Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 21 on 26 February 2022

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGAD GURUM HADHA PADME TAYO SRIDHVA PRANAM AMI MUHUR MUHUR OM VASUDEVASUDAM DEVAM KAMSAJANURAMARDHANAM DEVAKI PARAMANANDAM KRISHNAM VANDE JAGAD GURUM SARUBO PANCHADOKGAO DOGDA GOPALANAM DANAH PARTHO VACHHA SUDHIR BHOKTA DOGDAM GEETAM RITAM MAHAT MOOKAM KAROTI VACHALAM PANGUM LANGAYATE GIRIM YATKRIPATAMAHAM VANDE PARAMANANDAMADHAVAM We have been studying the 18th and the last chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. We have come to one of the most important and interesting chapters in the whole spiritual literature of the world. First of all, from where this creation has come? Second, what is the nature of the material out of which this whole creation has come out? And why do we see so many differences? Why are we going through ups and downs, good and evil, happiness and unhappiness? All our goal, every single living creature is striving to become free from non-existence, from ignorance and from suffering. Is there any way out? And the explanation we are getting, the variation is because of the basic material out of which this whole creation has come, which is called Maya, Ishwara's Maya, DAIVIHESHA GUNAMAYI MAMA MAYA. It is also called Prakruti and this Maya or Prakruti consists of three strands, three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. And an infinite variety of differences can be found depending upon at what percentage these three are mixed up. And that is the reason why we see so many differences. But the real purpose of the whole thing is not for the sake of what we call just a play, just a manifestation of the three Gunas. It is to show us the way we have come from God, then we are also going back to God. That is the main purpose, main reason for which the entire thing is designed. So this is what we need to understand when we are thinking about this particular chapter. In our last class, we have dealt with a 40th verse which says, having said about the seven topics, all subdivided into, according to the three qualities, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas into infinite variations, Lord Krishna has said, there is not a single created thing, whether it is living or non-living, which is free from all these three Gunas. And that is the most important thing. We think that only the living creatures are consisting of the three Gunas. No, even the non-living things also consisting. There are three types of paintings, three types of foods, and every food is a non-living food only. Three types of rocks, three types of earth, three types of atmosphere. You can add any number there. So why? Because this gives us a clue that not only we will have to find out, especially the living creatures only have the opportunity, the intelligence, to look back, to analyze, to objectify, and find out, where am I? That means, whenever a person turns himself into an object and asks this question, it really means that, who am I really means, that what Gunas are dominant in me. How do I find out what type of characteristics I have? And that's not too difficult. Even a little bit trained psychologist can also point out what type of dominant qualities are ruling our life. The point is, first we have to be diagnosed. Usually, it is the Guru, according to Hindu scriptures, who does it. Once this division is done, then the way forward, how to progress? By slowly transforming Tamas into Rajas, Rajas into Sattva. And final goal is to know that we are potentially divine. The goal is to manifest our divinity. It is for this reason, the Lord is so beautifully and in such marvelous details, outlining all the characteristics, et cetera. Now, we are also seeing that the very purpose of these Gunas, they are not fixed. Because if once we understand they are fixed, and what is fixed can never be changed. But we have to understand they can be changed. How do we change? By changing our Gunas, dominant characteristics, qualities. And how do we change them? Through the Karmas. So you see, the mind influences the body. Body influences the mind. Gunas is belonging to the mind. And the outcome, epiphenomena, all Karmas, Dharma, Dharma, good, evil, right or wrong, they spring from this mental disposition. So it is easier to start with the gross rather than with the subtle. So our Karmas observe. And by changing the Karmas, we can also change our disposition. And according to our disposition, our Karmas will change. I will repeat it. According to change of Karmas, our dispositions, means our Gunas, means our Tama Guna, Prajna Guna, Sattva Guna, they change, hopefully for the better. And by changing the Gunas, they change our Karmas, especially our attitudes upon whatever we do. And according to the theory of Hindus, that when according to the activities, actions that we do, actions produce two results. One is the actual result, which we have to experience sooner or later, this