The Characteristics of a Sthithaprajna

                                                      The Characteristics of a Sthithaprajna

    Sri Krishna exhorted Arjuna to firmly establish in atma sthithi (the nature of Atma) and perform all his actions. The actions will be fruitful if he has swaswarupa smriti (awareness of one's own self). Then the actions will not blind the person. To perform such actions control of senses is very essential. Whoever has such control, is sthithaprajna. (one who is firmly established in constant integrated awareness).

     The main characteristic of sthithaprajna is to maintain equanimity, 

i.e. to take heat and cold, happiness and sorrow, honour and dishonour and profit and loss with the same sense with equanimity and constantly engross himself in the awareness of one's own Self. As long as the man is bound by the dehathma bhava he cannot attain such a state of sthithaprajna.

     There is only one thing in this universe, which is beyond the panchabhuthas, that is Divinity. Therefore aspire for divinity, keep it as your goal and perform the duties ordained on you. Actions (karmas) coupled with jnana are the best. Jnana (wisdom) means realising the unity of divinity. Actions meant to realise the atma thathwa are supreme. You perform actions. But, consider them as actions to please God and carry on your activities. Thus explained Lord Krishna to Arjuna.

     There are no objects, individuals or things in this world, which are true and eternal. There is nothing in this outer world which is not in you. That which is all-pervading, which you are not aware of at the moment, is Sathyam, Sivam and Sundaram. Therefore, make an effort to realise that Sathyam(truth), Attain that Divinity, Sundaram (beauty). Do your duty. Thus, Lord Krishna taught so many things to Arjuna including the characteristics of  sthithaprajna and instilled a sense of confidence in him to get ready for the balltle.

     Sri Krishna further exhorted Arjuna " keep your aim firmly fixed on Me," obey my command and perform your duty.

     One who lives in the awareness of the atmathathwa and ignores worldly pleasures is called sthithaprajna.

     A sthithaprajna means a sarvasanga parithyagi (a total renunciant). You perform all actions. Engage yourself in worldly activities. But, fix your aim on the atmathathwa.

     Lord Krishna played the grand game as a chariator to remove the dehatma bhava of Arjuna and firmly install him in paramathma thathwa.

Lord Krishna exhorted Arjuna thus. The world is impermanent and gives you unhappiness only.  Therefore, seek refuge in the true and eternal Divinity. God is the only one who does not undergo change. He is the eternal and self-effulgent flame. Seek refuge in that flame. That is the paramjyothi.(supreme light).  That is the jivana jyothi (the light of life). That is the akhanda jyothi (the eternal light). That is the adwaitha jyothi    ( the light of non-dualism). Seek refuge in that jyothi. Thus the Lord Krishna taught in ever so many ways and dispelled the darkness of ignorance prevailing in his heart.

     Jnana jyothi

          If you want to light the  lamp, you must have an earthern conclave plate, a wick and oil. These three are essential. Similarly if you want to light the lamp of wisdom, the earthern plate of vairagya is most essential. Here devotion is the oil and sense control is the wick. It is only when these three come together, is possible for the atma jyothi (the light of atma the self) or jnana jyothi (the light of wisdom), or the param jyothi (the supreme divine effulgence) or the prana jyothi (the light of the life)  to glow.

     An ajnani thinks that he is enjoying the sensory objects with his senses and feels very happy; but actually, that happiness is not from the external world. It is happiness within. It is a reflection of the inner happiness.

control the senses

                                                         Control the senses

             We must be careful from the beginning not to give scope for bad thoughts to enter the mind even in small matters. A man who has become a slave to the indriyas can never recover himself. He will never be able to have happiness. First of all we must find a way out by which the senses can be controlled. When you control the senses and bring them under the care of the mind and when the mind itself is subjected to the discrimination of the intellect, you will be able to decide what is right and what is wrong, correctly.

             A person who takes the intellect as the basis, transforms himself into purushothma (the best among men). What is buddhi (intellect)? That which has the power to discriminate between permanent and impermanent. If you depend on such an intellect, it will lead you in the right path, till your last moment.

