The Gita: An Episodic Outline
(Being the English translation of an extract from a letter to Srimat Swami Satyananda Sarasvati)
by,Srimat Anirvan(1896 – 1978),
Translated from the Original Bengali by: Sudipta Munsi
In the Gītā, Śrī Kŗşņa has gradually clarified himself to the consciousness of Arjuna. Hence, during exposition, always the
context is to be remembered.
In the Despondency-Episode (vişādayoga) the individual soul (jīva) is the enquirer. The greatest problem of life has made
its appearance – the problem of death. How to cross death, this thought has made a dramatic appearance.
In the second chapter is its full answer – from the standpoint of self-realisation (ātmadarśana). Brahmanirvāņa and
Brāhmīsthiti, both have been spoken of there. This very chapter is the essential mystery (marmarahsya) of the Gītā. In
other chapters is its amplification.
In the third chapter, as a sequel to the second chapter hints to the discipline of action (karmasādhanā) have been
spoken of.
In the fourth chapter is the harmonisation of Knowledge (jñāna) and Action (karma). In course of this has come the
principle of Incarnation (avatāra-tattva). This is important. What is said here in hints will be gradually clearer in the ninth
chapter.
In the fifth chapter, hints are given to the fact that the culmination of the disciplines of Knowledge (jñānayoga) and
Action (karma) is in Devotion (bhakti) or the fixation of the mind on God (bhagavadbuddhi).
In the sixth chapter there is practical instruction on the practice of the Yoga (yogasādhanā). Upto this is the first
hexateuch. Its main object of exposition is the knowledge of the Self (ātmajñāna), because without knowing one’s own
self, it is not possible to become Brahman. In this hexateuch, He has spoken very little of Brahman or God. The main
theme is Sāmkhya or the discipline of Knowledge (jñānayoga) – but that too not without action. Many people succeed
following this very way. Therefore Arjuna’s inquiry could have ended here only.
It has not. He propitiously set out to impart an entire knowledge of Himself in the seventh chapter. Knowing Him after
knowing one’s own self – the practice (sādhanā) became more intense. To know one’s own self is Jñāna, to know Him is
Vijñāna. A prelude of it is in the seventh chapter.
To know Him, the mystery of the phenomena (jagatrahasya) must be known. There are seven great mysteries
(mahārahasya), and in the eighth chapter there is a description of them. The mystery of death (mŗtyu-rahasya) is to be
known in particular. It has been spoken of rather elaborately. Death is not the extinction of the lamp, it is merging into
Him. One has to be careful of this.
The ninth chapter is the most important in the Gītā. When all the mysteries of life and death, and the world are known,
then we will be able to know who He is, who has assumed a form. What is the real nature (svarupa) of Him who has
‘resorted to a human frame’ as an incarnate. This knowing is the Supreme Knowing (parama vijñāna). Speaking of that
royal mystery (rājaguhya) in this chapter He revealed Himself. From now on, every word of the Gītā is to be understood
as a grand revelation by the Lord Incarnate.
To make this realisation clear is the Yoga of Divine Powers (vibhūtiyoga) in the tenth chapter – everywhere there is a
hint to visualise Him in a visible form (mūrtarūpa). Its Concrete Realisation is in the vision of the World-Form
(viśvarūpadarśana) in the eleventh chapter. But Arjuna discerned the World-Form as destruction (kālarūpa), as death
(mŗtyu) – in the context of the Kurukşetra; Bŗndāvana is here unmentioned.
Devotion (bhakti) is possible only on discerning the World-Form, on realising the Supreme (parama) within this humanform
(mānuśī tanu). This devotion is the culmination (pūrņatā) of Self-knowledge (ātmajñāna). With the twelfth chapter
ended the second hexateuch. Knowing one’s own self and knowing Him became complete.
Here the inquiry (jijñāsa) ends as well. But He unasked again imparts the knowledge of the phenomena (jagat-jñāna)
propitiously. The basis of this knowledge is the Vision of the Cosmic Form (Viśvarūpadarśana). The aspirant is established
in the Cosmic Consciousness. He discerns from that plane – Prakŗti-Puruşa, the three Guņas (Guņatraya), the three faiths
(śraddhātraya), the play of Gods and the demons (devāsuralīlā), the myriad world (jagat-vaicitrya) (Ch. XVIII) etc. The
pivot of this vision is the principle of the Supreme Soul (puruşottama-tattva). In short, this is the significance of the
episodic division of the Gītā.
The Mystery of Gâyatrî
(Being the English translation of a letter to Srimat Swami Satyananda Sarasvati)
[Source: Pravacana, Part 3, Pp. 188-190]
Srimat Anirvan (1896 – 1978),
Translated from the Original Bengali by: Sudipta Munsi
What we call the Gāyatrī-mantra, infact it is the Sāvitra-hymn written in the Gāyatrī metre. Its presiding deity is ‘Savitā’.
From midnight to midday the rise of Āditya has been divided into seven stages. In the spiritual (adhyātma) aspect, these
stages are the stages of the awakening of our consciousness (cid-unmeşa). Savitā is the deity of the third stage. After Uşā
is Savitā. Even before that there is a dual-stage (yugma-parva) of the Aśvins. After midnight, the manifestation of light
takes place even amidst darkness. Before dawn, the sky becomes greyish. Upto this is the period of the Aśvins – the
period of the unnoticed awakening of Knowledge (vidyā) even amidst extreme Ignorance (avidyā). Thereafter with the
appearance of Dawn (Uşā) the sky becomes red. From the spiritual viewpoint (adhyātmadŗşţi) this has been compared
with the dawn of Faith (śraddhā). After this is the period of Savitā. He remains invisible under the horizon, but the glow
of his light spreads across the sky above. On the earth there is still darkness. In the spiritual aspect, after the infiltration
of Faith, there occurs the experience of the Divine-Lustre (divya-vibhā) in the cerebral consciousness (mūrdhanya
cetanā), but the lower portion of the person still remains under the spell of Ignorance (avidyā). There are two meanings
of the word ‘Savitā’ – one who impels, one who conceives. The former meaning is the chief one. The definition of his
inspiration (preraņā) is ‘Pracodanā’, meaning an impulsion. In the Savitā-hymn there is a clear mention of it.
There are two actions spoke of in the hymn – one of the aspirant (upāsaka) and the other of the deity (devatā). The
aspirant is not alone, he is the representative of the world-phenomena. Hence its mention in the plural number.
‘Dhīmahi’ is the action on the part of the aspirants or the aspirant, representative of all. Meaning – we place it (the
meaning as ‘we meditate’ is secondary). ‘Pracodayāt’ – the action on the part of the deity, may he impel or lead up our
Dhī or meditative-consciousness (dhyāna-cetanā).
Now the hints on practice.
We are, on attracting the ‘vareņya bharga’ or the sweet burning sensation (madhura dahana-jvālā) (Cf. ‘tapta-ikşucarvaņa’)
of the luminous Savitā (jyotirmaya Savitā) within us. How? – I’m placing the light of Savitā spread over my head
within the heart through the eyebrow-consciousness (bhrūmadhya-cetanā), attracting it via the path of the central pore
of the palate (brahmarandhra-patha). In the Aitareya Upanişad the cerebral-consciousness (mūrdhanya-cetanā),
eyebrow-consciousness (bhrūmadhya-cetanā) and heart-consciousness (hārda-cetanā) are talled the three ‘Āvasatha’s.
Hints are there at many places in the Vedas as to the attraction of the rays of Savitā through the path of the central pore
of the palate (brahmarandhra-patha) or the Hitā-nerve (Hitā-nāòī).
With the rays attracted and placed within the heart (hŗdaya) our individual consciousness (jīvacaitanya) is awakened, the
Dhī or meditative-consciousness (dhyānacetanā) unfolds in the heart or the seat of individuality (jīvasthāna) – with the
touch of the deity (devatā); then the surrender to the deity – may he lead the meditation placed within the heart
(hŗcchaya-dhyāna) in the reverse order through the path of the central pore of the palate to the Āditya-realm (ādityamaņòala)
in the Great Void (mahāśūnya).
While inhaling think upto ‘Dhīmahi’, and while exhaling think upto ‘Pracodayāt’. In this way Japa and thinking
(arthabhāvanā) will continue keeping pace with the rhythm of inhalation-exhalation.
The ‘Bestowal of Power’ (śaktipāta) occurs while attracting the ‘vareņya bharga’ of Savitā, its seed is ‘Saù’. Again while
detraction (vikarşana) the consciousness gets merged into Śiva. Its seed is ‘Haà’. The former hymn is with visarga – the
hymn of creation. The next one is with the bindu (dot) – the hymn of dissolution (pralaya). Uniting the two is ‘Haàsa’ –
the symbol of Individuality (jīvātmā). The Jīva resting in Brahman (brahmībhūta jīva) is the ‘Paramahaàsa’. In the
‘Haàsavatī’ hymn of the Ŗk-saàhitā there is a description of it. Haàsa is also the symbol of Āditya.
