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Good morning everyone!

As you may have noticed, we have a new Facebook Page called "Everyday Gita"! Here we'll be gathering and posting articles written on the incredible hints the Gita gives us to lead successful and fulfilling lives. Please feel free to "Like" the page (you can find the button located conveniently on the sidebar to the right) and join in the conversation by commenting and sharing your experiences! Wishing everyone a wonderful day and stay tuned to find out the answer to yesterday's post of "the key to getting out a bad contract".

the key to getting out of a bad contract

Verse 2.39: Thus far I have described this knowledge to you through analytical study. Now listen as I explain it in terms of working without fruitive results. O son of Pṛthā, when you act in such knowledge you can free yourself from the bondage of works.

"Knowledge is power." Sound familiar? My question has always been, "What kind of power does it give you?" The answer is finally revealed today in this verse of the Gita.

True knowledge gives us the power to free ourselves from the bondage of work. That bondage of work is more commonly known as karma. I find it interesting that the word karma is used quite commonly these days as another way of saying "You got (or will get) what's coming to you." It actually puts into perspective what karma is all about: a binding contract.

However, karma is no ordinary contract; it's one that you can't get out of! If we operate on the good karma and bad karma platform, there's no escape. As well, there's no cancelling of each other out! So for all of you out there thinking, I'll just do x amount of "good" things to cancel out the "bad". Sorry! No can do. It just doesn't work like that

If you perform some "good" activity then you are due to receive something "good" in return. Same rules apply with performing "bad" activities. But like all contracts, we're either blissfully unaware of or ignore the fine print which reads: That reaction that's due to come to you may not come in this lifetime. It may come in later lifetimes.

Any intelligent business person knows that that's a BAD deal. Would you enter into a contract knowing fully well that your investment may not come in this lifetime? I sure wouldn't!

Say you did sign on the dotted line and got yourself wrapped up in this bad mess. What do you do then? You immediately call the most brilliant lawyer you can find a loop hole or way out. That's exactly what Krsna is presenting to us here today - our ticket out.

So how do we get out? Come back tomorrow to find out!

don't play by the rules

Verse 2.38: Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat — and by so doing you shall never incur sin.

We live in a world filled with duality. No one experiences happiness without distress or victory without defeat. In other words, to understand one thing, you also need to understand the opposite. So what do we do? We try to minimize the "bad" and maximize the possibility of getting the "good".

However, Krsna is presenting something really interesting here. He's telling Arjuna, "Don't play by the rules." What rules am I speaking of? Those that come attached with living in this world.

Did you know that? Yoga is all about not playing by the rules. Perhaps the rebel in you is rejoicing just reading that; I know my inner rebel did!

By acting in ways that increase the chances of us being "happy", we are conforming to the rules of the material world. Instead, Krsna is informing Arjuna, "There is another option!" Instead of searching after happiness, and trying at all costs to avoid distress, Krsna presents the concept of balance.

Instead of thinking of oneself and the "happiness" or "distress" that will come according to the action we perform, Krsna is suggesting that Arjuna act for the sake of acting. Interesting concept, isn't it? Putting it another way, we're being presented with the message: Focus on doing the right thing, not on doing things right.

What happens as a result? Instead of living in the future, you are forced to live in the present. Observe yourself the next time you are doing something. More often that not, when we act with the intention of getting a result "for me" (i.e. money, fame, happiness etc..), our minds tend to jump automatically to that desired result. It becomes hard to focus on the task at hand. However, if we act for the sake of doing something properly, our mind doesn't wander as much.

How is this balance, you ask? One could argue, "But isn't this actually going completely in the opposite direction. We're being asked to give up all self-interest!" Not really. The complete opposite would be to simply not care at all which is not what balance is about. The motivation to act still remains, it's just centred on performing the activity the best we can.

So go ahead and be a rebel! Take the opportunity to focus on doing the right thing, and not on doing things right.

a lesson in reading

Verse 2.37: O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight.

When reading, do you imbibe the true meaning of the shapes and letters your eyes are taking in? Answer honestly now. :) I freely admit that I often read but don't truly ingest what I'm looking at.

Case in point, today's verse. As I was reading the verse, my attention fell upon the word "determination." Captured by that word, I decided to do something new- I looked up its etymology. What I came across surprised me and threw the meaning of this verse into a completely different light.

