Prayer
- Janedu
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MP3
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Text
1.
In which sacred text is the Gîtâ
incorporated?
The
Gîtâ is incorporated in the
sacred scripture of the
Mahâbhârata,
Bhîshma-Parva, Ch.
23-40.
2.
What is the special name given to each
chapter in the
Gîtâ
Each
chapter is called
"YOGA".
3.
How
many chapters are there in the
Gîtâ?
There are
eighteen chapters in the
Gîtâ.
4.
Mention
them.
1. Arjuna
Vishâdha Yoga, 2. Sânkhya Yoga,
3. Karma Yoga, 4. Jnâna Yoga, 5. Karma
Sanyâsa Yoga, 6. Âtmâ
Samyamana Yoga, 7. Vijnâna Yoga, 8.
Akshara Parabrahma Yoga, 9. Râja Vidhya
Râja Guhya Yoga, 10. Vibhuthi Yoga, 11.
Vishvarûpa Yoga, 12. Bhakti Yoga, 13.
Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhâga Yoga, 14.
Gunathraya Vibhâga Yoga, 15.
Purushotthama Prâpthi Yoga, 16.
Dhaivâsura Sampadvibhâga Yoga,
17. Shraddhâtharaya Vibhâga Yoga,
18. Moksha Sanyâsa Yoga.
5.
How many Slokas (verses) are there in the
Gîtâ?
There are
700 slokas in the
Gîtâ.
6.
What is the concluding commentary of each
chapter?
The
concluding commentary of every chapter is
as:
'iti srimad
bhagavad gîtâ su, upanishith su,
brahmâ vidyâyâm, yoga
sâsthre, Srî Krishna Arjuna
samvadhe'
'In
the Bhagavad Gîtâ, which is the
text about the conversation between Lord
Krishna and Arjuna, the philosophy of
pure consciousness and the absolute truth of
yoga is propagated'
7.
Where and when was the Gîtâ
taught?
The
Gîtâ was taught on the eve of the
Kuruksetra battle, in the middle of
the two armies of the Kauravas and the
Pandavas.
8.
Why was the Gîtâ
taught?
The
Gîtâ was taught to transform
Arjuna who had suddenly become a
Dhîna (weak) into a
Dhîra, a heroic
warrior.
9.
Why was Arjuna overwhelmed by despondency
though he had come prepared to
fight?
Arjuna
surveyed at a glance the entire Kaurava army.
Beholding the grandfather
Bhîshma who had brought him up,
his guru Dronâcârya, who
had trained him as an ace archer, his friends
and relatives, he was overwhelmed by pity. He
became weak, the weapons fell down from his
hand. He cried: "Oh! Krishna, how can I fight
and kill those with whom I should have been
living in happiness and harmony. Of what
avail would be the victory at the expense of
so many lives? Is it not true according to
Sruti that after a war there will be
corruption and injustice. Especially it is
said that women may be led astray from the
path of virtue. When women become immoral,
the generation would be immoral. I cannot
fight even if I were to win the Lordship of
all the three worlds. I am in a dilemma.
Please steer me across the state of
indecisiveness and instruct me what I should
do?"
10.
How did Lord Krishna dispel Arjuna's
delusion?
In order to
dispel Arjuna's delusion that he was the
killer and his kinsmen were going to be
killed, Krishna taught the Gîtâ -
that teaches the knowledge of
Âtmâ. Lord Krishna says
that there is none who kills, none who will
be killed. It is the body that perishes and
the Âtmâ is imperishable.
Above all death is the final end of man.
"jâtasya maranam druvam". Death
is not in the hands of any one but God. So it
is foolish to entertain such thoughts. The
duty of a Ksatriya is to
fight.
11.
What is the central message of the
Gîtâ?
The central
message of the Gîtâ is that every
one should regard performance of
'Sva-dharma' is of utmost importance.
It is indicated in the first word of the
first verse of the opening chapter and the
last word of the last verse in the concluding
chapter. Mama: mine, Dharma:
Duty.
12.
What is 'Sva-dharma' and what is
'Para-dharma'?
'Sva-dharma'
is Âtmâ-dharma;
'Para-dharma' is the dharma
related to the body.
13.
Why did Lord Krishna impart knowledge of
Âtmâ only to Arjuna and not
either to Bhîshma or
Yudhisthira?
