Chapter 18

 

Mokshasannyasa Yoga

Prakriti (Nature),  Shraddha (Faith) and Karma (Action)

The Supreme Secret – Action with Freedom  – Being One with Brahman, The ONE IN ALL and ALL IN ONE through Svabhaba and Svadharma

SUMMARY

In this concluding chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, SriKrishna gives a succinct synthesis of the content of the last seventeen chapters.  Every verse needs to be understood fully  and contemplated to assimilate the whole meaning and implication.  It covers the following topics.

1. Gunas, Mind and Action.
2. Svabhava and Svadharma.
3. Towards the Supreme Secret.
4. The Supreme Secret.
5. Sanjaya’s expression of his witness of the profound conversation.

1.  Gunas, Mind and Action.

SriKrishna gives a decisive and clear verdict on the principal of  Sannyasa (Renunciation) and Tyaga (Sacrifice or Abandonment).   SriKrishna explains that Action is a built-in mechanism of the creative machinery of Brahman and no one should try to break it, malign it or try to escape from it.  The anatomy of  factors operating in every Action is explained.  The features of three Gunas of Prakriti – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas manifesting in human faculties like, Knowledge, Action, Worker, Will, Steadiness and Happiness is explained.

2. Svabhava and Svadharma.

SriKrishna explains the basis of origin of diversity of abilities and explains how this creates an opportunity and necessity for mutual cooperation.   SriKrishna reveals how this is also the nature’s inbuilt scheme for life with a spirit of service, expression of love for all fellow beings and adoration of the Divine’s presence in everything and everyone. Following one’s own innate abilities Svabhava,  becomes one’s Svadharma – law of one’s actions.  This ensures progress towards perfection for every one.

3. Towards the Supreme Secret.

SriKrishna gives and explanation of the qualities to be cultivated for perfection of life with Action.

4.  The Supreme Secret.

The whole teaching is applied to the action that Arjuna is about to undertake.   How Arjuna can execute his duty in the battle and reach the supreme status of a perfect life and Action is explained.  This recipe is applicable to all actions.

Arjuna’s expression of readiness to take part in the war, with no confusion, with no misgivings, that is delivering his Svadharma with no hesitation being endowed with Knowledge of the Absolute Self, and being infused with devotion and adoration for the all-pervading Divine.

CONTENTS

Brief explanation of each section is as follows.

Gunas, Mind and Action

SriKrishna says in absolute terms that work should never be given up and further it is also impossible to give up work as long as one has a body.  One should only give up the false notion that ‘I am the doer’.   Purushottama, the foundation of the universe has extended himself as the visible universe through his Shakti (power of manifestation),  called Prakriti, or Maya or Kshara aspect.  The ONE Divine Being, the Purushottama,  is not touched by the movement and action of Prakriti, that is extended and sustained by his knowledge and power.  With this firm understanding,  false notion that ‘I am the doer’ and thereby selfish-desire-motivated actions, Kamya-Karma,  are  to be given up.  This is real Sannyasa or Renunciation.  Further, all duties demanded according the stage of life and circumstances  and as directed by Shastra (Scriptures) must be done with full enthusiasm, with no egoistic demand for fruit of action to be acquired for oneself.  Results of any action are produced by cooperation of many laws operating in the universe along with the participation of many visible and invisible factors.   The results, both positive and negative, are to be offered to the master of works, from whom all work originates – the Purushottama in the universe.  This is real Tyaga or abandonment or sacrifice, or KarmaPhalaTyaaga.  BG:18:2.

Works of Sacrifice to deities (Yagnya), Charity (Daana) and Austerity (Tapas) must never be given up.  They must be performed since they purify the mind.   It is best, if even these actions are done without attachment to the fruit.  BG:18:5,6.  

Prescribed actions (Nitya karma and Niyata Karma -daily duties and duties according to the stage of life)  must never be abandoned.   Giving them up because of ignorance is Taamasa Tyaga.  Giving them up fearing bodily hardship is Raajasa Tyaga  and does not give the merit of Tyaga.   Performance of the prescribed actions, considering them as duty, with no attachment to the fruit is Saattvika Tyaga.    BG:18:7-9.

One endowed with Sattvika quality is wise, free from doubt and does not dislike a particular action because it is not beneficial and also does not get attached to another action because it is profitable or beneficial.  One who has a body cannot give up action.  Hence, one who performs action giving up the attachment to fruit of action is a real Tyagi.  BG:18:10-11.

A person who has not given up the hope for fruit of Action, obtains three types of results – pleasant or unpleasant and mixed.  This causes mental reaction and hence binds one helplessly to likes and dislikes.  Thus, for one who is not attached to fruits of Action,  Actions do not cause any bondage.  BG:18:12.

