Vedas are the highest wisdom revealed to mankind. It is valid for all categories of mankind, be it the selfish one chasing desires or the one chasing Moksha. The language is esoteric and buried in layers that can be revealed only by a Guru and long study under their watchful tutelage. The essence of the highest wisdom is given in the Upanishads. Even if we study them, to grasp the heights of this soaring wisdom, takes a lot of diligence apart from a Guru. The chasm has widened and deepened with the progress of time, as competent students became rarer. Towards the end of the Dwapara Yuga, Sri Krishna did something out of extreme compassion towards us. He extracted the essence of all the Upanishads and made them into a simple digestible format and gave us the Bhagavad Gita.
This fact has been captured in some of the best eulogy as Gita Dhyana Sloka by Sri Madhusudan Saraswati. In one of the powerful lines he writes,
सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः। पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत्॥
sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopālanandanaḥ | pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīrbhoktā dugdhaṃ gītāmṛtaṃ mahat ||
"All the Upanishads are the cows, and the milker of the cows is the son of the cowherd, Shri Krishna. Arjuna is the calf, and the men of purified intellect (the wise devotees) are the drinkers. The great nectar of the Gita is the milk".
There are numerous lines and ideas we can find in common with the Gita and the Katha Upanishad and others. Here is an interesting case where an instruction is given in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad to evolve, but Gita completes the idea, what happens if we do not follow that path. This is not only complementary and validating the Upanishad, but also completing the picture by presenting the alternate scenarios.
Three gates to hell – Gita:
The sixteenth chapter of the Gita is focused on discussing the Daivi and asuri qualities. While indicating them, Krishna cautions us about the three certain doors to hell. These whirlpools are very dangerous and their only exit is naraka.
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः । कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ १६-२१॥
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ । kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet ॥16-21
These three are the gates of hell, destructive of the Self — lust, anger and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.
The Gita declares that Kama (Lust), Krodha (Anger) and Lobha (Greed) as three certain gates to hell. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad gives us a way to reverse this certain fate.
When constantly thinking or being with an object, it creates an affinity for the same. Over time, it morphs into a thinking that the SELF is incomplete without this object of attention. This is called as Kama. This is a subtle, certain urge to complete itself with the attracting object. Sometimes it may be a like (raaga) or a dislike (dvesha) that may be acting like a pull or push. As we studied in the genealogy of desire and in Vasanas, this Kama when intensified can morph. The satisfied desire leaves a calm mind, though temporary and ephemeral. But this is falsely interpreted as happiness and a craving for more. These remnant patterns that resurface to urge the same desires to be repeated is called Vasanas.
The desire can grow in intensity as extreme desire or lust, as in the case of Ravana where it took the form of Abhisvanga (अभिष्वङ्ग) extreme attachment that led to his certain death.
As one’s happiness grows, it starts comparing with others, as in jealousy. But worse yet, it wants all the happiness for only the limited self. A classic case was Duryodhana. He grew incredibly jealous of the success of the Pandavas who not only turned the barren land into Indraprastha, but also acquired dominion over other lands. He plotted to steal with the dice game and abuse of Draupadi. Though he obtained all the riches, he wanted to see the Pandavas suffer and gloat his riches. But all that Lobha(greed) led to his own defeat at the hands of the Gandharvas in the Goshayatra parva.
The opposite becomes true if a desire is blocked. If internalized can lead to depression and even death like Dasaratha on the eve of Rama’s departure. If externalized, depending on the intensity of attachment with the desire can be mild to explosive. Rama wanted to destroy everything as he was stung by the pain of Sita’s separation, till Lakshmana calmed him. Lakshmana is reputed for his explosive anger as well.
All these effects are due to the wrong placement of the real SELF. Unless realized but not merely bookish knowledge, this idea of SELF is going to govern us, whether we understand it or not. Hence to summarize the three doors to naraka, the following abbreviations can capture the idea behind.
LUST - Loose Ultimately Self Totally to another (object)
GREED – Great Race to Eat Ever more towards self Destruction
ANGER – Agony and Negativity Generated by Ego’s Reaction
Krishna recommends abandoning the three. He also explains in the very next sloka what happens to one who abandons the gates of darkness.
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः । आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥ १६-२२॥
etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim 16-22
A man who is liberated from these three gates to darkness, O Kaunteya, practises what is good for the self and thus goes to the Supreme Goal (SELF).
Looks like Krishna has bookended the idea, on one hand declaring certain destruction and certain greatness on the other. Though he elaborates extensively through out the Gita, we trace this original idea back to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
Advice of the Prajapati – “Da..Da..Da..”
This wonderful parable comes from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, perhaps the highest idea of available Upanishads and occurs in three terse verses of the second section in the fifth chapter.
त्रयाः प्राजापत्याः प्रजापतौ पितरि ब्रह्मचर्यमूषुः—देवा मनुष्या असुराः; उषित्वा ब्रह्मचर्यं देवा ऊचुः, ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति; तेभ्यो हैतदक्शरमुवाच द इति; व्यज्ञासिष्टा3 इति; व्यज्ञासिष्मेति होचुः, दाम्यतेति न आत्थेति; ओमिति होवाच, व्यज्ञासिष्टेति ॥ १ ॥
trayāḥ prājāpatyāḥ prajāpatau pitari brahmacaryamūṣuḥ—devā manuṣyā asurāḥ; uṣitvā brahmacaryaṃ devā ūcuḥ, bravītu no bhavāniti; tebhyo haitadakśaramuvāca da iti; vyajñāsiṣṭā3 iti; vyajñāsiṣmeti hocuḥ, dāmyateti na āttheti; omiti hovāca, vyajñāsiṣṭeti || 1 ||
Three types of Prajapati’s sons lived with their father, practising Brahmacharya – the Devas, manushyas(men) and asuras. After extensive Brahmacharya, the devas sought more instructions. Unto the Prajapati uttered the syllable “DA” and asked if they understood. In response the claimed to have understood and said Da referred to Damyata, control of the indriyas. Prajapati acknowledged that the Devas have completely understood the purport of the syllable.
