Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta

12th chapter: verse 11st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”In his introduction to 12th chapter, Shankaracharya says - from earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as Sakara - the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as Nirakara - as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. The idea of God as Sakara is not wrong, but it is not the highest idea of God. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. At the highest level, we see God as Nirakara. Arjuna thought he could choose between these two ideas of God.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, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara. Upon the highest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and in everything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, the highest idea of God transcends names and forms – it is not devoid of them.We have to start with what we are ready for. Our readiness is determined not just based on our present life. It is based on all our accumulated samskaras from past life. A good example of this are the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna instructed Swami Vivekananda in the Nirakara concept of God, because he knew he was a deserving candidate for non-dualism. At the same time, he instructed other disciples to practice dualistic forms of worship (Sakara concept of God).Eshana-traya refers to three types of desires. 1. Desire to have family and children 2. Desire for wealth 3. Desire for reputation or desire for heavenly enjoyments.If one has desires left, he is not a deserving candidate for the highest idea of God. He should start by praying to God to get his desires fulfilled. He should give a spiritual orientation to his natural emotions and feelings – this helps direct the mind towards healthier channels. Then he will reach a point where he will feel a sense of renunciation.Karma-Yoga or unselfish, noble deeds done as an offering to God help in sublimation of desires and in weakening the effect of negative samskaras. Every good action leaves a vritti (impression) in the mental system and increases the storehouse of positive samskaras. Ultimately it takes us to a stage called Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity). At that point, we are ready for the highest idea of God (Nirakara).A person who has reached the Nirakara concept of God is established in the highest humanistic moral, ethical and spiritual qualities. He is contented, self-restrained, and a friend of everyone – no one is afraid of him, and he is not afraid of anyone.

12th chapter: verse 1 is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of devotion. Gita classifies spiritual practices in three categories depending on the temperament of the person. Those who are intellectual in nature and have complete sense control can pursue Jnana Yoga. Those involved in action can pursue Karma Yoga by performing all actions with detachment and unselfishness. The third path is Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion.Narada Bhakti Sutra defines Bhakti as the “nature of supreme, unselfish love for God”. In Bhakti, we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. In Bhakti tradition, one can look upon God with various attitudes – as Mother, father, child or friend. When we divert our emotions towards God, we get a feeling of inner richness, joy, fulfillment, and contentment.Inner contentment is not the absence of dis-satisfaction. It is called Santosha in Sanskrit. Inner contentment is the first sign of a true devotee. A true devotee can never be bitter towards anyone.Bhagavata Purana is one of the Hindu classics on bhakti. It was written by Vyasa and has over 18,000 verses divided into twelve skandhas and 335 chapters. Vyasa wrote the Bhagavata Purana on the advice of Narada to help the common man get inner spiritual contentment.1st 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, that is Nirakara, 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, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God with rituals. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. Upon the highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship.If our mind is pure and we have total sense control, then we can feel the presence of the divine everywhere. Just believing that God is everywhere is not enough – it has to become our own spiritual experience. It is not philosophy – it is a matter of our own spiritual experience.A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, at the highest spiritual level, one transcends rituals - he does not reject them.Shankaracharya is the greatest teacher of Advaita. He taught that the highest devotee is one who feels the presence of God everywhere and spiritualizes all his secular activities. The essence of his teachings is that we can transcend rituals. The same Shankaracharya wrote the most wonderful devotional poems in Sanskrit, praising God with form.Under Bhakti tradition, even hatred can be directed towards God – with the constant thought of a divine idea, divinity enters our hearts.In the Bhagavata Purana, Prahlada is one of the greatest devotees, and was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu. He teaches Navadha Bhakti to his friends. Under Navadha Bhakti, one follows nine disciplines: 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 (Offering Oneself to Him).Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. We can be proud that we are devotees. 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.

