How to Find God in Daily Life

Krishna reviews God’s position as permeating everything, yet being beyond all creation including the gods; eternal and unmanifest.

Those who know this are not deluded in life.

All attributes come from God, including intelligence, wisdom, forgiveness, truthfulness, serenity, equanimity, contentment, austerity, and benevolence. All experiences come from God, including pleasure and pain, birth and death, fame and infamy, fear and fearlessness. All gods, people, animals, nature, spirits, and demons arise from God. In short, everything in the entire creation comes from God and from nowhere else. Nothing is beyond God.

Arjuna now asks Krishna to relate all the forms of manifestation and attributes that God has created of Himself. Then he asks Krishna to tell him what form of God he should meditate on.

Krishna says that, above all things, God is the eternal Self that resides in the heart of all beings. He is Vishnu, the radiant sun; Marichi, the chief of the winds; the moon; Sama Veda; Indra’s mind; the consciousness in all living things. He is Shankara; the lord of wealth; the fre god; Meru, the king of the mountains. God is Briand chief of all waters. He is Brigu, the greatest seer; Aum, the first word; japa, silent repetition of sacred texts; chief of sacrifices, Himalaya, head of immovable objects. God is Ashwattha, chief of the trees; Gandharvas, chief of the celestial musicians; and Kapila, the sage and head of all perfected beings.

He is the head of horses, born of nectar, lord of the elephants, and monarch among humans. God is the thunderbolt among weapons, head of the cows. The source of all offspring, and the chief snake, Vasuki. Krishna goes on listing examples of God’s Divine manifestations. He is time, the cause of all action and fruits thereof, death, fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, forgiveness, the seasons and so on. In short, God is the essence and chief of all worldly things. There is no end to God’s manifestations since God is always creating new forms. [Verse 1–42]

Lord Krishna said:

O mighty armed, listen again to My supreme teachings, which I will speak for your welfare, as you delight in them. [1]

Neither the demigods (devas) or the great seers (rishis) know My eternal origin because I am the source of these celestials and great sages. [2]

One who knows Me as birth less, without beginning, and the Supreme Lord of the universe, they alone are not misguided among humans, and are freed from all sins. [3]

Spiritual intelligence, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, sense control, control of the mind, happiness and sadness, birth and death, fear and fearlessness. [4]

Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, penance, charity, fame and infamy; these are the different states of beings that arise from Me only. [5]

The seven great seers (rishis) [Marici, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha], and before them, the four other great sages, and the Manus, all were born of My mind, and all beings descend from them. [6]

One who knows this reality, My various manifestations and My yoga power, realizes permanent union of individual and eternal Soul. There is no doubt in this regard. [7]

I am the original cause of all; everything emanates from Me. Knowing this, the wise worship Me with devotional ecstasy. [8]

With their minds fully focused on Me, their life absorbed in Me, perpetually enlightening one another and continuing to sing My glories, they rejoice and are contented. [9]

To those devoted and dedicated to Me, I give that yoga of wisdom by which they come to Me. [10]

Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their heart, destroy the darkness born of ignorance, with the radiant light of wisdom. [11]

You are the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Truth and most sacred; all the exalted sages, Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa, have declared You as the Eternal, Self-Effulgent being — the original Lord of all gods, omnipresent. Now You personally are declaring this to me. [12-13]

O Krishna, all You have told me I accept as fact. O God, neither the demigods nor demons understand your divine manifestations. [14]

O Supreme one, O Origin of all origins, O Lord of all beings, O God of gods, O Lord of the universe, You alone know Yourself by Yourself. [15]

Please tell me in detail of Your divine powers by which You pervade all the worlds. [16]

O Krishna, how can I come to know you through constant meditation? In what forms are You to be meditated? [17]

O Krishna, please tell me again the details of Your mighty abilities and glories. I am never satiated from hearing these words of nectar. [18]

Lord Krishna said:

O Arjuna, I shall tell you My divine manifestations, but only those that are prominent, for My opulence is unlimited. [19]

