The Gita and it's Relevance to the Present Day

“There are two types of people in the world – those who are passive and those who are aggressive. Aggressive people do not achieve much! For that matter, passive people also do not achieve much! It is easier to be aggressive or passive.

This has been happening in our country… There are people who are very passive - who don’t do anything, who don’t get involved in anything… and there are people who are very aggressive – they do anything (legal, illegal, right, wrong) to achieve whatever they want. Sooner or later, both find their hands empty… both feel failure.

What is the Gita about? Is it passive or does it instigate one to be aggressive?

– Neither of the two!

The Gita says, ‘Dynamism with calmness’!

Dynamism with calmness is worth having in our life. That serenity, which is pro-active, is what is needed – is what would be the right solution to any problem. Today’s relevance of the Gita, is like its relevance in every other day – in every time, where it has been very relevant: Bringing with serenity, that focus – that dynamism, in a person… ‘Yogastha kuru karmani… samatavam yoga uchhate…’

People often think that to do ‘yoga’, one has to go to the Himalayas or some such place! The ‘Vedas’… ‘Yoga’ (all 18 ‘yogas’) has been taught right in the middle of a war, in a war-field! ‘Yoga’ is ‘the essential union with the Self’ – it is essential to live life in the world…

You know, the term ‘yogyata’ (qualification) comes from ‘yoga’. ‘When the union with the Being happens deep inside, then you are qualified to be a human being’… To do any job, any function, you need to be integrated with it… You need to be focused… You need to be free from disease… You need to be aware of what is happening around you…

Just watch your breath… How is your breath?

– The more ambitions, the more frustrations, you have, the more hot and quivering, your breath is. There is feverishness in the breath. When the feverishness, the quiver, in the breath calms down, the breath becomes steady and cool. Then the mind also changes.

Food changes the mind. A breath changes the mind. Your thought pattern (thinking, emotion, everything) changes your behaviour, your outlook towards life. That is why Krishna dealt with – ‘ahara’, ‘ahara-shuddhi’, ‘sattvaa-shuddhi’, ‘sattvaa’, ‘rajas’, ‘tamas’ (the three ‘Gunas’) – in length, in the Gita.

One could say: ‘It is so irrelevant! In the war-field, it is okay that Krishna told Arjuna to wake up and fight, but what is the relevance of talking about ‘sattvaa’, ‘rajas’ and ‘tamas’ right there?’

It has perfect relevance!

– Often mothers complain: ‘My child is very aggressive!’

… What food have you fed him? If you give him too much ‘sweet’… or food that is fried too much – too late in the night, then his sleep is not deep enough and he will wake up in the morning, frustrated and aggressive.

Ayurveda says that when food remains in the stomach, indigestion happens and this creates ‘ama’ - which harbours bacteria.

The ‘Shastras’ say that if your burp tastes sour, as soon as you get up early in the morning, it is a ‘sin’ for this indicates indigestion – that ‘ama’ has collected in the body… and hence sooner or later, this is going to affect your brain, your thinking! You are going to see everything in a negative light. So someone comes to greet you, when they’ve got a promotion or won a lottery and you will immediately say: ‘Look! They have come to show off!’ A good gesture is interpreted wrongly!

Why?

– Because your thinking process has been affected….

… And how did it get affected?

– Bad food!

The Jain ‘dharma’ (faith) has done a lot of research on food – what to eat, how to eat, which food will create ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence), which food will create ‘himsa’ (violence)… So ‘ahara’ and ‘vyavahara’ (behaviour/ attitude) are connected! Thus do not eat too late in the night… and drink plenty of water in the morning.

So the Gita tells us about food… ‘Pranapana samayukta…’… and also about breath and ‘pranayama’. If the mind is aggressive, do some ‘pranayama’… and the mind calms down… A few ‘ujjai’ breaths… and many mental illnesses will calm down – aggressiveness calms down.

‘Yoga’ brings deep silence within and ‘karma’ yoga brings dynamism – activity. Taking responsibility, is what is needed, in society today – ‘karma’ yoga! ‘Karma’ yoga is ‘doing work with total responsibility’. A person can do the same job in either ‘karma’ yoga or ‘ayogya’ ‘style’. For e.g., a teacher can be a ‘karma yogi’ teacher when she/he takes interest in the children; but if the teacher’s interest is only in the salary that she/he is going to get on the 1st. of every month, then she/he is not a ‘karma yogi’ teacher. Similarly, you can be a ‘karma yogi’ father or mother. A ‘karma yogi’ father really takes interest; he looks at the mind of his child – in what direction his son/daughter is going, what his/her interests are… while, one who is not looking to the interests of his child is ‘akarma yogi’. He is just bothered about leaving some money to his child if he/she is not doing well… or getting his child a seat in a medical college through a bribe because he is ‘ayogya’.

