Title: Summary of Thirteen ChaptersSummary of earlier chapters of Gita; introduction to 14th chapter55th through 72nd verses of the 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada also discusses similar characteristics.Such a person is not worried when there is a problem, and he is not over-joyed when somethingpleasant happens. He has no special admiration for others, nor does he hate anyone. This spiritualstability is an essential characteristic. He is contented, happy within, and has a deep sense of innerfulfillment. He identifies himself with the divinity within and feels oneness with other beings.The 4th chapter of Gita has a description of karma yoga. It describes how we can begin our spiritual journey any moment by bringing an element of spirituality into our everyday life.In the next few chapters, there are discussions of the highest philosophical concepts of Advaita.In the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee of God.In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. Thereupon, you will always live in Me.”When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th - 11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he startsspiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in acertain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can bedone by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee. When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.He says that the devotee who is dear to Hi

129 – Summary of Thirteen Chapters | Swami Tattwamayananda

Title: Practicing Detachment13th Chapter: Verses 29, 30, 31, 32; Summary of 2nd chapter29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is Atman, which is unchanging and actionless. This Atman when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”30th verse: “A person who understands that the world of plurality that we experience is built upon one single point – he attains the highest realization.”All experiences that we have are expressions of the same divine spark in innumerable forms. Spirituality expands into the realm of everyday life. In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. As we evolve, the secular becomes spiritualized – the line of demarcation disappears. Work becomes an act of worship.We can start our spiritual journey at any moment in life. Karma Yoga is the art of doing all activities from a spiritual perspective. When we begin to do our actions as karma yoga, we board the bus for our spiritual destination. When Buddha saw old age, disease and death, and the serenity of a monk, he began his spiritual journey.31st verse: “The Atman is beginningless. It neither acts nor is attached.”In the 18th verse of the 4th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.We should do our actions with full efficiency but stay detached from the results. Then we won’t have anxiety and mental fatigue from worrying about the results.32nd verse: This verse compares the Atman to space. Space is everywhere but it is not affected by anything. It remains detached but accommodates everything. Similarly, the Atman is present everywhere but remains unaffected.Gita begins with an invocation which in summary means: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you who rain down blessings of the nectar of Advaita.”47th verse of the 2nd chapter says: “You have the right to action, but not to the results thereof. You should not be attached to inaction either.” Gita presents Swadharma as a way to stay properly active. Swadharma is our natural way of work and that we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our Swadharma, we derive inner contentment.Swami Trigunatitananda’s was a traveling monk before coming to the US. In 13 years, he built the old temple, shaped the Vedanta Society, built a printing press, preached across the city and inspired people to renounce. All along, he never felt he was doing anything.Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life.”

128 - Practicing Detachment | Swami Tattwamayananda

13th Chapter: Verses 26, 27, 28, 2926th verse: “There is one supreme divine reality present in everything and everywhere. Everything in this world is nothing but a combination of this divine spark and external elements.27th verse: “Who is the wise person? The one who sees that there is one unchanging supreme reality in everything in this world, both perishable and imperishable.”When we evolve spiritually, we do not limit the presence of God to the temple. Everywhere, we feel the omnipresence of the divine. It is not a matter of philosophy – it is a matter of inner experience.Spirituality in its highest form is to see the divine everywhere. Its practical application is explained in some verses in the Bhagavata Purana – they emphasize spiritual humanism, and that existence is one from a spiritual perspective. When we understand this, we won’t harm anyone and won’t pollute nature.The verses from Bhagavata Purana are below:“I am present in everything that has come into existence. Anyone who neglects this truth and thinks that I am only present in a book or a place of worship, his worship is fake worship.”“I have built a temple for myself in the hearts of those who are pious, humble and pure, those who are humanistic and have compassion, those who understand that the divine is present everywhere.”“Those who perform elaborate rituals but who do not understand that I am present in everything that has come into existence, who look down upon other beings – their worship is not completely fruitful."28th verse: “The one who sees the same, unchanging, eternal reality present everywhere and in everything - such a person cannot harm anyone and attains the highest level of spiritual evolution.”Ahimsa (non-violence) is the most tangible sign of spirituality. It does not just mean doing anything violent. It means not thinking, speaking, and contemplating anything violent. Being established in Ahimsa is only possible when we see others as non-distinct from ourselves. Ahimsa is one of the ten spiritual disciplines emphasized in yamas and niyamas.You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is Atman, which is unchanging and actionless. This Atman when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”A true spiritual person performs every action as a noble action. A noble action has two characteristics: First, it is done with full concentration, sanctity, and sacredness. Second, the person does not expect anything in return – he does everything as an act of worship.There is a practical relevance of this teaching. The problems that we face in our lives are due to our false identification with the impermanent psycho-physical mechanism. The moment

