1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 52

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

Karma Yoga is karma Sanyasa 49-57

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 52

Dhruva meditating on Narayana

Vivikta sevi laghu aashi yat kakkaya manasah I

Dhyana yoga parah nityam vairagyam samu pashritah II sloka 52

विविक्त सेवी लघु आशी यत् वाक् काय मानसः I 
ध्यान योग परः नित्यं वैराग्यं समु पश्रितः II श्लोक 52

Dwelling in solitude, eating but liottle, speech, body and mind subdued, always engaged in meditation and concentration, endued with dispassion;

(contd)

(who)  remains in a lonely place, so that there is no disturbance for his meditation; eats lightly ie. neither too much or too little; has his speech, body and mind under control and uses them, only for meditation; always remains in deep meditation daily till death; understands the imperfections and defects of all things; other than the soul; so that he doesnt have any attachment to these things;

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 51

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

Karma Yoga is karma Sanyasa 49-57

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 51

Buddhya vishuddhya yuktah dhrutya atmanam niyamya cha I

Shabdadin vishayan tyaktva raga dveshau vyudasya cha II sloka 51

बुद्ध्य विशुद्ध्य युक्तः धृत्य आत्मानं नियम्य च I 

शब्दादिन् विषयान् त्यक्त्वा राग द्वेषौ व्युदस्य च II श्लोक 51

Endowed with pure understanding, restraining the self with firmness, turning away from sound and other objects, and abandoning attraction and aversion;

A person who has a pure mind  concerned only with the principle of the soul;makes his mind fit for meditation, by turning it away deom sense objects; keeps away sound and other sense objects; does not have desire or hatred, of these sense objects (to be continued)

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 50

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

Karma Yoga is karma Sanyasa 49-57

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 50

Siddhim praptoh yatha brahma tatha apnoti nibodh me I

Sam asena eva kaunteya  nishta gyanasya  ya para II sloka 50

सिद्धिं प्रप्तोः यथा ब्रह्म तथा आप्नोति निबोध् मे I 
सं असेन एव कौन्तेय निष्ट ज्ञानस्य य पर II श्लोक 50

Learn from me in brief, O Kaunteya, how reaching such perfection, he attains Brahman, That supreme consummation of knowledge.

Siddhi or perfection is the state to attain which everything in nature is incessantly struggling. The very plan and purpose of nature tend towards this end.The sentient and insentient are all shaping themselves only for perfection. Carbon that remains buried under earth for ages turns into diamond, a most precious gem. That this great possibility is potent  in a piece of charcoal cannot ordinarily be thought of. Time and environment are factors that contribute themselves for this great miracle  to take place. Man delights in helping himself to a luscious apple. The perfection that this fruit has undergone is the cause of the delight of man. But he does not ponder over the process that the apple plant has undergone to bring about this perfection. Sun, rain, dew, fog, water, frost, soil, manure, air - all these have contributed their quota to the apple and have aided its progress towards perfection. All lives are struggling in their own way to reach perfection in their respective spheres.

But of all the attempts of all beings for perfection, the one that a man enjoys is of special merit. The siddhi of the other things and beings are confined to the material plane. Therefore it is prone to nullification. A diamond for example may again be reduced to a bit of carbon.Honey, nectar and ambrosia tur again into dirt. But the siddhi that is open to man leads him to immortality, to immutation and to moksham. And this perfection of manis not of the body but of the mind. The mind of one man is not like another. There are as many moulds of mind as there are human beings. In the course of countless rebirths these minds are undergoing modifications influenced by internal promptings and external situations.

It is the practise of yoga that chisels the mind of all of its angularities and shapes it into perfection. He is a siddha whose mind is cured of all of its defects. A pure mind is fit for brahma jnana. That yogi who gains in Brahma jnana attains moksham. There is no perfection greater than this.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 49

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

Karma Yoga is karma Sanyasa 49-57

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 49

Asaktta buddhih sarvatra jitatma vigatspruhah I

Naishkarma  siddhim paramaam  sanyasena adhigachhati II sloka 49

असक्त्त बुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्म विगत्  स्पृहः I 
नैश्कर्म सिद्धिं परमां सन्यासेन अदिगच्छति II श्लोक 49

He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire has disappeared, he by renunciation attains the supreme state of freedom from action.

