BHAGAVAD GEETA: 78 - Swami Advayananda.
Chinmaya Mission:
BHAGAVAD GEETA
Chapter - 2
Discourse – 2 (72 Slogas)
“Yoga of the SUPREME SELF”
Sri Veda Vyasaji
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Friday 14, June 2024 06:30.
Discourse 2 | Yoga of the Supreme Self
2.12 THE MAN OF STEADY WISDOM
(Slogas 54-67, 14 No.
Post - 78.
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SINCE SRI KRISHNA BEGAN His Upadesh to Arjuna in verse 2.11, this is the first break
Arjuna gets to put a question across to Him. The last we heard from Arjuna was as one who
was totally confused about his duty, and who surrenders completely to Sri Krishna. Now we
see a new Arjuna, who is in deep thought over what Sri Krishna has been explaining to him.
We have an Arjuna who is responding very well to the spiritual treatment being
administered to him.
The Lord has completed an exhaustive explanation of Saankhya Yoga, the goal of
spiritual life, supported by Karma Yoga, the means to that goal. He has pin-pointed Karma
Yoga as Arjuna’s immediate course of action. Before closing the chapter, the Lord provides
Arjuna with a living ideal who represents the greatest achievement of man:
Sri Veda Vyasji’s Artistic Masterpiece:
Sri Veda Vyasa attempts one of the most difficult tasks that a poet is called upon to
do. In these last 19 verses of the Chapter, he attempts to paint a picture of the Sthitaprajna
on the canvas of our mind. He can best succeed only if our mind is kept steady enough for
him to paint on. As Sri Vyasji knows that our minds will fluctuate, he has to hold our
attention for the full 19 verses to minimize spoiling his picture. How does he do so?
Acharyaji compared Sri Vyasji’s feat to the equally difficult task of drawing a picture
using coloured powder on the surface of water. The water has to be absolutely still in a
place free from all air currents. The artiDescribe to me the man of steady wisdom,
st has to have the highest concentration so that the
powder remains afloat instead of sinking!
Whether Vyasaji has succeeded or not can be seen in the number of seekers the
Geeta has inspired in the world through these verses. They compel our attention through
some of the most sublime philosophic poetry one could ever read in spiritual literature. Sri
Vyasaji takes recourse to every device known to a first-class poet to hold our attention. The
result is that these verses have become known to every household in India. Mahatma
Gandhi had them chanted daily at his prayer meetings.
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Slogam - 54:Arjuna’s Four Questions:
Arjuna Uvaacha: = Arjuna said:
Sthitaprajnasya kaa bhaashaa = Describe to me the man of steady wisdom,
2
samaadhi-sthasya, Keshava? = who is in the Superconscious State, O Keshava?
3
Sthitadheeh kim prabhaasheta? = How does the one of steady wisdom speak?
4
Kim aaseeta? Vrajeta kim? = How does he sit? How does he walk ?
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1-4
The four questions asked by Arjuna may be divided into two major categories:
From the Absolute Standpoint This applies to the first question.
1-2
Question 1: Describe to me the Sthitaprajna who is merged in Samadhi?
From the Relative Standpoint This applies to the next three questions.
3
Question 2: How does he speak? – i.e. when he is talking;
4a
Question 3: How does he sit ? – i.e. when he is by himself;
4b
Question 4: How does he walk? – i.e. when he is interacting with others.
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Slogam 53 introduced the Sthitaprajna by giving an account of one whose intellect
stands steady and immovable in the Self. Arjuna’s questions follow directly from it. We are
advised not to consider these as questions. They are really statements expressing wonder
and amazement at the behaviour of such a perfect being. In other words, they are rhetorical
questions, expressing wonder that such a one could ever exist on earth.
Arjuna’s questions 2, 3 and 4 are clearly not to be taken literally. Mere physical
imitation of a saint leads us nowhere. If by just copying a person’s talk, walk and posture we
could become like him, it would stultify spiritual Sadhana. We have to follow the saint’s
mind. There is a philosophic sense in whch Arjuna’s questions have to be taken. It is from
this perspective that Sri Krishna answers these questions.
A Zen Story:
A person had gone to a Zen Master just to observe him day-to-day. He
found that the Master’s day was filled with the same things that he did – brushing his teeth,
bathing, having meals, resting, working, dealing with workers, and so on. At the end of his
stay, he could not help asking, “What is it that is different between us two?” The Master
replied, “When I eat, I eat; when I work, I work; when I rest, I rest. With you it is not like
that. When you eat, you are thinking of your work; when you rest, your mind is thinking of
food.”
*****
Next
Slogam - 55:Q1: “Who is a Sthitaprajna?” – Absolute Level
Continued
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