PHRASES IN THE GITA - 198

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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 198

गुणातीतः स उच्यते .. (अध्याय १४ - श्लोक २५)
குணாதீதஹ ஸ உச்யதே ..  (அத்யாயம் 14 - ஶ்லோகம் 25)
Gunaateetah Sa Uchyate ..  (Chapter 14 - Shlokam 25)

Meaning :  He is called Gunaateeta ..

He is called Gunaateeta , says Shri Krishna ..  Guna Ateeta ..  Beyond the Gunas ..  The happenings in the world , the experiences in the world , are all works of the Gunas ..  Hence , be not affected by the Gunas ..  Sit majestically without worries , without interest in the worldly happenings , says Shri Krishna ..  The one who rises above the Gunas is called Gunaateeta ..  Shri Krishna once again emphasizes "Equanimity" "Equipoise" "Equilibrium" while describing Gunaateeta ..  Gunateeta retains 'equanimity' ..  in pain and pleasure , in clay dust and gold , in likes and dislikes , in welcomes and criticism , in honour and dishonour , in friendship and enmity ..  In other words , he retains equipoise in worldly actions and responses among men , during experiences and while coming across various objects ..

Shri Krishna called the man with similar attributes 'Sthita Pragya' in the second chapter , 'Yogi' in the third and fourth chapters , 'Pandita' in the fifth chapter , 'Bhakta , dearest devotee' in the twelfth chapter , 'Kshetragya in thirteenth chapter , and 'Deva' in the sixteenth chapter .. Now , here in the fourteenth chapter He calls man with equanimity as 'Gunaateeta' ..  These are all various names of the same types of men ..  men who journeyed on different paths towards Divinity ..  Equanimity or equilibrium is the common basis in all spiritual efforts ..

Equilibrium does not mean 'equal ..  World is unequal ..  All are not same ..  All situation , all men , all experiences do not demand equal and same response ..  Kunti Devi used to give Bheema half of the food brought in begging and gave distributed remaining food among the other four brothers ..  Equilibrium in emotion but inequality in action ..  Equanimity in mind , but differences in actions and responses ..  actions according to the situation and need ..  The shoes are placed at a different place and cooking utensils at a different place ..  That seems unequal but both need to be viewed equally ..   ..  The cow can embraced not the porcupine ..  It is better to stay away from it ..  Inequality in responses .. Yes ..  but , the attitude towards the two lives must be equal and same ..  We reduce clothes on our person during summer and increase the same during winter ..  Yes ..  Response to the seasons are different ..  But taking both in equal stride , regarding these as different manifestations of Mother Nature is expected ..  Bitter gourd is bitter and sweet potato is sweet ..  But these are different expressions of Mother Nature ..  May we not attach tags of 'like' and 'dislike' or of 'favoured' and 'unfavoured' on these innocent products of Mother Nature ..  May we regard the two equally ..  This is what Shri Krishna suggests ..  May we rise above differences and varieties in the Nature ..