THE HOLY GITA

Sunday 21 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 40, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 40
Text in Transliteration:
naa ‘nto ‘sti mama divyaanaam vibuooteenaam paramtapa
esha too ‘ddesatah: prokto vibhooter vistaro mayaa
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Na = not; antah: = end; asti = is; mama = my; divyaanaam = of divine; vibhooteenaam = glories; paramtapa = O Parantapa; esha = this; tu = indeed; uddesatah: = brief statement; proktah: = has been stated; vibhooteh = of glory; vistarah: = particulars; mayaa = by me.
Text in English:
There is no end of My divine manifestations, O harasser of foes; this is only a brief exposition by Me of the extent of My glories.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
The mother hen puts the chicks in the way of helping themselves to grains of food. The young ones catch the process and continue to feed themselves. Likewise the way of recognizing the Divinity in all is pointed out by the Lord. The sadhaka cognizes God alone everywhere as he pursues the spiritual path. The act of seeking God evolves into seeing God.
SRIMAT SWAMI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Who can know Iswara in His entirety? That power and privilege are not given to us. Again, it is not necessary that we know His infinitude. As our understanding permits, it is enough if we know Him alone to be the Real. Let it be supposed that one wants to see the Ganges and have a holy dip in it. Plodding along from Gangotri to Gangasagar, that is from the source to the estuary, need not be gone through. Contact with this sacred river at any convenient spot serves the purpose.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
It is impossible for anyone to describe or know the exact extent of the divine glories of the Lord. There is no limit to His powers or glories. What could be expressed of Him is nothing when compared to His infinite glories.

Parantapa: scorcher of foes—he who burns the internal enemies, lust, anger, greed, delusion, etc.  

Saturday 20 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 39, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 39
Text in Transliteration:
yach chaa ‘pi sarvabhootaanaam beejam tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinaa yat syaan mayaa bhootam charaacharam
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Yat = which; cha = and; api = also; sarva bhootaanaam = among all beings; beejam = seed; tat = that; aham = I; arjuna = O Arjuna; na = not; tat = that; asti = is; vinaa = without; yat = which; syaat = may be; mayaa = by me; bhootam = being; charaacharam = moving or unmoving.
Text in English:
And whatever is the seed of all beings, that am I, O Arjuna. There is no being, whether moving or unmoving that can exist without Me.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
It may be summed up that the varieties of existences, at all levels, the moving and the unmoving have all taken their sources in Brahman.
Has the Lord exhausted the account of His divine attributes? He gives the answer in the following verse.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

I am the primeval seed from which all creation has come into existence. I am the seed of everything. I am the Self of everything. Nothing can exist without Me. Everything is of My nature. I am the essence of everything. Without Me all things would be mere void. I am the soul of everything.

Friday 19 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 38, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 38
Text in Transliteration:
dando damayataam asmi neetir asmi jigeesataam
maunam chai ‘va ‘smi guhyaanaam jnaanam jnaanavataam aham
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
dandah: = the sceptre; damayataam = among punishers; asmi = (I) am; neetih = statesmanship; asmi = (I) am; jigeeshataam = among those who seek victory; maunam = silence; cha = and; eva = also; asmi = (I) am; guhyaanaam = among secrets;  jnaanam = the knowledge; jnaanavavataam = among the knowers; aham = I.
Text in English:
Of punishers I am the sceptre; of those that seek victory I am statesmanship; and of secrets I am also silence; and I am the wisdom of the wise.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
The duty of the monarch is to mete out just punishment to the offender. The sceptre is the symbol of the measured punishment and justice. This done, the accused himself feels that he has been justly handled. Not only does this act reform the convict, but it is also a lesson to the common man. Punishment is therefore the grace of the Lord come in this shape. It may be mentioned here that diseases and ailments are the punishments awarded by Nature for known and unknown irregularities in life. Not only does Iswara function as Yama, He also functions as the sceptre.
Neeti is rendered here as statesmanship. Right attitude, right relationship and right proceedings are all born of Neeti. Any victory won by wrong method will not be lasting; it will only lead to new complications. Noble means alone lead to noble ends. Adoption of sound policy in mutual relationship is statesmanship. Such a policy in mutual relationship is statesmanship. Such a policy svours of divinity.
Secret is that which is not divulged to the others for valid reasons. The technique of harnessing certain resources of nature is kept secret for the exclusive advantage of the concerned few. The hidden powers of Nature are kept secret by others for some other considerations. God-knowledge remains a secret to the majority not because of any narrow outlook on the part of those who have had God-realization, but because of this science being open to those only who are pure in heart and who have a thirst for sacred knowledge.
Nature is ever in vibration, and whatever vibrates produces sound. Silence is not therefore in Nature. Brahman is motionless; no vibration takes place in Him. Silence and Brahman are one and the same. To the knowers of Brahman nothing is more eloquent and public than Brahman. To the ignorant nothing is more secret and hidden than Brahman.
The universe is where there is the triad of the knower, the knowledge and the object known. When the process of knowing is directed on the knower it becomes Atma vidyaa. Here the subject and object become one. Referring to this Self-knowledge the Lord says “I am the wisdom of the wise.”