            Sri Krishna devoted a lot of time in this sankhya yoga, to the concept of sense control. Once it is achieved, the other yogas like karma or bhakti become easy. Till such time you achieve sense control, you must continue to depend upon jnana yoga. 

           Perishable objects give us only perishable happiness. Therefore, Lord Krishna exhorted Arjuna to strive for attaining true and permanent atma thathwa.This is atma jnana. Without obtaining this, there is no use of acquiring any other jnana. 

           Sri Krishna emphasised the fact "Adhyathma Vidya Vidyanam", meaning atma vidya alone is true vidya.

           Considering the body as the chariot, senses as the horses, mind as the bridle and the Intellect as the charioteer, the jiva (being) must continue his journey, sitting in this chriot. 

           You must firmly hold these horses called senses, with the bridle called the mind. There is no basis at all for the mind's wanderings. Therefore, while depending upon such a mind, one must be careful enough to hold it firmly by using the discrimination of intellect.

(Intellect should control the mind with discrimination what is right - then mind will control the senses.)

           If you really want to attain divinity, you must be free from the pancha dosha (five faults). 

1. Vaag dosha       - speaking bad words.

2. Drishti dosha     - seeing bad things

3. Kriya dosha       - doing bad deeds

4. sravana dosha  - hearing bad words

5. Mano dosha      - thinking bad thoughts.

         If you are able to remove these pancha doshas from your personality, you will become Paramathma verily.

Man should keep his tongue under control. This is the first and foremost sadhana. The reason being, the tongue has two powers , talk as well as feel the taste. Therefore, it must be always be engaged in divine activities.

         You must ensure that you do not use bad words against anybody or cause harm to anybody. Engage yourself in speaking good words, in contemplation on God and the singing the glory of God. Thereby, sanctify your time.

        Undertake sadhana to keep your senses under control, gradually. 

        For this type of sadhana abhyasa (practice)    and vairagya ( detachment) are necessary. 

       If you cultivate a sense of detachment from the objects  by developing a feeling the all that you see are impermanent objects, you can control your senses. This is abhyasa yoga. 

      We are Aryas not Anaryas. We must tread the right path. 

      We must develop purity. We must have illumination. 

In order to travel the path of righteousness, we must have illumination. And that illumination is Jnanana (wisdom). Those who have that jnana are divine beings. The rest are demons.

     Whoever controls his senses, will have the capacity to undertake any task. There is nothing which he cannot achieve. 

    " One who becomes a servant to the unsatiable desires also becomes a servant to the whole world. To the one who conquers desire, the whole world will fall at his feet."

      You should never become a servant to the senses. Instead, the senses should become servant to you. 

Thus Sri Krishna exhorted Arjuna about the sense control and desire. He instructed to acquire the jnana by which one can distinguish between atma and anatma.

       

Happiness comes out of Jnana only

                           Happiness comes out of Jnana only

    Arjuna was afflicted with "karpanya" dosha (the malady of ignorance). It was only because of ajnana (ignorance) that Arjuna was suffering from moha (delusion) and dukha (sorrow).

     In sankhya yoga, an effort is made mainly to create a sense of detachment (virakti) and teach the divine atma thathwa. Lord Krishna has established the fact that this body is like a worn out dress.

Then some people may have a doubt. After living for 80, 90 or 100 years, nobody will have a grouse for leaving the body like an old cloth. But, when people die very young either in the childhood or youth, does it not amount to leaving the new cloth. 

    When a twenty year old body dies, how can it be presumed as old. True. In our view, this is new. 

eg. You purchased a new cloth , kept in almirah and forgot it totally. After five to six years, while rearranging the clothes you find the cloth and gave for stitching. You wear the shirt and bend to sit down.  The new shirt  got is torn. The reason is, the cloth belonged to an old stock. Similarly one takes up body and spends a few years in that body. Then it looks new. But the individual's life is very old. It has been passing through several previous births.  

     The young man or a child in his previous birth did so many sadhanas and died. Therefore, even before living upto the ripe old age he has exhausted his karmas. We are taking into consideration the life span and strength of the body in this birth, to decide the point whether it is old or new. But, God takes into consideration the life span, situations, standards and the results attained by a person during the past lives.

