Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 02 on 19 December 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padmetayo Shritva Pranamami Mohur Moho Om Vasudevasutam Devam Kamsa Chanuram Ardhanam Devaki Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum Sarvopanishadogavo Dogda Gopalanandana Partho Vatsa Sudhir Bhokta Dugdam Geetam Ritam Maha Mokam Karuti Vachalam Pangum Langayate Girim Yath Kripathamaham Vande Paramanandamadham We have entered into the 18th chapter, very aptly called Moksha Sanyasa Yoga. As we discussed yesterday, this is the essence of all the other chapters beginning from the 3rd to the 17th. Why do we think so? Because 2nd chapter is called a Sankshyapta Vivarana. In brief, what the Lord is going to teach? What is He going to teach? O Jeeva, O bound soul, you are none other than God. That is how He started. The soul has no birth, no death, no changes. It is pure consciousness. It is eternal. It is infinite. Ajam, Shashvatam, Nityam, etc. And then at the end He says, that is the goal. How to manifest this potential divinity which we have forgotten because of Vidya, because of Maya. So Arjuna asks in a very wonderful way, how do I recognize what is God's spiritual progress? Or he didn't put in those words, when I see a realized soul, will I know and how will I know? And then the Lord gives an elaborate description. How a realized soul can be recognized? Through these characteristics. What are those characteristics? Why do we need to know? Because if you come across a great sportsman, how did you happen to have this Olympic gold medalist? And He will tell you the secrets. What is the secret? Right from the beginning, first I have to do Sankalpa. I will not rest until I become an Olympic gold medalist. Second, I must work hard. Third, not merely hard work, but intelligent hard work. Not merely hard, intelligent work, but with concentration, with awareness, correcting the mistakes as I go along. And next, that will not do. I have to pray to the Divine Lord. Every success is a mercy, is a grace, is a compassion, is a boon only from God, who is the embodiment of all success. How do we know? At the end of this 18th chapter, the very last, where there is this ideal and where there is complete self-effort, where there is complete self-surrender, there would be Krishna, there would be success, there would be Siddhi, everything will be there. So, that is what Bhagawan had taught in the second chapter. The goal, how many ways are there? Ways here means yogas. And each yoga, independent of every other yoga, can lead us to the same goal. And ultimately, one has to surrender to God. So, do not cease to be yogi. Why therefore? This is the only way you can be eternally existent, eternally wise, eternally happy person. And that, what has been elaborated very briefly, but very significantly in the second chapter, from verse 11 to verse 72, that is being expounded elaborately, consisting of four pathways. Every pathway consisting, falls into one or the other of these four yogas. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. What are they? Hard work, dedicated to God. What is it? With complete devotion, called Bhakti Yoga. What is it? Done intelligently and with complete concentration, called Raja Yoga. But done rationally, discriminatingly, giving up what is obstructive and doing what is with tremendous amount of Nishtha, Jnana Nishtha, with discrimination of course, called Jnana Yoga. Through any of these four yogas, and as I mentioned, they all come together, but emphasis may be different. That has been elaborated from the third chapter onwards, until the 17th chapter. In the 17th chapter, as I mentioned, all the four progressive steps, first of all, security, then a thirst for higher ideal, three, tremendous amount of austerity to acquire, fourth, joyfully sharing it with everybody, because everybody is aspiring to the same condition. So, that is expounded. Now, again the Lord is expounding the same thing in the 18th chapter, but with a marvelous question. As an answer to this marvelous question, everyone has to give up Maya, and Maya should be given up in two ways. First of all, do not wish to do anything which would be antagonistic, inimical to spirituality. Second, do whatever you need to do, but completely do it with what is called dedication, surrender, offering Ishwara Arpana Buddhi, and whatever happens, joyfully enjoy it as Ishwara Prasada Buddhi. And that is what is being expounded here. So, in our last class, I have been giving a very elaborate essence, but the speciality of this chapter is no yoga, no spiritual effort, no religion, no activity, however nicely it is done, however with great purity it is done. It's not going to give, but every activity done sincerely, discriminatingly, with rationality, prepares our mind, makes it a fit vessel to receive a God's grace, which comes in the form of knowledge, wisdom. For that, the ultimate sadhana is, Oh Lord, I have been able to practice Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Nana