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 sun’s 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 jIveñravu-aE,

m˜y˜ khy˜ya× k˜madhenorvatsau jŸveþvar˜vubhau

"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 buiÏrekeh k…én<dn,

b÷zaoa ýnNtaZc buÏyae=Vyvsaiynam!,,

vyavas˜y˜tmik˜ buddhirekeha kurunandana

bahuþ˜kh˜ hyanant˜þca buddhayo'vyavasayin˜m -- 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 Holiness’s 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.

ya Svy< pÒna-Sy muopÒaiÖin>s&ta,

y˜ svayaÕ padman˜bhasya mukhapadm˜dvini×s®t˜

(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 man’s 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 Madhvacharya’s 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 God’s 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 EDITOR’S 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 one’s 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 author’s- 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 Madhvacharya’s ‘Gita Bhashya’ and Sri Jayatirtha’s ‘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

PUBLISHER’S 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 Swamiji’s 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 couldn’t find time to write. The first 64 pages were somehow easily completed but later on it grew impossible for him to find even a moment’s 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-aeRKtaÊGx< gItam&t< mht!.

sarvopaniÿado g˜vo dogdh˜ gop˜la nandana×

p˜rthovatsa× sudhŸrbhokt˜dugdhaÕ gŸt˜m®taÕ 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.

}anmuÔay k«:[ay gItam&tÊhe nm>,

jñ˜namudr˜ya k®ÿõ˜ya gŸt˜m®taduhe 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 Dhritarashtra’s 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> ñetEhRyEyuRKte mhit SyNdne iSwtaE,

maxv> pa{fvíEv idVyaE zŒaE àdXmtu>.

tata× þvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau

m˜dhava× p˜õýavaþcaiva divyau þaðkhau 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 one’s 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 one’s belly, it is better to spend one’s life in a forest like a mendicant than kill one’s 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 Krishna’s 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 Arjuna’s 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:

àhsiÚv -art

prahasanniva bh˜rata -- 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 Krishna’s 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 today’s body is not the same as yesterday’s. 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 dehaNtràaiPtxIRrStÇ n muýit.

dehino'sminyath˜ dehe kaum˜raÕ yauvanaÕ jar˜

tath˜ deh˜ntarapr˜ptirdhŸrastatra 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 can’t 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 man’s 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

taÕstitikÿasva bh˜rata -- 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 Arjuna’s 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 b˜hyop˜dhi (baýaepaix) is the body and that does not act as the medium for casting the image. It is the inner cover svar¨pop˜dhi(Svêpaepaix) 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 God’s 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 God’s 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*¾nae -gvte ivdxItmanm!,

tTvaTmne àitmuoSy ywa muoïI>.

yadyajjano bhagavate vidadhŸtam˜nam

tatv˜tmane pratimukhasya yath˜ mukhaþrŸ×

Arjuna’s 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>,

n˜sato vidyate bh˜vo n˜bh˜vo 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:

DÒEv yÇ prm< nsuraZc pUJya>,

SvawERn vÁcnk«t jgtae=iol< c.

xmaRidkayRmip yÇ mhaepix> Syat!,

ïeó> s @v ... ... ... ... ...

chadmaiva yatra paramaÕ nasur˜þca p¨jy˜×

sv˜rthaina vañcanak®te jagato'khilaÕ ca

dharm˜di k˜ryamapi yatra mahopadhi× sy˜t

þreÿ÷ha× sa eva ... ... ... ... ... -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya

Duryodhana’s 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.

xMyaRiÏ yuÏaCD+eyae=NyT]iÇySy n iv*te.

dharmy˜ddhi yuddh˜c-chreyo'nyat-kÿatriyasya 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 Krishna’s 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 one’s 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 àTyvayae n iv*te,

SvLpmPySy xmRSy Çayte mhtae -yat!,,

neh˜bhikraman˜þo'sti pratyav˜yo na vidyate

svalpamapyasya dharmasya tr˜yate mahato bhay˜t -- 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:

àarM-maÇimCDava iv:[uxmeR n in:)la,

pr˜rambham˜tramicch˜v˜ viÿõudharme na niÿphal˜ -- 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 buiÏrekeh k…énNdn,

b÷zaoa ýnNtaZc buÏyae=Vyvsaiynam!.

vyavas˜yatmik˜ buddhir-ekeha kurunandana

bahu-þ˜kh˜ hy-anant˜þ-ca buddhayo'vyavas˜yin˜m -- 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 men’s 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< àvdNTyivpiít>,

vedvadrta> pawR naNydStIit vaidn>.

y˜m-im˜Õ puÿpit˜Õ v˜caÕ pravadanty-avipaþcita×

veda-v˜da-rat˜× p˜rtha n˜nyad-astŸti v˜dina× -- 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 ïuit>

rocan˜rthaÕ phala þruti×

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 kingfisher’s 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:

ÇEgu{yiv;ya veda inSÇEgu{yae -vajuRn,

traiguõya-viÿay˜ ved˜ nistraiguõyo bhav˜rjuna -- 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,

karmaõy-ev˜dhik˜ras-te m˜ phaleÿu kad˜cana -- 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,

y˜v˜n-artha udap˜ne sarvata× samplutodake -- II-46

"Miserable are those who work for rewards," says Krishna:

k«p[a> )lhetv>

k®paõ˜× 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 (pué;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;ÏkaimtEv ýkaimTvaimtIyRte,

aniÿiddhak˜mitaiva hyak˜mitv˜mitŸryate -- 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 God’s 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 mind’s 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!,

tasm˜d-yog˜ya yujyasva yoga× karmasu kauþalam -- 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< buiÏVyRittir:yit,

tda gNtais inveRd< ïaetVySy ïutSyc.

yad˜ te moha-kalilaÕ buddhir-vyatitariÿyati

tad˜ gant˜si nirvedaÕ þrotavyasya þrutasyaca -- 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. God’s image will not be cast in a mind sullied by lust and hatred. The sun’s 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

karmaõ˜ jñ˜nam˜tanoti

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, one’s 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! äaü[> pai{fTy< inivR*

tasm˜t br˜hmaõa× p˜õýityaÕ 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.

buiÏyuKtae jhatIh %-e suk«tÊ:k«te,

buddhi-yukto jah˜tŸha ubhe suk®ta-duÿk®te -- 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 Arjuna’s 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 Arjuna’s 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 day’s 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< †òœva invtRte,

rasa-varjaÕ raso'py-asya paraÕ d®ÿ÷v˜ 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 shouldn’t 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> s¼Ste;Upjayte,

s¼aTs<jayte kam> kamaTKraexae=i-jayte.

