INTRODUCTION TO KANNADA EDITION

The Bhagavad Gita is the Sun that has risen from the Udayagiri -- viz. Lord Sri
Krishna, the Para Brahman. Though this sun of saving knowledge makes the hearts
of all good men blossom forth like lotuses touched good by the suns rays, some
defective commentaries which came to be written on the Gita, in course of time,
tended to obscure this light of the sun of knowledge, like passing clouds in the
sky. Such clouds had been dispersed by Sri Mukhya Prana taking Avatar. on earth
as Anandatirtha Bhagavatpada (Madhvacharya) who composed two learned
commentaries on the Gita -- the Gita Bhashya and Gita Tatparya. Scattering these
clouds still further away from approaching the Gita, Sri Jayatirtha deflated
them, with his Tikas on the Gita Bhashya and Gita Tatparya.
However, ordinary minds which could not bear the dazzling sunlight of the Gita
have been in dire need of a mellow light as of the full moon, to help them enjoy
and appreciate the beauty of the message of the Gita. The illustrious
Satyadhyana Tirtha was the first to come forward to meet this need of the common
man. He absorbed the dazzling light of the Gita which could only be perceived
from a safe distance even by the highly learned scholars -- and reflected it in
its mellowed form through his popular, word for word rendering of the Gita, in
his Gita Pratipadartha Candrika. This work has been of immense value to the
common man in treading the right path in life according to the teachings of the
Gita.
Some commentaries on the Gita which have come down to us have tried to make out
that Advaita-vada is the true message of the Gita. These look upon Sri Krishna,
the supreme Lord, as still open to the illusion of duality. This may be gathered
from the following verse of the Pancadasi of Sri Vidyaranya:
maya Oyay> kamxenaevRTsaE jIveravu-aE,
my khyya kmadhenorvatsau jvevarvubhau
"The Jiva and Isvara are the calves of the divine cow of Maya."
If Sri Krishna had really attained the experience of Advaitic unity, he should
have realised the illusory nature of the universe and his own lordship over such
a universe. In that case, it would be a gross deception on his part to claim to
be the Lord of all beings (Bhutanam isvarah). In order to maintain the
truthfulness of that claim, it will have to be admitted that from the Advaita
point of view Sri Krishna is still subject to the illusion of duality. It is not
clear how one who is not himself completely out of the illusion of duality can
teach pure Advaita to others.
The Gita enjoins upon all enlightened Adhikarins like Arjuna, to fight against
Adharma as a Sacred duty, to he performed in a spirit of devotional dedication
to the Lord of all creation. This is inconsistent with the true Advaitic
position that the Jnanin is not under any obligation to continue with Karma and
Bhakti.
Though there is thus so much cleavage of views among the traditional schools of
thought regarding the message of the Gita, we hear so much talk nowadays that
all these divergent interpretations are but various ways of thought and action
leading to the same goal of Moksha or freedom from bondage. But the following
pronouncement of the Gita dearly rejects such a facile view:
VyvsayaiTmka buirekeh kn<dn,
bzaoa nNtaZc buyae=Vyvsaiynam!,,
vyavasytmik buddhirekeha kurunandana
bahukh hyanantca buddhayo'vyavasayinm -- II:42
The present work discusses this issue with great insight and often satisfactory
answers to various questions concerning the problem and places the teaching of
the Gita on the question in bold relief. We have therefore no hesitation in
saying that this work is a good critical exposition of the philosophy of the
Gita.
Thanks to the x-rays of the Gita Sastra, the pure gems of spiritual truth which
lie beneath the unfathomable ocean of Vedic and UpaniShadic lore can now be
perceived from a distance. In a pioneering effort, Sri Visvesha Tirtha, Head of
the Pejavar Mutt of Udipi, has dived deep into this ocean and brought up some of
these gems of Gita thought and placed them in the hands of contemporary students
of the Gita. His work, the Gita Saroddhara, may be fittingly described as a
special collection and arrangement of these gems in resplendent array. We are
sure that all the good people of the world will derive immense benefit by going
through this work.
It deals with its subject matter in a straight and simple way, and thus goes
straight to the heart of the reader. It gives a good many illustrations from
life to elucidate the profound teachings. It alludes to stories and episodes
from the Bhagavata and Mahabharata to heighten the appeal to our minds. Modern
students will find in the rational approach of the author in clarifying so many
knotty points a kindred spirit.
When a chronic patient who is fed up with swallowing bitter medicines hates all
medicines and rejects them in disgust, a discerning doctor makes them more
palatable and puts them in new bottles, administering them to the patient and
cures him of his ailment. The present work of Sri Visvesha Tirtha has similarly
refined and made palatable the ancient and unfailing remedies for the ills of
our lives.
His work is most useful in inculcating in the minds of the present generation
deep faith and pride in the teachings of the ancient sastras. Among instances of
this may be mentioned his masterly exposition of the caturvarnya Vyavastha and
the doctrine of Svadharma and the need to sincerely adhere to it.
Sri Visvesha Tirtha has given us this work amidst the heavy and multifarious
responsibilities of his holy office as a Pithadhipati. He has snatched time to
do this in the intervals of his lightning tours over the country, prior to his
taking charge of his biennial turn of office for Krishna Puja Paryaya at Udipi.
His ceaseless round of activities and public engagements, religious austerities,
worship and teaching have not prevented him from taking up such useful literary
work also.
We have known Sri Visvesha Tirtha from his early days. while yet a boy of ten,
he came to us as a bright pupil. He was already an adept in Sanskrit literature.
He used to compose many attractive verses of high order of excellence in
Sanskrit at short notice. Once when Visvesha Tirtha was just eighteen, the well-
known Advaita scholar Mm. Ananthakrishna Sastri came to Udipi. There was a
discussion in Sastra between them. The learned Pandita was soon silenced by the
inexorable logic of the teenager and heartily applauded him for his alertness of
mind and intellectual quickness. Many other reputed scholars from the North such
as Pt Rajeshvar Sastri Dravid and Shadanga Ramachandra Sastri have paid handsome
tributes to His Holinesss exceptional mettle. His public discourses in Sanskrit
and Kannada draw huge audiences and hold them spellbound. He combines an uncanny
debating skill with a measured eloquence and a disarming sunny smile. He is
noted for his high sense of duty, unfailing courtesy and his spirit of give and
take. His devotion to the Lord is absolutely firm and childlike in its
simplicity and trustfulness. These admirable qualities of his head and heart
have endeared him to one and all scholars and laymen, the old and the young,
alike. We are well pleased with such an ideal disciple of ours.
May Sri Hari and Vayu confer upon him long life, health and other blessings to
enable him to continue to do good to the community of the good souls all over
the world is our earnest prayer to our Upasyadevata - Sri Sitaramachandra.
-- SRI VIDYAMANYA TIRTHA SWAMIJI
of the Sri Palimar Mutt of Udipi and the
Bhandarakere Math of Barkur (S. K.)
Translated from the Kannada Introduction
by Dr. B. N. K. SHARMA
PREFACE
The Bhagavad Gita is the one and the only scripture which expounds religious and
Vedantic principles in a concise, simple and beautiful manner. There is no
problem in life which cannot find its solution from this tiny book, one may say.
It acquaints us thoroughly with all the equipment necessary to make our life
perfectly beautiful. One can find from the Gita a sure guidance to follow in any
critical situation. There is no other scripture in the whole world which
analyses and defines in such a simple way the nature of life and its problems.
The Gita was preached by Sri Krishna and it was written in the present form by
Sri Vedavyasa. When both are the twin forms of the Almighty God Himself how
could we ever fully praise the holiness and greatness of such a work? The Gita
is the immortal message to the mankind given by the very person of the Lord
Himself.
 (That which has emerged from the very lotus lips of the Padmanabha.) The Gita
is both a science of philosophy and a science of life. We cannot find in any
other work such a unique harmonisation of philosophic principles with mundane
life.
While I was camping in Hubli for the Chaturmasya I got a good opportunity to
give a series of discourses on the Bhagavad Gita. This book is a fruit of those
discourses. Many people who attended those lectures desired that they should be
collected and published in the form of a book and which made it possible for the
work to find the light of the day.
In this small book of about 300 pages 1 could attempt no more than a mere
introduction to the Gita. The Gita is no doubt a small book but as one delves
deeper and deeper, it reveals a universe of meaning. In this tiny work I have
been able to vouchsafe to you only a very small facet of the vast work. This is
but a signpost to those who wish to undertake a deeper examination and study of
the work. The aim of this work is to stimulate the interest of people for an
inquiry into its meaning. Nobody should think that this book aims at an
exhaustive exposition of the full meaning of the Gita.
The main purpose of my lectures was to explain the constructive message of the
Gita bearing in mind the common mans daily problems in the context of modern
conditions. Hence, I did not indulge in any deep scientific discussion of
philosophy but have made an attempt to expose simply the relationship between
the principles of the Gita and modern life. I wish to write a separate work, at
my leisure, devoting it to an extensive analysis of the philosophic subjects and
scientific criticism of the commentaries on the Gita made by various thinkers.
But in certain contexts I have touched upon the different interpretations given
by the various commentators on the Gita. Such a critical examination is done in
order to facilitate the understanding of the meaning of the Gita through a
comparative study and not to indulge in any aerobatics of philosophical
argument. It is my individual opinion that an examination of the faults and
virtues of various systems with an unprejudiced mind would never lead to any
mental excitement but, on the other hand, it would lead to a healthy development
of philosophy. I have followed the commentaries of Sri Madhvacharya not out of
any sectarian attachment. I have tried to place the Gita in the light of Sri
Madhvacharyas commentary only because I am fully convinced after an
unprejudiced, undogmatic and open-minded inquiry, that the heart of the Gita is
truly reflected in his commentary. I hope the people will welcome this well-
intended effort and extend to me their usual cooperation and encouragement.
My revered guru Sri Swamiji of Bhandarakere Math has blessed this attempt by
writing an Introduction for which I offer him my repeated salutations.
The person who followed me as a shadow and who was mainly responsible for
getting the lectures in the form of a book out of me is Sri Ramachandra Bhat,
the Proprietor of the Ashoka Hotel, Hubli. His tenacity, unfailing effort and
generosity alone could make the work possible. I pray that God may shower His
choicest blessings on him for his laudable effort in this work of furthering
knowledge.
The others who helped in various ways in its publication are Sri P.
Venkataramana Acharya and Kapu Hayavadana Puranik and I wish them Gods
blessings.
My hearty thanks are due to the Manager of the Associated Advertisers & Printers
for their job of beautiful printing.
-- SRI VISHVESHA TIRTHA SWAMIJI
Pejavar Mutt, Udipi
GENERAL EDITORS PREFACE
Bharatiya Vidya comprehends the totality of Indian culture in its myriad forms
during a time-span of about three thousand years if not five, in this peninsular
region, south of the majestic Himalayas and north of the vast Indian Ocean. In
the face of all adverse vicissitudes and in spite of many a struggle which this
Culture in all its varied aspects had to pass through during the three or five
millennia when it came in friendly or unfriendly contact with other cultures, it
has been able to maintain a continuous identity, a vitality of unknown
dimensions, and a creativity which could at times enrich world culture by its
unique contributions, Nor has this culture been always a home-keeping shy damsel
or a solid sphinx-like unchanging figure. History of Indian culture tells us
that it spilled over to the north, the east and the west leaving monumental
vestiges in many countries, both material as well as cultural. As regards
changes, what change can be more revolutionary than the change of ones gods!
The Vedic and UpaniShadic gods, Indra, Varuna, Surya and others have been
replaced by Pauranic gods and goddesses, Rama and Krishna and Shiva, baffling in
their variety and confusing in their identity. The South Indian Dravidian
Culture and Aryan Cultural traits today stand so blended that one is perforce
inclined to call our present Indian culture, Aryo-Dravidian or Dravido-Aryan.
Many a time the terms Culture and Civilization are used one for the other, and
sometimes indiscriminately. I need not go into the matter here, I am using the
word Indian Culture here to mean all that Homo Sapiens has added or is adding in
this part of the world to the baseline of the way of life which he would have
pursued as a simple biped.
Bharatiya Vidya will therefore mean today not only the spiritual approach to
life, the many religious shapes and forms into which it was cast, the moral code
of behaviour or social disciplines into which it exhibited itself, but in
addition it means also the thirty-two Vidyas plus sixty-four Kalas (arts) that
blossomed forth. It is true that though the Bhavan has more than a thousand
titles to its credit, it has hardly touched a tithe of the inherited cultural
wealth much less the world of art and artistic treasures which India has within
its borders, not to say those in neighbourly Nepal, Tibet, China and Afghanistan
and distant Bali and Kambhoj.
Now to come to the publication about which I am writing, the Gita is the
quintessence of the Indian Philosophy of Life; it belongs to the category of
Darshana Shastra. The commentaries written on or about the Gita are myriad. In a
certain Gita Exhibition I visited long ago, it was mentioned that there were 600
commentaries on it, representing as many views of it! But the many commentaries
we come across, deal with the Gita as an exposition of the Advaita,
Vishisthadvaita and Dwaita philosophy. Bhavan has published a number of books on
and/or about the great book, without any bias about the three main approaches;
that is because, the Bhavan looks upon all the approaches as equally Bharatiya,
whether written by Indians or non-Indians.
The Gita Saroddhara is not a direct commentary verse by verse, nor does it
propose to be a polemical treatise aimed at refuting the Advaitic or
Vishisthadvaitic interpretation. Sri Vishvesha Tirtha, the Swami of Pejavar Mutt
in Udipi (Karnataka) is by tradition an up holder of the Dwaita school of
philosophy of Sriman Madhvacharya. As the name of the book connotes, it is the
essential teaching of the Gita which the author wants to convey to the readers.
In fact, only a hundred topics have been chosen and the authors- attempt is to
convey the gospel of the Gita through the book. They are discourses given
originally in Kannada. The Kannada publication carries a prestigious
Introduction by the erudite Swami of Bhandarakere. Though there are sharp basic
differences in the metaphysical aspects of the three schools mentioned above,
the Dwaita school emphasises in the Saadhana aspect, the supremacy of Vishnu --
Hari Sarvottama (Harireva paro Harireva guruh, Harireva jagat-pitra-maatra-
gatih). The one aim and purpose of life is liberation -- the attainment of the
acme of pure Ananda (muktirnaija sukhanu-bhootiramala) and devotion to God
(bhaktishcha tat saadhanam) with a sense of absolute surrender (Naaham Kartaa
Harih-Kartaa, tatpoojaa Karmachaakhilam) is the means of such salvation. So, the
practical approach in spiritual matters, though loaded with the doctrine of
Karma and somewhat outmoded ideas about the hierarchical socio-economic system,
does not differ much from the other schools. It is monotheistic, and heavily
devotional as well as ultra-egoistic since God alone is the Supreme Actor, the
Purushottama.
-- R. R. DIWAKAR
TRANSLATORS NOTE
This book was originally published in Kannada with the title Gita Saroddhara
in 1967. It gives a lucid exposition of the philosophy of the Gita on the lines
of the Dwaita school of thought systematised by the great exponent Sri
Madhvacharya. The English translation of this book has been brought out so that
the message of the Gita contained in this book may reach a wider public.
It is difficult to translate a book like this as it contains a number of
technical terms in Sanskrit each with its own special meaning: Indeed, quite a
few words like Satwik, Rajas, Tamas, Trai Vidyas, Varnashramadharma, Vibhutiyoga
etc. are untranslatable into English and we have retained the original words
with the hope that the concepts become clear in the course of elucidations. We
have tried our best to be faithful to the original text for fear that in
simplifying things we might either fail to convey the full meaning or
misrepresent the thought. During this translation, one of us had the benefit of
studying Sri Madhvacharyas Gita Bhashya and Sri Jayatirthas Prameya
Deepika under Pandit Hayagreeva Acharya Guttal of the Deccan College, Poona and
we may confidently say that none of the subtly relevant points brought out in
the exposition have been missed by us. It is sincerely hoped that in our
translation we have been able to catch at least a portion of the beauty of the
original text. If in any place we have either failed to convey the true meaning
or deviated from the text inadvertently, the fault is entirely ours and we shall
be glad to rectify them.
We are grateful to the Swamiji, the author of this book, for giving us an
opportunity to render this small service to him and solicit his blessings.
-- R. ACHARYA
-- R. A. MALAGI
PUBLISHERS NOTE TO KANNADA EDITION
Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji camped in Hubli for his Chaturmasya Deeksha in
the year 1966 and he delivered about 45 lectures on the Bhagavad Gita. I too
used to be one of those who attended the meeting. As days passed by, his
lectures began to attract larger and larger number of people. Till then I had
been under the impression that the Gita was a book of esoteric philosophy, a
fruit beyond the reach of family men, a thing without much use; from the
Swamijis interpretations I was gradually convinced that it could be a useful
torch to light up the path of the family man in his day-to-day life. The Swamiji
used to captivate the hearts of his listeners by his lucid style and an amazing
skill of convincing them of the truths by applying them to the facts of daily
life.
Once as the lecture series was drawing to a close, I was having a casual
conversation about the series with Sri Chavati Venkat Rao, the proprietor of
Sudarshan Cinema and Sri Mathihalli Nagaraja Rao, Assistant Editor of Samyukta
Karnataka. Sri Chavati was suddenly inspired with the idea of getting the
lectures published in a book form. Sri Nagaraja Rao backed the idea and pressed
that such a thing would bring the sweet fruit of the Gita to all laymen and that
I should take over the responsibility of publishing it. The Swamiji was
consulted and his consent also was obtained. The printing was to be in the
Samyukta Karnataka Press. This scheme was announced publicly in one of the
lectures. The public gladly welcomed this idea.
But neither the Swamiji nor I had any idea of the ex tent of the responsibility
undertaken by us. If he had the time it would not have been a big job for him to
write down his lectures. But time was the most sparse commodity with him. His
multifarious activities, the continuous flow of visitors, study, lectures, daily
ritual and perpetual travel kept him fully engaged and he couldnt find time to
write. The first 64 pages were somehow easily completed but later on it grew
impossible for him to find even a moments relief. It became all the more
difficult for him to snatch any time since his preparations for the paryayam
started. The work stood still.
But I had determined to see the book in print before the Paryayam. I troubled
him for three or four months and followed him from place to place. Even when I
had known that he did not have his daily share of six hours sleep, I
relentlessly pursued him. He continued the writing with great difficulty bearing
with me like a loving mother. He started getting up at four in the morning to
write the book, even if he went to bed by midnight. He wrote in the car moving
from place to place. His disciples gave us copies. I rushed them to the press
even before the ink was dry. At last the book has appeared before the people
after a long expectation. I can say for certain that the Swamiji never slept
beyond four hours a day while he was writing the book. I seek his pardon for all
the trials I put him to on my own behalf and on behalf of the readers who would
enjoy the sweetness of the book.
At the request of the Swamiji, his guru Sri Vidyamanya Tirtha of Sri
Bhandarakere Math has graced us with a beautiful Introduction to the book. I
express my great indebtedness to him. I am grateful to Sri Hayavadana Puranik
for copying the manuscript, to the Samyukta Karnataka Press for printing it and
to Sri P. Venkataramana Acharya for correcting the proofs. My thanks are also
due to Sri Chavati and Sri Nagaraj Rao for sowing the idea, to Sri H. R. Purohit
for his extensive notes taken down during the lectures which has helped in the
preparation of the book, to Sri Krishna Potdar for designing the cover page of
the book and for many others who have helped in the publication of this book.
Above all, I am deeply grateful to the Swamiji himself who has made it possible
for a businessman like me to contribute my mite for a spiritual service like
this.
The publication of this book is not a business proposition. I have decided to
undertake all the expenses connected with its publication and donate the
complete sale proceeds to the Swamiji for whatever work he thinks best. The
buyers will not only be purified by reading this great book but also be
contributing to the noble and holy work being undertaken by the Swamiji in
various fields.
-- U. RAMACHANDRA BHAT
1. Introduction:
The Bhagavad Gita is the greatest spiritual and metaphysical scripture of the
Hindus. It contains valuable teachings applicable to all stages of human
development. Such a universal and all-pervasive teaching with practical solution
for every day problems of life fell from the divine lips of the Lord Himself.
Sri Krishna had once revealed to his mother the whole universe of infinite
dimensions in his tiny mouth; so also, in his short discourse uttered with a
limited number of words in a limited span of time Sri Krishna has given the very
quintessence of the universal science of life. This indeed is a testimony to the
divine glory of Lord Sri Krishna.
Once, after the Kurukshetra war, when the Pandavas were ruling their kingdom,
Arjuna besought Sri Krishna: Oh Lord, I was fortunate to receive from you the
teachings of the Gita but that was in the din and bustle of the battlefield; I
would very much like to hear it once again at leisure in the calm and peaceful
atmosphere now reigning. To this, the omniscient Lord replied: Oh Arjuna I do
not have the same inspiration today. I cannot recapture that same teaching
again. Although nothing would have been impossible to Him, this episode serves
to highlight the extraordinary greatness of the Gita.
The time, the Place and the dramatic context selected by the Lord to give His
supreme teaching to humanity are unique. Both the Kaurava and the Pandava armies
are lined up face to face and the war is about to begin. The minds of all the
soldiers taking part in the war are agitated because they are under the tension
of an explosive war. At this time who else but God Himself could have the poise
and power to expound such a simple and yet profound philosophic teaching? In our
daily lives, very often grave problems confront us. Confused, we lose our heart.
Only at such moments of crisis do we experience the dire need of the Gita. The
mind is a battlefield where the good and evil forces fight for supremacy. Unable
to face life and its problems, we are prone to run away from our duties and
responsibilities out of sheer cowardice. To such cowards, the Gita offers hope
and encouragement. It prompts them into rightful action. The Gita which was
preached to Arjuna in the context of the Kurukshetra war has wider application
to the war that is going on constantly within our mind between the good and the
evil forces. Sri Madhvacharya says that the Mahabharata has not only a
historical but also a metaphysical interpretation. One may wonder whether this
teaching given in the bygone days of the Dwapara Yuga will ever be applicable to
the modern atomic age! But, in fact, the teachings of the Gita are perennial and
contain elements of truth applicable to all ages.
svaeRpin;dae gavae daeGxa gaepal nNdn>,
pawaeRvTs> suxI-aeRKtaGx< gItam&t< mht!.
sarvopaniado gvo dogdh gopla nandana
prthovatsa sudhrbhoktdugdha gtmta mahat
In this verse, the Upanishads are called a cow, Sri Krishna is the milkman,
Arjuna is the calf which induces the cow to yield milk and the Gita is the milk.
Just as the milk is not for the calf alone, so also the Gita which contains the
quintessence of all the UpaniShadic thought is not for Arjuna alone but for the
whole of mankind.
While giving this discourse, Sri Krishna is described to have held his fingers
in the form of Jnana Mudra which is also symbolic of milking and what has
flown out in the form of the Gita is the divine nectar itself.
}anmuay k:[ay gItam&the nm>,
jnamudrya kya gtmtaduhe nama
2. On the sacred field of Kurukshetra:
The Gita commences with a dialogue between Dhritarashtra and Sanjaya. Sri
Vedavyasa, the author of the Mahabharata, makes Sanjaya give the blind
Dhritarashtra a running commentary of the whole battle. Sanjaya is giving him a
vivid description in minutest detail. Dhritarashtra asks: Tell me, Sanjaya,
what did the sons of Pandu and mine do, when they gathered on the sacred field
of Kurukshetra. Spiritually blind also as he is, Dhritarashtra betrays his
attachment to and fondness for his own sons, as against the sons of Pandu. He
did not ask Sanjaya how the war progressed. Instead, he enquired what the
Pandavas did. He fondly expected that when the noble Pandavas assembled on the
battlefield ready for war, their piety would be roused and out of the goodness
of their heart, they would voluntarily give up all claims to the kingdom.
Earlier this wily and selfish old king had sent words to the Pandavas through
Sanjaya thus: Oh sons of Pandu, my sons are after all wicked and quarrelsome.
But at least you are good and noble! Therefore give up your claim to the
kingdom, retire to the forest and spend the rest of your days in peace. He had
hoped that this advice would have some effect on at least one of the Pandavas,
if not all and it is as though to see whether any of them had been demoralised
that he asks Sanjaya the above question. In fact Dhritarashtras advice did not
really go in vain! The valiant Arjuna himself becomes thoroughly demoralised and
loses the determination to fight. He becomes a nervous wreck and repeats the
very arguments put forward by Dhritarashtra and withdraws from war.
Sanjaya replies: 0 Dhritarashtra! Your son Duryodhana had expected that the
Pandavas, having spent thirteen years in the forest, would not be able to raise
a respectable army in such a short time. He had hoped that the Pandavas would be
disheartened on seeing your majestic army. But on the contrary, it is Duryodhana
who has got unnerved on seeing the mighty Pandava army.
As narrated in the Sabha Parva, when Bhima under provocation, vowed that he
would kill Duryodhana and others, they got so frightened about their lives that
they ran to Dronacharya and got from him an assurance of protection. Now the
bewildered Duryodhana goes to Dronacharya and describes the heroes on either
side and expresses his genuine doubt and fear whether his army under the command
of Bhishma would ever be able to vanquish the army commanded by Bhima.
The Pandava army has a very high morale. They are determined to strike down the
forces of evil. They are inspired by noble and revolutionary ideas and ideals.
Besides possessing strength of character, they are led by no less a hero than
the mighty Bhimasena himself who is the very embodiment of discipline and
devotion. On the other hand the Kaurava army is full of mercenaries and
timeservers. They are not fighting for any principle or just cause. Their heart
is not in it and they are carrying on the war much against their will, They are
in the war because they are under obligation to Duryodhana. No doubt Bhishma is
a celebrated warrior. But he knows that he is backing a wrong horse. His heart
is not in this unholy war. Apart from hatred and animosity there is no other
ideal to inspire the Kaurava army. Comparing the leadership of Bhishma and Bhima
from this point of view and realising the weakness of his army due to lack of
determination and strength of character, Duryodhana becomes nervous and runs to
Dronacharya and expresses his doubt about the final outcome of the war. Seeing
that Duryodhana is nervous, Bhishma and his followers blow their conches as
though to infuse fresh life and courage into him. To this the Pandavas reply by
blowing their own conches.
tt> etEhRyEyuRKte mhit SyNdne iSwtaE,
maxv> pa{fvEv idVyaE zaE dXmtu>.
tata vetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau
mdhava pavacaiva divyau akhau pradadhmatu -- I-14
Krishna and Arjuna, seated in a chariot drawn by white stallions also blow their
divine conches, making a sound like the syllable Aum of the Vedas. This sound
is indeed a fitting invocation for the great teaching about to flow out from the
divine lips of the Lord.
3. Between the two armies:
When the Kaurava and the Pandava armies are thus lined up and when the war is
about to commence, Arjuna asks his charioteer Sri Krishna to position his
chariot between the two armies so that he could have a view of his adversaries.
When the chariot is thus positioned by Sri Krishna, Arjuna takes a good look at
both the armies. He immediately gets a shock because in the opposite army he
sees the familiar faces of his kinsmen, teachers and friends. He curses the fate
that brings him to fight his dear and near ones. Arjuna gets perplexed,
thoroughly confused and has a virtual nervous breakdown. He tells Krishna that
he has resolved not to fight his own people and in support of this, he puts
forth the following arguments:
This terrible war which is about to begin will do good neither in this life nor
in the next. If I win the war I may get the kingdom but I lose more than what I
gain. What good is it, what happiness is it, if I have to build my empire on the
graves of my revered teachers, beloved friends and my own kinsmen? If I win, I
may acquire all the wealth of the world but it will not give me any happiness or
peace of mind. Will any plant sprout from fried seeds? Similarly, what enjoyment
can sprout in a heart burning with the sorrow from the death of ones kinsmen. I
covet not such a kingdom because it will only be soiled by the blood of my own
relatives.
By this cruel act, how can I get any happiness in the next life either. No
doubt my cousins, the sons of Dhritarashtra, are wicked and they had tried in
many ways to kill us, by poison and fire and they deserve to be annihilated. But
we are not fighting them alone. Along with them there are other relatives,
friends and preceptors and we have perforce to kill them. In the name of killing
wicked people like Duryodhana and others, we kill innocent people also and we
ourselves become cruel and wicked and will be bereft of heaven We shall have to
keep company with them in hell.
Thus does Arjuna feel that the war would lead to happiness neither in this life
nor in the afterlife. Further, he feels the war would lead to many social ills.
Each and every house has sent its able-bodied men into this war. Most of them
would be killed and hence the male population would diminish and women perforce
might go astray. Castes and communities would get mixed up. The social structure
would crumble and immorality and vice would play havoc, undermining the whole
social structure. These are no doubt some of the evils of war and we have seen
all these things happening after the recent world war.
Having thus narrated the evils of war for the individual both in this life and
in the afterlife and for the society as a whole, Arjuna reiterates his earlier
resolve not to fight. It is better to beg and fill ones belly, it is better to
spend ones life in a forest like a mendicant than kill ones kinsmen for the
sake of this earthly kingdom, thus saying Arjuna lays down his weapons and sits
dejected. At this, Sri Krishna chides Arjuna for his lack of will and faint-
heartedness and inspires him to rise to the heroic occasion befitting his birth
and stature. But Arjuna is adamant. Under a heavy delusion he spurns both the
kingdom of the whole earth and heaven if they were to be secured only by the
slaughter of his kinsmen. Arjuna is thus tossed between two opposing duties,
duty as a kshatriya to kill the enemies and duty as an ordinary householder to
show reverence to his elders and preceptors. He is confused and knows not the
right path. He is also aware that his vision is clouded by his attachment to his
kinsmen and that he is using high-sounding philosophic arguments only to cover
his weakness. He thus surrenders himself completely to Sri Krishna and implores
Him to take him as His disciple and show him the right path.
4. The background of Sri Krishnas teachings:
At this stage Sri Krishna commences his divine teachings to his humble aspirant
Arjuna. Some may argue that in His reply Sri Krishna has evaded the main issue
and failed to answer directly the questions raised by Arjuna regarding the evil
effects of war. What answer has Gita got for the social evils arising out of
war? Instead of answering this point, what was the need for Sri Krishna to talk
about the tough subjects like the immortality and immutability of the soul? Has
Sri Krishna tried to cloud the basic issues by his irrelevant, high-sounding
words? But if you study the Gita carefully you will realise that in his
teachings to Arjuna He did not follow any crooked path. What is the real cause
of Arjunas despondency? Is his pacifism due to any moral principles? No. He is
under a delusion caused by his attachment to his kith and kin and fear of losing
them in the war. Arjuna has fought many a war before and he had not raised any
of these objections. Why should he raise these objections now? Even in our
everyday experience we find that people talk big and bring in Vedanta and
philosophy only to cover their weaknesses arising out of selfish interests. For
example, persons, whose duty it is to protect and propagate Sanatana Dharma,
shirk their responsibility under the pretext that in this Kali Age, it has been
ordained by God that unrighteousness would prevail and that we should not do
anything to counter His design. Again, misers who want to cover their thrift
console themselves by saying that in these days of food scarcity it is
antisocial to feed brahmins and others and waste foodstuffs. Arjuna also finds
himself in the same category of self-justifiers. He had fought many a battle
before, but only now does he become a staunch advocate of pacifism! It is
apparent that he is only trying to hide his weakness for his relatives under the
cloak of pacifism. Even great seers like Vasishtha had betrayed their attachment
to their sons by bemoaning their loss. But they were aware of their weakness.
They did not try to defend themselves by any arguments as Arjuna is doing now.
Seeing the predicament of Arjuna Sri Krishna must have been amused, and so he
smiles:
hsiv -art
prahasanniva bhrata -- II-10
He does not, therefore, elaborately answer the questions raised by Arjuna
regarding the evils of war. It is not true that all wars are harmful. According
to historians, after the Kurukshetra war there was an all-round material
prosperity and spiritual advancement in India and this golden age lasted for
thousands of years. The objections raised by Arjuna are therefore not applicable
to holy wars and so Sri Krishna does not simply bother to answer them. Instead,
he proceeds to rid Arjuna of his spiritual ailment. Sri Krishnas main purpose
is to rid him of his delusion. That would be a treatment for his ailment far
better than answering the questions raised by Arjuna in support of his pacifism.
Hence the all-merciful Almighty, out of compassion for Arjuna, proceeds to
dispel his delusion and gives a discourse on the immutability of the soul and
its existence independent of the perishable body.
5. Lament not for the unlamentable:
Sri Krishna asks: "0 Arjuna, are you lamenting for the soul or for the body of
your kinsmen? If it is for the soul, lament not because the soul is eternal and
cannot be destroyed. You, I and all the kings in front of us were there in the
past and will continue to be in the future. Hence grieve not for the soul which
is indestructible. If you are sorry for the bodies of your kinsmen and
preceptors, which you are afraid might be destroyed, then also, grieve not
because the body is in any case perishable. After death the soul passes from one
body into another. We demolish the old house and build a new one in its place.
Do we grieve? We discard old clothes and put on new ones, do we lament? We step
out of childhood and get into manhood, do we not rejoice in it? In the garden,
old flowers wither and new ones blossom. So also in life change is not only
inevitable but also desirable. We do welcome such changes. Death is but one such
change. Thus we should never fear death. Just as childhood, boyhood and manhood,
are but transitions, so also is death a transition. Hence we should not fret
over the death of the body."
Here a question may arise. What sort of new body would these persons get after
this body has passed away? It may be a better body or worse. If it is going to
be worse, we have reason to be sorry at the passing of the present body. If we
leave one rented house and move into another which is worse, we shall certainly
be sorry for leaving the old one. Sri Krishna answers this point. As for Bhishma
and Drona who are great souls and who have earned nothing but merit in this
life, they are bound to go into a higher life. For them death is like a holy
bath (avabhuutha) at the successful termination of a Yajna or sacrifice. Better
life awaits them and you need not grieve for them. It is only the wicked and
sinful people who are afraid of death and if they get worse bodies in the next
life they deserve such punishment and you need not be sorry for them. There are
instances of good people who even if they had inadvertently committed sins, have
atoned for them here itself and warded off its evil effects. Hence good people
are taken care of and wicked people deserve punishment and in both cases you
need not grieve for death at all. If the bad are not punished and you pity them,
the whole social system would be undermined.
Why should we believe in a soul as distinct from the body? Well, all evidence
like perception, reasoning and scriptures point towards the existence of a soul
as separate from the body. The body undergoes change from day to day as we pass
from childhood to old age. Our todays body is not the same as yesterdays. But
we experience something within us which does not change. This some thing,
changeless, within us we call Atman or the soul and this is what each one
experiences, throughout his life.
How do we know that after death the soul passes from one body into another? We
see among people talents and characteristics not found in their parents and near
relatives. Where from did they get these? They must have acquired them in their
past lives. When a child is born, its mind is not blank. It carries the
impressions of its past lives. It has its instincts and shows some likes and
dislikes and propensities which can only be explained if we believe that the
soul has passed through many lives before and that it carries the burden of its
experience, both good and bad, from one life into another.
All living things are sentient and they have intelligence or instinct. Mere
matter is insentient. Matter combined with Spirit or Soul constitutes life. This
proves the existence of the soul as distinguished from the body. We see worms
and insects forming in rice and other grains. We also see bacteria growing in
unhygienic environments. How did life originate there? Scientists say that some
living cells in a sub microscopic form were already there and these only grew
and multiplied. Organic life does not come out of inorganic matter. Only life
can breed life. I have asked many scientists how the first living cell came into
existence in this world. They say that the riddle of the origin of life has not
yet been solved. Evolutionists are of the opinion that a living cell in the most
elementary state somehow formed out of inorganic matter under some favourable
circumstance during the course of evolution lasting millions of years. If that
is so why the phenomenon of life springing out of inorganic matter is not seen
now even in a single instance? If it could happen once, there is no reason why
it should not happen again. Scientists have not so far succeeded in producing
life out of inorganic matter in the laboratory. We have therefore to believe in
the existence of the soul as separate and distinct from the body and which is
responsible for life and which is eternal. Therefore one should not despair at
the prospect of death. These ideas are contained in the verse,
deihnae=iSmNywa dehe kaEmar< yaEvn< jra,
twa dehaNtraiPtxIRrSt n muit.
dehino'sminyath dehe kaumra yauvana jar
tath dehntaraprptirdhrastatra na muhyati -- II-13
6. Attachment is the root of sorrow:
Arjuna raises another query: "Oh Krishna, I agree that the soul is
indestructible and that I should not grieve for the body which in any case is
perishable. But I can keep contact with my dear and near ones only through their
bodies when they are alive. After death, their souls may be somewhere and
without their bodies how can I see them, touch them and talk to them, by which
alone I feel happy. This sense of losing them forever pains me."
Sri Krishna answers: "Oh Arjuna, such problem arise again and again. You cant
avoid them. You should get used to them. What is the root of misery in man? Is
it the contact between the objective world and the senses? No. When we are fast
asleep we still have contact between the senses and the outside world but we do
not become aware of such contacts and we do not experience any happiness or
misery. Only in our wakefulness do we become aware of these experiences. Hence
there is something else which is the root of our happiness and misery. It is our
attachment to the body. We fail to distinguish between the body and soul and
hence we suffer the pangs of misery. While we sleep we do not have this
attachment and we do not experience anything good or bad. Similarly, in our
waking state, if we manage to give up this attachment, we can carry on our
normal activities in life without being affected by good or bad experiences. For
example, if our own house catches fire we get very much concerned but, if
another mans house is on fire, we are not so much bothered. Both are houses and
both are on fire but in the first case we are more concerned because it happens
to be our house. Similarly a newly married person gets very much concerned if
his bride falls ill. But he had not cared at all if the same lady had fallen ill
before he had married her. In the first case he is concerned because she happens
to be his wife. Sri Krishna asks Arjuna to overcome his sorrow at the loss of
his dear and near ones by rooting out all attachment to them.
t<iStit]Sv -art
tastitikasva bhrata -- II-14
"You have to face these difficulties, 0 Arjuna and overcome them by getting rid
of attachment. You should never bow down to them." Thus does the Lord eradicate,
root and branch, the very source of Arjunas sorrow.
This advice of Sri Krishna does not mean that we should be unconcerned when a
great disaster or calamity befalls the country or a community. In such cases we
should show all compassion and help the people as much as we can. It is the
narrow and selfish interest of man arising out of his undue attachment to his
body and worldly possessions that is condemned and not his genuine desire to
render social service. Attachment generated by narrow selfishness alone is the
root of all sorrows and the Lord wants that such sorrows should be faced
squarely.
7. The Soul as an image of God:
The soul which is within us is described as the image of God. For any object to
have its image, there must be a medium to act as a mirror. Some say that the
body is such a medium. If that is so, when the body is destroyed, the soul also
should be destroyed just as the image is destroyed when the mirror is destroyed.
If the soul also is destroyed how does Krishna preach the imperishability of the
soul? This doubt is cleared here.
The soul has two covers outer and inner. The outer cover bhyopdhi (baaepaix)
is the body and that does not act as the medium for casting the image. It is the
inner cover svarpopdhi (Svpaepaix) which is made of the same substance as the
soul itself namely of pure intelligence and bliss that acts as the medium or the
mirror. This inner cover being of the nature of the soul itself, is permanent
and imperishable. Hence the soul which is Gods image is considered as eternal
and imperishable.
How does the soul stand in relation to God? For this let us examine the object-
image relationship a little more in detail. The shadow and the photograph are
examples of our image. Only if we move our image moves, not otherwise. Unless
there is activity in us there cannot be any activity in our image. Just as the
image resembles us and at the same time is wholly dependent on us, so also the
soul resembles God and is totally dependent on Him. Without Gods activity and
will, there can be no independent activity of the soul. The substance of God is
pure knowledge and bliss. So is that of the soul. The similarity ends here and
there is a gulf of difference between the two thereafter. God is infinite and
the soul is finite. Even if we are fair, our shadow is dark. We should not
stretch the analogy of the object and the image too far.
It is the duty of every aspirant to discover the true nature of his soul. He
should realise that he is only a shadow of God and thus is totally dependent on
Him. Out of his ignorance and egoism he should not indulge in any immoral or
irreligious act. He should discover and realise that the soul is not the mere
body, not the mind, not even the natural instinct but something much higher,
permanent, eternal and of a nature similar to God, and rejoice in the knowledge
of his personality as endowed with greatness and dignity. At the same time the
knowledge that he is totally dependent on God for each and everything should
make him humble enough to surrender to His Supreme Will. The twin aspects are
included in the conception of the soul as an image of God.
We cannot improve our image in the mirror by decorating the mirror. Instead, if
we decorate ourselves, our reflection in the mirror or our image in the
photograph will improve. Similarly, for our spiritual enrichment there is no
point in decorating our body. It is as futile as decorating the mirror. We
should, instead, decorate and worship the supreme God as full of infinite
auspicious qualities. The more we do so, the more will we discover the unique
dignity and beauty of our own personality. If we want to beautify ourselves we
should turn our devoted attention to God. This idea has been effectively
expressed in the Bhagavatha.
y*nae -gvte ivdxItmanm!,
tTvaTmne itmuoSy ywa muoI>.
yadyajjano bhagavate vidadhtamnam
tatvtmane pratimukhasya yath mukhar
Arjunas doubts regarding the indestructibility of the soul, the perishability
of the body and the efficacy of non-attachment to worldly things have been
cleared to a great extent. The Lord expresses the same in the words:
nastae iv*te -avae na-avae iv*te st>,
nsato vidyate bhvo nbhvo vidyate sata -- II-16
(The body which is born is not eternal; the soul which is unborn does not
perish)
8. No harm will accrue from righteous warfare:
The above stanza has another meaning. "Nothing good can come from evil deeds;
nothing evil can come from good deeds." This clears the doubt of Arjuna that the
war will lead to sin and disaster in afterlife.
The war in which the Pandavas are engaged is a righteous war fought against
unrighteousness. King Duryodhana had all along conducted the affairs of the
state based on unrighteous principles and selfish interests to the utter
detriment of his subjects. He was tutored in this wily art even from his boyhood
by his wicked teacher Kalinga. Treading this path, the king had fouled the whole
atmosphere of his state. Even great preceptors like Bhishma and Drona had become
helpless and could not stem the tide of unrighteousness let loose by the king.
Sri Madhvacharya says in Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya:
DEv y prm< nsuraZc pUJya>,
SvawERn vcnkt jgtae=iol< c.
xmaRidkayRmip y mhaepix> Syat!,
e> s @v ... ... ... ... ...
chadmaiva yatra parama nasurca pjy
svrthaina vacanakte jagato'khila ca
dharmdi kryamapi yatra mahopadhi syt
reha sa eva ... ... ... ... ... -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
Duryodhanas philosophy in life was as follows: "Be selfish and cunning. Do not
bother about God. To deceive the world, put on a mask of righteousness in this
drama of life." By this policy of the king the whole atmosphere of the state was
polluted and pervaded by greed, treachery and deceit. The main purpose of the
holy Mahabharata war was to purify this soul atmosphere and reestablish the rule
of righteousness and morality. Nothing but good could come out of such a holy
war fought for the universal good of all subjects.
xMyaRi yuaCD+eyae=NyT]iySy n iv*te.
dharmyddhi yuddhc-chreyo'nyat-katriyasya na vidyate -- II-31
(Nothing is more meritorious for a king than a holy war.)
Only righteous wars are meritorious, not others. Some complain that in the olden
days, kshatriyas were encouraged in mere warmongering. This is not true. Sri
Krishna does not recommend wanton expansionism. People who initiate such wars
are branded as tyrants and enemies of the world. Wars fought inevitably for
achieving a definite ideal and for the welfare of mankind are called righteous
wars and those who take part in such holy wars were praised and said to have
gained a place in heaven. The shastras have never encouraged selfish, aggressive
and imperialistic wars. Rarely do people get a chance to fight a righteous war.
Sri Krishna says that Arjuna has got such a unique opportunity now when the
gates of heaven are thrown wide open for him.
9. Desire is the root of sin:
Sri Krishnas teachings of non-attachment no doubt reduces the anguish of Arjuna
but still his fear of committing sin by killing preceptors and relatives has not
completely disappeared. Even though this is a holy war, some sin is bound to be
committed by the killing of innocent people and this will lead to unhappiness
and misery in the other world. The war will thus give mixed results of happiness
and misery. Instead, asks Arjuna: "Is it not better to be a recluse, forsake all
action, retire into a forest and lead the life of a mendicant, which is free
from any sin. The old doubt still persists.
In answer to this query the Lord proceeds to describe the philosophy of
Bhagavata religion or desireless action which is uncontaminated by sin. Just as
attachment is the root of misery so also desire is the root of sin. We should
try to conquer this desire. Does the mere performance of a violent act lead to
sin? No. For example, the judge passes death sentence on many culprits and the
executioners hang them. Do they acquire sin? No. This violence is committed not
for any personal gain but as a part of ones duty. Desireless action, therefore,
does not result in sin. The Lord Himself destroys the universe, still he is
sinless. Under anesthesia, the doctor performs operations on the human body
without the patient feeling any pain. So also desireless action is like the
anesthesia which enables man to perform his duties in this world unsoiled by
sin.