127 -  Spiritual Humanism| Swami Tattwamayananda

13th Chapter: Verses 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29Verses 19-21 deal with the two fundamental categories of Samkhya philosophy. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active, non-effulgent, and impermanent. The entire universe comes from Prakriti and exists in Prakriti.The problems that we face in our lives are due to our false identification with the impermanent psycho-physical mechanism. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Purusha, we can approach life with wisdom and level-headedness.28th verse: “A spiritually enlightened person sees the same divine spark in all beings. He looks upon the whole creation as one entity. He recognizes the impermanent as impermanent and goes beyond the happiness and unhappiness equation – he achieves equanimity. Such a person cannot harm anyone.”Sri Ramakrishna felt this sameness, so it was natural for him to accept all faiths. From what standpoint did he see all religions as the same? It was from the realm of spiritual experience, not from the realm of the empirical. True non-violence, as described in the 28th verse, is also only possible at the spiritual level, when we see everyone as the same.Swami Vivekananda said: “The infinite oneness of soul is the only ethical foundation behind all morality, all good actions and thoughts.”Equanimity of mind is a recognizable characteristic of a spiritually enlightened person. His mind is Prasanna – means it is healthy and does not remind of its existence as an unhealthy mind would. The reference to Prasanna comes from this ayurvedic verse: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It means that a man is in perfect health when he is physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. This verse emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit.27th verse: “Who is the wise person? The one who sees the same spiritual reality in every being. He understands that the psycho-physical mechanism is perishable and within it is the imperishable divine reality.”Once we understand the 27th and 28th verses, we take on the earlier verses 22-26. They emphasize that the changes we experience only happen at the level of matter (Prakriti), not at the level of spirit (Purusha). The divine spark is present everywhere and activates all these changes. When we look at the world from this angle, we see sameness, as described in the 27th and 28th verses.22nd verse: “Within this psycho-physical mechanism, there is a divine spark, the Purusha, which is the witness – it is eternal and does not change. Our true identity is the Purusha.”23rd verse: “Any spiritual seeker who realizes this infinite oneness, who sees the Purusha behind everything – he goes beyond the transmigratory cycle of birth, death and rebirth.”What h

