GEETA DHYANAM - 7. Sri Madhusudana Saraswati.

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Thursday, July 07, 2022. 06:00. 

Meditation on the Bhagavad Geeta :  (9 Slokas)

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Slokam - 7: The Geeta as a Lotus Flower

 "Parashary a vachah  sarojam amalam geeta,  artha gandha utkatam,  

nana akhyanaka  kesaram hari-katha,  sambodhana abodhitam;         

 loke sajjana  shat-padaih ahah ahah,  pepiyamanam muda,            

 bhuyat bharata  pangkajam kalimala  pradhvamsi nah shreyase."    

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Translation :

1. parasharya vachah  sarojam amalam geeta,  artha gandha utkatam,  =  The 

words of the son (Vyasa) of Parasara,  emerge out of water as the immaculate 

Geeta,  with its sweet and fragrant meaning;

2 nana akhyanaka  kesaram hari-katha,  sambodhana abodhitam;         =  With its 

many similes as its inner,  soft petals and the message of Hari  making up the full 

blossom;

3 loke sajjana  shat-padaih ahah ahah,  pepeeyamaanam muda,            =   With 

good men in the world,  like six-footed honey bees, day by day  drink (its nectar) 

with hearts full of joy;

4 bhuyaat bharata  pangkajam kalimala  pradhvamsi nah shreyase.    =  May this 

LOTUS (the Geeta) of the Mahabharata,  safely emerge out of the imperfections 

of Kali Age,  to us (who are eager to destroy them) and produce our supreme 

good!

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Commentary :

Another Extended Metaphor: Lotus in a Pond

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The purity of the lotus flower has made it a favourite among poets for use as a

symbol for spiritual unfoldment. In this verse the poet imparts his own unique slant to the

metaphor. Here we relish another taste of the poet’s art…

1 The Birth of the Lotus:

i) Vachah: the “words” of Sri Vyasa are the seed from which a very special lotus

flower is to emerge into the brightness of day.

ii) Sarojam: “born out of water”. The immaculate and spotless (Amalam) lotus of the

Bhagavad Geeta emerges out of water that is rather muddy (see 4 for the full interpretation

of ‘muddy’). A lotus is well known for its pristine purity, however dirty or muddy may be the

water it grows in.

iii) Gandha: “fragrant”. The delicate fragrance of the lotus represents the inner

significance of the thoughts contained in the Geeta. It is these thoughts that capture the

passing reader. They touch a chord in his heart and he gets entranced by the freshness and

sweetness of what he reads.

2 The Flower Blooms:

The lotus flower itself stands for the elevating message of the Bhagavad Geeta. From

the depths of the waters of Vyasaji’s words, arises the beautiful vision of life which has the

power to destroy our ignorance

iv) Akhyanaka: “examples, narratives and stories”. These are represented by the

petals of the flower. Each petal adds further to the composite beauty of the whole lotus.

The Geeta is studded with exquisite similes by which Lord Krishna is able to drive home His

message (Hari-Kathaa).

v) Abodhitam: “fully blossomed”. All the petals of similes together make up the

whole lotus in full blossom. The entire flower then represents the grand message of the

Lord to Arjuna, a message that concisely gives the essence of the spiritual life. 

3 Humanity Quenches Its Thirst:

vi) Sajjana: “good, spiritually inclined men”. Those who are devoted to a study or

even just a chanting of the Geeta are now being described. They are like bees – not just

ordinary bees but the “six-footed” species who are most eager to produce honey. Virtuous

men are like these bees, as they come to approach the lotus of the Geeta for nectar.

vii) Pepeeyamaanam: “thirstily drinking the nectar”. There is the nectar that sits

deep inside the roots of the stamens of the lotus. It is very sweet and promises immortality

to one who drinks. It is drunk by the virtuous to their heart’s content, and full of joy!

4 The Drinkers Get Liberated:

viii) Kalimala: “the defects of this Kali Yuga”. The virtuous men desire to be

emancipated from this world of sorrow. In this Iron Age, unrighteousness is especially on

the rise. The circumstances are very unfavourable for spiritual progress. It is very difficult to

steer through the web of temptations out there in the “Kali” world.

ix) Nah Shreyase: “Our supreme good”. In spite of the odds stacked against them,

those who take refuge in the teachings of the Geeta, and who long to come out of the

clutches of Maya or delusion which holds them firmly to the wheel of Samsara, by drinking

the nectar from the Geeta, they grow in spirituality and eventually become liberated from

Samsara. They become Immortal. They come to recognize their true spiritual nature.

Such is the irresistible attraction of this exquisite lotus flower called the Geeta!

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NEXT - SLOKAM-8 : Miracles of His Grace.

To be continued ...

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