The Moksha Gita: by Swami Sivananda: Commentary by Swami Krishnananda: 4.4.

 

Chinmaya Mission:

Favorites  · June 28 at 8:34 PM. 

Chinmaya Mission Seattle Annual Day was an absolutely wonderful celebration! There was so much to commemorate as the community reflected on a remarkable year filled with growth and learning alongside the cherished CMS family. 

The event featured several memorable highlights, including insightful words of wisdom from Swami Ishwarananda and inspiring personal journeys shared by the graduating Balavihar students. 

Well-deserved recognition was also given through the Gita Challenge and attendance awards. 

A beautiful presentation by the student-led Ahimsa Club captivated the audience, followed by heartfelt appreciation for the dedicated sevaks. 

The event concluded with the exciting unveiling of the next steps in the Ashram vision. The CMS community has come a long way and is filled with enthusiasm and anticipation for what the coming year will bring.

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Wednesday 02, July 2025, 18:55. 
Books
Bhagavad Gita & Hinduism
The Moksha Gita: by Swami Sivananda: Commentary: 4.3. by Swami Krishnananda.
Chapter 4: The Nature of Avidya-4.
Swami Krishnananda.

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Mantram-6.

यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेनान्ध्यं याति तद्वदविद्यया ।

ब्रह्माऽऽवृतं ततो मर्त्या विमुह्यन्ति मुहुस्तया ॥६॥

6. Just as the mirror is dimmed by dirt, so Brahman is veiled by Avidya. Therefore, human beings are deluded by this Avidya.

Brahman is veiled by the force of Avidya just as a clean mirror is soiled by the blow of the air that man exhales. Avidya is the origin of selfish endeavour and narrow interests which try to make the ego live long. When the requirements of the ego are supplied life on earth is prolonged and the stream of Samsara never comes to an end. The Sadhaka therefore is required to root out selfishness by denying the individual interests through self-abnegation and refusal to abide by personal cravings. The lower appetites of the animal self-drag the Jiva through the senses in all directions, and it becomes hard for the afflicted soul to rest in peace. The covetous nature originated from the desire to live long on earth is strengthened by the activity directed towards the fulfilment of that end. A complete sacrifice of the self for the purpose of others' interests renders the Jiva fit to be alive to the higher knowledge. This is the method of Karma-Yoga which abstains from personal enjoyment of life and gives happiness to others.

Human beings are deluded by Avidya and they can be freed from its snares only through Sadhana for Perfection. Every way of spiritual effort is centred in the breaking open of the ego which is the root of the passion for living. Avidya is the progenitress of the succeeding afflictions of Asmita, Raga, Dwesha and Abhinivesha. These afflictions can be eradicated through a turning to the Source of Eternal Life through regulation of conduct and meditation on the spiritual Ideal. Whatever be the conviction of the worldly man regarding the reality of his life in the descension to error and perpetration, he cannot help seeing discord everywhere in the life of even small creatures. Yet, man runs after the possession of material gains and exerts to acquire a high name and wide fame. He does not realise the defects of phenomenal life and persists to pull himself on somehow or other in his present wretched state. This wide-spread deluded business of life is the effect of Avidya and man is saved only when he takes refuge in the Permanent Self, which is his own being and stops from all further new under-takings in his life.

Mantram-7.

इन्द्रियाणि मनोऽहन्ता बुद्धिर्वर्मेत्यमूनि च ।

कार्याणि विद्ध्यविद्यायास्ततस्तत्कारणं जहि ॥

कार्याणि स्वयमृच्छन्ति प्रणाशं कारणात्यये ॥७॥

7. Mind, senses, egoism, intellect and body are the effects of Avidya. If the cause is destroyed, the effects are destroyed by themselves.

The Hathayogins start from the outside body to the inward truth by disciplining the physical sheath at first, but the Vedantins directly start from the innermost intelligence and break down the whole super-structure of the world-phenomenon. The cause of the disease of life is in the inner sheaths of the self and mere external applications without heeding to the root of the infection will not bring lasting benefit. Though the actual cause of Samsara is the Anandamaya Kosha, spiritual Sadhana cannot be practised merely by resting in this sheath. When the Jiva rests in this sheath of ignorance it falls asleep being completely unconscious of itself as well as the external universe. It knows neither the inward nor the outward nature. Such a state of total inertia is unsuited for the activity of spiritual exertion, for exertion requires consciousness. Hence, in deep sleep, even if the Jiva is nearest to the Reality being unaffected by distraction, it cannot progress in its spiritual evolution since the state of darkness is static and admits no entrance of conscious exertion.

The Vedantic Meditator, therefore, starts with the Vijnanamaya Kosha, though it is affected by Rajasic dynamics; because the Supreme intelligence is reflected in this Kosha, he is able to continue his work of self-transcendence with the help of the intellectual faculty. When with the power of Viveka or discrimination the Absolute Self is asserted by the Vedantin, the mind is held standstill, the senses turn back to their psychic source, the ego is not allowed to make further arrogations and the Chitta or the store of Samskaras is held in check.

Thus, the Vedantic Meditation which seeks to destroy the cause of Avidya, automatically overcomes the effects thereof, and burns the seeds of past impressions which are lodged in the heart. The knots of ignorance are rent asunder, and the individual becomes the Supreme.

इति श्रीमन्मोक्षगीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे

गुरुशिष्यसंवादे अविद्याविमर्शयोगो नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः॥४॥

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Next: Chapter 5: The Nature of the Universe.
Continued

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