126 -  Spiritual Sameness| Swami Tattwamayananda

Title: Purusha and Prakriti13th Chapter: Verses 19, 20, 21, 22These verses deal with the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy. There are two main schools of thoughts in Indian philosophy. (1) Theistic schools which accept Vedic testimony and (2) Atheistic schools, which do care much for Vedic testimony. The six theistic schools were the Mimamsakas of Jaimini, Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa of Badarayana), the Samkhya philosophy of Kapila, the Yoga of Patanjali, the Nyaya school of Gautama, and the Vaisheshika school of Kanada.  The six aetheistic schools include the four schools of Buddhism, the Jaina philosophy, and the Indian materialists, called Charvakas. Samkhya school is silent about God. It talks about evolution. Its original exponent was Kapila. Later, a karika was written by Isvara Krishna.There are two fundamental categories in Samkhya. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active but non-effulgent. The evolutes of Prakriti are Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.Patanjali Yoga Sutras are a practical application of Samkhya. When we practice spiritual disciplines such as Yamas and Niyamas, we start our journey backwards (involution) towards our true spiritual identity as Purusha.The main idea of Samkhya is this - the entire universe comes from Prakriti and exists in Prakriti. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Purusha, the evolutionary cycle comes to an end for us.Vedanta accepts ideas of Samkhya, such as the evolutes of Prakriti and its wonderful analysis of the human mind. However, it does not accept the conclusions of Samkhya.19th verse: “Know that Purusha and Prakriti are beginningless. All these evolutes and changes come into existence as a result of evolution in Prakriti.”In Indian philosophy, there are two concepts of evolution and change. (1) Apparent change or Vivartavada refers to apparent change that can go back to its original state, such as a clay becoming a pot (2) Parinamavada refers to changes that are irreversible, such as an oil seed becoming oil. Vedanta says that the absolute reality appears to have become this world – it is only an apparent change.20th verse: “Purusha is the self-effulgent reality. It does not undergo any change. It is the presence of the Purusha that allows us to have experiences in this world. What we experience is the evolution of Prakriti in the form of three gunas.”Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy.21st and 22nd verses: “Our body, thoughts, emotions are all parts of evolution from Prakriti. Within this psycho-physical mechanism, there is a divine spark, the Purusha, which is the witness – it is eternal and does no

125 -  Purusha and Prakriti| Swami Tattwamayananda

Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in this phenomenal world.Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arise because we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.In the 13th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am now going to teach you that supreme truth, which alone is to be known, and which alone is to be realized. By realizing that, you will become immortal and realize your deathless dimension. This supreme truth is anadi (beginningless), param (beyond tools of knowledge), and Brahma (all-pervading). It is beyond existence and non-existence.”Atman is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. Atman does not come into existence as a pot comes into existence from clay. It is beyond the state of coming into existence. In fact, it is beyond time, space and causation.Atman is param: it cannot be seen or known by the six tools of epistemology. Pratyaksha is perception.  Anumana is inference.  Shabda is verbal testimony.  Upamana is comparison.  Arthāpatti is presumption.  Anupalabdi is the non-cognition.  These are the six pramanas or tools of knowledge in Vedantic epistemology. Atman is beyond these six pramanas. None of these six instruments of knowledge can explain the Reality.Atman is our own true nature and can only be experienced. The purpose of scriptures is to drive the wrong ideas from our mind, so we can experience this truth. We cannot really explain an experience. Even an empirical experience such as the taste of milk cannot be fully explained.One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.To realize this supreme truth, one needs to attain 20 spiritual qualities that are described in verses 7-12. Per Shankaracharya, these characteristics should be acquired by those seeking to strive for spiritual enlightenment However, these same characteristics become second nature for the enlightened person. These characteristics are:(1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – respects others but does not demand respect from them (3) Non-violence in thoughts, words and deeds, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8)

124 -  Attaining Deathlessness | Swami Tattwamayananda

123 - The Divine Reality is All-Pervading| Swami Tattwamayananda

122 - Highest Devotion and Highest Knowledge are the Same | Swami Tattwamayananda

The 13th chapter is about the discrimination between kshetra and kshetrajna.Human life in its empirical form is kshetra or the field. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.In this field, we sow seeds – our actions, thoughts and emotions are the seeds. They sprout with some results visible in this life and some in next life. This should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation.Law of karma should not be thought of as determinism. Rather, it asks to own responsibility for our actions. Our actions produce two types of results: One that is tangible and immediate. Another, that is invisible (Adhrishtam). These results are Apoorvam – meaning they did not exist before the action.Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements, as described in the 5th verse. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in the phenomenal world.Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arises because of we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.The next few verses describe the spiritual qualities that one should practice to help discriminate between kshetra and kshetrajna.The qualities described in the 7th and 7th and 8th verses are: (1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life.The 9th verse encourages us to be broad minded and look beyond our near and dear ones. Relationships become less spiritual when we become obsessed with our near and dear ones to the point of hating others.What we know intellectually does not necessarily become our emotional attitude. Only through spiritual practices and reflection are we able to translate our intellectual conviction into our emotional attitude and spiritual common sense.Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is o

