Souvarnam Bhagavad Geetha (Kurukshethraprakasana) First published 2000
Introduction to Souvarnam by the author :-
Influence of Bhagavad Geetha in my life:
In this birth, I heard of Bhagavad Geetha for the first time from my grandmother. She was a staunch
devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan. I was a very sick infant and when all the local vaidyas felt that
survival of this infant is at stake, she took me as a one year old baby to Guruvayur temple and
dedicated me to Lord, praying that this child is for you, if she survives. I survived. And was healthy.
She took me on every Ekadasi day to the temple and I was told all the stories of Krishna. I was her
Krishna and she was my Yesoda and we enacted the stories of Krisna so that I took butter on both
hands as Krishna and ate it pretending myself to be the little Krishna . Once when I was taken to the
temple I took a fancy to the seeds of Abrus precatorius in the big uruli , in front of the dwaja . I was
only 3 years old.I took a few –just three or four –in my little hands and wanted to take them
home.My grandmother saw them only when we were half way from the temple. She was shocked to
see that I had felt an uncontrollable desire to something that is not mine and took them without
asking .It amounted to stealing, for her. She walked all the way back to the temple (In those days
there were no bus or car and one has to walk all the 6 Kms distance to reach the temple) carrying
me and on the way she told of Krishna giving advice to Arjuna during the Kurukshethra war and
about Bhagavad Geetha.That was an Ekadasi day. She told of the Viswaroopa of Krishna as Arjuna
and Yesodha saw it. What probably she wanted was to create an interest in me about the
nishkaamakarma , the action without desire to be followed in this journey of life. I don't say that I
understood that much from her at that age. But I can see more meanings now ,after a long sojourn
in life and I respect and love my grandmother more for what she had given me as an infant. We can
enjoy this universe and be in it but should not desire for the fruits of our ation or for external objects
however beautiful they are! Because desire is the root of sorrows.When Jyothisha bloomed as
Jyothishmathi in my intellect after several years , I wondered at the description of Vasishta in which
the endless universes are compared to the seeds of Abrus precatorious ,which revolve without
touching each other in their own orbits, and Vasishta's Brahmakaanana (forest of Brahma) or the
Multiverses of modern astrophysics is enjoyed by my inner eyes but without desires of any sort for
those beautiful red and black seeds and white and black seeds (Rajas,thamas,sathwa). I meditate on
that prapancha of multiverses without desire to take them in my little hands .They have awakened
and remained within my heart's spacetime as the blessings of the Lord and that wonderful
experience makes me aware of my mission in life.This gnaanayoga is the Bhagavadprasaada for my
desireless existence and concentrated meditation, I cognize with humble love and devotion for the
Lord. I merge in his love with ecstacy of that knowledge.
Before I was eight year old, I saw the great works - Gandhiji's Geetha the mother, and the
commentary of Sankaracharya to Geetha in my great grand uncle Nalapat Narayanamenon's library.
I had a hobby of sitting in his library for hours and reading something, even if I could not understand
the meanings of many of the books. In my father's collection also I found the commentaries
of several great souls of India. I had the fortune of having some human models of which the
Geetha speaks of in my childhood itself, though I recognized it only later. Grandmother embodies
bhakthiyoga, great granduncle embodied gnaanayoga, my mother and father embodied karmayoga
and my mother's sister embodied dhyaanayoga. And I learnt from all these four models quite
naturally and unknowingly the principles of these yoga.
I was married to a person who believed in karmayoga. He had a coma in 1992 and after that he
asked me to write a commentary on the Bhagavad Geetha just for him to read before he dies. That
is how I wrote a commentary to Geetha in 1993. When he saw the title Souvarnam for my work
he was a little skeptical and he voiced a doubt. His doubt was , if I put such a name, like Melpathur
(Naaraayaneeyam) and Gnaaneswar (Gnaaneswary), will not people think that I am too proud and
possibly a megalomaniac. I replied.There is that possibility. But there are many opinions among
people depending upon their learning and understanding.Those who are really learned will not think
so. Because in the subtle state there are different meanings for that term in the context.
1. krishna says in the Geetha that I am saamaveda among the vedaas. Geetha is the swara and
swaritha of Krishna who said that I am Samaveda. . And according to Chandogya Upanishad , which
is ascribed to saamaveda "Swara eva suvarna".Swara itself is suvarna.Therefore Krishna's swara or
Geetha is suvarna.
2.In Vishnusahasranaama ,Vyaasa calls Vishnu as "Suvarnabindurakshobhya
sarvavageeswareswara".The word of that Vageeswara Vishnu as the immutable suvarnabindu , is
called Souvarnam by me.
