Shri Yamunacharya (Alavandar) grandson of Shri Nathamuni and who slected Ramanuja as the future Acharya composed Gitartha Sangraha consisting of 32 verses contains the very essense of 700 verses of Bhagavad Gita.
- 1st Sloka – Gita’s essence
- Whole Gita divided into 3 Shadgas: 3 slokas for each shadgas
- 1st shadgam: Prathama Shadgam – 1 – 6 chapters : karma and nyana yogas
- 2nd Shadgam: Madyama Shadgam – : Bhakthi yogas
- 3rd Shadgam: uthama shadgam – 13 – 18 chapters:
- 1 sloka for each chapter
- Remaining 10 slokas (1 +3 + 18 = 22 + 10 = 32)
Thaniyan is an invocatory verse of glorification to an AchArya which is usually composed/submitted by a sishya.
It starts with thanniyan by Ramanujar For Alavandar: yath padhAmbhOruhadhyAna vidhvasthAsEsha kalmasha: vasthuthAmupayA thOham yAmunEyam namAmitham
(Meaning):I worship yAmunAchAryar by whose mercy my defects have been removed and I have become an identifiable object, i.e., previously I was like asath (matter) and now I have realized that I am sath (soul) after meditating on the lotus feet of yAmunAcharya.
Geethartha Sangraha:
16/10/19 class covered 1,2 and 5
1. (Geetha Essence) .स्वधर्म ज्ञान वैराग्य साध्य भक्तयेका गोचर:|
नारायण परब्रह्म् गीता शास्त्रम् समीरित: || (Meaning)The subject matter of Geeta Shastra is Sri Narayana, the highest Brahman within the range of the vision of Bhakti alone. Bhakti attainable only by performing one’s duty(without attachment), by the acquisition of (true) knowledge and by the detachment( absence of worldly desires).
2.(First Shadkam)The first Shadkam: ज्ञानकर्मात्मिके निष्ठे योगलक्ष्ये सुसंस्कृते |
आत्मानुभूति सिध्यर्थे पूर्व शठकेन चोदिते ||
(Meaning)The first hexade (six chapters) ordains karma yOgam and gyAna yOgam which are decorated (with knowledge about one’s servitude and detachment towards worldly matters) to attain self-realization and blissful experience of self.
5. (First Chap Essence) अस्थान स्नेह कारुण्य धर्माधर्मधियाकुलं |
पार्थं प्रपन्नमुद्धिस्य शास्त्रावतरणम् कृतं || 5
(Meaning)Arjuna was overwhelmed by compassion for those that did not merit it ( asTAna KaaruNayam). He got confused about what is dharmam and what is adharmam and was taken over by sorrow ( dharmAdharama dhiyA aakulam). His mind swirled in the high wind of grief over the prospect of killing his AchAryAs , former friends and kinsmen . Arjuna declared now that he will not fight them ( na yOthsyAmi) as a result of the unbearble sorrow over the expected loss of those dear to him.
6. (Second Chapter Essence) नित्यात्मसंगकर्मेहागोचरा संख्यायोगधी: |
द्वितीये स्थितधीलक्षा प्रोक्ता तन मोह शांतये ||6
(Meaning): In the second chapter (Dwitee yeh), it was said (Proktaa) , to remove Arjuna’s agony (tan moha-saantayeh), two things (Gocharaah) – Nitya Atmaa, Asanga Karmehaa – i.e Atma is eternal and body is temporary & We should do our Karma unattached (Asanga Karmeha) to either the results or the feeling of “ownership”. Two “YOGAS” – Karma Yogam and Jnaana Yogam are mentioned here (we will hear this two terms repeatedly going forward).”Sankhya YogaDhee” – Sankya-Dee and Yoga-Dee . “Dee means Buddhi”. Sankhya – Buddhi ; Jeevatma -is known as Sankhyam because it’s perceived by Buddhi. Sankhya-Dee :The Atma which is known/perceived by Buddhi.
