జాన జాన పదాలతో జ్ఞానగీతి పలుకునటే ఆనంద లీల

గీతా జయంతి శుభాకాంక్షలు. నేను B.Tech లో ఉన్నప్పుడు ఒకసారి సీక్రెట్ ఒఫ్ కాన్సెంట్రేషన్ అని ఒక బుక్ చదివాను. అందులో ఏవో టెక్నీక్స్ చెబుతూ మధ్యలో భగవద్గీత లో ఒక శ్లోకం వస్తుంది. అర్జునుడు మనస్సును కంట్రోల్ చెయ్యడం గాలిని కంట్రోల్ చెయ్యడం కన్నా కష్టం అని అంటే కృష్ణుడు అవును కానీ అభ్యాస వైరాగ్యాల ద్వారా ఆది సాధ్యమవుతుంది అని చెపుతాడు. దీన్ని చెప్పి కాన్సెంట్రేషన్ తో చదవటానికి అభ్యాసం కావాలి అని కొన్ని టెక్నీక్స్ చెప్పారు. నేను అప్పుడు ఆది ట్రై చేసినపుడు ఆది వర్క్ అయ్యింది. అప్పుడు అనుకున్నాను రెండు శ్లోకాలకే ఇంత లాభం ఉంటే మొత్తం చదివితే ఎలా ఉంటుంది అని. ఇలా నా జీవితంలో మొదటి సారి భగవద్గీత ప్ర్యాక్టికల్ గా టచ్ లోకి వచ్చింది.
అంతకుముందు మహా భారతం చదివినప్పుడు వచ్చింది కాని అప్పుడు ఒక్క ముక్క కుడా అర్థం కాలేదు. మా మావయ్య చదువుతాడు కాబట్టి నాకూ చదవటానికి ఆసక్తి కలిగింది. భగవద్గీత చదివితే నా జీవితంలో ఏదో జరిగి పోతుంది అని భయం లేకుండా మార్పు జరిగినా ఇది మంచి చేస్తుంది అని ఒక నమ్మకం ఉంది. B.Tech లో final year లో చిన్న భగవద్గీత, only translations,  ఉంటే చదివాను. కాని అప్పడు కుడా  పెద్దగా  అవగాహన అవలేదు. M.Tech లో పెద్ద భగవద్గీత కొని చదవటం మొదలుపెట్టాను. అప్పటి నుంచి భగవద్గీత నా జీవితంలో ఒక part అయ్యింది.

మొదట్లో random గా శ్లోకాలు చదివి దాని meaning చదివే వాడిని. చాలా interesting శ్లోకాలు తగిలేవి.
ఉదాహరణకు BG 17.15, మంచిగా మాట్లాడటానికి ఉండే 5 లక్షణాలను కృష్ణుడు చెపుతున్నాడు, ఉద్వేగంగా లేకుండా, సత్యమైనది, ప్రియమైనది, హితమైనది గా ఉండాలి అని. పాటించడానికి చాలా కష్టమైనా పాటించడానికి ప్రయత్నించదగినది. 

మూడు రకాలైన happiness చెప్పబడినవి , BG 18.37, BG 18.38, BG 18.39, ఒకటి ముందు విషంలా ఉండి తరువాత అమృతంలా ఉండి  మన నిజమైన స్థితిని తెలుసుకునేందుకు ఉపయోగపడేది, రెండవది ముందు అమృతంలా ఉండి తరువాత విషంలా మారేది, మూడవది నిద్ర, బద్ధకం ద్వారా వచ్చే ఆనందం . ప్రతీసారీ మన mood మారిపొతూ ఉంటుంది, కాని ఎక్కువ సార్లు మొదటి happiness ఉండేలా ప్రయత్నించాలి అనుకున్నాను.

