[Advaita-l] Jagadguru Speaks: Regular Study of Gita Steadies the Mind

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
http://www.tattvaloka.com/uploads/jagadguruSpeech/pdf/Dec2015.pdf
 
One must read the Bhagavad Gita at least once in his life-time.
Having Arjuna as an instrument, Lord Krishna has bestowed the Gita
for the benefit of all of us. He has vividly described how karma
should be performed, what type of food is sattvic, how puja should
be done, how yajna, dana and tapas should be channelled to lead us
to sreyas, and what constitutes sattva, rajas and tamas.
 
Learning it properly from a guru, man must stabilise his mind in
Sattva Guna until it transcends the three gunas. Whatever a mind
steeped in Sattva Guna does, will result in nothing but good for all.
 
A sattvic mind steadily engaged in guru’s service, earns his grace
and transcends all the three gunas while attaining chitta suddhi.
This naturally leads to Vedanta Vichara. Only such a mind quietened
by chitta suddhi will be able to steady itself in dhyana. This restful
mind alone will lead one to moksha.
 
  guNAnuraktaM vyasanAya jantoH kShemAya nairguNyamatho manaH syAt.h .
  yathA pradIpo ghR^itavartimashnanshikhAH sadhUmA bhajati hyanyadA svam.h ..
 
  गुणानुरक्तं व्यसनाय जन्तोः क्षेमाय नैर्गुण्यमथो मनः स्यात् .
  यथा प्रदीपो घृतवर्तिमश्नन्शिखाः सधूमा भजति ह्यन्यदा स्वम् ..
 
  (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.11.8)
 
A lamp lit with a wick in ghee creates light, and smoke as well. At
other times, on its own, the wick retains its natural glow. Similarly,
a mind, associated and tainted by gunas becomes the cause of
sufferings, but when it is bereft of gunas becomes fit for liberation.
 
We bless all to cultivate primarily sattva guna till they reach a stage
transcending gunas.