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A SELECTION OF 18 VERSES
Koosraj
INTRODUCTION: THE STUMBLING BLOCKS ON OUR LIFE PATH
Everyone attempts to act, react and interact in accordance with their own natural
predispositions and conditionings, even the educated/learned ones. The innate
forces of nature subconsciously compel all living beings into typical actions,
reactions and interactions. What can one do to regulate those nature-born
subconscious drives?
2. indriyasyendriyasyrthe rga-dveau vyavasthitau /
tayor na vaam gacchet tau hy asya paripanthinau // 3.34
indriyasya of the senses; indriyasya arthe in the sense objects; rga attachment; dveau
also detachment; vyavasthitau put under regulations; tayo of them; na not; vaam
control/sway; gacchet one should come; tau those; hi certainly; asya ones; paripanthinau
stumbling blocks.
One has the responsibility/charge of elevating oneself by oneself (in all areas of
life from a lower level to the highest possible level of achievement) and of never
downgrading oneself (by coming under the sway of compulsive impulses). Indeed,
one (ones mind) alone is ones own friend (helper) and one alone is ones own
enemy (offender).
[No escape, no excuse! Self-accountability in life and in society.]
One is a friend of oneself only when one has gained mastery over one ones mind
(by voluntarily and joyfully adhering to discipline and self-regulation). For one
who has failed to control/regulate ones mind, the unregulated mind indeed
becomes hostile and ever functions like ones own enemy (preventing one from
elevating oneself to ones highest possible level of achievement and fulfilment and
eventually causing harm and suffering.)
[The unregulated mind, driven by sensory objects, wild imagination and a compulsive urge for
immediate gratification, is like a car without brakes and steering wheel or an untamed horse:
they can never take us safely and joyfully to our cherished destination and provide lasting
happiness but will continuously subject us to anxiety, danger, harm and suffering.
na never; ati too much; anata for who eats; tu but; yoga self-fulfilment; asti there
is; na nor; ca also; ekntam ananata who eats too little; na nor; ca also; ati svapnalasya for one who sleeps too much; jgrata or one who keeps night vigil too long; na not;
eva ever; ca and; arjuna O Arjuna.
Staying steadfastly devoted to the Almighty Supreme Being as ones ultimate and
permanent noble goal in life, one should regulate all those sensory activities. One
whose sensory operations in relation to the mind are under control (balanced,
regulated), such one stays firmly rooted in wisdom (attains proficiency in yoga).
[Anyone having a permanent noble goal in life will adopt auspicious, healthy and wholesome
(vide: bhadram karnebhih) ways and means to achieve the sublime goal and will naturally
avoid ignoble and detrimental ways that will act as stumbling blocks. Steadfast devotion to the
Almighty Supreme Being is seen as a powerful spiritual support in achieving long-term
mastery over turbulent senses and in eventually getting firmly rooted in wisdom.]
AUSTERITY: TRAINING FOR GATHERING & SUBLIMATING ENERGY
Act and interact with respect and honour (and serve) towards the forces of nature
maintaining order and balance in the world or the godly representations of world
religions, towards the holy ones in all cultures, towards teachers (and parents)
grooming us and towards the wise ones enlightening us with their wisdom in all
fields of life; acting in order to maintain physical hygiene and cleanliness,
simplicity and uprightness (not getting involved in unnecessarily/inappropriate
activities), continence (conservation of vitality, not indulging in improper and
unnecessary sexual activities) and non-injury (non-violence) these are said to be
means of sublimating and conserving bodily energy for self-elevation, noble goal
attainment and enlightenment.
10. anudvega-kara vkya satya priya-hita ca yat /
svdhyybhyasana caiva v-maya tapa ucyate // 17.15
anudvega-karam not causing offence; vkyam words; satyam truthful; priya pleasant;
hitam benecial; ca also; yat which; svdhyya self elevation and enlightenment;
abhyasanam regular study, recitation; ca also; eva certainly; vk-mayam of speech; tapa
austerity; ucyate is said to be.
