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*GITA BY RAMA (राम-गीता सन्देश)*

SUCCESS MANTRAS FOR LIFE (सफल जीवन-रथ के अंग)

As lord Krishna gave message of Gita to Arjuna motivating him to fight in Mahabharat  war and win. In the same way during the war in Lanka Rama Ravana battle, lord Rama delivered the message of Gita to Vibhishana.

Vibhishana saw that Rama was going to fight on foot with Ravana who is fully equipped with armor and chariot. He became anxious when he saw Ravan on a magical chariot, but Lord Rama, who was having a good combat with him, was chariot-less. He said, “You have no chariot nor any protection either for Your body (in the shape of armour) or for Your feet (in the shape of shoes). How, then, can You expect to conquer this mighty hero, Ravana.

Rama replied that the chariot which leads one to victory is quite another. Lord Rama explained to Vibhishana the way how a person can win the success in life. As per Tulasidasa’s Ramayana (RamaCharit Manas) in Lanka kaand, Rama defined the winning chariot as follows:

सुनहु सखा कह कृपानिधाना। जेहिं जय होइ सो स्यंदन आना॥

सौरज धीरज तेहि रथ चाका। सत्य सील दृढ़ ध्वजा पताका॥

बल बिबेक दम परहित घोरे। छमा कृपा समता रजु जोरे॥

ईस भजनु सारथी सुजाना। बिरति चर्म संतोष कृपाना॥

दान परसु बुधि सक्ति प्रचंड़ा। बर बिग्यान कठिन कोदंडा॥

अमल अचल मन त्रोन समाना। सम जम नियम सिलीमुख नाना॥

कवच अभेद बिप्र गुर पूजा। एहि सम बिजय उपाय न दूजा॥

सखा धर्ममय अस रथ जाकें। जीतन कहँ न कतहुँ रिपु ताकें॥

Rama, the sea of mercy, heard Vibhishana and said: “Listen friend, the chariot that leads a man to victory is another. Further he explained different components of the chariot and implements used to be successful in life-battle..

• Wheels of that chariot – 1. Valour and 2. Fortitude
• Banner and standard – Truthfulness and 2. Good conduct.
• Four horses: 1. Strength, 2. Discretion, 3. Self-control and 4. Benevolence
• Cords joining horses to the chariot – Forgiveness, compassion and                                                                                                     evenness of mind.
• Expert driver: Adoration of God
• Shield – Dispassion,
• Sword – Contentment
• Axe – Charity,
• Fierce lance – Reasoning and intellect
• Relentless bow- Highest wisdom,
• Container holding arrows – A pure and steady mind
• Sheaf of arrows – Quietude and the various forms of abstinence (Yamas) and religious observances (Niyamas)
• Armor – Homage to the teachers, learned people, and elders;

There is no other equipment and implement for victory as efficacious as this. My friend, he who owns such a chariot to ride on, shall have no enemy to conquer anywhere.

युगादि नवदुर्गा पर गीता सन्देश

YUGADI NAVA DURGA AND GITA

The word Ugadi (युगादि) is derived from the two words ‘Yuga’ and ‘Adi’. Yuga (in sansakriti) means the period or era and Aadi(in sansakriti) means the beginning. Uga उग also means commencement of germination. So this is the  day when creation had started in the universe. Ugadi is assumed as the day, the Creator (Lord Brahma ब्रम्ह प्रजापति) had commenced the creation. To commemorate the commencement of Creation, this day is celebrated as Ugadi.

The universe is created from the Energy which pervades everywhere and had existed on its own all along throughout a timeless eternity in one or other form of the energy. Supreme Energy that is being recognized as the Super power or Supreme God/ Goddess. Adishakti (आदि शक्ति) is the name given as per Indian mythology. Adishakti created three types of forces in the form of Trinity of great Gods. The Trinity of great Gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu are the forms of universal forces: Nuclear forces, Gravitational forces, and Electro-magnetic forces respectively.

Other gods (Devas) are divine powers within this material universe or nature. They represent spirits behind specific posts in the affairs of running the world of nature; such as Agni Dev (the god of fire), Vayu Dev (the god of the wind), Varuṇa Dev (the god of the ocean), Indra Dev (the king of the celestial gods), etc.

As administrators of various processes of the universe, these gods provide us with rain, wind, crops, vegetation, minerals, fertile soil, etc. We human beings are indebted to them for all that we receive from them. These gods perform their duty, and expect us to perform our duty in the proper consciousness too. They become pleased when someone performs a sacrifice for whole, and in turn assist by creating favorable material conditions. Thus, it is said that when we strongly resolve to serve God, the universe begins to cooperate with us.

We humans are the only ones in this chain who have been bestowed with the ability to choose our actions by our own free will. We can thus either contribute to the harmony of the cycle. When the majority of the people of human society accept their responsibility to live as integral parts of the universal system, material prosperity abounds

Twice in a year such conditions prevail in Nature that indicate the major changes in the environment around us; one is when the winter approaches and the other when the summer approaches. In Sanskrit fortress is called DURG, That is why these two periods have been termed as NAV DURGA also. It signifies that we should renew our body system (DURGA) by detoxifying by keeping fast, purifying the environment by HAVAN or YAGYA.

At Yugadi, summer season approches. During this month after sun-set, we can visualise the constellation “Simha” (Leo) {सिंह-राशि} and later Kanya कन्या-राशि (Virgo) on the horizon as ascendants. Hence we can visualises the image  as a “a young woman sitting on lion”. This is the image of Goddess Durga (देवी दुर्गा). That is why nine days from yugadi are called NAVA DURGA (नव दुर्गा) also.

