite of all that Arjun has said so far, Krishna is silent! Sin is a mistake committed by a misunderstood ego against its own Divine Nature, the Soul! Arjun's seeming "learned" objections to kill enemies is a gross misinterpretation of the sacred texts of our culture! Krishna understands his friend's hysterical raving which must be exhausted!

37. Therefore, we shall not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for, how can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava?
False reasoning has led Arjun to wrong conclusions... the intelligence loses more and more of its discriminative and intuitive powers and now relies on rationalization to justify his convictions.

38. Through these, with their intelligence clouded by greed, see no evil in the destruction of the families of society; and no sin in their cruelty to friends
39. Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction of the family units, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana?
The blind senses are eclipsed by greed and therefore do not see the decay of the human personality. Arjun reasons that sense inclinations are necessary to experience the world, which was made by the Lord himself! He sincerely believes that sense indulging habits can live side by side with good habits to thus make the kingdom of life complete.
This is a negative state of an advancing spiritual seeker who cannot distinguish between reason governed use of the senses and greed governed sense appetites
It takes anywhere from eight to twelve years to substitute a good habit for a strong bad habit. Man is plagued by such soul-humiliating defeats at the hands of his/her own particular habits until consciousness is securely anchored to one's true divine nature.

40. In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of the family will perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety will overcome the whole family
41. By the prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt; and when women are corrupted, O descendent of the Vrishni clan, there is intermingling of castes
The members of this family include the five senses: touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing...the five organs of action, the mind (chariot) harnessed to 5 physiological life forces (prana) and the intelligence.
The family members that need destroying are not the senses but their offsprings, inclinations and the objects of desires, both materialistic and subjective or astral!
The philosophy of "Active resistance to evil" is the central doctrine expounded by Krishna in the Geeta and the very seed of Hindu way of living!
Nonetheless cultural experiments were preoccupations of our forefathers... they knew that culture and tradition of each family was a unit of the total culture and integrity of the nation.

42. Confusion of castes leads the slayer of the family to hell; for their forefathers fall, deprived of offerings of pinda (rice) and water (oblations)
43. By these evil deeds of the "destroyer of the family" causes confusion of castes, the eternal religious rites of the caste and the family is destroyed
Verse 42 and 43 re-assert the oft-mention fact that the Hindu culture is a technique by which this spiritual culture is maintained and worked by the community.
Esoterically, the seeker wonders if he should enter the battles of the senses.... there is apprehension that the discriminative faculties will disintegrate owing to a lack of interaction with the senses.

44. We have heard, O Janardana, that it is inevitable for those men, in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed, to dwell in hell for an unknown period of time
45. Alas! We are involved in a great sin... in that we are prepared to kill our kinsman, for the sake of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom
46. If the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand,slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me
A beginner at meditation is at first forced to be quiet to peer behind the screen of darkness. The seeker wonders at the foolishness of relinquishing tangible pleasures for a "possible" glimpse of the Spirit!
At this stage, the seeker is dissatisfied both with the lack of spiritual progress and the long separation from the accustomed sense habits!
This state is finally overcome by concentrating on the peace born of partial renunciation in meditation.

47. Sanjaya said: Having thus spoken, in the midst of the battle-field, Arjun sat down on the seat of the chariot, casting away his bow and arrow, with a mind distressed with sorrow
The concluding verse of the First Chapter of the Geeta contains the words of Sanjay... he reports that Arjun or Self-control, casts away his bow of meditation and ignorance piercing arrows. He is standstill in the middle of the psychological- metaphysical battlefield with the senses. Arjun tries to attune himself to the guidance and grace of the Charioteer, Krishna, who in the next chapter of the Geeta, comes to the aid of the seeker who suffers "Arjuna Grief"!
CHAPTER II : YOGA OF WISDOM
(Sankhya Yoga )

This chapter is titled "Sankhya Yoga". It contains the summary of the entire Bhagavad Geeta. The discourse encompasses the essence of the ponderous four Vedas, 108 Upanishads and the six systems of Hindu philosophy... truly a universal message of Cosmic Wisdom for the solace and emancipation of all mankind! In the first ten verses, Arjun surrenders to Krishna. From verses 11 to 46, we are introduced to the "logic of thought in philosophy" or "Gyana Yoga". Verses 47 to 60 is an exhaustive sketch on the "Yoga of Action" or Karma Yoga. Verses 61 to 70 describes the "Path of Love" or "Bhakti Yoga" Verses 71 to 72 indicate the "Path of Renunciation" or "Sannyasa Yoga"
In the first ten verses, Krishna responds to Arjun's plea for guidance

1. Sanjay said to Dhritarashtra: Madhusudana (Krishna) then addressed him whose eyes were full of tears and who was overcome with pity and discouragement
Having gained happiness neither from the senses nor from meditation, Arjun, the devotee weeps. The despondency is a longing for spiritual progress.
The Lord, who is the destroyer of ignorance, must now come to the aid of the distraught devotee, Arjun, who pleads for consolation!
The first chapter of the Geeta is about the sorrow in the aspirant's initial effort to attain union (yoga) with God. Development is the result of one's hard and steady work in meditation.
Although the aspirant feels the attempts of controlling the mind are fruitless, yet if one continues believing in the teacher, the aspirant will certainly find a response from God , intimated through long silent meditation.
God may counsel a devotee by assuming the form of a guru or saint.. but the Lord usually speaks through the devotee's own intuitive perception.

2. The Blessed Lord said: In such a critical moment, whence comes upon you, O Arjun, this despondency... a behaviour improper for an Aryan, disgraceful, detrimental to the attainment of heaven?
Having felt God's response, the devotee's awareness soars to the transcendent Kutastha state, where in the presence of the Spirit, immanent in all creation and manifested in each being, as the soul...Its voice is Intuition.
Any persistent seeker can feel the urging of the Spirit.. one needs t be an advanced devotee like Arjun to "hear" the intelligent voice of counsel!
The Lord rebukes Arjun for despondency! He points out to the aspiring yogi, that the senses, through proximity, have established themselves as relatives...but, as enemies can pose as friends in order to gain entry into the house as material desires!
Great enemies of man can reside, apparently harmlessly, within consciousness along with friends, the spiritual faculties! To lower the bridge of pity over the moat that separates the wise castled soul and the segregated senses, is to permit the psychic enemies to break through the ramparts of self-control.
The command is: do no evil... do not let evil be done through others, through your command... do not tolerate evil by silence. Non-cooperation with evil is the best way, without making pretentious display of our own "goodness"!
Man's life is a paradox.. he is a soul, made in the image of the Spirit which can be satisfied only with divine pleasures! Yet the body that has incarnated through many lives has experienced only sensory pleasures! Man must use discrimination to distinguish between real soul and illusory pleasures of the senses.
A devotee who is constantly responsive to the sense gratifications of the body, is unable to share one's joys with the rarefied joys of the Spirit!

3. O Partha, (Arjun), surrender not to such impotence! It does not befit you, O scorcher of foes (Parantapa)! Cast off this weakness of heart!
Every man has the power to resist the influence of sense identified and habit bound existence...Renunciation does not involve any loss to the devotee, but gives one the opportunity to forsake all things that retard spiritual progress.
Without positive action of the will, seekers succumb to unmanly neutrality, the condition that has overtaken Arjun. Krishna (Spirit) therefore warns Arjun not to be neutral, wherein there is neither attachment to God nor to the senses!

4. Arjun said: O Slayer of Madhu, O Destroyer of Foes (Krishna)! How can I, in this war direct arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are fit to be worshipped!
O Slayer of the Demon of Ignorance and Inner Temptations, says Arjun...are you wanting me to pierce my psychological grandfather Bheeshma-Ego and my teacher Drona-Past Habits. He admits that it is frightful to destroy them through spiritual renunciation and with the arrows of yoga meditation!

5.Arjun continues: Even a life of beggary would be better for me than a life marred by slaying my most noble teachers! Even if I do destroy these mentors who are intent on wealth and possessions, then surely, here on earth, all my own would-be enjoyments of material happiness will be stained dreadfully with blood
In ordinary consciousness, the ego is the guiding principle of thoughts, feelings and desire aspirations. It molds desires and ambitions according to the influence of habits. The ego and bodily habits are thus preceptors of all human activities.
Understandably, Arjun asks: without ego and habit-inclination, must he then look upon all material things and sensory experiences as being evil (blood-stained)!
The answer is ofcourse "no"! Evil lies only in the misuse of the powers and products of nature. All bad habits and the enjoyer... the ego, have a tenacious claim on human beings, because of the ego's attachment to enjoyment! Bad habits paralyse the will! The victim thinks: "What is the use of trying?"
It is only after one pleasure after another, fails the devotee, that man must wonder if happiness is possible through the senses! This thought has a liberating effect and the devotee disentangles himself!
Man finds joy in meditation, in silence, in wisdom, in service, in contentment and in self-control. He forsakes old restless pursuit of desires with their actions, ignorant behaviour and sense slavery!
Man prudently follows the guidance of the spiritually wise. The wise preceptor does not impose his ideas or sensations on the seeker. The Teacher leads the soul towards its inherent bliss producing qualities.
To take the mind from the senses by meditation is to destroy the physical ego and habit tendencies!

