Sri Ramakrishna and Bhagavad Gita - 3
Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga /
The Yoga of Renunciation of Action in Knowledge
BG 4-5 श्रीभगवानुवाच |
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन |
तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप || 5||
BG 4.5: The Supreme Lord said: Both you and I have had many births, O Arjun. You have forgotten them, while I remember them all, O Parantapa.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Incarnations are all the personifications of Iswara. In the ocean of Sat-chit-ananda
a wave rises up in one place and it is called Krishna . Another wave rises at another place some time and it is called Christ.
BG- 4.8 परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् |
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे || 8||
BG 4.8: To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma I appear on this earth, age after age.
Sri Ramakrishna :
A viceroy is deputed by the monarch to quell lawlessness and disorder in a distant dominion. Similarly an Incarnation is the man of authority sent by Iswara into society. He comes to put in order all lapses and deviations in the practice of Dharma.
BG 4-9 जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वत: |
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन || 9||
BG 4.9: Those who understand the divine nature of My birth and activities, O Arjun, upon leaving the body, do not have to take birth again, but come to My eternal abode.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Treat not the personalities such as Rama, Sita, Krishna, Radha and some others as mere allegorical entities They were once in body and flesh as you are now. But because of their spiritual perfection they seem more ficticious than factual. Iswara and His incarnations are one and the same even as the ocean and the waves are .
A visitor to a palace can see only some portions of it. But the prince apparent can have free access to all parts of the palace. Likewise Incarnations of God easily get into the various states of spiritual consciousness.
It is rather difficult to comprehend the Infinite sporting in the finite human form.
During the advent of Sri Rama it was given to seven Rishis only to understand His divine descent. This way all Incarnations are understood by only a few during their life time.
BG- 4.10 वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिता: |
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागता: || 10||
BG 4.10: Being free from attachment, fear, and anger, becoming fully absorbed in Me, and taking refuge in Me, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me, and thus attained My divine love.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Maya is inherent in Iswara. This Maya is constituted of both vidya and avidya--knowledge and ignorance. Vidya-maya is made up of discrimination, devotion, detachment and love of beings. It takes the aspirant Godward. Avidya-maya, on the other hand, estranges man from God.
BG 4-18 कर्मण्यकर्म य: पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म य: |
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्त: कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् || 18||
BG 4.18: Those who see action in inaction and inaction in action are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing all kinds of actions, they are yogis and masters of all their actions.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The lad holding fast to a pillar spins speedily round it without fear of falling down. Similarly you fix your mind on God and do the earthly duties as best as you can. All good will come out of it.
BG 4 -20 त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रय: |
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति स: || 20||
BG 4.20: Such people, having given up attachment to the fruits of their actions, are always satisfied and not dependent on external things. Despite engaging in activities, they do not do anything at all.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The Gopies returning home once found no boatman to ferry them across the river Yamuna to Brindavan. The perplexed milkmaids presented their plight to sage Vyasa who had also arrived just then with the same intent. " Be not worried on this score; I shall lead you all to the other bank. But give me something first to appease my hunger" , said the sage. Cream, butter and condensed milk were offered to him accordingly. After doing full justice to the dainties , Vyasa stood up and implored. " O Yamuna Devi, if it is a fact that I am fasting today, stop flowing and make way for us to get to the other bank". The river did stop flowing and group safely walked to the opposite side. The Gopies then pleaded with the sage to explain the anomaly in his statement that he fasted while actually he feasted on the delicacies which they have supplied him. Vyasa explained himself : " The ceaseless hankering of his my heart for Sri Krishna is my spiritual fasting. The idea ' I eat' is not allowed to enter the mind. Your dishes were all offered as oblations to the Maker presiding over this body "
Maharshi Vyasa's life in conformity with Truth and his faith in the Almighty worked this miracle.
BG-4. 23 गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतस: |
यज्ञायाचरत: कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते || 23||
BG 4.23: They are released from the bondage of material attachments and their intellect is established in divine knowledge. Since they perform all actions as a sacrifice (to God), they are freed from all karmic reactions.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The palms and knife have to be besmeared with oil before cutting open the jackfruit and removing the pulp. Otherwise the gummy juice in it would stick to the fingers and cause hindrance . In that wise protect yourself with self-knowledge before you seek wealth and worldly things which would otherwise entangle you.
