Thread by @Sampadananda

Welcome to the #SriGitamritam session 4. In this session I am sharing my thoughts on the word कार्पण्य-दोष kārpaṇya-doṣa (Gita2/7). When Arjuna was shaken by Srikrishna’s rebuke, he became aware of his weakness -the kārpaṇya-doṣa that had affected his whole being & says: 4/1

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्॥ 4/2
For details visit: bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/7

This kārpaṇya-doṣa can be translated as the poorness of the spirit or literally the weakness of a miser - कृपण. A miser is he who does not want to give and holds on to his possessions. In a deeper sense the one who is not open-minded or narrow is a miser. 4/3

To allow narrowness is to violate the laws of the spirit which is all-giving and vast. This makes the spirit poor and one does not experience the joy of living with this poorness of spirit. To be affected by this doṣa is to fall into the trap of unhappiness and miseries. 4/4

In this condition of being affected by the kārpaṇya-doṣa one loses all strength and is not only bewildered in its view of right and wrong but also becomes deplorable and finds no ways to become free from the sorrow that dries up the senses इन्द्रियाणाम् उच्छोषणः शोकः. 4/5

Therefore the message is not to allow miserliness or narrowness within oneself which is the root-cause of all crisis. With the poorness of the spirit one fails to realize one’s own inner strength. नायम् आत्मा बलहीनेन लभ्यः – the Atman can never be realized by the weak. 4/6

The one who lives in himself is स्वस्थ svastha and never experiences the poorness of the spirit. A rishi prays अदीनाः स्याम शरदः शतम् - May we never experience the poorness of the spirit. The one who is अस्वस्थ or not settled within oneself has narrowness and is unhappy. 4/6

One who is स्वस्थ svasths lives in the vastness of consciousness and is wide, generous and understanding in mind and heart, and he is also called udaaracarita or high-minded. He is not disturbed or affected by anything or being or happening and experiences eternal happiness. 4/7

The one who has grown in consciousness and lives in the vastness of consciousness knows: यो वै भूमा तत् सुखम् नाल्पे सुखम् अस्ति - that which is bhuumaa or vast is happiness there is no happiness in all that is alpam - narrow and miserly. 4/8

How to become free from this weakness? Gita’s answer is to be in a state of नमस् namas – utter plasticity and surrender. When any weakness is offered to the divine it’s transformed into strength by the Divine. Self-giving and surrender lead to the vastness of the spirit. 4/9

Therefore, Arjuna opens himself and surrenders by saying: शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् - I take refuge as a disciple with thee(O Bhagavan), enlighten me!

It is then the real teaching of the Gita begins. 4/10

That's all for today and keep following for further lessons.