Bhagwad Gita - Post 251

Krishna begins the fourth chapter by referring to the above aspect so that Arjuna will have reverence for Gita. The Lord points out that He initiated the lineage of Vivasvan (Lord Sun), Manu, Ikṣvaku, and others in the beginning of the creation (through the Vedas). 

Now, Arjuna wonders how Krishna, who is his contemporary, can be the initiator of the ancient vedic wisdom! 

As an answer to this question, Krishna introduces the topic of avatar. 

In the case of the Lord, His own karma is not there. Thus the karma of the world becomes the cause for the birth of the Lord. 

The evil actions of the wicked and the noble worship of the saints necessitates the manifestation of the Lord to punish the former and bless the latter. 

Though the Lord seems to be active, He is free from all activities and their results. He is akarta and abhokta.

One who recognizes this nature of the Lord also becomes liberated i.e., becomes free from actions and their results. 

Lord gives the knowledge of the nature of action and inaction and the characteristics of the person of such a knowledge. 

Lord defines a wise man as one who sees action-less-ness (of the Self) amidst the activities (of the body) as well as (the potential) action in the seemingly inactive body.

In fact, the wise man never sees anything other than Brahman, that being the truth of all 

Various sadhanas are compared to yajnas. 

All sādhanas lead one to liberation by preparing the mind. But, being the direct means to liberation, Brahmajana-yajna is superior to all. 

To get this knowledge one should approach a guru who is established in the Truth (Tattva-darsi) and who has the necessary language to communicate it (jnani). Such a teacher must be approached with humility, faith, and reverence and asked for this knowledge. Instructed by them through the scriptures, one gains knowledge; not otherwise. 

By this boat of knowledge, one crosses over the ocean of sin however vast it may be.

Like a blazing fire, this knowledge reduces to ashes (renders inoperative) all the karmas.  Hence, knowledge is the greatest purifier. 

One who has faith in the guru and the sastra, sense-control, and a sincere desire for knowledge will gain the knowledge.

On the other hand, one who is ignorant, faithless, and doubting is doomed. He cannot enjoy anything in the here or in the hereafter.

In the fourth chapter, Lord Kṛṣṇa talked about knowledge and renunciation.

He referred to the wise man as one whose karmas are burnt by the fire of knowledge. 

At the same time, Lord concludes the chapter by advising Arjuna to take to action. Naturally, Arjuna is not able to reconcile lord’s  various statements.

So, in this chapter, Krishna introduces the two lifestyles once again and says that either of the lifestyles can help a person in getting mokṣa (through knowledge). 

What is necessary in both lifestyles is a relative freedom from raga and dvesha which is an important condition for Self-knowledge. 

Of these two, Lord recommends active life as ideal for a common man. 

A karmayogi dedicates all his physical and mental actions to the Lord without concern for the result. Because of this attitude, the results do not cause any reactions in his mind. 

Gradually, he develops self-control and ultimately discovers his true nature which is the same in all beings. 

Since he has discovered his identity with the pure Self, his nature is the same as that of the Self.

Being spontaneously established in Brahman through the pursuit of sravanam, mananam, and nididhyasanam, these wise men revel only in Brahman. Thus, freed from all impurities, they attain videhamukti from where there is no return.

The sage who has realized Brahman and is always absorbed in It does not have any rebirth.

Such a sage sees Brahman within and without—within as the static and transcendent Brahman, and without as the entire universe. He sees the one Self in all beings and creatures—in a cow, an elephant, and even in a dog and an outcaste. He is ever free from joy and grief and enjoys eternal peace and happiness. He does not depend upon the senses for his satisfaction. On the other hand the enjoyments of the senses are generators of pain. They are impermanent. 

Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna that desire is the main cause of pain and suffering. It is the cause of anger. Therefore, the aspirant should try to eradicate desire and anger if he is to reach the Supreme.

Sri Krishna emphasizes once again that the Yogi or Sannyasin is one who has renounced the fruits of actions, not the actions themselves. 

The performance of actions without an eye on their fruits brings about the purification of the mind. Only a purified mind, a mind free from desires, can engage itself in constant meditation on the Atman. 

  

Desire gives rise to imagination or Sankalpa, which drives the soul into the field of action. 

Therefore, none can realize permanent freedom and tranquility of mind without renouncing desires.

The lower self must be controlled by the higher Self. All the lower impulses of the body, mind and senses must be controlled by the power of the higher Self. Then the higher Self becomes one’s friend. He who has perfect control of the body, mind and senses and is united with God, sees God in all objects and beings. 

Sri Krishna proceeds to give various practical hints as to the practice of meditation. The aspirant should select a secluded spot where there is no likelihood of disturbance. He should arrange his meditation seat properly and sit in a comfortable posture, with the head, neck and spine erect but not tensed. He should fix his purified mind on the Atman by concentrating between the eyebrows or on the tip of the nose.

The aspirant is advised to practise moderation in his daily habits—in eating, sleeping, recreation, etc. Extremes are to be avoided as they hinder the practice of meditation. 

Living a life of such moderation, and gathering up all his forces and directing them towards meditation upon the Atman, the aspirant gradually transcends the senses and intellect and merges himself in the blissful Atman. 

He finds that the bliss of the Atman is incomparable, that there is no gain greater than the Self. Having thus attained perfect union with the Self, the Yogi no more descends into ignorance or delusion. He does not relish any more the pleasures of the senses.

Arjuna wishes to know the fate of the aspirant who fails to realize the Supreme in spite of his faith and sincerity. Krishna tells him that the accumulated power of his Yogic practices will assure him a better birth in the future, with more favorable conditions for Sadhana. The aspirant will then be compelled to carry on his Yogic practices with greater vigor and faith and will finally achieve God-realization.

Upon realization, he enjoys an ever-abiding mind which is completely satisfied with the discovery of the Atman. 

The infinite Ananda such a yogi enjoys will never be lost because this was never gained. It was veiled by the false notion that “I am sorrowful”. Once this is removed, the inner ānanda becomes evident.

Krishna concludes that the Yogi—one who has attained union with the Supreme Lord—is superior to the ascetics, to the men of book knowledge and the men of action, as the latter have not transcended ignorance and merged in the Self.

  

Love.