Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 40 & 41

31st August 2024

The cosmic form of the Lord was found everywhere and in all directions. Arjuna saluted Him facing up, down, east, west, north, and south. 

Thus, in Hindu tradition, it is customary to circumambulate the Lord's altar in the temple with joined palms, fully recognizing Him to be everywhere.

The Lord possesses unimaginable might, strength, and resources, as He takes care of the needs of every soul in the Universe. 

Arjuna, ashamed of himself for not recognizing his dear friend Krishna as the Lord of the Universe, sought the mercy of the Lord and said apologetically, "Please forgive me for speaking to You inadvertently and calling You 'Yadva', 'Krishna', and so on, out of intimacy, thinking of you just as a friend."

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 38 & 39

30th August 2024

Arjuna continued to praise Him as the ancient primal deity, the supreme support of the world, and the one who pervades the entire Universe.

According to the standpoint of Advaita Vedanta, God can be realized as one's own Self, wherein the knower and known become one. It is similar to the one who sleeps and the state of sleep becoming one, where there is no ego which distinguishes the sleep as an object of experience.

Overwhelmed by the divine emotion of devotion, Arjuna salutes the Lord again and again while praising Him as the deity of death, fire, air, waters, the moon, and the Lord of all creatures.

God is the great-grandfather of the Universe since nothing was there before Him. This echoes the Upanishad statement which said, 'In the beginning, there was only pure existence.'

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 36 & 37

29th August 2024

Arjuna acknowledged the supremacy of the Lord and began to praise Him. He understood that the destiny of every soul is according to the wish of the Lord.

He exclaimed, "It is so appropriate that all beings are delighted and attracted by Your greatness! While saints and sages bow down to You, the demons are frightened and running in all directions to escape from You."

He continued, "Why do they not bow down to You, for You are the eternally Supreme One and the creator of even Brahma!"

"You are the abode of the Universe, immutable, and transcendental. You are both being and non-being!"

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 34 & 35

28th August 2024

Arjuna had a deep respect for Bhishma and Drona but harbored anger and intolerance towards Karna and Jayadratha for obvious reasons. 

On the battlefield, there is no room for mercy toward the enemies. Lord Krishna informs Arjuna that He has already seen (in the future) the demise of all the mentioned warriors and more, and assures Arjuna to be unafraid of the upcoming war.

What keeps life interesting is the unpredictability of the future. However, for Arjuna, it was assurance. Listening to the words of Lord Krishna, Arjuna prostrated himself before Him, with joined palms and a trembling body.

Who other than the Supreme Lord, who is beyond past, present, and future, can determine the fate of every soul? He decides the course of the universe that He created for the souls to experience the consequences of their own actions.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 32 & 33

27th August 2024

In response to Arjuna's question, the Lord said, 'I am Time, the destroyer of the world. I have grown mighty in stature and engaged in dissolving all creatures. Even without you, Arjuna, all warriors on both sides will perish.'

This has been incorrectly paraphrased by Robert Oppenheimer, who quoted the Bhagavad Gita while observing the erupting fireball from the atomic bomb explosion in Los Alamos, New Mexico, on July 16, 1945, as "Now, I am (have) become Death, the destroyer of the worlds."

The Lord's statement is meant to indicate that He is the cause of the universe and that everything will end in Him alone. Time is simply the conditioned expression of the divine law of creation and destruction.

Having already demonstrated that the Kauravas would perish in the war, the Lord commanded Arjuna to engage in the battle, defeat the enemies, and enjoy the rich kingdom. He even encouraged him by saying, 'Be merely my instrument, as I have already killed all your enemies!'

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 30 & 31

26th August 2024

There are various theories about how the world could end. Some believe it will be flooded or frozen, while others think it will be burned due to the increasing heat of the earth, or destroyed due to a supernova.

Arjuna, as demonstrated by the Lord, witnessed the end of the universe unfolding before him. It appeared as if the cosmic form took the shape of a massive fire, with flames resembling tongues, consuming all creatures from every side and engulfing the entire universe.

The sight was unexpected and terrifying for Arjuna, who had requested the Lord to reveal Himself. 

Overwhelmed, Arjuna pleaded with the Lord: "Please, who are you, revealing this fierce form? I cannot comprehend your intention behind this act of dissolution!"

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 28 & 29

25th August 2024

Vyasa provides a beautiful illustration to describe how individual souls enter the cosmic form at the time of dissolution. 

"As the water currents of the rivers rush only towards the sea, so too the human warriors entered into the blazing mouth of the cosmic form." This illustrates the inevitable end of everything created by the Lord.

