महाभारते विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

[[Jīvana-dharma-yoga: Introduction Source: prekshaa]]

विस्तारः (द्रष्टुं नोद्यम्)

[On the occasion of D V Gundappa’s forty-fifth death anniversary, Prekshaa is delighted to publish the first episode of a new series – a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. Translated from the original Kannada treatise by Sri. Raghavendra Hebbalalu and Smt. Sreelalitha Rupanagudi. —Editor]

Invocation

जगद्रणाङ्गणे यस्य
स्मरणं जयकारणं।
पार्थसारथये तस्मै
श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥

To him whose remembrance in
the world-battlefield is the cause of victory,
to that charioteer of Pārtha,
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

INTRODUCTION

ॐ तत्सत्पदसूच्याय विष्णवे परमात्मने।
जगज्जीवेशतत्त्वाय श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥ 1

To him indicated by the syllables Om Tat Sat,
to the all-pervading Viṣṇu, to the Supreme Self,
to the Essence of jagat (universe), jīva (individual), and, īśa (god)
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

मर्त्यातिमर्त्यलीलाय पृथग्जीवस्वबंधवे।
धर्माधिधर्मगुरवे श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥ 2

To him whose līla is both human and superhuman,
to the own friend of every jīva,
to the guru who teaches dharma and adhi-dharma (that which transcends dharma),
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

एको बहूनां यः कामान् ददाति बहुरूपतः।
रासिक्यमूर्तये तस्मै श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥ 3

He who satisfies the desires of many in myriad ways,
to the embodiment of aesthetic enjoyment,
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

नानामनुष्यहृदयस्पन्दसूक्ष्मानुकम्पिने।
तत्तद्धितोपायविदे श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥ 4

To him who resonates with the subtle heart-throbs of billions of beings,
to the knower of the way to each one’s welfare,
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

प्रतिजीवपृथग्व्याधिनिदानैकचिकित्सिने।
सर्वरोगैकवैद्याय श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥ 5

To him who heals by diagnosing the unique disease of each jīva,
to the one physician to myriad maladies,
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

जगद्रणांगणे यस्य स्मरणं जयकारणं।
पार्थसारथये तस्मै श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥ 6

To him, whose remembrance in
the world-battlefield is the cause of victory,
to that charioteer of Pārtha,
salutations to Brahman known as Śrīkṛṣṇa!

तद्गीतार्थानुवादाय यत्यते तत्प्रसादतः।
सामान्यजनमुद्दिश्य मया कर्णाट भाषया॥ 7

By his grace, I venture to translate
his Gītā into the Kannaḍa tongue
for the benefit of common folk

व्याख्याता बहुभिर्गीता नानामतविभेदतः।
वितर्कांस्तु विहायात्र ऋज्वर्थश्चिन्त्यते मया॥ 8

Commented upon by many, has the Gītā been,
by those of various schools of thought
Abandoning convoluted logic,
I reflect upon its straight meaning in this work.

जीवनव्यवहारेषु सर्वेष्वपि च सर्वदा।
तत्तात्पर्यान्वयादेव गीतापाठफलोदयः॥ 9

In matters of life, in all of them,
through the constant application of its purport,
dawns the result of Gītā-study

तस्मादस्मिन् प्रवृत्तोहमनुष्ठानप्रयोगदृक्।
सन्मार्गदृष्टिशुद्धिम् वो दद्यादंतर्गुरुर्हरिः॥ 10

Therefore, have I embarked upon this,
having seen the benefit of the Gītā in practice
May the inner guru, Śrīhari, give
all of you the clarity to see the right path

ब्रह्मपत्तनवीथीषु चरता जीवसम्भ्रमान्।
पश्यता हितनिश्श्रेणीमिच्छता शिवभिक्षुणा॥ 11
कृतं स्वचित्तशुद्ध्यर्थं न ज्ञंमन्यतयात्विदं।
क्षम्यतां साहसं सद्भिः कृपया चावलोक्यताम्॥ 12

By Śiva-bhikṣu, who while wandering
in the streets of Brahman’s city
witnessed the agitations of the jīvas
and being then desirous of bettering their welfare,
has this work been created – to clarify his own mind
and surely not due to any pretence of knowledge
May those learned forgive this audacity
and kindly deign to see this work!

ಓಂತತ್ಸತ್ಪದಚಿಂತ್ಯನ-
ನಂತಂ ವಿಶ್ವಪ್ರಪಂಚಲೀಲೋದಂತಂ।
ಕಾಂತಂ ಚಿತ್ಪ್ರಭೆಯಿಂ ಜಗ-
ಕಂತರ್ಯಾಮಿ ಪ್ರಭು ಪ್ರಸನ್ನಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಂ॥ 1

The joyous Śrīkṛṣṇa is meditated upon with the words Om Tat Sat
He is the infinite, who pervades the līlā of the universe.
He is attractive by the light of consciousness.
He is the lord and the inner controller of the world.

ಮರ್ತ್ಯಾತಿಮರ್ತ್ಯಲೀಲಂ
ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಧರ್ಮಾಧಿಧರ್ಮತತ್ತ್ವಾಧಾರಂ।
ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷಪರಮದೈವಂ
ಸತ್ಯದಿ ನಡೆಯಿಸುಗೆ ನಮ್ಮನರ್ಜುನಸೂತಂ॥ 2

His līlās are both human and superhuman.
He is the eternal one and the support of
principles of dharma and adhi-dharma.
He is the manifestation of the Supreme divinity
May that charioteer of Arjuna lead us to Truth!

ಏಕೋ ವಿದಧಾತಿ ಬಹೂ-
ನಾಂ ಕಾಮಾನ್ ಎಂಬ ವೇದವಚನಂ ಪ್ರತ್ಯ-।
ಕ್ಷೀಕರಿಸಿದ ಬಹುರೂಪಂ
ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣಂ ತೋರುಗೆಮಗೆ ಮಂಗಲಗತಿಯಂ॥ 3

He epitomises the Vedic statement –
“Eko vidadhāti bahūnāṁ kāmān”
[The one establishes the desires of many]
May he of many forms, Śrīkṛṣṇa,
show us the path to the auspicious!

ಗೋಪೀಮಧ್ಯದಿ ರಸಿಕಂ
ತಾಪಸರೊಳ್ ತಪಸಿ ರಾಜತಂತ್ರದಿ ಶುಕ್ರಂ।
ಸೂಪಾಯಂ ರಣರಂಗದೊ-
ಳಾಪತ್ಸಖನಾಶ್ರಿತರ್ಗೆ ಸರ್ವಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಂ॥ 4

The enjoyer amidst the gopikās,
the ascetic among ascetics, Śukrācārya in polity,
Expedience in the battlefield,
a friend indeed to those in need –
Śrīkṛṣṇa is all!

ಪುರುಷಾರ್ಥಚತುಷ್ಕವ ನಿಜ-
ಚರಿತೆಗಳೊಳ್ ಕಣ್ಗೆ ತೋರ್ದ ನಾನಾ ಜೀವೋ।
ದ್ಧರಣೋಪಾಯಸಮರ್ಥಂ
ಗುರು ಕೃಷ್ಣಂ ನೆಲಸಿ ನಲಿಗೆ ಮನ್ಮಾನಸದೊಳ್॥ 4

He demonstrated the fourfold ideal of life in his own life
The One capable of elevating all the jīvas
May that guru Śrīkṛṣṇa reside and rejoice in my mind!

ಹರಿಯವತಾರಗಳೊಳ್ ಯದು-
ವರನವೋಲಾರ್ ಮನುಜಹೃದಯಮರ್ಮವನರಿತನ್।
ಗುರುವೆಮಗದರಿಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಂ
ಧರಣಿಯ ಗುಣವರಿಯದವನ ಕೃಷಿಯಿಂದಹುದೇಂ॥ 6

Among the avatāras of Śrīhari,
who other than the best among the Yadus could fathom
the mystery of the human mind?
Thence is Śrīkṛṣṇa our guru
What can come of agriculture to him
who knows not the quality of the earth?

ಮಾನವಹೃನ್ಮರ್ಮದ ವಿ-
ಜ್ಞಾನಿ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನವನೆ ಭವಗದಭಿಷಜಂ।
ಮಾನಸಕಾಯಕರೋಗನಿ-
ದಾನವ ಕಾಣದನ ವೈದ್ಯವೆಂತುಪಕರಿಕುಂ॥ 7

The scientist who divines the secret of man’s heart,
nay, the healer of the malady of mundane existence!
How can a doctor who cannot diagnose the disease
of the workings of the mind be of any use?

ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷಧರ್ಮನ್ ಅಂತೆಯೆ
ಮೂರ್ತಿಮದಧಿಧರ್ಮನ್ ಅಖಿಲಸುಲಭೋಪಾಸ್ಯಂ।
ಪಾರ್ಥಗುರು ಪರಮತೇಜಂ
ನಿತ್ಯಂ ತನ್ನಡಿಗೆ ನಮಗೆ ತೋರುಗೆ ಪಥಮಂ॥ 8

He, the epitome of dharma, who embodies adhi-dharma,
is easily worshipped by all
May the Supreme effulgence, the teacher of Pārtha,
ever show us the path towards to his divine feet!

ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತಾಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಂ
ನಿಗಮಾಗಮಸಾರಮಖಿಲಮನುಜಕುಲಕ್ಕಂ।
ಲಘುವೆನಿಸಿ ಜಗದ್ಭಾರವ
ಸುಗಮವನಾಗಿಪುದು ಜೀವಿತೋತ್ತಮಪದವಂ॥ 9

The Bhagavad-gītā śāstra
is the crux of the Vedas and Āgamas (traditions)
It lightens the burden of the world for all humankind
It makes the summum bonum of life accessible

ಶ್ರೀವೇದವ್ಯಾಸ ನಮೋ
ಭೂವಿಯದಾದ್ಯಂತದರ್ಶಿ ಕವಿಸೂರ್ಯ ನಮೋ।
ಜೀವಿತಸಾರಜ್ಞ ನಮೋ
ಭಾವಿತವಿಶ್ವಪ್ರಜಾಭವಿಷ್ಯಾರ್ಥ ನಮೋ॥ 10

Salutations, O Veda-vyāsa!
Salutations, O one who has seen the origin and end of the world!
Salutations, O sun among the seers!
Salutations, O knower of the essence of life!
Salutations, O one who knows the future of the dwellers of the world!

ಗುರುವೇ ನಿನ್ನಿತಿಹಾಸಾಂ-
ಬರಭಾಸ್ಕರದೀಪ್ತಿನಿಧಿಯ ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತಾ-।
ಪರಮಾರ್ಥವನೆನ್ನ ಜನ-
ಕ್ಕರಿಪಲ್ಕನುಮತಿಯ ನೀಡು ಮತಿವಾಗ್ಬಲಮಂ॥ 11

O guru! The Bhagavad-gītā is verily the glory
of illumination of the sun in the sky of your Mahabhārata!
May you consent to my attempt to teach my people its essence!
Bestow upon me the required intellect and wordy vigour!

ಗಿರಿಶಿಖರದಿಂದೆ ಧರೆಯಂ
ನಿರುಕಿಸಿದರ್ ಪೂರ್ವಭಾಷ್ಯಕಾರರ್ ನಾಮೀ।
ಧರಣಿಯ ನಿಮ್ನದೆ ಜೀವಿತ-
ಗಿರಿಶಿಖರವ ನೋಳ್ಪ ನಮ್ರ ಲೌಕಿಕರಲ್ತೇ॥ 12

The commentators of yore
saw the ground from the lofty peaks
We, humble laymen, however, strain to see
those lofty peaks of life from low ground

ಮೋಕ್ಷವ ಪಾಡುಗೆ ಸಿದ್ಧರ್
ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯಂ ಸಾಧಕರಿಗಿರ್ಕೆ ಜೀವನನಯದೊಳ್।
ದಕ್ಷತೆ ಕೃಷಿಕರ್ಮದೊಳಿರೆ
ಸುಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ತಾನೆ ಫಲಿಸದೇಂ ನಿರ್ಯತ್ನಂ॥ 13

The seers sing of mokṣa (the final puruṣārtha)
as a goal in the plan of life
If there be dexterity in cultivation,
will not the fertile field yield
bountiful harvest without much effort?

ನಾರಾಯಣನಂ ನರನಂ
ಭಾರತಿಯಂ ವ್ಯಾಸನಂ ಸದಾ ನಮಿಸುತೆ ಸಂ-।
ಸಾರಾಹವಮಂ ಭಾರತ
ಸಾರಥಿಗೀತೋಪದಿಷ್ಟಬಲದಿಂ ಗೆಲುವಂ॥ 14

Bowing ever to Nārāyaṇa, Nara,
Bhāratī [Sarasvatī], and Vyāsa,
we will win this battle of saṁsāra by the
energy taught to us
by the song of Bhārata’s charioteer!

Introduction to the Treatise

ಗುರಿಯೇಂ ಜೀವನಕದು ಬರಿ
ಪರದಾಟಮೊ ಮನಸು ಬೇಡುವಿಂದ್ರಿಯಸುಖಮೋ।
ಸಿರಿತನಮೋ ದೊರೆತನಮೋ
ಸೆರೆಮನೆಯೋ ತಿರುಕನುಂಡ ಕನಸೌತಣಮೋ॥ 1

What is the goal of life? Is it mere wandering?
Or sense pleasures begged for by the mind?
Riches? Or Kingship? Is it prison?
Or the dream-feast eaten by a beggar?

ಜೀವಿತದರ್ಥವದೇನ್ ಅದು
ದೈವಾಗ್ರಹಬಲಿಯೊ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯಂಧವಿಕಟಮೋ।
ಸೇವಾರ್ಹಮದರೊಳೇನ್ ಅದು
ಭಾವುಕರಿಗೆ ಸುಕೃತಭೂಮಿಯದು ಪಿರಿಯರ್ಥಮ್॥ 2

What is the meaning of life?
Is it an oblation to the whims of Fate?
Or Creation’s crooked caprice?
What is to adore in it?
To those devoted, it’s a ground of virtue;
of immense value

ತತ್ತ್ವವಿವೇಕದೆ ಜೀವವಿ-
ದುತ್ತಮಪದಕಡರಲಹುದು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿನಯದಿಂ।
ಆತ್ಮೋದ್-ಧೃತಿಯವಕಾಶಮೆ
ವಿತ್ತಗಳೊಳ್ ಪರಮವಿತ್ತಮದು ಪುರುಷವಶಂ॥ 3

Through an understanding of reality,
the jīva can endeavour to strive towards a better position
through the guidance of self refinement
The opportunity to elevate oneself
is indeed the greatest wealth within man’s control

ವರಗಳೊಳಗ್ರದ ವರಮಿದು
ನರಜನ್ಮಂ ಮೃಗಕಲಂಕಶೇಷವ ಕಳೆದೀ।
ಪುರುಷತೆಯಿಂದಧಿಪುರುಷತೆ
ಗರಿವಿಂ ಪ್ರಗತಿಯ ಗಳಿಪ್ಪ ಸಾಧನರಂಗಂ॥ 4

This indeed is the greatest of boons!
Human birth, devoid of beastly blot,
is the arena of achievement
to ascend from the human to superhuman!

Does not every human being have the natural desire to live well or be able to lead a good life? What is ‘good’ in our life? What is beautiful? What is valuable? What is the meaning of good? How do we establish the value of a thing? How can life be made good? Those desirous of finding answers to these questions can benefit immensely by an ardent study of this work – the Bhagavad-gītā. Who or what is a jīva? What is the relationship between a jīva and the world? What is Divine? What is the relation between jīva and the Divine? These are some of the questions for which answers can be found in the Gītā.

Our ancestors have referred to the Bhagavad-gītā as a mokṣa-śāstra (a treatise on liberation). The Gītā is indeed a mokṣa-śāstra; but it is a jīvana-śāstra (treatise on living) as well. A temple comprises the garbha-gṛha housing the mūrti, the mukha-maṇḍapa (front porch of the temple), the pradakṣiṇa-patha, and the gopura. While there may be one who can scale the tall gopura and touch its golden kalaśa at the top, the other nine hundred and ninety nine will be content with doing the pradakṣiṇa, getting a darśana of the mūrti, and partaking of the prasāda. Similarly, while there may be one person benefiting from the instruction on mokṣa, nine hundred and ninety nine people will derive benefit from the instruction on dharma. Essential lessons on improving one’s life gradually—be it for a scholar or a layman; be it for those well-settled or those who are struggling with difficulty, be it for men or for women—can be found in the Bhagavad-gītā. A healthy respect for one’s life, enthusiasm to do one’s own duty, courage in the face of adversity, faith that brings solace during moments of doubt – are some of the treasures that we can glean from the Gītā.

The translators wish to express their thanks to Śatāvadhāni R Ganesh for his valuable feedback and to Hari Ravikumar for his astute edits.

[[The Structure of the Gītā Source: prekshaa]]

Prerequisites to the Study of the Gītā

A word of caution before we begin. All parts of the Gītā cannot be understood at the same level of clarity by everyone. Shouldn’t instruction befit the aspirant’s qualification? The amount of benefit we derive from the Gītā is directly proportional to our levels of faith, moral readiness, and intellectual ability. Anything beyond our capability might not be understood by us. So it would simply be our loss if we discarded the Gītā just because we could not understand a sentence or section of the treatise during our first or second reading, or because something did not seem right to our mind. Taking what we can grasp at the moment and reflecting upon it enables us to subsequently understand higher levels of meaning. If our study has to be fruitful, we must be equipped with the prerequisites of patience and faith. Mahātmā Gandhi has referred to the Gītā as his mother. The kind of unquestioned faith a child has in her mother’s words, the kind of unquestioned trust a child has in her mother’s cooking are the kinds of faith and trust we need, without which a great work’s essence may go unattained.

The subject of the Gītā is profound, subtle, and knotty. To understand it, we need a flight of stairs-like arrangement. We—common human beings—may be unable to explain the essence completely in one sentence or ascend in one step. The essence of life can be likened to a mountain. Those desirous of climbing it must be ready to do so step by step, resting wherever necessary, breathing in and understanding the rarefied airs as they ascend to the summit level by level. Here, it will not do to be hasty. Haste might cause misunderstanding. Manas-samādhāna (calmness of mind) and sāvadhāna (patience, caution) are two primary qualities that a votary of the Gītā must possess.

Different Schools of Philosophy

Another word of caution – about dvaita, advaita, viśiṣtādvaita, śuddhādvaita, bhedābheda, and other schools of philosophy that have differed in their exposition of the Supreme Truth. These differing schools are about the zenith of experience; about the relation between jīva and Brahman; about the final goal of mokṣa. Suppose that a person is at the foot of a hill and desires to climb to its summit. In that case, isn’t a discussion about what is in the temple at the hill’s peak a waste of time? Isn’t there a cave behind the temple? Isn’t it dark? Is it a snake or a rat that’s inside the cave? Is the rat in the womb of the snake or has the snake been pierced in its eye by the rat? Or are both the rat and snake in yoga-nidrā*? Or have the snake and rat lost their natural enmity owing to their penance?* This is something that a person who has entered the cave and come out can tell us. It seems that such people have not been available to us.

One could ask, “Won’t the bhāṣyas (commentaries) authored by the ācāryas of various schools suffice?” The answer is that there is no unanimity of opinion in those works. Who then do we believe in? The commentators excel in expounding upon the meanings of subtle scriptural passages. Using tarka (logic) and vyākaraṇa (grammar), it could be argued that advaita is dvaita or that dvaita is nothing other than advaita. The greatest instrument of knowledge in this lofty subject is the personal experience of the knower. That which is agreeable to one’s experience becomes his or her subjective truth. If one were to ask if Truth had parts in it or if Truth was a “whole” entity, the answer would be that though Truth is indeed whole and unbroken, the mind perceives it piecemeal. Isn’t the eye on only one side of the head? The eye can see only one side of an object from one place.

The Truth is one; its appearances are manifold. If this is kept in mind, it can be shown that not only dvaita and advaita schools of Hindu philosophy but even non-Vedic religions such as Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity can accept the Gītā.* Our goal though in this discourse is to study the meaning of the Gītā in such a way as to not oppose any traditional commentator. There is always freedom to choose whenever interpretations differ. Our focus is not on the parts where the interpretation differs but on those aspects acceptable to all. (Readers are encouraged to look at the appendix on the harmony of the three schools).

The Form of the Treatise

The Bhagavad-gītā is an account of a dialogue; a dialogue between Arjuna and Śrīkṛṣṇa. Both of them are in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra where the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas with their armies are standing in opposition to each other. Arjuna is the the third among the five Pāṇḍavas, Śrīkṛṣṇa’s bosom friend. Arjuna, who is enthusiastic to fight until the start of the war, sees the multitude of people around him and begins to express his doubts and concerns thus – “Ah! That I should kill them! Can I kill them? Is it proper to do this for selfish benefit? Is that not a grave sin?” Śrīkṛṣṇa begins to clarify those questions. Questions and doubts arise again and again with those clarifications. Śrīkṛṣṇa answers all of them. Thus expands the work. Those sorrows, doubts, and fears felt then by Arjuna are not his alone; or only of that time. The same dilemmas, uncertainties, confusions, and anxieties affect us every single day. Such fundamental questions of life have always bothered the human animal in all eras, all eons, and at all places in one form or another. The humanness of the human is in dealing with these questions and answering them. Such solutions find a solid basis in the veritable mine of the Bhagavad-gītā. The Gītā is thus a scripture of life germane to all times and places.

In our study, the Gītā has been viewed from the perspective of the everyman’s need. Nuances of the śāstra and the duels of logic are not important to us here. This is an exposition created by a common man discussing with another of his kind – much like classmates talking to one another.

Is the Gītā a Śāstra or a Kāvya?

This work is termed ‘Gītā-śāstra’ as well. The words ‘gītā’ and ‘śāstra’ convey widely different ideas in their meanings. Gītā refers to a song. Its main function is entertainment – delighting one’s feelings. That does not address the intellect. However, śāstra addresses the intellect. Here, a predominance of feeling is unwelcome. Thus gītā and śāstra appear mutually exclusive from a superficial view. However, in Śrīkṛṣṇa’s dialogue with Arjuna, thought and feeling have come together in a single narrative. For instance, the first chapter of is full of Arjuna’s despondency and expressions of karuṇa (pity, compassion), which show mental agitation more than intellectual cogitation. The eleventh chapter of the vision of the viśvarūpa (Universal form) is full of adbhuta rasa (wondrous sentiment). The other chapters exude feelings of devotion and Bliss. Juxtaposed with these are a study of Sāṁkhya, dhyāna-yoga (the method of meditation), and the teaching of the Yajña principle – all of which need significant application of thought. Therefore, it seems to be apt to term this work a ‘śāstra-kāvya’ or a scriptural poem.

That the realms of mind and intellect are different, even distant, does not hold in their elevated states. In that elevated station, both of them coalesce into one – like an ideal husband and wife. The mind prods the intellect, which in turn indulges the mind. The light of the intellect and clarity of mind combine to yield an internal bliss akin to the joy of experiencing the radiance of moonlight. Like the happiness experienced while the eye conveys the beauty of form with the simultaneous sweetness of music conveyed by the ear. It is impossible as well as improper to separate such a blessed union of mind and intellect. The Bhagavad-gītā is a ‘śāstra-kāvya’ encompassing this dual. This will be discussed further in the appendix.

The present series is a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. The translators wish to express their thanks to Śatāvadhāni R Ganesh for his valuable feedback and to Hari Ravikumar for his astute edits.

*Translators’ Note: Even Prof. M. Hiriyanna famously said that the Gītā can become the Bible of any creed. While this might be true of ‘Pagan’ faiths similar to sanātana-dharma, it appears unlikely in the case of Semitic religions, which are not merely dualistic but also predatory in nature. Like Aurobindo Ghosh said, “[Hinduism] is in the first place a non-dogmatic inclusive religion and would have taken even Islam and Christianity into itself, if they had tolerated the process.” (The Foundations of Indian Culture, Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library. Volume 14, pp. 73–75)

[[What to Expect from the Gītā? Source: prekshaa]]

What do we get from the Gītā?

What can we expect from the Bhagavad-gītā?

We normally expect something special from any book we choose. If it is a story, we expect interesting accounts of human character; in a play – a range of passions and emotions; in a song or a poem – an echo of our caprices and anxieties; in a historical account – narratives about different countries and nations; in a manual of astronomy – a description of stellar and planetary behaviour. Similarly we look forward to increase our understanding of the subject in treatises on Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

What is our interest in the Gītā? By ‘our,’ I refer to common people. What do we reckon as a benefit from a study of the Gītā? If we make this clear to our minds, there will be no reason to complain later that this study was a waste of our time.

Let’s accept that the popularity of the Gītā has attracted us. Several scholars and luminaries of our country have worshipped the Gītā over many millennia. Our preceptors have used the Gītā as a scriptural authority. Many philosophers of Europe have respected it. Our own leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Aurobindo, and other greats have accepted the Gītā as a fount of inspiration to their own lives. It is but natural, therefore, for us to presume that such a famous work must have something special in it.

Our ancestors considered the Gītā as a mokṣa-śāstra (a scripture of liberation). For those who lived a hundred or two hundred years ago, the difficulty of everyday life was not as big a matter as for us. The main means of sustenance then was agriculture.There was nothing to worry about as long as the rains and crops happened on time. There was no contact or distraction from other cultures. The people lived according to the ancient tradition. Traditional rituals, customs, and systems were enough for them. Living peacefully like their fathers and grandfathers was all the pleasure they wanted from life. Hence, with everyday life not bothering them as much and becoming somewhat bearable, their minds sought more after the way beyond. It was thus that mokṣa became something close to them.

Our burden nowadays is of life in the world. ¹ Earning one’s food and clothes, job opportunities, hopes and desires, loans and taxes, relentless toil, rest-less movings about, distress in practicing our customs, friction with other faiths, admixture of varṇas, and an infinitude of other worries form our fate. How then can we pay attention to mokṣa? Our daily burdens of life are more than enough for us. Can the Gītā help us amidst all of this? If so, it might be of value to us.

This is the favour we are eager for. Our minds are in turmoil; we need some fortitude. Our beliefs are shaking and infirm; the mind needs a secure resting place. The future is stuck in doubt; we need a comforting assurance. If the Bhagavad-gītā were to show us such viveka, such śraddhā, and such samādhāna, we would desire to read that work.

The Gītā makes it clear in its own words that it can indeed bestow this benefit upon us. Though our ancient commentators gave importance to mokṣa, they have stated that the Gītā is equally applicable to everyone in terms of worldly life.

Dharma is the holistic and sustainable method to enrich worldly [personal and public] life. Dharma and mokṣa cannot exist without one another. The prerequisite to mokṣa is dharma and the perfection of dharma is mokṣa. Hence what was a treatise on mokṣa to our ancestors is to us a treatise on dharma.

The Declaration of the Work

Any new work on the Gītā would have to encounter a fair question: “What’s so special about this?”

There is no dearth of treatises on the Gītā. Ācāryas Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, and Madhva, who were the chief propounders of their respective schools of philosophy have all written commentaries on the Gītā. There have been sub-commentaries and glosses written upon those works. There are collections of other compendia and exegeses built around these glosses. There are innumerable translations with explanations of the Gītā not just in all Indian languages but also in English and other foreign languages. Why a new work then?

The author of the current work has to say this in response –

The Gītā is a mokṣa-śāstra according to ancient commentators. In this work, it is chiefly a jīvana-śāstra (scripture of life). While the ancient ones held vairāgya in greater importance, we have to live in this world, finding practical solutions to the problems of life. Applying the teaching of the Gītā to worldly life is our goal. 2. Our ācāryas have given greater significance to schools of Vedānta – dvaita, advaita, and viśiṣṭādvaita. In this work, it is considered that it is possible for these sub-schools to not just co-exist without opposition but exist in harmony like brothers. ² 3. Is karma more important in the worship of the Supreme? Or is bhakti more important? Or jñāna? Our ancients speculated on this issue. In our view, all these three, along with aṣṭāṇga-yoga, are not harmful when practised together but could actually help one another. It is possible for these four practices to co-exist. The proportion of each practice could be set according to the seeker’s ability and opportunity. But there is no fear of danger even if the proportion is slightly off the mark. 4. Our ancestors held the authority of śruti and smṛti to be paramount. Here, an attempt has been made to harmonize the mode of inquiry employed in the modern scientific method with śruti and smṛti and satisfy rationalism. 5. Ancient commentators were well-versed in traditional śāstras. They wrote for those who understood the language of the śāstras. They were able scholars in tarka, vyākaraṇa, and other branches of traditional wisdom. Here, emphasis is placed upon the straightforward meaning of the verses of the Gītā. The Gītā has several paradoxical passages (e.g. “I am not in them; neither are they in me!” ³) as well as utterances that are epigrams (e.g. “The one who enjoys is verify a thief!” ⁴) The meanings of such passages can be stretched in any direction. In such cases, it is but consistent to interpret those passages according to the meanings of unambiguous passages of the Gītā, the Vedas, and Upaniṣads. ⁵ A simple and straight path is thus sought after here. 6. Followers of the Veda and those who don’t follow the Veda are both addressed here. 7. The discourse here attempts to follow the method of a non-scholar, a common man, who could discuss deeply with his friends subjects such as the Divine, jīva, destiny and dharma.

It is in light of these reasons that this teaching of the Gītā is termed jīvana-dharma-yoga (the Yoga of the Right Conduct of Life) in this exposition.

The present series is a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. The translators wish to express their thanks to Śatāvadhāni R Ganesh for his valuable feedback and to Hari Ravikumar for his astute edits.

Footnotes

[[The Nature of the Gītā Source: prekshaa]]

The Nature of the Work

The Gītā is simultaneously a simple-difficult work or a difficult-simple work. What does it mean? Words may be simple to understand but the meaning of the sentence is difficult. The part that teaches nīti is simple; the part that establishes philosophy is not. It is thus easy to fall in the trap of thinking that one has understood the Gītā. However, it is hard to realise its essence in one’s mind.

Though the language style is not that complicated and the figures of speech are clear, the word association is complex in a few places. Though similes and other figures of speech have been used to clarify the purport in a few verses, paradoxes and epigrams have also been employed to impress the seeker’s mind and stay rooted there as well. Such paradoxical and epigrammatic verses need more considered reflection.

Any work or treatise cannot overcome the time and place of its composition. Though we may accept that the Veda is apauruṣeya (not of human origin), there are several marks of human influence in that great body of literature. The memory of the Kuru and Pāñcāla regions, for instance or the names of kings such as Janaka and Jānuśruti mark out time and space. Hundreds of ṛṣis are mentioned. The description of the movements of stars and planets are an aid in estimating the time of the manifestation of the Veda. Lokamānya Bal Gangadhar Tilak has used the position of the mṛgaśirā (Orion) and other asterisms to estimate the antiquity of a certain ṛk that mentions this. It is thus evident that a few geographical and astronomical markers of a certain age can make their way into a work. The author is subject to his era and geography and has not overcome them.

In addition to the physical environment, his social milieu considerably influences an author. The beliefs of his people, their legends and stories, their aspirations, opinions, tastes, and attitudes are things that an author cannot possibly escape from. They would have had some or the other influence upon him. The best of the poets and philosophers cannot completely be immune to the effects of their age, region or social conditions.

A poet, however, has to rise beyond his condition. The more one is beyond time and geography, the greater his importance. We do not want a report of our world around from him. We have that even without his help. The question is of extracting ourselves from our condition and rise beyond it. This is where we need his favour.

But there is a limit to it. If the poet soars greatly beyond his condition, we may not be able fly with him. If there is not even a modicum of relationship between the world of the poet’s imagination and the world that we know, we will be unable to even understand his words. His tongue might be foreign to us; his world might be from a different planet. There might be no medium for us to comprehend him. If we are to benefit from a poet, we must adhere to a couple of rules –

There must be at least an iota of similarity between his world’s characters and their conversations with our world and our behaviour. 2. There must be some novelty in the dispositions and circumstances of the characters and in the expressions of their feelings that give fresh stimulation to our minds.

We should be able to relate to the theme of the work; but within a limit. If the limit is exceeded, we might not enjoy it or even grasp it.

The goal of the preceding is to impress upon the reader that there is an unavoidable association between a work and its author’s time, age and circumstances.

The above definition of a literary work holds for the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata as well. That the works of Vālmīki and Vyāsa hold for all ages and regions is our thesis as well. Their main storylines, the expressions of feeling, the discussions on nīti, and expositions that establish philosophy will apply to all of humankind at all times. However, even those illustrious works mention the social conditions of the eras of Vālmīki and Vyāsa. Included in them are their legends, common idioms and proverbs, their ancient traditions, histories, their beliefs and faith. These ancillary aspects may not be accepted by those of this age. Even if we disregard some parts of the story or some sub-plots, there will be no loss to the comprehension of the main narrative. There might be a loss of uniqueness of narrative here and there. Consider this, “The earth is flat. Eight elephants bear it. Those elephants stand on the back of a turtle, which is on the hood of the serpent, Adiśeṣa.” If such descriptions are left unaccepted, a little bit of the story’s flavour might be found lacking. But there will not be any inadequacy in understanding the story’s principle.

Such aspects can be found in the Gītā. The faith that rains and crops stem from the yajña is as old as the Vedas. There is no harm to the main thesis of the Gītā whether we accept this belief or not. Another such matter is that of the devayāna (the way of the deities) and the pitṛyāna (the way of the ancestors). This is another item of Vedic faith. Believing in it is optional. This causes no loss to the main teaching of the Gītā whose thesis is independent of the inquiry behind the yajña and the different ways of ayana (departure).

The Two Stages of Instruction

The Gītācārya instructs us in two stages. One is for a normal aspirant, or one of worldly practice. The other is for an exceptional aspirant, or one relating to the Absolute. If Arjuna is a normal aspirant, let him come to the way of sva-dharma through desires for kingdom, fame and heaven. The path of

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं

could be followed. Let him perform yajñas, let him depart by the way of the moon. If on the other hand he is an exceptional aspirant, let him transcend the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas), be established in the Supreme dharma and work for the welfare of the world from the perspective of the Universal Spirit. Thus the paths differ based on the stature of the aspirants. Differences in path, however, do not matter from the destination’s view. This is a rule to keep in mind throughout the study of the Gītā. The Gītācārya accepts both the worldly and the Absolute.

[[The Conversation of the Gītā Source: prekshaa]]

The Style of a Conversation between Friends

The sequence of the Gītā appears jumbled at times. The Gītā is referred to as a śāstra. Its theme does make it one. But in the Gītā’s method of instruction, we do not see a systematic division and order in its topics as in a school textbook. There is a chapter-wise division for sure. But the matter apposite to a specific chapter-topic shows up admixed in a different one. Another chapter’s issue shows up in the current one. There is a reason for this. This work was not authored as a textbook. Neither Arjuna nor Kṛṣṇa set out to write one. The turn of events got them to converse and that flowed as a dialogue between friends.

Rāma saw his old friend Bhīma in the market. Both of them remembered their childhood friend Śāma. Then they talked about the story of Soma’s daughter’s alliance with Śāma’s son Kāma. Śīna, Timma’s lawyer had won the lawsuit. When the lawsuit’s description ended, the matter of Kāma came up again followed by Soma and Bhīma once again. Then about the latter’s brother-in-law Boma. A dialogue between friends typically rambles among different topics like this; much like what Bhavabhūti has said –

…in the meandering manner of gossipers. ⁶

The same happens when friends talk about philosophical topics. From the present topic to a Purāṇic story; from the purāṇa to the condition of the world, from the world to the Absolute, and from that to the current issue – the conversation swings back and forth. This can be found in Plato’s Dialogues wherein the debates between Socrates and others are described.

It can be seen from everybody’s experience that the subject of a discussion between friends can go hither and thither. This characteristic of a friendly chat has entered the Gītā quite naturally. So we have to observe the links of an actual conversation here. Consider a person enquiring his friend – “When did he come? What happened there?” Both of them know what is being referred to by ‘he’ and ‘there.’ Their opinions can be inferred from their tone of voice and facial expressions. When we read their dialogues without seeing them, their mental states have to be surmised from their backgrounds. In the same manner, the link between one verse and the next and the flow from one idea to the next can be understood through a consideration of the antecedent and precedent verses. This is where traditional bhāṣyas help us. Seemingly mysterious links between verses are clarified by these bhāṣyas. Once these links are inferred, we can see that the work is indeed logically well connected.

Was there Enough Time for a Dialogue?

Some people ask – “Can such an inquiring and deep conversation happen on the battlefield? Is it even possible to have a lengthy dialogue amidst two enemy armies baying for battle?” Another common suspicion is whether these words really came out of the mouths of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. And whether they really spoke in verse. My answer is that such doubts are irrelevant.

Before doubting if there was time for dialogue when everyone around clamoured for war, we should remember the rules of battle conduct of that age. Conflict in that era did not mean anyone killing anyone else in any manner or place. There were rules pertaining to the place of battle, its time and of worthy and unworthy conduct. War in that age was an occasion for dharma; especially of the kṣatriyas. Its rules were accepted equally by both opposing parties. Fighting would not begin upon sighting either side. There was no fear of harm till both sides decided that it was opportune to fight. There was ample time even after Kṛṣṇa’s and Arjuna’s dialogue.

It was then that Dharmarāja alighted from his chariot and approached Bhīṣma and his preceptors. His brothers, without knowing his bent of mind, presumed that he was surrendering out of fear and tried to stop him. Dharmarāja did not pay heed to them and without uttering a word went to Bhīṣma, prostrated at his feet and sought his blessings and permission for war. He did the same with Droṇa, Kṛpa, and Śalya. Śrīkṛṣṇa again tried to bring over Karṇa to the Pāṇḍava side. Finally Dharmarāja stood in the middle of the battlefield and called out for anyone intending to come over to his side. Yuyutsu, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son from a servant girl, came over to the Pāṇḍava side.

It is only after all this the war began. Nobody had the fear that anyone would rush into it. Everything took place in a relaxed, sequential manner. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna had sufficient time [for a discussion.]

The Authorship of the Work

Now to the authorship of the work. Nobody will opine that all the words of the Gītā, including ‘ca,’ ‘tu,’ and other filler words, have been uttered by Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Sanskrit was natural to them. So it is likely that most of the words in the Gītā, which were in vogue those days, were spoken by them. How could it be said that the intent of those verses did not belong to them? All the doubts, clarifications, statements of opinion, and logical inferences definitely belonged to Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Such discussions were common in that age. The Mahābhārata has numerous such instances. Viewed thus, it can be established that most of the language used and all of the sentiment belong to Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and the only the metrical structure came from Vyāsa. Mahaṛṣi Vyāsa has reported a verse form of the dialogue through Sañjaya for us.

Anubandha-Catuṣṭaya – The Fourfold Connection

It is an ancient and traditional practice to define the four connections during an introduction to a work of śāstra.

Adhikārī, Viṣaya, Sambandha, and Prayojana—the four anubandhas—

[are essential] for the pursuit of a śāstra to bear fruit ⁷

The four anubandhas or connections are –

1. Adhikārī – the qualified student

2. Viṣaya – the subject matter of the treatise

3. Prayojana – the benefit of studying the work

4. Sambandha – the relationship between the viṣaya, the adhikārī, and the prayojana.

1. Who is the adhikārī or one qualified for a study of the Gītā?

The one who has experienced difficulties, dilemmas, and crises in the world; who is able to control desires for sense-pleasures; who is endowed with empathy towards all people; and is passionately curious about knowing how to lead a life to ensure it is meaningful – qualifies to study the Gītā. Controlled desire, self-control, and a desire to know the Truth are the internal qualifications for a student of the Gītā.

2. The Viṣaya or the theme of the Gītā is the Universal Principle.

“What is the nature of the jīva? What is the principle of Īśvara? What is the character of the world? What is the relationship between the jīva and the world? What is the supreme way for the jīva? What is the position of Īśvara in the triad of jagat, jīva and Īśvara?” - are the questions that the Gītā can answer. Its subject is the Vision of Universal Life.

3. Sambandha is of three kinds:

a. The relation between the teacher and the taught. The seeker is the taught and the Gītā is the teacher.

b. The relation between harmony and the harmoniser. The Gītā is to be studied in conjunction with the Vedas, Purāṇas, and Itihāsas with the assistance of tarka and vyākaraṇa while refined by worldly experience, reasoning, and evidence. All of the śāstras and experiences are needed for that.

c. The relation between the purifier and the purified. The instruction of the Gītā has to pervade all spheres of human life and make excellent all actions by purifying them. Life has to be refined through an implementation of its teaching and become capable of greater ends.

4. Finally the topic of prayojana or benefit.

A repeated study of the Gītā makes light of the soul’s burden of life. Through philosophical discernment, the mind understands the true value of various worldly things and a forms a value hierarchy. That marks the cessation of delusional error. Questions such as What is the meaning of life? What is the Absolute? What is to be done? What should not be done? are answered and a pure path of dhārmic life becomes visible. Then comes clarity of mind followed by the solution to life’s trials and tribulations. This results in tranquility. That [clarity and serenity] is the fruit of the study of the Gītā.

Though a cursory examination of the fourfold connections has been made, there are a couple of items that need further thought. The first one is of the adhikārī. The Gītācārya has several kinds of adhikārīs in mind.

Four kinds of fortunate people worship me, O Arjuna –
the distressed,
the one wants to know,
the one desirous of wealth, and
the wise one ⁸

All of these [bhaktas] are excellent… ⁹

Individuals are at various levels in intellect and tastes, in knowledge, in richness of personal qualities, and in the extent of dispassion according to the karma done in their previous lives. These differences in ability and taste are innate. Therefore instruction and modes of practice differ accordingly. Even though the defining markers of adhikārīs appear to be the same, they vary in degree from person to person. Thus all forms of life that remember the Supreme have separate paths towards welfare depending on their capabilities.

The above explanation of the connections is of a common type and coarse. There are several points to be pondered upon here. The above explanation might be incomplete if it those points are not examined.

Footnotes

शास्त्रारम्भफलं प्राहुरनुबन्धचतुष्टयम्॥

आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ॥ (BG 7.16)

[[Instruction on the Viṣaya is According to the Adhikārī Source: prekshaa]]

Let us first look at the theme of the work and the qualification to study it. Each of these decides the other. The story of puṇyakoṭi befits a six year old. A study of the Raghu-vaṁśa, however, is for a student aged sixteen or more.

Thus each one decides the other. The one who is capable of dealing with the viṣaya—subject of the work—is the adhikārī. The instruction has to be tailored to the education and capacity of the seeker. Both of these are thus relative to each other.

The viṣaya of the Gītā is not of a single kind, when subjected to subtle examination; rather, it is of many kinds. While there is the devotion of common folk on one side, there are logical conundrums that can cause headaches to great pundits. Pravṛtti-dharma (the mode of action) and nivṛtti-dharma (the mode of renunciation), atīta-sthiti (the exalted state), bhakti-yoga (the path of devotion), karma-yoga (the path of selfless work), dhyāna-samādhi-yoga (the path of meditative concentration), and jñāna-yoga (the path of wisdom) – is the stepped path of the Gītā. The intended seekers are correspondingly of different levels. There are several levels of seekers that fall in the purview of the Gītā – from the ignorant to the illuminated and from family men to ascetic mendicants. Because of the variety in adhikārīs, the instruction is also varied. From “Offering a leaf, flower, fruit, or water” ¹⁰ to “Be devoid of the three guṇas, O Arjuna!” ¹¹ there are several paths of instruction. The destination is one; but the paths are eight. It won’t be wise to argue that only one of these eight is right and the rest are not. If the maxim of ‘As the student, so the instruction’ is remembered, it can be seen that the controversies of religious doctrine fade away.

The goal of medicine is one; a state of a healthy body is another. But the causes of sickness are many; the forms of diseases are many. Therefore modes of diet and treatment are many. Ginger and pepper do not treat an eye disease; alum cannot treat indigestion. Medicine is prescribed according to the weakness of the body. Instruction is given according to the debility of the jīva.

This now is the most important matter. That the Gītā is applicable to all varṇas, all classes, and to all those in any circumstance or stage, to all women and men, has been clearly stated by the Gītācārya. However, all instructions are not for everyone. Every student has to understand his or her own capability and choose the appropriate teaching after a thorough examination. This has been clarified by the Gītācārya himself –

Whatever is the utility of a small reservoir of water
when there is a floor and water is flowing everywhere –
that is kind of utility of all the Vedas
for a person who has realised the Brahman! ¹²

Even if all ponds, streams, wells, and tanks are full of water, a man can use only whatever is necessary for his uses such as his ablution and drinking. Similarly, even if there are a hundred instructions in the Vedas, the judicious man chooses and uses whatever fits him. The same holds for the Gītā. A palace befitting a queen holds hundreds of attendants in as many quarters. It is only appropriate for each occupant to reside in the appointed quarters. All floors and all rooms are not for everybody.

Questions such as, “Will not there be discrimination then? Is it proper?” might arise. The answer lies in the highs and lows of human behaviour. Kòbbari-miṭhāyi (a sweet dish made with grated copra) is certainly desired by many. Would it then be proper to feed a bagful of that to a two-year-old, citing equality of treatment? What would happen to the child’s health? Just as there are limits on the food taken in by the body, there must be limits on food for the mind. This limit indicates a healthy respect for the nature of anything. ‘Reality’ is understanding the nature of a thing as it is. Tattva is the same thing. A thing’s thing-ness is tat-tva. That Tattva, Reality, or Truth is the foundation of dharma. Since, in reality, each jīva differs from one another in innate disposition, it becomes necessary to prescribe different instruction and practice for each. Thence the multifaceted teaching of the Gītā. There is no question of inferior or superior here. Is an injection a superior form of medicine or is a mixture inferior? Is a tablet better than medicinal powder? Our disease is one of ignorance. The Gītāchārya is the healer. Śrīkṛṣṇa’s answer to Arjuna’s question about the race between superior and inferior—in the Aśvamedhika-parva of the Mahābhārata—subsequent to the war can be considered here –

All are superior in their own domains
They all help one another’s domains too! ¹³

In society, each one is best in his own appointed duty. Just as a brāhmaṇa is the best when it comes to the Veda, a kṣatriya when it comes to protecting the kingdom, a vaiśya when it comes to wealth, a gṛhastha in service of the world, and a saṃnyāsi in tapas, everyone has to help others while being the best in one’s own duty. In the same vein, the instruction most suitable for the spiritual progress and refinement of every jīva is the best for him or her. The same is declared in the Gītā thus –

Performing one’s own dharma, even if imperfect,
is greater than performing another’s dharma well ¹⁴

The reason I emphasise this so much is the inordinate impetuosity shown by people in the matter of mokṣa. The Gītā has received much fame as a mokṣa-śāstra. People therefore want to unravel the secret as soon as possible and rush towards liberation. Such haste is not just a waste but dangerous as well. Nobody avers that the Gītā is not a mokṣa-śāstra; no one says that the thought of mokṣa is wrong. But the Gītā is as much a dharma-śāstra as it is a mokṣa-śāstra. While the thought of liberation is good, it is good to to reflect upon dharma as a prerequisite. People have to first understand that there is no mokṣa without dharma. Upon consideration, it is seen that there is no reason to hanker after mokṣa separately. Mokṣa follows dharma by itself. A person who earns his livelihood in the day according to his ability and follows a healthy lifestyle does not have to take pills for a good night’s sleep. He whose food is well-digested falls asleep as soon as he hits the sack. Mokṣa is set for the discerning one who performs dharma diligently. Let us therefore follow the Gīta with a focus on the matter of dharma.

The viṣaya and the adhikārī are not completely separate from the view of our study of the Gītā; but are symbiotic. We have seen that dharma is indeed the theme of the Gītā if the student is interested in dharma. We have discussed the prayojana of the Gītā study cursorily. There is one thing left to be stated about the sambandha (relationship among adhikārī, viṣaya, and prayojana). This is about our attitude. It has been mentioned that the relationship is one between the teacher and taught – the Gītā is the teacher and we are the taught. Is this not clear? Should it be explicitly stated? The answer is yes. The relationship could be one of a refuter and the refuted. Isn’t it quite possible that Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians could study the Gītā in order to refute it? Our explicit statement is to clarify that there should be mutual faith and respect between the work and the student.

Śraddhā is trust that is not blind. It is the trust with which a child eats what its mother gives it; that with which a patient takes his medicine from the doctor. If the child does not relish the food given by the mother, it throws it away and demands something else. If the ailment does not get cured, the patient complains to the doctor who prescribes another medicine. Both the child and the patient have from their experience a freedom to examine the mother and healer respectively. Similarly, the śraddhā we have in the statements of the śāstras and the gurus is not opposed to independent thought but subject to reason and experience. The way of the world is to examine first and trust later. However, ātmā, jīva, and dharma are supranormal subjects. Therefore it is trust that is followed by examination in these matters. The Gītācārya himself specifies that what is needed is reflection and not a lack of thought through the following statements –

Understand that… from inquiry ¹⁵

…having analyzed all of this… ¹⁶

and so forth.

There is yet another thing that has to be said here. That is related to the difference between the nature of worldly or physical sciences and this subject [i.e., the Gītā]. Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry can be grasped only via the intellect. Physical objects can be grasped by the senses. Therefore, they are available through the pramāṇas (means of knowing) of pratyakṣa (direct perception) and anumāna (inference). The ātman is suprasensory. It cannot be grasped by our hands or measurements. To obtain it therefore, we have to rely upon the Veda-śāstra, which is the testimony of āptavākya (trusted source). If we don’t place our trust in it, there is no way out.

The other preparation we need in addition to āptavākya is the purification of our inner being or a clean disposition of mind. Those in hasty pursuit of mokṣa tend to forget this.

It is an error, a dangerous one, to think it possible to unravel the secrets of Vedānta through a sleight of mind. It is possible to win at a game of cards through a trick. A machine can be operated through a shortcut. A math problem can be solved through a stratagem. It is also possible to shut up an opponent with wit. We think it possible to storm the city of mokṣa using an easy manoeuvre. But Brahman is not something attainable merely through intellectual artifice.

Footnotes

[[Sādhana-catuṣṭaya - The Four Prerequisites Source: prekshaa]]

It is indicated above that the buddhi is a power that works with the manas. The buddhi is under the influence of the manas. Therefore, to purify the buddhi, it is imperative to purify the manas. Buddhi is an implement that enables reflection. Manas experiences the product of the buddhi. In Vedānta, jñāna (wisdom) is the same as anubhava (experience). Knowledge of Brahman is the experience of Brahman. Mind is the arena of experience. Unless the mind is ready, there can be no true experience of reality. Hence a purified mind is inevitable for the study of the Gītā-śāstra. The method of purification of the mind is termed sādhana-catuṣṭaya (the fourfold attainment) comprising the following –

1. Nityānitya-viveka (Discernment between the real and the unreal)

What things of the world exist at all times? What are those that live for a short duration? The mind must repeatedly reflect upon and practise discrimination between the great and the trivial, the fixed and the unsteady, and the eternal and the transient.

2. Ihāmutrārtha-phala-bhoga-virāga (Renouncing the desire for enjoyment in this world and beyond)

Gradually renouncing the desire for bodily pleasures in this world or in other heavenly abodes; being unruffled by sense pleasures.

3. Śamādi-ṣaṭka-sampatti (The sixfold wealth of quietude &c.)

a. Śama is the absence of other thoughts while in control of inner senses; keeping the mind established in itself.

b. Dama is the control of external senses.

c. Uparati is the withdrawal of the mind from external happenings and being established in itself.

d. Titikṣhā is forbearance; to be equanimous while being unruffled by the duals of profit and loss, joy and sorrow, love and hate, or hot and cold.

e. Śraddhā is implicit faith in the words of the śāstras and the learned.

f. Samādhāna is establishing the mind in its object while not allowing it to wander.

4. Mumukṣutva (The intense desire to be liberated)

Curiosity about mokṣa. Mokṣa is the experience of Bliss devoid of any trace of sorrow, beyond duality, that is a result of release from bondage.

To summarise, the student of the Gītā, having seen the limitations of earthly wealth and pleasures and controlling Desire, Anger, and Envy, realises the existence of the ātman beyond bodily existence and considers that Supreme Essence to be the best amidst all transactional reality. This is the foremost prerequisite for the student of the Gītā.

A Couple of Precautions

It is important to understand how the essence of an important work should be comprehended. A couple of precautions are pertinent here –

1. To temporarily let go of one’s skepticism in the narrative (“…willing suspension of disbelief for the moment…” – Coleridge)

2. To focus on the purport of the work in its narrative.

1. Willing suspension of disbelief.

To suspend questions about characters and events that arise during a story for resolution at a later time. “Did Rāvaṇa of the Rāmāyaṇa really have ten heads? Was he able to assume a form at will? How did Mārīca become a golden deer?” – such are the items of doubt. “Was the potency of the mantras the reason for the birth of the Pāṇḍavas? Was the number of damsels that Śrīkṛṣṇa brought from Narakāsura’s town exactly sixteen thousand? Were they all of the same age or were there old women among them?” – Such questions are irrelevant from the perspective of the story’s essence. These incredible incidents are essential for the poet-world’s reality. These are the bricks of the poetic monument. We need to believe in the solidity of these bricks if we want the tale. We need to be able to believe in the story and nod our heads with a, “Hmm,” much like children who do so. Instead if we were to ask questions at every stage of the story, the poetic edifice falls apart and we derive no use from it. This is a rule relevant only to the story aspect of a work.

2. Focus on the purport of the work amidst the flow of words.

By purport we refer to that meaning which resonates with the intent of the work or the sentence. For example, if during a meal a person is asked to bring saindhava, one should infer it to be ‘rock salt’ rather than ‘a horse.’ Meaning stems from context. In the sentence, ‘Come over to my house while visiting the temple,’ the phrase ‘come over’ does not mean ‘arrive on top of,’ but ‘to casually visit.’ In śāstra, this is referred to as lakṣaṇā-vṛtti (using the secondary sense of meaning when the primary word meaning is not apt). It should be remembered that the intent of the speaker is more important than the word.

If intent is more important, should not only those words appropriate to the intent be chosen? Why the superfluity? This raises a question on the innate capability of a language or the lack of it. That is an area to ponder. Can language exactly convey the intent of the mind and intellect? In several works is seen the inability of language to precisely express the author’s intent. To make up for that, we must resort to several figures of speech such as upamāna-upameya (simile), utprekṣā (hyperbole), and punarukti (repetition). Our daily language is filled with such figures of speech as well. “I polished off ten dosas,” “I gave a couple to the mischief monger,” “That baby is like a flower,” etc. are examples for that. Words are not enough to convey our emotional states or our experiences. We say that “He was fuming with rage” or “Everything has cooled down.” We exclaim, “It was like seeing God,” or “It was like drinking amṛta,” or “I remembered Kāmadhenu!” Thus, even common folk cannot converse without figures of speech even for a moment. Seeing that normal words do not completely convey delight or pain in those sentences, uncommon or special words or comparisons are employed. Those comparisons fill in the gap left by words. That indeed is ‘alaṃ’ (enough) ‘kāra’ (make) –alaṅkāra = making it enough; filling any gaps or shortcomings. Alaṅkāra is used to fill in those gaps created by normal word usage. It is a kind of lakṣaṇā-vṛtti. The same consideration is used in all art forms. What does a young lady do when she does ‘alaṅkāra’ (make up) to herself? She does two things. The first is to amplify or accentuate the beauty of her own bodily features. A small dark dot on her beautiful golden cheeks brings out the attraction in the cheeks. A single white jasmine flower on her dark tresses renders the entire hairdo gorgeous. How? The seer is able to appreciate beauty of the same thing faster and with more vividity. This is a kind of alaṅkāra or decoration. The other kind of alaṅkaraṇa is to make any deficiency or ugliness invisible. Applying face powder to a faded face, filling gaps between teeth with gold, using wax to smoothen out any pockmarks – are all examples for this. Even here, alaṅkaraṇa or decoration is used to resolve any gaps in beauty and project the product as real. This is indeed artificial. When something artificial is used for good i.e., when its effect is pleasurable, we call it alaṅkāra.

More words are thus used in a language for either clarifying the meaning or amplifying it. The sentiment conveyed by the statement ‘Rāma is good’ is also conveyed by ‘Rāma is exemplary’ but the sentiment is amplified in the latter.

[[Repetitions and Reiterations in the Gītā Source: prekshaa]]

Let us get back to the Bhagavad-gītā. There are so many punaruktis (repetitions); upamāna-upameyas (comparisons in a simile) and paradoxes. Our attention should be on their purport. When prosaic speech does not suffice and figurative expressions are resorted to even while describing commonplace incidents and worldly experiences, how else could the mind of the philosopher expressing thoughts about the supernatural reveal itself to us without figurative language? Consequently, there is quite a bit of symbolism in the Veda especially in the matter of the Ātman (Self).

ahaṁ vṛkṣasya rerivā ।
I am the controller of the tree (of saṁsāra)
kīrtiḥ pṛṣṭhaṁ gireriva ।
My fame is like the peak of a mountain
ūrdhvapavitro vājinīva svamṛtamasmi ।
I, pure because of the High One, am Immortal like the one in the Sun
[Taittirīya-upaniṣad 1.10]
tasya madhye vahniśikhā aṇīyordhvā vyavasthitaḥ ।
In the middle of That abides the Crest of Fire as the Supreme among all that is minute.
nīlatoyadamadhyasthād-vidullekheva bhāsvarā ।
Brilliant like a streak of lightning in the middle of dark rain giving clouds.
nīvārashūkavattanvī pītā bhāsvatyaṇūpamā ॥
Slender like the awn of paddy, yellow or gold in colour, as infinitesimal as an atom, this flame shines.
[Mahānārāyaṇa-upaniṣad]

The puruṣa-sūkta is a large allegory. When such language is encountered, the mind must not focus on the literal meaning but on the purport. In the statement

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ

does not mean that the virāṭ-puruṣa (the Cosmic Being) has one head more than 999 or one head less than 1001. ‘Sahasra’ just signifies innumerable. That is the substance.

The Bhagavad-gītā has the same words repeated. The same matter is conveyed in different words.

nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuḥ acalo’yaṃ sanātanaḥ ।
He is Eternal, Omnipresent, Fixed, Motionless and Everlasting

Here both sthāṇu and acala mean the same. What does nitya and sanātana mean? Both mean the same. Is it not a fault when the text is repetitive to express the same thing in three different words? It is not so here. It is rather advantageous here and much needed from our perspective. For, when the instruction does not come in a flood of words but in subtle and terse letters, it might not catch the mind of a dull or a careless learner. If, however, it is repeated in many words, the fear of such a loss is lessened. The effectiveness of a sentence is not only gained from its inner strength but also from its external size. Experienced teachers know that in a school, children are taught the same concepts – even easy ones – by revising it multiple times. While dealing with an extremely subtle and deep topic, the instruction might not be understood or even misunderstood if terse language is used. Therefore a little repetition is not a defect but a blessing. Names of trees occur as if in a catalogue during descriptions of forests in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata. The names of a hundred persons are encountered when an āśrama is being described. Are we botanists or anthropologists that we need these catalogues? The answer is that this description of a multitude has an impact on our mind. It is required for increased impact in the depiction of the object.

Descriptions of such collections are encountered in the tenth and eleventh chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā. We have to comprehend the meaning of the flow there. A significant opinion or instruction flows out in multiple streams. In the vibhūti-yoga, for instance.

ādityānāmahaṃ viṣṇuḥ jyotiṣāṃ raviraṃśumān।
marīcirmarutāmasmi nakṣatrāṇāmahaṃ śaśī॥ 10.21
vedānāṃ sāmavedo’smi devānāmasmi vāsavaḥ।
indriyāṇāṃ manaścāsmi bhūtānāmasmi cetanā॥ 10.22

In the Viśvarūpa chapter, we see these verses –

anekabāhūdaravaktranetraṃ
paśyāmi tvāṃ sarvato’nantarūpam।
nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na punastavādiṃ
paśyāmi viśveśvara viśvarūpa॥ 11.16
tvamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ veditavyaṃ
tvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam।
tvamavyayaḥ śāśvatadharmagoptā
sanātanastvaṃ puruṣo mato me॥ 11.18

If we have to truly appreciate the specialty of the Gītā’s style of instruction, we must bring the style of the sūtra to mind:

alpākṣaramasandigdhaṃ
sāravadviśvatomukham।
astobhamanavadyaṃ ca
sūtraṃ sūtravido viduḥ॥

An economical word arrangement in which no word required to elucidate its meaning is left out, no superfluous word is added, and in which any movement or transposition of letters results in a greater, lesser or completely different meaning is known as a sūtra. Let us look at an example from the Brahma-sūtra –

janmādyasya yataḥ।

The above sūtra has four words:

asya = of this world
janma = origin
ādi = etcetera (preservation, dissolution)
yataḥ = from which proceed

Brahman has to be supplied to complete this sūtra, i.e., “(Brahman is that) from which proceed the origin &c. (preservation and dissolution) of this world.”

The above sūtra is explained in the Upaniṣad thus –

yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante।
yena jātāni jīvanti।
yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti।
tadvijijñāsasva।
tadbrahmeti।
(Taittirīya-upaniṣad)

The Brahma-sūtra conveys in four words what the Upaniṣad takes fifteen words to do. The presence of the conjunction ‘ca’ conveys a special meaning in the sūtra; the absence of it conveys yet another meaning; similarly with ‘tu.’ The style of the sūtra befits experienced scholars; and gives an opportunity for their logic and arguments. The author of the Gītā did not follow the rule of aphorism. His style is one of poetry. His admirable goal is to explain uncommon subjects with common words. Therefore we do not have to sift through every letter of the Gītā. The holistic vision is appropriate here. Our goal is not the word to word meaning of an instruction but the essence of the flow of thoughts – the general drift or tenor of the words used. This, if remembered, will bring several controversies about the teaching of the Gītā to rest.

The story aspect of the Gītā is in a poetic form. Poetry attempts to convey the subject matter in a way that is impactful to the mind. That kind of an attempt makes imperative several figures of speech such as the hyperbole. This is something even we are aware of. During the education of children, we use exclamations like “Bravo!” whenever a child solves a problem correctly. When it is two – we use expressions like “Awesome!” If there are a couple of children there, we begin to think on how it would be possible to convey a unique phrase of encouragement. For one, we may use “Smooth!” and for the other, we may use “Incredible!” We might use “Unbelievable!” for the third one. We do not use the literal meanings of these words when we convey our appreciation. We do not weigh the implications of the usage of such words. Such an examination of exact word meaning is unnecessary for our use and may even be detrimental. Encouraging students is our only goal. If we weigh our words carefully much like an apothecary weighing his medicines, and try to state the exact intended meaning, the effect on the students might be more discouraging than encouraging. Therefore it is proper to grasp the meaning of God’s words after considering His intent.

Arjuna was crestfallen. He was out of his wits. The intent of the Lord was to infuse enthusiasm and confidence in him and make him surge forward.

The poet uses a few extra words to ensure that the meaning sticks to the mind. This is a literary device that is seen employed even in the Veda.

The Veda’s chief goal is one of vidhi (injunction); to decide dharma. Are then all those Vedic passages injunctions? No. Should not the propitiated deity be invoked during the yajña? There are mantras for those known as stāvakas (hymns of praise). These praise Deities thus – “You are the greatest among the great! You created all of us! You are the one who existed before us!” – in a variety of ways. It is but natural to use many words when praising anybody. We see that even in the world. Can a minister be praised with the words, “You have an LLB degree! You have two ears!” and so forth? Does that even count as praise? If, however, the minister is praised with words like: “You are the avatāra of Bṛhaspati!” &c., there is a good chance of getting our work done. When it is so in the mundane world, can Yajñeśvara (Lord Agni) be propitiated with “You burn!”, “If you are controlled, you give us happiness. Please restrict yourself!” and so forth? Will Agni give us what we desire? Therefore a plethora of stāvakas are necessary. The pragmatic view is that this is a device to get the favour of the deity. The Absolute or philosophical perspective is that since Para-brahman is the final destination, we arrogate all its qualities on all the devatās.

There is another class of Vedic passages known as arthavāda. The arthavāda informs us that one would get certain fruits on the completion of certain rites. In everyday language, this could be termed an advertisement.

There are several such Vedic passages included to stimulate (prarocana). The stimulation is for the performance of certain rites and subsequently achieve interest in them and prosperity.

annavānannādo bhavati। mahān bhavati
prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena।
mahān kīrtyā॥

The above is the praise of food. Food has to be acquired in plenty. The one with food eats abundantly. He becomes great. He begets progeny, bovine wealth, Brāhmic effulgence, and extensive fame. What is the intent behind such praise? For man to work and earn his living. To work for a living is not something debased but the best among duties. It is needed even to realise Brahman. By stating all this, the maharṣis desire to infuse a sense of importance with faith and enthusiasm even during common everyday tasks. When the Veda says, “Mahān bhavati,” the intent is not to convey that the one eating will put on weight and become a wrestler but to insist that such a person would become great in quality and influence.

Similarly in the Gītā, one finds enough passages of upadeśa (instruction) as well as for clarification. There are even more passages to generate interest. So, it would be instructive for the reader to observe how certain passages convey the overall meaning of the Gītā and in what way. When this is done, the harmony among various parts of the text becomes evident.

[[Importance of Realizing the Meaning Source: prekshaa]]

The Importance of Contemplation

The Gītā has two intertwined streams of instruction. One is theoretical whereas the other is practical. The theoretical part is especially intellectual with an ascertaining of the truth using an analytical mindset. The practical aspect or sādhana pertains to the emotional mind. The mind when active is known as the citta – ‘Anusandhānātmaka-vṛttimad-antaḥkaraṇam cittam’ (‘The citta is the contemplative mind.’) The buddhi has to be followed by citta. But the citta is slower than the buddhi. Hence there is always a difference between the buddhi and the citta.

It is seen that in the world, there is always a gap between words and deeds. It is not that only dishonesty is the reason for this. Spoken words might not match what is in one’s mind on half the occasions. But during the other instances, the reason is impossibility and not dishonesty. The citta is not ready to follow what the buddhi deems appropriate. The citta is not as careful as the buddhi. The more difficult the buddhi’s instruction gets, the more unprepared the citta is for it.

Man’s mind is like a sheet of paper. It remains flat and smooth when not folded layer by layer or rolled into a tube. Once folded, however, it is a struggle to make it smooth. The same goes for a bar of metal. Once bent in a certain way, it is not easy to make it straight. The same happens with a cane stick. The citta too, similarly, yields to habit. To let go of an old habit and take on a new habit takes time, patience, and firmness. This is its nature.

Thence is Bhagavān’s statement.

asaṃśayaṃ mahābaho mano durnigrahaṃ calam।
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyena ca gṛhyate॥ (6.35)

abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena। (8.8)

abhyāsa-yogena tato mām-icchāptuṃ dhanañjaya। (12.9)

Deep is the gap between the citta and the buddhi.

This is why the practical aspect of the Gītā is harder than the philosophical aspect. Practice of the gītā requires a long-standing firmness of the mind and constant effort. It should not be thought that mere hearing of the instruction is attaining the goal. Even if the principles are well-understood intellectually, it is not the same as attaining the final fruit. The gītā-śāstra was not created for argumentation but for practice.

Experience is Knowledge

We can go a step further and state that one who lacks practice will be found lacking in the realization of the truth, for jñāna is not a mere comprehension of an idea but a method of work. In other words, jñāna is not akin to a point but to a line. There are several stages in jñāna. The peak, however, is experience. The one who has scaled a mountain peak can claim to have seen the entire mountain. The one who has experienced the truth completely knows what it is. The jñāna of an inexperienced person is insufficient and hence not trustworthy. It is as dangerous as confusion. Therefore those are honest students of the Gītā who take the effort to practice and consequently realise it in their experience.

Experience is becoming that which we contemplate upon – through an effort of the mind. The mind is like lac or beeswax, capable of assuming any form. It has to be melted, cast in the shape of the contemplated object, and then hardened. That is experience – becoming the object. The gopikās meditating constantly upon Śrīkṛṣṇa had their minds passionately absorbed in him, consequently attained his form, and experienced Bliss. That is experience.

Such an experience of the Supreme can happen only through significant effort and prolonged practice. Therefore people like us who have read the words of the Gītā and have slightly understood its literal meaning have not attained much. Our efforts and practice are important. For this, we need to understand by ourselves the modes of instruction and practice that match our ability and competence. Theoretical philosophy is not unimportant. But its importance is for intellectual inquiry. That inquiry bears fruit during actual experience. Practice is imperative for experience. And experience is not something that happens intellectually. Along with the buddhi (intellect), the manas (psyche), the citta (the unconscious storehouse of all impressions), smṛti (memory), comprehension, inference, and intuition as well as other powers of the internal organs should converge. If all of life’s energies were to be engaged, the fruition of that effort and its ripening is the experience of the Supreme.

Let us therefore focus on applying the teaching of the Gītā.

Mere Reading is Insufficient

Several students of the Gītā religiously read the work even if they do not understand it, in the ardent belief that the act yields religious merit. That is a good thing, no doubt. But there is a danger in that. They might get the false assurance that just uttering the letters of the Gītā can destroy all their pāpas. Repetition and remembrance of Bhagavān’s holy names have been greatly extolled in our tradition. However, remembrance of the name and reading the work are but the means. Towards what? Means to ensure that our minds are focused on the Divine. Utterance of the names of the Divine with the mind elsewhere is fruitless. It is a mistake to think that repeating the letters of the Gītā will remove pāpa accruing from performing bad deeds. The benefit of repeating the Gītā text is in memorizing it. Once memorized, it becomes easy to recall the text again and again. With repetition, the meaning of the text becomes clear to the mind. Reflection on the meaning of the text becomes easier with the meaning clarified. Reflection on the essence of the text enables contemplation. Hence the pārāyaṇa or ritual reading of the text is sequentially beneficial rather than as a complete solution by itself. For the complete benefit of the Gītā, the focus must be on its meaning. The practice of parroting the text has increased of late. The desire of proclaiming to the world that they have read the Gītā has spread a lot. What of mere reading? What of understanding the meanings of sentences? Only after harmonizing the meaning across different parts of the Gītā, seeing its meaning holistically and an extended practice might the essence of the Gītā flash in the mind. The same is said about the Vedas as well.

sthāṇur-ayaṃ bhārahāraḥ kilā’bhūtbr>adhītya vedaṃ na vijānāti yo’rtham

The study of the Gītā should not be like the burden of the washerman’s vehicle.

yathā kharaś-candana-bhāravāhī
bhārasya vettā na tu candanasya

What if a donkey bears the weight of sandalwood logs on his back? It experiences only the burden and not the fragrance of the sandal.

Therefore, the pārāyaṇa bears fruit only through contemplation on the work’s meaning.

The path of contemplation has been divided into three stages by our ancients –

śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyaḥ।
tarati śokam-ātmavit।

The three stages are śravaṇa, manana, and nididhyāsana.

Śravaṇa is listening, which means reading or performing a ritual study.

Manana is thinking about the meaning. Manana is the reflection on the meaning of the work by the union of the refined manas and the well-trained buddhi.

Nididhyāsana is the constant considered observance in one’s own deeds of the principle understood through manana.

Of these three, the first one is not hard. The other two are achievable through great difficulty. If manana has proceeded well, nididhyāsana should not be difficult.

Thus manana is the most crucial part of contemplation.

[[Contemplation and Reasoning Source: prekshaa]]

Manana

There is an element of truth that escapes words and can be discerned only through inner experience. That is the secret. Contemplation via considered reflection is the only way to unravel the secret of Brahman. If the study has to be beneficial, it must follow the path of reflection.

There is an anecdote in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad. In the court of King Janaka, Gārgī asks the ṛṣi Yājñavalkya about the structure of the earth and the structure of its warp and woof. Yājñavalkya, in turn, describes the structure of the worlds from here to Brahma-loka stage by stage. At that time, Gārgī questions him about the structure of Brahma-loka, who then cautions her with:

Mātiprākṣīḥ॥
“Do not over question!”

Questions and answers are fine until a point, after which they become meaningless. This is because what exists beyond a certain point is beyond words as well. Experience is the only way out after that. Thence the path through reflection and meditation.

Reflection is primarily an intellectual activity. One could call it the maturation of śraddhā or faith. Faith in instruction has been ordained for the disciple. Faith is belief. If belief already exists, the question arises as to what the need for the intellect would be. The rule of manana shows that a need for the intellect co-exists with the presence of śraddhā. Manana clarifies the word-meaning of the instruction, analyses its purport, validates the message, and firms up our conviction. What we have in the beginning is incomplete knowledge or jñānābhāsa – a semblance of knowledge. This apparent meaning is refined through manana to get the accurate import. Thus the role of the intellect is critical in the study of the scriptures. Śravaṇa—listening or reading—is the first stage in knowledge acquisition. Nididhyāsana—meditation—is the last. The bridge between the two stages is manana—reflection—which requires a meticulous use of the intellect.

The Nature of Dharma

Constantly paying attention to the principle and adhering to it during various activities of life is the application or practice of dharma. The four main indicators of dharma are as follows –

The remembrance of the greatness of the Divine. 2. Renouncing one’s ego. 3. Reducing the feeling of ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ 4. Applying one’s own capabilities for the benefit of others.

Such a dharma takes multiple forms such as kuṭumba-dharma (dharma towards one’s family), kula-dharma, (dharma towards one’s clan), janapada-dharma (dharma towards one’s nation), and others. Only if the practice of the Gītā-principles occurs across these dharmas can a faraway glimpse of the Divine be achieved. That is experience. The three main methods of dharma has been delineated by the Gītācārya himself.

tad-ity-abhisandhāya
phalaṃ yajña tapaḥ-kriyāḥ।
dāna-kriyāś-ca vividhāḥ
kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ॥
Yajña, dāna, and tapas are the three paths to attain Divine experience. Yajña is worship of the Divine. Dāna is service to society. Tapas is educating or refining oneself. These three form the path to elevate one’s life.

The Bhagavad-gītā expounds upon dharma as much as it instructs about mokṣa.

Śrī Śaṅkarācārya clarifies this in his introduction to the Gītā.

dvi-vidho hi vedokto dharmaḥ, pravṛtti-lakṣaṇo nivṛtti-lakṣaṇaś-ca, jagataḥ sthiti-kāraṇam। prāṇināṃ sākṣād-abhyudaya-niḥśreyasa-hetur-yaḥ sa dharmo brāhmaṇādyair-varṇibhir-āśramibhiś-ca śreyorthibhiḥ anuṣṭhīyamānaḥ। …
Vedic dharma is two-fold – one of activity (pravṛtti) and the other of renunciation (nivṛtti) – and is responsible for the maintenance of order in the world. This dharma, which gives both worldly welfare as well as mokṣa, has been practised by the brāhmaṇas and other varṇas who are desirous of welfare.

abhyudayārtho’pi yaḥ pravṛtti-lakṣaṇo dharmo varṇān-āśramāṃś-coddiśya vihitaḥ, sa devādi-sthāna-prāpti-hetur-api san, īśvarārpaṇa-buddhyā anuṣṭhīyamānaḥ sattva-śuddhaye bhavati phalābhisandhi-varjitaḥ। …
Although this dharma of action is a means to worldly prosperity and is prescribed for different varṇas, and is capable of achieving the regions of the devas, if practised with submission to the Supreme with no regard towards the results of the work, it is conducive to the purification of the mind.

The opinions of Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya are not different in this matter. All the three ācāryas say the same.

No Distinction of Religious Doctrine in Dharma

The difference of opinion amongst the ācāryas is not with respect to the dharma portion of the work but with the aspects pertaining to philosophy or tattva – the nature of reality. The reason is that the philosophical aspects deal with the final questions about the nature of mokṣa. The ācāryas greatly developed the topic of philosophical inquiry and extensively discussed the exalted condition or state of the jīva. This resulted in the Gītā being thought of as mainly dealing with mokṣa and that the question of dharma was subsidiary to it. That is not quite correct. For common people, practice or the application of dharma is primary.

There is yet another reason. Śruti (Vedas), Smṛti, Purāṇas, and Itihāsas as well as long-standing traditions have the same opinion about dharma. Dharma is principally an external practice. Therefore, authority or testimony, conclusion, what is right and what is not – are all topics available to most people. It is easier to achieve unanimity in this regard. Because it is clearly observable in the world, there is not much dissent in the matter. Mokṣa, however, is an internal state wherein external testimony is insufficient. While the opinions of the world have achieved near unanimity vis-à-vis dharma, the same has not been achievable when it comes to jīvātman and paramātman. It is not possible either. There is scope for debate and analysis in this regard. It is possible for one to analyse or critique another’s theory. With the growth of polemical works, the focus has been more on tattva and mokṣa, which has distracted people from the practice of dharma.

The Position of Tarka (Logical Reasoning)

There are hundreds of commentaries and glosses on the Bhagavad-Gītā. As far as we know, it is the commentary of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya that is the oldest. He gave more attention to tattva and so his adversaries had to follow suit. We need to understand why Śrī Śaṅkarācārya gave more importance to the philosophical portion.

Śrī Śaṅkarācārya set forth to establish pristine Vedānta by showing the defects in the philosophical schools of his day. The three main rival schools were – 1. Buddhism, 2. The Doctrine of Karma, and 3. Sāṅkhya.

Buddhism was non-Vedic and had four sub-schools. We don’t need to delve into their details now. Suffice it to say that they did not accept the Divine principle.

The Doctrine of Karma, propounded by Kumārila and others of the Pūrva-mīmāṃsā school, holds that the karma portion of the Vedas is the primary one and that yajñas and other Vedic rituals comprised dharma, which resulted in the final human goal. The third group—Sāṅkhya—is also a Vedic philosophy. They held that there were numerous fundamental constituents of the universe and the relation between cause and effect is established via two principles known as prakṛti and puruṣa.

These three schools of philosophy were in vogue during Śrī Śaṅkara’s time. All the three were philosophical in nature. It was then the duty of Śrī Śaṅkara to refute these three schools and establish his own school of philosophy of the One Self through testimony and reasoning. Therefore we find analyses of philosophy and examinations and refutations of reasoning in his works. As a result, those that came after him had to further develop dialectical approaches in their works. Due to historical factors and development of various philosophical schools, commentaries on the Gītā have concentrated more on tarka while the aspect of dharma was sidelined. I feel that an abundance of tarka is unnecessary in our times and that the benefit from hashing out the same issues repeatedly is probably less than looking at the work from a contemporary perspective. I do not deny the commentaries of our ancient teachers. Those commentaries show us the way. We need them. Without them, we might lose our way. But we need a present-day viewpoint as well. There will not be any contradiction to existing schools of thought. Our thought has to be harmonised with that of our ancients. That is the way of progress. The history of man has to flow unimpeded and unbroken like the flow of the Gaṅgā and other great rivers. Our new thoughts and interpretations have to similarly continue from that of our predecessors.

[[The Puruṣārthas and the Self Source: prekshaa]]

Puruṣārtha

Man is a bag of desires. His life is a river of ceaseless likes and dislikes. Whatever he desires and whatever goals he attempts to attain have all together been termed by our ancestors as puruṣārthas.

There are four puruṣārthas –

1. Dharma (good works, virtue, sustenance, global ethic)

2. Artha (wealth, means to fulfill desires)

3. Kāma (desire, enjoyment)

4. Mokṣa (liberation).

Kāma and Artha are first desired by all. Both of these are born of an impulse from Nature. Dharma, however, is achievable through the individual’s discernment.

The uses of artha are twofold – 1. Dharma and 2. Kāma. Wealth has to be earned without violating dharma and has to be used for giving to the deserving and to help society. Artha then becomes a means to attain dharma.

Dharma has to partially follow Nature as well as oppose it. But mokṣa has to be achieved by completely transcending Nature. One end of human life is kāma that is completely subservient to Nature. The other end is mokṣa that is beyond Nature. Dharma then is the human endeavour to ascend from the bottom to the top. Dharma is special in that it is good work that yields double results. One is the fruit of pleasure the other is that of well-being. Dharma can pull us out of the web of Nature for a moment, bring down our selfishness and ego, turn our minds towards the Supreme, and prepare us for the world. This refinement of the jīva is the fruit of well-being. While dharma can take us on the path to progress, it could cause regress as well. Yajña, dāna, tapas, and others are ways of worshipping the devas. Pleased with us, the devatās give us what we desire. That is the fruit of pleasure. There is intoxication in the wine of this fruit. Just as tasty food eaten without considerations of limit can cause indigestion and thereby disease, the boons we desire can delude us and pull us down to error. Is this not the story of Rāvaṇa and other rākṣasas? They obtained boons from their tapas and misused them. It is not easy to find one who, by means of thought, knows what befits him, what benefits his nature. When we attain desired pleasures, we forget ourselves in the intoxication of their enjoyment. That can make us negligent. We begin to hanker after another pleasure when what we have is not enough. It could motivate us to do wrong. When that pleasure ends, we covet after yet another. It could lead us astray. Thus, the fruit of pleasure from the practice of dharma could be enjoyable at first but end in sorrow; which means that dharma, by its giving of fruit, could enable its rival puruṣārtha through a flourish of kāma and coveting after artha.

The Composition of Human Nature

An important consideration here is the composition of human nature. The three guṇas of sattva, rajas, and tamas are found mixed in unequal proportions. The results of dharma are dependent upon the doer’s proportion of these guṇas. For what goal does man perform dharma? To what specific dharma among the numerous forms of dharma is he attracted? The fruit of dharma depends on the answers to these questions.

Man’s inclination towards artha or kāma stems from different proportions of these three guṇas. From those inclinations arise dharma and its opposite, adharma. From dharma and adharma emerge the fruits of the activity or otherwise. From the fruits again arise avarice and delusion, which result in the increase or decrease of the guṇa-proportions. A shift in *guṇa-*proportions further causes a change in human nature, dharma, adharma, and the succession of results and the cycle continues. This is saṃsāra or worldly existence.

The Means to Attain the Supreme Self

Mokṣa is beyond this causal chain of transformation. It is the transcendence of activity by being rid of desire. The activity of the liberated one is known as adhi-dharma, which is beyond the fruits of dharma and adharma. Saṃsāra is not a burden to the liberated but rather a līlā, an effortless pastime, which implies that saṃsāra becomes light, as if it does not exist.

When the practice of dharma becomes easy, when dharma happens without exertion, and when it occurs as naturally and involuntarily as breathing – thence begins the conduct of adhi-dharma. That is the liberated state. Therefore all our effort has to be in the performance of dharma. The riddle of life is completely embedded in the question of dharma.

kiṃ karma kim-akarmeti kavayo’py-atra mohitāḥ। (BG 4.16)

“Even the most intelligent become foolish when it comes to what is to be done and what is not to be done,” declares Śrīkṛṣṇa himself. Dharma has to nourish the attachment to desire and wealth as well as restrain it. When should the nourishment stop? When should the restraint begin? Our difficulty is in determining this boundary.

Nature stands behind attachment to desire and wealth as support. She excites the sense organs, causes a preponderance of selfish desire, and erases discernment. There is yet another power of confusion that joins her – our past karma. There is no guarantee of a result regardless of how bravely we fight without losing our sense of discrimination, no guarantee of absolute freedom from danger either. Waves of accidents hit so many lives. Obstacles and dangers occur unexpectedly like typhoons and earthquakes. Just as pre-ordained favourable karma envelops us with the fuzzy lustre of delusion, ill-luck covers us with a shroud of darkness. How can we glimpse dharma when our eyes are hazy with sorrows and crises?

Just as there is no limit to the creative faculty of Nature, there is no limit to human misfortune either. She conjures up dainty delicacies and new games. But man is tortured by ever new hungers and pains. On one side are fresh desires while on the other side are old deeds. Enmeshed between the two, the jīva finds it necessary to concentrate on an entirely different means towards well-being. Dharma has to nourish fresh desires, educate, stand up human effort and uplift the jīva. By stating

gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ॥ (BG 4.17)

Bhagavān illustrates the knotty nature of the dharma-riddle. The duty of dharma is to reconcile a jīva’s ancient residue of karma with its current desires and future well-being. Among these three, the one that must gain the upper hand is future well-being, which is the way of attaining the Divine.

[[The Great Instruction of the Gītā Source: prekshaa]]

The Yoga of Life

The Bhagavad-gītā establishes and illustrates these three problems of life on a philosophical foundation. There is a place for kāma, a place for artha, a place for dharma, and a place for mokṣa. How is it possible to establish the suitability of attaining one of these four? What are the rules for each of the four puruṣārthas? How are those four courses to be adjusted to ensure that they do not hamper one another? Indicating the answers to these questions through an elucidation of the nature of worldly life and core principles is the scripture of the Gītā. It shows the path for men and women to elevate their lives according to their mental preparations, their intellectual capabilities, and their circumstances. Therefore it is but apt to call the Gītā a ‘Samyag-jīvana-śāstra’ (‘Scripture of a Good Life’) or ‘Jīvana-yoga-śāstra’ (‘Scripture of Life-Yoga’).

The Great Instruction

The great teaching of the Gītā is Respect for Life. Life is a play of Brahman, the Supreme Consciousness. Be it any animal, its inner state has an element of the power of the Supreme Brahman. It is our duty to realize this and perform our life’s work with faith and efficiency. We should not belittle Life by deeming it insignificant. Life is an opportunity to obtain the best. It is a great duty and therefore worthy of our worship and service. One should engage in one’s own dharma with a pure mind and a faith for the Absolute. A life well-led is a life spent in the worship of the Divine.

The Yoga of the Full Life

It is an article of belief of our ancestors that the Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of all the Vedas and Vedānta. That the Gītā too is an Upaniṣad is an object of faith and tradition.

“Śrīmad-bhagavad-gītāsu upaniṣatsu…” goes the description.

“Sarvopaniṣado gāvaḥ… dugdhaṃ gītāmṛtam mahat…” is another description that states that the Gītā is an Upaniṣad.

It seems proper to say that the Vedas and the Upaniṣads (known as Vedānta) have found reconcilement in the Bhagavad-gītā. The non-Upaniṣad portions of the Vedas – i.e., the Saṃhitā and the Brāhmaṇa portions deal especially with the worship of devatās. The Upaniṣads focus on the principle of ātman or the Self. The Gītā integrates the path of worship of the Vedic karma portion with the philosophical inquiry that is found in the jñāna portions of the Veda. The Good Life is not a ‘point’-like concept; it is like a ‘line’ that comprises a multitude of points. It is not of a ‘point in time’ or a single moment but of a ‘period of time’ comprising innumerable moments. There is scope in it for worship of devatās through yajña, dāna, and tapas. There is opportunity for worldly duty in the form of personal as well as societal works. There is room for philosophical contemplation via meditation on the Self.

The Bhagavad-gītā demonstrates that each of the following three – 1. Worship of devatās, 2. Life in the world, and 3. Meditation on the nature of the Self – are connected to one another, and that each of them have a definite position in the Good Life and that they have to be comprehended in an integrated, holistic form.

Thus a great benefit for us from the Bhagavad-gītā is the vision of an Integrated Good Life for all of humankind except perhaps the pure atheist. The vision of the Gītā is such that it is acceptable to not just those Hindus who believe in the testimony of śruti and smṛti but also to those Parsis, Muslims, Christians, and those of other faiths without religious contradiction. ¹⁷ Its teaching is not against rationality in any portion. There is no religious dogmatism or heterodoxy or intolerance towards other opinions in the Gītā.

tad-viddhi… paripraśnena…॥ (BG 4.34)
[Learn that… by sincere questioning and enquiry…]

vimṛśyaitad-aśeṣeṇa…॥ (BG 18.63)
[Having reflected upon this without leaving anything unexamined…]

Thus the Gītā does require reasoning. It is reliant upon the Veda only when it comes to supra-sensory reality. For the Truth that is not available via direct perception or the Truth that although experienced as one’s own Self is inconceivable, there is no other resort for us than the Veda. In such an unavoidable situation, though the Gītā quotes from the Veda, it could still be considered a hypothesis that needs further reasoning.

Logic or reasoning is about something known. There is no ground for logic in a void that is bereft of any experienced object. A statement about something that provides matter for logical reasoning is a ‘hypothesis.’ It could be a positive or negative statement but should convey a definite opinion. When we encounter such a hypothesis, we consider it from different perspectives and ask different questions. We discuss it with our experience and reasoning. If that statement stands scrutiny of all these examinations, it becomes a principle. The Gītā’s statements about Reality stand unshaken even after many such analyses. That is why the Gītā is considered an authority. All those questions that are born either of the intellect or out of experience can be answered by the Gītā.

The statement of the scholar Theodore Goldstucker that Hinduism is like an ocean can be applied to the Gītā as well. Young children feel happy when they look at the ocean. They play with the sand on its beaches. They dance with joy when they see the variegated conches and shells. They are amazed by the ceaseless play of the waves. Adults experience pleasure by splashing waves on one another. They expand their sight to the horizon and become contemplative. They desire to voyage on it in boats and ships. They stretch their bodies to take in the ocean breeze. This is about common people. Brave seafarers immerse in the mass of water and bring up pearls, jade, and jewels. Sanātana-dharma is also like that. From the devotees of village deities such as Māramma and Gaṅgamma, from those that sacrifice chicken and male buffaloes to those savants who realize the Impersonal and Formless Truth, people of all classes, all kinds, and all levels of capabilities are provided—by the Bhagavad-gītā—the satisfaction of bettering their self according to their mental and intellectual capabilities.

The Gītā offers a meaningful and holistic vision of life. It has considered every aspect of human life without ignoring anything. It has analysed every facet of human nature without overlooking it. It has addressed the welfare of human beings of all possible levels of worth without giving up on them. It is an all-round, all-capable set of principles. It is harmonious in its essence without any inconsistency. None should feel disheartened if he could not find an answer to his question. He should reflect upon the statements of the Gītā again and again. This becomes possible when the entire text is in his memory. The problem that arises in one part of the text finds a solution in another part. Any deficiency seen is not in the work but in one’s study of it. He must reflect upon it repeatedly. Reflection with patience and mindfulness is required. As he discusses the work within himself, and resolves every issue that arises, facets that were not apparent from the beginning become manifest and solve his doubts. Such constant contemplation is possible only for someone endowed with śraddhā.

śraddhāvān labhate jñānam॥ (BG 4.39)
[The sincere one endowed with dedication attains wisdom]

yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ॥ (BG 17.3)
[A man is what his śraddhā is]

śraddhā hi paramā gatiḥ॥
[Dedication—śraddhā—is the highest state]

The one without śraddhā cannot escape mental delusion. The Gītā is an elucidation of the philosophy of jagat, jīva, and īśvara that is complete, consistent, and harmonious all over. Venturing near the Gītā without śraddhā is like entering a temple when unclean – it is an effort in vain.

If the essence of the Gītā has to be conveyed to a person of faith, it could be done so through this proclamation of the Īśopaniṣad –

kurvann-eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣecchatagṃ samāḥ॥
[Doing your karma here, desire to live for a hundred years!]

Which means that life is not evil. One should not wish to abandon it but face the difficulties in it and fight them bravely. This is the teaching of the Gītā.

tasmād-yudhyasva bhārata॥ (BG 2.18)
[Therefore, fight, O descendent of Bharata!]

yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ॥ (BG 3.30)
[Engage in war, having abandoned your mental fever!]

yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe॥ (BG 11.34)
[Fight the war! You will be victorious on the battlefield!]

ಮರಳಿನಲಿ ಗಾಳಿ ಬರೆಯುವ ।
ಬರಿಬೊಂಬೆಯ ನರನದಲ್ಲವೆನೆ ಬಾಳ್ಕೆಯದೇನ್ ।।
ಗುರಿಯೇನರ್ಥವದೇನಿದ-
ನರುಹುವನೀ ಗೀತೆಯೊಳ್ ಜಗದ್ಗುರು ಕೃಷ್ಣಮ್ ।। ೧ ।।

If man is not a mere doll drawn
by the wind in the sand, what then is life?
What is its aim? What does it mean?
These are answered in the Gītā by Kṛṣṇa, the Universal Teacher!

ದಿನದಿನಮುಮಧರ್ಮಂ ಪೊಸ- ।
ದಣಕಿಪ್ಪುದು ಪುರುಷನಂ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಜಮನಾತ್ಮಮ್ ।।
ಅನಹಂಕೃತಿಯಿಂದೆದುರಿಪ-
ರಣಧೀರತೆಯಿಂದಲಹುದು ಜನ್ಮಂ ಸಫಲಮ್ ।। ೨ ।।

Born of Nature, this not-Self, this new Adharma
mocks humans every day!
One’s life is blessed by facing it
without Ego and with courage befitting a battle!

ಯುಧ್ಯಸ್ವ ಧರ್ಮಪಕ್ಷದಿ ।
ಶುದ್ಧಾಂತಃಕರಣನಾಗಿ ಪಾಪವ ಬಡಿಯಲ್ ।।
ಸಿದ್ಧಂ ನಿಲ್ವುದೆ ವಿಜಯಂ ।
ಸದ್ಧರ್ಮೋದ್ಯೋಗದಿಂದೆ ಜನ್ಮಂ ಸಫಲಮ್ ।। ೩ ।।

Fight thou on the side of dharma,
being of pure mind, to kill pāpa
Victory will stand achieved!
One’s life is blessed by the proper application of dharma.

ಜೀವನದೊಳಿಟ್ಟ ಗೌರವ-
ಭಾವಮೆ ಜನಧರ್ಮಮೂಲಬಲಮೀಶ್ವರಲೀ-।।
ಲಾವಿಭವಾಂಶಮೆ ಜೀವಂ ।
ದೈವಿಕಮದು ಪಾಶವಿಕಮದೆನಿಸಲಧರ್ಮಮ್ ।। ೪ ।।

Respect towards Life
is the fundamental strength of people’s dharma
The jīva is an aspect of the rich play of īśvara – It is Divine
If it feels beastly, then it is not dharma

ಮೃಗದೈವಮಿಶ್ರಣಂ ನರ-
ನಗಣಿತ ಕುಕ್ಷಿಗಳ ಪೊತ್ತ ಚಿಚ್ಚಕ್ಷುವವನ್ ।।
ಮೃಗದ ಕ್ಷುತ್ತಿಳಿಯುತಿರಲ್ ।
ಪ್ರಗತಿಯವಂಗಕ್ಕುಮಾತ್ಮದುನ್ನತಿಪಥದೊಳ್ ।। ೫ ।।

Man is a mix of the beast and the Divine
He is one bearing infinite stomachs but his eye is consciousness!
Knowing the hunger of the animal
his progress is on the path of Self-upliftment!

ತಿಳಿದಾವುದಿರಲ್ ಬಾಳ್ವೆಯ ।
ತಲೆಪೊತ್ತಿಹ ಶಿಲೆಯ ಹೊರೆಯ ಹೂದೊಡವಹುದೋ ।।
ಕಲೆಯನದನಂದು ಪಾರ್ಥಂ-
ಗೊಲವಿಂ ಕಲಿಸಿದನೆ ನಮಗೆ ಗುರುವಕ್ಕೆಂದುಮ್ ।। ೬ ।।

Instead of a rock-like burden,
life becomes akin to a flower
when one knows that art
He taught that to Pārtha with love
and became the guru to us all!

ಮಾನುಷ್ಯಲೀಲಾರಸಿಕನತಿಮಾನುಷವೈಭವಂ ।
ಮಾನುಷಾಸ್ಪೃಷ್ಟಚಿತ್ತೇಜಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣನಿರ್ಕೆಮ್ಮ ಚಿತ್ತದೊಳ್ ।।

Sporting in the play of mortals with a superhuman splendour,
the effulgent consciousness that is unreached by human intellect,
may that Kṛṣṇa reside in our mind!

Thus concludes the Introduction.

[[Chapter 1. Yoga of Inconsiderate Compassion (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Gist

ಭರತಕುಲದುಭಯವಾಹಿನಿ
ಕುರುರಂಗದಿ ಸೇರಿ ಸಮರಶಂಖಂ ಮೊಳಗಲ್ ।
ನರನುತ್ಸಹಿಸದೆ ಕೃಷ್ಣಂ
ಗೊರೆದಂ ತನಗಾದ ಧರ್ಮಸಂಕಟಭಯಮಮ್ ॥

When the two armies of Bharata’s descendants
met at Kurukṣetra, and the war-conch sounded,
Arjuna, having lost his will
told Kṛṣṇa of his fear and doubt about his dharma

Substance

When the armies of the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas gathered at Kurukṣetra, known as dharma-kṣetra—the abode of dharma—Arjuna beheld his elders and relatives in front of him and was overcome with pity. He said that he did not want to enjoy the kingdom that he would obtain by killing his near and dear ones. Thus he became ‘śoka-saṃvigna-mānasaḥ’ – i.e., his mind was agitated by sorrow. He threw his bow and quiver down and told Kṛṣṇa that he would not fight.

Chapter One

Arjuna-viṣāda-yoga (The Yoga of Arjuna’s Distress)

or Prākṛta-kāruṇya-yoga (The Yoga of Inconsiderate Compassion)

The first chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā is a story, not instruction. This story relates the reason for the Gītopadeśa. Since the purport of this work can be easily discerned from its commencement, even though this chapter does not have any teaching, it is portentous of the nature of the instruction that follows. This story is in two parts –

1. The description of the preparation for war and

2. Arjuna’s aversion for fighting.

1. Preparation for War

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the king of Hastināpura*,* asks Sañjaya what his children—the Kauravas—and his brother’s children—the Pāṇḍavas—did.

Replying to that*,* Sañjaya said, “O king, your son Duryodhana saw the preparation of the army of the Pāṇḍavas. He came to Droṇācārya and requested him thus – ‘Venerable Sir, there are many mighty heroes on both sides. Still, the force under Bhīṣma’s command is not enough; the army of the enemy led by Bhīma is adequate. Therefore, you and the heroes on our side may please protect Bhīṣma from all sides.’”

aparyāptaṃ tad-asmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitaṃ।
paryāptaṃ tv-idam-eteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitaṃ॥ (BG 1.10)

…bhīṣmam-evābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi॥ (BG 1.11)

Hadn’t Duryodhana, in the beginning, designated Bhīṣma as the commander of the army? Why did he go to Droṇa instead of Bhīṣma? From his words, it appears that Duryodhana had some doubt in his mind. (1) Did he believe that Bhīṣma was partial towards the Pāṇḍavas, and therefore he might not fight with his full might in the battle? (2) Did he think that Bhīṣma was old and lacked physical strength? (3) Did he consider Bhīma to be more competent, even though Bhīṣma was a mighty warrior? (4) Or, if the above three were not the reasons, did he think that Droṇa was beleaguered by jealousy or anger that he was not chosen to be the commander-in-chief of the army, and try to allay that by flattery? (5) Alternatively, did he deem it profitable to have Droṇācārya’s pride stirred up by indicating that deep inside, his own respect and reliance were more in him, even though he had designated Bhīṣma as the commander-in-chief as a mere formality? Thus, we can think of five or six reasons for this supplication of Droṇā by Duryodhana. Let the reasons be as they may, it is clear that Duryodhana was not without doubt. His mind was wandering because of fear and apprehension. This conjecture becomes established later, in the 19^(th) verse.

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat। (BG 1.19)

The sound from the conches of the Pāṇḍavas tore the hearts of the Kauravas.

As if he guessed at the misgivings in Duryodhana’s mind, Bhīṣma blew his conch loudly with a mighty roar like that of a lion. That was a sign that they were ready for battle. In reply to that, all the commanders sounded their conches.

…śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak॥ (BG 1.18)

This invitation to battle is the first stage of the story.

2. Arjuna’s Reluctance to Fight

When the time to use his weapons had finally arrived, Arjuna requested Kṛṣṇa –

senayor-ubhayor-madhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me’cyuta॥ (BG 1.21)

“O Imperishable One! Please park my chariot between the two armies. With my own eyes, let me see whom I have to fight with – those who are backing the vile Duryodhana!” Kṛṣṇa parked the chariot as requested and asked Arjuna to look at the Kaurava army. When Arjuna did so, he saw that all the warriors on the Kaurava side were his near and dear ones. Men whom he regarded as he did his own father, his preceptors, uncles, brothers, nephews, grandchildren, friends and relatives; they were all his own people. As soon as he saw them, Arjuna felt the gush of affection and attachment specially reserved for one’s own relatives. As soon as the realization that they were worthy of his respect, love, and affection dawned on him, Arjuna’s heart melted. He became limp and broke down; his face fell, his bow slipped from his unsteady hands and his willpower gave way.

etān-na hantum-icchāmi ghnato’pi madhusūdana। (BG 1.35)

“O slayer of Madhu, let them kill me if they want to, I do not want to slay them!” – thus decided Arjuna.

This conduct of Arjuna was unexpected. Arjuna was no fledgling in battle; that was certainly not the first time he saw huge armies. He was a renowned warrior and had won hundreds of wars. He was familiar with the brutality and horrors of battle. Secondly, he also knew that his opponents were his own people. He had not forgotten that elders such as Śalya were deserving of respect and that Duryodhana, Duśśāsana, and others were his cousins. The pity that had not surfaced in him until then arose in him at that very moment. How did that happen?

We must ponder upon this. Our mental speculations about a far-off object, based only on our imagination and hearsay, will all undergo an abrupt sea-change when it comes nearer. We may hear and consider the bereavement of a friend and may think that we have understood its nature; but when we experience the same thing, we think of it as a new calamity and suffer. This is the power of direct experience. The mind is more agitated and frenzied with direct experience, rather than hearing in detail about the same thing. Thus, Arjuna’s experience in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra is an unfamiliar experience for him, in a way.

…hatvā sva-janam-āhave॥ (BG 1.31)

The feeling of ‘sva’ in ‘sva-jana’ (1.28, 31, 37, and 45) became intense when Arjuna saw his elders and relatives. That is the extreme result of his cognizance of the fact that he, himself was now about to fight them. The grim spectacle of his kindred geared up for battle at Kurukṣetra excited the passionate proprietorship of Arjuna.

The present series is a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. The translators wish to express their thanks to Śatāvadhāni R Ganesh for his valuable feedback and to Hari Ravikumar for his astute edits.

[[Chapter 1. Yoga of Inconsiderate Compassion (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

At this point, as an example of the severity of the result of one’s own experience, we can recollect the episode of the blind king Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Vyāsa offered to give him the capability to witness the scenes in the battlefield.

yadi tv-icchasi saṅgrāme draṣṭum-enaṃ viśāmpate।
cakṣur-dadāni te hanta yuddham-etan-niśamaya॥
(Bhīṣma-parva 2.6)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra replied –

na rocaye jñāti-vadhaṃ draṣṭuṃ brahmarṣi-sattama।
yuddham-etat-tv-aśeṣeṇa śṛṇuyāṃ tava tejasā॥
(Bhīṣma-parva 2.7)

I do not want to watch the massacre of kinsmen with my own eyes but I am interested in the war. Therefore, grace me so that I can hear about the occurrences in the war. Acceding to this request, Vyāsa bestowed upon Sañjaya the capability to view the battle from afar and arranged for him to narrate it to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra was Arjuna’s senior. He was older and more experienced. Therefore, he did not want to witness the horrors of the battle with his own eyes. The effect of sight on the mind is more acute than that of hearing. The eyes cannot bear as much as the ears do.

The reasons that Arjuna gave to justify his aversion for war are required to be pondered upon by all those who are desirous of knowing about dharma –

It is not good to kill one’s own relatives. 2. “Na kāṅkṣe vijayam” – I do not desire to win. 3. “Kiṃ no rājyena kiṃ bhogaiḥ” – What is the use of kingdom and enjoyment? 4. “Kiṃ jīvitena” – What is the use of living? 5. “Pāpam-evāśrayedasmān” – We will only accrue sin by this battle. 6. “Lobhopahata-cetasaḥ” – Should we become afflicted by avarice? 7. “Kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṃ dośaṃ” – Corruption that causes the annihilation of the entire clan. 8. “Mitra-drohe ca pātakam” – The pāpa of betraying friends. 9. “Kula-dharmāḥ praṇaśyanti” – The dharma of the entire race will be destroyed. 10. “Dharme naṣṭe adharmo’bhibhavati” – When dharma is destroyed, adharma will dominate. 11. “Praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ” – Virtuous women will also debase themselves. 12. “Jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ” – Different varṇas will mix together. 13. “Saṅkaro narakāyaiva” – This inter-mingling will pave the way to naraka. 14. “Patanti pitaraḥ” – The pitṛs will be dragged down. 15. “Utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś-ca” – The individual dharmas of different jātis and clans will be ruined.

And so on and so forth.

In this list of the evils of war, there is no mention of mokṣa; there is no thirst to know oneself; nor is there a dialogue about human nature. This is what we have to always keep in mind because the Gītā discusses these three key points. Why did they appear in Kṛṣṇa’s answer although they were not present in Arjuna’s question? To know this, we have to completely understand the fundamental parts of Arjuna’s question. The feelings hidden in the above list of Arjuna’s arguments may be divided into four groups –

The necessity of pity 2. Being scared of pāpa 3. Being detached from worldly enjoyment 4. Being rooted in dharma, having deep śraddhā in it

Which of these four can we reject? Haven’t we always been taught that we should practise the above four qualities? What is the deficiency in Arjuna’s argument then? Why did Kṛṣṇa not agree to it?

The first chapter of the Gītā has always been called the ‘Yoga of Arjuna’s despondency.’ True, there is despondency here. But is it the sole subject this chapter deals with? There is a reason behind Arjuna’s despair. There is also a direction to it. We should understand both.

The outcome of Arjuna’s excessive pity was his reluctance to fight. By killing, he would not only lose his loved ones but also invite pāpa. Arjuna also wanted to escape from this pāpa. Is this endorsed by dharma? In a righteous war, is killing adharma? Is there any situation where killing a living being becomes dharma? This has to be deliberated upon. Had Arjuna understood the nature of dharma? Were the doubts he had about the duties of a kṣatriya correct? What is dharma? It becomes necessary to contemplate upon this.

Distress can be caused by anything. It can be caused by the feeling of inadequacy of strength, or by a hesitation that the gods may not be pleased; or by the hopelessness that he may not be a partner to profit in future; or the fear that he himself may be injured or even die. None of these were the reasons for Arjuna’s despair; it was caused by excessive love. Sañjaya describes him thus –

taṃ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭam… (BG 2.1)

Arjuna is completely controlled by his love and pity. Kṛṣṇa’s answer is that his pity is unfounded there. There is no doubt that mercy is a fine quality. But it is acceptable if it is exercised upon a worthy object in a worthy manner, not otherwise.

Pity is a kind of mental alteration. It has to be born, by itself, within us. It does not need outside force or even any influence. As Bhavabhūti said,

vyatiṣajati padārthān-āntaraḥ ko’pi hetur-
na khalu bahir-upādhīn prītayaḥ saṃśrayante।
(Uttara-rāma-carita 6.12)

The thread that binds people together is something that is within their hearts. Love is not based on outward support. That inward object is brought into being by Nature. Just because it is natural, it cannot be concluded that such pity is acceptable or beneficial. Whether something is beneficial or hurtful should be decided only after due contemplation. Arjuna’s pity, in that sense, is not brought about by deliberation. It was an impulse of the moment. Impulse is hasty and is not enough to cultivate belief. Proper consideration and reflection should eliminate the improprieties of the emotion. Emotion thus justified by discrimination becomes acceptable.

Probably with this in mind, Śrī Yāmunācārya calls Arjuna’s pity ‘asthāna-kāruṇya’ – compassion at a wrong time and wrong place. Arjuna’s intemperate and inconsiderate pity can be classified as a sentiment. Sentiment is emotion, or even excessive emotion. The heart when it does not submit itself to being examined by the head becomes agitated, it is sentimental. Bhagavān calls this ‘hṛdaya-daurbalya’ – weakness of the heart. The softer the heart, the shallower it is, the weaker it becomes. We can call it the quagmire of tears. It may be said that this kind of flaccidity and unsteadiness is characteristic of our times.

[[Chapter 1. Yoga of Inconsiderate Compassion (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

It is claimed often that ours is an Age of Science, an era of intellectual superiority. On the one hand, the intellect is mighty but on the other hand, the mind is fragile. Our times despise difficulties. Let nothing be difficult, may everything be easy – a piece of cake – this is today’s mindset.

This starts in our schools. Indian languages have the letters cha, bha, kṣa, hra – who needs these letters? They weary the children.

Let us not chastise students for anything. They have to be reformed by bribes of candy and sweets. Let us spare the rod even if it spoils the child.

Skin exposed to the sun and wind will become rough. Let us keep it covered always.

It is perturbing to be asked to brush one’s teeth before breakfast. Let people eat whenever they want, brush their teeth whenever they want.

Thus flows the river of pity in spate!

Why should one obtain forty out of a hundred marks to pass? It is enough if she manages ten!

There should be a manure shop right next to a shop that sells fine musk. That is equality.

Let the man who has never had a bath in his life rub the body of a man who bathes daily. Isn’t that brotherhood?

If the daughter says that she does not want to marry someone who is not a billionaire, can we ask her to marry a millionaire? If we do force her, what will become of individual freedom?

If there is an unjust conflict between countries, let us prattle about peace and non-violence and not even raise the subject of war. Let our weapons rust even if our hearts simmer.

Why does the Creator give legs to humans? It is because of legs that we have to walk and strain ourselves. Instead of that, let us design a machine in a car that will lift people and seat them within.

Why should the Supreme create horses? Horse-riding is dangerous and fatiguing. Let men fly without the least exertion.

Why do we need snacks like chakli or puḻḻaṅgāyi? They exhaust the teeth. Can we not suck tasty candy instead?

If a debtor does not repay his loans, do not demand that from him! Let him not fear about being jailed. Scaring is torturing. Let us take pity on him and loan him more money.

Let murderers not be afraid of execution. Let us give them asylum with tasty food and warm shelter so that he does not feel any grief.

The police should not incarcerate dacoits and cause them undue hardship. They should beg them to become good citizens.

Workers should forget that they are working and behave as though they are masters. Let the company run into losses, it does not matter. The happiness of the comrades is paramount.

The stone-hearted Rāma sent Sītā to the forest in a cruel manner. Why should we worship him?

The river of pity flows further. This is the weakness of the soul, the fragility of the mind. It is not manliness.

If a human soul has to become strong, it should be ready to face difficulties.

nāyam-ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ…
(Muṇḍakopaniṣad 3.2.4)

A coward cannot grasp dharma. It needs courage and intelligence. The bones of a lazy man are soft; he is not capable of taking on challenges or fighting in wars. He cannot protect dharma.

Only the tāmasika and rājasika qualities of humans cause war, not sāttvika. When sattva is prominent, there is no conflict. Even if there is one, it is resolved quickly. Rajas and tamas do not end like that. They understand the language of the stick, not that of guidance. The predominant trait of Duryodhana and Duśśāsana is tāmasika, not sāttvika. For such rulers guided by their baser instincts, any medicine other than war would be useless. Therefore, there was no means to correct them except stringent punishment.

A great man said, “What is dharma without mercy?” A philosopher said, “What sort of mercy is it, without dharma?” Thus, to aid in the goal of establishing dharma, just as there is a place for mercy, there is also a place for punishment. Courage is the first quality needed in a person who wants to protect dharma. A man who flees without fighting on seeing injustice and adharma is not merciful but is actually encouraging adharma.

This, then, is the mental state of Arjuna. His is not compassion bestowed on people worthy of it but pity shown towards people who are entirely undeserving of it. Bhagavān himself proclaims that one should exercise due discretion whether the recipient is worthy of pity.

deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad-dānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam॥ (BG 17.20)

This philosophy had been forgotten by Arjuna.

Arjuna’s thought was that of pity but the circumstances were not right. Pāyasam is good to eat and digest, not to smear on the body. This discrimination – of finding the right place to do the right thing is the basis of dharma.

That Arjuna’s dejection transformed into pity and detachment shows that his understanding was superior. His dispassion is not that of a coward or a weak person. The dejection of some people transforms itself into rage. In some others, it brings hopelessness and rigidity. Arjuna did not become depressed or angry. His words ‘Kiṃ bhogair-jīvitena vā’ do not have any philosophical curiosity. His mind is uncertain about dharma. That had to be remedied. The reason for the uncertainty was the pity that arose in him.

Like anger, pity is also a mental change. In normal human circumstances, it may be a good sentiment. There is no dharma without mercy, but mercy should not be unrefined. The pity that animals and birds show to their young ones is artless and unrefined. Mother Nature has placed this unthinking inclination in all living organisms. In lower organisms, the purpose of this natural inclination is to nurture the offspring. In humans, if this natural inclination works independently of discrimination it can cause confusion and have adverse consequences. Compassion not tempered by discrimination is unbridled infatuation and delusion – that is partiality; that is the confused view; that is the thorn in the way of justice. Therefore, Bhagavān felt that the juice of compassion that swelled in Arjuna out of his natural inclination had to be filtered by viveka. Mental alterations have to be purified by philosophy – that is the subject of the next chapter.

[[Chapter 1. Yoga of Inconsiderate Compassion (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

The fault of Arjuna’s compassion is not just that it was indiscriminate and unexamined. It was mixed with ego. The self-delusion that he was responsible for deciding the nature of his dharma, that the others were fit for compassion, that the decision to fight the war was out of his own free will (see BG 18.58–59) was included in it.

Among the various forms of human relationship, compassion is indeed great. There are very few people in the world worthy of compassion but dharma applies to the whole world. Therefore, the appropriateness or inappropriateness of compassion has to be examined with due consideration given to dharma. Dharma is a conglomeration of many principles of which compassion is only one. A dhārmic person should consider other relevant principles during his course of action.

Compassion is natural whereas dharma is established by right judgment. The basis of compassion is nature whereas the basis of dharma is philosophical deliberation. Compassion that negates dharma can be disastrous. Therefore, when compassion manifests itself, it is necessary to examine and purify it in the light of philosophy. Thus, a study of the nature of dharma becomes pertinent.

Summary

ರಣಮಘಮೂಲಂ ಪ್ರಿಯಗುರು ।
ಹನನಕರಂ ಲೋಕಧರ್ಮಘಾತಕಮದರಿಂ ॥
ಧನುವಂ ಧರಿಸೆನೆನುತ್ತ।
ರ್ಜುನನಳುತಚ್ಯುತನಿಗೊರೆಯೆ ಮೊದಲಧ್ಯಾಯಂ ॥

War is the root cause of pāpa, causes elders and loved ones
To be killed, destroys the dharma of the world, therefore
I will not bear my bow, said Arjuna
To the Lord – thus finishes the first chapter.

