Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta

The 13th chapter is about the discrimination between kshetra and kshetrajna.Human life in its empirical form is kshetra or the field. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.In this field, we sow seeds – our actions, thoughts and emotions are the seeds. They sprout with some results visible in this life and some in next life. This should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation.Law of karma should not be thought of as determinism. Rather, it asks to own responsibility for our actions. Our actions produce two types of results: One that is tangible and immediate. Another, that is invisible (Adhrishtam). These results are Apoorvam – meaning they did not exist before the action.Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements, as described in the 5th verse. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in the phenomenal world.Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arises because of we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.The next few verses describe the spiritual qualities that one should practice to help discriminate between kshetra and kshetrajna.The qualities described in the 7th and 7th and 8th verses are: (1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life.The 9th verse encourages us to be broad minded and look beyond our near and dear ones. Relationships become less spiritual when we become obsessed with our near and dear ones to the point of hating others.What we know intellectually does not necessarily become our emotional attitude. Only through spiritual practices and reflection are we able to translate our intellectual conviction into our emotional attitude and spiritual common sense.Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.

The 13th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1st verse: “What is Prakriti or matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the field? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think of the field as this material universe, which is changing and that is not eternal. It gradually decays and eventually disappears. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.When we refer to kshetram as the body, it refers to the following – the physical body comprising five elements, five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect.We sow seeds of tendencies and impressions in this field through our actions, thoughts, emotions and words. We are reborn with this legacy of tendencies and impressions. They determine in which direction our mind goes. That is why different people demonstrate different level of interest and understanding when reading a spiritual book. We can only understand what we are spiritually ready for.We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality. Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence. Noble, unselfish action generate spiritual energy which purifies our mind, and helps us manifest this divinity with more effulgence.3rd verse: Lord Krishna says: “What is the nature of this kshetra? How does it undergo change? How does it originate? What is the real nature of kshetrajna? How does it manifest? Hear this from Me.”4th verse: “This great science of understanding the distinction between the Real and the unreal – this is the real knowledge of spiritual realization. Great vedic sages sang great hymns on the glory and greatness of this knowledge.”In daily life, we get into trouble because of wrong prioritization. We prioritize the empirical, the non-eternal. When we learn to prioritize the Real, lots of problems of daily life can be avoided.5th verse: The 5th verse describes the Sankhya philosophy of evolution expounded by Kapila. In Sankhya, there are two categories: (1) Purusha, which is eternal and self-effulgent (2) Prakriti, which is the cause of material evolution. From Prakriti, the first evolute is Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence. From Mahatattvam, the next evolute is Ahamkara or ego-sense. From Ahamkara, the three gunas evolve: Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. The evolutes of sattva guna are the mind, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. The evolutes of tamo guna are the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.The material world consists of the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, sense objects, and human tendencies –desires, love, hatred, pleasure, pain and so on.Within this material world is the divine spark. It is immanent in every being. When we begin to manifest spiritual qualities that are described in the next few verses, then we connect with the divine within.7th and 8th verses: These verses describe the qualities of someone who has spiritual knowledge. (1) Humility – it is the natural expression of one with spiritual growth because he understands that the body is just an instrument to do great things. (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Respect for the teacher (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Understands the misery of birth, death, sickness and old age.Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.Ego cannot be wished away. Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. By sublimating the ego and giving it a promotion, eventually, we can transcend ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “Let this rascal ego remain as a servant of God.”Buddha reflected on the miseries of birth, death, sickness and old age. He went to Bodh Gaya, sat under a tree and took a vow to not leave his seat until he realized the spiritual truth.

