C L Kaloo
The Bhagavad-Gita enlights us about the manifestations of spirit in Macrocosm and Microcosm as is evident from the talks between the Lord and his disciple and friend Arjuna. In the Bhagavad-Gita, the lord Krishna’s version in the last two shlokas of Adhaya 7th(7-1&2 B.G) bewildered Arjuna and he prayed to the Lord to enlighten him about the cosmic mysteries and in this context Arjuna asked some questions as contained in Adhaya 8th , shloka- 1(8.3 B.G).
“Kim Tad Brahma Kim adhyatman- Kim karma Purshottama
Adhibhitam ca Kim Proktam- adhidaivam Kim ucyate”
Means: O best of Purushas (Krishna)- please tell me, What is Brahman(spirit)? What is Adhyatma? (The consciousness underlying all manifestations and existing as the souls of all beings in the cosmos) and what is Karma? (Cosmic and meditative actions) What is Adhibuta? (The consciousness imminent in physical creatures and the physical cosmos) and what is Adhidaiva? (The consciousness manifested in astral bodies and the astral cosmos) and in the next shloka beseeches the Lord to enlighten him as in what manner is “Adhiyajna” present (as the soul) in the body? And how at the time of death, You (the Lord) will be known by the self disciplined. The Lord replies as given in Adhaya 8th ,shloka -3 (8-3 B.G)
“Aksaram Brahma Paramam- svabhavo dhyatmam ucyate !!
Bhuta- bhavodbhava karo- visarga Karma samjniteh!!”
Means: The indestructible and supreme spirit is Brahman. Its un-differentiated manifestation (as the individual soul) is called Adhyatma. The Aum (cosmic vibration) that causes the births, sustenance and dissolution of beings and their various natures is termed Karma (Cosmic action). The Lord explains further that the spirit is imperishable, ever existant in the changeless non-vibratory sphere. As the moon is able to reflect itself on objects as a shining light so the nature of spirit enables it to reflect itself as cosmic intelligence and as individual souls shining through physical bodies. The cosmic vibration (Aum) with its law of duality and relativity emanates from spirit and causes the birth, sustenance and dissolution of all matter and beings through the law of karma (action). This law of action holds away over all activities of man and nature. Thus, the Lord explains that the physical nature is called Adhibuta. It is created at a certain point and will be annihilated at a certain point. Similarly, the concept of universal form of God includes all demigods and their different planets, is called Adhidaiva and present in the body along with the individual soul, is the super soul.
This super soul is called the Paramatma or “Adhiyajna”and is situated in the heart. The lord makes us aware that the Super Soul (Paramatma) seated besides the individual soul ( Jiva Atma) , is the witness of the individual soul`s activities and is the source of soul`s various types of Consciousness.
Since seven questions as enumerated in the above Shaloka were asked by Arjuna, the last being viz 7th -about the aspirant’s Perception of the God at the time of death. Thus the lord tells him the Experience of a self disciplined person at the time of death in this Shaloka (8-5B.G)
” Anta-kale ca maneva- samaran muktava Kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad – bhavan-yati nastyatra samsayah”
Means :- Lastly, he enters my being who thinks only of ME at the hour of his Passing when the body is abandoned. This is truth beyond doubt.
While elaborating this Shaloka , a self Disciplined person -Say an ardent devotee who practices meditation througout his life is able to commune with God at any time, especially the crucial time of death. A man`s thoughts at the last moment of life determine his status in the hereafter, such a disciplined person finishes acting of his role in life, and makes his final exit from the earthly stage, his mind fixed only on the bliss of spirit, his heart untainted by any mundane longings . Than after death , a devotee is not required by Karmic law to return to earth, if during life time he has been able through spiritual practice to disconnect his life force and consciousness from the body, and if he has been successful at will , in entering the conscious breathless stage, maintaining life in the body by drawing a supply of Cosmic energy from God, and if he has been non attached to the body and to sense objects, and if he has had no personal desires and has remained undisturbed by the egoistic wishes for any person or object or sense enjoyment, thus knowing only the Love and Joy of his creator, such a devotee, without doubt attains freedom and merges with Divine Being. He needs no further incarnations on earth for the satisfaction of his unfulfilled desires.
Accordingly , such an ardent devotee who has trained his mind to be detached , at will, from the sensory world and unite that emancipated mind with the lord, thinks of nothing else but HIM only at the time of death. Through law of Karma, a person has automatically created the cause , that must manifest as the effect, for attainment of God. A devotee who is accustomed in being absorbed in his devotion in true spirits remains, after death, in the same state of Divine Union. Such a truthful devotee throughout his life sees his Physical form as a dream of God; when the atoms of that body dream are dispensed by death , he wakes up in the dreamless Bliss. This is what the Bhagavad -Gita enlights us about the ardent devotees` or Yogi`s experience at the time of death.
However, the lord further explains to Arjuna in Adhaya 8th shaloka 6th (8.6 B4) as quoted here under:
“Yam Yam vapi smaran bhavam – Tyajaty ante kaleva ram
Tam Tam evaiti kaunteya – Sada Tad-bhava bhavitah”
Means: “whatever state of being one remembers when one quits the body, O son of Kunti, that state one will attain without fail.”
In context to this shaloka, it is explained that the process of changing ones nature at the critical moment of death is never possible and it is not true that a person who thinks of something other than the lord attains the same transcendental stage.
This point is carefully to be noted as how can one die in the proper state of mind?
Maharaja Bharata, although a great and wise personality thought of deer at the end of his life, and as per scriptures he was transferred with the body of a deer in his next life. Although as deer, he remembered his past activities being spiritually advanced, but he had to accept that animal body. Thus, it is clear that one’s thoughts during the course of one’s life accumulate to influence one’s thoughts at the moment of death. So this life creates one’s next life. We have to make earnest and sincere efforts, to make our life sublime, remember the creator- the lord, relentlessly and only then we shall transcendently be absorbed in the service of the God, and therefore the next body (life) will be transcendental- spiritual. Here again, the easiest and most convenient and successful process is chanting the name of the God viz “NAM- SUMURAN”-Persistently, while engaging ourselves in material day to day activities. In this context, the lord clarifies in Adahaya 8th – shaloka 7th of the Bhagavad Gita (8.7 B.G):-
“Tasmat sarvesu kalasu- mam anusmara yudhya ca !
mayy arpita – mano- buddhir- mam evaisyasy asamsayah !!”
Means: “Therefore you should always think of ME and at the same time carry-out your prescribed duty of fighting with your activities dedicated to ME and your mind and intelligence fixed on ME, you will attain ME without doubt”
Thus these instructions of the lord are very important for all the persons engaged in material activities. The lord does not say that one should give up the prescribed duties or engagements. One can continue them and simultaneously think of the lord by chanting his Name viz. “NAM-SUMARAN”. Therefore, by chanting the lord’s Name, while surrending (arpita) unto HIM one will be transferred to the Supreme Planet, without doubt.
However, I conclude with a description in “Chandogya-Upanishad” which tells us that in the process of sacrifice, the living being makes specific sacrifices (yajna) to attain specific heavenly planets and consequently reaches them. But when the merit of the Vedic Sacrificial process, is exhausted, the living being descends to earth and then perpetually comes and goes on the mental path, and thus the same cycle is repeated. This process is known as Karma.
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