Summary:

Lesson 157 provides 4 methods (dispassion, devotion, healthy-virtues, self-inquiry) to help deal with samsara with more objectivity. First 3 prime the mind for the last.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 15, Verse 3, 4, 5

Revision:

• PART 1 (Verse 1, 2, and first half of verse 3) deals with Nature of Samsara.
• Samsara is mithya. Each part of samsara tree is dependent on some other. While all branches, buds, leaves, flowers, fruits, sub-roots and main trunk… depend on the main root of the tree.
• Tree being called aśvattha: absent tomorrow; there’s no real security, because tree is changing based on actions performed by jivas (desires) > unavoidable punya/papam > requiring new body to continue so the original doer can suffer/enjoy the results.
  • EG: Yesterday’s narrative, carries over next morning immediately upon waking.
• Consequently, jiva occupies various bodies depending on its past actions. Life is compared to game of snakes and ladders (constantly going up/down).
  • Life not linear. Jiva doesn’t evolve in linear fashion.  
• Attributes of Tree:
  • Branch represent type of experience bird-jiva walks on.
  • Shoots of branch are like sense objects.  Shoots decide length/structure of “branch-to-be”.
  • What decides type of sense objects (shoots)? Present Actions (constantly modifying branch in potential in this/next life).
  • What determines type of actions? Likes/dislikes.
    • EG: Spend 2 days with someone. Will categories their ways into likes/dislikes. Or watch any sports match, within minutes; bias one side. Now imagine 80 years.
  • Where did likes/dislikes come from? Previous janma.  No first janma (when it all began).
• Verse 3, line 1:
  • Universe is incomprehensible. No beginning, end.
    • Logically impossible to say “When has time-creation started?”. Nor can say “What will happen after end of time?”. Discussed in Māṇḍukya Kārikā (theory of causation). Hence creation must be cyclical.
    •  Because it’s cyclical, there was never a time when you-jiva was not. All jiva’s are seasoned travelers.
• Reason for describing samsara limitations is to build dispassion towards it.

PART 2: FOUR ANTITIDOTES TO SAṂSĀRA:

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 15, Verse 3:

na rūpam asya iha tathā upalabhyate
na antaḥ na ca ādiḥ na ca sampratiṣṭhā ।
aśvattham enam suvirūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ॥ 15-3॥
The form of this (tree) is not perceived here. (It has) no beginning, middle, or end. One should cut this well-rooted fig tree firmly with the weapon of detachment.

• — VERSE 3 BELOW IS CONTINUING FROM PREVIOUS SESSION —
• ESSENCE OF VERSE: This saṃsāra-tree is imperceptible. It has no beginning, middle, or end [because it stretches infinitively]. Only way is to cut it is with axe-of-dispassion (weapon of detachment) ^{[CH13 value 10]}.
• Continuing from Verse 3, line 2: How to remove samsara? 4 methods.
• METHOD 1: Vairāgyam ^(Vairagyam) (Dispassion / detachment). World is like a fine-decorated cardboard chair. Keep it close, but never sit on it for security/support. Hence vairagyam is:
  • DEPENDENCE REDUCTION:
    • Learning to reduce dependence on people/world for your fulfillment.
    • ORDER: World-dependence > God-dependence (related to personal deity) > Self-dependence.
      • On beginning, scriptures don’t reveal that the very omnipresent lord is not different from myself.
    • Lack of emotional leaning into things. 
      • While Physical growth is automatic;  emotional growth is not. Have to deliberately attend attend to it. That's why we see most adults with emotional maturity of a teenager, while their body is fully grown.
    •  Not developing new dependences.
      • EG: Raj refused to download the game to his iPad, knowing within 10 minutes, he'll become addicted to it, based on past experience. So, best to not get into it in the first place.
  • CHANGE OF LANGUAGE:
    • Using the first person pronoun of “I” and “my” less. Mix with 3rd person language.
  • SEEING THE INTRINSIC VALUE:
    • What can this object do and not do for me? Get clear to prevent idealising it.
  • GET ATTACHED TO SOMETHING ELSE:
    • Impossible to be completely detached/dispassionate, as infinite samskaras will quickly fill in. Thus attach yourself to something else (in this context, desire for clarity, understanding, compassion).
  • ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF APPLYING VAIRAGYAM:
    • Remember that every object is loved for your own sake. Object is not loved for the objects sake. When happiness/love is experienced, it temporarily subsides “smallness”, and one come in touch with one's own fullness (ananda). So in truth, we don't care what the object is, only that it produces happiness/love, thereby putting us in touch with our fullness. Knowing this, one can enjoy greater dispassion towards any particular object.
      
