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 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 12, Chapter 18

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by in 18.12, anishtam, atyaaginaam, bhavati, chapter 18 verse 12, ishtam, karmanaha, kvachita, mishram, phalam, pretya, sannyaasinaam, trividham

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anishtamishtam mishram cha trividham karmanaha phalam |
bhavatyatyaaginaam pretya na tu sannyaasinaam kvachita || 12 ||
 
The three fold fruit of action, undesirable, desirable and mixed, goes after death to the atyaagees, but never to the sanyaasis.
 
anishtam : undesirable
ishtam : desirable
mishram : mixed
cha : and
trividham : three fold
karmanaha : actions
phalam : fruit
bhavati : goes
atyaaginaam : atyaagees
pretya : after death
na : not
tu : but
sannyaasinaam : to a sanyaasi
kvachita : ever
 
Shri Krishna elaborates on the theory of karma in this chapter. Every action has a reaction, and this reaction is also known as the phala, result or fruit of the action. When we cross the road to catch a bus, we could get one of three results. We could catch the bus, we could miss the bus, or we could get into a packed bus with no room for seating. The result could be desirable, undesirable or mixed. This is a law of the universe, no different than the law of gravity. The fruit always comes to the performer of the action, with the same certainty as the bill collector comes to collect a debt, per the words of Sant Jnyaneshwar.
 
Any fruit that is found in nature contains seeds. These seeds can create trees that can generate many more fruits. Similary, every fruit that results from an action has the potential to create innumerable desires that result in even more actions. This infinite chain of action, reaction, fruit, desire and action is nothing but bondage or samsaara. One who is an atyaagi, one who has not given up attachment to fruits of action, is bound in this chain. By practicing karmayoga, by giving up attachment to the fruit of action, we can break this chain.
 
Now, let us proceed to the next phase of karma yoga. As long as we hold the notion that we are performing all actions, we cannot proceed further in the journey of a seeker. Performance of action is falsely superimposed on the eternal essence which is beyond all action, beyond all change. The second chapter made it very clear that there can be no change in the aatmaa, the eternal essence. Unless we fully internalize the notion that our “I”, our self does not perform action, we will remain entrenched in samsaara. Shri Krishna says that only a sanyaasi, only one who sees that Prakriti really performs actions, can destroy current, past and future fruits of action. This topic is elaborated in the following shlokas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 18

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in 18.1, abhidheeyate, asheshataha, chapter 18 verse 11, dehabhritaa, karmaani, karmaphalatyaagee, shakyam, tyaagee, tyaktum

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na hi dehabhritaa shakyam tyaktum karmaanyasheshataha |
yastu karmaphalatyaagee sa tyaageetyabhidheeyate || 11 ||
 
For, it is not possible for an embodied person to completely give up actions. That is why one who has given up the reward of action is called a tyaagee.
 
na : not
hi : for
dehabhritaa : embodied person
shakyam : possible
tyaktum : give up
karmaani : actions
asheshataha : completely
yaha : who
tu : that is why
karmaphalatyaagee : given up reward of action
saha : he
tyaagee : tyaagee
iti : in this manner
abhidheeyate : is called
 
This chapter began with Arjuna asking the question : what is the difference between a sanyaasi and a tyaagi. Shri Krishna used this question as an opportunity to recap the topic of karma yoga. After pointing out some popular notions on the topic, he then asserted that karma yoga refers to performance of duties while giving up attachment to their reward. This is the saattvic type of renunciation or tyaaga. He also explained the raajasic and the taamasic types of tyaaga.
 
Now, Shri Krishna adds another bit of context to the topic of karma yoga. He asserts that one who has a strong sense of identification to his body cannot completely give up action. He uses the term deha-bhrit, which is similar to the term dehi from the second chapter. As long as we identify with a sports team, for instance, we will be happy or say whenever they win or lose. As long as we think we are Mr. or Ms. so-and-so who has a job and a family and a house and so on, we have a strong sense of identification with our body. We cannot fully give up actions since the body has to act in order to live in this world.
 
With this additional context, we can now understand the definition of tyaagi. The ordinary meaning of this word refers to one who has renounced, who has given up all actions. Shri Krishna redefines it to mean someone who has given up all attachment to the reward of action, not given up action itself. If we are true karma yogis, we are tyaagis per this definition. We still need to deal with the issue of our strong identification to the body. This topic is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 18

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in 18.10, akushalam, anushajjate, chapter 18 verse 10, chinnasamshayaha, dveshti, karma, kushale, medhaavee, na, sattvasamaavishtaha, tyaagee

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na dveshtyakushalam karma kushale naanushajjate |
tyaagee sattvasamaavishto medhaavee chinnasamshayaha || 10 ||
 
He does not dislike inauspicious action, nor does he get attached to auspicious action, he who gives up is pervaded by sattva, is wise, and free of doubts.
 
na : not
dveshti : dislike
akushalam : inauspicious
karma : action
kushale : auspicious
na : not
anushajjate : attached
tyaagee : that one who gives up
sattvasamaavishtaha : pervaded by sattva
medhaavee : wise
chinnasamshayaha : free of doubts
 
So far, three types of renunciation or giving up were described. Shri Krishna now describes the nature of the person who conducts renunciation in the proper manner, the saattvic tyaagi. Such a person is pervaded by sattva. This means that his intellect is able to discriminate between what is real and what is not, in other words, what is the eternal essence and what is the illusory world. This person is described as medhaavee, one who is wise due to the knowledge of the eternal essence, the self.
 
What makes this person different than the other so-called renouncers? It is his indifferent attitude towards action. Though he knows that every action has the potential to generate further sorrow and further desires, he does not hate that action but in fact, continues to do his duty. Conversely, though he knows that doing his duty will eventually make him fit for liberation, or if there is some action that he loves to perform, he does not develop a sense of attachment for it.
 
Eventually, a slow transformation takes place in such a person. Performing karma yoga, which is the same as performing saattvika tyaaga, leads a person to slowly recognize his true nature as the unchanging, unmoving eternal essence. He begins to realize that he is not performing any action at all, it is Prakriti that is doing all the work. When he comes to realize this, he becomes chinnasamshayaha, free of all doubts about who he really is, about his true nature.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 18

28 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by in 18.9, arjuna, chapter 18 verse 9, kaaryam, karma, kriyate, mataha, niyatam, phalam, saattvikaha, sangam, tyaagaha, tyaktvaa

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kaaryamityeva yatkarma niyatam kriyaterjuna |
sangam tyaktvaa phalam chaiva sa tyaagaha saattviko mataha || 9 ||
 
Whatever action is done, should be performed only as an obligatory duty. In this manner, giving up attachment and also the reward, that giving up is saattvic, in my opinion.
 
kaaryam : action
iti : in this manner
eva : only
yat : whatever
karma : actions
niyatam : obligatory
kriyate : is performed
arjuna : O Arjuna
sangam : attachment
tyaktvaa : giving up
phalam : reward
cha : and
eva : also
saha : that
tyaagaha : giving up
saattvikaha : saattvic
mataha : opinion
 
Shri Krishna explains the correct way, the saattvic method, of performing actions. Let us look at this step by step. The first step is to only perform actions that are within the realm of our state in life, our aashrama, and our career, our varna. Actions that are prohibited or actions that are purely out of selfishness should not be performed. These actions are termed as niyatam karma in the shloka. A high degree of awareness is required to first ensure that we are not stepping into any prohibited actions.
 
The second step is to give up attachment to the reward, the phala, the fruit, of the action. Attachment to the reward need not be something tangible and physical. It could be subtle things like praise and adoration received from others on successful completion of the action. It could be a subtle thought such as “I have helped that person, so nice of me to do so”. The goal is to slowly wean the mind away from its natural tendency to expect rewards for every action. We can do so my substituting our personal motive with a motive for selfless service.
 
