7th chapter: verses 29, 30 Introduction to chapter 8
-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 2, 2021.
-29th verse: “Those who strive to attain freedom from old age and death by taking refuge in Me, they know Brahman. That Brahman is all of adhyatma and karma in its entirety.”
-Old age/death is a metaphor that represents the impermanence of the body and the world. Once we become aware of this impermanence, we can face life’s challenges more effectively.
-Those who are lucky enough to get to higher philosophy understand that there is a quest for a higher meaning that provides freedom from clinging to things that are impermanent. They develop an urge to seek this higher freedom.
-One can take refuge in a great spiritual teacher who reveals the supreme truth – such as Lord Krishna or Jesus Christ. One can also take refuge in the essence of the eternal teachings of these spiritual teachers. The Advaitic interpretation is to take refuge in Brahman.
-This urge for spiritual freedom cannot be developed suddenly. It is developed gradually. We should start by developing an element of detachment from raga, dvesha, results of actions, and selfish motives. Selfish motives represent our desire for the impermanent.
-Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”
-30th verse: “Those who know Me, they know the supreme truth in a comprehensive manner – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam. They continue to know Me even at the time of death.”
-Adhibhutam represents the gross, material elements that constitute the empirical world. Adhidaivam represents the presiding deities of the senses of perception, senses of action, mind and intellect, that enable us to perceive the phenomenal world. Adhiyajnam represents the presiding deities over rituals and sacrifices.
-Verses 1-4 of 8th chapter explain that one who is spiritually fit for higher pursuit, naturally develops the ability to understand everything in a comprehensive manner.
-When we get into spiritual life, we develop an intuition into the nature of things. We develop a spiritual common sense that gives us maturity, wisdom and a better outlook towards life.
-Ashtanga Yoga prescribed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra – Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi – only takes us to a stage, where we become fit for enlightenment. It does not take us to the highest state of enlightenment.
-Vedanta prescribes a more comprehensive plan that takes one to the highest enlightenment. The plan involves seven disciplines. (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nidishyasana.
-If one has Mumukshutam, the strong urge for spiritual freedom, all the other qualities naturally come to him.
-Swami Vivekananda said that every living creature has an innate desire for freedom and self-preservation. The difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Every ordinary pursuit of life preservation is part of our attempt to get freedom from old age and death.
-Swami Vivekananda also gives the example of a locomotive and an ant. The locomotive is not more powerful than the ant, as it only has borrowed intelligence. The ant has the ability to decide its fate and look for freedom.