Anatomy of Cause of any Action

Five essential factors come into play before initiation of any Action.  They are, the Situation and circumstances (Adhishthaana), the doer (Kartaa) , various instruments (Karana) , many kinds of efforts like plan of action, strategy, tactics etc. (Prithak cheshtaah)  and the last destiny (Daivam) .  Whether it is an act by body, speech or mind, whether it is a justifiable or not justifiable act, these five factors come into play.  For example, in the case of the Mahabharata war which is the occasion for revealing the Bhagavad Gita the five factors are:

• Adhishthaana:  The Pandavas being denied of the ownership of their rightful kingdom.  Need for establishment of Dharma.
• Kartaa:  Dharmaraaya –  (the eldest of the Pandavas).
• Karana:   All supporters of Pandavas and the opposing army of Kauravas.
• Prithak cheshtaah:   Dharmaraaya asking blessings from Bhishma, army formations on both fronts,  Arjuna acquiring divine weapons etc.
• Daivam: SriKrishna’s  (visible form of invisible eternal Divine) various tricks.

This being so (many factors, known and unknown, many not under one’s control contribute to the initiation, execution and result of any action), one with undeveloped reason thinks himself as the sole doer and does not understand the reality of things.  One who does not possess the belief that “I am the sole doer”  (understands that action proceeds from the eternal unchanging divine Atman within him or the Purushottama in the universe through his power of Gunas of Prakriti), whose reason is detached from selfish desires and the results of his work, cannot be said to have killed even if he destroys another person.  Actions do not bind him.   This is the  philosophy behind determining what is one’s duty and non-duty.   The liberated man acts as an instrument of the Divine,  feeling one with the universal Divine Being and drawing from that infinite energy and wisdom.

This impresses on the fact that knowledge and motive behind the work is of enormous importance than the external work itself.  At the juncture, it was Arjuna’s duty to participate in the just war.  If he refrained from it (as he was inclined to just before the war was about to begin), war would still go on, blood shed would not be prevented.  As the war went underway,  Arjuna’s innate nature as a warrior (svabhava) would push him to enter the war.  Then, the time would not be right and he would be acting out of force of impulse and not with sound reasoning and judgement.  He could be blamed for failing his duty and thereby encourage Adharma, or oppression, injustice and unrighteousness.  This would set in motion a long term disruption of  natural harmony and social order.  BG:18:13-17. 

Origin of Diversity in Knowledge, Work, Worker, Reason, Steadiness, Happiness – a manifestation of three Gunas of Prakriti – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

Three things, the knowledge (jnyana), the object of knowledge (jnyeyam), knower (parijnynata) constitute the mental inspiration to work (karmachodana).  Three things, the doer (kartaa), the instrument (karanam), and the work done (karma) hold the action together (karmasangraha) and make it possible.  BG:18:18.

For example, in case of making pot, the potter (parijnyata) decides “I will make a pot” (jnyeyam) and he thinks “I can do it in this way” (jnyaana).  These three factors operate for any mental inspiration to work.   After this mental process, the potter (kartaa) gets the instruments like earth, wheel etc.  (karana) and makes the pot (karma). 

Knowedge, work and doer are of three kinds according to which of the three Gunas is dominanant  – Sattva, Rajas or Tamas. BG:18:19.

Three qualities of Knowledge (jnyaana): BG:18:20-22.

• Saattvic:  One realizes that in all diverse beings there is only ONE inexhaustible principle.
• Raajasic:  One feels that there are diverse principles in various created things.
• Taamasic: One confines to only one little thing and looks upon it as all-in-all.

Three qualities of  Action (Karma):  BG:18:23-25.

• Saattvic:  Appropriate Action is chosen, done without attachment, not desiring the fruit, without love or hate (The mind and reason fixed in the lord of all work, the purushottama and work is done for his sake, as his instrument).
• Raajasic: Action undertaken under desire, ego dominating as the doer, performed with much strain.
• Taamasic: Action commenced from delusion, without considering one’s own strength and capacity, without considering the consequences, wasting of effort or even causing injury to others.

Three qualities of Doer (Kartaa):  BG:18:26-28.

• Saattvic: Free from attachment and ego, resolute, endowed with calm zeal, not overly elated by success,  not pulled down by failure (He has become a human channel of Divine energy,  full of ambition, enthusiasm and discrimination).
• Raajasic: Attached to work, passionate for fruit, greedy, impure, violent, cruel, using brutal ways, highly elated by success, grieves by failure.
• Taamasic: His reason is unsteady,  is ignorant, proud, is a cheater, deprives others of their goods, idles, procrastinates, gets easily depressed.

