Bg 7.10
bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam
buddhir buddhimatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham
Bg 7.11
balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo ’smi bharatarṣabha
Bg 7.12
ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye
matta eveti tān viddhi na tv ahaṁ teṣu te mayi
Translation
10. Know Me, O Partha, as the eternal seed of all beings; I am the intelligence of the intelligent. The splendour of the splendid (things and beings) , am I.
11. Of the strong, I am the strength --- devoid of desire and attachment, and in (all) beings, I am the desire --- unopposed to DHARMA, O best among the Bharatas.
12. Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active and inert, know them to proceed from Me; yet, I am not in them, they are in Me.
Commentary
Not satisfied with the above enumeration --- which can truly indicate its full significances only to those who have a fairly well-developed subtle intellect --- the Lord is compelled to indicate the same Truth through a set of more obvious examples. He says in the stanza, "I AM THE ANCIENT SEED OF ALL BEINGS." Not satisfied with this statement, as an artist would mix more colours afresh and paint, again and again, to bring out his theme more vividly to the perception of the on-lookers, Bhagawan gives here two more beautiful instances by which we can get an insight into the relationship between the gross perceivable matter and the subtle imperceptible Spirit.
I AM THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE INTELLIGENT --- The intelligent man constantly expresses a greater amount of divinity in his thoughts and ideas. In that intelligent man, the Self is the intelligence, that subtle-power, because of which the individual is capable of manifesting such brilliant comprehension. Similarly, it is also said that the Self is that which beams out through the beautiful and the energetic.
In other words, through the instrument of our intellect, it is the Consciousness in us that expresses itself as an intelligent individual. As a parallel we can say that electricity is the "light in the bulb", is the "heat in the heater", is the "music in the radio."
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS GIVEN IN THE FOLLOWING VERSE:
Having thus served with different samples the seekers of the average intelligence and the dullest in this stanza the Lord is trying to indicate the Eternal Self to the MOST INTELLIGENT students, who have the capacity to do subtle reflection upon such philosophical ideologies.
I AM THE STRENGTH IN THE STRONG --- This statement is evidently as easy of comprehension as the example given in the previous stanza. But the statement out-shines the above set of examples when here, Krishna gives the phrase qualifying "Balam." Generally, an individual expresses his might and strength only when he is goaded by his desires or attachments.
Without these two inner urges it is impossible for us to see any expression of might or strength. Desire (Kama) and attachment (Raga) are generally considered by students of Vedic literature as almost synonyms; but Shankara, in his commentary, has very thoughtfully given us the distinction between these two powerful impulses. He says Kama is 'desire for what is absent' at present in the scheme of our life, and Raga is 'affection for what one already has.' These are the two emotions, lashed by which, individuals or communities, or societies or nations, generally express their might and strength (Balam). Riots and agitations, battles and wars, are all ever motivated by these two dangerous urges. In the subtle definition of the Self, the Lord brings a new life of thought here for the contemplation of the seeker. He says, the Self is not merely the strength in the strong but "I AM THE STRENGTH DEVOID OF DESIRE AND ATTACHMENT."
As though not satisfied with his own definition, the Lord gives yet another example. "I AM DESIRE IN BEINGS, UNOPPOSED TO DHARMA." We have already explained the term Dharma as the 'LAW OF BEING.' The essential factor in man is the Divine Consciousness. All actions, thoughts and ideas entertained by him which are not opposed to his essential Divine Nature constitute his Dharma. All actions and thoughts that hasten the evolution of man to rediscover his essential Divine Nature are considered righteous action (Dharma), while all activities of the mind and intellect that take him away from his true Divine Nature and make him behave like an animal and degrade him in his evolutionary status, are called unrighteous behaviour (A-dharma).
With this understanding of the term Dharma, the second line of the stanza becomes very clear. "ALL DESIRES THAT ARE NOT UNRIGHTEOUS FOR THE BEINGS," therefore means the glorious urge in the EVOLVERS to meet their own inner weaknesses courageously and bring out a complete consummation of their evolutionary urge to seek and to discover the goal of Self-perfection. This is the subtle power that is indicated here. The Lord says: 'I am not the Sadhaka, but I am the burning aspiration in him, to discover and become one with the Immutable Self.'
BY THE ABOVE EXAMPLES, DOES IT MEAN THAT THE SPIRIT HAS BEEN REALLY CAPTURED AND JAILED IN BY MATTER? HOW CAN THE LIMITED LIMIT THE UNLIMITED? LISTEN:
In this stanza, the Lord concludes the topic of His discussion, which He undertook while commenting upon. His own statement, "ALL THIS IS STRUNG IN ME AS A ROW OF PEARLS ON A STRING."
