A H A M - Blog By Sharanya Chaitanya: Bhagavad Gita

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Bhagavad Gita - Chapter VI

Not more not less, but just right

In the sixth chapter, called Athmasamyama Yoga - the Yoga of becoming one with the soul, Sri Krishna continues with techniques of Pranayama, Hatha Yoga and Dhyana. But he cautions in two beautiful verses:

Nathyashnatasthu Yogosthi Nachaikanthamanashnathaha

Nachathi swapnashilasya Jagrato Naiva Charjuna

Yukthahara Viharasya Yuktha Cheshtasya Karmasu

Yukta Swapnavabodhasya Yogo Bhavathi Duhkhaha

*****

Success in Yoga cannot happen for the person who eats too much or too little. Here lies the caution for those who storm the fast food centres and those who suffer themselves out starving with fasts, diets and rituals. It is also not for those who sleep too much, nor to those who are awake all day.

For one who eats moderately and in using the body, mind and intellect in entertainment and getting entertained, who works in a detached manner, giving one's best but not anxious of the results, who sleeps moderately - a practitioner of such Yoga sees an end to the sorrow of existence.

(For a verse by verse explanation of the Bhagavad Gita and its application in daily life, please log on to Bamboo Wisdom.) - Swahilya Shambhavi.

9 comments:

fruitu said...: By sticking to the middle path or sticking to a moderate path without tilting towards the extremes will defintitely support, explanation is very simple and true in all aspects.

Nice post Swahilya.; January 14, 2008
Swahilya Shambhavi said...: Thank you. Welcome. Fruitu.; January 14, 2008
Zareba said...: Hi Swahilya. I have finally been able to catch up. Your blog is interesting, as usual. I believe I mentioned that the Bagavad Gita is one of the books I would want to have with me if I were stranded on an island. From my first reading many years ago, to the present, it is still enlightening. Your translation and explanation is a true labort of love.

Thank you

...Z; January 16, 2008
Zareba said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; January 16, 2008
Swahilya Shambhavi said...: Welcome Zareba. It is a joy to contemplate and be with the Bhagavad Gita.; January 16, 2008
Anonymous said...: Every day we live forgetting the Gita, it comes back to remind us the eternal truth that helps make life better. Thanks Swaha for this drop of knowledge! :)

Nice to be back in touch again!

Love,
Adi.; January 16, 2008
hari said...: Hi Swahilya,
You have made a very valid point indeed. Moderation in everything helps.; January 16, 2008
Swahilya Shambhavi said...: Thank you Adi, Hari!; January 16, 2008
Abhisek P. said...: u didn't write any more abt Bhagvat gita ch. 6; July 07, 2013

Post a Comment

...said

Aham: Food for the Soul

I think its time I write about one blogsite I love to visit more than any other in recent times. It is Swahilya's blog. Let me try my best to describe her blog site. She writes about anything and everything but with a spiritual bent of mind. I know that I have raised a few eyebrows here by calling a spiritual blog my favorite despite my strong inclination towards science. Every time I visit her blogsite I come out having learned something or the other. Many a times I have personally requested her to write on different topics and she obliged every single time. I will run out of superlatives if I try to describe her writing style...
*****

