From Purity of Mind ensues Selfless Work – Bhagavad Gita Verses 3.6-3.7

Discussion in 'Chitvish on Hindu Culture & Vedanta' started by Chitvish, Jul 24, 2008.

  1. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    If one attempts to abandon karma while being bound in Nature or Prakriti, the consequence will be disastrous. Action is the insignia of life in an organism. So long as we live and breathe in our bodies, we have to act and work, which is the final expression of life in its grossest form. So then we must now try to understand how best we may work.

    In order to drive home the ideal way of life, the Lord describes the true worker and the despicable type of hypocrites in the next verse.

    KarmendriyaNi samyamya ya aasthe manasaa smaran

    Indriyarthan vimoodaathma mithyaachaara: sa uchyathe 3.6

    That deluded man is called a hypocrite, who sits controlling the organs of action, but dwelling in his mind on the objects of senses.

    This is the Lord's warning to those aspirants who renounce action before attaining complete mastery. The seeker should not fall into the delusion that the battle with the evil forces is over simply by restraining the organs of action.
    He should restrain the mind.
    He should not allow the mind to wander at random through the objective world, feeding on sensual delights. Perseverance is necessary to change the mental attitude.
    The Lord emphatically declares that the purpose of restraining the senses is to purify the mind.
    Sense control is not an end in itself. It is the means to an end called the purity of mind.

    Krishna realises that an ordinary man would not know how to save himself from this natural instinct and therefore prescribes the following stanza:

    Yastvindriyani manasaa niyamya-rabhate arjuna
    Karmendruyai: karmayogamasaktha: sa vis(h)Ishyate 3.7

    But Oh Arjuna! He who controls the senses with the mind and commences the discipline of Karma Yoga by his organs of action without attachment, is the best.

    In the practice of Karma Yoga both the organs of action and inner instruments of cognition are included. The mind which moves the bodily organs of action and the sense organs of perception should be kept detached from desire and longing for material pleasures. Such a man does his prescribed work without any desire for personal enjoyment.

    Moksha is the liberation of the mind from getting entangled in the meshes of the material world.

    Keeping the mind in a pure and harmonised state comes first and the control of the body and the senses follow as a natural effect.
    So, control of body and senses by the mind and doing selfless work in the world is Karma Yoga.
    Self-control culminates in self-fulfilment.

    Love,
    Chithra.
     
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  2. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    At the conclusion of every Pooja including the daily ritual of Sandhya Vandhan, a devout Hindu utters the following sloka:
    Kaayena Vaacha manas endriair vaa
    Budhyaat manaava Prikriti Svabhavaat
    Karomi yadyat Sakalam Parasmai
    Sriman Narayana yeti Samarpayaami

    This is to say that we dedicate to the Lord, every action of ours caused by our body, words, mind, intellect and even those that are part of our nature. This is a noble commitment, because if this were genuine then there is no way that we can get anger or hate or jealousy or greed. Even when we offer a fruit to the Lord, we make sure that it is cleaned thoroughly. When we remember that all our actions are being offered to the Lord, then automatically, we would ensure that they are cleansed of all impurities before they are offered to the Lord in the best possible manner.

    But unfortunately, we recite these mantras mechanically without even bothering to know their import. As the concluding Mantra, we utter it with great zest only to get ready to partake of the sumptuous ‘prasad’ that is lined up for consumption. Most of us go through the motions of offering our prayers to the Lord by chanting various mantras while our minds keep away from this exercise. I had an aunt who would always be seen with the beads in her hands and uttering ‘Rama’ nama for hours. Every few minutes of this activity, she would be making enquiries like ‘Is the milk over boiling?’, ‘See who is knocking at the doors’, ‘What did the Doctor say about Cheenu’s fever?’, ‘What was Ganesan shouting about?’ etc. So despite her devout appearance, she only became an object of ridicule amongst us!

    It is amazing that such a lucid description of a ‘spiritual hypocrite’ has been made in this verse. Most of the god men of the modern era belong to this category. People go to such god men more for their ‘miraculous powers’ than for spiritual guidance. People throng to them more in the hope of getting their problems solved than for spiritual guidance. It is an unfortunate fact that such hypocrites or the pseudo spiritual leaders take people closer to materialism instead of having them delivered from it. We must understand that ‘keeping our mind in a pure and harmonised state’ is more of a self-help programme. The ‘harmonised state’ refers to the conditioning of the mind to act in harmony with Nature or the Divine Law. It is a big irony that only the human mind is equipped to pursue spiritual thoughts but the greatest resistance to such a pursuit is also offered only by the human mind.

    It will be quite pertinent to quote Wordsworth here:

    One impulse from the vernal wood
    Will tell you more of Man
    Of moral evil and of good,
    Than all the sages can.

    Singing His praise is not half as important as bearing testimony to His Existence in all our actions as the ‘vernal wood’!
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2008
  3. corallux

    corallux Bronze IL'ite

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    My dear Gita Gurus,

    When we are invited to a pooja to someone's house, the first thing that strikes us is the total lack of concentration on the part of the Karta & his spouse. The Karta is busy doing his greeting to the invitees, the wife is more worried about the gossip she is missing etc.

    Cheeniyaji's story about the aunt is unfortunately the happenings of our times. We are more worried about what people will think if 5 types of sweets are not made.

    Festivals stress on daan but now it more of a show with what a person will give in the haldi-kumkum plate...

    Chithraji, I agree, mere sitting without actioning will lead us to disaster. It is only when the mind the most important of our sense is controlled that we can progress further..

    Action in inaction is what leads us on the path of spirituality...

