A shloka from Madhusudana Saraswathi's gUDArtha diipika

Introducing Chapter of 13 Gita, Madhusudana, in His gUDArtha-dIpika says

dhyanaabhyaasanavashiikR^itena manasaa tannirguNaM nishhkriyaM jyotiH kiMchanaM yogino yadi paraM pashyanti pashyantu te | asmaakaM tu tadeva locanachamatkaaraaya bhuuyaachchiraM kaalindiipulinodare kimapi yanniilaM maho dhaavati ||

ध्यनाभ्यासनवशीकृतेन मनसा तन्निर्गुणं निष्क्रियं ज्योतिः किंचनं योगिनो यदि परं पश्यन्ति पश्यन्तु ते | अस्माकं तु तदेव लोचनचमत्काराय भूयाच्चिरं कालिन्दीपुलिनोदरे किमपि यन्नीलं महो धावति ||


If the yogis, with their minds which have been brought under control through the practise of meditation, see some such transcendental light that is without qualities and action, let them see!

But, for filling our eyes with astonishment, let there be forever that indescribable Blue (Light) alone which runs about hither and thither on the sands of the kaaLindi (Yamuna)!




The following was posted on advaitin list:

Concluding His commentary on 15th chapter of Gita, here is what Madhusudana Sarawathi has to say:

vaMshiivibhUshhitakaraannavaniiradaabhaatpiitaambaraadaruNabimbaphalaadharoshhTh
at.h
|
pUrNedusundaramukhaadaravindanetraatkR^iShNaatparaM kimapi tattvamahaM na jaane
||

I do not know any reality other than krishna whose hands are adorned with a flute, whose lustre is like that of a rain-cloud, who wears a yellow cloth, whose lips are reddish like the Bimba-fruit, whose face is beautiful like the full moon, and whose eyes are like lotuses.

sadaa sadaanandapade nimagnaM mano manobhaavamapaakaroti |
gataagataayaasamapaasya sadhaH paraaparaatiitamupaiti tatvam.h ||

The mind that is ever merged in the state of constant Bliss removes (all) mentations, (and) by eradicating the sorrows consequent on (repeated) births and deaths it attains at once the Reality transcending cause and effect.

shaivaH saurashcha gaaNeshaa vaishhNavaaH shaktipUjakaaH |
bhavanti yanmayaaH sarve sohamasmi paraH shivaH ||

I am that supreme Auspicious One in whom get identified all the followers of Shiva, of the Sun, of Ganesha, of Vishnu, and the worshippers of Shakti.

Shri S.N.Sastri says:

Madhusudana Sarasvati, who was a great devotee of Krishna and also a great advaitin, has, in the above shloka, first described Krishna and then identified him with the supreme brahman.

Another great devotee-poet, Narayana Bhattatiri, has, in the first shloka of his great work nArAyaNIyam, done the opposite. He has first described the supreme brahman and then identified it with Krishna, the Lord of GuruvAyUr. The shloka is given below:

sAndrAnandAvabodhAtmakam anupamitam kAladeshAvadhibhyAm
nirmuktam nityamuktam nigamashatasahasreNa nirbhAsyamAnam |
aspaShTam dRiShTamAtre punarurupuruSharthAtmakam brahma tattvam
tat tAvat bhAti sAkShAt gurupavanapure hanta bhAgyam janAnAm ||

Translation:--
Brahman, which is pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, which is without parallel, which is absolutely free from the limitations of time and space, which is always free from the control of mAyA, which is very well explained by innumerable statements in the upaniShads, but is yet not clearly grasped (by a mere study of the upaniShads), but the realization of whose identity with one's own self is what constitutes the highest puruShArtha, namely, liberation from the cycle of birth and death; that very Brahman is present in concrete form in the temple of GuruvAyUr (in the form of Lord Krishna). This is indeed a great good fortune for the people.

The above shloka contains the essence of all the upaniShads.

Postscript: Also see this old post of mine.



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Some notes on Chapter 11 of Bhagavad Gita based on Advaitic Commentaries

Om vishvarUpAya namaH


Reading Chapter 11 of Gita raises a lot of questions in the seeker: "Who saw what and when and how?". The following is a summary of the Advaitic position as per my understanding of Shankara's and Madhusudana's commentaries.



The post has the complete translations by Swami Gambhirananda, of all the verses used in the text,

1. Arjuna's Vision
   
   
   
   
   
   1. What did he see?
      
      The description by Arjuna of what he saw in the chapter matches the words in Vedic purushha sUkta and the sUkta from taittarIya mahanArayaNa upanishhad, commonly known as Narayana Sukta. (Incidentally, the Rishhi for the Rig Vedic purushha sUkta (10.90) is nArAyaNa, with the devata being purushha!)
      
      
   2. The vision of Arjuna had a beginning and end. Not the source:
      
      Though it is commonly understood that the Lord shows His cosmic form to Arjuna, it does not mean that the cosmic form had a beginning in time or space or causality. The request by Arjuna made him see the eternal form of saguNa brahman or Ishvara. Ishvara is anAdi (beginningless in time and space) and exists without any other causal effect and is shaasvata as extolled by Arjuna himself. Ishvara is the primal cause of everything else and not caused by anything.
      
      Thus, the granting of divine eyes (divya chakshu) by the Lord in 11.8 "I grant you the supernatural eye" (divya.n dadaami te chakshuH) is the beginning of Arjuna's vision and not of the Lord's Cosmic Form which is eternal. The Lord Himself says at the end of chapter 10: "I *remain sustaning* this whole creation in a special way with a part (of Myself)" (ekaaa.nshena sthito jagat.h 10.42), and it is the whole that Arjuna desired to see at the beginning of Chapter 11. The whole neither has a beginning nor an end. The vision of the whole, depending on the limitations of seeker, and his desires, has a beginning and end accordingly. These above two statements have close relationship with the limitations of nAma-rUpa (name and form) and the eternality, which is beyond nAma-rUpa.
      
      
   3. The apparent cause of the cosmic form is Lord's maaya.
      
      Further, Arjuna sees the form only because of Lord's yoga, with the word in this context meaning mAya or divine power, or 'the power of accomplishing the impossible' (meaning of aishvaram by Madhusudana). Twice does Lord Krishna explain to Arjuna how he (Arjuna) could see the Cosmic Form. In 11.8, He says "behold My divine Yoga" (pashya me yogamaishvaram.h) while in 11.47 He says: "This form ... has been shown to you by Me through the power of My own Yoga" (ruupaM paraM darshitamaatmayogaat.h). These two references point out that it is maaya is Ishvara's cosmic power that is the material cause for the Cosmic Form, while He (Ishvara) is the nimmita kaaraNa.
      
      Lord Krishna briefly describes to Arjuna, in three verses 11.5-11.7 what Arjuna would see. In 11.8, He explains to him what made the cosmic form possible and then grants him the divine eyes. Here are the verses:
      
      pashya me paartha ruupaaNi shatasho.atha sahasrashaH .
      naanaavidhaani divyaani naanaavarNaakR^itiini cha .. 11.5..
      
      O son of Prtha, behold My forms in (their) hundreds and in thousands, of different kinds, celestial, and of various colours and shapes.
      
      pashyaadityaanvasuun.hrudraanashvinau marutastathaa .
      bahuunyadR^ishhTapuurvaaNi pashyaashcharyaaNi bhaarata .. 11.6..
      
      See the Adiyas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Asvins and the Maruts. O scion of the Bharata dynasty, behold also the many wonders not seen before.
      
      ihaikastha.n jagatkR^itsnaM pashyaadya sacharaacharam.h .
      mama dehe guDaakesha yachchaanyad.h drashhTumichchhasi .. 11.7..
      
      See now, O gudakesa, O Gudakesa (Arjuna), the entire Universe together with the moving and the non-moving, concentrated at the same place here in My body, as also whatever else you would like to see.
      
      na tu maa.n shakyase drashhTumanenaiva svachakshushhaa .
      divya.n dadaami te chakshuH pashya me yogamaishvaram.h .. 11.8..
      
