Bhagwan Shri Krishna Loves You: What are the basis of action?

Hare Krishna! If you want "Shri Krishna Loves You" daily post
in your WhatsApp or to be sent to your near and dear ones
write your/their WhatsApp number in the
Comment Section. It's a free service!

 

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.18॥

 

_ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना ।_

_करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसङ्ग्रहः॥_

 

भावार्थ :

ज्ञाता (जानने वाले का नाम 'ज्ञाता' है।), ज्ञान (जिसके द्वारा जाना जाए, उसका नाम 'ज्ञान' है। ) और ज्ञेय (जानने में आने वाली वस्तु का नाम 'ज्ञेय' है।)- ये तीनों प्रकार की कर्म-प्रेरणा हैं और कर्ता (कर्म करने वाले का नाम 'कर्ता' है।), करण (जिन साधनों से कर्म किया जाए, उनका नाम 'करण' है।) तथा क्रिया (करने का नाम 'क्रिया' है।)- ये तीनों प्रकार का कर्म-संग्रह है॥१८॥

 

Meaning:

Knowledge, the known and the knower, these three initiate action. The instruments, the target of action and the doer, these three are the basis of action.

 

EXPLANATION:

 

The culmination of the Gita teaching is the realization that our true nature is the eternal essence, that does not act in this world, nor experiences anything in this world, since action and experience are in the realm of Prakriti. Most of us, however, are still becoming qualified for this teaching through the practice of karma yoga. Shri Krishna recognizes the need to give an in depth analysis of action for people like us. To that end, he uses this shloka to begin that topic. Each word, each term needs to be understood clearly, since the regular meanings may confuse us.

 

So then, what is the genesis, the birth of an action? How does an action commence? Our sense organs send a report to the mind of having seen, felt, touched, tasted or smelled something. This is the process of perception. Or, a thought about a prior perception arises in the mind. Both these processes are the same for all people in this world. Both you and I perceive a red apple in the same manner. In this case, the red apple is termed as jneyam, an object which is known. This is step one.

 

What happens next? Both of us see the same red apple, but you may love it, someone else may hate it, and I would be indifferent to it. This difference in our view towards the apple, our worldview in general, is due to the difference in our samskaaras. We attach a certain meaning to objects, people and situations based on our samskaaras. This individual vision of the world is termed knowledge or jnyaanam. It looks at the object in question and generates a sense of attraction, repulsion or indifference. This is step two.

 

Next, this notion of attraction, repulsion or indifference creates a modification in the intellect called the "doer", the kartaa. It is a phantom, illusory entity which says "I want the red apple, go get it", or "I hate this red apple, throw it away". The doer issues these instructions to the karana, the organs of action, which then do as they are told. The action of grasping the apple or throwing it away is carried out. Note the the doer only comes into existence when there is attraction or repulsion. The jeeva is a witness, indifferent to likes or dislikes. So the doer, the organs of action and the object make up karma sangraha, the basis of action. This is step three.

 

When finally, the object, the target of action is consumed by the senses, another modification of the mind called the "enjoyer", the bhoktaa, arises. It creates the notion that "I have experienced this object, and it gave me joy/sorrow". This is the parijnyaata, the knower, mentioned in the shloka. Furthermore, a record of this experience, whether pleasurable or painful, is stored in the unconscious aspect of our personality, the causal body. This record, this samskaara, becomes the seed of future action by creating thoughts of desire in the mind, prompting further actions and experiences. This process of enjoyment of an object is the fourth step.

 

So these four steps taken together describe the lifecycle of an action, from start to finish.

Chant the mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is composed of three Sanskrit words, which are “Hare”, “Krishna” and “Rama”. According to the scriptures “Obstruction or problem can’t come into their lives, who do chant this mantra continuously”. The Great Mantra is:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |

हरे राम हरे राम , राम राम हरे हरे ||

Bhagwan Shri Krishna Loves You: What is sumati?

Hare Krishna! If you want "Shri Krishna Loves You" daily post
in your WhatsApp or to be sent to your near and dear ones
write your/their WhatsApp number in the
Comment Section. It's a free service!

