The Gita: Srimadbhagwadgita: श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता : Chapter 1:1..continued

||Wake up.. Open your eyes||

 

Beloved Soul,

It is very aptly said that if you are able to grasp even one singly teaching from a master that is sufficient to transform your life. Through contemplation which is also referred to as “swaadhyaaya” you allow penetration of these words in your psyche. So you should not only read it but allow its effect to to work upon your being and you will see your thought process has started shifting from mundane to the relevant, from gross to subtle, from material to etheric, from worldly to divine, from darkness to light. The words of your parents, elders teachers and preachers all stay there deep in your mind.. in subconscious and that is why whenever you are surrounded with hardships, with difficult situations and on the verge of critical moments you find some inner voice taking over your mental chatter. At the juncture you are told by that divine voice that come what may.. the victory of truth is evident and that those who act through malice are meted with what they deserve.. that there are universal forces which oversee and governs the universe through different laws. It is in these situations when probably law of karma is rewritten for all those who have been blindly refuting it under the intoxication of power, money and fame.

In the  first verse of Srimad Bhagwadgita and When Dhritarashtra uses term “dharma-kshetre” it is the same psychological force acting and these words are spoken over riding Dhritarashtra’s mental chatter, confusion and fears. In fact the question Dhritarashtra is posing is worth considering.. he is asking “What did my and Pandu’s son (yuyutsava – desirous of war) did in the Kurukshetra? Don’t you think he would know that his sons are desirous of war and now when they are standing face to face what else they would do? But he asks because he is fearful for he knows that Pandavas are stronger, more skillful and art of battle and he definitely is able to recall many incidents of past where Pandavas had proved their strength and humiliated Duryodhana and his brothers. He also knows that Kurukshetra is the place where sacrifices are offered to the Gods and that his sons are not on the path of righteousness.. and that Dhrama will prevail in this decisive war on this very battle field. Thus frightened he unconsciously utters the word “Dharmakshetre”.. field of righteousness. His question shows that he is expecting some turnaround.. that he is hoping for some miracle. He is internally hoping this war wouldn’t happen.. but this has never happened. The forces of darkness and forces of light will definitely confront at some point or the other and if at all you see any delay in this not happening it is only that both of these are acquiring a minimum critical mass in the process of waiting. The same happens here.. it took years of avoidance but ultimately threshold crosses and war becomes inevitable.

In this world, your day to day activities are happening in “Dharmakshetra” and each day, every moment you are fighting a battle. Your action or karma is your way of fighting this battle. Kuru is a sanskrit word originating from kri – dhatu which means ‘to do’. Your Karamas happen in this Field of action “Kurukshetra”.

Keep a close watch whether your actions are leading to light or darkness.. will it be just or unjust, whether you are on the side of truth or not. The fearfulness can hold you from responding to a war situation, an unjust action but that cannot be avoided beyond a point. You may choose not to retaliate to the unlawful, unjust things under any pseudo emotion.. as mercy, forgiveness or compassion but the root cause is fear. Gita teaches you to be fearless and respond to the situations true to your emotions. It teaches not to be diplomatic but be ready to hold the bull by horn if that be need of hour..

A Dhritarashtra can be fearful but you will not be if you have kept your actions rooted in the truth. How? Only if you would listen to the divine voice of conscience, your Guru while dealing with everyday life you will be rooted in truth and then you find universal principles of justice working through you. And such a person is always victorious.

Enough for today..

