Krishna began the chapter with the promise that he would be disclosing the greatest secret, which has the power to redeem human mind from all grief, delusion and inauspicious developments. He was elevating Arjuna’s comprehension to the raja-vidya level, wherein all existences would appear as waves in the sea, losing their differences.
He went a step further to say that even the waviness, in reality, does not have any implication of variety. It does not denote any entity or expression, separate from the sea. In fact, what the sea is, that alone is the wave. All differences in perception drop completely, making the mind float in singularness and comprehensiveness. The world first acts as the cause of all the confusion, but next becomes a help and facility for clarity. The change and ascent befall and grace the mind alone.
From the perspective of the mind, all existences – external, gross and objective – are no more than mere perceptions, for which the mind alone is the base, content and conclusion. It is because of this grand, indisputable and supreme Oneness, that the endless creation, with its seeming variety, survives and reigns.
The variety is just an expression of the Supreme. It makes creation interesting, full of potentials and possibilities, giving scope for all kinds of existences to thrive, make or mar their own place and fate. In the case of animals, the intrinsic freedom and choice do not pose a problem, for they do not have as much intelligence as humanity has. In the humans the mind-intelligence duo, together with the enormous power of articulation and sharing, makes an astounding difference. All the strife and accord, ugliness and beauty, repulsion and charm, naivety and excellence the human world displays, are a result of intelligence and its multi-faceted creativity.
That is how people form different categories. The good and noble are there, so too the bad and ignoble. Each one picks up his or her wont, pursues it to one’s heart’s content, remaining within the fold of the body, mind and intelligence. All these three can be moulded, though the scope for remoulding the body is relatively small. The more we go inward, the greater is the subtlety and hence greater is the scope for transformation.
Think of a set of sportsmen, who decide to play football. How do they make their dream a reality? They form into groups of eleven. All cannot obviously stand on the same side of the ground. They decide to divide themselves into two groups, each standing on one half of the ground and striking the ball to the opposite direction alone.
Thus, 11 played and moved eastward, while another 11 led the ball westward. Each team’s advance was thwarted by the other team, and every one then began to show his distinction and excellence in the play.
Each was using his body, mind and intelligence, more and more astutely every time. All played, for the joy and success of what they do. Some began to excel and very soon one team excelled another. The Supreme stood everywhere, witnessing and encouraging the players. For Him all are the same – His creations, His products.
At any time, if any player forgets how he chose to play, it would no more be a game. It becomes a fight, losing all its charm and innocence. Where sportsmanship should have reigned, unbecoming competition and malicious scheming take over. Driven by greed for victory, aiming at rewards and recognition, the sport turns into extreme foul-play, leading to distasteful aggression and even violence.
The Supreme standing everywhere amidst the players, like a referee, becomes the impartial witness. He will regard all the players as equally His, neither rejoicing nor sorrowing, thereby enabling all players to display their best.
Krishna describes how The Supreme remains equidistant to all minds. By the law and fact of variety, some players remember their position. While playing excellently well, they do not get victimized by victory or defeat. The winners will attribute their victory to the lesser skill of the opposing team. When they lose, they would gracefully compliment the winners, remaining at home with the outcome of their own inferior efforts:
The Supreme reigns equally in all beings. No one is particularly hateful or dear to the Supreme. Nevertheless, those who remain devoted heartily to the Supreme, will be in the Supreme, and the Supreme too will be in them. Their minds will abide in the Supreme and the Supreme will abide in them too.
Whether it is devotion, action or knowledge, the whole outcome is determined by the attitude and choice of the individual’s own mind and intelligence. One can look at the world of objects; look far and wide, to glimpse the endless space and its contents. He can marvel at how the vast endlessness reigns. To perceive the huge visible variety, one’s body has to circumscribe his mind and intelligence, making him distinct from all the rest. Only then the perception and interaction with the visibles will be facilitated.
A devotee of the Supreme never perishes
At first sight, one will feel himself small, and the surrounding objects huge. With the idea of big and small arises one set of dvandvas. The dvandva perception grows in number, variety and dimension, making the individual feel humility, fondness and loyalty to the whole display. A note of confident intimacy, friendship and closeness constitutes this devotional note. It leads him to develop a sense of belonging to the whole. This becomes delightful, enlightening, expanding and elevating to the mind and intelligence. The entire football play of life becomes a mere occasion for this kind of mental and intelligential ascent and growth.
