Gita Acharan

  W e are usually not prescient enough to understand whether the karma-phal (fruits of action) we desire now will be good for us in future. As in a failed relationship, at one moment, the karma-phal a couple desired was to be together but after some time they want to separate. Many of the regrets people experience today arise from receiving the very karma-phal they once desperately desired, which later proved to be disastrous. On the contrary, based on general experience, many feel that the best thing that happened to them was not receiving the karma-phal coveted by them at some point in time in the past. These experiences gathered over time will help us understand the iconic verse 2.47 in the Gita, where Krishna says that we have the right to do karma (action) but have no right over the karma-phal. These experiences can be used to see this verse through the lens of polarity or duality ( dwandwa ). The world is polar and everything exists in its polar opposite. Th...

  K rishna says that we have the right to perform karma (action) but have no right over karma-phal (fruits of action) (2.47). If one of our loved ones required surgery, we would look for a competent surgeon with character. His competence would ensure the success of the surgery and his character would ensure that he wouldn’t undertake any unnecessary surgery. In short, we are scouting for a surgeon who is a karma yogi . The two takeaways from this situation help us understand the verse better. We expect all our service providers to be karma yogis and that they should give us the best results that we can hope for. If we apply the same principle of samatva (equanimity) to ourselves, we too should be karma yogis while providing service to other people in our daily life. This verse encourages us to give our best in all that we do - be it in our work or in our family life. Krishna assures us that small steps in the practice of karma yoga bring us closer to samatva by p...

  I n the iconic verse 2.47 of the Gita, Krishna says that we have the right to do karma (action) but have no right over the karma-phal (fruits of action). He further says that karma-phal shouldn’t be the motivating factor for any of our actions. At the same time, we should not lean towards akarma (inaction). This is the most quoted verse from the Gita as it touches upon multiple aspects of life. Krishna says that shraddha (trust) has the power to bring about miracles (7.21-7.22). The sincere practice of this verse’s literal meaning, with shraddha , can lead one to the pinnacle of karma yoga . This helps us internalise the essence without delving deeply into its logic or analysing its various facets. The next progression will be to understand that focusing on karma-phal of our actions will make us lose sight of karma itself. As a result, we will be denied karma-phal itself. A poorly executed karma such as studying by a student, can never yield the desired karma-...

  O nce, a group of friends were travelling and they had to cross a wide river. They made a boat and crossed the river. They then decided to carry the heavy boat with them for the rest of their journey, thinking that it would be useful. As a result, their journey was derailed because there was no river along the route. Metaphorically if the river represents a pain polarity, then the boat is the instrument used to overcome that polarity. Likewise, there are many instruments and rituals to give us relief from several pain polarities we face in our daily lives. The Vedas -whose literal meaning is knowledge, describe many rituals to provide relief from temporary pain polarities. Many of these rituals are available and are being practiced to this day. It appears logical to turn to these rituals when we face difficulties in the areas of health, business, work and family. Krishna tells Arjuna not to get trapped by the words of the unwise who promise pleasure both in this life...

  K rishna says that in karma yoga , the buddhi (intellect) is coherent and the intellect of those who are irresolute is bahu-shakha (many-branched) (2.41). S amatva (equanimity) is yoga , which is the balance between the pairs of polarities we face, like pleasure and pain; winning and losing; and profit and loss (2.48 & 2.38). Karma yoga is the path to transcend these polarities, ultimately leading to a coherent intellect. On the other hand, an imbalanced intellect robs us of our ‘peace of mind’. Our general presumption is that ‘peace of mind’ automatically follows pleasure, winning and profit. Krishna dispels this notion when he says that a coherent intellect brought about by the practice of karma yoga gives us peace of mind by helping us transcend polarities. An irresolute intellect keeps dividing situations, outcomes and people as good or bad. Our behaviour is deeply influenced by such divisions. In the workplace, we apply one yardstick to those below us ...

  K rishna assures that even baby steps in the practice of karma yoga give good results and this dharma (discipline) protects us from great fears (2.40). The key point to note is that while sankhya yoga is characterised by pure awareness, karma yoga involves efforts. This is a definitive assurance from Lord Krishna for seekers who have just begun their spiritual journey and find the effort daunting. Krishna understands our difficulty and assures us that even a small effort can produce wonderful results. He motivates us to follow the path of nishkaam-karma (unmotivated action) and samatva (equanimity). One approach is to have shraddha (trust) in what Krishna said and start practising His teachings on karma yoga. Over time, as we consistently view our experiences through the lens of karma yoga , our realizations deepen gradually, leading us closer to our inner self. An alternate approach is to understand our fears and realise how the practice of karma yoga can r...

