Divine or Degenerate?
I am using the title of Chapter 16 in Jack Hawley’s translation of The Bhagavad Gita as I think it pretty much sums up the two possible directions we may travel on our human path – toward the Divine or away from it. As we are wrapping up the reading, Krishna is trying his best to describe to Arjuna what a “Divine Life” might look like. Chapter 17 continues these ideas, so I added it this week as well. I looked at the calendar and we need to finish reading this coming week so that we are able to have a full discussion on August 21!
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Chapter 16 and 17 in my opinion deal with the first two aspects of the 8 limbed path of yoga, the Yamas and Niyamas.
Yamas are moral precepts to be followed in relation to the world and society…
- Truth : Satya
- Non-Violence : Ahimsa
- Non-stealing : Asteya
- Non-greed : Aparigraha
- Moderation in all things : Brahmacarya
Niyamas are Self-disciplines to be practiced for our individual improvements and development…
- Cleanliness : Sauca
- Austerity and disciplined action : Tapas
- Contentment in all things : Santosha
- Self-Study and Study of Scripture : Svadhyaya
- Surrender to the Divine : Isvara Pranidhanani
If you look at Chapter 16 and 17 in The Bhagavad Gita, Krishna gives detailed examples of the above qualities and practices. He gives examples of the “degenerate” behaviors for Arjuna, not to worry him, but to be cautious and alert to. It is important for all of us to identify where we make choices or take wrong turns on our path toward Divinity. It is bound to happen until we are “perfected” or “enlightened.” Being attuned and reflective of both the positive and negative qualities of ourselves keeps us in our own truths and not in delusion or denial.
After the basic list of behaviors and qualities in Chapter 16, Chapter 17 comes back to the Tri-Gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) and their relationship to faith. Faith, according to Krishna, is the most important quality of a human being. What lies in the heart, is what will direct us on a path of spiritual attainment.
People are in fact the sum total of the beleifs they hold in their hearts, Arjuna, and there are indeed various kinds of faith. One’s faith corresponds to one’s nature, and one’s nature is equivalent to one’s faith. Every individual is born with one of three kinds of faith: sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic, depending on their temperament. (BG 17.2-3)
Krishna covers some of the practices that show our quality of faith within the three gunas. The way we feed ourselves or purify ourselves, the way we give offerings, and the way we give service and worship all need to move toward the sattva guna, devoid of selfishness, in balance, and devoid of the pull toward overactivity and/or dull inertness.
Especially in the Indian culture, food is seen as medicine and the “subtle elements in food” have effects on the body AND the mind – literally “you are what you eat, and you eat based on what you are” (BG 17.8). Spiritual sacrifice and Self-purification listed in Chapter 17 bring us back to the lists and practices of the above Yamas and Niyamas. And, the way we worship or give service should remind us of the major theme of The Bhagavd Gita – do not expect any returns or results, just do your service and worship with complete faith and devotion to the Divine.
The last part of Chapter 17 is a description of one of the ancient mantras of Indian culture, Om Tat Sat. A mantra is a repetitive sound or chant that aids in concentration of the mind and can be used as a purifier of thought and energy. Krishna acknowledges again that even in our best efforts, sattvic actions and devotions are still a part of our earthly existence and not yet completely free of Nature’s pull. This mantra in particular is the connection we can make to the “Supreme Consciousness from which everything else comes” (BG 17.23). If we set our mind and heart to that frequency, we build our faith and increase our function of any devotional acts.
But, there are many mantras, chants, and prayers that each one of us may repeat in devotion to our own Divinity according to our own belief systems. Again, The Bhagavad Gita has a specific context from a specific time and specific place, but the Universal themes that are presented can be carried through every religion that has come after its writing.
We will conclude our reading this week with Chapter 18 and the Epilogue. I hope to see many of you in person or online on August 21 for what may prove to be a quite lively discussion!
