My Punjab Dairy Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

My Punjab Diary

Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

Punjab- land of five rivers- is perhaps as old as the five rivers that flow through it. To me it is a special land as it is also land of my birth and my ancestors. It was only my father who came out of the land of his childhood to serve as a teacher in a military residential school at Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. My all relatives including that of my wife too reside in Punjab. Talking about Punjab it is pertinent to say that it has suffered a lot in the last century. Like a Gangrene patient with diabetic state it has been amputated so much time and again that currently only a dwarf of the original Punjab exists where not five rivers but only two rivers flow across the state. Though there is third River named Ravi also but it only touches the state of Punjab briefly in Gurdaspur district before flowing into Pakistan. In the beginning of twentieth century Punjab used to be one of the largest province of British India ranging from Peshawar and Multan in the west to Shimla in the North and even Delhi in the East. The first amputation of Punjab came in1911 when Britishers decided to shift their capital from Kolkotta to Delhi and so it was separated from Delhi. Then in 1947 accepting the demand of Muslim League Britishers decided to create a new state of Pakistan for the muslims and thus half or rather better half of Punjab went with Pakistan including its cultural capital Lahore. So the second amputation was also done by a Britisher named Lord Radcliffe who was given the charge to draw the frontiers between India and Pakistan. Third amputation of Punjab came in the sixth decade of the twentieth century when the hill districts and Hindi speaking areas of Punjab were carved into two states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. As a result of these repeated amputations Punjab that was land of five rivers was reduced to three rivers only and that too a river just touching the tip of the state in Gurdaspur district before flowing into the state of Pakistan.

Punjab is primarily agriculture hub and centre of agro based industries and machinery. One of the dominant forces, atleast in Indian Punjab is the Sikhism which was founded by Guru Nanak Dev ji and the peasantry of the state which is quite a force in the state embraced this faith in seventeenth and eighteenth century under the fourth Guru Ram Das ji and the fifth Guru Arjan Dev ji. With time the economy of Punjab has diversified into the industrial towns of Ludhiana and Jalandhar, and the heritage and spiritual tourism in the places like Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot. After independence state has emerged as power house of Games and Sports particularly in the arena of Athletics, Wrestling, Kabbadi and the national game Hockey. One of the National Institute of Sports (NIS) is located at Patiala producing a number of illustrious personalities and luminaries in the field of Games and Sports.

Chetan Bhagat composed a novel entitled “Two States” involving two states of Punjab and Tamil Nadu. To one state his parents belonged to that is Punjab and to the other his beloved’s parents and relatives belonged to that is Tamil Nadu. In my life also two states were involved intricately and involved and these two states are Punjab and Rajasthan. As my father belonged to Punjab as he was born, brought up and educated there and then came to teach Physics in a residential school at Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. So mostly our vacations were spent in Punjab and that too in the villages to which my father and my mother belonged to. Hence we spent nearly a month per year in the state of Punjab that had familiarized me with the state of Punjab as well. After passing away of my parents my contact with Punjab continued as my wife’s brothers and parents too settled in their native village in Punjab though they had also spent a greater part of their lives in Rajasthan. Though these two states of Punjab are culturally and linguistically apart but these differences are not so much glaring as between the states of Punjab and Tamil Nadu. Though I was born in a small village Parao Mehna, where my mother’s parents lived, near the town and in district of Moga and my father’s family belonged to another place named Dharamkot which also fell in the district of Moga but due to my father’s job I had spent most of the life in Rajasthan. As I had also got job with the state government of Rajasthan so I had nearly spent 60 years of my life in this colourful state. It is true that I know some of the places in Punjab well like Moga, Ludhiana, Dharamkot, Muketsar, Kotkapura, Ferozepur and like but with that it is also equally true that I know almost ever place in Rajasthan well like the back of my hand. The aim of this diary is to primarily record the experience of my visit to some of the places in Punjab after my visit to the state after my superannuation from Government Service of the State of Rajasthan. As now, after retirement I had no constraint of leaves so I planned to spend a few days in Sonepat, Haryana, where my elder son is teaching Law at reputed international private university, a day or two at Chandigarh and about eight to ten days in Punjab. So I intend to describe the places, including the villages, that I had visited during my stay in Punjab. I also intend to go to Chandigarh to participate in the birthday of my younger niece’s daughter who have come all the way from Canada to celebrate it.

Before coming to my journey to Punjab I would like to dwell a little on the social condition of people living in it, particularly peasant class. Coming of Sikhism, founded by Guru Nanak Dev ji brought respite to the people of Punjab as it guaranteed social equality to everybody, atleast in the matter of praying and going into religious places. Every body had right to pray and go into Gurudwara ( Sikh Temple) without any distinction and discrimination of caste, creed, gender and colour. This popularised this faith in Punjab and a great chunk of peasantry embraced this faith in the times of fourth Guru Ram Das ji, Fifth Guru Arjan Dev ji and the sixth Guru Hargobind Sahib ji .Later on tenth and the last Guru Gobind Singh ji gave it right to take up weapons and struggle not only for existence but also against injustice and exploitation by transforming the peasantry of Punjab into a military outfit, ready to take up weapons at their Guru’s call against oppression. Though Sikhism provided social parity among the people but still the economic condition of the common man, particularly peasants did not improve a lot. They were still suffering poverty as they were forced to pay exorbitant rate of interest on the advances as loans taken from the money lenders. The common saying about Indian farmer that he takes birth in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt was also true for the Punjabi farmers, irrespective of the faith whether he was a Hindu, Muslim or a Sikh. So the marginal farmer was being crushed under the heavy yoke of debt and interest till Unionist Party, under the leadership of Sir Sikander Hyat Khan came to power in United Punjab in 1937 and he made an enterprising young educated legislator Sir Chottu Ram as his Revenue Minister. He gave respite to Indian farmers at large by convincing Britishers to frame a law against the extortion by the money lenders from the poor, resourceless farmers in the form of high rate of interest on the loans leading sometimes more amount paid by the farmer in the form of interest than the Principal amount. So this legislation wrote off the loans whose interest have been paid for more than ten years believing that in ten years the amount of interest paid exceeded much more than the amount taken by a person as a loan. Money lending class termed it as black law and Chottu Ram became chief villain for them, but it was hailed as a great step to by the farming community of Punjab as it released a number of farmer from vicious circle of debt, interest and poverty. And as number of foreigners looted the people of Punjab a number of times in History but still they could not take the fertility of soil of this state as a result of which agriculture is thriving like anything in this state still.

Chandigarh

Though my journey to Punjab commenced on 18^th August 2023 by car as my wife’s mother, who is an old lady of nearly 85 years old had come to meet us at the time of my superannuation function was staying with us and we had to go to leave her to her village in Punjab. As due to her old age she could not walk much on the platforms so we decided to take journey by car. On the evening of 18^th we reached Jaipur and after resting there for a day we proceeded to Sonepat, Harayana where my son is teaching law at a private university. After staying there for a day we proceeded towards Chandigarh to participate in the birthday celebrations of my younger niece’s one year old daughter who had come from Canada to celebrate her birthday.

Chandigarh, the dream city of India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, was planned by the famous French architecture le Corbusier. Picturesquely situated at the foothills of Shivalik, it is known as one of the best experiments in urban planning and modern architecture in the twentieth century in India. It is a union territory that is common capital for both the states of Punjab and Haryana. It derives its name from the temple of ‘Chandi Mandir’ located in the vicinity of the site selected for the city. In March 1948, the Government of Punjab in consultation with Government of India approved the area of the foothills of the shivaliks as the site for the new capital. The location of the city site was a part of erstwhile Ambala district as per 1892-93 gazetteer of District Ambala. Subsequently at the time of the reorganization of the state on 1-11-1966 into Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, the city assumed the unique distinction of being the capital city of both these two states of Punjab and Haryana. It is famous for Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden , Rose Garden and Pinjore Garden near Panchkula in Haryana.

We proceeded to Chandigarh by car and my son was driving car and by noon we reached the hotel Shivalik Hills, situated in the central position of Sector 17-E in the city. My son decided to drove us to this place by car and we checked into the hotel in the noon and after resting for a few hours we came out of the rooms to join the birthday celebrations in the hotel that last nearly midnight. It was a nice occasion for reunion with friends and relatives who had come to attend the birthday celebrations. As my son had to attend the university next day we got up early in the morning next day and came back to Sonepat by noon. As we had already seen Sukhna Lake, Rose Garden, Rock Garden and Pinjore Garden, so we had no plans to visit these places again.

After coming back to Sonepat and staying there for about a week it was decided to move towards Punjab. Again my son volunteered to drive us to the village where my in-laws lived. So we moved on 3^rd September 2023 to Punjab in the morning and reached there by lunch time.

Sujapur 4-9-2023

Sujapur is a breakaway village from the neighbouring large village of Hans Kalan. In fact it came into existence due to a disgruntled woman who shifted her family to her farms situated outside the village. The name of the revenue official of the village, Patwari, was Surajaram, who helped her to relocate in this place, hence it was named as Surjapura that with time changed to Sujapur. We reached here yesterday and today on 4^th September 2023 my son went back to his work at Sonepat by the same car in which he had brought us here. Today it was decided to meet the local friends and relatives residing in the village. My father-in-law were four brothers and three sisters, though none of them was their real sister. So atleast there were four houses to be visited today. First of all we went to my uncle-in-law’s house who had retired from Indian Air Force from non-commissioned rank of Warrant Officer. Though he had passed away and his surviving son is doing cultivation on his own land. He had a son and a daughter. His son is post graduate in Chemistry and is teaching at a private school in the nearby town. After returning from their house lunch was ready and after taking lunch and post lunch siesta in the evening we went to another uncle-in-law’s house. Whole life he had been a farmer. He had two sons. The elder one is plying a school bus while the younger one is still working with the Electricity Department of the State as a Lineman. Their mother is perhaps the oldest surviving woman of the village- a nongenerian but she is totally deaf though she can speak normally.