BG-4.34 तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: || 34||
BG 4.34: Learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him with reverence and render service unto him. Such an enlightened Saint can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Of what avail are prayer and devotion to an aspirant who views his master as a mere human being? The disciple ought not to hold the master as a man. Before getting the vision of the Deity, the novice sees the form of the guru as a preliminary. This form metamorphoses into Deity. The disciple thereby understands that God and Guru are one and the same. The master awakens the spiritual consciousness in him. More than that , he leads the initiated into Brahman Itself.
If the aspirant is earnest about spiritual enlightenment, the Lord sees to it that he comes in contact with an enlightened one. Seek and light is sent to you.
BG -4.39 श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानं तत्पर: संयतेन्द्रिय: |
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति || 39||
BG 4.39: Those whose faith is deep and who have practiced controlling their mind and senses attain divine knowledge. Through such transcendental knowledge, they quickly attain everlasting supreme peace.
Sri Ramakrishna :
" When will I have the vision of God ? " asked the an ardent disciple of the master. Instead of giving him a direct answer he took the novice to the sea shore and held him immersed in water for a while. He was then asked ow he felt ." I thought I would die for want of air to breath, " came the answer. " Such a quest of God would reveal Him immediately ," was the answer given by the master .
BG 4 40 अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति |
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मन || 40||
BG 4.40: But persons who possess neither faith nor knowledge, and who are of a doubting nature, suffer a downfall. For the skeptical souls, there is no happiness either in this world or the next.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Unless one has the faith of a baby one can not have access to the Lord. If mother points somebody and says " He is your brother, " the baby believes you. The grace of God comes to him who has this kind of faith. The calculative and doubtful strange themselves from the Divine.
Sanyasa Yoga
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
BG 5.2 संन्यास: कर्मयोगश्च नि:श्रेयसकरावुभौ |
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते || 2||
BG 5.2: The Supreme Lord said: Both the path of karma sanyāsa (renunciation of actions) and karma yoga (working in devotion) lead to the supreme goal. But karma yoga is superior to karma sanyāsa.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The inexperienced player at a game of dice wants somehow to score a victory and he is intent on it. But an adept in it takes to the display of his talents first and then attends in the gain next. Sadhakas who wants to escape from the turmoil of the world are second to those who serve the world but are not bound by it.
BG 5-7 योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रिय: |
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते || 7||
BG 5.7: The karma yogis, who are of purified intellect, and who control the mind and senses, see the Soul of all souls in every living being. Though performing all kinds of actions, they are never entangled.
Sri Ramakrishna :
An individual has the delusion, " I am the doer " as long as the philosopher 's stone has not converted the base metal of his mind into the noble one of the divine eye. When he is ignorance he entertains the feelings of agency such as " I am the doer of this virtuous act." and " I am the virtuous act." This attitude is the cause of continuation of the wheel of birth and death. But when one realizes God, one is freed from the feelings of agency and bondage. One remains convinced in the truth that God is the real doer of everything.
BG 5- 8.9 नैव किञ्चित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित् |
पश्यञ्शृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन् || 8||
प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्ण्न्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि |
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् || 9||
BG 5.8-9: Those steadfast in karma yoga, always think, “I am not the doer,” even while engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, moving, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening or closing the eyes. With the light of divine knowledge, they see that it is only the material senses that are moving amongst their objects.
Sri Ramakrishna :
He who comes to know the he is the only instrument in the hands of the Lord, has no egoistic feeling. He is aware that he is only a tool with which God has His work done. Such a man causes harm to nobody. The poison of egoism is no more in him. A steel knife becomes a gold knife with the touch of the philosopher's stone. Though the form of knife is there, it is not useful any more for cutting. Similarly, the Jnani retains a seeming individuality, but no ignorance born activity occurs in and through him.
B 5- 15 नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभु: |
अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तव: || 15||
BG 5.15: The omnipresent God does not involve Himself in the sinful or virtuous deeds of anyone. The living entities are deluded because their inner knowledge is covered by ignorance.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The burning lamp gives light to one and all, all around it. Some use that light for cooking their food, others for reading sacred books and yet others for forging false documents. The merits and demerits in these several acts do not in any way affect the light coming from the lamp. In this wise the consciousness equally present in all beings makes all sorts of activities possible in them because of its proximity. The good and bad deeds, however , of beings do not go to the Pure Consciousness , which is Iswara.
BG 5 -19 इहैव तैर्जित: सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मन: |
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिता: || 19||
BG 5.19: Those whose minds are established in equality of vision conquer the cycle of birth and death in this very life. They possess the flawless qualities of God, and are therefore seated in the Absolute Truth.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Maya is compared to the snake in motion and Brahman to the same snake at rest. Kinetic energy is Maya and potential energy Brahman.
