Thursday, August 1, 2013

poetry selections.

Some favourite poems.

Light Shining out of darkness.

God Moves in mysterious ways,

His wonders to perform.
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines,

Of never failing skill,
He treasures up his great design
And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread,
Are filled with mercy and shall break,
with blessings on your head.

Judge not the lord by feeble sense

But trust him for his grace.
Behind the frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour.
the bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter
And he will make it plain. 

Count your blessings.

Johnson otman

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one.
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.


    • Refrain:
      Count your blessings, name them one by one,
      Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
      Count your blessings, name them one by one,
      *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
      [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
  1. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
    Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
    Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
    And you will keep singing as the days go by.
  2. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
    Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
    Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
    Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
  3. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
    Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
    Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
    Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

William wordsworth  london 1802.


O Friend!  I know not which way I must look

For comfort, being as I am, opprest
To think that now our life is only drest
For show mean handiwork of craftsman, cook
Or groom! We must run glittering like a brook
In the open sunshine, or we are unblest
No grandeur now in Nature or in Book
Delights us, Rapine avarice expense
This is idolatry and these we adore
Plain living and High thinking are no more
The homely beauty of the good old cause
Is gone, our peace, our fearful innocence
And pure religion breathing household laws.


Daffodils.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;


Solitary Reaper



Behold her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.


No Nightingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.


Will no one tell me what she sings?—
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of to-day?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?


Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o'er the sickle bending;—
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.


Thomas Campbell.
Lord Ullins Daughter.



A chieftain, to the Highlands bound, 
Cries, ``Boatman, do not tarry! 
And I'll give thee a silver pound 
To row us o'er the ferry!''-- 

``Now, who be ye, would cross Lochgyle, 
This dark and stormy weather?'' 
``O, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle, 
And this, Lord Ullin's daughter.-- 

``And fast before her father's men 
Three days we've fled together, 
For should he find us in the glen, 
My blood would stain the heather. 

``His horsemen hard behind us ride; 
Should they our steps discover, 
Then who will cheer my bonny bride 
When they have slain her lover?''-- 

Out spoke the hardy Highland wight,-- 
``I'll go, my chief--I'm ready:-- 
It is not for your silver bright; 
But for your winsome lady: 

``And by my word! the bonny bird 
In danger shall not tarry; 
So, though the waves are raging white, 
I'll row you o'er the ferry.''-- 




"All Things Bright and Beautiful..."

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.



Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.




All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.Refrain




The rich man in his castle,

The poor man at his gate,

He made them, high or lowly,

And ordered their estate.




All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.




The purple headed mountains,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning

That brightens up the sky.




All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.




The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.





O Captain! My Captain!

BY WALT WHITMAN
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
                         But O heart! heart! heart!
                            O the bleeding drops of red,
                               Where on the deck my Captain lies,
                                  Fallen cold and dead.


O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
                         Here Captain! dear father!
                            The arm beneath your head!
                               It is some dream that on the deck,
                                 You’ve fallen cold and dead.


My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
                         Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
                            But I with mournful tread,
                               Walk the deck my Captain lies,
                                  Fallen cold and dead.

Who put the gold into the sunshine.


who put the gold into the sunshine, who put the sparkle in the star.

who put the silver in the moon light, who made earth and man.
who put the scent into the roses, who taught the honey bee to dance.
who put the trees inside the acorn, it surely can't be chance.
who made trees and leaves and seas, who made snow and winds that blow.
who made streams and rivers flow.
God made all of these.


By William shakespeare

Creatures that by a rule in nature teach

The act of order to a peopled kingdom.

They have a king, and officers of sorts;

Where some, like magistrates, correct at home;

Others, like soldiers, armed in their strings,
Make boot upon the summer’s velvet buds;
Which pillage they with merry march bring home
To the rent royal of their emperor;
Who, busied in his majesty, surveys,
The singing masons building roofs of gold,
The civil citizens kneading up the honey,
The poor mechanic porters crowding in
Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate,
The sad-eyed justice, with his surly hum,
Delivering o’er to executors pale

The lazy yawning drone. 

Sir Henry Wotton
How happy is he born or taught,
That serveth not another's will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his highest skill;

Whose passions not his masters are;
Whose soul is still prepar'd for death
Untied unto the world with care
Of princes' grace or vulgar breath;

Who envies none whom chance doth raise,
Or vice; who never understood
The deepest wounds are given by praise,
By rule of state, but not of good;

Who hath his life from rumours freed;
Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruins make accusers great;

Who God doth late and early pray,
More of his grace than goods to send,
And entertains the harmless day
With a well-chosen book or friend.

This man is free from servile bands
Of hope to rise or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands;
And having nothing, yet hath all.
 Ode to a Nightingale John Keats
MY heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
  My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
  One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,         
  But being too happy in thine happiness,
    That thou, light-wingèd Dryad of the trees,
          In some melodious plot
  Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
    Singest of summer in full-throated ease.  
O for a draught of vintage! that hath been
  Cool'd a long age in the deep-delvèd earth,
Tasting of Flora and the country-green,
  Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!
O for a beaker full of the warm South!  
  Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,
    With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,
          And purple-stainèd mouth;
  That I might drink, and leave the world unseen,
    And with thee fade away into the forest dim:  
Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget
  What thou among the leaves hast never known,
The weariness, the fever, and the fret
  Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;
Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last grey hairs,  
  Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;
    Where but to think is to be full of sorrow
          And leaden-eyed despairs;
  Where beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,
    Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.  
Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
  Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the viewless wings of Poesy,
  Though the dull brain perplexes and retards:
Already with thee! tender is the night,  
  And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,
    Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays
          But here there is no light,
  Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown
    Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.  
I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,
  Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,
But, in embalmèd darkness, guess each sweet
  Wherewith the seasonable month endows
The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;  
  White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;
    Fast-fading violets cover'd up in leaves;
          And mid-May's eldest child,
  The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,
    The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.  
Darkling I listen; and, for many a time
  I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call'd him soft names in many a musèd rhyme,
  To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,  
  To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
    While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
          In such an ecstasy!
  Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain—
    To thy high requiem become a sod.  
Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!
  No hungry generations tread thee down;
The voice I hear this passing night was heard
  In ancient days by emperor and clown:
Perhaps the self-same song that found a path  
  Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,
    She stood in tears amid the alien corn;
          The same that ofttimes hath
  Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam
    Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.  
Forlorn! the very word is like a bell
  To toll me back from thee to my sole self!
Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well
  As she is famed to do, deceiving elf.
Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades  
  Past the near meadows, over the still stream,
    Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep
          In the next valley-glades:
  Was it a vision, or a waking dream?
    Fled is that music:—do I wake or sleep?


Abou Ben Adhem by James Leigh Hunt.

Abou Ben Adhem (May his tribe increase)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of Gold:-
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?"   -- The vision rais'd its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answer'd  "The names of those who love the Lord"
And is mine one? said Abou. 'Nay not so,"
Replied the angel: Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still and said, I pray thee, then,
'write me as one that loves his fellow men."
The angel wrote and vanished.  The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And show'd the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.


O Nightingale thou surely art

A creature of "fiery heart"
these notes of thine they pierce and pierce.
tumultous harmony and fierce
thou singest as if the god of wine
Had helped thee to a valentine
A song in mockery and despite.
of shades and dews and silent nights.
and steady bliss and all the loves
Now sleeping in these peaceful groves
I heard a stock dove sing or say
His homely tale this very day.
His voice was burried amoung trees
Yet to become at by the breeze
He did not cease, but cooed and cooed
and somewhat pensively he wooed.
He sang of love with quiet blending.
slow to begin and never ending
of serious faith and inward glee.
that was the song the song for me.

Home they brought her warrior dead.
Home they brought her warrior dead.
she nor swooned, nor uttered a cry,
all her maidens watching said,
She must weep or she will die.



Then they praised him soft and low,

called him worthy to be loved,

truest friend and noblest foe,

yet she neither spoke nor moved.


stole a maiden from her place


lightly to the warrior stepped


took the face clot from the face


yet she neither moved nor wept.


rose a nurse of ninety years,

set his child upon her knee

like summer tempest came her tears

sweet my child, i live for thee.




Alfred Lord Tennyson. 

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

RAMANUJA notes.

A Tribute to an acharya par excellence rightfully called Bhagavan Ramanuja.

