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NEW STUDY OF BHAGAVAD GITA
DR. SHRINIWAS JANARDAN KASHALIKAR

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NEW STUDY OF BHAGAVAD GITA
STUDY
OF
GITA
Dr.
Shriniwas
Kashalikar
DR. SHRINIWAS JANARDAN KASHALIKAR

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NEW STUDY OF BHAGAVAD GITA
Nov 13, 2009, 10:00 am
In 11th chapter Lord Krishna endows Arjuna with
“objective vision” or extrasensory vision; by lifting him
from his subjective realm and perspective. Arjuna “sees”
or actually experiences the cosmic consciousness. This
“vision” or actual experience of objective reality is
unfathomable in every sense, because of our yet
undissolved subjective existence! For the same reason it
is frightening. It is like moving with supersonic or
superphotic (faster than the speed of light) speed. Arjuna
experienced something similar to (but more complex
than) high speed centrifugation or high speed revolutions
creating destabilizing vertigo upsetting all body and
mind systems.
Arjuna went beyond time and sense of time seemed to
have lost. He actually “saw” the panorama spread over
ages and millennia. He saw generations after generations
getting dissolved in that consciousness. He “saw” the
seekers of truth worshipping that consciousness and the
ignorant oblivious of Him; being afraid and running from
Him!
Arjuna realized that Lord Krishna; the human form in
front of him is actually cosmic consciousness pervading
him and
his consciousness in and out and from all sides. He felt
stunned by this unparallel experience of omniscient,
DR. SHRINIWAS JANARDAN KASHALIKAR