The third step is to give up attachment to the action itself. We saw the types of attachment to action in the previous shloka, including attachment to the completion of action and attachment to one particular way of performing the action. The key is to realize that at every moment, we are giving it the best of our ability and attention. The rest is upto Ishvara, since there are several other factors at play in the outcome of an action. But in no circumstance should our energy level go down. We have to combine energy in our work with indifference to the reward of the work.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 18

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by in 18.8, chapter 18 verse 8, duhkham, kaayakleshabhayaat, karma, kritvaa, labhet, raajasam, tyaagam, tyaagaphalam, tyajet

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duhkhamityeva yatkarma kaayakleshabhayaattyajet |
sa kritvaa raajasam tyaagam naiva tyaagaphalam labhet || 8 ||
 
Whatever action is given up because it is quite sorrowful, from fear of bodily distress, he performs that giving up which is raajasic, and does not even obtain the reward of giving up.
 
duhkham : sorrowful
iti : in this manner
eva : quite
yat : whatever
karma : action
kaayakleshabhayaat : fear of bodily distress
tyajet : given up
saha : that
kritvaa : performs
raajasam : raajasic
tyaagam : giving up
na : not
eva : even
tyaagaphalam : reward of giving up
labhet : he obtains
 
A little knowledge of the scriptures can prove to be dangerous. Earlier, we came across some people who claim to be performing spiritual renunciation of action, or the giving up of action, when in reality they are lazy, idle or careless in performing their obligatory duties. Now Shri Krishna describes another misinterpretation of tyaaga or giving up. He says that those who give up their duties simply because they will cause sorrow or distress to their body are practising tyaaga that is raajasic.
 
Many times we may shirk from performing our job at work, or perform a job half heartedly, because we think it will cause us pain or sorrow. We may have to give some bad news to a client. We may have to fire an underperforming employee. We may procrastinate starting a project because we may have to put in some extra hours. Such behaviour could come into our family lives as well. We may hesitate in helping out a relative because we may have to expend some of our money and energy.
 
Why do we fear pain or sorrow? We tend to forget many of the teachings of the second chapter. We are not the body, our true nature is the eternal essence. But we have a strong sense of attachment to the body and the mind. We are advised to patiently develop titkshaa, the quality of forbearance, towards pain and sorrow while discharging our duties. Instead, we fall back into our old ways of thinking and run away from our duties. Shri Krishna says that people who abandon their duties out of fear of pain and sorrow will not get the fruit of giving up actions, which is purity and peace of mind.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 18

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by in 18.7, chapter 18 verse 7, karmanaha, mohaat, niyatasya, parikeertitaha, parityaagaha, sannyaasaha, taamasaha, tasya, upapadyate

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niyatasya tu sannyaasaha karmano nopapadyate |
mohaattasya parityaagastaamasaha parikeertitaha || 7 ||
 
Indeed, the giving up of an obligatory action is not appropriate. Giving it up out of delusion is declared to be taamasic.
 
niyatasya : obligatory
tu : indeed
sannyaasaha : giving up
karmanaha : action
na : not
upapadyate : appropriate
mohaat : out of delusion
tasya : it
parityaagaha : to give up
taamasaha : taamasic
parikeertitaha : is declared
 
Shri Krishna moved the discussion on karma yoga ahead by categorizing the three types of tyaaga, which means giving up or renunciation. He says that when we give up an obligatory action, when we do not perform an obligatory action out of delusion, out of incorrect or error prone knowledge, such renunciation is known as taamasic tyaaga or taamasic renunciation. He says that such behaviour is inappropriate and is not in line with the teachings of karma yoga. Not doing one’s duty is forbidden in karma yoga.
 
Where do one’s obligatory duties come from? They come from one’s stage in life or aashrama, and one’s profession or varna. A householder is obliged to attend to the needs of his spouse, his parents and his children. If he does not attend to his sick parents, or does not help with his child’s homework, it is termed as taamasic behaviour. A businessman should strive to generate healthy profits from his business, and donate a portion of his wealth to charity. Not doing so is also considered taamasic.
 