     For a person entangled in moha, nothing else is acceptable. This is the greatest power of maya (illusion). If you want to remove this maya, you have to develop atmic power called jnana. That is why Sri Krishna started to teach Arjuna, the atmavidya in the first instance.You must identify yourself with that great knowledge and truth you have read about and listened to by putting them into practice. 

The five sorrows

     Arjuna grieved because his heart was filled with Ajnana. There are five types of klesa (sorrows). Pancha klesas.

1. avidya klesa (sorrow caused by ignorance).

2. abhinava klesa (sorrow caused by complacent attitude)

     (A complacent person is very pleased with themselves or feels that they do not need to do anything about a situation, eventhough the situation may be uncertain or dangerous.) Pleased especially with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect ; self satisfied.)             ( satisfied without discrimination).

3. Asthitha or vishaya klesa (sorrow caused by sensual or materialistic joys)

4. Raga klesa ( sorrow caused by infatuation) . Infatuation is a feeling  foolish or obsessively strong love for , admiration for, or interest in someone or something . strong and unreasoning attachment. (arivatra mogam)

5.Dwesha klesa ( sorrow arising out of developing hatred towards others. 

     These klesas have to be removed in toto. Ajnana and moha have to be completely removed. That is why Sri Krishna taught Sankhya yoga.

Arya and Anarya

     There are two kinds of people in this world, Aryas and Anaryas.

An arya is one, who follows the right, sacred and noble path. He seeks the company of great men and practices their teachings. He experiences great spiritual truths and enjoys the inner happiness of the spirit.

     In contrast to this, an anarya is one who has an impure heart and unsacred thoughts. He lives an unrighthous life, for he is under the spell of ignorance. He is like a demon when compared to an arya, who is like God. 

    Sri Krishna exhorted Arjuna, to live upto the name arya and encouraged and tried to instill self-confidence in Arjuna, by ever so many ways.

Indriyas are the Mathras    

Krishna continued His exhortion further and said "Oh Arjuna! the root cause for this ajnana (ignorance) is your moha (delusion). Again the basis for this delusion (moha) is ajnana (ignorance). Therefore if you want to control dukha (sorrow), moha (delusion), and ajnana (ignorance), you control your senses first. 

     The indriyas are like the horses that will take you to your destination. It is only  when you keep these horses under control, the chariot and charioteer will be able to reach their destination safely. Sri Krishna has given a new name "mathra" to the senses. What does mathra mean? That which measures is a "mathra".Therefore,indriyas, (senses) mean mathras.

     The tongue measures and decides tastes declaring this is sweet, this is sour, this is bitter, etc., The eye sees an object and decides its form. The ear hears a song and decides that it is melodious or otherwise. Similarly indriyas measures a particular aspect and decides.

     The word "matra" has another meaning, limit which means that each of these indriyas has its own limits. How do you decide the limits of these indriyas, For example, the nose is given to you to smell the fragrance. But, supposing you feed snuff into it, then it is a misuse of the nose. It amounts to misuse of the God-given indriyas. 

Tounge - is given to provide happiness to others by our sweet words.

Speaking bad words- misuse. crossing the limit.

To partaking of pure healthy and sacred sathwic food. 

eating meat, drinking alchohol, smoking cigars -misuse. crossing the limit.

Bhagavd Gita Part II

                 Undaunted courage wins

 "Kshudram Hridaya Daurbalyam" Sri Krishna commanded Arjuna to get rid of his "manasika daurbalyam" (weak mindedness or timidity) which was reprehensible and stand firmly in the battle field to fight with his enemies, the Kauravas.

     Fundamental reason for weakmindedness is dehathma bhava (body consciousness). In turn, the influence of ajnana (ignorance) is the reason for this dehathma Bhava which makes the man weak-minded. Thus, the body is the cause for all the sorrows.That is why, Lord has constantly reminded Arjuna " Naayamaathma Balaheenena Labhyah" ( this atmic knowledge is not available for the weak-mined).The weak-minded is haunted by delusion (moha).If there is no delusion, there is no sorrow. 