In the third chapter of  Bhagvad Gita, importance of  Yagya (Act of contributing for the society as a whole) on Yugadi has been explained.

              सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्टा पुरोवाचप्रजापतिः ।

                           अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्‌॥3-10॥

At YUGADI, the beginning of creation, The Creator (Prajapati Brahma) shaped spirit of yagya along with mankind and said: “By this yagya may you prosper and multiply! May this yagya yield the  enjoyment you seek and fulfill you and your coveted desires.”

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।

          परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥3-11॥

And may you cherish gods by yagya and may gods foster you, for this is the means by which you will finally achieve the ultimate state. Nourish the Devas through this yagya and may those Gods nourish you. Thus through mutual satiation, both shall attain the highest good.

These Shlokas have been written in the form of Hindi poems in GITA-GEET.

गीता-गीत

रच कर यज्ञ, मनुज युगादि में देते ब्रम्हा ज्ञान |

समष्टि हेतु आहुति व्यष्टि की दैवी यज्ञ विधान ||

यही यज्ञ मानव समाज के विकास हित सोपान |

            अभिलाषा  सब  करे पूर्ण प्रारम्भ करो  निर्मान ||॥3-10॥

भाव लोकहित  में देने को, देव-भाव ही जान |

देव भाव की उन्नति से हो देवों का सम्मान ||

प्रकृति रहे संतुलित देव-उन्नति की यह पहचान |

             पारस्परिक उन्नति से हो देव, मनुज  कल्यान ||॥3-11॥

Also we need to get rid of all the negative feelings and emotions. Our nervous system needs to be strengthened by performing a specific meditation (SADHANA) each night of NAVRATRI in the manner specified for that (NAV DURGA) day in order to rejuvenate our mind and nerves in order to make our body capable to fight disease and get success in life. These celebrations motivate us to contribute for the society as a whole as we are enjoying today the fruits of the actions earlier performed by the society only.

गीता-गीत 

GITA-GEET Chapter 1 (30-47)

गीता-गीत  प्रथम-अध्याय श्लोक(30-47)

मोह (Illusion)

देखता विपरीत ही सब  लक्षणो को  अब यहाँ |

            मार रण में स्वजन को कल्याण हो सकता कहाँ ||31||

विजय की न चाह कृष्ण! न राज्य-सुख की कामना|

            राज्य, जीवन, भोग को अब किस प्रयोजन चाहना ||32||

चाह जिनके लिए होती राज्य, धन, सुख-भोग की|

               खड़े रण में त्याग धन और चाह प्राण-के-मोह की|| 33||

आसक्ति (Attachment)

सभी गुरुजन पितृतुल्य श्वसुर पितामह पुत्र भी|

         पौत्र साले और मामा आदि  संबंधी सभी ||34||

  मैं नहीं चाहता करना वध, वे मुझे चाहे मार लें|

                 भूभाग क्या! त्रैलोक्य का ही राज्य भी चाहे मिले||35||

मारकर धृतराष्ट्र-पुत्रों को भला क्या पाऊंगा |

            आततायी-इन्हें वध, मैं पाप ही कर जाऊंगा ||36||

हैं बंधु ही धृतराष्ट्र-पुत्र, न मारने के योग्य हैं|

             मार स्वजनों को क्या, ये सभी सुख भोग्य हैं||37||

अन्धविश्वास (Superstition)

कुलनाश-से-कृत-दोष को व मित्र-द्रोह के पाप को|

 भृष्ट चित्त ये लोभ से नहिं देखते संताप को ||38||

कुलनाश-से-कृत-दोष को हे कृष्ण! हमसब जानते|

    फिर भी इस पाप से हटने को क्यों नहिं मानते ||39||

कुल का जब नाश हो तो नष्ट हो कुल-धर्म भी |

  कुल-धर्म जब नहीं रहा, तो बढेगा  अधर्म भी ||40||

दुश्चिन्तन (Anxiety disorder)

अधर्म  के बढ़ने से कुल की स्त्रियाँ दूषित बनें |

          स्त्रियाँ दूषित हों तो फिर वर्णसंकर  को जनें ||41||

    कुल और कुलघातियों हित वर्णसंकर नरक पथ|

              श्राद्ध-तर्पण के बिना, पितरों के लिए पतन-रथ||42||

   वर्णसंकरकारक  कुलघातियों के दोष  सब |

             नष्ट-करते पारंपरिक-जाति व कुलधर्म अब ||43||

     होचुका कुलधर्म जिनका नष्ट ऐसे मनुज भी|

                 सुनते अनिश्चित कालतक वास करते नरक भी||44||

      जानकर भी हाय!  हम तत्पर  महापाप करने|

                 राज्य-सुख के लोभ से अपनों के प्राण हरने||45||

        सामना किये बिना सशस्त्र यदि धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र|

                  हितकर ही होगा, मारें रण में मुझे निशस्त्र ||46||

          शोक से उद्विग्न मन, धनुष बाण छोड़कर |

                    पीछे रथ के बैठ गए, पार्थ ऐसे बोल कर ||47||

Feeling guilty and shifting responsibility

Arjuna said to Shri Krishna, ” Keshava! I see omens of evil, and do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle.”(31) He further said, ” I do not covet victory , nor kingdom or luxuries or even life being to us.(32)Those very persons for whose sake we desire the kingdom, luxuries and pleasures -teachers, uncles, sons, grand uncles, maternal uncles, father-in-law, grand-nephews, brothers-in-law and other relations – are there arrayed on the battle field staking their lives and wealth.”(33-34) “I do not wish to kill them even for the sake of the Kingship of the three worlds (35)”.