The term Maya, as used in Vedantic literature, is nothing other than the different impulses under which the mind and intellect of the living kingdom act. The infinite varieties of thoughts and ideas that rise in the heart of the living kingdom have been observed and classified under the three main moods, governed by which alone do the instruments of feeling, thinking and action come to play their parts everywhere. These three characteristics, the eternal moods of the "subtle-body," are called 'unactivity' (Sattwa), 'activity' (Rajas), and 'inactivity' (Tamas).
With this knowledge of the three gunas, as they are called, when we try to understand the stanza, it becomes very easy reading. "Whatever states pertain to these three natural temperaments of the heart and the head, they all rise from the Self." This is a statement which is only a re-interpretation, in philosophical terminology, of what has already been explained. The Infinite Consciousness is the Supreme Reality, the Spirit, upon which matter, constituting Its lower-nature, is but an APPARENT experience. They all rise from the Truth, inasmuch as all the waves rise from the ocean, all mud-pots rise from the mud, all ornaments made of gold come from gold.
This verse concludes with a beautiful statement which reads like a conundrum. The use of such arresting statements is an art deliberately indulged in by Hindu philosophical writers. It has the charm that invites an independent, intellectual investigation by the student, all by himself, upon the declaration, in order that he may find the sweet secret of its true import and significance. "STILL, I AM NOT IN THEM, THEY ARE IN ME."
Such a statement would necessarily be false in any situation because, if A is not B, the latter cannot be in the former --- if "I am not in them, they CANNOT be in me." This sweet paradoxical statement clearly indicates that the relationship between Spirit and matter is not in terms of cause and its effect, but it is only as a super-imposition of matter upon the Spirit. Addressing the deluded, the post can only explain, "the ghost of your vision had risen from me alone, inasmuch as, I alone lend to it its existence; but I, the post, am not in the ghost." So, too, shall the ocean cry, "the waves rise, stay and dissolve away in me; but I am not in the waves."
As Shankara would have it, the Self declares here that even though matter depends entirely for its existence upon the Conscious Principle, yet the Divine Spark is in no way under the thraldom of matter. Matter ekes out its existence from the Spirit; but, the Spirit is --- in no way at no time, howsoever little --- controlled, contaminated, or shackled by the sad lot of the finite, imperfect matter.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam
buddhir buddhimatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham
Bg 7.11
balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo ’smi bharatarṣabha
Bg 7.12
ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye
matta eveti tān viddhi na tv ahaṁ teṣu te mayi
Translation
10. Know Me, O Partha, as the eternal seed of all beings; I am the intelligence of the intelligent. The splendour of the splendid (things and beings) , am I.
11. Of the strong, I am the strength --- devoid of desire and attachment, and in (all) beings, I am the desire --- unopposed to DHARMA, O best among the Bharatas.
12. Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active and inert, know them to proceed from Me; yet, I am not in them, they are in Me.
Commentary
Not satisfied with the above enumeration --- which can truly indicate its full significances only to those who have a fairly well-developed subtle intellect --- the Lord is compelled to indicate the same Truth through a set of more obvious examples. He says in the stanza, "I AM THE ANCIENT SEED OF ALL BEINGS." Not satisfied with this statement, as an artist would mix more colours afresh and paint, again and again, to bring out his theme more vividly to the perception of the on-lookers, Bhagawan gives here two more beautiful instances by which we can get an insight into the relationship between the gross perceivable matter and the subtle imperceptible Spirit.
I AM THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE INTELLIGENT --- The intelligent man constantly expresses a greater amount of divinity in his thoughts and ideas. In that intelligent man, the Self is the intelligence, that subtle-power, because of which the individual is capable of manifesting such brilliant comprehension. Similarly, it is also said that the Self is that which beams out through the beautiful and the energetic.
In other words, through the instrument of our intellect, it is the Consciousness in us that expresses itself as an intelligent individual. As a parallel we can say that electricity is the "light in the bulb", is the "heat in the heater", is the "music in the radio."
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS GIVEN IN THE FOLLOWING VERSE:
Having thus served with different samples the seekers of the average intelligence and the dullest in this stanza the Lord is trying to indicate the Eternal Self to the MOST INTELLIGENT students, who have the capacity to do subtle reflection upon such philosophical ideologies.
I AM THE STRENGTH IN THE STRONG --- This statement is evidently as easy of comprehension as the example given in the previous stanza. But the statement out-shines the above set of examples when here, Krishna gives the phrase qualifying "Balam." Generally, an individual expresses his might and strength only when he is goaded by his desires or attachments.