Even if such desireless and godly actions are discontinued in the middle due to
unforeseen circumstances, they will not go in vain. They bear fruit unlike other
worldly activities like industry and agriculture which if discontinued in the
middle may not yield any fruit at all; on the contrary, it may become difficult
to recover from the loss.
nehai-Krmnazae=iSt Tyvayae n iv*te,
SvLpmPySy xmRSy ayte mhtae -yat!,,
nehbhikramano'sti pratyavyo na vidyate
svalpamapyasya dharmasya tryate mahato bhayt -- II-40
In taking medicine if the dose is either too small or too big there is harm but
in the practice of Bhagavata religion of desireless action, there is no such
fear. If the heart is pure, even if there are some lapses in our action, they
will be forgiven. Sri Madhvacharya says in Gita Tatparya:
arM-maimCDava iv:[uxmeR n in:)la,
prrambhamtramicchv viudharme na niphal -- Gita Tatparya
The Lord has thus given a simple and straightforward religion the practice of
which in our day to day life, even to a limited extent, will yield great
results. It is not how much we do, but how we do, that matters. Sudama gave but
a handful of beaten rice to the Lord. It is the spirit, the purity of mind and
the devotion behind that simple offering that produced the result. It is the
quality that matters, not the quantity. A single piece of currency note bearing
the seal of the Government is more valuable than heaps of ordinary paper. Even
little deeds bearing the stamp of devotion are more fruitful than scores of
others performed without it. This in brief is the principle of desireless
action.
10. The sole path of truth:
Regarding action, there is diversity of opinion. Some say that all action is
illusory and that performance of action is mandatory to ignorant people only.
Mimamsakas say that the supreme goal in life is to perform action like sacrifice
etc., and attain worldly and heavenly pleasure. Sri Krishna says that the
performance of desireless action is mandatory both to the ignorant and to the
illumined. Sri Krishna further elaborates on this theme to clear the confusion
wrought by various theories.
VyvsayiTmka buirekeh knNdn,
bzaoa nNtaZc buyae=Vyvsaiynam!.
vyavasyatmik buddhir-ekeha kurunandana
bahu-kh hy-anant-ca buddhayo'vyavasyinm -- II-41
Sri Krishna says that the path of desireless action alone is what is preached in
all scriptures and this conclusion has been arrived at by a critical examination
and careful study of the scriptures. Some may argue that if all roads lead to
the same goal, it is immaterial what road we take. This is not correct. We
should examine more critically which one is true? If there are two contradictory
opinions on the same subject, both cannot be true. If it were so, truth and
untruth should both lead us to salvation. This is absurd. We cannot raise truth
and untruth on the same pedestal without injuring the very cause of truth.
I had a discussion on this topic with Sri Vinobha Bhave. He was of the opinion
that people could follow different paths and different religions according to
their tastes and inclinations. "Some people like sweets, others like savoury
dishes and both the dishes fill the stomach and satiate the hunger," he argued.
I answered: "Different types of food produce different biochemical reactions in
the body. Similarly different religions produce different reactions in the mind
and the soul. Both truth and untruth cannot have the same effect on the soul.
Two contradictory statements cannot both be correct." Sri Bhave conceded the
point. We both agreed that there are many things common to all religions and on
this highest common factor we should seek cooperation between members of
different religions and in areas where there is a fundamental difference we
should agree to differ and part as friends. Thus we too parted as friends.
Some others argue: "Truth has many facets and each religion emphasises a
particular aspect of this truth. Even though there are apparent contradictions
between different religions they may be different facets of the same truth. Just
as babies, grown up persons, sick persons and healthy persons partake of
different types of food according to their needs, so also different persons may
follow different religions and still earn merit." But we must note that each
religious founder claims that his is the only true religion that leads to
salvation and all other religions lead but to perdition. How can different
religions holding contradictory beliefs all be true? How can two doctors
prescribe two contradictory lines of treatment to a patient suffering from a
single ailment. Sri Krishna therefore says that the scriptures preach one
religion and that is the sole path of truth. Ishavasya Upanishad also comes to
the same conclusion while discussing science and nescience (Vidya and Avidya).
It is also stated in the same Upanishad that we should get at the Truth by a
critical examination. Just because we are hungry it is not wise to fill the
belly with anything and everything that comes our way; this may lead to
indigestion and disease. It is better to go hungry and safeguard our health than
eat unhygienic food. So also with knowledge. No-knowledge is better than foul
knowledge.
Merit will not accrue from either inaction or desire-prompted action. Only
desireless action preached in the Gita can give us merit and it should be kept
as a guiding principle in life.
11. Vedas and desire-prompted action:
Vedas recommend sacrificial rituals for the attainment of worldly and heavenly
pleasures. Such action is truly desire-prompted. The Gita advocates the
performance of desireless action. The two teachings appear to be contradictory
to each other. Actually there is no such contradiction because in the ultimate
analysis even the Vedas advocate desireless action. It is the protagonists of
Mimamsa who hold that the attainment of worldly pleasures is the goal of the
Vedas. By holding this limited view they have abused the Vedas and have led men
away from the physical study of the Vedas; they have succeeded in provoking
mens greed only. These people merely repeat the words of the Vedas parrot-like
without understanding their full meaning. The Vedas do offer worldly benefits
for those who seek but they offer much more if you care to dive deeper and get
at the truth. The followers of Mimamsa are like the foolish people who pluck the
flowers for their fragrance robbing themselves of the taste of the delicious
fruits. Without knowing the mystic import of the Vedas and by running after the
cheap superficial rewards, we would be robbed of the fruit of immortality.
Mimamsakas committed this mistake. The Gita criticises them as follows:
yaimma< pui:pta< vac< vdNTyivpit>,
vedvadrta> pawR naNydStIit vaidn>.
ym-im pupit vca pravadanty-avipacita
veda-vda-rat prtha nnyad-astti vdina -- II-42
The promise of the worldly pleasures held out by the Vedas is only to lure the
people to its study just as the mother gives some sugar to children before
administering bitter medicine. But we shall be foolish if we stop halfway and be
satisfied with worldly pleasures only. We have to dive deeper. The spiritual
upliftment derived from the study of the Vedas depends upon our mental make-up.
The same is stated in the Bhagavata:
raecnaw )l uit>
rocanrtha phala ruti
In the Chandogya Upanishad there is a beautiful parable. Once Death chased a
soul. The soul took shelter in the Vedas. Death pursued it even there. The soul
dived deeper and deeper into the Vedas and thus escaped from the clutches of
Death. We can have another illustration. If a fish swims near the surface of
water any kingfisher can easily catch it with its long beak. But by diving
deeper the fish can go beyond the reach of the kingfishers long beak and thus
save itself. Similarly a mere superficial study of the Vedas does not lead us to
immortality. For that we have to make a deeper metaphysical study.
Sri Krishna says:
Egu{yiv;ya veda inSEgu{yae -vajuRn,
traiguya-viay ved nistraiguyo bhavrjuna -- II-45
(Vedas preach action born of the threefold modes (of Prakriti). You do not
follow them, Oh Arjuna.) Some say that this advice amounts to a criticism of the
Vedas and conclude that the Gita has preached a new religion not found in the
Vedas. But the desireless action preached in the Gita is nothing novel. The
Upanishads have taught this much earlier. In the Ishavashya Upanishad there is a
beautiful reference to this idea. Superficially Vedas appear to preach desire-
prompted action but in the ultimate analysis they preach desireless action. It
is our duty to eschew desire-prompted action and turn our attention to
desireless action as preached by Sri Krishna.
Vedas are like a huge reservoir and they contain many ideas. From the reservoir
we take water to the extent we need and to the extent we can utilise. We have to
make a critical study of the Vedas and select only those ideas which we can
assimilate and which we can turn to our benefit. Vedas preach desire-prompted
action only to create an interest in us in divine knowledge and initiate us into
the path of pure devotion. Prizes are given to the best student in the class
just to encourage students to study hard. Desire-prompted action is not the goal
of the Vedas. Acquisition of a true knowledge of God and performance of
desireless action with pure devotion to God is the essence of the Vedic teaching
and as such, there is no contradiction between the Vedas and the Gita and there
is no room for any criticism or misunderstanding on this score.
There is one more point. Vedas no doubt have stated many rituals for those who
want worldly rewards but nowhere has it emphasised that in performing such
action, we should be concerned with results. Only the desire and eagerness for
salvation has been stressed in the Vedas and there are no commandments regarding
the desire for fruit. Let those who want the results perform such and such a
ritual. By saying this it does not mean that everyone should perform these
actions for fruit only. Action can still be performed without any expectation of
the reward. Let those who are needy and greedy perform their duties and get paid
for it. It does not mean that there are not others who are willing to do the
same work in an honorary capacity, without any pay and doing the work just for
the love of it. The same rituals which are performed in the hope of getting
heavenly and worldly pleasure could still be performed without bothering about
the rewards.
kmR{yevaixkarSte ma )le;u kdacn,
karmay-evdhikras-te m phaleu kadcana -- II-47
12. Action and concern for the results:
The above stanza also states: "Performing actions is alone within your capacity
-- Rewards never. Since God alone is the giver of reward or fulfillment, only
the performance of actions is within our reach." Whilst discarding the desire
for fruit, we should not discard action itself. Let not the baby be thrown away
along with the bath water. This warning has been given by the Lord. For family
people forsaking worldly pleasures may indeed be a difficult proposition. But
what we gain by desireless action far outweighs the loss. We may have to lose
worldly pleasures but we gain, instead, supreme bliss. Hence we need not grieve.
The firefly gives some light in darkness, no doubt, but do we on that score
prefer darkness and shun sunrise. While building dams and reservoirs, some wells
may be submerged. But do we therefore stop building reservoirs. What use is a
tiny well when you have the whole reservoir. What are these petty pleasures
worth in comparison with the supreme bliss born of desireless action.
Gita thus says:
yavanwR %dpane svRt> s<Plutaedke,
yvn-artha udapne sarvata samplutodake -- II-46
"Miserable are those who work for rewards," says Krishna:
kp[a> )lhetv>
kpa phala-hetava -- II-49
The householder toils day and night. In toil he is not inferior to a karmayogi.
The karmayogi toils for God and the family man toils for his wife and children.
That is the only difference. But even this toiling for family can be done in the
name of God and as an offering to God. We undergo untold miseries, trials and
tribulations in our day-to-day life all because of our attachment to worldly
things. These very acts can be done disinterestedly for His sake and as a
dedication to Him. The Lord pities those who fritter away their energy in
hankering after petty things.
The Gita no doubt repeatedly praises desireless action. But is it a practical
proposition to perform action without any concern for its result? We indulge in
action only to achieve certain objectives and results. Desire motivates all
action and is at its root. "There is no meaning in preaching desireless action,"
say the followers of other religions. Certainly, without aim, all action is
meaningless. But this aim and goal of all action should be noble. Gita does not
eschew all desires. Only selfish desires for mundane things have been condemned.
Have a worthwhile ideal and goal in life and work for it wholeheartedly for
public welfare. Let your only desire be to earn the grace of God. The message or
the Gita is that we should not fritter away our energy being enticed by petty
attachments and desires. There is nothing impractical in the advice of the Gita.
It preaches the genuine philosophy of life itself.
There is a story in the Mahabharata which is relevant here. After hearing a long
discourse on morality and religion by Bhishma, Yudhishthira raises an important
query: "0 Bhishma, of the four ideals (pu;awR) of human life, Virtue (xmR),
Wealth (AwR), Desire (kam) and Release (mae]), which is the best?" Vidura
replies that virtue is the most meritorious ideal. The practical-minded Arjuna
says that for the achievement of all other ideals and for the performance of
religious duties, wealth is absolutely essential and hence it is supreme.
Dharmaraja of course argues that the ultimate goal of all human beings must be
the liberation from the cycle of birth and death and hence it should take the
pride of place. But to the surprise of all Bhimasena argues that desire ought to
be the dominant ideal. Elaborating his point he explains that desire is the
motivating force behind all actions. Without it there is no morality, no wealth
and no liberation. Noble desires and righteous ambition spur us into worthwhile
action. All other ideals of human life are subservient to this ideal of noble
desire. Desire is not merely lust for power or base enjoyment. It can also be a
driving force to the attainment of the highest goal in life.
Aini;kaimtEv kaimTvaimtIyRte,
aniiddhakmitaiva hyakmitvmitryate -- Gita Tatparya
(Not hankering after the unworthy things itself is renunciation of action.)
Forsaking the desire for selfish worldly pleasures and performing action purely
for the attainment of Gods grace, liberation and universal welfare is the
essence of desirable action.
Performance of selfless and desireless action is easy to preach but difficult to
practice. Even good and noble acts are performed by people in their day-to-day
life either to earn merit or fame or a place in heaven. We may be scared by the
high ideal preached by the Gita. But we need not be disheartened. Even some
great men have fallen a prey to such desire-prompted action due to their
delusion. Even illumined souls may chance to be victims of low, worldly desires.
But though difficult to follow, we can keep this as our ideal to guide us in our
day-to-day life. The pole star is far away and beyond our reach. But it guides
many a sailor on the high seas. Similarly the high ideal of karmayoga or
desireless action may be beyond our reach but it should always be kept before
our minds eye as a guiding star in our spiritual journey and by following this
path blazed by such a high ideal we shall certainly reach our highest goal.
Hence, though difficult, we should try sincerely to follow this ideal without
unnecessarily being disheartened.
13. Excellence of disinterested action:
Wherever there is fire there is smoke. Wherever there is action there is bound
to be some lapse here and there. But there is a way of getting over this
difficulty and the special value of karmayoga lies in performing action without
being affected by the incidental taint.
If you want to swim across a river, you cannot do it unless you get into the
water. But you will get drowned if you do not know the art of swimming.
Similarly, if you want liberation from this life-cycle, you have to get into the
worldly life and perform action; if you do not know he art of performing action
selflessly you may get drowned in the ocean of life.
tSma*aegay yuJySv yaeg> kmRsu kaEzlm!,
tasmd-yogya yujyasva yoga karmasu kaualam -- II-50
(Disinterested action alone is skillful action, performing action in a
disinterested way is an art itself.) If one performs an action disinterestedly,
one can cross over this life without being drowned.
Let me give you another example. You cut open a jackfruit and try to remove the
pulp. It is all sticky. But you can avoid this stickiness by smearing your
fingers with a few drops of oil. Karmayoga or desirelessness in action is like
the oil which enables you to perform action without being stuck in it. Even
while performing good deeds some lapses may occur but no sin will accrue if we
follow be path of karmayoga. Even as I give this discourse I may be causing
injuries to many insects inadvertently. In our day-to-day life we may cause the
death of many ants, insects etc. We cannot avoid it. But if we perform all our
actions desirelessly in a spirit of dedication to God these little lapses which
are beyond our control and which are committed inadvertently, will not affect us
and we shall enjoy the perennial fruit of the duty we have performed.
14. The fruit of desireless action:
The next question is how long are we to perform such desireless action?
yda te maehkill< buiVyRittir:yit,
tda gNtais inveRd< aetVySy utSyc.
yad te moha-kalila buddhir-vyatitariyati
tad gantsi nirveda rotavyasya rutasyaca -- II-52
The answer is that we should continue such action till the heart becomes pure,
ignorance is removed and spiritual wisdom is attained. For meditation and
realisation of God, purity of heart is most essential. Gods image will not be
cast in a mind sullied by lust and hatred. The suns reflection can be seen only
in the waters of a lake when they are calm and placid and not when they are
disturbed and wave-tossed. Even so the heart must be pure to see God.
kmR[a }anmatnaeit
karma jnamtanoti
The purification of the heart is possible through right action. When you are
engaged in performing good deeds, there is no chance for any weakness of the
mind to show up. The mind is thus purified. During the struggle for Indian
independence, the political atmosphere was pure and people fought for a noble
cause and suffered great difficulties. They were as yet uncorrupted by lust for
power and wealth. But the same spirit of selfless sacrifice is missing in the
recent times in our political life and people are running after wealth and
power. Seeing this we get a feeling, sometimes, that independence came to us a
little too soon. Desireless action leads to purity of heart. When the heart
becomes pure, ones mind turns towards God and one is now set on the path of
realisation of God.
In the above stanza the word nirveda does not mean resignation towards
knowledge. How can you be disinterested in knowledge which has been acquired
with great effort? Would Sri Krishna ever be preaching resignation in matters of
spiritual knowledge instead of renunciation of desires? If any commentator gives
this meaning it is indeed strange.
In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
tSmat! a[> pai{fTy< inivR*
tasmt brhmaa pitya nirvidya
the word Nirveda has been used to denote attainment. We reap the fruit of
our study only when the mind is purified and ignorance is removed.
buiyuKtae jhatIh %-e sukt:kte,
buddhi-yukto jahtha ubhe sukta-dukte -- II-50
(By doing such desireless action, one gets beyond both merit and sin.) Does this
mean then that by doing desireless action, even the merit is lost? No. By doing
good deeds we get the grace of God and this verily is merit and this grace is
essential for salvation. How could Gita then advocate forsaking merit?
There are two kinds of merit, desirable and undesirable. The merit earned by
performing desire-prompted action brings us only worldly pleasures and leads us
astray from the goal of final liberation. Such a merit is called undesirable
merit. Desireless action and meditation give us merit which leads us to
spiritual evolution and ultimate liberation. This is called desirable merit.
Gita advocates the forsaking of undesirable merit and not the desirable merit.
In fact, to attain final liberation, one has to forsake the undesirable merit
which leads only to worldly happiness. Even in our everyday life we find that to
stand as a candidate for any public selective post and to become a minister one
has to give up his Government post, contract, or any other office of profit. So
also to obtain final liberation we have to give up worldly pleasures though they
are acquired by merit.
There are two categories of knowledge. One is indirect (prae]) and the other is
direct (Aprae]). Knowledge acquired from the teacher, from reasoning and from
scriptures all belong to the first category. The knowledge be comes firm by
rightful action. After acquiring this knowledge of God through these external
sources, we desire to realise God and see Him within us without the help of
either reasoning or words. For this we should concentrate our mind on Him and
meditate. Then we can realise God within us and this is called direct knowledge
or God-realisation.
Desireless action is as much necessary in the state of indirect perception as it
is in the state of direct perception. As disinterested action is necessary for
the perfecting of the indirect knowledge, so also is such action needed in the
post-indirect knowledge to prepare a background of meditation for direct
knowledge. Mere dipping the cloth in water and wetting it is not sufficient for
cleansing. We have to take steps to wash it, rinse it and squeeze it in order to
remove the soil. So we have to continue our desireless action even beyond the
stage of indirect knowledge till the mind reaches the stage of direct knowledge
and becomes pure enough to catch the image of God and hold fast to it. Hence we
should realise that desireless action is necessary both for direct and indirect
knowledge. One who is steeped in God-realisation and beatitude is absolutely
dead to worldly happenings. Nothing external can wake him up from this bliss and
bring him back to the affairs of the world. Such a person is called a
Sthitaprajna (a person with a steady poise of awareness.)
15. The Sthitaprajna and the control of the senses:
The Lord now describes the qualities of a Sthitaprajna or a person of equable
mind. He is one whose mind is turned towards God and who is free from worldly
desires. Pleasure and pain are both alike to him. Emotions like love, hatred and
fear do not perturb him. We all have need to develop these qualities step by
step before realising God. But in a Sthitaprajna these qualities are found to be
native or inbuilt. A child has to totter while learning to walk but when it
grows up it walks so naturally and effortlessly. We see a similar difference
between an aspirant and an illumined soul. Whereas an aspirant, a novice in the
art, has to strive for it like a child, an illumined soul gets it effortlessly.
One who does not require any effort at all in the expression of these virtues is
termed a Sthitaprajna.
With his senses under control, he does not fall a prey to temptations and he
leads a pure life untorn by lust and anger. Just as a tortoise withdraws its
legs into its shell, so also can a Sthitaprajna easily withdraw his senses from
the world of sense. He is not hampered by the world of the senses. Mix milk with
water, it is hard to separate. But the same milk when boiled well and made into
curds and churned yields butter and this butter can be taken out of water
easily. Our mind is like milk and if we let it go into worldly temptations, it
gets thoroughly mixed up with it and we cannot take it out. But the mind of the
illumined soul is like butter. Even when immersed in worldly affairs it does not
get mixed up with it. It can be withdrawn from worldly things at will. We only
know how to let go our senses but do not at all know how to withdraw them from
carnal pleasures. That weakness is the product of a feeble mind.
There is a story in the Mahabharata. During the Bharata war, Ashwathama sneaks
into Arjunas camp at the dead of night and murders his sons and other brave
soldiers. The fight starts between the two. Ashwathama tries all his weapons and
as a last resort uses his Brahmastra. Arjuna has no other go but use his own
Brahmastra. Caught between these two deadly weapons, the whole world quakes. At
this Sri Vedavyasa orders both of them to withdraw their respective weapons.
Arjuna withdraws his weapon easily but Ashwathma does not succeed in doing so
because he had lost that power due to his moral turpitude in murdering Arjunas
children against all canons of warfare. We are also in the same ridiculous
situation as Ashwathama. We only know how to send our senses out into the world
but hardly know how to withdraw them when required. Our senses behave as did the
Brahmastra from the hands of Ashwathama. Instead of we dictating to them, they
are dictating to us. We, who should have been masters of the senses, have become
their slaves.
By self-discipline and fasting we try to overcome temptations and control our
senses. But what usually happens is that we abstain from these temptations
physically but hanker after them mentally. While we fast on Ekadashi we are
always thinking of the next days feast. Without food, all the other sense-
organs may become weak, but the tongue remains ever sharp and hankers after
delicious food. Even if we cut the branches of a tree, so long as the root is
intact, it will put forth afresh when we water; similarly if the tongue is left
uncontrolled, the sensual desires keep on cropping up. But complete termination
of the sensual desires can happen only by the realisation of God. Before that
beatitude all other worldly pleasures fade into insignificance. An illumined
soul is not tempted by such worldly pleasures. You may give sweets to a child
crying for its lost mother but the child will throw away the sweets in its
ecstasy when it sees its mother. So also an illumined soul spurns all worldly
pleasures when it reaches this beatitude. The Lord says:
rsvj rsae=PySy pr< va invtRte,
rasa-varja raso'py-asya para dv nivartate -- II-59
(The realised soul loses his taste for worldly pleasures at the sight of God.)
We run after worldly pleasures because we have no idea of the supreme bliss that
devotion begets. We are too weak to turn our attention to God. To overcome this
weakness we have to keep our mind engrossed always in the infinite good
qualities of the Lord and realise how futile it is to run after worldly
pleasures. Instead of finding fault with our fellow-beings why shouldnt we
realise the dangers lurking in these worldly pleasures? Thus by rejecting on the
shortcomings of the worldly things we easily renounce them; by meditating on
divine attributes devotion dawns on us naturally.
We are tempted by these worldly pleasures because we have not overcome them.
Even during prayer, we cannot concentrate our mind on God. The beads no doubt
turn mechanically between our fingers but the mind is wandering all over the
world. By yielding to the seductions of worldly things we are but confirmed in
our attachment to them. When obstructions are there anger is provoked; deluded
by anger a man forgets his duties and obligations. He cleanly forgets the
commandments of the Shastras. He loses his sense of right and wrong and grows
wanton in his desires. Then he only courts his ruin.
The Lord says:
Xyaytae iv;yaNpu<s> sSte;Upjayte,
saTs<jayte kam> kamaTKraexae=i-jayte.
Kraexavit s<maeh> s<maehaTSm&itivm>,
Sm&it<zad buinazae buinazaT[Zyit.
dhyyato viayn-pusa sagas-tepajyate
sagt-sajyate kma kmt-krodho'bhijyate -- II-62
krodhd-bhavati samoha samoht-smti-vibhrama
smti-bhrad buddhino buddhi-nt-praayati -- II-63
(Brooding on the objects of sense a man gets attached to them and out of
attachment proceeds desire for them. When the desire is thwarted, anger erupts
and anger generates confusion. The confusion then leads to the loss of sense of
dharma; (sense of right and wrong as taught by the shastras.) With this loss
there is the collapse of the discriminating intellect and when this
discrimination is lost, he is ruined.)
Thus we must be wary of unchecked desires and save ourselves from imminent ruin.
Desire is the poison that lurks behind all senses. They attack like poisonous
snakes. For this we need not suppress our senses. We need not kill the poisonous
snake. We have only to remove its fangs and then we can play with it as the
snake-charmer does.
rage;ivmuKtEStu iv;yainiNyEZcrn!,
AaTmvZyEivRxeyaTma sadmixgCDit.
rga-dvea-vimuktais-tu viayn-indriyai-caran
tma-vayair-vidheytm prasdam-adhigacchati -- II-64
(One who is bereft of attachment and aversion attains a pleased state of mind,
sporting his senses in the objects but keeping them under perfect control.)
Thus if we control our senses and overcome greed and hatred, attachment and
aversion, these senses will not harm us even if we move about among the objects
of the senses. Controlling the senses does not mean torturing them or unnerving
them. When we direct them into worthwhile channels we are said to have
controlled them. There is a story of the emperor Alarka who in order to control
his senses started cutting his sense organs one by one. Then the presiding
deities of these organs appeared before him, and said,: "Oh king, do not take
recourse to such foolish step as cutting away your organs. It is only through
these sense organs can you perform good deeds also. By removing these organs you
will not be able to achieve anything worthwhile and your whole life will be
wasted. Proper sense control consists in only guiding then in the right path."
naiSt buiryuKtSy n cayuKtSy -avna,
nca-avyt> zaiNtrzaNtSy kt> suom!.
nsti buddhir-ayuktasya na cyuktasya bhvan
nacbhvayata ntir-antasya kuta sukham -- II-66
(The mind of the one who is not self-pleased does not have a control of the
senses; without the control there is no knowledge; without the steadiness of
mind there is no self-knowledge; without the self-knowledge there is no
salvation; without salvation wherefrom would bliss come?)
16. Sthitaprajna and his way of life:
What is the difference between an illumined soul and an ordinary person? The
Lord describes it as follows:
ya inza svR-Utana< tSya< jagitR s<ymI,
ySya< jait -Utain sa inza pZytae mune>.
y ni sarva-bhtn tasy jgarti sayam
yasy jgrati bhtni s ni payato mune -- II-69
(What is night for ordinary people, is day for the illumined soul. What is day
for them, is night for him.)
We have great attachment for worldly pleasures and we are therefore drowned in
them. To what we are keen upon, the illumined soul is totally indifferent. The
illumined souls are not attracted by worldly pleasures. They are interested in
God only and they are wholly engrossed in His meditation. They are dead to all
other worldly attractions. In our case it is the opposite. Even as we are
sitting for prayer our minds wander and dwell on worldly pleasures. In short,
the illumined souls are interested in God and disinterested in worldly
pleasures. We are very much interested in worldly pleasures and disinterested in
God.
Has the illumined soul, engrossed in God, any duties to perform? Does he eat and
drink? How does he live? The Lord continues:
AapUyRma[mclPrit< smumap> ivziNt yt!,
tTkama y< ivziNt sveR s zaiNtmaPnaeit n kamkamI.
pryamam-acala-pratia samudram-pa pravianti yadvat
tadvat-km ya pravianti sarve sa ntim-pnoti na kma-km -- II-70
All rivers flow into the sea but the level of the water in the sea does not
change. Whether rivers flow in or not, it matters little to the ocean which is
least perturbed. Similarly in the illumined soul flow the worldly pleasures but
he is not affected by them. He can go without them too. Like the ocean he is
unperturbed.
-u<janaeipiy> kaman! myaRda<ntreTKvict!,
smutt! xmRmyI na saE kamIs %Cyte.
bhujnopihriya kmn marydnnataretkvacit
samudratat dharmamay n sau kmsa ucyate -- Gita Tatparya
Whatever water may come into the sea, it does not transgress its shore.
Similarly however much an illumined soul may enjoy the worldly pleasures, he
will not transgress the moral limits. He is the most disciplined servant of God.
He confines himself to all the moral rules and regulations and even as he enjoys
legitimate worldly pleasures he leads a superior, unperverted and contended
life. All rivers flow into the sea even without its asking for it. So also do
all worldly pleasures come to him without his running after them. If we run
after our shadow turning our back to the sun we cannot catch it. The faster we
run, the faster does it run away from us. But if we give up running after it,
turn our face towards the sun and run, the shadow will follow us as fast as we
run. The same is the case with worldly pleasures. If we run after them they will
elude us forever. On the other hand, if we look upon them with contempt and turn
our attention towards God, they themselves will follow us of their own accord.
An illumined soul need not struggle to get them, they go to him unsought.
Vibhishana did not ask Brahma for any favours. Ravana and Kumbhakarna did
penance in propitiation of Brahma to attain superhuman powers to rule the world
as they pleased and not be vanquished by anybody. When Brahma appeared before
Kumbharkarna, the latter got thoroughly confused, forgot whatever he wanted to
ask and obtained only the boon of fast sleep! Ravana obtained the boon of
invincibility from gods and demons, and also immortality. But he had to meet his
death from the hands of God in the form of a mortal being. But Vibhishana did
not ask any boon of God. He only prayed for enlightenment and pure devotion. God
was pleased with his attitude and blessed him with immortality which he enjoys
even to this day. An illumined soul thus gets what he wants even unasked.
Thus after being blessed with the sight of the Lord, the illumined soul lives a
God-permeated life which is free from voluptuousness and full of blessedness and
serenity. This is called the Brahmic state. Through the gates of the purified
mind attained by the performance of noble deeds, he walks on the path of
meditation and realisation into the Brahmic state.
The second chapter of the Gita concludes with the description of the
Sthitaprajna. In it are beautifully described the various stages of the
perfecting of the soul out of the lowest into the highest.
17. Then why bother about action?
Arjuna senses some apparent contradictions in what Sri Krishna said regarding
Action and Knowledge.
re[ vr< kmR buiyaegat! ... ... ... ,
drea hyavara karma buddhiyogt ... ... ... -- II-49
From such verses it appears that action is inferior to knowledge. Yet the lord
has said
mates<gae=STvkmaRi[.
m-te-sago'stv-akarmi -- II-47
yaegSw> kkmaRi[> ... ... ... ,
yogastha kurkarmi ... ... ... -- II-48
(Do not desist from action.) (Perform Actions as a karmayogi.) But in the
earlier verses Sri Krishna has stated that action must be performed by all
means.
If knowledge is superior to action, then why not follow it as the sole path? Why
bother about action at all? This is indeed a genuine doubt and Arjuna says: "Oh,
Lord! in one statement you extol knowledge; in another you extol action. I am
thoroughly confused by your contradictory advice. I do not know which is the
better of the two, and which path to follow. Please give me a clear-cut and
unambiguous advice."
Even if we say that when Sri Krishna criticised action He had in mind only the
desire-prompted action and not the desireless action, the problem is not fully
solved. If we have to perform desireless action, then why go in for war? There
are many other actions which can be performed without any desire. As for
example, the duties of a saint or a mendicant. In other spheres of life, action
performed may be desire-prompted, depending upon the state of ones mind at that
time. Sacrificial ritual may be performed either to get some results or for its
own sake. But in the actions prescribed for a monk (Sanyasi) there is no room
for desire at all. If all action is to be desireless action, then is it not
better to embrace the life of a mendicant rather than engage in a war which is
desire-prompted? It is impossible to fight a war desirelessly. War is nothing
but shooting and killing and, from the beginning to the end, it is desire-
prompted. To engage in a fight and be detached is as impossible as working in a
coal mine and trying to keep the hands clean. When there are hosts of other
deeds which can be performed desirelessly, why engage in a war where there is so
much vulgar display of anger and passion. Arjuna gets a doubt whether it is not
preferable to don the robes of a recluse rather than fight a war and he asks Sri
Krishna: "Why then do you coax me into this bloody war?"
tiTk< kmRi[ "aere ma< inyaejyis kezv,
tat-ki karmai ghore m niyojayasi keava -- III-1
Here Arjuna raises two fundamental issues. Firstly, if action is inferior to
knowledge, then why not eschew action. Secondly, if action is so inevitable,
then why not perform desireless action prescribed for mendicants instead of
engaging in war.
18. Forsaking action is impracticable:
To the first question Sri Krishna gives the following answer: If action is the
root of the cycle of birth and death and by eschewing action, we can free
ourselves from such a cycle, then why do not birds and animals for whom no
action is religiously prescribed, automatically get salvation? The animals,
birds, insects and other creatures are not touched by sin or merit which alone
are the source of further lives. Since they do not have either merit or sin, why
should they not automatically be released from the chain of lives? But merely by
this negative approach of forsaking action, one does not get release. It is only
by a positive approach of performing all action enjoined on him but
desirelessly, that one can get release from his cycle of birth and death. One
should not embrace the life of a mendicant just to run away from action; he
should do it with a positive view to meditating on God and leading a holy life.
n c s<Nysnadev isi< smixgCDit,
na ca sannyasand-eva siddhi samadhigacchati -- III-4
Mere renunciation (of desire-prompted action) does not lead to salvation. For
final release both true knowledge and desireless action are necessary. If action
is the root of birth and death then you may think that by eschewing all action
you may get out of this cycle, just as you can bring down a tree by cutting its
roots. But it is impossible to free ourselves from all action. It sticks to us
even if we try to get rid of it. Even if we try not to get into new enterprises
we have to put an end to consequences of our past actions only through living
them out. One action gives rise to ten other new actions like the family of the
Raktabija. When one Raktabija dies, out of his blood cells thousands of other
Raktabijas are born. Similarly when one action is completed, hundred others crop
up as a consequence of this in an endless chain. It is therefore foolish to
think of eschewing action and attaining liberation.
Nor can we rest idle without performing any action. We are always doing
something or the other. Even breathing is an action. Many bacteria get into our
body during breathing and get killed. We cannot run away from action even though
it binds us and leads us to many sins. It is impracticable to forsake action. At
the most we may give up all physical activity, retire into a forest and do
penance. But what can we achieve by sitting in the forest if our mind is
entangled? Our sense organs may not be engaged in any physical activity but our
minds continue to crave for worldly pleasures. By this we achieve neither
worldly pleasure nor heavenly bliss and be double losers, losing both this world
and the other. If we eschew action and enter the forest, we have to make our
entry fruitful. Our mind has to be controlled. But if the mind is controlled, we
may as well be in family life. There is no need to go to a forest. If control
over mind is more essential for salvation than renunciation of action, then is
it not worthier to control the mind and be in the family itself?
naNtSyikmr{yen twa naNtSy -art,
yEvinvsea<t> tdr{y< sca m>.
nntasyakimarayena tath nntasya bhrata
yatraivanivaseddhnta tadaraya sac rama -- Mahabharata, Shanti Parva
(If you can control your mind, why go to a forest? If you cannot control your
mind, what can you do by going to a forest? For one who can control the mind,
wherever he is that is his forest and that is his hermitage).
Hence concentrate on mind-control rather than on action control. Even to control
the mind, some sort of action is necessary. Without action the control of mind
and subjugation of desire are difficult. In any case action is indispensable and
unavoidable. Sri Krishna says:
kmeRiNyai[ s<yMy y AaSte mnsa Smrn!,
#iNyawaRn! ivmUFaTma imWyacar> s %Cyte.
karmendriyi sayamya ya ste manas smaran
indriyrthn vimhtm mithycra sa ucyate -- III-6
(One who merely controls action but keeps on brooding on the objects of the
senses is called a deluded soul and a hypocrite.)
19. Let action be in the form of sacrifice:
One more question arises here. Our scriptures say that action binds us:
kmR[a byte jNtu>,
karma baddhayate jantu
Performing the action which binds us, how at all can we obtain liberation? It is
waste of effort to try to obtain liberation while continuing with action which
is inimical to it. As medicine without controlling the diet is useless,
similarly striving for liberation while doing action which binds us is a vain
effort. This question has been answered in the third chapter of the Gita. No
doubt, since we cannot live without food, we must take some food; but bad food
ruins our health. If we do not take any food at all since it may be harmful, the
body may perish. Thus, we have to take only good and wholesome food to nourish
the body. Since action binds us, it does not mean that we should give up all
action. It is only bad action that binds us. Good action performed with good
intentions always leads to good results and such action cannot be a hindrance to
our liberation. On the other hand, it helps spiritual enlightenment. Just as we
discriminate between good food and bad food and partake only of good food, so
also in the performance of action we should discriminate between good and bad,
and do only the good ones. Action may be described as the key which opens the
case of ignorance which clouds the auspicious nature of our soul. With one and
the same key we can either open a box or close it. Similarly action can both be
a binding as well as a liberating agent. It depends on the person who wields it.
We must first of all realise which actions bind us. Discriminating between good
and evil deeds, we must eschew actions which bind us down to the cycle of birth
and death, and perform those actions which ultimately lead us to God. Sri
Krishna says:
y}awaRTkmR[ae=Ny laekae=y<kmRbNxn>,
yajrtht-karmao'nyatra loko'ya-karma-bandhana -- III-9
(If a man performs actions which are not dedicated to the Lord (sacrifice in the
name of the lord), he is bound by them.)
Sacrifice is a sort of service rendered selflessly in the name of God. Anything
done for the sake of God cannot bind us. It is only selfish deeds and actions
that bind us further to worldly life. But if we perform actions as an offering
to God, the very same chain that binds us becomes a garland and an ornament
which enhance the beauty of our person. Earlier it was mentioned that we should
avoid attachment while performing action; now it is further said that action
should be performed as a sacrifice. Service and sacrifice are the two
constituents of a Yajna. Sacrificing whatever we have as a service to God is the
highest type of Yajna. Yajna should not be construed in the narrow sense of
offering things in the sacrificial fire. It has a wider significance. Any good
deed performed desirelessly in the spirit of an offering to God becomes Yajna.
How can a war be fought without the play of emotions, was Arjunas question and
Sri Krishna answers it by saying that he should fight the war desirelessly as a
dedication to God and not for reaping any selfish desires.
Only selfish action should be eschewed and it is such action which is criticised
by Lord Krishna and not action which is performed as Yajna. Hence it is clear
there is no contradiction or inconsistency in Sri Krishnas advice.
20. Pleasing each other:
All actions should be performed as a Yajna in a spirit of service and sacrifice.
Every man born in this world should engage himself in his stipulated duties as a
token of gratitude to God and this will keep the wheel of the world moving. We
are indebted to God every minute of our existence in this world. The earth, air,
fire, water and ether are His gifts and we live by them. The deities that
preside over these elements and the gods that control them provide us with the
food and drink and activate us. In return for all these bounties enjoyed by us
minute by minute, we should realise that we owe Him duties and whatever we do,
we should dedicate that to Him, as the Lord of this universe. No mortal or
society has such a sway on the whole Universe.
$zavaSyimd< sv ... ... ...
vsyam-ida sarva ... ... ... -- Ishopanishad 1
There is only one supreme Lord over the whole universe. He is Shri Hari. All the
things in the Universe are His. How can we partake of the bounties of nature
unless we perform our stipulated duties as humble offerings to God? Even the
richest man has no right to any of the worldly things unless he too performs his
duties in a spirit of dedication to God. On the other hand, even the poorest man
has every right to take, within limits, whatever he wants from Gods Universe by
performing his stipulated duties. The same idea is expressed in the Isavasya
Upanishad.
kvReveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;et! ... ... ...
kurvann-eveha karmi jijviet ... ... ... -- Ishopanishad 2
An individual uses his private property for himself and for his family. To
increase his profit he exploits others. In this way the power of some
individuals or a party or a group increases, which may lead to monopoly. If the
idea that the ownership of all means of production rests neither with the
individual nor with the Government but with God, then it will be good both for
the individual and the Government and both will prosper. In this way good deeds
multiply. If God is the only Lord of the Universe and if His law rules the
world, we become his humble and disciplined subjects. We then engage ourselves
in actions which not only please God but also serve His other creatures. In this
way only we can repay Him. We get food from Him, and in return we should give
Him offerings. Puranas say that gods are starved when dharma and karma are at a
discount. The Lord and the other lesser gods do accept all our offerings however
humble they may be.
zu-< ipbTysaE inTy< nazu-< shir> ipbet!,
ubha pibatyasau nitya nubha sahari pibet
Gods get nourishment so to say by the noble deeds performed by people on the
earth. Goodness grows in this world only by the performance of noble deeds. If
noble deeds diminish, goodness suffers and godly spirit slowly disappears. Then
calamity overtakes the land. Therefore as a token of our gratitude we should
offer to God only such things that please Him. Dedicated services formed
selflessly is the best offering which man can give to God. This will increase
the godly spirit and create a favourable and efficacious atmosphere throughout
the world.
prSpr< -avyNt> ey> prmvaPSyw,
paraspara bhvayanta reya param-avpsyatha -- III-11
21. Yajna and the life cycle:
Yajnas keep the life cycle going. The good and evil deeds performed by us
produce good and evil results on nature also. Good deeds ensure prosperity and
they ward off evil. All our deeds have some invisible effect upon nature. Atomic
radiation is invisible to the human eye but it causes great harm to those who
are exposed to it. Our scriptures say that good deeds performed by us affect
nature invisibly and there are no reasons to deny them. Some may argue that all
around us sin is committed and injustice is perpetrated but still rains come and
crops grow. There are persons who ignore medical advice but still are hale and
healthy. The answer to this is that there are many causes for an effect. For
timely rain and bumper crop there are many natural causes and performance of
good deeds by men is certainly one of them.
The good deeds we perform have a twin effect on the world at large, one on the
natural and the other on the social. If we perform good deeds in the form of
Yajna, our character improves. There will thus be an all-round prosperity. This
is the social benefit of Yajna. Besides there will be timely rain and bumper
crops and there will be plenty to eat. This is the natural benefit of Yajna.
Today everybody is selfish and if Yajna in the true spirit is not performed we
are duped of both the fruits of Yajna. Since we have starved the gods by not
doing good deeds, we are also punished with starvation.
We have to do our allotted task to keep the life cycle going. By our good deeds
and clean dealings we should develop a healthy social environment and strive for
the development of the whole society and thus serve the almighty God.
@v< vitRt< c< nanuvtRytIh y>,
eva pravartita cakra nnuvartayatha ya -- III-16
Sri Krishna says that if one keeps himself busy with his own personal affairs
and has no time for social work, his life is wasted. A father gives some money
to his son and launches him in some business. In the same way the Lord has given
us capital of Yajna before launching us into this world.
shy}a> ja> s&va puraevac japit>,
Anen siv:yXvm! ... ... ...
saha-yaj praj sv purovca prajpati|
anena prasaviyadhvam ... ... ... -- III-10
"Using the secret of Yajna, enjoy social pleasures, worldly happiness and the
otherworldly bliss," saying this the Lord has sent us here. The whole creation
is for the spiritual consummation of the soul. God has created this world only
to enable the soul to realise its hidden loveliness and identity. For this the
Lord has given us the secret of Yajna. Understanding that the design of God is
the spiritual evolution of the soul, we should play our part in the evolution of
the whole universe. If we ignore this responsibility of ours and fail to perform
the Yajna and indulge in narrow selfish interests it will be an act not only
anti-God but also anti-world. Even after being indebted to God if we do not
redeem our indebtedness by performing holy acts, we shall be committing an
unpardonable crime.
Thus besides driving home the fact that duty performed in the form of sacrifice
does not lead to bondage, the Gita also aims at convincing that it is absolutely
necessary to perform such action with a sense of gratefulness and a desire to
guard the interests of maintaining the natural and social establishment in
order. The Gita proposes that every one who belongs to mankind should not
withdraw in fear from karma as the cause of bondage but should perform actions
in the form of Yajna, in a spirit of service to God.
22. Evil deeds cannot be Yajna:
One doubt may arise here. Can we- perform evil deeds and heinous crimes in a
spirit of Yajna and escape their consequences? All action is binding. But if it
is performed in a spirit of Yajna, it is not binding. Can we perform sinful
deeds in a spirit of Yajna and escape its consequences?
First of all we must examine whether sinful deeds can he performed in a spirit
of Yajna at all. Freedom from desire and hatred, and devotion to God are the
essential elements of the Yajna spirit. Any action can be considered as Yajna
only if it is based on these principles. Can anybody indulge in deceit, loot and
crime without greed or hatred? If a man is truly devoted to God he cannot have
the impudence and arrogance to dedicate the actions not sanctioned by the
shastras, to God. Therefore only those deeds which are prescribed by the
scriptures and which lead to universal welfare can be performed in the true
spirit of Yajna. Even these good deeds, prescribed by the scriptures, bind us if
performed for selfish interests, with a mind full of desire and hatred. Deeds
prohibited by scriptures do always bind us. The import of Gita is that it is not
at all possible to perform them both with a selfish interest as well as in a
spirit of Yajna.
23. Remission of action:
If every one is bound to perform duties laid down in the scriptures, then what
about the persons who are in a state of samadhi? These people spend days
together in contemplation of God utterly unaware of what goes on in the outer
world. They have idea neither of the sunrise nor of the sunset. It is impossible
for them to perform the duties prescribed for the various times of the day. Can
they be condemned for this? Sri Krishna has an answer for this.
ySTvaTmritrev SyadaTmt&PtZc manv>,
AaTmNyev c s<tuStSy kay n iv*te.
yas-tv-tma-ratir-eva syd-tma-tpta-ca mnava
tmany-eva ca santuas-tasya krya na vidyate -- III-17
(For the person who is absorbed in the contemplation of God in a state of
samadhi and who is enjoying the supreme bliss of the intuitive sight of God,
there is no compulsion for doing any prescribed duties.) But when he comes out
of this samadhi state, he is obliged to perform all the prescribed duties. Only
those who are liberated and thus unaffected by the laws of nature (muKta>) and
those who are in a state of samadhi have no prescribed duties. The teaching of
the Gita is that all the rest have to perform the prescribed duties in a spirit
of service to God.