Yoga. Whatever I have been able to do is only because of your grace. The desire to know my goal, the effort I put to practice all these yogas, and the sincerity, shraddha that I have, the concentration I have, the understanding I have, all these are nothing but manifestations of your great grace, ripa. And if we can understand it, automatically self-surrender comes. And that has been beautifully put forth here. Oh Arjuna, I am going to tell you the greatest secret, the secret of all secrets. I told you many times, Bhui Arjuna. Again. Why? Because you are my beloved. Because from the God's point of view, all of us are beloved. But, as Ramakrishna says, if an iron nail is covered with mud, the magnet wants to attract, but cannot attract because of the obstruction. But you are a person born with divine qualities, oh Arjuna. And therefore, I will tell you how many times? As many times as necessary until you come to me. Then the Lord says, Let your mind be full of me. Let all your emotions be directed only towards me. That means, let all your joys, happinesses, satisfactions be only from me, thinking of me, or meeting my devotees, or studying about me, listening about me. Madhyaji, if you have to worship any aspect of God, but even if you have to worship parents, wise people, teachers, realized souls, devotees, but remember, they are all my manifestations. Let us remember always, Ramakrishna's greatest utterance, Bhagavata bhakta bhagavan. God, his scripture, which are his words, himself in the form of the scripture, and devotee himself manifesting as the Jeeva, these three are inseparable. So, whenever you worship either me, or the scripture, or a devotee, you remember, they are nothing but me. And if you have to bow down your head, only bow down to me. Mam namaskaru, and satyam te pratijane. I am truthfully promising you, if you do all these things, mam eva eshyasi, you will attain me only. Then, ultimately, this is the charama shloka. In Sri Vaishnavism, propagated by Ramanujacharya, this is considered charama shloka. That is the essence of every scripture in this world. You give up, dependence, upon any means, whether it is teacher, whether it is scripture, whether it is worship, in any form, take complete refuge in me. Merge in me. If you do that, I will release you from all bonds, all manifestations of maya, because sins come only, sins are the result of wrong actions. Wrong actions spring from wrong understanding. Wrong understanding springs from maya avidya. I will liberate you. Moksha eshyami. That is the title of this 18th chapter, Moksha Sanyasa, do not worry. I assure you, if you take refuge in me, I am going to make you completely free. I am assuring you. So yesterday, while discussing the title, I said there are three meanings. Moksha means liberation, we are all bound, we want instinctively to be free, so for that we have to give up. Give up what is bondage. Bondage in the form of misunderstanding, wrong understanding, partial understanding, that is called sanyasa. The meaning of sanyasa is give up wrong understanding. Externally, whether someone is a monk or a non-dons, some ochre cloths or not, that is immaterial. There are thousands of householders, married people, children, who are most wonderful monks in mind, their behavior, and there are millions of monks who are worse than householders. The lord doesn't see what is outside, the lord sees what is inside. So give up. Sanyasa means giving up whatever is obstructing our liberation, that is the first meaning. Second meaning we discussed, moksha, liberation, samadhi, these are other names, god for god. God has many names, moksha is one name, shanti is another name, etc. So, moksha sanyasa means what? That you completely surrender yourself to god, and that is the second meaning. Third meaning is once you surrender yourself to god, do not demand anything, even give up the idea, I am worshipping god, I love god, I have devotion to god, expecting liberation from him, that is called business deal. No, give it up completely. Like a kitten, as Ramakrishna puts it, totally dependent upon its mother, totally dependent upon the mother, giving up everything, wherever she keeps, I am quite happy, because she knows what is best. So, this is the introduction. Then, I will take a little bit, quite often, as I have been doing it, of Shankaracharya's this thing. So, the entire 18th chapter is begun, with what purpose? I will first read Shankarabhashya a little, and translate it into very simple English language, Sarvasya eva Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha Asmin Adhyaye Upasamrutya Sarvasya Veda Artho Vaktavya Iti Evam Arthaha Ayam Adhyayaha Arabhyate. This chapter, Ayam Adhyayaha Arabhyate, this chapter is begun by the divine lord Krishna, who is an incarnation of god. Why? Because Sarvasya eva Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha, the entire essence summary of the entire Geetha, Bhagavad Geetha, consisting of more than 700 verses and divided into 18 chapters, Asmin Adhyaye