yadā te moha-kalilaṁ buddhir vyatitariṣhyati
tadā gantāsi nirvedaṁ śhrotavyasya śhrutasya cha
yadā — when;
te — your;
moha — delusion;
kalilam — quagmire;
buddhiḥ — intellect;
vyatitariṣhyati — crosses;
tadā — then;
gantāsi — you shall acquire;
nirvedam — indifferent;
śhrotavyasya — to what is yet to be heard;
śhrutasya — to what has been heard;
cha — and
This verse explains a deep truth about growing in spiritual understanding. Here’s a breakdown of what it means.
1. **What is Delusion?** Delusion is like being caught in a thick fog where you can't see clearly. You might have wrong ideas or be confused about what really matters in life. In this fog, your decisions may not be the best because you can't see the whole situation.
2. **Clearing the Fog:** The verse says that when your mind (or intelligence) gets out of this fog or confusion, you gain clarity. It’s like climbing to a higher point where you can see everything clearly instead of being lost in the weeds.
3. **Becoming Indifferent:** Once you see things clearly, you start to care less about all the things you're usually told are important, like rituals or rules that people often follow. Imagine you’re in a classroom, and your teacher keeps talking about different subjects. At first, you listen carefully to every little detail, worried you’ll miss something. But when you really understand the core idea of what you are studying, you start to realize that not every detail matters. You focus on what is truly valuable and leave behind what doesn’t fit.
4. **Understanding through Service:** The verse mentions that true understanding often comes through devotion and serving a higher purpose, like serving God or Krishna in this case. Many great spiritual leaders have shown that when you dedicate yourself to spiritual practices or to God, you begin to see beyond just following rituals. For instance, it's like a student who, instead of just sitting in classes and memorizing, really engages in projects and experiences that bring real understanding.
5. **The Role of Rituals:** Initially, certain rituals or practices are necessary. For individuals starting their spiritual journey, these practices help to establish a routine and gain discipline. However, as they deepen their connection with spirituality, they might feel less attached to these rituals. They realize that the true goal was always to build a relationship with God rather than just perform tasks. It’s similar to how one might start exercising to get fit but eventually just enjoys the process of being active and healthy.
6. **Wasting Time vs. True Engagement:** The message warns that simply going through motions of rituals without understanding their purpose is not true progress. For example, if someone attends a class but doesn't really try to learn, they're just wasting their time. However, if they engage with the subject matter, ask questions, and truly learn, then they're on the right path.
7. **Conclusion:** When you let go of unnecessary attachments and deeply understand your relationship with the divine or higher power, you find freedom from past confusions. You focus on what truly nourishes your soul rather than what is merely traditional or expected.
In essence, this verse encourages us to seek a deeper understanding of life’s purpose through spiritual practice, leading us to a place where we can rise above mere rituals and truly connect with what brings us fulfillment.