Gita 12-newton

Maximum Happiness to the Maximum Number of People for the Maximum Time

CHINMAYA MISSION BOSTON

The Holy Geeta – The Divine Song

Summary of Chapter 12

2015

© 2011 Chinmaya Mission Boston

Group Activity – Class Discussion

Share your experiences on

how you put ‘Seeing the Lord

in everything and everyone’ to

practice


Chapter 12 – The Yoga of Devotion

Arjuna: “O Supreme Lord! Who is a better Yogi ? Devotees who always worship you or those who worship the imperishable and unmanifest Brahman (Verse 1)

Krishna: “Those who, fixing their mind on Me, worship Me, ever steadfast and endowed with Supreme faith, these, in my opinion, are the best in Yoga (Verse 2)

Krishna: “Those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the unchangeable, the immovable and the eternal… Having restrained all the

senses, even-minded everywhere rejoicing ever in the welfare of all beings – verily they also come unto me. (Verses 3-4)

Ladder of Hope (Verses 8-11)(A) Fix mind and Intellect on the Lord(B) Yoga of constant-practice(C) Perform actions for the Lord’s sake(D) Renounce fruits of all actions


Chapter 12 – Yoga of Devotion

O Supreme Lord! Who is a better Yogi?• Devotees who always

worship you OR• Those who worship the

Imperishable and the Unmanifest Brahman (Gita XII-1)



Those who, fixing their mind on Me, worship Me, ever

steadfast and endowed with Supreme faith, these, in my

opinion, are the best in Yoga – Verse 2


Chapter 12 – Yoga of Devotion – Story of Sabari

Shabari had a very tender compassionate heart. How she came to sage Maathanga and stayed at his hermitage is a very interesting story.

Her marriage was arranged by her parents, and as was the custom among the Aadhivaasis , a goat was to be offered to the tribal Goddess, on the night previous to the ceremony, in order to win the grace for the couple. When Shabari came to know about this slaughter, she wept, and fell at the feet of her parents, praying them to save the goat. She asked, " How can our married life be happy, when the dying bleat of this goat is the prologue? " But, the father pushed her aside and proceeded with the cruel rite. That night, Shabari stole out of that den of torture, and hid herself in the depths of the jungle that was not far off.

When day dawned, her parents as well as the groom's party wereplunged in grief and anxiety; they combed the area, even where shewas lying low amidst the thick bushes, and they went back, sayingamong themselves, " She could not have gone to the hermitage, for no women would be given asylum there " . She heard these words and so, she concluded that the hermitage was the safest place for her. She felt that some monk will take pity on her, and not send her back. Maathanga espied her and gave her permission to be in his habitation.

He told her that God in the form of Sri Raama was coming to thehermitage some day, since he has been exiled into the forest for 14years and He is eager to save the monks and seekers doing Thapas(penance) in the forest from the ravages of the demonic enemies ofpeace! Raama, he said, was proceeding from one region to another,with His consort, Seetha and His brother, Lakshmana.


Chapter 12 – Yoga of Devotion – Story of Sabari

From that day Shabari had no other thought than of Raama, no otherdesire than the desire to have the Dharshan of Raama, the chance totouch His feet and the opportunity to speak with Him. Her heart wassaturated with the Raamarasa (the sweet juice of the Raamaprinciple). She had no other Japam or Dhyaana (repetition of God'sname or meditation) or spiritual exercise. She spent her timepreparing for the visit of Raama to the hermitage; just as shecleaned the paths, she cleaned her heart, too. Pebbles and thornsdisappeared from both, through her efforts. She walked through theundergrowth and removed overhanging creepers and briars, for sheimagined Raama would not have combed His hair and it might getcaught. She broke the lumps of earth, for she feared the tender solesof Seetha will be hurt when she walks over them. She gathered fruitsand tubers from the jungle trees and plants and kept them by everyday, for no one knew when Raama will arrive! And, she took no risks.She tasted every fruit, whether it was bitter, sour or sweet, so thatRaama could eat the best. She smoothed the surface of all stones thatlay by the side of the tracks in the jungle for, she expected Raama,Lakshmana or Seetha to sit upon any one of them when they got tiredof walking. She hoped that one of them would rest awhile on one ofthe rocks she had polished with great care. Thus her heart becameRaama Hrudhaya (Raama's heart)!

Shabari was so immersed in Raama that the ascetics lost all lost allawareness of her sex; they allowed her to remain in the hermitage,after Maathanga related to them her high level of Sadhana (spiritualpractice). Maathanga also left his body and gave up his hermitage toShabari, saying, 'you alone deserve to be here when Raama arrives!'

