Gita Acharan

  K rishna explained about the three gunas or characters of nature viz. satva , rajo and tamo on various occasions in the Bhagavad Gita. He declares that no living being on earth or the higher celestial abodes of this material realm are free from the influence of these three gunas (18.40). This implies that at any given point of time we are under the influence of one guna or another. Krishna said that karmas (actions) in all situations are performed by the gunas ; one who is deluded by ahankaar thinks ‘I am karta (doer)’ (3.27-3.29). The wise who understand this are not attached. The gunas have the subtle power to hypnotize us and under their influence we are attached to the functions of gunas . In chapters seventeen and eighteen, some functions of gunas like worship, food, yajna , tapah (of body, speech and mind), daan (charity), knowledge, karma , karta , intellect, dhruti (fortitude) and happiness, were explained. Krishna offers a path forward and encouraged us to t...

  I n our lives, we constantly experience the polarities of happiness ( sukh ) and sadness ( dukh ). Krishna explained that when senses meet sense-objects, polarities of sukh-dukh are generated (2.14). Praise brings happiness, while criticism causes sorrow, even though both are merely phenomena of words meeting the ears. Life, therefore, is a continuous interplay of senses and sense-objects, implying that polarities of sukh and dukh are an unavoidable human condition. Krishna categorizes happiness into three types, each arising from one of the three gunas (18.36). He says, “That which is like poison in the beginning and nectar in the end is declared satvik happiness. It is a virtue born from the clarity of one’s intellect” (18.37). Thus, satvik happiness is dhyan (meditation) for the mind and physical exercise for the body where we find it difficult to begin and maintain regularly yet deeply rewarding over time in form of mental peace and physical wellbeing. Krishna says...

  A fter explaining the threefold nature of karta and karma , Krishna explains that buddhi (intellect) and dhruti (fortitude or courage) are also threefold as per gunas (18.29). He says, “The intellect is said to be satvik when it understands what is desireful action and renunciation, what is duty and what is not, fear and fearless, bondage and liberation (18.30). The intellect is rajasik when it is confused between dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness), and cannot distinguish between kaaryam (dutiful action) and akaaryam (undutiful action) (18.31). That intellect is said to be tamasik which is enveloped in darkness, imagines adharma to be dharma and looks upon all things in a perverted way” (18.32). The intellect varies from person to person, or even changes within the same person over time. These verses clarify that our intellect manifests under the influence of the prevailing guna. Clarity is the hallmark of satva while confusion is the hallmark of ...

U nderstanding karta (doer) and karma (action) is one of the most complex issues of life. Bhagavad Gita explores these complexities at various places. Krishna cautions that even the wise are confounded by the subtleties of karma and akarma (inaction or reaction) (4.16). Krishna explains that separation (sacrifice) of cosmic energy capable of creation ( bhuta-bhava-udbhava-karo-visargah ) is called karma (8.3) which is another complex issue. Niyat karma (prescribed or obligatory action) is also a source of confusion. To address this, Krishna offers a path of maintaining inner balance while performing any karma , wielding the sword of wisdom to cut through doubts (4.41) and the axe of non-attachment to sever deep-rooted attachments (15.3). After elaborating that karma , karta and knowledge are of three types each based upon gunas , Krishna explains about karma and says, “A niyat karma (obligatory action) free from raag (attachment) and dwesh (aversion), when done without des...

W hen we (the knower) see a flower (the object of knowledge), we take in its colour and smell (knowledge) among other attributes. This situation induces various actions. A poet might write poetry describing the flower’s beauty. The poet is the doer who uses a pen as an instrument and writing poetry is the action. Similarly, a devotee might pluck the flower to offer it to their deity; a lover might pluck it to present to their beloved; a botanist would proceed to examine its nature. In this regard Krishna says, “Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower are the three factors that induce karma (action). The instrument of action, the act itself and the doer - are the three constituents of action” (18.18). As illustrated earlier with the example of a flower, the knowledge acquired by the knower about an object is highly subjective. This subjectivity explains why different individuals are inspired to take different actions in the same situation. A point to be noted is that karma...

K rishna declared that it is impossible to give up activities; instead, a tyagi relinquishes the fruits of their actions (18.11). He elaborates on karma and says, “The seat, karta (doer), various instruments, divergent functions and daivam (divinity) are the five causes for accomplishment of all actions. Whatever action a man performs by body, speech or mind, whether right or wrong, these five are its causes. One of lower intellect, viewing through a poor understanding thinks of the ‘self’ alone as doer, he sees not” (18.13, 18.14, 18.15 and 18.16). The seat is translated as the human body in our context and without the body, we cannot perform any karma . As far as karta is concerned, clarity has been given on many occasions that three gunas are the real karta for all actions. The nature and type of instruments change with time, like the invention of wheel, machines, cars, airplane, computers etc. Existence offers various activities using these instruments. Daivam or interv...

K rishna defines a renunciant ( tyagi ) and says, “Those who neither avoid akushala (disagreeable or miserable) action nor are attached to kushala (agreeable or well-being) action are tyagi . Pervaded by purity, being intelligent ( medhavi ), he is free from doubts ( sansaya-rahit )’’ (18.10). We are all motivated to perform kushala karmas (actions) and avoid akusala ones. We tend to perform karmas that promote the well-being of the self, family, organization or society. Though this looks logical, it is the result of the division of karmas as akushala and kushala . A tyagi is the one for whom this internal division disappears. Krishna calls them intelligent and in one way, dropping the internal division can be termed as true intelligence. With the dissolution of division, oneness arises, and their doubts disappear. As a result, the tyagi neither hates nor gets attached to any actions. Krishna further says, “It is impossible for the embodied beings to give up activities tot...