- Agyaatdarshan

The Gita: Srimadbhagwadgita: श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता : Chapter 1:1

अथ प्रथमोSध्यायः

अर्जुनविषादयोगः

 

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः|

मामकाः पांडवाश्चैव किम अकुर्वत संजय|| 

||Wake up.. ||

Beloved Soul,

All the dialogues start from a person who is ignorant, the one who is blind, someone who can not see and understand, the one who is still in the dark. So if Gita begins with the first word from Dhritaraashtra it should not surprise you.  In fact someone who is reading Gita for the first time in life and knows a little about it… probably some introduction of it he has that it is the voice of Supreme Godhead Lord Shre Krishna he would be surprised to see that it is beginning with words of Dritrashtra. For him Dhritaraahtra would seem irrelevant and completely misplaced here.. after all this is Gita and should beging with the words of Krishna but it does not happen so! It can never happen because The wise, The one who can see, the one who knows has no purpose in speaking.. the one who understands it completely would know the futility of words and for him as such there are no questions as well so why would he ask? Why would he speak.. Yes! He would definitely respond and shower is grace but only if asked. Wise don’t speak much for they know it. And those who are chattering about God, Brahamn, Soul, Enlightenment? For sure they still don’t know. They are yet to understand it and probably to expand their understanding they are engaging in some kind of dialogue with you.. even that dialogue can be with self also. It may be a mental chatter.. Soliloquy and that’s why so many people talking and discussing about God and spirituality and what not!

 Second thing to understand is that the one who answers such blind people should also have a broader vision and ability to put across things in right perspective. Sanjaya qualifies here as an unbiased observer. Remember Sanjay gets this power of special vision for he is totally unbiased and without any prejudice. He doesn’t has his own view about things, he is not engaged in any kind of logic and imagination.. what he is doing is unbiased, witnessing. He is not giving color of his imagination to situation. He has the capacity of Tele-Vision and I tell you it is not a very special power to have.. All you need is a calm, unprejudiced and totally unbiased frame of mind; Free from any critical judgment of the reality. If you want to acquire such power it is really easy. It is a very simple and you can do it albeit it would require regular practice of meditation to develop such a witnessing frame of mind…

Take a note of Dritarashtra’s question.. He asks “Maamkaah Pandavaachaiva..” the first thing in his mind comes Maamkaah… that means mine (मेरे) and then continues asking about sons of his real brother Pandu. This is the state of every person who is blind.. blind not in literal sense but ignorance is the state I am referring to, it is worse than blindness. This question of Dritarashtra defines his character of at once.. But it is not so that only Dritarashtra is blind the whole humanity is blind.. Every person you meet, deal with, all so called normal persons you come across are blind for they are interested in only three things .. “me, my and mine” and nothing else. i am not saying so as a guess Psychologists have found out that in the converstions the most used word is “I”.. They also discovered that even in normal conversations people don’t listen to others. They are keenly interested in telling what they themselves feel and think. No wonder in this world so much confusion prevails, the relationships don’t work for no one understands the other, Reason? You never listen to other at all! All the while the other is speaking you are preparing an answer within or worse holding yourself back from not snatching the mike from the one who is speaking..

Psychologists recognized this attitude and they suggested a cosmetic solution. They thought people can be trained not to be blind. That people can be trained not to be blind.. to be courteous and empathic. That is how need for acquired courtesy.. training in etiquettes. But that doesn’t change it a bit people are still not sensitive and how they can be? People are exposed in their day to day behaviour.. Look at the official mails you receive..  they will write something like “Myself, Ms. so and so and Mr. so and so will attend this meeting”.. Here you see a Dritarashtra?  Blindness requires a surgery. There is no way you can stop being blind unless you go through that inner surgery and realize your true self.. and once you are able to rise to that level there is no need for training anymore.. the other comes first.  Corporates have to yell at their meets “Customer First”, “Employees First” and need for such an emphatic statement is just to cover the underline statement “Company’s profit first”, “Me first”. I say so with conviction that all they can do is pretend not to be blind, they can get artificial, plastic eyes fitted but despite all this deep down they would still  stay the same… ignorant, self-centered and ignorant. A self realized person is always courteous, all humble, humane and compassionate.. he doesn’t require a training in etiquette. He is the source of inspiration, love and light to all.

Remember, Gita is about you.. Gita is about Dhritarashtra in you.. I say wake up, open your eyes. I know there would still be darkness of selfishness around but then don’t panic, try burning the lamp of service and sacrifice and slowly there will be light. You would see the reality as it exists.. experience it in all its shades, colors and appreciate its magnificence.

