Bhagavad Gita (18) - Concluding

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CHAPTER 18LIBERATION

THROUGHKNOWING, ACTING, AND LOVING(Moksha Sanyasa Yoga)"Give Me your whole heart."1. Arjuna asks, "Krishna, Divine One, what is the difference between sanyasa and tyaga? Since both words mean renunciation, how does the one differ from the other?"2. Krishna answers, "The sages say that giving up selfish actions (sanyasa) is one kind of renunciation, and abandoning and relinquishing the fruits of actions (tyaga) is another kind of renunciation.3.

"Some sages assert that one should give up all actions because, being

worldly actions, they all have a tinge of the impure, the not-Real in

them. Others declare that one should continue certain actions, namely

the three highest kinds : sacrifice, purification, and charity.4. "Listen, Arjuna, while I give you the truth. Both terms, sanyasa and tyaga mean

renunciation. Renunciation is not a negative process, but rather the

positive act of giving up. We are surrounded by examples of this in

nature : the sun constantly giving up its heat and light to foster

life; a ripened fruit abandoning its parent tree; the mother giving

birth to the baby she carried for so long; students leaving school upon

graduation; and grandest of all, the individual soul abandoning worldly

entanglements to join Me, the Divine.5. "The 'renunciations' we

have already considered, sacrifice, purification, and charity, are the

three highest of human activities. You should never give them up. They

all are methods of removing impurities for those who understand them -

and purity is absolutely necessary to move Godward, which, as I have

made clear so often, is the goal.6. "Also, as I explained, you

have to selflessly perform these three high activities with no

attachment or desire. It is essential to know this. The cow is sacred

because of her selfless gift of her milk, which becomes the strength of

life in other beings. Yogis

and sages contribute to the purity of the world by giving, not by

amassing. This, as I said, is the essential law that governs life at

the spiritual level.7. "Indeed, the scriptures proclaim that

the sacred acts of sacrifice, purification, and charity are obligatory

and should be performed as long as the body lasts. Those who, through

ignorance, do not perform them are tamasic.8. "To avoid these sacred duties out of fear or aversion to physical discomfort is rajasic. No spiritual benefit will accrue to that person.9.

"But when one engages in these activities for duty's sake alone,

without attachment, with no desire for any reward, then the action is sattvic. Calmness and purity are born of this attitude.10. "Sattvic people, not plagued by doubt and aware of the True Self (Atma), are steady in their obligations. They neither shy from the disagreeable nor yearn for the pleasant. They just do.11.

"It is impossible, as I said, for a human being to fully be a

renunciate (to give up all action) while still in the body. It simply

cannot be done. But the person who detaches from the fruits of actions

can be regarded as a genuine renunciate. True renunciation is

relinquishing all desire for personal reward.12. "Those still

attached, who do things for selfish purposes, will reap their rewards

in due season - either here or hereafter. Their accrued karma can be either bad, good, or mixed, depending on their actions."Being

hurled into darkness to be reborn as a beast is an example of a reward

for evil actions. Being born as a celestial being in heaven is an

example of a reward for good actions. Taking birth as a human is an

example of a mixed reward. But remember, Arjuna, those who renounce

desire and attachment reap no consequences whatsoever of their actions,

either in this world or the next."THE COMPONENTS AND INTERACTIONS OF ACTION13-15.

"Listen while I explain the five factors that spiritual philosophy says

contribute to every action " first, the body (there could be no action

without it); second, the doer of the action; third, the various senses;

fourth, the effort (the motion or energy involved in the doing); and

fifth, the presiding deity manipulating all these instruments,

including the unseen destiny latent in all actions (prarabdha).