Lord
Krishna taught the Gîtâ only to
Arjuna and not either to Bhîshma
or Yudhisthira for the following
reasons: Bhîshma knew that
justice was on the side of the
Pândavas and had even made a
public proclamation of this. But he took to
the side of the Kauravas and led the
army. There was no harmony between his
thought, word and deed. Harmony of thought,
word and deed is the greatest virtue, and its
absence is hypocrisy.
As for Dharma-râja (Yudhisthira)
he had only 'pascha-thâpa' and
not 'purva-tâpa' (futile regret
of the past concern for the future).
Dharma-râja was subject to
common human failing of repentance rather
than prior consideration though he was a
noble soul. He lacked foresight and was
guilty of remorse for his past
mistakes.
Arjuna
alone was fit to receive the knowledge of the
spirit because he had
Purva-tâpa, a wise concern for
the welfare of the people. In the midst of
the battlefield even when he had come
prepared for the war, he thought of the
future "what would happen after the war"? He
at once asked for the advice of Krishna and
acted accordingly.
Moreover,
he had the following qualifications necessary
for a spiritual aspirant: Surrender,
desirelessness, dispassion and detachment as
revealed in his words: "I do not care even
for the Lordship of all the three
worlds".
14.
Krishna addresses Arjuna during the course of
the dialogue by many names. Mention
them.
They are:
Prithâ, Kaunteya, Kurunandana,
Gudakes'a, Anasûya, Vijaya, Parantapa,
Danañjaya.
15.
Give
the meaning of each name.
They
are:
Arjuna:
One who is pure and unsullied
- Prithâ:
One who is the son of Pritvi the
earth, that is, one who is the
representative of mankind.
(Prithâ:
Queen Kuntî, mother of
Arjuna)
Kaunteya:
One who can listen with rapt attention to
the divine teaching.
Gudakes'a:
One who punishes the enemies
Kurunandana:
One who delights in work
(action).
Anasûya:
One who is free from jealousy.
Parantapa:
One who strikes fear in the hearts of his
enemies.
Vijaya:
One who is ever victorious.
Danañjaya:
One who has earned the merit to receive
the wealth of spiritual
wisdom.
16.
What light throw these names on the
personality of Arjuna?
They show
several virtues that Arjuna possessed and
necessary for a disciple who is ready to
receive knowledge from the
Guru.
17.
What is the meaning of
yoga?
Yoga means
union with God, pathway to union with God as
well.
18.
How is 'yoga' defined in the
Gîtâ?
"karmasu
kausalam yoga":
Doing
the allotted work well to the utmost capacity
is Yoga.
"cittavritti
niroda yoga":
Control
of inner and outer senses and stilling the
mind is Yoga.
"samatvam
yoga muchyate":
Maintaining
equanimity under all circumstances is
Yoga.
19.
What are the principal yogas in the
Gîtâ?
Karma Yoga,
Bhakti Yoga, Jnâna Yoga and
RâjaYoga: Work, Worship, Wisdom and
Yoga of Mind Control.
20.
What is Karma Yoga?
Karma
Yoga means: Performing one's duties and
action without interest in the fruits of
action. Performing actions with a spirit of
dedication and devotion to God.
21.
How does Swami explain Karma, Vikarma and
Akarma?
Swami
explains Karma, Vikarma and
Akarma as follows: Suppose there is a
Jyothi (a flame); the steady flame is
Karma, when the flame flickers due to
certain external factors, it is
Vikarma; the light that we get from
the flame is Akarma. Akarma is
complete detachment from activity. It is the
characteristic of
Âtmâ
22.
Explain the meaning of the
verse:
[BG:
2:47]
karmany
evâdhikâras te
mâ phales'u kadâcana
mâ karma-phala-hetur bhûr
mâ te sango 'stv akarmani
It
should be remembered that the Lord has
said that it does not mean the doer has no
right for the fruit, the doer has a right
for the fruit but he should not selfishly
desire the fruit. The expression 'mâ
phalesu' the results deed yields, should
be taken into account.
"You
certainly have the right to do your duty
but not the claim over the fruits
whenever; never see yourself as the cause
of the results as you should never let
attachment accompany a religious
duty".
23.
What is Bhakti Yoga:
Bhakti
Yoga means the path of attaining union
with the Lord through intense love of God. It
is not loving God for any selfish benefit but
it is single minded devotion to God and total
surrender to God.
