Chapter XVII (Verses 14, 15 & 16)
Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga – The Yoga of Three Fold Faith
(Verses 14)
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १७-१४॥
Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers and the ‘wise’ ; purity, straight-forwardness, celibacy, and non-injury; these are called the “austerity of the body. “
WORSHIP OF THE DEVAS, THE TWICE-BORN, THE GURU, AND THE WISE — To maintain an attitude of attunement with a Higher-ideal, whereby the meditator develops in himself the qualities of the meditated, is called ‘worship.’ All cultural development, moral growth and ethical unfoldment can be accomplished only through these processes implied in ‘worship.’ It is almost like “the touch method” of magnetisation. One who is trying to come away from one’s inner personality-encumbrances must necessarily have an attitude of devotion and reverence towards the ideals represented in the Deva, the DEITY, worked out and lived by the TWICE-BORN, preached by the Guru and recommended by the WISE.
TWICE-BORN (Dwija) — The term indicates the Brahmins; and the term Brahmin means one who has realised the Self. Born as we are from the wombs of our mothers, we are all born as humans with certain intellectual beauties, no doubt, but also with many moral defects. Born out of the womb all right, but we are yet in the womb-of-matter! To hatch ourselves out of our matter-identifications and to emerge into the joy-of-Perfection is to grow into the Divine Estate of Godmen. This is conceived in our philosophy as the “second birth,” and one who has accomplished it is called the “twice-born,” and one who has accomplished it is called the “twice-born”: once born from the womb, and for a second time grown out of all the limitations suffered by the Spirit in Its seeming identifications with matter.
PURITY AND STRAIGHT-FORWARDNESS — The importance of these two has been discussed earlier. External cleanliness, not only physical but also environmental, is an unavoidable qualification for a true aspirant. Unless a seeker diligently practices straightforwardness in his dealings with others he will be developing in himself a split-personality, which will drain away all his composure, tranquility and mental vitality.
Brahmacharya — Constant revelling in the contemplation of the Supreme Brahman is called Brahmacharya This is not possible unless our nature is turned away from bodily indulgences in sense-objects and our minds are trained to turn inward to the Spirit. Therefore, all mental disciplines, by which we come to develop in us this introspection, are together comprehended by the term ‘Brahmacharya.’ Likewise, a medical college student is called a doctor, because he is applying himself to the direct means for becoming one, and the means are not far from the end.
NON-INJURY — This term has already been discussed many times very exhaustively. Refraining from bringing about any harm to others in society with the mind is called ‘non-injury.’ Physically, it is impossible for us to continue our existence without bringing, even unconsciously, some sort of injury to others, but our attitude can be changed, so that the seemingly unavoidable harm itself can bring about a great blessing to the world. A doctor ripping open a patient’s abdomen with a sharp knife, though doing an act of injury, can ultimately bring about a cure for the patient’s illness. Diligently avoiding all acts of injuring others from our emotional and intellectual realms is the strictest ‘non-injury’that can be practised in life.All that has been so far explained constitutes bodily asceticism: physical austerity (Shaareeram Tapas).
Austerity (Tapas) is not a life of brutal self-denial only. On the other hand, it is an intelligent method of living in right relationship with the world-of-objects, thereby avoiding all unnecessary dissipations of our vital energies. Theenergies that are so economised and conserved are thereafter directed and employed in cultivating creative fields. This scheme — of discovering precious new energies, conserving them intelligently, and directing them into more profitable fields of spiritual enquiry — is called Tapas, self-control. Conservation of energy, and redirection of the same to fertilise fresh fields of cultivation within one’s own bosom are all meant herein, and the stanza concludes with a clear endorsement that this is true Tapas intelligently pursued at the body level.
TAPAS IN SPEECH IS NOW DESCRIBED
(Verses 15)
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १७-१५॥
Speech which causes no excitement, and is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the practice of the study of the VEDAS, these constitute the “austerity of speech. “
Speech is a powerful vehicle in man and it reflects the intellectual calibre, the mental discipline and the physical self-control of the speaker. Unless he is well-formed at all these levels, his words will have no force… no magic about them. Again, speech is the constant activity of all and it is an outlet through which the greatest amount of one’s energies are wasted. To control and conserve this unproductive waste of energy would constitute a great inner wealth indeed for the seeker.
This does not mean that one must keep a self-ruining, disgustingly irritating, silence (Mouna). The power of speech must be made use of for integrating the personality of the seeker. There is an art of using this power in the right way, beneficial to the aspirant as well as to others. The technique of employing speech in the most profitable way is being indicated here in this stanza. The idea suggested in the previous stanza is being more and more deepened by the clear suggestions contained in this stanza that Tapas is not a diabolic act of breaking and destroying oneself but it is a benevolent scheme for re-making and rediscovering oneself.
SPEECH THAT CAUSES NO SHOCK — The words spoken must be such that they bring no disturbance to others; they “should neither be irritating nor obscene.” The real touch-stone to know whether we are speaking the right words or not is the reaction of the listeners, which is expressed so unmistakably on their faces. But generally, people speak with their eyes shut, or even when they are open they are as though blind. Many a miserable man has failed in his efforts in life, and lost all his friends and relatives merely because of the bitterness of his tongue, the harshness of his words, the stink of his indiscreet thoughts!