తరువాత systematic గా మొత్తం చదివాను, lectures ఉంటే విన్నాను.  ఎన్నో కొత్త విషయాలు తెలిశాయి.

first chapter అంతా అర్జునుడి reasoning ఉంటుంది. మొదటి సారి ఇది చదివిన వాళ్ళకు అర్జునుడు యుద్ధం చెయ్యననటానికి reasons అన్ని చాలా కరెక్ట్ గా ఉన్నట్టు ఉంటాయి. ఐనా యుద్ధం ఎలా చేశాడు అనిపిస్తుంది.

second chapter మొదటి సగం అంతా body కి soul కి తేడా, reincarnation గురించి ఉంటుంది. అర్థం చేసుకోవడం మరియు నమ్మడం కష్టమే అయినా reincarnation మీద చాలా books చదివి research చేసి (ఏదో కొద్దికొద్దిగా websites చదవడం, videos చూడటం, తెలిసినవాళ్లు చెప్పిన స్టోరీస్ వినడం ), reincarnation కరెక్టే అని నమ్మాను.

second chapter మిగిలిన సగం అంతా చాలా interesting topics వస్తాయి. స్థితప్రజ్ఞుడు అనే concept వస్తుంది. ఈ రెండు శ్లోకాలు చాలా famous, BG 2.62 , BG 2.63, మనకి కోపం ఎందుకు వస్తుంది, దాని వల్ల ఎలా పతనమవుతాము అనేది ఉంటుంది.

third chapter లో కర్మ యోగం గురుంచి చెప్పిన తరువాత last లో అర్జునుడు, "ఒకడు rape తప్పని తెలిసి కుడా ఎందుకు చేస్తాడు (BG 3.36 indirect గా )" అని అడుగుతాడు. కృష్ణుడు సమాధానం చెప్పి మన శరీరంలో heirarchy చెబుతాడు. (BG 3.42).  dull matter < senses < mind < intelligence <soul. senses control చెయ్యాలంటే mind వాడాలి, mind control చెయ్యాలంటే intelligence వాడాలి. అంతకుముందు mind and intelligence అని రెండు elements ఉన్నాయని తెలియదు . 

మొదట్లో కాస్త త్వరగా అర్థమయింది అనుకున్నది 14th chapter. సత్త్వ, రజ , తమ అని మూడు గుణాలు ప్రతి ఒక్కరికి ఉంటాయి అని ఉంటుంది (three roses ad లాగా ). M.Tech లో చాలా రోజులు early morning 2am to 4am పడుకుని పోద్డున్నే 9:30am కి లేదా  1:30pm కి  లెగిచే వాళ్ళలో నేనూ ఒకడిని. ఎందుకంటే 9:30am కన్నా late అయితే breakfast miss  అవుతాము, 2pm కన్నా లేట్ ఐతే lunch miss అయిపోతాము. ఈ habit ని ఎలా అన్నా పోగొట్టుకోవాలి అని ప్రయత్నించే వాడిని. ఈ chapter చాలా సార్లు system లో play చేసేవాడిని. recent గా faking news లో ఒక funny fake article ఏంటంటే IIT students morning sunrise చూడట్లేదని artificial sunrise arrange చేశారట. సత్త్వ గుణం లోకి రావాలి అని ప్రయత్నించడానికి ఈ chapter motivation ఇస్తుంది. ఇంకా ముందుకు తీసుకు వెళ్లి మూడు గుణాలను దాటడానికి భక్తి చేయాలని చెబుతుంది.

కొన్ని important శ్లోకాలను  కంటస్థం (బట్టీ ) చేయాలనుకున్నాను. నాకు ముఖ్యంగా 7th and 9th chapters బాగా నచ్చాయి. శ్లోకాలు గుర్తుపెట్టుకోవడం చాలా help చేసింది/చేస్తుంది. ఒక్కొక్క situation లో ఒక శ్లోకం గుర్తుకు వచ్చి మంచి వైపు అడుగు వేసినప్పుడు వచ్చే మజాయే వేరు. ఇంకా భగవద్గీత flow అర్థం కావాలన్నా బాగా ఉపయోగపడుతుంది. కొన్ని శ్లోకాలు చాలా rythmic గా ఉంటాయి. వాటిని చదువుతుంటేనే ఆనందం వస్తుంది (ex : BG 4.29). ఇంకా శ్లోకం తెలిస్తే sankrit కూడా అర్థమై ఎవరైనా తప్పు చెబితే తెలిసిపోతుంది.

