UB: अर्जुन उवाच

संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्। त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन।।18.1।।

18.1 अर्जुन said – O महाबाहो! O हृषीकेश! O केशिनिषूदन! I want (इच्छामि) to know (वेदितुम्) distinctly (पृथक्) the truth (तत्वं) about संन्यास (संन्यासस्य) as also about त्याग (त्यागस्य च).

श्री भगवानुवाच

काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः।।18.2।।

18.2 The भगवान् said – The sages (कवय:) know (विदुः) renunciation (न्यासं) of all कर्म (कर्मणां) backed by काम (काम्यानां) to be संन्यास. The wise (विचक्षणाः) declare that (प्राहु:) त्याग of फल of all कर्म (सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं) is त्याग (त्यागं).

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे।।18.3।।

18.3 Some (एके) learned people (मनीषिणः) say that (इति प्राहु:) all कर्म are defective (दोषवत्) and should be renounced (त्याज्यं); but others (अपरे च) think that (इति) यज्ञ, दान and तप (यज्ञदानतपः कर्म) are not to be renounced (न त्याज्यम्).

UB: 18:1/3 (1) – अर्जुन is back again to the original question now. In this long dialogue, he did ask key questions from time to time and he got profound wisdom. But in his mind, idea of संयास as defined as giving up all activity is still an ideal lifestyle to take up for अध्यात्म सिद्धि. He impression that संयास that involves giving up activity and leaving for meditation to a forest and resorting to begging is a noble कर्म. And the virtues of त्याग are extolled in earlier chapters. So he again asks the question as to why he should not do त्याग of kingdom and take to संयास lifestyle – hidden prejudices are difficult to be shaken off.

UB: 18:1/3 (2) – श्रीकृष्ण quotes view by some experts who distinguish between the two by stating that संयास refers to not taking up any कर्म at all that is not backed by काम while some others define संयास as giving up all कर्म since any कर्म one does will carry a दोष (in terms of creating कर्मबन्धन). So going away to a cave is perceived as real संयास by such people. श्रीकृष्ण has countered this misconception already in Ch 5 and but idea seems so alluring that he is forced to repeat again.

UB: 18:1/3 (3) – One can only give-up what one has and hence some experts define त्याग of giving up फल that one has acquired as an outcome of conduct of यज्ञ, दान and तप क्रिया. Thus, an ideal lifestyle for अध्यात्म सिद्धि is to continue doing यज्ञ, दान and तप क्रिय (since they cannot be given up wherever you are as long as one has a body) but give over the outcomes, good or bad, to परा. Now भगवान् gives His own opinion as the Truth vision.

UB: He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool; avoid him

He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a student; teach him

He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep; wake him

He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man; follow him

VN: Very nice👌👌

PA: Wonderful 👏🏻👍

UB: निश्चयं श्रृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम। त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः संप्रकीर्तितः।।18.4।।

18.4 In regard to त्याग (तत्र त्यागे), listen to My conclusion (निश्चयं श्रृणु मे), O अर्जुन (भरतसत्तम)! O fearless among Men (पुरुषव्याघ्र), त्याग is indeed (त्यागो हि) well said (संप्रकीर्तितः) to be threefold (त्रिविधः).

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत्। यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम्।।18.5।।

18.5 (a) The कर्म of यज्ञ, दान & तप (यज्ञदानतपः कर्म) should not be relinished (न त्याज्यं); but should be performed (कार्यम् एव तत्). (b). For यज्ञ, दान & तप are indeed (यज्ञ: दानं तप: च एव) the means of purification (पावनानि) for the discerning ones (मनीषिणाम्).

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च। कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम्।।18.6।।

18.6 But (तु) even (अपि) these (एतानि) कर्म (कर्माणि) are to be done (कर्तव्यानि इति) having renounced attachment (सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा) and their (limited) फल (फलानि च), O पार्थ! this is My (मे) decided (निश्चितं) and highest conviction (मतम् उत्तमम्).

UB: 18:4/6 (1) – From here till verse 12, भगवान् summarizes the principles of कर्मयोग again. श्रीकृष्ण does not see any distinction between the words संयास & त्याग. For him, these theoretical distinctions are needless. And he repeats what is the most powerful message of the Gita – do not give-up your responsibility of doing यज्ञ, दान and तप. Be in the world and do not disengage from it. Be active. Be energetic. Your responsibility in a family, office, society, as a parent, etc has to be discharged. But how? Give up your false संग that your identity is defined by these roles but instead you are the परा who is meant to discharge these roles at this point of time. Thus, the फल of your कर्म also goes to परा and not to the lower identity. Chant ॐ-तत्-सत् and this will mean that all your कर्म, both सिद्धि & असिद्धि, is attributed to भगवान्.