These five factors are involved in all human activity, whether an

action of mind, speech, or body (thought, word, or deed), and whether

the action is right or wrong (dharmic or adharmic).16. "A common misapprehension is that the Self (Atma) is the doer of actions. But Atma has nothing to do with any of the five factors of action. The Atma performs

no acts, no work at all, is eternal and pure, wholly unattached to the

realm of matter (where all action takes place). The sense of doership

belongs to ego, the mistaken sense rooted in the mind that you are an

entity separate from Atma.17. "Spiritually evolved persons, established in the Atma,

whose minds are free from the notion of doership, understand the True

Self Within and are therefore not tainted by their actions. To them,

worldly activities (such as, in your case, killing or being killed) are

modifications taking place in the realm of nature (prakriti). Nature, remember, is really the doer of all karmas. As they are firmly aware of this, yogis rise above the turmoil and bondage of karma.18-19. "Now, Arjuna, I will explain how the forces of nature (gunas)

interact with action. There are three general elements of action :

knowledge, action, and the doer. Examining these three elements from

the perspective of each of the three gunas, you see that there are three types of knowledge, three types of action, and three types of doers.20. "The person of sattvic

knowledge knows the Divinity of the Self, sees Divinity in all beings,

knows the oneness of all creatures in the universe, and sees none of

the separateness that others see.21. "The person of rajasic

knowledge perceives separateness everywhere and sees each individual as

distinct from all others. He or she believes there are as many separate

souls as there are bodies.22. "The person of tamasic

knowledge has, in reality, no knowledge at all, only ignorance. This

deluded one clings to the belief that an individual is only a body. To

him or her the loss of the body means the loss of everything. There is

no subtlety of reason in this.23. "Now consider the three kinds of action. Sattvic actions are those acts set forth in the scriptures and performed without attachment. The person who performs a sattvic action does it as a sacred duty for duty's sake alone, not for pleasure or personal reward. There is no drudgery in sattvic work.24.

"Work (action) is rajasic when goaded by desire for the fruits of that

action. Rajasic work entangles one in self-indulgent pursuits, and

requires an inordinate amount of egoistic effort. This type of action

hinders spiritual growth and yields sorrows.25. "Actions are tamasic

when undertaken blindly without thinking or considering consequences.

No thought is given to the cost or merit of doing the action, and the

doer has no notion of his or her own capacity to accomplish it.26. "Consider now the three types of doers. sattvic

doers see it all as the work of the Divine, and see themselves as but

instruments of Divinity. Thus completely egoless, these doers are free

of desire and attachment. They are ardent about the work to be done,

and yet unaffected by success or failure.27. "Rajasic

doers are driven by desires for personal gain; they are greedy and

destructive to the point of cruelty, and joyous or despondent depending

on the success or failure of their acts. They are overzealous and even

harmful to others who seem to get in the way. Spiritual achievement is

not for these doers.28. "Tamasic

doers are inattentive, unconcerned, lethargic, and lazy. Indolence and

procrastination are their main features, along with deceitfulness,

maliciousness, and dishonesty.29. "Also consider, from the perspectives of the gunas, two additional qualities: intellect and firmness of mind. Intellect refers to the faculty of discrimination (buddhi); firmness of mind (dhrti)

refers to the strength of convictions, resolve, fortitude, and courage

on the spiritual path. Listen now as I first describe the levels of

intellect and then the levels of firmness.30. "The sattvic intellect (buddhi) discriminates between Truth and non-Truth, Real and not-Real. It knows the difference between action and inaction (karma and akarma),

and knows what helps or hinders spiritual progress. It differentiates

between fear and fearlessness, and understands what sets the soul free

and what imprisons it. The sattvic intellect leads one Godward.31. "The rajasic

intellect also discriminates, but wrongly. It has a distorted

understanding of right and wrong deeds, rationalizing that the means

justify the ends no matter how selfish or hurtful. This type of buddhi

is capable of converting truth into falsehood and vice versa. Greed,

passions, anger, and fear cloud its vision. It stays mired in base

worldly life instead of guiding one upward.32. "The tamasic

intellect, wrapped in ignorance and enveloped in darkness, simply

cannot discriminate. Goodness appears bad to this intellect while evil

seems good. It understands life in a perverted way. The tamas-dominated intellect drags one ever downward.33. "Now consider the three degrees of firmness of mind (dhrti). Sattvic

firmness is an absolutely unwavering devotion to the Divine, a deeply

profound resolve to move toward and merge in God. You carefully

cultivate this fixity of purpose through inner discipline and

meditation. You turn all life energy (prana)

