Bhagwad Gita - Post 26

Karmanyevaadhikaaraste

Maa phaleshu kadaachana;

Maa karmaphalahetur bhoor

Maa te sango’stwakarmani.

Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits;

let not the fruits of actions be thy motive,

nor let thy attachment be to inaction.

This is an extremely popular verse of the Bhagwad Gita, so much so that even most school children in India are familiar with it. We all know how this verse used to echo in our ears in yesteryears when the Sunday Mahabharatha serial was on. 

It offers deep insight into the proper spirit of work and is often quoted whenever the topic of karma yoga is discussed. The verse gives the instructions regarding the science of work: 

1)               Do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results.

2)             The fruits of your actions are not for your enjoyment. 

3)             Even while working, give up the pride of doer-ship. 

4)             Do not be attached to inaction.

We will take up the first 2 in today's post.

Do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results.

This refers to the action that we generally speak of, which includes duty, the performance of obligatory works. This injunction on action is born of the very structure of prakriti, which never ceases from moving further; and, all prakriti is potential activity. 

Even if we keep quiet and do not do any work, that consciousness of our not doing any work is also a work.

Hence, nobody can be without any kind of action. Total inactivity is not possible because every cell of the body is active. The mind is active, the growth which the body undergoes is an activity. 

There is continuous movement in the cosmos. It is like a train moving eternally on the rails, and in as much as there is no inactivity anywhere on account of the involvement of all things in the processes of prakriti, we should make the best of things.

Finally, in the state of the ultimate purusha, there is no activity, because there is no contact with prakriti and there is no flux or natural reaction.

But until that time, as long as the purusha, or the consciousness of the Atman, is involved in this body, there is a reciprocal action of the Atman and the body. 

Our duty is to act in such a manner that action does not bind us. The consideration of the fruit of an action is contrary to the concept of duty. A person who expects something from the performance of duty has not performed duty. 

Duty is not a wage earner. A person does not perform duty because something comes out of it. It is a necessary obligation on our part to participate in the very structure of the cosmos. 

If our legs walk, they are performing their duty, but they do not get salary because they are walking. The limbs of the body work independently, and no limb asks for recompense or consideration from the other parts of the body. If the eyes show us the way to go and the legs walk, the eyes may tell us to give them something because they helped us by showing the direction. 

This does not happen because mutual cooperation is the essence of duty; and in mutual cooperation, no expectation of fruits is possible because the very fact of mutual cooperation brings all the fruits that are required. 

The fruits of your actions are not for your enjoyment. 

To perform actions is an integral part of human nature. Having come into this world, we all have various duties determined by our family situation, social position, occupation, etc. While performing these actions, we must remember that we are not the enjoyers of the results—the results are meant for the pleasure of God.

dāsa bhūtamidaṁ tasya jagatsthāvara jangamam

śhrīmannārāyaṇa swāmī jagatānprabhurīśhwaraḥ

(Padma Puran) [v40]

“God is the Master of the entire creation; all moving and non-moving beings are his servants.” 

Material consciousness is characterized by the following manner of thoughts, “I am the proprietor of all that I possess. It is all meant for my enjoyment. I have the right to enhance my possessions and maximize my enjoyment.”

The reverse of this is Spiritual consciousness (in the path of devotion), which is characterized by thoughts such as, “God is the owner and enjoyer of this entire world. I am merely his selfless servant. I must use all that I have in the service of God.” 

Accordingly, Sri Krishna instructs Arjuna not to think of himself as the enjoyer of the fruits of his actions.

We have the right to do our duty, but the results are not dependent only upon our efforts. A number of factors come into play in determining the results—our efforts, destiny (our past karmas), the will of God, the efforts of others, the cumulative karmas of the people involved, the place and situation (a matter of luck), etc. 

Now if we become anxious for results, we will experience anxiety whenever they are not according to our expectations. So, Sri Krishna advises Arjun to give up concern for the results and instead focus solely on doing a good job. The fact is that when we are unconcerned about the results, we are able to focus entirely on our efforts, and the result is even better than before.

Duty is also, automatically, a privilege. The gods in heaven know that we deserve whatever is necessary for our existence under the conditions of the duty that we have to perform. So, there is no point in our working in this world, or doing anything, for that matter, under the impression that something will come. 

Continued......

Love.

Bhagwad Gita - Post 25

Dear All,

Today's post covers devotee's question and Sri Ramana's answers to the questions on Swadharma and Paradharma, which concludes and seals the subject beyond any possible doubt.

Let us go through the questions by the devotee and Answers by Sri Ramana.

Devotee: In Srimad Bhagavad Gita there is a passage - One’s own dharma is the best; an alien dharma is full of risks. What is the significance of one’s own dharma?

Ramana Maharshi: It is usually interpreted to mean the duties of the orders and of the different castes. The physical environment must also be taken into consideration.

Devotee: If varnasrama dharma be meant, such dharma prevails only in India. On the other hand, the Gita should be universally applicable.

Ramana Maharshi: There is varnasrama in some form or other in every land. The significance is that one should hold on to the single Atman and not swerve therefrom. That is the whole gist of it. Sva = one’s own, i.e., of the Self, of the Atman. Para = the other’s, i.e., of the non-self, of the Anatman. 

Atmadharma is inherent in the Self. There will be no distraction and no fear. 