Every job can be done with total responsibility. That is the relevance of the Gita today.

A ‘karma yogi’ will get ‘siddhi’… ‘Siddhir labhate…’

Are you all here? (A few people in the audience say, ‘Yes!’) Listen! Just a few are saying, ‘Yes!’ (The audience greet this with a much louder ‘YES!’ and peals of laughter!) There is, what is called, the ‘Attention Deficiency Syndrome’ – where one cannot listen for more than ten minutes! Though you are sitting with all the willingness to listen, your mind will slowly escape to the back exit!

How does one bring that mind back again and again?

Arjuna had the same problem… ‘Manodud nigrahann…’ – the mind is very difficult to control… Krishna said, ‘Skilfully bring the mind back!’ Wherever the mind goes, skilfully bring it back from there! Don’t fight with the mind! It’s just like bringing your children back to your home! You know, if you say to your student or a teenage boy or girl – ‘Don’t do this!’ – they will rebel! Your mind is a ‘teenage child’ that you are carrying around with you and it does not mature! It does not want to do anything you tell it to do! So how do you bring it back home?

– Skilfully!

If you read the Gita from beginning to end, you will see that there are so many contradictions! Krishna could not convince Arjuna, but he could definitely confuse him by putting very different logic everywhere! People have tried to bring ‘samanvaya’ – i.e. they have tried to eliminate the contradiction – BUT – I tell you, my view is different! You should not eliminate contradictions! Truth can be revealed only in contradiction! Truth is always contradictory! For e.g., to go to a particular place, you can say: ‘Go right and turn left’… or ‘Go right and turn right’. This is ‘spherical thinking’ - the greatest gift to the world of theology or philosophy. It does not exist in any other part of the world! For e.g., the whole world is in confusion, wondering, ‘If God is all-pervading, then where does Satan fit in?’ You cannot ‘keep’ Satan… for if you do, then God is not omnipresent! Isn’t it? On the other hand, if God is omnipresent and omnipotent, then how could He get angry? God is also capable of doing what he wants to do!

The biggest confusion took place with ‘Satan’ because we have not looked into ‘spherical thinking’. We always think about ‘linear thinking’ – i.e. something should begin somewhere and end somewhere!

Our ‘Vedanta’, though ancient, has thrown the new light of spherical thinking on the world – that ‘this’ could be right… and ‘that’ could also be right! ‘Go straight and turn left’ is as much correct as ‘Go straight and turn right’ is… because they both come from different points…

Similarly in the Gita, Krishna, as a friend, never said to Arjuna, ‘First you surrender to me… and then I will tell you.’ No!

He simply said, ‘You are my friend. You are so dear to me! I love you so much!’

‘Bhagavan’ (God) first said, ‘I love you so much!’ to the ‘bhakta’ (devotee). It was only when the ‘bhakta’ realized – ‘‘Bhagavan’ loves me so much!’ – that his love started blossoming!

We often think that it’s the other way around – ‘When I show so much ‘bhakti’ (devotion), maybe God will love me also!’ No! One who has, will give. God, the Divine, is the Source of Love! Only he can love you first. Unconditional Love.

So in the beginning, Arjuna was told, ‘Come on! What will people think of you? Are you not ashamed?’ … What is Krishna doing?

– He is trying to ‘poke’ Arjuna’s ego! He is trying to consolidate his ego.

There are TWO things:

The person’s ego is broken… He saw all that ‘yuddha’ (war) and ‘hridaya daurlabhya’ (weakness of heart)… and he broke down. When a person breaks down, his ego is shattered. He is not aware of the ego.

The first thing Krishna says is, ‘Are you not ashamed? You are a ‘yodha’ (warrior)!’ What is Krishna doing?

– He is trying to awaken Arjuna’s ego! It is so interesting! In the beginning, Krishna tries to poke Arjuna’s ego – to awaken his ego, strengthen his ego…

However, in the end Krishna says, ‘You surrender that ego to me!’ It had a role to play… Ego is like the covering – the membrane on a seed! It is necessary as long as the seed wants to remain a seed! The moment the seed starts sprouting, that covering has to give way for the sprout to grow. It has to let go…

The point that comes through this knowledge is that ultimately the ego is made to dissolve. In the beginning, though, Arjuna’s ego needed to be strengthened… His valour had to be awakened….”

