Srimad Bhagavad Gita | Chapter 3 ~ Karma Yogam
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita
श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता
Chapter 3
References
https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/, https://bhagavadgita.io/, https://gitajourney.com/, Srimad Bhagavad Gita-Bhavarthabodhini
Karma Yoga || കർമ്മ യോഗം
The Yoga of the Path of Action
What we are going to learn in chapter 3 shall be the practical knowledge of the most familiar verse.
“karmaṇy-evādhikāraste mā phaleṣhu kadāchana |
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi” ||
It means,
you only have the right over action, not on the outcome. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of the actions and don’t get attached to inaction.
"കർമ്മണ്യേവാധികാരസ്തേ മാ ഫലേഷു കദാചന |
മാ കർമ്മഫലഹേതുർ ഭൂർമാ തേ സംഗോഽസ്ത്വകർമ്മണി" ||
ഇതിനർത്ഥം,
നിനക്ക് കർമ്മം ചെയ്യാനുള്ള അധികാരം മാത്രമേയുള്ളൂ, ഒരിക്കലും അതിൻ്റെ ഫലത്തിലില്ല. കർമ്മഫലങ്ങളുടെ കാരണം നീയാണെന്ന് ഒരിക്കലും കരുതരുത്, അകർമ്മം അഥവാ നിഷ്ക്രിയത്വവുമായി ബന്ധവുമരുത്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.1
अर्जुन उवाच |
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन |
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥ 1॥
അർജ്ജുന ഉവാച
ജ്യായസീ ചേത് കർമ്മണസ്തേ മതാ ബുദ്ധിർജ്ജനാർദ്ദന
തത് കിം കർമ്മണി ഘോരേ മാം നിയോജയസി കേശവ
Meaning --
Arjuna said:
O Kesava, why do You induce me to perform in this horrific battle, O Janaardana, if You think that intellect is superior than indulging in action?
If we remember the first three shlokas of Chapter
2 Saankhya Yogam, it says thus:
1) Sanjaya said: Seeing Arjuna overwhelmed with
pity, his mind fully confused, and his eyes full of tears, Sri Krishna spoke
the following words.
2) The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, how has this
obsession arisen in you in this time of crisis? It is not noble, neither will
it get you to heaven, nor will it earn you gallantry.
3) O Partha, it is not appropriate for you giving
up to this un-manliness. You must give up such petty weakness of heart and
arise, as you are a scorcher of foes.
After close to 70 shlokas of ultimate condensed transfer
of theoretical knowledge of life-science, which consisted of Arjuna’s distress caused out of delusion, Arjuna accepting Sri Krishna as his guiding Guru, the clarity
in what is meant by deha and what is dehi, the eternal essence which pervades
everywhere and in everyone, descriptions of swa-dharma, karma, buddhi, wisdom,
focused mind, converged thoughts, actions without fruitive desires, ladder of
fall, sthithaprajnha, devotion towards a higher ideal, a brief picture of divine
grace, and so on; we can feel a clear change in the tone of Arjuna’s question
to Sri Krishna.
Instead of tears in his eyes, Arjuna definitely
has some sort of focus in his thoughts now, which can be guided toward better
clarity or vivekam as to "what is better in the two choices". This is a big leap in
one’s upliftment in life from a much downgraded situation. With one more query
in the next shloka, the stage will be set for Bhagavan to impart the practical knowledge
of Karma yoga which will lead us to very minute level of life science experiments.
അർജ്ജുനൻ പറഞ്ഞു:
ഹേ ജനാർദ്ദന, കർമ്മത്തിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുന്നതിനേക്കാൾ ബുദ്ധിയും ജ്ഞാനവുമാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠമെന്ന് അങ്ങ് കരുതുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ഭഗവാൻ കേശവാ, ഈ ഭയാനകമായ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ പങ്കെടുക്കാൻ അങ്ങുതന്നെ എന്നെ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് എന്തുകൊണ്ടാണ്?
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.2
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे |
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥ 2॥
വ്യാമിശ്രേണേവ വാക്യേന ബുദ്ധിം മോഹയസീവ മേ
തദേകം വദ നിശ്ചിത്യ യേന ശ്രേയോഽഹമാപ്നുയാം
Meaning --
My intellect is puzzled by Your ambiguous guidelines. For that reason, please convey me assertively, what is the most beneficial for me.
As mentioned in the previous shloka, Arjuna’s
grief has diminished compared to the start of chapter 2 but we can see that his
mindset has not changed much even after hearing the whole of Saankhya and Buddhi
yoga. Primarily it can be due to the mode of teaching that was involved in chapter
2 as the advices were completely on a theoretical background. Remember, both Arjuna
and Sri Krishna are standing in the middle of a live battle ground. Arjuna is
destined to fight or die in the battle. Sri Krishna is delivering a role that
is more of a witness here. Obviously Arjuna’s mind is like a ship in a rough
sea which has been bewildered by all sorts of confusing elements and thoughts.
But unlike the situation what Arjuna was in,
when we recollect the initial shlokas of chapter 2, Bhagavan’s condensed
teaching has made a considerable impact on Arjuna’s thought process. This is
very obvious if we see the words used in this shloka. Buddhi & moha are the two words that Arjuna used in this
shloka which were discussed in chapter 2 quite elaborately. Arjuna’s question
also must be noticed well that he used these two words cleverly. If we remember
the portion of “ladder of fall”, which says thus:
“Constant thinking of material objects ->
attachment -> desire -> anger -> delusion -> loss of memory ->
destruction of intellect -> person perishes. The message here is that
constant pondering and planning about pleasure giving objects ultimately leads
to destabilizing of our equanimity, hence to be avoided. Now Arjuna has caught
the scenario of destruction of intellect that leads to a person’s ultimate
perishment. Also he knew that the intellect dies if the memory is lost and that
happens when we have the delusion of mind or thoughts. Here, Arjuna says he is
bewildered or utterly confused by the immense flow of jnana or eternal wisdom
from Sri Krishna for which Arjuna terms as if it was ambiguous transfer of
knowledge.
But nevertheless, Arjuna is an intelligent
warrior and an obedient student with an expansive heart to embrace the wisdom
from his dearest comrade as well as guide Sri Krishna. So he asks the right
question to his Guru in order to make it clearer so that the best method could
be implemented for the best results.
അങ്ങയുടെ സ്പഷ്ടതയില്ലാത്ത നിർ‌ദ്ദേശങ്ങളിൽ എന്റെ
ബുദ്ധി വ്യാമോഹിക്കുന്നു. ഇക്കാരണത്താൽ, എനിക്ക് ഏറ്റവും ശ്രേയസ്കരമായത് എന്താണെന്ന്
ദയവായി പറഞ്ഞുതന്നാലും.
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ
|
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ 3॥
ശ്രീ ഭഗവാൻ ഉവാച
ലോകേഽസ്മിൻ ദ്വിവിധാ നിഷ്ഠാ പുരാ പ്രോക്താ മയാനഘ
ജ്ഞാനയോഗേന സാംഖ്യാനാം കർമ്മയോഗേന യോഗിനാം
Meaning --
Sri Bhagavan said: O virtuous Arjuna, I have already explained that there exist two paths of Self realization. The yoga of knowledge for contemplative sadhakas, and the yoga of action for yogis.
As awaited, Sri Krishna starts His divine
discourse after a very short break which allowed Arjuna to raise his well
thought about queries which were formed out of his scattered thought process in
continuation to Bhagavan’s teaching of Saankhya yogam. The next 33 shlokas
contain the absolute nectar of knowledge related to the practical implementation
of karma yoga by the immaculate practitioners concentrated in pure action
oriented life science.
There is a beautiful statement in this shloka
that is “mayānagha”; "mayaa" means by me and "anagha" means virtuous or sinless. Bhagavan addresses Arjuna as "anagha" consoling His disciple on his patience and attention to the teaching that’s
being delivered. Sri Krishna says, the two-fold path for realizing the eternal
essence or the Self had actually been created “by Me”. Here, Sri Krishna is
hinting that He is something more than just the cowherd son of Vasudeva and Mata Devaki.
If we remember the shloka 61 in chapter 2, tāni sarvāṇi sanyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ by which Bhagavan wants Arjuna to sublime the sensory objects as well as vasanas to a higher ideal which can be the eternal essence that pervades everywhere and in everyone; here, “mat means me & paraḥ means devoted”. So Bhagavan connects the dots in between that will lead to a higher degree of divinity at some point of time.
This shloka is an extension of shloka 39 in
chapter 2 in which Bhagavan says: “Until now, I have explained to you Saankhya
Yoga, or analytical knowledge about the eternal essence. Now listen, O Partha,
as I reveal Buddhi Yoga, or the Yoga of Intellect. When you work with such
wisdom, you get relieved from the bondage of action or karma”. So it reminds us
that whatever explained in chapter 2 is the ultimate summary of the entire Bhagavad
Gita.
ശ്രീ ഭഗവാൻ പറഞ്ഞു: പരിശുദ്ധാത്മാവേ അർജ്ജുനാ, സ്വയം
തിരിച്ചറിവിനായി രണ്ട് മാർഗ്ഗങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടെന്ന് ഞാൻ ഇതിനകം വിശദീകരിച്ചുതന്നിട്ടുണ്ട്.
ധ്യാനാത്മക സാധകർക്കുള്ള ജ്ഞാനയോഗവും, യോഗികൾക്കുള്ള കർമ്മയോഗവും.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.4
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते |
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥ 4॥
ന കർമ്മണാം അനാരംഭാൻ നൈഷ്കർമ്മ്യം പുരുഷോഽശ്നുതേ
ന ച സന്ന്യസനാദ് ഏവ സിദ്ധിം സമധിഗച്ഛതി
Meaning --
A person will not attain detachment to fruitive reactions by mere inaction; also, he will not attain perfection in knowledge by mere physical renunciation.
In continuation to the previous shloka wherein Sri
Krishna just mentioned the two fold path towards self-realization or awareness
of eternal essence, that is Jnana yoga by contemplative sadhakas and Karma yoga
by immaculate practitioners or yogis. Here Bhagavan gives some more
clarification in terms of the attributes of both the streams.
There are two vital statements in this shloka
one being, "na karmaṇām anārambhān..." which means, Sri Krishna warns Arjuna that the
detachment to the fruits of actions cannot be attained by “actionlessness” or not
starting a new action, nor by giving up actions that have already started. This
is nothing but the practical wisdom to “mā
te saṅgo’stv-akarmaṇi” in the shloka 47 in chapter 2 which starts
with “karmaṇy-evādhikāraste…” Secondly, “na cha sannyasanād eva…” that means, Arjuna is still not convinced
that he should fight the war, whereas he is searching for some words in Sri
Krishna’s teaching that can support his desire to give up all action and flee from the war. We saw this in the first chapter where he went to the extent of
suggesting that he wants to abandon all luxuries or to become a sanyasi.
Shlokam 32 in chapter 1 says: “Na kāmkṣhe vijayaṁ kṛiṣhṇa, na cha rājyaṁ sukhāni cha; kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā?” Arjuna said; O Krishna, neither do I desire
victory, nor pleasures, nor the kingdom. Of what value is the kingdom,
pleasure, or in life itself, O Govinda?
The people who behave as if they are great sages handling high degree of devotional wisdom would say: “I am renouncing all of my actions to the higher ideal and move to a silent and undisturbed place for penance. If I just sit still for a long time, my desires will automatically melt away”.
Bhagavan just rubbishes this idea with the second part. Sri Krishna declares that a Saankhya yogi cannot attain the analytical knowledge merely by abandoning his actions or duties and becoming a monk. One has to give up the attachment to the sensory pleasures as well as fruits of actions, to awaken the true knowledge that is attained once the mind becomes pure.
കേവലം നിഷ്‌ക്രിയത്വത്താൽ ഒരു വ്യക്തി കർമ്മഫലങ്ങളിൽ
നിന്നും മോചിതനാവുന്നില്ല; അതേസമയം കേവലം ഭൗതികസന്ന്യാസത്തിലൂടെ ആർക്കും ജ്ഞാനപൂർണത
കൈവരികയുമില്ല.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.5
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् |
कार्यते ह्यवश: कर्म सर्व: प्रकृतिजैर्गुणै: ॥ 5॥
ന ഹി കശ്ചിത് ക്ഷണമപി ജാതു തിഷ്ഠത്യകർമ്മകൃത്
കാര്യതേ ഹ്യവശഃ കർമ്മ സർവ്വഃ പ്രകൃതിജൈർഗുണൈഃ
Meaning --
No person can keep on being inactive even for a moment. Certainly, all existences are duty-bound to action by their qualities born from material nature (the three guṇas).
