Can we live as Gita teaches us - Like a Lotus leaf living in water but not moistened...... read on?

Chapter 5 teaches Sanyasa Yoga, the renunciant path, which is fit for people groomed from childhood by hermits in the Ashram, with strict sensory discipline and steadfast efforts to reach the goal of realizing the Divine! We can not forego a breakfast easily or brook a coffee without sugar! Even slight discomfitures throw us into great torments! How can we try a path fit for renunciants?

Often Bakthi or devotional path is said to be best for this Age of Kali (evil forces) but even that requires much grooming in spiritual wisdom to be convinced thoroughly first about the greatness of Godhood! Without that abundant appreciation of the Greatness within we can not love God at all. Do we have that ambiance now sir?

From KG to PG parents pester the kids to qualify academically and professionally, not mind spirituality in the least. What little ritualistic prayer is said, with whatever lukewarm interest, the aim is not the least to gain spiritual wisdom but material prosperity, social status and command over people and wealth! So spirituality has little space in our mundane lives now!

But yes, there are people still devoted to Divine pursuits with utmost sincerity, in the remote Ashrams far removed from towns and cities! There are Acharyas who had taken to sanyas and guide children of interested parents in the spiritual fields. But they are too few. If hundred people seek divine masters, ultimately ten continue in the path, the balance of ninety returning to mundane life to ''teach spirituality'' and make a living from that 'job'!

Very poor and suffering householders who had lost all joy of living have often turned to spirituality, just to tarry for sake of their family, in the hope that they would weather out the miseries some day! Rarely even rich ones, like Rajni Kanth, have turned to spirituality, which is one in a million. But the showy devotees I see crowded in temples and Ashrams of Acharyas are often exhibiting their piety more than practicing any path!

Many of us respect saints, salute them meekly, make a decent donation for their spiritual activities and seek blessings for mundane benefits only. So the Gurus have started recommending at least Naam Smaran, the chant of a chosen divine name / manthra, with the assurance that the practice would help tide over problems and bless prosperity etc. Some follow the advice with zeal while many give up if their material desires are not fulfilled early!

So lotus are not here please. Our tanks of wisdom have nearly dried in most places and where there is some water the lilies of devotion have been cut off for choking the tanks (limiting our material cravings)! This is Age of Infatuation, not Devotion! But you can visit the Spiritual Groves in Himalayas like Rajni does!

Yes it is possible to live like the lotus leaf anology. That is really the karma yoga in a nutshell. Sri Krishna has given the ways and means to adopt such alifestyle.

Continue to do all activities with the following tyagas

1 karma phala tyagam (fruit is for Him)

2 kartrituva tyagam (I am not the doer)

3 mamatha tyagam (activity is not mine)

Make a start and He takes care of the rest in due course

Bhagavad-gita As It Is 5.10

brahmany adhaya karmani

sangam tyaktva karoti yah

lipyate na sa papena

padma-patram ivambhasa

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.

PURPORT

Here brahmani means in Krsna consciousness. The material world is a sum total manifestation of the three modes of material nature, technically called the pradhana. The Vedic hymns sarvam hy etad brahma (Mandukya Upanisad 2), tasmad etad brahma nama-rupam annam ca jayate (Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.10), and, in the Bhagavad-gita (14.3), mama yonir mahad brahma indicate that everything in the material world is a manifestation of Brahman; and although the effects are differently manifested, they are nondifferent from the cause. In the Isopanisad it is said that everything is related to the Supreme Brahman, or Krsna, and thus everything belongs to Him only. One who knows perfectly well that everything belongs to Krsna, that He is the proprietor of everything and that, therefore, everything is engaged in the service of the Lord, naturally has nothing to do with the results of his activities, whether virtuous or sinful. Even one's material body, being a gift of the Lord for carrying out a particular type of action, can be engaged in Krsna consciousness. It is then beyond contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though remaining in the water, is not wet. The Lord also says in the Gita (3.30), mayi sarvani karmani sannyasya: "Resign all works unto Me [Krsna]." The conclusion is that a person without Krsna consciousness acts according to the concept of the material body and senses, but a person in Krsna consciousness acts according to the knowledge that the body is the property of Krsna and should therefore be engaged in the service of Krsna.

http://vedabase.net/bg/5/10/en2

Certainly we can live, we are living. Bhagavat Gita is the guide for the day to day living. i will come to Bhagavat Gita 5.10. Before it, please understand the Bhagavat Gita. The Great Acharyas, great eminent people says...............

Adi Shankara: From a clear knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita all the goals of human existence become fulfilled. Bhagavad-Gita is the manifest quintessence of all the teachings of the Vedic scriptures.

Ramanuja: The Bhagavad-Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to reveal the science of devotion to God which is the essence of all spiritual knowledge. The Supreme Lord Krishna's primary purpose for descending and incarnating is relieve the world of any demoniac and negative, undesirable influences that are opposed to spiritual development, yet simultaneously it is His incomparable intention to be perpetually within reach of all humanity.

Madhvacarya: The Mahabharata has all the essential ingredients necessary to evolve and protect humanity and that within it the Bhagavad-Gita is the epitome of the Mahabharata just as ghee is the essence of milk and pollen is the essence of flowers.

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati: The Bhagavad-Gita is not seperate from the Vaishnava philosophy and the Srimad Bhagavatam fully reveals the true import of this doctrine which is transmigation of the soul. On perusal of the first chapter of Bhagavad-Gita one may think that they are advised to engage in warfare. When the second chapter has been read it can be clearly understood that knowledge and the soul is the ultimate goal to be attained. On studying the third chapter it is apparent that acts of righteousness are also of high priority. If we continue and patiently take the time to complete the Bhagavad-Gita and try to ascertain the truth of its closing chapter we can see that the ultimate conclusion is to relinquish all the conceptualized ideas of religion which we possess and fully surrender directly unto the Supreme Lord.

Mahatma Gandhi: When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day.

Bhagavat Gita 5.10:

brahmany adhaya karmani

sangam tyaktva karoti yah

lipyate na sa papena

padma-patram ivambhasa

"One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water."

Srila Prabhupada: Here brahmani means in Krishna consciousness. The material world is a sum total manifestation of the three modes of material nature, technically called the pradhana. The Vedic hymns sarvam hy etad brahma (Mandukya Upanishad 2), tasmad etad brahma nama-rupam annam ca jayate (Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.10), and, in the Bhagavad-gita (14.3), mama yonir mahad brahma indicate that everything in the material world is a manifestation of Brahman; and although the effects are differently manifested, they are nondifferent from the cause. In the Isopanishad it is said that everything is related to the Supreme Brahman, or Krishna, and thus everything belongs to Him only. One who knows perfectly well that everything belongs to Krishna, that He is the proprietor of everything and that, therefore, everything is engaged in the service of the Lord, naturally has nothing to do with the results of his activities, whether virtuous or sinful. Even one’s material body, being a gift of the Lord for carrying out a particular type of action, can be engaged in Krishna consciousness. It is then beyond contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though remaining in the water, is not wet. The Lord also says in the Gita (3.30), mayi sarvani karmani sannyasya: “Resign all works unto Me [Krishna].” The conclusion is that a person without Krishna consciousness acts according to the concept of the material body and senses, but a person in Krishna consciousness acts according to the knowledge that the body is the property of Krishna and should therefore be engaged in the service of Krishna.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Moreover, he who, offering all his actions unto me, the Supreme Lord (brahmani), giving up attachment to actions, giving up false identification of "I am doing it", performs actions, is not contaminated at all by any actions, of which some could be sinful. Papena here represents all actions, not just sinful ones.

lotus leaf live in water but if you put a water drop on the leaf it donot get moistened and the water drop shine like a drop of mercury ,

this indicated detatchment in attachments which is possible only to yogeeswars and gnanis who have left kaama krodha mada and maatstarya and all feelings towards earthly feelings as a sthithaprajna

Yes, it is possible to live life like gita teaches us if we are detached and free from all vices.Gita teaches us the art of living in this world without being affected by the pleasures and pain, without being happy or miserable, without passion and hate.with a balanced state of mind it is possible.

HI senthil,its very difficult not so easy way to follow as 'gita' teaches us,though we can try our best at times.but being a true follower of gita is very difficult[as you said above]man is made of emotions-no one can be detached with outside world.

the above mentioned lines represents a monk[a true monk]

for me ,it takes some time ,may be some years.so senthil what you said is very pleasent to learn.

i believe this is only life ,where i'am what I represent,i cannot wait for another life[who knows what my thinking would be or what type of jiva god allows me to take shape-]thank you .

Lotus is a water plant living such life in water. Water is floating on its petals and on the leaves. The leaves are for breathing and to make food for living and it is the lifestyle of lotus.

Yes, we can, and that is the vibrant, holistic living not bogged down or stuck by any/only tiny portion of reality,being open and aligned to the source that sustains and carry us.

Its Very difficult for common persons like us.. As each and every act of ours expect something in return. Today I heard one thought from one of my contact profile which is true..

"God remembers & gives,

Men takes & forgets"