birth or future births. But the activities also produce certain habits more appropriately called Samskaras. And if we go on repeating willingly, unwillingly, certain type of activities, these activities correspondingly produce good Samskaras or evil Samskaras. So Parasparambhavayantaha, Gunas change the actions, actions change the Gunas. Therefore, attitudes will change. That is the way to move forward. So the Lord is telling that everything in this world is ruled, controlled, influenced by the Gunas. But only human beings deliberately setting the goals can determine what a person wants to become and accordingly change his qualities by taking the advice of the scripture, of the teacher, aided by Dhriti, willpower, resolution and enthusiasm. That was what the essence of the 40th Shloka. Now in the 41st, the Lord is telling, I have divided or all human beings are divided into four categories depending upon these Gunas. First, let me outline where there is Sattva first, Rajas second and the third is Tamas. They are called Brahmanas, are the highest people, almost spiritual people. Where there is Rajas comes first. Sattva guides that Rajas and Tamas aids these two qualities. They are called warrior class or popularly known as Kshatriyas. Where there is Rajas comes first. Tamas dominates there. And Sattva, Rajas, Sattva takes the third place. They are called Vaishyas. And the lowest class is called Shudras. And it is not Shudras by birth. As most many centuries Hindus have oppressed these people, but by the qualities. Who are they? They do not have much intelligence, but they have strength. They have energy and they are willing or they should be willing to do how they are directed by their masters. So every society naturally divides people into these four categories. In my last class, I have mentioned Plato divided people into philosophers, warriors and workers. And a little more addition has come in Hinduism. And that is Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. So in every country, when we open our eyes and study history, people are divided by the guna, means disposition, intelligence, power, energy, willpower, et cetera. But it is only in Hinduism and the offshoots of Hinduism are what is called Buddhism, Jainism and what is called Sikhism. We all believe in past births. We all believe in future births. And here the birth takes place, the opportunity in which species we are born, which class of people we are born, which opportunities we get, what type of body we get. Therefore, what type of activities are open to us, all these are determined by karma. This is the speciality of Hinduism or the religions which believe in past karma. So in my present birth, if I am born with this kind of body, male or female, Brahmana or Shudra or rich or poor, literate or illiterate, powerful or powerless, it is dependent completely without the least bit of any scope for debate or doubt according to our past karmas. But caution here, it is not fixed. That means by changing our karmas, we don't have opportunity, we don't have any scope for changing our body, our parents, our home, our religion, etc. Now, but through our present activities intelligently and in moderation, directed according to our capacity, intelligence, strength, etc., we can bring about a change in our activities and that will change the gunas. So gunas and karmas are interchangeable. That's what the psychologists call psychosomatic effects. Not only that, somo-psychic effects also. Body influences the mind, mind also influences the body. And therefore in the 41st verse, the Lord is telling, प्राम्मणः क्षत्रिये विषाम् शुद्रा नान्च परंतप कर्मानि प्रवीभक्तानि स्वभाव प्रभवैहि गुणैहि So the duties of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras have been assigned according to the gunas born of nature. And these gunas are born of svabhava. Now this word svabhava means one's nature. What does one's nature? It means both. One's nature, which is dominant, sattva, prajas or tamas. It is also the influence of the past birth's karma phala. This is what is karma phala, karma siddhanta, the law of cause and effect. So Shankaracharya says, Ishwar asmaya, that is one meaning of svabhava. But that can be also both a combination of the gunas as well as the activities we have done. So if sattva is dominant, there is a natural duty for that person. So also prajas, so also tamas. But all these are not fixed things. If a person, for example, is dominated by tamas, there is a method to grow into a higher guna, mature person. The highest such mature person is called a sattvika person. This is a very interesting equation. Sattvika person is a mature person. A mature person is a sattvika person. A mature person is a very intelligent person who can objectify himself, who can take in any situation and can remain unruffled and does what a person is expected to do without getting emotionally or in other ways or through pleasure or pain, swayed or dominated or