Theos-Talk Archives (January 2003 Message tt00505)

From: <stevestubbs@yahoo.com>

> Nicholas: "Bhavani Shankar had a jewel published titled: THE DOCTRINE
> OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA. Most of this book is his esoteric comments on
> the Jnana Yoga chapter of the Gita given in a lecture series in
> 1914. This is also the chapter that mentions Avataras. Speaking of
> qualifications of a spiritual aspirant he says: 'The third
> qualification he should acquire is by study and deep thinking. He
> should regularly study the scriptures, and by deep thinking and
> cogitation on the profound truths dealt with therein, he should
> develop the penetrative intellect which can intuit the spiritual
> truths which lie embedded under the apparent tangle of scriptural
> contradictions."
>
> Valuable comment. There is something wrong with the statement that
> intellectual study is one of the "qualifications" of Jnana Yoga,
> though. There are only four qualifications in the sadhana catustaya,
> thus:

Bhavani Shankar is not following the formula here. He is commenting on the
Bhagavat Gita chapter titled Jnana Yoga. He is speaking of the general
qualifications of a spiritual aspirant; as it is written above. He gives
karma-marga, abyasa or practice, jnana & then bhakti. For details see the
Concord Grove Press edition.

Also you have mistranslated Viveka below -- it means discerning the Real from
the illusory.

> The First Qualification: Indifference to Ambition and Desire (Viveka)
>
> The Second Qualification: Dispassion (Vairagya)
>
> The Third Qualification: The Six qualities of perfection (Shad?Sampat)
>
> Regulation of Thought (Sama)
> Regulation of Conduct (Dama)
> Eschew Superstition (Uparati)
> Forbearance (Titiksha)
> Steadfastness (Samadhana)
> Confidence (Sraddha)
>
> The Fourth Qualification: Desire for Enlightenment (Mumukshutva)
>
> Am I missing something?