1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 26

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Gaining in Unity is Mukti 26-28

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 26

Yavat samyate kinchit satvam sthavara jangamam I

Kshetra kshetrajna samyogat tat viddhi bharat rishabha II sloka 26

यावत् सम्यते किञ्चित् सत्यं स्थावर जङ्गमं I 

क्षेत्र क्षेत्रज्ञ संयोगात् तत् विद्धि भरत ऋषभ I I  श्लोक 26

Whatever being is born, the unmoving or the moving, O best of the Bharatas, know it to be from the union of Kshetra and kshetrajna.

An analogy from the cinematograph facilitates the understanding of the relationship between kshetra and kshetrajna. The moving light and shadow projected on the stationary screen, produce the required effect. The picture of an active man is possible because of the combined contribution of  the kinetic light and shadow and the static screen. A blazing fire is seen on the screen, which in fact remains unaffected. Parallel to this are the contributions made by the Kshetra and kshetrajna in producing the phenomenal universe and beings in it. The insentient khsetra appears to be sentient due to its being super-imposed on kshetrajna. The immovable kshetrajna in his turn appears to be born, grow and die, h the due to his identification with the kshetra. The man in ignorance misreads the characteristics of the kshetra in the kshetrajna and vice versa. It is knowledge to understand these two entities as they are in themselves, and not as they seem to be because of their mutual intermingling. 

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 27

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Gaining in Unity is Mukti 26-28

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 27

Ganga descending from Heaven

How does the jnani behold the Paramatman?

Samam sarveshu bhuteshu tishthantam parameshwaram I

Vinashyatsu avinashyantam yah pashyati sah pashyati II sloka 27

समम् सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तां परमेश्वरम् I 

विनष्यस्तु अविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति सः पश्यति II  श्लोक 27

He who sees, the supreme Lord, dwelling alike in all bodies, and never perishing when they perish, he sees indeed.

He who sees the atman as it really is - he is the one who sees the atman as a distinct entity in all embodied beings that are composed of prakriti and Purusa, even in bodies of diverse nature as gods, men etc. The true seer is one who sees atman as the supreme ruler in all these bodies as the imperishable self, though the bodies are subject to destruction. Conversely the purport is that he sees who sees the atman, only as characterised by the unequal forms of the bodies as men, gods, etc. and as possessed of birth, death etc. -  such a person is caught up perpetually in the transmigratory existence.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 25

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

The four yogas 24-25

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 25

Anye tu evam agya janantah shrutva anyebhyah upasate I

Te api cha ati taranti eva mrutyum shruti parayanah II sloka 25

अन्ये तु एवं अज्ञ जानन्तः श्रुत्वा अन्येभ्यः उपासते I

ते अपि च अति तरन्ति एव मृत्युं श्रुति परायणः II श्लोक 25 

Still others, not  knowing thus, worship as they have heard from others; they too go beyond death by ttheir devotion to what they have heard.

Among the four yogas, Bhakthi yoga is the easiest. Scriptural knowledge and keen discrimination  are not necessarily auxillaries to this all-absorbing path. The gopis of Brundavan were uneducated and  devoid of intellectual equipment. Still, through pure devotion they made the Lord  of the universe their own. But if the learning and wisdom can be properly utilised  and if pure devotion is also side by side developed, progress in spirituality becomes easier still. 

Devotion to the Lord can be compared to a ferocious tiger. As the latter destroys the cattle, the former destroys lust, greed and such like enemies to man. If Bhakthi comes up, but once, there is no more fear of being disturbed by lust and anger which will be all exterminated from the mind. The gopis of Brundavan were free from these taints because of their extraordinary love of the boy Krishna. 

The Karma yoga, the Raja Yoga, Bhakthi Yoga and the Jnana Yoga - all these four yogas are given equal status and importance in the Bhagavad Gita. Any one of these four great paths is sufficient to lead the sadhaka to perfection. Still, the salutory course is to harmonise all the four paths. The karma yoga provides man with efficiency. The Raja yoga adds to the stamina of the mind. The Bhakthi Yoga unifies beings in sweet relationship. The jnana yoga sharpens the intellect and makes it luminous. All these great qualities and divine elements require to be perfectly blended to evolve an all absorbing divinity out of humanity.

The enlightenment that ensues from a balanced spiritual life is given next.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 24

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

The four yogas 24-25

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 24

Dhyanena atmani pashyanti kechit atmanam atmana I

Anye sankhyena yogena  karma yogena chapare II sloka 24

ध्यानेन आत्मानि पश्यन्ति केचित् आत्मनां आत्मान I

अन्ये सान्ख्येन योगेन कर्म योगेन चापरे II श्लोक 24

By meditation some behold the Self in the self by the self, others by the yoga of knowledge and yet others by karma yoga.

Of the four universally accepted yogas, the Raja yoga, Jnana yoga and karma yoga are mentioned in this sloka. Here the self refers to the jivatman and the Self refers to the Paramatman.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 23

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Does any good accrue from the knowledge of Purusha and Prakriti?

Brahma Jnana Dispels the Delusion of Birth 22-23

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 23

Ya evam vetti purusham prakritim cha gunaih saha I

Sarvatha vartamanah api na sah bhuyah abhijayate II sloka 23

य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह् I 
सर्वथा वर्तमानः अपि न सः भूयः अभिजायते II श्लोक 23 

He who thus knows the Purusha and Prakriti together with the gunas, is never born again, in whatever way he may live.

He who 'understands' namely, knows truly with discrimination, the self to be thus, and also the Prakriti as having the said nature along with the gunas, is never born again in Prakriti in whatever form or body he may be in, whether devas or men etc. The meaning is that at the time when the body ceases to exist, the self  will attain the purified state characterised by boundless knowledge and devoid of any evil. 

