VERSE 7 OF SAMKHYA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF KNOWLEDGE

 HOLY GITA

VERSE NUMBER 7:

Text in Translieteration:

kaarpanyadoshopahatasvabhaavah

   prcchaami tvaam dharmasammoodhachetaah

yach chreyah syaan nischitam broohi tan me

   sishyas te ‘ham saadhee maam tvaam prapanam

Text in English:

My nature is weighed down with the taint of feeblemindedness; my understanding is confused as to duty. I entreat you, say definitely what is good for me, I am your disciple. Do instruct me who have taken refuge in you.

Comments:

Self surrender is the gist of this verse. In Mahabharata, when Panchali has been ordered to be disrobed, she cries for pity. She invokes Lord Shri Krishna’s help when even the elders in the sabha or hall of Duriyodhana remain silent, and when Thuchadhana tugs at her sari, with both hands trying to hide her parts. And the Lord’s karunya or compassion does not come at the hour of need, but at an intuitive moment’s understanding, Panchali raises both hands upward in salute to the Lord, and Lord supplies her an unending lengths of sari so that Thutchadhanan faints after much of an exerted exertion to disrobe Panchali! Later when asked why His help had not come immediately, the Lord tells Panchali, till you thought you could save your modesty on your own, I couldn’t intercede. But once surrendered to me completely you know how my help and succour came to you immediately.

Self surrender is not a weakness. It is a manifestation of devotion, for which immense spiritual strength is required. After stacking many a logical points against why they should not engage in battle, now is the come the moment to surrender. To surrender is to put ones all at the feet of the Lord and lead a religiously simple and pure life bothering about anything.

 According to Swamy Chidbhavananda, the Upanishads say referring to man’s striving that one is pleasant –preyas- and the other is good or –sreyas- and they both bind man. Holy becomes he who pursues the good, but falls the man from the goal, who chooses the pleasant.

Arjuna got the pleasant things of life heretofore: he has been blessed with wives, progeny, kigdom and gifts of the kind that add to the enjoyment. They come under the category of “preyes”. Arjuna comes to know now that they are of no avail. So he surrenders his self to the Lord and prays to give him the sreyes, the wisdom and the good. According to Swamy Chidbhavananda, he who wishes to make a sacred study of the Bhagavat Gita and he who desires to translate its tenets into action will do well to chant this verse often. He also says it is a prayer complete in itself. So let us chant this verse everyday and surrender ourselves to the Lord so He may lead our life.