Gita Acharan

I n the Gita, terms such as anaasakti and veet-raag express the very essence of its teachings. While aasakti (attachment) and virakti (detachment) are two polarities, anaasakti transcends these polarities. Similarly, veet-raag is neither raag (fondness) nor viraag (aversion) but transcends both. These polarities are nothing but the manifestations of ahankaar (I am a doer) and once ahankaar is dropped, we transcend all polarities and attain moksha - the ultimate freedom. In this context, Krishna says, “One who is liberated, devoid of attachment, with mind established in wisdom and acting for yajna ; his whole action is dissolved” (4.23). ‘I’ is identification with our possessions; friends and enemies; likes and dislikes; and thoughts and feelings. Dropping them brings temporary emptiness leading to pain, fear, anger and resentment, therefore, dropping the ‘I’ is no easy task. In reality, what we need to drop is the sense of ownership, identification, and doership,...

The question of vikarma (prohibited action) or sin is very intriguing. Arjun is also in this very dilemma and says that sin alone will accrue by killing relations in battle (1.36). In fact, cultures have defined various karmas (actions) as sins and the list changes with time. In the modern context, countries have their penal codes which mandate some actions to be crimes or sins and thus punishable when committed. In any case, we keep punishing ourselves through guilt, regret and shame when such perceived sins are performed by us.  In this context, Krishna says that "One hoping for nought, with controlled mind and body, having relinquished all possessions, doing mere bodily actions, incurs no sin (4.21)." Krishna earlier talked about sin and told Arjun, "To treat pleasure and pain; profit and loss; victory and defeat alike and do battle, whereby he would not incur any sin (2.38)." The subtle issue to be understood in evaluating sin is that we normally e...

K rishna says that the issue of karma and akarma is very intricate and even the wise are confounded about the subtleties of karma and akarma (4.16) and clarified that sage is the one whose pursuits are free from kaam and sankalp ( kaam-sankalp-varjitah ) and whose actions are burnt by the fire of knowledge (4.19). To help us understand karma and akarma , Krishna gives glimpses of akarma in karma and says, “Having renounced attachment to fruits of action, the ever content ( nitya-tript ), depends on nothing, he doesn’t do anything though he is engaged in action” (4.20). The crux is that such an ever-content person doesn’t do anything though he is engaged in action. Firstly, the sense of doership disappears when attachment to fruits of action is renounced. Secondly, ‘ever content’ doesn’t have any motive to perform any particular action but keeps engaging in actions bestowed by the existence. This is nothing but nishkaam-karma or unmotivated action. Thirdly, he ...

E very culture evolved some ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ for peace in society and with the evolution of justice systems, some ‘don’ts’ have come to be recognised as punishable offences. Criminal jurisprudence holds that a crime requires both intent and action. Intent is the thought behind the crime and action is the physical part. Proof of both components is essential to convict any person of a crime. If we take the intent as sankalp (will or purpose or motive or resolve) and execution as kaam (desire), we can understand Krishna’s saying, “He whose pursuits are free from kaam and sankalp ( kaam-sankalp-varjitah ); whose actions are burnt by the fire of knowledge, him the wise call a pandit (sage)” (4.19). Society is satisfied as long as there is no crime, even if one is roaming around with criminal intent. Krishna says that we should drop kaam and subsequently should even drop sankalp indicating that both action as well as intent should be dropped. Suppression of desires ca...

K rishna says, “Even the wise are confused here as to what is karma (action) and what is akarma (inaction)? Now, I shall explain to you the secret of karma , by knowing which, you will be liberated from bondage (4.16). Nature of karma (right and prescribed) is very difficult to comprehend. You must also understand the nature of vikarma (forbidden action or sin) and of akarma (4.17). Those who see karma in akarma and akarma in karma are truly wise amongst men. Though performing all kinds of actions, they are yogis and masters of all their actions” (4.18). A contemplative person once observed an animal escaping into a forest. Moments later, a butcher comes by and asks him if he has seen the animal. The person is on the horns of a dilemma, as the truth would result in the death of the animal while uttering a lie is immoral. If we sum up all forbidden actions of all cultures and religions, living would be impossible. Hence, Krishna indicates that these issues are i...