Chapter 1 Arjuna Vishad Yoga- The plight of Arjuna. He can recognize the near and dear ones and is filled with self-pity, remorse ,fear and says that terrible misfortunes would be incurred if he proceeds with the war and lays down his bow and arrow.
Last week : Verse: 2.1-2.10 Krishna scolds him for not behaving like a Kshatriya but Arjuna remains in a state of delusion and shock and says that he would not fight and subsequently surrenders to Krishna and requests him to instruct on what is good for him.
This week -Structure of Chapter 2
Verse:2.1 -2.10 : Arjuna’s doubts and surrender to Krishna( Done in the last session) Verse :2.11-2.30 : basis of knowledge ( Samkhya) Verse: 2.31-2.38 : Teaching on basis of social norms Verse: 2.39-2.53 : Teaching on basis of selfless action.
Verse 16,17,20,24 and 27 are knowledge of Samkhya/Advaita
Taking 16 and 17 together: Difference between the real and the unreal and the nature of the real
Verse 2:16- Of the unreal ,there is no being and the real has no Non-existence. The wise can see both of these. Verse 2:17- Instructs Arjuna to know “that “ which is indestructible, pervades/permeates everything. No one can destroy that imperishable.
This is central core of Advaita philosophy and deals with our our true self as Brahman. The difference between the real( not subject to change) and unreal( subject to the sixfold change of birth, existence, growth, maintenance of body, deterioration, death) is highlighted.
An object has two properties: intrinsic and incidental(borrowed). We are able to comprehend only the incidental property of things and cannot recognize it’s intrinsic property. e.g., clay pot ,Mirage.
The intrinsic property ( sat/brahman) is indestructible, and the Incidental property comes and goes( Asat/Mithya),i.e., appears for some time and then goes away. Even when it is existing , it is an appearance of the underlying cause.
Verse 2.20 and 2.24 elaborates on the reality i.e., Atma/Brahman.
Verse 20 : Not born, does not die, having come to exists will cease to be. Birthless, eternal, undecaying, ancient and it is not killed when the body is killed. Verse 24: Cannot be cut, burnt, moistened, or dried. It is eternal, omnipresent, stationary, unmoving, and changeless.
If one is able to realizes Brahman then he/she can understand that there is no decay or destruction of the self. Arjuna’s suffering is arising from the ignorance of the true nature of one’s existence and recognizes the limited existence of the human body which is born and dies causing the suffering.
Then Krishna realizes that this subtle and deep insight is not immediately clear and sympathizes with Arjuna and tries a different approach in the next sloka.
Verse 2.27 : Anyone born is certain to die. For the dead , rebirth is a certainty. So , you should not be grieving over the inevitable.
Hari Om!
ReplyDeleteTo summarize our progress so far.
Chapter 1
Arjuna Vishad Yoga- The plight of Arjuna. He can recognize the near and dear ones and is filled with self-pity, remorse ,fear and says that terrible misfortunes would be incurred if he proceeds with the war and lays down his bow and arrow.
Last week :
Verse: 2.1-2.10 Krishna scolds him for not behaving like a Kshatriya but Arjuna remains in a state of delusion and shock and says that he would not fight and subsequently surrenders to Krishna and requests him to instruct on what is good for him.
This week -Structure of Chapter 2
Verse:2.1 -2.10 : Arjuna’s doubts and surrender to Krishna( Done in the last session)
Verse :2.11-2.30 : basis of knowledge ( Samkhya)
Verse: 2.31-2.38 : Teaching on basis of social norms
Verse: 2.39-2.53 : Teaching on basis of selfless action.
Verse 16,17,20,24 and 27 are knowledge of Samkhya/Advaita
Taking 16 and 17 together: Difference between the real and the unreal and the nature of the real
Verse 2:16- Of the unreal ,there is no being and the real has no Non-existence. The wise can see both of these.
Verse 2:17- Instructs Arjuna to know “that “ which is indestructible, pervades/permeates everything. No one can destroy that imperishable.
This is central core of Advaita philosophy and deals with our our true self as Brahman. The difference between the real( not subject to change) and unreal( subject to the sixfold change of birth, existence, growth, maintenance of body, deterioration, death) is highlighted.
An object has two properties: intrinsic and incidental(borrowed). We are able to comprehend only the incidental property of things and cannot recognize it’s intrinsic property. e.g., clay pot ,Mirage.
The intrinsic property ( sat/brahman) is indestructible, and the Incidental property comes and goes( Asat/Mithya),i.e., appears for some time and then goes away. Even when it is existing , it is an appearance of the underlying cause.
Verse 2.20 and 2.24 elaborates on the reality i.e., Atma/Brahman.
Verse 20 : Not born, does not die, having come to exists will cease to be. Birthless, eternal, undecaying, ancient and it is not killed when the body is killed.
Verse 24: Cannot be cut, burnt, moistened, or dried. It is eternal, omnipresent, stationary, unmoving, and changeless.
If one is able to realizes Brahman then he/she can understand that there is no decay or destruction of the self.
Arjuna’s suffering is arising from the ignorance of the true nature of one’s existence and recognizes the limited existence of the human body which is born and dies causing the suffering.
Then Krishna realizes that this subtle and deep insight is not immediately clear and sympathizes with Arjuna and tries a different approach in the next sloka.
Verse 2.27 : Anyone born is certain to die. For the dead , rebirth is a certainty. So , you should not be grieving over the inevitable.
Ref: Living throught the gita, Dr. Rameshbhai Pattani(OBE) Chinmaya Mission , London and Adi Shankaracharya's commentary on ch.2 verse 16
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