UB: 18:4/6 (2) – So the logical question is – Why be engaged in the active discharge of the role? If I am detached and if i do not need the फल, why work at all? And श्रीकृष्ण gives the most critical message – the wise ones do activity for self-purification purposes. One needs to be careful here – an evolved आत्मा who is already enlightened lives and works for the society but a less evolved one works for purifying himself only. So he gives दान and watches himself. He puts a rule that he will study शटरुद्रीयम् daily at 4am and observes whether he is able to live up to this ideal. He works very hard in office to see whether promotions excite him and non-receipt of incentives depress him. He fights with the bosses to get higher bonus so that he can do more दान. The world sees such a person as super-active but his activity is not for the reasons that the world ascribes to him but only for self-learning. And as he learns, he is correcting himself every second of his life.

UB: 18:4/6 (3) – Discussions as to whether one has to choose between कर्मयोग & ज्ञानयोग are meaningless in this context. As we saw in Ch 4, both need to be pursued simultaneously. In the initial stages, a person will be a कर्मयोग प्रधान as he will be engaged more in purifying himself while familiazing himself with ideas on ज्ञान. Later, as he becomes purer, he will turn to ज्ञानयोग and will become a ज्ञानयोग प्रधान and by this time, कर्मयोग lifestyle becomes an ingrained habit. ज्ञानयोग, as we discussed earlier, means the ability to distinguish between प्रकृति & पुरुष so as to develop the ability to weed out the प्रकृति and see the essence of One पुरुष present in all.

VB: UB, is such a question even right “So the logical question is – Why be engaged in the active discharge of the role?” This question assumes that the asker is the lower identity and not para. Which is what we are being told is the wrong way to look at ourselves. “If I am detached and if i do not need the फल, why work at all?” “I” itself is wrong. Is it not the right way to look at it. Basically, this question should not arise as “I” is para and not the lower identity

UB: Very valid point VB – and it is this aspect that does tend to confuse. Essentially, while it is ज्ञान that tells us that we are the परा, this idea is not part of our experiential realm. We still feel that I am eating, I am sleeping, I am reading, etc. Thus while we are told that this “I” is a lower “I”, we are not connected with this (so-called) truth. Hence, as a कर्मयोगी, “I” put myself to work to acquire a सत्वगुण status. So “I” do not work for फल. As I reach this state, my mind becomes purer or subtler and then only the “I” idea will go away. Then we go beyond सत्वगुण state and become गुणातीत. That is the idea here.

PA: 🙏👍👏🏻this is really nicely put here

HB: 👌

UB: नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते। मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः।।18.7।।

18.7 Whereas (तु) संयास of enjoined (नियतस्य) कर्म (कर्मणो) is not proper (न उपपद्यते) because giving up of (परित्याग:) those out of delusion (मोहात् तस्य) is declared to be (परिकीर्तितः) predominantly तमस्.

दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत्। स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत्।।18.8।।

18.8 If (यद्) one were to renounce कर्म (कर्म त्त्यजेत्) out of fear of affliction to the body (काय-क्लेश भया) painful (दुःखम् इति एव), after doing that (स कृत्वा) predominantly रजस् renunciation (राजसं त्यागं), that one would indeed not (न एव) gain (लभेत्) result of that renunciation (त्यागफलं).

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन। सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः।।18.9।।

18.9 O अर्जुन!If, renouncing both attachment (to it) (सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा) and its फल (फलं च एव), enjoined कर्म is performed (नियतं क्रियते) as simply what is to be done (कार्यम् इति एव), that त्याग (स त्यागः) is considered predominantly सात्विक् (सात्त्विको मतः).

UB: 18:7/9 (1) – Five types of कर्म are done by all – विहित or नित्य कर्म (daily set of acts like brushing teeth, eating food, going for work, daily पूजा, etc), नैमितेतिक कर्म (work done on special occassions like festivals, admission to college, etc), काम्य कर्म (desire fulfilment act), प्रायश्चित्त कर्म (acts of repentence on account of a wrong doing done) & निषिद्ध कर्म (acts that are to be avoided). Now the शास्त्र have clearly defined an elaborate list of कर्म under each category that one must do if he or he takes up to an अध्यात्म orientation to life. But even if one does not follow or not aware of शास्त्र, he or she will still have a list of  कर्म under each of the categories specified above. So while नित्य & नैमित्तिक कर्म cannot be avoided by anyone including an enlightened person, the other three are optional for an अध्यात्मी. And whenever one takes up any कर्म, one is simultaneously giving up (त्याग) of some other कर्म. So what to take-up and what to “give-up” is a real question for all. And what one “gives-up” is of three types as enumerated by these verses.

