Relevance of the Bhagavadgita to Humanity : 23-3. Swami Krishnananda.

 =========================================================================

About 38 Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (CHYK) members of Chennai and Kadapa were led by Swami Turiyananda (Kadapa) and Br. Anand Chaitanya (Chennai) is on an adventurous trek through the Seshachala forest and hills via Tumburu Teertham to Tirumala.  

While trekking 16 Kms, This forest trek is known as one that has been traversed by Shri Annacharya many times while going to Tirumala. The CHYKs learnt about great saints who have done Tapas here like Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba and Malayala Swamy (Yerpedu Ashram Founder). The CHYKs enjoyed the lovely Tumburu falls before reaching Lord Venkateswara for special darshan.

=====================================================================

#chinmayamission #chinmaya #chinmayayuvakendra #yuvakendra #chyks #yuvak #trekking #trek #chennai #swami #tapas #tapa #swami #turiyananda

========================================================================

Tuesday, July 26, 2022. 18:45.

Chapter 23: Introduction to the Sixth Chapter - 3.

=========================================================================

But this is to miscalculate the position of oneself in that atmosphere to which expression was given by a person like Arjuna. To speak like this in this language, and to narrate the story of one's life in the world in the way mentioned, would be to miscalculate one's relationship with the world – to misunderstand, not to have proper insight into what is there at the root. There is a complete overwhelming of oneself by the distorted picture presented by the sense organs. Like misleading ministers and disloyal attendants, the senses give us an erroneous picture of our life in this world. They tell us, “You are nobodies, fools. The objects are everything. Go and fall on them. They are your masters.”

We feel that the world is our master, that the objects of sense are our masters. Our life is in the objects outside. “I am living because of what I possess. My property is my life. I am myself nothing. I have no value if I possess nothing. My wealth is my value.” Do we not think like that sometimes? The senses tell us, “This is your position. You are nobody in this world. Whatever meaning there can be in you is due to the possessions that you have, your gold and silver and dollars and rupees, your house and land, your friends and relations, and your position in society. Otherwise, what are you?” You sometimes seem to feel, “Yes, I am like that. I am a man who is not wanted. I shall sink down and do nothing, my Lord. I shall throw down my weapon in this field of terror.” Thus, Arjuna threw his weapon down and said, “I shall find no meaning in this world where nothing seems to be decisive, and everything is precarious.”

Sri Krishna's answer, which is briefly stated in the Second Chapter, is: “This is not a proper way of thinking. What you have said is the outward picture, but not a proper understanding of the picture. You have painted the picture, but you have also to read the picture properly with an understanding. You have to find a meaning in this presentation that you have placed before Me. A mighty, terrible picture is there; yet, of course, you must have some time to think over the position that you actually occupy in this relation of yours to this picture. It may be a jungle, it may be a war field, it may be hell itself. Well, let it be, but what is your connection with it? In what way are you related to it? What is the outcome of your connection with what you are speaking of? This is to exercise another faculty, which is called understanding, different from mere sense perception. Mere sense perception – a dependence entirely on sense reports – presents a terrifying picture of the world, but that is not the only faculty you are supposed to exercise. Why are you hanging on the senses so much? There is another faculty which will speak to you the truth of the matter. That is the understanding, the buddhi, sankhya. Sankhya is the faculty of reasoning, understanding and proper judgment. Without this, you are speaking in this manner.”

And what this correct understanding is was explained in a beautifully precise manner in the Third Chapter. Your relationship to this so-called terrifying picture of the world where you seem to be helplessly placed has to be understood. How will you understand it? That method of understanding this so-called terrifying field of action which is this world is the theme of the Third Chapter.

But the world is not all, and your relationship with this outward world is not all. It does not mean that there are only two contending parties, yourself and the world, and there is nothing else. In the beginning it appeared the world alone was there and you are practically nothing. Then it appeared as if you have a vital connection with the world: You are a member in the parliament of the government of the universe, a high position indeed, rather than a thrown-out individual in the streets. Well, even that is not sufficient. It is not that you are just connected in a mechanised manner with the world, and somehow you are getting on with it like a wheel stuck to a vehicle or a nut or bolt in a huge machine, which, of course, has the status of belonging to this large machine, and it is not so much terrified of the machine because it belongs to it. Well, that is good enough, but that is not the whole truth of the matter. There is something more

To be continued ....

=========================================================================