Chapter Two: Foundation of Knowledge.
Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has explained this chapter as the summary of Bhagavad Gita.
Hearing Arjun's confusion over fighting, Lord Krishna starts speaking. He chastise Arjun for keeping thought for not fighting. Arjun restates his arguments in short, then admits his confusion and accepts Krishna as his spiritual master and surrenders to Him in need of wise guidance. Arjun's first difficulty in fighting this war was his compassion and affection for his Grandfather, Guru and the family members who would fight against him. Krishna advises that compassion and affection must be guided by sastra.
Krishna takes the roll of Arjun's teacher, and starts speaking. "Those who are wise, lament neither for living nor for dead. Everything is existing eternally. Although there is always some pain in loosing loved ones, the wise undergo that pain with patience and tolerance. They push on without letting grief overwhelm and ruin their responsibilities." Krishna explains the fundamental distinction between temporary material body and eternal spiritual soul. Soul is indestructible, immeasurable, unborn and eternal.
While material body is just opposite. Soul simply accepts different material bodies for a temporary period. Every living entity begins without material body and ends without material body. Only in middle duration it accepts material bodies. Death is simply a change of body for soul, like a change of clothes. We, the eternal spiritual soul, have no reason for having grief over death of the temporary body. The elements that form the body and life return to nature after death and again form another body, another life. As such, there is no cause for grief.
Krishna here reminds Arjun that happiness comes from right action: duty. Arjun's duty as a kshatriya (warrior), was to protect the virtuous. No unhappiness could arise from performing his duty, even if it involved fighting. Even if Arjun were to die in the war, he would attain heaven the reward of dutiful action [32]. The results of wise action are imperishable [40], the wise therefore strive for wise action with unbroken determination [41]. This ultimate goal, enlightenment, is best achieved by Wise Action (karma-yoga), in which one acts out of duty only, without personal attachment [47]. This is real "yoga" [48].
One can best act without personal attachment by acting for the pleasure of God. This frees one's actions from impurity and sin ("bad karma") [49]. It also frees one from material piety ("good karma") [50], and thus grants true liberation [51]. In this liberated state, the intelligence becomes indifferent to all material desires and hates [52], and remains fixed in self-realization .
In this chapter, Lord discussed Karma, Jnana Yoga with the glimpse of Bhakti yoga. Lord explains the nature of devotional service. Only man of small knowledge follows the rituals of Vedas to get results for sense gratification. All the purpose of Vedas can be served by serving the Lord and by self realization. If one does not fix his mind upon God, it will become fixed on sense objects, which leads, step by step, to illusion.
While answering Arjun question on the nature of devotees, Lord explains, the devotees are free from desire to enjoy the senses, have steady mind, indifferent from good & evil, Have taste for devotional activities, control the senses by engaging them in the devotional activities. One who is not connected with the supreme or not doing devotional activity can not have steady mind or peace.Peace comes only to those who give up the motivations of false ego [71].
In the commentary on Bhagavad Gita, Srila Prabhupad has given some guidelines for the devotional service.
1. Take shelter of a bonafide spiritual master.
2. Receive initiation ( diksha) from spiritual master.
3. Serve the spiritual master.
4. Inquire & learn from spiritual master
5. Follow the footstep of holy persons devoted to the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
6. Prepare to give up all kind of enjoyment & miseries for the satisfaction of Krishna.
7. Live in a place where Krishna had his pastimes.
8. Be satisfied by whatever is sent by Krishna for the maintenance of body and hanker for no more.
9. Observe fasting on Ekadasi day.
No comments:
Post a Comment