“What will I get by killing them? Sin will surely accrue to us (36). Sons of Dhritarashtra are my cousins. How can we be happy after killing our own kinsmen (37).”

“Even though, these people, with their mind captured by greed, perceive no evil in destroying their own race and no sin in treason to friends (38), why should not we who  see the sin accruing from destruction of one’s family, think of desisting from committing this sin(39). It is a great sin to kill my teachers and relatives. Family traditions will perish with the destruction of family. When family virtues are lost, vice takes hold of the entire race (40)”.

With the preponderance of vice, the women of the family will become corrupt. With the corruption of women, there ensues an intermixture of castes (41). Owing to promiscuity (indiscriminate mingling) progeny damns the race itself as the family culture and values   (such as paying regards to their ancestors) would no more be there (42). Through these evils of intermixture, the age-long racial traditions and family customs will vanish (43). Arjun further said, “we hear that men who have lost their family traditions, dwell in hell for an indefinite period of time” (44). ” What a pity! we are aware of all this, even then we have set our mind to commit this great sin and due to lust for throne and enjoyment we are prepared to kill our own kinsmen(45). It would be better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, armed with weapons, kill me in battle, while I am unarmed and unresisting.(46).After speaking thus, He threw away his bow and arrows and sank down on the seat of the chariot. Arjuna was overwhelmed with grief.  (47). 

Learnings from Gita:

Gita is the teachings of Krishna imparted to Arjuna when he lost his nerve on the battlefield at Kurukshetra when he found himself facing his own kin. Arjuna’s dilemma is, in reality, the universal dilemma. Every human being faces dilemmas, big and small, in their everyday life when performing their duties.

1. Anxiety disorder: Arjun was suffering with anxiety disorder in which one starts feeling intense fear of a specific object or situation. The fear goes beyond what’s appropriate and may cause excessive, unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason.
2. Emotional warning sign: All guilt is an emotional warning sign. It robs us of vitality , health and the peace of mind. Guilt upon conscience is like rust upon iron -guilt consumes the guilty . Sometimes guilt-prone people carry a strong sense of responsibility to others, and that responsibility makes other people see them as leaders. If guilt is suppressed, it may result in laziness, suspicion and frustration. The worst thing one can do when feeling guilty is to do nothing or abandon one’s duty.
3. Chronic guilt affects mental health adversely . If guilt is suppressed, it may result in laziness, suspicion and frustration. Scriptures recommend confession and atonement to overcome guilt. How can you rejoice when constantly feeling guilty and condemning yourself ?
4. Guilty person is always scared:Conversely , guilt might not be always a negative emotion. Feelings of guilt may signal leadership potential; guilt-prone people carry a strong sense of responsibility to others, and that responsibility makes other people see them as leaders.

The worst thing one can do when feeling guilty is to do nothing or abandon one’s duty as Arjuna contemplated. He feels guilty about his decision to fight against his own kinsmen and becomes despondent. Krishna convinces him that his guilt feeling is inappropriate.

*At the occasion of Makar Sankranti (मकर संक्रांति पर)*

GITA-GEET Chapter 1 (verses 20-30)

गीता-गीत  प्रथम-अध्याय श्लोक(20-30)

कपिध्वज अर्जुन देख शस्त्र-संधान-प्रवृत कुरुपुत्र सभी |

          बोले सेना-मध्य स्थापित कर दो रथ श्री कृष्ण! अभी ||20-21||

जिससे मैं कर सकूं निरीक्षण कौन समर मे स्थित हैं |

            कौन युद्ध-के-योग्य मेरे-संग रण-हित यहाँ उपस्थित हैं ||22||

देख सकूं दुर्बुद्ध दुर्योधन प्रिय-हित जो होगये भ्रमित |

            कौन कौन आगये यहाँ पर होने इस रण में सम्मलित ||23||

अर्जुन के कहने पर, रथ दोनों सेनाओं  मध्य लिया |

            भीष्म-द्रोण-प्रमुख-योद्धाओं के सन्मुख जा खड़ाकिया ||24||

और कहा, अर्जुन! देखो रण हित कौरव-जन जुटे हुए |

            देख लिया  अर्जुन ने  दादा, गुरु, परदादा डटे हुए   ||25-26||

मामा, भाई, पुत्र, पौत्र, मित्रों,श्वसुरों सुहृदों में सब |

            बोले शोकाकुल हो अर्जुन दोनों ओर ही हैं बांधव ||26-27||

अर्जुन अवसाद में (Arjuna in Depression)

कृष्ण! देख स्वजनोंको उपस्थित युद्धहेतु रणस्थल में| 

   शिथिल हो रहे अंग सभी सूखा जाता मुख पल पल में||28||

अंग अंग सब कांप रहे अब रोम रोम भय-रोमांचित  |

            फिसलरहा गांडीव हाथ से त्वचा जलन से हुई व्यथित||29-30||

पाता नहीं समर्थ स्वयं को, रह लूं इसी अवस्था में|

    भ्रमित हो रहा सभी तरफ, मैं  डूब रहा मनोव्यथा में||30||

After the death of king Paandu the Paandavs became the lawful king. Since they were still in their childhood. Dhritaraashtra was made king and Bheesma was taking care five sons of Pandu and 100 sons Dhritarashtra. Also he took responsibility of protecting the kingdom as a supreme commander of the army.. Duryodhana was a very jealous person. He also wanted the kingdom. The kingdom was divided into two halves between the Paandavs and the Kauravs . Duryodhana was not satisfied with his share of the kingdom. He wanted the entire kingdom for himself. He unsuccessfully planned several foul plays to kill the Paandavs and take away their kingdom. He even ordered to disrobe Pandavas wife Queen Draupadi in front of King’s court. He unlawfully took possession of the entire kingdom of the Paandavs.