A karma yogi is engaged in intense activities. One form of activity succeeds another even as the hour of the clock succeeds the other. He seems to know of no rest. This is the spectacle he presents to an onlooker. But what actually he is at the core of his heart needs to be studied. He does not identify himself with any place or residence. Wherever he happens to be placed, is accepted by him as his residence. Or to vie wit in any other way, he does not get attached to any place anywhere. Again, things are being handled in abundance by him. As they come in profusely, even so are they disbursed. No modification of any kind do they produce in the mind of the yogi. Water flows in on one side of a bridge and it flows out on the other side. The bridge is neither the recipient of water nor its distributor; it is unaffected by the flow of the river. The yogi, in that fashion, keeps his mind unaffected by the things of the world. He takes no note of the people drawn to him, or indifferent to him or opposed to him. This is the state of the intellect unattached everywhere. Thoughts and feelings rise in the minds of ordinary people even as waves on the sea. But the mind of the yogi maintains a different state. It is like a wave-less sea. This placid state is due to his mastery over his self. Objects of sense pleasure may be displayed in plenty before an innocent child; but the child does not cast a covetous look at them because it has not yet developed a desire for them. A yogi also does not behold those objects with covetousness since he has outgrown all desire for any sense enjoyments. This man who is obviously the doer of great activities is in reality a sanyasin as his mind is completely unattached, his individuality subdued and his desires utterly annihilated. 

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 48

he entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

The Four Fold Caste System Explained 41-48

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 48

Sahajam karma kaunteya sadosham api na tyajet I

Sarva arambhah hi doshena dhumena agnih iva avrutah II sloka 48

सहजम् कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषं अपि न त्यजेत् I 
सर्व आरम्भः हि दोषेण धूमेन अग्निः इव अवृतः II श्लोक 48

One should not abandon, O Kaunteya, the duty to which one is born, though it is attended with evil; for all undertakings are enveloped by evil, as fire by smoke.

A truth reveals itself to him who desists from likes and dislikes and who enquires into karma with an equanimity of mind. There is no karma whatsoever in nature, which is completely from evil. We cannot breathe without hurting millions of microbes in the atmosphere. When we eat, we deprive another of food or life. An ascetic suspends all bodily activities and practises austerity in a mountain cave. His body fostered by others vegetate thereby, without being useful in its turn. There is no karma completely free from evil. Why should then there be distinctions between vice and virtue? The great ones have advocated virtue and denounced vice. Which among the acts of man, is to be accepted as virtue and rejected as vice? Among the fuels that which smokes too much is bad and that which smokes less is good. Among the karmas that which is attendant with more evil than good is vice; and vice versa. It is in accordance with the place, time and circumstance, that a karma becomes good or bad. The knowing ones ought to discern and do the good karma only.

But the yogi has his own criterion. He discharges his duty as an act of worship of the Lord. A pilgrim halts at the wayside rest house, cooks his foor there with the fuel available and proceeds further. He does not delay on the way for want of good fuel. The attitude of the yogi is very much like this. He performs for the sake of the Lord, that karma to which his body is found fit. And he acts with the sole motive of attaining moksham. The yogi hence discharges his duty or svadharma as an act of adoration of the Lord.

He explains in the next few slokas, how his act becomes adoration

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 47

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

The Four Fold Caste System Explained 41-48

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 47

Shreyan svadharmah vigunah para dharmath svanu stithat I

Sva bhavaniyatam karma kurchan na apnoti kilbisam II sloka 47

श्रेयान स्वधर्म विगुणः पर धर्मात् स्वनु स्तिथात् I 

स्व भवनियतं कर्म कुर्चन् न आप्नोति किल्बिषं II श्लोक 47

Better in one's own dharma, though imperfect, than the dharma of another well performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no sin.