Muketsar 5-9-2023

Today morning after breakfast we moved out of the village to meet our relatives. First of all we went to Muketsar to meet Grandson and daughter-in law of of my paternal aunt, my father’s sister. After changing bus at Jagaraon and at Moga we reached Muketsar in the afternoon. After taking some snacks and afternoon siesta we went in the evening to visit the historical gurudwara of this place. This place or rather this historical gurudwara is associated with the tenth and the last Guru of Sikhism Guru Gobind Singh ji. Originally named as Khidran ki Dhab in a semi-arid terrain with a lake. Today it is a district headquarters and a significant historical town of the state. Not much is known about the early history of the present area of the city. It may partly be due to River Sutlej’s known notoriety for changing its course time and again and it is believed that this river flowed to the east of the town in pre historical times. While shifting its course it is said to have levelled down everything that came in its way as a result of which the current area is totally destitute of ancient buildings and contains no place mentioned in early records. Legends connected with Raja Saiban attach to one or two other ruined sites near Muketsar such as that of Sarainaga. However, the city does not date from an earlier period than Akbar’s reign. In the medieval ages this territory was ruled by Parmar Rajputs whose branches of Manj Naipal and Dogra Rajputs came from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan under the leadership of Raja Hel and settled in the south of the present town. They defeated Parmars and firmly established themselves. His son Burar had two sons- Paur and Dhul, the younger of whom held almost the whole of the region of Muketsar region. Many of these Bhati Rajputs followed the Sikh Gurus and embraced Sikhism during the reign of Guru Gobind Singh ji. These Bhatti Rajputs have fought against Mughal Imperial Armies alongside the tenth guru of the Sikhs Guru Gobind Singh ji. After the battle of Chamkaur in 1705, Guru Gobind Singh ji was looking for a suitable place from where he could regroup his forces to resist the Mughals. Assisted by an experienced Brar Sardar Guruji reached this place where he decided to have a final clash with the foe. They got the information that a strong force of ten thousand soldiers led by Subedar of Sirhind Wazir Khan was chasing them. Before that in 1704 when Sikhs had left Anandpur Sahib due to seize by the Mughal forces, forty soldiers from Majha region deserted Guruji. He asked them to give it in writing that they want to leave and he is no longer their Guru or leader and they are no longer his followers. However realising their folly these forty men after being motivated by Mai Bhago returned back to augment the forces of Guruji at this place. As the resistance of the Sikhs grew fierce the foe could not reach the lake to quench their thirst. So due to oppressive heat and the fierce resistance of the Sikhs the enemy was forced to retreat. At the end of the battle badly bruised and injured Mai Bhago told Guruji how these forty deserts had rejoined and sacrificed their lives for him. Guruji was looking for any survival in the battle field till he came to their leader Maha Singh who was still in the last throes of his life. When Guruji asked him about his last wish, his reply was to tear the document in which they had disclaimed him as their Guru. As Guruji tore this document before him his soul was released from his mortal body signifying that Guruji had forgiven their sin. This place became witness to this historical incident where the Gurudwara Tuti Gandi stands today. As the tearing of the document symbolised the liberation of these pious spirits of sin of deserting the Guru, so this place was named as Muketsar after that in which the word Mukti stands for liberation or emancipation and the word Sar means lake or pond. Later on Jassa Singh also took refuge in the forest surrounding this area. And later on the head of Namdhari Sect Baba Ram Singh ji also visited this place though its rulers did not support him. In the evening we went to visit the Gurudwara Complex along with our host. In this complex Minly there is a Gurudwara dedicated to the memory of Mai Bhago who motivated and convinced the forty deserters to rejoin the forces of Guru Gobind Singh ji. She was born at a place Jhabal near Tarantaran. Her father’s name was Bhai Malo Shah and wedded Bhai Nidhan Singh of Patti. Her father was enrolled in the army of Guru Hargobind ji. Her grandfather’s elder brothe rembraced the faith of Sikhism during the times of fifth Guru Arjan Dev ji.

Besides the Gurudwara dedicated to the memory of Mai Bhago there was also a Gurudwara Tamboo Sahib in which the Sikh camp dried their underclothes on a rope to mislead the enemy relating to the number of Sikh troops. Then there was also a Gurudwara Tuti Gandhi Sahib dedicated to the memory of the main event in which Guru Gobind Singh tearing the document at the behest of Bhai Maha Singh, the leader of forty deserters who wanted to rejoin Guru’s forces. Here is also an old tree of berries with which Guru Gobind Singh ji had tied his horse during his stay here. After taking dinner we went to bed and next morning after taking tea we took the bus to Kotakapura and then to Bargari where my paternal aunt had spent her entire life.

Bargari 6-9-2023

We reached Bargari bus stand in the forenoon as it was hardly fifteen minutes run from Kotkapura. From bus stand we took a cycle rickshaw that took us to the house of my relatives. At the doorstep we were greeted by my maternal aunt’s youngest grandson. This village was in news from 2015 due to sacrilege committed by some anti-social elements against the holy book of the Sikhs Guru Granth Sahib ji. Since then there had been a continuous protest going on in the Dana Mandi of the village to get justice by bringing the culprits to law. My paternal aunt’s younger brother was a farmer who owned a piece of agricultural land in the village and a piece of land on which he had built his house. He has two sons. His elder son is involved in agricultural activities as my cousin has now become old and due to joint pain he cannot go to the farm regularly. His younger son has reared cattle at home and opened a dairy selling milk and milk products to the villagers, so my cousin sits at the shop whenever his sons are busy. My cousin is also proud grandfather of a lively girl named Kirat. So after taking lunch and afternoon siesta following it we moved from this village and takaing bus from Bargari to Kotkapura and then from Kotkapura we came to Moga in the evening where we decided to stay overnight at the residence of our former tenant who had lived for many years in the house owned by my father in the town before selling it. This fellow had retired as Principal of Government Senior Secondary School of a nearby village. His son, who is also a Government teacher came to take us in the car from the spot where we had got down from the bus coming from Kotkapura.

Moga 6-9-23

Moga was the place from where both of my parents did first F.A and then B.A from D.M. College Moga way back in the fifth decade of twentieth century. Before that my mother even completed her matriculation too from the Government Girls School of the town. Moga is known for its rich culture. It has several Gurudwaras like Dina Sahib, dedicated to the memory of Shri Gurugobind Singh ji, the tenth guru of Sikhism, Bibi Kahan Kaur’s Gurudwara to name a few. Besides Gurudwara this place is associated with a famous freedom fighter of India Lala Lajpat Rai of the then extremist wing in Congress known as Lal, Bal and Pal, the other two being Bal Gangadhar Tilak of Maharashtra and Vipin Chandra Pal of Bengal. Some illustrious personalities related with the town are Dr. Narendra Singh Kapahi- Indian born Physicist known for his work on fibre optics, S Gurinder, fifth and present guru of Satsang Beas, Dr. Mathura Das, the famous opthalmologist surgeon who holds world record in the cataract operations performed by him and after whose name two leading educational institutions of the town have been named. It also houses the famous outlet of Nestle India which produces coffee, milk, chocolates and Desi Ghee of premium quality. After the night stay at the house of former tenant S.Surjeet Singh who had a son and a daughter. His wife though incapaciated due to some spinal injury was bedridden. His son is also a teacher in the government school while his parents are retired government servants- father retired as Principal of a Government Senior Secondary School and mother retired as a Block level Education Officer from the home district. After staying overnight in their house his son left us to our native town Dharamkot in his own car.

Dharamkot 7-9-2023

It is an old town perhaps founded in 18^th century by a Sikh Chief of Dalewalia Misl S. Tara Singh Kang alias Ghebba conquered the fort of Dharamkot in 1761 and gave it to one of his son perhaps Dasaundha Singh. S. Tara Singh was closely associated with Gulab Singh, chief of Dallewalia Misl and S. Maha Singh, father of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and he was also Ranjeet’s sword instructor. He had achieved expertise in immobilising the foe by stealing their horses then he would disappear that earned him the title Ghebba. As Gulab Singh had no issue so S. Tara Singh succeeded him as Chief of Dalewallia Misl after his death. Initially he had four forts of Nakodar, Fatehgarh, Shahkot and Dharamkot under him. He actively participated in the seize of Kasur and Sirhind and due to booty of these two campaigns he extended the realm of Dalewallia Misl up to Ambala in South making it an estate worth 17 lacs of rupees revenue annually.

Dharamkot is the town where my father had spent his childhood and studied in its vernacular school and later on in Arjun Dass High School till he completed his matriculation with good marks and on government scholarship. At Dharamkot we go to visit the shrine of Syed Abdulleh Shah, a 19^th century Sufi sage. Just by the side of mausoleum stand the graves of his two devotees who had served at this place throughout their lives- Mata Taja and her life companion. It is believed that both of them were so attached to each other that both of them were found to be dead- natural death- on the same day and perhaps the same moment. After visiting the house where my father was born and spent his childhood and after taking tea and lunch there we boarded the bus and reached Jagaraon by the evening.