Gāyatrī is the essence of all hymns, of the nature of Vāk (Speech). Sarasvatī, the goddess of Speech rides on the Haàsa,
i.e., from the pure individual consciousness (śuddha jīvacaitanya) appears Vāk, of the nature of the power of Brahman
(brahmaśaktirūpā vāk). She is that speech which on being sung saves us, driving away the darkness of the Ignorance
(avidyā).
The Haàsa or Āditya or pure individual consciousness (śuddha jīvacaitanya) has also been called ‘Suparņa’ (lit. ‘goldenwinged’)
in the Vedas. Again this ‘Suparņa’ is Śyena or Tārkşya or Garutmān (Garuòa in the Purāņas) in the Veda. During
afternoon we find the blue eagle flying in the blue sky. It is to be thought, it is verily me who has spread wings across the
Supreme Sky (paramavyoma) tearing asunder all worldly bonds, as the vehicle of Vişņu or the Expansive Consciousness
(vyāpticaitanya). This thought is there at many places in the Vedas. This is the mystery of the Garuòa-vehicle
(Garuòavāhana-rahasya).
With the sunrise, comes Brahmā, his power (śakti) being the red-complexioned swan-vehicled girl (raktavarņā
haàsavāhanā bālikā). When the sun is in the mid-sky he is Vişņu, his power being the Garuòa-vehicled young Gāyatrī, the
complexion is like that of the blue-sky (the ‘Nīla-Sarasvatī’ of the Tantras is to be remembered, the ‘Ākāśānantya’ in the
Buddhist practice). Then in a natural way the setting of the sun takes place. The sun sets externally, but he remains
unset in the consciousness of the Yogin. The deity is then Śiva – who is Death and Immortality in the same person. His
power is the bull-vehicled white-complexioned (vŗşabhavāhanā śubhravarņā) Jaratī. The white colour is suggestive of the
luminous death (vaivasvata mŗtyu) – to die luminously in plain. Indra is generally called Vŗşabha in the Vedas. The Bull
(vŗşabha) is the symbol of the Supreme Person (paramapuruşa). No bull-vehicled deity is found in the Vedas. That is a
Purāņic thought. In the South, this Vŗşabha has been called Nandī. Meaning a luminous bliss-intensified consciousness
(śubhra ānandaghana cetanā), on which rests the foundation of Beningnity (śivatva). This in brief, is the history and the
mystery of the imagination of Gāyatrī.
PS: The worship of Gāyatrī is infact the worship of Vāk. Śakti is of then nature of Mantra (mantramayī), of the nature of
Speech (vāgrūpiņī) in the Vedas. In this respect there is a similarity between Vedic Śaktism and Tāntric Śaktism, there is a
pre-eminence of Mantra in both.
Snehāśisa (Volume 1, Letter no. 51, p. 76)
by,Srimat Anirvan(1896 – 1978),
Translated from the Original Bengali by: Sudipta Munsi
The word ‘Doşas’ means darkness, which pollutes and contaminates everything. The Sāmkhya term ‘doşa’ has also come
from this. In Bengali evening is called ‘pradoşa’. There no sunlight during evening. Though there is no light outside then,
a fire burns within. Who lights it up is the fire of consiousness of the nature of my self-light. He ‘vas’-es or illumines the
darkness of evening (pradoşa), he brings in light among darkness, that’s why he is called ‘doşāvastā’.
Christianity or Islam is based on personal views – that of Christ or Mohammed. The Indian Pīr is not one – many Christs,
many Mohammeds have been born, are being born and will be born in this country. Therefore to carry on a religion in
the name of a person, one has to be a Marxist or a Maoist. ‘Brahman’ is the object of worship of everyone of this
country – it is not any person, rather an idea (bhāva). In this country, Buddhism was the only personal religion. There
also Buddha said, don’t worship any person, worship the idea. One who attains Annihilation (nirvāņa), he is verily a
Buddha. An aspirant can become Christ or Mohammed – even the imagination of this is the heresy of a heretic to other
religions. How will there be a common religion of them here? Our very instinct is for the Supreme Truth (parama satya) –
which is not the worship of a person. Personal worship we do with the Guru – but we don’t consider him to be the Guru
of whole India. In this respect, the Indian mind is surprisingly liberal. For this the genesis of Universal Science Religion
(Vivekananda) or Religion of Man (Tagore) or Life Divine (Aurobindo) has been possible in this country. Are these not the
general religion of all people of the world?