6. I can hardly decide which end would be better.. that we should conquer them or that they should conquer us. Confronting us are Dhritarashtra's children, the very ones whose death would make our own life undesirable!
Arjun continues his argument: Even though the senses in unison cry "Please us, never mind the soul!".... man realises that they are never satisfied with their ever-increasing demands.
Sense consciousness is active from birth..even to the advancing devotee, sense joys are familiar and soul happiness exotic. But behind all the clamour, is the silent call of the bliss-demanding soul.
Life energy flowing out through the senses experience an attractive familiar feeling! When a guru asks to reverse the flow of life energy and to withdraw the mind from the senses, the instruction is bizarre!
The Teacher is only asking man to discipline the senses... a sense slave will ultimately find itself the victim of disease and cannot or will not relegate his body to soul-search.

7. My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity; my mind is confused as to my duty. I implore you to advise me what is the best path for me to follow. I am your disciple. Instruct me, who has taken refuge in you!
The devotee, after pleading the cause of the senses, is filled with remorse! He acknowledges his ineptitude and surrenders to his inner Spirit... the Guru-preceptor.
In the seat of meditation, the voice of Inner Silence lacks clarity. Hence the advice from a guru is desirable. The devotee should listen to the guru, learning from him the deep truths of soul development.

8. I see nothing that will remove my inner affliction that pounds at my senses...nothing! Not even my possessions of an unrivalled and prosperous kingship over this earth and lordship over the deities in heaven!
As long as one dwells in the body, one must experience through the senses and enjoy the pleasures they give...why then, must I engage in battle with them?
The "earth" stands for the perishable body. Its prosperity is health, well-being and happiness. Its three-fold troubles are impaired inner life forces causing illness, bad karmic influences from past wrong actions and samskars or compelling sense inclinations from past bad habits.
Through yoga the body becomes ripe with wisdom and invulnerable to physical maladies, acquired by contacting Aum, the source of all life's powers of life! This is spiritual prosperity on earth.

9. Sanjay said to Dhritarashtra: Having thus addressed Hrishi-kesha (Krishna), Gudakesha-Parantapa (Arjun) declared to Govinda (Krishna): "I will not fight"; then he remained silent.
This stanza reveals the peculiar psychological state in which the devotee is sufficiently developed to behold Krishna as the Lord of the Senses... yet has not attained the determination to subdue the senses.
Arjun remains mentally inactive and neither advances or retreats! Owing to the subconscious pull of bad habits, the devotee is not fully awakened for right action.

10. O Bharata (Dhritarashtra), to him who was lamenting between the two armies, the Lord of the Senses (Krishna), as if smiling, spoke these words:
Those devotees who, during the invasion of doubt, completely give themselves up to the Spirit in inner silence are able to perceive the Light across the firmament of their inner perception.
Only devotees who have led clean spiritual lives ie proper eating, correct behaviour and deep meditation, are fortunate enough to behold the "smile" of the Spirit and to "hear" His voice of Wisdom!

11. The Blessed Lord said: You have grieved for those not worth lamenting over! Yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.
The devotee under the influence of delusion, experiences the state in which he utters words of wisdom even while acting like a simpleton! Mental weakness is not wisdom... it is a sign of deep subconscious attachment to the ego and its delusive pleasures.
The illumined synchronises actions with his speech and follows the good advice he gives to others! To forsake such a double-life, the devotee should not be stirred by the restless changes of life and death!
A re-education of Arjun's mind through metaphysical and psychic methods is the last word in psycho-therapy!
Forget the past, for it is lost! Forget the future, because it is beyond reach. Control the present! Live supremely well now! This the way of the wise.

12. It is not that I have never before been incarnated; nor you, nor these other royal ones! Nor shall we cease to exist in the future! Krishna here declares in unequivocal terms, that the embodied Self is set on a great pilgrimage in which It cames to identify Itself with varied forms, temporarily to gain a limited but determined set of experiences.
All mortals who appear "now" to be separate individuals are mere cause-effects expressions, in bodily form, of desires carried from past lives; and that all new desires engendered "now" by the ego would require to find expression through new bodies in the future.

13. Just as in this body, the Self passes through childhood, youth and old age, so also does he pass into another body; the wise are not disturbed or grieved by it.
The ego is constantly aware of itself as childhood, youth and old age; the soul is also conscious not only of its present life, but also its series of "lives" and "deaths".
The meditating devotee shifts his consciousness from changes of births and deaths to the Changeless Being in whose bosom all changes dance!

14. O son of Kunti (Arjun), the ideas of heat and cold, pain and pleasure are produced by the contacts of the senses with their objects. Such ideas have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent. Endure them with patience, O descendent of Bharata!
The sense organs are reactively sensitive; their nature is to respond pleasurably or painfully to stimuli... they have been conditioned to have strong likes and dislikes. These sense impressions use life force to deliver impressions to the mind.
The resultant sensations are transitory, fickle and evanescent. They come and go; man should bear them with patience and mental evenness (titiksha).
The masters teach that if the "feeling" is neutralised and made impervious to dualities of likes and dislikes, then all experiences would be intellectualised and the ideas properly acted upon!

15. O chief among men (Arjun), he who is unruffled by these contacts of the senses with their objects, who is calm and evenminded during pain and pleasure, he alone is fit to attain the Immortality of the Self!
The basic principle of creation is "duality"! Man's slavish response to these dualities is the cause of "trouble". He therefore lives under the domination of the changing phenomenal world.
Desires are the result of indiscriminate contact with objects of senses. The ego expresses as likes and dislikes. Desire therefore has the ability to creep into consciousness which responds as feelings! The imposition of the ego becomes a detriment to man's even-mindedness.
The Masters have found that happiness lies in a constant state of unruffled peace during all experiences of earthly changeable creation. It is by meditation alone that man can neutralise the effects of the sensory powers!

16. The unreal has no existence; of the Real there is no nonexistence; the truth about both these states is known by men of wisdom (Knowers of the Truth)
Can something become nothing and vice versa? The wise perceive as real only That which does not change...they alone know the mystery of the real and the unreal.
The Eternal substance is divided into two .. the Sat or Changeless and Asat or Ever-changing Nature, the Cosmic Mother of twenty four attributes.
Through inward perception, one can trace the cause of all activities in creation...that is the mystery of the unreal and the Real. Vision directed outward, sees the waves... turned inwards, it sees the ocean!

17. Know That to be Indestructible by which all this is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of That.. the Imperishable
The one Life that breathes existence into all temporal things, creating them out of His own Being, is indestructible. Even when all changeable objects of creation melt away, nothing affects the immutability of God.

18. They have an end, it is said, these bodies of the embodied soul. The Self is Eternal, Indestructible, Incomprehensible. Having known this wisdom, O descendent of Bharat (Arjun).. fight!
The devotee who is still contending with the inner persuasion and delusion of body attachment, is afraid to relinquish his mortal consciousness.. a bird of eternity locked in a little cage!
Krishna therefore advises Arjun to concentrate on the Inner Self, the image of the terminal Spirit, which like It, is immortal! His advice is not to fear the fight of the senses and destroy the attachments to the body! This, sooner or later he will be compelled to do!
Virtue acquired through sacrifice is never lost! Better a death of righteousness than the ordinary ignoble death on the comfortable bed of selfishness!

19. He who considers the Self to be the slayer and he who thinks He is slain, neither of these knows the truth. He slays not, nor is he slain!
He dreams who thinks the Self soils its hands of justice with the blood of slaughter...there is no power by which the soul can be slain!
The immortal Self remains untouched when its cosy cloak is destroyed, just as a man does not die when his house crumbles away. One soul cannot kill another soul... both are reflections of the immortal Spirit.

20. This Self is neither born nor does He ever die; after coming into existence, He will not cease to be.It is birthless, eternal, changeless and ancient. He is not killed when the body is killed.
The embodied soul, in essence the reflection of the Spirit, never undergoes the pangs of birth and death. It is the body, which is Matter, that undergoes the six changes of the impermanent Nature: birth, existence, development, change, decay and annihilation!
The man dwelling in the perishable body forgets the imperishable soul within it...this body identified being is only aware of its six conditions!
The wise man learns to differentiate between the indwelling immortal soul and its perishable bodily encasement.
However, man has three bodies (each with distinguishing qualities) from which he must free his awareness before he can achieve his final emancipation.
The physical body (body and flesh) of 16 elements of atoms or matter:
The astral body (mind and life force or prana) of 19 elements of "life":
The causal body (ideational body entwined with wisdom and bliss) of 35 elemental "ideas" required to create the astral and physical bodies: these are the 10 senses, 5 life forces or prana, ego, feeling, mind and intelligence.... the remaining 16 ideas are converted into the gross physical body of 16 basic elements like iron, calcium and so forth

21. How can he who knows the Self to be imperishable, everlasting, permanent, birthless and changeless, possibly think that the Self can cause the destruction of another? O Partha (Arjun), whom does it slay?
The esoteric meaning of this verse conveys that Krishna tells Arjun, the ego: "O My own lower self (Arjun), you have to lift yourself to a higher plane of soul-consciousness! Even if you destroy the wicked attachments of the senses, you are foolish to think that the senses themselves will be destroyed. Your higher Self only purifies the lower self.. It does not destroy it"
When sense pleasures are routed by self-control, their forces are first inhibited and suppressed! The devotee's continued and persistent spiritual endeavour causes the Self to transmute them to a finer state for the "sensing" of a higher bliss!
Pleasure loving experiences can never be destroyed.. they can be transformed and lifted through meditation from the plane of misery to God-attachment! It is through the same "thirsty" mouth that a devotee drinks the transmuted desires for immortal nectar of Bliss!