Upasamrutya He is summarizing in the end, any good author, first he states what am I going to tell any good speaker, any good writer. What is it I am going to convey to you. Second, he conveys it elaborately. Very briefly he tells what he is going to convey. Elaborately he conveys what he wants to convey to the best of his ability, both in a logical manner, so that anybody can understand with a modicum of intelligence can understand and in the end every good speaker or writer must summarize for the sake of mnemonics, for the sake of keeping it in mind. So here also Shankaracharya is saying Asmin Adhyaye Sri Krishna Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha Upasamrutya He has summarized the entire idea, teaching of Bhagavad Geetha and what may that teaching be Sarvasya Veda Arthaha Vakthavihar Remember Sarvo Upanishadho Gavo Dogdha Gopalanandana So what is Bhagavad Geetha it is the essence of all the Upanishads. What are the Upanishads? It is the essence of all scriptures. Veda means scripture of every religion. That was that is and that will be in future. With this idea in mind This chapter is begun If anybody wants even some doubt, cherishes, entertains a doubt, what is the Lord speaking about in all the other 15 chapters or 17 chapters and if such a doubt comes and that meaning of all the whatever chapters have been already expounded in this Bhagavad Geetha If anybody studies this particular chapter, in this chapter he will be able to clearly understand it wishing to ascertain a distinction between the implication of the two words Sanyasa and Tyaga Why Shankara is suddenly introducing these words because the whole 17 chapters of the Bhagavad Geetha are talking about only it is summarized by talking about in two words, sometimes Krishna uses the words Tyaga sometimes he uses the words Sanyasa and we who hear those even after hearing many times can cherish a doubt but in that doubt usually we see monks and nuns Sanyasins, called Sanyasins whether it is Christianity whether it is Sufism whether it is Buddhist monks and nuns, whether it is Hindu monks and nuns wherever it is so what is the difference between Tyaga and Sanyasa and our misunderstanding is a person with a particular lifestyle who doesn't marry or gives up marriage dons a particular yellow cloth or ochre cloth or red cloth to indicate that I have renounced the world usually such a person and the lifestyle he leads is called Sanyasa whereas Tyaga means Sarva Karma Phala Tyagaha, that is to say give up do not expect the results of any good deeds that you do anybody does if we do that is the normal meaning of Tyaga and Arjuna could not understand, how do we know that he could not understand if he had really understood what is the distinct meaning of Tyaga and Sanyasa he would not have put this question so in our confusion also because we are all like Arjuna's seekers spiritual aspirants we also get this therefore wishing to know crystal clearly the distinction between what is the meaning of Tyaga what is the meaning of Sanyasa the very first question Arjuna asks and the whole chapter is so an exposition of the special meaning distinct meaning, separate meaning crystal clear meaning of these two words Tyaga and Sanyasa and how even these two words are understood by those who are Tamasika people Rajasika people and Sattvika people that will come, we will see so Arjuna asks so what is the subject matter of the Vedas that means what is the subject matter of the Upanishads what is the subject matter of the Bhagavad Gita, what is the subject matter of all the Puranas and Tantras what is the subject matter of every scripture in this world for that matter what is the subject matter of any science in this world whether it is music, art whether it is science after all human life falls, divides or moves about only within these three areas either a person is seeking science or he is seeking art or he is seeking religion, that's why Swami Vivekananda's teaching has been beautifully expressed by Sister Nivedita life is a manifestation of divinity either in the form of religion or in the form of science or in the form of art, what are these three things actually it is very interesting, that's why I am going into it, but very briefly, when a person has deep longing for something beyond this world, such a person can be called and he is seeking the truth and that is religion what is religion? seeking a truth which is beyond this limited purview of this world what is science? seeking truth of the world itself so that our bodies our minds, our environment our objects instruments, everything can be a fit instrument for reaching out to that inexpressible longing to reach that truth beyond the limited truth of the world and what is art? making every minute of our life beautiful enjoyable, you see suppose somebody has to give a teaching if it is put in the form of dry words and becomes a speech but if it is put in the form of a beautiful song and that is what Bhagavad Gita does that's why it is called Gita Song of the Lord if