24. Obligation of action on the Jnani:
Some people argue that only in the state of ajnana there is room for performing
action and for a jnani there is absolutely no duties to perform. The Gita does
not subscribe to this view. Jnanis are only those who are capable of showing by
their own practice the ideal of disinterested action. Only such persons have
acquired the mental poise to perform action in a spirit of Yajna. Besides, by
their realisation of God they have developed the sense of devotion to God and
they have no worldly desires and so they can perform their actions with a pure
mind. If such Jnanis do not have to perform action, then who else can set an
example to the world? God stands eternally liberated. Nor is He bound by the
laws of prescription or prohibition (ivixin;ex). Even He performs action to
exemplify the lofty ideal of karmayoga; where do others stand?
n me pawaRiSt ktRVy< i;u laeke;u ik<cn,
nanvaPtmvaPtVy< vtR @v c kmRi[.
na me prthsti kartavya triu lokeu kicana
nnavptam-avptavya varta eva ca karmai -- III-22
(Oh Partha, even though my desires are ever fulfilled and I am not obliged to
perform any duties, I do continue to perform them.) So says the Lord. Even
Arjuna is not an ordinary person. He is an incarnation of god Indra. Unless he
had realised the supreme God he could not have attained this position. The Lord
is advising even him to perform actions. This shows that whether one is a jnani
or not, he has to perform action.
This God-created world which is meant as a ground for the perfecting of souls,
is real. This ground is not illusory. As soon as you attain spiritual knowledge,
the world does not fade away into nothingness as some think. The world is the
bridge by which we cross the ocean of "Samsara" and reach God. If this is a
dream world and if it disappears as soon as we wake up into perfect knowledge,
the jnani will not see any world at all and the question of his performing duty
in this world will not arise. But the Gita preaches the performance of action
both before as well as after the attainment of spiritual knowledge. Therefore
the Gita does not subscribe to the view that the world and actions performed in
it are illusory. He who denies the reality of the world also indirectly denies
the reality of God.
AsTymit< te jgdarnIZvrm!,
asatyam-apratiha te jagad-hur-anvaram -- XVI-8
If from the sight of a jnani the world disappears, then we will have to deny the
existence of jnanis who convey the vision of God to men. He will have no world
to preach to. But many a prophet had walked this earth and preached the religion
of God. All prophets are jnanis. Therefore we have to believe that this world is
real. The jnanis have to show the way of good action to others by doing it
themselves. They do it for setting an excellent example to others and to attain
intenser bliss in salvation. They perform action up to the very end of their
existence till they attain salvation. Even if they reach the very top of the
ladder they tarry there to give a helping hand to other aspirants to climb
likewise, as a man might stop and help the children climb up.

25. Difference between jnani and ajnani:

But there is a lot of difference between the actions performed by a jnani and an
ajnani. After having obtained the sight of the glorious Paramatma, the jnani has
no desire left for any sensuous objects. All his love is for God alone. Hence no
worldly desires tempt him. And he performs desireless action in a perfect way.
Outwardly, there may seem no difference between the actions of a jnani and an
ajnani. Two lakes may look alike when viewed from outside. But if you dive in
you may find in one more mud than water while the other may be full of crystal
clear water. Similarly, in the deeds of a jnani and an ajnani there may be
outward resemblance. We cannot judge the spiritual depth of the individual from
outside. If his heart is full of wickedness, his actions cannot bear good fruit.
It is not how much you do but how you do that matters. A rich man may donate a
lot of money in ostentation for his own glorification, but if a poor man gives
his little mite with a pure heart it becomes a greater and real sacrifice. We
must judge ones actions not by the external deeds but by the spirit with which
they are performed. There is a beautiful parable in the Mahabharata. Once there
was a famine. A family consisting of four members after starving for many days
at last managed to get a little grain and they cooked their food. At that time
the deity of dharma appeared in the form of a guest. The head of the family
welcomed him and offered him his share of the food. The guest ate the food but
he was still hungry. So the lady of the house, her son and daughter-in-law in
turn, one by one, offered their share of food, vying with each other. God was
pleased by the spirit of sacrifice shown by this poor family, and blessed them.
When the food was thus offered to the guest some water spilled on the floor and
a mongoose which got wet in this water had its half portion turned into gold.
Even if the mongoose rolled in the holy bath water (Av-&y) from sacrifices
performed by kings and emperors, the other side was not transformed into gold.
The moral of this parable is that it is not quantity but quality that matters.
It is not how much you give but how you give it that really counts. Sincerity
and purity of heart enhance the value of the sacrifice and offerings, however
little they may be in quantity. The actions performed by the jnanis is of a very
much higher order than the action performed by ordinary persons. Realising this
difference between the jnani and the ajnani, we should strive our utmost to
follow in the footsteps of the jnanis.
26. Harmonisation of knowledge with action:
Some may object to the theory that all should perform action and without action
it is not possible to attain liberation. For liberation there are two paths, one
is of knowledge and the other of action. When there are two clearly independent
paths, why should action be imposed on all? Why cant we attain liberation by
following the path of knowledge, without performing any action?
Sri Madhvacharya discusses this question elaborately in his Gita Tatparya. If
there is no action in the path of knowledge then there should be no knowledge in
the path of action also. Is it possible to attain liberation by mere action
unillumined by knowledge? No. Just as knowledge is associated with right action,
action is also associated with right knowledge. In a jnani, if there is a
preponderance of action, we call him a karmayogi; if there is a preponderance of
knowledge we call him a jnanayogi. If we ask anyone to fetch water he fetches it
in a tumbler. Do we object and ask him why he brought the tumbler also when we
had merely asked him for water? How can water be fetched at all except in a
vessel? Similarly knowledge cannot manifest itself except through action. As the
medium of the body is necessary for the soul to reveal itself, so also there is
no expression of knowledge except through action. If knowledge without action is
lame, action without knowledge is blind. Without a confluence of both, life will
never be perfectly beautiful. Be he a jnanayogi or a karmayogi, be he a jnani or
an ajnani, all have to perform action in this world. Eschewing action completely
is not only impracticable but also detrimental, says the Gita.
27. Death in a proper pursuit is worthy:
tiTk< kmRi[ "aere ma< inyaejyis kezv,
tat-ki karmai ghore m niyojayasi keava -- III-1
Arjunas question, "If knowledge is superior to action then why are you goading
me into terrible action?" still remains unanswered. "When there is a better
method of jnanayoga followed by Sanaka and others, why should I follow the
terrible path of action and engage myself in warfare? Why cant I proceed to a
forest and spend my days peacefully in prayer and meditation?" The Gita answers
this question thus: diverse paths are open to each one of us. But the
consummation of ones life lies in identifying the pursuit proper to oneself and
following it. The duties bestowed on each vary according to his individual
nature (Sv-av) and fitness. We should determine the kind of our duty suitable to
our individual identity. Shuka and Sanaka followed the path of jnana while Manu
and Janaka followed the path of karma, each one according to his proper
disposition based on his personal identity. Arjuna, too, by his very nature is
born for karma yoga. He is not meant to lead the predominantly peaceful life of
a mendicant. He belongs to the superior category of souls (Aaixkar-s). Putting
down the unrighteous and wicked people and protecting good people is the
activity which belongs to him as a qualified soul. If he shuns his proper
pursuit and leads a life not appointed for him, he cannot accomplish his full
development. Thus in the case of each and every person, the path of pursuit is
determined by the special individuality of each.
Similarly we should follow strictly the duties that accrue to us by social
obligation, according to the ways of life laid down on the basis of varna and
ashrama. As one determines ones individual duty by examining the nature of
ones self, he should also follow the duties entrusted to him by the
particularity of the varna-division to which he belongs and thus discharge his
responsibility to the society. Since the individual way and the way of the
particular varna both belong to ones proper pursuit (SvxmR) Arjuna has to
accept, from his twin-responsibility, the way of kshatriya, shunning the way of
a sannyasi. Sannyasa or vanaprastha (entering the forest) may be superior but
having been destined to bear the responsibility of destroying evil and
protecting the good, it is not proper for Arjuna to abdicate his responsibility
and become a sannyasi or retire into a forest. There are many officers in the
Government. Each has duties and responsibilities allotted to him. If he neglects
his duties and engages himself in other work however useful it may be, he will
not be considered as a good officer. There are soldiers and administrators.
During office hours if they engage themselves, thinking it to be holy, either in
the study of scriptures or in meditation, that would not be dharma. Only by
doing the allotted work in all sincerity can a man achieve his fullest
personality. A mans dignity and worth cannot be judged merely by looking at the
work he is engaged in.
In the same way, the course of action to be followed varies with the peculiar
situation and context of that action. Suppose you are sitting on a river bank
engaged in meditation and you see a man drowning in the river in front of you.
It is but proper that you throw off your meditation and try and save the
drowning man. Meditation is no doubt meritorious but not under such
circumstances. Going to the temple is good in itself, but boys should not miss
their classes and go to the temple for that matter. That is not proper. If
ladies neglect their husbands, and children and household duties and engage
themselves in what is called social work outside their home, it would not be
proper.
In Mahabharata there is a parable illustrating the importance of every
individual performing his rightful duty. A young Brahmin boy, the only son of
his old parents, forsakes them and retires to the forest and performs penance
for a number of years and acquires great spiritual powers. Once while sitting
under the shade of a tree, a bird drops its filth on him. The Brahmin gets wild
and stares at the bird and the bird at once gets reduced to ashes. He is proud
of his spiritual powers. Roaming from village to village and begging for alms,
the Brahmin comes to a house and stands in front of the gate. The lady of the
house is a very noble person. Just as she is about to give alms to the Brahmin,
she sees her husband coming in from outside, tired. Forgetting the guest, she
engages herself in caring for her tired husband and looking after his comforts.
After some time she remembers the guest and taking the alms runs towards him.
The Brahmin gets into a rage and however much she may implore, he does not cool
down. Finally the lady says: "I am not that bird which you reduced to ashes in
the forest." The Brahmin is stunned, and then is cooled down and implores the
lady to tell him how she came to know about the incident of the bird. She then
directs him to a butcher Dharmavyadha. The Brahmin hesitates to go near him.
Dharmavyadha himself asks him: "Are you the Brahmin sent by the lady?" He is
again stunned and asks him how did he come to know about the lady. Dharmavyadha
then explains the secret of his strength. He describes the principles on which
he runs his business and shows him actually how he has been serving his old
parents. This butcher and this lady who were serving their old parents and
husband whilst still engaged in their day-to-day work earned greater merit than
this Brahmin. Forsaking ones duty cast upon him by virtue of his station in
life and caste will not earn any merit even if he is engaged in other noble
duties. The Brahmin in the parable of the Dharmavyadha is a good illustration of
this principle.
SvxmeR inxn< ey> prxmaeR -yavh>.
sva-dharme nidhana reya para-dharmo bhayvaha -- III - 35
(It is worthier to die following ones own proper pursuit; an alien pursuit is
perilous.)
Arjunas personality is that of a karmayogi. He belongs to the kshatriya varna
ordained to carry the burden of protecting others. He has to take part in the
holy war and he has no right to retire to a forest to perform penance. Milk is
no doubt superior to water. But if a fish is put in milk instead of water, it
will die. Similarly every man should determine the duties entrusted to him by
considering his individual nature, the varna status and the context of action.
One can pick and choose a wife. If he does not like her, he may even divorce
her. But can he choose his mother? Can he ever discard his mother as ugly and
take on another? When we are born, the mother is there already. We have to
accept her as our mother and perform our duties and responsibilities as a son,
and there is no choice. The same is the case with dharma or duty. When we are
born, this question as to what duty we have to perform is decided for us. We
should not try to change it. Whatever duty is given to us we should discharge it
sincerely and to the best of our ability. We should not commit the impertinence
of venturing to change it. Sincere adherence to the given dharma itself is
termed as "varna dharma."
28. The special virtues of the caste system:
Why have our forefathers created this caste system and what is its significance?
Should each and every individual be free to choose his own profession or should
the Government interfere in this and regulate? Those who uphold individual
liberty advocate the former view. But such individual liberty may be harmful for
the country as a whole. All might rush into profitable business only and other
less profitable business may be completely neglected. If farmers grow only the
lucrative crops like tobacco at the expense of rice and wheat there will be an
all-round food scarcity. The equilibrium between the various professions will be
lost and society will be lopsided. This will give rise to cut-throat
competition. Some professions will be overcrowded while others will be
neglected. Now-a-days there is a great rush for admission into medical and
engineering colleges and not the arts and science colleges. We should ensure
balanced and all-round development of the whole nation. Hence there is the other
school of men who argue that we should force people to take up stipulated
professions. Work should be distributed among all people and it should be got
done, if need be, by force. Individual liberty should be curbed in the larger
interests of the state. In some countries with dictatorial Governments such
compulsion is resorted to and people are put to forced labour. When a man is
grown up and his likes and dislikes are already well set, it is cruel to force
him to do some work against his will. He will not be able to adjust himself to
his new task for which he has neither the inclination nor aptitude. Also, while
distributing work, there is scope for partiality, favouritism and nepotism. By
such enforcement there will be scope for the suppression of the individuality of
persons.
It is better to catch one young and mould him into whatever profession you want
him to follow in later life. When he grows he will naturally embrace the
profession which is waiting for him. There is no need for any coercion. There is
neither competition nor compulsion. The question who should be trained in which
profession is thus solved quite easily. Depending upon his aptitude and the
environment in which he is growing, he has to select his profession. The
hereditary traits flow in the family. He will naturally show an aptitude in the
particular profession of his forefathers. He also grows up in the same
environment and so the training for such a profession is given to him from his
childhood in the ideal atmosphere of his home. A cobblers son learns his
fathers profession much more easily than an outsider. Hereditary traits and
environment are two powerful factors in deciding the aptitude of any individual.
For any profession, education should start from childhood itself. By this way,
enough people are allocated to each and every profession and there is no room
for a cut-throat competition, and an all-round progress of the whole society is
ensured. All these are achieved by the caste system which has been practised by
our worthy ancestors. It is not narrow-mindedness that is at the back of the
caste system. On the other hand, it is with the highest motive of material and
spiritual advancement of the whole society that this caste system has been
instituted. Whoever performs his caste duty for which he has aptitude and
training, with the greatest devotion to God, earns the highest merit. No man is
great by virtue of his caste alone. Devotion, knowledge and good nature are not
the exclusive property or prerogative of any one caste. In fact, these are open
to people of all castes, whoever can acquire them. On the other hand, to
whatever caste one may belong, if he performs his allotted duties with sincerity
and devotion, he is considered great.
Sviviht v&ya -KTya -gvdaraxn<prmaexmR>,
svavihita vtty bhakty bhagavadrdhanamparamodharma -- Gita Bhashya
(The loftiest dharma lies in serving God with his proper pursuit and devotion.)
Mans greatness is measured by the yardstick of his devotion to God, good nature
and right conduct. The butcher and the noble lady in the parable are worthier
than the Brahmin saint. The merchant Tuladhara becomes a master to Jabali Rishi.
SvkmR[a tm_yCyR isi< ivNdit manv>.
svakarma tam-abhyarcya siddhi vindati mnava -- XVIII - 46
(A man accomplishes his final goal by worshipping God, practising actions proper
to him.)
Performing actions according to our hereditary caste system in itself is a
worship of God. If you neglect this, God will not be pleased even if you worship
him in manifold ways. To put down the enemies of God and wicked men like
Duryodhana is the supreme duty of a person born in the kshatriya caste. Arjuna
being a kshatriya and a karmayogi, it behoves him to fight in this holy war and
rid the world of evil forces. Thus has Sri Krishna advised Arjuna and rid him of
his doubts.
29. Desire, the arch-enemy of the soul:
Even if we know what is right and what is wrong and even if we know that it is
bad to commit sin, why are we forced into it? What is it that drags us into sin
in spite of ourselves.
Awken yuKtae=y< pap< crit pU;>,
atha-kena prayukto'ya ppa carati prua -- III-36
Arjuna asks the above question on behalf of all of us. If we critically examine
the forces which drag us into sin and identify the enemy, we might be able to
overcome them gradually. Sri Krishna says that desire (kam) is that enemy.
Desire and its concomitant anger (aex) are the cause of all sinful deeds in
this world. Man is impelled by a great desire to amass wealth and enjoy himself.
To achieve this he commits sin. If there are any obstructions for the fulfilment
of his desire, he gets angry and even commits violence and murder. Desire is at
the root of all evil deeds. All good men should try to conquer this enemy.
Suppressed desire gives rise to anger and so Krishna even calls desire by the
name of anger itself.
kam @; Kraex @; ... ... ...
kma ea krodha ea ... ... ... -- III-37
Desire is never sated by the enjoyment of the objects of desire. Instead, it
grows more as the fire does with fuel,
mhaznae mhapaPma,
mah-ano mah-ppm -- III-37
It is a terrible glutton and a monstrous source of sin. Is it possible to quench
fire with fuel?
n jatu kam> kamanamup-aegen zaMyit,
na jtu kma kmnmupabhogena myati -- (Manu 2, 94) -- (Mahabharata, Adi
Parva)
This is the lesson learnt by King Yayati. Even when he grew old, his desire for
sex was not satiated and he became young again and enjoyed and he realised that
sexual desire was never abated but became ever stronger. Then wisdom dawned on
him when he realised that we can keep desire under control not by serving but by
subjugating it.
Some time ago in Bombay a young couple committed suicide. The husband had a good
job, a Fiat and a decent salary. But because they could not afford an air-
conditioner in their bedroom, the couple committed suicide. The more gadgets we
have, the more do we hanker after them and make ourselves wretched. This suicide
episode gives an inkling into the mentality of the twentieth century people. In
the west there was a king. He was a gourmet. However much he ate he was not
satisfied and felt like eating more. The stomach revolted, no doubt. It is said
that soon after eating he used to take some medicine to vomit whatever he had
eaten and start all over again. It is a pity that he became a slave to his
tongue. There is a famous saying: "At first we drink liquor. Later on, liquor
drinks us." Desire is thus insatiable. The more you enjoy and yield to your
desire, the more powerful does it become and it holds you completely in its
grip. We may satiate hunger but not desire. The Gita describes it as
:pUre[anlenc ... ... ...
duprenalena-ca ... ... ... -- III-39
(An insatiable fire)
30. The way desire invades man:
xUmenaiVryte viyRwadzaeR mlen c,
ywaeLbenav&tae g-RStwa tenedmav&tm!.
dhmenvriyate vahnir-yathdaro malena ca
yatholbenvto garbhas-tath tenedam-vtam -- III-38
(Just as fire is covered by smoke, mirror by dust and the embryo by the foetus,
so is everyone enveloped in desire.)
All men are subject to this force of desire; only, some more, and others less.
Desire envelopes some in the same way as the smoke envelopes fire. The glow of
the fire is no doubt seen through the smoke but not so well. Some others are
covered by desire in the way a mirror is covered by dust. You may still see your
reflection through the mirror, ever so dimly. But in some others the desire
completely covers them like the amnion covers the embryo. Thus desire wields its
sway on all mankind in one way or the other.
xUmenaiVryte vi ... ... ...
dhmenvriyate vahni ... ... ... -- III-38
When desire envelopes us, it hides the beauty of God from us. God is not
affected by it. It is only we who are denied the sight of God by this desire.
The cloud covers the sun. The sun is not affected by it but glows ever so
brightly. While smoke covers fire, the fire itself burns brightly; only we are
not able to see it. Similarly, desire does not affect God but only prevents us
from having His full and uninterrupted view.
ywadzaeR mlen c,
yathdaro malena ca -- III-38
Desire pollutes our heart. It thus cannot reveal the true nature of the objects
we perceive. A dirty mirror cannot reflect objects properly. Similarly, when
covered by desire, our inner equipment cannot function properly.
ywaeLbenav&tae g-R>
yatholbenvto garbha ... ... ... -- III-38
The soul in the grip of desire becomes helpless. Because of the embryonic cover,
the child inside is cribbed and confined and cannot stretch its legs properly.
The soul also, being in the clutches of desire, becomes cribbed and confined and
cannot achieve anything worthwhile. This stanza illustrates beautifully how
desire affects different strata of people and how in the same individual it
affects the sense of his identity, the heart and the perception of God.
iv(enimh vEir[m!.
viddhy-enam-iha vairiam -- III-37
(Know that in the matter of realisation, desire is the sole enemy.) It should be
our primary concern to overcome this internal enemy.
31. Knowledge is the means to overcome desire:
Desire and anger attack us from the citadels of the senses and the mind.
Therefore to overcome desire and anger, we have first to control our senses. In
this spiritual warfare against desire and anger, knowledge will be our most
potent weapon. Acquiring spiritual knowledge, we realise our own potentialities,
our duties and responsibilities and thus become able to control our senses step
by step. The intellect excites the mind; the mind excites the senses; from the
senses rise desire and anger, and their consequences. If we get to know the
presiding deities of these senses, mind and the intellect then we can proceed
further to get to know the supreme power controlling these deities and then it
will become but childs play to control our senses. Only when the scientists had
discovered the fundamental laws governing matter and energy were they able to
control nature and utilise it for their purpose. Similarly, by understanding
nature and the fundamental forces animating the senses, we will be eminently
able to control them and use them to our advantage. There is so much of
constructive energy latent in nature as well as in senses. Even like the natural
waste, the abuse of the power of our senses is a great national loss. It can be
tapped and used for constructive and nation-building purposes. All the waters of
the river which go waste could be stored in huge reservoirs and used profitably
either for irrigation or power generation. In fact it has been done in many
places. Similarly the human energy can also be utilised constructively by
controlling the senses. Such a constructive use of physical and mental energy is
possible only if we lead a disciplined life with full control over our senses,
mind and reason.
There are two animating powers which dwell in every insentient object, which
enable it to function variously in accordance with its inherent nature. The two
principles, or rather the agents, are the deity presiding (Ai-maindevta) over
that particular object and the Supreme Lord. The deities are those who, under
the control of the Supreme Lord, activate different objects; the indwelling
controller (A<tyaRim) the omnipresent God is Sri Narayana who moves and sustains
the presiding deities and both the animate jeevas and the inanimate things. By
understanding these two principles, the individual presiding deities and the
Universal Lord, we can control all matter and energy. We should understand the
nature and power of the presiding deities like Chandra, Surya, Varuna, Yama,
Indra, Shiva, Vayu and Brahma and the gradations among them and the way the
higher divinity controls the lower. This gradation itself is called (devta
tartMy). The physical and chemical nature of objects are derived from their
presiding deities and the differences in the power and potency of the presiding
deities account for the different chemical and physical properties of objects.
To discipline our lives we should also understand both the Supreme Power and the
presiding deity of our senses, mind and reason, all residing within us,
propitiate them and obtain their grace. The reason will not then excite the mind
and the mind will not ruffle the senses. It is only with the help and grace of
these spiritual powers within us that we can over come the evil and demonic
forces of desire and anger. The knowledge of these Para (The Supreme Lord) and
Apara (the presiding deities) spiritual agents will be the most potent weapon
for us for suppressing our enemies like desire and anger. The knowledge of and
devotion to the Supreme Power controlling all material universe will gradually
increase our soul force and sense of duty. When we are armed with such power and
integrity, how can internal enemies like desire and anger dare attack us? On the
other hand, if we do not believe in God and if we do not propitiate God and earn
His Grace and if we do not lead a good, clean and moral life, naturally we fall
a prey to our own internal enemies such as desire and anger.
@v< bue> pr< budXva s<St_yaTmanmaTmna,
jih zu< mhabahae kamp< rasdm!.
eva buddhe para buddhv sastabhytmnam-tman
jahi atru mah-bho kma-rpa dursadam -- III-43
(Understanding the Lord to be superior to the deity of intellect, controlling
the mind with the superior intellect, destroy the enemy in the shape of desire,
who is all but invincible.)
Thus, in the third chapter, the Lord has stated that with the knowledge of the
Supreme God and other deities we should conquer our internal enemies and
understand our prescribed duties and perform them selflessly in a spirit of
dedication to God.
32. The antiquity of the Gita dharma:
Some people are under the impression that this philosophy of karmayoga was newly
preached by Sri Krishna and that it was not in existence earlier. They also
believe that Vedas advocate karma alone while the Upanishads, the jnana alone,
and that the Gita advocates yet another path different from both. But this is
wrong. Sri Krishna says:
s @vay< mya te=* yaeg> aeKt> puratn>,
sa evya may te'dya yoga prokta purtana -- IV-3
(I am preaching to you the ancient message of karmayoga.) In fact karmayoga with
its twin principles of devotion and disinterestedness has been handed down from
generation to generation from the Almighty Lord to Surya, from Surya to Manu,
from Manu to Ikshvaku, and so on. There is nothing new in it. The Gita only
reiterates the principles already laid down in the ancient Vedas and the
Upanishads.
kvReveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;eCDt~ sma>,
@v< Tviy naNywetae=iSt n kmR ilPyte.
kurvanneveha karmi jijviecchata sam
eva tvayi nnyatheto'sti na karma lipyate -- Isavasya 2
The Isavasyopanishad in the above sloka, tells us in brief how to perform action
without any bondage. The Gita only elaborates this point. This teaching which
has come from the Sun and Manu should be honoured and followed by us, who are
the descendants of Manu. The first man, Manu himself, to whose family we belong,
showed us the path of karmayoga. Hence there is no doubt that in the interest of
general welfare and social justice, it is absolutely essential for one and all
to follow this ancient path of karmayoga.
33. The incarnation of God and its purpose:
Sri Krishna says that He preached this karmayoga to the Sun God at the beginning
of creation. How could Krishna of Dwapara Age preach this to the Sun of an
earlier age at the very beginning of creation? Sri Krishna explains this
paradox.
Just as the individual soul has many births, the Lord has many incarnations. We
should not think that we have only one life. Even when we are leading a
righteous life, we face many hardships and sufferings. On the other hand,
immoral and sinful people are seen leading happy and luxurious lives. Hence a
doubt arises as to why we should lead the difficult and moral life? This doubt
arises because we think of only one life. Even a thief may enjoy a grand life
for one or two days after theft. A sick man may not find any improvement in his
health after taking medicine only for one or two days. The experience of only a
few days is too short to enable us to judge the ultimate result. We have to wait
for quite some time to get the result of our actions. The same applies in the
case of spiritual life also. In the extensive existence of the soul, a single
life is but like a day. From the results seen in one day we cannot judge the
true effects of dharma and karma. From a partial and one-sided view of our life
and from the transient happiness and sorrow, we cannot draw any conclusion of
lasting value. A half-finished painting or sculpture looks grotesque. Similarly
from the unfinished and partial life we cannot judge the far-reaching results of
morality and action. The scriptures say that the soul is eternal and our life is
but a single fragment of its eternity. If we remember this we shall not be
perturbed by temporary setbacks and pleasures and it will give us the courage to
pursue our lives on sound moral principles.
Like the soul, the Lord also takes on many incarnations. He is not ordered or
compelled by anything to take these forms. He does it out of His own free will
and sweet desires. We do not know about our past and future lives but God knows
all about His past and future incarnations. That is the difference between the
individual soul and the Supreme Soul:
taNyh< ved svaRi[ n Tv< veTw pr<tp.
tny-aha veda sarvi na tva vettha parantapa -- IV-5
Sri Krishna now proceeds to explain the purpose of His incarnations. We enter
into activity for the fulfilment of some desire. But in God there is no
unfulfilled desire. He is not wanting in anything. Hence His incarnation is not
for any personal satisfaction or fulfilment. He is all-merciful. Out of
compassion for the suffering humanity He takes on His incarnations. In our case,
even when we are helping others, in our heart of hearts we may have some selfish
motives. In ordinary people, the motive may be purely selfish, and in great men
and holy men, the motive may be to acquire merit, and obtain the grace of God.
Hence all people, big or small, have some motive, high or low, in performing
action. If there is anybody in the universe who performs action solely for the
good of others without any selfish interests it is the all-merciful God alone.
His creation and playful incarnations are all motivated by extreme compassion
for suffering humanity. There is no selfish motive in Him. There are different
categories of soul, pure stvika (saiTvk), impure tmasa (tams) and passionately
active rjasa (rajs). God takes incarnation for the glory of the pure souls.
yda yda ih xmRSy Glain-Rvit -art,
A_yuTwanmxmRSy tdaTman< s&jaMyhm!,,
pira[ay saxUna< ivnazay c :ktam!,
xmRs<SwapnawaRy s<-vaim yuge yuge.
yad yad hi dharmasya glnir-bhavati bhrata
abhyutthnam-adharmasya tadtmna sjmyaham
paritrya sdhn vinya ca duktm
dharma-sasthpanrthya sambhavmi yuge yuge -- IV-8
(Whenever righteousness lies prostrate and unrighteousness becomes rampant then
to destroy the wicked and protect the good and to establish the rule of law and
dharma, I incarnate myself in every such age.)
God is Almighty. He need not descend to earth. Sitting in His own place He can
destroy the wicked. Still He takes on a human form and lives like a man in this
world just to set an example for mankind. The mother can take the child in her
arms and walk fast. But she prefers to walk slowly and lead the child by holding
its hands and teach it to walk. So also, God in his mercy descends on earth,
takes a human form and lives with men like men, and shows us the way to lead an
ideal life. The purpose of God's incarnation is to teach us to live well. The
Bhagavata says:
mTyaRvtar iSTvhmTyR iz][<,
martyvatra stvihamartya ikaa
Why does the Lord kill wicked people in His incarnations? He is totally free
from desire and anger and so, why does He indulge in such violence? Ordinary
mortals have attachment of their physical bodies and so are subject to emotions
like desire and anger. The king rewards those who praise him, he punishes those
who criticise him and these are quite natural. But God is beyond these worldly
things and He is not affected by any such feelings. Therefore would it be right
if He, like ordinary kings and men, favour His devotees and punish His enemies?
There is an answer to this question in the Bhagavata, Seventh Skanda.
svaRTmn> smzae ySwanh<kte>,
tTkt< mitvE;My< inrv*Sy n Kvict!.
sarvtmana samado hy-advayasthnahakte
tat-kta mati-vaiamya niravadyasya na kvacit -- 1 : 9 : 21
For the Lord who is beyond all worldly nature, there is no touch of any emotion
like desire and anger. He is not perturbed by praise or blame. He is not
overjoyed by any praise of Him, neither is He depressed by any blame. He is not
moved by these passions when He punishes the wicked. The people who know the
Truth and tread the path of righteousness are his devotees. The tamasa and
rajasa souls spurn this truth, tread the path of unrighteousness and bring
disorder in this world. They are the enemies of God. God protects the deities
and His devotees and thus strengthens the satvik force; when He destroys the
demons He only curbs the rajas and tamas spirit. His punishment or reward are
not for any personal benefit which He has none and has no need. It is just to
help the process of creation and evolution of the universe in the right
direction that He strengthens the satvik forces and puts down the destructive
forces, and this, in fact, is the noble purpose of His incarnation. Where is the
scope for any emotions like desire and anger in this scheme of things? There is
no room for any selfishness in His actions. In Bhagavata it is said:
sTv<suranIkimvEx yTyj>,
rjStmSkan! ih[aeTyuKrm>.
satvasurnkamivaidha yatyaja
rajastamaskn prahiotyurukrama
Seen from this point of view we cannot attribute any partiality or nepotism to
God. Some people, acquiring dictatorial powers by their might, bring death and
destruction on a mass scale and shake the very foundation of the just social
order. If there is cancerous growth in any part of the body, the whole body
suffers the pain. Similarly such wicked people with demonic forces cause
suffering for the whole world. Suppression of such evil forces is absolutely
necessary to save the world from catastrophe. When there is a tumor in the body
it has to be removed by surgical operation. Similarly, destruction of such
monsters who torment the people is not considered as violence but as a surgical
operation to save the world. When we understand the difference between violence
caused for selfish ends due to our own personal desire, and the destruction of
the evil forces wrought by God for the protection of the good people and the
establishment of the world in good, then all our doubts regarding the purpose of
God's incarnation will disappear.
Thus the religion of the Bhagavad Gita is not something novel preached during
the Krishna incarnation for the first time but it is only reiteration of an
ancient and eternal religion preached by God Himself from the beginning of
creation. Thus by dispelling all the doubts the Lord creates firm faith in and
liking for karmayoga.
34. The difference between the individual soul and the Universal Soul:
This part of the Gita explains clearly the difference between the individual
soul and the Universal Soul, the God. Even though the soul has spent many lives,
man is not aware of these. Even in this life, he experiences pleasure and pain
but he has no control over these. But God's incarnations are quite different.
God takes incarnations of His own free will. He is not affected either by pain
or pleasure. His incarnation is purely for the welfare of the world. In this
activity, there is no loss of His knowledge, bliss and other auspicious
qualities. From these fundamental differences we can easily see that the two are
not identical. This difference has been emphasised in the Gita. Sri Krishna says
that if we realise this difference and acquire true knowledge of His greatness
and true Nature, then we can attain salvation.
vItrag-yKraexa mNmya mamupaita>,
bhvae }antpsa pUta mavmagta>.
vtargabhayakrodh manmay mmuprit
bahavo jnatapas pt madbhvamgat -- IV-10
(Devoid of attachment, fear and anger, full of Me and finding their refuge in
Me, many, having purified themselves through knowledge and asceticism, have
attained a place in Me.)
Here the jnanis are called "manmaya" or "Bhagavanmaya". "Manmaya" does not mean
those who are identical with God. In the very next half of the line there is the
word mmuprit (mamupaita>) that is, "those that take shelter in me." This
shows the difference between the jnani and Paramatma. One is the soul that seeks
shelter and the other is the supreme soul that gives shelter. Those that give
Him the highest place in their lives and those who see His function in the
motion and existence of everything, are the true devotees (Bhagavanmayas).
zrvNmyae -vet!,
aravattanmayo bhavet
The above is a quotation from an Upanishad. Just as an arrow penetrates into and
sticks to its target, so alone our mind should penetrate and stick to God. When
we say we are "Bhagavanmaya", full of God, we only mean we are established in
Him. By this sort of establishment in God, we should get salvation which is but
finding a firm foundation in God.
35. Jnanis and Traividyas:
The Gita now proceeds to describe the difference between those who have full
knowledge of karmayoga and others. Jnanis worship the Supreme Lord with
undistracted devotion. These have no desire for any worldly rewards. They do not
pray to the lesser deities for worldly happiness. With the knowledge that there
is one sole Supreme Lord of the whole universe, they just surrender themselves
to Him whole-heartedly. Such people are known as Bhagavatas. Sri Bhimasena is
unique among such Bhagavatas. We can see in his life the supreme embodiment of
unwavering devotion to God. Archery did not interest Bhimasena. The archers have
to invoke deities like Agni, Vayu etc. for the potency of their weapons, for the
selfish gains of killing enemies. Bhimasena did not like this. For his personal
gains he did not wish to beg of anybody - not even God. Therefore he took to his
mace as a weapon whose potency depends only upon his physical strength and
valour. In the village of Ekachakra, whereas the other Pandavas were begging
alms, Bhimasena did not join them. He thought that those who lived by the
Bhagavata dharma should not lead an undignified life. Those who did their God-
ordained duty have automatically right over the society to demand what they
needed:
i-]aqn< Zc <karat! krvt! vEZytae=hIt!,
bhikana ca hukrt karavat vaiyato'graht
(He demanded his bhik (i-]a) with a thundering voice as a king demands his
taxes from the vaiya (vEZy).)
Just as the kings received the offerings by the subject as their right,
Bhimasena also got his daily needs from the people without any anxiety or
begging or losing any self-respect. Thus he never begged of either people or the
gods for any of his personal needs. He bows only before the Supreme God. Thus
does Bhimasena exemplify the principle that a Bhagavata should never lead a life
of humiliation for the satisfaction of selfish desires.
Even before God, Bhimasena will not bow his head and ask for any worldly
favours. In the Mahabharata war, after Dronacharya was killed, his son
Ashwathama sent up his Narayanastra which was more potent than any held in the
Pandava army. No one was able to stop it. It has the power to kill every one
coming in its way. If any body keeps down his weapon and bows to this and pays
homage, it would not harm him. As advised by Sri Krishna the whole of the
Pandava army bowed before this arrow and thus saved themselves. It was the arrow
bearing the name of God Narayana and since there is nothing demeaning for a king
in bowing before the Supreme Lord Narayana, Bhimasena was also advised likewise.
But Bhimasena was not prepared to bow even to God's own weapon just to save his
life. He would not ask the Lord any favours barring spiritual knowledge,
devotion and grace. He did not want to disarm himself and beg of the Lord to
save his life. He had never asked anybody for any personal favours. Thus
Bhimasena is regarded as an ideal personality who has completely assimilated the
Bhagavata dharma to himself.
One may not go to the same extent as Bhimasena. But even if one gives up the
worship of lesser gods for small favours and prays to the Supreme God for its
own sake, even then he will be considered as a true follower of the Bhagavata
dharma.
We see several who even if they know God to be supreme, have not realised Him as
the omnipresent regulator from within and the prime doer. They pray to God only
occasionally, and that too, for some petty rewards. Such people are called
'Trai-vidyas' (i.e. those who know only the superficial meaning of the three
Vedas). They have some devotion but they do not have full knowledge of the
greatness of God. They have not inculcated this devotion to God in their lives.
Whenever they perform any deeds they forget the supreme doership of God and act
under the illusion that they are the doers and that the petty gods reward them
with fruits and that both are independent their hearts are stirred by desires
for immediate fruits.
The Supreme Lord's ways of issuing rewards to the Bhagavatas and Trai-vidyas
differ. The Bhagavatas worship God devotedly with full knowledge of His power
and greatness. Whatever you may do and to whatever god you may pray, it all
reaches the Supreme God Vishnu who is inside each and everything in this
Universe.
svR dev nmSkar> kezv<itgCDit,
sarva deva namaskra keavampratigacchati
Whichever god you may worship, the Supreme giver of rewards, however trivial the
reward may be, is still the Lord Himself. There is only one God and He is inside
all other Gods bearing their very names and forms. He is the prime mover behind
all our actions. Whosoever you may worship, ultimately it reaches the Supreme
God. But poor Trai-vidyas are not aware of this. Due to ignorance of the all-
pervasiveness of the Supreme God, they run after different deities for small
favours and even when they are worshipping the great God Himself they are not
aware which God in fact they are propitiating.
mm vTmaRnu vtRNte mnu:ya> pawR svRz>.
mama vartmnu vartante manuy prtha sarvaa -- IV-11
(They are all but treading my (own) path.)
But these aspirants too are on the right path to God. They are not aware that
what they are worshipping is nothing but the Supreme God itself. God is
fulfilling their petty desires also and rewarding them although not to the same
extent as He is doing in the case of Bhagavatas.
ye ywa ma< p*Nte ta< StwEv -jaMyhm!,
ye yath m prapadyante t stathaiva bhajmyaham -- IV-11
"I reward people according to their kind of devotion," says the Lord.
There is another category of devotees who do not go to lesser gods but
nevertheless go to the Supreme God Himself, for personal favours. These people
may not get liberation in this very life but they are on the right road to it.
It is in any case better than leading a sinful life. For personal favours,
instead of begging the rich and the mighty, is it not better to beg God Himself?
mm vTmaRnu vtRNte mnu:ya> pawR svRz>.
mama vartmnu vartante manuy prtha sarvaa -- IV-11
(Even the people performing desire-prompted action also tread the path which
ultimately lead to Me.)
Being unable to bear the insult of his stepmother, the young boy Dhruvaraj
proceeded to a forest, did penance and obtained the vision of God. So God exalts
us if we turn to Him with the urges of desire. Dhruvaraj no doubt had God's
vision and he enjoyed all the worldly and kingly pleasures but that did not
satisfy him. He weeps for his folly of asking God for worldly pleasures instead
of heavenly bliss. When God was capable of taking him completely out of the
cycle of birth and death and open the very floodgates of His grace and
benediction, Dhruva asked Him only for fleeting and momentary worldly pleasures.
He therefore repents and spends the rest of his life in pure devotion and
desireless action and ultimately reaches the goal. Hence aspiring souls, even if
they turn towards God prompted by any desire, ultimately change their attitude
and go in the right path toward God.
Therefore the Upanishads proclaim:
"iyadey<" "i-yadey<"
"hriydeya" "bhiydeya"
(Give, out of shame; give out of fear.)
At least out of shame, on seeing others give alms and donations, you also do it.
Give away your wealth at least out of shame that while others are giving you are
not; give at least out of fear of danger to happiness in this world and the
other. This is what the Upanishads insist: do good deeds, be it out of shame or
even with a desire for fame and prestige. It is better to do so, than do nothing
at all.
Some people offer huge donations and perform religious ceremonies on a very
grand scale. Others who are jealous of such people call this as exhibitionism.
But even if it be for show, these people spend their hoarded wealth and
distribute it among the poor. Is it not far better than the critics who do not
have any generosity and only find fault in others who have? In short, the Gita
says that any life which leads towards God is better than the one which takes
one the other way.
36. The fourfold varna system as depicted by the Gita:
The cause for gradation in devotion and religious practices anuhna (Anuan)
lies in God's own system of creation in consonance with the intrinsic nature and
individuality of souls. God has not invented this difference or gradation. The
individual qualities are natural and eternal; and it is but natural that there
should be difference in the quality of aspirants in God's creation, which is
based on a set of facts like intrinsic difference of souls.
catuvR{yR mya s&< gu[kmRiv-agz>,
cturvarya may sa guakarmavibhgaa -- IV-13
Sri Krishna says that He has Himself brought about this caste system in
conformity with the nature and aptitude for work of the individual only. The
superficial meaning of the above stanza is quite confusing. There is no reason
for Sri Krishna to talk about caste system when he is describing the difference
between people who perform action under the urge of desire and others who do it
desirelessly. It is irrelevant, at this point, whether the society is divided
into castes by birth or by qualities. So, we should not take the fourfold
pattern to be wholly identical with the current caste system.
Besides, it is contrary to fact to assert that individual qualities and ways
depend on the caste division. Serenity of mind and discipline of the body are
not the exclusive prerogative of any one caste. They may be found in people
belonging to all the four castes. It is quite possible to find a higher sense of
devotion and good conduct in a Vaishya or a Shudra than in a so-called high-
caste Brahmin. There is no total consistency between the classification of souls
on the basis of intrinsic virtues mentioned in the Gita and the present caste
system. And it would be unrealistic to forge a new system of castes on the basis
of the intrinsic qualities and ways. One and the same person may behave in
different ways in entirely different circumstances. In such a situation, it
would be impracticable to go on changing the caste system from moment to moment,
as the system is based on specialised cultivation, occupation and pursuit.
Besides, it is also possible that much friction would be generated while
determining the existence or absence of spiritual qualities. It may be possible
to make use of the peculiar radiance of individual virtues while determining a
person's attainment. If we try to restructure society on the basis of individual
assessment, we are but courting perpetual conflict. Hence it is clear that we
can not divide a community into different social classes and castes on the basis
of individual nature. Nor is it possible to adjust the classification by
qualities with the present caste system. For example, a Brahmin is supposed to
possess some virtues. But we see in every day life instances in which such
virtues as are lacking in Brahmins are amply found in Non-Brahmins. How can we
say that these virtues are the prerogatives of only those who are born in a
Brahmin family and not of others? It would be a sheer contradiction of fact.
Hence we must examine carefully the exact import of Sri Krishna's reference to
the caste system.
Sri Madhvacharya has explained this point clearly in his commentary on the Gita.
He has explained that the four divisions of the caste system do not belong to
the human body but to the soul; the souls are categorised into four groups
depending upon their nature, quality and propensities. The good souls which are
worthy of salvation are classified into four divisions. All these have a
preponderance of the sattvagua (svgu[) the differentia among them is due to
the permutations of the qualities of rajogua (rjaegu[) and tamogua (tmaegu[)
only, and on the basis of this difference of combination only they are
classified fourfold. Devotion to God amo-bhagavannihat (zmae-gvita) and
control over the senses dama (dm) are basic to all. They are divided into four
classes only on the basis of the degree of the two great qualities possessed by
each. Such is the fourfold system, based on the intrinsic nature of the soul,
propounded in the Gita.
Sva-aivkae a[aid> zmadErevi-*te,
yaein-ed ktae-ed> }ey AaEpaixkSTvym!.
svbhviko brhmadi amdairevabhidyate
yonibheda ktobheda jeya aupdhikastvayam
(The natural differentiation into castes like Brahmins and others is according
to the qualities of devotion to God etc., while the classification according to
birth is conditioned by external factors.)
We can resolve the society into four classes like Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya
and Shudra in two ways. One is by birth, and the other by the inner qualities of
the soul. The former classification is conditional or artificial while the
latter is intrinsic. It is not proper to judge a man only by the accident of his
birth. We should judge him by his behaviour, deed and character. The latter
method of classification appears to be more natural and more enduring, as it is
based on the essential nature of the soul and not on the physical attributes.
