The Philosophy of the Bhagavadgita - 5.5. Swami Krishnananda
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Thursday, May 28, 2020.
Chapter 5: The Mortal and the Immortal-5.
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1.
Now, the sum and substance of the First Chapter of the Bhagavadgita is this much: a relinquishment of all effort, which originally was the spring of action of the seeking state. After years of spiritual practice one may content oneself with being the very same person that one was many years back and lead the little life of the man of the street either due to incapacity or due to a total disillusionment.
Here there are several types of spiritual seekers who may have to face the same problems, no doubt, but who will be taken along different paths on account of the varying extent of the clarity of their spirits and the sincerity of purpose with which they have started the adventure of spiritual life.
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2.
When our search is sincere and hundred percent genuine, notwithstanding the fact that we have not understood things entirely, we will be taken care of by the powers of the world and we will see light rising in the horizon, and a Guru, or a teacher, or a master like Krishna, will be there in front of us, and we will be placed in the context or juxtaposition of such a master by the nature of the universe, by the very law of creation, by the justice of God.
In the earlier stages one may be reluctant even to receive the advice of the master fully. Even when one is face to face with a competent teacher, one may not be prepared to act upon the teaching entirely. This happened to Arjuna also by a circumstance described in the very beginning of the Second Chapter. The great teacher told him,
“This is an unworthy and unbecoming attitude on your part at this crucial moment of time.” The retort of Arjuna was, “I am sorry. However, I have decided that I am not going to take up arms. What is the good of all this bloody warfare whereby everything is going to be destroyed? Everything is to be swallowed up by the gaping mouths of doom.”
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3.
Then a necessity arises for the teacher to take the disciple along the proper course and lead him up, stage by stage. A competent teacher understands the level of the mind of the student, and takes his stand on that level, which is sometimes called the Socratic method of teaching.
The teacher does not impose himself upon the student, because a flowering of the bud of the mind of the student is essential. We cannot forcefully open it, for, if it is done, there would not be a blossomed flower.
“All right,” says Krishna, “I understand what you say. You have a fear that you may not win victory. You may have other difficulties apart from this, namely, the social catastrophe that may follow the destruction.”
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Thursday, May 28, 2020.
Chapter 5: The Mortal and the Immortal-5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Now, the sum and substance of the First Chapter of the Bhagavadgita is this much: a relinquishment of all effort, which originally was the spring of action of the seeking state. After years of spiritual practice one may content oneself with being the very same person that one was many years back and lead the little life of the man of the street either due to incapacity or due to a total disillusionment.
Here there are several types of spiritual seekers who may have to face the same problems, no doubt, but who will be taken along different paths on account of the varying extent of the clarity of their spirits and the sincerity of purpose with which they have started the adventure of spiritual life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When our search is sincere and hundred percent genuine, notwithstanding the fact that we have not understood things entirely, we will be taken care of by the powers of the world and we will see light rising in the horizon, and a Guru, or a teacher, or a master like Krishna, will be there in front of us, and we will be placed in the context or juxtaposition of such a master by the nature of the universe, by the very law of creation, by the justice of God.
In the earlier stages one may be reluctant even to receive the advice of the master fully. Even when one is face to face with a competent teacher, one may not be prepared to act upon the teaching entirely. This happened to Arjuna also by a circumstance described in the very beginning of the Second Chapter. The great teacher told him,
“This is an unworthy and unbecoming attitude on your part at this crucial moment of time.” The retort of Arjuna was, “I am sorry. However, I have decided that I am not going to take up arms. What is the good of all this bloody warfare whereby everything is going to be destroyed? Everything is to be swallowed up by the gaping mouths of doom.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
Then a necessity arises for the teacher to take the disciple along the proper course and lead him up, stage by stage. A competent teacher understands the level of the mind of the student, and takes his stand on that level, which is sometimes called the Socratic method of teaching.
The teacher does not impose himself upon the student, because a flowering of the bud of the mind of the student is essential. We cannot forcefully open it, for, if it is done, there would not be a blossomed flower.
“All right,” says Krishna, “I understand what you say. You have a fear that you may not win victory. You may have other difficulties apart from this, namely, the social catastrophe that may follow the destruction.”
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To be continued ...
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