Another illustration is given to show how all souls, without aspiring for liberation (the highest human goal), engage in the world only for self-destruction. 

"As the moths mindlessly enter hastily into the blazing fire, so too the creatures enter the mouth of the cosmic form to lose their individual names and forms."

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 26 & 27

24th August 2024

Earlier, Lord Krishna had informed Arjuna that he could see what he wished to see in the cosmic form of the Almighty. He shows what would be happening at the end of the Mahabharata war.

Arjuna saw all the Kauravas and many warriors, including Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, entering the cosmic form. His doubt about defeating them had ended.

However, since the Kauravas did not have a reverential attitude toward the Lord, they quickly entered the terrible mouth of the Lord that was filled with cruel teeth. Some were seen sticking within the gaps of the teeth with their heads crushed as they tried to escape!

Those who do not believe in God will naturally be gripped by the fear of death. The individuality in us, which holds on to all the attachments related to this illusory world, cannot let go of the constant fear of losing them.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 24 & 25

23rd August 2024

When we see the forms of meditating Shiva, flute playing Krishna, graceful Lakshmi, and lute playing Saraswati, we are not agitated. Conversely, we experience peace at the altar of the Lord.

Arjuna was frightened to the hilt when he saw the cosmic form that was touching heaven, blazing with a variety of colors with open mouths and terrible, large eyes. He could not stand steady and found no peace.

The mouth of the cosmic form resembled the fire of dissolution with terrible teeth, ready to swallow the whole universe.

Arjuna lost his sense of direction, and as he became bewildered and agitated, pleaded to the Lord to show mercy on him.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 22 & 23

22nd August 2024

Arjuna observed that even the inhabitants of heaven rarely get to see the cosmic form of the Lord, even though they receive their powers from Him. 

The eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, eight Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishwadevas, twin Ashvinis, seven Maruts, Ushmapas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, demons, and Siddhas were all amazed when they beheld the cosmic form.

Just like how we get scared watching fierce wild animals even behind a cage, imagine being surrounded by thousands of them!

Arjuna was frightened when he saw the immense cosmic form, with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, bellies, and feet, along with frightening protruding teeth.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 20 & 21

21st August 2024

With our naked eyes, we can only see the Earth, the Sun, the moon, stars, and a few planets. However, space scientists and astronomers tell us that there are countless galaxies in the vast expanse of space. What lies in between? 

Arjuna could see that the interspace is covered by the Lord in all directions. The inhabitants of the three worlds - the Earth, interspace, and the heavens - are filled with fear when witnessing the cosmic form.

Death is unavoidable. Even the residents of heaven, known as the immortals, will conclude their time living in the heavens during the mass dissolution known as pralaya. 

Arjuna observed the gods entering into the Lord with folded hands and prayers, while the sages who knew that they were merging with Him sang His praise and said 'May it be well!'

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 18 & 19

20th August 2024

We have the choice to live a life like everyone else or to live with a purpose that we feel is important as human beings. Arjuna suggests that the only entity worth knowing in this world is the Lord. 

Everything we know in one life does not carry over to the next, except for the knowledge of the Self or God Consciousness, which is about the eternal God.

Understanding Hinduism is not simply a matter of theology; it is about practicing to experience God as part of one's own essence. It is an everlasting science protected by the Lord himself, allowing us to discover his universal presence. 

In the Bhagavad Gita, God is depicted in tangible forms because the real nature of the imperishable One is abstract, beyond description, and incomprehensible. 

Arjuna praises the Lord, saying 'You are without beginning, middle, or end, with infinite strength, countless arms, and the sun and the moon as your eyes, with a mouth like a burning fire, and heating up the Universe with your own radiance.' 

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 16 % 17

19th August 2024

Every physical form should have limitations in all three dimensions. Even as Arjuna was seeing the Lord in a physical form, being cosmic by nature, the dimensions were incomprehensible.

He exclaimed, "I don't see the limit, not the end or the beginning of your form. Yet, I see you with innumerable arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes all around me."

He saw the Lord with blazing brilliance, wearing a diadem and holding a mace and a disc. The Lord appeared with immeasurable intense radiance of fire and a glowing Sun.

Though Arjuna was given the divine vision by the Lord Himself, it was hard for him to look at the Lord only from one side as He appeared on all sides!

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 14 & 15

18th August 2024

The sight in front of Arjuna was beyond imagination. Vyasa attempted to depict the indescribable, having been granted the same vision by the Lord. 