Jagaraon 8-9-23

We arrived in the evening at this place by bus and at the place of our relative’s house (my wife’s maternal uncle’s daughter) which was situated on Gulabi Bagh Colony Malik Road. It is a city and a muincipal council, a rural police district and a sub-division of Ludhiana district. It is almost at the centre of the present state of Punjab. It was founded at some time in 18^th century. Famous freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai has spent a few days here and his house has been converted into a library. Chiefs of this place was a Chandravanshi Rajput, the last being Rai Inayat Khan of who was custodian of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Gangasagar at the time of partition of India in 1947. Rai Saheb belonged to Raikot, a small town of this subdivision. His grandson Rai Azizullah Khan is member of Parliament in Pakistan from MNA party. One of the village Jhorran of this subdivision is also native village of Hav. Ishar Singh, who was martyred in the famous Battle of Saragarhi in 1897 in whose memory a film Kesari has been made in which Akshay Kumar has donned the role of Hav. Ishar Singh. There is also a gurudwara in the memory of this battle in Amritsar. This place is known for its annual Roshni Mela which is held at the Mazar of Peer Baba Mokhumdeen. Though we had to go to Sujapur the same day but due to some miscommunication we had to stay for the night at the house of our relatives who have retired from Government Service of the State of Punjab. S. Bhupinder Singh has retired as Accountant, Punjab State Electricity Board and his wife, my wife’s cousin had retired as teacher from a government school. After overnight stay in the morning we took the bus and reached Sujapur in the afternoon before the lunch. Next day we did not go anywhere and went to meet only my wife’s cousin who runs a medical shop inthe nearby town of Raikot.

Parao Mehna 10-9-2023

Today I went to my birth place and the village of my maternal grandparents where my mother had spent her entire childhood. It is a small village named Parao Mehna situated nearly in the vicinity of district headquarters Moga. It also has a railway station on Ludhiana- Ferozepur line. Though our intent was to travel by public transport but a strange and startling fact came to light that on Sunday there was no public transport was available from the village as the major clients of the public transport were either students or workers going to offices and factories and as all of these things remained closed on Sunday so it was not economically viable to run it and give their services to the public on Sunday. So it was one of the major constraint of living in a small village tucked in the corner, away from the major road and rail route of the state. So I requested my brother-in-law to provide his services and he generously provided it that enabled us to visit this village that days as we took his car.

Name of this village came from the word halting place of the troops as they marched from Ludhiana to Ferozepur and beyond. So they used to halt here for some time so it came to known as Parao or a halting place and suffixed by the name of the place Mehna. As my mother was her parent’s only child so she had no real brother and sisters and she made a young man of the village as her brother, who later on joined Army and later on Police Intelligence Wireless Services. His son- who has retired as Live Stock Assistant from the Veterinary Department of the State, his grand son who is working as teacher in government school of a nearby village and his grand children are still living in this village. Though I could not visit the exact place of my birth as it has been turned into a market but we had tea and lunch with them and came to the village Chauki Maan, my mother-in-law’s village, and after having a cup of evening tea with the son of my mother-in-law’s nephew’s son we came back to the village of Sujapur.

Chapter XIX Liberation through the Path of Knowledge and Surrender Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Chapter XIX

Liberation through the Path of Knowledge and Surrender

It discusses the subject of Tyaga, causes of Karma according to Sankhya system, classification of knowledge, action , clear reason, firmness and joy according to the three Gunas. It also discusses the duties attaching to each caste and the fruit of their performance. It also describes the path of knowledge and the path of Karmayoga or selfless action together with Devotion and description of the glory of Gita. Arjuna asks Sri Krishna about the truth of Samnyasa and Tyaga( Renunciation). Sri Bhagwan tells him that some sages comprehended Samnyasa as giving up of all actions motivated by desire and other thinkers declare that Tyaga consists in relinquishing the fruit of all actions. Some wise men declare that all actions contain a measure of evil, and is therefore worth giving up, while others say that acts of charity, sacrifice and penance are not worth shunning. Of Samnyasa and Tyaga first hear Almighty’s views on subject of Tyaga. It has been declared to be of three kinds- Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not worth giving up and hence must be performed without attachment and hope of reward. This is God’s considered and supreme verdict. Prohibited acts and those that are motivated by desire should no doubt be given up. But it is not advisable to abandon a prescribed duty. Its abandonment through ignorance has been declared as Tamasika. Should anyone give up his duties for fear of physical strain, thinking that all actions are verily of the nature of discomfort. Practising such Rajasika form of renunciation he reaps not the fruit of renunciation. A prescribed duty which is simply performed because it has to be performed giving up attachment and fruit that alone has been recognised as the Sattvika form of renunciation. He who shirks not from action which does not bring lasting happiness, nor gets attached to that which is conducive to blessedness imbued with the quality of goodness, he has all his doubts resolved, is intelligent and a man of true renunciation. Since all actions can not be given up in their entirety by anyone possessing a body, he alone who renounces the fruit of actions is called a man of renunciation. Welcome, unwelcome and mixed are the fruits that accrues hereafter from the actions of the unrenouncing. But there is none ever for those who have renounced. In the branches of learning, known by the name Sankhya which prescribes means for neutralising all actions. These five factors have been mentioned as contributory to the accomplishment of all actions. The following are the factors operating towards the accomplishment of all actions.- seat of action and the agent, the organs of different kinds and the separate movements of divergent types and the fifth and the fifth is Daiva or destiny. These are five contributory contributory causes of whatever action-right or wrong, man performs with mind, speech and body. Notwithstanding this, however, he who harms having an impure mind regards the absolute taint less self alone as doer that man of perverse understanding does not view aright. He, whose mind is free from the sense of doership, and whose reason is not tainted by worldly objects and activities, does not really slay, even having slaughtered all these creatures nor is bound by sin,. The knower, knowledge and the object of knowledge all three motivate actions. In the branch of knowledge dealing with the Gunas or modes of prakriti; knowledge and action as well as the doer have been declared to be of three kinds according to Gunas which predominates in each that is by which a man perceives one imperishable divine existence as undivided and equally present in all individual beings, know that knowledge to be Sattvika. That, however, by which man recognizes many existences of of various kinds, as apart from one another in all beings, know that knowledge to be Rajasika. And again that knowledge which clings to one body as if it were the whole, and which is irrational, has no real object and is trivial has been declared as Tamasika. Free from attachment, unegoistic, endowed only with firmness and vigour and unswayed by success and failure – such a doer is said to be Sattvika. The doer who is full of attachment,seeks the fruit of actions and is greedy and who is oppressive by nature and of impure conduct, and is affected by joy and sorrow has been called Rajasika. Lacking piety and self control, uncultured, arrogant, deceitful, inclined to rob others of their livelihood, slothful, downhearted, and procrastinating such a doer is called Tamasika. Then Krishna tells Arjuna about the three fold division, based on the predominance of each Guna, of Buddhi and Dhrti also, which is being told by Him in full one by one. The intellect which correctly determines the paths of activity and renunciation- what ought to be done and what should not be done, what is fear and what is fearlessness and what is bondage and what is liberation, that intellect is Sattvika. The intellect by which man does not truly perceive what is Dharma and What is Adharma, what ought to be done and what should not be done- that intellect is Rajasika. The intellect which imagines even Adharma to be Dharma and sees all other beings upside down, worshipped in ignorance- that intellect is Tamasika. The unwavering firmness by which a man contributes through the Yoga of meditation, the functions of the mind, the vital airs and the senses, that firmness( Dhrti) is Sattvika. The Dhrti, however, by which a man seeking reward for his actions clutches with extreme fondness, virtues, earthly possessions, and worldly enjoyment – that Dhrti is Rajasika. The firmness by which an evil minded person refuses to shake off that is clings to sleep, fear, anxiety, sorrow and vanity as well, that firmness is Tamasika. Now Krishna tells Arjuna of three fold division of joy. That in which the striver finds enjoyments through practice of adoration, meditation, and service to God etc and where by he reaches the end of sorrow- such a joy, though appearing to be a poison in the beginning tastes like a nectar in the end., hence that joy born of placidity of mind brought about by meditation on God, has been declared as Sattvika. The delight following from contact of the senses with their objects is eventually poison like, though appearing to be nectar like at first that is considered to be as Rajasika. That which stupefies the self during its enjoyment as well as in the end derived from sleep, indolence and obstinate error, such a delight has been termed as Tamasika. There is no being on the Earth or in the middle regions or even among the gods or anywhere else which is free from three Gunas of Prakriti.

