In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagaawan Krishna explaining how the three “Gunas” namely “Sathva”, “Rajas” and “Tamas” can ruin our path towards the “Bhakti Maargam”. We might of course understand how the second and third “Gunas” would derail us, but what about the “Sathva Guna” too? This is where Bhagawan clarifies that if we’re too happy and satisfied with whatever we’re doing and if we’re too happy with our routine, this happiness itself will drag us into the “Samsaara” and will not make us go slightly out of way to walk the path of “Bhakti” if required. For instance, in the case of Prahlaada, he was a very soft-natured child. When his father, Hiranya Kashibu was pestering him again and again to forget Bhagawan Narayana and His divine names, if Prahlaada would have been carried away by his “Sathva Guna”, he could have simply obeyed his father’s words and been in a happy state of mind, isn’t it? At some point, as a “Bhakta”, we should rise up to the occasion. We cannot become complacent and go along with the flow, which might take us away from Bhagawan. Hence, being dominated by the “Sathva Guna” is good to an extent, but we shouldn’t get too complacent with it and this is the message that Bhagawan Krishna is trying to make us understand here.
So with this important discussion, we come to the end of the fourteenth “Adhyaaya”. Now we’re left with only four more “Adhyaayas” and with this, we shall complete the long discussion on the Bhagawad Gita. However, as readers might be aware by now, we’re only seeing things in brief and we’ve not gone shloka by shloka in this Bhagawad Gita discussion. We shall take this up perhaps in our next project and for now, we shall take this opportunity to understand the overall perspective of the Gita as we move on. Now, as we move on into the fifteenth “Adhyaaya”, Bhagawan Krishna once again makes a declaration that He is the ultimate “Purushottama” of this world. Bhagawan says thus,
“Urdhva moolamadah shaakam ashvattham praahu avyayam!
Chandaamsi yasya parnaani yaktham veda sa bedha vith!!”
Here, Bhagawan Krishna explains a very interesting point – He talks about a tree called the “Ashva tree”, for which, the roots are on the top and the stem, branches, leaves, etc. are at the bottom! We might be surprised as to how a tree can have roots at the top and branches below, aren’t we? Normally it should be the other way round, isn’t it? However, here, Bhagawan doesn’t talk about a normal tree that all of us know. The “Ashva” tree is nothing but the tree of “Samsaara”! For this “Samsaara” tree, the roots are at Bhagawan Brahma’s “Satya Lokha”. It is because, Bhagawan Brahma is the one who is incharge of creating the entire world, including all of us. Hence, our roots are at the “Satya Lokha” of Bhagawan Brahma. Our branches, stems, leaves, etc. are in this world, which is below the “Satya Lokha”. Hence, if we’ve to be freed from the ocean of “Samsaara”, this tree should be cut from below.
Now Arjuna asks, “Oh Bhagawan! If we’ve to cut a tree, we would need a spade or a huge knife, isn’t it? Where do we get that?” As Arjuna asks thus, Bhagawan laughs and says – “Oh Arjuna! I shall give you that spade or knife that you require. This knife with which you should cut the tree called “Samsaara” is nothing but your “Vairaagya” or will-power. If one is able to use his / her “Vairaagya” to the fullest and is able to cut open the tree of “Samsaara”, he / she comes to me permanently without any problem. Once this person reaches me, he / she never takes rebirth again in this world! This is the assurance that I’m giving to all my ardent “Bhaktas”!”
Bhagawan Krishna continues thus, “Oh Arjuna! These people with “Vairaagya”, who overcome the “Samsaara” would reach the world which nobody would have even seen or dreamt about! This Lokha called “Vaikunta” is extremely pure in nature. Even Bhagawan Brahma would not have seen it till date. Thus, a person who has crossed over the ocean of “Samsaara” attains this world and from here, there is no question or returning back to any of the worlds, including “Svarga Lokha” and “Satya Lokha”. Oh Arjuna! Those Jeevatmas who are my ardent “Bhaktas” will never fail to attain me at any point in time. I’m always there with them to protect them and to hand-hold them to come to me!”
Saying thus, Bhagawan Krishna is going to talk about how He exists in this world, which we will take up for a detailed discussion in the next episode. For today, let us understand this important declaration given by Bhagawan Krishna and let us try and improve our “Vairaagya” levels little by little every passing day and as ardent Bhaktas of Bhagawan Krishna, this should be our aim – To attain Him come what may! We shall continue this discussion in the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 