Commentary on the Bhagavadgita : 49-1. - Swami Krishnananda.

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Chinmaya Mission

Chinmaya Mission Peoria Ilinois, USA, joyously celebrated the long-awaited Moorti Sthapana - A Grand Loving Welcome to Maa Saraswati in August 2022. The sthapana was most special and memorable as it was graced by Pujya Swami Swaroopananda ji, Pujya Swami Shantananda ji and Pujya Swami Sharananada ji!!

The preparatory ceremony started from August 11th with  Ankurarpanam, Kalasha Prathistha of 11 kalashas and Yantra Japa and lasted till 20th August.

On August 20 pre-sthapana rituals with Ganesha puja and moola mantra homam in the presence of Pujya Swami Sharananandaji were performed. Swami Sharananandaji gave a benedictory speech blessing us on this occasion, followed by a cultural offering to Devi Saraswati.

On August 21, Sthapana was performed in the presence of Mukhya Swami Swaroopananda ji, Pujya Swami Shantananda ji, and Pujya Swami Sharanananda ji. Swamijis placed the Saraswati yantra, panchalokas, and navaratnas at Saraswati's altar. Pujya Swami Shantanandandaji gave a benedictory speech blessing the devotees. Mukhya Swamiji gave a jnana yagna on the "Power of Speech" inspiring all the devotees and connecting us with the symbolism of Devi Saraswati.

On August 28 evening, Chinmaya Bala Vihar families for a Saamoohika Saraswati Pooja to commemorate the Devi Prathistapana as well as start the new Bala Vihar year 2022-23.

With this, Chinmaya Hamsavaahini has a new beginning to inspire our families with the gracious presence of Devi Saraswati.

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Monday, September 05, 2022. 06:10.
Discourse 49: The Eighteenth Chapter Continues – Types of Understanding, Determination and Happiness-1.

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Discourse 49: The Eighteenth Chapter Continues – Types of Understanding, Determination and Happiness-1.

Lord Krishna is not tired of repeating again and again that we should do work. Wherever there is an opportunity, he brings in that point that we should do work, lest we become lost in God-consciousness. He is afraid that we will be thinking too much of God, so he again and again brings us down to earth by saying, “Do work! Do work!” Having said so many things about jnana, now he says what good action is.

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Niyataṁ saṅgarahitam arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam, aphalaprepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate (18.23): 

Sattvic karma is that which is performed by one who considers that performance as an obligatory duty and not an imposition from outside, and does the duty without any kind of attachment or feeling of mine-ness in regard to the work. He will not say it is his work. It is just work, and it does not belong to anybody as their property, and it is free from like and dislike. Action can be performed for the fulfilment of a desire, or it can be done for harming people; there can be negative action or positive action. But the duty that is referred to here is free from likes and dislikes. It is not intended to please oneself, nor is it intended to harm somebody else. Niyataṁ saṅgarahitam arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam: It is duty, free from mine-ness and attachment in regard to it. Aphalaprepsunā karma: With no eye to the fruit thereof.

There are so many conditions. Firstly, it should be considered as a duty and not as an imposition. Secondly, it should be done without any kind of attachment. Thirdly, it should not be motivated by like and dislike. Fourthly, there should be no eye on the fruit that accrues from the action. That kind of action, with so many conditions attached to it, difficult indeed to perform by ordinary persons, is called sattvic karma.

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Yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṁkāreṇa vā punaḥ, kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛtam (18.24): 

Sattvic action is spontaneous, and does not fatigue the person. This is one characteristic of good action. We will not be tired of doing sattvic action. Sattvic action cannot fatigue us, because we are doing it of our own accord as something that has to be done. But if we are doing it for somebody else's sake and not due to our own personal choice, then it will fatigue us. So, the Lord says that if anyone does action with intense longing attached to it, whatever be the nature of that longing, and it is also filled with egoism—“See what I do! I am capable of doing this. What do people think? What do they know about me?”—if this kind of egoistic boasting is at the back of any kind of performance, together with desire of some nature, yet it is attended with fatigue because one gets tired at the end of the day by doing that work, if the nature of the work causes fatigue engendered by egoism and is filled with desire, it is called rajasa karma.

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Anubandhaṁ kṣayaṁ hiṁsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam, mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate (18.25). 

When we undertake an action, we must know our capacity to do it. Are we fit for it? To imagine oneself to be competent to perform a work, while really one is not competent, is lack of wisdom. It is not necessary to underestimate oneself, but it is also not necessary to overestimate oneself. It is necessary to judge oneself impartially as to one's capacity and fitness for a particular kind of work or action. When a person does not consider his fitness for undertaking a work, and does not consider the consequence that may follow from that action, the harm that it may do to others and the injury that may result, and the work is done with a confused state of mind, such an action is called tamasic karma, the worst kind of action.

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To be continued  ....

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