If categorisation into castes by birth is useful for social organisation and for
the observance of religious ceremonies according to the prescriptions of the
shastras, the division on the basis of the intrinsic nature of the souls is
foundational being based on matters of spiritual practice and meditation.
Aixket gu[> zUe a[id> s %Cyte>,
a[aePyLp gu[k> zU @veitkIitRt>.
adhikaceta gua dre brhmaadi sa ucyate
brhmaopyalpa guaka dra evetikrtita
Even though by birth one is a Shudra, if he is rich in noble qualities like
self-control and serenity of mind he is verily a Brahmin from the point of view
of the soul. On the other hand, even if he is a Brahmin by birth, if he is poor
in these qualities, he is verily a Shudra. Thus an individual should not be
measured by his caste and birth only. We should assess him on the basis of his
conduct, his intensity of devotion and intrinsic virtues.
The physical body may be of a high caste Brahmin but it does not follow that the
soul it covers is necessarily qualitatively superior. The import of the Gita is
that the greatness of the soul is to be measured by the yardstick of virtues
reflected in his good deeds and good nature. Therefore in the Bhagavata it is
said:
ivaid ;'gu[ yutadrivNdnat!,
padarivNdivmuoat! pc<virm!.
viprdi aagua yutdaravindant
pdravindavimukht vapacavariham
A Pariah who is a devotee of God is far better than even a Brahmin if he is
ungodly. In the Mahabharata parable of Dharmavyadha also it is stated:
yStuzUae dmesTye xmeRcsttaeiTyt>,
t<a[mh<mNye v&enih -veij>.
yastudro damesatye dharmecasatatotyita
tambrhmaamahammanye vttenahi bhavedvija
A Shudra with noble qualities like self-control and truthfulness is indeed a
Brahmin; a man is to be identified as a Brahmin only by his noble deeds. In
answering a question by Yaksha, it is stated that virtuous character alone is
the distinguishing cause of being a Brahmin. All this is not written to cry down
the present caste system. Its main purpose is to highlight the importance of
good character and conduct in identifying noble souls.
This does not mean the physical caste system in spite of its conditioning
factors, laid down in our scriptures, is superfluous. It is most essential for
determining the duties and responsibilities of each person and for religious
pursuits. But we cannot determine the worthiness or otherwise of a soul for
salvation just by considering his birth and caste. Even if we classify religious
rituals and pursuits on the basis of the external attributes of caste and birth,
we cannot determine the worthiness for salvation on that basis. We cannot also
decide about the spiritual qualifications like devotion, prayerfulness etc. and
the genuine honesty of a person on the basis of birth or caste. The one born as
a Brahmin does not automatically possess great virtues like devotion and
discipline. We have to assess a man only on the basis of right conduct and the
particular combination of the three gunas. Good qualities and good nature should
be discovered and honoured wherever and in whatever caste they are found. It is
to enable us to identify this fundamental good nature among men that the Gita
has laid down this categorisation. The caste system referred to in the Gita is
not a classification based on accidental attributes of birth but a
classification of good souls in our society. Such a classification which depends
upon the essential, deeper qualities will bring about harmony among the members
of the different communities for the good of the society as a whole,
compensating for the gaps left by the caste system based on accidental features.
According to the Gita, the caste system is nothing but a community of noble
souls. To them God has given physical bodies and other accessories and brought
them into this world. Hence, He has helped us more than our parents and teacher.
We should not forget such a Being and run after others inferior to Him for our
worldly rewards. Hence all good souls are to be devoted entirely to the Supreme
Lord of the Universe who is full of all the auspicious qualities. Forgetting Him
we should not run after lesser deities, spirits or other persons for any worldly
rewards. The Supreme Lord is one and only one. In Him we should have faith,
confidence and devotion. We should not pervert our minds by worshipping a
multitude of lesser deities. Hinduism does not cynically propound a polytheistic
religion with a plurality of supreme gods as some think. It is clear that
monotheism alone is the supreme import of the Gita. In the ninth chapter, this
has been clearly explained.
ye=PyNydevta --a yjNte ya=iNvta>,
te=ip mamev kaENtey yjNTyivixpUvRkm!.
Ah< ih svRy}ana< -ae-a c -urev c,
n tu mami-janiNt tvenatZCyviNt te.
yaiNt devta devan! iptNyaiNt iptta>,
-Utain yaiNt -UteJya yaiNt m*aijnae=ip mam!.
ye'pyanyadevat bhakt yajante raddhay'nvit
te'pi mmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhiprvakam -- IX-23
aha hi sarvayajn bhokt ca prabhureva ca
na tu mmabhijnanti tattventacyavanti te -- IX-24
ynti devavrat devn pitnynti pitvrat
bhtni ynti bhtejy ynti madyjino'pi mm -- IX-25
(Even those who worship other deities and sacrifice to them with faith in their
hearts, are really worshipping Me, though with a mistaken approach. For I am the
only enjoyer and the only God of all sacrifices. Nevertheless such men must
return to life on earth, because they do not recognise Me in my true nature.
Those who sacrifice to the various deities, will go to those deities. The
ancestor worshippers will go to their ancestors. Those who worship elemental
powers and spirits will go to them. So also, My devotees will come to Me.)
Who are the other deities and who is the Supreme Lord, are explained here. By
using the words m (ma<) and madyjina (m*aijn>) Sri Krishna reveals that He
Himself is the Supreme Lord. From this it is clear that Sri Krishna is the Lord
of all deities and receiver of all sacrificial offerings. If you worship lesser
deities, you naturally get smaller rewards; even if the smaller deities are
worshipped, these sacrificial offerings are received by the Supreme Lord Himself
who is immanent in these deities and it is He who rewards the devotees; if He
Himself is directly worshipped as the Supreme Lord Himself, the devotee will be
crowned with the highest fruit of salvation.
37. Action and inaction:
The Gita gives the quintessence of karmayoga, discussed so far, so pithily in
the following verse:
kmR{ykmR y> pZyedkmRi[ c kmR y>,
s buimaNmnu:ye;u s yu-> kTkmRkt!.
karmayakarma ya payedakarmai ca karma ya
sa buddhimnmanuyeu sa yukta ktsnakarmakt -- IV-18
"One should perceive inaction in action, and action in inaction" is the apparent
meaning and it appears like a riddle. But the lines propound the essence of
karmayoga in a nutshell. Whenever we perform action, the egoism that we are the
doers of action is always with us. Even pious people who otherwise know that God
is the doer of all deeds seem to forget, for a moment, that God is the prime
mover. It is the forgetfulness of this aspect of God's activity that is the
cause of man's egoism. Hence these actions become binding. Therefore when we
perform any action, we should always remember that we are not doing these
actions independently but it is the great work of the Lord functioning in these
actions. If we remember God, there will be no room for attachment and egoism.
That is what is meant by the idea that in action we should see 'inaction'. Even
as we are engaged in physical activity our attitude should be that it is not our
activity but God's. We should not only realise our own limitations but also see
the hand of God in all the worldly activity. A means God. Hence akarma (AkmR)
means God's work. For every activity in this universe there are two beings
responsible: the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. A father takes hold of
his son's hand and makes him write the alphabets. Here the mind and efforts of
both the persons are involved. We have seen in everyday life joint efforts being
put by two persons. The unseen hand of God is behind each one of our activities
and we derive all our energy and inspiration from Him only. Thus in each one of
our activities, both our efforts and God's power are combined, but with this
difference, that God does not depend upon anything else for His powers whereas
we are for ever dependent on Him for whatever we do. He is the object and we are
His image. Unless the object moves, the image cannot move at all. Hence the
source of all of our activities is God Himself.
iv:[aerevkmR -- nah<ict!itib<b> ikTkraeim,
viorevakarma -- nhacitpratibimba kicatkaromi -- Gita Bhashya
Because we are not independent, even though we are actively engaged in any work,
we are called inactive. But God is independent and for His activity he does not
depend upon us. He is the real source of power behind all the states of our
existence. Even when we are fast asleep or in a dream state, God's activity
within us continues. In dream we see objects just as we see pictures in a movie.
Who creates this dream world for us? We have no hand in it. God's work is behind
all these and His activity is quite independent of us akarmaicakarmaya
(AkmRi[ckmRy>). Even in the state of our inactivity, God's activity is ever
continuing and keeps the Universe moving. Thus God's power perpetually works by
itself without an ulterior dependence. The answer to the riddle of action and
inaction lies in realising the weakness of the individual and the Lord's
incessant activity and unfettered independence.
The same ideas can be derived by looking at the stanza in another way. Only the
individual soul, who is governed by duties and responsibilities, is bound by the
obligation of action. The soul who is bound by action is called 'Karma'. But the
Supreme Lord who is beyond all action is called 'Akarma'. It is significant that
God is called 'Akarma' since he is not bound by any rules and regulations and he
is beyond all action. Even if any individual performs any action, he does it not
by his own ability. Since he has no capacity for independent action in anything,
it is said that the soul performs no action. All action is reposed in God who is
beyond everything. He is the prime mover and He is the force and the energy
behind every action in this whole universe.
n teTvt!iyteik<icnare,
na tratetvatkriyatekicinre -- Rigveda 10-113-9
(Without God nothing moves in the Universe.)
AkmRi[ckmRy>,
akarmaicakarmaya -- IV-18
implies the independence and omnipotence of the Supreme God. This stanza asks us
to remember always that we are utterly dependent upon God. God alone is the
Independent Reality.
Many people have interpreted this stanza in their own way according to their
fancy. "Doing action or not doing action are both an illusion. Even when we are
doing action, that action is not real. Even when we think that we are not doing
action, there will be action in us. Hence both action and inaction are not real.
When we travel in a train, the distant trees and buildings seem to run in the
opposite direction. But in reality they do not move. Similarly even if some
activity is seen in us it must be deemed as unreal. A person at a great distance
seems to be stationary even though he may be walking. We may be thinking that he
is not walking but he is walking. Similarly we may be thinking that we are
inactive but these imaginary actions crop up within us. Even though action may
be unreal, we are never bothered by it." Even when the world of action always
clings to us they say it is all unreal and imaginary. But we feel this to be a
strange interpretation. How can we believe that when Krishna has been
consistently advising Arjuna to perform his duty and in the rest of the
discourse too he is insisting on the same theme, He could ever, at this stage,
defying all consistency, give Arjuna a philosophy which denies the very world of
action? If all that we do is as unreal as a dream then why indulge in it with
faith and perseverance? If, after doing all this action with supreme effort, the
whole fuss of action comes to nought, then will not one feel that it is better
to keep mum? If Krishna had told Arjuna that both action and inaction are
imaginary, it would have confused him further instead of goading him into
action. We cannot expect such an irrelevant action from God Himself.
Tyva kmR)las< inTyt&ae inray>,
kmR{yi-v&ae=ip nEv ik<icTkraeit s>.
tyaktv karmaphalsaga nityatpto nirraya
karmayabhipravtto'pi naiva kicitkaroti sa -- IV-20
This stanza explains the means of finding inaction in action. This stanza says
that he who performs action without caring for the fruit of action, without any
ego, is deemed as one who has not performed action.
Inaction does not mean forsaking action. Nor does it mean treating all action as
illusory. The author of the Gita has clearly laid down here that performing duty
without attachment or egoism itself is 'non-action'. If only we noticed this
stanza which immediately follows, while interpreting akarmayakarmaya payet
(AkmR{ykmRy> pZyet!) we can easily grasp the meaning of the riddle-like stanza.
The Gita never propounds anywhere that either the world or the actions that we
see are unreal. In fact such an interpretation is utterly contrary to the
philosophy of karmayoga propounded by the Gita at every step. Everyone
acknowledges that the Gita prescribes performance of action even to those who
have attained God-realisation. The blessed Lord offers Himself as an example and
says that everyone has to perform the duties entrusted to him.
kyaRi an! twa=sKt>,
kurydvi dvn tath'sakta
The Gita clearly lays down that even the illumined soul should perform actions
with detachment. Even Sri Sankaracharya who otherwise advocates the illusoriness
of action and non-performance of action by all jnanis admits that this stanza
(IV-20) imposes performance of action by a Brahma Jnani. There is thus no
dispute about the fact that the Gita advocates performance of action even after
the attainment of realisation. If action itself is illusory, how can the Gita
advocate performance of action by a jnani? If action is illusory, there cannot
be any illusion for a jnani and hence there cannot be any action for a jnani. A
rope can be mistaken for a snake only till its true identity is revealed and not
afterwards. If the world and the actions are unreal and illusory, they will
disappear the moment real wisdom dawns. Whatever that remains even after wisdom
is attained can never be untrue. If a jnani also performs some action in this
world, then it is clear that both the world and the action are not unreal. The
Gita advocates that the world of action which is performed even by those who
have attained the knowledge of Brahman and the world itself which is the field
of action, are real. Therefore, if anybody says that the sloka karmaNyalarmayaH
pashyet.h advocates unreality of action, he contradicts the basic contention of
the Gita.
38. Different kinds of sacrifice:
Action that is performed as a sacred duty and as a dedication to God who is
independent, all-powerful and omnipotent, alone is true action. Such an action
which is performed as a sacrifice does not conduce to bondage. There are many
ways of performing sacrifice and Sri Krishna describes these in the fourth
chapter.
Vyy}aStpaey}a yaegy}aStwapre,
Sva Xyay }any}a yty> s<iztta>.
dravyayajstapoyaj yogayajstathpare
sv dhyya jnayajca yataya saitavrat -- IV-28
@v< bivxa y}a ivtta [ae muoe,
kmRjaiNvi taNsvaRnev< }aTva ivmaeyse.
eva bahuvidh yaj vitat brahmao mukhe
karmajnviddhi tnsarvneva jtv vimokyase -- IV-32
Actions performed with the sole purpose of pleasing God without desire and
attachment, themselves are sacrifices. The sannyasis are not supposed to offer
oblation to fire and perform sacrifice. But the sacrifice advocated in the Gita
is open to all persons. The intense devotion of yogis, the sense-control and
breath-control practised by the yogic aspirants and the intense study and lesson
of the pundits are all sacrifices in one form or the other. Even the sense
delights enjoyed by the organs are a form of sacrifice.
zBdadIiNv;yanNy #iNyai;u juit,
abddnviaynanya indriygniu juhvati -- IV-26
(Some sacrifice the objects of sense, such as sound, etc. into the fire of the
senses.)
Even our physical frame is a means for serving God and for that the body should
be kept in a fit condition by partaking of good and wholesome food and thus,
even eating without attachment becomes a form of sacrifice. As a mechanic oils
the machine in order to make it work well, in the same way the jnani thinks of
his body as a machine and feeds it with conducive food. In this case there is no
scope for excitement or perversion of the mind. Eating food or any other routine
activities of life done in such a healthy frame of mind are counted by the Gita
as but versions of sacrifice.
In the Chandogya Upanishad the whole life is called a sacrifice. A holy person's
life, in which all the activities of life are dedicated to God, is itself a
supreme yajna. Wherever there is selflessness, wherever there is dedication,
there is the essence of a yajna. It is but natural to call a holy person's life
yajna since the very texture of his life is woven with such dedication. There is
an important place for dakshina in a yajna. Without it, the yajna is not
complete. In a true sort of life, truth, mercy and compassion are dakshina, says
the Upanishad. Because of these virtues our life becomes full and consummate.
The Upanishad describes death as avabhtha (Av-&w), culminating holy bath, The
real jnani engaged in perforAing these duties, is not afraid of death. He
welcomes it with open arms as a great boon. The karmayogis joyously embrace
death to fulfil the supreme perfection of life even as a person performing yajna
spiritedly yearns for the avabhtha (Av-&w) bath.
Thus the Gita has shown us the true import and significance of sacrifice in its
most comprehensive meaningfulness. The Gita has taught us by diverting us from
the voluptuous life and the narrow circle of life described by a sense of 'I'
and 'mine', to live a life for the sake of others and in a spirit of dedication
to the indwelling Lord of the world. To the ignorant people who think that yajna
means pouring ghee into the sacrificial fire to attain worldly pleasures, wealth
and even heaven svarga, the Gita has given a wider significance to the term.
Even as Sri Krishna has revealed his infinite form to Arjuna during this
discourse, the Gita has shown us here the infinite dimensions of yajna. In the
usual yajna an animal is sacrificed. But in the sacrifice preached in the Gita,
what we have to sacrifice is our beastly egoism and selfishness. Like the
sacrificial goat the selfish man goes on crying me me (me me) "mine, mine". Our
life has become a grazing ground for such a beast.
#dm* mya lBximd< aPSye mnaerwm!
idamadya may labdhamida prpsye manoratham -- XVI-13
(I have gained this today; I will again gain another later.)
#hNte kam-aegawRmNyayenawR scyan!
ihante kmabhogrthamanyyenrtha sacayn -- XVI-12
(They try to gain lots of money through unfair means to satisfy their sense
desires.)
They always hanker after whatever they see in the world and they want to possess
everything they see around them. "Today I have this, tomorrow I must have that.
That is how it goes on." They multiply their wants. They stick to their
positions of power by hook or by crook and for this they do not hesitate to
commit even the worst of crimes. We see such deplorable people all around us.
Unless we adhere to the teachings of the Gita in our day-to-day life we cannot
cleanse this dirt from our body politic. Sacrifice your selfishness, dedicate
all that you possess to God and perform your action as a worship for the good of
mankind. This is the sacred sacrifice. This is true worship.
at> -&itsaya<t sayaidatr< twa,
yTkraeim jgawtdStu tv pUjn<.
prta prabhtisynta sydiprtara tath
yatkaromi jagannthatadastu tava pjana -- Pancha Ratra
Whatever we do from dawn to dusk is nothing but a form of worship of God. Gita
does not advocate our going to church or temple once a week or once a day just
for a short time and then for the rest of the day carrying on our sinful
activities. Religion should pervade our whole life. Religion should not only be
treated as a part of life but as its very soul animating all its aspects. The
day-to-day, mundane life should not be isolated from the spiritual and moral
life. The day-to-day life, led in a spirit of dedicated service to God in
honesty and with a desire to do good to others, itself can become religion.
The story of Tuladhara narrated in the Mahabharata is a fitting illustration of
this point. The Brahmin boy Jabali was puffed up with pride because of his
learning and spirituality. He heard a voice from heaven taunting him that the
merchant Tuladhara was superior to him. He then went to Tuladhara and found him
sitting in an unpretentious way in front of his pair of scales. Even while he
was hesitating to seek his advice, Tuladhara himself explained the reason for
Jabali's coming over there. Jabali, utterly surprised, enquired of him the
secret of his great insight. Then Tuladhara said: "I am an ignorant man devoid
of learning or any occult powers. The scale which I hold in my hand every day is
my teacher. In my business I do not cheat anybody. It treats all customers
alike, be he a child or an old man, be he a relative or a stranger. It is due to
my honesty even like that of the scale that I have acquired this spiritual
power."
Aaehe[Ev -Utana< ALpaehenvapun>,
adroheaiva bhtnm alpadrohenavpuna
Without enmity for creatures, or with very little of it, Tuladhara explains his
honest efforts to carry on his business without harming, as far as possible,
anybody. In this life everybody has to engage himself in some business or the
other but he could perform it with a sense of fairness and justice, is the great
lesson we derive from the example of Tuladhara. This parable is one of my most
favourite parables. The story contains the total truth and ideal of life. The
story best exemplifies how religion can permeate every day life and how
straightforward and practicable religion is. A spirit of sacrifice and
dedication to God are the twin principles which will elevate our mundane
activities into a form of sacrifice. That we should sanctify our lives by such
activities is the central teaching of the Gita.
39. Knowledge itself is the Fruit of Sacrifice:
What is the purpose of such a sacrifice? What is the ultimate benefit of works
performed in a spirit of sacrifice. Devotion and sacrifice become instruments of
a higher purpose; they turn life into a pilgrimage to God. The final aim of all
such works is the gift of the vision of God through a purification of the heart.
sv kmaRiol< pawR }ane pirsmaPyte,
sarva karmkhila prtha jne parisampyate -- IV-33
(All action culminates in knowledge.)
Among the various forms of sacrifice, jnana yajna has a special significance.
Jnana yajna is nothing but a special effort to get the knowledge of God. Even if
you are engaged in public service, it is necessary to set apart at least som
time every day for it. When all the yajnas are performed with a view to
acquiring knowledge, we should not neglect the activity of God-knowledge and
resort only to a life of (knowledgeless) actions.
eyaNVymya*}aJ}any}> pr<tp,
reyndravyamaydyajjjnayaja parantapa -- IV-33
(The jnana yajna, - i.e., the yajna performed for the realisation of God - is
far superior to the yajna in the form of sacrificing material wealth)
The yajna in the form of ravaa (v[) and manana (mnn) is immensely superior to
the yajna performed with worldly wealth. Without this jnana or wisdom, we will
falter even in the discharge of our ordinary duties. Since, bereft of knowledge,
we are likely to be led into delusion for lack of an awareness of the rightness
or otherwise of our actions, we will have to depend solely on knowledge for the
pursuit of even our daily actions.
SvaXyayvcne @veit nakae maELy>, ti tpSti tp>,
svdhyyapravacane eveti nko maudgalya | taddhi tapastaddhi tapa -- Tai 1:9
In the Taittiriyopanishad it is stated that acquiring jnana or wisdom is a great
form of penance. We find it difficult to concentrate our mind on God as we sit
for meditation or worship. But when we are engaged in the reading or study of a
book it is possible for us to forget everything else and get absorbed in it.
Hence for acquiring a complete meditativeness the process of knowledge is an
easier and more convenient means than any other.
If that were so, would it not suffice to pursue only the path of knowledge
shunning the life of action? Why should we waste our time performing the various
types of yajna spoken of in the Gita. Even if knowledge is the ultimate goal and
even if the path of knowledge is supreme, we must remember that we can not reach
that goal without the help of action. When it is said that the path of knowledge
is the highest, we should not construe that it immediately follows that there is
no need of the fruits of action. Reaping a good harvest is the ultimate aim of
every farmer. For that he sows the seeds and grows the crops. But can he ever
reap a harvest without cultivating the field and just planting the seedlings? He
has to plough, water and do several other things and only by doing so can he get
the fruit of his labour: Similarly we have to perform many actions, karmayaja
(kmRy}), before we have reached God-realisation.
tTSvy< yaegs<is> kalenaTmin ivNdit.
tatsvaya yogasasiddha klentmani vindati -- IV-38
(Thus does the Illumined soul, cultivated by karmayoga, get to God in due
course.) Since the Gita says that the one who has attained perfection in
karmayoga alone will be worthy of knowledge, it is absolutely necessary to
perform actions.
Thus, with rightful action and janana yajna in the form of ravaa, manana and
dhyna, (v[, mnn and Xyan) we achieve the interior cultivation which leads to
the direct vision of God. Such a realisation rids us of all our sins which bind
us down to the cycle of birth and death. Wittingly or unwittingly we commit a
host of sins in our daily lives and our heart is soiled by it. The direct vision
of God is the immortal stream that washes away all these sins and purifies us.
Even if there is an unending pile of sins, it can be destroyed by the weapon of
jna (}an). However deep the river may be, we can cross it with a small boat;
however big a firewood pile may be would it ever be laborious for fire to burn
it? Jnana is such a boat which ferries us across an ocean of sins and the fire
which can reduce to ashes a whole pile of sins.
n ih }anen sz< pivimh iv*te,
na hi jnena sada pavitramiha vidyate -- IV-38
(There is nothing here which is holier than knowledge.)
Is there anything in this world which is holier than jnana? We call pure water
holy. The waters of the Ganges are considered supremely holy. They can only wash
away the dirt that sticks to our body and mind. But even after the holy bath the
body and the mind get soiled again. Even after a dip in the holy Ganges people
commit sins and again pollute their minds. But the power of the direct vision of
God is unique. It not only sweeps clean our past sins but also makes us immune
from future sins.
tdixgm %rpUvaR"yaerZle;ivnazaE tdVypdezat!,
tadadhigama uttaraprvghayoraleavinau tad-vyapadet
The Brahmasutra (4:1:13), quoted above, states that jnana not only eradicates
the past sins but has the miraculous power of rendering us incapable of any
future sins. Jnana plucks out the very root. The jnani will not be tainted by
sin. That is why jnana is the holiest of the holies.
40. The doubter perishes:
To acquire such wisdom we should surrender ourselves to the guru who leads us on
the path of knowledge. By service and inquiry with him we acquire such
knowledge. Then by manana (deeper study) (mnn) and nididhysana (meditation)
(inidXyasn) we can hope to reach realisation. For this, faith and devotion to
truth are absolutely necessary. Where there is faith, doubts and defects can
never raise their ugly heads. Faith does not mean blind belief. We could be said
to be full of faith only if there is a congruence between the knowledge acquired
through careful pondering with the deeds that we perform. When Nachiketa sees
his father giving away as daana cows which are famished and useless,
t<h a==ivvez
taha raddh''vivea -- Katha Upanishad 1:2
(Faith indeed entered him.)
faith enters him. He at once protests against his father's miserly acts. Once
true faith or devotion to truth is awakened, the attitude of revolt against
injustice and misdeeds naturally emerges in a man. A man of faith has no room
for blind, superstitious obedience to the elders, Faith is nothing but the
indomitable enthusiasm to work out a correspondence between one's own life and
the philosophy one has acquired.
The Gita has expounded the significance of firmness in faith and knowledge by
pointing out that a man given to doubt and contradiction and who looks upon
everything, throughout his life, with doubt and suspicion can never achieve the
supreme knowledge of God. It is necessary to base our devotion and religious
practices on the foundation of faith. We can not get the true fruit if we do our
religious meditation and shape our conduct with a vacillating mind. We spend a
lot of effort and money for a good cause. But if it is devoid of faith, and done
with snobbery we cannot reap the full spiritual benefit. On the contrary, it
leads to mere waste of money and effort and mental anguish.
nay< laekae=iSt n prae n suo< s<zyaTmn>.
nya loko'sti na paro na sukha saaytmana -- IV-40
(For the doubter, there is neither this world, nor the next, nor any happiness
whatsoever.)
In the Mahabharata on several occasions Sri Krishna preaches to Dharmaraja,
after an analysis of truth and untruth, that that action which conduces to
goodness and beneficial to humanity alone is truth. Even if you tell a lie to
save innocent people from the hands of dacoits it is but truth. Once some people
hid themselves from dacoits who were chasing them. The dacoits asked a Brahmin,
Kaushik, the whereabouts of these people. The Brahmin knew the hiding place and
he blurted out the truth. For this he had to go to hell. In the interest of
public welfare and of dharma even if you tell a lie, it has been sanctioned by
Sastras as belonging to the rank of truth. Sri Krishna advises Dharmaraja to
tell a lie in order to kill Drona. Dharmaraja was not fully in favour of this.
Neither was he bold enough to discard the advice of Sri Krishna. So he slowly
murmurs: "Ashwathama is dead" with great difficulty. For betraying a lack of
faith in the advice offered by Sri Krishna, Dharmaraja has to suffer the sight
of hell soon after his death.
ncait ivM- AasIv k:[vaKye,
nacti visrambha sttava kavkye -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
Dharmaraja had to reap the bitter fruit of his action performed with a shaky
mind.
One could cite a story in this connection. Kumarila Bhatta, believed in the
Vedas and so he was opposed to the followers of Buddha (who disbelieved in the
Vedas). Once, his enemies pushed him down from the balcony of the first floor.
He fell down saying, "If the Vedas are an authority I shall not die."
Fortunately he didn't die but he lost an eye. Kuntatila, no doubt, believed in
the Vedas but there was some grain of doubt in his belief. By saying "If Vedas
are an authority," he betrayed his lack of absolute faith in the Vedas. He did
not say: "I believe in the Vedas and so, I am certain, no harm will come to me."
If he had such certainty, nothing would have happened to him. He had to pay the
bitter price of an eye for his infirmness. All good deeds must be backed by
unflinching faith. We should see that the winds of doubt and contradiction do
not get released. Actions performed under any delusion or with half-heartedness
do not produce full results. With unflinching devotion and faith in God all
obstacles will be overcome.
r]tITyevivas> tdIyae=himit Sm&it>,
rakattyevavivsa tadyo'hamiti smti -- Bhagavata Tatparya
(The faith that He does certainly protect, the sense that I am His.)
By a critical study of the scriptures we must first acquire faith and then find
our duties and carry them out with determination. Arjuna was tormented by doubt
and despair and had grown confused about his duty. It is to rid him of these and
give him confidence that the Lord has elaborated on the destructive efforts of
doubt and contradiction. He directs him to perform his rightful duties with
faith, determination and purposefulness, rooting out confusion and delusion.
tSmad}ansM-Ut< TSw< }anaisnaTmn>,
iDvEn< s<zy< yaegmaitaei -art.
tasmdajnasambhta htstha jnsintmana
chittvaina saaya yogamtihottiha bhrata -- IV-42
(Therefore cut off, with the sword of knowledge, this doubt born of ignorance,
take shelter in the karmayoga and stand up and fight, 0 Bharata.)
That is why the importance of true knowledge is specially described towards the
end of the fourth chapter.
41. Renunciation and Karmayoga:
Sri Krishna has mainly advocated two important principles: controlling one's
personal weakness like desire and anger, and performance of one's duties in a
spirit of dedication to God. That is the substance of the teaching so far. But
Arjuna is eager to know which is the better of the two. If eradicating desire
and anger is better, why not practise that alone and escape from the
entanglement of war which is a hotbed of both desire and anger. One and the same
person cannot practise both. Renunciation is prescribed to the mendicant and
performance of action is enjoined on the family man. Arjuna is anxious to know
which he should choose between the mutually conflicting ways of renunciation and
karmayoga.
The Lord replies: Renunciation and action are not mutually contradictory but
mutually complementary. The words "sanyasa" and "karmayoga" do not really denote
the duties and responsibilities of the mendicant and the family man:
renunciation is nothing but giving up human weaknesses like desire, hatred and
attachment which are embedded in the mind. That is preliminary to karmayoga. If
one does not sow the seeds of holy actions after rooting out desire and hatred,
would not all the work hitherto done, go to waste? Even if you take out the
weeds and prepare the ground but do not farm, the efforts are in vain. The
renunciation preached in the Gita is nothing but an instrument for the
cultivation of the heart, by discarding desire and hatred.
}ey> s inTys<NyasI yae n ei n ka']it,
jeya sa nityasannys yo na dvei na kakati -- V-3
tyaeStu kmRs<NyasaTkmRyaegae iviz:yte.
tayostu karmasannystkarmayogo viiyate -- V-2
He is a true sanyasi who treats pleasure and pain alike and who is not
influenced either by affection or aversion. The ochre dress and monastic staff
do not make a sanyasi. All can strive to cultivate an attitude of renunciation
even in the thick of family life or society. We should not regard the
eradication of the weakness of the mind or heart alone can reach us to the goal.
We need also to bear in mind that this is only preliminary to the final divine
pursuit. In fact the renunciation spoken of here is good only for cleansing the
heart and there is a total development only if we continue to do our duties in a
spirit of dedication to God. Thus as sanyasa and karmayoga are mutually
complementary, one should not be content with merely discarding feelings like
desire, etc.; we should bring fullness to our effort by performing actions in a
spirit of dedication. In the stanza
tyaeStu kmRs<NyasaTkmRyaegae iviz:yte.
tayostu karmasannystkarmayogo viiyate -- V-2
there is greater importance given to karmayoga than sanyasa. By failing to grasp
the full significance of these two words, 'renunciation' and 'action', many
commentators have become victims of confusion. They have tried to explain the
statement in a complicated way. Their problem was: If jnana is superior to
action, and if jnanayoga is attained by performing desireless action and if
jnanayoga is synonymous with sanyasa, then sanyasa should be superior to
karmayoga. How then could karmayoga be superior to sanyasa? Karma sanyasa
(renunciation of action) does not mean the stage of knowledge which surpasses
karmayoga; nor does it mean the path, where knowledge is predominant, followed
by the great rishis like Sanaka. In neither is there any scope for renunciation
of action. In fact till the final release there is need for right action. Thus,
at any stage, there is no room for abandoning action. What has been emphasised
here is the abandonment of attachment and hatred as a prelude to rightful
action. Karmayoga is superior to the act of renunciation of attachment and
desire, which but forms a background for the karmayoga; there is no scope for
any confusion when we understand that our efforts should not merely end at the
achievement of renunciation of attachment but continue till the ultimate
consummation. Sri Madhvacharya thus does not allow any room for complication and
has explained the simple meaning and the real import of the Gita.
Sri Sankaracharya argues: "Renunciation is abandonment of all action.
Abandonment of action and performance of action however desireless it may be (as
in karmayoga) are both contradictory. Both can never coexist. As soon as true
knowledge is acquired, the illusory world dissolves away and a jnani does not
have any world of action. Where then is the scope for such a man to perform any
action in this world? Thus, for the jnani, there is scope only for the
renunciation of action and karmayoga has no relevance for him; there is no
sense, as far as he is concerned, in calling karmayoga superior to renunciation.
We can choose between the two only if we are given the choice and call one
superior and the other inferior. When for a jnani there is no relevance of
action, it is not proper to tell him that karmayoga is better than renunciation.
Hence the reference here must be to the person who has not yet acquired true
knowledge. For him action should be better than renunciation, says the Gita."
Sri Sankaracharya, one is afraid, has attempted to twist the Gita to serve his
own point of view. When the teaching of the Gita is applicable to all persons,
it is wrong to restrict it to the ignorant alone. As there is no irrelevance of
karmayoga to the jnanis so also there is no relevance of renunciation of action
for the jnanis and no renunciation for the ajnanis. All action is to be
performed by the ajnanis only and all renunciation is to be practised by jnanis
only, and hence the question as to which is better, action or renunciation, does
not arise at all and the stanza in the Gita appears to be redundant. Therefore
the simple and straightforward meaning explained by Sri Madhvacharya is more
appropriate. Renunciation and performance of action are not contradictory terms;
both can coexist and should be practised by one and the same person.
Renunciation does not mean abandonment of action. Abandonment of desire is the
essence of renunciation as seen from the following quotations.
}ey> s inTys<NyasI yae n ei n ka']it,
jeya sa nityasannys yo na dvei na kakati -- V-3
kaMyana< kmR[a< Nyas< s<Nyas< kvyae iv>,
kmyn karma nysa sannysa kavayo vidu -- XVIII-2
(Those who know understand that renunciation is the abandonment of desire-
prompted actions.)
Also, in the sixth chapter it has been clearly explained that renunciation and
action can coexist.
s s<NyasI c yaegI c ... ... ... ,
sa sannys ca yog ca ... ... ... -- VI-1
(He himself is the sanyasi and the karmayogi.)
In the light of this explanation, it becomes clear that abandonment of desire
and performance of action in a spirit of dedicated service are the prerequisites
for the attainment of true knowledge. In fact the two together constitute the
karmayoga. Since the abandonment of attachment forms the first half and
dedication to God, the latter half, and the harmonisation of the two alone makes
for an integral karmayoga, the question as to which is better does not arise at
all. For a house both the foundation and the superstructure are necessary and
the house is not complete if either is missing.
s<yasStu mhabahae >omaPtumyaegt>,
saysastu mahbho dukhamptumayogata -- V-6
(It is very difficult to achieve renunciation, Oh, the brave one, without
karmayoga.)
Renunciation of desire and anger is a very difficult exercise like erecting the
pillars of a bridge. Performance of action thereafter is like putting the bridge
on these pillars. If rightful action is not continued after renunciation, it
will be as futile as erecting the pillars without constructing the bridge. Mere
renunciation without action is like a barren garden without trees and plants.
Hence out of the two the latter part namely the dedication of action has been
considered as more important than renunciation. Mere renunciation without action
is like a body without head and it is not only incomplete but a source of
misery.
42. Knowledge and Action are not contrary:
Here a question arises how renunciation of attachment and anger, and performance
of action could coexist and form one composite spiritual exercise. One supports
knowledge, and the other, opposes it. Renunciation of worldly desire leads to
true knowledge. So long as there is attachment to worldly desire in a person,
all attempts to preach him divine knowledge are useless. It is like trying to
set fire to wet fuel. Therefore renunciation of worldly desire is the first
stage in the spiritual exercise of acquiring true knowledge. But in our
religious literature such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavata we find statements
that performance of action is harmful to the acquisition of true knowledge.
People engaged in the performance of yajnas are ridiculed as 'Agnimugdha'
(fondly attached to the yajna), 'Dhumatanta' (afflicted by the smoke of the
yajna) and 'Dhumaratmas' (with the conscious covered by smoke from the yajnas).
If that is so, how can action be Superior to renunciation? This has been
explained in the Gita:
s<OyyaegaE p&wGbala> vdiNt n pi{fta>,
sakhyayogau pthagbl pravadanti na pait -- V-4
(The ignorant (bala>), and not those who know, alone say that the path of
knowledge is different from the path of action.)
What has been ridiculed by the Bhagavata and the Upanishads is not the
desireless action preached by the Gita but only the desire-prompted action which
is performed by the people. The Gita also condemns such desire-prompted action.
Desireless action preached by the Gita is the highest type of Bhagavata Dharma
and cannot but lead to spiritual knowledge. It purifies the mind and kindles
spiritual knowledge and leads us to the supreme and final liberation. Hence
there is no impropriety in putting renunciation and desireless action together.
Some hold that sanyasis are jnanayogis and they need not perform any action;
similarly, householders are karmayogis and they have no right to practise
sankhya or jnanayoga. But they are mistaken. The two cannot be separated into
mutually exclusive compartments:
@k< sa<Oy< c yaeg< c y> pZyit s pZyit.
eka skhya ca yoga ca ya payati sa payati -- V-5
(One who sees jnanayoga and karmayoga as identical alone sees rightly.)
In a spiritual aspirant both knowledge and action coexist. But there may be a
difference in proportion only, in which these two ingredients are combined. In a
jnanayogi there is preponderance of jnana, and in the karma-yogi there is a
preponderance of karma. Both are essential for attaining liberation. Spiritual
knowledge and desireless action both have the same goal:
@kmPyaiSwt> sMygu-yaeivRNdte )lm!,
ekamapysthita samyagubhayorvindate phalam -- V-4
(If one is settled in either way gets the fruit of both.)
Even if one has to devote oneself entirely to one path, one has to achieve the
final fruit through a synthesis of both. Thus, in all spiritual exercises both
renunciation and desireless action are essential and inseparable constituents.
43. The Non-attachment of a Karmayogi:
The karmayogi no doubt carries on his usual worldly activities like all others
but with this distinction that he has renounced attachment and anger and none of
his actions is prompted by any desire. In addition, he does all these actions as
a service dedicated to God. At no moment of action does he presume to think that
he is the doer. He is aware every moment that he is only an instrument in the
hands of God and all his actions are governed by God's will.
His life is permeated by this attitude even while he is engaged in the day-to-
day activities. Hence, even while he is entangled in family affairs he is said
to be detached. Since there is in him the purity of intention and philosophic
attitude, he is not contaminated by even an iota of sin caused by the worldly
activities:
ppimvaM-sa
padmapatramivmbhas -- V-10
(He is untainted by sin like the lotus leaf by water.)
Even when the lotus is in the very midst of ample water and is seeded and grown
in water itself, its leaf is not wetted by water. When dipped in water, a piece
of cloth becomes wet and the wetness spreads throughout; even if you dip a lotus
leaf into water, not a drop sticks to it. This great secret is hidden in
desireless action. One can participate in the affairs of the world without being
tainted by sin.
There was a king who was a karmayogi. A friend visited him and out of curiosity
asked him how he was called a karmayogi in the midst of all temptations and
worldly pleasures. The king replied: "I shall tell you the secret leisurely.
Meanwhile you please go round my palace, see every nook and corner and have a
look at all my art treasures. The place is dark. You take a wick lamp in your
hand but be careful that the light is not put out." The friend did likewise, and
on his return the king enquired of him as to what he saw and how the works of
art were. The friend replied: "Oh king, because you asked me to take care of the
light, all my attention was concentrated on that alone. Since all my mind was
focused on the light only, even if I saw the palace, I have as good as not seen
it at all." The king replied: "Oh friend, this is the secret of my life. Even
though I am immersed in the worldly pleasures and daily politics, I take care to
see that the spiritual light within me is not put out. My attention is always
riveted on the inner light. So even if I perform all my daily duties I remain as
if I have not done anything. This detachment and this interior spiritual
alertness is at the basis of my success in life." The karmayogi's life is
vividly illustrated by this tiny and effective story.
44. A jnani is not averse to the world:
svRkmaRi[ mnsa sySyaSte suo< vzI,
sarvakarmi manas sannyasyste sukha va -- V-13
(The self-controlled yogi is always happy dedicating all actions to God.)
Some are of the opinion that a jnanayogi has no truck with action. They say
"karmayoga is but an aspirant's preparatory phase while jnanayoga is, the
ultimate one; both cannot be in him simultaneously. His action, its relation to
the fruit of action and the world which is a ground of either are all illusory.
As the delusive romance of the kingdom of dream vanishes in a second from a
person who has woken up from sleep, so also to the one who has attained jnana
this world is but a dream. In dim light a traveler might mistake a rope for a
snake but the moment he realises that it is a rope and not a snake, he will not
see the snake again. Similarly the world appears to be what it is because of
Maya and when true wisdom dawns, the Maya or the illusory world disappears. How
then could he perform any actions?" From this, it follows that yajnas are meant
for only those who are struggling in ignorance. The one who has attained the
knowledge of Brahma has the sanction only for knowledge and renunciation of
action. He performs only those actions which are necessary to keep his body and
soul together. All other actions, social and religious, are a taboo to him,
according to Sankaracharya and his followers.
svRkmaRi[ mnsa sySyaSte suo< vzI,
sarvakarmi manas sannyasyste sukha va -- V-13
(The self-controlled man is in bliss by dedicating all his actions to God.)
n kt&RTv< n kmaRi[
na karttva na karmi -- V-14
(No doership and no doing.)
nEv kvR karyn!,
naiva kurvanna krayan -- V-13
(Not doing and getting done.)
zarIr< kevl< kmR
rra kevala karma -- IV-21
(Actions merely by the body.)
They quote the above stanzas in support of their thesis. But when we examine
these slokas it becomes clear to us that renunciation of action is not what is
preached by the Gita. What is preached is only the 'mental renunciation and not
the physical renunciation of actual action.' The real import of the statement
sarvakarmi manas sannyasya (svRkmaRi[ mnsa sySy) is that we should not have
in our mind a desire for the fruits of action, and there should not be any
assumption in our mind of any utterly free and independent action. The word is
very significant.
pZyz&{vNSp&zijZnNgCDNSvpNsn!.
paya-van-spa-jighrann-anan-gacchan-svapan-vasan -- V-8
lpiNvs&jNg&uiNm;iim;ip,
pralapan-visjan-ghann-unmian-nimiann-api -- V-9
(The karmayogi who knows God never thinks that he is independently doing
anything even while he is seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving,
breathing, sleeping, crying, leaving, talking, functioning with his breath etc.)
It lays down the performance of actions for the jnani. Since he does all his
actions in a spirit of dedication to God and with an unfailing sense of His
supremely independent power of action, it is clear that the Gita does not
propose the rejection of bodily action. The 'mental giving up of action' only
means 'the abandoning of egoism and the desire for fruit.' Giving up desire-
prompted actions is true renunciation; giving up worldly rewards is true
sacrifice, and this is explained in the eighteenth chapter of the Gita. If this
world does not exist for a true jnani, how can he engage himself in day-to-day
activities essential to keep himself alive? Even his body and articles of food
should disappear with the world. So we have to presume that foodstuff alone is
real in so far as it keeps him alive where as the rest of the world is illusory.
This is absurd. Besides it is meaningless to restrict his activities only to the
daily round of routine. It is nothing but debasing the jnani if we set aside the
vast and excellent duties like uplifting the world and self-enrichment and
restrict his activities to the necessitous activity of filling his belly. To say
that a Brahmajnani, with all nobility and infinite capacity, sees only his body
and its activities in the world and the rest of the world as non-existent, is an
absurd statement. By saying that a Brahmajnani does not see the world because it
is illusory, one is cutting off the very link between the world and the realm of
spirit. But we have seen that many saints who had a vision of God have appeared
in this world from time to time and have shown us the path of God. If the world
does not exist for a jnani, how can he preach religion. Saints and the messiahs
are the link between God and man. If we deny their existence on this earth, then
our scriptures which contain the sacred thoughts of Rishis must be considered as
but the babble of the ignorant. The Gita preaches unequivocally that both the
jnanis and ajnanis have to perform duties relevant to their status and position
in life.
{yaxay kmaRi[ s< TyKTva kraeit y>,
brahmaydhya karmi saga tyaktv karoti ya -- V-10
(One who performs actions with detachment and dedicating them to the Lord.)
The above stanza states that we should realise that jnanis perform action but
they do it without any attachment and as a dedication to God, and we too should
try to follow in their footsteps.