• NEXT VERSE: Next method to samsara removal: Śaraṇagati  ^{(Sharanagati)} / prapatti (Devotion/surrender)

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 15, Verse 4:

tataḥ padam tat parimārgitavyaṃ
yasmin gatāḥ na nivartanti bhūyaḥ ।
tam eva ca ādyam puruṣam prapadye ।
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī ॥ 15-4॥
Then that goal should be sought, into which those who have gone, do not return again. That goal is to be properly inquired into, (with the attitude that) I surrender to that ādi-puruṣa (primal Being) alone, from whom the primeval creation has come forth.

• ESSENCE OF VERSE: After dispassion from world sense-objects is suffice, engage in devotion to the Lord by (a) means of relating to an object/concept which represents and keeps devotees mind on God], (b) verse 5…
• METHOD 2: Śaraṇagati ^{(Sharanagati)} / prapatti (Devotion/surrender to the Lord).
  • Religious context: Devotion to the Father and/or Mother. Meaning you’re the child. It’s symbolism that “I” (the limited jiva) am dependent on, or honouring THAT which created me.
  • Spiritual context (indirect knowledge): Devotee loves the TRUTH, and is no longer interested in Gods stuff.
  • Spiritual context (direct knowledge): Adi Shankara’s: brahma satyam (asti) jagat mithyā asti, jīvaḥ brahma eva na aparaḥ ^{(not different)} asti.
    • GRAMMAR: With sandhi: brahma satyam jagan-mithyā jivo brahmaiva nāparah  ^{brahma satyam jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva naparah}
    • MEANING: Sat-cit alone is real, the universe is dependent-real (seeming); the individual is non-different from Sat-cit ^{(because world/jiva is effect, brahman is cause)}.
  • Devotion/Bhakti has 5 stages:
    1. Sakāma bhakti: Praying for worldly stuff. Ārta.
       • Praying for worldly stuff. Money, family, success, fame, name. Ārta. This accounts for majority of world population at any one time. In terms of relationship with divinity, individual only thinks of God when desperately wants something. EG: “Oh Lord, may my daughter find good husband. Let me get a job”. Etc. Once gotten, person doesn't think of God again.
    2. Iṣṭa-deva Relationship with a personal God (Ishta Devata). Arthārthī.
       • This is area of religion. My God VS Your God. EG: “I hate X. I love Krishna”. Etc. Person has an ongoing relationship with a personal deity (sometimes many).
    3. Niṣkāma-bhakti: Praying (not for objects), but a peaceful, refined, discerning mind. Jijñāsu.
       • Person has grown past rituals/pujas. Rather, they turn to practices like Kriya-Yoga/Kashmir Shaivism/ Asthanga Yoga 8-Steps. Individual is highly active in action-based spiritual practices like closed eye meditation, chanting. And it's all done for sake of union with God.
       • Person does based on what they know. Former stages; based on likes-dislikes.
       • Karma-Yoga (doing duties, while keeping eye on Truth).
    4. Worshiping everything as manifestation of One Intelligence. (Worshiping also means inquiring into everything).
       • Worshiping everything as manifestation of God, even in most mundane things like ants, wind, sun, soil. Former 3 stages have naturally developed STRONG viveka (a discerning, questioning, devotional mind). Not only is person strongly adhering to dharma, but also spontaneously admires presence of God in the good, the bad and the ugly. Stage 1 is done only for sake of duty (EG: family & work duty). While Stage 2 is perceived as either immature or unnecessary; because if God is omnipresent (everywhere), then He is right here and now in my very mind (whether I'm doing a ritual or not).
    5. Advaita bhakti: Non-dual devotion. Jñāni.
       • I am that which is never seen, but which witnesses everything. Which is never known, but is the knower of the known & unknown. – Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3.7.23)
       • This is not any action. It's a permanent understanding that all that is here is ONE without a second. One truth, appearing as your body-mind, cloud, planet, air, universe.
  • 3 Types of Devotion:
    1. God in one form. EG: Tree / sun. Ekarupa Isvara.
    2. God in many forms. Vishvarupa Ishvara. ^{(EG: BG CH11).}
    3. God as the ever-experienced “I”. Aparoksha-Ishvara.
• yasmin gatāḥ na nivartanti bhūyaḥ; Because of one’s diligent efforts, those who reach the end, know Bhagavan as their very Self; are free of samsara while living and return not.
• NEXT VERSE: Remaining 2 antidotes to samsara:
  • METHOD 3: Sadguṇaḥ ^(Sadguna) (Refining mind through values/sadhana)
  • METHOD 4: Brahma-vicāra ^{(Brahma vicara)} (Self-inquiry)