22. Just as a man casts off his worn out clothes and puts on new ones, so also the embodied-self casts off its worn out bodies and enters others which are new.
This verse refers to the doctrine of reincarnation... when a soul changes his fleshy costume, it is no longer recognizable to those familiar with its identity in a previous life-role.
The life span or durability of a physical body in any one incarnation is determined by the Law of Karma (cause and effect governing human actions).
In sleep every night, an individual discards consciousness of the tired body and mind and so finds peace... in the "greater' sleep, man forsakes the disease-torn body and attachment-corroded mind for a restful sleep of happiness!
From happiness we are born...for happiness we live.. in happiness we melt at death. Death is an ecstasy, because it removes the burden of the body and frees the soul of all the pain arising from body identification.

23. No weapons can pierce the soul; no fire can burn it; no water can moisten it; nor can any wind dry it.
The unseen is always explained in terms of the seen, so that the unknown becomes defined. Here the Changeless is being describe in terms of mutable and everchanging world, familiar to the likes of Arjun and us!
The verse also indicates a deeper esoteric meaning which is elaborated in the next verse

24. This Self cannot be cut, nor burnt, nor moistened, nor dried up. It is eternal, all pervading, ever calm, immovable and eternally the same
The mysterious soul abides forever, never changing even when the cosmos melts into Infinity. The subtle soul sleeps in every blade of grass, in every nook of creation and in the honeycomb of atoms.
Thoughts cannot ruffle it.... It loves to live in grottos of change, ever steadfast and immovable. It dreams only Eternity!
Man alone suffers incarnations of soul-oblivion and body-identification, undergoing rebirths and their attendant miseries.
Only by deeper and deeper meditation can the embodied soul attain ecstatic communion with the Self and thus forget limitations of the body!
During meditation, the devotee does not think.. he realizes that he is formless, omnipresent, omniscient, far above the bodily changes!
After the meditating mind comes out of an experience of ecstasy the human consciousness expands into the Cosmic Consciousness

25. The soul is said to be unmanifest, imponderable, unchangeable. Therefore, knowing it to be such, you should not grieve.
Before the Self spewed Its thought waves, the soul remained in Its bosom as an unthinkable thought, undisturbed by change. When Spirit cast Its dreams of the universes, the soul with or without the physical and astral covering, was still the same!
The deeply meditating yogi should delve deeper until all thoughts are dissolved in intuition... here he sees the unruffled reflection of the moon of the soul. Although he only sees the "image" of the Self, he knows himself to be unchangeable, unmanifest and ever calm like the Spirit!

26. But even if you imagine this soul to be constantly born and constantly dying, even then, O mighty-armed one (Arjun), you should not grieve
27. For that which is born must die and that which is dead must be born again. Why then should you grieve over the inevitable?
Verses 26 and 27 argue the materialists's point of view. According to them, direct perception is an authority for belief. With this standard for their knowledge, when they try to measure life, they have to accept it as a constant flux of births and deaths.
Krishna argues that for both the atheist and the theist, life is but a repetition of births and deaths, then why grieve over the inevitable!

28. The beginnings of all creatures is veiled; the middle is manifested; the end again is imperceptible, O Bharata (Arjun). What then is there to grieve about?
Every man wonders from what mystery chamber came the original man, bird, beast, stone, flower, river, light, magnetism, electricity, worlds, stars and universes! What happens to the two billion population of the globe, every century, that vanishes without a trace?
The Stage of the earth is well supplied with food, air, water and fire... The drama Director of this mystery play of lives on the earth stage is hidden somewhere, directing the play!
Human beings, endowed with a questioning intelligence ponder over the entire mystery. The next 10 verses (28 to 37) present the problem of Arjun, the "man-of-the-world" materialist!
If the material manifest world follows the law of causation, then the world is manifested "effects" or "creation!" If creation is manifest just for a while, it will one day dissolve again into the unmanifest ...both the unmanifest origin and the dissolving unmanifest are unknown. Knowing all this, why is it we do not "realise" this even when repeatedly explained?

29. Some behold the soul in amazement. Others describe it as marvellous. Still others listen about the soul as wondrous. And there are others who, even after hearing all about the soul, do not understand this at all!
One requires a true Master to enable a deep delving devotee to "divinely see" the vision of the soul as an amazing, luminous wonder ... some are led to reach the shores of meditational ecstasy to "hear" the Aum (or Amen or Amin) vibrating within themselves and the entire manifested universe, a feat in wisdom... the soul that "feels" and "experiences" the exquisite continuous joy!
Then there are those, who despite repeatedly hearing the philosophy cannot grasp the import of the great mystery... their soul does not experience and their ears are perceptually deaf.
The three ways of perceiving the soul and Spirit are only possible by developing the power of intuition by deeper and deeper meditation - they are; . intuitively beholding the Light . describing its wonder through inner Wisdom of experience and . hearing the Cosmic Sound Aum which imparts the communion of bliss

30. O Bharata (Arjun), the one who dwells in the bodies of all creatures is eternally indestructible. Grieve not, therefore, for any creature!
Krishna reminds Arjun of his innate soul-power to become victories over his lower ego-nature. Devotees addicted to ego, senses, bad habits and desires are usually reluctant to destroy these friendly enemies..they may veil man's consciousness for a while, but can never destroy the soul.
The embodied soul awaits a rallying call of a determined divine warrior!

31. Even from the standpoint of your own dharma (duty), you should not inwardly waver! There is nothing more propitious for a Kshatriya than a righteous battle.
This verse makes special reference to the duty of a spiritual man who has attained the "kshatriya state" or warrior state of spirituality! It is therefore Arjun's duty to fight the momentary pleasurable sense attachments of body consciousness.
He is therefore asked to awaken and unwaveringly rouse the soldiers of discrimination and meditative calmness! Assembled on the battle field of introspection, Krishna asks Arjun to rout the invading forces of sense attachments

32. O Partha (Arjun), fortunate indeed are the Kshatriyas when called to fight a righteous battle, which unprovoked, becomes their lot. They find therein an opportunity of an open door to heaven.
While Krishna advises Arjuna to his righteous duty, the Geeta also warns man against the temptation of using the metaphysical doctrine of nonviolence as a subterfuge for tolerating the slaughter of innocent people by consciousless marauders!
The resistance of evil by good, not by evil, is the ideal method of eradicating war! Wars of aggression are wrong .. they breed war!
Wars of self-defense are not wrong... but, a greater achievement is the conquer the conquerors with non-violent resistance.
Applying this principle to Arjun, the spiritual warrior .... when a seeker finds himself on the scene of inner psychological war when inner peace and spiritual victory are threatened by senses, it should be seen as an opportunity to conquer bad habits and to establish within, the heaven of perfect happiness.

33. But, if you decline to undertake this righteous combat, then, having abandoned your duty and fame, you shall incur sin.
This verse advises a man-of-the world as well as the seeker, that when one enters the spiritual path, he cannot become indolent, unpractical or foolish about worldly affairs.... forgetting to protect righteously, his interests against unscrupulous competitors.
One can practice unselfishness without neglecting one's necessary interests! By neglecting, man invites "sin" of uncalled for losses and failures! Nor should anyone make money dishonestly to use for philanthropy.
In other words, every being must be a businessman in this modern competitive life.... an embattled warrior!
Once the ego-consciousness of the body has metamorphosed by meditation into soul-consciousness, senses have no power to invade! They are still vulnerable and the seeker must be willing and vigilant to wage a righteous war with the restless body-consciousness. If at any time he forsakes his duty and succumbs to awareness of the flesh, he sins!

34. Men will ever speak of your everlasting dishonour. To a man of repute, dishonour is worse than death!
Men who fall into disrepute in the eyes of honourable virtue suffer pangs in life worse than physical death! A life stripped of honour is living death of world censure and self-recrimination. Death may have the capacity of obliterating physical suffering, but dishonourable acts infect the living mind and body! A deserter finds no peace within himself or in society.
Esoterically, he is a coward who permits sense temptations to devastate his bodily kingdom. A moral deserter finds himself constantly criticized by his own conscience, never mind, the hordes of "holier-than-thou" materialistic people!

35. The great battalion commanders will think that you have withdrawn from the battle through fear; and you will be looked down upon, by them who had thought so highly of you and your heroism in the past!
Continuing the materialistic point of view, Krishna says that not only will the world blame him and history recount his infamy, but the commanders in the enemy lines will ridicule him for his cowardice!
His own commanders who have always fought with him for righteousness and rejoiced with him in his victories, will assume that he had forsaken a righteous cause out of fear!
Esoterically, a well-disciplined devotee of deep meditation must not allow himself to lose his resolution and composure in unexpected trials.

36. Your enemies will speak contemptuously about your powers. What could be more painful than this?
A back-sliding devotee is thus doubly criticised by both the good and bad habits. When the good tendencies find themselves of their Kshatriya-warrior leader, they silently rebuke him. A self-respecting seeker can never tolerate an audacious invasion by his past evil tendencies!

37. If you should die while battling the enemies, you will attain heaven. If you are victorious, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, O son of Kunti (Arjun), stand up determined to fight!
Life is a battle: each man must struggle for his physical existence, and is therefore subject to his or her own peculiar problems. everyone who conscientiously fights these problems will either win or lose at the attempt!
Those who die while engaged in a righteous battle to banish evil, fall asleep on a soft bed of meritorious inner self-satisfaction and are lifted to heaven.
Those who win victory over darkness will bask in the glory on peace and inner happiness... but a victor in the sense battle enjoys the peace of self-control!
A seeker whose physical death takes place amidst the continuum of spiritual effort and constant practice at meditation, experiences a high state of spirituality in the after-death state! Any one can ultimately master oneself and become established in the bliss of ever-lasting cosmic consciousness!