Sanjaya, the charioteer of King Dhrtarashtra, also beheld the cosmic form and described what Arjuna was witnessing. 

Arjuna was filled with awe and wonder, with his body hair standing on end. He reverently bowed down to the Lord's cosmic form.

In the cosmic body the Lord he saw many gods, including Lord Brahma, the creator, seated on a lotus, as well as all the sages and serpents.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 12 & 13

17th August 2024

Have you ever tried to look at the sun with bare eyes? Although it is 93 million miles away from Earth, its energy provides nourishment to all living beings.

On a hot summer day, the brightness of just one sun is unbearable for us. Now, imagine the radiance of a thousand suns shining simultaneously; that is the radiance of the Lord who stood in front of Arjuna!

This Earth is a part of one of the millions of galaxies created by the Lord using His mighty, unimaginable power.

In the body of the Lord, Arjuna saw the diversely differentiated Universe as a single cosmic form.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 10 & 11

16th August 2024

The universe comprises millions of species, each independently alive and pursuing its own actions guided by individual instincts. 

Every living being is free to express its inherent tendencies in the world created by the divine. The purpose of creation is linked to the created beings and not for the benefit of the creator. 

The same divine entity that operates through all beings showcases the variety of eyes and faces as it reveals itself to Arjuna. Arjuna even witnessed celestial beings armed with heavenly weapons. 

The radiant, boundless, and wondrous divine entity is seen everywhere, adorned in heavenly garments, garlands, and scents, with countless faces.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 8 & 9

15th August 2024

The Upanishads declare that the Self cannot be seen by the eyes, but the eyes can see everything else by the power of the Self. It can only be seen by the eye of knowledge. 

Even though the Lord shows the entire universe in His body, Arjuna cannot see it. Then, the compassionate Lord grants Arjuna divine eyes. 

With these divine eyes, Arjuna can see the entire universe in one place, within the body of the Lord standing in front of him. 

In philosophical terms, 'seeing' is 'knowing' or 'realizing'. Realizing the Self involves seeing oneself as the immortal presence, and discarding the illusory image of oneself as the inert body and the body of thoughts.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 6 & 7

14th August 2024

According to the Pauranic tradition, the universe is considered a living organism with various powers working together under the command of one primeval God. Many deities are associated with maintaining the world within the cosmos.

Lord Krishna demonstrates some of His unique forms, previously unseen by anyone, including twelve Adityas, eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twin brothers known as Ashwinis, and seven Maruts.

The remarkable aspect is that the Lord revealed the entire universe, including all inert objects and sentient beings, within His own body. 

He also granted Arjuna the choice to see whatever he desired, including possibly future events.

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 4 & 5

13th August 2024

Can you see the space between you and the device through which you are reading this? Perhaps you can see the sky out in the open, which is blue when the sun shines. The sky is not space. 

Similarly is it possible to 'see' God? What we see in all the religious places is the depiction of God. The mind needs such a depiction to elevate itself with the thought of God.

Similarly, Arjuna is unable to comprehend the all-inclusive cosmic form in his mind. He doubtfully asks the Lord, if it is possible to give him the vision of His eternal form.  For, He alone can reveal Himself if He wishes. 

Accordingly, the Lord responded, 'See my thousands of forms which are divine and of different shapes and colors.'

Gita reflection Ch 11 verses 2 & 3

12th August 2024

When you come across an ornament that appears to be made of gold, it's natural to have it tested by a goldsmith to confirm its authenticity. This curiosity is an inherent trait of the human mind.

Arjuna, despite hearing from the Lord Himself that He alone is the creator and destroyer of all, still seeks confirmation through tangible evidence. It is important to note that this does not mean Arjuna lacks faith. 

Faith is a journey that starts with belief and culminates in discovering truth. Along the way, it involves sincere experimentation.

Will Arjuna pass up the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Truth conveyed directly by the Lord Himself? When the Lord is present right in front of him, what more could he possibly seek?

Gita reflection Ch 11 Introduction & verse 1

11th August 2024

Having explained the divine manifestation of God, Lord Krishna summarizes that nothing else exists in the universe other than Him. 

He begins to demonstrate this by showing His cosmic form to Arjuna, a depiction unique to the Bhagavad Gita and not found in any other religious scriptures. 

Arjuna acknowledges that the Lord's teachings regarding the Self have removed his delusion. Delusion is certain when our attention is on the ephemeral aspects of life.

The teachings by the Lord are for the benefit of struggling souls who are directionless, confused, and tired of the uncertainties of worldly gains and losses.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 41 & 42

10th August 2024

In this magnificent universe, any object or being that possesses brilliance and greatness should be regarded as sourced from the divine power known as Yoga, the power of the Lord. 

