Summary:

Lesson 117 opens with the famous Mrityunjaya Mantra and it's explanation. Then attributes of jnani are continued: Attitude in criticism, speaking wisely, easily pleased, no dwelling place, highest devotee. How to attain wisdom? Go through the 5 practices in CH12.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Verse 19, 20

Summary:

Honouring Maha Shivratri:

What is story behind Shivaratri? That's the day Shiva married Shakti (Goddess Durga [māyā]).

Mahā-mṛtyuñ-jaya-mantra:
oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe sughandhíṃ puṣṭivardhánam |
urvārukam iva bandhánān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt ||

Explanation:

• tryambakaṃ yajāmahe:  You (Shiva) are the three eye one who has knowledge, and to YOU, we propitiate.
• sughandhíṃ: You (destroyer of universe who people are generally scared of), are the one who brings about fragrance in life. Because destruction is necessary for new fresh, open, learned moment to come. Thus You're the one who brings opportunity.
• Puṣṭivardhanam: If I make use of the opportunities which Shiva brings, then it nourishes me.
• What do I (the individual who is seeking to know the reality) want from You? urvārukam iva bandhanāt :
  • urvārukam :  Like a big heavy pumpkin, when it's ripe, you can pluck it off effortlessly. Like that, when my mind is ripe, I can effortlessly release myself from bandhanāt (bondage). And how to become ripe?  By gaining mastery over the many little bondages holding you down. 
    • Types of bondages that can hold one down – that we're asking for release:
      • Emotional bondage: Emotional disbalance give insight into unconscious mind which are obstructions for grasping the next step.
      • Relative/situational bondage: Each challenge is a learning opportunity if pause, reflect, act.
      • Old age bondage:  Old age makes you wiser.
      • SUMMARY: Are you able to manage the little bondages so you're not consumed by them, nor victimizing others?
    • Why is such a big burden “EFFORTLESSLY” released? Because your growth is not forced.
      • Forced growth:  Impatient, trying to be like a wise person. While putting issues under the carpet. Living in own bubble.
      • Real growth:  Acknowledging and reflecting on the smallest things that come up. Self honesty. Being ok that at times you'll yield to old ways. At other times, you'll bring in the teaching. Being patient and kind towards your journey. Rushing is self-defeating as it paralyses mind with anxiety.
• mṛtyoḥ mukṣīya mā amṛtāt: The more REAL and HONEST you are about your growth, the more you're capable of holding the final reality, which releases you from “becoming” (birth-death)… thus attaining immortality. Meaning buddhi has total conviction I'm not an individual going through life, but I am inherently free of life.

Misconception: This prayer is used mostly for people who are ill/dying. This is an incomplete understanding.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Verse 19:

tulya-nindā-stutiḥ maunī santuṣṭaḥ yena kenacit ।
aniketaḥ sthira-matiḥ bhaktimān me priyaḥ naraḥ ॥
That devotee, who is the same towards censure and praise, who is a person of limited speech; who is contented with anything, who is homeless and who has firm knowledge of the Self is dear to Me.

