Class Summary for Mar 17, 2019 - Chapter-2: 69 to 72

Summarized by :  Partha Turaga

Chapter-2:V69 to 72

In these verses the Lord continues his description of how the "Man of Steady Wisdom" perceives the world.

The ch2 v69 talks about these contrasting perceptions. The Sage (Muni) perceives the day as night and the night as day. The day for a common man is the plethora of sense objects that he desires for. In the night, when he is sleeping he is all alone oblivious to all these desires. For the Muni, who realizes the futility of all the sense objects, the day - with all its trappings, is dark as night.  The night where there are no distractions for the man, he sees the possibility of getting closer to his true Self - this to the Muni is Day.

Gurudev in his video, describes the day as crowded with aspects that affect BMI (Body, Mind & Intellect) by PFT (Perceiver, Feeler & Thinker) using OET (Objects, Emotions & Thoughts). So, the common man who is wallowing in these senses thinks of this as Day. The evolved one considers all these as distractions and thinks of this as Night. He considers Night as Day because then none of these exist.

Muni can also be considered as the one who as the equanimity of inner vision. When his focus is always on the true self. So, daytime has a lot of sense distractions to the true self. These distractions to him are Night and the night time that does not have any distractions is day.

It is point of perspective that one develops.  The waves bubble up at a distance from the ocean, grow larger as they come closer and in a roaring burst dissolve into the ocean again.

A person who is on the beach can see the innumerable multitudes in the waves rising and falling. He sees them as many independent short-lived and different. However, another person who thinks of ocean as a single entity realizes that waves are nothing but manifestations of the ocean. They are rising from the ocean and dissolving into it. They are not distinct from the ocean.

ch2 v70 then continues to take the example of ocean to show that even as the rivers from everywhere join the ocean and do not affect (flood) the ocean. The enormous depth and breadth of the ocean are undisturbed by the gush from the rivers. So, too the emotions of a wise man are not affected by sense distractions from various sources.  His depth and his realization of his Self makes him so stable that any sense distractions has no effect on him.

This stability could be a result of his Happiness as defined by (Desires fulfilled / Desires Entertained). When the realized Man has close to zero Desires Entertained then his Happiness is close of Infinity. So, sense objects that are normally there for increasing happiness has no meaning for such a person of steady wisdom.

ch2 v71 continues this theme of reducing the desires. That man attains peace, who having abandoned the desires, moves without longing, without the sense of "I-ness" and "My-ness".

This shloka and the subsequent one are considered the verses that summarize the "path of renunciation" in line with the general summary that ch2 provided of the entire Bhagwat Gita. This shloka is describing how a Sanyasi moves about with peace, abandoning all desires. It is important to understand the Sanyasi here does not mean abandonment of your dependents but abandonment of the desires. It also requires you to go beyond your ego or sense of "I-ness".

ch2 v72 then talks about what is achieved when you are in this state. This is the ultimate state of human existence. At this state, there is no delusion. And continuing to be in this stage till the end we reach the state of oneness with Brahman - all-pervading and Eternal.

The theme here is about using Karma Yoga to clear the senses, Bhakti Yoga to declutter and focus And Gyana Yoga to help realize Self. The last 2 verse are the culmination of this journey as summarized in Ch2.