Gita Acharan

C hildren always look up to their parents to understand the world, learn new things, manners, behaviours etc. That’s why it’s said that the best way to raise a child is to lead by example and truly walk the talk. Similar dependence continues in the later stages too. It might be dependence on friends, teachers, mentors etc. This implies that there are people who depend on us and look to us for guidance. Whatever we do influences them. It is in this context that Krishna says whatever a superior being does, other people imitate and his actions set a standard for the people of the world (3.21). Krishna further explains “There is nothing in three worlds that should be done by Me, nor anything unattained that has to be attained (3.22); yet I engage in action. If at any time I do not continue to perform actions, without pause, men would wholly imitate My way (3.23). These worlds would perish if I did not perform action. I would be the cause for dire confusion, and I would also be ...

K rishna assures us that by performing karma (actions) without attachment, one reaches the supreme (3.19) and gives the example of King Janak who attained perfection by action alone (3.20). Krishna emphasises the point that a king who lives in luxuries and has several responsibilities can also attain the supreme by performing all actions without attachment, implying that we too can similarly reach the supreme, irrespective of our circumstances. In history, there are very few instances where two enlightened people have interacted. One such conversation is between King Janak and sage Ashtavakra, known as the Ashtavakra Gita, which is rated as one of the best for seekers. As per legend, a guru once sent one of his disciples, who lived modestly with a few loincloths and a begging bowl, to Janak for the final lesson. He comes to Janak and wonders why his guru sent him to this man who lives amid luxuries. But he stays back in the palace as per the instructions of his guru...

T here are two ways of living. One is ‘ sangharsh ’ -struggle and the other ‘ samarpan ’, which means surrender. Samarpan is not a helpless surrender like the surrender of the defeated in the war, it’s surrender with awareness and active acceptance. Struggle is to be ahead of others; to have more than what is given to us; to have something different from what we have. On the other hand, samarpan is gratitude for every living moment. Krishna says that “one lives in vain if one rejoices in the senses and doesn’t follow the wheel in motion” (3.16). It’s a life of struggle for someone on the path of satisfying these senses, which can never be satisfied. This struggle brings tension, worry and misery which is living in vain.   Krishna explains the wheel of existence using the example of rain (3.14). Rain showcases the wheel of selfless action of water which evaporates and rains selflessly. Such selfless action is the source of supreme power (3.15). Following the wheel ...

Water is essential for life on earth and Krishna uses rain as an example (3.14) to explain selfless actions. Basically, rain is a part of a cycle where water evaporates because of heat, forming clouds thereafter. Given the right conditions, it comes back down as rain.  This process involves selfless actions and Krishna names them ' yagna '. Oceans let the water evaporate to form clouds and clouds sacrifice themselves to turn into rain. Both these actions are selfless actions - yagna .  Krishna indicates that selfless action of yagna holds the supreme reality or supreme power (3.15). In the beginning, using this power the creator created  (3.10) and advised everyone to use it to further themselves (3.11). This is nothing but aligning ourselves with the supreme reality to tap its power through selfless action of yagna .  In this interconnected process of rain, if clouds were to feel proud and hoard water, then the cycle would collapse. Krishna calls such h...

K rishna says, “Perform your obligatory actions, as action is superior to inaction; and even the maintenance of your body would not be possible by inaction’’ (3.8). Actions like gathering and consuming food are essential for the survival of our physical body. Further, the human body consists of many organs, systems and chemicals which perform thousands of internal actions on a regular basis. Even if a couple of them are missing harmony would be lost, and the body would suffer or perish. In that sense, maintenance of the body wouldn’t be possible by inaction. Krishna speaks of performing obligatory actions which is an intricate concept. Rituals prescribed by sacred texts or duties cast on us by society are usually taken to be obligatory actions. But both fall short of defining what Krishna intends to convey. For example, a seedcoat’s obligatory action is to protect the seed and at an appropriate time, it should destroy itself to give way to the sprout. This implies tha...