Appendix: Dharma is Multifaceted

Many people think that dharma is a feast of lāḍus and cīroṭis. They do not feel that pepper chutney and ginger pickle are dharma. Arjuna is like them.

He is a good man. His virtues are something we generally praise but we do not know if viveka is part of it. Goodness unaccompanied by viveka cannot yield the intended result. In the feast of a man of discernment, there is a place for pepper rasam, just as there is a place for pāyasam. In the conduct of dharma, just like there is a place for compassion, there is a place for stone-heartedness.

vajrād-api kaṭhorāṇi mṛdūni kusumād-api।
(Uttara-rāma-carita 2.7)

Arjuna had forgotten this. Just as nurturing life is dharma, there can be circumstances where killing also becomes dharma. Just as friendship is dharma, there are also circumstances where war becomes dharma. In the case of Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa, friendship became dharma for Śrīrāma. In the case of Vālī and Rāvaṇa, killing became his dharma.

The essence of dharma is the elevation of the soul. By following dharma, the soul should get trained and should elevate itself to at least a little higher state. The souls of Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa were in a slightly more elevated state than those of Vali and Ravana. The training that they had to undergo had to be done through friendship. Vālī and Rāvaṇa lacked the qualifications to be trained through friendship in their current birth, so it was necessary for them to be reborn to acquire them. Some dirty clothes can be washed and cleaned. Some other dirty clothes cannot even be touched by water – fire is their refuge. The same can be said about bodies. This is the essence of the art and dharma of war.

After Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed, his son Prahlāda beseeched Narasiṃha to grant him salvation. The Supreme One replied –

triḥ-saptabhiḥ pitā pūtaḥ pitṛbhiḥ saha te’nagha। (Bhāgavata-purāṇa 7.10.18)

…pituḥ pūtasya sarvaśaḥ।
madaṅga-sparśanenāṅga-lokān yāsyati suprajāḥ॥ (Bhāgavata-purāṇa 7.10.22)

The touch of the Supreme’s limbs is the panacea that cures the pāpī. Therefore, Bhagavān’s avatāra kills the pāpī, thereby freeing the soul from the prison of vice. This sort of killing, even though it looks cruel at the superficial level, it is not cruelty but compassion when examined subtly. It is the compassion of a wise man – like that of a surgeon.

Dharma has to occasionally take fierce forms – just as the hands of the father who feeds sweets might also have to give a slap. Just as a spank from the father is affection, just as the bitter medicine from the physician is compassion, so also is the war that is waged for the sake of dharma.

Dharma is not just the sound of festive bells, it is also the sound of lions’ roar. The call of dharma is not just for feminine affection but also for masculine brave-hearts. Our people should understand this well. After pepper has finished its job, black gram can take its place. After war has finished its work, compassion and affection can find their places. After the stick of the teacher has worked its magic, the disciple will win prizes. Bhagavān himself has indicated this –

yat-tad-agre viṣam-iva pariṇāme’mṛtopamam। (BG 18.37)

Neem always comes before jaggery.

duḥkham-ity-eva yat-karma kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet। (BG 18.8)

na dveṣṭy-akuśalaṃ karma kuśale nānuṣajvate। (BG 18.10)

We should not give up a job because it is tedious. It should not be avoided just because it is difficult for the body. An activity should not be shunned because it is difficult or disagreeable; neither should it be adhered to because it is delightful.

It is enough if a job is dharma. Whatever it is, it has to be finished – that is the purport of this chapter. It is not right to eye the results, whether they are good or bad, attained or not attained.

Like the Pitāmaha Brahmā, dharma can also be visualized as having four faces. It is said that Brahmā recites the four Vedas through his four mouths. Dharma, with its four mouths, will teach these four duties – (1) nurturing of the ātmā, (2) purification of the ātmā, (3) understanding the true nature of Self, and (4) benevolence towards the world. Among the above, purification of the ātmā is tapas. It cannot be achieved by short-cuts. Like Śiva, it has a terrific form; it performs the fearsome tāṇḍava dance; it drinks the hālāhala. Arjuna’s eyes beheld this fierce form of dharma in front of him at Kurukṣetra. It needed a courageous heart not feminine yearning. It needed virility. That is why Bhagavān’s advice was replete with instructions to be valorous and heroic.

ಮೃದಲಂ ಪುಷ್ಪದವೋಲದೊಮ್ಮೆ ಶಿಲೆವೋಲ್ ಇನ್ನೊಮ್ಮೆ ತಾಂ ನಿಷ್ಠುರಂ ।
ನದಿವೋಲ್ ಧಾರೆಯದೊಮ್ಮೆ ವಂಕಗತಿ ತಾಂ ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಗುಪ್ತಸ್ರವಂ ॥
ಮಧುವೋಲ್ ಸ್ವಾದುವದೊಮ್ಮೆ ಶುಂಠಿವೊಲೆ ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣಂ ಮತ್ತೆ ನೋಡಿಂತು ನೂರ್
ವಿಧ ರೂಪಂಗಳ ತಾಳ್ವುದೀ ಜಗದಿ ಧರ್ಮಂ ಜೀವಭೇದೋಚಿತಂ ॥

Soft as a flower now, hard as a rock then, rigid at another time
Flowing continuously like a river now, meandering then, and then hidden
Sweet as honey now, pungent as ginger then, behold thus, dharma takes
A hundred forms in this world, suited for various souls.

ಮನುಜಾನುಭವಪ್ರಾಜ್ಞನನುಕಂಪಾರ್ದ್ರಲೋಚನಂ
ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಂ ಕ್ಷಮಾಧಾಮಂ ಶರಣ್ಯಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣನಾವಗಂ ॥

One who is cognizant of human experiences, his eyes moist with sympathy
Dark as a cloud, the abode of mercy – he, Kṛṣṇa, is our refuge always.

Thus Concludes Chapter 1.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Gist

ಸ್ಮಿತದಿಂ ಸೌಹೃದವೀಕ್ಷಾ-
ಮೃತದಿಂ ಫಲ್ಗುಣನ ಸಂತವಿಡುತವನುಲಿದಾ
ಮತಿಮೋಹವ ನೀಗುವ ಜೀ-
ವಿತತ್ತ್ವವ ಪಾಡಿದಂ ಜಗದ್ಗುರು ಕೃಷ್ಣಂ ॥ 1 ॥

With a smile and a nectar-like glance of friendship,
the world-teacher, Kṛṣṇa, sang the essence of life,
curing Phalguṇa’s (Arjuna’s) mind delusion
that caused him to utter words of unhappiness.

ಅವಿಚಾರದ ಕೃಪೆಯೇಂ ತ-
ತ್ತ್ವವಿಮರ್ಶಾಧಾರಮಿರದ ಧರ್ಮಾಸ್ಥೆಯದೇಂ
ಸವಿಷಾದ ವಿರಕ್ತಿಯದೇಂ
ನವಕುಸುಮಾಸ್ತರಣಗುಪ್ತಗರ್ತಂ ಸುಖಮೇಂ ॥ 2 ॥

What is compassion that lacks reflection?
What is faith in dharma without the basis of analysis?
What is renunciation if accompanied by sorrow?
Does a pit hidden by a spread of fresh flowers count as pleasure?

ತತ್ತ್ವವ ಸಾಂಖ್ಯಾದ್ಯಾರ್ಷಕ-
ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಂಗಳಿನರುಹಿ ನಿತ್ಯಸರ್ವತ್ರಾತ್ಮ- ॥
ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯನವಿನಶ್ಯತೆಯಂ
ವಿಸ್ತರದಿಂ ಪೇಳಿ ಭಯವ ಕಳೆದಂ ದೇವಂ ॥ 3 ॥

Elucidating the nature of reality
from sāṅkhya and other ancient sciences,
Bhagavān expounded upon the indestructibility of
the eternal and omnipresent Self in detail and
rid Arjuna of his fear.

Substance

Arjuna was unaware of exceptional circumstances wherein violence became imperative and compassion became inappropriate. He did not realize that a limited personal perspective or common public opinion was insufficient to arrive at the right conclusion. He was ignorant of the idea that the determination of one’s dharma required discernment between the Real and the Unreal.

Karma (action) depends upon the performer whereas the fruit of action is dependent on Providence. Excellence or kauśala (skill) is that by which one does not accumulate detriment while performing one’s dharma.

Chapter Two

Sāṅkhya-yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge)

or Tattva-viveka-yoga (The Yoga of Discernment of Reality)

Terminology

There are several words of śāstric terminology in the Gītā such as ātmā, brahman, and prakṛti, which have not been defined or explained. Such words had been in common parlance for ages prior to the Gītā. These terms have come to us from the Vedas and Upaniṣads that are thousands of years older than the Gītā. Therefore, it might not have been necessary for either Vyāsa, Kṛṣṇa, or Arjuna to explain these terms. However, an understanding of these terms is a necessary prerequisite for our study. Let us now comprehend, albeit in brief, some of the most important terms.

1. Adhi-dharma – This word is not found in the Gītā. I do not know if this term has been used in any ancient work. As I deem it to be a necessary term, it has been used in this work.

Dharma can be deliberated upon through six different perspectives:

A. Dharma is the body of obligatory works—both worldly and Vedic—comprising ritual practices, conduct, and restrictions that enables one’s own welfare as well as that of the others.

B. Svadharma is dharma based upon a person’s circumstances, clan, and society. In other words, it is one’s own dharma.

C. Adharma – (i) Something that is not dharma or (ii) Something that is against dharma.

D. Vidharma – (i) Something that is not one’s own dharma or (ii) The dharma of the others.

E. Ubhaya-tāṭasthya (indifference to both) – Being indifferent to both dharma and adharma.

F. Adhi-dharma is one who, though beyond dharma and adharma, follows dhārmic behaviour in society. As he sees his own Self everywhere, he has no friends or foes; or likes and dislikes; and hence free from the touch of pāpa and puṇya. Therefore the adhi-dharma has no need for rules and prohibitions. However, he acts as if he is subject to societal rules and norms and performs worldly activities while free from the fruitful or unfruitful rewards of those actions.

tyaja dharmam-adharmaṃ ca ॥
(Renounce both dharma and adharma)
yena tyajasi tat-tyaja ॥
(Renounce that by which you renounce)
Saṃnyāsopaniṣad 2.17

2. Avidyā – This word is not found in the Gītā but is found in śāstra. Avidyā is the deficiency in human knowledge, not the absence of it. The illumination of the Self is obstructed by the impurities from previous lives. Therefore one is unable to see an illusion as an illusion. This lack of knowledge and its insufficiency is avidyā.

3. Ātmā – This word has several meanings. Let us note a few of them here:

(i) Consciousness accompanying the body – The entity being alluded to when man refers to the word “I” in his mind. This ātmā, referring to itself as “I” (“aham”), “I”, separates itself from the world. This can be referred to as dehātmā or embodied self. The body or deha includes sensory and motor organs, mind, intellect and the vital airs.

(ii) Manas – Ātmā also refers to the mind that is distinct from the body. “Mahātmā” (great soul), “duṣṭātmā” (evil soul) and “pāpātmā” (sinful soul) refer to this definition of the ātmā.

(iii) Jīvātmā – The entity that, while different from the body and mind, illumines and enlivens both. This is referred to as the jīvātmā. The word “jīva” refers to pure consciousness coupled with the body and a few other elements.

(iv) Antarātmā – Pure consciousness without any upādhis (adjuncts). This is also referred to as the kūṭātmā or sūtrātmā. The name sūtrātmā denotes the consciousness that is like the string in a necklace of pearls that is unseen and untouched. It is the inner essence of all beings.

The previous definitions pertained to the individual being.

(v) Paramātmā – Collective existence of the individual consciousness found in all beings. This pervades all creation and gives energy to every being. This is an aspect of para-brahman.

4. Īśvara – State of brahman related to creation, preservation, destruction, and other activities pertaining to the created universe.

5. Ṛta – Natural order in the world. This is seen in the movements of the earth, the planets, the sun, the moon, and other celestial objects as well as in the change of seasons and in the production of offspring. The special distinguishing quality seen in each individual substance is ṛta. Seen this way, ṛta is the seed of dharma. Ṛta is Truth contemplated upon internally, or Reality. It is also the power that makes available the appropriate fruit for karma.

6. Karma or transmigratory karma is of three kinds:

(i) Sañcita – This is the collective set of merits and demerits produced by actions performed across several lives. These are waiting to yield results.

(ii) Āgāmi – Karma that has not yet yielded fruit and will yield fruit later.

(iii) Prārabdha – is a part of the sañcita karma that has begun to yield fruit. In a pile of grain, a few grains would have begun to sprout; prārabdha is such. This prārabdha can be exhausted only by experiencing and enduring it.

Has not the beginningless jīva lived across so many births? The mass of karma that remains after experiencing its fruits is akin to today’s leftover food that came from yesterday’s cooking. This is of three kinds—sañcita, āgāmi, prārabdha—as explained before.

When grains of ragi (or any cereal) are moistened, a few of those grains sprout sooner. Other grains sprout in time. The sprouted ones constitute prārabdha. There are other distinctions in prārabdha – but those are not relevant here.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

Terminology

[Continued]

7. Kāla-Deśa – See Deśa-Kāla.

8. Deśa-Kāla (Space-time) – The ideas of size and duration that emerge in our minds through the experience of various objects and actions. Both deśa and kāla are expressions of the existence of the world. The world is an aggregate of things and actions. The word deśa (or dik - direction) indicates the shape and size of objects in the world and their mutual relationships. The word kāla denotes the actions of the world, the extent of their influence, and the intervals between them. The feeling of deśa-kāla exists wherever the world exists. Where there is no world, deśa-kāla does not exist or it is beyond the Universe. That is Infinite Existence; that is pure existence. Deśa and kāla are but markers of the experience of existence. This topic is extended in the Appendix.

9. Daiva-vidhi (Fate/Destiny) – The Divine order that controls the experience of a jīva. That is the law of ṛta. This is the yarn woven from two threads. One of those threads is the existing individual karma of the jīva. The other is the Universal law for ensuring order in collective existence. These two threads come together to form daiva.

10. Dharma – What sustains i.e., saves and protects, is dharma. The set of activities, worldly actions, and rules that nourishes and exalts life is dharma.

The above ten aspects belong to this world. The mode of living by which a human jīva gives up its adjuncts of body and bodily organs, subsequently attains Divine experience, and goes beyond the world is known as dharma. The system of the world that ensures deliverance for the jīva is dharma, which is applicable to the jīva as long as it is in contact with the three kinds of bodies. Once beyond the jīva state, there is no bond of dharma. (See adhi-dharma)

11. Prakṛti – The power of brahman and is its expressed state, i.e., its external form.

12. Brahman – The root meaning of brahman is big. In the śāstras, it means limitless. That is Infinity. The bounds of time or space do not limit brahman. That is of the form of consciousness. It is impossible to define it completely with words because words belong to the material world. Brahman-consciousness is not just omnipresent in the Universe but is also beyond it. It is even beyond human imagination. This brahman is parabrahman (Supreme brahman). It is also known in human conversation as Paramātmā and Īśvara. (Look at the earlier definition of the word ‘ātmā’). The source of the Universe is brahman and when expressed in the world, it is known as śabala-brahman (brahman endowed with variety) or kārya-brahman (brahman as effect). The manifest brahman is also known as parameśvara (Supreme Lord) because in this state as Īśvara, brahman causes creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe. When beyond the world, brahman is referred to as śuddha-brahman (pure brahman), kāraṇa-brahman (cause brahman) or Para-brahman (Supreme brahman).

These explanations are of a coarse nature. The subtleties in meaning will become clearer as we proceed.

13. Māyā – The thing that, as a result of the incessant interaction amongst the components of the world, rises as a cloud-like layer between the seer [one who is seeing] and the seen [that which is being seen by the seer]. It makes existent objects appear as non-existent and vice-versa. That which masks an existing object is known as āvaraṇa. Making a non-existent thing appear is known as vikṣepa.

The word māyā with its various shades of meaning will be seen in this work.

14. Mūrta-Amūrta (with form-without form) – Of the five primordial elements (Earth, Air, Water, Ether and Light), Earth, Water, and Light are considered to be with form and hence mūrta. Air and Ether do not have a form and are hence amūrta.

Mūrta and amūrta are also used in the sense of sa-deha (with body) and a-deha (without body).

15. Vyakta-Avyakta (manifest-unmanifest) – Vyakta refers to the state in which a thing’s inner qualities are expressed or manifested externally. The world is a manifestation of brahman’s power. Avyakta is the state wherein a thing’s qualities lie unexpressed like a sprout latent within a seed. This is the state of prakṛti before creation.

16. Vyaṣṭi-Samaṣṭi (individual-collective) – Vyaṣṭi refers to the individual level; and is something that can be counted one by one or separately.

When we say ‘rupee’, its hundred different paisas are counted together. The paisas individually count as vyaṣṭi. Samaṣṭi is the integration of different things together. A collection of all vyaṣṭi is known as samaṣṭi. Putting together a hundred different paise to form one rupee is samaṣṭi.

17. Vyākṛta-Avyākṛta (divided-undivided) – Vyākṛta is the state when different parts are seen in a single mass of objects. The state when something is divided or classified into genera (plural of genus) and classes is vyākṛta. Vyākaraṇa (Grammar) means the same. Classifying a whole language into nouns, adjectives, verbs, indeclinables, suffixes, and prefixes and defining the relationships amongst them is vyākaraṇa.

Avyākṛta is the state when a mass remains undifferentiated or undivided.

Mūrta-Amūrta, Vyakta-Avyakta and Vyākṛta-Avyākṛta are three sets of terms used for explaining the process of creation.

18. Sat-Asat (real-unreal) – These words have two or three meanings.

The first meaning.

Sat – Existent, what is created, Truth.

Asat – Non-existent, one without a “real” existence, falsehood.

In this sense of meaning, asat also means mere appearance. Whatever does not exist in reality, i.e., cannot exist by itself and is dependent on something else to be perceived by the eyes, ears, and other organs, however fleetingly, is asat.

A tree is sat; its shadow is asat. Man is sat; his reflection in the mirror is asat. Similarly, brahman is sat, the world is asat. Mithyā (error) is asat. Sat is Truth, reality.

Asat or mithyā (error) does not refer to a void; or complete non-existence; or something imaginary like the horns of a hare. It means that it is an appearance, dream-like.

The second meaning.

Sat – Something that is perceivable. What we know as existent is sat.

Asat – Something that is not perceivable. Whatever is not available to us, even if it exists.

asadvā idamagra āsīt
Aitareyopaniṣad 2.7
(Wasn’t it asat that existed before?)

Asat is imperceptible. In this meaning, asat is also avyakta (unmanifest).

The third meaning.

Sat – What is good; beneficial.

Asat – Not good; bad.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

The Beginning of the Instruction

The second chapter of the Gītā has four main aspects.

The remainder of the first chapter’s topic, i.e. Arjuna’s words of abandoning battle. 2. Propounding the eternal nature of the Self (ātmā) 3. The necessity of performing one’s own dharma 4. The nature of the knower of reality

Let us look at this one by one.

Arjuna’s Wish to Give Up

The story of Arjuna’s depression continues in the first nine verses. When Arjuna dropped his bow and arrows and sat immersed in sorrow, Śrīkṛṣṇa objected. He said, “Arjuna, how did this mental impurity come upon you? This does not befit an ārya. This is not conducive to attain higher realms. This causes infamy. Discard this cowardice. Cast off this lowly weakness of the heart and rise for battle!”

Arjuna replied, “O Kṛṣṇa, how can I bring myself shoot the worshipful Bhīṣma and Droṇa with my arrows? If we, by not killing preceptors, have to subsist on alms, even then, such food obtained from begging is far better than food mixed with their blood. Should we win over our enemies or be won over by them? Which path is better for us? Kṛṣṇa, who are our enemies? Those upon killing whom we do not wish to live! My nature has been overcome by the taint of selfish pity that is the nature of compassion for “me and mine” (kārpaṇya-dōṣōpahata-svabhāvaḥ). I have become confused about what dharma is owing to this self-love. What of a kingdom on earth or the position of Indra in svarga? I do not see anything that can cure me of my sorrow that is drying up all my senses.” He then said,

na yotsye! (BG 2.9)
“I will not fight!”

and sat silently. The first part of the second chapter ends here.

Now, Bhagavān again set forth to give instruction.

aśōcyān-anvaśōcas-tvam (BG 2.11)
“You grieve for those who should not be grieved for!”

What does this mean? Should one not grieve for his preceptors and relatives? Should one become stony-hearted?

It is natural for the heart to melt with compassion. However, in some instances, one should harden his heart. The battle for dharma is such an instance.

War is an occasion that involves several groups of people. Floods, fire accidents, earthquakes, and epidemics are disasters that the Divine imposes to punish groups of people. A single person’s action also affects people other than the doer when it yields results.

kaṛtā kārayitā caiva prerakaś-cānumodakaḥ
(Nitya-nīti 30)
The performer of the action,
one who causes the action to be performer,
the one who urges it, and
the one who approves of it,
[all share equal responsibility
in good and bad deeds]

Individual karma (actions) bear individual fruit; group actions yield group results. Though Duryodhana and his brothers were the main actors in the war, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, Śalya, and others joined forces with them regardless of whether they liked it. The same happened in their rival camp. While a few joined for the cause of dharma, there were others who joined either side for revenge, glory, or other reasons. Death was perilously close to both sides. In this episode of dharma, who were the śocyas (ones to grieve for)? Who were the aśocyas (those who should not be grieved for)? Who? None were to be grieved for. Those who died there were not to be grieved for. Why? Death comes for a few as deliverance from their demerits. For others death results in a better path. Duryodhana, Duśśāsana and others would have continued to commit sinful actions as long as they lived. The seed of impurity had existed in them across lives. They had to be divested of their armour (body) to help them get rid of their pāpa. Death became a means for this. Death in battle was the only way for them to redeem themselves from this situation of pāpa.

Thus death redeems the evil from the clutches of evilness. Therefore it is not necessary to grieve for it.

Even for those who are virtuous, death is helpful. Bhīṣma and Droṇa were great souls and deserved higher worlds. But they had to inhabit earth due to a residue of their karma of previous lives. Once they had exhausted their karma, they would once again become eligible for those higher worlds. Hence for those righteous, death obtained in a war of dharma helps attain heaven and better worlds. Hence sorrow is not proper even in this situation.

When is grieving appropriate, when is it proper? The answer is: Never. It is of course another matter that it cannot be avoided. It cannot be argued that all things that are natural are correct as well. There are so many bodily actions that are natural but undesirable. It is the same with mental actions too. All things natural cannot be accepted. Sorrow upon bereavement is natural. But it is wise to mitigate one’s sorrow after considering the progression of a jīva and the law of nature. Bhagavān now teaches this wisdom through a description of the ātmā that is the essence of the jīva.

The Eternality of the Ātmā

The instruction now begins. Arjuna asks four important questions:

Isn’t violence or killing beings a misdeed? 2. Isn’t compassion our dharma? 3. Shouldn’t selfish desires be discarded? 4. Isn’t dharma the biggest value?

Śrī-kṛṣṇa had to answer these questions.

Arjuna had all the following mental qualities: fear of doing evil, compassion towards beings, selflessness, and faith in dharma, which are accepted by all to be the best of qualities. Did such a man, endowed with such admirable qualities, need instruction? Yes. Because Arjuna possessed those qualities not as results of his own deliberations but because he was impelled by his own natural condition and also by imitating others. All of us are mostly like that. There are a few naturally friendly tendencies within us. We normally refer to that as a “tug at one’s heartstrings.” While that behaviour is devoid of any pretense, we should not consider that feeling to be completely pure. There is quite likely an iota of selfishness or a particle of pride or a piece of egotism that is non-obvious and latent in such behaviour. Friendship becomes pure and wholesome only after this aspect of self-interest is removed after a thorough examination. We learn several behaviours from those around us. We form our opinions through others. Any action or habit or opinion or belief should not be construed as pure or as being conducive to welfare just because it follows popular convention. We should have independently analysed it and understood its good aspects. Thus our behaviours and opinions must be a result of a proper examination.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

It may be apt to recall the maxim of the English philosopher John Stuart Mill. It is not enough if one person forms an opinion or follows a certain set of actions because of faith in the words of others’ words. One should yearn to understand the exact reasons why a certain thing is good through one’s own analysis. Then the thing becomes truly beneficial. A belief that arises from blind faith may not be as fruitful.

The same words are stated by the Vedas that are thousands of years old –

yad-eva vidyayā karoti…
tad-eva vīryavattaraṃ bhavati॥
Chāndogyopaniṣat 1.1.10
(Whatever one does with knowledge, that becomes efficacious)

vijñānaṃ yajñaṃ tanute॥
Taittirīyopaniṣat 2.5
(Knowledge from analysis accomplishes an activity)

Vidyā refers to knowledge – the knowledge of a thing, knowledge that rises from deliberation on cause and effect. The knowledge that is produced from analysis is vijñāna. Action becomes meaningful only when accompanied by knowledge borne out of reasoning and discernment. Arjuna did not possess that clarity of thought. His fear of pāpa was not the result of his own analysis. It was based on what others said. His compassion was because of unrefined mental impressions and it lacked the refinement of analysis. It belonged to the feeling heart, not to the thinking mind. His dispassion similarly lacked consideration. It came from momentary distress and not as a result of discernment between the eternal and the ephemeral. The householder, encountering some disorderly conduct or arrogant behavior in his house, laments, “I will exit all of this and go elsewhere,” or bawls, “Who cares if something happens to me? I can’t deal with all this!” In the next moment, he tries to fix the problem. Arjuna’s feeling of renunciation was like that – a renunciation that was not hardened by discretion but one assumed in a hurry. His tendency towards virtue was of the same kind – one that came from worldly convention and not from a fundamental knowledge of dharma. He agreed that he did not comprehend the true nature of dharma.

pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ॥ (BG 2.7)
(With a mind confused about dharma, I ask you)

When Kṛṣṇa began answering Arjuna’s questions it is evident from the following words that the latter was ridiculed – ‘prahasanniva’ (as if laughing), ‘prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase’ (you seem to speak words of wisdom). Arjuna’s knowledge was born out of confusion and not true wisdom. He uttered weighty words of wisdom such as pāpa, puṇya, vairāgya, dharma – like a scholar. He did not understand anything about the origin of these wise words or their inner meaning or the depth of its meaning. That was what was derided by Bhagavān as ‘seeming words of wisdom.’ Bhagavān’s duty, then, was to disabuse Arjuna of this confusion.

“Arjuna, you are endowed with a keen faith towards dharma. Saying ‘utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś-ca śāśvatāḥ’ (transgressed are the age-old ways of the clans and jātis) – you expressed anxiety and sorrow. Do you, however, know what the duty of your class is? Recall it! Is parroting ‘Dharma, dharma’ the same as knowing its true nature?”

The crux of all of Arjuna’s questions was the matter of the ātmā (the Self). The relationship with the world, compassion, puṇya, pāpa, and dharma – are all matters pertaining to the jīva. As the jīva is a manifestation of the Self, the answers to all other questions become evident only after having known the true nature of the Self. Thus it is imperative to know what the Self is.

Dharma and adharma cannot be determined merely by our natural impulses or by worldly convention. The compassion in Arjuna’s mind was a transformation of the mind that happened naturally rather than arising out of an examined consideration. The opinions he had of puṇya and pāpa were created by what people spoke of and lacked any solid proof or testimony. dharma has to be decided based upon the nature of reality. The nature of reality has to be determined from śāstra (scriptural exposition). The nature of reality is something beyond the empirical and unavailable to the senses. Hence it has to be determined only by the Vedas and other scriptural testimony. Therefore, Bhagavān has declared in the sixteenth chapter –

tasmāccāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te॥ (BG 16.24)
(Therefore, śāstra is your means to knowledge.)

Dharma can be determined only by understanding the nature of reality, which in turn is determined from the śāstras.

Nityānityaviveka – Discernment between Eternal and Non-eternal

We see two kinds of objects in our experiential world.

A few objects constantly change and undergo growth, decline, and other modifications. These are non-eternal. This constitutes the majority of the experienced world. But doesn’t the experienced world exist at least for a little while? From where does its ephemeral existence arise? Doesn’t this experienced world act even in its limited condition? From where does its power of animation arise? Who gave it its form? Who changes it? The root of this power of the world is eternal – Brahman. The sentience that acts behind and inside all objects is Brahman. Thus the experienced universe comprises two substances – the impermanent world and the eternal Brahman.

The world is asat – i.e., lacks an independent existence. Brahman has existence and it is this existence that is the basis of this world.

Now, Bhagavān expounds on the relationship between these two substances because the answer to Arjuna’s question had to originate from this bifurcation of the world into the eternal and the non-eternal. The act of war is related to the non-eternal.

From these words,

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ ।
ubhayor-api dṛṣṭo’ntas-tv-anayos-tattva-darśibhiḥ ॥ (BG 2.16)
“Sat (existence) is not born from Asat (non-existence). What does not exist is not born from what exists. (i.e., the non-existent is never born and the existent never dies). They are the wise who have realized the essence of the existent and the non-existent.”

Did not Arjuna’s doubt arise from his concern over killing sentient beings? Killing is that which makes something non-existent. What is ‘being’ or ‘non-being’? Let us first understand their nature – says Kṛṣṇa. What things are apt to be denoted as ‘existent’ or by the verb ‘is’? Whatever cannot be destroyed and whatever remains unchanged is aptly denoted by the words – ‘sat,’ ‘sattā,’ or ‘satya.’ Such an unchanged and undestroyed thing is Brahman.

avināśi tu tad-viddhi yena sarvam-idaṃ tatam ।
vināśam-avyayasyāsya na kaścit kartum-arhati ॥ (BG 2.17)
“Whatever permeates all of this – understand that to be indestructible. None can destroy this, which has no decline.”
antavanta ime dehāḥ nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ ।
anāśino’prameyasya tasmād-yudhyasva bhārata ॥ (BG 2.18)
“These bodies you see are perishable; however the Principle that nourishes them is eternal; imperishable; and beyond all measure. Arjuna, your arrow and sword cannot harm It. Therefore, arise and fight!”

When the reality is thus, if anyone said that you were a killer and another is killed, that person would be ignorant of reality. There is none killed here and no one is the killer. The Self has no birth or death. It does not have any divisions of time such as the past, present or the future. That is forever immutable.

ajo nityaḥ śāśvato’yaṃ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre॥ (BG 2.20)
Birthless, Eternal, the Ancient One is not killed even if the body is killed.

nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇur-acalo’yaṃ sanātanaḥ॥ (BG 2.24)
(He is Eternal, Omnipresent, Immovable, Firm, Ancient)

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

The Self Cannot be Destroyed

Arjuna, there are two substances in this world – the body and the embodied. The body is a thing that is known directly to everyone. It comprises not only physical organs but also inner organs such as the mind and intellect and also the remnants of karma and vāsanas (latent impressions) that have been accumulated over several lives. These are the characteristics of a jīva. All subtle ingredients other than the Self are aspects of the body. The embodied is the consciousness within the body. That is the Pure Self. The body belongs to the Self. The Self is the Master of the body. The thing to be noted here is that while the body is subject to change, the Self is not. The body can be destroyed but the Self cannot be.

“Arjuna, isn’t your sorrow because you have to kill in battle? What is it that is destroyed when killed? The body or the Self? It is not the embodied Self.”

nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate॥ (BG 2.19)
(He neither kills nor is he killed)
dehī nityam-avadhyo’yam॥ (BG 2.30)
(The embodied one is Eternal and cannot be killed)

“Then whatever is left is the body. Do you weep for that? The body will not survive just because you weep for that. That is bound to die regardless of whatever anyone does.”

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyuḥ॥ (BG 2.27)br>(Death is certain for the one who is born)

“Just as we cast off old clothes and don new ones, the Self that is in jīva-hood discards a body to inhabit another one. Just as man cannot escape the stages of childhood, youth and old age, obtaining a new body through death is an inescapable occurrence.”

tasmād-aparihārye’rthe na tvaṃ śocitum-arhasi॥ (BG 2.27)
(Therefore these two (birth and death) are inevitable. You should not grieve)

“What will result from pining over something that is inevitable? Death will definitely visit all one day without fail. It cannot be avoided through lamentation”.

Bhagavān uses the simile of old garments for the body – ‘vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni.’ This comparison is interesting. The fabric of wearing out garments cannot be strengthened by any means. Discarding them is the only way of dealing with them. Similarly, it is impossible for anybody to clean and purify a decadent body associated with evil qualities, immense greed, and despicable habits. Just as malodour cannot be removed without getting rid of smelly clothes, just as a head with lice-infested hair cannot be cleaned without shaving the head completely, the embodied jīva cannot hope for purity without death freeing it from the body that has been an abode of iniquity for a long time. Therefore, for a jīva inhabiting a body given long to vice, death might be a blessing. For the bearer of a sinful body, demise is release. Hence, death occurring during battle need not be considered wrongful. A diseased person might, out of laziness or lack of strength, insist on remaining in dirty unwashed clothes. His caretakers would compel such a person to get up, clean him, and get him to put on new clothes. Similarly, War releases people from their bodies. Those slain get better vestments upon departure.

Arjuna could ask another question. Let death come when it is inevitable. Why should I be the reason for it? Why should I bear the sin of killing another? The solution is as follows.

Performing One’s Dharma

Every being has a body and a spirit. The ātmā in that state is known as jīva. The jīva has two sides to it. One is the inert body. The other is the conscious Self. Due to its embodied nature, the jīva suffers many hardships in the mundane world. Amidst the push and pull of Nature, karma, and Destiny, the jīva forgets its Self and suffers. When it goes beyond its *jīva-*hood and experiences its own Self, it experiences true bliss. That is mokṣa. If the jīva has to experience its own Self, it has to equip itself with some instructive means. The Self (ātmā) is:

nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuḥ acalo’yaṃ sanātanaḥ। (BG 2.24)
avyakto’yamacintyo’yaṃ avikāryo’yamucyate॥ (BG 2.25)

Thus the ātmā is beyond the universe, different from the universe, beyond comparison and impossible to describe. To see and experience it, the layers of the body and the world have to be stripped and thrown away. Dharma is the means for that.

What is Dharma?

Let us now understand the meaning of the word ‘dharma’ to some extent – this should be helpful in our further study. We have seen this word used several times and this word will be used again in this work. The *Gītā-*treatise (Gītā-śāstra) has been described as ‘Jīvana-dharma-śāstra’ (The science of the dharma of life) already. Bhagavān himself has clarified that dharma is the topic of the Gītā.

ya imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃvādam-āvayoḥ॥ (BG 18.20)

All interpretations of the Gītā are dependent on the meaning of the word dharma. Therefore it is essential to reflect on the meaning of dharma.

First, the meaning of the word. Dharma is something that sustains. ‘Dhāraṇāt dharma ityāhuḥ.’ The discipline that protects everything suitably is dharma. ‘Dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ’ – the set of rules that protects us upon following it is dharma.

In practice, dharma is of three kinds: 1. Characteristic 2. Systemic 3. Compassionate.

1. By characteristic dharma is meant a thing’s natural state of being. Whatever quality makes a thing itself, the expansion of that quality is dharma. Burning is the dharma of fire. To blow is the dharma of the wind. To fly is the dharma of the bird. The dharma of water is to dissipate heat and cool anything it comes in contact with. The dharma of the body is to grow old and decrepit. Likewise are age related rules (vayo-dharma) and seasonal practices (ṛtu-dharma). Whatever ability or quality of a person is useful to society at large, that group of qualities and abilities is that person’s dharma. This can be termed a “value” in English. Whatever quality or characteristic brings value to a certain thing is that thing’s dharma. Thus preserving a thing’s characteristic is dharma.

2. Systemic dharma is that set of rules by following which the natural expression of a being does not hinder another being’s existence or natural expression. The law of mutual non-detriment is justice. It is dharma.

3. Compassionate dharma is love towards other beings. The flowering of the self is developing one’s own life to help all. Affection towards the world is a means towards this. This is what is termed ‘ātmaupamya’ (self-identification) later in the Gītā. That is dharma.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 6) Source: prekshaa]]

Dharma is a word not used just by the vaidikas but also employed reverently by the Buddhists and Jains. The vaidikas have employed this term in different śāstras and as part of different terminologies. Śrī Śaṅkara gives the following meaning:

jagataḥ sthiti-kāraṇam। prāṇināṃ sākṣād-abhyudaya-niḥśreyasa hetuḥ yaḥ sa dharmaḥ…
Śāṅkara-gītā-bhāṣya upodghāta

The system and set of acts that bestows

(i) Welfare upon beings in the world now and

(ii) Salvation in the hereafter

is dharma.

Dharma sustains not only the jīvas but also the universe. The jīva and the world have a mutual relationship. Hence, the body of practices, qualities, rules, and regulations that

1. Suitably ensure that the **jīva’s abilities and qualities do not degrade in contact with the Universe, but on the other hand ensure that they flower and help the world and

2. Also ensure that the Universe is unhindered by its contact with jīvas and benefits the jīva

constitutes dharma.

This is an ancient explanation. The vaiśeṣika-sūtra states thus:

yato’bhyudaya-niḥśreyasa-siddhiḥ sa dharmaḥ ॥
(Vaiśeṣika-sūtra 1.1.2)

Niḥśreyasa refers to the best among the best, the supreme good. What is it that is good? What is well-being? The great sage Āpastamba conveys the quintessence of the Veda and Vedānta in the following words:

ātmā-lābhān-na paraṃ vidyate॥
(Āpastamba-dharma-sūtra 1.8.22)

There is no greater benefit than attaining one’s own Self. This is the highest of all welfare. It was the considered view of our ancients that being established in one’s own Self after experiencing it constituted mokṣa (absolute deliverance).

The Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat [and Chāndogyopaniṣat] states it as follows:

ātmā vā are śrotavyaḥ॥
Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat 2.4.5
(The ātmā has to be heard about)
tarati śokam a ātmāvit॥
Chāndogyopaniṣat 7.1.3
(The knower of the ātmā crosses sorrow)

The Īśāvāsyopaniṣat states:

tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka ekatvam-anupaśyataḥ ॥
Īśāvāsyopaniṣat 7
(Whence delusion? Whence sorrow for the one who sees Unity everywhere?)

All Upaniṣads state the same.

The jīva, enmeshed in the web of māyā (delusion) cast by prakṛti (the primordial power) forgets the Supreme Self in him, and believes that things other than the ātman bring happiness and hankers after those ingredients of pleasure. This hankering after pleasure is saṃsāra. Confusion stems from a desire for the world. Going beyond this error and delusion, experiencing the Self – and the Divine – is a bliss higher than any other external pleasure. The set of qualities and behaviours that ready the jīva for such supreme benefits is dharma. The same has been stated by Yājñavalkya.

ayaṃ tu paramo dharmo yadyogenātmadarśanam ॥
(Yājñavalkyasmṛti 1.8)

All of the above can be collectively stated as follows. There are three main benefits from dharma:

1. Sustenance of the world.
2. Bliss for the jīva
3. Welfare for the jīva.

Beings normally yearn for pleasure at every instant. Pleasure is attainment of the desirable and cessation of the undesirable. But all pleasure is not welfare. All that yields pleasure may not be beneficial. Many dishes are enjoyable whilst on the palate but are otherwise when they are in the stomach. The kind of food that does not cause displeasure to the digestive system while still yielding pleasure to the tongue is wholesome (or hita). Wholesomeness originates from limiting one’s pleasures or moderation. Pleasure is wholesome (or hita) when associated with a method and moderation. The welfare of a jīva is in restraining one’s enjoyment of pleasures while pursuing his desire in such a way that his future course towards the Beyond is unimpeded. The set of rituals, practices and rules that are needed for the welfare of the jīva form the essence of dharma.

The above defines dharma from the perspective of its results. From the perspective of its internal structure, dharma can be defined as the practical observance of objective truth. By truth is meant reality, a situation as is. ‘Tattva’ refers to the same. Tat-tva is a thing’s thingness. Dharma is the adaptation of our behaviour to current circumstances after understanding the true nature of the circumstances.

There is yet another explanation. Dharma is the set of our actions performed with the Supreme Self as witness. The set of actions performed with the conviction that one is answerable to Īśvara for every action done or not done is dharma.

Thus dharma is an essential training or refinement for the jīva. War is another such training ground. For a few kinds of jīvas, because of the bodies they inhabit, death in the battlefield is an essential purification, just as surgery for a few kinds of ailments.

Dharma is therefore the set of behaviours that is based on one’s own self, follows the Truth, and keeps the good of all in view.

Having briefly noted the inner essence of dharma, we need to understand that it assumes myriad forms in action. Just as a blob of gold assumes different forms such as coins or ornaments, the singular principle of dharma functions in different forms according to the capabilities of the individual jīvas and their varied circumstances. Such dharmas can be classified into four main groups:

1. Sādhāraṇa-dharma or nitya-dharma (common or ordinary dharma)
2. Viśeṣa-dharma (dharma in special circumstances)
3. Naimittika-dharma (dharma befitting specific occasions)
4. Āpad-dharma (dharma in extreme situations)

1. Sādhāraṇa-dharma or nitya-dharma - This is decreed for all of humanity. The main characteristics have been enumerated by Manu as follows:

dhṛtiḥ kṣamā damo’steyaṃ śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ
dhīrvidyā satyamakrodhaḥ daśakaṃ dharmalakṣaṇam॥
(Manusmṛti 6.92)

1. Dhṛti - Courage or steadfastness, 2. Kṣamā - Forgiveness, 3. Dama - Controlling the mind, 4. Asteya - Not coveting others’ wealth, 5. Śauca - Purity, 6. Indriyanigraha - Controlling sense organs, 7. Dhī - Intellect, 8. Vidyā - Knowledge, especially that of philosophy, 9. Satyam - Being truthful, 10. Akrodha - Being free of anger.

The above ten are characteristics of dharma. It is imperative for all human beings to cultivate or possess these qualities at all times.

2. Viśeṣa-dharma (Dharma under special circumstances) is of two kinds:

a. Jāti-dharma - is dharma belonging to one’s clan or varṇa or region. Arjuna referred to these when he said, “utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś-ca śāśvatāḥ” - Dharmas belonging to society and one’s own clan, that have existed for time immemorial, will get destroyed.

b. Āśrama-dharma - peṛtains to the initiation, conduct, and rituals peṛtaining to the āśramas of brahmacharya (studenthood), gṛhastha (householderhood), vānaprastha (forest-dweller) and saṃnyāsa (renunciate).

3. Naimittika-dharma is dharma peṛtaining to a goal relevant for a specific duration of time. That is of two kinds:

a. Kāmya - the works (pūjas, vratas, yajñas) performed to achieve one’s personal desires.

b. Śuddhi - are the rites to purify oneself of any impurity or expiation for pāpas committed.

4. Āpad-dharma - When it is not possible to perform any of the above mentioned dharmas due to disease, drought or other calamity, a token of that dharma is maintained. The actions performed to maintain such a token dharma constitute āpad-dharma. Mantra-snāna (ritual bath using mantras) during fever, a brāhmaṇa following agriculture and other occupations during the age of Kali are the common examples. Droṇācharya’s foray into battle can thus be termed āpad-dharma or viśeṣa-dharma. In a story in the Chāndogyopaniṣat, the brāhmaṇa named Uṣasti had become emaciated due to a drought. To maintain his life, Uṣasti took half-eaten cereals from an elephant-driver. For Uṣasti, this became āpad-dharma.

To summarize, the rule of conduct placed upon oneself to neither mar one’s own progress nor be an impediment to others’ pursuits of pleasure and actually help others while achieving one’s own happiness is dharma.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 7) Source: prekshaa]]

Every jīva’s characteristics and circumstances differ from one another. Therefore every one’s dharma is different. Thus everyone has his or her own svadharma.

For a kṣatriya, fighting a war for dharma becomes dharma. Therefore, it was Arjuna’s duty. Not Vyāsa’s. Accepting five husbands became dharma for Draupadī; not for any other woman. It became dharma for Ambikā and Ambālikā to seek offspring from their own brother-in-law; not for other women. Therefore, dharma takes varied forms based on class, capabilities and circumstances of an individual. Hence

dharmasya tattvaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyām — Mahābhārata, Vanaparva 314.119
(The essence of dharma is hidden in secret)

The ascertainment of dharma is possible only via an analysis of reality.

yastarkeṇānusandhatte sa dharmaṃ veda netaraḥ । (Manusmṛti 12.106)
itikartavyatābhāgaṃ mīmāṃsā pūrayiṣyati । (Kumārila’s Bṛhaṭṭīkā)

It is pāpa to slip from one’s own dharma. It is not a pāpa for a kṣatriya to kill during battle; but running away from battle is. What is pāpa? The descent of the jīva towards a worse state. It is thus that Bhagavān said - “Arjuna, look at it from the perspective of a jīva’s welfare. This war is an opportunity for you to fulfill your dharma. Therefore there will be no loss or failure of dharma.

After stating the dharma of one’s own duty, Bhagavān with a doubt as to whether Arjuna understood this deep and Supreme philosophy or with an intention to test Arjuna’s mind states other exhortations for war.

1.The death of kinsmen causes sorrow. However, in this world, the dualities of sorrow/happiness and profit/loss come and go just as winter and summer. They have to be forborne. One should not abandon dharma out of fear for them.

2. This war has happened by chance. Not because you wished for it. Therefore you will not beget any pāpa.

3. Not fighting this war will bring sin upon you.

4. Fleeing from this war will cause infamy.

5. The world will deride you as a coward and bring you disrespect.

6. You will achieve heaven if you die.

7. You will achieve your kingdom if you win. Thus does Śrīkṛṣṇa show many allurements as well as fears. In the Kaṭhopaniśad, when Naciketas prays to Lord Yama for Self-knowledge, the latter tests him by offering him enticements much lower than Self-knowledge such as “I will give you palaces; a wife; a long life-span and riches”. Śrīkṛṣṇa similarly tested Arjuna. In addition to these seven arguments, Śrīkṛṣṇa added these three in another part of the work.

8. The tendency for war is innate to you. You cannot overcome it. Even if you try to control it, it will get you to fight.

9. If you do not desire to fight for your own selfish desires, do it for the welfare of the world.

10. This war is due to the will of the Divine. It will not stop if you do not participate in it. It will definitely happen. Those that you refuse to kill will not stop dying. They have already entered the jaws of death. It will be your loss if you do not fight.

The inevitability of war and the importance of the duty of fighting in one are stated first. Then are expounded the Universality of the Self, steadiness in samādhi and the mental makeup the seeker needs to have while discharging one’s duty.

The Vision of the Universality of the Self

“Arjuna, what you just said are the words you heard from the people of the world. Those are useless. Why don’t you reflect upon the principle of reality with your own intellect? I have told you what the Supreme Principle is - it is of the nature of the Self. That indeed is sāṅkhya (knowledge). Keeping the Self as your foundation, reflect upon the conundrums of life by yourself. When that is done, your fetters of pāpa and puṇya will fall away.

buddhyā yukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi । (BG 2.39)

As long as one is embodied, action is inevitable. dharma too is a karma (action/work) that leads one towards the Self. The natural qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas are mixed into every karma. These three qualities might be present in dharma-related work too. Perform your dharma while going beyond these three qualities i.e., while others do their dharma keeping heaven and other desires in mind, do your dharma without any desire. Your objection that śruti (revealed śāstra) and smṛti (remembered śāstra) teach works with specific results in mind is valid. However, such works are prescribed for those who qualify only for that and cannot reach the next level. The intention of such prescriptions by the śruti is to initially motivate the lower category of seekers to eventually turn them towards the Divine.

yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake ।
tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ॥ (BG 2.46)

Even if there are multitudes of wells, ponds, and tanks in a town, and all of them are full of water, we take only what we need for our cooking, ablutions, drinking or other needs. Not all of it. The same is the case with the teachings of the Vedas and śāstras. There are hundreds of teachings. We can choose only those befitting our eligibility. The śāstric terminology for this eligibility is ‘adhikāra’. The instruction befits one’s adhikāra. All instructions do not apply to all. Of the ten reasons I have stated, act according to the reason that fits you or if they do not suit you, do so from the perspective of the Universal Self that is beyond all desires. Remember the following rule regardless of how you act. You have the right only to perform your duty, not to its results. Effort is under your control; victory and defeat are left to the Divine. (See 18.14). If your mind is not attached to results, the merit or demerit of that work will not attach itself to you. That is Yoga.

karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana ।
mā karmaphalaheturbhūḥ mā te saṅgo’stvakarmaṇi ॥ (BG 2.42)
“You have adhikāra only in performing the work prescribed to you. You have no adhikāra over the results of the work. Do not examine the work’s results and think - “What’s in it for me?”. Do not give up work.”

This is a highly celebrated verse. It is natural for anyone to think about the results whenever they begin work. This question is quite the norm in the case of one’s duty as a citizen. The government is powerful. It could be performing actions that are unjust or dangerous. What is the benefit in opposing it? The government will not swerve from its decision whereas protests and protestors will earn only its ire. Such is the usual argument that most have heard. But this is not what the Gītā teaches. Duty lies in opposing injustice and adharma under all circumstances. Even if the one opposed to evil has to fight all alone without any assistance, he must stand firm to protect that which his Inner self holds to be dharma and destroy that which is opposed to it.

They are slaves who dare not be
In the right with two or three.
“Stanzas on Freedom”, James Russell Lowell

Defeat is not rare for the one who fought for dharma. That is sometimes a daily occurrence. He must not consider external defeats and victories but rejoice in an inner feeling of contentment. It is not possible to deduce how dharmic a certain work is from its result. Dharma does not rest upon results but is independent. Its origin is in the energy of Consciousness in the Self; in the discernment between the Self and the non-Self; in the ardent desire for the elevated state of the Self. Dharma is solely for the betterment of life, not for external achievements. Bhagavān again confirms it thus.

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanañjaya ।
siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate ॥ (BG 2.48)

Not giving any attention towards the results of a work after performing it is yoga. Appearing effortless even during effort, not fatigued even after sweating, being of a contented mind is yoga. That is karma-kauśala or excellence in works.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 8) Source: prekshaa]]

There are several tiers of instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā from the level of “patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyam” (offering a leaf, flower, fruit or water) to the level of nistraiguṇya (being beyond the three qualities). Not all of us can follow these teachings at all times. It is like a library wherein we select what we need. Though there are hundreds of lessons, it is up to us to choose what fits us. One’s itch cannot be relieved by another person. Only the experiencer knows what and where the itch is.

We have to find our respective actions and dharma by ourselves. The objective of karma is cleansing pāpa (sin/effect of evil actions). One should not inquire after its fruits. The fruit is to prepare one’s mind. What comes from doing good work? What accrues from serving one’s parents or loving one’s children? The resultant happiness is its fruit. Karma (action) is dependent on the individual; the results on Providence. Where is our excellence then? It lies in not incurring results - good or evil - even after performing one’s duty. For this to happen, one must be indifferent towards the results. That is yoga and the purport of the statement “yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam." The jñānī (the enlightened one) does not think that he is performing good acts. Good naturally flows from him. Only fragrance emanates from a ball of musk. What is good or bad there? Is it possible to spoil it?

The Self is Non-attached

The jñānī is beyond duals. He is of one form of undivided goodness. Results accrue from actions which in turn happen because of a restriction of Nature or a prescription of dharma. The jñānī reckons thus - “What had to be done has been done. Its fruits will occur accordingly. What if they are sweet? Or bitter? My palate is ready for both”. Those are regarded as “buddhi-yukta” (endowed with wisdom); those who have seen reality in its entirety; those for whom there is no effort of anxiety or curiosity towards good and evil.

buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte ।
tasmād-yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam ॥ (BG 2.50)

The Self is Actioness

Natural instinct and one’s former deeds impel one to perform activity. As long as one feels that he is performing an action and that the results of the said action are his and feels bound to the work, the fruits of activity exist for an individual. If one is of the strong resolve that one’s life is because of the results of former deeds (prārabdha-karma) and that one’s Self is actionless and pure and any activity that will be done will be done solely for dharma and not for its fruit, the noose of karma will not bind him.

…nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate ।
…kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ॥ (BG 2.19)
“The Self does not kill; Nor is It killed. Whom does It maim or kill?”

The Self does not do anything. Whatever is done is by the modifications of the mind and intellect. These changes are impelled by Nature or by the past of the individual. Man’s intellect can establish limits for these. Man’s golden opportunity is in the independence of discernment.

“Did I not say that all works comprise the three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas? These activities could conform to dharma or not. Any activity done without touching these three qualities will not bind you and cause Universal welfare”

traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna ॥ (BG 2.45)

The actions prescribed by the Vedas yield results or fruits. Those desirous of heaven and other rewards perform these works. You perform the same without any desire. Then it becomes “adhi-dharma” (performing dhārmic works even when beyond the dual of dharma and adharma). There are several who might purify their jīva through desireful actions. Others are beyond the prescriptions and proscriptions of śruti and smṛti. Be like those who go beyond the three guṇas. If that is not possible, follow the regular path of the rest and attain the Supreme Goal.

“Arjuna, the need for instruction will cease when your mind goes beyond agitations of infatuation. Which means that the purpose of any instruction is to remove mental confusion and desires. Uttered words are of various kinds. They stir and scatter the mind. If you are not swayed by these words and stay firm, being of one resolve - you will not touched by puṇya and pāpa. It will be possible for you to uncover the secret of Art of Yogic Living: “yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam."

samādhāvacalā buddhiḥ tadā yogam-avāpsyasi ॥ (BG 2.53)

Samādhi is contemplation: keeping the mind equanimous and focusing on the object of meditation. In other words, it is the unwavering mind established in one-pointed concentration.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 9) Source: prekshaa]]

The Characteristics of a Knower

The teaching must have affected Arjuna a wee bit. He asks, “You mentioned about the state of being in samādhi and talked about a sthitaprajña (one of steady wisdom). What are his characteristics? How does he speak?” Bhagavān enumerates the marks of a knower which forms the education of a seeker. The nineteen ślokas from the 54^(th) to 72^(nd) were apparently Mahatma Gandhi’s favourites. These ślokas are useful for contemplation and practice.

Arjuna asks, “O Keśava! How does a person of established wisdom speak? What is the behaviour of one who has his mind in equanimity? What does one of a firm intellect speak about? How is such a person? What does he desire?” (54)

Śrīkṛṣṇa replies, “O Arjuna! When a person, renouncing all mental desires, is content in contemplation upon the Self and Self-experience by and within oneself, he is known as a sthitaprajña.” (55)

“He is not agitated by sorrow and does not hanker after pleasure. Beyond desire, fear and anger, he of a firm mind, is known as a muni.” (56)

“One who is uniformly devoid of desires and is impartial under all circumstances, and is steady without grief or mirth in the face of fortune or misfortune, such a person’s wisdom is said to be firmly established.” (57)

“One who retracts his sense organs from objects that excite them like a tortoise that withdraws its limbs and is able to live without attachment to sense objects, his wisdom is said to be firmly established.” (58)

“If asked, “As the seeker limits his food intake, sense objects move farther from him. Isn’t the taste for objects within the mind?”, the reply is, “Yes. But when the intellect experiences something higher than itself, the taste for sense objects disappears.” [Which means that as the desire to know about the Supreme Self grows, the appetite for sense pleasures wears out] (59)

“Arjuna, even if the intelligent seeker strives to restrain his mind, the sense organs agitate him and forcibly carry away his mind [as it is the nature of the mind to be externally engaged]. These sense organs have to be tamed and the mind should be established in the Supreme Self. He whose sense organs are controlled, his wisdom is said to be firmly established.” (60-61)

“When man remembers sense objects, a relationship between the mind and sense objects is formed. Desire for those objects arises from this memory relationship. [When those desires are opposed] anger is born. From anger arises infatuation that destroys discrimination. Infatuation overturns understanding. Hampered understanding destroys the intellect. The destruction of the intellect ruins the person” (62-63)

“The one who gives up attachment and aversion, separates sense objects from sense organs and controls them while restraining the mind is able to attain tranquillity of the mind i.e., a firm and pure state” (64)

“When his mind attains tranquillity, all of the seeker’s sorrows end. In such a tranquil mind, the intellect is firmly established.” (65)

“The intellect of the one who has not united one’s mind with the Self does not function well. Realisation does not come to such a person. The one who is unrealised will not be at peace. How can one without peace attain happiness?” (66)

“He whose mind is a slave to sense organs will have his intellect snatched away by it just as a boat is carried away by the wind.” (67)

“Therefore, O one with mighty arms! One whose sense organs are separated from sense objects and are restrained has his knowledge well-established.” (68)

“The knower stays awake when it is night for the world. [The knower is careful and conscious of the principle that is unseen by the ignorant ones engaged in worldly pleasures]. When it is day for the beings of the world, it is night for the knower. [i.e., The knower has no interest in those areas that immensely interest mundane people] (69)

“Just as the ocean remains (un)disturbed even after taking in new waters that join it incessantly, desires enter the realised sage. [He, whom desires do not enter thus, attains peace]. The one desirous of more desires does not attain peace.” (70)

“The sage who abandons all desires, does not hanker after pleasures and acts without ego and selfishness, attains peace.” (71)

“O Partha. This is indeed the Brāhmī state i.e., the state of those whose minds experience brahman. Your confusions and delusions will be dispelled if you reach this state. One who is in this state even at the time of death, attains brahmanirvāṇa [unity with brahman]. (72)

Nobody would have thought that attaining the aforesaid qualities is easy by any stretch of the imagination. These qualities are noble and can be attained only after great effort. Such qualities are necessary not just for the Yogi but everyone else as well. It will be good for everyone to remember these qualities frequently. Equanimity, abandoning desire, anger etc., treating fortune and misfortune the same, restraining the sense organs - such qualities ought to be fostered.

This chapter is known as Sāṅkhya-yogaby convention. Sāṅkhya refers to the discernment of the principle of reality. “Khyā prakathane” [khyā refers to description] is the Dhātupāṭha for the root - khyā. Saṅkhyā, khyāti, khyāpana are words from the same root. The one that enumerates reality well is sāṅkhya. The one who has attained the knowledge of reality is known as a Saṅkhyāvān. There is a branch of philosophy propounded by Maharṣi Kapila known as Sāṅkhya. The word meaning of sāṅkhya is the same there as well.

samyag-vivicya khyāyante arthāt prakaṭīkriyante tattvāni prakṛti-puruṣa-padārtha-rūpāṇi yasminstat॥
Gītā-bhāṣyam by Śrī-nīlakaṇṭha 18.13

According to this sāṅkhya school, the Universe is constituted by prakṛti, puruṣa and thirty-two other principles. Since this school differs from vedānta, we will not worry about it here. In our case, sāṅkhya refers to that knowledge that expounds upon the Self - made distinct from the body, jīva (the transmigratory self), jagat (the world) and Īśvara (the Supreme Controller). That is the knowledge of reality. Arjuna’s unrefined mindset had to be refined by this discerned knowledge of reality.

As this intended meaning of sāṅkhya is not currently well-known, it appears that we can rename this chapter “tattva-viveka-yoga” (The Yoga of Discernment of Reality). The gist of the chapter might become clearer to the mind with these words.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 9) Source: prekshaa]]

The principle of the Self decides everything

The teaching of the Gītā begins from the second chapter in which Bhagavān classifies the entire Universe into the body and the embodied, and explains that while the body is subject to modification and destruction, the embodied Self consciousness is immutable, eternal, of one form and without any divisions.

The Self is eternal, omnipresent, immutable, without beginning and end. What is the reason behind delving deep into this principle right at the beginning of the teaching? The answer is that all questions of life can be decided only from the perspective of the Self.

Several aspects have come together into forming a human being - organs of action such as hands and legs; sensory organs such as the eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue; the mental apparatus comprising the psyche, intellect and other components; the remnants of karma that come from previous births, and the debts and relations therein as well as tendencies towards specific activities with merits and demerits; the jīva who experiences pain and pleasure in this multifarious vessel and finally - the Self who is untouched by all this. In this complex of myriad parts, the Self is the only permanent thing while others are subject to growth, contraction, modifications. Therefore, it is our first duty to discern the Self from the non-Self. The Gītā’s essence is that all goals of life and suitability or otherwise of any action in life should be decided from the Self’s perspective. With this it becomes possible to know what results in welfare and what does not. Arjuna’s question was about dharma

pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasammūḍhacetāḥ ॥ (BG 2.7)

Bhagavān’s answer was mostly about mokṣa. This is consistent with the teaching.

“A tree is known by its fruit” - goes the English proverb. Dharma and mokṣa are two parts of the same tree. While dharma is its root, mokṣa is its fruit. So, if a question were to arise whether an act was in consonance with dharma or not, the answer would be to check if it helped attain mokṣa or not. The thoughts we think, the words we utter, and our behaviours constitute dharma only if they help lead us to mokṣa now or later. If not, it is adharma. As such is the relationship between dharma and mokṣa, it became necessary to demonstrate that the instruction given to Arjuna was in fact conducive to the attainment of mokṣa and not unfavourable to it. Therefore, reflection upon the nature of mokṣa became imperative. From this reflection came deliberation upon the Self, jīva, prakṛti, the Supreme Self and the way of worship.

Arjuna needed to understand this distinction. Though his natural unrefined qualities were “good”, his mind underwent delusion as it was not refined by an analysis of reality. He could not come to a firm conclusion. The knowledge of reality is the root of knowledge of dharma. Thence the greatness of this treatise.

ವಸ್ತುಪರೀಕ್ಷಣದಿಂ ಯಾ-
ಥಾರ್ಥ್ಯವ ತಿಳಿವದರೊಳಿಹುದು ಧರ್ಮದ ಬೀಜಂ ।
ಕೃತ್ಯಾಕೃತ್ಯವಿವೇಕಕೆ
ತತ್ತ್ವವ ನೋಡೆಂಬುದು ದ್ವಿತೀಯಾಧ್ಯಾಯಮ್ ॥
Knowledge of reality comes from its analysis.
The seed of dharma lies therein.
For an understanding of what to do and what not to do
look at the principle (underlying it). This is (the gist of) the second chapter.

Appendix 1. What is tattva (Reality) ?

We stated earlier that the determination of what is dharma and what is adharma i.e., deciding what should be done and what should not be done has to be made based on an understanding of tattva (Reality or Truth (lit. the essence of Reality) and not based on our prejudices or existing beliefs. Tattva is the foundation of dharma. What then is tattva?

Tattva (tat + tva) is literally the state of a thing being itself. The quality or characteristic by which a thing is that thing and not something else is the thing’s tattva. The true nature of a thing or a thing’s own innate form is its tattva.

There are two forms of anything in this world. One is its innate or true form. The other is what is seen. The true form is reality or tattva. The appearance is known as pratīti (phenomenal appearance).

The earth is a thing. We see it in various forms as mud, sand, or rocks. This is perception. The earth is seen in pits, mounds, buildings, canals, and other forms. This is perception that is apprehended or experienced by our eyes, hands, and other sensory organs. The state of the earth as-is when sensory perception is excluded is its tattva or reality.

The world and the jīva are objects seen or experienced by our eyes, ears, tongue in myriad ways. This is appearance, not reality. The capacity for knowledge of our sense organs is limited. Therefore, all aspects of a thing may not be felt or known by our eyes and other sense organs. Only a little of it might have been comprehended. Our sense organs might be confused because of disease. It is not uncommon for appearance to be accompanied by such lacunae. Therefore, experience only through sense organs might not constitute the complete truth. Tattva or reality is the complete truth about the thing in question.

The question or tattva under inquiry in the Gītā is that of dharma and adharma. In other words - what kind of relation between the individual (jīva) and the world (jagat) is conducive to welfare? To decide upon this, it becomes imperative to reflect upon the true nature of the world and the individual jīva. Are the world and the individual two different things? What is their relationship? When this is analysed, the answer should include both the individual and the world. This quote from the Muṇḍakopaniṣad defines tattva as follows.

kasminnu vijñāte sarvamidaṃ vijñātaṃ bhavati? Muṇḍakopaniṣad 1.1.3
“What is it upon knowing which all this becomes known?”

A statement expounding a thing’s tattva should be able to answer all questions about the thing.

The one thing knowing which all of what we need to know becomes known is Brahma or ParaBrahma (Supreme Brahma). If we were to understand a bit of the nature of Brahma, it would be possible to satisfactorily answer several questions about the world, Īśvara, jīva and dharma. The fount of knowledge that gives us understanding of Brahma, the origin of everything, is the Veda that states the following about Brahma.

sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma ॥ Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 3.14.1 (All this is Brahma)
satyaṃ jñānamanantaṃ brahma ॥ Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1.1
(Truth, Knowledge and Infinity are Brahma)
ayamātmā brahma ॥ Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 2
(This Self is Brahma)
ātmaivedagṃ sarvam ॥ Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 7.25.2 (All of this is the Self)

The votaries of the Veda take the above statements to be self-evident truths. It would be beneficial even for those who do not believe in the Veda to accept the above as hypotheses. When accepting a few statements (theorems) as truths makes it possible to get consistent and satisfactory answers to the problems under question, and not accepting them leads to no such answers, such statements form a hypothesis.

If Vedic and Vedāntic statements on Brahma were to be accepted, it becomes possible to find sound solutions to all our questions about the jagat, jīva and other topics. Therefore we can accept the Veda as the Great Hypothesis. This is why the Supreme Brahma becomes the fundamental tattva for all inquiries.

What then are the topics relevant to the discussion between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna?

1. Jīva (the individual)

2. Ātmā (the Self)

3. Jagat (the world)

4. Īśvara (the Supreme Ruler/Master)

5. Dharma and adharma.

6. Svarga and naraka

7. Transmigratory existence (Janmāntarya)

8. Mokṣa (final liberation)

The foundational field to answer questions and sub-questions about the preceding eight topics is Brahma. These eight aspects are lessons that expand upon the greatness of Brahma. By knowing the nature, form, intelligence, and greatness of Brahma, it becomes possible to understand the true nature of the world, the individual and dharma. Thus Brahma is the ultimate tattva.

kasminnu vijñāte sarvamidaṃ vijñātaṃ bhavati? - Muṇḍakopaniṣad 1.1.3

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 10) Source: prekshaa]]

Appendix 2. What do we do with our sense organs?

The havoc created by the sense organs repeatedly comes up for discussion. There is no life without sense organs; but no peace of mind with them. How do we deal with them?

indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ । (BG 2.60)

The sense organs disturb the mind, scatter it and take it away. Therefore the sense organs have to be restrained. What does this mean? Should the organs be prevented from functioning? Or since they create a lot of trouble, shouldn’t the sense organs be suppressed and killed?

Not so. Neither is it possible nor is it wise to do that. The sense organs must be won over, not killed. Sense organs must exist but function within limits. Sense organs must function but within bounds. That is exactly what the great ṛṣis prayed for.

bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ
bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ
sthirairaṅgaistuṣṭuvāgṃ sastanūbhiḥ ॥ Śāntipāṭha
O Devas! May we listen to the auspicious with our ears!
O those deserving adoration! May we see the auspicious with our eyes!
May we please them with bodies and firm organs!

āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuśśrotramatho
balamindriyāṇi sarvāṇi ca ॥ Śāntipāṭha
May my limbs, speech, vital airs, eyes and ears and all my organs gain in strength.

It does not befit a rider to dismount his horse because the horse runs hither and thither. He should be seated firmly on his mount. He should be able to rein in the horse and go where he wants to go. The one who knows the use of the reins and the stirrup can keep any horse in his control. The one who has won over his organs is not the same as one whose organs are dead or non-functional. (A jitendriya is not the same as a mṛtendriya). Winning over the senses is not killing them. The senses should endure and be capable but must not yield to evil.

What is the merit in one whose senses are not working? A destitute is a renunciate; A toothless one eats healthy food as he has no choice; a mute observes silence; a weak person has good conduct. These varied innocences are not sound qualities in reality; but are handicaps. It is called restraint when a strong one reins in his strength. It is mercy only when a person capable of delivering punishment restrains himself from doing so. It is virtue, likewise, when capable senses do not hanker after evil.

The sense organs must not lose their ability to grasp and appreciate beauty. They must continue to perceive the finest of details but we must not come under their spell. A sweet-meat vendor knows the finer details and tastes of his own culinary creations quite well. Without this ability, his products will not be able to attract discerning customers. Thus, though being a connoisseur of tastes, he will not succumb to them. If he is infatuated by his own creations, he would have to close shop after eating all of his dishes. A refined palate is imperative for his business; but not dangerous to him.

Similar rules need to apply to our sense organs as well. We should have power over them and not the other way around.

yuktāhāravihārasya ॥ (BG 6.17)

All must exist in moderation.

Appendix 3. The yoga of buddhi

buddhyā yukto…..karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi (BG 2.39)
buddhau śaraṇamanviccha (BG 2.49)
buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte (BG 2.50)

The term buddhi has been used in a special sense in this chapter. Here buddhi does not refer to one of the constituents of the internal organ such as mind, citta, the ego, memory, steadiness (dhṛti) and intention (ākūti). Here buddhi refers to the action of the intellect. It is the discernment of or investigation into reality. The knowledge that results at the end of this discernment is also indicated as buddhi.

Thus, “buddhiyogamupāśritya” means taking recourse to the discernment or investigation into truth. If a seeker has this wisdom, karma performed by him will not bind him as he performs karma only from a transcendental perspective devoid of any selfish desires. There is no ‘me’ or ‘mine’ for a knower of Truth. Where there is no selfishness, there is no touch of pāpa or demerit.

Similarly, there is no puṇya or pāpa incurred for one who, having taken refuge in the Truth, witnesses the Self everywhere, and is free of selfish desires. He is the adhi-dharmi whose characteristics are as follows.

buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte (BG 2.50)
Whoever is buddhiyukta i.e., is yoked with the buddhi - or has comprehended and experienced the Supreme Principle - such a person, being unselfish, is free of both puṇya and pāpa.

This has to be related with the 18th chapter, in the famous verse fragment “sarvadharmān parityajya” (18-66). The dharmas (right actions) are counted among meritorious acts. Such works have associated motives and are accompanied by at least a tinge of self-interest. The knower, having realised the Supreme truth, has no ’I’. The one who has no ’I’ does not paṛtake of any merit or demerit. “jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte” - is free of both good and bad deeds. It is about him that the following is said.

tyaja dharmamadharmaṃ ca…
(Renounce dharma and adharma)
yena tyajasi tattyaja ॥
(Renounce that by which you renounce…)
Sannyāsopaniṣad 2.12

Appendix 4. Titikṣā (Forbearance)

Titikṣā is forbearance or patience or endurance. It is a quality that is much needed in a seeker. If the end goal of human life is the realization of Brahma or the experience of Supreme Godhead, the path towards the goal is of crucial impoṛtance. The practice of seeing the Divine everywhere is the path. Imagine how our behaviour would be if we knew that we were always in the presence of the Divine and that he would constantly be watching us without batting an eyelid. Our lives should be led with such behaviour.

We are models of good behaviour and humility when we meet an important government official or an influential person. What good behaviour and politeness would we exhibit if the Supreme Himself were in front of us! In that situation, there should be no scolding or threatening others, or angry shouting reactions. Our arrogance and ego must be kept in check. That is titikṣā.

mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ । (BG 2.14)
The world associates and dissociates from us. Sense experiences come and go. Our minds should not be swayed by them.

What do we do during sultry summers, wet monsoons, or dew or cold winters? We accept those as seasonal changes and endure them. We do not try to change Nature but adjust to her system. Why do we not have the same attitude with our worldly relationships? Bodily nourishment, growing thin, elation, pain, opulence and poverty, triumph - all of these appear randomly and leave subsequently. They are transient and impermanent. We should not give in to worry for those.

The rival of titikṣā is egotism. ‘My’ convenience, ‘my’ profit, ‘my’ desire, ‘my’ pride - when these ‘me’ and ‘mine’ are on the ascendant, forbearance becomes impossible. “Alas! My work got hampered! My ego is hurt! I did not get what I wanted in time!” - are all examples of the ego in action. These are destructive to the practice of living in Divine Presence.

Titikṣā comes from an understanding of the eternal and the transient.

āgamāpāyino’nityās tans-titikṣhasva bhārata (2-14)

Cold, heat, pain, mirth, debt, money, anxiety and excitement - all of these do not last long. They exist for a while and then disappear. Once wisdom dawns about these ephemeral entities, enduring them becomes easier.

The understanding of this difference between the eternal and the transient is known as a “sense of proportion” which refers to the relative importance of different aspects of a circumstance or an object. It would not be in the fitness of things to pay four or two rupees for something worth three rupees. It would not be prudent to devote a day’s attention to an occurrence of momentary impoṛtance. All of our daily vexations and irritations are caused because of a lack of this “sense of proportion”. We make mountains of molehills; disturb ourselves and others as well.

vivekabhraṣṭānāṃ bhavati vinipātaḥ śatamukhaḥ । (Bhartṛhari nītiśataka 10)

The fall of those lacking wisdom proceeds in a hundred ways.

Titikṣā enables peace of mind. There is no experience of reality without mental peace. Just as it is not possible to see an object clearly in the light of a lamp whose flame is swayed by wind, a disturbed mind is unable to comprehend the truth. Therefore titikṣā is an imperative prerequisite for the seeker of Truth.

[[Ch. 2 Yoga of Discernment of Reality (Part 11) Source: prekshaa]]

Appendix 5. Vyavasāya (Sustained effort)

vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana ॥ (2.41)

Here vyavasāya refers to sustained effort or continuous industry focused on a single goal. That is penance (tapas). A person needs to be of a single-pointed mind to satisfy any immense objective. If, on the other hand, his mind were to vacillate from one side to another every moment, none of his efforts would go very far.

80 or 90 percent of us need to learn this lesson. Multiple objects of this world attract them. But they get fascinated by each one of those attractions and end up without satisfaction in any of them.

When a teacher listens to exquisite music, he thinks - “Ah! What a wretched job I have! If only I were a musician”. The musician longs after the legal profession. The lawyer is interested in medicine. The doctor on the other hand wants to try his hand at business. The same person when listening to the radio in the morning feels - “Aha! If I had learnt music!”. When he sees a civil servant in a cavalcade of cars, he exclaims - “I should have done my IAS!”. When, in the afternoon, he sees rich lawyers depositing money in the bank, he greedily admires the legal profession. When he sees the interminable queue and the fans in a movie theatre the yearning becomes - “Had I been an actor!”. This is the fate of many. They lack respect for what they have but regard what they do not possess very highly. This is a sure path towards spoiling one’s life.

The one who is desirous of leading a meaningful life must first fix up a goal in his mind. With the goal decided, he must pursue it without letting go. He should not get fascinated by everything he sees and lose his mind.

Good in this world is of many a kind. Pleasures are myriad. Tastes are teeming. Attractions are endless. All of them cannot be enjoyed by a single person. He might get to enjoy but a few of them. But he should not give up on his goal because of them. When he gets a whiff of fried snacks from a neighbouring house while on a walk, he must not forget that food must be cooked in his own kitchen. He should not forget that he has his own family when he listens to a pleasant melody from someone’s dwelling. He must forever keep his goal in his sights and constantly strive towards it. Arjuna was a kṣatriya. His chief goal was to protect dharma. If he set that goal aside and thought - “I will be a mendicant. I will campaign for animal welfare. I will be a nurse in a hospital. I will do bhajan in a temple”, it would not be dharma; but a deficiency in it.

When a person wants to set a considered goal, those around him say different things and confuse him. “Oh! What’s in a BA?” - exclaim the neighbours of a family wanting their boy to study for a BA. “Why? Can’t they afford to make him a B.E.?” - object the other neighbours. “You should go in for at least a B.Sc.” - avers the third set of neighbours. The mind dithers.

My friend was building a house. Five or six of us used to walk every morning in front of the construction site. Someone amongst us would proffer a suggestion every single day. One day I said, “The window should have been bigger”. The next day another opined, “The door now looks smaller in proportion to the window”. The third averred, “You should probably tile the roof”. Another continued on another day, “A concrete roofing is better for such a house”. The owner of the house would listen to all these suggestions with a smile. We went there after twenty such days. No suggestion would come forth that day. “Don’t you have any suggestions today?” he asked us beaming. “Whose suggestion should I have followed? If I had followed all your suggestions, even the walls of the house would not have risen” - he finally declared.

bahu-śhākhā hyanantāśhcha buddhayo’vyavasāyinām । (BG 2.41)
The intellects of the faltering are many-branched and endless.

This is the fate of those who do not know their own mind. The individual firms up when the goal is known. This brings repose to the mind. Such a mind becomes capable of achieving the goal. Therefore, if life has to become meaningful, the first undertaking is deciding upon the goal. Once the goal is decided, one must not change directions frequently. One must not give his ears to those on this side and that. Arjuna had done so. He was taken in by others’ words and became confused. Therefore, Bhagavān chided him

“prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase ॥ (BG 2.11) - You utter these words of ‘wisdom’!
śrutivipratipannā te ॥” (BG 2.53) - When your intellect is uncertain because of the words of the śruti that show multiple possibilities.

and corrected him. “Your intellect has lost faith by listening to others words and is agitated”. This is a caution to all of us.

ದುರಿತದ ತನುಪಂಜರಮಂ

ಮುರಿದಲ್ಲದೆ ಜೀವಪಕ್ಷಿಗೂರ್ಧ್ವಸ್ಮರಣಂ

ದೊರೆಕೊಳದು ಧರ್ಮಯುದ್ಧದಿ

ಮರಣಂ ತತ್ತರಣಮದುವೆ ದೈವವಿಧಾನಂ ।। 1

Without breaking the body-cage

of the tendency towards evil,

the jīva-bird will not attain higher progress.

Thus, in the battle for dharma,

death is a path to progress.

That is Divine decree.

ಜಗದಿಂ ತಾನುಂ ತನ್ನಿಂ

ಜಗಮುಂ ಕೆಡದವೊಲಿರುತ್ತಲವರನ್ಯೋನ್ಯಮ್ ।।

ಮಿಗೆ ಸಾಹ್ಯಮಾಗಿ ಜೀವ-

ಪ್ರಗತಿಯ ಗಳಿಪಂತೆ ಬಾಳನಾಳ್ವುದೆ ಧರ್ಮಮ್ ।। 2

This symbiotic synergy that

sustains the jīva and the world

without harming one another (and)

the way of life that helps the world

while ensuring the progress of the jīva

is dharma.

ಇಂದ್ರಿಯದೆ ಜಗಜ್ಜ್ಞಾನಂ

ತಂದ್ರಿತಮಿಂದ್ರಿಯದಿನಪ್ಪುದಾತ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನಂ ।।

ಸಾಂದ್ರವಿವೇಕದಿನಾಳ್ವಂ-

ಗಿಂದ್ರಿಯಮಹುದುಚಿತಭೃತ್ಯನುಭಯಹಿತಾರ್ಥಂ ।। 3

The knowledge of the world is from the senses.

However, Self-knowledge is affected because of these sense organs.

For him who rules with wisdom and discernment,

sense organs become useful servants

and help attain the knowledge of the world and the Self.

ಹಯದಿಂದಿಳಿಯದೆ ತೋತ್ರ-

ಪ್ರಯುಕ್ತಿಯಿಂ ಸುಗಮಗೊಳಿಪ ಪಟುಸಾದಿಯವೋಲ್ ।

ಜಯಿಪುದು ಕೊಲ್ಲದೆ ನಾಮಿಂ-

ದ್ರಿಯಗಳನೊಡೆತನದಿನಿಳಿಯದೂಳಿಗಕೆಂದಂ ।। 4

Just as the skilled horseman makes his path easy with the whip,

without alighting from his horse,

it is prudent to employ sense organs without killing them.

by winning them over.

ನಿಖಿಲಜಗದಸಂಗಂ ಜೀವಲೀಲಾಪ್ರಸಂಗಂ

ವಿಷಯನಿಗಳಭಂಗಂ ಜ್ಞಾತಭೂತಾಂತರಂಗಮ್ ।

ಪ್ರಣಯರಸತರಂಗಂ ಪಾಪತೂಲಸ್ಫುಲಿಂಗಮ್

ಮನುಜಹೃದಯಲಿಂಗಂ ಕೇಶವಂ ಮಂಗಳಾಂಗಮ್ ।।

Unassociated with all the world

the author of this Divine Comedy,

who destroys the fetters of sense objects,

who knows the inner thoughts of beings.

the wave of the rasa of love,

the spark that burns the cotton-rag of sin.

one who resides in the heart of man,

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa) is the epitome of auspiciousness.

Chapter 2 Concludes.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

naranahudu hariyumahuda-
ccariyahudu rahasyamahudu rasikanaliptaṃ।
pariṇata-laukikanumahudu
paripūrṇa-manuṣya-jīvanōjjvala-mukuraṃ॥

He is human and also Hari,
He is wonderful, a secret, a rasika who is unattached,
He is an expert too in the matters of the world
He (Kṛṣṇa) is the glowing mirror to a complete human life.

guruvātaṃ dharmadhuraṃ-
dharanātaṃ rājyataṃtri raṇajayiyātaṃ।
puruṣārtha-sakalanātaṃ
hariyenisidanakhiladātmanakhilātītaṃ॥

He is the Guru, holding up the burden
of dharma, the statesman, victor in wars
He is all of the four puruṣārthas,
named Hari, he is the soul of all beings and still beyond everything.

Note

puṇyāpuṇyasparśaṃ
sannihitaṃ lokakarmadoḻagadu hitamo ।
saṃnyāsade baṃdhapari-
cchinname hitakaramo vihitamāvudu kṛṣṇā ॥

Association with puṇya and pāpa
is common for karma in this world.
With saṃnyāsa, ties are cut off.
Which of these is beneficial, O Kṛṣṇa?

Summary

In a sense, karma has not spared anyone. When we say karma here, only the actions that we perform after due deliberation are to be considered and not natural bodily functions such as breathing. In such actions where a person exerts himself, there is a possibility of pāpa. What is its root cause? Karma is inanimate. Any quality – good or bad – that is attributed to it, is from the doer. A sword is just a lifeless form of iron. Merit or demerit from the sword is accrued because of the mindset of the person who wields it.

Water acquires the colour, smell, and taste of the land on which it flows. Like water, karma is independent, without colour or quality. It is a part of the universal mechanism of life. The more elevated the doer becomes, the purer his karma becomes. Based on who the doer is, the same karma could be virtuous or sinful; or it could be beyond these two, being just a sport of the Self.

Chapter 3 / Section 4

The Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Svadharma-yoga) or Karma-yoga

This chapter deals with the following six topics -

Unavoidability of karma 2. Cooperation amongst all beings 3. Karma without attachment 4. Distinction between karma of the wise and that of an ordinary person 5. Relationship between jñāna and karma 6. Necessity of performing one’s own dharma

Arjuna’s heart mainly harboured these feelings:

Love for his kinsmen 2. Fear of sin 3. Indifference for his own self-interests 4. Reflection on dharma

We feel that these are virtues to be found in good people, not vices. However, ŚrīKṛṣṇa derided Arjuna’s words as base, ignoble, and indicative of his weakness. The reason for this acerbic statement was that Arjuna’s argument was prajñāvāda – mere words of wisdom. Kṛṣṇa’s objection to it was that Arjuna was parroting the words of the wise and not substantiating them by applying his own intellect to any philosophical reasoning. What, then, is the basis for philosophical reflection? For all deliberation about dharma and adharma, the fundamental concept is the study of the ātmā. Therefore it is imperative to understand the true nature of the ātmā. Thinking along those lines, ātmā is indestructible; whereas the body is going to definitely perish. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa said “O Arjuna, what is destroyed if you fight? Only that for which destruction is a natural end. You should not bemoan that. If you ask why you have to fight – fight for kingdom, glory, enjoyment and for a place in svarga. If you feel that you don’t need them, fight for dharma. Take part in this fight for dharma with the spiritual view that it is your sacred duty. Karma that is performed without desire for its fruit and with the attitude of a yogi who has transcended both virtue and vice, will not shackle you”. Hearing Bhagavān speak thus, Arjuna asked “Who is a spiritual yogi? How does he behave in this world?” Bhagavān then described the signs of a sthitaprajña – the calm and equanimous yogi. The sthitaprajña has mastered his sense organs. He is beyond the dualities of love and hate, happiness and sorrow. He does not hanker for anything and is unselfish; his mind is placid – thus Lord Kṛṣṇa described the brāhmī-sthiti – the state of where the mind is firmly established in Brahma.

Then Arjuna said – “Well, Kṛṣṇa, you said that the means to attain brāhmī-sthiti is true knowledge of the Self. If the yoga of the intellect, sāṅkhya-yoga can itself gain me that excellent state, can I not follow that path? Why are dharma and karma required?” The answer to this question is given in the third and fourth chapters.

At this point, it is necessary to clearly understand the meaning of karma. Karma means work. Words in Indian languages such as karma, kārya, kṛti, kṛtya, kartavya, karaṇa, kāraṇa, kriyā, ākāra, vikāra, and prakāra - all spring from the same root. Of these words, the word karma is more prevalent in the terminology of the śāstras. The meanings of this word are many. Let us examine those meanings that are of interest to us.

Firstly, karma is of two kinds: 1. Prākṛta (involuntary or natural) and 2. Svakṛta (voluntary or wilful)

Prākṛta karma is unknowingly performed by an animal without it expending any effort: breathing, blinking, yawning, burping, hunger, sleep, excreting and egesting waste from the body – these bodily functions are natural. Even a jñāni has to go through them. Together, they can be called prāṇa-kriyās, or bodily actions essential to sustain life.

Svakṛta karmas are those that humans perform knowingly. They are of two types – 1. sat-karma (good karma) and 2.duṣ-karma (bad karma). We shall see their detailed descriptions later, in the next sections. For now, let us just have this in mind: karma that uplifts the jīva is satkarma, karma that pushes it down is duṣkarma.

All karma can be classified into three kinds.

1.Karma – Performing what is prescribed

2.Akarma – Not performing what is prescribed, or performing it and behaving as if one has not performed it.

3.Vikarma – Performing what is prescribed in a way it is not supposed to be done.

This classification can be seen in prākṛta karmas also; breathing through the mouth instead of the nose, for instance. But they are not because of human volition.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

Sat-karma itself is dharma. It is of three kinds:

Laukika (pertaining to the world) 2. Vaidika (pertaining to the Vedas) 3. Pāramārthika (pertaining to the ultimate truth)

Laukika dharma is what we commonly follow in the world – bhūtadayā (compassion towards all creatures), sadācāra (virtuous conduct), satya(truth), ahiṃsā(nonviolence), śauca(purity), kṣamā(mercy), dīnavātsalya (tenderness towards the wretched), para-hita-cintana (thinking of others’ well-being), paura-rāṣṭraka-kartavyas (the duties of citizenry) – all these virtuous behaviours and noble qualities are expected of all and accepted by all.

Vaidika dharma is mainly of two types: one is in the form of saṃskāras and the other is in the form of sādhana (performing actions). Saṃskāra refers to rituals such as jātakarma (rituals performed soon after birth), nāmakarana (naming ceremony), upanayana (the ritual that marks the entry into student-hood), vedādhyayana (the study of the Vedas*)*, vivāha (wedding), etc. They purify the jīva by means of mantras and rites sanctioned by the śāstras. Bathing in holy rivers and going on pilgrimages belong in this category.

The Gītā says that sādhana rituals are of three kinds – yajña, dāna, and tapas. All meritorious undertakings can be added here. Under yajña, we can include actions such as worship of deities, devoted service to gurus and elders, and studying the śāstras. In the Gītā, there is the mention of yajñas like dravya-yajña (yajña performed by offering āhuti into the sacred fire), jñāna-yajña (learning something deeply), svādhyāya-yajña (studying something deeply by oneself), dhyāna-yajña (meditation) and so on. Yajña is worship. All work that we do to make others happy is yajña.

Dāna is giving away something that belongs to us to someone who is deserving. There are many kinds of dāna. Before dāna, there should be a feeling of belongingness about the asset that is going to be given away. Later, when the object is given away willingly, when we say “na mama – not mine”, then it is dāna.

Tapas means penance or intense meditation. Being moderate with respect to food and enjoyment; to control the mind and the senses by prayer and study of sacred texts; to teach the mind to understand and practise profound topics: to repeatedly remember, meditate upon and practise a great ideal, a great quality, a great virtue; to constantly strive towards a noble cause – all this is tapas.

Thus, yajña, dāna, and tapas – all three are the instruments to attain something higher. The aforementioned saṃskāras and these instruments follow tradition, according to śāstras. Believers follow the rules laid out for them by their religious sanctions. Fasting during Ramzan for Muslims, penance during Lent for Christians – all these are duties stipulated by their scriptures. Followers of the Veda believe that they yield benefit not only in this world and this life but in other births and other worlds. Indeed, for many acts of worship, the benefit obtained is more in the other world than in this world.

The third is pāramārthika karma. Both laukika and vaidika karmas have associated fruits. Pāramārthika karma does not desire fruit. It is performed without any hunger for reward, with the single view that it is one’s duty, the duty performed to please Paramātmā. Pāramārthika karma is dhārmika and is beyond it as well. From the point of view of usefulness to the world, it is dharma. From the point of view of the doer, it is beyond dharma. Therefore it can be called ‘adhi-dharma’ – something that is over and above and beyond dharma. When Bhagavān said ‘nis-trai-guṇyo bhavārjuna’ this is what he meant. This is how an equanimous person behaves in this world. He performs his dhārmika duties without expecting any reward. Ordinary people perform virtuous deeds out of a desire for worldly pleasures and wealth, or dread of naraka, or longing to attain a place in svarga. In contrast, a pāramārthika person, without any desire or fear or longing, conducts himself with everyone mindful that he is one with the entire universe – ātmaupamyena sarvatra. Sat-karma is natural to him – just as perfume is natural to sandalwood or coolness is natural to the moon. It does not need any effort or exertion; this is the best of best states – the Brāhmī state.

Karma in common parlance can also mean ’the fruit of karma.’ When we say: “He is experiencing his karma,” we imply that he is experiencing the good and bad results of his deeds. Prācīna, prārabdha, prāpti – all these are synonyms for the karma of the past. In the fourth, seventh, and fourteenth chapters, the word karma is used to mean prior deeds, including actions performed during previous births. We shall analyse this interpretation later, as we look at those contexts. The meaning of karma as the fruit of prior deeds is not relevant to us for now.

Arjuna had his doubts. Kṛṣṇa once advised him thus – ’Yuddhāya yujyasva’ – engage in battle for the sake of battle, ’Karmaṇy-evādhikāras-te’ – your right is only to perform karma and ’Kuru karmāṇi’ – perform your karmas. Again he said ’Avaraṃ karma’ – karma is inferior, ’Buddhau śaraṇamanviccha’ – find refuge in buddhi, ’Yogāya yujyasva – be engaged in yoga’. Thus Kṛṣṇa’s instruction was a mixture of two seemingly mutually exclusive things; it looked absurd. Arjuna’s mind was therefore perplexed. He asked Krishna – ”Karma and jñāna – which of these two should I pursue? Please tell me with certainty.”

Kṛṣṇa says: Arjuna, jñāna and karma are not contradictory to each other, they complement each other. Initially, karma is the means for knowledge. Once knowledge is acquired, karma becomes its result. Karma is, anyway, ever present. The jīva cannot escape the stain of karma by only giving up action. Just assuming the state of an ascetic does not bring you knowledge. Then what is meant by “leaving karma”?

na hi kaścit kṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt।
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ॥ BG 3.5

“No one can exist for even a second without performing any kind of karma. Nature herself pushes intrinsic qualities out into the world, holds our hands, and gets work done. When senses are being rankled by worldly objects and are inflaming the mind, hiding this agony inside and showing off a stiff exterior is just hypocrisy. On the contrary, one who controls his senses and makes his limbs perform karma only for the sake of dharma, without caring for any benefit for himself, is a Karma-yogi.”

karmendriyāṇi saṃyamya ya āste manasā smaran।
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate॥ BG 3.6

One who subdues his outward senses but dwells on carnal pleasures in his mind is a hypocrite. He does not know what has to be purified. There is no use of restraining external organs and giving up karma. Bhagavān says:

niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ। BG 3.8

“Perform the karma that is designated for you (niyata-karma). Do whatever has to be done. Performing such karma is better than giving it up altogether.”

Here, the distinction between niyata-karma and aniyata-karma (designated and undesignated karma) is the key. Suppose a family member, old or young, is bedridden at home. Then, suppose there is a bhajan programme in the neighbour’s house, is it niyatam–designated–karma to go and ensconce oneself there? A lot of good deeds are seen in this world. Are they all prescribed for everyone and appropriate for everyone? Is India’s dash to Korea or elsewhere to resolve a dispute justified when the Chinese are marching against us? No. Is there anything to be achieved in your neighbourhood? Where does your responsibility lie? Reflect upon that. It is essential to fulfil duties enjoined by the śāstras after careful thought.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

If we consider the verses between the ninth verse – “yajñārthāt…” and the sixteenth verse – “moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati” as one single meaningful portion, the meaning might be clearer. The style of the text here is a little complex. Two or three metaphors are combined thus: Kāmadhenu (the milch-cow of desire), jīva-cakra (the cycle of jīvas), brahma-cakra (the cycle of brahma). The topics too are knotty. Food, rain, crops, yajñā, distribution of the fruit of labour — thus many ideas are intertwined here. To understand the meaning of this part clearly, the entire section has to be read as a whole.

Here, we should comprehend the word yajña as the act of worship; that act has three aspects. The first is the acceptance of the greatness of that which is going to be worshipped (i.e., a deity). The second is surrendering oneself to the deity as the result of the acceptance of its greatness. The third aspect is sharing the fruit of worship with others. Unless these three perspectives are clearly etched in our minds, it may be difficult to understand the collective meaning of these verses.

Now let us examine the meaning of these verses.

yajñārthāt karmaṇo’nyatra loko’yaṃ karma-bandhanaḥ ।
tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara ॥ (BG 3.9)

“O Arjuna, karma that is not performed with a view that it is a yajña, without completely offering it to the divine binds us to this world. The stratagem to escape this binding is not giving up karma, but performing karma with the feeling that it is a yajña.”

Therefore, perform your prescribed duties without any touch of selfishness; that is, with the view that it is a yajña.

sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā parovāca prajāpatiḥ ।
anena prasaviṣyadhvameṣa vo’stviṣṭakāmadhuk ॥ (BG 3.10)

“Prajapāti created people with the sense of yajña embedded in their hearts, and commanded them thus:
O people, bring out and employ the feeling of yajña which is inherent in your hearts and obtain all you want from it. Yajña is a veritable kāmadhenu (divine cow) bestowed on you.”

devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ ।
parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha ॥ (BG 3.11)

Please the deities of the universe with this yajña. They will please you. Thus may divinities and humans gladden each other and gain supreme welfare.”

[This has been said on behalf of Para-brahma. It is said that there is something greater (paraṃ) than materialistic things that can be granted by deities in this world. The world of Para-brahma is not just more distinguished than this world, but also beyond the worlds of Indra and Sūrya. The deities of the universe are all subservient to Parabrahma.]

iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ ।
tairdattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ॥ (BG 3.12)

“The devas, satisfied by your yajñas, will grant you all you desire. One who does not return their gifts to them by means of dāna, dharma, and benevolent charity and enjoys them alone, is a thief.”

yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ ।
bhuñjate te tvaghaṃ pāpā ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt ॥ (BG 3.13)

Those who enjoy the fruit of yajña, considering it a remnant of the yajña, as a gift from the divine, and treat it as prasāda, will be emancipated from all pāpas. (Within the term bhagavat-prasāda is embedded the indication that it should be shared with others. This meaning becomes clear here). Those who consume it for their own, selfish sake without sharing with others will be eating pāpa. Such a person cooks to fill his own stomach.

Now Jīva-cakra:

annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasaṃbhavaḥ ।
yajñādbhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ ॥ (BG 3.14)

All living beings in the world are born of food. Food is the origin of life. Food is generated by the benevolence of the deity Parjanya. Parjanya becomes benevolent because of yajña, or propitiation of the divine.

Propitiation of divinities is in the form of many laukika and vaidika karmas.

karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣarasamudbhavam ।
tasmāt sarvagataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam ॥ (BG 3.15)

“That karma is fundamentally inspired by Brahma. (We just saw that the inclination to perform karma is present in beings by birth).
That Brahma (here it means Veda) is created by the eternal substance called Para-brahma. Para-brahma is omnipresent. Therefore Brahma is present in the performance of a yajña”. (15)

evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ ।
aghāyuriṃdriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati ॥ (BG 3.16)

“Thus rotates the cycle of Life. The life of one who does not revere it— one who does not follow activities related to the cycle of life starting from the growing of food to realising Para-brahma through worship—is in vain.

It can be said that these eight verses contain the essence of what ordinary people learn from the Gītā. Let us keep the important parts of this teaching in mind.

The universe is not worthless. It is created by Brahma. Therefore, it deserves our devotion and respect. 2. Devas are the powers of Nature that are moving the machine of the universe – Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Sūrya, Pṛthvī, Candra, Parjanya, etc. 3. Yajña is the worship of all these divinities. The worship comprises three emotions – (i) Obedience and respect (ii) Partaking of the results as prasāda, (iii) Distributing the results to the world 4. Obedience here means understanding the laws of Nature and acting according to them, and not attempting to perform deeds that are against nature. The hairs on the body, by nature, hang down. That is its natural direction, anuloma. An attempt to make it stand up is against Nature. That is called pratiloma. 5. Whatever is the fruit obtained from Nature, from the activity of the powers of the universe, however it is, should be accepted with equanimity as a boon from the divine. One should not think – “I earned this”, “This is the fruit of my intellectual prowess”, or “This is self-acquired”. Instead, one should think, “This is not my effort, it is a gift from above.’’ 6. Whatever is thus obtained should be shared with other people of the world. The three meritorious works – tapas, yajña, and dāna are present in the daily tasks of our lives. It is possible for everyone to practise. Tapas is accepting Īśvara’s greatness and giving up one’s ego. Performing wordly tasks using the powers of the universe is yajña. (See the Puruṣa-sūktam.) Not consuming the fruit of the beneficial action oneself, but sharing it with others around him and experiencing happiness by mingling it with their happiness, is dāna.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

Thus, one who leads life in the form of tapas, yajña, and dāna, does not have to hanker after mokṣa. It is readily available. By leading a life that is dedicated to the divine, he climbs above the duality caused by lust and anger. Gradually he will realize that there is something beyond worldly enjoyment and becomes eligible to see the abode of paramātmā. Then is freedom from karmic shackles.

yastvātmaratirēva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ ।
ātmanyēva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṅ na vidyatē ॥ BG 3.17

Kṛṣṇa says, “sahayajñāh prajāh srṣṭvā” (It appears that there is a pāṭhāntara, “sahayajñaih”). It is probably necessary to make sense of this verse by explaining and understanding the inner meanings of expositions of the earlier ācāryas.

It should be noted that there is no mention of division on the basis of region, caste, or clan. By the words “prajāh srṣṭvā”, it is clear that it refers to all humankind. Therefore, this instruction applie to all humans, irrespective of caste or position in life. 2. The temperament of yajña is inherent in the makeup of human nature. It has not entered man from outside. It is not created by someone else’s influence. The inclination towards yajña is one of the innate qualities of humanity. 3. Yajña is worship. An important part of worship is naivedya or oblation. It is also called āhuti or havirbhāga; that itself is upāyana or gift. The common English translation of the word yajña is sacrifice. In essence, ’sacrifice’ also means proper conduct of oneself towards something sacred – that is, start with worship and make an offering. Giving up something that belongs to us for an object worthy of worship – giving up one’s ownership with a sense of reverence is yajña. 4. Is not the purport of the earlier verse that Yajña is inborn in man? What does it mean? Does it not imply that giving up ownership is inborn and natural in him? Is it real, though? Our experience tells us otherwise. Man is by nature selfish. Giving up something selflessly is usually unnatural to him. (See #7 below). 5. Let us explore the experience in greater depth and breadth. In every human, there is surely some generosity in something. Even the most parsimonious man will show some affection and concern towards his wife and children – at least sometimes. He might loosen up, at least to reach his own selfish ends. He might draw someone close to him and help him. The seed of selflessness is thus sown. Dāna and yajña are the workings of sattva-guṇa. There is no human without at least some goodness in him. Just as there cannot be a person who is completely sāttvika, there is no one completely devoid of goodness. In some people, the quality of sattva-guṇa and the tendency towards yajña are quite minimal and feeble. By associating with the world, these feelings gradually grow and become more intense. Lust becomes love. Love transforms into attachment. Attachment moulds into fellowship. Fellowship trains one to give up selfishness, at least a little. This is the instruction of nīti acquired by acquaintance with the world. This teaching is possible because there is at least an iota of sattva in all humans. The germination of this tiny seed of sattva is the initial manifestation of yajña. Matthew Arnold’s opinion is nearly the same – “… the enduring Power, not ourselves, which makes for righteousness.” (Literature and Dogma). 6. Initially, natural selfishness itself expects others’ help. No one can lead a life in this world without at least some help from other people. Thinking thus objectively, a solitary life is not a full life. No man is completely independent. Everyone is dependent on others. As humans are necessary for one another’s survival, they have established families, societies, and states. Plato the philosopher affirms the same. Thus, interdependence among humans is a natural state. 7. Even though the seed of yajña is naturally present within us, our difficulty is that it is dormant (See 5. above). As we will later see in the sixteenth chapter, daivī and āsurī qualities are both mixed in our nature. Selfishness and friendship with others co-exist. A sense of ownership exists alongside indifference. The object of dhārmika rituals is to sift through this mixture, separate out the virtuous qualities and reinforce them. Among all dharmas, the first one is the intention to help others, the will to think of others’ welfare. Even if it is born out of a desire for one’s own welfare, it is not a flaw. It is enough if from within arises the realisation that there is someone other than oneself and that their companionship is valuable. This wisdom paves the way for further lessons in moral instruction. When man progresses from egotism to affection – when ego expands from self-centredness into a sense of ‘mine’ and ‘my people’ – it can be said that the progress of nīti has begun. The second step is moving from the sense of “only these are mine” to the feeling that “all are mine”. Due to the organisation and mechanics of creation, natural self-love and self-regard themselves desire the company of others and help practise giving up selfishness. 8. “parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ”: is the golden maxim of life in the world taught by Bhagavān. That indeed is friendship with the world. It is a yajña where one’s selfishness is offered as an āhuti. Bonding with family is its preliminary form. The husband has to give up something for the happiness of his wife. She, in turn, has to do the same for him. This mutual giving up for the other’s sake itself is yajña which leads to a rise in matrimonial bliss. In fact, love itself is preparation for giving up oneself. Without the yajña of the offering of one’s ego, there cannot be family or friendship or society, or any human relationship at all. 9. As the fluid of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ gradually spreads from one’s home to the extended family, to society and then to the country, it goes deeper and becomes thinned and diluted. As ego thins out, the practice of likening oneself with the whole world increases. As the practice of ātmaupamya (the feeling that the whole world is like us) increases, the universe is seen and experienced as an extension of oneself. When the sense of belonging breaks out of the embankments of worldly attachment and rushes into the sea of paramātmā, mokṣa or salvation is gained.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

“When devas are worshipped and satisfied, they give rain and good crops.”

It is easy to misconstrue this statement. Will rains cease, or will crops die because worship is stopped? Are rains and crops dependent on human effort? Then, does it not mean that man is more powerful than nature? This is a frivolous argument. If a father says to his scallywag of a son, “If you study well, I will buy you a wristwatch. If you listen to your mother she will give you tasty snacks,” what does it mean? Does he imply that he will not feed his son or throw him out of the house if he does not pass his exams? We are familiar with such behaviour of fathers and sons. Even if the son is a rogue and fails all his exams, his parents tell him to try, try, and try again. Bhagavān’s promises of rains and crops and fulfilment of other wishes are not injunctions, but incentives and means of encouragement. It is an instruction to an individual. Mother Nature does not stop rains and crops that are due to the whole world, just because an individual or a thousand people stop their worship and yajñas.

At this point, the symbiosis that is alluded to in “parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ” seems like it should be between humans and the divine. However, we should understand that a similar relationship with the motive of mutual benefit should be present between humans and lesser animals as well. It is also clear that humans should also have similar conduct with one another.

The statute of symbiosis is applicable to the whole world. What is its fundamental tenet?

sarva-bhūtastham-ātmānaṃ sarva-bhūtāni cātmani ।
īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ ॥ BG 6.29

The inspiration for such conduct—a feeling of brotherhood—is natural in all beings. Goodness is present in everyone to at least a small extent, but it is hidden deep inside. It has to be brought out and made to express itself. That is the intention of śāstras and traditions.

Yajña is performed for the benefit of the entire world. It is a form of worship performed for the abnegation of one’s selfishness and the welfare of the world.

The universe thrives on the symbiosis between the devas and humans. Yajña is a means to establish that relationship. Such activity that cements the bond between the devas and humans is dharma. That is what the śruti says –

yajñena yajñam-ayajanta devāh । tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny-āsan ॥ (Puruṣa-sūkta, Ṛgveda 10.90.16)

At the beginning of creation, various devas employed the five primordial elements (pañca-mahā-bhūtas) in appropriate activities, and thus worshipped Īśvara. That was the first yajña and the beginning of dharma. Dharma is the subservience of the forces of nature to the rule of the divine without transgressing it in any way. Dharma is performing acts that are ordained. This is what our great poets have praised. Vālmīki and Vyāsa are of the same opinion. They do not consider the devas to be completely separate from humans, or that there is no connection between their world and ours. Devas, humans and other animals belong to the same world.

yatra viśvam bhavatyekanīḍam॥ (Mahānārāyaṇa-Upaniṣad 1.14)

The entire universe is embedded in the nest of the Supreme Brahma. In the Śākuntala, Kālidāsa says,

tava bhavatu biḍaujāḥ prājyavṛṣṭiḥ prajāsu।
tvamapi vitatayajño vajriṇaṃ prīṇayasva ॥ (Abhijñāna-śākuntalam 7.34)

“May Indra send abundant rain for the benefit of your subjects; may you please him with many yajñas.”

We have to grasp the meaning of these lines of the Gītā (6-29) carefully. The universe is created by Īśvara. Many energies come together in this great and continuous endeavour. By the ordinance of Īśvara, man has the unique opportunity to collaborate with them, by becoming one of them. That is dharma. Satkarma is that which makes use of this opportunity.

Karma is like water, without its own form, taste or colour. Water takes the colour, taste, and form of the ground on which it flows. Similarly, depending on the person performing it, karma can be puṇya or pāpa. Karma that is beyond these may be a mere sport of ātmā. The nobler the karmi (doer) becomes, the purer the karma gets. Karma is, anyway, an integral part of the universe. When that is so, when it satisfies the governing deities of the universe, they grant good rain and bountiful crops in return. Living beings thus enjoy bliss and bounty.

There is a question here. What is the relation between yajña performed by humans and rains and crops? If men stopped performing yajña, would nature’s work cease? Does it not rain, don’t crops grow in countries where people do not even know the concept of yajña? Here are five points to ponder upon:

All religions espouse the belief that there is a relationship between human merit and divine grace. Similarly, there is a relationship between human pāpa and the wrath of the deities. When they are angry, natural calamities such as drought, flood, earthquakes, and pandemics plague the earth. This belief can be observed in the texts of Islam as well as in Christian religion. 2. Similarly, we cannot accept that in countries outside India - countries that do not know the Vedas and śāstras- rain and crops are obtained without yajña. Yajña is essentially the worship of the divine. In this broad sense, there is no community that does not perform yajña. Even the most primitive African tribe firmly believes in a supernatural power, fears its wrath, and craves for its blessing. Probably such faith is more entrenched in them than in modern city dwellers. There is no human without religion; and no religion without yajña. Therefore we cannot use the example of religions outside the umbrella of the Vedas to prove that there is no relationship between rain, crops, and yajña. 3. Just as it is difficult to prove that human karma and nature are related, it is difficult to prove that they are unrelated. Similar are the claims about the afterlife and the otherworld. If rebirth is possible and the afterworld exists, puṇya and pāpa as well as drought and plenty are inter-related. “As in the physical world, so in the world of spirit, nothing ever goes without producing results – results of one kind or of another kind” [A line DVG probably made in English.] We believe in karma; we believe in rebirth; we believe that the future is influenced by the past. Therefore, we also believe that human karma is definitely related to divine intervention. 4. If nature’s working is not a result of human actions, what can be the rationale for it? Does nature‘s activity proceed without any rules? Is it random? Is it mad exuberance? When we observe natural phenomena like the movements of the sun, moon, and earth, it does not seem so. We see order there. We have already seen that the warps of the thread of time find a place in the working of nature. Then, how do natural events sometimes occur without any apparent reason? Effect always has a cause. We reason that a part of those causes is human karma – good or bad. Nature follows the dicta of Īśvara. That karma should have appropriate consequences is *Īśvara’*s law. 5. The universe is a glorious mega machine. Divine beings, humans, lesser animals, and inanimate objects are its gears, wheels, handles, ramrods, and ribbons. The machine works only if all these components are doing their allocated jobs. Suppose the screw on the mudguard of a car is loosened by coming into contact with a shaft, it should be repaired immediately. If it remains loose, it starts making a sound, the vibrations of which loosen other parts of the car. Gradually, the entire machinery of the car might fail. It is the same with the machinery of the universe. Transgression committed by a human today will touch the deities, the powers of nature and will anger them. Man is not isolated from the universal machine. Whatever happens to it, happens to him also. Whatever he does affects it as well. Thus, celestial beings and humans are parts of the same machine.

This has been explained in other places.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 6) Source: prekshaa]]

Who are devas? Various pictures of divine beings holding a trident, staff, rope, or discus might arise in our minds. These pictures are useful elsewhere; they can assist in meditation. When we are studying philosophy, devas are the powers of creation and nature – great powers of various kinds. The relationship between humans and these superhuman deities may not be directly observable to us. But it cannot be said that they do not exist just because they are not seen. For most of us living in Bangalore, China is unseen. But does China not exist? We do not doubt its existence at all!

Bhagavān has explained the symbiosis between the world of devas and the world of humans — that one influences the other, and has presented a philosophy that is more expansive and munificent than today’s socialism and communism –

tair-dattān-apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ॥ BG 3.12
“One who consumes alone, the bounty bestowed upon him by the divine overseers, is verily a thief.”

yajna-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ।
bhuñjate te tv-aghaṃ pāpā ye pacanty-ātma-kāraṇāt॥ BG 3.13
“Yajña is giving a part of one’s earnings to others to please the divine. One who consumes the leftovers of this yajña considering it as prasāda from them is virtuous. Cooking only for oneself and partaking of it is a pāpa.”

Therefore, we have rituals like vaiśvadeva, bali-haraṇa, and bhūta-bali, where food is offered to the powers of the universe, performed since ancient times. Behind the rule that one should not partake of meals without guests is the same intent. That is why the Veda declares

“kevalāgho bhavati kevalādī.” (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā 10.117.6)
“One who eats alone eats only pāpa.”

Naivedya offered to the divine and hospitality towards guests are also yajñas. This is the principle of communal living. This is the path to the elevation of the jīva.

saṃsṛṣṭaṃ dhanamubhayam samākṛtamasmabhyam। (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā 10.84.7)
“May Manyu and Varuṇa provide us both kinds of wealth that is undivided.”

Śrīkṛṣṇa merely taught Arjuna the technique to expand the nature of his ātmā, something that has been expounded by ṛṣis since the times of the Ṛgveda. The Īśopaniśat says –

tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāh (Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad 1)
All wealth belongs to Īśvara. You enjoy the world thinking of it as his prasāda.

I would like to relate something heartwarming about a family I know well. The head of the family was quite well-to-do; he was a government servant, drawing a salary of about four hundred or five hundred rupees. His wife was the overseer of the house. She would sit for her meals after the whole family and the servants were also fed. When she sat down thus for her meals, she would serve herself whatever she wanted and keep back the remaining food. Then she would gather some food from her plate into her palms – rice, curry, ghee, fried food, etc., and stand at the door of her house. Some beggars who knew the hour would come there and accept food from her hands. This was her daily practice. One day, her son asked her the meaning of this. She replied that this was her dāna. The boy asked, “Why is this dāna required? Hasn’t Father given you enough money? He performs dāna, doesn’t he?”

She replied, “Your father gives me money to run the entire family. Dāna that he does is from his own earnings. My earning is only through my cooking. Earning my food through my own hard work, and giving away a part of that as charity is puṇya for me. What is the use if I give dāna from your father’s money and your money? That doesn’t have my tyāga. Dāna without tyāga is only in name.

Karma is necessary for everyone because of their relationship with the whole universe.

When we say ‘everyone’, is it implied that those who are already self-realised are included? Yes. Those who read “tasya kāryam na vidyate” from the seventeenth verse and close the book might think that the self-realised do not have to perform karma. That is a delusion because the sentence that starts in that verse ends in the nineteenth verse –

tasmādasaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara (BG 3.19)
“Therefore without attachment, you should always perform action which should be done”.

An Ātma-jñāni just does not have the desire to gain anything for himself. He willingly performs his duties for the benefit of the world without desiring any fruits of labour, not because of other stipulations. Everywhere, Bhagavān says “kāryaṃ karma,” “niyataṃ karma.” “Do your duty.” It is indeed said that one should perform dāna but it does not mean that one should take a loan for it. One should not steal in order to do charity. Duties such as taking care of one’s own family are to be performed by the returns earned by one’s own karma.

One who experiences the ātmā will not have selfish desires or indigence. Karma performed by such a person is bereft of pāpa and is beneficial to the whole world as well. Such a man has the complete authority to perform karma for the sake of the universe. The one about whom it is said “tasya kāryam na vidyate”, one who performs his duties without anyone’s obligation, without greed, with a feeling of being one with the universal soul – his karma alone is beneficial to the world.

Purification of the soul and obtaining an object of desire are the two natural uses of karma. An ātma-jñāni does not need either of these. He is already pure; he doesn’t desire anything either. Then why does he still work? For the benefit of the world—for *loka-saṅgraha—*is Bhagavān’s reply. The establishment and maintenance of the order of the universe is his responsibility. Śrī Vidyāraṇya says the same thing –

jñāninā carituṃ śakyaṃ samyag-rājyādi-laukikam (Pañcadaśī 9.114)
“It is possible for a jñāni to engage in polity and other worldly matters.”

Plato’s opinion is the same. Affairs of the state impact many; therefore one who wants to practise statecraft should not be selfish. Bhīṣma too says the same thing in the Mahābhārata. “You are possibly not interested in the pleasures of svarga or kingship. Should you not, however, take the circumstances of the world into account? Perform your duty diligently to please the owner of the house in which you live.”

