December 6, 2011 - Geeta Jayanti
It was June 25th 1993. We went to the hosts' home to pay respects to Pujya Gurudev. He had generously agreed to bless us at our wedding on June 27th. He was in his wheelchair, feet covered with warm shawls, even thought it was a nice June day in Princeton, New Jersey.
As is usually the case, there were several people there to see him. One such was the secretary to the board of directors at a Hindu temple. He asked Gurudev to please agree to be present at the kumbhabhishekam (consecration ceremony for a Hindu temple) that was coming shortly. Gurudev gently declined it saying (not an exact quote):
"I have told Him that in all these years, I have witnessed several such events. Nowadays, I can't go anywhere without a wheelchair. I have told Him, I will not go to Him in a wheelchair. If He wants me, He can come and get me."
18 years later, I recalled this incident when I heard verse 2-46.
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके |
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ||२-४६||
yaavaanartha udapaane sarvataH samplutodake .
taavaansarveshhu vedeshhu braahmaNasya vijaanataH .. 2-46..
To the BRAHMANA who has known the Self, all the VEDAS are of as much use, as is a reservoir of water in a place where there is flood everywhere.
BRAHMANA above refers to a Man of Realization, a knower of the One Indivisible Truth, Brahman. As a Man of Realization, Swamiji did not need to gain पुन्य (punya - religious merit). He was beyond that. As Gurudev says in his own commentary, the Holy Geeta while explaining this verse
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
It was June 25th 1993. We went to the hosts' home to pay respects to Pujya Gurudev. He had generously agreed to bless us at our wedding on June 27th. He was in his wheelchair, feet covered with warm shawls, even thought it was a nice June day in Princeton, New Jersey.
As is usually the case, there were several people there to see him. One such was the secretary to the board of directors at a Hindu temple. He asked Gurudev to please agree to be present at the kumbhabhishekam (consecration ceremony for a Hindu temple) that was coming shortly. Gurudev gently declined it saying (not an exact quote):
"I have told Him that in all these years, I have witnessed several such events. Nowadays, I can't go anywhere without a wheelchair. I have told Him, I will not go to Him in a wheelchair. If He wants me, He can come and get me."
18 years later, I recalled this incident when I heard verse 2-46.
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके |
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ||२-४६||
yaavaanartha udapaane sarvataH samplutodake .
taavaansarveshhu vedeshhu braahmaNasya vijaanataH .. 2-46..
To the BRAHMANA who has known the Self, all the VEDAS are of as much use, as is a reservoir of water in a place where there is flood everywhere.
BRAHMANA above refers to a Man of Realization, a knower of the One Indivisible Truth, Brahman. As a Man of Realization, Swamiji did not need to gain पुन्य (punya - religious merit). He was beyond that. As Gurudev says in his own commentary, the Holy Geeta while explaining this verse
The Knowledge the Veda indicates is comprehended in Pure Knowledge, which is the nature of the Self. So long as the ego exists it craves for the blessings of the Vedas; when the ego has ended, the Self, in Its Infinite Divinity is capable of blessing even the Veda. A student of mathematics, having successfully passed his post-graduate course, need not read the arithmetic table, since his greater knowledge comprehends this elementary study.Unto that गीताज्ञानयज्ञप्रचाराक, Teacher of the Wisdom of the Bhagavad Geeta through the GYAna YaGYas, my prostrations on this holy day of Geeta Jayanti.
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
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