BG3.40

In Thiruppavai, Sri Andal wakes up Sri Krishna and tells that Her duty was to serve Him only. Because She sang hymns on Him She is referred as Padavalla Nachiyar and because the Lord decorated Himself with the garland used by Sri Andal, She is also referred to as Choodikkodutha Nachiar. We are today [6th September,2007] in what is known as Ekadasi Mantapam or Kannadi Arai [ Mirror room]. Surrounded by mirrors all around and with decorated pillars, Sri Andal , Sri Rangamannar and Garuda are gracing the devotees. During the ten day Thiru Aadi Pooram festival, every night Sri Andal and Sri Rangamannar will grace the devotees from this place only. Similarly on the Thirukkalyanotsavam [ Festival to celebrate the marriage of Sri Andal with Sri Rangamannar ] day also. The Lord's image is reflected on all mirrors here as also our images are seen. This does not mean we and the God are same. Our mind is created to reflect His image like a mirror. Sri Krishna told kamam covers the atman. Desire or anger can not be pictured but we can picture a person influenced by desire or anger. So Arjuna asks from where kamam hides the atman and with whose help it does this? Sri Krishna replies this in the 40th sloka:

indriyani mano buddhirasyadhisthanam ucyateetair vimohayaty esajnanam avrtya dehinam
"The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through them lust covers the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him."

Jnanam = intellect or Gyana of, dehinam= atman in the body, avrtya = is hidden by, esa = this kamam, vimohayat = mesmerises. It employs indriyani = the sense organs, mano = mind, buddhi = intellect or resolute, asya adhishtanam = as its domain. Kamam first dominates the sense organs viz. eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. Then it dominates mind. Finally it captivates buddhi or resolute with which we reason good and bad. Both mind and buddhi are manifestation of our intellect. Our Gyana can be in both good and bad things and bad things will try to destroy good ones. But it is our duty to nurture good things only and remove bad things. Just like removing weeds in crops. When kamam dominates organs, mind and buddhi, the atman is unable to use the Gyana on good things. All this happens within ourselves as the kamam also is in us only. With the help of these three entities, atman is mesmerised. Here by using the word vimohayati or mesmerism does not mean the person is fainted. But it means atman is unable to realise its relationship with the body. It does not realize atman is superior and is imperishable. It thinks it is body. Apart from thinking that atman and body are one and the same, it thinks all things as belonging to it. The first is called ahankaram where atman thinks it is body. The second is called mamakaram, where all things in this world are its. In reality, nothing belongs to the atman including the body. Kamam thus creates ahankaram and mamakaram in us using the organs, mind and buddhi. In case of Alwar, he cries that after worshiping the Lord, his organs, mind and buddhi are no longer with him and they are after God. So our Gyana is dragged by kamam and God, if we go after God then it becomes Krishna kamam or bhakti. In the next sloka Sri Krishna is going to tell how to vanquish this kamam.