Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 8 -
Aksara Brahma Yoga
By Vijaya
Jayaraman | Submitted On May 24, 2019
Anything that we
do in our lives needs full attention. We need to stay focused and concentrate
to achieve our goal without other distracting thoughts. If so, how do we
remember God when we are engaged in work that needs our total attention?
An example would
be when I'm at wok on a project, however much challenging and hard it appears
to be, I tell my peers and team to remember the pay check that we get at the
end of the week, the mere thought of it motivates and keeps everyone going in
dealing with difficult tasks.
In verse 5.6,
Sri Krishna says in the case of individual who lives life's battle to win
righteous profits and constantly remember the Lord, while doing so, his
"mind and intellect get absorbed in Me", you shall come to Me.
The term death
here should be understood clearly. It is not the mere death of the body but the
emphasis is also on the death of the ego. Verse 8 confirms that even after the
sublimation of the ego, one can continue to live in the body due to prarabdha
and is jivan mukti.
It is quite
normal to see people chanting the slogans, by habit, without thinking of God,
as a routine chore while doing other thing. Mind has the capacity to act on
things and manage the chanting. But this is not a focused attention on Lord. It
is a monotonous repetition without focus.
As studied
earlier chapters, if we perform all actions with Arpana buddhi, that's
everything is done for him alone, as an offering to him then the actions are
done with utmost love and care with his thought in mind. He is in the thought
constantly and continuously. By performing such karma yoga, over a period of
time, it becomes a habit and the Lord is always in our thought in whatever we
do, however much focus and attention is required of us for other tasks.
Describe the
Karma theory to a common individual.
Karma theory is
the core of Hindu philosophy. Few of the prominent principles of this there
are:
Responsibility -
Every action has a consequence it its own time. Every effect has a cause.
Everything that we think, speak and act has its own merits and demerits. We
alone are responsible for the given situation and peoples in our life in every
birth. This is simply the law of nature. There is no one sitting somewhere,
taking notes on what what we do or not. We bear the results of our thoughts and
actions, now or later without fail.
Accountability -
Good actions result in good results and bad actions give bad results. We call
this as merits (punya), and demerits (papa). We are the product of our choices.
We create the blueprint for our next life. This karma theory does not mean the
destiny will take care of everything. We create our own destiny. This theory
emphasizes that we should focus on mindful, conscious living. What we are today
is based on our past and what we will be tomorrow is based on our actions
today. As you sow, so shall you reap
Effort -
The doer alone is the enjoyer or sufferer of those consequences based on his
own actions. He cannot transfer the results to or borrow from others. This
gives the accountability to each one of us to choose the life that we want in
our next birth. This clearly proves that we are the product of our choices so
it is better to stop blaming others and be accountable for our actions. As you
sow, so shall you reap.
Dissolution
(Pralaya) - This is the dormant phase, also called beeja avastha. Neither
good actions cancel the results of bad actions nor the bad actions cancel the
results of good actions. The doer (karta) gets to enjoy and suffer but the good
actions help you to handle the results of bad action with dignity. During the
maha pralaya, the merits and demerits are never written off, every Jivan is in
dormancy during that time along with the merits and demerits that are simply
frozen and all Jivan come back with the same merits and demerits. Sooner or
later we pay the price for our own actions. The merits and demerits creates the
body and the body accumulates them based on the actions. It is like which came
first? The egg or the chicken? It is a natural law of cycle of samsara.
Liberation
(Moksha) - When we read scriptures, follow rituals, perform upasana, we
need to choose to move up higher in the spiritual ladder through jnana marga
and enter into Self enquiry, attain knowledge towards being realized. The next
step is to stay there forever with firm conviction, That's nidhidyasana. This
should culminate to 'Ananya bhakti', undivided Bakti, that take one to moksha
which to be one with Brahman.
Creation-Dissolution
Cycle - Pralaya
When we stop to
look around, we would recognize that everything around us is in cyclical. The
plants come out of the seed, grows, flowers, fruits and dies leaving behind the
seed again. People and animals are born as babies, grow, achieve, accomplish,
propagate and eventually die. The seasons are also cyclical as spring, summer,
fall and winter, returns to spring. In some parts of the world it is distinctly
visible while in other parts it is slight.
