Awake at Night

[The Hammer]

BG 2.69

What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.



What do you think this verse is trying to convey?

 

[ameyAtmA]

Here, Shri KRshNa is pointing out that the awakened are not involved/interested in what the general collection of jeevas are engaged in, or attached to. They do not care about the worldly things.
On the other hand, what the awakened Muni delights in - the paramAtmA - is of no value to the rest of the beings.

The world may be interested in gold, cryptocurrency and what not. The awakened find this of no value and are completely disinterested in it.
Where they (the awakened, enlightened or Munis) dwell in adhyAtma, the inner world, spirituality, the spiritual world, ParamAtmA, the other beings are interested in outer aspects of the world including their own image and prestige.


So night is the metaphor for indifference or 'something of disinterest'
Day is the metaphor for what a being considers interesting, valuable, what matters most.

What matters most to the muni matters least to those engrossed in the saMsAra - world (and attached to matters of the false ego).
What matters most to the beings attached to the world matters least to the awakened Muni (who has no interest in nurturing the me mine and my).

 

[stvdv]

BG 2.69

What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage

I love this one.
I just thought of it the day before or so

* Sages know "Worldly life is maya"
* Sages not sleep like worldly people

 

[mangalavara]

Here, Shri KRshNa is pointing out that the awakened are not involved/interested in what the general collection of jeevas are engaged in, or attached to. They do not care about the worldly things.
On the other hand, what the awakened Muni delights in - the paramAtmA - is of no value to the rest of the beings.

I like this! Well said.

 

[ajay0]

BG 2.69

What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.

What do you think this verse is trying to convey?

This reminds me of an eloquent Islamic saying which I like to put here for reference, " "Hell is veiled in delights, and heaven in Hardships and miseries."

Ordinary sentient beings are interested in sensory pleasures and get attached to it, in spite of the fact of impermanence and saturation resulting in pain and misery in the long run. The source of bliss and joy exists within themselves, but they are instead drawn unconsciously to external objects deludedly hoping to find joy within them of a permanent nature.

The wise sage perceives sensory pleasures to be illusory and seeks instead the bliss and joy of the Self or pure consciousness within himself, knowing it to be of a permanent nature.

You can say that the sage is one who did a more accurate cost-benefit analysis and chose the bliss of the Self instead.

 

[Aupmanyav]

They do not care about the worldly things.

That is not a correct, Ameya. The wise care about things of the Samsara, they care about their duties. Only that they are not looking for any personal benefit, they are not inactive. - "Ma karma-phala heturbhuh, ma sangostva akarmani"

 

[mangalavara]

That is not a correct, Ameya. The wise care about things of the Samsara, they care about their duties. Only that they are not looking for any personal benefit, they are not inactive. - "Ma karma-phala heturbhuh, ma sangostva akarmani"

I like this.

Dharma because it is Dharma, yes?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Perhaps a better choice of words would have been, "They are unattached to worldly things."

The awakened are still engaged in the world, but remain unattached and without desire for the material.

 

[ameyAtmA]

That is not a correct, Ameya. The wise care about things of the Samsara, they care about their duties. Only that they are not looking for any personal benefit, they are not inactive. - "Ma karma-phala heturbhuh, ma sangostva akarmani"

You are absolutely right in the sense that it matters for the sake of those for whom they are guardians.

And that is exactly what I meant by "they don't care" , it is not for their personal interest, they are simply doing their potentially minimal duty in the world. Wealth is needed for security of the family while a bare minimal comfort such as food, shelter are needed for the muni as well.

They are detached, yes, but especially in the context of this shloka, the munis really do not worry about many many elements of this world that are very important to others.

We are not necessarily talking about money as such, even that may have to be earned for the family, but more like social aspects - that many feel are an absolute must-have, such as a good impression in society , among friend circles, relatives etc. that people should say good things and treat them well.

That no one should misunderstand them. No one should laugh at them. These are basic human feelings.
The desire to belong, the desire to have a good social image, honor, people should call them smart and not dumb, silly, clumsy etc.

The muni in this Bh. Gita shloka 2.69 is focused on paramAtmA (tat padArtha : day for the muni) which is not on the minds of most others (night for the muni - honor in society etc.). This is also partly why some prefer solitude to society.

I just realized as I am typing this, that ---
This shloka is also alluding to the fact that you cannot fit 2 opposite-facing must-have swords in the same sheath while a nice-to-have sword may fit in.
i.e. Self-Realization and ego are 2 swords that cannot fit in the same sheath.

Amazing how Bh. Gita realizations never stop. Something new each time.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Self-Realization and ego are 2 swords that cannot fit in the same sheath.
Amazing how Bh. Gita realizations never stop. Something new each time.

Agree with you and that is why an atheist like me values it.