Summary:

Verse 6: This verse discusses self-mastery. For those who have mastered themselves, the self becomes a friend. For those who haven't, the self remains an enemy. It emphasizes the importance of self-control in spiritual growth.

Verse 7: Describes the qualities of a self-mastered person. They remain tranquil and composed in the face of opposites like heat and cold, pleasure and pain, praise and criticism. This equanimity is a sign of alignment with Ishvara's intelligence.

Verse 8: Defines a yogin as one content in self-knowledge, unchanged by circumstances, with mastered senses. They see a clump of earth, stone, and gold as the same, recognizing the underlying substance while still appreciating differences.

Verse 9: Explains the exalted vision of treating various people equally – benefactors, friends, enemies, acquaintances, arbitrators, those disliked, relatives, good people, and sinners. It emphasizes objectivity and wishing well for all.

Verse 10: Describes ideal meditation conditions: being alone in a quiet place, free from longing and possessions, with a relaxed body and mind. Introduces the Vedantic definition of meditation as mental activity focused on saguna brahma (Ishvara).

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 6: 

बन्धुः आत्मा आत्मनः तस्य येन आत्मा एव आत्मना जितः ।
अनात्मनः तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेत आत्मा एव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६-६॥
bandhuḥ ātmā ātmanaḥ tasya yena ātmā eva ātmanā jitaḥ ।
anātmanaḥ tu śatrutve varteta ātmā eva śatruvat ॥ 6-6॥
For that (self) who has mastered oneself by oneself, the self alone is a friend of oneself. Whereas, for the self who has not mastered oneself, the self alone would remain in the status of an enemy, like an enemy.

Continuing from last session…

Values to adopt for a meditation compatible life:

1. Kshanti:
   • People are different, and behave not per your expectations. EG: Love gets distorted into control; wanting them to behave per your fancies.
   • Accommodation is recognizing people have their ways. You can participate, but without agenda (secretly wishing they change for your sake).
   • Unwilling to accommodate others strange ways is like saying, “Change for me! Because I am not willing to accommodate or change for you”.
2. Arjavam: Straight-forwardness.
   • Alignment between what you think, say and do. Meaning your words carry weight. Following up with what you say.
3. Acarya Upasanam: Certain respect for teacher, not because “they’re a teacher”, but you can only learn and let yourself be transformed, if have trust. Knowledge transfer takes time. Closer the relationship with teacher, more willing to let yourself be transformed.
4. Shaucam: Outer and inner cleanliness.
   • Outer: Dirty place isn’t conducive to learning. External surroundings enhance capability to absorb.
   • Inner: Every mind has certain amount of resentment, hurt, bitterness. Inner cleanliness is bringing attention to it and releasing it. Concentration (making mind available to now).
5. Sthairyam: Steadfastness (persistence / commitment)
   • Everything worthwhile, requires hard work. Discerning power, introspection. EG: Suppose I say, “To understand physics, need years of study”. It doesn’t surprise you. But with spiritual studies, for some reason we don’t accept it.
   • Anything you want to embody DEEPLY, requires hard work for length of time. Because learning is not linear. Sometimes sessions of no progress, and one session of progress.
   • How to persist? Keep focus on the benefits rather then process.
6. Atma-vinigraha: Self-mastery.

NEXT VERSE: What is outcome of self-mastery?

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 7: 

जित-आत्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः ।
शीत-उष्ण-सुख-दुःखेषु तथा मान-अपमानयोः ॥ ६-७॥
jita-ātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ ।
śīta-uṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu tathā māna-apamānayoḥ ॥ 6-7॥
For the one who has mastery over oneself, whose mind is tranquil with reference to heat and cold, pleasure and pain, and praise and criticism, the mind is always in a state of composure.

