BG6.3

We are in Srivaragunamangai Kshetram . It is also known as Vanamamalai, Nanguneri, Srivaraguna Mangalam and Thodhadri. The Lord here is Sri DaivaNayakan. Nammalwar says that he has not practiced Karma yoga, not to speak of Gyana yoga and Bhakti yoga; but he has come to this Kshetram, which has a pond called Chetru Thamarai kulam, and has surrendered to the Lord. Though it is called a kulam [pond] in Tamil, it is a very vast lake and when full waves roar. In Sanskrit, thudati means banishes or drives away. So, Thodhadri means our sins even of mountain size are all banished. Since the Lord here does that He can also be called Thudhan and His mountain is called Thodhadri. Or, He is there like a mountain, stable and large to protect us. This place is also known as Gagana giri which is the Sanskrit equivalent of Vaanamamalai [vaanam = gaganam]. By worshiping this Kshetram or the Lord here, our sins are all driven away. Sri Thayar of this Kshetram is known as Sri Srivaragunamangai Nachiar. Sri Varaguna Mangai means, She has the quality of granting us our requests. Vara also means exalted, and so the name may also indicate the Most Exalted Lady or Woman. There is also another reason for the name of this Kshetram. A Pandyan King, Sriparan has donated lands and vilages to the Lord of the temple here. Such royal donated villages are called Mangalam. Hence, this place came to be known as Sripara mangalam, which became Srivara mangalam, as 'pa' and 'va' are interchangeable. Nanguneri means surrounded by four lakes on four sides or a big lake diveded into four smaller lakes. The Lord here depicts the Lord at Vaikuntam and so the place could have been named Vaanamamalai. Now we will see the 2nd sloka of Chapter 6 today [28th December 2007] from the pond :

yam sannyasam iti prahur
yogam tam viddhi pandava
na hy asannyasta-sankalpo
yogi bhavati kascana

"Scholars acclaim the gyana sans karma in Karma yoga as Gyana, know thus Oh! Son of Pandu. One who has not cast off the gyana [ that body and soul are different] can never become a karma yogi"

Earlier, Sri Krishna told that he, who practices Karma yoga without any desire for results, is a Gyana yogi, in the sense that both Karma yogi and Gyana yogi accomplish atman sakshatkaram. This was the essence of the First sloka. In the next, that is Second sloka, He further elaborates this theme. Yam =that which, sannyasam iti = is called Gyana by, prahur = learned people would call, tam = that Gyana is, yogam = [in] Karma yoga, viddhi= understand so, pandava = the Son of Pandu. Sanyasam means Gyana, as it is minus karma. The Knowledge or Gyana or sanyasam, acclaimed by learned persons, is part of Karma yoga. How Gyana could be part of Karma yoga was the doubt Arjuna had and Sri Krishna answers in the next line of the sloka. Asannyasta= unabandoned or unfailing, Sankalpa= determination or resolve [such a person], that is one who has not abandoned a knowledge or resolve. What is it he has not abandoned? He has no resolved thinking that atman and body are separate. So, this person is still clinging to the idea that atman and body are same. Such a person is called here asanyasta sankalpa. He, na yogi bhavati= never becomes a Karma yogi. How to correlate the two lines? First line says in Karma yoga, Gyana is a part. But the second line says that person who still considers atman and body are same, does not become a Karma yogi. Unless we are resolved that atman is different and it is superior to body, we will not begin Karma yoga. It becomes now clear that Gyana about atman, that it is different from body, is essential to start Karma yoga. So, this Gyana is part of Karma yoga and is acclaimed by scholars. What is atman yatamagyanam? How this is part of Karma yoga? Yatatma gyanam means deep thought or understanding a thing thoroughly. Therefore, atman yatatmagyanam means understanding thoroughly atman's true nature. A person with this knowledge, knows that atman and body are different and so he tries to seek more knowledge about atman and sets atman sakshatkaram as his objective. Therefore, he practices Karma yoga. Conversely, person practicing Karma yoga has this gyana. Some are likely to err in interpreting this sloka to mean that which is Gyana yoga is Karma yoga. We should be clear that Karma yoga and Gyana yoga are different. But, because both have atman sakshatkaram as the objective, there is no bar to praise a Karma yogi as Gyana yogi. He has the knowledge of a Gyana yogi, at the same time, he has not abandoned his rightful duties.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: SRI VELUKKUDI SWAMI WILL BE DELIVERING A LECTURE ON SRINIVASA KALYANAM ON THE NEW YEAR DAY [01012008] AT VIDYA BHARATI KALYANA MANDAPAM, BHEEMASENA GARDENS STREET, MYLAPORE, CHENNAI, BETWEEN 10A.M AND 1P.M. IN THE LECTURE VENUE A 2008 YEAR CALENDER IS BEING SOLD. IT WILL HAVE SIX SHEETS WITH GITA REPRESENTED PICTORIALLY AND A TEN LINE SUMMARY OF EACH CHAPTER. THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE FROM 1ST JANUARY TILL 15TH JANUARY [PONGAL]. DETAILS OF OTHER PLACES WHERE THE CALENDER WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE LECTURE.