Gita Acharan

K rishna says that actions do not taint Him nor does He have a longing for the fruits of action. He also says that whoever realises Him is thus not bound by actions (4.14). This reinforces Krishna’s words that we have right over karmas (actions) but not over karma-phal (fruits of action) (2.47). As Paramatma , even He follows the same. He further said that liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of His transcendental nature. He suggests that we perform our duty, following in their footsteps (4.15). In the normal course of our lives, we perform karmas to obtain karma-phal . However, when we are told to drop karma-phal , we tend to drop karmas as well. Krishna here reveals a completely different paradigm for renunciation. His advice is that we continue doing karmas , but by dropping attachment to both karma-phal and kartapan . His advice to Arjuna to fight the war, which is just another karma , should be seen in this context. It is a difficult...

T he world as we perceive it consists of both truth and falsehood. A careful examination reveals that falsehood is often nothing more than a misinterpretation of truth, arising from our circumstances or from the limitations of our senses and mind. For example, our image in a mirror is ‘ asat ’ or unreal, for it has no existence of its own and depends entirely on our presence before the mirror. Similarly, in the well-known rope and snake analogy, the rope is the truth, and the snake is the falsehood that cannot exist without the rope. But, till this realisation dawns, all our thoughts and actions would be based on falsehood, oftentimes, continuing for generations across society. Similarly, if we consider any technology as the metaphorical truth, its malefic use is falsehood. A loudspeaker can be used to propagate good and also to instigate the gullible into violence. Similarly, today’s social media, the metaphorical truth, is falsehood when used malevolently. The insight...

K rishna gives insight into the relationship between the all-powerful unmanifested and manifested when he says, “In whatever way people are devoted to Me, in that measure, I manifest Myself to them. All men, in every manner, pursue a path to Me” (4.11). It is akin to the fact that all of us are destined to live on the same earth throughout our lives, irrespective of our lifestyle or circumstances. In the same way, different paths ultimately converge upon the same underlying reality. This is firstly an assurance from the Lord that whatever path we pursue and however contradictory these paths may appear, all of them are paths to the Paramatma . Secondly, the Lord responds like a multi-dimensional mirror that reflects as well as resonates our feelings, thoughts and actions. Thirdly, when we sow a seed, it takes time to attain its full potential as a tree and this time lag prevents us from fully understanding this principle of resonance of Paramatma . If we fill our lives w...

I n the Gita, both Arjuna and Krishna use ‘I’ and ‘Me’, but the meaning and context of usage are entirely different. Arjuna’s ‘I’ is divisive or exclusive and Krishna’s ‘I’ is inclusive. While Krishna is the ocean, we are but drops within it, living under the illusion of individuality known as ahankaar . When a drop sheds its illusion of individuality and unites with the ocean, then it becomes the ocean. Krishna indicates this when he says, “The ‘realised’ come to Me and will be free from the cycle of punar-janma (rebirth) when they realise about My life and actions which are divyam (divine)” (4.9). Certainly, realisation means inclusiveness or oneness and the ability to accept contradictions. All the actions are bound to be divine when they emerge from inclusiveness. Punar-janma , is usually interpreted as a cyclic process of the attainment of a new life after death. However, it can also be interpreted as the birth of a new situation around us. When a situation ends,...

J ust as a rotating wheel needs a stationary or changeless axle to rotate, the ever-changing manifested physical world needs the calm and changeless unmanifested entity to sustain its existence. Krishna, the supreme Lord, presently in a manifested form explains why and how the unmanifested sometimes needs to take the manifested form. Krishna says, “I am unborn, eternal and Lord of beings. Presiding over my prakriti (cosmic nature), I embody myself by self-evolved maya ” (4.6). This verse is difficult to visualize. For the sake of understanding, if we take maya as the evolution of life, it brings clarity to how the unmanifest becomes manifest. For example, if vision is taken as unmanifested, it took the shape of the eye which is manifested through the process of evolution. Krishna further says, “Whenever there is decline of dharma and rise of adharma , then I manifest myself (4.7) - For the protection of sadhu (virtuous), for the destruction of the dusht (wicked) a...