      But you are not able to see Me merely with this eye of yours. I grant you the supernatural eye; behold My divine Yoga.
      
      
   4. If Arjuna's vision was limited, it was because of his desire:
      
      In 11.7, Lord Krishna mysteriously says to (yachchaanyad.h drashhTumichchhasi) that "He would would show Arjuna what ever else he would like to see". From this, we understand that the vishvarUpa that Arjuna sees in this chapter is according to what Lord Krishna explains in the above three verses (11.5-7) and according to what he (Arjuna) had *already* desired in his mind to see. Shankara points out the above in his commentary for 11.7 and hints at it in 11.26.
      
      This is the reason for Arjuna being shown only a limited future, that too only till the end of the war and its result. Though he was shown in 11.26-27, the death of the warriors of the opposite side, he was not shown the coronation of Yudhishtara, or other later events like cosmic dissolution as seen by Markandeya in Chapter 12 of Srimad Bhagavatham for example.
      
      So, the other vishvarUpa-s seen by other devotees in mahAbhAratha/purANa-s are different from this particular vishvarUpa only in this aspect. The same vishvarUpa seen by different seekers, at different levels of Vedantic maturity (adhikAra) from different source texts may be fallacious reasoning.
      
      
   5. Arjuna experiencing fear when he saw the vishvarUpa was because of the fear of second entity:
      
      Primarily we know the advaitic answers to the fear that Arjuna saw in other beings (in 11.21, 11.23 or 11.36), or later experienced by himself (11.45). It is the following Upanishadic statements "Fear indeed arises from a second entity" (dvitIyAd vai bhayam bhavati Br. Up. 1.4.2) and "If he makes the slightest differentiation in It, there is fear for him. That (Brahman) becomes (the cause of) fear for knower (of differentiation) who does not reflect" (etasminnudaramantaraM kurute atha tasya bhayaM bhavati tatveva bhayaM vidushho.amanvaanasya tadapyeshha shloko bhavati Tai. Up. 2.7.1).
      
      
   
   
   
2. What did 'others' see? (Others means devata-s (members of higher worlds: indra, rudra-s and so on), the members of the three worlds, raakshasa-s and Sanjaya)
   
   In 11.20, Arjuna says that the three worlds saw the Cosmic Form and are running away from it with fear.
   
   dyaavaapR^ithivyoridamantara.n hi
   vyaapta.n tvayaikena dishashcha sarvaaH .
   dR^ishhTvaad.hbhutaM ruupamugra.n tavedaM
   lokatrayaM pravyathitaM mahaatman.h .. 11.20..
   
   Indeed, this intermediate space between heaven and earth as also all the directions are pervaded by You alone. O exalted One, the three worlds are struck with fear by seeing this strange, fearful form of Yours.
   
   This is also supported by his words in verses 11.21-11.23 where Arjuna says that the members of the three worlds (lokatrayaM), along with devata-s (rudra-s, aaditya-s, vasu-s etc.), also saw the Cosmic Form.
   
   amii hi tvaa.n surasaN^ghaa vishanti
   kechidbhiitaaH praaJNjalayo gR^iNanti .
   svastiityuktvaa maharshhisiddhasaN^ghaaH
   stuvanti tvaa.n stutibhiH pushhkalaabhiH .. 11.21..
   
   Those very groups of gods enter into You; struck with fear, some extol (You) with joined palms. Groups of great sages and perfected beings praise You with elaborate hymns,saying 'May it be well!'
   
   
   rudraadityaa vasavo ye cha saadhyaa
   vishveshvinau marutashchoshhmapaashcha .
   gandharvayakshaasurasiddhasaN^ghaa
   viikshante tvaa.n vismitaashchaiva sarve .. 11.22..
   
   Those who are the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vasus and the Sadhyas [sadhyas: A particular class of celestial beings.-V.S.A.], the Visve (-devas), the two Asvins, the Maruts and the Usmapas, and hosts of Gandharvas, Yaksas, demons and Siddhas-all of those very ones gaze at You, being indeed struck with wonder.
   
   
   ruupaM mahatte bahuvaktranetra.n
   mahaabaaho bahubaahuurupaadam.h .
   bahuudaraM bahuda.nshhTraakaraalaM
   dR^ishhTvaa lokaaH pravyathitaastathaaham.h .. 11.23..
   
   O mighty-armed One, seeing Your immense form with many mouths and eyes, having numerous arms, thighs and feet, with many bellies, and fearful with many teeth, the creatures are struck with terror, and so am I.
   
   Further, Arjuna begins his well known prayer (verses 11.36-11.46) in verse 11.36 saying that raakshasa-s are running away from the Cosmic Form and the siddha-s are praising Him. So, even here, he says that raakshasa-s (ones who live in nether worlds) as well as devata-s saw the cosmic form.
   
   sthaane hR^ishhiikesha tava prakiirtyaa
   jagatprahR^ishhyatyanurajyate cha .
   rakshaa.nsi bhiitaani disho dravanti
   sarve namasyanti cha siddhasaN^ghaaH .. 11.36..
   
   It is proper, O Hrsikesa, that the world becomes delighted and attracted by Your praise; that the Raksasas, stricken with fear, run in all directions; and that all the groups of the Siddhas bow down (toYou).
   
   But, the above verses would raise the following question: why are others in the three worlds, including the lower forms like raakshasa-s (11.36) are able to see the Lord when Arjuna alone asked for it, and was gifted divya chakshu-s (divine eyes) as a gift from Lord Krishna specifically for that purpose? Also, how do the above verses go together with the following verses, where Lord Krishna says that "this vision has not been seen by anyone before (11.6)", "the form has not been seen by anyone before other than you (11.47)", "the form is not achievable through any human effort (like , veda-study, yaGYa, daana etc.) other than you (11.48)", "this form, which you have just seen is very difficult to see. Even deva-s are ever desirous of a vision of this form" and again "not through any human effort (veda study, tapa, daana etc.) can I be seen as you have seen me (11.53)". Here are the verses:
   
   pashyaadityaanvasuun.hrudraanashvinau marutastathaa .
   bahuunyadR^ishhTapuurvaaNi pashyaashcharyaaNi bhaarata .. 11.6..
   
   See the Adiyas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Asvins and the Maruts. O scion of the Bharata dynasty, behold also the many wonders not seen before.
   
   
   mayaa prasannena tavaarjunedaM
   ruupaM paraM darshitamaatmayogaat.h .
   tejomayaM vishvamanantamaadya.n
   yanme tvadanyena na dR^ishhTapuurvam.h .. 11.47..
   
   Out of grace, O Arjuna, this supreme, radiant, Cosmic, infinite, primeval form-which (form) of Mine has not been seen before by anyone other than you, has been shown to you by Me through the power of My own Yoga.
   
   
   na veda yaGYaadhyayanairna daanaiH
   na cha kriyaabhirna tapobhirugraiH .
   eva.nruupaH shakya ahaM nR^iloke
   drashhTuM tvadanyena kurupraviira .. 11.48..
   
   Not by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, not by gifts, not even by rituals, not by severe austerities can I, in this form, be perceived in the human world by anyone ['By anyone who has not received My grace']. other than you, O most valiant among the Kurus.
   
   
   sudurdarshamidaM ruupaM dR^ishhTvaanasi yanmama .
   devaa apyasya ruupasya nitya.n darshanakaaN^kshiNaH .. 11.52..
   
   This form of Mine which you have seen is very difficult to see; even the gods are ever desirous of a vision of this form.
   
   
   naahaM vedairna tapasaa na daanena na chejyayaa .
   shakya eva.nvidho drashhTuM dR^ishhTavaanasi maa.n yathaa ..
   11.53..
   
   Not through the Vedas, not by austerity, not by gifts, nor even by sacrifice can I be seen in this form as you have seen Me.
   
