Simple Method in Bhagavad Gita for Uplifting oneself/success:

 Simple Method in Bhagavad Gita for Uplifting oneself/success:

 

In our journey of life, we come across those who support our elevation and also those who push us towards destruction. We will be pulled by the “pleasant” masquerading like “good”. There are those who claim that lot of events, achievements in one’s or others life is only because of them.

In katopanishad, Yama explains this to Nachiketa, as under:

“The good is one thing, the pleasant another; these two, having different objects, chain a man. It is well with him who clings to the good; he who chooses the pleasant, perishes.”

 

 When one reflects on his life, he will realise this. That reminded me Lord Krishna’s words in Geeta “uddharedaatmanaatmaanam”  let us look at a few verses from Bhagavad Gita explaining this phenomena.

 

Chapter 6, verse 5

uddharedaatmanaatmaanam naatmaanamavasaadayet |
aatmaiva hyaatmano bandhuraatmaiva ripuraatmanaha ||

 

Uplift yourself by yourself, do not deprecate yourself. For only you are your friend, and only you are your enemy.

 

The message from Geethacharya is clear. You alone can uplift yourself, no one else can. He says, uplift yourself, do not deprecate. This is the essence modern day success theories also. Positive mental attitude, devoid mind of all negativity and self-doubt. If you do this you are your friend, else you yourself become your enemy. On the larger plane also when we talk in terms of advaita philosophy of Atman as part of universal Paramatman , message is you only have the authority /power to develop or destroy you. Do not worry of anything, do not have fear of anyone as no one can harm you.

 

This Krishna has explained clearly in verse 23 of chapter -2 when he explained the nature of true self,

“nainam chindanti shastraani nainam dahati paavakaha |
na chainam kledayanyaapo na shooshayati maaritaha || 23 ||

 

Weapons cannot pierce this (Atma ), fire cannot burn this, water cannot wet this, and wind cannot dry this.

 

In other chapters , Krishna has mentioned about the hierarchy of one’s self, like at the lowest level, the body and sense organs creating the desire. Eye wants to see pleasant scenes, Tongue desires tasty food etc., higher than the body and sense organs is the mind, seat of our thoughts and desires. Above that is intellect which can differentiate, make rational decisions. At the highest level is our self, Atman.

 

Powerful sense organs draw us towards worldly pleasures, that is lower side that is what Krishna calls as “Deprecation” and the intellect, based on knowledge and discrimination, tries to pull upwards towards our real self, the eternal bliss. Thus, there is conflict in every one. So, Krishna asks us to forcefully lift ourselves towards bliss , using  intellect. We have to train our mind repeatedly to go away from desire of sensual pleasures to higher self. For this journey to be smooth, we must convince the mind to our line by being friend with it. Else, it will rebel and journey will not be smooth, especially in spiritual journey.

 

This is a very tough task. Who will help us?  Krishna says, you alone can help yourself in your spiritual journey. Never allow yourself to be brought towards lower self, when you hold where you are it is easy for mind to take you forward, like climbing a mountain.

This exactly is mentioned when wise men advice that when you are laughing whole world is with you, but when you are crying no one will be with you. We have come here alone and return alone. Hence, we are either alone, one , separate from Almighty or infinite , being part of him always. Under both the assumptions/beliefs, to one of which all of us belong, it is you alone who can help you. Self-help.

 

Further, he declared this in Verse 61 of Chapter -2 also:

 

taani sarvaani samyamya yukta aaseeta matparaha |
vashe hi yasyendriyaani tasya prajna pratishthitaa || 61 ||

 

The disciplined individual should restrain all senses and sit with devotion to me. Having brought the senses under control, his wisdom is steady.

 

Verse 6, chapter 6:

banduraatmaatmanastasya yenatmaivaatmanaa jitaha |
anaatmanastu shatrutve vartetaatmaiva shatruvat || 6 ||

 

For one who has conquered oneself by oneself, only his own self is his friend. But for one who has not conquered oneself, it is only his own self that behaves in animosity, like an enemy.

 

 

Nerse 14, chapter 6:

prashaantaatmaa vigatabheerbrahmachaarivrate sthitaha |
manaha saiyamya macchitto yukta aaseeta matparaha || 14 ||
 
One whose personality is calm, fearless and established in the vow of renunciation, with a restrained mind, the seeker should sit with his mind focused on me, regarding me as supreme.

 

Here Krishna  describes “meditation “ to control mind for moving towards higher levels. To a meditator, the requisite qualities are prashantha (calm and peaceful mind), Vigathabeehi (Fearless) by realising there is no duality, one who realises that all of us are one, he is fearless because he sees himself in every one. Brahmacharya (renunciation of worldly pleasures as a saadhaka),

 

Verse 62 and 63 of chapter -2

 

dhyayato vishayaanpumsaha sangasteshoopajaayate |
sangaatsanjaayate kaamaha kaamaatkrodhobhijaayate || 62 ||

krodhaadbhavati sammohah sammohaatsmritivibhramaha |
smritibhramshaad buddhinaasho buddhinaashaatpranashyati || 63 ||

 

When a man constantly thinks about objects, attachment for those objects arises. From attachment born desire, and from desire is born anger.

From anger comes delusion, from delusion comes loss of memory, from loss of memory comes destruction of intellect, and once the intellect is destroyed, he perishes.

 

In essence, to be happy and successful, believe you are part of almighty and hence immortal, calm and fearless, meditate on him. Tell yourself that you are powerful, successful and you will. Never allow negative thoughts, be always positive.