KathaVarta.com: for Short and Moral stories

Archive for November 7th, 2008

Bhagavad Gita: 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga

Posted by kathavarta on November 7, 2008

Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga (Means MATTER AND SPIRIT)

LORD KRISHNA SAID:
1. This, the body, O son of Kunti, is called Kshetra; him who knows it, they who know of them call Kshetrajna.
2. And do thou also know Me as Kshetrajna in all Kshetras, O Bharata. The knowledge of Kshetra and Kshetrajna is deemed by Me as the knowledge.
3. And what that Kshetra is and of what nature and what its changes; and whence is what; and who He is and what His powers;this hear thou briefly from Me.
4. Sung by sages, in many ways and distinctly, in various hymns, as also in the suggestive words about Brahman, full of reasoning and decisive.
5. The Great Elements, Egoism, Reason, as also the Unmanifested, the ten senses and one and the five objects of the senses.
6. Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate, intelligence, courage– the Kshetra has been thus briefly described with its modifications.
7. Humility, modesty, innocence, patience, uprightness, service of the teacher, purity, stead-fastness, self-control;
8. Absence of attachment for objects of the senses and also absence of egoism; perception of evil in birth, death and old age, in sickness and pain;
9. Un-attachment, absence of affection for son, wife, home and the like and constant equanimity on the attainment of the desirable and the undesirable;
10. Unflinching devotion to Me in Yoga of non-separation, resort to solitary places, distaste for the society of men;
11. Constancy in Self-knowledge, perception of the end of the knowledge of truth. This is declared to be knowledge and what is opposed to it is ignorance.
12. That which has to be known I shall describe; knowing which one attains the Immortal. Beginningless is the Supreme Brahman. It is not said to be ‘Sat’ or ‘Asat’.
13. With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes and heads and mouths everywhere, with hearing everywhere, That exists enveloping all.
14. Shining by the function of all the senses, (yet) without the senses; unattached, yet supporting all; devoid of qualities.
15. Without and within (all) beings; the unmoving as also the moving. Because subtle, That is incomprehensible; and near and far away is That.
16. And undivided, yet remaining divided as it were in beings; supporter of beings, too is That, the Knowable; devouring, yetgenerating.
17. The Light even of lights, That is said to be beyond darkness. Knowledge, the Knowable, the Goal of knowledge, (It) isimplanted in the heart of every one.
18. Thus the Kshetra, as well as knowledge and the Knowable, have been briefly set forth. My devotee,on knowing this, is fitted for My state.
19. Know thou that Prakriti as well as Purusha are both beginningless; and know thou also that all forms and qualities are born of Prakriti.
20. As the producer of the effect and the instruments, Prakriti is said to be thecause; as experiencing pleasure and pain, Purusha is said to be the cause.
21. Purusha, when seated in Prakriti, experiences the qualities born of Prakriti. Attachment to the qualities is the cause of his birth in good and evil wombs.
22. Spectator and Permitter, Supporter, Enjoyer, the Great Lord and also spoken of as the Supreme Self, (is) the Purusha Supreme in this body.
23. He who thus knows Purusha and Prakriti together with qualities, whatever his conduct, he is not born again.
24. By meditation some behold the Self in the self by the self others by Sankhya Yoga and others by Karma Yoga.
25. Yet others, not knowing thus, worship, having heard from others; they, too, cross beyond death, adhering to what they heard.
26. Whatever being is born, the unmoving or the moving, know thou, O best of the Bharatas, that to be owing to the union of Kshetra and Kshetrajna.
27. He sees who sees the Supreme Lord, remaining the same in all beings, the undying in the dying.
28. Because he who sees the Lord, seated the same everywhere, destroys not the self by the self, therefore he reaches the Supreme Goal.
29. He sees, who sees all actions performed by Prakriti alone and the Self not acting.
30. When a man realises the whole variety of beings as resting in the One and is an evolution from that (One) alone, then he becomes Brahman.
31. Having no beginning, having no qualities, this Supreme Self, imperishable, though dwelling in the Body, O son of Kunti, neither actsnor is tainted.
32. As the all-pervading Akasa is, from its subtlety, never soiled, so the Self seated in the body everywhere is not soiled.
33. As the one sun illumines all this world, so does the embodied One, O Bharata, illumines all bodies.
34. They who by the eye of wisdom perceive the distinction between Kshetra and Kshetrajna and the dissolution of the Cause of beings –they go to the Supreme.