   
   Further, perplexing are the following statements from Advaitic Commentaries:
   
   Shankara in His commentary for 11.6 notes that it is a form 'not seen before-by you or anyone else in the human world'.
   
   Further, He says in His commentary for 11.52 that "The idea is that though they want to see, they have not seen in the way you have, nor will they see!" (devaaH api asya mama rUpasya nityaM sarvadA darshanakAMkshiNaH, darshanepsavopi na tvamiva drushhTavantaH, na drakshyanti cha iti abhipraayaH).
   
   Clearly, the word nitya in 'nitya.n darshanakaaN^kshiNaH' in the above verse (11.52) has been interpreted by Shankara as meaning eternal or forever, thereby meaning that the gods are forever desirous of the form. Madhusudana also writes similarly.
   
   Couple of questions arise (i) what was the need for the commentators to interpret the nitya as forever (meaning eternally impossible) and (ii) how can the commentary be interpreted along with their commentaries for 11.20-23 and 11.36-37, where it was interpreted that the other beings: celestial beings or members of the three worlds or and members of the nether wordls, saw the Cosmic form.
   
   A simple interpretation is that the commentators read these verses (11.52-53) in a pedagogic sense, implying that they are a eulogy of bhakti, which has been extolled in 11.54-55 and thereby setting stage for the next chapter of Gita (12), which has usually been called as bhakti-yoga. Here are the verses:
   
   bhaktyaa tvananyayaa shakya ahameva.nvidho.arjuna .
   GYaatuM drashhTu.n cha tatvena praveshhTu.n cha para.ntapa .. 11.54..
   
   But, O Arjuna, by single-minded devotion am I-in this form-able to be known and seen in reality, and also be entered into, O destroyer of foes.
   
   Tu, but, O Arjuna; bhaktya, by devotion-. Of what kind? To this the Lord says: Ananyaya, by (that devotion which is ) single-minded. That is called single-minded devotion which does not turn to anything else other than the Lord, and owing to which nothing else but Vasudeva is perceived by all the organs. With that devotion, aham sakyah, am I able; evamvidhah, in this form-in the aspect of the Cosmic form; jnatum, to to known-from the scriptures; not merely to be known from the scriptures, but also drastum, to be seen , to be realized directly; tattvena, in reality; and also pravestum, to be entered into-for attaining Liberation; parantapa, O destroyer of foes.
   
   matkarmakR^inmatparamo madbhaktaH saN^gavarjitaH .
   nirvairaH sarvabhuuteshhu yaH sa maameti paaNDava .. 11.55..
   
   O son of Pandu, he who works for Me, accepts Me as the supreme Goal, is devoted to Me, is devoid of attachment and free from enmity towards all beings-he attains Me.
   
   Such an explanation would also go along with the eulogical terms with which Shankara has introduced 11.55 "essential purport of the whole scripture, the Gita, which is meant for Liberation, is being stated by summing it up so that it may be practised"
   
   But a deeper meaning of Shankara's words in the commentary for 11.52 may have to do with Cosmic maaya using which Lord Krishna has shown the divine form. As written above, twice does Lord Krishna say that it is due to His maaya alone that He has been able to show the Cosmic Form. So, though Lord Krishna may have allowed for Arjuna to extoll him by saying that the Cosmic Form has been seen by others too, actually, from a pAramArthic point of view (Krishna's point of view), after the Cosmic Form has been withdrawn, it is just a magic-show or drama, for Lord Krishna, with He being the divine magician or actor!!! Ths spirit is much alike the verse 2 of Shri Dakshinamurthy stotram: "by whose magic this was transformed (manifested) in various forms, by His own will similar to a great-yogi's" (maayaaviiva vijR^imbhayatyapi mahaayogiiva yaH svechchhayaa). Hence, Shankara's and Madhusudana's commentaries for 11.52-53, along with their commentaries for the earlier verses 11.20-23 and 11.36 are completely justified and are true to the actual spirit of Advaita which Lord Krishna was teaching all along.
   
   (ii) Sanjaya's vision: This is a very easy as explained by Sanjaya's account to Dhritarastra at the end of chapter 18 (18.77), where he clearly says that he is "rejoicing by repeatedly recollecting the extraordinary form of hari" (adbhuta-rUpam), which could only mean the Cosmic Form.
   
   tachcha sa.nsmR^itya sa.nsmR^itya ruupamatyadbhutaM hareH .
   vismayo me mahaanraajanhR^ishhyaami cha punaH punaH .. 18.77..
   
   O king, repeatedly recollecting that greatly extraordinary form of Hari, I am struck with wonder. And I rejoice again and again.
   
   And, rajan, O King; samsmrtya samsmrtya, repeatedly recollecting; tat, that; ati-adbhutam, greatly extraordinary; rupam, form, the Cosmic form; hareh, of Hari; mahan vismayah me, I am struck with great wonder. And hrsyami, I rejoice; punah punah, again and again.
   
   
3. What are the various forms that Lord Krishna takes in Gita
   
   First of all, we should note that Lord Krishna is aatma and truly beyond forms and anything that follows in this section is merely a textual interpretation.
   
   Lord Krishna, who was initially in the normal human form (with normal for Lord Krishna, may not being the same as normal for humans) at the beginning
   of the teaching, chapters 1-10 showed the cosmic form in Chapter 11 and resumed to His "divine form" (deva-rUpam) or "form with four hands" (chaturbhuja-rUpam), as requested by Arjuna in 11.46. The narrator Sanjayasays that the Lord took a "serene form" (saumya-rUpam) and later in 11.51, Arjuna says that he is pacified by seeing the human form 'maanusha rUpam'. So perhaps there was a quick transition from Cosmic Form to divine-form (or chaturbhuja-form) to human form. (I have used Swami Shri Vidyaprakashananda's suggestion in annotating the rUpam in 11.45 with the word deva, which is different from Swami Gambhirananda's translation below.)Here are the verses:
   
   arjuna uvaacha .
   
   adR^ishhTapuurva.n hR^ishhito.asmi dR^ishhTvaa
   bhayena cha pravyathitaM mano me .
   tadeva me darshaya deva ruupaM
   prasiida devesha jagannivaasa .. 11.45..
   
   I am delighted by seeing something not seen heretofore, and my mind is stricken with fear. O Lord, show me that very form; O supreme God, O Abode of the Universe, be gracious!
   
   kiriiTinaM gadina.n chakrahastaM
   ichchhaami tvaa.n drashhTumahaM tathaiva .
   tenaiva ruupeNa chaturbhujena
   sahasrabaaho bhava vishvamuurte .. 11.46..
   
   I want to see You just as before, wearing a crown, wielding a mace, and holding a disc in hand. O You with thousand arms, O You of Cosmic form, appear with that very form with four hands.
   
   shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
   
   maa te vyathaa maa cha vimuuDhabhaavo
   dR^ishhTvaa ruupaM ghoramiidR^iN^.hmamedam.h .
   vyapetabhiiH priitamanaaH punastva.n
   tadeva me ruupamidaM prapashya .. 11.49..
   
   May you have no fear, and may not there be bewilderment by seeing this form of Mine so terrible Becoming free from fear and gladdened in mind again, see this very earlier form of Mine.
   
   sa.njaya uvaacha .
   
   ityarjunaM vaasudevastathoktvaa
   svakaM ruupaM darshayaamaasa bhuuyaH .
   aashvaasayaamaasa cha bhiitamenaM
   bhuutvaa punaH saumyavapurmahaatmaa .. 11.50..
   
   Thus, having spoken to Arjuna in that manner, Vasudeva showed His own form again. And He, the exalted One, reassured this terrified one by again becoming serene in form.
   
   arjuna uvaacha .
   
   dR^ishhTvedaM maanushhaM ruupaM tava saumya.n janaardana .
   idaaniimasmi sa.nvR^ittaH sachetaaH prakR^iti.n gataH .. 11.51..
   