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 7) Source: prekshaa]]

There is another thing to consider. Illustrious people such as Janaka, who are greater than you have all performed karma much before you.

karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ।
loka-saṅgraham-evāpi saṃpaśyan kartum-arhasi ॥ BG 3.20
“Janaka and others attained fulfilment by karma only; You should also perform your duty keeping the welfare of the world in mind”.

Janaka was a great and elevated soul. Many ṛṣis would send seekers desirous of initiation into brahma-vidyā to him. His story appears in many places – in the Mahābhārata, Bhāgavata, Yoga-vāsiṣṭha, and above all in the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad where it appears as a conversation between him and Yājñavalkya. Janaka did not give up his kingship. The royal sage that he was, he ruled the kingdom constantly observing how people lived. O Arjuna, when such an exceptional man performed karma, why do you refuse? Just as Janaka was distinguished in his lifetime, so are you now. The ordinary imitate the eminent.

yadyadācarati śreṣṭhaḥ tattadevetaro janaḥ ।
sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate ॥ BG 3.21
“Whatever a great man does, the other men also do; The world follows whatever he sets up as a standard”.

“Let us say that Janaka is not in front of us now. Am I not there? You have seen me since childhood. You know my basic nature. On many occasions such as the burning of Khāṇḍava forest, you have seen my prowess. Why am I performing karma in this world? All that anyone might desire, is under my power; what else do I want? However, I still perform karma, for the welfare of the world. If I do not perform karma, anarchy will spread in the world and the society will degenerate. It is not just now, it has been so forever.”

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata ।
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ॥ BG 4.7
“Whenever there is decline of dharma and rise of adharma, I manifest myself. For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of dharma, I am born in every yuga.”

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtāṃ ।
dharmasaṃśthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge ॥ BG 4.8
“Therefore I work out of my own volition for the sake of the world”.

How affectionate Bhagavān is towards the universe! We should never forget this. We should diligently and devoutly discharge the duties that have been allotted to us by his divine arrangement. This is the advice most pertinent to us in this age and time. However, the thinkers among us give first preference to the subject of mokṣa (liberation) and second place to our duties in this world.

In the story of Kṛṣṇa in the Bhāgavata, the gopikās ask him: “In this world, we see that some people love only those who love them. Some others love those who do not love them in return. Yet others forget those who love them as well as those who do not love them. What is the meaning of this?” This last question was intended to taunt him. Kṛṣṇa said, “Giving love to someone who loves us is a commercial transaction. It is a great thing only when we show kindness towards those who do not like us.”

Bhagavān praises selfless yajña performed just for the benefit of others. Even a jñānī cannot neglect worldly duties.

saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata ।
kuryādvidvāṃstathā’saktaḥ cikīrṣurlokasaṅgraham ॥ BG 3.25
“Just as ignorant men perform their duties being attached to them, the wise should perform their duties for the welfare of the world, without attachment”.

This is the essence of karma yoga. It has to be always remembered by those who share their ideals with the Gokhale Institute.

tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ ।
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti mattvā na sajjate ॥ BG 3.28
“He who knows the truth about the types of guṇa and karma understands that guṇas as the senses are drawn to guṇas as sense objects, and is not attached.”

Even though Karma is directly perceived, its root is hidden. When a man’s inner tendencies flow out through his actions, it becomes karma.

yatpuruṣo manasābhigacchati। tadvācā vadati। tatkarmaṇā karoti। (Taittirīya-āraṇyaka Prapāṭhaka 1, Anuvāka 23, Mantra 1
“What a man thinks, he speaks and performs as action”.

Therefore, the place of origin of good and bad results of karma is the manas (mind). The mind is the kartā or doer. Karma follows the doer. If he is good, it is good. If he is bad, it is bad. If his intention is improper, it is not virtuous, even if the endeavour is worthy. If the intention is upright, he is worthy; regardless of the nature of his work, it is virtuous.

hatvā’pi sa imāṃllokān na hanti na nibadhyate॥ BG 18.17
“Even after killing these worlds, he does not kill and is not attached”.

How does a jñānī differ from an ajñānī? Do not both of them work for the sake of the world? Having said that, there is a characteristic difference. The realised individual selflessly works for the order of the universe. The result of the work of the unrealised man could be either order or disorder. Disorder because ego reigns in him; he is desirous of the rewards of his labour. The worldly man measures everything with a view of what is in it for him. What the ajñānī performs with an eye for profit, the jñānī performs without any expectation. The function is the same. One establishes a satra to provide free food for the needy; the other starts a fancy restaurant. They perform the same karma. The wise man does it without anyone forcing him, with a view that he is one with all beings of the universe; the ignorant does it out of self-interest.

Even the jñānī might think that he is working for the betterment of the world. Is it not selfishness? Does not the seed of selfishness thrive in him to that extent? Bhagavān’s response is thus: “Even if a tiny bit of egotism is present in one’s mind, he cannot be called a jñānī. In a worldly sense he may be called a jñānī; he just does not have any realisation of the ātmā. However, there is an interesting aspect to consider. Outwardly, one may seem to be egoistic in the matter of karma. Internally he may perform karma not out of his own volition but because his nature compels him. Genuine love for Bhagavān could be the reason for his joy.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ।
ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate ॥ BG 3.27
“Actions are being done in every way by the guṇas of prakṛti (nature). However, a man deluded by ego thinks that he is the doer”.

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 8) Source: prekshaa]]

Human nature is composed of the triad of guṇas – sattva, rajas, and tamas. It is true of the universe also. A man’s inner nature influences his outward behaviour and vice-versa. The essence of graha-atigraha mentioned in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad is this mutual impulse.

tattvavit-tu mahābāho guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ ।
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti mattvā na sajjate ॥ (BG 3.28)

One who knows the principle of distribution of natural temperaments (guṇa) and actions (karma) understands that all the workings in the world are a dialogue between the guṇa-triad internal to the jīva and the guṇa-triad of the universe. Also he understands that the ātmā is unaffected by these transactions and remains an uninvolved outsider.

The jñānī knows that life in this world is a working of prakṛti and is not related to the jīva – like the sahṛdayas (connoisseurs) watching a play. Life in this world needs to be only seen from afar and enjoyed. Actors who come on stage perform different actions – they laugh, cry out, and scream. The audience, without really being a part of the happenings, remain separate but see, experience, and enjoy the play.

The mental condition of the jñānī is thus –

sākṣī cetā kevalo nirguṇaś-ca (Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad 11)
“Witnessing everything, isolated, devoid of all guṇas.”

Prakṛti seems amuse herself through her manifold activities. That is the līlā of Bhagavān and is beyond our control. A jñānī constantly keeps this in mind. Ordinary people do not differentiate ātmā from the body and other upādhis (attributes). They are of the illusion that the body is the jīva and the ātmā. Indeed, the body consists of three aspects – 1. Sthūla {Gross, tangible form}, 2. Sūkṣma {subtle form}, 3. Liṅga or Kāraṇa {The subtle form that is unaffected by transmigration between bodies.} Until body, mind, and notions arising from memories of previous births captivate the jīva, it remains just that – a mere jīva. Our mind mistakes jīva to be the supreme ātmā and vice versa because that is how it understands the nature of the body. But a jñānī is ‘kṛtsnavit’ – ‘one who knows everything.’ He sees that ordinary people are deluded. But he does not thoughtlessly seek to liberate them from their path. Spiritual attainment is proportional to one’s intellectual capacity, skill and virtue. People should not be prevented from pursuing the sādhanā that they deem fit. If we stop them from doing what is suitable for them, they will lose their sādhanā; our instruction will be unsuitable for them and they will not be able to follow it and thus they will deteriorate. When learning to walk, it is not good if one forgets the gait of a crow but cannot learn the gait of a swan. The gītā therefore says,

na buddhibhedaṃ janayet ajñānāṃ karmasaṅginām (BG 3.26)

If people follow what is right for their stage, they will earn the ability to enter higher stages.

This is what our enthusiastic vedāntins should realise. Proclaiming the ultimate truth to lay people might be detrimental to them, rather than being helpful. If a father teaching his young child to walk well pulls him at his speed, the child might lose its motivation, energy or even his life. It is the same in spiritual pursuit. There must not be an undue hurry to make progress in the path of self-realisation.

The initial requirement for the study of Vedānta is to keep the mind under control and to be honest in the work one is doing. We must pay more attention in nurturing this common worldly moral conduct. People are more engaged in disputes—of “Dvaitamu sukhamā advaitamu sukhamā” [A famous kriti by Sri Tyāgarāja]—whether dvaita is better or advaita is better. It is useless. All interpretations of Vedānta expect purity of the jīva and the six-fold qualities of śama, dama, etc. [Śamādi-ṣaṭka-saṃpatti refers to śama, dama, titikṣā, śraddhā, uparati, and samādhāna.] We have to give more importance to that.

Bhagavān has summarised the relationship between jñāna and karma. An ordinary man thinks that he is the one performing karma, from the point of view of the jīva. The jñānī knows that he is not the doer but prakṛti is the doer. The distinction between the two of them is not in performing karma; it is common to both. For ordinary people, karma is preparation for jñāna. For realised jīvas, karma is the result of jñāna. Bhagavān thus set the boundaries of the pervasiveness of karma and said, “Arjuna, the result of your karma does not belong to you. Whatever be the result, understand that it belongs to me (that is, to the Paramātmā) and fight without desire or egotism.

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṃnyasyādhyātmacetasā ।
nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ॥ (BG 3:30)
“Dedicate all your actions to me with your mind intent on the supreme ātmā. Break off from your affliction. Do not fear. Fight without anguish!”

Even a great jñānī follows the path paved by his own prakṛti. Then how is jñāna useful for him? What is the use of self-realisation when Prakṛti dictates everything? It is this: when a jñānī performs karma, his negative mental qualities like desire and hatred are kept in check. Of course, he does perform karma; but it is untainted by love or hate. An ordinary man, on the contrary, is afflicted by desire and hatred. He also works according to the dictum of his nature, but the difference is in the condition of their minds.

prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati (BG 3.33)

Nature is all-powerful in everything. Is it possible for someone born with a voice like that of a beast of burden to sing like the Gandharvas? Natural qualities are always present in their places, without fail. In any situation, nature rushes forth to show herself. This nature is different for different people. In the context of a jīva, it is of the form of unconscious tendencies inherited from previous births. It is the result of past actions and conditioning. Therefore, nature works differently for different people. It then follows that dharma is also different for different people. Dharma follows Nature. The dharma of a being is based on the nature that it houses. That is svadharma. Karma has to be performed, it cannot be avoided. But what kind of karma should it be? The karma is in the form of one’s svadharma. While performing karma is inevitable, performing it as one’s svadharma is most excellent.

śreyān-sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt-sv-anuṣṭhitāt ।
sva-dharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ॥ (BG 3:35)

“Arjuna, you are a kṣatriya. Your dharma is to fight. Saṃnyāsa is dharma for brāhmaṇas; indeed only for a few of them, for those in whose minds dispassion has arisen by itself. Indeed, śāstras say that saṃnyāsa is to be avoided in the Kali-yuga. Only those who have been dispassionate and weary for a long time are eligible for saṃnyāsa. It is prescribed only for those who are genuinely disinterested in the pleasures of the world. Renouncing the world is to be done when one is truly disinterested in it. You, however, are a kṣatriya. Why are you trying to follow a specific dharma prescribed only for a few brāhmaṇas? It is better to perform one’s own karma even if all its attributes are not palatable. Do not consider Viśvāmitra as your role model. He obstinately persevered and won, and is worthy of our praises and prostrations. However, your nature is different. You have to fight. Fight!”

[[Ch. 3 Yoga of One’s Own Dharma (Part 9) Source: prekshaa]]

Why only Svadharma?

“One’s own karma performed diligently, even though it may not be the best thing, is better than others’ karma performed in a most satisfying manner”. What then is svadharma?

Certain qualities, powers, propensities, and enthusiasm come to some people naturally. Using such qualities, that mindset and those internal faculties for the benefit of the world is dharma.

Then, should he be tied to his natural talents? Why should he not adopt something that is superior? How is a seemingly deficient svadharma nobler than a ‘better’ dharma that is, albeit, not one’s own? There are four reasons for this :

Nature helps the doer in svadharma. Whatever she aids him in, is svadharma. Since she is supporting him, his work becomes easy. This ease is the first advantage of following svadharma. 2. When the duty becomes easy, it gets done faster too. The yield is greater too. Thus, the second reason is the plentitude of results. 3. The world will benefit greatly from this work — as much as the doer can give, it can take and profit from it. Increased benefit to the world is the third reason. 4. When performing svadharma, at least some known qualities and abilities are solidly established and flourish in the character. If this dharma is given up and another chosen in its place, the existing abilities are weakened; there is no guarantee that new ones are gained. Therefore, the fourth reason is that there is an absolutely undiluted improvement of one’s skills.

The washerman in our town, Machayya, works till his bones break when there is a wedding in the local wealthy man’s house. What is the use? The man who is seated on the velvet carpet and garlanded on the wedding day is the musician Rangappa. Machayya became sick and tired of this and made his son Marayya learn music. After learning music for ten years, the boy could sing bhajans on the roadside, but no more. The donkeys commented that the town lost a washerman, but did not gain a musician either.

The Practice of Sattva

Arjuna raised another question. Even if we try to perform an action with the best of intentions, we may accrue pāpa because of it. What should be done about that? Bhagavān answered thus:

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ ।
mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenamiha vairiṇam ॥ (BG 3.37)

Bhagavān has answered this vividly and clearly. Kāma has to be subdued. Senses excite the mind. The manas agitates the buddhi. The agitated intellect loses its vision. Therefore, you have to carefully protect that which is above the intellect — the true essence of the ātmā. This will preserve the buddhi from being spoiled by external influences. The intellect works well when the senses are under control. Therefore, rouse the quality of sattva within you, hidden behind the veil of the intellect, and let that be your safeguard.

Attributes like kāma and krodha are hereditary. Family, in turn, is chosen based on previous karma and tendencies from past lives. Relatives and friends, society, and surroundings are also based on vāsanas - impressions from past lives. If thus, the qualities of a man depend upon countless lives, how can we hope to change them? The answer is that every jīva has enough internal sattva that can be much stronger than the negative vāsanas accumulated from many births. But it is dormant, or it is shrunk within itself because of external rājasic and tāmasic influences. We have to remember one characteristic of the jīva here. The sattva of the jīva is unlimited in its source. The Kṛṣṇarāja-sāgar dam is a huge reservoir of water. The water that we get from there into our house in a tap is just a droplet from there. The pipes that carry water from the KRS to our house might be blocked by dirt and block the flow of water. However, we should remember that behind the dripping tap in our house, there is a vast reservoir. This reminiscence gives us courage. This reminiscence is the contemplation of Bhagavān. He is backing us. If we remember that omniscient, omnipotent Bhagavān is behind the strength that is exuded by our bodily organs – that there is an ocean of energy behind us – it becomes possible to subdue kāma and krodha, which are but forms of rajas and tamas. One should constantly practise meditating on the nature of the ātmā and Brahma. We shall study this later.

The capability of the ātmā appears dormant. An awakened man sharpens and hones the strength of the ātmā. The intellect then remains conscious and corrects the mind when it errs. The awakened mind quells sensory excitement. When heat from the senses subsides, the viveka to discriminate between right and wrong becomes possible. This viveka decreases the tendency to err. Thus, the first step towards conquering sin is to defeat the foe that is desire.

This chapter is generally called the Karmayoga. In a copy of the Śānkarabhāṣya, it is called karma-praśaṃsā-yoga — or the yoga (path) of praise for karma. Karma can be of many kinds. This chapter deals with karma that is of the form of day-to-day work, specifically karma in the form of one’s own dharma — svadharma. Therefore, it has been called sva-dharma-yoga, so that the meaning is easily grasped.

The next chapter deals with the same topic. What was called karma in the form of yajña in this chapter, is said to be karma that will be an offering to the Supreme Brahma, or karma that is performed without getting attached.

Essence of the Chapter

anyonya sāhya karmame
puṇyaṃ mānavarigaduve nityada yajñaṃ ।
ninnellava nispṛheyiṃ
danvayipudu dharmakidu tṛtīyādhyāyam ॥
Karma that is beneficial to one another
Puṇya it is, daily yajña for humans
Without greed, all of yours
Should be in concord with dharma — says chapter three.
manuṣyasvabhāvaprakārānabhijñaṃ
manaḥśikṣaṇopāya-nītijñanāgan ।
narasvāntakampānukampārdra-cittaṃ
gurupraṣṭhanappaṃ Hṛṣīkeśanenduṃ ॥
He who is not acquainted with the varied nature of human beings
Cannot fathom the means of training the mind.
He whose heart is tender with compassion towards the human mind
He, Hṛṣīkeśa, is always the Teacher par excellence.

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

vivarisidenidāṃ pūrvadi
vivasvataṃgeṃdu Kṛṣṇanoreyal Pārthaṃ।
avatāraṃgaḻadeṃtene
svavapurdhṛti dharmarakṣegeṃdaṃ devaṃ॥

Said Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna “Long ago
To Vivasvān, this knowledge I had bestowed”.
When Arjuna wondered how it was possible,
He said his incarnations were to protect dharma.

karmamanivāryamāguṃ
nirmamateyināda karmamīśaprītaṃ ।
karmamayaṃ jagamellaṃ
dharmaṃ brahmaprabhāvameṃdaṃ Kṛṣṇaṃ ॥

Inescapable, Karma is; performed
Without attachment, by Īśvara it is beloved.
The universe is full of karma, said Kṛṣṇa, and
dharma originates from the Supreme Brahma.

Summary

Similar to a peepal tree that has an old trunk and root along with young and tender shoots, there are stages in the history of man. The old should form the basis for the new; only then does the new acquire credibility and authority. Continuity of the new from the old is proof of a healthy society. In his instruction to Arjuna, Śrīkṛṣṇa demonstrated this same continuity to him.

That which internally spurs one to search for goodness in whatever way possible is the door to dharma for that person. Dharma follows the condition of a jīva - its fitness and eligibility. The svadharma of every jīva is in turn determined by its unique characteristics. This means that the contemplation and practice of dharma is possible by viveka and not by blind faith.

Even though we work to fulfill our desires, if we work to serve Bhagavān as a devotional yajña, our ego is subdued and our jīva is purified. As it becomes purer, the jīva becomes capable of grasping the true essence of the ātmā. A man who does not perform karma as a yajña will not even obtain its fruits in this world. He alone is worthy whose life-river flows between two banks of Īśvarānugraha (whatever is obtained is Īśvara’s blessing) and Īśvarārpaṇa (whatever is given to others is an offering to Īśvara).

Chapter 4 / Section 5

The Yoga (Path) of Unattached Karma (Nirlepa-karma-yoga) or Jñāna-yoga

This chapter deals with the following seven main topics.

The antiquity of the instruction about karma 2. The divine greatness of dharma 3. Distinction of guṇa and karma for dharma 4. Akarma in Karma 5. Different karma-yajñas 6. The relationship between karma and jñāna 7. The necessity to completely eliminate doubt

Let us recall what Kṛṣṇa said in the previous chapter. He said, “Arjuna, you say that you will not perform your duty. You say that you will not fight – fighting that is karma enjoined upon you by virtue of your family and your basic nature. Is karma subordinate to you? No. Nature makes you perform karma. Your innate disposition exhorts you to engage in activities. If you try to repress your intrinsic activities, such repression is also karma. Karma is inescapable in any which way.

na hi kaścit kṣaṇam-api jātu tiṣṭhaty-akarmakṛt ।
kāryate hy-avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijair-guṇaiḥ ॥ (BG 3.5)

“No one in this world can remain aloof without performing any activity. Owing to the inevitability of karma, whatever freedom you enjoy is not to abandon karma; it is to deliberate—in a given circumstance—whether a task is good or bad, and to choose that which is aligned to dharma. Even this freedom to critically examine a task is also limited because the mind that is engaged in deliberation is itself largely influenced by past impressions (prācīna-vāsanās). The saṃskāras from past lives bind and cloud the mind and intellect. Even so, at an auspicious moment, because of some unseen force, the spark of sattva rises up from within. Real deliberation is then possible. Dharma has to be thought about then, especially svadharma:

śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt। (BG 3.35)

“You say you want to give up your svadharma; you say that you wish to become a saṃnyāsi; you want to follow para-dharma [the dharma of others]; you say that you do not want the kingdom. This is not appropriate. There is great merit in adhering to svadharma.

svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ। (BG 3.35)

“Even if your sva-dharma causes your death, it is more desirable, because nature helps you in your endeavour. It has three advantages —

Your actions will become easier and faster 2. By actions aligned to svadharma, the world will benefit more than it will if you performed para-dharma. 3. Your innate qualities will grow and expand. As they grow and flourish, knowledge of the ātmā will spring forth sooner and more easily. Your life will attain fulfilment sooner.

“Right now, your svadharma is to fight the war. Would you say that it involves cruel deeds like killing, and that it is pāpa? If you carry out your actions selflessly it does not become pāpa. When does pāpa happen then? When you are driven by self-benefit — even if there is a little bit of selfishness in you — it becomes pāpa. When you execute your tasks selflessly, then there is no pāpa. The situation of the world requires war right now. War is needed for the sake of justice. War is needed to sustain dharma in the universe. It is not for your sake. Carry it out as an offering to Bhagavān. Perform that which secures the well-being of the world without any selfish desire for profit. Then the pāpa that is attached to the fight will not affect you. There is an inherent element of impurity attached in every worldly duty,. This is true of all the duties of all people, to at least a little extent. One cannot say no to life because of this. It is necessary to examine how to cleanse this impurity off. Karma is the process of life itself and therefore, it is impossible for it to be devoid of all dirt. How then can it be purified? By removing all traces of selfishness. If karma is performed without any desire for selfish benefit and as an offering to Īśvara, it becomes a means for elevation rather than a degrading pāpa. Anything other than satkarma is duṣkarma. Whatever is not your dharma is adharma for you. All karma other than your sva-dharma is adharma for you!” Thus, in the fourth chapter, Bhagavān develops what he had elucidated previously.

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The Antiquity of Karma-vidyā

“Arjuna, what I am explaining to you now is not something new and contemporary. It is something that I had explained to the sun named Vivasvān at the beginning of creation. He, in turn, taught this to Manu, the progenitor of the human race. Manu then gave the same upadeśa to Ikṣvāku, the foremost among kings. Thus, this knowledge of karma has been passed on through many generations. Earlier, many king-sages like Janaka and others followed the tenets of this knowledge and became accomplished.”

Why did Bhagavān thus speak of an unbroken guru-śiṣya tradition? Did he intend that since it was ancient, it had to be accepted? Kālidāsa says,

purāṇam-ity-eva na sādhu sarvaṃ
na cāpi kāvyaṃ navam-ity-avadyam॥
santaḥ parīkṣyānyatarad-bhajante… (Mālavikāgnimitram Act 1)

All that is ancient is not great because of its antiquity; all that is new is not bad because of its newness. The guṇa or doṣa of something can be determined only after careful reasoning. Nothing should be accepted with blind faith. Still, the fact that many people over hundreds of generations accepted it is proof enough of the probity of the knowledge of karma. We find similar testimony of widespread acceptance by people spanning aeons even with regard to the Vedas. Therefore, the fact that a great many people have accepted the principle of karma is evidence of its efficacy.

This is why Bhagavān praised antiquity and tradition. The people of our times should study this principle carefully. Human history should, like the flow of a mighty river, be unbroken. Only then does it acquire prominence. Otherwise, if it is broken here and there, torn asunder by flaws, inconsistent and incoherent, and absurd, it becomes a meaningless travail. It becomes like the lokāyata refrain “aparaspara-saṃbhūtam” (BG 16.8) (born and existing independent of one another). This is why all our social reformers have always averred that they are the followers of their elders. This is the tradition in all countries. If a reformer wants his work to be sustained in future, he always says that he is only reiterating and demonstrating what is already expressed in previous works. Jesus Christ also did the same. He did not claim that he founded a new religion, but that his was an ancient creed that disappeared over time and he was only resurrecting it. Scholars of commerce, law, and other subjects also say that they are only taking naturally established philosophies forward and not creating them anew. The seers of the Vedas said,

“iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṃ ye nas-tad-vicacakṣire” — “This we heard from the wise, who explained it to us.” (Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 10)
“idam-āhur-anūcānāḥ” — “thus said the ancients…” (Kumārasambhava 6.15)
“tadeṣābhyuktā” — “this was declared…” (Taittirīya-upaniṣad 2.1)
“atraite ślokā bhavanti” — “these are the verses here…” (Maitrāyaṇy-upaniṣad)

etc., and remembered their ancient masters.

This is not just an act of courtesy. Those who strive for the progress of humankind follow the method of home builders. The very first layer is the foundation, then comes a line of bricks, and then a line above that and so on. A storey is built using the lower storey as support. Thus, it is important that all the levels from the foundation to the topmost floor are connected. A building that has stood strong for a long time itself is proof that it can withstand the impact of rain and sun and wind, and also the thumps and thwacks of people living in it. A religion or custom is venerated because it is time-tested. This is tradition. The plight of a civilisation without tradition is similar to that of a cotton strand that is flitting aimlessly as the wind takes it.

Tradition is not mindless parroting of customs and rules. ‘Traditional’ does not amount to mere repetition. Saying and doing the same thing over and over again is not progress. True progress blends older aspects of societal life with the new — just as old trunk and roots of a peepal tree coexist with and nurture new branches and leaves. The same pattern of progress holds true for human history also. The old should form the basis for the new. Only then does newness gain acceptability and strength. Such continuity from old to new is the sign of a healthy society. Śrīkṛṣṇa demonstrated that such continuity existed in his instruction and therefore it was worthy of following. It was accepted by many people across many generations, and therefore it was authoritative. He said, “My good man, this instruction is suited for all times. Don’t think that you, Arjuna, are the first among the world’s intelligent people! There were many wise people before you who followed this path. I am only telling you what has been established firmly, by virtue of being accepted across generations by many people. Therefore it is fit to be accepted.”

Why did something that was well-established even in ancient times go missing?

evaṃ paramparā-prāptam-imaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ।
sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa॥ (BG 4.2)
(This science that was passed on in an uninterrupted manner, studied by sages among kings, was lost).
“As aeons passed, the conditions of the world changed and this knowledge was lost.’’

Coming to think of it, it is not surprising at all. We see many streams of knowledge dying out in front of our eyes.

Divine Avatāras

Arjuna was surprised on hearing Bhagavān praise long-lost ancestors. He said, “Wait a moment, my dear fellow! When was Vivasvān born and when were you born? How were you, my contemporary, able to instruct someone who existed long, long ago?”

This question of Arjuna’s gave an opportunity to Bhagavān to demonstrate his firm attachment towards his dharma. He said, “Arjuna, you and I do not belong to this era alone; we have always existed. You and I differ in two aspects. Firstly, you have forgotten your previous births; I remember them. Secondly, your births were caused because of your deeds — good and bad. My avatāras are for the protection of dharma.”

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ।
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtāṃ
dharmasaṃśthāpanārthāya sambavāmi yuge yuge ॥ (BG 4.7, 4.8)
(Whenever dharma declines and adharma ascends, I manifest myself.
To protect the virtuous, to destroy the evil and to establish dharma, I am born in every age).

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Why is Dharma Worthy of Worship?

Dharma is established and nurtured by the divine. Bhagavān who needs to have no thought for anything else thinks of dharma alone and of his own volition. This should bring the greatness of dharma to our minds. Dharma is Īśvara’s own property. Therefore, it is immensely worthy of our worship. We have to always remember that Īśvara is watching us all the time. An American poet says thus:

Though the mills of God grind slowly,
And they grind exceeding small,
Though with patience He stands waiting
With exactness grinds He all.
—Retribution, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Not one human-grain can elude the mill of karma. Sooner or later, they are consumed by it. Those who follow dharma escape it.

svalpam-apy-asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40)
(Even following a little of this dharma protects from great fear)

The Need for Viveka

All this is fine, but what is the way to dharma? Whatever approach one’s heart spurs him to take in his search for goodness — is the means of dharma for him. Dharma follows the condition of the jīva, its distinct qualifications and its strengths and weaknesses. A ‘one size fits all’ approach cannot be applied to dharma. The dharma of a jīva is determined by its unique quality. This means that the acceptance of dharma is possible only by clear-headed deliberation and not by blind faith.

dharme pramīyamāṇe hi vedena karaṇātmanā
iti kartavyatā-bhāgam mīmāṃsā pūrayiṣyati
(When dharma is being comprehended through the Veda,
mīmāṃsā complements it by providing practical means.)
—Tārkika-rakṣā

Mīmāṃsā means logic, or deliberation on cause and effect. This verse means that one should reflect carefully, to understand the true nature of dharma.

Thus dharma is fundamentally the same for everyone. Its practice differs according to the desires and capabilities of the doer. Just as food conforms to the health of the stomach and the desire of the palate; dharma also conforms to the state of the jīva. It should consider the incapability of the jīva also. Can fasting be prescribed to a person who cannot bear hunger? The dharma of a person is decided based on the natural proclivities of his jīva.

Classification of Guna and Karma (Guna-karma-vibhāga)

People harbour different desires in their heart and to obtain them, they propitiate different deities. They are all travellers on the wide road that leads to Bhagavān. As the innate qualities and propensities of humans are naturally different, they have been broadly classified into four categories to determine their respective dharmas. Bhagavān said, “I incarnate myself in this world again and again to establish dharma, to systematize varṇas and āśramas, to codify appropriate fruits for actions. Thereby I am performing my dharma.”

cātur-varṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭyaṃ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13)

There is a peculiar attribute of the system of jāti that needs to be discussed here. The reformers of today argue that it is against the principles of equality and is therefore a blemish upon society. Even though the Gītāchārya’s advice espouses equality, the essential meaning is that this equality should be practical and ultimately result in wholesome benefit to the jīva. The aim of the varṇa system is that an individual should employ his qualifications by birth in the service of the collective. It is true that the elevation of the individual is important. But if it has to be a genuine ennoblement and not just a façade, it should result in continuous, perpetual value to the collective. The basic premise of the varṇa system is that by being of service to the collective, an individual can achieve his own betterment. The qualities, activities, and capabilities of an individual help him to thus be of service.

Bhagavān’s words describe the existing situation and not the products of human imagination. As this four-fold division of human society is based on natural qualities, it is settled that it is applicable for all humans in all places at all times.

Bhagavān himself has established the varṇa system considering the various qualities distributed amongst different groups of people, and the several benefits that accrue to the world through them. He has established the dharma of various varṇas and clans based on the naturally occurring proportions of sattva, rajas and tamas in each person.

The varṇa system will be studied again in the appendix.

Akarma in Karma

Bhagavān explains to Arjuna that even though he is engaged in karma, he is not tainted by it.

na me karma-phale spṛhā (BG 4.14)
“Arjuna, it is not wrong for you to fight to win a kingdom, or for glory and renown. It is also acceptable to perform your duty as an offering to Bhagavān, with the sole purpose of dharma.”

evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam(BG 4.15)

Kṛśna is not modernist, but traditionalist. He believes in practices that are established over time. That is the meaning of sanātana as in sanātana-dharma. Not only those who desired worldly wealth and pleasure, but even people desirous of mokṣa performed karma. Mokṣa is ‘release’. Why did those desirous of emancipation shackle themselves in karma? Bhagavān explains.

karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyam boddhavyam ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ (BG 4.17)

The ways of karma are mysterious. Therefore, to understand its nature, we have to first understand the three types of karma — karma, vikarma and akarma.

vihita-karma — one’s ordained duty, that which has to be performed without fail, which yields results 2. vikarma — unfavourable, forbidden karma, that which should not be performed, 3. akarma — there are three possible meanings to this word. Therefore the preceding and succeeding contexts have to be examined before the meaning is determined.

i. Giving up all karma, including those that are mandatory or required; doing absolutely nothing at all.

mā te saṅgos-tv-akarmaṇi (BG 2-47)

karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ (BG 3.8)

ii. Performance of necessary duties, but not getting attached to its results. Perform action but be unconcerned and calm as though no action needs to be performed.

karmaṇy-akarma yaḥ paśyet (BG 4.18)

karmaṇy-abhipravṛtto’pi naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ (BG 4.20)

kurvannapi na lipyate (BG 5.7)

iii. It could also mean vikarma — action that should be avoided, something that should not be done. Even though the Gītā doesn’t have this kind of meaning, it is seen elsewhere.

Thus, the meaning of akarma is to be inferred from the context.

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

Arjuna is hasty. Initially, he was eager to fight. Then, he was eager to give up fighting. Vikarma is the result of this haste. Therefore, the following is said about those who deduce the nature of dharma -

yuktā āyuktāḥ
alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ
yathā te tatra varteran
tathā tatra vartethāḥ
Those who are skillful and experienced, not harsh, and practise dharma constantly, as they behave (during times of doubt), so too you shall.
—Taittirīyopaniṣad, Śīkṣāvallī, Anuvāka11

dharma-śāstrānusāreṇa
krodha-lobha-vivarjitaḥ
(Who is devoid of anger and greed according to the precepts of dharma)
—Yājñavalkya-smṛti 2.1

What, then, is the way here?

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyet akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt (BG 4.18)
(One who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is wise among men, he is a yogi; he performs all actions)

Bhagavān has captured the entire essence of karma in this verse. One who can achieve the detachment and calmness of a non-doer even while performing all actions, and can likewise find the benefit of karma while giving its fruits up, is wise. He is kṛtsnakarmakṛt — one who is worthy of performing all karmas. Such a man performs all actions but is not influenced by their consequences. Jackfruit should be peeled, but the hands should not become dirty. The hands should therefore be lubricated with oil beforehand — that is the trick. Bhagavān says the same thing later through the example of a lotus-leaf in water -

padmapatram ivāmbhasā (BG 5.10)

A man should live in this world like a lotus leaf in water. He has to work hard outwardly. Internally, he should not be affected by it. The affliction and perturbation associated with karma should not hassle him while he performs it. The same thought is expressed in the old saying -

alepavādamāśritya śrīkṛṣṇajanakāvubhau (Unknown)
The doctrine of non-attachment was employed by both Śrīkṛṣṇa and Janakā.

Asaṅgakarma – Karma without Attachment

Bhagavān explains akarma further:

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇyabhpravṛtto’pi naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ (BG 4.20)
(If one is engaged in karma but abandons the desire for fruits of action, is always content and not subject to the whims of anyone, then it is as though he is not doing anything at all)

How can he “naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ " — not do anything, even though he is actively engaged in karma? By being ever-content and completely disinterested.

tattvavit-tu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate (BG 3.28)

There are some internal and some external qualities in human nature. They keep agitating one another. This agitation is not related to the ātmā, but happens in the domain of prakṛti. It is not suitable to attach this agitation to the ātmā.

A human has freedom only to determine karma, vikarma and akarma. This freedom to deliberate is also quite limited, because even the intellect is shackled by impressions from previous births. Individual discernment is present in everyone at least to some extent. At least an awareness that one is not a jñānī, or the wisdom that he should not proclaim it to the world if he does indeed think that he is one, or the awareness of the dangers of such self-praise — these are all present in any person. A man should develop his discerning abilities using the wisdom he already possesses. As discernment (viveka) becomes a habit, detachment can be practised.

There is a phrase that is often used in Rāmāyana and the Mahābhārata — “rāmasya akliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ”, “rāmam akliṣṭakarmāṇam”. The same is said about Yudhiṣṭhira. Those great people perform their duties, but do not become exhausted because of them. This is alepayoga — the yoga of performing action without getting attached. This is the formula of tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgam. Even if a person actively performs karma, if he does not desire its fruits for himself and is content always, and is not subject to others’ whims, that karma does not make any difference to him; to him, it is as good as doing nothing.

The epithet nityatṛpta is mentioned above. This is a very important quality. Likewise, nirāshraya. He should not be dependent on anything or anyone. Desiring the society of others is discouraged. The upright and beneficial qualities of a person emerge completely only when he becomes independent. Niḥspṛhasya tṛṇaṃ jagat — the universe is but a trifle for the unattached. A man who does not have any desire, even though he performs action, is naiva kiñcit-karoti — does not do anything. He understands dharma. He does not deem praise or censure, fame or infamy as important. He does not experience mental strain; he does not attach his ātmā to any labour. It is said in the second chapter itself -

nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṃ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ (BG 2.23)

Responsibility of the Jīva-state

We said that a jñānī does not get fatigued and does not attach himself to any labour. Does it mean that he has no sense of responsibility?

There is only one fundamental thing - the ātmā. It is now in the state of a jīva. In this state, it has certain responsibilities. In its state as pure ātmā, it is unstained. However, as a jīva, it has its own responsibilities, puṇya and pāpa, dharma and adharma. That is why Bhagavān says that we should have the right judgement. It is difficult to know the path of karma. Knowing our rightful duty (vihitakarma) is difficult, as is performing it without exertion. One should neither be proud of one’s accomplishments nor feel distressed about not performing action. Wise is he who performs activity with the sole view that it is a duty. We can take the example of doctors. They have neither love nor hate for their patients, but work with the sole intention of bringing the bodies to their normal working state. They never worry if the patient is a criminal or a thief.

The principle is that there should be no desire for the fruit of a task. Our duties should be performed to please Bhagavān and to sustain dharma. Even in the performance of good karma, there are two stages. The first stage is to act to please Bhagavān, whereas the second stage is to act with self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is hard to obtain; it has to develop within us, by itself. For this to happen, the impurities that cover the mind have to be removed. These impurities can only be removed when dhārmic duties are performed.

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

Selfless Karma

Who should follow the principle of not wanting results for one’s duties? Those who are seeking mokṣa. How many of us are wishing for mokṣa? Surely, the number of people wishing for material things vastly exceeds that. We all desire something or the other. They may all be noble desires. For instance, those indulging in wrongdoing must be destroyed; we as a country should grow our own food; we have to establish ourselves well in the world; attain glory and so on. We perform—indeed we have to perform our duties to attain these desires. A man desirous of mokṣa can also carry out all these duties, but he does them independently. This is the meaning of nirāśrayaḥ.

We work towards one or the other goal. Kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ — wretched are they who work only with the motive of results. What did our Ṛṣis pray for? Asmin deśe śūro jāyatāmityāha — “May brave people be born in this country, may strong horses be born; may youth capable of discussing in assemblies be born; may they discuss and argue in august assemblies’’ — all this is selfishness from a certain perspective. It might be beneficial, but it is still selfishness. Bhagavān assures Arjuna that pāpa will not attach to him if he performs his duties just for the sake of dharma, to sustain the world.

yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibaddhyate (BG 4.22)
(He who is content with what comes to him unasked, transcending dualities, free of jealousy, who remains equanimous during attainment or nonattainment of the desired object, will remain free even when he performs worldly duties.)

Duties do not shackle a man who, without fatiguing oneself, is content with what he has, has a state of mind that has risen above worldly love and hate, shunning jealousy, is single-minded, and is of equanimous disposition towards success or failure. Yadṛcchā is something has come to us, as it is our lot; let it be. Dvandvātītaḥ — pāpa and puṇya also constitute duality — but let us not go so far. The duality that we see commonly is that of love and hate. Vimatsaraḥ — without jealousy. Bhagavān says this word again and again. By all accounts, practising it is very difficult; being free of jealousy — anasūyā is hard in this world. Samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca — we should not give up activity because the results of our work were not what we expected. We have to try again and again to perform our dharma. He, who carries out his duties with such a mindset, is — kṛtvāpi na nibaddhyate” — not bound by karma.

Karma-yajña

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ
yajñāyācaritaṃ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate (BG 4.23)
One who is unattached and is liberated, with his mind established in true knowledge, acts in the spirit of yajñā. All his actions are indeed absolved.

The activity performed by a knower of truth, who is neither anxious for the results nor is excessively passionate, is no different from yajña. All karma, carried out with such a view does not influence the performer of the action in any way and dissolves away completely.

Each and every one of our duties must be carried out in the spirit of the yajña. This is the instruction of the śruti as well — to live with the spirit of yajña. Whenever the word yajña is mentioned, a picture of homa, the sacrificial fire, purohitas chanting mantras and ghee for the oblation comes to mind. That is not just it. All worship is yajña. Grammar dictates the same — “yaj pūjāyām” — the root yaj is used in the context of worship. In practice, yajña usually refers to oblation through fire or an offering. Giving up something we love in order to please another is yajña.

It has been said earlier one should give up the desire for the fruit of an action. However, this feeling—giving up something for a loved one—is easier to grasp. The following verse is well-known.

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma-haviḥ brahmāgnau brahmaṇā-hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahma-karma-samādhinā (BG 4.24)

All karma carried out by a jñānī is yajña. All parts of this yajña, all its instruments are manifestations of the Supreme Brahma. The very process of yajña is dedicated to It. The oblation that is poured into such a yajña is Brahma. The fire that accepts it is also Brahma. The person performing the yajña is also Brahma. Thus, the profit gained by a man who is engrossed in selfless, divine duties — brahma-karma, is Brahma itself. The doer, the work and the object are all one with Brahma. All activities of life are, indeed, worship of Parabrahma. Śruti says the same -

tasyaiva viduṣo yajñasyātmā yajamānaḥ śraddhā patnī śarīramidhmam urovedirlomāni barhirvedaśśikhā hṛdayaṃ yūpaḥ kāma ājyaṃ manyuḥ paśuḥ … yanmaraṇaṃ tadavabhṛthaḥ — Mahānārāyaṇopaniṣad

The nature of the yajña of a jñānī is said to be thus — the consciousness of the ātmā is the yajamāna (the performer of the yajña). Only a man with a wife is entitled to perform yajña, therefore śraddhā or devotion is the wife. The body is the fuel; the heart is the yūpa pillar. Desires are ghee, anger is the sacrificial animal — yajñapaśu. The ritual bath taken after the yajña is complete, is avabhṛtha. Avabhṛtha for a jñānī is death. He is not scared of death. Instead, just as a yajamāna feels satisfied after a yajña is completed, he feels gratified that his life is now offered to Brahma.

We saw the same idea in the third chapter as well.

yajñārthāt-karmaṇo’nyatra loko’yaṃ karmabandhanaḥ
tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara (BG 3.9)

yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ (BG 3.13)

Our well-being and happiness are all favours granted by the Supreme. Though it was our hand that did the work, it was the hand of the divine that gave boons. If this much is in our minds, pāpa will not touch us.

Bhagavān is instructing us about the way in which we can perform all karma and yet remain free from pāpa Experience all the pleasures of the world; but do not forget that it is a favour granted by Īśvara. The essence of this instruction is to always remember Brahma.

smṛtimātreṇa yat puṃsāṃ brahma tanmañgalaṃ viduḥ
— Viṣṇu-purāṇa
(Brahma is that which bestows blessings even on men who merely remember It)

yasya smaraṇamātreṇa janma-saṃsārabandhanāt
vimucyate namastasmai viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave
— Viṣṇu-Sahasranāma
(Salutations to him, whose mere remembrance liberates one from the shackles of birth and saṃsāra.)

Even the mere remembrance of Brahma is highly beneficial to us. How is that? The Supreme Brahma is the greatest. If its thoughts fill our minds, pāpa does not enter them.

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 6) Source: prekshaa]]

Once we say that it is not wrong but only fit and proper to experience pleasure, we have to make all arrangements to obtain it. Sustaining the family, earning a salary for their comfort, taking loans in case there are emergencies and repaying them, giving and taking help, struggling thus in many ways become the duty of a householder.

Śrī Śankarācārya’s instruction is thus –

yogarato vā bhogarato vā saṅgarato vā saṅgavihīnaḥ
yasya brahmaṇi ramate cittaṃ nandati nandati nandatyeva
—Mohamudgara
(A man whose mind dwells blissfully in Brahma is always happy, whether he is engaged in tapas or worldly pleasure, whether he is in company or is alone).

If a driver is appointed to drive a car, it becomes his responsibility to check whether all the parts of the car are working properly and whether there is enough fuel in the car. The Supreme, in its infinite wisdom, has established dharma in this world. It is our responsibility to see that it is performed well.

Śrī Kanakadāsa has expressed the sentiment that every duty is sevā to the divine in one of his kīrtanas, beautifully.

tanu ninnadu jīvana ninnado raṅga
enadāvudondanī jagadoḻu nā kāṇe
anudinadali baha sukhaduḥkha ninadayya
(O Raṅga, this body is yours, this life is also yours. In this universe, I don’t see anything that is mine. The pleasure and pain that I experience daily are also yours).

This is the essence of all Vedānta. Our entire life is a yajña. Bhagavān says that yajña is of many types.

dravyayajñāstapoyajñāḥ yogayajñāstathāpare
svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ (BG 4.28)
(Ascetics accomplish various yajñas such as dravyayajña (giving up wealth), tapoyajña (performing austerities), yogayajña (practice of aṣṭāṅgayoga), svādhyāya-jñānayajña (self-study, gaining and distribution of knowledge).

evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñāḥ vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe
karmajān viddhi tān sarvān evaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase (BG 4.32)
In this way, many kinds of yajñas are known from the Vedas. Know all of them to be derived from karma (all of them are different forms of karma). Thus, you will be liberated.

In the Presence of the Divine

Whatever one can think of, whatever one’s mind likes, whatever one is capable of doing, whatever one likes to do, - if one thinks, “Śrī Kṛṣṇa prasīda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa*,* be pleased)” while doing any of this or praying for any of this - it becomes a yajña. Similarly, when experiencing any of this, if all of it is offered as ŚrīKṛṣṇārpaṇa (offered to Śrīkṛṣṇa*)*, it becomes a yajña. However, it is not merely the tongue that must say this - but the mind. It should be embedded firmly in the heart. This famous verse also says the same -

ātmā tvaṃ girijā matiḥ sahacarāḥ prāṇāḥ śarīraṃ gṛhaṃ
pūjā te viṣayopabhogaracanā nidrā samādhisthitiḥ
sañcāraḥ padayoḥ pradakṣiṇavidhiḥ stotrāṇi sarvā giraḥ
yadyat karma karomi tattadakhilaṃ Śambho tavārādhanam
—Śiva-mānasa-pūja

The essence of the earlier upaniṣat quote — “tasyaivaṃ viduṣo yajñasyātmā yajamānaḥ” is also the same. “śarīraṃ gṛhaṃ” — the body is the house of Paraśiva, and the enjoyment of worldly pleasures is “te pūjā” — his worship. Śrī Kanakadāsa says “eveyikkade noḍuva noṭa ninnadayya” — the sight that stares (at beautiful maidens) without blinking is yours, “ṣaḍurasadannakke nalidāḍuva jihve ninnadu” — the tongue that is gladdened by tasty food with all six flavours is yours. Life should be led in this manner, with a mind to yajña. “Yanmaraṇaṃ tadavabhṛthaḥ” — death is also a part of the yajña of life. The word yajña has a wide range of meanings. By the word jñāna in jñānayajña should be understood philosophy, biology or mathematics and all other branches of learning. Physics, biological and social sciences and all other scientific pursuits too are jñāna, which implies that even scientists are established in yajña. All studies, all art, and all knowledge are harmonised in the realm of self-welfare.

Our ancestors followed a meaningful vrata, “kavale kavale Govindaṃ” — at mealtime, they would take Bhagavān’s name with each morsel of food they partook instead of chatting with others. This is the same as reciting verses during meals. Today’s city life is not conducive for remembering the names of the divine often. Gandhiji tried to bring back this practice. Singing divine names is a kind of training for some minds. For people with such a mindset, even chanting divine names is a yajña. There are two kinds of results for all yajñas — obtaining what one wishes for, and gradual elevation of the jīva.

We perform our activities with a desire to accomplish something. However, if we perform karma with a view that it is a yajña or that it is a service to the divine, our minds will gradually turn towards the Supreme; our ego will gradually diminish as the jīva becomes purer. And as the jīva becomes purer, it becomes capable of grasping the principle of reality.

People work according to their capabilities. What did Kucela have? A handful of rice! How did that become inexhaustible? Because he said Kṛṣṇārpaṇa. Everything should be seen as an offering to Kṛṣṇa. Whatever we obtain must always be seen as a boon from Kṛṣṇa. An elderly person in my family would recite a Telugu verse at mealtime — “Not a grain of rice more, not a grain less; not a minute earlier, not a minute later; not a drop of water more, not a drop less. Bhagāvan, only the quantity that you determine will enter my stomach”. After chanting the pre-meal mantras, he would recite this verse and take āpośana(ritual drinking of a spoon of water before meals). The meaning of the mantras chanted by vaidikas at meals — “śraddhāyāṃ prāṇe niviśya … prāṇāya svāhā …” — is the same, it is the constant remembrance of the presence of the divine. It is “practising the presence of the Supreme”. It is the feeling that we are always under the watch of the divine. The feeling of this proximity of the divine does not arise from a thousand campaka flowers or ten thousand jasmines. If the feeling first exists, only then does worship with this large heap of flowers carry any meaning. Maturity of mind is paramount. This is what Bhagavān implies when he says “patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ”.

yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo yānti brahma sanātanam
nāyaṃ loko’sty-ayajñasya kuto’nyaḥ kuru-sattama (BG 4.31)
O great scion of the Kurus! Those who partake of the amṛta that is the remnant of yajña attains the eternal abode of Brahma. One who does not perform yajña is not even fit for this world, what then to say of other, higher worlds?

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 7) Source: prekshaa]]

A person who carries out his duties without considering it an offering, will not even gain the good in this world. Then, how can he obtain a good state in other worlds? Mokṣa is the best among the four cardinal aims of human life. Karma helps achieve dharma, artha and kāma (dharma, wealth, and enjoyment). Even so, karma is the necessary first step for mokṣa. Mokṣa is liberation from the burden of the universe. Since we do not know the true nature of the ātmā, māyā (illusion of the world) and moha (attachment to the world) cover and shackle us, and make life miserable and burdensome. To get rid of the burden, we should know the true nature of jīva, Īśvara and Paramātmā. That is tattvajñāna or the knowledge of reality. The way to this knowledge is training the mind by performing our duties.

śreyān dravyamayāt yajñāt jñānayajñaḥ parantapa
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate (BG 4.33)
(O scorcher of foes, Jñānayajña is better than yajña performed with physical objects. All karma culminates in jñāna. )

A man who feels that he is performing a yajña, will be content with what he obtains. What he gains is a blessing from Īśvara, what he gives away is an offering to Īśvara — indeed, blessed is the man whose life-stream flows thus between the banks of blessings and offerings. He reaches the ocean of Brahma quickly. By constant recollection of Īśvara, he will understand the nature of Bhagavān — “jñāne parisamāpyate” — it culminates in jñāna.

The Benefit of Satkarma

Thus, there are four uses of performing satkarma —

Obtaining what one desires, like in the stories of Gajendra and Dhruva. 2. Practice of bhakti: the experience that there is something above us, the understanding that it deserves our love, worship, service, and obedience. This gives us serenity and courage. 3. Diminished ego: the illusion of “I”, the constant feeling that there is an ocean of energy behind us. 4. Preparing the mind to grasp the knowledge of reality.

The intellect can, probably to a certain extent, understand the nature of the ātmā. To understand it fully, it has to be experienced. If it has to be experienced, all our internal faculties must work together as one. The severity and rigidity of the ego must be annihilated. All this priming will ready it for self-realisation. “buddhigrāhyamatīndriyam” (BG 6.21) — it can be grasped by the intellect, even though it is suprasensory. Belief should rise from inside. The mind, akin to a mirror, must become pure.

dhūmen-āvriyate vahnir-yathādarśo malena ca (BG 3.38)
(Just as fire is enveloped by smoke, and a mirror by dirt).

Karma is that which wipes this mirror clean.

Obtaining Jñāna

Well then, is knowledge gained by just performing our duties? That is not enough; there must be other effort too. What is that?

tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninātattvadarśinaḥ (BG 4.34)
(Learn that knowledge from those who have realized the truth. Approach them with a spirit of sincere enquiry and serve them with humility. They will impart that knowledge to you.)

Praṇipāta is bowing down, a demonstration of humility. It is a sign that one is interested in learning something of value. It signifies earnestness and receptivity. Readiness to grasp is the first sign of a seeker of knowledge.

The second sign is paripraśna — Analysing the same thing in various ways and asking pertinent questions, thereby clearing all doubts.

The third sign is sevā or service. Be with the elderly and knowledgeable always. The guru may expound the theory of the Supreme Brahma in words, but its practice must be learnt by observing his conduct. “kelavaṃ māḻpavarindĕ kaṇḍu” — learn some things by observing those who are already doing them. One must wait, watch and observe how gurus deal with challenging and difficult circumstances when the mind is perturbed.

This is the essence of philosophy:

yad jñātvā na punarmoham evaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava
yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣasyātmanyatho mayi (BG 4.35)

The supreme principle is that by knowing which the delusion that is clouding your mind will not arise again; after seeing which you will see all creatures of the world within yourself and me also. How can you incur pāpa after understanding this? Harming others is pāpa.

ślokārdhena pravakṣyāmi yaduktaṃ granthakoṭibhiḥ
paropakāraḥ puṇyāya pāpāya parapīḍanam
(In half a verse, I will convey what has been expounded at length by millions of books. It is puṇya to help others, and pāpa to hurt others.)

Who is para — other — when there is nothing in the universe other than oneself? For an Ātmajñānī, there is nothing or no one other than him in the universe. How, then, can he hurt anyone else? Or, how can he even help anyone else? It is just self-conceit to say that one has helped another. One who sees himself in everyone doesn’t see “other”. Therefore, he is not even touched by puṇya or pāpa.

ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghucetasāṃ
udāracaritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam
—Hitopadeśa 1.71

Ordinary people have the feeling that one is his own, or that another is alien. Therefore he has the concepts of puṇya or pāpa. But the generous man who has comprehended the Supreme principle considers the whole world is an extension of himself. Therefore, understanding the true nature of the Supreme will erase the differences in the world, their derivatives such as greed and delusion, and their derivatives such as hatred and jealousy.

jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntim acireṇādhigacchati (BG 4.39)
(Having obtained knowledge, he will quickly attain great peace).

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 8) Source: prekshaa]]

The Necessity of Firm Decision

Arjuna, if we analyse from the perspective of the supreme principle, it becomes clear that your doubts are baseless. Be firm about the ātmā. Do not entertain doubts in your mind.

ajñaścāśraddhadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaṃ loko’sti na paraṃ na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ (BG 4.40)
(One who does not know, doesn’t have faith or is filled with doubts in his mind, perishes. A doubtful man can neither live in this world nor the otherworld. He is never happy.)

Do not keep swinging between karma, jñāna, dharma or sannyāsa. You will be ruined from all sides if you do that. Trust something completely. Only then will you attain a better state.

Let us suppose a man has been invited to a banquet at a big restaurant. We can imagine the conflict in a traditional man’s mind if he comes to know that that day is an ekādaśi[eleventh day of the lunar fortnight; traditional Hindus fast on this day.] If he stays back at home, he will be thinking about the good time his friends are having. If he does go, he will be worrying that he is eating outside food on an ekādaśi. Both are doubtful — saṃśayātmās. One did not enjoy the banquet, the other did not think of Bhagavān on ekādaśi.

We have to believe in one thing — either karma or jñāna. Only then can we be peaceful. Belief is courage, and courage is happiness. There are thousands, even countless philosophies in today’s world. But it cannot be said that any one of them can really build faith. Many of them can, however, shake existing beliefs. The poverty of our times is that we do not have strong belief — the belief ‘I am living for a specific purpose, I will be delivered from our sorrows from this’. Amongst the various kinds of poverty that afflict us, lack of belief (śraddhādāridrya) is the greatest.

“Arjuna, doubt born of ignorance is housed in your heart. Cut it with the power of the knowledge of the self, and establish yourself in the yoga of performing your duty for the Divine. Get up and fight”. This is Śrīkṛṣṇa’s instruction.

Nirlepa-yoga

This chapter seems to have got its name, jñāna-karma-saṃnyāsa-yoga, from the words “yoga-saṃnyasta karmāṇaṃ”. This chapter is called brahma-yajña-praśaṃsā in the Śāṅkara-bhāṣya. The important takeaway here from the view of the common people is karmaṇyakarma yah paśyet. We should perform karma, but in such a way that its dirt does not stick to us. Therefore, it is quite apt if we name this chapter nirlepa-karma-yoga.

Alepa or nirlepa is a negative form. It means that something is not there, and not that something good is present instead. If something or some work has to be useful, there should be a positive ’as’ (present) quality associated with it. Just because something bad went away, it does not mean that something good came by. Just because a banana leaf is cleaned well with water, it does not mean that the tongue tasted good food and the stomach became full. A banana leaf becomes useful if and only if there are various palatable eatables on it. Similarly, an unattached mind should attain yoga. Yoga means one thing joining another. When a jīva joins the Supreme ātmā, it becomes yoga. Nirlepa-karma-yoga is that by which an unattached mind or a purified mind that has washed off all attachments, performs its ordained duties and gradually merges the jīva with paramātmā.

SUMMARY

lokārthamĕ bhagavaṃtaṃ
sākāradi karmiyāge nīnellava tat-
svīkārakkĕṃdesagal
vyākulakĕḍĕyillavidu caturthādhyāyaṃ
The fourth chapter says, “For the benefit of the world,
Bhagavān assumed a form to perform duties.
Perform all your karma for his acceptance,
There will be no cause for agitation.”

nara*-svānta-parīpāka-vicakṣaṇan-adhokṣajan
śiravaṃ vajravāgippan-uramaṃ sudheyāgipaṃ
Skilled at ripening Nara*’*s mind, Adhokṣaja
Makes the head a diamond and fills the heart with amṛta.

*Nara can mean just a human or Arjuna himself.

APPENDIX 1 Īśvara’s Governance

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham (BG 4.7)
(Whenever dharma decreases and adharma becomes more prominent, I take birth).

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtāṃ
dharmasaṃśthāpanārthāya sambavāmi yuge yuge (BG 4.8)
(I am born again and again to protect the good, to destroy the evil and to establish dharma).

ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyahm (BG 9.22)
(I will take complete care of those who think of me always with no other thought and worship me, and are fully occupied in me).

Anything that exists (sat) can be thought of in four ways -

Parabrahma — this is shapeless, changeless, still, and not subject to expansion. 2. Īśvara or Jagadīśvara — is an entity related to Brahma that has shape, can change and has activity. It is the energy that rules the universe. 3. Prakṛti — this is the universe, with name, form and activity. It is under the control of Īśvara. 4. Jīva — this is of the form of many living beings of the universe, the individual element of the universe.

Of the above four, the first one does not have any activity. Therefore, we will examine the relationship among the other three.

It is already said that Īśvara is related to the universe in the same way as a king is related to a subject in a constitutional monarchy, such as England. Constitutional monarchy is a system of governance where the king and all his subjects are subservient to a known set of rules and arrangements. In such a system, just as common people agree to abide by a set of rules (the constitution, for instance), the king is also bound by the same rules. The king here is not at complete liberty to do as he pleases. Though it does not tie up his hands fully, it sets a limit to his freedom. His official duties are carried out within this limit, and he accepts it.

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 9) Source: prekshaa]]

When they ascend the throne, England’s Kings (or Queens) take an oath in front of their subjects that they will follow, preserve, and protect the traditional methods and rules of governance. In India, the President who is in place of the King, takes this oath while swearing in — “I will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law.” (Art. 60) Thus, even the highest official of the state is subject to the arrangement accepted by the common people.

In Vedānta, Īśvara’s sovereignty over the universe is similar. The system of governance accepted by the all the people is dharma. Dharma is the constitution of the kingdom. Īśvara has taken the responsibility of sustaining and maintaining it. In the constitution of dharma, the important sentence is that Īśvara is its protector. Thus, in the sustenance of dharma, he is not just an officer, but also the supreme authority. The constitution of dharma gives four responsibilities to Īśvara.

Protecting those who follow dharma 2. Punish those who harm dharma 3. Re-establishment of dharma, whenever the situation demands it 4. Protection of the distressed.

To perform the first two of the above tasks — that is protection of dhārmics and punishing the adhārmics, Īśvara has appointed other functionaries. They are deities such as Indra, Agni, Yama, Varuṇa, and Vāyu. The deities of different karmas, deities of different directions, planets and stars are such officers. Generally, they protect the dharma of the world. They protect and encourage the dhārmics of the world, and punish adhārmics appropriately. Īśvara, the overlord of the universe, supervises their work. Thus, Īśvara does not have to get into the daily activities of the world. For day-to-day activities, dharma-śāstra is the law. Various deities take the responsibility of maintaining law and order. Īśvara is just the supervising head in relation to them. Ordinarily, Īśvara himself is actionless.

Similarly, even in our current system of governance, the king is a neutral entity. Walter Bagehot, an English political scientist avers that the most excellent quality of an English king is his wise inaction. The fundamental concept here is that the King can do no wrong. This does not mean that there are no mistakes in polity. Mistakes may happen; their responsibility does not rest with the king but with the minister whose duty it is to advise the king on various political matters. That is, the minister becomes responsible for all political damage; this is the peculiarity of the English political setup. This is the meaning behind the phrase “responsible government”.

Thus, even though much of the day-to-day administration is the responsibility of the minister, the system leaves some special rights and offices — prerogatives — to the King. Inviting the parliament and dismissing it, taking up the reins of administration during conflict, pardoning those who have been condemned to severe punishment – all these are the king’s prerogatives.

The same applies to the rule of Īśvara. Among the above four dhārmic duties of a king, punishing the evil and protecting the good generally fall under the umbrella of the duties of various other deities of the world. The other two — re-establishing dharma and being compassionate towards the weak — are the prerogatives of Īśvara. In this world and the otherworld, various deities of the karmas mete out rewards and punishments to humans for their deeds – meritorious or otherwise.

However, the good may become weak and evil may become all-powerful at certain times. When evil reigns, the powers of the lesser deities will not be enough to sustain the world. Such times call for the direct descent of Īśvara himself. The below lines proclaim this.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham (BG 4.7)

Keeping this in mind, Arjuna praised Bhagavān as “śāśvata-dharma-goptā” (BG 11.18)

Terrible actions such as wars become necessary to re-establish sanātana dharma and to destroy evil in the world. Īśvara arranges, harmonizes and arbitrates such occasions. Thus, protecting dharma by multifarious means falls in the field of the rightful duties of Īśvara.

In the same way, giving succour to the distressed, showing affection to the miserable, the protection of those who are seeking it are all the charge of Īśvara. In our world, in a political setup like that of England (even in India), it is the authority of the throne to discuss with ministers and grant amnesty if a citizen sentenced to harsh punishment repents and begs for it. In a similar way, it is Īśvara’s duty to show compassion to the devotees who are begging for protection, so that there is no laxity in the rule of dharma, and in a way that encourages dharma. This mercy of the divine cannot be construed as partiality and criticised as haughtiness. The divine is not merciless and unjust. Instead, it has kindness and affection that fosters dharma. This is why Bhagavān is

gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛt (BG 9.18)
(The resource, provider, Lord, witness, abode, refuge and friend)

[[Ch. 4 Yoga of Unattached Karma (Part 10) Source: prekshaa]]

APPENDIX 2 Distinction between karma and akarma

karmaṇo hy-api boddhavyam boddhavyam ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaś-ca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ (BG 4.17)

The discussion on karma and akarma is so deep that it baffles even the wise, says Bhagavān. What does that imply? Simply that the responsibility of a man is great and that it should translate into sad-asad-viveka – discernment between right and wrong, truth and falsehood. Thus it becomes one’s duty to use his viveka and independently undertake due consideration. We have to keep this in mind carefully.

Akarma is that action which is not ordained for us. Karma that is beyond our capability and propriety is akarma for us. Bhagavān’s opinion is that this should be examined carefully.

akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ

The inference is that we should also know the karma that we should not perform. This is the subtle precept in the theory of karma.

A particular karma may be highly valued in the world; it may be recommended to us by society and the learned. It is left for us to decide whether it is right for us to perform it.

Going on a pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath has been believed to be a great virtuous accomplishment for aeons. But eighty or ninety- year old men and women should decide whether it is karma or akarma for them. Deciding it for them is difficult for others.

Suppose the head of a family is suffering from a terrible disease. Someone then instructs his wife to observe certain austerities for two weeks in a far off pilgrim centre to propitiate the divine and to gain longevity for her husband. Whether it is karma for her to stay with her husband during this time or travel to a far-off place is something she has to decide for herself.

Thus, karma for Rama may become akarma for Bhima. And something that is akarma for Shyama may be karma for Soma. Here, it is impossible to have one rule that holds for all circumstances. Therefore, individual responsibility plays a major role. No one can escape responsibility by disregarding viveka and arguing, “I did it because he told me,” “I trusted Bhagavān and did it,” and “I believed my guru’s blessings and did it.” Devotees who follow the bhakti tradition should be careful about this. They usually say, “Bhagavān will take care of everything; we do not have any responsibility”. These are not the words of those who have understood the distinction between karma and akarma.

Bhagavān gives results. Humans put forth the effort. Is the effort right? Is it adequate? These are the questions that are in front of us. We should always have this sense of personal responsibility.

karmaṇy-akarma yaḥ paśyet akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt (BG 4.18)

This means that we have to see karma in akarma and akarma in karma, and that this is the mark of a wise man. What is akarma? Akarma may mean two things —

Not performing any activity implying karmalopa or delinquency in one’s duty 2. Performing activities but remaining aloof from it, as though no activity is being performed — karma-phala-virakti — disinterested in the fruits (results) of karma.

The second meaning is implied here, not the first. Bhagavān’s opinion is never to give up karma. This is made clear in many other verses —

mā te saṅgos-tv-akarmaṇi (BG 2.47)

yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṃ kāryam-eva tat (BG 18.5)

Therefore, we have to read the meaning of this dictum as giving up the desire for the results of action, as given in (2). Pāpa does not affect one who performs all his various ordained, rightful and dhārmic duties, but does not worry about their results, as though he is not performing them at all. His karma does not shackle him.

jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasmasāt kurute tathā (BG 4.37)

ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya (BG 4.41)

karmaṇy-akarma yaḥ paśyet akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ (BG 4.18)

These are some of the greatest and most important words in the Gītā. Akarma may mean two things, therefore we have to be careful in grasping the meaning.

In “mā te saṅgos-tv-akarmaṇi,” akarma means giving up karma entirely. This is not right. Another akarma — where desire for the fruit of the karma is given up — is implied.

“karmaṇy-akarma” means that one has to perform his duties, but remain aloof as though he is not doing anything, meaning that he should remain neutral towards the good or bad consequences of his actions. He should work hard, but not feel that he is tired, or that he did not get to taste the sweet fruit of his labour.

“Akarmaṇi ca karma” means that one has to take a giving-up attitude towards the results of action. This is interesting. Doing one’s duties is karma, akarma namely giving up even the thought of its results is itself another karma.

Desire to perform karma, but disinterestedness in its results — that, then, is the prescription. Akarma in the form of giving up the desire for results while performing ordained karma, karma in the form of disinterestedness while giving up the results of karma.

While performing karma, giving up the ownership and desire for the results becomes akarma. While giving up such desire (which is akarma), the act of giving up itself becomes karma. Thus, “karmaṇy-akarma” and “akarmaṇi ca karma.”

A cook in a hotel cooks food for customers, that is his karma. He does not worry about who is eating the food prepared by him. That is akarma. A customer who visits the hotel eats the food. That is his karma. It is akarma for him to inquire about the person who cooked the food. Thus, akarma within karma and karma within akarma — perform duties diligently but be unconcerned about the results — this is the principle.

APPENDIX 3 Rains, Crops and Deities

annād-bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād-anna-sambhavaḥ
yajñād-bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14)

The divinities of the world do not provide rains and crops only to those who perform yajñas. They are generous. If one propitiates them, they become helpful to the entire mankind. If there is even one virtuous man in the village, the entire village is benefited by the results of his good deeds.

The implication of this teaching is that one has to enjoy the benefit obtained by the performance of yajña by sharing it with everyone, even though he has earned it alone. What does it really mean? Even though a deity gives some bounty as a boon to someone who has performed various virtuous actions, even others have the right to partake of it. The performer of yajña is not the lone beneficiary of the received boon. Everyone who is with him would have helped him in some or the other way, however small or big. If not in a positive, encouraging way, they would at least have helped him negatively by not harming the venture, by not creating obstacles in his way! Therefore, they also have the right to enjoy the boon received in a yajña.

Thus, the specious argument whether a non-performer of a yajña obtains its benefits or not, falls flat. There must be at least some virtuous people. A part of the fruits of their virtuous actions are obtained by everyone — this shows the greatness of virtuous deeds. The good performed by one brings welfare to everyone.

andu naraṅgĕ yuddhamukhadoḻ paratattvaṃ peḻdu lokakāṃ
bandapĕnannĕyoddhatara duṣṭara daṇḍisi sādhuvṛndakā-
nandavanittu śāśvatada dharmava saṃsthitagaivenĕṃda go-
vindanĕ nīnadaṃ marĕte-yenadaninnumadekĕ bāre bīradiṃ?
O Govinda, once upon a time, at the commencement of a fight,
You instructed Nara on the Supreme Principle, and proclaimed
That you will appear in this world to punish the evil,
To gladden the good, and establish dharma.
Have you forgotten that promise?
Why do not you appear now with all your might?

End of Chapter 4

[[Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Prologue to Chapter 5

ಬೋಧಿಸಿದೆ ಕರ್ಮಯೋಗವ
ಬೋಧಿಸಿದಿದಯ್ ಸಂನ್ಯಸನವನುಮನಾ ದ್ವಿಕದೊಳ್ ।
ಸಾಧನ ಮೇಲೆನಗಾವುದೊ
ಆದೇಶಿಪುದೆಂದು ಬೇಡಿದಂ ಕೌಂತೇಯಂ ।। ೧

Bodhisidĕ karma-yogava
bodhisiday saṃnyasana-vanumanā dvikadadoḷ
sādhana melĕnagāvudŏ
ādeśipudĕṃdu beḍidaṃ kauṃteyaṃ ।। 1

The son of Kunti implored,
“You taught me the Yoga of action.
You taught me renunciation.
Which of the two paths is better for me?
Please instruct me”

ಕರ್ಮವನೆಸಗಿಯುಮಾತ್ಮದ
ನಿರ್ಮಲತೆಯ ಕಾವ ಭಾವಕೌಶಲನಯದಾ ।
ನಿರ್ಮೋಹಯೋಗಕಲೆಯಂ
ಧರ್ಮಾಶ್ರಯ ಕೃಷ್ಣನೀಗಳುಪದೇಶಿಸುವಂ ।। ೨

karmavanėsagiyumātmada
nirmalatėya kāva bhāvakauśalanayadā।
nirmohayogakalėyaṃ
dharmāśraya kṛṣṇanīgaḻupadeśisuvaṃ।। 2

Kṛṣṇa, who is the refuge of dharma,
will now teach the art of Yoga without attachment,
that is a skillful method of protecting the purity of the self
even after performing action.

The Essence

Having performed karma, the jñānī (the knower) gives up its result.

When might a planter of a coconut palm see its fruit? Whoever plants the tree is different from one who takes care of it. Yet another is he who enjoys its fruits. The planter plants the tree for the good of the people. Just as the seed of pāpa is in one’s nature, so is the seed of puṇya. The Gītā’s message is to amplify this virtuous aspect.

Internal equanimity and an external sense of distinction are the two parts of the maxim for world welfare. The care a mother provides at home depends on the age and health of her children. If she insists upon external equality and gives food meant for a sixteen-year old to a sixteen-month old, it would not cause well-being but quite the opposite of it. Those politicians who shout, “Equality, Equality” till their throats go hoarse would do well to remember that there is an appropriate place for the principle of distinction in our lives.

Chapter 5 / Section 6

Yoga of Harmony of Action and Wisdom (Karma-jñāna-sāmarasya-yoga) or Saṃnyāsa-yoga

This is a small chapter but distills the essence of the Gītā. It deals mainly with the following five topics –

Synergy between steadfastness in action and steadfastness in knowledge 2. The state of mind needed for action 3. The inactivity of the Self 4. Practising the presence of the Self everywhere 5. A yogi’s adherence to welfare of the world

Arjuna saw an inconsistency in Bhagavān’s words in the fourth chapter. “Kṛṣṇa, you once extolled the renunciation of action. Then you praised the yoga of action. (This is an indication of mutual opposition between yoga and renunciation).

śreyān dravya-mayād-yajñāt-jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate (BG 4.33)
(More excellent than the yajña of material objects is the yajña of knowledge. All this action, O Pārtha, finds fulfillment in knowledge)

You said on one occasion, “All action concludes in the knowledge of the Self. On another occasion, you said,

tasmād-ajñāna-sambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogam-ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata (BG 4.42)
(Therefore, having rent asunder the doubt arisen out of ignorance with the sword of knowledge, attain yoga, O Bhārata)

This was said earlier – “Be steady in the yoga of action; arise for battle!”

Both of these are your own statements. What is your conclusion in this matter? If the knowledge of reality is the supreme benefit of action and actions have to be performed to attain this knowledge, is it not established that there is no need for action after attaining knowledge? In other words, renunciates do not have to perform any action, right? Saṃnyāsa or renunciation is without karma or action. Karma-yoga has karma in it. So which one is greater – karma or saṃnyāsa?” This was the question to which the fifth chapter proceeded as an answer.

saṃnyāsaḥ karma-yogaś-ca niḥśreyasakarāvubhau
tayostu karma-saṃnyāsāt-karma-yogo viśiṣyate (BG 5.2)
(Both karma-yoga and saṃnyāsa yield supreme welfare. Of them, however, the yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action)

This was Bhagavān’s answer: “Both the yoga of renunciation and the yoga of action yield the best of benefits. However, the yoga of action is special.”

Saṃnyāsa is renunciation or giving up. Yoga is joining one object to another. What does it mean to give up action? What does the “joining” or the “yoga” of giving up mean? It is clear from the word-meanings that both do not refer to the same thing. Bhagavān clarifies that saṃnyāsa is different from yoga not just by sound, but even by meaning – “karma-yogo viśiṣyate”. The uniqueness of karma-yoga is that it is a prerequisite to sāṅkhya or the knowledge of reality, which is the ultimate goal of saṃnyāsa as well.

saṃnyāsas-tu mahābāho duḥkham-āptum-ayogataḥ
yoga-yukto munir-brahma na cireṇādhigacchati (BG 5.6)

Here yoga refers to karma-yoga. Without karma-yoga, it is nigh impossible to attain renunciation. O strong-armed one! With karma-yoga, however, it will not take long for the seeker to attain the knowledge of Brahman.

Who is a Saṃnyāsin?

Are all those who wear saffron robes, shave their heads, and give up rituals saṃnyāsins? It has been said earlier (3.6) that it is not so. If one renounces out of haste, not only does one become ineligible to perform action but will also not automatically qualify for knowledge.

na karmaṇām-anārambhān-naiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo’śnute
na ca saṃnyasanād-eva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati (BG 3.4)

The same is repeated later as well.

….saṃnyāsī….na niragnirna cākriyaḥ
(One does not become a saṃnyāsī just by giving up agnihotra and other rituals).

The characteristic of a true saṃnyāsī is this

jñeyaḥ sa nitya-saṃnyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāňkṣati (BG 5.3)

“He, who neither hates nor desires, is known always as a saṃnyāsī”. The feeling of indifference that is implied in the phrase – “na dveṣṭi na kāňkṣati’’ is not one of mere co-existence. Consider a couple of bus or train passengers who do not know each other. Their mutual co-existence is indicative of “na dveṣṭi na kāňkṣati” – a negative feeling. Bhagavān shows how to add a positive dimension to it of the root form ‘as.’

labhante brahma-nirvāṇam-ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ
chinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ (BG 5.25)

The ṛṣis, being cleansed of all impurities, having extinguished all doubts, and endowed with definite knowledge, are engaged in the welfare of all beings.

[[Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The phrase hita-nirata (engaged in welfare) does not involve merely uttering homilies. It means those who internally resolve to act towards universal welfare and ensure that those resolutions are acted upon externally. It is thus not necessary for a saṃnyāsin to give up activity that yields in the well-being of the world. But such activities have to be performed with an extraordinary mindset. The activity referred to here is interacting with the world – taking from the world and giving back to it. It is but natural for mental modifications such as desire and anger and greed and delusion to creep in during such activities. The one who performs activities free of these mental agitations is the true saṃnyāsin.

It is important to keenly examine the words used in this verse. Saṃnyāsins are chinna-dvaidhā, they whose dvaidhā or doubt is torn asunder. When asked, “Does the divine exist?”, a few answer in the words of a famous agnostic [Joseph Ernest Renan] – “O God, (if there is a God), save my soul (if I have a soul).” This is doubt. There is no desire to believe but no courage to give up belief as well. This dvaidhībhāva (feeling of doubt) is like a pendulum oscillating between belief and disbelief. Saṃnyāsins are devoid of these feelings of uncertainty. What answer did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa give Swami Vivekananda in his pre-monastic state when asked if God existed? “Yes”. When again asked, “Can you show me”?, the Paramahamsa replied, “Yes, certainly!” Saṃnyāsins thus possess definite knowledge. Moreover, they are ‘yatātmānaḥ’ - those who have their minds under control. Will not arrogance arise with definite knowledge? Saṃnyāsins do not just have control over themselves but are also sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ (engaged in the welfare of all beings). They do not sit idle twiddling their thumbs but strive for the welfare of all. One should take note of the word hita (welfare) here. The word sukha (pleasure) could have been used, but it was not. All that is pleasing does not result in well-being. The purport is to engage in activities that ultimately result in well-being.

Sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtatva (Being the Self of all Beings)

Saṃnyāsins engage in action for the welfare of the world. They are not bound by it because they are without ego and are indifferent to opposites such as pleasure and pain.

yogayukto viśuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ
sarvabhūtātmabhūtātmā kurvannapi na lipyate (BG 5.7)

His self is the Self of all beings. He considers the sorrow and happiness of all beings as his own. Such a jñānī desires for the rest of the world the same contentment that he pursues. The jīva must be elevated. Remember the pleasure we get when we lazily stretch our limbs. That pleasure does not necessarily indicate hita (well-being). However, the sound sleep that we get after a day’s hard work is not just sukha (pleasure) but also indicates hita (well-being). The work of uplifting a jīva is hita. The saṃnyāsin experiences the Self of all beings within himself. Who can be a rival or enemy to him who is all? The Self is uniform and is everywhere. Therefore there is no room for partiality, affection or for envy and infatuation. But how does this “being the Self of all beings” come to our mind? How can our intellect understand it? How can we experience it every moment? Experience is greater than knowledge. Our contemplation should be such that we should become one with the object of our contemplation. The eight siddhis[aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, garimā, prāpti, prākāmya, īśitva, and vaśitva] or attainments such as aṇimā (the ability to become atomic in size) are achievable by means of haṭha-yoga. But this state of sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā (being the Self of all beings) is beyond all such siddhis and is possible only through much refinement.

Asaṅgakarma (Action without Attachment)

kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalairindriyairapi
yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṃ tyaktvātmaśuddhaye (BG 5.11)

Yogis perform action through their body, mind, intellect, the sensory and motor organs. How? “Saṅgaṃ tyaktvā” (by giving up attachment). Two points are important here –

If an action has to be performed well, the performer has to be a jñānī. 2. All the faculties of knowledge and action must unite during an action.

It is only then that the body becomes capable. Not even a single organ must slacken. All organs must be effective, attentive, and firm. It was therefore that Śrī-Vidyāraṇya said,

jñāninā carituṃ śakyaṃ samyagrājyādilaukikam
—Pañcadaśī 9.114
(It is possible for a jñānī to effectively discharge worldly actions such as administering a kingdom).

As the knower of the Self is not selfish, all the actions he performs are effective. Why do yogis act? “Ātmaśuddhaye” – for the purification of the mind. The same idea is conveyed in the tenth verse.

brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ
lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatramivāmbhasā (BG 5.10)

Action must be performed, but should be offered to Brahma. There must be no expectations such as – “This work will yield me profit or bring me fame.” Demerit will not bind him who has no such expectations and calculations during action. It might be asked, “Any activity is naturally associated with selfishness. How could that not affect a jñānī?” The answer is “padmapatramivāmbhasā” (like a lotus leaf in water). A cloth gets wet when dipped in water. Even though a lotus leaf originates, sustains itself, and falls away in water, moisture never sticks to it. A jñānī lives in the world just like the lotus leaf in water. He participates in all of its pleasures and sorrows but is internally unchanged.

yo’ntaḥsukho’ntarārāmas-tathāntarjyotireva yaḥ
sa yogī brahmairvāṇaṃ brahmabhūto’dhigacchati (BG 5.24)

A jñānī resolves thus – “Prakṛti causes everything. It does not affect me.”

The poet Lucretius observed – “The bystander on the sea-shore is happy when he sees fishermen struggle to catch fish. On the one hand, he is entertained by witnessing their adventures. On the other, he is relieved that he is not undergoing that hardship.” The jñānī, much like this bystander, witnesses the actions of the world without any anxiety.

[[Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

The Steadfastness in Yoga of a Jñānī

yuktaḥ karmaphalaṃ tyaktvā śāntimāpnoti naiṣṭhikīm
ayuktaḥ kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate (BG 5.12)

The word “yukta” here means yoked or harnessed to yoga or being steadfast in yoga. A jñānī, having performed action, gives up its fruit. We realise quite soon that it is not easy to do so. But it is not that rare either. When can a planter of a coconut palm see its fruit? The planter of the tree is different from the caretaker who is again other than the enjoyer of the fruit. The planter plants the tree for the good of the people. Just as the seed of pāpa is in our nature, the seed of puṇya too is within us. The intent of the Gītā is in amplifying this tendency for good in us. The goodness within us must be expanded. The one who does that obtains peace from being steadfast (“śāntimāpnoti naiṣṭhikīm”). “Naiṣṭhikīm” refers to that which results from niṣṭhā (being established in something). Just as it is said elsewhere –

tanniṣṭhasya mokṣopadeśāt
—Brahma-sūtra 1.1.7
(Mokṣa or final liberation is declared for one who is established in It).

Tranquillity results from being fully established in something. One has to be devoted or be established in at least one thing. Partial trust in Āyurveda, and believing a little in Unani or allopathy is how our belief is usually spread across different things. The one who is not established in yoga “kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate” is bound because he is attached to the fruit of acting according to his desire. Such a person acts differently in every moment according to his whims. ‘Kāmakāra’ (acting according to one’s whims) is the opposite of being established in yoga. That indeed is deviating from the right path. One who acts according to his caprices cannot attain tranquillity. His interest is only in the fruit of the moment. His ‘niṣṭhā’ or steadiness is in a flux and he thus attains no peace. He is then ‘nibadhyate’ – bound by his actions.

The Meaning of the Word Karma

The word ‘karma’ has multiple meanings. There is no reason to single out sat-karma (good karma) here. The phrase “brahmaṇyādhāya” (surrendering in Brahma) is used here. There can be no “duṣkarma” (bad karma) during the remembrance of Brahma. Good karma can be of two kinds – scriptural or śāstrīya works and worldly works. Śāstrīya works pertain to those rituals such as yajñas and yāgas that are prescribed in the śruti or smṛti. Both śāstrīya and worldly actions are referred to by the word karma. All of this karma has to be surrendered to Brahma. The remembrance of Brahma must pervade all these works. There must be no trace of personal desire. The one who does that - lipyate na sa pāpena - is not tainted by demerit. Demerit accrues in the presence of ego. Therefore “saṅgaṃ tyaktvā” (abandoning attachment) has been used to qualify the performance of action - specifically, abandoning attachment to ‘me’ and ‘mine’. Who then is responsible for the action? “Brahmaṇi ādhāya” – the jñānī delegates all responsibility to Brahmā.

The same is expressed in the statement – “yuktaḥ karmaphalaṃ tyaktvā” (the one in Yoga having given up the fruit of action). Here “ayuktaḥ” means the one who has not yoked his mind to Bhagavān. ‘Kāmakāreṇa’ – the one who acts capriciously. Such a person is phale saktaḥ – interested in the result. He is nibadhyate – bound. What else but bondage can happen to such a person?

Internal Detachment

The thought continues here.

sarvakarmāṇi manasā saṃnyasyāste sukhaṃ vaśī
navadvāre pure dehī naiva kurvanna kārayan (BG 5.13)

By vaśī is meant one who has control over himself. Such a person is happy. Why? “sarvakarmāṇi manasā saṃnyasya” – having mentally given up all actions. Works have to be performed externally but they have to be renounced internally. This indeed is the essence of the Gītā. However, such renunciation should not result in any lapse in the performance of external action. The non-attachment referred to here is internal. Bhagavān says that it is possible to renounce actions internally without any impact on external action.

We have experienced on occasion that while action happens externally there is no equivalent internal impact. The change of the yajñopavīta (sacred thread) is such an activity for many of us. During the commencement of a meal, activities such as pariṣecana (purifying food by sprinkling water around one’s food) are similar in nature. Though it is an external activity, it is quite rare for the mind to be involved in such activities. Cyclists routinely putting their feet to pedal is an external activity that, however, does not touch the mind. We should perform action without experiencing mental anguish. We have to practise internal detachment. Tāṭhastya (detachment) refers to standing on the shore. The one on the shore does not get wet. Neither is he concerned with who is bathing or drowning in the waters. Even if he watches it, he has no selfish interest in those. Similarly, external actions do not impact a jñānī.

Man should divide himself into two – the doer and the seer. He should think, “I am the witness. The doer is someone else.” There are no mental disturbances then. Ego & selfish desires cause mental disturbances.

naiva kiṃcitkaromīti yukto manyeta tattvavit
paśyañ śruṇvan spṛśañ-jighrann- aśnan-gacchan svapan śvasan (BG 5.8)
pralapan-visṛjan-gṛhṇann-unmiṣan-nimiṣannapi
indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan (BG 5.9)

The knower of reality believes that he is not doing anything; but he watches; he listens; he touches various objects; smells different things; walks about, eats, sleeps; attends calls of nature, blinks his eyes and yet does not feel that he is doing anything. But all of these are not Vedic rituals! Are not all of these worldly activities? Indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu – sensory organs indulge in what they desire. His mind is not those sense organs. Thinking thus, he surrenders his actions to Brahma (brahmaṇyādhāya). He resolves in his mind that he does not do anything.

The Behaviour of the Guṇas

But aren’t all of these world activities happening? Who then is performing all these? We saw it in the third chapter.

tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate (BG 3.28)

The guṇas of the organs engage in the guṇas of the objects. The sensory organs engage in the objects of the external world. The same principle is stated more extensively in the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad 14.6.2.

jihvā vai grahaḥ। sa rasenātigraheṇa gṛhīto jihvayā hi rasānvijānāti ।
vāgvai grahaḥ। sa nāmnā’tigraheṇa gṛhīto vācā hi nāmānyabhivadati ।
cakṣurvai grahaḥ। sa rūpeṇātigraheṇa gṛhītaścakṣuṣā hi rūpāṇi paśyati ।
śrotraṃ vai grahaḥ। sa śabdenātigraheṇa gṛhītaḥ śrotreṇa hi śabdāñchṛṇoti ।
mano vai grahaḥ। sa kāmenātigraheṇa gṛhīto manasā hi kāmānkāmayate ।
hastau vai grahaḥ। sa karmaṇātigraheṇa gṛhīto hastābhyāṃ hi karma karoti ।
tvagvai grahaḥ। sa sparśenātigraheṇa gṛhītastvacā hi sparśānvedayata ityaṣṭau grahā’aṣṭāvatigrahāḥ।

The Vedic seers divided the world into grahas and atigrahas. Whatever grasps is known as a graha and whatever is grasped is known as an atigraha. The tongue is a graha; taste is an atigraha. The ear is a graha; sound, music etc. are atigrahas. The ear, eye, and even the mind that controls these are all classified as grahas. All of them captured by kāma (desire) that is an atigraha. All sense organs are grahas. The sensations of taste, smell etc., that attract these grahas are atigrahas. Thus the categories graha and atigraha naturally exist in the world, as the products of the primordial prakṛti. Prakṛti is Parabrahma’s power of action. Prakṛti cannot exist without Brahma. These categories of graha & atigraha are the products of prakṛti, the power of Brahma. These two engage as well as excite each other. This is our life. The lives of all beings can be summed up as harmony and disharmony between the graha and atigraha. This is our perennial struggle.

[[Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

The ActionlessĀtmā

The whole of creation is thus created from Brahma’s power, Brahma’s līlā. It is enjoying ānanda (bliss) causing all these actions. Why do we call it ānanda? Ānanda is the nature of Brahma. Difficulty or pain is not in its nature. Even when we experience distress or sorrow, there is definitely an aspect of its līlā in them. To the divine, our laughter and tears are like the laughter and tears of children to adults. Therefore in the Rudrādhyāya the Supreme is praised as “nama ākkhidate ca prakkhidate ca” (Salutations to the one who causes minor as well as major troubles).

na kartṛtvaṃ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ
na karmaphalasaṃyogaṃ svabhāvastu pravartate (BG 5.14)

It cannot be said that since Īśvara has created this world, it is better to let him experience it. None of these affect Īśvara because he is Īśvara (the supreme ruler). The engagements of the world do not affect the Self (ātmā) who is the indweller of the jīva, as the former is an aspect of Īśvara. However, they affect the jīva which is the embodied Self. Even the jīva is the same as the Self, but enveloped by a shroud. The jīva cries out, “My shroud is heavy! It’s heavy!” When experiencing the ‘heaviness’ of the shroud, the Self is known as the jīva. But it becomes light when a knower casts off the covering shroud. This state of the jīva is natural. However, the Self is beyond Nature. Īśvara is neither the doer of worldly activities nor is he the one who established this system of causality. But all fundamental components and energies of these universal laws are but minor aspects of his limitless power. It is their actions that constitute worldly events. The relationship between action and their results does not belong to Īśvara. Doership, enjoyership, creatorship, and cause – are all in the realm of Prakṛti (Primordial Nature). It is prakṛti that makes jīvas dependent upon her to perform their actions. The state of the jīva is something that can be remedied; it is not permanent. Mokṣa is release from the state of the jīva. When something that is not the Self envelops the Self, it becomes a jīva. The non-Self is subject to destruction. It can be removed. We saw in the second chapter:

vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naro’parāṇi
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni
anyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī (BG 2.22)

Thus, the non-Self can be cast off. The Self, that is the internal sentience of the jīva, has to be released from this shell of the non-Self. The true nature of the ātmā is revealed when this shell is removed. It is thus that Bhagavān said:

navadvāre pure dehī naiva kurvanna kārayan (BG 5.13)

The two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth, the two nether orifices - together constitute the nine gates (navadvāra). Our body is the city with these nine gates. The lord of the city is seated inside these gates. He does not do anything and is much like the constitutional monarch who has delegated all work to ministers and officials. They conduct all the activities under his rule.

The Extent of Arjuna’s Question

We might think that the topic of this chapter is far removed from Arjuna’s question. Arjuna’s question was whether he should fight or not. In the guise of answering his question, Bhagavān instructed him on various topics such as what Prakṛti is, what Brahma is, what it means to perform action, who the doer is and who the enjoyer is. We feel that this is a digression. When asked about war, Bhagavān talked about the Self and non-Self. How are these even related? The reply is that this particular problem can only be dealt with in this way. There is no foundation other than the discernment between the Self and the non-Self to effectively determine what dharma and adharma are. Arjuna’s question was this – “Is this dharma or adharma? I think this is adharma.” Krishna replied that this was dharma. On what basis could this question have been settled? What is the testimony? The discernment between the Self and the non-Self is the sole testimony. Arjuna somehow asked this question. But he did not realise the root of this query and how far it reached. His query came in the heat of the discussion. The knowledge of the Self is needed to decide what duty is and is not. We have to then accept the verdict of those who are able to discern between the Self and the non-Self.

The Cessation of Ignorance

Jñāna or knowledge is not something extraneous to a jīva but intrinsic to it. The nature of the Self is three-fold – Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss (sat, cit, ānanda respectively). This cit is the seed of knowledge. Cit is knowledge, the process of comprehension, and the action that is inspired. All of these are latent in the jīva from time immemorial. Ignorance masks this knowledge like a wicker-basket (masks a lamp). Because of this, we see the wicker basket and not Brahma.

ajñānenāvṛtaṃ jñānaṃ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ (BG 5.15)

When the cover of ignorance is removed, knowledge arises spontaneously. That is why Bhagavān asks Arjuna to conquer Anger and Desire. The rest happens on its own.

dhūmenāvriyate vahnir-yathādarśo malena ca
yatholbenāvṛto garbhas-tathā tenedamāvṛtam (BG 3.38)

Just as smoke covers burning coal, just as dirt covers a mirror does the natural state of ignorance conceal knowledge. How can we get rid of this ignorance? By practising the presence of the Self (ātma-samakṣatā), which is also the same as practising the presence of the divine.

Samakṣatā refers to something in front of our eyes - presence. We have to experience the presence of the divine by practising it.

Those that have attained the practice of the presence of the Self have been described thus.

tadbuddhayas-tadātmānas-tanniṣṭhās-tatparāyaṇāḥ
gacchanty-apunarāvṛttiṃ jñānanirdhūtakalmaṣāḥ (BG 5.17)

Have we experienced divine presence or not? We can find this out for ourselves. When someone derided as vile or cheap by society comes and sits next to us, what expression does our face take? What does our mind tell us when a person who has wronged us sits next to us? How do we behave when a person of power or fame moves near us? Our mind values all these external distinctions such as status, rank, and prestige. But on the other hand, if all of these persons – who are non-different from the Self – are viewed with the same measure of self-love, we would be practising equality.

All differences must be eschewed. The mind is full of such differences. Whoever realises the presence of the divine has no such differences.

vidyāvinayasaṃpanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ (BG 5.18)
(The knowers of the Self view with equanimity a Brahmin endowed with learning and humility, a cow, an elephant, a dog and him who eats dog flesh.)

[[Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

The Vision of Equality (Sama-darśana)

This is a famous śloka. What does – sama-darśana - the vision of equality mean? Does equality imply that both the elephant and the cow be offered the same food? The word “equal” is one of the most misused words of our times. Politicians use this word ad nauseam. It is not uncommon for this word to be used without knowing its actual meaning or with an erroneous understanding. Equality is giving to each being what is best for it. A feast for a Brahmaa and grass for the cow – showing the same love across beings is viewing all equally. Teachers might rebuke a student and reward another with a sweet. This too is equality from the perspective of the students’ needs and abilities.

The vision of equality requires two things – the seer and the seen. The well-being of the seen has to result from the seer’s vision of equality. The vision of equality has to conclude in a consideration of the welfare of the seen. A uniform perspective of benefiting all is the vision of equality. This instruction pertains to the sameness of love for all. The same love for all beings finds different expressions based on the needs of its recipients.

What is the relation of equality to this instruction about knowledge? The mark of true knowledge is seeing all with equanimity. The chief characteristic of the seer of the Self is equanimity. He does not hate anybody and has the same love for all. He constantly thinks about the well-being of all, not just about the pleasure of a few. In spiritual matters, well-being is more important than pleasure. It is all fine to help others find pleasure as long as it is not in opposition to their eventual well-being. Pleasure and well-being need to be separated out.

Knowledge and humility together are described as the characteristics of a Brāhmaṇa. Seldom are these fine qualities seen together. There are many knowledgeable people but not all of them are humble. Similarly, not all humble persons are scholars. It is rare for knowledge and humility to combine. Arrogance and egoism have to be rooted out from us. The first words of Śrī Śaṅkara’s prayer are –

avinayam apanaya viṣṇo
—Ṣaṭpadī-stotram
(O Viṣṇu, take away arrogance)

Humility is “amānitvam-adambhitvam” (not being arrogant, not being deceitful). Humility is something of a rare quality in a democracy. A humble person gets nothing there. The one desirous of thriving in a democracy has to constantly be a rabble rouser. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The one without a voice suits a ruined well. If one desirous of living a good life waits for recognition and an invitation from others, he might as well wait forever. Even when nobody wants to listen, hustlers rush forward to claim, “Hear me. Don’t listen to others. I’m the only one who can redeem the country; others will despoil it. I’m your only confidante. All others are your enemies. I’m the only truthful one; others are cheats,” and manage to get good positions. Where is the encouragement for humility in such an environment? The Gītā quoted by politicians and Rāvaṇa’s renunciation are the same.

Equanimity is stated in another way.

ihaiva tairjitaḥ sargo yeṣāṃ sāmye sthitaṃ manaḥ
nirdoṣaṃ hi samaṃ brahma tasmād brahmaṇi te sthitāḥ (BG 5.19)

They, whose minds are steadfast in the experience of Brahma that is uniform everywhere, obtain mokṣa (or liberation) ihaiva (in this world only). The statement that Brahma is uniform everywhere just means that it is impartial. Not that it appears the same to everybody. Just as the sky is uniform everywhere, Brahma is uniformly omnipresent. It does not have any inequality or cruelty. This is the purport of the statement “śuni caiva śvapāke ca” (in a dog and in a dog-eating caṇḍāla). The intent of a jñānī is to do whatever it takes to uplift any jīva. The intent of upliftment is the same across all beings. What is equality from a judge’s viewpoint? To give everyone their just due according to the law. We need practice for such a temperament to reside in our minds. Our selfish desires and infatuation must go. As long as these exist within us, this practice of equanimity will not be possible.

śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṃ prākṣarīravimokṣaṇāt
kāmakrodhodbhavaṃ vegaṃ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ (BG 5.23)
(One must face the onslaught of Desire and Anger here, while alive. The one who can bear it and win over them is a yogi. He indeed is happy.)

In this chapter, yoga refers to karma-yoga. Yogis are sarvabhūtahiteratāḥ (engaged in the welfare of all beings). They experience their own Self everywhere and thus everyone is non-different from their own Self. The practice of welfare for all is an expression of the love for the Self. The practice of omni-welfare is an action too. That action is performed to please Bhagavān.

bhoktāraṃ yajñatapasāṃ sarvalokamaheśvaram
suhṛdaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jñātvā māṃ śāntimṛcchati (BG 5.29)

This is one of the most beautiful statements that Śrīkṛṣṇa has made about himself. “I am the friend of all beings. I am the protector of all. Perform your duties knowing that I am there”. Whom do all our yajñas and other meritorious works and austerities reach? It reaches Bhagavān. Whoever constantly experiences this divine greatness attains tranquility. This statement enables the contemplation of the divine Incarnation.

Reflection upon the Principle of Equality

The Gītā has numerous mentions referring to equality – sama, samatā, sāmya, samāna, samadarśi – which have been used in two kinds of meanings that are not opposed to each other but are closely related.

The first meaning is seen in phrases such as “sama-duḥkha-sukhaṃ dhīram” and “samatvaṃ yoga ucyate”. In these situations, equality refers to an attitude of indifference to opposites such as profit-loss, like-dislike, and friends-enemies. 2. The second meaning can be seen in statements such as “samaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu” and “paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ”. The purport here is that the Self uniformly exists in all beings.

Both of these meanings have to be considered according to the context.

Tilak’s Argument

As Śaṅkarācārya had criticised the path of action, Bal Gangadhar Tilak endeavoured to establish the primacy of action. Tilak was not interested in re-establishing the aśvamedha and the vājapeya rituals. He was more concerned with action in this world. Śaṅkarācārya was not opposed to that either. In fact, Śaṅkara was least interested in it. From his perspective, nothing needed to be said about worldly action as it was self-evident that everyday action was imperative. Manu’s testimony, that was considered to be of prime importance by Śaṅkara, is relevant here. Śaṅkarācārya quotes profusely from Manu. “Ṛṇāni triīṇi apākṛtya mano mokṣe niveśayet” (Having paid the three-fold debt, the mind must be engaged in liberation), and others are relevant quotes here. Buddha’s chief instruction was about moral action. Śaṅkarācārya insists on fulfilling all these moral prerequisites before holding a Vedānta treatise in one’s hands. Only those endowed with the wealth of the śama-sextet [ śama, dama, uparati, śraddhā, titikṣā, samādhāna] are qualified for the knowledge of Vedānta . Only those are fit to even touch the Gītā. Therefore Śaṅkara implicitly agrees that worldly dharma is essential. His issue is only about the rituals of the śruti and smṛti. For us in this era, due to the influence of the times, this is completely irrelevant. Our paṇḍitas repeatedly debate about ‘karma’. Due to this irrelevant debate, this already complicated matter becomes even more complicated. Neither Śaṅkarācārya nor the other ācharyas have any issue with the fact that worldly dharma has be performed. Even if Śaṅkarācārya forbids them, those actions will not stop as Bhagavān Krṣṇa himself has extolled the performance of karma.

Śaṅkarācārya is chronologically the first amongst the ācāryas of the three schools (Advaita, Dvaita and Viśiṣṭādvaita). When he could raise an issue, how could the teachers of the other schools remain quiet without having a say on it? Thus grew this literature of disputation. We can keep that aside.

What is relevant to us is not the question of śrauta rituals but that of everyday worldly actions. There are dos and don’ts as well as dharma and adharma and virtue and vice in everyday life. Is the Gītā relevant for the issues of everyday life that are out of the pale of Vedic eligibility? If not, the Gītā is a work that stands to become irrelevant with the passage of time and is not worthy of our respect and submission.

[[Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 6) Source: prekshaa]]

The Three Maxims of the Yoga of Action

If we consider the instruction of the Gītā as valuable in all places and at all times, the principles of karmayoga apply to all of us. Why? By karma here is meant not just scriptural and traditional rituals connected to devatās but also all life related activity. Whatever needs to be done to sustain the family – loans and receipts, searches for brides and grooms, squabbles with the in-laws, the good and bad of our neighbourhoods, national and international affairs – all of these are actions as well as duties.

First of all, the decision of what to do and what not to do has to be decided from the vantage point of the inner Self. Secondly, auspicious action is that which leads to the jīva’s progress. Thirdly, egoism and hankering after results must be given up in any activity and all actions must be performed as service to Bhagavān. These three rules form the instruction of the fifth chapter.

We discussed the topics of knowledge and liberation. Activity or karma is needed as a prerequisite for jñāna. Karma persists after the dawn of knowledge, however, as the play of the Self. The jnānī sees his own Self or divine presence everywhere. Therefore he is able to effortlessly perform any action as a service to Bhagavān. Thus action exists as a prerequisite prior to the dawn of knowledge. Action persists later too. The only difference is that while the former kind is mandatory and of the type of an injunction, the latter is a play and is effortless. Thus action exists both before and after the rise of knowledge.

Usually, faith in the efficacy of action as well as a curiosity for knowledge exist among āstikas*. As knowledge ripens, action recedes. The milk we drink is mixed with water. Even milk directly from a cow’s udder has water content in it. As the milk is heated, however, the proportion of water keeps decreasing while the proportion of milk solids keeps increasing. In khova and such milk products used for making sweets, water content is almost non-existent and milk solids comprise the entire substance. The interaction between karma and jñāna is similar. As the knowledge of reality matures, the craving for the results of the action reduces. Age and worldly experience could be the reason for this. A mental state where karma is seen solely as external activity might arise. Thus, the hankering after karma gradually reduces while jñāna, the inner essence of karma, becomes brighter. One fine day, action might be seen as completely unnecessary once knowledge has matured. Karma then automatically falls off. The jnānī does not voluntarily give up karma, but it leaves him by itself. We are reading a novel lying down. After sometime, sleep overtakes us and we close our eyes. The book in our hands falls off by itself.

suptahastasthapuṣpavat..
(Like a flower in the hands of a sleepy person)

What happened then? It is not that faith in karma was lost but that it became unnecessary. When do we need the book? Till we are able to memorize it. Once we know it by heart and are able to recite its contents on demand, what is the need for the book? The performance of karma is like the book. Karma is for the attainment of jñāna. The book is also for attaining knowledge. As more knowledge is acquired, the book and karma become irrelevant.

A note of caution, however. Have we really attained jñāna? Let us first ensure that. It is safer to perform karma assuming that we have not attained knowledge rather than renouncing it with the assumption that we have attained knowledge.

Gist

ಕಾಷಾಯದಿನೇನ್, ಆತ್ಮವ
ನೈಸರ್ಗದಿನೆತ್ತಿ ಲೋಕಕೃತ್ಯವ ಧರ್ಮೈ-।
ಕಾಶಯದೆ ಚರಿಸಲದು ಸಂ-
ನ್ಯಾಸಂ ನಿರಹಂತೆ ಎಂಬುದೈದನೆಯ ಪದಂ ।।

Kāṣāyadinen, ātmava
naisargadinĕtti lokakṛtyava dharmai-
kāśayadĕ carisaladu saṃ-
Nyāsaṃ nirahaṃtĕ ĕṃbudaidanĕya padaṃ ।।

“What of ochre robes?
True renunciation is lifting the self from its natural state
And performing one’s duties with the sole objective of dharma.
That is egolessness” – is (the gist of) the fifth chapter.

ಜಲದರುಚಿರನೀಲಂ ನಂದಗೋಪಾಲಬಾಲಂ
ನವಸುಮವನಮಾಲಂ ಗೋಪಿಕಾರಾಸಲೀಲಂ ‍।
ಕುರುಕುಲಯಮಶೂಲಂ ಪಾಂಡವದ್ವಾರಪಾಲಂ
ಸುರತಿವಿರತಿಮೇಲಂ ವೈಣವೋಂಕಾರಲೋಲಂ ।।

Jaladaruciranīlaṃ naṃdagopālabālaṃ
Navasumavanamālaṃ gopikārāsalīlaṃ ।
Kurukulayamaśūlaṃ pāṃḍavadvārapālaṃ
Surativiratimelaṃ vaiṇavoṃkāralolaṃ ।।

Deliciously hued like a dark cloud, the son of Nanda the cowherd,
Garlanded by fresh wild flowers, the performer of the rāsa-līla with the gopikā maidens,
The weapon of Yama for the Kauravas, the doorkeeper of the Pāṇḍavas,
The combination of indulgence and renunciation; the one who revels in the oṃkāra from the flute.

APPENDIX

Controversy with Schools of Philosophy

The following verses from the fifth chapter are worth remembering.

sāṅkhyayogau pṛthagbālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ
ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyagubhayorvindate phalam (BG 5.4)
yatsāṅkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṃ tadyogairapi gamyate
ekaṃ sāṅkhyaṃ ca yogaṃ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati (BG 5.5)

Bhagavān opines that the distinction between the followers of sāṅkhya and yoga is not worth consideration for a seeker.

“Only the childish think of sāṅkhya and yoga as different. The knowers do not differentiate between them. Following either one well ensures that the fruit of both is attained.

“Whatever position is attained by the sāṅkhya is attained by the yogis as well. He who sees sāṅkhya and yoga as one is the one who really sees reality.”

This point is crucial for our country in these times. The poisonous element in our society is inter-religious and sectarian strife. The above verses show that sectarianism is bad and harmful.

The above words are good advice not just for dvaitādvaita controversies but for conflicts between the votaries of Śiva, Viṣṇu, Śakti and other deities as well.

Not just that. The rivalries seen between Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and other local and foreign religions can also be answered well by the above verses.

The destination is one but the paths are many. The wayfarer chooses his path according to his aptitude and strength.

The contention amongst Dvaita, Advaita and other schools of philosophy will be discussed in detail in the appendix of the book.

* Refers to those who believe in the Veda. In this context, it just means devout.

[[Ch. 6 The Practice of Dhyāna (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

jñānārhaté saṃnyāsādé
saṃnyasipudu karmaphalavano karmavano।
enaṃ karmadoḷillaṃ
tānénuvudu seré karmadóḷagadu kaluṣaṃ॥

Saṃnyāsa makes one fit for knowledge
What should we give up, karma or its fruit?
Karma itself is pure, faultless.
It only becomes impure by the feeling of ‘I’.

svāntada śodhanéyappudu
santatakarmātta lokasaṃparkagaḷim।
antantaśśodhitadai-
kāntada dṛṣṭiyiné pūrṇatattvaṃ doréguṃ॥

The mind is refined
By constant contact with the world through various duties
By contemplating within,
By meditating in solitude one obtains complete knowledge.

Summary

Not having any desire for one’s own profit is Saṃnyāsa. Working in a righteous way for riches, wishing for pleasure and coveting success are all suitable for householders. Even if one’s duties are performed with intended personal benefit, they can eventually bring about selflessness. Whether this is a worldly karma or a religious one, whether it is selfish or not — it turns the mind towards the divine if it does not violate dharma. Various experiences gained during the course of life because of constant contact with the world shake and jolt the jīva, make it wander about, and exhaust it. Finally they bring about the realisation about the limited value of the world, the plight of pleasures, and the bounds of human effort.

The Gītācārya does not prescribe severe austerities that affect bodily functions. He says that all activities should be within permissible limits. Sādhanā should not affect efficiency in action and peace of mind.

Dhyāna-yoga is fixing the mind upon the principle of the ātmā. It is impossible to understand the Bhagavad-Gītā without dhyāna. Knowledge gained from mere study of books is incomplete. Complete knowledge is gained from one’s own experience and the practice of ātmaupamya.

Different births of a jīva are just like chapters in a single novel. One who wants to study the progression of a jīva should see the various accounts of different births as the uninterrupted flow of a river. Different streams join this river — clear and pure streams as well as waters turbid with sewage. The river becomes cleaner and clearer as it progresses. Thus, the flow of small streams also becomes meaningful. Similarly, even a little effort in the right direction will not go waste.

Chapter 6. Dhyāna-yoga or Dhyānabhyāsa-yoga

In the previous chapter was enunciated karma-jñāna-sāmarasya — that karma and jñāna are harmonious n with each other. In this chapter will be described dhyāna, an activity that, with satkarma, helps in attaining jñāna.

There are ten important points discussed in this chapter:

Relationship between saṃnyāsa and yoga 2. Importance of human self-effort 3. How jñāna (knowledge) and vijñāna (experiential wisdom) are essential to each other 4. The method of dhyāna 5. The proper limit for food and enjoyment 6. Tranquility 7. The practice of Ātmaupamya or considering the universe as an extension of one’s own self 8. Accomplishment by practice 9. Even a little practice does not go waste 10. The excellence of performing dhyāna

The Relationship between Saṃnyāsa and Yoga

We might remember that earlier we examined the question of the nature of a saṃnyāsīn. The answer to that is now given with certainty.

anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ
sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnir-na cākriyaḥ (BG 6.1)

Who is a saṃnyāsī ? Not one who has given up yajña and other fire sacrifices^(^([1])) and other dhārmic activities like dāna, but one who performs his duties without any desire for selfish benefit. He alone is a yogi.

Among the mahāvākyas (great declarations) in the Gītā, this is one of the most important. Yoga here could mean either karmayoga or jñānayoga. Ultimately, saṃnyāsa and yoga are complementary to each other and are not mutually detrimental. Saṃnyāsa, sāṃkhya and jñāna are all treated as synonyms in the Gītā. Similarly, the words dharma, niyata karma and kartavya are all synonymous. The performance of karma yields cittaśuddhi (purification of the mind) that is a prerequisite to attain jñāna. It is impossible to obtain jñāna without purifying the mind. The mind must be equanimous and composed to receive jñāna. Saṃnyāsa becomes a tool to calm and compose the mind. Thus, both karma and saṃnyāsa become one in jñānayoga. They are complementary to each other. Śrīkṛṣṇa makes this clear when he says,

ārurukṣor-muner-yogaṃ karma kāraṇam-ucyate
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam-ucyate (BG 6.3)

The readiness for the practice of yoga is obtained by karma, before the actual practice of yoga is begun. Yoga then becomes complete by the practice of śama (tranquillity).

The necessary first step is to perform one’s ordained duties and then give up the fruit of labour. This is the practice of egolessness. Love and hatred are thence transcended, thus achieving tranquillity of mind. This leads to the complete experience of the Self.

yaṃ saṃnyāsam-iti prāhur-yogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava
na hyasaṃnyāsta-saṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana (BG 6.2)

The first step to prepare for yoga is to give up purpose (saṅkalpa). In other words, desire and want. Thoughts about the outcome — that something should result out of an action, or that something should take place in a specific way only and not in any other way — are all saṅkalpa. Saṃnyāsa is the absence of desire for personal fulfilment.

Giving up Desire for Selfish Ends

There is a question here. Should we not have many saṅkalpas such as the upliftment of the nation and so forth? Saṅkalpa is planning. Can there be development in the world without planning? Such questions may arise. Saṅkalpa is the mark of human will; should human effort or will be given up? Has not Bhagavān himself said “pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu” — “I am agency or will in humans”? It has been amply said in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata that pauruṣa is required. Without saṅkalpa, pauruṣa is impossible.

The answer to this question is thus: Firstly, the intent here is not to give up desire for the progress of the world but to give up selfish desires. The desire for profit, enjoyment, and fame should be given up. However, there is no harm in desires that please Bhagavān. Secondly, selfish desires are prohibited for saṃnyāsīs and people desirous of the knowledge of the ātmā, not for everyone. Saṃnyāsa is for those who deem worldly pleasures as worthless. Giving up all desires is not expected of people whose minds are firmly and truly attached to the world. The saṅkalpa of such people is “caturvidha-phala-puruṣārtha-siddhyarthaṃ” — to gain the four-fold achievements in life. Even a selfish desire can be acceptable as dharma. Are not karmas like agniṣṭoma and aśvamedha similar to this? Working for pleasure, riches, and success in a righteous manner is not proper for saṃnyāsa but is acceptable for the gṛhastha. This saṅkalpa of a householder belongs to the millions of objects to be achieved by human beings, the foremost of which is dharma.

A student in a gurukula is prohibited from using perfume, flowers, and tāmbūla^(^([2])). However, these enjoyments are not forbidden for householders, and even encouraged. If we say that a man suffering from fever should not be served fatty foods, it doesn’t mean that his guests should also be deprived of ghee. Let there be selfishness; but it should be subservient to dharma. However, when the highest spiritual knowledge is aspired for, this selfishness should go away.

Footnotes

^(^([1])) Saṃnyāsīs are required to give up all association with fire. The reason is that fire is required for the everyday life of a householder — both worldly and ritualistic.

^(^([2])) Betel leaf, arecanut and edible lime are good for digestion but also increase desire for enjoyment.

