BHAGAVAD GITA (4)

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CHAPTER 4 INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE, ACTION, AND RENUNCIATION(Jnana-Karma-Sanyasa Yoga)"Whatever path a

person travels to Me is Me path...All paths lead to Me."1.

Krishna then says, "I taught these same eternal truths to Surya (the

Sun God), Arjuna. He passed them on to his son Manu, the very earliest

man, and he to his son Ikshvaku, who was the first king, so that he

could better handle his worldly duties.2-3. "Handed down in

this way through the ages, eminent sages learned these great secrets.

But through time, the right type of people became scarce, and the

practice of this knowledge dwindled. I use the word secrets

not because these truths are hidden but because so few people are

prepared to hear them today. I'm giving these truths to you now,

Arjuna, because I love you and you are worthy to receive this grace."4.

Arjuna looks puzzled, and interrupts, "But Krishna, how can a modern

man instruct an ancient one? We have been close friends for many, many

years, and I love you dearly, Krishna, but you are only five or six

years older than I am. You were born ages, eons after Surya and those

others. They are from a past so distant it is beyond imagination. Why

do you say it was you who

taught this in the beginning? And please don't just tell me it was you

in an earlier life! That makes it even more strange."5. Krishna

laughs within Himself, knowing the right moment has come. "Arjuna," He

says, "people say the sun rises and sets, but it does not 'rise' or

'set', it is merely out of their sight. I am like that. I am not born

nor do I die, but ordinary mortals, seeing me 'coming' and 'going',

think that I am born many times. For the sake of simplicity, let me say

that you and I have both passed through many, many births. In this

present lifetime you have forgotten them while I remember them all. I

am aware of the continuity of My existence as Atma down through the countless ages, but you are unaware of your Atma, your lasting reality. That is the difference between us."KRISHNA'S DECLARATION6.

"And know also, Arjuna, that as the Divinity in all creatures and all

of nature, I am birthless and deathless. And yet, from time to time I

manifest myself in worldly form and live what seems an earthly life. I

may appear human but that is only My maya (power of illusion), because

in truth I am beyond humankind; I just consort with nature, which is

Mine.7-8. "Whenever goodness and dharma

(right action) weaken and evil grows stronger, I make Myself a body. I

do this to uplift and transform society, reestablish the balance of

goodness over wickedness, explain the sublime plan and purpose of life,

and serve as the model for others to follow. I come age after age in

times of spiritual and moral crisis for this purpose.9.

"Strange? Yes. It is difficult for most people to comprehend that the

Supreme Divinity is actually moving about in human form. But for those

few who dare to learn the secret that it is I, Divinity, who is the

Operator within them, their own Self, My coming in human form is a rare

opportunity to free themselves from the erroneous belief that they are

their bodies.10. "Thus freed from this delusion these special ones seek refuge in Me, the Atma.

They become absorbed in Me, always thinking and remembering the

Divinity within themselves. Purified of their selfishness, fear, and

anger by the fire of this great knowledge, they, as many before them,

reach the Supreme goal. For all intents and purposes these special ones

become one with Me. This is absolutely true; give up any doubts.11.

"You may think this is partiality, but I have no favorites. Whatever

path a person travels to Me is My path. In whatever way a person

approaches Me, I return like for like. If they treat Me as father or

mother, I treat them as My children. If they serve Me as master, I

accept their services as their Lord. If they worship Me as a child, I

approach them as a child. Those who pine for Me, I pine for. To those

who see Me as friend I am friend. Even for those who perceive Me as

enemy I approach as an enemy. All paths lead to Me, Divinity.12.

"Most who long for success in worldly pursuits pray to the gods (minor

deities) that their needs be fulfilled. In truth, any desire is a form

of prayer, and often results in quick success. The higher the ideal,

however, the more arduously one has to pursue it and the longer one

must wait.13. "In the beginning, I established the evolutionary

system in nature whereby evolve toward spiritual perfection. I then

established four groupings of people for the harmonious working of

societies and the progress of humankind. These classifications

correspond to progressively higher levels of consciousness and moral

and spiritual attainment. All societies have generally similar

groupings. The system sometimes unfortunately veers from its proper

course, but know that the basic pattern is valid for the social harmony

and clarity of purpose in all societies."And know, Arjuna, that although people are, at their core, all one, there are differences within them based on their karma

(the consequences of their previous actions), and based on their

natural makeup. And know that even though I am the author of these

distinctions, I (the Atma within) am untouched by them because I am beyond all karmas, all consequences of My actions."FREEDOM FROM THE WHEEL OF KARMA14. "Karmas do not cling to Me (Atma) because, as I mentioned, I am not concerned with the fruits of My actions. Anyone who really understands this principle of Atma, the True Self Within, is likewise not bound by the consequences of their own actions.15.

