Friday, September 19, 2008
Re: My Introductions
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
This verse is worth noting for deep contemplation - ongoingly. Through the purification of Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krsna Naam Yoga, all truth of it will arise in the heart spontaneously. Of special note in this commentary, it is stated that mundane logic cannot reveal the truth of the matter. And also it says this:
...one who understands the eternal nature of My birth and activities with theistic intelligence-that is, who is not dependent on empiricism to accept it-does not have to take birth again in this material world.
Ch 4 Verse 9 here
janma karma ca me divyam / evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma / naiti mam eti so ’rjuna
Click here to read Shrila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is 4.9 <http://www.bhagavadgitaasitis.com/4/9/en>
arjuna---O Arjuna; me---My; janma---birth; ca---and; karma--- activities; (are) divyam---transcendental; (one) yah---who; vetti--- knows; evam---thus; tattvatah---in truth; tyaktva---having given up; deham---the body; na eti---does not accept; punah---again; janma---(re) birth; sah---he; eti.comes; mam---to Me.
O Arjuna! My birth and activities are transcendental. One who knows this in truth does not take another birth after giving up the present body. He certainly attains Me.
SARARTHA-VARShINI
BY ShRILA VIShVANATHA CAKRAVARTI THAKURA
"One will only become perfect when he has understood the essence of the transcendental nature of My birth (janma) and activities (karma), which are endowed with the characteristics described in the previous shlokas." This shloka, beginning with the word janma, is spoken to explain this. Shripada Ramanujacarya and Shripada Madhusudana Sarasvati explain that the word divya means aprakrita, transcendental, and Shrila Shridhara Svami has translated it as alaukika, not of this material world. The material world is created by prakriti (material nature), thus by the word alaukika Shrila Shridhara Svamipada also implies aprakrita. Consequently, because the birth and activities of Shri Bhagavan are aprakrita and beyond the modes, they are nitya (eternal). In the Bhagavat-sandarbha, Shrila Jiva Gosvami refers to this present subject in his explanation of the shloka: na vidyate yasya ca janma karma va (Shrimad-Bhagavatam (8.3.8)). He explains that, although this matter cannot be comprehended by logic, on the strength of statements from the Vedas and Smriti it must be accepted as being beyond reason. In this regard, it is also said in the Purusha-bodhini shruti of Piplada-shakha:
eko deva nitya-lilanurakto / bhakta-hridy antar-atma
Eternally engaged in His pastimes, the one Lord in His form of Antaryami enters within the hearts of His bhaktas. Regarding the eternality of Shri Bhagavan's birth and activities (janma and karma), detailed descriptions have been given in Shrimad-Bhagavatam. "After hearing My statements such as: yo vetti tattvatah (Gita 4.9), ajo 'pi sann avyayatma (Gita 4.6) and janma karma ca me divyam (Gita 4.9), one who understands the eternal nature of My birth and activities with theistic intelligence-that is, who is not dependent on empiricism to accept it-does not have to take birth again in this material world."
"Those who in truth understand the word tat in the statement of Gita (17.23)-om tat sad iti nirdesho brahmanas trividha h smritah to mean brahma do not have to take birth again after giving up their present body. Rather, it is assured that they attain Me." Here Bhagavan gives a superior meaning to the phrase 'giving up the body'. "Such a person does not take another birth after giving up the body. Rather, he attains Me even without giving it up."
Shripada Ramanujacarya writes paraphrasing Krishna, "All sins that impede one on the path to attain My full shelter are completely destroyed by true knowledge of My transcendental birth and activities. Only those dear devotees who have taken shelter of Me, attain Me even in this very life."
Gradually following a set process of the spiritual teacher, such as Swami Gaurangapada, Srila Prabhupada etc, we will awaken to the transcendental knowledge hinted to. Hearing submissively, will all humility...has been the vedic process millenium after millenium. The perfect example of surrender being Arjuna.
Mundane logic can never acertain the transcendental reality. But Sri Krsna quickly reciprocates with one who follows the bhakti path.
aspiring service, your friend...Nava.
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