The duties of Brahamans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras have been divided according to their inborn qualities. Subjugation of the mind and the senses, enduring hardships for the discharge of one’s sacred obligations, external and internal purity, forgiving the fault of others, straightness of mind, senses and behavioural belief in the Vedas and other scriptures, God and life after death etc. ,study and teaching of Vedas and other scriptures and realisation of the truth relating to God – all these constitute the duties of a Brahman. Exhibition of valour, fearlessness, firmness, cleverness, and steadiness in battle, bestowing gifts and lordliness- all these are natural duties of a Kshatriya. Agriculture, rearing of cows and honest exchange of merchandise- these are natural duties of a Vaishya. And services of the other classes is the natural duty of a Shudra (member of labour class). Keenly devoted to his own natural duty, man attains the highest perfection in the shape of God realisation. Shri Bhagwan tells Arjuna the mode of performance whereby demon engaged in his inborn duty reaches the highest consummation. Man attains the highest perfection by worshipping through his own natural duties Him( God) from whom the tide of creation has streamed forth and by whom all this universe is pervaded. Better is one’s own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well performed; for performing the duty ordained by his nature does not incur sin. Therefore, Arjuna one should not abandon one’s inner duty, even though it may be tainted with blemish; for even as fire is covered by in smoke, all undertakings are clouded with demerit. He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, whose thirst for enjoyment has altogether disappeared and who has subdued his mind reaches the consummation of actionlessness through Sankhyayoga. Then Lord tells Pandava Prince briefly the process through which man having attained actionless ness, which is the highest consummation of Jnanyoga ( The Path of Knowledge) attains Brahma. Endowed with an untarnished intellect and partaking of a light Sattvika and regulated diet, living in a lonely and undefiled place, having rejected sound and other objects of sense, having controlled the mind and senses through the firmness of Sattvika type, taking resolute stand on dispassion, after having completely got rid of attraction and aversion, and remaining ever devoted to Yoga of meditation, having given up egotism, violence, arrogance, lust, anger and luxuries devoid of the feelings of me and tranquil of heart- such a man becomes qualified for oneness with Brahma.- who is truth,consciousness and bliss. Established in identity with Brahma, who is Truth,consciousness and Bliss solidified, cheerful in mind, this Sankhyayogi craves for nothing. The same to all beings , such a Yogi attains supreme devotion to God. Through that supreme devotion he comes to know God in reality, what and how great He is and thereby knowing him in essences he forthwith merges into His being. The Karmayogi however who depends on Him, attains by God’s grace the eternal, imperishable state even though performing all actions. Mentally resigning all his duties to God, and taking recourse to Yoga in the form of even mindedness he solely devoted to Him and constantly gives his mind to Almighty. With his mind thus given to God, he will tide over all hurdles by His grace and if from egotism he will not listen he will be lost. If taking his stand on egotism he thinks that he would not fight, vain is his resolve, nature will drive him to the act. That action too which he is not willing to undertake through ignorance- bound by your own duty born of his nature, he would have to perform helplessly. God abides in the heart of all creatures, causing them to resolve according to their Karma by His illusive power, seated as those beings are in the vehicle of the body. Take shelter in God with all your being Arjuna. By his mere grace you shall attain supreme peace and the eternal state. Hear again the supreme secret word, the most esoteric of all truths Arjuna as he was extremely dear to God. He shall offer him his salutary advise- Give his mind to Supreme Creator, be devoted to Almighty, worship Him and bow to Lord. Doing so he would come to God alone that is a promise. Resigning all his duties to God, the all powerful and all supporting Lord take refuge in God alone, He would absolve him of all sins do not worry. This secret Gospel of Gita would never be imparted to a man who lacks penance, nor to him who is wanting in devotion, nor even to him who lends not a willing ear ; and in no case to him who finds faults with the Supreme Spirit. He, who offering the highest love to Almighty preaches the profound gospel of the Gita among his devotees shall come to God alone undoubtedly. Among men there is no more who does God a more longing service than he, nor shall anyone be more dear to Lord on the entire Globe than he. Whosoever studies this sacred dialogue ( between Krishna and Arjuna) in the form of Gita by him too shall God be worshipped through wisdom- sacrifice, such is Almighty’s mind. The man who listens to holy Gita with reverence and in a determined spirit, he shall be liberated from sin and reach the happy world of the virtuous. Have you heard this gospel of Gita with one pointed mind Arjuna? And has your delusion born of ignorance melted away, O’Conqueror of Riches. Arjuna replies by saying that by His grace his delusion has fled and wisdom has been gained by him. He stands shorn of all doubts. He will obey God’s bidding.Sanjaya tells Dhratrashtra that so he heard the mysterious and thrilling conversation between Shri Krishna and the high souled son of Kunti. Having been blessed with the divine vision of the grace of Shri Vyasa, he heard this supremely esoteric gospel from the Lord of the Yoga Shri Krishna Himself, imparting it to Arjuna before his very eyes. Remembering over and over that sacred and mystic conversation between Shri Bhagwan and Arjuna, he rejoices again and again that most wonderful Form of Shri Krishna, great is his wonder and he rejoices repeatedly again and again. Wherever there is Bhagwan Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, and wherever there is Arjuna, the wielder of Gandiva Bow- goodness, victory, glory and unfeeling righteousness will be there, such is his conviction. Thus ends the eighteenth and the last chapter of the Yoga of Liberation through the path of Knowledge and Self Surrender.

    Author : Dr. K. S.Kang                                                                January 7th, 2023

Chapter XVIII The Yoga of Classification of the Threefold Faith Author : Dr.K. S. Kang

Chapter XVIII

The Yoga of Classification of the Threefold Faith

This chapter discusses faith and fate of men who perform austere penance not enjoined by the scriptures. It also describes different types of foods, sacrifice, penance, and the meaning and intention of uttering “ Om Tat Sat”. Arjuna asks Lord Krishna that the person endowed with faith worship gods and others casting aside the injunction of the scriptures, where do they stand- in Sattva, Rajas or Tamas. Shri Bhagwan replied that He would tell about the untutored faith of men is of three kinds- Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. The faith of all men confirms to their mental constitution. Men of Sattvika disposition worship God, those of Rajasika temperament worship demigods and demons, while others who are men of Tamasika nature worship the spirit of the dead and group of ghosts. Men who practice dire penance of an arbitrary type, not sanctioned by the scriptures, and who are full of hypocrisy and egotism, and are obsessed with desire, attachment and pride of power; and who emaciate the elements constituting their body as well as God- the supreme spirit dwelling in their heart- know these senseless people to have a demoniac disposition. Food,also which is agreeable to different men according to their innate disposition is of three kinds. And likewise sacrifice, penance and charity too are of three kinds. Foods which promote longevity,intelligence, vigour, health, happiness and cheerfulness which are sweet and bland, substantial and naturally agreeable are dear to the Sattvika type of men. Food which are bitter, acie, salty, over hot pungent, dry and burning and which causes suffering, grief and sickness are dear to Rajasika type of men. Food which is half cooked or half ripe, insipid, putrid, stale, polluted and impure is dear to men of Tamasika temperament. Likewise the sacrifice which is offered, as ordained by scriptural injunctions by men who expect no return and who believe that such sacrifices must be performed is Satvika in character. That sacrifice which is offered for the sake of mere show or even with an eye to its fruit, know it to be Rajasika. A sacrifice which has no respect for scriptural injunctions in which no food is offered, and no sacrificial fees are paid, which is without sacred chant, and devoid of faith is said to be Tamasika. Worship of Gods, the Brahmans, one’s elders, and wise men, purity, straightforwardness, continence and harmlessness is called bodily penance. Words which cause no arrogance to others and are truthful, agreeable and wholesome, as well as the study of the Vedas and other Shastras and the practice of repetition of the Divine name is known as austerity of speech. Cheerfulness of mind, placidity, habit of contemplation on God, control of the mind and perfect purity of inner feelings- all this is called austerity of mind. This threefold penance performed with supreme faith by Yogis expecting no return is called Satvika type. The penance which is performed for the sake of renown, honour and worship as well as for any other selfish gain either in all sincerity or byway of ostentation and yields an uncertain and momentary fruit is known to be Rajasika. Austerity which is practised through perversity, and is accompanied with self mortification or is intended to harm others, such austerity is declared to be as Tamasika. A gift which is bestowed with a sense of duty on one who is no benefactor when a fit place, suitable time, and a deserving person is available that gift has been pronounced as Sattvika. A gift which is bestowed with a grudging spirit and with the object of getting a service in return or in the hope of obtaining a reward is called Rajasika. And a gift which is made without good grace and in a disdainful spirit out of time and place and to undeserving person is said to be Tamasika. Om, Tat, Sat has been declared as threefold appellation of the Absolute, who is Truth, Consciousness and Bliss solidified. By that were the Brahmans, and the Vedas as well as Sacrifices were created at Cosmic Dawn. So the acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity as enjoined by sacred precepts are always commenced by the noble souls given to the recitation of Vedic Chants with utterance of the divine name OM. With the idea that all this belongs to God, who is denoted by the appellation Tat, acts of sacrifice and austerity as well as acts of charity of various kinds are performed by the seekers of blessedness expecting no return for them. The name of God Sat is used the sense of truth and goodness and in sense of praiseworthy act and steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is likewise spoken of as Sat and the action for the sake of God is verily is termed as Sat. An oblation which is offered, a gift given, an austerity practised, and whatever good deed is performed without faith is all termed as naught therefore it is of no use here or hereafter.

 

Chapter XVII Divine and Demonical Properties Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Chapter XVII

