PHRASES IN THE GITA - 50

ॐ

PHRASES IN THE GITA - 50

पण्डिताः सम दर्शिनः (अध्याय ५ - श्लोक १८)
பண்டிதாஹ ஸம தர்ஶினஹ (அத்யாயம் 5 - ஶ்லோகம் 18)
Panditaah Sama Darshinah (Chapter 5 - Shlokam 18)

Meaning :  One whose vision is Equi-poised is Pandita .

There are three terms in use in this phrase ... Darshinah (Vision) ;  Sama (Equi-Poised) & Pandita (Learned)

Darshinah :  One who sees ... Seeing is not a 'work' of the eyes ..  Eyes can not see. Eyes can merely pass on the visual signals to the Brain via the optical fiber .  That is physical aspect of 'seeing'.  The thoughts generated in Mind, reactions and responses, the conclusions arrived at , on seeing a 'sight' are different for every individual ..  Reason for this variation is 'Vision' of each individual, which is different.  Vision is the result of his Character, his qualities, his inherent Swabhava, sum total of his experiences in this and previous lives ..

Sama -  Equi-poise ..  or Balance ..  It is a status wherein the variations in external stimulants do not cause upheavals within ..  The vision that remains in equilibrium inspite of changes in external situation, inspite of varied experiences as a result of contact with the external world ... is Sama or balanced ..  Shri Krishna declares him to be a Pandit or a Learned who has Sama or balanced Vision .

Pandita - Pandita is a Learned  person .. That is the usually accepted meaning .  One who is an expert in any field of Knowledge is a Pandit in that field .  One who is an expert in Tami language is Tamil Pandit, an expert in Samskrit is Samskrita Pandit, One who has thoroughly studied the Veda is Vaidik Pandit .  This is a superficial meaning .  Shri Aadya Shankar in his Bhashyam says , "पण्डस्य ज्ञाता सः पण्डितः" ।  One who knows the Panda is Pandit.  Panda is the Atman .  One who sees the Atman, is a Pandita .  Shree Krishna in the Gita also means the same .  We have various experiences in life , some favourable and some unfavourable ..  Life is full of Ups and Downs .  One who sees these as momentous and ever changing , and does not allow these to cause disturbance within is a Pandita ..  The world is full of variations and diversities .  One who can see through these variations and experience the One and Only One behind all these superficial variations is a Pandita ..

One who sees Many , experiences a fractured , scattered Self .  One who sees the One and Only One experiences Wholeness within .  The one with fractional Vision is excited and agitated .  The one with balanced and Unified vision is Peaceful within .  One who looks out sees Variety and Many .  One who looks within sees the One .Parppanan is a Tamil word for Brahmin .  Parppanan means one who sees .  One who sees right , one who sees with a balanced vision .  In northern part of Bharat, a Brahman is called Panditji, even if he is a cook or a Police Constable .