Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Bhagavad-Gita Take-Home Lessons
Subj: Gita Take-Home Lessons
Posted by Sitaram6465 on June 18, 2000 at 14:17:52:
: (1) What is the relevance of Bhagavath Geetha of few thousand years
to us Living in US today?As Krsna says: "it is inevitable that pleasures and sufferings shall
come to each of us, but that person who remains unmoved by fortune or
misfortune, pleasure or pain, is a true Yogin (as in english cognage
Yoke, to be joined together with God, like a yoked pair of oxen,
which is similar to UNION, which is not far removed from Communion).In one word EQUANIMITY, an even keeled balanced spirit in the face of
all things. : (2) What is the take home lesson?Some take home lessons?1.) God is so merciful that God graciously receives ALL FORMS OF
WORSHIP, even from those TOTALLY ignorant of God's true nature. 2.) God views ALL BEINGS the same, none is hateful or dear (compare a
verse from a different religions scripture which says "Be thou APES,
despised!") Although it is also true that though God is the same to
all, at the same time God is very close to His devotee. In the
geometry of Euclidean space, if point A is close to point B, then
point B is EQUALLY close to point A, but in SPIRITUAL GEOMETRY,
though God is EQUALLY close to EACH OF US, it does not necessarily
follow that each of us is equally close to God.
: (3) How? What are the teachings we can use it to uplift ourselves
or to become better?"There has never been a time when I was not or when YOU were not. I
remember all My Births. You do not remember yours. ..... even though
a person be THE WORST OF SINNERS... when he becomes devoted to Me he
shall quickly be purified,... for he has come to that right
resolution ... (saying Vasudeva is all)... for That person who comes to see ME , in all things, in all
creatures, no other puja or tapas is necessary...You will be born again and again, until you "get it right" (dummy!)
(smile) : (4) What are the principles or teaching of Lord Krishna, which we
can use in our daily, lives TODAYHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.Your own duty or dharma, even though done imperfectly is far better
than doing the dharma of another, however excellent it might seem to
you... (so if it seems like you are ment to enter the family
business, do your best, and dont pine away to be a movie star... and
if you are a movie star, do your best, dont pine away for the privacy
of the ordinary life, or why you cannot ever be certain if people
really "love you for yourself"....
: (5) How reading Bhagavd Githa changed your life. IN What way? Are
you better person today than before reading Geetha?"I am the sacrifice, I am the fire, I am the ghee that is poured into
the fire, I am the Pujari who poors,..... My true nature is more
radiant that 1000 suns, .... although all things are mine and I have
no goals or desires, yet I never cease My activity... and were I to
cease my Activity for one single instant... then COUNTLESS WORLDS and
beings would perish..... and yet all those worlds and beings are
supported from moment to moment by BUT A SINGLE SPARK OF MY ENERGY
AND MAGNIFICANCE.... of sacrifices I am Japa (silent repetition), of
syllables I am AUM, .... I am Ram of Warriors, I am Shiva , I am
Brahman.... I am being and non-being... I am death itself, and
destruction, and I am life and creation.... " But most of all..... I
am your intimate friend and associate,.... I am waiting to play my
flute for you, I am waiting for you to join Me in my Divine Lilas....
If you can but internalize something of the above, which I have
quickly typed from memory, paraphrasing, then you will not be able to
repeat it to yourself without you face becoming wet with tears and
your skin raised with goose bumps, as I am at this moment.... I hope the above helps in some way to answer some of your questions...=================================: As usual we started quoting slokas (most of us knew few slokas by
heart, or suggested to read commentary by this author or that author.
:
: Or started selling the story once upon a timeDharma Kshetre Kuru
Kshetreetc ---
: - Bhavad Githa is Universal applies to all times-Universal to all
people etc.
: Eternaland What is it Universal for today every body evaded or gave
nonspecific answers Beta---------Etc
: But when the above questions are repeated we had no answer to the
point
: Since there are lot of learned people in this form I respectfully
request them to
: Educate us.