3.Word or vaak is agni according to veda. It is the expressive power of a person. Geetha is the
expressive , communicative power of Krishna in full and perfect strength. And the sakthy of Vishnu
as Sridevi is called in Rgveda Khilasooktham as follows:
Ardraam ya: karinim yashtim
Suvarnaam Hemamaalineem
Sooryaam Hiranmayim Lakshmim
Jaathavedo ma aavaha:
Therefore , Geetha is the word of Vishnu and the essence of all veda and Upanishads and contain
naada and enlightenment just as the solar energy , or cosmic energy, and it has entered me (as
well as you) before we had adopted the body and name and form in this birth. In my case I am an
Athma ,which had the good fortune to be born in an environment where it could be cognized even
in infancy. And that relation of Poorvadehika was known by my granduncle , who had been an expert
philosopher, astronomer, numerologist, theosophist , poet and he had selected this name for me
with a purpose. So, only After these three explanations (thridhaa ) come the 4th meaning written by
a person named Suvarna.
In 1972 , I entered my professional life as a pathologist. It was the same year in which I became a
mother. I had to do my karma in this world as a woman, a mother, a householder, an official , a
doctor/pathologist, educator, and administrator, a researcher and author . The word
sarvaarthasaara(essence of all meanings) is used by Sankaracharya to describe the 11th chapter of
the Geetha.In that chapter the 55th sloka uses the word sanghavarjitha(without attachment) and in
the early days of a householder and professional , I felt the difficulty of putting that into practice.
There will be several controversies observed in day to day life for a human being who is used to do
mental analysis , and try to live in accordance with conscience in thoughts, words and deeds .I did
observe these controversial situations in life. How can an enlightened citizen performs his/her
domestic, professional and social duties , without selfish attachments perfectly and with efficiency?
Sarvathra samadarsana –Be equal in perception to all. The Geetha teaches. How does a householder
do that when it comes to his family and its possessions ? Because of the selfish motives , we see the
corruptions and undue hoarding of wealth all around, and all our inequalities whether in the past or
the present is due to that only. Instead of Sangharaahitya , citizens fall into excessive attachments
and leads the nation to downfall. I was not prepared to follow such a path of downfall . I should be
able to perform my duties with utmost efficiency , but at the same time not falling prey to
attachments and selfish motives. Even when the list of needs increase at domestic front, I should be
able to keep my head high above the desires and the worldly things should not attract me and that
was my mission. I being a housewife and a professional doctor and teacher should be able to do the
duties of those offices without hoarding wealth which is not necessary for me and my family.That
makes me different from my colleagues and my friends and relatives and I had to live among them
different from them in all respects. Can I do this till the end was the question. Can I be an
enlightened citizen of the world and thus a good person according to the dharma of the nation. This
problem which I faced lead me to my continuation of the last birth's duties, The spirituality which is
a great thapasya for a householder and a woman.And Geetha always was there for helping me in my
samasya.
In the 18th century France,Victor Hugo asked "Have you got a ruling class which knows that
the statesmanship and the ethics of life are the same ?".The answer to that question is given
in Bhagavad Geetha and in Shanthiparva of Mahabharatha. In 1975 I read the "Message of the
Upanishads" by Swami Ranganathanada. In 1978 , I heard his speechs at Trichur , Puranaattukara.
And he answered some of my questions regarding enlightened citizenship . I started to read
and reread Geetha and Upanishad with a new perspective of administration and management
after that. Before that they were spiritual texts alone and after that they became great texts
of human management as well. To make practical , the message of Upanishadic advaitha , the
nishkaamakarma of the Geetha helped me a lot.
First we have to understand what our swadharma is . Everyone thinks our dharma is narrowed
down to our own people, our own relatives, our own communities, our own religion, our own nation
etc . It is this misunderstanding which increase attachment and selfishness.The responsibility of a
human being is first to this earth mother which pardons whatever we , her children do to her.Then
to the geographic area where we live as a nation, then to our society and community, and to
our profession and only lastly to our relatives and family. When this priority is reversed dharma
deteriorates. Adharma increases.Then the need of a new Geetha and its author become necessary .
And an Avathar Krishna comes for that purpose.
Only when the citizen is a jawan or warrier, he has to do the duty of war for defence and protection.
And Geetha is advised in such a situation to a warrier king.It does not mean that Geetha is meant for
promoting war.The civilian is not asked to do war. He has to work efficiently in his/her own field of
action most efficiently and perfectly following the path of nonattachment. Peacefl co-existence for
national reconstruction and common prosperity of all is the dharma of all. Even for a jawan, Geetha
allows killing only when it is absolutely necessary for upholding dharma . Only when all the efforts
for upholding dharma fail, one is allowed to resort to war and protect dharma.Vyasa tries to tell
the world about the disadvantages of a great war and to prevent a war but the selfish motives of
Duryodhana was against such a turn of events.
In my professional field educating the next generation is as important as diagnostic work and
administrative work and research. Only an ardent learner can become a good teacher . Only a
person with concentration can do swadhyaaya and increase ones own wealth of knowledge and
only one who accrue knowledge can give it to another. The process of giving knowledge which
is systematically gained and arranged is a pleasure.Therefore educating is a pleasure . Any one
who enjoys this pleasure in teaching will become a good communicator and a good teacher is
my opinion and experience. When one utters each swara , each word, each sentence whether in
classroom or on a stage , or in personal communication, I have a inner feeling that I am expressing
and manifesting my internal agni (fire) of wisdom through the word and that it is for touching my
listeners/readers and to awaken or kindle a spark of knowledge and a spirit of enquiry in them. I
do not expect any other thing from my action.I do not think whether the person in front of me is
of a definite religion, caste, class or gender , whether they are rich or poor when I speak or write.