11th chapter: verses 29, 48, 54, 5529th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we have a higher spiritual goal that guides our actions, then we start moving towards our true spiritual destination. Upon reaching it, we realize our immortal dimension as the Atman. We realize that the same Atman exists in all of us.Upon that highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship. We can spiritualize our everyday activities – our whole life becomes a spiritual sacrament.In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.”Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of transcendental excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by practicing karma yoga, bhakti yoga or other yogas. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with an unselfish attitude, then it becomes a spiritual action. The line of demarcation between secular and spiritual vanishes.48th verse: “The highest truth cannot be realized just by scholarship.” Theology or philosophy is not a substitute for one's own spiritual experience and realization. When we realize the presence of the divine, a transformation comes upon us. We feel inner contentment. We become broad-minded and a better human being. We see God in everything and everything in God.In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “ 55th verse: “You should do everything as offering to Me (mat-karma-kṛit). You should consider Me as the supreme goal in life (mat-paramaḥ). You should be devoted to Me (mat-bhaktaḥ). You should be free from obsessive attachment ( saṅga-varjitaḥ). You should look upon the whole creation as one spiritual family, without malice towards anyone (nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu). Then you will certainly come to Me.”The attitude with which one does the action determines whether he is a spiritual action. A priest’s worship may be mechanical as a duty. On the other hand, a soldier may do his duty as an act of worship. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity, sacredness, unselfishness and without obsessive attachment to results, then it becomes an act of worship. Our journey starts with “Work and worship, evolves to “Work as worship” and culminates in “Everything is worship.” Then all secular activities are spiritualized.Prapatti 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. When we surrender, we feel a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders.Only a person who follows the principles of Satyam, Ritm and Dharma can be spiritual. He looks upon the entire creation as one spiritual family.Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness.Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.54th verse is the prelude to the 12th chapter. Lord Krishna says: “You can understand My true nature only by true, single minded devotion.”Thus, ends the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of all scriptures.

In the 11th chapter, the whole mystery of human existence is expressed in sublime poetry, which describe Arjuna’s vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.The whole reality is visible to Arjuna is one dimension, transcending time, space and causation. When we have a transcendental spiritual experience, we transcend time and space – the reality is then visible in one dimension.29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “Every moment something ceases to exist – all of us are moving towards disappearance. To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we pause and reflect on the true meaning of life and understand that we are not this body-mind complex - at that moment, we start our journey away from the blazing fire.In the Kathopanishad, Yama explains the science of going beyond death to Nachiketa. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.Death is just at the physical level. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman. Once we realize our immortal dimension, we are no longer like moths rushing towards the blazing fire.We have two options. Our first option is to identify ourselves as beings that come into existence, exist for a while and then disappear. The second option is to identify ourselves with our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless.Ishavasya Upanishad says that the entire world is enveloped by the divine spark everywhere. We don’t have to run away from the world – we have to change our perspective. We need to understand the perishable nature of the perishable and the imperishable nature of our true identity. Then the world is no longer a blazing fire – it becomes a happy and enjoyable place.At the end of the 11th chapter, after showing his cosmic form, Lord Krishna says: “You can understand My true nature only by true devotion.” Then we can live in this world but convert this blazing fire into a heavenly place. We can give all our secular activities a spiritual orientation – we can do them with a sense of sanctity, sacredness and detachment, as an offering to the Lord and for the welfare of others.In the next few verses, Arjuna describes this vision of the Absolute Reality, which is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental. He also describes his reactions.21st verse: “The divine angels, the saints and sages, they enter You. Some extol You in fear with joined palms. They praise you with splendid hymns. Every word that is uttered as an expression of glory or greatness is a tribute to You, directly or indirectly.”In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.22nd verse: “All the celestial entities – the rudras, adityas and so on – they all exist within You. They are all looking at you quite astounded.”23rd verse: “Seeing your immeasurable form with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, bellies, tusks – the worlds are awe-struck and so am I.”How can a human explain the infinite? He can only use finite tools to explain the infinite. These verses are poetic – they sing about the absolute reality but do not define it.24th verse: “I am seeing You touching the sky, shining in many colors, with gaping mouths and large fiery eyes. I am terrified at heart and find no courage or peace O Vishnu.”25th verse: “Having seen your mouths with fearful tusks and blazing like fire, I have no sense of direction nor do I find peace. Please have mercy on me, O Lord of the universe.”