45. The Jnani's Identical Vision:
The jnanis who are able to see the hand of God behind every activity of the
world are capable of experiencing divine joy even in the perception of the
things of the world. They see God in each and every object and hence their
contact with the world. They can see the divine principle underlying the learned
and cultured as well as the uncultured and the wicked alike. Even if this world
is full of internal difference and diversity the indwelling and controlling
power that is full of God, is one and the same. He who sees this principle in
his everyday life, is not disturbed by the sight of the ups and downs, chaos and
order in the external world. The yogi who sees the blissful and sentient God and
the marvelous sport of His power everywhere experience joy in every object of
the world. When Sri Madhvacharya was leaving his house to embrace sanyasa, he
bowed to all the trees and fields and the relatives around wondered at the
strange behaviour and asked him about it. He asked them back how he could desist
from bowing down to the beloved object he saw everywhere. Thus the jnanis who
see His auspicious presence everywhere and experience endless bliss every moment
are not scared by the world which is terrible, disgusting and ridden with
contraries.
The spirit of God flows through all objects in this world. Just as even when
electricity flows alike everywhere the light emitted by each bulb depends upon
its candle power so also the selfsame God manifests Himself differently
according to the medium, the intrinsic worthiness of the objects or persons. The
spark of divinity in the wicked is not normally seen by the ordinary people as
it gets covered by their cruelty and egoism; but a jnani has the great privilege
of seeing the oneness of God in both good and bad persons alike. Even if God
permeates alike in all, the division into the good and the wicked is based on
the individual nature and fundamental inclinations. Just because God happens to
be in both the good and the bad we cannot say that they are similar and travesty
the meaning of the word 'similar' or 'same.'
pi{fta> smdizRn>
pait samadarina -- V-18
(The jnanis perceive sameness.)
There have been attempts to twist the above statement. If every person gets
honour and recognition in society according to the services rendered by him,
then the society will develop along healthy lines. No one desires the 'equality'
that treats good and evil forces alike. Only when the learned and the ignorant,
the dynamic and the lazy, the good and the evil, each is given honour and
recognition in society according to his merit, it can be real equality. If
children and adults are given food in the same quantity, it is not equality.
Real impartiality lies in differentiating individuals according to their wisdom,
character and nobility. If we pay wages to workers according to their skill and
industry none can charge us with partiality. If both a clever student and an
idiot get the same percentage of marks in the examination, it can really be
described as partiality and discrimination. Even in the political field there
will be utter chaos in law and order if no sifting is made between the good and
the wicked, We should. interpret the word 'equality' taking all these into
consideration. The spark of divinity runs, no doubt, through all, the good and
the bad. Even though the same electricity flows through all the machines, their
performance depends upon the nature and shape of the machine. Similarly the
distinctions in this world, based on the peculiarities of each individual, are
inevitable. Even God who is immanent in all objects does not alter the
activities which arise out of their inherent nature.
Sv-avStu vtRte
svabhvastu pravartate -- V-14
(Move according to nature - God alone acts independently.)
Since for all activities in this world both God as well as the individual nature
of the object are responsible, we cannot complain against the individual
peculiarities of behaviour in a world created by the impartial God.
ttiSwtaeiv:[u StCDKtI> vaexyn!,
tatratatrasthitoviu stattacchakt pravodhayan -- Sutra Bhashya
(Subsisting in each object Vishnu stimulates the powers of each.)
God's plan is only to activate whatever capacity lies latent within each object
according to its nature. With the same care, manuring and watering, if different
seeds of the same fruit give rise to fruits of different tastes, can we hold the
gardener responsible for it? Similarly, in this world we observe diverse objects
with diverse natures and all these arise because of the inherent difference in
their natures. We cannot blame God for the diversity of things.
nade kSyicTpap< n cEv sukt< iv-u>,
ndatte kasyacitppa na caiva sukta vibhu -- V-15
(The Lord is not tainted by merit or demerit.)
Since the omniscient and omnipresent almighty God activates the world according
to a certain principle he cannot be charged with partiality. He is also not
touched by the results arising out of their good and evil deeds. The results of
these good and evil deeds do not affect in the least the purity and the
greatness of the God within. Even though divinity may be manifest in diverse
ways depending upon the individual nature of the object, God is not in the least
affected by being in contact with these objects. Hence the Upanishads describe
Him as As<g (asaga).
iv;me:vipjIve;u smaeiv:[u> sdEvtu,
viamevapijveu samoviu sadaivatu -- Gita Tatparya
(Vishnu is the selfsame within the diversity of beings.)
In this diverse world of animate and inanimate objects there runs one
transcendent Spirit which is immutable and changeless and which is all-powerful
and full of auspicious qualities. That Spirit is called God or Parabrahma. He
who realises this immutable supreme principle enjoys incomparable bliss. This
happiness, acquired by overcoming the cycle of birth and death, is unlimited and
irreducible.
46. Excellence of Spiritual Happiness:
The divine joy that we get from self-realisation is greater and purer than any
other we may get from other things in the life. The joy we get from the
renunciation of sensuous things is far greater than the scanty joy we derive
from the enjoyment of the things of the world. The taste of the joy derived from
renunciation is sweeter than that we get from enjoyment. We no doubt derive
pleasure by enjoying things which belong to us. It is the usual material joy
which ordinary beings get. The joy that one gets from robbing other's of their
things is diabolic or tamasic. But the joy which we get by suppressing our
desires and giving our favourite things to others is the most sophisticated pure
joy. Sri Madhvacharya says that we experience the original dynamic bliss itself
in the bliss of renunciation.
But even if such a bliss is enjoyed by renunciation of sensuous joys and subtle
desires, it can be stabilised in us only if it is accompanied by a deep devotion
to God. Even if we may get pure joy by renunciation, we get a steady and endless
joy only by the habit of concentrating our mind in the practice of meditation
(Xyanyaeg).
There is a gulf of difference between worldly happiness and spiritual happiness.
The former generates selfishness and attachment; the mind craves for it and soon
gets fed up with it. It may give momentary happiness as by scratching an ulcer;
but ultimately it leads to misery. Likewise, the enjoyment of sensuous delights,
despite its apparent or immediate happiness, finally leads to wretchedness.
k{fynenkryaeirv >o >om!,
kayanenakarayoriva dukha dukham -- Bhagavata
(It is wretched like the scratching of an inflammation.)
The spiritual happiness is quite different. To achieve it one has to go through
a very difficult exercise of renunciation and meditation but the happiness and
contentment are incomparable. Before this bliss all worldly enjoyments are
contemptible and artificial. Our life's main aim should be to make efforts to
attain the spiritual perfection by which we reach, though beginning in toil and
reluctance, ultimately the experience of fullness.
baSpzeR:vsKtaTma ivNdTyaTmin yTsuom!,
s yaegyuKtaTma suom]ymZnute.
bhyasparevasakttm vindatytmani yatsukham
sa brahmayogayukttm sukhamakayamanute -- V-21
(The yogi who is not engaged in the objects of the senses and seeks joy within
himself, enjoys imperishable bliss, united to God through dhyana.)
ye ih s<SpzRja -aega >oyaeny @v te,
ye hi sasparaj bhog dukhayonaya eva te -- V-22
(The pleasures of the sense arc only originative of misery.)
Thus in this fifth chapter of the Gita it is preached that man should attain
spiritual happiness by imbibing renunciation and karmayoga and following the
path of meditation.
47. From Karmayoga to Dhyanayoga:
For self-realisation there are two chief means. One is through action and the
other through meditation. The science of action has been explained at length so
far. In this sixth chapter the science of meditation is expounded.
Only after having practised karmayoga, the constituents of which are
renunciation of desire and right action, and become a yogi and a sanyasi should
a person take to the practice of meditation (dhynayoga Xyanyaeg). Our pursuit
is complete only when we have achieved a state of steadiness through karmayoga
and then the direct vision of God. Karmayoga is the chief instrument for the
purification of the heart which is necessary for dhyanayoga, prior to God-
realisation. Without practising desireless action and acquiring purity of heart
we cannot jump at once to meditation. We should go step by step. If we try to
jump across too many steps in one leap we may trip and fall. That is why every
aspirant should try to inculcate karma-yoga which is preparatory to meditation
and realisation. The spiritual attitude which neglects service and duty is least
helpful to our progress.
48. Social Service Is Indispensable for a Karmayogi:
We are under the impression that performance of daily ritual and prayer and
other obligations according to the varNaashramadharma are the only duties
enjoined on an aspirant. Besides the duties like the study of scriptures and
others enjoined specially on each caste (vara v[R), there is another duty that
is required to be performed by one and all, irrespective of the caste (vara
v[R) to which one belongs. That is social service. One of the important duties
to be performed by an aspirant is the service of humanity in several ways. Our
heart should be moved by the sorry sight of hunger, misery and sickness,
wherever they may exist. God is within everyone of us and if we perform social
service unselfishly remembering the indwelling God, He will be pleased.
tSy aPyupkare[ Itae -vit kezv>,
tasya prpyupakrea prto bhavati keava -- Gita Tatparya
(The Lord Keshav is pleased by the good he does to living beings.)
An aspirant should carry on this social service side by side with his devotion
and prayers till his enlightenment. Performance of social service is not
optional but mandatory. This duty is as inescapable in our spiritual life as
payment of taxes in our mundane life. This is the tax we pay to the Almighty.
One who evades taxes is not a worthy citizen. So also, if we evade social
service to the poor and the sick we shall be avoiding the payment of the taxes
to the Supreme Lord of this world. Could we ever hope to be the worthy citizens
of this creation if we do not serve the One Lord by serving the needy and the
poor?
nana jnSy zuU;a ktRVyakrviTmte>,
nn janasya ur kartavykaravatmite -- Gita Tatparya
(We should serve all, as an obligation like the payment of taxes.)
Sri Madhvacharya has pointed out in the above sloka of the Gita Tatparya the
indispensability of social service and the holy significance behind it. This is
the statement of an ideal favourite with me. There are many people who perform
meticulously the duties prescribed for them by their caste but they are
completely indifferent to their social obligations. They think that taking part
in social activities only diverts one's attention from God and that an aspirant
should not waste his time in such things but spend his whole time in prayers and
meditation. They have restricted the message of karma by limiting it to the
professions passed on to them from the caste system and the activities of
telling the beads and other daily rituals. According to Sri Madhvacharya the
Gita emphasises that individual prayers and meditation should be performed side
by side with service to humanity. Vedanta does not teach us to turn our face
away from society; on the other hand, we should realise how it lays down a
constructive programme which, if performed in the true spirit, paves the way to
individual as well as social advancement.
There are two categories of people in the world. To the first category belong
the people who spend all their time in prayer and meditation and do not care for
society. To the other category belong people who are fully engaged in social
welfare activities but have no time for God at all. The lives of both these
types of people are incomplete and imperfect. Prayer without social service does
not make for true religiousness while social service without a prayerful
attitude is not service in the true sense of the term. Both are aspects of one
and the same thing. Both are in fact complementary like two faces of a coin. If
we do not realise this we shall be like the proverbial blind men who touch only
the tail of the elephant and say that the whole elephant is like a rope.
Religious leaders should realise the importance of social service and social
workers should perform their duties selflessly in a prayerful attitude as a
dedication to God.
Once upon a time a group of Sadhu pilgrims were returning from Benaras and as
usual they were carrying the holy Ganga water with them. They were supposed to
carry the holy water to Rameshwaram and pour it there. On their way they had to
pass through the Rajasthan desert and there they found one thirsty camel on the
verge of death. The Sadhus no doubt felt compassion and pity for the dying
animal but the thought they were helpless as they had to carry their holy water
to Rameshwaram. But one of them thoughtfully poured the holy water he was
carrying into its mouth and saved its life when the others objected to his
wasting the holy water meant to be poured at Rameshwaram. But the Sadhu replied
that he saw God in this camel and the pouring of the water into this camel's
mouth and saving its life was the greatest worship of God. God is not far away
from us. He is in side each and every creature ready to receive our offering.
Prahlada has preached in the Bhagavata that a special kind of worship lies in
identifying Him inside all the fellow-beings and serving Him through them.
We should not forget God when we are engaged in social service either. There is
a goal behind everyone of our activities. This goal should be the worship of God
who is immanent in all the creatures. If this goal is not there, then various
worldly and selfish motives find their way and goad us to do social service
either for fame or prestige and make our service artificial. All activities
which are not performed as a dedication to God yield only temporary results,
however seemingly beneficial they may be to society.
%redaTmnaTman<
uddharedtmantmna -- VI-5
(One should try to redeem oneself by oneself (or by the grace of God).)
According to the Gita only he who is engaged in karmayoga or selfless action is
eligible for dhyanayoga or meditation. Meditation leads to God-perception and
that in turn leads to liberation. Thus the key to our salvation is in our own
hands.
The soul is our precious possession and it is our primary duty to take it out of
the cycle of birth and death which is full of misery, and make it enjoy eternal
happiness. This must be achieved by our own efforts of the mind.
mnyev mnu:ya[a< kar[< b<xmae]yae>,
manayeva manuy kraa bandhamokayo
(Man's mind alone is the cause of his bondage or release.)
Our mind is the instrument of our rise or fall; it can be our dearest friend or
foe. With one and the same key we can either lock the box or open it. Similarly
the mind can lead either to bondage or to liberation. If the key to our
salvation is in our own hands, then why can't we work for it with all
enthusiasm. But the mind is like a huge elephant. If it is properly trained it
can work wonders; if it is untrained it can easily crush us. If we have control
over our mind, it is our greatest asset. But an untrained and uncontrolled mind
can become our greatest enemy and throw us into the whirlpool of life. We must
be very careful in this respect.
Our friend and foe are both within us. Thinking that our enemies are outside, we
unnecessarily look at them with hatred and jealousy. Once upon a time a selfish
devotee prayed to God: "Oh God, let your arrows shower on my enemies."
Immediately he found these arrows piercing him all round. He got perplexed and
asked God again; "Oh God, I only asked that your arrows be showered on my
enemies and not on me. Please do not miss your target." God said: "My aim is
correct. Your greatest enemy is within yourself. In answer to your prayers I am
destroying your enemy. This parable shows that our enemy is within us and we
should conquer it first before we can think of turning our hatred towards others
around us and thus waste our energy. Our primary duty therefore is to control
our mind and work for spiritual advancement.
To achieve liberation through meditation, mere control of mind is not
sufficient. God's grace is also necessary. If we pray to God with great devotion
and perform our prescribed duties, the act bestows on us the strength of mind
necessary for concentration and meditation. Without His grace we can achieve
neither meditation nor realisation.
ymevE; v&[ute ten l_y>,
yamevaia vute tena labhya -- Kathopanishad 2:23
(We can realise God only if He chooses us.)
If God is pleased by our devotion and righteous actions He gives us liberation.
On the other hand if we displease Him by our unrighteous action and unsocial
behaviour, He will punish us. Therefore to please God we should lead a
disciplined life, following the rules and regulations laid down by Him. Such a
life is necessary for the progress of the soul. A deep-rooted persistence in
duty, control of mind and God's grace, with these three we should start treading
the path of dhyanayoga.
49. The Theory and Practice of Meditation:
Selecting a secluded place conducive to the cheerfulness of mind and fixing a
suitable seat made of dried grass, deerskin and cloth and sitting on it with the
body erect, controlling the senses and fixing the vision on the tip of the nose,
one should begin meditation by focusing the mind on God. The mind begins to
waver if the body is unstable. Proper attention should be given to physical
fitness as an aid to meditation. Severe austerities, detrimental to yoga and
tortuous to the body should be avoided. Overeating is not good; nor should one
get feeble by under-eating. A futile abstinence from sleep or oversleeping is
also injurious to the practice of yoga. A right measure of food, sleep or
recreation and disciplined life leads to a state of the body, which is helpful
to yoga. It is the contact of the senses with the worldly pleasures that makes
the mind flicker like a flame exposed to wind. The mind of a yogi freed from
sense-desires is like a steady flame in still air. A yogi does not perceive
anything except God. The yogi who meditates on God alone with an inflexible
mind, gets the highest ecstasy, which is only to be experienced and is beyond
the sensuous. He does not get anywhere in the world a joy which surpasses this
ecstasy. If the joy of renunciation is greater than the joy of enjoyment of
worldly pleasures, the bliss of yoga lends to it the beauty of fullness and is
the pinnacle of bliss.
Our mind is like a pot with a number of holes from which all water leaks out
without our knowing. All worthy thoughts flash for a while in the mind but
vanish immediately. But a yogi plugs these holes and fills his mind with the
nectar of God-knowledge. He also sees that nothing leaks out of it.
ytae ytae inrit mnclmiSwrm!,
ttSttae inyMyEtdaTmNyev vz< nyet!.
yato yato nicarati manacacalamasthiram
tatastato niyamyaitadtmanyeva vaa nayet -- VI-26
(Wherever the fickle mind wanders uncertainly, there only should it be checked
and led to the pursuit of God.)
By constant and vigilant practice, he is able to fix the image of God in his
mind. By uninterrupted meditation alone gradually he achieves a direct vision of
God. This direct perception is the most invaluable reward of this life. He sees
everything in God and God in everything. God supports everything in this
universe. God as a foundation pervades everything from outside and dwells with
in everything, controlling and animating.
tdNtrSy svRSy t svRSyaSy bat>.
tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasysya bhyata -- Isa 5
(He sports within everything, He rules everything from outside.)
A yogi established in meditation sees nothing but God, both inside and outside
everything in this universe. He swims like fish in the immortal sea of
Godliness.
yae ma< pZyit svR sv c miy pZyit,
yo m payati sarvatra sarva ca mayi payati -- VI-30
(He who sees Me everywhere and everything within Me.)
To rejoice in the realisation of God as the support and the indwelling principle
of this world is the ultimate stage of devotion, and dhyanayoga is the chief
means of attaining this stage.
What we see during meditation is not the real God. Under the guidance of the
guru, we acquire a clear knowledge of God. At the time of meditation we see the
picture of God we develop with the pigments of that knowledge. But we should not
think that this image which is the creation of our mind is the real God, whose
nature is but bliss and knowledge. As the stone idol is but an image of God and
not God Himself, so also should we think that the picture of God which looms on
the mind during meditation is only an image. We should contemplate on the real
form of God which is other than the image and is of absolute knowledge.
ned< yiddmupaste
neda yadidamupsate -- Talavakara Upanishad
(Not this (image) which he worships.)
The picture in our mind during meditation is not God. So we do not see God
during meditation. In such a state we perceive the mind-created image but
remember God as pure consciousness and bliss also. Only when a yogi has reached
this height of meditation, does he see God face to face, who is of the essence
of pure consciousness and bliss. Dhyana is but the ultimate reach of 'indirect'
(paroka prae]) knowledge and he experiences a peculiar and extraordinary bliss
in the concentrated act of unbroken contemplation. He will have the great reward
of the direct vision (aparoka jna Aprae] }an) of the excellent person of God
Himself. The great fruit of dhyana is but the direct vision of God.
During meditation he should be aware of nothing but God. Meditation, thus, is
nothing but pure and intense concentration of mind on God. Once the master-
archer Dronacharya asked his disciples to shoot the eye of a dummy pigeon fixed
on a branch of a distant tree. He asked each one of his pupils what he saw in
front of him.
Almost all of them described the forest, tree, the branches and the whole
pigeon. But Arjuna alone is said to have told that he saw nothing but the eye of
the pigeon which was his target. During meditation, we should cultivate such
intense concentration. In meditation, he who can keep the image of God in his
mind's eye, and hold it there and concentrate on it alone succeeds, like the
archer who never wavered his gaze from the target. When we sit in meditation,
the image of God in the mind's eye flickers and even disappears, even as from
one who intends to paint Ganapati but ends up by painting a monkey. During
meditation, instead of God, perverted and distorted figures dance on the mind's
stage. We should achieve such concentration of mind as to enthrone none but God
in our heart.
[vaexnu> zraeaTma tLlymuCyte,
AmenveVy< zrvNmyae -vet!.
praavodhanu arohytm brahmatallakyamucyate
apramattenaveddhavya aravattanmayo bhavet -- Atharvana Upanishad
(Pranava (Om) is the bow; the soul is the arrow; Brahman is the target. One
should strike it with undeviated attention; be steeped in Brahman like the arrow
in the target.)
Our mind is like an arrow and we should shoot it straight towards God. Without
the bow, the arrow cannot reach its target; it will drop off halfway. With the
help of the bow alone it acquires speed. Similarly the mind gets its speed from
the study of the Vedas. The Vedas are the bow. Enriched by such a study the mind
dissociated from everything else, should dart straight towards God without any
distraction or deviation.
50. The Path of Meditation is difficult but harmless.
The practice of meditation in daily life, as explained in the Gita and the
Upanishads, is not easy. The mind is a veritable monkey; it is difficult to
concentrate it for long on any object just as it is difficult to keep compressed
air in open space. Try as much as we can, we find it hard to focus the mind on
God for long. This fickleness of mind has utterly enfeebled us for the practice
of dhyanayoga. This is the ancient problem which has been teasing us. Arjuna
poses this problem before God on behalf of all mankind.
ccl< ih mn> k:[ maiw blvd Fm!,
cacala hi mana ka pramthi balavad dham -- VI-34
(The mind indeed is fickle, provocative of the body and the senses and prone to
evil thoughts.)
Sri Krishna gives two ways to face this mischief. One is constant practice and
the other is non-attachment to worldly desires. The mind is full of foul desires
and there is no place for God in it. First of all, as a preliminary step, we
must cleanse the mind of all such desires and make the place clean and fit for
God to come in. As long as the love for the objects of sense remains, the love
of God cannot dawn. Even if we try to remember God, we easily forget Him. On the
other hand, however much we may try to oust the thoughts of worldly pleasures
from our mind, they keep on knocking at the door. The love of things has struck
deep roots in us. It is difficult to uproot the desires from our mind. The
constant pressure of worldly desires and lack of love of God, are the main
reasons for our utter failure in the practice of meditation. We are more fond of
our wife and children, our house and mansion than of God. How can we concentrate
the mind on God unless we love Him intensely? In our day-to-day life and even in
our dream we think of our dear and near ones. Why can't we think of God even for
a few moments? The springs of devotion have dried up in our hearts. We have no
real devotion, we only make a show of it. Once a certain lady was absorbed in
the thought of her husband and was rushing towards him. On the way she failed to
notice the king sitting in meditation of God and tripped over him. The king flew
into a rage and called for her to question her. She smilingly replied: "Oh King,
I was absorbed in the thought of my husband who is a mere mortal and I was not
aware of your presence and I did not even notice that I tripped over you. But
you were absorbed in the meditation of Almighty God. How then could you know
that I tripped over you? Is not your love for God at least as much as my love
for my husband?" This is a real question. We do not love God even half as much
as we love our family and property. No wonder we are unable to fix the image of
God in our mind. We can do this only by intense love of God and total absence of
worldly desires.
yttae=ip hre> pds<Smr[e
skl< "mazu ly< jit,
yatatopi hare padasasmarae
sakala hyaghamu laya vrajati -- Dvadashastotra
(Even when an effort is made to remember the Lord's feet, all sins soon vanish.)
As Sri Madhvacharya has stated, even if we make an honest attempt to remember
the Lord's feet, that will cleanse our mind of all sins.
Arjuna asks the Lord whether a failed yogi is bereft of happiness both of this
world and the other. Krishna resolved his doubt by saying:
n ih kLya[kTkid gRit< tat gCDit,
na hi kalyaktkacid durgati tta gacchati -- VI-40
(Arjuna, the one who has practised in the path of meditation will never suffer
debasement.)
One who undertakes good works will not meet with harmful consequences, even if
he has left them halfway. Worthy reward is reserved for a good act performed
with an honest effort. This assurance of the Lord is not empty like that given
by persons like ministers and officers. God sees to it that the path we pursued
now, but left halfway, would be resumed in a different life. We should perform
our spiritual practice with a firm faith in the providential design of God. I am
not provoking you with a call for meditation. Let everybody honestly undertake a
spiritual practice which suits him most. Let everyone achieve exaltation of self
at least by performing such simple and religiously sanctioned practices like the
'sandhya'. By an elementary beginning he will certainly and easily see his way
ahead.
51. Devotion and Knowledge of God's Greatness:
For true meditation on God one requires a background of devotion or bhakti. The
essential nature of devotion will be described in the seventh chapter of the
Gita. Two elements constitute devotion (bhakti -iKt) -- knowledge and love. The
harmonious fusion of knowledge with love is devotion. Devotion is nothing but an
incessant flow of love for God, born of a knowledge of His greatness. If we love
a man without being aware of his greatness it is mere indulgence. We indulge in
love for our children and other family members. Whether they possess good
qualities or not we love them all the same only because they happen to be
related to us. If we love God without knowing His greatness, it becomes blind
faith. The more we become aware of His greatness, the purer will be our
devotion. That is why all the Vedas praise the glory of God. Even in the Gita,
God's greatness is described to strengthen our sense of devotion.
If we just cast a glance on the world, we soon become aware of the marvellous
power of God. No other evidence or proof of the existence of God is necessary
than the visible universe itself. The universe proclaims the existence of God.
The evolution of the universe is not haphazard. It is created with a clear plan.
In the creation and the growth of every phenomenon or object of this universe we
see the concatenation of hundreds of natural forces. The complexities of our
anatomy, the physiological and biochemical processes of digestion, and
breathing, the movement of planets and evolution of stars, to mention only a
few, reveal the grand purposeful design of the Master Creator. If it had been an
isolated instance or two, we could have brushed it aside as mere accident. But
when we see myriads of objects obeying lakhs of natural laws and when we see a
perfect coordination between a multitude of forces in the creation and evolution
of the world, how could we ever say that it is all mere accident? If we go on
joining blindly even for years together the letters of the alphabet at random,
we cannot produce by chance even a single stanza of Kalidasa's Shakuntala. When
such is the case, we can never prove that this vast and well-designed universe
is a mere product of natural forces without any hand of the living power of God
behind it. The great scientist Einstein is of the opinion that this well-
structured universe is the handiwork of a Being with a supreme intellect. The
more we see of this world and the mysteries of nature, the more convinced do we
be come of the existence of the Supreme Creator, God.
"How can we believe in something we cannot see?" is a question asked by
Svetaketu to his father Uddalaka. The father asked him to get a jug of water and
put some salt into it and asked him to taste the water. The water was salty
whatever part he tasted. The father asked his son to show the salt in the water.
Of course the salt could not be seen because it had dissolved and pervaded every
part of the water in the jug. Similarly though invisible to the naked eye, God
pervades every particle in the universe. God may be invisible to the eye but his
presence is felt inside each and every object of the universe.
miy svRimd< aet< sUe mi[g[a #v.
mayi sarvamida prota stre maiga iva -- VII-7
(Everything in this world is woven within me as a series of pearls is held by
the string.)
The universe is like a garland of beads and not a litter of beads scattered all
over. The fine thread which runs through all the beads and holds them together
and makes them into a garland is God. But for this thread, the beads would be
scattered all over. The one support on which all these beads hang and the one
power by which all the elements in the universe function is the Almighty God. He
is the support and the power behind all activities in the universe. God creates
the whole universe through the medium of inert matter, earth, water, air, heat,
ether and sentient spirit. God does not create the universe in the same way as a
potter does a pot. The potter makes the pot out of clay but has no control over
the properties of clay. The potter sits apart from the material and makes the
pot. God is not like that. God does not sit in a corner and create the universe.
He gets into and pervades every particle of the material universe, endows it
with its natural properties and makes it function. Just as electricity flows
through the electric motor, the Godhead flows through each and every atom in the
universe and is responsible for the unique composition of everything as the
efficient cause and the indwelling controller.
The omniscience and the omnipotence behind the creation of this vast and
splendid universe transcend our conception. The omniscient, omnipotent Almighty
God of infinite auspicious qualities alone is capable of creating this entire
universe. The more we explore the universe and delve into its mysteries, the
more do we become aware of the greatness and the majesty of its creator.
52. Varieties of Devotion:
We are aware of His greatness. We are deeply indebted to Him every second of our
life for whatever bounties we receive from Him. Because of these our devotion
upsurges. There are different categories of devotees. Burdened by miseries and
hardships some run to Him and cry for succour. Some pray to Him for wealth and
pomp. Of course begging God even for worldly pleasures is much better than
either committing crime or cringing before people for the fulfilment of their
worldly desires. These people who go to Him but do not ask for any worldly
favours but only for His knowledge and direct vision are unique devotees. One
who has already realised God makes an excellent devotee. He has had a glimpse of
the Supreme God and has deeply fallen in love with Him; he is a perfect devotee.
When we hear about something we form a mental picture. But when we see it with
our eyes, the impression it creates and the emotion it generates are of a
superior kind. God does not present Himself to ordinary devotees who ask for
worldly rewards. We get our knowledge of God either from the scriptures or from
preceptors, and our devotion to God is quite ordinary. But a devotee who is
actually seeing and experiencing God can attain the highest pinnacle of
devotion.
iyae ih }ainnae=TywRmh< s c mm iy>.
priyo hi jnino'tyarthamaha sa ca mama priya -- VII-17
(I am extremely dear to the jnani; and so is he to Me.)
The God and his devotees are dear to each other. An aspirant can obtain the
grace of God only by true devotion.
53. Non-dualism and Devotion:
Some argue that there is scope for devotion only till we acquire spiritual
knowledge and when once we attain wisdom or jnana, the distinction between the
individual soul and the Supreme Soul disappears and a jnani cannot therefore
practise devotion. During the phase of devotion, the awareness of God's
greatness and the knowledge that He is the Lord and we are His servants is
imperative. This is against the non-dualistic philosophy because if a jnani also
happens to be a devotee, it has to be accepted that there is a sense of dualism
in him. The knowledge possessed by a jnani is true and infallible. In a jnani
who has experienced God, where is the room for doubt and confusion? Hence, we
have to believe whatever a jnani has seen and experienced. If a jnani worships
God in devotion, we have to accept his sense of dualism as true and free from
errors. For fear that their whole edifice of non-dualistic philosophy might
crumble, the Advaitins argue that there is scope and necessity for devotion only
till one achieves wisdom and thereafter, a jnani cannot remain a devotee at all.
They say that they are dualists as long as they are enveloped by Maya or
illusion and when once they gain true knowledge, all this distinction between
God and individual soul disappears.
dehvatudasae=h< AaTmwaTvmevah<,
dehadvtudso'ham tmadathtvamevha
(From the point of view of the body, I am your servant; from the soul's I am
your very self.)
Such an argument reduces the conception of devotion to absurdity. According to
them, devotion is a false and illusive experience. If we think that there is no
God distinct from and superior to us, how can we have sincere devotion to Him in
our hearts? From the sincere practice of a devotion which is based on a fiction
how can we ever attain salvation?
Aspsnya AaTmhn>,
asadupasanay tmahana -- Bhagavata
(The destroyer of self through the worship of the unreal.)
When our shastras have severely rejected the pursuit of the non-real why did
they give such a high place for devotion if it is to be practised only by the
ignorant people?
-KTya TvnNyya zKy Ahmev< ivxae=juRn,
}atu< :qu< c tven ve:qu< c pr<tp.
bhakty tvananyay akya ahameva vidho'rjuna
jtu drau ca tattvena praveu ca parantapa -- XI-54
(I am to be really known, seen and attained (by the liberated) only through
undivided devotion.)
Thus, in hundreds of places, the Gita has reiterated that for the direct vision
of God and attaining salvation, practice of devotion is absolutely necessary. In
his concluding remarks in the Gita, Sri Krishna says: "Oh Arjuna, because you
are near and dear to Me, I vouchsafe to you this highest secret. Always think of
Me, be My sincere devotee, worship Me with faith, I promise, you will certainly
attain Me. Since you happen to be dear to Me, I am advising you; so listen to
the words of Mine which are a supreme secret. Since you are certainly dear to
Me, I am telling you that which is efficacious. Let your mind be full of Me, be
devoted to Me, sacrifice for Me, salute Me; you will certainly get Me since you
are dear to Me.
svRgutm< -Uy> z&[u me prm< vc>,
#ae=is me Fimit ttae vyaim te ihtm!.
sarvaguhyatama bhya u me parama vaca
io'si me dhamiti tato vakymi te hitam -- XVIII-64
mNmna -v mKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk,
mamevE:yis sTy< te itjane iyae=is me.
manman bhava madbhakto madyj m namaskuru
mmevaiyasi satya te pratijne priyo'si me -- XVIII-65
When the Gita clearly gives such a high place to devotion and preaches that true
devotion is the only means of attaining salvation, it is not proper to denigrate
it as something unreal and illusory. Even the Gita which preaches the message of
Bhakti would lose its importance if it were to preach such a falsehood. There
will be nothing more ridiculous and more self-deceptive than the practice of
devotion and worship of God, even after knowing fully well that God and the
visible world are really not what they seem to be. We cannot believe for a
moment that our scriptures preach such an absurd and inconsistent theory
regarding the ultimate goal of life and the means of attaining that sacred goal.
The Gita has stated that of all the devotees, a jnani is the best devotee. This
shows clearly that devotion is not for the ignorant only. If among the four
different classes of devotees, a jnani is the best devotee, it becomes evident
that spiritual knowledge and pure devotion can coexist. Even after the
realisation of God if there is scope for devotion and the notion of dualism,
then the theory that devotion is meant only for the ignorant people crumbles
down. Devotion is not a mere toy of the ignorant people; on the other hand, it
is the staff on which one leans, the sole support of one and all. Thus devotion,
which is essential both before and after the dawn of spiritual wisdom, cannot
itself be born of illusion or invention of the mind. The conception of devotion
is based on philosophic truths like the fundamental difference between the
individual soul and the Supreme Soul, the supremacy, omnipotence and the primacy
of God. From such a conception arises an unwavering faith and supreme love for
God, and that is called devotion. From the realisation of the truth there will
be a further blooming and enriching of this devotion only and we can never
believe that the sun of knowledge would ever wither up the lotus of devotion.
54. Spirit of Worship is an Indivisible Part of Devotion:
There is another theory regarding devotion. They say that as a background for
devotion, there is no need for dualism. Devotion does not rest on the foundation
of either a master-servant relationship or the spiritual awareness of the
greatness of God. Devotion is the true knowledge of the self. The self and the
God are one and the same. This is the true knowledge of the self. One who is
aware of the identity of God and the self is a perfect devotee. Hence there is
no contradiction between devotion and non-dualism. There is a greater scope for
devotion in non-dualism than in dualism. Nobody loves others more than one's own
self. Instead of taking Brahman as some other person, if you take Him as
yourself, you will certainly love Him intensely as you love yourself. Thus even
in non-dualism there is ample scope for devotion.
Such a description of devotion is contrary to what is described in the Gita.
mNmna -v mKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk,
manman bhava madbhakto madyj m namaskuru -- XVIII-65
(Be My devotee, prostrate before Me, do your duties in a worshipful attitude.)
Thus has the Lord indicated what devotion is and what duties are attached to it.
If a devotee has to have a sense of worshipful attitude and sense of surrender,
how can the idea of non-dualism lead him to devotion? Wherever Bhakti or
devotion is described, emphasis has been laid on the essential ingredients of
devotion such as the spirit of humility, a sense of service, a firm awareness of
His overlordship and spirit of obedience to His laws, etc.
tmev zr[< gCD,
tameva araa gaccha -- XVIII-62,
mamek< zr[< j,
mmeka araa vraja -- XVIII-66
("Surrender to Him alone." "Surrender yourself to preached the lesson of Me
alone." Thus the Lord has preached the lesson of "surrender" to his devotees.)
Ah< Tva< svRpape_yae mae]iy:yaim,
aha tv sarvappebhyo mokayiymi -- XVIII-66
(Surrender yourself completely to Me and I shall free you from all yours sins
... "I will look after you.")
When the Lord gives such an absolute assurance to the devotee one can easily see
how dualism forms the very warp and woof of devotion. It is natural for anyone
to love himself. But if he can love his country and fellow-men more than himself
and if he can devote himself to their service, then he will be considered as
above the ordinary. But the best and the noblest attitude is to love God more
than oneself, sacrifice everything and surrender oneself completely at the feet
of the Lord Almighty who is the creator and sustainer of the whole cosmos.
Selfish love shown to one's own kith and kin cannot be called true devotion.
Even when one loves God if one does so thinking God is nothing but one's own
self then that love becomes narrow selfishness and can never be called devotion.
It is natural for everyone to love himself but that is not devotion.
Transcending the self, knowing that God is different from and infinitely
superior to one's own self, and being emotionally aware of His greatness to the
point of a trance of ecstasy and offer of love to Him, could be described as
true adoration. Where is the room for non-dualism in such an attitude? Thus
devotion and non-dualism are two mutually opposing concepts. Since we are to
follow one of them only, we should take to the devotion advocated by the Gita
based on the spirit of worship and surrender, and progress further in the
spiritual path.
55. Devotion and self-growth:
Some more objections have been raised against the practice of bhakti. One is
that the practice leads to an inferiority complex; the faith that God is the
Lord and we are His humble servants will help only generate a sense of
humiliation which leads to the debasement of the self. By this very bhakti-cult
India has been subjected to slavery. As long as we have this feeling we can
never expect our dignity and virtues to develop. If even after liberation we are
going to be under the Lordship of God what happiness is there in such a
subjection? The bhakti-cult, with its concomitant slavish mentality, is thus
detrimental to the progress of both the individual and the state. This indeed is
an absurd argument. Even Swami Vivekananda subscribed to this view. In his
lectures he has stated that disgust for the bhakti-cult alone was responsible
for the ushering in of Buddhism in India; it has been argued that the genesis of
Buddhism lay in the belief that the nullification of self is preferable to a
salvation which means slavery to God.
There is very little substance in such an argument. It is not that bhakti-cult
is peculiar to the religions of India only. Even in Christianity and Islam a
prominent place has been given to bhakti or devotion. History is full of facts
to testify that the followers of these two religions by the vehemence of their
faith, conquered vast peoples and ruled over them for hundreds of years. Hence
it is not right to say that India had to suffer subjection as she held bhakti in
high regard.
The Almighty God is full of infinite auspicious qualities. There is no
difference between God and His attributes. It is not possible to differentiate
the flame from its light, sugar from its sweetness. God is but a mine of good
qualities. He is the ideal for all individual souls. Casting off our inert
conditioning body and shining in the intrinsically virtuous self itself is our
sole aim; this fruition itself is salvation. If we become a devotee of God and
become his slave, it is as good as becoming a slave of His infinitely auspicious
qualities. If we surrender ourselves to infinite goodness, where is the room for
the degradation of our personality? There is a greater self-respect in becoming
a slave of noble ideals and leading a disciplined life than in being a slave of
selfishness, avarice and lust and leading a life of wanton wilfulness and
ruining oneself. Does owing allegiance to the constitution of one's country and
being bound by its laws and regulations ever become derogatory to the self-
respect of any law-abiding citizen? Similarly being a devotee of God and obeying
the laws laid down by Him for the ordered functioning of the Universe is not
derogatory to the self-respect of any individual; on the other hand, he
experiences a greater self-respect in this obedience.
dasae=h< kaesleNSy,
dso'ha kosalendrasya -- Ramayana
(Lord Rama -- I am the servant of Kosalendra.)
Hanuman has this excellence when he boasts of being a servant of Sri
Ramachandra. A devotee wedded to high ideals does not fall a prey to temptations
and is not led astray. The one who has an unbroken faith in the sole Lord and
Ideal of the Universe, the very embodiment of precious virtues, alone is
competent to express the latent virtues in Him. Thus, devotion is the chief
instrument of self-expression and development of precious qualities; it
stimulates a proper sense of duty by driving away the possible vicious impulses
of the mind. For the welfare of the people and the orderly progress of the
society God has laid down some laws and a devotee naturally obeys these laws in
all sincerity. An ordinary person leads a disciplined and moral life and keeps
himself away from sin out of fear of consequences in this world and also in the
other; but a devotee leads an ideal life of absolute obedience by an unwavering
love of God for its own sake and of his own accord.
kvReveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;eCDt< sma>,
kurvanneveha karmi jijviecchata sam -- Isopanishad 2
(One should live for a hundred years always performing one's duties and
obligations only.)
If we believe that God is everywhere and that He is omnipotent, we cannot but
lead a disciplined and moral life and we shall never indulge in any antisocial,
immoral or ungodly activities. When our mind is steeped in the love of God,
there will be no room for crooked and evil thoughts. Devotion will give us the
indomitable strength and moral courage to overcome temptations and lead a
dedicated, virtuous and disciplined life, and enables us to progress with
enthusiasm in the path of self-evolution. Devotion is a veritable elixir in the
battle of life. It alone can remove all the wounds and crookedness of our
personality and make us upright and noble. If we spurn devotion it is like
banging the great door leading to self-perfection. Devotion is the source of all
noble deeds and we should ensure that such a source is not weakened.
It is with the help of this devotion that we can realise God who is of infinite
auspicious qualities and who is of the essence of Truth, Consciousness and Bliss
and bring out all the good qualities hidden in our personality. If we also
should possess a personality as beautiful as that of God, we should serve God
with intense devotion, faith and love and there is no other way. Even a piece of
iron, buried in the earth for a long time, loses its hardness and takes up the
properties of the earth. Similarly, if we bury ourselves in constant meditation
on God's auspicious qualities we too can acquire a handsome self, mirroring the
lovely form of God.
kIq> pezSkta> kfyeyaNtmnuSmrt!,
s<r<- -yyaegen iv<dte tTsptam!.
ka peasktruddha kuayeyntamanusmarat
sarambha bhayayogena vindate tatsarpatm -- Bhagavata
How can devotion which enables us to rediscover our hidden divine and
magnificent self and is the cause of our total fulness, could ever be
responsible for our downfall? On the other hand, devotion is the great vehicle
which takes us from pettiness to eternal magnificence.
56. In Hinduism there is only One Supreme God:
We have to consider what should be the focus of our devotion. In our religion
there are thousands of gods. Which god are we to worship? That is the problem
before the aspirants. Followers of other religions make fun of us. If there are
thirty crores of Hindus, they have thirty-three crores of gods! Christians and
Muslims have only one God each and when in difficulty they pray to their God and
save themselves. But Hindus are bereft of this one-pointed faith. In times of
difficulty hundreds of gods appear in their minds. They will be confused and
they are at a loss to know which god to pray and which to reject and they cannot
pray intensely and thus they cannot devote themselves one-pointedly. Since the
Hindus believe in a multitude of gods, bereft of true faith, they cannot derive
the right benefits from their prayers. This is one of the objections to
Hinduism.
But if we critically examine the Vedas, Upanishads and Brahmasutras we find that
there is no room for such a criticism. In Hinduism, even though there is a
multiplicity of gods, there is only one Supreme God. In the Vedas and the
Puranas it is mentioned in some places that Indra, Agni and Rudra are all
supreme gods, but it must be interpreted that all these different names refer
only to the one Supreme God. The Apaurusheya Vedas cannot be said to follow the
usual eulogistic method of praising each god as supreme as it suits its
opportunity. It accepts a multiplicity of gods who are subject to the
sovereignty of one sole Lord. It accepts the God who is the swayer of all these
gods and who is implied by the same words which describe them, who is sovereign
and one without a second. The Vedas accept this idea of hierarchy of gods and
the existence of the one and only Supreme God described by all these words, who
is the Chief of all the other deities and who is the Lord of the whole universe.
-I;a=Smaat> pvte, -I;aedeit sUyR>,
bh'smdvta pavate | bhodeti srya | -- Taittiriyopanishad 2:8:1
(The wind blows out of fear for Him; the sun rises out of fear for Him.)
In the Upanishads it is stated that gods are subservient to this Supreme God and
at the same time in some other places it is stated that the Supreme God is
called as Indra, Agni and Shiva.
sa sizv> seN>
sabrahm saiva sendra -- Narayanopanishad
When we critically examine the scriptures, it is seen that Hinduism accepts only
one Supreme God who is the Lord of the whole universe and there are a host of
lesser gods, each entrusted with some limited tasks which they carry out under
the overlordship of one Supreme God, and distinct from Him.
AmI ih Tva< surs'"a> ivziNt
keicIta> ajilyaeg&[iNt,
am hi tv surasagh vianti
kecidbht prjaliyoganti -- XI-21
(The hosts of gods enter you; others praise you with folded hands with fearful
reverence.)
In the Gita also it is stated that all the lesser gods pray to the Supreme God
in great respect with folded hands.
vayuyRmae=ivR[> zza>
japitSTv< iptamhZc,
vyuryamo'gnirvarua aka
prajpatistva prapitmahaca -- XI-39
Thus does the Gita state that the Supreme God is called by the name of Vayu,
Yama, Agni, Varuna, Chandra etc. Hence there is no truth in the criticism that
Hinduism is nothing but polytheism and that there is no scope for intense
meditation and devotion in this religion.
57. Sri Krishna is the Supreme God:
If it is established that there is one Supreme God, who is He? How can we find
Him among the multitude of gods described in the Vedas and Puranas? There is a
possibility of confusion in identifying this Supreme Godhead. The Gita has
clearly stated who that Supreme God is and solved our difficulties.
