In the previous chapter, Sri Krishna explains the finer tenets of Jnana and Karma yoga where the path recommended was to perform all our actions as a Yajna to the supreme. The natural question that arises is one of confusion: Should I renounce the actions (karma sanyas) or work (karma). At the onset of the chapter, when Arjuna poses this question, Sri Krishna clearly clarifies this aspect:
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
संन्यास: कर्मयोगश्च नि:श्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥ 5.2॥
The Supreme Lord said: Both the path of karm sanyās (renunciation of actions) and karm yog (working in devotion) lead to the supreme goal. But karm yog is superior to karm sanyās.
Both the paths lead to the same goal. Through out Srimad Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna provides many options to the asaktas to pursue their sadhana, all leading to the ultimate divine reality. This is exactly proclaimed by Paramatma himself.
साङ्ख्ययोगौ पृथग्बाला: प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिता: ।
एकमप्यास्थित: सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥ 5.4॥
Only the ignorant speak of sānkhya (renunciation of actions, or karm sanyās) and karm yog (work in devotion) as different. Those who are truly learned say that by applying ourselves to any one of these paths, we can achieve the results of both.
In my view, this is a very critical verse of this chapter which is augmented by a combination of verses later (5.8 - 5.9 ). The core concept is that one should stick on their path of choice and work towards the ultimate goal rather than finding faults or considering one better than the other. How can one justify that all paths lead to the same supreme being? Because, the supreme resides in every single object of his magnificent creation:
योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रिय: ।
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥ 5.7॥
The karm yogis, who are of purified intellect, and who control the mind and senses, see the Soul of all souls in every living being. Though performing all kinds of actions, they are never entangled.
If one is able to achieve control over their indriyas (senses), channelise their mind, we can perceive the paramatma. Such a powerful analogy spoken by the master of universe himself. One of the path is the Karma Yoga. In a previous chapter, we had read about Vyadha Gita from Mahabharata. The question is how should we go about performing our karmas? How can one achieve a state where we renounce the fruits of our actions?
नैव किञ्चित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित् ।
पश्यञ्शृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन् ॥ 5.8॥
प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्ण्न्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ॥ 5.9॥
Those steadfast in karm yog, always think, “I am not the doer,” even while engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, moving, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening or closing the eyes. With the light of divine knowledge, they see that it is only the material senses that are moving amongst their objects.
One becomes so engrossed in the bliss of the supreme that the material world vanishes around them. Personally for me, this is an excellent example of a phrase : Naham karta, harih karta. There is a famous story of the Gora the potter whose Bhakti to Panduranga knew no such bounds - Removing all senses and becoming one with the divine.
However, my preferred verse for this chapter is thus:
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति य: ।
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥ 5. 10॥
Those who dedicate their actions to God, abandoning all attachment, remain untouched by sin, just as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.
When we truly perform our duties with all efforts being surrendered as an offering to the divine, we attain the state being proposed by Sri Krishna. The water droplet on a lotus leaf is an excellent analogy - It is there, but not there. The perfect unification of jeevatma with paramatma is further explained in greater detail in 5.17 and 5.18.
Human mind is quite fickle and can easily attribute all the wrong doing to the almighty - He resides in all right !!! Sri Krishna being the omnipresent laid this doubt also to rest.
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभु: ।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ॥ 5.14॥
Neither the sense of doership nor the nature of actions comes from God; nor does He create the fruits of actions. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature (guṇas).
As humans, we need to alleviate ourselves from the clutches of Gunas. This subject is dealt with greater detail in succeeding chapters of Srimad Bhagwad Gita. The rest of the chapter explains how to overcome the grip of senses and how the Yogis (learned ones) are able to achieve this and the paths taken for the same.
One of the most recurring themes of Srimad Bhagwad Gita is the emphasis on equanimity. In this chapter too, Sri Krishna draws the attention to the same.
न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् ।
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि स्थित: ॥ 5.20॥
Established in God, having a firm understanding of divine knowledge and not hampered by delusion, they neither rejoice in getting something pleasant nor grieve on experiencing the unpleasant.
Developing this one skill is a definite path towards self-realisation and understanding the paramatattva himself.
In my chosen verse above (5.10), Sri Krishna mentioned that dedicate their actions to God. The question is who is that god? The last verse of this chapter absolutely clarifies this without an iota of doubt:
भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥ 5.29॥
Having realized Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the selfless friend of all living beings, My devotee attains peace.
Sri Krishna is the Parama Purusha, to whom all our actions, sacrifices and austerities are directed do. As I end every write-up, Sarvam Krishnaarpanamastu.
Please do share your view on the choice of shloka and my interpretations thereof. I would like to get your thoughts and feedback and maybe we discover something hidden in Srimad Bhagwad Gita.
Sarvam Sri Krishnaarpanamastu
Verses and meanings from:
- https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/
Comments