Gita Summaries: Chapters 1-11 - Vedanta

Swami Paramarthananda on Gita – Summaries of Chaps 1-11
in the previous birth. In some cases, there might even be janmas who have incomplete
jnana yoga (they are called yoga-bhrashtas) where they might learn even in a mother’s
womb. For these geniuses, Karma Yoga is not required, even a guru or scriptures are not
required. These are but rare exceptions. The rule is go through Karma Yoga attain
mental purity, enter Jnana Yoga and attain liberation.
The two lifestyles are prescribed here:
Prakriti marga (lifestyle of activity in society)
Nivritti marga (lifestyle of withdrawal & seclusion)
Based on these two lifestyles prescribed in the scriptures, a person can have 3 options in
terms of ashrama [stage of life]. Before choosing the one best fit for an individual, the
scriptures expects us to know the goals of life, purusharthas, primary goals, secondary
goals, routes and destination, means and ends (sadhana and sadhyam).
This is introduced for everyone – Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra – in the
Brahmacharya Ashrama. This is mandatory knowledge and only after this can a person
exercise their choice.
a) Grihastha Ashrama: This is life of activity in society and avoids Sannyasa ashrama.
Since veda has cremation rituals, it does not expect everyone to be a sannyasi. One
has a family, labours for a living, thus contributing to society, and is bound by
relatives and friends. One can perform the rishi yagna, deva yagna, pitri yagna etc.
Advantages: It very easy to pursue Karma Yoga in this ashrama. There is a conducive
setup, lot of people around, and financial resources. But this ashrama does not blend
itself to Jnana Yoga where a quieter lifestyle is preferred for one has to learn and
meditate. Example: Imagine studying in Central station!!! But there are people who
manage to study and work at the same time.
b) Sannyasa Ashrama: This is not conducive for Karma Yoga; there is no opportunity
for service, no panchamaha yagna, the scriptures prohibit karma for a sannyasi, and
he does not have resources. He can only engage in japa, do ashrama work, or serve
the guru. So “mental purification” can be difficult, for there are no prescribed duties;
care must be taken to keep the mind engaged. Otherwise an idle mind can turn more
extrovertish. But for Jnana Yoga this ashrama is ideal.
c) One becomes a grihasta and then later turns to sannyasa; this is one way traffic as
there is no coming back vice-versa. Here one can avail the advantages of both Karma
Yoga (in grihasta ashrama) and Jnana Yoga (in sannyasa ashrama).
This is ideal except that once an individual enters grihasta ashrama, it is impossible to
get out.
Which is the best It depends on the individual; there is no uniform advice for all people
are not the same. But whatever you choose the path is the same.
Grihasta ashrama => Karma Yoga => Mental purification => get viragya => Jnana Yoga
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