24.
How many types of Bhakti are
there?
There are
four types of Bhakti: Ârtha,
Arthârthi, Jignâsu and
Jñâni. An
Ârtha prays to God intensely
when he is in dire distress. He pleads for
relief from difficulties and sufferings. God
grants relief and blesses him with worldly
happiness. An Arthârthi prays
for money, power, position and prosperity.
God grants his wishes too. A
Jignâsu prays to God to
enlighten him with self knowledge. His aim is
to unravel the mystery of existence. God
fulfills his longing by sending a Guru to
enlighten him. A Jñâni is
one who sees in every one and in every thing
divinity.
25.
Give examples of each.
Draupadî
is an example of Ârtha bhakti.
Prahlâda [SB:
Canto 7, Ch.
5-10]
and Sakku Bai (a famous Krishna
devotee) are other examples of this
bhakti; Dhruva, Sudhama
and Arjuna are
Arthârthis; Uddhava is an
excellent example of Jignâsu;
S'uka Maharishi is an example of
Jñâni.
26.
What are the qualities that a true devotee
should have?
A true
devotee should have the following qualities:
He should hate none including all other
living beings. He should be friendly,
compassionate, without ego, and should remain
equal minded in joy and sorrow. He should be
self controlled, enduring, ever content. The
path of realizing God by the experience of
seeing unity in this world of duality and
multiplicity (diversity). This knowledge can
be acquired by serving a genuine
Guru.
27.
What is Jñâna
yoga?
Jñâna
yoga is the path of self enquiry with
such questions as: Who am I? From where have
I come? Where will I go? It begins with
negating everything else (This is not, This
is not) and ends in an intuitive experience
of the Âtmic reality.
28.
How many types of Jñâna are
there?
There are
two types of knowledge: Secular and
Spiritual.
29.
How can one earn
Jñâna?
Jnâna
can be earned only by Sraddhâ
and intense faith in one's self.
Sraddhâ means: earnestness,
perseverence and determination.
30.
What is Râja
Yoga?
Râja
Yoga is concerned with the occult or hidden
spiritual experience and inner mysteries of
the human soul.
31.
King Janaka, Saint Nâma Dhev, Saint
Jnâna Dhev, are realized souls. What
was the yoga they
practiced?
King
Janaka [BG 3:20] is the
exponent and practitioner of Karma
Yoga, Nâma Dhev of
Bhakti Yoga, and Jnâna Dhev
of Jñâna
Yoga.
[BG
3:20] For sure even kings like Janaka
[father of Sîtâ, the wife
of Râma] and others attained to
perfection through this work and also in
consideration of what the world needs you
should act.
32.
How does Swami explain the inter-relationship
between Karma, Jñâna and Bhakti
Mârgas?
Karma
is like a flower, Bhakti is the raw
fruit and Jñâna is the
ripened fruit, one leading to the
other.
33.
What is it that prevents a spiritual aspirant
from taking to these
paths?
It is the
mind that is ever in agitation that is
responsible.
34.
What is mind?
It is a
bundle of thoughts and desires.
35.
Why should mind be
controlled?
Mind is
responsible for both man's bondage and
liberation. So it should be
controlled.
36.
How can mind be
controlled?
The mind
can be controlled only by being a master of
the senses and not be a servant of them. it
should obey the dictates of the Buddhi
or intellect.
37.
What are the other components of the
mind?
The other
components of the mind are Buddhi,
Chittha and Ahamkâr. The
mind is the seat of ever-wavering thoughts.
It is called the 'Buddhi' when it
discriminates (intellect); the
'Chittha' is that mind which stores
impressions of experiences of the past and
past lives. 'Ahamkâr' is the
ego-mind.
38.
What are the impurities that affect the
mind?
The
impurities that affect the mind are Mala,
Âvarana and
Vikshepa.
39.
What is Mala?
'Mala'
is the dirt and dust that soils the mind in
the form of the imprints of the offences
committed in this life and the previous
lives. It is treasured in the Chittha
or storehouse of memory. As a consequence the
mind cannot reflect the Âtmic
effulgence.
40.
What is Âvarana?
'Âvarana'
is that which conceals reality and makes
man identify with the body.
41.
What is Vikshepa?
