Habit of regular reading can prove to be one of the best friends of any human being. And in my life so far, I have seen and met many such people (My two team members are one of the best examples of such people here) who have befriended reading religiously. When I say religiously, it has got nothing to do with conventional religion. To me, religion means some decided set of practices, disciplines and guidelines that becomes part of human habits and which – if followed regularly, could help keeping a human being active and full of life. Reading covers a very broad spectrum of resources; ranging from mythological scriptures, philosophy, natural sciences, medicine, economics, technology to sports, business, entertainment to anything, which basically can satisfy human interests.
On an average, many people who decide to learn reading, tend to spend some part of their lives for some ‘type of reading.’ But, it is this ‘type of reading’ that plays an important part in deciding the future paths for them. Any type of reading is good as long as it does not lead one to indulge into something, which can be termed commonly as, bad, or an evil. The battles between ‘good and evil’, ‘light and darkness’, ‘truth and untruth’ are older than our own existence. Verily, the question of ‘life and death’ has been so profound that its inception and contemplation dates back to thousands of years.
But hey! Why am I writing all these here? Well, because I feel that with ‘Vedic Learnings’, I wish to explore and share the possibilities of expanding the horizons of human knowledge, understanding and will. And I believe, that ‘Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta’ is one of those many literary resources, which unveils one of the highest philosophies for the ‘free human mind.’
~ Robin Jani (‘Daffodius’)
Habitual readings
June 30, 2008 at 1:07 pm (Monday Learning)
Shlok:19, Adhyay:14
June 29, 2008 at 2:44 pm (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms:
na–never; anyam–other than; gunebhyah–from the qualities; kartaram–the performer; yada–when; drasta anupasyati–he who sees properly; gunebhyah ca–from the modes of nature; param–transcendental; vetti–know; mat-bhavam–My spiritual nature; sah–he; adhigacchati–is promoted.
Translation:
When you see that there is nothing beyond these modes of nature in all activities and that the Supreme Lord is transcendental to all these modes, then you can know My spiritual nature.
Shlok:18, Adhyay:14
June 28, 2008 at 2:57 pm (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms:
urdhvam–upwards; gacchanti–go; sattva-sthah–one who is situated in the mode of goodness; madhye–in the middle; tisthanti–dwell; rajasah–those who are situated in the mode of passion; jaghanya–abominable; guna–quality; vrtti-sthah–occupation; adhah–down; gacchanti–go; tamasah–people in the mode of ignorance.
Translation:
Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.
Shlok:17, Adhyay:14
June 27, 2008 at 8:00 am (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms:
uttamah–the best; purusah–personality; tu–but; anyah–another;
parama–the supreme; atma–self; iti–thus; udahrtah–is said; yah–one
who; loka–of the universe; trayam–the three divisions; avisya–
entering; bibharti–maintaining; avyayah–inexhaustible; isvarah–the
Lord.
Translation:
Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Lord
Himself, who has entered into these worlds and is maintaining them.
Shlok:16, Adhyay:14
June 26, 2008 at 4:49 am (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms:
karmanah–of work; su-krtasya–in the mode of goodness; ahuh–said; sattvikam–mode of goodness; nirmalam–purified; phalam–result; rajasah–of the mode of passion; tu–but; phalam–result; duhkham–misery; ajnanam–nonsense; tamasah–of the mode of ignorance; phalam–result.
Translation:
By acting in the mode of goodness, one becomes purified. Works done in the mode of passion result in distress, and actions performed in the mode of ignorance result in foolishness.
Shlok:15, Adhyay:14
June 25, 2008 at 1:18 pm (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
rajasi–in passion; pralayam–dissolution; gatva–attaining; karma-sangisu–in the association of fruitive activities; jayate–takes birth; tatha–thereafter; pralinah–being dissolved; tamasi–in ignorance; mudha–animal; yonisu–species; jayate–take birth.
Translation:
When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when he dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.
Shlok:14, Adhyay:14
June 24, 2008 at 3:00 am (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms:
yada–when; sattve–mode of goodness; pravrddhe–in development; tu–
but; pralayam–dissolution; yati–goes; deha-bhrt–embodied; tada–at
that time; uttama-vidam–of the great sages; lokan–the planets;
amalan–pure; pratipadyate–attains.
Translation:
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher
planets.
Viewers @ Vedic Learnings
June 23, 2008 at 2:52 am (Monday Learning)
Dear friends,
First of all, thanks for flooding us with your comments and suggestions. We would love to be flooded again and again with learnings and love to remain wet with such “Spiritual delight”. We are and we will appreciate each and every efforts made by you to motivate us in spiritual learning so as to make it as perfect as ‘Bhagwad Gita’ itself.
Here are some of the comments from our Spiritual viewers.
“Nisarg, U know, When Mahabharata was well written why Gita has all its own unique Identity…..the reason is Mahabharata is huge…but then also it is just an example of the chapters that written in Gita. Gita is consider and plotted as a part of Mahabharata, Though reality is just as different like mirror image. I believe this is the best step in the blog world you are taking and will be helpful.”
“Hey Guys, you are doing an extremly commendable task. Its worth applauding the amount of time and energy you spend on doing such noble task.
One suggestion – can we include some elaboration for this kinda shloks… may be we could relate it to some stories or related quotes.”
“Taral, Nisarg, and Robin. You are doing nobel work. and your layout for the site is very impressive. Good. Keep it up. I want to say if you allow that you shoud elaborate on every Shlok that you post. Not just translation but an Arthvistar, understanding with examples and quotes. I think this will be a betterment for everybody involving in the learning the greatest THE GITA . I will all the best. Taral love you and take care.”
“My best wishes and a quote for your new venture,
“Sever the ignorant doubt in your heart with the sword of self-knowledge. Observe your discipline. Arise.” ~ Gita.”
We will be waiting for more comments as it serves as feedbacks to improve us and so as to improve the human kind.
Once again, Thanks and we wish you a great spiritual learning!
Shlok:13, Adhyay:14
June 22, 2008 at 1:30 pm (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms:
aprakasah–darkness; apravrttih–inactivity; ca–and; pramadah–madness; mohah–illusion; eva–certainly; ca–also; tamasi–of the mode of ignorance; etani–these; jayante–are manifested; vivrddhe–is developed; kuru-nandana–O son of Kuru.
Translation:
O son of Kuru, when there is an increase in the mode of ignorance; madness, illusion, inertia and darkness are manifested.
Shlok:12,Adhyay:14
June 21, 2008 at 1:16 pm (Adhyay 14, Gunas)
Synonyms
lobhaù—greed; pravåttiù—hankering; ärambhaù—endeavor; karmaëäm—of activities; açamaù—uncontrollable; spåhä—desire; rajasi—in the mode of passion; etäni—all this; jäyante—develop; vivåddhe—when there is excess; bharatarñabha—O chief of the descendants of Bharata.
Translation
O chief of the Bhäratas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion, the symptoms of great attachment, uncontrollable desire, hankering, and intense endeavor develop.
Vedic Learnings 