Title: Arjuna’s Vision of the Universal Form of the Divine11th chapter: verses 12-18In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. Imagine that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form. Human life becomes a problem when we relate to a specific experience at a moment. If we can extend this vision backward to the past and forward to the future, then we can see the reality beyond time. We understand the insignificant nature of our present worries.In Vishwa-Rupa-Darshana (vision of the divine form), the Absolute Reality is conceived as one physical all-pervading reality. Every effort to explain this one, infinite, reality is only an approximation. Purusha-Suktam of Rig Veda says: this reality is both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. It is infinite and beyond words. It transcends the triple dimensions of time.Lord Krishna granted this vision to Arjuna, not through a special eye, but by removing the impurities from Arjuna’s mind. Normally, our mind is clouded with impurities from our past samskaras that prevent us from realizing our true nature. Higher mystical thoughts emerge when we turn the journey inward, in pursuit of the truth.In the next few verses, Arjuna and Sanjaya describe this vision of the Absolute Reality, which is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.12th and 13th verse: Sanjaya says: “This cosmic effulgence is like the combined effulgence of thousands of suns rising in the east. Arjuna saw in one point the entire cosmic life manifesting in so many ways in the past, present and future.”14th verse: Sanjaya says: “When Arjuna saw this vision, he was overwhelmed and struck with wonder. He folded his hands and prayed to Lord Krishna.”15th verse: Arjuna says: “I see in You all the gods and goddesses. I see Brahma the creator. I see the point of origin, existence and dissolution. I see saints and sages. I see different creations and so many different manifestations in You.”16th verse: Arjuna says: “I see You as the boundless form, as the infinite reality, with manifold arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes. However, I see neither Your end, nor the middle nor the beginning, O Lord of the universal form.”How can a human explain the infinite? He can only use finite tools to explain the infinite. These verses are poetic – they sing about the absolute reality but do not define it.17th verse: Arjuna says: “I see You with diadem, club and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere which is like the blazing sun and fire everywhere, and immeasurable.”Lord Krishna presented himself as Vishnu, who has these external symbols, for blessing and protection of creation.18th verse: “You are the totality of existence. You are indestructible. You are the supreme truth to be realized. You are the supreme abode of the universe. You are inexhaustible. You are the protector of dharma. You are eternal and unchanging. You are the purusha – the divine spark that is immanent and all-pervading.”Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which we preserve, sustain, regulate and protect the universe. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. When we face an adversity in life, such as death, a well-wisher may give us good counsel. But it is not sufficient – we may feel that we are being told what we already know. Imagine, however, that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form.Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. The same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”This highest experience of seeing the Absolute reality as immanent, all-pervading and transcendental is not possible at the empirical level. It can only be experienced at the spiritual level. Buddha had this experience after meditating for many years at Bodh-Gaya. Buddha was able to see all his previous life cycles. Similarly, Arjuna, with the grace of Lord Krishna, was able to the past, present and future of himself and the entire creation.7th verse: Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “You can see this cosmic vision, the entire existence, both moving and unmoving, all within this one Reality.”Reality is one. Every effort to explain this one, infinite, reality is only an approximation. Purusha-Suktam of Rig Veda says: this reality is both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. It is infinite and beyond words. It transcends the triple dimensions of time.In the Ocean, there is only pure water. Waves are just water in another form. Similarly, the entire existence can be viewed in one dimension. Our concept of past, present and future is only imaginary. We only experience the present. We experienced the past when it presented itself as the present. We will experience the future when it presents itself as the present.8th verse: “But you cannot see this vision of mine with these eyes of yours. I am giving you the celestial eye to behold My vision.”Lord Krishna granted this vision to Arjuna, not through a special eye, but by removing the impurities from Arjuna’s mind. Normally, our mind is clouded with impurities from our past samskaras that prevent us from realizing our true nature. Everyone can experience this reality by evolving through spiritual practices.Lord Krishna helped Arjuna by removing the veil of Maya. Maya functions as mental blocks. It is the mystery that we experience in daily life, that defies human logic and that has no satisfactory answers. We can reduce the intensity of Maya by achieving mental purity through karma yoga.In the Mahabharata, there are other instances where the Lord shows his cosmic form. Both Yashoda and Duryodhana had these opportunities, but it did not have a similar beneficial effect on them. We should be spiritually ready to benefit from God’s grace. Our spiritual efforts and God’s grace must come together.Sri Ramakrishna said to Swami Vivekananda that God can be seen by a pure buddhi. The purified mind becomes Atman itself.We listen to scriptures as they give a glimpse into the higher possibilities of life. As we evolve, our mind becomes more ready to translate what we read into our own experience.During meditation, we should de-identify with our thoughts. This means we should not welcome them, we should not befriend them, and we should not antagonize them.