the same thing is put in a beautiful sing song fashion it is called art so art is not something separate from life but try to make life artistic, beautiful Satyam Satyam, we are all seeking truth, but that Satyam if it can be made beautiful, it will be much more enjoyable that is why Satyam Shivam, auspicious Sundaram, beautiful whole life is nothing but man's effort to seek the truth both in the physical world and also in the internal world, in this life, beyond this life, and then anything that we seek truth must always make us free, truth is that which makes us free truth is always auspicious always confers blessings always releases man from delusion Pranthi, Mithya that is called Shivam and it can be done in a most very pleasurable, emotional way and that is called beauty, Sundaram Satyam, Shivam Sundaram, and there is no other department which is free from it, so I was just about to mention suppose there is a physicist, he is seeking what is the secret of this universe what is it made up of and if he seeks enough then he will, as the scientists are now finding as they probe deeper and deeper there the truth is getting larger and larger from finiteness, it is becoming more and more leading towards unity, towards infinity and that is inevitably the seeking of truth, truth seeking always takes us first to the truth which is near to us and then to the truth which is the final immediate truth and final truth and that is what is called science and what is art, art is that which is true must be beneficial must be dear, must be very pleasant Satyam, Priyam and Hitham that is the definition of every speech, austerity in speech so that is the quest how to make life Satyam, Shivam Sundaram, so to prepare for this, that preparation is called yoga so the whole scripture, whatever be the religious following inclination, every scripture it has only two purposes two goals to lead mankind to the infinite truth and to make him understand you are that truth I and my father are one and second it is the how to make the person travel in truth and in beauty and in joy Sat, Chit and Ananda so this is the essence of all Vedas, that is the essence of the Upanishads, that is the essence of the Bhagavad Gita also and for that there are two lifestyles the beginner and the advanced the beginner is called Karma Yogi and the advanced is called Sanyasa Yogi but there is something common between these two and here these two words Thyaga and Sanyasa they are expounding these two aspects of the beginner as well as the advanced, so the difference between them is not much, but I will forestall by telling what is the difference between Thyaga and Sanyasa both are renunciation remember we have also quoted yesterday Sri Ramakrishna's interpretation of Gita if you utter the word Gita fast enough, then it turns in the reverse way Thagi means Thyaga means renounce, oh man renounce, what to renounce, whatever is not truth whatever is egotism whatever is Maya whatever is attachment likes and dislikes, Raga Dvesha then what remains in other words, Kara renounce Kara what remains, Aham that Aham is Brahma Asmi Aham Kara is Jeevo Asmi and Aham is Brahma Asmi, that Kara Isam, Tisam has to be renounced so what is the separation, separate meaning Thyaga means, that is the heart of Yoga that is renounce renounce, renounce renounce everything anything that attaches itself to the pure ego as if as it were not really find it out and throw it out and what remains, remain as yourself that is the Thyaga but Sanyasa has two meanings one meaning is there are certain what is called types of activities so in the scripture our Vedas expound or place before us, five types of Karmas, every action of every human being are divided into five Nitya, Naimittika, Kamya Nishidha and Prayaschitta so Nitya means daily we have to do certain things which are beneficial for our progress in the physical world in the mental world as well as in spiritual world physically, intellectually mentally and morally and spiritually Naimittika, these are not to be done everyday but when the occasion comes on festival days on certain events even saluting the national flag, reminding us how much great price we have paid before we obtained this precious jewel called freedom freedom in any form we have to remember, that's why birthday why birthday? because human birth, animals remember, do not celebrate birthday, it is only humans who can do it, why? because to be born as a human being is the greatest grace, blessing, gift of God, so that's why we have to remember not because I am a man or woman but because I have been given this precious human body so that I can utilize it for both Iha and Para Sukha that is the most important point for us this is called Naimittika so saluting the national flag, celebrating birthdays with more spiritual activities observing festivals etc and sometimes worldly events like marriage and that's why remember, Hinduism has got the most number of what is called sacraments in life, nearly 100, more than 100 sacraments are there of them 