Theos-Talk Archives (September 1999 Message tt00171)

Sept 18th

Dear Reed:

Thanks for opening the door to consideration of the importance of
Chapter 12 in the Gita. -- what does "faith" mean ?  I was stimulated
to do a bit of thinking, and have this to offer :

To be brief.

VISHNU comes from "vish" to 'pervade.'  The supreme spirit pervades
the Universe  and is in all being, good or evil.  (see GITA NOTES pp.
132-3 for explanation, also THEOS. GLOSSARY pp. 180, 225, 365 )

BUDDHI is a dual quality.  It links the SPIRIT to matter.  It is
therefore called "root-matter" or MULAPRAKRITI.  As the highest
faculty of the evolving aspect of all beings in the Universe it is the
Lipika or "recorder" of all events in the eternal AKASA.  (SD I Vol 1,
xix,  KEY

BHAKTI or Devotion can only be correctly performed with the awakened
and attentive, focused Mind.  It is the process of the purification of
motive.  It involves every human thinker at this particular cycle.  It
is Universal Love for mankind and for all beings.  BROTHERHOOD.

It is clear that to properly practice devotion one has to be
knowledgeable and wise.

HPB gave a body of knowledge to the world.  she named it "Theosophy,"
and declared explicitly that it came from the Masters of Wisdom.  In
justice to this, nothing should be named Theosophy but this Message.
Whoever takes some other position violates the first laws of occultism
by belittling both the Messenger and the Message, and cannot expect to
benefit from them.  It is folly to imagine that the Masters of Wisdom
did not know enough to select a Messenger who would deliver Their
Message correctly and in its entirety.  The Master's wisdom being
questioned, the whole edifice falls to the ground.


Broadly considered let us look at Chapter 12 on "Faith" in the B.
Gita.

There are two kinds of "faith."  One is blind and ignorant, and the
other is CERTITUDE and with full Knowledge and Understanding.  The
first is that which we find used by many in the world whether in
religion or in science.  They accept on "authority" and without any
personal verification.  They claim that "they do not have time."  And
imply that they are perfectly willing to go wrong and retrace their
steps if necessary.  they are Epimetheans -- "wise after the event."
The Prometheans are few.  They seek to preview cause and effect and
make sure that their choices are based on facts and not folly or
fiction.  As Prometheans, they "look ahead."


In considering Chapter 12 of the BHAGAVAD GITA,  first look at its
placement.  In Chapters 1 to 9 the questions that Arjuna launches are
contentious.

He listens carefully to the reasoning that Krishna advances:   that
all is provided for in the evolutionary scheme.  And,  that leads the
self-conscious and attentive devotee to wisdom.

In Chapter 9, Krishna speaks of the "Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly
Mystery."  The realm of kings is responsibility for a territory and
its inhabitants.  It is assumed that a person has achieved a position
of superior knowledge and strength of character to do this well.  It
is still a limited responsibility, and its responsibilities may be

1. inherited (as a descendent of a kingly line) , or may be

2. endowed (as by an election) or

3.  may be assumed (by might, whether right or wrong).  In any case it
is Karma operating there.

The development of the Gita moves from confusion and depression,  to
questioning opposing views of various logical or philosophical
systems.  Thereafter the reason for action and its "righteous"
performance are looked into, regardless of any "scripture, orthodoxy
or creed."

Spiritual knowledge is said to exist as a result of experience.  There
is a central spiritual Cause that animates the whole "assemblage of
beings that make up the Universe."

The Universe is held to emanate under the great and eternal law of
Karma in continuation of previous Universes (and because of the sum of
the individual Karmic debts that remain to be settled between "Old"
beings, reincarnated in the "New" one).  All this is quite evidently a
part of Krishna's experience and knowledge for a very long time.  It
is in fact called the "Eternal Doctrine."  (Sanskrit:  Sanatana
Dharma).

"Krishna," as LIFE-GIVER -- Maha-Vishnu, pervades with His spiritual
influence the entire sequence.  Krishna is not to be understood as a
"Being" (in the sense of a personal God), however grand, but as the
summation of all beings in their ultimate essence.

Although "He" pervades all, he is not involved, as he is the
unaffected ORIGINATOR -- in effect he is the entire body of the
Wise -- or those who have achieved Spiritual Knowledge.  And that is
BUDDHI -- a knowledge of the true and the universal.

In this we may see the fact that

1.  the physical body has its karma,

2.  the "feelings and emotions" have their level of Karma, and

3.  the "mind" (as a tool that "we" use)  has its level of Karma, and
each of these are in "us."  And finally,

4. "we," the Spiritual Being, the Perceiver and the Knower have our
own "spiritual Karma."  This includes the other 3.

Here and now in our world of cause and effect, we can see that we are
never isolated, and  that all these are being mixed and melded along
with the personal and individual Karma of innumerable other beings in
our universe.  No wonder then, that our embodied mind reels and is
unable to visualize the complexity of even this "lower" level of
actuality and reality.