121 - Spiritual Qualities to Gain Knowledge of Kshetra and Kshetrajna | Swami Tattwamayananda

The 13th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1st verse: “What is Prakriti or matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the field? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think of the field as this material universe, which is changing and that is not eternal. It gradually decays and eventually disappears. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.When we refer to kshetram as the body, it refers to the following – the physical body comprising five elements, five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect.We sow seeds of tendencies and impressions in this field through our actions, thoughts, emotions and words. We are reborn with this legacy of tendencies and impressions. They determine in which direction our mind goes. That is why different people demonstrate different level of interest and understanding when reading a spiritual book. We can only understand what we are spiritually ready for.We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality. Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence. Noble, unselfish action generate spiritual energy which purifies our mind, and helps us manifest this divinity with more effulgence.3rd verse: Lord Krishna says: “What is the nature of this kshetra? How does it undergo change? How does it originate? What is the real nature of kshetrajna? How does it manifest? Hear this from Me.”4th verse: “This great science of understanding the distinction between the Real and the unreal – this is the real knowledge of spiritual realization. Great vedic sages sang great hymns on the glory and greatness of this knowledge.”In daily life, we get into trouble because of wrong prioritization. We prioritize the empirical, the non-eternal. When we learn to prioritize the Real, lots of problems of daily life can be avoided.5th verse: The 5th verse describes the Sankhya philosophy of evolution expounded by Kapila. In Sankhya, there are two categories: (1) Purusha, which is eternal and self-effulgent (2) Prakriti, which is the cause of material evolution. From Prakriti, the first evolute is Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence. From Mahatattvam, the next evolute is Ahamkara or ego-sense. From Ahamkara, the three gunas evolve: Sattva

120 - Discrimination Between the Real and the Unreal | Swami Tattwamayananda

The 12 th chapter on Bhakti Yoga begins with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “Some people worshipGod with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest.Which is better?”Arjuna’s question came from a conflict he was facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there aretwo ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) Godas the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought hecould choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-oldboy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in thebeginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara, as the creator and protector. Upon thehighest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and ineverything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.In answer, Lord Krishna says that for those who identify with their body, the path of Nirakara is verydifficult. Their only option is to worship God as Sakara, by performing spiritual practices.They can have the intellectual conviction of the highest idea of God to prevent fanaticism. Advaitaaccommodates the path of Bhakti – each one should follow the path that is most suitable for them.Bhakti reaches its zenith when the devotee feels he is an instrument in the hands of God.In the 13 th to 19 th verses of the 12 th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an idealdevotee. Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuinedevotees are good human beings.Lord Krishna concludes the chapter in the 20 th verse by saying that anyone who practices this greatspiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, with unselfishness, with a universal outlook – he isextremely dear to Him.When a person, who has done spiritual practices in previous life, deviates from that path, God will helpput him back on the right path. In Vaishnava tradition, there is a verse, where God says: “The personwhom I want to bless, I shall steal all his wealth, I shall ensure he is deserted by his friends and becomesisolated. If he still retains his faith, I shall elevate him to such a high position that he will be the envy ofangels.”The 13 th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1 st verse: “What is Prakriti ormatter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of thefield? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”The context behind this question comes from the 11 th chapter. In the 11 th chapter, Arjuna experiencesthe vision of the universal form of the divine. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of timeand space. He shows that all the different creatures, ani

