Bhagavad Gita - A Self Effulgent Science

Friday, 21 August 2009 09:46 Written by TVD

It is very difficult to estimate the importance of someone or something in our lives if we do not see the proper connection. In everyday life we are so occupied is our activities that we sometimes miss the important essence and are just happy to follow some details. This is where some instrospection and guidance helps. If properly received it will embrace us with a wave of amazing realizations that can carry us from one realm to another just like a powerful wind moves the clouds in the sky. This change is not necessarily a physical one but its an internal change of consciousness wherein we surrender to a higher principle and give up our self-derived convictions. And this is exactly the subject matter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, the essence of all upanishads, presented by Lord Krsna. Using Arjuna as his student, He taught this world this greatest science, which can help us transcend the dualtiy which we are currently forced to live in. The duality of temporary happiness and distress,  lamentation and hankering,  acceptance and rejectance,  is a never ending cycle of our identity crisis. With practical experience we can understand that, we cannot do something which is not our nature, as far as bodily understanding goes. Everyone who has material body is driven by his nature acquired from his past, but when we reawaken our real nature or identity,  all the great godly qualities manifest naturally.

Coming back to Bhagavad Gita, In the fourth chapter Lord Krsna gives us some history of this eternal (imperishable) science:

"The Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of Mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku"

It can be a simple element of history if we do not know who these great personalities are in reality.  In vedic system, the Sun is considered as the king of all planets. By its heat and light it is controlling all other planets. So Lord Krsna,  has instructed this science not just to someone but to the king of the whole planetary system. This science was meant for everyone to advance by the training recieved from such great Saintly Kings and Sages, who were expected to train their subjects in the practical application of this science. As the verse goes on the King of Sun planet, Vivasvan explaned to the father of Mankind Manu, who is the administrator of this universe and who inturn explained this to the king of this planet, Maharaja Iksvaku.  As time went by this great wisdom was passed to great sages and saintly kings who inturn were blessed with full of knowledge and practical realization of this science.  And it is a fact that whoever wants (actually everyone needs it) such knowledge this is the path to be followed, to understand from proper source rather than conclude our own ways.

So to understand Krsna (God), it was never a hapazard speculation of mind or promote some personal idea to chip in based on some knowledge as most modern day people think and follow. This Raja-Vidya or King of knowledge cannot be recieved in that way.  It demands to be understood through proper channel - a disciplic succession,  which prescribes recieving knowledge from a higher realm.

Today many spiritual supermarkets with translations of Bhagavad Gita have arisen, and most of them have presented the subject with their speculation based on some hypothetical or intellectual understanding which can be pleasing to ears for people in general to encourage their lifestyle.  But it was never a proper method of recieving knowledge and can never be as the history proves. This great science is to be recieved in a mood of austerity, not of physical but one of humility or submission from a proper source. And one has to endeavour to find such a source with some preliminary study or understanding  or through sincere prayer.  And, as one realizes the nature of such submission more and more,  one can see this great mystery unfold in their lives by the Supreme grace and one is able to come to the proper conclusion about oneself,  the material nature and the controller of both - the Supreme Person. This is what Arjuna went through, but he finally accepted the authority and gave up his self-concieved idea of what is right according to him.

One who can question in such a way or can find proper association with such understanding is indeed fortunate. Also,  if one attempts to read Bhagavad Gita with an open mind of acceptance,  desiring grace,  the Supreme Lord inside his heart will guide him with knowledge or association to come to such an  understanding.