Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 21 & 22

30th June 2024

• The state of the 'Unmanifest' is imperishable because it is uncaused and non-material. All perishable things are caused in time and space as objects. Even the soul, as a subtle matter, is subject to constant change.

• Reaching the 'Unmanifest' is the goal of all evolved beings, the Ultimate Reality. Upon reaching it, there is no return to soulhood or rebirth.

• The 'Unmanifest' is the all-pervading presence in which all beings exist, just as all objects exist in space. Similar to space, which can exist even without all objects, the 'Unmanifest' remains eternally unchanged.

• As the devotion to God increases, the desire of every kind will start to evaporate, and finally the undeviating devotion to the 'Unmanifest" which is Lord Krishna Himself is the means to achieve this goal of immortality.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 19 & 20

29th June 2024

• The cycle of birth and death happens continuously for millions of years within a day of Lord Brahma. There is no escape from this cycle as long as there are impressions and results of actions. 

• The reason for this bondage is now apparent. It is not that every soul is cursed to be a victim of this cycle. It is a self-inflicted situation due to endless desires that create impressions and related actions. 

• Beyond this cycle exists a state of complete freedom known as the 'Unmanifest'. This state is eternal and never becomes absent, even when all the souls go to an unmanifest state on the night of Lord Brahma. 

• Even Lord Brahma's life would end after 100 years and will be replaced by another. However, the souls who reach the 'Unmanifest' attain immortality and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 17 & 18

28th June 2024

• When you and an ant start moving toward a door 100ft away, you may reach it in a few minutes while the ant will take the whole day. This is because the time it takes to reach the door depends on the body used for the movement.

• There is an interdependence of time, space, and objects (देश-काल-वस्तु) that determines all experiences of life for every soul. According to Hindu cosmology, Lord Brahma's one day is equivalent to a thousand yuga-s (each yuga being 4,320,000 human years multiplied by 1000), and His night is similarly long.

• Every day of Lord Brahma begins with the manifestation of all the souls along with their past impressions (vasanas) and the results of their actions. Each night of Lord Brahma is when the souls return to their unmanifest condition. 

• The Universe is continuously created by Lord Brahma to enable the souls to experience the results of their actions and express their impressions (vasanas).

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 15 & 16

27th June 2024

• What is the cause of rebirth that leads to suffering and pain? It's unfulfilled vasanas. Can anyone fulfill all the vasanas to get released from their hold? No.

• Vasanas are the essence of our subtle body, which consists of the mind, intellect, memory, and ego. These components are constantly overpowered by the existing vasanas and also polluted by new vasanas which arise from the contact of the senses with objects of the senses.

• Achieving the higher worlds that have heavenly pleasures, up to the world Brahma, does not guarantee the end of the rebirth cycle.

• Reaching the Supreme is the end of the endless cycle of birth and death. This is achieved by the wise men through realizing the reality of the Self and the illusion of the subtle body.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 13 & 14

26th June 2024

• "If you want to elevate yourself, you must seek support from something above you" - Swami Chinmayananda

• To raise our minds from the limited to the limitless, we need to seek the support of something that represents boundless existence. Worshiping deities in any form serves the same purpose.

• Lord Krishna imparts teachings from the ancient Upanishads to Arjuna. "Om is the single syllable representing the imperishable. Chanting 'Om' while remembering Me, the one who departs the body attains the Supreme!"

• Continuously remembering the Lord is tantamount to Self-abidance. Yet, remembering the Lord with devotion is a delightful pursuit for the devotee and also an easy one."

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 11 % 12

25th June 2024

• The Bhagavad Gita is esteemed as an Upanishad because it contains the important and essential teachings of Upanishad literature. Lord Krishna quotes a verse from the Upanishad to explain the nature of Reality:

• "That which is imperishable, which the seers of Veda declare, entered by those who are free of desires and self-controlled, and desiring which celibacy is practiced - I will briefly speak about it."