ANtvu )l< te;a< tvTyLpmexsam!,
devaNdevyjae yaiNt mKtayaiNt mamip.
antavattu phala te tadbhavatyalpamedhasm
devndevayajo ynti madbhaktynti mmapi -- VII-23
(By worshipping lesser gods you obtain perishable fruits. By worshipping Me you
obtain permanent bliss.) So says Lord Krishna. From this, it is clear that
Vishnu does not belong to the category of lesser gods and that He alone is
capable of giving liberation to the aspiring souls and that He is the Supreme
Lord of the whole universe. In the Gita, in many places, clear distinction is
made between the worship of lesser gods and the worship of Lord Krishna and it
is said that devotion to Lord Krishna alone leads to salvation and eternal
bliss. From this it is clear that Sri Krishna or Sri Hari is the Supreme God. In
the eleventh chapter of the Gita, it is said that Sri Krishna is Himself Vayu,
Yama, Agni and Varuna and it is clear from this that these different names are
nothing but the names of the Supreme God Himself. The Godhead who is the creator
of the whole universe, who is full of auspicious qualities, who is free from all
blemishes and who is independent is the Supreme God.
Atae=ze;gu[ae<indaeR;<yavdevih,
tavdeveraenam>
ato'eaguonnaddhannirdoayvadevahi
tvadevevaronma
(The One who is replete with infinite virtuous qualities and free from blemishes
Himself is called the Supreme Lord.)
Thus does Sri Madhvacharya describe God. There is one Supreme God and under His
orders all the other gods carry out their respective, allotted duties. This
Godhead permeates all objects in a similar and sentient form and is thus
responsible for the inherent nature and behaviour of objects and it is because
of this all names and forms are considered existing in the Supreme God Himself.
We can contemplate God in whatever name and form we like provided we do not
forget the basic principle that God is infinite and full of auspicious
qualities. In Hinduism there is no room for confusion in the multiplicity of
names and forms of the Supreme God as to who is the Lord of all gods, who
pervades the whole universe and still stands beyond it; all names and forms are
merged and He can be described by any name and in any form. Such an all-
inclusive conception of the One Supreme God is found in Hinduism and by
sincerely praying to such a God one should pursue his salvation.
58. An Aspirant should Know the Fundamental Principles:
In the seventh chapter of the Gita the fundamental principles underlying the
various entities like Brahma, Adhyatma, Karma, Adhibuta, Adhidaiva and Adhiyajna
have been mentioned. Sri Krishna describes these entities in the eighth chapter
of the Gita. The God who is infinite, immutable and immortal is Parabrahma. He
is 'Adhiyajna.' In the form of Adhiyajna He is inside every body controlling and
motivating all its activities. Parabrahma and Adhiyajna are one and the same.
Sri Vishnu in the macrocosmic form is called Parabrahma and the same Vishnu who
is in a microcosmic form in all bodies is called 'Adhiyajna.' The individual
soul is called Adhyatma. It is different from both the Supreme Lord and inert
matter. This distinction should be understood by every aspirant. 'Karma' is not
merely the petty activities we are engaged in; the stupendous activities of God
in the whole cosmos, the soul of which is the Supreme Himself, are Karma and the
knowledge of such a hand of God inside each and every activity in the creation
gives us bliss and peace of mind. The good deeds done by noble souls in a spirit
of Yajna for the orderly development of the society can also be called Karma.
The body, the senses, the five elements, and all other gross matter which are
required by individuals for the spiritual upliftment of their souls is called
Adhibuta. There are a host of gods under the Supreme Lord, who are conducting
the day-to-day affairs of the universe and the foremost among them is
Chaturmukha Brahma and He is known as 'Adhidaiva'. By knowing all these things
and their functions an aspirant can work for his spiritual emancipation.
59.
People are rather reluctant to undertake spiritual exercises. They say piety and
spiritual exercise are meant for the old and retired people, and young men in
the prime of youth and in the midst of enjoyment should not be bothered about
these things.
But it is not right to put off the practice of such spiritual exercise to an
indefinite date in the future. We shall be doing a great disservice to ourselves
if, when we are hale and healthy and full of vitality, we do not utilise it to
uplift our soul but dissipate that energy in fleeting pleasures. It is
ridiculous on our part to allow the torrents of water during the monsoon of our
youth to go waste and undertake to cultivate the soul in the dry summer of old
age.
kaEmar Aacret! a}ae xmaRn! -agvtainh,
kaumra caret prjo dharmn bhgavatniha -- Bhagavata
(The godly way of life should be pursued in (from) boyhood by those who know.)
Hence Prahlada gives a clarion call to all youth to come forward and practise
piety. I have seen parents discouraging children doing their daily worship of
God and periodic fasting on Ekadashi days and saying that they are too young for
it. We should not nip in the bud the surging spiritual enthusiasm in the minds
of the youth. On the other hand, it is our duty as elders to encourage such
propensities in the young so that they may take firm root in their minds when
they grow old.
g&hIt #vkeze;um&Tyuna xmRmacret!,
ghta ivakeeumtyun dharmamcaret
(We should practise religion (expeditiously) as though we have been seized by
the forelocks by Death.)
Good deeds must be performed instantly and without delay as though the jaws of
death are yawning before us. We must always possess the enthusiastic readiness
to face death when it comes. When a Brahmin came to Dharmaraja for help he
turned him back asking him to come the next day. Since he was badly in need of
money he went to Bhimasena who immediately parted with his gold bangle.
Immediately Bhima ordered the beating of drums in the city proclaiming the good
news. Dharmaraja asked his brother Bhimasena what the good news was. Bhimasena
replied: "Oh brother, you asked the Brahmin to come tomorrow. That means you are
sure you are going to live ill tomorrow. Such exceptional knowledge of the
future possessed by you is worth proclaiming to the world." At his, Dharmaraja
realised his folly. This humorous parable brings home to us the utter folly of
postponing performance of good deeds.
60. Thinking of God at the Moment of Death:
The eighth chapter of the Gita emphasises in the context of spiritual
cultivation that aspirants should remember God at the moment of death. We should
not misconstrue this statement by supposing that we need not think of God at
other times and could be steeped in worldly pleasures. The thought of God does
not come to us magically as it were at the last moment. We may have the unique
fortune of remembering him at the last moment only if we have pursued the
practice throughout our life and absorbed godliness. The whole life should be a
preparation if we are to remember Him at the last moment. In whatever activity
we have spent our greatest time and energy during our lifetime and whichever
experience had left the deepest impression in our mind, that experience alone
comes to our mind easily at the time of our death. There is a story of a miser.
He spent his whole lifetime n a miserly way. While on his deathbed he noticed
the wick-lamp burning rather too brightly, and soon he instructed his children
to make it less bright and save oil. Whatever one has practised throughout one's
whole lifetime, that alone would show up at the time of death. One who has spent
his whole lifetime in prayers and meditation on God can alone think of God at
the time of his death. It is vain to hope that after one has wasted one's whole
lifetime in chasing carnal pleasures one would be able to think of God at the
time of his death. Sri Madhvacharya says:
s<tt< icNtye=nNt< ANtkale ivze;t> ,
santata cintayenanta antakle vieata -- Dwadasa Stotra I-12
(One should always think of God, but specially at the last moment.)
If you practise meditation in your whole lifetime there is hope of your
remembering God in your deathbed. We do many things during the course of the day
but when we sleep we do not remember them. But we can easily remember those
incidents which have left a deep impression On our mind. One who has spent his
whole lifetime in prayers and contemplation of God, can easily think of God on
his deathbed. When the Gita says that we should think of God on our deathbed it
gives the exceptional message that we must practise godly life throughout our
lifetime.
Thus, our death must be full of holiness. For this we should purify our whole
life by good thoughts and good deeds and should be able to see it echoed at the
moment of death. Our death is the very consummation of our whole life. From any
one's holy memory of God at the moment of death we can identify the fulfilment
of a whole life of purity. That our whole life must be purified by a sense of
God is the central message of the eighth chapter of the Gita.
Just as one's deathbed experience is the reflection of a whole lifetime, it is
also suggestive of what is going to happen in our next life. The kind of
thinking we have at the moment of death has a special influence on the life
after. There is the story of Bharata. Even though he had forsaken his kingdom
and was living in a forest as a saint he could not get over his attachment to
his pet animal and at the time of his death he thought of this only and so, in
his next life, he had to face the tragic consequence of being born as a deer.
Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu had in their minds the fierce forms of Varaha
(wild boar) and Narasimha (man-lion) respectively at the time of their death and
they were born again in the fierce forms of Rakshasas. Those who saw the
Kshatriya Rama at the time of their death were born as Kshatriyas in their
subsequent life. Those who meditated on the lovely form of Krishna as God at the
time of death, died to accomplish the sarupya (similar in form) Mukti. We get in
our next life whatever the name and form we think on our deathbed. If we shed
our mortal coils in the contemplation of the Almighty God of infinite auspicious
qualities who is of the essence of pure consciousness and bliss, then we too
shall get rid of our mortal bodies and shine as pure spirits of consciousness
and bliss. We are shackled to the material body now. We identify our soul with
this body of inert matter and carry on our activities. We should be liberated
from such a state. In essence we are the true image of God. The qualities and
form of God are inherent in our soul also but they are lying latent. Since it is
our life's endeavour to bring out these hidden latent qualities, we will be
gifted with the great chance of experiencing the soul's deathless and native
bliss only if we cultivate our whole life with holy thoughts and the whole
consequent culture of the soul is reflected in the moment of death.
61. Journey during the Dark and the White Halves of the Month:
At the end of the eighth chapter of the Gita a reference is made to the journey
during the dark and the white halves of the month. This has confused many. The
apparent meaning of this stanza is that if anybody dies during daytime, the
white half of the month and the 'uttarayana' he attains salvation and if he dies
at night, during the dark half of the month and in 'dakshinayana' he is caught
in the whirl of birth and death. No doubt the proper time and good circumstances
of death may be indicative of good things; but it is wrong to conclude a
particular death to be holy or sinful on the basis of physical time. In this
section of the Gita, only the path through which the yogi's soul journeys after
death is discussed. The yogis who journey in the path presided over by the
deities ruling over the brighter half of the month and the 'uttarayana' go to
God. Those yogis that perform severe penance and holy sacrifice in expectation
of rewards follows a different path, presided over by the deities ruling over
the darker half of the month and the 'dakshinayana.' Thus the reference deals
only with the spiritual path followed by the soul of yogis after death and this
is a subject falling within the scope of yogasastra. The popular notion that the
statements deal with the description of the physical time of death, is ill-
conceived.
At the time of death our minds should not be covered by ignorance like a cloudy
and dark night of the darker half of the month in the dakshinayana. Neither
should it be polluted like the air in a room full of smoke. Our ignorance and
attachment to worldly things, like the cloud and darkness, dim our souls. These
should be cleared from our heart and should be filled with the purest moon-rays
of godliness. Our heart should be as pure and cloudless as the uttarayana day
and as clear as the full moon night. At the time of death the mind should be
free from ignorance and sin and be active and bright, like a burning flame.
Hence we may also understand that the description is but a metaphor for the
interior situation of the soul at the moment of physical death.
62. The Relationship between the World and the God:
In the ninth chapter of the Gita again there is an account of the greatness of
the Almighty God. This description is helpful for inspiring us with the spirit
of devotion. The more we think of His greatness the more does our mind surrender
at His feet. He is the support of every being. He is the Energy behind all
activity in the whole universe. He is the Supreme, Independent Lord. Even when
He is the support of the universe, the universe is as nothing to Him. He has
nothing to get from it. He is full. He is perfect. He is eternal and He need not
de pend upon the universe for anything because He has no wants and no
unfulfilled desires.
mTSwain svR-Utain n cah< te:vviSwt>,
mat-sthni sarva-bhtni na cha tev-avasthita -- IX-4
(All have a refuge in Me. But I do not take my refuge in them.)
But the second line of this stanza has given rise to some confusion. Having said
in the first line that all creatures depend upon Him the following line appears
to say that no creatures depend on Him. Thus these two statements appear to be
contradictory.
mTSwain svR-Utain
mat-sthni sarva-bhtni -- IX-4
(All beings are within Me)
n c mTSwain -Utain
na ca mat-sthni bhtni -- IX-5
(The beings are not in Me)
After making these apparently contradictory statements, He says:
pZy me yaegmErm!,
paya me yogam-aivaram -- IX-5.
"Even though all creatures are in Me, they appear not to be in Me. Look at this
miracle of Mine," says Sri Krishna. It is a little difficult to get to the true
meaning of this stanza. Some people have so interpreted this as to say that the
world is an illusion. If you say that an object is there and in the next breath
say that it is not there, it means that the object is not really there but it
only appears to be there. An imaginary object may exist only in imagination, but
it is actually not there. We may mistake a rope for a snake. But really the
snake is not there. Some people say the sloka means what is real is Brahman and
even though we see the world it is only an illusion and an imaginary
superimposition.
But if we examine this stanza more critically we see that such an interpretation
is erroneous. The clue to the correct interpretation of this apparent
contradiction is given in the next statement in the Gita itself. Even though the
air and ether come in contact with the objects of nature, they do not acquire
any of their characteristics. Similarly God comes in contact with all objects of
nature but none of their properties stick to Him. He is the unattached. Hence
even though God is the support of all the objects in the universe He is not
affected by them and in that sense we can say that they are not in Him. Even the
commentators following the Advaita school of thought accept that this analogy
has been given to illustrate the non-affectability of God by these objects of
nature. This analogy does not support the interpretation that the world is
unreal. No philosopher believed that the wind blowing in space is an illusion
like the snake in the rope. God is in the universe but He is not affected by its
qualities in the same way as ether, wind and other objects of nature are
unaffected by each other even if they are together. This example brings out the
hidden meaning of the seemingly contradictory ideas in the stanza in the Gita.
pZy me yaegmErm!,
paya me yogam-aivaram -- IX-5.
(Look at My lordly power.)
Even though the universe is within Him, it is as though it is not there. That is
the power of his lordliness, says Sri Krishna. If the world is not real and if
it is only an illusion, there is no need of a miracle by God to show that it is
not in Him. Illusion arises out of some defect in our senses. To mistake a rope
for a snake which arises out of our ignorance or defect in our senses, God's
miracle is not necessary. The very fact that God says that it is His miracle
shows that the world is not unreal. Even though He pervades every object in the
universe He is not in the least affected by their qualities due to His divinity.
This is the contextual meaning of the stanza.
63. Is Hatred of God also a Means to Salvation?
There is a theory that complete utter hatred of God also leads to salvation as
does intense devotion.
e;aCyE *adpaen&pa>
dvecyai dydaponp
In support of this theory they quote Bhagavata wherein it is said that
Shishupala and others attained salvation by their hatred of Krishna. Salvation
is the manifestation of the true nature of a soul which is similar to God's own
nature. Intense meditation on God is the only means of attaining such
manifestation. Some say that intense hatred of God is as conducive as intense
love to the contemplation of God. We always think of things dear to us.
Similarly we never forget the object of our hatred and unity. Both love and
hatred alike help us to a state of concentration. Intense God-haters like
Shishupala and Kamsa had the thought of Sri Krishna always in their minds and
thus could they obtain liberation. Hence they argue that we can choose either of
the two paths, intense love or intense hatred of God.
This is a very dangerous interpretation, detrimental to the welfare of the
entire organised society. It would not be proper to say that a true devotee who
abides by the command of God, submitting himself to discipline and cooperating
with the movement and progress of the creation, and the wanton self-willed man,
turned away from God and violating the fundamental principles of the universe
are both on par as they have a similar one-pointed attention to God and thus
share equally the bliss of salvation. It is easier to hate a man and harm him
than love a person and sacrifice everything for him. In the former there is no
sacrifice or penance involved. So people may be inclined to take to the easier
path of God-hatred, immorality and wantonness if that also could lead them to
liberation. This will only lead to utter chaos and degradation.
We cannot get liberation simply by concentrating on God. We can get salvation
only if we are able to contemplate upon his auspicious qualities. If the soul is
to unfold its own self of auspicious qualities, we must contemplate on the good
qualities of the Almighty God. Only when we have love and devotion can we think
uninterruptedly of the good qualities of God. Is it possible to remember them if
the mind and heart are corrupted by hatred? Hatred always looks for bad
qualities. The chief aim of the enemy of God is to brood on the shortcomings of
God and this constant gloating on God against the background of hatred cannot
help in any way the blossoming of the virtuous beauty of the soul.
AvjaniNt ma< mUFa manui;< tnumaitm!,
avajnanti m mh mnui tanum-ritam -- IX-11
(The stupid despise Me by judging Me by the human form i.e. not knowing Me as
the Supreme Lord.)
mae"aza mae"kmaR[ae mae"}an ivcets>,
ra]sImasurI cEv kit< maeihnI ita>.
mogh mogha-karmo mogha-jna vicetasa
rkasm-sur caiva prakti mohin srit -- IX-12
(Such are of futile hope, futile actions, futile knowledge, perverted minds and
rest either in the Rakshasi or the Asuri, delusive nature.)
That is why such demonical activities have been condemned in the Gita. The Gita
has clearly stated that the final release is not within the reach of those who
hate God and who lead an ungodly and wanton life. The Gita has clearly laid down
that hatred and devotion are two diametrically opposed paths. By some demonical
inspiration, even though noble souls like Shishupala (Jaya, Vijaya ...) and
others hated Sri Krishna intensely, they had deep within them intense devotion
for God. That revealed itself in the end at the vision of the Lord Himself and
they obtained their final salvation. This is the opinion of Bhagavata also. Such
incidents shows us how the Lord discovers true devotion even in His enemies and
showers His grace on them and liberates them. The only royal road to salvation
is pure devotion. The Gita points out that we should not be after the daydreams
of easily wresting salvation by following the wicked paths.
64. I Will Look After You:
The Lord bears the full burden of his devotees' welfare. Sri Krishna has
solemnly promised in the Gita that He will look after the welfare of all His
devotees sincerely engaged in His worship and meditation. Why should we despair
in our struggle of life when we have an assurance which inspires us with
confidence and courage, from the Lord Himself? We can engage ourselves with firm
determination in raising the massive edifice of life on the sure basis of
devotion to God. In His incarnation as Rama the Lord has stated that He has
vowed that He would protect the devotees who have surrendered themselves with
prayer to Him.
skdevpaey> tvaSmIitcyayte,
A-y<svR -Ute_y> ddaMyetdVrt<mm.
sakdevaprapannoya tavsmticayyate
abhayasarva bhtebhya dadmyetadvratammama
(It is My obligation to give an assurance of perfect safety to all those who
beseech Me even once saying "I am Yours".)
In His incarnation as Krishna the Lord once again has given similar assurance.
AnNyaiNtyNtae ma< ye jna> pyuRpaste,
te;a< inTyai-yuKtana< yaeg]em< vhaMyhm!.
anany-cintayanto m ye jan paryupsate
te nitybhiyuktn yoga-kema vahmy-aham -- IX-22
(I will look after those who surrender themselves totally to Me and think of Me
without being distracted by other gods.)
kaENtey itjanIih n me -Kt> [Zyit.
kaunteya pratijnhi na me bhakta praayati -- IX-31
Arjuna, take an oath that my devotee shall not perish.
The Lord proclaims that no harm will come to a person treading the path of
devotion. When such clear assurances by God are there it pains me much to see
some persons propagating the immature and inconsistent notions like the identity
between the Supreme God and the individual soul and thereby preach a path
inimical to devotion and confuse them. When God Himself has praised the lofty
path of the bhakti cult as supreme, pure and free from danger, then why have
reservations or hesitation to follow it? It is understandable why some people
denounce this method as meant for the ignorant only. Instead of wasting one's
time in such irrelevant argument, it is proper to embrace the bhakti-cult
without any hesitation or reservation.
kaENtey itjanIih n me -Kt> [Zyit.
kaunteya pratijnhi na me bhakta praayati -- IX-31
In this statement Sri Krishna gets Arjuna to swear that God's devotees would
never perish. Why does He do so? One's own oaths may, sometimes, turn into lies;
but Krishna intends to show that the oaths of His devotees would never turn into
lies.
Svinym mphay mTit}am!
\tmixktuRmvPlutaerySy>,
x&trw cr[ae=_yyaCclxu>
hirirth<tuimm<gtaerIy>.
svaniyama mapahya matpratijm
tamadhikartumavaplutorayasya
dhtaratha carao'bhyayccaladhu
hariritahantumimagatottarya -- Bhagavata
Bhishma says: "How can I forget the gracious lovely face of Sri Krishna who is
ready to break His vow by wearing the disc (cakra cKr) for the sake of the
devotees, only to see that His devotees' oaths are kept?" Sri Krishna had vowed
not to take up any arms during the Mahabharata war. But Bhishma had vowed that
he would make Sri Krishna wear arms. Just to make His devotee's words come true,
He pretends that He is afflicted by the arrows of Bhishma, and breaking His own
vow, He takes to his disc. Some have interestingly glossed the statement by
saying that the Lord who treats His devotees' words as worthier than His own,
has made His dearest devotee Arjuna take the oath that 'My devotee will not
perish' in order to create a greater faith in us.
65. Offering Work to God:
The Lord who has shouldered the burden of the protection of His devotees does
not expect much from them in return. He is pleased with our spirit of
renunciation if we sacrifice whatever we have in His services instead of using
them for our selfish ends. We should have neither a sense of ownership of the
things we possess nor the egoism that we are the doers of our actions. If we
have the idea that God is the real inspirer of all action and the real doer, all
our actions become an offering to God. When behind all our activities there is a
desire to please God, all our works are but His worship. God is pleased if our
individual actions lead to social welfare. We should lead a disciplined and
godly life; then only it becomes a worship.
If thus we transform all our actions in life into the acts of worship and we
have a constant sense that He alone is the Independent Lord, it is nothing but
the offering of all actions to Him. The Gita says the same thing.
yTkraei; ydais yJjuhaei; ddais yt!,
ypSyis kaENtey tTk:v mdpR[m!.
yat-karoi yad-ansi yaj-juhoi dadsi yat
yat-tapasyasi kaunteya tat-kuruva mad-arpaam -- IX-27
(Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever sacrifices you perform, whatever
you give (acts of charity), whatever penance you undertake, Arjuna, offer it to
Me.)
66. Worship of God is Easy:
If our equipment, the body and the organs, the material wealth, etc. are
harnessed to activities that please God, it is also an act of offering to God.
Our material of worship may be small; but it should not be used to serve our
selfish ends but for the things which please Him. God does not mind the
magnitude but the depth and intensity of feeling behind the material of our
worship.
p< pu:p< )l< taey< yae me -KTya yCDit,
patra pupa phala toya yo me bhakty prayacchati -- IX-26
(He who gives with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or some water.)
However small the object may be, it grows great by the excellence of devotion.
God expects from His devotee a spirit of renunciation and dedication. By this
spirit there will not only be the evolution of the individual personality but
also the progress of the whole nation. The spiritual perfection which the Chola
king could not accomplish with all the pomp of gold ornaments, was attained by
Vishnudasa who worshipped God with the Tulsi leaves. When the crocodile caught
hold of a leg of the elephant king (Gajendra) it could not get itself free from
its clutches by pulling with all its might; at last it lifted a lotus flower in
its trunk and wailed before God and God eagerly rushed to rescue the devotee.
Shabari waited in her hut for years for the arrival of Lord Rama and when He
actually turned up, she offered only a few fruits gathered from the forest and
earned His grace. There is a story of King Rantideva. He fasted for a number of
days. Finally when he was about to break the fast he saw at his door some hungry
huntsmen and he gave his food to them. When he tried to drink water to quench
his thirst he saw a dog dying of thirst and with open mouth begging for some
water to quench its thirst. He gave that water to the dog as a service to the
God inside and said: "Oh Lord, I do not desire worldly happiness, kingdom or
even salvation, give me only the power to be inside everybody and suffer all
their pains and sorrows. If I can wipe their tears I shall be happy." Here is a
noble example of renunciation and self-sacrifice. Vishnudasa, Gajendra, Shabari,
Rantideva are shining models of those who could worship with leaves, flowers,
fruits and even water.
DNda<is ySy p[aRin ... ... ... |
chandsi yasya parni ... ... ... -- XV-1
(The Vedas are its leaves.)
There is another meaning for this stanza. The world is compared to a huge tree
and Vedas are its leaves. If you study the Vedas and if you collect the honey
from its flowers and share it with others, it is a form of worship with leaves.
Aih<sawm<pu:p< pu:pimiNyinh>,
ahisprathamampupa pupamindriyanigraha
(Ahimsa is the first flower, control of senses is verily a flower.)
Non-violence, self-control, compassion, truth, knowledge, penance, action and
meditation are described as its eight interior flowers. To practise these in
one's life is the greatest floral offering to God. Performing good deeds and not
expecting any reward is the offering of fruit. The shedding of tears of joy due
to surge of devotional ecstasy on hearing the story of God or during prayers
could be the offering of water. Singing songs filled with the essence of
devotion is a form of offering of water. This beautiful stanza indicates how we
can offer our prayers with devotion and fullness of heart even if we do not have
pomp and show.
67. Conduct and Devotion:
There are many who misinterpret this bhakti-cult to their own advantage. They
say that one need not bother about one's character and conduct if only one has
devotion; we need not pay any importance to conduct, character or righteousness.
They say that if only one has devotion within him, even if one misbehaves
outwardly, one gets salvation, taking the support of statements like:
Aip ceTsuracarae -jte mamnNy-ak,
saxurev s mNtVy> sMyGVyvistae ih s>.
api cet-sudurcro bhajate mmananya-bhk
sdhur-eva sa mantavya samyag-vyavasito hi sa -- IX-30
(Even if he utterly misbehaves, if he is devoted to Me single-mindedly, he is
reckoned to be a good man.)
'Even if one is loose, if he happens to be a devotee he is good' -- if one
understands the statement in this way, one is apt to feel that the bhaktimarga
throws all doors open to misconduct and viciousness.
naivrtae irtaazaNtae ... ... ...,
... ... ... }anenEnmaPnuyat!.
nvirato ducaritn-nnto ... ... ...
... ... ... prajnena-inam-pnuyt -- Kathopanishad (II-24)
(The one who has not given up evil ways cannot obtain His grace by mere
knowledge.)
It is said in the Upanishad that only a person who keeps himself away from evil
deeds is fit for salvation; devotion thus inseparably goes with righteous
living. How could one who had developed love of God and is detached, descend to
base acts induced by anger and attachment? How could the devotee who has been
won over by the love of God and is pleased to be under the laws of God governing
the universe, ever perform deeds which have no relation to himself? Hence
devotion and righteous living remain always inseparable. But do we not see
people who call themselves devotees, wearing all the symbols of a devotee and
spending hours together in counting their beads, occupied with base things?
Those who keep a pretence of religious practices outside, but are busy with
deception and dishonest deeds, cannot be ranked with devotees. They are, like
actors who play sad and wretched roles, only enacting parts. It is mere pose
without the passion of devotion.
faiM-kTven sae=numey>,
mbhikatvena so'numeya
(A man who is steeped in evil acts should be counted a hypocrite even if he
bears the external symbols of devotion.)
Our Acharya has severely criticised such persons in his Gita Bhashya. A true
devotee is pure both within as well as without. A devotee is quite aware that
Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, pervades every nook and corner of the
universe and therefore he would never stoop to sinful activities. Righteous
behaviour is but a product of true devotion and righteous living always go hand
in hand. Hence, if we say that it is sufficient if one has devotion in his heart
whatever his conduct and character, it is both unscriptural and unscientific. We
have to measure the degree of inner devotion by outward conduct and behaviour.
The true import of the Gita is: A man may be a sinner to start with but if he
repents and changes his life for the better we should certainly accept him
without despising him for his past but honour him for what he is. A sinner has a
chance to clear his sins away with devotion to God. Devotion is the light of
hope which brightens the heart of one who is steeped in despair. One who has
tasted the nectar of devotion will not fall again into the whirlpool of
temptation and sin.
We see around us in this world rampant dishonesty and there is no better
solution for this than the practice of devotion to God. We cannot bring in
social reform by legislation. Laws are ineffective because there is no change of
heart in the people. If any law is promulgated people will find ways and means
of side-tracking it. Legislation is the child of social reform and cannot be its
mother. We can institute successful laws only through a reformed heart but we
cannot reform the world through laws. The chief task of social reconstruction of
today is the creation of basically right psychological attitude. We should make
great and vigorous efforts to stimulate this sense of devotion among the
educated which alone can inspire them with right conduct and virtues.
68. The Superior Manifestations of the Lord:
There is an elaborate description of the various manifestations of God in the
tenth chapter of the Gita. Only because God pervades each and every atom in this
universe, various movements and modes become possible. Even if he is rooted in
everything, there is a greater plenitude of His presence in some of them. God is
more richly present in things which are more powerful, holier and more
efficacious to the world. As the sound performance of a radio-set depends upon
the strength of its components, similarly the intensity of the presence of God
is greater in certain things, depending on the degree of difference among
persons. Realising the special richness of God in excellent things itself is
Vibhuti Darshan. There is a story in the Upanishad. Once the gods were looking
for an image suitable for their worship of God. They were not looking for a
stone image. They were looking for some divine cosmic spirit free from blemishes
for their worship. A good image is seen only in a clean mirror; only in a pure
and unblemished being the Supreme God could be fully present, and so they
thought that such a being alone could be the proper image for God. However much
they examined, they saw every person a home of blemishes and weakness. The
demonic powers had somehow entered into the hearts of these persons and
corrupted them. Finally they found that God Vayu alone had a heart which had no
room for these evil forces. The demonic forces had tried their best to break the
fortress of his heart and gain entrance but they had themselves been shattered
like clods dashed against a wall of rock. They identified Lord Vayu as the only
one who had smashed the proud citadels of devilish power with the invincible
armour of pure virtue and chose him, as the one image with total abundance of
the presence of God. The tenth chapter gives us the principle that wherever
there is greater beauty and power, there is the special focus of divinity. After
giving examples of excellence in each group and the specially divine presence in
it, the chapter sums up by saying:
y*i-UitmTsvm! ImijRtmev va,
tdevavgCD Tv< mm tejae<=zs<-vm!.
yad-yad-vibhtimat-sattvam rmad-rjitam-eva v
tat-tad-evvagaccha tva mama tejoa-sambhavam -- X-41
(Know that the object which is the most excellent of its species, the most
intensely rich or abundant, is invested with My splendour.)
69. The Teaching of the "Vibhuti Yoga":
We are to realise from the tenth chapter that we should endeavour to see that
our heart becomes a seat of God's excellence. If God is to dance in our hearts
we should decorate the place with our virtues. If we have good sweets and
attractive toys with us, children will naturally be attracted to us. A dirty
place breeds insects and bacteria. If our virtuous heart can be the playground
for the child Krishna, the same place, if infested with vices, could become a
horrible funeral ground for the macabre dance of the devils. Let us decorate our
hearts with our good thoughts and good conduct to make it a place for the young
Gopal to dance. Our good deeds themselves are the invaluable daily offering to
God.
\t<ipbNtaE suktSy laeke
tampibantau suktasya loke -- Katha 3-1
(He drinks the essentially good portion, dwelling in the cave of the heart, in
the body earned by good deeds.)
zu-<ipbTsaE inTy< nazu-<shir> ipbet!,
ubhampibatsau nitya nubhasahari pibet -- Brahma Sutra Bhashya
(He always drinks the auspicious; He does not drink the inauspicious.)
The Almighty God who resides within us accepts only our good deeds and blesses
us. He comes running to our hearts to accept our offerings of good deeds. We
have been dispelling Him away from us by Our bad deeds. Parvati asks her husband
Shiva why he did not get up to honour her father Daksha Prajapati who was an
elderly person. The reply by Lord Shiva is significant. He says: "By standing up
and bowing we honour not the mortal body but the God who is within. This should
be understood both by the giver and the receiver of the salutations. The power-
drunk Daksha Prajapati was not aware of this. His heart was full of pride and
ego; I could not see Godhead within him however much I looked for it. Why should
I bow down to an emaciated and soiled image which has lost the very presence of
God?" By our untruth and unrighteousness, we are dismantling the sanctum
sanctorum in our heart. We must keep away from engaging ourselves in such
heinous crime which is going to ruin our whole life. Instead, we must welcome
the opportunities of performing good deeds which manifest divinity and ennoble
our life. This is the teaching of the tenth chapter of the Gita.
70. Vision of the Cosmic Form:
Having listened at length to the greatness of the Almighty God, Arjuna gets an
intense desire to have direct vision of the Lord's Cosmic Form which supports
this vast universe. The Lord obliges him, grants him a divine sight and blesses
him with the vision of His Cosmic Form. Hundreds of tiny particles move about
under our very nose but we are not able to see them. But with the help of a
microscope all these particles become visible. Similarly, we are not able to see
with our gross eyes the spirit of God which flows through each and every
particle in this vast universe. That is why the Lord had to endow Arjuna with a
superhuman eyesight. On an earlier occasion Sri Krishna had granted such an
eyesight and such a vision of His Cosmic Form to the blind Dhritarashtra. When
He went to the Kauravas on his peace mission as an emissary of Pandavas,
Duryodhana tried to arrest him and at that time the Lord revealed His Cosmic
Form to the worthy souls like Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. Seeing the wonderful
auspicious form of the Lord, Dhritarashtra was thrilled with joy and exclaimed:
"Oh Lord, when You withdraw this supernatural eyesight, please make me blind
once again. Having seen Your auspicious Cosmic Form, I do not wish to see the
ugly world any more. I shall be glad to be blind again." In my opinion
Dhritarashtra, the blind devotee, is the luckiest person because he saw in his
life only God's Form arid nothing else, even once, of this sinful world.
On seeing the Cosmic Form of Lord Krishna Arjuna is overjoyed. There is
scattered all around the massive brightness as at the sudden and simultaneous
rising of a thousand suns. He sees the Almighty Lord's face all around him. The
Lord's eyes are watching each and every particle in the universe. His thousands
of legs and hands are reaching the whole cosmos. In the God with the universal
eyes and the infinite faces Arjuna sees the past, the present and the future.
The world of infinite variety is summed up within Him.
tEkSw< jgTkTSn< iv-Ktmnekxa,
tatraikastha jagatktsna pravibhaktamanekadh -- XI-13
He saw the myriad fragments of the world in a corner of the universal body of
God. Arjuna sees the whole universe in the body of the Lord's Cosmic Form. He
sees the gods Vayu, Yama, Agni, Brahma and Rudra in His body, all under His
control. He is the abode for all these gods, for all living and non living
creatures in the universe and He takes different forms to activate them. Seeing
all these things Arjuna is awe-struck and in a state of devotional ecstasy
bursts into a hymn of praise.
71. Is God Formless?
Some people may feel surprised at the description that God has thousand faces
and thousands of eyes. Can God have eyes, ears and limbs like us? If He has also
the same sort of body and organs as we have, how could He remain God then? He
too has to belong to the category of human beings. Some others argue that such a
body and limbs are but a figment of man's own imagination according to his
capacity, and not a real description. Between God's form and our physical body
there is a gulf of difference and only because they do not understand this they
deny form to God as described in the Vedas and the Upanishads. The mere word
'body' need not shock us as dirty and unholy. There is a world of difference
between our body of five elements stinking with filth, and the sweet-scented
body and form of the Lord which is made of mere consciousness and bliss. If one
is an earthen pot, the other is a golden one. The two are entirely different and
they have different characteristics. Just because both have a similar shape and
form we cannot put them on par. Sweets are made in different forms resembling
various animals. But do not children eat them with relish? Even though the forms
are different, they are all sweet being made of sugar. Just as there is a great
difference between the beasts and the sweetmeat animals, there is an infinite
difference between our body and God's. By conceding a body and form made of
consciousness and bliss to the Supreme Lord we do not pull Him down to the level
of the human beings. It is with this view that the Vedas and Puranas describe
the Lord as formless. If in some places it is stated that God is formless, in
many others, in the same scriptures, the wonderful and beautiful body and form
of the God have been extensively described. We should examine these critically
and reconcile them. Since God does not have an inert body made of five elements
like ours, He is described as formless by the Srutis and Puranas; He has a
supernatural body composed of truth, consciousness and bliss, and this lovely
auspicious body is the cause of describing His form. We can remove this apparent
contradiction in our scriptures only if we agree that God has a supernatural
form.
We can look at this problem from another angle. Every object in the universe,
living or non-living, is just an image of the Almighty God. God is responsible
for its very existence and activity. God pervades every object and activates it.
Because of God there is activity in the universe. God is the object and
everything else in the universe is His image. The various objects in the
universe have diverse forms only because God pervades all these objects and
gives them their individual forms. Unless the object has shape, its image cannot
have any shape. The image may be dark or even distorted but there is some
similarity in form between the two. There is a great difference between the
Supreme God and the myriads of living and non living entities in the universe in
their characteristics, but because of the object-image relationship, there must
be some internal similarity in form. Different atoms join together and become
different objects having different forms. For these atoms to join together into
particular shapes, the infinite forms of God who is immanent in all objects in
nature alone are responsible.
tt! s&va, tdevanuaivzt!, tdnuivZy, sCcTyCca-vt!,
tat sav | tadevnuprviat | tadanupraviya | saccatyaccbhavat | --
Taittiriyopanishad 2:6
(Having created the world, He entered in it, having entered it He was called by
its very name 'sat' (st!) and became its foundation and controller.)
The Upanishad says that nature takes different forms so pleasing to the eye only
because of the presence of God inside every object in the universe. As the same
water filled in different pots with different shapes takes up different forms,
so also the same Godhead entering into different living and non living entities
in the universe takes different forms. Only because God has form, nature could
be endowed with so many forms and so much variety and beauty. It is better to
describe Him as having infinite forms rather than describe Him as formless as He
is the object for all the images, and all-pervading. Arjuna saw with his
supernatural eyesight such a God of infinite shapes and forms, of infinite
auspicious qualities, made of the essence of consciousness and bliss, taking the
same form as the image He pervades and at the same time not being affected or
touched by its physical characteristics.
Some people are of the view that the form and shape of the Almighty Lord
described in the Vedas and Puranas are purely imaginary and not at all real. We
have accepted the Vedas and Puranas as the supreme authorities in spiritual
matters in our Hindu religion. How then could we ever contradict ourselves and
say that they preach false and imaginary ideas about God and thus misguide and
confuse the people? How could the lovely form of God seen after several years of
severe penance and meditation by the supreme devotees like Dhruva be utterly
imaginary? What we see by our physical eyesight may sometimes be illusory. But
how could the things seen by Arjuna with a divine sight, specially endowed by
God, be untrue? Illusory objects have no existence in reality. Arjuna has seen
with his own eyes the Almighty God's infinite forms. He has also seen the lesser
gods like Brahma and Rudra offering prayers in devotion to God. This shows that
not only whatever is mentioned in the epics regarding the other worlds are not
the figments of their authors' imagination but, also, whatever of the physical
world we see with our eye is also true and real. If the world were unreal, as
some believe, Arjuna could not have seen with the divine sight the earth and the
heavens under the providence of the Supreme Lord. Thus it is undoubtedly true
that whatever Arjuna has seen in the Cosmic Form of the Supreme Soul, the
individual soul and the physical world are all real and mutually distinct.
72. The Awareness of the Cosmic Vision in our day-today life:
We should learn a lesson from what Arjuna had seen in the Lord's Cosmic Form and
put it into practice in our day-to-day life. God has infinite forms. He pervades
each and every object. There is the pure sentient form of God in everything we
see. The sense that He sees what is going on in the whole universe by His
thousands of faces and thousands of eyes encourages alertness and good conduct
in us. We can deceive the Government and sidetrack the laws but when the sense
that God is looking at us with his infinite faces and eyes is awakened in us and
we cannot evade his look, our life then would become blissfully holy. Once a
banana was given to Sri Kanakadasa and he was asked to eat it in secret. But he
could not find such a place. Wherever he went he saw God. One who sees God
everywhere does not find an opportunity to commit sin and cover it up. His life
becomes as pure as an open book.
n raNy< n c rajasIt! n d{fae n c dai{fk>,
xmeR[Ev ja> svaR> r]iNt Sm prSpr<.
na rnya na ca rjst na dao na ca dika
dharmeaiva praj sarv rakanti sma paraspara -- Mahabharata
(There was neither kingdom nor king, neither punishment nor the punisher; people
protected each other with dharma itself.)
In the 'Krita' age the citizens were law-abiding of their own will and lived a
life of holy discipline without the need of law or officers. Character is to be
built in the hearts of men. If it is not there as a foundation, the whole
superstructure of the state will collapse. The present-day society is a glaring
example of this. The philosophy of the Cosmic Form of God as explained in the
eleventh chapter of the Gita must be the guiding principle in our day-today life
if society is to be built on a sure foundation.
73. The Worship of the 'Shree' (Lakshmi) Principle:
It has been clear from the exposition of bhaktiyoga so far that devotion to and
service of God is the only way for salvation. Presiding over all the material
objects of the universe is the Goddess Lakshmi who is the mother of all
creatures and who is the consort of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. Can we obtain
salvation by Her worship also? Both the Lord and His consort equally pervade the
whole universe and both are eternally free. One is tempted to feel that worship
of either should be conducive to salvation. Between the two one may feel, it is
easier to please the Mother and obtain Her favours and grace than the Father of
the universe. Hence one will be tempted to ask why we should not follow the
easier path and obtain release by worshipping the Goddess Lakshmi alone. Arjuna
also gets the same doubt in his mind and asks the Lord:
@v< sttyuKta ye -KtaSTva< pyuRpaste,
ye caPy]rmVyKt< te;a< ke yaegivma>.
eva satata-yukt ye bhakts-tv paryupsate
ye cpy-akaram-avyakta te ke yoga-vittam -- XII-1
(Who are the better yogis -- between those who devotedly worship You with
meditation and those who worship Lakshmi, called akshara and who presides over
the principle of 'Prakriti'?)
Even if you worship Lakshmi, you cannot obtain salvation without the grace of
God. If you do not propitiate the Lord, even His consort will not be pleased. It
may be easier to approach God through His consort but you cannot obtain
salvation without His very grace. Instead of going through the indirect path
that lies through Her, one should follow the direct path of worshipping the
Lord, advises Sri Krishna:
Klezaee=ixktrSte;a< AVyKtasKtcetsm!,
kleo'dhikataras-tem avyaktsakta-cetasam-- XII-5
(Those whose minds are steeped in the Lakshmi principle experience a greater
difficulty and affliction.)
The Lord and His consort are the Father and the Mother of every creature in the
universe and the easiest path is to endeavour to obtain release from our mortal
existence by worshipping Him, Lord of Lakshmi, with all our devotion. In a
sense, all of us are worshippers of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. Forgetting
God we have engaged ourselves in brooding over money alone. But will His consort
favour us in any way if we forget God and are engrossed in thoughts of wealth?
Naturally She too will keep away from us, since we have left Her Lord.
iv:[una sihta Xyata saihtuipra<jet!,
viun sahit dhyt shituiparvrajet -- Gita Tatparya
(She will be supremely pleased only when She is worshipped along with Vishnu).
She is absolutely pleased only if the Lord is worshipped. If we forget God and
worship riches only throughout our life, then we will lose both God and wealth.
Thus the purport of this section is that the supreme means of salvation is the
worship of Lakshminarayana rather than Lakshmi alone.
74. Is the Unmanifest (AVyKt) Nirguna Brahma?
Some people confuse the issue by bringing in the conception of Saguna and
Nirguna Brahma. They define the Brahma possessed of knowledge, power and
activity as Saguna Brahma and the indivisible spirit devoid of all these
qualities as the Nirguna Brahma. Since the worship of Nirguna Brahma, though the
most excellent, is the most difficult, Krishna preaches, in the Gita, the easy
path of worshipping Saguna Brahma, they say. It is not proper to bifurcate the
Supreme Brahma into the Nirguna and the Saguna, calling the one as the
ultimately Real and the other, fictitious. Nowhere do the Upanishads divide Him
in this manner. There is only one Brahman and He is both Saguna and Nirguna. The
Lord who is free from the three gross gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and who is
full knowledge, bliss and energy Himself is called both Nirguna and Saguna. He
is Saguna so far as He possesses the supra natural qualities and is Nirguna in
so far as He is devoid of the gross ones.
@kae dev> svR-Ute;u gUF>
svRVyapI svR-UtaNtraTma,
kmaRXy]> svR-Utaixvas>
sa]I ceta kevlae inguR[.
eko deva sarvabhteu gha
sarvavyp sarvabhtntartm
karmdhyaka sarvabhtdhivsa
sk cet kevalo nirguaca -- Svetasvataropanishad 6-11
(The one Lord is immanent in all beings. He permeates everything, indwelling and
controlling all from within. He presides over all the actions, lives in all the
worlds. He is the supreme witness, the spirit, the unmixed and free from the
gross qualities.)

The Upanishad calls the Saguna Brahma who is omnipresent, omnipotent and who
permeates the whole Himself as Nirguna Brahma. When such is the evidence, it
would be nothing but a travesty of truth to fragment Him into two different
entities like Saguna and Nirguna and treat as illusory the Saguna Brahma who is
the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the Universe and Omniscient and
Omnipotent.
When Arjuna asks Sri Krishna as to who is superior, the worshipper of the
Unmanifest Prakriti or God Himself, Sri Krishna says clearly:
mYyaveZy mnae ye ma< inTyyuKta %paste,
ya pryaepetaSte me yuKttma mta>.
mayy-veya mano ye m nitya-yukt upsate
raddhay parayopets-te me yuktatam mat -- XII-2
(I consider those as the greatest yogis who worship Me with their mind
perpetually steeped in Me and who are possessed of the supreme faith.)