Enough for today

- Agyaatdarshan

A book written by Shri GS Sharma on Sukhmani Sahib

Sukhmani Sahib : Reflections by Shri GS Sharma

(Sukhmani Sahib – Released by Acharya Sri Agyaatdarshan)

Beloved Soul,

In our daily prayers we all hail our mortal Guru as the embodiment of the divine guiding light from the highest source however only those who rise up the rungs of spiritual ladder realize how true is this. They experience that the “Akshar Braham” and Anaadi Sadguru are those eternal ones who are always concerned with our growth and full of compassion for us and work through our Mortal Guru. This Nitya Anadi Sadguru or Param Guru has been referred to as ”Wahe Guru” in  the highly revered spiritual text Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sukhmani Sahib, the section of Sri Guru Granth Sahib which contains 24 Asatpadis begins the need of Meditation and fixing your consciousness upon Him (Brahman) and then further engages in praise of His divine attributes.

Sukhmani Sahib are the words of a Master, the deeper meanings of which are revealed by the divine grace of Waheguru only to those true seekers who constantly meditate and contemplate upon Him, the Brahman. Our Beloved Master Acharya Agyaatdarshan sees such a true seeker in Shri. GS Sharma who has complied his deeper understanding in his recent book “Sukhmani Sahib”.

Shri GS Sharma, the able writer of this book ‘Sukhmani Sahib’ who is very closely associated with our beloved Master AD has hunbly expressed his desire to have this book be released on this blog. With the permission of Master AD I am pleased to announce the formal release of this book here.

This book Sukhmani Sahib is a 200 paged book in Hindi language and it goes without saying that it is a casket full of glittering percious gems spiritual insights derived from the verses of original text in Gurumukhi. Master AD recommends it to one and all especially those who are sincerely engaged in self-exploration and trying to find the common thread across different religions of our times.

Those who are interested in getting a copy of this book can directly write to the author on sharmagss99@rediffmail.com or get in touch on +91 9999000097.

Happy reading & may Waheguru bless you all,

Love and Light

Ma Devpriya

The Gita: Srimadbhagwadgita: श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता : Chapter 1

|| प्रथमपूज्य श्रीगुरु, प्रातःस्मरणीय पं. मुरलीधर जी मिश्र||

|| I bow down at the lotus feet of my first spiritual Guru for his blessings|| 

 

||ऊं श्री हनुमते नमः ऊं||

वसुदेवसुतंदेवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्

देवकी परमानंदम् कृष्णम वन्देजगद्गुरुम|

 

Beloved Soul,

 

On advise of Babuji, my father Pandit Shri Muridhar ji Mishr I am taking up this journey through Srimadbhagwadgita for and with you all. May his blessings and guidance give me strength to complete it for the benefit of everyone who are willing to prepare themselves, strengthen themselves to be able to reach to a level where from one can take refuge in the lotus feet of Param Guru.

 

First of all.. take a note that to be able to appreciate and assimilate the learnings presented in any spiritual scripture you need to begin with complete faith and surrender. Faith is indispensible to be able to see beyond words. Faith opens your heart. And opening of heart so much important because mind is not capable of understanding some very subtle and most beautiful things of life. Love, beauty, devotion, compassion, poetry, music.. many.. many such important feelings and experiences are not of mind. Mind analyses.. it disects. Mind is not able to grasp and synthesize the presented concepts meaningfully..  If you don’t ask the mind to take a seat below the heart you will miss the point being made by the Guru.. the devout seer for he is speaking to you from his heart. He knows whatever he is speaking is beyond the inellect thus he becomes poetic at times.. not in the sense that it makes no sense to mind but that it transcends mind. And transcending mind is always beautiful… blissful experience whether it be through your love towards your beloved or the divine. So when you open your heart you are able to be in communion with the Guru.. the seer, his heart for he is speaking to you through these mortal meaningless words but only through his heart.