and all functions of mind (feelings, thoughts, and senses) Godward, and

then firmly fasten them. Like the compass needle that points north

regardless of the direction of travel, this focus on the Divine never

veers from the ultimate goal of merging in That.34. "Rajasic

firmness of mind is similarly resolute but holds fast to the desires

for pomp, power, property, and prestige (or even to the attachment to

virtuous living). If turned Godward this resolve could lift you toward

the Supreme, but directed toward worldly enjoyment it condemns you to

repeated lifetimes of turmoil and pain.35. "Tamasic

firmness of mind is born of ignorance, lack of purpose, and lack of

fortitude, which results in a deadening inertia. In the absence of

discrimination or understanding, the only resolve in tamas is to eat, drink, and sleep away one's time. The tamasic person ignores the rest of life as if it were a dream."THE CESSATION OF SORROW36. "We can also understand happiness (sukha, joy) in terms of the three gunas.

The search for happiness gives impetus to life. All beings join this

endless hunt but very few find it. The happiness I speak of here comes

only after long practice. Sporadic, halfhearted attempts to achieve it

do not succeed. Those who achieve everlasting happiness end all sorrow

in life! Listen, Arjuna, to the three classifications of happiness.37. "Sattvic

happiness is the serenity of mind that meditation brings, the sweet joy

that comes with Self-realization. Like all things good, it is hard work

in the beginning but sheer joy later - bitter poison at first, sweet

nectar in the end. The fountain of lasting bliss flows from Atma, the True Self Within. You can find this bliss inside through abhyasa, steady practice.38. "Rajasic

happiness is just the opposite : nectar at first, poison in the end. It

is temporary pleasure obtained from the contact of your senses with

objects in the world. Give in to this type of happiness and you invite

the pain that always accompanies it. Rely compulsively on your senses

for enjoyment and you rob your strength, stamina, and capacity for

growth. Your spiritual wisdom fades. Pleasure and its corollary, pain,

are what one drinks in the world; real bliss is what one sips within.39. "Tamasic

happiness, born of dark delusion, is a non-comprehending, sleeplike

existence, bitter at both beginning and end. The only pleasure in this

type of 'happiness' is the meager satisfaction of sleep or the perverse

enjoyment that comes with idle pursuits and neglect of duty.40. "In short, Arjuna, the gunas,

the forces of nature, characterize all of creation. No creature in this

world, or the middle regions, or even among the gods in heaven is free

from the gunas. The gunas and prakriti

(nature) are identical. Even Brahma the Creator, the loftiest of the

working gods, is not truly liberated. Why? Because his action of

creating takes place through the guna

material of nature, which connects him to nature. Consequently even

Brahma must someday cease to exist. So, from Brahma on down to a blade

of grass, all living things are connected with prakriti."PRESCRIBED DUTIES IN SOCIETY41.

"I have mentioned the importance of doing one's duty, old friend; now I

will explain the nature of prescribed duties. The responsibilities of

people in the various segments of society can be divided under four

general headings : Seers, Leaders, Providers and Server. No particular

group of people is superior to any other, but like limbs of the body,

each has a respective role to play. These groupings are consistent with

the conditioning of the gunas, whether that conditioning is from earlier lifetimes or this life. It is said that people are born of their own nature.42.

"Consider them one by one. Society's Seers are the holy ones (in some

societies referred to as Brahmins). Seers are expected to establish the

character and spiritual underpinnings of society. Their duties are

generally of pure, unmixed sattva and are therefore congenial to a person of sattvic

nature. This is what is meant by the term 'born of their own nature.'

Providing spiritual and moral leadership is generally 'natural' to

Seers."Seers must have spiritual knowledge and wisdom -

knowledge of God-realization obtained through devout study - and wisdom

beyond knowledge, acquired through direct experience of the Atma.