చాలా మంది ఆచార్యులు చాలా commentaries చెప్పారు. logical గా వాళ్ళు చెప్పే commentaries చాలా interesting గా ఉంటాయి. Ex : first chapter లో కౌరవ యోధుల names చెప్పేటప్పుడు సైంధవుడి పేరు ఉండదు. ఎందుకంటే అతను అంత గొప్ప యోధుడు కాదు. కాని కృష్ణుడు విశ్వరూపం చూపినప్పుడు సైంధవుడు కూడా చనిపోతున్నాడు అని అర్జునుడికి చూపిస్తాడు. ఎందుకంటే 12రోజుల తరువాత అర్జునుడు యుద్ధం లో అభిమన్యుడి చావుకి కారణమైన సైంధవుడిని సాయంత్రం లోగా చంపుతాను లేదా ప్రాయోపవేశం (suicide ) చేసుకుంటాను అని ప్రతిజ్ఞ చేస్తాడు. So దాన్ని నువ్వు నేరవేరుస్తావు అని కృష్ణుడు ఇక్కడ ముందే చెపుతున్నాడు. మహాభారత యుద్దంలో అన్ని రోజులలో కెల్లా ఆ రోజు యుద్ధం చాలా interesting  గా జరుగుతుంది.

జ్ఞానంలో రకాలు చెప్పేటప్పుడు humility (అమానిత్వం) ని (BG 13.8-12) మొట్టమొదటి అంశంగా చెప్పాడు. ఇంకా భగవద్గీత చదువుతున్న వారు నన్ను వాళ్ళ యొక్క intelligence తో పూజిస్తున్నారు అని చెప్పాడు(BG 18.70). Last శ్లోకంలో కృష్ణుడు అర్జునుడు ఎక్కడ ఉంటారో  అక్కడ ఐశ్వర్యం, విజయం, power, నీతి ఉంటాయని వస్తుంది.   మా అమ్మమ్మ కు ఎప్పుడూ ఒక topic లో చెప్పిందే చెప్పటం అలవాటు. భగవద్ గీత topic ఎప్పుడు వచ్చినా ఇది చెప్తుంది. గీత ఒక గంగా నది లాంటిది. మనం చెంబు పట్టుకెళితే చెంబుడు నీళ్ళు వస్తాయి. బిందె పట్టుకెళితే బిందెడు నీళ్ళు వస్తాయి అని. ఇక్కడ ఆ container మన యొక్క humility and enthusiasm ఏమో.

గీతా జయంతి రోజు భగవద్గీత మీద నాకు ఉన్న appreciation ని వ్యక్తం చేయాలనుకున్నాను. ఒక సాధారణ వ్యక్తికి మంచి ఆలోచనలు రావాలంటే మంచి పుస్తకమైనా, మంచి మనిషైనా తోడుండాలి.  భగవద్గీతను నాకు అందించిన అందరికీ కృతజ్ఞతలు చెబుతూ ఇంకా బాగా అర్థమయ్యేటట్లు, పాటించగల శక్తి  కావాలని ప్రార్థన. కాల స్థోమత సరిపోక (మీకు కుడా అని తెలుసు)ఇక్కటితో ముగిస్తున్నాను.

Alochiste Atisayame - If You Think, It Is Amazing

How can we know whether God exists. Is there any way scientifically or logically to know that God exists. I used to believe in God but not with much thinking whether He exists or not. Whenever my friends and family go to temple I also used to go and pray. In my B.Tech once I read one small pamphlet, two page size, by some people. It explains that there are so many superstitions followed by many people and don't believe in them and God does not exist and all these are created by man. I got little convinced not thinking much. I thought there is no God but all religion is meant for society's good. But later when I started reading spiritual books I felt it is not that straight forward to say there is no God. I could not discredit the knowledge that is there.  I attended a series of seminars in my first semester of IISc by a group called spiritual scientist. I referred the contents of these seminars again and again over the years. In that one of the topic is "Can I scientist believe in God". It is very thought giving seminar and it gave some concepts how I can believe in God. So some points which I pondered again, putting it here.

When we see a beautiful rose flower painted with water colors in paper, we will think somebody painted it. Similarly when we see a plastic rose flower, we know it was made by some body. But if we see real rose flower with its softy texture, beautiful color and aromatic fragrance we are sometimes in doubt that whether it was created by someone or came by chance.