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Niti: diplomacy, polity.
Maunam: The silence produced by constant meditation on Brahman or the Self.
Jnanam: knowledge of the Self.


Thursday 18 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 37, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 37
Text in Transliteration:
Vrrshneenaam vaasudevo ‘smi paandavaanaam dhanamjayah:
Muneenaam apy aham vyaasah: kaveenaam usanaa kavih:
Vrshneenaam = among the Vrishnis; vaasudevah: = Vasudeva; asmi = (I) am; paandavaanaam = among the Pandavas; dhanamjayah: = Dhananjaya; muneenaam = among the Munis; api = also; aham = I; vyaasah: = Vyasa; kavih: = the poet.
Text in English:
Of the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva; of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya; of the sages I am Vyasa and of the seers I am Usana the seer.

COMMENTARY BY   SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
The Yadavas had come of Vrishni race; so they were called Vrishnis. Krishna was the son of Vasudeva and so He is called Vasudeva. That He is the best among the Yadavas is evident.
Arjuna is called Dhananjaya because he had claimed the hoarded up treasures of several kings and utilized them all for good purposes. There is a purpose in the Lord saying that He is Arjuna and not Yudhishthira among the Pandavas. He reminds Arjuna that he has no individuality apart from the Lord. This is the position of all the beings. When man comes to know of it, he would be rid of conceit and self-importance.
A Muni is he who turns his mind within and realizes divinity there. The sage Vyasa is one who has in this way become a perfect Jnani. He is also renowned as Veda Vyasa and Badarayana. Yet other names by which he is distinguished are Dvaipayana and Krishna-dvaipayana. This last name came to him because of his dark complexion. He was born of Satyavati to Parasara. The Vedas were compiled by him and the Vedanta Sutras composed by him. The Mahabharata and the eighteen celebrated Puranas were all written by him. He is the father of Suka, the born Brahma-Jnani. It is no wonder he is viewed as an incarnation of Vishnu.
He who had an intuitive knowledge of things was a Kavi according to the ancient lore. But latterly a poet is called Kavi. Usana Kavi was a famous figure. He was also known as Sukra. He had the psychic power to bring the dead to life. Because of the training he imparted to the Asuras, they became very powerful.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Vrishnis are Yadavas or the descendants of Yadu. I am the foremost among them.
Usanas is Sukracharya, the preceptor of the demons.


Tuesday 16 January 2018

PUBLIC NOTICE TO MY DEAREST READERS

Dear Readers,
I once again have resolved to talk to you about my life.
I am 58, a non-practising advocate.
I am not contributing anything to my family by way of earning. For the blogs consume my time during the day. I am a diabetic. Recently the blood sugar level shot up without any previous warning.
And none of you is prepared to follow me. Despite the fact that I have put up 700 plus solid pages over a period of time that extends to almost two years, Google AdSense authorities seem hell-bent in their stipulation that I must have a group of followers or sizable followers before they would set me up with the AdSense.
I have 7,500 plus page views. But the Google AdSense authorities expect me to have a community of followers.
In spite of my pathetic appeal, You seem to have resolved to not follow me.
Under the circumstance, I have no other option than to put an end to this blog and concentrate on my other blogs. For they might fetch some followers to satisfy the above-said authorities.
So with a heavy heart, I am forced to say that I am forced to stop this blog after the end of the 10th Chapter, Vibhuti Yoga.
Kindly bear with me.
My original plans were to complete the 18 chapters and then reproduce the great and eminent Three Commentators' able Introduction to the Bagavad Gita. So all this would have enabled me to be in touch with you for more than a couple of more years from now.
But all my plans have gone haywire simply because you stoutly refuse to follow me.
I have to survive and as such need to concentrate on other blogs.
Kindly bear with me.
Have a nice day,
Yours sincerely,
K.Raguram

