Category Archives: kartaa

Bhagavad Gita Verse 28, Chapter 18

16 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.28, alasaha, ayuktaha, chapter 18 verse 28, deerghasootree, kartaa, naishkritikaha, praakritaha, shataha, stabdhaha, taamasa, ucchyate, vishaadee

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ayuktaha praakritaha stabdhaha shatonaishkritikolasaha |
vishaadee deerghasootree cha kartaa taamasa ucchyate || 28 ||
 
Unsteady, immature, unbending, fraudulent, wicked, lazy, dejected and procrastinating, such a doer is called taamasic.
 
ayuktaha : unsteady
praakritaha : immature
stabdhaha : unbending
shataha : fraudulent
naishkritikaha : wicked
alasaha : lazy
vishaadee : dejected
deerghasootree : procrastinating
cha : and
kartaa : doer
taamasa : taamasic
ucchyate : is called
 
Having described characteristics of the saatvic and the raajasic doer, Shri Krishna concludes this topic by describing the characteristics of a taamasic doer. It is the longest list of the three types of doers. Even if we will take a long time to cultivate saattvic qualities, it is fine. But we should strive to reduce, and eventually eliminate, any trace of these taamasic characteristics within us. Forget holding us back on the spiritual path, these qualities will become a detriment even to success in our material world.
 
If the state of mind is taamasic while performing a task, the mind will be ayukta or unsteady. It will never be able to focus on one thing, and will jump from thought to thought, or from distraction to distraction. Praakrita, opposite of samskrita, refers to a mind that is uncultured, uncouth, without proper values or the ability to think logically. Taamasic doership comes from taamasic vision, which always hangs on, perversely, to one particular object, viewpoint, person or situation. Therefore, the mind becomes stabdha, unyielding, arrogant, unwilling to accept a different position.
 
Now, some more dangerous characteristics are presented. A taamasic mind will not step at anything to accomplish its task. It will be shataha, which means malicious, deceptive, fradulent, playing games rather than being straightforward. This type of mind will also resort to creating a negative environment for others. It will be naishkritaha, which means wicked. Conversely, if the task is not upto its liking the mind will be alasaha or lazy. It will always remain in a state of vishaada, which means forever dejected, despondent and depressed. It will find ways to pawn the task off to someone else by procrastinating. A somewhat funny word is used to describe this characteristic – deerghasootree which means long string or long length. Shri Shankaraachaarya says in his commentary that such a person will take months to do a one day task.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 18

15 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.27, ashuchihi, chapter 18 verse 27, harshashookaanvitaha, himsaatmakaha, karmaphalaprepsuhu, kartaa, lubdhaha, parikeertitaha, raagee, raajasaha

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raagee karmaphalaprepsurlubdho himsaatmakoshuchihi |
harshashookaanvitaha kartaa raajasaha parikeertitaha || 27 ||
 
One with likes, coveting the reward of action, greedy, cruel, impure, prone to joy and sorrow, such a doer is said to be raajasic.
 
raagee : one with likes
karmaphalaprepsuhu : coveting reward of action
lubdhaha : greedy
himsaatmakaha : cruel
ashuchihi : impure
harshashookaanvitaha : prone to joy and sorrow
kartaa : doer
raajasaha : raajasic
parikeertitaha : is said
 
Having described the saattvic doer or kartaa, Shri Krishna now speaks about the raajasic doer. For most of us, this is our normal or default state of mind whenever we perform any action. Raaga refers to likes, and also to its opposite factors, dvesha or dislikes. Our mind rushes out into the world towards a certain set of objects, people and situations that it likes, and also, runs away from other objects that it dislikes. This creates additional friction while performing action. For instance, if we have to deal with people that our mind dislikes, we will not be able to get the job done efficiently.
 
A raajasic doer is always thinking – what is in it for me? This thought of coveting the reward of action shifts our attention away from the action, and consequently, losing focus from the action. Our motives are impure, since they are selfish. Once we get a personal reward, we want more like it, we become greedy. We sometimes do not hesitate to harm others who come in the way of our personal reward, we can become quite cruel towards them. We are also prone to elation and depression whenever there are temporary wins or setbacks in performing our actions.
 