UB: 18:7/9 (2) – Three types of त्याग are given here. One crude example comes to mind. We often witness people take on to pursuit of dieting. So they see people slimmer than themselves and feel they also need to take a dietician advice – so they give up the usual food and take on to salads, grains, etc and give up the so-called fatty food. No regard is given to understanding their own body structure, weather, etc and reading a few blogs, they take on to a dieting regimen that can be rigorous. Such sudden infactuations, though well intentioned, can be classified as तमस्.

UB: 18:7/9 (3) – And then we have people who take on to dieting to avoid disease at a later date, they obtain data on ideal body-weight ratio, etc and to remain healthy till the last day, such people take on to dieting. This seems reasonable but given that the trigger of the decision is one’s own body and security, it is a रजस् संयास. Our सात्विक् person is most sensible. He eats when hungry and does not eat when not hungry. He eats food tuned with seasons and gives up items that are not tuned to the seasons. He is not obsessed about the shape of his body but equally he takes care of it seeing it as a temple housing भगवान्. So upkeep of the body is as a diligent caretaker but not out of काम or need for फल or मोह.

UB: न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते। त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छिन्नसंशयः।।18.10।।

18.10 The त्यागी who is endowed with (समाविष्ट:) clarity of mind (सत्त्व), who has gained knowledge (मेधावी) and whose doubts have been resolved (छिन्न-संशयः) is not displeased at inauspicious कर्म (न द्वेष्टि अकुशलं) nor attached to (न अनुषज्जते) auspicious action (कर्म कुशले).

न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः। यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते।।18.11।।

18.11 Because (हि) one who has a body (देहभृता) is not able to (न शक्यं) completely (अशेषतः) renounce (त्यक्तुं) कर्म (कर्माणि) that one (स:) who thus indeed (य: तु) renounces (at least)  the results on actions (कर्मफलत्यागी) is called (इति अभिधीयते) a त्यागिन्.

अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम्। भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित्।।18.12।।

18.12 Those who have (भवति) not (completely) renounced (अत्यागिनां) कर्म, upon passing away (प्रेत्य), have the threefold (त्रिविधं) results of action (कर्मणः फलम्)- undesirable (अनिष्टम्), desirable (इष्टं) and their mixture (मिश्रं च). But never (तु क्वचित् न) for the सन्यासिन्’s (संन्यासिनां)

UB: 18:10/12 (1) – A perfect त्यागी is an evolved man. The adjectives used here is that he has clarity of mind, who is a मेधावी and he has no more doubts left. Owing to the clarity of vision, doing the so-called inauspicious acts like cleaning toilets, washing clothes, etc do not unsettle him. He is doing work because he has to do the work and because he has to do the work, why should one be displeased with such work? Equally, there is no feeling of “high” in doing so-called noble acts like doing a पूजा, going to a मंदिर, helping others, etc since even these are acts that he has to do anyway.

UB: 18:10/12 (2) – When a third party asks for an advice on a serious matter, we are able to give perfect advice since we are indifferent to the results. An experienced doctor will struggle to operate his own kid going through a serious trauma. An excellent psychologist may offer most reliable counselling to hundreds of people daily but may struggle to maintain good relations with her own Mother-in-law 😊. Whenever we are an interested party, our effectiveness becomes sub-optimal but when we do not bother about results, we are the best. Thus, while नित्य & नैमित्तिक कर्म are unavoidable, do त्साग of the फल while working actively – that is the motto of life of an evolved man. But what about other normal people?

UB: 17:10/12 (3) – All कर्म of normal people who do काम्य कर्म as well as निषिद्ध कर्म will have consequences. One cannot escape it. And we have covered this in detail in Ch 8. Thus, those who predominantly perform निषिद्ध कर्म will attain undesirable abodes like animal or plant life or some time in नरक while those who perform नित्य & नैमित्तिक कर्म with an eye on फल attain desirable abodes of देवता. But those who do a mixture of both extremes remain in their suspended human state and will keep performing the same कर्म life after life – and if one likes to do the same things life after life, day after day,  one need not bother about the Gita message. And this cycle goes on and on ceaselessly.