[[Ch. 6 The Practice of Dhyāna (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The Advantage of Performing Karma

The idea that the mind becomes pure by performing karma should be examined before acceptance. Even if one is selfish while performing an ordained duty (vihita-karma), its performance by itself can gradually bring about selflessness. Whether it is a spiritual or worldly duty, even if it is done out of selfishness — if it adheres to dharma, its results are two-fold. Firstly, it turns our minds towards the divine; the second is the fulfilment of our objective. Meditation upon the divine does not need any explanation. However, there is one thing to be said about obtaining desires. Performing satkarma is required for everything — whether to procure something desirable or to get rid of something undesirable. More importantly, karma means being in contact with the world. Being in constant contact with the world trains the jīva spiritually or changes it in some way. Even such changes can benefit the jīva. Karmas, akarmas, haste, lack of judgment, profit, loss, passion, hatred, jealousy, obstinacy, separation, disease, and sorrow — these various experiences shake and jolt the jīva, make it drift about, tire it, and finally bring about the realisation of the meagre extent of the value of the world, of the plight of worldly enjoyment, and of human endeavour. We recall Bhartṛhari’s words here —

mātar-medini tāta māruta sakhe tejas-subaṃdho jala
bhrātar-vyoma nibaddha eva bhavatām antyaḥ praṇāmāñjaliḥ।
yuṣmat-saṃga-vaśopajāta-sukṛta-sphāra-sphuran-nirmala-
jñānāpāsta-samasta-moha-mahimā līye para-brahmaṇi॥
Vairāgya-śataka, 100

Bhartṛhari probably realised that his life on earth was coming to an end. He then folded his hands and prayed — “O mother Earth, father Air, friend Fire, cousin Water, O Sky, who protects me like a brother, this is the last prostration to you from me”. Why? “Because of your association, I was able to gain puṇya, and because of the puṇya I was able to gain pure, vast and self-effulgent knowledge of the Self.” As we come more and more in contact with the world, our delusions and infatuations are removed. Contact with the world gives us a sense of the true value of different things. Thus, we become detached from our infatuations, one by one. This is the supreme benefit of experience of association with the world. Connection with the world is one of the exercises required for the jīva. The purity of mind that is achieved by this relationship with the world is greater than that obtained by the sixteen saṃskāras. Therefore, karma is a vital instrument. Indeed, karma is synonymous with man.

Thus, a limit to selfishness is itself set by enjoying the fruit of one’s self-centered actions. Experiencing pleasure is required for the jīva, as is experiencing sorrow. Therefore, the jīva is ripened even by selfish satkarma, performed out of selfish desire. Remembering the divine and new refinement for the jīva — these are the auspicious results of satkarma. The jīva gradually ascends to higher planes of existence through multiple lives by experiencing the fruits of its actions.

Aneka-janma-saṃsiddhas-tato yāti parāṃ gatiṃ॥BG 6.45
“Thus perfected by many lives, he attains the supreme state.”

One cannot jump to the highest plane, it has to be ascended like a staircase.

Saṃnyāsa is not easy; giving up one’s interests is not easy; giving up saṅkalpa is not easy either. Performing vihita-karma and enjoying worldly experiences through them — this is how one can earn the capacity to experience the supreme reality.

Thus, not just śrauta and smārta karmas, but all worldly duties, all transactions of life, all friendships and relationships, all physical and spiritual lending and borrowing are training for the jīva. Therefore, we can say that karma itself is life.

Atha khalu kratumayaḥ puruṣaḥ॥
puruṣo vāvayaj’aḥ॥
krato smara kṛtaggṃ smara
Chāndogyopaniṣad 3.14.1

The above sentences from the Upaniṣads also mean the same. The jīva is karma itself. Karma gives spiritual training to the jīva.

Who can Perform Karma?

Every human being has the freedom to choose the karma that has to be performed, according to his capability and circumstances.

uddhared-ātmanātmānaṃ nātmānam-avasādayet।
ātmaiva hy-ātmano bandhur-ātmaiva ripur-ātmanaḥ॥BG 6.5

If man did not have the above freedom, this saying would have been meaningless. The jīva has the freedom to elevate itself, and the freedom to choose whether or not to perform a certain karma.

Why is a person in this state now? Because he acted in a certain way in the past. One exists because of his karma, the karma that he performed in his past. The certainty that one is responsible for his future is embedded in the statement that one exists because of his karma. If a man deliberates today on what he has to do and not do, and performs only the beneficial duties prudently, his circumstances tomorrow will be excellent. In the eyes of westerners, karma is adṛṣṭa — unseen — some kind of predetermined fatalism about which one can do nothing. They opine that this is a drawback of Vedānta. But we say that it is not a drawback, but a blessing. Who is the master of your life now? You — that is, what you did yesterday. Who will be the master of your life tomorrow? You — that is, what you do today. If yesterday is the master of today, today will be the master of tomorrow. Thus, past, present, and future are continuously and wholly woven together. Therefore, whatever you have to do today, do it right. This is the essence of the statement “uddhared-ātmanātmānaṃ”. A man is the master of his future. This is the main takeaway from this chapter.

Then can we not jump once and jump hard, and take control of our future? That is not possible. Why is this? This is because the burden from the past weighs the jīva down. That burden should first be lightened. The future is endless. Just as the past does not have any beginning, the future does not have any end. The future that you desire will someday be yours. If you work towards being in the presence of the divine, that is also possible.

bahūnāṃ janmanām-ante jñānavān māṃ prapadyate।BG 7.19

If we work towards something in each life, we will obtain true knowledge over time. The meaning is this — the jīva must be trained. We have to have that goal in mind and perform karma that trains the jīva, in every life.

Śama

Now we have agreed that karma is the path to spiritual progress. Is that enough? No.

yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam-ucyate॥BG 6.3
“Śama causes the seeker to be established in yoga.”

Śama or tranquility should join karma. Tranquility is possible by meditating on the nature of the Supreme tattva. In a nutshell, karma can train the jīva in a good way, but can also perturb it. The possibility of mental disturbance cannot be escaped even when one is engaged in worship. “You have brought only red flowers today!”, “There is not enough oil for the lamp”, “What have you prepared for the naivedya?” — thus there are many agitations in the mind.

We agreed that karma is transacting with the world. The world does not listen to our words. In a family, a wife may not be able to adjust with the nature of her husband; the husband may not follow his wife’s whims; the children may not listen to both of them; the old men are irritated by everyone. The employer does not care about the difficulties of his employee; the employee does not worry about the employer. Patient colleagues may not be capable; capable colleagues may not be patient. A man who tries to perform karma in such a world faces anxiety and mental anguish at every step. How can we keep the mind content and resolute in such circumstances?

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṃgaṃ tyaktvā dhanaṃjaya।
siddhya-siddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate॥BG 2.48

How can equanimity be possible when the surroundings are chaotic? The means for that is meditation upon the divine. If the remembrance of the divine is etched firmly in the mind, mental anguish ceases; conflict vanishes; the work we do becomes meaningful. Therefore, the majesty and glory of the divine should always be meditated upon. Then any work done will be completed to perfection. Thus for spiritual upliftment, dhyāna is also as important a means as karma.

Jñāna-vijñāna

jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ।
ukta ity-ucyate yogī sama-loṣṭāśma-kāñcanaḥ॥BG 6.8

The mind needs two kinds of intellectual wealth to be content. One is jñāna, the other is vijñāna. Jñāna here means the knowledge of the true nature of the ātmā (tattva-jñāna). It is knowledge gained by persistent effort of the intellect — knowledge obtained from reading books and listening to discourses. Vijñāna is experiencing the knowledge gained thus. Vijñāna is the experience of jñāna. One is theory — intellectual pursuit, whereas the other is practice — experiential pursuit. One has to obtain both of these and remain unperturbed by the senses. Such a man is “tṛptātmā”. One who is separate from every attribute of the jīva except the ātmā — such as the body — such a man is “kūṭasthaḥ vijitendriyaḥ”. “kūṭasthaḥ” means existing separately, and changeless like the firm anvil of a blacksmith. As William Wordsworth said about John Milton —

Thy soul was like a star and dwelt apart
London, 1802

The light should mingle with others like that of a star, but the person should stay aloof. As said previously, “padma-patram-ivāmbhasā” — one should be in the world, and yet not attached to it. That is being kūṭastha. Such a man is “yukta” — he is established in yoga. Gold and stone mean the same to him

The Method of Dhyāna

A yogi brings his senses under his control, learns to distinguish between Ātma and anātma and practises it in this world as much as possible, and is at peace.

yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ।
ekākī yata-cittātmā nirāśīr-aparigrahaḥ॥BG 6.10

“He always unites his mind with the ātmā. He keeps his mind under control. He does not worry about earning or enjoying. He sits alone in a private place and immerses himself in dhyāna, thinking about the nature of the ātmā”.

tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ।
upaviśyāsane yuñjyāt yogamātma-viśuddhaye॥BG 6.12

Dhyāna should be performed in a clean place. The seat should be firm. It should neither be too high nor too low. The flow of light and wind should not agitate but be calming. Sitting in such a place, one should focus his mind.

It is said that yoga should be practised while sitting. Even the Brahmasūtra says — “āsīnas-sambhavāt” (Brahmasūtra 4.1.7). Why should it not be done while walking? Of course, it can be done while walking if it is possible, but it is not possible! When we are walking, we constantly think about where we step next. If we meditate while lying down, we might fall asleep. We should therefore sit calmly to perform dhyāna. “yatraikāgratā tatrāviśeṣāt” — one should sit wherever the mind can concentrate. A place where the mind is calm and unlikely to wander is the right place for dhyāna.

[[Ch. 6 The Practice of Dhyāna (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Limiting Pleasures

It is not required for a sādhaka practising dhyāna to adhere to valiant restrictions on food and other diversions. His sitting posture should not hinder easy breathing and other bodily activities, and should not cause trouble to his limbs. There is a proper measure for eating, sleeping and jāgaraṇa^(^([1])). A yogi is moderate in the above aspects. Here, moderation means just as much as is required for mental balance; neither more, nor less.

nātyaśnatas-tu yogo’sti na caikāntam-anaśnataḥ ।
na cāti-svapna-śīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna॥ BG 6.16
yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu ।
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ॥ BG 6.17

A glutton cannot become a yogi, as also one who seldom eats. Excess sleep is not recommended, as is jāgaraṇa or staying awake for too long. One should be tranquil; there should be no excess of pleasure.

Two Goals

There are two goals here:1) Efficiency in work 2) Peace of mind. When the yakṣa asked^(^([2])) what was the main characteristic of the practice of Dharma, Dharmarāja said, “dākṣyam-ekapadaṃ dharmyaṃ” (MBh. 3-314-72) — “Efficiency is one-quarter of dharma”. Dharma is possible when one is efficient. Jāgaraṇa, oversleeping, starving, and stuffing one’s stomach with food — all these affect the peace of mind.

Enjoyment of and attachment to pleasure should be present in such a way that progress towards the two aforementioned goals is not impeded. Just as ‘not impeding’ is important, it is also important that they be ‘present’. The body and the senses should be controlled, not killed. They become obedient only if they are humoured for some time. If we try to suppress in a strict manner, they might revolt and break the mind into pieces. Dhyāna then becomes impossible; worldly work becomes impossible. Viveka deserts the mind that is not peaceful.

Efficiency and peace of mind are required not only for a seeker of knowledge and not just for a yogi but are required qualities even for us, who are not quite so inclined in this direction. The plight of humans is like this because these qualities are not present in our day-to-day dealings. Dhyāna-yoga can be practised when the mind is healthy and content.

yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yoga-sevayāBG 6.20
saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmān tyaktvā sarvān-aśeṣataḥ।
manasaivendriya-grāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ॥ BG 6.24
śanaiḥ śanair-uparamet buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā।
ātma-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet॥BG 6.25

The qualification for yoga is said to be acquired when the mind stops roving here and there, and can focus without getting agitated. Until then we do not qualify for yoga. Completely giving up all desires that are the root cause of various saṅkalpas, controlling all senses and subjugating them, attaining tranquility little by little at a time with a steady mind, firmly establishing the mind in the ātmā, one desiring to practise dhyāna should not think of anything else. This is paramātma-dhyāna-yoga or the yoga of meditating upon the Supreme.

Different Types of Dhyāna-yoga

For many among us, paramātmā is a distant thing. It is not easy for us to even imagine it. But we also possess a desire to understand its nature. Therefore, we also need a method of dhyāna that might gradually lead us on the path to true knowledge. In the statement

*ātma-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā…*BG 6.25

We can replace Ātma with a deity of our choice — one that we love and can grasp. “Deva-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, “śambhu-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, “rāma-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, “vāṇī-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, “kṛṣṇa-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, “lakṣmī-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, “gaurī-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā”, etc — thus fixing the mind upon our iṣṭadevatā. Usually, during all vratas like Vināyaka-caturthī, during all japas like that of the Gāyatrī-mantra, it is an established tradition to recite the dhyāna-shloka first. The intention is to bring the Divine image to mind — and in the process, fix the mind on the greatness of the deity, its wonderful power and glory. “muktāvidruma…” in gāyatrī-dhyāna, “dhyeyaḥ sadā savitṛ-maṇḍala-madhyavartiḥ”, etc.

This is the first lesson in dhyānayoga.

The method of dhyāna has to be learnt from experienced people only. It is not possible to learn it by listening to speeches and explanations. The secret of dhyāna is the mechanism to temper the mind. This mechanism differs from jīva to jīva. Some children can be cajoled with candies; others might need to see a cane before they oblige. There is no single rule that works for all minds. If experienced people share their experiences, some guidance can be obtained from it. I am not experienced^(^([3])). I will just say a few words that I have merely heard from others.

Means for Dhyāna

As far as possible, those who want to practise dhyāna should decide on the following four first.

A designated place 2. A specific time 3. The mūrti of a deity 4. A mantra or a mahāvākya

Out of the twenty-four hours available in a day, at least fifteen minutes should be earmarked for this purpose. Early morning is the best time. If that is not possible, even night time is fine. It is of utmost importance that the mind should be at peace. If there is a specific time and place, the mind can easily take the requisite mood or attitude. It might be difficult to achieve the same in a different place or at a different time. One should sit there in silence, where there is no animated activity of others. One should sit with a clean mind and body in such a place, and fix the concentration on the icon of the iṣṭadaiva. Once should recall the stories, the wonderful qualities and splendour of the deity, and keep thinking about it. If he feels like it, he can perform pūjā, but the mind should not wander away in the hullabaloo of flowers and naivedya. Japa should not even be performed loudly, because sound pulls the mind outward towards the world. Among all dhyānas, silent dhyāna is the best. That is why yogis are called maunis (those who are silent).

Then, are bhajanas and kīrtanas wrong? No, they are also useful. However, their use is limited. Bhajanas and kīrtanas bring elevated emotions to the mind. These emotions are fructified only by performing dhyāna solitarily.

I feel that the practice of dhyāna is possible at least to a certain extent for everyone — including women^(^([4])). There is no one who is so busy that he or she is not free for a few minutes before sleeping at night, or in the early morning—just beside the bed—before one sets out for their daily routine. If those five minutes are used for dhyāna, it will not only bring much-needed peace and calm during the entire day, but also firmly establishes a practice routine.

Yogis can engage themselves in deep dhyāna of their deity for a very long time. It is very difficult for us to achieve such deep concentration for a long time. It is a great fortune if our minds can fix themselves upon the divine even for a second. One of my elders would say — “I can wash a buffalo with ease, washing a sāligrāma is difficult”. Another elder would say, “I can focus for hours on worldly matters; whereas my mind is not focused for half a minute in the half hour I spend for pūjā”. Worldly things excite our temper or desire, and trap us with them. There is no such outward attraction for devotion to the divine. It happens inside us. Our firm and persevering effort is required for it. “Uddhared-ātmanātmānam”. That is why it is difficult. Sādhanā is when something difficult is achieved. What is great in achieving something that is easy?

Without such dhyāna, it is difficult for anyone to understand the Bhagavad-Gītā. Experience is knowledge. Here, by experience, we mean our own experience. The knowledge obtained from books is incomplete. Bookish knowledge is only a poor imitation of the knowledge gained by experience, whereas experience gives complete knowledge. When such experience has to be gained, the mind has to ripen. Both karma and jñāna are ways to ripen the mind. Both of them are needed.

“yāvad-yāvat karmabhya uparamate tāvat tāvat nirāyāsasya jitendriyasya cittaṃ samādhīyate।”
(As it recuses itself from activity, the mind of the one who is at ease and whose sense organs are controlled attains focus.)
Śāṅkara-gītābhāṣya 6.3

naitādṛśaṃ brāhmaṇasyāsti vittaṃ
yathaikatā samatā satyatā ca.
śīlaṃ sthitirdaṇḍanidhānamārjavaṃ
tatastataścoparamaḥ kriyābhyaḥ
(There is no other wealth of a brāhmaṇa
than unity, equanimity, truth,
character, firmness, the cessation of punishment, sincerity
and gradual cessation from activity)
Mahābhārata, 12.169.35^(^([5]))

They say that the mind should desist from sensual enjoyment; the meaning here is to get rid of the cares, scares and fuss of karma. Karma should be performed, but we should also extricate ourselves from it. Both are required — there are different requirements for different situations.

Mark of an Ātma-jñānī

Śrīkṛṣṇa describes the mark of a meditator who has successfully accomplished Ātmadhyāna.

sarva-bhūtastham-ātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani।
īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ॥BG 6.29
yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati।
tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati॥BG 6.30
sarvathā vartamāno’pi sa yogī mayi vartateBG 6.31
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo’rjuna।
sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ sa yogī paramo mataḥ॥BG 6.32

All living beings are within the expanse of the ātmā. A yogi internalises this experience and behaves in the same way towards everything and everyone. We have seen the meaning of samabhāva earlier: it means having clear distinction between proper and improper in external behavior and equal love for all internally. Everything is a manifestation of the divine, and the divine pervades everything uniformly. It cannot be said that it manifests densely in some and sparsely in others. The love that a yogi feels internally is equal and common for all. Wherever he is, whatever state he is in, he always interacts with the divine at all times. Ātmaupamya is characteristic of him. Ātmaupamya^(^([6])) means behaving towards someone else as though it was oneself. A great yogi is one who considers others’ happiness and sorrow as his own, at all times and in all places. He is part of all of the world’s experiences, be it joy or agony. This is what Śrīkṛṣṇa says. He does not abandon the world; but he is engrossed in the welfare of all beings. Internally, he is not attached to worldly activities, but outwardly, he helps in those very activities. Internally, he is firmly established in the true knowledge of the ātmā. Because of this — because his knowledge of the true nature of the ātmā is complete, he is able to conduct himself as though the whole world is an extension of himself. Just as it is the innate nature of jasmine to spread fragrance, the quality of Ātmaupamya is thus natural and effortless for a yogi. Ātmaupamya is prescribed dharma for a sādhaka, and a natural development for a siddha (one who has attained it). Thus, its importance is in both ways. This philosophy of Ātmaupamya is the fundamental thread running through all our worldly morals and traditions. The śāstras expound this in many ways -

ātmanaḥ pratikūlāni pareṣāṃ na samācaret॥
(One must not do to others what one would find disagreeable)
MBh. 5.15.17, 18

mātṛvat para-dārāṃśca para-dravyāṇi loṣṭhavat।
ātmavat sarva-bhūtāni yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati॥
(One who sees others’ wives as his own mother,
others’ wealth as a lump of earth,
and all beings as one self, indeed sees.)
Hitopadeśa 1.14

Footnotes

^(^([1])) Staying awake all night as part of religious austerities

^(^([2])) When the Pāṇḍavas were wandering in the forest, they were thirsty and looking for water. One by one, they found a lake inhabited by a yakṣa. He said that they would be able to drink water if they answered his questions correctly. The last four Pāṇḍavas did not heed the yakṣa’s words and died immediately. Yudhiṣṭhira, however, answered the yakṣa’s (in reality, the yakṣa was Yama himself) questions correctly and got his brothers revived.

^(^([3])) Says DVG with his characteristic humility.

^(^([4])) One should not look at this statement with feminist eyes. The jobs that are traditionally performed by women — taking care of children, for instance — all need some level of worldly attachment. Amidst the many daily chores of nurturing the family and taking care of them, they may not find the necessary time, inclination or confidence that they can practise dhyāna. The intention behind this statement is that even those with multitudinous daily activities that bind them to the world can perform dhyāna.

^(^([5])) Critical Edition

^(^([6])) The word aupamya originates from the word upa+mā, the literal meaning of which is “whose measures are the same”. It means similarity. Ātmaupamya therefore means to look at something else as though it is oneself.

[[Ch. 6 The Practice of Dhyāna (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

Accomplishment through Practice

It looks as though this principle appealed to Arjuna’s mind, in the course of teaching of the true nature of the ātmā. However, he still had doubts regarding the practice.

cancalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad-dṛḍham।
tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyor-iva suduṣkaram॥ BG 6.34

Arjuna says — “Kṛṣṇa, is not the mind fickle? It can impede the path of the jīva and shake it, can it not? Is it possible to bottle up wind?”. Bhagavān says, “indeed, it is difficult; but not impossible”. How, then, is it possible?

asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calaṃ।
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyena ca gṛhyate॥BG 6.35

The mind can be taken into control with intelligent effort. Practice of dhyāna and indifference to worldly pleasures are the ways to accomplish that.

The word abhyāsa (practice) should be looked at in a little more detail here. Abhyāsa means doing something again and again. What does this imply? It means that when one sets out to achieve something, it cannot be done by the mental adrenaline rush of one moment, but requires persistent and consistent effort for a long time. A moment is just a point in a long line. Time is the straight line comprising these moments without any gap. Dots are right next to each other in a line, without any gap. Dhyāna and vairāgya too should thus be practised continuously, without any gap. How long should the practice last? Till the sattvaguṇa of the jīva breaks out of the shackles of rajas and tamas and rises above them, and becomes strong enough to put them down. The time required for sattva to become this strong is determined by how large the quanta of rajas and tamas are. Who can measure the quantity of the three guṇas hidden in a jīva? There can be no one outside the jīva who can convey this to him. The workings of his innermost mind will not be visible to them. In fact, it is not even necessary for someone outside to convey it to him, because he can himself realise when his sattva becomes stronger. The development of sattvaguṇa will happen for everyone at some time or the other — however evil or uncultured he may be. There is no being without even an iota of sattva. His exact moment of favourable opportunity is when his sattva blooms. That is when he has to be watchful. This is the ‘inner voice’ that he has to heed. It is heard when bodily ears are closed and the inner ones are opened. If it has to become a habit, one has to listen to it carefully, grasp its intent and follow it thenceforth. The mind becomes strong with long-term practice of detachment and dhyāna. It becomes easier to pursue the true knowledge of the ātmā when the mind firms up.

Arjuna says — “This is fine, Krishna, I have śraddhā. However, my attempt to control my mind might not complete and break down halfway. What will then become of me? What will happen if a small speck of cloud gets separated from its parent? Caught in the wind, it will be scattered without even a sign remaining of it. Is not my plight the same? What if the only outcome of running a race is fracturing one’s foot? I would not have completely left the practice of dhyāna, neither would I have achieved it”.

Even a little practice will not go waste

Śrīkṛṣṇa replies to this question thus:

pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśas-tasya vidyate।
na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścit durgatiṃ tāta gacchati॥BG 6.40

If you try and do not succeed, you will not suffer from it. One who tries to do good will never come to ruin.

A boy might be coaxed by the elders of the family to study for a difficult exam. They are convinced that he is intelligent and studious, and might pass the exam. He might not be so confident, and might ask “What if I don’t pass?”. The elders will then say, “it is okay to not pass this time. What is the harm in studying for it? The preparation for this exam will help you next time, if not this now”. Śrīkṛṣṇa’s answer is similar.

He had given a similar assurance to Arjuna earlier:

nehābhikrama-nāśo’sti pratyavāyo na vidyate।
svalpam-apyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt॥BG 2.40

Even if this dharma is followed a little, it protects us from great fear.

Saṃskāra from many lives

The above statement is not just one of encouragement. The accomplishment of yoga is possible only through gradual steps. Our efforts might not bear fruit in a single birth. A jīva attains a favourable state in the next birth because of the puṇya of this birth. From the puṇya of that birth, it attains an even better state in another birth. Thus, the qualification to be in the presence of the divine is accrued from the saṃskāra and effort of many lives.

prāpya puṇya-kṛtān lokān uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ।
śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo’bhijāyate॥BG 6.41
athavā yoginām-eva kule bhavati dhīmatāṃ।
etaddhi durlabha-taraṃ loke janma yad-īdṛṣam॥ BG 6.42

A follower of the path of yoga will gain puṇya and thus attain better stations even if his effort is not enough to take him to the intended final destination. His incomplete practice of yoga will not harm him in any way. Rather, he will then be born in a virtuous and wealthy family, and becomes capable of performing virtuous deeds again. Or, he might be born in a family of seers and yogis and gain true knowledge of the self. Is it not great fortune to be born in such a good family? It is indeed great puṇya to be born in a good household.

tatra taṃ buddhi-saṃyogaṃ labhate paurva-dehikaṃ।
yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kuru-nandana॥BG 6.43
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo’pi saḥ।
jijñāsurapi yogasya śabda-brahm-ātivartate॥BG 6.44
prayatnād-yatamānastu yogī saṃśuddha-kilbiṣaḥ।
aneka-janma-saṃsiddhaḥ tato yāti parāṃ gatim॥BG 6.45

One who practises dhyāna-yoga but leaves his body before his efforts fructify, will be born in a noble family in the next life. Because of the excellence in the place and circumstances of his birth, his mind will turn towards his practice of yoga, which he had left half-finished. Due to his previous practice, his mind will be ripe and ready for yoga. Maturity of the mind is because of the influence of his family. Thus, his practice of yoga resumes. Even if he faces obstacles during his practice this second time, he will be capable of overcoming them. Further, he deliberates upon the nature of reality. He gains knowledge and thus transcends all bookish knowledge. The material in his effort to gain knowledge is śabda-brahma — or the collection of Vedas and śāstras. When we say that he transcends them, it is implied that he has full possession of the knowledge contained in them, and therefore they are no longer necessary to him. Thus, by repeated efforts he loses the impurities accumulated in him from the actions and desires of his previous births, and acquires true knowledge.

Three points have to be observed in the above discussion:

Rebirth 2. The relationship between family and the eligibility to perform yoga 3. The necessity of continuous and long practice.

Influence of Family

Consideration of familial influence in the conduct of a person is a distinctive feature of sanātana-dharma. It is respectful to call Śrīrāma as belonging to the family of Ikṣvāku, or the family of Raghu. So also, Paurava, Bhārata, Yādava are all names that denote great pride. Ṛṣi Kaṇva indicated King Duṣyanta’s exalted nature by saying “uccaiḥ kulaṃ catmanaḥ” (distinguished indeed is his clan). There is a term — noblesse oblige — which means that with wealth comes great responsibility. Arjuna himself talks about familial dharma in his extensive lament of abandonment. There is a saying in kannaḍa — “kulavannu nālagé heḻuttadé” — the tongue betrays the family. Thus, family and society are of great importance. It comes to a man by his actions in his previous births. When we say that a family is good, it means that they are good-natured and also have good saṃskāra. A sāttvika mind and innate spirituality run naturally in the family and comprise their ancestral wealth. Also, there is more opportunity for contact with good people and education in such a family. Thus, being born in such a family is the fruit of great puṇya in itself. Similarly, being born in a base family is the result of pāpa.

Step-by-step improvement of the jīva

Various accounts of different births and rebirths are not different stories but all births are different chapters of a single great story. One who wants to understand the progress of a jīva should examine the different chapters of different births as one unbroken and uninterrupted flow, like that of a river. Streams of clear water join this river, as does village muck. As the river flows further, it loses its filth and becomes clearer and clearer. Thus, the inflow of small but clear streams also finds a favorable outcome. The story of our meagre but sincere effort is similar.

The progress of a jīva happens gradually. Each birth is a step. The eligibility for mokṣa comes from many saṃskāras. For the jīva to attain a good state (sadgati) various kinds of purification are required, just as various strokes with a hammer are required to create a sculpture out of stone, and various methods of mixing, boiling, and filtering are required to produce medicine out of herbs. Therefore, it is not right to be hasty about mokṣa. Only constant practice of yoga helps in the attainment of mokṣa.

The superiority of dhyāna-yoga

Yoga is when a human being employs his divine nature in the service of the world, and thereby unites his inner-self with the paramātmā. This means that he should perform the activities of the world without any desire for its fruit: “Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam”. Such yoga is superior to penance such as vratas and upavāsas, better than the knowledge of many śāstras, and better even than yajñas and yāgas. Therefore, O Arjuna, you practise this yoga and become a yogi.

yoginām-api sarveṣāṃ madgatenā-ntarātmanā।
śraddhā-vān bhajate yo māṃ sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ॥BG 6.47
“I consider one who fixes his mind upon me and serves me with devotion, as the best among the yogis.
Let your mind be within me. Let your hand obey my instructions”.

This is dhyānabhyāsa-yoga — the yoga of the practice of dhyāna.

Summary

saṃnyāsadantaraṅgaṃ।
chinnaspṛhe sarva-jagadoḻ-ātmaupamyaṃ॥
vahnityāgādi bahi-
ścihnakagaḻ gauṇam-intu ṣaṣṭhādhyāyam॥

The essence of sannyāsa
Is to cut off desire and practice Ātmaupamya.
Giving up Agni and other signs
Are mere outward marks, says chapter six.

Summary of the first hexade

puruṣārtha-siddhi-gendo।
durita-kṣayakendo loka-saṃsthiti-gendo॥
carita-svadharma-karmame।
parameśvara-bhaktiy-embudādima-ṣaṭkam॥

To attain the four puruṣārthas, to rid oneself of difficulties,
Or to preserve order in the world —
Actions performed for the above, rooted in svadharma
Is itself devotion to Parameśvara, says the first hexade.

arpaṇe vara-prasādaṅgaḻeraḍu taṭaṃ।
satpuruṣa-jīvitada nadi naduve pariguṃ॥
kārpaṇyam-irada svakarmam-arpya-sumam।
tat-phalam-adentireyum-oppikoḻe dhanyaṃ॥

Offering and obtaining blessings and boons (vara or prasāda) are two banks
The life-river of the virtuous flows between.
Svakarma performed sincerely is a flower offered to the divine
Fortunate is he who accepts its fruit, however it is.

nikhila-nigama-sāraṃ nirmala-jñāna-pūraṃ।
parihṛta-bhava-bhāraṃ brahma-tattva-pracāraṃ॥
prakṛti-jaladhi-tīraṃ dvandva-mohāpahāraṃ।
kṛta-jagad-upakāraṃ kṛṣṇa-Gītāvatāraṃ॥

The essence of all the Vedas, full of pure knowledge
Relieving the burden of saṃsāra, teaching the supreme brahma-tattva
The shore of the ocean of prakṛti, removing dualities and attachment
Benefiting the universe, is the avatāra of Śrīkṛṣṇa as the Gītā.

ಧ್ಯಾನವನುಪದೇಶಿಸಿ ನರ
ಮಾನಸದೇಕಾಗ್ರಲಕ್ಷ್ಯಕೆಂದಚ್ಯುತನಾ
ನಾನಾ ಕೃತಿಗುಣಬಲಮಹಿ-
ಮಾನಂಗಳ ಬಣ್ಣಿಪಂ ಜಗದ್ಗುರುವೀಗಳ್ ॥ 1 ॥

dhyānavanupadeśisi nara
mānasadekāgralakṣyakeṃdacyutanā
nānā kṛtiguṇabalamahi-
mānaṃgaḻa baṇṇipaṃ jagadguruvīgaḻ ॥ 1 ॥

After teaching dhyāna, the world-teacher now
describes the myriad deeds, qualities, strengths, and greatness of the Imperishable
for the one-pointed focus of Arjuna’s mind.

ವಿಶ್ವಪ್ರಕೃತಿವಿರಚನೆಯ-
ನೀಶ್ವರಮಹಿಮಾಸಮಕ್ಷತೆಯ ಮೇಣ್ ಮಾಯಾ-
ವಿಶ್ವಙ್ಮೋಹವ ವಿವರಿಸಿ
ಶಶ್ವತ್ಸುಖಶಾಂತಿಲಾಭಪಥಮಂ ತೋರ್ಪಂ ॥ 2 ॥

viśvaprakṛtiviracaneya-
nīśvaramahimāsamakṣateya meṇ māyā-
viśvaṅmohava vivarisi
śaśvatsukhaśāṃtilābhapathamaṃ torpaṃ ॥ 2 ॥

After elucidating the arrangement of Universal Nature,
the practice of the contemplation of the divine,
and the world-delusion caused by māyā,
Bhagavān will now show the path to eternal bliss and peace.

[[Ch. 7 Yoga of Jagat-Jīva-Īśvara (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Summary

Whatever is essential and uniquely great in this world is to be understood as a salient mark of Brahma’s power. Whatever quality endows a thing with usefulness and value belongs to the power of Brahma.

In addition to sattva, the guṇas of rajas and tamas are also necessary for the functioning of the world. The agitation amongst these three guṇas is vital for the constantly dynamic behaviour of the universe and therefore for its existence. Prakṛti has thrown man a competitive challenge a- “I have instituted this disparity among guṇas. Let man overcome it if he can.”

Māyā is the appearance that manifests to our mind after concealing or distorting reality. It is the world-controlling power that causes the error due to avidyā that is seen by the mind’s eye to appear real.

The one who is free of avidyā, whose influence spans multiple births, is not affected by māyā. The cessation of avidyā is possible through the practice of the presence of Īśvara - with renewed effort towards gaining the knowledge of reality.

He who experiences Bhagavān’s presence everywhere considers all worldly relations, kith and kin as Īśvara’s blessing. As that blessed feeling grows, infatuation and delusions recede. The jīva is purified. The contemplation of reality becomes easier. The knower of reality understands what in his life is owed to the world and what is owed to his inner self. He then works towards the welfare of both and becomes free of worry. Such a state is tranquility.

Section 8 / Chapter 7

Jñānā-vijñāna-yoga

known as

The Yoga of Jagat, Jīva and Īśvara

Though the seventh chapter has only thirty verses, its matter is complex and not easy to understand. The following nine main points are covered here:

The world - insentient prakṛti 2. The world - sentient prakṛti 3. Īśvara 4. The essence of Brahma in Īśvara 5. The marks (signs) of Brahma 6. Māyā 7. Crossing over māyā 8. The worship of Īśvara 9. The cessation of infatuation

This chapter covers these nine great topics in its small compass. The last chapter discussed meditation. Karma resulting in the purification of the mind is a negative attainment^(^([1])). Dhyāna (meditation) on the other hand is a positive attainment. Pāpa is destroyed by karma while new well-being is gained by dhyāna. This has already been stated in the sixth chapter. “Mental agitation is remedied by means such as “yuktāhāravihārasya” (of the one with propriety in food and enjoyment). A state of calm is then reached, one should sit in a clean place and meditate” - and such is stated there.

Now, the object to be meditated upon has to be ascertained. Dhyāna (meditation) has three aspects - dhyāna (the act of meditation), dhyātṛ (the meditator), and dhyeya (the object of meditation). Knowledge, similarly has three aspects - jñāna (knowledge), jñātṛ (the knower), and jñeya (the known). All those desirous of knowing reality are dhyātṛ. Bhagavān now tells us what the dhyeya should be.

asaṃśayaṃ samagraṃ māṃ yathā jñāsyasi tacchṛṇu
BG 7.1

It is not sufficient to understand the nature of Brahma a little here and a little there. Brahma has to be understood samagram (completely) - from the beginning to the end.

Before proceeding to the next part of the work, it is important to understand a few words and their meanings. It appears that terminology used in this chapter was well known among people during Vyāsa’s time. The same words have been used in the Mokṣa-dharma-parva and the Sanatsujātīya. People probably understood terms such as Brahma without any explanation. But all these are new words for us.

The Meaning of the Word Sat

The Supreme Brahma is of the nature of sat (pure existence). Sat originally referred to existence. The meaning “good” came to sat only later. What exists for a long time is sat. The word sat stems from the root √as = bhuvi (in existence). Words such as satya, asti, come from the same √as. Whatever exists is sat. Existence here is existing as-is. Whatever exists unbothered and untainted by the past, present, or future, is unchanged at any time, and is of the same form throughout, is known as sat. That is satya (Truth). Sat is that which is unmodified by the distinctions of time, place, season, limitation, or external actions. We saw this at the beginning of the work itself.

acchedyo’yamadāhyo’yamakledyo’śoṣya eva ca,
nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo’yaṃ sanātanaḥ.
BG 2.24

The substance of sat is great, very great; greater than anything we can imagine as the greatest; Infinite; Limitless. That is why we call It Omnipresent or Brahma (that stems from the root √bṛhi - vṛddhau (increase). Brahma is sat. This is all we can say about It - It exists. That is the only thing possible. It is foolhardy to venture to say anything beyond it. Our ancestors have added two other characteristics to sat - cit (consciousness) and ānanda (bliss). Both of these are considered taṭastha-lakṣaṇa^(^([2])) rather than svarūpa-lakṣaṇa^(^([3])). Cit and Ānanda - the liṅgas (markers) of Brahma - are like those characteristics of a swimmer visible to one who is standing on the shore (taṭastha). The liṅga is a symbol or a marker used to denote the principle behind it. We notice a bit of both cit and ānanda in practice. But sat is something that is devoid of any markers and is without activity and thus unnoticeable in practice. That can only be experienced - buddhigrāhyam atīndriyam. It is not possible to establish its existence through reasoning. It is pure being and pure existence, known in Greek and Latin as ousia and esse respectively. In Saṃskṛta, it is known as sattā.

The Two States of Sat

We can contemplate upon two states of Brahma - 1. Vyakta (manifest). This is prakṛti. This is kārya-brahma (Brahma as effect) 2. Avyakta (unmanifest) that is also known as kāraṇa-braḥma (Brahma as cause). The latter is also known as Pure existence or Parabrahma. The manifest is known as vyakta and the unmanifest is known as avyakta in the eighth chapter of the Gītā.

avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavanty-aharāgame
rātry-āgame pralīyante tatraiv-āvyakta-saṃjñake
BG 8.18

paras-tasmāttu bhāvo’nyo’vyakto’vyaktāt-sanātanaḥ
yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati
BG 8.20

When does pure existence become manifest? When it becomes visible in the form of the world. The manifest aspect of Brahma is known as jagat (the world). What is the cause of the world? Supreme Brahma. Statements such as “janmādyasya yataḥ”^(^([4])), “yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante”^(^([5])), “sarvam khalvidam brahma tajjalānityupāsīta”^(^([6])) convey the same purport. The world is subservient to Brahma and exists on the foundation of Brahma. Prakṛti is created from the cit aspect of Brahma.

Prakṛti is prakarṣā kṛtiḥ - an excellent and vast creation. Whose work is it? The limitless energies that are in Brahma are the matter under consideration now. How limitless is the consciousness of Brahma - Its cicchakti! It is beyond thought! What exists in it and does not exist in it cannot be said. Its capability exceeds imagination. Its expression itself is Prakṛti - a great action that is the entire Universe! Whatever can be experienced by our eyes, ears and other sense organs, whatever can be imagined or inferred by our intellect - all that is Prakṛti. All our systems of knowledge, thought, reasoning, and distinction belong to the realm of Prakṛti. The arena of our everyday life is pervaded by Prakṛti. The world is the place where we demonstrate the energies of our mind, intellect, and talent. This manifest world then is permeated by “unmanifest existence” within and without.

An iceberg floats in the great ocean of the unmanifest. The iceberg is water too; but with the form of an iceberg. The ocean is the unmanifest; the iceberg is the manifest. The manifest is something that can be recognised. This recognisable universe floats in the ocean of the unrecognisable unmanifest. The unmanifest aspect of Brahma is like air sustaining a floating balloon within and without. Is not that in which something floats greater than the thing itself? This is also what the śruti says - “pādo’sya viśvā bhūtāni । tripādasyāmṛtaṃ divi”. Pāda refers to a quarter. The solar orb, the lunar orb, the earth, the visible universe - all together comprise just a quarter of Brahma. Thrice or many times as big as the manifest world is the unmanifest or the invisible.

Thus Brahma has two aspects - the manifest and unmanifest - or visible and invisible. That is why our ancients said - vyaktāvyakta-svarūpāya (of the nature of the manifest and unmanifest) whenever they remembered Brahma. In all things movable and immovable, whatever is seen and felt by us, whatever has movement, is all pervaded by Brahma. It is in this way that It is omnipresent and omniscient. That is the reason for It to be known as Viṣṇu which means all-pervading. As it exists in everybody as their own ātmā (self), It is known as paramātmā.

idaṃ sarvamasṛjata ।^(^([7]))

tatsṛṣṭvā tadevānuprāviśat ॥^(^([8]))

Having created the entire universe, the Supreme Brahma entered it. This was expressed by the Vedic seers as a story.

After being created, the creature required food and other things for sustenance. How is it possible to manage all this without an overseer? It was thus that Brahma became Īśvara - the controller. The aspect of omnipresence is referenced by the term paramātmā whereas parameśvara refers to the aspect of the omnipotent ruler of the universe. The same principle thus appears in two forms to our words and thoughts.

What is the ātmā?

Whatever a being refers to when he says ‘I’, ‘me’, is the ātmā (Self)^(^([9])). (See the second chapter) The object referenced by the word aham (I) is the self. The self is consciousness in its essential state. When this consciousness assumes the body and other instruments of karma, it becomes known as the jīva or jīvātmā. Sometimes, the complete collection of the body, sense organs, mind, and other instruments is referred to as the ātmā. This is the normal practice of common people. Even the mind is referred to by the word ātmā. The jīva other than the mind and body is also known as the ātmā. An old saying goes:

yaccāpnoti yadādatte yaccātti viṣayāniha
yaccāsya santato bhāvaḥ tasmādātmeti kathyate
Liṅgapurāṇa 1.70.96

“Whatever obtains (what comes), whatever takes (what it wants), whatever experiences the objects of the universe, whatever endures without a gap, is known as the ātmā.”

The jīva is the gross form or at the centre of the individual in the happenings of the world. The inner seed of the jīva is the ātmā.

The State of the Jīva

When an upādhi (limiting adjunct) is applied to the ātmā, it becomes known as the jīva. An upādhi is something - ādhi - that can be said to be externally added. External events like suffering (vyādhi) and disease are also upādhis. The word upādhi is also used in the sense of a title or a designation. If a pink rose is kept next to a transparent glass marble, the marble appears pink in colour. The colour pink is an upādhi for the marble. A garland of flowers is strung using a thread. The fragrance of the flowers becomes an upādhi for the thread that is, the thread acquires a quality that did not belong to it. An aspect that does not belong to a thing but is attached to it externally is an upādhi. Once the universe is created, it has to be administered and hence the contact with the universe. Therefore, the Supreme Brahma assumes a few upādhis. When the ātmā appears with these upādhis, it is known as the jīva. When the actionless ātmā is seen as an effect, it becomes known as a jīva.

Let us clarify the meanings of a few repeatedly used terms such as jīvātmā, paramātmā and Īśvara.

We see growth and decline in every living being. Ingestion of food and its egestion are seen in all animals. All living beings - including plants - take in food and extrude something else. Growth comes from intake and decline comes when intake reduces. This is something that the jīva does. It fattens the body for its first twenty years and wears out the body for the rest of its life. Insentient objects work due to human contact. To humans, they are mere implements. Objects that cannot act by themselves and need something else for their movement are termed jaḍa (insentient). The Gītā refers to such objects as aparā. It is an inferior grade of creation.

The jīva holds its inner consciousness and external insentient objects together. The ātmā assumes various forms to accomplish a variety of tasks. Those forms are upādhis.

The world exists because of the jīva. It is because of the existence of the jīva that the mind and other organs are functional. We should understand that man comprises two parts - the jīva and the non-jīva. The insentient part is the non-jīva. But it should not be despised as inferior. We are familiar only with the inferior part while the superior part is beyond our senses. We can see the superior aspect only via the inferior part. We must strive to understand the unfamiliar through the familiar.

The seed of consciousness within a jīva is the ātmā or the jīvātmā. The layer outside it is the body. The jīva is a combination of the inner ātmā and the external body. Worldly actions are dependent on external appearances. When a person known to us is dressed in a khaki uniform with ribbons and wears red headgear, he is known as a soldier. If the same person appears to us with his head shaved and donning saffron robes, he is known as a saṃnyāsin. Similarly, the ātmā along with the organs of action and the organs of knowledge such as the body is known variously as a jīva, animal, being, and a living thing.

Jīvātmā-Paramātmā

In the innumerable mass of living beings in this world, when each being is considered separately, that unique being is known as vyaṣṭi. When the entire set of jīvas is considered together, that group is referred to as samaṣṭi according to śāstric terminology. A hundred-rupee note is samaṣṭi. When each rupee coin is counted individually and separately, it is known as vyaṣṭi.

Footnotes

^(^([1])) Removing impurities is a negative attainment.

^(^([2])) Marginal characteristic

^(^([3])) Essential characteristic

^(^([4])) Brahma Sūtra 1.1.2

^(^([5])) Taittirīya Up Bhṛguvallī

^(^([6])) Chāndogya Up 3.14.1

^(^([7])) Taittirīya Up. Brahmānandavallī

^(^([8])) Ibid

^(^([9])) See chapter 2.

[[Ch. 7 Yoga of Jagat-Jīva-Īśvara (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The State of Īśvara

From the perspective of the visible world, the invisible and divisionless part of the universe, Supreme Brahman is known as Īśvara or Parameśvara. When the pure, formless, and actionless Brahman assumes the position of the universal controller, it is known as Parameśvara. There are no differences such as the ruler and ruled in the transcendental state of Brahman. When that consciousness exists as part of the world and is seen as the ruler of the universe, it is known as Īśvara.

This cursory explanation is a necessary introduction to the following topic. Our subsequent inquiry will become easy if we know at least the broad meaning of terms such as jīva, jagat, Īśvara, ātmā and Brahman. Let us now return to the treatise.

Insentient Prakṛti

The thing we know directly is the world. That indeed is Prakṛti. Śāstric deliberation begins with this. Prakṛti is of two kinds - aparā or inferior and parā or superior. The former (and visible aspect) is better known to us. It has eight parts to it.

bhūmirāpo’nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca
ahaṃkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā
BG 7.4

Earth, water, fire, air, and the sky are the five primordial elements. Their respective qualities - smell, taste, light, touch and sound are experienced by the mind, the intellect and ego - which constitute the antaḥkaraṇa. Thus these eight (five sense organs and three mental components) are the components of Prakṛti which form the functional implements of the power of the Supreme Brahman.

The first five of these elements combine and work with external facing sensory organs - the nose, tongue, eyes, skin and the ear. The mind (manas), intellect (buddhi) and ego (ahaṇkāra) are antaḥkaraṇa.

There is a school of thought that there are four antaḥkaraṇa. This school includes citta (thought, intention) as the fourth organ. But if we were to add something like this, we should add many more components such as memory. Such issues are best dealt with by considering all such components as parts of the manas.

The function of the manas is to know the objects of the world. The buddhi processes the information given by the manas and decides what is suitable or not. Ahaṇkāra assigns an objective to the buddhi. Whenever an object is perceived, it is natural to consider the question, “What of it to me?” This natural practice of extending the personal ‘I’ during the perception of every object with is ahaṇkāra. (There is a separate appendix that deals with the topic of ahaṇkāra).

Thus the universe comprises the five primordial elements, five organs of sensory perception and the three antaḥkaraṇa. Adding the five organs of action (speech, hands, legs and the two nether orifices) to the mentioned makes up the eighteen important parts of human life. This world is thus the arena of action of these eight or eighteen parts.

Kālidāsa describes the eight bodies of the supreme Śiva by replacing manas, buddhi and ahaṇkāra with the sun, moon and the yajamāna (the performer of a yajña). Śaṅkarācārya, like Kālidāsa, praises Lord Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the following verse.

bhūrambhāsyanalo’nilo’mbaramaharnātho himāṃśuḥ pumān
ityābhāti carācarātmakamidaṃ yasyaiva mūrtyaṣṭakam

Amarasimha, the creator of the Amarakosha, accepts the primacy of the eight-fold form of the Supreme Śiva.

aṣṭamūrtyahirbudhnyo mahākālo mahānaṭaḥ

Sentient Prakṛti

The previous section dealt with the eight parts of the aparā or inferior prakṛti that is deemed inferior as it is insentient and not independent. Manas, buddhi and ahaṇkāra are also insentient as they are incapable of doing anything without contact with the jīva. They act only when the jīva-consciousness enters them. This is why the jīva is regarded as belonging to the parā category or superior prakṛti.

apareyam-itas-tvanyāṃ prakṛtiṃ viddhi me parām
jīvabhūtāṃ mahābāho yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat
BG 7.5

The world is of the jīva and for the jīva. The world does not exist without the jīva. There is no reason for the world to exist without the jīva. The world consists of the implements needed to satisfy the reason for a jīva’s existence. The world is the arena of opportunity for the jīva. The jīva lacks fulfillment without the world. Thus the world and the jīva are symbiotically related. They constitute the top and the bottom of the body of prakṛti.

The jīva is a subject in the empire of prakṛti. The five primordial elements and others constitute its officials. Who is its king? Parameśvara - the Supreme controller - the aspect of Supreme Brahman that controls - whose functional forms are Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva.

ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayastathā
BG 7.6

Both the world and the jīva are endowed with form. Hence they undergo various modifications such as birth and death. Īśvara is not subject to birth and death. While he himself is without birth or death, Īśvara is the reason behind the modifications of the world and the jīva such as birth and death. Thus Supreme Brahman is of the form of the trinity of Brahmā (the creator), Viṣṇu (the preserver) and Śiva (the destroyer).

The Marks of Brahman

How is one to recognise the existence of Īśvara? The characteristics of the presence of Īśvara are described in the four verses beginning from “raso’hamapsu” to “dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu”.

raso’ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu
puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛithivyāṃ ca tejaś-cāsmi vibhāvasau
jīvanaṃ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś-cāsmi tapasviṣu
bījaṃ māṃ sarva-bhūtānāṃ viddhi pārtha sanātanam
buddhir-buddhi-matām asmi tejas tejasvinām-aham
balaṃ balavatāṃ cāhaṃ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo’smi bharata-rṣabha
BG 7.8-10

The taste in food and drink, the light in the sun and the moon, enterprise in humankind, effulgence in fire, life in organisms, the austerity among the austere, the intelligence of the intelligent, the strength of the strong that is devoid of selfishness, the desire of those who do not perform adharma - all of these show the power of Brahman. Whatever is excellent in the world are all marks of the greatness of Brahman.

Thus, svāmī here has mentioned only those qualities that are essentially the best because he wants to enumerate the salient signs and not everything. Even though all, including greed and the inclination for evil, is Brahman, Bhagavān here talks only about the important marks. Adhārmic works come under the purview of Brahman but do not constitute its main markers. “Dharma + aviruddho bhūtesu” (that which is not against dharma). The same expression is seen in the tenth chapter as well.

yad-yad-vibhūtimat sattvaḿ śrīmad-ūrjitam eva vā
tat-tad-evāvagaccha tvaḿ mama tejo’ḿśa-sambhavam
BG 10.41

Whatever in this world is glorious, auspicious, and brilliant is to be known as a mark of Brahman. There is a certain value associated with every single thing in this world. Whatever quality endows a thing with usefulness and value belongs to the power of Brahman. The Veda describes the same as follows.

ya evaṃ veda
kṣema iti vāci
yogakṣema iti prāṇāpānayoḥ
karmeti hastayoḥ
gatiriti pādayoḥ
vimuktiriti pāyau
iti mānuṣīḥ samājñāḥ
atha daivīḥ
tṛptiriti vṛṣṭau
balamiti vidyuti
yaśa iti paśuṣu
jyotiriti nakṣatreṣu
prajātiramṛtamānanda ityupasthe
sarvamityākāśe
tatpratiṣṭhetyupāsīta
-Taittirīyopaniṣat

Whatever is tranquility in speech, whatever is acquiring and preservation in the incoming and outgoing of breath, whatever is the ability to do things with the hands, whatever is the power of movement in the legs, whatever is the power of satiation in rain, the energy in lightning (electricity) that is capable of many things, the handsome appearance in domestic animals, light in the stars - all these manifest Parabrahman. They are to be worshipped considering that Brahman is in them.

The Element of Asat in the World

As we just saw, the divine manifests in both human and superhuman activities. Just as what is considered useful has a place in our lives, even that which we consider useless has a place in our life’s arena. Even those seemingly devoid of value are divine in nature.

nilayanaṃ cānilayanaṃ ca
vijñānaṃ cāvijñānaṃ ca
satyaṃ cānṛtaṃ ca
- Taittirīyopaniṣat

He became the well-founded and that without a foundation, the intelligent and the non-intelligent, the true and the untrue.

The above Śruti text has the same gist.

ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye
matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṃ teṣu te mayi
BG 7.12

Whatever is endowed with the qualities of sattva, rajas, or tamas, have all emanated from Brahman. But Brahman is not in those guṇas and their modifications. The guṇas, however, are in Brahman.

The ocean has water-bubbles and foam in it. But the foam does not contain the ocean in it. The sky contains clouds that are formed of water droplets; but the sky is not in the cloud. The body contains so many substances that are not really parts of the body. Hair and nails arise from the body, but are not necessary for the maintenance of life. Similarly, in prakṛti - the body of Brahman - many things occur such as the imbalances of the guṇas such as exuberances in rajas and tamas. But those are not characteristics of Brahman. Brahman is not ‘present’ in them.

The Necessity for the Imbalance of the Guṇas

The quality of asat - that which is not sāttvika - which refers to rājasa and tāmasa are needed for the functioning of the world. Just sattva by itself is insufficient. The śāstras have mentioned these three guṇas at every step.

Why three guṇas? Why not just two? Or four for that matter? Conflict in this world becomes possible because of an “odd” number. No conflict is possible with only one. If there are two, one can defeat the other. A third is needed to separate the two. This imbalance has to exist constantly. The world cannot exist without this imbalance. For the world’s existence, that is, for the world’s activities to take place, a conflict amongst these three guṇas is fundamentally necessary. Prakṛti has established this in her creation. “O Human, I have set up this conflict amongst these three guṇas. Overcome them if you can”, is a challenge that prakṛti has thrown at us.

[[Ch. 7 Yoga of Jagat-Jīva-Īśvara (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Māyā

Why does this discernment of thought not exist normally in people? Bhagavān answers:

māyāyā’pahṛtajñānāḥ

Māyā has taken away the discerning ability of people.

Māyā is a special mechanism in the operation of prakṛti. It is an error or mistake that arises during an inconsistency during the comprehension of other objects by the mind. Consistency here refers to compatibility; not just a lack of opposition but also positive agreement. It is important that there be agreement between these two aspects to see an object properly.

1. The seer’s vision has to be fit.
2. Adequate light should fall on the object of sight.

A deficiency in even one of these hampers the knowledge of the object. A lacuna in either the seer’s visual acuity or in how the object is viewed will lead to false or incomplete knowledge. Nothing else needs to be said for defects in both. Tradition terms the lacuna in the seer’s vision as avidyā and the change in the seen (say, the shine of silver mistakenly seen in nacre) is known as māyā. Avidyā that has the jīva as its locus and the world-deluding Māyā are counterparts that mutually reinforce each other.

The world dances; the eye throbs. The resultant vision is that of māyā.

A man is travelling to a town at dusk when darkness falls. He sees an object on the way. It appears to sway from side to side. He thinks it to be a snake and runs away afraid. He shivers and sweats. Another approaches him and inquires about the reason for his fear. When told that it was because of a snake, the latter laughs and tells him that it was not a snake but a piece of rope. Māyā is that which made a rope to appear as a snake in dim light. That which made the man unable to see through that fiction is his own avidyā.

Māyā is not falsehood. Neither is it true. The rope elicited all those reactions such as fear and sweating that a real snake would. The ‘snake’ he saw appeared to be a snake, even though it was not. The memory of a snake seen elsewhere superimposed on the substratum of the rope caused the delusion of the snake. Thus Māyā is that unique set of circumstances that makes one thing appear as another. Māyā is not entirely a lie; but is definitely not the truth either. In the preceding story, the delusion would not have occurred had either the piece of rope or the memory of the snake not been there. That which caused fear and suffering in the person even before he could analyse the situation is avidyā.

When we travel in the hot sun in automobiles or trains, we sometimes see ‘lakes’ shimmering far away. Those are not lakes in reality but heat haze. Due to the variation in temperature from the air near the hot ground to the cooler air above it, air density gradually decreases with increasing temperature, thereby varying the refractive index of the air. This produces a shimmering effect that the seer considers water. This is Māyā. The play of air and temperature outside and the thirst within.

When we lift our heads, it appears as if a blue clothed canopy has been pitched above us. But there is no tent or fabric or plank in the sky; it is space; empty space. The blue colour of the sky is an illusion. Due to the scattering of blue light by the earth’s atmosphere, the sky appears blue. Whatever the reason might be, this misapprehension in our vision is well known. That error stems from māyā.

Let us look at one more example. Assume we are travelling from Bengaluru to Maisuru. When our train reaches Maddur station, suppose that we see the train from Maisuru start for Bengaluru through the window. Though our train is stationary, it appears as if it is our train that is moving and not the train from Maisuru. The masked or changed appearance of the actual situation presented to our minds is māyā. A thing appearing as something else is māyā. Also, the non-appearance of an existing thing is also māyā.

The Twofold Nature of Māyā

Māyā acts in two ways.

1. Showing a thing as something else. This power of māyā is known as vikṣepa. A waterless desert in the afternoon sun shining appears as a reservoir of water from afar. That is a mirage. That is an example of māyā’s vikṣepa.
2. Masking an existing thing and showing it as non-existent is Āvaraṇa. A big tree makes its generating seed invisible. When a plant grows into a big tree, we get the impression that the tree had existed in the same state forever. It makes us forget that a seed was its cause. Māyā’s power of concealing the truth is known as Āvaraṇa. The outer beauty of the body conceals urine, stools, and pus from bothering our mind. This is the power of Āvaraṇa.

It is not possible to elucidate this two-fold māyā further because māyā can be considered existent via one perspective and non-existent via another. It is present if we consider it to be there and absent if we consider it as not there. Māyā is something that is impossible to exactly delineate.

sannāpyasannāpyubhayātmikā no bhinnāpyabhinnāpyubhayātmikā no
sāṅgāpyanaṅgāpyubhayātmikā no mahādbhutānirvacanīyarūpā
Vivekacūḍāmaṇi 111

Neither being nor non-being; not simultaneously being and non-being; Not different; Not non-different; not simultaneously different and non-different. Not endowed with parts; not unendowed with parts; not simultaneously both. It is a great wonder and is beyond verbal description - such as “This its origin; thus its existence” and so on.

The person who overcomes beginningless avidyā that is propagated through the succession of births is unaffected by māyā.

In conclusion, whatever false appearance we call a delusion or an error or mistaken perception is caused by māyā. We can see more of it in other places.

The Dominance of Māyā

The reason for this long discussion on māyā is the impact it has on our lives. Māyā is the universal power that brings the error of avidyā in the perceiver’s intellect to fruition. Because of that film on our perception, we are unable to see the ever present association between jagat and Īśvara or the essential relationship between the jīva and paramātmā. Māyā causes the jīva to view its normally perceived world as ever permanent. It is also the cause of the jīva’s ego-centric delusions such as, “I am the ruler, I am the enjoyer”. Mighty indeed is māyā. It is impossible for us to comprehend the reality of the relationship between jagat and Īśvara or that between jīva and Īśvara without overcoming māyā. As māyā is the greatest impediment towards the knowledge of reality, we had to have this lengthy discourse on it.

The Limitations of the Intellect

Just as fog envelops the body’s eye, the mind’s eye, so to speak, is also covered by a fog. The mind’s rays of attention are scattered on the one hand by the latent impressions of previous births (vāsanas), and on the other hand by the tastes, glitter, and glamour of the world. Similarly, while there are long standing habits and unexamined beliefs on one side, new thought processes and new developments in the world seem to fly in their face. Our intellectual faculties are scattered between the two. While man’s intellectual capacity is essentially limited, it is also paralysed by latent vāsanas and old beliefs. With these limits, the mind’s deficiencies double. One side of the mind is fogged and the world it sees changes every moment, escaping any kind of comprehension and analysis. How therefore can one glimpse reality with partial vision on one side and constant change on the other? With that, even tin will be valued like silver. The crow will be welcomed as a koel. The foam of water bubbles will be mistaken for a white rocky mountain. A lake stagnant with moss and hyacinth appears like a lush meadow. Thus does universal māyā trick the mind and intellect out of comprehending reality.

tribhir guṇa-māyāir bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṃ jagat
mohitaṃ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ param avyayam ॥
daivī hyeṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṃ taranti te ॥
BG 7.13, 7.14

The three guṇas:sattva, rajas and tamas present in prakṛti have enveloped the world in delusion. As Brahma is beyond those three guṇas, the world cannot understand that Brahma is ever unchanging. Māyā comprising these three guṇas is of divine origin and is hence difficult to overcome.

The principle of jagat, jīva, and Īśvara eludes us because the veil of māyā shrouds us. With that veil cast off, the Supreme Truth can be attained. Has not Bhagavān himself declared that his māyā is inscrutable? Bhagavān himself shows the way by declaring that only those who take refuge in him are able to cross māyā and attain the Supreme reality.

Crossing Māyā

Māyā with the guṇa triad is of divine origin. We should not complain that this māyā - this delusion - is cheating us because its place of creation is Brahma. Those who bear the thought of the Supreme Brahma in their minds are able to subdue māyā. Māyā is one of the inferior activities of prakṛti. How is it possible to get rid of something inferior? By encouraging the superior. To get rid of malodour, one uses perfumes. Māyā, similarly, can be overcome through the practice of divine presence - by encouraging the knowledge of reality. As our conviction in the existence of the divine becomes firmer, the grip of māyā loosens.

The Worship of Bhagavān

It is thus established that the worship of Bhagavān is essential for the knowledge of reality. A couple of words now, on the method of worship

chatur-vidhā bhajante māṃ janāḥ sukṛitino’rjuna ।
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣabha ॥
BG 7.16

Those who take refuge in Bhagavān are of four kinds.

Ārta (The distressed) - Those who resort to the divine only when they encounter difficulties in life personifying the adage - ‘saṃkaṭa baṃdāga vĕṃkaṭaramaṇa’ - ‘Venkataramana is resorted to only when there is distress’. 2. Jijñāsu (those desirous of knowing) - Those who are curious about the knowledge of the Supreme; students of the śāstras. 3. Arthārthi (those seeking material things) - Those who keep vows to attain specific material objectives. 4. Jñānī (the knower) - those that have realised the knowledge of reality experientially.

All these four are sukṛtis which means that they possess the puṇya from their good deeds. All the four are noble. The jñānī among them is one who has attained the object of his intention.

jñānī tvātmaiva me matam

The jñānī is a kevalātmā: one who has attained union with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

bahūnāṃ janmanām ante jñānavān māṃ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
BG 7.19

“Others, over several lives, gradually attain to the Supreme Abode through meditation upon the principle that Vāsudeva is everything. Such great personages are rare to find”.

The way of overcoming māyā is through the practice of Īśvara’s presence. None need be disheartened that such a practice is impossible for them. One must practice with patience and without haste. The thing to remember is that this practice takes time. Let as much time be taken as required. As time is infinite, there is no need to hurry. But it is important that the practice being undertaken is done thoroughly. Be it a man or a woman, devotion to Bhagavān can be practised according to one’s birth, one’s bent of mind, and as possible by one’s intellect. Let any method of worship be followed.

yo yo yāṃ yāṃ tanuṃ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārchitum ichchhati
tasya tasyāchalāṃ śraddhāṃ tām eva vidadhāmyaham ॥
sa tayā śraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate
labhate cha tataḥ kāmān māyāiva vihitān hi tān ॥
antavat tu phalaṃ teṣāṃ tad bhavatyalpa-medhasām
devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api ॥
BG 7.21 to 7.23

“Whoever worships whatever divine form with śraddhā, I will firm up the śraddhā for him in that form. If he has worshipped the form with śraddhā, his desires will be fulfilled. I have established this arrangement”.

When these words are recalled by us, it becomes clear how our religious animosities are nothing but insubordination (to the divine) and a lack of humility. Not just Hindus but Muslims and Christians too should pay attention to this principle. It is not important whether the Supreme Being is with or without form. But the devotion and śraddhā of the devotee is all important. Also important are the devotee’s mental attitude and the keenness of his yearning for the divine.

Keeping one’s mind in the divine is the same as not keeping one’s mind on things non-divine - which translates to releasing one’s mind from the non-divine. What then about one’s spouse and children? Are those relationships not boons from the divine? The one practising divine presence everywhere sees all relationships as Īśvara’s blessing. Such a person regards his or her family duties as devotional service to Bhagavān. There is nothing for such a person that is not Bhagavān.

ichchhā-dveṣa-samutthena dvandva-mohena bhārata
sarva-bhūtāni sammohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa ॥
yeṣāṃ tvanta-gataṃ pāpaṃ janānāṃ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṃ dṛḍha-vratāḥ ॥
BG 7.27, 7.28

“All beings at the time of their birth lose their ability for discernment when they are subservient to desires, hatred, ego, envy, and other pairs of opposites. Those whose pāpa has come to an end and those who have performed puṇya become free of this pair of opposites and take refuge in Īśvara”.

This is the gist. Devotion to the divine means giving up selfishness and infatuation. As the thought that one’s family, kith and kin are blessings from the divine grows, selfishness and infatuation wane. As they wane, the jīva becomes purer. As the jīva becomes purer, contemplation of reality becomes easier. The one with the knowledge of reality understands what in one’s life is owed to the world and what is owed to one’s own inner self. Such a person, acting for the good of both, becomes free of worry. This is tranquillity.

The Upaniṣad uses the example of the spider (Ūrṇanābhi) to explain creation. The spider uses the sticky substance within itself to make a thread and weaves a web with it. It creates its own web-kingdom with the material created out of its own body and rules it as its king. During the creation of the web, it forgets that it is the creator. One who sings for one’s own happiness forgets oneself in the sweetness of one’s own voice. One enjoys it as if listening to someone else’s voice. The spider can similarly feel that its web creation was another’s creation that it had conquered for itself. Thus a creator of something can be deluded into thinking that he is different from his creation after seeing the wonderful things of his own creation. In reality, the creator, the instrument, and the creation are fundamentally one. The sentience of Brahma is the doer, prakṛti is the instrument and the world is the creation. Māyā is the strange and wonderful play of the world. The indivisible unity of the root cause of the universe is veiled by the illusion of māyā. Śāstra shows us the concealing curtain and asks us to tear it and cast it away. As our śraddhā in the Supreme Cause grows, the effect of māyā on us weakens.

ಬಹುರುಚಿಗಳ ಸವಿಯಲಜಂ
ಸಹಸ್ರ ಮೊಗನಾದನೆಲ್ಲ ಜಗದೊಡಲುಗಳೊಳ್ ।
ಬಹುವಿಧಪಾಕಗಳಂ ತ-
ದ್ಗೃಹಿಣಿ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ ಪ್ರಪಂಚಪಾತ್ರೆಯೊಳಡುವಳ್ ।।

Bahurucigaḷa saviyalajaṃ
Sahasra-mŏganādanĕlla jagadŏḍalugaḷŏḷ ।
Bahuvidhapākagaḷaṃ ta-
Dgṛhiṇi prakṛti prapaṃcapātrĕyŏḷaḍuvaḷ ॥

To savour many tastes, the Birthless One,
Became thousand-mouthed through the bodies of the world,
His consort, Prakṛti cooks many dishes,
in the vessel of the Universe.

The Essence

ಭಕ್ತಿರಹಸ್ಯಮುಮೀಶ್ವರ-
ಶಕ್ತಿವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಪ್ರಕಾರಗಳುಮಂತೆಯೆ ಸ-
ದ್ಭಕ್ತಚತುರ್ವಿಧಮುಂ ಸಂ-
ಪ್ರೋಕ್ತಂಗಳ್ ಭಗವದಾಸ್ಯದಿಂ ಸಪ್ತಮದೊಳ್ ॥

Bhaktirahasyamumīśvara-
Śaktivyaktiprakāragaḷumaṃtĕyĕ sa-
Dbhaktacaturvidhamuṃ saṃ-
Proktaṃgaḷ bhagavadāsyadiṃ saptamadŏḷ ॥

The secret of Bhakti, the modes of
expression of īśvara’s power, and
the four kinds of true Bhaktas were
elucidated by the divine countenance in the Seventh.

ಹೃದುದ್ವೇಗಂಗಳಂ ಬಲ್ಲನುದಾರಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣನಾವಗಂ ।
ಮದೀಯ ಹೃದ್ದೋಷಗಳಂ ಶೋಧಿಕೆ ಕ್ಷಮೆದೋರುತಂ ॥

Hṛdudvegaṃgaḷaṃ ballanudāraṃ kṛṣṇanāvagaṃ ।
Madīya hṛddoṣagaḷaṃ śodhikĕ kṣamĕdorutaṃ ॥

May the munificent Kṛṣṇa, the knower of my heart’s agitations,
While forgiving me, ever purify the defects of my heart.

Come, O one who is affectionate to dharma, holding the Sudarśana, friendly to Arjuna,
Did you not proclaim that you will come down to destroy adharma?
Is destroying Kali more difficult, prabho! than destroying the Kauravas?
Show your weapons, your great ferocity and the fearsome Pāñcajanya.

The present series is a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. The translators wish to express their thanks to Śatāvadhāni R Ganesh for his valuable feedback and to Hari Ravikumar for his astute edits.

[[Ch. 8 Yoga of the Meaning of Om (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

Brahmavadeṃ jīvavadeṃ ।
Karmavadeṃ bhautadaivayajñaṃgaḻadeṃ ॥
Gamyavadeṃ dhyeyamadeṃ ।
Samyagbodhanéyanintu pārthaṃ beḍal ॥

What is Brahma? What is the jīva?
What is karma? What are the bhauta, daiva and yajñas?
What should the destination be? What should the goal be?
Asked thus Pārtha, for guidance full.

uttaravanéṃṭu keḻkéga-
mittu baḻikkéṃtu jīvamīśa-smṛtiyoḻ ।
cittaikāgrābhyāsadi-
nuttama-gati-gervudéṃdu hari bittaripaṃ ॥

Hari answered these eight question, and
Explained how a jīva can ascend
To the supreme state by meditating
upon Īśvara, through the practice of concentration.

Summary

The svāmī instructs Arjuna on the greatness of meditating upon the letter Om in the eighth chapter. Om is the essence, the representation of everything. The practice of meditation is predominantly emotional. The fundamental principle explained here is that such an emotional state can be reached with regular practice.

Chapter 8.Akṣarabrahmayoga orPraṇavārthayoga

(The Yoga of the meaning of Om)

In the previous chapters was discussed the practice of karma as an external means of sādhanā. From the second to the sixth chapter, karma is important. Bhakti and jñāna are only incidentally mentioned. Chapters nine to eighteen discuss the internal sādhanā of bhakti and jñāna. The eighth chapter is like a bridge between these two stages. The previous chapters have demonstrated the principle of ātmā and the greatness of Bhagavān. To realise this principle, the practice of an inward-looking sādhanā becomes necessary. This sādhanā is dhyāna. Swāmī is now ready to show the way to bring the form of the divine in the mind, by meditating upon profound symbols such as the praṇava. It is only fit that this chapter has been called ‘Brahmākṣaranirdeśa’ by ancient philosophers because praṇava is verily the letter that denotes Brahma.

The important topics discussed in this chapter are -

Some terminology 2. Importance of the moment of death 3. Upāsanā of the letter denoting the Brahma 4. Adherence to karma with constant remembrance of Brahma 5. The two ways open for the jīva

It appears that Arjuna had not clearly understood the full meaning of some technical terms used by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa earlier. Sometimes, our understanding of a word might be enough for us to roughly recognise the meaning but might fall short of the rigour required to explain it to someone else. We all use the word ‘man’. If someone asks us the meaning of this word, we will find it difficult to explain. It is not enough to say, “man is a kind of animal”. Similarly, when asked what rice is, it is not enough to answer that rice is a kind of grain. A proper, scientific answer can be provided for these questions by the dictionary. When this is the case with ordinary words, the terms used in advanced śāstras must be much more difficult. However, continuing with the study of śāstras without fully understanding these terms is meaningless. Such terms used in śāstras are collectively known as paribhāṣā. The common meaning of karma is work — any work. The śāstric meaning of the word is “specific action that is ordained by Śruti and Smṛti, and results in gaining better worlds”.

Arjuna’s questions about the meanings of the technical terms are in the first two verses. Commentators have counted them variously as seven and eight, though there is no real difference between the two groups. Let us look at these questions, one by one.

1. Question: Kiṃ tad-brahma? — What is that Brahma?

In this question, ‘that’ — ‘Tat’ implies an earlier reference. Arjuna is asking the meaning of “brahmākṣara-samudbhavam” in the third chapter, and “brahmārpaṇaṃ braḥmahaviḥ” in the fourth chapter.

Answer: Akṣaraṃ brahma paramaṃ ।

Brahma is that which cannot be destroyed and is most supreme.

The word ‘akṣaraṃ’ means both eternal and omnipresent. ‘Kṣara’ is destruction. Akṣara means indestructible with respect to time and also with respect to place. ‘Paramaṃ’ means the basis of all that is desired by man, and yet above it it all. “Aṇoraṇīyān mahato mahīyān ।”, “avyakto’yamacintyo’yaṃ ।”, “acalo’yaṃ sanātanaḥ”.

2. Question: Kim adhyātmaṃ?

What is adhyātma?

Answer: Svabhāvo’dhyātmam-ucyate

“Human nature – its entire structure - is called adhyātma”

A human being is the sum total of his body, senses, mind, intellect, ego, jīva, and ātmā. This is collectively known as adhyātma. The collection of the means and channels through which a jīva can connect with the world and is able to conduct its activities is adhyātma.

It is said in the bhāṣya of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya — “parasya brahmaṇaḥ pratidehaṃ pratyagātma-bhāvaḥ svabhāvaḥ । … ātmānaṃ dehamadhikṛtya pratyagātmatayā pravṛttaṃ paramārtha-brahmāvasānaṃ vastu”.

“The nature of Brahma is to exist in every body as the indwelling self. The thing that is the indwelling self of the body which is ultimately the same as the Supreme Brahma is adhyātma.”

a. The ātmā that is in the state of the jīva is adhyātma. The jīva includes attributes like the body, mind, etc.
b.The state where ātmā takes the form of the jīva is adhyātma. All relationships created by a man for himself are adhyātma.

3. Question: kiṃ karma? “What is karma?”

Answer: bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro visargaḥ karmasaṃjñitaḥ ।

“Karma is the agglomeration of all the ways in which all beings use their energies and wealth in tasks that result in their rebirth”.

Our transaction with the world is in the form of giving and taking. In every moment, through his body, speech, and mind, man constantly releases parts of himself into the world around him. This constant giving is karma. Since a part of him spreads itself out in the world, its results and reactions come back to him in different forms, as the fruit of his karma. He is reborn again and again to reap these fruits — to discharge his debts and to experience the impressions of his past. Thus, karma is the collective name for all dealings with the world that cause rebirth. In short puṇya and pāpa constitute karma.

4. Question: Adhibhūtaṃ ca kiṃ? “What is adhibhūta?”

Answer: Adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ ।

“All destructible things in this world are adhibhūta.”

“Kṣaro bhāvaḥ” means destructibility or the characteristic of destruction. ‘Bhūta’ refers to something that has become or has happened. Here, we should pay attention to the difference between the words ‘being’ and ‘becoming’. Whatever becomes or happens, goes. Therefore it is kṣara. Thus, kṣara is something that lives for a short while and perishes later.

5. Question: Adhidaivaṃ kimucyate? “What is called adhi-daiva?”

Answer: “Puruṣaś-cādhi-daivatam।” “(The virāṭ) puruṣa is adhidaivata”

Brahma’s energy is present in every being, causing it to engage in various activities. The aggregated energy of all those beings in its most exalted state (the state of Brahma) is the Virāṭ Puruṣa. This form has been described in the Puruṣasūkta of the Vedas and in the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavadgītā. Puruṣa is the Brahma in the form of the world. That is adhidaiva. This meaning has to be connected with

“daivaṃ caivātra pañcamaṃ ।” (BG 18.14)

Adhidaiva is the fundamental energy that is the basis of all actions in the universe. It is the energy of Brahma, the universal consciousness, that creates the universe and controls it. Brahma in action is adhidaiva. That indeed is Īśvara.

6. Question: “ādhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ?” “What is the nature of adhiyajña?”

Answer: “adhiyajño’hameva” “That to which the yajña is addressed is adhiyajña. I am that (Bhagavān= Īśvara).”

Yajña is worship. There should be an object for worship. Different types of yajñas are expounded in the fourth chapter. Yajñas can have different objects of worship such as Indra, Varuṇa, Soma, or Agni. Thus, when there are different devatās, are the presiding deities different and yajñas different or are they all one and the same? The answer is that even though the names of the devatās are different, it is only Brahma that is worshipped.

“ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadanti, indraṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānamāhuḥ ।”
“sarvadeva-namaskāraḥ keahavaṃ pratigacchati ।”

7. Question: “ko’tra dehe’smin?” “Who is in this body?”

Answer: “Ahamevātra dehe।” “I (the divine) am the one in this body”.

The body comprises five sheaths. These sheaths are like a Russian doll - one inside another, yet another inside it and so on. Well-dressed men in the early twentieth century would wear five or six layers of clothes on them — an overcoat, a short coat within it, a waistcoat inside that, and then a shirt and a vest inside, and further a jubba also. Similarly, the human body has five layers. The first is annamaya kosha. This is made of flesh, blood, skin, and bone. Within that is the prāṇamaya kośa, comprising prāṇa, apāna and other vital airs. The third is manomaya, consisting of experiences such as pleasure and pain. The fifth is vijñānamaya, comprising the intellect and decision making abilities. The fifth is ānandamaya, which comprises bliss. Within this resides the ātmā, the basis and origin of all layers. The five kośas are only its attributes. Paramātmā is that consciousness which resides within these five kośas.

“tāsmāt sarvagataṃ brahma” (Therefore is Brahma all-pervading) (BG 3.15)
“Īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ hṛddeśe”, (Īśvara is situated in the heart of all beings) (BG 18.61)
“eko devaḥ sarvabhūteṣu gūḍhaḥ sarvavyāpī sarvabhūtāntarātmā” (There is one deva concealed in all beings who is omnipresent and is the inner self of all beings) (Śvetāśvataropaniṣad 6.11)

It has to be noted that the object of worship in the sixth question is the same as the worshipper in the seventh question, the only difference between them being their state.

8. Question “prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo’si?” “How is a man to know you at the time of the final journey?”

“At that time of departure, how should one meditate upon you? You have countless forms; your līlās are infinite. Which of them should we remember when our end is nigh?”

A: “antakāle ca māmeva smaran … madbhāvaṃ yāti”

“In those last moments, it is enough to meditate upon me in any form. My real nature will be understood.”.

Meditating upon any form among the infinite forms, any līlā among the infinite līlās of the divine can show us the presence of the divine.

The sixth verse of this chapter has to be contemplated upon here.

yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaran bhāvaṃ tyajatyante kalevaraṃ ।
taṃ tamevaiti kaunteya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ ॥ (BG 8.6)
“Whichever form the devotee is meditating upon at the time of his end,
Bhagavān shows himself to his devotee in the same form”.

This is the reason for our practice of naming children after devatās or Gurus. It is natural for humans to think of their loved ones at the time of death. Our ancients thought that divine names would be called out and the greatness of the divine would come to mind at least under this pretext.

Who knows when the end is going to arrive? Death does not give us prior notice to make an appointment with us. It can come without any warning. Therefore, a wise man is always prepared for it. Constant contemplation of the divine is the preparation.

“tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu māmanusmara yuddhya ca” (BG 8.7)
“Remember me at all times; Fight as you remember me.”

The Object of Dhyāna

Ordinary people require a symbol or a form for dhyāna. However, the supreme Brahma-tattva is ‘acintyarūpam’ (beyond description) and ‘anirdeśyavapuḥ’ (with a form that cannot be pointed out). Even so, Bhagavān has pointed out two characteristics -

sarvasya dhātāram-acintyarūpam ādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt ॥ (BG 8.9)

Sarvasya dhātāram — One who rules over everything and protects everyone. 2. Ādityavarṇaṃ — Bright like the Sun.

These are the main characteristics. The marks of Brahma have been discussed extensively earlier; such as “raso’ham apsu” and “prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ”. We can bring to mind any of these features: “yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaran bhāvaṃ”. It is important to concentrate the mind.

The praṇava has to be meditated upon during dhyāna. Praṇava means “prakṛṣṭā nutiḥ” [Most excellent praise] (from the root ṇu stutau) – the praise of Parabrahma.

Omityekākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharan māmanusmaran । (BG 8.13)
The japa of Om has to be performed while meditating upon Bhagavān.

Omityekākṣaraṃ brahma । (Om the letter denotes Brahma) (Gāyatrī-mantra)

Omiti brahma । Omitīdagm sarvam (Taittirīyopaniṣad1.8)
“Om itself is Parabrahma. Om is all this (the entire universe)”

Thus, Upaniṣads like Kaṭha, Māṇḍūkya, Chāndogya and Bṛhadāraṇyaka extol the greatness of the Praṇava.

There are three letters in Om — a, u and m. These three letters denote the following, respectively -

a — Sat (existence), the gross universe, the earthly plane, the male animal, the waking state, sattvaguṇa, Bhagavān Brahmā [Not to be confused with Brahman] 2. u — Cit (consciousness), jīva, the subtle universe, the atmosphere, the female animal, the dream state, rajoguṇa, Bhagavān Viṣṇu 3. m — Ānanda (bliss), Īśvara, the causal universe (kāraṇa-prapañca), the sky, an animal of the neuter gender, the state of deep sleep, tamoguṇa, Bhagavān Rudra. 4. Om — (the union of all of the above) = Peaceful, Paramātmā, the unmanifested, genderless, the universe, the infinite prakṛti, virāṭ-puruṣa, transcending the three guṇas, Parabrahma.

Thus, the letter om is a symbol that denotes everything. It denotes all existence, all knowledge and all powers and energies. The hidden meaning of this great mantra should be learnt from experienced people. I am not one.

The mantras that have been passed to us through tradition — like Om Namah Śivāya, Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya — show us one of the infinite forms of Bhagavān. It is difficult to visualise the infinite. Visualising an image of Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Someśvara, Gaṇapati or Āñjaneya is not that difficult. Mūrtis and pictures help with that. Therefore, ordinary people hold on to dhyāna-mantras of a specific deity and engage themselves in its worship. However, the Praṇava is not specific to any form; contemplation is its mainstay. It includes both manifest and unmanifest, single and manifold. The three worlds, the three guṇas, the three states (jāgrat, svapna and suṣupti), the three deities — the essence of the universe is thus evinced in threes as the separate letters a, u and m — and brings to mind one group among the three. Then, the combined letter Om establishes in the mind — that the union of these three is greater than the sum of its parts. Initially, such contemplation seems impossible. It becomes possible gradually - little by little - with continuous effort and practice.

[[Ch. 8 Yoga of the Meaning of Om (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The Importance of Feeling

During dhyāna, it is not syllables that are important, neither are sound or meaning. Feeling is paramount. The syllable is a means to bring the right feeling to the mind. Mūrtis and pictures of deities, worship with incense sticks and lamps are also the means to bring to mind the emotion associated with the divine. Therefore, the mind should be made to focus on the meaning of the syllable — the feeling associated with the icon. This is dhyāna-yoga.

Is it not easier for dhyāna if the syllable of a mantra has only one meaning, rather than a multitude of them? We saw earlier that praṇava can have many meanings; will not the mind get scattered here and there by that? The answer is thus: a mantra that has a single meaning is suitable in the beginning. However, should not the meaning expand gradually? Initially, let it be “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” or “Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya”. Steadily, let the focus increasingly move towards Om. It is fine if any one among the various meanings of the praṇava strikes the mind. It could be the triad of Brahma, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara — or Earth, space and sky — or sattva, rajas and tamas — or energy, water and food — whichever triad of these strikes the mind first, it gradually expands and covers all other triads, and transcends them all. This is the power of practice. As already conveyed, the secret has to be learnt from adepts; I am not one. Let us now move to the next topic.

ananyacetāḥ satataṃ yo māṃ bhajati nityaśaḥ ।
tasyāhaṃ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yoginaḥ ॥ (BG 8.14)

“A yogi is one who does not let his mind wander, but follows me always. I (Bhagavān) am easily obtained by him, who is always one with me”

ābrahma-bhuvanāl-lokāḥ punar-āvartino’rjuna ।
māmupetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate ॥ (BG 8.16)

The entire universe — starting from the world of Brahmā is born again and again, and perishes each time. “Punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇam” is true for everything and everyone, until the jīvatma becomes one with Parabrahma. The liberated, pure ātmā always abides in the presence of the Supreme Brahma — that is, in the best of lokas. The Svāmi now explains this exalted state.

In the previous chapter, it is said that Brahma exists in two states — vyakta or manifest and avyakta or unimanifest. Vyakta is the visible or tangible universe. Avyakta is invisible or something that transcends the visible universe. The single fundamental substratum for both of these is sanātana (eternal); that is Brahma. Mokṣa is the constant experience of Brahma. Achieving Mokṣa is the fulfillment of Yoga.

parastasmāttu bhāvo’nyo’vyakto’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ ।
yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati ॥ (BG 8.20)
“Parabrahma is that which is beyond the manifest and unmanifest. It is the eternal element in transient bodies”.

avyakto’kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṃ gatiṃ ।
yaṃ prāpya na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama ॥ (BG 8.21)

After reaching the abode of Brahma which is beyond the universe, intangible and imperishable, there is no returning. That is the supreme abode, the presence of the divine. That is the state of mokṣa. A sādhaka might achieve it in his lifetime on earth, in this world. Such mokṣa is jīvanmukti. Our śrutis and purāṇas mention that ṛṣis like Śuka and Vāmadeva were jīvanmuktas.

Even if that does not happen, if a sādhaka is free of kāma and krodha and is engrossed only in Brahma, he may attain mokṣa when he departs from his body and leaves this world. That is videhamukti. Thus, mokṣa is of two types.

There is no calculation of tithi, vāra and nakṣatra required for the attainment of mokṣa. It happens by itself. No outward force can speed it up or slow it down. It is an experience that happens deep within one’s heart. It does not have external dos and don’ts.

The liberation that is achieved by a jīva after experiencing the fruits of its past actions and finally giving up his body is of two kinds — sadyomukti and kramamukti.

Sadyomukti is that which is achieved when a sādhaka leaves this world and becomes one with Brahma without stopping at any intervening stations. This path is called Devayāna. When a jīva on the way to mukti pauses at other, gradually better lokas, it is kramamukti or pitṛyāna. The Svāmi describes it thus —

agnirjyotirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam । (BG 8.24)

The characteristics of the path to the Brahma are fire, light, day, purity, and the half of the year that is called uttarāyaṇa.

dhūmo rātristathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanaṃ ॥ (BG 8.25)

The characteristics of the path to the other puṇyalokas are smoke, night, darkness, the six months of the year that are known as dakṣiṇāyana.

śuklakṛṣṇe gatī hyete jagataḥ śāśvate mate ।
ekayā yātyanāvṛttim anyayā’’avartate punaḥ ॥ (BG 8.26)

Through devayāna is achieved the state of Brahma and the cessation of births. Through pitṛyāna, one goes through multiple births — gains puṇya again and again, spends it, and gains it again — thus continues the circle of births.

Pitṛyāna is the way of gradually better lives — good family, justly acquired wealth, good karma, good children, good pastimes — these are indicative of puṇya. Even if a man established in Brahma is not able to achieve mokṣa immediately, even if he has to take a few more births because of various reasons, he sometimes attains better worlds and is again born on the earth in suitable families and leads a life established in Brahma.

prāpya puṇyakṛtān lokān uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ ।
śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo’bhijāyate ॥ (BG 6.41)

Thus, he ascends in steps. This is the mukti of Pitṛyāna. It is not to be understood as inferior or fearsome. Good progeny and good family are gained by the blessings of Pitṛdevatas; it is training to the jīva. Should we be scared of training and tests? One who refuses such training is not eligible to experience Brahma.

The belief that death during the uttarāyaṇa brings mokṣa and death during the dakṣiṇāyana brings about rebirth is older than the time of Śrīkṛṣṇa. It is in the Vedas [Ya evaṃ vidvānudagayane pramīyate devānāmeva mahimānaṃ gatvā’‘dityasya sāyujyaṃ gacchatyatha yo dakṣiṇe pramīyate pitṛṇāmeva mahimānaṃ gatvā candramasassāyujyaṃ salokatāmāpnoti (Taittirīyopaniṣad 4)].Bhīṣma would have believed in it — which is why he bore the severe pain of lying on a bed of arrows and waited for the arrival of uttarāyaṇa.

Should we now believe in it or not? This belief is not troublesome; there is no reason to stop believing it. Just lack of direct evidence is not enough to erase this ancient belief. There should be a concrete reason to disbelieve in it. In any case, what do we lose by believing in it?

We can have three kinds of attitudes towards any concept — 1. Belief 2. Disbelief 3. Suspension of belief.

All of us believe in our own existence. We say that eight elephants carrying the world is reality but is a mere story. But in the matter of pañcāṅga and jātaka, we do not argue. If someone condemns it as untrue, we cannot prove it to be true. If someone obstinately argues that it is true, we cannot argue and prove him wrong. When many people have been believing in something for a very long time and it is not really troubling to us, it is better to follow it as much as possible. If someone says that the attack by China [in 1962] was because of the confluence of eight planets, we cannot say that it was not so. If someone says that the two are not related, we cannot argue with them either. Our consideration should only be this — on the pretext of the aṣṭagrahas, the minds of at least a few people turned towards the divine. Even that is beneficial. Some people found courage and satisfaction because of those pūjas and homas. That is beneficial too.

The concept of uttarāyaṇa-devayāna and dakṣiṇāyana-pitṛyāna should be viewed similarly. It is about something that happens after death — something that cannot be seen by us here with our physical eyes. Actually, ordinary people like us cannot clearly discern the difference between uttarāyaṇa and dakṣiṇāyana. Physicists or meteorologists may explain the physical difference to us. However, who can explain the passage of a jīva?

The matter in the minds of those who harbour questions about this topic is actually a doubt about the superiority of devayāna and the inferiority of pitṛyāna. At the bottom of this is the question — why should we say that those who die in dakṣiṇāyana are inferior? They fear that their end might arrive in dakṣiṇāyana. There are two things here.

Pitṛyāna is not base or vile. If someone thinks that they are eligible for more, they are deluded. That sense of entitlement itself shows their ineligibility. 2. Pitṛyāna paves the way to obtain worldly wealth, pleasure, prosperity and progeny. How many of us can say no to these?

Those with the firmness and greatness of Bhīṣma do not have to raise this question at all. He was a svecchāmaraṇi — he could give up his body whenever he wanted. There is no remedy for the delusion that that just dying in uttarāyaṇa can bestow mukti. The goal of this chapter is mainly to inculcate ennobling emotion in people. It is certainly not the supreme truth. Like in other places, this is an instructive means of drawing attention to differences in the eligibility of aspirants to achieve mukti. The most important principle to take away from this chapter is -

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu māmanusmara yuddhya ca ॥ (BG 8.7)
(Therefore, at all times, fight while remembering me)

Summary

pathaveraḍu paradi sukṛtige
sita-sauraṃ deva-yānam-adu mokṣārthaṃ ।
pitṛyānaṃ satkula-saṃ-
sṛtigakkum-aduttarottarā-bhyudayārthaṃ ॥

Two ways there are to reach the divine for the righteous.
Bright and sunny is Devayāna, the way to mokṣa.
Pitṛyāna, the way to a better birth and training
To the jīva, and brings about gradual progress.

aṣṭa-praśnottaradiṃ
sṛṣṭi-layāvṛtti jīva-jani-mṛti-katheyaṃ ।
spaṣṭī-karisidan-acyuta-
naṣṭama-gīteyali puṇya-yātreya pariyaṃ ॥

With answers to questions eight
Achyuta explained in chapter eight.
the generation and destruction of the universe,
the birth and death of a jīva, the passing of a man righteous.

bhuvana-ghaṭa-kulālaṃ vismayāścarya-jālaṃ
bhava-ratha-gati-kīlaṃ sarva-jīvānukūlaṃ ।
sadhana-kṛta-kucelaṃ duṣṭa-saṃhara-kālaṃ
prakṛti-puruṣa-khelaṃ nitya-dharmādi-mūlaṃ ॥

The maker of the world-pot, the web of wonder and marvel,
The peg of the wheel of saṃsāra, beneficial to all jīvas
One who made Kuchela prosperous, Yama who destroys evil
One who plays the game of prakṛti and Puruṣa and the source of all dharma.

[[Ch. 9 Yoga of the Relationship between Brahman and the World (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

sarvagatamirdum ātmaṃ
nirvikṛtaṃ sarvaśaktam adu niṣkarmam ।
nirvairaṃ sarvasamaṃ
nirvṛtidaṃ patrasumajalārpakariṃgam ॥

The ātmā, though all-pervading,
is immutable, and though omnipotent, is actionless.
It is without a rival, and is the same everywhere.
It yields supreme bliss to even those offering a leaf, a flower or water.

Summary

The objects of the world function because of Brahma. Because of this, we confuse those objects for Brahma. We worship the glamour of the world while in fact, it is Brahma that should be worshipped. This is a mistake indeed. One should always remember that the world is a modification of Brahma-consciousness and that Brahma is beyond all the objects of the world.

Bhagavān assures us that he will take up the responsibility of the entire well-being of whoever is completely dependent on him. What more assurance does one need?

Bhagavān has affirmed that all devotion with śraddhā reaches him and that he is propitious to those devoted to him. If all worldly actions such as taking in food and giving dāna are performed as offerings to ŚrīKṛsṇa, the jīva attains the Supreme Goal. We see the heart of the Gītā-teaching in this chapter.

Chapter 9Rāja-vidyā-rāja-guhya-yogaor Brahma-jagat-sambandha-yoga

(The Yoga of the Relationship between Brahman and the World)

In the previous chapter, after considering seven or eight questions such as “kiṃ tadbrahma” (What is Brahman?), “adhibhūtam kim?” (What is adhibhūta) and what a prāṇī (being) is, Bhagavān taught that OM (praṇava), which denotes the entire collection of Jagat (world), Jīva and Iśvara, has to be mentally meditated upon. Now will be elucidated the relationship between Brahma and Prakṛti - which is also the relationship between Īśvara and the world.

This chapter covers the following topics:

The omnipresence of Brahma 2. The subservience of the world to Prakṛti 3. The two-fold nature of Prakṛti 4. The attainability of Iśvara 5. The worldly aspect of Dharma 6. Surrender to Bhagavān

idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy-anasūyave ।
jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj-jñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt ॥
BG 9.1

The chapter begins with the above verse. The topic that Bhagavān is about to tell us is the greatest secret! A mystery! What is that secret? A marketing trick or a profit-minded manoeuvre or a scheme for greater fame? This strategy is not for any worldly attainment but pertains only to the ātmā. Therefore, only the eligible will be instructed here. If the ineligible are instructed in this matter, there is a chance of misunderstanding or misuse or trivialisation - all of which is harmful to the world. This verse thus is an exhortation to share this secret only after considering the student’s worthiness.

Don’t think of this secret as Brāhmaṇa obscurantism. It is well known that our government limits the sales of drugs that are mixed with mercury, sulphur, lead or mandate a prescription for those medicines that can have significant side-effects upon accidental consumption. Such medicines or prescription drugs carry labels with warnings like ‘poison’ or ‘for prescription use only’ or ‘overdose can cause injury.’ On the other hand, home remedies such as ginger, pepper, and cumin can be used as medicine by almost anyone. Even a healthy person is not adversely affected by their consumption. However, those medicines explicitly labelled are meant only for patients and not for general consumption. It is dangerous for others to consume such drugs. Therefore the pharmacist is legally bound to sell such drugs only when accompanied by a prescription and only to those for whom the drug has been prescribed.

Similar is the rule regarding the teaching of the Vedas, śāstras, and the Gītā. They have to be imparted only after due discernment about the fitness of the taught. These are not like commercial goods that are sold to the general public. These words of Matthew Arnold are worth remembering here –

Some secrets may the poet tell,
For the world loves new ways;
To tell too deep ones is not well—
It knows not what he says.

Moreover, this is “jñānaṁ vijñānasahitam” (knowledge with realisation) – which is essentially experiential and not bookish learning. The theoretical understanding gained through external sources of knowledge such as teachers and śāstras is denoted as jñāna. To this should be added vijñāna – the experiential realisation of jñāna through vichāra. Vichāra is the analysis of experience; a practical application of theory. Bhagavān is now all set to teach the principle that is in agreement with both theory and experience.

This instruction is deemed ‘Rāja-vidyā’ (the Royal Science) which means that it is the king of all vidyās. Just as the King’s power enables all his subjects employed in different posts to enjoy proportionate benefits during the discharge of their duties, this rāja-vidyā enables assignment of the right values and positions of other vidyās. Thus this knowledge of reality ought to be at the head of all other vidyās.

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram-idam-uttamam ।
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartum-avyayam ॥
BG 9.2

Rāja-vidyā is also fittingly called Rāja-yoga as it can be known through direct experience, is consistent with dharma, is easily performed, does not cause harm, is imperishable, and is easy to perform. Haṭha-yoga has opposite characteristics to Rāja-yoga. While Haṭha-yoga is a teacher that brings the fear of punishment to students, Rāja-yoga is a gentle and tactful teacher.

What then is the gist of this charming vidyā?

mayā tatam-idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad-avyakta-mūrtinā ।
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv-avasthitaḥ ॥
BG 9.4
na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam-aiśvaram ।
bhūtabhṛn-na ca bhūtastho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ ॥
BG 9.5

(Mayā) By me (Brahma), (avyaktamūrtinā) who has no external characteristics such as form and quality, (jagat idam sarvam) all this world (tatam) is pervaded.
(Through one perspective) all beings reside in me, I am not in them.
(Another perspective) The world’s beings really do not reside in me. See my (Brahma’s) divine and wondrous yoga in the aspect of Īśvara. It is Brahma-consciousness that is the origin and sustenance of this multitude of beings. But Brahma itself is not in them.

This is a complicated statement. It needs to be patiently reflected upon.

The inquiry here is about existence. In Samskṛtam, existence is known as astitva. The same is sat + tā (sattā) or sattva. The subject of existence, termed ontology, is an important aspect of Western philosophy. What are some questions about existence?

A certain thing might exist and still not be perceived by anyone. 2. Even if it is perceived, it might be perceived as something else. 3. Even if it exists, it might be attached to something else like a shadow. 4. It might be something that only the mind perceives but not the eye. 5. It might exist during one moment and not exist in the next.

Many doubts can thus arise about existence. Does our world really exist? Or is it merely an appearance? Is not appearance a level of existence? Should not an appearance have some kind of substratum? What might that be? Such are the questions.

Independent existence (svatantra-sattā) is something that exists without requiring anything else to exist as a substratum or for protection. It existed before, exists now, and will continue to exist later. It cannot be repudiated, modified, or destroyed in any place or time. Such is the existence of Brahma; completely independent.

When a thing’s existence requires something else to be present, the thing is said to have a dependent existence (adhīna-sattā). The reflection in a mirror is an example. An object’s reflection is seen as long as the object stays in front of the mirror and disappears when the object is moved. We have already come across the illustration of the glass and the red rose. As long as the rose is near the glass, the glass appears red. No red glass without the red rose. Shadows too are in this category. They require another solid body for them to be seen. The shadow is a projection of the object. Brahma is existence itself, while the world is an appearance. The shadow is seen as long as the object is present. Once the object is gone, the shadow goes as well. But the object itself is not a shadow. It has an independent existence while the shadow has a dependent existence. Brahma has an independent existence; the world is like its shadow and hence has a dependent existence. Let us return to the treatise keeping this in mind.

[[Ch. 9 Yoga of the Relationship between Brahman and the World (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The two ślokas beginning with “Mayā tatamidaṁ” have the following seven points.

Mayā tatam-idam (All of this is pervaded or extended by me) 2. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (All beings exist in me) 3. Na cāhaṁ teṣv-avasthitaḥ (I am not in them) 4. Na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni (The beings are not in me) 5. Bhūta-bhṛt (The sustainer of beings) 6. Na ca bhūta-sthaḥ (Not in these beings) 7. Mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ (My Self constitutes the existence of beings)

There seems to be an inconsistency in these. How do we reconcile ‘mat-sthāni’ and ‘na ca mat-sthāni’? Can a consistent meaning be gleaned from these seven statements? Let us see.

1. Mayā tatam-idam – This entire universe is extended from Brahma. The word tatam (extended) implies an extending energy as well as a material that is extended. A cloth is the extension of yarn; the yarn is an extension of cotton. Only when cotton as the raw material is present can the skills and energies of the yarn-maker and the weaver come into play. A vessel is an extension of metal. Only in the presence of the metallic raw material can the blacksmith’s hammer and anvil go to work. Similarly, the fundamental energy needed for the creation of the universe is that of Brahma. What about the material for creation? The answer again, is Brahma.

Our experience in the world is that anything that is born or created has two causes – a mother and a father. One is the bīja (seed) and the other the kṣetra (field). Take a look at some man-made creations. For a pot, the kṣetra is clay and the bīja is the potter’s pot-making ability. In śāstric terminology, the clay is known as the upādāna-kāraṇa (material cause) and the potter’s felicity is known as the nimitta-kāraṇa (efficient cause).

However, Brahma is not a created object like a pot or a cloth; it is self-existent. Brahma is by itself the field or material cause as well as the seed or the efficient cause.

A thing’s efficient cause is active only during its creation. An object’s material cause always lies latent in the object just like clay that exists in a pot. The clay is the pot’s material cause. The potter’s fashioning of the pot ends just after the pot is made and is therefore the efficient cause.

So far so good. We just said that Brahma is itself both the material and efficient cause. Is there an example for that in the world? Yes, there is. We saw that at the end of our discussion of the seventh chapter.

yathorṇa-nābhiḥ sṛjate gṛhṇate ca ॥
Muṇḍakopaniṣat 1.1.7

For a spider-web, the efficient cause is the spider’s ability to weave a web whereas the material cause is the web fluid. Both of these are within the spider. Similarly, Brahma can assume two forms as well as possess two capabilities. Much like our Upanishadic spider, Brahma can make its own web fluid and weave those fantastic webs. It appears to us that Brahma prepares its own colours and costumes, assumes roles and disguises by itself and plays the world-drama.

Another instance is found in the Bhāgavata where Śrīkṛṣṇa himself became the cows, calves, and cowherds, in an exhibition of his divine māyā (Note:This example was added by the translator in lieu of DVG’s untranslatable example.).

svayam ātmātma-govatsān prativāryātma-vatsapaiḥ ।
krīḍann-ātma-vihāraiś-ca sarvātmā prāviśad-vrajam ॥
Bhāgavata-purāṇa 10.13.20
(The Self of all entered Vraja enjoying himself with his own play – becoming the cows and calves himself as well as the cowherds.)

The conclusion is this: Creation is an independent līlā (pastime) of Brahma that is not ordered or inspired or impelled by another. Brahma does not need material or help from anyone else.

2. Now to the second point – “mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni” (all beings exist in me). Brahma is the substratum of all that exists. Brahma pervades all that exists. There is nothing that exists apart or outside of Brahma – there will not be anything else. This is the essence of the first statement of the Īśāvāsyopaniṣat – īśāvāsyam-idam sarvạm (All this is the dwelling of Īśvara). The word ‘existence’ includes whatever we see, experience, or infer. It is not possible to even talk about something as separate from Brahma. There is no existence for anything other than Brahma. The verb asti (is) can be used without qualification only with respect to a specific subject – Brahma. There is no absolute existence for anything other than Brahman. Whatever exists – as much as it exists – exists within Brahma, enclosed in its greatness like the shards of clouds in the atmosphere. It is Brahma that wholly and continuously pervades everything within and without, above and below, and all around. That is indicated by ‘mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni’.

3. The third point is “na cāhaṃ teṣu”. Just because beings exist in Brahma and are able to act only because of Brahma’s support, they cannot be equated with Brahma. Doing so would be in error. In reality, Brahma is not limited either by forms and functions of things or by their shapes and modifications. It is beyond all these.

The world is a modification of Brahma-consciousness. A modification cannot alter the fundamental nature of the causal consciousness. A pot is an altered form of clay. This alteration cannot change the nature of clay. Modification is temporary; the causal substance is eternal.

A human being has nails and hair; but a human is not in those hair and nails. Shaving and cutting hair or nails does not affect the person. The sea has foam and bubbles; but there is no sea in foam and bubbles. The sea is undiminished even in the absence of foam and bubbles. Just as hair and nails are for the body and foam and bubbles are for the ocean, the things of the world are adventitious and momentary for Brahma. Though they appear real, they lack essence. The essence of Brahma lies not in the objects of the world. Even though husk might have come from paddy, it is not paddy by itself. Though an aspect of paddy might be seen in the husk, the husk is not the essence of the paddy.

Let us look at it in another way. Right now we have two things on our minds - Brahma and the world. Consider that they are opposite shores of a river and that the jīva is the river in between. When we see the world-shore from the Brahma-shore, it appears to us as not a rocky solid shore but a sandy one. It pleases the eye with its lush green appearance, but hides the marsh beneath it. It feels better than a coarse boulder. But when we stand in the world-shore, we feel that it is not solid and that it might collapse anytime. The opposite shore seems safer. Both the rock and sand are earth. But the earth’s quality of stability manifests itself not in the sand but in the rocky shore. Similarly, Brahma’s essence lies in the Supreme Pure Brahma that is beyond the visible world. But the world does not completely reflect Brahma’s essence. The same is conveyed by the twelfth verse of the seventh chapter.

matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṁ teṣu te mayi
“I (Brahma) am not present in the three qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. But they are in me (Brahma).”

Sleep and mumblings exist in a human being; but there is no human being in sleep and mumblings.

It is delusion to consider that the essence of Brahma is the world, an extension of Brahma. But the world has no substratum other than Brahman.

[[Ch. 9 Yoga of the Relationship between Brahman and the World (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

4. Now on to “na matsthāni bhūtāni”. Was it not said earlier that matsthāni bhūtāni (all objects are in me)? But when we analyse reality, the objects do not exist in me; but only appear to be in me. Brahma is the substratum for that appearance. A traveller sees flowing water at a distance. But it is nothing other than a mirage. It is only a phenomenon; not an actual stream. That false appearance is created by a combination of sand, sunlight, and distance. The world, similarly, is a strange phantom that is indicated by Bhagavān as “pashya me yogamaiśvaram”. The world-causing māyā is the effect of Īśvara’s Yoga. In the second canto of the Bhāgavatam, Śuka says this to King Parīkṣita.

ātma-māyām ṛte rājan parasyānubhavātmanaḥ ।
na ghaṭetārtha-sambandhaḥ svapna-draṣṭur ivāñjasā ॥
Bhāgavatam - 2.9.1
bahu-rūpa ivābhāti māyayā bahu-rūpayā ।
ramamāṇo guṇeṣv-asyā mamāham iti manyate ॥
Bhāgavatam - 2.9.2

The objects seen in a dream do not really belong to the dreamer. The relationship between them is only because of the dream. Similarly, the world and man are related only because of māyā. Without māyā, the relationship does not exist. This māyā is multifarious and due to it, even the world appears so. Man relishes the tastes and refinements offered by māyā with the feelings of ‘me’ and ‘mine’. Māyā is that which shows unreal things as real and vice versa. In this three-fold world of the seer, seen and sight, māyā takes the form of natural movement. The seeing eye shudders; the illuminating light flickers; the object to be seen shakes. Sight is thus affected. This imbalance in sight is māyā’s effect. It is māyā that attracts and traps our attention thereby making Brahma imperceptible. We are reminded every moment of the world’s existence but forget Brahma that is the basis of it all. We offer to the glamour of the world that which should be offered to Brahma. This is a mistake. Knowledge or jñāna lies in understanding that the world is different from Brahma and that Brahma is not to be confused with the world.

yathā mahānti bhūtāni bhūteṣūccāvaceṣv-anu ।
praviṣṭāny-apraviṣṭāni tathā teṣu na teṣv-aham ॥
Bhāgavatam 2.9.35

These are Bhagavān’s words in the Bhāgavatam: “Just as Earth and other primordial elements simultaneously enter beings big and small and do not enter them, I am in them as well as outside of them.”

A mango tree grows due to the combination of earth, water, heat, and other elements. But none recognise the elements of Earth, Water or Light while eating a mango. The five great elements are praviṣṭāny-apraviṣṭāni - that is - have entered the mango and have not entered the mango. Similar is Brahma with the objects of the world - It is in them and not in them.

The pārijāta tree is born and grows because of contact with these five great elements. Even then, we do not think of the pārijāta flower as belonging to any single element. The five great elements are praviṣṭāny-apraviṣṭāni - they have entered the pārijāta and have not entered it. Brahma has also simultaneously entered and not entered the beings of the world - “tathā teṣu na teṣu”. Brahma’s relationship with these flora is similar. In a certain perspective, they are related and unrelated from another perspective.

Brahma’s relationship with all beings from microorganisms and insects all the way to Hiraṇyagarbha (the divine creator) is to be viewed similarly.
Brahma exists in the world from the Absolute or Transcendental viewpoint. Not in the transactional or relative viewpoint.
The world exists in Brahman from a transactional viewpoint. Not the transcendental one.

The pampered child cries for an elephant. The grandfather buys her a toy elephant from the market. The satisfied child proudly exults in showing her elephant to everyone. The elephant is made of either wood or mud. But will anybody call it ‘mud’? If someone asks for some mud to scrub vessels, will the toy elephant be given to them? The toy appears outwardly as an elephant. But in reality, it is made of mud. Internally, it is earth but externally an elephant.

Let us look at another example of the great drama personality Varadacharya who strode the stage dressed as Hiraṇyakaśipu, the asura. The audience waiting with bated breath would watch it without batting an eyelid. Was that Hiraṇyakaśipu? No. It was Varadacharya. Was that Varadacharya? No, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Varadacharya was mild-mannered and of a gentle disposition. He who appeared to be a heartless rākṣasa to the audience was actually a compassionate soul to his friends and dependents. Varadacharya ("praviṣṭāny apraviṣṭāni”) entered but did not enter Hiraṇyakaśipu, Sāraṅgadhara, Duṣyanta and other characters.

A thing or a person might have multiple qualities. None of those qualities by themselves can be the person or the thing. Likewise, Brahma-consciousness has an infinite variety of forms. None of those forms or behaviours by themselves, is Brahma. Form, behaviour, and state are apart from Brahma. They belong to māyā.

The same opinion is succinctly expressed by this verse.

All these you are, and each is partly you,
And none is false, and none is wholly true.
Stephen Vincent Benét

Is māyā different from Brahma? In one view, it is different and non-different from another view. An object is different from its shadow. But since the shadow cannot exist without the object, they are non-different. Is a wave different from the ocean? It is different in one aspect and in another, it is the same. The leaves of a tree flutter with the wind, but the trunk itself is unshaken. A still picture cannot capture the motion of the leaves, but it captures the trunk easily. Is the tree fluttering? Not from the view of the trunk. Is the tree immobile from the leaf’s perspective? No, because the leaf is shaking. Thus Brahma, that is one without a second, assumes a form like its shadow, its wave or like a leaf on the top of a tree. That form is māyā. Māyā is not Brahma, but it cannot exist without It. Hence māyā that does not fit the definitions of existence and non-existence, or truth and falsehood and cannot be known definitely in any way is traditionally designated anirvacanīya (indescribable). The world is different from Brahma to the eye shrouded by māyā. When the shroud is removed, however, the world is non-different from Brahma.

5. “(Mamātmā) bhūtabhṛt” - Brahma-consciousness bears or supports all beings; It nourishes and protects the world. All the powers of the Universe belong to Brahma. Man does not possess those in the least.

6. “(Mamātmā) na ca bhūtasthah” - Brahma-consciousness does not reside in beings. It is not possible to point at a specific being and say, “This is Brahma” as Brahma is omnipresent and all pervading. It cannot be mixed piecemeal with anything.

These above six sentences seem to indicate that Brahma is different from a being, where a ‘being’ could refer to an animal, insect, anything with a body, or a jīva. During our time, the word jīva is more in use than the word bhūta or being. Let us use that for now.

Our next question is about the relationship between jīva and Brahma. The jīva is something that all of us have experienced to a limited extent. Brahma is something that has not been experienced but something whose name has been just heard. How are they mutually related? Let us look at the seventh item in our list before trying to answer that.

[[Ch. 9 Yoga of the Relationship between Brahman and the World (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

7. “Mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ” : Brahma-consciousness is the cause of a jīva’s rise and fall. The term bhāvanaḥ can variously mean birth, existence, sustenance, or control. Brahma has embedded the seed of Ṛta (Cosmic order) and dharma in human nature. Ṛta is the law in creation. “Deeds beget appropriate rewards and a jīva has to experience them” is the cosmic law of ṛta. The practical application of ṛta in life is dharma. Dharma and adharma result in puṇya and pāpa respectively and therefore in svarga and naraka. “A jīva follows dharma or adharma to experience elevation or degradation” - is the decree of Brahma. Brahma-consciousness becomes bhūtabhāvana by virtue of this universal decree which controls the jīva’s birth and life. Hence it is Brahma that is responsible for the journey of the jīva.

It might be helpful to use an allegory to clarify the combined meaning of these three statements.

Mamātmā bhūtabhṛt 2. Mamātmā na ca bhūtasthaḥ and 3. Mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ

Consider a traditional joint family (common fifty years ago) in India with the head of the family, his wife, their four or five children, and six or eight grandchildren making it fifteen to twenty members in the family.