Seers must have purity of heart, mind, and body; and allow no

perversity or corruption to creep in. They must possess serenity,

calmness, forbearance, forgiveness, and patience - and hold to an

unwavering faith in the divinity of all life. The primary purpose of

the Seers is to help transform society's exemplary human beings into

godly beings.43. "The primary objective of society's Leaders is to help transform ordinary human beings into exemplary human beings. The Leaders (referred to as Kshatriyas)

are expected to guard the welfare and prosperity of society by serving

the people. They are charged with bringing moral stamina and adherence

to duty through courage, fearlessness, resourcefulness, and ingenuity

in the face of changing conditions. They must be examples of law,

justice, and generosity. They must lead by inspiring the populace

through good example and yet be ready to enforce their authority."Both

groups are strong in their own ways. The strength of the Leaders lies

in their courage; the strength of the Seers lies in their spiritual

glow.44. "Society's Providers and Servers are, respectively, the business people (referred to as Vaishyas) and the workers (referred to as Sudras).

The combined responsibilities and expectations of these two groupings

is to prepare, supply, and equip society with the goods and services it

needs. Providers are charged with the activities of economics and

commerce such as growing food, rearing cows for milk and dairy

products, the honest manufacture and exchange of merchandise, and

trading. Servers (workers) are the foundation. They provide the

strength and sinew of society by working with, for, and in the service

of all segments of society."Although there are different

expectations of the four groups, Arjuna, remember that the practices

conducive to spiritual growth - worship, controlling the senses, and so

forth - are within the competencies of all people in all divisions of

society."ACHIEVING THE GODHEAD45.

"All humanity is born for ultimately achieving perfection. This is the

very purpose of humanity. Through being devoted to one's duties each

person will find this perfection. But take heed, Arjuna, the person who

abhors his or her duty can never become fulfilled.46. "Through

performing work selflessly with no attachment to the outcome and doing

it as an act of devotion to the Divine, you attain fulfillment and

spiritual perfection. The notion that work and worship are separate

activities is common but incorrect. Live your life and do your work in

an attitude of adoration of the Divine. Do each and every act for the

sake of the Divine. Love God in everything you do. Convert your earthly

existence into worship. The one who does this is truly a yogi.47. "Your very nature dictates that you perform the duties attuned to your disposition. Those duties are your dharma, your natural calling. It is far better to do your own dharma,

even if you do it imperfectly, than to try to master the work of

another. Those who perform the duties called for by their obligations,

even if those duties seem of little merit, are able to do them with

less effort - and this releases consciousness that can be directed

Godward.48. "Just as fire produces smoke, people's actions

produce effects that can be negative as well as positive. No

activities, regardless of how good, are completely free of blemish. One

should not abandon one's duties even though they may appear tainted.

True yogis discharge their duties faithfully as acts of devotion to the Divine, and thus free themselves from any contamination.49.

"The person whose mind and intellect are no longer attached to anything

whatsoever, who has subdued and gone beyond the sense of self (ego) and

the desire for enjoyment - that person has, through renunciation,

attained the supreme state of liberation from the bondage of karma. This loving yogi has become an instrument of Divinity."HOW ONE BECOMES PERFECT50. So learn from Me now, friend, as I briefly profile the qualities that make the loving yogi one with Me, Brahman, the Godhead. There is no higher achievement in life.51.

"Cultivate a pure intellect. Free your mind and heart of delusion. Be

self-restrained. Give up the ego. Subdue your senses through steady

will. Abandon the sights, tastes, and noises of the world. Put aside

with no regret the likes and dislikes so burdensome in life.52.

"Seek solitude, eat but little, lead a simple, self-reliant life,

curbing your thoughts, speech, and actions. Be detached, impersonal.

Engage your mind always in concentration, contemplation, and meditation

on the Godhead.53. "Cast from yourself all egotism, violence,

arrogance, desire, anger, and attachment. Turn your back on luxuries

and property. Possess very little, and shed any sense of 'mine'. Be

calm, at peace with yourself and all others. Enter into the supreme

state of unity with Me - I who am Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss.54.

"Thus united with Me, tranquil of mind and heart, neither craving nor

grieving anything or anyone, accept all people equally and serve Me,

Divinity, in every living creature. Love Me most dearly.55. "Be

very clear about the crucial importance of love. To love is to know Me.