VB: You wrote “while those who perform नित्य & नैमित्तिक कर्म with an eye on फल attain desirable abodes of देवता.” With an eye on phal?? Is it not contrary that do not run after phal?

UB: As per अध्यात्म, desirable abode is not the goal. There are numerous episodes in our पुराण where इंद्र himself comes to an accomplished ऋषि with an offer to take him to अमरावती. And then there is a big dialogue on benefits of देवलोक post which the ऋषि rejects देवलोक. The goal of अध्यात्म is not to seek a desirable लोक but go for a state of no लोक. And one working for no फल goes beyond the state of or need for a लोक at all.

PK: This reminds  me of what I say to my residents all the time “Let not perfect be the enemy of the good “😃😃😃

UB: 😀 What advice one gives to another depends on whom we are giving advice to. To one who always does negative कर्म, our advice is “Do not do negative कर्म”. To one who does not do negative कर्म but does not do positive कर्म, our advice is “Do सुकर्म”. But since श्रीकृष्ण is talking to one who mostly always does सुकर्म, His advice is “Do actionless कर्म” – that is the idea here. But if you give the last advice to the former two, they will have no clue what this advice means in the first place 😀

UB: पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे। सांख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम्।।18.13।।

18.13 O महाबाहो, pay heed to Me (निबोध मे) (about) these (following) five (पञ्च एतानि) causes (कारणानि) for the accomplishment of (सिद्धये) all actions (सर्व-कर्मणाम्), which factors have been well told (प्रोक्तानि) in the teaching (सांख्ये) that brings an end to action (कृत अन्ते).

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम्। विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम्।।18.14।।

18.14 The seat of action (viz body) (अधिष्ठानं) and likewise the agent (viz the अहङ्कार/doer or experiencer) (तथा कर्ता), the various (च पृथग्विधम्) kinds of organs (of actions and knowledge, including the mind) (करणं), the different and distinctive functions of प्राण (विविधा: च पृथक् चेष्टा) and indeed (च एव), here (अत्र), the fifth (पञ्चमम्) being presiding देवता’s (दैवं).

शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः। न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः।।18.15।।

18.15 Whatever (यद्) कर्म – proper or otherwise (न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा), a person (नरः) undertakes (प्रारभते) with the body, speech or mind (शरीरवाङ्मनोभि:), that (action) (तस्य) has these five (एते पञ्च) instrumental factors (हेतवः).

UB: 18:13/15 (1) – From here are reinforced the principles of ज्ञानयोग. What are the various factors involved in every कर्म done by us? The सांख्य branch of the वेद focuses on this question in detail and we have touched this in Ch 13. सांख्य has identified five aspects involved in every कर्म. The body, the पञ्चप्राण, the ten senses (कर्मेन्द्रिय, ज्ञानेन्द्रिय & मन), the अहङ्कार (I-ness) viz the कर्ता and the देवता. First, the field or platform where all actions and experiences are happening is the body and is called अधिष्ठान here. Because we have a body, we feel hungry which causes us to seek food. Now who is the कर्ता viz the doer or experiencer? It is the अहङ्कार or our “I-identity” which actually seeks the experience.

UB: 18:13/15 (2) – Third is करणं which are the instruments used to gain the experience. The ten senses, मन & बुद्धि are these instruments without which no action is possible. Fourth are the पञ्चप्राण viz प्राण, व्यान, अपान, उदान & समान which are physiological actions viz respiration, digestion, excretion, etc. Last is दैवम् – in a separate blog, i have covered how each sense organ has an अधिष्ठान देव who actually enlivens the senses to perform their role. Equally, दैवम् is translated as destiny which also causes us to be in specific situations and forcing us to act as per such a situation. And since वेदान्त states that the ecosystem we are in is as per our own कर्म, all our past सुकर्म and दुष्कर्म may also be taken as दैवम्.

UB: 18:13/15 (3) – Interestingly, these five are also the ones that cause an action. So if a potter makes a pot, potter’s intent is the cause of action and clay is the material used to make the pot – both are different. However, all the above which may be called as प्रकृति are both the causes of action as well as the material of all action. ज्ञानेश्वर uses the analogy – the Sun alone is the instrumental cause as well as the material cause of the light of the Sun or the faculty of speech is resorted to for praising सरस्वती (who is the देवी of speech) or the greatness of the वेद are to be expressed by the वेद themselves. Thus this group of five is both the material cause as well as instrumental causes and both these causes come together, an aggregate of actions come about.