1. Yo nithyam achyutha padambuja yugma rukma
Vyamohithah thaditharani thrinaya mene
Asmath guroho bhagavathosya dayaika sindho
Ramanujasya charanau saranam prapadhye.

In utter devotion I, surrender to the feet of Sri Ramanuja, My acharya divine, the deep ocean of mercy and love. He who is ever enamoured only of the golden lotus feet of the Lord the eternal treating every other treasure as straw.

2. Erkaika purusha surakshitha vamsareethya
Gupta prapatthi padavi purushaihi puranaihi
Ramanujasthu paraya dayaya dayaluhu
Seema mima mathiyayau jagatham Hithaya.

The supreme wisdom of Prapatti Marga that has ever existed for long ages. Kept on in secret from one sage to another till his successor Acharya all along was for the first time universally proclaimed open and loud to all by the gracious Sri Ramanuja to deliver from sin the whole of the humanity.


No account of the religious and philosophical tradition of India would be complete without reference to the contribution of Sri Ramanuja (AD1017 -1137) For 9 centuries and more he has been  the life philosopher and spiritual guide of millions of Hindus, who have looked upon him as a path finder. In innumerable homes and temples of India especially in the south, deities are worshiped, festivals are held, and daily rounds of duty is gone through according to his writ. From his life and teachings wave upon wave of inspiration has flowed influencing many religious moments under the umbrella of Sri Ramanuja. He provided the love of God with an enduring philosophy with an abiding love of God. A revolutionary who ventured to make creative departures from the beaten track for the greater good of mankind.
He revitalised Indian Philosophy and popular religion so much that nearly every aspect of Hinduism has been influenced by his work. His life and work show a truly unique personality, combining contemplative insight, logical accumen, charismatic energy and selfless dedication to God. He is known as
"Sri Vaishnava Siddhantha Nirdhaarana Sarva Bouma"
Unlike in the west in our time tested culture, Philosophy and Theology go hand in hand. Only the degree of integration varies between different schools of thought. With Sri Shankara charya the stress is more on Philosophy, where as in the case of Vallabha charya it is more on Theology. It is in Sri Vaishnavam as propounded and practiced by Sri Ramanuja Charya and his disciples /followers that we meet with a fine dynamic equilibrium between philosophy and theology between reason and faith. This philosophy and structure of Sri Vaishnavism was greatly and expertly formulated/ crafted by Sri Ramanuja charya unparralleded in the history of world religion.
to be continued.





























Yathartham sarva-vijnanam iti veda-vidam matam,
Sruti-smrtibhyassarvasya sarvatmatva pratititah.

All knowledge is said to be right knowledge and therefore valid. Then to explain the occurrence of illusion in the world, and our experience of true and untrue, real or unreal, right or wrong, prama or pramiti. i.e. right knowledge. is the knowledge of reality as it is and that leads to successful activity on the part of the knower.  It is distinguished from erroneous cognition which does not end in such successful activity. it must be understood at the outset that in regard to the illumination of an object there is no difference between Prama (Right Knowledge) and aprama (False Knowledge) But right knowledge differs from errneous cognition in respect of the difference of the volitional and emotional aspect of the percipients personality, who is under the domination of karma. There fore the distiction between the right knowledge is only relative, and this obtains only in the case of knowledge of the knowers who are imperfect and deficient on account of karma. The erroneous cognition of an object is not sublated by the right knowledge that comes later: because the first cognition shows some aspect of the object, and the subsequent cognition manifests some other aspect which was not shown by the first cognition. thus what was the incomplete picture in the first becomes complete in the second. When the souls in bondage are released from karma and attain the state of perfection, their knowledge also blossoms in all its self luminous and self valid nature. thus there is no posibility of illussion in them at that time.


The opinion of those who know the vedas is that all knowledge is real because according to sruthis and smrithis everything may become manifest in the form of every other thing. That is to say all the perceptual knowledge including that of which goes by the name of illusion in the world is right knowledge. This theory. This theory goes by the name of sat kyathi or yathartha kyathi. i.e. true apprehension. But it is coupled with a non apprehension akhyati of some object of the object percieved. finally the visista dvaita view is  akyathi samavalita yathartha kyathi.

Aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava samanvitah B Gita 10:8

I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Every thing emanates from me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in my devotional service and worship me with all their hearts.
B Gita 14:27.
brahmano hi pratisthaham
amrta syavya yasya ca
sasvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikantikasya ca.

I am the origin of the impersonal Brahman which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness
unified oneness.
In describing the individual soul, Ramanuja followed
closely the teachings given by Yamunacarya in the Siddhitraya. Although atomic in size, the soul spreads the
consciousness throughout the body, like the rays coming from
the lamp. As the body of God, the individual living beings
are totally dependent on Him, but He allows them the free
will to act as they desire. In fact He creates the
facility that enables them to enact their various desires.
Thus complete dependence on God does not interfere with the
free will of the individual. The only exception to this
general rule are with regard to those who are particularly
devoted to God and those particularly inimical towards Him.
For the devotees, Hi manifests His grace by generating
within them such desires that they adopt actions by which
they may easily win Him. Within those who are particularly
opposed to Him, He generates desires that lead to actions
that take the individual further away from Him. Though
originally pure, the self becomes afflicted with worldly
desires through contact with matter. Ignorance of one's
real nature, which gives rise to so many material desires,
is a result of association with matter. When this ignorance
is removed, then the soul can be liberated from the bondage
of material existence.
The major problem with Ramanuja's philosophy arises
when he attempts to define the exact relationship between
the living beings, the universe, and God. The idea of
qualified oneness gives only a vague explanation how the
unity of all beings with God is reconciled with the eternal
differences between them. The concept of oneness also leads
one to question how God remains changeless and free from the
contamination that affects His integral elements in the form
of the individual souls.
To overcome this difficulty Ramanuja uses the
soul/body analogy to explain the relationship of qualified
oneness. However, there are shortcomings in this analogy,
for the body is completely inert and is controlled
absolutely by the soul. Therefore, just as the soul is
responsible for the actions of the body-if the analogy were
followed to its logical conclusion - it would appear that
God would be held responsible for the actions of all beings,
who would be completely devoid of free will.
Philosophically, the relationship between the living
entities and God is indescribable.
to be continued.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Q. Please explain in vedanta sara how gamanam and paripurna brahmanubhavam via Archiradhimargam is brought out? {S 8 S}


