Geeta Gyan Yagna (1-6 December 2014)

It was the vision of Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayanandaji to spread the message of the Bhagavad Gita to every home. Devotees of the Durban Chinmaya Ashram were extremely fortunate as Swami Abhedanandaji conducted a series of spiritual discourses based on Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita. Swamiji expounded on shloks 13th to 19th of Bhakthi Yoga. The talks took place from 6:30 pm to 8:00pm from the 1st to 6th December.

Swamiji explained that the qualities mentioned in verses 13th to 19th are the characteristics of a perfect person and God loves these certain thoughts. This sets the benchmark of how we should be and the values that we should inculcate in ourselves. By developing these qualities, one becomes dear to Lord as these qualities are the facilitators to devotion. When Lord is very happy, even if difficult situation comes, there is easiness.

The first point mentioned is that the devotee who is free from hatred is dear to Lord. Swamiji described how hatred is a memory associated with some repulsion in the mind. Hatred is a terrible emotion where one cannot tolerate praise of the other person. There are two sources of hatred, 1) extreme desire or attachment for something and somebody didn’t allow it and 2) somebody made me feel small and very insignificant

A person desires some person, object, situation outside because he doesn’t have joy inside. Ramji didn’t hate Kaikey although she exiled him to the forest.His joy was the same because He didn’t desire or want anything from anyone. One cannot get sorrow unless he wanted joy from that particular place. The loss of the person that hates is that he gives a big space in his mind to that issue. He burns mentally and as a result, he can’t do good for the other person, interactions go from bad to worst. He also keeps other’s negativity in the mind and repeats it. A general frame formed with the paint of blame and faults, and corresponding to that person, there is terrible intolerance. If there is hatred, the person will be angry then definitely, his words won’t be sweet. The mind should be quiet and cool then there is a fragrance around a person. In life, there are always people to make you feel small therefore we should never keep very high image of ourself.

Swamiji also mentioned that the devotee who has friendliness(Maitrah) and compassion (karuna) is dear to Lord. In any role we play, father, mother, son, daughter, we have to be a big shareholder of someone else’s life where we can share joys and sorrows. When sadhana, pooja and righteous living is there, fulfilment then friendliness (maitrah) comes automatically. Compassion is also needed to keep the society positive otherwise society will become very hard.

The person who is without attachment(Nirmamo ) was also elaborated upon. It was explained that certain people or objects come in life and give joy. The mind takes an impression that this person or object can give me alot of joy. This slowly develops into the notion that that particular person should be with me alone. When the other person can’t give the response that we want, we suffer. This turns into an obsession and intellectual paralysis takes place where a person can’t think clearly. An attached person is always more worried, anxious , obsessed and over-aware. The mind is given to us for attachment (mamta) for Lord only but our area of attachment goes to so many other things. Somebody comes in our life because of fate (prarabd) to get seva and for us to get purified in the process.

Swamiji discussed the various ways to get out of attachment. They are

• Intellectually, don’t repeat and don’t take impression,
• Physically, don’t get in the habit of getting too close with anyone,
• Get attached to some sadhu and satsang then attachment ( mamta ) loses its poison. When one gets a lot of joy from Lord, Guru, satsang, sadhana and pooja, all attachment from others go away.
• By gaining knowledge (gyani-type). When one has knowledge, he sees nothing as real in the world therefore he won’t get attached. He is always in a meditative, contemplative state and remains unaffected.

The next point mentioned is that the devotee who doesn’t have ego (ahankar) is dear to Lord. A person having ego(Ahankar) has a sense of bigness , rightness, importance on himself, his actions, habits, and existence. He has his own conjured imagination about himself. When there is a little attack on his personality, he reacts. The effect of ahankar is that when someone doesnt listen to him, he will experience tremendous pain. An egoistic person gets hurt easily, is not a continuous giver because he has closed gate of understanding, love, compassion. As a result, God and people don’t like him and he will never be close to the Guru. The ways to get out of ahankar is

1. to leave insistencies and own notions,
2. to think that this body mind, intellect is too small in front of that big Lord who has everything in infinite measure. A humble person gets love, is a winner and gets blessings from the Lord.