119 - Distinction Between Body and Spirit | Swami Tattwamayananda

Its meaning is: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you. I invoke your divine presence in my heart. This texthas 18 chapters and was preached by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna. It was written by the greatsage, Vyasa, and is placed in the middle of a much great work, Mahabharata. Its central theme is thephilosophy of Advaita – it preaches that creation is one spiritual family and all religions represent somany paths leading to the same spiritual goal. “The 12th chapter is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of Devotion. The three other paths taught in the Gitaare Jnana Yoga – the path of knowledge, Karma Yoga – the path of selfless actions, and Dhyana Yoga –the path of self-restraint.In the 13 th and 14 th verses, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee. He does not mentionrituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.15 th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation,envy, fear and anxiety.”18 th and 19 th verses: “His attitude is the same towards a friend or someone hostile to him, towards honorand dishonor, towards praise and criticism, towards heat and cold, and towards happiness and misery.He is content with whatever comes his way and is not attached to a place of residence – such a devoteeis dear to Me.”A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity, because he has a sense of innerfulfillment. The line of demarcation between the duals disappears for him. The world does not agitatehim – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he seesthe whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.20 th verse: “Anyone who practices this great spiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, withunselfishness, with a universal outlook – he is extremely dear to Me.”In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to theKing’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “Theone who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “Bhagavata Purana describes that we can reach this highest level of devotion by practicing NavadhaBhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam(Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam(Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam(Surrendering to Him).The 12th chapter of Gita can be seen as a commentary on an important verse in the Bhagavata Purana.The essence of this verse is: “A spiritual seeker can begin his journey at a temple or with a book. That isjust a starting point. As he moves forward, he starts seeing the presence of God outside the templewalls. As he evolves further,

118 - The Ideal Devotee Sees Oneness in Existence | Swami Tattwamayananda

12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee.He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who utter God’s name mechanically, but do not practice ethical and moral values, and do not do their duties – they are deluded; they are the enemies of the Lord.”You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”It is important to note that if someone has these qualities that does not necessarily make him a devotee. These verses simply say that a genuine devotee will have these characteristics.A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They had deep contentment which gave them inner strength and strong will to withstand the suffering and obstacles.15th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation, envy, fear and anxiety.”A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity. So, the world does not agitate him – he has no reason to be e

117 - Characteristics of a Devotee | Swami Tattwamayananda

Title: Sarva-Karma-Phala-Tyagam – Philosophy of Desireless Actions12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice of rituals with sincerity).” Rituals are like a fence that protects a plant when it is growing. You don’t need it when the plant becomes a tree. Similarly, the devotee needs rituals at early stages. As he evolves, he transcends rituals.10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.12th verse: “Knowledge is better than mechanical practice of rituals without proper understanding. If you can practice meditation with knowledge that is even better. Renunciation of fruits of your actions (karma-phala-tyāgaḥ) is far better than meditation.”Why is it so? A beginner’s mind may not cooperate with his intellect. When he sits for meditation – it throws undesirable thought currents. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras. The advantage of karma-phala-tyāgaḥ is that it purifies the mind and makes it ready for meditation. It also helps connect the mind to God when we perform the action. One important sign of spiritual progress is that the mind creates less obstacles to what the intellect wants to do.Actions done with karma-phala-tyāgaḥ reduces our anxiety and increases our inclination to acquire knowledge and our ability to concentrate/meditate.Ramanujacharya says: “When we do our duty without desire for self-enjoyment of the results, the mind is cleansed of all sins, karmic blocks and negativity. It attains peace – it becomes calm, quiet and composed.”Physical actions do not make the mind tired. Meaningless, disconnected thought currents make the mind tired. Desireless actions turn the mind towards healthy channels and train it on how to get proper rest.Shankaracharya glorifies desireless actions. He says that when we do desireless actions, we are boarding a bus that is bound to reach its spiritual destination.In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal devotee. He says: “He is not an enemy of anyone; he has no ill-feeling towards any living-being; he is friendly and compassionate to

116 - Sarva-Karma Phala Tyagam – Philosophy of Desireless Actions | Swami Tattwamayananda

Title: Spiritual Journey - The Four Stages12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”Mind (manah) is the contemplative aspect of the mental system, which thinks but is not settled on a decision. When we see an object from a distance and are unsure whether it is a human being or pillar, that state of the mental system is the mind. When we come to a decision on our speculation, that state of the mental system is intellect (buddhi).When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.This highest state, where we are completely absorbed in our ideal, is not easy to achieve. In our spiritual journey, there are four levels through which we travel. Suppose we are reciting a sacred word symbol, we go through the following evolution: Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound), Pashyanti (silent, focused on the meaning of the mantra), Para (realize the essence). Para is the level described in the 8th verse. It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice).”Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).Devotion to God should make us a better human being. In the 13th and 14th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual characteristics of a devotee. He says that such a devotee is content, he is a friend of everyone, and he is sympathetic to everyone. There is a total absence of negative feelings in him.10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.Even if we don’t