 

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.17॥

 

_यस्य नाहङ्‍कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते ।_

_हत्वापि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते॥_

 

भावार्थ :

जिस पुरुष के अन्तःकरण में 'मैं कर्ता हूँ' ऐसा भाव नहीं है तथा जिसकी बुद्धि सांसारिक पदार्थों में और कर्मों में लिपायमान नहीं होती, वह पुरुष इन सब लोकों को मारकर भी वास्तव में न तो मरता है और न पाप से बँधता है। (जैसे अग्नि, वायु और जल द्वारा प्रारब्धवश किसी प्राणी की हिंसा होती देखने में आए तो भी वह वास्तव में हिंसा नहीं है, वैसे ही जिस पुरुष का देह में अभिमान नहीं है और स्वार्थरहित केवल संसार के हित के लिए ही जिसकी सम्पूर्ण क्रियाएँ होती हैं, उस पुरुष के शरीर और इन्द्रियों द्वारा यदि किसी प्राणी की हिंसा होती हुई लोकदृष्टि में देखी जाए, तो भी वह वास्तव में हिंसा नहीं है क्योंकि आसक्ति, स्वार्थ और अहंकार के न होने से किसी प्राणी की हिंसा हो ही नहीं सकती तथा बिना कर्तृत्वाभिमान के किया हुआ कर्म वास्तव में अकर्म ही है, इसलिए वह पुरुष 'पाप से नहीं बँधता'।)॥१७॥

 

Meaning:

One who does not have the notion that I am the doer, whose intellect is not tainted, he does not kill, nor is he bound, even by killing these beings.

 

EXPLANATION:

Previously, we came across the incorrect understanding of action. Whenever we think "I am performing this action", it is incorrect, born out of ignorance, it is durmati. Shri Krishna now gives us the correct understanding. When we think that "this action is being performed by the five factors of Prakriti, not by me", this is the correct understanding, this is sumati. And after the action is performed, we do not let the result of the action impact us. In other words, we are not attached to the reward of action.

 

The most common concern towards this kind of understanding is that it will make us weak and fatalistic, especially when we are still engaged in karma yoga. That is why it has to be combined with the idea of selfless service. A modern interpretation of this notion is : do your best, and leave the rest. As we continue our journey in karma yoga, our selfish desires and vaasanaas will slowly wither away, paving the way for the knowledge of the self in the second chapter to take root in our mind. Then we will come to the realization that only the self, the aatmaa is real or sat. Actions are in the realm of Prakriti, of Maaya, which is asat or illusory.

 

Per Shri Shankarachaarya’s commentary, this shloka embodies the sum and substance of the Gita and even of all the Vedas. We start our lives thinking that we are the body. The scriptures, the Vedas, tell us that we are not the body, we are the jeeva who has to use his body and mind to perform selfless service. Now, at the conclusion of the Vedas, Veda-anta, we are told that we are beyond the jeeva. This attitude of non-identification with the doership of actions differentiates a sanyaasi, a monk, from a tyaagi, one who has renounced action, per the original question of Arjuna in this chapter.

 

With the words "he kills, but does not kill", we are transported back to the second chapter, where Shri Krishna was convincing Arjuna to engage in the Mahaabhaarata war. So then, what is left? From a practical standpoint, we still have to deal with science of action. Unless we understand it fully, we will never be able to distance ourselves from the notion of doership. Shri Krishna continues his analysis of action from the standpoint of the three gunaas, since he has proven that action is in the realm of Prakriti.

 

Shri Krishna says that our entire life is steeped in the incorrect notion that we perform actions. With regards to the analogies taken up, the self is stationary, and Prakriti is moving. But we do not see this because our intellect is untrained. It is akrita buddhi. We have not imbibed the knowledge that action is performed by the five factors mentioned in the prior shlokas. The scriptures, and Shri Krishna, are repeatedly informing us that ultimately Ishvara’s Prakriti is performing all the actions, not our self, not the aatmaa, not the eternal essence. But we fail to see this. We are durmati, we have a perverted understanding.

 

Unless someone hears this statement from a teacher well versed in the scriptures, this ancient misunderstanding never comes up for questioning. The most common understanding is that the body is the self, the aatmaa. Some other people think that the jeeva, the individualized soul, is the aatmaa. But both these schools of thought attribute action to the aatmaa, which is incorrect. Furthermore, even the results of the actions go to the Prakriti. They do not go to the self, the aatmaa. The aatmaa is kevala, it is untainted, pure, and incapable of any change, modification or action. So then, what is the correct understanding? This is taken up next.

Chant the mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is composed of three Sanskrit words, which are “Hare”, “Krishna” and “Rama”. According to the scriptures “Obstruction or problem can’t come into their lives, who do chant this mantra continuously”. The Great Mantra is:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |

हरे राम हरे राम , राम राम हरे हरे ||

Bhagwan Shri Krishna Loves You: Illusion of being the doer

 

Hare Krishna! If you want "Shri Krishna Loves You" daily post
in your WhatsApp or to be sent to your near and dear ones
write your/their WhatsApp number in the
Comment Section. It's a free service!