KraexaÑvit s<maeh> s<maehaTSm&itivæm>,

Sm&itæ<zadœ buiÏnazae buiÏnazaTà[Zyit.

dhy˜yato viÿay˜n-puÕsa× saðgas-teÿ¨paj˜yate

saðg˜t-sañj˜yate k˜ma× k˜m˜t-krodho'bhij˜yate -- II-62

krodh˜d-bhavati saÕmoha× saÕmoh˜t-sm®ti-vibhrama×

sm®ti-bhraÕþ˜d buddhin˜þo buddhi-n˜þ˜t-praõaþyati -- 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.

ragÖe;ivmuKtEStu iv;yainiNÔyEZcrn!,

AaTmvZyEivRxeyaTma àsadmixgCDit.

r˜ga-dveÿa-vimuktais-tu viÿay˜n-indriyaiþ-caran

˜tma-vaþyair-vidhey˜tm˜ pras˜dam-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 buiÏryuKtSy n cayuKtSy -avna,

nca-avyt> zaiNtrzaNtSy k…t> suom!.

n˜sti buddhir-ayuktasya na c˜yuktasya bh˜van˜

nac˜bh˜vayata× þ˜ntir-aþ˜ntasya 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< ja¢it -Utain sa inza pZytae mune>.

y˜ niþ˜ sarva-bh¨t˜n˜Õ tasy˜Õ j˜garti saÕyamŸ

yasy˜Õ j˜grati bh¨t˜ni s˜ niþ˜ paþyato 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[mclPritò< smuÔmap> àivziNt yÖt!,

tÖTkama y< àivziNt sveR s zaiNtmaPnaeit n kamkamI.

˜p¨ryam˜õam-acala-pratiÿ÷aÕ samudram-˜pa× praviþanti yadvat

tadvat-k˜m˜ yaÕ praviþanti sarve sa þ˜ntim-˜pnoti na k˜ma-k˜mŸ -- 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<janaeipiÿy> kaman! myaRda<ntreTKvict!,

smuÔtt! xmRmyI— na saE kamIs %Cyte.

bhuñj˜nopihriya× k˜m˜n mary˜d˜nnataretkvacit

samudratat dharmamayŸÕ n˜ sau k˜mŸsa 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.

Ëre[ ývr< kmR buiÏyaegat! ... ... ... ,

d¨reõa hyavaraÕ karma buddhiyog˜t ... ... ... -- II-49

From such verses it appears that action is inferior to knowledge. Yet the lord has said

mates<gae=STvkmaRi[.

m˜-te-saðgo'stv-akarm˜õi -- II-47

yaegSw> k…êkmaRi[> ... ... ... ,

yogastha× kur¨karm˜õi× ... ... ... -- 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 one’s 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-kiÕ karmaõi ghore m˜Õ niyojayasi keþava -- 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 isiÏ< smixgCDit,

na ca sannyasan˜d-eva siddhiÕ 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,

yÇEvinvseÏa<t> tdr{y< sca ïm>.

n˜ntasyakimaraõyena tath˜ n˜ntasya bh˜rata

yatraivanivaseddh˜nta× tadaraõyaÕ sac˜ þrama× -- 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:

kmeRiNÔyai[ s<yMy y AaSte mnsa Smrn!,

#iNÔyawaRn! ivmUFaTma imWyacar> s %Cyte.

karmendriy˜õi saÕyamya ya ˜ste manas˜ smaran

indriy˜rth˜n vim¨ýh˜tm˜ mithy˜c˜ra× 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 bÏyte jNtu>,

karmaõ˜ 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=NyÇ laekae=y<kmRbNxn>,

yajñ˜rth˜t-karmaõo'nyatra loko'yaÕ-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 Arjuna’s 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 Krishna’s 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¡ ... ... ...

Ÿþ˜v˜syam-idaÕ sarvaÕ ... ... ... -- 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 God’s Universe by performing his stipulated duties. The same idea is expressed in the Isavasya Upanishad.

k…vRÚeveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;et! ... ... ...

kurvann-eveha karm˜õi jijŸviÿet ... ... ... -- 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!,

þubhaÕ pibatyasau nityaÕ n˜þubhaÕ 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> ïey> prmvaPSyw,

parasparaÕ bh˜vayanta× þreya× param-av˜psyatha -- 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< àvitRt< c³< nanuvtRytIh y>,

evaÕ pravartitaÕ cakraÕ n˜nuvartayatŸha 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> àja> s&òœva puraevac àjapit>,

Anen àsiv:yXvm! ... ... ...

saha-yajñ˜× praj˜× s®þ÷v˜ purov˜ca praj˜pati×|

anena prasaviÿyadhvam ... ... ... -- 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<tuòStSy kay¡ n iv*te.

yas-tv-˜tma-ratir-eva sy˜d-˜tma-t®ptaþ-ca m˜nava×

˜tmany-eva ca santuÿ÷as-tasya k˜ryaÕ 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< iÇ;u laeke;u ik<cn,

nanvaPtmvaPtVy< vtR @v c kmRi[.

na me p˜rth˜sti kartavyaÕ triÿu lokeÿu kiñcana

n˜nav˜ptam-av˜ptavyaÕ varta eva ca karmaõi -- 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.

AsTymàitó< te jgda÷rnIZvrm!,

asatyam-apratiÿ÷haÕ te jagad-˜hur-anŸþvaram -- 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 one’s 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 can’t 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-kiÕ karmaõi ghore m˜Õ niyojayasi keþava -- III-1

Arjuna’s 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 can’t 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 one’s 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 one’s individual duty by examining the nature of one’s 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 one’s 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 man’s 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 one’s 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< ïey> prxmaeR -yavh>.

sva-dharme nidhanaÕ þreya× para-dharmo bhay˜vaha× -- III - 35

(It is worthier to die following one’s own proper pursuit; an alien pursuit is perilous.)

Arjuna’s 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 cobbler’s son learns his father’s 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&Åya -KTya -gvdaraxn<prmaexmR>,

svavihita v®tty˜ bhakty˜ bhagavad˜r˜dhanamparamodharma× -- Gita Bhashya

(The loftiest dharma lies in serving God with his proper pursuit and devotion.)

Man’s 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 isiÏ< ivNdit manv>.

svakarmaõ˜ tam-abhyarcya siddhiÕ vindati m˜nava× -- 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 àyuKtae=y< pap< crit pUé;>,

atha-kena prayukto'yaÕ p˜paÕ carati p¨ruÿa× -- 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’ (³aex) 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 @; ... ... ...

k˜ma eÿa krodha eÿa ... ... ... -- 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˜-þano mah˜-p˜pm˜ -- 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 j˜tu k˜ma× k˜m˜n˜mupabhogena þ˜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

Ê:pUre[anlenc ... ... ...

duÿp¨reõ˜nalena-ca ... ... ... -- III-39

(An insatiable fire)

30. The way desire invades man:

xUmenaiVryte viûyRwadzaeR mlen c,

ywaeLbenav&tae g-RStwa tenedmav&tm!.

dh¨men˜vriyate vahnir-yath˜darþo malena ca

yatholben˜v®to garbhas-tath˜ tenedam-˜v®tam -- 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 viû ... ... ...

dh¨men˜vriyate 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,

yath˜darþo 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> … … …

yatholben˜v®to 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.

ivÏ(enimh vEir[m!.

viddhy-enam-iha vairiõam -- 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 child’s 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< buÏe> pr< budœXva s<St_yaTmanmaTmna,

jih zÇu< mhabahae kamêp< Êrasdm!.

evaÕ buddhe× paraÕ buddhv˜ saÕstabhy˜tm˜nam-˜tman˜

jahi þatruÕ mah˜-b˜ho k˜ma-r¨paÕ dur˜sadam -- 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> àaeKt> puratn>,

sa ev˜yaÕ may˜ te'dya yoga× prokta× pur˜tana× -- 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.

k…vRÚeveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;eCDt~ sma>,

@v< Tviy naNywetae=iSt n kmR ilPyte.

kurvanneveha karm˜õi jijŸviÿecchataÒ sam˜×

evaÕ tvayi n˜nyatheto'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.

t˜ny-ahaÕ veda sarv˜õi na tvaÕ 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 s˜tvika (saiTvk), impure t˜masa (tams) and passionately active r˜jasa (rajs). God takes incarnation for the glory of the pure souls.

yda yda ih xmRSy Glain-Rvit -art,

A_yuTwanmxmRSy tdaTman< s&jaMyhm!,,

pirÇa[ay saxUna< ivnazay c Ê:k«tam!,

xmRs<SwapnawaRy s<-vaim yuge yuge.

yad˜ yad˜ hi dharmasya gl˜nir-bhavati bh˜rata

abhyutth˜nam-adharmasya tad˜tm˜naÕ s®j˜myaham

paritr˜õ˜ya s˜dh¨n˜Õ vin˜þ˜ya ca duÿk®t˜m

dharma-saÕsth˜pan˜rth˜ya sambhav˜mi 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][<,

marty˜vat˜ra stvihamartya þikÿaõaÕ

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> sm†zae ýÖySwanh<k«te>,

tTk«t< mitvE;My< inrv*Sy n Kvict!.

sarv˜tmana× samad®þo hy-advayasth˜nahaðk®te×

tat-k®taÕ mati-vaiÿamyaÕ 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! àih[aeTyuéKrm>.

satvaÕsur˜nŸkamivaidha yatyaja×

rajastamask˜n prahiõotyurukrama×

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 mamupaiïta>,

bhvae }antpsa pUta mÑavmagta>.

vŸtar˜gabhayakrodh˜ manmay˜ m˜mup˜þrit˜×

bahavo jñ˜natapas˜ p¨t˜ madbh˜vam˜gat˜× -- 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 m˜mup˜þrit˜×(mamupaiïta>) 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).

zrvÄNmyae -vet!,

þaravattanmayo 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!,

bhikÿ˜÷anaÕ þca huðk˜r˜t karavat vaiþyato'grahŸt

(He demanded his bhikÿ˜ (i-]a) with a thundering voice as a king demands his taxes from the vaiþya (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<àitgCDit,

sarva deva namask˜ra× keþavampratigacchati

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 vartm˜nu vartante manuÿy˜× p˜rtha sarvaþa× -- 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< àp*Nte ta< StwEv -jaMyhm!,

ye yath˜ m˜Õ prapadyante t˜Õ stathaiva bhaj˜myaham -- 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 vartm˜nu vartante manuÿy˜× p˜rtha sarvaþa× -- 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:

"iÿyadey<" "i-yadey<"

"hriy˜deyaÕ" "bhiy˜deyaÕ"

(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 anuÿ÷h˜na (Anuóan) 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&ò< gu[kmRiv-agz>,

c˜turvarõya may˜ s®ÿ÷aÕ guõakarmavibh˜gaþa× -- 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 sattvaguõa (sÅvgu[) the differentia among them is due to the permutations of the qualities of rajoguõa (rjaegu[) and tamoguõa (tmaegu[) only, and on the basis of this difference of combination only they are classified fourfold. Devotion to God þamo-bhagavanniÿ÷hat˜ (zmae-gviÚóta) 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 äaü[aid> zmadErevi-*te,

yaein-ed k«tae-ed> }ey AaEpaixkSTvym!.

sv˜bh˜viko br˜hmaõ˜di× þam˜dairevabhidyate

yonibheda k®tobheda× jñeya aup˜dhikastvayam

(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.

Aixkíet gu[> zUÔe äaü[id> s %Cyte>,

äaü[aePyLp gu[k> zUÔ @veitkIitRt>.

adhikaþceta guõa× þ¨dre br˜hmaõadi× sa ucyate×

br˜hmaõopyalpa guõaka× þ¨dra evetikŸrtita×

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:

ivàaid ;'gu[ yutadrivNdnat!,

padarivNdivmuoat! ñpc<viróm!.

vipr˜di ÿaðaguõa yut˜daravindan˜t

p˜d˜ravindavimukh˜t þvapacaÕvariÿ÷ham

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:

yStuzUÔae dmesTye xmeRcsttaeiTyt>,

t<äaü[mh<mNye v&Äenih -veiÖj>.

yastuþ¨dro damesatye dharmecasatatotyita×

tambr˜hmaõamahammanye v®ttenahi 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 ïÏya=iNvta>,

te=ip mamev kaENtey yjNTyivixpUvRkm!.