'Vikshepa'
is constant wavering of the mind and the
projection of the unreal as the real. It is
like one mistaking a rope for a serpent
in the twilight or dawn.
42.
How can these impurities be
removed?
'Mala'
can be got rid of by Nishkâma
Karma. Hence it is said: 'Chitthasya
Suddhaye Karmah'.
Âvarana' can be got rid of by
wisdom, 'Vikshepa' by Bhakti
or devotion.
43.
What is it that is responsible for these
impurities?
The three
guna's or the attributes that are inherent in
Nature (Prakrithi).
44.
What are Guna's?
The
Tamas, the Rajas and
Satva qualities are responsible for the
impurities.
45.
Describe the characteristics of these
Guna's.
The
characteristics of these guna's
are:
Tamasic is characterized by
intellectual inertia, wavering mind,
indecisiveness, non-discriminating and
heedlessness. The Rajasic is
characterized by passion, anger, jealousy,
greed and restlessness. The Satvic is
full of wisdom, is calm and serene but
experiences happiness. Wisdom belongs to
Satva-guna, activity to
Rajo-guna and delusion to
Tamo-guna.
46.
What is the basis for these
Guna's?
The food
that we eat is the basis for these
guna's.
47.
How many types of food are
there?
There are
three types of food: Tamasic, Rajasic and
Satvic. The Tamasic food is stale,
tasteless, putrid. The Rajasic food
is bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot,
pungent and burning. The Satvic food
is savoury, oleaginous and substantial,
confers energy, health, strength, joy and
cheer.
48.
What exactly is food according to
Swami?
Food
according to Swami is not just what we take
by mouth alone. All that we take in through
all the sense organs is food. Hence,
We should not see evil but see only
good.
We should not hear evil but hear only
good.
We should not speak evil but speak only
good.
We should not think evil but think only
good.
We should not do evil but do only
good.
49.
What should we do to purify the
food?
We have to
say prayer and offer the food to God before
eating.
50.
What are the impurities related to
food?
The purity
of food materials - how it was bought,
whether by fair or foul means. The purity of
the cooking utensils. The purity of the
person who cooks.
51.
Who digests the food that we
eat?
The
digestive fire by name
Vaishvânara digests the
food.
52.
What are the types of food that He
digests?
Food that
is eaten by mastication (chewing), by sucking
in, by devouring and by licking.
53.
How can we get rid of these
Guna's?
We can get
rid of these just as a thorn in the foot can
be easily removed by a thorn - by subduing
the Tamasic by Rajasic and the
Rajasic by the Satvic and
ultimately transcend the three
Guna's.
54.
What are the three gates to
hell?
Anger,
greed and desire are the three gateways to
hell.
55.
How do they affect man?
"kâmam
karma
nâshanam".
Desire will make one take to improper
actions.
"krodham
jnâna
nâshanam".
Anger will destroy wisdom.
"lobham
bhakti nasanam".
Greed will destroy devotion.
56.
How does the Gîtâ illustrate that
'desire leads to despair'?
Brooding
over sense objects attachments is born;
from attachment comes desire, from desire
sprouts anger,
from anger proceeds delusion, from delusion
results confused memory and ruin of reason.
Due to the ruin of reason he
perishes.
In
the verse: [BG: 2-62]
"dhyâyato
visayân pumsah
sangas tesûpujâyate
sangât sanjâyate
kâmah
kâmât krodho
'bhijâyate"
Facing
sense-objects a person develops attachment
for those objects. From that attachment
desire develops and from that desire anger
[the drift of passion]
arises.
and in
the verse: [BG: 2-63]
"krodhâd
bhavati sammohah
sammohât smrt-vibhramah
smrti-bhramsâd buddhi-nâso
buddhi-nâsât
pranasyati"
From
anger [losing one's order] one
gets illusioned and from illusion the
memory gets bewildered. With the memory
disturbed one loses one's intelligence and
from that loss of intelligence one falls
down.
57.
What are the three stages that make an
aspirant merge in
God?
Jnâthum
- knowing about God;
Dhrashtum-
seeing God face to face, and
Praveshtum
- merging in God.
58.
What is the illustration given by Swami to
explain these
stages?
We first
hear the news that sweet mangoes are
available in the market. This is the stage of
'Jnâthum'. Fetching the mangoes
and feeling happy of the possession is
'Dhrashtum'. Tasting and enjoying the
fruits is 'Praveshtum'
59.