Yoga-Dee: Yoga is KarmaYogam here; Since this Chapter2 details the nature of indestructibility of Atma , it is known as Sankya Yogam.Sthita-Dee Laksha : Sthita Pragnya. Gnaana Nishtai (true Knowledge). What is the point and benefit in knowing the nature of Atma?We will get ‘Gnaana-Nishtai” (ultimate knowledge). By knowing the Atma is Nityam and Body is temporary and all Atma’s are same, we will be blessed with true
and real knowledge. It will help us realize what is important and not.Atma is nityam, knowing and realizing this eternal truth, if we do Karma Yoga, we will achieve Atma-Saaksatkaram and Sthitadee-Laksha.
7. 19/02/2020 (3rd chapter essence)
असक्त्या लोकरक्षायै गुणेश्वारोप्य कर्तरुताम् |
सर्वेश्वरे वान्यस्योक्ता तृतीये कर्मकार्यता ||7
In the third chapter, our Lord emphasized the importance of performing KarmAs with the understanding that they are done by the three guNams and the need for surrendering the fruits of them at the Lord’s feet and recognizing that all these KarmAs are Bhagavath adheenam.The chEthanam in this world cannot exist without action driven by the guNAs born of Prakruthi. One has no choice but to perform obligatory karmAs (Nithya Karmaa). By performing karmAs without attachment to the fruits of such karmAs, one can attains Atma Sakshathkaram.
8. 11/03/2020 (Chapter 4 Essence) प्रसंगात स्वस्वभावोक्ति: कर्मणोकर्मतास्य च | भेदा:,ज्ञानस्य माहात्म्यम् चतुर्थाध्याय उच्यते || 8
(Meaning):In this Fourth chapter, the secrets behind BhagavAn’s incarnation (avathAra rahasyams) amidst us are covered. He states that He is Sarvaj~nan (Omniscient) and His divine suspicious body (dhivya MangaLa vigraham) is not made up of the five elements (Paanchabhoudhikam) and is aprAkrutham. He also explained that His incarnations are out of His own volition (icchA mAthram) and are made at the times when there is a decline in dharmam and His bhakthAs need protection (Saadhu samraksahNam, dharma sTApanam and Dhushta Nigraham). He instructs us on the importance of Karma yOgam and that Jn~Ana Yogam is incorporated inside Karma Yogam. The svaroopam (inherent nature) of Karma Yogam is elaborated upon in the Fourth Chapter.
9.08/04/2020 (Chapter 5 essence) कर्मयोगस्य सौकर्यं शैग्रयम् कास्चन तद्विधा: |
ब्रह्मज्ञान प्रकारस्च पंचमाध्याये उच्यते || 9 In the FIFTH chapter, it is stressed that Karma yOgam can help to realize visualization of the Self faster than Jn~Ana yOgam. The anga bhEdhams (the differences in the features) of Karma yOgam and the akarthruvAnusandhAnam (the features of Jn~Anam embodied in Karma yOgam) are elaborated further in the FIFTH chapter.
10.22/04/2020 (Chapter 6 essence)योगाभ्यासविधिर योगी चतुर्धा योगसाधनम् |
योगसिद्धि: स्वयोगस्य पारम्यम् षष्ट उच्यते ||10
1. The methods of performing yOgam to visualize JeevAthmA
2. The four kinds of yogam that leads to sama darsanam
3. YOgam as a means for PurushArTam
4. The phalans resulting from practicing yOgam and
5. The importance of Bhakthi yOgam, which is far superior to the four kinds of
yOgams to develop sama darsana roopa Jn~Anam.
11. 03/06/2020 (Chapter 7 Essence)
स्वयाथात्म्यम् प्रकृत्यास्य तिरोधी: शरणागति: |
भक्त भेदा: प्रबुद्धस्य श्रेष्ठयम् सप्तम् उच्यते || 11
In the seventh chapter Lord teaches Arjuna about the exact knowledge of Himself. His concealment by the Prakruthi, the surrender to Him as the means to overcome the Prakruthi, observation on various types of devotees and the superiority of the man of wisdom among the devotees.
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