The 12 th chapter on Bhakti Yoga begins with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “Some people worshipGod with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest.Which is better?”Arjuna’s question came from a conflict he was facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there aretwo ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) Godas the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought hecould choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-oldboy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in thebeginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara, as the creator and protector. Upon thehighest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and ineverything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.In answer, Lord Krishna says that for those who identify with their body, the path of Nirakara is verydifficult. Their only option is to worship God as Sakara, by performing spiritual practices.They can have the intellectual conviction of the highest idea of God to prevent fanaticism. Advaitaaccommodates the path of Bhakti – each one should follow the path that is most suitable for them.Bhakti reaches its zenith when the devotee feels he is an instrument in the hands of God.In the 13 th to 19 th verses of the 12 th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an idealdevotee. Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuinedevotees are good human beings.Lord Krishna concludes the chapter in the 20 th verse by saying that anyone who practices this greatspiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, with unselfishness, with a universal outlook – he isextremely dear to Him.When a person, who has done spiritual practices in previous life, deviates from that path, God will helpput him back on the right path. In Vaishnava tradition, there is a verse, where God says: “The personwhom I want to bless, I shall steal all his wealth, I shall ensure he is deserted by his friends and becomesisolated. If he still retains his faith, I shall elevate him to such a high position that he will be the envy ofangels.”The 13 th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1 st verse: “What is Prakriti ormatter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of thefield? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”The context behind this question comes from the 11 th chapter. In the 11 th chapter, Arjuna experiencesthe vision of the universal form of the divine. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of timeand space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, humanbeings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from doubts. However, some doubts remained. For example,he thought of the cosmic form as God’s body. He thought, “What happens to God’s body?”Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2 nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. This bodyis a complex, intelligent machine. There is a designer behind it who came up with this intelligent design.That designer is the kshetrajna, the one who knows this machine – it is the divine spark that is presentwithin this body.It is present in every being. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and aBuddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lordmanifests in His full effulgence.We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality.Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realizethat the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.

Its meaning is: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you. I invoke your divine presence in my heart. This texthas 18 chapters and was preached by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna. It was written by the greatsage, Vyasa, and is placed in the middle of a much great work, Mahabharata. Its central theme is thephilosophy of Advaita – it preaches that creation is one spiritual family and all religions represent somany paths leading to the same spiritual goal. “The 12th chapter is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of Devotion. The three other paths taught in the Gitaare Jnana Yoga – the path of knowledge, Karma Yoga – the path of selfless actions, and Dhyana Yoga –the path of self-restraint.In the 13 th and 14 th verses, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee. He does not mentionrituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.15 th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation,envy, fear and anxiety.”18 th and 19 th verses: “His attitude is the same towards a friend or someone hostile to him, towards honorand dishonor, towards praise and criticism, towards heat and cold, and towards happiness and misery.He is content with whatever comes his way and is not attached to a place of residence – such a devoteeis dear to Me.”A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity, because he has a sense of innerfulfillment. The line of demarcation between the duals disappears for him. The world does not agitatehim – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he seesthe whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.20 th verse: “Anyone who practices this great spiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, withunselfishness, with a universal outlook – he is extremely dear to Me.”In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to theKing’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “Theone who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “Bhagavata Purana describes that we can reach this highest level of devotion by practicing NavadhaBhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam(Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam(Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam(Surrendering to Him).The 12th chapter of Gita can be seen as a commentary on an important verse in the Bhagavata Purana.The essence of this verse is: “A spiritual seeker can begin his journey at a temple or with a book. That isjust a starting point. As he moves forward, he starts seeing the presence of God outside the templewalls. As he evolves further, he sees the presence of God everywhere and in everything. Everythingbecomes an act of worship. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, everyaction becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes acircumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God. “What is the residential address of God. Lord Krishna says that his permanent residential address is theheart of all beings.Every Gita chapter ends with a verse which starts as an auspicious prayer referring to the unity andoneness of existence. It then says that Gita was written by Vyasa and appears in the sixth section ofMahabharata. Finally, it equates Gita to the Upanishads. It teaches the science of spiritualenlightenment through four important paths.

12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee.He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who utter God’s name mechanically, but do not practice ethical and moral values, and do not do their duties – they are deluded; they are the enemies of the Lord.”You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”It is important to note that if someone has these qualities that does not necessarily make him a devotee. These verses simply say that a genuine devotee will have these characteristics.A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They had deep contentment which gave them inner strength and strong will to withstand the suffering and obstacles.15th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation, envy, fear and anxiety.”A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity. So, the world does not agitate him – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he sees the whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.Sri Ramakrishna explains the experience of universal oneness of humanity with a metaphor. Suppose we visit someone’s home. We see that the outside gate is made of marble. As we go inside the building and ascend various floors, we find that they are all made of marble. Finally, we reach the terrace and find that the terrace is also made of marble. We get convinced that everything is made of marble only after reaching the terrace. Similarly, in spiritual life, there is an evolution from many to one.