hijacked, what we call. So svabhava means that which is born of gunas, sattva, rajas, tamas. Also the result of what we did in the past. For many people, they follow fatalism. Fatalism means fate has decreed. Yes, there is some truth. Our body, our family, our parents, our opportunities, in a way, they are circumscribed. We cannot go beyond them. But they can be changed by changing the karmas. That is very important. That is the purpose for which the Lord is telling. These are the particular qualities of a brahmana. And if somebody wants to become a brahmana, then he should deliberately, with special ideals as the goals of life, he can set and then pursue them assiduously and without getting discouraged. But through stages, from tamas to rajas to sattva, he will succeed and as he changes the gunas, his karmas will change. And as karmas change, gunas become strengthened. And that is how the gunas strengthen the karmas and the karmas strengthen the gunas. That is how this is called evolution. This is called progress. This is called true spiritual progress. And the more we progress, because the question comes, why should we progress? What is the harm if we are what we are? Because there is a teleological urge. That means our true nature and that will not allow us to keep quiet, to rest where we are until we manifest totally, just as an apple seed must grow into a full-fledged apple tree. You can multiply any number of examples. A small cough must become into a full-fledged bull or cow, a dog or a mosquito or anything, any tree, any insect. It has temporarily that particular goal and only by behaving, it can change. But until human birth takes place, the change takes place naturally, automatically, which Darwin has named as evolution, biological evolution. It is most natural. There is no need for, because animals deliberately, they cannot change much. But then we have, the scientists have also found out, yes, they can also change a little bit. And that is, I will just narrate. In Japan, it seems there are some islands and there used to be some monkeys living near the sea. And on the shore of the sea, there will be some trees growing. Some of the trees give some kind of sour fruit. And for generations together, centuries together, the monkeys were accustomed. They don't like the sourness, but they are helpless. One day, a fruit which a young monkey was trying to pluck and eat, slipped from its hands, fell into the ocean and the monkey did not want to leave it. So it jumped down, waded into the waters, retrieved it and started eating it standing there. Now the salt water, it changed the texture, the taste of the sour fruit. It tasted much more pleasant, much more acceptable. And the monkey must be a very intelligent monkey and they are very intelligent. And again with each bite, it will dip that fruit into the waters and then it started doing it. From that time onwards, it will deliberately pluck the fruits, go into the waters and it will stand there and dipping itself, like as we put pepper and salt by our side and then go on eating. Now, the older monkeys, which means they are completely fixated in the old habits. They look down disdainfully. But you know, young monkeys, they are always revolutionary. They will not listen to anybody. The more the effort to restrain them, the more wild they become. So this monkey went on and there were naturally, it must have been a leader and there were some fans and they looked askance at it. They also tried to imitate because the nature of a monkey is to imitate. So they deliberately plucked the fruits and went and started imitating. And to their delight, they found out that the fruit is tasting and the facial expression must have roused the interest of other monkeys. Slowly, slowly, it took time that the number of the percentage of its party, that is salt, dipping, eating party, its number has grown. And here is something very interesting. How far it is right or true, we don't know. As soon as the monkeys have grown to 100 number, then every monkey in the whole neighbouring islands, where there was no communication, started doing it as if it is the most natural thing in this world. Anyway, this was the incident narrated many, many years back, which I have read about. Maybe there is a magical number in 100, 100 percent, whatever it is. What I am trying to tell that by changing our karmas, we change our nature, but the most important thing is we grow in health, both physical and mental, that is called sat. We grow in wisdom, vijnana, and that is called chit. And our happiness increases, our unhappiness decreases. After all, whether a person says, I believe in religion or God, that is the goal of everybody. And that is why such a detailed description of categorizing everybody, every human being, depending upon their innate quality and the activity, guna influences karmas, activities, actions, and actions in their turn, definitely influence the gunas. And this is the greatest