“I am not this Body.” Easy to say…

The body is a machine, like a motor car is a machine. I am within this body as the driver is within the motor car.

Now the motor car has many needs. It needs gas, it needs oil, it needs to have it’s tires pumped up and so on. But if one forgets the driver in the car and simply concentrates on the machine and the needs of the machine the driver will not be satisfied.

He will be sitting in the car starving. Because the food of the driver is different from the food of the car. You can not feed the driver gas. His food is different.

So we are the driver of this body. This body has so many needs, but these bodily needs are different from our needs, we are the driver of the body, the soul within the body, “the ghost in the machine…”

So our idea is to satisfy the bodily needs only as much as necessary to maintain the body in a healthy condition and spend the rest of our time and energy in spiritual activities which help us to reawaken our original spiritual consciousness, these are our real needs, the needs of the soul.

It is not that we do not eat, or sleep, or have sex or defend, but these things are done in a regulated way to maintain the body in a healthy condition. But as the motor car is simply a vehicle which is meant to transport the driver to his destination, we see this material body as a vehicle which can be used to transport the driver–the soul–to his ultimate destination: back home, back to Godhead.

If we spend all our time trying to satisfy the senses of our body we will waste all our time and energy in this way and become completely distracted from the real purpose of life which is to get out of this material world and get back home to the spiritual world where we will get an eternally youthful spiritual body full of knowledge and full of pleasure… Then we will really be happy…

extremely significant verse in Bhagavad Gita

An excellent explanation and commentary of what I consider to be an extremely significant verse in Bhagavad Gita, one that points out the subtle but unambiguous distinction between Sanyasa and Tyaga. between Renunciation and Non-attachment, which is essentially that it is the content of action that counts, not with the pattern of action. Gita emphasizes the motive of action, not so much the manner of activity. Renunciation deals with the outer pattern of behavior while Non-attachment is an inner, a condition of mind.

Bhagavan is alerting us to the occurrences of superficial displays of piousness and devotion while harboring thoughts and desires of a worldly nature. Swami Chinmayananda had some strong words in his commentary on this verse:
" To give physically a show of morality and ethics, while mentally living a shameless life of low motives and foul sentiments, is the occupation of a man who is not a seeker of spiritual fulfillment, but, as is termed here, a self-deluded hypocrite! Certainly we all know that, even if we can physically discipline ourselves, it is not easy for an average man to control the sensuous tendencies at his mental level."

Man's spiritual nature is to be judged from the condition of his mind and not from his demonstrable code of behavior. In fact, a really spiritual man is unostentatious; there can never be a display or demonstration in a life that is truly spiritual. Any display, whether of material possessions or of spiritual accomplishments is essentially vulgar. Surely there is nothing more crude and vulgar than the display of one's so-called virtue. Sadly, we observe so many who are well-intentioned but engage in ostentatious displays and self-righteous proclamations of perceived religious and spiritual superiority of themselves, their families and those in the congregation.

The more one displays one's spiritual conduct, the less spiritual content is there in the inner make-up of such an individual. Bhagavad Gita calls such a man a hypocrite, a man of false conduct. Swami Prakashananda once described it as religious arrogance.

We are humans, we err, we may not be doing this intentionally but it becomes habitual and if not checked becomes a permanent part our character and lifestyle. Bhagavan is telling us in this Gita 3-6 that in spirituality, it is the condition of mind that matters, not the colour of one's robe.

Every human being is mixture of 3 goonas Sat, Rajas and Tamas

Gita 3-37

Every human being is mixture of 3 goonas Sat, Rajas and Tamas.

Threse 3 words of Sankhya Darshan need great understanding.

I send my translation of last verses of Ch 3

Karma are always preceded by some desires

Desires arising from Sat goona base are noble and must be done.

Nameste From HKG (Hiralal Gandhi)

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What is the definition of a sin?

"No body wishes to commit sins knowingly. Yet people commit many sins (make mistakes in life) as if they are dragged by an invisible force. Oh Krishna please tell me why such things happen?" (36).

All religions advise not to commit sins, or ask for forgiveness for the sins. In the ending verses (37 to 43), Lord explains the root cause of all sins. Once you know how sins occur, you will remain alert and avoid them. This is the beauty of The Gita, compared to scriptures of other religions which give doctrines, commandments and taboos.

"When desires and angers, mixed with selfish motives (Rajas) grip the mind then sins are committed. These inner tendencies (instincts, desires) are the greatest enemies of any individual. They burn you, destroy you. Recognize them and conquer them by self-discipline" . (37).

"The sex of an embryo is not visible under cover of placenta, fire is under the cover of smoke, and a clear image is not visible in a dirty mirror. In same way desires produce a veil over knowledge. Like an ever burning wild fire, all ego centric desires are the greatest enemies of all men of knowledge". (38 & 39).

“Desires reside in sense organs, mind, and intellect, and cover them like a veil. Therefore control all sense organs at first, and slain great enemy -desire, which destroys scientific talents and knowledge”. (40, & 41)

"The organs of knowledge (senses) and organs of actions are good, but mind is higher than the organs. Intellect is higher than mind. But the highest of all is 'THAT' (spirit, soul, the divine self)". (42).In many verses divine spirit or Brahaman (ATMA) is referred to as nameless ‘THAT or THIS’. (See Kathopanishad V-III-10.)

" Oh man of mighty-arms, desire (Kama) is most difficult of all the enemies to conquer. Recognize it by use of own intellect and the supreme soul within you. Conquer and slain inner enemy- DESIRES. (wants, wish, expectation, hopes, passions etc.). (43).