BG 12.5

The Lord's auspicious qualities are infinite. They can be classified as qualities of eminence [மேன்மை] and of simplicity [எளிமை]. He is very great and at the same time simple to approach. To demonstrate this, the Lord appears in many forms in Thiruneermalai Kshetram. He is the great Sri Trivikrama; and, He is also the merciful Sri Neervannan. When killing Hiranyakasipu, the Lord Sri Santha Narasimha demonstrated that He was the mightiest; and, the same Sri Narasimha, exhibited placid composure, after discarding anger, so that Prahalada could be blessed. Thus the Lord of Thiruneermalai, exhibits the eminent and simple qualities. As Sri Andal praised, the Lord is ruling entire Universe with His sceptre and so He is Sri Ranga Raja. He is gracing as Sri Ranganatha, in reclining pose, in Thiruneermalai. Today's [17th December 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Ranganatha, considered as the prominant sannidhi on top of the hill. The Lord graces with Four arms. Lower right arm is used as pillow for resting His head and left lower arm is stretched towards His Divine feet. Upper Two arms are holding discus and conch. The Lord is different from the appearance in Srirangam. There, Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi are absent; but here, since the Lord is in Bhoga sayanam, Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi are seated at His feet. Utsavar, also Sri Ranganatha, is in a separate sannidhi at the bottom of the hill, near Sri Neervannan sannidhi. However, the Utsavars of Sri Santha Narasimha and Sri Trivikrama are in the respective sannidhis, atop the hill. Utsavar Sri Ranganatha is having the long sceptre [செங்கோல்], which symbolizes Royal authority and proclaims Regal power. The Lord is said to rule the World holding the sceptre and through Vishvaksena. In Srirangam also the Lord has a sceptre. The Utsavar Lord graces along with Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi. With His blessings we will now see the next Two slokas of Chapter 12. Slokas 6 and 7, to be read together, describe how Bhakti is to be performed. Slokas 3. 4 and 5 revealed how the person desiring to experience one's own soul, finds it difficult to practice and understand atma upasana. The means Gyana yoga is difficult to practice and takes very long time to acieve the desired goal. Many times it is impossible also. Sri Krishna now describes in the next Two slokas 6 and 7, the greatness of Bhakta, the simple means of Bhakti and its sweetness to perform and the quickness with which Moksham is attained. Now slokas 6 and 7:

ye tu sarvani karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena
mam dhyayanta upasate

tesam aham samuddharta
mrityu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha
mayy avesita-cetasam

"But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pritha—for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death."

In these Two slokas the Lord reveals the easiness of Bhakti, the sweet result it enables to reach and the pleasant process of Bhakti. If we understand these slokas properly, then we can know how we can perform Bhakti, at the same time involving in our routine life or how by performing our duties we can still be Bhaktas. We find a struggle in us. Are we to be religious? Or, are we to be involved in our domestic life? We might be interested to know about atman and the Lord. But where is the time? If one leaves for work in the morning, say about 7:30 A.M., one returns very late in the night. Where can one find time for Bhakti yoga? Even in the weekend holidays, one has to complete all domestic responsibilities accumulated in the week. This repeats every week. Then how can one perform Bhakti? It appears we struggle to choose either Bhakti marg and abandon all domestic life; or, discard Bhakti altogether. This struggle is unnecessary. Sri Krishna offers a very easy solution for us. Mayi = unto Me [Sri Krishna], sarvani karmani = everyone's responsibilities, the result of everyone's actions and attachment to those responsibilities, sannyasya = dedicate. Everyone has some responsibilities. While performing duties, he should never feel that he is doing them but dedicate them to the Lord. We should not perform those duties for mean objectives but to reach the Lord. We should do our duties with the feeling that we are mere tools to perform those duties. Mat-parah = having Me [Sri Krishna] as the destination or objective. Our duties should have no other objective. We are employed to earn and we have to run a family. These are prescribed in Vedas and Vedantas. By doing as prescribed in Vedas, the Lord is pleased. By doing to please Him, we are having Him as the objective. Instead of that if we do anything involving evil actions such as telling lies, stealing, desiring for others' wives or others' properties, saying something different from conscience, etc., will all be to the dislike of the Lord. So when we go for empoyment or business, we should ensure none of thses bad things we do. We should be true to our employment. There also we might encounter problems. By doing the job honestly, our career progress might not advance, as competition and jealousy are part of work place. That is not acceptable, as our society has not deteriorated to that level. We should resolve that in our job we would be honest and will not give room for jealousy and antagonism and that we will do for the pleasure of the Lord. We should not indulge in activities likely to cause unpleasantness to the Lord. Every activity we do, should be for a responsibility conferred on us by Shastras. Satisfying that duty would please the Lord. This is Bhakti, says Sri Krishna. So, He says to Arjuna to do the duties, with Him as the objective, and dedicate the results to Him. Ananyenaiva yogena = yoga, [with objectives] none other than reaching, Mam = Me [Sri Krishna]. That is Bhakti yoga. By performing Bhakti yoga we should not seek Kaivalyam or worldly pleasures. Bhakti yoga we perform should only seek the Lord. Dhyayanta upasane = devotion with meditation and the likes. The word upasana here means all activities like meditation, prostrating, archana, singing, pradakshinam [going around in temples], making garlands, offering flowers, making sandal wood paste, helping devotees, gifting food [அன்ன தானம்], etc. All thses are considered as in Bhakti marg or devotional path. Ye tu = such a person [ doing all listed above]. This sloka's substance, therefore continues in the next sloka. First sloka says that he, who does all his actions honestly, according to shastras, dedicating to the Lord, not desiring for any benefits of the actions, having the Lord as the Supreme objective and with no other objectives, involves in Bhakti yoga along with meditation, pooja, helping others,etc., tesam = to them, aham = I [Sri Krishna] am, samuddharta = redeemer [one who lifts a struggling person], mrityu-samsara-sagarat = from the death like samsara [worldly life] ocean. Samsaram means the cycle of births and deaths. It is an ocean and is like death god, mrityu. Mrityu will destroy the body; but samsaram prevents atman from reaching the Lord, and eclipses the fundamental nature of atman [of serving the Lord]. Thus samsaram is an impediment to reach the Lord. Without reaching the Lord, atman has no redemption. Atman will have to undergo births in various bodies and suffer. Thus samsaram is like mrityu. Unlike the mrityu god, who destroys body, samsaram makes available body to suffer in every birth. Thus samsaram is worse than mrityu as it disables the fundamental nature of atman. Swami Ramanuja calls it bhagavat swaroopa virodhanakari. Samsaram does not expose the Lord to atman and obscures its vision or knowledge. Like waves never ending in ocean, in samsaram happiness and sorrows are always there. From this frightening ocean of samsaram, the Lord rescues the person. Such a person, doing honest living and dedicates the results to the Lord and has no other objectives, is being rescued by the Lord from samsaram, the dreaded ocean. Partha =Arjuna, na cirat = not for long or quickly, is rescued. Because, avesita - cetasam = [the devotee's] involved mind, mayy = in Me [Sri Krishna]. By not involving in worldly pleasures, but in His service, the Lord redeems him quickly. Our actions could be loukeekam [domestic], like farming, employment, business, looking after family,etc., and vaideekam [rituals] like yagna, etc. Both types of actions should be dedicated to the Lord. Such a person is quickly redeemed by the Lord, from samsaram. Thus, person in Bhakti yoga reaches the destination earlier. With the blessings of Sri Ranganatha and Sri Ranganayaki, we will now proceed to Sri Trivikrama sannidhi for next lecture.