Gita-regimen for advaitic living – 6
shlokas 2-47 to 2-51: second Round
Why do we have to do it the karmayoga way?
1. The major Vedanta answer
- Action is done by the complex of BMI .
- BMI is not the real You or the real I.
- The consequence of action will come only to the BMI.
- But one has to be detached from one’s BMI.
- This means we (the real I) should have no attachment to
- the consequence of action. Maa phaleshhu.
- Later Krishna is going to say that you are not the doer of your actions.
- “na aham kartA”; so where is the right for me for the fruits of actions?
- So the fruits of the actions are not yours. So “maa phaleshhu”.
2. No bondage to transienc
- Any binding to, that is, being desirous of, the results of the action
- means a bondage to its transience.
- Any bondage to transient things creates a vAsanA
- which will have to be exhausted later either
- by an experience in this birth or by having a future birth. (See 5.12).
- Any thirst for the fruits of actions will create opportunities for us
- to enjoy the fruits of those actions;
- this will mean more births again and again to experience them.
- All unhappiness arises from
- non-recognition of the transience of everything.
- Therefore don’t be bound by the syndromes of the transient Fruit of action
- Neither the good nor the bad should keep us in bondage.
- all thought of phala, either way, is an obstacle to the spiritual ascent.
3. God above is the phala-dAtA
- Dispensation of the fruits is under the control of Providence.
- So to think that we have done the action and
- so we deserve to enjoy the fruits of action – is illogical.
- Nothing is yours. In particular,
- the phala (=fruit of action) also cannot be yours
- See ‘yat karoshi …’ (9.27) .
- You have dedicated all your actions to God.
- So no more claim either on the action or its results.
4. Desire-oriented action wasteful effort
- ‘artha’ and ‘kAma’ depend on destiny (prArabdha karma).
- ‘Dharma’ and ‘moksha’ depend upon self-effort, done desirelessly.
- So effort should not be wasted in karma with an eye on the fruits.
5. Worldly-wise answer
- If you are attached to the fruits of your action,
- efficiency of the action will suffer.
- Attached involvement implies excitement
- which implies confusion; therefore efficiency suffers. Example:
- Answering an examination paper.
- Acting on the stage.
- No expectations means no thought of success or failure.
- Therefore, no frustration or elation. No consequential pain or pleasure.
- No jubilation, no dejection. No chance for play of the ego.
- No preoccupations with the future.
- This means: ‘Act in the living present’.
6. Only a question of Attitude
- Detachment is only a question of attitude.
- See 3.25 & 18.57 Attachment means presence of ego-centric desires.
- Let not attachment or aversion determine the action.
- See 2.48. Even-mindedness to success or failure is a must.
- This is “maa phaleshhu”.
7. No renunciation of Action
- “maa te sangostvakarmani”. You cannot desist from action
- because you have to do what is prescribed for you. See I3.8.
- Renunciation of an obligatory duty is in no way justified.
- One cannot reach the goal of Karma Yoga that way.
- See 3.4; 18.7, 18.8.
- Your right is only for action, not for its renunciation.
- If you forcibly try to renounce 3.5 says you will not succeed.
- Your nature will compel you to act. (3.33) (18.59, 18.60).
- Refusing to perform an obligatory duty will bring punishment
- not only in this world, but in the other world also.
- Detachment from the fruits of actions does not mean indifference
- For you have to do your duties efficiently.
- “samAcara” is the word. See 3.9 and 3.19. Also 18.26.
8. Desirelessness
- Every desire is wrong.
- For desire to anger, to delusion, to malfunction of the intellect and
- finally to chaos. (See 2.62 & 2.63) is a familiar chain of fall
- So desire for the fruits of action is also wrong.
- 18.12 says ‘Fruits of action adhere not to those
- who do not have any desire or attachment to them.
- They are not therefore instrumental in making their action bear fruit.
- “mA karma phala-hetur bhUH”
- The Br.U. says those who work for fruits of actions are miserable,
- like ‘slaves bought for a price’.
- kRpaNAH, paNakrIta iva dAsAdiH, says Shankara.
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