SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Essence of SrI bhagavath gIthA
In the ninth SlOkam of gIthArtha sangraham, ALavandhAr explains the summary of fifth chapter saying “In the fifth chapter karma yOgam’s practicability, its aspect of attaining the goal quickly, its ancillary parts and the state of viewing all pure AthmAs at the same level are spoken”.
Important SlOkams/Verses
arjuna uvAcha
sanyAsam karmaNAm krishNa punar yOgam cha Samsasi |
yach chrEya EthayOr Ekam than mE brUhi suniSchitham ||
arjuna said;
Oh krishNa! You are praising “performance of gyAna yOga giving up karma yOga” and again karma yoga as the means to attain self realisation. Explain to me about that one which you consider as the best among these two.
Note: krishNa speaks about the greatness of different means at different times. arjuna gets confused and asks for a clear answer.
SrI bhagavAn uvAcha
sanyAsa: karmayOgaS cha ni:SrEyasakarAvubhau |
thayOs thu karmasanyAsAth karmayOgO viSishyathE ||
Both gyAna yOga and karma yOga will independently bestow the best result of self realisation. Still, among those two more than gyAna yOga (due to certain reasons) karma yOga only has greater importance.
Note: Importance of karma yOga is emphasised here.
gyEya: sa nithyasanyAsI yO na dhvEshti na kAnkshathi |
nirdhvandhvO hi mahAbhAhO sukham bandhAth pramuchyathE ||
Oh mighty armed! One who performs karma yOga not having desire (for sensual pleasures) and not having hatred (towards those who stop such pleasures for him) and due to that, tolerating the pairs (of joy-sorrow, heat-cold etc), he is always fixated on knowledge. He only is easily well relieved from the bondage in samsAram.
Note: How to perform karma yOga is explained here.
In the next couple of SlOkams, it is explained that both karma yOgam and gyAna yOgam lead to the same result and the wise man sees them equally.
In the 6th SlOkam, karma yOga’s significance and ease are explained. In the next SlOkam, the reason for these aspects are explained. Subsequently, in the next two SlOkams, i.e., 8th and 9th SlOkams, the importance of giving up doership in karma yOga is explained.
Subsequently, he explains the deeper aspects of karma yOga which is to be done with detachment.
vidhyA vinaya sampannE brAhmaNE gavi hasthini |
Suni chaiva SvapAkE cha paNdithA: samadharSina: ||
The wise see equally the AthmAs which are of the same form/nature in a brAhmaNa who has knowledge and humility and in a brAhmaNA (who lacks them), in a cow (which is physically small) and in an elephant (which is physically huge), in a dog (which is killed and eaten) and in a chaNdALa (who kills and eats such dogs).
Note: Here, Athma sAkshAthkAram (self realisation) is explained nicely.
Subsequently, the nature of the one who is focussed on AthmA is explained.
bhOkthAram yagyathapasAm sarvalOkamahESvaram |
suhrudham sarvabhUthAnAm gyAthvA mAm SAnthim ruchchathi ||
Knowing me as the one who accepts yagya (sacrifices) and thapas (penances), as the great lord of all worlds, as the friend of all creatures, one [such karma yOgi] attains peace.
Note: krishNa concludes emphasising the importance of having him as the goal.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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