Bhagwan Shri Krishna Loves You 0511202018.21

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.21॥

_पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान्‌ ।_

_वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम्॥_

भावार्थ :

किन्तु जो ज्ञान अर्थात जिस ज्ञान के द्वारा मनुष्य सम्पूर्ण भूतों में भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकार के नाना भावों को अलग-अलग जानता है, उस ज्ञान को तू राजस जान ॥२१॥

Meaning:

But, know that knowledge to be raajasic which, in all things, understands various kinds of different entities as distinct.

*Explanation*:

Bollywood movies used to have a formulaic plot regarding two brothers separated at birth. Many times they would confront each other, and even try to kill each other, until the moment when someone told them that they were brothers. Within a second, the two brothers would reconcile their differences, join forces, and confront their common enemy. From an external and sensory standpoint, nothing changed. Only their knowledge became saattvic, since they now knew that they had their mother in common.

 

According to Shri Krishna, that knowledge which agrees with the report of the senses, which sees distinction between our self and the world, which sees divisions and separateness, that knowledge is raajasic. Everything is taken at face value. Saattvic knowledge, on the other hand, sees unity in diversity. Now raajasic vision is necessary from a vyavahaaric level, a transactional level, otherwise daily life would not be possible. If a businessman viewed everyone as his own self, he would not be able to survive. But if he maintained the attitude of business with his family, his knowledge would be confused and mixed up.

 

Most of us, it is safe to say, possess raajasic knowledge. We see our body as a unit separate and distinct from everyone else. Each person has a different aatmaa, a different self. Raajasic knowledge stays at the level of naama roopa, of name and form. It is easier, even enticing, to think at the level of name and form than to think at the level of what’s common between the names and forms. A slightly evolved version of raajasic knowledge takes the entire family unit as one entity. Whenever a good happens to our brother, it is as if that good has happened to us. When our parents suffer a loss, we suffer with them.

Chant The mantra you have faith in ||

Bhagwan Shri Krishna Loves You 0511202018.20

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.20॥

_सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते ।_

_अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम्॥_

भावार्थ :

जिस ज्ञान से मनुष्य पृथक-पृथक सब भूतों में एक अविनाशी परमात्मभाव को विभागरहित समभाव से स्थित देखता है, उस ज्ञान को तू सात्त्विक जान ॥२०॥

Meaning:

By which one sees a single, imperishable, indivisible entity in all diverse beings, know that knowledge to be sattvic.

Explanation:

Knowledge, the doer and action were introduced in the prior shloka. Shri Krishna now begins the analysis of knowledge. To recap, jnyaanam or knowledge here refers to the meaning given by an individual to information conveyed by the senses and the mind. The view of a large garden, for instance, could be interpreted differently by different people. A nature lover would rush towards it. A city dweller may think of it is a waste of living space. A real estate developer would imagine a resort being built on it, and all the consequent profits that follow from it.

 

Knowledge can be saattvic, raajasic or taamasic, since it is a product of Prakriti or nature. Sattvic knowledge is taken up here. The mind and the senses, by their very nature, report a diverse world. Shri Krishna says that the vision that can see unity within this diversity is called saattvic vision or knowledge. Few people have such a vision, since it is hard to fight against the normal tendency of the mind to chop up the world into fragments. Only someone with a saattvic vision like Mahatma Gandhi, for instance, could rally diverse and antagonistic states towards the idea of a united Indian nation.

 

Ultimately, a sattvic vision of seeing unity in diversity paves the way to understanding that the entire universe is pervaded by one single, imperishable, undivided entity. Initially, this entity is the eternal essence with attributes, the saguna brahman, also known as Ishvara. At the conclusion of the spiritual journey, the understanding evolves to recognize this entity as the nirguna brahman, the pure eternal essence, which is our own self. We can develop such a unified vision, this samyak darshana, through karma yoga. Instead of serving ourselves, we serve our family, then our community, our company, our state, our nation and eventually, Ishvara.

Chant| The mantra you have faith in ||