Apart from himself and his wife, the head of the family is either the father or grandfather to most of the family members and is bhūtabhṛt (as their head) to them. He guides them, educates them, establishes them in a suitable vocation, and bears responsibility for their welfare. He is bhūtabhṛt for all of them as their nourisher. 2. Even so, he does not enter their personal lives much. He allows them their freedom according to their age and circumstance. He wishes for the general welfare and happiness of his daughters-in-law and grandchildren. He leaves them to their own devices thinking, “Let them live according to their discretion. They don’t have to live for me. Let them lead their lives for their own well-being.” He takes care of them, but does not impose his wishes upon them. Such a person - na ca bhūtasthah - if asked for their share of property by any of his children wishing to lead separate lives, justly gives to them what they deserve and asks them to lead lives wisely. He lives with his younger children as long as they want him to. When they do not need him anymore he separates from them, allowing them their independence. His disposition thus is one of detachment and thus is “na ca bhūtasthah”. 3. He educates his children, corrects their ways, and trains them to be prudent. The know-how of what is good and what is not that he imparts to his children will keep them in good stead. They will fail miserably if they reject his teachings. On the other hand, they will benefit from suitably applying his instruction. In this way, he is bhūtabhāvana (the giver of welfare) for his family.

This is the gist.

The world is a family of jīvas created by Īśvara (Brahma). 2. Family hassles, however, do not affect Īśvara. 3. Īśvara has supplied jīvas with necessary means of sustenance. 4. Īśvara demonstrates rules and guidance through the mechanisms of prakṛti to help jīvas lead a better life. This set of rules is dharma. 5. He also provides them with the requisite intellect to understand and discern the good and bad of those dharmas. 6. The jīva attains welfare or otherwise depending on how well it maintains dharma. 7. Īśvara is aloof from the world. Nothing of the world affects him. 8. It is the jīva who needs the world to refine himself and achieve purification. 9. The jīva benefits by getting closer to his source, Brahma. 10. Māyā clouds the jīva’s understanding and keeps him away from Brahma. Māyā is that deluding power found in Prakṛti.

We have now briefly discussed the relationship between Brahma and the world, the Brahma-jīva relationship, and the relationship between the world and the jīva. This is requisite preparation for the next chapter. It is useful to understand their background as these topics appear repeatedly.

It has been stated above that the world exists in Brahma just like the clouds in the atmosphere. Bhagavān relates the same through another comparison.

yathākāśa-sthito nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatra-go mahān ।
tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni mat-sthānītyupadhāraya ॥
BG 9.6

Brahma is like the sky. The world is like the wind in it.

Good. Brahma is independent; the world is not. Who created this dependent-independent relationship? Brahma anyway is self-existent, uncreated, and unborn. But is the same thing with the world? Or, if it is created, who created it? The answer again is Brahma.

prakṛtiṁ svāmavaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ ॥
- BG 9.8
mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram ॥
- BG 9.10

Brahma assumes the aspect of Īśvara and creates the world again and again through Its power of Prakṛti. Prakṛti gives birth to this animate and inanimate world with Brahma as the adhyakṣa (the presiding entity).

In a regular assembly or gathering, the word ‘president’ denotes a position that performs a set of specific activities. Neither does the president of an assembly give a speech nor does he proffer any opinion. The president listens to others’ speeches and observes the proceedings. The position by itself ensures dignity in the assembly’s proceedings. The president is a witness who is present during an assembly, not one who does anything. The president’s presence ensures propriety in proceedings. Thus the word ‘presidency’ is apt in our discussion.

Brahma does not do anything by Itself. It is ‘president’ because it observes prakṛti’s activities. Prakṛti is but one aspect of the limitless power of Brahma. It has been earlier said that Brahma is the master of the world-family. The mistress of this family is prakṛti. Or prakṛti can be likened to the Prime Minister of a well-ruled country. All the administrative duties are discharged by the Prime Minister. It has already been mentioned that Brahma is like the Constitutional Monarch who does not have the strain of administration, which is the domain of prakṛti. A thief stole; a policeman arrested him and the judge sentenced the thief to six months of imprisonment. The thief was handcuffed. What did the king have to do here? All the activities were done as part of the rule of law. Similarly, jīvas obtain their rewards or punishment for their activities as determined by the rule of dharma. Brahma is an unattached witness. It witnesses goings on “from above”. Hence “adhi + akṣa” - adhyakṣa.

tapāmyahamahaṁ varṣaṁ nigṛṇhāmyutsṛjāmi ca ।
amṛtaṁ caiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna ॥
BG 9.19
“I heat the waters, gather them upwards into clouds and rain the waters down. I am Immortality as well as Death. I am Being as well as Non-being.”

The above śloka as well as these from the third chapter are also worth reflecting upon.

iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ । (3.12)
annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasaṁbhavaḥ ॥ (3.14)

Just as the Supreme Īśvara is the inner controller of the jīva, he is its sustainer as well. Īśvara is the one who provides all the means necessary for life and is the basis for everything.

Not just that; he is Death as well. The Kaṭhopaniṣad outlines this gory truth.

yasya brahma ca kṣatraṃ ca ubhe bhavata odanaḥ ।
mṛtyuryasyopasecanaṃ ॥
“For Brahma, both the wise and brave are morsels of rice. And Death is a tasty pickle.”

Who rules the world? It is prakṛti who controls the world. She is of two forms - daivī and āsurī. The ones who take refuge in the daivī form become Bhagavān’s devotees.

bhajantyananyamanaso jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam
satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaśca dṛḍhavratāḥ ।
namasyantaśca māṁ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsate ॥
BG 9.14
“They are of single-minded devotion to Parameśvara, having known that Brahma is the origin and cause of all existence. They always sing of Brahma, and steadfastly worship the all-encompassing Brahma-consciousness as the One Supreme Attributeless Brahma as well as in the myriad forms of other Devatās.”

[[Ch. 9 Yoga of the Relationship between Brahman and the World (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

Those who follow the āsurī form of prakṛti delude and waste themselves.

moghāśā moghakarmāṇo moghajñānā vicetasaḥ
BG9.12

The rākṣasas are cruel and unscrupulous. For them, their bodies are their self and bodily pleasures are the greatest happiness. Naraka and repeated births in lowly creatures are their fate.

Bhagavān expounds upon this dual nature of prakṛti later in the sixteenth chapter.

How can man be liberated if he is being pulled hither and thither by prakṛti? Svāmī now instructs us about how blessed the devotees are. He is for everyone -

gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt ।
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījamavyayam ॥
BG 9.18
“Brahma is the way, the nourisher, the residence, the refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the sustainer, the final destination, and the indestructible seed of all existence.”

By performing vaidika activities such as yajñas, those worshipping Bhagavān reach svarga and other worlds, and after experiencing pleasures there -

kṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti ॥
BG 9.21
(Once puṇya is spent, they return to the world of men)

Thus the fruit of puṇya is bound to end someday.

evaṁ trayīdharmam-anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāmakāmā labhante ॥
BG 9.21
(Those following the dharma of the three Vedas and are desirous of multiple desires attain the cycle of birth and death)

The same was indicated in 2.45 - traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna (Vedas deal with the three guṇas. O Arjuna, go beyond the guṇa-triad!). Whether Arjuna was able to achieve freedom from the guṇa-triad or not, it seems impossible for us. My submission is for us not to be indifferent to the good acts within the perimeter of the three guṇas. Bhagavān shows us that there is a way out even for weak and afflicted beings like us.

ananyāścintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate ।
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yogakṣemaṁ vahāmyaham ॥
BG 9.22
“I (Bhagavān) am responsible for the yogakṣema (welfare) of those who worship me without thinking of anyone or anything else and are always absorbed in me.”

Yoga is the attainment of the desired welfare. Kṣema is pleasure resulting from welfare - a happiness with contentment and no agitation. That indeed is relaxation. Are not all of our huffs and puffs for profit and enjoyment? But Svāmī says - “Leave all those burdensome thoughts of your welfare, wealth, and pleasure to me. I will take care of them”. What else can be a bigger assurance?

ye’pyanyadevatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ ।
te’pi māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam ॥
BG 9.23

The words of the Dāsa-saints of Karnataka - “hariya karuṇadoḻāda bhāgyava hari samarpaṇe māḍi badukiro” (Surrender unto Hari all that fortune that came to us from Hari’s compassion), “anudinadali baha sukha-duḥkha ninnadayya” (Those everyday pleasures and pains are yours!), and “kereya nīranu kerege celli varava paḍedavaraṃte kāṇiro” (Pour the water of the pond into the pond, and consider yourself blessed) - all convey the same emotion.

Surrendering everything is the hallmark of Saṃnyāsa (renunciation); it is giving up what one considers one’s own to Bhagavān.

śubhāśubhaphalairevaṁ mokṣyase karmabandhanaiḥ । BG 9.28
(You will thus be liberated from the auspicious and inauspicious fruits and all fetters of karma).

Bhagavān takes no sides; he neither hates anyone nor does he long for anyone. He is the same for everyone. He gives in to Bhakti.

ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham ।
BG 9.29
“I am in him who is devoted to me”.

There is no delay after Bhakti for divine grace to follow - just as there is no gap between one’s standing in front of a mirror and the appearance of one’s reflection in it. Just after breathing out is breathing in. If the Bhakta takes refuge in Bhagavān, Bhagavān too responds immediately to the Bhakta.

api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk ।
sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ ॥
BG 9.30

Improper or immoral deeds might have been performed. There could have been a bad motive. It could have been a bad circumstance. Whatever it may be, once single-minded devotion to Bhagavān is established, he will set everything right. A person who resolves thus is a sādhu (virtuous).

What is the distance between earth and Vaikuṇṭha (Bhagavān’s supreme abode)? The Dāsa-saints answer that it is just one palm-length! It is bhakti that takes us through the journey of the palm-length!

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṁ nigacchati ।
kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ॥
BG 9.31
“Whatever might have happened in the past, pāpa is destroyed once bhakti arises. That person becomes a votary of dharma and gets permanent repose. Arjuna, this is my vow. My devotee will never come to harm!”
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye’pi syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ ।
striyo vaiśyāstathā śūdrāste’pi yānti parāṁ gatim ॥
BG 9.32
(Even those born of sinful origins such as women, vaiśyās and śūdras will attain the Supreme Goal by taking refuge in me.)

A controversy might arise here. Are women, vaiśyās and śūdras considered to be of sinful origin? Bhagavān has already said “samo’ham” (I am equal everywhere). By using the word “api” (also), why is he showing step-motherly treatment towards women, vaiśyās and śūdras? Is this not taking sides? Is this not discrimination?

We have pondered over this nitty-gritty aspect of dharma in the past chapter. The practice of internal equality finds fulfillment only in the external practice of hierarchy. Equal love towards all, and circumstantial awareness is the operative principle here. Let\ us look at it from this perspective.

The practice of bhakti and śraddhā come to a brāhmaṇa through his lineage as well as societal influence. Bodily penance and mental concentration are easier for him than for the others. Therefore, the path of divine contemplation might not be that hard for him.

Similar is the case for a Kṣatriya. If the Brāhmaṇa’s penance is through the practice of knowledge, a Kṣatriya’s penance is through practice of weaponry and physical exercise. Bhakti and focus may not be difficult for him due to the refinement of the body and mind.

A woman, however, because of her body’s natural structure, has a few physical limitations and differences in mental perspective. Her menstrual and postpartum conditions impede her physical practice of tapas and agitate her mind. More importantly, prakṛti fills a woman’s heart more with motherly love and affection than a man’s heart. This is prakṛti’s strategy for sustaining the world. Whatever might be the father’s disposition, is it not the mother’s love that ensures a child its future? However a husband is, it is only the love and commitment of the lady of the house that makes a family. Thus, the female heart is the first instrument of prakṛti’s duty of protecting the world. This indeed is the strength of the feminine. There is however, an associated side-effect - non-concentration of the mind. The top of a coconut palm is single-pointed, whereas a mango tree has many ends owing to its many branches. A woman needs her husband, her children as well as Īśvara. She cannot give up on anyone. She needs Īśvara for her husband and children. Thus one-pointed devotion is harder for a woman than for a man. Even so, if she is devoted even for a moment, the same benefits that accrue to others accrue to her as well. This is the significance of ‘api’ - that there is a path even for those who are incapable of intense devotion and penance.

One-pointed concentration is hard even for vaiśyas (businesspeople). A vaiśya needs to maintain his business with hundreds of individuals to successfully run his business to make a profit. The thought of profit and loss in business cleaves his mind into two. His worldly associations are complex. He has to give a part of his devotion to the world. Difficult are his circumstances. In spite of all that, if he takes refuge in Bhagavān even momentarily, divine grace visits him as well. This too is signified by ‘api’.

After these two explanations, we see that not much else needs to be said in relation to the śūdras. A person known as a śūdra (by definition) lacks in knowledge and the company of the refined. He is not invested with much responsibility and only needs to do what is asked of him. Where is the time or the requisite tranquillity for Bhagavān’s worship for one who is constantly engaged in the service of other people? But in the middle of all his duties, if he takes refuge in Īśvara for even a brief period of time, he too gets to partake of Bhagavān’s munificence. Even here, the words “te api” (they too) are not meant to reject a śūdra for his inferiority but to denote compassion for the effort he undertakes.

Svāmī has taught us that he will look after the welfare of those who are constantly engaged in divine contemplation. Whatever the method of worship, or whoever the worshipped might be, all adorations performed with śraddhā reach Īśvara who is the one controller of the Universe. This instruction applies to everyone - be they wise or wealthy or strong or even world-weary or unlettered. Bhagavān is easily accessible to all. This is a life-maxim for us.

manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṁ namaskuru ।
māmevaiṣyasi yuktvaivamātmānaṁ matparāyaṇaḥ ॥
BG 9.34
Repose your mind in me, be my devotee, worship me, bow to me.
Engaged thus in me constantly, you will reach me alone.

“Arjuna, only the physical world is visible to your eyes. But circumstances agitate you. Observe with your inner-eye. You will see Infinite Consciousness behind the world and as its basis. Surrender to that Supreme Being. You might feel that It is far away from you now. Turn towards It, believe in It, prostrate to It and proceed in Its path. You will reach Its abode. Dhārmic life is nothing other than life turned towards the divine; that indeed is a blessed life. This is the essence of the Gītā.

svānaṃd-āmṛta-bhojanak-ā
nanam-oṃdeṃtu sālgumeṃdu brahmam ।
nānāmukhitvamaṃ saṃ-
dhānisal-āytella viśvam-agaṇitarūpaṃ ॥
Brahma, realising that one mouth
is not enough to savour the ambrosial feast of self-bliss,
contemplated upon myriad faces and
the universe assumed uncountable forms.

Summary

pūrṇadoḻ-ihuv-aṃśaṃgaḻ
pūrṇam-adeṃtirkum-aṃśa-mitiyoḻ-anaṃtam
arṇavadoḻ-ihavu biṃduga-
ḻarṇavam-eṃtoṃdu biṃdu-mitiyoḻagirkum ॥

The Full has parts,
How can the Full be Infinite with its parts being finite?
The sea has droplets;
How can the sea exist within a drop’s limit?

aṇuvihuv-enito mahattino-
ḻaṇuvoḻag-eṃt-aḍagalappudu mahadbhūtam
tṛṇa beḻevudu bhūtaladoḻ
tṛṇadoḻagavitihude bhūmigolamaśeṣam ॥

Atoms innumerable exist in mahat, the great principle.
How can that great principle hide in these atoms?
Grass grows on the earth.
Is the geo-globe hidden entirely in the grass?

bahuvidha-vastuvikāram
nihitaṃgaḻ brahmakośadoḻ prakṛti-kṛtam ।
tuhina-hima-phena-budbuda
mihuvaṃbudhiyoḻadu mithyeyaciramasāram ॥

Many modifications of myriad objects
That exist in Brahma are creations of prakṛti.
Snow, white foam and bubbles exist in the ocean.
They (modifications and sea-bubbles) are unreal, transient,
and are devoid of lasting worth.

jagamirkuṃ brahmadoḻā
jagadoḻag-eṃtaḍagalahud-akhaṃḍaṃ brahmam
jagadadriya-nervātaṃ
nagaśikharaṃ brahma-pādameṃdire dhanyam ॥

If the world exists in Brahma,
How could that undivided Brahma hide in the world?
When the one climbing the world-hill
says that its peak is the foot of Brahma,
he is indeed blessed.

sthira-cara-lokaṃ-gaḻgī-
śvaran-āśrayan-eṃbudaṃ tadaspṛṣṭateyam ।
śaraṇāgata-vātsalyama-
noredaṃ hari naranigaduve navamādhyāyam ॥

That Īśvara is the basis of the world
with its animate and inanimate objects,
Īśvara’s detachment, and his affection for
those to surrender to him,
were taught to Nara by Hari in the ninth chapter.

manuṣyasvabhāvajñanātaṃ manojñaṃ
sadā jīvasāhāyyaśīlaṃ salīlaṃ ।
janaucitya-bhed-ānu-sāropakāraṃ
narādarśabhāvaṃ paraṃ kṛṣṇadaivaṃ ॥

He is the knower of human disposition; charming.
Jīva’s companion forever; effortless in his actions,
Helper of people according to their individual traits.
Model of human conduct; the Supreme; Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

[[Ch. 10 Yoga of Īśvara’s Glory (part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

nija-mahimeyan-īśaṃ tā-
n-ajan-avyayan-aprameya-navaviliptaṃ meṇ ।
tri-jagad-vyāptaṃ śaktaṃ
bhajanīyaṃ kāmyaneṃbudaṃ baṇṇisuvam ॥

Īśvara, the birthless, imperishable,
immeasurable, unattached,
pervader of all the three worlds, and powerful,
describes his own glory and
shows how he can be praised and loved.

Summary

Our freedom to discern must be used to gain the knowledge of Bhagavān’s nature, his non-attachment and omnipotence. Bhagavān directs us to guiding lights and flagstaffs along the path to that knowledge. It becomes possible to achieve the blessings of Bhagavān by revering and worshipping all glorious things in the world as the marks of the Divine.

Section 11 / Chapter 10. Vibhūti-yoga orĪśvara-vaibhava-yoga

(The Yoga of Īśvara’s Glory)

In the preceding chapters, we have outlined the following important topics with their subtopics.

Brahma-consciousness or Īśvara that is the origin of the universe. 2. Īśvara as the basis for everything and as the inner controller of the jīvas. 3. The jīva’s position as an enjoyer of different world objects 4. The māyā of Prakṛti that prevents the jīva from experiencing the Divine

In this chapter we discuss the expressions of Divine glory.

These are the main topics discussed in this chapter –

Bhagavān is beginningless and non-attached 2. Prakṛti’s artifice of opposites 3. Buddhi-yoga (the Yoga of intellectual understanding) that results from bhakti 4. Guiding lights for the seeker of Bhagavān’s abode

Let’s remember one of the puzzling items from previous chapters. Īśvara is seen in three different ways from the vantage of the world –

Īśvara is the inner controller of the world.
“sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā” (BG 5.7) 2. But Īśvara is unmodified by the world.
“na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni” (BG 9.5) 3. Though everything resides in Īśvara, he is unattached to anything. “na tvahaṃ teṣu… te mayi” (BG 7.12)

The world is the abode of the jīva. The basis of the existence and the activity of the jīva is Brahma-consciousness. Even so, the deeds of the jīva do not attach to Brahma. The jīvas are responsible for their own actions.
Brahma-caitanya or the consciousness of Brahma is like a money-lending bank. The jīva is like a customer of the bank. When a customer of the bank takes out a loan, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the loan amount is profitably utilised rather than squandering the money and going to jail as a loan defaulter. The customer’s lack of judiciousness does not concern the bank. The principle here is that the jīva is responsible for his own action and that Īśvara is unattached. The jīva is an appointed employee of the enterprise of world-activity – representing the vyaṣṭi (individual) aspect. The chief executive officer of this enterprise is Īśvara – the samaṣṭi (collective) aspect of Brahma-consciousness. Thus it is essential for the jīva to understand the nature and omnipotence of Īśvara. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa now bestows this teaching upon us.

aham-ādir-hi devānāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ॥
BG 10.2
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṃ matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ ॥
BG 10.5
sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo’bhāvo bhayaṃ cābhayam-eva ca ॥
BG 10.4
“Arjuna, I (Īśvara) am indeed the origin of all the Devas and the great Ṛṣis.” (Īśvara has no other origin. He is the origin of everything. He is not someone who was born in a remote moment of time. He is present everywhere at all times.) “These different mental states in all these beings stem from me. Pleasure, pain, birth, death, being, going, meeting, separating, fear, fearlessness – all of these arise from my power.”

ahaṃ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṃ pravartate ॥
BG 10.8
“I, the Supreme Īśvara, am the origin of all creation. All of this proceeds from me (the Supreme Īśvara).”

The words ’sarvasya’ and ’sarvaṃ’ include both what we consider good and bad.

Opposites are a part of this creation. Rights and wrongs are mixed up in it as well as things desirable and despicable, wholesome and unwholesome, as well as facts and falsehoods. The Taittirīyopaniṣad states the same:

so.kāmayata । bahu syām prajāyeyeti ।…idam sarvamasṛjata। ..sacca tyaccābhavat। niruktañ-cāniruktañ ca। nilayanañ-cānilayanañ-ca। vijñānañ-cāvijñānañ-ca। satyañ-cānṛtaṃ ca । satyamabhavat । yadidaṃ kiñca । tatsatyamityācakṣate॥
Taittirīyopaniṣad 2.6.1

How then can we get out of this tight spot? By the practice of remembering Īśvara-samakṣatā (the presence of Īśvara).

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇāḥ bodhayantaḥ parasparam ।
kathayantaś-ca māṃ nityaṃ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca ॥
BG 10.9
teṣāṃ satata-yuktānāṃ bhajatāṃ prīti-pūrvakam ।
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṃ taṃ yena mām-upayānti te ॥
BG 10.10
“They whose minds and breaths are engaged in me, who talk with each other about me, who always remember me and are happily engaged in me, to them of continuous devotion, I give buddhi-yoga (Yoga of the Intellect) through which they attain me”.

Buddhi-yoga referenced here is what was described in the previous chapter (9.1) as “jñānaṃ vijñāna-sahitam” – an amalgam of knowledge and experience.

The take-away nugget here is about the benefit of Buddhi-yoga. Bhagavān gives the strength of Buddhi-yoga, the path of knowledge, to those to whom he wishes to reveal his true form. We have an age-old bickering. Is bhakti the result of jñāna? Or is it jñāna that results from bhakti? Sometimes we feel that this controversy is just hair-splitting. In reality though, the more the knowledge of an object, the greater is the love towards it. The reverse is true as well – the greater the love towards an object, the more one learns about it. Suppose that jñāna stems from bhakti. Will bhakti deteriorate or increase after the dawn of jñāna? Or if bhakti stems from jñāna, will jñāna be washed away in the flood of bhakti? Both of these views are extreme. It is possible for both jñāna and bhakti to co-exist and this is the common situation. Buddhi-yoga is a fruit of bhakti – in other words, the result of the bhakta’s own efforts. Once bhakti permeates the instrument-triad of the bhakta – his body, speech and thought, and is wholesome and pure, it becomes worthy of Bhagavān’s appreciation. Such an appreciation is not partiality but an acceptance of the bhakta’s eligibility or the recognition of the bhakta’s ability. This indeed is the Divine protection of the devotees and an indicator of Bhagavān’s love of dharma.

Given the nature of bhakti and jñāna, it would be incongruous to hold that they are mutually exclusive. Both perform the same activity just as both our eyes unite to see the same object.

Verses 9.12,13 informed us that Prakṛti has instituted two mutually opposite paths for the jīva – the daivī (Divine) and the āsurī (Demonic). As the previous chapter has taught us that the daivī path is conducive to welfare, it can be inferred that the jīvas have the freedom to distinguish between the daivī and āsurī paths and can choose to follow the former. This ability to discern between wholesome and unwholesome things is the crest-jewel of human free will. In the sixth chapter, the verse fragment

uddhared-ātmanātmānam…
BG 6.5
(One must better oneself through oneself)

conveys the same message. All right. Everyone has freedom of discernment. But do they put it into use? Many are those who forget it and lose it. The powers of the āsurī path tempt and delude the jīva to forget himself in a stupor. The stupefied jīva loses attention. His free will becomes of no use and can actually bring disaster. Freedom is for the attentive – to distinguish between the good and otherwise.

[[Ch. 10 Yoga of Īśvara’s Glory (part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

Arjuna’s mind is gaining maturity. Didn’t Bhagavān say –

dadāmi buddhi-yogam…
BG 10.10

What is buddhi-yoga? Buddhi is a faculty of the antaḥkaraṇa. Manas (mind), saṅkalpa (will), jñāpaka (recall) and other mental faculties hanker after so many external objects, collecting sensory information about them. The buddhi (intellect) gathers all these pieces of information under its purview, analyses them, classifies them, assesses their qualities and strengths, and ascertains their usefulness. This is the work of the buddhi.

buddhir-vivecanā rūpā sā jñāna-jananī śrutau ॥
Brahma-vaivarta, Khaṇḍa 2 Chapter 23

It is the buddhi that gathers the true knowledge of a certain object. Buddhi-yoga is a mechanism to unite the buddhi with the para-tattva – Supreme Principle. This mechanism is a boon that Bhagavān bestows upon the eligible jīva. There is no summum bonum without this boon.

Buddhi-yoga is not a set of subtle intellectual acrobatics. Mathematicians, scientific researchers, lawyers, and logicians perform many intellectual feats. Their life lies in performing these cerebral adventures. But that does not constitute buddhi-yoga. Normally, the scholarly exercises of the śāstrik scholars do not beseech the Divine for boons – those proceed independently. However, when the intellect tries to attain the Supreme, the illumination for its path has to come from the destination. That blessing of the light has been variously referred to as either inspiration or revelation or a vision. Thus attaining the Supreme is impossible without Divine blessing. The Upaniṣads convey the same message.

yamevaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ ॥
Kaṭhopaniṣad 2.23, Muṇḍakopaniṣad 3.2.3
dhātuḥ prasādān-mahimānam-ātmanaḥ ॥
- Kaṭhopaniṣad 2.20
dhātuḥ prasādān-mahimānam-īśam ॥
Śvetāśvataropaniṣad 3.20

What then is the path to Divine favour? The answer is bhakti, worship and surrender.
This is why Arjuna now takes refuge in Bhagavān.

āhus-tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣir-nāradas-tathā ।
BG 10.13
na hi te bhagavan vyaktiṃ vidur-devā na dānavāḥ ॥
BG 10.14
“O svāmin! Sages like Nārada and Vyāsa have declared you to be Supreme Brahma and the final goal. Even you have stated the same. Only you understand yourself completely. None other.”

svayam-evātmanātmānaṃ vettha tvaṃ puruṣottama ।
BG 10.15
“Therefore only you have to teach me how to experience your complete form.”

kathaṃ vidyām-ahaṃ yogin tvāṃ sadā paricintayan ।
keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo’si bhagavan-mayā ॥
BG 10.17
“Bhagavan! How can I know you? How should I meditate upon you? What are the forms and symbols through which I can contemplate upon you?”
vistareṇātmano yogaṃ vibhūtiṃ ca janārdana ।
bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptir-hi śṛṇvato nāsti me’mṛtam ॥
BG 10.18
“O Janārdana! Explain in detail the knowledge of your yoga! That will give me satisfaction. There is no nectar other than this!”

Śrīkṛṣṇa answered Arjuna’s prayer.

aham ātmā guḍākeśa sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ ।
aham ādiśca madhyaṃ ca bhūtānām anta eva ca ॥
BG 10.20
“Arjuna, I am the Supreme ātman who resides in the hearts of all beings (as consciousness). I am the first of all beings, their middle as well as the end.”

Thus narrating the Divine glories in a nutshell, Bhagavān then goes on to enumerate the chief symbols of that greatness. He has already stated some of these qualities in the seventh chapter beginning with “raso’ham-apsu” (I am the taste in the waters), “jīvanaṃ sarvabhūteṣu” (life in all beings), and on to radiance, intellect, strength, and the desire permitted by dharma. Now instead of qualities, Bhagavān uses glorious objects as the symbols of Divine opulence thus – Viṣṇu among the twelve ādityas; the moon among celestial objects; the mind among the instruments of perception; Meru among the mountains; Skanda (Subrahmaṇya) among the commanders-in-chief; japa among the yajñas; the sacred aśvattha (Ficus religiosa) among the trees; Kāmadeva among the generators of the clan; the letter “a” (अ) in the alphabet; the knowledge of the ātmanamong all vidyās; the enthusiasm to be praised, lustre, and attractive speech among women; betting in gamblers; strategy among those desirous of winning; silence among those maintaining a secret; and knowledge of the knowledgeable. In this way, Bhagavān denoted whatever is most excellent in human understanding as a symbol of Divine grandeur and made it easy for Arjuna to practise the presence of the Divine.

There is a certain matter here that we should bring to our attention. Did the Svāmin not state earlier that both daivī and āsurī elements co-exist in creation? He also told us that there are two paths shown by Prakṛti. But when he showed his Divine glories, Bhagavān used only the daivī elements to make his point but not the āsurī elements. Let us try to understand why. This is an important concept that we need to bring to our minds.

ṇa tvahaṃ teṣu te mayi
“I am not in them. They are in me.”

Our body contains blood and flesh as well as urine and faeces. But life-consciousness is established in blood and flesh. Urine and faeces – fit to be egested or excreted out of the body – are not the stations of consciousness. Similarly the Divine body has sublime aspects to it as well as vile ones. The vile aspects of the Divine body are temporary; not long-lasting. Therefore those wishing to experience Divine glories must worship the pure and auspicious aspects of the world. Whatever be the object on which bhagavat-prakāśa - Divine illumination falls, it becomes excellent. Conversely, the worldly object on which Divine illumination does not fall is not auspicious but a mere shadow of the excellent, and is therefore not worthy of adoration. Therefore Bhagavān makes only those excellent aspects of Prakṛti his symbols to make it possible for devotees to easily recognise the Divine aspects.

yac-cāpi sarva-bhūtānāṃ bījaṃ tad-aham-arjuna ।
na tad-asti vinā yat-syāt mayā bhūtaṃ carācaram ॥
BG 10.39
nānto’sti mama divyānāṃ vibhūtīnāṃ parantapa ।
BG 10.40
“Arjuna, I am the seed (origin) of all beings. There is no end to my divine glories. I have just enumerated a few to you as examples.”
yad-yad-vibhūtimat-sattvaṃ śrīmad-ūrjitam-eva-vā ।
tat-tad-evāvagacchatvaṃ mama tejo’ṃśa-saṃbhavam ॥
BG 10.41
viṣṭabhyāham-idaṃ kṛtsnam ekāṃśena sthito jagat ॥
BG 10.42
“Wherever there is greatness in this world, wherever there is an exuberance of excellence, wherever there is auspiciousness and happiness, wherever there is bravery and valour, know all of that to be an effect of just a part of my splendour, or a manifestation of it. I sustain the universe by just one particle of Myself.”

In this way, Śrīkṛṣṇa, using Arjuna as a pretext, shows to the entire world the distinction between the daivī and āsurī paths as well as the important indicators of the Divine Path.

This chapter concludes with a verse from Śrīdhara-svāmin’s commentary.

indriya-dvārataś-citte bahir-dhāvati saty-api ।
īśa-dṛṣṭi-vidhānāya vibhūtīr-daśame’bravīt ॥
manakhagam-iṃdriyavātā-
yanagaḻinattitta pārvudariyade tannā ।
mane siriyanendu bhagava-
dghanacihnaṃgaḻa naraṃgè tordaṃ kṛṣṇam ॥
(DVG’s Kannada translation)
As the mind-bird flies hither and thither
Through the windows of the sense-organs
Knowing not the riches of its own home,
Śrīkṛṣṇa showed the symbols of Divine Glory to Arjuna.

Summary

svavibhūtiya bhagavaṃtaṃ
pravacisidaṃ prakaṭa-vastu-guṇa-liṃga-gaḻiṃ ।
bhuvanaṃ tannekāṃśadi-
navatarisihudènnutaduvè daśamādhyāyam ॥
Bhagavān described his own splendour
through the enumeration of the excellences of manifest objects
and said that the entire universe is sustained
by a fraction of his Self.
That then is the tenth chapter.
pṛthak-pṛthag-janāṃtaraṃga-sūkṣmanādavedanaṃ
sahānubhūti-pūrṇanaṃtu tatsamuddhṛtikṣamaṃ ।
suhṛttamaṃ mahātmanā hṛṣīkarājyanāyakaṃ
virājikuṃ vidhāyakaṃ sadāsmadīyacittadoḻ ॥
The knower of the subtle sounds of the interiors of myriad people;
overflowing with compassion and capable of uplifting the jīva;
The best of confidantes, the great soul, the leader of the kingdom of the senses,
May that deliverer shine forever in our hearts.

[[Ch. 11 Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form (part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Introduction

āvudò viśvarahasyaṃ
jīvāṃgaṇakiḻidu janada sukhaduḥkheccā-।
dyāveśadi sahabhāgivò-
lāvirbhavisidudu kṛṣṇananènipa vicitram ॥

This strange thing called Kṛṣṇa
a cosmic conundrum,
having entered the jīva’s playground,
Has manifested itself
As a partner to people
In their pleasures, sorrows and desires.

narano naradaurbalyava
pariharisalbaṃda viśvadaṃtassattvaṃ ।
dharisida rūpo kṛṣṇaṃ
paramādbhutamenò namage satyaṃ śaraṇaṃ ॥

Is he human? Or has the universe’s essence
incarnated as Kṛṣṇa to remedy human frailty?
For us though, he is the wonder of wonders,
the truth, and refuge.

Note

buddhigè baṃdòḍadenupa
labdhamè mānasakè manasigiha vastuvu saṃ- ।
baddhamè netrakè netrakè
siddhaṃ tānirada vastuvanubhavakihudeṃ ।

Can a thing be realised by the manas
just because the buddhi can behold it?
Is an object seen by the manas
related to the eye?
If the eye can’t catch it,
Can it be felt at all?

pratyakṣamillada raha-
ssatyaṃ saṃpratyayakkè durlabhamadariṃ ।
tattvārthigè nijamahimèya
tathyadin-ākāragoḻisidaṃ bhagavaṃtaṃ ।

It is hard to be certain of
a secret truth not directly experienced.
Therefore, Bhagavān gave form to
his divine glory for the sake of the seeker.
(To firm up the seeker’s conviction)

Summary

Arjuna, to strengthen his spiritual steadfastness, implores Bhagavān to show him a direct vision of the universal form. Śrīkṛṣṇa, after giving Arjuna eyesight with special faculty to witness and withstand such a vision, shows him his immensely wondrous cosmic form. The immediate vision and experience of Bhagavān’s universal form has a profound impact on Arjuna - an impact that mere theoretical understanding of the divine had hitherto not achieved. Arjuna then extols the divine majesty.

Section 12 / Chapter 11Viśva-rūpa-sandarśana-yoga

(The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form)

The Gītā declares in the third chapter that the Supreme Principle is beyond the reach of buddhi (intellect).

yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ ।
BG 3-42

If a principle is out of reach of the buddhi, how can the latter grasp it?
It was said in the sixth chapter that the bliss of Brahma-experience can be grasped by the buddhi.

buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam ।
BG 6-21

The apparent inconsistency in these two statements can be resolved through some reflection.
The buddhi functions by cooperating with the manas which in turn works in conjunction with the sense organs. Thus, the buddhi is usually influenced by the actions of the sense-organs. That the Supreme Principle - paravastu is beyond such an imperfect and wavering buddhi is the gist of the statement - yo buddheḥ parataḥ. Therefore, the instruction in the third chapter is to —

jahi śatruṃ mahā-bāho kāma-rūpaṃ durāsadam ।
BG 3-43
(O Strong-Armed one! Destroy this enemy—desire—that is difficult to overcome)

In the phrase buddhi-grāhyam from 6-21, buddhi refers to the intellect unsullied by the actions of the sense-organs - a purified intellect. Anything that is imagined or thought of by such a buddhi is an intellectual concept.

Another question arises now. Can everything “understood” by the intellect be truly experienced?

School children are normally posed with problems like the following in arithmetic. Ten workers work for eight hours a day and build a house in a month. How many days will it take to build the same house if ten thousand workers were to work similarly for 8 hours a day? The arithmetical answer can be intellectually understood, but it cannot be realised in experience. Can ten thousand workers even stand in the same space that ten workers work?

Scholars say that zero in a number has a certain value. How can ordinary people experience the value of zero?

Buddhi is generally known to have two aspects. On the one hand, it is tainted by sense organs that connect to it through the manas. On the other hand, it is weakened due to sense experience. Though the buddhi can grasp whatever is inaccessible to the eye, ear and other sense organs through inference and imagination, it is but a fraction of knowledge; surely incomplete. Complete knowledge can arise only from experience.

Not everything grasped by the buddhican be experienced. The principle independently understood by buddhi must first permeate into the mind. From the mind it should descend to the physical realm of bodily sense organs to become experience. Experience is complete knowledge. That which is only understood by the buddhi is not complete knowledge.

The difference between buddhi-grāhyam (grasped by the buddhi) and buddhi-mātra-grāhyam (grasped only by the buddhi) should be borne in mind. So must the distinction between buddhi-gṛhīta-mātram (understood only by the buddhi) and anubhava-siddham (born of experience). Attainment through experience is higher than attainment via buddhi. Answers to some mathematical problems are attained at the intellectual level only and cannot be experienced.
The heart is the site of experience. The fruit of the activity of the manas and buddhi is experienced in the heart. This is vouchsafed for by several statements from the śruti and the smṛti.

Īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtātmā hṛddeshe । (Īśvara, the self of all beings, in the heart)
Bhidyate hṛdyagranthiḥ । (The heart-knot is rent asunder)
Agnirme vāci śritaḥ । vāgghṛdaye । hṛdayam mayi । (Agni is in my speech; the speech in my heart; the heart in me.)

The heart is the arena of experience. It is the heart that touches the truth. The heart is larger than the manas and buddhi for it encompasses both.

The knowledge of the Supreme Principle is predominantly experiential. Intellectual comprehension is imperative for experience. Other instruments are also necessary. Man’s external organs bahiṣkaraṇa must be subservient to his antaḥkaraṇa, which in turn must cooperate with one of them - the buddhi. Experience of the supreme principle is possible only when all these instruments unite in harmony. The eleventh chapter of the Gītā - dealing with the cosmic form - illustrates this concept.

The concepts of jñānaṃ vijñāna-sahitam and buddhi-yoga were expanded upon in the ninth and tenth chapters. The theoretical knowledge of the principle (jñāna) was enumerated with śāstric basis as well as logical reasoning. The practical aspect (vijñāna) was expounded with illustrations of well-known personages and well-known phenomena. With this, Arjuna’s confusions and fears were put to rest. It appears, however, that a few doubts continued to bother him. The first - “Will my acquired belief endure firmly?” The second - “How eligible am I to attain spiritual knowledge?” Arjuna felt that only personal experiential testimony could resolve these niggling questions. He therefore implored Bhagavān for such a vision who then bestowed it upon him. This is the gist of this chapter.
Though the entire matter of the chapter can be conveyed in a small number of words, this chapter’s greatness cannot be overstated. It is an established practice to recite this chapter of the viśva-rūpa while the monastic name is given to the ordained renunciate during the rite of accepting saṃnyāsa (renunciation).
At the beginning of this chapter, Arjuna clearly states that his mind was purified.

yat tvayoktaṃ vachas tena moho’yaṃ vigato mama
BG 11-1

Questions such as “Who is the jīva? What is the world? Who is Īśvara? What is the path towards good? What is dharma?” - all received appropriate answers. There was no doubt left uncleared. But was it not Arjuna’s desire to attain the state of a sthitaprajña (one of steady wisdom)? Bhagavān had indicated this to Arjuna in the beginning -

śruti-vipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niśchalā ।
samādhāv-achalā buddhis-tadā yogam avāpsyasi ॥
BG 2.53
“Your mind has lost its equipoise by listening to the words of all and sundry. When your mind is concentrated at one point without being scattered hither and thither, your mind will attain yoga.”

Arjuna then inquired about the characteristics of a sthita-prajña. He wanted to be a sthita-prajña (one of steady wisdom) rather than a chala-prajña (whose wisdom is unsteady). The wisdom obtained from Śrīkṛṣna’s words could slip away due to another’s words - like old water pushed away by new flowing water or a lamp getting extinguished by the wind. Arjuna wanted to ensure that this knowledge learnt from Bhagavān remained firm and did not flow away. This was Arjuna’s intent.

Arjuna entreated -

evam etadyathāttha tvam ātmānaṃ parameśvara ।
draṣṭum ichchhāmi te rūpam aiśwaraṃ puruṣottama ॥
BG 11.3
“O Parameśvara! I would like to see whatever you told me about your form with my eyes. My certainty (in you) will definitely increase.”

What did Bhagavān say about his own form?

matsthāni sarvabhūtāni ।
amṛtaṃ chaiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna ॥
ahamātmā guḍākeśa sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ
āhamādiśca madhyaṃ ca bhūtānāmanta eva ca ॥
viṣṭabhyāhamidaṃ kṛtsnam ekāṃśena sthito jagat ॥

Bhagavān has uttered such statements in several places. Arjuna’s wish is to directly realise the truth of those statements. But he doubts whether he is fit for such a realisation.

manyase yadi tacchakyaṃ mayā draṣṭum iti prabho ॥
BG 11.4
“O Prabhu, if you consider me capable of seeing that vision, please show me your form.”

ihaikasthaṃ jagat kṛtsnaṃ paśyādya sa-carācharam
mama dehe guḍākeśa yaccānyad draṣṭum icchasi ॥
BG 11.7
“See the entire world - with its moving and non-moving aspects - here in me. You will see whatever you wish to see in me.”

But your eye now cannot withstand this vision. An eye of this world may be unable to see things beyond the world. Its strength might be unable to bear this great effulgence. Therefore -

divyaṃ dadāmi te cakṣuḥ paśya me yogam aiśvaram ।
BG 11.8
I will give you divine eyes with which you can see my majestic effulgence”.

[[Ch. 11 Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form (part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

Here, by “divine eyes” we do not need to imagine a pair of extra-physical eyes with their own eyeballs and eyelids. It is enough to think that Bhagavān endowed the eye with the ability to behold divine effulgence. This is what we have to understand - when we pray to Īśvara for a boon, we need to ask for the requisite strength to bear and control the blessing. Our desires know no limits and make us forget what is suitable and what is not. If Bhagavān gives us what we deserve, we’re dissatisfied. However, if he grants us whatever we ask of him, it is akin to committing suicide. Gastric issues are guaranteed if one forgets one’s digestive ability and indulges in a feast. When we pray for a meal, we need to ask for medicine for indigestion as well. When taking up a vow in a deity’s honour for progeny, one must not forget to ask for means of sustenance. When asking for a kingdom, we must not forget to ask for a treasury and an army too. When asking for a boon, we need to also ask for the ability to use the blessing well.

Śrī Kṛṣna had a lot of love for Arjuna. Therefore he first gave him the faculty for divine vision and only then showed him his divine form. Sañjaya describes that magnificent form thus:

divi sūryasahasrasya bhaved-yugapad-utthitā।
yadi bhāḥ sādṛśī sā syāt bhāsas-tasya mahātmanaḥ ॥
tatraikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ pravibhaktamanekadhā ।
apaśyaddevadevasya śarīre pāṇḍavastadā ॥
“From that Mighty Being arose a great effulgence - the effulgence of a thousand suns rising at the same time in the sky. Arjuna then saw the entire world as one and split as many in the body of the deva of devas.”

He was flabbergasted; he trembled; his hairs stood on end; he folded his hands and began praising Bhagavān.

paśyāmi devānstava deva dehe
sarvānstathā bhūta-viśeṣa-saṅghān ॥
BG 11.15
tvam avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-goptā
sanātanas tvaṃ puruṣo mato me ॥
BG 11.18
“O, Primordial Being! I see groups of all animals and organisms in your body. You are deathless and the protector of eternal dharma. You are the most ancient and the Supreme being.”

dyāvā-pṛithivyor-idam antaraṃ hi
vyāptaṃ tvayaikena diśaś-ca sarvāḥ ॥
dṛiṣṭvādbhutaṃ rūpam ugraṃ tavedaṃ
loka-trayaṃ pravyathitaṃ mahātman ॥
BG 11.20
“The sky above, the earth below and everything in between has been pervaded by you alone! You pervade every direction. O Great Being! All the three worlds tremble on seeing this wondrous and terrifying form of yours.”
rūpaṃ mahat te bahu-vaktra-netraṃ
mahā-bāho bahu-bāhūru-pādam
bahūdaraṃ bahu-daṃṣṭrā-karālaṃ
dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitās-tathāham ॥
BG 11.23
“Your form is immense; the faces are innumerable; the eyes so many; countless arms; countless legs, umpteen stomachs; myriad terrifying teeth; the worlds are distressed with fear upon seeing this form. So am I.”
amī ca tvāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ
sarve sahaivāvani-pāla-saṅghaiḥ ।
bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūta-putras-tathāsau
sahāsmadīyair-api yodha-mukhyaiḥ ॥
BG 11.26
“All these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and these royal retinues with them, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and all the braves on the Pāṇḍavas side as well - what is happening to all of us?”
lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāl-
lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbhiḥ
tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraṃ
bhāsas tavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo ॥
BG 11.30
“O Great all-pervading one, Viṣṇu! We are being licked on all sides by your tongues as if we are dainty dishes. With the entire world being pervaded by your fiery faces, your ferocious flames appear as if they will burn the entire universe” ākhyāhi me ko bhavān ugra-rūpo
namo’stu te deva-vara prasīda ।
vijñātum ichchhāmi bhavantam ādyaṃ
na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim ॥
BG 11.31
“O Ferocious one! Who are you? Tell me, O best among gods! I bow to you, be appeased! I know not your nature. I would like to understand you - who existed before everything.”

Did you understand the impact of direct experience? What a difference in effect between jñāna (intellectual understanding) gleaned by the intellect and vijñāna (experiential wisdom) seen by the eyes and felt by the manas! When he asked for the vision of the cosmic form, Arjuna never even for a bit thought that the experience would be this terrorising! He thought that witnessing the vision with his eyes would be as easy as arguing with his words. What happened during the vision, though? Fear, trembling, distress! This shows that Arjuna’s understanding of the truth was not complete. He had only seen the pleasant side of Bhagavān but not the terrible aspect. Suppose a person knows only one face of a two-faced thing, how can we say that he has complete knowledge of it? The seeker of truth must know as many facets of the truth as there are. It is not enough to just have heard of something. One should have seen the thing with one’s own eyes. It is not just enough to have seen and heard the thing, but the thing must be grasped by the buddhi as well. And not just intellectually grasped by the buddhi, but should have been experienced by the manas and the seeker should become one with the sought. Becoming one with the sought — becoming it — is complete experience. Similar was Arjuna’s state now after experiencing the vision of the Universal form. When the śruti says - “cakṣurvai satyam” (the eye is the truth), it does not mean that whatever is seen by the eye is the truth but that the eye is one of the instruments for reaching the truth. Even theoretical knowledge strengthened by intellectual inference and logical strengthening is insufficient. The truth is experienced only when the theory is confirmed by visual validation. Arjuna needed such a direct confirmation and he got it now.

Even though Bhagavān had bestowed divine vision upon Arjuna, the latter’s human frailty had remained. The strength of his manas had not increased. Hence the fear. Even after what he sought after appeared in front of him, he experienced fear. Those who think that Brahma-experience is nice and pleasant must repeatedly recollect this episode. Brahma is not a grocery item to be bought from a store. If we make Brahma-experience cheap, it is us who suffer, not Brahma. Hence it is better to limit idle talking and casual listening about Brahma and mokṣa.

When the scared Arjuna asked

“ākhyāhi me ko bhavān ugra-rūpo

Bhagavān took pity on him and answered him.

kālo’smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho
lokān samāhartum iha pravṛttaḥ ।
ṛte’pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarve
ye’vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ ॥
BG 11.32
“I am Time who destroys worlds as well as nourishes them. I am now set upon destroying the world. Even without you, none of the enemy warriors will survive”.
tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva
jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṃ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraṃ bhava savya-sācin ॥
BG 11.33
“Therefore, arise and partake of victory by participating in the war. Enjoy the bountiful kingdom by defeating your rivals who have already been killed by me. Be only the instrument, Arjuna!”
mayā hatāṃs tvaṃ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā
yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān ॥
BG 11.34
“Your enemies have already been killed by me. The work of defeating them is truly complete. Do not think about them. Do not grieve for them. Come to battle!”

Did Arjuna not already accept that Īśvara is the “sarva-dharma-goptā” (the eternal protector of dharma) in the eighteenth verse? The responsibility of protecting dharma is that of Īśvara, not of Arjuna and not of Bhīṣma or the others. Whatever was needed to establish dharma had already been planned and set in motion. That plan would not have stopped even if Arjuna had demurred. Such is divine rule. The same is referred to by Bhagavān later as “daivaṃ caivātra pancamam” (18-14) (Divine providence is the fifth factor that determines the outcome of any action). Be it in an individual’s life or the history of civilisations - divine providence is the final arbiter. Not acknowledging the divine is being egoistic. Arjuna understood this.
A war had become inevitable for the survival of the world. Without it, essential and eternal dharma would not have held out amidst mortals. This was not a war just for one Arjuna or five Pāṇḍavas. Arjuna’s role in it was not as a cause, but as an instrument. Any conflict needs two sides. One side was ready and the other was wavering. It was necessary for the protector of eternal dharma to firm up the fickle side.
The secret of the universe that had eluded Arjuna in the lectures on sāṅkhya, karma and jñāna became evident to him now. Bhagavān is the controller of the world. He has assigned us a dhārmic duty only to benefit us. If we do not perform that duty, it is not dharma that will be affected but our own progress. Bhagavān can use others if we disregard our duty. But we are the ones who will be left without a resort. When such a beneficial opportunity arises, it becomes a dhārmic obligation for us. Arjuna finally understood this and expressed remorse for having protracted this investigation thus far.

yaccāvahāsārtham asat-kṛito ’si
Vihāra-śayyāsana-bhojaneṣu ।
eko’tha vāpyachyuta tat-samakṣaṃ
tat kṣāmaye tvām aham aprameyam ॥
BG 11.42
“O Kṛṣna! Your greatness is wondrous! I have frivolously exceeded propriety while travelling, sleeping or sitting or eating, whether alone or amidst people. I implore you to forgive my transgressions.”
adṛṣṭa-pūrvaṃ hṛṣito’smi dṛṣṭvā
bhayena cha pravyathitaṃ mano me ।
tad eva me darśaya deva rūpaṃ
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ chakra-hastam ॥
BG 11.45
“I am astonished by the vision that has hitherto been unseen. But my mind quakes due to fear. Please show me your earlier form with the crown, the mace and the cakra in your hand.”

[[Ch. 11 Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form (part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Śrī Kṛṣna was satisfied with this entreaty; Arjuna had been put on the path; his internal transformation was complete. Bhagavān felt certain that Arjuna was ready to perform the requisite deeds.

mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍha-bhāvo
dṛṣṭvā rūpaṃ ghoram īdṛṃ mamedam ।
vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaṃ
tad eva me rūpam idaṃ prapaśya ॥
BG 11.49
“Be free of worry and confusion. You were frightened because of the vision of my terrifying form. Be free of fear. Have a happy mind. Witness again that old pleasant form of mine.”

Bhagavān was pacified and assumed his human form. Arjuna said –

dṛṣṭvedaṃ mānuṣaṃ rūpaṃ tava saumyaṃ janārdana ।
idānīm asmi saṃvṛttaḥ sachetāḥ prakṛtiṃ gataḥ ॥
BG 11.51
“ O Janārdana, I am relieved now after seeing your benign human form. My mind has gained its normal composure.”

Bhagavān now said - “Arjuna, you have witnessed a special form that cannot be attained by the merits gained from the Vedas, Yajñas, charity and other penances. The only path towards an experience of the divine being is bhakti - single-minded Bhakti.

mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ ।
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava ॥
BG 11.55
“O Pāṇḍava, He who performs my (Bhagavān’s) works and thinks of me as the Supreme, that bhakta, who gives up association with non-bhaktas and is not opposed to any living being, he will attain me.”

The vision of the universal form enabled a great inner experience in Arjuna. But it should not be forgotten that behind that universal form exists a supra-universal principle that is the basis of even the universal form. Both the universe and the supra-universe have to be borne in mind. They are not really two - but one. The universe has form and so can be seen. The supra-universe is formless and therefore cannot be seen.

A form is marked by a well-established boundary — a defining line, a perimeter that limits an area. Any form therefore, is finite. But pure existence is infinite, limitless. How does one bring form to it? An appearance of a finite form makes infinity disappear. Thus the supra-universe cannot be grasped by sense organs such as the eyes and the ears. How does one experience it then? It can be seen when the manas and buddhi meditate upon it. The tapas of the manas and buddhi is Bhakti. However, that tapas needs an easily attainable focus. A form or a mūrti facilitates this. Just as the pradakṣiṇa of a temple has a mūrti of the divine as its centre, the manas and buddhi of normal people have the viśva-mūrti (Bhagavān in the form of the universe) as their object. The service of this visible universe, considering it as a form of Bhagavān, is dharma. The service of the supra-universal principle is adhi-dharma. The one who lives a “universal life” is able to experience the supra-universal as well. The universe is the bridge that takes the jīva to the supra-universal.

Viśvākārānubhavadĕ
Viśvātītānubhūti samanikumadariṃ ।
Viśvāsavṛddhige naraṃ-
gīśvaranugrādbhutākṛtiya kāṇisidaṃ ॥
The experience of the universal form
leads to the experience of the supra-universal.
And therefore to nourish the bhakti of Arjuna,
Īśvara showed him the terrific and wondrous form!

At the beginning of our study, we had asked a question - “Isn’t the Gītā a śāstra? How did it become a song?” We have seen an answer to that question to some extent in this chapter. Gītā or a song is a literary category. The arrangement of words accompanied by music, that causes waves of feeling to rise in the listener’s psyche and causes satisfaction, is a song. The song has to cause a uniquely pleasurable experience that calms our minds. By the vision of the viśva-rūpa, Arjuna lost his grief and worry; and attained happiness and a definite understanding with the exit of fear and doubt. Suppose a lone traveller on his way to a distant land gets caught in a murky jungle and loses his sense of direction. He is distressed, tired and is almost resigned to the fate that a wild animal will end his existence. What if a friend brings light to him and gets him to his destination on an easily traversable path? The feeling that our poor traveler might have experienced upon reaching the destination is similar to what Arjuna felt now. This emotional experience is conveyed to our minds by the masterful words of Vyāsa. Śānta (tranquillity or peace) is the key rasa in this episode. It is nourished by the sub-emotions of karuṇa and adbhuta. There is a lingering debate on the question whether śānta is indeed a rasa. This, however, is not a place for that discussion. Arjuna’s words and behaviour show us that śānta is not just a rasa, but that it is the parama-rasa or adhi-rasa — Supreme rasa or a supra-rasa. The rasa śānta is uniquely different from all other rasas in an aspect. It is not a rasa that can be achieved by all like śṛngāra and other rasas. Only those tormented by aśānti (disturbance, anxiety) can appreciate the nature of the śānta-rasa. Can’t feelings such as separation or loss of money be considered aśānti? Yes - but those are fleeting and limited feelings that can be neutralised by trivial profits and dalliances. The aśānti that afflicted Arjuna was unlike this - it shook the very foundations of his existence. This aśānti was not based on the desire for some object, but about the fundamental meaning of life. The Gītā gives tranquillity to those tormented by questions such as - “What is the essence of life? What is its goal? How does one attain fulfillment?” The raison d’être for the śānti that the Gītā bestows upon its votaries is not based on scriptural exegesis or debates that are solely intellectual. It is an all-encompassing unique inner experience. The buddhi is merely the gateway to the inner world. When the teaching entered the heart through the buddhi, it became a śāstra. When that instruction took over all the sense organs and the instruments of knowledge such as the manas and buddhi and established the entire inner-kingdom in that Great Vision, it became poetry. The supreme effect of poetry is this achievement of engrossment. The same will be explored in a future chapter.

The main topic of this chapter is the virāṭ (the visible all-encompassing) form of Brahma. This description of the virāṭ is found in several places in the Veda. We indicate two of the important portions here. The first one is the Puruṣa-sūkta.

sahasra-śīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasra-pāt ।
sa bhūmiṃ viśvato vṛtvā aty-atiṣṭhad-daśāṅgulam ॥

We can consider the tenth and eleventh chapters of the Bhagavad-Gītā as an extension of the Puruṣa-sūkta. The origins of the section seen in the third chapter of the Gītā —

sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā ।
can be seen in the puruṣa-sūkta.
yat-puruṣeṇa haviṣā devā yajñam-atanvata ॥

The other place where the universal form of Bhagavān is extolled is the Śata-rudrīya which declares that all the visible groups of animals and the myriad facets and deeds of humans are but a (līlā) pastime of Bhagavān.

nama ākkhidate ca prakkhidate ॥

Even those grieving and howling “Ho!” are aspects of Bhagavān!

namo vaḥ kirikebhyo devānāgṃ hṛdayebhyo..॥

Those with staccato laughs and those who are possessed by devas are also endowed with divine presence!

taskarāṇāṃ pataye namaḥ ।
vañcate parivañcate stāyūnāṃ pataye namaḥ ॥

Cheats and thieves are also Bhagavān’s forms!

Just as Bhagavān is ghora (frightful), rudra (violent), bhīma (terrifying) and ugra (ferocious), he is also śiva (auspiciousness itself) and mṛḍa (compassionate). Everything from one end to the other is within him!

vrīhayaś-ca me yavāś-ca me māṣāś-ca me
tilāś-ca mudgāś-ca me ॥
Give me grains of rice, barley, black grams. Sesame seeds, green gram for me.
He gives us everything. Bhagavān is endowed with everything!

The rudrādhyāya and the camakādhyāya form excellent additional study material to this chapter of the viśva-rūpa. They expound upon the secret of Brahma through things and objects that are familiar to us.

īśvarataṃtramalaṃghyaṃ
bhīṣmādbhutacitramèndu kaṇgòppisutaṃ ।
viśvāsava dṛḍhageydaṃ
viśvākāradin-ameyan-ekādaśadoḻ ॥

Showing directly the insurmountable divine plan,
And his terrifying and wondrous form,
The immeasurable one firmed up devotion
Through the universal form in the eleventh.

tribhuvanaramaṇīyaṃ rukmiṇīśliṣṭakāyaṃ
anupamitan-ameyaṃ veṇugāna-anumeyam ।
viracitabahumāyaṃ viśvamāyānapāyaṃ
kavibudhajanageyaṃ kṛṣṇanasmatsahāyam ॥

Beauty in all the three worlds, whose frame is embraced by Rukmiṇī,
Beyond compare and measure, but inferred through the music of the flute!
The maker of myriad illusions, yet untouched by the universal māyā!
Exalted by poets and seers, Kṛṣṇa is our companion!

[[Ch. 12 Yoga of the steps of Bhakti (part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Introduction

dhyānābhyāsa-vaśīkṛtena manasā tannirguṇaṃ niṣkriyaṃ
jyotiḥ kiñcana yogino yadi paraṃ paśyanti paśyantu te ।
asmākaṃ tu tadeva locana-camatkārāya bhūyāc-ciraṃ
kālindī-pulinodare kimapi yan-nīlaṃ maho dhāvati ॥

dhyānāhbyāsadè tattvamaṃ hṛdayadoḻ tāṃ-ā nirākāramaṃ
kāṇalk-appoḍè kāṇge yogivarar-āṃ sāmānyar-èmmakṣig-ā ।
veṇu-svāna-sudhā-prasādi yamunā-kuñjodara-āmodi me-
ghānīla-dyuti nāṭyavāḍuge sadā nāṃ dhanyar-ā līleyiṃ ॥

॥ Śrī Madhusūdana-sarasvatī ॥
The yogis see the formless in their hearts, let them if they can.
Ordinary we are, dances that blue effulgence in front of our eyes
Gladdening us with his mellifluous flute, rejoicing in the gardens
On the banks of the Yamuna. We are blessed by it.

Note

Ekan-anākāraṃ vibhu
lokānugrahakè divya vividhākāraṃ ।
sākalya śakaladòḻaṃ
svīkarisalkahudu bhakti-śama-vinayam-iral ॥

The Supreme is one, formless
But takes many divine forms to bless the world.
One can discern the infinite
in a nugget, if there is devotion, tranquility and humility.

Summary

Giving up the fruit of our actions means that we experience the world with the notion that all felicity and happiness we experience is a favour from Īśvara, and that adversities are training to the jīva. This needs the jīva to make mindful choices of karma to be performed, unwavering devotion to dharma, equanimity in the experience of the fruit of karma, and finally complete surrender to Īśvara. Here, Śrīkṛṣṇa instructs Arjuna on how to gradually diminish one’s affinity with ego and experience first hand the relationship with Divine.

Section 13 /Chapter 12Bhakti-yoga/Bhakti-sopāna-yoga

(The Yoga of the steps of Bhakti)

At the end of the eleventh chapter, we analysed a significant concept. The supreme reality or sadvastu is of two kinds: One is viśvarūpa — the form that encompasses the entire universe, and the other supra-universal. Viśvarūpa is tangible reality and it is evident. That is Īśvara-yoga. The supra-universal is intangible truth and has to be inferred indirectly. That is Parabrahma. Arjuna asks which of these two he has to meditate upon. The Svāmī answers his question in this chapter. There are four important points here.

The difficulties in meditating upon the formless - nirguṇopāsana. 2. Ease of worshipping the divine that has a form - saguṇopāsana 3. Stepwise worship of the divine 4. The wealth of qualities that has to be earned by the worshipper.

Arjuna asked: “O Great one, what should I believe? You say ’mat-karma-kṛt mat-paramaḥ’ — one who does the work ordained by me and engrossed in me — Who is ’me’ here? Should I seek you and your form that is visibly manifest in the universe, or the invisible, unmanifest and intangible, pure and Supreme Brahma? You have instructed me in the worship of both of these. Which of them is better?”

“teṣāṃ ke yoga-vit-tamāḥ”
BG 12.1

Svāmī’s answer is thus: “O Arjuna, when there are many ways to reach a destination, shouldn’t a traveller choose one that is right for his body and mind? One road might be uneven and bumpy, and additionally difficult to traverse because of sharp stones and thorns. It might, however, be shorter. A strong man in a hurry might choose this path because it is short. Another, weaker man would say that it is more important to not fatigue himself. With time on his side, the circuitous route would be better for him though it takes more time, because it does not harm his body. The journey that a jīva undertakes towards better worlds is similar. The worship of the intangible Brahma is more suited for those who are stronger and can sustain strain. The worship of the manifest form is more suited for weaker people. Both will attain the same supreme state — one directly and the other gradually.

mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nitya-yuktā upāsate ।
śraddhayā parayo-petās-te me yukta-tamā matāḥ ॥
BG 12.2
“Those who rest their minds upon any one form of Īśvara, and continuously meditate upon the Brahma with a form (sākāra-brahma) are closest to him”.
Ye tvakṣaram-anirdeśyam avyaktaṃ paryupāsate ।
ṭe prāpnuvanti māmeva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ ॥
BG 12.3
“Those who are friendly towards the whole world, who meditate upon the indestructible, indescribable, intangible and formless Brahma, reach Īśvara Himself”.

The followers of both paths attain the same end; there is a slight difference only in the speed with which it is attained. The quicker way is more difficult; the other way is circuitous but easier. Why should we not choose the faster one?

kleśo’dhikataras-teṣām avyaktā-sakta-cetasāṃ ।
avyaktā hi gatir-duḥkhaṃ dehavadbhir-avāpyate ॥
BG 12.4

The journey towards better worlds is anyway difficult. Both paths require the practice of self-control and giving up carnal pleasures. Till we reside in a body that consumes salt and spices, it is difficult to subdue our senses. Therefore, it is a given that it is difficult to indulge in worshiping Bhagavān. Further, worshipping the unmanifest and formless Brahma is much more difficult than worshipping the tangible Brahma with a form. The difficulties are of two kinds. The first is that of intellectual capability. Ordinary intellect cannot grasp the indescribable and unthinkable. The supreme tattva is described thus in the Vedas -

Yato vāco nivartante । aprāpya manasā saha ॥
Tai.U, Brahmānandavallī
yanmanasā na manute yenāhurmano matam ॥
Kenopaniṣaḍ 5

Brahma is described as that very mysterious thing — “ from where speech and mind return without being able to grasp it; that which cannot be held by the mind, but causes the mind to understand”. The intellect has to put great effort to understand this concept clearly. Even if we think that the intellect is able to grasp this, there is a second difficulty — that of experience. Brahma should be experienced. It becomes truthful knowledge only then. “saṃniyamyendriya-grāmam” — ’Subduing the collective influence of the senses’, “sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ” — ’displaying equanimity everywhere’, “sarva-bhūta-hite ratāh” — indulging in the well-being of all creation’. To whom is this easy? Each second, the body has to grapple with arising desire, love and infatuation. The enchanting beauty and glamour of Nature captivates our eyes and deviates our minds from the thought of true knowledge. If a man who has not yet escaped the clutches of māyā thinks that he is as capable as the people who have, his plight will be similar to that of a lame person trying to climb a hill. Therefore, the humility of worshipping Brahma with a form is safer than the strenuous exercise of meditating upon the formless Brahma.

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparāḥ ।
ananyena-eva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate ॥
BG 12.6
teṣām ahaṃ samuddhartā mṛtyu-saṃsāra-sāgarāt ।
bhavāmi na cirāt pārtha mayy-āveśita-cetasām ॥
BG 12.7
“Bhagavān quickly holds and draws towards him those who give up the fruit of all their actions in him, seek his direction in everything, not indulging in anything else other than meditating upon him and rest their minds firmly in him”.

Is this method of upāsanā easy for everyone? Śrīkṛṣṇa did not think so.

ātha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiraṃ ।
abhyāsa-yogena tato mām-icchāptuṃ dhanañjaya ॥
BG 12.9
“If you cannot establish your mind in Īśvara firmly and constantly, do it as much as you can, whenever you can. With practice comes focus”.

Is practice easy, though? In our houses, those who wear maḍi and sit for worship know that it is an arduous practice. It is difficult to focus for long on something that cannot respond to us, something that does not react to our actions. Young people can concentrate on their loved ones for a little time. The reason for that is born from the natural reaction of the limbs. There is an echo to a sound, a sign in answer to another. Is Bhagavān so wondrous and attractive? Blessed are they whom he attracts of his own accord. We are not talking about them. Let us look at the plight of those who are not so lucky. They have to go in search of Bhagavān of their own volition. It is true that our mind does turn towards the Divine when worldly adversities arise. But the very next second, it turns back from there and focuses on something else. How can we discipline something that is so fickle? One way is to engage it in karma — some good work. When the body and hands are engaged in a work, the mind is engrossed in it and does not flit here and there. The minds of carpenters, engineers, masons, and farmers are settled and rested in their work. Therefore, Arjuna, “matkarma-paramo bhava” — “perform karma as service toBhagavān”. Perform karma with the view that you are only doing it for the love of Bhagavān.

ṃadartham-api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi ॥
BG 12.10
“Perform laukika and vaidika karmas as an offering to Īśvara. You will then achieve the supreme state”.

The world is a carpenter’s shop. You are a carpenter working there. Do your work diligently, to please the owner. From such work you will earn for life in this world, and blessing for the afterlife. This is the training of karma, the biggest and best of all trainings.

[[Ch. 12 Yoga of the steps of Bhakti (part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

Well, then, is this path — performing one’s duties with the sole purpose of pleasing Bhagavān — an easy journey? Śrīkṛṣṇa himself was uncertain about it. Bhagavān is not in front of our eyes; dharma is not in front of our eyes either. Performing our duties only for the sake of Bhagavān or for dharma — single-minded devotion to our duty without even an iota of selfishness — is difficult. It is not easy to be a devoted servant who does his duties conscientiously even in the absence of the master who distributes the wages. Many people perform karma with the desire to obtain something or the other in return. Let them do so, but let them perform it with the notion that the fruits of the karma (or the lack thereof) belong to Īśvara. If they obtain what they desire, let them think that it is the blessing of Īśvara and not their earning. If their effort doesn’t bear fruit, let them bear it with the reasoning that it is punishment meted out to them, and that this will erode their defects. Thus, one has to live in the belief that good or bad results both belong to Īśvara and not to us, and remember him always.

sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātma-vān ॥
BG 12.11
“With effort, suppress the ego that says that you are the doer, or that you achieved this. Accept the results of your action as given by Bhagavān, and not as your own. Seek refuge in him, in happiness and in adversities”.

What does “giving up the fruits of karma” mean? We have to understand this for ourselves.

tyaktvā karma-phalā-saṃgam ॥
BG 4.20
yuktaḥ karma-phalaṃ tyaktvā ॥
BG 5.12
mā phaleṣu kadācana । mā karma-phala-hetur-bhūḥ ॥
BG 2.47
Anāśritaḥ karma-phalam ॥
BG 6.1

As we note above, this instruction is seen many times in the Gītā. What does “giving up the fruit of karma” mean? Does it mean that one should cook food and throw it out without eating? Or plant a garden, and when it yields fruits and flowers, throw them in the gutter? No, it isn’t like that. Instead of eating cooked food by oneself, it should be shared with others. Surely, there’s no harm in the cook smelling the aroma of the food he cooked? Or should he crumple his face saying that the pāyasam is bitter or spicy, just because he prepared it? Should he not experience pleasure? Even if he experiences pleasure, should he not express his experience of pleasure? Is dharma only in calling a flower disgusting? Is karma-phala-tyāga only about calling a steaming bowl of rice as plain mud?
We should try and deliberate upon what constitutes karma-phala-tyāga. There are four aspects in this sādhanā. If we are not clear about them, karma-phala-tyāga becomes just a word — an imposing sound that hits the eardrums. Let us look at these aspects.

1.Karma means kartavya-karma. Kartavya is that work, failing to perform which amounts to dereliction. The three main deciding factors for this karma are three -

The first is the felicitous inspiration that arises in us. It is a feeling that if this work is done, it is good for everyone.
The second is the capability and means to do the work, something that we already possess.
The third is an understanding of the necessities of the world around us — to our family, society and country.

Kartavya is work done using our energy and wealth to better the lives of others. We might make mistakes when we try to undertake certain activities. We might try to take on more than we can handle; or display our worldly benevolence where it is not required. Thus, we might start performing something that is not our kartavya; and also forget our kartavya. Taking unnecessary karma upon oneself might create problems. Karma entails coming in contact with the world; coming in contact with the world means that we are stepping into the lives of others. Thus in our haste to perform a duty that we think we have to do, we get embroiled in the pains and pleasures of others. To perform a pūja with a hundred thousand jasmine flowers, one may have to enter the gardens of unknown people and jostle among them to obtain the flowers. To feed a thousand people, he may have to fall at the feet of unworthy people. Thus, even an activity done with the objective of puṇya might cause us to come in contact with pāpa during its course. Therefore, one must be careful when deciding what is kartavya and what is not. Kartavya should not be given up, a work that is not kartavya should not be taken up.

2. Secondly, once a kartavya is decided upon, we should not procrastinate, thinking whether this activity will be beneficial or not. Regardless of whether it results in victory or defeat, a kartavya in accordance with dharma should be performed. If our conscience proclaims something as dharma, we should consider it divine ordinance and do it, even if a hundred people are against it or a hundred obstacles are in its way. Just because it faces defeat, a dharmic kartavya does not become adharmic. Whether a kartavya is indeed a kartavya or not, whether dharma is indeed dharmic or not does not depend on its result — profitable or detrimental. Dharma is dependent on Universal Truth and existence; Therefore, kartavya is performed as an offering to Bhagavān. “Parameshvara prītyarthaṃ”, “Śrīkṛṣṇārpaṇamastu” — this is the method of kartavya.

Thirdly, one should not worry about the fruit of karma that has been performed. The fruit of karma or the lack thereof, is decided by daiva. Who knows our karmas in the past, or the eligibility of others related to our karma? There is no one who can figure out the cause and effect-relationship among various entities in this world thoroughly. The fruit of karma is accorded to each jīva, based on their ability accrued for many lives from past karmas. The important philosophy here is to not to be mentally stirred by this change. Whatever comes, due to Bhagavān’s will, and therefore it has to be surrendered to. If we are impatient, we will become defiant towards the Divine. Therefore, we should always be indifferent towards the fruits of our karma, and not let our mind be disturbed by it.

Sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau ।
samaḥ siddhā-vasiddhau ca kṛtvā’pi na nibadhyate ॥
BG 2.38

Fourthly, we should accept what comes to us, as the prasāda from Īśvara.

Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ ॥
Īśopaniṣad - 1

The above statement does not mean that one should not experience pleasure. One should experience pleasure, but with the feeling that it is a prasāda obtained in a temple.

[[Ch. 12 Yoga of the steps of Bhakti (part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Śrī Kanakadāsa, the great mystic, said this -

Ṣaḍurasadannakè nalidāḍuva jihvè । kaḍurucigoṃbuva ruciguṇa ninadayya ॥
(Yours is the tongue that enjoys food with six rasas;
yours is the nature that deeply relishes all tastes)

The beauty, the very essence of the things that are present in the universe, the senses that experience them, and their capability to discern and enjoy belong to Bhagavān.

annaṃ ca brahma । bhoktā ca brahma ॥
(Food is Brahma, the eater is Brahma).

Therefore,

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma-haviḥ brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam ॥
BG 4.24

Therefore, one should experience pleasure with the feeling that the thing that is giving happiness, and one’s own energy that is experiencing pleasure are both the boons of Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the owner of everything, and I am a mere beggar — this is the common meaning of some of our traditional statements. Hindus first offer the food that is cooked, fruits and even flowers that are to be worn, to the divine. Only after that do they consume it themselves as prasāda. Muslims have this tradition (Bismillah) too; Christians also have Grace. Objects of pleasure are not one’s own, nor are they of one’s own earning. They belong to the Divine, who has given it to us as a boon. A man who enjoys worldly pleasures in this manner will never need to have apprehensions about his karma accruing pāpa. Even if the fruit of the karma is obtained from his karma — his own effort, he should not try to own it, that is karma-phala-tyāga. Thus, removing the connection of ego from the result and connecting Īśvara with it instead, is karma-phala-tyāga.

Thus, karma-phala-tyāga has four aspects : (1) Discernment about kartavya (2) equanimity about good or bad results (3) giving up the results to Kṛṣṇa (the mindset of Kṛṣṇārpaṇa) (4) acceptance of prasāda.

The summary of this discussion is to remember Bhagavān in times of happiness and think of it as his boon, and remember him in times of adversities and look upon them as training for the jīva.

Thus, the instruction is step-by-step. At its most advanced, it is worshipping the abstract. The second step is resorting to the worship of Īśvara with form. The third step is the practice of the remembrance of Īśvara and the fourth is the practice of performing one’s duties for the love of Īśvara. The fifth is understanding Īśvara’s will.

Jñāna is at a higher level than practice; dhyāna is higher than jñāna; karma-phala-tyāga is better than dhyāna; from this renunciation of the fruit of karma results peace; peace itself is the ultimate fruit.

Abhyāsa is to believe an instruction that is received, and to follow it without independent questioning or reasoning. Jñāna is internalizing the instruction by deliberating upon and analyzing it. Dhyāna is having this guiding philosophy constantly in one’s sight. When the mind is fixed upon this principle, selfishness vanishes. Thus, when ego and attachment gradually lessen and the jīva offers itself completely to paramātma, peace is then readily obtained.

Bhakti has many outcomes — worldly pleasures, wealth, fame, long life, children, accomplishment of all desires, getting rid of hardships and misfortunes, waning of sins, obtaining svarga — thus there are many benefits. Above all, is Ātma-śānti — peace for the ātma. In the eight verses from “adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ” to “te’tīva me priyāḥ”, svāmī enunciates the qualities of devotees who perform bhakti for peace of mind, so that we keep them in mind.

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṃ: does not hate anything or anyone;
maitraḥ: friendly towards everyone;
karuṇa (eva ca): Merciful; friendship is between equals, compassion is for everyone;
nirmamaḥ : Doesn’t have the feeling of “mine”;
nirahaṅkāraḥ : Has lost self-centeredness ;
samaduḥkhasukhaḥ : is not exuberant in happiness or depressed in adversities, equanimous always;
kṣamī : Forgiving, behaves with wrongdoers as though they did not wrong him at all;
santuṣṭaḥ satataṃ : Always happy ;
yogī : has joined his mind with Bhagavān ;
yatātmā : Controls himself;
dṛḍha-niścayaḥ : overcomes his doubts with deliberation and analysis, and is a believer;
mayyarpitamanobuddhiḥ : Has offered his mind and intellect to the supreme Īśvara —
(yo) madbhaktaḥ : such a devotee of mine
sa me priyaḥ : is dear to me.
yasmānnodvijate lokaḥ : by whom the world is not perturbed; and
lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ : one who is not perturbed by the world;
harṣāmarṣabhayodvegairmuktaḥ yaḥ : One whose mind does not experience overpowering happiness, anger, fear or excitement —
sa ca me priyaḥ : Such a man is dear to me.
anapekṣaḥ : One who does not have any desires;
śuciḥ : impeccable inside and out;
dakṣaḥ : capable in discharging his duties ;
udāsīnaḥ : Does not worry about himself;
gatavyathaḥ : One whose mind is not depressed;
sarvāraṃbhaparityāgī : One who does not embark on ventures that are not for him, or are for selfish ends —
yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ : Such a devotee is dear to me.
yo na hṛṣyati : One who is not given to excessive mirth;
na dveṣṭi : Does not hate anything or anyone;
na śocati : Does not grieve over anything;
na kāṅkṣati: Does not desire anything;
śubhāśubha-parityāgī : Does not differentiate between auspicious and otherwise —
bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ : Such a devotee is dear to me.
samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca : One who is equally just with his enemies just as with his friends;
tathā mānāpamānayoḥ : Is not excited by felicitations or depressed by insults;
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu: Is similarly equanimous in all dualities of the world ;
saṅgavivarjitaḥ: is not attached to any worldly relationship;
tulya-nindā-stutiḥ: whose mind is calm and unperturbed by insult or praise ;
maunī: Reduces empty speech and is engrossed in remembrance and dhyāna;
santuṣṭo yena kenacit: Satisfied by the quality and quantity of whatever is available;
aniketaḥ: Is not narrow-minded about his own home and hearth and his own people;
sthiramatiḥ: is of firm mind —
bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ: such a devotee is dear to me.
ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate: Those who follow this instruction in dharma as it has been explained
śraddhadhānāḥ: Are trusting and faithful;
matparamāḥ: seek me Bhagavān alone —
bhaktāḥ te atīva me priyāḥ: such devotees are my most beloved.

These eight verses are akin to the pot of amṛta obtained out of the ocean of milk that is the Gītā. Just as the verses about equanimity — “prajahāti yadā kāmān” were highly regarded by Mahatma Gandhi, the eight verses starting from “adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṃ” were cherished by the Rt.Hon.V.S.Srinivasa Sastry. When he was tired of worldly affairs, when he suffered from anguish whether his work would continue or not, when people became furious with him for no reason at all, when his friends were depressed or when he felt agitated for whatever reason, Sri.Sastry would recall these verses. In particular, he would always say that the precept “tulya-nindā-stutiḥ” was a necessary quality for the public servants of our country. If you permit me to say so, Sri.Srinivasa Sastry had followed this ideal to the last letter.

Who can say to what extent we can practise the qualities of adveṣṭā, maitra, etc? I believe that if we recall these qualities again and again and try to follow them, Īśvara might bless us with compassion.

Summary

bhagavad-upāstiya lakṣyaṃ ।
saguṇamò nirguṇamò yuktam-ènè bhajakana- ॥
svagata-ruti-śakti-mitiyiṃ ।
nigaditam-arhatèyin-embudu dvādaśakaṃ ॥

The goal is to worship the Divine,
Should it be it with form or without it?
The twelfth chapter says that this depends on the inclination,
Energy, limit and proclivity of the worshipper.

sarvāntaḥsthaṃ prakṛti-rasikaṃ viśvalīlāvilāsaṃ ।
jīvotkarṣa-krama-naya-vidaṃ sānukaṃpaṃ śaraṇyam ॥
megha-śyāmākṛtiyoḻu taṭid-dīptivol torè netraṃ ।
vyaktāvyaktaṅgaḻa miḻitadiṃ sṛṣṭivol kṛṣṇa-rūpaṃ ॥

He who is the present within everything, whose pastime is the working of the universe
One who guides the jīva in its path elevation, compassionate, the refuge of all,
Whose eyes are like the flash of lightning in the body that is dark as a cloud
Whose form is both tangible and intangible, like creation itself.

Summary of the second hexade

prāṇāyāmādyanusan- ।
dhānagaḻindeka-lakṣya-doḻ mana-viripā ॥
dhyāna-sthita-bhaktigè ta- ।
ttvānubhavaṃ sulabham-èndu madhyamaṣaṭkam ॥

The middle sextet says that the experience
Of Brahma is easy for those who practise devotion,
Focusing and meditating upon it alone
By prāṇāyāma and other methods.

jīvaveṃ brahmaṃ svavaibhavada sukhavan-uṇè
sāvayava-dindāda veṣada vinodaṃ ।
ā vinodadi bhāgagoḻutè dharmada nayade
kevalātmavan-arasal-aduvè śubha-yogaṃ ॥

What is jīva? Brahma itself, when it takes a physical form
To experience the pleasure of its own grandeur.
Taking part in this drama, and plodding ahead in the path of dharma
In search of the Supreme ātma, that is beneficial.

sakala-hita-vicāraṃ satya-dharmādhikāraṃ ।
durita-vana-kuṭhāraṃ jīvitoddhāra-dhīraṃ ॥
śaraṇa-jana-vihāraṃ śānti-saukhya-prasāraṃ ।
kavi-budha-gala-hāraṃ kṛṣṇa-gītāvatāraṃ ॥

With thoughts are auspicious to everyone,
The supreme authority in Truth and dharma,
Akin to an axe to the forest of evil,
Adept in elevating all lives,
Dwelling always in the minds of its devotees,
Exuding peace and happiness,
The garland that adorns the necks of sages and wise men
Is the Gītā, imparted by Śrīkṛṣṇa.

[[Ch. 13 Yoga of Nature and the Primeval being (part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Introduction

ekam-evādvayam-arūpaṃ brahmam-avyayam-akriyaṃ
svīkarisi nijabhogakèṃdu śarīra-vividha-sahasramaṃ ।
prākṛtāsvādyagaḻa madhuviṃ tannane tāṃ maretavol
lokajīvana-sīṃdhu-vīciyoḻ ātmadī ḍolotsavaṃ ॥

Brahma is the One, without a second, formless, changeless and without action
Takes, a myriad varied forms, for its own pleasure
Seems as if it is lost in worldly pleasantness
This is the surf-fest of the ātma in the waves of the ocean of worldly life.

Note

para-caitanyaṃ prakṛtī-
śvara-saṃyogadali paridu baralidu viśvaṃ ॥
pari-ciṃtyagaḻī tanuvi-
staragaḻum akhilādi sattvamuṃ pratyaṃśaṃ ॥

When the supreme energy flows out of the union
Of prakṛti and Īśvara, the universe manifests itself.
All aspects of all forms in the universe with their alities
Are to be thought of as its multifarious expressions.

Summary

Bhagavān Śrīkṛṣṇa’s instruction is chiefly about the method of gaining knowledge; about the greatest philosophy that is the object of gaining knowledge, and the discernment to distinguish between dharma and adharma that results from knowledge. All the works of the universe are due to the interaction between prakṛti (Nature) and puruṣa (the sentient being). Since these transactions are infinite, the variety and uniqueness we find in various forms of life and other things in the universe are also infinite. The method of realizing the single entity that is inside all this variety, the basis of everything, is explained in the Gītā.
Prakṛti is the field where the plant of saṃsāra grows. Ātmā is the farmer. The energy of the ātmā is of the form of true knowledge, and is always equanimous. Because it is equanimous, the knower of the field (lit. kṣetrajña) perceives his field and also other fields and farmers. Paramātmā is the energy, the thread that binds and holds together the various aspects of the universe. Bhagavān describes kṣetra as a constituent of prakṛti, and explains qualities such as humility and straightforwardness that have to be practised by those who want to realize the principle of the ātmā (ātmatattva).
Some realize the nature of māyā with their intellect and make their lives fruitful. Some others practise dhyāna and realize paramātmā from that. Yet others learn the splendour that is the ātmā from others, worship that and obtain fulfilment. Worship is of paramount importance — as it grows, divine experience comes along.
Māyā is the wall raised by prakṛti between jīva and paramātmā. It comprises bricks that are the guṇa-triad. For those who want to understand the nature of the ātmā, it is necessary to understand the three guṇas.

Section 14 / Chapter 13Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Yoga /Prakṛti-Puruṣa-Yoga

(The Yoga of Nature and the Primeval being)

Exposition of knowledge starts in this chapter of the Gītā. The eighteen chapters of the Gītā can be divided as three ṣaṭkas — Karmaṣaṭka, Bhaktiṣaṭka and Jñānaṣaṭka respectively. A ṣaṭka is an aggregate of six chapters — a hexade. In a hexade, the respective topic is the principal topic, whereas an allusion to the other two is incidental. Looking at this in its entirety, karma, bhakti and jñāna are like the three stones of a stove, all of them to be used together. Even though they appear as three separate entities, they work together in unison. The three can be considered separately only for the sake of intellectual understanding, not for practice and experience. Thus, the portion of the Gītā from the thirteenth to the eighteenth chapter helps in understanding the true nature of Brahma.

The principal topic of the present chapter is jñāna or knowledge. What is jñāna? It is a work of the intellect. If an animal recognizes another animal or thing that is different from it, that is jñāna. There are two important strengths within us — one is the manas and the other is the buddhi. The manas experiences deficiency or desire or pain, just as feeling happiness, pleasure, love and hatred is its job. Based on the reports submitted by the eyes, ears and other sense organs, the manas experiences want and insufficiency, and satisfaction and happiness. The buddhi then evaluates and informs about the nature and worth of the information thus gathered thus by the manas through the sense organs and its memory. The manas and buddhi are not completely different. They are like the two different sides of a single sheet of paper. It is merely shastric terminology to recognize the action of one side as feeling and classify it as that of the manas, and recognize that on the other side as that of the buddhi and call it jñāna. Even though feeling and knowledge are one and the same at the etymological level, their common usage is slightly different.

It is the work of manas when a baby cries of hunger. It is the work of the buddhi when it stops crying on seeing its mother approaching, thinking that she might be bringing milk. It is the work of the manas when a mother grieves over her child’s illness. Then it is the work of the buddhi that sends the father to the doctor and gets medicine. The manas made Duśyanta fall hopelessly in love with Śakuntalā and wail to no end. Later, when she complained that a bee from the garden was trying to hurt her, it was his buddhi that made him rush forward on this pretext, bragging thus about his heroism — “who can trouble the poor girl when I am here?”

Buddhi arranges information gathered by the manas about things and provides them for action. During this process, it deliberates upon their nature and inherent disposition, and what they can be used for. The result of this deliberation is jñāna.

Bhakti is mainly a work of the manas. Jñāna is mainly a work of the buddhi. Karma is a bodily work that is directed by both manas and buddhi.
Let us now go to the text. In the beginning of the Gītā itself, Bhagavān has noted the following —

dehī nityam avadhyo’yaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata
BG 2.20
There is a body (deha), and there is a dehī (the ātmā that resides in the body) that rules over it and is separate from it. The body undergoes change and eventual destruction, but the dehī — ātmā is unchangeable and eternal.

Since Parabrahma is extremely subtle and cannot be described by mere words, Bhagavān has placed pointers to its nature within seemingly contradictory sentences. Only by examining the sentences again and again can we discern the underlying meaning hidden between these lines.

anādimat paraṃ brahma na sat tan-nāsad-ucyate ॥
BG 13.13
“Parabrahma is without beginning, and is said to be both existing and not existing”.

Here, the first part anādimat paraṃ brahma can also be split as “anādi+matparaṃ+brahma”. Then, we can read the meaning as “Brahma is that which is without beginning, and which is above my present birth of Kṛṣṇāvatāra, which has a beginning”.

The second part is more difficult to understand. It has the following words —

na + sat + tat + na + asat (ucyate). The meaning is as below:
tat = that Brahma
na sat = appears as though it does not exist — that is, it is not directly perceptible but has to be inferred. It lies hidden under the blanket woven by prakṛti, that is the universe. This blanket that we see undergoes change and destruction. Therefore it is asat. The ‘sadvastu’ Brahma lies hidden in the ‘asat’ universe, and imparts a feeling that it is not there. Therefore, “na sat”.
“Na asat” = In reality, it is not something that does not exist. It is present at all times in all places. Even if it is not seen, it is not something that does not exist.
In “na sat tat” , ‘sat’ is something that can be discerned by the senses.
Brahma does not exist from the point of view of the sense organs. The same opinion is espoused by the śruti also —

asadvā idam agra āsīt । tato vai sat ajāyata ॥
Tait. Up. 7.1
“Indeed, didn’t asat verily exist in the beginning? Sat was born from it”

From the verb “āsīt”, it is clear that there was something. But it was not possible to be known or understood. It was without a form, gender and other physical properties. What existed in the beginning was not vacuum, but something that was not perceptible by eyes and ears. Since it could not be seen physically, it was called asat. Asat means imperceptible. Something that exists but does not show itself, is avyakta. That is asat. Here, “asat” does not mean complete nonexistence, but nonexistence from the point of view of perceptibility. It is the nonexistence that is inferred about the beginning of time, from the point of view of after the universe came into existence.

[[Ch. 13 Yoga of Nature and the Primeval being (part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

How is Brahma?

sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tat sarvatokṣi-śiro-mukham ।
sarvataḥ śrutimalloke sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati ॥
BG 13.14
“Its limbs are everywhere, as are its eyes and heads. It ’sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati’ — pervades everything”. Here, we are reminded of the line “sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ” from the Puruṣasūkta and the eleventh chapter of the Gītā.
sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṃ sarvendriya-vivarjitam ।
asaktaṃ sarvabhṛt-caiva nirguṇaṃ guṇa-bhoktṛ ca ॥
BG 13.15
“It shines in all works of the senses. But it does not have sense organs. It is not attached to anything, but still sustains everything. It is without any qualities, but experiences them.
avibhaktaṃ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva ca sthitam ।
bhūta-bhartṛ ca tat jñeyaṃ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu ca ॥
BG 13.17
“It is whole, but seems as though it is divided among all creatures. It bears all creation and nurtures them. It consumes them and gives birth to them again”.
jyotiṣāmapi tat jyotiḥ tamasaḥ param (ucyate) ॥
BG 13.18
“It is the light of all lights. It is farther and beyond all darkness”.

This is what we have set out to understand — something that cannot be defined, something that is not accessible to description. Which student of poetry can claim that the above lines are not poetry?
What is the source of knowledge? What is the one that reveals everything? What is that energy that reveals everything to everyone?

yathā prakāśayatyekaḥ kṛtsnaṃ lokamimaṃ raviḥ ।
kṣetraṃ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṃ prakāśayati bhārata ॥
BG 13.34
“Just as one Sun lights up the whole world, the kṣetrī (one who is the lord of the kṣetra, that is ātmā) lights up the whole field”.

“How do we see one another? We think it is because of our eyes. However, mere eyes are not enough. On the night of Amāvāsyā, when there is no external light, we cannot see one another. If our eyes have to work, they need a common agent such as the Sun or a lamp that can communicate between the eyes and the object to be seen. The brightness of the eyes mingles with the light from the Sun or the lamp and impacts the mind. How does the mind attain the capability to sense and perceive this impact? From the paramātmā who is inside. Therefore the ātmā that dwells inside a body is called parañjyoti. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka, this concept is established thus —

atrāyaṃ puruṣaḥ svayaṃ jyotirbhavati ॥
Bṛhadāraṇyaka 4.1.3.9

In a small verse of this chapter called jyotir-brāhmaṇa in the same upaniṣad, this theory is crystallized:

kiṃ jyotis-tava bhānu-mān ahani me rātrau pradīpā-dikam ।
syād-evaṃ ravi-dīpa-darśana-vidhau kiṃ jyotir-ākhyahi me ॥
cakṣus-tasya nimīlana-ādi samaye kiṃ dhīr-dhiyo darśane ।
kiṃ tatrā-ham ato bhavān paramakaṃ jyotis-tad-asmi prabho ॥
Ekaślokī
The guru asks his disciple:
Q: With the help of which light do you view objects?
A: With the help of the Sun
Q: In the night?
A: Lamp, fire, etc
Q: That is right, but with which light do you view the Sun and the lamp?
A: With the eyes.
Q: When you have closed your eyes, how do you recognize objects?
A: With my buddhi.
Q: How do you recognize the buddhi?
Q: With the light of the ātmā within me.
Q: Then you are parañjyoti — supreme light, are you not?
A: Yes. I am parañjyoti.

A slightly changed version of the above verse can be found in the śataślokī, ascribed to Śaṅkarāchārya.

The Gītācārya says the following about this Supreme being :

jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam ॥
BG 13.18
Knowledge (jñāna), that which has to be known (jñeya) and jñānagamya (attainable by knowledge) are present in the hearts of everyone.

This concept has to be examined a little carefully.
Jñāna is the means or technique to obtain true knowledge. These means are elucidated as principles such as “amānitvaṃ”, adambhitvaṃ”, etc. Personal practices like śama, dama and societal ones like yajña, dāna and tapas are meant here. Therefore, jñāna here means the self-discipline required for gaining true knowledge.
Jñeya : This is the object of knowledge.

Jñeyaṃ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yad jñātvā’mṛtam aśnute ।
anādimat paraṃ brahma na sat tannāsaducyate ॥
BG 13.13
The supreme tattva is that, on understanding which all our questions will be answered. That is jñeya.
kasminnu bhagavo vijñāte sarvamidaṃ vijñātaṃ bhavati ॥
Muṇḍakopaniṣat 1.3
yenāśrutaṃ śrutaṃ bhavaty-amataṃ matam avijñātaṃ vijñātam ॥
Chāndogyopaniṣat 6.1.3
ātmano darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānenedaṃ sarvaṃ viditam ॥
Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣat 2.4.5

“Sarvaṃ” here means all that which we understand to be existing, not excluding even the tiniest, most insignificant bit. When we understand the nature of the ātmā completely, we can understand the nature of other things from that. That ātmā is Parabrahma. That itself is jñeya. It is the basis of all sattā or existence. When its nature is understood, the form of all things, the actions of all jīvas can be understood really and wholly. That fundamental knowledge is jñeya. It is Parabrahma.
3.jñāna-gamyam: What is the use of understanding the ātmā? If the nature of that which is the basis and the raw material of all life is understood, the righteous or wrong way of leading a life will also be understood; the understanding of making life productive will also be understood. The discernment of dharma, adharma and adhidharma is the prime use of studying philosophy.

Thus, it is necessary to understand the following three things —

Readiness for knowledge 2. The supreme principle, which is the object of knowledge 3. dharma, adharma and adhidharma — which are the result of knowledge.

At the beginning of this chapter, we used the words kṣetra and kṣetrajña. We have seen the use of some of their synonyms. Let us recall these technical terms once.

| | | | | |—–|—————–|————————–|—————| | | I | II | III | | 1 | kṣetra | kṣetrajña, kṣetri | jīvātma | | 2 | deha (body) | embodied jīva (dehī) | jīvātma | | 3 | śarīra (body) | embodied jīva (śarīrī) | jīvātma | | 4 | jagat | sūtrātma | Īshvara | | 5 | prakṛti | puruṣa | puruṣottama |

We have seen in the upaniṣads that Brahma is understood by us in two forms.

etatsarvaṃ yanmūrtaṃ cāmūrtam ॥ (Praśnopaniṣat)
ḍve vāva brahmaṇo rūpe । mūrtaṃ caivāmūrtaṃ ca ॥
(Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat)

We have seen that the same has been reiterated in the 12th verse of this chapter, as—

na sat tat । na asat ॥

Prakṛti is alluded to in “na sat” and puruṣa (jīvātma) in “na asat”. The same deliberation continues now.

prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādī ubhāvapi ।
vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛti-saṃbhavān ॥
BG 13.20
“Just as the parabrahma which is the basis of all universe is without beginning, its manifestations — prakṛti and puruṣa also do not have a beginning. Understand that all changes in the universe, all its qualities and influences are from prakṛti”.

Anādi means that without beginning — therefore it is not affected by the vagaries of time.
When is the birthday of prakṛti or the universe? They are not born at all; they exist — svata eva — by themselves.
If they are not born, will they not die either? No, they do not die, but their death is as true and as real as their birth. This means that birth and death are small alterations but not the real form of the parabrahma.
To the eyes of someone who has understood parabrahma, creation and destruction are the momentary magnificent manifestations of prakṛti, which is the formidable strength of Parabrahma. That is māyā. At once, exists and does not exist — it depends on the knower. We have seen this idea earlier.
What is the greatness of prakṛti?

kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir-ucyate ॥
BG 13.21

All the qualitative and and operational attributes of the universe belong to the jurisdiction of prakṛti. The action of the strength of parabrahma is fundamental for all instruments and all doings.

Then what is jīva? It is described thus—

puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve hetur-ucyate ॥
BG 13.21

Jīva is the one that experiences joy and sorrow. Prakṛti inspires and excites. With this inspiration and excitement, a human acts with or without discernment and acquires joy or sorrow accordingly.

puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijān guṇān ।
karaṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo’sya sad-asad-yonijanmasu ॥
BG 13.22
“When a man is enamoured by prakṛti, he experiences the qualities of prakṛti. The form that he chooses to take in this world and the family where he chooses to be born show what qualities of prakṛti he chooses to accept”.

Thus the future of puruṣa — or jīva — depends on his discernment and discrimination of right and wrong, and his ability to critically examine virtues and vices.
We have seen the inspiration of prakṛti and the responsibility of the jīva. That is our life. We have to next examine the Īśvara-tattva or the Puruṣottama-tattva.

upadraṣṭā’numantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ।
paramātmeti cāpyukto dehe’smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ ॥
BG 13.23

The supervising agency — the one who ensures that the fruit of an action reaches the doer — is Maheśvara. He does not need anything for himself. He does not say no to anything either. Therefore, he is “Anumantā”, meaning that he remains aloof and approves of everything. He says “Do whatever you want, and partake of the fruit of what you have done”. He looks as though he is incarnating as a jīva, performs actions in this world and experiences the results of his actions. Still, he is the master of all; he is not subordinate to anything. That Maheśvara himself is the supreme being that is in the body. This is unaffected by the state of the body. We call him the Paramātmā.

[[Ch. 13 Yoga of Nature and the Primeval being (part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Thus, the Parabrahma is conducting the activities of the universe in three forms — prakṛti, jīva and Īśvara.

yāvatsaṃjāyate kiñcit sattvaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam ॥
kṣetra-kṣetrajña-saṃyogāt (tad-viddhi bharatarṣabha) ॥
BG 13.27

Whatever is born in this world — whether it is a living being or an inanimate object — the instrument of its birth is the union of kṣetra and kṣetrajña, prakṛti and puruṣa, or the universe and jīva. They are both equally responsible for the activities of the universe.
Isn’t the universe of innumerable forms? Therefore, the types of unions of prakṛti and jīva are also innumerable. There is no limit to the forms, hustle and bustle of prakṛti. As a result, there is no limit to the complementing forms and activities of the jīva as well. Hence, there are innumerable animals of extraordinary variety. These myriad objects and organisms appear as though they are different from one another, as though they originate from different sources. Because of this seeming diversity, we see dualities such as us and them, loved and hated. From this arise love and hatred, puṇya and pāpa. Thus was born, the ocean of samsāra. Amidst the beating waves of this ocean, where is peace for the jīva?

yadā bhūta-pṛthag-bhāvaṃ ekastham anu-paśyati ।
tata eva ca vistāraṃ brahma sampadyate tadā ॥
BG 13.31
“When man sees the innumerable and diverse forms of animate beings as the manifestations of the same, single supreme energy — as though they are different waves and vortices of the same ocean — then he will see and experience the vast expanse of Brahma”.

That is unity in diversity.

samaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṃ parameśvaram ।
vinaśyatsv—avinaśyantaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati ॥
BG 13.28
“The ātmā who is the master is present in all beings equally. Inside the body that undergoes changes and destruction, it does not change in any way and remains the same. One who sees that, understands the true tattva”.
samaṃ paśyan hi sarvatra sam-avasthitam īśvaram ।
ṇa hinastyātmanā’’tmanaṃ tato yāti parāṃ gatim ॥
BG 13.29
“One who sees Īśvara everywhere, equally — one who experiences nearness with Īśvara everywhere in the same way — cannot harm anyone. This is because he sees and experiences all jīvas that appear different, as the manifestations of the same Brahma. That is the way to the best state”.

We saw above that all the motions of the universe every day and every second, birth, death and other changes, the interactions between various animate and inanimate beings in the universe are the result of the united working of prakṛti and puruṣa, the universe and jīvas and the body and the embodied jīva. What is the role of the Paramātmā in this constant flurry of activities? Indeed, the ātmā does not have any role. It is without any attachment, and is aloof.

anāditvāt nirguṇatvāt paramātmā’yam avyayaḥ ।
śarīrastho’pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate ॥
BG 13.32
“The paramātmā is without beginning, middle or end. He is without alities or alterations. Even if he is present in the body amidst its various attributes, he does not perform anything. Nothing attaches to him”.

The interactions between kṣetra and kṣetrajña, etc. described above, are for prakṛti and jīva only. Paramātmā is separate from these both.
In the seventh chapter, we saw that the sadvastu is understood in three ways —

Aparā-prakṛti or the inanimate universe 2. Parā-prakṛti or the animate energy 3. Parabrahma, which is the shelter for both the prakṛtis, and is yet different from both of them.

Let us recall those sentences again.

Bhūmir-āpo’nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhir-eva ca।
Ahaṅkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtir-aṣṭadhā ॥
BG 7.4

apareyam ॥

This is the physical nature. It is inanimate. Ātmā or energy is separate from this.

Itastvanyāṃ prakṛtiṃ viddhi me parāṃ ।
jīvabhūtāṃ (mahābāho) yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat ॥
BG 7.5

This is the part of Bhagavān’s prakṛti that is animate.

Ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas-tathā ।
mayi sarvam idaṃ protaṃ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva ॥
BG 7.6

This is the nature of paramātmā, the thread that holds all these together.

Thus the supreme being is understood as —

The universe made of five elements 2. Jīvātmā 3. Paramātmā.

Thus, we think that the real or sadvastu is one or many. How do we get this understanding? Where is the source of this jñāna?
When we set out to learn a subtle and deep matter, it is easier if we start from a direct and perceptible concept and then move towards more subtle and abstract thoughts. Therefore, the Svāmī starts with the following —

idaṃ śarīraṃ kaunteya kṣetram ityabhidhīyate ॥ - BG 13.2 2. etad yo vetti taṃ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad-vidaḥ ॥ - BG 13.2 3. kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata । - BG 13.3

As we saw above, the subject here is of the body, the embodied jīva, and paramātmā. We shall look at these from the point of view of acquiring knowledge. Initially, “idaṃ śarīraṃ” — this body — is kṣetra, fundamental, base, field. All growth and prosperity starts from there. There is no jīva without the body. The instrument that is the body has three sheaths — sthūla, sūkṣma and laiṅga. The ātmā resides inside these as jīva. Thus, the most fundamental object that is necessary for the sustenance of all animate objects is the body. That is prakṛti. The aparā-prakṛti is the womb and paramātmā is the seed.

etad-yonīni bhūtāni ॥ (BG 7.6)
bījaṃ māṃ sarva-bhūtānām ॥ (BG 7.10)

Prakṛti is the womb; paramātmā is the seed. Prakṛti is the field where the plant of samsāra grows; paramātmā is the kṣetrajña or the farmer.
The jīvātmā was called the dehī, or the one who resides in the body. Now the word kṣetrajña is used. What is the difference? The difference is in the suffix “jña” (*jña - avabodhane,*to know, comprehend, understand). In the word “dehī”, the action of knowing is not stated. “Jña” means one who knows. One who thinks that “this field is mine; I rule over it; this is how it has to be ruled”, is kṣetrajña — the ātmā who is present inside the jīva.

kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata ॥ (13.2)

Here kṣetra is the first object and kṣetrajña is the second. Knowledge is only possible when there are two objects. The activity of knowing needs two objects — the knower and the known. The knower is jñātṛ, the known is jñeya. If we stick to the words jñātā and jñeya, we can discuss the subject quickly without the strain of too many words.

How does the jñātā understand the jñeya? This is an important topic. Isn’t jñāna the relationship that is established between two objects through the activity of the mind and the intellect? What is the instrument that establishes this relationship? Now suppose I sit in the building of the Gokhale institute and talk to someone who is sitting in the Akashavani building. The relationship between us is established by the telephone wire between us. Let us call this instrument that transmits sound from me to him and back from him to me as the communicator. The communicator makes something known. The wire is attached to both sides and is equally related to both. In our present discussion, the body is the kṣetra and the ātmā is the kṣetrajña. If the ātmā has to understand the body, there should be a communicating cord between them. Which is that? The communicator should belong to both sides, should be equanimous towards both and should engulf both. What is this between the body and the jīva? That is the paramātmā.

Let us see another example. I am speaking now. You are all listening kindly. What is the communicator between us? “Sound” is not enough. If I speak Greek or Latin, only meaningless sounds will reach you. Then, the sound starting from my lips will reach your ears, but cannot reach your minds. My purpose will not be fulfilled if there is no communicator between my mind and yours. Kannada is that communicator. Kannada is the equal instrument for us both. Therefore it can establish a relationship between two minds. Therefore, common language is our communicator.

Similarly, what is the communicator between the kṣetra and the kṣetrajña, that is equally disposed towards both of them? That is the energy of the ātmā. Since this energy - the ātmacaitanya is equally disposed towards both sides, a kṣetrajña can know his kṣetra and also other kṣetras and kṣetrajñas. This is the meaning of the following line from the seventh chapter —

ṃayi sarvamidaṃ protaṃ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva ॥ (BG 7.7)

A thread strings beads of various shapes and colors and creates a necklace out of them. If the thread breaks, the beads will be strewn every which way. The various aspects of the universe are similarly arranged. The thread that strings them is paramātmā, and is the communicator that establishes the relationship of knowledge between them. Therefore, the śāstras call it the “sūtrātama”.
There are three concepts to keep in mind here.

kṣetra — which is the prakṛti of the universe 2. kṣetrajña — which is the jīvatma 3. paramātma, The thread that extends equally amongst all kṣetras and kṣetrajñas

Bhagavān has given the description of all the above. Let us first look at prakṛti.

Mahā-bhūtāny-ahaṅkāro buddhir-avyaktam-eva ca ।
indriyāṇi daśaikaṃ ca paṃca cendriya-gocarāḥ ॥
BG 13.6

These are twenty four objects together —
The five elements — (1) Earth, (2) Water, (3) Fire, (4) Air and (5) ākāśa
(6) ahaṇkāra (the concept of I, ego)
(7) buddhi
(8) avyakta (prakṛti that is in reserve — the creative energy that is hidden and beyond our imagination)
The five sense organs — (9) eyes (10) ears (11) Nose (12) tongue (13) skin
The five organs of action — (14) speech (15) hands (16) legs (17) anus (18) The gonads
(19) The manas, which is beyond senses
The five senses (20) sound (21) touch (22) sight (23) taste and (24) smell.

Here, Bhagavān lists the constituents of the type of prakṛti that is kṣetra. Among them, avyakta is one. Of the others, some — like the five elements, are perceptible by everyone, whereas some — like love and hatred — are understood only by experience. “Avyakta” belongs to neither category. What is it?
Avyakta is something that is not manifest. It is reality that is not clear. It is the hidden energy that is invisible in spite of existing, that exists in spite of being invisible. We can call that as the hidden treasure, the reserve of the energy of the Brahma. Let us see a couple of examples. We all see water daily. We have seen lakes and wells. But when we stand in front of the Jog falls or look at the ocean, we experience an extraordinary feeling that is not felt when a lake or a well is seen. The capability to bring about such a reaction in us exists in the waters of lakes and wells, but is avyakta. It becomes perceptible when it is seen amassed in the waters of rivers and seas.

[[Ch. 13 Yoga of Nature and the Primeval being (part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

The object that is water, is H₂O for a chemist, and ambrosia for a thirsty man. The satiating and refreshing potential imperceptible in hydrogen and oxygen was perceived by the mind of a thirsty man when they together touched his tongue.
Beauty is also the perceived state of “avyakta”. Eyes, ears, mouth, nose, cheeks and hair — these are present for all faces. All bodies are equally made of skin, blood vessels and bones to a surgeon. A chemist does not see the difference in the physical makeup of one person from that of another. Can a connoisseur of beauty accept this? A face is beautiful if it has a quality that transcends that of organs, something that cannot be obtained by the analysis of a mere surgeon or a chemist; otherwise it is ugly. That quality might be a kind of brightness, movement, or expression. A frowning face might become gracious and pleasant on seeing someone. A plain face may appear beautiful to someone; it is the good fortune of the seer! The beauty that was hitherto imperceptible becomes known to the inner workings of the beholder’s mind.
This, then, is avyakta. It remains hidden always and shows itself and influences us from time to time. It is the innermost motion of prakṛti.
To the innumerable avyaktas we see in the world, we can add the results of the development of human intellect. Steam power, petroleum energy, electricity were not known — were avyakta — a couple of hundred years ago. As human intellect developed and spread, scientific research was accelerated, it discovered and honed the “avyakta” energies and made them clearly perceptible. Train, ship, car, aeroplane, the Sputnik — all these are examples of avyakta manifesting in front of us.
Sweetness is avyakta in a raw mango. As time goes by, sweetness gradually expresses itself. Taste and digestibility are avyakta in freshly harvested rice. The same rice becomes tasty and easily digestible in a few months.
Thus, avyakta is that quality of prakṛti that is hidden in the beginning and shows itself as time goes by. We can call it the root—prakṛti, or the embryo—state of prakṛti.

avyaktād-vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ॥
BG 8.18

Avyakta is the immense, unfathomable energy of prakṛti that lays hidden. The world is forever new because of it. It can also be described as the energy of prakṛti that rejuvenates the universe.
There are other inner workings and experiences that should be added to the twenty four concepts listed above.

icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ saṅghātaś-cetanā dhṛtiḥ ॥
BG 13.7

Saṇghāta means a collection or a cluster, the various functions that happen along with the body. Cetanā is the energy that courses through the limbs. Dhṛti means steadfastness towards a motive.

etat kṣetraṃ samāsena savikāram (udāhṛtam) ॥
BG 13.7

Thus, after the forms and attributes of the body are described — before the characteristics of the paramātmā who gives the jīvātmā the ability to know him are described — Bhagavān elucidates the preparation required for such knowledge. This is because the knowledge of ātmā and Brahma will remain mere phrases for someone who does not undergo spiritual instruction and internal purification; they can never be an experienced truth to him.
Among the preparations, some are dos and some are don’ts. Some are thus —

amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṃsā kṣāntir-ārjavaṃ ।
ācāryopāsanaṃ śaucaṃ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ ॥
BG 13.8

Amānitva: Pride means to think of oneself as the best, and gives rise to arrogance. Amānitva is giving it up. That is humility, and willingness to be led.
Adambhitva: the desire to show off one’s own qualities and possessions that are deemed valuable by others is dambha. This should be given up.
Ahiṃsā, kṣamāguṇa, ārjava — mean that one’s conduct is not crooked, but is simple and straightforward. Performing service to the Guru, maintaining purity of body and mind, steadfastness, giving up impulsiveness and never being distracted and inattentive, not hankering after carnal pleasures and not thinking only of oneself all the time, not being captivated by wives and children or land and wealth, not swaying according to one’s own whims — these are some don’ts.
Dos are as follows —

Mayi cānanya-yogena bhaktir-avyabhicāriṇī ।
BG 13.11

Devotion to nothing else but Bhagavān, being away from worldly flurry and tumult, practising silence and solitude.

adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṃ tattva-jñānartha-darśanam ।
etad-jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṃ yad-ato’nyathā ॥
BG 13.12

Here, “jñānam” is the means to knowledge, the device through which knowledge is obtained. What is meant by “tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam”? The meaning of jñāna-nityatva (or niṣṭhatva) may be understood as firmly rooted in knowledge or proficiency in learning. What does “artha-darśanam” mean? It means the direct experience of the meaning of the subject being learnt, bringing the concepts learnt by the buddhi into daily life and practising it. Reciting verses and explaining their meaning is not experiencing it. It is not enough if Philosophy is outwards, it should make one look inwards.
If someone asks us to prove philosophical concepts and to show evidence about the existence of Brahma, we should show the above list and ask them what qualities among them they have practised. If they have not passed the above exam, let them prepare themselves first. Of what use are spectacles to someone whose eyes are bandaged because of disease?

locanābhyāṃ vihīnasya darpaṇaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati?
[To a blind man what use would a mirror serve?]
(Hitopadeśa)

The qualities of amānitva, adambhitva and ārjava are not easy to follow. We miss our steps because of transgressions that might appear small and insignificant. A man who commits a colossal offence might attain sadgati sooner. Ravana and Hiraṇyakaśipu were released quickly of their mortal coils. We are scared of committing big crimes, but overlook small snafus. We easily lie in small matters, and think that they will not affect anyone. Small corruptions deform the jīva and crumple it. The jīva is like a string. It can be easily bent, but cannot be straightened again with the same ease. The jīva is like paper; it is easy to fold it, but it is difficult to get rid of the creases. Those who want to experience paramātmā should first lose their crookedness and deformities. The don’ts in the above list demand long and careful practice. If we want to understand the supreme tattva, we should first make our jīva get rid of its bad habits. Therefore, the first step to philosophy is self-examination and self-inquiry.
After explaining the devices to obtain knowledge comes the description of that which has to be known — jñeya. What is that? It is the basis of all knowledge that principle which is known as paramātmā. Svāmī now alludes to it. It is only an allusion, not description. It is so subtle that description and explanation are impossible —

sūkṣmatvāt tad-avijñeyam ॥
BG 13.16

We saw in the chapter of karmayoga —

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni karmāṇi ॥
(BG 3.27)
guṇā guṇeṣu vartante ॥
(BG 3.28)

On the one hand are the qualities of prakṛti, visible externally. On the other hand are past notions and perceptions, and inclinations internal to oneself. Life in the universe is constant engagement and skirmish between these two. The ātmā is an impartial witness.

yathā sarvagataṃ saukṣmyāt ākāśaṃ nopalipyate ।
sarvatrā-vasthito dehe tathā’’tmā nopalipyate ॥
BG 13.33
Ākāśa, even though it subtly pervades everything everywhere, is not touched by anything. In the same way, even when ātmā is present in all bodies, it is not affected by any aspect or activity of any part of the body.
yathā prakāśayaty-ekaḥ kṛtsnaṃ lokam imaṃ raviḥ ।
kṣetraṃ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṃ prakāśayati bhārata ॥
BG 13.34
“Just as one Sun lights up the whole world (even if he touches it, it cannot touch him), the kṣetrī (ātmā) lights up everything by virtue of its energy; still it is not affected by it”.