========================
: : Thanks Sita Ram for answering these questions.I lookforward
forany other posts and comments
: : Thanks again.
: : Venkateswara
: : (I will-compile them and give it to the youth Group
: : SitaRam You are very prompt in your reply:)==========================
Sitaram's reply:Glad if I can help.If I am prompt in my reply, it is because I have enternalized what I
say over a period of years and it has become part of me. I say that, not to boast, but to point out to those few who might be
interested, that this is our task, if we are to make spiritual
progress.St. Paul speaks of people being "vessels of clay" (clay pots) in
which God places His treasures of gold.Whatever path we choose, whatever scripture, whatever Name of God,
with form or formless, we must become the very embodiment of that
scripture, that Name, that Form. It must become as natural as our
breath and it must flow from every pour like our sweat. And when we
pass through a room, our presense and passing should leave that
fragrence of divinity.If you read "Way of the Pilgrim" by an anonymous Russian author just
before the revolution, you will see how the poor pilgrim, with a
withered arm, who cannot work, becomes literally an embodiment of the
Jesus prayer (Prayer of the heart) which he constantly repeats, and
the Gospels and Philokalia which he constantly reads. The first 100 pages of Doestoevsky's "Brothers karamazov" describes
that same transformation in the monk Zossima (whose real life model
was the real monk that Doestovsky met at the Optina Pust monastery,
Father Amvrosy). This is the ultimate monastic process, the ultimate
process of sanctification. Of the nine forms of devotional
excellence, Shravana, Kirtana, Smarana, padasevena, Arcana, vandana,
shakya, dasya... the final one is ATMANIVEDANA,... the sacrifice of
self, of ego, upon the alter of bhakti (devotion)....If we can achieve that,... then .... as St. Paul said "the old man
has died, but Christ lives in me."This is the only manner in which there is a "living faith". As Gandhi once said, "MY LIFE is my message".
Posted by Sitaram6465 on June 18, 2000 at 14:17:52:
: (1) What is the relevance of Bhagavath Geetha of few thousand years
to us Living in US today?As Krsna says: "it is inevitable that pleasures and sufferings shall
come to each of us, but that person who remains unmoved by fortune or
misfortune, pleasure or pain, is a true Yogin (as in english cognage
Yoke, to be joined together with God, like a yoked pair of oxen,
which is similar to UNION, which is not far removed from Communion).In one word EQUANIMITY, an even keeled balanced spirit in the face of
all things. : (2) What is the take home lesson?Some take home lessons?1.) God is so merciful that God graciously receives ALL FORMS OF
WORSHIP, even from those TOTALLY ignorant of God's true nature. 2.) God views ALL BEINGS the same, none is hateful or dear (compare a
verse from a different religions scripture which says "Be thou APES,
despised!") Although it is also true that though God is the same to
all, at the same time God is very close to His devotee. In the
geometry of Euclidean space, if point A is close to point B, then
point B is EQUALLY close to point A, but in SPIRITUAL GEOMETRY,
though God is EQUALLY close to EACH OF US, it does not necessarily
follow that each of us is equally close to God.
: (3) How? What are the teachings we can use it to uplift ourselves
or to become better?"There has never been a time when I was not or when YOU were not. I
remember all My Births. You do not remember yours. ..... even though
a person be THE WORST OF SINNERS... when he becomes devoted to Me he
shall quickly be purified,... for he has come to that right
resolution ... (saying Vasudeva is all)... for That person who comes to see ME , in all things, in all
creatures, no other puja or tapas is necessary...You will be born again and again, until you "get it right" (dummy!)
