Chapter name is मोक्ष-संयासयोग

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).

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 ज्ञान. But in his मन, 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 क्रिया and leaving for ध्यान 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.

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 chapter five and but idea seems so alluring that he is forced to repeat again.

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.

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

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 given up (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).

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 श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता – 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.

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 चित्त शुद्धि. 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.

18:4/6 (3) – Discussions as to whether one has to choose between कर्मयोग & ज्ञानयोग are meaningless in this context. As we saw in chapter four, 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 familiarizing himself with ideas on ज्ञान. Later, as he gains more सत्व, 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.

Question: You have stated – “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 परा. 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 परा and not the lower identity

Response: Very valid point – 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) सत्य. 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 मन attains more शुद्धि or attains a सूक्ष्म trait and then only the “I” idea will go away. Then we go beyond सत्वगुण state and become गुणातीत. That is the idea here.

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).

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 occasions 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 she 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.

18:7/9 (2) – Three types of त्याग are given here. One crude example comes to मन. 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 infatuations, though well-intentioned, can be classified as तमस्.

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 मंदिर housing भगवान्. So upkeep of the body is as a diligent caretaker but not out of काम or need for फल or मोह.

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)

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 दृष्टि, doing the so-called “inauspicious” (अपवित्र) क्रिया 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 any type of work that needs to be done? Equally, there is no feeling of “high” in doing so-called noble क्रिया like doing a पूजा, going to a मंदिर, helping others, etc since even these are क्रिया that he has to do anyway.

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 फल, 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?

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 chapter eight. 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 श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता message. And this cycle goes on and on ceaselessly.

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

Response: As per धर्म, 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.

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).

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 chapter thirteen. 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.

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 and one must be aware of 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.

18:13/15 (3) – Interestingly, these five are also the ones that cause कर्म. So if a potter makes a pot, potter’s intent is the cause of कर्म 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 कर्म as well as the material of all कर्म. 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 कर्म come about.

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 thieves be termed as दान? Thus all कर्म may look the same like dropping of milk or giving up of treasure but only those कर्म 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.

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).

18:16/17 (1) – These two श्लोक convey the state of a ज्ञानी. The आत्मा does not do any क्रिया and is not the doer but all कर्म happen owing to its presence. The Sun has no form; yet he makes discernible the eyes and forms or the Sun without experiencing either day or night creates them – similarly, all कर्म happen owing to the presence of आत्मा.   While the आत्मा gave sentiency to the शरीर, the जीवात्मा ends up thinking itself as separate and distinct as a doer of कर्म. 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 disappearance, the Sun will cease to exist and vibration of water in the pond is responsible for flickering of the Sun himself.

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 क्रिया are based on अज्ञान and thus कर्म 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, कर्म done by him will not bind him.

18:16/17 (3) – When one becomes enlightened by giving up his association with “I-ness”, the sense of doer-ship 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 any कर्म is accompanied by the false idea that आत्मा is a doer vanishes away. Just as the आकाश remains full everywhere it goes, whatever कर्म a ज्ञानी does is inherently his own आत्मा and hence he does not get entangled as a doer.

18:16/17 (4) – Everyone in whom the body-consciousness vanishes away has to continue कर्म 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 fragrance 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 अहंकार vanishes, still the nature of प्रकृति that brought on the present body-form makes the body continue performing कर्म. 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 कर्म get performed on account of five causes without आत्मा doing anything itself.

18:16/17 (5) – One who is awakened appears like he is doing कर्म 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 कर्म 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 क्रिया 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 क्रिया, 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 श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता to an unrefined mind.

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).

18:18/19 (1) – This may seem difficult but not really so. For any कर्म, there are two parts – the thought behind the कर्म (the impulse to an action) (कर्मचोदना) and the क्रिया itself. The constituents of the क्रिया 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 any कर्म.

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 a कर्म, we now move on to doing the क्रिया itself which is again divided into three.

18:18/19 (3) – कर्मसंग्रहः is divided into three – the कर्ता or the doer, the करणं or the instruments used for क्रिया 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 any कर्म, 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.

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 कर्म. Now भगवान् elaborates three types of ज्ञानं, कर्म & कर्ता in terms of the त्रिगुणं orientation of each of these three categories.

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)

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 appearance. 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.

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.

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 स्वर्ग or नरक as useless – what he enjoys is स्वर्ग and what he does not enjoy is नरक, 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.

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 श्लोक, no more doubts will be left that need clarity and what will remain is mere execution, if this ज्ञान appeals to us of course

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).

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 sandal-paste 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 फल and dedicate them wholly to the परा. And good कर्म performed with an even मन, 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, फल 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.

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 in order to secure a bumper crop or feel tired to pour money in a venture to secure huge profits. In matters of धर्म 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)

18:23/25 (3) – That कर्म 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 extinguishing 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 कर्म are performed without a forethought; he fails to consider if he has sufficient strength to execute them and he also does not consider the repercussion 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. कर्म in which पुण्य and पाप 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.

Last few श्लोक, we have seen the words ज्ञान & कर्म seen from the perspective of त्रिगुण. This approach will continue for a few more words over the next few श्लोक too – कर्ता or doer, बुद्धि, धृति or will power and सुख. By the end of this, we will be fed up of course 😊 but the idea of त्रिगुण orientation for every value should sink-in quite well. And ज्ञानेश्वर analogies make the narrative quite interesting.

मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः। सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते।।18.26।।

18.26 That doer (कर्ता) being free from attachment (मुक्तसङ्ग:) (ie., not requiring the result), not claiming I (अनहंवादी) (did this), endowed with (समन्वितः) resolve (धृति) and enthusiasm (उत्साह) and being without change (र्निर्विकारः) in success (सिद्ध्यि) and non-success (असिद्ध्यि), is said to be (उच्यते) predominantly सत्व (सात्त्विक).

रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः। हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः।।18.27।।

18.27 That doer (कर्ता) who has attraction (रागी) (towards things), who has a requirement to obtain (प्रेप्सु) the result of an action (कर्मफल), is miserly (लुब्ध:), whose nature is to hurt (हिंसा-आत्मक:) (another or oneself), is unclean (अशुचिः) (physically/ mentally) and subject to delight and grief (हर्ष-शोकान्वितः) – is said to be (परिकीर्तितः) predominantly रजस् (राजसः).

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः। विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते।।18.28।।

18.28 The doer (कर्ता) who is not integrated (अयुक्तः), lacking in manners/ etiquette (प्राकृतः), unable to bow or impolite (स्तब्धः), deceptive (शठ:), harmful to others’s goals (नैष्कृतिक:), lazy (अलस:), depressed (विषादी) and procrastinating (दीर्घसूत्री च), is said to be (उच्यते) predominantly तमस् (तामस).