1. tulya-nindā-stutiḥ: Retains his/her discrimination whether complimented or criticized.
   • If complimented: Since your actions are done because you are sincerely enjoying your svadharma (and not for sake of proving your position), then external compliments have little impact. Although compliments can also inspire or highlight an area which helps person bring it out more. Therefore one’s own karma-phalam itself becomes the voice of compliment.
   • If criticized:  Investigates potential blind-spots in your behaviour/knowledge. Because people usually criticize when they see something you don't.
2. Maunī: Refined speech. Meaning…
   1. TRUTHFUL: Satyam vadam: Let dharma guide your word selection. Speak from that place which you have reflected upon and doesn’t contradict the scriptures.
   2. PLEASANT: Priyam vadam: Deliver it at right time. Careful not to use too direct language, as it may hurt others.
   3. PREPARED: Hitam vadam:
      • Before speaking, ask:
        1. What good will my talk do in overall well-being?
        2. Why am I going to have this conversation?
        3. What is my intention? EG: To throw light onto the subject matter and put things in perspective.
      • This prevents you giving random opinions that have little value. 
   4. RESEARCHED: Ṛtam vadam: Make sure what you say is relatively correct (researched). Remain factual and remove subjectivity out of conversation.
3. santuṣṭaḥ yena kenacit: Wise person enjoys a mind that’s easily pleased by THIS MOMENT. Compared to saṃsāri who is particular about how things should/shouldn’t be.  Thus jīvanmuktaḥ enjoys a content disposition with whatever is infront of them. Don’t need to do anything to make him or her cheerful.
   • PRACTICE: Look for opportunities to convert resistance to ok-ness.
4. Aniketaḥ: He has no dwelling place. Indicates these are qualities of a sannyasī in ancient Bhagavad Gita times. Converting to modern times: Feels home wherever he/she goes, with whomever is around.
5. Sthira-matiḥ: The knowledge “I am the final reality” is so firm/thorough/complete, that it can’t be improved upon, nor compromised through competing schools of thought.
6. Bhaktimān sa naraḥ: The wise person is the highest devotee, because everything is understood as manifestation of Ishvara.
   • There are 4 types of bhaktās:
     1. Arti: Devotes, or relates to Ishvara only in times of trouble.
     2. Artharthi: Acknowledges Ishvara in every aspect of life.
     3. Jijnasu: Wants to know the nature of this entity to whom I'm devoting to. “Ishvara, I devotee to you so I may understand your nature, and not from my own assumptions”.
     4. Jnani: Result of prior devotion caused buddhi to comprehend the vastness of Ishvara. Meaning relationship to world changes from: Event-dependent satisfaction to gratitude (because understands “I’m here only because of Ishvara”). Complainer to contributor in your sphere of influence.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Verse 20:

ye tu dharmya-amṛtam idam yathā uktam paryupāsate ।
śraddadhānāḥ mat-paramāḥ bhaktāḥ te atīva me priyāḥ ॥
Those devotees who keep Me as the primary goal and who faithfully pursue this Righteous and immortal teaching as mentioned above are very dear to Me.

• Dharmya-amṛtam idam: How to attain aforementioned qualities? By going through the 5 stages of bhakti. For revision, they are:
  1. Karma-Yoga Level 1: Continuing to fulfill personal desires ethically while acknowledging Iswara's role, primarily by offering gratitude to Ishvara, to acknowledge it came from God.
  2. Karma-Yoga Level 2: Involves aligning one's actions with dharma (moral order) while recognizing dharma as a manifestation of Īśvara, thus performing actions as though you are offering them to the alter of this universal Intelligence, rather than for personal gain. But also recognizing any results are coming from alter of Iswara.
  3. Upāsana Yoga Level 1: Meditating on a personal form of God.
  4. Upāsana Yoga Level 2: Seeing the entire world as a manifestation of the Lord.
  5. Jñāna-Yoga: Self-inquiry leading to the realization of non-difference between jīva and Brahman
• Reason why Bhagavad Gita is considered a smṛti (recall / calling forth in the mind), is because it’s a recount of the Vedic wisdom in form a tale. Thus smṛti means: literature that follows the Vedic teaching.
• mat-paramāḥ bhaktāḥ te atīva me priyāḥ: The mumukṣu/jijñāsu (desirer of liberation), through effort and time, becomes My most beloved bhakta. Because his/her mind is not putting Ishvara in the future. But understands Awareness of Ishvara is the same Awareness of self.

Keywords: jivanmuktah, maha-mrtyun-jaya, mithya, moksha, mumukshu, mumuksu, ritam vadam, rtam vadam, sannyasi, smriti, smrti, tryambakam yajamahe

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Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching given to Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya), Paramarthananda & Chinmaya Mission.

Recorded 16 March, 2021