(smile) : (4) What are the principles or teaching of Lord Krishna, which we
can use in our daily, lives TODAYHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.Your own duty or dharma, even though done imperfectly is far better
than doing the dharma of another, however excellent it might seem to
you... (so if it seems like you are ment to enter the family
business, do your best, and dont pine away to be a movie star... and
if you are a movie star, do your best, dont pine away for the privacy
of the ordinary life, or why you cannot ever be certain if people
really "love you for yourself"....
: (5) How reading Bhagavd Githa changed your life. IN What way? Are
you better person today than before reading Geetha?"I am the sacrifice, I am the fire, I am the ghee that is poured into
the fire, I am the Pujari who poors,..... My true nature is more
radiant that 1000 suns, .... although all things are mine and I have
no goals or desires, yet I never cease My activity... and were I to
cease my Activity for one single instant... then COUNTLESS WORLDS and
beings would perish..... and yet all those worlds and beings are
supported from moment to moment by BUT A SINGLE SPARK OF MY ENERGY
AND MAGNIFICANCE.... of sacrifices I am Japa (silent repetition), of
syllables I am AUM, .... I am Ram of Warriors, I am Shiva , I am
Brahman.... I am being and non-being... I am death itself, and
destruction, and I am life and creation.... " But most of all..... I
am your intimate friend and associate,.... I am waiting to play my
flute for you, I am waiting for you to join Me in my Divine Lilas....
If you can but internalize something of the above, which I have
quickly typed from memory, paraphrasing, then you will not be able to
repeat it to yourself without you face becoming wet with tears and
your skin raised with goose bumps, as I am at this moment.... I hope the above helps in some way to answer some of your questions...=================================: As usual we started quoting slokas (most of us knew few slokas by
heart, or suggested to read commentary by this author or that author.
:
: Or started selling the story once upon a timeDharma Kshetre Kuru
Kshetreetc ---
: - Bhavad Githa is Universal applies to all times-Universal to all
people etc.
: Eternaland What is it Universal for today every body evaded or gave
nonspecific answers Beta---------Etc
: But when the above questions are repeated we had no answer to the
point
: Since there are lot of learned people in this form I respectfully
request them to
: Educate us.
========================
: : Thanks Sita Ram for answering these questions.I lookforward
forany other posts and comments
: : Thanks again.
: : Venkateswara
: : (I will-compile them and give it to the youth Group
: : SitaRam You are very prompt in your reply:)==========================
Sitaram's reply:Glad if I can help.If I am prompt in my reply, it is because I have enternalized what I
say over a period of years and it has become part of me. I say that, not to boast, but to point out to those few who might be
interested, that this is our task, if we are to make spiritual
progress.St. Paul speaks of people being "vessels of clay" (clay pots) in
which God places His treasures of gold.Whatever path we choose, whatever scripture, whatever Name of God,
with form or formless, we must become the very embodiment of that
scripture, that Name, that Form. It must become as natural as our
breath and it must flow from every pour like our sweat. And when we
pass through a room, our presense and passing should leave that
fragrence of divinity.If you read "Way of the Pilgrim" by an anonymous Russian author just
before the revolution, you will see how the poor pilgrim, with a
withered arm, who cannot work, becomes literally an embodiment of the
Jesus prayer (Prayer of the heart) which he constantly repeats, and
the Gospels and Philokalia which he constantly reads. The first 100 pages of Doestoevsky's "Brothers karamazov" describes
that same transformation in the monk Zossima (whose real life model
was the real monk that Doestovsky met at the Optina Pust monastery,
Father Amvrosy). This is the ultimate monastic process, the ultimate
process of sanctification. Of the nine forms of devotional
excellence, Shravana, Kirtana, Smarana, padasevena, Arcana, vandana,
shakya, dasya... the final one is ATMANIVEDANA,... the sacrifice of
self, of ego, upon the alter of bhakti (devotion)....If we can achieve that,... then .... as St. Paul said "the old man
has died, but Christ lives in me."This is the only manner in which there is a "living faith". As Gandhi once said, "MY LIFE is my message".
