Gita Satsang and Karma, Akarma and Vikarma

[Guest guest]

Namaskar,

 

I was quite excited to read the scholarly exchanges between Sunderji

and Madhavaji (the twin coordinators of Gita Satsang). We the members

of the list recognize their scholarship and keen interest and we are

thankful to both sharing their valuable time for the coordination of

Gita Satsang.

 

The subject matter of discussion, karma (action) and akarma (inaction)

within the advaita framework are either quite simple or overly

complicated! In the absolute there is only akarma and at the relative

level karma is inevitable. There is high potential for a variety of

interpretations and conclusions mostly influenced by the background

and beliefs of the interpreter and also by the chosen framework. The

purpose of such interpretations and discussions should always focused

on enhancing our knowledge and also to help us to be receptive to

other ideas with an open mind. My explanation below has the same

motto and it is based on my limited understanding of Gita in general

and karma (action) and akarma (inaction) in particular.

 

We can safely say that only Lord Krishna knows exactly why Arjun threw

the bow and arrow and refused to fight. At the same time we have every

right to make any number of speculative statements such as:

Arjun is ignorant, coward and confused

Arjun's problems were caused by his attachment to his friends and

relatives

Arjun is lethargic and his lethargy is due to his attachment to

inaction

Arjun desperately asks for help from his teacher

Arjun misunderstood the terms karma, akarma, vikarma, dharma, adharma

and svadharma

Arjun believes in non-violence and does not want hurt anyone

Arjun is just checking the knowledge of Lord Krishna by tricky

questions

Arjun wants to find out whether he can win the war without fighting

Arjun pretends to be ignorant to find out what Lord Krishna has to say

Arjun just wants some reassurances from Lord Krishna that the War is

winnable.

Arjun wants just to misguide his opponents and to give them some

overconfidence

 

The above speculative statements are quite conceivable and our

imagination and intellectual skills are quite capable to develop

logical frameworks to support or reject them. The purpose of Satsang

is to engage in objective discussions starting from speculative

statements within the scope of advaitic philosophical perspectives.

The Satsang is a great opportunity for all of us to sharpen our

logical thinking which can certainly help us in our day to day

activities of life. Let us not miss this golden opportunity and

exchange our experiences and ideas so that every one can reap the

benefit. I earnestly request everyone to feel free to make speculative

statements indicated above. We as individuals are limited and but we

are the part of the cosmos which is unlimited with no bound. Given

this fact, the combined force of all the members of this list possess

unlimited capacity and potential to go beyond our limitations.

 

Karma Yoga is one of the most difficult sections in the whole text and

a very important one which provides the key to an understanding of the

basic principles of the message of Gita. There are certain

misconceptions prevalent in the minds of people in regard to activity.

For instance, oftentimes we feel that we are fed up with activity. We

can withdraw ourselves from action as such, and remain inactive and do

nothing. There are occasions in life when people feel like doing

nothing. And the Bhagavadgita's answer is that this is an

impossibility. There is no such thing as doing nothing, because of a

very important reason; viz., the activity of the universe. The

universe is ever active, and it can never be inactive. A person, any

individual, anything for the matter of that, which is a part of the

universe, has no freedom to maintain an independence over the

prescriptions of cosmic laws. The way in which any individual has to

conduct himself, the manner in which anything has to behave in this

world, is decided by the law that operates in the universe as a whole.

And for you to say or for me to say that I shall do this, or; I shall

not do that, would be a misplacement of the understanding. The

universe is not separable from the individual, and vice versa.

 

The idea of inaction arises on account of a misunderstanding of the

nature of action. We feel that, if our hands and feet do not move, or

if we do not speak a word, we are inactive. But action does not

necessarily mean the movement of the physical limbs. It is a vibration

that we set up in our selves and in our atmosphere by the process in

which the constituents of our individuality conduct themselves. Every

cell of the body is active, and our mind is never inactive. To think

is to act. And to be really inactive would be to cease to think. And

even in the so-called mental inactivity of deep sleep the mind is

subtly active in a different manner. The psychology of sleep will

reveal that the mind is not really inactive even in sleep. There is no

occasion conceivable when we can be totally inactive. Right from the

minutest atom up to the highest conceivable galaxy one cannot see

anything sitting idle or being inactive. This is one of the aspects of

the reply of Krishna to Arjuna's decision not to act: There is no such

thing as `no action'. your action is inseparable from your being.