He refused to give back even five villages without a war. All mediation by Lord Krishna and others failed. The big war of Mahaabhaarata was thus inevitable. The Paandavs had only two choices: Fight for their right as a matter of duty or run away from war and accept defeat in the name of peace and nonviolence.

Before the start of the Mahabharat battle, Arjuna, one of the five Paandava brothers, wanted to be in the mid of battlefield to enable him to see the warriors of both the sides (20-21). He wanted to see specially the persons who wanted to fight on behalf of evil minded Duryodhan (22-23). Krishna took the magnificent chariot between the two armies  just in front of Bhishma, Drona and other warriors and said, “Arjun ! behold these Kauravas assembled here.. As soon as Arjuna enters into the mid of battlefield, he saw all his kinsmen, sons, brothers-in-law, cousins, grand-father and uncles, maternal uncle, teachers (Bhishma, Drona and others) standing arrayed in battle Seeing all the relations present there, Arjuna was overcome with deep compassion and spoke in sorrow to Lord Krishna (24-27), “My limbs fail and my mouth is parched, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end. The bow Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin too burns all over” (28-29). He feels guilty about his decision to fight against his own kinsmen and becomes despondent and under psychological depression(30).

Arjuna, , faced the dilemma in the battlefield whether to fight or run away from war for the sake of peace. He had to make a choice between fighting the war and killing his most revered guru, very dear friends, close relatives, and many innocent warriors or running away from the battlefield for the sake of preserving the peace and nonviolence.

Arjuna’s dilemma is, in reality, the universal dilemma. Every human being faces dilemmas, big and small, in their everyday life when performing their duties. These shlokas of first chapter of Gita depict how negative thoughts develop due to dilemmas  that leads to depression and how a depressed person becomes physically weak and inactive. Gita is the teachings, of Lord Krishna, imparted to Arjuna when he lost his nerve on the battlefield at Kurukshetra when he found himself facing his own kin.

On the occasion of GITA JAYANTI First 19 shlokas of Gita is being translated in poems in Hindi ( गीता-गीत) with learnings in english.

 

  गीता-गीत

GITA- GEET Chapter 1 (1-19)

गीता-गीत प्रथम-अध्याय श्लोक १-१९

धर्मक्षेत्र कुरुक्षेत्र में पहुंचे युद्धोन्मुख कौरव संतान |

पांडुपुत्र निजपुत्र कर रहे क्या, पूछें धृतराष्ट्र महान ||

         संजय तब वर्णन करते गुरु  द्रोण दुर्योधन का संवाद |

              कौनकौन योद्धा उत्सुक उनकेहित ले मन रणउन्माद ||

          देखो गुरु! पांडव  सेना यह  धृष्टद्युम्न से निर्देशित |

              भीमार्जुनद्रुपदविराटशैब्य अभिमन्युद्रौपदीसुतों सहित ||

               पुरुजितउत्तमौजाचेकितान सब कुन्तिभोज से महारथी |

                हैं काशीराज अरु युधामन्यु भी रणबांकुरे व वीरब्रती ||

अपने दलबलसंग सबकरें यहां युधिष्ठिरकागुणगान |

धर्मक्षेत्र कुरुक्षेत्र में पहुंचे युद्धोन्मुख कौरव संतान ||

       अब मेरे दल के भी विशेष योद्धाओं को गुरुवर जानो |

          गुरु आप पितामह भीष्म कर्ण अश्वत्थामा को पहचानो ||

          यह सौमदत्तसुत भूरिश्रवा गुरु कृपाचार्य हैं सदाजयी |

             मेरेहित जीवनमोह त्याग रणमें विकर्ण होने विजयी ||

       वीर विविधआयुध से युक्त हैं युद्धकलामें पारंगत |

               भीष्मरक्षित सेनादल निजरिपु को कर सकती आहत ||

भीम रक्षित सेना में बल अपर्याप्त जयहित आसान |

धर्मक्षेत्र कुरुक्षेत्र में पहुंचे युद्धोन्मुख कौरव संतान

                           अपने अपने मोर्चे पर होजाएँ सभी सज्जित होकर |

                                    सभी ओर से रहें पितामह-भीष्म की रक्षाहित डटकर ||

                                    सिंहनाद कर उठे पितामह हर्षित कर दुर्योधन को |

                                शंख बजाया वीर प्रतापी ने सबके उद्बोधन  को ||

                           ढोल मृदंग नगारे शंख बजे भयकारी ध्वनि करते |

                                  श्वेत-अश्वयुत महान-रथ में अर्जुन कृष्ण दिखे बढ़ते ||

                     बजा उठे देवदत्त धनंजय, पांचजन्य श्रीकृष्ण महान|

                     धर्मक्षेत्र कुरुक्षेत्र में पहुंचे युद्धोन्मुख कौरव संतान||

                                        पौण्ड्र भीम महराज युधिष्ठिर अनन्तविजय ले करते घोष|

                                             मणिपुष्पक सहदेव बजाते नकुल लिये कर शङ्ख सुघोष ||

                                    काशिराज से परम् धनुर्धर और शिखण्डी महारथी |

                                       धृष्टद्युम्न विराट सात्यिकी अपराजित और वीरव्रती||

                                         सौभद्र द्रुपद द्रौपदीपुत्र सब भूपति फिर लगे बजाने |

                                          अपने अपने शंख, प्रतिध्वनि से भू नभ  गुंजाने  ||

                     धृतराष्ट्र-सुतों के ह्रदय विदीर्णहुए सुन रणभेरी-की-तान

                     धर्मक्षेत्र कुरुक्षेत्र में पहुंचे युद्धोन्मुख कौरव संतान||

Gita starts with the question from Dhritarastra (King of Hastinapur), that gathered on the holy land of Kuruksetra, eager to fight, what did his sons and the sons of Pandu do. Then Sanjay (his close associate and charioteer) started narrating what was going on there.

