Gita Saroddhara

(QUINTESSENCE OF THE GITA)

By
HIS HOLINESS SRI VISHVESHA TIRTHA
Of Sri Pejavar Mutt, Udipi
Introduction by
HIS HOLINESS SRI VIDYAMANYA TIRTHA
Of Sri Bhandarakere Math, Udipi
General Editor's Preface by
R. R. DIWAKAR
1983
BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN
KULAPATI MUNSHI MARG
BOMBAY &127; 400 007
 INTRODUCTION TO KANNADA EDITION
The Bhagavad Gita is the Sun that has risen from the Udayagiri -- viz. Lord Sri Krishna, the Para
Brahman. Though this sun of saving knowledge makes the hearts of all good men blossom forth like
lotuses touched good by the sun’s rays, some defective commentaries which came to be written on
the Gita, in course of time, tended to obscure this light of the sun of knowledge, like passing clouds
in the sky. Such clouds had been dispersed by Sri Mukhya Prana taking Avatar. on earth as
Anandatirtha Bhagavatpada (Madhvacharya) who composed two learned commentaries on the Gita
-- the Gita Bhashya and Gita Tatparya. Scattering these clouds still further away from approaching
the Gita, Sri Jayatirtha deflated them, with his Tikas on the Gita Bhashya and Gita Tatparya.
However, ordinary minds which could not bear the dazzling sunlight of the Gita have been in dire
need of a mellow light as of the full moon, to help them enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the
message of the Gita. The illustrious Satyadhyana Tirtha was the first to come forward to meet this
need of the common man. He absorbed the dazzling light of the Gita which could only be perceived
from a safe distance even by the highly learned scholars -- and reflected it in its mellowed form
through his popular, word for word rendering of the Gita, in his Gita Pratipadartha Candrika. This
work has been of immense value to the common man in treading the right path in life according to
the teachings of the Gita.
Some commentaries on the Gita which have come down to us have tried to make out that Advaita-
vada is the true message of the Gita. These look upon Sri Krishna, the supreme Lord, as still open
to the illusion of duality. This may be gathered from the following verse of the Pancadasi of Sri
Vidyaranya:

maya Oyay> kamxenaevRTsaE jIveñravu-aE,

m˜y˜ khy˜ya× k˜madhenorvatsau jŸveþvar˜vubhau

"The Jiva and Isvara are the calves of the divine cow of Maya."
If Sri Krishna had really attained the experience of Advaitic unity, he should have realised the
illusory nature of the universe and his own lordship over such a universe. In that case, it would be a
gross deception on his part to claim to be the Lord of all beings (Bhutanam isvarah). In order to
maintain the truthfulness of that claim, it will have to be admitted that from the Advaita point of
view Sri Krishna is still subject to the illusion of duality. It is not clear how one who is not himself
completely out of the illusion of duality can teach pure Advaita to others.
The Gita enjoins upon all enlightened Adhikarins like Arjuna, to fight against Adharma as a Sacred
duty, to he performed in a spirit of devotional dedication to the Lord of all creation. This is
inconsistent with the true Advaitic position that the Jnanin is not under any obligation to continue
with Karma and Bhakti.
Though there is thus so much cleavage of views among the traditional schools of thought regarding
the message of the Gita, we hear so much talk nowadays that all these divergent interpretations are
but various ways of thought and action leading to the same goal of Moksha or freedom from
bondage. But the following pronouncement of the Gita dearly rejects such a facile view:

VyvsayaiTmka buiÏrekeh k…én<dn,

b÷zaoa ýnNtaZc buÏyae=Vyvsaiynam!,,
vyavas˜y˜tmik˜ buddhirekeha kurunandana
bahuþ˜kh˜ hyanant˜þca buddhayo'vyavasayin˜m -- II:42

The present work discusses this issue with great insight and often satisfactory answers to various
questions concerning the problem and places the teaching of the Gita on the question in bold relief.
We have therefore no hesitation in saying that this work is a good critical exposition of the
philosophy of the Gita.
Thanks to the x-rays of the Gita Sastra, the pure gems of spiritual truth which lie beneath the
unfathomable ocean of Vedic and UpaniShadic lore can now be perceived from a distance. In a
pioneering effort, Sri Visvesha Tirtha, Head of the Pejavar Mutt of Udipi, has dived deep into this
ocean and brought up some of these gems of Gita thought and placed them in the hands of
contemporary students of the Gita. His work, the Gita Saroddhara, may be fittingly described as a
special collection and arrangement of these gems in resplendent array. We are sure that all the
good people of the world will derive immense benefit by going through this work.
It deals with its subject matter in a straight and simple way, and thus goes straight to the heart of
the reader. It gives a good many illustrations from life to elucidate the profound teachings. It
alludes to stories and episodes from the Bhagavata and Mahabharata to heighten the appeal to our
minds. Modern students will find in the rational approach of the author in clarifying so many knotty
points a kindred spirit.
When a chronic patient who is fed up with swallowing bitter medicines hates all medicines and
rejects them in disgust, a discerning doctor makes them more palatable and puts them in new
bottles, administering them to the patient and cures him of his ailment. The present work of Sri
Visvesha Tirtha has similarly refined and made palatable the ancient and unfailing remedies for the
ills of our lives.
His work is most useful in inculcating in the minds of the present generation deep faith and pride in
the teachings of the ancient sastras. Among instances of this may be mentioned his masterly
exposition of the caturvarnya Vyavastha and the doctrine of Svadharma and the need to sincerely
adhere to it.
Sri Visvesha Tirtha has given us this work amidst the heavy and multifarious responsibilities of his
holy office as a Pithadhipati. He has snatched time to do this in the intervals of his lightning tours
over the country, prior to his taking charge of his biennial turn of office for Krishna Puja Paryaya at
Udipi. His ceaseless round of activities and public engagements, religious austerities, worship and
teaching have not prevented him from taking up such useful literary work also.
We have known Sri Visvesha Tirtha from his early days. while yet a boy of ten, he came to us as a
bright pupil. He was already an adept in Sanskrit literature. He used to compose many attractive
verses of high order of excellence in Sanskrit at short notice. Once when Visvesha Tirtha was just
eighteen, the well-known Advaita scholar Mm. Ananthakrishna Sastri came to Udipi. There was a
discussion in Sastra between them. The learned Pandita was soon silenced by the inexorable logic
of the teenager and heartily applauded him for his alertness of mind and intellectual quickness.
Many other reputed scholars from the North such as Pt Rajeshvar Sastri Dravid and Shadanga
Ramachandra Sastri have paid handsome tributes to His Holiness’s exceptional mettle. His public
discourses in Sanskrit and Kannada draw huge audiences and hold them spellbound. He combines
an uncanny debating skill with a measured eloquence and a disarming sunny smile. He is noted for
his high sense of duty, unfailing courtesy and his spirit of give and take. His devotion to the Lord is
absolutely firm and childlike in its simplicity and trustfulness. These admirable qualities of his head
and heart have endeared him to one and all scholars and laymen, the old and the young, alike. We
are well pleased with such an ideal disciple of ours.
May Sri Hari and Vayu confer upon him long life, health and other blessings to enable him to
continue to do good to the community of the good souls all over the world is our earnest prayer to
our Upasyadevata - Sri Sitaramachandra.

SRI VIDYAMANYA TIRTHA SWAMIJI

of the Sri Palimar Mutt of Udipi and the
Bhandarakere Math of Barkur (S. K.)
Translated from the Kannada Introduction
by Dr. B. N. K. SHARMA
 PREFACE
The Bhagavad Gita is the one and the only scripture which expounds religious and Vedantic
principles in a concise, simple and beautiful manner. There is no problem in life which cannot find
its solution from this tiny book, one may say. It acquaints us thoroughly with all the equipment
necessary to make our life perfectly beautiful. One can find from the Gita a sure guidance to follow
in any critical situation. There is no other scripture in the whole world which analyses and defines
in such a simple way the nature of life and its problems. The Gita was preached by Sri Krishna and
it was written in the present form by Sri Vedavyasa. When both are the twin forms of the Almighty
God Himself how could we ever fully praise the holiness and greatness of such a work? The Gita is
the immortal message to the mankind given by the very person of the Lord Himself.

ya Svy< pÒna-Sy muopÒaiÖin>s&ta,

y˜ svayaÕ padman˜bhasya mukhapadm˜dvini×s®t˜

That which has emerged from the very lotus lips of the Padmanabha.) The Gita is both a science of
philosophy and a science of life. We cannot find in any other work such a unique harmonisation of
philosophic principles with mundane life.
While I was camping in Hubli for the Chaturmasya I got a good opportunity to give a series of
discourses on the Bhagavad Gita. This book is a fruit of those discourses. Many people who
attended those lectures desired that they should be collected and published in the form of a book
and which made it possible for the work to find the light of the day.
In this small book of about 300 pages 1 could attempt no more than a mere introduction to the Gita.
The Gita is no doubt a small book but as one delves deeper and deeper, it reveals a universe of
meaning. In this tiny work I have been able to vouchsafe to you only a very small facet of the vast
work. This is but a signpost to those who wish to undertake a deeper examination and study of the
work. The aim of this work is to stimulate the interest of people for an inquiry into its meaning.
Nobody should think that this book aims at an exhaustive exposition of the full meaning of the Gita.
The main purpose of my lectures was to explain the constructive message of the Gita bearing in
mind the common man’s daily problems in the context of modern conditions. Hence, I did not
indulge in any deep scientific discussion of philosophy but have made an attempt to expose simply
the relationship between the principles of the Gita and modern life. I wish to write a separate work,
at my leisure, devoting it to an extensive analysis of the philosophic subjects and scientific criticism
of the commentaries on the Gita made by various thinkers.
But in certain contexts I have touched upon the different interpretations given by the various
commentators on the Gita. Such a critical examination is done in order to facilitate the
understanding of the meaning of the Gita through a comparative study and not to indulge in any
aerobatics of philosophical argument. It is my individual opinion that an examination of the faults
and virtues of various systems with an unprejudiced mind would never lead to any mental
excitement but, on the other hand, it would lead to a healthy development of philosophy. I have
followed the commentaries of Sri Madhvacharya not out of any sectarian attachment. I have tried to
place the Gita in the light of Sri Madhvacharya’s commentary only because I am fully convinced
after an unprejudiced, undogmatic and open-minded inquiry, that the heart of the Gita is truly
reflected in his commentary. I hope the people will welcome this well-intended effort and extend to
me their usual cooperation and encouragement.
My revered guru Sri Swamiji of Bhandarakere Math has blessed this attempt by writing an
Introduction for which I offer him my repeated salutations.
The person who followed me as a shadow and who was mainly responsible for getting the lectures
in the form of a book out of me is Sri Ramachandra Bhat, the Proprietor of the Ashoka Hotel, Hubli.
His tenacity, unfailing effort and generosity alone could make the work possible. I pray that God
may shower His choicest blessings on him for his laudable effort in this work of furthering
knowledge.
The others who helped in various ways in its publication are Sri P. Venkataramana Acharya and
Kapu Hayavadana Puranik and I wish them God’s blessings.
My hearty thanks are due to the Manager of the Associated Advertisers & Printers for their job of
beautiful printing.

SRI VISHVESHA TIRTHA SWAMIJI

Pejavar Mutt, Udipi
 GENERAL EDITOR’S PREFACE
Bharatiya Vidya comprehends the totality of Indian culture in its myriad forms during a time-span
of about three thousand years if not five, in this peninsular region, south of the majestic Himalayas
and north of the vast Indian Ocean. In the face of all adverse vicissitudes and in spite of many a
struggle which this Culture in all its varied aspects had to pass through during the three or five
millennia when it came in friendly or unfriendly contact with other cultures, it has been able to
maintain a continuous identity, a vitality of unknown dimensions, and a creativity which could at
times enrich world culture by its unique contributions, Nor has this culture been always a home-
keeping shy damsel or a solid sphinx-like unchanging figure. History of Indian culture tells us that it
spilled over to the north, the east and the west leaving monumental vestiges in many countries,
both material as well as cultural. As regards changes, what change can be more revolutionary than
the change of one’s gods! The Vedic and UpaniShadic gods, Indra, Varuna, Surya and others have
been replaced by Pauranic gods and goddesses, Rama and Krishna and Shiva, baffling in their
variety and confusing in their identity. The South Indian Dravidian Culture and Aryan Cultural traits
today stand so blended that one is perforce inclined to call our present Indian culture, Aryo-
Dravidian or Dravido-Aryan.
Many a time the terms Culture and Civilization are used one for the other, and sometimes
indiscriminately. I need not go into the matter here, I am using the word Indian Culture here to
mean all that Homo Sapiens has added or is adding in this part of the world to the baseline of the
way of life which he would have pursued as a simple biped.
Bharatiya Vidya will therefore mean today not only the spiritual approach to life, the many religious
shapes and forms into which it was cast, the moral code of behaviour or social disciplines into
which it exhibited itself, but in addition it means also the thirty-two Vidyas plus sixty-four Kalas
(arts) that blossomed forth. It is true that though the Bhavan has more than a thousand titles to its
credit, it has hardly touched a tithe of the inherited cultural wealth much less the world of art and
artistic treasures which India has within its borders, not to say those in neighbourly Nepal, Tibet,
China and Afghanistan and distant Bali and Kambhoj.
Now to come to the publication about which I am writing, the Gita is the quintessence of the Indian
Philosophy of Life; it belongs to the category of Darshana Shastra. The commentaries written on or
about the Gita are myriad. In a certain Gita Exhibition I visited long ago, it was mentioned that
there were 600 commentaries on it, representing as many views of it! But the many commentaries
we come across, deal with the Gita as an exposition of the Advaita, Vishisthadvaita and Dwaita
philosophy. Bhavan has published a number of books on and/or about the great book, without any
bias about the three main approaches; that is because, the Bhavan looks upon all the approaches as
equally Bharatiya, whether written by Indians or non-Indians.
The ‘Gita Saroddhara’ is not a direct commentary verse by verse, nor does it propose to be a
polemical treatise aimed at refuting the Advaitic or Vishisthadvaitic interpretation. Sri Vishvesha
Tirtha, the Swami of Pejavar Mutt in Udipi (Karnataka) is by tradition an up holder of the Dwaita
school of philosophy of Sriman Madhvacharya. As the name of the book connotes, it is the essential
teaching of the Gita which the author wants to convey to the readers. In fact, only a hundred topics
have been chosen and the author’s- attempt is to convey the gospel of the Gita through the book.
They are discourses given originally in Kannada. The Kannada publication carries a prestigious
Introduction by the erudite Swami of Bhandarakere. Though there are sharp basic differences in
the metaphysical aspects of the three schools mentioned above, the Dwaita school emphasises in
the Saadhana aspect, the supremacy of Vishnu -- Hari Sarvottama (Harireva paro Harireva guruh,
Harireva jagat-pitra-maatra- gatih). The one aim and purpose of life is liberation -- the attainment of
the acme of pure Ananda (muktirnaija sukhanu-bhootiramala) and devotion to God (bhaktishcha tat
saadhanam) with a sense of absolute surrender (Naaham Kartaa Harih-Kartaa, tatpoojaa
Karmachaakhilam) is the means of such salvation. So, the practical approach in spiritual matters,
though loaded with the doctrine of Karma and somewhat outmoded ideas about the hierarchical
socio-economic system, does not differ much from the other schools. It is monotheistic, and heavily
devotional as well as ultra-egoistic since God alone is the Supreme Actor, the Purushottama.
-- R. R. DIWAKAR
 TRANSLATORS’ NOTE
This book was originally published in Kannada with the title ‘Gita Saroddhara’ in 1967. It gives a
lucid exposition of the philosophy of the Gita on the lines of the Dwaita school of thought
systematised by the great exponent Sri Madhvacharya. The English translation of this book has
been brought out so that the message of the Gita contained in this book may reach a wider public.
It is difficult to translate a book like this as it contains a number of technical terms in Sanskrit each
with its own special meaning: Indeed, quite a few words like Satwik, Rajas, Tamas, Trai Vidyas,
Varnashramadharma, Vibhutiyoga etc. are untranslatable into English and we have retained the
original words with the hope that the concepts become clear in the course of elucidations. We have
tried our best to be faithful to the original text for fear that in simplifying things we might either
fail to convey the full meaning or misrepresent the thought. During this translation, one of us had
the benefit of studying Sri Madhvacharya’s ‘Gita Bhashya’ and Sri Jayatirtha’s ‘Prameya Deepika’
under Pandit Hayagreeva Acharya Guttal of the Deccan College, Poona and we may confidently say
that none of the subtly relevant points brought out in the exposition have been missed by us. It is
sincerely hoped that in our translation we have been able to catch at least a portion of the beauty of
the original text. If in any place we have either failed to convey the true meaning or deviated from
the text inadvertently, the fault is entirely ours and we shall be glad to rectify them.
We are grateful to the Swamiji, the author of this book, for giving us an opportunity to render this
small service to him and solicit his blessings.

R. ACHARYA
-- R. A. MALAGI
 PUBLISHER’S NOTE TO KANNADA EDITION
Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji camped in Hubli for his ‘Chaturmasya Deeksha’ in the year 1966 and
he delivered about 45 lectures on the Bhagavad Gita. I too used to be one of those who attended the
meeting. As days passed by, his lectures began to attract larger and larger number of people. Till
then I had been under the impression that the Gita was a book of esoteric philosophy, a fruit beyond
the reach of family men, a thing without much use; from the Swamiji’s interpretations I was
gradually convinced that it could be a useful torch to light up the path of the family man in his day-
to-day life. The Swamiji used to captivate the hearts of his listeners by his lucid style and an
amazing skill of convincing them of the truths by applying them to the facts of daily life.
Once as the lecture series was drawing to a close, I was having a casual conversation about the
series with Sri Chavati Venkat Rao, the proprietor of Sudarshan Cinema and Sri Mathihalli
Nagaraja Rao, Assistant Editor of Samyukta Karnataka. Sri Chavati was suddenly inspired with the
idea of getting the lectures published in a book form. Sri Nagaraja Rao backed the idea and pressed
that such a thing would bring the sweet fruit of the Gita to all laymen and that I should take over
the responsibility of publishing it. The Swamiji was consulted and his consent also was obtained.
The printing was to be in the Samyukta Karnataka Press. This scheme was announced publicly in
one of the lectures. The public gladly welcomed this idea.
But neither the Swamiji nor I had any idea of the ex tent of the responsibility undertaken by us. If
he had the time it would not have been a big job for him to write down his lectures. But time was
the most sparse commodity with him. His multifarious activities, the continuous flow of visitors,
study, lectures, daily ritual and perpetual travel kept him fully engaged and he couldn’t find time to
write. The first 64 pages were somehow easily completed but later on it grew impossible for him to
find even a moment’s relief. It became all the more difficult for him to snatch any time since his
preparations for the paryayam started. The work stood still.
But I had determined to see the book in print before the Paryayam. I troubled him for three or four
months and followed him from place to place. Even when I had known that he did not have his daily
share of six hours’ sleep, I relentlessly pursued him. He continued the writing with great difficulty
bearing with me like a loving mother. He started getting up at four in the morning to write the
book, even if he went to bed by midnight. He wrote in the car moving from place to place. His
disciples gave us copies. I rushed them to the press even before the ink was dry. At last the book
has appeared before the people after a long expectation. I can say for certain that the Swamiji
never slept beyond four hours a day while he was writing the book. I seek his pardon for all the
trials I put him to on my own behalf and on behalf of the readers who would enjoy the sweetness of
the book.
At the request of the Swamiji, his guru Sri Vidyamanya Tirtha of Sri Bhandarakere Math has graced
us with a beautiful Introduction to the book. I express my great indebtedness to him. I am grateful
to Sri Hayavadana Puranik for copying the manuscript, to the Samyukta Karnataka Press for
printing it and to Sri P. Venkataramana Acharya for correcting the proofs. My thanks are also due to
Sri Chavati and Sri Nagaraj Rao for sowing the idea, to Sri H. R. Purohit for his extensive notes
taken down during the lectures which has helped in the preparation of the book, to Sri Krishna
Potdar for designing the cover page of the book and for many others who have helped in the
publication of this book. Above all, I am deeply grateful to the Swamiji himself who has made it
possible for a businessman like me to contribute my mite for a spiritual service like this.
The publication of this book is not a business proposition. I have decided to undertake all the
expenses connected with its publication and donate the complete sale proceeds to the Swamiji for
whatever work he thinks best. The buyers will not only be purified by reading this great book but
also be contributing to the noble and holy work being undertaken by the Swamiji in various fields.
-- U. RAMACHANDRA BHAT
 Introduction
The Bhagavad Gita is the greatest spiritual and metaphysical scripture of the Hindus. It contains
valuable teachings applicable to all stages of human development. Such a universal and all-
pervasive teaching with practical solution for every day problems of life fell from the divine lips of
the Lord Himself. Sri Krishna had once revealed to his mother the whole universe of infinite
dimensions in his tiny mouth; so also, in his short discourse uttered with a limited number of words
in a limited span of time Sri Krishna has given the very quintessence of the universal science of life.
This indeed is a testimony to the divine glory of Lord Sri Krishna.
Once, after the Kurukshetra war, when the Pandavas were ruling their kingdom, Arjuna besought
Sri Krishna: “Oh Lord, I was fortunate to receive from you the teachings of the Gita but that was in
the din and bustle of the battlefield; I would very much like to hear it once again at leisure in the
calm and peaceful atmosphere now reigning.” To this, the omniscient Lord replied: “Oh Arjuna I do
not have the same inspiration today. I cannot recapture that same teaching again.” Although
nothing would have been impossible to Him, this episode serves to highlight the extraordinary
greatness of the Gita.
The time, the Place and the dramatic context selected by the Lord to give His supreme teaching to
humanity are unique. Both the Kaurava and the Pandava armies are lined up face to face and the
war is about to begin. The minds of all the soldiers taking part in the war are agitated because they
are under the tension of an explosive war. At this time who else but God Himself could have the
poise and power to expound such a simple and yet profound philosophic teaching? In our daily
lives, very often grave problems confront us. Confused, we lose our heart. Only at such moments of
crisis do we experience the dire need of the Gita. The mind is a battlefield where the good and evil
forces fight for supremacy. Unable to face life and its problems, we are prone to run away from our
duties and responsibilities out of sheer cowardice. To such cowards, the Gita offers hope and
encouragement. It prompts them into rightful action. The Gita which was preached to Arjuna in the
context of the Kurukshetra war has wider application to the war that is going on constantly within
our mind between the good and the evil forces. Sri Madhvacharya says that the Mahabharata has
not only a historical but also a metaphysical interpretation. One may wonder whether this teaching
given in the bygone days of the Dwapara Yuga will ever be applicable to the modern atomic age!
But, in fact, the teachings of the Gita are perennial and contain elements of truth applicable to all
ages.

svaeRpin;dae gavae daeGxa gaepal nNdn>,

pawaeRvTs> suxI-aeRKtaÊGx< gItam&t< mht!.
sarvopaniÿado g˜vo dogdh˜ gop˜la nandana×
p˜rthovatsa× sudhŸrbhokt˜dugdhaÕ gŸt˜m®taÕ mahat

In this verse, the Upanishads are called a cow, Sri Krishna is the milkman, Arjuna is the calf which
induces the cow to yield milk and the Gita is the milk. Just as the milk is not for the calf alone, so
also the Gita which contains the quintessence of all the UpaniShadic thought is not for Arjuna alone
but for the whole of mankind.
While giving this discourse, Sri Krishna is described to have held his fingers in the form of ‘Jnana
Mudra’ which is also symbolic of milking and what has flown out in the form of the Gita is the divine
nectar itself.

}anmuÔay k«:[ay gItam&tÊhe nm>,

jñ˜namudr˜ya k®ÿõ˜ya gŸt˜m®taduhe nama×

2. On the sacred field of Kurukshetra:

The Gita commences with a dialogue between Dhritarashtra and Sanjaya. Sri Vedavyasa, the author
of the Mahabharata, makes Sanjaya give the blind Dhritarashtra a running commentary of the
whole battle. Sanjaya is giving him a vivid description in minutest detail. Dhritarashtra asks: “Tell
me, Sanjaya, what did the sons of Pandu and mine do, when they gathered on the sacred field of
Kurukshetra.” Spiritually blind also as he is, Dhritarashtra betrays his attachment to and fondness
for his own sons, as against the sons of Pandu. He did not ask Sanjaya how the war progressed.
Instead, he enquired what the Pandavas did. He fondly expected that when the noble Pandavas
assembled on the battlefield ready for war, their piety would be roused and out of the goodness of
their heart, they would voluntarily give up all claims to the kingdom. Earlier this wily and selfish old
king had sent words to the Pandavas through Sanjaya thus: “Oh sons of Pandu, my sons are after all
wicked and quarrelsome. But at least you are good and noble! Therefore give up your claim to the
kingdom, retire to the forest and spend the rest of your days in peace.” He had hoped that this
advice would have some effect on at least one of the Pandavas, if not all and it is as though to see
whether any of them had been demoralised that he asks Sanjaya the above question. In fact
Dhritarashtra’s advice did not really go in vain! The valiant Arjuna himself becomes thoroughly
demoralised and loses the determination to fight. He becomes a nervous wreck and repeats the
very arguments put forward by Dhritarashtra and withdraws from war.
Sanjaya replies: “0 Dhritarashtra! Your son Duryodhana had expected that the Pandavas, having
spent thirteen years in the forest, would not be able to raise a respectable army in such a short
time. He had hoped that the Pandavas would be disheartened on seeing your majestic army. But on
the contrary, it is Duryodhana who has got unnerved on seeing the mighty Pandava army.”
As narrated in the ‘Sabha Parva’, when Bhima under provocation, vowed that he would kill
Duryodhana and others, they got so frightened about their lives that they ran to Dronacharya and
got from him an assurance of protection. Now the bewildered Duryodhana goes to Dronacharya and
describes the heroes on either side and expresses his genuine doubt and fear whether his army
under the command of Bhishma would ever be able to vanquish the army commanded by Bhima.
The Pandava army has a very high morale. They are determined to strike down the forces of evil.
They are inspired by noble and revolutionary ideas and ideals. Besides possessing strength of
character, they are led by no less a hero than the mighty Bhimasena himself who is the very
embodiment of discipline and devotion. On the other hand the Kaurava army is full of mercenaries
and timeservers. They are not fighting for any principle or just cause. Their heart is not in it and
they are carrying on the war much against their will, They are in the war because they are under
obligation to Duryodhana. No doubt Bhishma is a celebrated warrior. But he knows that he is
backing a wrong horse. His heart is not in this unholy war. Apart from hatred and animosity there is
no other ideal to inspire the Kaurava army. Comparing the leadership of Bhishma and Bhima from
this point of view and realising the weakness of his army due to lack of determination and strength
of character, Duryodhana becomes nervous and runs to Dronacharya and expresses his doubt about
the final outcome of the war. Seeing that Duryodhana is nervous, Bhishma and his followers blow
their conches as though to infuse fresh life and courage into him. To this the Pandavas reply by
blowing their own conches.

tt> ñetEhRyEyuRKte mhit SyNdne iSwtaE,

maxv> pa{fvíEv idVyaE zŒaE àdXmtu>.
tata× þvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau
m˜dhava× p˜õýavaþcaiva divyau þaðkhau pradadhmatu× -- I-14

Krishna and Arjuna, seated in a chariot drawn by white stallions also blow their divine conches,
making a sound like the syllable ‘Aum’ of the Vedas. This sound is indeed a fitting invocation for the
great teaching about to flow out from the divine lips of the Lord.

3. Between the two armies:

When the Kaurava and the Pandava armies are thus lined up and when the war is about to
commence, Arjuna asks his charioteer Sri Krishna to position his chariot between the two armies so
that he could have a view of his adversaries. When the chariot is thus positioned by Sri Krishna,
Arjuna takes a good look at both the armies. He immediately gets a shock because in the opposite
army he sees the familiar faces of his kinsmen, teachers and friends. He curses the fate that brings
him to fight his dear and near ones. Arjuna gets perplexed, thoroughly confused and has a virtual
nervous breakdown. He tells Krishna that he has resolved not to fight his own people and in support
of this, he puts forth the following arguments:
“This terrible war which is about to begin will do good neither in this life nor in the next. If I win
the war I may get the kingdom but I lose more than what I gain. What good is it, what happiness is
it, if I have to build my empire on the graves of my revered teachers, beloved friends and my own
kinsmen? If I win, I may acquire all the wealth of the world but it will not give me any happiness or
peace of mind. Will any plant sprout from fried seeds? Similarly, what enjoyment can sprout in a
heart burning with the sorrow from the death of one’s kinsmen. I covet not such a kingdom because
it will only be soiled by the blood of my own relatives.”
“By this cruel act, how can I get any happiness in the next life either. No doubt my cousins, the sons
of Dhritarashtra, are wicked and they had tried in many ways to kill us, by poison and fire and they
deserve to be annihilated. But we are not fighting them alone. Along with them there are other
relatives, friends and preceptors and we have perforce to kill them. In the name of killing wicked
people like Duryodhana and others, we kill innocent people also and we ourselves become cruel and
wicked and will be bereft of heaven We shall have to keep company with them in hell.”
Thus does Arjuna feel that the war would lead to happiness neither in this life nor in the afterlife.
Further, he feels the war would lead to many social ills. Each and every house has sent its able-
bodied men into this war. Most of them would be killed and hence the male population would
diminish and women perforce might go astray. Castes and communities would get mixed up. The
social structure would crumble and immorality and vice would play havoc, undermining the whole
social structure. These are no doubt some of the evils of war and we have seen all these things
happening after the recent world war.
Having thus narrated the evils of war for the individual both in this life and in the afterlife and for
the society as a whole, Arjuna reiterates his earlier resolve not to fight. “It is better to beg and fill
one’s belly, it is better to spend one’s life in a forest like a mendicant than kill one’s kinsmen for the
sake of this earthly kingdom,” thus saying Arjuna lays down his weapons and sits dejected. At this,
Sri Krishna chides Arjuna for his lack of will and faint-heartedness and inspires him to rise to the
heroic occasion befitting his birth and stature. But Arjuna is adamant. Under a heavy delusion he
spurns both the kingdom of the whole earth and heaven if they were to be secured only by the
slaughter of his kinsmen. Arjuna is thus tossed between two opposing duties, duty as a kshatriya to
kill the enemies and duty as an ordinary householder to show reverence to his elders and
preceptors. He is confused and knows not the right path. He is also aware that his vision is clouded
by his attachment to his kinsmen and that he is using high-sounding philosophic arguments only to
cover his weakness. He thus surrenders himself completely to Sri Krishna and implores Him to take
him as His disciple and show him the right path.
4. The background of Sri Krishna’s teachings:
At this stage Sri Krishna commences his divine teachings to his humble aspirant Arjuna. Some may
argue that in His reply Sri Krishna has evaded the main issue and failed to answer directly the
questions raised by Arjuna regarding the evil effects of war. What answer has Gita got for the social
evils arising out of war? Instead of answering this point, what was the need for Sri Krishna to talk
about the tough subjects like the immortality and immutability of the soul? Has Sri Krishna tried to
cloud the basic issues by his irrelevant, high-sounding words? But if you study the Gita carefully
you will realise that in his teachings to Arjuna He did not follow any crooked path. What is the real
cause of Arjuna’s despondency? Is his pacifism due to any moral principles? No. He is under a
delusion caused by his attachment to his kith and kin and fear of losing them in the war. Arjuna has
fought many a war before and he had not raised any of these objections. Why should he raise these
objections now? Even in our everyday experience we find that people talk big and bring in Vedanta
and philosophy only to cover their weaknesses arising out of selfish interests. For example, persons,
whose duty it is to protect and propagate Sanatana Dharma, shirk their responsibility under the
pretext that in this Kali Age, it has been ordained by God that unrighteousness would prevail and
that we should not do anything to counter His design. Again, misers who want to cover their thrift
console themselves by saying that in these days of food scarcity it is antisocial to feed brahmins and
others and waste foodstuffs. Arjuna also finds himself in the same category of self-justifiers. He had
fought many a battle before, but only now does he become a staunch advocate of pacifism! It is
apparent that he is only trying to hide his weakness for his relatives under the cloak of pacifism.
Even great seers like Vasishtha had betrayed their attachment to their sons by bemoaning their
loss. But they were aware of their weakness. They did not try to defend themselves by any
arguments as Arjuna is doing now. Seeing the ‘predicament’ of Arjuna Sri Krishna must have been
amused, and so he smiles:

àhsiÚv –art
prahasanniva bh˜rata -- II-10

He does not, therefore, elaborately answer the questions raised by Arjuna regarding the evils of
war. It is not true that all wars are harmful. According to historians, after the Kurukshetra war
there was an all-round material prosperity and spiritual advancement in India and this golden age
lasted for thousands of years. The objections raised by Arjuna are therefore not applicable to holy
wars and so Sri Krishna does not simply bother to answer them. Instead, he proceeds to rid Arjuna
of his spiritual ailment. Sri Krishna’s main purpose is to rid him of his delusion. That would be a
treatment for his ailment far better than answering the questions raised by Arjuna in support of his
pacifism. Hence the all-merciful Almighty, out of compassion for Arjuna, proceeds to dispel his
delusion and gives a discourse on the immutability of the soul and its existence independent of the
perishable body.
5. Lament not for the unlamentable:
Sri Krishna asks: "0 Arjuna, are you lamenting for the soul or for the body of your kinsmen? If it is
for the soul, lament not because the soul is eternal and cannot be destroyed. You, I and all the kings
in front of us were there in the past and will continue to be in the future. Hence grieve not for the
soul which is indestructible. If you are sorry for the bodies of your kinsmen and preceptors, which
you are afraid might be destroyed, then also, grieve not because the body is in any case perishable.
After death the soul passes from one body into another. We demolish the old house and build a new
one in its place. Do we grieve? We discard old clothes and put on new ones, do we lament? We step
out of childhood and get into manhood, do we not rejoice in it? In the garden, old flowers wither
and new ones blossom. So also in life change is not only inevitable but also desirable. We do
welcome such changes. Death is but one such change. Thus we should never fear death. Just as
childhood, boyhood and manhood, are but transitions, so also is death a transition. Hence we
should not fret over the death of the body."
Here a question may arise. What sort of new body would these persons get after this body has
passed away? It may be a better body or worse. If it is going to be worse, we have reason to be
sorry at the passing of the present body. If we leave one rented house and move into another which
is worse, we shall certainly be sorry for leaving the old one. Sri Krishna answers this point. As for
Bhishma and Drona who are great souls and who have earned nothing but merit in this life, they
are bound to go into a higher life. For them death is like a holy bath (avabhuutha) at the successful
termination of a Yajna or sacrifice. Better life awaits them and you need not grieve for them. It is
only the wicked and sinful people who are afraid of death and if they get worse bodies in the next
life they deserve such punishment and you need not be sorry for them. There are instances of good
people who even if they had inadvertently committed sins, have atoned for them here itself and
warded off its evil effects. Hence good people are taken care of and wicked people deserve
punishment and in both cases you need not grieve for death at all. If the bad are not punished and
you pity them, the whole social system would be undermined.
Why should we believe in a soul as distinct from the body? Well, all evidence like perception,
reasoning and scriptures point towards the existence of a soul as separate from the body. The body
undergoes change from day to day as we pass from childhood to old age. Our today’s body is not
the same as yesterday’s. But we experience something within us which does not change. This some
thing, changeless, within us we call Atman or the soul and this is what each one experiences,
throughout his life.
How do we know that after death the soul passes from one body into another? We see among
people talents and characteristics not found in their parents and near relatives. Where from did
they get these? They must have acquired them in their past lives. When a child is born, its mind is
not blank. It carries the impressions of its past lives. It has its instincts and shows some likes and
dislikes and propensities which can only be explained if we believe that the soul has passed through
many lives before and that it carries the burden of its experience, both good and bad, from one life
into another.
All living things are sentient and they have intelligence or instinct. Mere matter is insentient.
Matter combined with Spirit or Soul constitutes life. This proves the existence of the soul as
distinguished from the body. We see worms and insects forming in rice and other grains. We also
see bacteria growing in unhygienic environments. How did life originate there? Scientists say that
some living cells in a sub microscopic form were already there and these only grew and multiplied.
Organic life does not come out of inorganic matter. Only life can breed life. I have asked many
scientists how the first living cell came into existence in this world. They say that the riddle of the
origin of life has not yet been solved. Evolutionists are of the opinion that a living cell in the most
elementary state somehow formed out of inorganic matter under some favourable circumstance
during the course of evolution lasting millions of years. If that is so why the phenomenon of life
springing out of inorganic matter is not seen now even in a single instance? If it could happen once,
there is no reason why it should not happen again. Scientists have not so far succeeded in
producing life out of inorganic matter in the laboratory. We have therefore to believe in the
existence of the soul as separate and distinct from the body and which is responsible for life and
which is eternal. Therefore one should not despair at the prospect of death. These ideas are
contained in the verse,

deihnae=iSmNywa dehe kaEmar< yaEvn< jra,

twa dehaNtràaiPtxIRrStÇ n muýit.
dehino'sminyath˜ dehe kaum˜raÕ yauvanaÕ jar˜
tath˜ deh˜ntarapr˜ptirdhŸrastatra na muhyati -- II-13

6. Attachment is the root of sorrow:

Arjuna raises another query: "Oh Krishna, I agree that the soul is indestructible and that I should
not grieve for the body which in any case is perishable. But I can keep contact with my dear and
near ones only through their bodies when they are alive. After death, their souls may be somewhere
and without their bodies how can I see them, touch them and talk to them, by which alone I feel
happy. This sense of losing them forever pains me."
Sri Krishna answers: "Oh Arjuna, such problem arise again and again. You can’t avoid them. You
should get used to them. What is the root of misery in man? Is it the contact between the objective
world and the senses? No. When we are fast asleep we still have contact between the senses and
the outside world but we do not become aware of such contacts and we do not experience any
happiness or misery. Only in our wakefulness do we become aware of these experiences. Hence
there is something else which is the root of our happiness and misery. It is our attachment to the
body. We fail to distinguish between the body and soul and hence we suffer the pangs of misery.
While we sleep we do not have this attachment and we do not experience anything good or bad.
Similarly, in our waking state, if we manage to give up this attachment, we can carry on our normal
activities in life without being affected by good or bad experiences. For example, if our own house
catches fire we get very much concerned but, if another man’s house is on fire, we are not so much
bothered. Both are houses and both are on fire but in the first case we are more concerned because
it happens to be ‘our’ house. Similarly a newly married person gets very much concerned if his
bride falls ill. But he had not cared at all if the same lady had fallen ill before he had married her. In
the first case he is concerned because she happens to be ‘his’ wife. Sri Krishna asks Arjuna to
overcome his sorrow at the loss of his dear and near ones by rooting out all attachment to them.

t<iStit]Sv –art
taÕstitikÿasva bh˜rata -- II-14

"You have to face these difficulties, 0 Arjuna and overcome them by getting rid of attachment. You
should never bow down to them." Thus does the Lord eradicate, root and branch, the very source of
Arjuna’s sorrow.
This advice of Sri Krishna does not mean that we should be unconcerned when a great disaster or
calamity befalls the country or a community. In such cases we should show all compassion and help
the people as much as we can. It is the narrow and selfish interest of man arising out of his undue
attachment to his body and worldly possessions that is condemned and not his genuine desire to
render social service. Attachment generated by narrow selfishness alone is the root of all sorrows
and the Lord wants that such sorrows should be faced squarely.
7. The Soul as an image of God:
The soul which is within us is described as the image of God. For any object to have its image, there
must be a medium to act as a mirror. Some say that the body is such a medium. If that is so, when
the body is destroyed, the soul also should be destroyed just as the image is destroyed when the
mirror is destroyed. If the soul also is destroyed how does Krishna preach the imperishability of the
soul? This doubt is cleared here.
The soul has two covers outer and inner. The outer cover b˜hyop˜dhi (baýaepaix) is the body and
that does not act as the medium for casting the image. It is the inner cover svar¨pop˜dhi
(Svêpaepaix) which is made of the same substance as the soul itself namely of pure intelligence and
bliss that acts as the medium or the mirror. This inner cover being of the nature of the soul itself, is
permanent and imperishable. Hence the soul which is God’s image is considered as eternal and
imperishable.
How does the soul stand in relation to God? For this let us examine the object-image relationship a
little more in detail. The shadow and the photograph are examples of our image. Only if we move
our image moves, not otherwise. Unless there is activity in us there cannot be any activity in our
image. Just as the image resembles us and at the same time is wholly dependent on us, so also the
soul resembles God and is totally dependent on Him. Without God’s activity and will, there can be
no independent activity of the soul. The substance of God is pure knowledge and bliss. So is that of
the soul. The similarity ends here and there is a gulf of difference between the two thereafter. God
is infinite and the soul is finite. Even if we are fair, our shadow is dark. We should not stretch the
analogy of the object and the image too far.
It is the duty of every aspirant to discover the true nature of his soul. He should realise that he is
only a shadow of God and thus is totally dependent on Him. Out of his ignorance and egoism he
should not indulge in any immoral or irreligious act. He should discover and realise that the soul is
not the mere body, not the mind, not even the natural instinct but something much higher,
permanent, eternal and of a nature similar to God, and rejoice in the knowledge of his personality
as endowed with greatness and dignity. At the same time the knowledge that he is totally dependent
on God for each and everything should make him humble enough to surrender to His Supreme Will.
The twin aspects are included in the conception of the soul as an image of God.
We cannot improve our image in the mirror by decorating the mirror. Instead, if we decorate
ourselves, our reflection in the mirror or our image in the photograph will improve. Similarly, for
our spiritual enrichment there is no point in decorating our body. It is as futile as decorating the
mirror. We should, instead, decorate and worship the supreme God as full of infinite auspicious
qualities. The more we do so, the more will we discover the unique dignity and beauty of our own
personality. If we want to beautify ourselves we should turn our devoted attention to God. This idea
has been effectively expressed in the Bhagavatha.

y*¾nae -gvte ivdxItmanm!,

tTvaTmne àitmuoSy ywa muoïI>.
yadyajjano bhagavate vidadhŸtam˜nam
tatv˜tmane pratimukhasya yath˜ mukhaþrŸ×
Arjuna’s doubts regarding the indestructibility of the soul, the perishability of the body and the
efficacy of non-attachment to worldly things have been cleared to a great extent. The Lord
expresses the same in the words:

nastae iv*te -avae na-avae iv*te st>,

n˜sato vidyate bh˜vo n˜bh˜vo vidyate sata× -- II-16

(The body which is born is not eternal; the soul which is unborn does not perish)

8. No harm will accrue from righteous warfare:

The above stanza has another meaning. "Nothing good can come from evil deeds; nothing evil can
come from good deeds." This clears the doubt of Arjuna that the war will lead to sin and disaster in
afterlife.
The war in which the Pandavas are engaged is a righteous war fought against unrighteousness.
King Duryodhana had all along conducted the affairs of the state based on unrighteous principles
and selfish interests to the utter detriment of his subjects. He was tutored in this wily art even from
his boyhood by his wicked teacher Kalinga. Treading this path, the king had fouled the whole
atmosphere of his state. Even great preceptors like Bhishma and Drona had become helpless and
could not stem the tide of unrighteousness let loose by the king. Sri Madhvacharya says in
Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya:

DÒEv yÇ prm< nsuraZc pUJya>,

SvawERn vÁcnk«t jgtae=iol< c.
xmaRidkayRmip yÇ mhaepix> Syat!,
ïeó> s @v ... ... ... ... ...
chadmaiva yatra paramaÕ nasur˜þca p¨jy˜×
sv˜rthaina vañcanak®te jagato'khilaÕ ca
dharm˜di k˜ryamapi yatra mahopadhi× sy˜t
þreÿ÷ha× sa eva ... ... ... ... ...
-- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya

Duryodhana’s philosophy in life was as follows: "Be selfish and cunning. Do not bother about God.
To deceive the world, put on a mask of righteousness in this drama of life." By this policy of the king
the whole atmosphere of the state was polluted and pervaded by greed, treachery and deceit. The
main purpose of the holy Mahabharata war was to purify this soul atmosphere and reestablish the
rule of righteousness and morality. Nothing but good could come out of such a holy war fought for
the universal good of all subjects.

xMyaRiÏ yuÏaCD+eyae=NyT]iÇySy n iv*te.

dharmy˜ddhi yuddh˜c-chreyo'nyat-kÿatriyasya na vidyate -- II-31

(Nothing is more meritorious for a king than a holy war.)

Only righteous wars are meritorious, not others. Some complain that in the olden days, kshatriyas
were encouraged in mere warmongering. This is not true. Sri Krishna does not recommend wanton
expansionism. People who initiate such wars are branded as tyrants and enemies of the world. Wars
fought inevitably for achieving a definite ideal and for the welfare of mankind are called righteous
wars and those who take part in such holy wars were praised and said to have gained a place in
heaven. The shastras have never encouraged selfish, aggressive and imperialistic wars. Rarely do
people get a chance to fight a righteous war. Sri Krishna says that Arjuna has got such a unique
opportunity now when the gates of heaven are thrown wide open for him.

9. Desire is the root of sin:

Sri Krishna’s teachings of non-attachment no doubt reduces the anguish of Arjuna but still his fear
of committing sin by killing preceptors and relatives has not completely disappeared. Even though
this is a holy war, some sin is bound to be committed by the killing of innocent people and this will
lead to unhappiness and misery in the other world. The war will thus give mixed results of
happiness and misery. Instead, asks Arjuna: "Is it not better to be a recluse, forsake all action, retire
into a forest and lead the life of a mendicant, which is free from any sin. The old doubt still persists.
In answer to this query the Lord proceeds to describe the philosophy of Bhagavata religion or
desireless action which is uncontaminated by sin. Just as attachment is the root of misery so also
desire is the root of sin. We should try to conquer this desire. Does the mere performance of a
violent act lead to sin? No. For example, the judge passes death sentence on many culprits and the
executioners hang them. Do they acquire sin? No. This violence is committed not for any personal
gain but as a part of one’s duty. Desireless action, therefore, does not result in sin. The Lord
Himself destroys the universe, still he is sinless. Under anesthesia, the doctor performs operations
on the human body without the patient feeling any pain. So also desireless action is like the
anesthesia which enables man to perform his duties in this world unsoiled by sin.
Even if such desireless and godly actions are discontinued in the middle due to unforeseen
circumstances, they will not go in vain. They bear fruit unlike other worldly activities like industry
and agriculture which if discontinued in the middle may not yield any fruit at all; on the contrary, it
may become difficult to recover from the loss.

nehai-Krmnazae=iSt àTyvayae n iv*te,

SvLpmPySy xmRSy Çayte mhtae -yat!,,
neh˜bhikraman˜þo'sti pratyav˜yo na vidyate
svalpamapyasya dharmasya tr˜yate mahato bhay˜t -- II-40

In taking medicine if the dose is either too small or too big there is harm but in the practice of
Bhagavata religion of desireless action, there is no such fear. If the heart is pure, even if there are
some lapses in our action, they will be forgiven. Sri Madhvacharya says in Gita Tatparya:

àarM-maÇimCDava iv:[uxmeR n in:)la,

pr˜rambham˜tramicch˜v˜ viÿõudharme na niÿphal˜ -- Gita Tatparya

The Lord has thus given a simple and straightforward religion the practice of which in our day to
day life, even to a limited extent, will yield great results. It is not how much we do, but how we do,
that matters. Sudama gave but a handful of beaten rice to the Lord. It is the spirit, the purity of
mind and the devotion behind that simple offering that produced the result. It is the quality that
matters, not the quantity. A single piece of currency note bearing the seal of the Government is
more valuable than heaps of ordinary paper. Even little deeds bearing the stamp of devotion are
more fruitful than scores of others performed without it. This in brief is the principle of desireless
action.

