Let us accept the inevitable! – Bhagavad Gita Verses 2.25, 2.26, 2.27

Discussion in 'Chitvish on Hindu Culture & Vedanta' started by Chitvish, Jan 31, 2008.

  1. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    We now come to the conclusion of atma svarupam.

    AvyakthOyam achinthyOyam avikaaryOyam uchyathae
    Thasmaadaevam vidithvainam naanus(h)Ochithum arhasi 2.25

    This (Self) is unmanifest. This is inconceivable. This is unchangeable. (Thus) it is sad. Therefore, having known (Self) in this manner, you should not grieve.

    Thus Krishna implies that Arjuna’s grief was not for the atma, but for anatma. He says, to grieve is useless. Anatma cannot be nitya because it is constantly born and always dying. To be born, means, it has to give up the previous form and this is called death. Therefore birth itself implies death and every death implies birth.

    Krishna then presented this argument:

    Atha chainam nithyajaatham nithyam vaa manyasae mrutham
    Thathaapi thvam mahaabaahO nainam s(h)Ochithumarhasi 2.26

    Life is an unbroken stream of constant births and deaths, even then, Arjuna, you need not grieve as you do now.

    What takes birth undergoes destruction and what is destroyed necessarily takes birth. Thus, there is no question of sorrow with reference to births or deaths.

    Therefore

    Jaathasya hi dhruvO mrithyudhruvam janma mruthasya cha
    Thasmaad aprihaaryaerthae na thvam s(h)Ochithumarhasi 2. 27

    Because death is certain for one who is born and birth is certain for one who is dead. Therefore, you should not grieve over this inevitable fact.

    We are caught in an irresistible whirl of births and deaths. The last moment dies only to be born as the present moment; that which is born as the present must die again to be born as the future.

    Atma is always there and does not elicit any sorrow from you. For the atma’s sake, you need not be sad. But it is foolish to be sad for the Anithya Anatma’s sake, as well !
    This line in the Gita, is, therefore, a very important one in that it says
    Let me accept what I cannot change.
    The only alternative available is not to accept and to grieve.
    It is best to accept the choiceless gracefully. Acceptance will help but worry will not help.
    It is as though Krishna’s doctrine is
    To weep is folly and to smile is wisdom.
    The point that Krishna was making here is that, something that cannot be changed, does not deserve any sorrow on your part.

    Swami Chinmayananda’s words are very relevant here:
    True knowledge makes a man realise that he is
    The Atma (soul) with the anatma (body)
    In his ignorance, he thinks
    He is the anatma (body) with atma (soul).

    Love,
    Chithra.
     
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  2. Anandchitra

    Anandchitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Chithra
    Thank GOD you prepared us for this..stage by stage step by step..
    To accept the inevitable..Each of the topics have one thingin common..the difficulty in adapting to day to day life. When I read it makes so much sense. The reason why not to grieve and as a result to accept the inevitable.
    It helps when you look at the much broader perspective. The atma - larger picture is always there- so do not grieve thru these births and deaths. Then if one must grieve it would be for Anatma's sake. But then why should I grieve for something that is just caught in the cycle of life and death..- SO do not grieve..
    Once our mind is prepared to accept this cycle of events and chain of events then we have no choice but to accept that which I cannot change.
    Reading Swami's lines I am reminded of a line I read which said we are all souls taking on this form or human body and not to think we are a body housing a soul. We have to practice to identify with the soul and not to identify ourselves with our bodies.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2008
  3. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear AC,
    Thanks for the first FB, as usual.
    Krishna prepares us, step by step, over the verses. Now it is clear that atma has no attributes. This only shows the insignificance of a liifetime, which we always talk about! When death will come, is anyone's guess and in any case, no one is going to live for ever.
    Knowing fully well that life is nothing but a flicker, why lament ? This flicker, we call our biography! What an irony??!!
    Well, AC, let me not go on & on !
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
  4. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    chithmam,

    The gradual introduction of this chapter makes it easier to say accept the inevitable. but for fear of being repetitive..it is again easier said than done.

    I know the plant comes out of the seed, then it bears fruits, and withers away and a new plant comes from the seed..same is the theory of atma.
    The moment I can accept the circle of births and deaths with relation to atma, I become more sharper about the present. I would want to understand and live the present in more meaningful way..that really makes self realisation easier..and I get closer to Satchitanada....