Duryodhan had gone to his Guru Dronacharya  and asked him to look toward the mighty army of the sons of Pandu arrayed for battle by his (Dronacharya’s) talented pupil, Dhristadyumna, son of Drupada. He explained about the warriors on both the sides and concluded that his own army, protected by Bhisma was unconquerable, while the army of sons of Pandu, guarded by Bhima was easy to conquer. Therefore, stationed at their respective positions on all fronts, all were required to guard Bhishma in particular on all sides. On this,  Bhishma, cheering up Duryodhana, roared terribly like a lion and blew his conch. After that all blew their own individual conches indicating the preparedness for the battle.

 

Learnings:

1. This part of the first chapter of Gita shows that Duryodhan was more concerned about himself and his victory and not about others. He was not able to see the challenges being faced by him in the correct perspective. It shows a mind not governed by the intellect is dangerous. It distracts, tricks and misleads you.

• You may underestimate the challenge posed at you and reach to the inappropriate conclusion.
• This will lead you to start following the wrong strategy.
• Success can never be achieved unless you focus properly and analyse the environment in the correct perspective before reaching to a conclusion and decide to act. }

 

2. Lord Krishna blew conch (Panch janya) and Arjun blew conch Deva-datta. This means Lord Krishna prepares to motivate all the five senses (GYANENDRIYAS). Arjuna prepares to surrender himself to the Lord (Dev-datta). One could be motivated for the actions approprite to the situations only if one surrenders and listen carefully to the Lord.

UNIVERSAL GURU LORD KRISHNA

कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम्

Before the start of the Mahabharat battle, Arjuna wanted to be in the mid of battlefield to enable him to see the warriors of both the sides. As soon as he enters into the mid of battlefield,  he feels guilty about his decision to fight against his own kinsmen and becomes despondent.

All guilt is an emotional warning sign. Sometimes guilt-prone people carry a strong sense of responsibility to others, and that responsibility makes other people see them as leaders. If guilt is suppressed, it may result in laziness, suspicion and frustration. The worst thing one can do when feeling guilty is to do nothing or abandon one’s duty as Arjuna said “My limbs fail and my mouth is parched, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end; Gandiva slips from my hand”(As per Bhagwad Gita, chapter 1)

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति ।

वेपथुश्च शरीरे में रोमहर्षश्च जायते ॥

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ।

न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥

Krishna convinces him that his guilt feeling is inappropriate. Gita is the teachings of Krishna imparted to Arjuna when he lost his nerve on the battlefield at Kurukshetra , when he became despondent on the battlefield at Kurukshetra, unable to withstand the challenge of having to fight his own relatives, teachers and friends.

The Gita is the world’s foremost school of self-management and enables us to be successful and happy. A few points of learning from Gita are as follows:

• Be in present: Intelligent persons never worry about things happened in the past or likely to occur in future

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।

गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

• Be fearless: We all are everlasting soul. Nobody can make any harm to it. So there is nothing to be scared of

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्‌ ।

कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्‌ ॥

• Become Karmayogi (Be in action): A karma yogi takes pleasure in work itself, irrespective of its outcome. He enjoys living most of his time in the world of activity leading to his dream, rather than dwelling on the dream itself. He is focussed on `doing of work’ itself without the anxiety of a distant outcome at the end of the work. “You have right only to action, never to the fruits.” Don’t be attached to inaction nor be instrumental in making your action bear fruit as you have right only to act not in its results.

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।

मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

• Act to contribute for the universe (society as a whole): The human being is indebted to each and every member of the universe such as elements, trees, animals, sages, parents, teachers, ancestors and scientists for what he is today. One who enjoys favours from the universe but does not return those favours, is a thief. Any selfless action or action imbued with the spirit of reaching out is what is meant by the word yajna. Krishna says it is this spirit of offering or yajna which harmoniously moves the cosmic wheel.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्‌ ।

तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्‌ ||

            Everybody is assigned a certain role in life. May that role be performed to the best            of one’s ability, not only for a personal gain but for the well-being of the            macrocosm. All duties and actions that one has to perform may be looked upon as an opportunity to     serve the universe.

• Adopt appropriate life style to get rid of problems:

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।

युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा

• Develop yourself for growth: Always be busy in improving tour actions in order to grow. You yourself are your friend if you raise yourself to develop for the further growth, else you are your own enemy if you remain depressed.

उद्धरेदात्मनाऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्‌ ।

    आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

Thus the Gita offers many more valuable principles of life that you can use to achieve success and happiness in the world.

The Gita speaks of excellence ­ in the world and beyond. It inspires you with a higher ideal. Move from mere physical delights to emotional motivation, intellectual stimulation and the highest ­ the lure of the Infinite. The world does not need more brilliant or talented people. It needs ordinary people with extraordinary motivation. With a higher ideal you tap into your potential, become creative and energetic, and transform from an ordinary mortal to an extraordinary immortal.