Let us summarize and recall the points in our discussion so far. They are four.

Prakṛti: The material of the universe that is made of the five elements, it shelters other aspects; the body and its attributes; by itself it is inanimate. 2. Jīva: It is the animate aspect that lives in the inanimate universe, and consumes the fruit of its actions, and it is directed by the guṇa-triad. 3. Īshvara: It is present in all inanimate energies and is also present externally as an authoritative factor, and rules over the universe and the jīva. It is the thread on which the universe and jīvas are strung together. This is called kārya-brahma or the śabala-brahma. 4. Parabrahma: It is that, whose tiniest part of energy is the cause of all the activities of the universe, from whose immeasurable sunlight one single ray sustains life in all universe — that eternal and fundamental energy. This is also called kāraṇa-brahma or śuddha-brahma.

Thus, there are four aspects to the para-tattva. These four do not have any beginning. The former among them pales in front of the latter. From the first three arises saṃsāra which deviates from Brahma. When the jīva meets Brahma, that saṃsāra ceases to be experienced. A person who knows Brahma looks at saṃsāra as a playful sport rather than a laborious task that has been imposed upon him. That is, even though all the above four are without any beginning, the attachment of the first three to saṃsāra is not eternal. The dominance of the first three is ended by the fourth.

ya evaṃ vetti puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca guṇaiḥ saha ।
sarvathā vartamāno’pi na sa bhūyo’bhijāyate ॥
BG 13:24
“One who has understood the nature of the jīva (puruṣa), and the qualities of prakṛti, is not born again whatever condition he may be in; that is, he is selfless and without ego and therefore he is free of worldly bondage”.
dhyānenātmani paśyanti kecid-ātmanam ātmanā ।
anye sāṅkhyena yogena karma-yogena cāpare ॥
BG 13.25
“Some comprehend the paramātmā by practising dhyāna; some through their manas; yet others by applying their buddhi to analyse the universe and other such exercises of sāṇkhya-yoga, and others by practising karma-yoga”.
anye tvevamajānantaḥ śrutvā’nyebhya upāsate ।
te’pi cāti-tarantyeva mṛtyaṃ śruti-parāyaṇāḥ ॥
BG 13.26
“Even if those who are not capable of gaining the knowledge of ātmā by meditation or intellect or karma listen and learn from others (say, from gurus or friends) of its greatness and splendour, they will also cross this mortal universe”.

Devoted practice is more important than anything else. The meaning of the Saṃskṛta word “upāsana” is to be near. We saw the word “samakṣatābhyāsa” earlier — that is upāsanā. When the mind always dwells near the object of love and devotion, that is upāsanā. “Hājar bhāṣi” — practice of the presence of God — that is upāsanā.
As devotion towards Bhagavān grows, the yearning for worldly experiences lessens and the experience of Brahma floods our being.

Puruṣa-prakṛtiyar-āḍuva ।
Sarasada nadi jīva-vasati tannātmavan-ār ॥
parisaradiṃ pratyekisi ।
nirupādhiyoḻ-irisal-aritano muktanavaṃ ॥

The river where sport puruṣa and prakṛti
Is the dwelling of all beings — one who separates
His ātmā from the surrounding chaos and
Lies it in the Brahma, free he is.

Summary

kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñaṃ prabhu- ।
vī tryaṃśagaḻa svarūpa-saṃbaṃdhagaḻaṃ ॥
nistriguṇa-paramātmavanuṃ ।
vistāradi peḻvudī trayodaśa-Gītāṃ ॥

Kṣetra, kṣetrajña and Īśvara
The nature and relationship of these three,
Are explained in song thirteenth, along with
paramātmā who doesn’t have any of the qualities three.

mānavāṃtarbahiśceṣṭā-marma-paṇḍitan-acyutaṃ ।
nyūnādhikyaṃgaḻaṃ Kṛṣṇaṃ saṃskarikke-mmoḻāvagaṃ ॥

Acyuta, the wise who knows the deep-set
actions, inner and outer, a human secret
May he, Kṛṣṇa, purify the lapses
Of our thoughts, as also the excesses.

[[Ch. 14 Yoga of Attention towards the Mechanism of the Three Guṇas (part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Introduction

vaṃśī-vibhūṣita-karān-navanīradābhāt
pītāmbarādaruṇa-bimba-phalādharoṣṭhāt ।
mugdhendu-sundara-mukhādaravinda-netrāt
kṛṣṇāt-paraṃ kim-api tattvam-ahaṃ na jāne ॥ (śrī madhusūdana-sarasvatī)

He whose hand is adorned by the flute, with the hue of a new dark cloud,
He who’s dressed in a yellow garment, with ruddy lips resembling the bimba fruit,
With an innocent moon-like handsome face, the lotus-eyed,
Kṛṣṇa – beyond him, I do not know of any other reality.

Note

pitta kapha vāta dhātu
vyatyāsaṃgaḻgè dehamèccaraviruvol ।
sattvādi guṇavikārakè
cittaṃ jāgṛtiyè tāḻdoḍātmoddhāram ॥

As the body is aware of the
imbalance in the humours of pitta, kapha, and vāta,
If the citta is responsive to the imbalance in
sattva, rajas and tamas, the self is benefited.

guṇaṃ mūruṃ prākṛtagaḻ
keṇakuttihuvèlla jīvagaḻananavarataṃ ।
tanumanaceṣṭipuvadariṃ-
danapāyaṃ dehiyaṃtarātmanasaṃgam ॥

The three guṇas belonging to prakṛti
agitate all the jīvas all the time.
The body and manas are animated by that.
But the embodied ātmā is detached.

Summary

The reason for the rampant violence and instability everywhere can be traced to the imbalance of the three guṇas that constitute the world – sattva, rajas and tamas. This should be borne in mind by politicians who seek world peace and universal upliftment and organise summits and seminars on the same. If there is focus towards elevation sattva-guṇa, peace becomes readily available. The itch of scabies, caused by an infection, cannot be cured by applying civet oil.

Section 15 /Chapter 14 /Guṇa-traya-vibhāga-yoga /Triguṇa-tantra-jāgarūka-yoga

(The yoga of attention towards the mechanism of the three guṇas)

This chapter deals with the effects of the three guṇas of prakṛti that have been expounded upon by Bhagavān right from the beginning of the Gītā. In the third chapter, Bhagavān says

kāryate hy-avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijair-guṇaiḥ ॥
(BG 3.5)
“Everyone performs their activities under the influence of prakṛti. None is really free of her.”

In the same chapter, he again says –

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ॥
(BG 3.27)
“All works are caused by the guṇas of prakṛti.”
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate ॥
(BG 3.28)
“The guṇas of man’s inner and outer nature act with and react to one another resulting in activity. The seer knows that these works do not attach to the Self.”

Thus the svāmī repeatedly separates out the jīva’s ātmā and the instruments of his work.

In the seventh chapter, he instructs again –

tribhir-guṇa-mayair bhāvair-ebhiḥ sarvam-idaṃ jagat
mohitaṃ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ param avyayam ॥
(BG 7.13)
daivī hy-eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām-eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṃ taranti te ॥
(BG 7.14)
“The myriad effects of these three guṇas have deluded the entire world causing the jīva to not know his own Self. Māyā is the power of these three guṇas.It is hard to cross her, but not impossible. Those who take refuge entirely in Bhagavān can cross this ocean of Māyā.”

What does this mean? The wall standing between the jīvātmā and the paramātmā was built by prakṛti. The three guṇas are the bricks that make up this wall. Those desirous of experiencing paramātmā have to exert themselves in scaling this wall. This wall of māyā is the main topic of the fourteenth chapter.

This chapter is small without much scope for debate or polemics and hence, not much is said about this chapter in our commentarial tradition. That is not a reason, however, to consider this chapter unimportant. In my opinion, the description of the three guṇas is key to our analysis of reality. Plato, the Greek philosopher par excellence, has opined that human nature is tri-fold. Those interested can study this in his Republic. It is these natural guṇas that form and influence human life. These three guṇas are the source of all the actions and behaviours of this world. Without understanding the character of these three guṇas well it is impossible to understand the jīva’s nature. Without knowing the nature of the jīva, it is not possible to bring harmony to the world and the nature of our ātmā will remain distant from us. It is therefore that the svāmī tells us -

yajjñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṃ siddhim ito gatāḥ ॥
(BG 14.1)
idaṃ jñānam upāśritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ ॥
(BG 14.2)

By realising the nuances of these guṇas, all the great sages attained great siddhis and became
similar in nature to Bhagavān.

Guṇa here does not refer to specific human qualities transmitted from person to person or those imbibed by one’s own experience or via imitation of others or something non-existent that was gained via gradual practice. This chapter’s exposition is about the innate guṇas that are natural to us and accompany us from our birth.

We analysed two parts of the world in the previous chapter – kṣetra and kṣetrajña. It is now pertinent for us to understand the amount of influence that the kṣetra (prakṛti) has on the daily life of the kṣetrajña (jīva). The three guṇas are the power of the kṣetra. The svāmī now tells us about the main aspects of the kṣetra, which is none other than Universal prakṛti - the viśvaprakṛti, the stuff of which the universe is made. The first evolved state of prakṛti is mahat. Just as clay is used by a potter to make his wares, mahat is used by Īśvara to create the world.

mama yonir-mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṃ dadhāmy-aham ।
sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ tato bhavati bhārata ॥
(BG 14.3)
“Mahat – the primordial form of Prakṛti – is the generative organ in which I, Brahma, plant the seed. Then happens the birth of all beings.”

In words such as mahad-brahma and mahad-yoni, mahat refers to the primordial prakṛti. All accounts of creation are intellectual concepts created by great sages for the instruction of common folk. It should not be thought that the act of creation happened on a specific day at a specific time or that there was nothing created before that moment. Creation is without beginning, it has been there forever, undergoing constant modification. It is just for the convenience of stating an account that we fix a time for creation. If we were to narrate the account of creation as a story – in the beginning of creation existed pure Brahma – which is the kāraṇa-brahma or the cause. Kārya-brahma or Brahma that is an effect is a later modification of Pure Brahma. It is at that stage that Brahma ’decides’ to create. Brahma that is associated with a will to create is known as śabala-brahma or Brahma with variety. Its power or energy is the Unmanifest or the avyakta.

avyaktād-vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ ॥
(BG 8-18)

From avyakta comes mahat – an undifferentiated, amorphous mass. From mahat comes ahaṅkāra (ego); from it come the five tanmātras (the subtle substrata of the five elements); from it the five primordial elements and from them comes the world.

This is the order in which creation occurs.

mahataḥ param-avyaktam ॥
(Kaṭhopaniṣad)

From mahat proceeds avyakta –

prākṛtam-annam tri-guṇa-bheda-pariṇāmatvāt mahad-ādyam ।
(Maitrāyaṇyupaniṣad)
The mass of prakṛti because of the differentiated three guṇas becomes mahat.

Back to this chapter.

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṃ brahma mahad-yonir-ahaṃ bīja-pradaḥ pitā ॥
(BG 14.4)
Wherever, whatever is born – whatever be its shape or action – its first mother is Prakṛti, just as Īśvara or Puruṣa is its first father.

They are the ādi-dampati (the primordial couple) as well as the anādi-dampati (the beginningless couple). All the couples of this universe are Prakṛti and Īśvara. The world calls them variously as Brahmā-Sarasvatī, Viṣṇu-Lakṣmī or as Śiva-Gaurī.
Is this couple made of separate constituents? Or is it just one principle that manifests itself as two? This is a monumental question that we will deal with later. Let us now consider one of the two – prakṛti that is the kṣetra or the field for the birth of the world.

sattvaṃ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥ
nibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam ॥
(BG 14.5)
“Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, the three guṇas born of prakṛti, bind the embodied ātmā to the body, though the ātmā is changeless. Thus, the changeless appears changed. Bringing the appearance of change to the changeless is the power of the tri-fold guṇas of prakṛti.”

This is a principle we need to bear in mind. It is more important to remember that the bond of the world is made of the guṇa-triad than remembering that the world is made of five elements.

[[Ch. 14 Yoga of Attention towards the Mechanism of the Three Guṇas (part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

What is a guṇa? A certain innate characteristic or natural power of a thing that causes affinity or otherwise with another thing is its guṇa. Thus the guṇa is an intrinsic power of a thing that attracts or repels another. It requires a counterpart just as love requires a suitable recipient; beauty requires a connoisseur; valour a competitor; scholarship a disciple; magnanimity requires one who seeks; pomp and show require an audience; the taste of a dainty dish requires a diner; darkness requires light; sorrow requires one who can take it away; pleasure requires one to renew it; infamy requires fame, and so on. Inviting or repelling another thing is the effect of a guṇa. Hence guṇa is something that requires something else to be with it. The graha-pratigraha^(^([1])) section of the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad 3.2 deals with the importance of guṇa. The relationship between Brahma and guṇa has two sides. While Brahma does not require anything else, guṇa is that which requires another for its existence. From guṇa rise the world and this life. The world exists as long as the guṇa exists. He who transcends the guṇas goes beyond the world.

In our current discussion, the guṇa is a natural disposition, tendency or impulse that manifests itself in man’s antaḥ-karaṇa^(^([2])). One could call guṇa an inner impulse. Guṇa is normally translated into English as ’quality,’ but a translation as ’impulse’ or ’propensity’ is better. A guṇa manifests itself externally – up from the depths of man. There are two effects stemming from this propensity –

Eroding of the past 2. Seeding the future.

The guṇa expresses a jīva’s saṃskāras from past lives and rarefies them. Saṃskāra here refers to a jīva’s learning from its trials and tribulations as well as persistent experience and practice. Every jīva carries a bundle of saṃskāras from its lives from its beginningless past and its repeated contact with the world in each of its lives. Such residual impressions in a jīva are termed vāsanas. The natural guṇas expend each of these vāsanas from previous lives by expressing them. When a jīva contacts the world in its present life, its guṇas from previous lives are used to interact with other jīvas who in response express their own guṇas. This response from the world and other jīvas gives more saṃskāras to our jīva. These new saṃskāras seed the jīva’s future. In this way, our latent propensities or innate guṇas are the results of our previous saṃskāras as well as seeds for future lives.

A guṇa is usually defined as an internal quality of a thing that causes a distinct and definite effect. Examples are fragrance in sandalwood or coolness in water. A guṇa could also mean a rope or thread. Binding is a rope’s function. Therefore the statement “guṇā nibadhnanti” (guṇas bind) is apt even in this way.

It is by philosophical convention that guṇas are three in number. In reality, there is no guṇa that exists purely by itself without an admixture of other guṇas. Is there just air in a city’s atmosphere? Especially on a busy public road with buses travelling on it? There are several substances mixed in it – rattling noise from the bus’s engine, dust arising at its tyres, diesel fumes from its exhaust pipes, its pungent odour, and so on. These substances are always mixed in a busy road’s air. Similarly, the three guṇas coexist, and found always mixed with one another. The proportions of the guṇa mixture vary with each individual jīva. Each jīva has a unique ratio of the guṇa-combination. Infinite jīvas imply infinite ratios in which guṇas are combined.

When only one of the three guṇas exists, activity cannot take place in the world as even when they are in equal proportion. This is an important concept. If the world has to be the world that is, in constant movement, two circumstances are necessary –

The guṇas have to be intermixed. 2. The guṇas should not be mixed in equal proportion.

For the world to be dynamic, the guṇas have to be mixed in unequal proportions.

What should one with viveka do then? He knows that sattva is conducive towards wellness and that he cannot escape from rajas and tamas. With the inevitable presence of all the three guṇas and only one of them preferred, the best help one’s discernment could give is towards the elevation of one’s sattva-guṇa. One should strive to increase one’s level of sattva and maintain a higher proportion of rajas than tamas as much as possible. This is the only freedom one has.

Pure sattva, by itself, cannot accomplish anything in this world. It needs rajas for it to act. But even when much rajas is accumulated, it must be subservient to sattva. Rajas should not lord over sattva. This combination is referred to as brahma-kṣatram in the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad (1.4).

brahma vā idam-agra āsītka ekam-eva ।
tad-ekaṃ sanna vyabhavat ।
tacchreyo-rūpam atyasṛjata ।
kṣatram ।
yānyetāni devatrā kṣatrāṇi ।
dharmaṃ tad-etat kṣatrasya kṣatram ।
yad-dharmaḥ…. tad-etat brahma-kṣatram ।…
“Brahma existed first. Only it existed. It created an excellent form. That is kṣatra. Those qualities that can protect even devatās are kṣatra. Dharma can be established through kṣatra and not just through brāhmaṇya, which is pure sattva. If dharma, of the form of obedience of men to devatās, has to be established in this world, the guṇa of brāhmaṇya - sattva, should unite with rajas – the guṇa of kṣatra. Pure sattva is insufficient for this world’s work.”

Let us now look at the characteristics and differences across the three guṇas in this table. This has been described in twelve verses. A summary is given below.

We have already discussed that these three guṇas are always found combined in unequal proportions.

rajas tamaś-cābhibhūya sattvaṃ bhavati bhārata
rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaś-caiva tamaḥ sattvaṃ rajas tathā ॥
(BG 14.10)

“Sattva pushes Rajas and Tamas down; Rajas in turn tries to dominate Sattva and Tamas; Tamas also tries to overpower Sattva and Rajas. This contest between these guṇas results in world activity.”

If these guṇas were to settle down in equal proportions, world activity will come to a standstill. Śrī Śaṅkara and Śrī Rāmanuja have indicated the same in their commentary on the following Brahma-sūtra.

aṅgitvānupapatteśca । (2.2.8)

The bhāṣya of Śrī Rāmanuja is as follows –

guṇānām-utkarṣa-nikarṣa-nibandhan-āṅgāṅgi-bhāvāddhi jagatpravṛttiḥ ।
sāmyāvasthānāṃ sattva-rajas-tamasām anyony-ādhikya-nyūnatv-ābhāvāt aṅgāṅgi-bhāvā-nupapatteḥ na jagatsarga upapadyate ।
(The increase and reduction in the proportion of guṇas and subsequent bondage and one guṇa being subservient to another results in world activity. When sattva, rajas and tamas are in equal proportions, due to their not being more or less than each other, there is no relation of principal or subordinate between them, and hence there is no creation of the world).

People who ardently aspire thus – “Wars should stop on this earth. Peace should be established. There should be universal upliftment” – should remember this. When there is infection in the gut, pus in the blood, and lice in the hair, there is no point in distributing face powder as the means towards happiness. The situation is similar to aspiring for world peace while their interiors are filled with rajas and tamas. Of what good is nuclear disarmament when the insides are boiling with poison?

Don’t ask if peace isn’t needed. Who doesn’t want peace? There is no wealth greater than peace for those belonging to Vaidika-dharma. There is no happiness greater than peace.

pṛthivī śāntā sa’gninā śāntā sā me śāntā śucagṃ śamayatu।
…pṛthivī śāntirantarikṣagm śāntirdyauḥ śāntirdiśaśśāntiḥ…।
puruṣaśśāntirbrahma śāntirbrāhmaṇaśśāntiśśāntireva śāntiśśāntirme astu śāntiḥ ..॥

The above is the daily prayer of Vaidika-ṛṣis. However, such a prayer does not yield fruit with no efforts on our part. They have shown us the path to attain that peace.

śrīśca hrīśca dhṛtiśca tapo medhā pratiṣṭhā śraddhā satyaṃ dharmaścaitāni ।

This path is difficult. Peace can definitely be attained by those who accept this path and walk on it. This path, however, is not for politicians who desire their own victory and the defeat of their enemies which they confuse for peace. Will a person affected by scabies be cured by constant instructions of “Do not scratch!”? Only when the person consumes medicine that purifies the blood and destroys disease-causing micro-organisms will the itch be resolved. The path for those who desire world peace is similar. They have to first cross the three guṇas and bring those with a preponderance of rajas and tamas to the path of sattva. Who are those that can accomplish this? Do such people exist?

Bhagavān said –

“nānyaṃ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati
guṇebhyaś cha paraṃ vetti mad-bhāvaṃ so’dhigachchhati ॥
(BG 14.19)
“When the seer sees that there is nothing other than the three guṇas that performs action, he realises the one beyond the guṇas and attains the nature of Īśvara.”

Footnotes

^(^([1]))vāg-vai grahaḥ sa nāmnā’tigrāheṇa gṛhīto vācā hi nāmānyabhivadati ।
jihvā vai grahaḥ sa rasenātigrāheṇa gṛhīto jihvayā hi rasān vijānāti ।
cakṣur-vai grahaḥ sa rūpeṇātigrāheṇa gṛhītacakṣuṣā hi rūpāṇi paśyati ।
śrotraṃ vai grahaḥ sa śabdenātigrāheṇa gṛhītaḥ śrotreṇa hi śabdāñśruṇoti ।
mano vai grahaḥ sa kāmenātigrāheṇa gṛhīto manasā hi kāmān kāmayate ।
haste vai grahaḥ sa karmaṇā’tigrāheṇa gṛhīto hastābhyāgṃ hi karma karoti ।
tvagvai grahaḥ sa sparśenātigrāheṇa gṛhītas-tvacā hi sparśān vedayata ityete’ṣṭau grahā aṣṭāv-atigrahāḥ ।

^(^([2]))Internal organ comprising manas, buddhi, citta and ahaṅkāra

[[Ch. 14 Yoga of Attention towards the Mechanism of the Three Guṇas (part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

A relevant matter here needs discussion. Bhagavān says that the three guṇas have to be transcended or sublimated. Good. But even to transcend those guṇas, a guṇa or means is needed. Is that way a guṇa? What guṇa is that?

That guṇa is sattva, a preponderance of sattva to be precise. There is a state to be attained by elevating the proportion of sattva. What is the guṇa of that state? Even that is sattva. Sattva is obtained by enhancing sattva. What does it mean?

Sattva is of two kinds. One that is attached to rajas and tamas. The other is beyond even the contact of rajas and tamas and exists by itself. The former is combined sattva or sattva pertaining to Prakṛti. The latter is pure sattva or sattva pertaining to Brahma. When combined sattva is purified of other guṇas and strengthened it becomes fit to attain Brāhmī-state.

The words – “exceeded”, “sublimated”, “go beyond” – do not just refer to rajas and tamas but also to that sattva that is blended with them. For experiencing Brahma, only the element of pure sattva is needed. The nature of pure sattva is described in the seventeenth chapter, thus:

sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sadityetprayujyate ॥
(BG 17.26)

Next in the fourteenth chapter.

guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavān
janma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto’mṛitam aśnute ॥
(BG 14.20)

“The three guṇas are born in the body. When the embodied ātmā goes beyond those guṇas, he becomes free of birth, death, old age and sorrow and attains immortality.”

Arjuna then asked – “Svāmin, what are the markers of one who has transcended the guṇas? How does he behave?

Now Bhagavān shows us a method to win over the three guṇas and transcend them:

prakāśaṃ cha pravṛittiṃ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍava
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati ॥
(BG 14.22)
“Illumination is sattva; action is rajas and delusion is tamas. The knower does not hate any of these guṇas when they operate around him. He does not seek out any of them when they are absent.”

udāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyate
guṇā vartanta ity-evaṃ yo’vatiṣṭhati neṅgate ॥
(BG 14.23)

He appears udāsīnavat (like an indifferent person). However, he is not really indifferent. The vat suffix after udāsīna shows similarity, not identity. Being indifferent would mean lacking innate compassion for the world, and without any interest in dharma. It should not be so. If a knower were to be really indifferent, it would conflict with Bhagavān’s teaching about duty from the previous chapters. Can an indifferent person – one that does not accept any duty – have any ordained duty? Duties must be performed with sincerity and interest but with no desire for their fruit. This is the meaning from the suffix vat in udāsīna-vat. The seeker’s mental constitution should not alter. Just as the manas of an indifferent person is unattached, the one who is unattached to the results of an action is a knower. The manas of a knower is not agitated by the play of the guṇa-triad. He is not shaken up like common people who become slaves to the changes in their guṇas.

Peals of laughter, exclamations, cries, bawls, brawls and songs of inmates are all heard in a mental institution. When a person – mentally sound or one who considers himself sound – visits the mental institution, he considers all those displays of emotion as symptoms of mental illness. Similarly the one who has transcended the guṇas sees the agitations and celebrations of worldly people and considers them as a play of the natural guṇas, an illness caused by them. He himself is unaffected by them.

How does one reach this elevated state? Through constant remembrance of Brahma and practice of Brahma’s presence.

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha
śāśvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha ॥
(BG 14.27)
“Śrīkṛṣṇa is the direct form of Supreme Brahma. He is the greatest sattva without any modification or loss; he is the origin of eternal dharma; he is the fountainhead of unbroken bliss.”

The one who constantly reflects upon this sees all the guṇas, the desires and the agitations they cause, and the activity they inspire as things other than the ātmā. His focus is on dharma alone. By gradual practice of self-control, pure sattva preponderates in him and through that he experiences paramātmā.

Just as the cure for a disease becomes possible only after knowing its defining characteristics, it becomes easier to treat the jīva after knowing about the method of the three guṇas. This seems to have been Bhagavān’s intent in this chapter. Let us transcend the three guṇas through the blessings of Bhagavān.

sattvarajastamasaṃgati-
vistara jagam, adara rucitè jīvakè baṃdham ।
sattvodhṛtiyabhyasanade
nistriguṇam prakṛtitantrabaṃdhavigaḻanam ॥
The universe is an expansion of the blending of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Engaging in them binds the jīva.
Through the practice of remaining in sattva can one transcend the three guṇas
and unlock the prison of Prakṛti’s web.

The collection of the teaching

sattva raja tamagaḻèṃba gu-
ṇatrayadiṃ prakṛti jīvigaṃ jagakaṃ gaṃ- ।
ṭiṭṭā kṛtrimade parā-
tmāptige taḍeyappa bage caturdaśagītam ॥
Prakṛti combines the three guṇas of sattva, rajas and tamas
into an artifice to bind the jīva and the world.
How this mechanism is an obstacle to reach parātmā
is seen in the fourteenth Gītā.
rasikasuhṛdupeyaṃ rādhikābhāgadheyaṃ
śrutiśataparigeyaṃ sarvadā satsahāyam ।
śubhaguṇasamavāyaṃ saccidānandakāyaṃ
śaraṇajanavidheyaṃ kṛṣṇanasmatsakhāyam ॥
Attained by refined connoisseurs and the good hearted, the great fortune of Rādhā,
Praised by hundreds of Vedic mantras, always the companion of the good!
The repository of auspicious qualities, the embodiment of truth, knowledge and bliss!
The follower of those who take refuge in him, Kṛṣṇa is our friend.

॥ iti sham ॥

[[Ch. 15 Yoga of meditation on the root of the aśvattha (part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Introduction

parākṛtanamadbandhaṃ paraṃbrahma narākṛti ।
saundaryasārasarvasvaṃ vande nandātmajaṃ mahaḥ ॥

I bow to that Supreme Brahma in human form that dispels the bondage of those who bow to it, to the essence of all beauty, to that effulgence that is the joy of Nanda.

- Śrī Madhusūdana Sarasvatī

Note

aśvatthadaṃtè jaṭilaṃ
viśvada saṃsāravṛkṣamaṃtu viśālam ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
naśvaramadu śākhègaḻoḻ
śāśvatamadu mūlakaṃdadoḻagidu citram

’Tis a wonder, this world-tree
that is as many-branching and wide as the peepul,
is transient in its branches and
eternal in its root.

Summary

We act according to our whims and desires, forgetting that it is us who have created our own life circumstances, and that it is our present behaviour that forms our future. Bhagavān instructs us through a profound allegory that this world has its origin in Brahma. We are the ones who defile this saṃsāra that is born out of Brahma. It is possible to extricate ourselves from this relationship through a practice of detachment. The one who is detached is not weighed down by the world. The world becomes a place of entertainment for him.

Section 16 /Chapter 15 /Puruṣottama-yoga /Āśvattha-mūlopāsana-yoga

(The Yoga of meditation on the root of the aśvattha)

At the end of the previous chapter, Bhagavān showed us an excellent strategy of the escape from the web of the three guṇas and stated that it was him - the Supreme Self - that was the origin of dharma.

śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ॥
BG 14.27

The first of the Puruṣārthas (the four primary human values) is dharma and the last is Mokṣa - both of which reside in Brahma.

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham ॥
ibid

(I am the support of Īśvara)
The above statement tells us that it is Brahma that appears as dharma in this world system. How is Brahma the same as dharma? The Svāmī now explains.
Dharma is an arrangement of relationships. For any relationship, there have to be two things. There is no talk of a relationship in the case of a story like Robinson Crusoe’s who is all by himself. There is a relationship only when there are at least two objects. Even Crusoe who lived on an uninhabited island considered himself as many and had to think - “My body is dirty. I must wash it”, “My stomach is feeling hungry. I must look for some food for it” - thereby considering his own bodily organs as different from him. At those moments, the relationship between him and his body is through the tactile sense; the relationship between him and his stomach is through the affliction of hunger. When that relationship - that can exist between two or more objects - is as good it can be, it is called dharma. In the relationship of dharma, the jīva is one side while the jagat (the world) is on the other. Dharma sustains both of them.
Bhagavān uses a beautiful metaphor to drive home this teaching. A metaphor (rūpaka) is a figure of speech (an alaṇkāra). The function of an alaṇkāra is to compare a well-known object to a little-known or unknown object to better inform the reader about the nature of the latter. In such an alaṇkāra, if the object of comparison and the standard of comparison are treated as one without any distinction between them, it is called a metaphor. Consider the following example from a Kannada classic.

śrīvadhuvinaṃbakacakorakaṃ…
devapura-lakṣmī-ramaṇanāsyacaṃdran ānaṃdamaṃ namagīyali ।।
-Jaimini Bhārata 1.1

(Sought after by cakora-bird-eyes of śrī, may the moon-face of the deity of Devapura - Lakṣmī-ramaṇa - bestow bliss upon us.)

This is a rūpaka (metaphor) in which all the features of the moon are shown established in the face of Lakṣmī-ramaṇa.

There are different rūpakas such as abheda (non-difference) and tādrūpya (having the same form). Let us not dwell upon the intricacies of alaṇkāra-śāstra (aesthetics) right now. What is relevant to us now is this - rūpaka is a figure of speech that gives a better understanding of something we don’t know. The jīva, the world, Brahma - are all things that are not directly perceived. Bhagavān uses the metaphor of the directly perceived aśvattha tree to help us visualise the nature of the relationship between the jīva, the world, and Brahma.

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaḿ prāhur-avyayam ।
chandāḿsi yasya parṇāni yas taḿ veda sa veda-vit ॥
BG 15.1
“There is an indestructible Peepal tree. But its roots are above and its shoots are towards the bottom. Its leaves are the Vedas. Whoever knows is the knower of the Veda.”

This is a topsy-turvy, root-over-head tree! Look at its speciality! Its roots are up somewhere - unseen by our eyes, unreachable by our hands while its branches point downwards where we can reach them. This means that the branches and twigs of this tree form the entire material of the world. This tree is - avyayam prāhuḥ - said to be unmodifiable; that can never be destroyed; always of one form. The Vedas are the leaves of this tree. He who knows the secret of this tree knows everything.

adhaś cordhvaṃ prasṛtās-tasya śākhā
guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ ।
adhaś ca mūlāny-anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke ॥
BG 15.2
“The tree’s branches extend both upward and downward. The three guṇas of sattva, rajas and tamas are the fertiliser that nourish the tree. The objects of desire are its tender shoots. Its props and roots sprawl across the human world, binding jīvas with karma.”

As long as the three guṇas of sattva, rajas and tamas are operating, this tree stands well-nourished. The shoots of this tree - viṣaya-pravālāḥ - are objects of desire that are ever fresh; making us think “I need this, I desire that” and have myriad cravings. This tree’s props and roots are anusantatāni - which continuously follow, and are karmānubandhīni as well - they bind us with our own karmas. Manuṣya-loke is mentioned here as humans are endowed with more awareness and responsibility than animals and birds. The world of humans lies between the upper heavens of the devas and the nether regions. The human jīva can go up or down.
The origin of the world-aśvattha cannot be comprehended by the human mind. It is not possible for humans to newly extend the tree. It is Prakṛti that has sustained the growth of the tree from time immemorial using her three guṇas. It is only the tree’s fruit that is for man’s consumption.
Let us look at the many interesting features of this saṃsāra-tree. Saṃsāra is not to be construed just as family and children. It is the river of life of the form of birth and death. Whatever we meet in our life journey - all of it constitutes saṃsāra while being - karmānubandhīni - binding us with karma.
Any tree could have been used as the object of this metaphor. Why was the Aśvattha or the holy Peepal tree chosen? The use of this tree as a metaphor is as ancient as the Vedas. Why did the great sages choose this tree? What is the secret behind their choice of the Aśvattha? The features of the Aśvattha tally well with the circumstances of saṃsāra. This great tree has four special characteristics that are the same as saṃsāra.

Longevity: The Aśvattha has a long lifespan. While one of its sides wilts away another side blossoms.Saṃsāra is similar - non-existent on one side while growing on the other. Through the succession of offspring, it is long-lived as well. 2. Widespread: The branches, the roots and props of the Aśvattha extend in all directions for a long distance. The branches of saṃsāra too extend afar from hither to thither. 3. Many knotted: The props and the branches of the Aśvattha are knotted and braided haphazardly. Saṃsāra similarly is knotty in its numerous narrow and arduous circumstances that arise due to the push and pull of relationships. 4. Nourishes many: The Aśvattha gives refuge to many insects and birds and protects them. Saṃsāra too protects and nourishes many relatives, friends, guests, strangers, and those who come in contact with us through their professions and trades.

Thus the comparison is quite apt. This is an ancient metaphor described in the Yajurāraṇyaka as follows.

ūrdhvamūlamavākśākham । vṛkṣaṃ yo veda samprati । na sa jātu janaḥ śraddadhyāt । mṛtyurmā mārayāditiḥ ।
-Taittirīyāraṇyaka 1.11.5
“The one who knows the secret of the tree with its roots at the top and branches at the bottom will not be afraid that death might strike him. This is because he knows that the tree’s roots lie in eternal Brahma-consciousness.”

Bhagavān’s statement echoes the same. The one who knows that the world originates in Brahma does not need to fear death. There is no need to fear for the tree’s existence just because a branch dries and falls off. Likewise, there is no danger to the primordial consciousness because of one man’s death. A jñānī thus has realised the eternality of the ātmā. This indeed is the essence of statements from the second chapter such as “nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi”, “acchedyo’yamadāhyo’yam.” The same is taught in the Upaniṣads as well. The Kaṭhopaniṣad is clear about this.

ūrdhvamūlo’vākśākha eṣo’śvatthaḥ sanātanaḥ ।
tadeva śukraṃ tad brahma tadevāmṛtamucyate ॥
tasmiṃllokāḥ śritāḥ sarve tadu nātyeti kaścana ॥
Kaṭhopaniṣad 2.3.1
“The roots are above and the shoots below. This aśvattha is eternal. That is the light. That indeed is Brahma. That indeed is immortal. All the worlds are dependent on it. There is nothing beyond it.”

The present series is a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. The translators wish to express their thanks to Śatāvadhāni R Ganesh for his valuable feedback and to Hari Ravikumar for his astute edits.

[[Ch. 15 Yoga of meditation on the root of the aśvattha (part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

What is the reason behind the name aśvattha for a tree thus extolled in the Veda? Śvaḥ in Saṃskṛt means tomorrow. Śvastha is something that will exist tomorrow just as it exists today. Aśvattha then refers to something that will not be the same tomorrow as it is today. It is something that changes every instant - something constantly changing or fickle.

na śvo’pi sthātā iti aśvatthaḥ taṃ kṣaṇapradhvaṃsinam aśvattham
(As it will not exist tomorrow, as it is changing every instant, it is known as aśvattha)
-Śrī Śaṅkara’s commentary on Bhagavadgītā 15.1

The word jagat means the same as well - something that is moving, revolving, and changing.
The same Brahman that is firm, uniform, and immutable in its absolute aspect, is dynamic, of myriad forms and ever-changing in its active form. Whatever appears to our eyes as something born, dying, laughing, suffering, adventuring, emaciated, defeated, victorious or in one of those innumerable states is originally birthless, deathless, indefatigable, free from worldly limitations, of one form, and tranquil.
It is to bring that primordial origin to our notice that Bhagavān mentions ūrdhvamūlam.
A question here. Ūrdhva - means the direction above our heads or pointing to the sky. What is uniquely great about that? Does not Brahman exist in the direction below? Does Brahman discriminate between upward and downward directions? Aren’t all directions the same for it? The answer is as follows - “Brahman is omnipresent and has no directional differences. In fact it is beyond the distinctions of space. The notions of “above” and “below” are for us - humans. Whatever we consider good or better, we denote by words such as “high”, “head” or “top”. Just placing an object worthy of reverence in a high position brings us satisfaction. In reality, there is no “above” or “below” for Brahman which is omnipresent. We attribute to it an “exalted” or “high” position to satisfy our devotional attitudes. The Taittirīya Upaniṣad states -

satyaṃ jñānamanantaṃ brahma । yo veda nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ parame vyoman ।
so’śnute sarvān kāmān ॥
(Brahman is truth, knowledge and without end. He who knows the supreme space in one’s heart, he attains all desires.)
Taittirīya Up. 2.1.1

Brahman is the greatest mystery - beyond even the reach of speech and mind. If such a mystery has to be indicated, a most excellent position needs to be pointed to. Such a reference in the previous Upaniṣadic statement is - guhāyāṃ parame vyoman. The thrust behind ūrdhvamūlam is similar.
The author of the Bhāgavata expands upon the description of the saṃsāra-tree in the Gītā with poetic flair. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of Devakī, the four-faced Brahmā and other Devas extolled him thus - “O Bhagavān! You are the seed of this saṃsāra-tree which is non-different from the world.” What is the nature of that tree?

ekāyano’sau dviphalas-trimūlaś-catūrasaḥ pañcaśiphaḥ ṣaḍātmā ।
saptvag-aṣṭāviṭapo navākṣo daśacchado dvikhago hyaadivṛkṣaḥ ॥
-Bhāgavatam 10.22.27
Ekāyanaḥ — There is one but one basis for it which is the primordial prakṛti.
Dviphalaḥ — It has two fruits - of pleasure and pain.
Trimūlaḥ — Three roots of the three guṇas - sattva, rajas and tamas. Whoever rends asunder these roots will no longer be bound by the world.
Chatūrasaḥ — Four tastes — dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa.
Pañcashiphaḥ — Five prop roots of our five sense organs.
Ṣaḍātmā — Six characteristic qualities - hunger, thirst, fatigue, delusion, old age and death.
Saptatvak — Seven types of bark — skin, blood, flesh, fat, bones, nerves and seminal fluid
Aṣṭāviṭapaḥ — Eight branches — The five primordial elements - earth, water, sky, fire, air, the manas, buddhi and ahaṅkāra.
Navākṣaḥ — Nine hollows or orifices — two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the two nether orifices and one mouth.
Daśacchadaḥ — Ten leaves — The five principal prāṇas - prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna and samāna - and the five subsidiary prāṇas — nāga, kūrma, kṛkala, devadatta and dhanañjaya.
Dvikhagaḥ — Two birds — The jīvatmā and the Paramātmā.
With these two birds is created this huge saṃsāra-world. This is the primordial world-tree that has been created by you, O Bhagavān” - thus did Brahmā and other Devas praise Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

tvameka evāsya sataḥ prasūtistvaṃ sannidhānaṃ tvamanugrahaśca ।
tvanmāyayā saṃvṛtacetasastvāṃ paśyanti nānā na vipaścito ye ॥
-Bhāgavatam 10.22.28
“You alone are the world’s origin! You alone are its residence! You are its caretaker! Those deluded by your Māyā see world-objects as different from one another. Those with knowledge are not deluded and see you as the undifferentiated one everywhere!”

There are many more purāṇic descriptions of this saṃsāra-tree metaphor. Śrī Śaṅkarācārya quotes a few of them. Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself states this in the tenth chapter.

aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇām ।
-BG 10.26

He praises the greatness of the aśvattha which is a visible symbol of the invisible Brahman. It is with this feeling and belief that all Hindus consider it sacred and worship it by pūjās and pradakṣiṇas - even while being mocked at by foreigners for “worshipping trees, sticks and stones.” Even some of us who consider the words of those foreigners as great testimony join them in deriding ourselves. So be it. This too is the effect of the aśvattha whose nature it is to wither on one side while flowering on the other.
We need to bring our attention to two points about this tree.

1. Chandāṃsi yatra parṇāni — “The Vedas are the leaves of this tree!” What does this mean? The leaf performs a vital function in the life of a tree. The leaf protects the tree. The leaf absorbs various nutrients from the environment and nourishes the tree. If all the leaves are plucked off, a tree becomes akin to a skinless man and perishes. How are the Vedas the protectors of the saṃsāra-tree? It is dharma that nourishes our lives and dharma in turn is known through the Vedas.

vedo’khilaṃ dharmamūlam ।
-Manusmṛti 2.6

Therefore the Vedas protect the saṃsāra-tree. From the Vedas proceeds dharma and through dharma is the sustenance of the world-system. Brahman that is the cause of the saṃsāra-tree is thus also the cause of dharma and the śāstras that teach dharma. It is because of dharma that saṃsāra stands. It is through the Vedas that there is a social system. Without the structure of a social arrangement, society would get pulled apart in all directions. We see a similar statement in the Upaniṣads as well. When Bhagavān as the Virāṭ-puruṣa created the universe, the created beings began consuming one another. Bhagavān saw this anarchy and he thought to himself, “Having done so much, I forgot to appoint a policeman here.” Thinking thus, he created dharma. This allegory is narrated in the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad. It is dharma alone that can protect people. That is the reason for Bhagavān comparing the Vedas to the leaves of the saṃsāra-tree — chandāṃsi yatra parṇāni.
Despite the greatness of this tree, a violent statement has been made about destroying it.

asaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chitvā ॥
-BG 15.3

This seems to imply on the surface that the saṃsāra-tree is insignificant, and befits destruction. That, however, is not the intended purport. How can we destroy the tree created by Bhagavān, for the protection of which he established a system in the form of the Vedas and śāstras? As saṃsāra has Brahman for its origin, it is worthy of our worship. Its origin is the excellence of excellence. We, the jīvas, manage to desecrate it, that is all. How do we escape this impure relationship is the question. The answer for this question is — “asaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chitvā”. Detachment is the mechanism to be followed in saṃsāra.
2. There is another point worthy of our special attention - “karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke”. All the bonds that bind us - be they friendly relationships or barbed wires of rivalry - are results of our former karmas. Old actions, old debts, and old tendencies result in impediments, irritations and complexity in our lives. We experience pleasure and suffering in our lives thinking that these are accidental, seemingly absolving us of any responsibility towards them. We forget that all of our experiences are due to our previous actions. In reality, whatever we experience is the result of our old karma. The responsibility is ours.
Why do the learned say that this saṃsāra is beginningless and endless? Because this saṃsāra is the creation of Brahman. What, then, about us who are enmeshed in it? Should we be stuck in it eternally? Is there any release from it? They reply - “Yes. There is release from it.” Those who earnestly seek release from saṃsāra have a chance at it. However, for those who say - “Why release? We like it here!”, Bhagavān says, “So be it. Stay here itself!”. How does release happen for those who seek it? Will the world vanish once there is release? The world does not go anywhere. We are no longer deluded by it, that is all. The power that created the world will continue to protect it. It is not possible for us to destroy it. Why should we even try to destroy it? It is enough to destroy the web of misunderstanding that we have about the world. It is enough if there is no suffering from the world for us. We don’t have to desire the destruction of the world. It is enough if the reason behind our view of the world as burdensome or evil is resolved once and for all. Mokṣa is also the same. For one who does not consider the world a hard place, the world becomes a place of enjoyment and entertainment. Such a person could not possibly desire for the world to be destroyed.

[[Ch. 15 Yoga of meditation on the root of the aśvattha (part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

We saw in the previous Bhāgavata śloka a mention of two birds in the primordial tree - dvikhago hyādivṛkṣaḥ. When there is a tree, there is usually a bird in it. The metaphor of the two birds comes to us again from the Veda. The Muṇḍakopaniṣad describes the two birds of the saṃsāra tree thus.

dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte ॥
Muṇḍakopaniṣad 3.1.1

The mention of these two birds is seen elsewhere in the Vedas as well. Two birds; from afar they appear identical. However, their inner characteristics are entirely different. Their external looks are the same. Sayujā (appearing similar). Who are those two birds? Bhagavān says that here.

dvāv imau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho’kṣara ucyate ॥
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ
yo loka-trayam-āviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ ॥
BG 15.16-17

Kṣara refers to the jīva. It means something that is perishable. Bearing a body that is perishable, performing works good and bad, enjoying their desirable and undesirable results, lamenting frequently, crying with joy, adventuring exuberantly - the jīva is a fragment of the Universal consciousness. It is kṣara - something that can be eroded and exhausted. Though it exists momentarily, it is eventually cast off. The ātmā that exists in this temporary changing state is the jīvatmā. It is a sentience that has entered the insentient. The jīva-consciousness that permeates and animates the body’s limbs, sense organs, manas, buddhi and ahaṅkāra is known as kṣara. 2. Akṣara is the unattached state of the same universal consciousness. It is the indestructible consciousness latent in the destructible body and is therefore known as kūṭastha (unchangeable). The kṣara can act only because of the presence of the akṣara. As the basis of the kṣara, the akṣara is beyond the kṣara-jīva’s experiences of puṇya and pāpa and is a changeless witness known as the sūtrātmā (the Self that is the common thread in all jīvas). It is also known as the kūṭātmā (the chief Self). The self that is embodied in the body and is the kṣetrajña (knower of the field/body) in the kṡetra (field/body) is akṣara which is in turn “used” by the kṣara-jīva. The function of an electric power company is to just supply power. The power company or outlet does not restrict the use of power to specified uses only. Electricity could be used for good or bad. The use of electricity is the responsibility of the user. The power company is not concerned with that. Similar is akṣara. Both the jīvatmā and the kūṭātmā are vyaṣṭi (individual) experiences - considerations that are necessary when viewing each being separately. 3. The Paramātmā is the samaṣṭi (collective aggregate) of all separate sentiences of the jīvātmās. When a rupee is counted separately as each paisa, each paisa is considered individually - as vyaṣṭi. The combined value of a hundred such paisas is samaṣṭi. When all the characteristics that are unique to a jīva are separated and discarded, a remainder is left. When all such remainders are viewed as an aggregate, it is considered Paramātmā.We should understand that the characteristics of the vyaṣṭi and the samaṣṭi are quite different.

The features of a hundred separate single paisa coins are completely different from that of a single rupee note. However, the purchasing value of both is the same. As the saying in English goes, “Twelve of the one and a dozen of the other”, both are the same in a marketplace. However, a hundred paisas are different from a single rupee in these cases - timewise - when we have to count each of those coins out; weightwise - when we have to carry a hundred coins around; and in terms of satisfaction when we present dakṣiṇā to brāhmaṇas. Similarly, Paramātmā and kṣara-akṣara are quite different in transactional or relative reality. But from the perspective of the Absolute, they are all the same. The one who exists changelessly as a whole during all times and circumstances is the one beyond both kṣara and akṣara - known as puruṣottama (best among puruṣas). The best among puruṣas is Paramātmā. He permeates, sustains, and protects all the three worlds.
To use an analogy from physics, Paramātmā can be likened to potential energy and the jīvātmā to kinetic energy. While the former is like the ocean, the latter is like the wave. The substance is the same but forms are different.
Bhagavān has clarified that the jīva is a part of Brahma-consciousness.

mamaivāṃśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ ।
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ॥
BG 15.7
“It is my (Brahma’s) aspect that exists in the world of beings as the eternal jīva. That rules over the five sense organs and the sixth instrument of manas that reside in prakṛti.”

It is the caitanya (sentience) of the jīva that animates all bodily and mental organs. This caitanya of the jīva belongs to paramātmā. When the primordial Brahma-consciousness expresses itself by flowing through transient bodily instruments, it becomes known as kṣara.

Why does Brahma have to become the jīva? Does Brahma have any goal? Because it is impelled by another? Or because of fear? Or a desire? No. Without Brahma, it is impossible for anything to even exist. All of what is - is Brahma. When there is nobody else anywhere, why should there be fear? When one is all-powerful, what is the reason for desire? What could the reason for world creation be? The Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad informs us.

sa vai naiva reme। ekākī na ramate।
sa dvitīyamaicchat॥
-Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1.4.3
“(When Brahma was all by itself) It was not happy. There is no happiness for one who is lonely. Therefore It sought another as a companion.”

Thus the world is a companion that Brahma created by itself. The Taittirīyopaniṣad states -

so’kāmayata । bahu syāṃ prajāyeyeti …. tadātmānaṃ svayamakuruta ।
tasmāt tatsukṛtamucyata iti ।
Taittirīya 2.6.1
“Brahma was all alone. It desired thus - “May I be many”. Then it created itself manifold as the world. The seers say that it did well thus”.
devasyaiṣa svabhāvo’yam ॥
Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 1.9
“That is Bhagavān’s self-expression. Though he neither has any lacunae nor fear, though he is not impelled by any other’s desire or need, he creates the world and plays the drama of a jīva as a sport”.
lokavattu līlākaivalyam ॥
Brahmasūtra 2.1.33
Just as the people of the world engage in sport for amusement, Īśvara does not have any other motive and has created the entire world as his līlā (sport/pastime).

The baby in the cradle enjoys itself by laughing and kicking its limbs in sheer joy. For whom is this activity? A healthy and strong baby, unaware of another’s existence, does it for its own happiness. Līlā is an activity done for one’s own joy without any thought about others.
A beautiful damsel when alone sees herself in the mirror. When we are alone, we enjoy ourselves by singing a verse or tune in our own ordinary voices. The rich man, while his family members are asleep, closes the door of his room to relish the sight of his valuables. Parents delight in lovingly gazing at their children asleep. Thus, contemplating one’s own beauty, valuables and accomplishments without any need for another or without other desire, for one’s own joy is something we observe in human behaviour. The Supreme Brahma too sports in līlā in seeing the majesty of its own potency. What is līlā? It is an activity done for one’s own joy without involving others, without asking for external help, and without any extraneous goal. In this way, the universe is *Brahma’*s līlā. The consciousness expressed in this līlā can be thought of in three aspects. 1. The jīvatmā that animates bodily organs. 2. The Kūṭātmā or the internal witness-self. 3. Paramātmā or the Supreme Ātmā. Of these three, the contact with saṃsāra and therefore the world is only for the jīva.

[[Ch. 15 Yoga of meditation on the root of the aśvattha (part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

Let us now conclude this topic. The jīva has come in contact with the saṃsāra-tree. The root of that tree is in the supreme position (“parame vyoman”). In its lower part are branches and twigs in the form of the world. The higher the jīva goes - towards the root - the farther he gets from the bitterness, all the bothersome pests and filthy odours of the tree. That is mokṣa. The upward journey towards the origin is fueled by the effort of discernment. How, though, can that be done? It is dark; the tree is knotty in places and is many-branched. The jīva has lost his way in it. When he sees fruit, he greedily consumes more than what he can take, and suffers indigestion and other maladies of the gut. “This world is filthy,” he reflects. “I should not entangle myself in it. I should go beyond this. I should go to the root of the tree where these twigs and props will stop bothering me. How do I attain that state?”

aśvattham enaṃ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chhittvā ।
tataḥ padaṃ tat parimārgitavyaṃ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ ॥
BG 15.3
“How does one cut this deep-rooted aśvattha? By the axe of asaṅga (detachment) - the consideration that “this is not mine” that translates to giving up pride and attachment. He needs to hack through the thicket of branches with this weapon thereby marking a way out for Brahma-experience.”

Asaṅga is the consideration that the world is not mine. Who created this world? The Supreme Brahma. Therefore it is not mine. I have to look for a way out of this world. But what do I do about the leaves - Chandāṃsi (the Vedas)? One must use the Vedas and dharma to reach the source. Our attention, however, has to be on the top - the root of the tree. “This tree is not mine. It has come from elsewhere for whatever reason and belongs to someone else. It is not my property.” This is how the Vedas can be used. As the Īśāvāsyopaniṣad asks

kasyasvit dhanam?
Īśa Up. 1
“Whose indeed is wealth?”

I did not create it! It belongs to Īśvara. My duty is that of service only. My job is to build a bench for the root of the aśvattha tree, to water it, rid it of dirt. But for whose joy? For the joy of this tree’s creator. That is how the tree is nourished. When it grows thus, its shade and fresh air benefits many jīvas. My responsibility is to just do what has been said. There is dharma to which I should be subservient. A gardener in a mango grove cannot ask questions like, “Master, why did you not plant the grafted mango?” or “Will you eat this fruit yourself or sell it at the market?”
When dharma is followed, the branches and props do impede us but on the contrary, they actually help us. It is with their help that we are able to get to the root. It is through dharma that we get a vision of Paramātmā. The Supreme dharma is that of detachment.
Another Upaniṣad states -

ṃameti badhyate jantuḥ
ṇa mameti vimucyate ॥ Śiva Up. 7.114
(Saying “mine, mine”, the creature is trapped. Saying “not mine” releases it)

What becomes a binding rope when we say ‘mama’ (mine) becomes a garland of flowers when we say “na mama” (not mine). Mokṣa is a perspective of the manas. When the manas is of one kind, it is binding; when it is of another kind, it is emancipating. The blossoms of the saṃsāra-tree are sweet, lovely, desirable, and worthy of praise. They infatuate us at every step making us feel, “Ah! Such a beautiful world! How can I renounce it? On the other hand, I should make it my own! It should all be for me!”

Many of us feel proud thinking thoughts like - “My husband is so smart!”, “How lovely is my wife!”, “My son is amazing!” We have to be cautious at such moments. Whose is this wealth? Who created these relationships? Where did my son’s intelligence and daughter’s beauty come from? None of these is mine. I did not earn any of it. All of this is the blessing of Īśvara, due to his will. This must be the kind of asaṅga (detachment) that we practise.

The word parimārgitavyam has been used here. It means that one should search again and again. The supreme goal is not easy to attain. We have to return to where saṃsāra stems from by climbing up the path. The jīva has to think thus about the tree he inhabits - “This is not mine. This is not for my enjoyment. Let me be trained and cleansed instead by it.” This is the path towards Brahma.

After this, Bhagavān describes his own nature.

gāmāviṣya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamaujasā ।
BG 15.13
“After entering the world, I sustain all beings with my power.”
ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇinām dehamāśritaḥ ।
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṃ caturvidham ॥
BG 15.14
“I (Īśvara), in the form of the digestive fire, combine with prāṇa, apāna and other vital airs to digest whatever food beings ingest.”

Vaiśvānara is the energy, heat to be specific, naturally present in all the beings of the Viśva (the world). The hands, feet and other bodily organs gain their energy from food. Food is converted to energy through the process of digestion, which in turn takes place because of the heat energy that is characteristic of the digestive system. This digestive fire is Īśvara’s creation.
In the fragment - annaṃ caturvidham - the four types of food are those that can be classified in multiple ways as follows.

Chewed 2. Licked 3. Drunk 4. Slurped.

Cooked 2. Roasted 3. Fried 4. Raw

Grains 2. Greens 3. Milk products 4. Meat

Sweet 2. Spicy hot 3. Salty 4. Sour

The origin of food 2. The method of its cooking 3. The method of consumption 4. Taste

In conclusion, the intelligent mechanism that converts inanimate substances for use by living beings is that of Īśvara. This means that all activities of the world are an expression of Paramātmā’s power.

sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṃ ca ।
BG 15.15
“I reside in the hearts of all beings. Their faculties of memory, knowledge, analysis - implying the discerning intellectual faculty to accept or reject an opinion - originate from me.”
yasmāt kṣaramatīto’ham akṣarad api chottamaḥ ।
ato’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥
BG 15.18
“Brahma is beyond kṣara (the jīva) and akṣara (the embodied witness-consciousness). Therefore in both the Veda and the world, Brahma is known as Puruṣottama (the best of the Puruṣas or beyond all the Puruṣas).”

It appears that this chapter is a favourite of Bhagavān Vyāsa. Many verses here are real Gītās (songs) that follow the rhythm of music, flowing like waves.

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā
adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ ।
dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṃjñair
gachchhanty-amūḍhāḥ padam-avyayaṃ tat ॥
(Those without ego and delusion,
winners over defects from association,
engrossed in Paramātmā, renouncers of all desires,
free from duals known as pleasure and pain,
they - the wise go to the imperishable abode)

The essence

kṣaravanumakṣaravanumā-
yeraḍanumāvarisi dharisi neredirpa parā-।
tparavastupadava baṇṇipa
puruṣottamayogavivṛti paṃcadaśoktam ॥

Permeating and sustaining
both kṣara and the akṣara,
is the abode of the supreme being
described in the fifteenth chapter, Puruṣottamayoga.

mānuṣya-hṛn-marma-samagra-vettam
nānājanākūtavid-āptamitram ।
sānugrahaṃ rūpava tāḻdanīśam
śrīnaṃdagopapriyanaprameyam ॥
The knower of all the secrets of the human psyche,
The bosom friend who understands the intentions of myriad men,
Īśvara, with a desire to bless all, took on
the form of Śrīnanda’s darling son,
of Śrīkṛṣṇa, who is beyond comparison.

[[Ch. 16 Yoga of Distinction Between āsurī and daivī qualities (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

manujaṃ daivāsurala-
kṣaṇamiśritanavana jagakè kaṭṭuva saṃpad-
guṇamāsuram adariṃ mo-
canèyāgipa saṃyamādigaḻè daivya-dhanaṃ ॥

Man is an admixture
Of qualities daivī and āsurī
Fetter him to the universe, the latter
Divine qualities like restraint release him from them.

Gaganadi teluva paṃjara
Jagamidu nija-karma-phalavan-adaroḻag-uṇuvā
Khaga jīvaṃ gūḍoḍèdadu
nègèderal dorègum adakanaṃtada saukhyaṃ ॥

The universe is a cage sailing in the sky.
The jīva is a bird inside, eating the fruit of its karma.
Breaking free of its cage and flying into the endless space,
It obtains boundless joy.

paṃjara-doḻag-uṇisugaḻā
naṃjuṃ jenuṃ khagakke matterisuguṃ ॥
muṃjāgṛtiyiṃ nīnada-
kaṃjade kai sāgidaṃte saveyisu gūḍaṃ ॥

The eatables in the cage — sweet and poisonous —
Intoxicate the bird within.
Proceed with caution,
Grind down the cage without fear, as you see fit.

Summary

Man is a mixture of daivī and āsurī qualities. The human world is the place where he can examine and filter his qualities and train him for better things. Prakṛti influences him with the guṇa-triad and makes him move forward because of the influence of his daivī aspects, or regress because of his āsurī aspects. Man has freedom to discerningly choose to progress or regress.
The path of dharma, which has two main qualities — acceptance of Īśvara and submission to him — becomes visible by the contemplation and examination of daivī and āsurī qualities. Because Vedas and Śāstras are disregarded, the consciousness of puṇya and pāpa has vanished. Here can be seen the seed of various kinds of misery and agony the world is currently experiencing. At least now, will human attention veer towards the Vedas which are the sole means of gaining true knowledge, or towards śāstras that teach how the manas and buddhi should prepare themselves for understanding philosophy?

Whichever way we see, it is irrefutable that the effort of the buddhi is necessary. However, if buddhi has to understand the principle that is beyond the grasp of the senses, it has to work within the precincts of acceptance of the authority of the Vedas. The moral strength obtained by the study of śastras nurtures buddhi’s ability for philosophical deliberation, and accelerates the process of understanding. Human intellect is paramount in the sensual world. In the realm of other-worldly knowledge, Vedas and śāstras are paramount. The effort of the buddhiin understanding the supreme tattva, in accordance with the supreme tattva is always desirable.

Section 17 /Chapter 16 /Daivāsura-sampad-vibhāga-yoga /Daivāsura-viveka-yoga

(The Yoga of Distinction Between āsurī and daivī qualities)

In verses 10-13 of chapter 9, we have seen prakṛti express itself in two ways. One is “āsurīṃ rākṣasīṃ caiva” — āsurī or demonic and the other is “daivīṃ” — divine. Both of these are the expressions of prakṛti. The past karmas of the jīva are the reason they appear together or separately in a man. Birth is taken according to karma; puṇya results in better lives; pāpa results in poorer lives.
This is the intention behind the following line —

śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe ।
BG 6.41

Hasn’t even good karma performed with great devotion and good intentions gone in vain some times? The truth is that even though there are no tangible results of that karma, they are always there. The result of puṇya often expresses itself in rebirths, as being born in good and wealthy families that practise purity.
The sixteenth chapter deals with the cause and effect relationship between various lives. Firstly, the characteristics of divine beings are listed —

abhayaṃ sattva-saṃśuddhiḥ jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ ।
dānaṃ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyas-tapa ārjavam ॥
BG 16.1

“Abhaya” means there is no fear in saying the truth or in performing dhārmic duties. Truth hesitates when there is fear. Fearlessness is the primary requirement for truth and justice. Many people fear the consequences of telling the truth. Fear of what others may think and a crafty mindset that gives a convenient, if dishonest answer to all questions — these are very common in today’s world. That should give way to the trust that one should be faithful to Bhagavān, and he will protect us always. This trust gives rise to fearlessness. We can see this fearlessness in Gandhi. This is the mark of a person who believes in Bhagavān.

abhayaṃ vai brahma ।
Bṛhadāraṇyaka

“Abhaya” is not audacity or haughtiness; it is humble fearlessness; it is the courage of truth.
“Sattva-saṃśuddhiḥ” : keeping the manas pure, limpid and wakeful — take care so that it is unselfish and guileless and always pleasant. It should be as gracious and clear as a stream flowing from a mountaintop. That is serenity. The manas should not entertain doubts and crookedness.
“Jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ” is constant devotion to deliberating about the Brahma and bringing it into daily practice. “I have to understand this tattva, I will perform whatever sādhanā to that end, I will definitely attain this tattva” - such intense diligence and effort should be there.
“Dāna”: Freely giving up something belonging to oneself for the use of others. This is also an attribute of daivī nature. We have seen in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka — “dāmyata datta dayadhvaṃ”. Dama is the instruction given to the Devas; dāna is the instruction to humans; and dayā is to the rākṣasas. Thus, the daivī quality that humans have to practise is dāna. Only if it is there, it is confirmed that our hearts have melted, and that we sympathise and empathise with other beings.
Dāna is a quality that is becoming significantly scarce in present times. We call Paurohitya as “priest-craft” — and accuse them that the purohitas want money and therefore raise such brouhaha. An English philosopher called T.H.Green says that there are many amongst us with good intentions; but they just end in words and do not get expressed as work. It is said that there is a Japanese story about a man who spent his life in tall talks. When he went to the afterworld, he was pushed into a room that was full of people wagging their mouths and tongues. Wherever he looked, he saw tongue wagging in mouths; whichever way he turned, there were open lips and shaking tongues. When he asked why this was so, he was told “Dear fellow, isn’t this all you did on the Earth?”. Green says that we should not speak too much about great things. As talk increases, morality decreases.
Our ancestors have greatly praised the quality of dāna, especially of the secret variety. An old woman in the house would not sit down for lunch, till everyone else in the family was fed, and give up some morsels from her portion of food to beggars or stray animals that needed to eat. That is bhūtabali.
“Damaḥ”: Keep one’s senses under control.
“Yajñaḥ”: Worship of Īśvara. The word sacrifice is used in English. That means āhuti or bali offered to a deity; it means that the feelings of “me” and “mine” — ego and attachment — are offered as sacrifice.
“Svādhyāyaḥ”: Studying texts and treatises related to one’s profession — humility that there is a lot to know - these help cultivating the buddhi . “Sva” here means the study of something related to oneself. For a brāhmaṇa, this could be studying one’s own śākhā. Engineers might want to study engineering texts, and doctors might want to study Ayurveda. Our culture considers worldly sciences such as dhanurveda, sculpting, Ayurveda as upavedas.
“Tapaḥ”: Steadfast devotion that does not allow the thought of anything other than the object of devotion. Just as one has to practice giving up what he has earned, he should also practise reducing his desires and wants, and strive day and night to achieve his objective. Tapas is constant mindfulness about one’s goal.
“Ārjava”: Straightforward conduct that is not crooked or deceitful, and practises what the conscience preaches.
In addition to the qualities that have been described above,

ahiṃsā satyam-akrodhaḥ tyāgaḥ śāntir-apaiśunam ।
dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīr-acāpalam ॥
BG 16.2

“Apaiśunaṃ” means the absence of calumny. Aloluptva means not being licentious or forget oneself in worldly pleasures. This does not mean that one should not experience pleasure. It just means that one should not lose oneself in sensual pleasures. “Hrīḥ” means modesty. This is a great quality. It is a natural boon given to humans by Bhagavān. It is a limiting boundary drawn because of concern that someone may think ill of us. If there is even a tiny bit of good manners left in this world it is due to this quality of “hrī”. It is the fundamental quality that gives rise to all other forms of propriety. That is why it is specially extolled in the Vedas.

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam adroho nāti-mānitā ।
bhavanti saṃpadaṃ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata ॥
BG 16.3

Lustre, patience, courage, purity, not being treacherous, “na atimānitā” means not swelling our affections and pride. Some level of self-respect and affection is unavoidable; but it should not increase much. If there is no self-respect and love at all, there might not even be affection between a parent and child! However, self-conceit and haughtiness are not acceptable.

[[Ch. 16 Yoga of Distinction Between āsurī and daivī qualities (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

All the above are sāttvika qualities. “Abhijāta” means one who is born after performing puṇya. Such a person is blessed with daivī qualities. Whoever thinks he is born in a good family and acts accordingly — one who has earned the qualification to worship the Divine — he will be blessed with the wealth of these above qualities. It releases the jīva from bondage. All this is divine wealth.
The qualities opposite to the above are āsurī qualities.

dambho darpo’timānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca ।
ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya pārtha saṃpadam āsurīm ॥
BG 16.4

Dambha is the display of pride, and conceit that one possesses something that others do not. Darpa is vanity, hardness of the manas. It is the feeling that others are inferior to oneself. Excessive infatuation, malice, cruelty, lack of knowledge, lack of discernment — all these are tāmasic qualities. They are the result of pāpas committed in past lives. They tighten the bonds of the jīva.
Svāmī now elucidates the results of these two kinds of qualities.

daivī saṃpad-vimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā ।
mā śucaḥ saṃpadaṃ daivīm abhijāto’si pāṇḍava ॥
BG 16.5
“Daivī qualities are those that help in attaining mokṣa. Āsurī qualities are those that cause bondage. Arjuna, do not grieve thinking whether you are qualified to strive for mokṣa. You are born with daivī qualities. You are eligible to tread the path towards mokṣa”.

There is one thought here. Bhagavān listed daivī qualities; he listed āsurī qualities as well; he will describe them further. Why did he not mention human qualities? Are there no such qualities as human qualities? The purport here is that all the above qualities are human only. There is no human trait that does not fall into either daivī or āsurī category. Humans are a mix of divine and demonic aspects. This is what the Vedas say:

puṇyena puṇyaṃ lokaṃ nayati । pāpena pāpam । ubhābhyām eva manuṣyalokam ॥
Praśnopaniṣat

When both kinds of traits commingle, he comes to the mortal world. This is an opportunity for him; he can either ascend to better states, or plummet to viler states. In his management of this universe, Bhagavān has given this freedom to humans. The Bṛhadāraṇyaka says the following -

sa vā … kāmamayo’kāma-mayaḥ krodhamayo’krodhamayo dharmamayo’dharmamayaḥ sarvamayas-tadyad-etat-idaṃmayo’domaya iti yathākārī yathācārī tathā bhavati ॥

Since we cannot give a finite list of human traits, the upaniṣat says “idammayaḥ adomayaḥ”. A jīva is full of all necessary and unnecessary qualities. He becomes what he does and how he conducts himself.
Since a human is thus a mix of both good and bad qualities, he cannot be steady where he is, and should continuously move up or down every second.
Plato gives the same instruction:

“In the human soul, there is a better and also a worse principle; and when the better has the worse under control, then a man is said to be master of himself (which is a term of praise); but when, owing to evil education or association, the better principle, which is also the smaller, is overwhelmed by the greater mass of the worse — in this case he is blamed and is called the slave of self and unprincipled.”
(The Republic, Book IV)

The same feeling is echoed in the poem “A Death in the Desert” by Browning.

Man is not God, but hath God’s end to serve —
A master to obey, a course to take, —
Somewhat to cast off, somewhat to become.
Grant this, that man must pass from old to new,
From vain to real, from mistake to fact,
From what once seemed good to what now proves best.
How could man have progression otherwise?
Progress, man’s distinctive mark alone,
Not God’s and not the beasts’; God is, they are;
Man partly is and wholly hopes to be.

What the Gīta calls ‘āsura’, Browning calls beastly or animalistic. Every second, daivī aspects keep pulling man upward, or āsurī aspects keep pulling him down. There is progress if he ascends; if he descends, he will deteriorate. He cannot keep quiet even for a second and say that he wants neither progress nor deterioration. He cannot remain where he is. Indeed, prakṛti does not leave him alone! She keeps poking him with the trident that is the three guṇas and troubles him constantly. Daivī and asurī are both the energies of prakrti.

dvau bhūtasargau loke’smin daiva āsura eva ca ॥
BG 16.6

Prakṛti has placed man on a greasy pole. He cannot embrace it and remain where he is. He should fold his hands in front of it and keep moving upwards with fortitude. Even if he forgets himself for a moment, he will slide down. Our daily life is this dangerous game.
Divine beings do not face this instability. They reside perpetually in the higher worlds. They do not get down from there. If they do climb down, the balance of the universe will go haywire. The sun, moon, clouds and lightning, air and water should perform their assigned tasks constantly, without fail. That is what prakṛti has decreed. They cannot make mistakes there. They do not slip down.
On the other hand, Asuras do not have even an iota of an idea of progress. They do not understand the difference between high and low, honorable and contemptible. They do not even worry that they are inferior and that they might fall further. Such is āsurī delusion or beastly confusion. They are born again and again in low forms and thus spend their accumulated pāpa. They might be born as humans at some point of time and then they might qualify to discern the difference between progress and regress. It is an uncertain future.
Humans have the freedom to examine progress and retreat wilfully and with full volition and use of one’s buddhi . It is not required for divine beings; and not possible for āsurī beings. In this creation, the opportunity to progress towards better states is possible only for humans.
After suggesting this principle, Bhagavān explains the grimness of āsurī qualities — we might choose to think that it is to create dread and alarm in common people and awaken them. Bhagavān did not need to create fear in Arjuna. He had not displayed āsurī qualities. There was absolutely no doubt that he was rich with the wealth of daivī qualities. Didn’t Śrikṛṣna himself say this? Love for truth, devotion to dharma, sympathy towards all beings — all these are clearly manifest in Arjuna. Therefore it is possible that this instruction is for other common people of this world. I feel that Śrikṛṣna had the people of 1963 CE (or 2023 CE perhaps) in his mind when he spoke this. I believe you would think the same if you see these sentences from the Gita.

asatyam- apratiṣṭhaṃ te jagad-āhur-anīśvaram ।
aparaspara-sambhūtaṃ kimanyat-kāma-haitukam ॥
BG 16.8

“What is Truth? There is nothing called Truth. If there is Truth, who has seen it? Where is the Īśvara who rules the universe? This is anarchy. It is haphazardly placed (apratiṣṭhaṃ); the establishment of dharma is fake. All things in the universe are born out of randomness; there is no relationship between them — they are not related to one another in accordance with precepts like “Ākāśād-vāyuh”, etc., or from other lives. If you say there are so many life-forms, they are all the results of lust between male and female” — this is what asuras say. That is atheism. That is the theory of cārvākas.
They do not agree that jīvas are born out of interaction between various karmas, by set rules, and obligations between jīvas and that they are thus related to one another. They do not agree that the rope of karma binds the whole universe within a single sack.
“aparaspara-saṃbhūtaṃ” can mean two things. First meaning is “from the union of male and female”: “aparaḥ+ca+paraḥ+ca” — when one joins another. Since there is “kāmahaitukam” next to this word, we can understand it as a union between male and female. Another meaning could be the union of two completely unrelated things that have randomly and arbitrarily somehow come together.
In ancient Greece, there were philosophers called Atomists. They had not accepted the existence of Īśvara. They believed that interactions between atoms was the reason for the birth, death, and rebirth of the universe. They believed that the nature of these atoms drove them to behave in this way. The energy that makes them move or stops them from movement does not come from the external environment. They unite with other atoms and divide from them, of their own volition. They do not have an authority that makes them do this.
We see that many animate and inanimate things constantly collude together and disperse from one another. What is the reason for this? The atheist says that it is by chance, and that it does not have a reason. The theist says that it is because of impressions from the past. From the point of view of a theist, nothing happens without reason.

[[Ch. 16 Yoga of Distinction Between āsurī and daivī qualities (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

In the Rāmāyaṇa, after Daśaratha left to the heavenly abode, when Bharata begged Rāma to return to Ayodhyā and become the king, Srirāma says the following -

yathā kāṣṭhaṃ ca kāṣṭhaṃ ca sameyātāṃ mahārṇave ।
sametya ca vyapeyātāṃ kālamāsādya kañcana ॥
evaṃ bhāryāśca putrāśca jñātayaśca dhanāni ca ॥
(2.105.26, 27)
Srīrāma’s opinion is — “Just as two logs coming from different places travel together for some time and then disperse in a vast ocean, similarly wives, children, relatives and wealth are with us for some time and leave us. This union and parting are characteristics of saṃsāra. Nothing is permanent in this world, except dharma”.

In the analogy of logs of wood above, the energy that makes the logs move is the current of water. Each river pushed a log into the ocean. Remnants of debts from past lives and the obligations of puṇya and pāpa of the beings of the world have caused them to come together in various ways. Vaidika dharma believes that all friendships and other relationships and all hatred and distress happen for a reason. Materialists (Those who believe in the absolute independence of the physical world) aver that there is no such reason. They say that life is just whatever we directly perceive.

Materialists say that the universe is just a collaboration of atoms; they say that death and pralaya are the dispersal of atoms. Combination and dissolution happen solely because of the nature of atoms and nothing else. The bonding ability and valency of atoms make them behave thus. Who created them in this way? Nobody knows who it is. The universe is a result of their attractive and repulsive forces. Likewise, a man and his manas are the result of the play of atomic forces. After playing for a long time like this, atoms might lose their energy and become still. That is death. Till that comes, whatever a man finds pleasure in, is good for him. Puṇya, pāpa and rebirth are cock-and-bull stories. There is nothing after death.

This is a summary of the atomic theory. It is śūnyavāda — or the theory of voidness; because there was vacuum before the birth of the universe and after its death. It is an atheistic theory, because it does not accept the existence of the ātmavastu that is different from temporary and fleeting atoms. That is materialism. In today’s world, it is a known fact that communists are the materialists, opposing religious beliefs and upholding the supremacy of the material world.

This is the answer the Veda gives to atheists and materialists —

asanneva sa bhavati । asad-brahmeti veda cet । asti brahmeti ced-veda । santamenaṃ tato viduḥ ॥ Taittirīya-upaniṣad
“One who thinks that there is no Brahma, becomes naught himself. One who believes in it will qualify to understand its full nature of the mysterious sadvastu that is the Brahma”.

The universe and man are a small part of the Brahma which is the basis of everything. From where can a part originate, if not from the whole? If that does not exist, this does not either. It is obtained by those who believe in it, not those who disbelieve and dismiss it. Those who say that they don’t believe in a supreme being only regard self-importance and their own pleasure. Those people, who are established in themselves — their own bodies and their pleasure — are asuras. Let us see which peoples answer to the characteristics of asuras, as described by Bhagavān.

kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ dambha-māna-madānvitāḥ ॥
(BG 16.10)
cintām-aparimeyāṃ ca pralayāntām-upāśritāḥ ।
kāmopabhoga-paramā etāvaditi niścitāḥ ॥
(BG 16.11)
īhante kāmabhogārthaṃ anyāyenārtha-sañcayān ॥ (BG 16.12)
“Their desire is never satisfied. There is no beginning or end to their pride and haughtiness. They are so sure of themselves that they have plans till the end of the world. They have decided that pleasure is their highest human goal, and strive towards earning the means required for that”.

Is this not the description of many countries among us now? When we say India has to compete with Europe and America, is it not in this competition of acquiring more and more pleasure objects? (This was written in the 1960s. By now we can safely say that we are effortlessly competing with western nations in consumerism and what Srīkṛṣṇa succinctly puts as “kamopabhogaparāmya”.)
What is the nature of their pride?

asau mayā hataḥ śatruḥ haniṣye cāparānapi ।
īśvaroham ahaṃ bhogī siddho’haṃ balavān sukhī ॥
(BG 16.14)
āḍhyo’bhijanavān asmi ko’nyo’sti sadṛśo mayā ।
yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñāna-vimohitāḥ ॥ (BG 16.15)
“I destroyed this enemy, now I will hit this other enemy. (I gobbled Tibet and am now nibbling at India). I am the master. I am the master of pleasures. I am the winner. I am the strongest. I was born to experience pleasure only. I am the most affluent. I was born in the best family. Who in the world can be equal to me? I perform all the yajñas I desire to. I give all the dānas I want to. I enjoy all the wealth I want”— The ignorance and delusion of an asura makes him talk like this.

Asuras do worship now and then. Didn’t Rāvaṇa and other rākṣasas perform penance and other austerities and gain boons from that? But what kind of worship was that?

mohād-gṛhītvā’sadgrāhān pravartante’śuci-vratāḥ ।
yajante nāmayajñais-te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam ॥
(BG 16.10, 16.11)
“Asuras fancy and perform unclean vratas (like worshipping bhūtas and pretas) that are forbidden by the virtuous. For praise by the world, they perform yajñas disregarding śāstra and sampradāya. It is yajña for namesake only; in reality it is mere pageantry”.

What is the use of many pots of water for a sandhyāvandanam without mantras? There is no food for the hungry; but electric lights in the wedding pandal are bright enough to hurt the eyes. Was this happening in Srīkṛṣṇa’s time? Probably not. Bhagavan knows the past, present and future. He might have seen our times through his divine vision and said this.

mamātma-paradeheṣu pradviṣanto’bhyasūyakāḥ ॥
(BG 16.18)
“They abhor and despise paramātmā which is within them and others also”.

This is the main trait of materialists. They do not respect the existence of the supreme energy that is paramātmā within them or within others, and behave with intolerance and hatred towards Bhagavān, like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Doom is reserved for them.

āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani ।
māmuprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty-adhamāṃ gatim ॥
(BG 16.19)
Such people cannot attain the paramātmā. They are born in low life-forms again and again and sink downwards.

By deliberating upon and understanding life in the universe and by critically examining the qualities of daiva and asura, the principles of accepting Bhagavān and treading the path towards him can be understood. We should first completely accept in our minds that paramātmā pervades everywhere, is the cause of everything and is the master of everything. Secondly, as we have accepted Bhagavān, we should submit to his rule wholeheartedly.

The following three human qualities come in the way of such acceptance :

trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ ।
kāmaḥ krodhas-tathā lobhaḥ tasmād-etat-trayaṃ tyajet ॥
(BG 16.21)
“There are three doors to naraka — kāma (desire), krodha (anger) and lobha(covetousness). These harm the ātmā. Therefore they should be given up”.

Kāma is the desire for pleasure. It is the fancy for seeking, seeing and experiencing delight and pleasure everywhere, come what may. If that is not satisfied, it results in prolonged frustration, which is nothing but krodha. Lobha is the intense greed for possessing whatever, whoever one wants, wherever it/he/she is. Rāvana is the ideal for all the three qualities. Kāma is the predominant quality of Kīcaka; krodha of Kaṃsa and lobha of Duryodhana.
Along with kama, krodha and lobha, moha (impulsiveness due to delusion/or without discretion), mada (forgetting oneself out of pride) and mātsarya (jealousy) are added and called the ariṣaḍvarga — or the six enemies. These six are thieves that hide within every man and steal his daivī wealth when he is not paying attention. One should be careful about these thieves who are within him. Well-being of the ātmā will then follow.
By giving up kāma and others, the ātmā is filtered clean of its impurities. That is a negative action. After this, there has to be a positive action of sādhanā. The way for that should be understood from śāstras.

tasmāc-chāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitau ।
jñātvā śāstra-vidhānoktaṃ karma kartum-ihārhasi ॥
BG 16.24
“Arjuna, śāstra is the teacher that tells you what you have to do and what you should not. Perform your karma according to it”.

Washing a vessel is meaningful if good food is cooked in it. If good food has to be cooked, one should know the art and science of cooking — from watching others cook, reading cookbooks, and by one’s own experience. Similarly, if our life has to become better, we have to know what makes it more beautiful and what distorts it.

Here, śāstra is the collective term for four instructors:

vedaḥ smṛtiḥ sadācāraḥ svasya ca priyam-ātmanaḥ ।
etac-caturvidhaṃ prāhuḥ sākṣād-dharmasya lakṣaṇam ॥
Manusmṛti
1.Vedas 2. Smṛtis 3. Traditions followed by the good and learned. 4. One’s own discernment of what is beneficial and what is not for him — dharma can be ascertained when the above four are together.

[[Ch. 16 Yoga of Distinction Between āsurī and daivī qualities (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

It is not possible for ordinary people to know the path of dharma by their own judgment, without the guidance of Śruti and Smṛti. Their knowledge is limited; the capability of their buddhi is sparse; their nature is fallible, owing to kāma, krodha and lobha; therefore instruction and guidance from ancestors and traditions followed by older and experienced people becomes the basis for performing dharma. They show us the highway of dharma. Any path other than this is fraught with dangers and is not safe.

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim-utsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ ।
na sa siddhim-avāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ॥
BG 16.23
“One who transgresses the decree of śāstra and follows wherever his manas takes him will not be able to obtain the tattva. He will not experience bliss and will not attain higher worlds”.

Because the world venerates śāstra, it protects the world. The end of our peace of mind began when our people started asking “What is in śāstra?” and denounced it as a superstition. When respect for puṇya and fear of pāpa vanished from our minds, they started becoming the abode of restlessness. When educated and respectable people started sloganeering such as “What is svarga? It is a mere toy. What is naraka? A mere scarecrow”, the foundation of traditional lifestyle was hit. What shifted then is now sprinting in all directions without any control. This is the result of giving up śāstra. It is seen in every street in every village. Dharma vanished and law took its place.

From the point of view of the state of the present world, there is no other book as important as this chapter of the Gītā. If life in this world for us has to become tolerable, the first thing that is necessary is the distinction between puṇya and pāpa. Scientific advancement has encouraged the hankering for carnal pleasures. It is on the agenda of the social and political institutions of those countries also. Today’s hue and cry is about increasing the standard of living. Thus, when indulging in pleasure-mongering itself becomes the most important goal of life, earning the objects that propel us towards this goal feels like our foremost duty. From this arises and propagates the delusion that adharma is indeed our dharma. If the society has to be rescued from this great misconception, at least some people should understand the difference between daivī and āsurī qualities and should try to influence people to accept more and more daivī qualities and get rid of āsurī qualities. The daily samkalpa of Ṛṣis is -

anṛtāt-satyam-upaimi । mānuṣād-daivam-upaimi ॥
(Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa)
“I will go from falsity to truth; I will attain divinity from humanity”.

Anṛta or falsity is that which is artificial and not in our nature. Blind imitation of others is anṛta. Truth is whatever that is agreeable to our true nature. Hankering for worldly pleasures and traversing blindly in the path trod by others to attain them, without proper understanding of our svadharma is anṛta and adharma. The wonderful and deceptive splendour of the universe might pull us towards adharma. The Ṛṣis pray that they never go to the side of adharma and that they be established in svadharma.
Similarly, human desires and bonds might drag us to the path of asuras. The Ṛṣis pray to the Devas that they may never stray from the daivī path.

There is one sentence that needs to be explored in a little more detail. That is “tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te ।”.

Authority of Śāstra

What does our buddhi have to do if śāstra itself is the supreme authority? Should there be no freedom for independent working of the buddhi ? These questions have been answered earlier. Let us briefly recall them.
Sense objects are required for human buddhi to do its work. Where there are no senses, the buddhicannot do anything. The manas provides material to the buddhi. Senses provide material to the manas. If the senses do not collect information, the field of the manas is empty. If the manas is unemployed, the buddhihas to be quiet too. Thus, the field where the buddhican work is bounded. Concepts such as jīva, ātmā, Īśvara, many lives and many worlds — are far from it. Senses cannot touch those mysteries. How can the manas enter where senses do not? Thus, the supreme principle cannot be grasped by the buddhi.

Not only that, senses can trap the buddhi. They can distract the manas with pleasure and its attainment, and make it forget that there is a supreme principle beyond them that is worth striving for in our lives. Even here, the buddhi becomes weak because of its slavery to the senses. Therefore Svāmi instructs us again and again to control our senses.

It is not possible for mere buddhito comprehend paramātmā, the most mysterious principle in life. Vedas are the only means to know the nature of something that is beyond senses. The Vedas are the words of those who have directly seen and experienced the paravastu. Without understanding that, we cannot obtain true knowledge. But is the buddhi not required there? It is certainly required. The Vedas do not carry any meaning to someone whose buddhi is not purified. It is the job of the buddhi to understand the hidden meaning in the Vedas correctly and make them his own.

Śāstras help in two ways.
They explain the subtleties of philosophy
They teach us the preparations required for bringing philosophy into our daily lives. Our understanding of philosophy is according to the preparation of our buddhi and morality. Any teaching is imparted according to the ability of the receiver. This is the scheme to be followed to grasp śāstra. The two objectives of śāstra are to develop the right aptitude and propriety of instruction.

The buddhi works in two ways
Understanding the Vedas
Using reasoning and past experiences, critically examine what has been understood and establish the concept firmly.
Our mindset towards śāstra should have two aspects. The first is śraddhā and the second is viveka. Śraddhā is belief. Just as we trust food served by our mother and the medicine given by a good doctor, we should trust and understand the instructions given by śāstra. After that, just as we would remember the food or medicine and their effect on us, we should critically re-examine our understanding by pondering upon the cause-and-effect relationship, and changing — updating our understanding of śāstra if necessary, again and again. This has to be performed by the buddhi. Thus, it does not mean “*buddhir-apramāṇam (*Meaning that the buddhi is not a pramāṇa.)” just because “śāstram pramāṇam” was said. It just means that mere buddhi is not enough. The buddhi is certainly required, but it is not sufficient by itself. The raw material for the working of the buddhi-machinery should come from śāstra — that is the essence of this discussion. Only buddhi can explain what has been said in the śāstra.

[[Ch. 16 Yoga of Distinction Between āsurī and daivī qualities (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

Therefore, it does not mean that belief in śāstra means that the buddhi is going to stop working. In the sixth chapter, Bhagavān himself has explained how important the buddhi is.

buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam ॥

The nature of the ātmā is beyond the senses and the manas. The Upaniṣat says —

yanmanasā na manute yenāhur-mano matam ॥
Kenopaniṣat
yato vāco nivartante । aprāpya manasā saha ॥
Taittiriyopaniṣat, brahmānanda-vallī 9.1

Thus, the inability of the senses and manas are shown. The buddhi can grasp more subtleties than the manas.

Manastu parā buddhir-yo buddheḥ paratastu saḥ ।
(BG 3.42)

Among the human means to obtain knowledge, the one closest to the paratattva is the buddhi. If that does not work properly, it is as if there is no loop in the rope used to draw water from a well. The tattva is not obtained without the effort of the buddhi. What do we mean when we say that the buddhi should work? It should face the supreme tattva — work with the firm purpose of understanding it. That is śraddhā. If that is not done — if it turns its back to the tattva, the buddhi might harm us instead of helping. The crux here is that the buddhi should work in accordance with the essence of śāstra. The main principle of śāstra is beyond the senses and beyond the world. We do not have any resort other than śāstra if we are to understand the basic, fundamental principles. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand what śāstra says. However, understanding śāstra is impossible without the effort of the buddhi. Maharṣi Manu says -

pratyakṣaṃ cānumānaṃ ca śāstraṃ ca vividhāgamam ।
trayaṃ suviditaṃ kāryaṃ dharmaśuddhim abhīpsatā ॥
ārṣaṃ dharmopadeśaṃ ca veda-śāstrāvirodhinā ।
yastarkeṇanu-sandhatte sa dharmaṃ veda netaraḥ ॥ Manusmṛti
“1. The knowledge of the world that is seen and experienced directly (pratyakṣa) 2. The aspects that are understood when these are examined (anumāna) 3. Religious texts that help in the understanding of the Vedas, such as smṛtis and purāṇas — those who desire to obtain pure dhārmic knowledge should depend on all the above three”.
“Only the one who uses his buddhi to logically establish the instruction of ṛṣis without misconstruing its fundamental concepts will understand dharma, not others”.

kevalaṃ śāstramāśritya na kartavyā viniścayaḥ ।
yukti-hīna-vicāre tu dharma-hāniḥ prajāyate ॥
Manusmṛti

Thus, the necessity of the buddhi is clearly demonstrated. The pramāṇas outlined above — pratyakṣa, anumāna and āgama are all the works of the buddhi.
If a surgeon is asked to perform surgery without cutting away the neck of the patient, does it mean that we are hampering his freedom to treat his patients? If we ask a teacher to correct a student without harming him physically, are we taking away his freedom to teach? If we ask someone to donate money without borrowing from others or begging, does it mean that we are preventing him from exercising his freedom to perform dāna? Similarly, if one is asked to be careful to not hit at the roots of the tree of dharma it does not mean that the dirt and rot in its branches should not be cleaned^(^([1])). The purport of this discussion is that the buddhi should follow śāstras in its deliberations. The same is said in a verse, supposedly written by Srī Śankarācārya.

dustarkāt suviramyatāṃ śrutimatas-tarko’nusandhīyatām ॥
sādhanā-pañcakam

It is not possible for even the greatest buddhi to independently perceive the parabrahma that is beyond senses and all understanding. It has to be understood only through the help of the Vedas. Barring this one restriction, the buddhi is free to work unconstrained. Not only that, it is required to work.

Along with the material for deliberation, the buddhi also acquires eligibility to work — only because of śāstra. The saṃskāras, etc that are ordained by śāstras such as smṛti purify the manas. Worldly desires, greed, infatuation and hatred are eroded and sensual impulses are reduced. As āsurī nature in the senses reduces, daivī nature takes its place in the manas. When the manas starts paying attention to the divine, the buddhi becomes capable of understanding the philosophy of the parabrahma. Thus, the buddhiderives even the capability to perceive the Brahma through śāstra, along with the material for reflection.

The buddhi and śāstra are both needed by each other. One needs the help of the other to be meaningful. Śāstra cannot be understood without the help of the buddhi. When there is no śāstra there is no material for the buddhi to ponder about. The object that has to be understood here is beyond the realm of understanding of this world, beyond the senses. If this has to be explained to the world, at least some basic instructions should be there as a basis. Just as foundation is to a building, the Vedas are to the study of the parabrahma. However, the foundation is not the house itself. The explanations and elucidations that come out of man’s buddhi are like the house. Let us change this simile a little. If we think of the Vedas as the Earth, which is the basis of all life, we can say that various religions and philosophies are the buildings that stand on this basic premise that is the Earth. There is no house without the Earth. There is no fulfilment for the earth without houses. Thus, the words of the śāstra and human discernment are symbiotic.
A cautionary word seems to be in place here. One should not consider anything and sundry written in the Saṃskṛta language as śāstra. Only that which has traditionally been passed down from generations as the word of learned sages is śāstra. Others cannot be given the respectful place of pramāṇa. It is true that one should be subservient to the words of śāstra. However, one should also be able to distinguish between real śāstra and mere pleasant words. It is possible to see that some parts of the Veda are more authoritative and authentic than others. Therefore, even within the Vedas, it is necessary to understand the subtle differences between various expressions and examine the other pramāṇas from the basis of the greatest pramāṇa one can find. Therefore, even subservience to śāstra requires the effort of the buddhi. This is why the commentators on smrtis say -

īti-kartavyatā-bhāgaṃ mīmāṃsā pūrayiṣyati ॥
(Bhāvaprakāśikā)

Thereby agreeing that the buddhi has a role to play in the search for the supreme truth.

anṛtāt-satyam-upaimi । mānuṣāt daivam upaimi ॥

Let this be our constant prayer.

daivāsuraṃgaḻa raṇaraṃgavò nara
jīvita-bhūmi tāneṃduṃ ।
jīvamūlava nenedākaḍè matiyanu
ḍhāvippa nītiyè cendaṃ ॥

Battlefield of divine and demonic gunas
This earth is, know that, now and always
Remember the root of jiva, and move to it.
This is meritorious conduct.

bhūvaibhavaṃgaḻiṃdātmava marèyipu-
dāsurāhaṃbhāva-baṃdhaṃ ।
daivapathaṃ dharma-śramakāri-yādòḍaṃ
mānuṣyātītadānandaṃ ॥

The fetters of ego and other āsurī qualities
Make a man forget himself in the splendour of the world.
Even if the path to the divine
Is difficult to traverse, it brings great joy.

Summary

āditya daitya-saṃpad-
bhedaṃgaḻ manuja-cittamaṃ bhramegoḻisal ॥
Vedamè kāryākārya-vi-
bodhanegādhāram-èndu ṣoḍaśagītaṃ ॥

daivī and āsurī qualities confuse
And confound the human mind.
In such a state, the Veda itself is the basis for determining dos and don’ts —
That is the essence of the sixteenth chapter.

kusumaviśikha-tātaṃ satyabhāmā-niketaṃ^(^([2])) ।
rasika-hṛd-anubhūtaṃ pārtha-saubhadra-dūtaṃ ॥
bhava-jala-nidhi-potaṃ dvaṃdva-megha-pravātaṃ
bhuvana-vidhi-vidhātaṃ dharma-saṃgrāma-gītaṃ ॥

The father of the flower-arrowed deity, the refuge of Satyabhāmā
Understood by the hearts of the devotee, the one who heralded auspiciousness to Arjuna.
The ferryman of the ocean of saṃsāra, a stormy wind to clouds of dualities,
The author of universal rules, one who gave us the battle-song of dharma^(^([3])).

Footnotes

^(^([1]))The question “what is the root of dharma?” can only be answered by examining the context, with a thorough understanding of Vedanta.

^(^([2]))Satyabhāmā can also be understood as satyasya bhāyāh mā - the personified splendour of Truth, therefore satyabhāmā-niketa is one in whom Truth finds refuge.

^(^([3]))This was probably the intended meaning. However, this word itself means “one who was eulogised in the battle that was fought for dharma”

[[Ch 17 Yoga of the Discernment of tri-fold Śraddhā (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

śraddhèyoḻamirpudu trai-
vidhyaṃ prakṛtijaguṇatrayāgatamadariṃ ।
buddhi samaṃtoṃtatsad-
baddhamiral śraddhèyaduve saṃsiddhikaram ॥

There are three kinds of śraddhā,
arising from the guṇa-triad born of prakṛti.
When buddhi is completely restrained by
Om, Tat, Sat, śraddhā gives rise to perfection.

Summary

Food, yajña and dāna are three-fold according to the three components of prakṛti - sattva, rājas and tāmas. During all of our life activities, our focus must be on encouraging an exuberance of sattva.

Section 18 /Chapter 17 /Śraddhā-traya-vibhāga-yoga /Śraddhā-traya-viveka-yoga

(The Yoga of the Discernment of tri-fold Śraddhā)

The subject of this chapter is śraddhā that is of three kinds.

Śraddhā can be defined as trust or what is referred to in English as faith or belief. It is implicit trust placed in something - prior to reasoning, and without any examination or analysis. Such faith is seen even among Christians and Muslims. When an object is believed to exist and function even in the absence of any immediate or inferential testimony for its existence, such a belief is known as śraddhā.

In that case, isn’t śraddhā the same as blind belief or superstition? Does it not appear to be against the buddhi’s logical reasoning?

Well, yes and no. While the buddhi has already been accepted in earlier chapters as the most important instrument to obtain jñāna, we have also seen that there is a limit to the buddhi’s capabilities. There are many areas where the buddhi cannot venture into independently. Jīva, Ātmā, Īśvara, puṇya, pāpa, transmigration, different lokas - are all matters that the buddhi cannot address by itself. This is because such matters are beyond the grasp of the sense organs as well as the touch of the manas. The buddhi too, therefore, is away from such subjects. If the buddhi has to enter such areas, it has to be led there by entities that are knowledgeable in them. Vedas, śāstras, guru, and śiṣṭa (learned, wise) traditions are such trustworthy and knowledgeable guides for the buddhi. If we say no to these trusty and wise guides in matters that are beyond the buddhi, we are essentially saying no to an offer of light while we scramble in pitch darkness. In such matters, where worldly wisdom counsels us -

nānyaḥ panthā vidyate’yanāya
“There is no other way towards that abode.”
-Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.8)

only the śāstras and gurus can be our guides. The mental readiness to trust them is śraddhā. Upadeśa (instruction) to one without śraddhā is like planting a seed on a boulder. The instruction to Arjuna would be fruitful only if he had śraddhā in it. So, in order to ascertain whether Arjuna really had śraddhā in his teaching, Bhagavān now - towards the end of the Gītā - bestows upon us this instruction on tri-fold śraddhā, using Arjuna as a pretext.

When there is agreement between śāstric teaching and conclusions based on independent reasoning, there is no reason for concern. However, in present circumstances, agreement between worldly thought and the śāstras is dwindling. The śāstras prohibit travel overseas for a brāhmaṇa; but the buddhi says that it is necessary. The śāstras are in favour of the system of varṇāśrama; the buddhi considers it unsuitable. The śāstras mandate a śikhā (tuft of hair) for males, but the buddhi likes cropped hair. The śāstra necessitates black beads for married women (in the maṅgalasūtra), but the buddhi considers it a primitive practice. The śāstras say that the bond of marriage is unbreakable; but the buddhi says that the institution of marriage is optional. We can quote a thousand such examples. In such dilemmas, what is the path to welfare? The śāstra or one’s own buddhi?

There is scope for both śāstra and buddhi in our lives. In that case, should both of them function in the same spheres of life? Or do both have mutually exclusive areas of operation? This has to be discussed.

When it comes to the operation of the buddhi, it must be borne in mind that the buddhi needs raw material to work with. An expert potter cannot function without clay or a carpenter cannot carve without wood. Similarly, a farmer needs land to cultivate, a merchant needs wares to trade with, and a doctor needs medicine in treating her patients. In short, any function needs some input material to refine or work with. Likewise, the buddhi needs raw material which is supplied by the manas. Sense organs such as the eyes and ears gather information about the world and convey it to the manas, which in turn is conveyed to the buddhi. At the same time, the manas informs the buddhi of its likes and dislikes. In addition to the manas, old memories also influence the buddhi. Thus, the buddhi gets its input raw material from the sense organs, manas, and memory. This implies that as long as the sense organs and the manas cannot function, the buddhi cannot either. We have now thus established the limits for the buddhi’s functioning.

We have seen before that satya (truth) is of two kinds. One is truth that is seen and the other is truth that cannot be seen. The seen truth is accessible via the sense organs and corresponds to the world that we directly perceive. The unseen world is not accessible through the sense organs. It is a secret consciousness that is beyond the world. We cannot perceive it but can only witness its power and effects in our world and lives.

Some of our life activities pertain to the directly perceived world and can be attained by our buddhi. Others are beyond this world and thus imperceptible by our sense organs. The buddhi cannot operate by itself there.

Through this distinction we can ascertain their respective spheres of influence. In areas of activity perceived by our sense organs, thus permitting its operation, human buddhi assumes primacy and the śāstras become secondary. Where sense organs cannot operate and the buddhi does not get material to work with, the Vedas and śāstras become paramount making human buddhi secondary.

Jīva, Īśvara, pāpa, puṇya, svarga, naraka - all of these are concepts or objects that cannot be directly perceived by our sense organs. The buddhi therefore cannot operate independently here. Sputniks and spacecraft that go beyond our solar system cannot touch the world of adhyātma (pertaining to the Self). It is impossible for them to even know of its existence. In that secret kingdom of adhyātma, the buddhi’s activity is restricted to understanding the statements of the śāstra. In that kingdom, the buddhi lacks the authority to formulate new theories and impose them. If the buddhi independently surmises the origin and progress of a jīva and arrives at a conclusion about satya and dharma through conjecture and logic, such a conclusion will be found lacking in testimony, thereby becoming doubtful.

Human buddhi suffers from two natural defects. First - the incompleteness of its raw material. Second - the imperfection of sense perception.
The buddhi’s main functions are the analysis of objects and the estimation of their worth. Analysis requires objective material to analyse. The buddhi cannot create such material through its independent imagination, because it is not in direct contact with the world. The objects for the buddhi’s analyses have to be supplied by the manas or memory. The manas or memory, in turn, fetch the material from sense organs. Thus the sense organs are the messengers that supply information to the buddhi. The faculties of the sense organs are severely limited and are tainted by pleasure and desires. Our eye can see only one side of an object at a given moment. It cannot see all sides of an object simultaneously. Sight can extend only up to a limited distance, say for ten or a hundred metres, and no further. Thus the ability of an eye is one-sided and limited by distance. The abilities of other human sense organs too are similarly one-sided and limited. Therefore any information collected by such instruments is likewise one-sided and limited. Such incomplete information cannot convey the complete nature of an object. Hence the inevitable deficiency in the buddhi’s raw material.

Moreover, the sense organs desire pleasure, thereby subjecting them to the defects of partiality and infatuation while collecting information.

Also, is the buddhi so capable that it can reach the end of any inquiry? No. Just like the body, the buddhi too can become languid or dull. In its partial and piecemeal examination of an object, the buddhi can become lazy, forgetful, and prejudiced, leading to errors in judgement.

[[Ch 17 Yoga of the Discernment of tri-fold Śraddhā (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

There are four kinds of activities of the buddhi. The first is analysis which means separating the object of inquiry into its constituent elements. The second is classification which is grouping the various components and properties of the object of inquiry. The third is causality which is identifying the cause-effect relationship as well as the estimation of the amount of a certain substance needed to achieve a specific effect. The fourth kind of activity is deciding whether to perform an activity or not. After considering its current circumstances, the buddhi helps decide whether a specific action will have its intended consequences, how much of the result would be beneficial, as well whether such an action is suitable to perform. Such activities can together be termed value judgement. But all four of these activities are possible only after the buddhi has found the input material for its work. The buddhi can only analyse material made available to it through the sense organs and the manas. The objects of our world are perceivable by our sense organs. Our buddhi can reason and hypothesise only after grasping these sense-objects. But it cannot proceed with objects that are beyond the ken of the sense organs and the manas. The buddhi has no purview over objects that are beyond sensory perception. Many ādhyātmic (spiritual) elements are beyond the senses. Neither can our eyes, ears, and hands nor can the manas touch ādhyātmic principles. The manas might indicate that something is ādhyātmic. The buddhi can accept it as such but it cannot be claimed that the spiritual is under its sway.
The principles of ātmā, īśvara, and the jīva’s progress or regress cannot be perceived by the sense organs. However, the sense organs are able to experience the effects of such elements. With this experience as the basis, the buddhi can guess and grasp at the nature of the origin of these principles. Spiritual principles are thus accessible to the buddhi but not subordinate to it. Also, spiritual principles become accessible only after the buddhi accepts the āstika śāstras. It is not that the nāstikas lack the faculty of buddhi. But since they lack śraddhā in the śāstras, they cannot grasp ādhyātma. If they had been able to grasp it, they would not have been nāstika. The ādhyātmic principles can be realised only after acceptance of the śāstras. There is no external testimony for the existence of the ātmā other than the statements of the śāstra. Can something like the jīva be pointed at with our fingers and physically be transferred from one’s arms to another? How can the existence of svarga and naraka be shown in the external world? Where are the records to show transmigration? The purāṇas tell us that Prahlāda proved Bhagavān’s existence by making him appear in a pillar. Where are those who can make Bhagavān appear in front of us? All these ideas - jīva, daiva, ātmā, brahma, puṇya, pāpa, svarga, naraka - are part of the knowledge that has come to us from the Veda. These cannot be established by human buddhi. Thus, even for those who would like to inquire after the Supreme Principle as well as those desirous of leading a principled life, the Veda becomes the fundamental testimony. It is after considering all the defects of human buddhi such as doubt and error that Bhagavān Vyāsa declared

tarkāpratiṣṭhānāt ॥
“As logic has no foundation”
-Brahma Sūtra 2.1.11

in his sūtras and has clarified that mere human reasoning is insufficient to reach the supreme tattva. Śrī Śaṅkara’s commentary on the above is as follows.

puruṣotprekṣā-mātra-nibandhanāstarkā apratiṣṭhitā bhavanti, utprekṣāyā niraṅkuśatvāt ।… puruṣa-mati-vairūpyāt । …kapila-kaṇabhuk-prabhṛtīnāṃ paraspara-vipratipatti-darśanāt । tarkāṇām-apratiṣṭhitatvaṃ tarkeṇaiva pratiṣṭhāpyate । sarva-tarkā-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ ca loka-vyavahāroccheda-prasaṅgaḥ ।
“The chain of tarka (reasoning) comes from human conjectures and their extensions. As these conjectures are unchecked, tarka lacks a sound basis. Human buddhi assumes different forms which is why Maharṣi Kaṇāda could not accept Maharṣi Kapila’s arguments. Hence, tarka, which is an effect of human buddhi, is incapable of establishing the supreme principle by itself. This can be established by the conventions of tarka itself. If tarka is not established anywhere, even worldly activities become impossible.”

Thus tarka, a product of the buddhi, is necessary in a few areas and inconclusive in others. In such a dilemma, the Veda is our only refuge.
Suprasensory knowledge can be attained only through the Veda.

pratyakṣeṇānumityā vā yastūpāyo na buddhyate ।
enaṃ vidanti vedena tasmādvedasya vedatā ॥
-Sāyaṇa in Taittirīya-saṃhitā-bhāṣya-bhūmikā
“The suprasensory knowledge that cannot be obtained by an analysis of the perceived world or be inferred from sense perceived objects - the path to the supreme that cannot be gained by tarka alone - can be ascertained by the Veda. Thence is the Veda-hood of the Veda.”

This is the conclusion. In suprasensory matters, the Veda is the sole authority. In other words, the Veda’s primary authority is in matters pertaining to adhyātma. However, in those areas that are not ādhyātmic and pertain only to this world (secular investigations), the faculty of discernment from human buddhi plays the chief role.
Does it mean that buddhi cannot help those who rely on the Vedas and śāstras? No. Buddhi is required in all areas. But the buddhi has to restrict itself within the boundary of the Veda. Can a calf not ramble about in a meadow? It can and it should. But it cannot cross the fence. If it crosses the fence, it can fall prey to tigers and leopards. Cattle are free within the limits of the meadow. The buddhi is free within the enclosure of the Veda. Freedom here is relative to what is to be achieved. If human buddhi cannot act unfettered, the meaning of the Veda will not become apparent.

ārṣaṃ dharmopadeśaṃ ca vedaśāstrāvirodhinā ।
yastarkeṇānusandhatte sa dharmaṃ veda netaraḥ ॥
“Only he who reflects upon the sage advice of dharma with tarka that is unopposed to the Veda will understand dharma; none other.”
-Manu Smṛti 12.106

In the commentary to the above words of Manu, Kullūkabhaṭṭa references the following opinion of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa from his vārttika.

dharme pramīyamāṇe hi vedena karaṇātmanā ।
itikartavyatābhāgaṃ mīmāṃsā pūrayiṣyati ॥
“Only the Veda is the means to understand dharma. The practical aspects of this understanding are ascertained by the buddhi in the form of mīmāṃsā.”

The conclusion is this: In ādhyātmic matters wherein concepts such as jīva, īśvara, puṇya, pāpa, svarga, naraka, transmigration and mokṣa assume importance, śraddhā in Veda assumes primacy. Human buddhi acts as its helper. In areas where the jīva’s welfare is not directly addressed and the worldly arithmetic of profits and losses holds sway, the buddhi’s independent skill assumes priority. In a few areas of our life, therefore, śraddhā in the śāstras is the main actor with the buddhi in a supporting role. In other areas, the faculty of discernment from the buddhi has to be strong and capable to help lead a life that is aligned to the Vedas and śāstras. Thus both śraddhā and buddhi; and hence the vaidika and worldly ways, can be mutually reconciled.
Let us now go back to Arjuna. From the perspective of śraddhā in the vedas and śāstras, Arjuna had to follow his Kṣatriya-dharma. The instruction of the Veda-śāstra is as follows - “the ātmā cannot be destroyed; it is eternal; its complete realisation is the greatest attainment of life; for such an attainment, the jīva has to be rid of its impurities and imperfections; for such a complete purification of the jīva, performing dharma is imperative; by performance of dharma is implied one’s own dharma”. This is not merely an intellectual theory but one of śraddhā in the śāstras. Arjuna getting battle ready is manifesting śraddhā in the śāstras.
With his battle-readiness come issues such as the design of army formations, the selection of a commander-in-chief, specific choices of weapons, and decisions of what missile to employ in response to a specific enemy missile. They can be solved only through the ability of one’s own buddhi.
In short: śāstra is needed for the knowledge of the Supreme Principle whereas buddhi is for its application in the world.
This is evident even in the activities of common people like us. To celebrate a wedding, for instance, the matching of the bride and groom is a matter for the śāstra and so is the selection of the auspicious muhūrta. Charming the families of the bride or the groom; choosing the right menu for the feasts; the list of invitees; the venue of the wedding - should it be the neighbourhood temple or one’s own house? Should money be borrowed or should just the wedding groceries be bought on credit? Should the interest rate be 10 percent or 12? - are all problems that are in the domain of worldly buddhi. It is sufficient if there are no lies or cheating in it. Thus both the śāstra and our buddhi have a place in our lives. Both of these, perhaps, have to coexist everywhere. Śāstra and the discernment from buddhi do not have to contradict each other. In fact, both are complementary to each other. We had to say so much about this matter now because our society is vacillating without any certainty. What is right - the śāstra or the mundane way of the world? Should we trust it, or analyse it independently? Veda or science? The contentment of the past? Or the glitz and glamour of today? This is the dilemma that haunts us. If we have to resolve this, we need to clarify to ourselves what the respective domains of vedaśāstras and human buddhi are.

[[Ch 17 Yoga of the Discernment of tri-fold Śraddhā (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Arjuna now asks

ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhāyānvitāh ।
teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rājastamah ॥
BG 17.1
Some people in the world possess śraddhā, but not in the rules of the śāstra but in something else imagined by themselves. What happens to them?

We often see such people around us. There are new gurus everyday teaching their newer meditative practices. The Svāmī with the perfumed beard, the svāmī who sat for eight days with his feet bound in chains, the svāmī who showers his instructions like an incessant drizzle, the yakṣiṇī svāmī with his yantras and mantras, the mighty and miraculous svāmī - are all adept at attracting the world.

The seer of Sringeri, Śrī Śivābhinava Nṛsiṃhabhāratī prayed thus:

kāśāyavastreṇa karāttadaṇḍa-
kamaṇḍalubhyāṃ japamālayā ca
vibhrāmayantaṃ gṛhiṇāṃ kadambaṃ
māṃ pāhi pṛthvīdhararājaputri !
“O Devi Pārvatī! What am I doing? Decked in saffron garments, holding a kamaṇḍalu in my hands, along with a japa-mālā, and the staff of saṃnyāsa - I delude the householders. It is you who should protect such a person”.

Those words that came from him as an expression of ego-effacement are literally true in the case of many others who, unfortunately, are gaining fame by proclaiming themselves as the redeemers of the world. At such a time, it is our duty to be alert. Śraddhā has a hierarchy of worthy and unworthy recipients. In worthy recipients, śraddhā elevates the jīva while it causes the jīva’s downfall when invested in the unworthy.

śraddhāmayo’yaṃ puruṣaḥ । yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ॥
BG 17.3
A man is the śraddhā he keeps.

A man’s progress is influenced by the object he values most and believes to be of utmost importance. A man’s final state depends on whatever he believes in. Every man is defined by the śraddhā he professes. Therefore there must be intellectual caution even in the object of his śraddhā.
Śraddhā is of three types - sāttvika, rājasa, and tāmasa. Thus, those who worship the devatās are sāttvika; those worshipping groups of yakṣas and rakṣas are said to be rājasa while those propitiating the bhūtas and pretas are deemed tāmasa. Those performing extreme rituals, horrific balis, and intemperate penances are all tāmasa, not sāttvika. Such acts are āsurī, impelled by desire, fuelled by ego, and result in pāpa.
Just as in worship, there are differences even in food and behaviour. The well-being of the body and the mind is according to the food consumed.

rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ ॥
BG 17.8
Foods that are delicious, soft, can be easily absorbed into the blood and muscles, and give strength to the heart are sāttvika.

If one is desirous of longevity, activity, strength, pleasure and happiness, then one must partake of sāttvika foods.

This ideal of food must not be forgotten by the students of the Gītā. Praising the greatness of the sāttvika ideal while gorging on tāmasa food is meaningless. The quality, strength and nature of man are all influenced by what he eats. Whatever be the disease, right food is the first medicine.

annaṃ hi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham ।
tasmāt sarvauṣadhamucyate ।
-Taittirīyopaniṣad 2.2.1

Even modern doctors hold that the traditional food habits of our people are best. Rice obtained from threshing paddy at home, flour from grinding stones, a substance (now rarely found!) known as ghee, gingelly oil from wooden oil presses - are all sāttvika foods. Dāl/huḷi made of pulses, sāru/rasam, obbaṭṭu/pūraṇ poḷi, and salads are considered healthy. Doctors say that these old style traditional food preparations constitute a ‘balanced diet.’ These have unfortunately been replaced by biscuits, ice creams, candies and other foods with unpronounceable names in our ultra-modern age. Preparing foods of yore requires patience in our minds, strength in our arms, and respect towards cooking as an important duty. How can we expect that grand old lady’s qualities in this era of superficially shiny and dainty appearances?