All conflicts subside. Full freedom born of oneness, inseparability, wholeness and supremeness reigns and begins to work subtly. It is a wonderful state of inner beauty, charm, harmony and integration.
However, under the influence of ignorance and delusion, the whole variety, instead of remaining a beautiful and discerning help and facilitator to perceive the Supreme, suddenly slips into a plight, where the undiscerning minds and intellects fall a victim to unhealthy and even damaging outlook, notions and traits. But, mind you, in all this, the Supreme remains the same singular, all-enfolding whole. There is no effort or intention on the part of the Supreme to mar the fulfilling variety. But the players and participants themselves work all the havoc-making variety and differences!
In spite of such gruesome differential plight, there is full scope for every one who slips, errs or deflects, to set himself right and restore his position as a sportful constituent and complement of the whole:
Even if the most sinful one, takes to the Supreme with unflinching attitude, he has to be regarded as noble, for he is well resolved.
Very soon he becomes a righteous soul, and gets lasting peace and elevation. O Arjuna, swear on me that the devotee of the Supreme never perishes.
This is yet another significant assurance of Bhagavad Gita, instilling relief and safety. Instead of identifying the statement as Krishna’s personal assurance, thereby giving a constricted, personality-oriented meaning and relevance, it should be treated as a general, but fundamental proposition, a clarification, imbued with its own merit and truth. In fact, the whole exposition is like this.
Although one may have a sinful disposition with derogatory and destructive outlook, he is yet not at total disadvantage, assures Krishna. Let him pick up and follow the path of unflinching devotion to the Supreme.
Sinfulness may be there; but along with that there will be some part of the mind, yearning for improvement. Let that part pick up unflinching devotion, trying to intensify and deepen it. If addiction towards the perishable world objects can create havoc, then a similar addiction for the Supreme can, by its very nature, be immensely rewarding. Mind always follows its concepts. If the concepts are great, their impact on the mind will also be great. As a plane mirror displays greater depth in its reflectivity with the increasing distance of the objects it reflects, the mind too becomes deeper and wider in magnitude depending on the loftiness of the concepts it nurtures.
Thus Krishna is only pointing out the mental law that one, given to unflinching devotion to the Supreme, soon becomes a dharmatma, virtuous soul. The new note of righteousness leads the devotee to eternal peace and poise. The process becomes fast and easy. In fact, the ordinary people do not take up devotion as earnestly and vigorously as do the so called evil-natured people. The repentance becomes a strong accelerator in the latter.
Krishna now asks Arjuna to understand the proposition and announce to the world, the relief and promise it offers. This is the excellence of the dialogue in Bhagavad Gita. Is it Krishna who speaks thus, or is it the author of the Text, Vyasadeva, who reveals himself in the statement? The intention is the same. To make the truth most pronounced and useful, the author wants Krishna as well as Arjuna to voice it. Sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, sometimes impersonally – in various ways thus the message is conveyed. Both Krishna and Vyasadeva conduct the mission very effectively.
“The devotee, the votary of the Supreme, never perishes.” In making this assurance, Krishna is using the present tense. It is not that the truth has to become true some time in future. The fact is already established, it is current. Krishna makes it clear that this fact of devotional safety and sustenance is already there.
For the people of the world, attuned to this kind of spiritual wisdom, literature and culture, Krishna’s words are invaluable. Coursing through this complex world, the seeker or devotee, will often face challenges and hazards of one kind or another, as Arjuna himself did during the 18- day war. Many an enigma, loss and trap he had to face. Each posed as a fresh trial or test. But for the timely instruction and even expediency Krishna evolved, the hurdle would have been insurmountable.
Was it by any means easy for Arjuna to contend an army of 11 akshouhinis, led by his own invincible grandfather and teacher? Apart from the physical might, what about the mental conflicts with their debilitating thoughts?
In all this complexity, the only redress and assurance will be to remain tied to the Supreme, from which has emerged the world and all that it brings. When our life is confronted or assailed in any way by the world around, the solution and remedy must be from the same source and foundation, the inner power and presence from which evolved our bodily life and living. And the sure way to access this inner solution is to keep oneself integrated with the might and majesty of the Supreme. This is what Krishna emphasizes in the concluding words of the chapter.
Social background – no stigma for devotional pursuit
In the next two verses (9.32, 33) Krishna says that this path of supreme devotional reliance and attunement is open to all kinds and levels of people. His use of the plural number, as against the singular he used earlier (9.31) is very suggestive. He includes all, even those of sinful birth (ye’pi syuh papa-yonayah), so that none need feel left out or condemned.
It is usual to blame the vicious and the wicked for what they think and do. But sober reason will make anyone understand that the cause and source behind virtue and vice alike are the same. For the evil effects of any kind found in the world, the final responsibility and redemption rest with the same source.
Arjuna, even those from the vicious wombs, and also women, vaisyas and sudras attain the Supreme, by taking to the path of fond devotion to the Supreme.
Therefore, the word papa-yonayah need not frighten or prejudice anyone unduly. The world, at any time, consists of good and bad. Taken to the extreme, these will swing from the best to the worst. Each must have its womb. Thus, the wicked are said to have sprung from wicked wombs, and virtuous from virtuous roots. Unlike animals, whose wicked or vicious nature continues unchanged, the human being has the option and facility to change himself if only he or she wants to.
Krishna mentions vaisyas and sudras in this verse. According to tradition and the cultural notes then in vogue, the trading and working groups were not, by nature, given to serious study and contemplation, especially of a religio-spiritual kind and level. Trading profession had to violate truthfulness, as their profession itself is called satya-anrta – a mixture of truth and untruth. Labourers live on their muscle power. They feel they have only their body and limbs to be employed for hard work. To think of refining the mind and intelligence and take to any occupation of that level and kind, they have neither taste nor time. To work hard, feed the belly, and to care for the body will be their only wont. Developing the inner potential is not of much interest to them.
Why has Krishna included women, together with trading and labouring communities? Women, in general, find it difficult to take up intellectual pursuits, for the simple reason that the entire burden of childbirth and motherhood, and looking after the family, takes away all their time and energy. Human society is born and bred in homes, and to look after the home is a full sublime task. It is as important and complex as any other field of administration. This being so, it was natural that the womenfolk found themselves kept away from any serious knowledge pursuit. Over the ages, this became the tradition.
This does not mean that women do not have inner potential; or that they would not like to pursue and display it. Even in the Upanishadic times, we find Gargi, Maitreyi, Sulabha, etc. who feature in debates and discussions with great Knowers of Truth like Yajnavalkya and Janaka. But they were exceptions. By and large, women remained tied to their homestead.
One should not be led to erroneously underrate any group or community. In an era of democracy and democratic thinking, everyone is equal with the same fundamental privileges. Women have taken to higher education and professions of many kinds. If they can give birth to the male brain, they must have a brain equally good. It is a question of recognizing and using it. The recognition and usage will always depend upon the opportunity, standards and styles prevailing every time in the society. Krishna and Vyasadeva just reflected what was in vogue in their time.
Having said this, Krishna asks: “What about the holy brahmanas and the devotional royal seers? Being free of any vicious traits or other hindrances, they are all the more suited to take up this path of supreme reliance.” “So, Arjuna” exhorts Krishna, “take to this supreme devotion, having got into this fleeting and disconcerting world (anityam-asukham lokam imam prapya bhajasva mam – 9.33)”.
Let none complain about any bad plight, from which he or she cannot rise or get deliverance. It is not the plight that matters, but the resolute and wholesome devotional reliance. None need lack in this.
See how beautifully, strongly, persuasively Krishna generates confidence in the human mind and lifts it to the highest pedestal. In terms of psychology, Krishna’s presentation has great relevance and significance.
Hindu spirituality, as a psychological science, stands supreme. It instills and strengthens confidence in anyone, the poor, the lonely, the destitute, the ignorant and the weak. What to speak then of the strong, resourceful and erudite?
Now Krishna summarizes all that he has been saying in the chapter:
Attune the mind to the Supreme, be devoted to the Supreme, offer everything to the Supreme, pay obeisance to the Supreme. By dint of the integration you derive thus through total reliance on the Supreme, you will reach the Supreme.
Perhaps for the first time Krishna strikes this kind of devotional chord in his dialogue. As stressed earlier, he is heading to the visvarupadarsana. The next chapter is vibhuti-yoga, which details the special qualities and powers of the Supreme.
As a full contrast to the various notes of yajna, meditation and allied matters, Krishna here restricts his words to the mind of the seeker alone. The whole spiritual effort is one of transforming and deepening the mind, with the singular note of reliance on the Supreme.
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(From Essential Concepts in Bhagavad Gita - Volume 4)