• Person who has mastery over mind, has become praśānta (cheerful).
  • Generally we think of a wise person as serious, non-reactive, stays by themselves, doesn’t get involved. Yet Krishna describes wise person as cheerful, friendly, easy going. Because not carrying so many personal pressures.
• Therefore, paramātma samāhita: Such person is aligned to presence of Ishvara’s intelligence (making all things what they are).
  • On other hand, psychology works within framework of small individual, engaging with big world. But paradigm remains: Me vs. World. Whereas Vedanta works within paradigm of Oneness.
  • Ishvara are not only laws, but also forms governed by laws.
    • BG 7.7 Verse-beads: Ishvara is unseen thread, holding together and connecting all beads.
      • Beads represent not only forms, but laws (physiological, psychological, speed, light, nuclear fusion). 
      • Intelligence re-arranging itself to becomes forms and laws. EG: Takes 11 years to become fully qualified ophthalmologist (specializes in eye).
    • Until bring in Ishvara, it’s always Me vs. World.
• ATTITUDE TOWARDS MENTAL AFFLICTIONS:
  • Māna apamānayoḥ (Equanimity in honour & dishonour. Equanimity in mental afflictions): Ishvara’s laws are setup in a way that every human has to go through mental afflictions (whether wise or unwise).
    • EG AVATARAS HAD HARD LIFE, BUT CHEERFUL: Even avataras like Krishna/Rama had hard life.
      • Rama had to go to forest 14 years, wife kidnapped.
      • Krishna’s uncle wanted to kill him. Born in dungeon. Brough up by foster parents. At same time, he’s cheerful, creative, thoughtful. Not because his life was easy, but inner composure owning to knowledge, objectivity, doing what needs to be done.
    • KRISHNA HAD ENEMIES: Even Krishna had enemies. Meaning, no matter how evolved you are, other has to be relatively at your level to “see you”. But most aren’t, thus most won’t value what you. So can’t write people off so quickly.
    • LESS NEED FOR APPROVAL, THE MORE YOU KNOW YOUR VALUES: Living in conflict, one seeks approval, takes things personally. Whereas more you live from what you value, less you have dependency for people’s approval, and less take things personally.
• ATTITUDE TOWARDS PHYSICAL AFFLICTIONS:
  • Śita-uṣṇa (Equanimity in heat and cold. Equanimity in physical afflictions): Ability to go through physical difficulties. Without this, small discomfort throws your off.
• NEXT VERSE: Who is this person of wisdom and composure…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 8: 

ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तृप्त-आत्मा कूटस्थः विजित-इन्द्रियः ।
युक्तः इति उच्यते योगी सम-लोष्ट-अश्म-काञ्चनः ॥ ६-८॥
jñāna-vijñāna-tṛpta-ātmā kūṭasthaḥ vijita-indriyaḥ ।
yuktaḥ iti ucyate yogī sama-loṣṭa-aśma-kāñcanaḥ ॥ 6-8॥
One whose mind is content in the knowledge of the self, who remains unchanged, who has mastered the sense organs and organs of action, for whom a clump of earth, a stone, and gold are the same, this composed person is referred to as a yogin.

• Jñāna vijñāna tṛpta ātmā: Person who is trpta (totally satisfied because knowledge is well-assimilated).
• kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ: Senses, thought-processes are mastered.
• sama loṣṭa aśma kāñcanaḥ: That person is same with clump of earth, stone and gold.
  • Doesn’t mean person can’t distinguish between earth, stone, gold.
    • JOKE: Suppose there’s a quantum physicist, and earth is atoms. Gold is atoms. Now his wife has a birthday, and he gives her an ordinary stone, because it’s same as gold.
  • Where is the similarity?
    • Underlining substance of earth/stone/gold is same.
      • However oneness doesn’t mean you don’t deal differently with differences.
        • Thus don’t have to stay away from any form. Because wherever there’s form, that’s where Intelligence is. Where intelligence, that’s where Consciousness is.
        • Otherwise one creates mental separation between form and substance.
  • Conclusion: You can enjoy the differences. At same time, don’t lose sight of substance.
    • You don’t have to collapse world into one lump of Consciousness. EG: Krishna deals differently with Arjuna Duryodhana.
• NEXT VERSE: What kind of person is capable of meditating?

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 9: 

सुहृत् मित्र-अरि-उदासीन-मध्यस्थ-द्वेष्य-बन्धुषु ।
साधुषु अपि च पापेषु सम-बुद्धिः विशिष्यते ॥ ६-९॥
suhṛt mitra-ari-udāsīna-madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu ।
sādhuṣu api ca pāpeṣu sama-buddhiḥ viśiṣyate ॥ 6-9॥
The one whose vision is the same with reference to a benefactor, a friend, an enemy, an acquaintance, an arbitrator, a person who evokes dislike, a relative, good people and even towards sinners, he (or she) is the most exalted.