Ah< ih svRy}ana< -aea c à-urev c,

n tu mami-janiNt tÅvenatZCyviNt te.

yaiNt devìta devan! ipt¨NyaiNt ipt¨ìta>,

-Utain yaiNt -UteJya yaiNt m*aijnae=ip mam!.

ye'pyanyadevat˜ bhakt˜ yajante þraddhay˜'nvit˜×

te'pi m˜meva kaunteya yajantyavidhip¨rvakam -- IX-23

ahaÕ hi sarvayajñ˜n˜Õ bhokt˜ ca prabhureva ca

na tu m˜mabhij˜nanti tattven˜taþcyavanti te -- IX-24

y˜nti devavrat˜ dev˜n pit²ny˜nti pit²vrat˜×

bh¨t˜ni y˜nti bh¨tejy˜ y˜nti mady˜jino'pi m˜m -- 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˜Õ (ma<) and mady˜jina× (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 buiÏmaNmnu:ye;u s yu> k«TõkmRk«t!.

karmaõyakarma ya× paþyedakarmaõi ca karma ya×

sa buddhim˜nmanuÿyeÿu sa yukta× k®tsnakarmak®t -- 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!àitib<b> ikÂTkraeim,

viÿõorevakarma -- n˜hañcitpratibimba× kiñcatkaromi -- 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 akarmaõicakarmaya× (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 ÇteTvt!i³yteik<icnare,

na tratetvatkriyatekiñcin˜re -- Rigveda 10-113-9

(Without God nothing moves in the Universe.)

AkmRi[ckmRy>,

akarmaõicakarmaya× -- 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.

Ty®va kmR)las¼< inTyt&Ýae inraïy>,

kmR{yi-àv&Äae=ip nEv ik<icTkraeit s>.

tyaktv˜ karmaphal˜saðgaÕ nityat®pto nir˜þraya×

karmaõyabhiprav®tto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti 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 akarmaõyakarmaya× paþyet (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.

k…yaRiÖ Öan! twa=sKt>,

kury˜dvi dv˜n 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.

ÔVyy}aStpaey}a yaegy}aStwapre,

Sva Xyay }any}aí yty> s<iztìta>.

dravyayajñ˜stapoyajñ˜ yogayajñ˜stath˜pare

sv˜ dhy˜ya jñ˜nayajñ˜þca yataya× saÕþitavrat˜× -- IV-28

@v< b÷ivxa y}a ivtta äü[ae muoe,

kmRjaiNviÏ taNsvaRnev< }aTva ivmaeúyse.

evaÕ bahuvidh˜ yajñ˜ vitat˜ brahmaõo mukhe

karmaj˜nviddhi t˜nsarv˜nevaÕ jñ˜tv˜ vimokÿyase -- 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 #iNÔyai¶;u juþit,

þabd˜dŸnviÿay˜nanya indriy˜gniÿu 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 avabh®tha (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 avabh®tha (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< àaPSye mnaerwm!

idamadya may˜ labdhamidaÕ pr˜psye manoratham -- XVI-13

(I have gained this today; I will again gain another later.)

#hNte kam-aegawRmNyayenawR sÁcyan!

ihante k˜mabhog˜rthamany˜yen˜rtha sañcay˜n -- 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.

àat> à-&itsaya<t sayaidàatr< twa,

yTkraeim jgÚawtdStu tv pUjn<.

pr˜ta× prabh®tis˜y˜nta s˜y˜dipr˜taraÕ tath˜

yatkaromi jagann˜thatadastu tava p¨janaÕ -- 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."

AÔaehe[Ev -Utana< ALpÔaehenvapun>,

adroheõaiva bh¨t˜n˜m alpadrohenav˜puna×

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,

sarvaÕ karm˜khilaÕ p˜rtha jñ˜ne parisam˜pyate -- 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.

ïeyaNÔVymya*}aJ}any}> pr<tp,

þrey˜ndravyamay˜dyajñ˜jjñ˜nayajña× 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 þravaõa (ïv[) 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.

SvaXyayàvcne @veit nakae maEÌLy>, tiÏ tpStiÏ tp>,

sv˜dhy˜yapravacane eveti n˜ko 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, karmayajña (kmRy}), before we have reached God-realisation.

tTSvy< yaegs<isÏ> kalenaTmin ivNdit.

tatsvayaÕ yogasaÕsiddha× k˜len˜tmani 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 þravaõa, manana and dhy˜na, (ïv[, 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 jñ˜na (}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 s†z< pivÇimh iv*te,

na hi jñ˜nena sad®þaÕ 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 %ÄrpUvaR"yaerZle;ivnazaE tdœ£Vypdezat!,

tadadhigama uttarap¨rv˜ghayoraþleÿavin˜þau tad-vyapadeþ˜t

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 nididhy˜sana (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 ïÏa==ivvez

taÕha þraddh˜''viveþa -- 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>.

n˜yaÕ loko'sti na paro na sukhaÕ saÕþay˜tmana× -- 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 ivöM- AasIÄv k«:[vaKye,

nac˜ti visrambha ˜sŸttava k®ÿõav˜kye -- 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]tITyevivñas> tdIyae=himit Sm&it>,

rakÿatŸtyevaviþv˜sa× tadŸyo'hamiti sm®ti× -- 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< ùTSw< }anaisnaTmn>,

iDÅvEn< s<zy< yaegmaitóaeiÄó -art.

tasm˜dajñ˜nasambh¨taÕ h®tsthaÕ jñ˜n˜sin˜tmana×

chittvainaÕ saÕþayaÕ yogam˜tiÿ÷hottiÿ÷ha bh˜rata -- 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 Öeiò n ka']it,

jñeya× sa nityasanny˜sŸ yo na dveÿ÷i na k˜ðakÿati -- V-3

tyaeStu kmRs<NyasaTkmRyaegae iviz:yte.

tayostu karmasanny˜s˜tkarmayogo viþiÿyate -- 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 karmasanny˜s˜tkarmayogo viþiÿyate -- 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 Öeiò n ka']it,

jñeya× sa nityasanny˜sŸ yo na dveÿ÷i na k˜ðakÿati -- V-3

kaMyana< kmR[a< Nyas< s<Nyas< kvyae ivÊ>,

k˜my˜n˜Õ karmaõ˜Õ ny˜saÕ sanny˜saÕ 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 sanny˜sŸ ca yogŸ 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 Ê>omaPtumyaegt>,

saÕy˜sastu mah˜b˜ho du×kham˜ptumayogata× -- 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> àvdiNt n pi{fta>,

saðkhyayogau p®thagb˜l˜× pravadanti na paõýit˜× -- 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.

