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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 20, 2019 14:29:23 GMT -6
Now commenceth the Sixteenth Canto of Bhagavad Gita. The first three stanzas are clustered because they form one long sentence with multiple clauses.
(The Blessed Lord said;) Fearlessness and the state of sanctity, In wisdom and in yoga constancy, Donatives, sacrifice and self control, Study, penance, simplicity of soul, 1 Non violence, truthfulness, anger free, Renunciation, peace, integrity, Pity for beings, uncovetousness, Determination, modesty, meekness, 2 Vigour, forgiveness, and firm fortitude, Unhateful, clean, a prideless attitude; These, Bharat, are the traits that I outline, Of one endued from birth with wealth divine. 3
O'erweaning pride, conceit and arrogance, Harsh cruelty and gloomy ignorance; These are the traits, O Partha, that adorn One who has been with wealth demonic born. 4
To liberation leads the wealth divine, The demonic to bondage does consign; Fear not, Pandava, since you are possessed, Of wealth divine and naturally blessed. 5
Two types of creatures here I thus define, The one demonic, the other divine; The divine traits I have already told, Now hear as I the demonic unfold. 6
Those who a demonic nature maintain, Know not when to indulge or to abstain; Without good conduct and always unclean, No truth or honesty in them is seen. 7
They say there is no truth, no basis firm, And that there is no ruling God affirm; They say there is no cause, but still profess, 'What else is it but amorous congress?' 8
Thus in this view the ruined soul remains Obstinately, for he has meagre brains; In abominable deeds they employ Themselves, the world to ruin and destroy. 9
Full of desire and lust insatiate, With pride and self esteem intoxicate; Confused by hopes for transitory things, And avowed to wicked undertakings. 10
Perplexed by innumerable desires, They seek in vain till life itself expires; And with a firm conviction they attest, The joys of concupiscence are the best. 11
Bound by a hundred fetters of desire, Habituated to anger and ire; And their amorous pleasures to maintain, Accumulate by means unrighteous gain. 12
“This day by me has this much been attained, “Whereby all my ambitions shall be gained; “All this is mine presently, I conceive, “In the future I shall more wealth receive. 13
“This enemy I have dispatched today, “The others I shall trample down and slay; “I am a lord who rare delights enjoy, “I perfect am, potent, and full of joy. 14
“My treasuries with heaps of wealth abound, “High born and noble relatives surround, “And who is there, indeed, like unto me? “I sacrifice, rejoice, give charity.” And thus deluded by folly they be. 15
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 21, 2019 6:12:29 GMT -6
They with diverse anxieties are fraught, And in the network of delusion caught; Fondly attached by lust and pleasure's spell, They fall into the unclean depths of hell. 16
Selfish and vain and filled with arrogance, Deluded by the pride of affluence, With ostentation and merely in name, They sacrifice, but prescribed rules disdain. 17
Possessed of self conceit and insolence, Brute force and anger and concupiscence, Myself and all beings they castigate, So full of malice and so full of hate. 18
Those envious and base and who cause pain, In transmigration must ever remain, And I cast them forever and forlorn, In wombs vile and demonic to be born. 19
And thus deluded, again and again, Rebirth into demonic wombs obtain; And thus not reaching me, O Kunti's son, They fall into the lowest condition. 20
There are three gates that lead to perdition, Which to the self is cause of destruction, Ardent desire, wrathful rage, and greed, Therefore these three you must avoid indeed. 21
From these, O son of Kunti, he is free, Who thus avoids these gates of darkness three, Who acts in ways for the self's ultimate Benefit, proceeds to the supreme state. 22
But whoso scriptural ordinance scorns, And acts according to his whims performs, He does not perfection or aught attain Of happiness, nor does the supreme gain. 23
Let holy scripture therefore be your guide, And what duty, and not duty decide; Knowing from scripture's mandate what is due, You should the righteous action thus pursue. 24
Om, yea, That Truth, In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, The Upanisad of wisdom, Consisting of the knowledge of Brahman, The yoga scripture, Forming a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. This was the Sixteenth Canto, Entitled, The Divine and Demonic Wealth
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 22, 2019 6:06:07 GMT -6
Gita XVII (Arjuna said;) O Krishna, who thus scripture's mandate scorns, But in good faith acts of worship performs, What is the determination of these, Of Sattva, Raja, Tama, qualities? 1