18:26/28 (1) – A सात्विक doer performs plenty of good कर्म with sincerity and yet feels no conceit as their doer. While doing कर्म in plenty, कर्म fit to be dedicated to परा, he takes due care to keep proper time, to select a suitable place and if in doubt about validity of कर्म consults the शास्त्र; he brings harmony between his natural inclinations and senses, not allowing the mind to turn towards फल, observes restrictions with regard to self-control. He never looks to his own physical comfort while doing कर्म out of love to gain Him. He rids himself of laziness and never feels pangs of hunger nor keeps comforts for his body. And in such a state, he feels greater enthusiasm for doing कर्म as desires for enjoyment of sense objects diminishes and conceit about his body is rid of.

18:26/28 (2) – Just as a dung hill is a proper place for accumulation of village dirt and funeral ground for coming together of inauspicious things, a रजस् doer is a sink place for greed-driven कर्म. He will zealously perform innumerable कर्म that will secure him uninterrupted फल and while not preparing to forego a single Rupee of money earned, he hugs his acquisitions to his bosom as the highest love of his life. He torments others through his शरीर, वाक् & मन and remains indifferent to others’ interests while securing his own selfish ends. He never engages his mind in any sentiment that does not interest him in any way howsoever noble it may be and is inclined to acts devoid of internal and external purity. If he secures his fruit, he will be overjoyed and indulges in grinning while goes into deep misery if he does not secure his object of interest.

18:26/28 (3) – A तामसी is unable to integrate all layers of personality –  शरीर/मन/ बुद्धि in his conduct. He lacks in manner of conduct with others or lacks etiquette or he does not live a life of अनुष्ठान nor does he follow आचार. Thus, a तामसी does not know the harm he causes to others as fire does not realize how others are getting burnt up in its presence or weapon does not know others are getting killed owing it its sharpness. Good कर्म to others prick him like thorns just as salt when mixed with milk makes it unfit for drinking. Just as sweets eaten by one eventually turn into waste matter (crazy analogy 😊), while he mentally receives good कर्म of others, they change into opposite when passing his मन just as milk consumed by a snake converts into poison. Key reason for this aspect in a तामसी is laziness and even though he may recognize certain क्रिया as good, he will run away from performing these owing to laziness. And state of no activity makes him depressive and he keeps complaining about things or gives phenomenal arguments to justify his state of non-action. Why do पूजा? Why read शास्त्र? Why be active at all? And he offers wonderful arguments that may selectively (mis)quote from श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता too to prove his point while the real trigger behind his arguments is laziness.

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं श्रृणु। प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय।।18.29।।

18.29 Listen to (श्रृणु) what is going to be told (प्रोच्यमानम्) separately (पृथक्त्वेन) and completely (अशेषेण) about the threefold (त्रिविधं) difference (भेदं) according to (predominance of) गुण’s (गुणत:) of the बुद्धि (बुद्धे) and of resolve (धृते च एव), O धनञ्जय

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये। बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी।।18.30।।

18.30 O पार्थ! The बुद्धि that (या) knows (वेत्ति) the nature of (when to do) engagement (प्रवृत्तिं च) and dis-engagement (निवृत्तिं च), what is to be done (कार्याकार्ये) and not to be done (अकार्ये), what is dangerous and not dangerous (source of security) (भयाभये) and what is bondage and complete freedom (बन्धं मोक्षं च), that बुद्धि (सा बुद्धिः) is predominantly सत्व (सात्त्विकी).

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च। अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी।।18.31।।

18.31 O पार्थ! The बुद्धि (बुद्धिः) with which (यया) one wrongly knows what is धर्म and अधर्म (धर्मं-अधर्मं च) and, indeed, what is to be done and not to be done (कार्यं च अकार्यम् एव च), that (सा) (बुद्धि) is predominantly रजस् (राजसी).

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसाऽऽवृता। सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी।।18.32।।

18.32 O पार्थ! The बुद्धि which (या), covered with (आवृता) ignorance (तमसा), considers (मन्यते) अधर्म to be धर्म (अधर्मं धर्मम् इति), and all things as contrary (to what they are) (सर्व-अर्थान् विपरीतां च एव), that (सा) is predominantly तमस् (तामसी).

18:29/32 (1) – What is the best use to which we put our बुद्धि or intellect to – when our बुद्धि can make a distinction towards when to indulge in प्रवृत्ति viz activism and when in निवृत्ति viz stepping back. So towards what must बुद्धि take on प्रवृत्ति and from what must it engage in निवृत्ति? प्रवृत्ति must be towards a कर्म that gives us an opportunity to know our आत्मा and निवृत्ति must be towards कर्म that keeps us glued to our प्रकृति. Or both प्रवृत्ति & निवृत्ति कर्म must enable us to expand while those कर्म that are रजस् & तमस् must be avoided. An opportunity for चित्त शुद्धि must be grabbed and an engagement focussed on फल based on काम & राग/ द्वेश must be avoided. “Work is Worship” is a good slogan but equally one must be clear what work is to be seen as worship and which one is to be seen as dangerous. If बुद्धि is taking to a कर्म that seeks security in a material sense (wealth, bigger house, acquiring power via career, etc), it is a source of भय while कर्म focussed on expansion is a source of the अभय.  And pursuing कर्म that is our धर्म is a zone of अभय and whether we obtain material security as an outcome of such a कर्म is incidental.

18:29/32 (2) – There is no distinction such as day or night in the case of a blind one or a black bee devours honey in the flowers as well as carves wood but remains a black-bee. Similarly, रादसिक् one pursues both धर्म & अधर्म without being in a position to distinguish between the two just as one purchasing pearls with closed eyes can hardly secure the best ones. This intellect is incapable of distinguishing between acts that are pure and impure just as one extending a mass invitation to public does not consider worthiness or otherwise of people being invited.

18:29/32 (3) –  A thief considers as a byway the high road taken by the King or what is a day time to others is night time for an owl or असुर. He considers the आत्मा as non-existent because does not see it. Such a one sees a heap of coal whereas it is actually treasure. This बुद्धि considers all पाप as घार्मिक् कर्म and considers all that is false as real, this intellect converts all right qualities as defects and considers all that is sanctioned by the वेद as perverse. A lazy मन that is unthinking, depressed, cynical, unable to go beyond the senses – such are the reasons why the बुद्धि of a तामसी makes such errors in its use. It is a rusty बुद्धि. Thus, he who knows not, and knows not that he knows not or thinks he knows everything while really knowing nothing is a तामसी 😊.

