Friday, April 20, 2012

GEETA FIRST 8 SHLOKA MEANING CONTINUED

    4,5, AND 6 . These shlokas have names of the warriors on the side of the Pandawas, namely Bhima Arjuna, Yuyudhana, Virata, Drupada, Dristaketu, Chekitana ,Kashiraj ,Purujit, Kuntibhoja,Shaibya,Yudhamannyu,Uttamojas, Son of Subhadra, (Abhimannyu )and the sons of Draupadi.
    Theses names are not all known to the readers of Mahabharata , certainly we know Bhima and Arjuna and some others , but Chekitana?, Purujit? . at least I was not aware of the importance of these names to be mentioned in these shlokas. So why are they mentioned?
    The answer comes from the meaning of these names . We may also have to look at the way we can do meditation , what are the things that are required to attain the highest levels of the ' samadhi' and how at each step we have opposition from our attraction from sense organ indulgence.
    Bhima ,is the son of 'Wind ' or Air, and it indicates control of 'Prana' or the 'life force . As we know the control of our breathing is essential part of achieving the highest levels of 'samadhi ' So Bhima is on the side of ' good '.
    Arjuna , represents the 'fire' element and it is at the lumbar center or the Manipur chakra. This has special importance. If one  remembers the structure of the Astral spine and the causal spine then we realise that  , our physical sensations are carried from the periphery to the spinal centers , from there the ascend to the brain , in it's various parts depending upon the location of origin of the stimulus. During the meditation  i.e. samadhi,  the goal is to ' withdraw ' our sensory input and try to 'cross the energy from physical to astral to causal spine . This opening between the astral spine and the causal spine is at the level of Manipura chakra.' That is why this stage is very important.
   Let me state the Sanskrit meaning (as per Yogananda ),of the different names which are mentioned in these shlokas. Yuyudhana is devotion to the God, Virataa is samadhi, Drupada is dispassion Dristaketuis resistance -mental (to the various temptations ). Chekitana is memory (that develops with repeated attempts of meditations and pleasure that we get when we achieve certain closeness with the God ),Kashiraj is the intellect to know 'good ' from 'bad ' .,Purujit is interiorization,  Kuntibhoja is good posture ( which is required for achieving the Samadhi )Shabya persistence or Adherence , Yudhamannyu is control of the life force.Uttamojas is celibacy, Abhimannyu the son of subhadra,is self control and the 'sons of Draupadi ' are the awakened 5 centers.
  I do not have enough knowledge of the Sanskrit verbs to explain ,but one can find them in books by Yogananda. Please let me state that I understood this from the Master Yoganand, and like the explanation.
     In the attempt to perceive the God , we need to go through certain behavioral changes and then certain changes in our thought and attempts at the proper meditation . The levels that we go through are gradually 'higher' and 'higher' and finally we feel on e with him . i.e Nirwikalpa Samadhi.There are are certain things that are called "Yama" and these are the changes in our behaviour and then in actions that we have to do . These are Ahinsa(nonviolence, this has to be direct and indirect and must be in physical action and also in thought ) Satya ( truthfulness again in action and in the thought. ), Astyey ( not to steal or indulge in sense organ , rather than doing it for survival.there are many different things that can be given as examples. Overeating to stealing from 'nature ', all of this is stealing ). Brahmachary (celibacy).Aparigraha(limiting possession or not have hoarding.All the Yams are moral conduct and avoiding immoral conducts . The Niyamas are the rules or 'way ' to achieve the Samadhi . These are Sauch (cleanliness ), Santosh ( satisfaction )Tap ,Swadhyay (study of scriptures and continuation of attempts to do meditation, Ishwarpranidhan
      To get to it we need proper Posture(asan ),control of breathing (pranayam) ,interiorization of mind(pratyahar).,concentration on the God (dharana )and finally the union with the God (samadhi).                        .

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