10. The sole path of truth:

Regarding action, there is diversity of opinion. Some say that all action is illusory and that
performance of action is mandatory to ignorant people only. Mimamsakas say that the supreme goal
in life is to perform action like sacrifice etc., and attain worldly and heavenly pleasure. Sri Krishna
says that the performance of desireless action is mandatory both to the ignorant and to the
illumined. Sri Krishna further elaborates on this theme to clear the confusion wrought by various
theories.

VyvsayiTmka buiÏrekeh k…énNdn,

b÷zaoa ýnNtaZc buÏyae=Vyvsaiynam!.
vyavas˜yatmik˜ buddhir-ekeha kurunandana
bahu-þ˜kh˜ hy-anant˜þ-ca buddhayo'vyavas˜yin˜m -- II-41

Sri Krishna says that the path of desireless action alone is what is preached in all scriptures and
this conclusion has been arrived at by a critical examination and careful study of the scriptures.
Some may argue that if all roads lead to the same goal, it is immaterial what road we take. This is
not correct. We should examine more critically which one is true? If there are two contradictory
opinions on the same subject, both cannot be true. If it were so, truth and untruth should both lead
us to salvation. This is absurd. We cannot raise truth and untruth on the same pedestal without
injuring the very cause of truth.
I had a discussion on this topic with Sri Vinobha Bhave. He was of the opinion that people could
follow different paths and different religions according to their tastes and inclinations. "Some
people like sweets, others like savoury dishes and both the dishes fill the stomach and satiate the
hunger," he argued. I answered: "Different types of food produce different biochemical reactions in
the body. Similarly different religions produce different reactions in the mind and the soul. Both
truth and untruth cannot have the same effect on the soul. Two contradictory statements cannot
both be correct." Sri Bhave conceded the point. We both agreed that there are many things
common to all religions and on this highest common factor we should seek cooperation between
members of different religions and in areas where there is a fundamental difference we should
agree to differ and part as friends. Thus we too parted as friends.
Some others argue: "Truth has many facets and each religion emphasises a particular aspect of this
truth. Even though there are apparent contradictions between different religions they may be
different facets of the same truth. Just as babies, grown up persons, sick persons and healthy
persons partake of different types of food according to their needs, so also different persons may
follow different religions and still earn merit." But we must note that each religious founder claims
that his is the only true religion that leads to salvation and all other religions lead but to perdition.
How can different religions holding contradictory beliefs all be true? How can two doctors
prescribe two contradictory lines of treatment to a patient suffering from a single ailment. Sri
Krishna therefore says that the scriptures preach one religion and that is the sole path of truth.
Ishavasya Upanishad also comes to the same conclusion while discussing science and nescience
(Vidya and Avidya). It is also stated in the same Upanishad that we should get at the Truth by a
critical examination. Just because we are hungry it is not wise to fill the belly with anything and
everything that comes our way; this may lead to indigestion and disease. It is better to go hungry
and safeguard our health than eat unhygienic food. So also with knowledge. No-knowledge is better
than foul knowledge.
Merit will not accrue from either inaction or desire-prompted action. Only desireless action
preached in the Gita can give us merit and it should be kept as a guiding principle in life.

11. Vedas and desire-prompted action:

Vedas recommend sacrificial rituals for the attainment of worldly and heavenly pleasures. Such
action is truly desire-prompted. The Gita advocates the performance of desireless action. The two
teachings appear to be contradictory to each other. Actually there is no such contradiction because
in the ultimate analysis even the Vedas advocate desireless action. It is the protagonists of
Mimamsa who hold that the attainment of worldly pleasures is the goal of the Vedas. By holding
this limited view they have abused the Vedas and have led men away from the physical study of the
Vedas; they have succeeded in provoking men’s greed only. These people merely repeat the words
of the Vedas parrot-like without understanding their full meaning. The Vedas do offer worldly
benefits for those who seek but they offer much more if you care to dive deeper and get at the
truth. The followers of Mimamsa are like the foolish people who pluck the flowers for their
fragrance robbing themselves of the taste of the delicious fruits. Without knowing the mystic import
of the Vedas and by running after the cheap superficial rewards, we would be robbed of the fruit of
immortality. Mimamsakas committed this mistake. The Gita criticises them as follows:

yaimma< pui:pta< vac< àvdNTyivpiít>,

vedvadrta> pawR naNydStIit vaidn>.
y˜m-im˜Õ puÿpit˜Õ v˜caÕ pravadanty-avipaþcita×
veda-v˜da-rat˜× p˜rtha n˜nyad-astŸti v˜dina× -- II-42

The promise of the worldly pleasures held out by the Vedas is only to lure the people to its study
just as the mother gives some sugar to children before administering bitter medicine. But we shall
be foolish if we stop halfway and be satisfied with worldly pleasures only. We have to dive deeper.
The spiritual upliftment derived from the study of the Vedas depends upon our mental make-up. The
same is stated in the Bhagavata:

raecnaw¡ )l ïuit>
rocan˜rthaÕ phala þruti×

In the Chandogya Upanishad there is a beautiful parable. Once Death chased a soul. The soul took
shelter in the Vedas. Death pursued it even there. The soul dived deeper and deeper into the Vedas
and thus escaped from the clutches of Death. We can have another illustration. If a fish swims near
the surface of water any kingfisher can easily catch it with its long beak. But by diving deeper the
fish can go beyond the reach of the kingfisher’s long beak and thus save itself. Similarly a mere
superficial study of the Vedas does not lead us to immortality. For that we have to make a deeper
metaphysical study.
Sri Krishna says:

ÇEgu{yiv;ya veda inSÇEgu{yae -vajuRn,

traiguõya-viÿay˜ ved˜ nistraiguõyo bhav˜rjuna -- II-45

(Vedas preach action born of the threefold modes (of Prakriti). You do not follow them, Oh Arjuna.)
Some say that this advice amounts to a criticism of the Vedas and conclude that the Gita has
preached a new religion not found in the Vedas. But the desireless action preached in the Gita is
nothing novel. The Upanishads have taught this much earlier. In the Ishavashya Upanishad there is
a beautiful reference to this idea. Superficially Vedas appear to preach desire-prompted action but
in the ultimate analysis they preach desireless action. It is our duty to eschew desire-prompted
action and turn our attention to desireless action as preached by Sri Krishna.
Vedas are like a huge reservoir and they contain many ideas. From the reservoir we take water to
the extent we need and to the extent we can utilise. We have to make a critical study of the Vedas
and select only those ideas which we can assimilate and which we can turn to our benefit. Vedas
preach desire-prompted action only to create an interest in us in divine knowledge and initiate us
into the path of pure devotion. Prizes are given to the best student in the class just to encourage
students to study hard. Desire-prompted action is not the goal of the Vedas. Acquisition of a true
knowledge of God and performance of desireless action with pure devotion to God is the essence of
the Vedic teaching and as such, there is no contradiction between the Vedas and the Gita and there
is no room for any criticism or misunderstanding on this score.
There is one more point. Vedas no doubt have stated many rituals for those who want worldly
rewards but nowhere has it emphasised that in performing such action, we should be concerned
with results. Only the desire and eagerness for salvation has been stressed in the Vedas and there
are no commandments regarding the desire for fruit. Let those who want the results perform such
and such a ritual. By saying this it does not mean that everyone should perform these actions for
fruit only. Action can still be performed without any expectation of the reward. Let those who are
needy and greedy perform their duties and get paid for it. It does not mean that there are not
others who are willing to do the same work in an honorary capacity, without any pay and doing the
work just for the love of it. The same rituals which are performed in the hope of getting heavenly
and worldly pleasure could still be performed without bothering about the rewards.

kmR{yevaixkarSte ma )le;u kdacn,

karmaõy-ev˜dhik˜ras-te m˜ phaleÿu kad˜cana -- II-47

12. Action and concern for the results:

The above stanza also states: "Performing actions is alone within your capacity -- Rewards never.
Since God alone is the giver of reward or fulfillment, only the performance of actions is within our
reach." Whilst discarding the desire for fruit, we should not discard action itself. Let not the baby
be thrown away along with the bath water. This warning has been given by the Lord. For family
people forsaking worldly pleasures may indeed be a difficult proposition. But what we gain by
desireless action far outweighs the loss. We may have to lose worldly pleasures but we gain,
instead, supreme bliss. Hence we need not grieve. The firefly gives some light in darkness, no
doubt, but do we on that score prefer darkness and shun sunrise. While building dams and
reservoirs, some wells may be submerged. But do we therefore stop building reservoirs. What use
is a tiny well when you have the whole reservoir. What are these petty pleasures worth in
comparison with the supreme bliss born of desireless action.
Gita thus says:

yavanwR %dpane svRt> s<Plutaedke,

y˜v˜n-artha udap˜ne sarvata× samplutodake -- II-46

"Miserable are those who work for rewards," says Krishna:

k«p[a> )lhetv>
k®paõ˜× phala-hetava× -- II-49

The householder toils day and night. In toil he is not inferior to a karmayogi. The karmayogi toils for
God and the family man toils for his wife and children. That is the only difference. But even this
toiling for family can be done in the name of God and as an offering to God. We undergo untold
miseries, trials and tribulations in our day-to-day life all because of our attachment to worldly
things. These very acts can be done disinterestedly for His sake and as a dedication to Him. The
Lord pities those who fritter away their energy in hankering after petty things.
The Gita no doubt repeatedly praises desireless action. But is it a practical proposition to perform
action without any concern for its result? We indulge in action only to achieve certain objectives
and results. Desire motivates all action and is at its root. "There is no meaning in preaching
desireless action," say the followers of other religions. Certainly, without aim, all action is
meaningless. But this aim and goal of all action should be noble. Gita does not eschew all desires.
Only selfish desires for mundane things have been condemned. Have a worthwhile ideal and goal in
life and work for it wholeheartedly for public welfare. Let your only desire be to earn the grace of
God. The message or the Gita is that we should not fritter away our energy being enticed by petty
attachments and desires. There is nothing impractical in the advice of the Gita. It preaches the
genuine philosophy of life itself.
There is a story in the Mahabharata which is relevant here. After hearing a long discourse on
morality and religion by Bhishma, Yudhishthira raises an important query: "0 Bhishma, of the four
ideals (pué;awR) of human life, Virtue (xmR), Wealth (AwR), Desire (kam) and Release (mae]), which
is the best?" Vidura replies that virtue is the most meritorious ideal. The practical-minded Arjuna
says that for the achievement of all other ideals and for the performance of religious duties, wealth
is absolutely essential and hence it is supreme. Dharmaraja of course argues that the ultimate goal
of all human beings must be the liberation from the cycle of birth and death and hence it should
take the pride of place. But to the surprise of all Bhimasena argues that desire ought to be the
dominant ideal. Elaborating his point he explains that desire is the motivating force behind all
actions. Without it there is no morality, no wealth and no liberation. Noble desires and righteous
ambition spur us into worthwhile action. All other ideals of human life are subservient to this ideal
of noble desire. Desire is not merely lust for power or base enjoyment. It can also be a driving force
to the attainment of the highest goal in life.

Aini;ÏkaimtEv ýkaimTvaimtIyRte,
aniÿiddhak˜mitaiva hyak˜mitv˜mitŸryate -- Gita Tatparya

(Not hankering after the unworthy things itself is renunciation of action.) Forsaking the desire for
selfish worldly pleasures and performing action purely for the attainment of God’s grace, liberation
and universal welfare is the essence of desirable action.
Performance of selfless and desireless action is easy to preach but difficult to practice. Even good
and noble acts are performed by people in their day-to-day life either to earn merit or fame or a
place in heaven. We may be scared by the high ideal preached by the Gita. But we need not be
disheartened. Even some great men have fallen a prey to such desire-prompted action due to their
delusion. Even illumined souls may chance to be victims of low, worldly desires. But though difficult
to follow, we can keep this as our ideal to guide us in our day-to-day life. The pole star is far away
and beyond our reach. But it guides many a sailor on the high seas. Similarly the high ideal of
karmayoga or desireless action may be beyond our reach but it should always be kept before our
mind’s eye as a guiding star in our spiritual journey and by following this path blazed by such a
high ideal we shall certainly reach our highest goal. Hence, though difficult, we should try sincerely
to follow this ideal without unnecessarily being disheartened.

13. Excellence of disinterested action:

Wherever there is fire there is smoke. Wherever there is action there is bound to be some lapse
here and there. But there is a way of getting over this difficulty and the special value of karmayoga
lies in performing action without being affected by the incidental taint.
If you want to swim across a river, you cannot do it unless you get into the water. But you will get
drowned if you do not know the art of swimming. Similarly, if you want liberation from this life-
cycle, you have to get into the worldly life and perform action; if you do not know he art of
performing action selflessly you may get drowned in the ocean of life.

tSma*aegay yuJySv yaeg> kmRsu kaEzlm!,

tasm˜d-yog˜ya yujyasva yoga× karmasu kauþalam -- II-50

(Disinterested action alone is skillful action, performing action in a disinterested way is an art
itself.) If one performs an action disinterestedly, one can cross over this life without being drowned.
Let me give you another example. You cut open a jackfruit and try to remove the pulp. It is all
sticky. But you can avoid this stickiness by smearing your fingers with a few drops of oil.
Karmayoga or desirelessness in action is like the oil which enables you to perform action without
being stuck in it. Even while performing good deeds some lapses may occur but no sin will accrue if
we follow be path of karmayoga. Even as I give this discourse I may be causing injuries to many
insects inadvertently. In our day-to-day life we may cause the death of many ants, insects etc. We
cannot avoid it. But if we perform all our actions desirelessly in a spirit of dedication to God these
little lapses which are beyond our control and which are committed inadvertently, will not affect us
and we shall enjoy the perennial fruit of the duty we have performed.

14. The fruit of desireless action:

The next question is how long are we to perform such desireless action?

yda te maehkill< buiÏVyRittir:yit,

tda gNtais inveRd< ïaetVySy ïutSyc.
yad˜ te moha-kalilaÕ buddhir-vyatitariÿyati
tad˜ gant˜si nirvedaÕ þrotavyasya þrutasyaca -- II-52

The answer is that we should continue such action till the heart becomes pure, ignorance is
removed and spiritual wisdom is attained. For meditation and realisation of God, purity of heart is
most essential. God’s image will not be cast in a mind sullied by lust and hatred. The sun’s
reflection can be seen only in the waters of a lake when they are calm and placid and not when they
are disturbed and wave-tossed. Even so the heart must be pure to see God.
 kmR[a }anmatnaeit
karmaõ˜ jñ˜nam˜tanoti

The purification of the heart is possible through right action. When you are engaged in performing
good deeds, there is no chance for any weakness of the mind to show up. The mind is thus purified.
During the struggle for Indian independence, the political atmosphere was pure and people fought
for a noble cause and suffered great difficulties. They were as yet uncorrupted by lust for power
and wealth. But the same spirit of selfless sacrifice is missing in the recent times in our political life
and people are running after wealth and power. Seeing this we get a feeling, sometimes, that
independence came to us a little too soon. Desireless action leads to purity of heart. When the heart
becomes pure, one’s mind turns towards God and one is now set on the path of realisation of God.
In the above stanza the word ‘nirveda’ does not mean resignation towards knowledge. How can you
be disinterested in knowledge which has been acquired with great effort? Would Sri Krishna ever
be preaching resignation in matters of spiritual knowledge instead of renunciation of desires? If any
commentator gives this meaning it is indeed strange.
In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

tSmat! äaü[> pai{fTy< inivR*

tasm˜t br˜hmaõa× p˜õýityaÕ nirvidya

the word ‘Nirveda’ has been used to denote ‘attainment’. We reap the fruit of our study only when
the mind is purified and ignorance is removed.

buiÏyuKtae jhatIh %-e suk«tÊ:k«te,

buddhi-yukto jah˜tŸha ubhe suk®ta-duÿk®te -- II-50

(By doing such desireless action, one gets beyond both merit and sin.) Does this mean then that by
doing desireless action, even the merit is lost? No. By doing good deeds we get the grace of God
and this verily is merit and this grace is essential for salvation. How could Gita then advocate
forsaking merit?
There are two kinds of merit, desirable and undesirable. The merit earned by performing desire-
prompted action brings us only worldly pleasures and leads us astray from the goal of final
liberation. Such a merit is called ‘undesirable merit.’ Desireless action and meditation give us merit
which leads us to spiritual evolution and ultimate liberation. This is called desirable merit. Gita
advocates the forsaking of undesirable merit and not the desirable merit. In fact, to attain final
liberation, one has to forsake the ‘undesirable’ merit which leads only to worldly happiness. Even in
our everyday life we find that to stand as a candidate for any public selective post and to become a
minister one has to give up his Government post, contract, or any other office of profit. So also to
obtain final liberation we have to give up worldly pleasures though they are acquired by merit.
There are two categories of knowledge. One is indirect (prae]) and the other is direct (Aprae]).
Knowledge acquired from the teacher, from reasoning and from scriptures all belong to the first
category. The knowledge becomes firm by rightful action. After acquiring this knowledge of God
through these external sources, we desire to realise God and see Him within us without the help of
either reasoning or words. For this we should concentrate our mind on Him and meditate. Then we
can realise God within us and this is called direct knowledge or God-realisation.
Desireless action is as much necessary in the state of indirect perception as it is in the state of
direct perception. As disinterested action is necessary for the perfecting of the indirect knowledge,
so also is such action needed in the post-indirect knowledge to prepare a background of meditation
for direct knowledge. Mere dipping the cloth in water and wetting it is not sufficient for cleansing.
We have to take steps to wash it, rinse it and squeeze it in order to remove the soil. So we have to
continue our desireless action even beyond the stage of indirect knowledge till the mind reaches
the stage of direct knowledge and becomes pure enough to catch the image of God and hold fast to
it. Hence we should realise that desireless action is necessary both for direct and indirect
knowledge. One who is steeped in God-realisation and beatitude is absolutely dead to worldly
happenings. Nothing external can wake him up from this bliss and bring him back to the affairs of
the world. Such a person is called a Sthitaprajna (a person with a steady poise of awareness.)

15. The Sthitaprajna and the control of the senses:

The Lord now describes the qualities of a Sthitaprajna or a person of equable mind. He is one
whose mind is turned towards God and who is free from worldly desires. Pleasure and pain are both
alike to him. Emotions like love, hatred and fear do not perturb him. We all have need to develop
these qualities step by step before realising God. But in a Sthitaprajna these qualities are found to
be native or inbuilt. A child has to totter while learning to walk but when it grows up it walks so
naturally and effortlessly. We see a similar difference between an aspirant and an illumined soul.
Whereas an aspirant, a novice in the art, has to strive for it like a child, an illumined soul gets it
effortlessly. One who does not require any effort at all in the expression of these virtues is termed a
Sthitaprajna.
With his senses under control, he does not fall a prey to temptations and he leads a pure life untorn
by lust and anger. Just as a tortoise withdraws its legs into its shell, so also can a Sthitaprajna easily
withdraw his senses from the world of sense. He is not hampered by the world of the senses. Mix
milk with water, it is hard to separate. But the same milk when boiled well and made into curds and
churned yields butter and this butter can be taken out of water easily. Our mind is like milk and if
we let it go into worldly temptations, it gets thoroughly mixed up with it and we cannot take it out.
But the mind of the illumined soul is like butter. Even when immersed in worldly affairs it does not
get mixed up with it. It can be withdrawn from worldly things at will. We only know how to let go
our senses but do not at all know how to withdraw them from carnal pleasures. That weakness is
the product of a feeble mind.
There is a story in the Mahabharata. During the Bharata war, Ashwathama sneaks into Arjuna’s
camp at the dead of night and murders his sons and other brave soldiers. The fight starts between
the two. Ashwathama tries all his weapons and as a last resort uses his Brahmastra. Arjuna has no
other go but use his own Brahmastra. Caught between these two deadly weapons, the whole world
quakes. At this Sri Vedavyasa orders both of them to withdraw their respective weapons. Arjuna
withdraws his weapon easily but Ashwathma does not succeed in doing so because he had lost that
power due to his moral turpitude in murdering Arjuna’s children against all canons of warfare. We
are also in the same ridiculous situation as Ashwathama. We only know how to send our senses out
into the world but hardly know how to withdraw them when required. Our senses behave as did the
Brahmastra from the hands of Ashwathama. Instead of we dictating to them, they are dictating to
us. We, who should have been masters of the senses, have become their slaves.
By self-discipline and fasting we try to overcome temptations and control our senses. But what
usually happens is that we abstain from these temptations physically but hanker after them
mentally. While we fast on Ekadashi we are always thinking of the next day’s feast. Without food, all
the other sense-organs may become weak, but the tongue remains ever sharp and hankers after
delicious food. Even if we cut the branches of a tree, so long as the root is intact, it will put forth
afresh when we water; similarly if the tongue is left uncontrolled, the sensual desires keep on
cropping up. But complete termination of the sensual desires can happen only by the realisation of
God. Before that beatitude all other worldly pleasures fade into insignificance. An illumined soul is
not tempted by such worldly pleasures. You may give sweets to a child crying for its lost mother but
the child will throw away the sweets in its ecstasy when it sees its mother. So also an illumined soul
spurns all worldly pleasures when it reaches this beatitude. The Lord says:

rsvj¡ rsae=PySy pr< †òœva invtRte,

rasa-varjaÕ raso'py-asya paraÕ d®ÿ÷v˜ nivartate -- II-59

(The realised soul loses his taste for worldly pleasures at the sight of God.)

We run after worldly pleasures because we have no idea of the supreme bliss that devotion begets.
We are too weak to turn our attention to God. To overcome this weakness we have to keep our mind
engrossed always in the infinite good qualities of the Lord and realise how futile it is to run after
worldly pleasures. Instead of finding fault with our fellow-beings why shouldn’t we realise the
dangers lurking in these worldly pleasures? Thus by rejecting on the shortcomings of the worldly
things we easily renounce them; by meditating on divine attributes devotion dawns on us naturally.
We are tempted by these worldly pleasures because we have not overcome them. Even during
prayer, we cannot concentrate our mind on God. The beads no doubt turn mechanically between
our fingers but the mind is wandering all over the world. By yielding to the seductions of worldly
things we are but confirmed in our attachment to them. When obstructions are there anger is
provoked; deluded by anger a man forgets his duties and obligations. He cleanly forgets the
commandments of the Shastras. He loses his sense of right and wrong and grows wanton in his
desires. Then he only courts his ruin.
The Lord says:

Xyaytae iv;yaNpu<s> s¼Ste;Upjayte,

s¼aTs<jayte kam> kamaTKraexae=i-jayte.
KraexaÑvit s<maeh> s<maehaTSm&itivæm>,
Sm&itæ<zadœ buiÏnazae buiÏnazaTà[Zyit.
dhy˜yato viÿay˜n-puÕsa× saðgas-teÿ¨paj˜yate
saðg˜t-sañj˜yate k˜ma× k˜m˜t-krodho'bhij˜yate -- II-62
krodh˜d-bhavati saÕmoha× saÕmoh˜t-sm®ti-vibhrama×
 sm®ti-bhraÕþ˜d buddhin˜þo buddhi-n˜þ˜t-praõaþyati -- II-63

(Brooding on the objects of sense a man gets attached to them and out of attachment proceeds
desire for them. When the desire is thwarted, anger erupts and anger generates confusion. The
confusion then leads to the loss of sense of dharma; (sense of right and wrong as taught by the
shastras.) With this loss there is the collapse of the discriminating intellect and when this
discrimination is lost, he is ruined.)
Thus we must be wary of unchecked desires and save ourselves from imminent ruin. Desire is the
poison that lurks behind all senses. They attack like poisonous snakes. For this we need not
suppress our senses. We need not kill the poisonous snake. We have only to remove its fangs and
then we can play with it as the snake-charmer does.

ragÖe;ivmuKtEStu iv;yainiNÔyEZcrn!,
AaTmvZyEivRxeyaTma àsadmixgCDit.
r˜ga-dveÿa-vimuktais-tu viÿay˜n-indriyaiþ-caran
˜tma-vaþyair-vidhey˜tm˜ pras˜dam-adhigacchati -- II-64

(One who is bereft of attachment and aversion attains a pleased state of mind, sporting his senses
in the objects but keeping them under perfect control.)
Thus if we control our senses and overcome greed and hatred, attachment and aversion, these
senses will not harm us even if we move about among the objects of the senses. Controlling the
senses does not mean torturing them or unnerving them. When we direct them into worthwhile
channels we are said to have controlled them. There is a story of the emperor Alarka who in order
to control his senses started cutting his sense organs one by one. Then the presiding deities of
these organs appeared before him, and said,: "Oh king, do not take recourse to such foolish step as
cutting away your organs. It is only through these sense organs can you perform good deeds also.
By removing these organs you will not be able to achieve anything worthwhile and your whole life
will be wasted. Proper sense control consists in only guiding then in the right path."

naiSt buiÏryuKtSy n cayuKtSy -avna,

nca-avyt> zaiNtrzaNtSy k…t> suom!.
n˜sti buddhir-ayuktasya na c˜yuktasya bh˜van˜
nac˜bh˜vayata× þ˜ntir-aþ˜ntasya kuta× sukham -- II-66

(The mind of the one who is not self-pleased does not have a control of the senses; without the
control there is no knowledge; without the steadiness of mind there is no self-knowledge; without
the self-knowledge there is no salvation; without salvation wherefrom would bliss come?)

16. Sthitaprajna and his way of life:

What is the difference between an illumined soul and an ordinary person? The Lord describes it as
follows:

ya inza svR-Utana< tSya< jagitR s<ymI,

ySya< ja¢it -Utain sa inza pZytae mune>.
y˜ niþ˜ sarva-bh¨t˜n˜Õ tasy˜Õ j˜garti saÕyamŸ
yasy˜Õ j˜grati bh¨t˜ni s˜ niþ˜ paþyato mune× -- II-69

(What is night for ordinary people, is day for the illumined soul. What is day for them, is night for
him.)
We have great attachment for worldly pleasures and we are therefore drowned in them. To what we
are keen upon, the illumined soul is totally indifferent. The illumined souls are not attracted by
worldly pleasures. They are interested in God only and they are wholly engrossed in His meditation.
They are dead to all other worldly attractions. In our case it is the opposite. Even as we are sitting
for prayer our minds wander and dwell on worldly pleasures. In short, the illumined souls are
interested in God and disinterested in worldly pleasures. We are very much interested in worldly
pleasures and disinterested in God.
Has the illumined soul, engrossed in God, any duties to perform? Does he eat and drink? How does
he live? The Lord continues:

AapUyRma[mclPritò< smuÔmap> àivziNt yÖt!,

tÖTkama y< àivziNt sveR s zaiNtmaPnaeit n kamkamI.
˜p¨ryam˜õam-acala-pratiÿ÷aÕ samudram-˜pa× praviþanti yadvat
tadvat-k˜m˜ yaÕ praviþanti sarve sa þ˜ntim-˜pnoti na k˜ma-k˜mŸ -- II-70
All rivers flow into the sea but the level of the water in the sea does not change. Whether rivers
flow in or not, it matters little to the ocean which is least perturbed. Similarly in the illumined soul
flow the worldly pleasures but he is not affected by them. He can go without them too. Like the
ocean he is unperturbed.

-u<janaeipiÿy> kaman! myaRda<ntreTKvict!,

smuÔtt! xmRmyI— na saE kamIs %Cyte.
bhuñj˜nopihriya× k˜m˜n mary˜d˜nnataretkvacit
samudratat dharmamayŸÕ n˜ sau k˜mŸsa ucyate -- Gita Tatparya

Whatever water may come into the sea, it does not transgress its shore. Similarly however much an
illumined soul may enjoy the worldly pleasures, he will not transgress the moral limits. He is the
most disciplined servant of God. He confines himself to all the moral rules and regulations and even
as he enjoys legitimate worldly pleasures he leads a superior, unperverted and contended life. All
rivers flow into the sea even without its asking for it. So also do all worldly pleasures come to him
without his running after them. If we run after our shadow turning our back to the sun we cannot
catch it. The faster we run, the faster does it run away from us. But if we give up running after it,
turn our face towards the sun and run, the shadow will follow us as fast as we run. The same is the
case with worldly pleasures. If we run after them they will elude us forever. On the other hand, if
we look upon them with contempt and turn our attention towards God, they themselves will follow
us of their own accord. An illumined soul need not struggle to get them, they go to him unsought.
Vibhishana did not ask Brahma for any favours. Ravana and Kumbhakarna did penance in
propitiation of Brahma to attain superhuman powers to rule the world as they pleased and not be
vanquished by anybody. When Brahma appeared before Kumbharkarna, the latter got thoroughly
confused, forgot whatever he wanted to ask and obtained only the boon of fast sleep! Ravana
obtained the boon of invincibility from gods and demons, and also immortality. But he had to meet
his death from the hands of God in the form of a mortal being. But Vibhishana did not ask any boon
of God. He only prayed for enlightenment and pure devotion. God was pleased with his attitude and
blessed him with immortality which he enjoys even to this day. An illumined soul thus gets what he
wants even unasked.
Thus after being blessed with the sight of the Lord, the illumined soul lives a God-permeated life
which is free from voluptuousness and full of blessedness and serenity. This is called the Brahmic
state. Through the gates of the purified mind attained by the performance of noble deeds, he walks
on the path of meditation and realisation into the Brahmic state.
The second chapter of the Gita concludes with the description of the Sthitaprajna. In it are
beautifully described the various stages of the perfecting of the soul out of the lowest into the
highest.
17. Then why bother about action?
Arjuna senses some apparent contradictions in what Sri Krishna said regarding Action and
Knowledge.

Ëre[ ývr< kmR buiÏyaegat! ... ... ... ,

d¨reõa hyavaraÕ karma buddhiyog˜t ... ... ... -- II-49

From such verses it appears that action is inferior to knowledge. Yet the lord has said

mates<gae=STvkmaRi[.
m˜-te-saðgo'stv-akarm˜õi -- II-47
yaegSw> k…êkmaRi[> ... ... ... ,
yogastha× kur¨karm˜õi× ... ... ... -- II-48

(Do not desist from action.) (Perform Actions as a karmayogi.) But in the earlier verses Sri Krishna
has stated that action must be performed by all means.
If knowledge is superior to action, then why not follow it as the sole path? Why bother about action
at all? This is indeed a genuine doubt and Arjuna says: "Oh, Lord! in one statement you extol
knowledge; in another you extol action. I am thoroughly confused by your contradictory advice. I do
not know which is the better of the two, and which path to follow. Please give me a clear-cut and
unambiguous advice."
Even if we say that when Sri Krishna criticised action He had in mind only the desire-prompted
action and not the desireless action, the problem is not fully solved. If we have to perform
desireless action, then why go in for war? There are many other actions which can be performed
without any desire. As for example, the duties of a saint or a mendicant. In other spheres of life,
action performed may be desire-prompted, depending upon the state of one’s mind at that time.
Sacrificial ritual may be performed either to get some results or for its own sake. But in the actions
prescribed for a monk (Sanyasi) there is no room for desire at all. If all action is to be desireless
action, then is it not better to embrace the life of a mendicant rather than engage in a war which is
desire-prompted? It is impossible to fight a war desirelessly. War is nothing but shooting and killing
and, from the beginning to the end, it is desire-prompted. To engage in a fight and be detached is as
impossible as working in a coal mine and trying to keep the hands clean. When there are hosts of
other deeds which can be performed desirelessly, why engage in a war where there is so much
vulgar display of anger and passion. Arjuna gets a doubt whether it is not preferable to don the
robes of a recluse rather than fight a war and he asks Sri Krishna: "Why then do you coax me into
this bloody war?"

tiTk< kmRi[ "aere ma< inyaejyis kezv,

tat-kiÕ karmaõi ghore m˜Õ niyojayasi keþava -- III-1

Here Arjuna raises two fundamental issues. Firstly, if action is inferior to knowledge, then why not
eschew action. Secondly, if action is so inevitable, then why not perform desireless action
prescribed for mendicants instead of engaging in war.

18. Forsaking action is impracticable:

To the first question Sri Krishna gives the following answer: If action is the root of the cycle of birth
and death and by eschewing action, we can free ourselves from such a cycle, then why do not birds
and animals for whom no action is religiously prescribed, automatically get salvation? The animals,
birds, insects and other creatures are not touched by sin or merit which alone are the source of
further lives. Since they do not have either merit or sin, why should they not automatically be
released from the chain of lives? But merely by this negative approach of forsaking action, one does
not get release. It is only by a positive approach of performing all action enjoined on him but
desirelessly, that one can get release from his cycle of birth and death. One should not embrace the
life of a mendicant just to run away from action; he should do it with a positive view to meditating
on God and leading a holy life.

n c s<Nysnadev isiÏ< smixgCDit,

na ca sannyasan˜d-eva siddhiÕ samadhigacchati -- III-4

Mere renunciation (of desire-prompted action) does not lead to salvation. For final release both true
knowledge and desireless action are necessary. If action is the root of birth and death then you may
think that by eschewing all action you may get out of this cycle, just as you can bring down a tree
by cutting its roots. But it is impossible to free ourselves from all action. It sticks to us even if we
try to get rid of it. Even if we try not to get into new enterprises we have to put an end to
consequences of our past actions only through living them out. One action gives rise to ten other
new actions like the family of the Raktabija. When one Raktabija dies, out of his blood cells
thousands of other Raktabijas are born. Similarly when one action is completed, hundred others
crop up as a consequence of this in an endless chain. It is therefore foolish to think of eschewing
action and attaining liberation.
Nor can we rest idle without performing any action. We are always doing something or the other.
Even breathing is an action. Many bacteria get into our body during breathing and get killed. We
cannot run away from action even though it binds us and leads us to many sins. It is impracticable
to forsake action. At the most we may give up all physical activity, retire into a forest and do
penance. But what can we achieve by sitting in the forest if our mind is entangled? Our sense
organs may not be engaged in any physical activity but our minds continue to crave for worldly
pleasures. By this we achieve neither worldly pleasure nor heavenly bliss and be double losers,
losing both this world and the other. If we eschew action and enter the forest, we have to make our
entry fruitful. Our mind has to be controlled. But if the mind is controlled, we may as well be in
family life. There is no need to go to a forest. If control over mind is more essential for salvation
than renunciation of action, then is it not worthier to control the mind and be in the family itself?

naNtSyikmr{yen twa naNtSy -art,

yÇEvinvseÏa<t> tdr{y< sca ïm>.
n˜ntasyakimaraõyena tath˜ n˜ntasya bh˜rata
yatraivanivaseddh˜nta× tadaraõyaÕ sac˜ þrama× -- Mahabharata, Shanti Parva

(If you can control your mind, why go to a forest? If you cannot control your mind, what can you do
by going to a forest? For one who can control the mind, wherever he is that is his forest and that is
his hermitage).
Hence concentrate on mind-control rather than on action control. Even to control the mind, some
sort of action is necessary. Without action the control of mind and subjugation of desire are difficult.
In any case action is indispensable and unavoidable. Sri Krishna says:

kmeRiNÔyai[ s<yMy y AaSte mnsa Smrn!,

#iNÔyawaRn! ivmUFaTma imWyacar> s %Cyte.
karmendriy˜õi saÕyamya ya ˜ste manas˜ smaran
indriy˜rth˜n vim¨ýh˜tm˜ mithy˜c˜ra× sa ucyate -- III-6

(One who merely controls action but keeps on brooding on the objects of the senses is called a
deluded soul and a hypocrite.)

19. Let action be in the form of sacrifice:

One more question arises here. Our scriptures say that action binds us:

kmR[a bÏyte jNtu>,

karmaõ˜ baddhayate jantu×

Performing the action which binds us, how at all can we obtain liberation? It is waste of effort to try
to obtain liberation while continuing with action which is inimical to it. As medicine without
controlling the diet is useless, similarly striving for liberation while doing action which binds us is a
vain effort. This question has been answered in the third chapter of the Gita. No doubt, since we
cannot live without food, we must take some food; but bad food ruins our health. If we do not take
any food at all since it may be harmful, the body may perish. Thus, we have to take only good and
wholesome food to nourish the body. Since action binds us, it does not mean that we should give up
all action. It is only bad action that binds us. Good action performed with good intentions always
leads to good results and such action cannot be a hindrance to our liberation. On the other hand, it
helps spiritual enlightenment. Just as we discriminate between good food and bad food and partake
only of good food, so also in the performance of action we should discriminate between good and
bad, and do only the good ones. Action may be described as the key which opens the case of
ignorance which clouds the auspicious nature of our soul. With one and the same key we can either
open a box or close it. Similarly action can both be a binding as well as a liberating agent. It
depends on the person who wields it.
We must first of all realise which actions bind us. Discriminating between good and evil deeds, we
must eschew actions which bind us down to the cycle of birth and death, and perform those actions
which ultimately lead us to God. Sri Krishna says:

y}awaRTkmR[ae=NyÇ laekae=y<kmRbNxn>,
yajñ˜rth˜t-karmaõo'nyatra loko'yaÕ-karma-bandhana× -- III-9

(If a man performs actions which are not dedicated to the Lord (sacrifice in the name of the lord),
he is bound by them.)
Sacrifice is a sort of service rendered selflessly in the name of God. Anything done for the sake of
God cannot bind us. It is only selfish deeds and actions that bind us further to worldly life. But if we
perform actions as an offering to God, the very same chain that binds us becomes a garland and an
ornament which enhance the beauty of our person. Earlier it was mentioned that we should avoid
attachment while performing action; now it is further said that action should be performed as a
sacrifice. Service and sacrifice are the two constituents of a Yajna. Sacrificing whatever we have as
a service to God is the highest type of Yajna. Yajna should not be construed in the narrow sense of
offering things in the sacrificial fire. It has a wider significance. Any good deed performed
desirelessly in the spirit of an offering to God becomes Yajna. How can a war be fought without the
play of emotions, was Arjuna’s question and Sri Krishna answers it by saying that he should fight
the war desirelessly as a dedication to God and not for reaping any selfish desires.
Only selfish action should be eschewed and it is such action which is criticised by Lord Krishna and
not action which is performed as Yajna. Hence it is clear there is no contradiction or inconsistency
in Sri Krishna’s advice.

20. Pleasing each other:

All actions should be performed as a Yajna in a spirit of service and sacrifice. Every man born in
this world should engage himself in his stipulated duties as a token of gratitude to God and this will
keep the wheel of the world moving. We are indebted to God every minute of our existence in this
world. The earth, air, fire, water and ether are His gifts and we live by them. The deities that
preside over these elements and the gods that control them provide us with the food and drink and
activate us. In return for all these bounties enjoyed by us minute by minute, we should realise that
we owe Him duties and whatever we do, we should dedicate that to Him, as the Lord of this
universe. No mortal or society has such a sway on the whole Universe.

$zavaSyimd< sv¡ ... ... ...

Ÿþ˜v˜syam-idaÕ sarvaÕ ... ... ... -- Ishopanishad 1

There is only one supreme Lord over the whole universe. He is Shri Hari. All the things in the
Universe are His. How can we partake of the bounties of nature unless we perform our stipulated
duties as humble offerings to God? Even the richest man has no right to any of the worldly things
unless he too performs his duties in a spirit of dedication to God. On the other hand, even the
poorest man has every right to take, within limits, whatever he wants from God’s Universe by
performing his stipulated duties. The same idea is expressed in the Isavasya Upanishad.

k…vRÚeveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;et! ... ... ...

kurvann-eveha karm˜õi jijŸviÿet ... ... ... -- Ishopanishad 2

An individual uses his private property for himself and for his family. To increase his profit he
exploits others. In this way the power of some individuals or a party or a group increases, which
may lead to monopoly. If the idea that the ownership of all means of production rests neither with
the individual nor with the Government but with God, then it will be good both for the individual
and the Government and both will prosper. In this way good deeds multiply. If God is the only Lord
of the Universe and if His law rules the world, we become his humble and disciplined subjects. We
then engage ourselves in actions which not only please God but also serve His other creatures. In
this way only we can repay Him. We get food from Him, and in return we should give Him offerings.
Puranas say that gods are starved when dharma and karma are at a discount. The Lord and the
other lesser gods do accept all our offerings however humble they may be.

zu-< ipbTysaE inTy< nazu-< shir> ipbet!,

þubhaÕ pibatyasau nityaÕ n˜þubhaÕ sahari× pibet

Gods get nourishment so to say by the noble deeds performed by people on the earth. Goodness
grows in this world only by the performance of noble deeds. If noble deeds diminish, goodness
suffers and godly spirit slowly disappears. Then calamity overtakes the land. Therefore as a token
of our gratitude we should offer to God only such things that please Him. Dedicated services
formed selflessly is the best offering which man can give to God. This will increase the godly spirit
and create a favourable and efficacious atmosphere throughout the world.

prSpr< -avyNt> ïey> prmvaPSyw,

parasparaÕ bh˜vayanta× þreya× param-av˜psyatha -- III-11

21. Yajna and the life cycle:

Yajnas keep the life cycle going. The good and evil deeds performed by us produce good and evil
results on nature also. Good deeds ensure prosperity and they ward off evil. All our deeds have
some invisible effect upon nature. Atomic radiation is invisible to the human eye but it causes great
harm to those who are exposed to it. Our scriptures say that good deeds performed by us affect
nature invisibly and there are no reasons to deny them. Some may argue that all around us sin is
committed and injustice is perpetrated but still rains come and crops grow. There are persons who
ignore medical advice but still are hale and healthy. The answer to this is that there are many
causes for an effect. For timely rain and bumper crop there are many natural causes and
performance of good deeds by men is certainly one of them.
The good deeds we perform have a twin effect on the world at large, one on the natural and the
other on the social. If we perform good deeds in the form of Yajna, our character improves. There
will thus be an all-round prosperity. This is the social benefit of Yajna. Besides there will be timely
rain and bumper crops and there will be plenty to eat. This is the natural benefit of Yajna. Today
everybody is selfish and if Yajna in the true spirit is not performed we are duped of both the fruits
of Yajna. Since we have starved the gods by not doing good deeds, we are also punished with
starvation.
We have to do our allotted task to keep the life cycle going. By our good deeds and clean dealings
we should develop a healthy social environment and strive for the development of the whole society
and thus serve the almighty God.

@v< àvitRt< c³< nanuvtRytIh y>,

evaÕ pravartitaÕ cakraÕ n˜nuvartayatŸha ya× -- III-16
Sri Krishna says that if one keeps himself busy with his own personal affairs and has no time for
social work, his life is wasted. A father gives some money to his son and launches him in some
business. In the same way the Lord has given us capital of Yajna before launching us into this
world.

shy}a> àja> s&òœva puraevac àjapit>,

Anen àsiv:yXvm! ... ... ...
saha-yajñ˜× praj˜× s®þ÷v˜ purov˜ca praj˜pati×|
anena prasaviÿyadhvam ... ... ... -- III-10

"Using the secret of Yajna, enjoy social pleasures, worldly happiness and the otherworldly bliss,"
saying this the Lord has sent us here. The whole creation is for the spiritual consummation of the
soul. God has created this world only to enable the soul to realise its hidden loveliness and identity.
For this the Lord has given us the secret of Yajna. Understanding that the design of God is the
spiritual evolution of the soul, we should play our part in the evolution of the whole universe. If we
ignore this responsibility of ours and fail to perform the Yajna and indulge in narrow selfish
interests it will be an act not only anti-God but also anti-world. Even after being indebted to God if
we do not redeem our indebtedness by performing holy acts, we shall be committing an
unpardonable crime.
Thus besides driving home the fact that duty performed in the form of sacrifice does not lead to
bondage, the Gita also aims at convincing that it is absolutely necessary to perform such action
with a sense of gratefulness and a desire to guard the interests of maintaining the natural and
social establishment in order. The Gita proposes that every one who belongs to mankind should not
withdraw in fear from karma as the cause of bondage but should perform actions in the form of
Yajna, in a spirit of service to God.

22. Evil deeds cannot be Yajna:

One doubt may arise here. Can we- perform evil deeds and heinous crimes in a spirit of Yajna and
escape their consequences? All action is binding. But if it is performed in a spirit of Yajna, it is not
binding. Can we perform sinful deeds in a spirit of Yajna and escape its consequences?
First of all we must examine whether sinful deeds can he performed in a spirit of Yajna at all.
Freedom from desire and hatred, and devotion to God are the essential elements of the Yajna spirit.
Any action can be considered as Yajna only if it is based on these principles. Can anybody indulge in
deceit, loot and crime without greed or hatred? If a man is truly devoted to God he cannot have the
impudence and arrogance to dedicate the actions not sanctioned by the shastras, to God. Therefore
only those deeds which are prescribed by the scriptures and which lead to universal welfare can be
performed in the true spirit of Yajna. Even these good deeds, prescribed by the scriptures, bind us
if performed for selfish interests, with a mind full of desire and hatred. Deeds prohibited by
scriptures do always bind us. The import of Gita is that it is not at all possible to perform them both
with a selfish interest as well as in a spirit of Yajna.

23. Remission of action:

If every one is bound to perform duties laid down in the scriptures, then what about the persons
who are in a state of samadhi? These people spend days together in contemplation of God utterly
unaware of what goes on in the outer world. They have idea neither of the sunrise nor of the sunset.
It is impossible for them to perform the duties prescribed for the various times of the day. Can they
be condemned for this? Sri Krishna has an answer for this.
ySTvaTmritrev SyadaTmt&PtZc manv>,
AaTmNyev c s<tuòStSy kay¡ n iv*te.
yas-tv-˜tma-ratir-eva sy˜d-˜tma-t®ptaþ-ca m˜nava×
˜tmany-eva ca santuÿ÷as-tasya k˜ryaÕ na vidyate -- III-17
(For the person who is absorbed in the contemplation of God in a state of samadhi and who is
enjoying the supreme bliss of the intuitive sight of God, there is no compulsion for doing any
prescribed duties.) But when he comes out of this samadhi state, he is obliged to perform all the
prescribed duties. Only those who are liberated and thus unaffected by the laws of nature ( muKta>)
and those who are in a state of samadhi have no prescribed duties. The teaching of the Gita is that
all the rest have to perform the prescribed duties in a spirit of service to God.