This cyclical
process continues on again and again which confirms that this is neither the
first nor the last birth for all of us.
Just as we
unfold our day and fold our little world at the end of the day, Brahma
manifests and unmanifests this universe at the start and end of his life span.
All our merits and demerits are frozen only to continue at the same point when
the universe starts again. This is called maha pralaya, great dissolution. This
is called the Beeja Avastha, or the seed form when everything is in dormant
stage with the potential for creation. Today's scientists talk about the
blackhole, Einstein proved that matter is neither created nor destroyed.
These cycles of
creation and dissolution, birth and death go on and on continuously without an
end. This is called samsara chakra. One who is tired of this endless coming and
going, endless birth and death, develops dispassion from all realms of
experience, seeks that which is permanent happiness. The only way out of this
birth and death cycle is by Self knowledge.
This Self
knowledge could be acquired only in earth (Bhu loka) and only in human form.
Therefore it is vital recognize the grand opportunity that we have, to escape
out of this creation-dissolution cycle, than merely be attracted to the
impermanent fleeting attractions and waste the entire life rather than choose
the right path for our next birth.
The difference
between Jivan-mukti and Vidheha-mukti
When does a
person realizes that he is dreaming? Once he is awake!!
Similarly when
an individual realizes that God as his own Self, he is liberated here and now,
instantaneously even though he is in the body in the human form living on this
earth. Such a person is called Jivan Mukti.
On the other
hand, a man of Realization, who has realized that the Self in the body is the
same as paramatma and discards his mortal body, he is liberated for he does not
identify with the body. For the onlookers, he still lives in that body and is
liberated only when he leaves the body.
There are yogis
who go through many health conditions but they're totally unperturbed by it for
they know that they are not the body, and it is normal for the body to
disintegrate but others tend to do all kinds of treatments to that body which
the yogi has already renounced it. Such a yogi is Videha Mukti.
Explain Rebirth
Theory
There is life
after death and we are reborn in a different form and place based on our
actions in previous births. Our scriptures emphasizes this thought with facts.
Rebirth is the
core of Hindu philosophy and karma theory is the basis of this which are listed
below.
This is not our
first birth or the last birth. We will be reborn again and again until
liberated from the cycle of birth and death. This the samskaram, (samsara
chakra-giant wheel). The body creates the merits and demerits and these choose
a suitable body to experience them. It is like 'did the seed came first or the
tree came first? or 'did the egg came first or the chicken came first'? This is
simply the law of nature for all beings to be in the karmic cycle.
From our
accumulated capital of karma (consequences of karma), also called 'Sanchita
karma' (net fructifying results of our thoughts and actions) that decides the
form and the place we are born in. When this prarabdha karma is exhausted, the
individual jivan leaves the body and is reborn in a new body, again based on
the accumulated thoughts and actions, including from the current life.
It is the most
intense and strong vasanas that fructify first. That's probably why it is also
called vasanas, fragrance. The strong fragrance stays longer and deeper.
Therefore as you think so shall you become. The last thought at the time of
death will decide the form and place of an individual jiva goes to.
Again it is the
strong vasanas, that we have accumulated by our own thoughts and actions that
decides which form we take in the next birth so it might not necessarily be a
human form again. We are now born as human, but we could very well be born as
any other species in the next birth so we don't want to miss this opportunity
of human form to realize the Self in us.
Apart from the
earth, there are many other realms of experiences, heaven is a realm of intense
joy for an extended period of time, hell is the opposite, a realm of intense
suffering. There are other realms of experiences besides these. Vedanta
philosophy mentions 14 of them.
Higher lokas
above the earth are.. Satya loka, Tapo loka, Jan loka, Mahar loka, Swargaloka,
bhuvar loka, bhu loka(earth), the lower lokas are Atalata, Vitala, Sutala,
Rasatala, Talatala, Mahatala, Patala
Based on the
choices we make, in our thoughts, words and deeds, we experience in these lokas
and come back to earth, to purge our vasanas for only from here and only in
human body, one can attain liberation (moksha)
Gist of Chapter
8 of the Bhagavad-Gita.