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 15, Verse 5:

nirmāna-mohāḥ jitasaṅgadoṣāḥ
adhyātma-nityāḥ vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ ।
dvandvaiḥ vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṃjñaiḥ
gacchanti amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṃ tat ॥ 15-5॥
Those who are free from the demand for respect and from non-objectivity, who have conquered the limitation of attachment, who are always focused on the self and from whom desires have completely gone, who are totally free from the opposites known as pleasure and suffering and are not deluded, go to (gain) that imperishable end.

• ESSENCE OF VERSE: Who attains the Supreme end (Brahman)? (1) Who are free from pride ^{[CH13 value 1]} and delusion ^{[CH13 value 2-18]}. (2) Conquered attachment [binding likes-dislikes]. (3) Whose is ongoingly inquiring into nature of Self. (4) From whom [adharmic] desires have retired. (5) Whose freed from need to [unintelligently] react to pairs-of-opposites ^{(EG: pleasure & pain)} (6) And who are wise ^{[CH13 value 19-20]}.
• V5 is basically a revision of CH13’s 20-values.
• STORY MODE: Once upon a time, a fella was rowing a boat on a dark night. In the morning he hadn’t moved from the shore. Discovered boat-vehicle was still anchored. All his hard attempts failed.
  • Reason: Still anchored. He forgot to undo the ropes of pride (māna), fascination for experiences (moha), attachments (saṅga-doṣa), desires (kāma), pairs of opposites (dvandva) like joys and sorrows.
  • Similarly, only when these ropes are undone, is the mind available to capture and hold the vision.
• Who attains the Supreme end (one whose intellect discerns the root from the tree/branches/buds/leaves)? One who has done…
  • METHOD 3: Sadguṇaḥ ^(Sadguna) : Refining the mind. Involves:
    • Deliberately incorporating [CH13] universal-values in thought/word/actions.
      • EG: Ridding of excess pride (amānitvam; V1 in CH13).
        • Recognize you need this world. World doesn’t need you. We image the world needs us, then feel proud. Thus pride is forgetting this fact.
        • There are people better then me.
        • Namaskara.
        • Everything possessed is Bhagavan’s loan (gift) which is repaid in form of death.
    • jita saṅgha doṣāḥ: Freedom from attachment by recognizing what an object CAN and CANNOT do for me. Don’t expect more then it can offer.
    • vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ: Who are free from desires. Involves (a) Knowing the objects intrinsic value, which prevents developing unnatural desires, (b) Reminding oneself, “I am fine without this”.
    • dvandvaiḥ vimuktāḥ:
      • Not reacting to pairs of opposites because both shall quickly pass. Equanimity towards opposites. 
      • Even great men like Avatars, faced dvandva.
      • Shastra uses metaphors: Clay ball and rubber ball person. Be like the rubber ball from which things bounces off.
  • METHOD 4: One who engages in Brahma-vicāra ^{(Brahma vicara)} (Self-inquiry). Involves:
    • adhyātmanityāḥ: Regular attend to scriptural texts. Just as body needs regular nourishment.
    • Inquiry means: shastric inquiry which needs guru guidance. Shastra must be involved.
    • Deliberately and diligently perceiving the world through the teaching, for sake of balancing: dharma, artha, kama, moksha (effortless atma-anatma-viveka).
    • Vedanta is like a MIRROR for the Self (atman). Need mirror to see myself. One also knows that reflection is not different from Self.
    • Self-inquiry = Most important. Former 3 prepare. Just like only surgery can remove malignant cells. All others, only alleviate the condition.
• tad padam gacchanti: Whoever sticks with these 4 methods (Dispassion, devotion, refining-mind, self-inquiry) – reaches the ultimate destination.

Keywords: 

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

Recorded 25 Jan, 2022