Although Lord Krishna has been providing guidance on meditation to Arjuna, He concludes that there is nothing other than Him in the universe.

Just as an actor on stage plays various roles but knows he is not solely defined by any one character, we must recognize that the Lord is beyond our understanding until He reveals Himself in our hearts out of compassion. 

Lord Krishna ends this chapter by stating, "A part of Me is sustaining this world," indicating the omnipresent nature of the divine influence.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 39 & 40

9th August 2024

In discussing His manifestations, Lord Krishna states that He is the ultimate cause of all beings, according to the simple scientific principle that there cannot be any effect without a cause. 

He explains that he is the seed of all beings. Just as the cause is inherent in all its effects, His presence is in all living beings as well as in inert matter. 

The nature of the ultimate cause is pure existence. According to Vedanta, God is a pure existence without a beginning, as nothing in the universe could have come from something that did not exist. 

His manifestations are countless, and the cycle of creation is continuously active, with many cosmos being created and disappearing simultaneously.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 37 & 38

8th August 2024

Lord Krishna was born in the Yadava community, belonging to the Vrishni lineage. He manifested as Vaasudeva, the son of Vasudeva and Devaki.

The Bhagavad Gita is revered as a conversation between God and the human soul, in which Lord Krishna, the teacher, guided the Pandava prince Arjuna. God also manifested as Arjuna, the recipient of the philosophy of life.

This conversation and related stories were recorded by Vyasa, who is considered God's manifestation and the greatest among composers. In ancient times, God manifested as the renowned sage of the Rg Veda, known as Ushana.

One of the essential principles of the justice system is the punishment of those who disrupt the peace and order of society. God manifests as the arbiter of punishment and the righteous policy against invaders.

Every country's administration must keep certain strategies undisclosed for efficient governance. The best-kept secret is silence, which is God's manifestation. Additionally, He manifests in the knowledge of the wise.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 35 & 36

7th August 2024

In the Chandogya Upanishad, the explanation of Brihat Saman is that which is interwoven in the sun. The rising of the sun is the syllable Him; the risen sun is the Prastava; the midday sun is the Udgitha; the afternoon sun is Pratihara; and the setting sun is the Nidhana. This is the manifestation of God.

The Sanskrit language is rich with thousands of poetic literature, and a variety of meters (chandas) are used. Among them, God's manifestation is in the Gayatri meter. The famous Gayatri Mantra is composed in the Gayatri meter as well.

God's manifestation also appears in the month of Margasheersha, which occurs during December and January, and in the season of Spring, when we see the blossoming of flowers and the emergence of new, young shoots.

Furthermore, God's manifestation is evident even in deceitful games such as gambling. He is the energy of the energetic ones, the nobility of the nobles, and also represents excellence and effort.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 33 & 34

6th August 2024

The first alphabet in almost all languages is 'A'. The Upanishads also declare that 'from 'a' all sounds start'. The letter A is considered His manifestation. It is also the first letter of AUM, which is the word symbol for Brahman.

In the Sanskrit language, many compounds (samas) are used where two or more words come together to become a single word. Among those compounds, the Lord manifests as the 'dvandva' in which two words come together with equal importance. This signifies that "jeeva" and "ishwara" are one and the same philosophically.

The Lord manifests as the cosmic time, which is eternal and also the dispenser of results of actions, and whose faces are everywhere. He also manifests as death at the time of cosmic dissolution, and as the origin of all beings at the time of creation.

The Lord Himself manifests in all women as fame, beauty, speech, memory, intelligence, fortitude, and forbearance.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 31 & 32

5th August 2024

In Hindu philosophy, each of the five natural elements, excluding space, is considered to have purifying properties. Of these elements, air is seen as the most subtle and remains unpolluted as it constantly moves and never stays in one place. It is believed that air is a manifestation of God, and without it, no living beings can survive.

Sri Rama, the human incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is highly regarded as the greatest wielder of the bow. Among aquatic creatures, the Lord is manifested as the largest fish, the Shark. The holy Ganges river is said to have originated from the feet of Lord Vishnu and was held back by Lord Shiva in His matted locks before being released to the earth. This is also considered to be His manifestation.

In essence, Lord Vishnu is seen as the beginning, middle, and end of the entire creation. It is believed that realizing the oneness of the Self leads to knowledge. This knowledge, too, is considered a manifestation of the divine.