(The Blessed Lord said;) Bodied souls with natural faith are filled, Of three varieties from birth instilled, Of Sattva, Raja, Tama, that inhere In them, you shall from me of that now hear. 2
O Bharat, all according to their kind, Unto their nature's bent are thus inclined, To be full of faith all men are thus shown, And from his faith the man himself is known. 3
Those of a Sattvik mien the gods adore, The Rajasik fiends and Yaksas implore, But the Tamasik reverence the hosts Of elemental spirits and foul ghosts. 4
Who in the harshest penances engage, Which are not found in holy scripture's page, Disposed to haughty pride and arrogance, Urged on by passion and concupiscence; 5 Who torment themselves as others as well, And even me who does inwardly dwell They also torment; all these signs confess Those who a demonic nature possess. 6
Also the food to each agreeable, Again is of three types discernible, And sacrifice, penance, and charity, Are so distinguished; hear of that from me. 7
Those food stuffs that longevity augment, Healthy and wholesome, full of nutriment; The juicy, oleaginous and sweet, These are the foods the Sattvik like to eat. 8
The bitter, sour, salty, astringent, The very hot, the dry and the pungent; These are the foods that the Rajasik choose, Which distemper and misery produce. 9
Food that is old, from which the taste has gone, The which is putrid, stinking and rotten; And leavings of another’s plate and fare, Are the foods to the Tamasik most dear. 10
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 24, 2019 8:00:36 GMT -6
Who sacrifice without desire for gain, As Vedic texts of holy writ ordain, Seeking no recompense, to be resigned To duty, is worship of Sattvik kind. 11
But sacrifice performed for recompense, With ostentatious show and insolence, O foremost of the Bharat dynasty, Such sacrifice Rajasik know to be. 12
And sacrifice that scripture's rules disdain, That gifts of food, mantras and fees disclaim, Devoid of faith and due reverence shown, Such sacrifice is as Tamasik known. 13
To worship gods, teachers and twice-born men, The learned, and always simple and clean; Non violence and vows of continence, All these are known as bodily penance. 14
To speak the truth and beneficial word, Not rancorous, but pleasant to be heard, Deep study of what holy scriptures teach, Is designated as penance of speech. 15
A tranquil mind, gentle and quiescent, To be self controlled and to be silent, And purity of thought and sanctity, Are as mental penances known to be. 16
Those men with superior faith perform All these penances of tripartite form, Without or fruit or object to be gained, Indeed is as the Sattvik penance named. 17
But those in pride who penance undertake, For honour and for adulation's sake, It is said such penance done here for gain, Is called Rajasik, and fleeting and vain. 18
And those penances which are undergone, In foolishness and with great exertion, To hurt the self and to others give pain, Is called the Tamasik penance by name. 19
Generous donatives of gifts to make, For no return, purely for duty's sake, In place, at times, and to persons worthy, Such donatives are Sattvik said to be. 20
But those who give in hopes for some return, Urged by the wish for merit's fruit to earn, Given reluctantly and grudgingly, Such is known as Rajasik charity. 21
And those gifts made inconsiderately, In place, at times, and to those unworthy, With disrespect and with dishonour shown, Such charity as Tamasik is known. 22
The three words, Om, Tat, Sat, denote in sooth, Brahman the supreme and absolute truth, Which from the ancient time, 'tis said, gave rise, To brahmans, the Vedas, and sacrifice. 23
Therefore, sacrifice, gifts, austerity, Ordained by holy scripture's firm decree, Are undertaken by reciting 'Om', By Brahman knowers, and thus well begun. 24
Pronouncing, Tat, without desiring gain, Who sacrifice, gifts, and penance maintain, And do not the fruit of actions desire, Seeking but liberation to acquire. 25
And, Sat, also let it be understood, Denotes excellence and all that is good, Thus when meritorious deeds are done, The word, Sat, is pronounced, O Pritha's son. 26
All acts of sacrifice and charity, And firm steadfastness in austerity, And all actions which to me they devote, The name of Sat does verily denote. 27
Oblations and gifts and penances done In want of proper faith, O Pritha's son, Are called Asat, the base and unworthy, And nought in this or in the world to be. 28
Om, yea, That Truth, In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, The Upanisad of wisdom, Consisting of the knowledge of Brahman, The yoga scripture, Forming a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, This was the seventeenth Canto Entitled Three Types of Faith
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 24, 2019 8:04:30 GMT -6
Gita XVIII (Arjuna said:) O Mighty armed! from you I fain would learn 'Twixt Sannyasa and Tyaga to discern; O Lord Supreme who wicked Keshi slew! O Hrishikesh! What differs 'twixt the two?