   O Janardana, having seen this serene human form of Yours, I have now become
   calm in mind and restored to my own nature.
   
   kiriiTinaM gadina.n chakrahastaM
   ichchhaami tvaa.n drashhTumahaM tathaiva .
   tenaiva ruupeNa chaturbhujena
   sahasrabaaho bhava vishvamuurte .. 11.46..
   
   I want to see You just as before, wearing a crown, wielding a mace, and holding a disc in hand. O You with thousand arms, O You of Cosmic form, appear with that very form with four hands.
   
   Also, Arjuna in his prayer (11.36-46), when he asks for apology for referring to Lord Krishna as kRishhNa, yaadava and sakha, is recognizing that Lord Krishna is truly beyond forms, in the true spirit of 7.24 and 9.11. Here are the verses:
   
   sakheti matvaa prasabhaM yaduktaM
   he kR^ishhNa he yaadava he sakheti .
   ajaanataa mahimaanaM tavedaM
   mayaa pramaadaatpraNayena vaa.api .. 11.41..
   
   Without knowing this greatness of Yours, whatever was said by me (to You) rashly, through inadvertence or even out of intimacy, thinking (You to be) a friend, addressing (You) as 'O krsna,' 'O Yadava,' 'O friend,' etc.-.
   
   
   avyaktaM vyaktimaapannaM manyante maamabuddhayaH .
   paraM bhaavamajaananto mamaavyayamanuttamam.h .. 7.24..
   
   The unintelligent, unaware of My supreme state which is immutable and
   unsurpassable, think of Me as the unmanifest that has become manifest.
   
   avajaananti maaM muuDhaa maanushhii.n tanumaashritam.h .
   paraM bhaavamajaananto mama bhuutamaheshvaram.h .. 9.11..
   
   Not knowing My supreme nature as the Lord of all beings, foolish people disregard Me who have taken a human body.
   
   
   
   
4. What form does the Ishvara take? Arjuna asked for a specific form of the Lord. Lord Krishna took that form. It shows that Ishvara, though formless, takes the form that the devotee requests Him. Here are the verses.
   
   maa te vyathaa maa cha vimuuDhabhaavo
   dR^ishhTvaa ruupaM ghoramiidR^iN^.hmamedam.h .
   vyapetabhiiH priitamanaaH punastva.n
   tadeva me ruupamidaM prapashya .. 11.49..
   
   May you have no fear, and may not there be bewilderment by seeing this form of Mine so terrible Becoming free from fear and gladdened in mind again, see this very earlier form of Mine.
   
   

An initial version of this post appeared on advatin list. Here is the link. It is also suggested to read the entire thread.


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Vyasa ashtottarshata-namavalii

Vyasa ashtottarshata-namavalii, thanks to Shri Sunder-ji (who is a moderator of Advaitin group and respected member of online Sanskrit community) is available at the following links:

ITX file
PDF file. Read the rest of this entry >>

On propagating the Vedas

The Veda-pUrva-bhAga is the forest in which the trees have bloomed, of which the flowers are the Upanishads.

Upanishads are like the final flowers whose fragrances are ready for any sincere seeker to take. The essence of these flowers has been sprinkled in purANa-s too, by the revered Veda Vyasa. There are no limits on who can smell the flower or the taste the essence of the flower. They should have that particular sense. That is it.

Giving back to the system (the vaidic system) may be interpreted as going out of the place one has smelled the flowers and running around in ecstasy letting people know where the flowers can be found. Some other people interpret the giving back to the system as choosing to remain in the forest, and taking care that the system that has lead to the flowers bloom is intact.

This constant gardening is mostly a thankless job and is error prone and leads to fear of staying within the realm of dharma, as the veda-pUrva-bhAga is full of kArmic injunctions which should be carefully dealt with. This fear manifests in anger towards anything that seems to obstruct the path. The constant watching of actions at the manas, vaak and karma so that there is no dharma-glaani occurs is a difficult task indeed. (Is this the reason why some of our ancestors were known to be very anger prone? Was it the anger which was fueled by the dharma-glaani, or was it the one fueled by kaama, as gIta says many times?)

There may be a selfish reason too: they get to smell more flowers than the ones who go out with limited flowers. Occasionally they need to take care of the serpents that are the the forest, but that is part of the job.

The people who run around about the fragrance often (often indeed!) meet people who do not have the taste for the flowers. These latter varieties of people are perhaps ones who lost the particular sense, and they may argue about the futility of the fragrance/taste itself (they could be like the characters in the "Country of Blind Men" by H.G. Wells).

This poses some questions:
How many are ready for the gardening of the forest? Who ready for this difficult task? How long can one keep smelling the flowers?

Alternately how long can one garden the forest? Doesn't one "give back" something to the forest? What if the forest is infinite? Shouldn't the fragrance be propagated by living it, instead of working on improving it?



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Protecting sanAtana dharma

In general, the second aashrama (namely grihasthaas) have the main responsibility of protecting dharma as they follow the jaImini mImaMsa sUtrAs, which begins with athAto-dharma-jiGYAsA followed by chodana-lakshaNaH-artho-dharmaH. This should be contrasted with the fourth aashrama, the sannyaasins, who have renounced everything for the sake of brahma-jiGYAsa, following the bAdarAyaNa sUtrAs, which begins with athato-brahma-jiGYAsA.

It is sad that in the current days, when virus [1] of conversion is spreading, the protection of dharma has fallen on the shoulders of sannyAsins. It is not that they are doing poor job out of it. In fact they are excelling in what they are doing. But it is a travesty that the current kaala (kali-kaala!!!) is of that nature that everyone else, other than the individuals belonging to the fourth aashrama, has turned into an artha kaami and kaama kaami leaving alone dharma.

[1] It should actually be fungus, rather than virus. virus has a raajasik nature, while fungus has a taamasik nature. People who convert others and people who are converted are full of taamasik nature. Read the rest of this entry >>

Advaita and Vedanta before Shankara

Who were the Advaitins before Adi Shankara? gauDapAda's kArika is a commentary on mAnDUkya. What about other Upanishads? Kena is said to have two commentaries by Adi Shankara, one of which is said to have referred to an earlier commentary. What was it?

What about the authors of ashTAvakra-gIta, avadhUta-gIta and yoga-vAsishhTa?

Why does Swami Madhavananda says that "Kumarila Bhatta did his best to do an GYAna-interpretation of the brahmaNAs?

In general, what was the Vedantic tradition (as in Upanishadic) before gauDapAda, govindapAda and shankara?



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Ramana, Vedas and His Dialogues

What did bhagavaan Ramana mean when he referred to as the scriptures? Did He mean the scriptural words of all the world, which could be interpreted as advaitic, or did He mean the Vedas (essentially Vedanta)? More precisely, when He used the word "scriptures" in His works (see the next question), what were the precise words He used? (Remember that He spoke only the vernacular languages).

Are the Dialogues of the Ramana proper reference material, or are secondary material to His original works (like naan-yaar, ullanDu-naarpaandu) and translations (like Vivekachudamani, Shri Dakshinamurthy Stotram)?



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sampradAya, jIvanmukas and abhrahamic religions

The basic promise of a tradition (sampradAya) is by the measurable results that it provides, under different times and places, some of them even testing the tradition to its limit.

All the sampradAyas of sanAtana-dharma excel in such a test. On the whole, it has produced a great lineage of aacharyas and gurus who have not only shown their jIvanmuktitva, but also answered the questions their particular times have raised.

In this test, the notable failures are the abrahamic religions. One of them says that a particular prophet is the son of god with rest of the followers being sinners. The sinners can never reach to the level of son of God. Implicitly, the highest status as defined by the religion itself is inachievable by the religion itself. The other religion even goes on to define this more precisely. It says that there can be no more prophets. Even after stopping to laugh at the preposition, when one understand it, it means that an individual, who is a follower of that cult can never ever raise to the highest level of prophethood, as offered by the religion itself!