The Acquaintance

Hello! Is this Miss.Divine?,
Yes it is she said,
I heard the smoothest voice I ever had,
It did not command nor was it submissive,
I was totally mesmerized by the brilliance,
Awestruck by its mysterious charm,
The signals from her brain
perfectly interpreted by her vocal cords,
Poured out the intelligence that lay within,
I listened with the keenest of ears,
Is she human? I thought,
No, she is Miss. Divine,
She is my latest acquaintance,
The teacher that sits under the banyan tree,
Is she Buddha incarnate?
or is she the perfect answer?
The balance between creation and destruction?
Is this the birth of the cosmic intelligence?
She denies perfection,
Humility is her second name,
She worships the indestructible,
She is SWAHILYA.
*****
Thirumandiram CD - (Akshara Foundations)
- A review by R. Suryaprakash, Vocalist
Great epics, works of saints etc., are generally branded as “Immortal” and conveniently allowed to die a slow death as the Western concepts rapidly gain ground in our society. On such almost forgotten treatise is “Tirumandiram” of Tirumoolar. It is to be said that some of the other constituents of “Panniru Thirumurai” of Shaivism are still popular, such as “Thevaram” and “Thiruvachagam”, thanks to the grit of Oduvars who still sing the verses in temples.Tirumandiram has a spiritual charm, bordering on the occult and its beauty has been fully brought to the fore by a young and enterprising team by setting to tune, ten of its verses and rendering them in a CD album which is eminently listenable. This CD has been recently released by these devotees of Akshara Foundations, with the profound blessings of H H Swami Akshara.
The plan of rendition has been excellent, with meditative chanting of a verse by a single member by rotation, followed by group rendering of the same. This is followed by a short raga sketch/interlude in Veena. After that, the verse is rendered by the entire group as a song, set in the same raga as the interlude, along with mridangam accompaniment. This pattern is followed assiduously while rendering all the ten verses. The introductory chants are set in the raga Revathi for all the verses and have been rendered soulfully by each one of the participants. He choice of Revathi raga is apt, because, in the phrases “ ni. sa. ri sa. ri ni. sa. ri…pa. ni. sa ri. sa ni.ri. sa…” the Raga is Veda Mantra itself. The interludes and the rhythmic rendition of the verses are set in ragas which take you through a journey in blissful realms of traditional music. The opening verse “Aiyindu Karaththanai” , technically not a part of the original treatise but conventionally sung as “Vinayagar Thuthi” of Thirumandiram has been rendered in raga Nattai, which is most acceptable as the opening raga in our music tradition. “Aaadi Natta Anta Surati” goes the saying. The tala is Adi.The second one “Thiruvadiye Sivamaavathu…” follows in the raga Suddha Saveri, in Kanda Chapu tala. It is a welcome change in talam.“Anbum Sivamum…” is in Anandabhairavi, “Thunaiyaduvaai Varum…” in Hindolam, “Ullam perunkoyil …” in Shivaranjani (which is literally an archana to the Lord), “Thelivu Guruvin…” in Bageshri, “Yaan petra Inbam…” in Kalyani, “Marathai Mariththathu…” in Sama, “Man Onru Kandeer…” in Hamsanandhi, rounding off with “Naadaththin Andamum…” in Madhyamavathi, the last one very apt raga-wise and set in brisk Khanda Nadai. Others follow the regular eight-beat cycle (Adi talam) which has aesthetic simplicity. The verses are rendered in an order different from the above in keeping with mood/raga contrast. The interludes have been rendered with a sense of proportion and purpose by the Great Veena Vidushi Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan, an octogenarian and a veteran who has been recently conferred with the birudhu Acharya Choodamani by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Her rendering of thanam in Kalyani raga as an interlude for the verse “Yaan Petra Inbam….” is one of unbridled “Inbam” (joy) and one wishes that her greatness “Peruguga Iv Vaiyaham” (spreads all over the world)!The individual renderings have simplistic charm as they have been rendered with utmost dedication by participants who, barring a few, are not basically professional practitioners. The open throated rendering by Swahilya, who has a stentorian voice, sruti suddham and bhavam which immediately takes one to the sanctum sanctorum deserves special mention. The charming rendition of the opening verse by little Kavya is also very sweet and gives one the firm impression that she has got a great future. The involvement and competence of the others too, cannot be understated.
In all, this album stands out for its meditative effect, involvement of the participants, and most importantly the rendition in traditional method so as to give the listener, the satisfaction of having undergone a pilgrimage. “Thirumandiram” by Swahilya and her team merits universal listening and appreciation. - Purnima

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Bhagavad Gita - Chapter VI

9 comments:

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