Ans:Archiradhyadhikaranam
Suthra 1. "Archiradhina thathpra thitheh."
The self of the knower reaches Brahman through the path of light as is known from the scriptures.
The path through which the soul of a knower of Brahman passes and attains Brahman.
"atha yadhuchaivasmin cchavyam kurvanthiiyadhi cha na, archisham Eva abhisambhavanthi, archishah ahah, ahnah, Apooryam Ana paksham, Apooryamana pakshath yan shadudhang Ethi masan, Tnanm Asebhyah samvathsaram, samvathsarath Adhithyam, AdhithyAt h Chandhramasam chandramasah vidhyutham tath purusho amanavaha Enan brahma gamayathi Esha dhevapathah brahmapathah Ethena prathipadhyam AnAima m manavam Avartham nAvarthanthe."
meaning: Now as from such persons, that is the knower's of Brahman whether the cremation rites are performed or not. They go to light, from light to the day, from the day to the bright fortnight, from the bright fortnight to the six months of uttarayana, from that to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, from the moon to the lightening when a person from the region of Brahma comes and guides them to realize Brahman.  Those who go by this path do not return to this mortal world.
"atha yathra asmath sarira thuthkra mathi atha Ethair eva rasmibhih oordhvam akramathe yavath ksipye thmanahthavath Adhithyam gacchathi; Ethadhvai khalulO Kadhvaram vidhusham"
meaning: When he departs from the body he proceeds upwards through these very rays as long as it takes the mind to travel in that short time he goes to the sun that indeed is the door to the world of Brahman for the knowers. These passages are from Chandhogya Upanishad.
Kousheetaki Upanishad's version is 
"Sa Etham dhevayanam pan thanam Apadhya agni lokam agacchathisa vayu lokam, sa varuna lokam, sa indhra lokam, sa prajapathi lokam sa brahma lokam."
Thus the journey is described as from devayana to world of fire, that of air, that of water, that of Indhra, and that of Brahma, the creator and from there to brahma loka.
The poorva pakshin presents a view that these roads are several and independent. This is refuted by the suthra. All roads are one, that of light only and the differences in description is only due to the details. As the divinities mentioned are the same they differ only in minor points.
Suthra 2 Vayvadhikaranam.
"Vayumabdha th avisesh abhyam."
From the year to vayu because of general and specific words.
The different texts describing the path of the man of knowledge, though are of same content, the order of the places reached seem to differ in each. 
In Chandhogya the soul is said to reach the month, year and the sun in that order. While in Brhadharanyaka the order is given as the month, the world of the devas and the sun respectively. Since the path is the same according to both texts.
In Brhadharanyaka there is another passage that states, when a man departs from this world he goes to the air, who makes for him an opening like wheel of a chariot through which he proceeds upwards and comes to the sun.
In Kousheetaki text the world of vayu is after that of agni, light and before the world of devas. Here it is argued that the world of vayu has to be placed before Sun agni etc. Then it is also argued that the world of the devas and the world of Vayu is the same. Then it is proved that the world of Devas is used in general sense which includes that of Vayu. "Yo ayam pavathe Esha eva dhevanam grbah" Jaimini Upanishad. He who blows vayu is the house of devas.
Varunadhikaranam Suthra 3. "thatitho adhi varunah sambndhath" Beyond lightning there is Varuna because of connection.
In Kouisheetaki text it is said that the soul goes to the world of vayu, varuna, indhra,prajapathy and to the world of Brahman in that order. In chandhogya it is stated "Sam vath sarath Adhithyam, Adhithyath chandhramasam, chandhramasah vidhyutham.
Athivahikadhikaranam suthra 4.
Athivahikah thallingath.
They are those who guide thus being indicated. Now as to whether the light , vayu etc mentioned with respect to the progress of the soul towards Brahman are the landmarks indicating the paths to be persued or places of enjoyment. The suthra replies that they are not mere signposts to indicate the path, but the divinities ordained by the lord to guide the soul. this is known by the text.
"thathpurusho amanavah sa Enan brahma gamayathi." There is a divine person who leads them to Brahman.
Suthra 5. "Vaidhyuthe naivathah thacchrutheh." From there by him who belongs to lightening because of sruthi. Only the divine person guides the soul from the stage of lightening to Brahman. while the others like varuna and vayu assist the divine person.
Karyadhikaranam Suthra 6.
"Karyam badharirasya gathyupapattheh"
Suthra 7 "Viseshitha thvaccha"
Suthra 8 "Sameepyatthu thadhvyapadhesah"
Sutha 9 "Karyathyaye thadha Dhyakshena saha athat parama Bhidhanath"
Suthra 10 "Smrthesch"
Suthra 11"param jaiminih mukhyathvath."
Suthra 12 "dharsanath cha."
Suthra 13 "nacha karye prathya bhisandhih"
Suthra 14."Apratheeka lamba nath nayathi ithi badhnayanah ubhaya tha cha dhoshath thahkrathuscha."
suthra 15 "visesham cha dharsayathi."
The departed souls go by the path of Gods to Saguna Brahman.
To the Karya Brahman or Hiranya garbha or Saguna Brahman (the departed souls are led) (thus opines) the sage Baadari on account of the possibility of its being the goal (of their journey)
The Brahman to which the departed souls go by the path of the Gods is the Saguna Brahman. this is the opinion propounded in suthra 7-11 by Baadarayana. In suthra 12 - 14 Jaimini defends the opposite view according to which the soul of the upasaka goes to the highest Brahman, not to the karya brahman  (Saguna Brahman) Jaiminis view is a mere purvapaksha, while Baadari's opinion represents the Siddhanta.
From smrithi also there is evidence that the souls in brahmaloka attain brahman at the end of the time known as 'Para' from the text "brahma nasahathe  sarvesamprapthe parathi sanchare parasyanthe krthathmanah pavisanthi paramam paddham" at the dissolution all of them together with brahma enter the supreme abode.
The supreme Brahman only says Jaimini because of the primary meaning.
Jaimini is of the opinion that the deities lead only those who meditate on Brahman because of the text. 'thathpurusho amanavah sa enan brahma gamayathi' a divine person leads them to brahman, The primary sense of the word brahman being appropriate there is no need of resorting to the secondary meaning of hiranyagarbha. Even though Brahman is all pervading, the final realisation comes only by the reaching a particular place. From the text "tham Etham Vedhanu vachan Ena brahmana vividhrshanthi' it is known that the origination of knowledge depends on Varnasrama dharma, the duties of asrama and caste soucha, purity achara, good conduct and dhesakala place and time. The text "Esha samprasadho asmath sarirath samutthaya paramjyothi rupasampdhya svena rupena abhinishpadhyathe" now the serene one rising out of this body attains the supreme light and appears in his own true form declares that the individual self travelling through the devayana attains the supreme self.
From the text "Yasoham bhavami brahmananam'
I become the glory of the brahmanaas shows that the intention is to shed the ignorance and realise the supreme self.
From the text "asva ivaromani vidhooya papam chandhra iva rahormukhath pramuchya dhoothva, sariram akrtham krthathma brahmalokam abhisambhavami"
As a horse shakes his hair and as the worm frees himself from the mouth of Rahu having shaken off his body I may attain the eternal world of Brahman Therefore Jaimini says, the dieties beginning with Light lead only those who meditate on Brahman.
"Apratheeka Alamba nath nayathi ithi badharyana ubhayatha cha dhoshata thath krathuscha"
Badharayana declares his own views as the final conclusion. He says that both the views of badhari and Jaimini are defective. To say that the deities lead those who meditate on Hirarya garbha goes against the declaration of the sruthi "asmath sarirath samutthaya pram  jyothirupasampadhya"
that the soul rising up from the body attains the supreme light, and the view of jaimini that they conduct only those who meditate on Supreme self will contradict the text "thadhya itthamvidhurye cheme aranya sraddha thapa ithyupasaltre the archisham abhisambhavanthi" those who have the knowledge of the five fires and those who meditate in the forest with faith and austerity go through the path of light also the law of thathkrathu means that after departing from the world one becomes that which he meditates on. So the meditator on brahman attains Brahman and not others, and the scriptures show the difference.
The text "Yavannamno bhavathi" He who meditates on the name as Brahman, for him there is movement as he wishes as far as name extends, shows that the fruit of meditation of those who meditate on symbols, beginning with name and ending with prana is of limited duration. The deities do not lead those who meditate on sentient mixed with insentient matter and only those who meditate on brahman or on the individual self seperated from prakrithi, having Brahman as its self are led by the deities through the path of light. This is the settled conclusion by Sri Ramanuja.
"api thu param brahmopa seenan athmakam cha prakrthi viyuklham brahmath makam upaseenan athivahiko gano hayatheethi siddham."
Sampadhyavirbhavadhi karanam.
Suthra 1.
"Sampadhyavirbhavah svena sabdhath"
After attaining Brahman the individual soul manifests in his own true nature which is known by "SVENA"
This padha discusses as a conclusion to the work the kind of existence the released souls enjoy.
Suthra 2
"Mukthah prathjnanath"
The serene soul rising from the body attains the supreme light manifests in its own true form.
Suthra 3.
"Athmaprakarnath"
It is self because of the context. "ya athma apahathpapma vijaro vimrthyuh visoko vijjghathso apipasah sathykamah sathya sankalpah."
The self who is free from sin, from old age, from death, from hunger and thirst and of true will and desire. So it is not origination but manifestation of the qualities already existing. 
example of gunate of Bhagavan Sounaka is taken.
"yatha na kriyathe jyotsnamala prakshal ananmaneA, dhosha prahananna jnanam Athmanah Kriyathe thatha."
Just as by polishing a gem no new lustre is produced similarly by destruction of evil no knowledge is produced in the self but what is already there manifests.
Avibhagena Dhrshtath vadhikaranam.
Suthra 4. "Avibhagena dhrshtathvath"
Released self experiences brahman as inseperable from itself because it is seen to be so from the scriptures.
The released self experiences his own self as inseperable from Brahman. /scriptures declare that the individual self manifests in his true nature on attaining Brahman. The true nature is having Brahman as the innerself and the individual self standing in relation of mode to Brahman.
Sri Ramanuja quotes several texts such as 'thathvamasi' that thou art, 'ayam athma Brahma' this self is brahman, 'etahathmyam idham sarvam' all that is ensouled by that which show the relation between the individual self and the supreme self in co-ordination i.e. 'samanadhikaranya nirdhesath' and that the relation ship is one of sarira and sariri is known from the text, 'ya athmani thishtan athmanh anthaahyam Athma na vedha yasya athma sariram ya athmanam antharo yamayathi sa tha athma antharyamyamrthah'.
The passages describing the similarity with brahman means that as a mode the individual soul is equal to Brahman Hence there is no contradiction.
Brahmadhikaranam:
Suthra 5.
"Brahmena jaiminih upanyasa dhibhyah."
Jaimini is of the opinion that the released soul becomes like Brahman based on the scriptural statement to that effect.
Since the qualities ascribed to the individual self are the same qualities pertaining to brahman, Jaimini says the individual self manifests himself with the attributes of Brahman.
Suthra 6.
"Chithithan mAthrena thadhathmakathvath ithi aoudulomih"
Aoudulomi thinks that the released self manifests as mere consciousness because it is of this nature.
The text in Brhadharnyaka also declares the nature of the self to be of consciousness.
"Sayatha saindhavaganah anantharo abahyah krthsnah rasaghana eva evam va are ayam athm AamAsnatharO abahy ahkrthsnah prajanaghana Eva" As the lump of salt has neither inside nor outside but is homogeneous mass of salty taste. similarly this self is of consciousness through out. Hence aoudulomi says the essential nature of the self is of consciousness which manifests in the state of release.
Suthra 7. "Evamapyupa nyasath poorvabhavath avirodham badharayanah."
Because of the attributes mentioned earlier and statements to that effect there is no contradiction says Bodharayana and this view is cleared by a passage by Ramanuja.
"Yatha trasvathsu amraphaladhishu thvagadhi pradhesa bheduena rasabhedhe sathyapi saindha vaghanasya sarvathra Ekarasaikathnam, thatha athmanopi vijnAnasvaroopathuam, Svaprakase roopathvam ithyarthah" meaning: Just like mango and other tasteful fruits taste differently in different parts. The salt is salty throughout. Likewise the self is also of the nature of knowledge throughout or of self luminosity.
Sankalpadhikaranam.
Suthra 8 ; "Sankalpadhevathacchrotheh"
By mere will because the scriptures says so.
Suthra 9. "athaeva cha ananyadhi pathih"
And therefore there is no one as his Lord.
Abhavadhiakaranam
Suthra10. "abhavam badhariraha hyevam"
There is absence of body and senses for the realised self, because the scriptures say so.
Suthra 11. "bhavam jaiminih vikalpamananath"
because the text declares manifoldness the released soul has body and senses says Jaimini.
Suthra 12. "dvadhasah avath ubhayavidham badharayanah"
Badharayana says the released soul is of both kinds as in the case of twelve days sacrifice.
Badharayana holds the view of both above that the released soul can exist in both ways, that is with or without body by his will  as in upaithi and yajathi. i.e. resorting to sacrifice.
Suthra 13. "thanvabha ve samdhyadhuthpattheh"
In the absence of a body it is possible as in dream, previously it has been said that the released soul can create a body at his will, the suthrakara says that it is not invariably created by the soul only, but  as in dream a person experiences things created by the lord in released state also he can experience in the world created by the lord.
Suthra 14. "bhave jagradhvath"
When there is a body in the waking state, even when the individual soul creates a body by its own will through which he experiences joy of sport, as in waking state, still it falls under the realm of the will of the supreme self only.
Suthra 15. "prasdheep avathavesah thatha hi dharsayathi"
The entrance into many bodies of the released soul is like that of the lamp, thus the scriptures show example, just as a lamp existing in one place spreads its light all over, the individual soul though atomic pervades all the bodies through his attributive consciousness and makes them his own.
But this attributive consciousness dharma bhoothajnanam, which is one of the exclusive concepts of visistadvaita is contracted in the embodied state due to karma and attains its infinite proportions at the state of release. This is also stated in the scriptures. 
"valagrasathabhagas yasathadha kalptithasyacha bhago jeevah sa vijneyah sa cha ananthyaya kalpathe" meaning a hundredth part of the pointof hair, divided into a hundred fold, one part of which is the size of the individual self and he is capable of infinity.
Suthra 16. "Svapyayas ampathy O haayath rapeksham avishkrutham hi"
It refers to deep sleep death as is shown by the scriptures. When the individual self reaches brahman all its inner and outer consciousness cease to exist. "Prajnene athaman a samparishvakthah na bahyam kin chana vedha nantharam" 
Embraced by the omniscient self the individual soul knows nothing within and without, hence how can it be possible for the soul to have all pervading consciousness. The suthra replies the text quoted refer to the state of release but only to deep sleep or death, this is shown by "purushasya prayathah vangmanasi sam padhyante manah prane prana thejasi thejah parasyam dhevathayam."
When a man departs his speech merges in mind, mind in prana, prana in tejas and tejas in supreme self. That in deep sleep there is no consciousness -
"naha khalu ayam idham samprthyathmanam janathi ayam aham asmi ithi no eva imani bhoothani vinasam eva apeethah bhavathi."
He does not know himself as I am he nor indeed these beings. It seems as if he has gone to anhilation.
" Savaesha  Ethena dhaivena chakshush amansa Ethan kaman pasyan ramathe ya ethe brahmaloke"
Through this divine eye in the mind experiences all desired objects which are in the world of Brahman.
Brdharanyaka the absence of consciousness is mentioned in death. "Ethebhyah bhoothebhyahbsamurthaya thanyeva nuvinasyathI."
rising up from these elements he goes to destruction after them, it only means he does not perceive, therefore it means to state deep sleep and death.
Jagathvyaparavarjad hikaranam.
Suthra 17. "jagathvya paravajam prakar anath asannihithathvaccha"
The released souls possess all powers of the lord, except cosmic activity, because of subject matter and non proximity.
The view of the poorvapakshin is that, the released soul attains equality with the supreme self as denoted in "niranjanah paramam samyam upaithi"
free from taint he attains highest equality and also because it is mentioned that such soul accquires the power of realising all its desires which is possible only with omnipotence.
The suthra refutes this view and says that the released self acquires all the powers of the supreme self except the control of the cosmos. The individual self becoming free from all karmas that conceals his true nature, acquires the power to percieve the essential nature of Brahman intutively but does not possess the power of controlling the world of beings. This is known from "yathova imani bhoothani jayanthyena jathani jeevanthi yasmin abhisamvisanthi" from whom all these beings emerge by whom they are sustained and into whom they merge back denotes that the Brahman alone has the power to create, sustain and annihilate the world of sentient and insentient beings. This would not be considered as the definition of Brahman if the released souls also contain this power. also.
"Sadheva soumya idham agra aseeth Ekameva adhvi theeyam thadhaik shatha bahusyam para jay eya." "thallhejo asyatha" meaning all this was sath only in the beginning, one only without a second. It willed to become many and it created the fire. Moreover in the context where Brahman is spoken of as the controlling power of the world the individual self is nowhere mentioned as having these powers.
Suthra 18. "prathyakshopadhe sath na ithi  cheth na adhi kari kamandal astha utitheh" If it is said that it is not so because of direct statement, it is not so, because the text refers to the enjoyment of that within the spheres of special deities.
The Poorvapakshin quotes the text "Sasvarat bhavathi thasya sareshu lokeshukama charo bhavathi" He is self ruler and moves in all the worlds according to his desire, to prove that the cosmic activity belongs to the released soul. But this the suthra refutes saying that what is implied in the text is the released soul enjoys freely in all the worlds, which are under the control of the deities appointed by Brahman, where the power of Brahman is fully manifest. 
Suthra 19 "Vikarva thi cha thatha histhithim Aha"
Brahman is beyond all change and the scriptures declare that the self abides in Brahman.
To the objection that if the released soul also confined to certain regions of enjoyment then there is no difference between that state and that of bondage. The suthra replies that the scriptures declare that the released soul abides in Brahman as the enjoyer. Sri Ramanuja explains this as "nirdhootha nikhila Vikaramnikhila heyaprathyaneeka kalyanai kathanam nirathisay anandham param brahma savibhoothikam sakala kalyanaguna anubhava thi mukthah; thadhvibhoothyantha rgathathvena vikaravarthivam lokanam api muktha bhogyathvam." meaning the supreme self which is free from all change and free from evil and abode of all auspicious qualities along with its manifestations of glory is the object of enjoyment for the released soul. Even the worlds which are subject to change also being included in the manifestation of the glory of Brahman become the object of experience for the released soul.
"Yadha hyaivesha Ethasmin adhrsye anathmye anirukthe anilayane abhayam prathishtam vindhathe atha so abhayam gatho bhavati."
When he abides in that which is invisible without a body undefined, unsupported, then he has attained the fearless, mentions Brahman to be the abode of the released soul. that the whole world is the manifestation of His glory is known from the text "thasmin lokah sthithahsarve thadhu nathy Ethikaschana" on Him the world rests and no one goes beyond Him.
Therefore the meaning of the passage begining with "sa svarat bhavathi" says Ramanuja, is that the released soul, the conscious of Brahman and His glories experiences the objects which he within the limited sphere of Hiranyagarbha and the like and does not indicate the powers of controlling the universe on the part of the individual soul, because they exclusively belong to the Lord.
Suthra 20."dharsayat haschaivam prathyaksha numane."
And thus sruthi and smrithi show Prathyaksha refers to sruthi and anumana to smrithi. The text such as
"bheesha smath vathah pavathe bheeshadhethi suryah bheeshasmath agnih cha indhrascha mrthyur dhavathi panchamah." Which means that from the fear of him the wind blows the sun goes, the fire, Indhra and Yama do their work and. "EthasyEva aksharasya prasasane gargi surya chandrama sou vidhaothou thisht athah" By the command of this imperishable one, oh gargi, the sun, the moon stand apart, shows him to be the controller of the universe. The smrithi also confirms this as could be seen in the Gita. "Mayadhyakshena prakrthih sooyathe sacharacharam" Under my control the prakrthi gives birth to sentient and in sentient beings.
Both sruthi and smrithi declare that the supreme self is the cause of the bliss enjoyed in the state of release. He alone causes bliss. "Esha hyevanandhayethi" 
and also
"mam cha yo avya bhichar Enabhakt hiyogena sevathe sa gunan samatheethyaithan brahmbhooyaya kalpathE brahma No hi prathishtaham amrthasya sukhasyaik anthikasyacha"
He who serves me with unswerving devotion he surpasses the gunas and becomes qualified to attain Brahman. I am the abode of the immortal Brahman of eternal dharma and absolute bliss.
The qualities like Freedom from evil etc. are of essential nature of the realised soul neverthe less depends upon Brahman as well as their permanency. Thus the equality with the Lord of the released soul does not extend to the cosmic activity.
Suthra 21."bhogamath rasamyaling accha" and because if the indication of equality with enjoyment only became "so asnuthe sarvan kaman sahabrahmaNa vipaschitha" He attains all objects of desire together with the all knowing Brahman denotes that the equality of the released soul with Brahman is only with respect to mere enjoyment. Thus in accordance with the texts mentioning Brahman to be the sole controller of the universe, it is concluded that the power of the released soul is devoid of cosmic activity.
Suthra 22. "anAvatthi sabdhath anavitthin Sabdhathh"
There is no return because the scriptures say so. This repetition denotes the end of the sasthra.
To the question that if the power and the glory of the released soul depends on the will of the supreme self, will there be a possibility of return to the world, by the soul thus released. The suthra answers that it is not so.
Sri Ramanuja explains this as:
"Yatha nikhila heyaprathyaneekakalyaNa ikathanah jagajjanmadhikaranam samastha vasthyuvilak shaNah sawajnah sathya sankalpah Asrithvath salyai kaj ala dhih parama karunikah nirastha samAbhya Dhika Sambha vanah parabrahma bhidhanah parama purusho asthi ithi sabdhath avagamyathE. Evam aharah anushteeyam Ana var Nasramadharma anugraheetha ThadhupAsanar upa thathsam ArAdhanpree thah upaseenan anadhikala pravrttha anantha dhusthara karmo sanchaye rupa avidhyam vinivarthya sva yatha thmyarupa anavadhika athisayanandham prapayya punarn Avarthayathee thyapi sabdha ath Eva avagamyathe."
meaning:- Only through scriptures it is known that there is a supreme self, who is free from all evil, source of all auspicious qualities, the cause of the world, different from everything else, omniscient, true willed, the ocean of love to those who take refuge in Him, who has infinite mercy, to whom there is none equal or superior and who is known as the Parabrahman. Similarly from the scriptures alone we come to know that the supreme purusha who is pleased with those who follow the Varanashrama dharma every day and meditate on Him, and worship Him, destroys the nescience which is otherwise difficult to overcome, and bestows infinite bliss that enables them to experience Him in His true essential nature and he does not cause their return to samsara.
The scriptual evidence to this is quoted in the text of Chandogy Upanishad. "Sa khalu evam varthayan yavadhayushanm brahmalokam abhisampadhyathE"
He thus indeed lives lives throughout life, attains the world of Brahman and never returns again.
Smrthi states also "Abrahmabuvana lokah punar avrtthino arjuna mamupethya thu Kountheya punarjanma na vidhyathe"
All the worlds upto that of Brahma are subject to return, but attaining me there is no birth again.
"na cha ucchinn akarmabandha sya asanku- chithajna nasya a parabrahmanubhavaik a svabhavasya thadhekapriyasya anavadhik athisaya anandham brahma anubhavathah anya peksha athadhartha rambhadh yasambhavath punara vrtthi shanka, na cha parampurushah sathya sankalpa athyartha priyam, jnaninam labdhava kadhachith avarthayishyathi." meaning:
That is for the released soul who has destroyed all his karma, his knowledge being expanded to its real form, his nature established in the experience of Brahman cannot have any posible desire and no work to be undertaken on that account. The Lord who is of infallible will make his most dear devotee return to samsara again. this has been the promise made by the Lord himself.
In the Gita He says
"Priyo hi jnanin o athyartham aham sa cha mama priyah; Udhara sarva Evaithe jnanee thvath maiva me matham; asthithassa hi yuktha thma mam Eva nutthamam gathim. bahoonam janmanam anthe jnanvan mam prapadhyathe vasudhevassasarvam ithi sa makathma sudhurlabhah."
 I am very dear to a jnani and he is dear to me. All these are great meaning arthtee the suffering, artharthee, one who yeans for something, jijnasu, one who is desirous of knowledge, but janani a man of knowledge is myself. It is because having his mind integrated in me alone he resorts to me as his highest goal. A man of knowledge reaches me after many births, and such a man for whom Vasudeva is everything is a very rare occurance.
Also Bhagavan Himself has stated ; those great minds after reaching me do not come again to birth and take up a body that is perishable and full of misery, for they have reached the highest goal. The worlds including the abode of Brahma are perishable and one that goes to them must return to rebirth. But for one that comes to me there is no rebirth.
Also there is no room to suspect that the freed jiva will ever return. First he will not himself desire it, for his bondage to karma has been broken, his attribute Jnana has fully expanded. His nature is to enjoy the highest Athma alone. that alone is dear to him and he is enjoying Brahman who is bliss without limit. How can he desire anything else and make efforts to procure it. Next the highest Athma will never send him back after having taken immense trouble to get him to Himself, for the jiva is immeasurably dear to Him. To the Jnani one that loves me for myself I am immesurably dear and he is dear to me. The janani is in reality my Athma for he regards me only as the highest goal and there is no one that can oppose Him. When he wishes to keep the Jiva for His will is never frustrated, Vasudeva is everything to him. Such a great mind is a rare occurance. Paripurna Brahma Anubhavam.
Srimathe Vedantha Ramanujaya 
Maha Desikaya Namaha.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Q. Please explain with Geethartha Sangraha and geethartha Sangraha Rakshaka Shukthi the importance of Karma Yoga with reference to Gnana Yoga along with Karma Yoga swaroopam adhikaram and method of observances?{S 8 S}


Ans. Swamy Alavandhar blessed us with the Sri Sookthi known as "Geethartha Sangraham" in Sanskrit that contains the essence of Lord Parthasarathy's Upadesham to us using Arjuna as a vyanjam at Kurukshethram. 
Acharya Ramanuja wrote a commentary for that Sri Sookthi (Sri Geetha Bhashyam) in sanskrit to make sure that the meanings housed in Swamy Alavandhar's Sri Sookthi are preserved without distortions.
Swamy Desikan followed the footsteps of Acharya Ramanuja and blessed us with his detailed commentary on Geetha Bhasyam named it "Taathparya Chandrikai". Swamy Desikan rejected the vipareetha vyakyanams for geetha by resting his commentary on Acharya Ramanuja's Bhashyam. Swamy Desika created a short commentary on "Geethartha Sangraham" and named it "Geethartha Snagraha Rakshai" in sanskrit. Finally out of his infinite compassion Sri Swamy Desikan blessed us with a Tamil Prabhandham called Geethartha Sangraham giving the quintessence of Srimad Bhagavath Geetha. They are set to Kattalai kalittha rai meter.
स्व  धर्मं ज्ञान  वैराग्य  साध्य भक्त्येका   गोचरः 
नारायणा परम ब्रह्मा  गीता शास्त्र समिरिथः 
The entire summary of Geetha Sasthram is given in the above sloka by Sri Alavandhar.
The subject matter of Geetha Shastra is Sri Narayana The Highest Brahman which within the range of the vision of bhakti alone. Bhakti attainable only by performing one's duty (without attachment) by the aquisition of true knowledge and by the detachment. (i.e. absence of worldly desires)
The Geeta Sastra is divided into three shatkas parts of six chapters each, of this the first shatka (i.e. aggregate of six) is divided into two sub divisions.
1. The first two chapters adhyayas deal with the Grief of Arjuna and the necessity for a person to realise Jivatman to get rid of this grief.
2. The next four adhyayas are delt in giving the details as to the means of realising the Jeevatman.
The second shatka is divided into two subdivisions of three adhyayas each. The first sub division deals with the competancy of the person to perform Bhakti Yoga and the nature of such Yoga. The second subdivision deals with the methods and means to be practised for the sprouting of and the growth of Bhakti.
The third shatka also is divided into two parts of three adhyayas each. The first subdivision dealing with the truths - tatvas and the next with Hita i.e. the means of attaining the ultimate end Purushartha.


Yet another explanation;
The Gita Bhashyam is an elaboration of Aalavandha's Githartha Sangraham. The individual verses are explained in the light of the visistadhvathic tenets. "Reality is personality with countless auspicious attributes, and that it is a qualified whole of which Iswara is the soul and  the Jiva and jagat (prakrti) form the body in inseparable relation with the whole. But there are internal divisions of the nature of modes in It.
Acharya Ramanuja explains the saadhanas that an aspiring human being should adopt for moksham Here Moksham in the complete sense is explained as occurring with the fall of the physical body, after which the realised soul is clothed in a body of suddha sattva with which it is able to commune with God and experience His overpoweringly august but loving presence through eternity. This is described as the experience of Paripuna Brahmanandham in the abode of Sriman Narayana at Sri Vaikuntam.
swamy Alavanthar's summary of the 72 slokams of the second chapter or adhyayam take the form:
nityaatmaasaN gaKarmchaagocharaa SaaNkhayayugadhi itt dvitiiye sthiladhiilakshaaproKtta tanmohashaantaye.
In the second chapter the Lord aimed to remove the  dehAthma Brahman (i.e. the confusion that the soul is the body) of Arjuna who was affected by all kinds of doubts from that Brahman. to Arjuna who wanted to eagerly learn about the true tatthvams, Our Lord Krishna performed upadesham, on the knowledge about the eternal Jeevathma's and performance of Karmas with Atma Jnanam (Karma Yogam) that would result in Jnana Yogam (sthitha praj nathvam) The Lord assured Arjuna that firm blossoming of AAthma Buddhi will result from that practice of sankhyaa Yogam.
Acharya Ramanuj's Commentary:
Arjuna fell at the feet of the Lord and appealed 'Oh my Lord my mind is befuddled with compassion for my relatives and teachers. i am bewildered about my duties. Instruct me, Your sishya, who has sought your protection as prapannam and teach me what is certainly auspicious for me to do?
('YacchrEya syAnniscchitham BrUhitanme sishya stEaham saadhimamm thVAm prapannam')
For the benefit of Arjuna who was totally confused about what is dharmam and what is adharmam due to love and compassion in an inappropriate situation (astanE samupasttothamsn Eha Karunyam) Geethacharyan i.e. Lord Krishna began the introduction of Saasthram to dispell his ignorance starting from the Geetha Sloka II-12 (There never was a time when I did not Exist) to the Charma Sloka XVIII - 66 (I will release you from all your sins, grieve not) Lord as Paarthasarathy instructed Arjuna about Karma Jnana and Bhakti yogams as the means of attaining the highest spiritual fulfilment.
Lord Parthasarathy instructed that Aathma (self) is eternal, stable, immovable and primeval, unchanging, unshakable and ancient (atha Aathma nithya:sTANu, achala, ayam sanathana sthira svabhva: aprakampya purAtana ca)
Literal transalation of the Geethartha Sangraha verse go like this:
Salvation seeker (Mumukshu)
Salvation seeker controls senses and is terrified of hell. Removes ego and sins, knows lord's supremacy very well, yearns to be liberated, go higher, adores forever his grace And longs for enduring services, under Lords lotus base.
Eligibility Criterior (adthikai Vibhaga)
Devotion slow for deliverance when salvation is only thought, sooner is surrender done by repeating for you or self sought, antecedents determine the souls way, though result is same No refuge is better than latter, to break the cycle guru's claim.
Means (Upaaya Vibagha)
Action for those who cant control senses, holy scripts say, But intellects go with knowledge yet both need the next way, where one forgets himself in prayer finds soul and set it free. And surrender is for those who can't do any one of the three.
Qualifications for total surrender (prapatti yogyathaa)
Quest for heaven only holy scripts he learn's and adopts. Incompetance in other routes. desperately all hopes he drops. Inadequacy in knowledge, patience, perseverance or caste are credentials for release. a surrenderer needs to be passed.
Accessories (Parikara vibhaga)
Pledges to perform to His pleasure obstains from others. Steadfast faith on savior eradicates ego and mis behavior stands low on depression by clear self effacing confession pleads for goal and protection in lieu of all other direction.
To expand each one of the above a few verses from each of the Bhagvad Geeta chapters can be referred to.
1. Karmanye vadikaraste ma phaleshu kada chana ..............................................satva karmani. II -47
To work alone one has the right and not to its fruits. Do not be impelled by the fruits of the work nor have attachment to inaction. acts performed with a desire to Phalam lead to bondage. Nishkamya Karmam leads to release from the bonds of Karma's.
2. Bhudhiyukto jahatiha.....Karmasu kausalam.II-50
Yoga is skill in action, therefore strive for yoga. Develop oneness of mind, discard good and evil as well as here and now. Relinquish the fruits from action and free yourself from bondage of rebirth and ascend to my supreme abode. 
3. Dhukeshvanu......nirachyate. II -56
He whose mind is not perturbed in pain, who has no longing for pleasure, who is free from desire, fear and anger he is called a sage of firm wisdom.
4. Krodhath ....Pranasyathi II - 63
From anger Krodhath there comes Bhavathi delusion (sammoha) from delusion the loss of memory (smruthi vibhrama) from the loss of memory the destruction of discrimination  (buddhinaasa) and with buddhinasam he is lost (pranasyathi)
5. Ya nisha sarva bhootana....rashyato mune II -69
What is night (nisa) for all beings (sarvabhuthanam) in it the controlled one is awake (tasyam jaagartho samyami) When all beings are awake (yasyam jaagarthi bhuthani) that is the night of the sage (saanisapasyathonune) who sees.


The 4th Paasuram of Geethartha Sangraham deals with the 3rd chapter of Bhagvad gita 43  slokas.
Karma Yogam has to be done first to get the mind under control and then proceed to Jnana Yogam. If someone is competent enough to perform the jnana Yoga, is it essential that he / she performs karma yoga?
Since jnana yoga can not be realised unless karma yoga is mastered is the fit explanation. By performing karma yoga and not attaching oneself to the fruits of karma (easily said than done) sins are destroyed. During the practice of such Karma Yoga the mind gets cleansed, tho power of dhoshams like desire and anger diminish and the indhriyams come under the influence of the saadhakan. This thus leads on to the practice of Jnana Yoga in the next step one can say by performing Karma Yoga alone well the required Jnana Yoga dawns on you. For example if you take the case of Periyaalwar;- He was technically not a scholar but his deep devotion and love for God and the practice of Karma Yoga in the right way jnana dawned on him. He was reluctant to take part in the scholarly competion, but divine wish interwened and he was the winner and when honoured he was so humble and wished only for the well being of the Lord, and we got the fantastic Pallanda Pallanda pasurams. Was it not Karma Yoga so practised by Sri Periaalwar that helped him to reach the Jnana Yoga. Constant meditation too draws one to Jnana.
'Sangam Tavirtthu' when one performs Karma Yoga one should do it for Bhagavath Preethi and not for gaining any fruits one may desire.
'Pongum guNangal puNarppu anaitthum avarrul puhavittu' Satthvam, Rajas and Tamas are the three gunas associated with Prakruthi. In the body of the chetanams they are present in different proportions. With the misconception that the shariram is the atman and that he is the doer. In contrast those who have a clear understanding of the athma svaroopa will know that the ability to perform Karmas is the natural attribute of the athma and the association with the three gunas is the causative factor. This is known as Karthruthva anusandhanam.
"NangkaNN uraittha kirisaikal yelam yenavum navinrar yengum arivaihale" Those who recognise that all the Karmas are performed by sarveswaran  through his servansthu jeevan for the purpose of his own enjoyment and joy. One has to comprehend this thathvam while performing Karmaroopa kainkaryam. those who have this practice are considered as the masters of the essence of the Bhagavath saasthrams.
Swamy Alavandhar in his sloka "Aaskatya lokarakshayay.............Karmakaryathaha" says Lord emphasized the importance of performing karma's with the understanding that they are done by the three guna's and the need for surrendering the fruits of them at the Lords feet and recognising that all these karma's are Bhagavath adheenam. Here Sri Ramanuja charya goes on to say that He is "avaptha samastha kaaman" One who has all of his desires fulfilled. and the supreme master of all and yet he goes on working performing karma's for the protection of the world and its beings.
Bhagwad geetha verse "maye sarvani karmani ....... vigathajvaraha 3 - 30.
Here the Lord instructs Arjuna to perform all prescribed karma's befitting his role as a kshathriyan free from selfishness and in a mood of not seeking the phalams for such karma's. He asks Arjuna to dedicate the fruits of all those required karma's to him with Adhyathma chethas (with a clear mind knowing that the Lord is the indweller in all) and never forgetting that the Lord is his master (Seshi) and he is the Lord's agent (Seshan). One who has this Seshathva Jnanam is the one with adhyathma Chethas. Lord states that those who do not have this tathva Jnanam are lost. He explains the difficulty in the practice of Jnana Yagam and the importance of controlling the senses at the very beginning so that Jnana and vijnana knowledge and discrimination are not destroyed. The senses or indhriyas are important virodhis for gaining knowledge Jnanam even if the senses are controlled the mind exerts a dominant role by lusting after the sense objects and becomes a bigger impediment to gaining Jnanam. If one controls the  mind the Buddhi (the intelect) still is a greater impediment than senses and the Mind. Even after controlling the sensory organs and mind, the buddhi can play some perverted games and stand in the way of gaining jnanam. If all the three are controlled viz senses mind and intellect there is virodhi or kaama desire. 
The last sloka in Bhagvad Geetha chapter 3 verse 43. The Lord instructs Arjuna to recognise Kaamam desire as the top most obstacle in the persuit of Jnana Yogam and directs Arjuna to destroy this enemy (desire) by stabalising the manes with the help of Bhuddhi which in turn is reined by the practice of Karma Yoga.
The 5th Paasuram of the Geethartha Sangraham deals with the 4th chapter of Bhagvad Geetha containing 42 slokams.
"Piravami ......anrvarivitthanane" meaning the Lord who is celebrated by the vedas decided to give to the Jeevan's freedom from future births in the Karma bhumi and instructed them through Arjuna about the secrets of his own avatharams. Further Swami Desikan sums up saying: Those who comprehend the secrets associated with his avatharams have no more births: those who comprehend the ways in which he performs karmas during those avatarams will be freed of their own karmas. Those who comprehend his avatara rahasyams have no more births as a result that jeevan gains moksha sukham in Sri Vaikuntam.


divisions of Karma Yogam such as Aaradhanam for the Lord, control of indriyas or senses, Pranayama, Yaagam, Dhanam, Homam, Tapas, Bathing in holy waters vedic study and understanding the meaning of the vedic passages these cannot be abandoned. any one performing these karmas with a detached mind is practicing the highest form of Karma Yoga. For such a one who has cultivated the dis association with karma phalam the enjoyment of aathma phalam swaroopam without prakruthi sambandham becomes possible. The Karma Yoga practiced in this way contains inside itself the Jnana Yoga. Since the sadhakan considers the performance of all the karmas as parabrahma svaroopa karma yoga becomes jnana svaroopa. The word "thUmathi tannai" refers to the ideal Karma Yogam housing inside it the jnana about the pristine Aathma swaroopam. "Tulanguhayum" alludes to that ideally observed karma yogam shining as Jnana Yogam.
Avatara Rahasya guna's of the Lord.
There are six aspects of His avathara Rahasyams.
1. Sathyathvam: His incarnation is true and not a sort of make believe or magic.
2. Ajahath Svabhavam: Our jnanam in the Karma Bhumi is shrunken. In contrast the Lords jnanam during his avatharam here is fully blossomed as always and does not suffer any diminution. He does not lose on any one of his endeavors. He continues to be the supreme lord.
3. Suddha satthva Maya Sareeram: during his incarnation His body is not formed by the admixture of the three gunams (satthvam, Rajas and Tamas) as in our case. His body is completely Satthva mayam (Suddha Sathvam).
4. Sveccha mathra nidhanatha. His birth does not arise from the maturation of his karmas like us. His birth is a result of his own sankalpam (volition)
5. Dharma glanou samudhaya. His incarnation happens when the dharma declines and adharamam ascends. The timing of our birth in contrast is linked to the ripening of our Karmas.
6. saadhu Samaksha Narthatha: His birth here has nothing to do with the enjoyment of the fruits of karma's  which are a mixture of sukham and dhukham. It is for the upliftment of the saadhu Janams, they cannot bear even a moment of seperation from Him. and He incarnates to protect them from their enemies. He shows them His form converses with them establishes Dharma and destroys the unrighteous.
"Irana uyir nanidai kandidum ulahin nilayum."
The aathma jnanam arising from the shining of the jnana yogam embedded in the karma yogam destroys the jeevan's punyams as well as paapams and gets the jeevan safely across the terrors of the ocean of samsaram. "IRavAuyir" is the eternal imperishable Athma. Saakshathkaram (direct visualization) of that aathma in its true state (nalilai = nannilai) is a great accomplishment resulting from the proper practice of Karma Yogam that houses Jnana Yogam inside it.
"MaRai vaazhum Maayavan" He takes on many incarnations his mysteries behind the six rahasyams behind his many incarnations and how he incarnates out of his own volition, and at times when there is decline in dharmam and the bhakatas need protection. Thus the inherent nature of Karma Yogam is elaborated.
Important slokas of the Bhagvad Geeta 4th Chapter
Sloka 8. 
1." Pavitra naya Sadhunam ........ yuge yuge."
For the protection of the Sadhu Janams and the destruction of the evil doers (enemies of the bhagavatha) and for establishing righteousness in the world I incarnate in every Yugam.
Sloka 9.
2. "Janma karma chame .........mamethisoajun"
He who comprehends the truth of my divine incarnation and actions during those avatharams has  no rebirth and comes directly to me.
Slokam 11.
3."Ye ytha ma prapadyante .....partha sarvasaha".
Who ever resorts to me in any manner in the same manner do I favour them men experience me alone in different ways.
Sloka 22
4. "Yadachala  .........nibandyate".
Content with what chance may bring, rising above the pairs of opposites, free from ill will, even minded in successes and failures, though he acts he is not bound.
Sloka 23.
5. "Gatha sangasya ...........praveliyathe".
Of one whoes attachments are gone, who is free, whoes mind is established in knowledge, who works only for sacrifices, his karma is entirely dissolved."
Sloka 24.
6. "Brahmarpanam ......samadheenam".
Brahma is the instrument to offer with; Brahman is the oblation. By Brahman is the oblation offered into the fire of brahman; Brahman alone is to be reached by him who meditates on Him in his karmas.
Taathparya Chandrikaa.
When a practitioner of Karma Yoga is not deluded, and develops a sense of seeing the aathma swaroopam in all created beings and recognises me as their antaryami then the mastery has been attained.
There is nothing that is purer in this world than aathma jnanam. those who observe this jnanakara Karma Yogam as instructed by the Lord will attain Siddhi. Cut asunder hence with the sword of aathma Jnanam all your doubts about the anadhi vasthu, aathma and practice Karma jnanam to gain freedom from samsaric afflictions and Moksham. The Lord then taught Arjuna how Karma Yoga is rooted in Saasthrams and is easy to practice.
"Kandu Yelitham ...... MainthanukkE"
The Lord Instructed Arjuna thus:
1. The ways in which Karma Yogam hastens to enable the visualization of the Self.
2. The aspects of this Yogam that a practitioner should master.
3. The method to gain mature knowledge that permits the visualization of the Self, whoes swaroopam is otherwise not easy to see and experience.
"Karmayogasya sowkarya ....panchamad yaya ucheete".
Karma yoga can help to realise visualization of the self faster than Jnana Yogam. The anga bhedhams (i.e. differences in the features) of Karma Yogam and the akarthruvanusandhanam (i.e.features of Jnanam embeded in Karma Yoga) are elaborated further.
Soukaryam: Easy to practice.
Saigryam: Quick to yield results.
There are 29 slokas in the 5th chapter of the Bhagvad geeta. The second slokam defines the features of a nithya sanyasi (forever renounced) He who neither hates nor covets the one who is beyond the dhuandhvams (opposing pairs) is an ever renouncer. This nitya sanyasi marches easily towards moksham.
The 7th Sloka
Here the Lord states that one who has conquered his mind and senses and has become the self of all beings "Sarvabhuthathma bhuthAthmaa" he is untouched by the phalams of the karmas even while he is engaged in performing Karmas.
8th Sloka. Naiva Kinchith Karomi.
Such a nithya sanyasi sees hears touches smells moves sleeps breathes and yet he acknowledges that I do not at all do anything. He performs his karmas without attachment and transposes all actions to prakruthi like a water drop on lotus leaf (not wetted by water) and is free from identification with the body.
10th sloka "padma-patram ivambhasa