18:29/32 (4) – A तामसी encounters a lecture that extols ध्यान. He gets excited and from the very next day, he immerses himself in it by taking up long hours of ध्यान. And in Day three itself, he feels भगवान् is communicating with him. And he tells the whole world about it and also posts a selfie of himself doing ध्यान. By Day seven, the enthusiasm ebbs but luckily he comes across a You-tube video where he learns that reading of शास्त्र is critical to master ध्यान. So he straight goes to the complex text of योगसूत्र / ब्रह्मसूत्र. Of course he struggles to go past a single page itself but as he was flipping channels, he hears a गुरु say that in कलियुग, what is enough is नामजप of श्रीराम and there is no need for doing intense ध्यान or reading complex and confusing शास्त्र. So he abandons reading and takes up a five-hour नामजप. He even posts a selfie on Facebook wearing a shirt littered with the name of श्रीराम. Finally, he reads a paper article by a rationalist who says that he wasted all his life reading शास्त्र and concluded that all these शास्त्र are a piece of junk and one should eat and be merry and help the neighbours rather than wasting time in नामजप. Our तामसी is able to connect perfectly with this wisdom and he then returns to his earlier way of life convinced that अध्यात्म is a waste of life based on his own “intense” experience. 😊😊

धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः। योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी।।18.33।।

18.33 O अर्जुन! (the) unswerving resolve (धृत्या) with which one sustains activities of the बुद्धि, the physiological functions, and the organs (of actions and sensing), through (unswerving) योग, that resolve is predominantly सत्व.

यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन। प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी।।18.34।।

18.34 Whereas (तु), O पार्थ! resolve (धृत्या) with which (यया) one, being desirious of results (फल-आकाङ्क्षी), sustains (धारयते) (activities for) धर्म, काम and security (अर्थान्) (and not for मोक्ष), according to opportunity (प्रसङ्गेन), that resolve (सा धृतिः) is predominantly रजस् (राजसी).

यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च। न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी।।18.35।।

18.35 O पार्थ! The (resolve) by which (यया) one whose thinking is distorted (दुर्मेधा) does not give up (विमुञ्चति) sleep (स्वप्नं), fear (भयं), sorrow (शोकं), depression (विषादं) or intoxication (मदं एव च), that (सा) resolve (धृतिः) to not change) is predominantly तमस्.

18:33/35 (1) – If anyone claims that अध्यात्म pushes people towards a life of fatalism,  this श्लोक can be shown to such “wise” ones. धृति stands for perseverance or will power. And if everything is taken as destiny, भगवान् would not have talked how to mould our धृति in an appropriate path. And while all people have a certain kind of a strong will power, key point to check is what is such a धृति oriented to? So the धृति of a सात्विकी is moulded towards अनन्ययोग viz unswerving adherence to the अनुष्ठान or discipline in pursuit of कर्मयोग. No matter what temptations come about or what disturbances happen, he will not abandon his नित्यक्रिया of getting up at ब्रह्म मुहूर्त, daily ध्यान, daily reading of शास्त्र, helping others, chanting मित्रं while eating, bathing, sleeping,  etc and living by the principles of कर्मयोग & ज्ञानयोग every moment of his life. Such a strong will power is rare and cannot come about unless it is backed by a strong conviction towards अध्यात्म.

18:33/35 (2) – Our राजसी is also a focussed man. He is always reading books on wealth maximization, best restaurants to eat, racy fiction novels to read, best movies to watch, best games to play with friends, etc and then pursuing such कर्म. The धृति to continually seek a life of भोग is very strong. Such a person always seeks activity to get some फल or the other of some sensual experience.  He is upset to hear about people who retire and seek relaxation – this man does not want to retire but if there is no job to do, he will travel, be part of local committees and contest elections, will be doing some work or other to obtain some benefit or other. If he joins an आश्रम, he will take up “Public Relations” or “Secretary” role within such an आश्रम.

18:33/35 (3) – And our friend तामसी also has will power which is very powerful. You can even move a mountain but not a तामसी. He will not give up laziness, sleep, etc. He is extremely averse to gaining any ज्ञान except about how to prolong his spell of laziness. Naturally, one who lacks ज्ञान will carry a lot of fear of being exposed about his lack of ज्ञान and this fear makes this person violent (in words or actions) with others.  And one in a prolonged state of fear will naturally descend into depression. One must therefore not expose such a person to a संयासी lifestyle as this will be extremely dangerous for him as well as others around him. It is better to spur him into रजस् by putting a fear of “no-work no-food” truism. Depression will naturally reduce for one who does some work and gains some ज्ञान in the process. Once depression comes down and fear abates, only then can such a तामसी who has become रजस् oriented now may be exposed to idea of सात्विक् बुद्धि.

सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं श्रृणु मे भरतर्षभ। अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति।।18.36।।

यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्। तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्।।18.37।।

But now (इदानीं तु), O भरतर्षभ! Listen to me (श्रृणु मे) about threefold (त्रिविधं) happiness (सुखं). That in which (यत्र) one discovers happiness (रमते) by (daily) repetition (अभ्यासात्) (of listening and contemplating the teachings) and gains (च निगच्छति) the end of sorrow (दुःखान्तं), that which (यद् तद्) in the beginning (अग्रे) is like poison (विषम् इव), upon a change (in clarity of mind) (परिणामे), is like (उपमम्) immortal nectar (अमृत), born of clarity (प्रसादजम्) of self-knowledge (आत्म-बुद्धि), that happiness (तत् सुखं) is said to be predominantly सत्व (सात्त्विकं).

विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम्। परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम्।।18.38।।

18.38 That which (यद् तद्) is (born) from the contact (संयोगात्) of the senses (इन्द्रिय) with (their) objects (विषय), which in the beginning (अग्रे) seeks like nectar (अमृत-उपमं) (but), upon (any) change (परिणामे) (in the object, capacity to acquire, senses or mind), becomes like poison (विषम् इव), that happiness (तत् सुखं) is said to be (स्मृतम्) predominantly रजस् (राजसं).

यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः। निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्।।18.39।।

18.39 Happiness (यद् च सुखं) that arises (उत्थम्) from sleepiness (निद्रा), laziness (आलस्य) and carelessness (प्रमाद:), which in the beginning (अग्रे) and in the end (अनुबन्धे च) is self-deluding (आत्मन: मोहनम्), that (तद्) is said to be (उदाहृतम्) predominantly तमस् (तामसम्).

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः। सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः।।18.40।।

18.40 There is no (न अस्ति) being (तद् सत्वं) on earth (पृथिव्यां), in स्वर्ग even among the देव (दिवि देवेषु वा), that (यद्) can be (स्यात्) free from these (एभि:) three गुण’s (त्रिभि: गुणै:), born as प्रकृति (प्रकृति-जै:).