अथ हैनं मनुष्या ऊचुः—ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति । तेभ्यो हैतदेवाक्षरमुवाच—द इति । व्यज्ञासिष्टा३ इति । व्यज्ञासिष्मेति होचुः । दत्त इति न आत्थेति । ओमिति होवाच । व्यज्ञासिष्टेति ॥ ५.२.२ ॥
atha hainaṃ manuṣyā ūcuḥ—bravītu no bhavāniti | tebhyo haitadevākṣaramuvāca—da iti | vyajñāsiṣṭā³ iti | vyajñāsiṣmeti hocuḥ | datta iti na ātthati | omiti hovāca | vyajñāsiṣṭeti || 5.2.2 ||
When the men sought more instructions they were given the same syllable – “DA”. They were asked if they understood, to which the men replied – Da refers to Datta as in charity. Prajapati acknowledged that the manushyas have completely understood the meaning.
अथ हैनमसुरा ऊचुः—ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति । तेभ्यो हैतदेवाक्षरमुवाच—द इति । व्यज्ञासिष्टा३ इति । व्यज्ञासिष्मेति होचुः । दयध्वमिति न आत्थेति । ओमिति होवाच । व्यज्ञासिष्टेति । तदेतदेवैषा दैवी वागनुवदति स्तनयित्नुः—द द द इति — दाम्यत दत्त दयध्वमिति । तदेतत्त्रयं शिक्षेत् — दमं दानं दयामिति ॥ ५.२.३ ॥
atha hainamasurā ūcuḥ—bravītu no bhavāniti | tebhyo haitadevākṣaramuvāca—da iti | vyajñāsiṣṭā³ iti | vyajñāsiṣmeti hocuḥ | dayadhvamiti na ātthati | omiti hovāca | vyajñāsiṣṭeti | tadetadeveṣā daivī vāganuvadati stanayitnuḥ—da da da iti — dāmyata datta dayadhvamiti | tadetatrayaṃ śikṣet — damaṃ dānaṃ dayāmiti || 5.2.3 ||
The Asuras wanted more instruction only to receive the syllable Da. Prajapati asked if the Asuras understood the meaning. They replied DA refers to Daya as in compassion, to which Prajapati agreed as the correct understanding. The very message is repeated in the heavenly voice as – da da da – ‘Control your indriyas’, ‘Give’ and ‘Be Compassionate’. Therefore one must learn from these three – self control, charity and compassion.
Practical implications:
Most of mind’s flaws fall into these categories – desire (misplaced and attached) aka lust, greed and anger. The Atma perceives itself as limited to the body. Due to this extreme stance, in order to feel more complete, it gravitates towards the objects. This natural urge is reinforced by vasanas, raaga and dvesha. This urge couples itself with an attachment, a longing, thus taking an intense form called Lust. Thus the mind has multiple endless reasons to seek out the externalized objects, just like a river reaches out for the ocean. But this attempt at universalization fails miserably, thus making the mind seek newer objects and experiences in an endless quest. When one practices Brahmacharya, which is not limited to celibacy, but the alignment with Brahman, one becomes fit to translate Prajapati’s advice of Dama – control of the senses. This comes in two fold – Sama (control of the mind) and Dama (control of the senses). Dama reigns in both the internal and external tugs on the mind that desperately wants to go after this incorrect externalization.
The second flaw of the mind is not only for it to have more and more of the experience, but only for its limited self to be the sole experiencer. This state of the mind to hoard and to be better, bigger than others and going to the extremes to justify and act according to this comparative mindset is called Greed. Prajapati’s solution to give in charity, makes one to include others and not be the sole experiencer. This opens up to eventually the highest understanding that the experience is being experienced in multifarious forms but the experiencer is the same Atman.
The darkest or the lowest of states is where one derives pleasure in other’s suffering. The cruel element exists in us as Anger, that explosive force of the converted desire when blocked. At times the anger when unable to be expressed turns inwards and becomes vengeance or depression or other toxic forms. When externalized, anger can take more darker shades. This is what one sees as cruelty, sadism and the tendency to evil for no reason. Prajapati’s prescription doesn’t not for every asuric mindset, but only on the ones intent with Brahmacharya, is to develop compassion. This overwhelming positive energy adds the inclusive element to the dark force to neutralize and transform it.
Krishna informs us that these three gates to certain naraka will bring about tremendous suffering to the Jiva. But he also assures that using Prajapati’s techniques one can not only quell this darker side but also one reach the highest. We may have to flip the order discussed to grasp it easily. By being compassionate, one recognizes and acknowledges the existence of SELF in others. Makes one more inclusive. By including charity, this idea is taken to the next level, as we are now including others welfare instead of the limited self’s sole needs. As one evolves with Daya and Datta, slowly but surely one realizes that the SELF doesn’t need objects of desire to complete it, as it is complete in ITSELF. The idea of Dama aids in this regard. Thus using Prajapati’s instructions one can turn the very tidal forces of destruction into a tsunami surge that propels towards our SELF realization.
ॐ तत् सत
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