BG2.38

Today’s lecture is from the Sri Kattazhagiya Singar sannidhi on the east of the main temple in Srirangam. The Sri Nrusimha Avatar is special, as it depicted an impossible combination of man and lion. But the Lord brought this impossible in real life to save Sri Prahalada, the child bhaktha or devotee. The main deity Sri LakshmiNarasimha is gracing the devotees in this temple. The idol is a large one here and has four arms, ears pointing to sky, wide open mouth bubbling with rolling laughter, eyebrows reaching head and mouth wide open like a cave. In the upper two arms He is carrying conch and discus. Carrying flower, the right lower arm is blessing the devotees and the left lower arm is hugging Sri Lakshmi, Who is seated on His left lap. She is also blessing the devotees. Why Sri Narasimha is in Srirangam? Wild elephants used to come to this place and causing trouble to the devotees. This is indicated in the Puranas. So, to protect the temple and the devotees, Sri LakshmiNrusimha appeared here. These details of this ancient temple are found in Puranas. Yet another specialty is there about this temple. Swami Pillai Lokacharya, one among the great Sri Vaishnava Acharyas, and who had composed in Tamil eighteen commentaries on Thirumanthram, Dvayam and Charamaslokam, stayed here and propagated the main principles of Sharanagathi or Ultimate Surrender at the feet of the Lord. From such a famous place we will see the 34^th sloka. If a person dies, the body is cremated and reduced to handful of ash. He might have been a great person and loved by all. Yet, the body is never preserved. Even in Srimad Ramayana, the body of king Dasaratha was preserved in oil tub, as it took time for Bharatha to arrive at Ayodhya and none else was available to cremate. But, we remember the person who lived all these days. We praise the deceased person’s noble qualities. If his body was only his life, then as we dispose off the body, his life also should have been reduced to dust. Whereas, we kindly remember for many years the person and his good deeds. Even today we fondly remember the father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. We remember the Pasurams of Alwars, ithihasa, purana, Gita and many more. The originators of all these are not there today, yet their fame or kirti is always remembered. So, if a person has acquired good name, he should be afraid to lose it and make all efforts to preserve that name. No mean action should be initiated which would erase the good name. But, Arjuna is suffering from a confused thinking. His brave and steadfast qualities have earned him fame all over. None should do any thing that may spoil this reputation. Nammalwar, in the guise of sweetheart [Nayaki bhavam] dispatches a bird as a messenger to the Lord. She [Nammalwar] tells the bird that the bird should convey to the Lord that having deserted her [Nammalwar], the Lord should renounce His name Narayana. Narayana means sarvarakshaka or protector of all. If, she [Nammalwar] is pining for the Lord and He does not come to protect her, how can that name suit Him? Hearing this complaint, the Lord immediately arrives and graces Nammalwar. [Thiruvaimozhi 1.4]. So everyone makes all out effort to retain reputation. But Arjuna seems to be in a trauma. Though Arjuna might have abandoned the war on compassion grounds, the layman and smaller people would gossip that Arjuna out of fear ran away from the war. If great people like Bheeshma and Drona hurl such insults at him, they could be tolerated. But obscure persons, who do not know even to carry a bow, will blame Arjuna’s valor. Hell may be better than such a disgrace. This is the essence of 34^th sloka:

akirtim capi bhutani
kathayisyanti te ’vyayam
sambhavitasya cakirtir
maranad atiricyate

"Creatures will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death."

Arjuna counters this with another argument. Let anybody talk about him anyway they like. In the same Mahabharatha, at another place it is told that one should strive and somehow live. Then only, there will be opportunities to do good in the future . So, Arjuna is in a quandary. Whether to somehow live or fight to retain reputation, even if in the process, he dies. Sri Krishna replies that saving one’s life is no doubt the priority. But that is for the ordinary people. Whereas, for a person of great repute, with the famous Gandipa bow and as the well known cousin of Sri Krishna, notoriety by running away from fight is not befitting. Death is preferred to such akirti or ill fame. Thus Sri Krishna advises the necessity of valor and wisdom. Sri Krishna is preaching viveka or wisdom and here, we have Sri Nrusimha inducing bravery.