42 are the most important, of them only a few people observe like marriage and then when wife becomes pregnant, when a child is born, child is named, child's first shaving is there, usually done in a temple and then first time child should be given food, that is called first Anna, then after that he should be sent to a Gurukula, that is sacred thread ceremony will be there after that he returns these are a few only we have taken but the purpose of a sacrament is to convert man's life, animal life into a sacred divine life this is occasional, Naimithika Kamiya, some people specially require certain things to make their life even more fulfilled like Upendranath Mukhopadhyay wanted to become rich, Sudama wanted to become rich, not to squander the money but to use it so that they can have a decent life and use that opportunity to think of God so Nitya, Naimithika Kamiya and we have to exert mightily to avoid certain things which are harmful and meat eating etc is one of the most harmful things, some other creature has to suffer for the sake of titillation of our tongue how horrible it is, people do not realize it, everybody who wants to know Aham Brahmasmi he has to imagine if my throat is being cut, how much pain do I get, so just because they are dumb creatures people even now think that they can do whatever they like so cannibalism is also used to be practiced more widespreadly but now hopefully it is on the vein then this is called Nishiddha Karma, forbidden karma we have to work very hard, then there is what is called many times out of ignorance, out of weakness, out of temptation we do things which we should never do and for that we have to counter them and this is what is called how to counter them by doing the counter actions, for evil actions the counter actions should be there, so this is the five activities Nitya, Naimittika, Kamya, Nishiddha and Prayaschitta Prayaschitta means a mind which is agitated after doing must be brought back to the same condition as it was before doing that particular action and for that we have to do some Prayaschitta Karma and because we are human beings we are weak, we do things sometimes unconsciously many times consciously too, so every activity of every human being falls into these five categories and all these activities have to be done with one goal O Lord, I am doing it so that I can come to you and I can obtain your grace this is called Karma Yoga this is the means whether we are devotees following the Pataparaja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga we are only travellers travel is possible only when we follow the well-trodden particular safe path and even to progress in that path God's grace, favourable conditions are necessary and that is called complete self-surrender so the whole life has got only two goals in life to realise that I have to go to my mother which is God or father which is God and God has given me these wonderful instruments called body-mind and these pathways called four yogas so the whole life is dominated by these two this is what is called the entire essence of the Vedas so Thyaga means complete non-attachment that is common for both Sanyasin as well as Karma Yogi both but Sanyasa it could have two meanings certain types of activities which a person doesn't need at a particular stage of growth for example I don't need to eat some particular things I do not need these particular things because I have enjoyed them enough I know what they are I have seen their essence I don't need not that I want to give up with struggle with so much of force but I do not need this is what is called you give up certain activities and these are common things what is called for a monk for a nun and this also can be practiced by householders by anybody this is the first meaning of Sanyasa second giving up what is Sanyasa? giving up certain Kamyakarmas certain what is called desires which are laden which are filled with many worldly desires not necessarily at some stage of growth secondly there is a lifestyle some people for whatever reason they like to lead a particular style of life some want householders life and some prefer completely a monk's or a nun's life so Thyaga is giving up that Ahankara is called Thyaga but a particular type of lifestyle where certain activities are given up because I don't need them secondly I like to lead a particular lifestyle which is called a monk's or nun's life this is the main difference between Thyaga and Sanyasa I hope it is quite clear now with this knowledge we will proceed now before proceeding into the first Arjuna's question itself what is the very cause very root of this particular question because Arjuna that means I and you and everybody who is listening to Gita has been hearing these words Thyaga and Sanyasa again and again and again in the previous chapters and Arjuna could not clearly distinguish or later on he forgot to distinguish between what we just now discussed Thyaga means mentally giving up expectations hopes, the result and Sanyasa means giving up