Bhagavad Gita Clarified
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16
Study the [most benevolent] scriptures. [16.1]Non-violence, truth, aversion to slander, absence of fickleness [and some others] all belong to him who is born with divine treasures. [16.2-3]
Arrogance and self-conceit belong to him who is born to the heritage of the demons. [16.4]
The divine treasures are for the purpose of liberation. [cf 16.4]
There are two types of beings: the divine and the demoniac. [16.6]
Demoniac natures know not what to do and what to refrain from doing. Purity, good conduct, and truth are not in them. [16.7]
Demoniac natures, lost souls of little understanding, say: The world is devoid of a moral basis." [cf 16.8]
Lost souls of little understanding rise as the enemies of the world for its destruction.[16.9]
With insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, demoniac natures hold false views through delusions and act with impure resolve. [16.10]
Beset with innumerable cares and bound by hopes, they strive by unjust means to amass wealth to satisfy their passions. [16.11-12]
Evil-doers I hurl into demon wombs. [cf 16.19]
Good practiced leads to the Supreme Goal. [cf 16.22]
Let [some] scriptures be your authority. [cf 16.24]
17
The faith of men is of three kinds, marked by sattva, rajas, or tamas. [17.32]What a man's faith is, that he verily is. [cf 17.3]
Gods are worshipped according to men's nature. [cf 17.4]
Vain and conceited people with lust and attachment, subject themselves to severe, unordained austerities. [cf 17.5]
Fools torture Me too, and their bodily organs. [cf 17.6 ]
Fools are fiendish at bottom. [cf 17.6]
Longevity is promoted by food that is pleasant, appetizing, succulent, oleaginous, substantial (nourishing the whole body), and agreeable (pleasant to look at). [cf 17.8]
Food that causes pain and burning tends to give mental distress too. [cf 17.9]
Gross people may favour stale food and left-overs. [cf 17.10]
Reward for the sake of ostentation (showing-off) is of rajas. [cf 17.12]
To be devoid of faith is tamas. [cf 17.13]
Go for cleanliness and non-violence [benevolence] - they are part of "body austerity". [cf 17.14]
Truthful words that give no offence are beneficial, and they can be "speech austerity" too. [cf 17.15]
Silence and purity of heart constitute austerity of mind. [cf 17.17]
Truthfulness and purity of heart and mind are to be practiced steadfastly. [cf 17.17]
Reverence is of rajas. [cf 17.18]
Foolishness and ruining others is of tamas. [cf 17.19]
A gift given at the right place to a worthy person at a fit time is called sattvic. [cf 17.20]
What is given grudgingly for recompense or with an expectation of fruit (rewards etc), is rajasic. [cf 17.21]
What is given without respect or at an improper place and time to someone unworthy, is of tamas. "22]
"Om Tat Sat" designates Brahman. [cf 17.23]
"Sat" is used to denote reality. [cf 17.26]
Futile faith seems to be of no account. [cf 17. 28, 28n]
18
It seems impossible to work without injuring someone. [cf 18.3n]Relinquishment is of three kinds. [cf 18.4]
Sacrifices and austerities should be performed. [cf 18.5]
To abandon one's duty from fear of bodily suffering, is of rajas. [cf 18.8]
Do what ought to be done, that is by sattva. [cf 18.9]
Agreeable is disagreeable if attachments creep into it. [cf 18.10]
Note the Avadhut Gita, 4,21: "Renounce, renounce the world, and also renounce renunciation, and even give up the absence of renunciation." - Thus tackle the renunciation rallies. [cf 18.10]Action results in desirable, undesirable and mixed fruit (consequences), or none whatever. [cf 18.12]
A man of perverted mind, of impure understanding, he does not see [enough]. [cf 18.18]
Remaining free from [even Gita] attachment is sattvic. [cf 18.23]
Action and being moved by joys and sorrows is rajasic. [cf 18.27]
Rajas diverts man understanding [cf 18.31n]
Unswerving concentration is of sattva. [cf 18.33]
Firmness is of rajas. [cf 18.34]
Clear knowledge is of sattva. [cf 18.37]
No creature is free from gunas. [cf 18.40]
Firmness is one of the kshatriya duties. [cf 18.43]
Better is one's own duty (dharma) than the duty (dharma) of another. [cf 18.47]
Undertakings are beset with imperfections. [18.48]
One who has reached perfection eats but little, and properly abandons love for Self-knowledge. [cf 18.50-53 passim]
Fix your heart and overcome that you shall perish. You must not speak about it. * [cf 18.57-61, 67]
The Lord dwells in the hearts [of innocent ones]. [cf 18.61]
Literature
Abg: Jens Braarvig, tr.: Bhagavadgita. Gyldendal. Oslo, 1982. (Note: I
don't particularly recommend this one for the study, but just refer to a dolphin
rendition.)
Gra: Jagadananda, sw. tr: Sri Ramakrishna: The Great Master. 4th ed. Ramakrishna Math.. Mylapore, 1970.
Hib: Romain, Rolland: The Gospel of Ramakrishna. 8th ed. Advaita Asram. Calcutta, 1970.
Lrr: Advaita Asram: Life of Sri Ramakrishna. Advaita Asram. Calcutta, 1971.
Rap: Gupta, M.: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. New York, 1942.
Si: Shastri, J. ed. Siva Purana, Vols 1-4. Delhi: Banarsidass, 1969.
Wa: Nikhilananda, sw. tr: The Bhagavad Gita. Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. New York, 1952.
Wy: Tuxen, Poul tr: Bhagavadgita. Herrens Ord. Gyldendal. København,
1962.
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