24. Obligation of action on the Jnani:

Some people argue that only in the state of ajnana there is room for performing action and for a
jnani there is absolutely no duties to perform. The Gita does not subscribe to this view. Jnanis are
only those who are capable of showing by their own practice the ideal of disinterested action. Only
such persons have acquired the mental poise to perform action in a spirit of Yajna. Besides, by their
realisation of God they have developed the sense of devotion to God and they have no worldly
desires and so they can perform their actions with a pure mind. If such Jnanis do not have to
perform action, then who else can set an example to the world? God stands eternally liberated. Nor
is He bound by the laws of prescription or prohibition (ivixin;ex). Even He performs action to
exemplify the lofty ideal of karmayoga; where do others stand?
n me pawaRiSt ktRVy< iÇ;u laeke;u ik<cn,
nanvaPtmvaPtVy< vtR @v c kmRi[.
na me p˜rth˜sti kartavyaÕ triÿu lokeÿu kiñcana
n˜nav˜ptam-av˜ptavyaÕ varta eva ca karmaõi -- III-22
(Oh Partha, even though my desires are ever fulfilled and I am not obliged to perform any duties, I
do continue to perform them.) So says the Lord. Even Arjuna is not an ordinary person. He is an
incarnation of god Indra. Unless he had realised the supreme God he could not have attained this
position. The Lord is advising even him to perform actions. This shows that whether one is a jnani
or not, he has to perform action.
This God-created world which is meant as a ground for the perfecting of souls, is real. This ground
is not illusory. As soon as you attain spiritual knowledge, the world does not fade away into
nothingness as some think. The world is the bridge by which we cross the ocean of "Samsara" and
reach God. If this is a dream world and if it disappears as soon as we wake up into perfect
knowledge, the jnani will not see any world at all and the question of his performing duty in this
world will not arise. But the Gita preaches the performance of action both before as well as after
the attainment of spiritual knowledge. Therefore the Gita does not subscribe to the view that the
world and actions performed in it are illusory. He who denies the reality of the world also indirectly
denies the reality of God.
AsTymàitó< te jgda÷rnIZvrm!,
asatyam-apratiÿ÷haÕ te jagad-˜hur-anŸþvaram -- XVI-8
If from the sight of a jnani the world disappears, then we will have to deny the existence of jnanis
who convey the vision of God to men. He will have no world to preach to. But many a prophet had
walked this earth and preached the religion of God. All prophets are jnanis. Therefore we have to
believe that this world is real. The jnanis have to show the way of good action to others by doing it
themselves. They do it for setting an excellent example to others and to attain intenser bliss in
salvation. They perform action up to the very end of their existence till they attain salvation. Even if
they reach the very top of the ladder they tarry there to give a helping hand to other aspirants to
climb likewise, as a man might stop and help the children climb up.

25. Difference between jnani and ajnani:

But there is a lot of difference between the actions performed by a jnani and an ajnani. After having
obtained the sight of the glorious Paramatma, the jnani has no desire left for any sensuous objects.
All his love is for God alone. Hence no worldly desires tempt him. And he performs desireless action
in a perfect way. Outwardly, there may seem no difference between the actions of a jnani and an
ajnani. Two lakes may look alike when viewed from outside. But if you dive in you may find in one
more mud than water while the other may be full of crystal clear water. Similarly, in the deeds of a
jnani and an ajnani there may be outward resemblance. We cannot judge the spiritual depth of the
individual from outside. If his heart is full of wickedness, his actions cannot bear good fruit. It is not
how much you do but how you do that matters. A rich man may donate a lot of money in ostentation
for his own glorification, but if a poor man gives his little mite with a pure heart it becomes a
greater and real sacrifice. We must judge one’s actions not by the external deeds but by the spirit
with which they are performed. There is a beautiful parable in the Mahabharata. Once there was a
famine. A family consisting of four members after starving for many days at last managed to get a
little grain and they cooked their food. At that time the deity of dharma appeared in the form of a
guest. The head of the family welcomed him and offered him his share of the food. The guest ate
the food but he was still hungry. So the lady of the house, her son and daughter-in-law in turn, one
by one, offered their share of food, vying with each other. God was pleased by the spirit of sacrifice
shown by this poor family, and blessed them. When the food was thus offered to the guest some
water spilled on the floor and a mongoose which got wet in this water had its half portion turned
into gold. Even if the mongoose rolled in the holy bath water (Av-&y) from sacrifices performed by
kings and emperors, the other side was not transformed into gold. The moral of this parable is that
it is not quantity but quality that matters. It is not how much you give but how you give it that really
counts. Sincerity and purity of heart enhance the value of the sacrifice and offerings, however little
they may be in quantity. The actions performed by the jnanis is of a very much higher order than
the action performed by ordinary persons. Realising this difference between the jnani and the
ajnani, we should strive our utmost to follow in the footsteps of the jnanis.

26. Harmonisation of knowledge with action:

Some may object to the theory that all should perform action and without action it is not possible to
attain liberation. For liberation there are two paths, one is of knowledge and the other of action.
When there are two clearly independent paths, why should action be imposed on all? Why can’t we
attain liberation by following the path of knowledge, without performing any action?
Sri Madhvacharya discusses this question elaborately in his Gita Tatparya. If there is no action in
the path of knowledge then there should be no knowledge in the path of action also. Is it possible to
attain liberation by mere action unillumined by knowledge? No. Just as knowledge is associated
with right action, action is also associated with right knowledge. In a jnani, if there is a
preponderance of action, we call him a karmayogi; if there is a preponderance of knowledge we call
him a jnanayogi. If we ask anyone to fetch water he fetches it in a tumbler. Do we object and ask
him why he brought the tumbler also when we had merely asked him for water? How can water be
fetched at all except in a vessel? Similarly knowledge cannot manifest itself except through action.
As the medium of the body is necessary for the soul to reveal itself, so also there is no expression of
knowledge except through action. If knowledge without action is lame, action without knowledge is
blind. Without a confluence of both, life will never be perfectly beautiful. Be he a jnanayogi or a
karmayogi, be he a jnani or an ajnani, all have to perform action in this world. Eschewing action
completely is not only impracticable but also detrimental, says the Gita.

27. Death in a proper pursuit is worthy:

tiTk< kmRi[ "aere ma< inyaejyis kezv,
tat-kiÕ karmaõi ghore m˜Õ niyojayasi keþava -- III-1
Arjuna’s question, "If knowledge is superior to action then why are you goading me into terrible
action?" still remains unanswered. "When there is a better method of jnanayoga followed by Sanaka
and others, why should I follow the terrible path of action and engage myself in warfare? Why can’t
I proceed to a forest and spend my days peacefully in prayer and meditation?" The Gita answers
this question thus: diverse paths are open to each one of us. But the consummation of one’s life lies
in identifying the pursuit proper to oneself and following it. The duties bestowed on each vary
according to his individual nature (Sv-av) and fitness. We should determine the kind of our duty
suitable to our individual identity. Shuka and Sanaka followed the path of jnana while Manu and
Janaka followed the path of karma, each one according to his proper disposition based on his
personal identity. Arjuna, too, by his very nature is born for karma yoga. He is not meant to lead the
predominantly peaceful life of a mendicant. He belongs to the superior category of souls (Aaixkar-
s). Putting down the unrighteous and wicked people and protecting good people is the activity
which belongs to him as a qualified soul. If he shuns his proper pursuit and leads a life not
appointed for him, he cannot accomplish his full development. Thus in the case of each and every
person, the path of pursuit is determined by the special individuality of each.
Similarly we should follow strictly the duties that accrue to us by social obligation, according to the
ways of life laid down on the basis of ‘varna’ and ‘ashrama’. As one determines one’s individual duty
by examining the nature of one’s self, he should also follow the duties entrusted to him by the
particularity of the varna-division to which he belongs and thus discharge his responsibility to the
society. Since the individual way and the way of the particular varna both belong to one’s proper
pursuit (SvxmR) Arjuna has to accept, from his twin-responsibility, the way of kshatriya, shunning
the way of a sannyasi. Sannyasa or vanaprastha (entering the forest) may be superior but having
been destined to bear the responsibility of destroying evil and protecting the good, it is not proper
for Arjuna to abdicate his responsibility and become a sannyasi or retire into a forest. There are
many officers in the Government. Each has duties and responsibilities allotted to him. If he neglects
his duties and engages himself in other work however useful it may be, he will not be considered as
a good officer. There are soldiers and administrators. During office hours if they engage
themselves, thinking it to be holy, either in the study of scriptures or in meditation, that would not
be dharma. Only by doing the allotted work in all sincerity can a man achieve his fullest personality.
A man’s dignity and worth cannot be judged merely by looking at the work he is engaged in.
In the same way, the course of action to be followed varies with the peculiar situation and context
of that action. Suppose you are sitting on a river bank engaged in meditation and you see a man
drowning in the river in front of you. It is but proper that you throw off your meditation and try and
save the drowning man. Meditation is no doubt meritorious but not under such circumstances.
Going to the temple is good in itself, but boys should not miss their classes and go to the temple for
that matter. That is not proper. If ladies neglect their husbands, and children and household duties
and engage themselves in what is called ‘social work’ outside their home, it would not be proper.
In Mahabharata there is a parable illustrating the importance of every individual performing his
rightful duty. A young Brahmin boy, the only son of his old parents, forsakes them and retires to the
forest and performs penance for a number of years and acquires great spiritual powers. Once while
sitting under the shade of a tree, a bird drops its filth on him. The Brahmin gets wild and stares at
the bird and the bird at once gets reduced to ashes. He is proud of his spiritual powers. Roaming
from village to village and begging for alms, the Brahmin comes to a house and stands in front of
the gate. The lady of the house is a very noble person. Just as she is about to give alms to the
Brahmin, she sees her husband coming in from outside, tired. Forgetting the guest, she engages
herself in caring for her tired husband and looking after his comforts. After some time she
remembers the guest and taking the alms runs towards him. The Brahmin gets into a rage and
however much she may implore, he does not cool down. Finally the lady says: "I am not that bird
which you reduced to ashes in the forest." The Brahmin is stunned, and then is cooled down and
implores the lady to tell him how she came to know about the incident of the bird. She then directs
him to a butcher Dharmavyadha. The Brahmin hesitates to go near him. Dharmavyadha himself
asks him: "Are you the Brahmin sent by the lady?" He is again stunned and asks him how did he
come to know about the lady. Dharmavyadha then explains the secret of his strength. He describes
the principles on which he runs his business and shows him actually how he has been serving his
old parents. This butcher and this lady who were serving their old parents and husband whilst still
engaged in their day-to-day work earned greater merit than this Brahmin. Forsaking one’s duty cast
upon him by virtue of his station in life and caste will not earn any merit even if he is engaged in
other noble duties. The Brahmin in the parable of the Dharmavyadha is a good illustration of this
principle.

SvxmeR inxn< ïey> prxmaeR -yavh>.

sva-dharme nidhanaÕ þreya× para-dharmo bhay˜vaha× -- III – 35

(It is worthier to die following one’s own proper pursuit; an alien pursuit is perilous.)
Arjuna’s personality is that of a karmayogi. He belongs to the kshatriya varna ordained to carry the
burden of protecting others. He has to take part in the holy war and he has no right to retire to a
forest to perform penance. Milk is no doubt superior to water. But if a fish is put in milk instead of
water, it will die. Similarly every man should determine the duties entrusted to him by considering
his individual nature, the varna status and the context of action.
One can pick and choose a wife. If he does not like her, he may even divorce her. But can he choose
his mother? Can he ever discard his mother as ugly and take on another? When we are born, the
mother is there already. We have to accept her as our mother and perform our duties and
responsibilities as a son, and there is no choice. The same is the case with dharma or duty. When
we are born, this question as to what duty we have to perform is decided for us. We should not try
to change it. Whatever duty is given to us we should discharge it sincerely and to the best of our
ability. We should not commit the impertinence of venturing to change it. Sincere adherence to the
given dharma itself is termed as "varna dharma."

28. The special virtues of the caste system:

Why have our forefathers created this caste system and what is its significance? Should each and
every individual be free to choose his own profession or should the Government interfere in this
and regulate? Those who uphold individual liberty advocate the former view. But such individual
liberty may be harmful for the country as a whole. All might rush into profitable business only and
other less profitable business may be completely neglected. If farmers grow only the lucrative crops
like tobacco at the expense of rice and wheat there will be an all-round food scarcity. The
equilibrium between the various professions will be lost and society will be lopsided. This will give
rise to cut-throat competition. Some professions will be overcrowded while others will be neglected.
Now-a-days there is a great rush for admission into medical and engineering colleges and not the
arts and science colleges. We should ensure balanced and all-round development of the whole
nation. Hence there is the other school of men who argue that we should force people to take up
stipulated professions. Work should be distributed among all people and it should be got done, if
need be, by force. Individual liberty should be curbed in the larger interests of the state. In some
countries with dictatorial Governments such compulsion is resorted to and people are put to forced
labour. When a man is grown up and his likes and dislikes are already well set, it is cruel to force
him to do some work against his will. He will not be able to adjust himself to his new task for which
he has neither the inclination nor aptitude. Also, while distributing work, there is scope for
partiality, favouritism and nepotism. By such enforcement there will be scope for the suppression of
the individuality of persons.
It is better to catch one young and mould him into whatever profession you want him to follow in
later life. When he grows he will naturally embrace the profession which is waiting for him. There is
no need for any coercion. There is neither competition nor compulsion. The question who should be
trained in which profession is thus solved quite easily. Depending upon his aptitude and the
environment in which he is growing, he has to select his profession. The hereditary traits flow in
the family. He will naturally show an aptitude in the particular profession of his forefathers. He also
grows up in the same environment and so the training for such a profession is given to him from his
childhood in the ideal atmosphere of his home. A cobbler’s son learns his father’s profession much
more easily than an outsider. Hereditary traits and environment are two powerful factors in
deciding the aptitude of any individual. For any profession, education should start from childhood
itself. By this way, enough people are allocated to each and every profession and there is no room
for a cut-throat competition, and an all-round progress of the whole society is ensured. All these are
achieved by the caste system which has been practised by our worthy ancestors. It is not narrow-
mindedness that is at the back of the caste system. On the other hand, it is with the highest motive
of material and spiritual advancement of the whole society that this caste system has been
instituted. Whoever performs his caste duty for which he has aptitude and training, with the
greatest devotion to God, earns the highest merit. No man is great by virtue of his caste alone.
Devotion, knowledge and good nature are not the exclusive property or prerogative of any one
caste. In fact, these are open to people of all castes, whoever can acquire them. On the other hand,
to whatever caste one may belong, if he performs his allotted duties with sincerity and devotion, he
is considered great.
Sviviht v&Åya -KTya -gvdaraxn<prmaexmR>,
svavihita v®tty˜ bhakty˜ bhagavad˜r˜dhanamparamodharma× -- Gita Bhashya
(The loftiest dharma lies in serving God with his proper pursuit and devotion.)
Man’s greatness is measured by the yardstick of his devotion to God, good nature and right
conduct. The butcher and the noble lady in the parable are worthier than the Brahmin saint. The
merchant Tuladhara becomes a master to Jabali Rishi.
SvkmR[a tm_yCyR isiÏ< ivNdit manv>.
svakarmaõ˜ tam-abhyarcya siddhiÕ vindati m˜nava× -- XVIII - 46
(A man accomplishes his final goal by worshipping God, practising actions proper to him.)
Performing actions according to our hereditary caste system in itself is a worship of God. If you
neglect this, God will not be pleased even if you worship him in manifold ways. To put down the
enemies of God and wicked men like Duryodhana is the supreme duty of a person born in the
kshatriya caste. Arjuna being a kshatriya and a karmayogi, it behoves him to fight in this holy war
and rid the world of evil forces. Thus has Sri Krishna advised Arjuna and rid him of his doubts.

29. Desire, the arch-enemy of the soul:

Even if we know what is right and what is wrong and even if we know that it is bad to commit sin,
why are we forced into it? What is it that drags us into sin in spite of ourselves.
Awken àyuKtae=y< pap< crit pUé;>,
atha-kena prayukto'yaÕ p˜paÕ carati p¨ruÿa× -- III-36
Arjuna asks the above question on behalf of all of us. If we critically examine the forces which drag
us into sin and identify the enemy, we might be able to overcome them gradually. Sri Krishna says
that ‘desire’ (kam) is that enemy. Desire and its concomitant ‘anger’ (³aex) are the cause of all sinful
deeds in this world. Man is impelled by a great desire to amass wealth and enjoy himself. To
achieve this he commits sin. If there are any obstructions for the fulfilment of his desire, he gets
angry and even commits violence and murder. Desire is at the root of all evil deeds. All good men
should try to conquer this enemy.
Suppressed desire gives rise to anger and so Krishna even calls desire by the name of anger itself.
kam @; Kraex @; ... ... ...
k˜ma eÿa krodha eÿa ... ... ... -- III-37
Desire is never sated by the enjoyment of the objects of desire. Instead, it grows more as the fire
does with fuel,
mhaznae mhapaPma,
mah˜-þano mah˜-p˜pm˜ -- III-37
It is a terrible glutton and a monstrous source of sin. Is it possible to quench fire with fuel?
n jatu kam> kamanamup-aegen zaMyit,
na j˜tu k˜ma× k˜m˜n˜mupabhogena þ˜myati -- (Manu 2, 94) -- (Mahabharata, Adi Parva)
This is the lesson learnt by King Yayati. Even when he grew old, his desire for sex was not satiated
and he became young again and enjoyed and he realised that sexual desire was never abated but
became ever stronger. Then wisdom dawned on him when he realised that we can keep desire
under control not by serving but by subjugating it.
Some time ago in Bombay a young couple committed suicide. The husband had a good job, a Fiat
and a decent salary. But because they could not afford an air-conditioner in their bedroom, the
couple committed suicide. The more gadgets we have, the more do we hanker after them and make
ourselves wretched. This suicide episode gives an inkling into the mentality of the twentieth
century people. In the west there was a king. He was a gourmet. However much he ate he was not
satisfied and felt like eating more. The stomach revolted, no doubt. It is said that soon after eating
he used to take some medicine to vomit whatever he had eaten and start all over again. It is a pity
that he became a slave to his tongue. There is a famous saying: "At first we drink liquor. Later on,
liquor drinks us." Desire is thus insatiable. The more you enjoy and yield to your desire, the more
powerful does it become and it holds you completely in its grip. We may satiate hunger but not
desire. The Gita describes it as
Ê:pUre[anlenc ... ... ...
duÿp¨reõ˜nalena-ca ... ... ... -- III-39
(An insatiable fire)

30. The way desire invades man:

xUmenaiVryte viûyRwadzaeR mlen c,
ywaeLbenav&tae g-RStwa tenedmav&tm!.
dh¨men˜vriyate vahnir-yath˜darþo malena ca
yatholben˜v®to garbhas-tath˜ tenedam-˜v®tam -- III-38
(Just as fire is covered by smoke, mirror by dust and the embryo by the foetus, so is everyone
enveloped in desire.)
All men are subject to this force of desire; only, some more, and others less. Desire envelopes some
in the same way as the smoke envelopes fire. The glow of the fire is no doubt seen through the
smoke but not so well. Some others are covered by desire in the way a mirror is covered by dust.
You may still see your reflection through the mirror, ever so dimly. But in some others the desire
completely covers them like the amnion covers the embryo. Thus desire wields its sway on all
mankind in one way or the other.
xUmenaiVryte viû ... ... ...
dh¨men˜vriyate vahni ... ... ... -- III-38
When desire envelopes us, it hides the beauty of God from us. God is not affected by it. It is only we
who are denied the sight of God by this desire. The cloud covers the sun. The sun is not affected by
it but glows ever so brightly. While smoke covers fire, the fire itself burns brightly; only we are not
able to see it. Similarly, desire does not affect God but only prevents us from having His full and
uninterrupted view.
ywadzaeR mlen c,
yath˜darþo malena ca -- III-38
Desire pollutes our heart. It thus cannot reveal the true nature of the objects we perceive. A dirty
mirror cannot reflect objects properly. Similarly, when covered by desire, our inner equipment
cannot function properly.
ywaeLbenav&tae g-R> … … …
yatholben˜v®to garbha× ... ... ... -- III-38
The soul in the grip of desire becomes helpless. Because of the embryonic cover, the child inside is
cribbed and confined and cannot stretch its legs properly. The soul also, being in the clutches of
desire, becomes cribbed and confined and cannot achieve anything worthwhile. This stanza
illustrates beautifully how desire affects different strata of people and how in the same individual it
affects the sense of his identity, the heart and the perception of God.
ivÏ(enimh vEir[m!.
viddhy-enam-iha vairiõam -- III-37
(Know that in the matter of realisation, desire is the sole enemy.) It should be our primary concern
to overcome this internal enemy.

31. Knowledge is the means to overcome desire:

Desire and anger attack us from the citadels of the senses and the mind. Therefore to overcome
desire and anger, we have first to control our senses. In this spiritual warfare against desire and
anger, knowledge will be our most potent weapon. Acquiring spiritual knowledge, we realise our
own potentialities, our duties and responsibilities and thus become able to control our senses step
by step. The intellect excites the mind; the mind excites the senses; from the senses rise desire and
anger, and their consequences. If we get to know the presiding deities of these senses, mind and
the intellect then we can proceed further to get to know the supreme power controlling these
deities and then it will become but child’s play to control our senses. Only when the scientists had
discovered the fundamental laws governing matter and energy were they able to control nature and
utilise it for their purpose. Similarly, by understanding nature and the fundamental forces
animating the senses, we will be eminently able to control them and use them to our advantage.
There is so much of constructive energy latent in nature as well as in senses. Even like the natural
waste, the abuse of the power of our senses is a great national loss. It can be tapped and used for
constructive and nation-building purposes. All the waters of the river which go waste could be
stored in huge reservoirs and used profitably either for irrigation or power generation. In fact it has
been done in many places. Similarly the human energy can also be utilised constructively by
controlling the senses. Such a constructive use of physical and mental energy is possible only if we
lead a disciplined life with full control over our senses, mind and reason.
There are two animating powers which dwell in every insentient object, which enable it to function
variously in accordance with its inherent nature. The two principles, or rather the agents, are the
deity presiding (Ai-maindevta) over that particular object and the Supreme Lord. The deities are
those who, under the control of the Supreme Lord, activate different objects; the indwelling
controller (A<tyaRim) the omnipresent God is Sri Narayana who moves and sustains the presiding
deities and both the animate jeevas and the inanimate things. By understanding these two
principles, the individual presiding deities and the Universal Lord, we can control all matter and
energy. We should understand the nature and power of the presiding deities like Chandra, Surya,
Varuna, Yama, Indra, Shiva, Vayu and Brahma and the gradations among them and the way the
higher divinity controls the lower. This gradation itself is called (devta tartMy). The physical and
chemical nature of objects are derived from their presiding deities and the differences in the power
and potency of the presiding deities account for the different chemical and physical properties of
objects. To discipline our lives we should also understand both the Supreme Power and the
presiding deity of our senses, mind and reason, all residing within us, propitiate them and obtain
their grace. The reason will not then excite the mind and the mind will not ruffle the senses. It is
only with the help and grace of these spiritual powers within us that we can over come the evil and
demonic forces of desire and anger. The knowledge of these ‘Para’ (The Supreme Lord) and ‘Apara’
(the presiding deities) spiritual agents will be the most potent weapon for us for suppressing our
enemies like desire and anger. The knowledge of and devotion to the Supreme Power controlling all
material universe will gradually increase our soul force and sense of duty. When we are armed with
such power and integrity, how can internal enemies like desire and anger dare attack us? On the
other hand, if we do not believe in God and if we do not propitiate God and earn His Grace and if
we do not lead a good, clean and moral life, naturally we fall a prey to our own internal enemies
such as desire and anger.
@v< buÏe> pr< budœXva s<St_yaTmanmaTmna,
jih zÇu< mhabahae kamêp< Êrasdm!.
evaÕ buddhe× paraÕ buddhv˜ saÕstabhy˜tm˜nam-˜tman˜
jahi þatruÕ mah˜-b˜ho k˜ma-r¨paÕ dur˜sadam -- III-43
(Understanding the Lord to be superior to the deity of intellect, controlling the mind with the
superior intellect, destroy the enemy in the shape of desire, who is all but invincible.)
Thus, in the third chapter, the Lord has stated that with the knowledge of the Supreme God and
other deities we should conquer our internal enemies and understand our prescribed duties and
perform them selflessly in a spirit of dedication to God.
32. The antiquity of the Gita dharma:
Some people are under the impression that this philosophy of karmayoga was newly preached by
Sri Krishna and that it was not in existence earlier. They also believe that Vedas advocate karma
alone while the Upanishads, the jnana alone, and that the Gita advocates yet another path different
from both. But this is wrong. Sri Krishna says:
s @vay< mya te=* yaeg> àaeKt> puratn>,
sa ev˜yaÕ may˜ te'dya yoga× prokta× pur˜tana× -- IV-3
(I am preaching to you the ancient message of karmayoga.) In fact karmayoga with its twin
principles of devotion and disinterestedness has been handed down from generation to generation
from the Almighty Lord to Surya, from Surya to Manu, from Manu to Ikshvaku, and so on. There is
nothing new in it. The Gita only reiterates the principles already laid down in the ancient Vedas and
the Upanishads.
k…vRÚeveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;eCDt~ sma>,
@v< Tviy naNywetae=iSt n kmR ilPyte.
kurvanneveha karm˜õi jijŸviÿecchataÒ sam˜×
evaÕ tvayi n˜nyatheto'sti na karma lipyate -- Isavasya 2
The Isavasyopanishad in the above sloka, tells us in brief how to perform action without any
bondage. The Gita only elaborates this point. This teaching which has come from the Sun and Manu
should be honoured and followed by us, who are the descendants of Manu. The first man, Manu
himself, to whose family we belong, showed us the path of karmayoga. Hence there is no doubt that
in the interest of general welfare and social justice, it is absolutely essential for one and all to
follow this ancient path of karmayoga.

33. The incarnation of God and its purpose:

Sri Krishna says that He preached this karmayoga to the Sun God at the beginning of creation. How
could Krishna of Dwapara Age preach this to the Sun of an earlier age at the very beginning of
creation? Sri Krishna explains this paradox.
Just as the individual soul has many births, the Lord has many incarnations. We should not think
that we have only one life. Even when we are leading a righteous life, we face many hardships and
sufferings. On the other hand, immoral and sinful people are seen leading happy and luxurious
lives. Hence a doubt arises as to why we should lead the difficult and moral life? This doubt arises
because we think of only one life. Even a thief may enjoy a grand life for one or two days after theft.
A sick man may not find any improvement in his health after taking medicine only for one or two
days. The experience of only a few days is too short to enable us to judge the ultimate result. We
have to wait for quite some time to get the result of our actions. The same applies in the case of
spiritual life also. In the extensive existence of the soul, a single life is but like a day. From the
results seen in one day we cannot judge the true effects of dharma and karma. From a partial and
one-sided view of our life and from the transient happiness and sorrow, we cannot draw any
conclusion of lasting value. A half-finished painting or sculpture looks grotesque. Similarly from the
unfinished and partial life we cannot judge the far-reaching results of morality and action. The
scriptures say that the soul is eternal and our life is but a single fragment of its eternity. If we
remember this we shall not be perturbed by temporary setbacks and pleasures and it will give us
the courage to pursue our lives on sound moral principles.
Like the soul, the Lord also takes on many incarnations. He is not ordered or compelled by anything
to take these forms. He does it out of His own free will and sweet desires. We do not know about
our past and future lives but God knows all about His past and future incarnations. That is the
difference between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul:
taNyh< ved svaRi[ n Tv< veTw pr<tp.
t˜ny-ahaÕ veda sarv˜õi na tvaÕ vettha parantapa -- IV-5
Sri Krishna now proceeds to explain the purpose of His incarnations. We enter into activity for the
fulfilment of some desire. But in God there is no unfulfilled desire. He is not wanting in anything.
Hence His incarnation is not for any personal satisfaction or fulfilment. He is all-merciful. Out of
compassion for the suffering humanity He takes on His incarnations. In our case, even when we are
helping others, in our heart of hearts we may have some selfish motives. In ordinary people, the
motive may be purely selfish, and in great men and holy men, the motive may be to acquire merit,
and obtain the grace of God. Hence all people, big or small, have some motive, high or low, in
performing action. If there is anybody in the universe who performs action solely for the good of
others without any selfish interests it is the all-merciful God alone. His creation and playful
incarnations are all motivated by extreme compassion for suffering humanity. There is no selfish
motive in Him. There are different categories of soul, pure s˜tvika (saiTvk), impure t˜masa (tams)
and passionately active r˜jasa (rajs). God takes incarnation for the glory of the pure souls.
yda yda ih xmRSy Glain-Rvit -art,
A_yuTwanmxmRSy tdaTman< s&jaMyhm!,,
pirÇa[ay saxUna< ivnazay c Ê:k«tam!,
xmRs<SwapnawaRy s<-vaim yuge yuge.
yad˜ yad˜ hi dharmasya gl˜nir-bhavati bh˜rata
abhyutth˜nam-adharmasya tad˜tm˜naÕ s®j˜myaham
paritr˜õ˜ya s˜dh¨n˜Õ vin˜þ˜ya ca duÿk®t˜m
dharma-saÕsth˜pan˜rth˜ya sambhav˜mi yuge yuge -- IV-8
(Whenever righteousness lies prostrate and unrighteousness becomes rampant then to destroy the
wicked and protect the good and to establish the rule of law and dharma, I incarnate myself in
every such age.)
God is Almighty. He need not descend to earth. Sitting in His own place He can destroy the wicked.
Still He takes on a human form and lives like a man in this world just to set an example for
mankind. The mother can take the child in her arms and walk fast. But she prefers to walk slowly
and lead the child by holding its hands and teach it to walk. So also, God in his mercy descends on
earth, takes a human form and lives with men like men, and shows us the way to lead an ideal life.
The purpose of God's incarnation is to teach us to live well. The Bhagavata says:
mTyaRvtar iSTvhmTyR iz][<,
marty˜vat˜ra stvihamartya þikÿaõaÕ
Why does the Lord kill wicked people in His incarnations? He is totally free from desire and anger
and so, why does He indulge in such violence? Ordinary mortals have attachment of their physical
bodies and so are subject to emotions like desire and anger. The king rewards those who praise
him, he punishes those who criticise him and these are quite natural. But God is beyond these
worldly things and He is not affected by any such feelings. Therefore would it be right if He, like
ordinary kings and men, favour His devotees and punish His enemies? There is an answer to this
question in the Bhagavata, Seventh Skanda.
svaRTmn> sm†zae ýÖySwanh<k«te>,
tTk«t< mitvE;My< inrv*Sy n Kvict!.
sarv˜tmana× samad®þo hy-advayasth˜nahaðk®te×
tat-k®taÕ mati-vaiÿamyaÕ niravadyasya na kvacit -- 1 : 9 : 21
For the Lord who is beyond all worldly nature, there is no touch of any emotion like desire and
anger. He is not perturbed by praise or blame. He is not overjoyed by any praise of Him, neither is
He depressed by any blame. He is not moved by these passions when He punishes the wicked. The
people who know the Truth and tread the path of righteousness are his devotees. The tamasa and
rajasa souls spurn this truth, tread the path of unrighteousness and bring disorder in this world.
They are the enemies of God. God protects the deities and His devotees and thus strengthens the
satvik force; when He destroys the demons He only curbs the rajas and tamas spirit. His
punishment or reward are not for any personal benefit which He has none and has no need. It is
just to help the process of creation and evolution of the universe in the right direction that He
strengthens the satvik forces and puts down the destructive forces, and this, in fact, is the noble
purpose of His incarnation. Where is the scope for any emotions like desire and anger in this
scheme of things? There is no room for any selfishness in His actions. In Bhagavata it is said:
sTv<suranIkimvEx yTyj>,
rjStmSkan! àih[aeTyuéKrm>.
satvaÕsur˜nŸkamivaidha yatyaja×
rajastamask˜n prahiõotyurukrama×
Seen from this point of view we cannot attribute any partiality or nepotism to God. Some people,
acquiring dictatorial powers by their might, bring death and destruction on a mass scale and shake
the very foundation of the just social order. If there is cancerous growth in any part of the body, the
whole body suffers the pain. Similarly such wicked people with demonic forces cause suffering for
the whole world. Suppression of such evil forces is absolutely necessary to save the world from
catastrophe. When there is a tumor in the body it has to be removed by surgical operation.
Similarly, destruction of such monsters who torment the people is not considered as violence but as
a surgical operation to save the world. When we understand the difference between violence
caused for selfish ends due to our own personal desire, and the destruction of the evil forces
wrought by God for the protection of the good people and the establishment of the world in good,
then all our doubts regarding the purpose of God's incarnation will disappear.
Thus the religion of the Bhagavad Gita is not something novel preached during the Krishna
incarnation for the first time but it is only reiteration of an ancient and eternal religion preached by
God Himself from the beginning of creation. Thus by dispelling all the doubts the Lord creates firm
faith in and liking for karmayoga.

34. The difference between the individual soul and the Universal Soul:
This part of the Gita explains clearly the difference between the individual soul and the Universal
Soul, the God. Even though the soul has spent many lives, man is not aware of these. Even in this
life, he experiences pleasure and pain but he has no control over these. But God's incarnations are
quite different. God takes incarnations of His own free will. He is not affected either by pain or
pleasure. His incarnation is purely for the welfare of the world. In this activity, there is no loss of
His knowledge, bliss and other auspicious qualities. From these fundamental differences we can
easily see that the two are not identical. This difference has been emphasised in the Gita. Sri
Krishna says that if we realise this difference and acquire true knowledge of His greatness and true
Nature, then we can attain salvation.
vItrag-yKraexa mNmya mamupaiïta>,
bhvae }antpsa pUta mÑavmagta>.
vŸtar˜gabhayakrodh˜ manmay˜ m˜mup˜þrit˜×
bahavo jñ˜natapas˜ p¨t˜ madbh˜vam˜gat˜× -- IV-10
(Devoid of attachment, fear and anger, full of Me and finding their refuge in Me, many, having
purified themselves through knowledge and asceticism, have attained a place in Me.)
Here the jnanis are called "manmaya" or "Bhagavanmaya". "Manmaya" does not mean those who
are identical with God. In the very next half of the line there is the word m˜mup˜þrit˜×
(mamupaiïta>) that is, "those that take shelter in me." This shows the difference between the jnani
and Paramatma. One is the soul that seeks shelter and the other is the supreme soul that gives
shelter. Those that give Him the highest place in their lives and those who see His function in the
motion and existence of everything, are the true devotees (Bhagavanmayas).
zrvÄNmyae -vet!,
þaravattanmayo bhavet
The above is a quotation from an Upanishad. Just as an arrow penetrates into and sticks to its
target, so alone our mind should penetrate and stick to God. When we say we are "Bhagavanmaya",
full of God, we only mean we are established in Him. By this sort of establishment in God, we
should get salvation which is but finding a firm foundation in God.

35. Jnanis and Traividyas:

The Gita now proceeds to describe the difference between those who have full knowledge of
karmayoga and others. Jnanis worship the Supreme Lord with undistracted devotion. These have no
desire for any worldly rewards. They do not pray to the lesser deities for worldly happiness. With
the knowledge that there is one sole Supreme Lord of the whole universe, they just surrender
themselves to Him whole-heartedly. Such people are known as Bhagavatas. Sri Bhimasena is unique
among such Bhagavatas. We can see in his life the supreme embodiment of unwavering devotion to
God. Archery did not interest Bhimasena. The archers have to invoke deities like Agni, Vayu etc. for
the potency of their weapons, for the selfish gains of killing enemies. Bhimasena did not like this.
For his personal gains he did not wish to beg of anybody - not even God. Therefore he took to his
mace as a weapon whose potency depends only upon his physical strength and valour. In the village
of Ekachakra, whereas the other Pandavas were begging alms, Bhimasena did not join them. He
thought that those who lived by the Bhagavata dharma should not lead an undignified life. Those
who did their God-ordained duty have automatically right over the society to demand what they
needed:
i-]aqn< Zc ÷<karat! krvt! vEZytae=¢hIt!,
bhikÿ˜÷anaÕ þca huðk˜r˜t karavat vaiþyato'grahŸt
(He demanded his bhikÿ˜ (i-]a) with a thundering voice as a king demands his taxes from the vaiþya
(vEZy).)
Just as the kings received the offerings by the subject as their right, Bhimasena also got his daily
needs from the people without any anxiety or begging or losing any self-respect. Thus he never
begged of either people or the gods for any of his personal needs. He bows only before the
Supreme God. Thus does Bhimasena exemplify the principle that a Bhagavata should never lead a
life of humiliation for the satisfaction of selfish desires.
Even before God, Bhimasena will not bow his head and ask for any worldly favours. In the
Mahabharata war, after Dronacharya was killed, his son Ashwathama sent up his Narayanastra
which was more potent than any held in the Pandava army. No one was able to stop it. It has the
power to kill every one coming in its way. If any body keeps down his weapon and bows to this and
pays homage, it would not harm him. As advised by Sri Krishna the whole of the Pandava army
bowed before this arrow and thus saved themselves. It was the arrow bearing the name of God
Narayana and since there is nothing demeaning for a king in bowing before the Supreme Lord
Narayana, Bhimasena was also advised likewise. But Bhimasena was not prepared to bow even to
God's own weapon just to save his life. He would not ask the Lord any favours barring spiritual
knowledge, devotion and grace. He did not want to disarm himself and beg of the Lord to save his
life. He had never asked anybody for any personal favours. Thus Bhimasena is regarded as an ideal
personality who has completely assimilated the Bhagavata dharma to himself.
One may not go to the same extent as Bhimasena. But even if one gives up the worship of lesser
gods for small favours and prays to the Supreme God for its own sake, even then he will be
considered as a true follower of the Bhagavata dharma.
We see several who even if they know God to be supreme, have not realised Him as the
omnipresent regulator from within and the prime doer. They pray to God only occasionally, and that
too, for some petty rewards. Such people are called 'Trai-vidyas' (i.e. those who know only the
superficial meaning of the three Vedas). They have some devotion but they do not have full
knowledge of the greatness of God. They have not inculcated this devotion to God in their lives.
Whenever they perform any deeds they forget the supreme doership of God and act under the
illusion that they are the doers and that the petty gods reward them with fruits and that both are
independent their hearts are stirred by desires for immediate fruits.
The Supreme Lord's ways of issuing rewards to the Bhagavatas and Trai-vidyas differ. The
Bhagavatas worship God devotedly with full knowledge of His power and greatness. Whatever you
may do and to whatever god you may pray, it all reaches the Supreme God Vishnu who is inside
each and everything in this Universe.
svR dev nmSkar> kezv<àitgCDit,
sarva deva namask˜ra× keþavampratigacchati
Whichever god you may worship, the Supreme giver of rewards, however trivial the reward may be,
is still the Lord Himself. There is only one God and He is inside all other Gods bearing their very
names and forms. He is the prime mover behind all our actions. Whosoever you may worship,
ultimately it reaches the Supreme God. But poor Trai-vidyas are not aware of this. Due to ignorance
of the all-pervasiveness of the Supreme God, they run after different deities for small favours and
even when they are worshipping the great God Himself they are not aware which God in fact they
are propitiating.
mm vTmaRnu vtRNte mnu:ya> pawR svRz>.
mama vartm˜nu vartante manuÿy˜× p˜rtha sarvaþa× -- IV-11
(They are all but treading my (own) path.)
But these aspirants too are on the right path to God. They are not aware that what they are
worshipping is nothing but the Supreme God itself. God is fulfilling their petty desires also and
rewarding them although not to the same extent as He is doing in the case of Bhagavatas.
ye ywa ma< àp*Nte ta< StwEv -jaMyhm!,
ye yath˜ m˜Õ prapadyante t˜Õ stathaiva bhaj˜myaham -- IV-11
"I reward people according to their kind of devotion," says the Lord.
There is another category of devotees who do not go to lesser gods but nevertheless go to the
Supreme God Himself, for personal favours. These people may not get liberation in this very life but
they are on the right road to it. It is in any case better than leading a sinful life. For personal
favours, instead of begging the rich and the mighty, is it not better to beg God Himself?
mm vTmaRnu vtRNte mnu:ya> pawR svRz>.
mama vartm˜nu vartante manuÿy˜× p˜rtha sarvaþa× -- IV-11
(Even the people performing desire-prompted action also tread the path which ultimately lead to
Me.)
Being unable to bear the insult of his stepmother, the young boy Dhruvaraj proceeded to a forest,
did penance and obtained the vision of God. So God exalts us if we turn to Him with the urges of
desire. Dhruvaraj no doubt had God's vision and he enjoyed all the worldly and kingly pleasures but
that did not satisfy him. He weeps for his folly of asking God for worldly pleasures instead of
heavenly bliss. When God was capable of taking him completely out of the cycle of birth and death
and open the very floodgates of His grace and benediction, Dhruva asked Him only for fleeting and
momentary worldly pleasures. He therefore repents and spends the rest of his life in pure devotion
and desireless action and ultimately reaches the goal. Hence aspiring souls, even if they turn
towards God prompted by any desire, ultimately change their attitude and go in the right path
toward God.
Therefore the Upanishads proclaim:
"iÿyadey<" "i-yadey<"
"hriy˜deyaÕ" "bhiy˜deyaÕ"
(Give, out of shame; give out of fear.)
At least out of shame, on seeing others give alms and donations, you also do it. Give away your
wealth at least out of shame that while others are giving you are not; give at least out of fear of
danger to happiness in this world and the other. This is what the Upanishads insist: do good deeds,
be it out of shame or even with a desire for fame and prestige. It is better to do so, than do nothing
at all.
Some people offer huge donations and perform religious ceremonies on a very grand scale. Others
who are jealous of such people call this as exhibitionism. But even if it be for show, these people
spend their hoarded wealth and distribute it among the poor. Is it not far better than the critics who
do not have any generosity and only find fault in others who have? In short, the Gita says that any
life which leads towards God is better than the one which takes one the other way.

