Chapter 3: Karma Yoga
The Field of Right Action and Duty
Part of the Bhagavad Geetha — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar
Arjuna said ” Hey Krushna, as YOU say Jnana (Knowledge of the Supreme Being) is the Supreme path for attaining the Ultimate State. Then why are YOU pushing me into the deadly Karma Yoga (field of Action) which may result in great sin? “.
Note: Arjuna asked a very intelligent question as Krushna was explaining all about Meditation and Supreme path to be followed to attain everlasting state. Then he got a doubt that, was it necessary to fight the war on hand? Therefore, he is asking Krushna to tell in detail about the Karma Yoga which can also result in a massive reaction. Karma Yoga is all about doing allotted, accepted duties with application, dedication and discipline which could be free from reaction. However, Arjuna thought as a prince fighting the war on hand might result in not only great calamities, but also putting him in the bondage of deadly sin. Having already heard about Jnana Yoga, in a way his reluctance to fight the war increased and fear of Karma also started plaguing him. Therefore, he wanted clarity from Lord Krushna. Krushna, YOU are confusing me with YOUR words. I am not able to understand which is a right thing for me to do ? What brings good to me ? Tell me about that specifically.
Lord Krushna said, ” I have said long ago about two paths to reach ME. One is known as Saankhya Yoga, which is all about gaining the Supreme Knowledge to realize the Supreme Being. The other one is doing Karma Yoga which is nothing but doing accepted and allotted duties in accordance with total righteousness (Dharma). In other words, doing Karma Yoga with Equanimity State of Mind by which the Karma does not bind you “. Krushna continued, ” Without performing Action i.e., Karma Yoga, you cannot renounce the fruits of Karma Yoga. So, Karma Yoga is very important for a seeker of truth to perform the allotted and accepted duties with perfection. Karma Yoga will also give the same results as that of Saankhya Yoga (Yoga through Knowledge). Both are complementary to each other “. No human being can remain without performing Karma Yoga (Duties) at all times. All human beings are compelled to do actions (i.e., Karma yoga) according to their natural inborn instincts/ skills. A person of lesser intelligence forcibly tries to control the senses from the worldly attitudes and think that he has gained control over the senses even though his mind is more interested in worldly affairs. Such a person is chasing a mirage. Arjuna, any person who has taken control of his senses through Right Spiritual Practises, and perform his actions and duties through his senses without any attachments, such a person is a great Karma Yogi.
Note: Here, Lord Shree Krushna is explaining to Arjuna the methodology of performing Action without having any emotional desires and attachments to the actions, because actions have to be performed through senses. If senses are under control then detachment towards the actions that are being performed will be a natural phenomena. Actions are done as only duties which are mandatory to a person. It is better to perform action than not doing it. Performing action would help in keeping the natural rhythm of the body. Apart from doing Karma Yoga, sacrificing sacred offerings (materials) to the fire God is a benign action. But when people do worldly actions, the human beings get bonded by Karma because of the desires behind them. Therefore, Arjuna you perform your action (Duty) as if you are doing sacrifice of holy offerings to the fire in a Homa/ Yagna (because here a war was being fought to uphold righteousness/ Dharma). Lord Brahma who is also known as Prajapathi, who has created human beings in the beginning of creation has given the method known as Yagna (sacrificing prescribed holy materials to fire God in a Homa Kund) to the human beings with a blessing that they can perform Yagna giving offerings to God forms (The Gods are nothing but various Cosmic Forces who are operating and maintaining the creation) and get Divine Grace from them for fulfilling their rightful desires. You, the people, appease the God forms through Yagna and satisfy them and God forms in-turn would grace you with prosperity. Through this righteous way (Homa/ Yagna) satisfy each other and enjoy peace. Yagna or performance of sacrificial fire to the Gods result in the grace of Gods occurring naturally, whether one desires or not. Such a grace given by the Gods and the prosperity bestowed by them if not returned other way back to them, such a person is a deceiver. The doer should be aware of this.
Note: Whenever a person performs Yagna or Homa giving offerings to Gods, Gods in return grace him and bestow prosperity on that person who has performed the Yagna. Again, the person who has received the Divine grace and prosperity does not give back again to Gods in one form or the other (by doing charity, offering food to the poor, offering clothes to the poor, etc.), such person is a deceiver. Those who make offerings to Gods in the Homa or Yagna (in the form of Naivedhya), and then eat the remaining Naivedhya so offered, such people will be cleansed of the toxins from their body (because it becomes a Prasad Graced by Gods). Those who cook food and does not offer to Gods and eat such food will be virtually eating the food devoid of divine grace. All living-beings evolve from food. Food grains are grown by the Grace of rains. Rains are invoked by the performance of Yagnas and Homas purifying the environment. This performance of Yagnas have evolved from Vedic knowledge. This great Vedic knowledge has evolved from the Supreme Being. Therefore Arjuna, know that the Supreme Being and the God forms are always present wherever the Yagnas/ Homas are performed. Arjuna, whoever does not follow the above principle which is to be in conformity with nature, such a person only lives for the sensual pleasures of life and only adds sins to his life and that life is a wasted one. He, who is established in his own Consciousness (Self), he will find his happiness and fulfillment in his own self. Therefore, he need not seek happiness from anywhere outside. Such a person will not seek any gain from his Actions and also it is not necessary for him to do any action for gain, because he has found Supreme Bliss within himself, and therefore, he will also not seek any selfish things from any one. Therefore, Arjuna, do your actions (Duties) without any emotional attachments towards them or results, and by doing actions in such a way (Karma yoga) you will reach the Supreme Being in the end.
Note: Here, Lord Krushna explains the way of finding happiness within one-self by doing actions without any attachments and expectations. However, there could be certain gains from doing right actions, and such gains he will simply sacrifice for fulfilling his duties towards his family, society and to other living beings. Therefore, such a person will attain the Supreme Being for all times. The King like Janaka and other realized people have done actions without any attachments for the well-being of the world. Keeping this in mind, Arjuna, you too do your Karma yoga (actions) in a similar way and it is good for you. Whatever the great and pious people in the social order do, the same thing will be followed by other members of the society because such people’s actions are taken as a proof of right way of doing things.
Note: In the above stanza, Lord Krushna makes it very clear, in whatever way the elders and pious people of the society act, such acts will be taken for granted as a proof by the common people of the society. Therefore, it is important for the elders and the leading people of the society to set right examples for the society to follow. Whatever the actions great and pious people of a society do, the common people too act in the similar manner taking their actions as a standard and as righteous acts to do. Therefore, it is a great responsibility on the elders and leading people of the society to conduct themselves in a just and righteous manner setting right examples through their conduct and actions. Lord Shree Krushna continued, ” Arjuna, there is nothing for ME to attain either in the Heavens, on Earth and also in the Lower Planes of the Creation, but yet, I continue to do actions for the well-being of the creation as a whole “.
Note: The word heavens simply means higher and higher planes of existence within the creation, and the lower planes mean the darker and negative planes of the creation including that of animal kingdom. Arjuna, if I do not act, there will be a great chaos in the creation moving towards disintegration and also there is the danger of people following MY way.
Note: Lord Krushna is indirectly saying, through HIS own example, that every human being has to do his actions in accordance with his necessities keeping in conformity with righteousness /Dharma. If I do not act there will be chaos in the world, and the classified actions that have to be done by each group (Varnas) gets disturbed totally, and this would lead towards dissolution of the social order as well as human existence. Arjuna, the ignorant people do actions for the fulfillment of their desires. Those who are enlightened also do actions but for the well-being of the world. Those who are established in THAT non- changing, Universal/ Cosmic Consciousness should induce those ignorant people who are doing actions for the fulfilment of their desires, to do actions in accordance with righteous ways as prescribed in scriptures (Sanathan Scriptures).
Note: The people of wisdom in a society must guide the ignorant people to do their actions in conformity with nature, meaning not to do harmful actions against other human beings, living beings and nature, and also guide them towards scriptural duties. Thus, Lord Krushna emphasises that the wise people (enlightened people) have the responsibility to guide the ignorant of the society. All the actions the human beings do are according to the influence of the nature based on their own instincts, traits and tendencies, but the one who is ignorant always thinks that ‘I am the doer’. Hey Arjuna, a wise person who is aware of his instincts, traits and tendencies will always be aware that those instincts, traits and tendencies are acting through him time to time, and therefore he should not get attached to the Three traits.
Note: The Three Traits mentioned by Lord Krushna are, Positive (Sathwa Guna), Semi-positive (Rajo Guna), and Negative (Thamo Guna) which are embedded in every human being. A person of wisdom knowing this knowledge not only balances his actions for the good using them according to the circumstances, and yet he will not be attached to them. A wise man who is aware that the common man is doing actions according to the guidance of three traits of the nature, and doing such actions for the fulfillment of the desires will not disturb those ignorant unnecessarily.
Note: A wise person advises and guides an ignorant and selfish person only when he approaches him for proper guidance. Otherwise, the wise man should not disturb the ignorant unnecessarily in an interfering way. Arjuna, fix your mind on ME, the Supreme Being, in an unwavering way and do your actions without any greed or attachment or regret towards them (towards actions). With this state of mind, you fight the war which is on your hand. Any person who has understood this MY above Knowledge and does actions will be totally freed from the bondage of reactions of such actions. Those who do not understand MY this way of principles of action, but finds fault with MY this philosophy of actions will be attracted into the Karma (action and reaction phenomena) of their actions and the consequences there on. All living beings have their own nature and act according to their inherited instincts, traits and tendencies. Even a man of wisdom will also act according to his nature, of course balancing his traits towards the good. The senses, and the senses orientation are the two things which cause attachments and hatred. Therefore, man should not fall victim to these two things, because these two things are great obstacles for one’s Spiritual Evolution.
Note: It is necessary for a man to take reasonable control of the five senses and the instincts created by those five senses. Otherwise, they tend to lead man in the negative direction instigating him to do wrong actions and get into the web of Karma like a spider. In other words, he will be stuck in the evolutionary order. Life is not worth following the duties or occupations of others which may appear better than the one a person is already doing. It is better to die in doing one’s duty which is natural to one’s nature (positive duties), and adopting to some other’s way of life / occupation which is not natural to him is highly distracting from Spiritual Evolution and death is better than that.
Note: Here, Lord Krushna is giving a great lesson to mankind that it is worth following a natural duty that has come to a person and which he has accepted as a matter of righteous duty/action. Though the duties which others are doing may appear better than what he is doing, yet it is not worth following it, because it is as good as stepping into other man’s shoe where the duties envisaged in the other person’s way of life may not be suitable to the inborn nature of this person. Therefore, he becomes a miss-fit in doing those duties towards which he got attracted and because of which he gives up his righteous duties. Therefore, his Spiritual Evolution stands still without further progress. Thus, it is better to do the righteous duties which are natural to one’s attitude, character and aptitude and it is better not to step into other man’s shoes merely because of attraction thinking that it is better than what he is already doing. Swadharma simply means one’s accepted duties which are natural to his instincts. Paradharma means that which is not natural to a person but alien to his nature/ instincts.
Arjuna said, ” Does that mean Krushna, even though one does not intend to do wrong actions, but what is that which compels him to do wrong actions/ sins ? “.
Lord Krushna said, “Arjuna, the Rajo Guna (Semi-Positive trait) induces worldly desires and anger. This Rajo Guna will not be satisfied even with all the luxuries that you have attained through it. Understand that this (Rajo Guna) is your greatest enemy.
Note: The Semi-Positive trait (Rajo Guna) drives one towards the fulfillment of physical desires, and failure to attain such desires makes him to suffer from frustration resulting in Anger. Therefore, the desires and anger are the two great enemies of man influencing him to do sinful acts. The knowledge is shadowed by desires, just as the fire is covered by the smoke and the mirror by dirt and the embryo is covered by amniotic fluid. Therefore, people of knowledge should always be aware of the worldly desires that blocks the wisdom. The desires reside in the five senses. Those hidden desires cause undue influence on the mind, and at the same time the intellect and senses blocks the knowledge and wisdom, driving the Individual to get attracted towards seeking fulfilment of desires. Therefore Arjuna, take control of the senses and extinguish those desires which stand between the Science, Sense (wisdom) and the Supreme Knowledge. The senses are stronger than the physical body, and the mind is much finer and powerful than the senses, and intellect is more powerful than the mind. Transcending all this, there lies the Individual’s pure Consciousness (soul).
Note: Here, Lord Krushna is giving the greatest clue that how senses are more powerful and they becomes the driving force executing guidance given by mind and intellect. But the Individual Consciousness is Supreme and the master over all these above said forces and therefore they fail to influence anymore. Therefore, it is necessary for a seeker to establish in his own consciousness overriding the senses, mind and intellect through RIGHT Spiritual Practises. So Arjuna, know the Supreme truth that the Individual Consciousness can override mind and intellect, and guide the senses in the right direction to overcome the desires. Therefore, it is necessary to establish in one’s own consciousness (through right spiritual practises) and do actions in accordance with Dharma (righteousness) to overcome desires for all times. HERE THE KARMA YOGA ENDS. ( HERE ENDS THE THEME OF SECRET OF RIGHT ACTION )