Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12- Bhakti Yoga

[Payyubg]

Slokas 6&7:

In these two slokas, complete surrender to Bhagawan is emphasized .Bhagawan is to be the only goal as he is supreme.
Renunciation of all actions is thus a natural consequence of this. Any activity,however, should be dedicated to Bhgawan, constantly being conscious of the fact that He is responsible for everything that happens around us.
To constantly keep Him in our thoughts at any given moment is the yoga that has to be practiced. Only this absolute surrender to the divine will save us from the entanglements of the ocean of samsara. Any doubts , limitations and imperfections arising in the mind of such a Bhaktha will be undoubtedly removed by His divine grace .

[nikhil1707]

Verse 1

Arjun has doubt to who he should worship either Sakaar or Nirakaar.How we could imagine that God has a form.Even touht the Arjuna clearly knew that God Almighty was Nirakaar in form... still, engrossed in emotional thoughts when faced with relatives and friends in the opposite army... his faith in God Almighty dwindled in this confusion.

Verse 2

When Arjuna sought guidance from Lord Krishna to understand difference between worshipping God in Sakaar form (having a form) or Nirakaar form of God (having no form)... Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, one who while concentrating ones mind on me indulges in Bhajan Kirtans and worships me in Sakaar form (having a form)... such seekers of God is a Yogi most acceptable to me.
Lord Krishna further says to Arjuna that total submission to God Almighty in such cases were essential, necessitated. Unless one had absolute faith in God Almighty (termed Shraddha in Hinduism) one could never come near to God. Bhajans Kirtans carried no meaning if one indulged in them merely as rituals.
Total submission to God Almighty demanded indulgence in karma that was all the time directed towards God Almighty. Furthermore, one should always be free of all attachments, bondages of material world. One should always see God in all living beings. Only then a human being was competent to travel spiritual path... indulge in bhakti yoga, karma yoga as was meant to be.

Verse 3 & 4

Lord Krishna while expounding the difference between worshipping God in Sakaar form (having a form) and Nirakaar form of God (having no form) tells Arjuna that human beings who after establishing absolute control over five senses finally succeeded in controlling power of mind. They ultimately realize that God can only be reached via Nirakaar form of God (having no form).
Truly God Almighty always was Nirakaar in form (having no form). God Almighty (termed Brahman in Hinduism) is that entity which from beginning of time was embodiment of truth but only truth, beyond perception of senses and mind, was eternal, unchanging... existing from beginning of time, could neither birth or die. To reach such an unmanifest one required yoga of highest order. Yogis for whom entire humanity becomes one large family, unable to distinguish one from another... one who all the time engaged in welfare of entire mankind finally succeeded in reaching God forever.
Believers of the fact that God Almighty was one and only one (termed Brahman in Hinduism)... such Yogis par excellence, true seekers of spirituality... believing in impartiality of God Almighty finally paved their way to abode of God (kingdom of God)... termed Vaikuntha in Hinduism! Only a true believer of God finally realizes that God was everywhere and beyond comprehension of most human beings. With limited power of senses, mind and intellect (buddhi)... one could never comprehend in totality what God Almighty was all about.
Those who believed in the fact that God Almighty was the only truth of life and manifest world was just an illusion... finally reached God in their lifetime! Bhagavad Gita chapter 12 verses 3 - 4 finally confirms that Nirakaar form of God (having no form) was the only and right way to worship God. Worshipping God in any other mode other than Nirakaar form of God (having no form) was meaningless on path of pure spirituality

[sathiavathi]

hari om
verses 6 and 7
Actions are of two types.One is worldly activities undertaken to maintain and progress the material existence of the physical body such as obtaining food, shelter and material development. The other is spiritual activities enjoined by the injuctions of the vedic scriptures such as proptiation to the supreme Lord, absence of violence to any living being , charity etc. In short every act without an
ulterior motive and without a hopeful gain. He does all actions without any motive except for satisfying the supreme being. He offer all activities
as devotion to him, keeping him alone as their sole goal. To such devotees who always are in communion
with Lord Krishna in their hearts and minds ,He himself personally becomes their saviour by being
their samurdharta or deliverer from mrtyusamsara-sagarat or the deadly ocean of the perpectual cycle of birth and death. He becomes indebted to them so
much so that He personally goes and rescue them and promotes them to the immortal spiritual worlds .