36. The fourfold varna system as depicted by the Gita:

The cause for gradation in devotion and religious practices anuÿ÷h˜na (Anuóan) lies in God's own
system of creation in consonance with the intrinsic nature and individuality of souls. God has not
invented this difference or gradation. The individual qualities are natural and eternal; and it is but
natural that there should be difference in the quality of aspirants in God's creation, which is based
on a set of facts like intrinsic difference of souls.
catuvR{yR mya s&ò< gu[kmRiv-agz>,
c˜turvarõya may˜ s®ÿ÷aÕ guõakarmavibh˜gaþa× -- IV-13
Sri Krishna says that He has Himself brought about this caste system in conformity with the nature
and aptitude for work of the individual only. The superficial meaning of the above stanza is quite
confusing. There is no reason for Sri Krishna to talk about caste system when he is describing the
difference between people who perform action under the urge of desire and others who do it
desirelessly. It is irrelevant, at this point, whether the society is divided into castes by birth or by
qualities. So, we should not take the fourfold pattern to be wholly identical with the current caste
system.
Besides, it is contrary to fact to assert that individual qualities and ways depend on the caste
division. Serenity of mind and discipline of the body are not the exclusive prerogative of any one
caste. They may be found in people belonging to all the four castes. It is quite possible to find a
higher sense of devotion and good conduct in a Vaishya or a Shudra than in a so-called high-caste
Brahmin. There is no total consistency between the classification of souls on the basis of intrinsic
virtues mentioned in the Gita and the present caste system. And it would be unrealistic to forge a
new system of castes on the basis of the intrinsic qualities and ways. One and the same person may
behave in different ways in entirely different circumstances. In such a situation, it would be
impracticable to go on changing the caste system from moment to moment, as the system is based
on specialised cultivation, occupation and pursuit. Besides, it is also possible that much friction
would be generated while determining the existence or absence of spiritual qualities. It may be
possible to make use of the peculiar radiance of individual virtues while determining a person's
attainment. If we try to restructure society on the basis of individual assessment, we are but
courting perpetual conflict. Hence it is clear that we can not divide a community into different
social classes and castes on the basis of individual nature. Nor is it possible to adjust the
classification by qualities with the present caste system. For example, a Brahmin is supposed to
possess some virtues. But we see in every day life instances in which such virtues as are lacking in
Brahmins are amply found in Non-Brahmins. How can we say that these virtues are the
prerogatives of only those who are born in a Brahmin family and not of others? It would be a sheer
contradiction of fact. Hence we must examine carefully the exact import of Sri Krishna's reference
to the caste system.
Sri Madhvacharya has explained this point clearly in his commentary on the Gita. He has explained
that the four divisions of the caste system do not belong to the human body but to the soul; the
souls are categorised into four groups depending upon their nature, quality and propensities. The
good souls which are worthy of salvation are classified into four divisions. All these have a
preponderance of the sattvaguõa (sÅvgu[) the differentia among them is due to the permutations of
the qualities of rajoguõa (rjaegu[) and tamoguõa (tmaegu[) only, and on the basis of this difference
of combination only they are classified fourfold. Devotion to God þamo-bhagavanniÿ÷hat˜ (zmae-
gviÚóta) and control over the senses dama (dm) are basic to all. They are divided into four classes
only on the basis of the degree of the two great qualities possessed by each. Such is the fourfold
system, based on the intrinsic nature of the soul, propounded in the Gita.
Sva-aivkae äaü[aid> zmadErevi-*te,
yaein-ed k«tae-ed> }ey AaEpaixkSTvym!.
sv˜bh˜viko br˜hmaõ˜di× þam˜dairevabhidyate
yonibheda k®tobheda× jñeya aup˜dhikastvayam
(The natural differentiation into castes like Brahmins and others is according to the qualities of
devotion to God etc., while the classification according to birth is conditioned by external factors.)
We can resolve the society into four classes like Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra in two
ways. One is by birth, and the other by the inner qualities of the soul. The former classification is
conditional or artificial while the latter is intrinsic. It is not proper to judge a man only by the
accident of his birth. We should judge him by his behaviour, deed and character. The latter method
of classification appears to be more natural and more enduring, as it is based on the essential
nature of the soul and not on the physical attributes.
If categorisation into castes by birth is useful for social organisation and for the observance of
religious ceremonies according to the prescriptions of the shastras, the division on the basis of the
intrinsic nature of the souls is foundational being based on matters of spiritual practice and
meditation.
Aixkíet gu[> zUÔe äaü[id> s %Cyte>,
äaü[aePyLp gu[k> zUÔ @veitkIitRt>.
adhikaþceta guõa× þ¨dre br˜hmaõadi× sa ucyate×
br˜hmaõopyalpa guõaka× þ¨dra evetikŸrtita×
Even though by birth one is a Shudra, if he is rich in noble qualities like self-control and serenity of
mind he is verily a Brahmin from the point of view of the soul. On the other hand, even if he is a
Brahmin by birth, if he is poor in these qualities, he is verily a Shudra. Thus an individual should
not be measured by his caste and birth only. We should assess him on the basis of his conduct, his
intensity of devotion and intrinsic virtues.
The physical body may be of a high caste Brahmin but it does not follow that the soul it covers is
necessarily qualitatively superior. The import of the Gita is that the greatness of the soul is to be
measured by the yardstick of virtues reflected in his good deeds and good nature. Therefore in the
Bhagavata it is said:
ivàaid ;'gu[ yutadrivNdnat!,
padarivNdivmuoat! ñpc<viróm!.
vipr˜di ÿaðaguõa yut˜daravindan˜t
p˜d˜ravindavimukh˜t þvapacaÕvariÿ÷ham
A Pariah who is a devotee of God is far better than even a Brahmin if he is ungodly. In the
Mahabharata parable of Dharmavyadha also it is stated:
yStuzUÔae dmesTye xmeRcsttaeiTyt>,
t<äaü[mh<mNye v&Äenih -veiÖj>.
yastuþ¨dro damesatye dharmecasatatotyita×
tambr˜hmaõamahammanye v®ttenahi bhavedvija×
A Shudra with noble qualities like self-control and truthfulness is indeed a Brahmin; a man is to be
identified as a Brahmin only by his noble deeds. In answering a question by Yaksha, it is stated that
virtuous character alone is the distinguishing cause of being a Brahmin. All this is not written to cry
down the present caste system. Its main purpose is to highlight the importance of good character
and conduct in identifying noble souls.
This does not mean the physical caste system in spite of its conditioning factors, laid down in our
scriptures, is superfluous. It is most essential for determining the duties and responsibilities of each
person and for religious pursuits. But we cannot determine the worthiness or otherwise of a soul
for salvation just by considering his birth and caste. Even if we classify religious rituals and
pursuits on the basis of the external attributes of caste and birth, we cannot determine the
worthiness for salvation on that basis. We cannot also decide about the spiritual qualifications like
devotion, prayerfulness etc. and the genuine honesty of a person on the basis of birth or caste. The
one born as a Brahmin does not automatically possess great virtues like devotion and discipline. We
have to assess a man only on the basis of right conduct and the particular combination of the three
gunas. Good qualities and good nature should be discovered and honoured wherever and in
whatever caste they are found. It is to enable us to identify this fundamental good nature among
men that the Gita has laid down this categorisation. The caste system referred to in the Gita is not a
classification based on accidental attributes of birth but a classification of good souls in our society.
Such a classification which depends upon the essential, deeper qualities will bring about harmony
among the members of the different communities for the good of the society as a whole,
compensating for the gaps left by the caste system based on accidental features.
According to the Gita, the caste system is nothing but a community of noble souls. To them God has
given physical bodies and other accessories and brought them into this world. Hence, He has
helped us more than our parents and teacher. We should not forget such a Being and run after
others inferior to Him for our worldly rewards. Hence all good souls are to be devoted entirely to
the Supreme Lord of the Universe who is full of all the auspicious qualities. Forgetting Him we
should not run after lesser deities, spirits or other persons for any worldly rewards. The Supreme
Lord is one and only one. In Him we should have faith, confidence and devotion. We should not
pervert our minds by worshipping a multitude of lesser deities. Hinduism does not cynically
propound a polytheistic religion with a plurality of supreme gods as some think. It is clear that
monotheism alone is the supreme import of the Gita. In the ninth chapter, this has been clearly
explained.
ye=PyNydevta -a yjNte ïÏya=iNvta>,
te=ip mamev kaENtey yjNTyivixpUvRkm!.
Ah< ih svRy}ana< -aea c à-urev c,
n tu mami-janiNt tÅvenatZCyviNt te.
yaiNt devìta devan! ipt¨NyaiNt ipt¨ìta>,
-Utain yaiNt -UteJya yaiNt m*aijnae=ip mam!.
ye'pyanyadevat˜ bhakt˜ yajante þraddhay˜'nvit˜×
te'pi m˜meva kaunteya yajantyavidhip¨rvakam -- IX-23
ahaÕ hi sarvayajñ˜n˜Õ bhokt˜ ca prabhureva ca
na tu m˜mabhij˜nanti tattven˜taþcyavanti te -- IX-24
y˜nti devavrat˜ dev˜n pit²ny˜nti pit²vrat˜×
bh¨t˜ni y˜nti bh¨tejy˜ y˜nti mady˜jino'pi m˜m -- IX-25
(Even those who worship other deities and sacrifice to them with faith in their hearts, are really
worshipping Me, though with a mistaken approach. For I am the only enjoyer and the only God of
all sacrifices. Nevertheless such men must return to life on earth, because they do not recognise
Me in my true nature. Those who sacrifice to the various deities, will go to those deities. The
ancestor worshippers will go to their ancestors. Those who worship elemental powers and spirits
will go to them. So also, My devotees will come to Me.)
Who are the other deities and who is the Supreme Lord, are explained here. By using the words
m˜Õ (ma<) and mady˜jina× (m*aijn>) Sri Krishna reveals that He Himself is the Supreme Lord.
From this it is clear that Sri Krishna is the Lord of all deities and receiver of all sacrificial offerings.
If you worship lesser deities, you naturally get smaller rewards; even if the smaller deities are
worshipped, these sacrificial offerings are received by the Supreme Lord Himself who is immanent
in these deities and it is He who rewards the devotees; if He Himself is directly worshipped as the
Supreme Lord Himself, the devotee will be crowned with the highest fruit of salvation.

37. Action and inaction:

The Gita gives the quintessence of karmayoga, discussed so far, so pithily in the following verse:
kmR{ykmR y> pZyedkmRi[ c kmR y>,
s buiÏmaNmnu:ye;u s yu> k«TõkmRk«t!.
karmaõyakarma ya× paþyedakarmaõi ca karma ya×
sa buddhim˜nmanuÿyeÿu sa yukta× k®tsnakarmak®t -- IV-18
"One should perceive inaction in action, and action in inaction" is the apparent meaning and it
appears like a riddle. But the lines propound the essence of karmayoga in a nutshell. Whenever we
perform action, the egoism that we are the doers of action is always with us. Even pious people who
otherwise know that God is the doer of all deeds seem to forget, for a moment, that God is the
prime mover. It is the forgetfulness of this aspect of God's activity that is the cause of man's egoism.
Hence these actions become binding. Therefore when we perform any action, we should always
remember that we are not doing these actions independently but it is the great work of the Lord
functioning in these actions. If we remember God, there will be no room for attachment and
egoism. That is what is meant by the idea that in action we should see 'inaction'. Even as we are
engaged in physical activity our attitude should be that it is not our activity but God's. We should
not only realise our own limitations but also see the hand of God in all the worldly activity. A means
God. Hence akarma (AkmR) means God's work. For every activity in this universe there are two
beings responsible: the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. A father takes hold of his son's hand
and makes him write the alphabets. Here the mind and efforts of both the persons are involved. We
have seen in everyday life joint efforts being put by two persons. The unseen hand of God is behind
each one of our activities and we derive all our energy and inspiration from Him only. Thus in each
one of our activities, both our efforts and God's power are combined, but with this difference, that
God does not depend upon anything else for His powers whereas we are for ever dependent on Him
for whatever we do. He is the object and we are His image. Unless the object moves, the image
cannot move at all. Hence the source of all of our activities is God Himself.
iv:[aerevkmR -- nah<ict!àitib<b> ikÂTkraeim,
viÿõorevakarma -- n˜hañcitpratibimba× kiñcatkaromi -- Gita Bhashya
Because we are not independent, even though we are actively engaged in any work, we are called
inactive. But God is independent and for His activity he does not depend upon us. He is the real
source of power behind all the states of our existence. Even when we are fast asleep or in a dream
state, God's activity within us continues. In dream we see objects just as we see pictures in a movie.
Who creates this dream world for us? We have no hand in it. God's work is behind all these and His
activity is quite independent of us akarmaõicakarmaya× (AkmRi[ckmRy>). Even in the state of our
inactivity, God's activity is ever continuing and keeps the Universe moving. Thus God's power
perpetually works by itself without an ulterior dependence. The answer to the riddle of action and
inaction lies in realising the weakness of the individual and the Lord's incessant activity and
unfettered independence.
The same ideas can be derived by looking at the stanza in another way. Only the individual soul,
who is governed by duties and responsibilities, is bound by the obligation of action. The soul who is
bound by action is called 'Karma'. But the Supreme Lord who is beyond all action is called 'Akarma'.
It is significant that God is called 'Akarma' since he is not bound by any rules and regulations and
he is beyond all action. Even if any individual performs any action, he does it not by his own ability.
Since he has no capacity for independent action in anything, it is said that the soul performs no
action. All action is reposed in God who is beyond everything. He is the prime mover and He is the
force and the energy behind every action in this whole universe.
n ÇteTvt!i³yteik<icnare,
na tratetvatkriyatekiñcin˜re -- Rigveda 10-113-9
(Without God nothing moves in the Universe.)
AkmRi[ckmRy>,
akarmaõicakarmaya× -- IV-18
implies the independence and omnipotence of the Supreme God. This stanza asks us to remember
always that we are utterly dependent upon God. God alone is the Independent Reality.
Many people have interpreted this stanza in their own way according to their fancy. "Doing action
or not doing action are both an illusion. Even when we are doing action, that action is not real.
Even when we think that we are not doing action, there will be action in us. Hence both action and
inaction are not real. When we travel in a train, the distant trees and buildings seem to run in the
opposite direction. But in reality they do not move. Similarly even if some activity is seen in us it
must be deemed as unreal. A person at a great distance seems to be stationary even though he may
be walking. We may be thinking that he is not walking but he is walking. Similarly we may be
thinking that we are inactive but these imaginary actions crop up within us. Even though action
may be unreal, we are never bothered by it." Even when the world of action always clings to us they
say it is all unreal and imaginary. But we feel this to be a strange interpretation. How can we
believe that when Krishna has been consistently advising Arjuna to perform his duty and in the rest
of the discourse too he is insisting on the same theme, He could ever, at this stage, defying all
consistency, give Arjuna a philosophy which denies the very world of action? If all that we do is as
unreal as a dream then why indulge in it with faith and perseverance? If, after doing all this action
with supreme effort, the whole fuss of action comes to nought, then will not one feel that it is better
to keep mum? If Krishna had told Arjuna that both action and inaction are imaginary, it would have
confused him further instead of goading him into action. We cannot expect such an irrelevant action
from God Himself.
Ty®va kmR)las¼< inTyt&Ýae inraïy>,
kmR{yi-àv&Äae=ip nEv ik<icTkraeit s>.
tyaktv˜ karmaphal˜saðgaÕ nityat®pto nir˜þraya×
karmaõyabhiprav®tto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti sa× -- IV-20
This stanza explains the means of finding inaction in action. This stanza says that he who performs
action without caring for the fruit of action, without any ego, is deemed as one who has not
performed action.
Inaction does not mean forsaking action. Nor does it mean treating all action as illusory. The author
of the Gita has clearly laid down here that performing duty without attachment or egoism itself is
'non-action'. If only we noticed this stanza which immediately follows, while interpreting
akarmaõyakarmaya× paþyet (AkmR{ykmRy> pZyet!) we can easily grasp the meaning of the riddle-
like stanza.
The Gita never propounds anywhere that either the world or the actions that we see are unreal. In
fact such an interpretation is utterly contrary to the philosophy of karmayoga propounded by the
Gita at every step. Everyone acknowledges that the Gita prescribes performance of action even to
those who have attained God-realisation. The blessed Lord offers Himself as an example and says
that everyone has to perform the duties entrusted to him.
k…yaRiÖ Öan! twa=sKt>,
kury˜dvi dv˜n tath˜'sakta×
The Gita clearly lays down that even the illumined soul should perform actions with detachment.
Even Sri Sankaracharya who otherwise advocates the illusoriness of action and non-performance of
action by all jnanis admits that this stanza (IV-20) imposes performance of action by a Brahma
Jnani. There is thus no dispute about the fact that the Gita advocates performance of action even
after the attainment of realisation. If action itself is illusory, how can the Gita advocate performance
of action by a jnani? If action is illusory, there cannot be any illusion for a jnani and hence there
cannot be any action for a jnani. A rope can be mistaken for a snake only till its true identity is
revealed and not afterwards. If the world and the actions are unreal and illusory, they will
disappear the moment real wisdom dawns. Whatever that remains even after wisdom is attained
can never be untrue. If a jnani also performs some action in this world, then it is clear that both the
world and the action are not unreal. The Gita advocates that the world of action which is performed
even by those who have attained the knowledge of Brahman and the world itself which is the field
of action, are real. Therefore, if anybody says that the sloka karmaNyalarmayaH pashyet.h
advocates unreality of action, he contradicts the basic contention of the Gita.

38. Different kinds of sacrifice:

Action that is performed as a sacred duty and as a dedication to God who is independent, all-
powerful and omnipotent, alone is true action. Such an action which is performed as a sacrifice
does not conduce to bondage. There are many ways of performing sacrifice and Sri Krishna
describes these in the fourth chapter.
ÔVyy}aStpaey}a yaegy}aStwapre,
Sva Xyay }any}aí yty> s<iztìta>.
dravyayajñ˜stapoyajñ˜ yogayajñ˜stath˜pare
sv˜ dhy˜ya jñ˜nayajñ˜þca yataya× saÕþitavrat˜× -- IV-28
@v< b÷ivxa y}a ivtta äü[ae muoe,
kmRjaiNviÏ taNsvaRnev< }aTva ivmaeúyse.
evaÕ bahuvidh˜ yajñ˜ vitat˜ brahmaõo mukhe
karmaj˜nviddhi t˜nsarv˜nevaÕ jñ˜tv˜ vimokÿyase -- IV-32
Actions performed with the sole purpose of pleasing God without desire and attachment,
themselves are sacrifices. The sannyasis are not supposed to offer oblation to fire and perform
sacrifice. But the sacrifice advocated in the Gita is open to all persons. The intense devotion of
yogis, the sense-control and breath-control practised by the yogic aspirants and the intense study
and lesson of the pundits are all sacrifices in one form or the other. Even the sense delights enjoyed
by the organs are a form of sacrifice.
zBdadIiNv;yanNy #iNÔyai¶;u juþit,
þabd˜dŸnviÿay˜nanya indriy˜gniÿu juhvati -- IV-26
(Some sacrifice the objects of sense, such as sound, etc. into the fire of the senses.)
Even our physical frame is a means for serving God and for that the body should be kept in a fit
condition by partaking of good and wholesome food and thus, even eating without attachment
becomes a form of sacrifice. As a mechanic oils the machine in order to make it work well, in the
same way the jnani thinks of his body as a machine and feeds it with conducive food. In this case
there is no scope for excitement or perversion of the mind. Eating food or any other routine
activities of life done in such a healthy frame of mind are counted by the Gita as but versions of
sacrifice.
In the Chandogya Upanishad the whole life is called a sacrifice. A holy person's life, in which all the
activities of life are dedicated to God, is itself a supreme yajna. Wherever there is selflessness,
wherever there is dedication, there is the essence of a yajna. It is but natural to call a holy person's
life yajna since the very texture of his life is woven with such dedication. There is an important
place for dakshina in a yajna. Without it, the yajna is not complete. In a true sort of life, truth,
mercy and compassion are dakshina, says the Upanishad. Because of these virtues our life becomes
full and consummate. The Upanishad describes death as avabh®tha (Av-&w), culminating holy
bath, The real jnani engaged in perforAing these duties, is not afraid of death. He welcomes it with
open arms as a great boon. The karmayogis joyously embrace death to fulfil the supreme perfection
of life even as a person performing yajna spiritedly yearns for the avabh®tha (Av-&w) bath.
Thus the Gita has shown us the true import and significance of sacrifice in its most comprehensive
meaningfulness. The Gita has taught us by diverting us from the voluptuous life and the narrow
circle of life described by a sense of 'I' and 'mine', to live a life for the sake of others and in a spirit
of dedication to the indwelling Lord of the world. To the ignorant people who think that yajna
means pouring ghee into the sacrificial fire to attain worldly pleasures, wealth and even heaven
svarga, the Gita has given a wider significance to the term. Even as Sri Krishna has revealed his
infinite form to Arjuna during this discourse, the Gita has shown us here the infinite dimensions of
yajna. In the usual yajna an animal is sacrificed. But in the sacrifice preached in the Gita, what we
have to sacrifice is our beastly egoism and selfishness. Like the sacrificial goat the selfish man goes
on crying me me (me me) "mine, mine". Our life has become a grazing ground for such a beast.
#dm* mya lBximd< àaPSye mnaerwm!
idamadya may˜ labdhamidaÕ pr˜psye manoratham -- XVI-13
(I have gained this today; I will again gain another later.)
#hNte kam-aegawRmNyayenawR sÁcyan!
ihante k˜mabhog˜rthamany˜yen˜rtha sañcay˜n -- XVI-12
(They try to gain lots of money through unfair means to satisfy their sense desires.)
They always hanker after whatever they see in the world and they want to possess everything they
see around them. "Today I have this, tomorrow I must have that. That is how it goes on." They
multiply their wants. They stick to their positions of power by hook or by crook and for this they do
not hesitate to commit even the worst of crimes. We see such deplorable people all around us.
Unless we adhere to the teachings of the Gita in our day-to-day life we cannot cleanse this dirt from
our body politic. Sacrifice your selfishness, dedicate all that you possess to God and perform your
action as a worship for the good of mankind. This is the sacred sacrifice. This is true worship.
àat> à-&itsaya<t sayaidàatr< twa,
yTkraeim jgÚawtdStu tv pUjn<.
pr˜ta× prabh®tis˜y˜nta s˜y˜dipr˜taraÕ tath˜
yatkaromi jagann˜thatadastu tava p¨janaÕ -- Pancha Ratra
Whatever we do from dawn to dusk is nothing but a form of worship of God. Gita does not advocate
our going to church or temple once a week or once a day just for a short time and then for the rest
of the day carrying on our sinful activities. Religion should pervade our whole life. Religion should
not only be treated as a part of life but as its very soul animating all its aspects. The day-to-day,
mundane life should not be isolated from the spiritual and moral life. The day-to-day life, led in a
spirit of dedicated service to God in honesty and with a desire to do good to others, itself can
become religion.
The story of Tuladhara narrated in the Mahabharata is a fitting illustration of this point. The
Brahmin boy Jabali was puffed up with pride because of his learning and spirituality. He heard a
voice from heaven taunting him that the merchant Tuladhara was superior to him. He then went to
Tuladhara and found him sitting in an unpretentious way in front of his pair of scales. Even while he
was hesitating to seek his advice, Tuladhara himself explained the reason for Jabali's coming over
there. Jabali, utterly surprised, enquired of him the secret of his great insight. Then Tuladhara said:
"I am an ignorant man devoid of learning or any occult powers. The scale which I hold in my hand
every day is my teacher. In my business I do not cheat anybody. It treats all customers alike, be he a
child or an old man, be he a relative or a stranger. It is due to my honesty even like that of the scale
that I have acquired this spiritual power."
AÔaehe[Ev -Utana< ALpÔaehenvapun>,
adroheõaiva bh¨t˜n˜m alpadrohenav˜puna×
Without enmity for creatures, or with very little of it, Tuladhara explains his honest efforts to carry
on his business without harming, as far as possible, anybody. In this life everybody has to engage
himself in some business or the other but he could perform it with a sense of fairness and justice, is
the great lesson we derive from the example of Tuladhara. This parable is one of my most favourite
parables. The story contains the total truth and ideal of life. The story best exemplifies how religion
can permeate every day life and how straightforward and practicable religion is. A spirit of sacrifice
and dedication to God are the twin principles which will elevate our mundane activities into a form
of sacrifice. That we should sanctify our lives by such activities is the central teaching of the Gita.

39. Knowledge itself is the Fruit of Sacrifice:

What is the purpose of such a sacrifice? What is the ultimate benefit of works performed in a spirit
of sacrifice. Devotion and sacrifice become instruments of a higher purpose; they turn life into a
pilgrimage to God. The final aim of all such works is the gift of the vision of God through a
purification of the heart.
sv¡ kmaRiol< pawR }ane pirsmaPyte,
sarvaÕ karm˜khilaÕ p˜rtha jñ˜ne parisam˜pyate -- IV-33
(All action culminates in knowledge.)
Among the various forms of sacrifice, jnana yajna has a special significance. Jnana yajna is nothing
but a special effort to get the knowledge of God. Even if you are engaged in public service, it is
necessary to set apart at least som time every day for it. When all the yajnas are performed with a
view to acquiring knowledge, we should not neglect the activity of God-knowledge and resort only
to a life of (knowledgeless) actions.
ïeyaNÔVymya*}aJ}any}> pr<tp,
þrey˜ndravyamay˜dyajñ˜jjñ˜nayajña× parantapa -- IV-33
(The jnana yajna, - i.e., the yajna performed for the realisation of God - is far superior to the yajna
in the form of sacrificing material wealth)
The yajna in the form of þravaõa (ïv[) and manana (mnn) is immensely superior to the yajna
performed with worldly wealth. Without this jnana or wisdom, we will falter even in the discharge
of our ordinary duties. Since, bereft of knowledge, we are likely to be led into delusion for lack of
an awareness of the rightness or otherwise of our actions, we will have to depend solely on
knowledge for the pursuit of even our daily actions.
SvaXyayàvcne @veit nakae maEÌLy>, tiÏ tpStiÏ tp>,
sv˜dhy˜yapravacane eveti n˜ko maudgalya× | taddhi tapastaddhi tapa× -- Tai 1:9
In the Taittiriyopanishad it is stated that acquiring jnana or wisdom is a great form of penance. We
find it difficult to concentrate our mind on God as we sit for meditation or worship. But when we
are engaged in the reading or study of a book it is possible for us to forget everything else and get
absorbed in it. Hence for acquiring a complete meditativeness the process of knowledge is an
easier and more convenient means than any other.
If that were so, would it not suffice to pursue only the path of knowledge shunning the life of
action? Why should we waste our time performing the various types of yajna spoken of in the Gita.
Even if knowledge is the ultimate goal and even if the path of knowledge is supreme, we must
remember that we can not reach that goal without the help of action. When it is said that the path
of knowledge is the highest, we should not construe that it immediately follows that there is no
need of the fruits of action. Reaping a good harvest is the ultimate aim of every farmer. For that he
sows the seeds and grows the crops. But can he ever reap a harvest without cultivating the field
and just planting the seedlings? He has to plough, water and do several other things and only by
doing so can he get the fruit of his labour: Similarly we have to perform many actions, karmayajña
(kmRy}), before we have reached God-realisation.
tTSvy< yaegs<isÏ> kalenaTmin ivNdit.
tatsvayaÕ yogasaÕsiddha× k˜len˜tmani vindati -- IV-38
(Thus does the Illumined soul, cultivated by karmayoga, get to God in due course.) Since the Gita
says that the one who has attained perfection in karmayoga alone will be worthy of knowledge, it is
absolutely necessary to perform actions.
Thus, with rightful action and janana yajna in the form of þravaõa, manana and dhy˜na, (ïv[, mnn
and Xyan) we achieve the interior cultivation which leads to the direct vision of God. Such a
realisation rids us of all our sins which bind us down to the cycle of birth and death. Wittingly or
unwittingly we commit a host of sins in our daily lives and our heart is soiled by it. The direct vision
of God is the immortal stream that washes away all these sins and purifies us. Even if there is an
unending pile of sins, it can be destroyed by the weapon of jñ˜na (}an). However deep the river may
be, we can cross it with a small boat; however big a firewood pile may be would it ever be laborious
for fire to burn it? Jnana is such a boat which ferries us across an ocean of sins and the fire which
can reduce to ashes a whole pile of sins.
n ih }anen s†z< pivÇimh iv*te,
na hi jñ˜nena sad®þaÕ pavitramiha vidyate -- IV-38
(There is nothing here which is holier than knowledge.)
Is there anything in this world which is holier than jnana? We call pure water holy. The waters of
the Ganges are considered supremely holy. They can only wash away the dirt that sticks to our body
and mind. But even after the holy bath the body and the mind get soiled again. Even after a dip in
the holy Ganges people commit sins and again pollute their minds. But the power of the direct
vision of God is unique. It not only sweeps clean our past sins but also makes us immune from
future sins.
tdixgm %ÄrpUvaR"yaerZle;ivnazaE tdœ£Vypdezat!,
tadadhigama uttarap¨rv˜ghayoraþleÿavin˜þau tad-vyapadeþ˜t
The Brahmasutra (4:1:13), quoted above, states that jnana not only eradicates the past sins but has
the miraculous power of rendering us incapable of any future sins. Jnana plucks out the very root.
The jnani will not be tainted by sin. That is why jnana is the holiest of the holies.

40. The doubter perishes:

To acquire such wisdom we should surrender ourselves to the guru who leads us on the path of
knowledge. By service and inquiry with him we acquire such knowledge. Then by manana (deeper
study) (mnn) and nididhy˜sana (meditation) (inidXyasn) we can hope to reach realisation. For this,
faith and devotion to truth are absolutely necessary. Where there is faith, doubts and defects can
never raise their ugly heads. Faith does not mean blind belief. We could be said to be full of faith
only if there is a congruence between the knowledge acquired through careful pondering with the
deeds that we perform. When Nachiketa sees his father giving away as daana cows which are
famished and useless,
t<h ïÏa==ivvez
taÕha þraddh˜''viveþa -- Katha Upanishad 1:2
(Faith indeed entered him.)
faith enters him. He at once protests against his father's miserly acts. Once true faith or devotion to
truth is awakened, the attitude of revolt against injustice and misdeeds naturally emerges in a man.
A man of faith has no room for blind, superstitious obedience to the elders, Faith is nothing but the
indomitable enthusiasm to work out a correspondence between one's own life and the philosophy
one has acquired.
The Gita has expounded the significance of firmness in faith and knowledge by pointing out that a
man given to doubt and contradiction and who looks upon everything, throughout his life, with
doubt and suspicion can never achieve the supreme knowledge of God. It is necessary to base our
devotion and religious practices on the foundation of faith. We can not get the true fruit if we do our
religious meditation and shape our conduct with a vacillating mind. We spend a lot of effort and
money for a good cause. But if it is devoid of faith, and done with snobbery we cannot reap the full
spiritual benefit. On the contrary, it leads to mere waste of money and effort and mental anguish.
nay< laekae=iSt n prae n suo< s<zyaTmn>.
n˜yaÕ loko'sti na paro na sukhaÕ saÕþay˜tmana× -- IV-40
(For the doubter, there is neither this world, nor the next, nor any happiness whatsoever.)
In the Mahabharata on several occasions Sri Krishna preaches to Dharmaraja, after an analysis of
truth and untruth, that that action which conduces to goodness and beneficial to humanity alone is
truth. Even if you tell a lie to save innocent people from the hands of dacoits it is but truth. Once
some people hid themselves from dacoits who were chasing them. The dacoits asked a Brahmin,
Kaushik, the whereabouts of these people. The Brahmin knew the hiding place and he blurted out
the truth. For this he had to go to hell. In the interest of public welfare and of dharma even if you
tell a lie, it has been sanctioned by Sastras as belonging to the rank of truth. Sri Krishna advises
Dharmaraja to tell a lie in order to kill Drona. Dharmaraja was not fully in favour of this. Neither
was he bold enough to discard the advice of Sri Krishna. So he slowly murmurs: "Ashwathama is
dead" with great difficulty. For betraying a lack of faith in the advice offered by Sri Krishna,
Dharmaraja has to suffer the sight of hell soon after his death.
ncait ivöM- AasIÄv k«:[vaKye,
nac˜ti visrambha ˜sŸttava k®ÿõav˜kye -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
Dharmaraja had to reap the bitter fruit of his action performed with a shaky mind.
One could cite a story in this connection. Kumarila Bhatta, believed in the Vedas and so he was
opposed to the followers of Buddha (who disbelieved in the Vedas). Once, his enemies pushed him
down from the balcony of the first floor. He fell down saying, "If the Vedas are an authority I shall
not die." Fortunately he didn't die but he lost an eye. Kuntatila, no doubt, believed in the Vedas but
there was some grain of doubt in his belief. By saying "If Vedas are an authority," he betrayed his
lack of absolute faith in the Vedas. He did not say: "I believe in the Vedas and so, I am certain, no
harm will come to me." If he had such certainty, nothing would have happened to him. He had to
pay the bitter price of an eye for his infirmness. All good deeds must be backed by unflinching faith.
We should see that the winds of doubt and contradiction do not get released. Actions performed
under any delusion or with half-heartedness do not produce full results. With unflinching devotion
and faith in God all obstacles will be overcome.
r]tITyevivñas> tdIyae=himit Sm&it>,
rakÿatŸtyevaviþv˜sa× tadŸyo'hamiti sm®ti× -- Bhagavata Tatparya
(The faith that He does certainly protect, the sense that I am His.)
By a critical study of the scriptures we must first acquire faith and then find our duties and carry
them out with determination. Arjuna was tormented by doubt and despair and had grown confused
about his duty. It is to rid him of these and give him confidence that the Lord has elaborated on the
destructive efforts of doubt and contradiction. He directs him to perform his rightful duties with
faith, determination and purposefulness, rooting out confusion and delusion.
tSmad}ansM-Ut< ùTSw< }anaisnaTmn>,
iDÅvEn< s<zy< yaegmaitóaeiÄó -art.
tasm˜dajñ˜nasambh¨taÕ h®tsthaÕ jñ˜n˜sin˜tmana×
chittvainaÕ saÕþayaÕ yogam˜tiÿ÷hottiÿ÷ha bh˜rata -- IV-42
(Therefore cut off, with the sword of knowledge, this doubt born of ignorance, take shelter in the
karmayoga and stand up and fight, 0 Bharata.)
That is why the importance of true knowledge is specially described towards the end of the fourth
chapter.
41. Renunciation and Karmayoga:
Sri Krishna has mainly advocated two important principles: controlling one's personal weakness
like desire and anger, and performance of one's duties in a spirit of dedication to God. That is the
substance of the teaching so far. But Arjuna is eager to know which is the better of the two. If
eradicating desire and anger is better, why not practise that alone and escape from the
entanglement of war which is a hotbed of both desire and anger. One and the same person cannot
practise both. Renunciation is prescribed to the mendicant and performance of action is enjoined
on the family man. Arjuna is anxious to know which he should choose between the mutually
conflicting ways of renunciation and karmayoga.
The Lord replies: Renunciation and action are not mutually contradictory but mutually
complementary. The words "sanyasa" and "karmayoga" do not really denote the duties and
responsibilities of the mendicant and the family man: renunciation is nothing but giving up human
weaknesses like desire, hatred and attachment which are embedded in the mind. That is
preliminary to karmayoga. If one does not sow the seeds of holy actions after rooting out desire and
hatred, would not all the work hitherto done, go to waste? Even if you take out the weeds and
prepare the ground but do not farm, the efforts are in vain. The renunciation preached in the Gita is
nothing but an instrument for the cultivation of the heart, by discarding desire and hatred.
}ey> s inTys<NyasI yae n Öeiò n ka']it,
jñeya× sa nityasanny˜sŸ yo na dveÿ÷i na k˜ðakÿati -- V-3
tyaeStu kmRs<NyasaTkmRyaegae iviz:yte.
tayostu karmasanny˜s˜tkarmayogo viþiÿyate -- V-2
He is a true sanyasi who treats pleasure and pain alike and who is not influenced either by affection
or aversion. The ochre dress and monastic staff do not make a sanyasi. All can strive to cultivate an
attitude of renunciation even in the thick of family life or society. We should not regard the
eradication of the weakness of the mind or heart alone can reach us to the goal. We need also to
bear in mind that this is only preliminary to the final divine pursuit. In fact the renunciation spoken
of here is good only for cleansing the heart and there is a total development only if we continue to
do our duties in a spirit of dedication to God. Thus as sanyasa and karmayoga are mutually
complementary, one should not be content with merely discarding feelings like desire, etc.; we
should bring fullness to our effort by performing actions in a spirit of dedication. In the stanza
tyaeStu kmRs<NyasaTkmRyaegae iviz:yte.
tayostu karmasanny˜s˜tkarmayogo viþiÿyate -- V-2
there is greater importance given to karmayoga than sanyasa. By failing to grasp the full
significance of these two words, 'renunciation' and 'action', many commentators have become
victims of confusion. They have tried to explain the statement in a complicated way. Their problem
was: If jnana is superior to action, and if jnanayoga is attained by performing desireless action and
if jnanayoga is synonymous with sanyasa, then sanyasa should be superior to karmayoga. How then
could karmayoga be superior to sanyasa? Karma sanyasa (renunciation of action) does not mean the
stage of knowledge which surpasses karmayoga; nor does it mean the path, where knowledge is
predominant, followed by the great rishis like Sanaka. In neither is there any scope for renunciation
of action. In fact till the final release there is need for right action. Thus, at any stage, there is no
room for abandoning action. What has been emphasised here is the abandonment of attachment
and hatred as a prelude to rightful action. Karmayoga is superior to the act of renunciation of
attachment and desire, which but forms a background for the karmayoga; there is no scope for any
confusion when we understand that our efforts should not merely end at the achievement of
renunciation of attachment but continue till the ultimate consummation. Sri Madhvacharya thus
does not allow any room for complication and has explained the simple meaning and the real import
of the Gita.
Sri Sankaracharya argues: "Renunciation is abandonment of all action. Abandonment of action and
performance of action however desireless it may be (as in karmayoga) are both contradictory. Both
can never coexist. As soon as true knowledge is acquired, the illusory world dissolves away and a
jnani does not have any world of action. Where then is the scope for such a man to perform any
action in this world? Thus, for the jnani, there is scope only for the renunciation of action and
karmayoga has no relevance for him; there is no sense, as far as he is concerned, in calling
karmayoga superior to renunciation. We can choose between the two only if we are given the choice
and call one superior and the other inferior. When for a jnani there is no relevance of action, it is
not proper to tell him that karmayoga is better than renunciation. Hence the reference here must
be to the person who has not yet acquired true knowledge. For him action should be better than
renunciation, says the Gita."
Sri Sankaracharya, one is afraid, has attempted to twist the Gita to serve his own point of view.
When the teaching of the Gita is applicable to all persons, it is wrong to restrict it to the ignorant
alone. As there is no irrelevance of karmayoga to the jnanis so also there is no relevance of
renunciation of action for the jnanis and no renunciation for the ajnanis. All action is to be
performed by the ajnanis only and all renunciation is to be practised by jnanis only, and hence the
question as to which is better, action or renunciation, does not arise at all and the stanza in the Gita
appears to be redundant. Therefore the simple and straightforward meaning explained by Sri
Madhvacharya is more appropriate. Renunciation and performance of action are not contradictory
terms; both can coexist and should be practised by one and the same person. Renunciation does not
mean abandonment of action. Abandonment of desire is the essence of renunciation as seen from
the following quotations.
}ey> s inTys<NyasI yae n Öeiò n ka']it,
jñeya× sa nityasanny˜sŸ yo na dveÿ÷i na k˜ðakÿati -- V-3
kaMyana< kmR[a< Nyas< s<Nyas< kvyae ivÊ>,
k˜my˜n˜Õ karmaõ˜Õ ny˜saÕ sanny˜saÕ kavayo vidu× -- XVIII-2
(Those who know understand that renunciation is the abandonment of desire-prompted actions.)
Also, in the sixth chapter it has been clearly explained that renunciation and action can coexist.
s s<NyasI c yaegI c ... ... ... ,
sa sanny˜sŸ ca yogŸ ca ... ... ... -- VI-1
(He himself is the sanyasi and the karmayogi.)
In the light of this explanation, it becomes clear that abandonment of desire and performance of
action in a spirit of dedicated service are the prerequisites for the attainment of true knowledge. In
fact the two together constitute the karmayoga. Since the abandonment of attachment forms the
first half and dedication to God, the latter half, and the harmonisation of the two alone makes for an
integral karmayoga, the question as to which is better does not arise at all. For a house both the
foundation and the superstructure are necessary and the house is not complete if either is missing.
s<yasStu mhabahae Ê>omaPtumyaegt>,
saÕy˜sastu mah˜b˜ho du×kham˜ptumayogata× -- V-6
(It is very difficult to achieve renunciation, Oh, the brave one, without karmayoga.)
Renunciation of desire and anger is a very difficult exercise like erecting the pillars of a bridge.
Performance of action thereafter is like putting the bridge on these pillars. If rightful action is not
continued after renunciation, it will be as futile as erecting the pillars without constructing the
bridge. Mere renunciation without action is like a barren garden without trees and plants. Hence
out of the two the latter part namely the dedication of action has been considered as more
important than renunciation. Mere renunciation without action is like a body without head and it is
not only incomplete but a source of misery.

42. Knowledge and Action are not contrary:

Here a question arises how renunciation of attachment and anger, and performance of action could
coexist and form one composite spiritual exercise. One supports knowledge, and the other, opposes
it. Renunciation of worldly desire leads to true knowledge. So long as there is attachment to worldly
desire in a person, all attempts to preach him divine knowledge are useless. It is like trying to set
fire to wet fuel. Therefore renunciation of worldly desire is the first stage in the spiritual exercise of
acquiring true knowledge. But in our religious literature such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavata
we find statements that performance of action is harmful to the acquisition of true knowledge.
People engaged in the performance of yajnas are ridiculed as 'Agnimugdha' (fondly attached to the
yajna), 'Dhumatanta' (afflicted by the smoke of the yajna) and 'Dhumaratmas' (with the conscious
covered by smoke from the yajnas). If that is so, how can action be Superior to renunciation? This
has been explained in the Gita:
s<OyyaegaE p&wGbala> àvdiNt n pi{fta>,
saðkhyayogau p®thagb˜l˜× pravadanti na paõýit˜× -- V-4
(The ignorant (bala>), and not those who know, alone say that the path of knowledge is different
from the path of action.)
What has been ridiculed by the Bhagavata and the Upanishads is not the desireless action preached
by the Gita but only the desire-prompted action which is performed by the people. The Gita also
condemns such desire-prompted action. Desireless action preached by the Gita is the highest type
of Bhagavata Dharma and cannot but lead to spiritual knowledge. It purifies the mind and kindles
spiritual knowledge and leads us to the supreme and final liberation. Hence there is no impropriety
in putting renunciation and desireless action together. Some hold that sanyasis are jnanayogis and
they need not perform any action; similarly, householders are karmayogis and they have no right to
practise sankhya or jnanayoga. But they are mistaken. The two cannot be separated into mutually
exclusive compartments:
@k< sa<Oy< c yaeg< c y> pZyit s pZyit.
ekaÕ s˜ðkhyaÕ ca yogaÕ ca ya× paþyati sa paþyati -- V-5
(One who sees jnanayoga and karmayoga as identical alone sees rightly.)
In a spiritual aspirant both knowledge and action coexist. But there may be a difference in
proportion only, in which these two ingredients are combined. In a jnanayogi there is
preponderance of jnana, and in the karma-yogi there is a preponderance of karma. Both are
essential for attaining liberation. Spiritual knowledge and desireless action both have the same
goal:
@kmPyaiSwt> sMygu-yaeivRNdte )lm!,
ekamapy˜sthita× samyagubhayorvindate phalam -- V-4
(If one is settled in either way gets the fruit of both.)
Even if one has to devote oneself entirely to one path, one has to achieve the final fruit through a
synthesis of both. Thus, in all spiritual exercises both renunciation and desireless action are
essential and inseparable constituents.

43. The Non-attachment of a Karmayogi:

The karmayogi no doubt carries on his usual worldly activities like all others but with this
distinction that he has renounced attachment and anger and none of his actions is prompted by any
desire. In addition, he does all these actions as a service dedicated to God. At no moment of action
does he presume to think that he is the doer. He is aware every moment that he is only an
instrument in the hands of God and all his actions are governed by God's will.
His life is permeated by this attitude even while he is engaged in the day-to-day activities. Hence,
even while he is entangled in family affairs he is said to be detached. Since there is in him the
purity of intention and philosophic attitude, he is not contaminated by even an iota of sin caused by
the worldly activities:
pÒpÇimvaM-sa
padmapatramiv˜mbhas˜ -- V-10
(He is untainted by sin like the lotus leaf by water.)
Even when the lotus is in the very midst of ample water and is seeded and grown in water itself, its
leaf is not wetted by water. When dipped in water, a piece of cloth becomes wet and the wetness
spreads throughout; even if you dip a lotus leaf into water, not a drop sticks to it. This great secret
is hidden in desireless action. One can participate in the affairs of the world without being tainted
by sin.
There was a king who was a karmayogi. A friend visited him and out of curiosity asked him how he
was called a karmayogi in the midst of all temptations and worldly pleasures. The king replied: "I
shall tell you the secret leisurely. Meanwhile you please go round my palace, see every nook and
corner and have a look at all my art treasures. The place is dark. You take a wick lamp in your hand
but be careful that the light is not put out." The friend did likewise, and on his return the king
enquired of him as to what he saw and how the works of art were. The friend replied: "Oh king,
because you asked me to take care of the light, all my attention was concentrated on that alone.
Since all my mind was focused on the light only, even if I saw the palace, I have as good as not seen
it at all." The king replied: "Oh friend, this is the secret of my life. Even though I am immersed in
the worldly pleasures and daily politics, I take care to see that the spiritual light within me is not
put out. My attention is always riveted on the inner light. So even if I perform all my daily duties I
remain as if I have not done anything. This detachment and this interior spiritual alertness is at the
basis of my success in life." The karmayogi's life is vividly illustrated by this tiny and effective story.

44. A jnani is not averse to the world:

svRkmaRi[ mnsa sÛySyaSte suo< vzI,
sarvakarm˜õi manas˜ sannyasy˜ste sukhaÕ vaþŸ -- V-13
(The self-controlled yogi is always happy dedicating all actions to God.)
Some are of the opinion that a jnanayogi has no truck with action. They say "karmayoga is but an
aspirant's preparatory phase while jnanayoga is, the ultimate one; both cannot be in him
simultaneously. His action, its relation to the fruit of action and the world which is a ground of
either are all illusory. As the delusive romance of the kingdom of dream vanishes in a second from a
person who has woken up from sleep, so also to the one who has attained jnana this world is but a
dream. In dim light a traveler might mistake a rope for a snake but the moment he realises that it is
a rope and not a snake, he will not see the snake again. Similarly the world appears to be what it is
because of Maya and when true wisdom dawns, the Maya or the illusory world disappears. How
then could he perform any actions?" From this, it follows that yajnas are meant for only those who
are struggling in ignorance. The one who has attained the knowledge of Brahma has the sanction
only for knowledge and renunciation of action. He performs only those actions which are necessary
to keep his body and soul together. All other actions, social and religious, are a taboo to him,
according to Sankaracharya and his followers.
svRkmaRi[ mnsa sÛySyaSte suo< vzI,
sarvakarm˜õi manas˜ sannyasy˜ste sukhaÕ vaþŸ -- V-13
(The self-controlled man is in bliss by dedicating all his actions to God.)
n kt&RTv< n kmaRi[
na kart®tvaÕ na karm˜õi -- V-14
(No doership and no doing.)
nEv k…vRÚ karyn!,
naiva kurvanna k˜rayan -- V-13
(Not doing and getting done.)
zarIr< kevl< kmR
þ˜rŸraÕ kevalaÕ karma -- IV-21
(Actions merely by the body.)
They quote the above stanzas in support of their thesis. But when we examine these slokas it
becomes clear to us that renunciation of action is not what is preached by the Gita. What is
preached is only the 'mental renunciation and not the physical renunciation of actual action.' The
real import of the statement sarvakarm˜õi manas˜ sannyasya (svRkmaRi[ mnsa sÛySy) is that we
should not have in our mind a desire for the fruits of action, and there should not be any
assumption in our mind of any utterly free and independent action. The word is very significant.
pZyÁz&{vNSp&ziÁjºÚZnNgCDNSvpNñsn!.
paþyañ-þ®õvan-sp®þañ-jighrann-aþnan-gacchan-svapan-þvasan -- V-8
àlpiNvs&jNg&ŸÚuiNm;iÚim;Úip,
pralapan-vis®jan-g®hõann-unmiÿan-nimiÿann-api -- V-9
(The karmayogi who knows God never thinks that he is independently doing anything even while he
is seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, breathing, sleeping, crying, leaving, talking,
functioning with his breath etc.)
It lays down the performance of actions for the jnani. Since he does all his actions in a spirit of
dedication to God and with an unfailing sense of His supremely independent power of action, it is
clear that the Gita does not propose the rejection of bodily action. The 'mental giving up of action'
only means 'the abandoning of egoism and the desire for fruit.' Giving up desire-prompted actions is
true renunciation; giving up worldly rewards is true sacrifice, and this is explained in the
eighteenth chapter of the Gita. If this world does not exist for a true jnani, how can he engage
himself in day-to-day activities essential to keep himself alive? Even his body and articles of food
should disappear with the world. So we have to presume that foodstuff alone is real in so far as it
keeps him alive where as the rest of the world is illusory. This is absurd. Besides it is meaningless
to restrict his activities only to the daily round of routine. It is nothing but debasing the jnani if we
set aside the vast and excellent duties like uplifting the world and self-enrichment and restrict his
activities to the necessitous activity of filling his belly. To say that a Brahmajnani, with all nobility
and infinite capacity, sees only his body and its activities in the world and the rest of the world as
non-existent, is an absurd statement. By saying that a Brahmajnani does not see the world because
it is illusory, one is cutting off the very link between the world and the realm of spirit. But we have
seen that many saints who had a vision of God have appeared in this world from time to time and
have shown us the path of God. If the world does not exist for a jnani, how can he preach religion.
Saints and the messiahs are the link between God and man. If we deny their existence on this earth,
then our scriptures which contain the sacred thoughts of Rishis must be considered as but the
babble of the ignorant. The Gita preaches unequivocally that both the jnanis and ajnanis have to
perform duties relevant to their status and position in life.
äü{yaxay kmaRi[ s¼< TyKTva kraeit y>,
brahmaõy˜dh˜ya karm˜õi saðgaÕ tyaktv˜ karoti ya× -- V-10
(One who performs actions with detachment and dedicating them to the Lord.)
The above stanza states that we should realise that jnanis perform action but they do it without any
attachment and as a dedication to God, and we too should try to follow in their footsteps.