If one wants anxiety, flaring tempers, and fatigue, one can consume sour, salty, pungent, hot and hard foods.
Stale, spoiled, and dry items, and remnants of food eaten by another are the foods of tāmasas.

There are three kinds in yajña and dāna as well.

aphalā-kāṅkṣibhir-yajño vidhidṛṣṭo ya ijyate ।
yaṣṭavyam-eveti manaḥ samādhāya sa sāttvikaḥ ।।
BG 17.11
A yajña carried out with no expectation of reward, a firm faith that performing the rituals prescribed in the śāstra is an obligatory duty, and a calm mind are deemed to be of sāttvika-śraddhā.

The yajña performed with the expectation of a reward, or for one’s own vanity or to get praise from the world is considered rājasa.
That activity bereft of mantras or dakṣiṇā (remuneration offered to the officiators in a yajña) or purity, not following a prescribed set of rules, and is wantonly done is called tāmasa.

Tapas (penance) also is of three kinds.

anudvegakaram vākyaṃ satyam priyahitaṃ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate
BG 17.15
Restraining oneself in one’s mental, verbal and bodily activities, thereby not causing any anxiety, and keeping one’s mind clear is tapas that is sāttvika.

Tapas performed with the objectives of felicitation, honour, or reverence from others is rājasa.
The activity performed with obstinacy and an intent to harm others is tāmasa. Āsurī activity is such.

Dāna (charity) too is of three types.

dātavyam-iti yad-dānaṃ dīyate’nupakāriṇe ।
deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ॥
BG 17.20
The dāna that is made to a person incapable of returning the favour after ascertaining his circumstances and his worthiness and done as an obligatory duty is termed sāttvika.

The dānas given with the expectation of a favour in return or carelessly or without regard for who is receiving the dāna are deemed rājasa and tāmasa.

After expounding upon how the three-fold śraddhā is expressed with regard to the recipients and methods of worship and yajña, dāna and tapas with relevant illustrations, Bhagavān now shows us the path of worship of the supreme jñānī who is beyond the three guṇas.

Om tatsaditi nirdeśo brahmaṇas-trividhaḥ smṛtaḥ ।
brāhmaṇas-tena vedāśca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā ॥
BG 17.23
Designating the Supreme Brahma through the three symbols is an ancient practice. 1. Om 2. Tat. 3. Sat - are those three sound symbols. Through that designation by Brahma were ordained - at the time of creation - brāhmaṇas (those who instruct Brahmavidyā), the Vedas (the repositories of Brahmavidyā), and the yajñas (the acts that worship Brahma).

The above means that all those words, treatises, and activities that are for the worship of Brahma - whatever is worthy of worship and is holy - all of that is indicated by “Om tat sat”. Whatever is directed by Brahma and whatever is offered to Brahma - all of it is covered under “Om tat sat”.

[[Ch 17 Yoga of the Discernment of tri-fold Śraddhā (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

Let us now reflect a little upon its meaning.

1.Om

tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ ।
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satatam brahmavādinām ॥
BG 17.24
“The votaries of Brahma perform yajña, dāna and tapas after uttering Om”.

We have discussed the meaning of Om in the eighth chapter under “Omityekākṣaraṃ Brahma.” Om has three constituent units of a + u + m. When considered separately, they can be construed as representing either the trinity of Brahma-Viṣṇu-Maheśvara or the triad of sattva-rājas-tāmas or the waking-dream-sleep states or earth-atmosphere-sky or svarga-martya-pātāla or energy-water-food or masculine-feminine-neuter genders or day-night-twilight, thereby bringing to mind all the aspects and qualities of the universe organised into triads. With Om - that is the culmination of the three units - we can not only bring the world to mind but also that which is beyond the world. Thus Om is a complete and all-encompassing symbol of the worldly and supra-worldly, the expressed and unexpressed energies, as well as the visible and invisible aspects of truth.

2. Tat

tadity-anabhisandhāya phalaṃ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ ।
dāna-kriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ ॥
BG 17.25
“After uttering the syllable tat, those desirous of mokṣa perform yajña, dāna and tapas without wanting anything else.”

Tat refers to “that” or “it” in English. We use “it” and “that” to refer to something familiar. For example - “That man” or “at that time”. Though Brahma is well-known, it is not directly perceived. Hence, the use of the word tat is appropriate here. There is yet another interesting reason. Any object that has no established name or whose nature is unexplainable by human language is also referred to by “that”. In traditional families, a wife did not address her husband by name, choosing instead to address him by words such as avaru. The husband too would not call his wife by name and would use the words - “she” or “her”. Similarly, it is an established tradition that the knowers of Brahma use the word tat to refer to Brahma.
Tattva can be resolved as tat+tva - “a thing being itself.” The state of an object devoid of all its external attributes like its form or colours, its activities - as just itself - unrelated to anything other than itself, without any other adjuncts is tat+tva. Brahma is such.

3. Sat

sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sat+ityetat prayujyate
praśaste karmaṇi tathā sat+śabdaḥ pārtha yujyate৷৷
yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sat+iti cocyate.
karma caiva tadarthīyaṃsat+ityevābhidhīyate৷
BG 17.26,27

The word sat has two meanings.

Sat is that something that has eternal existence. Sat is existence - in one state for all time. That indeed is the truth. Supreme Brahma is the supreme truth - satyasya satyam - the truth of the truth.
Whatever is fit or good is also denoted by sat. For example, sat+jana, sat+karma etc.,. This second meaning comes from the first. It is the truth that is good. Untruth cannot be good. Only whatever is eternal is good; not transient objects. Paramātmā is the truth, and eternal. Hence any action or object or event related to him is good and is the most excellent. Whatever takes us towards the truth, whatever gets us divine grace is sat. That is the absolute good. All auspiciousness and good come to us from that truth. Brahma is the repository of all auspiciousness, it is the source of all that is good. Therefore, the worship of Brahma is sat+karma.

The word sat thus indicates eternal existence as well as something that is good and right. Any worthy endeavour deserves the prefix sat as well. Therefore all actions of yajna, dāna and tapas offered to Bhagavān befit the prefix sat.
It is instructive to examine the similarities between the Saṃskṛta word sat and the Kannada word uḻ. In Kannada, the word uḻ refers to something “that is”, from which is derived the word uṇṭu (present). The Kannada word for good - oḻḻeyadu - also comes from the root uḻ. Whatever is related to or can take us closer to the ever present (uṇṭu), is also good (oḻ, oḻḻeyadu).

Thus the word “Om tat sat” is worthy of reverence from all perspectives. It designates the entire universe, all the devatās, all the jīvas, and in fact everything! Therefore these three words are used to reference any devatā or dharma. The meaning of this word-triad declares that it is a happy obligation for anyone devoted to truth to have śraddhā in it. Śraddhā in such a great mantra is life-redeeming.
Placing śraddhā in any one object ensures an easier path towards progress. Whatever is done without śraddhā is waste, for without it, there is neither worldly nor other worldly achievement.

A collection of Kannada verses in the sāṅgatya metre

ಸತ್ತ್ವರಜಸ್ತಮವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸ ಜೀವಕೆ
ಸ್ವಸ್ತಿವಿಭಂಗವೆಂದರಿತು ।
ನಿತ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸದೆ ಮಿಶ್ರಸತ್ತ್ವಾಂಶದಿಂ ಶುದ್ಧ-
ಸತ್ತ್ವಕ್ಕೇರಲು ಅದು ಮುಕ್ತಿ ।।
sattvarajastamavyatyāsa jīvakè
svastivibhaṃgavèndaritu ।
nityābhyāsadè miśrasattvāṃśadiṃ śuddha-
sattvakkeralu adu mukti ।।
Knowing that the imbalance of sattva, rājas and tāmas
impedes the jīva’s progress towards well-being,
ascending to pure sattva from mixed sattva
through constant practice is mukti.

ತ್ರಿಗುಣವ ಮೀರ್ದನು ಜಗವನೆ ಮೀರ್ವನು
ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಗೆ ಸೋಲದನವನು ।
ಪಗೆಯಿಲ್ಲ ದಿಗಿಲಿಲ್ಲ ದುಗುಡವಿಲ್ಲಾತಂಗೆ
ಭಗವದ್ವಿಲಾಸವೆಲ್ಲೆಡೆಯುಂ ।।
triguṇava mīrdanu jagavanè mīrvanu
prakṛtigè soladanavanu ।
pagèyilla digililla duguḍavillātaṃgè
bhagavadvilāsavèllḍèyuṃ ।।
He who crosses the three guņas exceeds the world,
and is undefeated by prakrti.
He has neither enmity nor fear or sorrow, (for)
he sees Bhagavān’s līlā everywhere.

ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಯೆಂತಿರ್ಪುದೊ ಪುರುಷನಂತಿರ್ಪನು
ಉದ್ಧರಿಕುಂ ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆ ಶುದ್ಧಮ್
ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಯಿನವನೋಂತತ್ಸದ್ಧ್ಯಾನವಂಗೈದು
ಸದ್ಧರ್ಮಗಳನಾಚರಿಪ್ಪಂ ।।
śraddhyèṃtirpudò puruṣanaṃtirpanu
uddharikuṃ śraddhè śuddham
śraddhyinavanoṃtatsaddhyānavaṃgaidu
saddharmagaḻanācarippaṃ ।।
As is his śraddhā, so is the man;
elevated śraddhā makes him pure.
Meditating on om,tat,sat with śraddhā,
he performs dhārmic activities.

ಓಂಪದಮಖಿಲವ್ಯಕ್ತಾವ್ಯಕ್ತ-ಸ್ಥಿರ-ಚರ
ವಿಶ್ವ-ವಿಶ್ವಾತೀತ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಂ ।
ತತ್ ಪದಂ ನುಡಿಗೊಳಪಡದ ವಸ್ತುವ ತೋರ್ಪ
ಗುರುತದು ಅದು ತಾನೆ ತತ್ತ್ವಂ ।।
om-padam-akhilavyaktāvyakta-sthira-cara
viśva-viśvātīta brahmaṃ ।
tat padaṃ nuḍigoḻa-paḍada vastuva torpa
gurutadu adu tān tattvaṃ ।।
The word Om denotes Brahma that is
beyond the manifest and unmanifest,
the moving and unmoving, and is the world as well as that beyond it.
The word tat is the symbol that shows
the principle beyond words and is itself the principle.

ಸತ್ ಪದಂ ಸತ್ಯಮನಂತಮವಿಕ್ರಿಯ-
ಮದ್ವಯಮಖಿಲಾಂತರಾತ್ಮಂ ।
ಈ ತ್ರಿಪದಾರ್ಥದ ಸ್ವಾನುಭೂತಿಯನ್ ಎಲ್ಲ
ಕರ್ತವ್ಯವೆಸಪುದೆ ಸತ್ತ್ವಂ ।।
sat padaṃ satyam-anantama-vikriya-
m-advayam-akhilāntarātmaṃ ।
ī tripadārthada svānubhūtiyan ಎlla
kartavyavsapudè sattvaṃ ।।
The word sat denotes the truth that is infinite,
eternal, non-dual and is the self of all.
It is sattva is that gives the experience
of the meaning of these three words.

ಸಾತ್ತ್ವಿಕಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಯಿನಹುದು ಜೀವೋದ್ಧೃತಿ
ರಾಜಸತಾಮಸವಧಮಂ ।
ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಸ್ಫೂರ್ತಿ ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಗೆ ಶಕ್ತಿ
ಶ್ರದ್ಧಾಬುದ್ಧ್ಯೈಕ್ಯದೆ ಸಿದ್ಧಿ ।।
sāttvikaśraddhyinahudu jīvoddhṛti
rājasatāmasavadhamaṃ ।
śraddhè buddhigè sphūrti buddhi śraddhgè śakti
śraddhābuddhyaikyadè siddhi ।।
In sāttvika-śraddhā is the elevation of the jīva,
rājas and tāmas take him down.
Śraddhā inspires buddhi; buddhi powers Śraddhā.
In their unity lies siddhi.

Gist

ಓಂತತ್ಸತ್ಪದಸಂಸ್ಮೃತಿ
ಸಂತತಮಿರ್ಪವನ ಯಜ್ಞದಾನತಪಂಗಳ್ ।
ಸ್ವಾಂತಕೆ ಶುಚಿರುಚಿಬಲಗಳ
ಸಂತಸವಂ ಕುಡುವುವಿಂತು ಸಪ್ತದಶಾಂಶಮ್ ।।
om-tatsat-padasaṃsmṛti
santatam-irpavana yajña-dāna-tapaṃgaḻ ।
svāṃtakè śuci-ruci-balagaḻa
santasavaṃ kuḍuvuviṃtu saptadaśāṃśam ।।
Recalling “Om tat sat” always
During yajña, dāna and tapas
Gives clarity, bliss and strength to one’s manas.
The seventeenth chapter goes thus.

ಮನುಷ್ಯಾಂತರಂಗೋಚ್ಚನೀಚಂಗಳಂ ಶಿ-
ಕ್ಷಣೋಪಾಯಮಂ ಯೋಗ್ಯತಾಮಾನಮಂ ತಾ-।
ನಂತಸ್ವತಃಪ್ರಜ್ಞೆಯಿಂ ಕಂಡು ಜೀವ-
ಕ್ಕನುಗ್ರಾಹಿಯಪ್ಪಂ ಸದಾ ವಾಸುದೇವಂ ।।
manuṣyāntaraṅg-occa-nīcaṃgaḻaṃ śi-
kṣaṇopāyamaṃ yogyatā-mānamaṃ tā-।
nantas-ssvataḥ-prajñèyiṃ kaṃḍu jīva-
kkanugrāhiy-appaṃ sadā vāsudevaṃ ।।
Seeing the ups and downs in man’s manas,
the means to remedy them, and a measure of fitness,
through his inner wisdom, Vāsudeva,
ever bestows his blessings on the jīva.

॥ iti śam ॥
cidānandākāraṃ jalada-ruci-sāraṃ śruti-girāṃ
vraja-strīṇāṃ hāraṃ bhava-jaladhi-pāraṃ kṛta-dhiyāṃ ॥
vihantuṃ bhūbhāraṃ viddhad-avatāraṃ muhur-aho ।
maho vāraṃ vāraṃ bhajata kuśalāraṃbha-kṛtinaḥ ॥
(Śrī Madhusūdana-sarasvatī)
The one of the form of supreme bliss,
A dark cloud raining words of śruti,
Adorning the necks of the gopa-strīs
The ferryman of saṃsāra for the steady of heart
Him, taking various forms now and again
To rid the Earth of her burdens great
To him you should pray, again and again
The great one, when you start at a new beginning.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Note

sapta-daśādhyāya-gaḻoḻ
Vistarisida dharma-tattva-gaḻan-īgaḻ saṃ- ।
kṣiptadi peḻvaṃ guru tan-
nāpta-sakha-vyāja-diṃde loka-hitārthaṃ ॥ 1 ॥

For the benefit of the world,
on the pretext of his friend
The Guru now briefly
Explains the principles of dharma
That he described in chapters seventeen.

karma-sumārcana-vidhiyaṃ
ḍharmada nija-para-hitārtha-saṃskāragaḻaṃ ॥
nirmaman-adhidharmateyaṃ ।
nirmalinada yajña-dāna-tapagaḻa vidhiyaṃ ॥ 2 ॥

(He expounds) the method of worshipping with the flowers of karma
Preparing one to do good to oneself and others
Practising detachment and thus going beyond dharma
And performing yajña, dāna and tapas with purity.

mana-vāg-dehaṃgaḻā śi-
kṣaṇeyaṃ prakṛtia vimiśra-guṇa-śodhaneyaṃ ॥
anitara-bhagavac-chraddheya-
nanu-vadipaṃ hariy-amogha-jīvana-nayamaṃ ॥3 ॥

Hari explains the training of the mind, speech and body
Filtering the mixture of guṇas driven by prakṛti,
Of having śraddhā only in Bhagavān
Thus, he reiterates the conduct that makes life fruitful.

Summary

The concluding chapter of the Gītā - a veritable lamp showing us the path to a fulfilling life - gives great courage and fortitude to people who are immersed in worldly karma. Here, Bhagavān explains the necessity of karma that is devoid of desire for results and is performed only as a service to Īsvara. He propounds the principle that it is not the renouncing of karma that elevates the jīva, but giving up the results of karma. Karma provides the jīva an opportunity to get rid of its selfishness. The jīva is blessed with many innate capabilities and qualities. The practice of using these natural abilities for the benefit of the world increases sattva in the jīva. Through that, it also makes life meaningful.

The natural differences that are present in the composition of the universe itself are the basis for the system of varṇa. The objective of this system is to benefit society from the constructive aspects of the nature of each person. The two goals of dhārmic karma are — the prosperity of the individual jīva and the sustenance of the world. Following one’s own svadharma that is in accordance with one’s nature is the way to elevate oneself. The instruction of svadharma that is the crown-jewel of the Gītā-śāstra is especially necessary in our times - when incompetence and complexity are prevalent in all fields of work. This teaching is indeed most suitable to be practised by all.

Bhagavān enumerates the steps on the ladder of the jīva’s progress such as being immersed in one’s own duties, fortitude (dhṛti), self-control (saṃyama), selflessness (nirahaṅkāra), and non-covetousness (aparigraha). He delineates the qualities of a Brahma-realised-person such as equanimity and devotion only towards Parabrahma. Further, he declares there is no opposition between the performance of karma and dharma and the knowledge of the highest truth. He explains that it is futile to oppose karma that is impelled by prakṛti. As part of this instruction is an exposition of the mechanism of the machinery of the universe which is worthy of constant contemplation.
Karma should be performed before the dawn of Brahma-knowledge, and after that as well. While karma is an instrument when a man is a seeker of knowledge, it becomes his second nature once the knowledge is attained. Being free of infatuation and hatred (rāga and dveṣa), and keeping the mind composed and clear are all duties for a seeker, and are attainable only with effort. For a jñāni, however, freedom from infatuation and a clear mind are natural and effortless, joyful and playful. The view of a seeker is admixed with ego; but that of the jñāni is with a view that everything is Brahma, and is for the happiness and well-being of all.

Section 19 /Chapter 18 /Mokṣa-saṃnyāsa-yoga /Tadeka-śaraṇatā-yoga

(The yoga of single-pointed surrender)

This is the last chapter of the Gītā. Here, Svāmī summarises the instructions from all the previous chapters, and in conclusion teaches an great method that can be adopted by one and all. In one word, it is “tad-eka-śaraṇatā” — taking refuge in him alone.
The following topics are dealt with in this chapter :

The difference between saṃnyāsa and tyāga 2. The necessity of karma 3. The part of the divine in karma 4. Kartṛtva is characteristic of jīva. 5. The following triads similar to the guṇa-triad -
1. Jñāna-triad
2. Karma-triad
3. Kartṛ-triad
4. Buddhi-triad
5. Dhṛti-triad
6. Sukha-triad 6. Mutual dependence among men — the system of varṇa that facilitates it. 7. The greatness of svadharma 8. Karma as a service to Bhagavān 9. The inevitability of war for Arjuna 10. The nature of the Māyā of Īśvara 11. Seeking refuge from Īśvara alone 12. The results obtained by studying the Gītā.

There is a warning for us all in the way this chapter begins. In the previous chapters, Arjuna had said a few times that his doubts were cleared and that he was satisfied.

moho’yaṃ vigato mama ॥
BG 11.1
idānīm asmi saṃvṛttaḥ ॥
BG 11.51

In spite of that, his doubts were not ending. Even in this last chapter, he asks —

saṃnyāsasya tattvamicchāmi vedituṃ tyāgasya ca ॥
BG 18.1
What is the principle of saṃnyāsa? What is the principle of tyāga?

If Arjuna, who thought he was satisfied with Bhagavān’s instruction was riddled thus again and again with new doubts, what to say of us, ordinary mortals? We might feel for a moment that we have understood everything and there are no doubts remaining. That is a deluding satisfaction; there will be a new doubt in the very next moment; we forget what was said earlier, or some aspect might not be clear to our minds. In this way, there will be uncertainty and doubt at every step. This topic is deep and very complex; our belief will not become firm unless each and every aspect is clearly understood. To get that clarity, it is not enough to listen to a lecture once or read the text twice. It should be repeated again and again in the mind. The text should be recalled again and again (The word used in the original is āloḍanè). The mind should be stirred with the meaning of the text and the text should be deeply researched with the mind. Only if the text is examined and deliberated upon again and again in this way can this topic be understood, and certainly not just by superficially familiarising oneself with the letters and the verses.

The question asked now by Arjuna had already been answered many times. It was the main subject of the fifth chapter.

saṃnyāsaḥ karmayogaśca niḥśreyasa-karāv-ubhau ।
ṭayostu karma-saṃnyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate ॥
BG 5.2
“Both karma-saṃnyāsa and karma-yoga can help in attaining mokṣa. Among those two, karma-yoga is better than karma-saṃnyāsa.

Svāmi makes it clearer now —

kāmyānāṃ karmaṇāṃ nyāsaṃ saṃnyāsaṃ kavayo viduḥ ।
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṃ prāhus-tyāgaṃ vicakṣaṇāḥ ॥
BG 18.2
“Saṃnyāsa is renunciation of karmas motivated by desire. Tyāga is giving up all results of karma.”

Thus, Bhagavān shows a subtle difference between saṃnyāsa and tyāga. These two words are often used interchangeably. Speaking at a gross level, they both do mean the same; however, there is a subtle difference between them, which Svāmī explains.

We have seen earlier that karma is of many kinds. There are three main types:

Laukika karma : This is of the form of one’s profession, interaction with others, friendship and other relationships, neighbourly actions, duties towards one’s country and so on. It is a training to the jīva on one’s obligations to society. 2. Vaidika nitya-karma: This is karma of the form of worshipping the divine, depending on one’s varṇa and āśrama, on one’s religion and tradition. The main objective of these karmas is training to the jīva — introspection and teaching the manas. 3. Vaidika kāmya-karma: This is also worship of the divine. However, it has a selfish objective, lower than that of saṃskāra to the jīva. Various vratas, dīkṣas and pūjas performed to obtain health, wealth, children and status belong to this category. Yajñas like agniṣṭoma and aśvamedha are also kāmya-karmas.

Saṃnyāsa is giving up kāmya-karmas. A Saṃnyāsindoes not have to perform varalaksmī-vrata, nāga-pratiṣṭha or circumambulate the aśvattha tree. A saṃnyāsin need not perform any karma with a view of worldly benefit. However, he has to perform nitya-karmas such as japa and snāna.

kāmyānāṃ karmaṇāṃ nyāsam ॥
BG 18.2

In this context, “nyāsa” means giving up. To etymologically derive “saṃnyāsa”, the word “nyāsa” is useful.

What, then, is tyāga?

sarva-karma-phala-tyagaṃ prāhus-tyāgam ॥
BG 18.2
Renunciation of the results of all karmas is tyāga.

The concept here is not giving up karma, but giving up the results of karma. A saṃnyāsin gives up only kāmya-karmas. A tattvajña gives up the results of all his karmas. Karma is inevitable for all of us who are still embodied. Even a jñāni performs laukika-karmas. Why is that? He performs those karmas without any desire — for his own conditioning, for the love of the Bhagavān and to help the world. A tyāgī — whether he wears ochre robes signifying saṃnyāsa or not — gives up the results of all karmas for the love of Paramātmā.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

A gṛhastha performs karmas out of desire — for the wellbeing of his wife and children and for the sake of his friends and relatives. Worldly life becomes possible only if householders have those desires. His dharma is to take care of his family. Therefore, he performs certain karmas to support his dharma. If he thinks that he is performing all the karmas as it’s dharma and not for his own pleasure and satiation, it is as good as tyāga. This feeling should be within him. In spiritual matters, one’s own conscience is the judge, it need not be explained to others. The śāstras say that the works of puṇya should not be advertised to the world. Those who trumpet their works of puṇya are called “dharma-dhvaja”s by Manu. Dāna and dharma should be done in secret. Even Christians follow the same precept. If this is the case of ordinary works of puṇya, what to speak of the ātmā — does it behove of anyone to proclaim that he is a jñāni and a tyāgi?

A tyāgi performs all his prescribed karmas. His mind is not attached to the good or bad results of any of them. One who thinks “All karma is worship of the divine; good or bad that results from it does not belong to me. The karma that I performed is for the love of Bhagavān; May he do as he pleases” is a tyāgi. His love for Bhagavān makes him do his karmas.

The question of karma appears in the Gītā again and again. Even in this eighteenth chapter, a large part deals with karma. Therefore, it is established that the Gītopadeśa is for ordinary saṃsāris like us. Karma is for saṃsāris. Saṃsāra itself is karma.
Our Trimatācāryas were yatis — ascetics — they had accepted saṃnyāsa. Mokṣa was their immediate goal. Therefore, the Gītā became a mokṣa-śāstra for them. Though it cannot be said that gṛhastha-dharma was not in their purview, it was a puruṣārtha that was far from and beneath mokṣa. Theirs was the way of nivṛtti — the way where they tried to unshackle themselves from the fetters of karma. Ours is the way of pravṛtti — where we compulsorily have to perform karma. Dharma-karma is near to us; mokṣa is far off. Therefore, the important instruction for us in the Gītā is the instruction of karma. In this last chapter, Bhagavān, for a large part, expounds the principle of karma. This gives courage and encouragement to people like us. If the nature of karma is understood with right judgement and performed as it should be, mokṣa will come to us when it has to. We do not have to think urgently about mokṣa now.

Any karma is fraught with faults. Therefore, some say that all karma should be given up.

tyājyaṃ doṣavad-ityeke ॥
BG 18.3

Some others say that the three-fold karmas such as yajña, dāna and tapas should not be given up at any cost. Bhagavān also opines that yajña, dāna and tapas should never be given up and compulsorily performed.

yajna-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṃ kāryam-eva tat ॥
BG 18.5

These are nitya-karmas that are prescribed according to one’s circumstances. They may be laukika-karmas or vaidika-karmas. They are not performed out of desire for their fruit, and train the jīva. They are prescribed for everyone.
What is the reason for such an abundance of dialectic literature about the relationship between karma and jñāna, and that between karma and mokṣa in our śāstras? As far as I know, this question is not so pervasive in the texts of other religions like Islam and Christianity. Whereas, in Hinduism, the discussion about karma and akarma is an integral part of Ātmaśāstra, and has grown to be equally important. In his works, Śrī Śankarācārya has devoted much space to deliberation about karma. This is because he had to answer the pūrvamīmāṃsakas. The pūrvamīmāṃsakas argued that there is no jñāna without karma, and that karma itself is jñāna. Śaṅkarācārya’s bhāṣyas were their counterargument. Thus, this śāstra grew abundantly.
However, it appears that this dispute has been there for a very long time. The Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad says the following:

saṃbhūtiṃ ca vināśaṃ ca yastadveda ubhayagṃ saha ।
vināśena mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā saṃbhūtyā’mṛtam-aśnute ॥
Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad 10
vidyāṃ ca avidyāṃ ca yastad-veda ubhayagṃ saha ।
avidyayā mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā vidyayā’mṛtam-aśnute ॥
Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad 11

The same concept is explained in the Kaṭhopaniṣad as well. Why has dialectical literature about karma grown so much? We have to ponder carefully about this.
Karma is worldly action — take something from the world and give something back to it. This is our daily life. There is no karma in our life that is not of the form of giving or taking. Even while breathing we take in air and bestow it back upon the world. All the works done in the world are thus in the form of accepting and remitting, and either further one’s selfishness or erode it. Karmas done for our own pleasure, our own happiness, our own benefit, our own prosperity and prestige nurture selfishness. When those objects fructify, our selfishness is encouraged. As selfishness increases, we take more and more from the world and give back less and less. Thus, our debt to the world increases and the thread of saṃsāra lengthens. As worldly transactions with selfish motives increase, the possibility of pāpa increases. As the fruits of puṇya multiply, the attraction towards pāpa also increases. This is the danger in karma. This is present even in satkarma, because selfish desires are at the heart of our devotion to the divine, like opium that is dissolved in pāyasam. What is the story of Hiranyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa, Bāṇāsura, Bhasmāsura and otherrākṣasas? It is a story of descending to the world of pāpa through the doors of puṇya. They performed rigorous penances and worshipped Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva. The boons they acquired as a result of their puṇya instigated them to perform pāpa. Tamasic devotion resulted in delusion and infatuation, and therefore they attained naraka.

Therefore, some people argue that they do not want to have anything to do with karma.

tyājyaṃ doṣavad-ityeke ॥
BG 18.3

So, then, is there no fault at all if we give up karma entirely? That is not true. This is because by giving up karma entirely, the jīva loses opportunities to eradicate its selfishness. Selfishness is attached to the jīva — just like some people have cold all the time. If selfishness has to wear away, constant interaction with the world is necessary. Friction with the world loosens the strings of the heart and strengthens the manas as well. The three kinds of afflictions — adhibhautika, adhidaivika and adhyatmika — melt the jīva. The great poet Bhartrhari explains the same to us in these charming words —

mātarmedini tāta māruta sakhe tejaḥ subandho jala ।
bhrātar-vyoma nibaddha eva bhavatām antyaḥ praṇāmāñjaliḥ ॥
yuṣmat-saṅga-vaśopajāta-sukṛta-sphāra-sphuran-nirmala-
jñānāpāsta-samasta-moha-mahimā līye para-brahmaṇi ॥
Vairāgya-śataka 100

This is the great benefit of karma. When Bhartṛhari realized that his end was near, he folded his palms and beseeched thus “O Mother Earth, Father Wind, Friend Sun, dear Water, brother Sky, here is my last obeisance to you. (I have benefitted from you). My selfishness and delusion are removed because of my purifying contact with you. As a result, I have obtained the pure, vast and limpid light of understanding of the self. Because of that, I am now able to become one with Paramātmā.
For a jñāni, saṃsāra is akin to tapas. The house is a smithery. Just as a smith heats metal and makes it pliable, the heat of saṃsāra softens human nature. Just as a smith would pat and hit the iron when it is hot, the blows delivered by the world correct human nature and temper it, thus making it useful to the world.
A vacana by Basavaṇṇa goes thus —

martyalokavembudu kartārana kammaṭavayya। Illi salluvavaru alliyū salluvarayyā।
(This world is a smithery of the creator. Those who thrive here will thrive there also).

Heat from a kiln and blows of a hammer make a coin of a piece of metal. A good coin is valuable both in this world and the other. The pressures of one’s spouses and children, run-ins with relatives, skirmishes with shopkeepers, brawls at banks, wrangles at the workplace — all these activities squeeze the tight knots of the jīva and soften them; they straighten its crookedness and firm up the feeble parts; they dilute its self-centeredness; and they expand the boundary of affection and attachment. Thus, karma can subdue selfishness. For this reason,

Na tyājyam-iti cāpare ॥
BG 18.3

Should we perform karma, or give it up? Should we have a nose, or should we cut it off? If there is a nose, there might be the possibility of catching a cold also. However, there is no breath without the nose! Performing karma encourages selfishness. But if it is not performed, it does not mean that the existing selfishness goes away. Both of these are dangerous. The tactic here is to prevent selfishness that can enter karma. That is the principle.

yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṃ kāryam-eva tat ॥
BG 18. 5

Yajña is worshipping the divine. Dāna is making the world happy. Tapas is self-control. Daiva, the world and the jīva — these three are an integral part of human life. Service to them is a must — they should never ever be given up. Yajña, dāna and tapas are the means of purification for an intelligent person. When these karmas are performed with full knowledge of their meaning and with viveka, they can purge the faults of selfishness and purify the jīva.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Managing the family is a vrata. Marriage is a dharmic ritual. The transactions with the world that is done for these are opportunities for performing dharma. Household chores that are performed with this feeling are akin to tapas. It can also be thought of asyajña. We have already seen that the Vedas extol the entire life and all the worldly transactions of a jñāni as a great yajña.

tasyaivaṃ viduṣo yajñasyātmā yajamānaḥ ।
Mahānārāyaṇa-upaniṣad 80

and so on.

etānyapi tu karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalāni ca ।
kartavyānīti me pārtha niścitaṃ matam-uttamam ॥
BG 18.6
“The best way is to perform yajña, dāna and tapas as they are one’s duties. However, there is a rule : They should not be tainted by ego and there should not be any desire for the result”.

In the word “kartavyāni”, we can see that the suffix “tavyat” is used. It means that it has to be compulsorily performed. The only condition is that the feeling “I am doing it, I will enjoy the results of it” should not be there. The skill that has to be present in karma-yoga is the resigning of ego and any attachment to the rewards of an action. That is the desired skill. That itself is —

yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam ॥
BG 2-50

Śraddhā and enthusiasm while performing an action; indifference and disregard for its fruit.
As in all other fields in the worldly realm, karma is also affected by sattva, rajas and tamas.

niyatasya tu saṃnyāsaḥ karmaṇo nopa-padyate ॥
BG 18.7

No one should ever stop performing niyata-karmas. This applies not only to karmas such as sandhyāvandana that are ascribed based on one’s varṇa and āśrama, but also to worldly duties such as one’s profession and socially beneficial activities. The karma of svadharma is compulsory for everyone, always. If that is given up as mere ritual, or as unimportant, it is tamasic renunciation.

mohāttasya parityāgaḥ tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ ।
BG 18.7

Of late, we are becoming more and more abstemious towards satkarmas such as visiting temples, traveling on pilgrimages, etc. It is tamasic; and it is a work of delusion and stupidity.
Not just content with that, we give up rituals such as purificatory baths, concerned about weariness and fatigue. This is rajasic renunciation. We can see that often in our elites.

duḥkham-ityeva yat-karma kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet ॥
BG 18.8

A sāṣṭāṅga-namaskāra is tiring. If there is devotion within, can we not just fold our palms and express it? Why expend even that effort? Isn’t a hand-signal enough? Why a hand-signal? Isn’t a grin enough ? Isn’t curling the lips enough? Or even raising one’s eyebrows is enough? Bhagavān is omniscient, he knows everything about us. Why does he need our namaskāras and hand-signs? Such is the mindset of our times. Seize svarga as easily as possible. As they say in Telugu, “sūkṣmaṃlo mokṣam” - earn mokṣa with as little effort as possible.

Bhagavān, it appears, does not agree to this!

kāryam-ityeva yat-karma niyataṃ kriyate’rjuna ।
saṃgaṃ tyaktvā phalaṃ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ ॥
BG 18.9
Na dveṣṭy-akuśalaṃ karma kuśale nānuṣajjate ।
tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo medhāvī chinna-saṃśayaḥ ॥
BG 18.10
“Sāttvic renunciation is that, where one’s ego and the desire for reward are given up while performing duties that are necessary to be performed because they are one’s prescribed karma, or circumstances demand that they be performed. Such a sāttvic renunciate does not hate the karma prescribed to him because it is difficult or disgusting, nor does he get attached to it because it is pleasing. He neither wanes on Ekādaśi nor waxes on Dvādaśi. He does not fear duties at a hospital, or jump with joy at the duties at a drama company. He neither runs away from the duty of carrying a corpse nor does he stand at the front of a wedding procession. He is equanimous towards auspicious and inauspicious — that is, he is far from the consequences of dualities, and is impartial. He is free of all doubts and is established in objectivity.

Our belief that the Gītā is a book of dharmic life will be firmly established if we see the importance given to karma performed with sāttvic renunciation in this chapter and the previous chapters. Karma is inevitable to some extent for all human beings.

ṇa hi dehabhṛtā śakyaṃ tyaktuṃ karmāṇy-aśeṣataḥ ॥
BG 18.11

Karma is indeed inevitable for everyone. Then how can we escape the possibility of pāpa while performing it? By renouncing only the fruit of the karma. Let us finish doing what we have to do. We are not concerned with its use. We are mere servants following instructions on how to perform actions. We only do what we are told. In the satra of Bhagavān, there is a feast being served everyday. If the supervisor says “Hey you, clean the dirty plates”, it is not our place to ask “How many people ate?”.

Let us apply this instruction to the political duties of our age. Suppose it is election day. It is tāmasic tyāga to think that it is a holiday and spend the day sleeping or playing cards and completely forget about the election. It is rājasic tyāga to think “Who will go that far in the sun and suffer in the queue” and not go to the election and give up one’s duty out of fear of exertion. Sāttvic tyāga is to go to the election booth, choose a candidate who is agreeable to one’s conscience and vote for him and not worry about the results of the elections — whether his candidate wins or loses. This is the tyāga where one is not anxious about the result. He is established in objectivity.

Let us come to the filth and pollution in our city. It is tāmasic tyāga to give up any action to correct it and shrug it off saying “Who can do anything about it? I couldn’t care less”. It is rājasic tyāga to stand in the city squares and grumble against the municipality and leave it at that. Their nationalistic fervour ends there. There is another class of gentlemen. Their sāttvic tyāga is seen when they give up fear of exertion and fear of rubbing officials on the wrong side, when they write well-researched and detailed reports, publish them and poke to wake up the concerned officers.

Whatever karma we perform, there is definitely a result associated with it. But who is it for? It is for those who are attached to it; not for the ones who give it up.

aniṣṭamiṣṭaṃ miśraṃ ca trividhaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalaṃ ।
bhavaty-atyāgināṃ pretya na tu saṃnyāsināṃ kvacit ॥
BG 18.12
Thus sorrow, happiness and a mixture of the two are always present for a human if he performs karma with an eye for its rewards, whether it is in this world or others. For a tyāgi — a saṃnyāsi — it is not there.

This is because they have given up their desires and anxiousness for the result of their karma. What they have declined is not allotted to them.
Are we so courageous? No. Bhagavān’s instruction is required for worldly people like us. We are concerned about the result of our actions. Therefore, we have to understand the structure of karma and its results. Who is responsible for karma? Who or what are responsible for the consequences of karma? The doer? The influencer? The regent? The one who approves? Those who help? The method of work? We need an explanation for results — good or bad. Any karma cannot be performed by a man alone, without the help of anyone else. It happens only with the help of other people and others’ wealth. Whether it is big, easy, small, difficult or whatever else, there are many people who are deserving of the rewards of karma. They can be divided into five groups.

adhiṣṭhānaṃ tathā kartā karaṇaṃ ca pṛthag-vidhaṃ ।
vividhāśca pṛthak-ceṣṭā daivaṃ caivātra paṃcamam ॥
BG 18.14

To understand this verse, I feel that we have to tread a slightly different path from the explanations offered by earlier commentators. This is because of the difference in our views. In the eyes of the gurus of yore, mokṣa was the most important attainment and karma in daily life was unimportant. In our case, karmas in our daily lives are of paramount importance and for now, mokṣa is irrelevant. Before climbing the stairs, we have to first take firm steps on the ground. Can those who cannot climb to the loft jump to the sky? Mokṣa is near and karma is far for religious gurus. Whereas, for us, karma is near and mokṣa is far off. What applies to them might not apply to us. The immediate objective of saṃnyāsis is giving up karma and that of saṃsāris is in performing satkarma. Saṃsāra is itself just karma — a bundle of many vaidika and laukika karmas.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

Since saṃsāris are thus different from saṃnyāsis, the interest and regard of saṃsāris towards karma is different from that of saṃnyāsis. However,the meaning that we derive from the above śloka from the point of view of saṃsāra is not conflicting with or incongruous with that derived from the point of view of saṃnyāsa. This new path will set a context for people in the present age and time.

Let us see the individual words of the above verse, one by one.

Adhiṣṭhānam : Our ancients have called this the body. However, there is not much appeal in interpreting it as body, because in the next verse, the phrase “śarīra-vaṅ-manobhih” is explicitly called out. There is no necessity here for reiteration. Therefore, it is more proper to interpret “adhiṣṭhānam” as situations that influence a person to act in a certain way - circumstance or situation. A man’s karma is influenced by the circumstance. “Adhiṣṭhānam” is a collective name for situations that become the basis for performing a karma, the circumstances due to which karma is performed. 2. Kartā : The ancients and us do not differ in the interpretation of this word. Kartā is one who does, the man who performs the karma.He consumes the fruit of good or bad deeds that he performs. When we say kartā, we should remember that it is the sum total of the qualities of the jīva, the remnants of puṇya and pāpa from his past lives, associations due to past obligations, the impressions on the manas because of them, the combinations of the three guṇas and so on. Kartā is not the pure ātmā, but a jīva that is shackled by the impressions of karma. Hence the responsibility of consuming their good or bad result. The pure ātmā neither performs karma nor consumes its fruit.The jīva along with collected past impressions and obligations is “kartā”. 3. karaṇaṃ ca pṛthag-vidhaṃ : Different means used to perform karmas. Earlier commentators have interpreted “karaṇa” as indriyas. However, as we saw above, indriyas are alluded to in “śarīra-vāṅ-manobhiḥ” . Therefore, there is the possibility of a different interpretation here. The people and instruments that assist in performing an activity are collectively called upakaraṇa. They are the wealth that aid in performing karma.
vividhāśca pṛthak-ceṣṭāḥ : Earlier commentators interpret this as the changes that air causes in our body — such as inhalation,exhalation,yawning, sneezing, etc. It makes more sense to interpret this differently — as it seems difficult for us to believe that the results of a karma are dependent on yawns and dozing. The effects of the five prāṇas are seen in one of the next words, “sarīravāk”. It is proper to interpret ceṣtā as the manner in which a task is carried out. It is apt to understand it as a plan of action, programme, policy, strategy, tactic etc. It is like the skill displayed by a pawn in a game of chess. “vividhāśca pṛthak-ceṣṭāḥ” therefore means the four strategies — sāma, dāna, bheda, daṇḍa, and many other means of performing a task, the manner in which it is performed. 5. Daivam : Earlier commentators have construed this as the ruling deities of sense-organs — such as the Sun and the Moon, or the energy that is internally present in the jīva. It is not possible to demonstrate any special property of karma by just this much. There is no doubt that divine powers such as the Sun and the Moon and the internal energy exist. It is also well-known that they are also party to the performance of a karma. By saying “the body, speech and mind”, we do not mean a dead body, but a living and thriving one. When there is a jīva, there are senses and the deities ruling those senses and the ātmā that is present inside it. There is another thing that has to be explained apart from these. That is Fate. That itself is daiva.

The Yoga-vāsiṣṭha says :

prāktanaṃ pauruṣaṃ tad-vai daiva-śabdena kathyate ॥
Yoga-vāsiṣṭha 6.35

Daiva is that which has the power to allocate good or bad outcomes to people who take part in a karma and who have to consume its result, according to what they have earned in the past. That is fate. That is the controlling agent of the universe. In the eleventh chapter, Bhagavān said -

mayaivete nihatāḥ pūrvameva ॥
BG 11.33

Daiva is that supreme authority who had already decided the outcome of the war that was yet to be fought and said “If you do not fight, the battle will not stop; do not think that if you exit the war, those who are supposed to be killed by you will remain alive; they have all been slayed already”. Daiva is that omnipotent entity that has been praised by the Vedas as

yāthātathyato’rthān vyadadhāt śāśvatībhyaḥ samābhyaḥ ।
Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, 8 “he allotted different tasks to the years”.

And,

dhātā yathāpūrvam-akalpayat ॥
Ṛgveda, 10.190.3
“In the beginning, Dhātṛ created”.

We call it adṛṣṭa, vidhi, prācina, prāpti, niyati, yoga, fate, past karma, etc. Daiva is the controlling force, the ruling authority of the universe. In other words, it is destiny, providence. That is daiva.

Though there are different interpretations of the word “Daiva”, they all converge towards the meaning “Fate”. The performance of karma and the blessing of the divine are both two forms of fate. Both are not directly perceptible. The following verse from the Ādiparva of the Mahābhārata should be recalled here:

daive puruṣakāre ca loko’yaṃ saṃpratiṣṭhitaḥ ।
ṭatra daivaṃ tu vidhinā kālayuktena labhyate ॥
Mahābhārata Ādiparva 122.21

The time taken to obtain results from our past karmas or divine blessings cannot be gauged by us. Their fruition might happen at some time. It is not meant to be understood by us. It works independently according to its timetable.
Let us apply the above five principles to an example. In the Kurukṣetra war,

Adhiṣṭhāna: The dispute between Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas about dharma. The just claim of the Pāṇḍavas for the kingdom, and the enmity of the Kauravas that didn’t allow them to part with it. This situation of dharmic conflict is the adhiṣṭhāna for the war. - Kartā : Dharmarāya - Karaṇa : Bhīma and Arjuna, Drupada and other warriors who helped them, Kaurava warriors such as Bhīṣma and Drona are all numerous karaṇas. - Ceṣṭa, upāya : Yudhiṣṭhira requesting Bhīṣma’s blessings, letting Drona know of Aśvatthāma’s slaying, different vyūhas of the armies, the deliverance of various śastras (weapons without mantras) and astras (weapons with mantras), Arjuna acquiring weapons like Pāśupata — all such deeds are “pṛthak-ceṣṭah”. - Daiva : Śrīkṛṣṇa’s attempts at bringing peace, Mahādeva bestowing the pāśupata weapon on Arjuna and appearing as Bhairavarudra on the battlefield — this is daiva. Both Śrīkṛṣṇa and Mahādeva are not concerned with the results of the war. They only came for the sake of protecting dharma. They came only with the noble objective to establish dharma in the world. The work of daiva is in accordance with that of dharma.

What is the meaning of the above? It means that all thoughts and plans of man are subject to the rule of a superhuman rubric; it means that the human work is under the authority of the superhuman.

Let us apply the theory of five organs of karma to a wedding. A girl being of marriageable age and the father being prepared to perform the ritual of a marriage — these are the adhiṣṭhāna. The father is the kartā. The bridegroom is the karaṇa. The marriage brokers and mutual friends and relatives are the other karaṇas. The various acts of service and civility — such as perfume, feasts, the honorarium given to the bridegroom are the ceṣṭās. Then comes the daiva. It is daiva’s blessing if the wedding happens without the bride or the bridegroom falling sick at the time of the lagna or no obstacles in the form of bad news are encountered.

Let us look at a meal from the same perspective. The hunger of the stomach and the desire of the palate are the adhiṣṭhānas. Kartā is the hungry man. Cooks and vessels are the karaṇas. Struggling in shops to buy the items on credit and exhorting the workers and cooks are upāya-ceṣṭās. It is the blessing of daiva to be able to finish the meal without stomach ache, or without hearing appetite-killing bad news or to be harangued by time-eating visitors.

There are more examples of the wrath of daiva than its blessings in the experience of people.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

The summary is this. Daiva is hidden, a secret. It comes suddenly and unexpectedly, and cannot be grasped by the logic of causality. The word in Saṃskṛta is “ākasmika” — kasmāt means from where — “akasmāt” means that one doesn’t know from where it came. It is not possible to determine the causes and effects of such an occurrence. Since daiva is not directly perceptible, we forget it. The blow of despondency, if it hits us, becomes tolerable if we keep daiva in our minds while performing karma. The sorrow of efforts gone futile becomes hard to bear if daiva is forgotten while performing a karma.

śarīra-vāṅ-manobhir-yat karma prārabhate naraḥ ।
nyāyyaṃ vā viparītaṃ vā pañcaite tasya hetavaḥ ॥
BG 18.15
“Whether the work started by a man is that of the body or that of the mind — whether it just or otherwise — the reason for its success or failure has to be looked for in the above five organs”.

Adhiṣṭhāna : Circumstance — we probably have made a mistake in gauging the pressure or the lack thereof, of a situation. Then the effort will go in vain.
Kartṛ : His enthusiasm and belief might wane. Arjuna is a great example.
Karaṇa : Friends and helpers might change. Duryodhana had believed in Śalya. Śalya forsook him when he became the charioteer for Karṇa. Karṇa had a divine weapon, but it did not come to him at the right time.
Upāya-ceṣṭā : In Macbeth’s story, the footsoldiers of the army cut trees down and hid themselves while walking to the enemy castle. The enemies mistook the forest to be moving and ran away. In the history of Mysore, there is a story of a king who tied torches to the horns of oxen. The enemies mistook them for light-ghosts and ran away, scared. These are pṛthak-ceṣṭāh.

The above four belong to human power. Even if all of them are okay, everything will be futile if daiva does not cooperate.

sarvaṃ niṣphalitaṃ tadeva vidhinā daive bale durbale ॥

Why does daiva become adverse? The past karmas of all individuals who are engaged in the present karma might individually or collectively be adverse. Therefore, karma is perhaps not for one person alone. It follows that even the results of karma are not for an individual alone.

In a great karma, the fates of a thousand people might come together. In our tradition, it is customary for people who perform propitious karmas like going on pilgrimages or building temples to first collect alms from a few houses. Why is this? Among the people who give alms, there might be at least a few with puṇya in their account; the idea is that the work may finish without encountering any obstacles. There may be one kartā, and a thousand helpers and approvers. Even they have a share in the results of the karma. Thus, daiva is the result of collective karma.

kartā kārayitā caiva preraka-śca-anumodakaḥ ।
sukṛte duṣkṛte caiva catvāraḥ sama-bhāginaḥ ॥
(subhāṣita)

To protect the order and dharma of the universe, daiva might modify the results of the individual karmas — whether they are good or bad. Let us set daiva aside for a moment; it is not available for our examination and inquiry. Let us see the four parties that are in control of man. For a karma to be successful, all four of them should be favourable.

Adhiṣṭhāna or the circumstance might be favorable in the beginning, but may become adverse later. 2. The kartā himself may experience change of thought, or his energy might wane 3. His karaṇas — or the ingredients/instruments may be spoiled 4. Even if the above three are alright, there may be a mistake in his method.

Thus, the kartṛ is not the only reason for an effort to succeed or fail or yield adverse results. The other three companions of his — or one or two of the above parties may be the reason. Even if daiva is helpful, an effort may go in vain because of human errors.

tatraivaṃ sati kartāram ātmānaṃ kevalaṃ tu yaḥ ।
paśyaty-akṛta-buddhitvāt na sa paśyati durmatiḥ ॥
BG 18.16
“When the actual responsibility thus rests with so many people, one who thinks that he alone — the jīvātmā in him alone — is the kartṛ, is devoid of intellect. Such a fool cannot know the truth”.

Here there are two concepts :

The kartā is not alone. There are other claimants along with him. 2. “I” is also an aspect of a jīva and not just ātmā.

The ātmā that is present within a jīva is the same ātmā that is present in all jīvas. The energy of the ātmā is whole, never-changing and indivisible. One who has understood the omnipresence of the ātmā realises that the relationship between the kartā and karma is unimportant and only circumstantial, and therefore it is transcendental and impermanent.

Indeed, didn’t this topic appear in our discussion because of the question of dharma? If Duryodhana were dhārmic and had said “I will give whatever is entitled to you. You please take it and be happy” and acted accordingly, we would have completely missed the story of the Mahabharata. We would not have obtained the BhagavadGītā either. Therefore we have to praise Bhagavān for giving Duryodhana his evilery and scheming mind ! Duryodhana’s evil mind became the pretext in the scheme of daiva.
A jñānin understands that the state of jīva that has been obtained by the ātmā is not permanent and that the doership of the jīvi is not permanent.

yasya nāhaṃkṛto bhāvo buddhir-yasya na lipyate ।
hatvā’pi sa imān lokān na hanti na nibadhyate ॥
BG 18.17
“One who is not tainted by ego and does not think of himself as the doer, one whose intellect is not stained with concern for the results of a karma — even if such a man destroys all the worlds, he will not be a killer. It will not shackle him”.

This is the mark of a man who has progressed beyond dharma. We will see this adhidharma — going beyond dharma — later.

It is a crime when one person slays another. The same slaying done by a jñānin is not a crime. This is because other people act out of ego and selfishness. A jñānin does not have them. The objective of a jñānin is for all jīvas to obtain better states. Is it necessary to wipe out whole worlds to move all jīvas to a better state? Bhagavān is not saying that. To illustrate a principle, a figure of speech called utprekṣā is used. Idiomatic language cannot be understood by making sense of mere words. Only the intent should be grasped here.
It is impossible for a person who has understood the true nature of the ātmā to be a sinner. This is because he is not acting out of selfish desires or hatred for others. Even if he does something that is characteristic of an egoistic and mean person, that work will inherently not carry any evilery. Instead, it will be for the welfare and prosperity of the world only. The only desire that such a person carries is the welfare of all beings. Therefore, there is no possibility of pāpa in his dealings.

That is fine. While describing the five components of karma, it is said —

daivaṃ caivātra pañcamam ॥
BG 18.14

Daiva is mentioned here separately. Does not this special component called daiva have authority over the other four? Cannot daiva fix or make favourable the adverse factors, if any, among adhiṣṭhāna, kartā, karaṇa, tantrasādhana — or make them adverse if they are favourable? Is daiva not omnipotent? The answer to that is below :

Daiva cannot rule over all human aspects of karma. A part of human endeavour does depend on divine blessings, but all of it does not. If all aspects of human effort are dependent on daiva, what is left for humans? How can he earn puṇya or pāpa? The responsibility of the doer comes to a naught in that case! A human has puṇya and pāpa. Once we say that he has puṇya and pāpa in his account, it is clear that he will have responsibilities and freedom as well. He has the authority to discern and act accordingly. A man will be concerned with puṇya and pāpa only if human effort is of importance in a karma. Thus, the kartṛ has some amount of freedom when it comes to dos and don’ts. There are authoritative statements in the Brahma-sutras, etc., that declare that man has freedom to examine his progress or decline through his intellect and work towards what he wants.

kartā śāstrārthavattvāt ॥
Brahmasūtra 2-3-33

What does śāstra say? It says that there is puṇya and there is pāpa; it says that there are good and bad results; it says that pleasure and pain are in accordance with dharma or adharma. Therefore, if the instruction about dharma and adharma has to be meaningful, man should have freedom and authority to understand both of them and rationally distinguish between them based on the situation. If that freedom is not given to man, he will not be responsible for dharma or adharma that happens through him.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 6) Source: prekshaa]]

Let us look at Śrī Rāmānujācārya’s commentary for the above sūtra. The interpretations of the three schools of Vedanta differ from one another only in parts where it is not possible to give proof to anyone. Where it is possible to provide proof, they have no objections.

śāsanācca śāstram । śāsanaṃ ca pravartanam । śāstrasya ca pravartakatvaṃ bodha-janana-dvāreṇa । acetanaṃ ca pradhānaṃ na bodhayituṃ śakyam ataḥ śāstrāṇām arthavattvaṃ bhoktuś-cetanasyaiva kartṛtve bhavet ॥
ātmanaḥ akrtṛtve “kuryāt”, “na kuryāt” iti śāstrānarthakyaṃ syāt ॥
svargāpavarga-sādhanānuṣṭhāna-vidhāna-śāstrāṇām arthavattvāya, kartaivātmā । boddhyureva hi śāsanam ॥

Śāsana means ruling. Since śāstra rules us it is given that name. Pravartana is to instruct to act in such and such a way. How does śāstra instruct? “Bodha-janana-dvārena” — by producing knowledge within us. Śāstra provides knowledge and impels us to act or not act in a certain way. What is the use of tutoring a benumbed body that does not have any freedom? “acetanaṃ ca pradhānaṃ na bodhayituṃ śakyam” — there is no use in teaching someone who does not have power that he can use freely. “ataḥ śāstrāṇām arthavattvaṃ bhoktuś-cetanasyaiva bhavet” : śāstras become meaningful when the doer himself consumes the fruit of his actions. If a man has freedom to do or not do a certain karma, then it makes sense to tell him to do or not do it, since he is anyway free to accept or disregard it. If he wants to do it, he does it out of his own volition, just as he disregards it out of his volition as well. Therefore the puṇya or pāpa accrued from his performing or not performing a karma will get attached to him. “ātmanaḥ akartṛtve kuryāt iti śāstrānarthakyaṃ syāt” — if a man does not have freedom in doership, is it not meaningless to instruct him to do it or not do it in a specific way? The person to whom this is being told — if he is not free to either do or not do something, all dharmaśāstra of the form of dos and don’ts will become useless. “Boddhyureva hi śāsanam” : śāstra is only for the one who is eligible for instruction. If he is not eligible for it, the education given to him is akin to educating a rock or a wall. Śāstra should be taught only to the one who has the freedom to follow or transgress it. He will accrue pāpa if he disregards it; he will accrue puṇya if he complies with it. Who then obtains pāpa or puṇya? The one who is free to perform — or in other words, has kriyā-svātantrya. Here, kriyā means the ability to distinguish between dos and don’ts; between dharma and adharma. Śāstra and its dos and don’ts can only be taught to one who has this ability to differentiate. Dharma-śāstras and rules are necessary only because this freedom exists. It is true that the freedom of man is limited. Why is that? It is because of daiva. However, the little freedom he has should be used for differentiating between dos and don’ts.

There are three stages in the lifecycle of any karma — beginning, execution and consequence. Among these three, the last one — consequence — is mostly under the authority of daiva. The other two — beginning and execution — are mainly dependent on human effort. What is the nature of these two stages? The beginning is related to the internal working of the human mind — it belongs to the realm of knowledge. Execution is external — it happens in the domain of doing. Therefore Svāmī expounds upon the realms of jñāna and kriyā now.

jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ parijñātā trividhā karma-codanā ॥
BG 18.18

The inspiration for karma happens because of the confluence of three aspects : knowledge, the object to be known and knower. This can also be said “jnātṛ-jñeyaṃ parijñānam”. Let us take an example. Suppose there are some eatables in a covered vessel placed in a suspended basket. This is jñeya, or the thing to be known. A boy comes to know this. He is the knower or jnātṛ. He comes to know this because of the savoury smell. The knowledge of the smell that started from the eatable reached his nose and tempted him. By the commingling of food, nose and mind, there is an urge to steal the laddus from the basket. This urge happens within. Then comes the external work.

karaṇaṃ karma karteti trividhaḥ karma-saṃgrahaḥ ॥
BG 18.18

A ladder and other means to reach the basket are karaṇa; karma is putting one’s hand into the box and stuffing the laddu into the mouth; the one who later smacks his lips is the kartā. Thus, there are three parts to a karma.
Inspiration for a karma comes from the triad of jnātṛ, jñāna and jñeya which are internal, the execution of a karma is through the triad of kartā, karaṇa and karma. First, a jīva obtains jñāna. After that, the execution of a karma happens through that jñāna.

jñānaṃ karma ca kartā ca tridhaiva guṇabhedataḥ ॥
BG 18.19

Here, guṇa means the guṇa-triad of sattva, rajas and tamas. All our transactions are according to the differences between them. Therefore, the difference in the qualities of the three aspects of karma - jñāna, karma and kartā are explained now.

Let us first look at the three types of jñāna.

sarvabhuteṣu yenaikaṃ bhāvam-avyayam-īkṣate ।
avibhaktaṃ vibhakteṣu taj-jñānaṃ viddhi sāttvikam ॥
BG 18.20
“The knowledge of one who has seen that the same energy of the ātmā pervades all beings, and resides fully in different bodies and is sāttvic”.

This is the complete experience of the supreme tattva.

A man who does not understand this all-pervading principle and thinks that all beings are different from one another, is said to have rajasic knowledge.

One who disregards the complete principle and confines the innumerable and multifarious manifestations of the supreme principle seen in the universe to one form is said to have tamasic knowledge.

The sāttvic form of knowledge keeps in view the complete and vast expanse of the supreme tattva.

Now let us look at the three kinds of karma. Sāttvic karma is that which is performed without passion or hatred, ascertained from the śāstras and tradition and one’s own judgement, without a touch of egoism and without any desire for its reward.

niyataṃ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam ।
apala-prepsunā karma yat-tat-sātvikam-ucyate ॥
BG 18.23

This verse is the essence of all principles of karma-yoga.
Karma performed with an objective, performed with great difficulty and egoism is rājasic.
Tāmasic karma is that which is performed obstinately and foolishly, without thinking about the pros and cons of the karma, expenditure, or the difficulty to be undergone by others, or an understanding of one’s own capabilities and their limitations.
Thus, the mark of sāttvic karma is to intelligently distinguish between proper and improper and act accordingly.

Now let us look at the three kinds of kartās.
A sāttvic kartā is one who performs karma without attachment or delusion, is not selfish, is stable and enthusiastic and is not altered by victory or defeat.
A rājasic kartā is one who performs karma with a desire for its result, is deluded and passionate, does not mind resorting to violence and other base means, and one who is overjoyed by victory and cowed down by defeat.
A tāmasic kartā is one who is careless, egoistic and hypocritical, forgets propriety and is lazy, wails all the time and procrastinates.

In the context of karma, jñāna, karma and kartā are important. Next, we shall look at the three-fold classification of buddhi (intellect) and dhṛti (constancy) that are important in the execution of karma.

pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye ।
bandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yo vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī ॥
BG 18.30

The buddhi that knows when and how much to enter into what worldly transaction, and when and how to stop, which work has to be done and which should not, when should one be fearless and when to be fearful, what might bind the ātmā and what can release it — is sāttvic. A hasty intellect that does not examine dharma and adharma, dos and don’ts according to philosophy and misunderstands them is rājasic.
A tāmasic intellect mistakes adharma for dharma and and in its stupor makes sense of everything in a perverted way.
In the beginning, Arjuna had rājasic intellect. The mark of sāttvic intellect is to understand subtle differences between dharma and adharma. Arjuna had to learn this quality of discernment.
Dhṛti is the ability to hold. Both courage and steadiness are consolidated in this word.
Sāttvic dhṛti is the firmness of the mind that keeps the manas, senses and prāṇas in control through continuous practice.
Rājasic dhṛti is that which keeps only the immediate goal in view while performing works of dharma, kāma and artha. The activism that we all showed when Gandhiji was alive is an example of that. It is only concerned with the immediate result.
Tāmasic dhṛti is that which is not ready to give up sleep, groaning, dreaming, wailing or conceit.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 7) Source: prekshaa]]

There are three types of pleasure as well.

yat-tadagre viṣamiva pariṇāme’mṛtopamam ।
tat-sukhaṃ sāttvikaṃ proktam ātma-buddhi-prasādajam ॥
BG 18.37

Sāttvic sukha is that in which the mind rests and finds that its sorrows cease, that which appears distasteful in the beginning but then results in amṛta-like sweetness. It is due to the purity and pleasantry of oneself. This is the sukha experienced when the intellect completely understands the principle of the ātmā and the mind is fully rid of impurity, delusion, and confusion, and there is peace and tranquillity. 2. Rājasic sukha is pleasure derived from worldly pursuits. It is sweet at first but gradually becomes bitter like poison. 3. Tāmasic sukha is pleasure that is experienced out of sleep, laziness and carelessness. It creates confusion and delusion in the jīva.

Selfishness — a note : A friend has asked this question. Isn’t at least a little selfishness required to be present in a man? How can worldly life progress without that? The answer to that can be answered in three aspects.

Firstly, selfishness is natural. One does not have to put any effort into becoming selfish. It comes naturally by birth. The jīva experiences both profit and loss due to it. The objective of dharma is to correct it so that there is more profit and less loss to the jīva. Dharma does not say that selfishness should be completely eradicated. “asmākaṃ saha-kuṭumbānāṃ kṣema-sthairya-vīrya-vijaya-ārogya-saubhāgya…” isn’t this the saṃkalpa for any dharmic karma? 2. Secondly, why should we live? Is life just for living or with any objective? Plants and trees, snakes and lizards live just for the sake of living. If another objective is not included in such lives, who will be at loss? If we say that a man has to live for the sake of an objective, it is necessary that this objective be above selfish wants.Then the objective of life becomes great; selfishness only becomes a tool to achieve the real object of life. 3. Thirdly, even selfishness is three-fold, like sukha, dhṛti etc.
1. Tāmasic selfishness is that which thinks only of its palate, its comfort, its decoration and prestige, and thinks of the rest of the universe as something that exists to satisfy its need for pleasure. It takes whatever it needs from the world, and does not give anything in return. It does not repay its debt to the world. It does not even have an iota of feeling that it has benefitted from the world.
2. Rājasic selfishness is that which expands to include one’s family, community, town and country, is part of their happiness and sorrow and shares a part of life with a part of the world. It is better than tāmasic selfishness. It feels that these people are one’s own, they should be part of one’s happiness and sorrow — thus it includes others, loved ones, closely related ones in its circle of me and mine; it expands to that extent. It takes whatever it wants from the world, and gives back whatever it deems possible.
3. The ātmā within oneself is the ātmā of the universe; the universe is the body where Bhagavān sports; one has to experience oneself within this universe and become all-containing — the desire to experience Brahma thus is sāttvic selfishness. It realises that it owns nothing and offers everything to Bhagavān and feels happy, or thinks that everything belongs to itself and there is nothing against it; and feels its own ātmā pervading the entire universe.

This verse in praise of mamatā by Appayya Dikṣita is fit to be recalled here.

tyaktavyo mamakāraḥ tyaktuṃ yadi śakyate nāsau ।
kartavyo mamakāraḥ kiṃ tu sa sarvatra kartavyaḥ ॥
Vairāgya-śataka-77
“It is only right to give up self-interest and selfishness. If it cannot be given up, it becomes a duty to be self-interested; but that self-interest should be exercised everywhere”. All beings should be included in the realm of self-interest. Sāttvic selfishness is that where “sva” includes the entire universe.

Thus, Bhagavān explains the form of sattva in jñāna, karma, kartṛtva, buddhi, dhṛti and sukha and establishes its supremacy. Then he shows that sattva is not easily found or easy to be followed in the world.

We saw that unless the impurities attached to the jīva in the form of the guṇa-triad are washed away clean, the nature of the ātmā cannot be seen. This cleaning-up does not happen easily or quickly, because the dirt of the guṇa-triad comes from crores of past lives. It takes long and constant effort to erode them, and there should be a proper method in that effort. That method is svadharma.

We have already seen the nature of dharma. Let us recall it now. Dharma is the mutually beneficial relationship between the jīva and the universe. Every person’s jīva comes with some capabilities, some tastes and predispositions attached to it naturally. These capabilities, tastes and predispositions are made of the three guṇas. In the exercise of using them for the benefit and welfare of the world, the dirt in them diminishes and sattva becomes dominant. This is the main principle of dharma. On one side we have an individual person — his alities and capabilities, his likes and dislikes, his remnant pāpas; on the other side we have the universe — its attractions and conflicts and its difficulties. The energy of the ātmā pervades these two spaces, within both of them equally. On both sides, it is hidden by the veil of prakṛti and cannot be seen. That ātmā is what has to be known. Mokṣa is bringing it to one’s own constant experience. However, the veil of prakṛti is impregnable. The trickery of nature shows itself in layers and in colours — it appears as flowers, fruits, man, woman, wealth and song in front of the jīva and calls to him “See how beautiful I am, what pleasures I can give you ! Will you leave me and go? Come to me, my child”. This is why when we begin the study of Vedanta, we first recite śānti-mantras such as —

bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śruṇuyāma devāḥ ॥
śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ ॥

Why do we prostrate to inferior deities when we are trying to experience the Supreme Brahman? Aren’t we desirous of seeing the parabrahman? The answer is this. Before seeing and experiencing the parabrahman, the necessary thing is peace of mind. Before peace of mind, the necessary thing is peace of the body. Stability of the world is required for the stability of the body. Thus, the worship of paramātmā and worldly life are not mutually exclusive, they are always together. Therefore, the śānti-mantras at the beginning of the upaniṣads pray to Indra, Sūrya, Varuṇa and other deities to remove their obstacles and approve of their effort. Aren’t those deities different manifest forms of prakṛti herself in the world? Hence, the devotee prays thus. “O divine beings, do not stop the progress of my ātmā thinking that I might forget you if I experience the Supreme Brahman. Till I am alive I will offer you what I have to. Be favourable towards my worldly well-being and show me the way for my future progress”. This is the intent.
Prakṛti should be favourable to us. We should not be subservient to her. Worldly life should continue well. But one should not stop there, thinking that that is the be-all and end-all. One should always progress. That is the meaning of the above words. When we visit temples at places like Belur, it is possible that we are marvelled by the beauty of the sculpture of the outside walls and forget the inner sanctum itself. Such are the caresses of prakṛti. How do we go beyond it? There is already a scheme for that. That scheme is dharma. Dharma is the means and tactics of dealing with prakṛti so as to escape from the web of infatuation with which she is trapping us. Dharma is the set of rules and methods that help in the elevation of the ātmā, and is equally beneficial to both jīva and the universe in their relationship.

The dirt of the guṇa-triad attached to the jīva should erode, the sāttvic capabilities of the jīva should grow and help in the welfare of the world. Tamas should decrease and rajas should increase; rajas should decrease and sattva should increase. Both tamas and rajas should decrease further and sattva should reign supreme among the three. This is the manner of ascendance of the jīva. The opportunity to erode rajas and tamas and to encourage sattva is given by interactions with the world. It is not easy to grind down the dirt of the guṇas. Shouldn’t a piece of sandalwood be rubbed on a grinding stone for it to wear down? Similarly, our past impressions should be ground on the stones of the world. When our temperaments are ground thus, they wear down and become sharp too. When a sword or knife is rubbed on a whetstone it wears down and becomes sharp. Thus, it becomes more capable in performing its work. Similarly, when an ātmā performs worldly karmas in the prescribed way, its rajas and tamas reduce and sattva increases. Its capabilities increase. It is trained. Along with these two advantages, there is a third — it is the worldly welfare that was made possible because we used our ability in the right way. Sattva thus increases; the mind expands; The ability of the ātmā to be of use to the world increases. Impurities decrease; that is itself the decrease of evil. “mama upātta samasta-durita-kṣaya-dvārā śrī-parameśvara-prītyartham”.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 8) Source: prekshaa]]

Impurities comprise impressions carried over from many lives, or natural temperaments — different tastes, wavering wants and infatuations, etc. Thus, the unconscious tastes and impressions from past lives are the impurities. Some of them are to be suppressed and purged. Others are to be experienced fully and then only can they be done away with. Purifying the sattva means eradicating the past impressions. This happens when they are indulged and used up in dealings with the world.

Thus, in the system of human relationship with the world, there should be a strategy to destroy tamas, control the rajas and encourage sattva. This strategy should be according to the natural capabilities of the jīva. The system of varṇas is a scheme of relationship between the jīva and the universe that makes sure the capabilities of a jīva are used to further the welfare of the world, pares its tamas and rajas, and develops the inner nature of the ātmā. The basis of this system is prakṛti — unimpeded prakṛti. Bhagavān says that the system of four varṇas is based on the differences seen in the structure of the universe.

cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ ।
BG 4-13

Dharma is realist, not “fancyist”. There are different kinds of guṇas and karmas in this creation. On one side, we have people with different kinds of abilities and energies. On another side, we have the world with different needs and objectives. Therefore, diversity and differences are present in the basic nature of the universe itself.

It is a fact of prakṛti that among beings, there are differences in capabilities and qualities. It is an exaggeration to say that everyone is equal. Indeed, don’t some idealistic seekers of excellence argue that everyone should be treated equally? If that comes into practice, we will suffer more than we do now. If all fingers of a hand become equal in length and thickness, can we hold a vessel or mix rice with them? When we say we want everyone to be equal, our only intention is that we should be treated on par with someone above us, and not that we want someone below us to be treated on par with us. This is the secret of the sloganeering about equality that is going on in the world now. Equality is only an external cover for self-prestige.

Dharma does not act according to such fancies. Short people are indeed short. Tall people are tall. Thin people are thin and fat people are fat. Dharma understands this reality. Treating a short man as a six-footer or a six-footer as a short person and acting accordingly is not dharma. One man might be brilliant, this other man might be dull. One person might have special abilities, another might be ordinary. Dharma is decided based on the differences between people. Satya or truth is factual. Dharma is that which does not follow anything but the actual fact. Giving a puḻḻangayi (Puḻḻangai unḍe is a sweet ball that is hard as a rock) ball to someone without teeth and tambiṭṭu(Tambiṭṭu is a traditional soft, sweet ball) to someone with strong teeth is not dharma. All dealings in the universe are a mishmash of things that are inherently different from one another. It will be necessary to adjust short with long, strong with weak. This is how different aspects are teamed together. A dull ox is yoked with a sharp one when oxen are yoked to a cart. One cart should not get only dull oxen; neither should another cart get only sharp ones. The idea is that we should take what help we can from the enchantments from the hands of prakṛti. A man who has a good voice can learn music easily. It may not be easy for him to learn Mathematics or wrestling. Therefore, it is fit for those who set up a system in the world to consider the needs of the world, and estimate who is naturally more capable of contributing what it needs to the world.

The various types and extents of qualities and capabilities seen in human nature mainly fall into four categories. They are the four jātis.

brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca parantapa ।
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāva-prabhavair-guṇaiḥ ॥
BG 18.41

The duties of people are prescribed based on which qualities are naturally predominant in them. None of human capabilities is useless; no man is unfit — these are the fundamental principles with which all scholars of dharma-śāstras agree.
There is no one in the world who is completely useless. The challenge is to evaluate the potential and harness it. Vaiśyas are those who are more attentive towards money than others. A courageous and strong person can be a kṣatriya. Thus, dharma-śāstras evaluate the predispositions of people and decide their duties accordingly.
One should not think that this applies only to Hindu society. It is seen in all countries and all human societies. From the works of historians like Toynbee, we see that it was present in ancient Greece, Egypt and other countries. Just as there were some societal changes in India in the past two hundred years, there have been similar changes in England and other parts of Europe in the past three centuries. Distribution of wealth changed its course because of the industrial revolution. Since the distribution of wealth changed, the class and status of people also changed. In Shakespeare’s drama “Troilus and Cressida”, there is lamentation that class etiquette is eroding. It seems class differences existed in all societies. Westerners have not acknowledged it openly and have not named it as caste. The aspect exists, but it has not been evaluated philosophically. The varṇa differentiation described in the Gītā is natural in all human societies. Our ancients noticed this natural contrast and gave it a name. Western ancients did not notice it as we did, and do not call it by name. We see that many things and feelings around us do not have names. There is no difficulty in inferring that names such as Smith, Mason, Cook, etc., probably came from the professions of individuals. Now, they are all mixed up in their societies. Our society has still not become so heterogeneous.

We said that the varṇa differentiation outlined in the Gītā is naturally seen in all societies. We shall see the characteristics of Brāhmaṇas.

śamo-damas-tapaḥ śaucaṃ kṣāntir-ārjavam-eva ca ।
jñānaṃ vijñānam-āstikyaṃ brahma-karma-svabhāvajam ॥
BG 18.42
“Śama, dama, tapas, śauca, dayā, ārjava, knowledge of Brahma, knowledge of the world and belief in the divine — one whose nature has these qualities is a Brāhmaṇa”.

We have talked about these qualities many times earlier. Jñāna means the knowledge of the ātmā, the knowledge of Brahma. Vijñāna is worldly knowledge — śāstras like engineering, medicine, etc. It is said “vijñānaṃ śilpa-śāstrayoḥ” - (Amarakośa 1.5.329) vijñāna is the knowledge of sculpture and science One should develop one’s knowledge that helps worldly life, and it should be propagated — this is a Brāhmaṇa’s natural propensity. He is a teacher. He should first gain knowledge and then distribute it among others.

svādhyāya-pravacane eveti nāko maudgalyaḥ । taddhi tapas-tadd-hi tapaḥ ॥
Tai. U. Śīkṣāvallī

Vyasa himself talks about the qualities of Brāhmaṇas elsewhere :

naitādṛśaṃ brāhmaṇasyāsti vittaṃ yathaikatā samatā satyatā ca ।
śīlaṃ sthitirdaṇḍanidānam-ārjavaṃ tatas-tatas-coparatiḥ kriyābhyaḥ ॥
MBh, 12.169.35.1

Apparently, a Brāhmaṇa does not have any wealth greater than this one thing. What is that? Ekatā or consistency — to be steady and self-restrained; being one in mind, speech and behaviour, without any conflict. Samatā means that the mind is unchanged by dualities. Satyatā means established in truth. Shīla means good conduct. Sthiti means that if he believes in something, he constantly works towards it. Daṇḍanidāna means that he does not forget to correct himself in speech, mind and body. Ārjava is being straightforward. There is one last quality that has been listed : “tatas-tataś-coparatiḥ kriyābhyaḥ”. This is specific to Brāhmaṇas. He should perform karma. Now and then, he should step back and give it a rest. A Brāhmaṇa’s special quality is to not get attached to karma. It is detachment or withdrawal. Bhagavān says “saṅgaṃ tyaktvā” in the same sense. “This duty is not mine. I performed it because Bhagavān ordered it. I have performed the karma as required. Now I have to step back” — a brāhmaṇa’s mindset should thus allow him to rest from work.

Continuous work without rest is rajasic. It is the quality ofkṣatriyasand vaiśyas. A brāhmaṇa is only established in karma when it is his duty; when there is no need for karma, he is established in the dhyāna of Bhagavān.

Very well. If we say that these qualities are that of a brāhmaṇa, does a man born in a brahmin family become a brahmin just because of his birth? We cannot escape this question; it has to be faced. Do we decide whether one is a brahmin from birth or from qualities? There is no doubt that quality is the ultimate characteristic that decides whether one is a brāhmaṇa. That birth influences quality, however, is a factor to be considered. Biologists now agree that familial qualities are passed on from generation to generation. It is an irrelevant question if we ask if the seed or field are different. Keeping this possibility aside, if we agree that there is an unbroken, straight lineage, we can conclude without a doubt that the above qualities of a brāhmaṇa have been transmitted from generation to generation from ancient times to the present times, even if ever so slightly.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 9) Source: prekshaa]]

In our times, the question of why is a brāhmaṇa given more importance has become more and more vociferous. The answer to that is in the description of the above qualities. A brāhmaṇa is devout and truthful; he regards that knowledge is of paramount importance and is always peaceful. All people of all countries respect such a person. Respect for those qualities are not out of drum-beating or force or even encouragement. It is born by itself from within the breast. These qualities are considered respectable by universal humanity that transcends caste, religion and other worldly attributes. If someone says that he does not respect those qualities, we do not fight with him. A brāhmaṇa is calm and merciful. He does not have any strife with anyone. That these qualities are respected by people is itself a praise of human nature. Even a person who is not truthful respects those who always speak truth. What does this show? It shows that even though a man lies because of some reason best known to himself, he respects truth. Even if he lies to others, he wishes that everyone should tell him the truth and not lies. The respect and faith a liar has about truth and truthful people gradually turns into love for truth itself. Similarly, the brāhmaṇic qualities that one respects will eventually be morally beneficial to himself.

A brāhmaṇa does not beg for respect. His venerability is because of his qualities and not because he asked for it. One who says “I am a brahmin, respect me”, shows his unworthiness by this mere statement. Manu says that one who expects reward is not a brāhmaṇa. He says that a brāhmaṇa should crave for contempt instead:

saṃmānād-brāhmaṇo nityam udvijeta viṣādiva ।
amṛtasyeva cākāṅkṣet avamānasya sarvadā ॥
Manusmṛti 2-162

The next aspect to be considered after giving up prestige and conceit is that of money. The greatest assault on our people due to British rule was caused by the revolutionary attack on our moral philosophy. Acquaintance with the British inflamed the desire of the elites or our society, for material wealth. It was natural that the English needed Indian help to establish communication between us and them, and also to keep accounts. It became an opportunity for Brahmins. They had been immersing themselves in education for generations. It thus became easy for them to learn new languages and sciences. Added to the natural proclivity towards knowledge, there was additional encouragement from monetary incentives. They forgot the wealth that Vyāsa prescribed; and sought the wealth that had the queen’s seal on it. Their qualities began slipping from them little by little. Brahminism became merely dynastic. They forgot ancient teachings and used their education, intellect and training to earn money. If they had at least remembered the old “riches”, their plight would not be as sorry as it is now. Because the Brāhmaṇa forgot his true nature and the true wealth of his glorious lineage, it gave an opportunity for others to say “this fellow is the same as others; he is just one among a thousand others. What is so great about him?”. If he had not forgotten his own wealth, he would not have been censured by others. A little brāhmaṇya would still remain in him. When others complain that many official posts are occupied by this caste called brahmins, a real brāhmaṇa should introspect about it with poignancy, and not argue that a brāhmaṇa is just more capable of earning. A brāhmaṇa may be capable and successful in worldly work; but the question is whether he has preserved his dispassion, calmness, penance and friendliness for the whole world. The story of the Brahmin community in the past one hundred and fifty years is testimony to the fact that there is a high possibility of pāpa in worldly transactions.

Valour, courage, power, strength, ability to work, steadfastness in war — these are the characteristics of a kṣatriya. A kṣatriya is one in whom these qualities are inborn. The world needs him to dexterously rule over the state. Just as we cannot include a money-minded brahmin in a group of brāhmaṇas, we cannot consider an incapable man as a kṣatriya.

Similarly, a person skilful in agriculture, commerce and wealth management is a vaiśya.

A śudra is one who is not capable of owning any work, but can perform tasks that are given to him by people more capable than him. It is easier for him to exert himself physically rather than intellectually; and to follow rather than think freely.
There are four services that are absolutely necessary for the wellbeing of any human society: 1. Education 2. Protection 3. Wealth and prosperity 4. Labour. If even one of these malfunctions, there will be deficiencies in the well-being of the society. They are all equally important. The skills required for them are respectively 1. Intellectual labour and self-restraint 2. Courage and strength 3. Mechanisms and strategies for making profit 4. Taking care of one’s bodily health and ability to follow rules. These four qualities are not present in any one man in equal proportion. It is even difficult to find two or three in one person. It is common to see one quality being dominant and that the other qualities are present in small amounts. The karma of a person is decided based on the quality that is predominant, varṇa is decided according to the karma. This is the secret of the system of varṇas. The fundamental concept here is that everyone is not equally capable of doing all work. Therefore, people should introspect about their strengths and qualities and choose a profession accordingly.

This is opposite to the theory of universal equality that is being propounded in recent times. The mainstay of this argument is — “what man has done, man can do”. It can only be a feeling in the mind but not practically feasible. Vāsudevācārya was a musician (a vāggeyakara of the twentieth century, in the court of Mysore Wodeyars.) . Can we all sing like him? Yes, we might — if we practice for a hundred lives. But my throat that sings then is not my throat of today; not that of the present life. A man who is skillful in handling machines should not be asked to become a schoolteacher. A mechanic shows skill with machines. A school teacher has oratory skills that can show the universe on his palm. Society will benefit if people are engaged in tasks that they are skillful at, tasks that they have natural inclination for. That is the right economy — the ability to reap more out of less investment. A pin that is used to pierce paper to set them together is made by some man. I am also a man. Can I make a pin? Yes, it is possible, if I am given a boundless amount of material and infinite time. But a man who has received training for this job can make a thousand pins in a minute. There are some musicians amongst us. Bhagavān Brahma has forgotten to give them a good voice. For some reason, they think that they know music; they struggle to fix their voice. We listen to their struggle; however, we still haven’t had the good fortune to listen to and enjoy any meaningful outcome of the struggle. Thus, our efforts that disregard our natural strengths and weaknesses are not economical.

The vast diversity of human qualities, strengths, propensities and inclinations of humans has great use in the order of the universe. Because there is inequality, one man is curious about, and respects another. Because there is inequality, a man requires another’s help. Because there is diversity and inequality there is opportunity for friendship. We have seen that the Greek philosopher Plato has expressed the same opinion. If everyone becomes a musician, who will listen? If everyone becomes a doctor, who will get treated? If everyone becomes a teacher, who will learn? We need what we lack, from others. This is how we become friends with others. Because of inequality, one person feels friendly and respectful towards others. Because of diversity, we need one another.

In the present times, we are profusely misusing words like unity, equality, freedom, etc. It does not mean that these words do not have any meaning; they indeed have a beautiful meaning. People are merely uttering these words without understanding their true meaning, and with nary a thought to propriety or circumstance. It is similar to tying up the Gītā in a cloth (Texts with powerful mantras are to be tied in silk cloth and kept safe from prying eyes and hands), noting that Bhagavān said —

idaṃ te nātapaskāya nābhaktāya kadācana ॥
BG 18.67

This is a great sentence, pregnant with meaning. The word “equality” is like that. It is easy to misunderstand it. One must therefore be careful. Diversity and inequality are the arrangement of prakṛti. Because of them, people need one another, through which friendship and respect grows among people. Swami alludes to this wonderful principle in the chapter about karmayoga:

parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha ॥
BG 3.11

Some disparity is seen in the system of varṇas and karma. Descriptions such as — brāhmaṇa is the mouth, kṣatriyas are the shoulders, vaiśyas are the thighs and śudras are the feet — have become cause for objection. The objection is born of unthinking folly. From the point of view of the society, all karmas are equally required. What is the objective here? Firstly, the impurity of the three guṇas in an individual should erode. Secondly, his capability and strengths should flourish; thirdly, the workplace for these two objectives is to transact with the world. Fourthly, the world should benefit from the expression of his qualities and strengths. Thus, the objectives of a dharmic karma are individual elevation and the well-being of the whole world. From this perspective, an individual’s wealth, prestige, and authority are not very important. Service to the whole world is important; service to the divine is important; one’s own profit and prestige are not. The path of our karma is what agrees with our nature.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 10) Source: prekshaa]]

While bringing up a baby, is one who feeds milk superior and one who cleans the cradle is inferior? Is the person who rocks the cradle superior to the one who takes the baby to the toilet? Due to the love a mother has for the baby, she is equi-poised towards all activities that have to be done to keep him healthy and happy. There is no evaluation of the work as superior or inferior. Even in the service of Bhagavān, it is similar; there is no superior or inferior. Āñjaneya carried the mountain; the squirrel carried a little sand^(^([1])).

There was a lady in our town. She had lost her family at a very young age. She was one of the living saints I had seen. She would wake up at four in the morning. Among the temples in the town, there were two or three which were very big; there were four to six smaller temples in one temple. The previous evening, she would visit all places that had cows and collect dung. Before sunrise, she would wake up, mix that dung with water she had carried from the village tank (in those times, there were no taps) in a big vessel. Then she would go to the temple, sweep, mop and clean it with this water, while singing devaranāmas^(^([2])). Then she would decorate the premises with rangoli^(^([3])). In this way, all seven days of the week she had a menial job without salary. She had some fields that provided enough to eat once a day. Think about this life. Whose devotion is more — devotion of those who perform sahasra-bilvārcana and lakṣa-mallige arcana^(^([4]))? Or that of this lady? Can anyone say that the service a brāhmaṇa performs to Bhagavān is superior to that performed by others?

The same is expressed by Browning in his verse drama “Pippa Passes”. Pippa was a worker girl in a silk factory in Italy. She was an orphan. She had only one holiday in the whole year, the day of the new year. Once the day of the new year arrived. She thought “I should be very happy today”, and singing thus with a pure and light heart, went about the town :

God’s in His Heaven,
All’s right with the world.

This song was heard by some people who were engaged in some wrongdoing, and they all felt a little remorseful. She did not have any intention of elevating them. She didn’t even know that such people existed. She thought everyone was good, and had no notion of bad. Her song influenced many people for the better. Another part of the song is this:

All service ranks the same with God ;
If now, as formerly, He trod
Paradise, His presence fills
Our earth. Each only as God wills
Can work — God’s puppets, best and worst
Are we. There is no last nor first.

We are all toys in the hands of the divine — all of us. Who is first, and who is last? All services rank equally in divine calculation. Whatever karma one performs, it culminates according to his divine will. This is the essence of “tena vinā tṛṇamapi na calati”. This is the idea of the story in Kenopaniṣad. Bhagavān might order some people to sweep the floor. He might ask some others to carry and bring water. He might say to some others to roll the carpet. The others might be asked to sit quiet and answer when someone walks in. We are all toys in his hands. We act according to the movement of his string, There is nothing in this world that is too insignificant. Nor is there anything that suprasses everything else in importance. From the point of view of service, everything is equal. This is the perspective of the poet Browning. This is seen in the Rāmāyaṇa also.Āñjaneyacarried a hill, whereas the squirrel carried a little sand. There was a difference in capabilities; but there was equality in the mindset.

The poet Milton became blind. He prayed thus “God, you took away my eyes and deprived me of my daylight. Now my life is perpetually night. What service can I perform? But I have one satisfaction:

…. God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve Him best. His state
Is kingly : thousands at His bidding speed
And post o’er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.
On his blindness

“Bhagavān does not need man’s service. He does not need the naivedyas and offerings given to him. The benefit is anyway to the person who performed it. Bhagavān imposes a tax of duty upon man. Those who accept it without protest are his servants. Bhagavān is an emperor. Thousands of people run about on land and sea to do his bidding. They are all his servants. If he orders some of them to not walk about and stay put in one place as sentries, doing that is also a service to him. The divine gave me blindness and asked me to stay in one place. This is also a service to him. I do this service happily.

The opinion of both Browning and Milton is about following instructions without fail. Our chance to elevate ourselves is the position, profession, worldly karma that has fallen to our lot by divine design. The Gītā instructs us to use it like that. The teaching embedded in the story of Dharmavyādha in the Mahābhārata is also the same.

In the present age, our world has become a toy in the hands of the greed-fiend. Various sciences, machinery and other technologies are finding their culmination in creating wealth. Food, clothes, vehicles and ostentation are the ultimate life-goals for everyone. Countries compete with one another, as do humans. Brothers compete with one another. In this mad marathon, the differentiating lines between different family professions has been erased. The job of a brāhmaṇa is not encouraged. There is no opportunity for a kṣatriya at all. Where is he now? Today’s soldier just deploys bombs. Today’s ruler is a representative of all people. So a kṣatriya is jobless. No one likes to be called a śūdra now. Isn’t it today’s slogan that everyone is equal to everyone else in all ways? Who in the world is ready to serve someone else? Therefore the only profession that is left in today’s world is that of vaiśyas. Earning money itself is the dharma for everyone now. Those who call themselves brahmins are at the forefront in this path. It cannot be said that engineering, medicine and law are brahminical professions. A clerk’s job is also not special to a brahmin. No one can argue that government service is for a brahmin. When the British stepped into India, they had to take the help of Indians for their service and help. Then, brahmins who were rooted traditionally in jobs of the intellect rushed to learn English and gained offices and government posts. Other varṇas followed them. With this joined the attraction of other professions born out of the influence of the industrial revolution in Europe. The old system of occupations collapsed. Thus, the world is wearing a different facade in various ways. Thought for earning a livelihood has increased, and that for looking into oneself has decreased. The stomach is itself divine, tasty food is heaven. This is the plight of today’s brāhmaṇya :

yuge yuge tu ye dharmās-tatra tatra ca ye dvijāḥ ।
teṣāṃ nindā na kartavyā yugarūpā hi te dvijāḥ ॥
Parāśara smṛti 1.33

These are the words of Parāśara. A brāhmaṇa has not transcended time. Then, does he not have to do anything to preserve the dharma of his lineage? Should he follow the wind, thinking that time is against him? That is not dharma.

sarvanāśe samutpanne hyardhaṃ tyajati paṇḍitaḥ ॥ Subhāṣita-ratna-samuccaya
(When there is a possibility of complete loss, a wise man gives up half of it).

Dharma is to try to preserve as much brāhmaṇa-dharma as possible — the more the better — even during adverse times. Brahmanism can be seen from two perspectives: 1. Satya 2. Śama 3. Śauca 4. Lokamaitri^(^([5])) 5. Jīva-saṃskāra^(^([6])) 6. Jñāna-vijñāna-sādhana^(^([7])) 7. Worshipping the divine 8. Virakti (dispassion). These eight are the qualities of the ātmā — qualities of the mentality. Even if the external conditions become atrociously wicked, these qualities of the manas do not need to change. The mark of a brāhmaṇa is to keep one’s mind under strict control, not giving worldly changes any authority over his ātmā, and not letting his mentality change under any circumstance. This is the first duty of abrāhmaṇa. The second duty is to choose a profession that does not come in the way of practising the first. One should always look for a profession which does not merely profit monetarily, but does not prevent the practice of satya and śauca as much as possible. Once such a job is found, he must excel at it and must be content. It is not wrong to desire to profit from one’s profession; but there is always the danger that it might prod him in the wrong direction. One should be careful about such dangers, and should be skilful in his job. This is the second duty of the brāhmaṇa. There is a third duty too. He should eke out some free time from his worldly duties and spend it in the study of the vedas and śāstras, instead of wasting it in frivolous activities. There is no one who does not have one day a week or one day a fortnight free. Today’s labour laws urge that labourers should receive holiday at least for some time in a week. Dedicating an hour or two on such days to the Rāmāyaṇa or the Mahābhārata is not difficult even for the busiest brāhmaṇa. Where there is a will, there is a way. If those who call themselves brāhmaṇas observe their own words, it is not difficult to realise those words in action, even in these adverse times.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))Allusion to the stories of Hanumān carrying the mountain that had herbs to revive Lakṣmaṇa, and the squirrel that did its part in building the bridge to Lanka.

^(^([2]))Devotional songs written by Haridāsas

^(^([3]))Traditional decorations done with rice flour or other white powder in front of homes and temples

^(^([4]))Worshipping with a thousand bilva leaves and a hundred thousand jasmine flowers, respectively.

^(^([5]))Being friendly with the whole world

^(^([6]))Refinement of the jīva

^(^([7]))Trying to gain knowledge of one’s profession and the knowledge of the ātmā

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 11) Source: prekshaa]]

Qualities like truth and purity are not the special property of brahmins. They are to be practised by others as well. Why did we specially mention them as brahmaṇic qualities? The real meaning is that an excellent, exemplary brāhmaṇa behaves thus, and these qualities are easily practised by him; therefore other varṇas should also try to emulate him and earn those qualities — this is the real meaning.

ṣve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate narah ।
svakarma-nirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tacchruṇu ॥
BG 18.45

Everyone should be engaged in their natural duties. A man’s capability is not decided based on whether the work he has secured is big or small; however insignificant his job is — even if it is only to sweep the road — the quality of his work, the devotion he shows towards his job, his enthusiasm and skill — decide his worth.

During this discussion, it is worthwhile to remember this piece of advice that Sir M Visvesvaraya, the celebrated engineer and the administrator par excellence, gave to young engineers.

“The bulk of the work in the districts is of a very ordinary character, but it is not on that account to be despised. Many a young engineer may find no higher work to design or construct than a road-culvert or a tank-sluice. A dispensary or a dak bungalow may be his dream in architecture. But whatever the work, if the designs are to be proper and economical, a close study of local conditions and a correct knowledge of how similar work is best done elsewhere are very necessary. The young engineer may lay to heart the advice which Mr. Moberly Bell of the London Times gave on similar occasion. “If your business,” said he, “is only to sweep a crossing, remember that it is your duty to make that crossing the best swept in the world.”
(14th November 1910)

The performance of one’s dharma through the performance of one’s own duties is indeed the worship of the divine. He who is engaged in the performance of svadharma attains siddhi.
That it is possible to attain siddhi through the performance of one’s dharma is one of the cardinal teachings of the Gītā.

yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṃ yena sarvam idaṃ tatam ।
sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarchya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ ॥
BG 18.46
“The energy and direction for all actions of every being arise from that root consciousness that has brought forth the entire universe from within itself and pervades it inside out. He, having worshipped the supreme consciousness through the performance of duties that are natural and obligatory to him, attains the greatest siddhi.”

This śloka is pregnant with much meaning. There is likely no better or more apt description of Brahman than this. Neither is there a more concise elucidation of the method to worship Brahman. All-pervading Brahman is the source of every being’s inner urge that prompts it to perform an action or not. When the impurities of a jīva - its guṇas and tendencies accumulated through a beginningless succession of lives - are cleansed, the jīva attains the true experience of his own Self. The mechanism to cleanse oneself of such impurities is dharma in the form of purifying works prescribed via one’s varṇa or family or stem from one’s own innate character. Thus, the path towards self-knowledge proceeds through the performance of works that 1. are prescribed by the śāstras, 2. are useful to the world, and 3. purify the jīva. Whatever action has to be performed should be performed dexterously and efficiently.

śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt
svabhāva-niyataṃ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
BG 18.47
“Though not much virtue might be seen in svadharma, it is more beneficial than another’s dharma that appears to be more virtuous. One does not incur pāpa by performing karma attuned to one’s own nature.”

Trading in meat, even if more profitable than the profession of teaching, is not the dharma of a brāhmaṇa. Though a butcher might prefer acting in plays or in cinemas over his own profession that he does not like so much, his own family business is his dharma. If one does not perform one’s dharma, he is subject to pāpa. This is the principle explained in the tale of Dharmavyādha^(^([1])).

sahajaṃ karma kaunteya sa-doṣam api na tyajet
sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ
BG 18.48
“One should not give up duties that are part of one’s nature and are established through one’s own community, even though they might seem to be faulty from others’ perspectives. Every profession in this world is fraught with one defect or the other - just as fire is always enveloped in smoke.”

Hariśchandra, due to circumstances of time and duty, had to stay guard at a funeral-ground. Was that a joyous duty? It does not seem so to us. When fate brought him to that place, he had to fulfil his duties as they had to be fulfilled. Thus, even when his wife Candramatī carried the corpse of their son Lohitāśva, he insisted, “The fee due here must be paid”. There is no place for likes and dislikes during the performance of one’s duty.

All the smṛtis accept the opinion stated above. Manu has clarified the same. The following ślokas from the atri-saṃhitā state the same succinctly with no scope for doubt.

svāni karmāṇi kurvāṇā dūre santo’pi mānavāḥ ।
priyā bhavanti lokasya sve sve karmaṇyavasthitāḥ ॥
Atri saṃhitā 8.41
Those men immersed in their own duties, even if they are afar, are liked by the world.

ye vyapetāḥ svadharmebhyaḥ paradharme vyavasthitāḥ ।
teṣāṃ śāstikaro rājā svargaloke mahīyate ॥
That king, who chastises those established in others’ duties while neglecting their own, reigns in svarga.

ātmīye saṃsthito dharme śūdro’pi svargamaśnute ।
paradharmo bhavet tyājyaḥ surūpa-paradāravat ॥ Even a śūdra established in his own dharma attains svarga. Thus another’s dharma is to be discarded like another’s wife, beautiful though she might be.

Plato, the pre-eminent Greek philosopher and considered the foremost among truth-seekers from all over the world, has again and again elucidated the concept of svadharma in his Republic - bolstering it with arguments and examples.

“Justice is the having and doing of what is a man’s own and belongs to him”
Republic. Book IV.

Can an activity that has no touch of pāpa even exist? Though every activity has the possibility of association with pāpa, it should not become an excuse for us to stay away from action. Activity has to be performed. The question is whether it attaches to us or not. If the activity in question comes to us naturally as an obligation, there is no attachment. There are several situations in which we may have to do something that we either do not like or is not considered proper by society at large. Bhagavān refers to activities as - “aniṣṭamiṣṭaṃ miśraṃ ca” - those that we like, those that we do not like and those that we like partially. Whatever may be the obligatory duty, there is no defect in its performance as long as there is no tinge of selfishness. That indeed is phalatyāga (giving up the fruit of actions) and the essence of saṃnyāsa (renunciation). When we perform karma in that manner, our impurities in the form of the three guṇas are eroded. Our vāsanas (latent tendencies) are weakened. Qualities, virtues, and strengths that are hidden in our psyche are brought to light. This is conducive to goodness in the world. Erosion of the jīva’s debts and impurities and an expression of the jīva’s sattva make it easier to attain paramātmā.

However, in the twelfth chapter, Bhagavān instructs us to give up all endeavours!

sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ।
BG 12.16

Whatever may be the endeavour, it is not free of one defect or the other. This is the instruction from the twelfth.
But in this chapter, Bhagavān mandates us to perform suitable activity without worrying about accompanying defects, for no action is truly defect-free. Thus on the surface, there seems to be some disagreement between these two teachings. There is another verse that resolves this inconsistency.

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ ।
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ ॥
BG 4.19

There is the possibility of an iota of pāpa in all human activity. Even so, there is a strategy to completely negate even this sliver of pāpa from our activities. The strategy is an attitude of desirelessness. “It is not me who acts. This action is not for me. Whatever is done is being done in subservience to Bhagavān. The guṇas of prakṛti make us act. Results of those actions accrue to us via the laws of karma. I am ready for any kind of result. The decision to perform karma is not to be made from the perspective of my benefit, enjoyment, or prestige. By virtue of prior karma, I have attained a certain position and a specific set of opportunities in the world. It is from this understanding that I can decide upon dharma. My karma follows suit.” An action performed with the sole sense of duty after exercising such discernment does not result in pāpa, for there is no ego in it but obedience towards Bhagavān. This is the essence of the principle of karma.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))The tale of the butcher from the Mahābhārata’s vana-parvan.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 12) Source: prekshaa]]

asaktabuddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigataspṛhaḥ ।
naiṣkarmyasiddhiṃ paramāṃ saṃnyāsenādhigacchati ॥
BG 18.49

The word naiṣkarmya is used repeatedly in the śāstras. It refers to a state of absence of pāpa when there is no activity being performed - a state without anxiety, a state of pure knowledge. For those in this state, karma is not a bondage. It is not that they do not perform karma; but that karma does not bind them anymore. Such people can perform karma - but of their own happy volition. They freely perform action for the welfare of the world, while considering it as their own self. Yajñas such as the agniṣṭoma and the vājapeya described in In our śāstras, building food donation houses, performing vratas, charity, and others are considered to be karma. We have seen that life in its entirety can be considered a yajña in the extended sense of the term. Therefore, by the word karma can be understood both vaidika rites - daily, occasional and desired, and laukika activities. Man has an abundance of sense organs and motor instruments. All these tools have to be used in performing karma as the worship of Īśvara : “svakarmaṇā tamabhyarchya” (having worshipped him by one’s karma). The fruit of one’s karma is the ripening of the manas. It is commonly (and erroneously) thought that the knowledge of the ātmā is a result of śāstric study, intellectual sleights, and feats of logic; and that the knowledge of Brahma arises from scholarship and cerebral gymnastics. For this to happen, however, the mind must mature. Some lentils do not cook easily. One might have to use soda and other agents to hasten the process. The manas, likewise, might have become hard or soft. It is a problem even if it is as hard as a rock or all soft and gloppy. The rock has to be melted and softened while the glop has to be dried and hardened. This is possible only with worldly experience. There is contact with the world during the course of an activity. During such contact, friction amongst jīvas is inevitable. It is this friction amongst the jīvas that chastens it. The impurities within and without a jīva - anger, desire and other mental imperfections - come out during conflict and inter-jīva friction. The one suffering from indigestion is administered purges by doctors through prescribed medicines. For bodily impurities to leave the body, the alimentary canal must come in contact with medicines and other herbal preparations. Similarly, to purge the impurities of a jīva such as rajas and tamas, there must be friction among jīvas. Through the friction with the world induced through karma, hidden selfīśness and prejudice are uprooted. It is through such friction that a mind is perfected. The manas is the bridge between the jīva and the ātmā. It has therefore been said -

“mana eva manuṣyāṇām kāraṇaṃ bandha-mokṣayoḥ”
Brahmabindūpaniṣad 2

It is the manas through which mokṣa becomes possible; it is the mind that binds. One can proceed in either direction on a bridge. If one goes from this side to the other - it is mokṣa. However, if one comes to this side from the other, it is bondage. The bridge is one - the manas. The manas has to be ripened through the performance of many kinds of activities. Karma therefore should be performed for the purification of the jīva. Śrī Purandaradāsa has sung:

“manava shodhisabeku nicca ।
dinadinavu māḍuva pāpa-puṇyada vecca ।”
(The mind must be examined every day.
Pāpa and puṇya spent every day must be appraised)

We are usually given to think that we perform activity to attain puruṣārtha (the primary goals of life). Why should we act? To earn a living. Why again do we act? With an expectation that Bhagavān might grant us a little more if whatever we have earned is not enough. There are thus several reasons for our work. It is Bhagavān’s instruction to perform any work as a worship of Īśvara. Such a performance of duty is the path to the knowledge of the ātmā.
The perfection of the jīva does not happen in a vacuum. Karma is performed on the stage of the world and not in an uninhabited place. The impetus for karma comes from interaction with the world. Therefore the jīva has to be ground - much like sandalwood - against the grinding stone of worldly interaction. The chunk of sandalwood yields fragrance when ground well on a moistened grinding stone, giving it fulfilment. The jīva likewise must grind its capabilities against the grindstone of the world wetted with the water of bhakti towards Bhagavān. By grinding thus, the jīva loses its impurities and becomes fit to experience paramātmā. Attaining the ātmā is possible with such effort.

buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto dhṛtyātmānaṃ niyamya ca
śabdādīn viṣayāns tyaktvā rāga-dveṣau vyudasya ca
vivikta-sevī laghv-āśī yata-vāk-kāya-mānasaḥ
dhyāna-yoga-paro nityaṃ vairāgyaṃ samupāśritaḥ
ahankāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ parigraham
vimuchya nirmamaḥ śānto brahma-bhūyāya kalpate BG 18.51 - 53

First is “viśuddhayā buddhyā” - a purified intellect, which here refers to a clear understanding of the following -
That the world is a mixture of the Self and non-Self,
The Self and non-Self in the world
The eternal and the transient in the world
in the buddhi.

Then comes - “dhṛtyātmānaṃ niyamya” - the manas has to be firmly restrained. The refinement achieved by the intellect (buddhi) should not instantaneously evaporate. The attraction from sound, sight and other sense-objects should be resisted to help restrain the mind. One must not fall into the trap of sense organs. The word dhṛti has two meanings - firmness and courage. Both meanings are applicable here. The instruction of the BhagavadGītā is for those who are ready and willing to restrain themselves. For those who think – “Let our manas, our likes and dislikes, prejudices and passions wander freely. We want complete independence” - the Gītā is not for them. Then comes rāga-dveṣau vyudasya. Vyudāsa refers to discarding something. Karma refers to a relationship with the world. Such a relationship should not involve pride and partiality. How can equanimity result without discarding desires and dislikes? Therefore one must give up both infatuation and enmity in human relationships. Rāga refers to thoughtless infatuation. Whatever mental state is referred to as vyāmoha (infatuation) for unworthy objects is referred to as bhakti (devotion) when the objects involved are worthy.

“vivikta-sevī” . Vivikta refers to being away from commotion - living in solitude. One must reflect with and within oneself for the rise of discernment. The same is referred to in a verse attributed to Śrī Śaṅkara - “ekānte sukhamāsyatām” (find joy in solitude). The intent here is to prevent others from distracting the mind. Just as jñāna needs world experience and a desire to understand for its growth, it also needs solitude. We have seen Bhagavān Vyāsa’s words -

“tatastataścoparatiḥ kriyābhyaḥ”
Mokṣadharmaparva, Mahābhārata
(Gradual abstinence from activities)

We have already seen the following in the Gītā.

śanaiḥ śanair uparamed buddhyā dhṛti-gṛihītayā
BG 6.25

The mind has to be often withdrawn from performing activities. This withdrawal has two benefits. The first is the practice of detachment - “This work is not attached to me”. Second, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon the good, the bad, and the erroneous in our works. A card player broods after his game, “I should not have played that card, but played the other one instead”. The author, after reading his just published work, analyses - “Ah! I should have written this segment in that way. It would have been better had this paragraph come before that.” Thus, withdrawal from activity helps purify the mind. Constant practice of solitude or withdrawal from activity has two benefits - 1. The practice of detachment 2. An opportunity to analyse the mind.

“laghvāśī” : The one intent on meditation should keep his food and sleep light. The brain nods off when the stomach becomes heavy. For the buddhi to be attentive, one must neither be a glutton nor abstain completely from eating; but a moderate eater. The same desired behaviour was earlier referred to as yuktāharavihārasya. Similarly, body, mind and speech have to be kept in check. Speaking extroverts the mind, which is then dragged hither and thither by the noise and commotion, scattering its attention to bits. The same situation is caused by dwelling upon conundrums and complications encountered during the study of śāstra. External contact must be shunned and the feeling that one does not need anything must be practised. This indeed is vairāgya (renunciation).
The body requires a few bare necessities. Such facilities, however, should be used as helpers towards gaining īśvara-experience, as mere instruments. Not more. If the mind has to be restrained, unwanted desires and thoughts unrelated to Self-reflection must be given up. With the rise of renunciation, the ego and other mind-games subside.

Parigraha refers to accepting something from others or accumulating something for a rainy day. This is against the spirit of renunciation. As long as there is parigraha, a relationship persists with the world - a feeling of “I” and “mine”. The tranquil one who is without anxiety and feelings of “I” or “mine” becomes fit for the experience of Brahma. What is the need for external security for one who has full faith in Bhagavān? “As Īśvara wills it”, is renunciation. But he who thinks, “Let us exercise caution lest Bhagavān forgets” practises parigraha. “When I am pensioned, my income will be halved. Let me make up for it by accepting bribes” - is parigraha. Thoughts such as, “Let me lead a life with an income earned through just means. If it is not enough for my ghee^(^([1])), I do not want ghee”, indicate vairāgya.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))Referring to superfluous pleasures

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 13) Source: prekshaa]]

The nature of aparigraha (non-acceptance of superfluous material wealth) is well described in the story of Uṣasti in the Chāndogyopaniṣad.

Uṣasti was a brāhmaṇa living in the land of Kuru-pāñcāla. Hailstorms destroyed all the crops in the land causing a drought. People began to head out of their homes in search of food. So did Uṣasti and his wife. Uṣasti could not bear the pangs of hunger. His wife had become inured to hunger; she was emaciated and her body had become a bag of bones. Uṣasti felt that he could not live any longer without some food. By then both of them had reached a village of mahouts (ibhya). A mahout was eating beans. Uṣasti implored, “Dear man, I am feeling very hungry. Can you give me something to eat?”. The mahout gave him some of the same boiled beans he had been eating - leftovers usually considered impure. Though Uṣasti was a brāhmaṇa, he accepted the leftover beans so that he could sustain his life. The mahout then offered him some water to drink. But Uṣasti refused. The surprised mahout asked, “You consumed those beans. Why not this water?”. Uṣasti replied - “Drinking water is indeed necessary. But that is available elsewhere. The drought is for food, not water. You gave me food that sustained my life. For water, I will go to the pond or the lake outside the village. I cannot accept from you what I can get elsewhere.” Such is aparigraha.
Uṣasti then offered some of the same boiled beans to his wife. She refused. Uṣasti asked - “I have eaten whatever is needed to sustain life; but some beans are leftover.” She preserved the leftover beans for the next day. They felt hungry when they proceeded further. He ate the previous day’s leftover beans his wife gave him.

One can take from others only that which is essential to sustain life. One should not accept non-essential things from others. This is the essence of aparigraha.

We have seen earlier that life is a set of give-and-take transactions with the world. Every moment, we take something from the world; and give the world something else in return. This can be seen in our breathing. The essence of aparigraha is in minimising what we take from the world while maximising what we give back to it.

The means for Brahma-experience is not intellectual ability but moral self-discipline. Here’s where we lose the plot. We look for Brahma in grammar, nighaṇṭu (Vedic lexicon), feats of logical manipulation, series of arguments, indicated in the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi as “vāgvaikharī śabdajharī śāstravyākhyānakauśalam” (ornate speech, flow of words, dexterity in interpreting the śāstras). We memorise verses and commentaries and quote them when an opportunity arises. We casually utter words such as Brahma, māyā, ātmā, jīva, jñāna, karma, prakṛti, and prārabdha without any thought. Has the principle of reality been experienced by us? The characteristics of one who has experienced reality is described thus:

brahmabhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati.
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu madbhaktiṃ labhate parām
BG 18.54
“Always gracious, he has no sorrow or desire. He has the same love towards all beings. He has supreme devotion towards paramātmā.”

Every activity of such a brahmānubhavī stems from his love of the Supreme Brahma.

Prasanna refers to love or grace. A gracious thing gives pleasure to those who see it. The mind gets disturbed when it sees certain objects or scenes. It can become angry or lose itself in joy. Being prasanna is not something that intoxicates. The state of prasannatā is one wherein the mind is neither agitated nor fickle. We find prayers such as “Lakṣmī Venkateśvara Prasanna” at the head of traditional wedding invitations. The intent here is for Bhagavān to be pleased towards us without any doubts or peeves. Words such as prasīda or prasāda have the same import. One who has experienced Brahma will have a similar nature of being ever pleased or gracious.

A brahmānubhavī does not wish to possess anything; neither does he grieve when something is lost. He regards everyone - sama (equally). We have earlier discussed the word - sama - one of those words that is easily prone to misinterpretation. Love is equal; but its practice changes with circumstance.

madbhaktiṃ labhate parām ॥
BG 18.54

Here, bhakti is referred to as something that a person labhate (obtains) - which makes us ask - was there no bhakti till now? The answer is that the bhakti till now was one that was either fickle or divided among many objects. But the one who has experienced Brahma attains parā-bhakti - undivided devotion only towards Supreme Brahma. Through such bhakti -

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś-cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṃ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram
BG 18.55

Possessed with one-pointed devotion towards Supreme Brahma, he sees everything as a symbol of Brahma and experiences Brahma in its totality. He realises the true nature of Brahma vis-a-vis faux appearances of Brahma. He also understands what māyā is, why the world was created, and what those things are that constitute the world. He gains a true understanding of Brahma as well as that of the world.

Does a knower of Brahma renounce the world and its concomitant dharma and karma? Certainly not.

sarva-karmāṇy-api sadā kurvāṇo mad-vyapāśrayaḥ
mat-prasādād-avāpnoti śāśvataṃ padam-avyayam
BG 18.56
“The true bhakta constantly performs every ordained activity with the realisation that whatever worldly belongings he considers his own have been bestowed upon him by Bhagavān. Hence he surely obtains the blessings of Bhagavān. He then attains Bhagavān’s eternal abode.”

It is now clear that there is no inconsistency between the knowledge of Brahma and the performance of karma. The activities of the Brahma-knower are but an external expression of his Brahma-experience. With this instruction, Arjuna’s course of action is clear. Even if he were only after mokṣa without any desire for power or kingdom or fame, he would still need to perform his duty. Such is dhārmic activity which, through activities prescribed in the śāstras - such as worship of Bhagavān - causes the welfare of the world and consequently concludes in the welfare of the individual.