38. After becoming even-minded about pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat ... engage in battle for the sake of battle; thus you shall incur no sin.
The basic principle of yoga is that the practising mental equilibrium neutralizes the effects of delusion. Once unruffled with inner calmness and evenmindedness, he views life as a dream without emotional involvement. He does not become an automaton; he remains in control of all contrary emotions, attachments, repulsions, longings and unwillingness.
Even when seeking material fulfilment, one needs to keep the mind unruffled during success or failure!

39. The ultimate wisdom of Sankhya I have explained to you. But now you must hear about the wisdom of Yoga, equipped with which, O Partha, you will cast off all bonds of action (karma).
What has to date been covered consists of "Sankhya", meaning, the logic of reasoning by which the true nature of the Self or Spirit or Reality is comprehended, so that a seeker can end all sorrows arising from grief, attachment and desire.
Verses 39 to 46 will deal with "Yoga", the route by which Self-realization can be attained, meaning, the way that leads one out of the prison of law of karma!
When by yoga the ego is united to the soul and then soul to the Spirit, the ego loses its delusion that he is a mere mortal!
By dissolving himself, the yogi merges his consciousness of "feelings" into the primordial cosmic vibration of Aum in consciousness, until it merges with the Cosmic Aum. He thereby reaches the Ultimate Unity, the One from whom sprang the many!
By making gradual steps, the seeker converts all awareness of the body into consciousness of the Self or Spirit. It is not attained by logic or imagination! It comes only through intuitive experience, which in turn is dependent upon intense meditation, as taught by the great Masters of India!
A seeker who knows the art of meditation (yoga) cauterises his past tendencies with the experience of bliss!

40. In this path (Yoga of Action), there is no loss of effort, nor is there creation of contrary effects. Even a tiny bit of this real knowledge, protects one from the great fear (suffering inherent in repeated cycles of birth and death).
Yoga is the path of "spiritual" action... the only way known wherein a "concept" is transmuted into realization. For those who embrace the path of righteousness, there is no loss of effort. Mathematically certain, right spiritual endeavour produce salutary results, unlike materialistic pursuits which are like wanderings in blind alleys and hazardous encounters.
Spiritual results start as subtle transformations in the inner being. They are measured according to their peace-giving qualities. To maintain such peace within, in spite of the ever-changing circumstances of life,is to be happier than a king!

41. In this Yoga, O Scion of Kuru (Arjun), there is but a single, one pointed determination; the reasoning of the undecided mind are unending and variously ramified!
This verse points out the difference between the meditating seeker who is intent on finding the Self and the restless individual who is content with "theoretical" teachings!
The spiritual aspirant needs to forsake indecision. Following one teacher, one definite path, he will save himself from endless wandering.

42. O Partha (Arjun), no single pointed resolution for samadhi in meditation is possible in those who cling to power
43. Those who are full of desires, there discriminative intelligence is led astray by flowery declamations of the spiritually ignorant. They promise new birth as the reward of their actions and prescribe various specific actions for the attainment of power and a pleasurable heaven (astral world).
44. For such persons, who cling to pleasure and power, whose minds are drawn away from spiritual wisdom; these are neither determinate nor resolute nor are they fit for meditation and samadhi.
Verses 42 to 44 is Vyasa's advice to the materialistic seekers. Those attached to sense indulgences as well as those who seek "powers" cannot attain the mental equilibrium of meditation..they fail to receive the ecstasy of samadhi.
A seeker should avoid undiscriminating belief in the convincing words of the unwise. He is advised to guard his spiritual discrimination, lest it be stolen by the sophisticated who espouses the philosophy of sensory aggrandization.
The seeker should not concentrate on psychic and astral powers, whether in this world or for astral pleasures in heaven. Nor should he desire a heaven after death. He who desires other heavens also is in delusion. A devotee must want "one-ness" with the very Source of Bliss!

45. The Vedas are concerned with the three universal qualities or gunas. O Arjun, free yourself from the triple qualities and from pairs of opposites (raag-dvesha). Remain calm, harbouring no thoughts of receiving and keeping; become established in the Self!
This verse acknowledges the Vedic praise and worship of the creative force of Nature (Prakriti) which spews forth the names and forms from the three qualities (gunas) .... but. says Krishna, concentrate on the Spirit (Self) and free yourself from the emotional involvement in Nature's dream of desires and attachments!
The verse also points to the relative inefficacy of external rites, no matter how austere and perfect! Only an inner cleansing (deep meditation) has the power to free man from the three-fold re-incarnation making gunas.

46. To the knower of Brahman (Spirit), all the Vedas (scriptures) are of no more utility than a reservoir of water in a place where there is a flood everywhere
This verse categorically states that the world scriptures are superseded by the fullness experienced by a devotee who has mingled his consciousness with the ocean-like Cosmic Consciousness.
The experience of joyous wisdom renders him with a sense of intuitive wisdom which exceeds the satisfaction of "theoretical" knowledge from studying books!
The meditating seeker goes into the depths of silence and "sees" his embodied consciousness and life force withdraw from body-consciousness. He soars first into soul-consciousness and finally into cosmic-consciousness! Enthroned in that palace of bliss, he never again yearns for the suffocating sense pleasures!

47. Your human right is to work only, never for its fruits; let not the fruit-of-action be your motive, nor should you be attached to non-activity.
Verses 47 to 53 defines the yogic art of right action (Karma Yoga) that leads a mortal to infinite wisdom!
The actions of a seeker of the Divine are for the Infinite alone, not to please mankind and not to satisfy his own material desires. Krishna admonishes that Arjun should not concentrate on the expected rewards, but instead, to perform right action for its own sake. To work towards liberation is to please the Divine; to please the Divine is to become liberated! Man is then on the right path when he concentrates on the performance of duties, only to please the Divine.
He does not succumb to inactivity (which is, in reality, the ego's escape for comfortable lethargy); nor does he perform action to satisfy his own egoistic desires... the seeker acts to fulfil the cosmic plan!
The esoteric meaning for a meditating devotee is that once he reaches the shores of deep meditation, he experiences the joy of an embodied-soul withdrawn form body-identifications. This feeling of joy can render the seeker inactive, with no further desire to progress. He is being advised to delve deeper in meditation, to reach the shores of Cosmic Consciousness!

48.O Dhanan-jaya, remain immersed in yoga, perform all actions, forsaking all attachments to the fruit of action, being indifferent to both failure and success. This mental evenness is termed yoga
To remain even-minded during activity as well as "inactivity" of meditation, is to preserve even-mindedness in all types of changing circumstances.
Krishna addresses Arjun as the "winner of wealth" (dhanan-jaya) for one who has the wealth of divine union. This state of evenness is then the alter for further progress towards the Self!

49. Ordinary action performed with desire is greatly inferior to action united to the guidance of wisdom; therefore, Arjun, seek shelter in the ever-directing wisdom. Miserable are those who perform action only for the sake of the fruits
Activities motivated by material desires are an inferior way to perform life's duties..they ensnare the doer in an ever tightening trap of growing desires that need to be worked out in future reincarnations.
Activities guided by the soul's inner intuitive discrimination only for the purpose of satisfying the cosmic plan, leaves no trace of the law of cause and effect!

50. One who is united to cosmic wisdom goes beyond the effects of virtue and vice, even here in this life. Therefore, devote yourself to yoga. Yoga is the art of proper action.
In this verse, Krishna advises Arjun, the representative devotee of all mankind, to strive above all else, to become constantly merged in divine union with Self..and while merged in this wisdom of oneness, to perform all action by the self, for the Self. This is the supreme art of "proper action" or Karma Yoga.

51. Those who have mastered their minds become engrossed in infinite wisdom; they have no further interest in the fruits of action. Freed thus from the cycle of rebirth, they attain the state beyond sorrow
As soon as the seeker discovers the true propose of his existence, he has made the first step towards liberation. Human misery is definitely part of His plan. The unhappy man is one who is out of touch with Reality.

52. When your intellect penetrates beyond the darkness of delusion, then you will attain indifference regarding matters that have been heard and matters yet to be heard.
The deluded mortal is habitually compelled by the inner sense identified mind... it grieves over unaccomplished experiences of life's past and is greedy for future possible satisfactions! Bound like a prisoner, his life's experiences are those of dismal sense identifications and indulgences.
A seeker starting anew on the path of meditation, gets an inkling into soul contentment versus the restlessness of a worldly man. Guided by the guru, the seeker gradually ascends higher into the realms of the ultimate Self.
By "hearing" the vibrating Aum within himself, the seeker ceases to hear the noises of the senses and body awareness..deeper meditation takes the seeker beyond the confines of the embodied soul that he is... until he merges with the Cosmic Aum, where the devotee must perceive and penetrate the Light of Consciousness and become One with It!

53. When your intellect is perplexed by the variety of truths being revealed .. when it becomes secured and anchored in the ecstasy of soul bliss, then you will attain the final union of yoga
When the discriminating wise intellect, previously buffeted by innumerable theological opinions, enters this state of oneness and transcendence, the seeker becomes immovably settled in the state of intuitive Self-realization.
Here the mortal attains the destined goal of all souls.. the ultimate yoga of union with the Ultimate Self. From this union, there is never a separation again.

54. Arjuna said: O Keshava (Krishna), what are the characteristics of the sage who possesses ever calm wisdom and who is steeped in the ecstasy of samadhi? How does this man of steady wisdom speak and sit and walk?
Arjun's curiosity is inflamed.. he wishes to know what this embodied soul is like while "settled" in communion with Reality! He also wants to know how this experience of this "sthita prajna" will influence his actions in the outer world.