With this shloka Sri Krishna commences His
divine description about the extensive attributes pertaining to karma from the
very basic learning. The vital statement in this verse is “sarvaḥ prakṛiti-jair guṇaiḥ” which means that all beings in this universe are made up of
prakriti or nature. Bhagavan explains that prakriti is comprised of three
gunas – energies or forces that make up this entire universe. These three
energies are: rajas which causes movement, tamas which causes inertia, and
sattva which maintains congruence between movement and inertia. This topic is extensively
described by Sri Krishna in the upcoming verses and chapters.
Imagine a pond full of water that stays very
calm without any disturbance, means the top water surface is intact without
even a smallest of movements. But can we say the pond or the water body is
completely stagnant? There are fishes moving in the deeper region, plants such
as lotus growing in the water, micro-organisms like algae grow in the same
stand-still water, so even though an entity will look like not functioning or no
action is happening, it is not the true scenario. Likewise, anything or anyone
in nature cannot sit idle without action. Even if we are sitting in deep
meditation, our breath still goes on, our internal organs work, our
mind-intellect-self work. So as per Bhagavan, there is no question of inaction
in nature.
Now let us think about the other aspect of this
verse which is about the human body. Our body or deha is also made up of the
nature. It is composed of substances derived from the food we eat, the water we
drink and the air we breathe, all products of nature. If our body is made of
components from nature, it is bound to follow the tendency of nature towards
continuous action.
In the explanation of shloka 39 in chapter 2, the
Saankya philosophy or tattwa by Maharshi Kapila Muni was described. In that the
prakruthi is comprised of three subtle elements of “mano-buddi-ahankara”, five “pancha-maha
bhoothas”, five “jnana-indriyas”, five “karma-indriyas” and five “pancha
tanmatras”. The above 23 and prakruthi with purusha constitute the 25 tattwas
explained in Saankya Philosophy.
ഒരു വ്യക്തിക്കും ഒരു നിമിഷം പോലും നിഷ്‌ക്രിയമായി
തുടരാൻ കഴിയില്ല. തീർച്ചയായും, സർവ്വ ചരാചരങ്ങളും പ്രകൃതിയിൽ നിന്ന് ജനിച്ച് മൂന്നു
ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ തുടർന്നുകൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കുന്ന കർമ്മത്തിലേർപ്പെടാൻ ബാധ്യസ്ഥമാണ്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.6
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् |
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचार: स उच्यते ॥
6॥
കർമ്മേന്ദ്രിയാണി സംയമ്യ യ ആസ്തേ മനസാ സ്മരൻ
ഇന്ദ്രിയാർത്ഥാൻ വിമൂഢാത്മാ മിഥ്യാചാരഃ സ ഉച്യതേ
Meaning --
The person who restrains the senses and organs of action,
but whose mind inhabits in sensory pleasing objects, undoubtedly deludes
himself and is called a pretender.
In chapter 2 from shloka 55 onward till the
last one 72, Sri Krishna described the overall attributes and characterization
of a person with steady intellect and wisdom, who is called as "sthithaprajnha". If we give
a close look to those shlokas, we can comprehend that each one of the verses is
comprised of Bhagavan’s direction towards control of senses and sense objects.
That much is the importance given to the subject in the path of self
realization and attaining equanimity and God’s grace in our lives.
Similar to the previous shloka, Sri Krishna
gives a strong statement in this shloka too, through the statement “vimūḍdātmā mithyāchāraḥ” which means, Sri Krishna warns Arjuna that no
one can attain the spiritual living through extreme suppression of the senses
or organs without purifying their minds. Bhagavan calls such people hypocrites
or pretenders which is a very strong statement that sends out a big message to
a large section in our society.
In the 25 tattwas as per Saankhya philosophy we
learnt the five jnana indriyas namely; eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin and the
five karma indriyas are voice, hands, feet, upastham (organ of generation) and
payu (organ of excretion). Some people do all sorts of controls of these organs
either one at a time or multiple in number in order to control the mind and to
lead the so called "spiritual life". Sri Krishna says three gunaas born of
prakriti will always induce the organs to perform actions. The repression of
action actually does not lead to elimination of desires. We have no choice but
to perform action, yet we need to clear up our desires and vasanas while the
works are being carried out.
The upcoming shlokas are explaining the
practical ways to achieve that state; where we have to find a way to eliminate
vasanaas while we are performing actions under the context of karma yoga.
Srimad Maha Bhagavatham says “O yogi, you have grown long locks of hair and
applied thick ash on your body as a symbol of detachment. But without the
internal dedication, the outward beard you have grown only makes you look a lot
like a goat.”
കർമ്മ, ജ്ഞാനേന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളെയെല്ലാം നിയന്ത്രിച്ചിരുന്നാലും, മനസ്സ് സംവേദനാത്മക വസ്തുക്കളിൽ രമിക്കുന്ന, വിമൂഢനും ആത്മവഞ്ചകനും ആയ വ്യക്തിയെ, മിഥ്യാചാരൻ അഥവാ കപടവേഷധാരി എന്ന് വിളിക്കുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.7
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन |
कर्मेन्द्रियै: कर्मयोगमसक्त: स विशिष्यते ॥ 7॥
യസ്ത്വിന്ദ്രിയാണി മനസാ നിയമ്യാരാഭതേഽർജ്ജുന
കർമ്മേന്ദ്രിയൈഃ കർമ്മയോഗമസക്തഃ സ വിശിഷ്യതേ
Meaning --
Those immaculate practitioners
or karma yogis who control their knowledge senses or jnana indriyas with the discriminative mind or viveka-manas, O Arjuna, and involve the working senses or karma indriyas in functioning without attachment, are undoubtedly special.
Sri Krishna continues to explain the effects of
senses; jnana as well as karma; in our lives. But Bhagavan is slowly moving
towards the attributes of karma yoga by including the true action of mind here.
“Indriyāṇi manasā…” is a very important statement as far as the
mind control is concerned. Sri Krishna declares that the jnana indriyas can be controlled
only by the mind hence the mind has to be in correct focus. This will be
discussed in length in the upcoming shlokas and chapters.
In this shloka Sri Krishna specifically
mentions the word Karma Yoga. Hence this verse can be considered as the starting
step towards the deep subject of Karma yoga. In the previous shloka we
discussed the five karma indriyas are voice, hands, feet, upastham (organ of
generation) and payu (organ of excretion). All the actions to be performed are
permutations and combinations of these five karma indriyas generally. As
advised in chapter 2 quite extensively that Bhagavan suggests that the actions
are to be anyway performed; so do it without fail but never attach our mind and
intellect to the results of the actions.
Shloka 38 in chapter 2 discussed this proficiently:
“sukha-duḥkhe same kṛitvā lābhālābhau jayājayau; tato yuddhāya
yujyasva naivaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi” which means, “fight
for upholding the righteous duty, treating alike pleasure and pain, loss and
gain, win and defeat. Accomplishing your responsibility in
this approach, you will not have to suffer the sin”.
The above explanation defines the last part of
this shloka, that is; “… sa viśhiṣhyate” which means, the Karma yoga consists of two
main concepts: karma (occupational duties) and yoga (union with a higher ideal
or simply God). Hence, a karma yogi is one who performs worldly duties while
keeping the mind in equanimity. Such a karma yogi is not bound by karma itself or its
results even while performing all kinds of material works. Hence such a person
can be termed as “… viśhiṣhyate” or simply “special” otherwise “superior”.
ഹേ അർജ്ജുനാ, വിവേകമുള്ള മനസ്സോടെ ജ്ഞാനേന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളെ
നിയന്ത്രിക്കുന്നതും, ഫലേച്ഛയില്ലാതെ കർമ്മേന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളാൽ കർമ്മയോഗം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നവരുമായ
വ്യക്തികൾ നിസ്സംശയമായും വിശേഷപ്പെട്ടവരാണ്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.8
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मण: |
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मण: ॥ 8॥
നിയതം കുരു കർമ്മ ത്വം കർമ്മ ജ്യായോ ഹ്യകർമ്മണഃ
ശരീരയാത്രാപി ച തേ ന പ്രസിദ്ധ്യേദകർമ്മണഃ
Meaning --
You must implement your prescribed duties which are
unavoidable because action is better than inaction. By stopping actions, even your
body’s preservation will not be achieved.
This shloka is one of those verses which has
got absolute connection with our materialistic life. In the midst of all the Vedantic
and spiritual teaching, the ones like this stand out in Bhagavad Gita. As Sri Krishna
has taken off in the journey of Karma Yoga, Bhagavan starts with basics before
getting into the complex attributes of the life science. In chapter 1 and 2 we
learnt extensively about the concept of “deha” and “dehi”. Though these two
words differ with just two spells, “ha and hi”, the concepts are entirely
different. Dehi is the eternal essence and deha is the dwelling of that essence
which is pervading everywhere and in everyone, whereas deha perishes after a certain time period.
This shloka starts with the word “niyataṁ…” which has got multiple meanings in Sanskrit,
for example, 1- constantly, 2- prescribed, 3- unavoidable and so on. As Sri Krishna has used niyatham in relation
with our karmas, all the three mentioned here are suitable. Now Vedas describe
the actions into a number of classifications. The two main ones are “niyatam”
or prescribed, unavoidable actions, and “nishiddha” or prohibited, sinful actions.
In the current scenario, we can construe the niyatha karmas as one’s unavoidable
duties as responsible beings on earth. These include carrying out one’s swa-dharma,
looking after one’s parents, family, and protecting the nation and so on.
Forbidden actions are sinful such as killing another being, stealing, cheating
and so on. So here, Sri Krishna urges Arjuna to perform the prescribed actions
which are anyway unavoidable.
The next portion leads us again to the most
popular verse starting with “karmanye va adhikaraste…”
which calls for “You only have the right over
action, not on the outcome. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the
results of the actions and don’t get attached to inaction”. Bhagavan’s warning
here is quite clear that the eternal essence dehi has accepted this deha in
order to fulfil the roles and responsibilities of this birth. This is possible
only if we look after the deha in its pure and workable condition. Laziness or inaction is
the ultimate
enemy of humans, and is expressly evil since it dwells in their own body. Work is their most reliable friend that saves from downfall. The basic biological
activities such as
eating, bathing, and sleeping require action. These obligatory actions are called niyata or nitya
karmas. Disregarding
these fundamental upkeep deeds is not virtuous, but a symptom of lethargy,
leading to weakness of body,
mind and intellect. We can relate this to the “ladder of fall” too.
നിന്റെ നിർദ്ദിഷ്ടമായ ചുമതലകൾ നടപ്പിലാക്കിയേ പറ്റൂ, കാരണം അത് ഒഴിവാക്കാനാവില്ല. മാത്രവുമല്ല, കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നത് നിഷ്‌ക്രിയത്വത്തേക്കാൾ മികച്ചതാണ്. കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നത് നിർത്തുന്നതിലൂടെ, നിന്റെ ദേഹസംരക്ഷണം പോലും നേടാതെ പോകുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.9
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धन: |
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्ग: समाचर ॥ 9॥
യജ്ഞാർത്ഥാത്ഽകർമ്മണോഽന്യത്ര ലോകോഽയം കർമ്മബന്ധനഃ
തദർത്ഥം കർമ്മ കൗന്തേയ മുക്തസംഗഃ സമാചര
Meaning --
Karma must be done as a yajña or sacrifice to a higher ideal or simply the God; otherwise, action creates attachment in this material world. Hence, O Kaunteya, implement your given duties properly, without being attached to the results.
This shloka is one of the milestones in the
entire Bhagavad Gita. Part of chapter 1 and almost full of chapter 2 is filled
with the vedantic and philosophical theorems regarding eternal essence, mind
focus, sensory control, detachment with fruits of actions and performance of
prescribed duties and so on. After exhaustively going through all these verses, the
sadhakas feel to ask a question at this moment; “Hey Bhagavan, after listening
to your blissful messages, we want to know, that one technique, by which a
common person can safely perform his duties; tell us “that” one technique!”
Remember, referring all the previous shlokas
and teachings, Bhagavan has already taken off in the journey of Gita learning, quite early. It is we, the sadhakas or readers, who are still hanging around with
our limited thought process instead of being with Bhagavan. This particular
shloka is a very comfortable take off for the sadhakas to try to reach out to the
supreme Lord in the divine journey of Gita consciousness.
Going back to shloka 61 in chapter 2, “tāni sarvāṇi samyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ…” Bhagavan declares that “a disciplined person shall restrain all his senses and sit with devotion unto Me”! Bhagavan wants Arjuna and in turn to the sadhakas to sublime the sensory objects as well as vasanas to a higher goal which can be the eternal essence that pervades everywhere and in everyone. When we are focused in performing the karmas, the sensory pleasures and uncontrollable mind are bound to happen. The selfish thoughts and shifting of intellectual equanimity also can happen in the middle of karmas. Now, how do we deal with it? What is that one technique to escape the difficult situation? The answer is this shloka.
