Verse 9
Yajnaarthaat karmano’nyatra
loko’yam karmabandhanah;
Tadartham karma kaunteya
muktasangah samaachara.
The
world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice;
do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti, perform action for that sake (for
sacrifice) alone, free from attachment.
The
statements of living entities being bound to material nature by their actions
refers to actions which are contrary to divinity and righteousness as
delineated in Vedic scriptures.
Lord
Krishna uses the word sanga which means attachment which will be there
when the action is undertaken for self-service but as an offering to the
Supreme Lord one is free from such ulterior motivations.
Everyone
in the world is locked and bound to the material existence by actions. The
renunciates state that since all actions lead to bondage they should not be
performed.
But
refuting this Lord Krishna states “yagna-arthaat”, sacrifices done for the
Supreme Lord without expectation of reward are exempt from bondage.
How
does one undertake this sacrifice? This is where YAGNA enters into the
picture.
Swami
has mentioned about five kinds of Yagnas.
1) Rishi Yagna - Related to devoted study of
scriptures
2) Pitru Yagna - Related to adoration of
Parents
3) Deva Yagna - Reverential homage to
God.
4) Athithi Yagna - Adoration of Guests
5) Bhuta Yagna - Unselfish acts done
while dealing with trees, plants, animals etc….
We
can observe that in each of the above Yagnas, the spirit required is SELF LESS
ness.
Thus,
performing actions for the sake of sacrifice means, performing each and every
action as an offering to the supreme lord, Brahman where, the one who is
offering, the one for whom it is being offered – all are but Brahman.
All
activities when done as an offering to the Supreme Lord without anticipating any
reward become consecrated through yagna or acts of worship done for the
pleasure of atma-purusha, the Supreme Lord internally within the heart and
externally pervading all existence.
Continued...
Love.
