Functional freedom by Kasya das

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Cholars, artists  and folk cried  after  freedom  from  time  immemorial.  Unfortunately,  it  frequently  continues to be  cry  only for a  simple  reason – nobody of them  knows  what  constitutes  freedom  and what  slavery.  So the  meaning  of the  freedom  itself  is  degraded.

In this  essey I will  deal  with  with bondage  in its  unalloyed  and  primary  form  as  defined  in Bhagavad-gita, the  oldest  book of freedom.  My subject  is  easily  understandable  analogy  of thraldom,  which  is  described at  the  beginning  of fifteenth  chapter  of Bhagavad-gita,  and illuminate  topic  of freedom  in accordance  with this  analogy.

Analogy  is  something  that  is  meant  to help  us  understand ideas  and definitions,  which we  may  not  grasp, are  hard  to understand, and  we  do not  have  practical  realization  of, by describing  well  knows  objects  and phenomenons. I am  sorry that  I will  not  debate  recipes  for achieving  secondary freedoms  sort  of human freedom,  animal  freedom,  freedom  of nations, women,  race, etc.  The  beauty  and versatility  of Bhagavadgita  lies  in  discussing  principles  of freedom  and bondage  of highest  grade. In that  manner  receptive  and intelligent  reader  can  not  miss  that  it  includes  all  other  levels  of freedom  and  slavery. Sri  Krishna  the Supreme  Personality  of Godhead, is  not  siding with just  some  ccategory  of humans  with particullar  vision of freedom,  rather his  interest  is  for absolute  good for all.

Tree  of entanglement  analogy  and method  how  to get  liberated  are  delineated  in first  four verses  of fifteenth  chapter  of Bhagavad-gita:

1.

sri-bhagavan uvaca
urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham
asvattham  prahur avyayam
chandamsi  yasya  parnani
yas  tam  veda  sa  veda-vit 

The  Supreme  Personality  of Godhead  said:  It  is  said  that  there  is  an  imperishable  banyan  tree  that  has  its roots  upward and its  branches  down and whose  leaves  are  the  Vedic  hymns. One  who knows  this  tree  is the  knower of the  Vedas.

Intricacy  of  material  world  is  likened  to  banyan  tree,  which  is  upside-down  (urdhva-mulam  –  roots  up, adhah-sakham  –  branches  down).  Main  root  of  this  tree  is  in  Satya-loka,  the  highest  planet  in  material world,  where  sovereign  creator  Brahma  lives.  The  whole  world  has  its  primary  root  at  highest  place  – Satya-loka.  This  can  be  compared  to  the  system  of  European  Union.  In  Brussel  there  is  head-office,  with presiding  chairman,  who  is  taking  care  of  Europe,  which  is  also  upside-down. Sometimes  we  sigh  that  all this  world  is  upside-down,  while  reading  newspaper  political  columns  or  some  else.  Krishna  is  looking  at this  world, which is  his  creation,  and He  is  amazed  how  it  is  upside-down.

Normally  in  this  world  there  are  no  trees  upside-down.  But  such  a  tree  could  be  seen  as  reflection  on water  surface.  It  is  illusion  to  consider  such  tree  reflection  to  be  the  tree  itself,  but  thank  to  reflection  we can  get  very  clear  idea  about  the  origin  of  reflection,  and  understand  substantiality  of  spiritual  world  by knowing  perverted  banyan  tree  of  material  existence.  This  perverted  banyan  is  reflection  of  real  variety  of spiritual  world  on  the  surface  of  our  independent  desires,  separated  from  Krishna.  One,  who  understands that  is  veda-vit,  scientist,  the  knower  of  Veda,  and  this  knowledge  is  necessary  foundation  of  detachment, which  will  be  talked  about  later.