Title: Sarva-Karma-Phala-Tyagam – Philosophy of Desireless Actions12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice of rituals with sincerity).” Rituals are like a fence that protects a plant when it is growing. You don’t need it when the plant becomes a tree. Similarly, the devotee needs rituals at early stages. As he evolves, he transcends rituals.10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.12th verse: “Knowledge is better than mechanical practice of rituals without proper understanding. If you can practice meditation with knowledge that is even better. Renunciation of fruits of your actions (karma-phala-tyāgaḥ) is far better than meditation.”Why is it so? A beginner’s mind may not cooperate with his intellect. When he sits for meditation – it throws undesirable thought currents. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras. The advantage of karma-phala-tyāgaḥ is that it purifies the mind and makes it ready for meditation. It also helps connect the mind to God when we perform the action. One important sign of spiritual progress is that the mind creates less obstacles to what the intellect wants to do.Actions done with karma-phala-tyāgaḥ reduces our anxiety and increases our inclination to acquire knowledge and our ability to concentrate/meditate.Ramanujacharya says: “When we do our duty without desire for self-enjoyment of the results, the mind is cleansed of all sins, karmic blocks and negativity. It attains peace – it becomes calm, quiet and composed.”Physical actions do not make the mind tired. Meaningless, disconnected thought currents make the mind tired. Desireless actions turn the mind towards healthy channels and train it on how to get proper rest.Shankaracharya glorifies desireless actions. He says that when we do desireless actions, we are boarding a bus that is bound to reach its spiritual destination.In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal devotee. He says: “He is not an enemy of anyone; he has no ill-feeling towards any living-being; he is friendly and compassionate towards all living-beings; he is free from ideas of possession; he is free from negative egoism; his mind is in a state of equilibrium; he is forgiving; and he is always contented.”Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. At the same time, he is free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dvesha (obsessive aversion). He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They had deep contentment which gave them inner strength to withstand the suffering and obstacles.

Title: Spiritual Journey - The Four Stages12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”Mind (manah) is the contemplative aspect of the mental system, which thinks but is not settled on a decision. When we see an object from a distance and are unsure whether it is a human being or pillar, that state of the mental system is the mind. When we come to a decision on our speculation, that state of the mental system is intellect (buddhi).When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.This highest state, where we are completely absorbed in our ideal, is not easy to achieve. In our spiritual journey, there are four levels through which we travel. Suppose we are reciting a sacred word symbol, we go through the following evolution: Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound), Pashyanti (silent, focused on the meaning of the mantra), Para (realize the essence). Para is the level described in the 8th verse. It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice).”Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).Devotion to God should make us a better human being. In the 13th and 14th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual characteristics of a devotee. He says that such a devotee is content, he is a friend of everyone, and he is sympathetic to everyone. There is a total absence of negative feelings in him.10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.Even if we don’t think it is God’s work, it is really God’s work. Suppose a person is traveling in a train. If he moves around in the train, he cannot reach the destination faster. He will reach the destination when the train reaches its destination. The train is doing the work. Similarly, even though we are not aware of it, everything is God’s work. When we do the work as God’s work, we don’t feel the weight of the work, and we are free from anxiety.11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.