Which is more fruitful, the worship of God
with
name and form or the worship of God
without
form and name?
Both the
types of worship is important but as long as
a devotee is body conscious and does
Sadhana through the body-, mind-,
intellect-complex, he has to take to the
worship of God with name and form.
60.
What does the Gîtâ say about
Avatâric
mission?
Avatharana
means descent, Avatharana is the
descent of God for the ascent of
mankind.
The Lord says: "Whenever there is a decline
in de practice of Dharma and
Adharma prevails, I incarnate. I
incarnate to protect the virtuous and punish
the wicked".
[BG:
4-7]
yadâ
yadâ hi dharmasya
glânir bhavati bhârata
abhyutthânam adharmasya
tadâtmânam srjâmy
aham
Whenever
and wherever it is sure that one weakens
in righteousness and a predominance of
injustice does manifest, o descendant of
Bharata, at that time I do manifest
Myself.
61.
What is the message of the Vibhuthi
Yoga?
The
Vibhuthi Yoga exemplifies how divinity
is immanent in the creation.
62.
What is the purpose of the Vishvarûpa
Samdharshana Yoga?
The
Vishvarûpa Samdharshana Yoga
projects the entire cosmos in the form of the
Lord. God is not exhausted in His
creation.
63.
What are the qualities of a Stitha
Pragna?
A Stitha
Pragna is one who has complete control
over his senses, has steady mind, unaffected
by the world of pluralities, he is ever
established in God. He is equal minded and
ever alert. He is free and is always at peace
and joy.
64.
How can the despondency of Arjuna be called a
Yoga?
The
despondency of Arjuna was not an ordinary
type of despondency characterized by lack of
courage and fear. Arjuna's despondency was
beneficial. It tested his sincerity and
steadfastness. It induced him to seek
unquestioning refuge in the Lord. Hence
Arjuna's Vishâdha or despondency
is given a dignified name -
Yoga.
65.
How does Lord Krishna explain the efficacy of
the caste system?
Lord
Krishna says that He Himself has created the
caste system according to people's natural
attributes and aptitudes. It is based on
Guna and Karma. The four
castes, the brâhmana, the
ksatriya, the vaishya and the
sûdra are like the four limbs of
the human body. It is said that the
brâhmana's are born from the
head of the Lord, the ksatriya's from
the shoulders, the vaishya's from the
thighs and the sûdra's from the
feet. Just as each limb is important and has
a function of its own, but interdependent, so
too all these castes are equally important.
Further by virtue of the Guna's they
possess, they can transcend the
castes.
66.
What does the Gîtâ say about
speech habit?
The words
spoken must be true, must be devoid of
passion and should not hurt others even if it
be true.
67.
What is the meaning of the terms
Sadhu,
Samadhi,
Moksha
and Pandit
as given by Swami?
A
'Sadhu' is not just a monk or a
sanyasi who wears an ochre robe. A
'Sadhu' is one who has Satva
Guna, who practices Sathya (Truth)
and Dharma (compassion). One who
fosters Satva Guna in society and
spreads sacred values of life.
'Samadhi' is made of two syllables:
Sama and dhi. Sama means
equal and dhi means buddhi; so
it means equal mindedness.
'Moksha' is Moha-kshaya.
'Pandit' is one who has equal vision -
Samadarsan.
68.
What is the significance of Dhaivâsura
Sampadvibhâga Yoga?
Dhaivâsura
Sampadvibhâga Yoga describes the
virtues that one should cultivate and the
vices that one should discard.
69.
Describe the Tree of
Samsara.
The tree of
Samsara is compared to the
imperishable Asvattha tree
(banyan/peepal) with its roots above and
branches below. The leaves are the
Veda's. The branches spread above and
below. They are nourished by the three
guna's: sense objects are its buds,
the roots stretch forth nourishing the tree.
Œswara is the tap root of the
tree sustaining from above. The roots stretch
forth below in the world of men originating
in action. Its form is not perceived here -
neither its end, nor its origin, nor its
existence is visible. The phenomenon vanishes
to one, attaining Brahma Jnana. But it
continues to exist for all others, in
ignorance. Non-attachment is the axe to cut
down the tree of Samsara, seeking
refuge in the eternal cosmic
spirit.