BG2.37

In Upadesa Rathnamalai, Swami Manavala Mamuni praises Sri Andal as She appeared on this earth only for the benefit of the devotees. Sri Andal has a sannidhi in the west of Srirangam temple. This is popularly known as veli andal [outer Andal] sannidhi [as against ull andal or inner Andal sannidhi]. This temple is associated with Sri Andal’s marriage with Lord Sri Ranganatha. Periyalwar brought up Andal and She was absorbed in Sri Krishna’s child plays. She imagined being His Wife only and saw Sri Krishna in Lord Ranganatha. She desired to offer Herself to the Lord. This was reflected in Her thirty poems of Thiruppavai and 143 poems of Nachiyar Thirumozhi. Recognizing Her love, the Lord sent His palanquin and a message to Her father to bring Her from Srivilliputhur to Srirangam. Perialwar happily carried out the order of the Lord and brought Sri Andal to Srirangam. At that time they stayed in this place only. They bathed in the [south] Kaveri behind this temple and with bridal makeup She went to the Sanctum Sanctorum and grasping the Holy feet of the Lord She disappeared and went in unison with the Lord. We are at this temple for today’s lecture and a visitor can see the portrait of this incident. Sri Andal is seated and gracing the devotees from this temple with a grand crown, the right hand in ahvahana [beckoning] posture, left hand in blessing [the devotees] posture, right leg folded and left leg stretched. Yearly twice Sri Namperumal arrives at this temple and exchanges garlands. One, on the 18^th day of Tamil month Adi [Padhinettam Perukku] and the other on the 6^th day of Panguni Uthram festival, when Sri Namperumal comes from Uraiyur. The great Acharya Annan Swamigal mutt manages this temple. Since Sri Krishna is delighted at hearing the name of Sri Andal, it is our fortune to listen to Gita from this spot.

In the last two slokas Sri Krishna advised Arjuna that he should not slip from his kshatriya dharma, which paves the way for the eternal bliss at Sri Vaikuntam. In the coming two slokas, He describes what consequences will accrue if he fails to uphold the Kshatriya duty. By listing the difficulties and sorrows he would encounter if he slipped from his expected duty, Sri Krishna is encouraging him to fight. In any act we have to state the benefits by doing that and the ill effects by not doing. By judging both one has to conclude to perform an action. Now sloka 33:

atha cet tvam imam dharmyam
sangramam na karishyasi
tatah sva-dharmam kirtim ca
hitva papam avapsyasi

"If, however, you do not perform your duty of fighting for dharma, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and lose your reputation as a fighter."

Sri Krishna uses the words dharmyam sangraman, which means fight performed righteously. This war is for establishing dharma, it is to be performed legally and the outcome also is for dharma, a high objective. Since Arjuna, desirous of preservation of dharma, this is a holy and upright war. The word sangramam is used instead of yudhdham. Yudhdham means it could start even next day or after. But sangramam means that is already started and when both sides are aligned and ready to fight. Peace efforts could have been initiated before start of a fight but not after it had started. Such efforts before the fight began would be appreciated; but after it had started any such efforts would be branded as act of cowardice. So Sri Krishna cautions that if Arjuna decided to withdraw from the war, he will be defamed and then he would also be slipping from his expected dharma, resulting in sins or papa to accumulate. So by abandoning the fight he will fail in his swadharmam, that is his duty as Kshatriya to fight, and lose kirti or fame. Even if he does not care for the fame, sins or papa will accrue for slipping from swadharma. Sri Krishna lists the two, swadharma and kirti, as necessities for life in this world and in the nether world. Without a reputation it is of no use in this world. Thiruvalluvar in his Thirukkural says [in thonrir pugazhodu] that if one is born he should be famous, otherwise, is better to be unborn. For a hero like Arjuna defame is a great loss. Arjuna felt that even if he loses fame here, he would lead an austere life by living in forests and reach heaven after death. Sri Krishna with a smile repudiated that also as Arjuna after abandoning his swadharma and leaving in a lurch his brothers and the subjects, will never reach heavens. Thus defame will destroy dhrushta palam or perceivable results. Abandoning swadharma will destroy adhrushta palam or unperceivable results [in nether worlds]. Apart from these, papa will accrue which will destine him to meaner births. So by not fighting, Arjuna will lose pleasures in this and nether worlds and with accumulated papa will be born in disgraceful births. Therefore, this is a lesson for all of us not to abandon our swadharma. We can visualize two destinations: one, happiness in this life and the other is happiness after death in this world. For reaching Moksha after death to have eternal happiness we have a choise between performing Bhakthi yoga and sharanagathi [surrender]. For doing bhakthi yoga one should do the karma yoga that is follow swadharma. So in Arjuna’s case if he abandoned his swadharma, he cannot do karma yoga and so cannot follow bhakthi yoga and consequently, no eternal happiness. To get happiness in this life one has to do punya. Punya will accrue only if one follows dharma. That means one has to perform his duties or swadharma. So, Arjuna may not get the pleasures in this world also. Arguing that he can correct in the future also will not hold good as the sins or papa will engulf and no scope for doing punya in the future. Abide by swadharma is what is advocated.