Title: The Two Paths of Worship12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 111st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) Saguna – God with names and forms, as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) Nirguna - God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. One must be spiritually ready to pursue the path of Nirguna. A philosophical conviction about the higher reality does not equate to experience or one’s readiness to pursue the higher path. Philosophical conviction helps us guard against fanaticism.Lord Krishna talks about the journey of all spiritual seekers in his answer in the next few verses.In the 3rd and 4th verses he says: “Those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they can pursue the higher path.”Before this, in the 2nd verse, he says that those who are not ready for this higher contemplation should slowly take the graded path. They should practice rituals and go to temples – when they do this with shraddha, their mind will be absorbed in God. Then gradually, they can reach the higher path.A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. When the mind and senses are perfectly under control, the higher path can be pursued.We cannot wish away our mental karmic blocks. The first path is to sublimate our mind, emotions and thoughts to God. In the 8th through 11th verse, Lord Krishna provides a descending order of the journey of spiritual seekers. In the 8th verse, he explains the highest state where one is always focused on God. For those who cannot do this, in the 9th verse, he asks them to pursue spiritual practices such as Navadha Bhakti. For those who cannot do this, in the 10th verse, he asks them to do all work for God’s sake. For those who cannot even do this, in the 11th verse, he asks them to do their normal work and offer the fruits of their work to him.How does one know that they are on the right track? When they do something wrong, their own mind will throw a red flag. When the mind develops a self-correcting mechanism, one should know that he is on the correct track.In the 5th verse, Lord Krishna explains the challenges associated with directly pursuing the higher path. He says: “Those who identify themselves with the body-mind complex and the empirical phenomenon, for them the path of knowledge is extremely difficult, almost impossible. It leads to self-deception.”Some people read advaitic books and start thinking they are Brahman. They think there is no need to practice self-control. This is self-deception. Advaita is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of experience. One has to travel some distance from a concept to experience.Advaita does not reject rituals and devotion, which is the beginning stage of one’s spiritual journey. Shankaracharya was the greatest teacher of Advaita. The same Shankaracharya wrote the most wonderful devotional poems in Sanskrit, praising God with form.6th verse: “There are those who perform all their duties dedicated to Me, keeping Me in their mind, who offer the fruits of all their actions to Me – they do all their secular duties as a spiritual activity.”Our journey starts with “Work and worship, evolves to “Work as worship” and culminates in “Everything is worship.” Then all secular activities are spiritualized.

Title: Navadha Bhakti – Nine Methods of Worship12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 41st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, we need to start our spiritual life based on where we stand and what we are fit for. Even Buddha had to evolve through 543 life cycles before becoming Buddha.2nd verse: To encourage Arjuna and to have him focus on God with name and form, Lord Krishna answers in the second verse. “There are some devotees who put their whole mind on Me, they worship Me, and they are completely dedicated to Me. To them, I reveal My true nature. They are certainly great Yogis.”Lord Krishna continues with his answer in the 3rd through 20th verse.3rd and 4th verses: “But those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they also attain Me alone.”Normally our mind flows towards the external world through our senses of perception and action. These advanced seekers, when they think of God, they can keep their mind focused on that divine idea. Swami Vivekananda said: “Standing in the middle of market street in San Francisco, if you can meditate, then you are a Yogi.”For those who have not reached this higher state, they should set apart some time for spiritual practices in the middle of their secular activities.There are nine ways of connecting with God, as taught by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him, also known as Prapatti or Sharanagati).Devotion comes when we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. When we do so, we get a feeling of inner fulfillment and contentment.Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. If we do not direct our ego towards good channels, it will go towards negative ones. Whatever we do, do as an offering. Then spiritual qualities will come to us. Finally, we can transcend ego.Prapatti or Sharanagati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.Such a devotee considers every hindrance as a blessing in disguise. He interprets every problem of life in a spiritual way.Bhagavata Purana has beautiful stories of devotion. Ajamila’s story illustrates how devotion comes to our rescue at the time of death. Ajamila initially led a spiritual life but had a deviation later. His son’s name was Narayana, synonym of Lord Vishnu. At the last moment, when he uttered Narayana to call his son, his mind went towards Lord Vishnu, and he attained liberation.In the Ishavasya Upanishad, there is a verse where a dying man pleads to his mind: “O my mind, remember all the good deeds you have done.” At the point of death, we feel helpless and want to hold on to something. We should have a storehouse of good thoughts that can give us a sense of fulfillment at the last moment.In Pantheism, when we equate nature to God, our mind begins to evolve spiritually. Ancestor worship reminds us that there is something beyond the body and makes us think beyond the empirical. In image worship, one does not equate the image to God. When a spiritual seeker worships an image, he first invokes and projects the all-pervading divine principle in that image.