UB: 18:13/15 (4) – If we as a साधक live with a view that this प्रकृति is myself who is a doer,  how do I shake off this idea?  Just like we remove a thorn using a thorn, we must mould our अहंकार to follow the way of the शास्त्रं. ज्ञानेश्वर makes a point here that is if all the aggregate of actions by the five causes above are aligned to the शास्त्र, they become rightful or else they are wasted. If milk while being served drops directly into the dish, it is well served while the milk that pours out of a vessel owing to over-boiling, such dropping of milk is wasted. Can our treasure that is stolen by theives be termed as charity? Thus all actions may look the same like dropping of milk or giving up of treasure but only those actions which are aligned with the शास्त्र done with understanding conveyed in the शास्त्र will lead to अध्यात्म सिद्धि or else any action misaligned with the शास्त्र are wasted कर्म, howsoever they may look from the outside.

UB: Over the next few days, you will read commentary borrowed significantly from ज्ञानेश्वरी who uses a lot of analogies to elaborate on the abstract verses conveyed by भगवान्. Without Him, I would have struggled to convey the meaning of these verses.

UB: तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः। पश्यत्यकृतबुद्धित्वान्न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः।।18.16।।

18.16 When that is so (तत्र सति एवं), the one who (य:), because of an unprepared (अकृत) mind (बुद्धित्वात्), sees (पश्यति) the I (आत्मानं)- although pure (of कर्म) (केवलं तु), as an agent (कर्तारम्), that (स:) distorted thinker (दुर्मतिः) does not see (न पश्यति) (ie. this fundamental mistake distorts everything else).

यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते। हत्वापि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते।।18.17।।

18.17 One who has (यस्य) no notion (न भाव:) that “I did” (अहंकृत:), whose mind (यस्य बुद्धि) is not affected (न लिप्यते) (ie who has no guilt or hurt regarding action and inaction), that one (स:), though killing (हत्वा अपि) these people (इमान् लोकान्), does not kill (न हन्ति) nor is bound (न निबध्यते) (by the act, just as a judge passing sentence has no guilt).

UB: 18:16/17 (1) – These two verses convey the state of a ज्ञानी. The आत्मा does not act and is not the doer but all actions happen owing to its presence. The Sun has no form; yet he makes discernable the eyes and forms or the Sun without experiencing either day or night creates them – similarly, all actions happen owing to the presence of आत्मा.   While the आत्मा gave sentiency to the body, the जीवात्मा ends up thinking itself as separate and distinct as a doer of actions. Does an owl not convert the broad day into night? Does not a one who has never seen the Sun call its reflection in the pond as the real Sun – he is bound to hold on to the belief that Sun exists because there is a pond, with the pond’s disappearence, the Sun will cease to exist and vibration of water in the pond is responsible for flickering of the Sun himself.

UB: 18:16/17 (2) – So long as one asleep is not awakened, he is bound to feel his dream as true. The moon is bound to appear as yellow to one who has a jaundiced eye.  He only leads a fool’s life who does not permit even a breeze conveying the name of शास्त्र or of a गुरू to touch his body. All his actions are based on अज्ञान and thus actions keep getting him bound deeper and deeper. The way out for such a person is to contemplate merits of those who have already become enlightened just as one discovers a lost article by keeping on searching for it in lamplight or one can see clearly one’s own reflection in a mirror by rubbing clean with a polishing composition or salt becomes water itself as soon as it is put into it. In such a way, one can know one’s unbounded आत्मा by beholding the enlightened saints and he should spend most of his time on hearing their sermons only. In this frame, actions done by him will not bind him.

UB: 18:16/17 (3) – When one becomes enlightened by giving up his association with “I-ness”, the sense of doership goes away just as there remains no fear of ghosts when one crosses childhood or state of fire-wood cannot be restored once the wood is burnt up or a dream cannot be witnessed when one wakes up. Does the Sun ever know darkness since wherever it goes, there is light, in that way, one who has attained ब्रह्मज्ञान finds that each and every object that he sees assumes the form of his own आत्मा. Just as whatever objects comes into contact with fire becomes fire itself and distinction between fire and object vanishes, in this way, duality involved in action is accompanied by the false idea that आत्मा is a doer vanishes away. Just as the sky remains full everywhere it goes, whatever action a ज्ञानी does is inherently his own आत्मा and hence he does not get entangled as a doer.

UB: 18:16/17 (4) – Everyone in whom the body-consciousness vanishes away has to continue actions till he has a body form just like even after the wind ceases to blow the flutter of leaves continues or even after camphor is evaporated its frangrance remains in the air or even after the singing stops the thrilling sensation created by it continues in the mind or even though the Sun sets it remains glowing the twilight. In that way all the egotism vanishes, still the nature of प्रकृति that brought on the present body-form makes the body continue performing actions. The dreams appear without any premeditation or bushes grow without any premeditated plantation or clouds get formed without any structural work, similarly all aggregate of actions get performed on account of five causes without आत्मा doing anything itself.

UB: 18:16/17 (5) – One who is awakened appears like he is doing actions by those who see him merely with their physical eyes but the awakened one knows that as a seer, he has become one with the object seen and who has got merged in it does not know what actions get performed by his body organs just like a Sun does not know which Lotus has opened up on its arrival. For him, nothing exists as distinct from himself that he has to destroy. For him, all bodily actions take place as they become due owing to his destiny (or past acts) and even if the world comes to an end on account of his bodily actions, he remains a non-doer since there is nothing outside him that he can destroy. Just read 18:17 again and imagine how a criminal may use this verses to justify all his criminal actions – this shows once again the danger of exposing Gita to an unrefined mind.

PK: I concur with you fully on this – there is a lot of leeway given to a “realized ” soul . Many if not all technically ” forbidden” actions for ordinary folks are justified for them. The conundrum is that  Self delusion on the individual scale (which makes us justify our actions:/ lifestyle ; I do this all the time😃😃) as well as  our inability to recognize such realized souls ( Due to skepticism at the least and cynicism at my worst) makes this process inherently vulnerable 😃😃😃 I see now why they keep insisting a Guru  is essential for progress in this process but one has to trust the Guru implicitly as well – that is also not very easy; at present I am ok with floundering 😃😃- not all those who wander are lost and all that 🙏. Very interesting though – this seems to me as the most technical chapter -I am enjoying it although I am having a hard time grasping it – probably need to read several times and maybe more versions before a glimmer of understanding is constant ( muscle memory 😃😃). Got to get back to my Nitya karma of helping my mom cook for guests coming for lunch 😃😃😃 Thanks again UB for a challenging 25 minutes of reading 🙏🙏🙏

UB: You are right PK – this chapter has stumped me too. I never expected this to be difficult. So Yes – the narratives will be technical at many places though very interesting. Enjoy your नित्य कर्म 😀😀

UB: ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना। करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसंग्रहः।।18.18।।

18.18 The knowing (ज्ञानं), the object known (ज्ञेयं) and the knower (परिज्ञाता) are the threefold (त्रिविधा) instigators of कर्म (कर्म-चोदना). The instrument (करणं), the object (कर्म) and the doer (कर्ता इति) are the threefold (त्रिविधः) constituents of कर्म (कर्मसंग्रहः).

ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः। प्रोच्यते गुणसंख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि।।18.19।।

18.19 Knowledge (ज्ञानं), action (कर्म) and agent (च कर्ता) are stated (प्रोच्यते) in the teaching about the गुण’s (गुण-संख्याने) to be only of three kinds (च त्रिधैव) according to the differences of the गुण’s (गुणभेदतः). Listen accordingly (यथावत् श्रृणु) about them (तानि अपि).

UB: 18:18/19 (1) – This may seem difficult but not really so. For any action, there are two parts – the thought behind the action (the impulse to an action) (कर्मचोदना) and the act itself. The constituents of the act is called as कर्मसंग्रहः. Now, both these sets – the thought and the act are divided into three parts. First the thought or कर्मचोदना is divided into ज्ञानं, ज्ञेयं & परिज्ञाता. Suppose I have a thought – “I want to eat food”. Here, the knower or thinker is a परिज्ञाता, the experience that one obtains viz eating is ज्ञान and the object of eating viz food is ज्ञेयं. ज्ञेयं is also explained as that which dwells within the sense centres and imparts pleasure or pain. Thus, sight sits within the eye, taste within tongue, sound within ear, etc and thus sound, form, taste, touch and smell are also referred to as ज्ञेयं. These three together create an impulse for an action.

UB: 18.18/ 19 (2) – To add further, ज्ञेयं comes to the परिज्ञाता in five ways (sound, smell, etc) and thus collectively are expected to give an experience viz ज्ञान. Conversely we can say that that point at which ज्ञान comes to a dead halt while running along the channels of the senses is the object of knowledge viz ज्ञेयं. Now this ज्ञेयं takes on the form of either being agreeable or disagreeable – the former spurs action to go towards it while the latter spurs action to run away from it or avoid it. Having thus expounded the idea of कर्मचोदना or components which create an impulse to an action, we now move on to doing the action itself which is again divided into three.