These kind of religions, if were kept in a religion-market would be aptly dismissed as a snake-oil-salesmen, as neither can one verify whether a bygone individual is a true son of god, or whether he has actually seen god, which confirms his prophethood. Oh wait, these are abrahmic religions, which means you could never reach to the level of brahman in them!

What kind of bogus!



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Effective Communication: individual and organization

What are the basic premises that an organization or an individual has to satisfy to get his message to the listeners? Is it just charm or substance?

At individual level, the substance is improved by "communication skills", which are in turn improved by a yogic system (yama-niyama and so on).

What helps an organization? Can yama-niyama help an organization like BJP? How can it tackle the hostile media?

In general, what is the yoga that helps the collective intellect to of a country like India, so that it can effectively keep in "control" the media, so that it does not lead the collective intellect astray. This "control" has to be done while giving it freedom.




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Gita Quiz

In the past, I had linked to a Gita Quiz posted on advaitin list by Prof. VK. Here is a link to a Gita Quiz from Chinmaya Mission.


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Some links on Jagannatha Pandita Raya

Here are a few links on Jagannatha Pandita Raya, a world renown poet who was perhaps a contemporary of Akbar as well as of Appayya Dikshita.

by Prasad B.S.V (The same appears at the following link).

by santhemant



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The cry of the jiva: a poem

A young black man walked into the train,
was dressed as young people do,
the train was not that full,
as it was a holiday.


He walked in,
the doors closed,
said the automatic announcer:
"les portes se ferment" (or doors are closing),
or something like that.

The train started moving.
He did not sit down.
Then it happened.
He started crying.

This was not a usual sobbing
by hiding the tears behind the eyes
and turning away from onlookers.

This was crying,
loud crying,
pure and simple.

Just as kids do,
when they want something,
and not too unlike lovers kissing each other passionately,
as they usually do in this part of this world,
without care and abandon.

He did not stop crying,
the crying just got louder.
People, did not care,
even if they did, they turned their
eyes away.
French callousness, as opponents as
people on the other side of the channel,
(or the ocean) may say.
I do not simply know if they were gifted
to turn their ears off too!

The crying continued,
then it sparked in me.
It was no usual crying.
It was the Jiva crying.
The reason being separation from its source!

The Jiva was crying due to fear
because it had forgotten its source.

Not due to the source's fault that it had happened.
Not due to the Jiva's fault that it had happened.
It had happened to to a false-superimposition.
What caused the it?
A wise man said: beginning-less ignorance.

How to end it?
Just watch it.
It will go away,
simply because it never was.

The jiva will merge in the source,
if it wants to,
the moment it wants to.

The Jiva was always the source,
the source was never the Jiva.
the source always was the source.

Before source,
after source
in between the source.

What a maya!
Om Shanthi!

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yoga and vedanta from Advaita-L

Here are some links on yoga and vedanta, mainly from April 2005 archives.



yama and niyama by Shri. VS

1. Part 1,
   
   
2. Part 2(yama and niyama)
   
   
3. Part 3
   
   

What is tapas? 2
The ones given in 17th chapter do not count, as they are the practice

Yoga and Vedanta: part 9 (Which has the links to other posts,

1. Part 0
   
   
2. Part 1
   
   
3. Part 2
   
   
4. Part 2 cont
   
   
5. Part 3
   
   
6. Part 4
   
   
7. Part 5
   
   
8. Part 5 contd.
   
   
9. Part 6
   
   
10. Part 7
    
    
11. Part 8
    
    
12. Part 9
    
    

My praNAms to the author (Shri VS-ji) and his guru parampara.

Also see this link by Shri Chittaranjan-ji.

Also refer to the previously linked paper by Shri Michael Comans.

Postscript See this post on advaitin.

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Two books on Hindu Dharma

This post is about books that are worth reading by anyone interested in sanAtana dharma, whether they are "practicing it" or have been outsiders and want to understand it.

Hindu Dharma by Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji: The book Hindu Dharma is a series of lectures by Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji, who was the the head of the Shankara Mutt at Kanchi. He was known to be a jIvanmukta (one who is liberated while alive).



This book teaches all the basics about a Hindu life and the corrects the misconceptions that have crept in over times. These misconceptions are more dangerous to a dharma, not the least when it is attacked from other encroaching religions. It is well known that the emphasis on a spiritual orientation, even while doing their nitya and naimittika karmas (duties that are daily and obligatory) distinguishes a Hindu from these others.

In fact, I think that this book should be one of the first introductory books to Hinduism, as it tries to correct the many errors that have crept into the practice of sanAtana dharma. It is these errors, which gradually turn into corruption in the hearts and minds of the people who, which make the dharma weaker from within, thus causing a rot on which other religions can feed upon.

In particular, The key concepts should be understood by parents of raising kids, as clearly puts an onus of responsibility on them. For example, the Sage of Kanchi, never forgets to repeat the maxims (like "do a sandhya vandana regularly") that the parents who practice sanAtana dharma well will beget children who are equally good practitioners themselves.

The philosophy section of the book is very readable and mature at the same time. The Acharya takes the reader through the entire gamut of Indian darshanas (schools of thought), from the non-vaidic schools to the vaidic schools. In this aspect, it as well rivals many books written by purely academicians. Reading these sections of the book enforces the thought that philosophy in Indian schools is not one built in ivory towers, but by practitioners or seers, with the former searching for the meaning behind the Truth, and the latter explaining it. There is no problem of the reader complaining of lack of "no tears approach", as he is taken through it deftly trough the sharp bends. There are difficult sections though, which make the book a worthy for multiple readings.


There is no point putting any excerpts from the book as there are too many gems over there. If you want to learn about Hindu Dharma, first read it and put it into practice.

Radical Universalism: Does Hinduism Teach That All Religions Are The Same? A Philosophical Critique of Radical Universalism The fallacies and mistakes that this book (rather a paper) corrects are numerous. It should be read multiple times by many Hindus to really understand what they truly believe in, especially when they are explaining to their beliefs to a mostly western audience, or just trying to understand for themselves. This book is Radical Universalism subtitled "Does Hinduism Teach That All Religions Are The Same? A Philosophical Critique of Radical Universalism". The author Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D. (Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)" is, according to the above website a well known speaker with many credentials.

Primarily there are some Philosophical questions that the book raises, which need to dealt with. The questions obviously touch upon the classical and seemingly never ending debates like: traditional vs. modern, conservative vs.liberal, meaning of scriptural statements with respect to modern age and so on. But the questions that are asked are very important and need to be thought about.

The historical section of the book raises very valid points and confirms some of the well known recent alarming trends in people understanding scriptures for themselves. None-the-less, this has been there for some time too.

Here are some excerpts from this book:

In order to fully appreciate the proper purport of the verse ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti, we need to understand the verse in terms its own inherently derived meaning, and not merely in accordance with polemically determined speculative opinion. We can do this by explicating the verse in accordance with the verse’s precise categorical status, followed by an accurate veridical assessment of its philosophical content. In order to more precisely understand the philosophical meaning of the many verses found in the Hindu scriptures, this verse included, I have developed a methodological system of explication that I call Categorical Exegetical Analysis. This interpretive methodology enables its user to more accurately understand the precise meaning of any singular unit of philosophical text from the Hindu scriptures, units ranging from a simple declarative statement to a string of verses to an entire work, and held together by one unitive philosophical or conceptual motif.

Stated briefly, this philo-exegetical method involves three sequential steps. First, we must determine whether the verse in question is making an actual philosophical statement or some other form of statement (poetic, descriptive, historical, narrative, etc.). In the case of the verse ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti, the philosophically propositional makeup of the statement, the obviously philosophical nature of the subject (sat, "Truth/God"), and the clearly unitive conceptual pattern of the verse, undoubtedly makes this a philosophical statement. Second, we need to see what category of philosophical subject matter the statement falls under by determining the precise philosophical nature of the textual unit under analysis. Is the verse saying something about ethics, about knowledge, about liberation, or about some other aspect of philosophy?