ekaÕ s˜ðkhyaÕ ca yogaÕ ca ya× paþyati sa paþyati -- 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!,

ekamapy˜sthita× 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:

pÒpÇimvaM-sa

padmapatramiv˜mbhas˜ -- 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 sÛySyaSte suo< vzI,

sarvakarm˜õi manas˜ sannyasy˜ste sukhaÕ vaþŸ -- 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 sÛySyaSte suo< vzI,

sarvakarm˜õi manas˜ sannyasy˜ste sukhaÕ vaþŸ -- V-13

(The self-controlled man is in bliss by dedicating all his actions to God.)

n kt&RTv< n kmaRi[

na kart®tvaÕ na karm˜õi -- V-14

(No doership and no doing.)

nEv k…vRÚ karyn!,

naiva kurvanna k˜rayan -- V-13

(Not doing and getting done.)

zarIr< kevl< kmR

þ˜rŸraÕ kevalaÕ 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 sarvakarm˜õi manas˜ sannyasya (svRkmaRi[ mnsa sÛySy) 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.

pZyÁz&{vNSp&ziÁjºÚZnNgCDNSvpNñsn!.

paþyañ-þ®õvan-sp®þañ-jighrann-aþnan-gacchan-svapan-þvasan -- V-8

àlpiNvs&jNg&ŸÚuiNm;iÚim;Úip,

pralapan-vis®jan-g®hõann-unmiÿan-nimiÿann-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.

äü{yaxay kmaRi[ s¼< TyKTva kraeit y>,

brahmaõy˜dh˜ya karm˜õi saðgaÕ 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>

paõýit˜× samadarþina× -- 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 àvtRte

svabh˜vastu 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.

tÇtÇiSwtaeiv:[u StÄCDKtI> àvaexyn!,

tatratatrasthitoviÿõu stattacchaktŸ× 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.

nadÄe kSyicTpap< n cEv suk«t< iv-u>,

n˜datte kasyacitp˜paÕ na caiva suk®taÕ 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 (asaðga).

iv;me:vipjIve;u smaeiv:[u> sdEvtu,

viÿameÿvapijŸveÿu samoviÿõu× 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{fªynenkryaeirv Ê>o Ê>om!,

kaõý¨yanenakarayoriva du×kha du×kham -- 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.

baýSpzeR:vsKtaTma ivNdTyaTmin yTsuom!,

s äüyaegyuKtaTma suom]ymZnute.

b˜hyasparþeÿvasakt˜tm˜ vindaty˜tmani yatsukham

sa brahmayogayukt˜tm˜ sukhamakÿayamaþnute -- 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 Ê>oyaeny @v te,

ye hi saÕsparþaj˜ bhog˜ du×khayonaya 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 (dhy˜nayoga 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 (varõa v[R), there is another duty that is required to be performed by one and all, irrespective of the caste (varõa 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 àaPyupkare[ àItae -vit kezv>,

tasya pr˜pyupak˜reõa prŸto bhavati keþava× -- 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 zuïU;a ktRVyakrviTmte>,

n˜n˜ janasya þuþr¨ÿ˜ kartavy˜karavatmite× -- 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.

%ÏredaTmnaTman<

uddhared˜tman˜tm˜naÕ -- 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 manuÿy˜õ˜Õ k˜raõaÕ bandhamokÿayo×

(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>,

yamevaiÿa v®õute 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 inírit mníÁclmiSwrm!,

ttSttae inyMyEtdaTmNyev vz< nyet!.

yato yato niþcarati manaþcañcalamasthiram

tatastato niyamyaitad˜tmanyeva vaþaÕ 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 tÊ svRSyaSy baýt>.

tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasy˜sya b˜hyata× -- 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 svRÇ sv¡ c miy pZyit,

yo m˜Õ paþyati sarvatra sarvaÕ ca mayi paþyati -- 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

nedaÕ yadidamup˜sate -- 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' (parokÿa 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 (aparokÿa jñ˜na 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.

à[vaexnu> zraeýaTma äütLlúymuCyte,

AàmÄenveÏVy< zrvÄNmyae -vet!.

praõavodhanu× þarohy˜tm˜ brahmatallakÿyamucyate

apramattenaveddhavyaÕ þaravattanmayo 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.

cÁcl< ih mn> k«:[ àmaiw blvdœ †Fm!,

cañcalaÕ hi mana× k®ÿõa pram˜thi balavad d®ýham -- 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< ý"mazu ly< ìjit,

yatato’pi hare× padasaÕsmaraõe

sakalaÕ hyagham˜þu layaÕ 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[k«Tkiídœ ÊgRit< tat gCDit,

na hi kaly˜õak®tkaþcid durgatiÕ t˜ta 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< àaet< sUÇe mi[g[a #v.

mayi sarvamidaÕ protaÕ s¨tre maõigaõ˜ 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.

iàyae ih }ainnae=TywRmh< s c mm iày>.

priyo hi jñ˜nino'tyarthamahaÕ 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.

deh†òœvatudasae=h< AaTm†òwaTvmevah<,

dehad®ÿ÷v˜tud˜so'ham ˜tmad®ÿ÷ath˜tvamev˜haÕ

(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?

AsÊpsnya 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< Ô:qu< c tÅven àve:qu< c pr<tp.

bhakty˜ tvananyay˜ þakya ahamevaÕ vidho'rjuna

jñ˜tuÕ draÿ÷uÕ ca tattvena praveÿ÷uÕ 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.

svRguýtm< -Uy> z&[u me prm< vc>,

#òae=is me †Fimit ttae vúyaim te ihtm!.

sarvaguhyatamaÕ bh¨ya× þ®õu me paramaÕ vaca×

iÿ÷o'si me d®ýhamiti tato vakÿy˜mi te hitam -- XVIII-64

mNmna -v mÑKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk…é,

mamevE:yis sTy< te àitjane iàyae=is me.

manman˜ bhava madbhakto mady˜jŸ m˜Õ namaskuru

m˜mevaiÿyasi satyaÕ te pratij˜ne 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 mÑKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk…é,

manman˜ bhava madbhakto mady˜jŸ m˜Õ 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 þaraõaÕ gaccha -- XVIII-62,

mamek< zr[< ìj,

m˜mekaÕ þaraõaÕ 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,

ahaÕ tv˜Õ sarvap˜pebhyo mokÿayiÿy˜mi -- 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< kaesleNÔSy,

d˜so'haÕ 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.

k…vRÚeveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;eCDt< sma>,

kurvanneveha karm˜õi jijŸviÿecchataÕ 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> pezSk«taéÏ> k…fyeyaNtmnuSmrt!,

s<r<- -yyaegen iv<dte tTsêptam!.

kŸ÷a× peþask®t˜ruddha× kuýayey˜ntamanusmarat

saÕrambha bhayayogena vindate tatsar¨pat˜m -- 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=SmaÖat> pvte, -I;aedeit sUyR>,

bhŸÿ˜'sm˜dv˜ta× pavate | bhŸÿodeti s¨rya× | -- 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.

säüa sizv> seNÔ>

sabrahm˜ saþiva× 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'œ"a> ivziNt

keicÑIta> àaÁjilyaeg&[iNt,

amŸ hi tv˜Õ surasaðgh˜× viþanti

kecidbhŸt˜× pr˜ñjaliyog®õanti -- 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=i¶vRé[> zza»>

àjapitSTv< àiptamhZc,

v˜yuryamo'gnirvaruõa× þaþ˜ðka×

praj˜patistvaÕ prapit˜mahaþca -- 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.