    The feeling of I and mine is a delusion. Arjuna was overtaken by feeling of mamathwa ( "I and "Mine) and deluded by this on account of delusion. Due to this delusion Arjuna exhibited timidity and pleaded for the withdrawal from the battlefield. Having thus diagnosed the disease of Arjuna, Lord Krishna, the Divine Doctor started His treatment.

Krishna's treatment for Arjuna's disease.

      Lord Krishna heard all the utterence of Arjuna born out of his ignorance and despondency. Then Krishna said "You are afflicted with the disease of "karpanya" (loss of discrimination power). I will give you correct medicine for this disease. Having diagnosed the disease and the reasons therefor i.e. moha (delusion) and soka (sorrow), Sri Krishna started His treatment with the medicine of Sankhya Yoga (the path of knowledge). 

     A person drowning must be first pullled out of the water and then given some treatment. If this procedure  is not followed, the person will be drowned to death. Arjuna's condition at the moment is that he is drowned in sorrow and delusion (soka and moha). Therefore, he should be treated for this condition first. Accordingly, Krishna gave him a strong injection of courage and confidence to pull him out of his weakness, Thus, He started explaining the concept of atma and anatma. 

      Krishna said " I will teach you about what you are and what I am. If you want to become like Me, then follow Me". Then Arjuna surrendered and said "karishye vachanam thava"          ( Swami, I will act according to your dictates).  Sri Krishna in the first instance, instilled a sense of courage and confidence in Arjuna and prompted him to go ahead in his task with enthusiasm.

    What is the meaning of the first sloka of the Bhagavad Gita.

The kurukhetra had transformed itself  into Dharmakshetra because sacrificial rites like yagna and yaga were performed here. It acquired the name of kurukshetra because the sons of kuru played here in their childhood. This dharmakshetra is filled with selfless, sacred, divine, ever-fresh and noble feelings. 

Dharmakshetra and Kurukshetra are one and the same. 

Kurukshetra had tranformed itself into Dharmakshtra .

A body that is unaffected by the gunas and is always in a state of bliss, is called dharmakshetra. 

    When envy, jealousy, pride, ego, desire, anger and delusion grow up with the body , it becomes a kurukshetra. Therefore, the human body itself is both a dharmakshetra and kurukhetra.  Both good and bad are in our hridayakshetra. The war between Pandavas and kauravas lasted only for 18 days. But, the war between good and bad continues throughout our life. There is no end to it. That is why, Dritharashtra said in the sloka "dharmakshetre and kurukshetre".

     The sankhya yoga taught by Sri Krishna to Arjuna was an effort to remove the soka and moha from Arjuna's heart and fill it with the nectar of jnana.

     You should never develop mean quality of                    weak-mindedness. When you are able to cast this weakness away, then only daiva bala (divine strength) will accure to you.

Sadhana with courage and alacrity.

     At the outset, we should never give scope for any fear or weakness. We must hold the weapon of courage. If we are not mentally strong, everybody will try to frighten us. We must cultivate courage and fortitude to stand up to such challenges. We should always face the situation courageously. Swami Vivekananda also said " Be fearless". We can achieve in our life only with courage and fortitude. Mere courage is not enough. You must have alacrity. You should not have thoughtless courage. You should have discriminatory courage. You must develop a sense of discrimination as to how to conduct yourself in different situations. 

     Wherever you are you must make efforts to achieve things with a sense of courage and alacrity.

    

Love is the most important quality to be cultivated

  Love is the most important quality to be cultivated  

     Bhaktiyoga has described several qualities that a devotee should possess. It is impossible to expect a devotee to have all these qualities. It is enough if he puts into practice even one quality. You must have firm and unflinching faith in God. Nothing more is required. The most important quality to be cultivated by a devotee is love. Love is God and God is Love. Live in Love. If you live in Love, God will take care of everything.

     There are four types of devotees. 