Such a doer is termed raajasic. The raajasic doer is prompted to act by raajasic vision, which cuts up the world into pieces and attaches likes and dislikes to those pieces, as opposed to saattvic vision that presents a unified, harmonious view of the world. The foundation of a raajasic doer is the notion of attachment to the reward, the action, and to the sense of individuality or I. This stands in total contrast to the saattvic doer. The only way we can rise from our present state to a saattvic state, is by reducing our attachment to the world, and increasing our attachment to Ishvara.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 18

14 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.26, anahamvaadee, chapter 18 verse 26, dhrityutsaahasamanvitaha, kartaa, muktasangaha, nirvikaaraha, saattvika, siddhyaasiddhyoho, ucchyate

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muktasangonahamvaadee dhrityutsaahasamanvitaha |
siddhyaasiddhyornirvikaaraha kartaa saattvika ucchyate || 26 ||
 
One who is free from attachment, who does not support egoism, filled with fortitude and enthusiasm, unperturbed in success and failure, such a doer is called saattvic.
 
muktasangaha : free from attachment
anahamvaadee : one who does not support egoism
dhrityutsaahasamanvitaha : filled with fortitude and enthusiasm
siddhyaasiddhyoho : in success and failure
nirvikaaraha : unperturbed
kartaa : doer
saattvika : saattvic
ucchyate : is called
 
Let us recap what we have seen so far. Jnyaana or knowledge shapes our world view and prompts our actions. It is a product of Prakriti and is of three types. Karma or action itself is also of three types. Now, Shri Krishna starts a new topic and describes three types of the kartaa, the doer. The doer is nothing but the state of our mind from the start of an action to its end. In other words, the same action can be performed differently by different types of doer. We see this in our lives as well. No two people will perform a task in quite the same way.
 
This shloka describes a doer who is of the nature of sattva, of is sattvic. Shri Krishna says that a saattvic doer is prepared for any outcome of the action, be it success or failure. They will not let external circumstances change their state of mind. If the action fails, they do not dwell on it but learn from their mistakes and move on. Many top athletes have this quality, since they have to continually compete throughout their career, and cannot afford to get depressed or elated with each outcome.
 
In addition to success or failure, we also encounter temporary setbacks during the action. A sattvic doer possess extreme endurance to deal with these setbacks. Their enthusiasm to do their duty lifts them out of any temporary sense of sorrow. In the second chapter, Shri Krishna had emphasized the importance of fortitude, also known as titikshaa. Their utsaaha, their enthusiasm makes them stronger since they are not perturbed by outcome. They are also not concerned about egoism, about tooting their horn in front of others, since they are unconcerned about how good or bad they will look in front of others.
 
Freedom from attachment of any kind is the crucial quality of the saattvic doer. They are not attached to the outcome of the action, to the action itself, or to their sense of individuality, their ego. They have achieved a high level of vairagyaa, of dispassion from the pulls of the material world.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 18

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.19, chapter 18 verse 19, gunabhedataha, gunasankhyaane, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, jnyaanam, karma, kartaa, prochyate, shrunu, tridhaiva, yathaavat

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jnyaanam karma cha kartaa cha tridhaiva gunabhedataha |
prochyate gunasankhyaane yathaavacchrunu taanyapi || 19 ||
 
Knowledge and action and the doer are said to be of three types only in the science of gunaas, per the difference in gunaas. Listen properly to them.
 
jnyaanam : knowledge
karma : action
cha : and
kartaa : doer
cha : and
tridhaiva : three types
gunabhedataha : per difference in gunaas
prochyate : are said
gunasankhyaane : science of gunaas
yathaavat : properly
shrunu : listen
taani : them
api : only
 
A lot of ground was covered in the prior shloka, so let us recap. Jnyaanam or knowledge provides meaning to perception of an object, the jnyeyam. This perception, along with the meaning is provided to the jeeva, the individual soul, by the intellect. If the jeeva decides to be indifferent to this object, the matter ends there. If the jeeva decides to pursue that object, it commands the body to do whatever actions are necessary to obtain that object. While issuing the instructions, the jeeva becomes a doer or kartaa, and while experiencing the object, it becomes the experiencer of bhogtaa.
 
