Bhagavatgita a detailed study chapter 18-Liberation through renunciation

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18.

jnaanam jneyam parijnaathaa thriviDhaakarmachodhanaa

 

karaNam karma karthethi thrividdhaH

karmasangrahaH

 

Knowledge, jnanam, the knowable, jneyam and the

knower, parijnAthA are the inducement to work while, the instrument ,work and

the agent are the constituents of work.

 

The inducement to any work is to have the knowledge

of how to do, and about the work itself which is the object of knowledge and

the person who knows how to do it. If

anyone of the three is absent there will not be any inducement to work. In

making a pot, the knowledge of what the

pot is the jneya, the knowledge how to

make it is the jnana and the potter himself it's the parijnaatha.

 

But the

actual work consists of an instrument, action and the doer. The potter's

wheel and the body and limbs of the potter are instruments, karaNa, in the

above example, the action of making a pot is the karma, and the potter is the

karthaa. Hence these three are termed as the constituents of work.

 

19.

jnaanam karma cha karthaa cha thriDhaiva

guNabhedhakaH

Prochyathe guNasankhyaane yaThaavath SrnU

thaani api

 

The

knowledge, action and the agent of action are of three kinds according to the

gunas mentioned in the sasthra on gunas. Hear from Me that also as it is.

 

The

sastra of gunas mentioned here is the saankhyasastra of Kapila which deals with

the gunas in detail and shows that everything is constituted of the three

gunas.

 

Krishna thus classifies the jnana, karma and karthaa in to three kinds next.

 

20.sarvabhootheshu yenaikam bhaavam

avyayameekshathe

 

avibhktham vibhaktheshu thajjnaanam viddhi saathvikam

 

By

which knowledge one sees the immutable and indivisible reality, Brahman, in all

beings, the unity in diversity, his knowledge is saathvik.

 

The

real knowledge gives a perception of the Lord everywhere in all beings. This

comes from the study of scriptures and the experience the presence of the

divine everywhere. The upanishat says, eko

vaSee sarvabhoothaantharaathmaa ekam roopam bahuDhaa yaH karothi(Kato. 2.2.12)

, being one, the controller and the

inner self of all makes a single form multifarious.

 

As

the real content of all things made of mud is only clay, vaachaarambhaNam vikaaraH naamaDheyam mrttikethyeva sathyam ( Chan.

Up-6.1.4), the difference is only in the name and form and the mud alone is

real , Brahman is the only reality in all. This is the real knowledge gained

through the scriptures and which is realized by

a saathvik intellect.

 

 

21.praThakthvaena thutathjnaanam

naanaabhaavaan

prthakviDhaan

 

vetthi sarveshu bhootheshu thath jnaanam vidDhi raajasam

 

The

knowledge which makes one see diversity in all beings by perceiving each one

separately is raajasik.

 

One

who identifies himself with the body, mind and intellect sees the world as

consisting of different beings, each one distinct. The attachment to the body

makes one see diversity and gives rise to raga and dhvesha, likes and dislikes

bringing fear and courage, joy and sorrow as a result. In short the bhedhabudDhi, the perception of

difference is the cause of dhvandhvabuddhi, perception of the

pairs of opposites. One is not afraid of or dislikes himself.

 

 

22. yatthu kritsnavat ekasminkaarye

saktham ahaithukam

 

athathvaarThavadhalpam cha

thatthaamasam

udhaahrtham

 

That

knowledge which creates clinging to one entity as if it is the whole without

reason, against reality and trivial is thamasik.

 

This clinging to a particular thing as if it alone

matters is normally found in people who crave for worldly things like power or

wealth etc. But it could exist even about good things which becomes an

obsession. In Srimadbhagavatham the Lord says that if one worships Him and does

the rituals but shows no love towards His

creations is not dear to the Lord and such a person will not get the

fruit of his pious acts.

 

There is a story to illustrate this. A man was

praying earnestly to God to come in front of him and God appeared in his dream

and told him that He would come the next day. The man prepared all things for

worship and to offer to God and waiting anxiously. Then a beggar came to his

door but he had no patience lest God might walk in any time and drove him away.

Next an old woman came asked for food and even her he turned out because he was

waiting for God and could not waste time in looking after her needs. It was

nearly night and still there was no sign of God and lastly a weary traveller

came to his door and asked shelter for

the night. The man was furious and showed him the door. Then the day ended and

he went to bed disappointed. God appeared to him in his dream and the man asked

God why did He not come as promised. God replied, "I came to you thrice but you

sent me away!"

 

Next the action is classified threefold.