My definition of "determination" is a mix of these adjectives: strong-willed, perseverance, not giving up. However, looking on the online etymology dictionary, I was intrigued to find out that this word is derived from the mid-14th century Old French word déterminacion (decision, sentence) and from the Latin word determinationem (conclusion, boundary). For those who may not be so familiar, etymology not only refers to the derivation of a word but the chronological account of its birth, development and evolving changes in form and meaning (as per dictionary.com).

What's interesting is that the definition of determination has changed over the years. Its meaning went from decision or conclusion to the quality of being resolute. Now one might protest and say, "Well that's the same thing, isn't it?" My humble answer to that question is yes and no.

See, it's easy to say "the quality of being resolute" if one knows how to be resolute. That's where the problem lies. How does one become resolute? The original definition gives the complete picture because it gives one the tools of how to be resolute - make up your mind! Come to a conclusion, decision and stick with it!

That's what being determined really means. It means nothing can sway you from your path/choice. In fact, it makes me realize that my original understanding of the word "determination" was quite inadequate. Being strong-willed and not giving up are important factors, but that can only come into play if you are truly convinced and fixed.

Why is this word so important? Because that's what it takes to follow through on any decision, whether it be fighting for righteousness and protection, as is the case for Arjuna, or attempting to follow a spiritual path, like that of bhakti yoga.

Determination is crucial in the path of bhakti since one faces so many impediments, the most dangerous of them being the mind. The fickle mind flits about from idea to idea and never likes to rest in one place. The thing is, love isn't about being fickle. Love is about steadiness and depth which doesn't come easy. It takes great determination to stick to a practice, person or relationship and that's how bhakti (the yoga of love) helps us in not only connecting with the Supreme, but with one another.

So the next time you feel yourself floundering when it comes to your personal practice, whether it be listening to the sound of the mantra you are chanting or simply taking the time to read a bhakti text, take heart. Determination is about conviction, making a conscious choice of commitment and never giving up.

becoming a spiritual warrior

Verse 2.36: Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you?

Pain is a type of suffering, distress. It comes in different forms whether it be physical, mental or emotional. That, everyone will agree with. What most people would concur with is the fact that pain should be avoided at all costs.

However, what's interesting is where people differ in their attitude towards pain. For example, if we polled a group of individuals, it would become clear that people differ in their perception of pain. One man's pain can easily be another one's pleasure. Along with perception, people also tend to have various thresholds of pain. For example, some may be able to tolerate high doses of physical pain but may fall to pieces when exposed to a hint of emotional pain.

Here, we are introduced more deeply to how pain can be perceived depending on the individual. Specifically, Krsna here is pointing out for that person who is a warrior/leader/protector, such as Arjuna, the greatest pain for such a person is derision. It's not insult to the body that such a person feels afflicted by but insult to one's character and example.

I found this to be an interesting point which led me to recognize something I witness everyday but don't necessarily do anything about - it is so easy to hurt each other. Often we forget that pain is not limited solely to the physical, which more often than not, heals faster and more easily than the emotional scars and traumas that we cause by our careless words and actions.

One great bhakti practitioner coined a beautiful phrase which I'd like to share with you today. He said that we should aspire to become "spiritual warriors". Instead of arming ourselves with insults, derogatory remarks and flippant sarcasm, instead we arm ourselves with compassion, well-wishes and words of encouragement for one another.

There is a lot of pain out in the world today. The question that needs to be posed is, "Who out there wants to help heal it?" It's too easy to point the finger at one another and say "You caused it!" That just keeps the cycle going. Instead, we need to first desire to become spiritual warriors. Those warriors that, as the great bhakti text Srimad Bhagavatam describe, aspire to the ideal of "The lovers of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge themselves."

That's a pretty high ideal. In fact, for most of us, it may seem impossible! However, it's important to have an ideal or a goal to strive towards. Whether we only imbibe one percent of that statement or ninety, the fact is we become all the better for attempting to become such empowered individuals. Why not aim for the moon? After all, even if we fall, we'll land amongst the stars!

With respect to becoming a spiritual warrior, it's important to recognize and remember the saying, "Physician, heal thyself." For most of us, we first need to recognize the scars and hurt that we've experienced and let go of it. It's hard to help others when we ourselves are suffering. However, it doesn't mean that it's impossible. Such is the beauty of bhakti. Bhakti not only helps the process of self-healing but also helps one to recognize and help others simultaneously.

