Gita Acharan

  Y oga means the union of the outer self with the inner self. It can be attained through various paths such as karma (action), bhakti (devotion) , sankhya (awareness), buddhi (intellect), abhyaas (practice) etc. According to one’s inherent nature, one reaches yoga through the path appropriate to them. Krishna tells Arjuna to seek refuge in buddhi as motivated karma is far inferior to buddhi yoga and miserable are they whose motive is to obtain the fruits of action (2.49). Earlier, Krishna said that in karma yoga , the buddhi is coherent and the intellect of those who are irresolute is bahu-shakha (many-branched) (2.41). Just as a magnifying glass focuses light, when buddhi attains coherence, it becomes capable of undertaking the spiritual journey, which is otherwise considered difficult. Any travel involves direction and speed. Krishna’s reference to buddhi yoga here is about the direction of the journey towards the eternal state of the inner self. Usually,...

  K rishna tells Arjuna to be steadfast in yoga ( yoga being equanimity) while performing karma (actions) by renouncing the sangam (union/ identity) with polarities like success and failure (2.48). In other words, whatever we do would be harmonious when we stop identifying with polarities. Our daily life involves making a series of decisions and choices. The ever-judging mind constantly chooses among available options to maximize pleasure, victory, and success or to avoid pain, loss, and failure (2.38). Equanimity is the ability to treat polarities as equal, which is usually referred to as transcending them. When this realisation sinks in, the mind becomes powerless and achieves choiceless awareness. We may also achieve this choiceless state while asleep, intoxicated or sedated. But it is the ability to be non-judgmental while we are still capable of judging. It is being aware in the present moment by being a witness or sakshi . The practical way to attain equanimi...

  W e learn a lot during our lives, gain knowledge and experience. But at crucial moments, we tend to act on instinct rather than from awareness, as our awareness is not deep enough. Krishna is fully aware of this and repeatedly explains the reality or truth from different angles in the Gita, so that the awareness sinks deeper and crosses the required threshold. The Gita makes us realise that we have an eternal inner self and an outer self which is manifested. We tend to identify with the outer self, consisting of the physical body, our emotions, thoughts and the world around us. Krishna tells us to realise the truth and identify with our inner self that pervades all beings, is eternal and immutable. A flowing river is the best example to understand the intricacies involved. It has two banks, and both merge into the riverbed. While both banks are needed for the smooth flow, their merger as a riverbed is also equally important. If these banks don’t meet at the riverbed, ...

  K rishna says that we have the right to do karma (action) but have no right over karma-phal (fruits of action) (2.47). This does not mean that we gravitate towards akarma , which is inaction or mere reaction to circumstances. In a sense this verse talks of awareness and compassion - awareness that karma and karma-phal are separate and compassion towards others as well as ourselves. Krishna says that without performing karma , our survival is impossible as the maintenance of the physical body requires karma like eating etc. (3.8). The gunas ( satva, rajo and tamo ) constantly drive us towards karma (3.5). Hence, there is hardly any place for akarma . The literal meaning of akarma is inaction. But the context suggests that it connotes reaction. For example, if we observe our tendencies while going through the news, we’ll realise that several reactions are generated in us. This happens when we see, hear or read about our beliefs like religion, caste, nationality...

  ‘ V ahi Arjuna Vahi Baan’ (Same Arjuna Same Arrow), is often used to describe a situation when a successful or competent person fails to perform. Arjuna, as a warrior, never lost a war. During the latter part of his life, he lost a small battle in which he was supposed to save some family members from a group of bandits. He explains this situation to his brother and says: “I don’t know what happened. I’m the same Arjuna and these are the same arrows that had won the Kurukshetra war. But this time my arrows could neither find their target nor had the power.” He explained that he had to run away and couldn’t protect the family. Life’s experiences tell us that this can happen to any of us. At times, talented sportspersons temporarily lose their form; an actor or a singer may suddenly fail. This is often attributed to bad luck or a bad phase, though no one can say with certainty why it happens. There is hardly any scientific explanation for the same except for conjectur...