18:36/40 (1) – Can even सुख have varieties? भगवान् here conveys that even सुख is of three types. And an ideal सुखी is one who has a sharp बुद्धि which knows that our real nature is that of आनन्द – and one who knows himself is always happy. And because he holds on to his real स्वभाव, his बुद्धि does not get carried away by storms created by emotions or other physical hardships just as a man caught in a flood is unaffected by the fury of the river once he is able to get support of a strong boulder. But support from आनन्द aspect of our own persona does not come easily – one has to encounter a lot of pain initially just as one wanting to access a Sandal tree has to pass through fear of snakes or conduct of any happy event like marriage makes one go through a lot of hardship involved in organizing a big event or like our tongue has to bear the bitter taste of medicine first before getting benefit of the medicine. But once the अमृत is obtained, one is सुखी forever.

18:36/40 (2) – While a राजसी may be inspired by the अध्यात्म ideal, his sense organs feel as if the end of the world has happened while leaving the home of sense objects. And one having सात्विक् धृति bears all this pain just as an athlete bears a lot of pain during training to eventually earn an Olympic medal or just as only after intense churning of the सागर that अमृत was delivered. The extreme sour taste of green grapes is more burning to the tongue yet these very grapes taste very sweet once the grapes turn ripe. Thus similarly, attributes of असङ्ग and cultivation of देवी संपत्ति fully ripen our आत्मज्ञान and all duality born of अज्ञानं perishes. Then our बुद्धि merges with परमात्मा just as गंगा merges into the सागर. That आनन्द that has as its root total असङ्ग with जगत्, this root developing and producing at its end the enjoyment of the bliss of आनन्द is सात्विक् आनन्द.

18:36/40 (3) – People hold celebrations at the visit of a high official to their house or for a marriage but they incur high debts (which causes pain later) or both a plantain fruit and sugar taste sweet (in the beginning) to a diseased person who is prohibited from eating them or friendship of thieves or sweet words of a prostitute or humour or jokes by a person who flatters or a fool all prove fatal in the end. Similar is pleasure derived via union of senses with the sense objects which fattens the beings, ends drying up whatever पुण्य one has acquired. And when whatever happiness is enjoyed vanishes as if it was all a dream, the only thing left is for the being to rot in total ruin. Such सुख eventually causes harm not only while living but also post shedding this body.

18:36/40 (4) – तामस सुख is self-evident. ज्ञानेश्वर says that all सुख derived from drinking un-drinkables, eating un-eatables or that derived from killing others or robbing others of their property or that which is fed on laziness or is found in slumber or that which from the first to the last leads one away from the right path and leads him to the wrong one, such a सुख is तामस सुख. All kinds of beings – both Earthly and non-Earthly are bound by these three गुण – there is no escape for anyone since all of life is composed of प्रकृति only.

Thus far, we have seen seven “value-traits” viz त्याग, ज्ञान, कर्म, कर्ता, बुद्धि, सुख & धृति and observed that each such trait is seen differently by one as per his or her गुण-complex. Other value-traits can also thus be similarly broken up. So the question that comes up is – what कर्म must one do to attain अध्यात्म सिद्धि given that each of us have different गुण-mix? And next few verses focus again on the idea of वर्ण संस्कार and how following a कर्म as per my वर्ण will give me अध्यात्म सिद्धि. Tomorrow will be a slightly long backdrop to the idea behind वर्ण संस्कार to get into the spirit behind this idea of fourfold classification.

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप। कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः।।18.41।।

18.41 O परंतप! The कर्म of (कर्माणि) ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय, वैश्य & शूद्र (ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च) are divided (प्रविभक्तानि) by (the predominance of) गुण’s (र्गुणैः) arising from (प्रभवै:) their nature (स्वभाव).

18:41 (1) – And we return to a discussion on the (in)famous idea of वर्ण संस्कार. How do we formulate a society? Do we conceive a society as one where people come together so as to milk the society to its maximum? A Modern Constitution of most countries grants every person “Equality” in their “Rights” to pursue the activity of their choice so that they can maximize their happiness. But this noble document does not define सुख (on the lines seen in previous श्लोक). So the lowest common denominator viz maximization of accretion of material comforts is seen commonly as a measure of society success (higher GDP, higher per-capita income, etc). With this idea, we create a framework where everyone is given a “skill-based” विद्या obtaining which everyone ends up doing vocations that makes them pursue अर्थ using which people can maximize their happiness (by buying goodies viz objects & experiences). This means the Constitution is attempting to conceive of a society that is orderly so that all people can collectively milk the cow viz our Earth (or the Universe) to the maximum. And this world view is supposed to be highest intellectual achievement of modern world 😊 (I know I am being over-cynical here).

18:41 (2) – No matter how much we browbeat the world into instilling a false idea of equality, even a child who is capable of thinking can see that the world is blatantly unequal. All beings do not have the same skill. All humans are not born in similar ecosystems. All parts of the world do not have same living conditions. All beings are not equipped with same thinking abilities or physical attributes. Inequality is natural while equality is unnatural. So we have two paths to take to address this “unfair” act of nature – first path says “Let us strive to make everyone in a society equal”. Communism thus sees inequality as a problem and it tried to solve this “problem” but it appears to have failed (wrong problem definition means wrong solution applied and thus see wrong outcomes). In a perverse way,  Capitalism also seeks to make people equal by putting up an ideal of wealth maximization as the ultimate state of achievement and make everyone strive for it. Pick any magazine or a book on successful people of modern world and you will come across names like Gates,  Ambani, Warren Buffet, etc who have achieved wealth maximization and thus making others feel “unequal” and thus pushing them to adopt a lifestyle that may make them an equal of  Gates. Thus while this system rewards merit, it makes many who are seemingly lacking merit to feel “unequal” and live their whole life with this regret. Thus, using Maslow, “self-actualization” can happen only after all the material needs are met – this silly theory is taught as a Universal truth to all of us in schools today

18:41 (3) – वर्ण संस्कार approach chooses an alternate path. It recognizes that all people are not equal in terms of their ability and orientation just like all fingers in a hand do not have the same size. Owing to their own कर्म, everyone is in a different state of being and thus their capabilities and interest orientations are different. How do we therefore tap into these innate differences among people in a manner that while each person continues to live and retain his or her orientation, each will use their respective skill to achieve the highest goal of अध्यात्म while also contributing their best to the society?

18:41 (4) – Our texts have visualized a human society as One Being with four parts – the head, the arms, the thighs and the legs. The head thinks, the arms protect, the thighs support and the legs enable movement or activity. The पुरुष सूक्त refers to चातुर्वर्ण्यं visualizing these four aspects as true for the entire Universe. Ancient भारत used this idea to conceive of an ideal human society. Can any human being live a good life in the absence of any of the four parts of a body? He cannot as all four are important. Thus the ब्राह्मण is seen as performing the role of the head, क्षत्रिय of the arms, वैश्य as the thighs and शूद्र as the legs. If we create a society for “takers” only,  all four will collectively milk the cow dry and will eventually kill and eat the cow.  However, if we see all aspects of nature acting in the role of “givers” and attempt to build a human society where every human is given value because he “gives” rather than as a “taker”, each part will thus be asked to contribute as per their own गुण matrix that is part of their स्वभाव. Thus, one whose गुण-mix has सत्व as primary and रजस् as secondary is ब्राह्मण, रजस् as primary and सत्व as secondary is क्षत्रिय, रजस् as primary and तमस् as secondary is वैश्य and तमस् as primary and रजस् as secondary is शूद्र:. Now if each part takes on the role of a “giver”, the various other parts will benefit while the entire पृथ्वी will prosper too.