Sri Krishna uses the striking representation of “yajna” to express this concept. In Bharatiya philosophy or culture, a yajna is a ceremonial ritual of divine worship. Firstly, we fix a supreme ideal or the divine idol before starting a yajna, and dedicate the entire ceremony to that concept. Secondly, we perform rituals such as chanting mantras and pouring oblations into the sacrificial fire, but carry out all rituals with absolutely no trace of selfishness or attachment. Now, replace the word yajna with “karma”, the entire pathway becomes clear to us as if the morning sunlight gradually removes the tender layer of mist from the atmosphere.
കർമ്മം ഒരു യജ്ഞമായി അഥവാ ത്യാഗമായി ഒരു ഉയർന്ന സങ്കല്പത്തിനുവേണ്ടി അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുക; ഈശ്വരൻ എന്ന് ലളിതമായി പറയാവുന്ന ആ സങ്കല്പത്തിന് ഈ ഭൗതിക ലോകത്ത് കർമ്മ ബന്ധനങ്ങളില്ല. അതിനാൽ, ഹേ കൗന്തേയാ, നിനക്ക് നൽകപ്പെട്ട ചുമതലകൾ ഫലേച്ഛയില്ലാതെ ഉചിതമായി ചെയ്തുതീർക്കുക.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.10
सहयज्ञा: प्रजा: सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापति: |
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥ 10॥
സഹയജ്ഞാഃ പ്രജാഃ സൃഷ്ട്വാ പുരോവാച പ്രജാപതിഃ
അനേന പ്രസവിഷ്യധ്വം ഏഷ വോഽസ്ത്വിഷ്ടകാമധുക്
Meaning --
In the beginning of creation, Lord Brahma created human race along with duties, and said, “Prosper in the performance of these karmas as yajñas or sacrifices, and this will become the bestower of all the wishes.”
This shloka is one of those verses where Sri Krishna
speaks about Universe, creation of the human race, grand scheme of things, and
so on. Since Bhagavan has taken us off in the journey of Karma yoga teachings,
we are expected to elevate ourselves in the scheme of things within our consciousness.
As we are provided with the supreme idea of considering the karmas as yajnas,
now Sri Krishna relates the same concept with the creation of the humankind itself.
This shows the paramount importance of the subject of teaching. We the sadhakas
may think on a very lighter note about the divine explanation but with this
intermittent shlokas, Bhagavan elevates the whole scenario to an unimaginable
level of spirituality that triggers our intellectual thinking power.
Let us go back to the 5th shloka of this chapter which says: “kāryate hyavaśhaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛiti-jair guṇaiḥ”. This means, “All beings in this universe are made up of prakriti or nature”. Bhagavan explains that prakriti is comprised of three gunaas – energies or forces that make up this entire universe. In its explanation we saw aspect of this verse which is about the human body or deha. Our body is made up of the nature or more clearly five elements or pancha bhoothas. It is composed of substances derived from the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe, all products of nature.
In the universe that is seen to us consists of the Sun who offers all the necessary energy to the earth that makes the life possible to exist. Earth generates food from its soil for our sustenance that keep the ecosystem working. The air moves the life force in our body and sustain the entire atmosphere. Now, when we, the humans; being one of the integral parts of the entire scheme of things or simply God’s creation, and as we partake of these precious universal donations to sustain our lives, we are bound to give back our part of services to the overall integral system.
What can we give back to this eternal system? Certainly we contribute our own deha to the earth when our dehi leaves to the eternity. So what can be done in the very little time period of birth to death by each one of us? Bhagavan wishes that we give back our selfless karmas as a devotion or yajna unto the supreme Lord.
സൃഷ്ടിയുടെ തുടക്കത്തിൽ, ബ്രഹ്മാവ് മനുഷ്യവംശത്തോടൊപ്പം കടമകളും സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു, “ഈ കർമ്മങ്ങളെ യജ്ഞമായി അനുഷ്ഠിച്ച് അഭിവൃദ്ധിയോടെ ജീവിക്കുക, ഇത് എല്ലാ ഇച്ഛകളെയും പൂർത്തീകരിക്കും.”
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.11
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु व: |
परस्परं भावयन्त: श्रेय: परमवाप्स्यथ ॥ 11॥
ദേവാൻ ഭാവയതാനേന തേ ദേവാ ഭാവയന്തു വഃ
പരസ്പരം ഭാവയന്തഃ ശ്രേയഃ പരമവാപ്സ്യഥഃ
Meaning --
You will make the celestial gods
prosper through this yajnas or sacrifices, and in return the gods will make you prosper. By mutually making each other
prosperous, you will attain the
highest opulence.
This shloka has been interpreted by the
scholars in several ways. And that is the beauty of the Bhagavad Gita in its
purest form that everyone can make their own reflection by reading Gita
according to one’s individual consciousness. The near most meaning of this
shloka can be ascertained when we read it in continuation to the previous verse
which is 10th shloka. In that, we learnt the statement by Lord Brahma while He created the human race along with the karmas for them to perform as
yajnas. “Prosper in the performance of
these karmas as yajñas and this will become the bestower of all the wishes”.
The 5th shloka revealed that “All
beings in this universe are made up of prakriti or nature”. Our body is
made up of the nature or more clearly pancha bhoothas. It is composed of
substances derived from the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we
breathe, all products of nature. The pancha bhoothas are space or akasha, wind
or vayu, fire or tejus, water or ap and earth or prithvi / bhoomi. In Bharatiya
philosophy, all these bhoothas are worshiped as celestial gods.
In the explanation to 9th shloka, we
saw the basic concept of performing a yajna. In Bharatiya culture, a yajna is a
ceremonial ritual of divine worship. Firstly, we fix a supreme ideal or the
divine idol of a celestial god or a devthaa before starting a yajna, and
dedicate the entire ceremony to that devthaa for whose blessings that
particular yajna is being performed. Functionally what is happening here is
exactly what has been told by Lord Brahma through this shloka.
In the middle of the grand scheme of things of the universe, there are devathaas such as Agni Dev (the god of fire), Vāyu Dev (the god of the wind), Varuṇa Dev (the god of the ocean or water), Bhoomi Devi, Indra Dev (the king of the celestial gods and rain), and so on. So when we expand the principle of “give and take” in the ecosystem of this universe, humans do yajnas to please or to prosper the devthaas and in turn the happy devthaas do complement the humans by their blessings. This is nothing but the most ideal situation for the life to sustain on this earth. That’s why the statement came in this shloka, “parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ…”
Thus, the performance of yajña is naturally
pleasing to the devthaas, who then create prosperity for living beings by
favorably adjusting the elements of material nature. We can very well relate
the natural situations that are happening around us while reflecting this
shloka.
“ഈ യജ്ഞങ്ങളിലൂടെ മനുഷ്യർ ദേവന്മാരെ അഭിവൃദ്ധിപ്പെടുത്തും, പ്രത്യുപകാരമായി ദേവന്മാർ മനുഷ്യരെയും അഭിവൃദ്ധിപ്പെടുത്തും. പരസ്പരം ഇങ്ങനെ സന്തോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ, എല്ലാവരും പരമമായ ശ്രേയസ്സ് കൈവരിക്കും”.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.12
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविता: |
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव स: ॥
12॥
ഇഷ്ടാൻ ഭോഗാൻ ഹി വോ ദേവാ ദാസ്യന്തേ യജ്ഞഭാവിതാഃ
തൈർദത്താനപ്രദായൈഭ്യോ യോ ഭുങ്ക്തേ സ്തേന ഏവ സഃ
Meaning --
The Devatās, being gratified by the performance of yajnas, will grant the humans all the wishful needs of life. But those who only enjoy what is granted to them, without making offerings in return, are surely, thieves.
This shloka is also the continuation of Lord Brahma’s
statement to the human beings while He was creating the human race along with
karmas and yajnas. In shloka 10, we saw Lord stating: “Prosper in the
performance of these karmas as yajñas, and this will become the bestower of all
the wishes in the human life.” In this shloka Lord says that “iṣhṭān bhogān hi vo deva…” that means, “the pleased Devatās will grant the humans all the wishful needs of
life”. This shloka has also has numerous ways of interpretation but the
closest meaning shall be attributed to the nature and how humans have to complement
with prakriti.
In the supreme scheme of things in the
universe, the devatās or celestial gods for different attributes of prakriti grant
us with the necessities of life such as soil for cultivation, water for life
sustenance, fire for energy and heat, wind for rain clouds, atmosphere for all
our existence and so on. We human beings are indebted to prakriti for all that life
saving products from nature that runs this organic and inorganic livelihood.
The devatās execute their duties with grace and without fail in absolute
timetable and accuracy. In return we are bound to perform our duties with
complete awareness of what all attributes we are using from the nature. This
return process will become successful only if the human beings act in a sacrificing
mode without any selfishness. Otherwise the act will turn to be the so called
exploitation of nature which is nothing but what we are seeing around us for quite a
long time.
For example, in ancient times, the forests were
not exploited this far as happened in the past two centuries. Humans literally
exploited the Mother Earth to the core in terms of Her natural resources, climate,
geographical blessings, and so on without recharging in return to the exploited
resources that are nothing but the “Devatās” we are talking about. So, now if
the so called Devatās are not happy or in other words, when the natural
resources get completely cashed in by the humans and when they do it only for
their enjoyment without recharging the used elements, naturally prakriti will
be unhappy.
If we forget the purpose of human life and
simply keep on exploiting prakriti for selfish pleasures and become greedier in
material life, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we have to face the
punishments by the acts of Mother Nature.
കർമ്മങ്ങളെ യജ്ഞങ്ങളായി യഥാവിധി സമർപ്പിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ സംതൃപ്തരായ ദേവതമാർ മനുഷ്യർക്ക് ജീവിതത്തിനാവശ്യമായ എല്ലാ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങളും സാധിച്ചു നൽകും. എന്നാൽ, സമർപ്പണമില്ലാതെ, തങ്ങൾക്ക് ലഭിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത് ആസ്വദിക്കുക മാത്രം ചെയ്യുന്നവർ, തീർച്ചയായും അവർ കള്ളന്മാരാണ്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.13
यज्ञशिष्टाशिन: सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै: |
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥13॥
യജ്ഞശിഷ്ടാശിനഃ സന്തോ മുച്യന്തേ സർവ്വകില്ബിഷൈഃ
ഭുഞ്ജതേ തേ ത്വഘം പാപാ യേ പചന്ത്യാത്മകാരണാത്
Meaning --
The immaculate
practitioners who consume the remnants of yajna, they are liberated from all
sins. But the sinners who cook only for themselves, they consume only sin.
After establishing the people, who don’t perform
the karmas as yajnas or sacrifices, as thieves, Lord now turns to the people who
do the karmas as yajnas but, with selfish and selfless attitudes. So in short,
there are three levels of sadhakas who perform karmas: 1) people who don’t perform
sacrifices, we can take this case as equal to inaction, 2) selfless people who
perform the karmas only as yajnas that pleases all devatas and 3) selfish
people who don’t care about natural attributes and perform karmas only for their
own sensory pleasures or benefits.
In the previous shloka we saw the people who merely
enjoy what is granted to them from nature, without
making offerings in return. In the Karma yoga concept this is
equal to inaction hence, the people who don’t perform yajnas are termed as
thieves. The other two categories of people in the karma yoga concept are
either selfless or selfish people. This shloka deals with both.
In simple explanation, selfless people who perform
their karmas as offerings to the supreme ideal are termed as wise or sage. Their
vision is broad and do not think about their own material benefits all the
time. They care for their group they belong, their families, disciples,
countrymen, beneficiaries, well wishers, colleagues and so on. That means there
is an environment created for complementing each other which elevate the
virtuous value of humanity. Once an individual get into the routine of karmas
as yajnas then there is no trace of greed or anger left in that person thereby the
risk of falling into sinful actions is gradually reduced. That’s what the Lord says
“muchyante sarva-kilbiṣhaiḥ” that means “liberated from all sins”.
Whereas the selfish people are concerned, who
always perform karmas to their own benefits and pleasures, and they are termed
as sinful. Their vision is narrow and limited and do not believe in helping or
supporting others. These people play isolated roles in any group that make them
always confused as well as doubtful. They see each and everyone as competitors while dealing in any situation which ultimately attract enemies. Lord says that
such individuals “cook only for themselves” and “consume only sin”. Here the
metaphor used for explanation is food, as the humans cannot avoid food in
their lives which is very important to sustain the life in order to carry on
with the swa-dharmas. Ultimately the humans work for their daily food which
provide them energy and consciousness. So it all depends on what we sow as
karmas and reap as virtue or sin, “paap
or punya”.