11th chapter: verses 1-5In the 10th chapter, the main message is that everything is an expression of the divine. When we see a golden ornament, the essence of it is gold. When we see a pot made of mud, its essence is mud. Similarly, the divine is the essence of everything. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.The 11th chapter communicates the same essence in a different manner. We should be able to see the different ornaments when we see gold, and we should be able to see pots when we see mud.The manifestations described in the 10th chapter are meant to increase devotion. When we realize the various manifestations of God, we should also know that the Lord transcends time, space and causation. He is present everywhere and in everything. He is not just immanent – He is also transcendental.Our idea of events is limited to time and space. If we can transcend these, we can see the entire existence in one dimension, with no demarcation between past, present and future. We will see various beings coming and going – birth, existence, death, rebirth – all happening simultaneously.In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine.1st verse: Arjuna says: “You have taught me this supreme, spiritual truth. With this discerning wisdom of spirituality, you have removed my delusion and ignorance.”Gita is a discussion in the field of action. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. After Lord Krishna’s instructions, the same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”How did Arjuna learn this wisdom? At first, Lord Krishna taught him philosophy, the knowledge of Atman – that did not work. Then Lord Krishna taught him the path of devotion. Arjuna’s doubts still remained. Finally, Lord Krishna shows him the vision of His universal form – then Arjuna is freed from all doubts.When we face an adversity in life, such as death, a well-wisher may give us good counsel. But it is not sufficient – we may feel that we are being told what we already know. Imagine, however, that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form.In the 77th verse of the 18th chapter, Sanjaya says: “I still remember the wonderful form of Lord Krishna. Remembering it, I feel great joy and contentment.”2nd verse: “I have heard from many sources that you are the origin and dissolution of all beings – from you everything originates. They exist and dissolve in you. And they re-emerge from you.”3rd verse: “You have declared yourself to be present in everything. You are the divine reality that manifests in many ways. I want to see that supreme divine form of yours. Then only I will get peace of mind.”4th verse: “If you think I am deserving of seeing this vision, then O’ Lord of Yogis, please show me that divine form.”Later in the chapter, Lord Krishna shows his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.5th verse: Lord Krishna says: “You can see by hundreds and thousands my different forms of celestial, human, non-human beings of various colors and shapes – everything that you consider as existence. They emerge in infinite numbers and dimensions. They exist, they dissolve, and they re-emerge. This cycle continues all within Me.”Later in the chapter, Lord Krishna gives Arjuna the power to see his divine form. He must have put Arjuna in a state similar to samadhi, where one transcends time, space and causation. Sri Ramakrishna put Swami Vivekananda in a similar state through his touch – upon that touch, names and forms started disappearing. Such an experience is not possible at the physical level, - it can only be experienced at the spiritual level.

Title: Manifesting the Divinity Within10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 38-42The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. The summary of this chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of other verses, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.To make this clearer, in other verses of this chapter, Lord Krishna describes his physical manifestations.38th verse: “I am danda, the principle of punishment; I am statesmanship among those who want to conquer; I am silence among secrets; I am the knowledge of the knower.”There are four techniques used to solve problems in state affairs. Sama (pacify with soft speech), dana (gift to someone fighting for his rights), bheda (creating division among troublemakers) and danda (punishment, which deters a person from doing wrong). Among the four methods, danda is the most important.39th verse: “I am the seed of all beings; there is nothing in this world, moving or stationary, which can exist without Me.”When we put seed in soil, it sprouts and grows into a plant or tree. The seed contains an unseen, subtle power that helps it grow. That unseen power is the presence of the divine reality.“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).There is nothing in this world without God’s presence within it. Highest definition of God cannot be limited to one physical form. We can start our spiritual journey with one physical form, but as we evolve with our spiritual sadhanas, we manifest the divinity within us, and see the presence of God in everything.40th verse: “There is no end to My divine glories. I have just given you a sample of My glories.”God is the essential totality of the whole universe. His characteristics cannot be listed numerically. Everything is an expression of the divine reality.We can manifest this divinity in many ways. Every human endeavor can be given a spiritual dimension. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.Valmiki’s personal transformation and his authorship of Valmiki Ramayana is an illustration of how to manifest this divinity by doing some dedicated, unselfish work – achieving a degree of perfection in that work yet maintaining an attitude of renunciation.When a person starts karma yoga – practicing unselfishness with duty consciousness, doing all his work as an offering to God – he has already boarded the bus that is bound to take him to his destination.42nd verse: “What is the use of knowing all this diversity. You know this much – I exist everywhere, and I am the support of this whole creation by a portion of myself.”Thus, ends the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of all scriptures.

