Bhagavagd Gita - Session 36- Track 3604

Therefore, Sri Krishna will explain what are the different kinds of faith: Tamasic Shraddha, Rajasic Shraddha, Sattwic Shraddha and then entering into the real Shraddha which is of the higher nature, (this is only Apara Prakriti), Shraddha of the higher nature in which the Shraddha is transformed into the sun of knowledge, splendour of knowledge. Those who are rebels very often they have got either Rajasic Shraddha or a Sattwic Shraddha, they rebel because the so called faith does not satisfied, it is…that level is gone, there is a seeking for something higher, but why is there a seeking unless there is Shraddha, there is some answer, why is there knocking? The rebel knocks, wants to demolish, wants to create something new, but what is it that drives him? It’s also ‘faith’. The whole world is actually moving because of faith. Now, this great revelation is made in the chapter where Shraddha is described.

And the supreme concept of the Divine as Purusha to which hints are made, sometimes further exposition is made, but not yet fully brought out in its fullness. In the first 6 chapters, we have only the difference emphasised between the immutable Self and the soul which is in the lower nature, relationship between the two, it is all that is expounded in the first 6 chapters: the immortal, immutable Brahman that which is eternal, imperishable and its relationship with the soul. There is only from time to time a reference to an explicit ‘Me’, ‘Myself’, ‘Lord’. These words come but very scarcely in the first 6 chapters because the Bhagavad Gita is an exposition of the greatest teacher who builds up the statement little by little does not say more than necessary at a given time and expounds more as He moves forward, reveals the last word only at the last.

That is why in the first 6 chapters you do not find so much of a reference, excepting in word like atmani atho mayi: first realise the Self and then mayi, then you realise ‘Me’. There is a distinction made between ‘Self’ and ‘Me’. What is that difference between ‘Self’ and ‘Me’? This is expounded further in the 7th to 12th, these chapters, where the Lord, ‘Me’, ‘The Lord’ is expounded in great fullness. But still the relationship between the soul, Self, Supreme, the Immutable, the Mutable, the entire network of this world, in which we as souls are entangled and we do not know why we are entangled, from where we are entangled, how we can come out of it, suffering in this ignorance through the network of difficulties and snares of various kinds. This need to be expounded brought out fully.

The entire 15th chapter which is called Purushottama Yoga, where Purusha is described threefold, Akshara Purusha, Kshara Purusha and Purushottama. It is the central concept of the whole of the Bhagavad Gita. You take out this concept and the whole Bhagavad Gita’s teaching falls! So, the supreme revelation of the idea of the Purusha, in all its aspects, is given only in the 15th chapter, quite far and late in the exposition in the whole of the Gita. Because it is at the end of the culmination that the supreme Knowledge is revealed and then if you want to be constantly at the level of the supreme Divine, there are three concepts which are assumed in the exposition of the last maha vakya of the Gita, an all comprehensive process, in which everything is contained, when Sri Krishna tells Arjuna: “sarva dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ śaraṅam vraja, (XVIII, 66)”, “Give up all Dharmas, (whether it is Sattwic Dharma, Rajasic Dharma, or Tamasic Dharma), and give yourself wholly, totally, absolutely; the highest Bhakti, in which Action, Knowledge automatically are contained. This is the supreme liberation. It is the key to the perfection, not only liberation but perfection. Sri Krishna makes a distinction between ‘liberation’ and ‘perfection’.