So why is this important? Each time we become the kartaa or the bhogtaa, we reinforce the notion that “I am the jeeva”, and forget our true nature as the eternal essence, who is the saakshi or witness to all thoughts and action. The spiritual journey start from our present situation, and raises us higher step by step, away from our entanglement in action and experience, and closer towards our true nature as the unattached eternal essence. Shri Krishna says, do not worry, there is a way out. Anything that is asat, anything that is not the eternal essence, is in the realm of Prakriti. And we have seen in the fourteenth chapter that Prakriti is nothing but the play of the three gunaas. If we truly understand how the process of action works from the standpoint of gunaas, we can begin to extricate ourselves from its tendency to entangle us.
 
The great sage Kapila Muni created the Saankhya school of philosophy. The science of the gunaas is part of the Saankhya school. By analyzing the nature of the three main components of action, jnyaanam, karma and kartaa, which means knowledge, action and the doer, we can check whether they are sattvic, raajasic or taamasic as pertaining to us. This shloka begins a new section within the eighteenth chapter that categorizes these three components and some other related factors as demonstrating the quality one of the three gunaas. It is extremely practical and also summarizes many key concepts from the first five chapters of the Gita.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 18

06 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.18, chapter 18 verse 18, jneyam, jnyaanam, karanam, karma, karmachodanaa, karmasangraha, kartaa, parijnyaataa, trividhaa, trividhihi

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jnyaanam jneyam parijnyaataa trividhaa karmachodanaa |
karanam karma karteti trividhihi karmasangraha || 18 ||
 
Knowledge, the known and the knower, these three initiate action. The instruments, the target of action and the doer, these three are the basis of action.
 
jnyaanam : knowledge
jneyam : known
parijnyaataa : knower
trividhaa : three
karmachodanaa : initiate action
karanam : instruments
karma : target of action
kartaa : doer
iti : these
trividhihi : three
karmasangraha : basis of action
 
The culmination of the Gita teaching is the realization that our true nature is the eternal essence, that does not act in this world, nor experiences anything in this world, since action and experience are in the realm of Prakriti. Most of us, however, are still becoming qualified for this teaching through the practice of karma yoga. Shri Krishna recognizes the need to give an in depth analysis of action for people like us. To that end, he uses this shloka to begin that topic. Each word, each term needs to be understood clearly, since the regular meanings may confuse us.
 
So then, what is the genesis, the birth of an action? How does an action commence? Our sense organs send a report to the mind of having seen, felt, touched, tasted or smelled something. This is the process of perception. Or, a thought about a prior perception arises in the mind. Both these processes are the same for all people in this world. Both you and I perceive a red apple in the same manner. In this case, the red apple is termed as jneyam, an object which is known. This is step one.
 
What happens next? Both of us see the same red apple, but you may love it, someone else may hate it, and I would be indifferent to it. This difference in our view towards the apple, our worldview in general, is due to the difference in our sanskaaras. We attach a certain meaning to objects, people and situations based on our sanskaaras. This individual vision of the world is termed knowledge or jnyaanam. It looks at the object in question and generates a sense of attraction, repulsion or indifference. This is step two.
 
Next, this notion of attraction, repulsion or indifference creates a modification in the intellect called the “doer”, the kartaa. It is a phantom, illusory entity which says “I want the red apple, go get it”, or “I hate this red apple, throw it away”. The doer issues these instructions to the karana, the organs of action, which then do as they are told. The action of grasping the apple or throwing it away is carried out. Note the the doer only comes into existence when there is attraction or repulsion. The jeeva is a witness, indifferent to likes or dislikes. So the doer, the organs of action and the object make up karma sangraha, the basis of action. This is step three.
 