70.
What are the seven excellences (Sthree) of
women as mentioned in the Vibhuthi
Yoga?
The
excellences in a women are: Fame, fortune,
speech, memory, intelligence, consistency and
endurance.
71.
How does Swami explain the eternal longing of
man"I
want
peace"
and how can one attain peace?
"I want
peace": Remove
the
I
which is the Ego,
remove also Want
which is
Desire
and what remains is
Peace.
72.
Complete these quotations of
Swami:
a. Death is
the dress
of life.
b. Death is sweeter than the
blindness
of ignorance.
c. As you sow,
so you
reap.
d. The sloka's of the Gîtâ will
banish the soka
in our hearts.
e. Mind is the puppet of the
food
we take.
73.
What is the significance of the following
similies:
a.
Goods
wagon:
Just as on the goods wagon the date of its
return is written, so too man is sent into
the world with his death date already
fixed.
b. Fan
with three blades:
The
three blades stand for the three
Guna's. When these three Guna's
(Satva (harmony), Rajas (passion) and Thamas
(passivity)) are in union and when
there is balance, the individual is happy,
just as the fan gives good breeze when the
three blades move in one direction only.
c. Match
box: If
we want to light fire, we need not strike all
the matchsticks in the box, one or two would
do. Similarly if we want to attain Jnana
(wisdom, knowledge), we need not memorize
all the verses in the Gîtâ. It is
enough if we learn one or two and practise
them in daily life.
74.
The following quotations of Swami throws
light on certain teachings of the
Gîtâ-explain.
a. Less
luggage more comfort make travel a
pleasure:
It
means, the less desires you have, the more
comfortable will be your journey of life.
Then the life will be full of joy.
b. Be in
the world but let not the world enter
you:
You
may live in the world but should not allow
the worldly tendencies to bind you. You must
develop detachment
(Vairâgya).
c. Food -
Head - God:
As
the food so is the head. As the head so is
the mind. As is the mind, so is the conduct.
As is the conduct so is God's
grace.
d. Man
minus desire is God:
A
man without desire can realize
God.
e. What
matters is renunciation in action and not
renunciation of action:
This
is the sum and substance of Karma yoga. One
should not desist from doing work. One must
do work without desire for the
fruits.
75.
What are the two verses that serve as two
banks of the river of
life?
[BG
4:39] "sraddhâvân
labhathe
jnânam":
One
who has steadfastness and sincerity can
obtain wisdom.
[BG
4:40] "samsayâtmâ
vinasyati":
One
who doubts will come to ruin.
76.
What is the significance of the
verse:
[BG
9:26]
"patram
puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktyâ prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnâmi
prayatâtmanah"
This
verse means that God will accept anything
you offer with love and devotion, be it a
leaf, a flower or water. But Swami says
that body should be the leaf, the flower
is the heart and the water is tears of
joy. We have to offer only these
three.
"Whoever
offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, and
water with devotion, that offer brought
from the heart by a soul of good habits I
accept".
77.
How can a lazy fellow interpret the
verse:
[BG:
18-66]
sarva-dharmân
parityajya
mâm ekam saranam vraja
aham tvâm sarva-pâpebhyo
moksayisyâmi mâ
sucah
A
lazy fellow who does not work will quote
the verse and justify his laziness "Has
not the Lord said: Give up all dharma and
seek my refuge, I shall grant Moksa
(liberation from the cycle of birth and
dead)".
"Go,
leave the variety of religions behind for
surrendering to Me only; I will deliver
you from all the consequences of sin,
don't worry!"
78.
Mention at least three verses that point out
the immanent divinity.
[BG
7:10]
bîjam
mâm
sarva-bhûtânâm
[viddhi pârtha
sanâtanam
buddhir buddhimatâm asmi
tejas tejasvinâm aham]
I
am present as the seed in all the living
beings.
Know Me as the eternal seed of all
beings.
[BG
15:7]
mamaivâmso
jîva-loke
jîva-bhûtah
sanâtanah
[manah-sasthânîndriyâni
prakrti sthâni
karsati]
An
eternal portion of myself having become
the Jîva.
[BG
18:61]
îsvarah
sarva-bhûtânâm
[hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhrâmayan
sarva-bhûtâni
yantrârûdhâni
mâyayâ]
The
Lord dwells in all beings.
