Free from the pairs of opposites, be firmly established in purity?

Question

"The Vedas have the three gunas as their subject; be above the three qualities, O Arjuna. Free from the pairs of opposites, be firmly established in purity, and not caring for gain and preservation, be possessed of the Self. "

"Know for certain that the Vedas are pervaded by the three qualities. All the Upanishads and the like are endowed with the quality of goodness. Other religious texts are imbued with passion and darkness, as they speak of rites which lead to heaven, O Arjuna. Knowing that they only cause pleasure and pain, do not entertain them in your mind. Forsake this triad of qualities and give up the sense of 'Me' and 'Mine", and do not for a moment forget the bliss flowing from the self."

Source : - http://www.saibaba.us/texts/jnaneshwari/chpt02.html

What's your version ?

Answer 1

The pairs of opposites are what make up this world ... Like light and dark ... all things have their opposite. The three gunas are Tamas, Rajas and Sattva and they are how all things are manifested in this world.

Tamas is inertia, unable to move by itself, sometimes described as sloth or depression in living beings, but don't judge it as being bad ... it is necessary , even in physics.
Rajas is action in mind and the world, it overcomes tamas, but if carried too far can become rage or lust and becomes tamas again.
Sattva is a balance of the two ... happiness and love of Life and God and Being, Sat, ( being is Sat in Sanscrit ).

Krishna is saying go beyond these and conquer death. OK

There are many ways to understand our lives and many Religions but there is only one God. He has talked to many other more primative cultures throughout history ( they are a part of God too ) and the primitives always say everyone else is wrong! Duh.

We have primitives bombing now. They are just a bad part of a beautiful religion.

With love;
"Swami" Jonnie

Peace Aum, Tat, Sat.

Answer 2

Shankara says be like a swan, floating on water but untouched. You live full of maya but your true self is untouched by the illusion of changing forces.

Buddha uses the image of a lotus floating on the water.

It's about purity in an impure world. The only thing that can be pure is true knowledge, because it exists as its own entity and is not dependent on anything else. Inherent knowledge, being a primary to created senses, will always be free and uncorrupted by various changes.

Basically he's telling arjuna to be that. Free.

Answer 3

Every religious text says at some point, "this is the only real religion, all the others are bad or evil." One can only wonder why religious texts can't stand on their own merits.

Religion is religion. Give me reason any day.

Answer 4

I have none. The vedas are ancient history.

Answer 5

Don't be selfish it ain't me, me, me. Share and care even when your cuboards bare. :-)