I used to attend Vedanta Vision’s Jaya Row’s lectures on Bhagavad Geeta, when she held her sessions in New Delhi. Although, Vedanta Vision in headquartered in Mumbai, and Jaya Row, regularly speaks at the Prem Puri Ashram near Kemp’s Corner, I had not got an opportunity to hear her ever since I relocated to Mumbai last year. Maneesha too was very keen to listen to the new age Vedic Guru - Jaya Row, who quit a successful management career to spread the understanding of Vedanta.When billboards appeared on the Walkeshwar Road, about Jaya Row’s Guru Purnima series lecture on the Guna Code at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Chowpatty, we decided not to miss it.
The solemn Saturday evening was indeed a spiritual bonanza.
Excerpts.
Bhagavad Geeta describes three finite dimensional human qualities : (1) Satvik - illumination, goodness, and non-binding, (2) Rajasik - passion, attachment and agitated mind, and (3) Tamasik - inaction, ignorance and illusions. These three Gunas are present in all human beings, though in different degrees. Satvik person is free, calm and selfless. Rajasik person wishes to be always active and cannot sit still and the activities are tainted by selfish desires. Tamasik person subjects his life to continuous submission to surrounding environment and they are confused and dull. The Geeta asserts that a predominance of one or a combination of one or more of these characteristics determines human behaviour.
In the 14th Chapter of the Geeta, Lord Krishna gives us a very detailed description and definition of the three Gunas. Sattva is pure, illuminating and free from sickness. It binds the soul through attachment with knowledge and happiness. Rajas is full of passion and is born out of intense desire for worldly things. It binds the soul through attachment with action and restlessness. Tamas is the darkness and crudeness in man. It binds the soul through attachment with recklessness, indolence and sleep.
The three Gunas compete among themselves for supremecy. When Sattva predominates the human being radiates the illumination of knowledge. When Rajas predominates, greed and the striving for selfish activities come to the fore. With the increase of Tamas come darkness, inactivity and ignorance.
By knowing the distinction among the three Gunas and by developing the quality of Sattva in abundance, one can purify ones mind and establish tranquility through right worship, study, knowledge, speech, devotion, faith, behaviour and sacrifice.
While Bagavad Geeta has given an objective definition of the Gunas found in human beings, these aspects are dramatized in Mahabharata, through various characteristics ranging from the Satvik Yudishthira to Tamasik Duryodhana. Characters in Mahabharata serve as role models to understand and follow the Dharma and Values conceptualized in Geeta.