ANtvÄu )l< te;a< tÑvTyLpmexsam!,

devaNdevyjae yaiNt mÑKtayaiNt mamip.

antavattu phalaÕ teÿ˜Õ tadbhavatyalpamedhas˜m

dev˜ndevayajo y˜nti madbhakt˜y˜nti m˜mapi -- 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[aeÚÏ<indaeR;<yavdevih,

tavdeveñraenam>

ato'þeÿaguõonnaddhannirdoÿaÕy˜vadevahi

t˜vadeveþvaron˜ma×

(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! àa}ae xmaRn! -agvtainh,

kaum˜ra ˜caret pr˜jño dharm˜n bh˜gavat˜niha -- 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!,

g®hŸta ivakeþeÿum®tyun˜ dharmam˜caret

(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> ,

santataÕ cintaye’nantaÕ antak˜le viþeÿata× -- 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-sth˜ni sarva-bh¨t˜ni na c˜haÕ teÿv-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-sth˜ni sarva-bh¨t˜ni -- IX-4

(All beings are within Me)

n c mTSwain -Utain

na ca mat-sth˜ni bh¨t˜ni -- IX-5

(The beings are not in Me)

After making these apparently contradictory statements, He says:

pZy me yaegmEñrm!,

paþya me yogam-aiþvaram -- 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 yaegmEñrm!,

paþya me yogam-aiþvaram -- 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.

Öe;aCyE *adpaen&pa>

dveÿ˜cyai dy˜dapon®p˜×

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;< tnumaiïtm!,

avaj˜nanti m˜Õ m¨ýh˜ m˜nuÿiÕ tanum-˜þritam -- 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 àk«it< maeihnI— iöta>.

mogh˜þ˜ mogha-karm˜õo mogha-jñ˜na vicetasa×

r˜kÿasŸm-˜surŸÕ caiva prak®tiÕ mohinŸÕ 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.

sk«devàpÚaey> tvaSmIitcyayte,

A-y<svR -Ute_y> ddaMyetdœVrt<mm.

sak®devaprapannoya× tav˜smŸticay˜yate

abhayaÕsarva bh¨tebhya× dad˜myetadvratammama

(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.

AnNyaiíNtyNtae ma< ye jna> pyuRpaste,

te;a< inTyai-yuKtana< yaeg]em< vhaMyhm!.

anany˜þ-cintayanto m˜Õ ye jan˜× paryup˜sate

teÿ˜Õ nity˜bhiyukt˜n˜Õ yoga-kÿemaÕ vah˜my-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 àitjanIih n me -Kt> à[Zyit.

kaunteya pratij˜nŸhi na me bhakta× praõaþyati -- 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 àitjanIih n me -Kt> à[Zyit.

kaunteya pratij˜nŸhi na me bhakta× praõaþyati -- 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 mTàit}am!

\tmixktuRmvPlutaerySy>,

x&trw cr[ae=_yyaCclxu>

hirirth<tuimm<gtaeÄrIy>.

svaniyama mapah˜ya matpratijñ˜m

®tamadhikartumavaplutorayasya×

dh®taratha caraõo'bhyay˜ccaladhu×

hariritahantumimaðgatottarŸya× -- 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; ydîais yJjuhaei; ddais yt!,

yÄpSyis kaENtey tTk…é:v mdpR[m!.

yat-karoÿi yad-aþn˜si yaj-juhoÿi dad˜si yat

yat-tapasyasi kaunteya tat-kuruÿva mad-arpaõam -- 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.

pÇ< pu:p< )l< taey< yae me -KTya àyCDit,

patraÕ puÿpaÕ phalaÕ toyaÕ 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 ... ... ... |

chand˜Õsi yasya parõ˜ni ... ... ... -- 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<saàwm<pu:p< pu:pimiNÔyin¢h>,

ahiÕs˜prathamampuÿpaÕ puÿpamindriyanigraha×

(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 ceTsuÊracarae -jte mamnNy-akœ,

saxurev s mNtVy> sMyGVyvistae ih s>.

api cet-sudur˜c˜ro bhajate m˜mananya-bh˜k

s˜dhur-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 ÊíirtaÚazaNtae ... ... ...,

... ... ... à}anenEnmaPnuyat!.

n˜virato duþcarit˜n-n˜þ˜nto ... ... ...

... ... ... prajñ˜nena-inam-˜pnuy˜t -- 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>,

ý˜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*iÖ-UitmTsÅvm! ïImËijRtmev va,

tÄdevavgCD Tv< mm tejae<=zs<-vm!.

yad-yad-vibh¨timat-sattvam þrŸmad-¨rjitam-eva v˜

tat-tad-ev˜vagaccha tvaÕ mama tejoÕþa-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 suk«tSy laeke

®tampibantau suk®tasya 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!,

þubhampibatsau nityaÕ n˜þubhaÕsahari× 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.

tÇEkSw< jgTk«TSn< àiv-Ktmnekxa,

tatraikasthaÕ jagatk®tsnaÕ 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&òva, tdevanuàaivzt!, tdnuàivZy, sCcTyCca-vt!,

tat s®ÿ÷av˜ | tadev˜nupr˜viþat | tadanupraviþya | saccatyacc˜bhavat | -- 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 àja> svaR> r]iNt Sm prSpr<.

na r˜nyaÕ na ca r˜j˜sŸt na daõýo na ca d˜õýika×

dharmeõaiva praj˜× sarv˜× rakÿanti sma parasparaÕ -- 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 yaegivÄma>.

evaÕ satata-yukt˜ ye bhakt˜s-tv˜Õ paryup˜sate

ye c˜py-akÿaram-avyaktaÕ teÿ˜Õ 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!,

kleþo'dhikataras-teÿ˜m avyakt˜sakta-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 saihtuiòpra<ìjet!,

viÿõun˜ sahit˜ dhy˜t˜ s˜hituÿ÷ipar˜Õvrajet -- 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[í.