Without these two inner urges it is impossible for us to see any expression of might or strength. Desire (Kama) and attachment (Raga) are generally considered by students of Vedic literature as almost synonyms; but Shankara, in his commentary, has very thoughtfully given us the distinction between these two powerful impulses. He says Kama is 'desire for what is absent' at present in the scheme of our life, and Raga is 'affection for what one already has.' These are the two emotions, lashed by which, individuals or communities, or societies or nations, generally express their might and strength (Balam). Riots and agitations, battles and wars, are all ever motivated by these two dangerous urges. In the subtle definition of the Self, the Lord brings a new life of thought here for the contemplation of the seeker. He says, the Self is not merely the strength in the strong but "I AM THE STRENGTH DEVOID OF DESIRE AND ATTACHMENT."
As though not satisfied with his own definition, the Lord gives yet another example. "I AM DESIRE IN BEINGS, UNOPPOSED TO DHARMA." We have already explained the term Dharma as the 'LAW OF BEING.' The essential factor in man is the Divine Consciousness. All actions, thoughts and ideas entertained by him which are not opposed to his essential Divine Nature constitute his Dharma. All actions and thoughts that hasten the evolution of man to rediscover his essential Divine Nature are considered righteous action (Dharma), while all activities of the mind and intellect that take him away from his true Divine Nature and make him behave like an animal and degrade him in his evolutionary status, are called unrighteous behaviour (A-dharma).
With this understanding of the term Dharma, the second line of the stanza becomes very clear. "ALL DESIRES THAT ARE NOT UNRIGHTEOUS FOR THE BEINGS," therefore means the glorious urge in the EVOLVERS to meet their own inner weaknesses courageously and bring out a complete consummation of their evolutionary urge to seek and to discover the goal of Self-perfection. This is the subtle power that is indicated here. The Lord says: 'I am not the Sadhaka, but I am the burning aspiration in him, to discover and become one with the Immutable Self.'
BY THE ABOVE EXAMPLES, DOES IT MEAN THAT THE SPIRIT HAS BEEN REALLY CAPTURED AND JAILED IN BY MATTER? HOW CAN THE LIMITED LIMIT THE UNLIMITED? LISTEN:
In this stanza, the Lord concludes the topic of His discussion, which He undertook while commenting upon. His own statement, "ALL THIS IS STRUNG IN ME AS A ROW OF PEARLS ON A STRING."
The term Maya, as used in Vedantic literature, is nothing other than the different impulses under which the mind and intellect of the living kingdom act. The infinite varieties of thoughts and ideas that rise in the heart of the living kingdom have been observed and classified under the three main moods, governed by which alone do the instruments of feeling, thinking and action come to play their parts everywhere. These three characteristics, the eternal moods of the "subtle-body," are called 'unactivity' (Sattwa), 'activity' (Rajas), and 'inactivity' (Tamas).
With this knowledge of the three gunas, as they are called, when we try to understand the stanza, it becomes very easy reading. "Whatever states pertain to these three natural temperaments of the heart and the head, they all rise from the Self." This is a statement which is only a re-interpretation, in philosophical terminology, of what has already been explained. The Infinite Consciousness is the Supreme Reality, the Spirit, upon which matter, constituting Its lower-nature, is but an APPARENT experience. They all rise from the Truth, inasmuch as all the waves rise from the ocean, all mud-pots rise from the mud, all ornaments made of gold come from gold.
This verse concludes with a beautiful statement which reads like a conundrum. The use of such arresting statements is an art deliberately indulged in by Hindu philosophical writers. It has the charm that invites an independent, intellectual investigation by the student, all by himself, upon the declaration, in order that he may find the sweet secret of its true import and significance. "STILL, I AM NOT IN THEM, THEY ARE IN ME."
Such a statement would necessarily be false in any situation because, if A is not B, the latter cannot be in the former --- if "I am not in them, they CANNOT be in me." This sweet paradoxical statement clearly indicates that the relationship between Spirit and matter is not in terms of cause and its effect, but it is only as a super-imposition of matter upon the Spirit. Addressing the deluded, the post can only explain, "the ghost of your vision had risen from me alone, inasmuch as, I alone lend to it its existence; but I, the post, am not in the ghost." So, too, shall the ocean cry, "the waves rise, stay and dissolve away in me; but I am not in the waves."
As Shankara would have it, the Self declares here that even though matter depends entirely for its existence upon the Conscious Principle, yet the Divine Spark is in no way under the thraldom of matter. Matter ekes out its existence from the Spirit; but, the Spirit is --- in no way at no time, howsoever little --- controlled, contaminated, or shackled by the sad lot of the finite, imperfect matter.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
No comments:
Post a Comment