In ancient times there was a king Shantanu who had very capable and brave son Devavrata Bheeshma who was the greatest warrior and nobody ever dare to challenge him. Bheesma’s mother left in his early childhood. He took oath not to become king and also not to marry to facilitate his father to marry again with Satyvati who put the condition that only her son should become king of Hastinapur. He assured to his step mother to facilitate by remaining loyal to Hastinapur and help her sons and grand-sons to rule. Before marriage, Satyavati was having a son Krishna Dvaipayan, popularly known as Rishi Veda Vyasa. Shantanu and Satyavati had two sons – Chitrangada and Vichitraviryan. Bhishma loved and adored his two brothers and in turn the two of them worshiped the ground on which Bhishma walked. But both of them died early. She had two grand-sons, Dhritaraashtra and Paandu. The former was born blind, therefore, Paandu inherited the kingdom. Paandu had five sons. They were called the Paandavs. Dhritaraashtra had one hundred sons. They were called the Kauravs. Duryodhana was the eldest of the Kauravs.

After the death of king Paandu the Paandavs became the lawful king. Since they were still in their childhood. Dhritaraashtra was made king and Bheesma was taking care five sons of Pandu and 100 sons Dhritarashtra. Also he took responsibility of protecting the kingdom as a supreme commander of the army.. Duryodhana was a very jealous person. He also wanted the kingdom. The kingdom was divided into two halves between the Paandavs and the Kauravs . Duryodhana was not satisfied with his share of the kingdom. He wanted the entire kingdom for himself. He unsuccessfully planned several foul plays to kill the Paandavs and take away their kingdom. He even ordered to disrobe Pandavas wife Queen Draupadi in front of King’s court. He unlawfully took possession of the entire kingdom of the Paandavs.

He refused to give back even five villages without a war. All mediation by Lord Krishna and others failed. The big war of Mahaabhaarata was thus inevitable. The Paandavs had only two choices: Fight for their right as a matter of duty or run away from war and accept defeat in the name of peace and nonviolence. Arjuna, one of the five Paandava brothers, faced the dilemma in the battlefield whether to fight or run away from war for the sake of peace. Arjuna’s dilemma was the biggest of all. He had to make a choice between fighting the war and killing his most revered guru, very dear friends, close relatives, and many innocent warriors or running away from the battlefield for the sake of preserving the peace and nonviolence.

Arjuna’s dilemma is, in reality, the universal dilemma. Every human being faces dilemmas, big and small, in their everyday life when performing their duties.
Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagvad geeta to Arjuna at the battle of Kuruksetra near New Delhi, India in 3137 B.C. near New Delhi, India in 3137 B.C.
The entire seven hundred verses of the Gita is a discourse between Lord Krishna and the confused Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. This discourse was narrated to the blind king, Dhritaraashtra, by his charioteer, Sanjaya, as an eyewitness war report.
Bhagvad gita is the part of the great epic MAHABHARATA written by VedaVyasa.

In order to achieve success in life, one must be aware of the purpose of his own life, supreme reality, and its relation with the life. Lord Krishna explained the same in Gita.  The Gita can, therefore, be divided into three parts of six chapters each on the basis of the topics covered;

1. Purpose of life
2. Supreme Reality
3. Relation between Individual and Supreme Reality

1. PURPOSE OF LIFE

First part talks about the human being as an individual. All the human being meet challenges and are overwhelmed by them. Everybody needs to understand the purpose of life and conduct accordingly . It is karma yoga, path of action. Karma yoga is working for a higher cause in the spirit of cooperative endeavour.To involve in social service and carry out the good work without expecting any reward for it. When a person functions thus his worldly desires wane away and he is prepared for meditation. Through meditation he realises his Self, the purpose of existence. This is the surest way for salvation.

2. SUPREME REALITY

Krishna shows how Reality or God is in everything and everything is in God. He demonstrates this both by analyses and syntheses. He names individual things and says they are God and then puts it all together, synthesises them in the form of Vishwarupa, His cosmic form. In it, Arjuna sees how everything is part of Krishna or Reality , the good, the bad and the ugly . Whatever one sees is a manifestation of the Lord. With this vision one’s mind expands in love.

3. RELATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND SUPREME REALITY

Supreme Reality is the root and the world is the tree, the inverted ashvatha tree. Like any family tree, the parent is shown on top and the descendants below. The world is made up of the three gunas ­tamas, ignorance; rajas, activity; and sattva, poise. They bind us in different ways and keep us from recognition of Reality .Beings in the world are all different ­ but different combinations of the three gunas. When one goes beyond the gunas one finds one’s true Self.

Thus, Lord Krishna explained in The Gita that everybody is assigned a certain role in life. May that role be performed to the best of one’s ability, not only for a personal gain but for the well-being of the macrocosm. All duties and actions that one has to perform may be looked upon as an opportunity to serve the universe. By the spirit of offering, of contributing, the individual has struck chord of harmony playing in the fine chord of harmony playing in the universe. The spirit of offering, the attitude of serving or reaching out is such a catalyst that it purifies his heart of selfishness, greed, aggression, violence, usurpation and other such self-centred tendencies and makes it pure and divine. Purged of these discordant tendencies, he is free from anxieties and conflicts. In a nutshell, selfishness is equal to unhappiness and selflessness and reaching out is equal to happiness and peace.

(Introduction series)

There is a certain order and harmony in the universe, as everything in this universe is balanced by different types of positive and negative forces. So, there is the need to instruct or guide the individual to remain in concord with the prevailing harmony in order to enjoy in this universe. The concept of the human life is based on the principles of eternal enjoyment The Bhagwad Gita explains:

• the nature of the world around an individual in the universe
• different types of personality to deal with
• the technique of right contact with the world.

