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The Special Terminology of The Gita > Page1
1. Brothers, in the last Chapter we saw Arjuna's "yoga of despondency." When it is accompanied by innocence - honesty and simplicity - and surrender to God such as Arjuna's, even despondency becomes a yoga, a means of union with God. This is what is called "The Churning of the Heart." I have not called this stage "the yoga of Arjuna's despondency," with specific reference to Arjuna, the practitioner of the yoga but I have given it the general name of "the yoga of despondency."
Because, for the Gita Arjuna is only the occasion. We should not think that Lord Pandurang came down to Pandharpur in Maharashtra for the sake of Pundalik alone; for, we see that, using that opportunity, he has stood here for thousands of years now, in order to redeem us all, dull creatures as we are. In the same way, even though the immediate occasion for the Gita's compassion was Arjuna, it is really intended for all of us. Therefore, general title like "vishada yoga," "The yoga of despondency", seems preferable for the First Chapter.
The tree of the Gita springs as a sprout of the yoga of despondency and, after manifold growth, bears in the final chapter the fruit of "prasada yoga," "the yoga of grace." If God wills it, we too, shall reach that stage during the term of our imprisonment.
About Author : Acharya Vinoba Bhave
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