55. The Blessed Lord replied: O Partha, when a man completely relinquishes all desires of the mind and is entirely contented in the Self, by the Self, he is considered to be one settled in wisdom.
Krishna's reply describes the inner and outer life of the "man of Self-realisation"..the description helps us detect for ourselves, the right type of Masters, described by Vyasa as "man of steady Wisdom".
When through meditation and spiritualized actions, a yogi drinks constantly the bliss of the inner true Self, the spiritualized ego is wholly satisfied by that joy and casts off all human cravings. This being is then said to be a man of Self-realization protected by steady wisdom.

56. He whose mind is not shaken by adversity and who in prosperity does not hanker for pleasures, who is free from attachments, fear and anger.. he is called a muni of steady discrimination.
He is a mastermind who remains within the calm depths of bliss, beyond the reach of emotions. Neither do afflictions distract him, nor do favourable circumstances rouse desire and attachments in him for pleasure.
He feels no impending misfortunes or alarm... he senses no anger from nonfulfillment of desires. He recognises the nature of the soul to be different from the nature of the body and remains inwardly unruffled.

57. He who is everywhere without attachment, neither excited by encountering good nor disturbed by evil.. who neither rejoices nor hates..he has an established wisdom
Verses 55 and 56 described the "stitha-prajna" as desireless, content, wise and a man of unruffled emotions.. the present verse elaborates further, that he is in a neutral state towards all pairs of opposites (bad and good, light and shadow, pain and pleasure).
He perceives not through the excitable prism of Nature but from the calm perspective of pure soul wisdom. He ignores all opposites as afflictions that are not his and therefore can control the instruments of excitability.

58. When a yogi, like a tortoise withdrawing his limbs, can fully retire the senses from the objects of perception, then his wisdom manifests steadiness
Since the control of the senses is linked with the control of the prana (energy of all the physiological functions of the body), the yogi shuts off all information to the brain and consciousness.
Once the energy is withdrawn, at will, from the mind and the five sensory channels, the yogi has attained Self-mastery. He has then become an expert switchboard operator able to turn off and on, the mind and the life force flowing through the five sensory channels.
This is a state of soul contact through interiorization where the real joy is located...the yogi retires into the inner cosmic sound of Aum, which ultimately melts into Cosmic Consciousness.

59. The man who physically abstains from sense object, leaving behind the longings.. finds that the sense objects fall away, leaving behind only the longing. But he who beholds the Supreme, is freed even from these longings!
By physical self-control, without mental self-control, the sensual man may distance himself from sense lures, but, his mind dwells constantly on temptations.. he will sooner or later fall victim to them.
The safer method is to experience the supreme joy in deep meditation and the sense lures fall off as insignificant offerings!
Renunciation of the world without practising the yoga of meditation, which controls the life force of senses and the mind, results in outward renunciation with the inward torment of sense temptations.

60. O son of Kunti (Arjun), the turbulent senses do forcibly seize the mind of the wise one who has a high degree of enlightenment and is striving for liberation
This verse is a warning to the smug and self-satisfied seeker who may have attained some spiritual advancement and self-control and may consider himself immune to the lures of the senses.
No one is actually safe from the senses, not even a perfected being.. not until the yogi has reached the final shelter of unbreakable union with the Self!
Even without outward contact with sense objects, a seeker can still stimulate the mind inwardly, by feeding the mind with images arising from the subconscious. One cannot underestimate the formidable power of the subconscious, whose tentacles are more far-reaching than the conscious mind!

61. He who unites his spirit in Me, having subjugated all the senses, remains concentrated on Me as the Supremely Desirable. The intuitive wisdom of that yogi becomes steadfast whose senses are under his control
A Self-united seeker focuses his thoughts on the ever blissful Consciousness... his senses eventually forsake their rebellion and obey the rightful "sovereign".
Two things are necessary of a wise man... ability to withdraw mind and senses at will from sense lures and ability to keep the mind united with the Self.
The stitha prajna (sage) of steady wisdom exercises correct judgement in all decisions and actions, because his inner intuitive wisdom is ever united to the omniscient Self.

62. Brooding on sense objects causes attachment to them. Attachment breeds desire and cravings; from desire is born anger
Verses 62 and 63 point to the fateful step-by-step descent of a potentially noble being down the ladder of temptation into ruin. The steps include: brooding over sense pleasures which is the psychological spring source of desire and the offspring of all their consequences!
Righteous indignation can inspire man to extraordinary efforts to right a wrong..egoistical anger and indignation blinds man so that he is increasingly irrational while trying to fulfil his obstructed desires!

63. Anger breeds delusion; delusion breeds loss of memory of the Self. Loss of memory causes decay of the discriminating intellect. From decay of discrimination, annihilation of spiritual life follows
Unfulfilled desires enmesh man in anger, which in turn creates a distorted cloud of delusion, which in turn allows a loss of memory and one's own self-respect. When discrimination decays, there is destruction of spiritual values!
Paroxysms of anger has physiological and psychological effects. Physiologically, his whole body systems change (heart races, internal tension felt as a heating of body, nerves feel overloaded, digestion arrested etc.)
Psychologically, anger stupefies the mind and motor impulses are apt to rule rational guidelines set by normal tranquil state. The blindness clouds the mind which now gropes aimlessly!
Man loses his memory as to what and how he should behave... with discrimination lost, the way to destruction is imminent.
Society, as a whole, is subject to the same degradation process of an individual, who is a constituent of community and then society and finally nations!

64. The man of self-control, moving among objects, with his senses under restraint, devoid of attraction and repulsion, attains an unshakable inner calmness or peace.
The man of self-control who finds his senses under the control of soul's discrimination abandons attraction/aversion attitudes .. the root cause of entrapment in material objects. He uses his obedient, unprejudiced uninvolved senses to perform duties happily and rightfully.
Unfortunately or fortunately, the "pathway to life" that every mortal must travel to reach Reality, courses though the territory of sensations and sense traps! A man of self-control wears an armour of wisdom and non-attachment while he performs his duties in the tricky sense world!

65. In that peace, all grief is destroyed; the tranquil minded intellect soon becomes firmly established in the Self
The man of sense-control has passed beyond the grief giving attractions of the phenomenal world - he therefore enjoys the bliss of the soul.
When man's wavering reason becomes fixed on the soul, he changes into unswerving discrimination.. meaning that the light of soul-happiness dispels darkness accumulations of millions of reincarnations!

66. There is no knowledge of the Self to the unsteady; and to the unsteady, there is no meditation. To the un-meditative, there is no peace or tranquillity. To the peace-less, how can there be happiness?
The individual who is attached to the senses is, as a logical consequence, disunited from the soul; this disunion is characterized by restlessness, scattering of faculties and in harmony.
One can improve the intellect by educating it.. the benefit is purely cultural! Discrimination is a product of intuition, obtained only through "soul force" - the union of the self with the Self!
Discrimination insures right judgment, under any circumstance, through the agency of intuition.. the divine guidance dwelling in consciousness as wisdom, the discriminating faculty that guides intelligence!
Peace is a quality of the soul.. one cannot be at peace unless in tune with the soul. Sadness produces mental indifference, which is the negative state of peace. One needs peace, the sacred inner environment of the soul to allow real happiness to unfold within!
To feel truly happy, one needs to attain the state of unbroken peace so that the soul can blossom into divine bliss and unerring wisdom.

67. Just as a boat on the waters is carried off course by a gale, so an individual's discrimination is driven of course from the intended path when the mind succumbs to the wandering senses
Even a yogi who is rapidly nearing his goal may find himself amidst the storms of sense addictions through errors of past lives or subconscious post natal bad habit formations. At such junctures, the yogi should invoke his will at the Kutastha (between eyebrows) and command the sensory gales to subside!

68. Therefore, O Mighty-armed one (Arjun), his wisdom is well established whose senses are wholly restrained from the sense objects
Krishna now addresses Arjun as the "scion of self-control", whose consistent wisdom is the charioteer of the stallions of senses, preventing them from racing over the terrains of sense objects.
The driver of life's chariot is not asked to tie up his sense stallions and consign them to inactivity... all that is necessary is to train the steeds to remain obedient and allow him to make all the decisions!
All that is needed is to control desires that guide man's instruments of perception and action! Senses are only instruments of the mind. They cannot act by themselves. It is mind and intellect that needs freedom from sense enslavement. A wise man keeps his wisdom free and steady, directing life on the Righteous path.
To ignore the cultivation of Self-awareness through being overwhelmed with material duties is man's commonest error. To be inactive while pretending to be "spiritual" is a dangerous self-deceit.
When a devotee becomes engrossed in the Self, both, during worldly activity and intense inactivity (meditation), The Self arranges for his "pension" and liberation from earthly duties!

69. That which is night to all beings, in that the self-controlled man keeps awake; where all beings are awake, that is the night for the divinely perceptive sage
This verse is directed to those who spend their nights in meditation, when all the world is still asleep. The yogi whose attention is fixed on the Self, withdraws from the world.
Seeing, the yogi sees and cares not.. physiologically awake but spiritually asleep in the oblivion of nan-attachment. The worldly man is asleep in ignorance and the yogi is awake in wisdom.

70. He is full of contentment who absorbs all desires within, as the brimful ocean remains unchanged by waters entering into it... but not so for the desirer of desires
Just as the rivers flowing into the sea keep it ever full but do not disturb its changeless vastness, so too, the streams of desires, transformed and absorbed within the changeless oceanic Self, make no ripples in the yogi. Instead, they keep him overflowing with energy, contentment and peace that never oscillates.
His mental reservoir has become expanded into the sea of the divine Self. He attracts rivers of goodness in other souls to flow into his being, all finally mingling in the Eternal Self.