Speaking words that are not painful and offensive to anyone, that are truthful,
pleasing and also beneficial to all as well as the regular study/recitation of literature
(legal, moral, spiritual) that is self-purifying, elevating and illuminating these are
said to be means of sublimating and conserving verbal energy for self-elevation,
noble goal attainment and enlightenment.
11. mana-prasda saumyatva maunam tma-vinigraha /
bhva-sauddhir ity etat tapo mnasam ucyate // 17.16
mana-prasda cheerfulness of the mind; saumyatvam gentle feelings towards others; maunam
tendency towards silent contemplation; tma of mind; vinigraha control/restraint; bhva
of ones intentions/motives; sauddhi purication; iti thus; etat this; tapa austerity;
mnasam of the mind; ucyate is said to be.
By being devoted to every of ones own natural duties in different areas of life,
one attains competent/efficient execution and a sense of fulfilment and serenity.
How devotion to ones own natural duties/roles in life results in competency
(ability to cope/deal effectively with challenges) and positive actualisation of ones
potential to its peak level, now hear that (secret teaching)!
13. yata pravttir bhtn yena sarvam ida tatam /
sva-karma tam abhyarcya siddhi vindati mnava// 18.46
yata from whom; pravtti the emanation; bhtnm of all manifest entities; yena by
whom; sarvam all; idam this universe; tatam is pervaded/saturated; sva-karma by ones
own duties; tam That; abhyarcya by devoted worship; siddhim spiritual
competency/excellence; vindati achieves; mnava a human.
That Almighty Eternal Omnipresent Being from Whom all manifest entities of the
whole universe have emanated and by Whom the whole cosmos is ever fully
pervaded/saturated by devout worship of That (alone) through dedicated
performance of ones natural duties of daily life does a human being attain to
spiritual competency (total fulfilment, realisation of Self/Truth, enlightenment and
Oneness with the Whole/Goal: OneSelf).
[Karma Yoga means performance of ones life duties as dedicated worship of God Almighty,
the Source, Substance and Substratum of everything in existence, That is ever One in essence
with everything just like waves appearing as separate and different are one with the ocean and
never away or apart from it.]
When one sees the Supreme Being (All-pervading Almighty Source, Substance
and Substratum of everything) everywhere and at all times and also sees everything
as abiding in the Supreme Being (OneSelf) - then the Supreme Being is never lost
from such one and such one is also never away (lost, separate) from the Supreme
Being.
[This is the vision and realisation of Spiritual Oneness, of OneSelf, OneTruth. The wave need
not look up/away to the sky in search of the ocean. The wave is pervaded/saturated with the
ocean; waves and ocean are one and inseparable. This can happen only in imagination and
language but never in reality.]
This spiritual science/teaching, the most sacred and profound secret, has now been
revealed to you, O unerring one! A genuine understanding (followed by diligent
implementation) of this teaching can transform one into a really wise being with
an abiding sense of total fulfilment, a deep sense of having accomplished ones
duties and with nothing more left to be done.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The culprit here is compulsive craving (including lust and greed), it is anger
(triggered by thwarted cravings), born out of the state of passionate excitement and
imbalance in mind and translated in activities of daily life (that forcibly prompt
human beings to compulsively indulge in improper/offensive action and conduct,
even against ones will). It is insatiable and causes great suffering/harm to self and
others, both in the short run and long term. Know this (insatiable craving
associated with harmful wrath: two sides of the same coin) to be ones greatest
inner enemy (stumbling block) in this world.
18. tasmc chstra prama te krykrya-vyavasthitau /
jtv stra-vidhnokta karma kartum ihrhasi // 16.24
tasmt therefore; stram the written; pramam evidence, dictates; te your; krya
prescribed duty; akrya and forbidden activities; vyavasthitau in determining; jtv
knowing; stra of scripture; vidhna the regulations; uktam as declared; karma work;
kartum do; iha in this world; arhasi you should.
Therefore in determining what ones prescribed duty is and what is improper action
in daily life one should seek the written or validated moral, ethical, cultural and
legal regulations established for the land and society. Knowing such established
rules and regulations (of good governance), one should act in ones daily life in
such a way that one may be elevated towards achieving competency and fulfilment
at all levels.