Troubles arise only when there is a second to oneself. If the Atman be realized to be only unitary, there is no second and therefore no cause for fear. The man, as he is now, confounds the Anatma (non-Self) dharma with Atma (the Self) dharma and suffers. 

Let him know the Self and abide in it; there is an end of fear, and there are no doubts. Even if interpreted as varnasrama dharma, the significance is only this much. 

Such dharma bears fruit only when done selflessly. That is, one must realize that he is not the doer, but that he is only a tool of some Higher Power. Let the Higher Power do what is inevitable and let me act only according to its dictates. The actions are not mine. 

Therefore, the result of the actions cannot be mine. If one thinks and acts so, where is the trouble? Be it varnasrama dharma or loukika dharma (worldly activities), it is immaterial. Finally, it amounts to this:

Sva = Atmanah (of the Self)

Para = Anaatmanah (of the non-self)    

Such doubts are natural. The orthodox interpretation cannot be reconciled with the life of a modern man obliged to work for his livelihood in different capacities.

Devotee: Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Maamekam Saranam Vraja (leaving all duties surrender to me only).

Ramana Maharshi: (All) Sarva is only Anaatmanah (of the non-self); the emphasis is on ekam (only). To the man who has strong hold of the eka (one) where are the dharmas? It means, “Be sunk in the Self.”

Devotee: The Gita was taught for action.

Ramana Maharshi: What does the Gita say? Arjuna refused to fight. Krishna said, “So long as you refuse to fight, you have the sense of doership. Who are you to refrain or to act? Give up the notion of doership. Until that sense disappears you are bound to act. You are being manipulated by a Higher Power. You are admitting it by your own refusal to submit to it. 

Instead recognise the Power and submit as a tool. (Or to put it differently), if you refuse you will be forcibly drawn into it. Instead of being an unwilling worker, be a willing one. “Rather, be fixed in the Self and act according to nature without the thought of doership. Then the results of action will not affect you. That is manliness and heroism.”

Thus, ‘inherence in the Self’ is the sum and substance of Gita teaching. Finally, the Master Himself added, “If a man be established in the Self these doubts would not arise. They arise only until he is established there.”

Love.

Bhagwad Gita - Post 24

Swadharma continued…

While Paradharma (duties at worldly level) varies depending upon whether one is a soldier, doctor, lawyer, teacher etc. ATMADHARMA is the same for all.

Human being alone has the faculty of discrimination (Buddhi / Intellect) and thus Atmadharma becomes relevant and applicable in the case of humans alone, on the other hand, animals have no discriminating power and are therefore bound by Paradharma alone, which they observe by God-endowed instinct.

People often wonder why Krishna asked Arjuna to fight and kill. Fighting are the secondary aspects of Krishna’s advice.  Basically, what Krishna was teaching arjuna was- 

“DO THE DUTY TO WHICH YOU ARE BORN”

(The only duty for which we are born is to realize God, is it not?)

In case of a soldier, it is an accepted fact that throughout the world that it is the duty of a soldier to fight when necessary.

Now there is a question. Suppose one is a soldier. A soldier is supposed to obey orders of his senior.  Does he, under the circumstances, blindly obey orders, no matter what they are? 

In World War 2, Hitler orders the mass killing of the Jews. All Nazi soldiers executed their king’s orders and when they faced trial as war criminals, they all pleaded that they were merely following the orders.

A soldier must no doubt follow his Paradharma but that does not mean blindly obeying orders, especially immoral ones. 

Paradharma is always subservient to Atmadharma.  Killing Jews has nothing to do with the war but to do with Hitler who had hatred for the Jews. 

If with such a motive, the king ordered for killing  the  Jews, it was wrong and immoral and therefore the order should not have been followed, even if it means that  the punishment for not obeying the order is death, it is better to accept the same instead of accepting an immoral order. 

Thus, even the teachings of Krishna in these verses on Swadharma, are based on “THE ATMAN or THE SELF”.

Swami says, 

“You should correctly understand the meaning of the term “Swadharma and Paradharma used in the Gita.  The meaning of Swadharma is Atmadharma, and not the duties or Dharma based on different castes such as Brahmana Dharma, Kshatriya Dharma and so on. Likewise, Paradharma means dehadharma, the duty related to the body.

It is in this sense that you should understand the declaration in the Gita, “Paradharma Bhaya Vahah”, which in effect means that if you follow the Dehadharma or the Dharma of the Physical Body, fear will be lot in life. 

On the other hand, if you understand the real meaning of the verses and words in the Gita, and if you live your life accordingly, you will have no fear of ridicule, sorrow or suffering”

(Extract from the book - “Message of the Lord”)

We end this subject with the classic example of Prahlada story.

The scriptures say that one must treat one’s parents as God. In practical terms, it means “Obey your parents”.

Prahlada’s father orders him to deny God and instead worship him as almighty. 

Here, Paradharma says, “obey your father’, but Atmadharma says, “NEVER EVER DENY GOD”. 

In this case, there was a clear conflict between the two Dharma. 

Prahlada chose Atmadharma over Paradharma, proving to the world (for centuries to follow) that “Paradharma has to be within the Atmadharma and if it conflicts with Atma dharma, then it should not be followed”.

The moral lesson which Krishna gives to us through these verses on action / Dharma in this chapter is,

One must follow Atmadharma, which is possible only if one is tuned to Atman / SELF.

Love.