Chapter 2 verse 11
Lord Krishna utters his first words after hearing Arjuna patiently
for a while. He says Arjuna grieves for those who shouldn’t be grieved for and
speaks words of wisdom and that the wise grieves neither for the living nor for
the dead.
This chapter of Bhagavat Gita is called Sankhya yoga or yoga of
knowledge. It should have been called “Pragnapanam or yoga of information”. We
have divine presence in our lives giving us information which has potential to
turn into knowledge or Sankhya. The key for that conversion is with the seer or
doer which is all of us and in this case Arjuna. For years, I have gathered
spirtitual information from various channels and could still be doing the same
for all that matters. The key to converting “information” to “knowledge” is
experience. Experience of the divine can be achieved by surrender to the divine
through Bhakti. Maybe I am getting ahead of myself. Here Krishna gives Arjuna a
hard hitting message or information which is there is no point clinging to the
impermanent which is all sentient beings. Lesson from this sloka is that we all
need to be aware of divine around us and it can penetrate us if we allow the
unhindered flow. We shall see if Arjuna allows it or not!
Chapter 2 verse 12
Krishna says “It is not that at any time (in the past), indeed was
I not, nor was you, nor these rulers of men. Nor will we ever cease to be
hereafter!
From these verses, Krishna assumes that Arjuna is aware of the
theory of reincarnation and reminds him of the same. If not, this treatment of
giving information/knowledge is not the same style as in the Vedas or
Upanishads where the argument or exposition is very structured. I have read
over time commentaries or interpretations of Upanishads where answers are given
for specific questions asked. Here the original question asked by Arjuna is
that I don’t want to fight and that he was grieved about his current situation.
Krishna is sharing a deep truth that several of the people who Arjuna was
coexisting with-his relatives, Krishna himself, his family, friends and enemies
as well have had previous births and will also have more births in future.
Although this is not stated in this sloka, I wanted to share something I read
somewhere else that there are soul families- souls travel together from one
life to another teaching each other life lessons to be learnt. Their
relationships may be very different to each other but they all are coexisting
to enable great lessons which help us all with the final realization that “Love
is bliss” and there is nothing but the immutable self everywhere.
Chapter
2 verse 13
Just
as the embodied soul continuously passes from childhood to youth to old age,
similarly, at the time of death, the soul passes into another body. The wise
are not deluded by this.
There
are laws by which Nature governs and it is applicable to all sentient beings
irrespective of their belief systems. Just like laws of gravity applied before
this generation or Yug of human beings rediscovered it, laws of karma and hence
reincarnation applies even for people who don’t believe in it for this
lifetime.
Change
is the only constant. What is changing-body, mind (3 thoughts per second and
around 60000 thoughts per day says Guruji). What is not changing is the atman
(soul or spirit) and it doesn’t change even after death. When Krishna says the
wise is not deluded by the change, he is referring to the change of the body
and mind.
I had
recent conversations with someone who follows the catholic Christian path and
doesn’t believe in reincarnation. I concluded the conversation that if he
thinks that there is only this life to reach God, then it is even better for
him since he will certainly do only good. There is always a positive way to
look at things and be inclusive and accepting. That is the essence of Sanatana
Dharma.
Chapter 2 verse 14
“The contacts of senses with objects,
which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they
are impermanent. Endure them bravely, Arjuna!”
In Vedanta, all work towards
purification of the self or path of self realization begins with addressing the
body-5 senses and it’s activities. Krishna is addressing the pair of opposites
experienced by all of us through these 5 senses. The most compelling definition
of “impermanence” is that which has a beginning and end. Everything which has a
finite beginning and end is not permanent or real. Lord Krishna is very
compassionate. He is the greatest Guru. A great aspect of a Guru is the ability
to know how a disciple can learn best, to teach a disciple from where their
state of mind can receive the information. Lord Krishna implores Arjuna to
endure the pair of opposites by being brave. This works for an accomplished
kshatriya to be asked to be brave. If the listener had made progress in self
realization path, Krishna would have probably asked him to employ his
viveka-discrimination to separate the pair of opposites but Krishna is using a
strong vasana which Arjuna and other great kshatriyas possess- Bravery to ask
him to endure the effect of the senses. Lots of learn about how to read the
audience and cater the message accordingly. Will he succeed in passing the
message?
Chapter 2 verse 15
“That firm man whom surely these afflict
not, O chief among men, to whom pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for
realizing the immortality of the self”
Krishna’s
objective is to provide enough information to Arjuna that goads him to fit the
war. So he is trying to give this information straight up that self is immortal
and doesn’t get affected by pair of opposites continuing from sloka 14. However
the interesting part to note here is that he pleases Arjuna’s ego by calling
him the “Chief of all men”. This should definitely please a warrior who has
grown by being told he was the greatest warrior. Krishna wants to get to his
objective by cajoling Arjuna to fight with direct information (for it to
convert to knowledge, it depends upon Arjuna-the receiver as discussed earlier)
and praise.
Why
doesn’t direct knowledge work? The biggest factor for the receiver is readiness
to receive. This fact cannot be stressed enough. I have been to so many Gita
lectures a decade ago and there was no connection. It feels good and right but
it was information which didn’t translate to experiential knowledge. Water only
boils at 100c. You can accelerate the boiling by creating the right conditions
for boiling such as closed container etc., but it is not going to boil before
that temperature is reached. Likewise soul doesn’t get the knowledge until the
mind is at least partially empty to receive it. Too much garbage in the mind doesn’t
lend itself to knowledge. Sadhana to help clear mind chatter and get a body fit
to align with the unwavering mind is key to receiving knowledge even if
paramatma is giving it to you!
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