AarushiAnikaDevDivyaIdhikaNehalPraketSarinaSoumya
Chapter 13 : Kshetra-Kshtragya Vibhaag Yoga
sri-bhagavan uvaca
idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate
etad yo vetti tam prahuh ksetra-jna iti tad-vidah
Srimad Bhagvad Gita is its own dictionary, Arjun asks in Chapter 13, what ‘Kshetram (field) is and who is ‘Kshetragya (knower of the body)’. Bhagvan answers that this body is ‘Kshetram’ and the knower of this body is the Kshetragya. This body is nothing, but a field of seeds (karmas/actions) sown in previous lives and now has fructified into the form it has taken. Just as a seed sown will bear the fruit depending on the soil it was planted on, the fertilizer used, similarly this body comes into taking form depending on the karmas of previous births.
Just like a sun reflected in a muddy water is not reflective of the quality of the sun, but rather the quality of the water, similarly the lack of realization of divine within is a quality of muddy consciousness rather than the lack of divine. In order to realize the divine, the efforts should be made to clear the consciousness.
On Guru Poornima
We all know that even if there is one hole in a balloon, the air fizzles out, but it is worth giving a thought as to why does the air inside the human body does not fizzle out even though there are nine holes in it. Who is that prevents the ‘pranavayu’ (breath of life) from escaping this body? The body changes form with time, from childhood, to youth to old age, but the pranavayu does not escape- why?
The element which stops the above from happening can said to be called as ‘Guru Tattava’. Shivji is the first Guru of this material world. Shivji lives in the Kailash Mountains? It is interesting to note this, because these are the qualities a Guru must have and which are reflected in the choice of residence of Shivji
1. Being Sthir (stable): Shivji was the one who had the power to burn the biggest desire of all-lust. He had burnt down Kaam Deva.
2. Being cool and calm : A guru needs to have patience as well as have the calmness
3. Being at heights: A Guru needs to be at the culmination of one’s knowledge. Just like the fire did not burn Sita Devi during Agnipareksha, a Guru needs to have the strength of knowledge and should have achieved the heights of wisdom
4. Ekantapriya (loving solitude): The Guru should be detached from the material world. This need not happen in a physical sense and it is not necessary that the Guru live in a solitary place; the meaning here is that the attachments should not be present within the mind.
It is said “Guru Shankar Roopinam” meaning a Guru should be like Shiva. The word “Guru’ literally means the remover of darkness. There are several hierarchies of Guru:
1. Paramguru : The entire universe follows his instructions
2. Jagadguru : We can’t see this guru, but we feel his presence and praise him
3. Sadguru : The guru who shows the path where we can realize God
4. Kulguru : The Guru who gives opinion on family matters
The path to proceed in life is shown by Guru. A Guru should be like
• Ganesh (Sthir/stable);
• Gauri (devoted)
• Gaay (cow implying simple) and
• Graahak(customer) implyuing he collects only good things/knowledge
Guru’s name is so powerful that even if the disciple takes his name mentally, the effects are there.