K rishna says, “No one can stay even for a moment without performing karmas as all are compelled by gunas (characters) born of prakriti (nature) to perform karmas (actions)” (3.5). This resolves the question - if we are not the karta , then who is the real karta of action? Three atomic particles, namely electrons, protons and neutrons form the entire physical world. Similarly, three gunas viz . satva, tamo and rajo are responsible for driving us to perform actions. In that sense, they are the real karta . Krishna further says, “The individual who forcefully controls the organs of action, but whose mind rotates around thoughts of sense-objects is a hypocrite and is deluding himself” (3.6). These are tough words from Krishna for someone who enacts a pleasing personality to the outside world, but his mind is full of filth. This is the result of our domestication at an early age. We were rewarded for good behaviour and punished for bad behaviour. As a result, we focus...

K rishna replies, “As I said earlier, in this world, there are two paths to salvation - for the wise through wisdom and for yogis through the path of action” (3.3). This verse indicates that the path of awareness is for the intellect oriented and the path of action is for the mind oriented. Krishna further clarifies, “Just by avoiding karma (action), one can’t attain nish-karma (actionlessness) and one cannot attain siddhi (perfection) by mere renunciation” (3.4). Renunciation is glorified in almost all cultures simply because sacrificers can do something which a normal person cannot. That’s why Arjuna’s standpoint appeals to many of us when he wants to renounce the luxury of the kingdom and the pain of war. Krishna also favours renunciation, but He implores us to sacrifice ‘I’ in all our actions. War is not an issue for Krishna, but the ‘I’ in Arjuna is. For Krishna, nir-mama (sans- I) and nir-ahankaar (sans- I am doer) are the paths to the eternal state (2.71)....

T he third chapter of the Gita is known as ‘Karma Yoga’ , which is in continuation of the verse 2.71 where Krishna said that nir-mama (sans-I) and nir-ahankaar (sans- I am doer) are the paths to attain the eternal state. Arjuna raises a doubt “If you consider buddhi (intellect) to be superior, why then do you engage me in terrible action (of war) (3.1) instead of telling me with nischay (certainty), what is best for my welfare without confusing me with perplexing speech” (3.2). Labelling, expressed or hidden, is nothing but irrational and impulsive decisions which is not evidence-based and Krishna advised dropping labelling (2.50). Arjuna wanted to escape the war based on a single factor that he doesn’t foresee any good in killing one’s kinsmen in the battle (1.31). Subsequently, he gathers many justifications to defend his decision. The present question also appears as a part of the justification rather than the quest for better understanding. Our situation is no...

K rishna says, “some see ‘this’ ( atma ) as a marvel, some speak of ‘this’ as a marvel, others hear of ‘this’ as a marvel, and even then, none knows ‘this’ at all” (2.29).   ‘None’ refers to an observer who is using his indriyas (senses) to understand the observed ( atma ).   The indication is that till the time the observer unites with atma, he can’t comprehend it. Once a salt doll wanted to explore the ocean, so it set off on its journey. Through violent surface waves, it enters the deeper parts of the ocean and slowly starts dissolving in it. By the time it enters the deepest part, it dissolves completely and becomes part of the ocean. It can be said that it has become the ocean itself and the salt doll is no longer a separate entity.   ‘Observer (salt doll) is the Observed (ocean)’, which ultimately dissolves the division and brings unity. The above story will help us understand ahankaar which always tries to keep us distinct and separate from real...

K rishna observes that Arjuna is overwhelmed by the feeling of aham-karta (I am doer)- ahankaar and this was responsible for his despondency. Awareness about ahankaar will help us overcome it. Ego is a small part of ahankaar . It is called arrogance when one experiences pleasure polarity of success, win or profit and falls into depression, unhappiness, anger when one goes through pain polarity of failure, defeat or loss. It is jealousy when others are experiencing pleasure polarity and sympathy in pain polarity. It is there when we are gathering physical possessions and may also motivate us to shed them. It is responsible for action as well as inaction. It is the cause of destruction as well as creation. It is in knowledge as well as in ignorance. Ahankaar gets boosted with praise and gets hurt by criticism. Both states make us amenable to manipulation by others. Ahankaar is behind every emotion in some sense or the other and these emotions influence our external ...