Bhagawad Gita Ch.3 Verses 1-7 [Swamy Chinmayananda]

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atha tR^itiiyo.adhyaayaH. (karmayogaH)

 

arjuna uvaacha .

 

jyaayasii chetkarmaNaste mataa buddhirjanaardana .

tatki.n karmaNi ghore maa.n niyojayasi keshava .. 3\.1..

 

Arjuna said: 1. If it be thought by you that 'knowledge' is superior to

'action, 'O Janardana, why then, do you, O Kashava, engage me in this

terrible action?

 

Arjuna still believes that, to fight against his cousins, teachers and

grandfathers is a terrible (ghora) action. He seems to have forgotten, or

not to have understood at all, Krishna's words in the last chapter. Kashava

had therein explained and clearly indicated that the Mahabharata-war was not

Arjuna's attempt to murder any of his cousins or teachers. Arjuna cannot

have any individual personality in any army. It was a war. In a war the two

armies fight, and it represents the clash of two ideologies. The Pandavas

were convinced of the moral purity, the spiritual worth, and the divine

glory of their standpoint in the imminent test of strength. But

unfortunately, Arjuna could not sink his egoism, and see himself totally

identified with the army, championing the cause of the good. To the degree

he could not identify himself with the cause, to that extent he nourished a

self-centered egoistic vanity, and, therefore, his moral puritanism in

fighting the war.

 

Arjuna means to say that Krishna's arguments were supporting the

'Path-of-Renunciation,' they included an advice to Arjuna to undertake the

great and terrible 'Path-of-Action.'

 

MOREOVER:

 

vyaamishreNeva vaak{}yena buddhiM mohayasiiva me .

tadekaM vada nishchitya yena shreyo.ahamaap{}nuyaam.h .. 3\.2..

 

 

2. With this apparently perplexing speech you confuse, as it were, my

understanding; therefore, tell me that "one" way by which, I, for certain,

may attain the Highest.

 

Suffering from his own delusions as he was, Arjuna, intellectually an

average man, had not in himself that amount of subtle philosophical acumen

to discriminate between the subtle arguments, and grasp for himself whether

the 'Path-of-Action' or the 'Way-of-Knowledge' was the direct approach to

the Infinite, the Eternal. His question concludes, therefore, with a humble

request: "Tell me that 'ONE' PATH by which, I, for certain, can attain the

Highest."

 

As a child of that age, there was no doubt, even in Arjuna's mind, that life

was not to be squandered away in merely producing, acquiring, hoarding and

spending wealth. As a true child of Hinduism, he vaguely knew that he had to

fulfil a great cultural mission in the world, and that material successes

were only the means and not the end, or the goal. Partha's doubt was only on

how best he could make use of the environments that presented themselves to

him so that he might carve out for himself a greater cultural growth and a

fuller spiritual unfoldment in himself.

 

THE BLESSED LORD GIVES THE FOLLOWING REPLY WHICH IS IN CONFORMITY WITH THE

QUESTION:

 

shriibhagavaanuvaacha .

 

loke.asmin dvividhaa nishhThaa puraa prok{}taa mayaanagha .

GYaanayogena saaN^khyaanaa.n karmayogena yoginaam.h .. 3\.3..

 

 

The Blessed Lord said : 3. In this world there is a two-fold path, as I said

before, O sinless one; the 'Path-of-Knowledge' of the SANKHYANS and the

'Path-of-Action' of the YOGINS.

 

To consider the 'Path-of-Action' (Karma Yoga) and the 'Path-of-Knowledge'

(Jnana Yoga) as competitive is to understand neither of them. They, being

complementary, are to be practised SERIALLY one after the other. Selfless

activity gives a chance to the mind to exhaust many of its existing mental

impressions. Thus purified, the mind gains such a flight and ethereal poise

that it can steadily soar into the subtlest realms of meditation, and

finally come to gain the experience of the transcendental Absolute.

 

Men belonging to foreign cultures find it very difficult to understand

Hinduism when they approach it with all their native enthusiasm. They feel

overwhelmed when they read of such a variety of 'Paths' and seemingly

contradictory advices. But, to condemn Hinduism as unscientific because of

this, would be a mistake, as colossal and as ludicrous as to say that

medicine is no science at all, since, for each patient, the same doctor

prescribes a different medicine, during a single afternoon!!