Further  this  tree  is  described  as  everlasting  (avyayam),  because  those,  who  virtually  do  not  want  to  know true  nature  material  world,  life  after  life  are  thoughtlessly  holding  to  different  enslaving  world  views trying  to  satisfy  their  plans  for  ekonomical  development,  religion,  sense  gratification  and  liberation.  It  is the  way  of  jumping  from  one  branch  to  another  from  time  immemorial,  for  eternity,  without  desire  to  get to the  root  of the  tree.

Its  leaves  are  compared  to  Vedas,  because  they  in  pleasing  way  they  explain  activities  leading  to entanglement  (chandamsi  yasya  parnani),  since  leaves  makes  branches  of  the  tree  much  nicer.  Persons, gravitating towards real tree of knowledge, are not attracted by flowery speeches of Vedas (chandamsi) in the form of leaves (parnani).

However, from the point of view of bhakti, this tree is temporary (a – not, svah – tomorrow). Asvattha therefore means that what will not last till tomorrow.

It is pragmatic matter. Gardener pours water to the root of the tree, not on branches and leaves, to get desired fruits. Bhakti adherents are looking towards the root, origin of whole creation.

2.

adhas cordhvam prasrtas tasya sakha
guna-pravrddha visaya-pravalah
adhas ca mulany anusantatani
karmanubandhini manusya-loke

The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.


Trees  are  nourished  by  water  and  soil.  This  banyan  tree  is  nourished  by  special  substance  –  three  modes of  nature  (guna-pravrddha).  Branches,  which  grow  up  (urdhvam)  are  nourished  by  the  mode  of  goodness. There  are  higher  forms  of  life.  Other  branches  are  nourished  by  the  mode  of  passion,  and  they  grow  in middle  regions,  where  humans  are  in.  Yet  other  branches,  nourished  be  mode  of  ignorance,  grow downwards  (adha),  where  animals  and  lower  life  forms  could  be  found.  Senses  are  the  tip  of  the  branches to  enjoy  sense  objects  represented  on  this  tree  by  buds  growing  out  of  the  tips  of  the  branches  (visayapravalah).

Krishna  selected  banyan  tree,  the  example  of  nature,  to  make  easier  our  understanding  how  material entanglement  is  intricate.  Banyan  has  one  unique  feature  –  from  its  branches  grow  secondary  roots,  which in  time  grow  down  to  the  ground  to  grow  in  the  ground.  In  this  way,  in  due  course  of  time,  from  one  tree whole  forest  will  grow,  so  that  the  original  trunk  of  the  tree  and  the  original  root,  from  which  everythinng grew  up,  can  not  be  found  any  more.  Similarly,  living  entities  falling  into  material  world  loose  orientation very  soon,  which  way  is  root  of  their  existence.  Original  root  of  this  asvattha  tree  is  on  Brahmaloka  or Satyaloka.  Secondary  roots  extend  everywhere   (anusantatani),  in  the  direction  of  planets  of  humans, down  (adhah)  under  Brahmaloka,  and  they  cause  cycle  in  implication  of  activities  (karmanubandhini).  It means  that  after  exhausting  accumulated  pious  or  sinful  fruits  of  own  activities,  living  entities  return  via these  secondary  roots  to  human  spheres,  where  by  their  own  action  (karma)  sink  many  further  secondary roots  due  to  no  interest  for  finding  out  original  main  root  and  extricating  from  this  forest  of  implication  – therefore  karmanubandhini.

3. na  rupam  asyeha  tathopalabhyate
nanto  na  cadir  na  ca  sampratistha
asvattham  enam  su-virudha-mulam
asanga-sastrena  drdhena  chittva

The  real  form of this  tree  cannot be  perceived  in  this  world.  No one  can  understand  where  it  ends, where  it begins, or  where  its  foundation  is. But with  determination  one  must cut down  this  strongly rooted  tree  with  the  weapon  of detachment.