UB: 18:18/19 (3) – कर्मसंग्रहः is divided into three – the कर्ता or the doer, the करणं or the instruments used for action viz eyes, ears, nose, मन, बुद्धि, etc and the कर्म itself viz the actual act of eating, playing, watching movie, reading book, etc. To convert a thought into an action, these three aspects are necessary. To put this all together, a ज्ञाता seeks to get an अनुभव of acquiring ज्ञेयं. To satiate this seeking, he takes on the role of a कर्ता and uses the five senses with mind, etc viz करणं and performs the actual act or कर्म. कर्म ceases when the कर्ता obtains the अनुभव (ज्ञान). भगवान् now takes up these three viz कर्म, ज्ञानं & कर्ता and says that these three are again distinct as per the गुण present in each of them.

UB: 18:18/19 (4) – The moot point to note is that both in कर्मचोदना & कर्मसंग्रहः, आत्मा is not present all but it is only प्रकृति that is involved. That is the reason why these have been elaborated in so much detail to show that आत्मा is distinct and separate from all components of thought and action. Now भगवान् elaborates three types of ज्ञानं, कर्म & कर्ता in terms of the त्रिगुणं orientation of each of these three categories.

UB: सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते। अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम्।।18.20।।

18.20 By which (येन) one sees (ईक्षते) the one (एकम्) changeless (अव्ययम्), undivided (अविभक्तं) existence (भावम्) in all divided things (सर्वभूतेषु) , know that (विद्धि) ज्ञान (तत् ज्ञानं) to be predominantly सत्व (सात्त्विकम्).

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान्। वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम्।।18.21।।

18.21 Whereas the knowledge (यद् तु ज्ञानं) (by) which which one understands (वेत्ति) as separate पृथक्त्वेन (from one another), the many existences (नाना-भावान्)of different kinds (पृथग्विधान्), in all things (सर्वेषु भूतेषु), know (विद्धि) that knowledge (तत् ज्ञानं) to be predominantly रजस् (राजसम्)

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम्। अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।18.22।।

18.22 But (तु) the knowledge (by) which (यद्) one is committed (सक्तम्) to one single effect (एकस्मिन् कार्ये), as if it is everything (कृत्स्नवत्), (which knowledge is) without reason (अहैतुकम्), without truth (अतत्व अर्थवात्) and limited (अल्पं च), that (तत्) is said to be (उदाहृतम्) predominantly तमस् (तामसम्)

UB: 18:20/22 (1) – What is the ultimate ज्ञान that needs to be pursued? The highest ज्ञान to be pursued is the pursuit of unity. The essence or the truth behind all of diversity in this universe is one only. Even when we pursue lower ज्ञान like economics, law, dance, etc., the approach to these is to define uniting principles and then study these diverse domains. Once the uniting principles are established, even though we may be studying different domains, the unity principles will keep us glued to the परा. An enlightened person sees all of life as emanating from and living within the One only but equally, he also sees the प्रकृति that keeps each being a separate appearence. He therefore loves all as a part of his own body but treats each being separately just like we view our hand, our face, our legs, etc separately as per their own individual धर्म.

UB: 18:20/22 (2) – A रजस् thrives in distinctions. रजस् breaks down any object into its diverse characteristics based on the essential properties of each category. And his behaviour is moulded as per the traits of such a being or object. This knowledge does not see the non-dualistic essence behind all of diversity of names and forms in a way a child does not know the one gold behind all diverse ornaments. He does not see the threads but sees the diverse clothes as true or he loses sight on the canvas once a picture is painted on it.

UB: 18:20/22 (3) – A तामसी holds no restrictions in forming body contact and holds no object as prohibited in the way a stray dog in a desolate village devours everything or a flesh eater does not bother about whether the animal is healthy or unhealthy or a forest fire does not bother about what it is burning in a forest or a crow does not bother whether it is eating vomit or served food or a fly does not bother if the body it sits on is dead or alive. Whatever it sees as intended for enjoyment, it takes on to it. Whatever is edible will be eaten, whatever gives it a pleasure of touch, it touches and whatever quenches his thirst, he will drink it. Whosoever fulfils his desire is a friend or relative; others be damned. तमस् ज्ञान considers the entire world as his own wealth and considers the entire meant to serve as an object of his enjoyment. This attitude considers even aspects like heaven or hell as useless – what he enjoys is heaven and what he does not enjoy is hell, that is all. Eat and be merry as long as you live – who knows what happens once one dies is the तमसी attitude. To call this worldview as ज्ञान is ridiculous and hence भगवान् does not use the word ज्ञान here but merely says that such a world view is तामसम्.