45. The Jnani's Identical Vision:

The jnanis who are able to see the hand of God behind every activity of the world are capable of
experiencing divine joy even in the perception of the things of the world. They see God in each and
every object and hence their contact with the world. They can see the divine principle underlying
the learned and cultured as well as the uncultured and the wicked alike. Even if this world is full of
internal difference and diversity the indwelling and controlling power that is full of God, is one and
the same. He who sees this principle in his everyday life, is not disturbed by the sight of the ups
and downs, chaos and order in the external world. The yogi who sees the blissful and sentient God
and the marvelous sport of His power everywhere experience joy in every object of the world. When
Sri Madhvacharya was leaving his house to embrace sanyasa, he bowed to all the trees and fields
and the relatives around wondered at the strange behaviour and asked him about it. He asked them
back how he could desist from bowing down to the beloved object he saw everywhere. Thus the
jnanis who see His auspicious presence everywhere and experience endless bliss every moment are
not scared by the world which is terrible, disgusting and ridden with contraries.
The spirit of God flows through all objects in this world. Just as even when electricity flows alike
everywhere the light emitted by each bulb depends upon its candle power so also the selfsame God
manifests Himself differently according to the medium, the intrinsic worthiness of the objects or
persons. The spark of divinity in the wicked is not normally seen by the ordinary people as it gets
covered by their cruelty and egoism; but a jnani has the great privilege of seeing the oneness of
God in both good and bad persons alike. Even if God permeates alike in all, the division into the
good and the wicked is based on the individual nature and fundamental inclinations. Just because
God happens to be in both the good and the bad we cannot say that they are similar and travesty
the meaning of the word 'similar' or 'same.'
pi{fta> smdizRn>
paõýit˜× samadarþina× -- V-18
(The jnanis perceive sameness.)
There have been attempts to twist the above statement. If every person gets honour and
recognition in society according to the services rendered by him, then the society will develop along
healthy lines. No one desires the 'equality' that treats good and evil forces alike. Only when the
learned and the ignorant, the dynamic and the lazy, the good and the evil, each is given honour and
recognition in society according to his merit, it can be real equality. If children and adults are given
food in the same quantity, it is not equality. Real impartiality lies in differentiating individuals
according to their wisdom, character and nobility. If we pay wages to workers according to their
skill and industry none can charge us with partiality. If both a clever student and an idiot get the
same percentage of marks in the examination, it can really be described as partiality and
discrimination. Even in the political field there will be utter chaos in law and order if no sifting is
made between the good and the wicked, We should. interpret the word 'equality' taking all these
into consideration. The spark of divinity runs, no doubt, through all, the good and the bad. Even
though the same electricity flows through all the machines, their performance depends upon the
nature and shape of the machine. Similarly the distinctions in this world, based on the peculiarities
of each individual, are inevitable. Even God who is immanent in all objects does not alter the
activities which arise out of their inherent nature.
Sv-avStu àvtRte
svabh˜vastu pravartate -- V-14
(Move according to nature - God alone acts independently.)
Since for all activities in this world both God as well as the individual nature of the object are
responsible, we cannot complain against the individual peculiarities of behaviour in a world created
by the impartial God.
tÇtÇiSwtaeiv:[u StÄCDKtI> àvaexyn!,
tatratatrasthitoviÿõu stattacchaktŸ× pravodhayan -- Sutra Bhashya
(Subsisting in each object Vishnu stimulates the powers of each.)
God's plan is only to activate whatever capacity lies latent within each object according to its
nature. With the same care, manuring and watering, if different seeds of the same fruit give rise to
fruits of different tastes, can we hold the gardener responsible for it? Similarly, in this world we
observe diverse objects with diverse natures and all these arise because of the inherent difference
in their natures. We cannot blame God for the diversity of things.
nadÄe kSyicTpap< n cEv suk«t< iv-u>,
n˜datte kasyacitp˜paÕ na caiva suk®taÕ vibhu× -- V-15
(The Lord is not tainted by merit or demerit.)
Since the omniscient and omnipresent almighty God activates the world according to a certain
principle he cannot be charged with partiality. He is also not touched by the results arising out of
their good and evil deeds. The results of these good and evil deeds do not affect in the least the
purity and the greatness of the God within. Even though divinity may be manifest in diverse ways
depending upon the individual nature of the object, God is not in the least affected by being in
contact with these objects. Hence the Upanishads describe Him as As<g (asaðga).
iv;me:vipjIve;u smaeiv:[u> sdEvtu,
viÿameÿvapijŸveÿu samoviÿõu× sadaivatu -- Gita Tatparya
(Vishnu is the selfsame within the diversity of beings.)
In this diverse world of animate and inanimate objects there runs one transcendent Spirit which is
immutable and changeless and which is all-powerful and full of auspicious qualities. That Spirit is
called God or Parabrahma. He who realises this immutable supreme principle enjoys incomparable
bliss. This happiness, acquired by overcoming the cycle of birth and death, is unlimited and
irreducible.

46. Excellence of Spiritual Happiness:

The divine joy that we get from self-realisation is greater and purer than any other we may get from
other things in the life. The joy we get from the renunciation of sensuous things is far greater than
the scanty joy we derive from the enjoyment of the things of the world. The taste of the joy derived
from renunciation is sweeter than that we get from enjoyment. We no doubt derive pleasure by
enjoying things which belong to us. It is the usual material joy which ordinary beings get. The joy
that one gets from robbing other's of their things is diabolic or tamasic. But the joy which we get by
suppressing our desires and giving our favourite things to others is the most sophisticated pure joy.
Sri Madhvacharya says that we experience the original dynamic bliss itself in the bliss of
renunciation.
But even if such a bliss is enjoyed by renunciation of sensuous joys and subtle desires, it can be
stabilised in us only if it is accompanied by a deep devotion to God. Even if we may get pure joy by
renunciation, we get a steady and endless joy only by the habit of concentrating our mind in the
practice of meditation (Xyanyaeg).
There is a gulf of difference between worldly happiness and spiritual happiness. The former
generates selfishness and attachment; the mind craves for it and soon gets fed up with it. It may
give momentary happiness as by scratching an ulcer; but ultimately it leads to misery. Likewise, the
enjoyment of sensuous delights, despite its apparent or immediate happiness, finally leads to
wretchedness.
k{fªynenkryaeirv Ê>o Ê>om!,
kaõý¨yanenakarayoriva du×kha du×kham -- Bhagavata
(It is wretched like the scratching of an inflammation.)
The spiritual happiness is quite different. To achieve it one has to go through a very difficult
exercise of renunciation and meditation but the happiness and contentment are incomparable.
Before this bliss all worldly enjoyments are contemptible and artificial. Our life's main aim should
be to make efforts to attain the spiritual perfection by which we reach, though beginning in toil and
reluctance, ultimately the experience of fullness.
baýSpzeR:vsKtaTma ivNdTyaTmin yTsuom!,
s äüyaegyuKtaTma suom]ymZnute.
b˜hyasparþeÿvasakt˜tm˜ vindaty˜tmani yatsukham
sa brahmayogayukt˜tm˜ sukhamakÿayamaþnute -- V-21
(The yogi who is not engaged in the objects of the senses and seeks joy within himself, enjoys
imperishable bliss, united to God through dhyana.)
ye ih s<SpzRja -aega Ê>oyaeny @v te,
ye hi saÕsparþaj˜ bhog˜ du×khayonaya eva te -- V-22
(The pleasures of the sense arc only originative of misery.)
Thus in this fifth chapter of the Gita it is preached that man should attain spiritual happiness by
imbibing renunciation and karmayoga and following the path of meditation.
47. From Karmayoga to Dhyanayoga:
For self-realisation there are two chief means. One is through action and the other through
meditation. The science of action has been explained at length so far. In this sixth chapter the
science of meditation is expounded.
Only after having practised karmayoga, the constituents of which are renunciation of desire and
right action, and become a yogi and a sanyasi should a person take to the practice of meditation
(dhy˜nayoga Xyanyaeg). Our pursuit is complete only when we have achieved a state of steadiness
through karmayoga and then the direct vision of God. Karmayoga is the chief instrument for the
purification of the heart which is necessary for dhyanayoga, prior to God-realisation. Without
practising desireless action and acquiring purity of heart we cannot jump at once to meditation. We
should go step by step. If we try to jump across too many steps in one leap we may trip and fall.
That is why every aspirant should try to inculcate karma-yoga which is preparatory to meditation
and realisation. The spiritual attitude which neglects service and duty is least helpful to our
progress.

48. Social Service Is Indispensable for a Karmayogi:

We are under the impression that performance of daily ritual and prayer and other obligations
according to the varNaashramadharma are the only duties enjoined on an aspirant. Besides the
duties like the study of scriptures and others enjoined specially on each caste (varõa v[R), there is
another duty that is required to be performed by one and all, irrespective of the caste (varõa v[R) to
which one belongs. That is social service. One of the important duties to be performed by an
aspirant is the service of humanity in several ways. Our heart should be moved by the sorry sight of
hunger, misery and sickness, wherever they may exist. God is within everyone of us and if we
perform social service unselfishly remembering the indwelling God, He will be pleased.
tSy àaPyupkare[ àItae -vit kezv>,
tasya pr˜pyupak˜reõa prŸto bhavati keþava× -- Gita Tatparya
(The Lord Keshav is pleased by the good he does to living beings.)
An aspirant should carry on this social service side by side with his devotion and prayers till his
enlightenment. Performance of social service is not optional but mandatory. This duty is as
inescapable in our spiritual life as payment of taxes in our mundane life. This is the tax we pay to
the Almighty. One who evades taxes is not a worthy citizen. So also, if we evade social service to the
poor and the sick we shall be avoiding the payment of the taxes to the Supreme Lord of this world.
Could we ever hope to be the worthy citizens of this creation if we do not serve the One Lord by
serving the needy and the poor?
nana jnSy zuïU;a ktRVyakrviTmte>,
n˜n˜ janasya þuþr¨ÿ˜ kartavy˜karavatmite× -- Gita Tatparya
(We should serve all, as an obligation like the payment of taxes.)
Sri Madhvacharya has pointed out in the above sloka of the Gita Tatparya the indispensability of
social service and the holy significance behind it. This is the statement of an ideal favourite with
me. There are many people who perform meticulously the duties prescribed for them by their caste
but they are completely indifferent to their social obligations. They think that taking part in social
activities only diverts one's attention from God and that an aspirant should not waste his time in
such things but spend his whole time in prayers and meditation. They have restricted the message
of karma by limiting it to the professions passed on to them from the caste system and the activities
of telling the beads and other daily rituals. According to Sri Madhvacharya the Gita emphasises
that individual prayers and meditation should be performed side by side with service to humanity.
Vedanta does not teach us to turn our face away from society; on the other hand, we should realise
how it lays down a constructive programme which, if performed in the true spirit, paves the way to
individual as well as social advancement.
There are two categories of people in the world. To the first category belong the people who spend
all their time in prayer and meditation and do not care for society. To the other category belong
people who are fully engaged in social welfare activities but have no time for God at all. The lives of
both these types of people are incomplete and imperfect. Prayer without social service does not
make for true religiousness while social service without a prayerful attitude is not service in the
true sense of the term. Both are aspects of one and the same thing. Both are in fact complementary
like two faces of a coin. If we do not realise this we shall be like the proverbial blind men who touch
only the tail of the elephant and say that the whole elephant is like a rope. Religious leaders should
realise the importance of social service and social workers should perform their duties selflessly in
a prayerful attitude as a dedication to God.
Once upon a time a group of Sadhu pilgrims were returning from Benaras and as usual they were
carrying the holy Ganga water with them. They were supposed to carry the holy water to
Rameshwaram and pour it there. On their way they had to pass through the Rajasthan desert and
there they found one thirsty camel on the verge of death. The Sadhus no doubt felt compassion and
pity for the dying animal but the thought they were helpless as they had to carry their holy water to
Rameshwaram. But one of them thoughtfully poured the holy water he was carrying into its mouth
and saved its life when the others objected to his wasting the holy water meant to be poured at
Rameshwaram. But the Sadhu replied that he saw God in this camel and the pouring of the water
into this camel's mouth and saving its life was the greatest worship of God. God is not far away
from us. He is in side each and every creature ready to receive our offering. Prahlada has preached
in the Bhagavata that a special kind of worship lies in identifying Him inside all the fellow-beings
and serving Him through them.
We should not forget God when we are engaged in social service either. There is a goal behind
everyone of our activities. This goal should be the worship of God who is immanent in all the
creatures. If this goal is not there, then various worldly and selfish motives find their way and goad
us to do social service either for fame or prestige and make our service artificial. All activities
which are not performed as a dedication to God yield only temporary results, however seemingly
beneficial they may be to society.
%ÏredaTmnaTman<
uddhared˜tman˜tm˜naÕ -- VI-5
(One should try to redeem oneself by oneself (or by the grace of God).)
According to the Gita only he who is engaged in karmayoga or selfless action is eligible for
dhyanayoga or meditation. Meditation leads to God-perception and that in turn leads to liberation.
Thus the key to our salvation is in our own hands.
The soul is our precious possession and it is our primary duty to take it out of the cycle of birth and
death which is full of misery, and make it enjoy eternal happiness. This must be achieved by our
own efforts of the mind.
mnyev mnu:ya[a< kar[< b<xmae]yae>,
manayeva manuÿy˜õ˜Õ k˜raõaÕ bandhamokÿayo×
(Man's mind alone is the cause of his bondage or release.)
Our mind is the instrument of our rise or fall; it can be our dearest friend or foe. With one and the
same key we can either lock the box or open it. Similarly the mind can lead either to bondage or to
liberation. If the key to our salvation is in our own hands, then why can't we work for it with all
enthusiasm. But the mind is like a huge elephant. If it is properly trained it can work wonders; if it
is untrained it can easily crush us. If we have control over our mind, it is our greatest asset. But an
untrained and uncontrolled mind can become our greatest enemy and throw us into the whirlpool of
life. We must be very careful in this respect.
Our friend and foe are both within us. Thinking that our enemies are outside, we unnecessarily look
at them with hatred and jealousy. Once upon a time a selfish devotee prayed to God: "Oh God, let
your arrows shower on my enemies." Immediately he found these arrows piercing him all round. He
got perplexed and asked God again; "Oh God, I only asked that your arrows be showered on my
enemies and not on me. Please do not miss your target." God said: "My aim is correct. Your greatest
enemy is within yourself. In answer to your prayers I am destroying your enemy. This parable shows
that our enemy is within us and we should conquer it first before we can think of turning our hatred
towards others around us and thus waste our energy. Our primary duty therefore is to control our
mind and work for spiritual advancement.
To achieve liberation through meditation, mere control of mind is not sufficient. God's grace is also
necessary. If we pray to God with great devotion and perform our prescribed duties, the act
bestows on us the strength of mind necessary for concentration and meditation. Without His grace
we can achieve neither meditation nor realisation.
ymevE; v&[ute ten l_y>,
yamevaiÿa v®õute tena labhya× -- Kathopanishad 2:23
(We can realise God only if He chooses us.)
If God is pleased by our devotion and righteous actions He gives us liberation. On the other hand if
we displease Him by our unrighteous action and unsocial behaviour, He will punish us. Therefore to
please God we should lead a disciplined life, following the rules and regulations laid down by Him.
Such a life is necessary for the progress of the soul. A deep-rooted persistence in duty, control of
mind and God's grace, with these three we should start treading the path of dhyanayoga.

49. The Theory and Practice of Meditation:

Selecting a secluded place conducive to the cheerfulness of mind and fixing a suitable seat made of
dried grass, deerskin and cloth and sitting on it with the body erect, controlling the senses and
fixing the vision on the tip of the nose, one should begin meditation by focusing the mind on God.
The mind begins to waver if the body is unstable. Proper attention should be given to physical
fitness as an aid to meditation. Severe austerities, detrimental to yoga and tortuous to the body
should be avoided. Overeating is not good; nor should one get feeble by under-eating. A futile
abstinence from sleep or oversleeping is also injurious to the practice of yoga. A right measure of
food, sleep or recreation and disciplined life leads to a state of the body, which is helpful to yoga. It
is the contact of the senses with the worldly pleasures that makes the mind flicker like a flame
exposed to wind. The mind of a yogi freed from sense-desires is like a steady flame in still air. A yogi
does not perceive anything except God. The yogi who meditates on God alone with an inflexible
mind, gets the highest ecstasy, which is only to be experienced and is beyond the sensuous. He does
not get anywhere in the world a joy which surpasses this ecstasy. If the joy of renunciation is
greater than the joy of enjoyment of worldly pleasures, the bliss of yoga lends to it the beauty of
fullness and is the pinnacle of bliss.

Our mind is like a pot with a number of holes from which all water leaks out without our knowing.
All worthy thoughts flash for a while in the mind but vanish immediately. But a yogi plugs these
holes and fills his mind with the nectar of God-knowledge. He also sees that nothing leaks out of it.
ytae ytae inírit mníÁclmiSwrm!,
ttSttae inyMyEtdaTmNyev vz< nyet!.
yato yato niþcarati manaþcañcalamasthiram
tatastato niyamyaitad˜tmanyeva vaþaÕ nayet -- VI-26
(Wherever the fickle mind wanders uncertainly, there only should it be checked and led to the
pursuit of God.)
By constant and vigilant practice, he is able to fix the image of God in his mind. By uninterrupted
meditation alone gradually he achieves a direct vision of God. This direct perception is the most
invaluable reward of this life. He sees everything in God and God in everything. God supports
everything in this universe. God as a foundation pervades everything from outside and dwells with
in everything, controlling and animating.
tdNtrSy svRSy tÊ svRSyaSy baýt>.
tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasy˜sya b˜hyata× -- Isa 5
(He sports within everything, He rules everything from outside.)
A yogi established in meditation sees nothing but God, both inside and outside everything in this
universe. He swims like fish in the immortal sea of Godliness.
yae ma< pZyit svRÇ sv¡ c miy pZyit,
yo m˜Õ paþyati sarvatra sarvaÕ ca mayi paþyati -- VI-30
(He who sees Me everywhere and everything within Me.)
To rejoice in the realisation of God as the support and the indwelling principle of this world is the
ultimate stage of devotion, and dhyanayoga is the chief means of attaining this stage.
What we see during meditation is not the real God. Under the guidance of the guru, we acquire a
clear knowledge of God. At the time of meditation we see the picture of God we develop with the
pigments of that knowledge. But we should not think that this image which is the creation of our
mind is the real God, whose nature is but bliss and knowledge. As the stone idol is but an image of
God and not God Himself, so also should we think that the picture of God which looms on the mind
during meditation is only an image. We should contemplate on the real form of God which is other
than the image and is of absolute knowledge.
ned< yiddmupaste
nedaÕ yadidamup˜sate -- Talavakara Upanishad
(Not this (image) which he worships.)
The picture in our mind during meditation is not God. So we do not see God during meditation. In
such a state we perceive the mind-created image but remember God as pure consciousness and
bliss also. Only when a yogi has reached this height of meditation, does he see God face to face,
who is of the essence of pure consciousness and bliss. Dhyana is but the ultimate reach of 'indirect'
(parokÿa prae]) knowledge and he experiences a peculiar and extraordinary bliss in the
concentrated act of unbroken contemplation. He will have the great reward of the direct vision
(aparokÿa jñ˜na Aprae] }an) of the excellent person of God Himself. The great fruit of dhyana is but
the direct vision of God.
During meditation he should be aware of nothing but God. Meditation, thus, is nothing but pure and
intense concentration of mind on God. Once the master-archer Dronacharya asked his disciples to
shoot the eye of a dummy pigeon fixed on a branch of a distant tree. He asked each one of his
pupils what he saw in front of him.
Almost all of them described the forest, tree, the branches and the whole pigeon. But Arjuna alone
is said to have told that he saw nothing but the eye of the pigeon which was his target. During
meditation, we should cultivate such intense concentration. In meditation, he who can keep the
image of God in his mind's eye, and hold it there and concentrate on it alone succeeds, like the
archer who never wavered his gaze from the target. When we sit in meditation, the image of God in
the mind's eye flickers and even disappears, even as from one who intends to paint Ganapati but
ends up by painting a monkey. During meditation, instead of God, perverted and distorted figures
dance on the mind's stage. We should achieve such concentration of mind as to enthrone none but
God in our heart.
à[vaexnu> zraeýaTma äütLlúymuCyte,
AàmÄenveÏVy< zrvÄNmyae -vet!.
praõavodhanu× þarohy˜tm˜ brahmatallakÿyamucyate
apramattenaveddhavyaÕ þaravattanmayo bhavet -- Atharvana Upanishad
(Pranava (Om) is the bow; the soul is the arrow; Brahman is the target. One should strike it with
undeviated attention; be steeped in Brahman like the arrow in the target.)
Our mind is like an arrow and we should shoot it straight towards God. Without the bow, the arrow
cannot reach its target; it will drop off halfway. With the help of the bow alone it acquires speed.
Similarly the mind gets its speed from the study of the Vedas. The Vedas are the bow. Enriched by
such a study the mind dissociated from everything else, should dart straight towards God without
any distraction or deviation.

50. The Path of Meditation is difficult but harmless.

The practice of meditation in daily life, as explained in the Gita and the Upanishads, is not easy. The
mind is a veritable monkey; it is difficult to concentrate it for long on any object just as it is difficult
to keep compressed air in open space. Try as much as we can, we find it hard to focus the mind on
God for long. This fickleness of mind has utterly enfeebled us for the practice of dhyanayoga. This is
the ancient problem which has been teasing us. Arjuna poses this problem before God on behalf of
all mankind.
cÁcl< ih mn> k«:[ àmaiw blvdœ †Fm!,
cañcalaÕ hi mana× k®ÿõa pram˜thi balavad d®ýham -- VI-34
(The mind indeed is fickle, provocative of the body and the senses and prone to evil thoughts.)
Sri Krishna gives two ways to face this mischief. One is constant practice and the other is non-
attachment to worldly desires. The mind is full of foul desires and there is no place for God in it.
First of all, as a preliminary step, we must cleanse the mind of all such desires and make the place
clean and fit for God to come in. As long as the love for the objects of sense remains, the love of
God cannot dawn. Even if we try to remember God, we easily forget Him. On the other hand,
however much we may try to oust the thoughts of worldly pleasures from our mind, they keep on
knocking at the door. The love of things has struck deep roots in us. It is difficult to uproot the
desires from our mind. The constant pressure of worldly desires and lack of love of God, are the
main reasons for our utter failure in the practice of meditation. We are more fond of our wife and
children, our house and mansion than of God. How can we concentrate the mind on God unless we
love Him intensely? In our day-to-day life and even in our dream we think of our dear and near
ones. Why can't we think of God even for a few moments? The springs of devotion have dried up in
our hearts. We have no real devotion, we only make a show of it. Once a certain lady was absorbed
in the thought of her husband and was rushing towards him. On the way she failed to notice the
king sitting in meditation of God and tripped over him. The king flew into a rage and called for her
to question her. She smilingly replied: "Oh King, I was absorbed in the thought of my husband who
is a mere mortal and I was not aware of your presence and I did not even notice that I tripped over
you. But you were absorbed in the meditation of Almighty God. How then could you know that I
tripped over you? Is not your love for God at least as much as my love for my husband?" This is a
real question. We do not love God even half as much as we love our family and property. No wonder
we are unable to fix the image of God in our mind. We can do this only by intense love of God and
total absence of worldly desires.
yttae=ip hre> pds<Smr[e
skl< ý"mazu ly< ìjit,
yatato’pi hare× padasaÕsmaraõe
sakalaÕ hyagham˜þu layaÕ vrajati -- Dvadashastotra
(Even when an effort is made to remember the Lord's feet, all sins soon vanish.)
As Sri Madhvacharya has stated, even if we make an honest attempt to remember the Lord's feet,
that will cleanse our mind of all sins.
Arjuna asks the Lord whether a failed yogi is bereft of happiness both of this world and the other.
Krishna resolved his doubt by saying:
n ih kLya[k«Tkiídœ ÊgRit< tat gCDit,
na hi kaly˜õak®tkaþcid durgatiÕ t˜ta gacchati -- VI-40
(Arjuna, the one who has practised in the path of meditation will never suffer debasement.)
One who undertakes good works will not meet with harmful consequences, even if he has left them
halfway. Worthy reward is reserved for a good act performed with an honest effort. This assurance
of the Lord is not empty like that given by persons like ministers and officers. God sees to it that the
path we pursued now, but left halfway, would be resumed in a different life. We should perform our
spiritual practice with a firm faith in the providential design of God. I am not provoking you with a
call for meditation. Let everybody honestly undertake a spiritual practice which suits him most. Let
everyone achieve exaltation of self at least by performing such simple and religiously sanctioned
practices like the 'sandhya'. By an elementary beginning he will certainly and easily see his way
ahead.
51. Devotion and Knowledge of God's Greatness:
For true meditation on God one requires a background of devotion or bhakti. The essential nature
of devotion will be described in the seventh chapter of the Gita. Two elements constitute devotion
(bhakti -iKt) -- knowledge and love. The harmonious fusion of knowledge with love is devotion.
Devotion is nothing but an incessant flow of love for God, born of a knowledge of His greatness. If
we love a man without being aware of his greatness it is mere indulgence. We indulge in love for
our children and other family members. Whether they possess good qualities or not we love them
all the same only because they happen to be related to us. If we love God without knowing His
greatness, it becomes blind faith. The more we become aware of His greatness, the purer will be
our devotion. That is why all the Vedas praise the glory of God. Even in the Gita, God's greatness is
described to strengthen our sense of devotion.
If we just cast a glance on the world, we soon become aware of the marvellous power of God. No
other evidence or proof of the existence of God is necessary than the visible universe itself. The
universe proclaims the existence of God. The evolution of the universe is not haphazard. It is
created with a clear plan. In the creation and the growth of every phenomenon or object of this
universe we see the concatenation of hundreds of natural forces. The complexities of our anatomy,
the physiological and biochemical processes of digestion, and breathing, the movement of planets
and evolution of stars, to mention only a few, reveal the grand purposeful design of the Master
Creator. If it had been an isolated instance or two, we could have brushed it aside as mere accident.
But when we see myriads of objects obeying lakhs of natural laws and when we see a perfect
coordination between a multitude of forces in the creation and evolution of the world, how could we
ever say that it is all mere accident? If we go on joining blindly even for years together the letters of
the alphabet at random, we cannot produce by chance even a single stanza of Kalidasa's
Shakuntala. When such is the case, we can never prove that this vast and well-designed universe is
a mere product of natural forces without any hand of the living power of God behind it. The great
scientist Einstein is of the opinion that this well-structured universe is the handiwork of a Being
with a supreme intellect. The more we see of this world and the mysteries of nature, the more
convinced do we be come of the existence of the Supreme Creator, God.
"How can we believe in something we cannot see?" is a question asked by Svetaketu to his father
Uddalaka. The father asked him to get a jug of water and put some salt into it and asked him to
taste the water. The water was salty whatever part he tasted. The father asked his son to show the
salt in the water. Of course the salt could not be seen because it had dissolved and pervaded every
part of the water in the jug. Similarly though invisible to the naked eye, God pervades every
particle in the universe. God may be invisible to the eye but his presence is felt inside each and
every object of the universe.
miy svRimd< àaet< sUÇe mi[g[a #v.
mayi sarvamidaÕ protaÕ s¨tre maõigaõ˜ iva -- VII-7
(Everything in this world is woven within me as a series of pearls is held by the string.)
The universe is like a garland of beads and not a litter of beads scattered all over. The fine thread
which runs through all the beads and holds them together and makes them into a garland is God.
But for this thread, the beads would be scattered all over. The one support on which all these beads
hang and the one power by which all the elements in the universe function is the Almighty God. He
is the support and the power behind all activities in the universe. God creates the whole universe
through the medium of inert matter, earth, water, air, heat, ether and sentient spirit. God does not
create the universe in the same way as a potter does a pot. The potter makes the pot out of clay but
has no control over the properties of clay. The potter sits apart from the material and makes the
pot. God is not like that. God does not sit in a corner and create the universe. He gets into and
pervades every particle of the material universe, endows it with its natural properties and makes it
function. Just as electricity flows through the electric motor, the Godhead flows through each and
every atom in the universe and is responsible for the unique composition of everything as the
efficient cause and the indwelling controller.
The omniscience and the omnipotence behind the creation of this vast and splendid universe
transcend our conception. The omniscient, omnipotent Almighty God of infinite auspicious qualities
alone is capable of creating this entire universe. The more we explore the universe and delve into
its mysteries, the more do we become aware of the greatness and the majesty of its creator.

52. Varieties of Devotion:

We are aware of His greatness. We are deeply indebted to Him every second of our life for whatever
bounties we receive from Him. Because of these our devotion upsurges. There are different
categories of devotees. Burdened by miseries and hardships some run to Him and cry for succour.
Some pray to Him for wealth and pomp. Of course begging God even for worldly pleasures is much
better than either committing crime or cringing before people for the fulfilment of their worldly
desires. These people who go to Him but do not ask for any worldly favours but only for His
knowledge and direct vision are unique devotees. One who has already realised God makes an
excellent devotee. He has had a glimpse of the Supreme God and has deeply fallen in love with
Him; he is a perfect devotee. When we hear about something we form a mental picture. But when
we see it with our eyes, the impression it creates and the emotion it generates are of a superior
kind. God does not present Himself to ordinary devotees who ask for worldly rewards. We get our
knowledge of God either from the scriptures or from preceptors, and our devotion to God is quite
ordinary. But a devotee who is actually seeing and experiencing God can attain the highest pinnacle
of devotion.
iàyae ih }ainnae=TywRmh< s c mm iày>.
priyo hi jñ˜nino'tyarthamahaÕ sa ca mama priya× -- VII-17
(I am extremely dear to the jnani; and so is he to Me.)
The God and his devotees are dear to each other. An aspirant can obtain the grace of God only by
true devotion.

53. Non-dualism and Devotion:

Some argue that there is scope for devotion only till we acquire spiritual knowledge and when once
we attain wisdom or jnana, the distinction between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul
disappears and a jnani cannot therefore practise devotion. During the phase of devotion, the
awareness of God's greatness and the knowledge that He is the Lord and we are His servants is
imperative. This is against the non-dualistic philosophy because if a jnani also happens to be a
devotee, it has to be accepted that there is a sense of dualism in him. The knowledge possessed by
a jnani is true and infallible. In a jnani who has experienced God, where is the room for doubt and
confusion? Hence, we have to believe whatever a jnani has seen and experienced. If a jnani
worships God in devotion, we have to accept his sense of dualism as true and free from errors. For
fear that their whole edifice of non-dualistic philosophy might crumble, the Advaitins argue that
there is scope and necessity for devotion only till one achieves wisdom and thereafter, a jnani
cannot remain a devotee at all. They say that they are dualists as long as they are enveloped by
Maya or illusion and when once they gain true knowledge, all this distinction between God and
individual soul disappears.
deh†òœvatudasae=h< AaTm†òwaTvmevah<,
dehad®ÿ÷v˜tud˜so'ham ˜tmad®ÿ÷ath˜tvamev˜haÕ
(From the point of view of the body, I am your servant; from the soul's I am your very self.)
Such an argument reduces the conception of devotion to absurdity. According to them, devotion is a
false and illusive experience. If we think that there is no God distinct from and superior to us, how
can we have sincere devotion to Him in our hearts? From the sincere practice of a devotion which is
based on a fiction how can we ever attain salvation?
AsÊpsnya AaTmhn>,
asadupasanay˜ ˜tmahana× -- Bhagavata
(The destroyer of self through the worship of the unreal.)
When our shastras have severely rejected the pursuit of the non-real why did they give such a high
place for devotion if it is to be practised only by the ignorant people?
-KTya TvnNyya zKy Ahmev< ivxae=juRn,
}atu< Ô:qu< c tÅven àve:qu< c pr<tp.
bhakty˜ tvananyay˜ þakya ahamevaÕ vidho'rjuna
jñ˜tuÕ draÿ÷uÕ ca tattvena praveÿ÷uÕ ca parantapa -- XI-54
(I am to be really known, seen and attained (by the liberated) only through undivided devotion.)
Thus, in hundreds of places, the Gita has reiterated that for the direct vision of God and attaining
salvation, practice of devotion is absolutely necessary. In his concluding remarks in the Gita, Sri
Krishna says: "Oh Arjuna, because you are near and dear to Me, I vouchsafe to you this highest
secret. Always think of Me, be My sincere devotee, worship Me with faith, I promise, you will
certainly attain Me. Since you happen to be dear to Me, I am advising you; so listen to the words of
Mine which are a supreme secret. Since you are certainly dear to Me, I am telling you that which is
efficacious. Let your mind be full of Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice for Me, salute Me; you will
certainly get Me since you are dear to Me.
svRguýtm< -Uy> z&[u me prm< vc>,
#òae=is me †Fimit ttae vúyaim te ihtm!.
sarvaguhyatamaÕ bh¨ya× þ®õu me paramaÕ vaca×
iÿ÷o'si me d®ýhamiti tato vakÿy˜mi te hitam -- XVIII-64
mNmna -v mÑKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk…é,
mamevE:yis sTy< te àitjane iàyae=is me.
manman˜ bhava madbhakto mady˜jŸ m˜Õ namaskuru
m˜mevaiÿyasi satyaÕ te pratij˜ne priyo'si me -- XVIII-65
When the Gita clearly gives such a high place to devotion and preaches that true devotion is the
only means of attaining salvation, it is not proper to denigrate it as something unreal and illusory.
Even the Gita which preaches the message of Bhakti would lose its importance if it were to preach
such a falsehood. There will be nothing more ridiculous and more self-deceptive than the practice
of devotion and worship of God, even after knowing fully well that God and the visible world are
really not what they seem to be. We cannot believe for a moment that our scriptures preach such an
absurd and inconsistent theory regarding the ultimate goal of life and the means of attaining that
sacred goal.
The Gita has stated that of all the devotees, a jnani is the best devotee. This shows clearly that
devotion is not for the ignorant only. If among the four different classes of devotees, a jnani is the
best devotee, it becomes evident that spiritual knowledge and pure devotion can coexist. Even after
the realisation of God if there is scope for devotion and the notion of dualism, then the theory that
devotion is meant only for the ignorant people crumbles down. Devotion is not a mere toy of the
ignorant people; on the other hand, it is the staff on which one leans, the sole support of one and
all. Thus devotion, which is essential both before and after the dawn of spiritual wisdom, cannot
itself be born of illusion or invention of the mind. The conception of devotion is based on
philosophic truths like the fundamental difference between the individual soul and the Supreme
Soul, the supremacy, omnipotence and the primacy of God. From such a conception arises an
unwavering faith and supreme love for God, and that is called devotion. From the realisation of the
truth there will be a further blooming and enriching of this devotion only and we can never believe
that the sun of knowledge would ever wither up the lotus of devotion.

54. Spirit of Worship is an Indivisible Part of Devotion:

There is another theory regarding devotion. They say that as a background for devotion, there is no
need for dualism. Devotion does not rest on the foundation of either a master-servant relationship
or the spiritual awareness of the greatness of God. Devotion is the true knowledge of the self. The
self and the God are one and the same. This is the true knowledge of the self. One who is aware of
the identity of God and the self is a perfect devotee. Hence there is no contradiction between
devotion and non-dualism. There is a greater scope for devotion in non-dualism than in dualism.
Nobody loves others more than one's own self. Instead of taking Brahman as some other person, if
you take Him as yourself, you will certainly love Him intensely as you love yourself. Thus even in
non-dualism there is ample scope for devotion.
Such a description of devotion is contrary to what is described in the Gita.
mNmna -v mÑKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk…é,
manman˜ bhava madbhakto mady˜jŸ m˜Õ namaskuru -- XVIII-65
(Be My devotee, prostrate before Me, do your duties in a worshipful attitude.)
Thus has the Lord indicated what devotion is and what duties are attached to it. If a devotee has to
have a sense of worshipful attitude and sense of surrender, how can the idea of non-dualism lead
him to devotion? Wherever Bhakti or devotion is described, emphasis has been laid on the essential
ingredients of devotion such as the spirit of humility, a sense of service, a firm awareness of His
overlordship and spirit of obedience to His laws, etc.
tmev zr[< gCD,
tameva þaraõaÕ gaccha -- XVIII-62,
mamek< zr[< ìj,
m˜mekaÕ þaraõaÕ vraja -- XVIII-66
("Surrender to Him alone." "Surrender yourself to preached the lesson of Me alone." Thus the Lord
has preached the lesson of "surrender" to his devotees.)
Ah< Tva< svRpape_yae mae]iy:yaim,
ahaÕ tv˜Õ sarvap˜pebhyo mokÿayiÿy˜mi -- XVIII-66
(Surrender yourself completely to Me and I shall free you from all yours sins ... "I will look after
you.")
When the Lord gives such an absolute assurance to the devotee one can easily see how dualism
forms the very warp and woof of devotion. It is natural for anyone to love himself. But if he can love
his country and fellow-men more than himself and if he can devote himself to their service, then he
will be considered as above the ordinary. But the best and the noblest attitude is to love God more
than oneself, sacrifice everything and surrender oneself completely at the feet of the Lord Almighty
who is the creator and sustainer of the whole cosmos. Selfish love shown to one's own kith and kin
cannot be called true devotion. Even when one loves God if one does so thinking God is nothing but
one's own self then that love becomes narrow selfishness and can never be called devotion. It is
natural for everyone to love himself but that is not devotion. Transcending the self, knowing that
God is different from and infinitely superior to one's own self, and being emotionally aware of His
greatness to the point of a trance of ecstasy and offer of love to Him, could be described as true
adoration. Where is the room for non-dualism in such an attitude? Thus devotion and non-dualism
are two mutually opposing concepts. Since we are to follow one of them only, we should take to the
devotion advocated by the Gita based on the spirit of worship and surrender, and progress further
in the spiritual path.

55. Devotion and self-growth:

Some more objections have been raised against the practice of bhakti. One is that the practice
leads to an inferiority complex; the faith that God is the Lord and we are His humble servants will
help only generate a sense of humiliation which leads to the debasement of the self. By this very
bhakti-cult India has been subjected to slavery. As long as we have this feeling we can never expect
our dignity and virtues to develop. If even after liberation we are going to be under the Lordship of
God what happiness is there in such a subjection? The bhakti-cult, with its concomitant slavish
mentality, is thus detrimental to the progress of both the individual and the state. This indeed is an
absurd argument. Even Swami Vivekananda subscribed to this view. In his lectures he has stated
that disgust for the bhakti-cult alone was responsible for the ushering in of Buddhism in India; it
has been argued that the genesis of Buddhism lay in the belief that the nullification of self is
preferable to a salvation which means slavery to God.
There is very little substance in such an argument. It is not that bhakti-cult is peculiar to the
religions of India only. Even in Christianity and Islam a prominent place has been given to bhakti or
devotion. History is full of facts to testify that the followers of these two religions by the vehemence
of their faith, conquered vast peoples and ruled over them for hundreds of years. Hence it is not
right to say that India had to suffer subjection as she held bhakti in high regard.
The Almighty God is full of infinite auspicious qualities. There is no difference between God and His
attributes. It is not possible to differentiate the flame from its light, sugar from its sweetness. God
is but a mine of good qualities. He is the ideal for all individual souls. Casting off our inert
conditioning body and shining in the intrinsically virtuous self itself is our sole aim; this fruition
itself is salvation. If we become a devotee of God and become his slave, it is as good as becoming a
slave of His infinitely auspicious qualities. If we surrender ourselves to infinite goodness, where is
the room for the degradation of our personality? There is a greater self-respect in becoming a slave
of noble ideals and leading a disciplined life than in being a slave of selfishness, avarice and lust
and leading a life of wanton wilfulness and ruining oneself. Does owing allegiance to the
constitution of one's country and being bound by its laws and regulations ever become derogatory
to the self-respect of any law-abiding citizen? Similarly being a devotee of God and obeying the laws
laid down by Him for the ordered functioning of the Universe is not derogatory to the self-respect of
any individual; on the other hand, he experiences a greater self-respect in this obedience.
dasae=h< kaesleNÔSy,
d˜so'haÕ kosalendrasya -- Ramayana
(Lord Rama -- I am the servant of Kosalendra.)
Hanuman has this excellence when he boasts of being a servant of Sri Ramachandra. A devotee
wedded to high ideals does not fall a prey to temptations and is not led astray. The one who has an
unbroken faith in the sole Lord and Ideal of the Universe, the very embodiment of precious virtues,
alone is competent to express the latent virtues in Him. Thus, devotion is the chief instrument of
self-expression and development of precious qualities; it stimulates a proper sense of duty by
driving away the possible vicious impulses of the mind. For the welfare of the people and the
orderly progress of the society God has laid down some laws and a devotee naturally obeys these
laws in all sincerity. An ordinary person leads a disciplined and moral life and keeps himself away
from sin out of fear of consequences in this world and also in the other; but a devotee leads an ideal
life of absolute obedience by an unwavering love of God for its own sake and of his own accord.
k…vRÚeveh kmaRi[ ijjIiv;eCDt< sma>,
kurvanneveha karm˜õi jijŸviÿecchataÕ sam˜× -- Isopanishad 2
(One should live for a hundred years always performing one's duties and obligations only.)
If we believe that God is everywhere and that He is omnipotent, we cannot but lead a disciplined
and moral life and we shall never indulge in any antisocial, immoral or ungodly activities. When our
mind is steeped in the love of God, there will be no room for crooked and evil thoughts. Devotion
will give us the indomitable strength and moral courage to overcome temptations and lead a
dedicated, virtuous and disciplined life, and enables us to progress with enthusiasm in the path of
self-evolution. Devotion is a veritable elixir in the battle of life. It alone can remove all the wounds
and crookedness of our personality and make us upright and noble. If we spurn devotion it is like
banging the great door leading to self-perfection. Devotion is the source of all noble deeds and we
should ensure that such a source is not weakened.
It is with the help of this devotion that we can realise God who is of infinite auspicious qualities and
who is of the essence of Truth, Consciousness and Bliss and bring out all the good qualities hidden
in our personality. If we also should possess a personality as beautiful as that of God, we should
serve God with intense devotion, faith and love and there is no other way. Even a piece of iron,
buried in the earth for a long time, loses its hardness and takes up the properties of the earth.
Similarly, if we bury ourselves in constant meditation on God's auspicious qualities we too can
acquire a handsome self, mirroring the lovely form of God.
kIq> pezSk«taéÏ> k…fyeyaNtmnuSmrt!,
s<r<- -yyaegen iv<dte tTsêptam!.
kŸ÷a× peþask®t˜ruddha× kuýayey˜ntamanusmarat
saÕrambha bhayayogena vindate tatsar¨pat˜m -- Bhagavata
How can devotion which enables us to rediscover our hidden divine and magnificent self and is the
cause of our total fulness, could ever be responsible for our downfall? On the other hand, devotion
is the great vehicle which takes us from pettiness to eternal magnificence.

56. In Hinduism there is only One Supreme God:

We have to consider what should be the focus of our devotion. In our religion there are thousands of
gods. Which god are we to worship? That is the problem before the aspirants. Followers of other
religions make fun of us. If there are thirty crores of Hindus, they have thirty-three crores of gods!
Christians and Muslims have only one God each and when in difficulty they pray to their God and
save themselves. But Hindus are bereft of this one-pointed faith. In times of difficulty hundreds of
gods appear in their minds. They will be confused and they are at a loss to know which god to pray
and which to reject and they cannot pray intensely and thus they cannot devote themselves one-
pointedly. Since the Hindus believe in a multitude of gods, bereft of true faith, they cannot derive
the right benefits from their prayers. This is one of the objections to Hinduism.
But if we critically examine the Vedas, Upanishads and Brahmasutras we find that there is no room
for such a criticism. In Hinduism, even though there is a multiplicity of gods, there is only one
Supreme God. In the Vedas and the Puranas it is mentioned in some places that Indra, Agni and
Rudra are all supreme gods, but it must be interpreted that all these different names refer only to
the one Supreme God. The Apaurusheya Vedas cannot be said to follow the usual eulogistic method
of praising each god as supreme as it suits its opportunity. It accepts a multiplicity of gods who are
subject to the sovereignty of one sole Lord. It accepts the God who is the swayer of all these gods
and who is implied by the same words which describe them, who is sovereign and one without a
second. The Vedas accept this idea of hierarchy of gods and the existence of the one and only
Supreme God described by all these words, who is the Chief of all the other deities and who is the
Lord of the whole universe.
-I;a=SmaÖat> pvte, -I;aedeit sUyR>,
bhŸÿ˜'sm˜dv˜ta× pavate | bhŸÿodeti s¨rya× | -- Taittiriyopanishad 2:8:1
(The wind blows out of fear for Him; the sun rises out of fear for Him.)
In the Upanishads it is stated that gods are subservient to this Supreme God and at the same time
in some other places it is stated that the Supreme God is called as Indra, Agni and Shiva.
säüa sizv> seNÔ>
sabrahm˜ saþiva× sendra× -- Narayanopanishad
When we critically examine the scriptures, it is seen that Hinduism accepts only one Supreme God
who is the Lord of the whole universe and there are a host of lesser gods, each entrusted with some
limited tasks which they carry out under the overlordship of one Supreme God, and distinct from
Him.
AmI ih Tva< surs'œ"a> ivziNt
keicÑIta> àaÁjilyaeg&[iNt,
amŸ hi tv˜Õ surasaðgh˜× viþanti
kecidbhŸt˜× pr˜ñjaliyog®õanti -- XI-21
(The hosts of gods enter you; others praise you with folded hands with fearful reverence.)
In the Gita also it is stated that all the lesser gods pray to the Supreme God in great respect with
folded hands.
vayuyRmae=i¶vRé[> zza»>
àjapitSTv< àiptamhZc,
v˜yuryamo'gnirvaruõa× þaþ˜ðka×
praj˜patistvaÕ prapit˜mahaþca -- XI-39
Thus does the Gita state that the Supreme God is called by the name of Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna,
Chandra etc. Hence there is no truth in the criticism that Hinduism is nothing but polytheism and
that there is no scope for intense meditation and devotion in this religion.