 The karma that is in tune with a man's disposition is his svadharma. Arjuna's case clarifie the issue raised herein. He is ordained by his nature for warfare. Events have driven him to the necessity of waging a righteous war. His duty is to pursue it even if it proves itself disadvantageous to him. If the odds turn against him, even then he is to fight to the finish. It is possible for him to retreat from the battle field and resort to severe austerity in the forest. Imperfect war is better for him than a perfect penance. Death due to opposing the wicked is better for him than life seeking the hereafter.

A man trained for medicine should not choose to become a lawyer on the ground that he can plead a case very fluently. It is injurious if one changes one's calling prompted by likes and dislikes, by opportunism and careerist mentality. One's personality gets dissipated by it. The training that one has received and the time devoted to it are all wasted. On the other hand, there is a two fold advantage in a man confining himself to his svadharma. Firstly its natural to him as a water to a fish. He need not unduly strain himself in picking up and in discharging his inherited duty. He executes it almost involuntarily.Secondly, there is the release of consciousness to be directed godward. He is a yogi who achieves the maximum benefit with minimum effort. To make his worldly life a fulfillment and to reach godhood - these are the ideals et by the yogi for himself. Devotion to svadharma is the sure means to the achievement of these objects. All activities are unfailing means to reach godhood. And that man who swerves not from his svadharma gains in constancy. No yoga is possible without this constancy.

But should not an aspirant renounce the world and all worldly activities when dispassion and desire for liberation dawn in his mind? the question is answered inn the next sloka.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 46

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

The Four Fold Caste System Explained 41-48

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 46

Yatah pravrittih bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam I

Sva karmana tam abhyarchaya siddhim vindati manavah II sloka 46

येत्ः प्रवृत्त्तिः भूतानां येन सर्वं इदं ततम् I 

स्व कर्मणा तं अभ्यर्चर्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः II श्लोक 46

He from whom is the evolution of all beings, by whom all this is pervaded, worshipping him with his own duty, man attains perfection.

It is because of the proximity of Iswara that the universe functions uniformly and intelligently. No being is superfluous or useless in this cosmic setting. By doing his duty properly, every man is contributing his quota to the phenomenal whole. This being the plan, an intelligent man ought to perform his duty as an act of worship of the lord.  When the right attitude is assumed, it aids the purification of the mind. One's svadharma proves thus, as the means for gaining of wisdom and for the attainment of godhood.

The common notion of man is that the worship of lord is one thing and the discharge of one's worldly duty is another thing. Such a man betrays his ignorance of the worship of the almighty.It is evident that every physical exertion is an aid to the build of the body. A bodily exertion can serve simultaneously both for the build of the body and for earning of one's livelihood. The same endeavour can next be made to serve three purposely holding it as an act of worship of God.

The Mahabharata has it that a butcher treated his profession as an outlet for self expression, for his livelihood, for his service to society and adoration of the lord. Through the discharge of his duty teh man matured fully in wisdom. His teachings to an ascetic form a scripture known as Vyadha Gita - The burcher's Gita. The idea of eking out an earthly existence i a wretched one. unbecoming of a man. 

This negative attitude should be elevated to a positive one of adoring the lord with teh life that one lives; and that life should be worthy of it maker,Whatever duty falls to our lot is sacred in itself and it should be directed to the glory of the lord. This attitude would pull him godward. He is a yogi who converts his earthly life into the worship of the lord.

A coconut contains a fibrous sheath outside, the shell inside and the kernel within. The sheath has to be peeled off and the shell broken in order to get at the kernel. Similar to this, doing one's duty in the spirit of adoring the almighty is the means to get at the kernel which is god in the heart of man,

Thirunakshatram of Andal on August 5, 2016

ANDAL

AMSAM Bhoomidevi

ACHARY Periya Alwar

YEAR OF BIRTH 650 AD

LIFE SPAN 6

TAMIL MONTH Adi

NAKSHATRAM Pooram

PARENT Periyazhwar

PLACE OF BIRTH Srivilliputtur

NAME AT BIRTH Kodai

WORKS Thiruppavai, Nachiyar Thirumozhi

LINKS

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

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/alvars/andal/                 

http://tiruppavai.net/about.html    

http://haricharanam.blogspot.in/2010/02/kodai-little-girl-in-love-with-ranga.html

Thirunakshatram of Acharya Kandadai Thozhappar (Mitra Dhatar) on August 5th, 2016

Acharya Kandadai Thozhappar (Mitra Dhatar)

AMSAM Andal

ACHARYA Nampillai

SISHYAS / Sons Peria Varadachariar, Chinna Varadaachariar, Eeyan Ramanujachariar  (Vadoola Desikan), Devarajar Ammal.