Monday 15 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 36, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 36
Text in Transliteration:
dyootam chalayataam asmi tejas tejasvinaam aham
jayo ‘smi vyavasaayo ‘smi sattvam sattvavataam aham
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Dyootam = the gambling; chalayataam = of the fraudulent; asmi = (I) am; tejah: = splendour; tejasvinaam = of the splendid; aham = I; jayah: = victory; asmi = (I) am; vyavasaayah: = effort; asmi = (I) am; sattvam = the goodness; sattvavataam = of the good; aham = I.
Text in English:
I am the gambling of the fraudulent, I am the splendour of the splendid; I am victory; I am effort; I am the goodness of the good.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Robbery, forgery, fixing undue price on things, passing imitation articles as genuine—acts of these kinds are all fraudulent. Gambling also comes under this category. But peoples and governments approve some forms of gambling as lawful. Betting for example on horses in a race is accepted as lawful. Gambling with dice was approved as legal during the Mahabharata days. Deceptions other than the approved gambling cannot be openly practised. In an open assembly Pandavas and Kauravas gambled with dice in which they staked their empire and everything else.
Some forms of gambling require the use of intelligence on which their success depends. Intelligence in all forms comes from Iswara. As the light of a lamp is equally useful for forgery and for pious reading, the discernment derived from the Cosmic Intelligence is available both for noble and ignoble purposes. As the light of the lamp is not in anyway affected by the abuse the forgerer makes of it, the Cosmic Intelligence which is the Lord is not tainted by the misuse the gambler makes of It. His intelligence also gets its light from the Cosmic Intelligence. This fact is explained by the Lord.
Tejas is the original word for splendour. The brightness that is evident on the physique as a result of excellent health, sense-control and continence is termed as Tejas. Victory consists of the elimination of the bad and the establishment of the good.
Vyavasaaya is effort to execute the good and useful undertaking with all perseverance. It leads to noble and great achievements. It is effort again that takes man to the presence of the Lord.
Sattva is here spoken of as the good. Though all the three Gunas are the constituents of the Prakriti, the sattva alone among them takes one Godward.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Of the methods of defrauding others I am gambling such as dice-play. Gambling is My manifestations. I am the power of the powerful. I am the victory of the victorious. I am the effort of those who make that effort.
I am Sattva which assumes the forms of Dharma (virtue), Jnana (knowledge), Vairagya (dispassion), and Aishvarya (wealth or lordship) in Sattvic persons.


  

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 35, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 35
Text in Transliteration:
brrhatsaama  tathaa saamnaam gaayatree chandasaam aham
maasaanaam maargaseersho ‘ham rrtoonaam kusumaakarah:
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Brrhatsaama = Brihatsama; tathaa = also; saamnaam = among Sama hymns; gayatee = Gayatri; chandasaam = among metres; aham = I; maasaanaam = among months; maargaseersah: = Margasirsha; aham = I; rrtoonaam = among seasons; kusumaakarah = the flowery season.
Text in English:
Of the Saman hymns I am the Brihat-Saman; of metres I am Gayatri. Of month I am Margasirsha and of seasons I am the flowery spring.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Music is one of the means to approach God. Among the Vedas, the Saman abounds with hymns set to music. Both Siva and Narayana are said to be very fond of the Saman hymns. Ravana the Demon pleased Siva by singing the Saman hymns. In this Veda again that portion known as the Brihat-Saman is the best. The combination of music and sublime matter have made it so.
Metre is characteristic of poetry. The Vedas contain various types of metres, the Gayatri metre among them being the foremost. Adoration to the several Deities comes in the forms of their respective Gayatri. The Devi Gayatri, the Rudra Gayatri, the Brahma Gayatri, the Paramahamsa Gayatri and several other Gayatris may be found in the Vedas.
There is a special merit in the month of Margasirsha. The time before the sun-rise is called the Brahma-muhurtam, the favouorable time for spiritual practices. An earthly year is a day for the Deavas. Margasirsha is the month in December-January in which the Brahma-muhuurtam is contained. The worship of God done in this month has a salutary effect on the mind. The Lord therefore extols this month as a special attribute of His.
The life of the vegetable kingdom and that of the others too to some extent, get suspended in the snowy winter; but in the spring they get reanimated. Men and beings beam with fresh life and activities. So the Lord describes Himself as the Vasanta or flowery spring among the seasons.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Brihatsaman is the chief of the hymns of the Sama-Veda. Brihat means ‘big’.
Margasirsha: From the middle of December to the middle of January. This has a temperate climate. In olden days it was usual to start with this month in counting the months of the year. The first place was given to this month.
Kusumakara: the beautiful flowery season, the spring.


