Category Archives: saankhye

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 18

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.13, chapter 18 verse 13, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, kaaranaani, kritaante, mahaabaaho, nibodha, pancha, proktaani, saankhye, sarvakarmanaam, siddhaye

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panchaimaani mahaabaaho kaaranaani nibodha me |
saankhye kritaante proktaani siddhaye sarvakarmanaam || 13 ||
 
Learn these five factors for the accomplishment of all actions, O mighty armed, which are spoken of in the Saankhya in which actions culminate.
 
pancha : five
imaani : these
mahaabaaho : O mighty armed
kaaranaani : factors
nibodha : learn
me : from me
saankhye : Saankhya
kritaante : culmination of actions
proktaani : said
siddhaye : accomplishment
sarvakarmanaam : all actions
 
Shri Krishna begins describing the true nature of action with this shloka. Typically we tend to think we are responsible for initiating, executing and completing every action, from the simplest action like drinking a cup of tea, to a complex action like planning the construction of a 100 storey building. He says that there are other factors are play which are responsible for the accomplishment of all actions, as denoted by the Saankhya or Vedaanta. He also conveys to Arjuna that a new topic has started, by calling out his name.
 
In the fourth chapter, we came across a shloka which stated that all actions in their totality culminate in knowledge. There are two components to this knowledge. The first is that the self, the eternal essence, the aatmaa, is actionless, since there is no possibility of change or modification in something that is changeless. This leads us to the second component of knowledge, which is as follows. If I, the self, am not performing action, something else must be doing so. As long as we are not fully convinced that something else is performing actions, we will hold on to the notion that we are doing so.
 
A naive person sits in a bus and thinks that he is driving it. You have to convince him that he is not driving it, but it is the bus driver that is driving it. In the same way, Shri Krishna gives us a detailed analysis of action and its components, such that we may come to the right conclusion. We are naive in thinking that the I, the self performs action when the Saankhya, the Vedaanta tells us that we do not. Once we come to this conclusion, we will automatically renounce the doership of action, and consequently, free ourselves from the chain of action and reaction.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 39, Chapter 2

07 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in 2.39, abhihitaa, buddhiryoge, buddhya, Chapter 2 Verse 39, eshaa, imaam, karmabandham, paartha, prahaasyasi, saankhye, shrunoo, te, yayaa, yuktaha

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eshaa tebhihitaa saankhye buddhiryoge tvimaam shrunoo |
buddhyaa yukto yayaa paartha karmabandham prahaasyasi || 39 ||

This discipline of knowledge has been stated to you. Now, listen to the discipline of action. Having equipped yourself with this understanding, O Paartha, you will cast of your bonds-of-action.

eshaa : this
te : for you
abhihitaa : has been stated
saankhye : Sankhya (discipline of knowledge)
buddhiryoge : discipline of action
tu : you
imaam : this
shrunoo : listen to
buddhyaa : understanding
yuktaha : equipped
yayaa : which
paartha : O Paartha
karmabandham : bonds of action
prahaasyasi : cast off

Shri Krishna uses this shloka to conclude the theoretical topic of correct logic and reasoning, and transition on to the means of attaining that knowledge. The remaining shlokas in the second chapter are extremely practical and can be immediately used in our daily lives. They will enable us to conduct our svadharma while always keeping the attitude specified in the prior shloka : treat any situation, joyful or sorrowful, with equanimity.

The word yoga comes twice in this shloka, so let’s examine it more closely. Usually, we think of yoga as an ancient art of physical exercise. However, the word yoga in the Bhagavad Gita has a different meaning. Translated into English, the meaning is a mix between the words technique and discipline. In fact, as we saw earlier, each chapter of the Gita is a yoga, or a technique and discipline, unto itself.

There is an interesting word in the last part of this shloka – “bonds of action”. It almost seems like a thick rope exists, one end tied to our leg and the other end tied to the action. What does is bondage?

An action that increases extreme attachment or hatred towards anything – an object, person or situation – “binds” us to that thing. It is similar to addiction. We may smoke a cigarette once, but unless we have high self control, we want to experience it again. This desire to repeat the experience eventually results in an addiction and we cannot live without it.

The important point here is that no action or object cannot bind us; it is the thought behind it that binds. For a non-smoker, a pack of cigarettes does not cause bondage. Conversely, for a smoker, just the mere sight of the pack of cigarettes prompts him to smoke. For things subtler than addiction, we can tell whether or not an action will cause bondage by checking whether it is for the service of one’s selfish ego or not.

Consider an executive making a presentation to her management team. One scenario could be that she makes the presentation with the motive of getting a promotion. Another scenario could be that she makes the presentation with the motive of increasing the sales of the corporation so that it benefits all the stakeholders. In the first case, the action binds her. In the second case, it doesn’t.

Alternatively, consider a musician performing on stage. If he performs with the sole motive to get applause and get nominated for an award, the action will bind him. But if he performs with the sole motive of entertaining the audience and honouring his craft, the action will not bind him.

Shri Krishna gently reveals the technique of cutting off these bindings in the rest of the chapter.