യജ്ഞത്തിന്റെ ഒരു ഭാഗം മാത്രം ഭുജിച്ചു തൃപ്‌തരാവുന്ന ശ്രേഷ്ഠ സാധകർ എല്ലാ പാപങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും മോചിതരാകുന്നു. എന്നാൽ തങ്ങൾക്കു വേണ്ടി മാത്രം പാചകം ചെയ്യുന്ന പാപികൾക്ക് പാപം മാത്രം ഭുജിക്കേണ്ടിവരുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.14
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भव: |
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञ: कर्मसमुद्भव: ॥ 14॥
അന്നാദ്ഭവന്തി ഭൂതാനി പർജ്ജന്യാദന്നസംഭവഃ
യജ്ഞാദ്ഭവതി പർജ്ജന്യോ യജ്ഞഃ കർമ്മസമുദ്ഭവഃ
Meaning --
From the food are all beings created, from rain, food is created.
Yajna gives birth to rain, and yajna is born out of action.
This and the next shloka are concluding the
divine message from Lord Brahma while He was creating the human race along with
their prescribed duties on earth. If we rewind from the 10th shloka,
the sequence shall be thus: 1) By performing the prescribed virtuous duties or
simply karmas as yajnas or sacrifices, the expected needs of the entire human
race are bound to get fulfilled. 2) When humans do karmas according to the
prescribed righteous and natural ways, the universal attributes or celestial
gods will surely provide all the needs for the beings to sustain in this world.
3) The people who don’t perform the karmas in the concept of yajnas are considered
to be equal to thieves. 4) The selfish people who perform yajnas are eating the
sin whereas the selfless people reap the virtue. So from here onward, the term
karma is nothing but yajna itself.
This shloka is the concluding part of Lord Brahma’s
message as “phala shruthi” of the karma yoga. Maharshi Veda Vyasa takes the
universal principle, the cycle of nature for explaining this message. Rain produces
grains that is our food. Grains are eaten and transformed into our body. Body
turns back to the soil and become fertilizer to the next cycle of ecosystem. This
way of mutual complimenting by the various elements of the universe happen in
the form of yajnas.
Human beings perform yajñas, and these appease
the celestial gods or natural resources, who then cause rains, and so the cycle
continues. Here the starting point is yajnas which are nothing but the karmas
we perform. So now we can imagine the paramount importance of even a slightest
of virtuous karma that has been prescribed for the human being to perform. Now
we can assess the true meaning or feeling of why those humans are termed as
thieves who do not perform karmas as yajnas, they simply live with inaction. With
inaction, the cycle of nature does not get operated which ultimately cause
downfall of the living beings.
Here the natural element “rain” has been used
as the symbolic representation of blessings from devatas or celestial gods. Rain
is considered to be the ultimate blessing to the Mother Earth which sprouts new
life from the soil. In the divine concept, water causes beginning of life from
smallest of seeds of all kinds of living beings. Even the largest of trees on
the highest peaks are from these small seeds germinated with the help of
rainwater. Suppose as a karma we deposit a seed under the soil which becomes a
big tree that causes rainfall. This is the cycle of nature what Lord mentions
here, whereas it all started with a small karma in the form of yajna.
അന്നത്തിൽ നിന്ന് എല്ലാ ജീവജാലങ്ങളും സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു,
മഴയിൽ നിന്നാണ് അന്നം സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെടുന്നത്. മഴ യജ്ഞത്തിൽ നിന്നും യജ്ഞം കർമ്മത്തിൽ
നിന്നും ഉത്ഭവിക്കുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.15
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् |
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्
॥ 15॥
കർമ്മ ബ്രഹ്‌മോദ്ഭവം വിദ്ധി ബ്രഹ്മാക്ഷരസമുദ്ഭവം
തസ്മാത് സർവ്വഗതം ബ്രഹ്മ നിത്യം യജ്ഞേ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിതം
Meaning --
Know that the prescribed actions or yajnas are in the Vedas, and Vedas are originated from
the imperishable, eternal essence or simply the God. Therefore, yajna is always established in that
all pervading eternal essence or higher ideal on
what the karmas are offered to.
As mentioned in the previous shloka’s
explanation, this is the concluding verse in Lord Brahma’s message to the
humanity while He was creating the humans along with the prescribed karmas to
perform as yajnas to the higher ideal or eternal essence. This shloka is one of
those verses wherein Maharshi Veda Vyasa attributes the ultimate universal
essence to the learning. Shlokas similar to this, are considered as milestones
in the journey of Gita learning.
Shlokam 17 in chapter 2, Saankya yogam says: “avināśhi tu tadviddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam; vināśham avyayasyāsya na kaśhchit kartum arhati” arthat, “that essence which pervades everywhere; you must know that, it is imperishable. No one can cause the destruction of the immortal soul”. This shloka gives us two qualities that the eternal essence possesses. Firstly, the eternal essence is imperishable. It cannot be destroyed, nor is it created. Secondly, the eternal essence pervades everywhere, which means it pervades the entire universe. From a rock, to plants, to animals, and to humans, the eternal essence pervades everything that is part of the universe.
Here, Maharshi Veda Vyasa connects the dots of Brahma,
Universe, Humanity, prescribed karmas for humans, eternal essence, and yajnas
and most importantly the Vedas in the specific context of Karma yoga. This is a
classic situation in terms of lyrical excellence by Veda Vyasa that the most
complicated knowledge of the universe is conveyed in the simplest way possible.
“Yajnartha
karma”, or the necessity of work for the satisfaction of devatas or a
higher ideal is more vividly described in this verse. If we have to work for
the satisfaction of the eternal essence or the higher ideal, then we must realize the direction of Brahman, or the sublime Vedas. The Vedas are therefore doctrines
for understanding Brahman. Anything performed without offering to the eternal
essence or not in line with the direction prescribed in the Vedas is called “vikarma”, or sinful work. So as per Karma
yoga, one must always use the path of the Vedas for not falling into inaction
or selfish, sinful actions.
യജ്ഞങ്ങളായി അനുഷ്‌ഠിക്കേണ്ടുന്ന നിശ്ചിത കർമ്മങ്ങൾ
വേദങ്ങളിൽ അടങ്ങിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. വേദങ്ങൾ ഉത്ഭവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത് അക്ഷരവും ശാശ്വതവുമായ പരമ
സത്ത് അഥവാ ഈശ്വരനിൽ നിന്നാണെന്ന് അറിയുക. അതിനാൽ, യജ്ഞം നിത്യവും സ്ഥാപിതമായിരിക്കുന്നത്
സർവ്വ വ്യാപകമായ ആ ബ്രഹ്മത്തിലാണ്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.16
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह य: |
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति || 16 ||
ഏവം പ്രവർത്തിതം ചക്രം നാനുവർത്തയതീഹ യഃ
അഘായുരിന്ദ്രിയാരാമോ മോഘം പാർത്ഥ സ ജീവതി
Meaning –
O Partha, those who do not admit
their obligation in the cycle of sacrifice recognized by the Vedas are sinful.
They live only for the pleasure of their senses; certainly, their lives are in
vain.
Chakra, or cycle, means a methodical
sequence of proceedings. The cycle from grains to rains has been described in shloka
14. All associates of this worldwide wheel of action execute their karmas and donate
to its effective revolution. Since humans also share of the fruits of this
natural cycle, we too must do our obligatory duty in the chain.
The wheel of nature has been established by the Divinity for disciplining, training, and uplifting all beings of varying natures of perception. Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna that those who do not perform the yajna attributed to them become slaves of their senses and lead a sinful presence. Consequently, they live in vain. But people compatible to the godly regulation become clean at heart and free from physical contamination.
When one constantly follows selfish
desires, and lives for the sake of sense pleasure, that person produces guilt,
fear, anger, hatred, pride, and other such emotions that reinforce the ego.
Such a person is called “malicious or mean” by Sri Krishna. This type of a
person is said to be leading a hopeless life, because he did not use the brilliant
chance of being born as a human to perform under the blessing of the higher
nature.
The person who has commenced recognizing
with a higher ideal, and thereby, has gradually swept away his ego in the self-sacrificing
karma to that higher ideal is said to belong in the higher nature. A detailed description of such a person was explained
by Sri Krishna in the chapter 2 in the “sthita-prajna-lakshana” or the symbols
of a sensible person. Karma yoga is the primary footstep to join in this scheme
of progression.
ഹേ പാർത്ഥാ, വേദങ്ങൾ അംഗീകരിച്ച ത്യാഗാത്മിക ചക്രത്തിൽ തങ്ങളുടെ കടമ നിർവ്വഹിക്കാത്തവർ പാപികളാണ്. അവർ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളുടെ ആനന്ദത്തിനായി മാത്രം ജീവിക്കുന്നു; തീർച്ചയായും അവരുടെ ജീവിതം വ്യർത്ഥമാണ്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.17
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानव: |
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ 17॥
യസ്ത്വാത്മരതിരേവ സ്യാദ് ആത്മതൃപ്‌തശ്ച മാനവഃ
ആത്മന്യേവ ച സന്തുഷ്ടഃ തസ്യ കാര്യം ന വിദ്യതേ
Meaning –
But those who rejoice
in the self, who are contented and fully satisfied in the self, for them, there
is no prescribed duties left.
This shloka also has got several ways of explanation
given by the scholars depending on various consciousness and philosophies. The closest
meaning can be ascertained when we read the shloka as continuation to the
preceding one. Shloka 16 explained about the characteristics of the people who
do not follow the prescribed duties and responsibilities as outlined in the Vedas.
Sri Krishna authoritatively says that those people in the lower nature, do karmas which are sinful
and only satisfying their own sensory pleasures. Moreover those sinful people
fully waste their life in this universe as they don’t complement the celestial
gods who provide the necessary resources for the living beings.
So obviously the next shloka must be about the characteristics and attributes of the people who really follow the Vedic guidelines and perform the prescribed duties as yajnas. Here we have to see three words: “ātma-ratihi…”, “ātma-tṛiptaha…” and “ātmanyevaha santuṣhṭa…” Without explicitly telling about the attributes of the people who perform the yajnas, Bhagavan establishes that the people who follow the prescribed duties in the Vedas have gone ahead of the situation wherein they have to perform the karmas. Arthat, the virtuous people have no karmas left to be performed in their lives as they offer their all acts to the higher ideal as yajnas thereby completely devoting their chakric karmas or duties unto the universal system of livelihood. More clearly, they don’t carry any regrets in their lives. What does it mean? They are self-rejoiced, self-contented and self-satisfied.
When we learnt the attributes and
characteristics of the person with steady intellect and wisdom which is sthithaprajnha, in the chapter 2 shlokas 55 to 61, we got introduced to the 7
qualities of that virtuous person: self-contented, self-controlled, self-balanced,
self-resilient, self-realized, self-disciplined and self-elevated. We can
categorically say that such a person do not go behind the sensory pleasures and
selfish acts. Everything in their lives is an offering to the supreme self and thereby attain the Divine Grace. Those people are beyond the clutches of Vedic
doctrines as they have already surpassed that level. Hence their lives itself, are considered to be the yajñas.
Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna that those who
have understood the true source of happiness, do not need the sense of doer-ship (karthru-bodham). In other words, the impression that “I am doing this action”
goes away, and all their actions become natural, selfless and unprompted.
എന്നാൽ ആത്മാരാമനും, ആത്മതൃപ്തനും, ആത്മാനന്ദനും,
ആയ വ്യക്തിക്ക് നിർദ്ദിഷ്ട കർമ്മങ്ങൾ ഒന്നും അവശേഷിക്കുന്നില്ല.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.18
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन |
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रय: ॥ 18॥
നൈവ തസ്യ കൃതേനാർത്ഥോ നാകൃതേനേഹ കശ്ചന
ന ചാസ്യ സർവ്വഭൂതേഷു കശ്ചിദാർത്ഥവ്യപാശ്രയഃ
Meaning –
For a self-realized person, there is no interest whatsoever in what is done or what is not
performed as a prescribed action; nor does he depend on any being for any
object.
This shloka’s individual explanation can make a
little confusion in any reader’s mind. After describing the supreme process of
Lord Brahma by creating the humanity along with the prescribed karmas, Sri
Krishna now establishes that a self-realized individual doesn’t need to perform
any duty and that person is completely free from any living being or any object
in life. This seems quite confusing and contradictory. But when we read this
shloka with the succeeding one, the meaning becomes quite clear to the
readers.
As discussed earlier, whenever we come to such
a situation in Gita, we can always relate to the shloka 38 in chapter 2 which
is: “sukha-duḥkhe same kṛitvā lābhālābhau jayājayau: tato yuddhāya
yujyasva naivaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi”. Fight for upholding the
righteous duty, treating alike pleasure and pain, loss and gain, win and
defeat. Accomplishing your responsibility in this approach, you will not have
to suffer the sin.