certain activities themselves in the first stage and then because nobody can give up activities completely so long as there is a body there will be breathing, eating defecating, sleeping all these activities are impossible so long as the body is there but certain Kamya that which is specially desired by ignorant people certain activities can be given up Kamyakarmas can be given up but what is beneficial for spiritual progress they should never be given up and even those activities which should never be given up like Yagna, Dana, Tapah etc which the Lord is going to expound soon even those activities as a householder also as a man of the world also one can do but some people prefer a special type of lifestyle called Sanyasa lifestyle that is the main difference between Thyaga and Sanyasa but Arjuna could not understand because the Lord is going on telling confusing so called confusing statements for Arjuna and Arjuna means here what there are different types of people among us some of us understand quite well by God's grace some of us even though at the time of exposition we seem to understand and later on when we hear the opposite word and immediately we get confused earlier you said that now you are saying this is there not this one I am giving you certain examples also so for example in answer to Arjuna's question the Lord is telling Sanyasa and Karma Yoga that means Sanyasa and Thyaga whatever a person obtains by Thyaga and the same person in Sanyasa also they obtain exactly the same thing and then many times the Lord also says about so Sarva Karma Sanyasa through knowledge that is give up many activities Sarva Karma literally means every action it is not possible as I just mentioned so long as the body is there as eating drinking, sleeping, walking and curing certain diseases or getting some diseases all these are inevitable and it is not possible to give up but there are some things we can give up so then again in the 6th chapter a person a formally renounced person called monk or nun is not a person who merely gives up cooking and who does not do many things which an ordinary person is bound to do but a person who gives up Karmaphala the results of activities not that really one can give up the results of actions that is attachment whether the result of my activity gives me pleasure or pain because I have done it I inevitably accept them with the same emotional state not getting hesitated not getting what is called excited so without depending upon the results of actions he who does he is called sanyasi he is called yogi, he is called tyagi, he is called sanyasi here in this the lord is even more confusing so seemingly confusing that sanyasi and yogi are exactly the same thing so the lord also says here abandonment of ritualistic works with promises of specific reward is called by the sages as sanyasa while performance of all action without an eye of their fruits is called tyaga, this is what we have just now expounded so true abandonment had to be taken to mean work without attachment to fruits and without the sense of ego, actions done in that spirit is called karma yoga and karma yoga not only doesn't bind us to this world but it gradually helps us become what we really are, so with this background we will enter into the first question, Arjuna uvaca, Arjuna asks uvaca means said but this word said has to be interpreted in different senses, that if somebody is just talking that is also said if somebody is giving a specific reply in answer, as an answer to a specific question is also called said or somebody is uttering a question can it be like this, so that is also said uvaca, said only Sanskrit language is very flexible, it can yield multiple meanings, so Arjuna asks on our behalf or the doubting Thomas's within us is called Arjuna Arjuna asked, oh lord I desire to know the true nature of sanyasa as well as tyaga as distinguished from each other oh mighty Hrishikesha oh slayer of Kesi so here Kesi Nishudana, Nishuda means destroyer Kesi was a Rakshasa, a demon a wicked person, an evil person whom the lord in his incarnation as Krishna had demolished, has destroyed thereafter he got the title Kesi Nishudana so what is Arjuna asking, Mahabahu Hrishikesha Kesi Nishudana, three epithets of Krishna Mahabahu, that means great armored one, that means what, that means your mind is great, your power is great, so you alone can answer my question Hrishikesha, means one whose senses Hrishika means sense organs Isha means lord one whose sense organs are completely under his own control he is called Ishwara, he is called Hrishikesha and he is the destroyer of the demon called Kesi, I want to know Sanyasasya cha tyagasya Prithak veditum Ichchami, Ichchami, I desire what, Veditum, to know know what, how Prithak, separately I am getting confused somewhere you use Tyaga somewhere you use Sanyasa, sometimes you use in different senses and saying that Tyaga is better than Sanyasa, Sanyasa sometimes is ultimate goal as he said Gnanagni sarvakarmani bhasmasat kuruteyatha just as a mighty