medhavi

i will soon find myself at the culmination of my 1252 page journey through the gita. with today's reading, my mind dwells on the medhavi, as discussed in the translation of shloka 10 of the final chapter. the shloka literally translates as follows:

He who does not shun actions that are unpropitious and who is not excessively attached to actions that are propitious, that Medhavi, endowed with the qualities of sattva and devoid of doubt, is a renunciate.

the discussion of this shloka (in the translation i read) establishes the distinction between bhavana and medhavi, that i find particularly powerful. i document my understanding here:

bhavana is the faculty of argumentation that finds form in one's thoughts and imagination. with the aid of various illusory principles and convoluted thought processes, it finds a way to rationalize all conduct. by drawing the mind into a self-propelling descent, it attempts to prove adharma as dharma. indeed, it has limitless potential for deceit within and without.

now, if this same energy takes up the task of establishing the truth, and establishing itself in the truth, it becomes medhavi. medhavi possesses the same qualities as bhavana, except that it employs its methods to steep itself in the truth. while bhavana clouds the individual's understanding and perception, entering him/her into a web of lies, medhavi elucidates this very understanding of truth through sound reasoning and argumentation. with its diplomatic strength, it wins over the mind and infuses it with purity. with its humility, it is able to raise its voice against itself.

the non-dualistic relationship between bhavana and medhavi intrigues me in particular. one may not exist without the other, and that is key. there is not a multitude of energies that circulate within us; there is one energy - ever fluid, ever transforming. the sadhak has merely to understand this fluidity and how he/she may direct it to acquire greater knowledge.