(Note from the blogger: Dear Readers and visitors to this site, for the last couple of weeks I haven't been blogging. Please bear with me. I am a diabetic. And my blood sugar level shot up all of a sudden. What with my age it was quite a while before I could get it under control. And I hope to be coming up with my regular postings in the days to come.)  

Monday 8 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 34, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 34
Text in Transliteration:
mrtyuh: sarvaharas chaa ‘ham udbhavas cha bhavishyataam
keertih: sreer vaak cha naareenaam smrrtir medhaa dhrrtih: kshamaa
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Mrrtyuh: = death; sarvaharah: = all-devouring; cha = and; aham = I; udbhavah = the prosperity; cha = and; bhavishyataam = of those who are to be prosperous; keertih: = fame; sreeh: = prosperity; vaak = speech; naareenaam = of the feminine; smrrtih: = the memory; medhaa = intelligence; dhrrtih: = firmness; kshamaa = forgiveness.
Text in English:
And I am the all-devouring Death. I am the prosperity of those who are to be prosperous; and of female qualities, I am Fame, Fortune, Speech, Memory, Intelligence, Constancy and Forbearance.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Life and death are the obverse and reverse of existence. To the born, death is certain. The Lord is as much the force of destruction as He is of creation.
As the rain-bearing clouds are attracted to the verdure of forests, the grace of the Lord in the form of prosperity comes to those who have made themselves worthy of it.
Fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, constancy and forbearance are termed female qualities because of their grace and tenderness. Wherever these excellences are found in exuberance, there the presence of the divine is prominent.
SRIMAT SWAMI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
It is the Cosmic Mother that reveals Brahman. Without the Vidya maya or revealing power of the Mother, who can comprehend Brahman? Without knowing the Sakti, Iswara cannot be known.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
I am also the all-snatching death that destroys everything. Death is of two kinds, viz., he who seizes wealth and he who seizes life. Of them he who seizes life is the all-seizer: and hence he is called Sarvaharah: I am he.
Or, there is another interpretation. I am the Supreme Lord Who is the all-seizer, because I destroy everything at the time of the cosmic dissolution.
I am the origin of all the beings to be born in the future. I am the prosperity and the means of achieving it of those who are fit to attain it.
Beauty is Sri. Lustre is Sri. I am fame, the best of the feminine qualities. People who have attained slight fame think that they have achieved great success in life and that they have become very big or great men. I am speech which adorns the throne of justice. I am memory which recalls objects and pleasures of the past.
The power of the mind which enables one to hold the teachings of the scriptures is Medha. Firmness or Dhriti is the power to keep the body and the senses steady even amidst various kinds of sufferings. The power to keep oneself unattached even while doing actions is Dhriti. It also means courage. Kshama also means endurance.

Fame, prosperity, memory, intelligence and firmness are the daughters of Daksha. They had been given in marriage to Dharma and so they are all called Dharmapatnis.  

Sunday 7 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 33, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 33
Text in Transliteration:
aksharaanaam akaaro ‘smi dvandvah saamaasikasya cha
aham evaa ‘kshayah kaalo dhaataa ‘ham visvatomukhah:
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
aksharaanaam = among letters; akaarah: = the letter A; asmi = (I); dvandvah: = the dual; saamaasikasya = among all compounds; cha = and; aham = I; eva = verily; akshayah: = the inexhaustible or everlasting; kaalah: = time; dhaataa = the dispenser; aham = I; visvatomukhah: = the all faced.
Text in English:
Of letters I am the letter A, and of word-compounds I am the dual (Dvandva). I am verily the inexhaustible Time. I am the Dispenser facing everywhere.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Brahman, the Unmanifest Reality, manifests Itself as Naada Brahman or Sound Reality. The universe is the gross manifestation of Sound Reality. A thing in the world is called pada-artha which means word and its meaning. The homogeneous sum total of the sound in the Cosmos is “Om.” The very first phase of this monosyllable is the letter A, the modifications of which form the other letters. In all languages A is the first letter and it is rightly equated with Brahman.
Word-compounds in Sanskrit conform to certain principles. While compounding themselves when two words retain equal importance they are called the dual or dvandva. For example, Rama and Krishna together form Ramakrishna, both the personalities maintaining their individualities.
A moment, an hour, a day, a year—divisions of time such as these have their beginnings and ends. But time in itself is beginningless and endless, and it is equated with God who is called Mahaakaala.
The Lord Himself has become the multitudinous beings, each of them enjoying the fruits of its own karma. In this way the Lord is the Dispenser. Because of His being present everywhere as the countless individualities, He is termed as facing everywhere. This fact is self-evident in Nature.