• This passage describes the preparation for total absorption in the Self. The meditator begins by withdrawing the mind from the nine openings of the body: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, anus, and the reproductive organ.

• Next, the meditator should retain the mind in the heart, its expression center, followed by restraining the vital energy in the head with total concentration.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 9 & 10

24th June 2024

• Remembering the Self through continuous thinking or contemplation (anusmaranam) is the beginning of abiding in the Self. It can be seen as a preparation for meditation as well.

• How can we remember the Self? By contemplating it as all-knowing, ancient, the complete ruler, most subtle, the support of everything, unthinkable, brilliant like the sun, and beyond the darkness - these are the focal points for meditation.

• Regular meditation with these focal points will help us detach from strong identification with the body, even at the time of death. When strong attachments related to the body are not constantly kept in check, leaving the body can be the most painful experience.

• Practitioners of Yoga, at the time of death, will be able to keep the vital energy (prana) at the point between the eyebrows. With a mind full of devotion and attention, they will reach the highest abode of the Lord.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 7 & 8

23rd June 2024

• Remembering God is like an actor on stage remembering himself as an actor and only playing a role for a short time. He discards the role when he is off-stage. 

• Our true nature is pure Consciousness - the essence of God within us. While we are engaged in the world with the body provided to us, let us not forget that it is only a temporary engagement. 

• This requires practice. We should always try to return to our true 'home' through meditation, without letting our minds get entrapped in worldly trials and tribulations. 

• The philosophy of Vedanta does not deny the relative reality of the world, but it also points out the absolute Reality as the ultimate destination for peace, freedom, and liberation.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 5 & 6

22nd June 2024

• Remembering God is important because the mind remembers what is repeated. When we keep repeating the thoughts of the things and beings we like, our mind gravitates toward seeking their company and proximity.

• Similarly, if we try to remember God, even in a physical form, whenever possible, we can maintain a steady stream of thoughts during meditation.

• This is similar to how we remember our mother tongue before we even learn to read and write because our family members spoke to us repeatedly in that language.

• Remembering God is particularly important when we are ready to leave the body. Lord Krishna assures us that if we remember Him at the time of death, we will reach Him. This is because whatever we remember repeatedly will be the starting point of our next birth.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 3 & 4

21st June 2024

• Lord Krishna began to answer the questions of Arjuna. Brahman is the imperishable  Reality (अक्षरम्) which was present before creation and will remain forever even after the dissolution of everything that is created.

• Knowledge of Brahman (अध्यात्म) is the means to know It. Indeed, the knowledge itself is Brahman. This is the subject of all Upanishads and also the Bhagavad Gita. 

• The universe was created by the power of delusion (माया) that rests with Brahman. The process of creation is known as action (कर्म).

• The basic elements that manifest as a created universe are perishable (क्षरम्) and it is the Awareness that recognizes the creation (अधिदैवम्), and the presiding deity as well as all the ritual sacrifice (अधियज्ञ), is Lord Himself in the body.

Gita reflection Ch 8 verses 1 & 2

20th June 2024

• Up to the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna focused on the nature of the soul (त्वम्) which is limited by its misunderstanding, and the means to prepare the seeker.

• In the previous chapter Lord Krishna explained the nature of the Reality (तत्) which is the goal for the seeker. He gave out the knowledge and the ways to practice.

• In the end, the seed for the eighth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita was planted by Lord Krishna in the mind of Arjuna. The alert student Arjuna raised questions about Brahman and the means to know It. 

• He also wanted to know the nature of action, essential elements, and God. These questions are theoretical and will satisfy the quest of the intellect. The explanations for these will quiet the student's mind and prepare him for further progress in the spiritual pursuit.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 29 & 30

19th June 2024

• Every living being has one common fear and that is death.  And those who believe in rebirth have an additional fear about where and how will be the next life? Overcoming this fear is possible only when one realizes the 'body has birth and death, and not the soul which is the Self, that is eternal by nature.'

•  Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda observed: "The dreamer has no reality other than the waker; the dreamer is pure imagination and the waker alone is real. Similarly, the body has no reality other than the pure Self."