Divine and Demonical Properties

This chapter discusses the divine and the devilish properties with their fruits. It also describes the symptoms of a man possessed of devilish properties and their damnation and it also instructs about the renounce conduct opposed to the scriptures and exhortation to follow scriptures. Absolute fearlessness, perfect purity of mind, constant fixity in Yoga of meditation for the sake of Self-realisation, and even so charity in its Sattvika form, control of senses, worship of God, and other deities as well as one elders including the performance of Agnihotra ( pouring offerings in sacred fire and other sacred deities, study and teachings of Vedas as other sacred books as well as the chants of Almighty’s names and praises, suffering hardship =s for the discharge of one’s sacred obligations of mind as well as of body and senses. Non-violence in thought, word and deed, truthfulness and geniality of speech, absence of anger,even of provocation, disclaiming doer ship in respect of actions, quietude or composure of mind, abstaining from malicious gossip, compassion towards all creatures, absence of attachment, to the objects of senses even during their contact with the senses, mildness, a sense of shame in transgressing against the scriptures or usage, and abstaining from frivolities, pursuits, sublimity, forbearance, fortitude, external purity, bearing enmity to none and absence of self esteem- these are the marks of him who is born with the divine gifts. Hypocrisy, arrogance and pride, anger, sternness and ignorance too are the marks of a person born with demoniacal properties. The divine gift has been recognized as conducive to liberation and are demonic gifts as conducive to bondage. Grieve not Arjuna because you are born with divine gifts. There are only two types of men in this world- the one possessing a divine nature and the other possessing a demonic disposition of those- the type possessing a divine nature has been dealt with at length, now hear in detail about the type of demonic disposition. Men possessing demonic disposition do not know What is right activity and what is right abstinence from activity ? Hence they possess neither purity (external or internal) nor good conduct nor even truthfulness. Men possessing demonic nature say this world is without any foundation, absolutely unreal and godless, brought forth by mutual union of the male and female and hence conceived in lust. Clinging to this false view these slow witted men of a vile disposition and terrible deed, these enemies of mankind, prove equal only to the destruction of the universe. Cherishing insatiable desires and embracing false doctrines through ignorance, these men of impure conduct move in His world, full of hypocrisy, pride and ignorance. Giving themselves up to innumerable cares ending only with death , they remain devoted to the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures and are positive in the belief that this is the highest limit of joy. Held in bondage by hundreds of ties of expectation and wholly themselves up to lust and anger, they strive to amass by unfair means hoard of money and other objects for the enjoyment of the sensuous pleasures. They say to themselves that this had been secured by him that day and then he should realise that ambition, so much wealth was already with him and yet again shall be his. That enemy had been killed by him and he would kill those others also, he is the lord of all, knower of all, the enjoyer of all power, he is endowed with all supernatural powers and is happy and mighty. He is wealthy and owns a large family and who else can be like him. He would sacrifice to gods, give alms and would make merry. Thus blinded by ignorance, enveloped in the mesh of delusion and addicted to the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures, their mind is bewildered by numerous thoughts, the men of demoniac disposition fall into the fullest hell. Intoxicated by wealth and honour, these self conceited and haughty men worship God through nominal sacrifices for ostentation without following the sacred rituals. Given over to egotism, brute force,arrogance, lust and anger and calumniating others, they hate God (the inner controller of all) dwelling in their own bodies as well as in those of others. These haters, sinful, cruel and the vilest among men God cast again and again into demoniacal wombs in this world. Failing to reach God these stupid souls are born life after life demonic wombs and then verily sink down to a still lower plane. Desire, greed and anger -this triple gate of hell brings about the ruination of the soul. So one should avoid all these three. Free from these three gates of hell, man works his own salvation and thereby attains the supreme goal that is God. Having cast aside the injunctions of the scripture , he who acts in a arbitrary way according to his own sweet will neither attains perfection nor the supreme goal nor even happiness. Therefore scriptures alone is your guide in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Knowing this Arjuna you should perform only such actions as is ordained by the Scriptures.

Chapter- VI The Yoga of Supreme Person Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

Chapter-XVI

The Yoga of the Supreme Person

This chapter describes Universe as a tree and the means of God realisation. It also discusses Jivatma (individual soul) and describes God and His glory, the description of the perishable ( bodies of all beings), the imperishable ( Jivatma) and the Supreme Creator. Shri Bhagwan tells Arjuna that he who knows the Pipal tree( in the form of creation) which is said to be imperishable with its roots in the Primeval Being ( God), whose stem is represented by Brahma, and whose leaves are the Vedas, is a knower of the intention of Vedas. Fed by three Gunas and having sense objects for their tender leaves, the branches of the aforesaid tree ( in the shape of the different orders of creation) extend both downwards and upwards and its roots which bind the soul according to its actions in the human body are spread in all regions, higher as well as lower. The nature of this tree of creation dose not on mature thought turn out what it is represented it to be for it has neither beginning nor an end, nor even stability. Therefore cut this tree, which is most firmly rooted with a formidable axe of dispassion. Therefore a man should didligently seek for that supreme state that is God, having attained which they return no more to this world; and that Primeval Being( God Himself) from whom the flow of this beginningless creation has progressed, he should dwell and meditate on Him. Those wise men who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are in the eternal contact with God, whose cravings have altogether ceased and who are completely immune from all pairs of opposites going by the names of pleasure and pain reach that Supreme Immortal State. Neither the Sun, nor the Moon nor even fire can illumine that supreme self effulgent state, attaining to which they never return to this world. That is God’s supreme abode. The eternal Jivatma in this body is a particle of God’s existence, and it is that alone which draws round itself the mind and the five senses that rest in Prakriti. Even as the wind wafts scents from their seat , so too Jivatma, which is the controller of body taking the mind and the senses from the body which it leaves behind forthwith migrates to the body which it acquires. It is while dwelling in the senses of hearing, sight, touch taste and smell as well as in mind that this Jivatma enjoys the objects of senses. The ignorant know not the soul departing from or dwelling in the body or enjoying the objects of senses that is even when it is connected with three Gunas. Only those endowed with eye of wisdom are able to realise it. Striving Yogis too are able to realise this self enshrined in their heart. The ignorant, however, whose heart has not been purified know not this self in spite of their best endeavours. The light in the Sun that illumines the entire solar world, and that when shines in the moon and that too which shines in the fire know that light to be God’s light. And permeating the soil, it is God who supports all creatures by His Vital powers and becoming the nectarine moon, He nourish all plants. Taking the form of fire lodged in the body of all creatures and united with Prana (inhalation) and Apana ( exhalation) breaths, it is Almighty who consumes four types of food. It is God who remains seated in the heart of all creatures as the inner controller of all, and it is Lord who is the source of memory, knowledge and ratiocinative faculty. Again Creator is the only object worth knowing through the vedas. He alone is the father of Vedanta and the knower of Vedas also. There are two Purushas in this world- perishable and imperishable. Of these bodies of all beings are spoken of as the perishable, while the Jivatma or the embodied soul is imperishable. The Supreme Person is yet other from these,who having entered all the three worlds upholds and maintains all,and has been spoken of as imperishable Lord and the Supreme Spirit. Since God is wholly beyond the perishable world or matter or Kshetra, and is superior even to the imperishable soul, hence He is known as the Purushottam in the world as well as in Vedas. The wise men who realise God as the Supreme Person knowing all he constantly worships Him with the whole being. Thus the most esoteric teaching has been imparted; grasping it in essence that man becomes wise and his mission in life is accomplished.

Chapter XV Classification of three Gunas Author : Dr. K. S.Kang

 

Chapter XV

Classification of three Gunas

This chapter discusses the glory of Knowledge and evolution of the world from Prakriti and Purusa, description of threefold qualities- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. It also discusses means of God realisation and marks of a soul who had transcended the Gunas. Shri Bhagwan says that he would discuss once more the supreme wisdom, the best of all wisdoms, acquiring which all the sages have attained the highest perfection being liberated from this mundane existence. Those who, by practising this wisdom have entered into His Being are not born again at the cosmic dawn nor feel disturbed during cosmic night. God’s primordial nature, known as the great Brahma, is the womb of all creatures, is that womb where God places the seed of all life. The creation of all beings follow from that union of matter and spirit. Arjuna of all the embodied beings that appear in all the species of diverse kinds, Prakriti is the conceiving mother while God is the seed giving father. The three qualities of Prakriti- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas tie down the imperishable soul to a body. Of these Sattva, being immaculate, is illuminating and flawless. It binds through identification with joy and wisdom. Arjuna know the quality of Rajas, which is nature of passion, as born of cupidity and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment to actions and their fruits. And know Tamas, the deluder of all those who look upon the body as their own self, as born of ignorance. It binds the sou through error, sloth and sleep. Arjuna Sattva drives one to joy, and Rajas to action, while Tamas clouding wisdom incites one to errwor as well as to sleep and sloth. Overpowering Rajas and Tamas Sattva prevails, overpowering Sattva and Tamas, Rajas prevails and even so overpowering Sattva and Rajas, Tamas prevails. When light and discernment dawns in this body, as well as in the mind and senses, then know that Sattva is predominant. With the preponderance of Rajas greed, activity, undertaking of action with an interested motive and a thirst for enjoyment make their appearance. With the growth of Tamas obtuseness of mind and the senses, disinclination to perform one’s obligatory duties frivolity and stupor appear. When a man dies of preponderance of Sattva he obtains the stainless ethereal world ( Heaven) attained by the men of noble deeds. When Rajas predominates he is born among those attached to actions and when a man expires when Tamas is predominant he is reborn in the species of stupid creatures such as insects and beasts. The reward of a righteous act, they say in Sattvika that is faultless ( in the shape of joy, wisdom, dispassion, etc.). Sorrow is declared to be result of Rajasika act and ignorance, the fruit of Tamasika act. Wisdom follows from Sattva, and greed undoubtedly ensues from Rajas, likewise obstinate, error, stupor and also ignorance from Tamas. Those who abide in the quality of Sattva wend their way upward, while those of Rajasika disposition stay in the middle; and those of Tamasika, enveloped as they are in the effects of Tamoguna sink down. When the seer perceives no agent other than the three Gunas, and realises Him, the supreme spirit standing beyond these Gunas, he enters into God’s being. Having transcended these three Gunas which have caused the body and freed from birth, death, old age, and all kinds of sorrows, this soul attains Supreme Bliss. Pandava Prince asks Sri Bhagwan about the marks of a person who has risen above thee gunas and his conduct and the way in which he can transcend three Gunas. Lord replies that he who hates not light ( born of Sattva), and activity( begotten of Rajas) and even stupor (born of Tamas) when prevalent, does not long for them when they have ceased. He who sitting like a witness, is not disturbed by the Gunas, and who knowing that the Gunas alone move among the Gunas, remains established in identity with God and never falls off from that state. He, who is indifferent to honour and ignominy is alike to the cause of a friend as well as a foe, and has renounced the sense of doership in all undertakings is said to have risen above the three Gunas. He too who constantly worships God through the Yoga of exclusive devotion transcending these three Gunas, he becomes eligible for attaining Brahma for God is the ground of imperishable Brahma of immortality, of the eternal virtue and of unending (immutable) bliss.