Translated by Alladi Mahadeva Sastry; Published by Samata Books, Chennai for www.celextel.org.
Visit www.eTirth.com for more religious Kathas.
Bookmark and Share

Posted in Hindu story, Katha, Moral story, Religious, Story for Adult | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Bhagavad Gita: 12: Bhakti Yoga

Posted by kathavarta on November 7, 2008

ARJUNA SAID:
1. Those devotees who, always devout, thus contemplate Thee and those also who (contemplate) the Imperishable, the Unmanifest – which of them are better versed in Yoga?

LORD KRISHNA SAID:
2. Those who, fixing their thought on Me, contemplate Me, always devout, endued with supreme faith, those in my opinion are the best Yogins.
3-4. Those who ever contemplate the Imperishable, the Indefinable, the Unmanifest, the Omnipresent and the Unthinkable, the Unchangeable, the Immutable, the Eternal – having restrained all the senses, always equanimous, intent on the welfare of all beings – they reach Myself.
5. Greater is their trouble whosethoughts are set on the Unmanifest; for, the Goal, the Unmanifest, isvery hard for the embodied to reach.
6-7. But those who worship Me, renouncing all actions in Me, regarding Me Supreme, meditating on Mewith exclusive devotion (Yoga); for them whose thought is fixed on Me, I become ere long, O son of Pritha, the deliverer out of the ocean of the mortal samsara.
8. Fix thy mind in Me exclusively, apply thy reason to Me. Thou shalt no doubt live in Me alone here after.
9. If thou art unable to fix thy thought steadily on Me, then by yoga of constant practice do thou seek to reach Me, O Dhananjaya.
10. (If) thou art not equal to practise either, then be thou intent on (doing) actions for My sake. Even doing actions for My sake, thou shaltattain perfection.
11. If thou art unable to do even this, then refuged in devotion to Me, do thou abandon the fruits of all actions,self controlled.
12. Better indeed is knowledge than practice; than knowledge is meditation more esteemed; than meditation the abandonment of the fruits of actions; on abandonment, peace follows immediately.
13-14. He who hates no single being, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from attachment and egoism, to whom pain andpleasure are equal, who is enduring, ever content and balanced in mind, self-controlled and possessed of firm conviction, whose thought andreason are directed to Me, he who is (thus) devoted to Me is dear to Me.
15. He by whom the world is not afflicted and who is not afflicted by the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear and sorrow, he is dear to Me.
16. He who is free from wants, who is pure, clever, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing all undertakings, he who is (thus) devoted to Me is dear to Me.
17. He who neither rejoices, nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, renouncing good and evil, he who isfull of devotion is dear to Me.
18-19. He who is the same to foe and friend and also in honour and dishonour; who is the same in coldand heat, in pleasure and pain; who is free from attachment; to whom censure and praise are equal; who is silent, content with anything, homeless, steady-minded, full of devotion; that man is dear to me.
20. They, verily, who follow this immortal Law described above, endued with faith, looking up to me as the Supreme and devoted, they are exceedingly dear to Me.

Translated by Alladi Mahadeva Sastry; Published by Samata Books, Chennai for www.celextel.org.
Visit www.eTirth.com for more religious Kathas.
Bookmark and Share

Posted in Hindu story, Katha, Moral story, Religious, Story for Adult | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Bhagavad Gita: 11: Visvarupa-Sandarsana Yoga

Posted by kathavarta on November 7, 2008

Visvarupa-sandarsana Yoga (Means THE UNIVERSAL FORM)

ARJUNA SAID:
1. By that speech which has been delivered by Thee for my benefit –that highest secret which is called Adhyatma – this, my delusion, is gone.
2. The origin and the dissolution of beings, verily, have been heard by me in detail from thee, O Lotus-eyed, as also Thy inexhaustible greatness.
3. So it is, as Thou, Supreme Lord, hast declared Thyself to be. (Still) I desire to see Thy form as Isvara, O Purusha Supreme.
4. If Thou, O Lord, thinkest it possible for me to see it, do Thou, then, O Lord of Yogins, show me Thy Eternal Self.

