In Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the first chapter, Arjuna Vishada Yoga, shows a central challenge for Arjuna but it also reveals the challenges we all face every day. When a battle starts whether on Kurukshetra or in our minds, we remember past experiences and we begin to construct possible scenarios about the future. Should I go for a job that prioritizes money or should I get one that prioritizes job satisfaction? As a result, we tiptoe through life wondering whether the next step will bring us happiness. And, we want that happiness quickly, instantaneously.
The stage is being set for a central lesson of Bhagvaan's Krishna's teaching. We must change our relationship unexpected or stressful situations. Only then can we live our life to the fullest with meaning and purpose.
Ch2 V1-3: Bhagvaan Krishna responds to Prince Arjuna forcefully to shake him out of this despondency. This is similarl to when a friend is stuck in a rut of negative thinking, we might try to shake them out of it and tell them that they need to snap out of this state.
Bhagvaan "insults" Arjuna saying he is behaving "un-Aryan" like. Here, the word "Aryan" refers to one who is disciplined to do what must be done and not do that which should not be done. Bhagvaan declares that this attitude does not befit a warrior of Arjuna's caliber. He must fight. But, Arjuna is not yet prepared to change. His mind is not yet prepared much like our minds are often not prepared to make the hard decisions that we need to make in life sometimes.
Ch2 V7: One might consider this the climax of the entirety of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Pujya Gurudev declares that when one surrenders to the Guru, success is at hand. Verse 7 is the verse of Arjuna Sharanagati (surrender). Surrender to a Guru is crucial if one is to achieve growth. We need to properly understand what surrender means. Surrender is not a sign of weakness. Those who find the strength to surrender to the Guru can be characterized by (1) humility, (2) growth mindset, (3) full of faith, and (4) willingness to listen/change. Contrast Arjuna to Duryodhana.
This verse is worth memorizing! He acknowledges that his intellect (chetah) is deluded and clouded (upahata) by the flaw of cowardice (karpanya dosha). He then pleads for decisive (nishchitam) help and guidance (shaadhi). He has now surrendered (prapannam) to Bhagvaan. It takes immense courage to surrender. Do we have the remembrance and courage to seek help from the right source when we really need it?
Ch 2 V11: This single verse expresses the central message of Gita. In fact, Bhagvaan AdiSankara began his commentary on Gita with this verse, ignoring everything until this point! Bhagvaan Krishna declares that ignorance is the source of all sorrow. By implication, we must take it to mean that knowledge is the solution to all sorrow. But what knowledge? Pujya Gurudev beautifully explains that the immediate cuase of Arjuna's dilemma is the war. But this is only a symptom of a deeper disease. That disease is ignorance of our true Self When we don't appreciate this pure Self due to our ego, we have non-apprehension of reality causing us to misapprehend reality and our experiences.
In Verse 11, Bhagvaan begins His teaching to Arjuna to re-educate Arjuna (and all of us) about our truer and eternal nature.
In Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the first chapter, Arjuna Vishada Yoga, shows a central challenge for Arjuna but it also reveals the challenges we all face every day. When a battle starts whether on Kurukshetra or in our minds, we remember past experiences and we begin to construct possible scenarios about the future. Should I go for a job that prioritizes money or should I get one that prioritizes job satisfaction? As a result, we tiptoe through life wondering whether the next step will bring us happiness. And, we want that happiness quickly, instantaneously.
ReplyDeleteThe stage is being set for a central lesson of Bhagvaan's Krishna's teaching. We must change our relationship unexpected or stressful situations. Only then can we live our life to the fullest with meaning and purpose.
And we enter into Chapter 2.
Ch2 V1-3: Bhagvaan Krishna responds to Prince Arjuna forcefully to shake him out of this despondency. This is similarl to when a friend is stuck in a rut of negative thinking, we might try to shake them out of it and tell them that they need to snap out of this state.
ReplyDeleteBhagvaan "insults" Arjuna saying he is behaving "un-Aryan" like. Here, the word "Aryan" refers to one who is disciplined to do what must be done and not do that which should not be done. Bhagvaan declares that this attitude does not befit a warrior of Arjuna's caliber. He must fight. But, Arjuna is not yet prepared to change. His mind is not yet prepared much like our minds are often not prepared to make the hard decisions that we need to make in life sometimes.
Ch2 V7: One might consider this the climax of the entirety of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Pujya Gurudev declares that when one surrenders to the Guru, success is at hand. Verse 7 is the verse of Arjuna Sharanagati (surrender). Surrender to a Guru is crucial if one is to achieve growth. We need to properly understand what surrender means. Surrender is not a sign of weakness. Those who find the strength to surrender to the Guru can be characterized by (1) humility, (2) growth mindset, (3) full of faith, and (4) willingness to listen/change. Contrast Arjuna to Duryodhana.
ReplyDeleteThis verse is worth memorizing! He acknowledges that his intellect (chetah) is deluded and clouded (upahata) by the flaw of cowardice (karpanya dosha). He then pleads for decisive (nishchitam) help and guidance (shaadhi). He has now surrendered (prapannam) to Bhagvaan. It takes immense courage to surrender. Do we have the remembrance and courage to seek help from the right source when we really need it?
Ch 2 V11: This single verse expresses the central message of Gita. In fact, Bhagvaan AdiSankara began his commentary on Gita with this verse, ignoring everything until this point! Bhagvaan Krishna declares that ignorance is the source of all sorrow. By implication, we must take it to mean that knowledge is the solution to all sorrow. But what knowledge? Pujya Gurudev beautifully explains that the immediate cuase of Arjuna's dilemma is the war. But this is only a symptom of a deeper disease. That disease is ignorance of our true Self When we don't appreciate this pure Self due to our ego, we have non-apprehension of reality causing us to misapprehend reality and our experiences.
ReplyDeleteIn Verse 11, Bhagvaan begins His teaching to Arjuna to re-educate Arjuna (and all of us) about our truer and eternal nature.
Question that came up in our discussion today: Whom to surrender ? What to surrender ? and How to surrender ?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the Mananam and what is Vichara ?
ReplyDelete