Thirunakshatram or Birthday of Kulasekara Azhwar on Feb 11, 2014 - Masi Punarpusam

Kulasekhara Azhwar

Amsam                 Kaustubham

Acharyan  Lord

Year of birth         3075 BC / 8th century AD

Life span             67

Tamil Month & star   Masi- punarpoosam

Fathers name          King Dhrdavrata

Place of birth        Thiruvanjikalam in Periyar  (Kerala)

Names given           Kollikkaavalan, Koodal Naayagan, Koyikone, Villavar Kone,  CheyralarKone

Gothram       Belonged to the Chera dynasty

Family  Son Dhridavratan and Daughter Ila

Works  Mukunda malai & Perumal Thirumozhi

Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulashekhara_Alwar                                             

http://sriranganatha.tripod.com/id29.html              

http://srivenkatesa.org/index.php/kulashekara-alwar/81-kulashekara-alwar-introduction       

https://ramanujadasan.wordpress.com/tag/kulasekara-alwar/                        

http://alwarsandacharyas.blogspot.in/2007/02/kulasekhara-azwar.html

Thirunakshatram (Birthday) of Thirukachi nambigal on March 9, 2014, Masi- Mrigasirisham

Thirukachchi nambi

Acharya                      Alavandar

Sishya                        Ramanuja (Abhimana Sishya)

Date of Birth                1009

Tamil Month & Star       Masi mrigasirisham

Place of birth               Poovirindavalli

Parents names            Veeraraghavar & Kamala - Vysya kulam

Brindavanam                Poovirindavalli

Names given                Gajendradasan, Bhargavapriyar since father did thirumanjanam for Tirumazhasai alwar,                                                        Kanchipoorna

Spouse    none,  unmarried

Works   Devaraja Ashtakam, Scribed for Ramanujar while writing the SriBhashyam

Links 

http://www.ramanujartemples.net/Chapter%201.htm                                             

http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/thirukkachinambi/

http://ramanujadasan.wordpress.com/tag/thirukachi-nambhigal/                            

www.kaarimaaran.com/puzzles/ThirukkachiNambigal.pps                               

http://www.indiadivine.org/content/topic/1073067-fw-thirukkachi-nambigal-utsavam-maasi-mirugaseerusham-avatara-stalampoovirunthavalli/

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 22

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Brahma Jnana Dispels the Delusion of Birth

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 22

Upadrashta  anu manta cha bharta bhokta maheshwarah I

Param atma iti cha api uktah dehe asmin purushah parah II sloka 22

उपद्रष्ट अनु मन्त च भर्त भोक्ता महेश्वरः।
परम आत्मा इति च अपि उक्तः देहे अस्मिन् पुरुषः परः ।। स्लोक २२   

The self  in this body is also called the spectator, the approver or one who permits, the supporter, the one who experiences, the great Lord and also the supreme self.

Manifold are the activities taking place in the human body. The jivatman  enshrouded in ignorance imagies himslef to be the author thereof. But he is not. 

Upadrashta : The spectator. The person who witnesses the same or the person who acts as the refree is able to better see into the orderliness and fouls in the game. The Lord resides in the body as a witness to all that takes place in the body and mind. 

Anumanta :  The one who permits. To one who has no ear for music a fine melody in classical music is no more than 

meaningless sound. His approval or permission for the musical performance to go on, counts for nothing. Whereas when an expert critic who enjoys that melody, pleads for its continuance, there is pleasure and purpose in that act. More seriously and effectively than this, the Lord witnesses the activities  of the jivatman, knows them in their true perspective and permits those of the activities which are conducive to the progress of the jivatman. He is therefore the one that permits.

Bharta : the supporter. More important than witnessing a play and approving of it, is to materially aid and support it. In that way the Lord is the supporter of the jagat and the jivatman.

Bhokta : The one who experiences. A husband is not only the supporter of his wife, but he is also a partner, enjoyer and the one that experiences the family life. In the same way, the Omniscient Lord is the one that experiences through the conjunction of gunas with prakriti.

Maheswara :  The great Lord. Gaining the devoted love of a chaste wife is more important in a family life than gathering a variety of experiences in it. An ideal wife is never self-willed but subordinates her will to that of her husband. He has complete lordship and supremacy over the atma and all else.He is in no way affected by changes in the prakriti. He is hence the Paramatma residing in the human tabernacle.

. 

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 21

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Seed of the Mundane Life - 21

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 21

Purushah prakriti sthah hi bhunkte prakriti gyan gunan I

Karanam guna sangah asya sad asad yoni janmasu II sloka 21

पुरुषः प्रकृति स्थः हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृति ज्ञान गुणान I 
कारणं गुण संगः अस्य सद्  असद् योनि जन्मसु II श्लोक 21

The self seated in prakriti experiences the gunas born of prakriti. Its attachment to these gunas, which is the cause of birth in good and evil wombs.

He who is exposed to the sun gets heat and he who is exposed to the rain gets wet. Similarly the jivatman gets identified  with prakriti and imagines that its qualities are all his own. The varying sensations  such as happiness and misery and the modifications of the mind such as delusion and discrimination -these are all the outcome of clinging to the one or the other guna. It is this attachment again that prolongs the cycle of birth. By adhering to the superior guna, the jivatman is born as a celestial or fully evolved human being. By holding on to the inferior guna, he is born as an animal or bird. Getting stuck in mingled gunas, he is born as a mediocre man.

Is there then, no way to get out of this wheel of birth and death? The assurance comes in the next slokas.