71. That man attains peace who, abandoning all desires, moves about without cravings and is identified with the mortal ego ("I-ness") and its sense of "my-ness"
This verse is often quoted by ascetics and renunciants who live free from worldly duties. It is a perfect recipe for perfect peace!
It claims that a recluse seeks peace by minimizing bodily cares and renouncing worldly possessions and by keeping the mind ablaze with wisdom .. so that no seeds of desire take root.
By perfect renunciation, he severs all ties with the personal human ego with its desires for possessions
But what about the modern householder who wants to perform worldly duties as well as find the Self? To them Krishna counsels the "path of action" or Karma Yoga, in Chapter III of the Geeta.
Any man who renounces the fruits of action and acts for the Self is a renunciant as well as a yogi. He is a renunciant because he relinquishes desire to become the beneficiary of action... and he is a yogi, because he works only to please the Self!

72. O Partha (Arjun), this is the "established in Brahman" state. Anyone entering this state is never again deluded. Even at the very moment of transition (from physical to astral), if one becomes anchored therein, he attains the final state of oneness with the Spirit (Brahman)
Enthronement in the omnipresent consciousness of the Self is Brahmasthiti. A yogi in this state of consciousness is freed while living.. he is never again deluded, nor does he come down to a lesser state! His soul expands into the Self, yet retains his individuality, immersed constantly in soul-Soul union. Even if the devotee slips from the physical into the astral (life force) state, at the time of death...even he, who has extinguished the ego imperfectly, expands into his causal state within the Self
A yogi (who has relinquished all desires and ego) will not tolerate being caged in the causal state.. he is free to move, at will, between physical and astral states of being, to help other seekers of the path!
Krishna further encourages Arjun that it does not matter when and how this state ... he may be successful even at the very moment of death!
CHAPTER III : THE PATH OF ACTION
(Karma Yoga)

No living creature endowed with mind and intellect can remain without doing work. Cessation of all activities is a signature of death.. therefore act, we must!
An uncultivated man acts, propelled by his or her own wrong tendencies, ordering for himself a new lease (in the future), of sorrowful existence. Entertaining all sensual desires, man acts and earns inexhaustible mental impressions or vasanas.
Vasanas invite new fields of existence in new fields of expression, through reincarnations!
The truth is that from a vibration free region, the Spirit (Cosmic Self or Infinite Consciousness or God) is brought about a vibratory creation... all through an ordered rhythm of creative activity of Nature (Prakriti), guided by Cosmic Intelligence .
Man is part of that vibratory activity and an integral part of the Cosmic Plan - projected out of the Cosmic Self, man (Self) must evolve back into the Cosmic Self, through activity in harmony with the Cosmic Plan inherent in Nature!

1. Arjun said: O Janardana (Krishna), if you consider knowledge to be superior to action, why then, Keshava (Krishna), are you asking me to perform this terrible action (fighting the Kurus)?
Arjun has been listening to the discourse on viewing life as a dream of the Cosmic Self through the eyes of wisdom, and not through the emotional histrionics of the world of delusion. Arjun wishes to know why the Lord is harnessing him to a stallion yoked to a chariot of war for the purpose of destroying his family! The seeker must conquer senses by a gradual deepening yoga of meditation (action), until man becomes constantly centralized within the silence - for the sake of acquiring wisdom from the knowledge already imparted!
**The ultimate wisdom is the intuitive contact with the Eternal Infinite Intelligence - the changeless, free from all vibrations of creation; the Cosmic Consciousness or Cosmic Self or Spirit is the supreme cause.
All Creation or Nature or Prakriti is vibratory activity coming out of the Absolute Cosmic Eternal Self and therefore conditioned! The search for the ultimate wisdom can only be found in the very depths of meditation, in the non-vibrating soul or Self.
The physical body is an assemblage of the five elements. The astral body (psychological or mind stuff & physiological or pranic life force) merely enliven the physical body with its intelligent creative vibrations from the causal body.
In order to ascend into the "Wheel-of-Action" or Karma Yoga, the mortal must involve both bodily and mental functions; this is possible only through "karyam" and "yagna". Once the "bodily" delusions are removed through meditation and knowledge, man cannot manifest wisdom!
***Esoterically, a seeker must conquer sensual body consciousness through meditation through restraint, adherence and self-control by following the yama-niyama tenets of behaviour (karyam).
In the seat of meditation, awareness is centralised by calming the breathing (Hum saa So ham technique); pranayama (stilling the breath) thus allows pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses into their origin in the nervous system) to take place.
Deeper meditative efforts allows further centralization (as in deep sleep) into the kutastha (deep between eyebrows) - this is dharana or concentration to hear the Pranava (Aum) within oneself. This is true yagna - the fire ritual of burning the senses into the fire of wisdom!
Deeper meditation (yagna) through concentration and dhyana or meditation are still inferior to the wisdom gained finally in samadhi!

2. Your conflicting speeches are confusing my understanding; therefore, tell me of a single path by which I can attain the Highest.
Arjun tells Krishna that although his counsel is both wise and eloquent, it is contradictory; he admits to feeling bewildered. Since the advice is paradoxical, Arjun wants Krishna to tell him exactly what to do next!
** Spiritual advice is paradoxical only because mortals are only capable of discussing in terms of the Nature which is Manifested Consciousness. The Unmanifested Consciousness is invisible and yet the source of Creation - little wonder that Arjun is confused!

3. Krishna replied: At the start of Creation, a two-fold path of salvation was given by Me to this world; for the wise, divine union through the path of knowledge (Sankhyan); for the yogis, divine union through the path of action dedicated to Me (action) and in active meditation (inaction).
Krishna tells Arjun that at the start of creation man was given two paths to retrace his steps back to him - the first through discrimination or Sankhyan Gyana Yoga and second through the highest form of activity or Karma Yoga.
**Esoterically, the highest form of knowledge is wisdom and the highest form of activity is meditation. The ultimate "knowledge" is wisdom. Meditation is the foundation of the house of wisdom.
Many pursue knowledge without meditation, in the hope of securing freedom! Attainment of knowledge without the tempering effects of inner wisdom leads to egoism and false convictions!
Dharana or deep concentration only allows the mind to disconnect from breath, life force and senses - this allows the ego freedom to delve even deeper into the soul.
***When a yogi is nearing the end step of return journey, both meditation and wisdom are necessary to unite ego with soul into a single merger of wisdom - meditation is therefore the one inner highway of to Self-realization. This ends in the union of the soul (individualised Self) with the Cosmic Self or Spirit.

4. One does not attain "actionlessness" just by avoiding action. Performance of action also does not lead one to perfection.
Integral to the cosmic plan of creation, projected out of the Unmanifested Consciousness ("actionlessness') is the ascent of man and creation back from manifestation to the unmanifested state. Renunciation of action therefore cannot bring about true felicitation.
**The projection of the Unmanifested Consciousness (Brahman) is an active intelligent vibratory state upholding the universe (the Word or Aum). The ascent must be the effort of man who through proper activity in the world, ascends into the actionless vibrationless state. This is a mystical state of being and the goal of life, attained through deep meditation and service. It is not a state of paralytic idleness!
Even Masters established in the Self, return to serve the world, bestowing their thoughts and holy vibrations for the benefit of unenlightened beings!

5. No one can stay without acting even for a moment; everyone is compelled to act helplessly, by the qualities (gunas) born of Prakriti (Nature)
The entire universe is created and guided by the action and interaction of the three gunas or "action-producing" qualities that are an inherent, constant and silent influence of primordial Nature - the only way Divine Mother expresses Herself in Her magical manifestations!
Her qualities are her modes of expression as positive or elevating (sattva), negative or obstructive (tamas) and neutral or activating (rajas) qualities. Sattva produces idealistic qualities, rajas triggers materialistic progressive qualities and tamas trigger evil or ignorance producing qualities.
The entire universe is created and guided by the actions and interactions of the 3 gunas which influence the 24 attributes of Nature. The human body is therefore ruled by these motion producing gunas - man therefore CANNOT stand still; he is compelled to act! The universal flux cannot accommodate a stationary man, not even in the seat of deep meditation.

6. An individual who restrains his organs of action, but whose mind continues to think of sense objects, he deludes himself, for he is a hypocrite
He who manages to subdue his senses outwardly but not inwardly may as well be a recluse who renounces worldly pleasures but broods constantly over his deprivations. It may render him into a false sense of security but he will be fall into a trap in a moment of temptation!
To conquer temptation one needs to be free of physical, social, mental, spiritual problems within oneself, meaning the seed of evil; otherwise, it will grow again into a huge tree, bearing their fruits of misery with it!
Repetition of evil acts produce reinforcement in thought and therefore breed habits and instinctive inclinations! Therefore restraint has to be both of thoughts and actions.

7. But he who controls the senses by disciplining the mind, O Arjun, and engages the organs of action, without attachment, he succeeds on the path of action that unites man with Self
The man of worldly responsibilities who keeps his senses under control, and who works identified with the Cosmic Worker (Nature or Prakriti), remains unattached to his own desires and ambitions; ultimately, these right actions will take him to the right goal - to the Unmanifest Cosmic Consciousness!
Unattached to the fruits of action, he meditates not only for the purpose of enjoyment of supreme bliss (while in his mortal coil) but also "recognise" the path towards Unmanifest Consciousness.

8. Therefore perform the actions that are obligatory, because, activity is better than inactivity; even simple bodily maintenance would be impossible without activity!
Having understood that dynamic activity is superior to idleness, one must at least do those requisite duties to which one is bound by the laws of nature; Krishna further states that divine duties must also be performed for the sake of soul culture!