When we see a analog watch with moving hands and if someone says all the parts of watch are kept together and by randomly mixing them watch came out, we will laugh. Or if we see a printed circuit board which we see in our electronics lab, we will not say it came automatically. We know that that board has some design and some purpose for its design. Similarly if we look within our body and look outside the world both of which have very complex designs. And again we may doubt these things are made/arranged by somebody or these came by automatically or chance without anyone's hand behind them.

Consider the design and complexity of our body.
           i)  It took 40 years of modern world involving many brains around the world to build a sophisticated computer. But the brain of  a person is more sophisticated than best computer. So if computer with its all complexity is designed does our brain will come on its own by some automatic process.

           ii) We will eat and we will do our remaining work not caring about how energy is getting supplied to our body. All the work of digestion and supplying energy is being done by our body's different departments with wonderfully coordinating. I heard once some researchers thought they will design some artificial digestive machine to place it in stomach for some patients having problem with digestion. When they started project they found that the mechanism of digestion is so complex that a machine will not be enough but it require a factory in place of machine. Not just a factory but a chain of factories that extends two miles long. Point is that it has whole complex mechanism. The bigger problem they came up is they require a conveyor built to run across these factories.  The amount of work that is done in elementary canal is so huge and complex. So again such a complex thing cannot come by chance.

             iii) There is one theory called as irreducible complexity. That is for example in electronics design often two pcbs (printed circuit boards) are connected together for a functionality of a device. But in some designs these two modules are designed from scratch to operate with each other and not possible to develop them independently and connect to bring out the required functionality. So it is said that in our body each part of our body is designed in combination with other parts to work together. Means simply bringing two designed modules and combining will not work. From the design of modules itself functionality needs to be taken care. We can feel that our body has such a mechanism when we see heart and lung coordination to purify blood by supplying oxygen.
             iv) If we observe our eyes how complexly it is working, we will feel it is a wonder. It will show far objects by automatically adjusting its lens and similarly nearby objects. Recognizes different colors. Interacts with mind to indicate what it is. Eyelid is such a wonderful creation designed to give moisture to eyes throughout the day without our notice. Interesting thing is all our hair grows in many other parts but the hair above our eye will not grow. Imagine how it looks and our troubles if it grows :-)

              v) The most amazing thing is that body will come from another body and it will produce one more body. In a factory if we supply raw materials in one end and we will not get product automatically from the other end, lot of work goes inside. Similarly it  is not sufficient to have  initial ingredients for a wonderful cute looking baby to be born. I heard many people who are in some doubts regarding existence of God will believe him when their first child is born. A cute child with so many emotions and feelings with capabilities of doing so many things cannot come without somebody's design behind it. And to think that one's child who is having consciousness is only combination of matter like all atoms is not agreeable to the intellect and heart as well. Consciousness is another amazing thing and is an elaborate subject matter.

So if we think about our body only it is very amazing and if doctors think in this direction they can write volumes. Similarly we can find so many amazing things in external world also.

i) Going to macroscopic world, if we look into sky there are lot of wonders and many unanswered questions. Sun and moon raises perfectly on time, planets rotate perfectly in their orbits. From where they came from. Even if they came from small space with infinite mass where did that came from. But wonderful thing is, in Universe many things are working nicely with precise laws. Those who studied engineering subject about satellites know how much engineering is required to keep and maintain one satellite in orbit. But in Universe these are all rotating precisely as if designed. I heard once one story of Newton. Newton made a small model of Universe in his room with planets and Sun rotating by some mechanical arrangement. When some friend asked how he made it, Newton said I kept all these items together and it came automatically. Then friend laughed and said don't joke. Newton replied will all seriousness if you think this small model requires some body's hand do you think such a large Universe came automatically without any design. So the point I got is wonderful creation implies a creator.

ii) If we see the atmosphere and working conditions of earth it is truly amazing."aa sandram ichina meghmlo oka chitikedaina uppanda vananeeru athisayame", one lyric from Telugu song meaning there is not even a drop of salt in cloud and rain water is amazing. Think how water is getting supplied in a big city. There is large body of water storage somewhere. Lot of effort for transportation from it is required. Lot of management and equipment is required to store water in apartments and houses in the form of tanks. See the design of rain supply in nature, large seas are present and a tank which will float in air is made as a water tank as well as transportation tubes and air is supplying energy to transport. Amazing, isn't it !

