विवेचन सारांश

Glimpses into The Great Epic Mahābhārata & The Śāstras

The 1st chapter of the Bhagavadgītā is Arjuna-Viṣāda-Yoga - The Yoga of Dejection of Arjuna.

It was Bhagavān’s blessings that today’s session happened on the auspicious day of Putrada Ekadashi. It was a pleasure for all the people attending the session, especially those who were on fast today.

The session began with the Auspicious Lighting of the traditional lamp that lights the steadfast flame, guiding us towards the path of Dharma, cleansing our Antaḥkaraṇa with the light of knowledge, shedding the path of Ignorance. Henceforth the below prayer was recited:

सदाशिवसमारम्भां शङ्कराचार्यमध्यमाम्।
अस्मदाचार्य पर्यन्तां वन्दे गुरु परम्पराम्॥

Meaning: Salutation to the lineage starting with Bhagavān Sadasiva, with Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya in between and upto my own preceptor I bow with reverence to the entire tradition of preceptors.

It was reiterated that with Bhagavān's grace, blessings of many saints and punya karmas of our previous birth, one gets the opportunity to learn Gītā and to spread the knowledge gained herein. One should keep contemplating on the concepts of Bhagavadgītā. And a time would come when one becomes ready to give back to the society.

It might seem odd why chapter 1 is taught in level 3 of Geeta Parivar. In our Shashtrik paddyati (methodology) there is no compulsion of sequence. Instead, the rule is to understand the meanings.

Let's suppose if the course started with the first chapter, where Arjuna was dejected and deluded, and the second chapter where in Bhagavān discussed higher level concepts like sthitaprajña lakshana (the characteristics of the Man of Perfection), one would not be able to understand the text. This might discourage one and may lead to leave the study in-between.

Param Pujya Swami Govind Giri Maharaj ji envisioned this sequence, in order to connect asa many people as possible with Gītā. We have got this opportunity of learning Bhagavadgītā with the easiest possible method. So, after completing 6 chapters, finally 1st chapter is being taken up for learning.

So far the following chapters of the Bhagavadgītā have been covered:

• Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga - Yoga of Devotion
• Chapter 15, Puruṣottama Yoga - The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality
• Chapter 16, Daivāsura-Sampad-Vibhāga-Yoga - The Yoga of Discrimination between the Divine and the Demoniacal properties
• Chapter 9,  Rājavidyā-Rājaguhya-Yoga - The Yoga of the Sovereign Science and the Sovereign Secret
• Chapter 14, Guṇatraya-Vibhāga-Yoga - The Yoga of Classification of the Three Gunas
• Chapter 17, Śraddhā-Traya-Vibhāga-Yoga - The Yoga of Classification of the Threefold faith

Chapter 12 is the smallest chapter and talks about Bhakti (devotion). The said concept is very common and easily understood by people. After finishing the 12 th chapter one gets to know the characteristics of a Bhakta (devotee), and how one can become a favourite of Bhagavān.

After going through the above 6 chapters, we get the Patrata (eligibility) to understand the higher concepts of Bhagavadgītā. In level three 6 chapters of slightly deeper concepts would be covered.

• Chapter 1, Arjuna-Viṣāda-Yoga - The Yoga of Dejection of Arjuna
• Chapter 3, Karma Yoga-The Path of Selfless Service.
• Chapter 4, Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga - The Yoga of Knowledge and disciplines of Action and Knowledge
• Chapter 5, Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga - The Yoga of Action and Knowledge
• Chapter 6, Ātma-Saṃyam-Yoga also called Dhyan Yoga - The Yoga of Self-Control
• Chapter 7, Jñāna-Vijñāna-Yoga - The Yoga of Jñāna (Knowledge of Nirguna Brahma) and Vijñāna (Knowledge of Manifest Divinity or Self Knowledge and Enlightenment)

Why are all the chapters of Bhagavadgītā called Yoga?  Yoga means connection or to get attached to something. So, getting attached to the Divine is Yoga.

Then the question arises as to why the first chapter is also referred to as Yoga (Arjuna-Viṣāda-Yoga)? Specially, when Arjuna is in despondency. This is because he has surrendered to Bhagavān which made him connect to HIM. That was his love for Krishna.

In the second chapter he tells HIM:

kārpaṇya-doṣhopahata-svabhāvaḥ pṛichchhāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-chetāḥ

yach-chhreyaḥ syānniśhchitaṁ brūhi tanme śhiṣhyaste ’haṁ śhādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam||2.7||

I am Your disciple and have surrendered to You. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me.

In Shloka 24th of the 16th Chapter, HE had said:

tasmāch chhāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitau

jñātvā śhāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi ||16.24||

Bhagavān said that the scriptures guide one in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Therefore one must perform only those actions that are ordained by the scriptures or Śāstras .

What are Śāstras? Bhagavān explained this in the above shloka:

kāryākārya-vyavasthitau: Śāstra tells us what we should do and what we should not do. They lay the principles of discipline.

Hence, in sanskrit they are defined as Anushasyati Iti Śāstram ie. that which instills a sense of discipline is Śāstra.

Śāstras teach us how we can discipline ourselves from morning to night. "Pratahkala Darabhya Ratri Kala Padyantam" ie. from the time one gets up in the morning and till the time one sleeps, Śāstras tell what one should do. They also explain why one has got this human form and what one should do to make it beneficial?