Moha or delusion can create all kinds of negative tendencies in us, as we have seen in prior chapters. It can cause heedlessness and carelessness where we do not pay proper attention to the task at hand. It can cause laziness and idleness where our body becomes inert and dull, where we do not want to get up from bed. It is hard to get oneself out of a state of moha. Unless someone who is not taamasic intervenes, we will remain in a state of tamas for a long time.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 18

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in 18.6, chapter 18 verse 6, etaani, karmaani, kartavyaani, matam, nishchintam, paartha, phalaani, sangam, tyaktvaa, uttamam

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etaanyapi tu karmaani sangam tyaktvaa phalaani cha |
kartavyaaneeti me paartha nishchintam matamuttamam || 6 ||
 
But, even those actions should be performed, giving up attachment and rewards. This, O Paartha, is my definite and foremost conclusion.
 
etaani : those
api : even
tu : but
karmaani : actions
sangam : attachment
tyaktvaa : giving up
phalaani : rewards
cha : and
kartavyaani : should be performed
iti : this
me : my
paartha : O Paartha
nishchintam : definite
matam : conclusion
uttamam : foremost
 
Shri Krishna says that the only way to convert selfish actions into selfless actions is to give up attachment to the action and to the rewards of the action. Consider an architect who spends months creating the plans for a building. If the architect designs the building keeping the bonus payment in mind, he is performing the action with an attitude of selfishness. If the architect designs the building with the sole motive of creating the best possible living space for people, he is performing the action with an attitude of selflessness.
 
Let us be clear about one thing. There is nothing wrong in the architect expecting a fair payment for the rendering of his services. But he does not keep a monetary expectation every second of his time while designing his buildings. He does it out of a sense of duty. His svadharma, which means his aptitude, his training and his passion, is to be an architect. Regardless of how his day goes, he derives joy in the performance of his svadharma, his duty to the world, as an architect.
 
In addition to giving up attachment to the reward of action, Shri Krishna also advises us to give up attachment to the action itself. Here, we have to keep two things in mind. First, it is not guaranteed that every action of ours will be successful, since there are external factors that may intervene. Second, even if we insist that an action should be performed in a certain way, there could be other ways that could sometimes work better. Insisting that every action ends successfully, and that every action has to be done our way, are the two ways in which we get attached to action. Giving up these attachments, along with the attachment to reward, is the only way that we get bring the purifying effect of karma yoga into every action we perform. This is Shri Krishna’s foremost conclusion on karma yoga.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 18

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in 18.5, chapter 18 verse 5, daanam, kaaryam, maneeshinaam, paavanaani, tapas, tat, tyaajyam, yajnaha, yajnyadaanatapahkarma :

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yajnyadaanatapahkarma na tyaajyam kaaryam eva tat |
yajno daanam tapas chaiva paavanaani maneeshinaam || 5 ||
 
Actions of sacrifice, charity and penance should not be given up, they should certainly be performed. Sacrifice, charity and penance are purifiers of wise people.
 
yajnyadaanatapahkarma : actions of sacrifice, charity and penance
na : not
tyaajyam : given up
kaaryam : have to be performed
eva : certainly
tat : that
yajnaha : sacrifice
daanam : charity
tapas : penance
cha: and
eva : also
paavanaani : purifiers
maneeshinaam : of wise people
 
Shri Krishna begins to describe his criteria for actions that should be performed for karma yoga. Instead of creating the criteria from scratch, he uses a viewpoint mentioned earlier as the basis. He says that nitya karmas, the obligatory duties towards society, Ishvara and oneself should be performed. They should never be given up. Only nishiddha karmas or prohibited actions, and kaamya karmas or selfish actions should be given up.
 
This criteria is to be followed by those who are maneeshi, who are wise, who have understood that blind pursuit of material gain is not for them. Such people are interested in liberation only. When these wise people perform their obligatory duties, the performance of those actions acts as a cleanser, a purifier. All traces of raaga and dvesha, likes and dislikes, are slowly cleared out by the performance of obligatory duties. Their actions are propelled out of an attitude of seva or service, not out of personal and selfish likes and dislikes.
 
So then, if this is the case, how should one treat actions performed for one’s career? If we love our career, and it gives us a personal reward in the form of salary, should we give up that as well? We need to resolve this issue by converting our reward oriented actions into selfless actions. Only then will we be able to weaken the samskaaraas or mental impressions that impel us to perform our career oriented actions every day. What is the technique by which we can convert our selfish actions into selfless actions? This is taken up next.