So, it is now comprehensible to us that a
self-realized individual or in other words,
a sthithaprajnha personality is performing all his prescribed actions
or karmas as yajnas to a higher ideal in absolute equanimity, intellectual
wisdom, complementary to the universal cycle of nature, and more importantly
without any trace of selfishness and sinfulness. In the explanation of the previous shloka 17
we learnt that the virtuous people have no karmas left to be performed in their
lives as they offer their all acts to the higher ideal as yajnas thereby
completely devoting their chakric karmas or duties unto the universal system of
livelihood. More clearly they don’t carry any regrets in their lives. Having no
regrets in life, what action is going to affect that person? What result is
going to make that person worried about? Which being is dared to harm such a virtuous
person? What does it mean, is there anything we have to learn beyond karma and
yajna?
This shloka and the prior one essentially
reveal the state of a self-realized person, who is free of the doer-ship of any
action, thereby renouncing all actions. Renouncing doer-ship is renouncing
action. The topic of renunciation shall be learnt in detail in the upcoming shlokas
and chapters.
ഇപ്രകാരം ആത്മാരാമനായ ഒരു വ്യക്തിയെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം,
താൻ ചെയ്യുന്ന കാര്യങ്ങളിലോ അഥവാ നിർദ്ദിഷ്ട കർമ്മമായി നിർവഹിക്കാത്ത കാര്യങ്ങളിൽ തന്നെയോ, ലാഭമോ നഷ്‌ടമോ ഉണ്ടാകുന്നില്ല; അത്തരം വ്യക്തി, സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളിലും വസ്തുക്കളിലും നിരാശ്രയനായി
വർത്തിക്കുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.19
तस्मादसक्त: सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर |
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुष: ॥ 19॥
തസ്മാദസക്തഃ സതതം കാര്യം കർമ്മ സമാചര
അസക്തോ ഹ്യാചരൻ കർമ്മ പരമാപ്നോതി പൂരുഷഃ
Meaning –
Therefore, remaining unattached to the results of karmas,
always perform the requisite duties, because by performing one's duty without
attachment, a person attains the Supreme.
Sri Krishna conclude the explanation to Arjuna’s
two questions in the start of this chapter. Arjuna had asked: 1) “O Kesava, why do You induce me to perform in
this horrific battle, O Janaardana, if You think that intellect is superior to
indulging in action? 2) My intellect is puzzled by Your ambiguous guidelines. For
that reason, please convey me assertively what is the most beneficial for me.” The immediate answer from Bhagavan was thus: “O virtuous Arjuna, I have already explained
that there exist two paths of Self realization. The yoga of knowledge for
contemplative sadhakas, and the yoga of action for immaculate practitioners or
karma yogis”.
Here, Sri Krishna had been absolutely clear in
the entire path of Gita teaching. Bhagavan descriptively explained the very
complex attributes of karma yoga with an authentic touch of Lord Brahma’s
creative messages. Sri Krishna then translated those messages even more clearly
as to how the actual meaning of the idea of karma and yajna to be performed and
so on.
By this time, Bhagavan might be expecting the
students or readers to be in a state of comprehending what is meant by
prescribed karmas, how the karmas shall be performed as yajnas, why the fruits
of actions must be considered as unattached to our senses, why the intellect
has to be put into the action along with wisdom of thinking in doing any duty, what
is the benefit of being happy in performing one’s prescribed karmas, what is
the concept of sinful karmas and virtuous yajnas, why are we the humans become an
integral part of the universal cycle of nature or prakriti and so on. If we are
doubtful or confused on any of the principles explained by Sri Krishna, we can
always glance through the prior shlokas so that the missing link could be easily
reconnected. Another beauty of Bhagavad Gita is that we shall meet the same
explanation after passing couple of chapters but in an altogether different
approach or scenario. Hence we, the readers need not get confused even when we feel that we
are not following cent percent explanations from Bhagavan.
Sri Krishna is emphasizing the fact that no one
can flee from the responsibilities of one’s prescribed action. The duties are
to be performed selflessly and not selfishly. Selfless actions as the offering
to a higher ideal give away the attachments. Selfless action or yajna helps
everyone to be a complementary doer in the greater scheme of things that
involve prakriti and universal cycle.
അതിനാൽ, കർമ്മഫലങ്ങളുമായി ബന്ധമില്ലാതെ കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നത് തുടരുക, എപ്പോഴും സ്വന്തം ചുമതലകൾ ചിത്തശുദ്ധിയോടെ നിർവഹിക്കുക, കാരണം കർമ്മഫലബന്ധമില്ലാതെ സ്വന്തം കടമകൾ നിർവഹിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ ഒരു വ്യക്തി പരമോന്നതനായിത്തീരുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.20
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादय: |
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ 20॥
കർമ്മണൈവ ഹി സംസിദ്ധിം അസ്ഥിതാ ജനകാദയഃ
ലോകസംഗ്രഹമേവാപി സംപശ്യൻ കർത്തുമർഹസി
Meaning –
Even kings like Janaka and others attained the supreme state in life by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, minimum for the sake of refining the public in broad-spectrum, you have a duty to implement your karma.
The word Rajarshi is the combination or sandhi
of the words Rajah and Rishi. The word Rajarshi is used to define a ruler who
is both a King and a Sage. King Janaka is not only the name of Sita Devi’s father,
but also the dynasty to which he belonged. Sita’s father is also called
Seera-dhwaja. Rajarshi Janaka was called so because even though he was a King and
owned all the luxuries and pleasures of a kingdom, he was not indulged in the
enjoyment alone. He was always a spiritual aspirant and carried out all his
duties in absolute detachment to worldly illusions. His conversation with great
sages like Yajnavalkya, Sulabha, and Ashtavakra are recorded in various
scriptures. Though he was a king by janma and karma, He was a sage by intellect
and wisdom. He is admired as the most ideal example of a soul with unattached
mind to heavenly pleasures. His relationship with his adopted daughter Sita Devi was
so divine that she was called as Janaki Mata.
Many Vedic literature for example, the
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mention a certain King Janaka as a great
philosopher-king of Videha kingdom, renowned for his interest in Vedic doctrines. His royal
assembly consisted of prominent sages such as Yajnavalkya, Udhalaka, Aruni, and
Gargi Vachaknavi. When it was his time in power, Videha kingdom rose to prominence
as political and cultural center of the Bharath subcontinent. His conversation
with sage Ashtavakra is recorded as Ashtavakra Gita, from which his supreme self-realization is evident.
Kings like Janaka and others were all
self-realized souls; consequently they had no obligation to perform the
prescribed duties in the Vedas. Nonetheless they performed all prescribed
activities merely to set examples for their people to follow virtuous lives. Having
provided the underlying principle for karma yoga, Sri Krishna now wants to give illustrations
of historical men who attained spiritual self-realization through karma yoga. Bhagavan
wants to illustrate that Karma yoga is not a new technique but a very
successful and proven method in life science for ages.
Sage Tulsidas said: “One who surrenders worldly
duties, without the synchronized internal education with divine knowledge, walks
the fast way to the hell.” The followers of a karma yogi king shall learn how to
discipline their mind and senses, and slowly but steadily move to the inspiring
spiritual path.
ജനകനെയും മറ്റുള്ളവരെയും പോലുള്ള ക്ഷത്രിയരാജാക്കന്മാർ
പോലും നിശ്ചിത ചുമതലകൾ നിർവഹിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ജീവിതത്തിലെ പരമോന്നത അവസ്ഥയിലെത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.
അതിനാൽ, ലോകക്ഷേമത്തിനായിട്ടെങ്കിലും, അർജ്ജുനാ, കർമ്മം നടപ്പിലാക്കാൻ നിനക്ക് കടമയുണ്ട്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.21
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जन: |
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ 21॥
യദ്യദാചാരതി ശ്രേഷ്‌ഠഃ തദ്‌ തദേവതരോ ജനഃ
സ യത് പ്രമാണം കുരുതേ ലോകസ്തദനുവർത്തതേ
Meaning –
Whatever actions the virtuous persons perform, other
people tend to follow the same. Whatever morals they set, the entire world
pursue.
In continuation to the previous shloka 20, Sri Krishna
explains how a leader is being influenced in the group he belongs to. The
followers in the group shall try to grasp the characters of the leader
sometimes blindly in their lives. This is a very critical situation as there is
a high tendency for the public to follow sinful actions if the leader is not
performing the prescribed karmas.
The general public look at a leader how he
teaches them by using real-world manners. A leader will fail if he teaches other
people to stop smoking if he himself smokes. A teacher should conduct himself appropriately
while he even begins his preparation for teaching. He is the real “Acharya”, or
an ideal teacher or a leader. Therefore, a leader must follow the doctrines and
scriptures in order to self-perform and to lead the public.
The king or the executive head of a state, the
parent in the family and the master in a school are all measured to be natural
leaders of the common people in general. All such leaders or heads of the
groups have a great responsibility to the society they belong to; therefore
they must be up-to-date with standard books or “pramana” of moral and spiritual
prescribed codes.
“Yad yad
ācharati śhreṣhṭaha…” is a very important part of this shloka
wherein Bhagavan implies everyone to be on the righteous part of the humanity
in order to ensure the necessary equanimity in the society we live in. Most
people watch what we do and not what we say. Therefore, Sri Krishna urges us to
practice karma yoga, and not to simply tell people that there is an ideal way
of living called karma yoga. The ones who get the real idea of karma yoga, Bhagavan
wants them to implement in their own lives and show that to the public.
Here Sri Krishna not only urges Arjuna to
perform the prescribed duties and responsibilities, but also teaches him the
ultimate leadership lesson about “leading by example”. Bhagavan reiterates that
giving flowery speeches or just delivering motivational speeches will not
elevate the humanity whereas the real advancement towards a virtuous life can
only be possible by following karma yoga without any attachments to the fruits
of actions.
ശ്രേഷ്ഠരായിട്ടുള്ളവർ എന്തു തരം കർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്‌താലും
മറ്റു ജനങ്ങൾ അത് തന്നെ പിന്തുടരുന്നു. അവർ എന്ത് മാനദണ്ഡം മുന്നോട്ടു വെക്കുന്നുവോ
ലോകം മുഴുവൻ അത് അനുവർത്തിക്കുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.22
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन |
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ 22॥
ന മേ പാർഥാസ്തി കർത്തവ്യം ത്രിഷു ലോകേഷു കിഞ്ചന
നാനവാപ്തമവാപ്തവ്യം വർത്ത ഏവ ച കർമ്മണി
Meaning –
“There is no duty for
me to do in all the three worlds, O Partha, nor do I have anything to gain or
attain. Yet, I am engaged in prescribed duties”.
After explaining the examples of the people and
attributes that are engaged in performing the karmas, Sri Krishna mentions
Himself about his own contribution to the Karma yoga. This is one of those
rare shlokas wherein Bhagavan mentions Himself in the initial chapters of
Bhagavad Gita. If we glance quickly from shloka 16 onward; the people who do
the prescribed karmas only for sensory pleasures, they are sinful. At the same
time, the people who are rejoicing, who are contented and fully satisfied in
self, are free from any prescribed duties. For self-realized people, they are
completely free of the effects of whether they are in action or not according
to the prescribed karmas. Nonetheless, when the prescribed duties are performed
without the attachment to the results, then that leads to a supreme state. After
the above general explanation, Sri Krishna explained about Rajarshi Janaka who
performed his prescribed duties in the middle of all the luxuries and comfort
but without any sensory attachment. The common people tend to copy all the
actions performed by their ideal visionaries.
When we analyze the physical scenario of Sri Krishna
wherein He is engaged as the charioteer of the eminent archer warrior Arjuna, Bhagavan
is stating that it is not His prescribed duty in any of the Vedas that He has
to perform this particular role. But there are mainly three reasons that Bhagavan
has taken up the duty of assisting Pandavas in the epic war. 1) Sri Krishna
knows that the justice is on the Pandava side and they are not being given
their rightful land even after all the attempts of avoiding a war. 2) As per Bhagavan’s
decision, He is not physically involved in the war as a warrior but only
assisting His close associate Arjuna. This is a great gesture to show as Bhagavan
helps His virtuous friend when it matters the most. 3) Sri Krishna wants to give
a message to the world that it is not the sinful actions that ultimately win
but the brave and righteous performance of duties and responsibilities that
lead the humanity to the highest abode.
As per Srimad Bhāgavatam stories, which describe
the entire life of Sri Krishna, we can read a tirelessly working individual from
the start to the end. All the duties were immaculately performed and closed by Sri
Krishna. Now Bhagavan is standing as a charioteer upon Arjuna’s request. After
the Maha Bharat war, Sri Krishna even washed the feet of guests who attended
the Maha yajna performed by King Yudhishthira. Most importantly, whenever,
whatever duties Sri Krishna performed, all were done with absolute equanimity,
and He was always self-rejoiced, self-contented and self-satisfied not expecting
any reward from any result. There is also a hint of the universal essence attributed
to Sri Krishna in this shloka.
