A Study of the Bhagavadgita :10-9. Swami Krishnananda.

 ==============================================================

===============================================================

Tuesday, April 12, 2022. 20:00.

Chapter 10: The Hidden Meaning of the Seventh Chapter of the Gita-9.

================================================================

Arjuna knew the power of Sri Krishna and his ability, which did not consist in his actions, but consisted in his being. The sun does not act with hands and feet; the very existence of the sun is the activity of the sun. The very existence of God is the activity of God. The millions of soldiers that Duryodhana took were like drops, though they were millions in number. But Sri Krishna was an ocean which can swallow all the drops, though it was one. Numerical computation does not work here because the one is greater than the millions.

So the jnani expects nothing from God. “I want to be free from distress; I want to be relieved of pain; I want knowledge; give me this, give me that – no! I want you,” as Arjuna said.

 Udaraḥ sarva evaite (Gita 7.18): 

I am pleased with all these devotees. The greatness of God also consists in His kindness, mercy, motherly feeling. The Almighty is not merely a judiciary in the cosmos. He will not smile before a client. But here is a mother and a tender caretaker of the littlest of babies. “Even a crawling, insect-like devotee is dear to Me because he wants Me. Let him want Me in his own way.”

It is said in the Ramayanam – it is not in written books, but the story is told – that when Rama built a bridge, big monkeys were lifting huge loads of stones and throwing them on the bridge to complete it quickly, and there was a squirrel that also wanted to be of assistance to Rama. What could the squirrel do? It could not carry stones. It was so devoted and thrilled with the prospect of being of some service to this great master, it rolled on the sand and shook whatever sand that stuck to its fur onto the bridge, with the sincere feeling that it was also adding some material, some sand particles, towards the bridge's construction.

Now, service is actually not what you give, but how you give it. Charity is not the material that is offered but the manner in which it is offered – the intention and feeling behind it. Your heart is what is charitable, not your external faculties. Your tenderness of feeling when you give something, even if it is a hard thing to do, is a charity; but if you give millions in a disgruntled manner, it is not charity. Rama, it seems, was so thrilled with this little squirrel, much more than he was with Hanuman and the monkeys, that he caught hold of it and passed his fingers over its back in great compassion. People say that the three white lines that you see on the back of a squirrel are due to the three fingers that Rama passed on its back. This is the belief of devotees.

Udaraḥ sarva evaite: 

All are dear to Me; there is no partiality on My side. Yet, he adds one proviso. 

Jnani tv atmaiva me matam: 

All the devotees are dear to Me, but I cannot say the jnani is dear to Me; he is Me. Here is the difference between a jnani and a devotee, though the jnani can also be regarded as a devotee in the highest order in the sense that he wants that which can give everything.

To be continued ....

==========================================================