18:41 (5) – A ब्राह्मण is focussed on gaining ज्ञान as a full time vocation. The entire corpus of वैदिक ज्ञान is immense and people cannot finish this even after taking multiple lives. And in the earlier era, in the absence of proper media to store the books, it is common for ब्राह्मण’s to spend their whole life rewriting from old media to a new media. And it is not possible for all normal people nor can it be their interest to spend their entire life with books and education. So we had a dedicated class of people who spend their whole life reading and writing and also guide the society on matters of धर्म & other aspects. And similarly, we have a class of people naturally driven towards leadership and doing governance and fighting for protecting the kingdoms. A society cannot function without commerce and presence of a strong economic system is essential to sustain movement of goods and services. And lastly, we have a significant class of people who neither have a high level of education nor driven towards taking on leadership roles nor have commerce know their blood – the entire class of salaried people today and others like carpenters,  masons, garbage collectors,  those serving food in restaurants,  etc may be taken to fall under this class.

18:41 (6) – One who does ब्राह्मण कर्म is not meant to take up leadership position, take up commerce or do jobs that keep him away from his zone of focus viz ब्रह्मज्ञान.  So the society allows him to pursue education full time by giving him money on special occasions to maintain his family.  A क्षत्रिय is expected to get advice from ब्राह्मण and funding from वैश्य and services from शूद्र – without this support, he cannot discharge his role as a leader. A वैश्य cannot take on a political leadership role nor be consulted on matters of  ज्ञान and a शूद्र cannot take on the other three roles.  The basic idea is that each role has an innate conflict of interest with another and putting 2-3 aspects into a single person will create conflict in a society. Just as we have this idea of taking aptitude tests today before recruitment, वर्ण संस्कार system also attempts to ensure that one’s own स्वभाव is tuned to zone of responsibility.

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च। ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.42।।

18.42 The कर्म of ब्राह्मण (ब्रह्मकर्म), that is born of their nature (स्वभावजम्), is composure (शम:), self-restraint (दम:), तप:, cleanliness (शौचं), accommodation (क्षान्ति:) and also straight-forwardedness (आर्जवम्), knowledge (and its) assimilation (विज्ञानम्) and acceptance in the veracity of the वेद (आस्तिक्यं).

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम्। दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.43।।

18.43 The कर्म of क्षत्रिय’s (क्षात्रं कर्म), that is born of their nature (स्वभावजम्), valour (शौर्यं), self-confidence (तेज:), धृति, dexterity viz ability to act with confidence (in sudden situations) (दाक्ष्यं) and also not fleeing from battle (युद्धे च अपि अपलायनम), generosity (दानम्) and leadership (ईश्वर-भाव-च).

18:42/43 (1) – Now we see the definition of a ब्राह्मण in terms of गुण (and not as per birth). This श्लोक says that certain people, as a natural course of selection choose ब्रह्मकर्म.  And by गुण, they have qualities which are essential for pursuit of ब्रह्मकर्म which are enumerated as शम, दम:, तपः, शौचं, क्षान्ति:, आर्जवम्. The meaning of qualities have been discussed earlier in chapter sixteen. These qualities make them suited to pursue ज्ञानं and विज्ञानम्, which as we saw at the start of chapter seven refers to theory and practice of अध्यात्म ज्ञान. आस्तिक्यं is translated as “religious” but it actually means conviction in Oneness or in the word of the वेद. And thus he devotes his life to ब्रह्मकर्म meaning that he will spend his entire life learning, teaching and living as per the देवी गुण. Nowhere is this श्लोक referring to one born in a ब्राह्मण house as a criterion but again and again uses the word स्वाभजम् (natural disposition).

18:42/43 (2) – And the गुण of a क्षत्रिय are given as one who has शौर्यं, तेज:, धृति:, दार्क्ष्यं viz confidence in handling difficult situation and one who never thinks of running away from a युद्ध. The last one may have been meant for अर्जुन since he has been pushing to run away from the battle. And of course, a क्षत्रिय is one who has a big heart in giving viz दान as well as have leadership qualities as a natural disposition. This does not mean that other वर्ण do not have these गुण but a क्षत्रिय demonstrates these so visibly that this leaves no one confused as to what such a person must pursue as their chosen profession.

18:42/43 (3) – Key message is – choose a role that is in keeping with one’s स्वभाव. Thus throughout our history, while we have had people who claim superiority based on कुल they are born into, there is also a recognition that it is गुण that makes one eligible to claim access to the rolw that they seek to do. Thus, a devotee by the name वरदराज was born in a शूद्र family during the time of श्रीरामानुजाचार्य but he had access to the गर्भ गृह of the temple owing to his high level of piety. Or a Shivaji who was made क्षत्रिय owing to his deeds though not born in such a कुल. Equally, you have the Sunga dynasty or the Peshwas recently who were ब्राह्मण turned kings. And in the पुराण, we see विश्वामित्र becoming a ब्राह्मण or नारद who was born to a शूद्र woman in his previous life was given अध्यात्म विद्या by various गुरु’s and eventually achieved ब्रह्मऋषी status. So if one demonstrates a strong गुण orientation toward a certain vocation, society becomes accommodating enough to accept them disregarding their कुल or जाति. One must admit though that for masses at large and women in particular, especially in the last thousand years, the struggle to prove one’s गुण for taking up a certain vocation may not been easy though one cannot be sure about this too.

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्। परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्।।18.44।।

18.44 The कर्म of वैश्य (वैश्यकर्म), that is born of their nature (स्वभावजम्), is Agriculture (कृषि), maintaining animals (गौरक्ष्य) and commerce (वाणिज्यं). The कर्म of शूद्र (शूद्रस्य कर्म), that is born of their nature (स्वभावजम्), is in the form of service (परिचर्या आत्मकं).

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु।।18.45।।

18.45 A person (नरः) dedicated to (अभिरतः) his or her own कर्म (स्वे स्वे कर्मण्य) attains (लभते) success (संसिद्धिं) (ie a satisfaction of having done happily what is to be done and not requiring a change to become happier). In which way (यथा), one gains (विन्दति) success (सिद्धिं), being dedicated (निरत:) to an action in tune with one’s own  inclination (स्वकर्म), to this, please listen (तत् श्रृणु).

18:44/45 (1) – One oriented towards business, commerce, etc is a वैश्य. And just thighs provided stability to a body, commerce provides a strong basis for engagement of people in a society with one another. And a शूद्र is engaged in serving people of other वर्ण. On his own, a शूद्र does not have leadership qualities or studious enough to spend a lifetime in books, no capacity to hold on in a battle to fight others, etc. So what do such people do? They follow or serve others and follow the lead given by the leaders. If a शूद्र selects a good leader, he will prosper since he is comfortable living a life taking instructions from others. He thus lives relying on the good advice of more learned people and focuses his ability to do the work well as instructed. In a sense, people doing execution-only salaried jobs today (teller-clerks, waiters, sweepers, etc) may be seen as शूद्र-like in that they serve or execute the mission given by another. And if I assess myself honestly that I do not have skills to lead a big bunch of people or ideate new initiatives, I can join another who can lead and serve as his “implementation man” and live joyfully serving a good cause. And this can be done if one knows oneself very well.

18:44/45 (2) – If success in life is defined as being engaged with what one likes, what we like is to do work tuned to our own स्वभाव. Now we may or may not earn much or may not be appreciated much but as long as no pressure from society exists to do something else and our essential survival needs are met, our work itself will give us joy if this is tuned to our स्वभाव. Stress happens when one is in a कर्म not tuned to our own स्वभाव. The beauty is that भगवान् is not saying here that one engaged in ब्रह्म कर्म is engaged in a superior work or a शूद्र कर्म is inferior. No need for a शूद्र to become a ब्राह्मण or a ब्राह्मण to take on role of a वैश्य or a वैश्य to become a क्षत्रिय – as long as one does what one is tuned to, one gets सिद्धि both on पृथ्वी as well as in an अध्यात्म सिद्धि. While him being joyful on पृथ्वी may be understandable since he is doing what he likes, how are all these diverse people having different inclinations and thus doing different कर्म equally capable of attaining अध्यात्म सिद्धि? This will be taken on in the next श्लोक tomorrow.

18:44/45 (3) – Question may be raised here as to why did the birth based choice of profession come about in earlier eras? Firstly, birth based profession choice may not have been fully true as we often come across exceptions. Second, till a century back, there was not a proliferation of sub-varieties of job roles as there are today in the world and choices earlier may have been limited (though often this view may not be true). Third, भगवान् says clearly in Ch seven that one is born in a family that is tuned to our गुण and thus choosing such a vocation is a sensible choice, whether forced or not. Last aspect is key which suggests that while we may be seen as taking up a same vocation, there are nuances in terms of different roles we may end up taking. If we take people who work with a hospital cum Medical College, one may say that all such people must have the attitude of care for fellow beings. But one must note that all roles in this institution do not need the same गुण-mix.

18:44/45 (4) – And this is a thought idea. The Security guards, counter-clerks, sweepers, etc may operate with a 20:30:50 (सत्व-रजस्-तमस्) ratio, a teacher at 60:30:10, a doctor treating patients at 40:40:20, a nurse at 30:30:40 while a CEO at 30:50:20. A good academic may not make a good CEO while a good CEO may not be a great finance person, etc though both may have same degrees. Thus, though the choice of profession (viz working in a hospital) may look the same, what people actually do may vary significantly from role to role as driven by the role demand. Equally, we may say superficially that one running a 7/11 store and one in charge of a Technology company are both doing business but it should be evident that the गुण-mix of both these roles is vastly different with the former requiring a higher dose of तमोगुण while the latter needing a higher degree of सत्व. And thus while my father worked in a science establishment and myself in Banking, the गुण-mix of both our roles do appear similar to me in all aspects. So have I really chosen a different profession from that of my father? But can our गुण-mix not change as we grow? This will be taken up much later in श्लोक 61-62.

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम्। स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः।।18.46।।

18.46 From which (यतः) is the origin of all beings (प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां) and by which (येन) all this (सर्वम् इदं) is pervaded (ततम्), invoking (अभ्यर्च्य) That (तं) with one’s कर्म (स्वकर्मणा), a person (मानवः) attains (विन्दति) success (सिद्धिं).

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्।।18.47।।

18.47 One’s own धर्म (स्वधर्मो), (even if) devoid of merit (विगुणः) (even if does not create पुण्य), is better (श्रेयान्) than a different धर्म (परधर्मात्) (even if) well performed (स्वनुष्ठितात्) (because inner maturity, not social climbing, leads to श्रेयस्). Doing (कुर्वन्) कर्म enjoined (नियतं कर्म) according to one’s disposition (स्वभाव), one incurs no (न आप्नोति) fault (किल्बिषम्) (eg., conflict).

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्। सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः।।18.48।।

18.48 O कौन्तेय! One should not give up (न त्यजेत्) कर्म that comes naturally to oneself (सहजं कर्म), even though defective (स-दोषम्-अपि) (even though it consists of त्रिगुण and hence part of संसार), because (हि) all other undertakings (सर्वारम्भा) are covered with the same fault (दोषेण), like fire (अग्नि इव) is enveloped (आवृताः) by smoke (धूमेन).

18:46/48 (1) – And we are back to कर्मयोग again 😊. And thus it is not just enough to perform your धर्म, it is essential to do it as His agent, He from whom is created this universe of beings. He who prepares the dolls in the form of जीव using rags in the form of अज्ञान and makes them dance to the movement of the string in the form of अहङ्कार made by twisting together the त्रिगुण – He who like a lamp pervades by His own light the entire universe – if a seeker worships such a भगवान् who pervades the हृदय of all जीव, offering flowers in the form of one’s धर्म, such a worship is what is meant to be the attitude that is uplifting and beneficial. In return, He grants प्रसाद in the form of संयास and thus such a person then thinks of nothing else but भगवान् and feels the physical world as akin to vomit. This state of mind is so great that even though one has still not achieved the state of universal Oneness, the very longing itself makes one identify with the ultimate state of Unity. Thus, do your धर्म thinking of Him all the time. What कर्म you do is not relevant – be it ब्राह्मण कर्म or वैश्य कर्म or शूद्र कर्म but what attitude you possess while doing the कर्म is the key differentiating principle. Thus, for work to be seen as worship, hard exertion alone is not enough but hard committed exertion needs to be done as Her agent; the former called as कर्म and the latter as कर्मयोग.

18:46/48 (2) – श्लोक 18:47 is a verbatim repeat quoted earlier in the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. One’s धर्म may seem difficult and the grass looks greener on the other side but one should not grudge one’s own धर्म just like we do not grudge bitter neem juice when feeling unwell. Though one’s own mother is hunchbacked, yet her maternal love on which one lives is not crooked. There are better qualities in Ghee than water, yet could a fish live in it? That which proves as poison to others is अमृत to the germs living in it while the same germs will die when they take to eating Gud. So what is धर्म is to do a कर्म that is tuned to one’s own स्वभाव or गुण-mix.Note that any धर्म one picks up will have some occupational hazard or another – let this hazard not be seen as the basis or the trigger for one to change one’s धर्म. And if you do this well, this is enough to give you the freedom you are seeking.