  A fter elucidating about sankhya (awareness) (2.11-2.38), Krishna says that He would now explain yoga (or karma yoga ), the practice of which will free one from karma bandhan (bondage of action) (2.39). While explaining sankhya yoga , Krishna makes Arjuna aware that he is that indestructible chaitanya (consciousness) which doesn’t have death. From this verse onwards Krishna starts explaining the same through karma yoga . Thus, karma bandhan and yoga need to be understood in this context. The literal meaning of Yoga is union and this word is used in many contexts. Krishna mentions equanimity as yoga (2.48) where attachment to success or failure is abandoned.   The emphasis of Krishna is to maintain equanimity towards pleasure and pain; winning and losing; and profit and loss (2.38). Karma - bandhan is the accumulation of impressions, pleasant as well as painful, created by our actions and their outcomes when we respond to them with attachment, aversion, o...

  K rishna tells Arjuna that he would incur no sin when he fights (read as performing any karma ) by treating sukh (pleasure) and dukh (pain); labh (gain) and hani (losses); and jaya (victory) and parajay (defeat) with equipoise (2.38). This is an important verse and captures the entire essence of the Gita. This verse lays the foundation for equanimity. This verse simply says that all our karmas are motivated and this motivation makes karma impure or sinful. But we hardly perform any karma without being motivated by pleasure, profit or victory or to avoid pain, loss or defeat. From sankhya and karma yoga point of view, any karma can be divided into three parts viz. karta (doer), karma (action) and karma-phal (fruit of action). Krishna divided karma-phal into pleasure/pain, profit/loss and victory/defeat. Krishna is indicating in this verse to separate these three to achieve equanimity. One way is to drop kartapan (feeling of doership) and become a sakshi...

  K rishna explains about swa-dharma (2.31-2.37), para-dharma (other’s nature or paradigm) (3.35) and finally advises shunning all dharmas to unite with Paramatma (18.66) . Arjuna’s despondency arose out of his egocentric fear of damaging his reputation if he fought the war and killed his brethren. Krishna tells him that he would damage his reputation even if he avoided battle, as fighting is his swa-dharma (2.34-2.36). The community would feel that Arjuna was fearful of engaging in battle and for a kshatriya fearing battle is worse than death. Krishna further explains that swa-dharma , even if it’s faulty or devoid of merits, is better than para-dharma. Death in the path of swa-dharma is better as para-dharma is fraught with fear (3.35). Para-dharma appears easy and regarded more favourable by our outward looking senses, especially when we observe successful people. Ordinarily, our sense of self-worth comes from being favourably compared. These include the pr...

  K rishna explains swa-dharma (own nature or paradigm) (2.31-2.37) and tells Arjuna that such an unsought battle (Kurukshetra) opens the door to heaven (2.32). Escaping from it would result in loss of swa-dharma , fame and would incur sin (2.33). This guidance given to Arjuna on the battlefield must be understood in its proper context. Krishna is talking about harmony and synergy with one’s swa-dharma and not about the war. Krishna finds disharmony between Arjuna’s swa-dharma and his thoughts, utterances and actions. He guides Arjuna towards harmonizing them. In the case of Arjuna, harmony is in fighting the battle as per his swa-dharma and disharmony is in avoiding the battle. In fact, harmony rules creation where the smallest particles like electrons, protons and neutrons to the biggest galaxies, planets and stars are in harmony. We enjoy our favourite music only when the radio and the radio station are in harmony (tune). There is no greater example of harmony th...

  K rishna explains about swa-dharma (one’s own nature or paradigm) (2.31-2.37) and advises Arjuna that being a kshatriya he should not hesitate to fight as it is his swa-dharma (2.31). Dharma or reality is One and is viraat (immeasurable). Our limited senses find it difficult to comprehend it. We perceive it in different ways like how the proverbial blind men perceive the same elephant differently through their touch. If one perceives it as a tusk, then that becomes their reality or swa-dharma . In the contemporary context, it is called paradigm or frame of reference. Following swa-dharma implies remaining true to one’s own perception of truth, like one who sees it as a tusk, rather than embracing the attractive interpretation of another ( para-dharma ) who perceives it as a leg or a tail. Being a warrior is Arjuna’s swa-dharma , and in a moment, he cannot become anything else.   Kshatriya is the combination of ‘ kshat ’ meaning ‘hurt’ and ‘ tra ’ meaning...

  K rishna says that atma neither dies nor is killed and the ignorant perceive otherwise. It is unborn, eternal, changeless and ancient. It goes through the stages of childhood, youth and old age in this body so does it pass into another body (2.13). He further says that atma changes physical bodies like we discard worn out garments to wear new ones (2.19, 2.20). In a scientific context this is well explained by the law of conservation of energy and the principle of inter-convertibility of mass and energy. For easy understanding if atma is equated with energy, Lord Krishna’s words become crystal clear. The law of conservation of energy says that energy can never be destroyed but can only be converted from one form to another. For example, thermal power stations convert thermal energy into electricity. A bulb converts electricity into light. So, it is just conversion and there is no destruction. A bulb has a limited lifespan. When it gets fused, it is replaced by a new b...