BG2.36

Today the lecture is from the south Uthra street. [Yesterday due to problem in the cable-distributing place I cold not listen to the lecture and so I am unable to reproduce what was lectured. But it appears the lecture was about sloka 31 which is reproduced here with the meaning as given in the text, for the sake of continuity.

sva-dharmam api caveksya
na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo ’nyat
kshatriyasya na vidyate

"Considering your specific duty as a kshatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation."]

Arjuna was born as a kshatriya and their duty was to protect dharma by proper rule of the country and so it was his duty to fight and establish dharma, so advised Sri Krishna. We have to see now the 32^nd sloka. We should not think that Sri Krishna is simply inducing Arjuna to fight and so repeatedly, Sri Krishna tells the nobility of Arjuna’s duty. We are at the Sri Kandhadai Ramanuja Muni mutt. He was a kshatriya and we will be amazed at the antecedents of this person. He was the elder brother of the king in the Chaluva dynasty in the 15^th century. When he was in Ayodhya meditating on Sri Rama, gold coins with Sri Rama’s image showered on him. He thought this might have been done by Sri Anjaneya and so he went to Badrikashram in search of Sri Hanuman. Sri Ranganatha had gifted a thaniyan [introductory sloka on an Acharya] on Swami Sri Manavala Mamuni. It is the well known “srIsailesha dayaapaatram dIbhaktyAdi gunArnavam |
YatIndrapravanam vande ramyajAmAtram munim ||” He heard one half of this thaniyan and he decided to have a darshan of Swami Manavala Mamuni and so he started his journey down south. When he reached Thiruppathy, Swami Manavala Mamuni passed away in Srirangam and so he was deprived of meeting Swami Manavala Mamuni. But he still came to Srirangam and associated with Sri Annan Swami who was a disciple of Swami Manavala Mamuni. From that time he was known as Kandhadai Ramanuja Muni. He was assigned an important duty in the temple affairs. He was staying in the same place where a disciple of Sri Ramanuja, Pillai Urangavalli Dasan, lived. Even today this mutt has a sanyasin jeer. Pillai Urangavalli Dasar functioned as a bodyguard for Lord Sri Ranaganatha. He used to wear an apron and carry a sword in his waist and walk in the front of any procession of the Lord. That noble work is carried out by the mutt jeer now also. He also is authorized to put the final seal on the lock when daily the temple doors are closed. He involved himself in the service of God after completing his duties as a kshatriya. Because duty also is service to God. This is what Sri Krishna is trying to make Arjuna understand. Now the 32^nd sloka:

yadrcchaya copapannam
svarga-dvaram apavrtam
sukhinah kshatriyah partha
labhante yuddham idrsam

"O Partha, happy are the kshatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them unhindered the doors of the heavenly planets."

One need not go after war. But only the fortunate kings get spontaneous opportunities to fight a war to establish righteousness or dharma. This war is such a one and has already started. This He says is unhindered path for heaven. Here, swarga is not the one among Bhu. Buva and Suva. Arjuna does not need the 3^rd of these but, surrendering at the feet of Sri Krishna, he wants the Vaikunta and that is indicated by the word swarga. The path to that swarga has many obstructions and rebirths. This war will remove all those obstacles and yield Moksha. This war has come as unsought and spontaneously. So, because this duty will yield Moksha, he should fight. Before we engage ourselves in any work we will have to see these points:

· Is this legally allowed?

