(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

Divine Is The Gambling Of The Cheats And The Splendour Of The Splendid. He Is The Victory Of The Victorious, The Resolve Of The Resolute, And The Virtue Of The Virtuous

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् |
जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् || 10.36||

dyūtaṁ chhalayatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham
jayo ’smi vyavasāyo ’smi sattvaṁ sattvavatām aham|| 10.36||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 10- Ver. 36:

I am the brightness of the splendid and the gambling of the dishonest. I am the victors’ victory, the resolute’s determination, and the virtue of the virtuous’ virtue.

Explanation

Shree Krishna describes his opulence not only in terms of virtue but also in terms of sin. But, if gambling is also God’s glory, then there is no wrong in it. God provides the soul his power, as well as the freedom to choose.

A gambler, like everyone else, has God-given intelligence and talent. However, if he chooses to misuse his God-given gifts, God is not held responsible for his wicked actions. Victory appeals to everyone because it reflects the Lord’s splendour. Shree Krishna has also placed a high value on the attribute of determination.

The virtuous’ virtue is also a demonstration of God’s power. God is the source of all virtues, accomplishments, glory, victory, and solid resolve. Rather than thinking of these as our own, we should think of them as emanating from him.

Verse & what we can learn

Ishvara creates this duality cosmos with the strength of his Maya. So, if what we deem “good” is Ishvara, then its opposite is Ishvara as well. Shri Krishna emphasizes this point by presenting gambling as Ishvara’s incarnation.
If we allow Maya have her way, she will be able to take away our ability to discriminate between right and wrong. Gambling is the most powerful form of Maya out of all the conceivable ways of deluding and fooling us. It, like any addiction, can generate a lot of attachment and, in the end, a lot of sadness.

There are individuals among us who have a sharp brain, one that never loses its discriminating power. According to Shri Krishna, it is Ishvara who shines with the brilliance of such luminaries. It is Ishvara who bestows their brightness on them.

We can achieve great things if we work hard, are diligent, and stay focused. Ishvara, according to Shri Krishna, manifests as their hard work as well as the victory those results from that effort. Sattva is one of the three basic building elements of Maya or prakriti, along with rajas and tamas.

We can say that the Sattva quality has manifested when any system is running in perfect harmony, with no fluctuations or interruptions. When our brain is free of disturbance and we see things clearly, it means that sattva has won the battle This sattva represents Ishvara, who manifests as humility, tranquilly, sobriety, and goodness in people.

To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There is also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the next Shloka we continue to learn more about Ishvara’s expressions.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…