When determining the truth, differences of opinion can arise. One who adamantly holds onto one's own viewpoint, disregarding discussions, is engaging in Vitanda. Criticizing or censuring others' opinions while holding onto one's own viewpoint is known as Jalpa. On the other hand, when one is genuinely interested in knowing the truth and analyzes the pros and cons of different opinions, and argues to prove what is right, it is referred to as Vaada, which is seen as a manifestation of the divine.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 29 & 30

4th August 2024

Lord Vishnu is depicted as one who is always in Yoga Nidra (blissful Self-absorption). He lies on the bed of a thousand-hooded serpent known as Ananta who keeps vigil for Him. This serpent is God's manifestation and is also worshipped as Adi Shesha, who incarnated as Lakshmana to accompany Sri Rama.

The earth floats on the water that supports it. The god of water is Varuna, the manifestation of God. Per Hindu mythology the pure souls who depart pass through the light of the Sun toward the world of Manes. The path is governed by Aryaman, the manifestation of God.

Any law requires a power that makes the law function efficiently. The law of Karma is maintained by God's manifestation known as Yama, which literally means 'control.'  Many devotees dedicated their lives to singing the glory of the Lord. The best among them is Prahlada, who is considered God's manifestation.

Along with creation came the calculation of time. Past, present, and future do not make sense without it. Time is the manifestation of God. The vehicles of Durga and Vishnu are Lion and Garuda respectively. They are manifestations of God.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 27 & 28

3rd August 2024

In ancient Hindu legend, it is said that when the celestial gods and their enemies, the asuras, began to churn the ocean to obtain the holy nectar of immortality, many divine manifestations occurred. First, an intensely potent poison emerged, which was later consumed by Lord Shiva to protect everyone. Vasuki, the fierce serpent, was used as the rope for churning the ocean and is also considered a divine manifestation.

Ucchaishravas, the divine horse, also manifested from the churning, symbolizing the deep learning attitude of a sincere student. Airavata, the divine elephant, represented the precious hidden wealth. Both are manifestations of God Himself.

A king is not only a ruler but also one who exemplifies morality, justice, and nobility. A king is considered God's manifestation of righteousness. Indra, the king of gods, wields a thunderbolt as his weapon to defeat the asuras and protect the gods. This weapon is also considered a manifestation of God.

Procreation in the world, not only among human beings but all living beings, occurs through copulation, which is triggered by mutual attraction. The God associated with this is Manmtha, also known as Kandarpa, who is also considered a manifestation of God.

  

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 25 & 26

2nd August 2024

The saints live both in the human world and in the celestial world. They are the connecting link between the two. Through them, we understand who God is, as they remain fully dedicated to serving God while being in the human world. One such saint is Sage Bhrgu, who is considered the manifestation of God Himself.

The Upanishads prescribe Om as the support for the mind to maintain attention on the Self. Chanting Om is also a way to bring ourselves closer to God's presence within us. The repetition of Om or any other name of God is known as Japa, which is also considered a manifestation of God.

The ancient traditions of all religions originating from India share the same sacred view of the Himalayas. Hindus worship them as God's abode, while Buddhists and Jains believe the mountains to be the abode of departed saints. Thus, the Himalayas are considered as His most beautiful manifestation on earth.

Hindus worship the Ashvatha tree as a divine manifestation of God because it represents the world, as mentioned in the 15th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Its roots are both above and below, symbolizing the continuity of life originated from God.

Sage Narada is celebrated as one of the eternal devotees of God, who continues to remind everyone about the glory of remembering God through singing. A well-known celestial singer, Chitraratha, and Sage Kapila, the giver of Sankhya Yoga to the world, are also considered as divine manifestations of God.

Gita reflection Ch 10 verses 23 & 24

1st August 2024

The followers of Vishnu are known as Vaishnavas, and the followers of Shiva are called Shaivas. These two main factions have existed for many centuries in Hindu society. However, Lord Krishna, although an incarnation of Vishnu, clarifies in his own words that he is also Shiva.

Brahman is one, and God who encompasses everything, is the manifestation of Brahman alone. In the absence of this knowledge, there is so much intolerance among religious fanatics. If only they went back to learn their own scriptures, they would realize how futile hatred and fanaticism are.

All the wealth of the world belongs to Him, so He is the protector of wealth known as Kubera. He is fire, one of the essential elements of the world, He is the Meru mountain, which is considered to be the center of the earth, and the Sea, which is the total reservoir of all water.

The Lord Himself is the Guru of the gods known as Brihaspati, and He is Skanda the commander of the divine army.