 

Religious men, men fit for spiritual discipline, fall under two distinct

categories: the active and the contemplative. Temperamentally, these two

classes fall so widely apart, that to prescribe for both of them one and the

same technique for individual development, would be to discourage one

section and ignore its progress. The Geeta is not merely a text-book of

Hinduism but a Bible of humanity. As such, in its universal application, it

has to show methods of self-development to suit the mental and intellectual

temperaments of both these categories.

 

Therefore, Krishna clearly explains here that the two-fold path of

Self-development was prescribed for the world-the 'Path-of-Knowledge' to the

MEDITATIVE, and the 'Path-of-Action' to the ACTIVE. It is added that this

classification and careful prescription for the two different types of men

has been in existence from the very beginning of creation.

 

For the first time, Lord Krishna is giving us here in this stanza, a glimpse

of the identity of the man who is the author of the Geeta. If it were given

out by the son of Devaki, a mere mortal who lived in that age, he would at

best, have given us only an intellectual theory built entirely upon the

observed data. Observed data always have a knack of changing, and when they

change, the final conclusions also must necessarily change. We have now a

hundred different political and economic philosophies, and numberless

scientific theories that have all become outmoded when the social living

conditions, or the economic structure, or the collected and observed data

have changed in their set up, or in their imperative messages. If the Geeta

was the conclusion of a mere mortal Krishna's intellect, the values of life

preached therein would also have got outmoded and by now become fossilised!

 

Here, He clearly says that, at the very beginning of creation, these two

'Paths' were prescribed by 'Me'; thereby indicating that Krishna is talking

here not as the Blue Boy of Vrindavana --- not as the Beloved of the gopis

--- not as the great diplomat of His age --- but as a Man-of-Realisation, a

Prophet, and a Seer, who lived in that period of Indian history. It is

neither as Arjuna's charioteer, nor as a friend, nor as a well-wisher of the

Pandavas, that He is talking at this moment. Perfectly identifying with the

spiritual dignity in Himself, experiencing His Absolute Nature, it is as the

Eternal substratum for the entire PLURALISTIC world, as the Cause of all

Creation, as the Might in all substances, that He is talking now.

Transcending all time and causation, in a burning conviction of the lived

Truth, He declares here: "At the very beginning of creation, these two

'paths' were given out by Me as the two possible methods by which the ACTIVE

and the CONTEMPLATIVE could seek and re-discover the Eternal nature of their

very Self."

 

THE 'PATH-OF-ACTION' IS A MEANS TO AN END, NOT DIRECTLY, BUT ONLY AS A

PREPARATION TO THE 'PATH-OF-KNOWLEDGE'; WHEREAS THE LATER, WHICH IS ATTAINED

BY MEANS OF THE 'PATH-OF-ACTION,' LEADS TO THE GOAL DIRECTLY WITHOUT

EXTRANEOUS HELP. TO SHOW THIS THE LORD SAYS:

 

na karmaNaamanaarambhaannaishhkarmyaM purushho.ashnute .

na cha sa.nnyasanaadeva siddhi.n samadhigach{}chhati .. 3\.4..

 

 

4. Not by non-performance of actions does man reach 'actionlessness' ; nor

by mere renunciation does he attain 'Perfection. '

 

Spiritually, as the Self, everyone of us is All-full and Perfect. Due to our

'ignorance'of this spiritual experience, we entertain in our intellect

unending desires, each of them being our own intellect's attempt to fulfil

itself! It is very well-known that we desire things that are not already

with us in full, or in a satisfying quantity. As the desires in us, so are

our thoughts; thoughts are the disturbances created in our mental zone by

our desires. At every moment, the texture and quality of our thoughts are

directly conditioned and controlled by our desires. Thoughts in an

individual, expressed in the outer world-of-objects, become his actions;

actions are nothing other than the actor's thoughts projected and expressed

in the world. Thus, in this chain-of-'ignorance,' constituted of desires,

thoughts, and actions, each one of us is caught and bound.

 

If we observe them a little more closely, we find that these are not so many

different factors, but are, in fact, different expressions of one and the

same spiritual IGNORANCE. This ignorance (Avidya), when it functions in the

intellect, expresses itself as DESIRES. When the desires, which are nothing

other than the 'ignorance,' function in the mental zone, they express

themselves as THOUGHTS. These thoughts, when they express in the outer

world, become ACTIONS. Naturally, therefore, if the Supreme can be defined

as "the experience beyond ignorance," it must necessarily be true that the

Self is "the State of "DESIRELESS-NESS" or "the Condition of

THOUGHTLESS-NESS" or "the Life of ACTIONLESS-NESS."

 

By mere 'renunciation of action' (Samnyasa) no one attains Perfection.

Running away from life is not the way to reach the highest goal of

evolution. Arjuna's intention, you may remember, was to run away from the

war-front, and, therefore, this misguided Hindu was to be re-educated in the

right understanding of the immortal culture of the Vedas. For this purpose

was the Divine Song given out by Krishna.

 

Through action, to a purification of the inner instrument, applying which

the seeker walks the 'Path-of-Knowledge' to reach ultimately the spiritual

destination of self-development as indicated in this stanza. Hence it has

been often quoted by all great writers on Hinduism.

FOR WHAT REASON, THEN, DOES A PERSON NOT ATTAIN PERFECTION THAT IS FREE FROM

ACTIVITIES BY MERE RENUNCIATION, UNACCOMPANIED BY KNOWLEDGE? --- THE REASON

THUS ASKED FOR IS GIVEN AS FOLLOWS:

 

na hi kashchitkshaNamapi jaatu tishhThatyakarmakR^it.h .

kaaryate hyavashaH karma sarvaH prakR^itijairguNaiH .. 3\.5..

 

5. Verily, none can ever remain, even for a moment, without performing

action; for, everyone is made to act helplessly, indeed, by the qualities

born of PRAKRITI.

 

Man is ever agitated under the influence of the triple tendencies of

Unactivity (Sattwa), Activity (Rajas) and Inactivity (Tamas) inherent in

him. Even for a single moment he cannot remain totally inactive. Total

inactivity is the character of utterly insentient matter. Even if we are

physically at rest, mentally and intellectually we are active all the time,

except during the state of deep-sleep. So long as we are under the influence

of these three mental tendencies (gunas), we are helplessly prompted to

labour and to act.

Therefore, not to act at all is to disobey the laws of nature which shall,

as we all know, bring about a cultural deterioration in ourselves. If there

is a creature who remains inactive physically, he will get dissipated in his

thoughts. Therefore, the Geeta advises him to act vigorously with a right

attitude of mind, so that he may avoid all internal waste of energy and

learn to grow in himself.

 

NOW, FOR HIM WHO KNOWS NOT THE SELF, IT IS NOT RIGHT TO NEGLECT THE DUTY

ENJOINED ON HIM. SO THE LORD SAYS:

 

karmendriyaaNi sa.nyamya ya aaste manasaa smaran.h .

indriyaarthaanvimuuDhaatmaa mithyaachaaraH sa uchyate .. 3\.6..

 

6. He who, restraining the organs-of-action, sits thinking in his mind of

the sense-objects, he, of deluded understanding, is called a hypocrite.

To sit back physically retired is not the way to reach anywhere, much less

the final State of Perfection. If this physical retirement is not

efficiently accompanied by an equal amount of mental and intellectual

withdrawal from the sensuous fields, the spiritual future of such a

misinformed seeker is surely very bleak and dreary.

 

The truth of this statement is very well supported by modern text-books on

psychology. To dissipate ourselves with immoral or criminal thoughts is more

harmful than to physically indulge in them. The mind has a tendency to

repeat its own thoughts. When a single thought is repeated off and on, it

creates in the mind a deepening impression, and afterwards all thoughts

arising in the mind irresistibly flow in that prepared channel. Once the

direction of the flow in the mind has become fixed, all external activities

of that individual become coloured by this characteristic tendency. A mind

that constantly meditates on sensuous pleasures carves out for itself a deep

sensuous tendency and ere long we discover that the individual is helplessly

egged on to act in the external world, as he had tragically planned for

himself in his mind.