The following are the various categories of philosophical statements that the verse under analysis could potentially fall under.

a) Ontological - statements outlining the nature of the Absolute.

b) Ethical - statements concerning proper/improper behavior.

c) Soteriological - statements about the means and/or nature of liberation.

d) Social - political, economic and sociological statements.

e) Aesthetic - poetic description and/or theory.

f) Cosmological - statements on the nature of the universe and physics.

g) Cosmogonical - statements about the origin/creation of the universe.

h) Epistemological - statements concerning means of knowing.

Every propositional statement containing significant philosophical content found in the scriptures of Hinduism falls within one or more of these philosophical categories. It is impossible to determine the full scope of the intent of any statement without first discerning which category a statement falls under. This is so because of the commonsensical fact that before we can determine what a verse is saying philosophically, we first need to know what aspect of philosophy the verse is addressing. Third, after completing steps one and two, a proper philosophical explication of the verse can be done.

We will now use Categorical Exegetical Analysis to examine the famous verse from the Rig Veda: ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti. An exact transliteration of the verse is:

"Truth/God (sad) [is] One (ekam), [despite] seers (vipra) call (vadanti) [it] variously (bahudha)."

The typical Radical Universalist attempt at interpreting this verse is to view it, incorrectly, as either an epistemological or a soteriological claim. That is, this verse is usually misinterpreted as either saying that a) God can be known in a myriad of ways (thus seeing this as an epistemological statement), or that b) there are many ways or paths of achieving God (thus misinterpreting this as a soteriological verse).

It is my contention that both interpretations are incorrect. An interpretive error is committed by Radical Universalists due to not understanding the proper categorical context, and thus the proper philosophical meaning, of the statement. The mantra ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti is neither an epistemological nor a soteriological statement; but it is rather an ontological one. It is not talking about the proper derivation of authoritative knowledge (pramana), nor about the means of attaining liberation (mokshopaya, or mokshamarga). Rather, the verse is making a clear attributive statement about the essential ontological nature of the Absolute. The ontological nature of this verse is clearly known due to the fact that sat ("Truth, reality, being, God") is the singular nominative subject, which is then qualified by the accusative ekam ("one, unity"). "God is One…". Thus the primary clausal emphasis of this propositional verse is clearly placed upon explaining the ontological nature of sat (before consonant-initial endings, the t becomes d; thus sat becomes sad in this verse) being a metaphysically unified substance (ekam = "one"). The emphasis is not on the secondary supportive clause vipra bahudha vadanti. The point of this verse is the ontological unity and integrity of the Absolute, that God is one…despite the fact that this Absolute may have multiple names. The statement ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti is an ontological statement with God as subject, not an epistemological statement with wise-ones as subjects, or a soteriological statement with the means of liberation as the subject. Indeed, multiple paths of liberation are not even mentioned in the original Sanskrit of this verse at all, leaving even less reason for anyone to misinterpret this as a verse somehow supporting Radical Universalism from a soteriological perspective. In summation, this verse is not talking about multiple paths for achieving liberation (since it does not even mention "paths"). It is not talking about various means of knowing God. Rather, it is a straightforward ontological statement commenting upon the unitive nature of the Absolute, that God is one. Thus, "God is one, despite sages calling it by various names".

One interesting aspect of this book is that the book asks RSS, the uncomfortable question: "How is is that you are saying all religions are the same and still supposedly fighting for Hinduism?"


It is a great luck that we are in an age when knowledge is just a click away. But is not true that the same is statement is applicable to the all pervasive truth that is closest to one's Self (in fact, it is one's own self!). But, how many can drop the weight of one's vaasanaas to truly know it?

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brahmaGYAna and jIvanmukti

This post is a collection of links on brahmaGYAna and jIvanmukti by Shri S Jayanarayanan on Advaita-L. The series begins with the Nov 2006 archives.

1. part 1
   
   
2. part 2
   
   
3. part 3
   
   
4. part 4
   
   
5. part 5 and part 5a.
   
   
6. part 6
   
   

Not very related to the above post, but the following post in advaitin on Sampradaya is worth reading too.

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Who am I?

Ramana's Who Am I?.


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The Enlightened Eminently Engage in Empirical Endeavours

Read the fascinatingly titled "The Enlightened Eminently Engage in Empirical Endeavours". The same article is available in PDF format here (or here)
.
My humble praNAms to the author and his guru parampara as well as all the advaitic masters!





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Activities of GYaanis according to Advaita

In a great post, Shri Jaishankar-ji, a disciple of Swami Dayananda, and a great scholar of Advaita, elaborates on the major points of contention of the "two schools" in Advaita. The post is worth reading to understand the core reasons of contention between followers of SSS and the "Parampara-school" of Advaita.

Let me try to summarise the two different views on the empirical activities of a jnAni (knower of brahman) being discussed in this group. To understand why the two views don't seem to converge even after a lot of posts, we have to understand the fundamental positions of the adherents of these two views.

We have one set of arguments which goes thus:

1. Ignorance (ajnAna) is jnAna-abhAva (absence of knowledge)
   
2. dvaita prapancha ( world of duality) is anAdi adhyAsa (beginningless superimposition) which is due to wrong/ erroneous cognition (mithyAjnAna) by mind
   
3. mAya is avidyAkArya ( effect of ignorance)
   
4. Isvara is mAyAvi (wielder of mAya) and is also an effect of ignorance
   
5. There is no difference of Isvarasrsti (Isvara's creation) and jIvasrsti (individual's creation) as all perception is due to erroneous cognition by mind
   
6. When knowledge 'dawns' the erroneous perception of duality is removed like a snake perception on a rope
   
7. This implies that jnAni/jivanmukta can no more perceive any duality and 'becomes' that very brahman. Further the jnAni/jivanmukta cannot be identified with any particular body-mind-sense complex.
   
8. The so called teacher-student interactions and the empirical engagements of jnAni/jivanmukta are only in the perception of ajnAnis due to erroneous cognition by mind.
   

The other view is that:

1. Ignorance (ajnAna) is jnAna-virOdhi (opposed to knowledge)
   
2. dvaita prapancha ( world of duality) is adhyAsa (superimposition) which is due to false ignorance (mithyA-ajnAna)
   
3. ajnAna / ignorance covers the truth (AvaraNa) and then projects the world of duality (vikshepa). Brahman conditioned by ajnAna (ignorance) is jiva (embodied individual)
   
4. Brahman conditioned by mAya is Isvara the creator. mAya is the creative power and Isvara is the wielder of mAya. mAya covers the truth (AvaraNa) and then projects the world of duality (vikshepa). mAya is mithyA (false ontologically).
   
5. mAya and ajnAna are one and the same principle but mAya is with respect to Isvara (cosmic) and ajnAna is with respect to the jiva/individual.
   
6. Isvarasrsti (Isvara's creation) is vyAvahArika (empirical/objective) and jIvasrsti (individual's creation) is prAtibhAsika (subjective).
   
7. Knowledge is the understanding that Atma (Self) is brahman (satyam) and the objective world and subjective individuality is false (mithyA). Knowledge results in the permanent shift in one's identity from jiva/individual to brahman. Knowledge does not end the perception of duality. Knowledge is the understanding that even while perceiving the duality, advaita (non-dual) alone is real (satyam).
   
8. jnAni/knower of truth, can continue to engage in Guru-Sishya interactions and other worldly interactions due to prArabdha karma (Karma which has already started to fructify), which are part of Isvara srsti, while enjoying jIvanmukti (liberation while being alive).
   

I would like to quote BG chapter 3 verse 33

sadrSam ceSTate svasyAh prakrterjnAnavAnapi
prakrtim yAnti bhUtani nigrahah kim kariSyati

Even a wise person acts in keeping with his or her own nature. Because
all beings follow their own nature, of what use is control?

Shankar in his Bhasya says

sadrSam anurUpam ceState ceStAm karoti | kasyAh ? svasyAh svakIyAyAh prakrteh | prakrtir nAma pUrva-krta-dharmAdharmAdi-samskAra vartamAna-janmAdau abhivyaktAh | sA prakrtih | tasyAh sadrSam eva sarvo jantur jnAnavAn api ceState, kim punar mUrkhah ?