79.
What are the three types of Saranâgati
(absolute
self-surrender)
They
are:
1. "tavaivâham"
meaning 'I am Thine'.
2. "mamaiva
tvam"
meaning 'You are mine'.
3. "tvame
vâham"
meaning 'Thou art I'.
80.
What is the meaning of total
surrender?
Total
surrender means surrendering to the Lord with
body, mind and heart - with a feeling
"nothing is mine". Everything is Yours. Thy
will shall prevail.
81.
What is the key to gain spiritual
wisdom?
The
key is: sense control.
82.
How does Lord Krishna describe
Âtmâ?
Âtmâ
can
not be cut by any weapon, cannot be burnt by
fire, cannot be wetted by water and cannot be
dried. It is immutable, all pervading, stable
and firm.
[BG
2:23]
nainam
chindanti sastrâni
nainam dahati pâvakah
na cainam kledayanty âpo
na sosayati mârutah
Never
can this soul (Âtmâ) be
cut to pieces, be burnt by fire; nor can
it drown in water or wither in the
wind.
83.
What is the meaning given by Swami to
MAN?
MAN
means Mâyâ
removed, Âtmâ
seen and Nirvana
attained.
84.
What is the foundation for the mansion of the
Gîtâ?
Arjuna
Vishâdha Yoga or the Yoga of
Arjuna's despondency is the foundation of the
Gîtâ.
85.
How should one regard and revere the
Gîtâ, the song and word of
God?
The
Gîtâ
is
not a text to be worshipped with flowers, nor
is it a text the verses of which should be
committed to memory. It is the Song of the
Lord, the Word of God, so the Word should be
obeyed and put into practice.
86.
"Dharmaksetre Kuruksetre" is the line with
which the Gîtâ starts: what
is the meaning of these
terms?
Dharmaksetre
and Kuruksetre means: Man, when he is
born as a child, his heart is pure and is a
dharmaksetra; as he grows it becomes
Kuruksetra, a battle ground.
Kuru means to do. Hence by being good
and doing good, kuruksetra can be
transformed into
dharmaksetra.
87.
Âtmâ is described as free and
independent, then what is the meaning of
Âtma-samyamana
Yoga?
In
this context Âtmâ means mind. So
it stands for mind control
(Dhyânam).
88.
What is meditation?
Meditation
is concentration on God to the exclusion of
everything else. In meditation
Dhyâta, one who meditates and
Dhyânam the process of
meditation, Dheya the object of
meditation, all the three should merge. The
person who meditates should become one with
the object of meditation.
89.
How can we say that the Gîtâ is
the Universal Scripture?
The
Gîtâ
is a text book on the conduct of life,
what man should do to be happy and peaceful.
It is a practical guide to the art and
science of life in the secular world and
spiritual world. Its message is for the
entire mankind.
90.
How could Arjuna rise to the occasion and
fight?
Arjuna
said "karisye
vacanam tava"
[BG
18:73]: I shall act according to your
word. He fought and won.
91.
What is the symbolical significance of the
Kuruksetre battle?
The
two armies pitted against one another; the
Pandava army and the Kaurava army stand for
the eternal struggle between good end evil
forces within man.
92.
What is Akshara Parabrahma
Yoga?
Akshara
Parabrahma Yoga means attainment of yoga
through the contemplation of AUM
(Omkâra) the imperishable.
Akshara means that which is
imperishable.
93.
Krishna says that He had first taught the
Gîtâ to the Sungod
[Vivasvan] and the Sungod to the
father of mankind [Vaisvata Manu] who
in his turn spoke it to Iksvaku [founder
of the dynasty where Râma descended
in]
as
He is teaching it to Arjuna. What is the
meaning?
[BG
4:1]
srî
bhagavân uvâca
imam vivasvate yogam
proktavân aham avyayam
vivasvân manave prâha
manur iksvâkave 'bravît
It
means: "Arjuna, I am unborn, I am
infinite, I am omniscient and omnipresent.
I have neither beginning nor an end". He
is the eternal Sarathi (charioteer)
of mankind.
94.
How can ignorance or
Ajnâna
be removed?
By
using the sword of Jnaan, by using the
fire of Jnâna, Ajnana can
be cut off and burnt.
95.
What is the verse that says "nothing is
greater than self-discipline"?