[sunilgoel29]

Hari Om!

My name is Sunil Goel. I live in Nigeria. I was undergoing studies under Brahmacharya Pranipata ji through Skype sessions for about three years. I have gone thru a number of Prakarana texts and was in-between Bhagawad Gita and Vivekachudamani when Br Panipata Ji passed away. I would be interested in joining this group under category 2. I am currently also attending webinars of swami Advayananda Ji on Panchadasi and Jivan Mukti viveka.

Pranaams!

In Shri Guru Smriti

Sunil Goel

[murugans61]

Hari Om
Whether Saguna Bhakti or Nirguna Bhakthi, which is superior, there can be no direct answer as they can not be compared. Everyone has to go through both and one can reach the Lord finally through nirguna bhakthi, which is jnana yoga, the direct means of liberation. But , the Lord points out that this will be difficult for unprepared mind. Virad upasaka will be rescued from samsara as he becomes fit for jnana yoga and attains liberation through knowledge.

Pranams

[murugans61]

Hari OM

Let's take Shloka 8 and 9 for our study and reflection.

Shloka 8
Mayyeva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim nivesaya
Nivasisyasi mayyeva ata urdhvam na samsayah
Mayi – on Me
Eva – only
Mana- the mind
Adhatsva- fix
Mayi – in Me
Buddhim- (thy) intellect
Nivesaya – place
Nivasisyasi – thou shalt live
Mayi- in Me
Eva- Alone
Ata urdhvam- hereafter
Na- not
Samsayah – doubt
Fix your mind on Me only, place your intellect in Me; then, ( therafter) you shall, no doubt, live in Me alone.

Shloka 9
Atha cittam samdhatum na saknosi mayi sthiram
Abhyasa yogena tato mam icchaptum dhananjaya
Atha – if
Cittam- the mind
Samadhatum – to fix
Na- not
Saknosi – (thou) art able
Mayi – in Me
Sthiram – steadily
Abhyasa yogena – by the Yoga of constant practice
Tatah – then
Mam- Me
Iccha- wish
Aptum – to reach
Dhananjaya – O Dhananjaya

Pranams

[sganesh0112]

would like to rejoin the forum and start interacting

[Arvind]

Hari Om Ganesh ji,

Please welcome back and do participate in the thread of discussions going.

Wishing you a memorable and joyful learning experience.

Pranams
Arvind

[Arvind]

Slokas 8 & 9:

The Lord had earlier spoken about saguna and nirguna Brahman and had also said that for one who is embodied - for him saguna upasana is better. Absorption of mind is more important.

Now the Lord from Sloka 8-11 talks about the various sadhana levels. In Sloka 8 is the highest goal to be reached- where the Lord says that the mind and intellect are absorbed in Him effortlessly. By mind one loves the Lord, by intellect he reveres the Lord. So both Love and reverence is there. As Pujya Gurudev says both 'head' and 'heart' is involved so it is not mere sentimentalism nor just philosophical speculation. Hence 'mind' means devotion to the saguna Brahman, and the intellect understands the 'ideal' behind the saguna - Hence both are required to transcend the limited ego.

For one whose mind and intellect is absorbed in Him and Him alone, the Lord frees Him from samsara. Do not doubt says the Lord, for such matters cannot be perceived but can only be understood because the Lord says so.

Now for one for whom effortless abidance in Brahman is not possible, the Lord says do 'abhyasa' in Sloka 9. 'Abhyasa' is a conscious attempt by the seeker to be alert and practice putting the distracted mind again and again in the Self. By such effortful practice the process of abidance becomes effortless. Hence all efforts at meditation, upasana, japa etc fall in this category where we are trying to make the mind single pointed. The Lord says by this process also you will reach Me: meaning by this practice (of being being alert and bringing back the mind to God) your abidance will become effortless and then you will reach Me. That is to be understood.