BG 5-21 बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम् |
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते || 21||
BG 5.21: Those who are not attached to external sense pleasures realize divine bliss in the self. Being united with God through Yoga, they experience unending happiness.
Sri Ramakrishna :
There are signs of the awakened ones--those that have got into Atma bodha. Those blessed ones are like the mythological Chakravaka bird which, even when parched with thirst to the point of death , does not alight on earth full of water, but seeks to stake it with rain water only if and when available up in the sky. The God- intoxicated ones revel only in Him and in nothing else.
BG 5-22 ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दु:खयोनय एव ते |
आद्यन्तवन्त: कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुध: || 22||
BG 5.22: The pleasures that arise from contact with the sense objects, though appearing as enjoyable to worldly-minded people, are verily a source of misery. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, so the wise do not delight in them.
Sri Ramakrishna :
If the people ever sighted a venomous cobra, they used to supplicate, " O deity of deadliness, may you hide away your head from our sight and present the powerless tail alone to our view. " It is good to recoil in this manner from sense objects that drag down the mind . Instead of falling prey to them and then praying for redemption, it is better to ever keep aloof from them.
BG 5-23 शक्नोतीहैव य: सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात् |
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्त: स सुखी नर: || 23||
BG 5.23: Those persons are yogis, who before giving up the body are able to check the forces of desire and anger; and they alone are happy.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Lust and greed have immersed people in sin. If you behold women as the embodiments of the Divine Mother, you will escape from the snares of lust and its aftermath , misery. God vision is impossible until desire is vanished .
.
Dhyana Yoga - Yoga of meditation
BG 6-6 बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: |
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्ते तात्मैव शत्रुवत् || 6||
BG 6.6: For those who have conquered the mind, it is their friend. For those who have failed to do so, the mind works like an enemy.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Both bondage and freedom are in the minds of men " I am a liberated soul; I am the child of God; none can bind me " -if one can assume this attitude with firm conviction one becomes liberated. If a man bitten by a venomous snake strongly suggests to himself that there is no poison, he falls no prey to the bite .
BG 6-8 ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रिय: |
युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: || 8||
BG 6.8: The yogi who are satisfied by knowledge and discrimination, and have conquered their senses, remain undisturbed in all circumstances. They see everything—dirt, stones, and gold—as the same.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Worldly people are they who seek after the impermanent things of the earth. Godly people are they who seek God and nothing else.
BG 6-9 सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु |
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते || 9||
BG 6.9: The yogis look upon all—well-wishers, friends, foes, the pious, and the sinners—with an impartial intellect. The yogi who is of equal intellect toward friend, companion, and foe, neutral among enemies and relatives, and unbiased between the righteous and sinful, is considered to be distinguished among humans.
Sri Ramakrishna :
When seen from the plains the grass on the lawn and the deodar tree on the border of lawn present strikingly contrast pictures .But if they be seen from the peak of a mountain they would all blend into one even verdure. Similarly the earth bound man one as a sovereign and another as sweeper, one as father and another as son, and so on. But after intuiting God, these differences vanish. There is no more of the good and the bad, the high and the low. God -perception alone prevails everywhere.
BG 6-10 योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थित: | एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रह: || 10||
BG 6.10: Those who seek the state of Yoga should reside in seclusion, constantly engaged in meditation with a controlled mind and body, getting rid of desires and possessions for enjoyment.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The truly virtuous man is he who commits no sin even when he is all by himself. That is no virtue which is practiced for fear of public opinion. He alone is established in self-control who does not lustfully think of a woman in privacy or in public. He alone in established in self control who does not cast a covetous eye on the gold coins that he comes across even in a deserted house. That alone is virtue which is practiced quietly and unostentatiously.
BG 6.12 ,13 तत्रैकाग्रं मन: कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रिय: |
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये || 12||
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिर: |
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् || 13||
BG 6.12-13: Seated firmly on it, the yogi should strive to purify the mind by focusing it in meditation with one pointed concentration, controlling all thoughts and activities. He must hold the body, neck, and head firmly in a straight line, and gaze at the tip of the nose, without allowing the eyes to wander.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Milk gets easily mixed with water; but if is churned into butter and put in water it floats maintaining its individuality, instead .Man' s mind that easily gets lost in the sense objects has to be cultivated in devotion to the Lord in solitude. Worldly contact that comes subsequent to the development of devotion to the Lord causes no harm.