• He who resorts to the Lord to realize this understands the universal nature of the Self and all relative actions in the universe. 

• Based on the above, Lord Krishna opens up a new topic regarding the nature of the five elements, gods, and ritual sacrifices. He who knows the Lord connected to all these, even at the end of life will become liberated and become free from the fear of birth and death

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 27 & 28

18th June 2024

• "The blueprint of your next life is determined by your actions in this life," said Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. 

• Every effect has a cause that precedes it, and our next birth depends on the wisdom we possess in this life. If we are still driven by our likes and dislikes, our next birth will simply be a continuation of the same. 

• Self-knowledge not only challenges the reality of likes and dislikes but also dispels the ignorance that supports the duality of opposites. 

• The true understanding of our own Self can only be achieved when the mind ceases to swing from one extreme to the other, influenced by the challenges of daily life.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 25 & 26

17th June 2024

• During autumn, we may not see the sun, but we can see the clouds that cover it, illuminated by its light. 

• Similarly, our Awareness allows us to perceive everything, even though it may be obscured by thoughts. 

• The array of thoughts that preoccupy us in our daily lives is a creation of Maya. Quieting these thoughts will reveal the pure Awareness that underlies our existence.

•  This one Awareness, present in all, knows all beings' past, present, and future. However, no one can fully comprehend awareness objectively.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 23 & 24

16th June 2024

• The outcomes of worldly deeds, including rituals and worship, are temporary and perishable. Those who lack wisdom are the ones who seek after these. 

• Only by deeply reflecting on the ultimate goal of human life can we realize that engaging in actions for limited results is a waste of time and effort.

• Worshippers seeking specific benefits will reach the abode of the gods. However, those who worship Ishwara, the universal presence of Brahman in the world of transactions, will reach His abode. 

• In reality, Brahman never transforms into any form. Yet, for those of us who continue to perceive the world as real, Brahman is depicted as Ishwara, the creator. He is the same one who appears before Arjuna as Krishna.

• Without this knowledge, everyone only saw Him as Krishna, the human son of Devaki and Vasudeva.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 21 & 22

15th June 2024

• Hinduism is often thought of as a polytheistic religion, but in reality, it is not. Despite this, many deities with diverse powers are worshipped for various blessings.

• Just as the CEO of a corporation delegates powers to individual department heads for efficient management, the powerful One Ishwara expresses Himself through many forms of gods to bless the devotees.

• By granting the devotee's desires through the worshipped god, Ishwara strengthens the devotee's faith, causing their mind to be more drawn to God.

• Ultimately, all blessings come from the same One Creator, under whom all things and beings function. It is by His will that everything and everyone operates.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 19 & 20

14th June 2024

• "How long will it take to gain the wisdom of seeing the One in all and as all?" Lord Krishna answers, "After many lives, fully dedicated to pursuing this knowledge and keeping Me as the goal

• Why does it take so long? Because the inherent past impressions should wane away through self-inquiry and personal discipline. Additionally, one must avoid falling back into habitual tendencies through devotion to God and spending time in selfless work.

• Those who have realized the truth, 'God alone is everything!', are rare. He becomes the Self of all, embracing everyone without any discrimination.

• Those who seek benefits by worshiping gods of limited powers are still under the control of their own desires. They continue to engage in rituals dictated by the norms relevant to their pursuits.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 17 & 18

13th June 2024

Among the four types of devotees of God, the man of wisdom is the best due to his single-pointed devotion to God without seeking anything else other than God. 

'He is most dear to Me as I am most dear to him,' says Lord Krishna. There is mutual love without any pollution of attachment or expectations. Here devotion is about seeing oneself in the other despite all differences related to individuality.

Though all devotees are noble, the noblest is the man of wisdom. Why? The man of wisdom has discovered God as his own Self, which is the same in all. 