Real  form  of  this  tree  is  not  perceivable,  considering  that  this  is  the  tree  of  entanglement,  and  many philosophers  in  this  tree  or  material  world  offer  their  speculative  theories  about  boundaries  (antah)  of universe,  its  beginning  (adih)  a  from  what  it  arose  (sampratistha).  In  this  way  they  bar  observing (upalabhyate)  real  form  (rupam)  of  this  tree,  about  which  is  Krishna  speaking.  Thus  most  of  the  people, those  looking  after  spiritual  nature  of  their  existence,  is  misled  by  these  devious  philosophies,  and continues  in endless  pilgrimage  thfoughout  material  world.  Also without  consideration  to  these  theories,  it is  not  possible  by  one's  own  endeavor  to  attain  the  root  of  this  tree.  Asvattha  tree  is  intriguing  to  such  a degree.  The  only  option  for  everyone  is  to  direct  one's  energy  to  detachment  (asanga)  from  egoistic  sense gratifying objects. By this weapon (sastrena) of detachment can be the chopped off directly at its mighty root (su-virudha-mulam) of entanglement and suffering.

4.

tatah padam tat parimargitavyam
yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyah
tam eva cadyam purusam prapadye
yatah pravrttih prasrta purani

Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.


To develop detachment one has to discuss spiritual science and surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna (purusam prapadye) under the guidance of competent guru. One can not be just detached. The process of finding out (parimargitavyam) of transcendental location (tat padam), by whose achievement is tree of entanglement completely rooted out is needed. In that way coming back to this illusory world does not occur (na nivartanti bhuyah) or in other words participating in cycle of actions and reactions does not occur, because the primeval (purani) cause (prasrta) Sri Krishna is found and one is firmly situated in a original (adyam) relationship with Supreme Person (purusam) or with Original (adyam) Supreme Person (purusam) who is the origin of asvattha tree of material entanglement.Real form of this tree is not perceivable, considering that this is the tree of entanglement, and many philosophers in this tree or material world offer their speculative theories about boundaries (antah) of universe, its beginning (adih) a from what it arose (sampratistha). In this way they bar observing (upalabhyate) real form (rupam) of this tree, about which is Krishna speaking. Thus most of the people, those looking after spiritual nature of their existence, is misled by these devious philosophies, and continues in endless pilgrimage thfoughout material world. Also without consideration to these theories, it is not possible by one's own endeavor to attain the root of this tree. Asvattha tree is intriguing to such a degree. The only option for everyone is to direct one's energy to detachment (asanga) from egoistic sense gratifying  objects.  By  this  weapon  (sastrena)  of  detachment  can  be  the  chopped  off  directly  at  its  mighty root  (su-virudha-mulam)  of entanglement  and suffering. 4. tatah  padam  tat  parimargitavyam yasmin gata  na  nivartanti  bhuyah tam  eva  cadyam  purusam  prapadye yatah  pravrttih  prasrta  purani Thereafter,  one  must seek  that place  from  which, having gone, one  never  returns, and  there surrender  to that Supreme  Personality  of Godhead  from  whom everything  began  and  from whom everything has  extended  since  time  immemorial. To  develop  detachment  one  has  to discuss  spiritual  science  and  surrender  unto  the  Supreme  Personality  of Godhead  Sri  Krishna  (purusam  prapadye)  under  the  guidance  of  competent  guru.  One  can  not  be  just detached.  The  process  of  finding  out  (parimargitavyam)  of  transcendental  location  (tat  padam),  by  whose achievement  is  tree  of  entanglement  completely  rooted  out  is  needed.  In  that  way  coming  back  to  this illusory world does  not  occur (na  nivartanti  bhuyah)  or in other words  participating  in  cycle  of actions  and reactions  does  not  occur,  because  the  primeval  (purani)  cause  (prasrta)  Sri  Krishna  is  found  and  one  is firmly  situated  in  a  original  (adyam)  relationship  with  Supreme  Person  (purusam)  or  with  Original (adyam)  Supreme  Person (purusam) who is  the  origin  of asvattha  tree  of material  entanglement.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=8383

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