"This is not a new discovery. The ancient seekers of liberation were

well aware of it. They carried out all their worldly actions without

any sense of ego, incurring no karmic consequences. Do the same, Arjuna.16-17.

"But even great sages sometimes were perplexed as to what is action and

what is inaction. I will tell you which actions (karmas) you should perform and which ones to avoid. This secret can actually free you from the wheel of death and rebirth.18. "The truly wise person (the jnani, the yogi, the Sthithaprajna,

or Illumined One) is the one who recognizes inaction in action, and

action in inaction. He or she sees that where there is apparent action

taking place at the worldly level, there may be true inaction within

the individual; likewise, where there is no apparent worldly action

taking place, there may be considerable action occurring on the inner

level."Arjuna, truly wise persons are in the world but not of

it. They may be very busy with earthly matters but their heads and

hearts stay in solitude. They are connected in this way to the Atma within. These are the wise ones untouched by karma."Those

who are ignorant of the True Self, thinking instead that they are the

body and the doer, may attempt to renounce worldly actions, but at the

inner level they still have the turmoil resulting from their

attachments and desires. That inner turmoil is itself action, and thus

they are still incurring karmic consequences even while supposedly not acting.19.

"The truly wise act without scheming for the fruits of their actions,

and are therefore without inner turmoil. This breaks the chain of karma.

All their selfish desires have been consumed in the fire of knowing

that they are not the body or the doer, but are indeed the Atma, the True Self Within.20.

"These ideas are new to you, dear friend, so listen closely. The wise

ones I have been describing are ever-content and need nothing. They

have abandoned all external supports. This is true personal freedom.

They act, but to them the actions are adorations of Divinity.

Disentanglement from desire for the fruits of their actions is the key

to their success.21. "Expecting nothing, hoping for nothing,

abandoning everything, they keep the mind and senses under control.

Having conquered desire they incur no negative karma even while acting in the world.22.

"These wise ones have transcended the pairs of opposites; they are the

same in success or failure, indifferent to loss or gain; they never

bother to compete or compare, are free of envy, and contentedly

shoulder whatever comes to them. They too are not bound by karmic consequences even though performing worldly actions.23. "All your karma

melts away when you are unattached, when your mind is purified in the

knowledge that all life is one, and when you perform your duties in the

spirit of sacrifice as an act of devotion, an offering."THE VARIOUS ATTITUDES OF WORSHIP24. "Arjuna, everything,

every thing in creation is the Godhead! What is being offered is

Brahman; the very act of offering is also Brahman; the one who offers

is Brahman; even the fire into which the offering is poured is Brahman.

God is not distant, but is within yourself and is your Self. See

Divinity in all your actions and you can actually achieve Union with

the Godhead, Brahman. To do so requires being fully absorbed in

Brahman, being constantly aware of Divinity every moment. No matter

what you may be doing, whether eating, sleeping, working, praying, or

breathing, this attitude of worship (which, remember, is sacrifice) aids the development of true knowledge and wisdom.25.

"Some aspirants offer worship to the minor gods. When performed with

true devotion these offerings bring spiritual growth. More evolved

seekers fully dedicate themselves to the highest Godhead, Brahman,

surrendering their individual consciousness to the Cosmic Consciousness

- offering up their ego to the Lord.26. "Some advanced

aspirants actually learn to suspend the physical senses of hearing,

sight, taste, touch, and smell - offering them into the fire of sense

restraint. In this way they control the stimuli at the gate before

these enter their perception. Others do the opposite - not restraining

the sensations before they enter, but controlling the influence of them

on the mind itself. Both approaches produce the same result:

purification of the mind, which is absolutely necessary for

Self-knowledge.27. "Others who are deeply knowledgeable (of the

True Self Within), in rare acts of worship offer up all their actions

and all the activities of their senses, and even the functions of life

energy, their heartbeat and breathing. Their minds become suspended,

the objective world is negated, ego vanishes. At these times, ego

stripped, the Self is so fully identified with Atma - which is personalized version of Brahman - that the performer of this sacrifice actually merges into Brahman.28.