iii) There are lot of wonderful things of beauty around us. "Puvvullo dagunna kallento atisayam, aa sitakokachiluka vollento atisayam", again same song lyric meaning the beauty of flowers' eye is amazing and body of butterfly is amazing. If we see a peacock feather or peacock dancing with its feather open isn't it amazing. Are these things came automatically without any artist behind it. I heard it gave lot of hard time to explain the origin of peacock feather and still it is not reasonable argument.

iv) Coming to microscopic world, we have read in our chemistry about periodic laws. A law is something which is following some rules. When experimenting we see some things happening systematically and we form laws that it is working in this way. For example Newton discovered gravitation not that he created it. It is already there. So all laws are already there and we are discovering them. So that implies they are following some rules in some predictable way so we can form laws. If we see in big cities traffic is going nicely at junctions we conclude that there are some traffic laws that are being followed. Those laws are being implemented by some persons or devices with some induced intelligence. So laws also implies a lawmaker. So these all periodic laws or other things which happen in predictable ways implies a lawmaker. Of course there might be some things which are not predictable and somethings will not appear to be designed or appear to be poorly designed. That does not discredit creator or designer. For example if we see some set of rooms and in that some rooms are not arranged properly and some are very neat and nicely arranged, that implies definitely there is some one arranging those neatly arranged rooms. So in nature by seeing some amazing things which are impossible to come on its own implies there is someone's hand behind it.

v) There is so much order and design around the world even in animal life also. Whole geography channel is about understanding the order and design of animals. For example we know how honey bees organize their world. Each animal has specific special thing that is designed for them to survive. For example a camel can live without water for many days, has transparent lids as it lives in Desert. Eagle has very good eyesight. And a small seed of banyan tree can potentially produce large number of banyan trees. Trees which will give shade have small seeds and common big fruit bearing trees are small in size. One person got hit by a banyan seed in his head. He said, thank God pumpkins grow on ground :-)

Of course there are many things to mention about amazing things that we will get amazed. That is why it is said alochiste atisayame (if you think it is amazing).

Two ways to think of it. One is someone created or designed everything. Other way is they came automatically. That automatic can be, in the case of species, somehow small species came by chance and they are slowly changing over time and circumstances and only those species which are able to sustain due to their abilities or circumstances survived. But this requires a lot of faith to put into it. Species came by chance and changing their capabilities over time and such complex things and designs are evolving automatically is very difficult to believe. Only when we are fixed in heart or initially only eliminated the possibility of creation, then we have to explain in these terms as there is no other option. And then we have to speculate this may have happened like this.
Of course to put faith in creation also requires faith since we don't know the purpose of these things and who made these things, and also we could not directly perceive creator or designer. But if we understand some reasons behind it and understand creator we may get bigger picture. Knowing about all these creations, laws, order and design, I concluded some higher power is there. This analysis made one of the contributions for my belief in God.