Chapter XIV Field and the Knower of the Field Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

Chapter-XIV

Field & the Knower of the Field

This chapter discusses the subject of “Field” and “Knower of Field”, together with knowledge. It also takes up the subject of Prakriti and Purusha ( Matter and Spirit) together with Knowledge. Sri Bhawan tells Arjuna that this body is Field ( Kshetra) and him who knows it, the sages discerning the truth about, both refer to the Knower of the Field (Ksetrajana). Know God to be Kshetrajana( individual soul) in all Kshetras. And it is knowledge of Kshetra and Kshetrajana ( Matter with its evolutes and Spirit) that God considers to be wisdom. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to hear from Him in nutshell about Kshetra, what is it like, what are its evolutes, who is Kshetrajana, what is His glory. The truth about the Kshetra and Kshetrajana has been expounded by the seers in manifold ways; again it has been separately stated in different vedic chants and also in the conclusive and reasoned text of Brahmsutras. The five elements ego,intellect,unmanifest(primordial matter), the ten organs of perception and action, the mind, the five objects of sense( audio, visual, olfactory, tactile and taste); also desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the physical body, consciousness, firmness, that is the Kshetra with its evolutes briefly stated. Absence of pride, freedom from hypocrisy, non-violence, forbearance, straightness of body, speech and mind, devout service of the preceptor, internal and external purity, steadfastness of mind and control of body, mind and the senses. Detachment towards the object of enjoyment of this world and the next, and also the absence of egotism, pondering again and again on on the pain and evils inherent in birth, death,old age and disease. Absence of attachment and feeling of possessiveness in respect of son, wife, home, etc and constant equipoise of both in favourable and unfavourable circumstances. Unflinching devotion to God through exclusive attachment, living in secluded and holy places, and finding no enjoyment in company of men. Fixity in self knowledge and seeing God as object of true knowledge, all this is declared as Knowledge, and what is other than this can only be called ignorance. Vasudev tells Arjuna that He will tell him in detail about what ought to be known and and knowing which one can attain supreme bliss. That supreme Brahma who is Lord of Beginningless Entities is said to be neither Sat ( Being) or Asat ( non-being).It has hands and feet on all sides, eyes, head and mouth in all directions and ears all around because It stands pervading all in the universe. Though perceiving all sense objects It is really speaking devoid of all senses. Nay though unattached, it is sustainer of all nonetheless, and though without any attribute It is the enjoyer of qualities (three modes of Prakriti). It exists without and with all beings and constitutes the animate and inanimate creation as well. And by reason of its subtlety it is incomprehensible, it is close at hand, and stands afar too. Though integral like space in its undivided aspect It appears divided as well in all animate and inanimate beings. And that Godhead, which is the only object worth knowing is the sustainer of being ( or Vishnu), the destroyer ( Shiva or Rudra) and the Creator of all ( Brahma). That supreme Brahma is said to be the light of all lights and entirely beyond Maya. The Godhead is knowledge itself worth knowing and worth attaining through real wisdom, and is particularly seated in the light of all. Thus the truth of the Kshetra and Knowledge as well as object worth knowing God has been briefly discussed. Knowing this in reality, His devotee enters into His being. Know Prakriti and Purusha to be meaningless; and know all modifications such as likes and dislikes etc and all objects constituted of three Gunas as born of Prakriti. It is said to be responsible for bringing forth the evolutes and the instruments, while the individual soul is declared to be the experience of joys and sorrows. Only the Purusha seated in Prakriti senses objects of the nature of these Gunas that are responsible for the birth of this soul in good and evil wombs. The spirit dwelling in this body, is really as the supreme. He has been spoken of as witness, the true guide, the sustainer of all, the experience ( as the embodied soul), the overlord and the Absolute as well. He who thus knows the Purusha and Prakriti together with the Gunas- even though performing his duties in every way is never born again. Some by meditation behold the supreme spirit in the heart with the help of their refined and sharp intellect, others realise Him through the discipline of knowledge, and others again through discipline of Action. Others dull witted persons, however, not knowing thus worship even as they have heard form others; and even those who are devoted to hearing, are able to cross the ocean of mundane existence in the shape of death. Arjuna, whatsoever being, animate or inanimate, is born know it as emanated from the union of Kshetra and Kshetrajana. He alone truly sees, who sees the Supreme Lord as imperishable soul and abides equally in all perishable beings both animate and inanimate. For he who kills not himself by himself by seeing the Supreme Lord, equally present in all, as one thereby reaches the Supreme State. And he alone really sees, who sees all actions being performed in every way by Prakriti alone and the self as non-doer. The moment man perceives the diversified existence of beings as rooted in the one Supreme Spirit, and the spreading forth of all beings from the same very moment he attains Brahma ( who is truth, consciousness and bliss solidified). This being without beginning, and without attributes, this indestructible supreme spirit, though dwelling in the body in fact does nothing, nor gets contaminated. As the all pervading ether is not tainted by reason of its subtlety, so seated everywhere in the body, self is not affected by the attributes of body due to its attribute less character. Arjuna, as the Sun illumines the entire universe, so the one Atma (spirit) illuminates the whole Kshetra ( Body or Field). Those who perceive with the eye of difference between the Kshetra and Kshetrajana and the phenomenon of liberation from Prakriti with her evolutes reach the Supreme Eternal Spirit.

Chapter XIII The Yoga of Devotion Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

Chapter-XIII

The Yoga of Devotion

This chapter discusses the respective merits of the worshippers of Almighty with Form and without Form, and the means of God realisation. It also tells the symptoms of God-realised soul. Son of Pandu asks Sri Bhagwan that the devotees exclusively and constantly devoted to you in the manner stated just earlier, adore You as possessed of Form and attributes and those who adore as the supreme reality only the indestructible unmanifest Brahma( who is Truth, Knowledge and Bliss solidified) – of these two types of devotees who are the best knowers of Yoga. Shri Bhagwan replies that He considers them to be the best Yogis who endowed with supreme faith and ever united through meditation with Him, worship Him with mind centred on God. Those, however , who fully controlling all their senses and even minded towards all and devoted to the welfare of all the beings constantly adore as their very self the unthinkable, omnipresent, indestructible, indefinable, eternal, immovable,unmanifest and changeless Brahma, they too come to God. Of course the strain is greater for those who have their mind attached to the unmanifest for atonement with the unmanifest is attained with difficulty by those who are centred in the body. On the other hand those who depending exclusively on God and surrendering all action to Him, worship Him with attributes , constantly meditating on God with single minded devotion. Those are delivered speedily by Him from the ocean of birth and death as their mind is fixed on God. So fix your mind on Him , and establish your intellect in God alone therefore you will abide with Him undoubtedly. If you cannot steadily fix the mind on God Arjuna then you can attain Him through the Yoga of repeated practice. If you are unequal even to the pursuit to such practice be intent to work for God, you shall attain perfection in shape of God-realisation, even by performing actions for His sake. If taking recourse to the Yoga of God realisation, you are unable to do even this, then subduing your mind and intellect, etc and relinquish the fruit of all actions. Knowledge is better than practice(without discernment), meditation on God is superior to knowledge, and renunciation of the fruit of actions is even superior to meditation, for peace immediately ensues from renunciation. He, who is free from malice towards all beings, friendly and compassionate, rid of I (ego) and mine(possessions), balanced in joy and sorrow, forgiving by nature, ever contented and mentally united with God, who has subdued his mind, senses and body, has a firm resolve and has surrendered his mind and reason to the almighty Lord. His that devotee is dear to God. He who wants nothing, who is both internally and externally pure is clever and impartial and has risen above all distractions and who renounces the feeling of doership in all undertakings- that devotee is dear to Him. He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, and who renounces both good and evil actions and is full of devotion is dear to Him. He who is alike to friend and foe, as well as to honour and ignominy, who remains balanced in heat and cold, pleasure and pain and other contrary experiences and is free from all attachment. He who take praise and reproach alike and is given to contemplation and contented with any means of subsistence whatsoever, entertains no sense of ownership and attachment in respect to his dwelling place and full of devotion to Him, that man is dear to God. Those devotees who partake in a disinterested way of this nectar of pious wisdom set forth above, endowed with faith and solely devoted to Almighty they are extremely dear to God.

Chapter XII Vision of the Universal Form Author : Dr.K.S.Kang

 