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omnipresent and omnipotent God. He was overwhelmed
by
the experience of what is implied by the terms unborn,
immortal and infinite! He realized what is meant by the
origin of universe and the destination of the universe. He
sensed what consciousness beyond consciousness is; and
origin and culmination of all spiritual, intellectual and
emotional endeavors in literature, art and science;
practiced by human civilizations, knowingly and
unknowingly in the pursuit of the “truth”; are!
Since this experience is similar to that of getting burst or
exploded from within; it is destabilizing and shattering,
even though it is thrilling and exciting in ultimate sense!
Arjuna therefore while getting saturated and suffocated,
urged Lord Krishna to reappear in human form!
This is precisely the point of idol worship; actually this
word idol worship is very superficial and narrow and
does not convey the spirit. It is aptly called
MURTIPOOJA. The cosmic consciousness is brought in
human or other form and then worshipped. This
practical and simple way of connecting with the
cosmic consciousness has been welcomed by billions of
people for millennia.
The saints; as alluded to; earlier; have further made it
simple by practicing NAMASMARAN and preaching it
and thereby made the enlightenment accessible; to
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billions of people for generations gone; and generations
to come!
Lord Krishna reappears in His human form (still as a
murti of a deity with four hands, so as to distinguish Him
as different from ordinary human being) and explains to
Arjuna; that it is not merely possible to, know and reach
Him, but actually merge with Him; through devout love
with absolute fidelity and loyalty. In my view Lord
Krishna implies here; that this unconditioned and devout
love is the culmination and pinnacle of all penance and
efforts (such as PRANAYAM, ASANA and others). This
is YOGA of YOGA or YOGA attained through YOGA
or MAHAYOGA!
At the end of 11th chapter; Lord Krishna asserts that
SWADHARMA i.e. every moment lived in His
consciousness or remembrance; characterized by
inimitable and sublime love for everyone in the universe;
which signifies supreme form of universal unity;
certainly takes an individual and hence billions of
individuals to His supreme abode!
In 12th chapter, Arjuna, like any genius (after
“seeing” “cosmic formless form” and “deity
form” of Lord Krishna); probably realizes the
necessity to confirm (for the benefit of billions)
the Lord’s
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opinion about the nature of worship, and hence
requests Lord Krishna to explain the question,
“which type of devout love; amongst the two viz.
that for formless cosmic consciousness; and that
for a specific form (idol, murti or NAMA); is
preferable and conducive to individual and
global blossoming?”
Lord Krishna explains that it is quite difficult to remain
focused on “formless cosmic consciousness”, (though
those who can do this; and have supreme love for
everyone in the universe; reach Him); hence worshipping
Him in some form, (because it is not practicable for a
common man to comprehend, remember and realize
every moment the the self realization or the realization
cosmic consciousness and its application in day to day
life) and also by doing every activity in His
remembrance (and offering Him, because everything
actually belongs to Him) is desirable. He further advises
Arjuna (and every one in the universe) that even if this
also may be found difficult; one should persist on it.
Because, through consistent and persistent efforts, the
individuals reach Him and blossom step by step from
conceptualization and practice; to enlightenment; to
composed or integrated mental state; to detachment for
every result (the fleeting gains and losses); to absolute all
enlivening, all empowering and all enlightening peace!
Lord Krishna briefly describes the great characteristics of
such an individual (and hence the society) and assures
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Arjuna that following this path is like drinking the sap of
immortality and being one with the eternal source of love
that emanates through generations after generations!
What is the relevance of the description of
KSHETRA KSHETRAJNA etc. in 13th chapter?
Lord Krishna probably thought that Arjuna (and many
others like him who are like limbic system, autonomic
nervous system, neuroendocrine system, endocrine
system etc. associated with instinctual and emotional;
and conscious and subconscious behavior and hence) is
not yet tuned to this kind of enlightenment. In other
words the enlightenment did not yet seep down and did
not yet percolate into the bones and into every cell! In
such situation it became necessary to explain the purport
from different angle, in still somewhat different
language, and with different semantics.
Thus in 13th chapter Lord Krishna explains the meaning
of KSHETRA, KSHETRAJNA, JNANA and JNEYA,
which mean body with all its systems, knower,
knowledge and object of knowledge; respectively.
All this is explained in scriptures such as
BRAHMASUTRAS elaborated by rishis, which revolve
around, spring from and culminate in Lord Krishna i.e.
cosmic consciousness.
PRUTHVI, which broadly means all particles,
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AAPA, which broadly means all liquids, TEJA, which
broadly means the fire principle, VAAYU, which
broadly means all energy and AAKASHA which broadly
means space are called PANCHA (five)
MAHABHUTAS.
BUDDHI, AVYAKTA and AHANKAR constitute the
subtler aspects of human beings such as intelligence,
unapparent forces and the subjective schema (of one’s
own and the universe) forming conceptual framework.
These eight embodying various instincts and emotions
constitute KSHETRA.
The knower of this KSHETRA is KSHETRAJNA i.e.
cosmic consciousness i.e. LORD KRISHNA.
It has to be conceived that this consciousness when
restricted or limited to KSHETRA i.e. human body and
associated phenomena, constitutes the KSHETRAJNA in
that respect.
JNANA is knowledge; which is not merely information
collected by an individual but enlightenment through
study of ADHYATMA i.e. holistic physiology or study
of intricacies of the dynamics of nature (KSHETRA);
and consequent intellectual, emotional, instinctual and
physical behavior of an individual!
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JNEYA is object of knowledge; which in ultimate
respect is only one; final reality; viz. BRAHMA.
It is without beginning and end. It is neither true nor
false. Here true and false refer to concept of “is” and “is
not”. “Is” and “Is not” are plausible only with reference
to space
and time in view of the three dimensional nature of
everything and its durability! Hence it is beyond “is” and
“is not”! It is conceived as:
It has countless hands, eyes, ears, mouths and so on. It is
said to encompass everything; space, time and all
individual consciousnesses. It incorporates all sensory
perceptions and beyond it all! It is beyond all describable
attributes as it is beyond the language of quality (words)
and quantity (numbers). It is detached as well as attached
and it is beyond all qualities and yet experiences the
qualities! It is present inside and outside of everything
and it is static as well as dynamic. It is extremely subtle
and hence beyond perception and is infinitely away as
well as in vicinity. It is beyond all light and all darkness,
which are functions of visual systems! It is the
knowledge as well as object of knowledge and ever
present in the core heart of every one.
All these qualities are described to reinforce the super
concept; of cosmic consciousness.
The BRAHMA or PURUSHA and PRAKRUTI are said
to be free of beginning and end.
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PURUSHA can be conceived as consciousness and as the
root of every expression or manifestation, which act as
fields and rest all with beginning and end and changes;
constitute contingent aspects viz. the GUNAS.
Understanding these concepts helps an individual to
identify himself/herself as being increasingly closer and
closer or being in common with the cosmic
consciousness and begins to see the happenings in the
universe and
individual life as products of PRAKRUTI and GUNAS.
This is progressive liberation. This liberation becomes
possible because the individual sees that cosmic
consciousness is like immortal, eternal space that is
essential component for everything that happens in
universe but neither participates in the activities nor gets
influenced by them and it is like Sun, which illumines
the universe without actually “going” to the nooks and
corner and without actually “becoming” part of those
places.
What is the importance of the description of
GUNAS etc in the 14th chapter to the blossoming
of mankind?
Lord Krishna then describes the “applied” aspects of the
holistic physiology viz. the implications of the contingent
GUNAS; in human life (with undoubted impact on the
universe) in 14th chapter.
DR. SHRINIWAS JANARDAN KASHALIKAR

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NEW STUDY OF BHAGAVAD GITA
DR. SHRINIWAS JANARDAN KASHALIKAR