Three qualities of Reason and Steadiness (Buddhi, Dhriti):  BG:18:29

Reason or Buddhi denotes the ability to distinguish  between Dharma and Adharma (right and wrong), permanent and impermanent (Nitya and Anitya).   Steadiness or Dhriti is the faculty by the strength of which the decision is adhered to.   These faculties take the character of the dominant of the Gunas of Prakriti.   They are described in their entirety.

Three qualities of Reason (Buddhi or Vyavasaayaatmika Buddhi): BG:18:30-32.

• Saattvic:  Sees properly what work is right and not right, what needs to be done and not done,  what is to be feared and not feared, what work binds and what sets one free.
• Raajasic: Does not properly discriminate between right and wrong, doable and not doable.
• Taamasic:  Enveloped in ignorance, looks upon right as wrong and wrong as right, misunderstands everything.

Three qualities of  Steadfastness or Mental Determination (Dhriti): BG:18:33-35.

• Saattvic:  Unwavering, carries out the activities of mind and senses being in Yoga (not attached to selfish desires and fruit of action).
• Raajasic:  Attached to Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kaama (pleasure) and desire for the fruit of action.
• Taamasic:  Being ignorant,  becomes evil minded, does not give up sleep, fear, grief, depression and pride.

Three qualities of pursuit of Happiness (Sukham):  BG:18:36-39.

Happiness is the universal pursuit of human nature.  In this pursuit, pain is accepted as inevitable corollary, or as a condition necessary or as a means to reach something higher, the source of all happiness.  What is universally sought by everyone is enduring happiness without a touch of unhappiness.  Pursuit of happiness falls into three shades depending on the dominant Guna of Prakriti.

• Saattvic:   Feels like poison in the beginning,  ends in nectar-like happiness arising from Self-engrossed Reason.  One struggles in the beginning to discipline the mind to stand against the momentum of the draw of Raajasic and Taamasic qualities of one’s lower nature.   After constant practice, it becomes natural to look at the qualities of Prakriti as tools of Atman and stay in the happiness of Self in one’s Atman.  Does all his duties happily, with enthusiasm,  without selfish desire without attachment to the fruit.
• Raajasic: Happiness arising from contact of senses and sense objects, which is nectar-like in the beginning but ends being poisonous.
• Taamasic:  Pleasure which begins with delusion and ends in delusion, arises from sleep, idleness, forgetfulness of one’s duties.

Svabhava and Svadharma

One’s own innate nature becomes his duty and work. BG:18:40-48.

• There is no entity in the entire earth, heavens or among the divinities, that are free from the operation of three Gunas (qualities born of Prakriti) in them.
• According to the  inherent qualities of  Prakriti in each person,  the work of Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vyshya and Shudra are divided.
• Natural work of  Brahmana, born out of his inherent Guna, are calmness, Self-control, austerities,  purity,  forbearance, straight-forwardness, spiritual knowledge, objective knowledge, acceptance of spiritual truths.
• Natural work of the Kshatriya, born out of his inherent Guna, are heroism, brilliance, courage, resolute, not fleeing the battle, temperament of a leader, generosity.
• Natural work of the Vyshya, born out of his inherent Guna, are agriculture, business and trade.  Work of the category of service is inherent natural duty of Shudra.
• A person who gets absorbed in performing the duty inherent to his Gunas, will acquire the highest perfection.  Explanation of how this is so follows.
• By worshiping the ONE from whom all beings originate and the ONE who has pervaded the cosmos,  by performing the duty innate to his Guna,  one attains perfection.
• It is bette to follow one’s own work (born out of his innate Guna), even if it seems to be faulty, than to follow another’s work.  By following one’s own law of nature in the his work, one does not incur demerit.
• The natural work, that comes from innate qualities must not be given up even if it seems to have a defect.  All work (emerging from Prakriti’s Gunas) will inevitable have a tinge of defect just as a fire is always enveloped by smoke.

Towards the Supreme Secret

This is a synthesis of the solution to the enigmatic problem of human action.  This is the highest state of Knowledge human can achieve.   This  method of perfection of  a life of action  with spiritual freedom arising from the Knowledge of the Absolute Self and infused with devotion, seeing presence of the Divine in all beings, is the eternal applicability of the message of the Bhagavad Gita. BG:18:49-56.