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

 

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.16॥

 

_तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः ।_

_पश्यत्यकृतबुद्धित्वान्न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः॥_

 

भावार्थ :

परन्तु ऐसा होने पर भी जो मनुष्य अशुद्ध बुद्धि (सत्संग और शास्त्र के अभ्यास से तथा भगवदर्थ कर्म और उपासना के करने से मनुष्य की बुद्धि शुद्ध होती है, इसलिए जो उपर्युक्त साधनों से रहित है, उसकी बुद्धि अशुद्ध है, ऐसा समझना चाहिए।) होने के कारण उस विषय में यानी कर्मों के होने में केवल शुद्ध स्वरूप आत्मा को कर्ता समझता है, वह मलीन बुद्धि वाला अज्ञानी यथार्थ नहीं समझता॥१६॥

 

Meaning:

This being the case, the one who has an untrained intellect, sees the pure self as the doer. Indeed, that person of perverted understanding sees not.

 

EXPLANATION:

 

We look at the clouds moving in the sky, and we imagine that the moon is moving, though it is stationary. We see other vehicles moving and think that our vehicle, which is stationary, to be moving. The actions of one object can be superimposed on another object due to optical illusion. Shri Shankaraachaarya provides these examples in this commentary of this shloka to drive home the point that what we see or experience may not really be the truth.

 

Shri Krishna says that our entire life is steeped in the incorrect notion that we perform actions. With regards to the analogies taken up, the self is stationary, and Prakriti is moving. But we do not see this because our intellect is untrained. It is akrita buddhi. We have not imbibed the knowledge that action is performed by the five factors mentioned in the prior shlokas. The scriptures, and Shri Krishna, are repeatedly informing us that ultimately Ishvara’s Prakriti is performing all the actions, not our self, not the aatmaa, not the eternal essence. But we fail to see this. We are durmati, we have a perverted understanding.

 

Unless someone hears this statement from a teacher well versed in the scriptures, this ancient misunderstanding never comes up for questioning. The most common understanding is that the body is the self, the aatmaa. Some other people think that the jeeva, the individualized soul, is the aatmaa. But both these schools of thought attribute action to the aatmaa, which is incorrect. Furthermore, even the results of the actions go to the Prakriti. They do not go to the self, the aatmaa. The aatmaa is kevala, it is untainted, pure, and incapable of any change, modification or action. So then, what is the correct understanding? This is taken up next.

Chant the mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is composed of three Sanskrit words, which are “Hare”, “Krishna” and “Rama”. According to the scriptures “Obstruction or problem can’t come into their lives, who do chant this mantra continuously”. The Great Mantra is:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |

हरे राम हरे राम , राम राम हरे हरे ||

Bhagwan Shri Krishna Loves You: The body performs action

 

Hare Krishna! If you want "Shri Krishna Loves You" daily post
in your WhatsApp or to be sent to your near and dear ones
write your/their WhatsApp number in the
Comment Section. It's a free service!

|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.15॥

 

_शरीरवाङ्‍मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः ।_

_न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः॥_

 

भावार्थ :

मनुष्य मन, वाणी और शरीर से शास्त्रानुकूल अथवा विपरीत जो कुछ भी कर्म करता है- उसके ये पाँचों कारण हैं ॥१५॥

 

Meaning:

Whatever action is begun by a person, with the body, speech and mind, either per scripture or the opposite, these five are its causes.

 

EXPLANATION:

Let us quickly recap the concepts from the previous shloka. Any action that we perform has five components behind it. The body provides the foundation for the action. The instruments comprise the five organs of sense and the five organs of action. The energy system of the body, the praana, provides the fuel needed to perform the action. The individual notion, the ego, provides the motive behind the action. The daivam, Ishvara, ensures that the universe supports the performance of the action.

 

To drive home this point, Shri Krishna adds that there is no action that is beyond the realm of these five factors. In other words, the five factors are the material cause as well as the efficient cause or intelligence behind an action. Since a robot can perform any task that it is programmed with, it is easy to understand that the five factors are the material cause of the action. But when we say that they are also the intelligence behind the action, it is a little difficult to swallow. Our true self, the eternal essence, has nothing whatsoever to do with the action. The mind generates thoughts and the body performs actions.

 

Now, another point is taken up in the shloka. It is the very same five factors that can perform an action in conformance with the universe and its laws, as well as action that goes against the universe and its laws, also termed as a sinful action. The way a person looks at the world, as well as the nature of his intelligence, determines whether he will perform an action lawfully or sinfully. The entire process of action is analyzed in detail later in the chapter. This overview of the factors behind an action is concluded here, setting us up for the most important teaching of the Gita, taken up next.

Chant the mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is composed of three Sanskrit words, which are “Hare”, “Krishna” and “Rama”. According to the scriptures “Obstruction or problem can’t come into their lives, who do chant this mantra continuously”. The Great Mantra is:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |

हरे राम हरे राम , राम राम हरे हरे ||