#11 — Making intellect in constant touch with the self

Gita Chapter 3 —

Shloka 35 — श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ।।३५।।

Shloka 36 — अर्जुन उवाच अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः । अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ।।३६।।

Shloka 37 — श्रीभगवानुवाच Shloka 35 has a very subtle meaning — स्वधर्म — means your duty or obligation according to your nature; adhering to this is more important than the action somebody may lead you to do by misleading you through temptations or deceptions etc. Somebody else’s duty or obligation cannot become your duty or obligation. Shloka 36 is Arjuna’s question as to why people are tempted to commit evil actions as if forced to do so. Shloka 37 lays down that our evil desires drive us towards misdeeds due to rajoguna which when unfulfilled lead to anger, because our desires will never be fulfilled — you must treat such desires as your enemies. You have got the sense of these shlokas quite well.काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः । महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ।।३७।।

Shloka 38 — धूमेनाव्रियते वह्रिर्यथादर्शो मलेन च । यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ।।३८।।

Shloka 39 — आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा । कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ।।३९।।

Shloka 40 — इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते । एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ।।४०।।

The three shlokas 38, 39, 40, are about how the mind, intellect & senses are overpowered by our fluctuating desires & help us to be on our guard when faced with temptations.

Shloka 41 — तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ । पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ।।४१।।

Shloka 42 — इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ।।४२।।

Shloka 43 — एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ।।४३।।

Mudit,

It was so nice to talk to you over the mobile this morning while I was at my breakfast. The weather in Dehradun is fluctuating between cold & less cold & even warm sometimes.

This is a good idea — making a book out of our correspondence — ‘Dialogue between Grandson and Grandfather’ — ‘Mudit’s letters to Dada’ — or some such name. Let this book start from the time we started after you left Trinity — your impressions of the semesters 1 to 8 & then the Self Reflection Journey & whatever else you want to include. Dividing the book into chapters with appropriate captions would be an exercise.

Shlokas 41. 42. & 43. are really the climax of the chapter 3 — how to conquer the desires & temptations of the world which seek to deflect us from the path of rectitude. My take on your question — “How can I make sure that my intellect is in constant touch with my self dada?” — the daily meditation is the practice — the sadhana for your intellect to be in touch with your inner Self. Shloka 43 emphasizes that the intellect refined by one’s sadhana — daily practice of meditation — becomes aware of the Self & such an intellect begins to control the mind which then controls the senses. The Gita directs that such a mind should extinguish your determined enemies which are in the shape of your desires & temptations.