It is emphasized in the Gita that this (the invisible and Spiritual
Nature) is not separate from any man/mind but that it is innate,
already a part of him or her in their ultimate spiritual Self.  It is
referred to as the HIGHER SELF -- which, because of its universality,
is not isolated or fragmented but is the unifying oneness of ALL.  In
other words it is spiritual BROTHERHOOD.

This is "spiritual discernment," which is enshrined in the idea of the
ever living vibration of the One Life -- and, is symbolized by the One
SOUND.  It is not only individual but it is a collective Sound--of all
Life.  [see footnote in VOICE p. 55-6  -- the "Kung"  middle "F" key
of the piano]

All this is the "Kingly knowledge and the Kingly mystery."
Individually, the "King" in each of us is the "Mind that is detached
from objects of sense,"  and is totally disinterested in any "rewards"
that may accrue by the performance of necessary actions.

Thus Chapter 9 introduces Chapter 10 in which Krishna describes to
Arjuna what are the many perfections (in which he is the intelligent
resident) in forms and intentions already in manifestation.

Arjuna understands intellectually, but desires the visual proof of
this, and asks to see the Universal form.  Krishna accedes, but says
as a preliminary :  "Here in my 'body,' now behold the whole universe
animate and inanimate..."  In other words this is the vision of a form
that is limited to Maha-Vishnu-Krishna's body.

That is only one half of Krishna, which can be perceived with the
senses of a personal being, once that they have elevated or
spiritualized themselves to a point where the embodied mind (Arjuna)
can still understand.  To perceive the invisible "spiritual" body,
Krishna endows Arjuna temporarily with the "divine Eye."  It is a
'bridge' between the limitations of matter, however pure, and the
SPIRIT which is infinite and impartite.

In the words of the VOICE OF THE SILENCE we could say that "Head
learning,"  (the Eye Doctrine) having refined itself to its essence,
is now enabled to cross, using the "bark of spiritual knowledge" to a
direct perception of  "soul Wisdom," or the "Heart Doctrine."  Chapter
11 describes this vision.  It is important to note that Sanjaya, the
narrator and also Vyasa the recorder, are able to see the Divine
Universal vision.  This is implied in the Gita, and one must conclude
that they have preceded Arjuna in their spiritual growth and
attainments.  One must also conclude that this vision is one that is
reserved for every candidate for spiritual Wisdom who undertakes the
task of (lower) self-purification and of (interior) SELF recognition.

I hope that this may of use.


Dallas
dalval@nwc.net 


-----Original Message-----
From: Reed Carson [mailto:carson@blavatsky.net]
Sent: Saturday, September 18, 1999 12:08 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Union with Krishna


Chapter 12 of the Gita, I think, deserves a special in-depth look.

That chapter, based on the Sanskrit, is about "Bhakti yoga" or the
yoga of
devotion.  Other yogas (Jnana yoga, the yoga of knowledge, karma yoga,
the
yoga of action etc) are described and commented upon in the early
chapters
of the Gita.  Why is the yoga of devotion seemingly saved until later
at
this juncture in the Gita?  Why does it follow the seemingly climatic
chapter 11 in which Arjuna sees Krishna as the Universe.

I will offer some of my own answers.  To me the key sentence in
chapter
12 is "Place, then, thy heart on me, penetrate me with thy
understanding,
and thou shalt without doubt hereafter dwell in me."

This is the rendition by Judge.  It appears to me to be aimed at a
general
Western audience of last century.  As such it is not as useful in my
opinion
for Theosophists to use for in-depth study.  Unfortunately it is the
only
version I have available at the moment.  But my hand written notes in
the
margin say that another translation, instead of reading "penetrate me
with
thy understanding", reads "cause thy buddhi to be absorbed into me."

Here may be part of the answer.  If chapter 11 has drama, chapter 12
spells out
some of the specifics toward which the previous chapters have been
building
with increasing revelation and insight.  We are to cause our buddhi to
be
absorbed into Krishna.  (Approximately buddhi is the highest part of
the
constitution of man this side of atma. The "soul" perhaps but English
is
inadequate.) Here the Gita appears to be echoing the ageless insight
and the
ageless goal and the overall process as seen by Theosophy.  To me, I
place
that sentence as the climatic sentence of the Gita. It is this yoga
(literally "joining") that is the objective - hence its place in the
sequence. (I don't know that anyone agrees with me and the sentence
certainly looks unpretentious as rendered.)

I do request a little help though.  I recall that the Sanskrit word
that is
rendered in English as "penetrate" is related to the same root that
ultimately produces "Vishnu".
Related to the idea of penetrating or pervading as a perfume
penetrates a
given space.  Could anyone say a little more on that word and add any
other meaning
that could be found associated with it - or even straighten out these
decade-old sometimes uncertain recollections?  The deeper we
understand that word the better I think.

Reed


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