Sri Krishna replies that those who worship Him are better than those that
worship the unmanifest. How could the words of Krishna that the worshippers of
His Saguna Self are the greatest yogis, have any consistency if Nirguna Brahma
alone was the ultimate Reality? It is known to all that Sri Krishna is not a
Nirguna principle but is full of auspicious qualities, omniscient and the
Purushottama.
ye Tv]armindeRZymVyKt< pyuRpaste,
ye tv-akram-anirdeyam-avyakta paryupsate -- XII-3
te aPnuviNtmamev svR-Utihterta>.
te prpnuvanti-mm-eva sarva-bhta-hite-rat -- XII-4
From the above the statement that the worshippers of the unmanifest also reach
Him it is impossible to equate the worship of the Unmanifest with the Nirguna
Brahma. How could the worshippers of Nirguna Brahma attain Sri Krishna who is
Saguna Brahma? Advaita philosophy does not accept the attainment of Saguna as
the consummation of the worship of Nirguna Brahma; the one who pursues the
Nirguna path, attains Brahma Himself. Thus when we examine the fruit of the
worship of the Unmanifest and see the superior place given to the worship of the
Lord as Manifest as against the pursuit of the Unmanifest, it is clear that what
is referred to in this context is not the Saguna and Nirguna aspects of the
Supreme Lord but the worship of Sri Lakshmi and the Lord Himself.

75. Worship of Saguna Brahma is acceptable to all:

There is one more point to be borne in mind by all. Some people may think of
Nirguna Brahma as the Supreme Reality, the undivided spirit which is beyond the
Saguna. Whatever may be the truth, these people themselves concede that final
redemption can be obtained by the worship of the Saguna Brahma and that such a
worship is the easiest path for salvation.
n c punravtRte, n c punravtRte
na ca punarvartate, na ca punarvartate
(And he does not return and verily does not return (to the world of birth and
death) once he attains salvation.)
Even Sri Sankaracharya has accepted in his commentary on the Brahma Sutra:
AaE< Anav&izzBdat! , Anav&izzBdat! AaE<
aum anvttiaabdt, anvttiaabdt au
referred to above that by worshipping the Saguna Brahma it is possible to attain
the release from which there is no return.
ttaeSy bNxivpyRyaE
tatohyasya bandhaviparyayau
(From His will alone are both bondage and release.)
Once again, while commenting on the above Brahma Sutra, Sankaracharya has
glossed that the release from the ancient bondage is possible only through the
grace of God who is omniscient and omnipotent. When it is clear that the final
consummation of life can be obtained by the devoted worship of Saguna Brahma and
there is absolutely no danger in following this path, why should we then give up
the indisputably royal path, free from confusion and harm, and tread the other
highly disputed path of the soul-self identity and the Nirguna Brahma? Instead
of creating confusion among the simple men by raising the disputed ideas in
their minds, it is very much proper to lead them on the broad royal road of the
universally accepted worship of the Saguna Brahma.
76. Stages on the Path of Meditation:
It is not possible for ordinary people to undertake sustained meditation upon
God with intense devotion for self-realisation and the attainment of ultimate
release. Even if we are unable to undertake unbroken devotion, since we lack the
necessary devotion, moral strength, spirit of renunciation and non-attachment,
we should at least make an eager attempt at practicing these. We may see only
smoke and no fire in a burning firewood. It is only the dry wick dipped in ghee
that can burn. Soaked in worldly pleasures, our heart is full of the smoke of
desires and attachments and there is no room for the spark of knowledge. Only in
a heart purified by penance and good deeds and bathed in the ghee of devotion,
the flame of knowledge can glow. Hence we should make an immediate and incessant
endeavour to cultivate and increase non-attachment to worldly pleasures and
devotion to God.
Aw ic< smxatu< n zKnaei; miy iSwrm!,
A_yasyaegen ttae maimCDaPtu< xn<jy.
atha citta samadhtu na aknoi mayi sthiram
abhysa-yogena tato mm-icchptu dhanajaya -- XII-9
A_yase=PysmwaeR=is mTkmRprmae -v,
abhyse'py-asamartho'si mat-karma-paramo bhava -- XII-10
(Arjuna, if you are not able to repose your mind fully in Me try to know Me by
means of steady application; if application is not possible, perform actions for
My sake (in dedication.)
If we have not yet attained mental tranquillity to undertake such an exercise,
we should at least have attained the readiness to perform actions without hoping
for its rewards and with the sole purpose of pleasing God. Such action increases
our soul force and prepares us to undertake the more difficult exercise of
contemplation on God. If even this is not possible, at least while engaged in
our day-to-day activities steeped in manifold desires, we must think of God
again and again and cultivate the spirit of dedication to God. Even if we do not
succeed in keeping the spirit of detachment and dedication to God throughout the
tenure of our action, we may at least think of God in between and if there is
room for such intermittent light a deeper darkness will not envelope our life.
Even if it is not possible to see the omnipresence of God in all that we do, why
should we not make even these tiny attempts at establishing our relationship
with God? Thus the Gita has revealed to us the means of divine realisation at
different levels and within our reach. Thus, establishing communion with God,
performing action in a detached spirit, intense effort at meditation upon God,
unbroken contemplation upon God, are the four stages preached in the Gita; we
should climb them step by step and try to elevate ourselves spiritually.
77. Desireless Devotion:
There are two kinds of devotion, one is desire-prompted and another desireless.
The routine and the special rituals may be performed both ways, with or without
desire for reward. There are people who do penance for attaining some goal,
Dhruva for example. There are other people who do penance for its own sake just
to please God and without expecting any reward. This is the highest type of
penance. Those that usually perform action without any hope of reward are the
people who will succeed in this perfect penance and achieve their consummation
by pleasing God with pure meditation.
There is a story of a sage who worshipped a goddess for a number of years. The
goddess appeared before him and offered to grant him any boon he desired, be it
the joys of the entire earth or even of the heaven. The saint refused saying:
"Oh Goddess, I want neither the pleasures of the heaven nor of the earth. Kindly
give me Your grace so that I may continue in my penance in this very body
without any hindrance." By the grace of the goddess his penance continued
uninterruptedly. Once the Ikshvaku king happened to pass that way. He saw the
sage in penance and implored him to accept some gift from him. The saint said
that he did not accept anything even from God and what could he ever get by
asking an ordinary king. On the contrary, he asked the king to accept something
from him. Being a Kshatriya he hesitated to ask anything from a Brahmin but he
finally asked for the entire merit earned him by his penance. What an awful
request! What an unimaginable thing it is to give away the fruit of the strife
of a whole lifetime! The saint wavered for a moment and offered to give half of
it. The king was thunderstruck by his magnificent generosity and utter
selflessness. The king hesitated to accept it and asked the sage what the extent
of that merit was. To this the sage replied: "Oh king! you asked me for the
whole fruit of my penance and I have given. I know neither its nature nor its
extent. I did this penance without any hope of reward and hence how can I tell
you the worth of that fruit?" The king then said: "Oh sage! without knowing its
nature and its value, how can I accept it?" So he refused the offer. The sage
insisted that a king should stick to his word and not go back from it. To settle
this dispute the gods themselves gathered there in large numbers. This story is
beautifully narrated in 'Japakopakhyana' of the Mahabharata. This is the highest
example of Desireless Devotion. The sage performed severe penance for a lifetime
and he did not know how much merit he had accumulated; the sage's detachment is
amazing as he did not hesitate to part with it. After practising desireless
action, every aspirant should strive to reach this stage of desireless devotion.
78. Character Development in the Aspirant:
Along with the performance of desireless action, renunciation and practice of
meditation, every aspirant should also strive towards the development of his
virtues. This is essential for God-realisation. The aspirant souls, fit for
salvation, are indeed intrinsically virtuous. The unfoldment of the intrinsic
virtuousness and beauty of the soul itself is salvation according to the
scriptures. All our activities in this world should thus either help in the
unveiling of the true virtuousness of the soul or be conducive to it. Truth,
knowledge, compassion, sacrifice are the natural qualities of the soul and if in
our lives, we indulge in activities contrary to these, our souls would be still
more enveloped in deeper ignorance. Untruth, violence, cruelty and deceit are
the dire enemies of the good soul. If we encourage such evil forces in our
lives, we would be suppressing the virtues of the soul and aggravating the
conditions of ignorance and grossness.
If the evil inclinations start abounding we would be losing the very capacity
for meditating upon and realising God who is the soul of infinite goodness. If
all our daily activities are corrupted by vice and misbehaviour how would we
ever be worthy of salvation which is nothing but the attainment of likeness with
God who is the infinite soul of virtue? Thus we should not give any scope for
the forces which are utterly inimical to the proper and intrinsic nature of our
soul and the precious qualities of God who is our final consummation. If we do,
we would be creating a tragic situation of remaining farther from God and
impediments to God-realisation. Therefore our conduct and character in this life
should be exemplary if we want to realise God and shine with the intrinsic glory
of our own soul's identity. All our dealings should be honest. The principles
which an aspirant should inculcate in his day-to-day life are enumerated in the
slokas like the following at the end of the twelfth chapter of the Gita.
Aea svR-Utana< mE> k[ @v c,
adve sarva-bhtn maitra karua eva ca -- XII-13
(Non-enmity for all creatures, friendship in need and compassion ...)
Non-hatred, friendship, compassion, freedom from egoism and pride of possession,
patience, contentedness are some of the qualities which we should try to
inculcate in ourselves. The Lord declares that such a devotee is the dearest to
Him. Such a person is never inflamed by any activity of the world and carries
out his duties without any fear. Nor does he excite others with fear, harm or
disturbance. Being bold himself he infuses confidence in others and thus creates
an atmosphere of ease. He keeps himself away from all selfish activities which
are not pleasing to God. He looks on pain and pleasure alike. He welcomes pain
as much as pleasure. He is eager to burn with pain as an atonement for his sins.
With eagerness he welcomes pain as a purifier of his soul and even creates such
occasions of painfulness. Similarly a devotee looks at pleasure also
disinterestedly. Pleasure is as painful to him as misery! For a bit of pleasure,
how much humiliation does one suffer! A devotee attaches the same value to both
sense-pleasures and worldly sorrows. He spurns both of them. He is not moved
either by praise or slander. This unaffectedness is an extraordinary virtue.
There are very few good people who are not affected by praise or slander. Even
saints and selfless servants of society unfortunately fall a prey to praise.
When others praise their sense of sacrifice and service to others, even the
faces of saints cheer up. But for a devotee who has carried on his work as a
part of his sacred duty and as a service to God, both praise and calumny are the
same. If every aspirant should try to cultivate these noble and everlasting
qualities, there is no delay in attaining the spiritual treasure.
ye tu xMyaRm&timd< ywaeKt< pyuRpaste,
ye tu dharmymtam-ida yathokta paryupsate -- XII-20
(Those who take to performing these means which are instruments of dharma and
salvation.)
These qualities are profoundly religious and immortal.
79. Who is the kshetrajna?:
In this chapter there is a description of the field (kshetra) and the knower of
the field (kshetrajna). The entire universe of gross matter (Prakriti) and all
modifications of it is the field. Generally, whatever that has been pervaded by
the Lord is called the 'kshetra' and since He pervades the whole universe, the
entire creation is the 'kshetra'. The universe stands like a body to God. He is
its soul as it were. As it is necessary for every activity of the body to spring
from the soul, all activities of the cosmos are possible since the Lord enters
into each of them.
#d< zrIr< kaENtey ]eimTyi-xIyte,
ida arra kaunteya ketram-ity-abhidhyate -- XIII-1
]e}< caip ma< ivi svR]ee;u -art,
ketraja cpi m viddhi sarvaketreu bhrata -- XIII-2
(This body, Arjuna, is called the kshetra; understand that I am the knower of
the kshetra.)
The whole universe which is like the body of the Lord is called the kshetra. God
who knows everything thoroughly of this universe, the omniscient, is called the
'knower of the field'. He is God and Sri Krishna says that He is Himself the
incarnation of that Supreme God.
Some people say that our body is the field and our soul is the knower of the
field and that there is no difference between our soul and the Supreme Soul.
When we critically look at the meaning of the word 'field' as given in the Gita
itself, it is clear that we cannot limit the word to mean our body only.
mha-UtaNyh<karae buirVyKtmev c,
mah-bhtny-ahakro buddhir-avyaktam-eva ca -- XIII-5
@tT]e< smasen sivkarmudatm!.
etat-ketra samsena sa-vikram-udhtam -- XIII-6
(The five elements, the intellect and the principle of Prakriti -- these in
short are called the field which is subject to modifications.)
It is explained here that the word 'field' extensively embraces nature, the
ahamkara principle, the fire and all the several modifications of the gross
matter, elements, the entire movable and the immovable creation. One who
pervades the whole universe as its indwelling controller and knows the ins and
outs of the whole cosmos alone is the Supreme God and He alone can be the
'knower of the field.' It is obvious that the individual soul, poor thing, which
does not know fully its own body could never be called the 'knower of the
field.' The Bhagavata also says:
]e} AaTma pu;> pura[> sa]at! Svy<Jyaeitrj>prez>,
naray[ae -gvan! vasudev> Svmayya==TmNyvxIyman>.
ketraja tm purua pura skt svayajyotirajaparea
nryao bhagavn vsudeva svamyay''tmanyavadhyamna
(The omniscient Lord is the kshetrajna ... ... ... ) In unequivocal terms, the
Lord Narayana who is omniscient and is different from the individual soul, alone
is the 'knower of the field.'
80. The Knower, the Thing to be Known and their Characteristics:
After expounding the nature of the field and the knower of the field, the Gita
turns to the exposition of the things to be known and the qualities required in
the knower who is worthy of the knowledge.
The all-pervading soul of the whole cosmos, the Supreme Lord is the 'thing to be
known.' He is the one and the only entity to be chiefly known. After spending
twelve years in the Guru's house, Shvetaketu returns home but his father
Uddalaka does not see any sign of knowledge beaming on his face. Instead he
becomes sorry to find in his son conceit and egoism, and in dejection asks him:
%t tmadezmay>.
yena< ut< ut< -vTymt< mtmiv}at< iv}at<,
uta tamdeamaprkya
yen ruta ruta bhavatyamata matamavijta vijta -- Chandogya Upanishad
6:1:2-3
(He verily asked him: "What is it that by knowing which the unheard becomes
heard, the unknown becomes known and the understood, understood? Have you
studied that, which when known makes everything else also known.")
Shvetaketu could not answer this question. Such a question itself appeared like
a riddle to him. The father enlightens his son: "Such is the knowledge of the
Supreme God. Knowing Him, we know the whole universe. One who eats a mango need
not eat its stone and skin. Sucking its juice is as good as eating the whole
mango. If you get the knowledge of the Almighty Lord who is the essence of
everything in this universe, is there any need to know the rest separately? You
have not acquired the knowledge of the Lord who is the ultimate essence of the
universe. Having acquired some knowledge of the contemptible world which is but
like that of the stone and the skin of the mango, you have grown proud. That
humility which flowers from true knowledge is missing in your face." Thus does
the father open the eyes of the son. From these words of Uddalaka, we understand
that the thing to be known in the whole universe is the supreme Godhead. Our aim
in life should be to acquire the knowledge of the Supreme God who pervades every
object in the universe with his organs transcending the gross ones, who knows
the ins and outs of every object, who covers the whole cosmos and still extends
beyond it, who, though far from us, is still very close to us, who is beyond
nature and its qualities, who is of infinite auspicious qualities and has a
cosmic form.
To acquire this knowledge we must specially bear in mind the necessity of
certain basic requirements. We must eschew self-praise, violence and hypocrisy
from our lives and cultivate forgiveness, integrity, service to the Guru,
purity, self-control, non-attachment to worldly pleasures, humility, critical
insight into what is good and bad, mental equilibrium and undivided devotion to
God. These are some of the virtues which must be developed if we wish to
discover such knowledge of the Lord.
By his uprightness and integrity alone, the guru identified Satyakama Jabali's
deservedness for knowledge. Nachiketa was offered enjoyment of all worldly
pleasures by Yama. But he spurned it as trash and asked only for true knowledge
of God. Yama was amazed by the renunciation and spirit of sacrifice of the young
aspirant and taught him, thoroughly pleased, the highest knowledge of God. Aruni
and Upamanyu served their teacher sincerely and with great obedience, enduring
all hardship and humiliation, and then acquired knowledge. In the modern system
of education, there is utterly no place or sanctity for Guru-worship. In the
present university environment the teachers are in mortal fear of the students.
There is only a commercial relationship between the teacher and the taught. It
would not be far from right if we compare their relationship to that between the
management and the workers in a factory.
The purity which is one of the characteristics to be developed is not of the
body only. Inner purity is the chief concern. However much a person may dip in
water wash his body, purify it with the soil, unless the mind is purified he
will not be fit to receive the knowledge of God. Uttanka, the disciple of
Baidara, is the best example of self-control. Baidara had a beautiful and young
wife. When Baidara was away on tour, the disciple Uttanka was never fascinated
by her alluring beauty and by his great self-control earned the gratitude and
blessings of his Guru. Vanity and egoism are the mortal enemies of knowledge.
Water never climbs up a higher level; it always flows to a lower level.
Knowledge does not climb the heights of pride. It flows rapidly into the heart
deepened by humility. Hypocrisy is in posing superior to one's ability. We see
such artificial life all around us. An individual's face in solitariness differs
from the face he puts up before the society. But the real face perhaps is
different from both! Thus, under the name of selfishness or prestigious living
the kingdom of hypocrisy and deceit has been reigning everywhere in our society.
Only by fighting these aberrations of the mind, tooth and nail, and
continuously, and by developing our real virtues can we ever hope to be worthy
of reaching the final goal of humanity, the ultimate knowledge.
81. The Study of Fundamental Principles:
Sri Krishna now analyses the various fundamental principles governing the
universe in order to facilitate a decisive knowledge. There are two eternal
fundamental principles. One is inert matter (jaaprakti jfkit) and another,
individual soul (jvsa jIvas). The former, even though eternal, undergoes
modifications. This material universe is a product of this substance. While
matter is the basis of all modifications, the individual soul is the being which
partakes of pleasure and pain which proceed from matter.
kayRkr[kt&RTve hetu> kitCyte,
pu;> suo>oana< -aeKt&Tve hetuCyte.
krya-karaa karttve hetu praktir-ucyate
purua sukha-dukhn bhokttve hetur-ucyate -- XIII-20
(Prakriti is said to be the cause of the body and the organs; the Lord said to
be the cause of the experience of joy and sorrow)
There is another Great Being who is higher than both and who is beyond these two
entities. He is the Supreme Lord. In Him there are no changes as in the inert
matter and no joy or grief as in individual souls. Changeless and eternally
blissful, the Supreme Lord, quite different from inert matter and individual
souls, pervades both the human body and the great universe.
prmaTmeit cPyuKtae dehe=iSmNpu;> pr>.
paramtmeti capy-ukto dehe'smin-purua para -- XIII-22
(The one who dwells in the body, the Supreme Person, is called the Paramatma.)
There is another inside our body, who is different both from matter and
individual soul and who moves all the actions of the body. He is the Supreme
Soul. Like the ether He is unaffected by anything He comes in contact with. Just
as the whole world is illumined by the sun, the whole universe is made visible
to us by His power. It is therefore clear that these are the three sole
principles, the inert matter, the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. Based on
this division only, Sri Madhvacharya has propounded his theory of five types of
mutual differences.
Some people do not see any cause to analyse things philosophically. They ask, in
our practical life, what do we get out of mere philosophic discussion as to the
number of fundamental principles ruling the world and whether a particular
principle is fundamental or not? Such a discussion would be as useless an
exercise as counting the sand particles on the seashore under the scorching sun.
It is enough if we preach good conduct in men which is necessary for the orderly
development of society. The more we keep away from dry logic and philosophy
better it is, they think. There is a story narrated by Lord Buddha which can be
cited in this connection. A disciple, tired of family life, came to the Buddha
for some spiritual lessons and asked him some questions on the relationship
between the individual soul and inert matter and insisted on an answer. For this
Gautama Buddha gave him a parable. A poisoned arrow pierced a person and
suffering with unbearable pain he ran to a doctor. Instead of submitting to his
treatment and swallowing the medicine given to him by the doctor, the patient
put forward a number of questions such as, what was the shape and colour of the
arrow, what was it made of and told him that he must get the answers to these
questions before he took the medicine. The Buddha's lesson is that philosophic
discussion is as irrelevant in our day-to-day life as the queries of the
patient. There are many, even now, who subscribe to this view. But the very same
people admit the necessity of deep inquiry in economic and political matters
before attempting any solution. Everyone accepts that a solution, without a
thorough analysis of the basic problems, might lead to an opposite consequence.
No patient would approach a doctor who is not familiar with anatomy and
physiology and the chemical composition and potency of the medicine. When we are
eager to consider all the pros and cons even in trivial matters, do we feel it
irrelevant to critically examine the true meaning and significance of our
existence? Only by considering the reality behind our life and the world around
us shall we able to know how to shape our lives. We will come to know wherein
lies the root of our misery in life. There is a world of difference between the
life shaped in the light of the realisation of God's existence, and the life
lived without faith in God and materialistically. It is not proper to scorn the
philosophical analysis which can give new values to our existence. Man must have
an opportunity and freedom to follow a determined path after a critical analysis
of the whole foundation of human existence. That is why there is room in India
for several independent philosophical systems. It is from this point of view
that Sri Krishna has described with his comprehensive vision the true nature of
matter, the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, the mutual difference and also
the relationship between them.
82. The Root of Bondage
Among the three classes, namely, the individual soul, matter and Supreme Soul,
only the individual soul is subject to the cycle of birth and death in this
world. God is perfect and full of happiness. Inert matter is lifeless. In both
there is no chance of any misery, illusion or ignorance. It is only the
individual soul which is caught in this cycle of life and death, which is
immersed in the misery of family life and which is ever striving for liberation.
The soul by its very nature is full of knowledge and bliss. How is it then that
it is affected by ignorance and misery contrary to its true nature? All souls
ultimately aspire to reach a stage similar to that of God and how is it then
that the soul is tormented by contrary qualities like ignorance and misery? A
critical study of this question is essential for remedying this sorry state.
Even if dynamism and bliss are inherent in every soul, these are hidden under
the thick cover of inert matter. The soul, under the spell of the mighty forces
of matter, is in a wretched and forlorn state in this life. It loses its
individuality and splendour, covered as it is by matter. Since the inert matter
is as eternal as the soul, from the very beginning the soul is under the
influence of matter. The glow of the soul is completely eclipsed, so to say, by
matter. The three constituents of matter namely, sattva, rajas as and tamas
cover the proper self of the soul and disfigure it. The cloth may be white, but
when it is soiled, it appears black. Similarly being soiled by matter, the soul
puts on extraneous deformations. Thus bondage is due to no other cause but the
soul's being under the influence of matter. By the grace of the Supreme Lord
alone, Who is beyond both, can the soul achieve liberation from this vicious
cycle.
In this eternal life cycle of the soul, thus are the roles played by matter and
the Supreme God. If the contact with matter gives a soul happiness and misery
born out of these three qualities, the contact with God helps it overcome these
deformations and reach to its proper state which is beyond the three qualities.
The nature of matter and God and the reaction in the individual soul by contact
with these two have been explained so far. The one ties us down to the cycle of
birth and death; the other liberates us from this cycle. We should exert
ourselves and carry on our spiritual exercise till the soul once again shines
with its natural, inherent glory, realising our true nature, which is different
from both inert matter and Godhead. By devotion and His grace, we should come
out of the influence of inert matter and get into the immortal sphere of God's
influence.
83 The Influence of Three Gunas on our Life:
The influence of matter on the souls varies with the three forces of matter. If
the predominance of tamas leads to indolence, heedlessness and delusion, that of
the rajas leads to a life excited by desire, anxiety, anger and disturbance.
Sattva, which is a fount of knowledge, judgment and goodness, lights up the path
of our life, like a torch, towards the fullness of consummation which is beyond
the three gunas. One who can trample down both rajas and tamas alone can reach
the height of sattva. While by tamas one takes to indifference towards the
execution of one's duties, under the influence of rajas one performs actions,
becoming a prey to petty desire and delusion. It is only by sattva that one can
perform one's allotted duties without hoping for any reward. We should
understand the effect of these three forces of matter on life and then make
efforts to use this Prakriti as a bridge to take us towards God. If we use the
Prakriti dexterously, the release from the bondage of Prakriti becomes easier.
We see all around us predominances of tamas and rajas. We may divide mankind
into two classes; the Ravana class and the Kumbhakarna class. People who crave
for wealth and power remind us of Ravana himself. Ravana wanted to possess all
the beautiful and extraordinary things of the three worlds. He went on exerting
all his brutal force perpetually to achieve his end. We see all around us people
trying to stick to power and office by hook or crook. In every field there is an
unethical competition due to the preponderance of the rajas. As against these
Ravanas of passionate qualities, there are Kumbhakarnas who are embodiments of
indolence and inactivity. The so-called purists and conservative religionists
may be put in this category. When there is such an onslaught on the traditional
religious life of the whole community, these people live with indifference and
all by themselves, forgetting their duty to mend the situation. Indolence is the
root of all vices. The emperor Nala due to his carelessness neglected to wash
his feet properly and on this score, Kali could get access into his otherwise
pure and spotless life. Kali had been waiting for a long time to find an
opportunity to sneak into his life. Then he occupied the whole life and
personality of the king. With the slightest opportunity for indolence. Kali
sneaks in and in his train all other bad qualities follow. In the kingdom of
Ravana and Kumbhakarna, there is hardly any room for sattvik quality like that
of Vibhishana. The main task ahead of us is the conquest of these rajas and
tamas qualities and establishment of the reign of the sattvik quality. Even if
matter is a force of bondage, one should take the best advantage of the sattvik
force which is its constituent and undertake the adventurous pilgrimage to God
from across the sattvik bridge. The fourteenth chapter thus analyses the effects
of the three gunas on the soul, explains the interrelationship of the soul with
Prakriti and shows the way of the sattva guna which transcends the power of the
Prakriti and leads it to the final perfection.
84. The Nature of the Tree of Life:
Hitherto the world has been described analytically. In chapter fifteen, the
world is described in a synthetic way. Of the three constituents of the cosmos,
the matter, the soul and the God, the last one is the Supreme entity in the
whole universe. While the highest among the category of beings is the Lakshmi
principle, Prakriti is the chiefest in the category of non-beings. The whole
universe is based on these three fundamental entities and the whole world is
created out of these. While the inert matter (jaaprakti jfkit) is the
substance out of which the world is made, Lakshmi, the citprakti icTkit as
the presiding deity in the universe, and the Supreme God, of course, pervading
everything as the controlling power, are the creators of this universe. The Gita
has compared the whole universe to a huge tree and calls these three entities,
God, Lakshmi, and Nature as its roots. The five elements and their presiding
deities are the branches and twigs of this tree. It is only by the adoration of
God, there will be happiness and advancement of this world. We are foolishly
engaged in watering the branches instead of the roots of this tree. Forgetting
the supreme entity, God, we engage ourselves in worshipping the five elements
and the lesser deities. If we water the roots of the tree, the whole tree will
blossom out and yield fruits. Similarly if we worship the Supreme Lord, all the
deities and all the elements will be propitiated.
ywaih SkNxzaoata<traemU<lavsecn<,
@vmara xn<iv:[ae> sveR;amaTmnih.
yathhi skandhakhtntaromlvasecana
evamr dhanavio sarvemtmanacahi -- Bhagavata
(Just as the trunk and the branches are fed if the root of the tree is watered,
so also all the souls (goods) are satisfied if Vishnu is adored.)
The worldly pleasures are the budding leaves of this tree of life and Vedas are
its bigger leaves. By their tenderness and different colours the budding things
of worldly pleasures tempt us but they are not sweet or wholesome. Those who
want to reap the best fruits, if they abuse the budding twigs of sensuous
pleasures, would be deprived of sweet fruits later. The philosophy of the Vedas,
which are like the grown up leaves, alone can yield the highest fruits of life.
DNda<is ySy p[aRin ... ... ...,
chandsi yasya parni ... ... ... -- XV-1
(Whose leaves are the Vedic slokas.)
We cannot expect any fruits from a leafless, withered tree. How can we see the
immortal fruit of salvation in a barren life, bereft of the Vedic philosophy? We
should closely examine the variegated world which is a complex of the
instruments of pleasures and means of perfection. We are amazed by the
extraordinary vegetation of the other-worldly universe permeating the created
and the uncreated universe. It is not possible for us to see its beginning,
middle and end or to gauge its vastness. It is only when we critically analyse,
we are able to get the knowledge recognising the fundamental entities of matter,
the soul and God involved in this universe. When we thus go deep and analyse the
world with the help of the sharp knife of knowledge, we see the presence of the
Almighty Lord pervading every corner of even the minutest particle. Our
intellect and knowledge have been blunted by contact with worldly pleasure and
we have lost the power of analysis and discernment. With a mind free from
attachment to worldly pleasures and with true know ledge we should analyse all
the objects of the universe mentally and get at the Supreme Spirit which is
hidden within. Just as butter lies hidden in milk, gold in its ore, the Godhead
permeates this visible universe in an unmanifest way. The mind and the spirit
find fulfilment only in searching for this Godhead secretly permeating the
universe. Where is the fulness of knowledge which does not see God as the ground
of the tree of the universe permeating every leaf and branch and nourishing it?
The skill and the insight that discovers gold in its ore can enable us to search
for God who is in the universe. We can have permanent relief from a life of
eternal struggle, trouble and mutability only if we have a vision of God who
abounds in auspicious qualities and is omnipotent. Only by reaching Him we would
be accomplishing the goal of our life's pilgrimage.
85. The Jiva is verily similar to Myself -- mamaivojvaloke
mmEva<zaejIvlaeke:
The essence of this Tree of the Universe is the Supreme Lord; and without Him,
it has no being and movement. His qualities and powers are unfathomed and
infinite. The whole cosmos is only a spark before His effulgence of infinite
suns.
padae=Syiva -Utain ... ... ...,
pdo'syaviv bhtni ... ... ... -- Purusha Sukta
(The universe of beings is but an iota of His self.)
If His knowledge and qualities are an infinite ocean, the individual soul is
just a drop in it.
mmEva<zae jIvlaeke jIv-Ut> snatn>,
mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana -- XV-7
(The jiva who indwells the bodies of persons is similar to My radiant Self.)
There is an infinite gulf of difference between Brahman and the world, between
the individual soul and the Lord. From the perspective of God's infinitude, the
individual soul is but an infinitesimal. Before His perfection, the imperfection
of the individual soul and the world stand exposed. Some people are of the
opinion that the soul is but a part of God. How could a troubled individual
soul, in the grip of misery, ignorance and delusion be a part of Infinite God
who transcends all matter? If imperfect and mutable souls could be fragments of
the Supreme Lord, it would mean bundling up His very perfection and
immutability. We shall be denying the very principle of the Supreme Indivisible
Godhead if we accept a multiplicity of His fragments and subject them to the
tyranny of matter. Before the infinite mass of the Almighty's qualities, the
individual soul is but a speck, and, in this sense, it is described as a
fragment of the Supreme God. When one says that one's wealth is but a fraction
of a millionaire's wealth, it does not mean that fraction of the millionaire's
money itself has been transferred from his treasury into the other man's pocket.
The word (Amsa) fraction is used only to suggest an idea of the quantum of the
wealth possessed by a person in relation to that of a millionaire. It is in this
sense that we must interpret the statement, that the jiva is a fragment of the
Supreme Lord. Such a soul caught in the grip of powerful nature must take
refuge, in order to be released from bondage, in the Supreme Lord who is the
summit of all power. Instead of running after worldly pleasures we must seek and
run after God alone. Even if God is always with us in all our actions, a
perpetual companion, an unfailing steersman, our unbaked mind has no capacity to
see Him.
ytNtae=PyktaTmanae nEn< pZyNTycets>,
yatanto'py-akttmno naina payanty-acetasa -- XV-11
(The mindless and impure of heart cannot see Him even if they try hard.)
One whose heart has been cultivated by karmayoga and bhaktiyoga alone has the
great fortune to see God. From a syrup only a scientist can crystallise and take
out sugar. A layman cannot do it. Even though God is always with us, our eyes do
not discern Him.
prai oain Vyt&[t! Svy<-U>
tSmat! pra' pZyit naNtraTmn!,
parci khni vyatat svayambh
tasmt par payati nntartman -- Kathopanishad 4-1
(The Creator Brahma shaped the senses to be extrovertial; therefore do they look
outwards into the objects of sense and do not turn inwards towards the soul.)
As all our sense organs are projecting outwards, our vision is outward-oriented.
Men have lagged behind in the practice of developing the inward-look. Only the
bold soul who can swim counter to the outward-flowing current of sense-organs
can succeed in accomplishing the inward vision. Thus we who have been dwelling
in this tree of life should thoroughly understand it and make efforts to know
the root which sustains the whole tree in order to achieve the consummation of
our life.
86. The Yoga of the Supreme Self -- puruottamayoga (pu;aemyaeg)
Just as the universe is analysed into its three fundamental entities, the
individual soul, matter and the Supreme Soul for a clearer understanding of the
mutual relationship between God and the individual soul, another classification
is made towards the end of the fifteenth chapter.
Among the animate beings there are three categories, the Ksharapurushas, the
Aksharapurusha and the Purushottamma. All living creatures possessing material,
perishable bodies, subject to the cycle of birth and death, are Ksharapurushas.
Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, who is free from the cycle of birth and death,
who has an imperishable body made of pure energy, who is the presiding deity of
all elemental nature, and who is constantly cooperating with Her Lord in the
affairs of the cosmic, is called the Aksharapurusha. One who is superior to both
these is Purushottama, the Supreme God:
aivmaE pu;aE laeke ]ra]r @v c,
]r> svaRi[ -Utain kqSwae=]r %Cyte.
dvv-imau puruau loke kara-ckara eva ca
kara sarvi bhtni kastho'kara ucyate -- XV-16
%m> pu;STvNy> prmaTmeTyudat>,
uttama puruastvanya paramtmety-udhta -- XV-17
Vishnu and His consort Lakshmi (the Chitprakriti) are the father and the mother,
and all living creatures in the universe are their children.
sElaeKykqu<bpalnpr>,
satrailokyakuumbaplanapara -- Mangalashtaka
(He is engaged in looking after the family of the three worlds.)
The whole cosmos is the one vast family of the Supreme Lord. We are members of
this family. One who protects all of us is the Supreme Lord. All those who
accept the overlordship of the Supreme God are brothers and we should carry on
our activities in this world in this brotherly spirit.
Some people think that Kshara and Akshara refer to non-living and living
entities in this universe. But when we consider the word 'Purusha', we clearly
feel that the categories belong to the living beings only. However, it is here
made clear that Sri Krishna the Supreme Lord is different from and far superior
to both the living and non-living entities in the cosmos.
%m pu;STvNy> ... ... ...,
uttama puruastvanya ... ... ... -- XV-17
Atae=iSm laeke vede c iwt> pu;aem>.
ato'smi loke vede ca prathita puruottama -- XV-18
(That is why I am reputed to be Purushottama both in the Smriti and the Shruti.)
The above slokas not only indicate that the Supreme Self is superior to all
other living creatures but also establish that the Supreme Self is none other
than the Lord Sri Krishna Himself. Some people argue that Sri Krishna is not the
Supreme Self, the Overlord of the living and the non-living. The Supreme Lord
according to them is without any qualities and Sri Krishna, who is full of
qualities, cannot be the Supreme Lord. They say that He is the creature of the
Maya of the Brahman. But the unambiguous statement in the Gita that Lord Sri
Krishna is the Supreme Lord of the Universe and there is none else equal to or
superior to Him clearly proves that such an argument is untenable. This part of
the Gita which upholds the supremacy of the Lord Sri Krishna is the quintessence
of the whole Gita. This is the favourite part of Sri Madhvacharya. Based on this
alone Sri Madhvacharya has propounded his philosophy of the supremacy of Sri
Hari. This part of the Gita states in unambiguous terms the relationship between
the individual soul and the Supreme Soul and the lordship of the Supreme Soul
over both the living and non-living entities in the universe. Even Sri
Sankaracharya has accepted this portion as the sum and substance of all the holy
scriptures:
svaeRih gItazaSayae<=iSmXyaye smasenaeKt>,
n kevl< gIta zaSawR @v ikNtu svR vedawR #h pirsmaPt>,
sarvohi gtstryo'sminnadhyye samsenokta
na kevala gt strrtha eva kintu sarva cavedrtha iha parisampta
(The whole science of the Gita has been summed up in this chapter, not only the
science of the Gita but the whole meaning of the Vedas has been summed up
conclusively here.)
As explained here, the whole universe is but the kingdom of God and Sri Hari is
its Supreme Lord; the one undisputed path lies in behaving like disciplined
subjects of His kingdom, without forgetting His supremacy.
87. Divine and Diabolic Tendencies:
In the sixteenth chapter there is a description of the divine daiv (dEvI) and
diabolic sur (AasurI) tendencies. Qualities which uplift man such as truth,
non-violence, renunciation, austerity, charity and compassion, are called divine
tendencies. Qualities utterly contrary to these and which lead to one's downfall
are diabolic tendencies. Some of these are hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit and
ignorance. The effects of these diabolic tendencies on society have been
described in detail in the sixteenth chapter. Only when we become aware of the
tragic consequences of such diabolic tendencies upon society, will our mind
naturally turn towards the divine tendencies. Unless we suffer from darkness we
cannot appreciate the efficacy of light. This is why the Gita has harrowingly
painted the deadly consequences of diabolic tendencies in this chapter. The
description in the Gita of the diabolic tendencies brings to our mind the
present-day society itself. If denying the reality of the world and turning
their faces from duty to the society is a kind of dark tendency, the denial of
the existence of the Almighty God Himself and leading an undisciplined and
wanton life throwing all ethics to the winds is another sort:
AsTymit< te jgdarnIrm!,
asatyam-apratiha te jagad-hur-anvaram -- XVI-8
(They say that the world is unreal and baseless and is without the Lord.)
If the sense of the unreality of the world leads them to inactivity, the denial
of God gives them an open access to an immoral and undisciplined life. The
philosophies denying the reality of the world which stares us in the face and
denying the existence of God who is the Lord of this universe, have caused
confusion and led to people shirking their duty and living a wanton life. The
one who says that the world is unreal will lose the very enthusiastic eagerness
to relieve the misery of a troubled people or the pains of an afflicted man. To
him the world is made of a stuff of dreams. If we place the real world on par
with the dream world all our individual and social responsibilities scatter
away. Denying the existence of Almighty God who is omnipresent, omnipotent and
omniscient is still more detrimental. If some people accept the reality of the
world and deny only the existence of God, others dismiss the world as imaginary
and the Lord of the world as but a creature of the Maya.
88. The Evil of Atheism:
The atheistic philosophy cuts at the very root of the progress of the world.
Just as the planets revolve round the sun, all good qualities in man revolve
round the central idea of his faith in God. If you deny God and super-sensory
(atdriya AtIi{y) entities like righteousness (dharma xmR) then you would not
attach any importance to the world-sustaining qualities like truth, compassion
and non-violence. Why should we speak the truth alone? Why should we not cheat
and deceive people if it is going to give us wealth and happiness? Is not the
sense of sacrifice, which scorns one's own comfort for the good of others, an
utter madness? How would a mere materialist answer these questions? For him man
is a mere machine like a radio, for example. The materialist does not show any
concern for others grief, affliction and oppression. He is not bothered by fear
or suspicion regarding the dangerous consequences of his evil deeds in the
future life. If he can get something in this life by deceiving others, why
should he hesitate to do it? Thus, to gain some selfish ends the materialist
would get ready to commit any heinous crime. Only the sense of righteousness and
the sense of God could give rise to a better way of life by warning him of the
far-reaching consequences of his evil deeds. Such a sense alone can control the
licentiousness of man and keep him from stepping into the abyss of destruction.
The man who forsakes the sense of God and tries to sustain himself with the mere
materialism of science is like a vehicle without a brake, or a horse without a
rein. if we can enjoy to our fill by misdeeds and dishonesty, why should we not
enjoy our short life in such happiness? Why should we fall a prey to sentiments
like charity, goodness to others, non-violence and deny ourselves moments of
happiness? Atheism brings in only such arguments to enmesh men and lead them
into a path of utter wickedness. Only because godliness and a sense of
righteousness are firmly rooted in the mind of man do we see at least the dim
twinkling of honesty and virtue in the otherwise dark atmosphere of deceit and
insincerity. Whether they believe in God or not, all believe in goodness,
morality and character at least. They have realised that it is necessary to
cultivate them in our daily life. Even when he commits a crime, almost everyone
is conscious that he is committing a sin and he feels a sense of guilt in
himself. There are very few who so not hear the inner voice that the wrong he is
committing is improper.
Even when one ignores this voice of conscience due to momentary passion and
commits the crime, the sense of having been improper will always haunt him. From
this we can understand how deep-rooted spirituality and culture are in the
collective conscience of the people. The atheist and the undaunted materialist
can trample on this culture of the conscience. He would not budge to root out
and throw away such fine feelings as blind superstitions when they impede his
life of pleasure. From his materialistic point of view there is no basis for
such moral principles. He may call them as mere prejudices formed out of a
frenzy of faith and throw all these moral principles overboard by what he calls
his independent critical outlook. The consequences of such an attitude are
obvious. It is horrifying even to conceive of a world from which spirituality
and moral principles have faded away completely. Shri Madhvacharya has stated in
his Vishnu Tatwa Nirnaya that in such an event the world would be turned into a
hotbed of strife, insecurity and disorganisation.
@ta< imv_y naTmanae=Lpbuy>,
-vNTyukmaR[> ]yay jgtae=ihta>.
et dim-avaabhya natmno'lpa-buddhaya
prabhavanty-ugra-karma kayya jagato'hit -- XVI-9
(Taking recourse to false knowledge the inimical, lost and narrow souls are
born, full of cruel deeds, for the destruction of the world.)
The selfish atheists will lead the world to destruction by their horrid deeds.
kamaep-aegprma @tavidit init>.
kmopabhoga-param etvad-iti nicita -- XVI-11
(Those who set the highest value on the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, who are
sure that this fruit alone is real ....)
The people with the diabolic tendencies steeped in worldly activities, indulge
in the enjoyment of worldly pleasures as the supreme goal of life. Nowadays this
has become the individual and national ideal for many people. There is a fierce
competition among people in earning money and possessing the means of luxury. A
man's fulfilment and success in life is measured by the money he has earned, by
the number of mansions he has erected, and by the number of luxury articles he
has been enjoying. The culture and civilization of the nation is measured by the
number of luxury goods one is consuming and not by gentleness and goodness. We
have been despising a society which has no exhibitionism and fashion parades, as
backward. Thus, today we have a desire and appetite-oriented civilisation. What
can be the outcome of this Godlessness and worship of the Mammon?
$hNte kam-aegawRmNyayenawRscyan!,
hante kma-bhogrtham-anyyenrtha-sacayn -- XVI-12
(For the sake of their pleasures they desire to amass money in unjust ways.)
To lead a luxurious life people will take recourse to the attitude of earning
money by crooked means. We see the macabre dance of this attitude in the various
forms in our society: corruption, blackmarketing, adulteration, tax-evasion,
misappropriation and misuse of public money. Sometimes we feel that the Gita has
depicted in this section the prevailing situation in our country itself as it
were.
#dmStIdmip me -iv:yit punxRnm!.
idam-astdam-api me bhaviyati punar-dhanam -- XVI-13
AaF(ae=i-jnvaniSm kae=Nyae=iSt szae mya,
hyo'bhijanavn-asmi ko'nyo'sti sado may -- XVI-15
( "I have this property; this money will again be mine I am rich, born in a high
family; who is there equal to me?" "I have earned so much money today. Tomorrow
I shall earn more." "I am powerful, I can do anything I like." )
We see all around us a veritable sway of greed and vanity.
The only way to escape from the evil consequences of the diabolic forces is by
developing the divine tendencies. If the sense of God becomes deep-rooted in a
society, people will naturally follow the path of righteousness and obligations
laid down by God for the welfare of the whole world and the individual as well.
There will be scope for crime to diminish. Devotion to God and faith in God's
justice which punishes the wicked and upholds the righteous will deter us from
stooping to any sinful activity. God who is Providence will certainly punish us
squarely for our misdeeds. The awareness that there is a Superior Power which
can look into our deeds will guard us from sin and unjust works.
89. The Need for Faith in God:
Is there no law and order in countries which are irreligious and atheistic? They
have not lagged behind in the organisation of their countries as compared with
those who believe in God. Hence for a good social order a belief in God is not
indispensable, some may argue. True, in the matter of law and order, much
difference may not be found between countries which are theistic and those which
are not. The whole mankind is under the influence of ancient culture which says
that we must cultivate honesty and goodness in our lives. Nobody seems to have
freely inquired into the origin of this culture, or why we should stick to moral
principles. If we go empirically or by mere logic, these customs or culture
suffer by mutilation or dissection. Even if several countries are able to
maintain law and order they cannot last long in the absence of faith in God. By
the atrocities of a vicious logic the culture may go to bits leading to a
collapse of the social system. The order which is not based on faith in God is
impermanent and we should not be under the impression that it is firmly rooted.