When finally, the object, the target of action is consumed by the senses, another modification of the mind called the “enjoyer”, the bhoktaa, arises. It creates the notion that “I have experienced this object, and it gave me joy/sorrow”. This is the parijnyaata, the knower, mentioned in the shloka. Furthermore, a record of this experience, whether pleasurable or painful, is stored in the unconscious aspect of our personality, the causal body. This record, this samskaara, becomes the seed of future action by creating thoughts of desire in the mind, prompting further actions and experiences. This process of enjoyment of an object is the fourth step.
 
So these four steps taken together describe the lifecycle of an action, from start to finish.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 18

02 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.14, adhishthaanam, atra, chapter 18 verse 14, cheshtaa, daivam, karanam, kartaa, panchamam, prithagvidham, prithak, tathaa, vividhaahaa

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adhishthaanam tathaa kartaa karanam cha prithagvidham |
vividhaashcha prithakcheshtaa daivam chaivaatra panchamam || 14 ||
 
The foundation, the doer and several instruments, and the various movements of several types, as well as the divinity, the fifth in these.
 
adhishthaanam : foundation
tathaa : and also
kartaa : doer
karanam : instruments
cha : and
prithagvidham : several
vividhaahaa : types
cha : and
prithak : various
cheshtaa : movements
daivam : divinity
cha : and
eva : also
atra : in these
panchamam : fifth
 
Nowadays robots are quite common, and are being used for cleaning home floors as well. For a robot to perform any action, there are at least three factors at work. First is the body of the robot, which will determine things like how fast or how powerful actions can be performed. Second is the instruments of the robot, such as its sensors, its hands, its wheels and so on. Third is the power system of the robot, which typically is electricity but could also be diesel or steam.
 
Shri Krishna says that whenever a human being performs an action, the same three factors come into play. The size of our body, the state of our instruments (organs of action and organs of sense) and our power system (our praana, our energy and health), each factor is responsible for the fate of our action. But there has to be something that differentiates us from robots, and therefore, two additional factors are mentioned: the kartaa or the doer, and the daivam or divinity.
 
The fourth component known as the kartaa, the doer, also known as the sense of agency, is nothing but the notion of finitude within us, what we normally term as the “I”. When our intellect plans an action, we say, “I am thinking” instead of saying “the intellect is thinking”. When our hand is performing the action, we say “I am sweeping the floor” instead of “the hand is sweeping the floor”. When our eyes perceive an obstacle, we say “I see a wall” instead of “the eyes see a wall”. Seen in this manner, the sense of “I” is quite illusory. For now, we can say that it is the motive behind performance of action that identifies with a certain aspect of the mind or body, a certain upaadhi.
 
The fifth component of any action is the daivam, the divinity. Unless Ishvara supports an action, it will not result in success. Or we can say that the world, or the universe as a whole, also has a part in determining the outcome of an action. Despite everything executed perfectly at the individual level, it still has to align with the action at the universal level.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 3

04 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.27, aham, ahamkaara, chapter 3 verse 27, gunaih, iti, karmaani, kartaa, kriyamaanaani, manyate, prakruteh, sarvhashah, vimoodhaatmaa

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prakruteh kriyamaanaani gunaih karmaani sarvashah |
ahamkaaravimoodhaatmaa kartaahamiti manyate || 27 ||

All actions, in all situations, are performed by the gunaas of prakriti. He who is completely deluded by the ego thinks “I am the doer”.

prakruteh : of prakriti
kriyamaanaani : act upon
gunaih : by the gunaas
karmaani : all actions
sarvashah : in all situations
ahamkaara : ego
vimoodhaatmaa : one who is complete deluded
kartaa : doer
aham : I
iti : in this way
manyate : thinks

We saw earlier that an ignorant person is attached to action while a wise person is not. But what exactly does it mean to be attached to action? Shri Krishna clarifies that point in this shloka, which is yet another deep shloka with layers and layers of meaning. We shall approach it step by step to grasp its essentials.