Nature of the world

1. The world is a mix of pairs of opposites; i.e. (dualities of life) such as kindness and cruelty , happiness and misery , intelligence and foolishness, knowledge and ignorance, truthfulness and falsehood, fear and fearlessness, birth and death, violence and equanimity , fame and infamy.
2. all of these are created by the Supreme to maintain balance.

• It is constantly changing and is unpredictable.

Individual’s Personality: Everyone is bound by their inherent nature and cannot act apart from inborn traits. Once you come to terms with this, you will not expect an angry person to be gentle or a hysterical person to be sane. You will know exactly how to deal with them without getting upset.

Your personality: Look within and find out:

• What motivates you and drives you to action?
• How is it that at times you are serene and tranquil, at most times agitated and disturbed, and at still other times lazy and indolent?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Are you happy being the way you are or do you want to become a better person.

The Bhagwad Gita is a scientific manual for the art of  living and enjoying  life. One can say that  Gita is the world’s foremost school of self-management that enables us to be successful and happy. It explains how to assess

• the world,
• your surroundings and
• the people you interact with regularly .

It also explains how to insulate from shocks of life and enjoy the thrills without pain and suffering.

 

Ugadi Navdurga युगादि नवदुर्गा

The word Ugadi is derived from the word Yuga adi (Yuga युग + Aadi आदि ). Yuga means the period or era and Aadi means the beginning. Uga उग  also means commencement of germination. So this is the  day when creation had started in the universe.

The universe is created from the Energy which pervades everywhere and had existed on its own all along throughout a timeless eternity in one or other form of the energy. Universe is nothing but energy. Since energy can neither be created nor be destroyed, it can safely be considered that Universe was never created, Universe will never die. Supreme Energy that is being recognized as the Super power or Supreme God/ Goddess. Adishakti आदि शक्ति  is the name given as per Indian mythology. Adishakti created three types of forces in the form of Trinity of Gods. Trinity of Gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu are the forms of universal forces: Nuclear forces, Gravitational forces, and Electro-magnetic forces respectively.

Scientific theories proved that matter is no more than insubstantial fields of energy moving in a great emptiness (space) or ‘shunya’(शून्य)  that pervades and surrounds everything. Thus all objects and living things have no substance except as bundle of energy. Thus different stars and planets like sun, moon, earth, etc. have been formed from the energy and sustained in the universe with the help of the forces like gravitational, nuclear, and electromagnetic forces. Gross elements (earth, water, air, fire and space) were created .

In Bhagawad Geeta it is given how everything in the universe goes back to its original nature after a predetermined period (kalpa कल्प ) and in the beginning of the next kalpa, the same comes out from that original nature again.

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम्‌ ।

कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम्‌ ||

The day Kalpa had commenced known as Kalpaadi कल्पादि. With the interaction of different forces and planets, movements in gross elements started taking place. Sun and earth started giving movement to air and fire in the space; moon affected water on the earth, Thus all the five gross elements started playing their role for the creation.

Ugadi is assumed as the day the Creator (Lord Brahma ब्रम्ह) had commenced the creation. It is the beginning of an Era/Yuga in which currently we are living. To commemorate the commencement of Creation, this day is celebrated as Ugadi.

ASTRONOMICAL CYCLE AND YUGADI: The creator of the universe, began a series of wonderful creations, including that of and all the life forms that live in the earth. Yugadi is not only a beginning of Year according to the Hindu calendar, but also sets the new astronomical cycles into motion.

Sun and Earth’s Orbit: The sun, the source of light and life to every living being is a unifying force. Because the plane of the ecliptic (the plane of the Sun’s apparent path on the sky) is titled with respect to the celestial equator (the plane perpendicular to the earth’s spin axis), the respective hemispheres receive more direct or less direct sunlight at different times in the earth’s orbit around the Sun.        

There is the role Earth’s orbit plays in the seasons, which we referred to above. The four seasons are determined by the fact that the Earth is tilted 23.5° on its vertical axis, which is referred to as “axial tilt.” This quirk in our orbit determines the solstices – the point in the orbit of maximum axial tilt toward or away from the Sun and the equinoxes, when the direction of the tilt and the direction to the Sun are perpendicular.

Solar Declination Angles for the Northern Hemisphere

Spring Equinox Mar. 21/22 = 0^o
Summer Solstice Jun. 21/22 = +23.5^o
Autumnal Equinox Sept. 21/22 = 0^o
Winter Solstice Dec. 21/22 = -23.5^o

When the Sun’s path crosses the equator, the length of the nights at latitudes +L° and -L° are of equal length. This is known as an equinox. There are two solstices and two equinoxes in a tropical year. An equinox is an astronomical event in which the plane of Earth’s equator passes through the centre of the Sun, which occurs twice each year, around 20 March and 23 September. After the summer solstice the Sun follows a lower and lower path through the sky each day until it reaches the point where it is in the sky for exactly 12 hours again. This is the Fall Equinox. After the Fall Equinox the Sun will continue to follow a lower and lower path through the sky and the days will grow shorter and shorter until it reaches its lowest path and then we are back at the Winter Solstice where we started.

Just like the Spring Equinox, the Sun will rise exactly east and set exactly west on this day and everyone  will experience a 12 hour day. Spring equinox signifies that days are getting longer (after the darkness of winter), while autumn equinox represents the days becoming shorter as we prepare for winter ahead).

The days are longer around the summer solstice and shorter around the winter solstice.