115 - Spiritual Journey - The Four Stages | Swami Tattwamayananda

Title: The Two Paths of Worship12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 111st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) Saguna – God with names and forms, as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) Nirguna - God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. One must be spiritually ready to pursue the path of Nirguna. A philosophical conviction about the higher reality does not equate to experience or one’s readiness to pursue the higher path. Philosophical conviction helps us guard against fanaticism.Lord Krishna talks about the journey of all spiritual seekers in his answer in the next few verses.In the 3rd and 4th verses he says: “Those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they can pursue the higher path.”Before this, in the 2nd verse, he says that those who are not ready for this higher contemplation should slowly take the graded path. They should practice rituals and go to temples – when they do this with shraddha, their mind will be absorbed in God. Then gradually, they can reach the higher path.A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. When the mind and senses are perfectly under control, the higher path can be pursued.We cannot wish away our mental karmic blocks. The first path is to sublimate our mind, emotions and thoughts to God. In the 8th through 11th verse, Lord Krishna provides a descending order of the journey of spiritual seekers. In the 8th verse, he explains the highest state where one is always focused on God. For those who cannot do this, in the 9th verse, he asks them to pursue spiritual practices such as Navadha Bhakti. For those who cannot do this, in the 10th verse, he asks them to do all work for God’s sake. For those who cannot even do this, in the 11th verse, he asks them to do their normal work and offer the fruits of their work to him.How does one know that they are on the right track? When they do something wrong, their own mind will throw a red flag. When the mind develops a self-correcting mechanism, one should know that he is on the corr

114 - The Two Paths of Worship| Swami Tattwamayananda

Title: Navadha Bhakti – Nine Methods of Worship12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 41st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, we need to start our spiritual life based on where we stand and what we are fit for. Even Buddha had to evolve through 543 life cycles before becoming Buddha.2nd verse: To encourage Arjuna and to have him focus on God with name and form, Lord Krishna answers in the second verse. “There are some devotees who put their whole mind on Me, they worship Me, and they are completely dedicated to Me. To them, I reveal My true nature. They are certainly great Yogis.”Lord Krishna continues with his answer in the 3rd through 20th verse.3rd and 4th verses: “But those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they also attain Me alone.”Normally our mind flows towards the external world through our senses of perception and action. These advanced seekers, when they think of God, they can keep their mind focused on that divine idea. Swami Vivekananda said: “Standing in the middle of market street in San Francisco, if you can meditate, then you are a Yogi.”For those who have not reached this higher state, they should set apart some time for spiritual practices in the middle of their secular activities.There are nine ways of connecting with God, as taught by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him, also known as Prapatti or Sharanagati).Devotion comes when we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. When we do so, we get a feeling of inner fulfillment and contentment.Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. If we do not direct our ego towards good channels, it will go towards negative ones. Whatever we do, do as an offering. Then spiritual qualities will come to us. Finally, we can transcend ego.Prapa

