58. Despondency to Enlightenment



Krishna says that one attains peace when one remains unmoved by desires, like an ocean that is unmoved by the waters entering it (2.70). He further says that nir-mama (sans -I) and nir-ahankaar (sans -I am doer) are the paths for peace (2.71) to reach the eternal state. None are deluded after attaining it (2.72). 

Krishna gives the example of the ocean and rivers - the ocean being the eternal state (moksha- ultimate freedom, joy and compassion) and rivers being the stimuli constantly received by the senses. Like an ocean, one remains stable and steady after attaining the eternal state, even when temptations and desires keep entering them. Secondly, when rivers meet the ocean, they lose their existence. Similarly, when desires enter a person in the eternal state, they lose their existence.

Thirdly, if one thing that makes us miserable, it’s the reaction (akarma) generated in us by the stimulations of the external world and our inability to control it. Hence, the indication is that like the ocean, we too should learn to ignore such transient stimulations (2.14).

Our understanding is that every karma has a karta (doer) and karma-phal (fruits of action). Earlier, Krishna showed the path of separating karma from karma-phal (2.47). He advises us to drop ‘I’ as well as ahankaar (aham karta - the sense of doership) so that karta and karma are separated. It is a point of no return once this eternal state of peace is achieved and any karma remains just one of the billion actions of this ever-active universe.

Nimitta-maatra is the most effective antidote to ahankaar, the sense of personal doership. In this state, Paramatma is recognised as the doer of all actions, while we see ourselves only as instruments through which they are performed.

In the Gita, the eternal state comes after vishad (despondency) through sankhya (awareness) as it is the norm that extreme pain has the potential and capability to bring moksha when used positively like Krishna did with Arjuna.


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