57. Sri Krishna is the Supreme God:

If it is established that there is one Supreme God, who is He? How can we find Him among the
multitude of gods described in the Vedas and Puranas? There is a possibility of confusion in
identifying this Supreme Godhead. The Gita has clearly stated who that Supreme God is and solved
our difficulties.
ANtvÄu )l< te;a< tÑvTyLpmexsam!,
devaNdevyjae yaiNt mÑKtayaiNt mamip.
antavattu phalaÕ teÿ˜Õ tadbhavatyalpamedhas˜m
dev˜ndevayajo y˜nti madbhakt˜y˜nti m˜mapi -- VII-23
(By worshipping lesser gods you obtain perishable fruits. By worshipping Me you obtain permanent
bliss.) So says Lord Krishna. From this, it is clear that Vishnu does not belong to the category of
lesser gods and that He alone is capable of giving liberation to the aspiring souls and that He is the
Supreme Lord of the whole universe. In the Gita, in many places, clear distinction is made between
the worship of lesser gods and the worship of Lord Krishna and it is said that devotion to Lord
Krishna alone leads to salvation and eternal bliss. From this it is clear that Sri Krishna or Sri Hari is
the Supreme God. In the eleventh chapter of the Gita, it is said that Sri Krishna is Himself Vayu,
Yama, Agni and Varuna and it is clear from this that these different names are nothing but the
names of the Supreme God Himself. The Godhead who is the creator of the whole universe, who is
full of auspicious qualities, who is free from all blemishes and who is independent is the Supreme
God.
Atae=ze;gu[aeÚÏ<indaeR;<yavdevih,
tavdeveñraenam>
ato'þeÿaguõonnaddhannirdoÿaÕy˜vadevahi
t˜vadeveþvaron˜ma×
(The One who is replete with infinite virtuous qualities and free from blemishes Himself is called
the Supreme Lord.)
Thus does Sri Madhvacharya describe God. There is one Supreme God and under His orders all the
other gods carry out their respective, allotted duties. This Godhead permeates all objects in a
similar and sentient form and is thus responsible for the inherent nature and behaviour of objects
and it is because of this all names and forms are considered existing in the Supreme God Himself.
We can contemplate God in whatever name and form we like provided we do not forget the basic
principle that God is infinite and full of auspicious qualities. In Hinduism there is no room for
confusion in the multiplicity of names and forms of the Supreme God as to who is the Lord of all
gods, who pervades the whole universe and still stands beyond it; all names and forms are merged
and He can be described by any name and in any form. Such an all-inclusive conception of the One
Supreme God is found in Hinduism and by sincerely praying to such a God one should pursue his
salvation.
58. An Aspirant should Know the Fundamental Principles:
In the seventh chapter of the Gita the fundamental principles underlying the various entities like
Brahma, Adhyatma, Karma, Adhibuta, Adhidaiva and Adhiyajna have been mentioned. Sri Krishna
describes these entities in the eighth chapter of the Gita. The God who is infinite, immutable and
immortal is Parabrahma. He is 'Adhiyajna.' In the form of Adhiyajna He is inside every body
controlling and motivating all its activities. Parabrahma and Adhiyajna are one and the same. Sri
Vishnu in the macrocosmic form is called Parabrahma and the same Vishnu who is in a microcosmic
form in all bodies is called 'Adhiyajna.' The individual soul is called Adhyatma. It is different from
both the Supreme Lord and inert matter. This distinction should be understood by every aspirant.
'Karma' is not merely the petty activities we are engaged in; the stupendous activities of God in the
whole cosmos, the soul of which is the Supreme Himself, are Karma and the knowledge of such a
hand of God inside each and every activity in the creation gives us bliss and peace of mind. The
good deeds done by noble souls in a spirit of Yajna for the orderly development of the society can
also be called Karma. The body, the senses, the five elements, and all other gross matter which are
required by individuals for the spiritual upliftment of their souls is called Adhibuta. There are a host
of gods under the Supreme Lord, who are conducting the day-to-day affairs of the universe and the
foremost among them is Chaturmukha Brahma and He is known as 'Adhidaiva'. By knowing all
these things and their functions an aspirant can work for his spiritual emancipation.

59.
People are rather reluctant to undertake spiritual exercises. They say piety and spiritual exercise
are meant for the old and retired people, and young men in the prime of youth and in the midst of
enjoyment should not be bothered about these things.
But it is not right to put off the practice of such spiritual exercise to an indefinite date in the future.
We shall be doing a great disservice to ourselves if, when we are hale and healthy and full of
vitality, we do not utilise it to uplift our soul but dissipate that energy in fleeting pleasures. It is
ridiculous on our part to allow the torrents of water during the monsoon of our youth to go waste
and undertake to cultivate the soul in the dry summer of old age.
kaEmar Aacret! àa}ae xmaRn! -agvtainh,
kaum˜ra ˜caret pr˜jño dharm˜n bh˜gavat˜niha -- Bhagavata
(The godly way of life should be pursued in (from) boyhood by those who know.)
Hence Prahlada gives a clarion call to all youth to come forward and practise piety. I have seen
parents discouraging children doing their daily worship of God and periodic fasting on Ekadashi
days and saying that they are too young for it. We should not nip in the bud the surging spiritual
enthusiasm in the minds of the youth. On the other hand, it is our duty as elders to encourage such
propensities in the young so that they may take firm root in their minds when they grow old.
g&hIt #vkeze;um&Tyuna xmRmacret!,
g®hŸta ivakeþeÿum®tyun˜ dharmam˜caret
(We should practise religion (expeditiously) as though we have been seized by the forelocks by
Death.)
Good deeds must be performed instantly and without delay as though the jaws of death are yawning
before us. We must always possess the enthusiastic readiness to face death when it comes. When a
Brahmin came to Dharmaraja for help he turned him back asking him to come the next day. Since
he was badly in need of money he went to Bhimasena who immediately parted with his gold bangle.
Immediately Bhima ordered the beating of drums in the city proclaiming the good news.
Dharmaraja asked his brother Bhimasena what the good news was. Bhimasena replied: "Oh brother,
you asked the Brahmin to come tomorrow. That means you are sure you are going to live ill
tomorrow. Such exceptional knowledge of the future possessed by you is worth proclaiming to the
world." At his, Dharmaraja realised his folly. This humorous parable brings home to us the utter
folly of postponing performance of good deeds.

60. Thinking of God at the Moment of Death:

The eighth chapter of the Gita emphasises in the context of spiritual cultivation that aspirants
should remember God at the moment of death. We should not misconstrue this statement by
supposing that we need not think of God at other times and could be steeped in worldly pleasures.
The thought of God does not come to us magically as it were at the last moment. We may have the
unique fortune of remembering him at the last moment only if we have pursued the practice
throughout our life and absorbed godliness. The whole life should be a preparation if we are to
remember Him at the last moment. In whatever activity we have spent our greatest time and
energy during our lifetime and whichever experience had left the deepest impression in our mind,
that experience alone comes to our mind easily at the time of our death. There is a story of a miser.
He spent his whole lifetime n a miserly way. While on his deathbed he noticed the wick-lamp
burning rather too brightly, and soon he instructed his children to make it less bright and save oil.
Whatever one has practised throughout one's whole lifetime, that alone would show up at the time
of death. One who has spent his whole lifetime in prayers and meditation on God can alone think of
God at the time of his death. It is vain to hope that after one has wasted one's whole lifetime in
chasing carnal pleasures one would be able to think of God at the time of his death. Sri
Madhvacharya says:
s<tt< icNtye=nNt< ANtkale ivze;t> ,
santataÕ cintaye’nantaÕ antak˜le viþeÿata× -- Dwadasa Stotra I-12
(One should always think of God, but specially at the last moment.)
If you practise meditation in your whole lifetime there is hope of your remembering God in your
deathbed. We do many things during the course of the day but when we sleep we do not remember
them. But we can easily remember those incidents which have left a deep impression On our mind.
One who has spent his whole lifetime in prayers and contemplation of God, can easily think of God
on his deathbed. When the Gita says that we should think of God on our deathbed it gives the
exceptional message that we must practise godly life throughout our lifetime.
Thus, our death must be full of holiness. For this we should purify our whole life by good thoughts
and good deeds and should be able to see it echoed at the moment of death. Our death is the very
consummation of our whole life. From any one's holy memory of God at the moment of death we
can identify the fulfilment of a whole life of purity. That our whole life must be purified by a sense of
God is the central message of the eighth chapter of the Gita.
Just as one's deathbed experience is the reflection of a whole lifetime, it is also suggestive of what
is going to happen in our next life. The kind of thinking we have at the moment of death has a
special influence on the life after. There is the story of Bharata. Even though he had forsaken his
kingdom and was living in a forest as a saint he could not get over his attachment to his pet animal
and at the time of his death he thought of this only and so, in his next life, he had to face the tragic
consequence of being born as a deer. Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu had in their minds the fierce
forms of Varaha (wild boar) and Narasimha (man-lion) respectively at the time of their death and
they were born again in the fierce forms of Rakshasas. Those who saw the Kshatriya Rama at the
time of their death were born as Kshatriyas in their subsequent life. Those who meditated on the
lovely form of Krishna as God at the time of death, died to accomplish the sarupya (similar in form)
Mukti. We get in our next life whatever the name and form we think on our deathbed. If we shed
our mortal coils in the contemplation of the Almighty God of infinite auspicious qualities who is of
the essence of pure consciousness and bliss, then we too shall get rid of our mortal bodies and
shine as pure spirits of consciousness and bliss. We are shackled to the material body now. We
identify our soul with this body of inert matter and carry on our activities. We should be liberated
from such a state. In essence we are the true image of God. The qualities and form of God are
inherent in our soul also but they are lying latent. Since it is our life's endeavour to bring out these
hidden latent qualities, we will be gifted with the great chance of experiencing the soul's deathless
and native bliss only if we cultivate our whole life with holy thoughts and the whole consequent
culture of the soul is reflected in the moment of death.

61. Journey during the Dark and the White Halves of the Month:
At the end of the eighth chapter of the Gita a reference is made to the journey during the dark and
the white halves of the month. This has confused many. The apparent meaning of this stanza is that
if anybody dies during daytime, the white half of the month and the 'uttarayana' he attains salvation
and if he dies at night, during the dark half of the month and in 'dakshinayana' he is caught in the
whirl of birth and death. No doubt the proper time and good circumstances of death may be
indicative of good things; but it is wrong to conclude a particular death to be holy or sinful on the
basis of physical time. In this section of the Gita, only the path through which the yogi's soul
journeys after death is discussed. The yogis who journey in the path presided over by the deities
ruling over the brighter half of the month and the 'uttarayana' go to God. Those yogis that perform
severe penance and holy sacrifice in expectation of rewards follows a different path, presided over
by the deities ruling over the darker half of the month and the 'dakshinayana.' Thus the reference
deals only with the spiritual path followed by the soul of yogis after death and this is a subject
falling within the scope of yogasastra. The popular notion that the statements deal with the
description of the physical time of death, is ill-conceived.
At the time of death our minds should not be covered by ignorance like a cloudy and dark night of
the darker half of the month in the dakshinayana. Neither should it be polluted like the air in a
room full of smoke. Our ignorance and attachment to worldly things, like the cloud and darkness,
dim our souls. These should be cleared from our heart and should be filled with the purest moon-
rays of godliness. Our heart should be as pure and cloudless as the uttarayana day and as clear as
the full moon night. At the time of death the mind should be free from ignorance and sin and be
active and bright, like a burning flame. Hence we may also understand that the description is but a
metaphor for the interior situation of the soul at the moment of physical death.

62. The Relationship between the World and the God:

In the ninth chapter of the Gita again there is an account of the greatness of the Almighty God. This
description is helpful for inspiring us with the spirit of devotion. The more we think of His greatness
the more does our mind surrender at His feet. He is the support of every being. He is the Energy
behind all activity in the whole universe. He is the Supreme, Independent Lord. Even when He is
the support of the universe, the universe is as nothing to Him. He has nothing to get from it. He is
full. He is perfect. He is eternal and He need not de pend upon the universe for anything because
He has no wants and no unfulfilled desires.
mTSwain svR-Utain n cah< te:vviSwt>,
mat-sth˜ni sarva-bh¨t˜ni na c˜haÕ teÿv-avasthita× -- IX-4
(All have a refuge in Me. But I do not take my refuge in them.)
But the second line of this stanza has given rise to some confusion. Having said in the first line that
all creatures depend upon Him the following line appears to say that no creatures depend on Him.
Thus these two statements appear to be contradictory.
mTSwain svR-Utain
mat-sth˜ni sarva-bh¨t˜ni -- IX-4
(All beings are within Me)
n c mTSwain -Utain
na ca mat-sth˜ni bh¨t˜ni -- IX-5
(The beings are not in Me)
After making these apparently contradictory statements, He says:
pZy me yaegmEñrm!,
paþya me yogam-aiþvaram -- IX-5.
"Even though all creatures are in Me, they appear not to be in Me. Look at this miracle of Mine,"
says Sri Krishna. It is a little difficult to get to the true meaning of this stanza. Some people have so
interpreted this as to say that the world is an illusion. If you say that an object is there and in the
next breath say that it is not there, it means that the object is not really there but it only appears to
be there. An imaginary object may exist only in imagination, but it is actually not there. We may
mistake a rope for a snake. But really the snake is not there. Some people say the sloka means what
is real is Brahman and even though we see the world it is only an illusion and an imaginary
superimposition.
But if we examine this stanza more critically we see that such an interpretation is erroneous. The
clue to the correct interpretation of this apparent contradiction is given in the next statement in the
Gita itself. Even though the air and ether come in contact with the objects of nature, they do not
acquire any of their characteristics. Similarly God comes in contact with all objects of nature but
none of their properties stick to Him. He is the unattached. Hence even though God is the support
of all the objects in the universe He is not affected by them and in that sense we can say that they
are not in Him. Even the commentators following the Advaita school of thought accept that this
analogy has been given to illustrate the non-affectability of God by these objects of nature. This
analogy does not support the interpretation that the world is unreal. No philosopher believed that
the wind blowing in space is an illusion like the snake in the rope. God is in the universe but He is
not affected by its qualities in the same way as ether, wind and other objects of nature are
unaffected by each other even if they are together. This example brings out the hidden meaning of
the seemingly contradictory ideas in the stanza in the Gita.
pZy me yaegmEñrm!,
paþya me yogam-aiþvaram -- IX-5.
(Look at My lordly power.)
Even though the universe is within Him, it is as though it is not there. That is the power of his
lordliness, says Sri Krishna. If the world is not real and if it is only an illusion, there is no need of a
miracle by God to show that it is not in Him. Illusion arises out of some defect in our senses. To
mistake a rope for a snake which arises out of our ignorance or defect in our senses, God's miracle
is not necessary. The very fact that God says that it is His miracle shows that the world is not
unreal. Even though He pervades every object in the universe He is not in the least affected by
their qualities due to His divinity. This is the contextual meaning of the stanza.

63. Is Hatred of God also a Means to Salvation?

There is a theory that complete utter hatred of God also leads to salvation as does intense devotion.
Öe;aCyE *adpaen&pa>
dveÿ˜cyai dy˜dapon®p˜×
In support of this theory they quote Bhagavata wherein it is said that Shishupala and others
attained salvation by their hatred of Krishna. Salvation is the manifestation of the true nature of a
soul which is similar to God's own nature. Intense meditation on God is the only means of attaining
such manifestation. Some say that intense hatred of God is as conducive as intense love to the
contemplation of God. We always think of things dear to us. Similarly we never forget the object of
our hatred and unity. Both love and hatred alike help us to a state of concentration. Intense God-
haters like Shishupala and Kamsa had the thought of Sri Krishna always in their minds and thus
could they obtain liberation. Hence they argue that we can choose either of the two paths, intense
love or intense hatred of God.
This is a very dangerous interpretation, detrimental to the welfare of the entire organised society. It
would not be proper to say that a true devotee who abides by the command of God, submitting
himself to discipline and cooperating with the movement and progress of the creation, and the
wanton self-willed man, turned away from God and violating the fundamental principles of the
universe are both on par as they have a similar one-pointed attention to God and thus share equally
the bliss of salvation. It is easier to hate a man and harm him than love a person and sacrifice
everything for him. In the former there is no sacrifice or penance involved. So people may be
inclined to take to the easier path of God-hatred, immorality and wantonness if that also could lead
them to liberation. This will only lead to utter chaos and degradation.
We cannot get liberation simply by concentrating on God. We can get salvation only if we are able
to contemplate upon his auspicious qualities. If the soul is to unfold its own self of auspicious
qualities, we must contemplate on the good qualities of the Almighty God. Only when we have love
and devotion can we think uninterruptedly of the good qualities of God. Is it possible to remember
them if the mind and heart are corrupted by hatred? Hatred always looks for bad qualities. The
chief aim of the enemy of God is to brood on the shortcomings of God and this constant gloating on
God against the background of hatred cannot help in any way the blossoming of the virtuous beauty
of the soul.
AvjaniNt ma< mUFa manui;< tnumaiïtm!,
avaj˜nanti m˜Õ m¨ýh˜ m˜nuÿiÕ tanum-˜þritam -- IX-11
(The stupid despise Me by judging Me by the human form i.e. not knowing Me as the Supreme
Lord.)
mae"aza mae"kmaR[ae mae"}an ivcets>,
ra]sImasurI— cEv àk«it< maeihnI— iöta>.
mogh˜þ˜ mogha-karm˜õo mogha-jñ˜na vicetasa×
r˜kÿasŸm-˜surŸÕ caiva prak®tiÕ mohinŸÕ srit˜× -- IX-12
(Such are of futile hope, futile actions, futile knowledge, perverted minds and rest either in the
Rakshasi or the Asuri, delusive nature.)
That is why such demonical activities have been condemned in the Gita. The Gita has clearly stated
that the final release is not within the reach of those who hate God and who lead an ungodly and
wanton life. The Gita has clearly laid down that hatred and devotion are two diametrically opposed
paths. By some demonical inspiration, even though noble souls like Shishupala (Jaya, Vijaya ...) and
others hated Sri Krishna intensely, they had deep within them intense devotion for God. That
revealed itself in the end at the vision of the Lord Himself and they obtained their final salvation.
This is the opinion of Bhagavata also. Such incidents shows us how the Lord discovers true devotion
even in His enemies and showers His grace on them and liberates them. The only royal road to
salvation is pure devotion. The Gita points out that we should not be after the daydreams of easily
wresting salvation by following the wicked paths.

64. I Will Look After You:

The Lord bears the full burden of his devotees' welfare. Sri Krishna has solemnly promised in the
Gita that He will look after the welfare of all His devotees sincerely engaged in His worship and
meditation. Why should we despair in our struggle of life when we have an assurance which
inspires us with confidence and courage, from the Lord Himself? We can engage ourselves with
firm determination in raising the massive edifice of life on the sure basis of devotion to God. In His
incarnation as Rama the Lord has stated that He has vowed that He would protect the devotees
who have surrendered themselves with prayer to Him.
sk«devàpÚaey> tvaSmIitcyayte,
A-y<svR -Ute_y> ddaMyetdœVrt<mm.
sak®devaprapannoya× tav˜smŸticay˜yate
abhayaÕsarva bh¨tebhya× dad˜myetadvratammama
(It is My obligation to give an assurance of perfect safety to all those who beseech Me even once
saying "I am Yours".)
In His incarnation as Krishna the Lord once again has given similar assurance.
AnNyaiíNtyNtae ma< ye jna> pyuRpaste,
te;a< inTyai-yuKtana< yaeg]em< vhaMyhm!.
anany˜þ-cintayanto m˜Õ ye jan˜× paryup˜sate
teÿ˜Õ nity˜bhiyukt˜n˜Õ yoga-kÿemaÕ vah˜my-aham -- IX-22
(I will look after those who surrender themselves totally to Me and think of Me without being
distracted by other gods.)
kaENtey àitjanIih n me -Kt> à[Zyit.
kaunteya pratij˜nŸhi na me bhakta× praõaþyati -- IX-31
Arjuna, take an oath that my devotee shall not perish.
The Lord proclaims that no harm will come to a person treading the path of devotion. When such
clear assurances by God are there it pains me much to see some persons propagating the immature
and inconsistent notions like the identity between the Supreme God and the individual soul and
thereby preach a path inimical to devotion and confuse them. When God Himself has praised the
lofty path of the bhakti cult as supreme, pure and free from danger, then why have reservations or
hesitation to follow it? It is understandable why some people denounce this method as meant for
the ignorant only. Instead of wasting one's time in such irrelevant argument, it is proper to embrace
the bhakti-cult without any hesitation or reservation.
kaENtey àitjanIih n me -Kt> à[Zyit.
kaunteya pratij˜nŸhi na me bhakta× praõaþyati -- IX-31
In this statement Sri Krishna gets Arjuna to swear that God's devotees would never perish. Why
does He do so? One's own oaths may, sometimes, turn into lies; but Krishna intends to show that
the oaths of His devotees would never turn into lies.
Svinym mphay mTàit}am!
\tmixktuRmvPlutaerySy>,
x&trw cr[ae=_yyaCclxu>
hirirth<tuimm<gtaeÄrIy>.
svaniyama mapah˜ya matpratijñ˜m
®tamadhikartumavaplutorayasya×
dh®taratha caraõo'bhyay˜ccaladhu×
hariritahantumimaðgatottarŸya× -- Bhagavata
Bhishma says: "How can I forget the gracious lovely face of Sri Krishna who is ready to break His
vow by wearing the disc (cakra cKr) for the sake of the devotees, only to see that His devotees'
oaths are kept?" Sri Krishna had vowed not to take up any arms during the Mahabharata war. But
Bhishma had vowed that he would make Sri Krishna wear arms. Just to make His devotee's words
come true, He pretends that He is afflicted by the arrows of Bhishma, and breaking His own vow,
He takes to his disc. Some have interestingly glossed the statement by saying that the Lord who
treats His devotees' words as worthier than His own, has made His dearest devotee Arjuna take the
oath that 'My devotee will not perish' in order to create a greater faith in us.

65. Offering Work to God:

The Lord who has shouldered the burden of the protection of His devotees does not expect much
from them in return. He is pleased with our spirit of renunciation if we sacrifice whatever we have
in His services instead of using them for our selfish ends. We should have neither a sense of
ownership of the things we possess nor the egoism that we are the doers of our actions. If we have
the idea that God is the real inspirer of all action and the real doer, all our actions become an
offering to God. When behind all our activities there is a desire to please God, all our works are but
His worship. God is pleased if our individual actions lead to social welfare. We should lead a
disciplined and godly life; then only it becomes a worship.
If thus we transform all our actions in life into the acts of worship and we have a constant sense
that He alone is the Independent Lord, it is nothing but the offering of all actions to Him. The Gita
says the same thing.
yTkraei; ydîais yJjuhaei; ddais yt!,
yÄpSyis kaENtey tTk…é:v mdpR[m!.
yat-karoÿi yad-aþn˜si yaj-juhoÿi dad˜si yat
yat-tapasyasi kaunteya tat-kuruÿva mad-arpaõam -- IX-27
(Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever sacrifices you perform, whatever you give (acts of
charity), whatever penance you undertake, Arjuna, offer it to Me.)

66. Worship of God is Easy:

If our equipment, the body and the organs, the material wealth, etc. are harnessed to activities that
please God, it is also an act of offering to God. Our material of worship may be small; but it should
not be used to serve our selfish ends but for the things which please Him. God does not mind the
magnitude but the depth and intensity of feeling behind the material of our worship.
pÇ< pu:p< )l< taey< yae me -KTya àyCDit,
patraÕ puÿpaÕ phalaÕ toyaÕ yo me bhakty˜ prayacchati -- IX-26
(He who gives with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or some water.)
However small the object may be, it grows great by the excellence of devotion. God expects from
His devotee a spirit of renunciation and dedication. By this spirit there will not only be the evolution
of the individual personality but also the progress of the whole nation. The spiritual perfection
which the Chola king could not accomplish with all the pomp of gold ornaments, was attained by
Vishnudasa who worshipped God with the Tulsi leaves. When the crocodile caught hold of a leg of
the elephant king (Gajendra) it could not get itself free from its clutches by pulling with all its
might; at last it lifted a lotus flower in its trunk and wailed before God and God eagerly rushed to
rescue the devotee. Shabari waited in her hut for years for the arrival of Lord Rama and when He
actually turned up, she offered only a few fruits gathered from the forest and earned His grace.
There is a story of King Rantideva. He fasted for a number of days. Finally when he was about to
break the fast he saw at his door some hungry huntsmen and he gave his food to them. When he
tried to drink water to quench his thirst he saw a dog dying of thirst and with open mouth begging
for some water to quench its thirst. He gave that water to the dog as a service to the God inside and
said: "Oh Lord, I do not desire worldly happiness, kingdom or even salvation, give me only the
power to be inside everybody and suffer all their pains and sorrows. If I can wipe their tears I shall
be happy." Here is a noble example of renunciation and self-sacrifice. Vishnudasa, Gajendra,
Shabari, Rantideva are shining models of those who could worship with leaves, flowers, fruits and
even water.
DNda<is ySy p[aRin ... ... ... |
chand˜Õsi yasya parõ˜ni ... ... ... -- XV-1
(The Vedas are its leaves.)
There is another meaning for this stanza. The world is compared to a huge tree and Vedas are its
leaves. If you study the Vedas and if you collect the honey from its flowers and share it with others,
it is a form of worship with leaves.
Aih<saàwm<pu:p< pu:pimiNÔyin¢h>,
ahiÕs˜prathamampuÿpaÕ puÿpamindriyanigraha×
(Ahimsa is the first flower, control of senses is verily a flower.)
Non-violence, self-control, compassion, truth, knowledge, penance, action and meditation are
described as its eight interior flowers. To practise these in one's life is the greatest floral offering to
God. Performing good deeds and not expecting any reward is the offering of fruit. The shedding of
tears of joy due to surge of devotional ecstasy on hearing the story of God or during prayers could
be the offering of water. Singing songs filled with the essence of devotion is a form of offering of
water. This beautiful stanza indicates how we can offer our prayers with devotion and fullness of
heart even if we do not have pomp and show.

67. Conduct and Devotion:

There are many who misinterpret this bhakti-cult to their own advantage. They say that one need
not bother about one's character and conduct if only one has devotion; we need not pay any
importance to conduct, character or righteousness. They say that if only one has devotion within
him, even if one misbehaves outwardly, one gets salvation, taking the support of statements like:
Aip ceTsuÊracarae -jte mamnNy-akœ,
saxurev s mNtVy> sMyGVyvistae ih s>.
api cet-sudur˜c˜ro bhajate m˜mananya-bh˜k
s˜dhur-eva sa mantavya× samyag-vyavasito hi sa× -- IX-30
(Even if he utterly misbehaves, if he is devoted to Me single-mindedly, he is reckoned to be a good
man.)
'Even if one is loose, if he happens to be a devotee he is good' -- if one understands the statement in
this way, one is apt to feel that the bhaktimarga throws all doors open to misconduct and
viciousness.
naivrtae ÊíirtaÚazaNtae ... ... ...,
... ... ... à}anenEnmaPnuyat!.
n˜virato duþcarit˜n-n˜þ˜nto ... ... ...
... ... ... prajñ˜nena-inam-˜pnuy˜t -- Kathopanishad (II-24)
(The one who has not given up evil ways cannot obtain His grace by mere knowledge.)
It is said in the Upanishad that only a person who keeps himself away from evil deeds is fit for
salvation; devotion thus inseparably goes with righteous living. How could one who had developed
love of God and is detached, descend to base acts induced by anger and attachment? How could the
devotee who has been won over by the love of God and is pleased to be under the laws of God
governing the universe, ever perform deeds which have no relation to himself? Hence devotion and
righteous living remain always inseparable. But do we not see people who call themselves devotees,
wearing all the symbols of a devotee and spending hours together in counting their beads, occupied
with base things? Those who keep a pretence of religious practices outside, but are busy with
deception and dishonest deeds, cannot be ranked with devotees. They are, like actors who play sad
and wretched roles, only enacting parts. It is mere pose without the passion of devotion.
faiM-kTven sae=numey>,
ý˜mbhikatvena so'numeya×
(A man who is steeped in evil acts should be counted a hypocrite even if he bears the external
symbols of devotion.)
Our Acharya has severely criticised such persons in his Gita Bhashya. A true devotee is pure both
within as well as without. A devotee is quite aware that Almighty God, the Creator of the universe,
pervades every nook and corner of the universe and therefore he would never stoop to sinful
activities. Righteous behaviour is but a product of true devotion and righteous living always go
hand in hand. Hence, if we say that it is sufficient if one has devotion in his heart whatever his
conduct and character, it is both unscriptural and unscientific. We have to measure the degree of
inner devotion by outward conduct and behaviour. The true import of the Gita is: A man may be a
sinner to start with but if he repents and changes his life for the better we should certainly accept
him without despising him for his past but honour him for what he is. A sinner has a chance to clear
his sins away with devotion to God. Devotion is the light of hope which brightens the heart of one
who is steeped in despair. One who has tasted the nectar of devotion will not fall again into the
whirlpool of temptation and sin.
We see around us in this world rampant dishonesty and there is no better solution for this than the
practice of devotion to God. We cannot bring in social reform by legislation. Laws are ineffective
because there is no change of heart in the people. If any law is promulgated people will find ways
and means of side-tracking it. Legislation is the child of social reform and cannot be its mother. We
can institute successful laws only through a reformed heart but we cannot reform the world
through laws. The chief task of social reconstruction of today is the creation of basically right
psychological attitude. We should make great and vigorous efforts to stimulate this sense of
devotion among the educated which alone can inspire them with right conduct and virtues.
68. The Superior Manifestations of the Lord:
There is an elaborate description of the various manifestations of God in the tenth chapter of the
Gita. Only because God pervades each and every atom in this universe, various movements and
modes become possible. Even if he is rooted in everything, there is a greater plenitude of His
presence in some of them. God is more richly present in things which are more powerful, holier and
more efficacious to the world. As the sound performance of a radio-set depends upon the strength
of its components, similarly the intensity of the presence of God is greater in certain things,
depending on the degree of difference among persons. Realising the special richness of God in
excellent things itself is Vibhuti Darshan. There is a story in the Upanishad. Once the gods were
looking for an image suitable for their worship of God. They were not looking for a stone image.
They were looking for some divine cosmic spirit free from blemishes for their worship. A good
image is seen only in a clean mirror; only in a pure and unblemished being the Supreme God could
be fully present, and so they thought that such a being alone could be the proper image for God.
However much they examined, they saw every person a home of blemishes and weakness. The
demonic powers had somehow entered into the hearts of these persons and corrupted them. Finally
they found that God Vayu alone had a heart which had no room for these evil forces. The demonic
forces had tried their best to break the fortress of his heart and gain entrance but they had
themselves been shattered like clods dashed against a wall of rock. They identified Lord Vayu as the
only one who had smashed the proud citadels of devilish power with the invincible armour of pure
virtue and chose him, as the one image with total abundance of the presence of God. The tenth
chapter gives us the principle that wherever there is greater beauty and power, there is the special
focus of divinity. After giving examples of excellence in each group and the specially divine
presence in it, the chapter sums up by saying:
y*iÖ-UitmTsÅvm! ïImËijRtmev va,
tÄdevavgCD Tv< mm tejae<=zs<-vm!.
yad-yad-vibh¨timat-sattvam þrŸmad-¨rjitam-eva v˜
tat-tad-ev˜vagaccha tvaÕ mama tejoÕþa-sambhavam -- X-41
(Know that the object which is the most excellent of its species, the most intensely rich or
abundant, is invested with My splendour.)

69. The Teaching of the "Vibhuti Yoga":

We are to realise from the tenth chapter that we should endeavour to see that our heart becomes a
seat of God's excellence. If God is to dance in our hearts we should decorate the place with our
virtues. If we have good sweets and attractive toys with us, children will naturally be attracted to
us. A dirty place breeds insects and bacteria. If our virtuous heart can be the playground for the
child Krishna, the same place, if infested with vices, could become a horrible funeral ground for the
macabre dance of the devils. Let us decorate our hearts with our good thoughts and good conduct
to make it a place for the young Gopal to dance. Our good deeds themselves are the invaluable
daily offering to God.
\t<ipbNtaE suk«tSy laeke
®tampibantau suk®tasya loke -- Katha 3-1
(He drinks the essentially good portion, dwelling in the cave of the heart, in the body earned by
good deeds.)
zu-<ipbTsaE inTy< nazu-<shir> ipbet!,
þubhampibatsau nityaÕ n˜þubhaÕsahari× pibet -- Brahma Sutra Bhashya
(He always drinks the auspicious; He does not drink the inauspicious.)
The Almighty God who resides within us accepts only our good deeds and blesses us. He comes
running to our hearts to accept our offerings of good deeds. We have been dispelling Him away
from us by Our bad deeds. Parvati asks her husband Shiva why he did not get up to honour her
father Daksha Prajapati who was an elderly person. The reply by Lord Shiva is significant. He says:
"By standing up and bowing we honour not the mortal body but the God who is within. This should
be understood both by the giver and the receiver of the salutations. The power-drunk Daksha
Prajapati was not aware of this. His heart was full of pride and ego; I could not see Godhead within
him however much I looked for it. Why should I bow down to an emaciated and soiled image which
has lost the very presence of God?" By our untruth and unrighteousness, we are dismantling the
sanctum sanctorum in our heart. We must keep away from engaging ourselves in such heinous
crime which is going to ruin our whole life. Instead, we must welcome the opportunities of
performing good deeds which manifest divinity and ennoble our life. This is the teaching of the
tenth chapter of the Gita.
70. Vision of the Cosmic Form:
Having listened at length to the greatness of the Almighty God, Arjuna gets an intense desire to
have direct vision of the Lord's Cosmic Form which supports this vast universe. The Lord obliges
him, grants him a divine sight and blesses him with the vision of His Cosmic Form. Hundreds of tiny
particles move about under our very nose but we are not able to see them. But with the help of a
microscope all these particles become visible. Similarly, we are not able to see with our gross eyes
the spirit of God which flows through each and every particle in this vast universe. That is why the
Lord had to endow Arjuna with a superhuman eyesight. On an earlier occasion Sri Krishna had
granted such an eyesight and such a vision of His Cosmic Form to the blind Dhritarashtra. When He
went to the Kauravas on his peace mission as an emissary of Pandavas, Duryodhana tried to arrest
him and at that time the Lord revealed His Cosmic Form to the worthy souls like Bhishma and
Dhritarashtra. Seeing the wonderful auspicious form of the Lord, Dhritarashtra was thrilled with
joy and exclaimed: "Oh Lord, when You withdraw this supernatural eyesight, please make me blind
once again. Having seen Your auspicious Cosmic Form, I do not wish to see the ugly world any
more. I shall be glad to be blind again." In my opinion Dhritarashtra, the blind devotee, is the
luckiest person because he saw in his life only God's Form arid nothing else, even once, of this
sinful world.
On seeing the Cosmic Form of Lord Krishna Arjuna is overjoyed. There is scattered all around the
massive brightness as at the sudden and simultaneous rising of a thousand suns. He sees the
Almighty Lord's face all around him. The Lord's eyes are watching each and every particle in the
universe. His thousands of legs and hands are reaching the whole cosmos. In the God with the
universal eyes and the infinite faces Arjuna sees the past, the present and the future. The world of
infinite variety is summed up within Him.
tÇEkSw< jgTk«TSn< àiv-Ktmnekxa,
tatraikasthaÕ jagatk®tsnaÕ pravibhaktamanekadh˜ -- XI-13
He saw the myriad fragments of the world in a corner of the universal body of God. Arjuna sees the
whole universe in the body of the Lord's Cosmic Form. He sees the gods Vayu, Yama, Agni, Brahma
and Rudra in His body, all under His control. He is the abode for all these gods, for all living and
non living creatures in the universe and He takes different forms to activate them. Seeing all these
things Arjuna is awe-struck and in a state of devotional ecstasy bursts into a hymn of praise.

71. Is God Formless?

Some people may feel surprised at the description that God has thousand faces and thousands of
eyes. Can God have eyes, ears and limbs like us? If He has also the same sort of body and organs as
we have, how could He remain God then? He too has to belong to the category of human beings.
Some others argue that such a body and limbs are but a figment of man's own imagination
according to his capacity, and not a real description. Between God's form and our physical body
there is a gulf of difference and only because they do not understand this they deny form to God as
described in the Vedas and the Upanishads. The mere word 'body' need not shock us as dirty and
unholy. There is a world of difference between our body of five elements stinking with filth, and the
sweet-scented body and form of the Lord which is made of mere consciousness and bliss. If one is
an earthen pot, the other is a golden one. The two are entirely different and they have different
characteristics. Just because both have a similar shape and form we cannot put them on par.
Sweets are made in different forms resembling various animals. But do not children eat them with
relish? Even though the forms are different, they are all sweet being made of sugar. Just as there is
a great difference between the beasts and the sweetmeat animals, there is an infinite difference
between our body and God's. By conceding a body and form made of consciousness and bliss to the
Supreme Lord we do not pull Him down to the level of the human beings. It is with this view that
the Vedas and Puranas describe the Lord as formless. If in some places it is stated that God is
formless, in many others, in the same scriptures, the wonderful and beautiful body and form of the
God have been extensively described. We should examine these critically and reconcile them. Since
God does not have an inert body made of five elements like ours, He is described as formless by the
Srutis and Puranas; He has a supernatural body composed of truth, consciousness and bliss, and
this lovely auspicious body is the cause of describing His form. We can remove this apparent
contradiction in our scriptures only if we agree that God has a supernatural form.
We can look at this problem from another angle. Every object in the universe, living or non-living, is
just an image of the Almighty God. God is responsible for its very existence and activity. God
pervades every object and activates it. Because of God there is activity in the universe. God is the
object and everything else in the universe is His image. The various objects in the universe have
diverse forms only because God pervades all these objects and gives them their individual forms.
Unless the object has shape, its image cannot have any shape. The image may be dark or even
distorted but there is some similarity in form between the two. There is a great difference between
the Supreme God and the myriads of living and non living entities in the universe in their
characteristics, but because of the object-image relationship, there must be some internal similarity
in form. Different atoms join together and become different objects having different forms. For
these atoms to join together into particular shapes, the infinite forms of God who is immanent in all
objects in nature alone are responsible.
tt! s&òva, tdevanuàaivzt!, tdnuàivZy, sCcTyCca-vt!,
tat s®ÿ÷av˜ | tadev˜nupr˜viþat | tadanupraviþya | saccatyacc˜bhavat | -- Taittiriyopanishad 2:6
(Having created the world, He entered in it, having entered it He was called by its very name 'sat'
(st!) and became its foundation and controller.)
The Upanishad says that nature takes different forms so pleasing to the eye only because of the
presence of God inside every object in the universe. As the same water filled in different pots with
different shapes takes up different forms, so also the same Godhead entering into different living
and non living entities in the universe takes different forms. Only because God has form, nature
could be endowed with so many forms and so much variety and beauty. It is better to describe Him
as having infinite forms rather than describe Him as formless as He is the object for all the images,
and all-pervading. Arjuna saw with his supernatural eyesight such a God of infinite shapes and
forms, of infinite auspicious qualities, made of the essence of consciousness and bliss, taking the
same form as the image He pervades and at the same time not being affected or touched by its
physical characteristics.
Some people are of the view that the form and shape of the Almighty Lord described in the Vedas
and Puranas are purely imaginary and not at all real. We have accepted the Vedas and Puranas as
the supreme authorities in spiritual matters in our Hindu religion. How then could we ever
contradict ourselves and say that they preach false and imaginary ideas about God and thus
misguide and confuse the people? How could the lovely form of God seen after several years of
severe penance and meditation by the supreme devotees like Dhruva be utterly imaginary? What
we see by our physical eyesight may sometimes be illusory. But how could the things seen by Arjuna
with a divine sight, specially endowed by God, be untrue? Illusory objects have no existence in
reality. Arjuna has seen with his own eyes the Almighty God's infinite forms. He has also seen the
lesser gods like Brahma and Rudra offering prayers in devotion to God. This shows that not only
whatever is mentioned in the epics regarding the other worlds are not the figments of their authors'
imagination but, also, whatever of the physical world we see with our eye is also true and real. If
the world were unreal, as some believe, Arjuna could not have seen with the divine sight the earth
and the heavens under the providence of the Supreme Lord. Thus it is undoubtedly true that
whatever Arjuna has seen in the Cosmic Form of the Supreme Soul, the individual soul and the
physical world are all real and mutually distinct.

72. The Awareness of the Cosmic Vision in our day-today life:

We should learn a lesson from what Arjuna had seen in the Lord's Cosmic Form and put it into
practice in our day-to-day life. God has infinite forms. He pervades each and every object. There is
the pure sentient form of God in everything we see. The sense that He sees what is going on in the
whole universe by His thousands of faces and thousands of eyes encourages alertness and good
conduct in us. We can deceive the Government and sidetrack the laws but when the sense that God
is looking at us with his infinite faces and eyes is awakened in us and we cannot evade his look, our
life then would become blissfully holy. Once a banana was given to Sri Kanakadasa and he was
asked to eat it in secret. But he could not find such a place. Wherever he went he saw God. One
who sees God everywhere does not find an opportunity to commit sin and cover it up. His life
becomes as pure as an open book.
n raNy< n c rajasIt! n d{fae n c dai{fk>,
xmeR[Ev àja> svaR> r]iNt Sm prSpr<.
na r˜nyaÕ na ca r˜j˜sŸt na daõýo na ca d˜õýika×
dharmeõaiva praj˜× sarv˜× rakÿanti sma parasparaÕ -- Mahabharata
(There was neither kingdom nor king, neither punishment nor the punisher; people protected each
other with dharma itself.)
In the 'Krita' age the citizens were law-abiding of their own will and lived a life of holy discipline
without the need of law or officers. Character is to be built in the hearts of men. If it is not there as
a foundation, the whole superstructure of the state will collapse. The present-day society is a
glaring example of this. The philosophy of the Cosmic Form of God as explained in the eleventh
chapter of the Gita must be the guiding principle in our day-today life if society is to be built on a
sure foundation.
73. The Worship of the 'Shree' (Lakshmi) Principle:
It has been clear from the exposition of bhaktiyoga so far that devotion to and service of God is the
only way for salvation. Presiding over all the material objects of the universe is the Goddess
Lakshmi who is the mother of all creatures and who is the consort of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. Can
we obtain salvation by Her worship also? Both the Lord and His consort equally pervade the whole
universe and both are eternally free. One is tempted to feel that worship of either should be
conducive to salvation. Between the two one may feel, it is easier to please the Mother and obtain
Her favours and grace than the Father of the universe. Hence one will be tempted to ask why we
should not follow the easier path and obtain release by worshipping the Goddess Lakshmi alone.
Arjuna also gets the same doubt in his mind and asks the Lord:
@v< sttyuKta ye -KtaSTva< pyuRpaste,
ye caPy]rmVyKt< te;a< ke yaegivÄma>.
evaÕ satata-yukt˜ ye bhakt˜s-tv˜Õ paryup˜sate
ye c˜py-akÿaram-avyaktaÕ teÿ˜Õ ke yoga-vittam˜× -- XII-1
(Who are the better yogis -- between those who devotedly worship You with meditation and those
who worship Lakshmi, called akshara and who presides over the principle of 'Prakriti'?)

Even if you worship Lakshmi, you cannot obtain salvation without the grace of God. If you do not
propitiate the Lord, even His consort will not be pleased. It may be easier to approach God through
His consort but you cannot obtain salvation without His very grace. Instead of going through the
indirect path that lies through Her, one should follow the direct path of worshipping the Lord,
advises Sri Krishna:
Klezaee=ixktrSte;a< AVyKtasKtcetsm!,
kleþo'dhikataras-teÿ˜m avyakt˜sakta-cetasam-- XII-5
(Those whose minds are steeped in the Lakshmi principle experience a greater difficulty and
affliction.)
The Lord and His consort are the Father and the Mother of every creature in the universe and the
easiest path is to endeavour to obtain release from our mortal existence by worshipping Him, Lord
of Lakshmi, with all our devotion. In a sense, all of us are worshippers of Lakshmi, the Goddess of
Wealth. Forgetting God we have engaged ourselves in brooding over money alone. But will His
consort favour us in any way if we forget God and are engrossed in thoughts of wealth? Naturally
She too will keep away from us, since we have left Her Lord.
iv:[una sihta Xyata saihtuiòpra<ìjet!,
viÿõun˜ sahit˜ dhy˜t˜ s˜hituÿ÷ipar˜Õvrajet -- Gita Tatparya
(She will be supremely pleased only when She is worshipped along with Vishnu).
She is absolutely pleased only if the Lord is worshipped. If we forget God and worship riches only
throughout our life, then we will lose both God and wealth. Thus the purport of this section is that
the supreme means of salvation is the worship of Lakshminarayana rather than Lakshmi alone.

74. Is the Unmanifest (AVyKt) Nirguna Brahma?

Some people confuse the issue by bringing in the conception of Saguna and Nirguna Brahma. They
define the Brahma possessed of knowledge, power and activity as Saguna Brahma and the
indivisible spirit devoid of all these qualities as the Nirguna Brahma. Since the worship of Nirguna
Brahma, though the most excellent, is the most difficult, Krishna preaches, in the Gita, the easy
path of worshipping Saguna Brahma, they say. It is not proper to bifurcate the Supreme Brahma
into the Nirguna and the Saguna, calling the one as the ultimately Real and the other, fictitious.
Nowhere do the Upanishads divide Him in this manner. There is only one Brahman and He is both
Saguna and Nirguna. The Lord who is free from the three gross gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas
and who is full knowledge, bliss and energy Himself is called both Nirguna and Saguna. He is
Saguna so far as He possesses the supra natural qualities and is Nirguna in so far as He is devoid of
the gross ones.
@kae dev> svR-Ute;u gUF>
svRVyapI svR-UtaNtraTma,
kmaRXy]> svR-Utaixvas>
sa]I ceta kevlae inguR[í.
eko deva× sarvabh¨teÿu g¨ýha×
sarvavy˜pŸ sarvabh¨t˜ntar˜tm˜
karm˜dhyakÿa× sarvabh¨t˜dhiv˜sa×
s˜kÿŸ cet˜ kevalo nirguõaþca -- Svetasvataropanishad 6-11
(The one Lord is immanent in all beings. He permeates everything, indwelling and controlling all
from within. He presides over all the actions, lives in all the worlds. He is the supreme witness, the
spirit, the unmixed and free from the gross qualities.)
The Upanishad calls the Saguna Brahma who is omnipresent, omnipotent and who permeates the
whole Himself as Nirguna Brahma. When such is the evidence, it would be nothing but a travesty of
truth to fragment Him into two different entities like Saguna and Nirguna and treat as illusory the
Saguna Brahma who is the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the Universe and Omniscient and
Omnipotent.
When Arjuna asks Sri Krishna as to who is superior, the worshipper of the Unmanifest Prakriti or
God Himself, Sri Krishna says clearly:
mYyaveZy mnae ye ma< inTyyuKta %paste,
ïÏya pryaepetaSte me yuKttma mta>.
mayy-˜veþya mano ye m˜Õ nitya-yukt˜ up˜sate
þraddhay˜ parayopet˜s-te me yuktatam˜ mat˜× -- XII-2
(I consider those as the greatest yogis who worship Me with their mind perpetually steeped in Me
and who are possessed of the supreme faith.)
Sri Krishna replies that those who worship Him are better than those that worship the unmanifest.
How could the words of Krishna that the worshippers of His Saguna Self are the greatest yogis,
have any consistency if Nirguna Brahma alone was the ultimate Reality? It is known to all that Sri
Krishna is not a Nirguna principle but is full of auspicious qualities, omniscient and the
Purushottama.
ye Tv]armindeRZymVyKt< pyuRpaste,
ye tv-akÿ˜ram-anirdeþyam-avyaktaÕ paryup˜sate -- XII-3
te àaPnuviNtmamev svR-Utihterta>.
te pr˜pnuvanti-m˜m-eva sarva-bh¨ta-hite-rat˜× -- XII-4
From the above the statement that the worshippers of the unmanifest also reach Him it is
impossible to equate the worship of the Unmanifest with the Nirguna Brahma. How could the
worshippers of Nirguna Brahma attain Sri Krishna who is Saguna Brahma? Advaita philosophy does
not accept the attainment of Saguna as the consummation of the worship of Nirguna Brahma; the
one who pursues the Nirguna path, attains Brahma Himself. Thus when we examine the fruit of the
worship of the Unmanifest and see the superior place given to the worship of the Lord as Manifest
as against the pursuit of the Unmanifest, it is clear that what is referred to in this context is not the
Saguna and Nirguna aspects of the Supreme Lord but the worship of Sri Lakshmi and the Lord
Himself.