fire destroys all dry wood, so knowledge finally destroys all activities, here Sanyasa is like it is Gnanam, destroys everything, but somewhere you say that in the 6th chapter also, for those who are aspiring, for them Karma Yoga is more helpful and for those who have attained to certain progress in spiritual progress, abandonment of certain types of activities, not every activities certain types of activities is most useful when a person has attained certain activities will hamper rather than help him so it is better to separate himself stay alone and pursue one pointedly his spiritual practices that is what he said sometimes separately we are mentioning sometimes as opposite to each other sometimes one is better than the other and sometimes both are exactly the same, these words under different contexts seem to confuse me, now we are coming to an end of your teaching, I may not have this opportunity because once this teaching is over I have already decided, surrendered myself, whatever you wish to command me, remember I will do whatever you command me and the Lord commanded as a Karma Yoga you take part in this righteous war because you are a Kshatriya you are a warrior, you are a soldier that is your duty, not otherwise so how separately, what is the difference, what is the shades of difference, why are you saying again and again crystal clearly I want to know about what means the truth about what what is and what is with this so many meanings we have derived in my introduction, you please go ahead, now Arjuna wants to know what if any distinction Krishna is making between sannyasa and tyaga, this is the foundation of Arjuna's question, so when Lord Krishna says he is speaking of one who giving up his attachment to all the results of actions, is happy with himself and not dependent upon anything else here tyaga means renunciation of the results of actions, but in your when Krishna talked about this who has given up all ownership I am not the owner of even this body, of even this mind the word tyaga is used in the sense of sannyasa, giving up all activities, so these words are simply clogging up my mind, making me confused so many verses are there which could lead to this kind of confusion, so both sannyasa and tyaga, it what do they exactly mean so that is what is being expounded and in answer to this the entire in a way of speaking, the rest of the entire 18 chapter is given to the exposition as an answer to Arjuna's question why? because only as I mentioned earlier I am mentioning again, so that if you are confused earlier by my words, you must know crystal clearly, life has only two purposes one to know who I am and to strive to be what I am and the second what is the means best means suitable for each individual which is called a particular yoga, particular religion, so I want to know about both these things every scripture must tell only these three things which earlier I had mentioned every scripture must teach three things, what is the truth, what is the goal and what is the means Swami Vivekananda in his introduction very beginning of Raja Yoga, he puts these things which is Ramanuja's formulation of Tattva and Hita Purushartha and Hita Tattva, Purushartha and Hita Tattva means what is the truth Purushartha means what is the goal of life Hita means what is the way to reach that goal, to attain that goal, what is Tattva each soul is potentially divine you are the child of immortality you are Brahman this is the Tattva, truth so what should be the goal of life the goal is to manifest this true nature of yours that is by manifest your divinity by whatever means you can get by controlling nature external and internal this is the Purushartha only goal of life person knows it or not is travelling towards that goal then what is the way one must have clear idea about the pathway so he says what is called do this hence manifest this divinity within, know that you are God, you are the child of, you are immortal how? do this either by work or worship or psychic control or philosophy that means what? Karma Yoga Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Gnana Yoga and be F R E E capital letters, be free that means be yourself so Tattva, Purushartha and Hitha and that is what here also Tyaga and Sanyasa, Tyaga means what is the goal of life and what is the way, beginning way and end way to reach that one, every scripture must teach the truth about ourselves and how to reach that truth and for that these two only first Tyaga ultimately Sanyasa most important thing is Tyaga and nothing else so the Bhagawan's answer starts in the second verse the Lord replied a renunciation of works induced by desire is understood by the sages to be what is known as Sanyasa or Arjuna while the surrender, giving up of the fruits of all works whatever you do is called Tyaga by the crystal clear answer He has given which we will talk about in our next class next Saturday May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vikananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna