GEMS
FROM THE
Beach 8: One's Nature vis-à-vis one's Duty
WAVE 4: NOTES FOR THE GITA
DROP 3: KARMA YOGA
II-47
to 51: Several ways in which one can
understand these shlokas. There are two aspects. Why? And How?. ‘Why’ is explained by the first 25 below :
1.
Action is done by the BMI. The
consequence of action will come to the BMI.
But you have to be detached from your BMI. This means you should
have no attachment to the consequence of action. Maa phaleshhu.
2.
Any binding to the results of the action means a bondage to its
transience. Any bondage to transient things creates a vAsanA which
will have to be exhausted later either by an experience in this birth or by
having a future birth. (See V – 12).
3.
Any thirst for the fruits of actions will mean more births again
and again to
enjoy them.
4.
Dispensation of the fruits of action is under the control of
5.
If you are attached to the fruits of your action, efficiency of the
action will suffer. Attached involvement implies excitement which
implies confusion; therefore efficiency suffers. Example: Answering an
examination paper. Acting on the stage.
6.
Detachment is only a question of attitude. See III – 25 &
XVIII-57 Attachment means presence of ego-centric desires. Let not attachment
or aversion determine the action.
7.
See II-48. Even-mindedness to success or failure is a must. This is “maa phaleshhu”.
8.
“maa te sangostvakarmani”. You
cannot desist from action because you have to do what is prescribed for
you. See III – 8.
9.
Renunciation of an obligatory duty is in no way justified. One cannot reach
the goal of Karma Yoga that way. See III – 4; XVIII – 7,8.
10.
Detachment from the fruits of actions does not mean indifference
to them. For you have to do your duties efficiently. “samAcara” is the
word. See III-9
and III – 19. Also XVIII – 26.
11.
Later
12.
Every desire is wrong. For desire leads to anger, anger leads to
delusion, delusion leads to malfunction of the intellect and that is chaos.
(See II-62, 63). So desire for the fruits of action is also wrong.
13.
No expectations means no thought of success or failure.
Therefore no frustration or elation. No consequential pain or pleasure. No
jubilation, no dejection. No chance for play of the ego.
14.
No
preoccupations with the future. This means: ‘Act in the living
present’.
15.
Your right is only for action, not for its renunciation. If you forcibly
try to renounce all action, III-5 says you will not succeed. Your nature
will compel you to act. (III -33) (XVIII-59,60).
16.
Refusing to perform an obligatory duty will bring punishment not only in this world, but in
the other world also.
17.
The non-absolute philosophical schools emphasize: All actions are to be
done for the satisfaction of God and never for any other fruit.
18.
See ‘yat karoshi …’ (IX-27) . You
have dedicated all your actions to God. So no more claim either on the
action or its results.
19.
XVIII -12 says ‘Fruits of action adhere
not to those who do not have any desire or attachment to them. Such people
are not therefore instrumental in making their action bear fruit. “mA karma
phala-hetur bhUH”
20.
All unhappiness arises from non-recognition of the transience of
everything. Therefore don’t be bound by the syndromes of the transient. Fruit
of action is a transient.
21.
Nothing is yours. In particular, the phala (=fruit of action) also cannot be
yours.
22.
Action done for oneself adds a coating to the Ego and thickens it. Thus it
insulates one from God. Actions done for others remove the self-centredness.
23.
‘artha’ and ‘
24.
The Br.U. says those who work for fruits of
actions are miserable, like ‘slaves bought for a price’. kRpaNAH,
paNakrIta iva dAsAdiH, says Shankara.
25.
Neither the good nor the bad should keep us in bondage. all
thought of phala, either way, is an obstacle to the spiritual ascent.
26.
Do everything as a yajna, as a dedication. That way
attachment will never be self-centred and no personal interests are at stake.
Dedication means voluntary acceptance of suffering by the BMI for the sake of
the deity of dedication.
27.
In order to get rid of all attachments, acquire the (only) attachment
to God. Cf. “paRRuga
..” in
TirukkuraL.
28.
Break the VasanA-thought-action chain by doing every action as a discharge of
obligation, not for reward: -- as you say, Thank you.
29.
Six examples: (a) Doctor on the Operation
Table (b) Actor on the stage vis-à-vis his actions on the stage (c) Gramaphone
needle doing its job without any like or dislike (d) Child kicking the chest of
the adult who carries it. It has no axe to grind. (e) Nurse attending on a
patient. (f) Judge sentencing a criminal.
30.
All religions say: Do your duty. But Hinduism adds a punchline to
it: “Do it without attachment or sense of ownership”.
31.
III – 30 and XVIII – 26 , both capsule the
entire strategy
of right action in one shloka.
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