Summary:

Lesson 153 shows mechanics of a jnani's (sattvic) mind compared to samsaric (rajasic / tamasic) mind.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Verse 19-27: How to free oneself from Guna hold.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 19:

na anyam guṇebhyaḥ kartāram yadā draṣṭā anupaśyati ।
guṇebhyaḥ ca param vetti mat-bhāvam saḥ adhigacchati ॥ 14-19॥
When the seer does not see an agent other than the gunas and when he knows (himself as) beyond the gunas, he gains (understands) My nature.

• VERSE: As one effortlessly and consistently recognizes self being different from the 3 gunas, one is considered wise and enjoys immortality therefrom.
• PROBLEM:
  • So far, in V5-18, Krishna pointed out how each guna binds and is demanding.
    • EG:
      • Sattva demands involvement with information, data, research, study. (Spiritual/material)
        • Although sadhana/sattvic-food is meant to help individual sustain a sattvic mind for sake of self-inquiry.
      • Raja demands activity/movement.
      • Tama demands sleep and inertia.
  • It’s evident gunas give rise to likes/dislikes, forcing jīva to assume a karta/bhokta Because gunas are in flux, the jiva is never completely satisfied. Hence occupied with karta/bhokta cycle; attention diverted from higher nature.
• SOLUTION:
  • Meaning, only real solution is to transcend the gunas by shifting identity to atma (the unchanging presence in whose presence the changing gunas are known). IE: Kṣetra > Kṣetrajña | Prakṛti > Puruṣa | Anatma > Atma.
    • HOW?
      • Step 1: Identify effects of 3 gunas, so you don’t get caught up by them.
      • Step 2: Instead of saying “I am a person with consciousness”, practice:
        • “I am consciousness with an incidental body governed by the 3 gunas”.
        • “In my presence, prakṛti does everything. All actions/pleasures/pains/results belong to prakṛti-mithyā order of reality. They never affect the witness-self”.
      • Step 3: For sake of transactions, it’s acceptable to temporarily identify with a role. However it’s done consciously. Just like movie actor, never forgets, else loses job.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 20:

guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān ।
janma-mṛtyu-jarā-duḥkhaiḥ vimuktaḥ amṛtam aśnute ॥ 14-20॥
Crossing these three gunas, that are the cause of the body, the embodied one, released from birth, death, old age and sorrow, gains immortality.

• VERSE: Obtaining in self as self while living… upon death, self remains beyond the gunas. And permanently enjoys one’s limitlessness.
• Verse speaks about the BENEFIT of actualized brahma-vidya. Involves:
  • Learning to discern kshetra (3 guna body-mind) & kshetrajna (Knower/Self).
  • Remembering that body-mind is merely a temporary blessing by God. Purpose of receiving a mortal human body is to disidentify from the mortal human body.
    • Because when I identify with body, then body’s problems become my problems. Body’s mortality becomes my mortality. EG: Scratch on new car = scratch in my soul.
    • Meaning mortality/death is not the culprit. Culprit is “I am mortal”.
    • Vedanta solution is to remove the notion “I am the mortal body”, and show you that “I am the immortal-being behind the mortal body”.
• Reminder of:
  1. What it means to receive a body:
     • First 9 months = solitary confinement.
     • Birth > growth > decay/disease > death.
  2. What it means to develop clear atma-anatma-viveka: While alive, conditions of body-mind are handled objectively.
     • What does “objective mean”? Seeing the facts. What are the facts? Body-decay-death belongs to prakṛti, not to Self. Serves as ultimate coping solution.
     • Objectivity changes perception, hence big problems are perceived small. Just how stars are diminished in presence of daylight. Similarly with new perspective that I am bigger then 3 gunas, problems are perceived in proper perspective.
       • EG: Hanuman saw impossible task of crossing ocean to Lanka. Only when took to Lord Rāma, the ocean (as it were), become a pool of water. And rakshasas become like mosquitos (bites unfelt).
       • Like Hanuman, problems are perceived as pinpricks, thus easier to manage them.
• Result of knowledge: amṛtam aśnute: Owned up to one’s immortal nature. Meaning shifted identification from mortal body to immortal self. IE: Jivanmukta.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 21:

arjuna uvāca |
kaiḥ liṅgaiḥ trīn guṇān etān atītaḥ bhavati prabho ।
kim ācāraḥ katham ca etān trīn guṇān ativartate ॥ 14-21॥
Arjuna said: O Lord! By what characteristics does a person become (recognizable as) one who has crossed these three  gunas? What is his conduct, and how does he transcend these three gunas?