When a bird is brooding on her legs for hatching, she puts on a vacant look taking no notice of things around her. Even such is the case with eyes of the yogi in meditation.
In meditation there is one-pointedness of the mind. Then eyes sees not and ears hear not; body becomes inert, as it were. Any snake crawling on the body is not sensed then by the yogi, nor does the snake apprehend any danger from its contact with the human body.
BG 6-14 प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थित:
मन: संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्पर: || 14||
BG 6.14: Thus, with a serene, fearless, and unwavering mind, and staunch in the vow of celibacy, the vigilant yogi should meditate on Me, having Me alone as the supreme goal.
Sri Ramakrishna :
When a person observes the vow of Brahmacharya rigidly for twelve years he develops a new sensory nerve known as Medhnadi. It is intuitive faculty. Intricate and knotty problems of life are no problems to him. That penetrating faculty makes it possible for him to intuit Iswara as well, it being the acme of enlightenment.
BG 6-15 युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानस: |
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति || 15||
BG 6.15: Thus, constantly keeping the mind absorbed in Me, the yogi of disciplined mind attains nirvāṇa, and abides in Me in supreme peace.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The one who newly visits a city must first procure a good lodging for himself. Then he may roam about the city, seeing many interesting things. If the lodging be not fixed first, at sunset he will have difficulties in that respect. Similarly, the man who has newly come into this world shall have to seek the everlasting shelter first at the feet of the Lord. Then he may live in this world care- free and go about his undertakings. Otherwise, the sunset of death will harass him much .
BG 6-16 नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: |
न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन || 16||
BG 6.16: O Arjun, those who eat too much or too little, sleep too much or too little, cannot attain success in Yoga.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Eat sumptuously in the day time; but let your food at night be sparse and easily digestible.
A sadhaka ought to help himself to that food only which is not heating to the body and exciting to the mind.
BG 6-18 यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते |
नि:स्पृह: सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा || 18||
BG 6.18: With thorough discipline, they learn to withdraw the mind from selfish cravings and rivet it on the unsurpassable good of the self. Such persons are said to be in Yoga, and are free from all yearning of the senses.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The mustard that gets scattered from a torn bag, cannot easily be gathered again. Likewise, the mind dissipated in worldly things does not come under easy control. Possession of the mind in its entirety is Yoga.
BG 6-23 तं विद्याद् दु:खसंयोगवियोगं योगसञ्ज्ञितम् |
स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा || 23||
BG 6.23: That state of severance from union with misery is known as Yoga. This Yoga should be resolutely practiced with determination free from pessimism.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Milk in a vessel continues to boil and bubble so long as there is fire underneath. But when the fire is removed its simmering stops. On this wise, the man who takes to the
practice of Yoga out of curiosity pursues it vehemently for sometime and then abandons it once for all. He gains nothing. Steadfastness in yoga is essential.
BG 6. 24-25 सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषत: |
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्तत: || 24||
शनै: शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया |
आत्मसंस्थं मन: कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् || 25||
BG 6.24-25: Completely renouncing all desires arising from thoughts of the world, one should restrain the senses from all sides with the mind. Slowly and steadily, with conviction in the intellect, the mind will become fixed in God alone, and will think of nothing else.
Sri Ramakrishna :
However carefully a man may move about in a room full of soot, his clothes are bound to be stained a little at least. In the same way he who lives in the midst of sense objects is bound to be tainted with a trace of lust.
Mind is the main factor in you. As is your mind, so are you. It may be compared to a washed white cloth which is capable of taking any type of dye dipped in. When you have learnt a new language you cannot help uttering a few words from it in your conversation. Contact with the undesirables contaminates the mind. Holy company on the other hand elevates it.
BG 6-26 यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् |
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् || 26||
BG 6.26: Whenever and wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, one should bring it back and continually focus it on God.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The vision of the Lord is not possible as long as even an iota of desire is left lingering in the mind. You ought to, therefore, fulfil the innocent and harmless little desires before doing away with them and to mercilessly exterminate the baneful ones with the sword of discrimination.
BG 6-27 प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् |
उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् || 27||
BG 6.27: Great transcendental happiness comes to the yogi whose mind is calm, whose passions are subdued, who is without sin, and who sees everything in connection with God.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Before visiting the humble home of a tenant of his, the landlord sends in advance the required furniture and provision, so that the occupant may receive him in a fitting manner. Similarly, before the Lord reveals Himself in the heart of a devotee ,He endows him with purity, devotion, faith and such like divine qualities.