TRUE, AGREEABLE AND BENEFICIAL (SATYAMPRIYAM- HITAM) — Words uttered to express the truth in an agreeable style for the blessing of others constitute “speech,” which, when properly handled and made use of, will bless the speaker himself.In telling a lie, a lot of energy is wasted and this waste is avoidable if one adopts the policy of truthfulness in his expression. Words that harmoniously bring forth the exact shade of ideas in the intellect are “truthful” expressions, and those that deliberately distort the intentions and meanings of the intellect are called falsehood. In the name of truthfulness one can become a disagreeable creature in society. This is not allowed in a seeker. The Geeta accepts only that speech as truthful WHICH IS ALSO AGREEABLE. By unsaid words the Lord’s Song seems to say that when a truth is disagreeable to others, the speaker is required to maintain a discreet silence!
It is not sufficient that the words in the speech should be honest and agreeable, but they should also be beneficial. Speech should not be wasted. Unprofitable talking is a great drain upon man’s energies. Talk only when you want to express agreeable ideas of permanent values, which will be useful to the listeners. Those who are respecting these qualities in their day-to-day vocal activities can be considered as men performing “AUSTERITY IN SPEECH.”
REGULAR STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES — Control of speech certainly does not mean entering into a state of inert and lifeless silence of the grave. Investing the energies of speech in self-profiting and self-creative channels of endeavour is considered by Krishna as “tapas in speech.” Swadhyaya is a technical term used in our sacred literature to indicate the careful study of and deep reflections upon the theme of the scriptures. The vital energy so economised in daily life through a policy of “speaking only that which is beneficial, agreeable and truthful,” is invested in chanting, in reflecting upon, and in meditating over the mantras of the Upanishads and other scriptures.
This stanza is complete in its explanation of the technique. The first line indicates the channels of economy possible in the daily expenditure of energy. The second line shows the avenues of investment wherein the seeker can expect to gain for himself a greater dividend of a fuller joy. Both the schemes so suggested completely indicate the “AUSTERITY IN SPEECH.”
TAPAS OF THE MIND IS NOW TAKEN UP FOR DISCUSSION:
(Verses 16)
मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १७-१६॥
Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, silence, self-control, purity of nature — these together are called the “mental austerity. “
If the five noble values-of-life enumerated herein are lived, they, in their aggregate, effectively produce the “tapas of the mind.” SERENITY OF MIND can be gained only when our relationship with the world at large is put on a healthier basis of understanding, tolerance, and love. One who is an uncontrolled sensualist can have little serenity or composure. Mind runs out through the sense organs into the sensual fields to eke out its satisfactions.
The driving force that sets the mind on its endless errands is an intellect, ever seething with desires. Quietude of the mind can be gained only when it is protected from both the inflow of the stimuli from the tempting sense-objects of the outer world, and the whipping desires that march out from the intellect to drive the mind out into the fieldsof- enjoyment. In fact, a seeker who has discovered for himself a divine ideal — in the contemplation of which his mind forgets to run about, or his intellect overlooks to send out new desires — alone can hope to win the serenity of the mind (Manah-prasada).
KINDNESS (Soumyatwam) — That warm feeling of affection for all, which readily rises in a heart of true devotion and love, is kindness. And that kindly seeker who lives in this divine attitude towards all things and beings around, will have no chance of entertaining the feeling that he is outrageously molested by, or even temporarily upset with his environment.
SILENCE (Mouna) — We have already noted that “not speaking” is not “Mouna.” In this stanza, while enumerating the “austerities of the mind,” Lord Krishna speaks of “silence.” It is neither a contradiction, nor a mistake. Silence of speech must arise from the relative silence of the mind. Thus Mouna means that noiseless inner calm, which one comes to experience when corroding passions and exhausting desires are no more building up in one’s mind. “Mouna” (silence) can also mean “the State of Muni,” implying “the State of constant contemplation.”
HONESTY OF MOTIVE — Self-control is not possible unless our motives are pure and serene. Without any definite goal in life, without planning our onward march towards the ideal, we are apt to fall a victim to the various temptations en-route, and exhaust ourselves in the bylanes of life. To stick constantly on to the grand road to success is to assure for ourselves a happy pilgrimage to Truth. The urge in us that motivates all our mental activities must be inspiring and divine, or else the chances are that we will be undermining our own perfections and ruining our own chances of making life a great success.
The above three stanzas thus give us a clear picture of what is true Tapas, in our bodily contacts with the world outside, in our speech and in our mental life. The very same Tapas is pursued by different people, and even when they do so, with equal faith, each of them is observed to gain different results. This is not accidental. The people who do Tapas (Tapaswins) are of different temperaments: the ‘good’ (Sattwic), the ‘passionate’ (Rajasic) and the ‘dull’ (Tamasic). According to their governing temperaments they act differently, with different tempo and with different emphasis, so that they come to reap diverse results from the different types of tapas performed by them.