The Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita together constitute the Prastanatraya, the three basic authoritative scriptural texts that expound the esoteric truths of the Supreme Reality.
That the Gita teaching is the very essence of the Upanishads is expressed in the invocatory verse of the text that runs thus: ‘The Upanishads are the cows and Krishna is the one who milks them; Arjuna is the calf and wise men are the ones who enjoy the amrita, the milk.’ In a discourse, Sri M drew attention to the fact that the content of the Gita, which is Brahma Vidya, the knowledge of the Supreme Reality, has to become an integral experience in one’s life and not just remain as mere theoretical facts one has mastered. For deep down in the essence of one’s being the joy of the divine is experienced.
This is possible, says Krishna, only through renunciation, and He goes on to define the essence of sanyasa and yoga unambiguously. Krishna dismisses all other signs of sanyasa, such as robes or a life of solitude, as immaterial. True renunciation has to take root in the mind. Yoga practice is chiefly to train the mind and the brain to gradually become subtle, prepared and ready for the spiritual experience. Renunciation is at the core of spiritual life and is central to dhyana, karma, jnana and bhakti yogas that the Gita teaches. It is manifest in those who remain self disciplined and committed to their daily work at all times in a selfless manner. In them the discriminative knowledge of the self as distinct from the body is clear and there is no trace of subtle hankerings after worldly attainments. Free from the pressures arising from the sense of ‘I’ and ‘Mine,’ they are able to transcend the limiting factors that tie one to this world.