discovery of Hinduism. By changing the karmas, we can change the gunas. This unique philosophy, I think, is not available anywhere else. Then we also have discussed 42nd verse. What are the special characteristics which distinguish a person who is called a brahmana? Shamo dhamaha tapah saucham, kshanti arjavam evacha, jnanam vijnanam astikyam, brahma karma svabhavajam. Most marvellous verse, 42nd verse of the 18th chapter. Control of the mind, control of the sense organs, austerity, cleanliness, forbearance, and uprightness, as also knowledge, and realization, and faith. These are the special duties of a brahmana, born of his own nature. That means, due to past births, good karma, if a person has been, that means what? A person must have been doing very good karmas. And those karmas strengthen the sattva guna. And naturally, a time has come, that person is advanced, much advanced in spiritual life, and in the next birth, a grand opportunity is given for him to be born in a very natural environment, which is a similarly equipped persons, both parents, family members, etc., and society, etc., so that at least there will not be so much of conflict, so much of obstructions, because brahmins naturally they have. The point we have to note down here is, these brahmanas, they are not by birth, by guna and by karma. That is what we have seen earlier also, guna, guna karma, vibhagasah, chaturvanyam, mayasrishtam. That I have divided people into four categories, not depending upon birth, but by what we call the gunas, whether sattva guna is dominant, prajna guna is dominant, tamo guna is dominant, and also appropriate their corresponding characters, what is called karmas. Now, as I mentioned, let us keep that in mind, these gunas can be changed and karmas also will change, but karmas are gross, gunas are subtle, and therefore easier for us to work on the grosser level, at the grosser level, and that is, let us pay attention. So, we have to pay attention on two matters with regard to the karmas, not only types of karmas, avoiding evil and doing what is right, avoiding what is evil, but with what attitude that we have to do and that which aids our future evolution, which is in Hinduism crystal clearly outlined, purushartha, human goals. What is it? Moksha. Moksha means to know who one is and that is when a person becomes completely free. This is called mukti. This is called liberation. It is not a choice. It is an inevitable thing. Sooner or later we are going to evolve, desire and work out, do spiritual practice and reach that one. So here, nine characteristics, if we can cultivate, then we are going to become brahmanas. It may take time. It may take some births, but it is very helpful. Now, one important point we have to keep in mind is that we always start with a few qualities and then, as I mentioned many times, every good quality comes in a gang, in a group. Similarly, every evil quality also comes in a group. So if we deliberately, consciously, with complete awareness, try to cultivate even a few of these qualities, immediately all its friends, because they are inseparable, or they are, what I say, different expressions, manifestations of one's appava guna only. So all these are bound to come together. This is what Sri Ramakrishna funnily used to say, there are certain water plants which are creepers. You pull this creeper from any corner, the whole blessed thing has to move. Similarly, if we try to cultivate one good quality, all other good qualities will come. Same thing applies to the opposite also. If we try to cultivate a bad quality and no quality descends from heaven, unless we have deliberately, consciously, have practiced these evil qualities, by birth nobody is good, nobody is evil. This is called complete freedom of will to change. Only point we have to remember, it cannot be done overnight. It will take time, so we should not give up hope, we should not give up trying to change ourselves, even if it takes millions of lives. After all, the whole nature is working. Millions and millions of births we have to take, through from the one uni-celled creature, amoeba, to the highest developed human being, ready to attain. This would be his last birth. That was what being pointed out by Bhagavan Krishna, in one of the chapters, Bhagonam janmanam ante, Gnanavan mam prapadyate. Man of knowledge attains me after so many births. And what is the special knowledge there? Gnanavan, a person who has that special knowledge, Vasudevaha sarvamiti. God is everything. There is nothing excepting God. God is everything. Everything is God. I am God. That is the knowledge. That is what our destiny, inevitable destiny, if we can do it consciously, and with awareness, and with objectivity, and without giving up, we are going to progress. So, to become a Brahmana, that is the highest goal. I mentioned earlier, all are born, the lowest class of human beings by birth. Janmana jayate shudraha. By acquiring certain good