[BG
18:9]
kâryam
ity eva yat karma
niyatam kriyate 'rjuna
sangam tyaktvâ phalam caiva
sa tyâgah sâttviko
matah
Without
the observance of discipline, no good can
be accrued.
Prescribed
work then indeed done out of discipline, o
Arjuna, and in association with giving up
on the result - that renunciation is, in
My view, of goodness.
96.
What is the verse that says "you shall raise
self by your own
self"?
Let man
raise himself by his own self; let him not
debase himself. For he is himself his friend,
himself his foe.
[BG
6:5]
uddhared
âtmanâtmânam
nâtmânam avasâdayet
âtmaiva hy âtmano bandhur
âtmaiva ripur âtmanah
One
must free oneself by mindfulness and never
put oneself down, as surely that
selfinterest is indeed as well the friend
of the soul as the self its
enemy.
97.
Who were the people other than Arjuna who
heard the
Gîtâ?
Hanuman
[see:
RRV : 12a]
on the flag staff, Sanjaya
and Dhritarâstra.
98.
Did Krishna teach the Gîtâ only
to enlighten Arjuna?
Krishna
Himself says: "Arjuna, you are just a pretext
for the celestial song to emanate from Me".
'nimitta-mâtram
bhava
savyasâcin',
Sage Vyâsa with his poetic
genius describes that the
Gîtâmrita is like the milk drawn
from the Upanishadic cows, having Arjuna as
the calf by the cowherd Gopala for the
benefit of men of purified
intellect.
[BG
11:33]
tasmât
tvam uttistha yaso labhasva
jitvâ satrûn bhunksva
râjyam samrddham
mayaivaite nihatâh pûrvam
eva
nimitta-mâtram bhava
savyasâcin
Therefore
You must get up and gain fame conquering
the enemies and enjoy the kingdom
flourishing by Me; for sure all these were
destined to be killed, be merely the
instrument of that, o left-handed
one.
99.
Give the meaning of the last verse of the
Gîtâ.
The
last verse means: Wherever there is Krishna,
the 'Yogesvarah', one who works for
the welfare of the world, one who embodies
sacrifice with all divine attributes, where
is Arjuna Dhanurdhara the wielder of
the bow, there will be prosperity, glory and
felicity.
[BG
18:78]
yatra
yogesvarah krsno
yatra pârtho dhanur-dharah
tatra srîr vijayo bhûtir
dhruvâ nîtir matir mama
I
am convinced that wherever there is the
Lord of Yoga Krishna and the son of
Prthâ carrying the bow and arrows,
that there opulence, victory, great power
and morality are
assured."
100.
What is the famous quotation of Swami that
portrays the greatness of the
Gîtâ?
Baba
says:
Gîtâ
is
the universal Mother.
Gîtâ
is
the messenger of God.
Gîtâ
is
the lifeboat to cross the ocean of life.
Gîtâ
is
the staff and support for spiritual
seekers.
Gîtâ
is
a casket of sacred mantra's.
Gîtâ
is
a beautiful garden of
flowers.
Gîtâ
is
the royal road to
liberation.
This is the word of Sai
Janedu
Janedu
Potta Nimpukona Chikkula Nonduchu
Koti Vidyalanu Punika Mira Nerchi
Paripurna Sukhammu Nonda Leka
Vi Manava Jathi Lokamuna Mraggaga Netiki
Sri Parathprunv Dhyanamu Cheyu
Bhakthulaku
Darini Chuppaka Unne Manava Manava Manava
Why do you suffer in this world of humans
unable to satisfy the belly
(measuring up to one span) with the
help
of umpteen (very many) number of
skills.
Will not the Supreme Lord show the way
if you but besought his refuge O
man?
Links:
Gîtâ
Vahini by Bhagavân Sathya Sai Baba
Bhagavad
Gîtâ of
Order
by: Anand Aadhar Prabhu
The
Bhagavad Gîtâ As It
Is
by: Swami Bhaktivedânta
Prabhupâda.
See
also the Family Tree of the
Kuru-Dynasty
Original
Text: Quiz on the Bhagawath Geeta
ISBN: 81-7208-196-0
Published in India by:
The Convenor, Sri Sathya Sai Books and
Publications Trust,
Prashanthi Nilayam, India
[Links
and pictures by Vahini.org]