• Easy to show love towards people you like. But towards others, we’re generally indifferent, cold, dismissive. Grudges add up, creating a disturbed mind.
• Whereas one who is ready to meditate, without burden of disturbed mind, enjoys objectivity towards…
  1. Friend or Companion:
     • “Friend” has gradations.
       • EG: You mention you’re going through breakup. They say, “It’s ok, doesn’t matter, it happens, someone better will come”. Generally dismissive.
     • Suhrt : Highly evolved mind. Acts out of duty. Not seeking gratitude/compensation.
       • EG:
         • You see someone struggling, you step in. EG: Flat tire. Stop to help out of duty.
         • Silently wish them strength to come out of their confusion.
  2. Ari (enemy): Conflict / strongly disagree with their position / not getting along with.
     • How to deal with this?
       • Don’t generalize: You may not agree with a certain behaviour, but when you color entire person, you’re guilty. When generalize, our perception of person moves farther away from empirically.
       • Wish them well in your mind, to avoid nursing resentment.
     • What if someone is actively trying to harm you?
       • Pray for them: Sometime person is helplessly doing it because of their own confusion. Pray, “may that person have more intelligence”.
       • Don’t take personally: Remember, almost everyone is guided by 4 things:
         1. Impressions (samskaras): Makes you comfortable or talented in certain things. Such as highly analytical mind + comfortable with spirituality.
         2. Environment: Your surroundings influence the context of the situation.
         3. Likes-dislikes: One develops unconscious attraction & hatred towards things.
         4. Limited information: No body has all-knowledge.
       • Result: So you can have a spiritual seeker, with strong aversion for certain type of people/teachings.
  3. Madhyastha (arbitrator, mediator): You don’t fault the decision maker, who made decision not in your favour.
     • EG: There’s 6 school of thought in Indian Philosophy. One of scholars of Purva mimasa was Maṇḍana Miśra. He and Adi Shankara had debates at banks of Varanasi.
       • According to Purva Mimamsa, purpose of Vedas is to go to heaven or better births.
       • Adi Shanakara said, purpose of Vedas is to know who you are, relationship with universe, as that’s the only solution that’ll give you fulfillment.
       • The judge/arbitrator was Mandana Mishra’s wife, Ubhaya Bharati.
       • Debate went on for days. If Adi Shankara loses, has to get married and give up sannyasa. If Mandana Mishra loses, has to take on Sannyasa, wife will lose him, and he’ll study with Adi Shankara. Big stake.
       • Adi Shankara win. Arbitrator gave judgement against her husband, and lost him. Can Mandana Mishra feel resentment towards wife? No.
       • So you honour the judge who has objectivity.
• SUMMARY:
  • Doesn’t mean wise person is same towards all. But through all engagements, there’s no judgment, “This person is like this, and they are hopeless, they’ll never change”.
  • You don’t carry resentment. Wish them well.
• NEXT VERSE: So far, spoke about who enjoys a relatively quiet mind, able to meditate, without struggle. Now meditation is explained…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 10: 

योगी युञ्जीत सततम् आत्मानम् रहसि स्थितः ।
एकाकी यत-चित्त-आत्मा निराशीः अपरिग्रहः ॥ ६-१०॥
yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānam rahasi sthitaḥ ।
ekākī yata-citta-ātmā nirāśīḥ aparigrahaḥ ॥ 6-10॥
May the meditator, whose body and mind are relaxed, who is free from longing and possessions, remaining alone in a quiet place, constantly unite his (or her) mind (with the object of meditation).

• Because of prior attitudes, body-mind is ripe for meditation. That person is…
  1. Free from longing and possessions:
     • No objects/situation totally preoccupies mind. Because you tell yourself, “This is time to look at my inner world. Temporarily letting go of external things. Time to notice unresolved stories holding me back”.
  2. yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānam rahasi sthitaḥ:
     • Remaining alone in quiet place, connecting mind to object of meditation.
     • What is “object of meditation”?
       • Vedantic definition of meditation different from conventional view of being a technique or thoughtlessness.
  3. Vedantic definition of meditation: saguṇa-brahma-viṣaya-mānasa-vyāpāraḥ
     • Meaning, mental activity whose subject matter is “saguna brahma” (Ishvara). Meaning to do meditation, your first needs to bring Ishvara into your life.
     • How to bring Ishvara into your life? Next session…

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Recorded 10 July, 2024