For him, God is the ultimate goal of life. Akin to the vision of God who created everything out of Himself, the man of wisdom also doesn't see anything other than himself as all.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 15 & 16

12th June 2024

• Surrendering to God can be challenging for those who strongly identify with their ego. The more we identify with our body, mind and intellect, the more difficult it becomes to submit to the will of God. 

• Even those who are knowledgeable about the scriptures find it hard to give up their ego. This is the power of Maya, the illusion that obscures true knowledge. 

• When knowledge is obscured, what remains are our animal instincts, which provoke base tendencies and passionate indulgences, referred to as 'demonic' by Lord Krishna. 

• Four types of devotees surrender to God due to their meritorious past. They are those seeking relief from physical afflictions, desiring knowledge, seeking wealth, or aspiring to become wise individuals.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 13 & 14

 11th June 2024

11th June 2024

• God or Reality is the central theme of all religions. Buddhism and Jainism do not believe in God, but they believe in the liberation of the soul as the goal of their religious practices.

• In Hindu philosophy, God represents the liberated state of the soul. However, the same God is also regarded as the origin of the Universe and is worthy of worship and adoration.

• The soul, which is caught up in the ever-changing moods of the mind, does not recognize God, who is inherently present everywhere. The cause of the swinging mood is known as Maya.

• Maya is the power of God and can be overcome only by surrendering one's mind to Him. Surrender is not a single act of prostration but a loving acceptance of God's sovereignty in all circumstances.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 11 & 12

10th June 2024

• The Lord is the strength among those who are free of desires and attachments. Truly, being desireless itself is a strength. 

• Only a desireless person can stay firm on noble convictions. The best example is Sri Rama, who could renounce his kingdom with no regrets or hesitation. So too Sri Lakshmana who could serve the Lord in his entire life. 

• Dharma, or righteousness, is the Lord's glory! Every desire to follow dharma is the stepping stone to reach Him. 

• The difference between person to person is due to the qualities of the mind that are broadly divided as Sattvic (pure), Rajasic (active), and Tamasic (inactive). These are also the expressions of the Lord Himself.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 9 & 10

9th June 2024

• Lord Krishna continues to explain His presence in the universe: "I am the smell in the earth, the brilliance in the fire, the life in all beings, and the austerity in the ascetics."

• Reflecting on these statements, we realize that God is closer to us than we think. Our life is within Him, and we are surrounded by Him everywhere.

• As the eternal cause of the world, the Lord is always present, even if the universe dissolves. The souls, which are various expressions of the Lord, are also eternal. This reveals to us that no one dies; only the bodies constantly change.

• He is the intelligence among the intelligent and the splendor among the splendorous. Whatever is a unique manifestation in everything belongs to Him alone! This is truly the way to adore God.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 7 & 8

 8th June 2024

• The Hindu tradition involves offering flower garlands to the gods in temples as well as to those we revere, admire, or respect. Often, we overlook the fact that the flowers are strung together with unseen thread.

• Similarly, when we observe the world around us, we tend to overlook the single thread of life that connects all living beings, including plants, animals, and humans. 

• Lord Krishna declares that He is the unseen life that runs through all of them, much like the string that connects all the pearls in a garland.

• Lord Krishna states, "There is nothing higher than Me, and I am the same in all as the unique essence of everything."

• He further explains, "I am the taste in the water, the brilliant light of the sun and the moon, the sound in space, and Om in all the Vedas!"

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 5 & 6

7th June 2024

• The higher nature, which is also the imminent aspect of God, is the presence of the soul in all living beings, sustaining the whole world. 

• Without living beings, there would be no one to perceive the existence of inert matter. Therefore, the soul truly sustains the world.

• Matter and spirit, or soul, together form the entire universe. A soul without matter has no form, and matter without soul has no existence. 

• According to the philosophy of Vedanta, God works through both to create, sustain, and dissolve everything we experience. Thus, God is not separate from the universe but is the universe itself.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 3 & 4

6th June 2024

• Not all human beings are interested in liberation. Many do not even know that they can be free from the endless cycle of birth and death.