O Arjuna, I reside in the heart of all creatures, and I am the beginning, middle and end of all creatures. [20]

I am Vishnu of the 12 Adityas, I am the Sun of the luminaries, among the winds, I am Marichi, and among constellations I am the Moon. [21]

Of the Vedas I am Sama Veda, of the demigods (devas) I am Indra. Of the senses I am the mind, and of all living creatures I am consciousness. [22]

Of the Rudras I am Shiva, of the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am Kuvera, the lord of wealth; of the Vasus I am Agni-fre and of mountains I am Meru. [23]

O Arjuna, know me to be Brihaspati, the chief priest, of generals I am Skanda, of waters I am the ocean. [24]

Among the great sages (rishis) I am Brighu, of words I am the monosyllable Aum, of sacrifices I am the silent repetition of mantras (japa), of immoveable things I am the Himalaya mountains. [25]

Of trees I am the sacred Peepal (Ashwatta), of divine seers (rishis) I am Narada, of the celestial musicians (Gandharvas) I am Chitraratha, of the perfected ones I am sage Kapila. [26]

Among horses I am Uchchaisrava, born of nectar (amrit); of lordly elephants I am Airavata; and among humans I am the king. [27]

I am the thunderbolt among weapons, of cows I am the wish-fulfilling Kamadhuk, I am Cupid (Candarpa) cause of offspring, and among serpents I am Vasuki. [28]

I am Ananta among snakes, I am Varuna among aquatic creatures, I am Aryama (minister of justice) among ancestors, I am Yama (lord of death) among rulers [29]

Of the Daityas I am Prahlada, of measurements I am time, of all the animals, I am the lion, of birds I am Garuda. [30]

Of the purifiers I am wind, of warriors I am Rama, of fish I am Makara (shark), and of rivers I am Ganga. [31]

O Arjuna, I alone am the creator, sustainer, and dissolver of all creation. Of knowledge I am Self-knowledge, and of arguments I am truth-seeking (Vada). [32]

Among letters I am the first letter A, among compound words Dvandva (the dual word), I am eternal time and the four-faced Brahma. [33]

I am all-devouring death, I am the first birth of the six manifestations of all creatures; of females I am fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, patience, and forgiveness. [34]

Of the Sama Veda I am the Brihat-sama, of mantras I am Gayatri, of the months I am the fall harvest, and among seasons I am spring. [35]

Among deceivers I am gambling, I am the glory of the glorious, I am victory, perseverance, I am the nobility of the noble. [36]

I am Vasudeva among the Vrishnis, I am Arjuna among the Pandavas, I am Vyasadeva among the saints, I am Usana among the great scholars. [37]

Of disciplinarians I am the rod, of those seeking success I am strategy, I am silence among secrets, and I am wisdom of the wise. [38]

O Arjuna, whatever is the essence of beings that I also am. Nothing exists that is moving or stationary without Me. [39]

O Arjuna, there is no end of My divine manifestations. But I have only summarized the vastness of my divine forms. [40]

Whatever is glorious, beautiful, or powerful, know that all these manifestations arise from Me, but are an iota of My splendor. [41]

O Arjuna, what need is there for you to know more details? Alone, I exist supporting this entire universe situated in a portion of my Self. [42]

Exercise

This chapter spotlights God existing in all things in material creation. Because this conversation originally took place in India thousands of years ago, the terminology is geared to Arjuna, his religion and culture. But we can easily transpose more universal terms for these aspects of nature. Rather than get caught in the semantics of

• As you move through your day, notice the things you are grateful for (friendly co-workers, delicious lunch, challenging opportunities). Try to appreciate beauty and grace in all people, buildings, nature, etc.

• Create a gratitude journal. Each night before going to bed, review your day and write down the things you were grateful for during that day (eg, sunshine, home-cooked dinner, your health, your family, your baby daughter learning a new word).

Chapter 11

⇐ Предыдущая14151617181920212223Следующая ⇒

Поделиться: