Gita Acharan

Out of ignorance, one tends to grab material possessions thereby leading to the bondage of action to accumulate. When the first ray of awareness sets in, one starts thinking of renunciation like Arjun is trying here. The confusion lies in what to renounce. The usual tendency is to renounce all karmas or actions, as we label them as good or bad by our ever judging mind and in this scheme of things, want to drop undesirable karmas .  On the other hand, Krishna presents a complete paradigm shift regarding renunciation and says that one should always be a nitya sanyasi (perpetual renunciant), i.e. one who neither hates nor desires; is free from the pairs of opposites (dwandwa-ateeth) and is easily liberated from all entanglements (5.3). The first thing that we should renounce is hatred. This could be towards anything that goes against our beliefs like religion, caste or nationality. Hatred could be towards our profession, people or way of things around us. It is importan...

Arjun asks, "O Krishna, you praise renunciation of actions ( karma -sanyas ) and yet you also advise their performance at the same time. Tell me with certainty, which is the better path." (5.1) On an earlier occasion too, Arjun was looking for certainty (3.2) between the paths of Sankhya (wisdom or awareness) and Karma (3.1).  Krishna, however, does not advise renunciation of karma (action) and instead, he says that one doesn't attain siddhi (perfection) by renunciation of karma (3.4). One Is compelled to perform karmas as per his Gunas (qualities or characters) (3.5). In fact, even maintenance of the human body is not possible without karma (3.8). Clarity comes from the subsequent reply of Krishna that karma-sanyas is a part of Sankhya yoga.  Basically, Karma has two sides. One is the executor or Karta and another is Karmaphal (fruits of action). Dropping the sense of doership (kartapan) by realising that gunas are the real Karta is referred t...

Krishna says, "He who has relinquished work by yoga and has torn apart his doubts by wisdom, becomes poised in the self; actions don't bind him (4.41). Therefore, take shelter in yoga by cutting this ignorance-borne doubt dwelling in your heart with the sword of wisdom." (4.42) Krishna advises us to use the sword of wisdom to free ourselves from the bondage of action (karma-bandhan) .  'Regret' is the name of karma-bandhan suffered by us for both executed and unexecuted actions which result in the damage of things or relationships. Similarly, 'blame' is the name of karma-bandhan for actions or inactions of others affecting our lives negatively. The sword of wisdom is the only instrument that helps us extricate ourselves from the complex web of regret and blame. The fourth chapter of the Gita is called ' Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga '. It starts with how paramatma performs karmas and goes on to tell us that all karmas should be performe...

Once the creator was thinking about where to conceal 'that' wisdom after attaining which nothing is left to be attained. His wife suggests a high mountain or a deep sea but both were discarded as man can climb or swim. It was then decided to keep this wisdom inside man, while man searches for it outside for lifetimes. This metaphor makes it easy for us to understand when Krishna says, "Certainly, nothing in this world is as sanctifying as wisdom. In due course of time, he who perfected in yoga finds it in the self" (3.38). The essence is that 'wisdom' is in the self and by the same measure everyone has it. It's just the question of realising it both in self and others.  Krishna further says, " Shraddha-vaan (one with Shraddha ) and Jitendriya (one who won senses) obtain wisdom leading to parama-shanti (supreme peace)" (3.39). Krishna gives contrast and says, "The ignorant, devoid of Shraddha is ruined and there is no happiness...