Gita Jayanti; desireless action; when to eat

The Adiveda Weekly #27

Nov 27, 2022

Hari Aum Sadhakas!

The Bhagavad Gita appeals to all human beings across the ages, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. Its vision is universal. Even though it has a temporal and local setting, its spirit is so profound and universal that its message has been appreciated by all humanity through the ages. We celebrate Gita Jayanti on 3rd December – the day on which this great discourse was given to Arjuna, the epitome of the human being, by the divine personage – Lord Krishna.

The Hindu way of life

The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is a spiritual dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, a dialogue of and on dharma. It comes in the middle portion of the great epic, the Mahabharata written by the sage Vyasa.

Lord Krishna was the avatar or the incarnation of the Supreme Being into the form of a human being whereas Arjuna typifies the ordinary man, faced with one of the most difficult problems which anyone could conceive – the killing of his own kinsmen.

The whole dialogue is placed in the middle of the battlefield of Kurukshetra amidst the din and clamour of a fratricidal war. Arjuna’s problem was a particular one related to his particular need.

Lord Krishna’s answer is the whole of the Bhagavad Gita, and cuts at the root of the human problem – which is ignorance. Ignorance of the nature of our own selves, ignorance of the nature of the Supreme Being and ignorance of the nature of the universe which we inhabit. This is the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

Reflection of the week

“The river of life keeps flowing with or without our consent or even our participation. If we want to participate we are allowed to do so but if we fight against the current we will bring only misery on ourselves. If we want to be happy participants we will have to accept the dual face of nature.”

For your everyday practice

‘Nishkama Karma.’

Practice karma without expectation of reward. This is what is known as Nishkama Karma – when action is done as an offering to the Supreme and the results are left to Him. Give up all expectations of the results of the action, leave everything into the capable hands of the Lord who is indeed the doer, enjoyer and giver of the results of the action.

For your health and well-being

When to eat?

We should ideally eat our food between the hours of sunrise and sunset, as the body’s digestive fire tracks the movement of the sun in the sky. A light meal and dinner, with your largest meal at mid-day (when the sun is burning brightest) ensures you are eating in sync with nature and in sync with your own digestive fire’s strength. Many individuals today tend to eat their largest meal at dinner, well past sunset, and this habit – over time – will create a strain on your digestive system. Consider changing this habit slowly, if possible.

By Dr. Poorna Menon, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

From Vanamali Mataji’s desk

Equality of vision of the outside world and equanimity of the mind inside are the two things which are stressed in almost all the chapters of the Gita. Once this attitude becomes fixed in us, the charioteer of Arjuna will reveal himself to us. He will show us that He is indeed the divine charioteer who lives in the heart of every creature and directs each one of us along the right path. If we surrender our ego to him as Arjuna did, He has the ability to take us to a glorious victory.

Arjuna was an archer and all he was asked was to shoot in the prescribed manner and as advised by his charioteer. ‘Nimitta maatram bhava,’ ‘Be thou an instrument alone.’ This is a clarion call to all of us to forego our egos and become a simple instrument in the divine hands. This is the only way to be victorious in the race of life! Be a flute in the hands of Lord Krishna and divine music will flow through us without any effort on our part. Always remember that in the chariot race of life we have only one travelling companion and that is Krishna!