Bhagavatgita a detailed study chapter 18-Liberation through renunciation

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Bhagavatgita

chapter18- Liberation through renunciation

 

The second and 18th adhyayas of the gita

comprise the epitome of the teachings of the Gita. In this adhyaya the

following points are elucidated.

1. The identity between thyaga and sanyasa

2.

The nature of thyaga.

3. Attributing agency of all actions to the Lord.

4. Elaborate description of satthva, rajas and

thamas.

5. The means of liberation.

6. Bhakthi yoga

 

Arjuna first asks the difference between thyaga,

abnegation and sannyasa, renunciation.

Then Krishna starts elucidating on thyaga and

sannyasa.

 

Arjuna uvaacha

 

1. sannyaasasya mahaabaaho thathvam icChaami

vedhithum

 

Thyaagsyacha hrsheekeSa prThak keSinishoodhana

 

Oh

mighty armed, I wish to know the real nature of renunciation and also Oh Hrsheekesa,

the abnegation, separately, the slayer

of Kesi.

 

Arjuna

calls Krishna by the names mahaabahu, Hrsheekesa and slayer of Kesi to denote

that Krishna alone can expound the meaning of

renunciation and abnegation, being all powerful and master of the senses.

 

Renunciation

or sannyasa denotes the jnanamarga and thyaga or abnegation denotes the karma

marga. Arjuna means the renunciation of action by sannyasa and giving up of

attachment to fruit by thyaga. Krishna first

puts forth the concept of sanyasa and thyaga by other thinkers in the two

slokas that follow before conveying his opinion.

 

Sree bhagavaan uvaacha

 

2. kaamyaanaam karmaNaam nyaasam sannyaasam kavayo

vidhuH

 

sarvakarma phalathyaagam praahuH thyaagam

vichakshaNaaH

 

Sannyasa

is giving up all action motivated by desire, say the learned people and thyaga

is giving up the fruit of action, say those with discernment.

Krishna says that this is the view of sages and the

wise. Here sannyasa means karmasannyasa while thyaga is karmaphalathyaga

 

3.thyaajyam dhoshavth itheke karma praahuH

maneeshiNaH

 

yajnadhaanathapHkarma na thyaajyam ithi cha apare

 

Some think that all karma

is to be abandoned as being defective and others say that the acts like yajna, dhana and

thapas should not be given up..

 

Now the question is which are the actions to be

renounced? Krishna answers that some are of

the opinion that all karma have to be abandoned as even the karma sanctioned by

the Vedas are accompanied with results and as such may kindle desire. But

others hold the view that the vedic karma like sacrifices etc. should be

performed even by the aspirants of salvation.

Shankara explains that these alternatives apply only

to those who have not acquired the knowledge of Brahman, the aarurukshu,

referred to in the fifth adhyaya and not to the already enlightened or

yogarooDa. Hence the three kinds of thyaga or abandonment described further

refer only to karmin or one who is still under the influence of three gunas and

inclined for activity.

 

 

4.niSchayam SrNu me thathra thyaage

bharathasatthama

 

thyaago hi

purushvyaaghra thriviDhassamprakeerthithaH

 

Hear

from Me , oh the best among the clan of Bharatha, about thyaaga or abnegation,

which, oh tiger among men, is described

as of three kinds.

 

All

karma involve body, mind and intellect which are the product of three gunas and

hence the karmas are also classified according to the gunas. It was explained

in the previous chapters that all actions sanctioned by the Vedas fall under

these three classifications. Similarly even giving up the actions are also

classified under the three gunas as the individual acts or give up actions only

according to the nature of gunas that operate on him.

 

5.yajnadhaanathapahkarma na thyaajyam kaaryam eva

thath

 

Yajno

dhaanam thapaSchaivapaavanaani maneeshiNaam

 

The

actions like yajna , dhaana and thapas are not to be given up. They have to be

done as they will purify the mind. So where does thyaga come in? It is

explained in the next sloka.

 

 

6. ethaanyapi thu karmaaNi sangam thyakthvaa

phalaani cha

 

Karthavyaneethi

me paarTha niSchitham matham utthamam

 

But

these acts also should be done without attachment and expectation of fruit and

should be done as obligatory. This is My confirmed view, Arjuna.

 

Krishna now gives his decision

on the abandonment of action. He says that yajna, dhana, thapas are not to be

abandoned because they help to purify the mind. But they have to be performed

without attachment and with no expectation of the fruit. This is nothing but

karmayoga.