The next point highlighted is that one should be equanimous- balanced in joy and sorrow. Life is full of ups and downs. By becoming too happy and sad,vasanas are increased and equanimity is decreased. When a person reduces his vasanas, his intellect shines and he can concentrate on something bigger.

Forgiveness(Kshami)– In everybody’s life there is someone who has done bad or inflicted some pain. When we don’t forgive others, the thought of the other person will always trouble us and we can’t move ahead from that topic. We commit so many mistakes yet God still forgives us. No relation can exist or sustain itself without forgiveness. The evolution of a person depends on how much he can love those who have snubbed and not loved or hated him. The power of love is much more stronger than the power of hatred. We have to live with a variety of people at home, office, school, organisations. One should be well-armed when going in the world. Many people hurt us verbally and emotionally but one should never be revengeful. It is much easier to forgive, accept and change rather than reject and change.

Contentment (Santosh)-We all have fruits of actions. Some things we have but some things we will never have. It’s not possible for us to have everything. Even Lord Ram did not have everything therefore we should learn to be content with what we already have. How do we bring contentment in our lives? 1)Whatever action we do, we should do it so well, that we have immediate fulfilment, 2)By playing any role well and performing duties 3) by mentally repeating that it is good that I don’t have that thing because what is our source of discontentment, many don’t have it and yet they are more happier 4)when a devotee has joy from within by doing sadhana, pooja, etc, he doesn’t remember what he doesn’t have. 5) Gaining knowledge – he is revelling in himself only and doesn’t need anything else to be joyous.

Resolute(Drdhanishcayah). One should be self-controlled and resolute. The vasanas act in a speed, impulsive and at the external level, the sense organs become uncontrolled. The mind loses its thinking capacity resulting in maximum time wasted. One should be resolute in keeping the rules and disciplining his sense organs. Resoluteness comes when there is a pain of losing something big eg,. Mother Parvati became resolute in her austerities because she had lost the place given by Lord Shiva.

Lord Krishna says that the devotee who is not a disturbance to others and who is not disturbed by the world, who is free from elation, envy, fear is dear to Him. Swamiji mentioned the sources of disturbance are

1. a person’s own bad nature eg, an angry person will always disturb others
2. not doing your duties, if wife or husband doesn’t do duties, other will be disturbed. More you can perform duty, more joy will be there,
3. One who doesn’t believe in God will be anxious, not sure what will happen, always worried,
4.  by having ahankar, it makes the atmosphere uncomfortable and the person’s presence itself is very disturbing.

When one goes out in the world to take , he gets disturbed. All sad people want to take. We should go out in world to give, give and give. Someone is a source of disturbance because corresponding to that person, we have some expectation. The more we want something from someone, that thing evades us. World doesn’t disturb, it brings out our weakness. When that weakness is gone, that situation will be gone.World is like a mirror to see ourselves and then try to correct ourself. The mind should be naturally quiet ,undisturbed , alert and problem solving so that a person can be ready to face any situation the next moment.

Anapekshah – one who doesn’t expect. World is not meant to fulfil our expectation. This is only possible when there is strong faith in Lord. We should only expect from God, He will give plenty of love if required. Either God will take away our desire away or help fulfil it because He knows what is best for us. Lord Ram never expected anything from anybody. There are certain places where one has expectations from. They are

1. from our relatives,
2. from whom we have done a lot and
3. from some people that are not related, but have done a lot for us and we want them to continue doing.

Shuchir – who is externally and internally clean and pure. Everything should be kept neat and clean otherwise the mind seeks attention from that area. Purity is power. The purity in relation is the commitment ,purity of love is giving and the purity of mind is not entertaining any negativity of someone. Even if a person does bad, we should not hate but give blessings instead. We should try to remove impurities of mind which are thoughts of anger, lust, jealousy, etc. When a person doesn’t have a proper mind, then he can’t do justice with any role and or give it the attention it deserves. Any justice we don’t do comes back as some deprivation.

The devotee that renounces doership of all undertakings is dear to Lord. The perfect examples of this are the saints because Lord sits in their heart and operates. The mahatma’s decision is accurate. He is clear on any situation, is expert and prompt. God is acting through them for society therefore we get nourishment, guidance and devotion.