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:
kaala: time. Cp. kaalasvaroopi bhagavaan krrshnah:. Vishnu puraana, v. 38

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Among the alphabets I am the letter ‘A’. Among the various kinds of compounds used in Sanskrit language I am the Dvandva (union of the two), the copulative.
Time here refers to the moment, the ultimate element of time or to Parameshvara, the Supreme Lord Who is the time of even time, since He is beyond time.

As the Supreme Being is all-pervading it is said that He has faces in all directions. 

Saturday 6 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 32, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 32
Text in Transliteration:
sargaanaam aadir antas cha madhyam chai ‘vaa ‘ham arjuna
adhyaatmavidyaa vidyaanaam vaadah: pravadataam aham
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
sargaanaam = among creations; aadih: = the beginning; antah: = the end; cha = and; madhyam = the middle; cha = and; eva = also; aham = I; arjuna = O Arjuna; adhyaatma vidyaa = the science of Self; vidyaanaam = among sciences; vaadah: = logic; pravadataam = among controversialists; aham = I.
Text in English:
Of created things I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of the sciences I am the science of the Self; of those who debate I am the reason.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
In the twentieth stanza of this chapter the Lord states that He is the beginning, the middle and also the end of beings. Here He states that the same is the case in regard to the elements as well. While making an ornament, while maintaining it as such and while melting it back to the original state, gold the material cause of it, remains ever the same. In this way Iswara the root cause of the universe is ever Himself even while projecting and preserving it.
The science of the Self is Atma vidyaa or Brahma vidyaa. Ignorance vanishes when Brahman is known. The delusion of birth and death disappears; all problems get solved. The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. There is no science superior to this. The Lord is Himself this Atma vidyaa.
Reason is the most useful instrument possessed by man for enquiry into the real and the non-real, into truth and its opposite. Brushing aside all prejudices and predispositions, if reason be faithfully followed it takes the inquirer up to the gateway of intuition. Pure reason is a glory come from God.
SRIMAT SWAMI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Know the One that is the root of everything. Then truth becomes self-evident to you. Put the number one first and then add the zeros to it; this done, the zeros have their value. Without the number one, they are valueless. The many get their values from the original number one. Iswara is the number one; the universe and the beings are the zeros appended to it.

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:
adhyaatmavidhyaa vidyaanaam: of the sciences I am the science of the self. The science of the self is the way to beatitude. It is not an intellectual exercise or a social adventure. It is the way to saving wisdom and so is pursued with deep religious conviction. Philosophy as the science of the self helps us to overcome the ignorance which hides from us the vision of reality. It is the universal science according to plato. Without it, the departmental sciences become misleading. Plato observes: “The possession of the sciences as a whole, if it does not include the best, will in some few cases aid but more often harm the owner.” Alcibibiades, II, 144 D.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
In verse 20 above the Lord says, “I am the beginning, the middle and the end of the whole movable and immovable creation.” Here the whole creation in general is referred to.
As the knowledge of the Self leads to the attainment of the final beatitude of life or salvation, it is the chief among all branches of knowledge.

Pravadatam: By the word controversialist, we should here understand the various kinds of people using various kinds of argumentation in logic such as Vada, Jalpa and Vitanda. Vada is a way of arguing by which one gets at the truth of a certain question. The aspirants who are free from Raga-Dvesha and jealousy raise amongst themselves questions and answers and enter into discussions on philosophical problems in order to ascertain and understand the nature of the Truth. They do not argue in order to gain victory over one another. This is Vada. Jalpa is wrangling in which one asserts his own opinion and refutes that of one’s opponents. No attempt is made to establish the other side of the question. In Jalpa and Vitanda one tries to defeat another. There is desire for victory.