With the conclusion being established, Bhagavān now summarizes the instruction.

cetasā sarva-karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ
buddhi-yogam-upāśritya mac-cittaḥ satataṃ bhava
BG 18.57
“Arjuna, do whatever has to be done. However, do it as kṛṣṇārpaṇa (an offering to Kṛṣṇā). Do your work with all your mind. Do it with buddhi-yoga, marked by the distinction between the Self and the non-Self. Do it with an understanding of the principles of jīva and īśvara.”

maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāttariṣyasi.
BG 18.58
“While living with Bhagavān enshrined in your mind, you will, with Bhagavān’s grace, be able to cross any obstacles you encounter”.

If, however, you do not accept this and consider yourself as the sole cause and doer, you will be ruined.

yadahaṅkāramāśritya na yotsya iti manyase.
mithyaiṣa vyavasāyaste prakṛtistvāṃniyokṣyati
BG 18.59
“If you, however, delude yourself into thinking that you are all-competent; and vow to stop fighting, your vow will sooner or later come to nought. The kṣatriya-nature latent in you will impel you and propel you into action.”

You might at first sit with crossed arms resisting battle. However, others will surely start the war. The war trumpet will be blown. Elephants and horses will rush in. Armies will strike each other with weapons. Cries of pain and horror will ensue. When those shrieks reach your ears, when your eyes see that river of blood, your true nature that is well-hidden inside you will get provoked. What then will happen? Instead of fighting with a suffusion of sattva as an offering to Brahma, you will fight with an exuberance of rajas without remembering Brahma, while being controlled by prakṛti.

svabhāvajena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā. ।
kartuṅ-necchasi yanmohāt kariṣyasyavaśo.pi tat ॥
BG 18.60
“The qualities and strengths naturally present in you befit a kṣatriya. It is your duty to engage them in the performance of your svadharma. However, if, stricken by naive feeling, you forget your dharma and give up your duties, you will still end up performing the same activity that you detested - but now like a shackled ox with no freedom of discernment.”

Now Bhagavān enunciates the gears and wheels of the world-machine in a mahāvākya^(^([1])).

īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānām hṛddeśe.rjuna tiṣṭhati ।
bhrāmāyānsarvabhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā ॥
BG 18.61

The work of īśvara is said to be two-fold here. First - “īśvara is at the heart-centre of all beings”. Bhagavān resides in all as the inner-controller and is the primordial reason and energy behind all vital activities. What is he doing there sitting at the core? Sitting idle? No. He performs his second activity. He pricks us with a twig; he pinches us and tickles us. “He makes everything whirl from hither to thither - seating us on the mechanical horses of Māyā.” This is Bhagavān’s Līlā; and man’s life.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))A great truth-revealing statement like tattvamasi (that thou art) in the upaniṣads

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 14) Source: prekshaa]]

In the phrase, īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānām, īśvara is not to be taken as the same as the absolute aspect of Parabrahma. Īśvaratva is an aspect or a state of Parabrahma’s līlā. It is normally referred to as kārya-Brahma (Brahma as an effect). Supreme Brahma is without activity. When it appears to be active in the world, it is known as kārya-Brahma or īśvara. Whenever we consider either activity or the world, an element of māyā is involved. Volition, activity and such transactions have māyā as their origin. Therefore īśvara is the state of Brahma when conjoined with māyā. It is because of this that īśvara becomes the cause of māyā.

Īśvaraḥ…bhrāmāyān sarvabhūtāni…māyayā ॥

Māyā is the set of attractions and repulsions in the world. Where is the origin of these attractions and repulsions? In the objects of the world? Or in the jīva who is in contact with those objects through his sense-organs? The answer is - in both. Just as humans have two feet, māyā too has two parts - one established in the structure of the world and another in the perceiver of world-objects. Māyā can show her influence when she is firmly standing on both her feet. What are those effects? Māyā’s influence is in concealing an object’s true nature while projecting another object’s form. A cataract-afflicted person walking in a moonlit night mistakes an approaching saṃnyāsi for his household’s lady cook. Such is the effect of māyā.

A man is walking through the woods at dusk. His eyes perceive a swirling snake. He scampers away. Another passerby hits that object with his stick. It becomes clear that the object was not a snake but a rope. This is known as the fallacy of the rope and the snake. There are two effects involved here. The first is the concealment of the object’s innate rope-ness. The second is the projected snake-ness of the object. Concealing an object’s true form is the āvaraṇa power of māyā. Projecting the appearance of another object is *māyā’*s power of vikṣepa. Māyā has this effect of not showing things that exist and projecting things that do not exist. This is similar to an artifice described by lawyers - “suppressio veri, suggestio falsi” (suppressing truth, suggesting untruth). Māyā’s effect is such. A man is walking on the sea shore in the afternoon. He sees a shiny trinket at a distance. Thinking it to be a jewel, he rushes toward it. But all he sees is a piece of glass. The smooth surface of glass surrounded by the sandy expanse, the rays of the sun from above, and a limitation of the perceiving eye - all combine to create this illusion. It was māyā that concealed the object’s glass-ness that was present and projected a jewel-ness that was non-existent.

Several such examples can be given. A stainless steel dinner plate used by a man perceived to be wealthy can be mistaken to be made of silver! The power of circumstance is such that it can project a different metal than there actually is.
We feel happy whenever we stand in Lalbagh and look around. The lush greenery, the creepers undulating in the breeze, the dancing blossoms and the flowers - all seem to be calling out to us, talking to us, showering their affection on us, and playing with us. But in reality, what we have there are just bark, fibre, resin, twigs, leaves, and dirt! It is māyā that shows us soft loveliness in this gross material.

Let’s look now at the allure of anatomy. Skin, flesh, blood, and bones are the same in all bodies. What then is the basis of our saying that one face is more attractive than the other? It cannot just be physiological as all bodily material is similar in all humans. It is a positional arrangement of facial components which might appeal to the eyes of some, not to everybody. It is just an appearance. For those who think that this arrangement is beautiful, it is māyā. For those unaffected by it, it is the usual modification of flesh and skin.

mukhaṃ śleṣmāgāraṃ tadapi ca śaśāṅkena tulitam
stanau māṃsagranthī kanakakalaśāvityupamitau^(^([1])) ॥
Vairāgyaśatakam, Bhartṛhari

Such is the effect of māyā. The author of the Bhāgavata defines māyā thus:

ṛte’rthaṃ yatpratīyeta na pratīyeta cātmani ।
tadvidyād ātmano māyām…. ॥
Bhāgavata 2.9.33

The word artha in the above refers to yathārtha or reality - the nature of a thing as it actually exists. Pratīti refers to its appearance to our mind in whatever form. Artha is its true form; independent of our perception. Pratīti is the apparent form that is dependent on our mind and sense-organs.

“Instead of a thing’s true form, another object might appear to us. Upon investigation, however, if the other object that appeared is not perceived or validated in the self, the experience of the appeared object is considered māyā.”
What can be concluded from this? That it is impossible to exactly delineate māyā.

Is māyā false? Not entirely. It is not without basis and not without effect.

Is māyā true then? Again, not entirely. When we focus on the basis of māyā, it melts away. The edifice of its effect collapses when we touch it.

The world, its creation, its sustenance, as well as its destruction - are all appearances due to māyā. The world itself is māyā because it does not have an independent existence. The world’s form itself is not firm. The world exults, undulates, roams around, dries up, evaporates, or appears manifold. Its form does not endure even for a single moment. The world is thus momentary. But we cannot deny its existence. Neither can we say with certainty that it exists. If we deny its existence, several objects including our body stage a protest - “Aren’t we here? Look, we will eat you up. We will beat you up. We will bite you” - and come fight with us. This is something that is obvious to us during every moment. How can we deny its existence? It is not possible!

Can we then believe that the world exists? It slips away the moment we extend our hands to grasp it. Physicists have realised the difficulty in perceiving the exact nature of the universe. Suppose we attempt to estimate the distance to the moon while standing on planet earth. At that instance, we adjust the telescope to point to the moon at position A. But, in that time, the moon moves to position B. In the time we try to fix the telescope to point to B, the moon would have moved to C. Thus, attempts to measure the physical world become slippery. Its nature changes before we can ascertain its characteristics. The same water does not touch a person standing in a river for more than a moment. The world is thus constantly changing. How can one truly grasp it?

Just as it is impossible to prove that the world does not exist, it is equally impossible to prove that it exists. Leave alone the physical perspective. Even from an ādhyātmic perspective, the world does not endure. What is it that is eternal in the world? Youth? Health? Wealth? Power? Pleasure? Love? All of these thrive for a while and on one fine day, give up their places for their opposites to occupy. How can we then establish that the world exists?

The world is neither existent nor non-existent. The world exists if it is considered existent. It does not exist if it’s not considered to be existent. For one who considers it existent, it eventually becomes void. For one who considers the world a void, it immediately looms large and challenges him.

Whatever does not display complete existence or complete non-existence is māyā. Māyā cannot be considered absolute non-existence or completely false - like a hare’s horns. It has a partial reality that is vyāvahārika (transactional). As long as we are embodied, we are in the transactional world at least with reference to our bodies. dharma is created for such a transactional personality. If one transacts in the world with an understanding of dharma, life’s burden becomes light. The world will not be a load of logs but a garland of flowers. The burden becomes a garland of blossoms for a jñānī or a yogī. Such a person would have transcended māyā. Having lived a life following the transactional dharma of the world, he crosses the bounds of the world and ascends higher. Until such a crossing, however, the world - and dharma - exist. dharma too is included under the ambit of māyā. For one who is beyond māyā, there is neither the world nor the limits of dharma. Such a person is an adhidharmi, an avadhūta^(^([2])), nothing other than the Self, the seer only of Brahma, and a jīvanmukta (liberated while still living).

The life of māyā is of a moment. But if we forget ourselves in that moment, māyā becomes all-powerful and engulfs us. If, however, we are cautious, it will not show itself and moves away by itself.

bhūyaścānte viśvamāyānivṛttiḥ
(In the end is the cessation of the universal māyā)
Śvetāśvatara Up.

It is if you think it isn’t and isn’t if you think it is - such is the strange nature of māyā. Therefore it is designated anirvacanīya - which means that it is beyond definitions such as - “it is thus” - something whose nature cannot be described exactly.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))The face is a store of phlegm, yet is compared to the moon. Bosoms, mere sacs of flesh, are described as golden orbs!

^(^([2]))Lit. one who has cast off everything

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 15) Source: prekshaa]]

Let us now look at a story.

A story

There was a wedding in our village in the house of the landlord Shamarao. Shamarao was wealthy and generous. His kin by marriage Bhimarao was also a rich landlord and no less flamboyant. Fifteen cartloads of his people showed up for the wedding. So there were a hundred people from the groom’s side and a similar number from the bride’s side as well. With them were the two or three hundred villagers who participated in the wedding - making it quite the spectacle. The sounds from the wedding orchestra echoed in all directions. Arrangements had been made for the varapūjā^(^([1])) at the village Rāma temple. There were several folks bedecked in all their finery, with zari (gold or silver thread) turbans and silk-bordered upper garments, roaming here and there with fulsome smiles under their plush moustaches. All of them are gaily conversing among themselves showering love and enthusiasm. Let us mark one of them - Gundurao, who too is of impressive demeanour with a well-groomed moustache, a gracious smile - who is shaking hands with everyone else and engaged in easy conversation. All those who see him think of him as a well-established member of society. After the varapūjā rituals were completed, even Gundurao, of his own accord, helps in distributing sandal fragrance, flowers, and betel. Following that was dinner. Gundurao continues his participation there as well - wishing bon appetit to one and all and ordering the food servers around. He makes everyone chant the prayer before eating food and ensures that all the guests get their customary tāmbūla (a fruit or a coconut with betel leaves) after their meal.

The wedding was celebrated for four days. Gundurao gains confidence from the groom’s side as one on the bride’s side and as belonging to the groom’s side from those on the side of the bride. Both parties praise Gundurao - “It was because of Gundurao that our work became light! What a helpful person!”

On the fifth day, all the relatives begin to depart for their places. Then, an uproar ensues. Gold and silver ornaments gifted to the groom have disappeared! Finery and jewellery kept aside for the bride have vanished! There is much mayhem on both the bride’s and groom’s sides. All of them insist - “Call that Gundrao. He can find out what happened”. But where is Rao now? No one knows. Bhimarao asked Shamaro, “Where sir, is your Mr. Rao?” Shamarao questions him back - “Which Mr. Rao, sir?” to which the answer is - “The same person - Mr. Gundurao!”. Shamarao replies - shocked - “Ayyo! Isn’t he from your side? I thought he was from your side!”

To Shamarao’s eyes, Gundurao belonged to Bhimarao’s side whereas Bhimaro thought that Gundurao was on Shamarao’s side. But in reality, he belonged to neither side. He came from an unknown place, played his tricks, and left for some other place. In the days he was there, he attracted them, made both sides trust him, and finally cheated them. That is māyā.

The matter does not end by cursing Gundurao. Who was it that facilitated and encouraged his sleight of hand? Shamarao was dumbstruck while Bhimarao was stupefied. That is avidyā. Avidyā is not the lack of formal education. It is a deficiency in perception. If the buddhi that had to climb ten stairs collapses on the sixth stair, it is avidyā that is the cause. The situation wherein the knowledge-power of the jīva is burdened and weakened by latent tendencies of endless lives is denoted in the śāstras as avidyā. It is a deficiency in knowledge, the incapability of the buddhi.

The teeth in our mouth have fallen off because of prakṛti’s law of ageing. Pretending to favour us, she force feeds us a banana with a chunk of opium hidden in it. As we do not have teeth, we cannot chew and so the opium slips into our throat without our knowledge. As our tongue tasted the fruit, we relished it. Now, we open our mouths for more. As the opium gets into our stomach, the drug induced high gets to our head. Our lack of teeth is avidyā. The fruit with opium is māyā. Avidyā and māyā thus combine to agitate our buddhis. While māyā is a world phenomenon, avidyā resides in the jīva.

Māyā is the charm in the world. Nobody would want to live in the world if māyā did not do her job. Wasn’t there a jester next to the king in some of our dramas of yore? That jester would encourage all the pleasure cravings of the king and teach him devious ways to attain them. Whenever the king started on any adventure, the jester would prod him on saying - “Yes, that is the right thing to do!”. Finally when the king lost his teeth and got his moustache ripped, the same jester would then pretend to give advice to the king - “O friend, did I not warn you back then?” and berate him, while laughing inwardly. Such are the noble qualities of a jester. Māyā plays the role of such a jester in our lives. After we have lived as tenants in a rented house for a while, she makes us argue that it is we who own the house and that the owner is actually an outsider! She makes us think that we own the world, making us forget that the world has another master. It is because of māyā that we are attached to the world.

When māyā embraces us, we feel pleasure and forget ourselves. Then from her soft, smooth, and lovely limbs exude prickly thorns, making us cry out - “Ohhh haaa!” in agony. When māyā retracts those thorns, we are content once again. We choose the deep embrace again and forget ourselves. The hair-thorns and needle-like nails come out again, causing us pain. Her lullaby lulls us yet again into a stupor.

punarapi hasitam punarapi ruditam
punarapi māyāsaudhanivasitam ॥
(Again the laughter, again the cry,
Again the living in the palace of māyā)

******

In trying to understand the extent of Bhagavān’s instruction about the structure of the world-machine, the topic of māyā was cursorily discussed.

īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ hṛddeśe.rjuna tiṣṭhati.
bhrāmāyānsarvabhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
BG 18.61

The above śloka is worthy of much repeated reflection. The more we think of it, many more flashes of meaning become evident to our minds. This śloka is verily a mahāvākya^(^([2])) .

The yantra referenced here seems to be like the merry-go-round that we see in our fairs and parks. A hemispherical roof blankets a tall pole from which ten or twenty rods descend. Attached to the ends of the rods are swing seats, cradles, and toy animals such as horses, elephants, or peacocks with seats on them. Children then choose to sit on their favourite mounts. The controller of the contraption turns a lever with which the roof starts whirling. The toy animals and cradles, along with their riders, also start whirling with the roof. We do not know if such a machine existed during the age of the Mahābhārata. But this simile suits the world-machine quite nicely.

The merry-go-round is fitted with colourful flags, toys, and buntings and is attractive to the eyes. The world too is attractive to the sense organs. 2. The child sitting on one of the revolving toy horses forgets that it is a toy and imagines it to be a real horse. We too forget that our body is insentient and behave as if life is only a sequence of bodily activities. We also think that this life is eternal. 3. The rider thinks that he is the master of the toy horse and flails about his hands and legs exclaiming, “hup, hup, go!”, as if he is urging on the horse. He forgets that the operator of the machine is someone else. We too think that we are masters of our lives, and that all our adventures and achievements are of our own doing. We presume that the world is because of us, forgetting the divine master who is the primordial origin of it all. 4. The speed of the rotation overwhelms the rider. In that overwhelmed feeling, he forgets where he is headed and why - showing a lack of discernment. That is delusion. It is the same for us too. The heady euphoria of worldly pleasure overwhelms us. We lose the caution and wisdom to ask ourselves - “What is the goal of life? How can we make it fulfilling?”. This too is delusion. The whirling of the contraption makes the boy forget himself. Engaged in worldly running around, we forget ourselves too. The whirling machine’s form, colour, and speed are attractive for children; wordly form, colour and the pace of activity attract us too. The children surrender to that transient attraction without further thought. So do we. While revolving in the machine, children forget reality and a fantasy takes them over. In worldly māyā, we forget our true Self and are wonderstruck by the world.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))Welcoming the groom and his party

^(^([2]))Four great Upaniṣadic sentences that declare the identity of jīva and Brahma.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 16) Source: prekshaa]]

There is a set of rules for the riders on the merry-go-round. The rider should proceed in his path and not collide with those ahead of him and those who follow him. Dharma is such a set of rules. If any of those rules is violated - say, the front rider does not leave way for the rider behind him or if a following rider drags the one ahead of him down - it is a sign that the rider has forgotten about the machine operator and that he has to be reminded of it. The behaviour of not troubling others is dharma. It is a kind of conduct. The Gītā itself has told us - “dhruvā nītiḥ”. Those who forget right conduct have to be reminded of it. The speed of the machine is maddening. Our body is inert, much like that wooden horse! It is paramātmā who causes the machine on which the jīvas are riding to whirl around. How? Through māyā.

When we visit the famous Channakeshava temple in Belur, we are so smitten by the exquisite sculptures of the stone-damsels around the temple that we return with no time to have darśana of the deity inside the garbha-gṛha. That is the māyā of the external beauty, and of erotic sentiment.

There seem to be two activities in Bhagavān’s līlā.

Maddening us. 2. Curing us of that madness.

He has maddened us by himself; he will cure us of it if we ask him to. Of what kind is that madness? It is the journey of the colourful merry-go-round. Prakṛti is that merry-go-round that has vividly colourful and brilliant elephants, horses, peacocks and swans. We forget that it is a game that we are playing. What started as a game becomes a violent passion. Just as Bhagavān instructed us before:

īśvaro’hamahaṃ bhogī siddho’haṃ balavān sukhī
(I am the lord, I am the enjoyer.
I am accomplished, strong and happy!)

Thus are we deluded. We saw earlier that māyā is a playful endeavour of prakṛti. It would be unfair to her if we said that this was the extent of her work. As much as prakṛti can delude us through māyā, she is still truthful. One of her hands shows the manifest truth while the other shows us untruth.

sacca tyaccābhavat ।
Taittirīya Upaniṣat. 2.6.1

While one eye indicates treachery, the other points us to the truth. Trickery in one; cosmic truth in the other. The plant that sprouts according to the seed sown, offspring that resembles its parents, the arrangement of the five great elements according to their effects, the periodic cycle of seasons, the laws of motion of celestial objects, the hand that cooks food while the mouth consumes it - all these are the laws of ṛta^(^([1])) .

annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasambhavaḥ ।
evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakram ।
BG 3.14

All these are effects of prakṛti’s ṛta.

ṛtaṃ satyaṃ paraṃ brahma
Mahānārāyaṇopaniṣad

The source of prakṛti is Brahma that is beyond it. One can transcend prakṛti by obeying the laws of ṛta and satya that form the beneficial aspect of prakṛti. Svāmi has said this already:

māmeva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṃ taranti te ।
BG 7.14

It is Bhagavān who has created māyā. Therefore to cross māyā, one must surrender to Bhagavān while appealing to him - “Please withdraw your weapon of delusion”. He restates the same here:

tameva śaraṇam gaccha sarvabhāvena bhārata ।
tatprasādātparām śāntim sthānam prāpsyasi śāśvatam ॥
BG 18.62
“Take refuge in that Īśvara. Keep all of your mind in him and surrender to him. With his grace, you can join his eternal abode and attain lasting peace.”

With this, Bhagavān gave all the intellectual instruction that Arjuna needed. It is Arjuna who has to make a decision now. The path he chooses should not be at the behest of others; neither should it be a forced obligation. Arjuna’s position at the beginning of the Gītā was one of compassion, with śraddhā towards dharma, with concern towards world-welfare. But that position arose due to a natural lack of reflection, not borne out of his own discernment. It was not a firm decision established through rigorous intellectual analysis. Whatever activity a person might perform - even with the best of intentions - should be accepted by one’s own intellect if it has to be fulfilling. Therefore Bhagavān concludes his teaching not with an order or ultimatum to Arjuna, but with a choice. He leaves the final decision to Arjuna -

iti te jñānamākhyātam guhyādguhyataram mayā
vimṛśyaitadaśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru
BG 18.63
“Arjuna, I have clarified all of your doubts and uncertainties with instructive answers. I have placed wisdom that is the secret of secrets in front of you. Analyse this instruction threadbare, reflect upon the right course of action, and do what you see fit.”

We have shown that this world is like a merry-go-round and that man is riding in it for enjoyment. Among those riders, it has been shown that there are virtuous ones as well as cheats and rogues. It has been shown that if we forget ourselves in the flow of pleasure, the intoxication gets to our head. It has been shown that the enjoyment in the machine is in its speed of movement. We have shown that when intoxicated, the rider forgets the original maker and operator of the machine and thinks that he is the owner. Once the maker was forgotten, riders could start fighting each other over who was the most important. In such a situation, it became the rider’s duty then, to remember the original creator’s importance and after punishing the errant riders, instruct them too about the truth of the existence of the contraption’s maker. It has been shown that the judicious and orderly use of the machine constituted dharma and that the first treatment for the intoxication was to remember the existence of the owner of the merry-go-round. Both the origin of māyā and the method to uproot it have been shown. There is nothing else left for instruction. What remains now is one’s own reasoned reflection.

In order to bring his remembrance to our minds, Bhagavān causes obstacles and setbacks in our lives. Therefore the śāstras praise hardships in many ways. Bhagavān instructs us in the Bhāgavata :

yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṃ śanaiḥ ।
tato ’dhanaṃ tyajanty asya svajanā duḥkha-duḥkhitam ॥
sa yadā vitathodyogo nirviṇṇaḥ syād dhanehayā
mat-paraiḥ kṛta-maitrasya kariṣye mad-anugraham ॥
Bhāgavata 10.88-89
“When I decide to bestow my grace upon him, I take his money away from him without him knowing. Once he becomes poor, his people leave him. He becomes sorrowful and distressed without wealth and appropriate activity. If he then takes recourse to me (Bhagavān) and surrenders to me, I will bestow my grace upon him.”

When a man possesses wealth and other comforts of life, man believes that his life is only because of them and forgets Bhagavān. When he has his house, business, farms and livestock to satisfy him, why would he need Bhagavān? His possessions give him what he desires. When they are lost, however, he remembers Bhagavān. There is a famous saying in Kannada - saṅkaṭa bandāga veṅkaṭaramaṇa (Veṅkaṭaramaṇa is remembered when hardship arises). Bhagavān is then given importance. That is the time for the elevation of the jīva. We have seen this in the Gītā -

caturvidhā bhajante māṃ janāḥ sukṛtino’rjuna।
ārto jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha।
BG 7.16

The first among the devotees is the afflicted.

Why did Bhagavān make the merry-go-round of this world-māyā? Why did he ensnare us in it and make us forget him? And then make us lament that we have forgotten him? Why console us who are wailing and then show us the path toward him? Why does he hide himself? Why does he make us desperate to look for him?

Such a question is yet again a distortion of our experience of māyā. We dream when we are asleep. We mumble something by ourselves. When others surrounding us listen to it, they ask us after we have woken up - “What were you mumbling during your sleep? Whom did you see? What happened?” Can we give them a satisfactory and consistent answer? The understanding within a dream is meaningless after we have woken up. Similar is our question after the cause of world-creation.

Parameśvara is all-powerful and all-independent. It is in the nature of power to constantly keep doing something. Power is characterised by movement. The world is created because of such a movement. Questions such as - “What is Bhagavān’s objective here? What might be his reason for creation?” do not arise for those who have understood the true nature of Bhagavān. For those who have not, such questions exceed their mental and intellectual comprehension.

What does Bhagavān need from the world? He has everything within him. He is the origin of everything. Why should he do anything?

na me pārthāsti kartavyam triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptamavāptavyam varta eva ca karmaṇi
BG 3.22

Even then, Bhagavān uses his power for the world and for its sustenance. Enjoying his own infinite power within himself is Bhagavān’s līlā.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))Eternal cosmic law

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 17) Source: prekshaa]]

There was a rich man I knew. When all members of his household were asleep, he would enter his room with a small lantern, open his iron safe, noiselessly remove the bundles of currency notes and jewellery one by one from it, caress them fondly, count them again and again, exult at owning all of it, put all of it back again into the safe, lock it, and tie the key to his yajñopavīta^(^([1])). He experienced happiness in looking upon his wealth by himself.

It appears that Bhagavān’s behaviour is similar. There is nothing that he needs. There is nothing new that he needs to acquire. He must have created the world when he desired to see and enjoy his own infinite powers for himself. Gauḍapādācārya says:

devasyaiṣa svabhāvo’yam āptakāmasya kā spṛhā
Māṇḍūkya-kārikā 1.9

The experience of one’s own power is playing with one’s Self and loving one’s Self. The same is indicated by Bhagavān Vyāsa in his Brahmasūtra.

lokavattu līlākaivalyam
Brahmasūtra 2.1.3

Just as people in the world do many things for their amusement, Bhagavān has created the entire universe for his enjoyment. There are innumerable ways for enjoyment. Can there be a fixed method for that? Bhagavān Rāmānuja in his commentary on the above sūtra says:

yathā loke….mahārājasya kevalalīlaikaprayojanāḥ kantukādyārambhā dṛśyante । tathaiva parasyāpi brahmaṇaḥ svasaṅkalpamātra-avaklṛpta-jagaj-janma-sthiti-dhvaṃsādi-līlaiva prayojanamiti niravadyam ॥
“Just as in the world, we see a great king engaging in a ball game just for amusement, there is no objection to the consideration that Supreme Brahma engages in creation, sustenance, destruction of the universe and other activities with no motive other than amusement.”

The babe in the cradle rolls its eyes around, shakes its arms and legs, and laughs. What might be its motive? To make us smile? To get a certificate from us? Nothing of that sort. It cannot have such selfish thoughts in its infancy. Its play is an expression of its health, a blossoming of its inner happiness, and a flow of the nectar of its bliss.

Another thing: Who is it that asks īśvara the question- “Why did you make the world?” Obedient servants do not pose questions such as - “Why have you left your feet dangling?”, “Why are you sitting cross-legged?”, “Why have you twisted your hand thus?” - to their comfortably seated masters. Disobedient servants do not have to be answered.

Who is it that questions īśvara? His servants? Or his dependents? Those who have taken refuge in him? There is a different, more important question to be answered. Whatever might be īśvara’s objective, what is it to you? The answer is - idle curiosity. Whatever might be īśvara’s objective, we are in no position to change it; neither can we escape from it. Such questions might be applicable if we had powers to reform īśvara or if we could promulgate a “no confidence” motion against him. Since that is not the case, the question does not arise. There is no democracy in the world of adhyātma! When we cannot escape from māyā that is a creation of īśvara, how can we escape from īśvara himself?

What is it then that we can do? Accepting our situation and trying to better it is the only strategy. The final answer to such questions is this:

kuto jāteyamiti te rāma māstu vicāraṇā ।
imāṃ kathamahaṃ hanmītyeṣā te’stu vicāraṇā ॥
Yoga Vāsiṣṭha 4.41

“We do not need to analyse why the world exists or what the objective for its existence is. Whatever might be the reason, we need to think about how to be liberated from this situation.” Should an ensnared bird indulge in thoughts like - “Let’s see. Is this net made of silk? Or cotton? Or fibre or nylon? Was it made in Bengaluru or Mumbai or Manchester?” - or should it think about how to escape from the trap?

Arjuna was directly aware of the true nature of his guru. He had seen with his own eyes that his guru was- “sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpam” (the sustainer of everything, whose nature is unimaginable). He had realised with his being that his guru was “śāśvatadharmagoptā” (the protector of eternal dharma). Therefore Arjuna did not ask any question about creation. If we remember these three phrases - “sarvasya dhātāram”, “acintyarūpam”, and “śāśvatadharmagoptā”, several of our doubts will get resolved.

Bhagavān śrī Kṛṣṇa fully understood the nature of the human psyche. This is one of the unique greatnesses of the Kṛṣṇāvatāra. He knew exactly the kinds of doubts, the hardships, the questions, and the desires that could possibly be found in the human heart. That is why the Kṛṣṇāvatāra is referred to as a complete avatāra. What can we gather from Arjuna’s behaviour? We see that he was a doubter - one with genuine doubts, not a cavalier - but nevertheless a doubter. Certainty in knowledge is not easy to come by. Bhagavān now utters the concluding statement to dispel any doubts lingering in Arjuna’s mind. This is the same instruction from before.

manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī mān-namaskuru
māmevaiṣyasi satyan-te pratijāne priyo.si me ॥
sarvadharmānparityajya māmekam śaraṇam vraja
ahan-tvā sarvapāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ॥
BG 18.65-66
“Fix your mind in me; be my devotee; worship me; bow to me. If you do this, you will attain me. You are dear to me. Therefore I promise you this. This is true.”
“Abandon all the other dharmas and take refuge solely in me. I will release you from all pāpas and sorrows. Do not grieve.”

These uplifting and consoling words are filled with words like aham (I) and mām (me). Such usages of the first person are seen in several other instructions too. Who is the subject of the first person in those mentions? Is it some man known by the name of Kṛṣṇa? Or an avatāra of Bhagavān bearing that famous name? Or does that “I” refer to the origin of that great caitanya whose symbol is the personality of śrī Kṛṣṇa? Wherever the first person is encountered in the Gītā - such as aham, mama, mām, mat, me, mayi - the subject referred to is not to be construed as human but as an expression of Parameśvara himself.

ಕೃಷ್ಣನೆನಲ್ ಗೀತಾರ್ಥದಿ
ವಿಷ್ಣುಪರಬ್ರಹ್ಮಸತ್ತ್ವಮದು ನರನಲ್ಲಂ ।
ಕೃಷ್ಣನೆನೆ ವಿಶ್ವಧಾತಂ
ಕೃಷ್ಣಪದಂ ವಿಶ್ವಹೃದಯಮುರಲೀನಾದಮ್ ॥

Kṛṣṇa, in the divine song,
refers to the all-pervading Brahma; not human,
Kṛṣṇa is the world-sustainer.
The name Kṛṣṇa is the music of world’s bosom-flute.

Bhakti is renouncing the ego

“manmanā bhava madbhaktah” - “Be my bhakta”. The Gītāchārya has taught us bhakti in every chapter and verse. What is bhakti? All of us commonly consider ourselves to be bhaktas of a deity. We visit temples; chant divine names; when nothing else is possible, we say - “īśvara is the only way”; we spend money to perform pūjā. All of these are indicators of bhakti. But is that bhakti pure? It is bhakti that is our supreme savior. It is hence necessary to understand its nature through reflection.
Bhakti is love - love towards Bhagavān that is complete and pure.

sā tvasmin parama-prema-rūpā।
Nārada-bhakti-sūtra

Parama here refers to love that is complete by itself and unalloyed with anything else. There is always a bit of selfishness hidden inside our bhakti. “We should trust Bhagavān. Even so, we should be on our guard” - is our usual attitude. “Has not īśvara given us an intellect? Should it not do its work? Do we not have any responsibility? Is it fine to overload Bhagavān with our worries?” - such are our considerations. Discernment is definitely a part of our duty as is self-effort. So is being cautious. But the duty beyond all these is to accept the will of īśvara. All our discernments, adventures, and ideas yield results only because of Bhagavān’s grace. Whether our efforts bear fruit or not is decided by providence. “daivaṃ caivātra pancamam” - refers to the fruits or results of our efforts. Bhakti in Bhagavān is to accept the results of our efforts, though they may be against us. Faith in the divine that is oblivious to “I” and does not ask - “What happened to me? What of my effort” - is true and complete bhakti.

Bhakti and ego are mutually exclusive. They cannot co-exist. Ego cannot stand in front of bhakti. A bhakta’s ego is merely a servant of bhakti. Similarly bhakti does not enter where the ego reigns. Whatever little bhakti is displayed by an egotistical person is but a servant to his ego. Even a modicum of ego cannot be found in the mind, behaviour, and speech of someone whose bhakti is pure and complete. “It is Bhagavān who is the cause of everything. Nothing happens without his order. Compared to Bhagavān’s command, my desires and dislikes amount to arrogant overreaching. Whether I like what I get or not, it is īśvara’s prasāda that I have to calmly accept” - such are the thoughts of a bhakta. A father is a father whether or not he gives us candies or tough love. A doctor cares for our welfare regardless of whether he gives us honey or ginger with pepper. Such is a bhakta’s trust in Bhagavān; trust from which selfishness has been completely effaced. Bhakti is the destruction of I-ness. When worries such as, “I, mine, what of me? Who will look after me?” are all erased without a chance for regeneration; when the mind is full of faith in Bhagavān, then such a state is called bhakti - egoless bhakti.

Footnotes

^(^([1]))Sacred thread worn by the first three varṇas

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 18) Source: prekshaa]]

A doubt here. “sarvadharmān parityajya” (having given up all dharmas), “māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja” (surrender unto Bhagavān alone) - is the instruction. Fine. What is the intent behind - “surrender after having given up all dharmas”? Isn’t surrender a dharma too? Or is surrender an adharma? If the verse had “anya-dharmān” (giving up other dharmas) instead of “sarva-dharmān” (giving up all dharmas), this doubt would not have arisen.
Retaining the verse as is, if “sarvadharmān” and “śaraṇaṃ vraja” have to be reconciled, the former has to be interpreted as “leaving all the controversial dharmas of the world aside” and the latter as “take refuge in a a special path, a dharma beyond worldly dharmas, an adhidharma.”

jagamirpannaṃ dharmaṃ
jaga ninagiradandu sarvamātmaikamayām ॥
“Dharma exists for as long as the world exists.
Once the world ceases to exist for you, the oneness of the Self is all there is.”

Arjuna was not like ordinary men in two aspects. 1. In doubting. 2. In renunciation. In the first aspect, he had more doubts than usual. He repeatedly asked questions in every chapter. He would trust the answer that Bhagavān gave at that instant. But the same trust would disappear when encountering another topic. Doubts and questions again and again. For such a person, śāstric testimony, reasoning, and arguments would not be sufficient. The first help he needed was the strengthening of his faith. He had more trust in his love for Kṛṣṇa than in the śāstras and reasoning. Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself had witnessed this. It was hence the svāmi’s desire to transform Arjuna’s trust that had arisen as an effect of friendship and affection into divine faith. Therefore, he said, “Arjuna, you do not need the various exertions of inquiring into karmayoga, sāṅkhyayoga, dhyānayoga, sannyāsayoga, the dharma of different varṇas, the duty of your clan, the duty of your social station, or worshipping the saguṇa and nirguṇa aspects of Brahma. These confusions will not give you peace of mind. Do you not have faith in me? Do as I ask you. Let things be the way they are. You do not need the hardships of reasoning. Act with faith in me; I will take on the burden of protecting you from harm. Set aside your anxiety about the statements of the śāstras and the actions of society. Your welfare is my responsibility. “māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja”. If devotion in the divine is total and firm, it will satisfy all shortcomings, remove any defects and bring to the devotee all possible well-being. This is above anything else. Therefore it is above all ordinary dharmas and is adhidharma - the crown of all dharmas. It is composed of pure faith and nothing else. It does not require external testimonials or inquiries or reasoning. Śaraṇāgati or surrender is unquestioned and complete faith in Kṛṣṇa. There is no further analysis needed.

anyathā śaraṇaṃ nāsti tvameva śaraṇaṃ mama ।

This emotional ecstasy of bhakti has a few levels. Self-surrender or self-dedication is the peak of the edifice of bhakti. It is also known as prapatti (total surrender) or śaraṇāgati.

In such bhakti, notions of “I”, “my rights”, “my share”, “my fate”, “my power”, or “my will” should be completely erased. The mental mode of “I” should have completely gone. Needless to say, it is quite difficult to ascend to such a state.

A particle of ego always lingers around in our bhakti. We reason - “Bhagavān might bestow his boon on us; he might not too!”, “Bhagavān is known to give us what we do not want in addition to what we asked for” - and dilute our bhakti. This is not complete self-surrender. As our bhakti towards Bhagavān is mixed, so too are the boons we receive. Rice mixed with stones might be boiled in milk, but the resultant kheer will continue to have stones in it.

If our happiness has to be complete, the first prerequisite is the effacement of the ego. When we study poetry, we need to lose ourselves in the poet’s creation. This is total immersion. If, however, our sceptical mind pops up every moment with - “let’s see how the poet has written this”, enjoyment of the poem - be it of whatever level - will be incomplete. The same goes for music experience. If we keep watching out for where the singer misses a note, where he stumbles in his pitch or where he misses a beat - even if the quality of singing is worth a rupee, our enjoyment will only be of a paisa’s worth. Such a situation is not right for either the artist or the audience. To experience a work of art completely - be it poetry or music or a sculpture - we must first surrender completely to it by losing our ego.

When ego effacement is necessary for even art experience, is there any doubt in considering it imperative for Brahma-experience?

Numerous examples in the purāṇas - the liberation of Gajendra, the taking away of the Gopis’ garments - emphasise that our self-surrender to Bhagavān has to be complete and not half-hearted. All selfish feelings must be emptied out in the presence of Bhagavān. Not even an iota of bashfulness, arrogance, obstinacy, or pride should be present. Much like a baby lying in its mother’s lap, the bhakta should surrender to Bhagavān; a disciple to his guru; and a reader to the poem - for only then is the gain complete.

Does human agency have no value then? There definitely is value in it during human effort - discernment on how exactly to apply effort and how much energy to expend on it. However, the result is in the domain of daiva. The pinnacle of human effort is in the acceptance of divine will. The apex of human discernment is in giving up anxiety about results.

No great experience is possible for one who does not know how to give oneself up completely. Surrender through unthinking faith is a kind of adhi-dharma that is fit for one racked with doubt.

There is another kind of adhi-dharma that befits one full of jñāna.

As difficult as it was for Arjuna’s intellect to come to a conclusion, renunciation came easily to his mind. Was that not the subject of the entire first chapter? He had no desire for anything then. All his existing desires had dissolved into nothingness. He had nothing to do with any dharma. dharma is needed for the following benefits for its performer:

To remove sorrow 2. To gain pleasure 3. To purify oneself

These three benefits do not apply in the least to one who has no feeling of “I” or “me”. Arjuna had said - “na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa”, “kiṃ bhogair-jīvitena vā”. He had no desires. He had no fear other than that of pāpa. For such a person, the befitting instruction is that of the Self in all. A person with such knowledge can act anywhere while experiencing his own Self. At the beginning of the teaching, we see in the second chapter:

trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā nis-traiguṇyo bhavārjuna ।
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho niryoga-kṣema ātmavān ॥
BG 2.45
“The Vedas are for those who are controlled by the three guṇas. The Vedas are of the form of dhārmic rules and injunctions. Those who are controlled by sattva, rajas and tamas have to perform vaidika activities to rid themselves of the impurity of the guṇa-triad. Arjuna, go beyond the three guṇas. Then, the Vedas and external vaidika activities become unnecessary for you. Go beyond the opposites of worldly life; be an epitome of sattva (good qualities). Give up selfishness and “I”-ness in the form of concern for your well-being. Be established in the Self.”

This indeed is adhi-dharma. General dharma is virtue or good qualities formed through the adherence to external instructions and injunctions of the Vedas and śāstras. Adhi-dharma, however, is virtue or goodness that flows and spreads by itself without any need for external instructions or actions.

“Give up all dharmas and take refuge in me alone.”

Is not this instruction for taking refuge a kind of dharma? Is it adharma? Is not the dharma of surrender one of the dharmas that have to be given up?

Taking refuge in Bhagavān is neither dharma nor adharma. It is beyond both of those; it is adhidharma.

The same actions and behaviours that are considered dharma while being obedient to the dicta of the Veda, become adhidharma when they happen by themselves without the need for any external rules or injunctions.

In the above Gītā verse, we have mām + ekam + śaraṇam + vraja.

Here “mām” refers only to Supreme Brahma. Śrīkṛṣṇa is originally the unmanifest Supreme Brahma; and is Kṛṣṇa only as an incarnation.

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca
BG 14.27
To whom should one surrender? “It is to that Parabrahma - whose image is the incarnation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the epitome of whose formless consciousness is Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, who is the abode of all eternal dharma, and who is the origin of supreme bliss that is beyond even a touch of sorrow - that indestructible and changeless Brahma - to which one should surrender”.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 19) Source: prekshaa]]

How can there be adharma for one established in the origin of dharma? For such a person, there is no other object or being than Brahma. Whence pāpa for him? The ocean wipes out the many colours, tastes, and characteristics of the waters of the rivers that meet it - merging them all together into an indivisible oneness. The ocean of Brahma similarly extinguishes the individual characteristics of those who take refuge in it, transforming them into an indivisible unity.
The rasa of Brahma is an adhi-rasa (a rasa beyond worldly rasas) that harmonises every rasa, anti-rasa or non-rasa. It transforms stone to sugar; and iron to gold. The defects of the one absorbed in Brahma are already dissolved.

jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā ॥
BG 4.37

The śruti counsels the same. The Taittirīya Upaniṣad says this.

ānandaṃ brahmaṇo vidvān। na bibheti kutaścaneti । etaṃ ha vāva na tapati
kimahaṃ sādhu nākaravam । kimahaṃ pāpamakaravamiti ।
sa ya evaṃ vidvānete ātmānaṃ spṛṇute ।ubhe hyevaiṣa ete ātmānaṃ spṛṇute ।
Taittirīya Up 2.9.1

He who has experienced the bliss of Brahma fears nothing. He does not fret - “Alas! I did not perform any good deeds!” or “Alas! I performed this evil deed!” - anxiously. He who knows the nature of Brahma keeps himself in good cheer. Entrusting both puṇya and pāpa to Brahma, the origin of all the jīvas, he enjoys self-contentment.
This is the state of one in adhi-dharma. Whatever he does - even if considered as a pāpa from the view of the world or the śāstras - is not truly a pāpa for him, for he who is established in Brahma has neither the seed of pāpa nor selfish thoughts and desires in him. He sees the Universal Self everywhere and therefore his acts are directed towards general welfare, not otherwise.

yasya nāhaṅkṛto bhāvo buddhiryasya na lipyate ।
hatvāpi sa imāl-lokān-na hanti na nibadhyate ॥
BG 18.17

The dhārmic person, subject to vaidika rules or his guru’s orders, societal traditions or other external factors, walks the path of the good either out of fear or desire.
However, the one established in adhi-dharma follows the path of the good without any such fears or restrictions or expectation of rewards because of the practice of seeing his own Self everywhere. He works for the welfare of the world without the need of a prescription or proscription.
The knower of the Self is mentioned in the third chapter on Karma Yoga.

yastvātmaratireva syād-ātma-tṛptaśca mānavaḥ.
ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭas-tasya kāryam na vidyate৷৷
BG 3.17

Here, kārya refers to obligatory activity - something that has to be done because of external restrictions. “kāryam na vidyate” - refers to some activity that has become imperative either because it has been mandated by someone else or because of a fear of punishment, or due to an expectation of benefit. As the knower of the Self is a personification of benevolence and has no ego, whatever he does is independent activity that results in nothing other than universal well-being. He is free to do something or not to do it. Whatever he does or does not do is not from an egoistic perspective but from that of the Universal Self.

Such a person is described by the śāstras as an atyāśrami (one who is beyond all the āśramas) or an avadhūta (one who has cast off everything).

yo vilaṅghyā’’śramān varṇān ātmanyeva sthitassadā ।
ativarṇāśramī yogī avadhūtassa ucyate ॥
Avadhūtopaniṣat 3
(The yogi who has gone beyond the āśramas and varṇas and is established in his Self, is known as an ati-varṇāśramī and an avadhūta)

Another verse is as follows.

tyaja dharmamadharmaṃ ca tyaja satyānṛte ubhe ।
ubhe satyānṛte tyaktvā yena tyajasi tattyaja ॥
Sannyāsopaniṣat 2.12
“Give up dharma - of the form of external rules and injunctions - that is mandated by the śāstras; give up adharma too. Give up the practice of speaking truth as well as untruth. Consider these opposites as mere modifications of name and form in creation and escape from them. Go beyond opposites by the constant remembrance of the līlās of Brahma. Finally, renounce the notion of “I” through which you renounced all this.”

Renunciation is also an activity. Any activity has a doer. It is the notion of doership that is ego. Even that should be dissolved! The “I” should cease to exist.

jñānāmṛtena tṛptasya kṛtakṛtyasya yoginaḥ ।
naivāsti kiñcit-kartavyam asti cenna sa tattvavit ॥
Jābāladarśanopaniṣad 1.23
(There is no obligatory duty for the Yogi satisfied with the nectar of knowledge, who has accomplished what needs to be done. If he thinks that he has obligatory duty, he does not know the truth)

All restrictions of dharma are prerequisites to the knowledge of Brahma. What was an obligation before the dawn of Brahma-knowledge becomes a joyous pastime after it.

vyavahāro laukiko vā śāstrīyo vā’nyathāpi vā।
mamākarturalepasya yathārabdhaṃ pravartatām॥
athavā kṛtakṛtyo’pi lokānugrahakāmyayā।
śāstrīyeṇaiva mārgeṇa varte’haṃ mama kā kṣatiḥ ॥
Avadhūtopanīṣad 24,25
(For me, who is not the doer and who is unattached,
may activity - worldly or śāstrīya or something else - continue as it was started.
Or, even though I have done whatever has to be done,
I can work in the path ordained by the śāstras for the welfare of the world.
What harm can come to me?)

An ancient stotra known as the śukāṣṭakam enumerates these marks of an avadhūta:

bhedābhedau sapadi galitau puṇyapāpe viśīrṇe
māyāmohau kṣayamupagatau naṣṭasandehavṛtteḥ ।
śabdātītaṃ triguṇarahitaṃ prāpya tattvāvabodhaṃ
nistraiguṇye pathi vicarataḥ ko vidhiḥ ko niṣedhaḥ ॥
(Difference and non-difference have vanished in a flash. Pāpa and puṇya are gone.
With doubt destroyed, delusion and infatuation have dwindled away.
I have reached the truth that is beyond speech and devoid of the three guṇas,
For me who travels on the path beyond the three guṇas, whence rules? Whither prohibition?)

Ordained by the Vedas and śāstras, obligatory dharmas have defined results. Rituals such as yajñas have svarga and others as their fruit. We have seen so far on many an occasion that activity performed sans desire for personal benefit is the nature of a knower of the supreme principle. “trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā nis-traiguṇyo bhavārjuna” - is the supreme goal. “Arjuna, if you are devoid of selfish thoughts and only the feeling of universal selfhood resides in you, perform activity for the welfare of the world without regard for results, considering it as the worship of paramātmā. Be established in the welfare of all beings like an avadhūta who is beyond all varṇas and āśramas, unfettered by śāstric rules, and is completely free.” This is another kind of adhidharma.

To surrender to Bhagavān - fully and only to Bhagavān - is adhidharma. That indeed is the pinnacle of bhakti and jñāna.
Let us look at the distinctions between dharma and adhidharma.

External testimony such as extracts from the śāstras and traditions from the guru are needed to decide upon the right course of dharma. However, these are not needed for adhidharma as it proceeds independently from internal śraddhā and direct experience of the supreme truth.

All worldly works have two stations for manifesting results. The first is the doer; the next is the world that exists with him. The fruits of the works too are divided between them. There is no such division in adhidharma. The fruit of dharma is enjoyed by both the doer and those who come in contact with him. As the one established in adhidharma is devoid of ego, there is no personal fruit of action; but the world gets the benefit of that work.

Defects in a dharmi’s activity are proportional to the ego present during its performance. As an adhidharmi is egoless and possesses only the guṇa of sattva, there is no defect in his performance; only goodness. Adhidharma is the independent expression of pure sattva.
Adhidharma in the form of surrender is of two kinds. One is self-surrender. The other is universal self-hood.

Surrender of the self is the state of perfection of bhakti; its apex. It is unalloyed śraddhā; one that needs no reasoning. It does not require external validation through proofs and testimonies. A child does not wait for another’s words or direction to trust its mother; it just relaxes in her lap, forgetting itself. In the same way, a bhakta placing trust in Bhagavān appeals to him - “Svāmin! You are my everything! Your will is my will” - and rejoices after dissolving his “I”-ness into Bhagavān. This is self-surrender where his “I” merges into Bhagavān. Such a dissolution of one’s ego is itself a kind of surrender. Just as outer measures are not needed to certify this inner transformation, outer rules and injunctions are not needed as well. Such a surrender knows nothing other than Bhagavān and is hence known as ekānta-bhakti (devotion towards only one ideal).

Hear the prayer of one such devotee.

tvayi janārdana bhaktir-acañcalā yadi bhavedaphalapravaṇā mama
abhilaṣāmy-apavargaparāṅmukhaḥ punarapīha śarīraparigraham ॥
“Bhagavān! If I truly have firm and desireless bhakti in you, I will desire for a human body without any aspiration towards mokṣa.”

Bhakti is a mode of the heart that does not wait for confirmation from logical analyses. Just as the ocean rises along with the full moon, the devotee’s heart swells when he remembers Bhagavān. As he is egoless, his infatuation and sorrow too disappear leaving him with peace and bliss beyond compare.

[[Ch 18 Yoga of Single-pointed Surrender (Part 20) Source: prekshaa]]

Universal self-hood (Atmaupamya): is the perfection of knowledge; its ripe fruit. Intellectual conviction is achieved via reflection upon the śāstras and refined by life’s training. This conviction is then transformed into experience through contemplation. Such a knower sees himself everywhere. He looks upon the world with the same affection as a mother would her children. All lives are his own. Just as a mother’s life mingles with her children’s lives, the knower of the Self becomes one with the welfare of all beings. The experience of one’s own Self everywhere is another kind of adhidharma which is surrendering entirely unto Brahma.

Thus the paths for emancipation are three: 1. Devotion with surrender. 2. Following dharma prescribed by the śāstras. 3. Seeing one’s own self as the Universal Self.“Arjuna, choose any of these three paths. Do not venture into śāstric hair-splitting or debates. Have faith in me and fight for the sake of my words.” That is surrender.

Or, the Vedas declare that fighting in a war for dharma is the duty of a kṣatriya. The world is Bhagavān’s kingdom whose inhabitants are your co-subjects. Establishing justice among them is therefore the worship of the divine. You can fight with this perspective in mind as well. This is being obedient to dharma.

Or, go beyond the three guṇas! As the world is but a līlā of Supreme Brahma, you can fight thinking thus - “I am but a wave in this ocean of Brahma’s pastimes. I am a throb in this great roiling of the world. I should hence be one with it and sublimate my “I”-ness in it”! This is experiencing Brahma’s presence. It is also the experience of one’s own self everywhere.
You have these three paths. Choose one of these three - one that suits you, one for which you are capable and ready, and one that your mind likes. Decide that path for yourself.”

vimṛśyaitadeśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru ॥

Having said this, Bhagavān asked - “Have your ignorance and delusion subsided?” Arjuna replied :

naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtirlabdhā…
kariṣye vacanaṃ tava ॥
O Acyuta, due to your grace in the form of your teaching, all my doubts have been destroyed. I will do as you say.

Then started the war.

After listening to this conversation between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, Sañjaya submitted to Dhṛtarāṣṭra:

yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇo yatra pārtho dhanurdharaḥ ।
tatra śrīrvijayo bhūtirdhruvā nītirmatirmama ॥
BG 18.78

ಯೋಗಪತಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣನುಂ ಧನು-
ರಾಗಮಪತಿ ಪಾರ್ಥನುಂ ಮತೈಕ್ಯದೇ ಧರ್ಮೋ-
ದ್ಯೋಗದಿ ತೊಡಗಿಹ ಪಕ್ಷದಿ
ಭಾಗ್ಯಶ್ರೀ ನೆಲಸಿ ನಲಿವಳದು ನಿಶ್ಶಂಕಮ್ ॥

yogapati kṛṣṇanuṃ dhanu-
rāgamapati pārthanuṃ mataikyadè dharmo-
dyogadi toḍagiha pakṣadi
bhāgyaśrī nèlasi nalivaḻadu niśśaṃkam ॥

“When the lord of yoga, Kṛṣṇa and
the lord of archery, Arjuna,
act together for dharma,
the goddess of auspiciousness lives
and delights there, without a doubt!”

ತತ್ತ್ವವಿವೇಕದ ಯೋಗಂ
ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯವೀರ್ಯಪ್ರಯೋಗಮೀಯುಭಯಮುಮೇ
ಕತ್ವದೊಳಿರೆ ಜಯಸುಖಸಂ-
ಪತ್ತುಗಳುಂ ಧರ್ಮನೀತಿಯುಂ ಸಂಸಿದ್ಧಮ್ ॥

tattva-vivekada yogaṃ
kṣatriya-vīrya-prayogamīyubhayamume-
katvadoḻire jayasukhasaṃ-
pattugaḻuṃ dharmanītiyuṃ saṃsiddham ॥

When the yoga of the knowledge of the ultimate principle
and the valorous practice of kṣatra are in unison,
Victory, happiness, wealth, and
the rule of dharma are well established.

॥ OM TAT SAT ॥

Gist

ಹರಿಶರಣತೆ ಸ್ವಕರ್ಮಾ-
ಭಿರತತೆ ಮಿತಭೋಗತೃಪ್ತಿಯೀ ತ್ರಿವ್ರತದಿಂ ।
ಪರಿಶುದ್ಧಿಯಾಂತು ಜೀವಂ
ನಿರಹಂಕೃತಿಯಿಂ ಪರಾತ್ಮಶಾಂತಿಯ ಪಡೆಗುಂ ।। ೧ ।।
Purified by this vrata-triad of
surrender to Hari, engagement in one’s own duty,
and contentment in limited pleasure,
the jīva becomes egoless and attains supreme tranquility.

ಗುರುಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವಿಧೇಯತೆಯಿನೊ
ಹರಿಪದಕೆ ಸಮರ್ಪ್ಯಮಾತ್ಮಮೆಂಬಾಸ್ಥೆಯಿನೋ ।
ಪರಿಗತಸಾರ್ವಾತ್ಮ್ಯದಿನೋ
ಶರಣಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮೈಕಮೆಂದು ಚರಿಸುವವನಘಮ್ ।। ೨ ।।
Through obedience to guru and śāstra,
or the faith that one’s self has to be surrendered at Hari’s feet,
or contemplation on omnipresent universal self-hood,
the blemishless one surrenders to the one Brahma.

ನಿಷ್ಠಂ ತಾಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮದೊಳಿರ-
ಲಿಷ್ಟಾನಿಷ್ಟಕೃದಹಂತೆ ನಿರ್ಮೂಲಮಿರಲ್ ।
ದುಷ್ಟತೆಯವನೆಡೆಯಿರದೆಂ-
ಬಷ್ಟಾದಶದಿಂ ಸಮಾಪ್ತಮೀಶ್ವರಗೀತಮ್ ॥ ೩ ॥
When established in Brahma,
when the ego that causes likes and dislikes is uprooted,
no evil exists with him.
Thus concludes the song of Īśvara in the eighteenth.

ಭೂತಲಪರಿಶ್ರಮಿಗೆ ಸಂ-
ಗೀತಂ ಶ್ರಮಹಾರಿ ಸುಖದಮಂತೆಯೆ ಭಗವ-
ದ್ಗೀತಾಗಾನಂ ಲೋಗರ
ಚೇತಃಕ್ಲೇಶಗಳ ಕಳೆದು ಶಾಂತಿಯ ಕುಡುಗುಮ್ ।।
Just as music rids the farmer
of fatigue and gives joy,
the song of Bhagavān removes
the world’s mental distress and bestows peace.

The Gist of the third sextet

ಆತ್ಮಾನಾತ್ಮವಿವೇಕಂ
ಸತ್ತ್ವಮಯಶ್ರದ್ಧೆ ಭಗವದರ್ಪಿತಜೀವಂ ।
ತತ್ತ್ವಾಪ್ತಿಗೆ ಸಾಧನಮಿವು
ಮುಕ್ತಿಪದಂ ಜ್ಞಾನಮೆಂಬುದಂತಿಮಷಟ್ಕಮ್ ।।
“Discernment between self and non-self,
Faith permeated by sattva, and a life offered to Bhagavān
are the means to achieve the supreme principle.
The state of mukti is knowledge.” -
thus states the final sextet.

ವಿವಿಧಮತಗಭೀರಂ ಸಾಮರಸ್ಯಪ್ರಕಾರಂ
ಗೃಹಿಯತಿಸಮುದಾರಂ ಸರ್ವಜೀವೋಪಚಾರಮ್ ।
ಸುರನರಸಹಕಾರಂ ಸ್ವಾತ್ಮಸಾರ್ವಾತ್ಮ್ಯಸಾರಂ
ಭವಜಲನಿಧಿಪಾರಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಗೀತಾವತಾರಮ್ ।।

Deep with various thoughts, the means towards harmony,
Generous to both householders and monks, a consolation to every jīva,
Helping both deva and man, the essence of Universal selfhood,
Deliverer across the ocean of saṃsāra, is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa as the Gītā.

ವೇಣುಸ್ವಾನಸ್ಫುರದಧರದಿಂ ಶಂಖನಿರ್ಘೋಷರೌದ್ರಂ
ಗೋಪೀವಸ್ತ್ರಾಹರಣಕರದಿಂ ಚಂಡಚಕ್ರಪ್ರಹಾರಮ್ ।
ದ್ವಂದ್ವೈಶ್ವರ್ಯಂಗಳೊಳಮವನಿಂತಿರ್ದುಮದ್ವಂದ್ವಸತ್ತ್ವಂ
ಚಾಲಿಕ್ಕೆಮ್ಮಂ ನಿಜಚರಣಕಾ ವಾಸುದೇವಾಖ್ಯತೇಜಮ್ ।।
The terrific roar of the śaṅkhaissued from the lips that play the flute.
The destructive cakra was dispatched by the hand that stole the Gopīs’ garments,
The essence beyond opposites that resided amidst battles and wealth,
May that radiance known as Vāsudeva lead us to its feet.

The gist of the three parts

ಭಕ್ತಿ ತ್ರಿವಿಧಂ ಧರ್ಮ-
ವ್ಯಕ್ತಂ ಧ್ಯಾನಪ್ರಯುಕ್ತಮ್ ಆತ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನೋ -।
ಪಾತ್ತಮ್ ಅನುಕ್ರಮದಿಂ ಸಂ-
ಪ್ರೋಕ್ತಮಿದಧ್ಯಾಯಷಟ್ಕಕಾಂಡತ್ರಯದಿಂ ।।
The tri-fold bhakti - expressed through dharma,
applied through dhyāna, and attained through self-knowledge
has been enumerated respectively in the three chapter-sextets.

ಸ್ವೀಯಮಧುರಸವೀಂಟ ಕಾಯಕೋಟಿಗಳಿಂದೆ
ಮಾಯೆಯೊಡನಾಡಿ ವಿಶ್ವದೊಳವಳ ನಖದಿಮ್ ।
ಗಾಯವಡೆದಳುತಲೆಚ್ಚೆತ್ತು ತತ್ತ್ವವನರಸಿ
ಸಾಯುಜ್ಯವೆಳಸುತಿಹುದಾತ್ಮಂ ವಿಚಿತ್ರಮ್ ॥
’Tis strange that the self, having embraced Māyā in the world
through a billion bodies oozing her sweet nectar,
wakes up crying after being wounded by her nails, and
seeks out the ultimate principle, longing for unity!

ಮಾನುಷ್ಯಾಂತಃಕರಣಬಲದೌರ್ಬಲ್ಯಚಾಪಲ್ಯನಿಮ್ನೋ-
ತ್ತಾನೋತ್ತಾಲಂಗಳನರಿತು ಜೀವಾರ್ಹಸಾಹ್ಯಂಗಳಂ ಸಂ-।
ಧಾನಿಪ್ಪಾತಂ ಪರಮಪುರುಷಂ ಧರ್ಮರಕ್ಷೈಕದೀಕ್ಷಂ
ಸ್ವಾನಂದಾಸೇಚನಚಣ ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಲಂ ಕೋಮಲಾತ್ಮಮ್ ॥
Having understood the inner rhythms of human strengths, weaknesses, and caprices,
and its ups and downs, the supreme puruṣa harnesses help suitable for each jīva.
He has the protection of dharma as his sole goal,
the dark cloud that is celebrated for raining its own bliss, the tender one.

॥ iti śam ॥

Note

ಕಾಲವಿಪರ್ಯಾಸದಿ ಕಲಿ-
ಯಾಳಿಕೆಯಲಿ ವರ್ಣವೃತ್ತಿಗೃಹಸಂಕರದೊಳ್ ।
ಬಾಳು ಗುರಿ ತಪ್ಪದಂದದಿ
ಚಾಲಿಸಲಿಹ ಬೆಳಕು ನಮಗೆ ಗೀತಾದೀಪಮ್ ।। ೧ ।।
In adverse times, in the reign of Kali,
amidst commingling of creeds, guilds and clans,
our light to lead life without going astray,
is the lamp of the Gītā.
ಕಷ್ಟಂ ಬಹಿರಾಚಾರಂ
ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯೊಳಿರ್ಕಂತರಂಗ-ಶುಚಿತೆ-ಯದೆಂದುಮ್ ।
ದುಷ್ಟಗಳ ನಡುವೆ ಭಗವ-
ನ್ನಿಷ್ಠೆಯೊಳಾತ್ಮವನು ನೆಲಸೆ ಗೀತಾಭ್ಯಾಸಮ್ ।। ೨ ।।
Difficult is external practice ever,
while the focus is on inner purity.
Establishing the self in Bhagavān,
even amidst evils, is the practice of the Gītā.

Gist

It is possible to find solutions to contemporary problems such as the crumbling edifice of the varṇa system, complications concomitant with new professions, and the issues stemming from contact with other countries and cultures by applying the Gītā in our lives. However, such solutions require firm trust in the efficacy of the Gītā as well as an understanding of its universal principles borne out by reasoned reflection. Teachings of the Gītā such as the acceptance of the principle of dharma and restraint in pleasure are applicable to all of mankind.

Myriad are reasons for mental turmoil - be they political disarray, economic competition, employer-employee friction, the primacy of making money, or squabbles among nations. Even so, it is not impossible even today to make a just living. It is possible as well as imperative, even now, for the devotees of the Gītā to maintain, among others, a restraint in pleasure, moral rectitude, and the sanctity of the man-woman relationship.

We have insisted again and again in this lecture series that the Gītā teaches the primacy of human effort. It is the same teaching that is dwelt upon in this concluding chapter. Human effort tempered by bhakti is indeed the redeemer. To that extent, the modern scientific quest for truth, courage, and enthusiasm for life are necessary for us.

[[Conclusions (Part 1) Source: prekshaa]]

Section 20 /Conclusion

We had a second look at the Gītā. What did we gain for our own use?

Whatever be the śāstra or art that we set out to learn, there are two approaches towards its study. The first one is a theoretical approach - marked by reasoning and reaching an intellectual conclusion. The second is a practical approach - the experimental realisation of the subject of study. Just as we need both feet to walk, we need both theory and practice to gain knowledge. Both of them must occur in tandem. Even then, in a few fields of study, the practical aspect becomes more important than the theoretical for most. Consider the example of music. A student does not need to know the frequency in Hertz of the notes sa or ri or the exact duration of a half-beat or quarter-beat before singing. Theoreticians measure and calculate all of these after the singer has sung. The same applies to prosody. Maharṣi Vālmīki did not compose poetry after counting the number of syllables and fixing a metrical pattern. He composed it as he saw fit. Experts in prosody later identified the metrical patterns and defined them as such. Maharṣi Vālmīki never realised that the words he uttered formed a śloka. He did not utter those sounds after counting metrical time. It was left to Brahmā to tell him - “O Ṛṣi! what was uttered by you is a śloka. It conforms to a metrical rhythm.”

śloka eva tvayā baddhaḥ…।
macchandādeva ॥

Creation is always first. Then comes definition.
In the terminology of the śāstra - lakṣya (the illustration) comes before lakṣaṇa (definition). Tradition is that which extracts the definition from the illustration.

Let us look at another example: the art of cooking. Culinary science does not precede food. The food that we eat and enjoy everyday was not cooked by experts well educated in chemistry; but by those who learnt from experimenting with food. Our electrical fittings at home were installed by a moderately experienced electrical contractor; not by a Ph.D in electrical engineering. Expertise in every directly perceived field of knowledge is gained through practical experience. One intent on learning swimming will not insist on a degree in hydrostatics before entering the water. Such a person falls in water, kicks out his limbs, and understands the practical nature of water without needing to study hydrostatics or fluid mechanics. The knowledge of the tattva is similar. I believe that it is practice that makes one eligible for such knowledge. We at the Gokhale Institute believe in the pre-eminence of practice. Our goal is not the theoretical knowledge of a specific śāstric work that is primarily driven by logic and dialectic.

Our ancients held three practices as necessary for the attainment of self-knowledge - “Śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyaḥ”. Śravaṇa refers to hearing through one’s ears. Manana refers to reflection upon the principle. Nididhyāsana refers to the constant remembrance of the principle and practicing it in one’s own behaviour. “Śravaṇaṃ lavaṇavat” is a statement from our ancestors. The position of śravaṇa in the attainment of self-knowledge is as important as salt in a meal. Reflecting upon its meaning is more important. More important than that is practicing it in one’s life. In the study of the Gītā, it is not just the literal sentence that is important but also its experience in the mind. All of us in this institution have desired to study this work from a practical perspective. Our goal in the study of this work is not from a purely theoretical perspective. Neither is our goal to master the work entirely. Our goal is restricted to the part of the work that is applicable to our circumstances and suits our capabilities. Bhagavān’s words give us encouragement.

yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake ।
BG 2.46
(When there is a flood all around, will one go looking for wells and tanks for drinking water?)

The village is surrounded by lakes and ponds filled with water that is either sweet or hard or soft. Do we, however, use all of it? We take only what we require for our cooking or our ablutions.

The śāstras give us innumerable instructions and discuss countless principles. Not all of them are attainable by us, given our limitations. Though there is enough water in the lake to submerge us thousands of times over, we drink only whatever is needed to quench our thirst. Only one or two of the thousand instructions might apply to us. If we try to understand that much and realise it, we might gradually become eligible to attain more. We need not fret that our attainments are meagre. On the contrary, we should feel encouraged that we have at least attained this much.

If we are not after logic and reasoning, we are not after mokṣa either, not now at least. We are all in saṃsāra - engaged in worldly duties. If we realise what we need to do in our given circumstances and act accordingly, eligibility for mokṣa will arise by itself in time. It is sufficient if the gardener digs out a trench for the plant, waters it, and removes the weeds. He does not have to work more for fruits and flowers. Seasonal changes cause fruit and flowers. They arise by themselves when conditions are right. Mokṣa too arrives in the same way. With the perfection of the practice of dharma comes the fruit of mokṣa. To start with, our śraddhā and inclinations have to be nurtured through practice. Practice requires patience. Haste may disrupt practice. There is no eligibility for mokṣa without the constant practice of dharma.

How do we bring the teachings of the Gītā to practice in our daily situations? Our society and circumstances are considerably different from those of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. The primary differences are these four:

The deterioration of the system of the varṇa-quartet 2. The complex web of professional relationships 3. The position and duties of women 4. A questioning attitude

Though the varṇa system is not fully dead, it has weakened significantly. There are no promising signs that it will survive. The occupations of yore do not exist now. Gainful employment has become a big problem. There was a tradition from the time of the Mahābhārata to around two hundred years ago that considered a certain specified position for women acceptable. Now the hold of that tradition has loosened. Women work in schools and factories. They truly care for their families. We can see this in all countries. Can we say that it is wrong? It is said that princesses of old had not even seen the sun! They were referred to as “asūryaṃpaśyā”. They grew up in inner apartments reserved for womenfolk. Is that possible now? No. The fourth point is the attitude of questioning. If one is told to sit in padmāsana (cross-legged), we ask why. If we ask one to drink coffee after their bath, we ask in turn - “why can’t we bathe after having our morning coffee?” Didn’t our ancestors have this questioning attitude? They did. But after a certain stage, they would accept what was told without further questions. Today’s questioning attitude insists upon a demonstration of the cause and effect relationship for everything.

It might be argued that all these changes are results of our country’s contact with Europe. But such an argument will not help decide our current course of action. One cannot object to the growth of contact between India and Europe. Many such incidents have happened in the histories of other countries. Numerous are those unpremeditated, seemingly random events that have occurred in man’s rush towards intellectual progress and adventurous achievements. We can call these acts of providence. Be it due to divine will or the karmic debt between different nations or the blooming of man’s adventurous ambitions, we have come into contact with other countries. It is also true that this contact has brought a change to our people’s attitudes and traditions. It is only pragmatic to accept this reality of admixture of European and Indian thought. There is no use of grumbling; neither is it apt. We do not know divine will. But faith in it is our duty.

It does not look like there will be an end to contact with other countries. We should realise that it is inevitable. It is not possible for India to stay insulated from the rest of the world anymore as our Rājaratnam’s Puṭnanja exclaims.

ಇದ್ದದ್ರಲ್ ಹಾಯಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮಷ್ಟಕ್ ನಾವಾಗಿ
(Comfy with what is there; us by ourselves)

The pressure of influence on India from other countries is increasing. We have to accept it.

If the Bhagavad-Gītā cannot give us a solution in such a quandary, it appears to us that no other work can do so either. We have to rationally examine the relationship between this treatise and our present behaviour. If the instruction of the Gītā has to apply to all humankind, even India has to utilise this contact with other countries as an opportunity to spread the message of the Gītā. It is impossible to escape foreign contact, but it is not impossible to correct and adjust foreign attitudes for our own welfare. It is possible, but with great difficulty. The prerequisite for this is our mental resolve about the utility of the Gītā.

[[Conclusions (Part 2) Source: prekshaa]]

The Gītā is not a treatise with a limited outlook for one set of people. It is beneficial to the entire humankind. We firmly believe that the principles taught by the Gītā ought to be honoured by people of all countries, whatever stage they may be in. Their lives too would benefit from an application of the teachings of the Gītā. This treatise is for all humankind. This was not born only for the brāhmaṇas or the country of Bhārata. If it is said that Bhagavān taught the Gītā keeping only the Hindus in mind, it would be equivalent to accusing Bhagavān of favouritism and discrimination. Bhagavān has definitely proscribed the teaching of the Gītā to a few -

idaṃ te + na + ātapaskāya
na + abhaktāya kadācana
BG 18.67

This exclusion applies to people of all countries. Whatever country or class a person may belong to, the Gītā should be taught if the person has bhakti and virtue. Bhagavān has not excluded non-brāhmaṇas from studying the Gītā. On the contrary, all people should be taught. Hence it is clear that we have to accept association with other countries. The portion of the Gītā that is useful to all mankind has to be mentally ascertained. There is a portion applicable to all humankind as well as a part that applies to only a select few.

A thought on time

We should look at changing times from another perspective. The importance of time was discussed to some extent in the introduction to this lecture series. (That can be seen elsewhere or in an appendix.) Let us now revisit it. Time is change. Time can be defined as the succession of moments during which the naturally innate qualities of a certain thing are automatically expressed externally. The flow of instants during which a raw fruit ripens is time. When a raw mango plucked from a tree is incubated, the sour particles in it gradually become sweet. This is the transformation known as ripening. No external effort is needed for this. Nature makes it happen. This process requires “doing nothing” by the raw fruit’s incubators. Ripening requires non-interference from other people. While the others breathe and blink by themselves, the raw fruit ripens. If it is still left to incubate, the ripened fruit will rot and stink. Time is the opportunity for such change to occur.

Thus change in time is actually an evolution of the latent qualities and energies of the people of the world and not instituted by some external energy or thing. Europe, America, and India have come closer and mutually influence one another as a result of this inner evolution of human behaviour. The seeds of activity latent in the character of the viśva-mānava - universal - individual automatically germinate and express themselves externally. This is an explanation of the world’s behaviour from an analysis of first principles.

Thus the changes that have occurred in India and her people’s lifestyles are the results of the sustained effect of time and nature. We cannot hold anyone responsible for it. It seems prudent to consider the effects of international influence as something that is apauruṣeya (not of human origin.) Just as seasonal changes are not caused by humans (for the most part), worldly changes too are natural. It is the duty of human discernment to change food and clothing with seasons. Similarly it is imperative for human discernment to decide what and how much to accept when encountered with changes to life circumstances. What adjustments do we need to make for ourselves because of our Western interaction? What are the elements of our tradition that we cannot give up and have to conserve? What are the changes we need to bring about in the Westerners? Hence it appears to us that changing ourselves as well as the others is necessary. The path to this change has to be found through the light of the Bhagavadgītā. If the Gītā is not useful at this critical juncture, it would seem to us that the Gītā’s greatness might have to come down a notch.

* * *

Before applying the Gītā to answer these four pressing questions it is necessary to gather the gist of the Gītā again.

If we were to state the essence of the Gītā in a single word, it would be jīvasaṃskāra (refinement of the jīva). The main goal of the Gītā is to purify the jīva and better it. This is also equivalent to the welfare or progress of the jīva. This amounts to removing the beginningless veil of māyā and delusion that has enveloped the jīva thereby enabling it to experience paramātmā. This indeed is dharma. The Gītā is a treatise on the principle of dharma. The jīva’s association with impurities of prakṛti is from time immemorial. There is no use of analysing how it came into this situation. What should be pondered is how to be released from it.

The śāstra assures us that it is possible for a jīva to attain a better state than the current one by being established in dharma. This assurance is repeated in the Gītā. Our first duty therefore is to firmly grasp this assurance through the heart and mind.

1. That it is possible for the jīva to attain the best possible future is the Gītā’s chief assertion. This assertion could even be termed a postulate. Whatever statement is accepted without any proof or testimony by parties desirous of understanding a principle is a postulate. An adjunct to this definition is that no further inquiries are even possible without the postulate. Other inquiries are possible only after accepting a postulate.

One could also consider the statement that it is possible for a jīva to have a better future as a hypothesis. The supposition that is at the root of all questions during an inquiry about a topic and might yield consistent answers is an arthāpatti (hypothesis) whose etymology is - anuktasya arthasya (of unsaid meaning), āpattih (obtaining). Another derivation is anyathā anupapadyamānasya arthasya upapādikā buddhikalpanā arthāpattih - the intellectual supposition without which the unsaid meaning cannot be obtained. The first achievement thus is the acknowledgment of the possibility of betterment either through accepting the śāstra’s testimony or one’s own intellectual assumptions.

2. If the jīva has to attain a better state, it should undergo a few purifying actions or refinements. The collection of such actions is dharma. We have seen Śrī Śańkara’s statement to this effect before.

jagataḥ sthitikāraṇam । prāṇināṃ sākṣādabhyudayaniḥśreyasaheturyaḥ sa dharmah॥
(The sustainer of the universe. That which causes welfare and the supreme good for beings is dharma.)

3. Dharma is of two kinds. One is common to everybody. The second is for separate classes of individuals.

4. As all beings inhabit the same physical world, have mutual interaction, and share similar pre-conditions, their attainments and destinations will also be similar. Therefore their activities and hence their dharma are similar. These are denoted by sāmānya (general) dharmas. Truth, purity, and non-violence - are dharmas that apply to everyone equally, including Muslims and Christians.

5. Every jīva has two fields of activity - one public and common to all and the other private and individual. Though the world is the same, each being’s previous karma, debts and relationships, and consequent attainments are different. Each jīva has a beginningless story that is its own and private. As each jīva is an individual, it not only has dharmas of a common nature but also a few special dharmas. These are a jīva’s svadharmas.

Universal human dharma

Let us now discuss common dharmas without delving into individual or special dharmas. The common dharmas seen from the perspective of the Gītā appear to be ten in number.

Acceptance of the self’s pre-eminence. 2. Acceptance of īśvara’s authority. 3. Acceptance of dharma. 4. Limiting desire for pleasure. 5. A duty towards maintaining world order. 6. The practice of seeing the self in all - charity. 7. Purifying daily life - yajña. 8. The practice of reflection upon the supreme principle - tapas. 9. Surrender - śaraṇāgati. 10. Understanding the importance of tranquility over pleasure.

[[Conclusions (Part 3) Source: prekshaa]]

Let us now remember and discuss these in some detail.

1) The pre-eminence of the self: The ātmā (self) is the essence of all beings. Whenever man thinks, “I”,“me”, the referent of the “I” is the jīva. Both the jīva and its support and instrument - the body with sense organs and the mind - are referred to as the ātmā. The ātmā marked by an association with the body-sheath is known as the jīvātmā. In principle, the ātmā is distinct from the adjuncts of the jīva and is known as the śuddhātmā or kevalātmā. The adjuncts of the jīva exist momentarily, are subject to modification, and then disappear. The ātmā however is without modification or destruction.

acchedyo.yamadāhyo.yamakledyo.śoṣya eva ca.
nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo.yaṃsanātanaḥ
BG 2.24
avyakto.yamacintyo.yamavikāryo.yamucyate
BG 2.25
dehī nityamavadhyo.yaṃdehe sarvasya bhārata
BG 2.30

Hence ātmā is the consciousness that energises everything without adhering to anything in the melange of ingredients that is man. The ātmā therefore is the highest of all human elements and the most important. Consequently, the well-being of the ātmā has to be the first goal of all endeavours.

As far as I know, there is no equivalent word for “ātmā” in the English translations of the Bible or the Quran. Even those doctrines might accept the concept of jīva. The word ātmā is usually translated as “soul”. Just as ātmā is used among us to refer to mind and other things depending on the context, the word “soul” too is used to refer to many things. Presently, the word ātmā refers to the pure consciousness that is in every jīva. It is one aspect of a great and excellent thing called Brahma. What is referred to here is not the limited and impure jīva but the pure ātmā. The infinite consciousness that sustains the universe while being is beyond it is the Supreme Brahma. ātmā is one of the modes of experiencing Supreme Brahma that pervades the universe within and without. Every single life-principle and every moral precept issues from the acceptance of Brahma. This is one of the cardinal teachings of the Gītā. All other instructions flow from the instruction of the ātmā’s primacy. The ātmā within the jīva is the most important. Everything else is insignificant and worthless in comparison. This is the first instruction.

2) The acceptance of Īśvara’s authority: Īśvara is the active aspect of parabrahma-caitanya. The same consciousness that is known as the jīva through its individual and separate aspects is collectively known as paramātmā that is all pervading. The same paramātmā is known as īśvara when seen as active in the līlā of the world. In the world transcending state, it is known as parabrahma. Thus, when the great, indivisible, infinite, and immeasurable consciousness that encompasses all jīvas and the entire universe is understood by the jīva to be the controller of the world, progress begins for the ātmā within it. The following, “There is a master to whom we must be obedient. The world follows his will” have to be accepted. The world makes us forget Īśvara through its magical fantasies. We are afflicted by delusions such as “I am the lord. I am the enjoyer.” The first step towards upliftment is to accept the overlordship of Īśvara.

sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpam
-BG 8.9
gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃsuhṛt ।
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṃ nidhānaṃ bījam avyayam
-BG 9.18
sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tatsarvato.kṣiśiromukham
sarvataḥ śrutimalloke sarvamāvṛtya tiṣṭhati
-BG 13.14

If we accept Īśvara, he has already said that he will look after our welfare.

ananyāś-ciantayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham -BG 9.22

It is in the relationship between the jīva and Īśvara that there are debates between the philosophical schools of dvaita, advaita and viśiṣṭādvaita. This will be discussed in a separate appendix.

3. Acceptance of the principle of dharma: Christianity and other religions also accept that we have to be obedient to Īśvara. That is indeed a dharma. dharma is of the form of Īśvara’s orders. It purifies the jīva and is conducive to its benefit.

śāśvata-dharma-goptā । -BG 11.18

is how Arjuna extolled Īśvara. There are many adhārmic people in the world. Bringing them on the right path is Īśvara’s responsibility.

mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ।
-BG 4.11
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhā.hamamṛtasyāvyayasya ca ।
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ॥
-BG 14.27

Dharma is never completely destroyed at any time.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata ।
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ॥
-BG 4.7

The responsibility of protecting dharma rests with Īśvara.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām ।
dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya saṃbhavāmi yuge yuge
-BG 4.8

We have to accept dharma.

4. Limiting desire for pleasure: The precept of limiting our desires and pleasures is included in the acceptance of Īśvara’s authority. That is the crux of dharma. We have to continuously filter out our desires, our attractions, repulsions, and infatuations. Bhagavān has clarified thus without a chance for forgetfulness.

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ ।
mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenamiha vairiṇam ॥
-BG 3.37

We can bring the famous metaphor from the kaṭhopaniṣad to mind.

ātmānaṃ rathinaṃ viddhi śarīram rathameva tu ।
buddhiṃ tu sārathiṃ viddhi manaḥ pragrahameva ca
indriyāṇi hayānāhurviṣayāmsteṣu gocarān
-Kaṭhopaniṣad 1.3.3-4

The formidable sense organs drag us hither and thither. They must be restrained.

5 . World order: Was it not for the universe to exist that Bhagavān created it?

lokasaṅgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyan kartumarhasi
-BG 3.20
kuryādvidvān-stathāsaktah cikīrṣurlokasaṅgraham
-BG 3.25

Like in the above verses, the duty of maintaining world welfare has been mentioned several times in the Gītā. The house might appear to be dilapidated and dripping; about to collapse. To repair it is our duty. Let there be reverence towards the world. After all, is it not known as the city of Brahma? We must honour the world and respect its conventions. That is being

sarvabhūtahite ratāh
-BG। 5.25 । 12.4
(Engrossed in the welfare of all beings)

6. Ātmaupamya: is at the source of ethics and morality.

sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmāni.
Īkṣate ॥ 6.29 ॥

The practice of seeing others as similar to one’s ātmā has to be gradually expanded in scope. In the case of ordinary people, the practice of self-similarity is restricted to one’s family to one’s wife, children, kin and to a group of close friends. Man should bring within the envelope of his life as many people as possible, giving them space in his heart’s generosity, gradually making all beings his co-passengers in the journey of life. This is the consideration that is at the root of all moral precepts.

7. Yajña of Daily life: Activities have to be definitely performed. How?

saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalāni ca ।
-BG 18.6
Activities have to be performed as one’s own dharma.
svakarmaṇā tamabhyarcya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ ।
-BG 18.46

What decides svadharma? We normally consider it to be śāstra which says -

itikartavyatābhāgaṃ mīmāmsā pūrayiṣyati ।

The śāstra has to be applied to the circumstances of life. We have to determine our duty without opposing śāstra and in accordance with considerations of time and place. That is obligatory duty.

niyatam kuru karma tvam ।
-BG 3.8

The source of so many contemporary problems can be found here. We come to believe that non-obligatory duties are obligatory. We believe that a lot of what is obligatory is not. Even governments are guilty of such mistakes. They neglect food production, grow industrial output to the size of mountains, overlook the defence of one’s own country while trying to rectify affairs of other countries. We forget the filth in our own children while trying to raise contributions for the nearby Rāma temple. What is obligatory cannot be decided upon without thought. If we look for the obligatory and without understanding it, choose to work upon the non-obligatory, it will be akin to forsaking one’s own dharma and accepting others’ dharma as one’s own.

Those activities that are orthogonal to the question of obligatory duties are necessary works such as yajña, dāna and tapas which are the worship of the divine, a reverence towards the world, and analysis of one’s self. These three are duties for all at all times

yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṃ kāryameva tat
-BG 18.5
etānyapi tu karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalāni ca
kartavyānīti me pārtha niśicataṃ matamuttamam ॥
-BG 18.6

There are a few who argue that the performance of activities is prescribed only for the ignorant or those with incomplete knowledge and not for the jñānī. It might be negligent of us if this argument is not explained with appropriate reasoning. Let us now discuss this to some extent.
Doesn’t karma exist in the natural sense of the term for everyone?

na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt ॥
-BG 3.5

Therefore, when the performance of karma is rendered inevitable by prakṛti, the only freedom that man has is not in giving up karma but in escaping from the bad fruits of karma. Thus it is necessary to analyse good and harmful karma. The śāstra helps in such analysis. Good karma is that which is prescribed by the śāstra which is of the form of rules and prohibitions. dharma is the body of karma that is ordained by the śāstras. Through the practice of dharma, impurities from earlier lives are lost, the jīva is purified, and the mind becomes fit for the knowledge of the absolute. Therefore karma becomes a tool for the seeker of jñāna. Thus this instruction is suitable for one whose knowledge is incomplete.

[[Conclusions (Part 4) Source: prekshaa]]

What about the jñānī? He too has to perform karma but instructing him is not necessary. He performs karma without any guidance. Karma is imperative as long as the body exists. Life in the physical plane implies contact with the world. Even the most knowledgeable cannot escape it. If that is the case, what is so unique about a jñānī’s knowledge? The answer is that a jñānī’s karma does not result in individual results for him. It was mentioned that good karma is understood from the rules and restrictions of the śāstras. Who is it that requires rules and restrictions? For him who has remnants of selfishness and ego. A complete jñānī however has not even an iota of selfishness and ego; for, in his perspective, nothing other than the ātmā exists. The śruti declares:

dvitīyādvai bhayam bhavati।
(Bṛhadāraṇyaka Up.)
(Fear is indeed because of the second)

We could also say “dvitīyādvai pāpam bhavati” (pāpa is indeed because of the second). For the root cause for pāpa is fear - the fear that another’s existence can cause one harm. Anger stems from that fear. The possibility of pāpa is because of the existence of another. But what exists is one - Brahma! Nothing apart from it exists in reality. The separateness of the world from the ātmā is merely an appearance, not real. For a person who has realised this, there is no sense of I and mine. Who will be subjected to such a person’s pāpa? Pāpa occurs only if there is another entity. Therefore whatever a jñānī does is bereft of pāpa. Whatever be his karma it is only the quality of sattva that manifests itself there. Why should there be rules and restrictions for one established in sattva? Whatever is done with musk results in fragrance, not stink. Whatever be the reason for Devarṣi Nārada to open his mouth, music will be the result. Even his curse is pleasing to the ears. No discordant note exits his throat.

Śāstra, Guru, and the disciplic tradition are all external testimonies. They are required for those without jñāna, or with incomplete jñāna. For one of pure sattva, these external motivators and rules are unessential. He can decide - based on his internal testimony - by himself on what is suitable and what is not. He performs good karma without the need for rules and prohibitions. The set of good activities that is performed by ordinary people guided by external testimony such as śāstra and traditions is dharma. The good karma that happens without any external requirement is adhidharma. Good karma is a means for the seeker of jñāna. For one with jñāna, however, good karma becomes his innate characteristic. The seeker of jñāna performs good karma through effort. The jñānī’s good karma is an effortless blossoming of his inner character. dharma is an instrument. Adhidharma is the attainment.

Thus we see that while karma is not a limitation for the jñānī, it is not prohibited. Whatever good karma a seeker performs with desire or fear, a jñānī performs too - but as effortlessly and naturally as breathing in and out. The seeker’s efforts bear fruit for himself. However, the seer’s efforts bear fruit for the world as he does not desire anything for himself. Such a seer is a jīvanmukta. All of this is talk about those much above us - those who fly in the sky. Can earth-lubbers like us understand the stratospheric heat and cold changes or respiratory and digestive issues experienced by a Russian astronaut couple? The level of those jñānīs is like that of these astronauts.

For ordinary folks like us, this instruction of Śrī Ānandatīrtha is worth following.

kuru bhuṅkṣva ca karma nijaṃ niyataṃ haripādavinamradhiyā satatam ।
harireva paro harireva gururharireva jagatpitṛmātṛgatiḥ ॥
(dvādasha-stotra)

This verse can be called the essence of the BhagavadGītā. Karma performed with such a mindset becomes yajña.

8. Meditation upon reality: This is an essential exercise for the manas that should be done only for personal purification. Charity and other acts result in some benefit to others. However, meditation upon reality is done purely for oneself. The divine should be reflected upon in a tranquil place every day, at least for a few moments. Jñāna cannot result from mere book study.

yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ ॥
-BG 6.10
ātmāsaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet ॥ -BG 6.25

9. Surrender: This is very difficult to achieve. The essence of surrender and the essence of renunciation are the same.

manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṃ namaskuru ॥
-BG 9.34; 18.65
gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛt ।
-BG 9.18
ananyāśicantayanto mām ॥
-BG 9.22
sarvadharmānparityajya māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja ॥
-BG 18.66

Bhagavān has thus assured us at several places in the Gītā. “If you trust me, you will not come to any trouble. I say this as your friend - trust my words.”
These words of assurance bring to mind Śrīrāmacandra’s assertion in the śrīmadrāmāyaṇa.

sakṛdeva prapannāya tavāsmīti ca yācate ।
abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dadāmyetadvrataṃ mama ॥
-Rāmāyaṇa, 6.18.33

Surrender is saying to Bhagavān - “I have faith only in you; I don’t trust myself’”. During surrender to Bhagavān, we could say that we have no faith in others. But it is difficult to say that we do not have faith in ourselves. The notion of the personal “I” has to go. This indeed is śaraṇāgati or prapatti. This is the perfect form of bhakti - its pristine state. Saṃnyāsa is the same. The ego should be uprooted. Our ordinary bhakti has traces of ego in it. When those traces are got rid of and bhakti is purified, it becomes śaraṇāgati.

10. Tranquillity is paramount: Tranquillity is beyond pleasure and enjoyment. What does the mind experience after studying the Rāmāyaṇa or the Bhārata? We could say that it is more sorrow than happiness. Is there a rasa (emotion) that is beyond pleasure and pain? Yes. It is tranquillity or śānti. One should realise that śānti is paramount. The main difference between us and other countries is this. We say that tranquillity is happiness.

aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham । -BG 2.66
śāntamu lĕka saukhyamu lĕdu
-Śrī Tyāgarāja

The happiness of Western countries, instead of being based on tranquillity, is marked by passion for enjoyment. Matthew Arnold ponders upon the same repeatedly. What do you want? Peace? Or enjoyment? Their concept of pleasure is one of sensuous titillation. Snuff for the nose, wine for the tongue, speed for the body, touch and friction for the skin and excitement for the mind - these constitute their happiness. Our (the indic) concept of happiness, however, is to minimise such passions and excitement.

vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṅścarati niḥspṛhaḥ.
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntimadhigacchati ॥
-BG 2.71
eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha ॥
-BG 2.72
yasmānnodvijate loko lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ
harṣāmarṣabhayodvegairmukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ ॥
-BG 12.15

The state of mokṣa is one of supreme tranquillity. It is the life of a jñānī. All disparate and different objects become one from the vantage of the jñānī. The mark of a complete jñānī is subject-object integration. When the differences of inside and outside, me and you, and higher and lower no longer count, it is the experience of Brahma. Such a person who has attained this state has no enmity with anybody and neither does he fear anybody. Isn’t fear manifested only when there is something other than ourselves?

dvitīyādvai bhayaṃ bhavati ।

It is not possible to reach that Brāhmic state in a couple of days. However, it is a state that has to be constantly pursued by us. A person who has attained that state has no enemies. The world becomes his playground. All transactions of life become a sport.

The essence of these ten practices is to purify and elevate the jīva, forming the pre-requisite for the experience of paramātmā. For one who has practised these ten, the experience of the divine becomes closer according to his prior deeds and tendencies. The BhagavadGītā can only show us the method to attain the Supreme Reality; it cannot bring the Supreme Reality to our hands. The attainment of an object depends on the calibre of the recipient.

[[Conclusions (Part 5) Source: prekshaa]]

Having now reflected upon the steps to attain the right level of eligibility, let us think once again about the four problems due to changing times.

1) The deterioration of the system of the four varṇas

The chief among the cardinal teachings of the Bhagavadgītā is to be established in one’s own dharma. One’s own dharma is determined by the four-fold varṇa system. Brāhmāna, kṣatriya, vaiṣya, śūdra - are all different varṇas. Their dharmas are different too. The following is the message. Arjuna must surely fight. If he does not fight, he incurs pāpa. This is so because fighting is the dharma of a kṣatriya. Arjuna was a kṣatriya. His obligation to fight came from the dharma of his varṇa. Thus the importance of one’s varṇa in the determination of one’s dharma is established.

In our era, however, jāti is splintered and manifold. The varṇa system of old is now loosening and disintegrating. How can we now determine what dharma is and is not? Such a question becomes valid now. Should we accept the admixture of jātis as correct? Or oppose it as improper? This is the question in front of us. To look for an answer to this question, it becomes important to think about the nature of such an admixture and its consequences.

Admixture is the mixture of jātis and clans. It is born out of physical relationships between man and woman. These are of two kinds 1. Born out of marriage. 2. Born outside of marriage.

We do not need to discuss the second kind. No country or religion has normalised such a practice. The expressed opinion of most is that it is an immoral or illegal practice. Even those who are in such a relationship are shy to show it publicly and try to hide it if they can. Such things can happen for whatever reason. Suffice it to say that such relationships are not generally accepted by society. Let us now move to the topic of admixture arising from marriage. The main reason for such a marriage is some mutually perceivable attractiveness in the man or woman. Qualities that engender such attractiveness can generally be one of the following.

1. Beauty 2. Wealth 3. Status or 4. Fame. These are not bad qualities. On the other hand, these are desirable. As far as a marriage’s main goals go, these are essential qualities as well. What then is the main goal of a marriage?

Marriage is not just a system for societal convenience but is something that refines and sanctifies the jīva. This is the fundamental difference between the Hindu people and those of other countries. Their perspective is different from our perspective.
We just said that the principal element of marriage is that it is a sanctifying institution. The institution has four key goals. 1. Practising dharma together. 2. Protecting the clan. 3. Blossoming the jīva’s inner qualities 4. Benefiting society.
Some of us might feel that the first two of these are not suited to our age. Practising dharma together is for the husband and wife to jointly participate in vows and charity, in rituals to propitiate the divine, and in weddings and other societal obligations. No śāstric rite is possible without the wife’s participation. At the end of daily worship, the wife has to offer water oblation along with her husband to perform kṛṣṇarpaṇam. A married wife thus has to take part in all dhārmic acts with her husband.

The dharma of the clan is begetting dhārmic offspring. The other aspects of such a dharma are clan-specific or jāti-specific rituals and the śrāddha for the ancestors that have to be performed by the successors of the generational line. These are what Arjuna indicated as -

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
-BG 1-40
saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca.
patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ
-BG 1-42

Elaborating on this is unnecessary here.

Another key benefit of marriage is the evolution of the jīva. Man and woman enjoy a symbiotic relationship as husband and wife. They become each other’s teachers. The sweet and soft progression of marriage is a moral education. As they are together during hardships or enjoyment or during despair or in determining goals, their hearts blossom and with valuable world-experience, both of them earn the know-how of what is suitable and what is not. Their natural impurities are gradually eroded and both the jīvas ripen. With ripening, the mind is elevated and veers away from the transient to the transcendental. The mind turns away from petty personal affections towards a universal concern for the world. This is the path to spiritual discernment. This is also the right practice towards morally elevating the world. Such moral and spiritual progress cannot rise from illicit relationships and stealthy trysts. Neither is it easy for admixed companionship; for, there is no influence from or on society.

During married life, interaction with relatives, society, and neighbours becomes necessary. Such interaction is mutually beneficial. The most important advantage of the institution of marriage is this benefit to society. This is another difference between the Hindus and the others. Whereas marriage is a personal event for others, it becomes a societal event for Hindus.

In recent days, some eminent personalities proffer the opinion that marriage is purely a personal affair. “Regardless of who the man or woman is, let them consort with whoever they want. It is enough if they are happy by themselves. What is it to us?” Those are the words of the satisfied and nourished; the words of those who have not encountered even the possibility of hardship. More so, these are the words of those who have no concern for the elevation of the jīva. That a marriage is for the benefit of just the couple is a narrow and myopic consideration. Marriage is for the welfare of society. It is society that has to deal with the after-effects of marriage such as offspring. Those who are weak, poor, handicapped, or unfortunate eagerly wait for a well-to-do family among their kin with an expectation of support. A single family’s well-being is dependent on the well-being of ten other families and at the same time can support ten others. This is a wonderful quality of the Hindu undivided family. It enables the practice of co-operation. It teaches the importance of giving, coming together, giving up something for others, as well as coping. Thus the institution of marriage becomes the foundational pillar for a familial feeling that encourages the practice of cooperation and nurtures society. It is for this reason that starting from the Harijans, all categories of Hindus from ancient times have considered marriage as concerning all of society. Binding rules that all kin have to be invited for the wedding, that all of them have to assent to giving away the bride, and that all kin have to bless the couple - reinforce the fact that marriage is not an occasion for just the individual but a social event.

When marriage is viewed from the perspective of these four goals enumerated above, it becomes clear that the effects of marriage are not just physical but also spiritual and are not just for pleasure but for elevating the jīva.

Having thus agreed that the spiritual and the absolute are important elements of human life, the primary considerations in marriage are the lineages of the bride and the groom, their family traditions and their adherence to dharma. Considerations such as physical form, wealth, and prestige become secondary. Whoever disregards these vital qualities that enhance the jīva and chooses form and wealth over clan and family will be guilty of paying a premium for non-essentials. They would have foregone lasting profits for transient gains. They obstruct their own spiritual welfare in favour of physical enjoyment. This is the danger in the admixture of categories and jātis.

As far as dharma goes, Bhagavān has said,

śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt ॥
-BG 18.47

which applies to the institution of marriage as well. Even though a girl belonging to one’s jāti may not be as beautiful as a girl of another jāti, even if a boy belonging to one’s own jāti is less wealthy and prestigious than another boy, they are better suited towards the performance of svadharma and the traditions of one’s own clan. She will participate in her dhārmic activities more willingly. He is inclined to maintain dharma more enthusiastically. The girl from the other jāti might be more beautiful but the practice of her husband’s dharma might not come as naturally to her. This is the fundamental principle.

Such is the disadvantage of admixture of classes. This is why Arjuna bemoaned:

strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ॥
-BG 1.41

There are ample examples of this admixture even during the age of the Mahābhārata. But this happened naturally, not of one’s volition. It happened due to the innate progress of the human race. We have seen the effects of time already. Just as a fruit that has just begun to decay decays even faster, it is quite natural for the admixture that started during the Dvāpara-yuga to accelerate during Kaliyuga.

[[Conclusions (Part 6) Source: prekshaa]]

But then, what is the use of lamenting over that? There is another side to this topic. We see this kind of admixture only among the rarefied urban population. Those who are wealthy or in prestigious positions or in seats of power are into mixed relationships for many reasons. These are the urban nouveau riche. If we leave them aside and look at populations of tribesmen and categories of poor people, we see resistance to the idea of this admixture. Such people have maintained the differences in clans and categories that have come to them from time immemorial. We see that the old ways and relationships persist among the Vaiṣyas, Okkaligas, Kurubas, Baṇajigas, Boyis and Nāiḍus. This admixture has not yet entered the lives of other Hindu classes as much as it has entered the Brāhmaṇa class. Thus the system of varṇa is still firm for most Hindus. Can this admixture spread to other classes? Let’s assume that it can. Admitting that it can spread is not the same as saying that the spread of admixture is acceptable. Not all that is inevitable can be considered acceptable.

What then should be done by those who believe in the system of varṇa? Their duty is twofold.

Tolerate the admixture that has happened till now and the admixture that will happen after them as an effect of time. Hatred is not useful there. There’s no need to oppose it or imitate it. Consider it to be a new jāti. Let it be on its own. 2. Protecting old kinships and purity of the clan as much as possible is the foremost duty of those who believe in the varṇa system.

Some argue that the existence of jātis and their subsects is in error and is destructive to society. I have no doubt that theirs is a confused argument.
Smaller sub-sects are useful in two ways. First: special qualities and areas of expertise are finely nurtured to perfection in a clan’s tradition. This is a positive quality of a guild. The expertise in a specific art or craft occurs because of increased specialisation and a conducive environment at home. Examples for these can be found in England’s artisanal guilds even now.

The second benefit from sub-sects is a feeling of security and intimacy. In the enthusiasm to extol the virtues of broadmindedness and an inclusive life, we forget the value of a closed environment and the mind’s tendency to consider its surroundings as its own. Just as there is a place for inclusivity in human life, there is also a place for exclusivity. It is important to have a large living room to allow for friends, guests and relatives to mingle together. At the same time it’s necessary to have smaller rooms for married couples and children.

There was a king once who built a new palace. He invited his friend, another king, to showcase different parts of his palace. There were spacious maṇḍapas, capacious auditoriums; all well lit; all of them airy. After an exhaustive tour of the palace, the guest king asked his host.
“The palace is wonderful. But where do you live?”
“Right here.”
“Friend, Can anybody live in these big halls? These are great for assemblies and large gatherings. But isn’t living something else?”
“What do you mean?”
“Living is personal and intimate. Don’t you need privacy for a dalliance with your wife? Can you do that in this open environment?”

Such is the use of limited space. In smaller sub-sects, man feels a sense of dearness and affection. He feels a sense of belonging through “I” and “mine”. Belongingness and intimacy are the source of enthusiasm in life. If jāti and groupism is wrong, what will become of being Indian (belonging to India)? What then is nationalism? Even those are different groups among humans. In reality, only the ground below and the sky above are physical limits to man. Who is that person who would consider only the earth and sky as his limits and live in open ground without a roof over his head? Just as the body needs a home and neighbours, a mind needs jāti and the circle of relatives. It is only a complete jñānī that can be equanimous everywhere. For one who is a seeker of knowledge, though, home, jāti and society are still useful instruments.

This is the gist: the system of jāti and varṇa is not fundamentally defective. On the contrary, it is beneficial. Modern biological and genetic studies have not found anything opposed to this. Even Europeans have social and class categories. Even though it may not be as systematic as with us, social categories still exist informally. We do not need to imitate them, however they may be. But it has become imperative for us to adapt to changing times and circumstances. The rule of the manu-smṛti ended when kṣatriya rulers ceased to exist. In the present world, jāti lives only in personal life - marriage relationships to be precise. There is no inconvenience from this to the nation. Breaking up this ancient tradition is not necessary; it might even be dangerous.

2. The complex web of professional relationships

The choice of a profession to earn a livelihood was not a complicated conundrum during the era of the BhagavadGītā. The situation was similar till even a couple of hundred years ago - during the times of our great great grandfathers. There were no

Dominance of machines and technology 2. No travel facilities 3. Limited competition in business 4. No high population.

There were only three major vocations.

It is not possible to consider a brāhmaṇa’s duties as a means for livelihood. He had dedicated his life to knowledge and penance. He would fill his stomach with wild fruits or roots in the forest or whatever a king or merchant would give of their own accord. He could not be counted from a pecuniary perspective. From an economic perspective, he could be regarded as a cipher or even as a liability!

The kṣatriya was eligible to receive a share from others’ earnings. As far as earning money, his position was similar to the brāhmaṇa’s. Body-building in the gymnasium, hunting, riding on horses and elephants, thirsting for battle, and lording over other people - constituted a kṣatriya’s profession. Where in this do you find earning wealth?

Therefore from the perspective of wealth and means of livelihood, the only vocations worth considering are those of vaiṣyas and śūdras. These two can be termed capital and labour in modern economic terminology. The profession for them in that time was

Kṛṣi-go-rakṣa-vāṇijyam ॥
-BG 18.44
(Agriculture, animal husbandry and commerce)

Ancillary to these main activities were professions such as astrologer, doctor, barber, weaver, palanquin bearer, carpenter, blacksmith, goldsmith, peons, and village announcer. All these professions were hereditary. A barber did not become a carpenter. Neither did a blacksmith become a doctor. An astrologer did not become a trumpeter. Their professions were from birth.

All of this has changed now. Gargantuan machines, atomic machines, chemicals, steam, petroleum, technology and other advancements have made thousands of jobs possible. With steep growth in population, difficulty in professions has become unbearable. A Brāhmaṇa well-versed in the Vedas works as a machine operator. A kṣatriya drives an automobile. A born barber practises medicine. One born a carpenter becomes a lawyer. People have to now choose and work in professions that they had not even imagined. What should be done now?

Such questions take us to the realm of politics as the nation’s financial and economic decisions rest with the government. There are two key differences between olden days and now.

The economic system was simpler then. The main profession was agriculture to which were attached a few subordinate occupations. Those were the only means of livelihood which were limited to their respective regions and had not spread to far flung places and foreign countries. Maintaining them was a simple and easy task. Now, however, every town in the nation has become a centre for several foreign businesses. Whatever town we visit, we can see products from America, Switzerland, England, Germany and other countries. Thus from an economic perspective, today’s is a complex world. 2. The old economic system was entirely under the control of a single ruler. The king did not intervene in his subjects’ financial lives. It appears that the construction of large tanks, large gardens and big roads were the only undertakings under the purview of the kings. The subjects as well as their kings followed traditions handed over to them through generations, as if it were their second nature. Thus, ancient practices would flourish in a generation, and be carried on to the next. With them, occupations would flow undisturbed. There were no reasons for this tradition of succession to be upset. Whether the Chola king invaded the chālukyas or the Kadambas attacked the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, these royal rivalries did not shake the foundation of the people’s economic systems.

[[Conclusions (Part 7) Source: prekshaa]]

Now, with the advent of democracy, our lives are full of constant turmoil. The king reigned over a kingdom that was subject to rule by a single ruler. Democracy, on the other hand, has many leaders. It is difficult to achieve consensus with multiple leaders - more so about wealth and its distribution. So, what is theoretically thought to be a multi-leader system practically results in anarchy. A few are vocal for agriculture; others swear by machines and factories; some others claim that regardless of whether agriculture or industrialisation is followed, exporting to other countries and earning foreign exchange is more valuable. Thus, while a few pull towards the bank, others pull towards the water-tank. The lives of those between are scattered and splintered.

To resolve this difficulty, two things must happen.

Determine which of agriculture, industry or commerce enables the best economic system. 2. This decision should be accepted by the population who in turn should insist to the government that this be implemented. Will such changes come by easily, though? Is that possible even in the span of a few years? It does not appear so.

If large scale industry is a bane, the dominance of large scale industry is a bigger bane. With excessive industrialisation, life in western countries has suffered.

The economic situation in European countries whose monetary systems we are trying to emulate is deteriorating. To compete with other countries, industrial output has to increase. The labour force is becoming more assertive. As a result, there is growing friction between management and employees. 2. The worker in a large factory earns what he needs for physical sustenance. However, even with that gain there is no scope for moral evolution or mental growth. The only day of rest that he gets every week is enough only to eat well, drink well, sleep, and forget his strain. Where is the time for him to pursue poetry and other fine arts? Or spare time to gain insight into human culture or spiritual education? The worker in the factory is akin to a beast of burden. The beast of burden might be chewing its cud as it moves around. The worker too might relish a candy while he works. Any more friendship or enjoyment for him at work is hard to get. The Westerners have now begun to realise this inhuman extreme. 3. Every country in the world is pressing forward to increase its industrial production. Everybody is building cloth mills. Everybody is trying to make more iron and steel. Everybody is assembling more trains and automobiles. Even so-called backward countries, such as those in Africa and Asia, are trying hard to build factories to become self-sufficient as well as export their manufactured goods to other countries. When even they have started competing, who will buy their goods? Who is selling those goods? Who profits? This starts friction between countries. All struggles between countries and populations in the present world are rooted in economic competition. The first competition among countries is in sourcing raw materials. The second struggle is to find consumers for their produced goods. This is the picture today. Those good men aspiring for world peace must first think about this. They say no to war. They insist upon signing nuclear non-proliferation treaties. They call for disarmament. Can peace result from such endeavours? While desire sizzles in the gut, while arms and sinews pulse with energy, while rivalry blazes in the mind, a lesson on peace can achieve nothing more than a mockery of peace. The first thing required for world peace, hence, is to remove this competition for wealth. Messages from saints and peace activists are not sufficient here. Countries and people need education achieved through experience of hardship. Who knows when and how such an education might be successful?

At this critical juncture, the duty of the students of the Gītā is clear. They cannot stand perplexed and listless in these harsh circumstances. Offering up international and social problems to the divine, it is apt for them to select their occupations according to their innate qualities and abilities. Whether by birth he be a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, a vaiṣya or a śūdra, let him choose a vocation that is appropriate to him at that time as long as that does not impede his main dharma. By “main dharma” is indicated the dharma that applies to each one. This has been discussed before as well. Whatever the circumstances, it is everyone’s duty to earn money for one’s basic necessities and maintain one’s family in a just manner. Of all the dharmas, earning one’s living is the most important. One who does not earn one’s own living will have to depend on others to provide or worse, will have to steal from others. Those are respectively indicated by parigraha (accepting wealth) and steya (stealing). But the Gītā teaches asteya and aparigraha, which is the same as earning a just living.

kuśalāt + na pramaditavyam ।
(Welfare is not to be neglected)
bhūtyai na pramaditavyam ।
(Prosperity is not to be neglected)
-Taittirīya Upaniṣad

Such is the dictum of the Veda. During dire situations, the maxim that helps us maintain the preceding edict is āpad-dharma. When it is not possible to follow vocations that belong to one’s own varṇa, one can choose to perform another duty that is not totally in opposition to one’s natural vocation. While the duties of a varṇa are important, earning a just keep is even more important - a livelihood with asteya and aparigraha. It is enough if the new chosen vocation is not inimical to the purity of the jīva or to spiritual thoughts.

3. The question of women’s rights and duties

Whatever we discussed about varṇas and occupations applies to women as well. Our sisters are enjoined to walk closely with tradition and protect it. Amidst all the economic upheaval in the present era, it would be remiss to assume that the welfare of womenfolk would be the same as it was in olden ages. It has become difficult to care for the family as much as in the days gone. These days, it is not improper for women to earn money to take care of their families. In many cases, it has even become necessary. But such earning must be truthful and within the limits of propriety. There are more than enough opportunities and attractions that transgress the border of propriety. Wherever a woman has to work with different kinds of people - in factories or offices outside home - propriety breaking inducements and encouragements for immorality can be seen. With sufficient mental strength and a sense of duty to face and defeat such enticements, it would not be improper for a woman to work to support her family. One should carefully weigh the qualities and defects in every profession. The choice of a profession for either man or woman has to be made from the perspective of self-elevation after discerning merits and demerits in the profession. Even then, the responsibility on women is greater.

What did Arjuna say?

strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ।
-BG 1.41

The intent of those assertions in the manusmṛti that seemingly limit the freedom of the feminine class is the same as what Arjuna indicated.

When Jesus was preaching, his rivals with an intention to trap him into a political crime, questioned him - “O Jesus. You are claiming to be the representative of the divine and the son of god. But the one who is ruling us is Caesar, the Roman Emperor. Who should we pay tribute to? To you or to Caesar’s representative?”. Jesus answered thus:

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”
-Mark: XII.17

This separation is apt for the students of the Gītā as well. To the world has to be given what the world deserves. In other words - social propriety and morality in actions have to be adhered to apropos the world. Those that are due to the inner self - detachment, controlling one’s sense instruments, being dispassionate, and other purifying actions - have to be given to the inner self. Transactions should be restricted to a transactional world. What befits the absolute needs to be offered to the absolute.

The recent example (1964) of the relationship between an English politician and a call girl and similar incidents in America show examples of the negative effects of too much freedom to women. Foreign norms of man-woman relationships are not worthy of emulation by the Hindus. It is not that foreigners lack purity and morality. But if they slip and descend from their standards, we do not need to follow them.

When there is excess indulgence in pleasure and wealth, making them the sole goals of human life, the practice of morality is lost. This indicates a fall of all kinds. There are so many examples in history of several powerful kingdoms decaying and disappearing because of slipping moral values. It is said that the Roman empire went to destruction due to decadence. Keeping this in mind, it is important to protect the purity and morality in man-woman relationships even as a patriotic duty.

Translators’ Note: The emphasis of the modern people is on iha (here) while that of the ancient people was on para (hereafter). ↩︎
Translators’ Note: Basically we should not start off with an assumption that the Gītā has internal contradictions. ↩︎
न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि (7.12) ↩︎
यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः (3.12) ↩︎
Translators’ Note: The Upaniṣads largely deal with siddhānta while the Gītā’s emphasis is on sādhanā. When in doubt regarding sādhanā, what comes to our aid are the works of siddhānta and the experiential wisdom of oneself or of older and wiser people. ↩︎
“…जल्पतोरक्रमेण” (Uttara-rāma-carita 1.27) ↩︎
अधिकारी च विषयः सम्बन्धश्च प्रयोजनम्। ↩︎
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन। ↩︎
उदाराः सर्व एवैते… (BG 7.18) ↩︎
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं (BG 9.26 ↩︎
निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन (BG 2.45) ↩︎
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके।
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः॥ (BG 2.46) ↩︎
सर्वे स्वविषये श्रेष्ठाः सर्वे चान्योन्यरक्षिणः। (Aśvamedhika-parva 23.22) ↩︎
श्रेयान् स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात् स्वनुष्ठितात्। (BG 3.35) ↩︎
तद्विद्धि…परिप्रश्नेन… (BG 4.34) ↩︎
…विमृश्यैतदशेषेण… (BG 18.63) ↩︎
Note: The author is perhaps trying to point out that the practical elements of the Gītā may be easily embraced by people irrespective of their faiths and beliefs. One should not get the wrong idea that the Western religions say the same thing as the Gītā does. ↩︎