 

Our bondage or our freedom is in the way in which our mind works, and

not in the manner of the movement of the physical body, merely: So,

the substance of this essential point about action is that everyone is

active, and everyone has to be active, on account of the very

structure of the universe. But there is another kind of action which

shall not bind. And that is designated in the Bhagavadgita as

`Yajna-Karma', action performed as a sacrifice. The great God who

created us seems to have spoken to us thus, at the time of creation,

"Children, I have created you, but I have created you together with a

duty." To be born as an individual is also to be born with a duty

inseparably. If we are to be free from duty, we have to be free from

individuality itself. So, when we were born as individuals at the time

of creation, in the origin of things, we have been sent by the Creator

with a commission to perform a duty in the form of Yajna

 

"Sahayajnah prajah srishtva purovacha prajapatih;

Ancna prasavishyadhvam esha vo'stvishtakamadhuk";

 

This famous verse (chapter 3 verse 10) sums up the principle of

spiritual action. Individuals were created together with the principle

of Yajna, or sacrifice. The obligation to perform a duty is a call to

sacrifice. And action performed as a sacrifice becomes a divine

worship, and it shall not bind. Any action which is performed without

the spirit of sacrifice involved in it but with the selfish intention

of the fulfillment of an individual or personal motive shall bind and

bring sorrow to the individual.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Note: This discussion will continue after more responses from others.

 

 

advaitin , "sunder hattangadi" <sunderh@h...> wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> I am sure there are other interpretations readers may have, or may

> have read about, and would like to modify or correct what I have

> written above.

>

>

> Regards,

>

> s.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Since my last posting, while reading some more references on

this subject, and the timely comments of Ramji on yaj~na, and

Dennisji's 'prakR^iti-karma', a few changes in the original seemed

indicated.

 

The word akarma occurs once in Rig Veda X:22:8, where

the 'dasyu'-s are described as akarma, that is not performing vedic

rites.

 

In view of Krishna's advice to Arjuna: niyata.n kuru karma

tvam....[3:8], would mean, 'do your assigned duties'.

 

akarma would then mean not doing one's duties. The duties have

been duly recorded as 'yaj~na, daana, and tapa.'

 

Now these duties are waived or exempted for a sa.nnyaasii. So

Shankara's interpretation of akarma as being applicable to sanyasins

would hold true.

 

In other words, akarma does not mean in- or non- action, but non-

performance of obligatory actions, according to Vedic Varnashrama

rules.

 

So, omission of PRESCRIBED acts, akarma, becomes adharma.

 

And, commission of PROSCRIBED acts [nishhiddha], vipariita, also

is adharma.

 

So karma ideally done can be equated with yoga; and akarma,

ideally done would equate with sanyasa.

 

Krishna has skillfully pointed out that karma yoga and sanyasa

yoga yield the same fruit.

 

sanyasa etymology would also indicate that it is truly an

offering or sacrifice [sam + nyaasa] to the Ultimate Reality or

Brahman.

 

Thanks to Madhvaji, Ramji, Dennisji for stimulating this line of

thought.

 

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , "Dennis Waite" <dwaite@d...> wrote:

> The gita is wonderful! I have read and heard quite a bit from

various

> sources (though nowhere near so much as some of the learned

members!) and I

> would have liked to have been participating in these discussions but

> Sadananda's notes on the BSB have been keeping me quite busy in the

time

> available. However Ram's comments - he said lots of good things

about action

> and the need to act in the 'right' way, i.e. in the spirit of

sacrifice -

> trigger me to throw in one observation.

>

> For me, one of the most profound observations and one to which I

frequently

> have mental recourse is Ch. 5 Verse 8-9. I know you haven't reached

Ch. 5

> yet but here it is: -

>

> naiva ki~ncitkaromIti yukto manyeta tattvavit.h .

> pashya~nshR^iNvanspR^isha~njighrannashnangacchhansvapa~nshvasan.h ..

> pralapanvisR^ijangR^ihNannunmishhannimishhannapi .

> indriyANIndriyArtheshhu vartanta iti dhArayan.h ..

>

> Settled in the Self, the knower of truth should think, in truth I

do nothing

> at all. Though seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going,

sleeping,

> breathing, speaking, letting go, seizing, opening and closing the

eyes,

> being convinced it is only the senses moving amongst the sense

objects.

>

> Dennis

>

>

>

> > Message: 4

> > Fri, 15 Dec 2000 13:35:25 -0000

> > "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...>

> > Gita Satsang and Karma, Akarma and Vikarma

>

> >

> > This famous verse (chapter 3 verse 10) sums up the principle of

> > spiritual action. Individuals were created together with the

principle

> > of Yajna, or sacrifice. The obligation to perform a duty is a

call to

> > sacrifice. And action performed as a sacrifice becomes a divine

> > worship, and it shall not bind. Any action which is performed

without

> > the spirit of sacrifice involved in it but with the selfish

intention

> > of the fulfillment of an individual or personal motive shall bind

and

> > bring sorrow to the individual.

> >

> > Warmest regards,

> >

> > Ram Chandran

> >

> > Note: This discussion will continue after more responses from

others.

> >

> >