Friday, 20 September 2013

Bhagavad Gita - 14th Discourse


Fourteenth Discourse – The Yoga of the Division of the Three Gunas or Cosmic Qualities
The knowledge of the three Gunas or cosmic qualities viz. Purity (Sattwa), Passionate (Rajas) and Ignorant (Tamas) is now given throughout this discourse.
The knowledge of the three Gunas which hold the entire universe and all creatures under their sway is of vital importance to all for their progress and happiness in life. In this knowledge, we have the secret to attain success in worldly life as well as in spiritual life.
Lord Krishna reveals that these three qualities compose the Cosmic Nature, which is the primal source and origin of the entire creation and all things in it.
The individual Soul also is bound to the body by these three qualities, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, present in Cosmic Nature. The Lord brings about creation through the help of His Nature, endowed with these three-fold qualities. The highest of these is Sattwa, which is pure. It brings about happiness, wisdom and illumination. The second quality, Rajas, gives rise to passion, manifested by intense attachment and greed. It causes sorrow and suffering. Tamas is the worst of all. It arises due to ignorance and results in darkness, lethargy and delusion.
The Lord urges us to cast out Tamas, control and master Rajas and wisely divert its power towards good kinds of activity. Sattwa should be carefully cultivated, developed and conserved in order to enable us to attain immortality.
The aspirant should know the symptoms and signs of their presence in his personality and acquire knowledge of their subtle workings. Then only can he progress in all fields of his life, armed with this knowledge.
The Lord declares that one, who rises beyond all three Gunas through spiritual undertakings, then enjoys immortality. This person constantly worships the Lord with exclusive devotion and attains the highest Divine experience and supreme blessedness.

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