• VERSE: Arjuna asks, “What are CHARACTERISTICS of one who has crossed/transcended the 3 gunas? How does he/she CONDUCT oneself in reference to world/people? And HOW does he/she go beyond them?”.
• Arjuna being inspired by previous verse, asks Krishna 3 questions: (Similar in CH2 of sthitaprajña: one of steady intellect in reference to who he is)
  • Q1: What are CHARACTERISTICS of one who has crossed/transcended the 3 gunas? V22-23.
    • EG: Is there change in body (slim/fat, slow/fast, halo, eating habits, walking style, shaved head, etc.)?
  • Q2: How does he/she CONDUCT oneself in reference to world/people? V24-25.
  • Q3: HOW does one go beyond the gunas? V26.
    • Myth: Gunatita is given by some external force on one fine summer afternoon at 5:32pm.
    • Reality: Gunatita involves buddhi owning up to an ever-true fact: I am already free, right here and now.
      • How to own up? Takes time. Just like sales man needs time to convince customer of a certain reality.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 22:

śrī bhagavān uvāca |
prakāśam ca pravṛttim ca moham eva ca pāṇḍava ।
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati ॥ 14-22॥
The Lord said — Oh Arjuna ! He does not hate brightness, activity, and delusion as they arise, nor does he desire (them) as they withdraw.

• Verse answers Q1 (asked in V21): What are CHARACTERISTICS of one who has crossed/transcended the 3 gunas?
• VERSE: Lord replies, “Jivanmukta hates not brightness (sattva), activity (raja) and delusion (tama)… because they keep arising in the mind anyway. Nor does he/she attempt to make the good qualities return after they go away”.
• INTERPRETATION:
• Jīvanmukta’s external appearances: Same as always. Because they’re indoctrinated by cultural, parental, societal factors.
• Jīvanmukta’s mind: Enjoys objectivity in reference to body and own conclusions. In other words, the buddhi is capable of (objectifying itself and the body) as different from THAT which illumines the buddhi.
• Due to objectivity, things are not taken so personally. Thus the “WHAT’s” convert to “SO-WHAT’s”.
• Jivanmukta has accepted that his/her mind (while alive) will never be 100% alert, sharp, tuned-in… because it’s limited by the gross-body (which is never 100% perfect).
• Jivanmukta accepts his/her mind is bound by 3 gunas, thus will fluctuate favourably/unfavourably until death. Meaning he/she accepts SRT guna predominance, due to prarabdha karma/environment/nation’s culture. And doesn’t take it personally, hence high level of confidence.
• Jivanmukta doesn’t chase for momentary sattvic highs… knowing 3 gunas are fluctuating. Thus accepts his/her mind.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 23:

udāsīnavat āsīnaḥ guṇaiḥ yaḥ na vicālyate ।
guṇāḥ vartante iti evam yaḥ avatiṣṭhati na iṅgate ॥ 14-23॥
He who, remaining as though indifferent, is not disturbed by the gunas. He abides (in himself), (with the understanding) that the gunas alone are acting. He does not move (from the vision of the self).

• Verse answers Q1 (asked in V21): What are CHARACTERISTICS of one whose crossed/transcended the 3 gunas?
• Ajnani VS Jnani:
  • Ajnani generally undergoes two extremes, inaction (tama dominance) and reaction (raja dominance).
  • Whereas jñāni remains indifferent.
    • Indifferent means: Holding off to forming an opinion. Involves, pause-assess-act, which takes time, which others may perceive as cold/unengaging/boring.
• Thus na iṅgate, na vicālyate: Jñāni’s buddhi remains in balance (without extremes), knowing inevitability of guna fluctuations.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 24:

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ svasthaḥ sama-loṣṭa-aśma-kāñcanaḥ ।
tulya-priya-apriyaḥ dhīraḥ tulya-nindā-ātma-saṃstutiḥ ॥ 14-24॥
The wise man, abiding in self, is the same in pleasure and pain. He is the same towards a clod of earth, a stone or gold. He is the same in desirable (pleasant) and undesirable (unpleasant) situations. He is the same in censure and praise of himself (by others).

• Verse answers Q2 (asked in V21): How does he/she CONDUCT oneself in reference to world/people?
• VERSE: The liberated one, sees equal value in pleasure and pain / clod of earth, stone or gold / desirable and undesirable experiences / praised or criticized.
• Jivanmukta’s relationship with world/people is just like with body. Both are known to be (1) made of gunas (2) This knowledge produces degree of acceptance how-things-are.
  • For instance, one will inevitably deal with Sattvic (cheerful characters). Rajasic (demanding, irritable, tense characters). Tamasic (slow, unengaging characters). For this reason, focus is not so much on the character traits, but the glue that guides each character (dharma).
    • In fact, according to śāstra, it’s incorrect to choose marriage partner based on character alone (because will change in coming years thus sparking incompatibility/conflicts). Rather marriage should be based on dharma (deeper values, duty and moral understandings).
• So how does a jñāni conduct oneself in reference to things? With a balanced state-of-mind.
  • Because never loses sight that “I am nirguna. Free of saguna phenomena”. Constant, unbroken recognition of this truth is called moksha.
  • Because of this understanding, sama-duḥka-sukha: One remains equanimous towards things which have power to produce sorrow or happiness. Including sama-loṣṭa-aśma-kāñcanaḥ, clod of earth, rock or gold.
    • Because their values and status changes based on deśa (environment), kāla (time), prārabdha (past causes unfolding in present).
  • Furthermore, tulya-nindā-ātma-saṃstutiḥ: remains balanced towards criticisms and glorifications, because
    • (1) Both are relative and perspective dependent. EG: Even Rama, Krishna, Adi Shankara were criticized.
    • (2) Awareness can’t be praised/critiqued.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 25:

māna-apamānayoḥ tulyaḥ tulyaḥ mitra-ari-pakṣayoḥ ।
sarva-ārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ saḥ ucyate ॥ 14-25॥
He is the same in respect and insult. The same towards the views of a friend or an enemy. He has given up all undertakings. Such is said to be a Gunatita.

• Verse answers Q2 (asked in V21): How does he/she CONDUCT oneself in reference to world/people?
• VERSE: Jñāni is same in honour and dishonour. Towards friend and a foe. The renouncer of all actions (knowing the 3 gunas are the doers, not self). He/she is beyond the gunas.
• mitra-ari-pakṣayoḥ: Jñāni doesn’t consider anyone an enemy, knowing all are transient forms of the One. Although others may consider him an enemy.
  • EG: Rāma, Prahlada’s (allegedly enlightened at age five) enemy was Hiranyakashipu (killed by Lord Narasimha Narayana who was neither man-animal, god-demon, neither at day-night. Killed neither by weapons, but his nails).
• sarva-ārambha-parityāgī: Jñāni is renouncer of all actions.
  • Meaning 1: Knowing the 3 gunas are the doers, but not self.
  • Meaning 2: People do actions to enjoy. But jñāni’s freedom is unmatched by anything the 3 guṇas can offer. Whatever actions are done, are purely for welfare of the surroundings.
    • EG: BG CH 3.22, Krishna said, “Arjuna, for me (higher nature) there’s nothing to accomplish in this world. Yet I (lower nature) am engaged in this world (for welfare).”
• guṇātītaḥ: Jñāni is beyond the 3 gunas. Meaning: Success and failure (belonging to the BMI) have zero connection to myself.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 26:

mām ca yaḥ avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate ।
saḥ guṇān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate ॥ 14-26॥
He who worships/seeks Me through unswerving devotion, becomes fit to attain the nature of Brahman by going beyond these guṇas.

• Verse answers Q3 (asked in V21): HOW does one go beyond the gunas?
• VERSE: Whoever worships the Lord through unswearing devotion… through course of time, his/her mind becomes fit to grasp the vision of Oneness, by recognizing the effects of the gunas, and not identifying with them.
• Krishna says means to gunatita (one beyond 3 gunas) is through avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena; bhakti-yoga, as discussed in CH12, which consists of 5 stages.
  • 5 Stages culminate to self-inquiry because Lord is never away from me, thus there’s no question of action, because action is only in reference to something not being here and now.
  • 5 STAGES:
    • Karma-Yoga L1: Any action is allowed (since prarabdha-karma is strong in early years), but see results as blessing of the Lord.
    • Karma-Yoga L2: Actions become a reminder that they’re only possible because of the grand order. Same with results.
    • Upasana Yoga L1: Meditating on a personal God.
    • Upasana Yoga L2: Devotee becomes suspicious of “personal God” as “THE God”. Now any object becomes an object of contemplation/meditation of Lord’s
    • Jnana-Yoga. 3 stages.
  • CH 7 MODEL:
    • Arta bhakta: Prays only in trouble.
    • Artharthi: Acknowledges Ishvara in every aspect of daily transactions.
    • Jijnasu: Wants to know the nature of this entity to whom I'm praying. “Ishvara, I pray to you so I may understand your nature, and not from my own assumptions“.
• Going through 5 levels, what happens? brahma-bhūyāya kalpate, he/she becomes eligible to remove false notions which deny one’s immediate and direct recognition that “I am Brahman” (aham brahmāsmi).

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verse 27:

brahmaṇaḥ hi pratiṣṭhā aham amṛtasya avyayasya ca ।
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasya ekāntikasya ca ॥ 14-27॥
I (sat-cit) am indeed the basis of the changeless immortal Brahman, the eternal dharma, the basis of everything, and which is of the nature of happiness (ānanda) that is not subject to negation.

• VERSE: I am the basis of everything.
• Krishna says, “Arjuna, I am the very Brahman you are attempting to reach… whose nature is uncontradictable, universal, and non-negatable”. Only way Brahman can say that is by temporarily assuming a Krishna-jīva form.
  • And the only way to reach Me is through the eternal Dharma principle (living in harmony with the grand order). Which causes 4 factors to converge: Yourself, means of knowledge, guru, Ishvara’s grace.
  • Result is: An attitudinal change born of understanding that guna’s do everything in My presence (gunatita).

— END OF CHAPTER 14 —

Keywords: ārta, arthārthī, jijñāsu, arthārthin

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

Recorded 7 Dec, 2021