 

The rememberance of our Baba Shri Hanumaan ji is not just another ritual here.. it is representation of that state in which you should begin to see Srimad Bhagwadgita. Just like for Sri Hanumaan every word of his lord Shri Ram was an order.. a dictum.. without any doubt whatsoever you should hold the words herein. With complete faith..

 

The nomenclature adopted with a prefix “Srimad” is to declare yet again that you are not reading a book.. you are in satsang with the Guru.. a personality instead. Remember! if you wish to understand your Guru, of better if you want your Guru to make you understand.. if you wish to have an intense, meaningful heart to heart dialogue with Him through these verses, if you wish to enable yourself to be able to feel the continumm of deep currents of transforming energies in these verses to come… treat not this merely a book, a collection of words.. it is The Guru who is going to speak to you through this… you must bow down to him for his unconditional love for you.. for he is speaking only for you. There is no need for him to speak but he does so.. he did so for Arjuna, breaking all his previous perceptions held by Arjuna.. Arjuna thought he was with his chairoteer, cousin Krishna.. may be he thought he was with his best friend but Shri Krishna does not think twice before he, out of his mercy assumes the seat of a Guru and speaks for Arjuna… his unconditional love is unbound. He is now going to be speaking for you.. be ready, be welcoming.. be humble and feel greatful to Him.. Out of your devotion and happiness you praise him.. and that purifies the seat for Him, your hear.

 

The times have changed.. people wish name, fame and titles for themselves now, in earlier days people felt the sense of achievement if they could do something to be able to make their parents proud. And if you see this Vandana.. devotionally loaded the praise of Guru.. He is being hailed.. first of all.. as the Son of Vasudev! Out of many names Shri Krishna has Vaasudeva is very dear to Him.. The most potent mantra which pleases Him is also “Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya”.. what, do you feel would be reason for this?  It has only one reason as I see.. it has his father’s name in it.. A true son is one who feels proud to be called the son of his father.. irrespective of anything. Srimadbhagwatam describes Vasudev as an ordinary person.. someone who could not oppose even his illegitimate confinement by his brother inlaw Kans. The one who helplessly witnessed cruel murder of newly borns.. He seems to be powerless but Shri Krishna despite being born as avatar.. in his complete glory does not shy from being called the son of Vasudev but feels ecstatic on hearing him being called so.. A modern son, who has become an engineer.. a doctor or MBA may try to hide the identity of his father, parents and family if in his opinion they don’t match their status. Do you see a learning here?

 

Sri Krishna’s heroic deeds are sandwitched between the adjectives linked to his father and mother.. and truly so. Krishna’s whole life has been for others; His parents, his brother, his beloved, admirers, villagers, friends… and this whole world at last for there he assumes the position of “jagadguru”. The greatness of a person is reflected in the way he leads his life.. and Krishna shows us the way.. he is not preaching, he prefers to lead by example.

 

My beloved father, who we all lovingly call Babuji shared one secret with me. He told that Gita has been locked by two keys.. and unless one is able to unlock it one can not gain from it. The first key can be shared in the begining and that is “To be able to assimilate Gita’s teaching you will have to engage in service of others.. this is the first prerequisite for understanding Gita’s essence.”   Those who shall take this advice and practise “seva” or service, they will find that they are making quicker progress in their spiritual ascention… I myself have personally experienced it.

 

Those who are wondering about the Second key, it is shared only when Guru understands that the disciple has become capable of handling it…

 

 

May Jagadguru, Sri Krishna be with us for his potent, silent but evident guidance and love..

 

हे नाथ! मेरी यह प्रार्थना है.. भूलूँ न मै नाम कभी तुम्हारा|

निष्काम हो कर दिन रात गाऊँ.. गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति||

गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति.. हे कृष्ण! हे यादव !! हे सखेति !!!

 

- आचार्य अज्ञातदर्शन