Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5-Koramangala

Sloka 18 was explained on 22 June'11.

People use the word "pandit' to refer to knowledgeable or scholarly person. But in Vedanta, this word has a different and fuller meaning. Pandit is one who has a vision to see the  atma tatvam in all living beings. Each living being is unique. Vedanta points out that atma chaitanyam in all living beings is the same. Only at body mind level, they differ.

Manu Smruti says - All are born as sudras (as they are not refined); Samskara (upanayanam) refine them to dvija (second born); education (learning) makes them vipra (knowledgeable person); One who understands oneself becomes a brahmana.

One Niidhi sloga says - more prosperous (either internally or externally) one is, more humble one becomes like the tree with more fruits bend more.

A Pandit sees the atma in well learned humble brahmin, cow, elephant , dog or dog eater.Thus he sees the same atma in the  highest to the lowest beings. The dog eater is significant. The dog is always loyal to his master. By referring to dog eater, it means those who cheat the persons who trusted them.

Sloka 19

No two living beings are same in various aspects. Atma in all beings is same, but at individual level each living being has different values and views. Anatma is constantly changing and not reliable whereas Atma is constant and reliable. Samsara is excellent in providing the worldly existence but does not give a permanent happiness (ananda). Uttara Gita was taught by Bhagavan to Arjuna after the war was over. This shows that the changes are ever happening. Jnani knows that the changes are inevitable , hence he does not resist them

Sloka 20

Jnani is referred as stirabuddhi, one who has the clarity of brahman. In life one expects to get some thing,but some times he does not get. Jnani is neither too much happy with his expectations fulfilled nor he is too sad when he has not achieved his desires. In life, one follows the other,like failure followed by success, happiness followed by sadness etc.

Sloka 21

Scriptures advise us to use anatma for life but not to depend on it. Jnani knows that vishya sukam is not dependable and atma sukam is dependable. Ajnani develops fear and anxiety due to his dependence on worldly things.

Once a great king, who was a devotee of a mahatma, requested him to come to his palace from his place in the forest. Mahatma agreed and moved to the king's palace. The king served him with lot of devotion and royal things. After some days, the king asked the sage as to how he felt about the change. The sage replied that he would tell during their evening walk. That evening, the sage continued his walk towards the forest, instead of turning back to palace. Then the king asked the sage for the reason for continuing his walk. Then the sage replied that the answer for his question was there; he was not depending on the luxury offered by the king, even though he accepted it.

Thus a Jnani knows that happiness is not coming from outside world.One who understands "Aham Brahma Asmi"enjoys the eternal happiness.

Sloka 22

All the material enjoyment is the root cause of all miseries. All material things have a start and  an end.Knowing this fact, Jnani does not seek sukam in material things while the people search the happiness in the worldly things. Sant Tukaram said that dukham is like a mountain, while the sukam is like a mustard seed.

Once a person went to the forest for firewood. He was chased by a tiger  and he ran blindly . He was tripped by the root of a tree and was about to fall inside a dry well. He caught the root and was hanging .Then he saw a cobra inside the well.While the tiger was waiting at the edge of the well, he tasted the honey dripping from the beehive on the tree. This story symbolises the honey drops for the sukam and all other dangers to dukham.

Sloka 23

Anger and lust greatly pressurises one.One, who can tolerate these pressures, gets well equipped to be a happiest person in his life. By realising the consequences of losing temper, one can overcome the difficulties that follow. One sloka says- one can have many friends and well wishers with a sweet and cultured tongue. One can earn well with a good tongue. ( Successful businessmen never lose temper).

Anger is an emotion that cannot be controlled always, but expressing that anger is in one's control.

Sloka 24
 'antararaamah' is one who depends on the inner self for happiness, 'antarjyotihi' is one who is with self knowledge. Such a person is referred by Bhagavan as a yogi. One who depends on atma, for his happiness (yogi) and enjoys the atma and sees the light of atma lives as Brahman in the existing life and becomes one ultimately