LORD KRISHNA SAID:
5. See, O son of Pritha, My heavenly forms, by hundreds and thousands, of different sorts and of various colours and shapes.
6. Behold the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Asvins and also the Maruts; behold many marvels never seen before, O Bharata.
7. Now behold here in My body, Gudakesa, the whole world established inone – including the moving and the unmoving – and whatever else thou desirest to see.
8. Thou art not indeed able to see Me with this thy eye alone; I give thee a divine eye; behold My lordly Yoga.

SANJAY SAID:
9. Having thus spoken, O King, then, hari, the great Lord of Yogins, showed to the son of Pritha the Supreme Form as Isvara.
10. Containing many mouths and eyes, possessed of many wondrous sights, of many heavenly ornaments, of many heavenly weapons held up. Such aform He showed.
11. Wearing heavenly garlands and vestures, anointed with heavenly unguents, all-wonderful, resplendent, boundless, with faces on all sides.
12. If the splendour of a thousand suns were ever to present itself at once in the sky, that would be like the splendour of that Mighty Being.
13. There, in the body of the God of Gods, the son of Pandu then beheld the whole world established in one and separated into many groups.
14. Then he, Dhananjaya, filled with amazement, with his hair standing on end; bowed down with his head and with joined palms, thus addressed the God.

ARJUNA SAID:
15. I see all the gods, O God, in thy body, as also hosts of various classes of beings; Brahma, the Lord, seated on the lotus-seat and all Rishis and heavenly serpents.
16. I see Thee of boundless form onevery side with multitudinous arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes; neither Thy end nor the middle nor the beginning do I see, O Lord of the Universe, O Universal Form.
17. I see Thee with diadem, club anddiscus; a mass of splendour shining everywhere, very hard to look at, all around blazing like burning fire and sun and immeasurable.
18. Thou art the Imperishable, the Supreme Being worthy to be known. Thou art the great Abode of this Universe; Thou art the undying Guardian of the Eternal Dharma, Thou art the ancient Purusha, I deem.
19. I see Thee without beginning, middle or end, infinite power, of manifoldarms; the sun and the moon being Thy eyes, the burning fire Thy face; heating the whole Universe with Thy radiance.
20. This space betwixt heaven and earth and all the quarters are filled by Thee alone. Having seen This, Thy marvellous and awful form, the three worlds are trembling, O High-souled Being. 21. Into Thee, indeed, enter these hosts of Suras; some extol Thee in fear with joined palms; “May it be well!” thus saying, bands of great Rishis and Siddhas praise Thee with hymns complete.
22. The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus and Sadhyas, Visvasand Asvins, Maruts and Ushmapas, hosts of Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras and Siddhas – they are all looking at Thee, all quite astonished.
23. Having seen Thy immeasurable Form, possessed, O Mighty-armed, of many mouths and eyes, of many arms and thighs and feet, and of many stomachs and fearful with many tusks, the worlds are terrified and Ialso.
24. On seeing Thee (Thy Form) touching the sky, blazing inmany colours, with mouths wide open, with large fiery eyes, I amterrified at heart and find no courage nor peace, O Vishnu.
25. Having seen Thy mouths which are fearful with tusks and resemble Time’s Fires, I know not the four quarters, nor do I find peace; do Thougracious, O Lord of Gods and Abode of the Universe!
26-27. And all the sons of Dhritarashtra, with hosts of princess, Bhisma, Drona andthat son (Karna) of a charioteer, with the warrior chiefs of ours, enter hurrying into Thy mouth, terrible with tusks and fearful to behold. Some are found sticking in the gaps betwixt the teeth with their heads crushed to powder.
28. As many torrents of rivers flow direct towards the sea, so do these heroes in the world of men enter Thy flaming mouths.
29. As moths hurriedly rush into a blazing fire for destruction, just so do these creatures also hurriedly rush into Thy mouths for destruction.
30. Thou lickest up devouring all worlds on every side with Thy flaming mouths, filling the whole world with flames. Thy fierce rays are blazing forth, O Vishnu.
31. Tell me who thou art, so fierce in form. I bow to Thee, O God Supreme; have mercy. O desire to know Thee, the original Being. I know not indeed Thy doing.