In a world that's becoming more and more impersonal by the day, this is an invitation to become more personal and more loving. Are you in?

do you want to be famous?

Verse 2.35: The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will consider you insignificant.

Do you long for fame? Do you want to be recognized and adored for being expert at something or contributing meaningfully to the world? I think there are few persons who could actual answer "No!" honestly to that question.

The bhakti texts describe how fame and adoration can actually be impediments for the aspiring spiritual practitioner. They don't say that it will be an impediment, but that they can be. It depends on how one actual uses name and fame. If used in the spirit of helping others understand that they are an eternal soul who has forgotten their loving relationship with the Supreme, then wonderful. But if used solely to promote one's own self for personal adoration, then definitely it acts as a barrier.

But that's not what I really want to talk about today. I want to talk about the downside of fame, which is something most people often ignore. I think it's necessary that one is educated about the pitfalls since so many people want to be famous. Then, at least a person knows what they are getting themselves into.

That is exactly what Krsna is talking about here. Arjuna is famous not only for being an expert archer, but being the best archer in the world. Krsna is reminding Arjuna here that fame doesn't come cheap. It means one is scrutinized in everything that one does. All sense of privacy is lost. In fact, such a person's life becomes an open book. The only way one can live such a life sanely is by behaving in an exemplary manner. If one doesn't, not only is one's good name dragged through the mud, but all faith and trust is also lost in such an individual. These are the intangibles that money can never buy back.

Furthermore, there will always be different types of people who will be looking to bring you down. Those who are envious and also want to be well recognized for the same achievements and talents that you have. Those who also have similar talents and want to become better than you and those who just want fame and will stop at nothing to achieve it.

Finally, and Krsna specifically makes reference to this point here, there will be those who have been looking up to you as a role model or example. Such persons may be well-wishers or competitors but it doesn't matter. They are bound together by one thing- respect for you. If you fail to live an exemplary life, such persons will lose respect for you. Out of all these possibilities, this is what hurts a self-respecting individual the most.

So think long and hard if you want to be famous and look to see what motivates you. That motivation can act as roadmap to discover what it is you really want. A lot of times people just want to be recognized since they equate it to being loved. The thing is, love has nothing to do with numbers. It has everything to do with connection.

If you can touch people's lives by being the ear they can listen to, the shoulder they can cry on and the steady rock in their life, that's even greater than being famous. After all, that's what yoga is all about. It's about connection. Bhakti yoga is about connecting through love. So go ahead and make some soul connections. After all, fame is fleeting. Establishing meaningful relationships with each other, while keeping God in the centre, is eternal.

topsy-turvy

Verse 2.34: People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.

Dishonour is worse than death. Powerful words. For a person who lives by these words, it means that their good name is everything to them. Funny isn't it? Everything is so topsy-turvy nowadays. So many of our "celebrities" have a made a name for themselves due to doing something dishonourable. In fact, it doesn't matter whether one is famous or infamous anymore, all that matters is that they are known.

The bhakti texts speak of how name, fame, adoration, prestige and wealth can blind one to what is really important - our relationship with the Supreme. All of these attributes may appear to satisfy the mind, but do they really satisfy the heart? Although we hear time and again that they don't, why are so many people out there willing to sacrifice everything, even their good name, for a few fleeting moments of fame?

Here, Krsna is explaining to Arjuna what true honour is all about. It's about fulfilling one's duty.

It's important to note though that Krsna is speaking in stages in trying to convince Arjuna to do the right thing. First he spoke on the highest level- you are the soul and you need not lament for the material body. Then Krsna speaks from the perspective of the body. "Ok Arjuna, if you can't act on the level of the soul, then realize that along with this body comes a specific nature. Work in line with that nature." Now Krsna is speaking to Arjuna on the emotional level to convince him to do the right thing.

Just see the different perspectives that Krsna offers! Although the eternal bhakti perspective is the most important, Krsna does not discount other perspectives. This is the beauty of bhakti. There's something for everyone on all levels. So whether you are just curious about the bhakti path or are trying to make it the centre of your life, you'll always walk away with something invaluable.