155. Offering Ahankaar to Paramatma


Krishna says, “Whatever you do, whatever you eat, do them as an offering to Me” (9.27). Earlier Krishna said that one should be aware of the polarities of pain and pleasure generated during the interaction of senses and sense-objects; and learn to ignore them as they are transient (sankhya yoga) (2.14). When we maintain a balance during these times, we are eligible for the amrit (moksha). Using eating as an example, Krishna now says to offer that interaction of senses and sense-objects to Him (bhakti yoga). Both paths are to transcend polarities and become dwandwa-atheeth (beyond dualities).

The grudges and hatred we carry are the pain polarities and they are a major source of our misery which we develop when others harm us through their words and/or deeds or when others don’t acknowledge our help or favours. The root cause of hatred is our assumption that we as well as others are karta (doer) which leads to ahankaar (aham-karta or I am doer) whereas our gunas (characters) are in fact, the real karta. This leads to karma bandhan (bondage of action) of grudges and hatred as we are bound to ‘others’ for life. To overcome this, Krishna earlier advised us to drop dwesh (hatred) while performing karmas at hand (5.3). We can drop hatred by inculcating the divine quality of forgiveness (16.3).

Krishna says whatever we do, we should do it as an offering to Him. This is nothing but offering our sense of doership to Him while performing the karmas and in other words offering ahankaar to Him. Krishna assures that through this offering; we will be free of karma bandhan (9.28) where nothing in this world can affect us as we attain ultimate freedom (moksha).

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.

Measuring our progress in the spiritual journey of joy is difficult as neither our own nor others’ outward behaviour is an indicator. The degree of karma bandhan in terms of grudges and hatred generated in us by the events of the external world is an indicator of our progress.


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