Bhagavad-gītā kiñcitadhītā One śloka a day - 6.42 अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् | एतध्दि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् || ४२ || athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām | etaddhi durlabhataraṁ loke janma yadīdṛśam || 42 || Or he is indeed born into the family of wise yogins. A birth such as this is indeed very difficult to gain in this world. Śaṅkara Or he is born in a family of indigent Yogis, intelligent, as distinct from the home of the prosperous. Indeed this kind of birth in a home of poor Yogins is more difficult to gain in this world as compared to what was mentioned earlier. Madhusūdhana Saraswatī With regard to the other one, the Lord states the other position. But when there is abundance of good qualities such as śraddhā, vairāgyā, etc. then on account of the absence of desire for enjoyment, he, without going to the worlds of those who had performed righteous deeds, is born in a family of yogis only, of poor Brahmins who are enlightened. To be born as such, like Śuka and others, which is free from all kinds of false steps, is more difficult to get in this world. Thus the second one is praised because he is fit for the renunciation of all actions, on account of being free from all desires. Pūjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati Generally, people only try to duḥkha that results from the limittations and bndage experienced by the kartā, the subject, without ever questioning the subject itself. Therefore, all activity is only to bring about something desirebale. This kind of life is what is meant by saṁsāra. Saṁsāra is a disease that no one goes for the cure. But, once you pay attention to the very subject and ask, “Who is the subject?” then you have initiated the auspicious desire (śubha-icchā), an ātma-icchā (desire for ātmā), that has to result in mokṣa. Thus, the Lord’s assurance that no way that seeker comes to a bad end. The one that Arjuna calls as yoga-bhraṣṭa, just picks up the thread in his next birth and continues his pursuit of knowledge, since the person has been prayerful which produces puṇya. And even after death life would be good for that person. And having enjoyed the result, he comes to earth with an adhikāri-śarīra, a body that is qualified to gain knowledge. He will be born in a manuṣya-yoni, human form in a highly cultured and righteous family. But it is even better to be born in a family of yogis. In this verse, yogis means karma-yogis since sannyāsis do not have family. And these karma-yogīs are dhīmatām, well-informed, could be either jñānis or a mumukṣu. Śaṅkara praises poverty in his commentary to this verse, but saying a yoga-bhraṣṭa would be born in a family of daridhrā. There is no such thing as rich Brahmin, for to be a true Brahmin, the person must have no wealth. Every human birth is as a result of both papas and puṇya. To be born in a poor family will exhaust all his papas, while the puṇya will be available for the yoga. That is why Śaṅkara said that it is better to be born in a family of karma-yogis who may not be rich, than be born in a rich family and which has a lot of culture. Because his parents are yogis, there is no “I am poor” complex for him. Instead, he thinks of himself as a blessed person. These two verses to not imply that everyone who is in pursuit of knowledge has to be born in either a rich culturted family, or a family of yogis. The point is those who are desirous of self-knowledge are born everywhere. But we are not talking about all seekers here. We are etalking specifically about those who were sannyāsis and did not accomplish what they set out to accomplish. Lord Kṛṣṇa assures that they are born again in a set up that is very convenient for pursuit of knowledge. Richness comes usually with a certain ego, therefore, there is a lack of humility. The problem is not with the riches themselves. So, Kṛṣṇa says that having a parentage of yogis, is much better, much more conducive, than to be born in riches, since there is absolutely nothing to stop him from pursuing yoga.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 08:30:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015