BG 6-30 यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति |
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति || 30||
BG 6.30: For those who see Me everywhere and see all things in Me, I am never lost, nor are they ever lost to Me.
Sri Ramakrishna :
Sweetmeats in the shape of various animals, birds and men are made from the same stuff, sugar. Likewise, the sat-chit-ananda that has assumed the forms of the sentient and insentient in the universe.
BG 6-31 सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थित: |
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते || 31||
BG 6.31: The yogi who is established in union with Me, and worships Me as the Supreme Soul residing in all beings, dwells only in Me, though engaged in all kinds of activities.
Sri Ramakrishna :
The ignorant one believes that God is in some far off region called heaven. The enlightened one , on the other hand, beholds Him as the core of his own being. Iswara is in the hearts of all. The seeker of God therefore realizes Him first within him self.
BG 6-32 आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन |
सुखं वा यदि वा दु:खं स योगी परमो मत: || 32||
BG 6.32: I regard them to be perfect yogis who see the true equality of all living beings and respond to the joys and sorrows of others as if they were their own.
Sri Ramakrishna :
A few holy men were living in an Ashrama in the outskirts of a township . While the oldest of them was passing through the main street of that village, he chanced to see a landlord mercilessly belaboring a tenant of his. The holy man intervened on behalf of the helpless victim. But the landlord now directed his fury on the holy man and thrashed him to the point of making him fall down unconscious . Coming to know of this mishap the inmates of the Ashrama hastened to the spot and carried the holy man back, lying yet unconscious. When , after a long nursing, the saint opened his eyes, a tending man put the question, " Revered one, do you recognize who I am ?". In gentle but clear voice came the unexpected answer, " The hand that beat then now nursing ." He said so because he saw the same Brahman manifesting as the many. The feeling of the offender and the offended was not in the saint.
BG 6-35 श्रीभगवानुवाच |
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् |
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते || 35||
BG 6.35: Lord Krishna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.
Sri Ramakrishna :
He who wants to learn swimming has to be at it repeatedly. It can not be learned with one or two attempts. One dares not swim boisterous sea just after a day's practice. Similarly one has to train oneself much to swim in the sea of Sat-chit- ananda. Failure in the first attempt is but natural. Sporting in it becomes possible only through persistent practice.
There is a poisonous variety of spider , the effect of the bite of which can not be easily be cured. A spell has to be cast first over the patient with the root of turmeric; otherwise no medicine will have effect on the poison. The worldly man is bitten by the spider of lust and greed. Unless the spell of non-attachment be invoked in him, no spiritual practice of his will ever bear fruit.
BG 6-39 एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषत: |
त्वदन्य: संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते || 39||
BG 6.39: O Krishna, please dispel this doubt of mine completely, for there is none other than you who can destroy this doubt .
Sri Ramakrishna :
Who is whose Guru ? None but Iswara alone can play the role of the Guru. Nothing is impossible to the Incarnation of Iswara. The intricate problems pertaining to the Jivatman and the Pramatman are all easily solved by Him. Even a child can easily understand His teachings. He is the sun of knowledge that drives the darkness of ignorance accumulated through the ages.
BG 6 .46-47 तपस्विभ्योऽधियोगी
ज्ञानिभ्योऽपिमतोऽधिक:|
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिकोयोगी
तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| 46||
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना |
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मत: || 47||
BG 6.46: A yogi is superior to the tapasvī (ascetic), superior to the jñānī (a person of learning), and even superior to the karmī (ritualistic performer). Therefore, O Arjun, strive to be a yogi.
Sri Ramakrishna :
What is the good of mere book learning? The learned may at best be adepts in aptly and accurately quoting from scriptures. One's lifelong repeating them verbatim effects no change in one's life. But what is told in the scriptures has to be applied to life and improvement brought on it. Scriptural knowledge is of no avail to the one to earthly life.
A worldly man may be as much informed in religion as the spiritual man ;or even he may excel in learning and intelligence . He may even be endowed with the rigidity of a yogi's life and the detachment of a sanyasin. In the midst of these merits his life may dwindle into nothing if he utilizes them all not for the glory of the Lord but for self-glorification, name fame and wealth.
Meditate on Enlightenment and Bliss which are eternal . Then you gain Bliss which is everlasting. This Bliss in the ordinary man is shrouded in ignorance. As your desire for sense pleasures declines, your devotion to the Lord develops into divine thirst.
=======+++++++++++++============++++++++++++============++++++++++++++==
