Abounding in a variety of rites, resulting in actions, fruition and rebirth as the means to enjoyment and power, being full of desire and litent on heaven.
Overcome by desire, they perform works in order to indulge in sensuous enjoyments. They undertake many rites strictly according to religious precepts and perform their religious duty with dexterity.
As for those who cling to sensuous enjoyment and power, with their wits carried away (by that flowery speech), their single-pointed mind does not remain fixed in contemplation.
But, O Arjuna, they do a wrong thing in that they long for heaven and forget God, who is the enjoyed of sacrifices. Even as one collects camphor and sets fire to it, or one cooks sweet dishes and mixes poison in them, or one kicks a jar full of nectar found by a stroke of luck, in the same way they lose merit through the motive of gain. Tell me, after making this great effort, why do they run after worldly pleasures? But what can one do?
2006-10-23 18:46:51 · 7 answers · asked by jayakrishnaathmavidya 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
They are ignorant in this matter. Just as a house-wife were to cook good dishes and sell them, similarly thoughtless persons lose merit for the sake of worldly pleasures. Hence, O Arjuna, bear in mind that those who take delight in the letters of Veda have a perverse mentality
Source:- Jnaneswari viz Bhagavad Gita
Gita is a text supposed to have written 5000 years ago
What's your opinion regarding this verse? is this a controversial statement or is it telling to go beyond the words in the texts?
2006-10-23 18:49:11 · update #1
thanks for all the great answers...
let me give it for a vote...
luv and SAI RAM,
jk
2006-10-25 16:44:45 · update #2
beyond the words i would say that there seems to be some pleasure seeking obove the traveler. do not quitwe understand. it does not make since to me yet. it is like there are bets on the table and the game goes on when the traveler should be finished playing there game. it began as a teaching for the traveler and the game was just bets on what would happen. but it gets carried away and goes on past it's end,for a pleasure seeking. and i would say in my case, that it is rediculus. and that it should end emediately, because it is wronge. it should not be about money. i have many talents in christ and can earn a living and more. there is no need for a poker game for money. just free him, and his family shall be taken care of. but maybe i am wronge in what i see. it does not make since. why would they do that. that is not the way. hopefully i am wronge, and this is not what is going on. i will give them the benafit of the doubt. maybe there is a game and also a book. and maybe the book will reach the hearts of many, and through it much love will come about that may change the world. if that is so then it will all be worth it. i will will keep going and leave in there hands. maybe after my voice this, they may show me what it is that i am not seeing. shorely i am not seeing the whole picture. for i am still a bit blind. and i will allow god to do what he is doing with my support as still being ignorant. maybe soon i will see better. maybe you can give me a heads up on this. if you have a comment please send me an e-mail... i like your work. most people do not understand mine and this one is kind of coded for the knowing only. please e-mail me
2006-10-23 20:07:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Truth is simple... right and wrong are positionalities of the ego mind that reinforce separation and duality (the fallen state). The ego can only exist with its position in space and time, to come into the Now completely means the death of the ego. Can you become No-thing in particular? To come into the Now means dropping the ego positionaliy of a Heaven/Nirvana, because Nirvana is Samsara, and Samsara is Nirvana. You must also drop the notion of God, for this is a positionality as well that keeps you in the illusion of separation. Yoga means Union, One, not two.You are the Supreme.The absolute and the manifest are One, intertwined. The manifest pulls the absolute along. In your fallen state you believe the world of appearances to be truth, it is not. Let go of all ego attachments,(spiritual pride included). If you keep clinging to the twigs, you will never see the tree, let alone the forest.
Peace
2006-10-24 14:12:36 · answer #2 · answered by Michael K 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Forgive me for going outside of the text to answer the question..
I actually think this is quite possible as much of world religion expects us to try and make the world that we live on a better place. If we all believe that Heaven is something other than what we have, and is a much better alternative to what we have, if we truly wish to create something like it on earth we may do well to forget an idea that God will hand it to us.
If we believe that we have the ability to do some kind of positive admist the bad that we can create, waiting around for God to reconcile humanity will only cripple our potential to create good, if we can take the reverence that much of humanity has toward some form of God, and use it as a reverence for this life and this world, we can perhaps come close to create a version of the other "Heaven" from what we have now.
2006-10-24 03:43:35 · answer #3 · answered by blindog23 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
doesn't the gita say that we should work according to our limitations and not worry about the results we might or might not get? i personally don't believe in the existence of heaven or hell....but i get what you mean...many people base their actions on what result they will get out of it. forget to imbibe god or pure religious teaching into their lives and do the rites and mimic the scriptures, because they believe it would get them into heaven.
i say live a good life, help others, respect nature and be kind to animals...and you'll find your heaven here on this earth....live your life now, in the present and don't waste it on empty religious rituals in the hope of attaining heaven
2006-10-25 15:39:57 · answer #4 · answered by S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the intention of that piece is to indicate that people long for heaven, because they are still attached to sensory and sensual pleasures...they desire heaven, and do good deeds so that they may get rewards....."they lose merit through the motive of gain"...he is basicly saying that they are hypocrital....nice pice....
you must be good without need for reward
2006-10-24 04:41:40 · answer #5 · answered by Either/Or 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion, the whole Gita is trying to show how we ought not to be attached to the fruits of our actions, but do them simply b/c they are right. I.e. be loving because it's right, not from what will happen or what you will gain. In philosophy you might call this a deontological ethics
2006-10-24 01:57:52 · answer #6 · answered by Heidegger 11 30 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even longing for God would amount to negating God and His great attributes.
You may please e-mail me for more details.
2006-10-24 04:43:27 · answer #7 · answered by small 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