· After starting the work, will there be need for any unlawful activities?

· Is the objective a virtuous one or evil?

· Is there precedence by elders?

These four points are required to be examined before we embark on any activity. In the present context, the fighting of this war has to answer all these questions. Fighting is legally permitted. But it has to be a righteous war. Sri Andal indicates this in Her 11^th pasuram of Thiruppavai- katrukkaravai kanangal…It is one of the poems to wake up friends. This friend is the daughter of a great hero. What type of hero? Sri Andal says ‘setrar thiral azhiya senru seru cheyyum kutromonrillada”. She does not say fighting is bad. But during the fight one should be blemishless. That is he will not wait for the enemy to come to his place and, just as encountering a lion in his den, he will go to enemy’s camp and fight. During fight never will he run away. He will not fight when the enemy is unarmed or resting. If one goes against these three qualities, then he is not fighting rightly. So fighting as such is not a sin, but unrighteous wars are wrong. Here we can note the marked difference in the wars in various times. We have Kritha yug, Thretha yug and Dwapara yug. In Kritha yug the Lord took five Avatars or incarnations- Matsya, Koorma, Varaha, Sri Nrusimha and Vamana. In none of these He lead any army to fight anyone. All were mere duels with individuals or none was killed. In the next yug, Thretha yug, Sri Rama went with a battalion to Lanka to fight with Ravana. This war lasted seven days and there was not a single incident of illegal methods to fight. Now in Dwapara yug, Sri Krishna says it is a righteous war and asks Arjuna to fight. But in this war only a single unarmed person, Abimanyu, was killed by a multiple enemies. Bheeshma was killed using Shikandi as a cover. Drona was killed by Dhrishtadyumna, when Drona was unarmed. Karna was killed when his Armour was taken away and when his chariot wheels got trapped in the mud. Are all these righteous methods? So, dharma changes as times change but still the yuga dharma was followed. Even if the opponent wages an illegal war, Arjuna has to fight a righteous war. Any activity, for a very noble objective, is also considered noble. If one jumps from a tall tower to get into the Guinness book of World records, it is applauded. But if the same person from the same tower wants to jump to commit suicide, he is arrested and found guilty. Thus same action is treated differently, as objectives are different. A person observing fast on ekadashi or for the freedom of his country is appreciated. Same person if he fasts to commit suicide, he will be arrested. So, no action as such is condemned, but examined for what objective it was performed. In Thirukkural in the poem poimayum.., it is said that even a lie for a noble cause is treated as truth. Therefore, only fortunate kings with punya will get this type of opportunities to fight and Arjuna should fight.

BG2.35

Thirumangai Alwar has made a poem on the Dasavathara [Ten Avatarss]. Today we are at the famous Dasavathara sannidhi temple on the North side of the Srirangam temple. The lecture is from the Thirumangai Alwar, the last of the Alwars, sannidhi. Thirumangai Alwar stayed here and did all the great works like construction of the mandapam [hall], prakaram [corridor], etc. This Alwar sought some boons from Sri Ranganatha. One of them was that He should grace in all the ten avatars here. Accordingly, the Lord is in this temple in Matsya [Fish], Koorma [Turtle], Varaha [Boar], Nrusimha [Lion-Man], Vamana [Dwarf], ParashuRama, SriRama, Bala Rama, Sri Krishna and Kalki forms, depicting the Dasavathara. The Alwar’s personal vigraha [icon] Sri Lakshmi Narayana Moorthy is also gracing the devotees from this temple. We mentioned that from this place the Alwar carried out a number of sacred constructions in the Sri Ranganatha temple. The Dasavathara Sannidhi temple is maintained and administered capably by the head of Sri Ahobila Mutt, Srimad Azhagiyasingar Jeer Swami. The 44^th Jeer of Ahobila Mutt had an opportunity, like Thirumangai Alwar, to construct the southern Raja Gopuram [Main Tower] from this place. This was a magnificent work and it will not be out of proportion to say this Jeer continued the works of the Alwar. The present Jeer, 45^th in sequence, also has carried out a number of sacred works in Ahobilam [in Andhra Pradesh] and Patashala [educational institution] in Selaiyur [near Chennai]. Recently the 81^st birthday celebrations of the present Jeer was held here. All these happened because of the significance and sanctity of this place [Srirangam]. Sri Vedantha Desika has composed hymns on the Dasavatara. While each Avatar required thousands of hymns to describe the splendor of each Avatar, Desika described each Avatar in a single sloka. Not content with that he further compressed the glory of all the ten avatars in a single sloka. Just behind this temple is the Thirumangai Alwar Padithurai where, as requested by the Alwar, moksham is granted to those whose last rites are performed here. In such a sacred place, Dasavatara Sannidhi, we will see the 30^th sloka:

dehi nityam avadhyo ’yam
dehe sarvasya bharata
tasmat sarvani bhutani
na tvam socitum arhasi

"O descendant of Bharata, atman dwelling in the body can never be slain. Even when all bodies of all creatures destroy. Therefore you are not eligible to grieve ."

‘Na tvam socitum arhasi’ this means , therefore you are not entitled to grieve. This phrase will repeat at many places. As a reply to why for this, is each sloka. This sloka may hint that all the bodies have a single soul. It is not so. Every creature has an atman. So the full meaning is whichever body is destroyed, the soul dwelling in that body is not destroyed. This sloka is the consequence of a doubt in Arjuna. It is conceded that body or deham perishes. But the doubt is about atman. We see many things and persons in this world. Nothing is identical with another. Even our bodies change regularly. The intellect or knowledge varies from person to person. There is difference in the experience of joy or sorrow from person to person. Thus there is diversity in all we see. So, is it possible that some atmans are eternal and some others are perishables? In this world no two are identical, experiences are not the same, so how souls alone can all have the same identity? What if this doubt is not cleared? If this were true, it is possible that the atman of Bheeshma and Drona could be destroyable and so by killing them, Arjuna will be guilty of annihilating atman. To remove this doubt only Sri Krishna tells that the atman or dehi in every body or deham is eternal. We are witnessing changes on the body but the soul remains the same. To understand this we should examine closely our daily habits and experiences. We see variety of persons. Some are fair, some black, some tall, some short, some females, some males, some animals, etc. but all these differences do not change our habits. One may be a millionaire and another a poor. But both see with their eyes only and hear with their ears. There is no difference in these functions. Educated or illiterate, one has to eat with his mouth only. So, God has not permitted any difference in certain basic functions. We eat varieties of food and vegetables. They remain so till what we eat reaches the throat. After this the body assimilates them as protein, vitamin or carbohydrates. This is scientific fact. We do not eat as such fat or proteins. So, all differences are in the external appearance only, such as brinjal [butter fruit] or lady’s finger [okra]. The body, however, takes only the essence. So, only those, which appear different, are all destroyed and atman, which is identical in every creature, is eternal. So Arjuna need not to worry that he may be destroying a destroyable atman. Also another thing Sri Krishna draws the attention of Arjuna is that he need not to worry that he may be killing Bheeshma, but he cannot kill any creature. By this we may hesitate whether we should be sympathetic to our relatives and help them. That is not the message here. In fact mere merry making in a happy occasion or shed tears along with the grieved ones is not real help. If we distinguish atman from body, then we can be of real help to not merely our relatives but to everyone suffering. Relatives are body related. Only a perspective that all atmans are same can make us render help to all. That is why in any calamity, there are some persons who concentrate on the things to do and do not go emotional. Such duty minded persons are of real help.

