Shri Krishna Speaks: Purifying the mind

Shri Krishna Speaks: Purifying the mind  

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 15.11॥

_यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्‌ ।_
_यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥_

भावार्थ :

योग के अभ्यास में प्रयत्नशील मनुष्य ही अपने हृदय में स्थित इस आत्मा को देख सकते हैं, किन्तु जो मनुष्य योग के अभ्यास में नहीं लगे हैं ऐसे अज्ञानी प्रयत्न करते रहने पर भी इस आत्मा को नहीं देख पाते हैं। (११)

Meaning:

Those striving yogis realize this as residing within the self. But those with an unprepared mind, though striving, do not see this, devoid of knowledge.

Explanation:

In any difficult endeavour, there are three kinds of people. There are the vast majority who are not interested the least bit in striving for the goal, and blissfully accept their state as a given. There are a small number of people who are putting in great effort or dedication, but not obtaining the desired outcome. A select few, however, are able to channelize their efforts in the right direction and get what they want.

Shri Krishna called the vast majority of people, the first category, stuck in the cycle of Prakriti "deluded" in the last shloka. Here, he says that it is the preparation of mind that determines whether or not the efforts taken by yogis - those who are striving for liberation - have a chance of success. One without a prepared mind is termed as "akritaatmaanaha" in this shloka. So then, those of us who are aiming for liberation would not like our striving to be in vain. What should we do?

We need to understand what Shri Krishna means by purifying our mind. There are two aspects to this. The first aspect is the degree of selfish desires. Unless we have followed the path of karma yoga and bhakti yoga as laid out in the earlier portions of the Gita, our mind will not be able to properly absorb any scriptural teaching whatsoever. The second aspect is the type of knowledge we are trying to absorb and the method of doing so. A systematic understanding of the scriptures under the guidance of a teacher is the only way. One who does not follow a systematic process of imbibing knowledge is termed "achetasaha", devoid of wisdom.

The topic of the jeeva is concluded in this shloka. with the message that only those with a pure mind and systematic study will truly understand the nature of the jeeva as the eternal essence as though limited by its upaadhis or conditionings.


ChantThe mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

 

 

Remove ignorance through knowledge

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 14.2॥

इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागताः ।

सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च ॥

भावार्थ : 

इस ज्ञान में स्थिर होकर वह मनुष्य मेरे जैसे स्वभाव को ही प्राप्त होता है, वह जीव न तो सृष्टि के प्रारम्भ में फिर से उत्पन्न ही होता हैं और न ही प्रलय के समय कभी व्याकुल होता हैं। (२)

Meaning:

Those who have taken refuge in this knowledge, and have attained identity with me, are not born even during creation, and not afflicted during dissolution.

Explanation:

Actors who work in the daily soap opera world lead interested lives. If an actor is selected to play a part in a well-established and long running soap, they are overjoyed since their career has just skyrocketed. But once the actor is selected, they are afraid when they read each day’s script, since their role can be killed off at any time by the director. The director and actor have two different visions. The director is concerned with moving the story forward, whereas the actor is concerned with preserving his role.

 

Now, if we identify with the various roles or the various parts that we play each day, we will face a fate similar to that of the actor. We experience birth and death every day, every minute, throughout our lives. When we get a new job, for instance, a new "senior manager of marketing" is born. When we lose that job, that senior manager "dies". If a marriage happens in the family, several new "in-laws" are born. If something goes wrong in that marriage, all those in-laws "die". If something makes us angry, an angry man is born, and will die in a short while once the anger dissipates. Birth and death are part and parcel of Prakriti's functioning.

 

Shri Krishna urges us to identify with Ishvara so that we are not disturbed or agitated when any kind of birth or death, even that of our own body, occurs. If the actor has the same vision as the director, he will take the end of his role in good stead and go on to do a wonderful job in his next assignment. If we have removed our ignorance through knowledge, if we have realized our true nature as identical to that of Ishvara, we will see things from Ishvara’s perspective and stop identifying with the ups and downs experienced by our body.

 

How exactly does this creation, this birth take place? Shri Krishna explains next.

Continuously Chant The mantra you have faith in 

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If you have been scouting for a job

If you have been scouting for a job for quite sometime now with no luck, it’s time you employ some vaastu changes to fetch that coveted appointment letter asap. Cracking an interview usually requires confidence, enthusiasm and a clear head. In Feng Shui terms, these feelings are encouraged by the chi energy of the east and south-west. To improve your chances of getting the job you want, you need to increase the presence of eastern or south-eastern chi energy in your house. Here are some remedies to improve your career luck.  
# For a perfect job, keep the outside light of your house on. If you don’t have an outside light, keep on the first light inside the front door. Leave it on for at least four hours a day to increase job opportunities. I would suggest having a red bulb outside the front door as it is easier to find your house.
# Water is the element that represents career opportunities and advantages. Place a fountain in your house. Make sure the fountain flows into the house and does not point out the front door.
# To increase the energy of the east in your home, place a bowl with fresh water in the eastern area and replace it every morning. Having plants in this area will also help.
# Hang metal wind chimes outside the front door to help control movement within your career. When hung with this particular intention, chime will ring a breath of fresh air into your job search.
# Check your front door area very carefully. If the door sticks or cannot open fully, then you are creating blockages in your job search and your life. Make sure everything around the doorway — door bell, switch, name plate, floor mat — is in good condition.
# Place a small elephant (wooden, ceramic or stuffed) on the floor facing the front door. He will lend you his power and prudence and carry you through your job search like a king. Don't forget to carry this elephant along on your job hunt or on a mission of jaldi naukri.
Raman Datta is a Delhi-based feng shui and vaastu consultant. 
Call: 9810155835