9. Worldly people are bound by activities in accordance with their vasanas (karma); these differ from actions performed as religious rites (yagna); O son of Kunti (Arjun), act without attachment, in a spirit of yagna, offering actions as oblations
If every action brings about bondage upon the doer, why act? Krishna addresses this in verses 9 to 18; he defines the nature of right action which should be an oblation in a spirit of yagna.
Ordinary people who work in the factory of life with only their desires as tools and without spiritual training, receive mostly karmically tied sorrows through successive incarnations.
The yogi who performs actions in alignment with the cosmic plan is free! He fulfils his mission on earth and becomes liberated. Even the spiritual fire rite (yagna) of casting ignorance in the flames of wisdom must be for the sole purpose of Love of the Cosmic Being!

10. In the beginning, Prajapati (Creator of Praja or human beings), created mankind with Yagna and said: By this you will propagate; this will be the milch cow of your desires (kamadhuk)...
This verse asserts that from the very beginning, there was first a yagna; from the Cosmic Fire/Light of Cosmic Intelligence was created the Creative Consciousness (Creator or Brahma as Prajapati) who brought forth all the souls made of cosmic intelligence.
Next, the Creator told them to multiply themselves after the "wisdom-image" they were made of! The wisdom within would then be their all fulfilling "milch cow" offering the milk of happiness to all our desires (material, mental or spiritual).

11. With this yagna, meditate on the devas, and may these devas bless you in return; thus, communicating with each other, you will attain the Supreme Good
With the inner fire rite (yagna) of yoga meditation, become attuned to the devas or cosmic agents that govern the worlds; harmonizing with the exacting laws of Nature, the devas respond favourably to one's demands and desires!
Continued atonement with the devas, allows the yogi communicating facilities with the devas who supervise the workings of an ordered universe! Few realise that our lives are governed by the effects of our past actions and are subject to universal laws administered by higher forces.
Attuning one's consciousness with the devas elevates man, who avoids fructification of past evil karma, allowing misfortunes to lessen their fury, through mutual communion and by following their counsel.

12. Prajapati concludes that the devas contacted through yagnas will grant mortals their desire; those who enjoy objects given by these deities without offering them sacrifice in return, are thieves.
Man, identifying himself with the soul (ego), takes for granted that he alone thinks, wills, feels, digests, keeps himself alive: he never admits that in this ordinary life, he is nothing but a puppet of past actions and of Nature, directed and controlled by intelligent cosmic agents (devas).
Out of touch with universal harmonies, he lives as a lawless pirate, rendering no homage to the countless forces that provide during his life span!

13. Those who eat remnants of offerings (sacrifice or yagna) are free of sins; but sinners are those who cook food only for themselves, for they feast on sin.
Krishna asserts that those who live, eat and behave as mortals, oblivious to the spring of infinitude within, remain under the compulsion of the law of karma, which causes sufferings and rebirth (sin)!

14. From food creatures are born; from rain food is obtained. From Yagna (sacrifice) rain comes; and fire is born of karma (action)

15. Know, O Arjun, that this activity comes from Brahman's Creative Consciousness; and this Creative Consciousness (Brahma) originates from the Imperishable Infinite Consciousness (Brahman). Therefore, this Creative Consciousness (Brahma) is all pervasive and is inherently and inseparably present in every yagna (sacrifice) which is the very essence of all components of creation
Verses 14 and 15 describe the entire law of creation: the outward evolution of creation from Unmanifested Consciousness (Spirit) into the Intelligent Cosmic Vibration (Aum) which supports the condensed vibration of energy and light (the quiescent Prakriti).
She, the Divine Mother Nature unfolds all creatures and universe (now active Prakriti) bringing into manifestation the multiform creation of causal, psychological with physiological and physical forms.
Therefore, man is but the materialised mind of the Universal Self -materialized from the "frozen mind" or idea of the Universal Self, supported by the Cosmic Vibration (Aum) or Prakriti.

16. O Son of Pritha (Arjun), he, who lives in this world and does not follow the revolving wheel set in motion (Wheel-of-Action), lives a sinful life; contented in the sense indulgences, he lives in vain!
Cosmic creation and man's place in it is great revolving wheel of activity, descending from Unmanifest Cosmic Consciousness and reascending to liberation.
He who does not heed the liberating disciplinarian laws of existence as a mortal, misses the sole point of earthly existence -he who identifies with sense indulgences remains rooted in the soil of materialism.

17.But the individual who truly loves the soul (embodied Self) and is fully satisfied with the soul and finds utter contentment in the Self alone, for him no duty exists

18. For such a person, in this world, there is no interest of gaining rewards by performing actions; nor does he lose anything by their nonperformance. He is not dependent on anyone or anything.
Verses 17 and 18 is a response to Arjun's intuitive question: Is the Wheel-of-Action to be followed by all, or only by those who have as yet not attained faith in the Path of Knowledge?
When man identifies with the body, he becomes the ego; when the ego unites with soul, he beholds that the individualised Self is an active participant in the Wheel-of-Action! He finds contentment by uniting the soul with the bliss of the Self.
He then realises and manifests his oneness with the Eternal Self; he has attained the goal of life - thereafter, he is not required to perform actions, nor is he bound to any karmic law; he engages in dutiful action for the purpose of demonstrating to mankind, the way to real freedom!

19. Therefore, always perform good material actions (karyam) and spiritual actions (karman) without attachment. By doing all actions without attachments, one attains the highest.
The seeker who performs noble actions and meditative duties without selfish attachments, attains the ultimate union with the Self

20. By the path of right action alone, Janaka and others like him reached perfection. Also, you should perform right actions, for the purpose of guiding mortals correctly.
Already perfected beings like Janaka, who are not required to perform actions for their own revolution, continue to engage in constructive activity to set an example to society; that liberation is a product of noble actions and not inaction!

21. Whatever a great man does, other men will imitate. His actions set a standard for people of the world to follow.
The supreme force of the mind must be kept busy outwardly in routine constructive actions even while inwardly united to Supreme Bliss.

22. O Partha (Arjun), I have no compelling duty to perform in the three worlds; there is nothing that I need to acquire or to gain! Yet I am consciously present in the performance of all actions.
Every mortal is instructed to behave like the Spirit image that he is: calm and transcendent in the soul and simultaneously active in the body without the entanglements of desires!

23. O Partha (son of Pritha or Arjun), if at any time I stopped continuous work without relaxation (actions), men would wholly imitate My ways and My Path.
If Krishna, the Creator ceaselessly works to serve creation, then His reflections - the mortal, must perform to help His creation to its goal of perfection.

24. If I did not perform actions, these universes would perish. I would be the cause of confusions in those born to do their rightful actions (duties in life or "castes"). I would therefore be the instrument of man's ruination.

25. O descendant of Bharat (Arjun), just as the ignorant act because of attachment for reward, so the wise should act with dispassion and nonattachment, only to serve as guides for the welfare of the multitude.

26. Under no circumstances should the wise disturb the understanding of ignorant persons who are attached to actions. Instead the illumined being, by conscientiously performing activities, should inspire in the ignorant, a desire for all dutiful actions
Verses 21 to 26 describes righteous duties performed with nonattachment: Just as a materialist works untiringly for sense gratification, which produce constant afflictions, so also a yogi works unceasingly to bring him the ultimate happiness of oneness with the Self. He advises Arjun that he must perform dutiful actions and render proper service to the world, just as He does, to set the pattern for inspiration and encouragement to others
Verses 27 to 30 discuss how egoless action free the seeker from Nature's dualities and the bondage of Karma.

27. All action is universally engendered by the attributes (gunas) of primordial Nature (Prakriti). A man whose Self is deluded by ego thinks, "I am the doer"

28. O Mighty-armed Arjun, he who knows the Truth about the divisions of attributes of primordial Nature (gunas) and their functions - and he who realises, that it is the gunas as senses, that are attached to the gunas of sense objects, keeps the Self unattached to (objects).

29. The yogi of perfect wisdom should not bewilder the minds of men who have imperfect understanding. Deluded by the attributes of (gunas) primordial Nature, the ignorant must be allowed to the activities engendered by those gunas

30. Relinquish all activities unto Me! Devoid of ego and expectations, with your attention concentrated on the soul (Self), free from worry and anxiety, be you engaged in the battle of activity.
Verses 31 to 35 prescribe the right attitude towards prescribed sadhana for the purpose of spiritual progress. It also specifies the attitude of a seeker towards the wisdom-dictated disciplinary guru.

31. Men, who with devotion, ceaselessly practice My teachings, without fault finding, they too become free from all "karma"

32. But those who denounce My teachings and do not live according to it, completely deluded as regards true wisdom, know them, these devoid of understanding, to be doomed for destruction.

33. Even the wise man acts according to the tendencies of his own nature (gunas). All living creatures go according to the primordial Nature (Prakriti); what can suppression avail?

34. Attachment and aversion of the senses for specific objects are Nature ordained (gunas)! Beware the influence of this duality. Truly, these two psychological qualities are one's enemies!

35. One's own duty (svadharma), though deficient in merit, is superior to other's dharma (paradharma), even if well performed! Better it is to die in svadharma; paradharma is full of fear and danger
Every man sometimes experiences peculiar states; even while striving with virtuous actions, he still somehow gets dragged into temptation, as if by force! Arjun voices that in Verse 36:

36. Arjun said: O Varshneya (Krishna of Vrishni dynasty), by what is man impelled, even against his will, to perform evil - compelled, it seems, by force?
Verses 37 to 43 is advice given by Krishna on the ways to conquer the two sided sword of passion - desire and anger!