Title: Manifestations of the Divine10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-38The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of verse 21 onwards, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.To make this clearer, from the 25th to 38th verse, Lord Krishna describes his physical manifestations.In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the sounds, I am Omkara.” Omkara is the essence of all human sound and speech systems.In the 26th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among sacred trees, I am Ashvattha.” Ashvattha is considered the most auspicious among trees.In the 29th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the regulators, I am Yama.” Yama is the great equalizer – real equality is possible only in the palace of the Lord of death. In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am the all-consuming death.”Death is inescapable. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman. Atman is indestructible – it was never born, and it never dies. Immortality cannot be achieved at physical level.Yama explains the mystery of death to Nachiketa in the Kathopanishad. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.In the 35th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among vedic mantras, I am Brihat sama.” Sama is mantra turned into its musical form. He says: “Among metres, I am Gayatri.”In the 36th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am gambling in those who deceive.” What Lord Krishna means is that if someone is possessed with great qualities but is wicked, he implants something in that person that becomes a cause of his downfall. For example, Ravana’s obsession with sensuality was the cause of his downfall.Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, the divine reality. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine reality.In the 37th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the Pandavas, I am Arjuna.” Lord Krishna chose Arjuna as his student, over Yudhishthira and other Pandavas, because Arjuna was a man of action, who was eager to learn, and who would put into practice what he learnt.Spiritual life should not be lived in the world of ideas. We need to put these ideas into action. We can start our spiritual life by doing unselfish, noble deeds. Such physical actions generate spiritual energy and increase the storehouse of our healthy samskaras.

10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-34The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime supreme, beautiful and creative. Then, when we look around, we won’t see anything other than the divine.The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of verse 21 onwards, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.From the 25th to 34th verse, Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the sounds, I am Omkara.” Omkara is the essence of all human sound and speech system. It represents the totality and oneness of existence. Omkara should be chanted with a lengthened vowel sound. It begins and ends in silence. Its chanting gives us inner tranquility and peace.In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna also says: “Among prayers, I am japa-yajñaḥ”. Japa-yajñaḥ is the most sublime form of spiritual practice - a state where the devotee is naturally and spontaneously merged in the continuous recital of the mantra.Mantra japa has four stages in descending order: Para (realize the essence), Pashyanti (focused on the meaning of the mantra), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound) and Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound). It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.In the 26th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among sacred trees, I am Ashvattha; among divine sages, I am Narada; among perfect souls, I am Kapila.” Narada is a sage in Hindu mythology who appeared before anyone needing spiritual guidance and helped them.In the 29th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the regulators, I am Yama.” Yama is the great equalizer – real equality is possible only in the palace of the Lord of death.In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among demons, I am Prahlada.” Prahlada is one of the greatest devotees, and was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.In the 31st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among warriors, I am Rama.” Rama was an embodiment of dharma. He was a warrior but an embodiment of ahimsa. Valmiki is the author of Valmiki Ramayana, and his own story of spiritual transformation is very inspiring.In the 33rd verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among compounds, I am Dvandva; I am the dispenser of fruits of all actions.” Dvandva is a linguistic compound in Sanskrit in which any number of nouns can be concatenated together with equal importance. There is a cause effect link in whatever we do – the result of our action may be invisible, but it is felt. These results are dispensed by the indweller within us.In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am the all-consuming death. I take the form of the exquisite feminine qualities such as good name, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, and endurance.” Death is inescapable. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman.Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi where Maitreyi questions whether wealth can give eternal happiness and immortality.