ഹേ പാർത്ഥാ, ഈ മൂന്ന് ലോകങ്ങളിലും എനിക്ക് ചെയ്തുതീർക്കാനായി
ഒരു കടമയും ഇല്ല, നേടിയെടുക്കാനോ നേടാനാവാത്തതോ ആയ ഒന്നുമില്ല. എന്നിട്ടും ഞാൻ നിർദ്ദിഷ്ട
ചുമതലകളിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.23
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रित: |
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्या: पार्थ सर्वश: || 23 ||
യദി ഹ്യഹം ന വർത്തേയം ജാതു കർമ്മണ്യതന്ദ്രിതഃ
മമ വർത്മാനുവർത്തന്തേ മനുഷ്യാഃ പാർത്ഥ സർവ്വശഃ
Meaning –
"O Paartha, if I were not to perform my duties alertly having all sorts of laziness and inertia, people from everywhere will follow my path which is wrong".
Sri Krishna is urging Arjuna to always perform the prescribed actions and not give in to the tendency of the human body to become lazy. There will be plenty of people who are following Arjuna based on the courage and strength he has possessed, so those people will definitely follow Arjuna's path whether its right or wrong. Unless we continually perform selfless actions, with complete attention and alertness, we won't be able to attain the tranquility of our mind.
In his divine avatara time period on earth, Bhagavan was a great king and he was leading a huge number of people in His kingdom, be it in Mathura or in Dwaraka. He appeared as the son of King Vasudeva from the Vrishni dynasty, the foremost of the righteous. If Lord Krishna was not aware of performing the righteous actions in His lifetime, the whole humanity under His rule would have spoilt by following His wrong footsteps, thinking that violating them was the standard practice. Lord Krishna states that he would be at fault for misleading mankind with wrongful actions from His side, if he had fallen prey to the laziness and wickedness.
ഹേ പാർത്ഥ, എല്ലാത്തരം അലസതയും ജഡത്വവും ഒഴിവാക്കി ജാഗ്രതയോടെ ഞാൻ എന്റെ കർമ്മങ്ങൾ, കർത്തവ്യങ്ങൾ എന്ന നിലക്ക് നിറവേറ്റിയില്ലെങ്കിൽ, സമൂഹത്തിലുള്ള നാനാവിധ ജനങ്ങൾ മടിയന്മാരായി എന്റെ തെറ്റായ പാത പിന്തുടരും.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.24
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् |
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमा: प्रजा: || 24 ||
ഉത്സീദേയുരിമേ ലോകാ ന കുര്യാം കർമ്മ ചേദഹം
സംകരസ്യ ച കർത്താ സ്യാമുപഹന്യാമിമാഃ പ്രജാഃ
Meaning –
If I ceased to perform the prescribed actions, all the people who follow Me and the world would perish. I would be the sole responsible for the pandemonium that would prevail, and would thereby destroy the peace of the humanity.
Sri Krishna further elaborates on the description of the last shloka. Bhagavan already clarified that, He does not have any obligations towards the world, but He has complete consciousness of the eternal essence that pervades everywhere and in everything. But even then, He continues to act towards the welfare of society by doing His prescribed duties as a "human being". Here, Sri Krishna says that if he had stopped acting, all people who look up to him would be ruined and destroyed by mixing up the characters of the outside influences that would destabilize one's tranquility with self.
ഞാൻ എന്റെ കർത്തവ്യങ്ങളാകുന്ന കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നിർവ്വഹിക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ എന്നെ പിന്തുടരുന്ന ലോകം മുഴുവൻ നശിച്ചുപോകും. കാരണം, എന്നെ അനുഗമിച്ച് അലസന്മാരായ മാലോകരിൽ വർണസാങ്കര്യം വന്നുചേരും. അവ്വിധം എന്നിലൂടെ ലോകനാശത്തിലേക്കുള്ള വഴി തുറക്കും.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.25
सक्ता: कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत |
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् || 25 ||
സക്താഃ കർമ്മണ്യ വിദ്വാംസോ യഥാ കുർവ്വന്തി ഭാരത
കുര്യാദ്വിദ്വാംസ്തഥാസക്തഃ ചികീർഷുർലോകസംഗ്രമം
Meaning –
Just as an ignorant individual performs action with attachment, O Bhaarata, so does a wise person perform action without attachment, wishing for the welfare of society.
Sri Krishna emphasizes that the wise men must always act for the benefit and welfare of the mankind and the society. Bhagavan reiterates the concept of prescribed actions for the progress of the humanity by the statement "loka sangraham chikīrṣhuḥ" means “wishing the welfare of the world.” Sri Krishna urges Arjuna that just as ignorant people perform ritualistic duties in a loyal manner, the wise men must perform their works with a conscientious manner, not for materialistic pleasures, but for the upliftment and overall development of the society.
What Sri Krishna urges us to maintain is the attitude of karma yoga regardless of whether our peers, leaders or followers have the same attitude or different.
ഹേ ഭാരതാ, അജ്ഞാനിയായ ഒരു വ്യക്തി ആസക്തിയോടെ കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നതുപോലെ; അർജുനാ, ജ്ഞാനിയായ ഒരു വ്യക്തി സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ക്ഷേമം ആഗ്രഹിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ആസക്തി കൂടാതെ കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.26
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् |
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्त: समाचरन् || 26 ||
ന ബുദ്ധിഭേദം ജനയേദജ്ഞാനാം കർമ്മസംഗിനാം
ജോഷയേത് സർവ്വകർമ്മാണി വിദ്വാൻ യുക്തഃ സമാചരൻ
Meaning –
The wise should not create discord in the intellects of ignorant people, who are attached to fruitive actions, by inducing them to stop work. Rather, by performing their duties in an enlightened manner, they should inspire the ignorant also to do their prescribed duties.
Great persons have greater responsibility because common people tend to follow them. So Sri Krishna urges that wise people should not perform any actions or make any utterances that lead the ignorant toward downfall. The ignorant should not be asked to abandon duties by giving superior instructions they are not qualified to understand.
Working for results is far superior to the escapist approach of abandoning the prescribed karmas. Hence, the spiritually wise in vedic knowledge should inspire the ignorant to perform their duties with attentiveness and care.This shloka advises the wise men to act diligently, and let others act to the best of their ability, and not to unsettle the ignorant people in any way.
ജ്ഞാനികൾ, ഫലപ്രാപ്തിയിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന അജ്ഞാനികളെ, കർമ്മം നിർത്താൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് അവരുടെ ബുദ്ധിയിൽ ഭിന്നത സൃഷ്ടിക്കരുത്. മറിച്ച്, തങ്ങളുടെ കർത്തവ്യങ്ങൾ പ്രബുദ്ധമായി നിർവ്വഹിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ, അജ്ഞരെയും അവർക്ക് നിശ്ചയിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള കർത്തവ്യങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യാൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കണം.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.27
प्रकृते: क्रियमाणानि गुणै: कर्माणि सर्वश: |
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते || 27 ||
പ്രകൃതേഃ ക്രിയമാണാനി ഗുണൈഃ കർമ്മാണി സർവ്വശഃ
അഹംകാരവിമൂഢാത്മാ കർത്താഹിമിതി മന്യതേ
Meaning –
All actions, in all situations, are performed by the gunaas of prakriti. He who is completely deluded by the ego thinks “I am the doer”.
All these categories of karmas are performed by the mind-body-senses procedure. All the parts of this mechanism are made from prakṛiti, or the universal energy, which consists of the three modes (guṇas)—purity and wisdom (sattva), innate tendency or passion (rajas), and inertia or materiality (tamas).
The soul, in the grip of the unforgiving ego, falsely identifies itself with the body. Hence, it remains under the illusion of doer-ship. It perceives itself as the doer of actions. The moment the soul eliminates the ego and surrenders to the will of God, it realizes itself as the non-doer.
Here, one thing to be noted is that the soul does not itself perform actions, but it does direct the actions of the senses-mind-intellect. The soul is held responsible for the actions of the mind-body mechanism because the senses-mind-intellect work on receiving inspiration from the soul.
എല്ലാ കർമ്മങ്ങളും, എല്ലാ സാഹചര്യങ്ങളിലും, പ്രകൃതിയുടെ ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ നിർവഹിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അഹംഭാവത്താൽ മൗഢ്യനായ ആത്മാവ്, എല്ലാ കർമ്മങ്ങളുടെയും കർത്താവ് എന്ന്, തന്നെ സ്വയം കരുതുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.28
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयो: |
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते || 28 ||
തത്വവിത്തു മഹാബാഹോ ഗുണകർമ്മവിഭാഗയോഃ
ഗുണാ ഗുണേഷു വർത്തന്ത ഇതി മത്വാ ന സജ്ഞതേ
Meaning –
O mighty-armed Arjuna, the one who knows the truth or tattwa, about the divisions of gunaas as well as their functions, recognizes the interplay of gunaas everywhere. Having known this, he does not get attached to the karmas and their fruits.
Having abolished the ego, the learned men are free from bodily identifications, and are able to discern their spiritual identity or dehi, distinct from the tangible body, deha. Hence, they are not attracted into thinking of themselves as the doers of their karmic actions, and instead they attribute every activity to the movements of the three guṇas.
The wise person is termed a “tattwa-vith” – one who knows the truth or tattwa – by Sri Krishna. The truth is that all karmas in this world are performed by prakiriti or the mother nature and prakriti is comprised of the three gunaas and their respective functions, termed in this shloka as “guna-karma-vibhaaga”.
ഗുണകർമ്മങ്ങളെ വേർതിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞു, വിഷയേന്ദ്രിയ സംബന്ധം കൊണ്ടുണ്ടാകുന്ന കർമ്മത്തിൽ ഒരു വിധേനയും ആത്മാവ് സംബന്ധിക്കുന്നില്ലെന്നു മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്ന സത്യാന്വേഷി അഥവാ തത്വജ്ഞാനി, ഒട്ടും കർമ്മഫലാസക്തനാവുന്നില്ല.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.29
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढा: सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु |
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् || 29 ||
പ്രകൃതേർ ഗുണസംമൂഢാഃ സജ്ജന്തേ ഗുണകർമ്മസു
താനകൃത്സ്നവിദോ മന്ദാൻ കൃത്സ്നവിന്ന വിചാലയേത്
Meaning –
Those who are deluded by the operation of the guṇas become attached to the results of their actions. But the wise who understand these truths should not unsettle such ignorant people who know very little.
Sri Krishna explains in this verse that the ignorant people become confused by the guṇas of the physical world, and think themselves to be the doers of all the karmas. Infatuated by the three modes of material nature, they work for the intimate motive of being able to enjoy sensual and thereby the mental delights.
However, the kṛilsna-vit (persons with knowledge) should not disturb the minds of the akṛilsna-vit (persons without knowledge). Rather, the wise men must guide the ignorant people to perform their respective karmas, and slowly help them to rise above attachment towards fruits of actions.
Bhagavan restates that wise people should not preach karma yoga to those who are attached to gunaas and their actions. Instead, they should lead by example by guiding the ignorant people in prescribed karmas and how to avoid the attachments.
പ്രകൃതിയുടെ ഗുണങ്ങളായ അഹംകാരാദികൾ ചെയ്യുന്ന കർമ്മങ്ങളുടെ കർത്താവ് താൻ തന്നെയാണെന്നും കർമ്മഫലം തനിക്കുമാത്രം അവകാശപ്പെട്ടതാണെന്നും വിചാരിച്ചു അവയിൽ ആസക്തരായ അജ്ഞാനിമൂഢന്മാരുടെ അവസ്ഥയെ തത്വജ്ഞാനികൾ ഒരിക്കലും താറുമാറാക്കരുത്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.30
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा |
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वर: || 30 ||
മയി സർവ്വാണി കർമ്മാണി സന്ന്യസ്യാദ്ധ്യാത്മചേതസാ
നിരാശീർനിർമ്മമോ ഭൂത്വാ യുദ്ധ്യസ്വ വിഗതജ്വരഃ
Meaning –
Performing all works as an offering unto Me, constantly meditate on that higher ideal as the Supreme. Become free from desire and selfishness, and with your mental grief departed, do your karma!
Here are the answers:
1. Our attitude for performing the karmas should be a continuous dedication of the action to a higher ideal. That supreme can be the God, Guru, parents, mentor, anything as per our situation.
2. We must perform only correct actions, those that are our duties and responsibilities, those are to be performed by us. Actions that are unethical or illegal should be discarded by the intellect. Bhagavan urges us to strengthen and reinforce the intellect’s power of discrimination or viveka.
3. The inefficient ways of fulfilling the prescribed karmas are "brooding over the past, becoming anxious about the future, and becoming overly excited in the present". A true karma yogi always lives in the present moment and gives complete and undivided attention to the duties and responsibilities, no matter how much tough the situation he is in. Sri Krishna urges us to give up expectation for the future (by which we get “niraasha”), anxiety over the past (by which we can attain “nirmamah”) and over excitement in the present (by what we remain “vigatajvarah”).
എല്ലാ കർമ്മങ്ങളും പരമാത്മാവായ എന്നിൽ യജ്ഞമായി അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്, പരമോന്നതനിലയിൽ ആ മഹത് ആദർശത്തെ നിരന്തരം ധ്യാനിക്കുക. കാമങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും സ്വാർത്ഥതയിൽ നിന്നും മോചനം നേടുക, അപ്രകാരം നിന്നുടെ മാനസിക ദുഃഖം അകലുന്നതോടെ ചെയ്തുതീർക്കേണ്ട കർമ്മം കർത്തവ്യമായി അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുക!
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.31
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवा: |
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभि: || 31 ||
യേ മേ മതമിദം നിത്യമനുതിഷ്ഠന്തി മാനവാഃ
ശ്രദ്ധാവന്തോഽനസൂയന്തോ മുച്യന്തേ തേഽപി കർമ്മഭിഃ
Meaning –
Those who abide by these teachings of Mine, with sincere attention and free from envy, can be free from the attachment of karma.
In the previous shloka, Sri Krishna mentioned to Arjuna that all karmas are to be submitted Him, that means a higher ideal. But bhagavan knows that this statement can cause a taunt from those who have no belief in the tattwa of karmas and criticism from those who are envious of Him. He says that by sincerely striving these teachings one becomes free from the attachment of karma.
Sri Krishna urges us to overcome any misconceptions, barriers and objections we may harbor against this teaching.
Shlokam | 3.32
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् |
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतस: || 32 ||
യേ ത്വേതദഭ്യസൂയന്തോ നാനുതിഷ്ഠന്തി മേ മതം
സർവ്വജ്ഞാനവിമൂഢാംസ്താൻ വിദ്ധി നഷ്ടാനചേതസഃ
Meaning –
But those who object to this teaching which I explained now and do not follow it, they are confused in all of their knowledge. Know that, those people who are devoid of discrimination, shall be ruined.
One of the obstinate flaws of the physical understanding is egotism. Due to pride, whatever the intellect cannot grasp currently, is rejected outright. Sri Krishna’s wisdom advises are for the well-being of the souls, but some people still find them faulty. Bhagavan declares them as “achetasaḥ” or “lacking of discrimination or viveka,” because they cannot differentiate between the pure and the impure, the virtuous and the sinful, and so on. Such people “bring about their own destruction,” because they discard the route to comprehending the eternal essence that surrounds the whole world.
Sri Krishna now explains what stops us from implementing karma yoga, and thus, how can we challenge those hindrances. When we lodge in negative reactions such as jealousy, anger, greed, etc., our intellect does understand our wrong doing. But since our “vaasanaas” from the pride or habits have conquered the intellect, it does not work out and so we travel through an incorrect track. We are thus collapsed as we are traveling against the rules of nature.
എന്നാൽ ഞാൻ ഇപ്പോൾ വിശദീകരിച്ച ഈ ഉപദേശത്തെ എതിർക്കുകയും അത് പാലിക്കുന്നതിൽ വിമുഖത കാണിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവരുടെ ജ്ഞാനം ആശയക്കുഴപ്പത്തിലാണ്. വിവേചനരഹിതരായ ആളുകൾ സ്വയം നശിക്കുമെന്നും അറിയുക.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.33
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्या: प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि |
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रह: किं करिष्यति || 33 ||
സദൃശം ചേഷ്ടതേ സ്വസ്യാഃ പ്രകൃതേർജ്ഞാനവാനപി
പ്രകൃതിം യാന്തി ഭൂതാനി നിഗ്രഹഃ കിം കരിഷ്യതി
Meaning –
Even intelligent people act according to their
natures, for all living beings are driven by their natural inclinations or tendencies.
Then, what can be gained by suppressing
them?
Driven by their innate natures, people are inclined to act in accordance with their specific manners. Even those who are wise and learnt, carry with them the baggage of the sanskārs (in born tendencies and impersonations). They find it difficult to resist this force of habit and nature.
Even the most well-educated person will find it difficult to practice karma yoga. It is because inherent tendencies and desires inside us induce us to act against our determination. Mere restraint of actions will not result in annihilation of requirements, since the vaasanaas will continue to generate more and more thoughts. And direct suppression of thoughts is next to impossible. Many people try to repress thoughts and desires in the hope of progressing spiritually.
Even though all of us have tendencies that can drag us lower, we can analyse those tendencies and overcome them through the practice of karma yoga.
ബുദ്ധിയുള്ളവരും ജ്ഞാനം നേടിയതും ആയിട്ടുള്ള ആളുകൾ പോലും അവരുടെ സ്വഭാവമനുസരിച്ചാണ് കർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യുന്നത്, കാരണം എല്ലാ ജീവജാലങ്ങളും അവരുടെ സ്വാഭാവിക മനോഭാവങ്ങളാലോ പ്രവണതകളാലോ നയിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അങ്ങനെയെങ്കിൽ, അത്തരം വാസനകളെ അടിച്ചമർത്തിയാൽ എന്ത് നേടാനാകും?
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.34
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ |
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ || 34 ||
ഇന്ദ്രിയസ്യേന്ദ്രിയസ്യാർത്േഥ രാഗദ്വേഷൗ വ്യവസ്ഥിതൗ
തയോർന്ന വശമാഗഛേത് തൗ ഹ്യസ്യ പരിപന്ഥിനൗ
Meaning –
Likes and dislikes for sense objects reside in the senses. One should not come under their sway, for they are dangerous foes.
Even though Sri Krishna earlier stressed that the mind and senses are driven by their natural inclinations, Bhagavan now opens the prospect of binding or using them. As we all have the material body, for its preservation, we must employ the objects of the senses. Bhagavan is not asking us to halt performing what is essential, but to exercise in getting rid of attachment and aversion, that is, raaga-dwesha.
After detailing about our intrinsic inclinations being the prime hindrance in karma yoga, Sri Krishna shows where they are located. He expresses that the vaasanaas manifest as likes and dislikes for physical substances. These tendencies exist in our senses: the eyes, ears, skin, tongue, and nose.
The senses unsurprisingly move to the sense objects and their common interface generates ambiances of pleasure and pain. Thoughts of pleasure in the sense objects create attachment (raaga) while thoughts of pain create aversion (dwesha). Sri Krishna expresses to Arjuna not to succumb to either feelings of attachment or aversion. In the release of our worldly karmas, we must come across all kinds of likable and unlikable circumstances.
Sri Krishna compares likes and dislikes to dangerous
robbers on the road who mark the passengers who travel unrehearsed and not attentive.
The thieves appear from nowhere, and confuse travelers in their route. Likewise,
the likes make us run towards them and dislikes make us run away, but
ultimately both take us away from our path. By being continually watchful that the
attachments and aversions can occur anytime, we can decrease their impact.
ഇന്ദ്രിയ വാസനകളോടുള്ള ഇഷ്ടവും അനിഷ്ടവും ഓരോ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളിൽ തന്നെ കുടികൊള്ളുന്നു. ആരും അവയുടെ നിയന്ത്രണത്തിൽ വരാതിരിക്കാൻ ശ്രദ്ധിക്കണം, കാരണം അവർ നമ്മുടെ വഴിയിൽ അപകടകാരികളായ ശത്രുക്കളാണ്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
.jpg)
Shlokam | 3.35
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: || 35 ||
ശ്രേയാൻ സ്വധർമ്മോ വിഗുണഃ പരധർമ്മാത് സ്വനുഷ്ഠിതാത്
സ്വധർമ്മേ നിധനം ശ്രേയഃ പരധർമ്മോ ഭയാവഹഃ
Meaning –
Maintaining one’s own nature, though deficient, is still
better than following another’s nature that is flawless. Even dying in one’s
nature is better, and the nature of other leads to fierce peril.
The word dharma is referred to the English terms like
righteousness, good conduct, duty, noble quality, etc. can only describe a characteristic
of its meaning. But more clearly, the terms like, responsibilities, duties,
thoughts, and actions that are appropriate for us lead to the most perfect
meaning of dharma.
Swa-dharma means one’s personal dharma, which is the dharma
applicable to one’s own context, situation, maturity, and profession in life. Swa-dharma
is nothing but one’s strongest likes and desires. By asking Arjuna to follow
his swa-dharma, Sri Krishna is telling him to follow his responsibility, and
not change it because someone else may be doing some other duty.
Bhagavan highlights vividly that it is better to die in the authentic act of one’s dharma than to be in the unnatural situation of performing someone else’s dharma. When one selects a robust wish as his swa-dharma, he must not succumb to weaker pleasure or displeasure divert him from his swa-dharma.
പോരായ്മകളുണ്ടെങ്കിലും സ്വന്തം സ്വഭാവം അഥവാ സ്വധർമ്മം നിലനിർത്തുന്നതാണ്, കുറ്റമറ്റതാണെങ്കിലും മറ്റൊരാളുടെ സ്വഭാവം അഥവാ പരധർമ്മം പിന്തുടരുന്നതിനേക്കാൾ നല്ലത്. ഒരാളുടെ സ്വധർമ്മത്തിനിടക്ക് മരിക്കുന്നത് പോലും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമാണ്, എന്നാൽ പരധർമ്മം ഒരാളെ ഭയാനകമായ അപകടത്തിലേക്ക് നയിക്കുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.36
अर्जुन उवाच |
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुष: |
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजित: || 36 ||
അഥ കേന പ്രയുക്തോഽയം പാപം ചരതി പൂരുഷഃ
അനിച്ഛന്നപി വാർഷ്ണേയ ബലാദിവ നിയോജിതഃ
Meaning –
Arjuna asked:
At that point, what is that induces persons to oblige sin contrary to their wishes, O Varshneya, as if it was directed compellingly?
As Sri Krishna was going on explaining about swa-dharma, sensory attractions and aversions, sin and righteousness and so on, Arjuna, after listening to all those advice, gets a little confused as to why this kind of a situation arises even if a person wants to lead a peaceful life. Now he wants to know what forces one to carry out sin, even if it is against his wishes.
No one can show the defense about their knowledge regarding theft,
cheating, defamation, blackmail, killing, cruelty, and bribery are indeed evil actions.
People instinctively are aware that these acts are sinful, and yet they perform
such karmas, as if done under the influence of some external force. Arjuna needs
to know now that whether such a force exists or not.
As we come closer to the end of chapter karma yoga, Maharshi
Veda Vyasa has introduced this very valid question from Arjuna regarding the
obstacles in performing karma yoga. The obstacles in the path of karma yoga followers
can pop up when they least expect such things happen. Hence, Arjuna, in the
search of a profound understanding of the hindrances in doing swa-dharmas,
wants to categorically know, what are those obstacles very clearly.
അർജുനൻ ചോദിച്ചു:
അങ്ങനെയെങ്കിൽ, അല്ലയോ വാർഷ്‌ണേയാ, നിർബന്ധപൂർവ്വം നിർദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നപോലെ, സ്വന്തം ഇഷ്ടങ്ങൾക്കു വിരുദ്ധമായി പാപം ചെയ്യാൻ ആളുകളെ സ്വയം പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് എന്ത് തരം പ്രേരണയാലാണ്?
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.37
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भव: ||
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् || 37 ||
കാമ ഏഷ ക്രോധ ഏഷ രജോഗുണ സമുദ്ഭവഃ
മഹാശനോ മഹാപാപ്മാ വിദ്ധ്യേനമിഹ വൈരിണം
Meaning –
Sri Bhagavan said:
It is the lust alone, which is born of contact with the guna
of rajas, and later transformed into anger. Know this as the inducing force to
perform sinful karmas as the engulfing foe in the world.
The lust in people can be the urge for wealth, bodily
cravings, longing for prestige, the ambition for supremacy, and so on. The lust
is formed as a corrupt replication of the faith in God, which is the intrinsic
nature of everyone. As lust arises in the soul, it gets associated with the
material energy in the form of the body, its divine love for God is converted
into lust, in association with the "rajo-guna" that is present in the body and the
mind.
When the desires arise for acquiring the physical sensory
pleasures, and when the desires are satisfied, it gives birth to greed; when it
is not satisfied, it gives rise to anger. One commits sins under the stimulus
of all three—lust, greed, and anger. Greed is nothing but deepened desire,
while anger is unsatisfied desire. Hence, Sri Krishna labels lust, or desire,
as the root of all evil.