First, let us take the example of someone who has accomplished a great thing, for example, won a Grammy award for outstanding singing. If that singer truly examines her accomplishment, she will realize that there were so many people and situations that were responsible for her accomplishment.

To begin with, her parents probably encouraged her to pursue music seriously. Her music teacher taught her the theoretical aspects of music. She met other musicians who helped hone her craft. She came across a situation that inspired her to write her award-winning song. Her accomplishment was a product of all these factors.

Compare that singer to some other award-winning singer who thinks that it was he who did it all, and does not even acknowledge the contribution of others. The notion that “I am the doer” is called “ahamkaara” or the ego, and creates an “us-vs-them” attitude. Someone who is under the influence of the ego is called deluded in this shloka.

Let us now look at what is meant by gunaas and prakriti so that we can better understand the shloka. Just like our scientists have discovered that all of matter is made up of fundamental particles known as atoms, ancient rishis postulated that all matter or prakriti is made up of combinations of three essential forces: an inert force, an active force, and a harmonizing force. These three forces or gunas are known as tamoguna, rajoguna and sattvaguna respectively.

Now here comes a statement which is a little difficult to swallow. Like the singer whose accomplishments had very little to do with her “own” efforts, every action that we perform is in reality performed by prakriti that is comprised of the gunas.

So then who are “we”? We go back to the second chapter to remember that we are the eternal essence that is everlasting and all-pervading. Like the sun that enlivens the earth but does not itself do anything, the eternal essence does not perform any action. It only enlivens prakriti which is performing the action. Most of us that do not realize this truth, unfortunately, fall in the “ignorant” category. The next shloka shows us the goal : how to become wiser.

Footnotes

1. Prakriti is further subdivided into the following 24 components:
– 5 elements : space, air, fire, water, earth
– 5 mediums : sound, touch, form, taste, smell
– 5 sense organs : ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose
– 5 organs of actions : speech, grasp, movement, generation, excretion
– 4 internal organs : mind, intellect, memory, ego

2. Prakriti is also known as Maya

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 3

01 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.24, aham, cha, chapter 3 verse 24, chet, imaah, ime, karma, kartaa, kuryaam, lokaah, na, prajaaha, samkaryasya, syaam, upahanyaam, utseedeyuh

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utseedeyurime lokaa na kuryaam karma chedaham |
samkaryasya cha kartaa syaamupahanyaamimaah prajaaha || 24 ||

These people would be ruined if I stopped performing action. I would become the creator of confusion and destroy these beings.

utseedeyuh : ruined
ime : these
lokaah : people
na : not
kuryaam : perform
karma : action
chet : if
aham : I
samkaryasya : confusion
cha : and
kartaa : creator
syaam : I become
upahanyaam : destroy
imaah : these
prajaaha : beings

Shri Krishna further elaborates on the argument put forth in the last shloka. As someone who is has realized the eternal essence, he does not have any obligations towards the world. But even then, he continues to act towards the welfare of society. Here, he says that if he stopped acting, all people who look up to him would be ruined and destroyed. We saw the example of a great social activist like Baba Amte, who although having performed such selfless service, continued to act till his last day. Society would take a huge hit if someone like him abruptly stopped working.

In addition, there is a subtler meaning here. Shri Krishna’s statements have a cosmic significance. So therefore, the word “I” also refers to every law or principle that works every second of our lives and never ever takes a vacation.

For instance, we all know what happens to a society when there is a breakdown of law and order. There will be chaos, confusion and destruction all around. But civil and criminal laws are just man-made laws. Consider what would happen if the law of gravity, a universal law, stopped working. People, buildings, and every free standing object on this earth would start flying out into space to its eventual destruction. And finally, what if our breathing or pumping of the heart stopped working?

Therefore the message to Arjuna is clear. Any task, no matter how insignificant or unpleasant, should be performed selflessly and with dexterity, if it is in the service of the higher good.