GEETA DHYANAM -3. Sri Madhusudana Saraswati

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Sunday, June 12, 2022. 22:00.

Meditation on the Bhagavad Geeta :  (9 Slokas)

Slokam-3. The Beloved Divine Krishna

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Slokam-3

"Prapanna paarijataya, otra vetra eka panaye; 

jnana mudraya krishnaya, geeta-amrita duhe namah."

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1 prapanna paarijataya,   =  Who is the “Tree of Fulfillment”, i.e. the bestower of desires for those 

who take refuge in Him;

2 totra vetra eka panaye;   =  Who holds a cane (flute) in one hand (to drive home the herd of 

cattle under His protection);

3 jnana mudraya krishnaya,   =  And the Jnana Mudra or symbol of Knowledge (in the other); to 

Thee, O Krishna! –

4 geeta-amrita duhe namah.     =   Who has milked the nectar of the Geeta – my salutations!

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A slokam has been dedicated to the hero of this text, the Lord Himself, who delivered

this message. As symbolism runs throughout this Geeta Dhyanam, this verse is no exception,

having four similes running through it, one in each Pada, like a relay of similes!

1 Parijataya: the “tree of fulfillment”, which is a shady spot of relief to travelers.

He fulfills the wishes of all who seek refuge in Him, that is, surrender to Him. The Parijaata

tree is also called the Kalpataru, the tree of fulfillment.

2 Totra Vetra: This is the cane-stick that is used to drive cattle in the fields. It was a

flute in the case of Krishna. The flute has become a symbol for total self-surrender. Just as

the hollowness of a bamboo stick (cane) produces the sweet sound, so also when the

devotee empties himself of egoism, the Lord draws him to His lips and plays the sweet

music of pure deeds through him.

3 Jnana Mudra: This is another famous symbol used for meditation. The Jnana

Mudra is represented by holding the thumb and the index finger tips together and keeping

the other three fingers side by side pointing downwards with the palms facing up. The back

of the palms are then placed on the respective knees during meditation.

This position symbolizes the union of the Jiva with Brahman by completely

transcending the three Gunas (the three fingers pointing down). The Gunas are the threads

that form the fabric of life. The three fingers can also be taken to represent the three

bodies, namely, the gross, subtle and causal bodies, which are transcended by the

meditator.

4 Duhe: “milk”. This is a simile which we are going to elaborate on as an extended

metaphor in the next slokam…

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Next - Slokam- 4. The Cow, Cowherd & Milk of Geeta

To be continued .....

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