Excerpts from the Master on Bhagavad Gita CH15 - Day 3

HH Swami Tejomayananda

The world is only as important as you think it is.
Bondages and attachment are inside me not outside.
Stages of vairagaya

Non dependence on external things – realize that one can live without these things also

1. Realise the problems sense objects create
2. Being without both likes and dislikes for sense objects
3. I want nothing more from them. Grown out of desires

At first though forcefully done then once we start enjoying the taste of fruits of dispassion, we find the inner drive. First detach from lower, stand apart and then start enquiring what the absolute is.

Padam walking we reach destinations, posts. OM is the destination. Our home is our Self and to reach there is just by knowing. Once It is known, no more return to samsar.

Aadyam Purusham - Primordial Being – Poorayathi iti – that which fills everything – cause pervades effect – Our Awareness fills everything we perceive/experience. Do I experience anything without me, anything other than me?

Prapadye - This destination I seek refuge in bhakti or I see/ behold directly through jnana.

What is Purity? Most important sloka that enumerates the qualities of a seeker.

1. Nirmana – without pride, arrogance, over estimation of oneself is listed as foremost. The important question is: Who certifies our greatness? It is said, Kings, Scholars and Sadhus must certify the greatness of one and not merely oneself or one’s retinue who are equally unwise. Only upon seeing God, does pride truly drop.
2. Nirmoha – Right Discrimination – Moha is lack of discrimination regarding cause/ effect, right/ wrong, real/ unreal, etc. Viveka, the art of discrimination comes only by satsang. Satsangatve nissangatvan… upto nirmohatvam
3. Jitasangha-dosha – free of attachments and its evils - Attachment itself is evil but so many evils also come as outcome. For example, possessiveness, loss of objectivity, dependence, fear, etc. Material attachments are always one sided. Money goes with even thieves. Bhagavan Shankara says ma kuru dana jana youvana garvam – don’t take pride in wealth, retinue or youth as they disappear in no time. We see even most powerful persons, wrestler, Ms India all become invalid by just one stroke. Some want many followers and boast on many following on FB, etc. I want only one follower. If my mind follows me then isn’t that enough.
4. Vinivrita-kama - Being desireless – Desires arise out of sense of incompleteness. Sankalapa prabhavaan kaamaan. Desires arise when mind fancies reality, beauty and happiness in things outside. Realise desires are never ending like tissue box, one pops out even as another is gone. Divinize the desires, to realise god, to live righteously. Desire is a great motivating force. But how is it used? We desire more and more of same thing not for higher/nobler which will uplift.
5. Dvandvaih-vimukta-sukha-dukha-sanjai – being free of pairs of opposites Final pair of opposite is joy and sorrow. And first is like and dislike then pravritti(action) and nivriti(withdrawal), labha (gain) and alabha (loss) and then finally joy and sorrow. Also since likes and dislikes keep changing, it is very difficult to please oneself and others. So have purity.
6. Amudha – Clarity of thought
7. Adhyatma-nitya – Steadfastness in spiritual pursuit Doing this 1 thing, all the rest of above happens automatically. Just as how when one decides to go to Kailash, he wakes up early, walks every day, eats right, sleeps early, doesn’t indulge, etc.

These virtues have also been enumerated in BG CH 13. We must cultivate these virtues and live them. Without these, there can be no hope for liberation.