eko deva× sarvabh¨teÿu g¨ýha×

sarvavy˜pŸ sarvabh¨t˜ntar˜tm˜

karm˜dhyakÿa× sarvabh¨t˜dhiv˜sa×

s˜kÿŸ cet˜ kevalo nirguõaþca -- 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,

ïÏya pryaepetaSte me yuKttma mta>.

mayy-˜veþya mano ye m˜Õ nitya-yukt˜ up˜sate

þraddhay˜ parayopet˜s-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-akÿ˜ram-anirdeþyam-avyaktaÕ paryup˜sate -- XII-3

te àaPnuviNtmamev svR-Utihterta>.

te pr˜pnuvanti-m˜m-eva sarva-bh¨ta-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 punar˜vartate, na ca punar˜vartate

(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&iÄzzBdat! , Anav&iÄzzBdat! AaE<

aum an˜v®ttiþaþabd˜t, an˜v®ttiþaþabd˜t auÕ

referred to above that by worshipping the Saguna Brahma it is possible to attain the release from which there is no return.

ttaeýSy 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 icÄ< smxatu< n zKnaei; miy iSwrm!,

A_yasyaegen ttae maimCDaPtu< xn<jy.

atha cittaÕ samadh˜tuÕ na þaknoÿi mayi sthiram

abhy˜sa-yogena tato m˜m-icch˜ptuÕ dhanañjaya -- XII-9

A_yase=PysmwaeR=is mTkmRprmae -v,

abhy˜se'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.

AÖeòa svR-Utana< mEÇ> ké[ @v c,

adveÿ÷˜ sarva-bh¨t˜n˜Õ maitra× karuõa 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 dharmy˜m®tam-idaÕ yathoktaÕ paryup˜sate -- 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 ]eÇimTyi-xIyte,

idaÕ þarŸraÕ kaunteya kÿetram-ity-abhidhŸyate -- XIII-1

]eÇ}< caip ma< iviÏ svR]eÇe;u -art,

kÿetrajñaÕ c˜pi m˜Õ viddhi sarvakÿetreÿu bh˜rata -- 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 buiÏrVyKtmev c,

mah˜-bh¨t˜ny-ahaðk˜ro buddhir-avyaktam-eva ca -- XIII-5

@tT]eÇ< smasen sivkarmudaùtm!.

etat-kÿetraÕ sam˜sena sa-vik˜ram-ud˜h®tam -- 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:

]eÇ} AaTma pué;> pura[> sa]at! Svy<Jyaeitrj>prez>,

naray[ae -gvan! vasudev> Svmayya==TmNyvxIyman>.

kÿetrajña ˜tm˜ puruÿa× pur˜õa× s˜kÿ˜t svayañjyotiraja×pareþa×

n˜r˜yaõo bhagav˜n v˜sudeva× svam˜yay˜''tmanyavadhŸyam˜na×

(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 tmadezmàaúy>.

yena< ïut< ïut< -vTymt< mtmiv}at< iv}at<,

uta tam˜deþamapr˜kÿya×

yen˜Õ þrutaÕ þrutaÕ bhavatyamataÕ matamavijñ˜taÕ vijñ˜taÕ -- 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 (jaýaprak®ti jfàk«it) and another, individual soul (jŸv˜sa 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> àk«itéCyte,

pué;> suoÊ>oana< -aeKt&Tve hetuéCyte.

k˜rya-karaõa kart®tve hetu× prak®tir-ucyate

puruÿa× sukha-du×kh˜n˜Õ bhokt®tve 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=iSmNpué;> pr>.

param˜tmeti capy-ukto dehe'smin-puruÿa× 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 (jaýaprak®ti jfàk«it) is the substance out of which the world is made, Lakshmi, the citprak®ti icTàk«it 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;amaTmníih.

yath˜hi skandhaþ˜kh˜t˜ntarom¨Õl˜vasecanaÕ

evam˜r˜ dhanaÕviÿõo× sarveÿ˜m˜tmanaþcahi -- 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 ... ... ...,

chand˜Õsi yasya parõ˜ni ... ... ... -- 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 -- mamaiv˜ÕþojŸvaloke 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=Syivña -Utain ... ... ...,

p˜do'syaviþv˜ bh¨t˜ni ... ... ... -- 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>,

mamaiv˜Õþo jŸva-loke jŸva-bh¨ta× san˜tana× -- 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=Pyk«taTmanae nEn< pZyNTycets>,

yatanto'py-ak®t˜tm˜no nainaÕ paþyanty-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.

praiÂ oain Vyt&[t! Svy<-U>

tSmat! pra'œ pZyit naNtraTmn!,

par˜ñci kh˜ni vyat®õat svayambh¨×

tasm˜t par˜ð paþyati n˜ntar˜tman -- 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 -- puruÿottamayoga (pué;aeÄmyaeg)

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:

ÖaivmaE pué;aE laeke ]ría]r @v c,

]r> svaRi[ -Utain kªqSwae=]r %Cyte.

dv˜v-imau puruÿau loke kÿaraþ-c˜kÿara eva ca

kÿara× sarv˜õi bh¨t˜ni k¨÷astho'kÿara ucyate -- XV-16

%Äm> pué;STvNy> prmaTmeTyudaùt>,

uttama× puruÿastvanya× param˜tmety-ud˜h®ta× -- 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.

sÇElaeKyk…qu<bpalnpr>,

satrailokyaku÷umbap˜lanapara× -- 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.