The celebration of the Durgāpūjā is modeled upon the Soma-sacrifice (somayāga). In the Soma-sacrifice a branch of the
Ficus Glomearata was planted – sitting down it the priests (ŗtvikas) used to sing the Sāma, touching it. The Ficus
Glomearata is the Brahman-tree (brahmavŗkşa) – we call it sacrificial fig (yajñadumur), as it yields fruit without
flowering. The ‘nine-leaves’ (navapatrikā) are the symbol of that Ficus Glomearata. The worship of tree is a very ancient
practice – Tagore rejuvenated it in his ‘Vana-Vāņī’. In the Vedas, Agni is called ‘Vanaspati’. The deity is not merely man –
he is the animal, he is the plant. That’s why the lion is the base of Durgā, right beside it is the ‘nine-leaves’ (navapatrikā)
– she herself is of the nature of woman. Most of the plants which are used in the ‘nine-leaves’ are medicinal plants, and
they multiply very easily. With that, being the symbol of the power of procreation, the advent of the Goddess is found in
it.
Haimavati, 25/10/70
Snehāśisa (Vol. 2; Letter no. 20; Pp. 30-31)
by,Srimat Anirvan(1896 – 1978),
Translated from the Original Bengali by: Sudipta Munsi
I think the Akşasūkta to be a secular hymn. But still it has found a place in the Ŗksamhitā because of the wonderful and
varied life-story of its Ŗşi Kavaşa. Despite being a hated chicaner he got elevated to the rank of a great seer (maharşi) –
this is his glory. A few more mentions of his life is there in the Aitareya Brāhmaņa. Excepting his Akşasūkta other hymns
of his are vehicles of profound thought.
Viewed from the standpoint of consciousness the manifestation of Brahman is equal everywhere. But certainly there is
difference of this manifestation from the standpoint of power (śakti). The former is the vision of the stationary-Brahman
(adhişţhāna-brahma), while the latter is of indwelling-Brahman (antaryāmi-brahma). Flowers are blooming in a tree –
some are buds, some half-bloomed, some bloomed, some are shed. As flower, you cannot underrate any of them. But
the fruition of the fully bloomed flower is greater than that of the bud – the manifestation of energy (śakti) in it is not
the same as in the bud. Likewise Brahman remains equally everywhere in respect of potentiality. But a special
manifestation of It can happen in a specific person, or place or time.
Citśakti (kalā), Bindu Nāda these are the technical terms of the Mantrayoga of Tantra. There are various interpretations
of the terms. The meaning has to be ascertained according to the context.
Nāda is the continuous jingle of mantra, which is its energy. You may call it Prakŗti. And Bindu is the individual
consciousness (jīvacaitanya). You may call it Puruşa. The mantra that is yours, that has come from your consciousness.
Take for example the Brahman-seed (brahmabīja) Om, and Māyā-seed (māyābīja) Hrīà. Hrīà has evolved out of Om. For,
the folding and unfolding of power (śakti) takes place centering round the possessor of power (śaktimāna). Individualconsciousness
(jīvacaitanya) is from Brahman-consciousness (brahmacaitanya) therefore from the Brahman-seed has
come out the consciousness of any specific mantra. Likewise from that Māyā-seed has come out any specific seedmantra
(bījamantra).
Now your individual consciousness is wakened by the grace of the Brahman-consciousness – you cannot awaken it
voluntarily, someone wakes you up. Likewise the power of your mantra also is awakened by the infiltration of the Māyāseed.
That’s why Nāda or the power of Mantra (mantraśakti) is not awakened in you – unless Mahamāyā graces your
individual consciousness. Again until you are able to unite the power of your mantra with your consciousness (bindu),
the power of your mantra (nāda) also is unable to discover the Great Power (mahāśakti).
Narendrapur 16/5/69
Snehāśisa (Vol. 3; Letter no. 31; P. 41)
by,Srimat Anirvan(1896 – 1978),
Translated from the Original Bengali by: Sudipta Munsi
The real nature of ‘I’-ness is the Self (ātmā). All of us are saying ‘I’ – this is the unripe ‘I’. This ‘I’ distinguishes between
me and others – only conflict ensues between ‘I’-s. That is called Saàsāra.
But if ‘I’ attains clarity in Knowledge (jñāna) or Love (prema), if it explodes, then it knows everyone to be its own. It is as
if the sky – and everyone glitters like stars on that sky. This void-like realisation is the Self. The self-knowledge sees that,
that feeling is rather present in everyone, though they don’t know it. Then there is no conflict between anyone or
anything. As I loved myself during the stage of unripe ‘I’, likewise I love my real nature of self present within everyone
with the help of this ripe ‘I’ or Self. The real nature of my ripe ‘I’ is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. As everyone has body,
vital force, mind like me, likewise everyone has the Self – the realisation of the ripe ‘I’ remains latent within. Then,
everyone is the ‘I’ or Self or Brahman. With whom is the conflict? – This realisation is Universal Love.
The Objective becomes Subjective with love. Whom I love, when he is outside me, then he is the Object – as, to me, his
body is the Object. But the emotional waves that rise within on loving him, by that he remains no more outside me, he
becomes one with my inner self as the emotional image, and then the Objective turns Subjective.
Haimavati, 22/11/70
Snehāśisa (Vol. 2; Letter no. 58; Pp. 88-90)
By Srimat Anirvan (1896 – 1978),
Translated from the Original Bengali by: Sudipta Munsi
There are three stages of Soma. When Soma is a particular plant or creeper (probably a shrub) then its name is ‘andhaù’.
The word has come from ‘adhaù’ (under). In Greek shrub is called anthos, with that it has got a connection.
The roots of the creeper are stationed underground. By crushing to be filtered in a sheep-wool strainer. Then the Somajuice
becomes ‘pavamāna’ meaning self-purifying. Thereafter that juice on purification through air-contact becomes
‘Indu’ meaning bright drop (ujjvala jyotirbindu). That’s why there are three conditions of Soma – ‘andhaù’ when
underground, ‘pavamāna’ in the atmosphere (antarikşa) and in the heaven (dyuloka) ‘indu’. This ‘Indu’, from the
astronomical viewpoint is the moon – but it is the ambrosial light transcending the solar realm to the mystics. She is
Şoòaśī (the sixteen year old girl) in the Tantras – the sixteenth digit, transcending the fifteen waning digits, of the moon.
It has been dealt with in the Vedas and Upanişads.
This sixteenth digit of Soma is real (dhruvā), eternal (nityā) – bliss is its real nature. In the Tantras it has been called the
sixteen-year old Kanyākumārikā. Women are also, in reality, like the Goddess of the Saptaśatī ‘more amiable than the
Amiable and more beautiful than the Beautiful’ (somyā somyatarā sundarīşvatisundarī) blissful. This is the Soma
principle.
From the spiritual (adhyātma) standpoint, this Soma or Bliss principle is latent within our body. In the Yajurveda a sunray
has been spoken of, it is called ‘Suşumņa’. The etymological meaning of ‘suşumņa’ is ‘highly blissful’ and it is connected
to Soma. In the Ŗgveda we have the ‘Suşomā’ river. There it is said that the external river has verily become the nerves
in our body. In the Upanişads it is found that a single ray of the sun has come down, constructing three houses
(āvasatha) in the human body passing through the central pore of the palate (brahmarandhra). This is verily the
Suşumņā nerve (suşumņā nāòī) of the Tantras, ‘a white path passing through the body’, being the channel of Soma-juice
or spiritual bliss in the Vedas, of which three or four knots are spoken of.
Now compare this with the sacrificial Soma. The ‘andha’ Soma is present in the mūlādhāra. Piercing the naval center
when it surges towards the heart, then it is the ‘pavamāna’. Then, by the possession of that bliss the manifestation of
the Mantra-consciousness (mantracaitanya) takes place. The gross Vaikharī word on reaching the heart becomes the
emotional (bhāvamayī) Madhyamā. The stream flows further upwards in between the eyebrows, then the idea reveals
as light. The word is then Paśyantī. Thereafter when the stream, piercing the place in between the eyebrows spreads
into the void of the cerebral consciousness, then the word become the supremely powerful (mahāśaktirūpiņī) original
Word (ādi vāk) or Parā. However, the three limbs of the Word are interiorized – it can’t be heard or seen. The act of
transcending the blissful stream of Soma (saumya ānandadhārā) is called at some place in the Vedas as ‘pra-sava’,
somewhere as ‘utsava’ – as if, on pressing a tube, making the liquid material within it, tend upwards. The external form
of this spiritual practice is the Soma-sacrifice.
Calcutta, 11/10/70
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