This chapter
starts with Sri Krishna's explanation that there's only One imperishable
Brahman He is that supreme who operates the universe, He is that atman present
in each individual body, Prakriti(maya) the perishable universe, He is the
creative force that causes all being into existence all actions and their
consequences, He is in the presiding deities of the sense organs in the living
creatures and the eternal Self.
A popular
example is six blind people are touching an elephant and describe the animal
from what they have seen and felt. The one who touches the middle of the body
says he sees a huge soft wall, the one who touches the leg says he sees a big,
tall, cylindrical pillar, the one who touched the ears said he sees a fan that
oscillates back and forth, the one who touches the trunk explains that it is
hollow tube, the who touches the tail says it is thin rope with some tiny
branches at the end and the last one who touched the top of the head said he is
on the top of a slide. What does these mean? People see the same object from
different angle. Everything is based on individual perception, but they all
fail to see the whole.
So also God,
Brahman is seen differently by different people based on their experiences,
when in fact Brahman is the One whole, without a second. This is the summary of
the first six questions by Arjuna. No single word should be taken as a complete
one.
The time is not
the physical death or the departure from this body, Lord also refers to the
Jnanis who renounce their bodies, meaning the time when they do not identify
with the body.
He also
emphasized that at the time of death, one thinks about what one has been
habitually thinking about, throughout one's life time. It is really hard to think
of something new suddenly when one is physically and emotionally weak. It is
therefore recommended to make it a habit of thinking on the supreme presence
early on, so it becomes a habit and one is able to think of God when the time
comes effortlessly.
For everyone who
is born death is inevitable, just don't know when. So, it is advised to live a
dharmic life and acquire Self knowledge to be able to easily remember Him. In
this chapter Krishna refers himself as Nirguna Brahman.
Brahman is
described as one changeless, who is present in all bodies, the creative force
in everything that springs into existence, the imperishable appearing as
perishable Jagat, as the indweller in each body as a presiding deity and the
supreme presence which operates them all.
Just like we
plan ahead when we move from one house or state, country to the other, we
should also plan ahead for the departure from this body for death is
inevitable. We pack our stuff and unpack after reaching. So also we should
choose to accumulate our assets which we can carry.
What does this
mean? When we leave this body, Stula Sarira, the Sushma Sarira leaves as a
package (all the thoughts, actions and convictions).
There are two
distinct paths people take as they leave the body. People who lead a disciplined
life, doing good to others, following rituals proceed on to Swarga loka, and
people who focus on upasanas, Japas and Yajnas but not attained jnana take the
path to Brahma loka, where they have a chance to attain moksha after gaining
Self knowledge.
In Swarga,
Chandra loka, people enjoy their time based on their merits and once exhausted
return to Earth to pay for their demerits. Whereas, they also have an
opportunity to gain knowledge and moksha, though not guaranteed, would also
come back to earth, bhu loka when they don't gain the knowledge to be one with
Lord.
The human life,
earthly life is also described as Dukha loka as we need to go through all sorts
of sufferings and sorrows. Only here by experiencing those we develop the love
for God. If everything is fun all the time, as in Brahma loka we have no
opportunity to get Self knowledge.
Then God
describes the Jagat, universe as vikara, maya as 'avikara' and Brahman as
'avikara'.
When the maha
pralaya happens after one kalpa, the entire universe goes into dormant phase
but resumes at the same point where it was left. All Jiva's get their merits
and demerits. Nothing gets erased for whatever reason. Every action has a
consequence and it is a matter of when we face them. No one can escape from
experiencing the fruits of their actions.
Jivan Mukti is
the one who realizes Brahman while alive and his merits and demerits all erase
the moment he realizes the Truth (Brahman), even while alive in the current
body. Videha Mukti is the one who realizes Brahman but for others he is a
realized soul, only after he leaves the body.
What are anya
bhakti and ananya bhakti?
There are three
types of Bhakti. The first two are 'anya bhakti', anya means 'other than',
refers to duality.
~ First is where
the devotee, Lord and the act of worship of the devotee to get something in the
world like rain due to famine, flood, natural disasters.
