Q1. Why does Sri Krishna need to explain to Arjuna that he has taught this Yoga earlier to his ancestors?
Q2. Contemplate the Lord’s incarnation (avatara) and individual’s rebirth (punarjanma). What is the secret of the avatara? What are the similarities and differences between the two?
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Q1. Why does Sri Krishna need to explain to Arjuna that he has taught this Yoga earlier to his ancestors?
ReplyDeleteBy saying this Lord Krishna is emphasizing the eternal and unchanging nature of this teaching. The word 'Yoga', as a broader term, refers to the act of connecting or uniting with something more nobler and higher than ourselves. That is why every chapter in BG is referred by the term 'yogah', because it is pointing to something superior to us to which we should aspire to rise and meet.
Q2. Contemplate the Lord’s incarnation (avatara) and individual’s rebirth (punarjanma). What is the secret of the avatara? What are the similarities and differences between the two?
The avataras have a much higher purpose than us; the purpose of 'dharma sansthapanrthaya'. We get punarjanam just to exhaust our samskaras and karmas. If we work towards improving society and helping others than just remaining involved in our mundane activities we can also rise to become mini avatars ourselves.
Consciousness with conditioning of totality is Ishwara. Consciousness with individual conditioning is the Jiva. The supreme consciousness with the help of the maya takes avatara. Avatara incarnates. But when Jiva is born it is called reincarnation.
ReplyDeleteIshwara and Jiva differ in three aspects- cause of birth, nature and Purpose. Ishwara is omniscient and with compassion descends into this world. Jiva on the other hand helplessly falls into the creation with ignorance. Ishwara is never bound and with the Mayika shareera encounters life as sport. It is his leela alone which is exhibited. Jiva on the other hand is bound by ignorance and suffers in the bhautika shareera. Ishwara’s purpose of avatara is to revive the dharma and protect the sadhu Purusha whereas jiva’s purpose is to exhaust all the punya and papa.