Margashirsh Ekadashi – Geeta Jayanti – 2

अर्जुन उवाच |
नष्टो मोह: स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत ।
स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देह: करिष्ये वचनं तव ।।

The above shlok is the essence of the singing of the Divine Song where Arjun talks about ‘Mohnaash‘ (detachment from worldly pleasures). My last blog had mentioned that Geeta begins with मामका (mine = attachement) of Dhritrashtra and here at this shlok it ends with Arjun’s understanding about detachment. It’s a long journey, with beautiful encampments in between.

Every person has a different perspective and I have mine, about the above said encampment. It is a place where, while reading, one stops and sits at its banks and keeps thinking, re-reading those shloks as said by Bhagwaan Yogeshwar. For me, the places where I encamp are the description of a

Sthitapradnya in Chapter 2,

Rajvidya in Chapter 9

The values of a Bhakt (devotee) in Chapter 12

Gunatit in Chapter 14, and

The values of the Devas and the vices of the Asuras in Chapter 16.

Will be taking about Sthitapradnya in today’s blog.

Sthitapradnya can be called the one with steady wisdom, intelligence and understanding. Such a beautiful life of a person as described by Bhagwaan is truly mindblowing. Will just share the shlok and its English translation for our reading and understanding. Will not go into the details of explaining them and leave it upto you, my reader, to read them and understand them. It all begins with the question asked by Arjun and later Bhagwaan goes on to describe the Sthitapradnya.
अर्जुन उवाच |
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव |
स्थितधी: किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् || 54||

(Arjun said : O Keshav, what is the disposition of one who is situated in divine consciousness? How does an enlightened person talk? How does he sit? How does he walk?)
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् |
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्ट: स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते || 55||

(The Supreme Lord said: O Parth, when one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is said to be transcendentally situated.)
दु:खेष्वनुद्विग्नमना: सुखेषु विगतस्पृह: |
वीतरागभयक्रोध: स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते || 56||

(One whose mind remains undisturbed amidst misery, who does not crave for pleasure, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.)
य: सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् |
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता || 57||

(One who remains unattached under all conditions, and is neither delighted by good fortune nor dejected by tribulation, he is a sage with perfect knowledge.)
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वश: |
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता || 58||

(One who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, is established in divine wisdom.)
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिन: |
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते || 59||

(Aspirants may restrain the senses from their objects of enjoyment, but the taste for the sense objects remains. However, even this taste ceases for those who realizes the Supreme.)
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चित: |
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मन: || 60||

(The senses are so strong and turbulent, O son of Kunti, that they can forcibly carry away the mind even of a person endowed with discrimination and practicing self-control.)
तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्पर: |
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता || 61||

(They are established in perfect knowledge, who subdue their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed in me.)
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते || 62||

(While contemplating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and from desire arises anger.)
क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति || 63||

(Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of the memory. When the memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.)
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् |
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति || 64||

(But one who controls the mind, and is free from attachment and aversion, even while using the objects of the senses, attains the Grace of God.)
प्रसादे सर्वदु:खानां हानिरस्योपजायते |
प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धि: पर्यवतिष्ठते || 65||

(By divine grace comes the peace in which all sorrows end, and the intellect of such a person of tranquil mind soon becomes firmly established in God.)
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना |
न चाभावयत: शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुत: सुखम् || 66||

(But an undisciplined person, who has not controlled the mind and senses, can neither have a resolute intellect nor steady contemplation on God. For one who never unites the mind with God there is no peace; and how can one who lacks peace be happy?)
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते |
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि || 67||

(Just as a strong wind sweeps a boat off its chartered course on the water, even one of the senses on which the mind focuses can lead the intellect astray.)
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वश: |
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता || 68||

(Therefore, one who has restrained the senses from their objects, O mighty armed Arjun, is firmly established in transcendental knowledge.)
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी |
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुने: || 69||

(What all beings consider as day is the night of ignorance for the wise, and what all creatures see as night is the day for the introspective sage.)
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं
समुद्रमाप: प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् |
तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे
स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी || 70||

(Just as the ocean remains undisturbed by the incessant flow of waters from rivers merging into it, likewise the sage who is unmoved despite the flow of desirable objects all around him attains peace, and not the person who strives to satisfy desires.)
विहाय कामान्य: सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति नि:स्पृह: |
निर्ममो निरहङ्कार: स शान्तिमधिगच्छति || 71||

(That person, who gives up all material desires and lives free from a sense of greed, proprietorship, and egoism, attains perfect peace.)
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थिति: पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति |
स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति || 72 ||

(O Parth, such is the state of an enlightened soul that having attained it, one is never again deluded. Being established in this consciousness even at the hour of death, one is liberated from the cycle of life and death and reaches the Supreme Abode of God.)

I have not come across such a beautiful description about a person or a devotee before. It is self explanatory and needs no explanation as I earlier stated. Would request my readers to read the shlok again and again and try and understand them slowly and later without even reading their English meanings. Am sure Maa Geeta will speak with you.

I have found my Sthitapradnya in my elder brother, mentor and guide; Param Pujaniya Pandurang Shastriji Athavale and am trying to walk on the path already tread by Him, as He holds my finger and guides me.

Would request all my readers to seek their own mentors or guides.

I know that my blog today has become a bit longer than usual and some might even find it tough to understand the shlok and meanings initially. But am sure the day you start understanding them, you will start loving them.

Am attaching the link to my last years blog as well, just in case if you feel like reading it

https://ameetkothari.wordpress.com/2018/12/19/margsheersh-ekadashi-geeta-jayanti/

Wish you all a very Happy Geeta Jayanti and a Happy celebration of the month of Margashirsh!