Sri Krishna describes the qualities one needs to develop towards a living a life leading to the highest state of Knowledge.  SriKrishna says:

• “When a person behaves without attachment to anything, having controlled his mind,  made his heart desireless, then by renunciation of fruit of his Action, he reaches the supreme perfection (naishkarmya).
• Uniting the purified intelligence (with the knowledge of the eternal purity of Atman within), courageously controlling oneself, giving up objects of senses, not pulled or pushed by likes and dislikes, staying tranquil in solitude, eating just right; speech, body and mind controlled,  continuously united with inmost Self in meditation, giving up desire and attachment, having put away egoism, power, pride, anger and instinct of possession, being calm and luminous – such a person is fit to become merged-in-Brahman (Brahmabhuta).
• When one is merged in the Brahman, he becomes happy, does not desire for anything, does not hate anything, becomes equal towards all beings, acquires intense Devotion to ME.
• By Devotion,  he acquires the essential knowledge of how much I am, Who I am in all reality and principles.  When he has thus known ME in entirety,  he becomes merged in ME -the purushottama.
• One who, while performing all actions, always lodged in ME, he by MY favor attains the eternal, imperishable status”.

The Supreme Secret

The whole teaching is now applied to the impending Action of Arjuna, towards the battle of Kurukshetra.   This is applicable to all human Action.  This is the universal rule for all to launch oneself to a higher living than merely as conditioned by the body-mind-senses complex.  BG:18:57-72.   SriKrishna says:

• “Dedicating all your Actions mentally to ME,  having become devoted to ME, keep your mind always fixed in ME, resorting to the yoga of Will and Intelligence be one in heart and consciousness with ME.
• If you are one in heart and consciousness with ME, you will pass safely through all difficulties by MY favor.   On the other hand, If you do not listen to ME from egoism, you will be lost.
• From your ego, if you think ‘I will not fight’, your resolve will be in vain.  Your innate nature will thrust you to your work.
• Being  deluded, what you desire not to do, that you shall do helplessly because you are bound by the work born out of your Svabhava (innate nature).
• OhArjuna, the Lord (Ishwara), seated in the heart of all beings, moves all of them by HIS MAYA, as if they are mounted on a rotating machine!
• Therefore, take refuge in every way, whole heartedly in HIM, by HIS favor you will attain the highest tranquility and eternal status.
• Thus, I have explained to you this Knowledge, which is the mystery of all mysteries.  Having reflected on it fully, do what you think is best.
• I shall once more give you the final, the most secret, supreme word – listen.  You are beloved and intimate to ME, therefore I will speak to you for your advantage.
• Keep your mind fixed on ME, become MY devotee, offer sacrifice and worship to ME, offer reverence to ME, thereby you will become merged in ME.  This is MY pledge and promise to you, for you are MY beloved devotee.
• Give up all Dharmas and take refuge in ME alone, I will deliver you from all sin and evil, do not grieve.
• Do you never mention this secret mystery to  one who does not perform austerities, who has no devotion, who has no desire to hear it nor to one who despises and belittles ME (who is lodged in the body).
• He who expounds this highest mystery to MY devotees, will be filled with intense devotion to ME, will reach ME – there is no doubt about this.
• No one can be found among all men, who does something more dear to ME than such a man.  There will be no one dearer to ME in this world.
• Whoever meditates on this conversation of both of us, I consider them as those who have worshipped ME by a sacrifice of knowledge.
• Similarly, one who follows this, full of faith, without carping listens to this, even he will be liberated and attains the happiest of the sphere of righteous.
• Have you heard this, Oh son of Partha, with a concentrated mind?  Has your delusion caused by ignorance beed destroyed”?

Arjuna says: “My delusion is destroyed, I have regained my memory (of my duties), Oh, Infallible One, through thy grace.  I am free from doubt, I am firm,  I will act according to your word”.  BG:18:73.

Sanjaya’s expression of his feelings to King Dhritarashtra. BG:18:74-78.

• Sanjaya says: ” I heard this wonderful, hair-rising conversation between Vaasudeva (SriKrishna) and the great-souled Partha (Arjuna).
• By Vyasa’s grace, I was able to hear this mystery of mysteries, the Yoga of right and perfect Action, directly from SriKrishna, as the Lord of all Yoga Himself was personally expounding it!.
• Oh King,  remembering this wonderful and sacred discourse of Keshava (SriKrishna) and Arjuna, I rejoice over and over again.
• And Oh King, remembering again and again the most wonderful Cosmic-Form of  the Lord Hari, I am filled with astonishment again and again.
• And, in my opinion,  wherever there is SriKrishna, the Lord of all Yoga, and the bow-holder Partha (Arjuna), there also will be Wealth, Victory, Eternal Prosperity and also the immutable Law of Right.”

OM TAT SAT.

This concludes the Chapter eighteen  entitled  ‘Moksha Sannyasa Yoga‘ in the dialogue between SriKrishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita Upanishad (Upanishad told by the Lord), on the Science of  Science of right Action (Yoga-Shastra), included in the Knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-Vidya).