%Äm pué;STvNy> ... ... ...,

uttama puruÿastvanya× ... ... ... -- XV-17

Atae=iSm laeke vede c àiwt> pué;aeÄm>.

ato'smi loke vede ca prathita× puruÿottama× -- 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 gItazaSÇayae<=iSmÚXyaye smasenaeKt>,

n kevl< gIta zaSÇawR @v ikNtu svR ívedawR #h pirsmaPt>,

sarvohi gŸt˜þ˜str˜yoÕ'sminnadhy˜ye sam˜senokta×

na kevalaÕ gŸt˜ þ˜str˜rtha eva kintu sarva þcaved˜rtha iha parisam˜pta×

(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 daivŸ (dEvI) and diabolic ˜surŸ (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:

AsTymàitó< te jgda÷rnIñrm!,

asatyam-apratiÿ÷haÕ te jagad-˜hur-anŸþvaram -- 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 (atŸõdriya AtIi{Ôy) 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< †iòmvò_y nòaTmanae=LpbuÏy>,

à-vNTyu¢kmaR[> ]yay jgtae=ihta>.

et˜Õ d®ÿ÷im-avaÿ÷abhya naÿ÷˜tm˜no'lpa-buddhaya×

prabhavanty-ugra-karm˜õa× kÿay˜ya 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 iniít>.

k˜mopabhoga-param˜ et˜vad-iti niþcita× -- 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-aegawRmNyayenawRsÁcyan!,

Ÿhante k˜ma-bhog˜rtham-any˜yen˜rtha-sañcay˜n -- 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-astŸdam-api me bhaviÿyati punar-dhanam -- XVI-13

AaF(ae=i-jnvaniSm kae=Nyae=iSt s†zae mya,

˜ýhyo'bhijanav˜n-asmi ko'nyo'sti sad®þo 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— yaeinmapÚa mUFa jNminjNmin,

mamàaPyEv kaENtey ttae yaNTyxma< gitm!.

˜surŸÕ yonim-˜pann˜ m¨ýh˜ janmani janmani

m˜m-apr˜pyaiva kaunteya tato y˜nty-adham˜Õ 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< àma[<tekayaRkayRVyviSwtaE,

tasm˜c-ch˜straÕ pram˜õaÕ-te-k˜ry˜k˜rya-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[anusNxÄesxm< vednetr>,

yastarkeõ˜nusandhattesadhamaÕ 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'pratiÿ÷ha× (tkaeR=àitó>) (logic has no basis) and k˜m˜cy˜n˜nam˜n˜pekÿa (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.

sÅvanuépa svRSy ïÏa -vit -art,

sattv˜nurup˜ sarvasya þraddh˜ bhavati bh˜rata -- 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 k«tae -KtE StvaCyut,

pap< -vit xmaeR=ipyaen-KtE k«taehre>,

dharmobhavatya dharmo'pi k®to bhaktai stav˜cyuta

p˜paÕ bhavati dharmo'piyonabhaktai k®tohare× -- 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:

AÚmizt< Çexa -vit,

annamaþitaÕ 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 d˜na (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 p¨rv˜bhi bh˜ÿŸca

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< iviÏ saiÅvkm!.

sarvabh¨teÿu yenaikaÕ bh˜vamavyayamŸkÿate

avibhaktaÕ vibhakteÿu tajjñ˜naÕ viddhi s˜ttvikam -- 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, avibhaktaÕ vibhakteÿu (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.

yÄu k«TõvdekiSmNkayeR sKtmhEtukm!,

yattu k®tsnavadekasmink˜rye saktamahaitukam -- XVIII-22

(Those who mistake a part for the whole are engrossed in the effect neglecting the cause; or those who see Brahman (k®taja k«tj) 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 p®thivy˜Õ v˜ divi deveÿu 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 àa÷mRnIi;[>,

ty˜jyaÕ doÿavadityeke karma pr˜hurmanŸÿiõa× -- 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 dehabh®t˜ þakyaÕ tyaktuÕ karm˜õyaþeÿata× -- 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 (ty˜ga Tyag) and renunciation (sany˜sa 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 sany˜sa (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:

tÇEv< sit ktaRrmaTman< kevl< tu y>,

tatraivaÕ sati kart˜ram˜tm˜naÕ kevalaÕ 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<k«tae -avae buiÏyRSy n ilPyte,

yasya n˜haðk®to bh˜vo 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.

$ñr> svR-Utana< ùÎeze=juRn itóit,

æamyNsvR-Utain yNÇaêFain mayya.

Ÿþvara× sarvabh¨t˜n˜Õ h®ddeþe'rjuna tiÿ÷hati

bhr˜mayansarvabh¨t˜ni yantr˜r¨ýh˜ni m˜yay˜ -- 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:

$ñrae yidsvRSykark> karyItma<,

#TyEv<vaidn< äUyat! sda=xaeyaSysIith.

Ÿþvaro yadisarvasyak˜raka× k˜rayŸtam˜Õ

ityaivaÕv˜dinaÕ br¨y˜t sad˜'dhoy˜syasŸtiha -- 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 zaSÇawRvÅvat!,

kart˜ þ˜str˜rthavattv˜t -- 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}> àTy]< TvphayEvdEv<,

mTvakt&R SvaTmkmR àjaýat!,

ajña× pratyakÿaÕ tvapah˜yaivadaivaÕ

matv˜kart® sv˜tmakarma praj˜hy˜t -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya

(He who ignores the actual and expects everything to be accomplished by God and neglects his duties is an ignorant man.)

ivÖaÚIv< iv:[uvzeividTv>,

kraeitktRVymjömev.

vidv˜nnŸvaÕ viÿõuvaþeviditva×

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… #Î‚jaEsbek…

Ÿsabeku 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 þaraõaÕ gaccha sarvabh˜vena bh˜rata -- 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]dís>,

ajñ˜n˜Õ jñ˜nadoviÿõu× jñ˜nin˜mmokÿadaþcasa× -- 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[< ìj,

sarvadharm˜nparityajya m˜mekaÕ þaraõaÕ 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 karmaphalaty˜gŸ sa ty˜gŸtyabhidhŸyate -- 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 mÑKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk…é,

manman˜ bhava madbhakto mady˜jŸ m˜Õ 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…é -u'œúv c kmR inj< inyt< hirpadivnèixya stt<,

kuru bhuðkÿva ca karma nijaÕ niyataÕ harip˜davinamradhiy˜ satataÕ -- 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&Åya -KTya -gvdaraxn< prmaexmR>,

svavihita v®tty˜ bhakty˜ bhagavad˜r˜dhanaÕ 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 isiÏ< ivNdit manv>,

svakarmaõ˜ tamabhyarcya siddhiÕ vindati m˜nava× -- 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:

nòae maeh> Sm&itlRBxa TvTàsadaNmya=Cyut,

iSwtae=iSm gts<deh> kir:ye vcn< tv.

naÿ÷o moha× sm®tirlabdh˜ tvatpras˜d˜nmay˜'cyuta

sthito'smi gatasandeha× kariÿye vacanaÕ 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:

yÇ yaegeñr> k«:[ae yÇ pawaeR xnuxRr>,

tÇ ïIivRjyae -UitØuRva nIitmRitmRm.

yatra yogeþvara× k®ÿõo yatra p˜rtho dhanurdhara×

tatra þrŸrvijayo bh¨tirdhruv˜ nŸtirmatirmama -- 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.

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