"अङ्गानि वेदाश्चत्वारो मीमांसा न्यायविस्तरः। पुराणं धर्मशास्त्रं च विद्या ह्येताश्चतुर्दश ॥ २८ ॥"

Bhagavadgītā and all the granthas (scriptures) are the Śāstras.

Below is the Sanskrit verse that explains the six Vedangas (which teach how one should learn Vedas).

शिक्षा कल्पों व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दसां चयः । ज्योतिषामयनं चैव वेदाङ्गनि षडेव तु ।

The Vedas are said to possess six limbs in the form of the Six Vedangas. These Six Vedangas are extremely important. The combined knowledge of the Vedas and the Vedangas are greater prospect for understanding spiritual knowledge.

Following 6 are the Vedangas and are considered as the Vidya Sthanas (as the sources of Knowledge).

• Shiksha Śāstra
• Kalpa Sutra
• Vyakaranam
• Niruktas give references where a specific word is used in vedas, as the same word can have different meanings. They give meaning as per the context.
• Chhanda Śāstra : In Bhagavadgītā two Chhandas are used (Anushtup & Trishtup). However there are Vedic Chhandas, Laukik Chhandas, Matric Chhandas, and Vernic Chhandas.
• Jyotish Śāstra: To know all about time and space.

Śāstras, have one more concept. These can be further categorised into the following depending on their origin:  

• Shruti: The Vedas
• Smiriti: The concepts of Vedas are given in an easy manner for easy comprehension of common people.
• Puranas: All the Dharmic & Vedic methods are given in the form of stories. We have mainly 18 Puranas (Brahma, Padma, Vishnu, Shiva, Devi Bhagavatam, Narad, Markandeya, Agneya, Bhavishya, Brahmavaivarta, Linga, Varaha, Skanda, Vamana, Kurma, Matsya, Garuda and Brahmanda Puranas).
• Itihasa: Mahabharata & Ramayana come under this category.

One interesting fact is that Bhagavadgītā is one grantha (scripture) which contains the teachings of all four Śāstras given above. As Bhagavadgītā is the gist of Vedas and Upnishads. Hence it is a Shruti. Since it explains complex concepts in an easy manner for all to understand it is Smiriti.

Veda Vyasa Ji is the composor of all the Puranas and he has also written Mahabharata. Bhagavadgītā forms the 25th to 42nd chapters of Bhisma Parva of Mahabharata, having 700 shlokas and 18 chapters. That is why it falls under Itihasa too.

When we say that Bhagavadgītā is part of Mahabharata, then one must know some facts about the epic as well. Like for example, Why is the epic called Mahabharata?

There is a very interesting story behind this. The original name of Mahabharata is Jaya Samhita. In older times there was a system to name the text according to the number of chapters. Position of Ja in the hindi varnamala is 8, and Ya is at 1 position. So accordingly Gītā should have 81 chapters. Since Gītā comprises of 18 chapters, it was explained that in earlier times the placement of numbers was in reverse order. That is why it was named Jaya Samhita though it comprised 18 chapters.

Once there was a discussion among the Devas as to which is the heavier Grantha, Jaya Samhita or the Vedas. Both were put on a scale and Jaya Samhita was found heavier.

Mahabharata is not just one book. Geeta Press's detailed Mahabharata comes in 6 volumes and abridged one comes in two volumes.

However, originally Mahabharata had 60 lakhs shlokas. Those however are not available today because from these 60 lakhs shlokas, 30 lakh shlokas were given to Swarga loka. Narada Rishi sings them in Swarga. 15 lakhs shlokas were given to Pitra loka, and are sung by Ashitdev Munis. And 14 lakh shlokas were given to Yaksh loka. There Sukhadev Muni, a Yaksha sings these shlokas. Remaining 1 lakh shlokas was given to the Manushya loka. Those shlokas are the ones which are available to us and were sung by Vaishampayana Rishi for Jaya Samhita. However, amongst 1 lakh also, all the shlokas are not available now.

Vedas are also known as Bharata. Since Jaya Samhita was heavier than Bharata, it came to be known as Mahabharata, basis the weight of the Grantha. However, in-terms of knowledge, Vedas occupy a higher position. So, in order to keep this differentiation, Mahabharata was called the Pancha Veda (the fifth Veda).

Veda Vyas ji after the composition of the Vedas and Puranas was not satisfied with what he had penned. So, he went to Brahmā ji and told Him that he was not satisfied with his works. That is when Brahmā ji ordered Veda Vyasa ji to write Mahabharata. The thought excited him, but he doubted that he would not be able to write his thoughts as they flowed in his mind, as the speed would not match. Brahmā ji suggested that he should take the help of Ganesh ji to pen down his composition. Veda Vyasa ji liked the idea and reached out to Ganesh Ji, who initially was a little skeptical about taking up this work. So, in order to avoid, He put a condition to Veda Vyasa ji, that if His pen stopped at any moment, He would stop writing. Veda Vyas ji accepted the condition on the pretext that Ganesh Ji would write only after comprehending his composition. This is how 60 lakh shlokas were composed by Veda Vyasa Ji and written by Ganesh ji. Whenever he required more time, Veda Vyasa ji would come up with tougher shlokas which Ganesh ji took longer to comprehend, thus slowing down His speed. As per statistics out of 60 lakhs shlokas, 88 thousand shlokas are composed with tougher words and are called as Kutaślokas.

Veda Vyas ji narrated Mahabharata to Ganesh ji, following which Vaishampayana Rishi narrated the same to Janamejaya, who was a descendant of the Kuru dynasty.