 

Now the thyaga is classified into three kinds.

7.Niyathasya

thu sannyaasah karmaNo na upapadhyathe

 

mOhAth thasya parithyAgah thAmasah

parikeerthithah

 

The obligatory actions which one is expected to

perform while being in this embodiment have to be undertaken and relinquishing

them out of delusion is thamasik.

 

Obligatory works here means the daily and occasional

ceremonies like the panchamaha yajnas prescribed for the householder. These

works help in acquiring knowledge and purity of the mind and hence abandoning

these is not proper and is only thamasik.

 

The karma enjoined according to one's varna and

asrama should be performed which include vedic as well as secular.I It means

that one has to do his duty and not forsake it under the wrong conception that

giving up all work will lead to moksha.

This is a delusion and such a thyaga is only thamasik being induced by moha.

 

8.Duhkham

ithyeva yath karma kaayakleSa bhayAth thayjeth

 

Sa

krthvaa raajasam thyaagam naïve thyaagaphalam labheth

 

He who renounces his actions because they are

difficult and painful due to physical hardships that may be involved, does only

rajasik thyaga and will not get the fruit of it.

 

We find that in this world today most of us do only

rajasik thyaga. The work that are obligatory may be performed by most people

but they tend to abandon the work which can be avoided propelled by fear of

physical suffering. As an example the reluctance of a student to work hard,

afraid of the hardship it involves or an office worker reluctant to better

himself by improving his efficiency and qualification fearing the hard work

that is essential for it can be cited and there may be thousands of examples in

our everyday life.

 

Even vedic karma and duties which should be done as

svadharma may be abandoned because it is difficult. The decay of the varnasrama

dharma and ignoring one's duties towards

family and society such as neglecting the aged in the family not adhering to

the correct social behaviour mainly due to the hardships involved has what reduced

our life to the sorry stat of affairs as it is today.

 

So how should one who aspires for spiritual progress

act? The next sloka makes it clear.

 

9.kaaryam

ithyeva yath karma niyatham kriyathe arjuna

 

sangam thyakthvaa phalam chaiva sa thyaagah saatthviko

mathah

 

When actions are performed because they ought to be

done with out attachment and renouncing the fruit it is sAtthvik thyaga.

 

The idea emphasized by the above slokas is that the

renunciation is not the mere abandoning

of action but the true renunciation consists

not in giving up of action but in giving up of the fruit and attachment.

Whatever path one follows, jannamarga , karmamarga or bhajkthimarga, this is

the important criterion.

.. ..

 

To

do the work without attachment and giving up the fruit induces the purity of

mind and awakens the awareness when one becomes fit to meditate on the self and

acquires knowledge.

 

 

What is the state of mind of such a person who gives

up attachment and result of the fruit of action?

 

10.Na

dveshtyakuSalam karma kuSale naanushajjathe

 

thyaagee satthvasamaavishto medhaavee

chinnasamSayah

 

He does not hate disagreeable acts nor does he gets

attached to the agreeable ones because he is saturated in satthva and is wise,

to whom there is no doubt as to what is

to be done and how. This means that neither sin nor merit accrues to such a thyagee through all

his actions. Sometimes in life we have to perform some disagreeable actions for

the sake of others or as a duty. These are looked upon by the enlightened one

as actions to be done without attachment and dislike for the result. Similarly

the pleasant actions are also not makes him feel elated because he has no

desire for the result.

 

Hence

renunciation does not mean giving up of work, says Krishna

because as long as one is in embodiment one has to perform some action or

other. So a thyagee is the one who has given up the fruit of actions.

 

11.

na hi dhehabhrthaa Sakyam thyakthum karmaaNi

aSeshathaH

 

yasthu karmaphalthyaagee sa thyaagee

ithiabhiDheeyathe

 

It

is not possible for any embodied soul to give up action completely. One who has

renounced the fruit of action he alone is termed as a thyagi.

 

Even

a sannyasi has to perform certain work apart from breathing, eating etc.

according to his asrama. But the difference is in doing everything without

attachment and expectation of the fruit of action.

 

But

there may arise a doubt that even if one is not expecting a result all actions will

naturally have their result and how can even the sannyasis avoid experiencing

the result of their kalrma? Krishna answers

this by the next sloka and elaborates on that in the subsequent slokas