LORD KRISHNA SAID:
32. I am the mighty world-destroying Time, now engaged in destroying the worlds. Even without thee, none of the warriors arrayed in hostile armies shalt live.
33. Therefore do thou arise and obtain fame. Conquer the enemies and enjoy the unrivalled dominion. By Myself have they been already slain; be thou a mere instrument, O Savyasachin.
34. Drona and Bhisma, Jayadratha, Karna and other brave warriors –these, killed by Me, do thou kill; fear not, fight, thou shalt conquer the enemies.

SANJAY SAID:
35. Having heard that speech of Kesava, the crowned one (Arjuna), with joined palms, trembling, prostrating himself, again addressed Krishna, stammering, bowing down, overwhelmed with fear.

ARJUNA SAID:
36. It is meet, O Hrishikesa, that the world is delighted and rejoices by Thy praise; Rakshasas fly in fear to all quarters and all hosts of Siddhas bow to Thee.
37. And how should they not, O Mighty Being, bow to Thee, Greater (than all else), the Primal Cause even of Brahma, O Infinite Being, O Lord of Gods, O Abode of the Universe; Thou art the Imperishable, the Being and the non-Being, That which is the Supreme.
38. Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient Purusha; Thou art the Supreme Abode of all this, Thou art the Knower and the Knowable and the Supreme Abode. By Thee is all pervaded, O Being of infinite forms.
39. Thouart Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the Moon, Prajapati and the Great Grand-Father. Hail! Hail to Thee! a thousand times and again and againhail! Hail to Thee!
40. Hail to thee before and behind! Hail to Thee on every side! O All! Thou, infinite in power and infinite indaring, pervadest all, wherefore Thou art All.
41-42. Whatever was rashly said by me from carelessness or love, addressing Thee as “O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend”, looking on Thee merely as a friend, ignorant of this Thy greatness – in whatever way I may have insulted Thee for fun while at play, on bed, in an assembly, or at meals, when alone, O Achyuta, or in company – that I implore Thee, Immeasureable, to forgive.
43. Thou art the Father of this world, moving and unmoving. Thou art to be adored by this (world), Thou the Greatest Guru; (for) Thy equal exists not; whence another, superior to Thee, inthe three worlds, O Being of un-equaled greatness?
44. Therefore,bowing down, prostrating my body, I implore Thee, adorable Lord, toforgive. It is meet Thou shouldst bear with me as the father with theson, as friend with friend, as the lover with the beloved.
45. I am delighted, having seen what was unseen before; and (yet) my mind is confounded with fear. Show me that form only, O God; have mercy, O God of Gods, O Abode of the Universe.
46. I wish to see Thee as before,crowned, possessed of the club, with the discuss in the hand, in Thy former form only, having four arms, O Thousand-armed, O Universal Form.

LORD KRISHNA SAID:
47. By Me, gracious to thee, O Arjuna, this Supreme Form has been shown– by my sovereign power – full of splendour, the all, the Boundless, the Original Form of Mine, never before seen by any other than thyself.
48. Not by study of the Vedas and of the sacrifices, nor by gifts, nor by rituals, nor by severe austerities, can I be seen in this Form in the world of man by any other than thyself, O hero of the Kurus.
49. Be not afraid nor bewildered on seeing such a terrible form of Mine as this; free from fear and cheerful at heart, do thou again see this My former form.

SANJAY SAID:
50. Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vasudeva again showed His own form; and the Mighty Being, becoming gentle in form, consoled him who was terrified.

ARJUNA SAID:
51. Having seen Thy gentle human form, O Janardana, now I have grown serene and returned to my nature.

LORD KRISHNA SAID:
52. Very hard to see is this Form of Mine which thou hast seen; even the Devas ever long to behold this Form.
53. Not by Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by gifts, nor by sacrifice, can I be seen in this Form as thou hast seen Me.
54. But by un-distracted devotion can I, of this Form, be known and seen in reality and entered into, O harasser of thy foes.
55. He who does works for Me, who looks on Me as the supreme, who is devoted to Me, who is free from attachment, who is without hatred for any being, he comes to Me, O Pandava.

Translated by Alladi Mahadeva Sastry; Published by Samata Books, Chennai for www.celextel.org.
Visit www.eTirth.com for more religious Kathas.
Bookmark and Share

Posted in Hindu story, Katha, Religious, Story for Adult | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.