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 31, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 31
Text in Transliteration:
pavanaah: pavataam asmi raamah sastrabhrrtaam aham
jhashaanaam makaras chaa ‘smi srotasaam asmi jaahanavee
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
pavanah: = the wind; pavataam = among purifiers; asmi = (I) am; raamah: = Rama; sastra bhrrtaaam = among wielders of weapons (warriors); aham = I; jhasaanaam = among fishes; makarah: = Makara (shark); cha = and; asmi = (I) am; jaahnavee = the Ganges;
Text in English:
Of purifiers I am the wind; of the wielders of weapon I am Rama. Of fishes I am the shark, and of rivers I am the Ganges.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
All the four elements—earth, water, fire and air—are in fact purifiers. Among them air is all-pervading and doing this great work very effectively. It is capable of purifying earth, water and fire too. It makes fire burn; it converts impure water into vapour and reinstates it as pure rain water. The smell produced by earth and earthly things is purified and made smell-less by air. The glory of the Lord reveals itself through this great purifier.
Unarmed countries and under-armed countries are exposed to intrusion and invasion. In this respect Rama has a lesson to teach to countries and governments. Weapon is a power for good or for bad. Rama’s weapon was deadliest in those days; but he never abused it. Whenever he put his weapon to action, good only came out of it. To be well-armed and to make good and timely use of the arm is the lesson that Rama teaches kings and rulers. Any deviation from his teaching is not for public safety. Rama is an Incarnation of God, and Krishna identifies Himself with Him.
Among fishes the shark is most powerful. It has derived that power from God’s cosmic energy.
Ganges is also known as Jahnavi because of her having become the daughter of the sage Jahnu. When Bhagiratha was escorting the Ganga, she inundated the sacrificial field of the sage Jahnu, who became annoyed at her intrusion and swallowed her up. But at the supplication of Bhagiratha the sage permitted the river to come out of his ear. That way she became Jahnavi. Among rivers Ganges is the most sacred. Her water bottled for any length of time does not putrefy. She is venerated as having come from the head of Siva. Many saints and sages have performed austerity on the banks of this river. She has sanctifying influence on the sadhakas or practitioners. This divinity in her is derived from the Lord.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
The holy river Ganga (spelt Ganges in English) was swallowed by Jahnu when she was being brought down by Bhagiratha from heaven. Hence the name Jahnavi for Ganga.


Thursday 4 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 30, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 30
Text in Transliteration:
prahlaadas chaa ‘smi daityaanaam kaalah: kalayataam aham
mrrgaanaam cha mrrgendro ‘ham vainateyas cha paksinaam
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
prahlaadah: = Prahalada; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; daityaanaam = among Daityas; kaalah: = time; kalayataam = among reckoners; aham = I; mrrgaanaam = among beasts; cha =and; the lord of beasts (lion); aham = I; vainateyah: =son of Vinata, Garuda; cha = and; pakshinaam = among birds.
Text in English:
Of the Daityas I am Prahlada and of reckoners I am Time; of beasts I am the lord of beasts, and Vainateya of birds.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
The Daityas were the sworn enemies of the Devas. Prahlada was the son of Hiranyakasipu, the king of those Titans. From birth onwards Prahlada showed extreme devotion to the Lord Vishnu, which act of his ran counter to the plan and design of his father. Prahlada is the model of the Bhaktas. Proof is found in him of the fact that great ones are sometimes born of the low. It is befitting that he is an attribute of Iswara.
Time is the great and unfailing recorder of the appearance, stay and disappearance of the things and beings in the universe. That it is identified with Iswara is therefore appropriate.
The lion is the lord of beasts. He is majestic and magnanimous in his own way. Because of his prowess he has become the vehicle of the Cosmic Mother. The glory of the Lord does indeed reveal itself in this beast.
Vainateya is the son of Vinata. This is another name for Garuda who, being the vehicle of Sri Vishnu, may be equated with Him.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Prahlada, though he was the son of a demon (Hiranyakasipu), was a great devotee of the Lord.