(The Glorious Lord said;) Acts prompted by desire to forego, The sagacious ones as Sannyasa know, Relinquishment of fruits the actions bring, Is called Tyaga by those understanding. 2
Since actions are flawed some sages opine, That all activity one should resign; Some say that sacrifice, gifts, charity, Are worthy and should not relinquished be. 3
Hear now of Tyaga in all certainty, From me, prince of the Bharat dynasty; Tyaga is also in three parts defined, Which I declare, O tiger of mankind! 4
Acts of sacrifice, gifts and penance done As duty, one should not forsake or shun; For sacrifice, gifts and austerity, Grants Even to the sages purity. 5
But even in these actions resolute, Without attachment for the actions fruit, One should engage, O Pritha's noble son, This is my determinate opinion. 6
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 26, 2019 13:01:20 GMT -6
But who abandons deeds that should be done, Out of delusion or a false notion, Such renunciation has been defined As false Tyaga of the Tamasik kind. 7
Who from misery to Tyaga resorts, Or fears the loss of bodily comforts This such renunciation is indeed Called Rajasik, whence no fruit does proceed. 8
But, Arjuna, who pious deeds pursue, As holy writ and duty bids them do, Who does attachment to the fruit resign, Such is the Sattvik Tyaga, I opine. 9
Who neither clings to acts agreeable, Nor hates those that are disagreeable; Such a wise renouncer is said to be Sattvik and clever and from all doubt free. 10
Since no embodied being can abstain From action, or cannot wholly refrain; He is a true renouncer and astute, Who of the action renounces the fruit. 11
The three fold fruits of acts discernible, Agreeable, mixed, disagreeable, To non renouncers after death are due, But do not to the renouncers accrue. 12
O mighty armed, now learn the causes five Whence diverse actions do their source derive, Held in doctrines of Sankhya established, Whereby activities are accomplished. 13
The seat of action which the body is, The agent, and the various senses, And diverse undertakings to contrive, And will divine; these are the causes five. 14
Whatever deeds or right or wrong are done By speech, and mind, and physical action, By any man, all these actions derive, Indeed, from these ultimate causes five. 15
Since it is so, whoever misconceives, And the soul as the sole agent perceives, Because of the unrefined faculty Of intellect, and folly, does not see. 16
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 27, 2019 3:48:58 GMT -6
But whom the ego sense does not affect, And who is of untrammelled intellect, Tho' he may slay all the world's people, still, He is not bound nor does he really kill. 17
Knowledge, the object known, and who perceives, Give rise to acts of three varieties; The organs and the act and agency, Are of action the constituents three. 18
Knowledge, action, and agent are defined, As with the attributes, of three-fold kind; The differential by analysis Is spoken of, now hear, in terms like this. 19
Who sees all beings in the one abide, And in the imperishable divide; Perceiving oneness in variety, Such perception is Sattvik said to be. 20
That knowledge which perceives as separate, Each being in their individual state, Where a differential outlook is shown, Such perception as Rajasik is known. 21
But knowledge which adheres obstinately, To some irrational act singularly, Which is worthless, meagre, and trivial, As the perception Tamasik they call. 22
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 27, 2019 16:23:42 GMT -6
Gita XVIII, 23-28
An act performed as duty does dictate, Without attachment, without love or hate, And with all hopes for action's fruit resigned, Is declared as action of Sattvik kind. 23
But actions performed seeking recompense Of selfish gain, in pride and insolence, And undertaken laboriously, Such action is Rajasik said to be. 24
The act which from delusion does commence, Without regard for rule or consequence, Which is the cause of hurt or injury, Such action is Tamasik verily. 25
Without attachment or pride, and endued With fervent zeal and steady fortitude, Nor elated with success nor appalled With failure, is the Sattvik agent called. 26
Who is eager for action's fruit to gain, Always greedy, unclean, who causes pain, Who is a slave to woe and happiness, Such signs the agent Rajasik confess. 27