Chapter-XII

Vision of the Universal Form

In this chapter Arjuna request Lord Krishna for a vision of Almighty’s universal form. Krishna shows His universal Form , that is related by Sanjaya to Dhratrashtra. Arjuna sees the Lord’s universal form through Krishna and offer praises Lord describes His glory and appeal Arjuna to take up weapons. Overtaken by fright Arjuna requests Lord Krishan to reveal the sight of Four-Armed Universal form of God. The Lord describes the glory of the vision of His universal form and reveals to Arjuna His four armed gentle form. The impossibility of obtaining sight of Four Armed Almighty Creator without exclusive devotion that is described with its fruit. Pandu son Arjuna says to Lord Krishna that thanks to the most profound words of spiritual wisdom that He had spoken out of kindness to him, due to which this delusion in him has disappeared. He had heard from Krishna in detail an account of evolution and dissolution of beings and also God’s immortal glory. He further says that Krishna,you are precisely what you declare yourself to be but he longs to see His divine form possessed of glory, wisdom, energy, strength, valour and effulgence. He further tells Shri Bhagwan to reveal His imperishable form if He thinks it fit to be beheld by him. Lord Krishna replies Arjuna and tells him to behold hundreds and thousands of His multifarious divine forms of various colours and shapes. Look in Him, the twelve sons of Aditi, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, two Ashvnikumars (twice born God’s physician) and the forty nine Maruts ( wind Gods) and witness many more wonderful forms never seen before. Arjuna behold as concentrated within His body the entire creation of both animate and inanimate beings, and whatever else he desires to see. But he cannot see God with human eyes so He will bestow him divine vision with which he can see God’s divine power of Yoga. Sanjay tells Dhratrasthra that after speaking this Lord Krishna revealed to Arjuna His supremely glorious divine form. Arjuna, the Pandava Prince, saw the supreme deity possessing many mouths and eyes, presenting many a wonderful sights decked with many divine ornaments, wielding many uplifted divine weapons, wearing divine garlands, and clothes, besmeared all over with divine sandal pastes, full of all wonders, infinite and having faces on all sides. If there be the effulgence of a thousand suns bursting forth all at once in the sky even that would hardly approach the splendour of the mighty God. Concentrated at one place in the person of that supreme Deity, Arjuna then saw the whole universe with its manifold divisions. Then Arjuna full of wonder and with hair standing on end reverentially bowed his head to the divine Lord and with joined palms addressed Krishna and said that he beholds within His body all gods and hosts of different beings. Brahma throned on his Lotus Seat, Shiva and all rishis and celestial Serpents. O’ Lord he can see God endowed with numerous arms, bellies, mouths and eyes and having innumerable forms extended on all the sides. Arjuna could see neither see Almighty’s beginning, nor middle nor even His end. Arjuna sees Him endowed with diadems, clubs and discs, a mass of splendour having the brilliance of a blazing fire and the Sun hard to gaze at and immeasurable on all sides. Pandava Prince tells Krishna that He is the supreme indestructible worthy of being known. He is the ultimate refuge of His universe. He is the protector of ageless Dharma. He is the eternal imperishable Being. Arjuna beholds God without beginning, middle or an end, possessing unlimited prowess and endowed with numberless arms, having the moon and the sun for His eyes and blazing fire for His mouth, scorching this universe with His radiance. Yonder space between heaven and earth and all the quarters are entirely filled by Him alone. Seeing His transcendence , dreadful form of God, all the three worlds feel greatly alarmed. Yonder hosts of gods are entering You ( God).some with joined palms out of fear are uttering God’s names and glories. Multitudes of Maharshis and Siddhas are chanting “ let there be peace” (Om Shanti) and thus extolling God by means of excellent hymns. The eleven Rudras, twelve Aditis, eight Vasus, the Sadhyas, Viswedevas, the two Ashwanikumars, forty nine Maruts, as well as the manes and multitudes of Gandharvas, Yakshaas, Asuras, and Siddhas all these gaze upon Almighty Lord with amazement. Lord seeing this stupendous and dreadful form of Yours possessing numerous mouth and eyes, many arms, thighs and feet, many bellies and many teeth, the worlds are terror struck and so is he. Lord seeing Your form reaching the heavens, effulgent, multi-coloured, having its mouth side open and possessing large flaming eyes, he with his inmost self frightened have lost self control and find no peace. Seeing your faces frightful on the account of their teeth, and flaring like fire at the time of universal destruction, he is utterly bewildered and find no happiness, so be kind to me, O’Lord of celestial and refuge of the universe. All these sons of Dhratrashtra, with hosts of Kings are entering Your mouth. Bhishma, Drona, and yonder Karna with the Principal warriors on our side as well are rushing headlong into Your fearful mouths looking all the more terrible on account of teeth, some are even stuck up between the gaps of Your teeth with their heads crushed. As the myriad streams of river rush towards the sea alone, so do these warriors of mortal world enter Your flaming mouths. As moths rush with great speed into the blazing fire for extinction out of their folly, even so all these people are with great rapidity entering Your mouths to meet their doom. Swallowing through Your blazing mouths You are licking all those people on all sides, Lord , Your terrible splendours are burning the entire universe filling it with radiance. Arjuna asks Krishna to tell him who He is with a form so terrible. His gratitude to great Lord “O’ best of Gods be kind to me , I wish to know You, the Primal Being, in particular but I know not your purpose”.Sri Bhagwan replies that He is inflamed Kala (eternal time spirit), the destroyer of the worlds. He is out to exterminate these people. Even without you Arjuna all these warriors arrayed in the enemy camp must die. So arise and win glory, conquering foes, enjoy the affluent kingdoms. These warriors stand already slain by Me, be you only an instrument Arjuna. Do you kill Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, and Karna and even other brave warriors; who stand already killed by Almighty Lord. Fear not, you will surely conquer enemies in this war therefore fight. Sanjaya tells Dhratrashtra that hearing those words of Keshava Arjuna tremblingly bowed to Krishna with joined palms, and bowing again in extreme terror spoke to Sri Bhagwan in faltering accent. Lord with it is, the universe exults, and is filled with love by chanting Your names, virtues and glory, terrified Rakshas are fleeing in all directions and all the hosts of Siddhas are bowing to You. O’ Great soul why they are not bowing to You who is the progenitor of Brahma himself and the greatest of the great. O’ infinite, lord of the celestial, abode of the universe, You are that which is Sat ( Existent) and Asat ( non-existent) and also that which is beyond both that is indestructible Brahma. You are the primal Deity, the most ancient person. You are the ultimate resort of the universe, You are both the knower and knowable and the highest abode. It is You who pervade the universe assuming endless forms. You are Vayu ( Wind God), Yama( God of Death), Agni ( Fire God), Varuna ( Water God) , the moon God, Brahma nay the father of Brahma Himself. Hail, hail to You a thousand times salutations, repeated salutations to You once again, O’ Lord of Infinite Prowess my salutations to you from front and from back. O’ Soul of All, his obeisance to Him from all sides. You, who possess limitless might, pervade all, therefore You are in all. Arjuna further says that the way in which he had importunately called out, either through intimacy, or even through want of thought- Ho Krishna, Ho Yadava, Ho Comrade !, and so on suspecting not this greatness of His and considering Him to be only a friend, and the way in which he had been slighted by him in the jest. O’ sinless one while at play, reposing, sitting or at meals either alone or even in the presence of others for all that he craves forgiveness from Him who is infinite. You are the father, nay the greatest teacher of this moving and unmoving creation and worthy of adoration. O’ Lord of incomparable might in all three worlds there is none else even equal to You. , how then any better. Therefore Lord prostrating my body at Your feet and bowing low Arjuna seeks to propitiate Him, the ruler of all and worthy of all praise. It behoves You to bear with me even as a father bears with his son, a friend with his friend, and a husband with his beloved spouse. Having seen Krishna’s wonderful form, which was never seen before he felt transported with joy, at the same time his mind is tormented with fear. Arjuna requests Krishna to reveal that divine form; the form of Vishnu with four arms, O’ Lord of Celestials, abode of the universe. Pandava Prince expresses his wish to see Krishna to see Him in the same way with a diadem on His head, and holding a mace and disc in His hands. O’ Lord with a thousand arms, O’ Universal Being appear again in the same four armed form. Shri Bhagwan replies to Arjuna that pleased with him He had shown him, through his own power of Yoga, that supreme effulgent, primal and infinite cosmic body which was never seen before by anyone else than him. In this mortal world He cannot be seen in this form by anyone else except him, wither through the study of the Vedas or of rituals or again through gifts, actions, or austere penances. Seeing such a dreadful form of God as this be not perturbed or perplexed . With a fearless and complacent mind behold once again the four armed form of God bearing the conch, disc, mace and lotus. Sanjaya told Dhratrashtra that having spoken to Arjuna, Lord Krishna again showed to Arjuna in the same way His four armed form, and then assuming a gentler form the supreme soul Krishna consoled the frightened Pandava Prince. Arjuna says to Krishna that seeing His gentler human form he had regained his composure and be himself again. Shri Bhagwan told him that this four armed four of Almighty with four arms that he had just seen is is exceedingly difficult to perceive. Even the gods are always eager to behold that form. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor again by charity, nor even by rituals, can God be seen in this form with four arms as he had seen. Through single minded devotion, however Almighty can be seen in this form nay known in essence and even merged into O’ Valiant Arjuna, he who performs all duties for God’s sake, depends on Him, is devoted to Him, has no attachment and free from malice towards all beings reaches the Creator.

Chapter -XI Divine Glories Author : Dr.K.S.Kang

 