• Even those who know may find it hard to take up the required sadhana in their life. It is hard to change the habits of the mind, which has traveled through many lives with the soul.

• Even those who apply assiduously to know the Self and be liberated from bondage may not succeed in achieving it easily. Lord Krishna says, "Knowing the Self is knowing Me!"

• Why is it hard? To understand the hardship, we should know what we are bound by. The gross personality is closely identified with eight aspects of the lower nature or prakriti: earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego.

• This eight-fold nature is present in our body as well as in all the objects and beings that we experience in the world.

Gita reflection Ch 7 verses 1 & 2

5th June 2024

• The mind is the only instrument we have to realize the Self. When fully available for meditation, it will free itself from its habit of wandering among sense objects.

• One must choose a form of God that represents the bliss of the Self. As one attempts to know the Self, intense love for God will also develop, or vice versa. This is seen in the life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

• Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda observed: "The thinkers in every field first develop the theory and then apply it as practice, otherwise known as science and technology. So too, first is the philosophy and then the religious practices. Philosophy in action is religion."

• Lord Krishna uses the terms "jnanam" for science and "vijnanam" for technology or application. He elaborates on both of these in the 7th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.

• Knowing the Self is more important than anything else in the world. Upon knowing the Self, there is nothing more to be known. Why? The Self is of the nature of eternality, knowledge, and bliss - which is what we seek to achieve through all other pursuits.

Gita reflection Ch 6 verses 46 & 47

4th June 2024

• A person who transcends the mind through meditation is greater than someone who practices severe austerities. Austerities are meant to control the movements of the mind, not to transcend it.

• A scholar may have erudition in Self-knowledge but lacks practical experience. On the other hand, a meditator may not have extensive knowledge but applies whatever he learned into practice and gains true benefit from it.

• A person of action may achieve success or even reach the heavens but will eventually return to earth when their merits are exhausted. However, a meditator who renounces all actions will proceed to achieve complete liberation of the soul.

• The fulfillment of meditation lies in undivided love for the Self. This love manifests as the Lord of one's own heart, which one takes as support with utmost faith on the path to liberation.

Gita reflection Ch 6 verses 44 & 45

3rd June 2024

• Positive values such as righteousness, compassion, sincerity, non-violence, and so on gain strength through conscious and constant practice. 

• When accompanied by Self-knowledge, they resist all evil influences, overpower limitations, and manifest despite the human birth of the evolved soul in the family of the Yogis. 

• Just as one full of evil tendencies cannot help but succumb to them, spiritual values will manifest even when one is unaware of them.

• Such individuals do not settle for the performance of rituals prescribed in the Vedas, as the practice of meditation in the previous life results in a naturally calm mind devoid of desires for worldly gains. 

• Perfection is attained after many births, evolving to the next level each time. The final emancipation occurs when the soul discovers itself as the pure presence of Brahman.

Gita reflection Ch 6 verses 42 & 43

2nd June 2024

• A more evolved soul will be born into a family of yogis who practice severe austerities for self-evolution. 

• This kind of birth is rare. Adi Shankaracharya, Namdev, Sri Ramakrishna, and many other saints were born to noble parents. 

• In such a conducive atmosphere, one can reconnect with the knowledge gained in the previous life and further evolve to free oneself from worldly attachments. 

• Spiritual knowledge never gets lost when it is firmly rooted in constant practice. As Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda remarked, "It is a one-way street!"

Gita reflection Ch 6 verses 40 & 41

1st June 2024

• Spiritual knowledge is meant for the evolution of the soul, while worldly knowledge acquired during human life is left behind after death.

• A guru's guidance is essential for the soul to evolve and reach its ultimate destination. With the right guidance, there is no fear of death. 

• Even while inhabiting a human body, an evolved soul does not identify with the body. A well-guided soul, upon leaving the present body, ascends to the next level of spiritual evolution and does not regress. 

• The accumulated merits from many lifetimes will lead to blissful experiences for the evolved soul after departing the physical plane, and it will subsequently be reborn into a prosperous family.