Shrimad Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyasa Yogam Verse 61:
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Our Position Will Always Be Under Divine Control, Highlighting The Dependence Of The Soul Upon God, Whether We Choose To Obey God Or Not
ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति |
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया || 18.61||
īśhvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛid-deśhe ‘rjuna tiṣhṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā|| 18.61||
Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 18- Ver. 61:
All living things, O Arjun, have the Supreme Lord as their abode in their hearts. He controls the wanderings of the souls, who are perched on a piece of material energy, in accordance with their karma.
Explanation
“Arjuna, whether you choose to obey me or not, your position will always be under my rule,” Shree Krishna states, highlighting the soul’s reliance on God. Your body’s physical structure was fashioned from my material energy.
I have given you the kind of body you earned based on your prior karma. I’m sitting there with you, taking note of everything you say, do, and think. So, in order to determine your future, I will also evaluate everything you do today. Do not ever imagine that you are independent of me. Therefore, Arjuna, you have an incentive to submit to me.
Verse & what we can learn
According to Shri Krishna, Ishvara set the universe in motion. The three gunaas make up this Maya, also referred to as Prakriti. Maaya is incapable of acting on its own because it is not sentient. By becoming the unique soul, the jeeva, the timeless essence that is represented in maaya gives maaya sentience and existence. As a result, every jeeva loses contact with the eternal essence and becomes trapped inside the maaya.
How, then, can the jeeva free itself from this endless maaya game? What chance does the jeeva have? Is there really a thing as free will, or are we all merely maaya’s slaves? The fact that Maaya is obedient to Ishvara is the key.
We won’t have a shot at liberation if we simply rely on maaya and live our lives bound to the material world. However, there may be a chance for emancipation if we focus our efforts on understanding the true nature of Ishvara and making contact with Ishvara. Thankfully, divine is seated in all of us and not in some distant paradise.
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 Shri Krishna tells about surrendering to the divine.
Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…