The act itself of loving is indeed the experience of really knowing Me,

for I am Love, Arjuna! To

love is to know My innermost nature, the Truth that I am. It is through

this sacred and deep knowing that you gain access to Me and become one

with My own Self. Loving is knowing God! As a deep knower of Godhead you actually become the Godhead.56.

"Do not renounce action itself but only the sense of doership. Thus,

even while engaging in worldly actions be but an instrument of the

Divine. When you surrender there is no weariness in your work. As you

are fully concentrated on Me, you will come home to Me in eternity.57.

"Mentally cast every thought and act onto Me. Know I am your best

friend and only refuge. Be solely devoted to Me. Fix your mind and

intellect on Me. Once you recognize that your mind, senses, and body -

and all activities performed by them - are Divinity, then your sense of

doership, of 'I' and 'mine', leaves you. When that happens, you have no

concern but to do Divinity's work for Its sake only. Your only interest

should be to merge in God. It is by loving God that you rise from the

human to the Divine.58-59. "The one with his or her mind thus

fixed on Me can, through My grace, overcome all obstacles. I know,

Arjuna, that you are a good devotee and a beloved friend, but if you

stay caught in your egoism and do not heed My words, you are lost and

you will perish. If, in your vanity you think, "I will not fight,' that

misguided resolve will be in vain, because your very nature will drive

you to do it."You can do no greater harm than fail to follow

your inner truth! You have been nurtured in the duties of a

warrior-leader. Your aptitudes, temperament, and disposition are such

that you must oppose wrongdoing in the world. Facing this righteous

fight you cannot simply decide on impulse to practice renunciation and

quietism. This ego-driven decision of yours creates a conflict in your

personality. Your inner nature will prevail in spite of your ego. Do

not yield to this egoism and disgrace yourself.60. "A man is

not different from his nature, Arjuna, and is obliged to act in

conformity with it. You yourself have created the tendencies that bind

you now. The law of karma is

more powerful than your ego. Even if in your delusion you think that

you do not want to fight, your own nature will force you to. Following

one's nature is the only way to work out one's karma.61.

"God dwells in the very heart of every creature and whirls them around

and around as though mounted on a revolving machine. It is as if

dancing puppets imagine that they are the dancers rather than merely

puppets, and because of this illusion they become increasingly

entangled in the strings."The yogi,

however, changes this basic attitude and holds the conviction that all

actions are in the Divine One's hands. In this way the yogi lives life as the willing instrument of Divinity.62. "Seek refuge only in

the Divine, beloved friend. Always remember the illustrious truth that

you have neither existence nor individuality independent of God. Attune

your whole life to this truth. Take refuge in Me and experience great

peace of mind. Those who do not come fully to Me continue to bring

agitation and a stressful life upon themselves."THE HIGHEST OF TRUTHS63.

"I have now taught you the secret of secrets. I have revealed the most

mysterious of all mysteries. This sacred knowledge is now yours. Its

sole purpose is to lead humanity from the darkness of ignorance to

enlightenment, from the perishable world of nature to the imperishable

world of Spirit, from the non-Real to the Real, from utter sorrow to

eternal bliss, and from death to immortality in Me, Brahman. Reflect

upon this daringly and fully, Arjuna. Inquire deeply into these

teachings and then act as you choose."64. Krishna pauses, "Now

listen once again to the most profound secret, the highest of all

truths. I tell you this for your everlasting benefit because you are so

very dear to Me.65. "Fix your mind on Me. Give Me your whole

heart. Revere Me always and bow before Me only. Make Me your very own.

By these acts you shall discover Me and come to Me. I promise you this

because we are forever linked through love, this greatest of unifying

forces. This divine love is both the means for reaching Me and the

ultimate goal of all human existence; indeed, it is the pinnacle of

human spiritual achievement.66. "Achieving this is the

culmination of all one's strivings. Past good actions, which have been

helpful in your Godward progress, have now fully served their purposes.