The Saadhana that Shabari did to earn the bliss of serving Raama, youdo, when you serve Sai Raama in these children. By this service, yourealise the self.



Those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the

unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the

unchangeable, the immovable and the eternal…

Having restrained all the senses, even-minded

everywhere rejoicing ever in the welfare of all beings –

verily they also come unto me. (Verses 3-4)


Chapter 12 – Yoga of Devotion – Ladder of Hope

Fix Mind and Intellect on the

Lord

Fix your mind on Me Only, place

your intellect in Me; then,

(thereafter) you shall, no doubt, live

in Me alone (Verse 8)



Yoga of Constant Practice


Lord

If you are unable to fix

your mind steadily

upon Me, then by the

‘Yoga-of-constant-

practice’, seek to

reach Me, O

Dhananjaya (Verse 9)



Perform Actions for the Lord’s

sake


Fix Mind and Intellect on

the Lord

If you are unable to

practice Abhyasa

Yoga, be you intent on

performing actions for

My sake; doing so,

you shall attain

perfection (Verse 10)




sake


Fix Mind and Intellect on

the Lord

If you are unable to do

even this, then taking

refuge in Me, self-

controlled, renounce

the fruits-of-all-actions

(Verse 11)

Renounce fruits of all actions



Renounce fruits of all actions


sake



Lord


Chapter 12 – Class Discussion

• Exercise 1: Substitute ‘Lord’ by ‘Country’.

What are the similarities and differences

between ‘patriotism’ and ‘devotion’?

• Exercise 2: Discuss how the Ladder of

Hope can be applied to ‘Getting into your

favorite college’ or an athlete winning the

Gold medal in an Olympics event


Patriotism and Devotion

Patriotism

Those who worship the• Imperishable – exists

over centuries• Indefinable – abstract

concept• All pervading - ‘You can

take me away from Kansas – but you can’t take Kansas out of me’

• …..

Devotion

Those who worship the• Imperishable• Indefinable• All pervading• Unthinkable• Unchanging• Immovable• Eternal


Chapter 12 – Yoga of Devotion – Verses 13-20

Qualities of a true devotee

1. He who hates no one…

2. Who is friendly and compassionate…

3. Free from possessiveness and egotism…

4. Equal in the face of pain and pleasure…

5. Patient…

6. Who is a Yogi…

7. Who is always satisfied…

8. Self-controlled…

9. Firm in his resolve…

10. Whose mind and intellect are fixed on me…




1. He who his Lord’s devotee…

2. He by whom no one is put into difficulty…

3. Who is never disturbed by anyone…

4. Who is free from happiness, impatience, fear, and agitation…

5. Devotee, who strives not for any result

6. Pure, expert, and impartial…

7. Free from desire and anxiety…

8. One who neither rejoices nor frets…

9. Neither hankers or laments…

10. Who has renounced both good and evil…




1. Filled with devotion to the Lord

2. One who is equal to friends and enemies…

3. Equipoised in honor and disgrace.,.

4. Alike in heat and cold, pleasure and pain…

5. Free from attachment…

6. Indifferent to blame and praise…

7. Controlled in speech…

8. Satisfied in gain without endeavor…

9. Without any fixed residence….

10. Even minded

11. Fully engaged in acts of devotion



Practical Application:

Concept: 36 qualities of a true devotee – friendliness, compassion, absence of hatred, etc….

• Fix Mind and Intellect on the Lord

• Train the Mind to focus on the Lord

• Perform actions for the Lord’s sake

• Renounce fruits of all actions


Overall Summary - Concepts

• The ‘essence’ or life force that enlivens all forms and beings is HIM

• They are in ME – I am NOT in THEM – I Support all beings

• The Lord is in Everything and Everyone

• Everything, everyone, across all times is in HIM

• 36 qualities of a true devotee – friendliness, compassion, absence of hatred, etc….


Overall Summary – Practical Application

• See beyond the ‘name’, ‘form’ and ‘function’

• See the positive aspects of every ‘thing’ and every ‘one’ – little acts of kindness can bring enormous ‘goodness’ to the world and ‘peace’ within you

• Royal Secret:– Fix your mind on Me; – Be devoted to Me, – Sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me– Having thus united your (whole) Self with Me, taking me as the

Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me

• If you cannot do that−Train the Mind to focus on the Lord−Perform actions for the Lord’s sake−Renounce fruits of all actions

Gita 12-newton

Spiritual

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