    "Bhakimaan Mey Priyo Narah". ( If you cultivate devotion, you are dear to me), said the Lord. There are four types of devotees- artha, artharthi, jijnasu and jnani.

Arthas - pray to God when sorrows and difficulties confront them.They pray to God to grant relief when they are in difficulties.

Artharthi : These devotees want health and wealth. They want peace and happiness. They pray for money, power and position. But in reality,  character is good conduct, knowledge is power and good conduct is wealth. 

Jijnasu : The one who has inquisitiveness to know God. A jijnasu goes to meet elders, gurus and holy men and by their darshan, sparshan and sambhashan and by listening to their discoures and study of scriptures, he tires to obtain answers to his questions. All this effort, however, is jnatum (obtaining knowledge) only. He must also go into the drashtum stage i.e., developing an insight into Divinity. The next stage is praveshtum, to reach God. That is jnana, wisdom stage.

     Jnana: "Adwaitha Darsanam Jnanam." Realising the non-dual Paramathma tathwa is jnanam. 

     If you take material knowledge as the basis for your spiritual quest, you must be prepared to experience the reaction, reflection and resound of the material. Supposing I strike at this desk with my hand. With what intesity I struck at it, it comes back with the same intensity. I felt pain in my hand. But, this pain is the result of a reaction for my action of striking the desk with my hand. That is why the whole material knowledge (padarthajnana) is full of reaction, reflection and resound.

In pararthajnana (knowledge about non-material world), there is no reaction, reflection and resound. This is the true knowledge. It is described as "Ekam Eva Adwitheeyam Brahma" (there is only one truth, Brahma, no second one). The knowledge about this Supreme (one without a second) Truth, is called Jnanam (wisdom). You will totally lose your identity in that supreme truth (wisdom). You will lose all external consciousness. You will merge in that all pervading truth. That is saswathananda (Eternal Bliss). One that teaches this wisdom is Divinity. 

     The whole universe is a big Kalpa Vriksha. Whatever you wish for, it will be fulfilled. If you entertain good thoughts, you will get good results. Be good, do good, see good. That is the way to God. 

Manava is made up of three letters. ma, na, va.

"Ma" means ajnana (ignorance). " na" means without this.            "va" means one who conducts himself. Therefore, one who conducts himself without ignorance is "Manava" (human being). You must first come out of this ignorance. "Death is sweeter than the blindness of ignorance" it is said.

    If wisdom is to dawn on you, you must have the grace of God. Then only darkness of ignorance will be expelled. Therefore, we must strive for grace of God and make our life meaningful. In this effort, we must set up an example to others. It is said "satatham Daiva Chintanam" (always remain in the contemplation of God). 

Sarvadaa Sarvakaaleshu Sarvathra Harichintanam. (always at all time and at all places keep yourself engaged in the contemplation of Hari).There is no parallel to kaliyuga; by contemplation on God. one can easily attain Divinity). There is, therefore, no greater sadhana in this kaliyuga than Namasmarana.

                                        *****************

Kshetra and kshetrajna Vibhaga

                 Kshetra and kshetrajna Vibhaga

     What is Kshetra? Who is Kshetrajna? What is the difference between the two? Let us analyse.

     The word "kshetra" contains two letters in sanskrit.

 " Kshetrajna" contains three letters. The "jna" is extra to the word "ksetrajna":  "Kshetra" is without the letter "jna". "Kshetrajna" is with the letter "jna".That is to say, deha (body) is without jnana (without the knowledge or awareness). Kshetrajna is with knowledge or awareness. 

Kshetra is the upadi (the field activity) of kshetrajna.We say this is my body. Eventhough you are not the body you say it is my body. Similarly, eventhough the kshetrajna (the knower of the field) is not the kshetra (field or the body), he thinks he is the body.  

     One has to recognise the dehi (the indweller in the body) only when the deha (the body) is alive. If there is no deha (the body), there is no possibility of searching for the dehi (indweller).We are able to perform all our actions and sadhanas only through the body. 

Our body consists of Five karmedriyas ( senses of action),          Five jnanendriyas (senses of perception)                                Five pranas (vital airs or life principles)                                    Panchakosas ( five sheaths) and one Jeevi ( individual self).