18:46/48 (3) – The glory of fire is covered with smoke, similarly, the role of a क्षत्रिय involves killing. Any role one takes up will have good and bad aspects – one cannot give up any activity just because it has some bad aspects. If one cannot avoid death by getting stabbed by turning his back to the enemy, why not face the enemy directly and face death fighting directly? Both the powerful वानर as well as small squirrel helped राम build the bridge to लंका but even though the boulders placed by the वानर were much larger than the small pebbles placed by squirrels, both secured freedom since both exerted in line with their capacity fully. It does not matter how big or small your choice of activity may seem in the external world but as long as the exertion is full and in tune with one’s own धर्म, one is certainly moving closer to one’s freedom, there is no doubt about it.

18:46/48 (4) – Ideas of dignity of labour is what one may take away from these श्लोक and one may thus see this is the real idea of equality. Whether you are a stone cutter or a Prime Minister, do work with कर्मयोग attitude and you become free. Take up whatever vocation thrown to you by your environment that is in tune with your स्वभाव – whether it is a family vocation or not is immaterial. And as long as कर्मयोग attitude is brought into the work, do this work proudly with a swagger that should be an inspiration for all. And no matter what work anyone really does, respect all people who do work with such a swagger. Do you remember Him while doing the work is the key question to consider. But if you do not like the work you do, what does one do in that case? Start liking the work probably 😊.

असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः। नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां संन्यासेनाधिगच्छति।।18.49।।

18.49 One whose mind is not attached (असक्त-बुद्धिः) anywhere (सर्वत्र), (who) has mastery over the mind (जित-आत्मा), and free from yearning (विगत-स्पृहः), (then) by संयास (संन्यासेन), attains (अधिगच्छति) the exalted (परमां) accomplishment that is actionlessness (नैष्कर्म्य-सिद्धिं).

सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाप्नोति निबोध मे। समासेनैव कौन्तेय निष्ठा ज्ञानस्य या परा।।18.50।।

18.50 O कौन्तेय! In which way (यथा) one who has attained success  (सिद्धिं प्राप्तो) attains (आप्नोति) ब्रह्म, which (या) is the final conclusion (परा निष्ठा) of knowledge (ज्ञानस्य), in that way, in brief (समासेन एव) pay heed to me (निबोध मे).

18:49/50 (1) – What is the end goal of pursuing कर्मयोग? It is the attainment of नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि or Perfection in actionless-ness. As a fruit attains ripened, it cannot remain attached to the stem. In that way, attachment for the worldly affairs gets milder and feeble and although his relations and objects continue to remain in his control, he does not call them “his own” just like one having a cup of poison in his hand does not swallow it. In short, the बुद्धि feels a disgust for an association with sense objects and enters the solitude of the हृदय. Then even when the मन of such a one might be moving and coming into contact with the worldly objects, it does not transgress its limits. He then holds the मन in the grip of Unity and compels it to fix its gaze of the inner आत्मा.

18:49/50 (2) – मन thus restrained, all types of काम disappear on their own accord. The फल of all कर्म of his past life get spent up in the way the stored water supply gets exhausted by its gradual use while मन ensures that it does not do fresh कर्म. It is through conduct of धार्मिक कर्म that the state of समत्वम् is attained and in such a state, the person without any effort on his part gets a vision to meet his worthy गुरु. The seeker than gets fully perfected by the grace of the गुरु. Then just as darkness should disappear along with the night, the triad of कर्म, कर्ता & करणं lying in the womb of अज्ञान is killed and with this, the aggregate of कर्म also perishes automatically and त्याग idea reaches its very roots. And with elimination of total अज्ञान from its very root with ज्ञान, also gets wiped out the idea of mundane manifestation and what remains is the seeker himself as an object worthy of ज्ञान.

18:49/50 (3) – Does a person ever try to rescue himself from a deep spot within a lake where he finds himself in a dream after he gets awake? Similarly, the dream “I am ignorant and shall secure knowledge” goes away and one himself becomes the all-pervading knowledge as the actionless sentience. The original form of आत्मा gets restored and appearance of distinction born of अज्ञान gets eliminated. In that way, what emerges as the state “Not to be” i.e. ceasing to be distinct is what is called नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि and when this state has been attained, it is called the state of Highest Perfection

18:49/50 (4) – भगवान् now says that attainment of नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि is still not the end and there is some more distance to go. One may not contact the आत्मा with the very first word uttered by the गुरु even though 1) he may have burned up the रजस् & तमस् in the fire of performing prescribed कर्म only and 2) he has kept under control the cravings towards his relations/ sense objects or attachment to a स्वर्ग and 3) he washes and cleans his sense organs in the Holy waters of restraint and 4) attained a state of सात्विक् त्याग as a result of dedicating all his actions to भगवान्. Despite having all these four traits as a raw material including a गुरु and he may be even teaching these ideas to others, he still remains a slight distance away from the Highest state? Why so?

18:49/50 (5) – Does an illness go away as soon as a medicine is taken? Could there be midday immediately after सूर्योदय? Despite planting the best seeds into a fertile ground, it takes a while for an immeasurable yield of crops to materialize. While the road may be clear, he may have a सत्संग and he will reach his goal without hardship, he still has to walk the path which takes some more time. Delicious food served to a hungry person goes on giving him added satisfaction as each morsel is taken; in that way, the secret hoard of the essence of the परा becomes more and more exposed to the seeker as the light of right thinking gets more and more bright on the strength of संयास trait. Little exposure to ज्ञान brought conviction that was strong enough to make a person choose कर्मयोग. Now having lived this life and attaining नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि, the initial ज्ञान has to be deepened to bring about the ultimate level of clarity. So we move next to ज्ञानयोग.

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्याऽऽत्मानं नियम्य च। शब्दादीन् विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च।।18.51।।

18.51 Endowed (युक्त:) with a clear mind (बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया) and by resolve (धृत्या), gaining mastery over (नियम्य च) the body-mind complex (आत्मानं), giving up the requiring of (त्यक्त्वा) sense objects (विषयां) beginning with sounds, etc (शब्द-आदीन्) and giving up (व्युदस्य च) attraction and repulsion (राग-द्वेषौ),

विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः। ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः।।18.52।।

18.52 Having the disposition to repair to a quiet place (विविक्त-सेवी), having the habit of eating lightly (लघु-आशी), whose speech, body and mind (वाक-काय-मानसः) are mastered (यत), always (नित्यं) keeping contemplation and dedication as the ultimate (ध्यानयोग पर:), completely committed to (समुपाश्रितः) objectivity (वैराग्यं)

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम्। विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते।।18.53।।

18.53 Free from (विमुच्य) notional “I” (अहङ्कारं), power (बलं), arrogance (दर्पं), desire (कामं), anger (क्रोधं) and possession(s) (परिग्रहम्); free from judgement “this is mine” (निर्ममः) and is clear or tranquil (शान्त:), that one is fit (कल्पते) for being ब्रह्म (ब्रह्मभूयाय).

