Śrīmad bhagavad gītā | Karma yoga ~ Sarga 3 of 18

The ultimate purpose of the Bhagavad-Gita is to show in a clear and lucid manner that one-pointed loving devotion to the Supreme Being who is glorified and proclaimed in the Vedas is the singular and paramount goal to be attained by all human beings specifically and for all living beings in general. Who is proclaimed in the Upanisads as the singular goal to achieve by the aspirants for moksa or liberation from material existence. Who is declared in the Puranas as being destitute of all defiling characteristics such as avidya or nescience. This Supreme Being who is possessing boundless and unlimited magnificent and glorious attributes. Bhakti yoga or loving devotional service is exclusively only in relation to the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised avatars or incarnations as revealed in Vedic scriptures. In order to achieve full success in bhakti yoga it is essential to achieve atma tattva or realisation of one’s eternal soul. The atma or soul is one’s eternal nature beyond all material conceptions and is a necessary preliminary step. Atma tattva is ultimately attained by jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge from the Vedic scriptures which is generated by karma yoga or the performance of prescribed Vedic activities without attachment. These prescribed Vedic activities are established on the foundation that the atma is eternal and can never be modified or destroyed as delineated so clearly by Lord Krishna in chapter two.

Brahma has stated that the acquisition of paravidya or the knowledge required to attain the Supreme Being is known as bhakti or loving devotion and that dahara-vidya or that this method of meditation is required to realise the Supreme Being, who resides within the etheric region of the heart. In the Chandogya Upanisad it is given that the realisation of the atma within one’s own heart is the first ancillary step by the God aspirant to attaining realisation of the Supreme Being Himself. Then the incorporeal and non-material reality of the atma and its eternal nature beyond the consciousness of waking, sleeping and dreaming is completely transcended. Thus does the phenomenal nature of the atma emerging from within the physical body, radiant in ineffable light shining in its natural and wonderous effulgence. In the Katha Upanisad this subject is also well elucidated as given in the following description: By perceiving paramatma which is the Supreme Soul existing simultaneously within all beings and then by discrimination obtained after realisation of the individual atma. The enlightened one delivers themselves from attraction and repulsion, joy and grief and all other dualities. Communion with the Supreme Soul is communion with the Supreme Being which is the goal to be attained through the discrimination derived directly from atma tattva. This confirms that atma tattva or realisation of the soul is an essential ingerdient and constituent component of the Supreme Being which is attained by bhakti or loving devotion. Another example is: Knowing the magnificent and all- pervading nature of paramatma the Supreme Soul, the enlightened one no longer grieves or laments which reveals the natural potency of the atma to relieve one of all mundane dross due to the influence of the material existence.

The eternal soul known as the atma is not gainable merely by hearing about it. Nor is it obtainable by discoursing about it nor is it attainable by meditating exclusively on it. The atma is attainable solely to those whom the atma alone elects to attain it. Whomsoever the atma selects as an act of sovereign grace alone the atma reveals itself to such a one. Who is such a one? It is none other than that person who has discriminatory wisdom as their charioteer, who has the reins of their mind controlling the steeds of the senses, who has the actual competence to achieve moksa or liberation and attain the coveted goal of loving devotion to the Supreme Lord.

So in conclusion what we have just presented in essence form is the ultimate purpose of the Bhagavad-Gita. From chapter three along with chapters four, five and six the path for the aspirant is given beginning with the very first question in this chapter. The means of cognition and the method of realisation along with the meditation required to achieve it will be delineated and forthcoming.

What Arjuna is trying to ascertain from Lord Krishna is if the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is superior to performing physical activities for the attainment of liberation and if so then why should one engage in horrendous activities like war and killing. It is well known that jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is the means to accomplish self-realisation of the soul. Karma yoga or performing physical activities without attachment leads one gradually to jnana yoga. This path of spiritual knowledge can be attained by with drawing all the senses along with the mind from the objects of the senses. If this is the case then Arjuna is wondering why he is not being instructed in the cessation of all physical activities; but instead he is being encouraged to fully use his mind and senses to engage in all of the violent and horrific activities that accompany warfare. Feeling confused by the conflicting instructions of with drawing the senses and the performance of actions, Arjuna now wants a single, unequivocal instruction to determine for certain exactly what course he should embark to achieve the highest good.

Lord Krishna is telling Arjuna that he has not clearly understood what has been previously spoken by Him. He tells Arjuna that in this world abounding in diversity there are two paths for two types of humans. Jnana yoga the path of knowledge and karma yoga the path of actions each suited to the capacities and qualifications of the type concerned. Not all humans in this world are born with the ambition for moksa or liberation. Neither are all humans able to embark upon the path of knowledge directly. But all humans must engage in actions at all times they cannot stop but they must perform these actions unattached without desiring any reward, perfecting them in the process as factual activities of divine worship. Then in fact all actions become divine activities as revealed forthcoming in chapter XVIII. verse forty-six worshipping God by one’s actions. Performing actions in this way humans evaporate the inauspicious qualities lurking in their minds and hearts and the senses give up their turbulence and become calm and peaceful. It has already been established in chapter II. verse forty-seven that there must be no anticipation of rewards as the reason for performing activities. When this platform has been attained then after one has risen in wisdom beyond the turmoils of the quest of satisfying one’s sense with sense objects then jnana yoga the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is appropriate. In chapter II. verse fity-five Lord Krishna has stated when one gives up all desires, to confirm this point. Sankhya refers to spiritual knowledge or spiritual wisdom. Those who possess this are called sankhyas as real spiritual knowledge is the knowledge that leads to realisation of the atma or soul, firmly resides within them. Those who are ineligible not fit for this course due to their own inherent qualities are the yogis who are eligible for karma yoga the path of actions. So it can be seen that there is not even the slightest contradiction when it was asserted that for one who is beguiled by the objects and distractions of the phenomenal world, karma yoga is suitable for them and for those who are not beguiled and able to renounce these objects and distractions are suited for jnana yoga the cultivation of spiritual knowledge.

It will next be shown that even if a wish for moksa or liberation arises still one may not be fully competent to experience the cultivation of knowledge by jnana yoga.

Neither by not performing the activities prescribed in the Vedic scriptures nor by abandoning them once they were begun does one attain the qualification to perform jnana yoga the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. This is because that actions when performed as worship for the Supreme Lord for His satisfaction alone with no desire or expectation for any reward leads to perfection and without this consciousness one is not qualified for jnana yoga. For in jnana yoga exclusive attention is devoted to atma-nistha deep faith in knowledge and meditation of the soul. This is only possible for one who has relinquished all desires and expectations fully. It is not possible for one who is still mired in the pursuit of fruitive activities, burdened with sins from previous lives and for one who has never worshipped Lord Krishna with love and devotion with no anticipation of reward.

No living being in the material existence can remain inactive even for a moment without initiating or pursuing some activity or another. If one should steadfastly determine to perform absolutely nothing, still one would be compelled into action by the qualities of the the three gunas being sattva or goodness, rajas or passion and tamas or ignorance, all from prakriti, material nature. The effects of these have sprung into existence from one’s past life activities. Thus by adhering to karma yoga the yoga of actions without desires one’s accumulated sins will gradually dissolve and then mastery over the gunas and prakriti is achieved. At this time the mind has become pure and one becomes qualified for jnana yoga. Otherwise as Lord Krishna states anyone attempting to pursue jnana yoga in lieu of this is a charlatan and all their attempts is merely a charade.

Whosoever without first unburdening themselves of all their sins, who without having first gained mastery of their senses and without having first achieved self-control of the mind. If such a person pretends to strives for atma-tattva or self-realisation of the soul, with their thoughts dwelling on sense objects due to attachment for them instead of focusing on the eternal soul. Then the conduct of such a one is duplicious and false and they are a charlatan. Any person acting in this way is only deceiving themselves by their own deception and surely will never succeed in realising the eternal soul.

Controlling the senses by strength of mind, utilising them to assist in achieving attma tattva by performing the prescribed duties given in the Vedic scriptures according to the natural attributes found within their character by the natural disposition of their natural impulses, then that person although performing karma yoga the yoga of actions is superior to the performer of jnana yoga the yoga of cultivating knowledge inasmuch as falsely performing jnana yoga with duplicity is far inferior to performing karma yoga with sincerity.

The word nityatam can refer to eternal, regular or even daily. An act is eternal if it is connected to the atma which is the eternal soul. Actions merely connected to prakriti or the material nature are a persistent inheritance from one’s past activities in the unknown past. Thus to perform actions comes easily as a natural phenomena and not subject to the inherent dangers of possessing an impure mind or the lack of sense control associated the with jnana yoga, the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Therefore Lord Krishna is urging Arjuna to perform karma yoga or actions without attachment as in his case it is superior to cultivating knowledge. A-karma is non-action which implies cultivating knowledge by the abstention of activities. But it is known that it is not possible to completely achieve the actionless state. Even for the followers of jnana yoga the path of karma yoga is superior because in jnana yoga one must follow a path one is naturally not accustomed, is difficult to practice, fraught with the risk of dominant senses and also which does not flow as an inherent tendency like the path of karma yoga where actions follow the natural locomotion of the body in the course of daily activities.

Further it will be shown that even one who is liberated by atma- tattva realisation of the eternal soul; still may be involved in so many activities, performing actions without attachment or as a matter of duty. Thus even atma-tattva can be connected to material activities transforming them to spiritual activities. Hence karma yoga can be superior in this way. What can be inferred about the superiority of karma yoga over jnana yoga will be evident to one who is actually engaged in practising jnana yoga.

But an alternative argument could be alright suppose one is determined to abstain from all actions, then how does one expect to maintain their bodily existence which depends on eating and sleeping and washing and exercising etc. and by which the body is very helpful and useful in practising jnana yoga. The maintenance of one’s physical body is absolutely essential to complete the course charted in life until one achieves their goal. The way in which one maintains their body is by actions such as labour by rightful means to acquire funds for performing worship to God by offerings of food which are subsequently imbued with spiritual potency and by partaking of the remnants of such foods solely for bodily sustenance each day maintain their bodies.

In the Chandogya Upanisad VII.XXVI.II we find: It is by the purity of food that one’s mind becomes purified. When the mind is purified one attains access to the eternal soul dwelling within the heart.

Thus if one desires to desist from all activities how will their mind become purified and how will their bodily needs be maintained? Thus it is obvious that one who practices jnana yoga in order to maintain their bodily existence must still continue performing the daily and occasional duties prescribed in the Vedas until they reach their goal. The same as if one practised karma yoga. Also in karma yoga the contemplation of atma-tattva is also included in the conceptions that I am not my body perfoming actions and I am not the actual doer of any actions. So for all these reasons karma yoga is preferably recommended to jnana yogis.

So the conclusion is for Arjuna to desist and practice karma yoga.

But if it is still postulated that actions such as the acquiring of funds involves the my-ness of this is my money and the I-ness of I have earned this by the strength of my mind and the power of my faculties and that these efforts must cause bondage Lord Krishna refutes this argument in the next verse.

Instead of working hard to acquire funds for self gratification endeavours which causes one to bound in the material existence. Activities performed as an offering to the Supreme Lord known as yagna or sacrifice should be performed which are not bound to the material nature. Lord Krishna uses the word sanga which means attachment this means that attachment will be there when the action is undertaken for self service but as an offering to the Supreme Lord one is free from such ulterior motivations. All activities when done as an offering to the Supreme Lord with anticipating any reward become consecrated through yagna or acts of worship done for the pleasure of atma-purusha, the Supreme Lord internally within the heart and externally pervading all existence. The Supreme Lord recognising such devotion will mitigate all the sins and the merits from such offered actions which bind one to receiving punishment or rewards since time immemorial and neutralising them direct one from inside, and following this path with very little difficulty one can achieve self-realisation. It is now shown that all persons of every segment of society without exception must nourish themselves by food offered as yagna consecrated worship exclusively and that sins are imbibed by all those who do not do so.

In the Vedic scriptures the term Prajapati is unrestrictedly designated to the Supreme Lord Krishna, or any of duly authorised avatars or incarnations such as Narayana lord of all creation or Jagannatha lord of the universes. In the beginning of creation the Supreme Lord reflected on the plight of the living entities entangled in matter from time immemorial. These living entities were destitute of name, form and a distinction between one another as they were dormant within a portion of the Supreme Lords potency. Possessing an eternal soul they had the ability to fulfill great goals but they languishing inert like latent substances.

In this case Prajapati refers to Brahma, a duly authorised Guna avatar of the Supreme Lord who while reflecting on them out of His infinite mercy and for the sake of their ultimate redemption, inspired Brahma to project them into the material manifestation. Brahma worshipped the Supreme Lord as sacrifice and thus inaugurated the institution of yagna which will fulfill all ones highest ambitions granting moksa or libeartion in the spiritual worlds. How this will manifest will be further explained in the next verse.

Lord Krishna explains that by yagna which is worship and appeasement of the devas or demi-gods who are His universal administrators of the material existence and who constitute His body and of whom He is the atma or soul within. Later in chapter IX.xxiv beginning with aham hi sarva we will see Him confirm that He is the sole enjoyer and rewarder of all yagnas. So let the demi-gods of whom Lord Krishna is the atma be worshipped so they will grant all prayers of prosperity and abundance. In this way by mutually offering services mankind shall reap its summum bonum and highest beatitude.

The words yagna-bhavitah means honoured by worship. The worship of pleasing the demi-gods in which Lord Krishna also resides as the atma or soul will confer on those whose perform it whatever prosperity and abundance they have prayed for. This means that by receiving these things as such one is able to worship the demi-gods and receive from them perpetually by offerings and worship to them with regularity.

But if one should try to enjoy the gifts granted by them without first offering them back beforehand then such a person is a thief for misappropriating what was not sanctioned by the act of yagna or appeasement. Stena eva sah means one is certainly a thief. A thief is one who executes chaurya or larceny. The definition of larceny is the intention of or act of one to misappropriate property for oneself for the use of which they have no right which factually belongs to others.

Thus to one of this nature and this description there is not only forfeiture and exemption from moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death but there will also be suffering for these sins in the infernal regions of the hellish planets described in Canto V of the Bhagavat Purana. This same subject is further explained in the next verse .

Those who prepare food from funds honestly acquired with the sole objective of worshipping the Supreme Lord Krishna who resides as the soul within themselves as well as within all the demi-gods and every living entity; and those who only partake of such duly consecrated food become absolved of all sins accumulated over iniquity subatomic and atomic impending the completion and fulfilment of self realisation of the atma or soul. But those sinful wretches who do not first offer to the Supreme Lord what was gifted to them and instead prepare and eat it appropriating it for theirselves verily eat only sin. The word agham meaning sin denotes their will be grave consequences for such sins. Ignorant of the path to atma- tattva or self realisation of the soul, such degraded persons perpetually eat sinful food insuring a hellish destination in their next life. It should be understood that everything is connected to yagna or worship in this world and the next, from both the point of view of sastra or Vedic scripture and from inference. It should also be clearly understood that the observance of yagna is essential for benefit and welfare of all mankind and that its omission purposefully or accidental is counter productive for the entire human race and is fraught with sinfulness and dire consequences.

From food all creatures procreate and from rain food is produced. The whole world is witness to this. As for the evidence that yagna or worship causes rainfall sastra or the Vedic scriptures give proof. In Manu Samhita III.76 we find that oblations properly offered into the sacred fire ascend upwards to the sun, and from the sun rain clouds are produced. Actions such as earning funds are accomplished by the physical body when actions utilise such wealth following the prescribed injunction of the Vedas then the result is yagna. The word Brahma here denotes the universal body as an aggregate of all material particles. The word aksara means indestructible or imperishable in the verse brahma-aksara refers to the eternal jiva- atma, the individual soul. It is the jiva-atma who monitors the body and gives it consciousness and impels it nourish itself through food and water, fortifying it to engage in the prescribed actions of the Vedas. Hence the physical body which serves as the medium for actions is said to manifest from the all prevasive universal body of the Brahman. Thus the physical body itself is the essential item which every votary of yagna must possess and is the indispensable prerequisite for the performance of yagna.

So from actions comes yagna, from yagna rain, from rainfall food and from food embodied beings. This cycle was set into motion by the Supreme Lord Krishna at the beginning of creation. This cycle is never ending and was designed to exist perpetually providing all necessities for the embodied beings allowing them to prosper and flourish, Whoever is born on this Earth whether they are performers of actions or contemplators of the ultimate truth, the Supreme Brahman; if they fail to adhere to and follow and adhere to this cycle leads a sinful life for the simple reason that they fail to even support and preserve their own embodied existence by sanctifying it with the daily food remnants eaten that was first offered in yagna.

The word agha-ayuh means full of sin, this can be either that one’s life is committed to making sins or that one is living a life perpetuated by sin or it can even mean both. In this way such a sinner becomes an indriyaramah or one who only seeks delights in the beguiling garden of the senses using their valuable human life only for the pursuit of pleasure, a slave under the control of sense delights. Therefore such a one never takes delight in the soul and is the antithesis of an atmaramah or one who delights in the garden of the atma or soul.

Food eaten that was not first sanctified by being consecrated in yagna or offering of worship beforehand ignites rajas or passions in one and incites tamas or darkness of intellect. A person in whom these dispositions are prominent becomes hostile to achieving an even rudimental spiritual illumination let alone atma-tattva or self-realisation of the soul. Such a hostile person only finds pleasure in pursuing pleasure to gratify their senses.

Blessed with the gift of a human body which is suitable for offering Divine worship in yagna and which therefore which must be nourished with sanctified food duly consecrated so ones actions fulfill there purpose. If one errs and fails to honour and respect this eternal cycle given in the Vedic injunctions, then all there hopes for spiritual realisation will not be fulfilled and all their efforts are destined to failure. There complete life was lived in vain.

So from this it can be understood that the necessity for the actions of yagna as prescribed in the Vedic scriptures are essential and indispensable for the different varnas or castes and asramas or stages of society. Only that person who has attained moksa or complete liberation from the cycle of birth and death in the material nature is under no obligation to in any way whatsoever to perform any activity due to the fact that the achievement of atma-tattva self-realisation of the soul has already been attained.

The person who is neither in need of karma yoga the path of action or jnana yoga the path of cultivating spiritual knowledge is naturally one who is situated in atma-tattva or soul realisation. To such a person the atma or soul and the Supreme Lord are the only objects of attention and one is completely content within by them. No satisfaction that is felt in any other situation such as eating delicious foods or drinking nectarian beverages can compare with the satisfaction that the atma gives. Neither beautiful scents, nor beautiful music nor the experience of beautiful panorama’s can compare either with the bliss of the atma. To that person whose focus, whose attention, whose inspiration, whose support, whose everything is emanating from the atma. What need is there to perform prescribed Vedic activities to attain atma-tattva? Such a person is already situated in atma-tattva and has attained moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death in the material existence. So such a person has no need to perform prescribed Vedic activities. Both karma yoga and jnana yoga are paths for those whose minds need to be diverted and directed from the material illusion to the spiritual reality. But once one who has achieved atma-tattva there is no need to resort to any external assistance any longer. Any action such a one performs is not bound to the material nature as cause and effect due to the reality that such a person is always performing every action while in blissful contemplation and meditation on the wonders of the atma. Performing actions in this state is easy and bereft of any danger as in the case of jnana yoga furthermore sets a good example for the welfare of the world following the path of the Supreme Spirit in all beings. In this verse the word karyam means duty bound and the word asaktah means unattached. So one should perform prescribed Vedic actions in karma yoga as a matter of duty without attachment to the results until atma-tattva is achieved. In this way karma yoga is performed without ego centred conceptions of the self as the doer

Because karma yoga is recommended even to those in jnana yoga great Maharishi’s and rulers of great wisdom such as King Janaka also achieved atma-tattva and attained moksa solely by karma yoga performing actions following the prescribed injunctions of the Vedas. This illustrates that the aspirant for moksa who is not qualified to tread the path of jnana yoga can still achieve the highest attainment through karma yoga. Furthermore it has also been shown that there are some advantages in performing prescribed Vedic activities in karma yoga even for one qualified to tread the path of jnana yoga. In the next verse another aspect of karma yoga will be shown as the inevitable duty of a specifically distinguished and qualified class of people in society.

So understanding that the whole Earth benefits from the performance of prescribed Vedic activities, one should act altruistically not for themselves but for the welfare of the world. This is the meaning Lord Krishna is conveying. The word sresthah means great personality expert in the conclusions of the Vedas. Whatever actions such a great person performs others will try to follow. It may be that a certain activity should be performed on a special day. The common people will wait to see how a great person takes the initiative on such an action and then they will follow suit. Hence the great personalities should always act in an exemplary manner to set the standard for the world. In this way they inspire everyone to perform prescribed Vedic actions according to the qualification of one’s varna or caste in life and one’s asrama or stage in life. If one fails to do this by neglect or omission one commits sin by omitting to help benefit the welfare of the world by their example and the consequence will be one will fall down from the path they achieved after many lifetimes.

Lord Krishna is declaring that in all the three worlds if He by His Supreme Will were to be present in the guise of a human or demi-god or whatever He desired there would of course be no activity He would be bound to perform as He is the maintainer of all the worlds and the Supreme Lord all prescribed activities in the Vedic scriptures are for His pleasure and satisfaction solely. Yet even when he appears in His original two armed form or in any of His scriptural authorised incarnations, Lord Krishna still applies Himself in all kinds of actions for the ultimate benefit and welfare for all the worlds.

If Lord Krishna of infallible will, the Supreme Lord of all, and in whose control the entire phenomenal display of the total material creation is created, maintained and preserved by His inconceivable potency; if He were not to conduct Himself seriously and omit to perform prescribed Vedic activities for the benefit of all the worlds then others seeing Lord Krishna’s indifference would also conduct themselves indifferently following His example.

When Lord Krishna took birth, seemingly as a human being, as the son of the great righteous King Vasudeva, he conducted Himself in all ways and manners as appropriate for his position in society as a prince of the royal ksatriya or warrior class. If Lord Krishna acted otherwise all mankind would begin to imitate Him thinking that such actions were virtuous, the worthy actions, of a worthy son from a worthy father, the righteous King Vasudeva. In this way Lord Krishna is explaining that if He failed to perform Vedic activities mankind following His example would be led in a negative way into a hellish perdition unable to purify themselves enough so they could achieve atma-tattva or soul realisation. This would be considered as a very serious offence and Lord Krishna would be at fault. By not setting the example of what is righteous and by not following the traditions and customs established by performing the activities prescribed in the Vedic scriptures then all humanity would deviate from righteousness and become totally lost. If Lord Krishna failed to respect the injunctions and prohibitions of the Vedic scriptures then all the world would take that to be the standard of righteousness and the final verdict. There would soon ensue the mixing of classes and a mixture of moral and immoral standards in the class of pure and righteous people, leading to the complete degradation of society. Lord Krishna is stating that if He failed to follow and perform the Vedic injunctions then it would be the cause of the destruction of society. This is the purport. Also if Arjuna who was world famous for never having been defeated in battle and who was the brother of King Yudhisthira famed for his righteousness; if Arjuna refused to fight and protect dharma or righteousness then many other worthy and noble ksatriya’s who were protectors of dharma might folow his example and also renounce their prescribed duties and refuse to protect righteousness then this would bring destruction to the world balance and ruination to the welfare of the people. Thus it can be understood that for specially qualified people prescribed Vedic activities must be performed for the benefit of the entire human race and the welfare of the world.

The word avidvamsah means ignorant, the ignorance referred to is all those who are not knowledgeable of atma-tattva or soul realisation. Those who have desires and are attached to performing actions to obtain the fruits of such desires are unable to approach the jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Others being more sober are only fit to follow karma yoga the path of prescribed Vedic actions as their means to achieve atma- tattva. Let the wise act and behave like one performing karma yoga performing prescribed Vedic actions even if they have no interest in the results of their actions and are qualified for jnana yoga and even if they have knowledge of atma-tattva. For such a person is naturally great and is looked up to by all the world and should always conduct themselves in an exemplary manner by performing prescribed Vedic activities according to qualification. By this mankind will be cognisant of what is proper and improper in society. Actions of this nature can only be accomplished by one performing karma yoga.

The ignorant are conditioned to desires of fruitive activities being fully attached to gaining results and are incapable of adopting the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A person of wisdom should not unhinge the minds and disturb the equilibrium of ordinary people pursuing their dreams of material acquisitions in karma yoga by preaching the superior path of jnana yoga which they are incapable of following. What a person of wisdom must do is set an example by their actions and perform prescribed Vedic activities in karma yoga showing the ignorant by their example that without desire and being unattached to the results it is sufficient to achieve atma-tattva. By setting the example in this manner the great souls inspires the whole society to perform righteous activities so that eventually their minds will be come purified of all dross and they will become competent to advance in spiritual life and attain atma-tattva. The difference between how a person of wisdom performs karma yoga and how the ignorant acts in karma yoga and the reason why will be explained in the next verse.

In respect of the three gunas or modes of material nature being sattva or goodness, rajas or passion and tamas or ignorance. That person who is blinded by false ego and bewildered by material nature believes they themselves are the root cause and sole determining factor of all actions they engage in. In the previous verse the word ahankara means bewildered by ego identification or misidentifying the body to be the atma or soul. Such a person is situated in nescience thinking that the interactions of the three gunas in the physical body are the actions of the atma, such a one foolishly considers that they are the doer of their actions. But the tattva- vit or knower of the truth is competent in discerning in all activities the properties and influences of the three gunas as they manifest themselves through one’s actions. Whoever becomes proficient in discerning the manifestation of the three gunas in all actions will not commit the error of thinking that they through their body are the doer.

The misinformed make attempts for atma-tattva or soul realisation but due to their ignorance of the true nature of the atma or soul and because of their acute identification with the physical body and the senses they are obstructed in their attempts by the influences of the three gunas being the mode of goodness, passion and nescience. Such a person is quickly brought under the control of the gunas by their association with sense objects and cannot divert these natural tendencies towards atma-tattva. Thus they are not qualified for jnana yoga or the cultivation of knowledge but are only competent for karma yoga or performing prescribed Vedic activities.

The person situated in Vedic wisdom in jnana yoga after observing the meager capacities of the ignorant masses with their sluggish understanding should not attempt to convert them to jnana yoga from their easy to perform path of karma yoga. This is because it would be dangerous for the ignorant to give up the path of karma yoga to follow the path of jnana yoga when they are in no way qualified to do so. Leaving the path of karma yoga and unable to follow the path of jnana yoga they would having nothing and be at a loss in their lives. The conclusion is that one situated in Vedic wisdom and is a prominent leading figure in society should also perform prescribed Vedic activities in karma yoga even though such a person is a knower of atma-tattva. By acting in this way and performing Vedic activities without attachment lesser men will follow his example and perform in a like manner.

It has been shown earlier in this chapter that even for jnana yogis the path of karma yoga is preferable, hence persons of Vedic wisdom who are leaders in society should also tread the path of karma yoga as beacons of light for the masses in the world. The method of performing karma yoga by understanding that the atma is distinct from the physical body and thus ascribing the activities of the senses to be from the influences of the gunas has been thoroughly described.

One should contemplate and reflect on the atma and its essential nature which is purely spiritual. The atma performs no material activity but has association with actions through the gunas due to the conjunction with prakriti. Thus in association with prakriti there is doer ship with the atma and without association there is none. The next verse will explain the relationship between the senses and the gunas in regards to the Supreme Lord who is omniscient and omnipresent. Paramatma who is the Supreme Soul of all living entities evidenced by the fact that every individual soul constitutes His eternal, transcendental, spiritual body and are His eternal parts and parcels.

Dedicate thy mind and all activities to the Supreme Being in the heart represented by the eternal atma or soul within all living beings. The word nirasih means desireless. Being free from desires and free from hankering for the rewards of all actions while evicting all vanity. The word nirmamah means without a sense of ego. Prohibiting all ego constructs of I- ness and my-ness and relieved from the fever of mental delusion, discharge the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures according to your qualification at once as a matter of duty without attachment. In this Lord Krishna is instructing the warrior prince Arjuna how he should fight his enemies.

The words adhyatma-cetasa means with the mind absorbed in the atma within the heart. One’s thoughts should be focused on the nature of the soul, its attributes and qualities as delineated previously in chapter two, verses 13 – 25. There are many scriptures that reveal some of the attributes of the atma. In the Taittiriya Upanisad we find: Enveloped within the interior of the heart, the ruler of all beings, the eternal Supersoul, the origin of all. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanisad we find: He who is residing in the atma, He who is interior to the atma, He whom the atma knows not, He whom the atma knows not, He who rules from the interior of the atma, He who is the indwelling monitor, He who is the giver of immortality, He whose body constitutes the atma of all living beings, He who is the knower of all and is the inner guide to all.

Therefore we see that by inference that the Supreme Lord Krishna is revealing that since He is the atma within all living beings and that also the atma within all created beings constitute His eternal, transcendental body and derive all their energy from Him; then it is natural that one should dedicate all their actions to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Being as an act of yagna or worship.

One should very reverently reflect that one’s atma is a part of the Supreme Lord and therefore He is within me and I am within Him. The Supreme Lord Krishna is the Lord and Master of all. It is He alone who causes acts of yagna to be performed by me to Him and therefore I am His instrument. Therefore no conceptions of I-ness or my-ness, or authorship can be accepted by me for any actions that are performed. Thus I will be free from the fever of mental delusion fuelled by the fire of illusion.

The Paramapurusa is the Supreme Being and Sarveshvara is the Supreme Controller. In the Svetavatara Upanisad VI.VII we find: Let us take complete shelter of the Omnipotent Supreme Lord, the Supreme Lord over all lords, the Supreme Ruler of all rulers, the Supreme Master of all masters. The word isvaratva means lordship and the word niyantritva means ruler and the word patitva means master denoting the relationship between the Supreme Lord and His servitors. In the Narayana Upanisad we find: He is the Supreme Lord of the universe. In the Brahma Samhita V.I we find isvarah parama krishna which means that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Controller.

Arjuna was also reflecting on how he would become free from the myriad’s of sins about to be committed by him in the battle for all the warriors he would be slaying. Now he is being instructed to cheerfully begin the fray performing his prescribed duties as yagna or worship in karma yoga or the path of prescribed Vedic activities without attachment according to the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures. By dedicating oneself according to the edicts of the Vedic scriptures one is actually worshipping the Supreme Being and the person who performs their activities in this ordained manner is automatically exempt from all reactions as the Supreme Being Himself accepts their actions of offerings as His own and accepting complete responsibility of His surrendered devotee factually frees them from bondage. Thus the quintessence of all the Upanisads has been duly given.