samskaras, habits, by becoming slowly refined. Samskara means that which refines us, makes us better people. Then such a person is called twice born, second time born. This is the meaning of baptism. This is the meaning of the Muslims who perform what is called certain ceremonies there. Not doing something physical, but it is trying to symbolise a higher spiritual evolutionary birth. Then, slowly, slowly, this person will develop. That also will take a long time. So, that is why these nine qualities are there. This is when a person becomes a Brahmana, having these qualities, only a person with these qualities is a Brahmana. So, everybody is born a shudra, but by developing, by refining, and that is called samskara. Hindus have got nearly more than 42 samskaras, sacraments. Every event in life, every stage in life, is a sacrament. And if it is understood properly, and if we follow the required rules and regulations, then we progress accordingly, then vedadhyayanath viprobhavati. Then he will develop tremendous faith in the scriptures. He will study the scriptures with the guidance of guru and wise people, and tries to understand properly, and then he will practice it. And that is, through that, he will become a vipra. A vipra is one who has tremendous faith in the Vedas, and who is trying to do his level best. We say we have faith in God. Many millions of people say, billions of people say, I am a man of faith. Another word for religion is faith. What they mean is, I give lip deep service to my religion. But a person who professes faith, but no change takes place in the person's character, desires, outlook, etc. He is completely, you have to say, he is not a man of faith. And that's why Swami Vivekananda gives a beautiful definition. In the past, he who said I believe in God, is considered as a believer. But I say that he who believes in himself, that means, I can do whatever I like with me. Such a person should be called a real believer, a true believer. That is being said here. And finally, if a person acquires refinements, and studies the scriptures, develops tremendous faith, changes his character and his activities, in course of time, he will progress. And ultimately, he knows, Aham Brahmasmi. Such a person, Brahma jnanati iti brahmanaha. A brahmana or a person is entitled to be called a brahmana only when he knows, I am Brahman, Aham Brahmasmi. With this introduction, let us go a little bit deeper into this, for the second nine characteristics. So sattva guna automatically produces these characteristics. But we are not having sattva guna in such an extent. So by deliberately cultivating these qualities, sattva grows. And as I mentioned, both ways work. Change the activities, the guna becomes better. And change the guna, the activities become better. Each will aid the other, pushes itself forward. Ultimately, we become a brahmana. And when a person becomes a brahmana, that is practically his last birth. So here one thing, very nice thing we have to understand. So no particular karma is involved in this description. Only a guna. Because in the vision of Krishna, or in the vision of the Bhagavad Gita, everyone, not only they should become a brahmana by quality, that means they must become sattvika people. But rajoguna also will be helpful. Tamoguna is also a positive quality. For example, when we want to sleep, when we want to relax, tamoguna is wonderful. When we want to perform something with alertness, with concentration, rajoguna is very useful. So the intent of this scripture is not to define karmas, but to help a person grow. So the vision of this scripture is that ultimately everybody should become a brahmana in disposition by performing or discharging his or her own karma with a certain attitude. So discharging one's duty with a certain spiritual attitude changes the guna. Guna changes the karma. Guna changes the attitude. That is how helping each other will a person will be growing. That is what he is going to, Bhagavan Krishna is going to tell that how each person grows towards spirituality by performing whatever is immediately given to him. There is no way he can jump the queue. So every karma wherever we are is good enough for us to help us provided we have right understanding and right attitude and do the things as we are supposed to do it. This is called growing in spiritual life and this spirituality is a birthright for everybody. So we don't need to change our position or profession. In order to emphasize this point Mahabharata is a marvellous commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. There is the story of the virtuous butcher which Swami Vivekananda beautifully illustrates in one of his chapters on Karma Yoga. So this brahmanatva is available right where a person. Is it available for a Shudra? Sure, available for Kshatriya, Vaishya and of course everybody. There is no Hindu, non-Hindu and East and West or anybody but a person must deliberately choose it and try to change himself. Here the development is nothing physical. It is all internal and that change of internally our attitude, our awareness and I am doing it to grow for myself and by the grace of God in this attitude whatever we do that will be called as a Karma Yoga. And so here what are the natural characteristics of a Brahmana? 