YEAR OF BIRTH 11 century

TAMIL MONTH Adi

NAKSHATRAM / STAR Pooram

PARENT Kandadai Andan

PLACE OF BIRTH Kancheepuram  

NAME AT BIRTH Pachaivarana Perumal, Vaaranaadeesar, Sayamahadeesar

GOTHRAM Vadula

TANIYAN

Ramanujaarya sathputhram Vaaranaadeesa Desikam |

Lokaacharya Krupaapathram vandhe gunaganaarv navam || 

LINKS

http://www.mudaliandan.com/kandadaithozhappar.php                                         

https://kmkvaradhan.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/who-is-a-srivaishnava-swamy-nampillai-and-kandadai-thozhappar-divine-pastime/                                                         

http://acharya.org/ac/smm/smmv1.html     

                                 

http://www.indiadivine.org/content/topic/1298798-sri-ramanuja-sri-ramanuja-journal-issue-2-volume-6/

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 45

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The ways and means of liberation are now expounded

The Four Fold Caste System Explained 41-48

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 45

Sve sve karmani abhiratah sam siddhim labhate narah I

Sva karma niratah yatha vindati tat shrunu II sloka 45

स्वे स्वे कर्मणि अभिरतः सं सिद्धिं लभते नरः I 

स्व कर्म निरतः यथा विन्दति तत् शृणु II श्लोक 45

Devoted each to his own duty, man attains the highest perfection. How engaged in his own duty, he attains this perfection, do hear.

To whatever station in life man has made himself competent, that is verily his svadharma. He who discharges his svadharma jubilantly and efficiently turns out to be a good sadhaka. The temporary disgust that Arjuna harboured for his svadharma was not born of a mature understanding. It was the oitcome of a momentary delusion. He who abhors his duty can never become great. A model student is he who applies himself diligently and delightfully to his studies. HE is loyal to the class in which he is placed, so that he may step over into  higher class when the time for it comes. It is his svadharma to go steadily into teh higher classes. This principle, however does not apply to one's position in life. If a scavenger thinks of changing his occupation for a better one, he may thereby prove himself worldly wise. But that attitude is definitely a hindrance to his spiritual growth. Through his seemingly humble svadharma he can rise to be a perfect yogi. For. no work is ugly or less for a sadhaka. Any and every becomes worship when the attitude is sound. 

The how of it is explained in the next sloka.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 44

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

The distinctiveness of each varna as evinced by its svadharma is delineated as follows:

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 44

Krishi gaurakshya vanijyam vaishya karma sva bhavajam I

Paricharya atmakam karma sudrasya api sva bhavajam II sloka 44

कृषि गौरक्ष्य वाणिज्यं वैश्य कर्म स्व भावजं I 

परिचर्या आत्मकां कर्म शूद्रस्य अपि स्व भावजं II श्लोक 44

Agriculture, cattle reasring and trade are the duties of the vaishyas, born of their own nature; and action consisting of service is teh duty of teh sudras born of their own nature.

The duties of the vaishya are as follows : farming, cattle breeding, trade, which consists of buying and selling, and earning wealth. The duty of the sudra is to be of service. 

Besides the above, the rituals prescribed in the vedas like the yagnas should be done, according to ones caste and ashrama. Yagnas and such other works are common to the three castes of brahmins, kshatriyas and  vaishyas. Controlling the indriyas, etc. is to be done by those, among the three castes, who seek moksha.

A brahmin leads his life, by participating in the yagnas, teaching the vedas and accepting gifts. A kshatriya administers the kingdom and protects the people. A vaishya does farming etc and a sudra is of service top others.