The word manavah means men. It is derived from Manu the father of mankind, who wrote the Manu Samhita which are the guidelines for the human race. Thus all mankind as the descendants of Manu are followers of Vedic scriptures. The great personalities like Manu contemplating and reflecting on the Vedas determine what is the main import of the Vedas, which is precisely the formulised will of the Lord act accordingly to this inner directive.

There are persons who although unable to practice the prescribed injunctions enjoined in the Vedic scriptures still have faith and believe in the tenets inculcated therein. There are others who although not fully understanding and believing still do not doubt the veracity and authority of the Vedic scriptures.

All these three classes of mankind shall be redeemed and delivered from the vast aggregate of past sins accumulated since time immemorial that keeps one locked in bondage to the material existence. Lord Krishna uses the words te api meaning they also to emphasise that these even those not fully believing if they remain passive and do not blaspheme they are also entitled to absolution from past sins which is the cause of bondage and gradually attain moksa or deliverance from the cycle of birth and death.

The next verse tells the fate of the blasphemers and non-observers of this edict.

Lord Krishna is revealing the eternal truth that He is the atma or soul within all beings in existence, be they human, animal, aquatic, plant, demi- gods or any other species of life that was not cloned. He is the maintainer, sustainer and monitor of all beings through the medium of the atma and all of its impulses come from Him. All souls emanate from the Supreme Lord and because of Him are completely spiritual and eternal. All the souls of all the living beings in creation everywhere in creation as a total aggregate comprise the form of the Supreme Lord’s eternal, transcendental spiritual body. Whoever does not avail themselves and conformably act to this eternal truth, or take this eternal truth seriously in earnest, or who deems unnecessary and not worth the effort, this person should be understood to be completely destitute of knowledge and unable to evolve spiritually and are incapable of achieving atma tattva or knowledge of the soul become lost. Spiritual intelligence is what determines the light of knowledge in the material existence. In the absence of spiritual knowledge, darkness and ignorance prevails and knowledge becomes erroneous and defective. Thus it has been illustrated that doership transpires due to the union of prakriti or material nature and the physical body being influenced by the gunas or modes of goodness, passion and nescience and this is dependent ultimately upon the Supreme Lord.

Reflecting in this manner it can be ascertained that karma yoga or the path of performing prescribed Vedic actions is appropriate for one performing jnana yoga or the path of cultivating Vedic knowledge as well. Karma yoga is appropriate on account of it being easy to perform, exempt from the danger of failure and requires no assistance from other methods in its application. Contrarily jnana yoga is difficult to practice, susceptible to failure and must perform some karma yoga anyway in order to maintain health and vigor which is essential for body maintenance if one is to perform any yoga at all. Also it has been pointed out how it is necessary for a person of distinction situated in Vedic wisdom to set an example to inspire the common man for the benefit and welfare of the world.

What difficulties and dangers are fraught for the performers of jnana yoga are now explained in the remainder of this chapter.

That person situated in jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic wisdom is very knowledgeable with the Vedic declarations regarding the distinct difference between the atma or soul and prakriti or material nature. Such a person is also completely aware of the fact that the atma should be the sole object of their contemplation and meditation. But despite this knowledge it is seen that due to the deep influence of samskaras or impressions from past life activities, they are carried along by their subsequent nature which forces them to be act in the current of their natural tendencies and they find themselves preoccupied with various material pursuits enjoying assorted material sense objects. The reason is that living entities become indoctrinated and content with whatever relationship they establish in their environment. In other words whatever habits they form from their association with prakriti they continue to maintain and persistently follow. With the overpowering influence of these deep rooted habits how can the words of the Vedic scriptures impose restraint on such a person? One is helplessly carried away by the forceful current of past life actions and impressions.

The objects of the senses are perceived through the sense organs. For example hearing is perceived by the ears through sound, seeing is perceived by the eyes through sight, smelling is perceived by the nose through smells and so on. For each of the senses one has affection and the desire to enjoy through them. But the same senses operate depending upon attraction or aversion to sense objects. For sense objects that are pleasing one has attraction for pleasure and for sense objects that are displeasing one has aversion to displeasure. All these habits are conditioned from ancient predilections of past life reminisces. Such dualities of attraction and aversion obstructs one who would want to succeed in jnana yoga by subjugating their sense. These dualities which can be understood as different degrees of love and hate, hold a person in an iron grip and forcefully drive them to commit actions that are in conformance with the attributes of one of the three gunas of goodness, passion or nescience which one’s nature adheres to from past life impressions. Thus one is being constantly diverted from the real purpose of human existence, that of atma tattva or realisation of the soul and their precious human life is wasted pursuing sense objects.

Lord Krishna confirms that a person who embarks upon the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic wisdom should never fall again under the influence of dualities as they work against one and undermines all one’ efforts. The dualities of love and hate, attraction and aversion are a persons most invincible enemies and they completely frustrate all one’s attempts for success and higher understanding.

For obvious reasons the performance of one’s own dharma or righteous duties according to karma yoga or actions performed according to prescribed Vedic injunctions is the best course to follow even if they do not possess great virtues. One’s own duties are easy and natural to discharge in karma yoga and unattended with risk. Whereas that person performing jnana yoga or the path of cultivating Vedic knowledge which is most excellent; but who is beguiled by prakriti or material nature finds it extremely difficult to achieve success. Although the path of jnana yoga is shorter than the path of karma yoga there are many dangers accosting the path of jnana yoga. The path of karma yoga is performed by one most easily as it naturally befits the person performing it. Even if death comes before one has the opportunity to fulfill life’s purpose and attain moksa or liberation form the cycle of birth and death, still one’s progress is not impeded by any obstacle even death as one’s merits are applied to the next life and they are born in a situation where they can easily pick up the thread from where they left off in the last life and continue on. Whereas one who although beguiled by prakriti attempts to practice jnana yoga anyway is surrounded by danger and obstacles on their path which deter one from easily adopting and putting into practice the cultivation of Vedic wisdom.

Arjuna wants to know from Lord Krishna exactly what ii is that forcibly impels a person embarking on the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic wisdom to go against their better judgement and engage in sinful activities.

The most powerful obstruction in their pursuit of jnana yoga or the path of cultivating Vedic knowledge is kama or lust. The intense addiction to enjoy sense objects. This addiction is fueled by past habits such as remembering senses enjoyed or by senses frustrated in the attempt to satisfy one’s desires. Because the person is helplessly attached to the attraction and aversion of the three gunas or goodness , passion and nescience which are constantly fluctuating the mind and senses influencing all beings. This kama is a most powerful enemy and exerting its power compels a person to enter into its province of sense delights in pursuit of pleasure. Then if by chance while in the pursuit of sense delights one’s desires are thwarted or frustrated then this same lust transforms itself into intense krodha or anger. Enacting sinful actions in the attempt to satisfy one’s frustrated senses even if futilely and prepared to perpetrate even violent acts against anyone that thwarts in any way the gratification of their senses. It should be known that kama and krodha arise from rajas guna or the mode of passion and it is a very hostile adversary to those who are engaged in jnana yoga.

Lord Krishna is giving the three examples to indicate the varying degrees of kama or lust and that everyone is immersed in kama in some way that this is the situation in the world. How kama envelopes the mind and the intellect is coming next.

The intellect of one who even has understanding of atma tattva or soul realisation becomes clouded by the eternal enemy known as kama or lust and which generates fascination and excitement for enjoying the objects of the senses. The word duspurena means insatiable, it can never be satisfied. It constantly hungers for sense gratification even if it is inaccessible to get and impossible to have still kama yearns for it. It is anala or inexhaustible as nothing ever completely satisfies kama permanently. When the object of its desires has been acquired and the senses fully gratified then at once kama wants more and looks for something new. It is never satisfied. In what way kama utilises itself to envelope the atma or soul Lord Krishna reveals next.

The senses, the mind and the intellect which controls the discriminatory faculty, is where kama or lust covertly resides and exercises its dominion over the atma or soul. Through kama the senses, the mind and the intellect become addicted to craving for sense objects. Kama seizes hold of the embodied beings and beguiles them by clouding the intellect and then kama covers and envelopes the atma or soul of that being in many ways and who subsequently becomes kama’s slave doing anything to gratify its senses and is plunged into the prison garden of sense objects. This is what Lord Krishna is stating here.

One who is interested in qualifying for jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge must restrain the natural out going tendency of the five senses from pursuing sense objects. But the mighty enemy kama or lust covertly causes dissent in the enquiring of atma tattva or realisation of the soul and contrarily causes enthusiasm for procuring the delights of the senses. One understanding that the senses operate in their own natural sphere within the physical body, directs them to perform the appropriate occupational duties according to ones rank and station in life in karma yoga or the performance of prescribed Vedic activities and thus the senses are constrained. Lord Krishna thus gives the key to vanquishing this great enemy known as kama which is so terrible and which destroys both jnana or spiritual knowledge and vijnana or spiritual wisdom.

The five senses are the main impediments to spiritual development and are arranged in a hostile formation against it. As long as the senses are primarily occupied in the pursuit of pleasure and delight in sense objects the realisation of the atma or soul will never manifest. Yet the mind although fickle is capable of controlling the senses but if the mind is also inclined to enjoy the senses and is filled with thoughts of the same then realisation of the atma will also never manifest. But the intellect is superior even to the mind as it possesses the discriminative faculty. This means that the mind may be tranquil but if the intellect is inclined towards the channels of sense activities then there will be a perversion in one’s intelligence and no possibility again for realisation of the atma. To show the order of gradation is Lord Krishna’s intention. A question may be posed what if all three being the senses, the mind and the intellect were tranquil and passive? The unvarying answer is that kama or lust which arises from desires, covertly resides deep within the heart and is always craving for sense gratification. This kama is so powerful that it will assert its mastery over them all and domineering them will have them fully pursuing the objects of the senses for sense gratification in the phenomenal world obscuring the light of knowledge and the realisation of the atma. That which is the most powerful with its domain in the spiritual phenomena is the atma and is designated by the pronoun sah.

So it should understood that kama or lust is able to dominate even the intellect and thus is antagonistic to jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic spiritual knowledge. So one must with firm resolve restrain the senses right from the very beginning and keeping the mind resolutely established in the atma or soul, destroy this powerful enemy known as kama eradicating it at the very root.