The significance for Spring, is that daylight starts to increase, so the earth is about to tip over to more LIGHT, like an illuminating, sublime reminder that light is returning and always does, to earth. Therefore, the Spring equinox represents new light and life, new beginnings, seeds and paths.

This cycle of the earth  around the sun spiritually symbolises light and darkness, life and death. So with summer (the summer solstice) we have the beginnings of new creation, and with the winter solstice the endings and death (metaphorical), of course, but also related to nature’s cycle.

TIME ELEMENTS: As the Earth orbits the Sun in 365 days (called a year), the Moon orbits the Earth.

Moon’s orbit and lunar months: The Moon’s orbit lasts 27.5 days, but because the Earth keeps moving, it takes the Moon two extra days, 29.5, to come back to the same place in our sky. This is called lunar month or Chandramas चन्द्र-मास.  As per Chandramas the lunar month is denoted by the star on the full moon day. For example when the full moon day is in the star constellation of Chitraचित्रा that month is referred to as Chaitra Masa चैत्र-मास  whose beginning day is celebrated as Ugadi.

Zodiac and constellation: After generations of observation or investigation, our great saintss (Sages) concluded that the “key lies in the heavens”. They divided the apparent sky into stellar zones for reference, like we divide land by fixing fences!

Zodiac or Rasi Chakraराशि-चक्र is a circular path with constellations as mile stones. These stellar zones are termed as constellations, stars, asterisms etc. Therefore at any point of time a constellation will rise in the east and another constellation which is 180 degrees away from it sets in the west. After keen observation and research our saints recorded the properties of these constellations and designed rituals in symmetry with them. Among the constellations, those rise and set in a particular period have strongest influence on our nature.

Astronomical status on Yugadi/ Nav Durga: On “Yugadi” day Sun sets his journey towards East and when he enters Mesha Rasiमेष-राशि  (Aries) becomes very powerful. Astrologically Mesha Raasi (Aries) is the sign of exaltation for Sun. Aswin Maasआश्विन मास  is when Full Moon day forms in Aswini star. During this month before sun rise on the horizon, we can visualise the constellation “Simha” सिंह-राशि (Leo) and later Kanya कन्या-राशि (Virgo) hence we have the image of “Durga Maa दुर्गा माँ“ as a “Woman sitting on Lion”. The same scene will repeat 6 months later but after sunset on the horizon in the month of Chaithra. So, there is a festival called “Vasanth Nava Durga” celebrated during the first 9 days of chaithra maas shukla pax. 

Ugadi is basically a Hindu festival signifying the time element of the Universe which is celebrated as a new year day coinciding with the first day of Chaitra Masa शुक्ल–पक्ष Sukla Paksha, Prathama Thithi as per the Hindu Lunar Calendar

• वसंत (Spring season) is first among the six seasons, in a year spring वसंत, summer ग्रीष्म, rainy-season वर्षा, autumnशरद, winterहेमंत, extreme-winterशिशिर.
• मेष-राशि Mesha Raasi (Aries) is first among the zodiac signs,
• चैत्र-मास Chaitra Masam is first among the Lunar months,
• शुक्ल–पक्ष Sukla Paksha is first among the fortnights,
• प्रथमा Prathama is first day among the lunar days.

The day that coincides with the confluence of all the above mentioned is celebrated as Ugadi. It is an occasion that also signifies the end of an era and beginning of a new era. The spring (वसंत Vasantaa Ritu) has come in all its beauty and freshness. It is the season when nature presents her most glorious appearance. The advent of Spring means every tree is in bloom. with plants, shoots, and leaves coming to life and therefore, the day is believed to set things rolling for a fresh and successful new beginning.

It also marks the beginning of as the Hindu New Year (नूतन संवत्सर Nootana Samvatsara) Ugadi. Chandragupt Vikramaditya became king on this day 2074 years before. That is the current year is known as Vikrami samvat विक्रमी-संवत 2074. Also it is known as 5119 Yugabda युगाब्द. It means counting the number of years from the beginning of the कलियुग kaliyug 5119 years have passed.

Celebration of ‘Yugadi’ and ‘Nav Durga’: In ancient times rituals were performed at the moment of alignment and people would cleanse old energy out as well as in their homes, temples etc. So you see how reclaiming the sacred ways and mindset past brings us closer to both the Great Spirit as well as a closer truth. Balanced equilibrium as the ideal state for our lives. The celebrations and prayers (for Maa Durga) and worshiping girl children (Kanya कन्या)  that follow fill people’s hearts with joy and contentment. Starting afresh with positive expectation is one of the key aspects of Ugadi. It is a time of renewal, new beginnings of life and  growth blooming gloriously and ushering in a renewed sense of  energy  brought in to help you focus and move forward in new, fresh, positive ways.    

There is also a health message involved in keeping fast and eating specific items these days. For example, Neem नीम is good for diabetes, skin diseases and acts as a blood purifier. It is called as Sarva roga nivarini सर्व-रोग निवारनी. Even today usage of neem leaves is prevalent in rural areas whenever anyone is infected with small pox/chicken pox. Jaggery helps in increasing the haemoglobin content of blood that helps in iron deficiency, Tamarind helps in removing excess of kaphaकफ, vataवात , and pittaपित्त , raw Mango works in throat related problems and enhances the appetite, Chillies removes kapha and vata, pepper helps in cold and works in throat related problems.

Thus Yugadi and Nav Durga reminds that season is going to change. The rituals are performed to give indication for change of life-style according to the change of season in order to ensure disease free healthy life.

Ugadi NavdurgaUgadi Navdurga

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