75. Worship of Saguna Brahma is acceptable to all:

There is one more point to be borne in mind by all. Some people may think of Nirguna Brahma as
the Supreme Reality, the undivided spirit which is beyond the Saguna. Whatever may be the truth,
these people themselves concede that final redemption can be obtained by the worship of the
Saguna Brahma and that such a worship is the easiest path for salvation.
n c punravtRte, n c punravtRte
na ca punar˜vartate, na ca punar˜vartate
(And he does not return and verily does not return (to the world of birth and death) once he attains
salvation.)
Even Sri Sankaracharya has accepted in his commentary on the Brahma Sutra:
AaE< Anav&iÄzzBdat! , Anav&iÄzzBdat! AaE<
aum an˜v®ttiþaþabd˜t, an˜v®ttiþaþabd˜t auÕ
referred to above that by worshipping the Saguna Brahma it is possible to attain the release from
which there is no return.
ttaeýSy bNxivpyRyaE
tatohyasya bandhaviparyayau
(From His will alone are both bondage and release.)
Once again, while commenting on the above Brahma Sutra, Sankaracharya has glossed that the
release from the ancient bondage is possible only through the grace of God who is omniscient and
omnipotent. When it is clear that the final consummation of life can be obtained by the devoted
worship of Saguna Brahma and there is absolutely no danger in following this path, why should we
then give up the indisputably royal path, free from confusion and harm, and tread the other highly
disputed path of the soul-self identity and the Nirguna Brahma? Instead of creating confusion
among the simple men by raising the disputed ideas in their minds, it is very much proper to lead
them on the broad royal road of the universally accepted worship of the Saguna Brahma.

76. Stages on the Path of Meditation:

It is not possible for ordinary people to undertake sustained meditation upon God with intense
devotion for self-realisation and the attainment of ultimate release. Even if we are unable to
undertake unbroken devotion, since we lack the necessary devotion, moral strength, spirit of
renunciation and non-attachment, we should at least make an eager attempt at practicing these. We
may see only smoke and no fire in a burning firewood. It is only the dry wick dipped in ghee that
can burn. Soaked in worldly pleasures, our heart is full of the smoke of desires and attachments
and there is no room for the spark of knowledge. Only in a heart purified by penance and good
deeds and bathed in the ghee of devotion, the flame of knowledge can glow. Hence we should make
an immediate and incessant endeavour to cultivate and increase non-attachment to worldly
pleasures and devotion to God.
Aw icÄ< smxatu< n zKnaei; miy iSwrm!,
A_yasyaegen ttae maimCDaPtu< xn<jy.
atha cittaÕ samadh˜tuÕ na þaknoÿi mayi sthiram
abhy˜sa-yogena tato m˜m-icch˜ptuÕ dhanañjaya -- XII-9
A_yase=PysmwaeR=is mTkmRprmae -v,
abhy˜se'py-asamartho'si mat-karma-paramo bhava -- XII-10
(Arjuna, if you are not able to repose your mind fully in Me try to know Me by means of steady
application; if application is not possible, perform actions for My sake (in dedication.)
If we have not yet attained mental tranquillity to undertake such an exercise, we should at least
have attained the readiness to perform actions without hoping for its rewards and with the sole
purpose of pleasing God. Such action increases our soul force and prepares us to undertake the
more difficult exercise of contemplation on God. If even this is not possible, at least while engaged
in our day-to-day activities steeped in manifold desires, we must think of God again and again and
cultivate the spirit of dedication to God. Even if we do not succeed in keeping the spirit of
detachment and dedication to God throughout the tenure of our action, we may at least think of
God in between and if there is room for such intermittent light a deeper darkness will not envelope
our life. Even if it is not possible to see the omnipresence of God in all that we do, why should we
not make even these tiny attempts at establishing our relationship with God? Thus the Gita has
revealed to us the means of divine realisation at different levels and within our reach. Thus,
establishing communion with God, performing action in a detached spirit, intense effort at
meditation upon God, unbroken contemplation upon God, are the four stages preached in the Gita;
we should climb them step by step and try to elevate ourselves spiritually.

77. Desireless Devotion:

There are two kinds of devotion, one is desire-prompted and another desireless. The routine and
the special rituals may be performed both ways, with or without desire for reward. There are
people who do penance for attaining some goal, Dhruva for example. There are other people who
do penance for its own sake just to please God and without expecting any reward. This is the
highest type of penance. Those that usually perform action without any hope of reward are the
people who will succeed in this perfect penance and achieve their consummation by pleasing God
with pure meditation.
There is a story of a sage who worshipped a goddess for a number of years. The goddess appeared
before him and offered to grant him any boon he desired, be it the joys of the entire earth or even of
the heaven. The saint refused saying: "Oh Goddess, I want neither the pleasures of the heaven nor
of the earth. Kindly give me Your grace so that I may continue in my penance in this very body
without any hindrance." By the grace of the goddess his penance continued uninterruptedly. Once
the Ikshvaku king happened to pass that way. He saw the sage in penance and implored him to
accept some gift from him. The saint said that he did not accept anything even from God and what
could he ever get by asking an ordinary king. On the contrary, he asked the king to accept
something from him. Being a Kshatriya he hesitated to ask anything from a Brahmin but he finally
asked for the entire merit earned him by his penance. What an awful request! What an
unimaginable thing it is to give away the fruit of the strife of a whole lifetime! The saint wavered for
a moment and offered to give half of it. The king was thunderstruck by his magnificent generosity
and utter selflessness. The king hesitated to accept it and asked the sage what the extent of that
merit was. To this the sage replied: "Oh king! you asked me for the whole fruit of my penance and I
have given. I know neither its nature nor its extent. I did this penance without any hope of reward
and hence how can I tell you the worth of that fruit?" The king then said: "Oh sage! without
knowing its nature and its value, how can I accept it?" So he refused the offer. The sage insisted
that a king should stick to his word and not go back from it. To settle this dispute the gods
themselves gathered there in large numbers. This story is beautifully narrated in 'Japakopakhyana'
of the Mahabharata. This is the highest example of Desireless Devotion. The sage performed severe
penance for a lifetime and he did not know how much merit he had accumulated; the sage's
detachment is amazing as he did not hesitate to part with it. After practising desireless action,
every aspirant should strive to reach this stage of desireless devotion.

78. Character Development in the Aspirant:

Along with the performance of desireless action, renunciation and practice of meditation, every
aspirant should also strive towards the development of his virtues. This is essential for God-
realisation. The aspirant souls, fit for salvation, are indeed intrinsically virtuous. The unfoldment of
the intrinsic virtuousness and beauty of the soul itself is salvation according to the scriptures. All
our activities in this world should thus either help in the unveiling of the true virtuousness of the
soul or be conducive to it. Truth, knowledge, compassion, sacrifice are the natural qualities of the
soul and if in our lives, we indulge in activities contrary to these, our souls would be still more
enveloped in deeper ignorance. Untruth, violence, cruelty and deceit are the dire enemies of the
good soul. If we encourage such evil forces in our lives, we would be suppressing the virtues of the
soul and aggravating the conditions of ignorance and grossness.
If the evil inclinations start abounding we would be losing the very capacity for meditating upon
and realising God who is the soul of infinite goodness. If all our daily activities are corrupted by
vice and misbehaviour how would we ever be worthy of salvation which is nothing but the
attainment of likeness with God who is the infinite soul of virtue? Thus we should not give any
scope for the forces which are utterly inimical to the proper and intrinsic nature of our soul and the
precious qualities of God who is our final consummation. If we do, we would be creating a tragic
situation of remaining farther from God and impediments to God-realisation. Therefore our conduct
and character in this life should be exemplary if we want to realise God and shine with the intrinsic
glory of our own soul's identity. All our dealings should be honest. The principles which an aspirant
should inculcate in his day-to-day life are enumerated in the slokas like the following at the end of
the twelfth chapter of the Gita.
AÖeòa svR-Utana< mEÇ> ké[ @v c,
adveÿ÷˜ sarva-bh¨t˜n˜Õ maitra× karuõa eva ca -- XII-13
(Non-enmity for all creatures, friendship in need and compassion ...)
Non-hatred, friendship, compassion, freedom from egoism and pride of possession, patience,
contentedness are some of the qualities which we should try to inculcate in ourselves. The Lord
declares that such a devotee is the dearest to Him. Such a person is never inflamed by any activity
of the world and carries out his duties without any fear. Nor does he excite others with fear, harm
or disturbance. Being bold himself he infuses confidence in others and thus creates an atmosphere
of ease. He keeps himself away from all selfish activities which are not pleasing to God. He looks on
pain and pleasure alike. He welcomes pain as much as pleasure. He is eager to burn with pain as an
atonement for his sins. With eagerness he welcomes pain as a purifier of his soul and even creates
such occasions of painfulness. Similarly a devotee looks at pleasure also disinterestedly. Pleasure is
as painful to him as misery! For a bit of pleasure, how much humiliation does one suffer! A devotee
attaches the same value to both sense-pleasures and worldly sorrows. He spurns both of them. He
is not moved either by praise or slander. This unaffectedness is an extraordinary virtue. There are
very few good people who are not affected by praise or slander. Even saints and selfless servants of
society unfortunately fall a prey to praise. When others praise their sense of sacrifice and service to
others, even the faces of saints cheer up. But for a devotee who has carried on his work as a part of
his sacred duty and as a service to God, both praise and calumny are the same. If every aspirant
should try to cultivate these noble and everlasting qualities, there is no delay in attaining the
spiritual treasure.
ye tu xMyaRm&timd< ywaeKt< pyuRpaste,
ye tu dharmy˜m®tam-idaÕ yathoktaÕ paryup˜sate -- XII-20
(Those who take to performing these means which are instruments of dharma and salvation.)
These qualities are profoundly religious and immortal.

79. Who is the kshetrajna?:

In this chapter there is a description of the field (kshetra) and the knower of the field (kshetrajna).
The entire universe of gross matter (Prakriti) and all modifications of it is the field. Generally,
whatever that has been pervaded by the Lord is called the 'kshetra' and since He pervades the
whole universe, the entire creation is the 'kshetra'. The universe stands like a body to God. He is its
soul as it were. As it is necessary for every activity of the body to spring from the soul, all activities
of the cosmos are possible since the Lord enters into each of them.
#d< zrIr< kaENtey ]eÇimTyi-xIyte,
idaÕ þarŸraÕ kaunteya kÿetram-ity-abhidhŸyate -- XIII-1
]eÇ}< caip ma< iviÏ svR]eÇe;u -art,
kÿetrajñaÕ c˜pi m˜Õ viddhi sarvakÿetreÿu bh˜rata -- XIII-2
(This body, Arjuna, is called the kshetra; understand that I am the knower of the kshetra.)
The whole universe which is like the body of the Lord is called the kshetra. God who knows
everything thoroughly of this universe, the omniscient, is called the 'knower of the field'. He is God
and Sri Krishna says that He is Himself the incarnation of that Supreme God.
Some people say that our body is the field and our soul is the knower of the field and that there is
no difference between our soul and the Supreme Soul. When we critically look at the meaning of
the word 'field' as given in the Gita itself, it is clear that we cannot limit the word to mean our body
only.
mha-UtaNyh<karae buiÏrVyKtmev c,
mah˜-bh¨t˜ny-ahaðk˜ro buddhir-avyaktam-eva ca -- XIII-5
@tT]eÇ< smasen sivkarmudaùtm!.
etat-kÿetraÕ sam˜sena sa-vik˜ram-ud˜h®tam -- XIII-6
(The five elements, the intellect and the principle of Prakriti -- these in short are called the field
which is subject to modifications.)
It is explained here that the word 'field' extensively embraces nature, the ahamkara principle, the
fire and all the several modifications of the gross matter, elements, the entire movable and the
immovable creation. One who pervades the whole universe as its indwelling controller and knows
the ins and outs of the whole cosmos alone is the Supreme God and He alone can be the 'knower of
the field.' It is obvious that the individual soul, poor thing, which does not know fully its own body
could never be called the 'knower of the field.' The Bhagavata also says:
]eÇ} AaTma pué;> pura[> sa]at! Svy<Jyaeitrj>prez>,
naray[ae -gvan! vasudev> Svmayya==TmNyvxIyman>.
kÿetrajña ˜tm˜ puruÿa× pur˜õa× s˜kÿ˜t svayañjyotiraja×pareþa×
n˜r˜yaõo bhagav˜n v˜sudeva× svam˜yay˜''tmanyavadhŸyam˜na×
(The omniscient Lord is the kshetrajna ... ... ... ) In unequivocal terms, the Lord Narayana who is
omniscient and is different from the individual soul, alone is the 'knower of the field.'

80. The Knower, the Thing to be Known and their Characteristics:

After expounding the nature of the field and the knower of the field, the Gita turns to the exposition
of the things to be known and the qualities required in the knower who is worthy of the knowledge.
The all-pervading soul of the whole cosmos, the Supreme Lord is the 'thing to be known.' He is the
one and the only entity to be chiefly known. After spending twelve years in the Guru's house,
Shvetaketu returns home but his father Uddalaka does not see any sign of knowledge beaming on
his face. Instead he becomes sorry to find in his son conceit and egoism, and in dejection asks him:
%t tmadezmàaúy>.
yena< ïut< ïut< -vTymt< mtmiv}at< iv}at<,
uta tam˜deþamapr˜kÿya×
yen˜Õ þrutaÕ þrutaÕ bhavatyamataÕ matamavijñ˜taÕ vijñ˜taÕ -- Chandogya Upanishad 6:1:2-3
(He verily asked him: "What is it that by knowing which the unheard becomes heard, the unknown
becomes known and the understood, understood? Have you studied that, which when known makes
everything else also known.")
Shvetaketu could not answer this question. Such a question itself appeared like a riddle to him. The
father enlightens his son: "Such is the knowledge of the Supreme God. Knowing Him, we know the
whole universe. One who eats a mango need not eat its stone and skin. Sucking its juice is as good
as eating the whole mango. If you get the knowledge of the Almighty Lord who is the essence of
everything in this universe, is there any need to know the rest separately? You have not acquired
the knowledge of the Lord who is the ultimate essence of the universe. Having acquired some
knowledge of the contemptible world which is but like that of the stone and the skin of the mango,
you have grown proud. That humility which flowers from true knowledge is missing in your face."
Thus does the father open the eyes of the son. From these words of Uddalaka, we understand that
the thing to be known in the whole universe is the supreme Godhead. Our aim in life should be to
acquire the knowledge of the Supreme God who pervades every object in the universe with his
organs transcending the gross ones, who knows the ins and outs of every object, who covers the
whole cosmos and still extends beyond it, who, though far from us, is still very close to us, who is
beyond nature and its qualities, who is of infinite auspicious qualities and has a cosmic form.
To acquire this knowledge we must specially bear in mind the necessity of certain basic
requirements. We must eschew self-praise, violence and hypocrisy from our lives and cultivate
forgiveness, integrity, service to the Guru, purity, self-control, non-attachment to worldly pleasures,
humility, critical insight into what is good and bad, mental equilibrium and undivided devotion to
God. These are some of the virtues which must be developed if we wish to discover such knowledge
of the Lord.
By his uprightness and integrity alone, the guru identified Satyakama Jabali's deservedness for
knowledge. Nachiketa was offered enjoyment of all worldly pleasures by Yama. But he spurned it as
trash and asked only for true knowledge of God. Yama was amazed by the renunciation and spirit of
sacrifice of the young aspirant and taught him, thoroughly pleased, the highest knowledge of God.
Aruni and Upamanyu served their teacher sincerely and with great obedience, enduring all
hardship and humiliation, and then acquired knowledge. In the modern system of education, there
is utterly no place or sanctity for Guru-worship. In the present university environment the teachers
are in mortal fear of the students. There is only a commercial relationship between the teacher and
the taught. It would not be far from right if we compare their relationship to that between the
management and the workers in a factory.
The purity which is one of the characteristics to be developed is not of the body only. Inner purity is
the chief concern. However much a person may dip in water wash his body, purify it with the soil,
unless the mind is purified he will not be fit to receive the knowledge of God. Uttanka, the disciple
of Baidara, is the best example of self-control. Baidara had a beautiful and young wife. When
Baidara was away on tour, the disciple Uttanka was never fascinated by her alluring beauty and by
his great self-control earned the gratitude and blessings of his Guru. Vanity and egoism are the
mortal enemies of knowledge. Water never climbs up a higher level; it always flows to a lower level.
Knowledge does not climb the heights of pride. It flows rapidly into the heart deepened by humility.
Hypocrisy is in posing superior to one's ability. We see such artificial life all around us. An
individual's face in solitariness differs from the face he puts up before the society. But the real face
perhaps is different from both! Thus, under the name of selfishness or prestigious living the
kingdom of hypocrisy and deceit has been reigning everywhere in our society. Only by fighting
these aberrations of the mind, tooth and nail, and continuously, and by developing our real virtues
can we ever hope to be worthy of reaching the final goal of humanity, the ultimate knowledge.

81. The Study of Fundamental Principles:

Sri Krishna now analyses the various fundamental principles governing the universe in order to
facilitate a decisive knowledge. There are two eternal fundamental principles. One is inert matter
(jaýaprak®ti jfàk«it) and another, individual soul (jŸv˜sa jIvas). The former, even though eternal,
undergoes modifications. This material universe is a product of this substance. While matter is the
basis of all modifications, the individual soul is the being which partakes of pleasure and pain which
proceed from matter.
kayRkr[kt&RTve hetu> àk«itéCyte,
pué;> suoÊ>oana< -aeKt&Tve hetuéCyte.
k˜rya-karaõa kart®tve hetu× prak®tir-ucyate
puruÿa× sukha-du×kh˜n˜Õ bhokt®tve hetur-ucyate -- XIII-20
(Prakriti is said to be the cause of the body and the organs; the Lord said to be the cause of the
experience of joy and sorrow)
There is another Great Being who is higher than both and who is beyond these two entities. He is
the Supreme Lord. In Him there are no changes as in the inert matter and no joy or grief as in
individual souls. Changeless and eternally blissful, the Supreme Lord, quite different from inert
matter and individual souls, pervades both the human body and the great universe.
prmaTmeit cPyuKtae dehe=iSmNpué;> pr>.
param˜tmeti capy-ukto dehe'smin-puruÿa× para× -- XIII-22
(The one who dwells in the body, the Supreme Person, is called the Paramatma.)
There is another inside our body, who is different both from matter and individual soul and who
moves all the actions of the body. He is the Supreme Soul. Like the ether He is unaffected by
anything He comes in contact with. Just as the whole world is illumined by the sun, the whole
universe is made visible to us by His power. It is therefore clear that these are the three sole
principles, the inert matter, the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. Based on this division only,
Sri Madhvacharya has propounded his theory of five types of mutual differences.
Some people do not see any cause to analyse things philosophically. They ask, in our practical life,
what do we get out of mere philosophic discussion as to the number of fundamental principles
ruling the world and whether a particular principle is fundamental or not? Such a discussion would
be as useless an exercise as counting the sand particles on the seashore under the scorching sun. It
is enough if we preach good conduct in men which is necessary for the orderly development of
society. The more we keep away from dry logic and philosophy better it is, they think. There is a
story narrated by Lord Buddha which can be cited in this connection. A disciple, tired of family life,
came to the Buddha for some spiritual lessons and asked him some questions on the relationship
between the individual soul and inert matter and insisted on an answer. For this Gautama Buddha
gave him a parable. A poisoned arrow pierced a person and suffering with unbearable pain he ran
to a doctor. Instead of submitting to his treatment and swallowing the medicine given to him by the
doctor, the patient put forward a number of questions such as, what was the shape and colour of
the arrow, what was it made of and told him that he must get the answers to these questions before
he took the medicine. The Buddha's lesson is that philosophic discussion is as irrelevant in our day-
to-day life as the queries of the patient. There are many, even now, who subscribe to this view. But
the very same people admit the necessity of deep inquiry in economic and political matters before
attempting any solution. Everyone accepts that a solution, without a thorough analysis of the basic
problems, might lead to an opposite consequence. No patient would approach a doctor who is not
familiar with anatomy and physiology and the chemical composition and potency of the medicine.
When we are eager to consider all the pros and cons even in trivial matters, do we feel it irrelevant
to critically examine the true meaning and significance of our existence? Only by considering the
reality behind our life and the world around us shall we able to know how to shape our lives. We
will come to know wherein lies the root of our misery in life. There is a world of difference between
the life shaped in the light of the realisation of God's existence, and the life lived without faith in
God and materialistically. It is not proper to scorn the philosophical analysis which can give new
values to our existence. Man must have an opportunity and freedom to follow a determined path
after a critical analysis of the whole foundation of human existence. That is why there is room in
India for several independent philosophical systems. It is from this point of view that Sri Krishna
has described with his comprehensive vision the true nature of matter, the individual soul and the
Supreme Soul, the mutual difference and also the relationship between them.

82. The Root of Bondage

Among the three classes, namely, the individual soul, matter and Supreme Soul, only the individual
soul is subject to the cycle of birth and death in this world. God is perfect and full of happiness.
Inert matter is lifeless. In both there is no chance of any misery, illusion or ignorance. It is only the
individual soul which is caught in this cycle of life and death, which is immersed in the misery of
family life and which is ever striving for liberation. The soul by its very nature is full of knowledge
and bliss. How is it then that it is affected by ignorance and misery contrary to its true nature? All
souls ultimately aspire to reach a stage similar to that of God and how is it then that the soul is
tormented by contrary qualities like ignorance and misery? A critical study of this question is
essential for remedying this sorry state.
Even if dynamism and bliss are inherent in every soul, these are hidden under the thick cover of
inert matter. The soul, under the spell of the mighty forces of matter, is in a wretched and forlorn
state in this life. It loses its individuality and splendour, covered as it is by matter. Since the inert
matter is as eternal as the soul, from the very beginning the soul is under the influence of matter.
The glow of the soul is completely eclipsed, so to say, by matter. The three constituents of matter
namely, sattva, rajas as and tamas cover the proper self of the soul and disfigure it. The cloth may
be white, but when it is soiled, it appears black. Similarly being soiled by matter, the soul puts on
extraneous deformations. Thus bondage is due to no other cause but the soul's being under the
influence of matter. By the grace of the Supreme Lord alone, Who is beyond both, can the soul
achieve liberation from this vicious cycle.
In this eternal life cycle of the soul, thus are the roles played by matter and the Supreme God. If the
contact with matter gives a soul happiness and misery born out of these three qualities, the contact
with God helps it overcome these deformations and reach to its proper state which is beyond the
three qualities. The nature of matter and God and the reaction in the individual soul by contact with
these two have been explained so far. The one ties us down to the cycle of birth and death; the
other liberates us from this cycle. We should exert ourselves and carry on our spiritual exercise till
the soul once again shines with its natural, inherent glory, realising our true nature, which is
different from both inert matter and Godhead. By devotion and His grace, we should come out of
the influence of inert matter and get into the immortal sphere of God's influence.

83 The Influence of Three Gunas on our Life:

The influence of matter on the souls varies with the three forces of matter. If the predominance of
tamas leads to indolence, heedlessness and delusion, that of the rajas leads to a life excited by
desire, anxiety, anger and disturbance. Sattva, which is a fount of knowledge, judgment and
goodness, lights up the path of our life, like a torch, towards the fullness of consummation which is
beyond the three gunas. One who can trample down both rajas and tamas alone can reach the
height of sattva. While by tamas one takes to indifference towards the execution of one's duties,
under the influence of rajas one performs actions, becoming a prey to petty desire and delusion. It
is only by sattva that one can perform one's allotted duties without hoping for any reward. We
should understand the effect of these three forces of matter on life and then make efforts to use this
Prakriti as a bridge to take us towards God. If we use the Prakriti dexterously, the release from the
bondage of Prakriti becomes easier.
We see all around us predominances of tamas and rajas. We may divide mankind into two classes;
the Ravana class and the Kumbhakarna class. People who crave for wealth and power remind us of
Ravana himself. Ravana wanted to possess all the beautiful and extraordinary things of the three
worlds. He went on exerting all his brutal force perpetually to achieve his end. We see all around us
people trying to stick to power and office by hook or crook. In every field there is an unethical
competition due to the preponderance of the rajas. As against these Ravanas of passionate
qualities, there are Kumbhakarnas who are embodiments of indolence and inactivity. The so-called
purists and conservative religionists may be put in this category. When there is such an onslaught
on the traditional religious life of the whole community, these people live with indifference and all
by themselves, forgetting their duty to mend the situation. Indolence is the root of all vices. The
emperor Nala due to his carelessness neglected to wash his feet properly and on this score, Kali
could get access into his otherwise pure and spotless life. Kali had been waiting for a long time to
find an opportunity to sneak into his life. Then he occupied the whole life and personality of the
king. With the slightest opportunity for indolence. Kali sneaks in and in his train all other bad
qualities follow. In the kingdom of Ravana and Kumbhakarna, there is hardly any room for sattvik
quality like that of Vibhishana. The main task ahead of us is the conquest of these rajas and tamas
qualities and establishment of the reign of the sattvik quality. Even if matter is a force of bondage,
one should take the best advantage of the sattvik force which is its constituent and undertake the
adventurous pilgrimage to God from across the sattvik bridge. The fourteenth chapter thus
analyses the effects of the three gunas on the soul, explains the interrelationship of the soul with
Prakriti and shows the way of the sattva guna which transcends the power of the Prakriti and leads
it to the final perfection.
84. The Nature of the Tree of Life:
Hitherto the world has been described analytically. In chapter fifteen, the world is described in a
synthetic way. Of the three constituents of the cosmos, the matter, the soul and the God, the last
one is the Supreme entity in the whole universe. While the highest among the category of beings is
the Lakshmi principle, Prakriti is the chiefest in the category of non-beings. The whole universe is
based on these three fundamental entities and the whole world is created out of these. While the
inert matter (jaýaprak®ti jfàk«it) is the substance out of which the world is made, Lakshmi, the
citprak®ti icTàk«it as the presiding deity in the universe, and the Supreme God, of course,
pervading everything as the controlling power, are the creators of this universe. The Gita has
compared the whole universe to a huge tree and calls these three entities, God, Lakshmi, and
Nature as its roots. The five elements and their presiding deities are the branches and twigs of this
tree. It is only by the adoration of God, there will be happiness and advancement of this world. We
are foolishly engaged in watering the branches instead of the roots of this tree. Forgetting the
supreme entity, God, we engage ourselves in worshipping the five elements and the lesser deities. If
we water the roots of the tree, the whole tree will blossom out and yield fruits. Similarly if we
worship the Supreme Lord, all the deities and all the elements will be propitiated.
ywaih SkNxzaoata<traemU<lavsecn<,
@vmara xn<iv:[ae> sveR;amaTmníih.
yath˜hi skandhaþ˜kh˜t˜ntarom¨Õl˜vasecanaÕ
evam˜r˜ dhanaÕviÿõo× sarveÿ˜m˜tmanaþcahi -- Bhagavata
(Just as the trunk and the branches are fed if the root of the tree is watered, so also all the souls
(goods) are satisfied if Vishnu is adored.)
The worldly pleasures are the budding leaves of this tree of life and Vedas are its bigger leaves. By
their tenderness and different colours the budding things of worldly pleasures tempt us but they
are not sweet or wholesome. Those who want to reap the best fruits, if they abuse the budding
twigs of sensuous pleasures, would be deprived of sweet fruits later. The philosophy of the Vedas,
which are like the grown up leaves, alone can yield the highest fruits of life.
DNda<is ySy p[aRin ... ... ...,
chand˜Õsi yasya parõ˜ni ... ... ... -- XV-1
(Whose leaves are the Vedic slokas.)
We cannot expect any fruits from a leafless, withered tree. How can we see the immortal fruit of
salvation in a barren life, bereft of the Vedic philosophy? We should closely examine the variegated
world which is a complex of the instruments of pleasures and means of perfection. We are amazed
by the extraordinary vegetation of the other-worldly universe permeating the created and the
uncreated universe. It is not possible for us to see its beginning, middle and end or to gauge its
vastness. It is only when we critically analyse, we are able to get the knowledge recognising the
fundamental entities of matter, the soul and God involved in this universe. When we thus go deep
and analyse the world with the help of the sharp knife of knowledge, we see the presence of the
Almighty Lord pervading every corner of even the minutest particle. Our intellect and knowledge
have been blunted by contact with worldly pleasure and we have lost the power of analysis and
discernment. With a mind free from attachment to worldly pleasures and with true know ledge we
should analyse all the objects of the universe mentally and get at the Supreme Spirit which is
hidden within. Just as butter lies hidden in milk, gold in its ore, the Godhead permeates this visible
universe in an unmanifest way. The mind and the spirit find fulfilment only in searching for this
Godhead secretly permeating the universe. Where is the fulness of knowledge which does not see
God as the ground of the tree of the universe permeating every leaf and branch and nourishing it?
The skill and the insight that discovers gold in its ore can enable us to search for God who is in the
universe. We can have permanent relief from a life of eternal struggle, trouble and mutability only if
we have a vision of God who abounds in auspicious qualities and is omnipotent. Only by reaching
Him we would be accomplishing the goal of our life's pilgrimage.

85. The Jiva is verily similar to Myself -- mamaiv˜ÕþojŸvaloke mmEva<zaejIvlaeke:

The essence of this Tree of the Universe is the Supreme Lord; and without Him, it has no being and
movement. His qualities and powers are unfathomed and infinite. The whole cosmos is only a spark
before His effulgence of infinite suns.
padae=Syivña -Utain ... ... ...,
p˜do'syaviþv˜ bh¨t˜ni ... ... ... -- Purusha Sukta
(The universe of beings is but an iota of His self.)
If His knowledge and qualities are an infinite ocean, the individual soul is just a drop in it.
mmEva<zae jIvlaeke jIv-Ut> snatn>,
mamaiv˜Õþo jŸva-loke jŸva-bh¨ta× san˜tana× -- XV-7
(The jiva who indwells the bodies of persons is similar to My radiant Self.)
There is an infinite gulf of difference between Brahman and the world, between the individual soul
and the Lord. From the perspective of God's infinitude, the individual soul is but an infinitesimal.
Before His perfection, the imperfection of the individual soul and the world stand exposed. Some
people are of the opinion that the soul is but a part of God. How could a troubled individual soul, in
the grip of misery, ignorance and delusion be a part of Infinite God who transcends all matter? If
imperfect and mutable souls could be fragments of the Supreme Lord, it would mean bundling up
His very perfection and immutability. We shall be denying the very principle of the Supreme
Indivisible Godhead if we accept a multiplicity of His fragments and subject them to the tyranny of
matter. Before the infinite mass of the Almighty's qualities, the individual soul is but a speck, and,
in this sense, it is described as a fragment of the Supreme God. When one says that one's wealth is
but a fraction of a millionaire's wealth, it does not mean that fraction of the millionaire's money
itself has been transferred from his treasury into the other man's pocket. The word (Amsa) fraction
is used only to suggest an idea of the quantum of the wealth possessed by a person in relation to
that of a millionaire. It is in this sense that we must interpret the statement, that the jiva is a
fragment of the Supreme Lord. Such a soul caught in the grip of powerful nature must take refuge,
in order to be released from bondage, in the Supreme Lord who is the summit of all power. Instead
of running after worldly pleasures we must seek and run after God alone. Even if God is always with
us in all our actions, a perpetual companion, an unfailing steersman, our unbaked mind has no
capacity to see Him.
ytNtae=Pyk«taTmanae nEn< pZyNTycets>,
yatanto'py-ak®t˜tm˜no nainaÕ paþyanty-acetasa× -- XV-11
(The mindless and impure of heart cannot see Him even if they try hard.)
One whose heart has been cultivated by karmayoga and bhaktiyoga alone has the great fortune to
see God. From a syrup only a scientist can crystallise and take out sugar. A layman cannot do it.
Even though God is always with us, our eyes do not discern Him.
prai oain Vyt&[t! Svy<-U>
tSmat! pra'œ pZyit naNtraTmn!,
par˜ñci kh˜ni vyat®õat svayambh¨×
tasm˜t par˜ð paþyati n˜ntar˜tman -- Kathopanishad 4-1
(The Creator Brahma shaped the senses to be extrovertial; therefore do they look outwards into the
objects of sense and do not turn inwards towards the soul.)
As all our sense organs are projecting outwards, our vision is outward-oriented. Men have lagged
behind in the practice of developing the inward-look. Only the bold soul who can swim counter to
the outward-flowing current of sense-organs can succeed in accomplishing the inward vision. Thus
we who have been dwelling in this tree of life should thoroughly understand it and make efforts to
know the root which sustains the whole tree in order to achieve the consummation of our life.

86. The Yoga of the Supreme Self -- puruÿottamayoga (pué;aeÄmyaeg)

Just as the universe is analysed into its three fundamental entities, the individual soul, matter and
the Supreme Soul for a clearer understanding of the mutual relationship between God and the
individual soul, another classification is made towards the end of the fifteenth chapter.
Among the animate beings there are three categories, the Ksharapurushas, the Aksharapurusha
and the Purushottamma. All living creatures possessing material, perishable bodies, subject to the
cycle of birth and death, are Ksharapurushas. Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, who is free from the
cycle of birth and death, who has an imperishable body made of pure energy, who is the presiding
deity of all elemental nature, and who is constantly cooperating with Her Lord in the affairs of the
cosmic, is called the Aksharapurusha. One who is superior to both these is Purushottama, the
Supreme God:
ÖaivmaE pué;aE laeke ]ría]r @v c,
]r> svaRi[ -Utain kªqSwae=]r %Cyte.
dv˜v-imau puruÿau loke kÿaraþ-c˜kÿara eva ca
kÿara× sarv˜õi bh¨t˜ni k¨÷astho'kÿara ucyate -- XV-16
%Äm> pué;STvNy> prmaTmeTyudaùt>,
uttama× puruÿastvanya× param˜tmety-ud˜h®ta× -- XV-17
Vishnu and His consort Lakshmi (the Chitprakriti) are the father and the mother, and all living
creatures in the universe are their children.
sÇElaeKyk…qu<bpalnpr>,
satrailokyaku÷umbap˜lanapara× -- Mangalashtaka
(He is engaged in looking after the family of the three worlds.)
The whole cosmos is the one vast family of the Supreme Lord. We are members of this family. One
who protects all of us is the Supreme Lord. All those who accept the overlordship of the Supreme
God are brothers and we should carry on our activities in this world in this brotherly spirit.
Some people think that Kshara and Akshara refer to non-living and living entities in this universe.
But when we consider the word 'Purusha', we clearly feel that the categories belong to the living
beings only. However, it is here made clear that Sri Krishna the Supreme Lord is different from and
far superior to both the living and non-living entities in the cosmos.
%Äm pué;STvNy> ... ... ...,
uttama puruÿastvanya× ... ... ... -- XV-17
Atae=iSm laeke vede c àiwt> pué;aeÄm>.
ato'smi loke vede ca prathita× puruÿottama× -- XV-18
(That is why I am reputed to be Purushottama both in the Smriti and the Shruti.)
The above slokas not only indicate that the Supreme Self is superior to all other living creatures but
also establish that the Supreme Self is none other than the Lord Sri Krishna Himself. Some people
argue that Sri Krishna is not the Supreme Self, the Overlord of the living and the non-living. The
Supreme Lord according to them is without any qualities and Sri Krishna, who is full of qualities,
cannot be the Supreme Lord. They say that He is the creature of the Maya of the Brahman. But the
unambiguous statement in the Gita that Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Lord of the Universe and
there is none else equal to or superior to Him clearly proves that such an argument is untenable.
This part of the Gita which upholds the supremacy of the Lord Sri Krishna is the quintessence of
the whole Gita. This is the favourite part of Sri Madhvacharya. Based on this alone Sri
Madhvacharya has propounded his philosophy of the supremacy of Sri Hari. This part of the Gita
states in unambiguous terms the relationship between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul
and the lordship of the Supreme Soul over both the living and non-living entities in the universe.
Even Sri Sankaracharya has accepted this portion as the sum and substance of all the holy
scriptures:
svaeRih gItazaSÇayae<=iSmÚXyaye smasenaeKt>,
n kevl< gIta zaSÇawR @v ikNtu svR ívedawR #h pirsmaPt>,
sarvohi gŸt˜þ˜str˜yoÕ'sminnadhy˜ye sam˜senokta×
na kevalaÕ gŸt˜ þ˜str˜rtha eva kintu sarva þcaved˜rtha iha parisam˜pta×
(The whole science of the Gita has been summed up in this chapter, not only the science of the Gita
but the whole meaning of the Vedas has been summed up conclusively here.)
As explained here, the whole universe is but the kingdom of God and Sri Hari is its Supreme Lord;
the one undisputed path lies in behaving like disciplined subjects of His kingdom, without
forgetting His supremacy.
87. Divine and Diabolic Tendencies:

In the sixteenth chapter there is a description of the divine daivŸ (dEvI) and diabolic ˜surŸ (AasurI)
tendencies. Qualities which uplift man such as truth, non-violence, renunciation, austerity, charity
and compassion, are called divine tendencies. Qualities utterly contrary to these and which lead to
one's downfall are diabolic tendencies. Some of these are hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit and
ignorance. The effects of these diabolic tendencies on society have been described in detail in the
sixteenth chapter. Only when we become aware of the tragic consequences of such diabolic
tendencies upon society, will our mind naturally turn towards the divine tendencies. Unless we
suffer from darkness we cannot appreciate the efficacy of light. This is why the Gita has
harrowingly painted the deadly consequences of diabolic tendencies in this chapter. The description
in the Gita of the diabolic tendencies brings to our mind the present-day society itself. If denying
the reality of the world and turning their faces from duty to the society is a kind of dark tendency,
the denial of the existence of the Almighty God Himself and leading an undisciplined and wanton
life throwing all ethics to the winds is another sort:
AsTymàitó< te jgda÷rnIñrm!,
asatyam-apratiÿ÷haÕ te jagad-˜hur-anŸþvaram -- XVI-8
(They say that the world is unreal and baseless and is without the Lord.)

If the sense of the unreality of the world leads them to inactivity, the denial of God gives them an
open access to an immoral and undisciplined life. The philosophies denying the reality of the world
which stares us in the face and denying the existence of God who is the Lord of this universe, have
caused confusion and led to people shirking their duty and living a wanton life. The one who says
that the world is unreal will lose the very enthusiastic eagerness to relieve the misery of a troubled
people or the pains of an afflicted man. To him the world is made of a stuff of dreams. If we place
the real world on par with the dream world all our individual and social responsibilities scatter
away. Denying the existence of Almighty God who is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient is still
more detrimental. If some people accept the reality of the world and deny only the existence of
God, others dismiss the world as imaginary and the Lord of the world as but a creature of the Maya.
88. The Evil of Atheism:
The atheistic philosophy cuts at the very root of the progress of the world. Just as the planets
revolve round the sun, all good qualities in man revolve round the central idea of his faith in God. If
you deny God and super-sensory (atŸõdriya AtIi{Ôy) entities like righteousness (dharma xmR) then
you would not attach any importance to the world-sustaining qualities like truth, compassion and
non-violence. Why should we speak the truth alone? Why should we not cheat and deceive people if
it is going to give us wealth and happiness? Is not the sense of sacrifice, which scorns one's own
comfort for the good of others, an utter madness? How would a mere materialist answer these
questions? For him man is a mere machine like a radio, for example. The materialist does not show
any concern for others grief, affliction and oppression. He is not bothered by fear or suspicion
regarding the dangerous consequences of his evil deeds in the future life. If he can get something
in this life by deceiving others, why should he hesitate to do it? Thus, to gain some selfish ends the
materialist would get ready to commit any heinous crime. Only the sense of righteousness and the
sense of God could give rise to a better way of life by warning him of the far-reaching consequences
of his evil deeds. Such a sense alone can control the licentiousness of man and keep him from
stepping into the abyss of destruction. The man who forsakes the sense of God and tries to sustain
himself with the mere materialism of science is like a vehicle without a brake, or a horse without a
rein. if we can enjoy to our fill by misdeeds and dishonesty, why should we not enjoy our short life in
such happiness? Why should we fall a prey to sentiments like charity, goodness to others, non-
violence and deny ourselves moments of happiness? Atheism brings in only such arguments to
enmesh men and lead them into a path of utter wickedness. Only because godliness and a sense of
righteousness are firmly rooted in the mind of man do we see at least the dim twinkling of honesty
and virtue in the otherwise dark atmosphere of deceit and insincerity. Whether they believe in God
or not, all believe in goodness, morality and character at least. They have realised that it is
necessary to cultivate them in our daily life. Even when he commits a crime, almost everyone is
conscious that he is committing a sin and he feels a sense of guilt in himself. There are very few
who so not hear the inner voice that the wrong he is committing is improper.
Even when one ignores this voice of conscience due to momentary passion and commits the crime,
the sense of having been improper will always haunt him. From this we can understand how deep-
rooted spirituality and culture are in the collective conscience of the people. The atheist and the
undaunted materialist can trample on this culture of the conscience. He would not budge to root
out and throw away such fine feelings as blind superstitions when they impede his life of pleasure.
From his materialistic point of view there is no basis for such moral principles. He may call them as
mere prejudices formed out of a frenzy of faith and throw all these moral principles overboard by
what he calls his independent critical outlook. The consequences of such an attitude are obvious. It
is horrifying even to conceive of a world from which spirituality and moral principles have faded
away completely. Shri Madhvacharya has stated in his Vishnu Tatwa Nirnaya that in such an event
the world would be turned into a hotbed of strife, insecurity and disorganisation.
@ta< †iòmvò_y nòaTmanae=LpbuÏy>,
à-vNTyu¢kmaR[> ]yay jgtae=ihta>.
et˜Õ d®ÿ÷im-avaÿ÷abhya naÿ÷˜tm˜no'lpa-buddhaya×
prabhavanty-ugra-karm˜õa× kÿay˜ya jagato'hit˜× -- XVI-9
(Taking recourse to false knowledge the inimical, lost and narrow souls are born, full of cruel deeds,
for the destruction of the world.)
The selfish atheists will lead the world to destruction by their horrid deeds.
kamaep-aegprma @tavidit iniít>.
k˜mopabhoga-param˜ et˜vad-iti niþcita× -- XVI-11
(Those who set the highest value on the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, who are sure that this fruit
alone is real ....)
The people with the diabolic tendencies steeped in worldly activities, indulge in the enjoyment of
worldly pleasures as the supreme goal of life. Nowadays this has become the individual and
national ideal for many people. There is a fierce competition among people in earning money and
possessing the means of luxury. A man's fulfilment and success in life is measured by the money he
has earned, by the number of mansions he has erected, and by the number of luxury articles he has
been enjoying. The culture and civilization of the nation is measured by the number of luxury goods
one is consuming and not by gentleness and goodness. We have been despising a society which has
no exhibitionism and fashion parades, as backward. Thus, today we have a desire and appetite-
oriented civilisation. What can be the outcome of this Godlessness and worship of the Mammon?
$hNte kam-aegawRmNyayenawRsÁcyan!,
Ÿhante k˜ma-bhog˜rtham-any˜yen˜rtha-sañcay˜n -- XVI-12
(For the sake of their pleasures they desire to amass money in unjust ways.)
To lead a luxurious life people will take recourse to the attitude of earning money by crooked
means. We see the macabre dance of this attitude in the various forms in our society: corruption,
blackmarketing, adulteration, tax-evasion, misappropriation and misuse of public money.
Sometimes we feel that the Gita has depicted in this section the prevailing situation in our country
itself as it were.
#dmStIdmip me -iv:yit punxRnm!.
idam-astŸdam-api me bhaviÿyati punar-dhanam -- XVI-13
AaF(ae=i-jnvaniSm kae=Nyae=iSt s†zae mya,
˜ýhyo'bhijanav˜n-asmi ko'nyo'sti sad®þo may˜ -- XVI-15
( "I have this property; this money will again be mine I am rich, born in a high family; who is there
equal to me?" "I have earned so much money today. Tomorrow I shall earn more." "I am powerful, I
can do anything I like." )
We see all around us a veritable sway of greed and vanity.
The only way to escape from the evil consequences of the diabolic forces is by developing the divine
tendencies. If the sense of God becomes deep-rooted in a society, people will naturally follow the
path of righteousness and obligations laid down by God for the welfare of the whole world and the
individual as well. There will be scope for crime to diminish. Devotion to God and faith in God's
justice which punishes the wicked and upholds the righteous will deter us from stooping to any
sinful activity. God who is Providence will certainly punish us squarely for our misdeeds. The
awareness that there is a Superior Power which can look into our deeds will guard us from sin and
unjust works.

