182. Dedicating Karmas to Paramatma.



The cerebrum of the brain is divided into two halves - the right and left hemispheres. Though they work in tandem, the right side of the brain dominates the functions related to creativity, emotions etc. whereas the left side of the brain dominates analytical and logical functions. When viewed in the context of the Gita, right brain persons get attracted to devotion (bhakti) while left brain persons towards awareness (sankhya). Karma (action) is common for both.

For sankhya oriented people, Krishna earlier gave the logic that none can remain without doing karma even for a moment as we are bound to perform karmas because of gunas (3.5, 3.27). This is pure awareness that gunas are the real karta.

For the bhakti oriented, Krishna says, “But those who dedicate all their karmas to Me, regarding Me as the Supreme goal, worshipping Me and meditating on Me with exclusive devotion, O Parth, I swiftly free them from the ocean of birth and death (sansar), for their consciousness is united with Me” (12.6-12.7). This is the path of surrender (of karmas) to Paramatma.

Firstly, dedicating our karmas to Paramatma is nothing but being nimitta-maatra. For example, a knife can cause injury, or it can cut ropes to free the entangled. It depends on the user, and the knife doesn’t get attached to what it is doing - whether it is perceived as good or bad. Dedicating karmas is keeping Paramatma at the centre as the owner, and we remain as an instrument in His hand.

Secondly, Krishna mentions ‘getting free from the sansar of birth and death’. The traditional interpretation is that we will not have rebirth once we attain Him. Another possible scenario is attaining freedom (moksha) from pain (death) and pleasure (birth) polarities caused by the ever-changing situations around us. In other words, Moksha may not merely mean liberation from the cycle of bodily rebirth, but also attaining inner freedom from the ups and downs of pleasure and pain experienced in life.


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