Chapter-XI

Divine Glories

This chapter deals with the discussion of God’s glories, and power of Yoga with the fruit of their knowledge and the fruit and glory of Bhaktiyoga. Arjuna thanks Lord Krishan for by praising and request Him for description of His glories and power of Yoga. Repplying to Arjuna’s queries Sri Bhagwan says that hear once again His supreme word which He will address to Him only ,as he is loving and out of solicitude for his welfare. Neither Gods nor the great sages know the secret of His birth that is God’s appearance in human or other forms out of mere sport for He is the prime cause in all respect of Gods as well as of other great seers. He who knows God in reality as birth less, and without beginning, and as the supreme Lord of all the universe, he not distracted by any delusion is purged of all sins. Reason, right knowledge, unclouded understanding, forbearance, veracity, control over the senses and mind, joy and sorrow, evolution and dissolution, fear and fearlessness, non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame and obloquy- these diverse traits of creatures emanate from God alone. The seven great seers, their four elders ( Sanaka and others), and the fourteen Manus or progenitors of mankind(such as Suayambhu and his successors ) who all are devoted to God were born of His will and from them all these creatures in the world have descended. He, who knows in reality this supreme divine glory and supernatural power of God, gets established in Him through unfaltering devotion undoubtedly. God is the source of all creation and everything in the world moves because of Him. Knowing thus the wise full of devotion constantly worship Him,with their kind fixed on Him, and their lives surrendered to Him, enlightening one another about His greatness and speaking of God, His devotees ever remain contented and take delight in Him. On those ever united through meditation with God and worshipping Him with love, He confers them that Yoga of Wisdom through which they reach Him. In order to shower His grace on them, he dwelling in their hearts, dispel the darkness born of ignorance by the shining light of wisdom. Arjuna then requests Lord Krishan to tell him about the celestial sages – Narada, Asita and Devala and the great sage Vyasa and Himself. Pandava Prince further says that he believed everything to be true as told by Shri Bhagwan that neither demons nor gods are aware of His manifestation through sport. Arjuna then asks Krishna as to through which process of continuous meditation he shall realise God. And in what particular form God expects devotees to meditate. He also asks Sri Bhagwan to repeat the description of God’s power of Yoga and its glory, as he knows no satiety in hearing Lord’s nectar like words. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that now He is going to describe Almighty’s divine glories as there is no limit to God’s magnitude. God is the universal slef seated in the heart of all beings. So He alone is beginning, middle and also end of all beings. He is Vishnu among the twelve sons of Aditi,and the radiant Sun among the luminaries , He is the gloryof the Maruts – the forty nine wind Gods- and the moon among the stars. Among Gods He is Indra, among the organs of perception He is brain, and He is the consciousness ( Life Energy) in living beings. Among the eleven Rudras- God of Destruction- He is Shiva and among the Yakshas and Rakhashas He is Kuber. Among the eight Vasus He is the god of Fire and among the mountains He is Meru, among the priests He is Brihaspati ( chief priest), among the great warriors He is Skanada , among the waters He is the ocean, among the great seers He is Bhrigu and among the words He is the sacred syllable OM. Among offerings He is the offeing of Japa( chanting of mantras-sacred formulas),among the immovables He is the Himalaya, among all trees He is Asvatta ( Holy fig), among the celestial sages He is Narada, among the Gandharvas ( Celestial musicians) Chittrartha and among the Siddhas He is the Kapila. Among horses know him to be the Celestial Horse Uccaihsrava begotten of the churning of the ocean along with nectar, among mighty elephants He is Airawat ( Lord Indra’s elephant) and among men He is the King. Among weapons He is the thunderbolt, among cows He is celestial cow Kamdhenu( the Cow of Plenty). He is the sexual desire leading to procreation as enjoined in the scriptures. Among serpents He is Vasaki, among Nagas ( a special category of snakes) He is snake God Ananta and He is also Lord of all aquatic creatures Varuna. Among the manes He is Aryama ( Head of Pitras), and among the rulers He is Yama (the God of Death), among the daityas He is great devotee Prahlad, and among reckoners He is the Time. Among the quadrupeds He is the lion, and among birds He is Garuda. Among purifiers He is the wind, among warriors He is Sri Rama, among fishes He is shark, and among the rivers he is holy Ganga. Arjuna know Him to be beginning, middle and the end of all creations . Of sciences He is the science of soul or metaphysics, in disputants He is the right type of reasoning, and among the sounds represented by various letters He is A. Of the different types of compounds in grammar He is copulative compound. He is verily the endless time. He is the sustainer of all having faces on all the sides. He is the self destroying death that snatches all and the origin of all that shall be born. Among women He is Kirti, Sri, Vak, Smrti, Medha, Dhrti, and Kshama( The godesses of glory, prosperity, speech,memory, intelligence, steadfastness and forbearance). Likewise among the Shruties that can be sung He is the variety known as Brhatsama, and among the vedic hymns He is Gayatri Mantra.Vrs Again among the twelve months of Hindu calendar He is the month of Margshirsa ( the month of November) and among the six seasons He is the vernal season ( Spring). God is gambling among deceitful practices, and the glory of the glories, He is the victory of the victorious, the resolve to be resolute; the goodness of the good, He is Krishna among the Vrsnis , Arjuna among the sons of Pandu, Vyasa among the sages,and the sage Shukracharya among the wise. Almighty is the subduing power in rulers, the righteousness in those who seek to conquer. Of things to be kept secret He is the custodian in the shape of the reticence and He is the wisdom of the wise. He is even that which is the seed of all life, for there is no creature moving or inert, which exists outside the Almighty. There is no limit to God’s divine manifestation. This is only a brief description of God and the extent of His glory. Even such beings who are glorious, brilliant, and powerful know that to be a part of manifestation of God’s glory. Krishna tells Arjuna that he will gain nothing by knowing about all this in detail. Hence it is sufficient to say that God stands holding this entire universe by a fraction of His Yogic Power.

Chapter X The Yoga of Science and the Sovereign Secret Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

Chapter-X

The Yoga of the Sovereign Science and the Sovereign Secret

It discusses the subject of Jnana( Knowledge) and its glories. It also describes the origin of the world and condemns the men of devilish nature, who despise God, and the method of Bhajana of men of divine nature. This chapter also discusses God as the soul of evertything and describes His glories and the fruits of worship with a motive and without motive and the description of glory of Devotion that is practicsed disinterestedely.Shri Bhagwan begins by addressing Arjuna that for the benefit of the person who are dead of carping spirit He would unfold the most secret knowledge of Nirguna Brahma along with the knowledge of Saguna Brahma ( Manifest Divinity), knowing which you would be free from the evil of worldly existence.People having no faith in Dharma and failing to attain the almighty revolve inthe path of birth and death. The whole of the universe is permeated by God as unmanifest Divinity,and all beings rest in the idea within Him. So really speaking He is not present in them. Nay all these beings abide not in Him but behold the wonderful power of His divine Yoga through the sustainer and creator of beings. Just as the extensive air, which is moving everywhere ( born of ether) ever remains in other, likewise know that all beings who have originated from God’s thoughts abide in Him. During the final dissolution all beings enter Almighty’s Prakriti ( the prime cause) and at the beginning of creation God sends them forth again wielding His nature, He releases again and again ( according to their respective Karmas) all this multitude of beings subject to influence of their own nature. Those actions however do not bind God as He is unattached to such action and standing apart as it were. With God as supervisor, Nature brings forth the whole creation consisting both of sentient and insentient beings. It is due to this cause that the wheel of Samskara is moving around. Foolish people not knowing Almighty’s supreme nature think low of Him- the overlord of entire creation who have put on human semblance. They take Him ( who has appeared in human form through His Yogmaya for the deliverance of the world) an ordinary mortal. Those bewildered persons with vain hopes, futile actions, and fruitless knowledge have embraced a fiendish, demoniacal and delusive nature. On the other hand Arjuna great souls who have embraced divine nature, knowing Him as the prime source of all lives and the imperishable eternal, worship Almighty constantly with none else in mind. Constantly chanting God’s name and glories and striving for God realisation and bowing repeatedly to Him, those devotees of firm resolve remain ever united with Him through meditation, worship Him with single devotion. Others who take the path of knowledge betake themselves to Him through their offering of Knowledge, worshipping Almighty in in absolute formless aspect as one with themselves, while still others worship Him in His universal form in many ways taking God to be diverse in diverse celestial modes. God is the vedic ritual, He is the sacrifice, He is the offering to be departed, He is the herbage and food grains, He is the sacred formula, He is the clarified butter ( Ghee), He is the sacred fire, and He is verily the act of offering oblations into the fire. He is the sustainer and Father of this Universe, its father, mother and grandfather, the one worth knowing, the purifier, the sacred syllable OM and the three vedas- Rig Veda, Yajurveda and Samveda. He is the supreme goal, supporter, lord, witness, abode, refuge, well wisher seeking no return, origin and end, resting place, store house- to which all beings return at the fire of Pralaya ( Universal Destruction) and imperishable seed. He radiates the heat like the Sun, and hold back as well as send forth showers. He is immortality as well as death. Even so He is being and non-being both. Those who perform action with some interested motive as laid down in three Vedas and the sap of the Soma plant and thus have been purged of sin, worshipping God through sacrifices seek access to heaven attain Indra’s Paradise as the result of their virtuous deeds they enjoy the celestial pleasures of gods in Heaven. Having enjoyed the extensive heavenly world they return to this world of mortals on the extinction of the stock of their meritorious deeds. Thus devoted to the ritual with interested motive recommended by three Vedas as the means to attain Heavenly bliss and seeking worldly enjoyments they repeatedly come and go that is ascent to Heaven by virtue of their merits and return to Earth when their fruit has been enjoyed. The devotees who loving no one else constantly think of Almighty and worship Him in a disinterested spirit to those ever united in thought with God and He brings full security and personally attends to their needs. Even those devotees who endowed with faith worship other gods, with some interested motive, worship God alone, though with a mistaken approach for He is enjoyer and also the Lord of all sacrifices but they know God not in reality ( as the supreme deity) hence they fall and return to life on the Earth. Those who are vowed to Gods go to the gods and those who are vowed to manes reach the manes. Those who adore the spirits reach the spirits and those who worship God come to Him alone. That is why His devotees are not subject to birth and death. Whosoever offers Almighty with love a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even simple water,He appears in person before that disinterested devotee of sinless mind and delightfully partake of that article offered by him with love and devotion. Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift whatever you do by way of penance, offer it all to God. With your mind thus established in the Yoga of renunciation (offering all actions to God0, you will be freed from the bonds of Karma in the shape of good and evil consequences and freed then you can attain god. He is equally present in all beings , there is none hateful or dear to Him. They, however, who devoutly worship God abide in Him and He too stands revealed in them. Even if a violent sinner worships God with exclusive devotion he will be accounted as saint for he has rightly resolved as he is positive in his belief that there is nothing like devoted worship of God. Speedily he becomes virtuous and secure lasting peace. It is certain that God’s devotees never falls. Women, Vaishyas, Shudras, as well as those of vile birth (Pariahs) whoever they may be if they take refuge in God they too attain Him. How much more than Brahmas and royal sages devoted to God. So having obtained this joyless and transient human life constantly worship Him. So fix your mind on God be devoted to Him, worship Him and make obesiance to Him thus linking oneself with God and entirely depending on Him, one shall come to Him.