It is a nishkaama karma with Sarvathra samadarsithwa. Each listener for me is a spirit with divine
energy in them which waits to be awakened. And God gives me an opportunity to awaken that
spark of energy.Similarly when I do my diagnostic work , I do not and caanot see any difference in
class, caste , religion etc in the tissues , organs, body, blood and cellular morphology. God has given
me such a field of activity where the principle of samadarsana is applicable perfectly well. And the
theory and practice of advaitha for me is not controversial but complementary.
In administration and management sector, this equal perception and decentralized approach of the
Bhagavad Geetha could be practiced with 100 % success. In 1990, I could test this thesis in Calicut
Government medical college blood bank in combination with Zieloriented project planning and we
could get 100 % success within six months itself.
The two words –sangavarjitha and samadarsana –have equal meanings. Because only one with
nonattachment can live as samadarsana, seeing everyone and everything alike .Similarly only
a samadarsana person can live as sanghavarjitha , even if they are leading a householder life.
Bhagavad geetha says"Samam sarveshu bhootheshu thishtantham Parameswaram".Such an equal
perception one cannot see anywhere else in the world, not even the revolutionary processes of
the modern world. Because the equality extends to all alike , not only to human race .The greatest
ecological revolution one can see in those words of Krishna. I am a devotee of Krishna/Vishnu. It
is a devotion which is combined with worldly wisdom and spiritual wisdom and I don't think that
science and spirituality are different . For me the personality of Krishna as an infant child, an ecstatic
lover of music Vrindavan, the greatest statesman and spiritualist and builder of a port city is the
ultimate in human resource development and I do love and respect his personality. He is my Guru
and my Praana (Vaayu) and in my kshethra (body and mind ) that Guruvayupuresha lives forever.
Thus what my grandmother wished when she dedicated me to Lord Guruvayurappan is fulfilled.
In this birth I have taken a woman's body. Therefore let me remember a Geethaavakya where
Krishna speaks of seven qualities of Vaishnaveesakthy.
Keerthy,sreer,vaak,cha naareenaam
Smrithir medhaa dhrithi kshamaa.
In whomsoever I find these seven qualities I find the expression of Vaishnavee sakthy.
Keerthi or fame is the fame of being devoted to dharma and truth.Not the fame for physical
beauty and for wealthy personality. Sri is the wealth associated with vidya and dhairya.Therefore
on Vijayadasami , we worship parasakthy with suvarnapushpanjali as lakshmi,saraswathy and
parvathy .Vaak is the word which sits on the throne of yukthy (logic) and through differential
wisdom speaks compassionately and sweetly according to Gnaneswari. Smrithy or memory is
not the memory of this birth and experiences alone but encompasses the memory of several past
births and is called the pratyabhigna or abhigna (In Budhist lore it is pronounced abhinna).The
memory of the self as Aham Brahma forever is the pratyabhigna. Medha is the clear satwik
enlightened intellect and cognizance. Drithi is the ability to withstand and survive any situations with
adherence to dharma and the efficiency to perform one's duties in life perfectly well. Kshama is the
patience needed to face the dualities of life like pain and pleasure and failures and successes with
equanimity .The samadukhasukha kshami of the Geetha speaks of such patience in Bhakthiyoga and
samadukhe same krithwaa says the samkhyayoga .Kshama is a synonym of earth which has patience
to endure all burdens on her. She is consort of Vishnu . Vishnu is embodiments of all these qualities.
In scriptures we see Vishnu as the most patient among the trinity since he alone could suffer the
insult of sage Brighu with equanimity.Vishnu incarnated as Dhanwanthari, from the churned Milky
ocean , as Purusha and Vaidya /Doctor in the morning and took the form of the beautiful female
Mohini , well versed in Lasya in the evening , the same day . The oneness of Godhead as Male/
Female principle is thus demonstrated by Lord Guruvayurappan.
In a person in whose deeds, thoughts and words these seven qualities are revealed as sapthaswara
and sapthavarna, that person is the embodiment of Vaishnaveesakthy.
For me Geetha is my life and swaritha and my souvarna. My method of study is not making byheart
its sloka or remembering which sloka comes as first or second numerically. But by immersing in it I
feel the divine fragrance of the Geetha as that of sacred Thulsi in my Athman. It engulfs me in every
action and word and thought. My gnaana, karma, bhakthy, dhyana are all the blessings of Vishnu as
his Saaraswatha. His swara as Geetha.-Bhagavad Geetha,-the celestial song of the Bhagavaan gives
me dense bliss (sandrananda) of singing and listening to it.
I start my commentary on the Geetha from the 11th sloka of the second chapter Samkhyayoga.
Because it is from that , the words of Sri Krishna starts . Sankaracharya also starts his commentary
like that.