9. First thing is Shama. What is the Shama? He has complete mastery over his mind that means over his thinking that means over his emotion. He is completely what is called emotional intelligence, emotional maturity and if he detects that there is some thought, some emotion which is not appropriate and which is going to be harmful to me and he has that capacity to immediately control it, change it like we fine tune or a musician fine tunes musical instruments etc. And second quality is Dhamaha. It is not enough to control the thoughts or attitudes. It is also appropriately in accordance exactly according to the Guna we want to develop. We will have to control our external life that is why so many rules regulations. Every religion gives us so many guidelines and that control over our activities, our sense organs, our actions and reactions with the world is called Dhamaha or external control restraint with regard to all the emotions, all the impulses that need to be checked and that need to be manifested or expressed and for that a tremendous amount of alertness is needed like you are driving on a road which is full of drunkards and Gundas driving their cars recklessly to be admired by their girlfriends or boyfriends or whatever it is and that requires tremendous amount of austerity means no good thing is acquired without hardship and a person is ready to put up with any hardship that is called austerity about which we discussed earlier also. Then Shoucham that is external both external and internal cleanliness not only for a short time but for all time to come and so that in external cleanliness is far easier but internal cleanliness means all the negative emotions, negative thoughts, attachments, hatreds and criticizing other people all those things have to be completely purified. Emotions also there are what is called immature emotions we have to try to control them and this internal and external cleanliness is called Shoucham. Then Kshanti that is Kshanti means complete forbearance for forgiveness this is what is compressed forgive and forget because there are people either deliberately or because of ignorance they offend other people we also do it all the time but we have to understand this is my fate and I must have done something wrong and that is why I am going through this. I remember an incident Nagamashaya one of the greatest householder disciples of Sri Ramakrishna was once lying down on his bed peacefully thinking about God because he never uses his mind accepting to think about God and whatever is aiding to think about God suddenly a wild cat from somewhere jumped up on him practically one of his eyes jumped down and then ran away what would be our reaction what was Nagamashaya's reaction so immediately he said I must have done some wrong karma that is why God for him Sri Ramakrishna is the God he says Ramakrishna is punishing me and I have to find out what thing I have done wrong and I will have to correct myself this is called Kshantihi not only forbearance the ability to look back and say I am responsible I would like to there is nothing to forgive others are only fulfilling my own karma phala so God has brought it upon myself and with that attitude trying to forbear everything that is called Kshantihi then Arjavam Arjavam means straightforwardness what a person thinks what a person utters and what a person does should be completely one as I mentioned a baby what he thinks and what he says and what he does there is no deviation that's why children are lovable because they're innocent they are pure they're straightforward and that is the qualities we have to develop that's why Sairam Krishna used to tell I use it to mix very much with children and observe their nature and try to become like children not childish but innocent nature the next is Gnanam Gnanam is to know what is the goal of life what is the scriptures commandments what is right what is wrong what is Dharma what is Adharma and follow it as making the commandments of the scripture the 10 commandments as we say in the Bible as supreme values in life and not to deviate from them that determination is called true knowledge but the Lord Krishna says Vijnanam Vijnanam is what mere intellectual knowledge is not enough it should be assimilated knowledge that means transform convert our intellectual knowledge into real life that is the only way to move forward this is what Sairam Krishna says that some have heard about milk some have seen milk but only the person who has drunk the milk alone can be said to know about the milk this converting one's knowledge not allowing it to rot and then to create all sorts of unconscious problems for us and that is the problem with most of the root cause of all mental problems that is very rotten thing to do and that is what is meant by Vijnana Visvesha Jnana transforming converting the what is called faith into fact then Asthyakyam that is complete faith what is Asthyakyam I don't know God exists I don't know heavens exist I don't know hell exists I don't know what is Dharma I don't know what is Adharma but scripture is telling and the Guru is interpreting and I understand my Guru's words I look at his life and he's leading that kind of life I have complete faith because I look at my Guru or another wise person I say that these people physically speaking externally speaking have very little compared to people who have much much more but these people they this even though they do not have much they are so happy so pure so loving so unselfish so self-sacrificing above all without having they are swimming in the ocean of joy Ananda that is what we all want a person has everything but if he is not happy it is as if he has nothing a person has very little but as if he is swimming in the ocean of nectar immortality he has everything he possesses God this is called Astikyam and then the person who slowly tries to develop these nine qualities and he will develop by the grace of God because God comes in the form of self-effort and what is called faith a faith increases the resolution increases the activities will transform ultimately a person becomes a Brahmana ultimately he will know that I am Brahman and he becomes free the next quality belonging to what is called warriors so Brahmanas are necessary they are called philosophers by Plato and warriors are necessary because Brahmanas cannot protect purely spiritual people they can be inspiring but unfortunately they cannot protect you see so many monks when the China invaded Tibet they went on chanting Manipudni Hum not understanding that warriors are required later on they understood but I think it is too late so this there are some people who are naturally born leaders they have certain qualities but let us not forget they must have cultivated them over a number of lives and they are born in a particular life with that qualities with those qualities in that particular favorable environment so that they can progress further and become Brahmanas so seven characteristics are outlined in the 43rd verse Shouryam Tejo Dhruti Dakshyam Yudhyecha Api Apalayanam Dhanam Ishwara Bhavascha Shatram Karma Swabhavajam heroism high spirit firmness resourcefulness dauntlessness in battle generosity and sovereignty these are the most natural qualities of a Kshatriya born because of his own dominant nature but who is a Kshatriya he in whom Prajoguna is dominant but immediately aided seconded by Satvaguna and last of course Tamoguna will be there is the point we have to remember three Gunas go together nobody can say I don't want Tamoguna I don't want Prajoguna you can't cut them it is like dimmer light so you go on increasing light will increase you go on sliding it down the light the darkness increases it is like that so what are the seven characteristics first Shaurya valor what is valor that he is not afraid even if the whole world turns against him but this is not stubbornness this is very intelligent consciously taken decision I am the king I am the soldier I am the ruler it is my duty to protect my children who are my people so even if I have to die I am prepared to die that who he who doesn't take a back step of course if circumstances dictate not to run away not to show the back side but to to use the intelligence much more effectively then he can take he can go back etc that is part of the thing but the very natural characteristic is valor and by seeing such a person by coming into contact we know that this person is having Shri Ram Krishna remarks there are there is a person even if hundred persons come running he will face them and they will run away and there is a person even if one person pursues or there is a person even if he pursues hundred people they all run away so the huge difference it makes this is called Shauryam heroism valor then next is Tejaha Shankara takes this beautiful definition supreme self-confidence a leader never doubts about himself this is the supreme self-confidence he must have been developing it Tejaha means a natural light as if it cannot be suppressed it is coming out from a Brahmana spiritual splendor comes out from a Kshatriya the supreme self-confidence you don't worry I am here to protect you and anybody who goes nearby he also becomes fearless it is said of Swami Vivekananda anybody who comes near Swami Vivekananda even if he is the most covered person even if he is so much of fearful in his presence as if fear has taken wings and so long as he remains he will also become he can very easily defy even death itself this is called a natural fearless splendor self-confidence that comes according to Shankaracharya Dhrithi in sustained enthusiasm we have seen what is called Sattvika Dhrithi even if a million obstacles come even if the person knows that I am not going to succeed he says let it be but I will not give up what I know to be the truth to sustain with enthusiasm what one has determined to complete that is called Dhrithi not only that such a person is not a lazy person he is a person who doesn't postpone but does what is absolutely necessary at the right time and at the right place towards everybody then Daksha supreme skillfulness what does it mean it's a beautiful meaningful word Daksha means skillfulness what is skillful the readiness to change completely reshuffle his ideas marshal all his resources and face every situation as it arrives and to not to stubbornly sticking to one plan but to be able to change and rethink and re-plan reprogram and continue that special skill is called Daksha and a Kshatriya warrior is especially born with that and incidentally you know when in the past to what is called warriors or well-known people in the society if one is insulted or challenged they call the other challenge the other for a duel and whoever dies is prepared to die but he is not prepared to take down the insult and swallow it so this is that special quality Yudhecha Api Apalayana naturally this duty every Kshatriya even if there is a war even if it is 100% certain that he is going to be caught he is going to be killed and he will not be done we see in the present situation some people a small country being invaded by a huge country and the president so he knows if I am caught I am likely to be executed in many countries that are happening but he says I will not show my back and that special quality belongs to the Kshatriya then Dhanam Dhanam means here is a Kshatriya he is the master of the wealth he is the ruler and he has to know how to distribute all the collected taxes for the welfare of the society for the welfare of the indigent people whoever needs wherever they need whenever they need at the right time at the right place to give in the appropriate manner such a quality is called Dhanam or charity or philanthropy comes very naturally and they don't sting and they don't think 100 times even other people do 1000 times 1 million times they think the Ram Krishna has something to say about them there are some people who delude themselves that they are spiritual people one such householder was there and he says I have handed over the keys to my wife and I am living a completely detached life and one day a beggar comes this man goes my good man so such a sweet way he talks what can I do sir I am starving please give me one rupee I can eat a square meal and then this man goes decides I will give only 8 annas and then he goes and then pleads practically falls at the feet of his wife says look here this man has come I decided to give 8 annas what do you say what do you say he doesn't dare to open his mouth in front of and he cannot even look into her eyes directly so what does he do she immediately she has become a menacing demoness and says what you think money is raining down from the skies that you can spend as much as you want here is 2 annas if you want to give if it takes let him take otherwise bring back this money and this man takes meekly comes and says my good man I tried my best unfortunately I cannot do anything you will have to excuse me and because I am a spiritual person I am living a detached life see Ramakrishna simply abhors this kind of personalities and I am afraid that people get devotees get offended most of the devotees they are like that only even if they are capable they think thousand times such is the selfishness what is called Ghanibhuta Swartha Paratva condensed selfishness if at all they give their their what is called charity is peanuts so this Dhanam comes very naturally and the last quality Ishwarabhava a Kshatriya is one is a natural leader that is called Ishwarabhava Ishwara means a ruling capacity which Shankara says is making his ruling power evident the moment you go there he is a born leader everybody bows down even if they don't like he has got that kind of qualities so Swami Vivekananda used to say leaders are never made they're always born that means they acquire these qualities for a number of lives so any ideal Kshatriya or warrior if he consciously cultivates these qualities he can become a good Kshatriya that means he has transcended from Tamoguna and Tamoguna means opposite of all these qualities then he will come to this quality by slowly developing our number of lives so these are if anybody is found with these qualities he is called a Kshatriya and he is far ahead in spiritual life than many people and according to the Guna his karmas are also given which we will talk in our next class Om Vasudeva Sudham Devam Kamsa Chanura Marthanam Devaki Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadguru May Jai Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti Jai Ramakrishna