    Ignorance is the root cause for grief.Accepting what cannot be changed, as it is.. makes it easier..whether it is spiritual or daily life.

    Good post:hatsoff
     
  5. Vysan

    Vysan Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Chitvish,

    That is a fantastic post... Yes, we have to accept the inevitable... This is one sentence, which I used to tell people... But in a different way...

    Birth and Death is a like a cycle... it happens alternatively.... and the atma has no death... Now, I just want to understand something here.... When we greive for the death.... is it the atma that is greiving or our anthma that is greiving.... The anathma is it contolled by the atma???... Sorry, if I have asked stupid question....

    Thanks in advance

    Veda
     
  6. Kamla

    Kamla IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Chithra,

    Learning about the essence of Gita with your help is simply put........Nice.
    It is like I am walking the narrow paths in a jungle holding on to a guiding hand.
    It is nicely being drilled into our conscience that we have a duty to celebrate everyday as that is the only truth. There really is no 'me', 'you' and most importantly, 'I' ! All of it is mithya and maya.
    But maya seems to be our only sathya. It is very difficult to try and look beyond it. Well, the lessons we learn in Gita should come to our help when we badly need it.
    But Vysan's question is very interesting...What grieving when the loved ones are no more...our atma or our anatma?? Anatma may be grieving physically, but what is our atma's status at such times...is it not touched?
    Yes, you get only questions from me! One day, I will learn to just accept...I hope:)

    L, Kamla
     
  7. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Shan,
    Repetition there is, in plenty, as you put it.In spite of that, our acceptance, when we come face to face in the case of a brereavement is very difficult.
    Bubbles come in our courtyard on a rainy day, dazzle in the light so beautifully and vanish the next second. We enjoy it, but when it comes to life, we grieve !
    This is Krishna's way of asking us to review life, afresh.
    Love,
    Chithra.


     
  8. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Veda,
    Now, make me a promise this minute that you will no more label your question as "stupid". Your questions show me your eagerness to learn something which is not easy and abstract & I am only too happy to explain to you in my limited way.
    Atma cannot grieve & will not grieve because it has no attributes. It controls, rather enlivens the anatma or "gives life" to the anatma, though inert on its own. Electricity as an energy is not visible to the naked eyes, but when the light burns, we know electricity is present & passing through the inert bulb.
    If it is still not clear, do tell me.
    Love,
    Chithra.



     
  9. Vysan

    Vysan Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Chitvish,

    Yes, i will not make that statement...

    Actually, I am more confused now...

    You have compared the Electricity and the bulb... In this case the bulb will be burning as long as the electricity is there or till the bulb wears out... In this case neither the bulb nor the electricity controls each other... It is the switcch...

    Let me take the Switch as the Supreme Power God, athma as Electricity and the bulb as anathma...

    Now, can I presume....
    1. Atma is Electricity, which is continuously there... You can keep changing the bulbs (anathma)...
    2. There is no link between the bulb and electricity.... Athma and anathma, from one birth to another....
    3. The electricity remains there, even if there is no bulb.... Does that mean Atma remains there, even if does not take another birth (anathma...)

    These are the things which immediately came to my mind....

    Will keep coming back for more....

    love
    Veda
     
  10. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Kamla,
    Please let me frame your second sentence thus:
    We are all walking together the narrow paths in a jungle, holdig Gita's hands.

    Yes, we must learn to enjoy today - neither grieve over yesterday nor worry about tomorrow. We will think & say it is not possible, but do we have any choice at all ?

    Atma is inert on its own & so beyond grief.
    In our tradition, this self-evident consciousness (atma) is revealed by comparing it to light, which is self-luminous. In Vedanta, the term “ illumines” means, that in whose presence things are known. By this reasoning, it follows that every sense organ is like a light as it makes known various sense objects.

    You employ your body, mind and intellect (anatma) to contact the world. Atma merely animates them. It has little to do with their activities. It serves like electricity in electrical gadgets.
    Electricity activates the bulb to glow and the fan to run; but it has nothing to do with these expressions. Similarly, Atma remains a mere animating principle witnessing our physical, mental and intellectual activities.
    You know, I welcome questions, so long as I am competent to answer them!
    Thanks, Kamla, I can see that you are beginning to accept the fundamentals & I am very happy.
    Love,
    Chithra.





     

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