It may crumble like a house of sand any time. That is why the Gita declares that
faith in God alone should be the foundation of our life. There is another theme
which crops up: It cannot be said that if we have faith and devotion in God
everything will run smoothly. There are many religious persons who are engaged
in misdeeds. We see many, for all the name of God in their mouth, who are
steeped in evil practices. There are not a few examples of people who spend
considerable time in prayers and worship of God, but deceive and amass wealth by
dishonest means. When that is the case how can we accept that theism contributes
to social betterment?
This complaint is genuine. But it is not proper to question the necessity of
religion from the instances of the hypocrites. These mockeries have happened
only because of lack of true faith. A true devotee will never stoop to
contemptible deeds. We cannot judge one's devotion and righteousness by his
external actions. From chanting of hymns and counting of beads we cannot gauge
the depth of his interior devotion. It has really become difficult to
distinguish and identify the genuine servants of religion when they are found in
a world teeming with the fake ones who are trying to cloak their sins with the
garb of religion. In some societies people cry loudly when somebody dies. Since
it has become a custom they hire mourners for crying, feeding them fully. The
crying does not come from the heart. Some people practise religion in the same
way. Like hired mourning or forced smile, it is but a mockery of religion. We
should not deem this to be genuine religion. One whose life is permeated by a
religious sense, like warp and woof, is pure and virtuous. Even when we believe
in the existence of God, we see the wantonness of atheism in our life because
faith has not taken deep roots in our inmost selves. If the genuine spirit of
devotion spreads among people there will be undoubtedly a revolutionary change
in the behaviour- pattern of the people. The little devotion that exists in our
mind has been greatly helpful in curbing the vehemence of the diabolic tendency
in our mind by a sense of ethical values.
If one develops this spirit of devotion and enriches it with sincerity and
firmness, people will see only its good fruits. The Lord depicts the sorry state
of those who defy God and disrupt the social organisation.
AasurI yaeinmapa mUFa jNminjNmin,
mamaPyEv kaENtey ttae yaNTyxma< gitm!.
sur yonim-pann mh janmani janmani
mm-aprpyaiva kaunteya tato ynty-adham gatim -- XVI-20
(The deluded, who are born diabolically, life after life, go down into darkness,
without finding Me.)
The crime takes them further away from God along the slippery road leading to
destruction where they lose completely the very possibilities of attaining God.
They hurl their souls away into abysmal darkness. Just as the diabolic-minded
get to the farthest bottom of darkness by incurring the displeasure of God,
those who have cultivated the divine qualities in themselves rise higher and
higher on the spiritual ladder and finally get infinite bliss of salvation in
the glorious home of God. Thus the difference of paths and goals attained by the
good souls and the bad, and the law of punishment for misdeeds and the law of
assurance and reward of grace for good deeds in the bar of God's unshakable
justice, have put a check on man's materialistic tendencies and desires, and by
devising ways which are conducive to the progress and movement of the world,
have chalked out a programme and plan of life which is well controlled and well
organised.
90. Therefore let Scriptures be your Guide:
How are we to get this spiritual outlook which is to change the very direction
of our life? How are we to understand things such as God, righteousness and sin
which are beyond the grasp of direct sense experience? Even if we may realise
the existence of God, to some extent through the exercise of logic, we cannot
know him deeply through direct sense experience. God's form, qualities, potency
and His ways of creation and design are inscrutable and we cannot know them
through logic. Which are the good deeds and which are the bad ones? What is the
difference between these? Which deeds are responsible for one's downfall? Such
subjects cannot be determined by logic. If we enter the deep wilderness of
logic, there is a greater possibility of our losing the way in the confusion of
logic and counter-logic. It is not difficult to turn every subject upside down
by the power of logic. A seeker who treads only the path of logic becomes a
greater prey to scepticism and cynicism. Then, how can we know the spiritual
principles? How to discriminate our obligation to do things from those which we
should not? These questions remain to be answered. Lord Krishna shows a way out.
tSmaCDaSTr< ma[<tekayaRkayRVyviSwtaE,
tasmc-chstra prama-te-krykrya-vyavasthitau -- XVI-24
(Therefore the scriptures should be your guide to determine the course of what
you should and should not do.)
The scriptures are the only infallible means of knowing supersensuous things.
The senses cannot grasp every- thing. Their power is limited. They can grasp
only certain kinds of forms and objects. The ear grasps sound which the eye
cannot grasp. Thus all the senses have a limited capacity to grasp, those too of
a certain sort. From this, it would be ridiculous to say in this vast creation,
that there do not exist things which the senses cannot grasp. When the
scientists are unearthing more and more mysteries of Nature every day they
expose the worthlessness of the theory which holds that there are no objects
which the senses cannot perceive. If we say that whatever we have perceived with
our senses alone is real, we should realise that we have known very little in
this vast creation. We can infer the existence of a supersensuous world from the
words of self-realised saints who have attained the mystery-piercing divine eye
through meditation, yoga and penance. By powerful microscopes and telescopes the
scientists see objects which are not normally visible to our naked eye and we
believe in their existence from the words of the scientists. Similarly, the
sages by their devotion and constant practice have acquired powers to see these
supersensuous entities invisible to us. Do we deny what the scientist has found
out by his deep researches and sensitive instruments, since we do not see them
with our own eyes? If we want to contradict the scientist we can do it only by
conducting more accurate experiments with more powerful instruments and not by
sitting idle and merely charging him with untruth since we do not see the
things. Our ancient saints by rigorous yogic practice and deep concentration of
mind have discovered this supersensuous world; unless we acquire such yogic
powers and concentration of mind, is there any sense on the basis of our gross
observations, in denying what they have said? When we are sick we go to a doctor
and take medicines prescribed by him without getting into any argument with him.
Our actual experience and logic have no business there. If we ignore the
doctor's advice we shall be in for more trouble. Similarly, in matters like
righteousness we have to follow the advice of ancient sages who have realised
these things by virtue of their supersensuous powers. If we resort to mere logic
in these matters, we have nothing but confusion, waste of time and noise. By
reasoning we may achieve some idea of the supersensuous matters but the clearest
realisation of those things is beyond the reach of sense-perfection and logic.
How can we determine our way of life without the know ledge of the deeper and
hidden principles of the creation and on the basis of our imperfect
understanding? For that we must take refuge in the scriptures alone.
When we say so it does not mean that we should dispense with logic altogether.
Reasoning has an extraordinary place in our philosophy. Our Vedanta is but a
perfectly logical exposition.
yStkeR[anusNxesxm< vednetr>,
yastarkenusandhattesadhama vedanetara
(Only he who understands logically knows dharma and none else.)
The preceptors have opined that the one who does not use his logical intellect
can never understand dharma fully. But if he depends only on logic for decisive
understanding of a thing the seeker is more confused than possessed of definite
knowledge. Logic can never be the great vehicle which takes us on the pilgrimage
of knowledge; it is just an instrument useful for a better running of the
vehicle. Scriptures alone are the great vehicle for the pilgrimage and logic is
just a helping factor. Even if logical intellect has a definite role in our
decision-making, there is a limit to its scope. We let the child play within the
four walls of our compound and we do not let it go out into the streets. Our
main intention is that the child should not come to harm. We can give logic a
free rein within the framework of pratyakSha (sense perception) and the
scriptures. But if we allow it to move beyond these limits, there is a
possibility of more harm than good. That is why we should not use logic
unrestrainedly in the realm of supersensuous knowledge. The train will run
safely and reach its destination only if its wheels are on the rails. If there
is any derailment it is doomed for accident. Similarly, for the train of logic
the sensible world and the scriptures are the two rails. The train should go on
its high journey without outstripping the rails and reach the destination, There
is a story that in Panchavati when Lakshmana went out in search of his brother
Rama, he drew a line and warned Sita not to overstep it. As ill-luck would have
it, in the excitement of giving alms to Ravana in the disguise of a sadhu, she
overstepped this line and Ravana was able to snatch her away. If our reasoning
is confined to its limits of perception and scriptures there is no harm. Then
there is a great scope for a healthy developing of philosophy. That is why
tarko'pratiha (tkaeR=it>) (logic has no basis) and kmcynnamnpeka
(kamaCyananmanape]) (logic should not be used as pleasure). Such statements have
been vividly made to convince us that we cannot decide any question by logic
alone. Questions which are beyond the pale of perception and logic should be
decided with the help of scriptures only. If we ignore the scriptures and take
to our own independent decision, we would only be landing into trouble. The life
that is guided by the scriptures saves us from wantonness. We can get the
message of spiritual richness only through the scriptures is the substance of
this section of the Gita.
The Vedas, Upanishads and other holy works based on these constitute the
scriptures. The Vedas are perennial and authorless. If they had been composed by
an author, there would have been a possibility of their being tainted by
limitations and defects of his intellect. Since the Vedas are not written by any
author, utterly untainted by any human defects or weaknesses and are
imperishable, we should shape our lives on the basis of their perennial message.
These Vedas alone can give us the true knowledge of God and other supersensuous
entities of this world. I am not going to dilate on the subject of the
authorlessness of the Vedas because it is a vast subject by itself. However, the
Vedas and the Upanishads are our scriptures and to this category may be added
the other works which are in consonance with the Vedas. These scriptures not
only reveal to us the true goal of life but also, like the lodestone, help us in
our march towards this goal.
91. Righteousness and the day-to-day affairs:
The influence of the three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas in our day-to-
day dealings has been described in the Seventeenth Chapter of the Gita. There is
a difference in our behaviour depending upon the inherent quality of our soul.
svanupa svRSy a -vit -art,
sattvnurup sarvasya raddh bhavati bhrata -- XVII-3
(Each one's faith depends on his intrinsic substance.)
The individuality of the soul is the source of our external attitudes, behaviour
and beliefs. All our dealings are vitiated by our rajas and tamas impulses. The
three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas can impinge on both our spiritual and
temporal activities. Worldly affairs permeated by spirituality become righteous
acts. Even righteous acts, if polluted by rajas and tamas impulses, become
unrighteous.
The dealings of Tuladhara and Dharmavyadha are holy whereas even the austerities
of Ravana and Jarasandha are unrighteous acts.
xmaeR-vTy xmaeR=ip ktae -KtE StvaCyut,
pap< -vit xmaeR=ipyaen-KtE ktaehre>,
dharmobhavatya dharmo'pi kto bhaktai stavcyuta
ppa bhavati dharmo'piyonabhaktai ktohare -- Sadacharasmriti
(Even the unrighteous acts performed by your devotees become righteous acts, Oh
Achyuta. The righteous acts performed by those who are not Hari's devotees
become sinful.)
If the sort of business done by persons like Tuladhara is dharma on the one
hand, the greedy trading of today's merchants is adharma on the other. The food
that we eat and acts we do like almsgiving, penance and sacrifice vary according
to the three forces of sattva, rajas and tamas. Man shares the instincts of
hunger, sleep and lust with the beast. He cannot give them up also. To be good
and honest there is no need to abandon them. The beasts are not bound by any
moral restrictions in the matter of their food and sleep. When the affairs are
combined with discipline and restraint, we start living religiously. Dharma does
not imply abandoning the daily affairs. We grow human when we bring spirituality
and ethics to them. Scientists like Darwin hold the view that the animals evolve
into human beings; but today, we see the reverse process of man descending to
the level and playing monkey-tricks all around us in the world.
92. Food:
We should not drink liquor and eat meat. We should restrict our diet to a few
items which are tasty, whole some and nutritious both to the body and mind. We
should have the food at certain regulated hours. Food should first be offered to
God and when we eat it after God's prasad, it becomes a sattvik meal. Even our
sleep and our carnal activities become pure if practised in moderation and in
self-discipline.
The food that we take is turned into our heart and intellect:
Amizt< exa -vit,
annamaita tredh bhavati
The food that we eat is divided into three categories of substances. It is
stated in the Chandogya Upanishad that a subtle portion of our food gets
transformed into our mind. The mind's cultivation or perversion depends upon the
kind of food we take. Some ask why we should not eat non-vegetarian food which
is quite nutritious. Such food may, of course, puff up the body, but the soul
and the heart shrink up completely. As the body grows under such food, cruelty,
wantonness and licentiousness develop equally rapidly in our mind. Pure food
makes for a pure mind. Earning livelihood in a righteous way and eating pure and
wholesome food after offering it to God is the mode of the sattvik eating. By
this the mind and the body get purified.
The effect of food upon our body is beautifully illustrated in a nice story from
Mahabharata. After the Bharata war, Bhishma lay on his bed of arrows and
preached long sermons on righteousness to Dharmaraja for consoling him. Hearing
this Draupadi asks Bhishma a question: "You give such long sermons on
righteousness now. Why did you sit quiet when Duryodhana and Dushyasana
attempted an outrage on my modesty? Why didn't you oppose them then? Where was
your conscience then?" To this Bhishma replies: "0 Draupadi, then I was eating
the food given by Duryodhana. The sinful food fattened the body and gave no room
for a sense of righteousness. The voice of conscience was completely drowned by
vanity and inertia arising out of eating impure food. But in the war due to the
piercing arrows of Arjuna, all my blood has flown out. The blood my body
produced out of Duryodhana's food has drained out and I just have my skeleton
which is pure. The body thus does not have any of the perversions worked by bad
food. Since my native sense of righteousness has awakened now, I have been able
to give such an extensive message."
Hence, in our Hindu culture, great importance is given to the type of food to be
eaten. Foreigners are surprised at seeing us Indians sticking to vegetarian food
for generations together. Our centuries old food habits have become a part of
our culture. This is indeed a miracle.
If sacrifice, giving of alms and austerity are performed out of bad intentions,
desire for reward, showiness, contemptible egoism, there is sure likelihood of
harm to the world. The religious works motivated by rajas and tamas are reckoned
unrighteous only. We see increasingly such ugly distortion of righteousness in
our modern society.
93. Alms giving:
Alms giving is the greatest gift given by God to mankind. There is a story in
the Upanishad: Gods, demons and men were given the lesson of 'da'. While the
gods, stricken with haughtiness got the lesson of mada (md) or self-control from
this, the violent demons hardened with cruelty took the lesson of day (dya) or
compassion; men, smitten with greed took the lesson of dna (dan) or alms giving
from the advice. We should learn the habit of sacrificing whatever we have for
the uplift of our society as a service to God and try to become ideal men. In
the sphere of alms giving also there could be the influence of the three
qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas. Alms given with a hope of return or with a
small mind lose their sanctity; when we give under pressure with much difficulty
also, the giving is debased. The vicious aid given by the advanced countries to
establish their power and obligation to the developing countries is quite
notorious now. One also very well knows the method of extracting money from rich
people by the use of position and power. Thus do we see the travesty of charity
all around us these days. We see everywhere the unholy spectacle of such
charity. Aid given out of pure human compassion, selflessness and without any
hope of return or reward is the highest one; it has been a rare commodity these
days.
There is a story in the Mahabharata regarding the Emperor Shibi. Once, the sage
Narada was discussing a philosophic question with kings like Shibi, Vasumanta,
Pratardana and Ashtaka and the problem arose as to who out of the five would be
forced to return to the earth half way in their journey to heaven. Narada said
that Ashtaka would return first. "Ashtaka has no doubt acquired a lot of merit
and fame by alms giving. Once on a walk I saw hundreds of cows grazing and I
asked him to whom all those belonged. He replied proudly that those were cows
given away by him to the Brahmins. Since his alms giving is tainted with vanity
and pride, he would be the first to come down." The next to descend according to
Narada was Pratardana. "Once Pratardana was riding on his chariot and a Brahmin
begged for alms. The king said that he would give later but the Brahmin insisted
on immediate fulfilment. The king gave him one of the horses of the chariot.
Thus, part by part, he stripped his chariot and gave away to Brahmins and sadhus
so much so that there was nothing left of the chariot. He then said tauntingly
of the sadhus that there was nothing left with him for the sadhus to ask. Even
if the king gave away everything generously, since he uttered these mocking
words regarding the sadhus, he would return to earth." Narada further remarked
that the next person to return was Vasumanta: "Once the king got made a
beautiful chariot and during its inauguration a Brahmin praised it and the king
gave it to him generously. Then he got another chariot made and a Brahmin
praised it and the king gave it away to him. This repeated itself the third time
also, and the king spoke tauntingly of the Brahmin and because of this he would
return." Of the remaining two, Narada said that he himself would return first
and Emperor Shibi would not: "Before the pure-hearted giving of Shibi, everyone
else is small-minded. The Emperor Shibi gave protection to the dove that sought
his refuge and he surrendered his life itself for saving the bird. Before such a
king who was utterly free from selfishness and attachment and was the very
embodiment of humility and sacrifice, I accept my defeat. It is impossible to
detect any spots in his absolute purity." Thus Narada fullthroatedly praised the
true spirit of renunciation of King Shibi. There may be many who give alms and
aid in this world. But it is very difficult to find a generosity which is not
tainted with vanity, mockery, or even deceit and is full of humility and
holiness.
94. Austerity:
Aspirants attach great importance to austerity also. We cannot reach our highest
bliss by mere worship of the body. If we worship the sugarcane we do not get its
juice. Only when we crash it and squeeze it do we get the juice. Similarly we do
not get the nectar of life by an elaborate worship of the body. Only when we
practise austerity both in body and mind can we see knowledge and happiness
sweetly flowing through our lives. We must purify our thought, word and deed
with the practice of austerity. Our words must always be sweet, gentle and
truthful and not causing annoyance to anybody.
iSmt pUvaRi- -a;Ic,
smita prvbhi bhca
Thus are the traits of Sri Ramachandra described in the Ramayana. Sri Rama
always used to capture the hearts of his people by his smiles and soft-spoken
words. The words must be filled with beauty and courtesy. Harsh and cruel words
must not be used. This is the austerity of speech. Study and discussion of
scriptures are also described likewise. While good conduct, control of the
senses, non-violence, the service of elders are described as the austerities of
the body, self-control and purity of heart and mind are austerities of the mind.
Even here, if these are tainted in the least by vanity and pride, they lose
their purity and sanctity.
95. Knowledge:
Thus all our physical and mental activities can be classified into the three
categories: sattvik, rajas and tamas depending upon the state of our mind and
its tendencies. By a habit of such a classification we develop the power of
discrimination which weighs good and evil things not by their physical
dimensions but by their interior purity. We may perform noble deeds but they may
be tainted due to our many shortcomings and the Gita helps us understand this
phenomenon by means of this exposition.
Our knowledge becomes pure only when it can understand and comprehend the
fundamental principles on which the universe is based. That knowledge is sattvik
or pure when we are able to see the permeation of the Supreme God in every
object in this universe.
svR-Ute;u yenEk< -avmVyymI]te,
Aiv-Kt< iv-Kte;u tJ}an< ivi saivkm!.
sarvabhteu yenaika bhvamavyayamkate
avibhakta vibhakteu tajjna viddhi sttvikam -- XVIII-20
(That knowledge is sattvik which perceives the one imperishable form in all
beings, the undivided among the fragmented.)
Some people have argued in explaining this stanza that non-dualistic knowledge
alone is sattvik knowledge and the dualistic knowledge comes under the category
of rajas and tamas. The statement, avibhakta vibhakteu (Aiv-Kt< iv-Kte;u) does
not lead to confusion, if we closely examine it.
There are many objects in this universe and one is different from the other.
There is a lot of mutual difference between living and non-living objects in the
universe. But God alone is the one Person who harmonises all these disparate
things. The indwelling God is not fragmented, variegated by the difference and
modification of things. He is not subject to any modification. The souls in
different bodies may be different from each other but we cannot divide the
Godhead which dwells controlling each on the basis of the division of objects.
It is unbroken, all-pervading and one without a second. Such a knowledge is
called sattvik knowledge. The multiplicity of objects has been described clearly
by the term "Vibhakteshu" and the knowledge of the avibhakta (Aiv-Kt) undivided
form of the Godhead has been called sattvik.
The knowledge which grasps the difference and variety of things but is
indifferent to and confused about the Godhead which is immanent in all these
objects is called 'rajasik' knowledge. There is a tremendous increase in the
rajasik knowledge with the advance of science. Even if the sense of truth is
growing with research and an intense study of all things in the universe is
going at a fast pace, importance is being given to the knowledge of material
things only neglecting the prime truth that is God. This is a manifestation of
the 'rajasik' tendency.
Then there are those who accept only the product that is the visible universe
but deny its cause, God. Such atheistic knowledge belongs to the 'tamasa'
category.
yu kTvdekiSmNkayeR sKtmhEtukm!,
yattu ktsnavadekasminkrye saktamahaitukam -- XVIII-22
(Those who mistake a part for the whole are engrossed in the effect neglecting
the cause; or those who see Brahman (ktaja ktj) as it were the individual soul
or the world, go contrary to reason.)
They mistake a part of the universe for the whole and deny the rest. Such
partial knowledge which leads us astray is called tamasik. Accepting the
existence of souls alone and denying the existence of God as different from
those, accepting only the visible universe as true and denying the existence of
its Creator, accepting only the existence of God and declaring the visible
universe as illusory, mistaking a part for the whole, all such are but different
forms of tamasik knowledge.
96. Happiness:
There are many categories of happiness also. They depend upon the means we
employ to get that happiness. The enjoyment of worldly pleasures gives momentary
happiness as, for example, the pleasure we feel when scratching an ulcer, but it
leads to misery in the end. Such worldly pleasures are classed as 'rajasik'
pleasures. There is a perverted pleasure which throws our soul into oblivion, as
in nefarious activities like murder, loot and rape. All these belong to the
'tamasa' category. The sattvik happiness is that which perhaps begins in
difficulty but ends in permanent bliss and unfailing cheerfulness. This can be
obtained only by the knowledge of God, contemplation and His grace. People give
up this true joy and instead, mistaking the artificial sensuous pleasures to be
more permanent, get anxious about them. Ashwathama, born of poor parents, had
never tasted genuine milk in his lifetime. He asked his mother for milk. Being
poor she could not procure cow's milk and she had no desire either to disappoint
her son. She therefore mixed flour in water and gave it to her son as milk. The
boy jumped in joy that he too had tasted milk. Such is the state of most of us.
We do not know the natural happiness inherent in our own soul but hanker after
the alluring and adulterated happiness from worldly pleasures.
There is a beautiful story in the Mahabharata to illustrate the folly of the
people who consider worldly pleasures as the supreme happiness and the summum
bonum of life. A man who was walking in a dense forest suddenly found a tiger
charging on him. He ran for his life but fell into a dry well, head downwards.
The well was full of shrubs and so he was caught midway by these shrubs and was
kept suspended head downwards. Down below there was the deep yawning well. Up
above, the tiger was waiting for him. A serpent was also climbing up to bite
him. The shrubs were slowly giving way under his weight. While he was dropping
he had disturbed a beehive and the bees swarmed stinging him all around. In the
midst of all those, when a few drops of honey started dripping into his mouth,
he greedily began licking it, enjoying it foolishly oblivious of the host of
dangers. Such is our state in this world and we are equally foolish Old age and
death are waiting for us like the tiger and the serpent in the story; the thread
of life is growing thinner and thinner every minute and family troubles are
stinging us all around like the bees. Still, we are manifesting the folly of
licking the few drops of honey of worldly pleasures, quite oblivious of dangers
awaiting us. Eschewing the glamour of the rajasik and tamasik pleasures we
should concentrate on the highest type of bliss which can be obtained only by
the contemplation and vision of God.
97. Sacrifice and Renunciation:
The more we examine critically our actions in the light of these three
tendencies, the more shall we able to penetrate into the soul of our actions,
and subject it also to critical examination.
n tdiSt p&iwVya< va idiv deve;u va pun>,
na tadasti pthivy v divi deveu v puna -- XVIII-4O
(There is nothing either on the earth or the heaven, or again among the gods,
(which is not touched by them).)
Everyone in the universe is subject to the influence of these three qualities.
We carry on our activities in this world utterly unaware of what distorted forms
they take under these three tendencies. When we see the perversions worked by
rajas and tamas even in our religious practices, we may feel like dispensing
with them in utter disgust. However much care we may take, owing to the
influence of the gunas: taints creep into our acts. There is a possibility of
our feeling that it is better to avoid completely the performance of actions
than do these with blemishes.
TyaJy< dae;vidTyeke kmR amRnIi;[>,
tyjya doavadityeke karma prhurmania -- XVIII-3
(Some thinkers say that actions should be shunned as they lead to bondage while
others think that sacrifice, alms and austerities should not be shunned.)
While some people say that we should not perform actions as they are tainted,
there are others who say that for one's own spiritual upliftment duties like
sacrifice, almsgiving and austerity should not be given up. Which should we
choose is the question before us:
n ih deh-&ta zKy< TyKtu< kmaR{yze;t>,
na hi dehabht akya tyaktu karmyaeata -- XVIII-11
(It is not at all possible for mortals to give up actions altogether.)
Is it possible for mortals to give up duties entirely? None can give up actions
like eating etc. The desire to give up action since it is tainted ends up only
in giving up acts like bath, sandhya, worship of God and social services. As for
the activities useful for our routine life, it is impossible to give them up
even if we have a mind to. The easiest things to be abandoned are the holy
activities which conduce to the upliftment of the soul. what sense is there in
performing all the activities of feeding the senses and forsaking only the
religious practices? Our mind thus vacillates between the renunciation of action
and performance of action. The Gita has a simple solution to this problem. It
has reconciled the conflicting positions. Renunciation of action means
performing it in a way untouched by blemish, that is giving up attachment and
desire for reward. If average people perform actions with an eye on both action
and the fruit of action, concentrating on action alone and abandoning the
thought of reward leads to the reconciliation of renunciation of action with
performance of actions. If we bring in an attitude of detachment or renunciation
in the performance of actions, we do not become victims of any taint or bondage.
We are to analyse the difference between non-attachment (tyga Tyag) and
renunciation (sanysa sNyas). If you perform action and expect results not for
your sake but for the sake of others there is the spirit of non-attachment or
sacrifice. If you perform action and expect results neither for yourself nor for
others and if you perform action only for acquiring true knowledge, devotion and
grace of God there is the spirit of sanysa (sNyas) or renunciation. But in both
cases performance of action is indispensable. Even if there is greatness in the
sense of non-attachment in a karmayogi who performs actions out of sheer
compassion and freedom from selfish fulfilment, there is a sublimer worth in the
attitude of the sanyasi who desires the spiritual upliftment of others as
ardently as for his own self. The actions of both of these transcend the taints
of action. In the divinely delicious food of action cooked by means of sacrifice
and devotion, there is no bitter or bad smell found in the stinking actions
performed with attachment and desire. Such an action is called by the Gita, a
'sattvik' action.
98 The Difference between Desireless and Desire-prompted Action:
Desire-prompted action is like the service rendered to the child by a hired
nurse. What a difference is there between the nursing done by the hired women
and the tender care taken by the mother out of a pure, disinterested affection
for the child! Outwardly, the service done by the two might appear similar, but
at the heart of these there is a difference. The sweetmeat-seller prepares a
large number of sweets; but those from the shop do not have the worth and purity
of the things that the mother prepares out of love at home. The shopkeeper
prepares them with the desire of return; his intention is to make maximum money.
What a holiness is there in the intention of the mother! There is no selfishness
in it; hers is desireless service. Action performed desirelessly is perfect and
is more beneficial to the society. Everybody agrees that home food is cleaner,
healthier and more nourishing than the hotel food. If we perform action with a
selfish motive, we shall be more anxious about the result than the action
itself. Hence there will be more short comings in our action, which is
detrimental to the society. If any one performs action desirelessly his
attention is on the action alone. He performs the action with devotion and
sincerity and it becomes perfect. Such a perfect action alone is efficacious to
the world. By proposing this method of performing the sattvik deeds, the Gita
has reconciled neatly the two opposing ideas of action and inaction.
All people cannot perform sattvik action in the form of desireless action. The
one who has given up attachment and egoism alone can perform such actions.
Attachment and egoism crop up when a person proudly assumes that he himself is
the doer. God alone is independent and He alone is the real doer. We usurp His
doership and behave proudly. Even while we talk about dualism and devotion to
God, all our actions smack of Advaita. Forgetting God and thinking that we are
the independent doers is itself a form of Advaita sense. Appropriating to
ourselves falsely the stance of independence and power possessed by God itself
is a variety of non-dualism. Under this false sense of independence, we get an
attachment to our body and things connected with it and we start performing
actions vitiated by selfish desires. We forget God's omnipotence and
overlordship of the whole universe and divide the world into small working
kingdoms in the name of independence and fight with each other. This very notion
of independence which is responsible for so much fiction and clash in the world
should be uprooted from the mind of man:
tEv< sit ktaRrmaTman< kevl< tu y>,
tatraiva sati kartramtmna kevala tu ya -- XVIII-16
(One who thinks that he is the only doer, even if there are several causes for
an action, does not see the truth as his mind, unpurified by the shastras, is
tainted.)
There are many causes for any particular effect. Nature, the individual soul and
the Supreme Soul, all join together to produce an 'effect'. We always function
with the aid of several factors which are not under our control. Without
realising this we start acting proudly presuming that we are the sole agents,
that there is no need of cooperation from any other object beyond our control,
that we are masters of our body etc. But if we realise the part played by other
living and non living entities in this world, in whatever we do, we shall be
more modest and there will be less room for vanity and attachment. God is
omnipotent and independent, man is dependent and of limited powers; if we know
this and the capacity and limitations of our body, the senses and other
elements, we will not be affected by conceit and vanity and be able to perform
our duty without any attachment or desire for reward.
ySy nah<ktae -avae buiyRSy n ilPyte,
yasya nhakto bhvo buddhiryasya na lipyate -- XVIII-17
(One who does not think that he is the doer, whose intellect is not tamed (does
not kill, even if he kills).)
Non-egotism and non-attachment are the very foundation of desireless action.
$r> svR-Utana< eze=juRn itit,
amyNsvR-Utain yNaFain mayya.
vara sarvabhtn hddee'rjuna tihati
bhrmayansarvabhtni yantrrhni myay -- XVIII-61
(The Lord dwells in the heart of all the beings, Arjuna, moving all beings,
mounted on the machine of the body with his Maya.)
God is immanent in the hearts of all and moves this world. As we set children on
the merry-go-round and sport with them, God moves the wheel of the world. One
who is aware of the omnipresence and omnipotence of God, and knows the vastness
of his field of action will not claim mastery or authority over anything in the
world. When we realise that everything belongs to God and all activity emanates
from Him, all the conceit and vanity disappears. The proud Shvetaketu is
converted to humility when he hears about the greatness of God. The deities once
won a war. In their hour of glory they forgot that if Almighty God had not
endowed them with power they would not have achieved anything: Only when they
realised their mistake wisdom dawned on them and they got true knowledge. The
complete knowledge of human dependence and divine independence is the chief aid
in the performance of desireless action.
99. Is the Individual a (Free) Doer?:
The notion of the omnipotence and the supreme independence of God has produced
some undesirable and unexpected consequences. Some people think that because we
have no free will and independence, we are mere playthings of God and hence,
have no responsibility for any of our actions, good or bad. God alone, who is
the mover of the world, is responsible for everything. Hence, we need not
perform any action. Since everything goes according to His will, we need not
intrude on Him! Hence we have no duties and responsibilities and we need not
perform any action. There is a possibility of such inactivity arising out of
these ideas. Some people complain that theism leads to passivity in the world.
But this is a misunderstanding of the part played by God in His creation. God
creates the universe but for everything that is happening in the universe, He is
not the doer. He is one of the causes. For our misery and happiness we are also
the cause in addition to God. The material equipment, God's powers, our will and
our inclinations and movements, all together produce an action or consequence.
Without the loom, the weaver cannot weave cloth. When there are many causes for
an effect, we should not expect anything to happen without a combination of all
the factors. Even if God is a cause of our good or ill, He alone is not the
cause. God moves on the basis of our will and inclination only. Thus our desire
and attitude are as much a cause as God's will and power in producing good or
ill; it is not proper on our part to remain indifferent and inactive leaving
everything to be done by God alone.
Our desire and activity also must originate from God, you may say. Our desire
and propensity in this life are based upon our desire and propensity in the
previous life and so on. Since our intrinsic dynamism and inclination as
individuals are finally the basis of all our various actions, the final
responsibilities for our good or ill falls upon us only. If we turn away from
our duties, since God alone is the all-doer, it would be a tamasik tendency.
Such people put forward this kind of logic only in religious and social matters.
The logic does not present itself to them when they are having their delicious
meals. They do not reduce their activity for fending for themselves, thinking
that God would do it for them. Do they have the indomitable courage of putting
the daily routine on the shoulders of God, firmly believing that God alone would
do it? Only to cover their sloth, they put on the garb of Vedanta. Vedanta comes
pat to such people. Those who point to God only in matters of spiritual
responsibilities and remain unmoved following an equivocal policy are said by
Sri Madhvacharya to have a tamasik tendency:
$rae yidsvRSykark> karyItma<,
#TyEv<vaidn< Uyat! sda=xaeyaSysIith.
varo yadisarvasyakraka kraytam
ityaivavdina bryt sad'dhoysyastiha -- Gita Bhashya
(Those who put forward the pretext that if God is the all-doer, let Him get all
things done by us, would never progress in any way but are always doomed.)
If the pride that 'I am the doer of everything' leads to wanton self-
willedness, and eventually cuts at the root of our spiritual progress, the
fatalism that "I am not the doer, God is the doer and I need not do anything" is
a big stumbling block to our spiritual advancement. Since an action could be
performed only when God and our efforts work together, it is not proper to
dispense with one of them and hold on to the other. As both the wheels are
necessary for the movement of a chariot, both God and human initiative are
necessary for the chariot of life. The Mahabharata describes the sentiment, 'let
there be work without human effort,' as amounting to saying 'let the lamp glow
without oil.' Sri Madhvacharya has declared that only with the fusion of strong
faith, great effort and God's grace is there a possibility of a man's
upliftment. According to the scriptures, even though God is an independent doer,
man also is a doer.
ktaR zaSawRvvat!,
kart strrthavattvt -- Brahmasutra, II-iii-33
(Man is also the doer; only if he is so, the statements of the shastras about
rules of action are worthwhile; otherwise they are meaningless.)
For whom have the Vedas laid down commandments and prohibitions? Certainly not
for inert matter, and not for God who is perfect. All are meant for the
individual alone. If man has no free will and doership all these injunctions
would be meaningless chatter. Brahmasutras support the view that man has a free
will. For every act both are doers. If the soul stops its desire and activity,
the action must come to a standstill. Every factor must play its respective part
before an act is accomplished. As the arrogant feeling that you are the sole
doer and God's intervention is not necessary is untenable, so also, the
indifference to action on one's part thinking that God will do everything in
this universe, is condemnable:
A}> Ty]< TvphayEvdEv<,
mTvakt&R SvaTmkmR jaat!,
aja pratyaka tvapahyaivadaiva
matvkart svtmakarma prajhyt -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
(He who ignores the actual and expects everything to be accomplished by God and
neglects his duties is an ignorant man.)
ivaIv< iv:[uvzeividTv>,
kraeitktRVymjmev.
vidvnnva viuvaeviditva
karotikartavyamajasrameva -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
(The wise man surrenders himself to God and knowing his duties performs them
with enthusiasm and sincerity without conceit and vanity.)
Not forgetting the overlordship of God in everything in this universe and not
neglecting one's duties under the pretext that God does everything, everyone
must discharge his duties and responsibilities without conceit and vanity
strictly according to the injunctions laid down in the scriptures. This is the
unanimous message of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita
has thus shown us the golden mean between the two extremes of a totally free
will and fatalism.
100. Surrender:
From this long discourse, Arjuna has received satisfactory answers for all his
doubts and questions. The nature of the individual soul, the Supreme Soul, the
inert matter and the relationship between these three and the potency and the
part played by each of these have been well explained. From this, we have well
understood the role of each individual in this vast universe. The contact of
soul with matter has been from time immemorial, and likewise soul is also bound
by matter. Whether we like it or not as long as there is this bondage, the soul
will be subject to its influence. To get over this bondage is our goal in life
and as long as we are in this world we should utilise all our energy and
resources in the direction of our goal. We do not achieve anything if we grow
inactive out of sheer hatred for the worries and troubles of the world, owing to
the bondage of Prakriti. We should realise that we are bound by nature and so
lead our lives under discipline and self-control and try to extricate ourselves
from this prison. If on the other hand we hate the Prakriti and keep aloof from
all its activities, we would but be impeding our spiritual progress. If we
ardently desire to cross the ocean of life what is the use of sitting on this
shore of Prakriti and simply wasting our time vacillating between whether we
should get into water or not? We have to dive boldly into this ocean of life.
$sbek #jaEsbek
sabeku iddujausabeku -- Purandaradasa
(We should swim, live and conquer.)
The Gita has shown us the skill by which even if we get into the water, we do
not drown but cross over. If we get down into the stream of life bound with the
ropes of desire and attachment, we shall never be able to come out of it. If we
perform our allotted duties without attachment we shall not be swept by the
stream of karma even in the midst of the current and we shall be able to swim
across smoothly.
No amount of precaution is sufficient to see that the tangle of the world is not
too fast, that we are not swept off. We should think of the means of getting
completely out of this bondage. Getting out of this ancient bondage is almost
beyond our reach. If we had the power and the capacity to get out of this
bondage and the inner light to set it at naught, we would not have been
subjected to all these hardships. For this, the only refuge will be the supreme
power of the Lord who is above all souls and inert matter.
tmev zr[< gCD svR-aven -art,
tameva araa gaccha sarvabhvena bhrata -- XVIII-62
(Surrender to Him alone, completely, Arjuna.)
Unless we surrender ourselves to Him and pray to Him with great devotion we
cannot reach our goal. It is true that we have the treasure of our blessedness
in our hands like the sweet in the hands of a child. Can the child peel the skin
off and eat the fruit? The mother has to peel the skin and give the fruit to the
child. Similarly the natural glory of our soul is covered by a skin of matter
and thus even if we have the soul of bliss, it is as though we don't. Only God,
with a mother's heart should peel off the outer skin.
A}ana< }andaeiv:[u> }ainna<mae]ds>,
ajn jnadoviu jninmmokadacasa -- Anu Vyakhyana
(Vishnu is the giver of realisation to the unrealised; He is also the moksha-
giver to the realised.)
We have to look to God for our liberation from bond age and ignorance. He is
responsible for all that happens in our lives. Knowing that but for His power
and grace we cannot do anything, we should surrender ourselves to Him with utter
devotion and carry on our allotted duties. Devotion is the essence of action.
Piles and piles of action, devoid of devotion, are inert and inconsequential.
svRxmaRNpirTyJy mamek< zr[< j,
sarvadharmnparityajya mmeka araa vraja -- XVIII-66
(Giving up all the ways of the other gods or actions, surrender yourself to Me
alone.)
All ungodly acts and those which do not take us to wards God are useless. We
should give them up. Only godly acts should be performed. That is the meaning of
the phrase that all ways should be eschewed. Or we may even interpret it to mean
that we should give up the desire for fruit.
yStu kmR)lTyagI s TyagITyi-xIyte.
yastu karmaphalatyg sa tygtyabhidhyate -- XVIII-11
(He is the tyaagii who gives up the fruit of action.)
Some people have twisted the meaning of this stanza to suit their own school of
thought.
Hitherto great importance was given to the performance of action with devotion
to God. They interpret this stanza in complete contradiction to what has been
said so far by the Lord. They say that this stanza implies that we should give
up all actions and feel that we ourselves are nothing but God. Non-dualism and
abject surrender to the will of God are poles apart. In the previous stanza only
Sri Krishna calls Arjuna as his favourite and vouchsafes to him a great secret:
mNmna -v mKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk,
manman bhava madbhakto madyj m namaskuru -- XVIII-65
(Be full of Me, be devoted to Me, offer your sacrifices to Me, bow down to Me.)
He tells Arjuna to perform his actions with devotion to please God and all such
actions are the means to the highest fulfilment, and it is utterly inconsistent
for Sri Krishna to give a completely contradictory advice in the next sloka. Sri
Madhusudhana Saraswati, the author of 'Advaita Siddhi' has clearly stated that
such an interpretation is far-fetched and inapt. Here actually Sri Krishna has
preached total surrender alone, which is the highest stage of devotion.
Surrendering ourselves to God completely and performing our duties with utmost
devotion is the only way to cross over the sea of difficulties. The spirit of
surrender should permeate every act of ours.
k -u'v c kmR inj< inyt< hirpadivnixya stt<,
kuru bhukva ca karma nija niyata haripdavinamradhiy satata -- Dwadasa
Stotra, III
(Do your proper duties, enjoy yourself bowing down always humbly to the feet of
God.)
The memory of God should always be present in our minds both in performing
action and enjoying its fruits. Since to live it is necessary for us that life
flows in every sinew of our physical body, similarly the sense of devotion
should flow uninterrupted through all our activities for us to attain God-
realisation. This message, which comes at the end as it is the ultimate and the
most significant, is the quintessential message of the Gita.
101. Conclusion:
Sviviht v&ya -KTya -gvdaraxn< prmaexmR>,
svavihita vtty bhakty bhagavadrdhana paramodharma -- Gita Bhashya
(The service and worship of God through devotion and pursuit proper to oneself
is the supreme dharma.)
In this one statement Sri Madhvacharya has summed up the entire message of the
Gita: 'Man's great dharma is to worship God through a vocation proper to oneself
and devotion.' This is the only means by which one can escape the bondage of
Prakriti and the cycle of birth and death. If we give up our duties either by
fear of Prakriti or by indifference, we shall not achieve any fulfilment. On the
other hand if we indulge in actions smitten with desire for the sake of pleasure
with selfish ends, the very sensuality will devour us.
SvkmR[a tm_yCyR isi< ivNdit manv>,
svakarma tamabhyarcya siddhi vindati mnava -- XVIII-46
(Man achieves his consummation by worshipping Him through one's own vocation.)
We should perform our duties as a sacred worship of God without any selfish
desires. We can achieve this if we develop a sense of detachment and aversion to
worldly pleasures. If devotion to God and non-attachment to carnal pleasures
become the ingredients of our action we can fearlessly march forward in the
world without being swept off by the flood of adversity. We can swim across the
ocean of life and vanquish it without exhaustion. We should not be too much
involved in life nor should we turn our face away from it completely. If we see
callous inertia and irresponsibilities in performing one's duties at one end, at
the other, we see too much involvement in selfish activity out of greed for
power and wealth. If there is total inactivity among souls under the pretext
that the world is an illusion and leading to bondage, there are others indulging
in worldly activities for carnal pleasures utterly ignoring or forgetting the
existence of God. Both these attitudes are detrimental to our spiritual
advancement. We do not want life which is devoid of righteousness; nor do we
want righteousness which is anti-life. We should shape for ourselves a noble
life based on devotion and righteousness. We should not bow down to the forces
of tamas and rajas. We can achieve our loftiest fulfilment if we perform our
allotted duties against the deep background of devotion to God. This is the
great lesson preached by the Gita for the whole mankind.
By this nectar-like advice out of the mouth of the Lord, all doubt and ignorance
were washed away from the mind and conscience of Arjuna. The knowledge which was
lying dormant within him sprouted up and blossomed:
nae maeh> Sm&itlRBxa TvTsadaNmya=Cyut,
iSwtae=iSm gts<deh> kir:ye vcn< tv.
nao moha smtirlabdh tvatprasdnmay'cyuta
sthito'smi gatasandeha kariye vacana tava -- XVIII-73
(With Your grace, 0 Lord, my delusions are eradicated; I have regained the
awareness of dharma; I stand weaned of doubt. I shall do as You say.)
"My mind has been disabused of delusion. I have recovered, by Your grace, my
knowledge which I had lost temporarily under delusion. All my doubts and
problems are cleared. At Your command I shall now straightway plunge into my
field of duty," says Arjuna to God out of absolute cheerfulness, devotion and
enthusiasm. The situation encountered by Arjuna is faced by us everyday in our
lives, The lesson of the Gita is not confined to Arjuna alone. It wards off the
confusion and turmoil of the whole mankind and inspires it with a sense of duty.
In the Mahabharata war, in the same chariot, the Lord of the universe is seated
side by side with Arjuna and guides him at every step and inspires him to
activity. If Arjuna is 'Nara', Sri Krishna is 'Narayana'; where the two are
together, there is goodness and peace, triumph and glory:
y yaeger> k:[ae y pawaeR xnuxRr>,
t IivRjyae -UituRva nIitmRitmRm.
yatra yogevara ko yatra prtho dhanurdhara
tatra rrvijayo bhtirdhruv ntirmatirmama -- XVIII-78
(Where there is the Lord of Yoga, Krishna and where there is full-armed Arjuna,
there are sure to be the wealth of kingdoms, victory, lordliness and justice,
that is my conviction.)
Even in the battle of life, Narayana alone should be the charioteer of the
Naras. Only because Narayana has been separated from Nara in our life there has
been immorality, need and misery everywhere around us. In our lives there should
be a union of Nara and Narayana. We must choose the Lord as our charioteer,
guide and inspirer. Only then will our whole life be a treasure house of
spiritual wealth.