Chapter 16 — Daivasursampada Vibhag Yoga

Verse 1
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka

|| Shree Bhagavaanuvaacha ||

abhayaṁ sattvasaṁśuddhirjñānayogavyavasthitiḥ

dānaṁ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyastapa ārjavam

🕉 English Translation

Bhaya se rahit shudh anthakaran,

Jame gyan mein acchi prakar mann.

Dam ,daan, yagya aur pathan granthon ka,

Tapp karna swabhav mein saralta.

📜 Translation English

The Blessed Lord said: The total absence of fear, absolute purity of the inner-self, steadfastness in the yoga of meditation for acquiring knowledge of the essential truth, doing charity with purity, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, to bear with difficulties encountered in the performance of duty, straightforwardness in respect of the body, mind and speech.

💬 Commentary English

The human being can become God in his life and can also become a demon. There is no role of external form in this regard. All this is dependent on the inner state. Good attributes only make the human godlike despite having a human body. Here those very attributes are described.

'Abhayam'-the state free from fear. Whatever we desire that does not happen and what is undesirable happens-this apprehension is called fear. Fear is the inner weakness and cowardice. The propensity of fear acts within oneself to destroy and snatch away the inner peace, energy, strength and resplendence. The more the attachment is towards the world, the more will be the fear. Remain in the world but do not become worldly. Abide under the refuge of the Lord and remain as His! Carry on your work leaving everything to Him! Good thoughts good behaviour, good deeds will be performed naturally. Invariably, one's own misdeeds and evil feelings make us weak and instil fear in us. On coming under the shelter of the Lord there will be no place for fear. The state of fearlessness will develop on its own.

'Satvasamsuddhi'-absolute purity of the inner-self. The disposition of attachment and aversion taint the inner state. The behaviour which is governed by these tendencies accumulates impressions (impurities inside). Take assistance of the name of the Divine! Transactions through the body, the mind engaged in remembrance of the Lord, abidance in the spirit of the Divine, memory of the Divine! Past accumulated impurities will come to an end with the name of the Divine and there will be no reaction inside in the form of new impressions; this is the purity of the inner-self.

'Gyanayogavyavasthitih'-the Lord should not be limited to just to the knowledge of His existence only, but should become an experience of life in the form of the knowledge of the essential truth principle. This will not become possible by just reading and hearing; the mind should remain united with the Lord. The body in accordance with its destiny may be involved in any kind of activity anywhere-but the mind should be established in yoga-not entangled in the thoughts and worries of this unreal world.

'Danam'-to use the resources given by Lord, to be given away in rightful manner, in the divine spirit, in accordance with the need of his beings is called charity. Whatever capability the Lord has given, it should not generate arrogance and clinging by considering it as one's own, but should be utilized for the benefit of others. The righteous use of resources is charity.

'Dam'-the senses should not freely revel in sensual objects and the pull of the external objects should not keep attracting the senses towards them. The senses should transact in the world but with discrimination.

'Yagya'-to offer oblation in the sacrificial fire is sacrifice. But the sacrifice of the Gita is not confined to just this. All the gods are performing sacrifice. The sun is giving light, the moon by spreading coolness is also performing sacrifice. In a similar manner air, water and earth in their own ways are performing sacrifice. Be of help to others. In the vast divine sacrificial fire, offer your selfishness, narrowness, egoism and attachments as oblation. Become magnanimous. Engage yourself in the welfare of others. Life itself will become a sacrifice.

'Savadhyaya'-Read regularly with reverence and faith the scriptures like the Vedas, the Puranaa, The Ramayan, The Gita, etc.! Study thoughtfully. Reading of the righteous scriptures leads to the blossoming of spirituality in life. It turns away the disposition from the unreal and motivates it towards the real. Read the scriptures but self-examination should also be done side by side. Examine yourself and introspect! Make the study of the scriptures a mirror so that shortcomings and vices in oneself may get removed. The inner dispositions should get established in the self or turn towards divine emotions.

'Tapp' if the goal is right, is high, brave the hurdles which come on the way smilingly. Whatever state, situation or anybody's viewpoint is unfavourable towards me, there should be no impatience in that state. Bear it with fortitude! There should be no habituation to living in bodily comforts. One should progress ahead on the path of self-upliftment. Feel comfortable in discomfort. Welcome the undesirable with a composed mind.

'Arjavam'-there should be straightforwardness, simplicity and uprightness. There should be no guile and deceitfulness, ostentation, artificiality. What we are not, we would like to appear-this is not proper. There should be no conduct with deceitfulness inside.

First Verse
Gita Prerna Logo
Go Back Top