When we give a lot of consideration to our likes and
dislikes, it surges the amount of the rajas, in our processes. When this occurs,
our likes and dislikes breed in many numbers like wild plant and become stout
desires. We then go into a vicious cycle: strong desires generate more rajas,
which in turn makes the desires even stouter. Similarly, if dislikes grow, they
turn into rage and hate.
ശ്രീ ഭഗവാൻ പറഞ്ഞു:
പാപം ചെയ്യുന്നതിനുള്ള പ്രേരണ, കാമം മാത്രമാണ്, അത് രജോഗുണവുമായുള്ള സമ്പർക്കത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ജനിക്കുകയും പിന്നീട് കോപമായി രൂപാന്തരപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. ലോകത്തെ മുഴുവൻ വിഴുങ്ങുന്നതിന് പോലും സാധിക്കുന്ന ശത്രുവായി, പാപകർമങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യാൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ശക്തിയാണ് കാമം എന്നറിയുക.
Shlokam | 3.38
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च |
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् || 38 ||
ധൂമേനാവ്രിയതേ വഹ്നിർയഥാദർശോ മലേന ച
യഥോല്ബേനാവൃതോ ഗർഭസ്തഥാ തേനേദമാവൃതം
Meaning –
Just as a fire is enclosed by smoke, a mirror is camouflaged by dust, and an embryo is hidden by the womb, similarly one’s knowledge gets shrouded by desire.
Knowing the facts of what is right and what is
wrong is called discrimination. This insight exists in in the intellect. But desires
or the lust is such a daunting enemy that it smokes the discriminatory capability
of the intellect. Sri Krishna gives three levels of specimens to demonstrate
this opinion.
Fire, which gives the light, itself gets covered
by smoke. This partial concealing is like the thin cloud that sattvic desires produce. A
mirror, which is naturally reflective, gets masked by dust. This semi-opacity
is like the masking effect of rajasic desires on the intellect. Thirdly, an
embryo gets covered inside the womb. This complete covering is like the
consequence of tamasic lust undermining the control
of discrimination. Sri Krishna explains that it is the immoral craving that is blanketing our power of discrimination or intellect.
Wisdom or spiritual knowledge is like a brilliant light, which can
simply be enclosed if we are not watchful. If the lustful desire, greed or anger,
arises in our mind and mask this light of wisdom, then we begin to lose our ability
to decide what is right and what is wrong, and perform unwisely. Sri Krishna explains
here that our wisdom can be covered in three ways according to one’s guna that stands predominant.
Shlokam | 3.39
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा |
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च || 39 ||
ആവൃതം ജ്ഞാനമേതേന ജ്ഞാനിനോ നിത്യവൈരിണാ
കാമരൂപേണ കൗന്തേയ ദുഷ്‌പൂരേണാനലേന ച
Meaning –
The wisdom of even the most intelligent people is masked by that eternal enemy, in the form of burning desire, which is like an insatiable fire.
The unsatisfied desire or in other words the
lust in one’s mind burns like a ravenous fire, which never fetches contentment
to anybody. The sensible person would relinquish it, knowing it to be the source
of sadness. But those who do not recognize this principle, waste away their
life in the pointless quest of attempting to quench their yearning.
Bhagavan compares one’s intense desire or the
lust with an eternal enemy. By calling it an eternal enemy, Sri
Krishna urges Arjuna to be eternally alert and vigilant as the situation of a
challenge to his enemies in regards to his burning desires.
Sri Krishna does one more comparison of the desire
to that of a burning fire. Fire always burns as long as the fuel that is kept
on added to it but stops once the fuel supply is halted. Thus, Sri Krishna wants
Arjuna to be ever vigilant to avoid concentrated thoughts on the sensory
pleasures and the related desires which act as the fuel for the burning fire.
ഹേ കൗന്തേയാ, ഒരിക്കലും തൃപ്തിയടയാത്തതും, കത്തിക്കാളുന്ന അഗ്നിപോലെ എരിയുന്നതും, ക്രോധാദി രൂപങ്ങൾ എടുക്കുന്നതും, ഒരു ജ്ഞാനിയുടെ പോലും നിത്യശത്രുവുമായ കാമമാണ്, വിവേകത്തെ മറച്ച് ഒരുവനെ പാപിയാക്കുന്നത്.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.40
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते |
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् || 40 ||
ഇന്ദ്രിയാണി മനോ ബുദ്ധിരസ്യാധിഷ്‌ഠാനമുച്യതേ
ഏതൈർവിമോഹയത്യേഷ്യ ജ്ഞാനമാവൃത്യദേഹിനം
Meaning –
The senses, mind, and intellect are said to be
breeding grounds of lust. In this way, it hides one’s wisdom and misleads the eternal
dehi.
Sri Krishna states that the senses, mind, and
intellect are the homes where the lust performs the deceitful acts over the
soul or dehi. Under the influence of lust, the sense objects are chosen by the
senses, the senses obsess the mind, the mind misleads the intellect, and the
intellect misses its discriminatory controls or viveka. When the intellect is masked,
the person or deha which is misled to become a slave of lust will do anything
to quench it.
Though we can control our natural tendencies to
the least possible way, the level of intensity of lust increases from senses to
mind to the intellect in exponential multiples. We must be ever vigilant and
intelligent to ensure the thoughts about satisfying the lust do not obstruct the
life’s goals. But instead, when unnecessary time and attention are given to
either senses, or mind or intellect to go after the burning desires, then the
situation leads to the destruction of that person.
ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളും മനസ്സും ബുദ്ധിയും കാമത്തിന്റെ പ്രജനന കേന്ദ്രങ്ങളാണെന്ന് പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. ഈ രീതിയിൽ, അത് ഒരാളുടെ ജ്ഞാനത്തെ മറയ്ക്കുകയും ശാശ്വതമായ ദേഹിയെ വഴിതെറ്റിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.41
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ |
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् || 41 ||
തസ്മാത് ത്വമിന്ദ്രിയാണ്യാദൗ നിയമ്യ ഭരതർഷഭ
പാപ്മാനം പ്രജഹി ഹ്യേനം ജ്ഞാനവിജ്ഞാനനാശനം
Meaning –
Hence, O best of the Bharatas,
Arjuna, to begin with, control the senses first and eliminate the lust, which acts
as your enemy that is the personification of sin and destroys knowledge and wisdom.
After explaining the factors behind
one’s urge to perform sinful acts and how the burning desires cause one’s
downfall, Sri Krishna now narrates the all-important wisdom of how to overcome
lust, the origin of all sinful karmas, which is so evil to one’s consciousness.
After identifying the storehouses of lust, Bhagavan asks Arjuna that, stopping
the desires of the senses is the first and foremost step towards eliminating the
sinful acts. Allowing the burning desires to arise is the cause of one’s griefs,
while eradicating them is the way to peace. Sri Krishna advises Arjuna to bring
the senses under control, thereby killing the lust residing in the sensory
pleasures.
Desires get created in the likes and
dislikes present in the senses, and therefore, that is where we should take
control in the beginning in the way of karma yoga. This requires constant
awareness and alertness towards our likes and dislikes, and not to get beaten
by them.
Sri Krishna explains that the lust destroys
one’s wisdom also along with the knowledge. Basically, knowledge + experience =
wisdom, is the principle. Hence, with sinful actions, one’s wisdom also gets destroyed
which causes complete downfall.
Here, Bhagavan calls Arjuna by name,
“Bharatharshabha” which means the best among the Bharathas, that is Pandavas,
thereby boosts Arjuna’s moral in response to his correct understanding of
Bhagavan’s wisdom.
കാമത്തിന്റെ ഇരിപ്പിടം ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ, മനസ്സ്, ബുദ്ധി എന്നിവയാകയാൽ, ഹേ ഭരതന്മാരിൽ ഉത്തമനായ അർജുനാ, ആദ്യം ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളെ നിയന്ത്രിക്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു. പാപത്തിന്റെ ആൾരൂപമായും, ജ്ഞാനത്തെയും വിജ്ഞാനത്തെയും നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നതും, ഒരു ജീവശത്രുവായി വർത്തിക്കുന്നതുമായ കാമത്തെ, ആസക്തിയെ ഇല്ലാതാക്കുക.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.42
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्य: परं मन: |
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धे: परतस्तु स: || 42 ||
ഇന്ദ്രിയാണി പരാണ്യാഹുർ ഇന്ദ്രിയേഭ്യഃ പരം മനഃ
മനസസ്തു പരാ ബുദ്ധിർ യോ ബുദ്ധേഃ പരതസ്തു സഃ
Meaning –
The senses are superior to the gross
body or deha, and superior to the senses is the mind. Superior to mind is the
intellect, and even greater than the intellect is the soul or dehi that is the
eternal essence.
After explaining why, the senses are
to be controlled in order to stop the lust ruling over one’s karma yoga, Sri
Krishna explains the gradation of superiority among the life’s instruments or
attributes. Bhagavan describes that the body is made of gross matter; superior
to it are the five knowledge-influenced senses (which comprehend the sensitivities
of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound); beyond the senses is the mind where the
thoughts are processed and the faculty of consciousness; superior to the mind
is the intellect, with its ability to discriminate and faculty of reasoning and
understanding; but even beyond the intellect is the divine soul, the eternal
essence.
This knowledge of the sequence of
superiority among the senses, mind, intellect, and soul, is being used by Sri
Krishna to demonstrate how to uproot the control by the lust and thereby
avoiding sinful actions or paap karmas. Control of the senses is called “dama”
and control of the mind is called “kshama.”
ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ, സ്ഥൂലശരീരം അഥവാ ദേഹത്തിനെക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠമാണ്, ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളെക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠം മനസ്സാണ്. മനസ്സിനേക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായത് ബുദ്ധിയാണ്, ബുദ്ധിയേക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠമാണ് ശാശ്വതമായ സത്ത് അഥവാ ആത്മാവ് അതായത് ദേഹി.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
Shlokam | 3.43
एवं बुद्धे: परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना |
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् || 43 ||
ഏവം ബുദ്ധേഃ പരം ബുദ്ധ്വാ സംസ്തഭ്യാത്മാനമാത്മനാ
ജഹി ശത്രും മഹാബാഹോ കാമരൂപം ദുരാസദം
Meaning –
Having thus known the eternal
essence to be superior than the intellect, and having reinforced oneself by the self, O mighty-armed Arjuna, eliminate the invincible enemy in the form of lustful craving.
The prior shloka 42 and this shloka 43
comprise the concluding shlokas of the third chapter, karma yoga. In these 2
shlokas, Sri Krishna gives Arjuna the seed of an entire lifetime’s worth of
spiritual practice. But this technique needs further explanation, which is
given in the forthcoming chapters of the Gita. Karma yoga is just the elementary
phase. The reinforced spiritual practice or sadhana commences only when we
learn to control and channel our vaasanaas through karma yoga, which culminates
in the practice of meditation.
This inner conflict between our
lower nature (the gross body, senses, and the mind) and our higher nature
(intellect and the soul) is the central theme of the Gita. Thus, Sri Krishna
concludes the teaching on karma yoga with a thoughtful message: strengthen
oneself by the self. It means that by practicing karma yoga, we strengthen our
higher nature, and that enables us to control our lower nature.
This is explained vividly in the Kaṭhopaniṣhad with the help of the model of a chariot: The Upanishad says there is a chariot (the gross body or deha), which has
five horses pulling it (the five senses); the horses have reins in their mouths
(represent the mind), which are in the hands of a charioteer (the intellect); a
passenger is sitting at the back of the chariot which is the soul. Ideally, the
passenger should instruct the charioteer, the intellect, who should then control the reins (the mind) and
guide the horses in the proper direction. However, if the charioteer has gone to
sleep or in puzzled state, the horses will control the journey as per their pleasures. The mind
will play around as per the sensory pleasures it receives, and so the soul will have no control over the karmas attributed.
ശാശ്വതമായ സത്ത, അഥവാ ആത്മാവ് ബുദ്ധിയേക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠമാണെന്നുള്ളത്‌ മനസ്സിലാക്കി, സ്വയമേവ ബലമാർജ്ജിച്ച്, മഹാ ബലവാനായ അർജുനാ, കാമരൂപത്തിലുള്ള അദമ്യമായ ശത്രുവിനെ നിശ്ശേഷം ഇല്ലാതാക്കുക.
🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺
|| ഇതി ശ്രീമദ് ഭഗവദ് ഗീതാസു ഉപനിഷത്‌സു
ബ്രഹ്മവിദ്യായാം യോഗശാസ്ത്രേ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണാർജ്ജുനസംവാദേ
കർമ്മയോഗോ നാമ തൃതീയോഽദ്ധ്യായഃ ||
ഇങ്ങനെ കർമ്മയോഗമെന്ന മൂന്നാം അദ്ധ്യായം സമാപിക്കുന്നു
🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
Comments
Post a Comment