~ Second is
where there are two entities, the Lord and the devotee and God is worshipped
for the personal benefit (one's own health, wealth or relationships or growth,
happiness),
~ the third is
where there is only One and both the devotee and the Lord are one. The devotee
is focused on Self realization.
This is Ananya
Bhakti, undivided attention on God alone. Only through this Ananya bhakti, a
jivan can be one with God.
Since the last
thought of GOD, at the time of death results in attaining GOD, how can one make
sure that it is feasible?
When we sow a
mango seed, we get a mango tree, when we sow an apple seed, we get an apple
tree, so is our life. If so what is our seed?
It is not the
thought at the exact time of death alone that matters, especially for people
who are in coma or who die in accidents but the conviction that they have at
the time of death by the constant practice.
We are what our
convictions are, not what our thoughts are... Thoughts are fleeting... Strong
convictions will have habitual thoughts.
Therefore, it is
the deepest conviction that we have, that takes us to the next birth. What we
believed and what we practised will bear the result. That's our seed with
potential to bloom. For ex: the stronger the conviction to take and complete
this class, the higher the probability to complete. That decision to join the
class will take precedence over all the thoughts that come later, like my
travel might hinder the study time, or I have guests flying in, or internet is
not available, etc. If the conviction is strong we will get it done.
Similarly how
strong the conviction of an individual that God exists and God alone exists
makes the difference at the time of leaving this body. Such a person who has a
life long of practice to this conviction will be the one who realizes the atman
as Brahman.
There are no two
things to merge but it is the recognition of the appearing to be hidden that
has to happen. For this, one doesn't have to go anywhere or become anything but
recognize the Brahman from within. This is possible only by Self knowledge.
Once the
knowledge is gained the ignorance is removed instantaneously, like the darkness
is removed by the light. Knowledge alone can remove this ignorance and this
conviction alone will take one to the future form and life.
...
Article
Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vijaya_Jayaraman/666215
======================https://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/dk6-108.htm
Upasana is of two kinds, viz., Saguna-Upasana and nirguna-Upasana or meditation on the formless and attributeless Brahman. Meditation on idols, pictures of Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva. Gayatri Devi, etc., is Pratika-Upasana. The blue sky, all-pervading ether, all-pervading light of the sun, etc., are also Pratikas for abstract meditation. Saguna-Upasana is concrete meditation. Nirguna-Upasana is abstract meditation.
Hearing of the lilas of the lord, kirtana or singing his names, constant remembrance of the lord (Smarana), service of his feet, offering flowers, prostration, prayer, chanting of Mantra, self-surrender, service of Bhagavatas, service of humanity and country with Narayana-Bhava etc., constitute Saguna-Upasana.
Definition of dharma
Benefits of the practice of dharma
Kinds of dharma
Fundamentals of dharma
The gita
Karma theory
Rebirth
Worship of upasana
-Benefits Of Worship
-Saguna-Upasana And Nirguna- Upasana
-The Doctrine Of Grace
-Service as worship Hindu ethics
Chanting of Om with Atma-Bhava, service of humanity Atma-Bhava, mental Japa of Om with Atma or Brahma Bhava, meditation on Soham or Sivoham or on the Mahavakyas such as Aham Brahma Asmi or Tat Tvam Asi after sublating the illusory vehicles through ‘Neti, Neti' doctrine, constitute Ahamgraha Upasana or Nirguna-Upasana.
Saguna-Upasana is Bhakti Yoga or the Yoga of Devotion. Nirguna-Upasana is Jnana
Yoga or the Yoga of Knowledge. Worshippers of Saguna (the qualified) Brahman and of Nirguna (the unqualified) Brahman reach the same goal. But, the latter path is very hard, because the aspirant has to give up attachment to the body (Dehabhimana) from the very beginning of his spiritual practice. The Akshara or the Imperishable is very hard to reach for those who are attached to their bodies. Further, it is extremely difficult to fix the mind on the formless and attributeless Brahman. Contemplation on the Akshara or Nirguna Brahman demands a very sharp, one-pointed and subtle intellect.
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