Wednesday 3 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 29, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 29
Text in Transliteration:
anantas chaa ‘smi naagaanaam varuno yaadasaam aham
pitreenaam araymaa chaa ‘smi yamah: samyamataam aham
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Anantah: = Ananta; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; naagaanaam = among Nagas; varunah: = Varuna; Yaadasaam = among water-deities; aham = I; pitreenaam = among the Pitus or ancestors; aryamaa = Aryama; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; yamah: = Yama; samyamataam = among governors; aham = I.
Text in English:
Of the Nagas I am Anata; of the water-deities I am Varuna. Of the Pitrus I am Aryama; of controllers I am Yama.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
The Nagas are non-poisonous snakes. Ananta among them is conceived of or represented as five headed. This is a symbol of the Prakriti being made up of the five elements. Because of Lord is resting on Ananta, He speaks of it as His vibhuti.
Varuna is one of the Vedic deities. He has his jurisdiction on earth and in heaven. He is noted for intelligence. With the march of time he associates himself with the water-deities and becomes their king; as such he is also one of the glories of the Lord.
Pitrus are the departed ancestors. The very first to enter the world of the manes is Aryama and so he is the presiding deity over them. Al those who pay homage to their departed ancestors pray to Aryama as well. This way he becomes the vibhooti of the Lord.
The practice of self-control is called yama, in the science of Yoga. Punishment in the form of pain is inflicted on one who does not practise self-control. And this is the experience of one and all. The lord of death is called Yama. He does not deviate an iota in his deal of justice. Life and death are meted out by Yama to beings according to their desert. He is therefore the best among the controllers. This merit comes to Yama from Iswara.  

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Ananta is the king of hooded serpents or cobras. He is fire-coloured.
Varuna is the king of the water-gods.
Water-deities: the gods connected with waters.
Aryaman is the king of the manes.

I am Yama, the witness of the acts of all living beings, who keeps account of the good and bad actions of the people.

Tuesday 2 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 28, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 28
Text in Transliteration:
aayudhaanaam aham vajram dhenoonaam asmi kaamadhuk
prajanas cha ‘smi kandarpah: sparpaanaam asmi vaasukih:
Sanskrite words and phrases and their meaning:
Aayudhaanaam = among weapons; aham = I; vajram = the thunderbolt; dhenoonaam = among cows; asmi = (I) am; kaamadhuk = Kanadhuk (Surabhi) the heavenly cow which yields all desires; prjanah = the progenitor; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; kandarpah: = Kandarpa (Kamadev); sarpaanaam = among serpents; asmi (I) am; vaasukih: = Vasuki.
Text in English:
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; of cows I am Kamadhuk; I am kandarpa of the progenitors; of serpents I am Vasuki.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Mace and discus are the wonted weapons of Sriman Narayana. Instead of referring to these celebrated weapons, the Lord has purposely made mention of Vajra or the thunderbolt. The former weapons are eternally part and parcel of His innate being. Whereas Vajra is a manufactured one for a set purpose. Indra, the lord of the Devas found it impossible to vanquish the invincible Vrtrasura except with the weapon of Vajra. But where on earth or in haven could the material be found to achieve this great end? The material for the manufacture of this all powerful arm is the bones of a sage who is all purity, all austerity and all perfection, voluntarily given to this cause of universal welfare. Indra found the fulfilment of all of these conditions in the sage Dadhichi. On Indra’s presenting his case, the sage sat in Samaadhi and gave up the body for the conquest of evil. The thunderbolt could be made because of the sacrifice of Dadhichi. Manufacture of Vajraayudha is the ideal ever held out to India in particular and humanity in general, to combat wickedness. The willing self-sacrifice of a large number of holy men and women for public welfare is what is wanted. This holy act is allegorically put as the weapon of Vajra. The Lord is present where the weapon of Vajra is present.
Kamadhuk or the milch cow of desire is one of the rare products from the churning of the ocean of milk already mentioned. This cow has the power to supply all the requirements in life. Tradition has it that the Rishi Vasishta was never in want because of the profuse supply made by this divine cow. Mention is made in chapter three, stanza ten that a willing and cheerful mind and the endeavours on right lines constitute this milch cow of desire. In plain words, an exuberant mind and wholesome ventures are indeed are glories of God.
Kandarpa is Cupid—the personification of the progenitive instinct. Progeny is possible because of this urge in beings. It is not to be condemned as base but revered as divine in origin. The Lord puts it to us that this urge is His divine attribute.
The serpent is a venomous creature. All the same it is associated with Iswara in all His forms. It is the symbol of Sakti, the Cosmic Energy. In man the dormant power is called the Kundalini Sakti or the coiled up energy symbolized as serpent power. Happiness and misery, life and death are both expressions of energy. The negative expression is the poison in the snake. Vasuki the poisonous snake was utilized as the rope to rotate the Mount Meru in the act of churning the ocean. The Lord speaks of this snake as His own energy.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Vajram: the thunderbolt weapon made of the bone of Dadhichi; an implement of warfare which can only be handled by Indra who has finished a hundred sacrifices.
Kamadhuk: The cow Kamadhenu of the great sage Vasishtha which yielded all the desired objects, also born of the ocean of milk.
Kandarpa: Cupid.
Vasuki: The Lord of hoodless or ordinary serpents.
Sarpa (serpent) had only one head. Vasuki is yellow-coloured. Nagas have many heads. Ananta is fire-colured.