Together, they make up for 21 thathwas (principles). Also included in this are manas (mind), buddhi (intellect),          ahamkara (the individual ego) and                                  chiththa (inner consciousness). 

Thus, all these add up to 25 thathwas (principles), with which our body is made up of. That is why it is said that maya (the illusory body) consists of 25 marmas (secrets).

"Born in Maya, grown in Maya                                                Yet the dull-witted do not realise Maya                                    All our lives are Maya, our relationships Maya              Samsara is Maya, death is Maya                                          Why fall in Maya for this Maya life."     

     All that we see around us is Maya (illusory). You exist in one moment and disappear in another. Everything changes in tune with the wheel of Time. Days, months, years and even yugas are changing. Time is an eternal flow. An object that itself is being swept away cannot protect another. Who can protect whom? God is the protector of all, can only protect all living beings, He is the real embankment for the flow of time. This is the secret of life. He who realises this secret is the true vyakthi (individual).

     Therefore do not believe the jagath; do not forget God; eperience the divinity in humanity. Do not belive the jagath.  Do not fear death. Do no leave God under any circumstances; hold on to Him always. These are the three most important principles.

(This body is an instrument given to realise the indweller the eternal self God. We are not able to realise only because of Maya. When we follow the above 3 principles we can realise our goal of life)

God is the embankmentfor the flow of time

 " Thasmaath Sarveshu Kaaleshu

Mamanusmara Yudhyacha

Mayyarpitha Manobuddhir Maame Vaishyasi

Na Samsayah"

     Lord Krishna exhorted Arjuna: " Oh! Arjuna! you constantly contemplate on Me. Offer your mind and intellect to me. Carry on with the war, which is your swadhrma (your duty). You are sure to reach me. There is no doubt about this." Of all the things in this world, time is most precious one. Each one can analyse for himself how he is spending such a valuable time. 

     Time swallows everything in this world and, ultimately, time itself is swallowed by God. To obtain the grace of God, Man has to constantly engage himself in karthavya karmas (duties ordained on him) and sanctify his body. We cannot retrieve the time that is already lost. You  can regain your health that is lost, but not the time. Therefore you must make efforts for the proper utilisation of such a precious time.

     Unable to realise what will happen in the next moment, what difficulties and dangers they may have to encounter, they are wasting their precious time in vain pursuits. If you want to  make proper utilisation of time, you must realise your duty as a human being and undertake sacred activities, not wasting even a second. You may spend lakhs and crores of rupees, but you will not get back even a second that has already become part of history. Youth is the most important and excemplary stage of our life. Youth must recognise this truth and make efforts for proper utilisation of their time. Today, nobody cares to know what will happen in future. The time we spend can be sanctified by performing all our actions (karmas) as an offering to God.

Firm faith and firm determination

     Lord Krishna advised Arjuna to dedicate his mind (manas) and intellect (bhuddhi) to Him and carry on his activities in full swing. When you thus offer all your karmas to God, you will not encounter any difficulties. Therefore, what is needed is man must develop dridha viswasa (firm faith) in God and carry on his activities with dridha nischaya (firm determination)  as an offering to God.

     You must have the courage and confidence to say "Oh! Lord ! It is said that you are pervading the whole universe as the minutest of the minute and the mightiest of the mighty. But, you are residing in my little heart in a half-space. With such firm determination, faith and self-confidence, you can easily attain divinity.

    Bhagiratha brought the Ganges water to the earth with firm determination. Buddha also did great thapas and attained Nirvana.

Bhuddha sent a reply to his father who wanted him to come back to his Kingdom as follows:

     Oue birth is full of sorrow: old age is sorrow; wife and children are sorrow; last journey is still more sorrowful. All these sorrows come again and again. Therefore, be careful, be careful. thus goes the saying. Having known all these things, having seen people suffering right in front of our eyes and having heard about what is going on in this world, what is the point in falling a prey to this ignorance? Buddha sent this reply to his father. 

     We must also recognise this Truth. That should be our endeavour.