Ancient Indians – Satya Samhita

Sri Krishna's place of Ascent, Gita Mandir, Somnath : Photo Credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Gita Sravanam (Listening)

When we are kids we listen to a few slokas here and there, movies, CDs, parents…..

Those who are interested even listen to whole Bhagavad Gita.

These people attain the peaceful relaxation that comes through listening to beautiful sounds.. and that leads to s’anti or peace… the first step to gnyaana or knowledge.

It also creates in them a strong samskara or leaning towards the gita and a familiarity with sanskrit terms.. which come in useful later. Some people recommend it when the baby is still in the womb.

Gita Parayanam (Chanting)

Chanting Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu Sahasranama, Rama Nama and all give you the benefits of Pranayama and improve your Sanskrit pronunciation.

Normal breathing is shallow breathing, deep breathing-in makes you breathe out very quickly.

Chanting sanskrit slokas makes you breathe in quickly quick apana and breathe out slowly controlled prana or pranaayaama.

Pranayama is known to give both health and spiritual benefits.

Gita Adhyayanam (Studying)

This requires that we learn the meanings of each word of the Bhagavad Gita as well as the meanings in toto, in context and with the help of the commentaries of previous acharyas and learned thinkers. But finally it means that we meditate on the meaning of each word, verse, chapter and entire text until…

we understand what the Gita says about the true nature of things and ourselves and God, the various ways to reach the Brahman and finally select a method for ourselves.

At eGurukula – Ancient Indians University the students have been instructed in parayana and adhyayana and debating on the meanings till we “get it right”.

Adhyayana strengthens the intellect (buddhi) and the mind (manas) and allows us to choose a method that we can practice in our lives, even as we do our duty and live our lives.

Gita Abhyasam (Practising)

Once we are confident that we have understood the Gita correctly, we need to practice (abhyas) the the teachings. This is what we expect of Acharyas and Gurus. I have practically seen no one who “practices” the Gita.

A few of us have been trying to practice at least a few slokas of the Gita and have found that it can be really tough. We are what society might call “nice people”. Tell the truth, pay our bills, say-our-prayers middle-class sorts.

When I try to think that Krishna is the doer of my actions, I see him as a seperate (dvaita) wonderful entity actually helping out with my actions.

When I try to do the actions for Krishna, I think half my actions eg breathing the polluted air at a traffic junction, drinking coffee etc are unworthy of offering to Krishna.

When I try to offer the karma or good results of chanting the Vishnu Sahasranama.. I instead find that I want all that good karma to give me material benefits of various kinds.

So I am clearly karma baddha and not dvandva atita.

The good news is of course that I am getting better bit by bit.. Good luck with your adhyayana and abhyasa.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula