Gita: The Song of Life – 7
Krishna explains to Arjuna the importance of the word OM, called pranava, the symbol of Brahman. This sacred word is made up of A— creation, U— Preservation, and M— destruction which also represents Sat-Chit-Ananda [being, awareness, and bliss]. When Arjuna says that it is easy to say Om at the time of death and reach You, Krishna, explains that the lord of death, Yama, can strike at any moment, so, you must train your mind to always dwell on the sacred word OM.
( Intro | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 )
Sri Krishna:
“Thus I am known in Vedas
And holy texts, as
‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’
Or ‘Aum’.”
Arjuna:
“That is strange, Krishna,
Can You be known
By a name, ‘Om’?
A hollow b-o-o-m?”
Sri Krishna:
“ ‘AUM’
Is the very first sound, Arjuna,
Which broke the silence
Of space—
And scattered words, which are shown as ‘things’;
The three letters—
‘Ah,’ ‘Oo,’ and ‘Um,’—
‘A,’ ‘U,’ ‘M’
‘A’—from the throat;
‘U’—through the tongue; and
‘M’—ending when lips do close—
Are the sum of vocable names.
The three do mark the three ‘states’:
The wakefulness,
The dream,
The sleep.
I am the OM
Dive into OM
And you merge
In Me!
When man says ‘AUM’—when they leave the earth—
They come to Me, straight;
They have, no more, the bother of birth—
Or the need to die!”
Arjuna:
“That is most easily done, Krishna.
Wait for the knock from Yama’s porters;
Shout ‘AUM!’
They flee!”
Sri Krishna:
“Arjuna, any moment may be the knock of death!
So keep the AUM, ever over the tongue;
Train the mind; teach it not to flit
From one heap of dirt, to another, worse!”
Arjuna:
“Does it mean that I am not bound?
I can cleanse,
And tame,
And train…
All that I think or speak or do,
Through concentration on the ‘AUM’?
No! I am a puppet! You pull the strings;
I am but a tool, which You wield.”
Sri Krishna:
You are a tool, Arjuna,
But a living tool!
You have the choice
Of good or bad;
Of giving ear to Me, within you—
Or turning away, into ways of sin.
You are Sat-Chit-Ananda!
Though you may not know your truth.”
Arjuna:
That is a little
New for me.
Tell me, Krishna,
How I deserve the same?”
( Intro | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 )