"There are yet others whose way of worship is to offer up wealth and

possessions. Still others offer up self-denial, suffering, and

austerities (purifications). Others take clerical or monastic vows,

offering up knowledge of the scriptures. Some others make their

meditation itself an offering.29. "Some offer up prana,

the mysterious vital energy force within them. They do this through

control of the breath, literally stopping their inhaling and exhaling.30.

"Yet others abstain from food and practice sacrifice by spiritualizing

their vital energy - that is, by figuratively pouring their own vital

life force into the Cosmic Life Force. The whole point of all these

various methods of sacrifice (worship) is to develop a certain mental

attitude. Those who live with a truly worshipful attitude, whose whole

lives are offered up for improvement of the world, incur no sin (no karmic debt).31.

"This world is not for the person who performs no sacrifice, no

worship. But those who actually live their lives as an offering partake

of the nectar of God. Through selflessness they reach the Divine.32.

"Thus, as you can see, Arjuna, many and various are the offerings that

people spread before God. All of them spring from the workings of the

mind, senses, and body. Although action in its ordinary form is

binding, when converted into worship (devotion) it is liberating. To be

devotional is the sacred plan of nature.33. "Offering up

knowledge (spiritual knowledge of True Self, and so forth) as a

sacrifice is better than any material offering. The goal of all your

work, all actions, is not to multiply your possessions beyond

proportions (which only makes you earthbound), but to bring you to

spiritual wisdom (jnana), intuitive knowledge of the True Self Within.

You are alive solely to become enlightened and united with God.34.

"Another good attitude that aids the development of spiritual knowledge

is to wholeheartedly revere someone who has genuinely achieved it. When

one sincerely strives for spiritual enlightenment, Divinity in some way

puts one in contact with an enlightened teacher. Sincerely question

that teacher. As a burning candle can light many others, an illumined

soul can bring light to many a competent inquirer.35. "Arjuna,

once you gain spiritual wisdom you will never again be deluded or

confused. You will see all of creation in your True Self, and in Me."THE POWER OF SELF-KNOWING36. "Spiritual knowledge (jnana)

does what nothing else can do. Even the foulest of misguided persons

can sail across the treacherous river of sin on the raft of this

special knowledge.37. "Like a blazing fire, knowledge of True Self Within reduces all three karmas to ashes : distant-future karma, near-future karma, and current karma (prarabdha). which is the karma that is presently working itself out. This Atmic knowledge destroys the first two karmas and renders the third type ineffective even as it operates.38.

"In all the world, nothing purifies like spiritual knowledge (knowing

the Self). But it takes searching inquiries into the nature of the Real

and not-Real, and giving one's mind wholly to it. In due time one comes

to know these things in one's heart.39. "Hold spiritual wisdom

as your highest goal, Arjuna. Make your faith deep. Restrain your

senses. Then you will arrive at this wisdom quickly and achieve the

perfect peace of Divinity.40. "The ignorant (uninformed about Atma

and without faith) waste their lives. Through their disbelief they

alienate themselves from the Self and thus from true unity with others.

As miserable people, they cannot be happy either in this world or any

world beyond.41. "People who really know Divinity, who have

renounced attachment to the fruits of their work by offering it to the

Divine, who have used the sword of knowledge to cut to pieces their

doubts regarding the truth of their Atma - no bonds can hold these people. Though they are ever occupied with action, karma cannot taint them.42.

"O Prince, your ignorance of your True Self Within is the cause of your

present reluctance to act, just as the opposite of ignorance,

Self-knowledge, would bring fearless action. So with the sword of

wisdom sever the doubts in your heart. Arise, O best of men, take your

stand. Be a warrior!"(From : The Bhagavad Gita (A Walkthrough for Westerners) by Jack Hawley)Copyright reserved by author Visit : Sai Divine Inspirations : http://saidivineinspirations.blogspot.com/ Sai Messages : http://saimessages.blogspot.com/ Love Is My Form : http://loveismyform.blogspot.com/