The unattuned, vulgar and arrogant, Deceitful, rancorous and indolent, Always procrastinating and lazy, Such agent is Tamasik said to be. 28
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 28, 2019 4:41:01 GMT -6
Of intellection and tenacity, As are distinguished by the gunas three, In all particulars I shall declare, O winner of wealth, of that from me hear. 29
The intellect which makes right distinction Between what should and what should not be done, Indulgence, restraint, fear and fearlessness, The state of bondage and that of release, O son of Pritha, such is said to be The Sattvik intellectual faculty. 30
The intellect which makes wrong distinction Between what should and what should not be done, Which true virtue and vice cannot detect, O Partha, is Rajasik intellect 31
The intellect shrouded in the darkness Of ignorance, takes vice for righteousness, Which sees all inverted, incorrectly, Is Tamasik, O Partha, said to be. 32
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 28, 2019 10:43:54 GMT -6
Another passage from Gita XVIII, 33-40
Determination steadfastly maintained, The mind, breath, and senses in action trained, In yoga practises firm constancy, O Partha, is Sattvik tenacity. 33
But, Arjuna, which obstinately clings, Desirous of fruit that action brings, Where virtue is to selfish ends confined, Is tenacity of Rajasik kind. 34
But which to sleep and misery adheres, To delusion, lamentation, and fears, Which, O Partha, folly cannot forego, As the tenacity Tamasik know. 35
Now, best of Bharats, hear as I confide, How in three parts happiness does divide, Whereby, accustomed to such happiness, The soul enjoys cessation of distress. 36
That which at first as bitter poison burns, But after to sweet ambrosia turns, Such happiness is Sattvik said to be, Which grants the soul joy and felicity. 37
That which rises when sense and objects meet, At first appears as ambrosia sweet, But later turns into bitter poison, As Rajasik such happiness is known. 38
That which begins and ends in delusion, Which generates an utter confusion, To sleep, laziness and folly confined, Such is happiness of Tamasik kind. 39
There is no creature on earth among men, Nor among gods who dwell in the heaven, Who from their natural born quality, Of tripartite distinction, can be free. 40
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 29, 2019 3:21:41 GMT -6
The brahman, martial prince, and the merchant, And sudras, O you who the foes torment, Are each distinguished by the attributes, With which their birth and deeds and nature suits. 41
Calm and restraint, penance and purity, Forgiveness, righteousness, and sanctity, Whom faith and knowledge and wisdom adorn, Is with brahman qualities nature born. 42
Puissance and courage, firm dexterity, And never from the battle's front to flee, Who wields great lordship, and gives in largess, Are virtues that the martial prince confess. 43
Ploughing and trade and rearing of the kine, Do vaisyas innate qualities define; While faithful adherence to servitude, Is nature with which sudras are endued. 44
...............................
A digression for comparing the beauties of Krishna's teaching to Uddhava in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Book XI
Krishna to Uddhava on the natural character of the Varnas.
Control of mind and of the faculties Of sense perception by austerities; To cleanliness devoted, satisfied, Tolerant, simple, and devoid of pride; Always endued with ardent love for me, Truthfulness, and disinterested mercy; Such are the qualities by nature shown, By which the holy brahmans should be known.
Vigour and prowess and firm fortitude, Heroic, and with tolerance endued, Magnanimous and of great enterprise, Steadfast, devoted to the brahmans wise, And lordliness; such are the common traits, Of warrior princes governing estates.
Devout in faith, and firm in charity, And serving holy ones with dignity; Without arrogance, vanity, or pride, Yet in profit and gain unsatisfied; Who in abundance seek more to amass, Such is the nature of the merchant class.
Service to twice-born ones and holy cows, And worshipping the gods with pious vows, And satisfied with wages fairly earned, Thus are the sudras by nature discerned.
Uncleanliness and vile dishonesty, Inclined to theft, quarrel and treachery; Lascivious, and prone to anger's blast; Such are the natural traits of the outcast.