    Reminds me of an incident mentioned in Shri Saisatcharita when someone wanted to take "Gurumantra" from Shri Sai. When he saw Baba eating onions & roti, he started doubting Baba's greatness. Baba in a very sweet voice said, " Oh Shama! Only those who can digest can eat it." Meaning only those who can control their mind can successfully reach the ultimate.


    Regards,

    Corallux
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2008
  4. mkthpavi

    mkthpavi Senior IL'ite

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    Dear C & C,

    Indeed a post that is most relevant to the materialistic times today :) I totally agree with you that a mind that is not pure cannot really reach up to God. I find it very hard to attend ritualistic events in family & friends circles these days 'cos there is not as much focus on the Divine as one would expect in an event of this nature. In particular, I am concerned that Indian marriages - which have such a deep spiritual meaning - have been totally taken out of context and masqueraded as a show of how much power the groom's side has and how much money the bride's side has. I wonder how much a girl's parents can concentrate on praying to the Deities for the welfare of their daughter, when they have so many other things to cater to !! I remember reading an article from one of Kanchi Periyavaal's discourses, where He objects to the pompousness of marriages these days and advises us to do it in a simple but more religious fashion.

    Also, I know of some people who put on a very 'spirituality - oriented' picture to others. They visit every possible temple - but are very self-centred and are bothered about their self-image.
    I am sure God knows the truth about everybody and it is impossible to cheat Him :)

    Please write more such posts.

    Thanks and love
    Your IL disciple
    Pavithra
     
  5. Malathijagan

    Malathijagan Silver IL'ite

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    To practise the philosophies of Geetha is no easy task. Even most people who know every verse of the Geetha in and out find it difficult to live by its principles. How then can we expect a lay man who is battling for his survival day in and day out to practise it, leave alone understand it. Yet in this human form we are all blessed to have the grasping power which if we make use of, we can atleast come somewhere closer to understanding the high ideals preached in the Geetha. And people like you and Cheeniya sir trying to help us grasp a fraction of its essence is worth the try.
    Regards,
    Malathi
     
  6. aishu22

    aishu22 Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Chithra,
    Beautiful topic, explaining the best way to work. As said, we are all born to perform some task before we perish and born again as per the karma. The task that we are assigned with must be completed, but lord <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> has explained it in a graceful way - detached attachment. Just by acting as if we are controlling our senses, but mind and heart not surrendered to god is absolutely waste.Doing the karma with a no sense of attachement towards materialistic things and total surrendering at the lord's feet is the way.
    Self-control culminates in self-fulfillment - says it all.

    Thanks for explaining these verses.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2008
  7. aishu22

    aishu22 Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Sri,
    These days, it so common even to find that the poojari's in the temple are more concerned about the coins/currency on the aarthi plate rather than performing archana or deepardhana.I went for a short trip to our family deities near Kumbhakonam, and this scene was just disheartening.Every temple that i went, poojaris openly demanded money for giving vibudhi prasadham.As per your post, godmen top these money minters list!

    This is not just with any single temple or person. It happens everywhere. All of us, as you have quoted are more concerned about sitting in long hours on prayers rather than concentrating and totally surrendering to god at least for 5 mins.
    On a self corrective mode, these days i dont involve on long pooja or prayers if I’m disturbed. I just sit looking at (any) god's eyes and get immersed in it for 5 mins and that’s it, I’m clear.

    He’s the one who created us, and he knows what best to give if we surrender ourselves to him, and yes, sarvam krishnaarpam.

    Beautiful post Sri. Your examples are so apt and understandable.

    Thanks Chithra & Sri for yet another Gita lesson.
     
  8. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Lux,
    Very often we try to control the "outer", but allow the "inner" to be drowned.Outwardly one may be a great saint, quoting veda vakyas. inwardly he will be different. Many are interested in looking good than being good.
    Hence the Lord uses the word "mithyacharaha".

    Swami Sukhabhodananda says:
    Karmayoga creates a quality which in psychology is called centering.Life is like a beautiful planewhich can take a flight, but we use it like a bullock cart.A little more knowledgeable person uses it like a truck, but the enlightened people use it like a plane which can take you to greater heights and hence the phrase Karmayogam visishyathe.He alone excels because he goes deeper and deeper into the layers of excellence within one's own self.
    Love,
    Chithra.





     
  9. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Pavi,
    We love to pose saintly to the outside world. Such hypocrites we are!!
    Sri Ramakrishna says:
    Two friends went out one night, intent on any entertainment that they came by.As they walked on, they met with a pious gathering listening devoutly to Bhagavatham being explained. One preferred to derive benefit from listening to that and sat there. The other preferred some earthly enjoyment and walked to a house of ill-fame.
    After a while, the first man thought that he had made a mistake in choosing holy company and strarted thinking of the pleasure, his companion must be enjoying.
    On the other hand, the second was repenting his choice for pleasure and imagined what divine bliss his friend must be sharing with devotees.
    The first man, sitting in the house of God was sinning.
    The sceond was craving for divine company in a bad environment.
    This only shows
    Sin and virtue accrue ever from the frame of mind and never from the restrictions imposed on the senses.
    Hence discipline is imperative in all the detailed activities of the mind and the senses.
    Love,
    Chithra.





     
  10. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Malathi,
    Thanks for coming here.
    I fully agree, to practise the philosphy of the Gita is not easy.But we realise this:
    Krishna teaches us that we must first eliminate ourselves from our selfish ego, only after which our judgement of the world can be true and correct. We must rise above the ego’s enslaving shackles and surrender our ego. Only then we can discriminate the world of happenings around us from the righteous ideals we must follow from universal standards.
    This awareness is the first step and if that is what we are ordained in this janma, it is good enough!
    Love,
    Chithra.





     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2008

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