For a man ego is very important. If you destroy the ego of a man he is destroyed. For a woman feeling is very important. If you destroy feelings -bhavana- in a woman she is destroyed; she becomes like a stone. in a family couple must remember this. A wife should never put down ego of a man; always pump his ego. All that man wants to show is: look, what I have achieved, what I
have done. Behind all achievement is a ego. So woman will have to support the ego of a man. Three Ahankaras are there: satvik, rajasik & tamasik. We are talking about satvik ahankara. Similarly, man should not criticize woman's parents or brothers or anyone close to her - her immediate close family. That's it! it will hurt her, she may just take it- she may not react, but you are doing some harm there. Because a woman, a girl is proud of her parental house, she has such a strong and deep bond to her parental house. What do you say? correct? All ladies sitting here? [applaud]. No woman tolerates her husband criticizing her brother/father/sisters. She wants them to be honored, respected. She is emotionally linked. Similarly no man would like his wife to say []..'you didn’t do better, see my brother did better'. No man would like to tolerate that. In the very beginning Arjuna's ego was worked, a shame was bought on him. Because velour wakes up when you are made aware. 'Look, aren't you ashamed?', ego gets kindled, like in the fire. When you blow & kindle the fire. Like that ego was dumped by the feelings & worked by Krishna and then to attend to knowledge. It was not just 'josh'. To do anything you need 'hosh'. To do anything destructive you only need 'josh'. When we needed to gain freedom josh was necessary.

Mahatma Gandhi traveled throughout the country, Subhash Chandra Bose traveled throughout the country to invoke josh in people. Tod-pod karo- break this & that in josh. But even today we are continuing with josh. So create the hosh also - the awareness. See, everything around you is changing. A person will stop weeping when josh is created - velour is created. Then [] will not look [how] weak or strong one is. A weakest person will fight when his velour is invoked - his ego is invoked. But that is not enough, hosh [needs] to be created. Look around -everything is changing -whole world is changing. Do you accept this: your body is changing, mind is changing, thoughts- emotions are changing, everybody around you is changing. Any fool can say this. But how do you notice the change? Because there is something that is not changing. The non-changing in you is dormant; changing in you is dominant. Observe the change -the dominant change, you get a glimpse of that something that is not changing. "...here goes another shloka..." To stay in that non-changing aspect in you is 'abhyasa'. Everyday wake up in the morning and see what is the state of your mind and observe the state of your mind before you go to bed. Is there a difference? there is truth [...?] not changing aspect throughout the day. You are sitting here, suppose time freezes. Are you ready to sit here for 100 years? if you have to sit here for a millennium - 1000 years? if you are attentive you will notice it. Time stops - Are you getting it? [He looks at everyone with those penetrating, twinkling eyes! oops!] Can you stop & be just like this? Let us say this moment the world vanishes. Can you take it? Everything freezes - we are going to be frozen for 1000 years. Are you all with me? Now....Now......Now Where are you running? Where is your mind running What is it after? [Now his voice is much deep & powerful!] Position? Money? Power? What is it after? Do you know the final goal of where you are going to
go? What is going to happen to you finally? Can you see this? Can this be your final moment? Suppose this is the last moment in your life - What is happening now?

If you listen from your heart you will understand. [he taps his fingers] this can be the last moment, Are you getting? ..Are you getting? if you listen from your head you will keep thinking - Whatever I am saying your mind is judging -oh! 'yes', 'no'..'I have heard this lecture. Listen from your heart, feel every moment. Mind is changing, thoughts are changing, everything is changing! Why we are not aware that we are going to die? The very knowledge that you are going to die will create 'hosh' in you. When all the superimposition we have put on ourselves, all that artificial role that we have taken to ourselves will all simply fall off. Are you with me ? [some say yes] Stop the time, mind stops! Stop the mind, time stops! Time & mind are synonymous, they are together.

That is why Bhagavan in Gita says : "[Kalatyoti]........krit pravartau" "I am the time in which everything dissolves & everything comes up" Practical Gita! "I am this time" Which is this time? -where something dissolves, something comes up. Which is this time? Now...Now...Now.... Don't have to write, sometimes we just dump it in the drawer, we don't absorb! When something is related to your life you don't need to refer to your dairy. I tell you. Only if you are a journalist, you will have to refer to your dairy. If an instant happened – good or bad - a journalist goes there & writes down and he does not know what he has written 2 hours ago. But you ask a surpunch- he may not know how to read & write, but even after 10 years he will tell you because it is connected with surpunch's life. Journalists can not remember. Similarly, Gita is our life! "I am the time; wherein everything dissolves and comes up". Everything, -the world dissolves, it can happen right in this moment. That is "Krishna Tatva". To know Gita, you have to know "Krishna Tatva". It is not just a figure, it is not a body. "....[another shloka..]" Krishna said it was his problem then also! ["then also"..do you get it?

