विवेचन सारांश

Manifest and Unmanifest form of worship - Bhakthi yoga

This chapter commences with Arjuna's question to understand different forms of worship as described by Bhagavan in previous chapters. Vedas are the main source of knowledge and because of Vedas, we are able to know everything, we are able to talk, walk, and Vedas are considered as the exhales of the supreme, whereas Gita is the direct voice of lord. When we are getting this opportunity to learn Gita, we must take advantage of it.  

Some may have doubts in the mind and want to understand the reason why Level 1 has started with 12th Chapter. Some even thought they have joined the wrong group. The reason being; 12th & 15th chapters are relatively the smallest chapters so we start with 12th after learning it confidence gets built to proceed with the rest of the chapters. Beginning the sacred journey of Gita if we start with chapter 1 wherein 47 verses are there, one may loose the confidence and there remains a possibility of giving up.

Firstly gaining confidence is very important and secondly 12th chapter deals with 'Bhakti yoga' or the Yoga of devotion which sets the tone for the spiritual journey.

Having completed 10 shlokas in this chapter, we have gathered for this discourse and will try to understand the essence of the teachings.

Whenever we start learning something as per scriptures and our culture we have to understand the concepts first. For example: If one says table is round, we have to understand what is a table and what is round and so on.

Similarly when we want to understand the 12th chapter, we must know the components. Bhagavadgita is the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. Here the components are Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Arjuna and the Bhagavadgita. We may feel we know and understand but there are some hidden points in this.

Firstly who is Arjuna whom we possibly imagine as a young man in late 30s, very much tense and depressed and does not want to fight. We may also think that he is also like us as troubled like us, stressed like us and does not want to fight as we feel at times. But it is not so.

Arjuna in this instance of Geetopadesha is 84 year old mature person and he was a warrior who remained undefeated in his life. He had won thousands of battles and even pleased Bhagavan shiva in a Wrestling bout (mallayudha).

Arjuna followed the diktats of dharma so intensely that he accepted a curse from Urvashi but did not accept her. This curse eventually became a boon for him to adorn the guise of Brihannala during the Pandavas exile wherein the final year they had to live incognito.

The Pandavas were sent to exile for 13 years and lived in forest but Arjuna lived for 12 more years because of the incident when he entered the palace of Yudhishtira while he was playing dice with Draupadi. As per the agreement Arjuna kept his word and went to forest for 12 more years and did not give up on dharma.

Arjuna is also named 'guḍākeśa', as he won over sleep. When he was performing penance to acquire the divine asthras (weapons), he did not want to fall asleep. Whenever he felt sleepy he would sit on a branch of the tree hanging over the river. If he fell asleep he would fall into the river and wake up. He continued to do this for 6 months until he could conquer sleep. Arjuna was also the only person to have gone to swarg (Heaven) when he was alive.  

Before him Satyavrat had tried to go to heaven but was thrown out by Indira the the King of devas and hence he got stuck in between Earth and Heaven and is known as 'Trishanku'. Sage Vishwamitra also tried but could not enter the Heaven. So one notices such a man of determination, strength, knowledge has turned vulnerable and did not want to wage the war.

अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीम्- अष्टादशाध्यायिनीम् अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्- गीते भवद्वेषिणीम्

O Divine mother, she who showers Elixir of Advaita on us, O mother of 18 chapters, I meditate on thee, O Bhagavad gita, the destroyer of illusion of manifestation

The Bhagavadgita was meant to make Arjuna understand and was addressed by Narayan Bhagavan himself. The gist of vedas are upanishads, gist of upanishad is gita and gist of gita is the sharanagathi or surrender to the supreme and gist of this is 'Bhakti yoga as in 12th chapter'.

Question may arise as to why Bhagavan said this only to Arjuna and not to any other like; Duryodhana, or Dushyasana or any one else.

Ādi Śankarācārya had mentioned in Shankar Bhashya; in order to spread knowledge, it should be taught first to someone who has more gunas (qualities), otherwise it remains static.

One who is having good qualities than anyone, if something is conveyed to him it will spread the good word to all. If it is told to someone who does not have the good qualities it does not get spread and loses the intent. How is Arjuna judged to have more good qualities?