 

To give physically a show of morality and ethics, while mentally living a

shameless life of low motives and foul sentiments, is the occupation of a

man who is not a seeker of spiritual fulfilment, but, as is termed here, a

self-deluded hypocrite! Certainly we all know that, even if we can

physically discipline ourselves, it is not easy for an average man to

control the sensuous tendencies at his mental level.

 

KRISHNA REALISES THAT AN ORDINARY MAN WOULD NOT KNOW HOW TO SAVE HIMSELF

FROM THIS NATURAL INSTINCT AND, THEREFORE, HE PRESCRIBES THE FOLLOWING

STANZA:

 

yastvindriyaaNi manasaa niyamyaarabhate.arjuna .

karmendriyaiH karmayogamasak{}taH sa vishishhyate .. 3\.7..

 

 

7. But, whosoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages his

organs-of-action in KARMA YOGA, without attachment, he excels.

 

In these two innocent looking lines we have the entire

Science-of-Right-Action and the complete technique of right living. The

ECONOMICS OF THOUGHT is a science unknown to the modern world while the

thought economists of yore carved out a Rishi-India and guided the country

to the golden era of its spiritual culture.

 

The mind is fed and sustained, nurtured and nourished by the five

organs-of-perception, with stimuli drawn from the outer world of

sense-objects. The mind in us, as it were, flows out through the

sense-organs, and when it comes in contact with their respective objects,

the sense-organs perceive them. If the mind is not co-operating with the

sense-organs, perception is impossible, even though the objects may be

within the field of the organs. That is why sometimes, when we are deeply

attentive and fully interested in reading a book, we do not hear even when

somebody calls us at our elbow. Examples can be multiplied.

The prescription contained in this stanza asks a seeker to control the

sense-organs by the mind. This can be effectively achieved only when the

mind is given a brighter and diviner field to roam about in. To control the

impetuosity of the mind with sheer will is like an attempt to dam a river

while it is in flood. It is destined to be a futile attempt. Later on the

Geeta will explain the technique of this control.

 

This control of the sense-organs by the mind is only the negative aspect of

the entire technique of right living. Ordinarily, we spend a lot of our

life-energies in the fields of sense-objects. When the sense-organs are thus

controlled, we are conserving a large quantity of energy, and unless this

gathered energy is immediately given a more profitable field of activity it

is sure to break the bounds and flood the inner world and, perhaps, sweep

away the entire personality equilibrium. The second line of this stanza

advises us what we should do with the energies thus saved from their usual

fields of dissipation.

 

The stanza says that these energies must be spent in directing the seeker's

organs-of-action to the appropriate fields of activities. Even here, a very

important precaution has been lovingly advised by Krishna. The Karma Yogin

has been warned to act with perfect detachment.

 

When a camera is loaded with a piece of plain white paper, however long we

may keep the lenses open against any well-lit object, no impression of the

object concerned can dirty the paper! On the other hand, if that very same

sheet of paper is sensitised, then, even a slight exposure will leave the

impressions of the object upon it. Similarly, a mind plastered with

attachment soon gathers on to itself impressions (vasanas) during its

contacts in the external fields of activity. The Lord advises us to act

without attachment, so that, instead of gathering new impressions, we may

make use of our activities for the exhaustion of the existing vasana-dirt in

our mental equipment.

 

The logical and scientific exposition of this theory is so complete that, no

student of the Geeta can discover in it any loopholes for hesitation or

doubt.

By withdrawing the organs-of-perception from their unprofitable fields of

activity, we save on the inner energy which is spent through the

organs-of-activity on a chosen field of work; because of our inner attitude

of non-attachment during the activity, no new rubbish is gathered by our

mind, but, on the contrary, it gets itself burnished by the removal of its

existing mental dirt. The very field of activity which ordinarily becomes a

snare to capture and imprison a soaring, soul, itself becomes the exact art

of self-liberation, when it is rightly employed by faithfully following the

'way-of-life' advised in the Geeta.