28. Balance is the Key

 

Krishna 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 (witness) by realising that in the grand drama called life, we play a negligible role.  Another way is to realise that we don’t have any right over karma-phal (result of action) as it is a combination of many factors apart from our efforts. The paths of dropping of kartapan or karma-phal, are interconnected and progress in one will automatically bring progress in another.

Coming to karma (action), it was there much before any of us arrived on the planet. It can neither be owned nor can its results be controlled.

This verse can also be approached from the bhakti yoga point of view where bhaav (intent) is supreme. Krishna gives priority to bhaav over karma. This internal surrender brings equanimity automatically.

Depending on one’s orientation, one can choose one’s path. Whatever may be the approach, just by meditating on this verse, we can attain the eternal state of our inner self which is free of ahankaar.