THE HOLY GITA
CHAPTER TWO
SAMKHYA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF KNOWLEDGE
VERSE NUMBER 72
Text with Transliteration:
eshaa braahmee sthitih paartha
nai ‘haam praapua
vimuhyati
sthitvaa ‘syaam antakaale ‘pi
brahma nirvaanam
rrcchati
Text in Enlish:
This, O Parth, is the Brahman state. Attaining this, none is
bewildered. Being established in it even at the death-hour, a man gets into
oneness with Brahman.
COMMENTARY BY SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
Objects seen in dream have their value as long as that dream
lasts. Pleasure and pain experienced in it have also their importance. But on
coming to wakefulness, the dream world is rejected as delusion.
Brahma-nirvaanam is the highest state of existence, getting into which the
ordinary wakefulness itself is equated with dream and set aside as valueless.
Mundane existence no more deludes the Brajma-jnani.
Brahma-nirvana is also designated as aparoksha-anubhooti. It
transcends the mind and the intellect. An individual short of this illumination
is called a Jivatman. If he holds on to the body after intuiting it, he is
classified as jivan-mukta—freed while in the body. As all rivers re-enter the
ocean and become one with it, all Jivas re-enter Brahman and get identified
with that Absolute State. And this is the goal of life. If this state be
attained even at the last moment when the body is about to drop, the man enters
Brahma-nirvaanam. He no more embodies.
SRI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:
The newly married daughter-in-law is given plenty of domestic
work by the mother-in-law. But as she advances in pregnancy her work is
reduced. After the birth of the child she is permitted to be busy all the while
caressing the baby. Attainment of Brahma-jnanam is analogous to this. Through
the devout discharge of one’s duty one’s mind gets purified and comes to know
the presence of the Lord in one’s heart. Then work is steadily abandoned and
constant communion resorted to until-at-one-ment is reached.
COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHKRISHNAN:
Nirvaan has been use to indicate the state of perfection in
Budhism. Dhammapada says: health is great gain, contentment is greatest wealth,
faith is the best friend and nirvana is the highest happiness.
These saints have points in common with the superman of
Nietzsche, with the deity-bearers of Alexander. Joy, serenity, the consciousness
of inward strength and of liberation, courage and energy of purpose and a
constant life in God are their characteristics. They represent the growing
point of human evolution. They proclaim, by their very existence, character and
consciousness, that humanity can rise above its assumed limitations, that the
tide of evolution is pushing forward to a new high level. They give us the
sanction of example and expect us to rise above our present selfishness and
corruption.
Wisdom is the supreme means of liberation, but wisdom is not
exclusive of devotion to God and desireless work. Even while alive, the sage
rests in Brahman, and is released from te unrest of the world. The sage of
steady wisdom lives a life of disinterested service.
COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:
The stat described in the previous verse—to renounce
verything and to live in Brahman—is the Brahmite state or the state of Brahman.
If one attains to this state one is never deluded. He attains Moksha if he
stays in that state even at the hour of his death. It is needless to say that
he who gets established in Brahman throughout his life attains to the state of
Brahman or Brahma Nirvana.(Cf. VIII.5,6)
Maharshi vidyarnany says in his Panchadasi that Anta –kala
here mean”the moement at which Avidya or mutual superimposition of the Self and
not–Self ends.”
THUS IN THE UPANISHADS OF THE GLORIOUS BHAGAVAD GITA, THE
SCIENCE OF THE ETERNAL, THE SCRIPURE OF YOGA, THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN SRI KRISHNA
AND ARJUNA, ENDS THE SECOND DISCOURSE INTITILED: THE SAMKHYA YOGA.
Comments of the Blogger:
The Brahman referred to here is the Upanishadic Brahman, the
Ultimate Almighty!
It is unique to Hinduism that even a washerman and a sweeper
can attain that Brahmic state. In all other religions, one can either attain
self-salvation and go to the Heaven to live for ever and ever enjoying all the
goodness of the Heaven, or the Hell and for ever be burning without being able
to die!
Even ordinary person can become the Prime Minister in India
and even ordinary man and woman can become God indeed! This and the belief in
the rebirths are all the unique contribution by the ancient saints and sages of
India to the world of knowledge. Anyone can practise any of the four yogas
mentioned in the Gita and attain salvation here itself. There is no bar of
religion or creed of anything. Hinduism and the Hindu way of life indeed is the
world religion and way or life recommendable for all.
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