Translation of swAmi GambhIrAnanda:

Api, even; jnanavan, a man of wisdom-what to speak of a fool!; cestate, behaves; Sadrsam, according to;-what? svasyah, his own; prakrteh, nature. Nature means the impressions of virtue, vice, etc. [Also, knowledge, desires, and so on.] acquired in the past (lives) and which become manifest at the commencement of the present life.

For more clarity you can read from BG Chapter Verse 17 onwards up to end of chapter to understand clearly the vyvahAra of jnAni and ajnAni.

[Ed. I think Jaishankar-ji is talking about chapter 5 verse 17 onwards.]

Postscript: Read the fascinatingly titled "The Enlightened Eminently Engage in Empirical Endeavours" by Subbu-ji, another scholar of advaita whose articles this blog had linked earlier to. The same article is available in PDF format here.

My humble praNAms to the authors, their guru parampara as well as all the advaitic masters!




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Pujya Swamiji on Global Warming

I hope people listen to you, when you say this.




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Beginning and Ending Verses of each chapter in the Gita

Here are the 36 (+1 [see notes below]) verses that are the first and last verses of all the chapters of the Gita, along with Swami Gambhirananda's translation, as well as my notes.

1. Chapter 1
   
   • dhR^itaraashhTra uvaacha .
     dharmakshetre kurukshetre samavetaa yuyutsavaH .
     maamakaaH paaNDavaashchaiva kimakurvata sa.njaya .. 1.1..
     
     
     Dhrtarastra said: O Sanjaya, what did my sons (and others) and Pandu's sons (and others) actually do when, eager for battle, they assembled on the sacred field, the Kuruksetra (Field of the Kurus)?
     
     
   • sa.njaya uvaacha .
     evamuktvaarjunaH saN^khye rathopastha upaavishat.h .
     visR^ijya sashara.n chaapa.n shokasa.nvignamaanasaH .. 1.47..
     
     Sanjaya narrated: Having said so, Arjuna, with a mind afflicted with sorrow, sat down on the chariot in the midst of the battle, casting aside the bow along with the arrows.
     
   
   
   
2. Chapter 2
   
   • sa.njaya uvaacha .
     ta.n tathaa kR^ipayaavishhTamashrupuurNaakulekshaNam.h .
     vishhiidantamida.n vaakyamuvaacha madhusuudanaH .. 2.1..
     
     
     Sanjaya said: To him who had been thus filled with pity, whose eyes were filled with tears and showed distress, and who was sorrowing, Madhusudana uttered these words:
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     eshhaa braahmii sthitiH paartha nainaaM praapya vimuhyati .
     sthitvaasyaamantakaale.api brahmanirvaaNamR^ichchhati .. 2.72..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, this is the state of being established in Brahman. One does not become deluded after attaining this. One attains identification with Brahman by being established in this state even in the closing years of one's life.
     
   
   
   
3. Chapter 3
   
   • arjuna uvaacha .
     jyaayasii chetkarmaNaste mataa buddhirjanaardana .
     tatki.n karmaNi ghore maa.n niyojayasi keshava .. 3.1..
     
     
     Arjuna said: O Janardana (krsna), if it be Your opinion that wisdom is superior to action, why they do you urge me to horrible aciton, O Kesava ?
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     evaM buddheH paraM buddhvaa sa.nstabhyaatmaanamaatmanaa .
     jahi shatruM mahaabaaho kaamaruupaM duraasadam.h .. 3.43..
     
     
     3.43 Understanding the Self thus as superior to the intellect, and completely establishing (the Self) is spiritual absorption with the (help of) the mind, O mighty-armed one, vanquish the enemy in the form of desire, which is difficult to subdue.
     
   
   
   
   
4. Chapter 4
   
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     imaM vivasvate yogaM proktavaanahamavyayam.h .
     vivasvaanmanave praaha manurikshvaakave.abraviit.h .. 4.1..
     
     The Blessed Lord said: I imparted this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan, Vivasvan taught this to Manu, and Manu transmitted this to Iksavaku.
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     tasmaadaGYaanasaMbhuutaM hR^itstha.n GYaanaasinaatmanaH .
     chhittvainaM sa.nshayaM yogamaatishhThottishhTha bhaarata .. 4.42..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: Therefore, O scion of the Bharata dyasty, take recourse to yoga and rise up, cutting asunder with the sword of Knowledge this doubt of your own in the heart, arising from ignorance.
     
   
   
   
5. Chapter 5
   
   • arjuna uvaacha .
     sa.nnyaasaM karmaNaa.n kR^ishhNa punaryoga.n cha sha.nsasi .
     yachchhreya etayorekaM tanme bruuhi sunishchitam.h .. 5.1..
     
     
     Arjuna said: O Krsna, You praise renunciation of actions, and again, (Karma-) yoga. Tell me for certain that one which is better between these two.
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     bhoktaaraM yaGYatapasaa.n sarvalokamaheshvaram.h .
     suhR^idaM sarvabhuutaanaa.n GYaatvaa maa.n shaantimR^ichchhati ..
     5.29..
     
     The Blessed Lord said:One attains Peace by knowing Me who, as the great Lord of all the worlds, am the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, (and) who am the friend of all creatures.
     
   
   
   
6. Chapter 6
   
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     anaashritaH karmaphalaM kaarya.n karma karoti yaH .
     sa sa.nnyaasii cha yogii cha na niragnirna chaakriyaH .. 6.1..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: He who performs an action which is his duty, without depending on the result of action, he is a monk and a yogi; (but) not (so in) he who does not keep a fire and is actionless.
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     yoginaamapi sarveshhaaM madgatenaantaraatmanaa .
     shraddhaavaanbhajate yo maa.n sa me yuktatamo mataH .. 6.47..
     
     
     Even among all the yogis, he who adores Me with his mind fixed on Me and with faith,he is considered by Me to be the best of the yogis.
     
     
   
   
   
7. Chapter 7
   
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     mayyaasaktamanaaH paartha yogaM yuJNjanmadaashrayaH .
     asa.nshayaM samagraM maa.n yathaa GYaasyasi tachchhR^iNu .. 7.1..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, hear how you, having the mind fixed on Me, practising the Yoga of Meditation and taking refuge in Me, will know Me with certainly and in fulness.
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     saadhibhuutaadhidaivaM maa.n saadhiyaGYa.n cha ye viduH .
     prayaaNakaale.api cha maa.n te viduryuktachetasaH .. 7.30..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: Those who know me as existing in the physical and the divine planes, and also in the context of the sacrifice, they of concentrated minds know Me even at the time of death.
     
     
   
   
   
8. Chapter 8
   
   • arjuna uvaacha .
     ki.n tad.h brahma kimadhyaatma.n kiM karma purushhottama .
     adhibhuuta.n cha kiM proktamadhidaivaM kimuchyate .. 8.1..
     
     O supreme person, what is that Brahman? What is that which exists in the individual plane? What is action? And what is that which is said to exist in the physical plane? What is that which is said to be existing in the divine plane?
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     vedeshhu yaGYeshhu tapaHsu chaiva
     daaneshhu yatpuNyaphalaM pradishhTam.h .
     atyeti tatsarvamidaM viditvaa
     yogii paraM sthaanamupaiti chaadyam.h .. 8.28 ..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: Having known this, the yogi transcends all those results of rigtheous deeds that are declared with regard to the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities and also charities, and he reaches the primordial supreme State.
     
   
   
   
9. Chapter 9
   
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     idaM tu te guhyatamaM pravakshyaamyanasuuyave .
     GYaanaM viGYaanasahitaM yajGYaatvaa mokshyase.ashubhaat.h .. 9.1..
     