89. The Need for Faith in God:

Is there no law and order in countries which are irreligious and atheistic? They have not lagged
behind in the organisation of their countries as compared with those who believe in God. Hence for
a good social order a belief in God is not indispensable, some may argue. True, in the matter of law
and order, much difference may not be found between countries which are theistic and those which
are not. The whole mankind is under the influence of ancient culture which says that we must
cultivate honesty and goodness in our lives. Nobody seems to have freely inquired into the origin of
this culture, or why we should stick to moral principles. If we go empirically or by mere logic, these
customs or culture suffer by mutilation or dissection. Even if several countries are able to maintain
law and order they cannot last long in the absence of faith in God. By the atrocities of a vicious
logic the culture may go to bits leading to a collapse of the social system. The order which is not
based on faith in God is impermanent and we should not be under the impression that it is firmly
rooted. It may crumble like a house of sand any time. That is why the Gita declares that faith in God
alone should be the foundation of our life. There is another theme which crops up: It cannot be said
that if we have faith and devotion in God everything will run smoothly. There are many religious
persons who are engaged in misdeeds. We see many, for all the name of God in their mouth, who
are steeped in evil practices. There are not a few examples of people who spend considerable time
in prayers and worship of God, but deceive and amass wealth by dishonest means. When that is the
case how can we accept that theism contributes to social betterment?
This complaint is genuine. But it is not proper to question the necessity of religion from the
instances of the hypocrites. These mockeries have happened only because of lack of true faith. A
true devotee will never stoop to contemptible deeds. We cannot judge one's devotion and
righteousness by his external actions. From chanting of hymns and counting of beads we cannot
gauge the depth of his interior devotion. It has really become difficult to distinguish and identify the
genuine servants of religion when they are found in a world teeming with the fake ones who are
trying to cloak their sins with the garb of religion. In some societies people cry loudly when
somebody dies. Since it has become a custom they hire mourners for crying, feeding them fully. The
crying does not come from the heart. Some people practise religion in the same way. Like hired
mourning or forced smile, it is but a mockery of religion. We should not deem this to be genuine
religion. One whose life is permeated by a religious sense, like warp and woof, is pure and virtuous.
Even when we believe in the existence of God, we see the wantonness of atheism in our life because
faith has not taken deep roots in our inmost selves. If the genuine spirit of devotion spreads among
people there will be undoubtedly a revolutionary change in the behaviour- pattern of the people.
The little devotion that exists in our mind has been greatly helpful in curbing the vehemence of the
diabolic tendency in our mind by a sense of ethical values.
If one develops this spirit of devotion and enriches it with sincerity and firmness, people will see
only its good fruits. The Lord depicts the sorry state of those who defy God and disrupt the social
organisation.
AasurI— yaeinmapÚa mUFa jNminjNmin,
mamàaPyEv kaENtey ttae yaNTyxma< gitm!.
˜surŸÕ yonim-˜pann˜ m¨ýh˜ janmani janmani
m˜m-apr˜pyaiva kaunteya tato y˜nty-adham˜Õ gatim -- XVI-20
(The deluded, who are born diabolically, life after life, go down into darkness, without finding Me.)
The crime takes them further away from God along the slippery road leading to destruction where
they lose completely the very possibilities of attaining God. They hurl their souls away into abysmal
darkness. Just as the diabolic-minded get to the farthest bottom of darkness by incurring the
displeasure of God, those who have cultivated the divine qualities in themselves rise higher and
higher on the spiritual ladder and finally get infinite bliss of salvation in the glorious home of God.
Thus the difference of paths and goals attained by the good souls and the bad, and the law of
punishment for misdeeds and the law of assurance and reward of grace for good deeds in the bar of
God's unshakable justice, have put a check on man's materialistic tendencies and desires, and by
devising ways which are conducive to the progress and movement of the world, have chalked out a
programme and plan of life which is well controlled and well organised.

90. Therefore let Scriptures be your Guide:

How are we to get this spiritual outlook which is to change the very direction of our life? How are
we to understand things such as God, righteousness and sin which are beyond the grasp of direct
sense experience? Even if we may realise the existence of God, to some extent through the exercise
of logic, we cannot know him deeply through direct sense experience. God's form, qualities,
potency and His ways of creation and design are inscrutable and we cannot know them through
logic. Which are the good deeds and which are the bad ones? What is the difference between these?
Which deeds are responsible for one's downfall? Such subjects cannot be determined by logic. If we
enter the deep wilderness of logic, there is a greater possibility of our losing the way in the
confusion of logic and counter-logic. It is not difficult to turn every subject upside down by the
power of logic. A seeker who treads only the path of logic becomes a greater prey to scepticism and
cynicism. Then, how can we know the spiritual principles? How to discriminate our obligation to do
things from those which we should not? These questions remain to be answered. Lord Krishna
shows a way out.
tSmaCDaSTr< àma[<tekayaRkayRVyviSwtaE,
tasm˜c-ch˜straÕ pram˜õaÕ-te-k˜ry˜k˜rya-vyavasthitau -- XVI-24
(Therefore the scriptures should be your guide to determine the course of what you should and
should not do.)
The scriptures are the only infallible means of knowing supersensuous things. The senses cannot
grasp every- thing. Their power is limited. They can grasp only certain kinds of forms and objects.
The ear grasps sound which the eye cannot grasp. Thus all the senses have a limited capacity to
grasp, those too of a certain sort. From this, it would be ridiculous to say in this vast creation, that
there do not exist things which the senses cannot grasp. When the scientists are unearthing more
and more mysteries of Nature every day they expose the worthlessness of the theory which holds
that there are no objects which the senses cannot perceive. If we say that whatever we have
perceived with our senses alone is real, we should realise that we have known very little in this vast
creation. We can infer the existence of a supersensuous world from the words of self-realised saints
who have attained the mystery-piercing divine eye through meditation, yoga and penance. By
powerful microscopes and telescopes the scientists see objects which are not normally visible to our
naked eye and we believe in their existence from the words of the scientists. Similarly, the sages by
their devotion and constant practice have acquired powers to see these supersensuous entities
invisible to us. Do we deny what the scientist has found out by his deep researches and sensitive
instruments, since we do not see them with our own eyes? If we want to contradict the scientist we
can do it only by conducting more accurate experiments with more powerful instruments and not by
sitting idle and merely charging him with untruth since we do not see the things. Our ancient saints
by rigorous yogic practice and deep concentration of mind have discovered this supersensuous
world; unless we acquire such yogic powers and concentration of mind, is there any sense on the
basis of our gross observations, in denying what they have said? When we are sick we go to a
doctor and take medicines prescribed by him without getting into any argument with him. Our
actual experience and logic have no business there. If we ignore the doctor's advice we shall be in
for more trouble. Similarly, in matters like righteousness we have to follow the advice of ancient
sages who have realised these things by virtue of their supersensuous powers. If we resort to mere
logic in these matters, we have nothing but confusion, waste of time and noise. By reasoning we
may achieve some idea of the supersensuous matters but the clearest realisation of those things is
beyond the reach of sense-perfection and logic. How can we determine our way of life without the
know ledge of the deeper and hidden principles of the creation and on the basis of our imperfect
understanding? For that we must take refuge in the scriptures alone.
When we say so it does not mean that we should dispense with logic altogether. Reasoning has an
extraordinary place in our philosophy. Our Vedanta is but a perfectly logical exposition.
yStkeR[anusNxÄesxm< vednetr>,
yastarkeõ˜nusandhattesadhamaÕ vedanetara×
(Only he who understands logically knows dharma and none else.)
The preceptors have opined that the one who does not use his logical intellect can never
understand dharma fully. But if he depends only on logic for decisive understanding of a thing the
seeker is more confused than possessed of definite knowledge. Logic can never be the great vehicle
which takes us on the pilgrimage of knowledge; it is just an instrument useful for a better running
of the vehicle. Scriptures alone are the great vehicle for the pilgrimage and logic is just a helping
factor. Even if logical intellect has a definite role in our decision-making, there is a limit to its
scope. We let the child play within the four walls of our compound and we do not let it go out into
the streets. Our main intention is that the child should not come to harm. We can give logic a free
rein within the framework of pratyakSha (sense perception) and the scriptures. But if we allow it to
move beyond these limits, there is a possibility of more harm than good. That is why we should not
use logic unrestrainedly in the realm of supersensuous knowledge. The train will run safely and
reach its destination only if its wheels are on the rails. If there is any derailment it is doomed for
accident. Similarly, for the train of logic the sensible world and the scriptures are the two rails. The
train should go on its high journey without outstripping the rails and reach the destination, There is
a story that in Panchavati when Lakshmana went out in search of his brother Rama, he drew a line
and warned Sita not to overstep it. As ill-luck would have it, in the excitement of giving alms to
Ravana in the disguise of a sadhu, she overstepped this line and Ravana was able to snatch her
away. If our reasoning is confined to its limits of perception and scriptures there is no harm. Then
there is a great scope for a healthy developing of philosophy. That is why tarko'pratiÿ÷ha×
(tkaeR=àitó>) (logic has no basis) and k˜m˜cy˜n˜nam˜n˜pekÿa (kamaCyananmanape]) (logic should
not be used as pleasure). Such statements have been vividly made to convince us that we cannot
decide any question by logic alone. Questions which are beyond the pale of perception and logic
should be decided with the help of scriptures only. If we ignore the scriptures and take to our own
independent decision, we would only be landing into trouble. The life that is guided by the
scriptures saves us from wantonness. We can get the message of spiritual richness only through the
scriptures is the substance of this section of the Gita.
The Vedas, Upanishads and other holy works based on these constitute the scriptures. The Vedas
are perennial and authorless. If they had been composed by an author, there would have been a
possibility of their being tainted by limitations and defects of his intellect. Since the Vedas are not
written by any author, utterly untainted by any human defects or weaknesses and are imperishable,
we should shape our lives on the basis of their perennial message. These Vedas alone can give us
the true knowledge of God and other supersensuous entities of this world. I am not going to dilate
on the subject of the authorlessness of the Vedas because it is a vast subject by itself. However, the
Vedas and the Upanishads are our scriptures and to this category may be added the other works
which are in consonance with the Vedas. These scriptures not only reveal to us the true goal of life
but also, like the lodestone, help us in our march towards this goal.
91. Righteousness and the day-to-day affairs:
The influence of the three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas in our day-to-day dealings has been
described in the Seventeenth Chapter of the Gita. There is a difference in our behaviour depending
upon the inherent quality of our soul.
sÅvanuépa svRSy ïÏa -vit -art,
sattv˜nurup˜ sarvasya þraddh˜ bhavati bh˜rata -- XVII-3
(Each one's faith depends on his intrinsic substance.)
The individuality of the soul is the source of our external attitudes, behaviour and beliefs. All our
dealings are vitiated by our rajas and tamas impulses. The three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas
can impinge on both our spiritual and temporal activities. Worldly affairs permeated by spirituality
become righteous acts. Even righteous acts, if polluted by rajas and tamas impulses, become
unrighteous.
The dealings of Tuladhara and Dharmavyadha are holy whereas even the austerities of Ravana and
Jarasandha are unrighteous acts.
xmaeR-vTy xmaeR=ip k«tae -KtE StvaCyut,
pap< -vit xmaeR=ipyaen-KtE k«taehre>,
dharmobhavatya dharmo'pi k®to bhaktai stav˜cyuta
p˜paÕ bhavati dharmo'piyonabhaktai k®tohare× -- Sadacharasmriti
(Even the unrighteous acts performed by your devotees become righteous acts, Oh Achyuta. The
righteous acts performed by those who are not Hari's devotees become sinful.)
If the sort of business done by persons like Tuladhara is dharma on the one hand, the greedy
trading of today's merchants is adharma on the other. The food that we eat and acts we do like
almsgiving, penance and sacrifice vary according to the three forces of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Man shares the instincts of hunger, sleep and lust with the beast. He cannot give them up also. To
be good and honest there is no need to abandon them. The beasts are not bound by any moral
restrictions in the matter of their food and sleep. When the affairs are combined with discipline and
restraint, we start living religiously. Dharma does not imply abandoning the daily affairs. We grow
human when we bring spirituality and ethics to them. Scientists like Darwin hold the view that the
animals evolve into human beings; but today, we see the reverse process of man descending to the
level and playing monkey-tricks all around us in the world.

92. Food:
We should not drink liquor and eat meat. We should restrict our diet to a few items which are tasty,
whole some and nutritious both to the body and mind. We should have the food at certain regulated
hours. Food should first be offered to God and when we eat it after God's prasad, it becomes a
sattvik meal. Even our sleep and our carnal activities become pure if practised in moderation and in
self-discipline.
The food that we take is turned into our heart and intellect:
AÚmizt< Çexa -vit,
annamaþitaÕ tredh˜ bhavati
The food that we eat is divided into three categories of substances. It is stated in the Chandogya
Upanishad that a subtle portion of our food gets transformed into our mind. The mind's cultivation
or perversion depends upon the kind of food we take. Some ask why we should not eat non-
vegetarian food which is quite nutritious. Such food may, of course, puff up the body, but the soul
and the heart shrink up completely. As the body grows under such food, cruelty, wantonness and
licentiousness develop equally rapidly in our mind. Pure food makes for a pure mind. Earning
livelihood in a righteous way and eating pure and wholesome food after offering it to God is the
mode of the sattvik eating. By this the mind and the body get purified.
The effect of food upon our body is beautifully illustrated in a nice story from Mahabharata. After
the Bharata war, Bhishma lay on his bed of arrows and preached long sermons on righteousness to
Dharmaraja for consoling him. Hearing this Draupadi asks Bhishma a question: "You give such long
sermons on righteousness now. Why did you sit quiet when Duryodhana and Dushyasana attempted
an outrage on my modesty? Why didn't you oppose them then? Where was your conscience then?"
To this Bhishma replies: "0 Draupadi, then I was eating the food given by Duryodhana. The sinful
food fattened the body and gave no room for a sense of righteousness. The voice of conscience was
completely drowned by vanity and inertia arising out of eating impure food. But in the war due to
the piercing arrows of Arjuna, all my blood has flown out. The blood my body produced out of
Duryodhana's food has drained out and I just have my skeleton which is pure. The body thus does
not have any of the perversions worked by bad food. Since my native sense of righteousness has
awakened now, I have been able to give such an extensive message."
Hence, in our Hindu culture, great importance is given to the type of food to be eaten. Foreigners
are surprised at seeing us Indians sticking to vegetarian food for generations together. Our
centuries old food habits have become a part of our culture. This is indeed a miracle.
If sacrifice, giving of alms and austerity are performed out of bad intentions, desire for reward,
showiness, contemptible egoism, there is sure likelihood of harm to the world. The religious works
motivated by rajas and tamas are reckoned unrighteous only. We see increasingly such ugly
distortion of righteousness in our modern society.

93. Alms giving:

Alms giving is the greatest gift given by God to mankind. There is a story in the Upanishad: Gods,
demons and men were given the lesson of 'da'. While the gods, stricken with haughtiness got the
lesson of mada (md) or self-control from this, the violent demons hardened with cruelty took the
lesson of day˜ (dya) or compassion; men, smitten with greed took the lesson of d˜na (dan) or alms
giving from the advice. We should learn the habit of sacrificing whatever we have for the uplift of
our society as a service to God and try to become ideal men. In the sphere of alms giving also there
could be the influence of the three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas. Alms given with a hope of
return or with a small mind lose their sanctity; when we give under pressure with much difficulty
also, the giving is debased. The vicious aid given by the advanced countries to establish their power
and obligation to the developing countries is quite notorious now. One also very well knows the
method of extracting money from rich people by the use of position and power. Thus do we see the
travesty of charity all around us these days. We see everywhere the unholy spectacle of such
charity. Aid given out of pure human compassion, selflessness and without any hope of return or
reward is the highest one; it has been a rare commodity these days.
There is a story in the Mahabharata regarding the Emperor Shibi. Once, the sage Narada was
discussing a philosophic question with kings like Shibi, Vasumanta, Pratardana and Ashtaka and the
problem arose as to who out of the five would be forced to return to the earth half way in their
journey to heaven. Narada said that Ashtaka would return first. "Ashtaka has no doubt acquired a
lot of merit and fame by alms giving. Once on a walk I saw hundreds of cows grazing and I asked
him to whom all those belonged. He replied proudly that those were cows given away by him to the
Brahmins. Since his alms giving is tainted with vanity and pride, he would be the first to come
down." The next to descend according to Narada was Pratardana. "Once Pratardana was riding on
his chariot and a Brahmin begged for alms. The king said that he would give later but the Brahmin
insisted on immediate fulfilment. The king gave him one of the horses of the chariot. Thus, part by
part, he stripped his chariot and gave away to Brahmins and sadhus so much so that there was
nothing left of the chariot. He then said tauntingly of the sadhus that there was nothing left with
him for the sadhus to ask. Even if the king gave away everything generously, since he uttered these
mocking words regarding the sadhus, he would return to earth." Narada further remarked that the
next person to return was Vasumanta: "Once the king got made a beautiful chariot and during its
inauguration a Brahmin praised it and the king gave it to him generously. Then he got another
chariot made and a Brahmin praised it and the king gave it away to him. This repeated itself the
third time also, and the king spoke tauntingly of the Brahmin and because of this he would return."
Of the remaining two, Narada said that he himself would return first and Emperor Shibi would not:
"Before the pure-hearted giving of Shibi, everyone else is small-minded. The Emperor Shibi gave
protection to the dove that sought his refuge and he surrendered his life itself for saving the bird.
Before such a king who was utterly free from selfishness and attachment and was the very
embodiment of humility and sacrifice, I accept my defeat. It is impossible to detect any spots in his
absolute purity." Thus Narada fullthroatedly praised the true spirit of renunciation of King Shibi.
There may be many who give alms and aid in this world. But it is very difficult to find a generosity
which is not tainted with vanity, mockery, or even deceit and is full of humility and holiness.

94. Austerity:
Aspirants attach great importance to austerity also. We cannot reach our highest bliss by mere
worship of the body. If we worship the sugarcane we do not get its juice. Only when we crash it and
squeeze it do we get the juice. Similarly we do not get the nectar of life by an elaborate worship of
the body. Only when we practise austerity both in body and mind can we see knowledge and
happiness sweetly flowing through our lives. We must purify our thought, word and deed with the
practice of austerity. Our words must always be sweet, gentle and truthful and not causing
annoyance to anybody.
iSmt pUvaRi- -a;Ic,
smita p¨rv˜bhi bh˜ÿŸca
Thus are the traits of Sri Ramachandra described in the Ramayana. Sri Rama always used to
capture the hearts of his people by his smiles and soft-spoken words. The words must be filled with
beauty and courtesy. Harsh and cruel words must not be used. This is the austerity of speech. Study
and discussion of scriptures are also described likewise. While good conduct, control of the senses,
non-violence, the service of elders are described as the austerities of the body, self-control and
purity of heart and mind are austerities of the mind. Even here, if these are tainted in the least by
vanity and pride, they lose their purity and sanctity.
95. Knowledge:
Thus all our physical and mental activities can be classified into the three categories: sattvik, rajas
and tamas depending upon the state of our mind and its tendencies. By a habit of such a
classification we develop the power of discrimination which weighs good and evil things not by
their physical dimensions but by their interior purity. We may perform noble deeds but they may be
tainted due to our many shortcomings and the Gita helps us understand this phenomenon by means
of this exposition.
Our knowledge becomes pure only when it can understand and comprehend the fundamental
principles on which the universe is based. That knowledge is sattvik or pure when we are able to
see the permeation of the Supreme God in every object in this universe.
svR-Ute;u yenEk< -avmVyymI]te,
Aiv-Kt< iv-Kte;u tJ}an< iviÏ saiÅvkm!.
sarvabh¨teÿu yenaikaÕ bh˜vamavyayamŸkÿate
avibhaktaÕ vibhakteÿu tajjñ˜naÕ viddhi s˜ttvikam -- XVIII-20
(That knowledge is sattvik which perceives the one imperishable form in all beings, the undivided
among the fragmented.)
Some people have argued in explaining this stanza that non-dualistic knowledge alone is sattvik
knowledge and the dualistic knowledge comes under the category of rajas and tamas. The
statement, avibhaktaÕ vibhakteÿu (Aiv-Kt< iv-Kte;u) does not lead to confusion, if we closely
examine it.
There are many objects in this universe and one is different from the other. There is a lot of mutual
difference between living and non-living objects in the universe. But God alone is the one Person
who harmonises all these disparate things. The indwelling God is not fragmented, variegated by the
difference and modification of things. He is not subject to any modification. The souls in different
bodies may be different from each other but we cannot divide the Godhead which dwells controlling
each on the basis of the division of objects. It is unbroken, all-pervading and one without a second.
Such a knowledge is called sattvik knowledge. The multiplicity of objects has been described clearly
by the term "Vibhakteshu" and the knowledge of the avibhakta (Aiv-Kt) undivided form of the
Godhead has been called sattvik.
The knowledge which grasps the difference and variety of things but is indifferent to and confused
about the Godhead which is immanent in all these objects is called 'rajasik' knowledge. There is a
tremendous increase in the rajasik knowledge with the advance of science. Even if the sense of
truth is growing with research and an intense study of all things in the universe is going at a fast
pace, importance is being given to the knowledge of material things only neglecting the prime truth
that is God. This is a manifestation of the 'rajasik' tendency.
Then there are those who accept only the product that is the visible universe but deny its cause,
God. Such atheistic knowledge belongs to the 'tamasa' category.
yÄu k«TõvdekiSmNkayeR sKtmhEtukm!,
yattu k®tsnavadekasmink˜rye saktamahaitukam -- XVIII-22
(Those who mistake a part for the whole are engrossed in the effect neglecting the cause; or those
who see Brahman (k®taja k«tj) as it were the individual soul or the world, go contrary to reason.)
They mistake a part of the universe for the whole and deny the rest. Such partial knowledge which
leads us astray is called tamasik. Accepting the existence of souls alone and denying the existence
of God as different from those, accepting only the visible universe as true and denying the existence
of its Creator, accepting only the existence of God and declaring the visible universe as illusory,
mistaking a part for the whole, all such are but different forms of tamasik knowledge.

96. Happiness:
There are many categories of happiness also. They depend upon the means we employ to get that
happiness. The enjoyment of worldly pleasures gives momentary happiness as, for example, the
pleasure we feel when scratching an ulcer, but it leads to misery in the end. Such worldly pleasures
are classed as 'rajasik' pleasures. There is a perverted pleasure which throws our soul into oblivion,
as in nefarious activities like murder, loot and rape. All these belong to the 'tamasa' category. The
sattvik happiness is that which perhaps begins in difficulty but ends in permanent bliss and
unfailing cheerfulness. This can be obtained only by the knowledge of God, contemplation and His
grace. People give up this true joy and instead, mistaking the artificial sensuous pleasures to be
more permanent, get anxious about them. Ashwathama, born of poor parents, had never tasted
genuine milk in his lifetime. He asked his mother for milk. Being poor she could not procure cow's
milk and she had no desire either to disappoint her son. She therefore mixed flour in water and
gave it to her son as milk. The boy jumped in joy that he too had tasted milk. Such is the state of
most of us. We do not know the natural happiness inherent in our own soul but hanker after the
alluring and adulterated happiness from worldly pleasures.
There is a beautiful story in the Mahabharata to illustrate the folly of the people who consider
worldly pleasures as the supreme happiness and the summum bonum of life. A man who was
walking in a dense forest suddenly found a tiger charging on him. He ran for his life but fell into a
dry well, head downwards. The well was full of shrubs and so he was caught midway by these
shrubs and was kept suspended head downwards. Down below there was the deep yawning well.
Up above, the tiger was waiting for him. A serpent was also climbing up to bite him. The shrubs
were slowly giving way under his weight. While he was dropping he had disturbed a beehive and
the bees swarmed stinging him all around. In the midst of all those, when a few drops of honey
started dripping into his mouth, he greedily began licking it, enjoying it foolishly oblivious of the
host of dangers. Such is our state in this world and we are equally foolish Old age and death are
waiting for us like the tiger and the serpent in the story; the thread of life is growing thinner and
thinner every minute and family troubles are stinging us all around like the bees. Still, we are
manifesting the folly of licking the few drops of honey of worldly pleasures, quite oblivious of
dangers awaiting us. Eschewing the glamour of the rajasik and tamasik pleasures we should
concentrate on the highest type of bliss which can be obtained only by the contemplation and vision
of God.

97. Sacrifice and Renunciation:

The more we examine critically our actions in the light of these three tendencies, the more shall we
able to penetrate into the soul of our actions, and subject it also to critical examination.
n tdiSt p&iwVya< va idiv deve;u va pun>,
na tadasti p®thivy˜Õ v˜ divi deveÿu v˜ puna× -- XVIII-4O
(There is nothing either on the earth or the heaven, or again among the gods, (which is not touched
by them).)
Everyone in the universe is subject to the influence of these three qualities. We carry on our
activities in this world utterly unaware of what distorted forms they take under these three
tendencies. When we see the perversions worked by rajas and tamas even in our religious
practices, we may feel like dispensing with them in utter disgust. However much care we may take,
owing to the influence of the gunas: taints creep into our acts. There is a possibility of our feeling
that it is better to avoid completely the performance of actions than do these with blemishes.
TyaJy< dae;vidTyeke kmR àa÷mRnIi;[>,
ty˜jyaÕ doÿavadityeke karma pr˜hurmanŸÿiõa× -- XVIII-3
(Some thinkers say that actions should be shunned as they lead to bondage while others think that
sacrifice, alms and austerities should not be shunned.)
While some people say that we should not perform actions as they are tainted, there are others who
say that for one's own spiritual upliftment duties like sacrifice, almsgiving and austerity should not
be given up. Which should we choose is the question before us:
n ih deh-&ta zKy< TyKtu< kmaR{yze;t>,
na hi dehabh®t˜ þakyaÕ tyaktuÕ karm˜õyaþeÿata× -- XVIII-11
(It is not at all possible for mortals to give up actions altogether.)
Is it possible for mortals to give up duties entirely? None can give up actions like eating etc. The
desire to give up action since it is tainted ends up only in giving up acts like bath, sandhya, worship
of God and social services. As for the activities useful for our routine life, it is impossible to give
them up even if we have a mind to. The easiest things to be abandoned are the holy activities which
conduce to the upliftment of the soul. what sense is there in performing all the activities of feeding
the senses and forsaking only the religious practices? Our mind thus vacillates between the
renunciation of action and performance of action. The Gita has a simple solution to this problem. It
has reconciled the conflicting positions. Renunciation of action means performing it in a way
untouched by blemish, that is giving up attachment and desire for reward. If average people
perform actions with an eye on both action and the fruit of action, concentrating on action alone
and abandoning the thought of reward leads to the reconciliation of renunciation of action with
performance of actions. If we bring in an attitude of detachment or renunciation in the performance
of actions, we do not become victims of any taint or bondage.
We are to analyse the difference between non-attachment (ty˜ga Tyag) and renunciation (sany˜sa
sNyas). If you perform action and expect results not for your sake but for the sake of others there is
the spirit of non-attachment or sacrifice. If you perform action and expect results neither for
yourself nor for others and if you perform action only for acquiring true knowledge, devotion and
grace of God there is the spirit of sany˜sa (sNyas) or renunciation. But in both cases performance of
action is indispensable. Even if there is greatness in the sense of non-attachment in a karmayogi
who performs actions out of sheer compassion and freedom from selfish fulfilment, there is a
sublimer worth in the attitude of the sanyasi who desires the spiritual upliftment of others as
ardently as for his own self. The actions of both of these transcend the taints of action. In the
divinely delicious food of action cooked by means of sacrifice and devotion, there is no bitter or bad
smell found in the stinking actions performed with attachment and desire. Such an action is called
by the Gita, a 'sattvik' action.

98 The Difference between Desireless and Desire-prompted Action:

Desire-prompted action is like the service rendered to the child by a hired nurse. What a difference
is there between the nursing done by the hired women and the tender care taken by the mother out
of a pure, disinterested affection for the child! Outwardly, the service done by the two might appear
similar, but at the heart of these there is a difference. The sweetmeat-seller prepares a large
number of sweets; but those from the shop do not have the worth and purity of the things that the
mother prepares out of love at home. The shopkeeper prepares them with the desire of return; his
intention is to make maximum money. What a holiness is there in the intention of the mother! There
is no selfishness in it; hers is desireless service. Action performed desirelessly is perfect and is
more beneficial to the society. Everybody agrees that home food is cleaner, healthier and more
nourishing than the hotel food. If we perform action with a selfish motive, we shall be more anxious
about the result than the action itself. Hence there will be more short comings in our action, which
is detrimental to the society. If any one performs action desirelessly his attention is on the action
alone. He performs the action with devotion and sincerity and it becomes perfect. Such a perfect
action alone is efficacious to the world. By proposing this method of performing the sattvik deeds,
the Gita has reconciled neatly the two opposing ideas of action and inaction.
All people cannot perform sattvik action in the form of desireless action. The one who has given up
attachment and egoism alone can perform such actions. Attachment and egoism crop up when a
person proudly assumes that he himself is the doer. God alone is independent and He alone is the
real doer. We usurp His doership and behave proudly. Even while we talk about dualism and
devotion to God, all our actions smack of Advaita. Forgetting God and thinking that we are the
independent doers is itself a form of Advaita sense. Appropriating to ourselves falsely the stance of
independence and power possessed by God itself is a variety of non-dualism. Under this false sense
of independence, we get an attachment to our body and things connected with it and we start
performing actions vitiated by selfish desires. We forget God's omnipotence and overlordship of the
whole universe and divide the world into small working kingdoms in the name of independence and
fight with each other. This very notion of independence which is responsible for so much fiction and
clash in the world should be uprooted from the mind of man:
tÇEv< sit ktaRrmaTman< kevl< tu y>,
tatraivaÕ sati kart˜ram˜tm˜naÕ kevalaÕ tu ya× -- XVIII-16
(One who thinks that he is the only doer, even if there are several causes for an action, does not see
the truth as his mind, unpurified by the shastras, is tainted.)
There are many causes for any particular effect. Nature, the individual soul and the Supreme Soul,
all join together to produce an 'effect'. We always function with the aid of several factors which are
not under our control. Without realising this we start acting proudly presuming that we are the sole
agents, that there is no need of cooperation from any other object beyond our control, that we are
masters of our body etc. But if we realise the part played by other living and non living entities in
this world, in whatever we do, we shall be more modest and there will be less room for vanity and
attachment. God is omnipotent and independent, man is dependent and of limited powers; if we
know this and the capacity and limitations of our body, the senses and other elements, we will not
be affected by conceit and vanity and be able to perform our duty without any attachment or desire
for reward.
ySy nah<k«tae -avae buiÏyRSy n ilPyte,
yasya n˜haðk®to bh˜vo buddhiryasya na lipyate -- XVIII-17
(One who does not think that he is the doer, whose intellect is not tamed (does not kill, even if he
kills).)
Non-egotism and non-attachment are the very foundation of desireless action.
$ñr> svR-Utana< ùÎeze=juRn itóit,
æamyNsvR-Utain yNÇaêFain mayya.
Ÿþvara× sarvabh¨t˜n˜Õ h®ddeþe'rjuna tiÿ÷hati
bhr˜mayansarvabh¨t˜ni yantr˜r¨ýh˜ni m˜yay˜ -- XVIII-61
(The Lord dwells in the heart of all the beings, Arjuna, moving all beings, mounted on the machine
of the body with his Maya.)
God is immanent in the hearts of all and moves this world. As we set children on the merry-go-
round and sport with them, God moves the wheel of the world. One who is aware of the
omnipresence and omnipotence of God, and knows the vastness of his field of action will not claim
mastery or authority over anything in the world. When we realise that everything belongs to God
and all activity emanates from Him, all the conceit and vanity disappears. The proud Shvetaketu is
converted to humility when he hears about the greatness of God. The deities once won a war. In
their hour of glory they forgot that if Almighty God had not endowed them with power they would
not have achieved anything: Only when they realised their mistake wisdom dawned on them and
they got true knowledge. The complete knowledge of human dependence and divine independence
is the chief aid in the performance of desireless action.

99. Is the Individual a (Free) Doer?:

The notion of the omnipotence and the supreme independence of God has produced some
undesirable and unexpected consequences. Some people think that because we have no free will
and independence, we are mere playthings of God and hence, have no responsibility for any of our
actions, good or bad. God alone, who is the mover of the world, is responsible for everything.
Hence, we need not perform any action. Since everything goes according to His will, we need not
intrude on Him! Hence we have no duties and responsibilities and we need not perform any action.
There is a possibility of such inactivity arising out of these ideas. Some people complain that theism
leads to passivity in the world.
But this is a misunderstanding of the part played by God in His creation. God creates the universe
but for everything that is happening in the universe, He is not the doer. He is one of the causes. For
our misery and happiness we are also the cause in addition to God. The material equipment, God's
powers, our will and our inclinations and movements, all together produce an action or
consequence. Without the loom, the weaver cannot weave cloth. When there are many causes for
an effect, we should not expect anything to happen without a combination of all the factors. Even if
God is a cause of our good or ill, He alone is not the cause. God moves on the basis of our will and
inclination only. Thus our desire and attitude are as much a cause as God's will and power in
producing good or ill; it is not proper on our part to remain indifferent and inactive leaving
everything to be done by God alone.
Our desire and activity also must originate from God, you may say. Our desire and propensity in this
life are based upon our desire and propensity in the previous life and so on. Since our intrinsic
dynamism and inclination as individuals are finally the basis of all our various actions, the final
responsibilities for our good or ill falls upon us only. If we turn away from our duties, since God
alone is the all-doer, it would be a tamasik tendency. Such people put forward this kind of logic only
in religious and social matters. The logic does not present itself to them when they are having their
delicious meals. They do not reduce their activity for fending for themselves, thinking that God
would do it for them. Do they have the indomitable courage of putting the daily routine on the
shoulders of God, firmly believing that God alone would do it? Only to cover their sloth, they put on
the garb of Vedanta. Vedanta comes pat to such people. Those who point to God only in matters of
spiritual responsibilities and remain unmoved following an equivocal policy are said by Sri
Madhvacharya to have a tamasik tendency:
$ñrae yidsvRSykark> karyItma<,
#TyEv<vaidn< äUyat! sda=xaeyaSysIith.
Ÿþvaro yadisarvasyak˜raka× k˜rayŸtam˜Õ
ityaivaÕv˜dinaÕ br¨y˜t sad˜'dhoy˜syasŸtiha -- Gita Bhashya
(Those who put forward the pretext that if God is the all-doer, let Him get all things done by us,
would never progress in any way but are always doomed.)
If the pride that 'I am the doer of everything' leads to wanton self-willedness, and eventually cuts at
the root of our spiritual progress, the fatalism that "I am not the doer, God is the doer and I need
not do anything" is a big stumbling block to our spiritual advancement. Since an action could be
performed only when God and our efforts work together, it is not proper to dispense with one of
them and hold on to the other. As both the wheels are necessary for the movement of a chariot,
both God and human initiative are necessary for the chariot of life. The Mahabharata describes the
sentiment, 'let there be work without human effort,' as amounting to saying 'let the lamp glow
without oil.' Sri Madhvacharya has declared that only with the fusion of strong faith, great effort
and God's grace is there a possibility of a man's upliftment. According to the scriptures, even
though God is an independent doer, man also is a doer.
ktaR zaSÇawRvÅvat!,
kart˜ þ˜str˜rthavattv˜t -- Brahmasutra, II-iii-33
(Man is also the doer; only if he is so, the statements of the shastras about rules of action are
worthwhile; otherwise they are meaningless.)
For whom have the Vedas laid down commandments and prohibitions? Certainly not for inert
matter, and not for God who is perfect. All are meant for the individual alone. If man has no free
will and doership all these injunctions would be meaningless chatter. Brahmasutras support the
view that man has a free will. For every act both are doers. If the soul stops its desire and activity,
the action must come to a standstill. Every factor must play its respective part before an act is
accomplished. As the arrogant feeling that you are the sole doer and God's intervention is not
necessary is untenable, so also, the indifference to action on one's part thinking that God will do
everything in this universe, is condemnable:
A}> àTy]< TvphayEvdEv<,
mTvakt&R SvaTmkmR àjaýat!,
ajña× pratyakÿaÕ tvapah˜yaivadaivaÕ
matv˜kart® sv˜tmakarma praj˜hy˜t -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
(He who ignores the actual and expects everything to be accomplished by God and neglects his
duties is an ignorant man.)
ivÖaÚIv< iv:[uvzeividTv>,
kraeitktRVymjömev.
vidv˜nnŸvaÕ viÿõuvaþeviditva×
karotikartavyamajasrameva -- Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya
(The wise man surrenders himself to God and knowing his duties performs them with enthusiasm
and sincerity without conceit and vanity.)
Not forgetting the overlordship of God in everything in this universe and not neglecting one's duties
under the pretext that God does everything, everyone must discharge his duties and responsibilities
without conceit and vanity strictly according to the injunctions laid down in the scriptures. This is
the unanimous message of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita has thus
shown us the golden mean between the two extremes of a totally free will and fatalism.

100. Surrender:
From this long discourse, Arjuna has received satisfactory answers for all his doubts and questions.
The nature of the individual soul, the Supreme Soul, the inert matter and the relationship between
these three and the potency and the part played by each of these have been well explained. From
this, we have well understood the role of each individual in this vast universe. The contact of soul
with matter has been from time immemorial, and likewise soul is also bound by matter. Whether we
like it or not as long as there is this bondage, the soul will be subject to its influence. To get over
this bondage is our goal in life and as long as we are in this world we should utilise all our energy
and resources in the direction of our goal. We do not achieve anything if we grow inactive out of
sheer hatred for the worries and troubles of the world, owing to the bondage of Prakriti. We should
realise that we are bound by nature and so lead our lives under discipline and self-control and try to
extricate ourselves from this prison. If on the other hand we hate the Prakriti and keep aloof from
all its activities, we would but be impeding our spiritual progress. If we ardently desire to cross the
ocean of life what is the use of sitting on this shore of Prakriti and simply wasting our time
vacillating between whether we should get into water or not? We have to dive boldly into this ocean
of life.
$sbek… #΂jaEsbek…
Ÿsabeku iddujausabeku -- Purandaradasa
(We should swim, live and conquer.)
The Gita has shown us the skill by which even if we get into the water, we do not drown but cross
over. If we get down into the stream of life bound with the ropes of desire and attachment, we shall
never be able to come out of it. If we perform our allotted duties without attachment we shall not
be swept by the stream of karma even in the midst of the current and we shall be able to swim
across smoothly.
No amount of precaution is sufficient to see that the tangle of the world is not too fast, that we are
not swept off. We should think of the means of getting completely out of this bondage. Getting out
of this ancient bondage is almost beyond our reach. If we had the power and the capacity to get out
of this bondage and the inner light to set it at naught, we would not have been subjected to all
these hardships. For this, the only refuge will be the supreme power of the Lord who is above all
souls and inert matter.
tmev zr[< gCD svR-aven -art,
tameva þaraõaÕ gaccha sarvabh˜vena bh˜rata -- XVIII-62
(Surrender to Him alone, completely, Arjuna.)
Unless we surrender ourselves to Him and pray to Him with great devotion we cannot reach our
goal. It is true that we have the treasure of our blessedness in our hands like the sweet in the hands
of a child. Can the child peel the skin off and eat the fruit? The mother has to peel the skin and give
the fruit to the child. Similarly the natural glory of our soul is covered by a skin of matter and thus
even if we have the soul of bliss, it is as though we don't. Only God, with a mother's heart should
peel off the outer skin.
A}ana< }andaeiv:[u> }ainna<mae]dís>,
ajñ˜n˜Õ jñ˜nadoviÿõu× jñ˜nin˜mmokÿadaþcasa× -- Anu Vyakhyana
(Vishnu is the giver of realisation to the unrealised; He is also the moksha-giver to the realised.)
We have to look to God for our liberation from bond age and ignorance. He is responsible for all
that happens in our lives. Knowing that but for His power and grace we cannot do anything, we
should surrender ourselves to Him with utter devotion and carry on our allotted duties. Devotion is
the essence of action. Piles and piles of action, devoid of devotion, are inert and inconsequential.
svRxmaRNpirTyJy mamek< zr[< ìj,
sarvadharm˜nparityajya m˜mekaÕ þaraõaÕ vraja -- XVIII-66
(Giving up all the ways of the other gods or actions, surrender yourself to Me alone.)
All ungodly acts and those which do not take us to wards God are useless. We should give them up.
Only godly acts should be performed. That is the meaning of the phrase that all ways should be
eschewed. Or we may even interpret it to mean that we should give up the desire for fruit.
yStu kmR)lTyagI s TyagITyi-xIyte.
yastu karmaphalaty˜gŸ sa ty˜gŸtyabhidhŸyate -- XVIII-11
(He is the tyaagii who gives up the fruit of action.)
Some people have twisted the meaning of this stanza to suit their own school of thought.
Hitherto great importance was given to the performance of action with devotion to God. They
interpret this stanza in complete contradiction to what has been said so far by the Lord. They say
that this stanza implies that we should give up all actions and feel that we ourselves are nothing but
God. Non-dualism and abject surrender to the will of God are poles apart. In the previous stanza
only Sri Krishna calls Arjuna as his favourite and vouchsafes to him a great secret:
mNmna -v mÑKtae m*ajI ma< nmSk…é,
manman˜ bhava madbhakto mady˜jŸ m˜Õ namaskuru -- XVIII-65
(Be full of Me, be devoted to Me, offer your sacrifices to Me, bow down to Me.)
He tells Arjuna to perform his actions with devotion to please God and all such actions are the
means to the highest fulfilment, and it is utterly inconsistent for Sri Krishna to give a completely
contradictory advice in the next sloka. Sri Madhusudhana Saraswati, the author of 'Advaita Siddhi'
has clearly stated that such an interpretation is far-fetched and inapt. Here actually Sri Krishna has
preached total surrender alone, which is the highest stage of devotion. Surrendering ourselves to
God completely and performing our duties with utmost devotion is the only way to cross over the
sea of difficulties. The spirit of surrender should permeate every act of ours.
k…é -u'œúv c kmR inj< inyt< hirpadivnèixya stt<,
kuru bhuðkÿva ca karma nijaÕ niyataÕ harip˜davinamradhiy˜ satataÕ -- Dwadasa Stotra, III
(Do your proper duties, enjoy yourself bowing down always humbly to the feet of God.)
The memory of God should always be present in our minds both in performing action and enjoying
its fruits. Since to live it is necessary for us that life flows in every sinew of our physical body,
similarly the sense of devotion should flow uninterrupted through all our activities for us to attain
God-realisation. This message, which comes at the end as it is the ultimate and the most significant,
is the quintessential message of the Gita.
101. Conclusion:
Sviviht v&Åya -KTya -gvdaraxn< prmaexmR>,
svavihita v®tty˜ bhakty˜ bhagavad˜r˜dhanaÕ paramodharma× -- Gita Bhashya
(The service and worship of God through devotion and pursuit proper to oneself is the supreme
dharma.)
In this one statement Sri Madhvacharya has summed up the entire message of the Gita: 'Man's
great dharma is to worship God through a vocation proper to oneself and devotion.' This is the only
means by which one can escape the bondage of Prakriti and the cycle of birth and death. If we give
up our duties either by fear of Prakriti or by indifference, we shall not achieve any fulfilment. On
the other hand if we indulge in actions smitten with desire for the sake of pleasure with selfish
ends, the very sensuality will devour us.
SvkmR[a tm_yCyR isiÏ< ivNdit manv>,
svakarmaõ˜ tamabhyarcya siddhiÕ vindati m˜nava× -- XVIII-46
(Man achieves his consummation by worshipping Him through one's own vocation.)
We should perform our duties as a sacred worship of God without any selfish desires. We can
achieve this if we develop a sense of detachment and aversion to worldly pleasures. If devotion to
God and non-attachment to carnal pleasures become the ingredients of our action we can fearlessly
march forward in the world without being swept off by the flood of adversity. We can swim across
the ocean of life and vanquish it without exhaustion. We should not be too much involved in life nor
should we turn our face away from it completely. If we see callous inertia and irresponsibilities in
performing one's duties at one end, at the other, we see too much involvement in selfish activity out
of greed for power and wealth. If there is total inactivity among souls under the pretext that the
world is an illusion and leading to bondage, there are others indulging in worldly activities for
carnal pleasures utterly ignoring or forgetting the existence of God. Both these attitudes are
detrimental to our spiritual advancement. We do not want life which is devoid of righteousness; nor
do we want righteousness which is anti-life. We should shape for ourselves a noble life based on
devotion and righteousness. We should not bow down to the forces of tamas and rajas. We can
achieve our loftiest fulfilment if we perform our allotted duties against the deep background of
devotion to God. This is the great lesson preached by the Gita for the whole mankind.
By this nectar-like advice out of the mouth of the Lord, all doubt and ignorance were washed away
from the mind and conscience of Arjuna. The knowledge which was lying dormant within him
sprouted up and blossomed:
nòae maeh> Sm&itlRBxa TvTàsadaNmya=Cyut,
iSwtae=iSm gts<deh> kir:ye vcn< tv.
naÿ÷o moha× sm®tirlabdh˜ tvatpras˜d˜nmay˜'cyuta
sthito'smi gatasandeha× kariÿye vacanaÕ tava -- XVIII-73
(With Your grace, 0 Lord, my delusions are eradicated; I have regained the awareness of dharma; I
stand weaned of doubt. I shall do as You say.)
"My mind has been disabused of delusion. I have recovered, by Your grace, my knowledge which I
had lost temporarily under delusion. All my doubts and problems are cleared. At Your command I
shall now straightway plunge into my field of duty," says Arjuna to God out of absolute cheerfulness,
devotion and enthusiasm. The situation encountered by Arjuna is faced by us everyday in our lives,
The lesson of the Gita is not confined to Arjuna alone. It wards off the confusion and turmoil of the
whole mankind and inspires it with a sense of duty. In the Mahabharata war, in the same chariot,
the Lord of the universe is seated side by side with Arjuna and guides him at every step and
inspires him to activity. If Arjuna is 'Nara', Sri Krishna is 'Narayana'; where the two are together,
there is goodness and peace, triumph and glory:
yÇ yaegeñr> k«:[ae yÇ pawaeR xnuxRr>,
tÇ ïIivRjyae -UitØuRva nIitmRitmRm.
yatra yogeþvara× k®ÿõo yatra p˜rtho dhanurdhara×
tatra þrŸrvijayo bh¨tirdhruv˜ nŸtirmatirmama -- XVIII-78
(Where there is the Lord of Yoga, Krishna and where there is full-armed Arjuna, there are sure to be
the wealth of kingdoms, victory, lordliness and justice, that is my conviction.)
Even in the battle of life, Narayana alone should be the charioteer of the Naras. Only because
Narayana has been separated from Nara in our life there has been immorality, need and misery
everywhere around us. In our lives there should be a union of Nara and Narayana. We must choose
the Lord as our charioteer, guide and inspirer. Only then will our whole life be a treasure house of
spiritual wealth.