37. The Blessed Lord answered: Born of the activating attribute of Nature (rajo guna), it is desire and also it is anger; that is the impelling force - full of unappeasable cravings and a great evil; know this two sided passion to be the foulest enemy here on this earth

38. As fire is obscured by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo is enveloped by the womb, so is wisdom veiled by desire or anger.

39. O son of Kunti, (Arjun), the constant enemy of wise men is the unquenchable flame of desire, by which wisdom is concealed

40. The senses, mind, and intellect are said to be desire's formidable stronghold; through these, desire deludes the embodied soul (Self) by eclipsing wisdom.

41. Therefore, O best of the Bharat dynasty (Arjun), first discipline the senses; they are destroyers of knowledge and wisdom.

42. The senses are said to be superior to the physical body; the mind is superior to the sense faculties; the intelligence is superior to the mind; but the Self (soul) is superior to the intelligence.

43. O Might armed (Arjun), recognising the Self to be superior to intelligence, and disciplining the self (ego) by the Self (soul), slay the enemy that is so hard to conquer - because they (senses) wear the armour of desire.
CHAPTER IV : THE PATH OF INSPIRED SELF-LESS ACTION
(Gyana Karma SanyasaYoga)

All new ideas, however logical and intellectual they be, are not readily acceptable to Arjun; the previous chapter proposed a revolutionary idea of Karma Yoga, which to all intents could have been a reinterpretation of the ancient Vedic Science!
Chapter IV of the Geeta is an all out effort made by Krishna to bring home to Arjun that the Lord Himself, the author of the Vedas, has been talking of the same old Truth and nothing new!
The Path of Knowledge is the grand archway through which a mortal must pass to reach the Temple of the Self or Spirit. Here, Krishna for the first time divests himself of his mortal clothes and puts on His Divine apparel as the Aura of the Ultimate Self, the Cosmic Lord!
Whenever a seeker questions the phenomenon of life and awakens spiritually, through His grace, the seeker encounters a true guru who acquaints him with the art of divine union.

1. Krishna said to Arjun: I gave this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan (sun-god); Vivasvan gave this knowledge to Manu (law giver of the senses or "manas" or mind); Manu gave it to Ikshavaku (founder of Kshatriya solar dynasty or the intuitive eye).

2. Handed down in this way in orderly and regular succession (symbolising the descent of the life force into), the Rajarishis (royal sages or senses) knew it. But, O Parantapa (Scorcher of foes or Arjun), by the long passage of time, this yoga has been lost on this earth!
Verses 1 and 2 lists the historical basis and esoteric essence of Raja Yoga - the technique of uniting Self and Cosmic Self or Consciousness. Krishna gave the yoga technique to Vivasvan, the Sun with its omnipresent Light or creative Cosmic Energy, manifested in the mortal as life force and creative energy.
Esoterically, these two stanzas explain the genesis of yoga; the first manifestation (vibration) of Cosmic Self is the Cosmic Light or Energy which exists in man as the light of the single spiritual eye (Kutastha chaitanya between the eyebrows)
**The outward projection of the creative power manifests as feeling (chitta) which experiences "existence"; feeling excites thinking or mind; when thinking becomes distorted it becomes ego (ahamkara); with the development of ego is born the guiding intelligence (budhi).
***From the Ishkvaku state (life force or astral state), man descends into the body and manifest as the five senses (rajarishis). Life force (prana) with mind is Manu; mind with Cosmic Energy is Vivasvan; Cosmic Energy with Cosmic Consciousness is Krishna. Although the links are forgotten, the memory is not forgotten and manifest as different states in different depths of meditation!

3. I have this day told you about the same ancient yoga, because you are My devotee and My friend. The sacred mystery of yoga is indeed the producer of supreme benefit to mankind - This is a Supreme Secret.
In this verse Krishna explains to Arjun the meaning of different states of development which ultimately lead to the same ancient highway through which all devotees must travel to final liberation.
In the early stages, a seeker feels an awesome distance between himself and the Lord; but as the devotee experiences successively higher states of ecstasy, barriers are broken and he joyously recalls his long lost familiar state of oneness with the Self and then the Cosmic Self!
He now rejoices to hear the voice of Cosmic Consciousness in Cosmic Nature and is told all the mysteries of the universe.

4. Arjun said: Vivasvan (Sun) was born first and your birth occurred later. How then can I understand that you taught this Yoga in the beginning; this yoga was born in the beginning even before your birth?

5. The Lord said: O Arjun, many births have been experienced by Me and you. I know about all of them, but you do not remember them, O Parantapa (Scorcher of Foes).
In response to Arjun's question in Verse 4, Krishna tells Arjun that he has in previous births burned mortal limitations with the fire of self-control; Arjun is reminded that there has been an unbroken chain of conscious existence with Krishna in previous lives, even though Arjun has no recall of them!
**Esoterically interpreted, the questions and answers between Krishna and Arjun are intuitional exchanges between wisdom and the Self. In the advanced state of meditational samadhi, the seeker 'sees" the Cosmic Light or manifested Cosmic Self (Krishna) and Self (Arjun) as having existed through many incarnations.

6. Though I am Unborn, and of changeless (imperishable) Essence, yet, by becoming Lord of Creation, I abide in My own Cosmic Nature (as Prakriti), by embodying Myself with My own Self-evolved Maya delusion.
Although the Cosmic Consciousness is causeless and unborn, yet by entering Nature (Prakriti), He (Krishna as Purusha) wears the cosmic apparel of Self-created Maya (delusion), but is not affected by It - but for what purpose does the Infinite get bound?

7. O Bharata (Arjun, descendent of Bharata), whenever virtue or righteousness (dharma) declines and vice or unrighteousness (adharma) predominates, I incarnate (manifest) Myself as an avatar.

8. I appear in visible form in every age to protect the virtuous and destroy evil in order to re-establish righteousness.
In Verses 7 and 8 Krishna asserts that whenever the majority of human "actors" misuse their God-given freedom to create evil and suffering for others, they create discord in His divine plan for fellow beings and their destinies! At such times, The Cosmic Director of the Cosmic Plan appears on the stage in a human form to instruct them on the art of proper living!
In Verses 9 to 12 Krishna describes the path to salvation, which has been walked since ancient times!

9. He who knows this in its true light, and about the Truth of My orderly principles, My Manifestations and actions; he is not born again after death (abandoning the body); he comes to Me, O Arjun!
Here Krishna asserts once more that the Self descends into matter through several orderly stages in accordance with the creative principles of Nature until the soul (causal body) descends with Self and becomes body-locked.
The individualised Self when identified with his little universe becomes body, senses and possessions. Renunciations of these attachments, he disentangles from the influences of the conscious and subconscious states and enters the superconscious state. Here he realises that he (Self) is a perfect image of the Cosmic Self.
Once united with the Cosmic Self, he is liberated from matter!

10. Purified by the fire-of-knowledge and resulting wisdom, disengaged from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed and sheltered in Me, many beings have attained My nature (Path of Self-development).
An advanced yogi (who has neutralised his emotions) can see the dream pictures of life issuing from the Cosmic Beam - the yogi therefore remains engrossed in the Infinite and is liberated from the dream itself!
United the Self with the Cosmic Self, the yogi loses his attachments to fear and anger stimulating existence and becomes immersed and secure in the Cosmic Consciousness!

11. O Partha (Arjun), in whatever way people approach Me, in that measure I manifest Myself to them. All men, in every manner of seeking for Me, pursue a Path to Me, alone.
Devotees worship the Cosmic Self variously and the Lord responds in whatever aspect he holds dear! Cosmic Self (Unmanifest) becomes Cosmic Nature (Manifest); Nature has twenty four attributes which by combination and computation manifests as the infinite variety!
Each person creates a screen of delusion (personal interpretation of Nature's attributes); a customized need of different mentalities has created a necessity for a variety of religions, to which the Cosmic Self gives assent and blessings.
All paths: theological, serviceful, discriminative, devotional or scientific can in a lesser or greater degree bestow corresponding insight!

12. They who desire success for satisfaction from their actions here on earth, adore the gods of their various ideals; because satisfaction is quickly achieved from their actions, they move in the attained world of objects.
The materialist knows that proper action will bring success to his endeavours; his thoughts and prayers propitiate the forces and factors ("gods") necessary to accomplish his material goals.
Verses 13 to 15 describe how the Unmanifest Cosmic Self manifests in the Cosmic Nature as different modes of vibrating action!

13. According to the differentiates of attributes (guna) and actions (karma), I have created four castes. Though thus the Author, yet, you (Arjun) know Me as the Non-doer, beyond all change (immutable).
The Cosmic Creator has fashioned the world of beings patterned after four types of activities in His own Nature: Cosmic Intelligence (Brahmin - spiritual) Cosmic Energy (Kshatriya - protective); Cosmic Organization (Vaishya - cultivative) and Cosmic Motion (Shudra - labouring).
These activities are expressed under the influence of the three gunas or qualities inherent in Nature (Prakriti): sattva (elevating), rajas (activating) and tamas (degrading). From their actions and inherent qualities, the four "natural" castes are emerge! These four activities are the blueprint from which all races are made. Mankind however, display an admixture of all the gunas, thus accounting for the bewildering variety found!

14. Actions do not cause attachments in Me, nor have I (desire) longing for their fruit-of-actions. He who identifies with Me, who knows My true nature, is also free from the fetters of karma (Law of Karma or actions).
The Cosmic Self as the Cosmic Creator in all active manifestations as energy and physical atoms remains free from them; He neither desires nor does He seek rewards from His activity in Nature!
Those who caste off the delusion of maya real