Sridhara says that the ‘Sarpa’ is poisonous and the ‘Naga’ is non-poisonous. Sri Ramanuja says that ‘Sarpa’ has only one head and ‘Naga’ has many heads. 

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 27, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 27
Text in Transliteration:
ucchaihsravasam asvaanaam viddhi maam amrtodbhavam
airaavatam gajendraanaam naraanaam cha naraadhipam
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
ucchaihsravasam = Ucchaisravas; asvaanaam = among horses; viddhi = know; maam = me; amrotodbhavam = born of nectar; airavatam = Airavata; gajendraanaam = among lordly elephants; naraanaam = among men; cha = and; naraadhipam = king.
Text in English:
Of horses, know Me to be the nectar-born Ucchaisravas; of lordly elephants, Airavata and of men, the monarch.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Mythology speaks elaborately of the churning of the ocean of milk by Devas and Asuras to get nectar from it. The horse Ucchairavas and the elephant Airavata along with several other high beings and great things came out of that unique undertaking. But this event is an allegorical statement of the eternal process of the good and bad people jointly churning the ocean of life to obtain happiness through wealth, learning and prosperity.     
A monarch born with royal excellence is regarded as a spark of the divinity come in the human form. The best of the horses, the best of elephants and the best of the human are indeed the manifestations of the divine glory of the Lord.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Nectar was obtained by the gods by churning the ocean of milk. Ucchaisravas is the name of the royal horse which was born in that ocean of milk when it was churned for the nectar.

Airavatam: the offspring of Iravati, the elephant of Indra born at the time when the ocean of milk was churned. 

Monday 1 January 2018

THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 26, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER NUMBER 10
VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:
VERSE NUMBER 26
Text in Transliteration:
asvatthah: sarvarkshaanaam devarshinaam cha naaradah:
gandharvaanaam chitrarathah: siddhaanaam kapilo munih:
Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:
Asvatthah: = Asvattha; sarva vrrksaanaam = among all trees; devarsheenaam = among divine Rishis; cha = and; naaradah: = Narada; gandharvaanaam = among Gandharvas; chitrarathah: = Chitraratha; siddhaanaam = among the Siddhas or the perfected; kapilah: = Kapila; munih: = sage.
Text in English:
Of all trees I am Asvattha; of Deva Rishi I am Narada; of the Gandharvas I am Chitraratha and of the Siddhas I am the Mini Kapila.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Asvattha is the peepul or the holy fig tree. It yields no edible fruit and nothing in this tree is in any way useful to man. Still it has ever been associated with the worship of the Divine. Any thought of this tree brings in its train ideas and ideals all connected with God. It is, for this reason, recognized as His vibhooti.
The spiritually enlightened ones are called the Rishis. Not only from among men, but also from among the Devas, Rishis have sprung up. Among the Deva Rishis the sage Narada is the foremost. He constantly sings the glory of God. In addition to this he is famous for setting up strifes and quarrels which end as blessings in disguise. Contact with Narada amounts to contact with God Himself. He is therefore the glory of God.
The Gandharvas are celestials with several good and useful traits. They are invoked to safeguard the intoxicating Soma juice associated with some forms of Yajnas. They are expert physicians and musicians. They are given to excessive lust and are for this reason invoked in wedlocks. The gamblers seek the aid of the Gandharvas, who are inordinately fond of this art. The Vedas set to tune are expounded by these celestials. At times they play the role of the preceptors to the Rishis, in this respect. Chitraratha being the king of these heavenly beings, it is proper that the Lord claims him as a divine attribute of His.
They are called Siddhas who are endowed from birth onwards with righteousness, wisdom, dispassion and overlordship. A Muni is he who is constantly established in Japa-yajna. Sage Kapila is one endowed with all these virtues. He is the author of the Samkhya system of philosophy. Further he is held to be an incarnation of Vishnu. It is but natural that the Lord should claim him as His own.

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:
Kapila is the teacher of the Saamkhy philosophy.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:
Devarshis are gods and at the same time Rishis or seers of Mantras.
Siddhas are the perfected ones: those who at their very birth attained without any effort Dharma (virtue), Jnana (knowledge of the Self), Vairagya (dispassion) and Aishvarya (lordship).

Muni is one who does Manana or reflection; one who mediates.