HE has that problem now also?..who is HE] People think I am just a human being. They confuse me with the human body. I am not the human body; I am the principle. "Param bhavam.......mama bhoota maheshwar" Now, Now, Now...[He whispers] Where is that bhava? so beautifully everything has been said. You and the Sun are made up of the same substance. have you ever felt that you are part of the Sun? anytime? Anybody here felt you are part of the Sun? No? [someone says yes] Yes? that is it! Wake up and see - you & Sun are made up of same substance. If there is no Sun, there is no you. the basis of your existence is Sun! Similarly, 60% of your body is all fluid, water element. Ninety percent is space element, 98% let's say of your body is space element and the remaining 2%, in that 60% is water. If you look at a piece of your skin under the microscope, it is like a mosquito net. Whole body, whole structure, what we call body is changing! It is a part of earth. have you felt this earth & me are one? Do you know why people used to wear vibhooti (=ashes) on the skin, forehead? Do you know the science behind that? How many of you know? Rise your hands. Why vibhooti? Just to remind you that the skin is going to be ashes! it is only a matter of time. So whatever you see, whenever you want to do something wrong, vibhooti reminds you 'Hey! my dear, you are going to be ashes!' The memory of our end, our death brings wisdom in our life, that is Vairagya! vairagya simply means I am not going to be here for ever; this body is not going to be here forever; this body is going to perish. Abhyasa & vairagya these may come to the understanding of "I am immortal, nothing is going to touch me, come what may!" Now....Now......Now.. This moment, this moment is so alive; our body is floating in an ocean of consciousness. Take a revision of your own life; how many years since you went to school/college; you did this -you did that; all those good things you enjoyed - all those bad things you did- all that drama you did- all those worries....What has happened? Is it not a dream? All gone, finished! Now you are here. You will go away in one hour from here - then tomorrow – another day. like that another 20 years will pass & that's it, finished! Some may not even live up to 20 years; some may live another 40 years. Can you watch the flow of time? Look at those babies you were carrying in your arms- your shoulders; today they have become big & they have children. Are you seeing your own life? phenomenon around you -with this witness? Are you getting what I am saying? Can you watch the flow of time? events in your life time? that is 'Sakshi'! You don't need to leave your homes & run to Himalayas.

Just wake up one morning and look everything is changing. Time is flying. Time & mind are synonymous, as I said. When you have too much to do, you feel time is short. When you have nothing to do, you feel it is boring. The time 7 mind relationship is very interesting. Relevance of Gita is observing the flow of events in your life. This is 'Manthana'.

A few minutes everyday feel your connection with nature; tree is part of me, Sun is part of me. The most misunderstood part of Gita is when Krishna says I am this, I am among the Pandavas, I am Arjuna...This is not just intellectual knowledge; It is an experiential reality! Experience come after jnana yoga, karma yoga. Either by meditation you know that everything is changing or just wake up & see on your own that everything is changing i.e., through Viveka or vairagya. So Arjuna was led step-by-step by Krishna like a friend, and finally he does not become authoritative; Krishna never said you must do this - do that. He was an example of a Perfect Guru. What is it? "Look, I have told you whatever I need to tell; Now it is up to you if you want to do it; I am not imposing my idea on you; you are my dearest freind."So, 'I have told you whatever I know; it is up to you' That is how the ego was slowly brought up & made to mature.

You know when a junior comes and tells you what is correct often seniors don't accept it. But if the junior acts little skillfully and says ' I feel this way, but you know it better, you are the best judge', he pumps up your ego. 'Sir, aap sab jante hain...you know best'. then you will accept, 'yes I agree with you, yes, bring it'. But if someone says you are wrong, immediately you put a resistance. Why intellectual person don't see beyond this? He becomes a machine of such behavior pattern. We want ourselves to be praised or appreciated all the time. If someone doesn't praise you can you still accept them? lift them up? You will do it when you know you are much more powerful than a small event; when there is no insecurity in you. "Ishwara sarva bhooteshu....." When this is well digested in our system then there is no insecurity whatsoever can occur in our life; your dealings with your juniors will completely change. it will take him by surprise. You don't need to behave like a machine all the time. We should sometimes change our behavior. When someone praises have you ever scolded them? just do it once & see. If someone brings flowers to you have you ever scolded them -' come on, why did you bring it? get lost'! Similarly if someone gives a derogatory remark have you received them with a smile. 'oh! wonderful, thank you very much, come let's have some sweets today', have you ever done it? Coming out of pattern is essential. Only with contradiction it can happen. You have to go step-by-step, this is the 18th step & finally it says " Sarva dharme...." why do you have to announce it in 1800 shlokas? why couldn't it be said in the very first shloka? Guru's role is not ordering people to do something, but take them step-by-step, understanding where they are & help them move step-by-step; not to tell them 'everything is Brahman' on the very first day itself. You will just hear, nothing will get into the head, you don't experience anything; life remains as it is. people complain ' so many years I am doing satsang, no experience, life is not changing'. How is it possible? I don't understand. Even if a drop of knowledge he has taken in life, transformation is eminent; has to happen!