Notes-ug-1

Summary of Chp 21:

v-1-6: Do not rely on anatma for peace-security-happiness. Do not be with materialistic people who value artha-kaama above dharma-moksha.

v-7-24: Pururavas's story. This is the Aila Geeta portion. 

v-25-35: Importance of satsanga. Pururavas got it all in one life itself. Ishvara gives the guru. Guru gives the shastram. Shastram gives my real self back to me! Here, Krishna highlights the guru- satpurusha mahima. These shlokas are similar to BG-12. This is a very rare portion.

Essence is "satsanga mahima". 

Chapters 18-19-20-21: Different lessons to develop titiksha. Humiliation from people close-by. We get everything other than respect. How to deal with that? 

Chapter 18- manojaya: do not find fault with the world, may you increase your emotional immunity. This is Bhikshu Geeta. He revelled in the knowledge he had...regardless of all he faced.

Chapter 19- purusha-prakrti viveka- we learn to distance ourselves from both micro and macro anatma. Learn to develop saakshi bhava- gunaah guneshu vartante.

Chapter 20- guna-vrtti jayah- Change composition of 3 gunas in you- tamas->rajas->satva. Rajasic mind is a reacting mind. 10 items which will change the gunas- chp 8 (shloka 4). 

Chapter 22:

- Focuses on Ishvara aaraadhanam.

- This is part of karma-yoga.

- In karma-yoga, we have 5 maha-yagnas. In this, we have deva yagna.

- In deva yagna, we have ishvara aaraadhanam.

- There are 2 types:

(1) Veda based

(2) Agama based or taantrika based

There is vishesha aaradhanam- where we specifically spend time to worship the lord (using the above).

We also have saamaanya aaraadhanam- yad-yad karma karomi...tad-tad akhilam...shambho tava aaraadhanam. This is for all action. In this, firstly, we accept the result. Next, we can see what to do...as the next action. First...accept! Yat karoshi....

In this chapter, Krishna focuses on vishesha aaraadhanam on Lord Vishnu.

Kriyaa yoga = karma yoga...and that too, vishesha aaraadhanam.

why?

- Discipline! Tamo guna to raajasa guna

- Focus! Do not think of pancha anatma! Think of Ishvara- deho devaalayah proktah...

- Every kosha is disciplined. Pranayama => prana mayaa disciplined.

During puja, do not think of....family, sh office etc.

yasmaat- why....

yathaa- how...

v-2: So many rishis have talked about...why? all-round growth! (nishreyasam)

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Chp 21: End (Aug 17)

- Importance of satsanga. Verses where a "gnaani" is praised. Association with such a mahatma is the best!

Verses 26- 35

Very similar to the paraa-bhakta lakshanaani seen in BG-12. Most words for the gnaani, with whom you should have satsanga (in this chapter) are similar to BG-12. This association will weed out...the problems faced by Pururavas- either we will not succumb to such a situation, and even if we do, this association will bail us out! Hence, this association (satsanga) is most important! These mahatmas will bail you out.

Some examples are given:

1. Like the fire gives comfort from winter's cold, so too, association with these mahatmas, will give us similar comfort.

2. These mahatmas are like the "strong ship" that will take the person who is drowning in the samsara-ocean to the safe shore!

3. Like food is so crucial for us, so are these mahatmas for us! So too, like bhagavan is the sharanam for the distressed, so too are these mahatmas. Like dharma protects us after death to get sad-gati, so too...these mahatmas help us. 

4. Saints guide us...as though our eyes...like the sun. They are our true benfactors! Krishna says...they are Me!

Chapter ends with Pururavas mentioned again- 

Pururavas is called "vaitasena" in the last verse- veetasenasya's putrah.

He got over the obsession for Urvashi (mentally too!) and with that mind free from her...(nisprha and mukta sanga)....freely moved on this earth...(maheem etaam atma-raamah chachaara ha!). Notice...the words here....how he moves with absolute freedom. That sense of "abandon" is seen in Pururavas. In this life itself, he managed to gain the ultimate freedom, though he may have succumbed briefly. This should be well noted...It is possible....it is possible...it is possible. As it is said for Arjuna in Tamil..."urvashi shaapam um upakaarama irundhudhu (in Viraata desha)"...like that...Urvashi was a turning point in Pururavas's life too...and he managed to get moksha...here and now. Every saint has a past...and more importantly, every sinner has a future. This is the great learning from Pururavas's life! 