My first blog

Somebody advised me that writing helps one to make one's thought process clear. Sharing the feelings may be best way we can express ourselves to world. Sharing the little knowledge I have gained may help me to have the fulfillment of inner satisfaction if it helps someone. So I thought let me experiment with blogs. So this is my first blog.
Many things have changed in my life at least externally if not internally. My beliefs were changed over the time. I was raised as a normal child during my life having same aspirations of good job, comfortable life. I had the wonderful opportunity to study in Navodaya in my school days from 5th to 10th standard. I got to interact with many people with different talents and good faculty who involved us in various kinds of activities. During the same time my family conditions became worse as my father loss all his money in business and no way for my parents except to depend on me till I grow and start earning.  Later intermediate is full of study. On the average of 12 hours per day studying, but not quite boring as my ego was constantly satisfied by performance over there(amazing how ego works more than anything). Then my engineering in JNTU Kakinada was quite good with stay at home with parents, with my friend Ravitej and my cousin sister. Nice friendships were developed there with Prasad, Gangadhar, Suresh, etc. Tried to enjoy a lot in B.Tech along with others. Cricket was our favorite game, spending many hours playing it. Watching TV, movies, chitchatting with friends were some of the famous common activities as they are with everyone. Saturday and Sunday were holidays. So sometimes from Friday night to Monday morning goal is not to waste single minute but to enjoy in all these activities. Some subjects were interesting to me. I heard some body from our college got GATE 1st rank in civil engineering. I also developed some desire to achieve some rank in GATE as I know if I put endeavor I will be able to do it. In second semester I got to study some self help books like "You Can Win" given by my friend. Those were very helpful in changing my consciousness or thinking pattern. I studied them as I thought they will make me winner or give some good help to give me focus. It helped in that way but first time in my life I thought of developing nice character. I gave tuition in one semester so that finance can be helpful to my family. I got very nice association in my class especially with Prasad as he himself started focusing on his all round development, and in home with Ravitej being topper in Mechanical branch. With 3rd year GATE approaching I intensified my studies to achieve something in 3rd year only. Started preparing schedules with 10 months before. I had put some condition or oath in second year that daily I have to study 3 hours. It looks small number compared to intermediate but I understood that is a huge number for B.Tech. It did not work as I could not study at all on some days. So adjusted it like in a week on the average I need to study 3 hours. That means if I skip one day for 3 hours next day I need to study 6 hours. It also did not work after some time. So I need to go for concept of negative numbers. means in a week I can go to negative but later I need to balance it. Finally I had to abandon all together that big negative number and start afresh with 0. With 3rd year GATE approaching it becomes easy to focus and numbers are positive and finally I was able to secure 37th rank in 3rd year itself. People appreciated me and me ego got boost. In 3rd year I started reading Vivekananda's books. It was very encouraging there I learned very new principles in those books. One such principle was celibacy. Vivekananda attributed all his memory power to celibacy. Previous to that I have no idea that lust is considered bad and being free from it is considered pure. So I though let me also try to follow that one. But I realized that was the most difficult thing to do, to be free of it in actions, words and thoughts. So that struggle for purity started from there, going on and it will go on. After 3rd year not much to do. I still pursued in final year to get 1st rank in GATE. But having lot of time I started reading more of Vivekanada's books and some very few spiritual books. Sometimes did meditation. Finally gave GATE exam. After that I thought I will read Bhagavad Gita most recommended book by everyone. Prior to that I thought I will try becoming vegetarian due to some incidents I saw.  So I took this opportunity and said to friends that I am reading Bhagavad Gita and will not take non veg for sometime. Because to say no to nonveg will have lot of peer pressure and I don't want myself socially not acceptable(at least I thought like that). I read small Bhagavad Gita published from Gorakhpur which has only translations. I could not get much meaning. Some verses got strike like three types of foods etc. Some famous verses like yada yada hi dharmasya, I could recall them and remembered I heard them many times before. But I felt lot of knowledge presently inaccessible in it there. Meanwhile I got AIR 5th rank in GATE and got lot of appreciation from friends and college. Lot of support was given to me by my parents especially my mother. My friends Ravitej, Prasad, sister and others gave constant encouragement. Ravitej got 42nd rank. At this point of time there is a competition developed between me and Prasad that who will get best outgoing student award. Both are all rounders in games, activities and studies. Little kind of envy developed in me, though never acted on it. I wondered how can I have envy with my close friend. I thought I am somewhat pure with no faults. Realizing that I am not so pure, I thought I should work on this. Prasad got best outgoing and I got second best outgoing. I was satisfied with that, as that is how it should be. I realized that I am not so pure but I will put my efforts towards it. I thought in future my life will be spiritual and I recalled some statement like if God exists then I should attain him. By reading Vivekananda's books I thought my life goal will be if God exists I should attain him and if not I should be in some top position in world. In my speech to my B.Tech farewell party I articulated some of these thoughts that we will get to know many more things by reading spiritual books like Vivekananda's.  As B.Tech coming to close I get to know many friends and the feeling of separation from everyone made everyone coming together more often and more emotional. I choose to enter IISc Bangalore for post graduation as it is considered prestigious. Somebody told that in IITs there will be groups of spiritual people for meditation etc. So hoping to excel in my academics and as well in spiritual pursuits I entered IISc.