UB: All the verses given till now and leading up-to 45 will culminate in the most perfect knowledge being conveyed from 46-58. Once we go through those verses, no more doubts will be left that need clarity and what will remain is mere execution, if this ज्ञान appeals to us of course

PA: 👍👍👏🏻

UB: नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम्। अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते।।18.23।।

18.23 कर्म which is in keeping with धर्म (नियतं), which (यद्) is done (कृतम्) without identification (ie., “I did this”) (सङ्गरहितम्), and is free from love or hatred (अरागद्वेषतः), by one who is not desirous of obtaining its result (अफल-प्रेप्सुना), that (तत्) कर्म is said to be (उच्यते) predominantly सत्व (सात्त्विकम्).

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः। क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम्।।18.24।।

18.24 But (तु) कर्म that (यद् कर्म) is done (क्रियते) with a requirement to attain (ईप्सुना) an object of desire or, again (वा पुनः), (done) as a huge effort (बहुल-आयासं) with excessive pride (स अहङ्कारेण) is said to be (उदाहृतम्) predominantly रजस् (राजसम्)

अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम्। मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते।।18.25।।

18.25 कर्म that (यद् कर्म) is undertaken (आरभ्यते) out of delusion (मोहात्), without regard to (अनपेक्ष्य) (its) consequences (अनुबन्धं), loss (क्षयं) (to oneself or others), injury (हिंसां) (to oneself or others) and one’s personal capacity (पौरुषम् च), that is said to be (उच्यते) predominantly तमस् (तामसम्).

UB: 18:23/25 (1) – In a sense, the सात्विक् कर्म is nothing else but कर्मयोग itself. Says ज्ञानेश्वर – such a कर्म becomes an ornament to the fitness of the doer in a way a sandalpaste is to a dark complexioned one or काजल in the eyes of a young lady. नित्य कर्म are in themselves good and coupled with नैमित्तिक कर्म amounts to adding fragrance to gold. This कर्म is to be performed with full commitment without an eye to the fruit and dedicate them wholly to the परा. And good कर्म performed with an even mind, feeling no bitterness in case कर्म remains incomplete or not done at all or not getting elated on successful completion is सात्विक् कर्म. Is it not irresponsible to be casual even though work is not performed well? Not really. A सात्विक् will anyway be putting a good dose of sincere effort and if despite this, outcome does not come his way, he will remain calm exclaiming that non-success must be on account of his प्रारब्ध and take his अनुभव of failure as a learning experience.

UB: 18:23/25 (2) – Just as a fool never caring to talk a single sweet word to his parents should behave courteously with others, a रजस् never thinks of making any effort to perform धार्मिक नित्य/ नैमित्तिक कर्म but will not consider any exertion as adequate to secure some selfish end. He will not say “enough” while sowing seeds inorder to secure a bumper crop or feel tired to pour money in a venture to secure huge profits. In religious matters too, he will never get tired of blowing his trumpet about whatever he does and goes on parading his name as an orthodox and pious man. कर्म is performed with intense liking by persons thus possessed of conceit and under the temptation of फल and with great physical exertion as if that is the very source of their subsistence is रजस् कर्म – this is akin to a rat which excavates an entire mountain to secure a single grain of corn or a snake charmers carry from house to house loads of reptiles exposing themselves to a high risk while getting in return nothing more than paltry sums – what a pity that such people find pleasure in such exertions!!!! (as per ज्ञानेश्वर)

UB: 18:23/25 (3) – That action that justifies the conduct of all that is prohibited in तामसिक कर्म. A moth rushes on its own to the lamp and burns itself up but also causes loss of light by extinguising the lamp. In that way, although such a कर्म results in the loss of wealth and efforts and proves injurious to the body of the user, yet it brings nothing but harm to others also. A fly gets itself gulped up but also causes such a person to vomit – such is the wicked nature of तामसिक् कर्म. Such actions are performed without a forethought; he fails to consider if he has sufficient strength to execute them and he also does not consider the repurcussion of his कर्म on others. Such कर्म is not to be faulted here but it is तामसिक् since the intent behind the कर्म is problematic. Actions in which virtuous and vicious elements are hopelessly muddled up and in whose performance, no regard is paid to the ensuing negative impact to the doer himself as well as others are तमस् कर्म.