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Chp 20: Summary (July 21)

How to overcome hurt? Question at the end of 17th chapter

The answers are:

(1) Chp 18 method: Bhikshu Geeta: Manojaya method. In interaction, anatma and anatma interact and according to karma, I get sukha-dukha.

(2) Chp 19 method: Purusha-prakrti viveka method: I am the atma, and maintain asangatvam everywhere...using saakshi bhava

(3) Chp 20 method: Guna vrtti jayah: More satva guna, more titiksha

(4) Chp 21 method: Satsanga method.

Chp 20 summary is as follows:

1- 4: Guna expression in their unmixed form: asammishra

5-8: Guna expression in their mixed form: sannipaata

9-19: 

Guna linga

Guna parivartana

Guna parivartana phalam

Guna bandhakatvam

20- 29:

9 items and breaking them up into Satva, Rajas and Tamas

- avasthaa

- vaasah

- karma

- kartaa

- gnaanam

- sukham

- shraddhaa

- gati

-aahaara

30-36: Most important

Spiritual journey

Through bhakti- which is in the form of karma-yoga first, as upasana yoga next and finally as gnaana-yoga.

Tamas-> Rajas using karma yoga

Rajas -> satva using upasana yoga

Satva to gunaateeta -> using satvam and gnaanam. To know I am a mixture of atma and anatma. I am the atma and the anatma is incidental and mithya.

To overcome hurt: Be in satva guna and use gnaanam to know I have always been guna-teeta essentially.

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Chp 20 (v-19-23) (June 27, 2025)

v19: When satva increases, daivi sampat increases. Similar for Rajas and Tamas

v20: Each state is associated with a guna. Satva with jaagrat etc. Definition 1 of Turiyam here: It is atma. Hence, "trishu santatam"...present in all 3 states. (Definition-2 not given here for Turiyam. It means Nididhyasana time...which is called samadhi...where thoughts are centered on atma...initially deliberately...and finally...involuntarily...(samadhi). This is Turiya "avastha"). 

v21: Gati topic. Where each guna takes a person (agnani)...after death.

v22: Gati topic: Yaanti maameva nirgunaah means....gnani hands over his saguna (i.e. anatma) to vishvarupa ishvara (tan-man-dhan tera)...and claims himself as atma (nirguna). Hence, he is called nirgunaah here. Such a gnani reaches Me...Krishna says...now...and after death too...

v23: From now on 7 topics are chosen and satva-rajas-tamas is shown for each:

1. karma trayam

2. gnana trayam

3. vaasa trayam

4. kartaa trayam

5. shraddhaa trayam

6. aahaara trayam

7 sukha trayam

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Chp 20 (v12-v18) (June 22, 2025)

Why do we have this discussion on the 3 gunas? Because in Chp 17, Uddhava asked...how to increase titiksha. One of the answers is- A mind which is saatvik will have more titiksha. Hence, this discussion on "guna traya viveka".

In Bhgavad Geeta, Chp 14 had 5 topics: (1) Guna lakshanam (2) Guna lingam (3) Guna bandhaka prakaara (4) Guna phalam (5) Guna gati

Here, we have (1) Guna lingam (2) Guna parivartanam (3) Guna parivatana phalam.

Prakriti (i.e. maya) has 3 gunas. Hence, everything that is a product of prakrti- world/body/mind will be made of the same 3 gunas. Purusha or atma is nirguna. Everything else has the 3 gunas. But for a spiritual aspirant, his travel must be from tamas->rajas->satva->gunaateeta.

v12- Krishna says, He as atma has no guna. But the jeeva (mind) has the 3 gunas and such a mind that attached to the 3 gunas will be bound.

v13- Guna parivartanam- when satva overpowers other 2. Satva stands for brightness (knowledge) (bhaasvaram)....clarity (vishadam) and mangalam (shivam). If such a satva dominates other two, the person will be contented (sukhena yujyeta) and will get punya (through his satvik actions) and ultimately, such a satvik mind will get gnaanam.

v14- Guna parivartanam- when rajas overpowers. Again 3 definitions for rajas and how it leads to dukkham

v16- Guna parivartanam- when tamas overpowers. Again 3 definitions for tamas and consequent shoka-moha etc.

v16- Satva lingam once again. It leads to "mat padam" Krishna says

v17- Rajas lingam once again. 

v18- Tamas lingam once again.

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v31: Everything belongs to 3 gunas. 

v32: So long as we are attached to 3 gunas, we will have a problem. etaah (things and beings)...everything is within guna and karma. This is samsrtayah...this is the problem....it is samsara. If you are interested in moksha, you have to go beyond them...nirjitaah (conquered)..chittajaah..3 gunas in mind...as thoughts...

How to transcend the 3 gunas? Internally thru wisdom...thru bhakti yogena. What is bhakti yoga? In BG-12 (Karma yoga + upasana yoga + gnaana yoga)...from saguna to nirguna...i.e. to gunaateeta. Have to claim..I am not the body/mind...but chaitanya. After death also, such a bhakta will reach me..krishna says.

v33: Manushya loka is the best place for this. It will give both gnana (brahma satyam jagan mithyaa) and vignaana (jivo brahmaiva na paarah). Don't get attached to anyone. Surrender everyone to bhagavan...guna-sangam vinirdhuuya....seek Me (guna teeta paraa prakrti).... 

 v34: resort to saatvik...attachment is due to rajoguna..acquire dama (indriya jaya)...apramattah (never forget goal of life...alert!)...nissanga (this is the main thing!)...may you seek bhagavan (atma)...  

v35: Then, what will happen? Travel from tamas to rajas (through karma yoga)...from rajas to satva (through upasana yoga)...and thru gnaana become gunaateeta. I have saguna anatma and nirguna atma. Thru Nididhyaasanam, own up the nirguna atma as real me. Hence, satvam cha abhijayet...(without using any other guna!...thru satva, get that gnaanam)...mind should be 100%...saanta dhee...he becomes unaffected by the 3 gunas. Jivah jeevan vihaaya...(tyaktva jeeva bhaavan...not individual)....he merges in me (maam sampadyatey)

v36: Such a person is a jivan mukta. From him too, problems will continue. But sama-loshtaashma kaanchanah....mind goes through experiences...but I don't go through those experiences....everything is a vesham. He is freed from jeeva bhaava.. Aaashaya- mind...he says...i am sakshi of such a mind...not the mind. Mind is not me, mind is not mine, mind is not real. Claim brahma asmi....jeevo naaham...dont get stuck up in external world (baahya)...or internal mind (antara). Don't get obsessed with anatma. 

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Chp 21:

Quoted the following:

Sarve kshayaanta nichayaa....pataanta samutshrayaa....

samyoga viprayogaantaa.....maranam cha jeevitam

(note: Rama consoled Bharata when he met him in the forest after Dasharatha's death).

"In the end" is "anta" in the above...

samyoga ends in virprayoga......in separation.

This message...Pururavas forgot.

The story of Pururvas comes in Rig Veda itself.

Things to remember:

Swamiji quoted this also:

1. apichet suduraachaarah....saadhureva sah mantavyah (BG 9)

2. Kshipram bhavati.....(BG 9)

Story of Pururavas:

1. Gives a warning.

2. More importantly, even if I have fallen, there is redemption for me (above 2 quotes)

What is Aila Geeta?

This monologue portion by Pururavas is the Aila Geeta. It has 2 parts: 7-14 where he describes the problem. And 15-24 where he says...how he got out.

Actually, there was no problem in Urvashi...Pururavas says. She is like the rope. He superimposed the snake on her....and suffered. There is no problem in the creation...as harmless as a rope. The issue is with the mind, senses, intellect (BG 3). That leads to "shobhana adhyaasa".

How to come out?

(a) Bhagavan's help: Pururavas says so

(b) Continuous interaction with satsanga...people who are committed to dharma and moksha.

The beauty of this episode is that...Pururavas not only came out of this hole...he got moksha...in this life itself! So...it is very much possible! This was also conveyed by swamiji.

There are 10 factors (in UG 8 v4-5-6) that we need to be careful about and ensure that we follow "saatvika" part in all those 10 areas. One of those 10 is "people"...prajaa. That is the same as satsanga in this chapter.

Note: Those 10 factors are applicable for the previous chapter too (how to do guna parivartanam).

Those 10 factors are:

(1) aagama (what type of books I read)

(2) aapah (even water!)

(3) prajaa (what type of friends I have...for regular interaction)

(4) desha 

(5) kaala

(6) karma

(7) janma (parentage)

(8) dhyaanam (what is my mind most obsessed about)

(9) mantra (BG-17: what mantra and hence what deities we propitiate)

(10) samskaara: 

BTW, this whole chapter comes under that bigger umbrella...how to develop titiksha

chp 18: Manojaya...to convert mind to "my instrument" and not other way around

chp 19: purusha-prakriti method: Saakshi bhaava to develop space...

chp 20: guna vrtti jaya: make the mind more satvik. Then, more titiksha

chp 21: satsanga