[sathiavathi]

HARI OM

VERSE-8
The Supreme Lord himself is the saviour of his surrendered devotees who exclusively perform loving devotion to Him. He rescues them from the perpectual cycle of birth and death devouring all in material existence and bestows upon them his own nature of endless bliss. Here Lord is instructing Arjuna to act as his devotees do. By focusing his mind on Lord alone, which is the most auspicious abode for the mind, He is adored and beloved by His devotees and the Lord of all lords.With the mind and intellect absorbed in the supreme Lord one will certainly abide with Him in His eternal spiritual abode at the end of this flickering physical existence.

VERSE-9
In this verse Lord presents an alternative method for those who have not the equanimity of mind to continuously think of Him without distraction. He instructs to strive to remember Him while restraining the mind from pursuing wordly affairs through repeated practice of meditating on his divine glories such as his infinite beauty, sweetness,power,compassion etc. He can chant his holy names with affection and blissfully sing hymns to his glories.

[sganesh0112]

Hari Om!

As I think, I was just dwelling upon relating the type of Bhakta with the type of Bhakti.

As per Shloka 8, a Bhakta who completely surrenders to the Lord intellectually with full equanimity of mind, may be categorised as Sattva Guna Pradhan Bhakta.
Shloka 9, a Bhakta who does not have the equanimity of mind pursues the wordly affairs through repeated practice of meditating on his divine glories such as his infinite beauty, sweetness,power,compassion etc., may be categorised as Rajo Guna Pradhan Bhakta

Pranams and Hari Om!

Ganesh

[Payyubg]

Sloka 8:
To place one's mind and intellect at Bhagawan's feet is by no means easy. The Lord urges us to do so however, with complete faith and concentration. If we can see Bhagawan in everything our senses can perceive and in everything our intellect thinks ,understands , processes and feels, then the false sense of plurality would disappear and instead the unity or singularity which is the absolute truth would be the only thing that remains. All boundaries are broken and we experience the oneness with the Supreme Lord.

Sloka 9:
This is easier said than done. Bhagawan urges Arjuna to practice this yoga constantly in order to achieve this blissful state.

[murugans61]

Hari Om
Thank you all for your excellent reflections.
Upasana on virad or istadevata becomes the preparatory step for Jnanayoga. Such upasaka, who is fit for Jnanayoga,will be rescued from Samsara by the Lord through knowledge.

We will wait till Sunday and start the next set of verses for our study.

Pranams

[murugans61]

Hari OM
Let us move on to the next set of 3 Shlokas.

Shloka 10

Abhyase-py-asamartho-‘si matkarma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmai kurvan siddhim avapsyasi.
Ahyase- in practice
Api – also
Asamarthah – not capable
Asi – ( you) are
Mat-karma-paramah – intent on doing actions for my sake
Bhava- be
Mad-artham – for my sake
Api – also
Karmani – actions
Kurvan – by doing
Siddhim – perfection
Avapsyasi – you shall attain.

If you are unable to practice Abhyasa- yoga, be you intent on performing actions for My sake; even by doing actions for My sake, you shall attain perfection.

Shloka 11

Athai-tad apy-asakto-si kartum mad-yogam asritah
Sarva-karma-phala-tyagam tatah kuru yat-atmavan

Atha- if
Etad-this
Api- also
Asktah- unable
Asi- ( you) are
Kartum- to do
Matyogam- My yoga
Asritah – refuged in
Sarva karma phala tyagam – the renunciation of the fruits of all actions
Tatah – then
Kuru – do
Yat-atmavan – self controlled

If you are unable to do even this, then taking refuge in Me, self-controlled, renounce the fruits of all actions.

Shloka 12

Sreyo hi jnanam abhyasat jnanad dhyanam visisyate
Dhyanat karma-phala-tyagas tyagac chantir-anantaram

Sreyah – better
Hi- indeed
Jnanam- knowledge
Abhyasat- than practice
Jnanat- than knowledge
Dhyanam- meditation
Visisyate – is better
Dhyanat- than meditation
Karma phala tyagah – the renunciation of the fruits of action
Tyagat – from renunciation
Santih – peace
Anantaram – immediately.

Knowledge is indeed better than practice; meditation is better than knowledge; renunciation of the fruits of actions is better than meditation; peace immediately follows renunciation.

Let us post our reflections on the above three shlokas.

Pranams