Therefore, renounce all dharmas and take refuge in Me alone."Giving up dharmas

does not mean you suddenly become nonvirtuous; it indicates you have

simply moved beyond it all. Taking refuge in Me means that you give up

the idea that you are the doer; then it is as though all your acts are

performed by Divinity Itself for Its sake alone, with no concern about

whether the acts are dharmic or adharmic. When you are acting as God for God it is impossible to do something adharmic."Through

this intense devotion and self-surrender your mistakes and sins

(actions that steer you away from Divinity) will be absolved and you

will merge with Me, the Supreme, forever liberated from the cares and

grief of worldly existence.67. "Our impromptu seminar on the

principles governing humanity's spiritual development is now finished,

O warrior. You must not tell this sacred truth to anyone who is not

devoted, nor to anyone who speaks ill of Me, nor to anyone who does not

care to listen. No one should try to impose this holy information on

another.68-69. "But those who love Me and teach these profound

secrets to people who are ready to listen will definitely come to Me.

No one renders a higher service to Me than this, and no one on Earth is

dearer to Me.70-71. "Those who, although not given to teaching

others, study this sacred dialogue, are also directly revering Me. And

even those who simply listen to these words with faith and acceptance

are liberated from the misfortunes of life and attain the happier

worlds.72. Arjuna responds, "O Krishna, my delusion has gone.

Where my life seemed unbearable before, those self-created problems

have dissolved. By Your grace I am shorn of all doubts. My power and

joy have returned to me. My faith is firm. I am aware of my true

Reality and committed to my dharma. I will do as You command.34.

Sanjaya leaned away from the blind old kind and said, "Thus ends the

wondrous dialogue between the all-pervading Spirit, Lord Krishna, and

His high-souled human friend, Arjuna. This dialogue has been son

thrilling my hair stands on end.75. "Through mystical

benevolence I have been able to report these profound secrets of

spiritual unity directly from the lips of God - spoken directly to His

loving comrade, man.76. "I take these not only as teachings

meant for Arjuna but as lessons for myself, O King. Whenever I recall

this holy dialogue, I will rejoice again and again.77. "I feel

especially blessed to have seen the astonishing vision of the Divine's

cosmic form. As other people use memories from their past to help

recover a sublime state of mind, I will have this divine vision of

God's true form to help me bring bake the glory of this experience over

and over again.78. "Wherever Divinity and humanity are found

together - with humanity armed and ready to fight wickedness - there

also will be found victory in the battle of life, a life expanded to

Divinity and crowned with prosperity and success, a life of adherence to dharma, in tune with the Cosmic Plan. I am convinced of this."EPILOGUEIT IS NEVER THAT EASYArjuna

looks directly into the eyes of his best friend, God Himself, and, in

one of the most famous lines in the Gita, pledges to do as God

commanded. Can we therefore rest easy assuming that the great

warrior-prince lived heroically ever after? Unfortunately no. As we

know, the real battle is always inner - and real life is never that

easy.Recall that The Bhagavad Gita

is a dialogue in the middle of a much longer story. We therefore have

information about what happened following this wondrous conversation

with Divinity.Arjuna picked up his mace and bow and arrows and

plunged into the heart of the struggle of life. Fierce, unafraid, he

showered arrows upon the enemy, sending thousands into the jaws of

death - at times fighting so furiously that both armies stopped to

watch in awe.Arjuna gained fame as the war's outstanding hero.

Hour after blood-stained hour, the battle raged for eighteen days

ebbing and flowing, its outcome truly in doubt until the last moments

when only a handful of soldiers remained standing on either side.But

an odd thing happened. At the most critical times in the fighting, at

those turns when Arjuna came face to face with venerated relatives and

teachers who were now his enemies, he faltered! Despite his direct

relationship with God and regardless of his sacred vow, the great

warrior softened; his arrows could not fly true. His fierce resolve

dissolved; the sacred covenant he forged with his beloved Divinity

vaporized into the acrid smoke of war.Krishna, ever the

greatest teacher, feigned outrage at these crucial moments - on one

occasion leaping from the chariot in a show of utter disgust. These

displays shocked Arjuna back to his duties. Had God Himself not

intervened in this way, the battle, and dharma, would have been lost.(From : The Bhagavad Gita (A Walkthrough for Westerners) by Jack Hawley)Copyright reserved by author Visit

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