January22 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 2; Verses 2.14-2.15 (Day 22) Sankhya Yoga

 

January 22 – Chapter 2; Verses 14-15

Day 22 [2.14-2.15]

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।

आगमापायिनो ऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥ २-१४॥ 

mātrā-sparśhāstu kaunteya śhītoha-sukha-dukha-dā
āgamāpāyino ’nityās tāms-titik
haswa bhārata (2.14) 

மாத்ராஸ்ப1ர்ஶாஸ்து1 கௌ1ன்தே1ய ஶீதோ1ஷ்ணஸுக2து3ஹ்க2தா3: |
ஆக3மாபா1யினோ
‌னித்1யாஸ்தா1ன்ஸ்தி1தி1க்ஷஸ்வ பா4ரத1 ||14||

14. The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold and pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna!

Commentary: Cold is pleasant at one time and painful as another.  Heat is pleasant in winter but painful in summer.  The same object that gives pleasure at one time gives pain at another time.  So the sense-contacts that give rise to the sensations of heat and cold, pleasure and pain, come and go.  Therefore, they are impermanent in nature.  The objects come in contact with the senses or the Indriyas, viz, skin, ear, eye, nose, etc., and the sensations are carried by the nerves to the mind which has its seat in the brain.  It is the mind that feels pleasure and pain.  One should try to bear patiently heat and cold, pleasure and pain and develop a balanced state of mind. [cf. BG5:22]

 

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।

समदुःखसुखं धीरं सो ऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥ २-१५॥ 

ya hi na vyathayantyete puruha puruharhabha
sama-du
kha-sukha dhīra so ’mitatwāya kalpate (2.15) 

யம் ஹி ந வ்யத2யன்த்1யேதே1 பு1ருஷம் பு1ருஷர்ஷப4 |
ஸமது3:க2ஸுக2ம் தீ4ரம் ஸோ
‌ம்ருத1த்1வாய க1ல்ப1தே1 ||15||

15. That firm man whom surely these afflict not, O chief among men, to whom pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for attaining immortality!

Commentary: Dehadhyasa or identification of the Self with the body is the cause of pleasure and pain.  The more you are able to identify yourself with the immortal, all-pervading Self, the less will you be affected by the pairs of opposites (Dvandvas, pleasure and pain, etc.)

Titiksha or the power of endurance develops the will-power.  Calm endurance in pleasure and pain, and heat and cold is one of the qualifications of an aspirant on the path of Jnana Yoga.  It is one of the Shatsampat or sixfold virtues.  It is a condition of right knowledge.  Titiksha by itself cannot give you Moksha or liberation, but still, when coupled with discrimination and dispassion, it becomes a means to the attainment of Immortality or knowledge of the Self. [cf. BG18:53] 

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