113 - Navadha Bhakti Nine Methods of Worship | Swami Tattwamayananda

12th chapter: verse 11st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”In his introduction to 12th chapter, Shankaracharya says - from earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as Sakara - the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as Nirakara - as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. The idea of God as Sakara is not wrong, but it is not the highest idea of God. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. At the highest level, we see God as Nirakara. Arjuna thought he could choose between these two ideas of God.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara. Upon the highest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and in everything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, the highest idea of God transcends names and forms – it is not devoid of them.We have to start with what we are ready for. Our readiness is determined not just based on our present life. It is based on all our accumulated samskaras from past life. A good example of this are the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna instructed Swami Vivekananda in the Nirakara concept of God, because he knew he was a deserving candidate for non-dualism. At the same time, he instructed other disciples to practice dualistic forms of worship (Sakara concept of God).Eshana-traya refers to three types of desires. 1. Desire to have family and children 2. Desire for wealth 3. Desire for reputation or desire for heavenly enjoyments.If one has desires left, he is not a deserving candidate for the highest idea of God. He should start by praying to God to get his desires fulfilled. He should give a spiritual orientation to his natural emotions and feelings – this helps direct the mind towards healthier channels. Then he will reach a point where he will feel a sense of renunciation.Karma-Yoga or unselfish, noble deeds done as an offering to God help in sublimation of desires and in weakening the effect of negative samskaras. Every good action leaves a vritti (impression) in the mental system and increases the storehouse of positive samskaras. Ultimately it takes us to a stage called Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity). At that point, we are ready for the highest idea of God (Nirakara).A person who has reached the Nirakara concept of God is established in the highest humanistic moral, ethical and spiritual qualities. He is contented, self-restraine

112 - Evolving Our Idea of God from Sakara to Nirakara  | Swami Tattwamayananda

12th chapter: verse 1 is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of devotion. Gita classifies spiritual practices in three categories depending on the temperament of the person. Those who are intellectual in nature and have complete sense control can pursue Jnana Yoga. Those involved in action can pursue Karma Yoga by performing all actions with detachment and unselfishness. The third path is Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion.Narada Bhakti Sutra defines Bhakti as the “nature of supreme, unselfish love for God”. In Bhakti, we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. In Bhakti tradition, one can look upon God with various attitudes – as Mother, father, child or friend. When we divert our emotions towards God, we get a feeling of inner richness, joy, fulfillment, and contentment.Inner contentment is not the absence of dis-satisfaction. It is called Santosha in Sanskrit. Inner contentment is the first sign of a true devotee. A true devotee can never be bitter towards anyone.Bhagavata Purana is one of the Hindu classics on bhakti. It was written by Vyasa and has over 18,000 verses divided into twelve skandhas and 335 chapters. Vyasa wrote the Bhagavata Purana on the advice of Narada to help the common man get inner spiritual contentment.1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a University. Similarly, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God with rituals. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. Upon the highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship.If our mind is pure and we have total sense control, then we can feel the presence of the divine everywhere. Just believing that God is everywhere is not enough – it has to become our own spiritual experience. It is not philosophy – it is a matter of our own spiritual experience.A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, at the highest spiritual level, one transcends rituals - he does not reject them.Shankaracharya is the greatest teacher of Advaita. He taught that the highest devotee is one who feels the presence of God everywhere and spiritualizes all his secular activities. The essence of his teachin

111 | Bhakti Yoga | Swami Tattwamayananda

11th chapter: verses 29, 48, 54, 5529th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we have a higher spiritual goal that guides our actions, then we start moving towards our true spiritual destination. Upon reaching it, we realize our immortal dimension as the Atman. We realize that the same Atman exists in all of us.Upon that highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship. We can spiritualize our everyday activities – our whole life becomes a spiritual sacrament.In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.”Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of transcendental excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by practicing karma yoga, bhakti yoga or other yogas. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with an unselfish attitude, then it becomes a spiritual action. The line of demarcation between secular and spiritual vanishes.48th verse: “The highest truth cannot be realized just by scholarship.” Theology or philosophy is not a substitute for one's own spiritual experience and realization. When we realize the presence of the divine, a transformation comes upon us. We feel inner contentment. We become broad-minded and a better human being. We see God in everything and everything in God.In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “ 55th verse: “You should do everything as offering to Me (mat-karma-kṛit). You should consider Me as the supreme goal in life (mat-paramaḥ). You should be devoted to Me (mat-bhaktaḥ). You should be free from obsessive attachment ( saṅga-varjitaḥ). You  should look upon the whole creation as one spiritual family, without malice towards anyone (nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu). Then you will certainly come to Me.”The attitude with which one does the action determines whether he is a spiritual action. A priest’s worship may be mechanical as a duty.

Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta

Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta

Get Started

Download the App