by uma » Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:53 am
Hari Om. Pranam.
Many thanks to Sathyavathiji for giving a gist of what we are going to learn in the fifth chapter.
Here are the verses 1 to 2 for our discussion. Please post your thoughts,
your study notes, reflections on these verses.
Offering this garland of verses to you O Krishna with Love from all of
us...please help us in our studies.
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अथ पञ्चमोSध्याय:
अर्जुन उवाच
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि |
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितं ||१ ||
arjuna uvaach
sannyasam karmanaam krushna punaryogam na shamsasi
yacchrey etayorekam tanme bruhi sunischitam
संन्यासं -renunciation, कर्मणां- of actions, कृष्ण: -O Krishna, पुन: -again, योगं-Yoga, च- and, शंससि-(you) praise, यत्- which, श्रेय: -better, एतयो: -of the two, एकं - one, तत् -that, मे-to me, ब्रूहि - tell, सुनिश्चितं -conclusively
Arjuna said:
1. Renunciation of actions, O Krishna, You praise and again Yoga, performance of actions. Tell me conclusively that which is the better of the two.
श्री भगवानुवाच
संन्यास: कर्मयोगश्च नि:श्रेयसकरावुभौ |
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ||२ ||
Shree Bhagavaanuvaach
sanyaash karamayogascha ni:shreyasakaraavubhou
tayostu karmasanyaasaatkarmayoga vishishyate
संन्यास: -renunciation, कर्म-योग: -Yoga of action, च- and, नि:श्रेयस्करौ -leading to the highest bliss, उभौ -both, तयो: - of these two, तु -but, कर्म-संन्यासात - than renunciation of action, कर्म - योग: - Yoga of action, विशिष्यते -is superior
The Blessed Lord said:
2. Renunciation of action and Yoga of action both lead to the highest bliss, but of the two, Yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action.
HGRR
Terms and Definitions:
1 What are the mantra, brahmana and aranyaka divisions of the Vedas?
The " mantra" portion of the Vedas expresses an all- absorbing sense of wonderment of the deluded at the sight of Nature's vastness in strength and beauty. The "brahmana" portion prescribes ways and means by which ritualistic activities can be undertaken for the satisfaction of one's material desires. fter the" brahmana" portion, therre is, in all the textbooks of Veda, a separate section called the " aranyaka" which prescribes varieties of worship-methods called the" upasanas", which are to be undertaken by pure minds uncontaminated by any desire.
Thoughts and Concepts
1. How does Arjuna's question in the third chapter differ from that of the fifth chapter?
The fifth chapter opens with a doubt raised by Arjuna. It is almost similar to but not the same as the one he raised at the beginning of the third chapter. At the end of Sri Krishna's discourses in chapter II, the disturbed mind of Arjuna could not come to a definite decision whether action had any place at all in the life of Spiritual-seeking, and hence his question on the knowleldge versus action at the beginning of the third chapter. But in the fifth chapter, the Pandava Prince only asks which of the two - renunciation of action or participation in action - is the nobler and greater. (Introduction)
2. What is Arjuna's question at the beginning of chapter five?
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि |
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितं ||१ ||
Samnyaasam karmanaam Krishna punaryogam ca samsasi
yacchreya etayorekam tanme bruhi sunishcitam
Renunciation of actions, O Krishna, you praise again and again Yoga performance of actions. Tell me conclusively that which the the better of the two. (5.1)
3. Renunciation of action and full participation in action are two different exercises to be practiced serially and not simultaneously. (5.1)
4. What are three stages in the spiritual process of self-evolution?
The spiritual process of self-evolution falls into three stages:
(1) Desire prompted activity
(2) Selfless dedicated activity
(3) quiet Meditation
Man is esstentially prone to be inert. If left to temselves, the majority of men would demand in life only food to eat, with the elast amount of exertion and plenty of idle hours. From this unproductive inertia, the first stage of man's growth in his being awakened to activity, and this is the most easily and efficently done when the individual's desires are whipped up. Thus, in the firststage of his evolution, desire prompted activity takes man out of his mental and intellectual inertia to vigorous activity.
In the second stage of his growth, he becomes tired of the desire motivated activities, and feels energetic hen advised to spend at least a few hours in a noble field, with a spirit of dedication and service. Such activities are generally undertaken in the service of others, where the individual works with the least ego.
When an individual in the second stage of self development works with his ego subdued, in a spirit of devotion and dedication, he comes to exhaust his vasanas. Thus unloaded, his mind and intellect develope the wings of meditation and become capable of taking longer flights into the subtle realms of joy and peace. This is the third stage in seeker's self evolution. (5.2)
Selections for Reflection:
1 The secret wealth of the Vedas, which was enjoyed by only a choice few, was" nationalised" to become a free heritage to be enjoyed by all seekers among mankind. With this subtle missionary work, Sri Krishna brought Hinduism and its scientific methods within the reaach of every man living in the world.
2 Desireless activities ( yajnas) make fine adjustments in the mind and intellect equipment of seekers and provide them with a pair of wings with which they can fly across the finite straight into the realms of the Infinite