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water. 


12th sloka. Karma phalam thyakthva.
A karma yogi discarding the fruits of action attains enduring peace (Naishtika saanthim aapnothi.)
Slokam 13 Shifting of doership to Prakruti karthruthva sanyasam. The karma yogi as embodied self renounces all karmas to the city of nine gates. i.e.Navadhvarepuredkhi. He becomes self controlled and gains the understanding that all actions result from the conjunction of the self with the body which is rooted in previous karma and their vasanas (subtle impressions) and is not driven by its nature.
Slokam 14. The self is embodied and exists in conjuction with prakruthi. The pristine Jeevan self does not create agency (Karthruthvam) or actions or the affiliation with the phalams of those actions. Karma yogi gains discriminative knowledge about this tatthvam and concludes it is bought about by Prakruthi.
Sloka 18. "Vidyavinayasampane........Samadharshani"
The accomplished Karma Yogis look with equanimity on all defined by dissimilar embodiments they see the self in them, being a scholar blessed with learning and humility (vidya + vinayam) or a mere brahmin, or a cow, or elephant, or dog. To such a yogi all this have one thing in common, Jnanam in their swaroopam nature of self. They all possess the same form of Jnanam at the level of the self.
Slokam 20,21 and 22.
Here the Lord teaches the way of life practiced by Karma Yogi knowing brahman and abiding in Brahman, such a yogi will not rejoice or grieve as he experiences pleasant and unpleasant things, since such experiences are transitory and owe their origin to Prakriti. He dwells in Brahman and he enjoys undiminishing bliss. these transitory pleasures and pains have a beginning and an end. (aadhyanthavantha) The wise do not get elated or grieve over them.
Slokam 25,26 & 28.
The accomplished Karma Yogi freed from the influence of the dhwandhvams have their mind under full control and devote their time to the well being of all chethanams. They are freed from all blemishes and attain the bliss of Brahman. For such Yogis the bliss and beatitude of Brahman is near. He is thus liberated forever.
Slokam 29.
The Lord says such a yogi knows me as the supreme master and the Lord of all the worlds. sarva loka maheswara and as the partaker enjoyer of all yojanams (Bhokthanam Yaj natapasam) as well as the friend of all beings (Suhrudham sarva bhuthanAm. knowing me this way the Lord states that this type of yogi attains tranquility (Saanthimrucchathi)
To summerise the whole:
The end result of both Karma and Jnana Yogams are the same. Between the two Karma yoga is easy to practice. Karma Yogam gives the phalams rapidly. only those whose minds are focused un waveringly on the self are qualified to practice Jnana Yogam. Both Karma and Jnana Yogams are different routes to arrive at aathma. karma Yoga being a shorter route.
It is our siddhantham that the multitude of aathmas in different created beings are similar but not the same. The svaroopam of these aathmas are not different in the various embodiments. The only difference is in the bodies they are housed in and their vasanas resulting from previous karmas.
The same karma will grant samsaram when one performs it with a desire for phalam. when done without seeking phalam the same karma will grant one moksham.
The pure athma vasthu untainted by association with prakruthi is like Brahman and that is why those who experience aathma saamyam are understood as those who see Brahman.
The true Karma Yogi will not acquire the 5 kinds of dhoshams blemishes associated with manushya bhogams.
1. Aarjana dhosham:- The difficulties and dhoshams in earning wealth.
2. Rakshana dhosham:- the sramams in protecting the acquired wealth.
3. Kshaya dhosham:- The accumulated wealth is not permanent and is transient.
4. Bhoga dhosham:- As one enjoys the bhogams the desire for enjoying more grows and when one does not get them, one engages in acts that lead one to lower births.
5. HimsA dhosham:- Para himsai is part of seeking these above bhogams.


Yogamurcchiyum .........mudiveeranukkE.
The Lord who is engaged in Yoga nidhra on Adhisesha instructed Arjuna with the splendid crown  on
1. The methods of performing yogam to visualize Jeevathma.
2. The four kinds of Yogam that leads to sama darsanam.
3. Yogam as a means for Purushartha.
4. The phalams resulting from practicing yogam.
5. The importance of Bhakti Yogam which is far superior to the four kinds of yogams to develop samadharshana roopa jnanam.


Swamy Alavanthar's verse.
"yugabhya savidhir yogi ......shasta ucchate."
The anushtana karmam / abhyasa vidhis i.e. prescribed ways of practicing Karma / Jnana Yogams to gain direct the visualization of the self (aathmavalokanam) The four different knids of yogis the aids for aathmavalokanam such as practice abhyasam and vairagyam detachment., the phalams of practicing such yogam and the greatness of the Yogam that is focussed on the Lord Himself are described.
Important slokas of the 47 slokas in the 6th chapter.
sloka 6 Sarvabhuthama..... samadharshana.
He whose mind is fixed in yoga sees equality everywhere he sees himself as abiding in all beings and all beings in his self.
Lord Krishna assures Arjuna that any one who after practicing yoga has fallen away from it will not be lost and that he will be born in the house of a noble and wise yogis in his next birth. He will strive to siddhi from where he left off in his previous birth. Even if he had gone astray once, the accumulated merit earned in previous janmas would propel him towards the supreme goal of moksham.
Yo mam pashyathi sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pashyathi.
thasyaham na pranashyami cha me na pranashyathi.
To him who sees me in every self and sees every self in me. I am not lost to him and he is not lost to me.
Thus in conclusion we see the Jeevathma and the methods of visualizing it through Karma and Jnana Yogas . That Karma yoga is the grand road that is suited for all saadhakas to gain moksha. Performance of ones karmas without seeking the fruits there of is true Karma yogam. The vairagyam and control of senses to persue karma yogam arises from "One must have the knowledge of being the Athman at the core and not the body mind. To that extent Jnana Yoga is involved in Karma Yoga."


ज्ञान कर्मथ्मिके निष्ठे योकलाक्ष्ये सुसंस्कृते !
आत्मानुभूति सिदार्चिते पूर्व ष ट  कण छोड़ते !!