     
     The Blessed Lord said: However, to you who are not given to cavilling I shall speak of this highest secret itself, which is Knowledge [Jnana may mean Brahman that is Consciousness, or Its knowledge gathered from the Vedas (paroksa-jnana). Vijnana is direct experience (aparoksa-jnana).] combined with experience, by realizing which you shall be free from evil.
     
     
   • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
     manmanaa bhava madbhakto madyaajii maa.n namaskuru .
     maamevaishhyasi yuktvaivamaatmaanaM matparaayaNaH .. 9.34..
     
     
     Having your mind fixed on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, and bow down to Me. By concentrating your mind and accepting Me as the supreme Goal, you shall surely attain Me who am thus the Self.
     
     
   
   
   
   
   
10. Chapter 10
    
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      bhuuya eva mahaabaaho shR^iNu me paramaM vachaH .
      yatte.ahaM priiyamaaNaaya vakshyaami hitakaamyayaa .. 10.1..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: O mighty-armed one, listen over again ot My supreme utterance, which I, wishing your welfare, shall speak to you who take delight (in it).
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      athavaa bahunaitena kiM GYaatena tavaarjuna .
      vishhTabhyaahamidaM kR^itsnamekaa.nshena sthito jagat.h .. 10.42..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: What is the need of your knowing this extensively, O Arjuna? I remain sustaning this whole creation in a special way with a part (of Myself).
      
      
    
    
    
    
11. Chapter 11
    
    • arjuna uvaacha .
      madanugrahaaya paramaM guhyamadhyaatmasa.nGYitam.h .
      yattvayokta.n vachastena moho.ayaM vigato mama .. 11.1..
      
      
      Arjuna said: This delusion of mine has departed as a result of that speech which is most secret and known as pertaining to the Self, and which was uttered by You for my benefit.
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      matkarmakR^inmatparamo madbhaktaH saN^gavarjitaH .
      nirvairaH sarvabhuuteshhu yaH sa maameti paaNDava .. 11.55..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: O son of Pandu, he who works for Me, accepts Me as the supreme Goal, is devoted to Me, is devoid of attachment and free from enmity towards all beings-he attains Me.
      
      
    
    
12. Chapter 12
    
    • arjuna uvaacha .
      evaM satatayuktaa ye bhaktaastvaaM paryupaasate .
      ye chaapyaksharamavyaktaM teshhaa.n ke yogavittamaaH .. 12.1..
      
      
      Arjuna said: Those devotees who, being thus ever dedicated, meditate on You, and those again (who meditate) on the Immutable, the Unmanifested-of them, who are the best experiencers of yoga [(Here) yoga means samadhi, spiritual absorption.] ?
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      ye tu dharmyaamR^itamidaM yathoktaM paryupaasate .
      shraddadhaanaa matparamaa bhaktaaste.atiiva me priyaaH .. 12.20..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: But those devotees who accept Me as the supreme Goal, and with faith seek for this ambrosia which is indistinguishable from the virtues as stated above, they are very dear to Me.
      
      
    
    
    
13. Chapter 13
    
    • arjuna uvaacha .
      prakR^itiM purushha.n chaiva kshetra.n kshetraGYameva cha .
      etadveditumichchhaami GYaanaM GYeya.n cha keshava .. 13.1..
      
      
      shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      idaM shariiraM kaunteya kshetramityabhidhiiyate .
      etadyo vetti taM praahuH kshetraGYa iti tadvidaH .. 13.2[13.1]..
      
      The Blessed Lord said: O son of Kunti, this body is referred to as the 'field'. Those who are versed in this call him who is conscious of it as the 'knower of the field'.
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      kshetrakshetraGYayorevamantaraM GYaanachakshushhaa .
      bhuutaprakR^itimoksha.n cha ye viduryaanti te param.h .. 13.35[13.34]..
      
      
      Those who know thus through the eye of wisdom the distinction between the field and the Knower of the field, and the annihilation of the Matrix of beings,-they reach the Supreme.
      
      
    
    
    
14. Chapter 14
    
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      paraM bhuuyaH pravakshyaami GYaanaanaa.n GYaanamuttamam.h .
      yajGYaatvaa munayaH sarve paraaM siddhimito gataaH .. 14.1..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: I shall speak again of the supreme Knowledge, the best of all knowledges, by realizing which all the contemplatives reached the highest Perfection from here.
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      
      brahmaNo hi pratishhThaahamamR^itasyaavyayasya cha .
      shaashvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikaantikasya cha .. 14.27..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: For I am the Abode of Brahman-the indestructible and immutable, the eternal, the Dharma and absolute Bliss.
      
    
    
    
15. Chapter 15
    
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      uurdhvamuulamadhaHshaakhamashvatthaM praahuravyayam.h .
      chhandaa.nsi yasya parNaani yasta.n veda sa vedavit.h .. 15.1..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: They say that the peepul Tree, which has its roots upward and the branches downward, and of which the Vedas are the leaves, is imperishable. He who realizes it is knower of the Vedas.
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      iti guhyatamaM shaastramidamuktaM mayaa.anagha .
      etatbuddhvaa buddhimaansyaatkR^itakR^ityashcha bhaarata .. 15.20..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: O sinless one, this most secret scripture has thus been uttered by Me. Understanding this, one becomes wise and has his duties fulfilled, O scion of the Bharata dynasty.
      
      
    
    
16. Chapter 16
    
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      abhayaM sattvasa.nshuddhirGYaanayogavyavasthitiH .
      daanaM damashcha yaGYashcha svaadhyaayastapa aarjavam.h .. 16.1..
      
      The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of mind, persistence in knowledge and yoga, charity and control of the external organs, sacrifice, (scriptural) study, austerity and recititude;
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      tasmaachchhaastraM pramaaNaM te kaaryaakaaryavyavasthitau .
      GYaatvaa shaastravidhaanokta.n karma kartumihaarhasi .. 16.24..
      
      
      The Blessed Lord said: Therefore, the scripture is your authority as regards the determination of what is to be done and what is not to be done. After understanding (your) duty as presented by scriptural injunction, you ought to perform (your duty) here.
      
      
    
    
    
17. Chapter 17
    
    • arjuna uvaacha .
      ye shaastravidhimutsR^ijya yajante shraddhayaanvitaaH .
      teshhaa.n nishhThaa tu kaa kR^ishhNa sattvamaaho rajastamaH .. 17.1..
      
      
      But, O Krsna, what is the state [i.e., where do the rites undertaken by them end? of those who, endued with faith, adore by ignoring the injunctions of the scriptures? Is it sattva, rajas or tamas?
      
      
    • shriibhagavaanuvaacha .
      ashraddhayaa hutaM datta.n tapastapta.n kR^ita.n cha yat.h .
      asadityuchyate paartha na cha tatprepya no iha .. 17.28..
      
      The Blessed Lord said: O son of Prtha, whatever is offered in sacrifice and given in charity, as also whatever austerity is undertakne or whatever is done without, faith, is said to be of on avail. And it is of no consequence after death, nor here.
      
    
    
    
18. Chapter 18
    
    • arjuna uvaacha .
      sa.nnyaasasya mahaabaaho tattvamichchhaami veditum.h .
      tyaagasya cha hR^ishhiikesha pR^ithakkeshinishhuudana .. 18.1..
      
      Arjuna said: O mighty-armed Hrsikesa, O slayer of (the demon) Kesi, I want to know serverally the truth about sannyasa as also about tyaga.
      
      
    • sa.njaya uvaacha .
      yatra yogeshvaraH kR^ishhNo yatra paartho dhanurdharaH .
      tatra shriirvijayo bhuutirdhruvaa niitirmatirmama .. 18.78..
      
      
      Sanjaya narrated: Where there is Krsna, the Lord of yogas, and where there is Partha, the wielder of the bow, there are fortune, victory, prosperity and unfailing prudence. Such is my conviction.
      
    
    

Here is some notes:

• The +1 at the beginning of this post refers to the additional verse at the beginning of chapter 13. Some versions of Gita do not contain the verse that is Arjuna's question asking Lord Krishna about six items.
  

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