BG2.34

We pay our respects to Swami Ramanuja and to Swami Manavala Mamuni, considered as reincarnation of Sri Ramanuja. We are at the Brindavanam of Manavala Mamuni. Near the North gate of the temple, on the banks of Kollidam, we saw the Padithurai of Thirumangai Alwar. East of this was the Padithurai of Alavandar. Further going east we come to a street called Panchakkarai Veedhi. On the North of this street is a bathing ghat called Thavarasan Padithurai. Thavarasan means Yathirajan that is Ramanuja. When he was alive he used to take bath in Kaveri, considered more sacred than Ganges, at this place. Since Ramanuja considered Alavandar as his guru, he selected this place for bathing, so that it is in the downstream from Alavandar Padithurai. Such was his reverence to his Guru that he wanted to have bath in the water that has already washed his Acharya’s ghat. On the South of this street is the Brindavanam of Manavala Mamuni [1371-1443 A.D] is located. We are now at that place. On one side is Ramanuja Padithurai and on the other side the Brindavanam of Manavala Mamuni. Near the Thavarasan Padithurai, there was another sannidhi called Panri Alvan Koil, dedicated to the Varaha [Boar] avathara. History reveals that when aliens invaded Srirangam, this sannidhi was destroyed and 12,000 persons who were living here were killed in defending Srirangam. This incident is called the Revolt of Panri Alwan Medu. Similarly, near the Manavala Mamuni Brindavanam, there was a sannidhi of Sri Adi Kesava Perumal. Surrounding this were streets on all the four sides named East Street, North street, etc. long ago only here all the residents of Srirangam stayed. The present eight streets [four Chitra streets and four Uthra streets] were without any residential houses, at that time. Frequent floods in Kaveri inundated this area and many houses were immersed. This made all residents to migrate and set up houses in the present streets. These are all reports about this place and those who visit Srirangam may visit these spots also and enjoy the still preserved natural surroundings. We will now go to the 29^th sloka. In the last three slokas Sri Krishna advised how one should not grieve at the loss of a body. Arjuna was surprised as how such a clear concept was not understood by him and why he was confused about atman. But this confusion is there in many of us. What we know of atman is a mere drop and there are not people who have understood the nature of atman. Some may know a little and so we should not ridicule persons ignorant of this atman. Now the 29^th sloka:

ascarya-vat pasyati kascid enam
ascarya-vad vadati tathaiva canyah
ascarya-vac cainam anyah srnoti
srutvapy enam veda na caiva kascit

"It is amazing only very few see soul, amazing onlyvery few talk about soul, amazing very few hear soul while others even after hearing cannot understand soul at all ."

Sri Krishna says that one in a crore [ten million] see atman, one in a crore only hear about atman and one in a crore only talk about him. But it is much more rare to find a person who understands atman. This may cause a doubt in us that there is no one knowing about atman. So there is nothing like atman. Because, if anything exists, then at least some persons should know about it. We talk of Mount Everest. Very few persons would have seen it. From them we understand it is there. We believe an object only if someone who had seen the object tells us. So, Arjuna doubts whether there is an atman, as nobody has seen it. Sri Krishna replies that He did not say there was no one who had seen the atman, but it is very, very rare to find a person who had seen atman. Such a person is a noble one, who can be followed. This second chapter unlike the first one is quite difficult to follow, for everyone learning Gita. Because the soul is abstract and it has no form to recognize nor are there any similar substance in the world to identify. But constant studies and thinking can slowly make us to understand. We are able to conceive God, as many forms are available. But for atman there are no icons. A beginning is now made and by continuous efforts we can refine our knowledge about atman. As earlier told a tour covering Sri Krishna’s historical places is arranged for 7 days from 6^th to 16^th September covering Mathura, Brindavan, Gokulam, etc. There will be lectures on Srimad Bhagavatham and Divya Prabhandam, and Dance Dramas. Interested persons can contact Chennai phone 2499 2728.

BG2.33

Sri Alavandar, a great Acharya, has composed a collection called Githartha Sngraha, with 32 slokas. He was the grandson of another great Acharya Sri Nathamuni. With the blessings of Alavandar, Sri Ramanuja became a very great Acharya. We are today at the padithurai or bathing ghat named after Alavandar. Yesterday we were at Thirumangai Alwar Padithurai. Near this Alavandar Padithurai, a number of Brindavanams of various Acharyas are located. Brindavanam is the place where after the Acharya breathes his last, the mortal coil is buried. A number of sanyasins and jeers, who lived the last days in Srirangam, are all buried in this place. The Brindavanam of a great Acharya, of great repute Srimad Paramahamsedyati Desika Varadacharya Swamy, who contributed to many sacred works in Srirangam like the golden cover for the [pranavakara] vimanam [dome] and golden gloves for the Abhaya Hastham [Protective Palm] of Sri Ranganatha, and who lived long ago, is also here. From such a sacred place we will see the 28^th sloka of 2^nd chapter of Gita.

avyaktadini bhutani
vyakta-madhyani bharata
avyakta-nidhanany eva
tatra ka paridevana

"The [fieve elements made] body is not capable of revealing the past [but] middle [present] revealed. Future not revealed, Oh! Bharatha, where is then need for grief?"

All the three, 26^th, 27^th and 28^th, slokas are based on anuvadam, where Sri Krishna, for the sake of arguments, agreeing with the notion that atman and body are same. Let us consider a mud pot. If we break we get chunks and on further breaking we get mud. There are thus three stages of existence: pot, chunk and mud. The destruction of pot yields chunk and the destruction of chunk yields mud. So, one substance's destruction is the creation of another. When a mother gives birth to a child, something else should have been destroyed, what is it? The mother is alive, but the childless attribute of that mother is destroyed. The childless property ceases and childbearing mother property begins. This type of one thing ceasing and another getting created makes this world with changing nature. Here we shall see a small teaser. We have pot. Pot’s destruction = chunk. Chunk’s destruction = mud. Therefore, destruction of pot’s destruction = mud! Normally, two negatives make a positive and by this logic the destruction of destruction should yield construction or creation. So, in the above last equation we should have got back the pot but we get mud. Therefore, we should realize that destruction of pot yields chunk and destruction of pot yields mud also. Similarly, mud only forms chunk and same mud only forms pot. Changes are thus yielding new products. Arjuna raises a doubt. We are told not to worry at the destroying of one, like the pot becoming mud. But, the pot was useful to carry water and so how one can stop worrying at the loss of the pot, and hence this body? What is wrong in lamenting that the body, which is useful now, is perished? Sri Krishna again denies this argument of Arjuna. No doubt, when pot is broken, its utility is gone and there is reason to worry. But in the case of atman, when it leaves one body, it is going to take another body and, perhaps, that body may be more useful. Where, then, is the necessity to lament? Arjuna says that the past and future are unknown and here the 28^th sloka emerges. The body, made of the five elements, does not have the capacity to reveal the past. But the present is revealed. So this body does not know what it was before this body was born. Some may disagree and question why should it be assumed that this body existed in the past. This was answered in the last lecture that nothing can be created anew. No substance can be formed from nothing and only the existing things undergo changes and show as new ones. So, now we do not know what our body was in the time before this birth of us. But we are sure that our bodies existed even earlier. Similarly, after this body perishes also we do not know what the new one will be. Considering past, present and future, only the middle one, present, is revealed. Therefore, no need to worry. Now, Arjuna raises a series of doubts and Sri Krishna answers each of them. It is agreed that this body has three stages of existence: past, future and present. Arjuna asks which of these is natural? The answer could be either the present known body is natural or the unrevealed past and future is natural. Either way there is nothing to worry. Let us consider the assumption that the unrevealed past and future is natural. Everyone wants to be in his natural form only. If one does makeup for a drama or show, one would like to come back to the natural self only and will not like to continue with that makeup forever. A bird in a cage will desire to fly out of the cage and be natural. Therefore, the present status of atman in this body is unnatural and should desire to go to the natural state, which is the new body going to accommodate this atman in the future. That means, one should not worry about loss of the present body. Let us see the alternative. The present status is natural. Arjuna is worried that this natural status will be lost. Sri Krishna puts a counter argument. Any change in a natural status is caused by an external one. When we experience pain, it is due to something hurting. If that something disappears, the pain is lost and we are natural. Thus any artificial status has to cease and return back to normal or natural status. So if according to this assumption also, if the present is natural and future is artificial, the future artificiality will end and return to natural. This way also there is no reason to grieve. Arjuna has the next doubt. He is worried this atman is in this body. Some have worries for everything. Here Arjuna is worried that this soul is in this body. Sri Krishna says in that case you have to worry all 24 hours, 7 days a week and only sorrow will remain and there will be no time for happiness. Now Arjuna concedes that now and then one has to be happy, but he is worried that even that small happiness would be lost. If that was his worry, Sri Krishna advises Arjuna that he should ensure the happiness to continue. Only when he regains the kingdom, he can live happily. So he should fight if he did not want his happiness to be taken away. Arjuna again comes with another reason for his grievance. In the war he would kill his relatives. Sri Krishna says that in that case he should worry about his closer relatives like his brothers. If he did not fight, he has to lose his brothers. Arjuna now says that he wants to enjoy life and be happy. So why fight with others? Sri Krishna with a smile says that in that case, it is all more the reason, Arjuna should fight. Otherwise, opponents will kill him. Thus what is the use in worrying about the unknown? We never worry ourselves about what has not been revealed to us. So, when past and future are unknown, there is no reason for Arjuna to worry.

BG2.32

“Kaveri viraja seyam vaikuntam ranga mandiram sa vasudeva rangesa prathyaksham paramam padam”. Srirangam is surrounded by Kaveri on both sides [it is an island]. On the north it is called vada thiru kaveri. Lots of historical places are there. We are at one of the bathing ghats in the Kollidam or vada thiru kaveri. This is called Thirumangai Alwar Padithurai or bathing ghat. This Alwar was the last of the 10 [or 12] Alwars and has composed six prabhandams or collections. Lord Ranganatha was so pleased with the Alwar that He was ready to grant the Alwar anything he wanted. The Alwar only prayed that all those who come and worship Him should be blessed. The Lord asked the Alwar to throw his famous sword as far as possible. This was the sword once he showed to frighten the Lord and later was enslaved by the Lord. The sword fell at this place in Kollidam bank. So this is also called padiya val padithurai. Anyone who dies in Srirangam gets the Paramapadam or Sri Vaikuntam, from where there is no more the agony of rebirth. People perform last rites at this point in the north Kaveri here. Sri Adi Sankara in his Ranganathashtakam says a person dying here has nothing to worry as he reaches Vaikuntam. When a person dies he is cremated and the body is reduced to ashes or mud. The soul is reborn. This continues. Everything created is destroyed. After destruction follows construction and the cycle goes on. With this, the 27^th sloka is made:

jatasya hi dhruvo mrityur
dhruvam janma mrtasya ca
tasmad apariharye ’rthe
na tvam socitum arhasi

"One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament."

Sri Krishna continues His anuvadam. All born are going to die and the dead are going to reborn and so why Arjuna should mourn? Arjuna gets fresh doubts. He asks Sri Krishna, if the cycle of creation and destruction are natural, then victory gained by him in the war will also be followed by loss. Here we have to remember a point. No doubt the cycle of gain and loss is natural. Extending this logic, if one gets illness, one decides to go to hospital. But if one is cured, one is going to fall again sick, so why go to hospital? A student studying for examinations, may, with this logic say why write the exams, after all any success is followed by defeat later? But, this logic cannot be applied for every small thing we do. If we fell sick and we get cured, no doubt we may again fall sick in the future. But it may not be the same type of illness. We see a good item to eat. We should not immediately think whether this will be permanently satisfy me. So, we should not use this logic in our daily routine activities. Arjuna has a dharma to perform and so he should not get drowned in the thought that Bheeshma and Drona will cease to exist but apply this logic that they will be reborn again and no one can totally annihilate them. In logic there is one argument called thath karya vadam. It means the non-destruction of matter. From this we understand that matter cannot be created anew. Only existing matter undergoes changes and appears as a new one. In science we come across terms discovery and invention. If someone finds a new land or country, we call it discovery. Because even before he found, that land existed. On the other hand, we say telephone was invented, as such a device did not exist earlier. Sound waves etc. already existed but the telephone harnesses and makes it easier for the listener to hear voice from distant place. Actually, nothing new can be created but existing substances get changed or modified and appear as a new object. Threads are woven to make cloth. This is change in the category. So when Bheeshma is killed, his body will change to mud and that mud will enable a plant to come up. When a person is suffering, the near ones say that somehow if that person continues to live, it would be all right for them. Same thing here also. The body of the slain has changed to mud and supporting a plant. The soul takes a rebirth and thus no one ceases to exist. Only forms change and all remain in one form or other.