Book 3 - Karma Yoga or The Yoga of Action
1- Karma Yoga (Verses 1-19)
Which is better, Knowledge or Action. (1-2)
At this stage
Arjuna asked why, if Shri Krishna was against actions he was asking him to
fight. (3:3) (William Q. Judge, Essays on the Gita, 3,1)
The Paths of Knowledge and Action. (3)
3. The Blessed
Lord said: In this world twofold is the self-application of the soul (by which
it enters into the Brahmic condition), as I before said, O sinless one: that of
the Sankhyas by the Yoga of knowledge, that of the Yogins by the Yoga of works.
What was that twofold path of devotion
?—One of them was jnana-yoga, the devotion of knowledge—knowledge itself
being yoga — suited to the Sankhyas, to those who possessed a
clear knowledge of the Self and the not-Self, who renounced the world
from the Brahmacharya (the first holy order or asrama), who determined the
nature of things in the light of the Vedantic wisdom, who belonged to the
highest class of samnyasins known as the Paramahamsas, whose thoughts
ever dwelt on Brahman only. The other was karma-yoga, the devotion of
action,—action itself being Yoga or devotion,—suited to yogins, to
karmins, to those who were inclined to action.
But the truth is this : Devotion to
action is a means to the end, not directly, but only as leading to
devotion to knowledge ; whereas the latter, which is attained by means of
devotion to action, leads to the goal directly, without extraneous help. (Judge,
3-3)
Karma-Yoga leads to freedom from action. (4)
4. Not by
abstention from works does a man enjoy actionlessness, nor by mere renunciation
(of works) does he attain to his perfection (to siddhi, the accomplishment of
the aims of his self-discipline by Yoga).
IMPORTANCE OF
ACTIONS Abandoning action is not non-action. If without doing the
prescribed actions first one says that "I am abandoning actions like
a Siddha", then that will not at all constitute non-action for him.
Because it is foolish to think that non-action is the same thing as not
doing the duties that have fallen to one's lot. As long as one is in his
body and has desires, actions cannot be abandoned; certain natural duties
(like earning livelihood, preparation of food, having progeny etc.) have
perforce to be performed. But the actions become non-actions when one is
ceaselessly content. Therefore one who wants to achieve non-action should
never give up the prescribed actions. (Dnyaneshwari 3:45- 50, transl.
M.R. Yardi)
The ignorant are swayed by Nature. (5)
5. For none
stands even for a moment not doing work, everyone is made to do action
helplessly by the modes born of Prakriti.
The unenlightened should not give up Karma-Yoga. (6-13)
6. Who controls
the organs of action, but continues in his mind to remember and dwell upon the
objects of sense, such a man has bewildered himself with false notions of
self-discipline.
7. He who
controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, without attachment engages with
the organs of action in Yoga of action, he excels.
8. Do thou do
controlled action. For action is greater than inaction; even the maintenance of
thy physical life cannot be effected without action.
9. By doing
works otherwise than for sacrifice, this world of men is in bondage to works;
for sacrifice practise works, O son of Kunti, becoming free from all
attachment.
Act as per the
code Brahmadeo replied, "I have already set the code of actions
depending upon your caste. Let your actions be guided by it and your
wishes will be fulfilled with ease. Do not trouble your body by performing
Vratas (observance of austerities like fast sometimes with rituals) and
penances. Do not go far away for pilgrimage. Do not observe yoga and
similar techniques, penance with desire or mantra and tantra techniques.
Do not worship other deities. Perform the natural yajna of doing actions
as per the code (Dharma) and the actions will become successful. If you
worship the deities by performing actions as per the code then the deities
will be pleased and give you the desired objects and will sustain you. You
will enjoy the good things of life and be happy." (Dnyaneshwari, 3:88-95).
The wheel of the world should be set going. (14-16)
16. He who
follows not here the wheel thus set in movement, evil is his being, sensual is
his delight, in vain, O Partha, that man lives.
In such an age as this, the ritualistic
sacrifice of a different age which has indeed a magical effect becomes a
sacrifice to be performed by each man in his own nature upon the altar of his
own heart. And especially is this so with theosophists of sincerity and
aspiration. Being born as we are in these days, among families with but small
heritage in the wave of descent from unsullied ancestors, we are without the
advantage of great natural spiritual leanings, and without certain peculiar
powers and tendencies that belong to another cycle. But the very force and
rapidity of the age we live in give us the power to do more now in fewer
incarnations. Let us then recognize this, and learn what is our duty and do it.
(Judge, 3, 16)
Karma -Yoga is not meant for the Self-knower. (17-18)
17. But the man
whose delight is in the Self and who is satisfied with the enjoyment of the
Self and in the Self he is content, for him there exists no work that needs to
be done.
Arjuna qualified for Karma yoga. (19)
19. Therefore, without
attachment, constantly perform the action which should be done ; for, performing
action without attachment, man reaches the Supreme.
A DESIRELESS
PERSON Such a person though outwardly he may behave like others, is
internally steady, always absorbed in the meditation on the Supreme Self.
Since he is in control of his sense-organs he is not afraid of
sense-objects and nor does he avoid his duties. While he lets his
action-organs do their task he is not affected by the resultant feelings.
He is not influenced by delusion or by lust. Since outwardly he behaves
like others, one cannot know his inner state. Such a person may be
considered as liberated. Such a liberated person should be specifically
called a yogi. Therefore Arjuna, be such a yogi and let your mind be quiet
and free, and let the action organs do their duties. (Dnyaneshwari, 3:67- 76).
2- Setting an example (20-35)
The wise should set an example to the masses. (20-24)
20. It was even
by works that Janaka and the rest attained to perfection. Thou shouldst do
works regarding also the holding together of the peoples.
For me, or for
any other person who, knowing the Self, thus seeks the welfare of the
world, there is nothing to do except it be with a view to that welfare of
the world at large. (Judge, 3-25)
The wise man's action as contrasted with that of the
ignorant. (25-29)
27. While the
actions are being entirely done by the modes of Nature, he whose self is
bewildered by egoism thinks that it is his "I" which is doing them.
How an aspirant for Moksha should do actions (30-32)
30. Giving up
thy works to Me, with thy consciousness founded in the Self, free from desire
and egoism, fight delivered from the fever of thy soul.
Influence of man's nature on his conduct. (33)
33. Even the man
of knowledge acts in conformity with his own nature ; (all) beings follow (their)
nature; what shall coercion avail?
Scope for man's personal exertion. (34-35)
35. Better is
one's own law of works, swadharma, though in itself faulty than an alien law
well wrought out; death in one's own law of being is better, perilous is it to
follow an alien law.
IMPORTANCE OF
DHARMA It is advantageous to practice one's own Dharma, however difficult,
rather than that of others even if the latter may appear attractive. Would
one demolish one's own thatched hut by comparing it to the white mansions
of others? Similarly, even if one's Dharma is painful and difficult to
practice, it is that which makes his afterlife happy. Therefore by taking into
account his own benefit, one should not do actions which may befit others
but not to himself. Even if one has to sacrifice one's life while
practising Swadharma it is good because it will establish one's greatness
in both the worlds. (Dnyaneshwari,
3:
219-229).
3-Desire (36-43)
Desire is the enemy of man. (36-37)
37. The Lord
said: This is desire and its companion wrath, children of rajas, all-devouring,
all-polluting, know thou this as the soul's great enemy (which has to be
slain).
Those who accept
with respect this firm opinion of mine and behave according to it with
faith will be free from the binding of their actions. A wise person
should never pamper the organs. When the
body is controlled by others why should one accumulate the fruits of
actions for it. Ordinarily, mind experiences pleasure when the organs
are provided with the sense-objects. But just as the company of a robber
is safe for a short time, only up to the village boundary, the lust
residing in the organs leads them to depravity. The desire
for sense-pleasures causes anger and destroys the intellect. Desire and
anger are both extremely dangerous; therefore shed their company. Do not
let the nectar of experience of the Self be spoilt by even the thought of
desire and anger. (Dnyaneshwari,
3: 192-218).
Desire enshrouds wisdom. (38-39)
39. Covered, O son
of Kunti, is wisdom by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is greedy and
insatiable.
The seat of desire. (40)
40. The senses, mind,
and reason are said to be its seat ; veiling wisdom through these, it deludes the embodied.
Vow to kill out desire. (41-43)
43. Thus knowing
Him who is superior to reason, subduing the self by the self, slay thou, O mighty-armed,
the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.
It is by means of the outward senses and their
inner counterparts that a great turmoil is set up in the whole system, which
spreads to the heart and from there to the mind, and, as it is elsewhere said:
"The restless heart then snatches away the mind from its steady
place."
We thus have to carry on the cultivation of the
soul by regular stages, never neglecting one part at the expense of another. Krishna advises his friend to restrain the senses, and
then to "strengthen himself by himself." The meaning here is that he
is to rely upon the One Consciousness which, as differentiated in a man, is his
higher self. By means of this higher self he is to strengthen the lower, or
that which he is accustomed to call "myself."
The disciple must learn to do every act with
the Divine in view, and the Divine in everything. Therefore let us think of him
and fight; while entangled in this dense forest of existence, let us think of
him, the Lion our guard, the Sage our guide, the Warrior our sure defense and
shield. (Judge, 3, 41)
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