Bhag 11.17. 16-20
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 29, 2019 3:25:19 GMT -6
Thus each upon his own duty intent, Man reaches his own perfect fulfilment, How he when to his duty does adhere, Attains perfection, of that from me hear. 45
From whom all creatures derive their being, Who fills the world as all permeating, Worshipping him as duty by one's deeds, Mankind to supreme perfection proceeds. 46
Bless'd, though faulty, in duty to conform, Than others duty with skill to perform, Who does the way by nature set pursue, No blemish of sin does to him accrue. 47
Let none his innate duty abandon, Though full with many faults, O Kunti's son, Discrepancies all undertakings shroud, As flames are involved in a smokey cloud. 48
Whose intellect as unattached remains, Self subdued, hoping not for worldly gains, Who practises disinterested action, Attains the state of renunciation. 49
How he in Brahman perfection attains, And by what means accomplishment he gains, Of that supreme knowledge now learn from me, Which I disclose to you in summery.. 50
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 29, 2019 9:34:32 GMT -6
With intellect purified and refined, Attuned in practice with tenacious mind, Forsaking sense objects like sound, beside, All fond passion and hate to lay aside, 51 To dwell secluded in frugality, With body, speech and mind in harmony, Who does always in yoga meditate, Fully surrendered and dispassionate, 52 Free from vain pride, power and arrogance, And free from anger and concupiscence, Sans possessiveness, peaceful and sedate, Is fit with Brahman to incorporate. 53
And who the state of Brahman thus attains, Is pacified and free from hopes and pains, Who sees all as the same and equally, Attains supreme devotion unto me. 54
And by such devotion he knows in sooth, Of what and who I am in very truth, And when this perfect wisdom he thus gains, He enters Brahman, and to me attains. 55
Who thus all their actions do undertake, And in me asylum and refuge take, They by my gracious favour are thus bless'd, And go to that state of eternal rest. 56
Devoted to that goal with all your mind, All your activities to me resigned, And fix your intellectual faculty In yoga, and always think upon me. 57
With your mind fixed on me with firm intent, You shall, by my grace, cross impediment; However, if through self conceit you shun My precepts here, you shall be quite undone. 58
Since if in self conceit you now refuse To wage this grand warfare that now ensues, And say, "I will not fight, it is not well", It will be vain, for nature shall compel. 59
O son of Kunti, if you wrongly choose, And from delusion this action refuse, Involuntarily, by nature's course, You shall be compelled to action by force. 60
The mighty ruler of all creatures dwells In every heart, Arjuna, and compels All beings in the worldly wheel thus bound, In delusion to spin around and round. 61
To him repair with firm resolution, With all your heart and soul, O Bharat's son, And by his grace supreme you shall attain Peace, and the abode eternal will gain. 62
Of mysteries this is the mystery; This knowledge that I have revealed to thee; Deliberation on this wisdom make, And in what seems the best firm action take. 63
This secret of all secrets I proclaim, To my supernal word give ear again, Because you are my loving friend most true, I declare what would be the best for you. 64
Your mind devote, your love on me bestow, In homage and in worship, bowing low, You shall to me attain by my decree, For you are very very dear to me. 65
Having renounced all duties for my sake, In me alone exclusive refuge take; For I from all your sins accruing here, Shall set you free from bondage, have no fear. 66
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 30, 2019 1:39:32 GMT -6
To those who have not pious penance done, To those who are devoid of devotion, To those who are to hearing indisposed, Who envy me, this should not be disclosed. 67 Yet those who this supreme secret explain, Among my fond and dear devoted train, They thereby worship me with love most pure, And to me come, of this you may be sure. 68 Nor therefore, among all mankind I see, One who renders more dear service than he, Hence he is loved by me beyond compare, Nor on earth shall there be any as dear. 69 Who reads and makes comprehensive study Of this our dialogue, attentively, He shall have worshipped me with rites divine, Of wisdom sacrifice, so I opine. 70 And who among mankind with faith adhere Without envy, to this when they but hear, They are freed and to bless'd regions repair, Where dwell pious votaries, free from care. 71 O noble son of Pritha, have you heard, And has your mind been to attention stirred? Has your wilderment, Dhananjaya, gone, Derived from ignorance and delusion? 72 (Arjuna said;) All my deluded notions are effaced, Since by you, Achyuta, I have been graced, I am myself, my doubts are gone, I stand, In readiness to fulfil your command. 73 (Sanjaya said;) Thus I, O dread king, this dialogue heard, With wonderment and admiration stirred, Between mighty Vasudev and his friend Partha, which makes my hair to stand on end. 74 By Vyasa's grace I heard this secret speech, Which does the great yoga mystery teach, Which from the Master of yoga outpoured, Spoke by Krishna direct, the Supreme Lord. 75 Again repeatedly remembering, This mighty wondrous dialogue, O King, 'Twixt Keshava and Arjuna, again And again, I high ecstasy obtain. 76 Again and again I am struck with awe, At that wondrous form of Hari I saw; I am astonied, O my dread sovereign, And thrilled thro' and thro' over and again. 77 Wherever Krishna, yoga's Lord, presides, And Pritha's son, who wields the bow, abides, There victory and opulence divine, And sure righteousness prevail, I opine. 78 Om, yea, That Truth, In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, The Upanisad of wisdom, Consisting of the knowledge of Brahman, The yoga scripture, Forming a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, This was the eighteenth Canto Entitled The Yoga of Renunciation and Release. Finis
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 30, 2019 4:22:27 GMT -6
Well, that was an experience. Now I will go through and smooth out the roughness, polish the numbers and make corrections. Still, bear in mind all is first draft posted here and so I am yet to present a fair copy. O yes, and if anyone desires Cantos I to III, they can be supplied, since this thread begins with Canto IV. It would be nice to have it book form, and I will consider the options, but really I can't be bothered with all that just yet.
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