
Sorrow Opens The Doors of Wisdom

Notes: I have translated the Bhagavadgita twice. The first one was a loose translation. The second one was a word to word translation with a detailed commentary. The commentary is however different from what you will find here. In this section I will share with you my thoughts about the knowledge, philosophy and wisdom of the Bhagavadgita as I understand it from my perspective. Jayaram V
From sorrow comes wisdom, when you are ready. The Buddha began his spiritual journey when he became aware of the suffering hidden in human life. Our suffering arises from the fact that we live in a transient world and can take nothing for granted. Gain and loss are the twin aspects of life, from which we are never free. When we are attached to things, we experience attraction and aversion to them and gain and loss. We are thus caught in the whirlpool of life subject to duality and emotional instability.
However, sorrow which is hidden in every aspect of human life, serves a great purpose in our lives. It opens our eyes to the harsh realities of life and makes us think about the nature of suffering, its causes and remedies, and the lessons one can learn from it. Arjuna suffered from an emotional trauma when he entered the battlefield of Kurukshetra. His suffering opened a new door of wisdom to him, when he opened his mind to Lord Krishna and expressed his concerns, doubts and fears to him.
Sorrow is also a great healer. When we are exposed to pain and suffering we look for the causes, and try to address them. In the process, we find solutions and do our best to mitigate our suffering. Thus sorrow improves as well as heals.
However, excessive sorrow is a great burden. It brings out the best as well as the worst in us, according to our nature. In some, it opens their eyes to the truth that they cannot entirely address their problem on their own and they need help from others or from God. In such situations, it is better to surrender to God and pray to him for help. In others, it creates a crisis of faith, breaking their faith in God or in themselves, and pushes them to the edge of self-destruction.
From the Bhagavadgita we learn that we can overcome suffering by performing righteous actions in the right manner, cultivating right knowledge that leads to liberation and practising devotion which leads to the absorption of the mind in the thoughts of God. In this austere effort, detachment, renunciation, purification of the mind and body, intelligence, etc. are great facilitators.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- The Wisdom of the Bhagavadgita, Main Page
- The Wisdom of the Upanishads, Main Page
- The Bhagavad-Gita Essays and Translations
- An Introduction To The Bhagavad-Gita And Its Three Secrets
- Why to Study the Bhagavadgita Parts 1 to 4
- The Abbreviated Bhagavadgita
- The Problem of Maya Or Illusion and How To Deal With It
- The Problem of Maya Or Illusion and How To Deal With It
- The Bhagavadgita, Philosophy and Concepts
- The Many Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism
- Divine Qualities Of A True Worshipper Of God
- The Bhagavadgita on Karma, the Law of Actions
- Maya, The Grand Illusion Or The Delusion Of The Mind
- Aspects, Emanations, Incarnations and Forms of God Vishnu
- Dvaita or Advaita What is the Truth?
- Symbolism in the Bhagavadgita
- The Truth About Karma
- Meaning and Definition of Bhagavan
- Brahman the Supreme Universal Lord of All
- What is Bhakti or Devotion?
- Bhakti Marg, the Path of Devotion
- History and information about Mathura and Vrindavan Temples
- True Devotion and Qualities of a True Devotee
- Essays On Sorrow And Its Spiritual Significance
- The Yoga of Knowledge or the Samkhya Yoga, Verses and Commentary by Jayaram V
- Essays On Dharma
- Esoteric Mystic Hinduism
- Introduction to Hinduism
- Hindu Way of Life
- Essays On Karma
- Hindu Rites and Rituals
- The Origin of The Sanskrit Language
- Symbolism in Hinduism
- Essays on The Upanishads
- Concepts of Hinduism
- Essays on Atman
- Hindu Festivals
- Spiritual Practice
- Right Living
- Yoga of Sorrow
- Happiness
- Mental Health
- Concepts of Buddhism
- General Essays