18:51/53 (1) – We have said earlier that कर्मयोग is pursued with the intent of चित्तशुद्धि (purify the मन). Once मन becomes clear meaning it has developed ability to perceive things and events as they are (and not based on prejudice or favour), what does such a बुद्धि do? It abandons राग & द्वेश and has gained complete mastery over its senses. With this having attained, it gets perfectly positioned for attaining आत्मसिद्धि. The five senses which were pampered and lionized by the sense objects are eliminated by putting a check on their innate tendency just as the mirage disappears with the withdrawal of Sun’s rays. He becomes fit to pursue ध्यानयोग (covered earlier in chapter six and to be seen as part of ज्ञानयोग). Whatever good or bad he has to experience owing to his own past कर्म, he faces these experiencing neither jubilation for good ones nor aversion for bad ones that come his way.

18:51/53 (2) – And what does ध्यानयोग entail? Firstly, one ends up wanting to be in a solitary place for doing ध्यान. One will want to adopt a lifestyle of need based eating and living a frugal life. He never bestows any thought, while taking his meal, on making his physique strong or satisfying his hunger or satisfying specific tastes of his tongue and feels contended in his frugality. Tongue speaks only when needed, body moves only when needed and inner proclivities will not be allowed to touch the mind. The meditator, the meditation and the object of meditation become one and united in his हृदय. Commentators bring out the पतंजलि योगसूत्र here where the person who has already finished the first three stages – यम, नियम & आसन progresses deeper into प्राणायम followed by प्रत्याहार, धारण, ध्यान and ending in समाधी. ज्ञानेश्वर talks about moving the कुंडलिनी up from मूलाधार to सहस्रार चक्र. Getting into such details will not be possible here given the vast scope of the topic, besides my own अज्ञान on these domains 😊.

18:51/53 (3) – As one gets into an intense ध्यान mode, one again encounters numerous enemies who attack with renewed vengeance – they will not give up this fight easily and the numerous पुराण stories come to mind where the देव’s get worried when a certain ऋषि achieves prominence in ध्यान and they send numerous obstacles to unsettle the ऋषि. But while अहंकार, दर्पं (pride), बलं (in the form of ascetic सिद्धि) and क्रोध do rear their head and attack, the idea of परिग्रह (possessiveness) proves a tough barrier to cross. So if one becomes head of an आश्रम, love for being the owner of an आश्रम, pride in seeing its numerous disciples, its collection of शास्त्र and joys in attainment of योग सिद्धि’s comes about entangling the one doing ध्यान. But a true seeker is able to beat this barrier too as the idea of ममकार (My-ness) also gets conquered as he proceeds using विवेक and holding in his hand a mace in the form of ज्ञान of ब्रह्म.

18:53/54 (4) – A funny story of a miserly one is quoted to explain the problem of परिग्रह. So we have this miser who is never used to stretching his hand out to “give” anything to anyone. One day, he falls in a well and calls out for help. A noble आत्मा comes to the place and asks the miser to “give” his hand. The miser refused given his hatred for the idea of “giving” 😊. The helper sensed the nature of the miser and told him – “Take” my hand. Now since the miser is comfortable with “taking”, he took the hand of the helper and came out of the well. And we find many people around us who are adequately endowed but still prefer to be in a state of “wanting” and this is the disease of परिग्रह that is very difficult to let go because of this idea of “My-ness” that inflicts mankind.

18:53/55 (5) – With the approaching of स्वराज्यं (I simply adore this word) in the form of union with the परब्रह्म, all the three worlds appear to him as bedecked in bliss. In this state of समत्वम् there is none to whom he can call as enemy or friend and were he on some rare occasion call another person as a friend, the latter cannot take a dual stand before him since the seeker has become all one with no duality whatsoever. He embraces the entire world as one single entity. As he approaches this state of unity, the horse in the form of योग ध्यान slows down, he loosens a bit the tight and closely fitting steely armour of संयास, breaks the sword of ध्यान and slackens the hand of कर्म, there remaining nothing else other than the आत्मा. Just as a man slows down as he can see his destination, our seeker lays down weapons in the form of various types of योग as these means make no sense when one is already united with the परा. This state is called here as the state of ब्रह्मभूयाय.

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति। समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम्।।18.54।।

18.54 Attaining ब्रह्म (ब्रह्मभूतः) with a cheerful mind (प्रसन्नात्मा), one neither grieves (न शोचति) nor seeks anything (न काङ्क्षति). Being the same towards all beings (समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु), he obtains (लभते) the ultimate (पराम्) भक्ति to Me (मद् भक्तिं).

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः। ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम्।।18.55।।

18.55 By भक्ति (भक्त्या), one knows Me (माम् अभिजानाति), who I am (य: अस्मि) in extent (यावान्) and in Reality (तत्त्वतः च); then (ततो) having known Me in truth (मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा), immediately after that, (तद् अनन्तरम्), enters (विशते) into (the Supreme)

18:54/55 (1) – The point about भक्ति as not being a parallel path but in fact an attainment once कर्मयोग & ज्ञानयोग are mastered is evident here. Till now, mastery of कर्मयोग & ज्ञानयोग has led a seeker to reach the state called ब्रह्मभूयाय. Post this, the साधक attains state of पराभक्ति which is a state where the साधक is firmly wedded to the idea of Oneness. And once one attains this state, one is in the zone of सत्-चित्-आनन्द which is where भगवान् Himself resides. Is there a way to understand journey towards Oneness via an example? Take the role of a mother that used to be glorified in the Hindi movies in 50s & 60s (hugely exaggerated of course 😊). She used to prepare what kids love to eat, she keeps ready everything for her husband before asking, she used to treat her in-laws as देवता’s and husband’s younger brother as her son. And all this time, she does not forget to water Tulasi early in the morning, feed the cow in the backyard, feeds ants too inside the kitchen and always is the first point of call when neighbours seek help. Have I left out anything? 😊😊. Or we were shown a भीष्म-type elder brother who shoulders multiple duties for his big family .

18:54/55 (2) – What is happening here to these people? This woman has the keys to manage everything in the house. So how does she use this power? From her own family perspective, she is universal. She knows मन of all, she knows exactly what is liked by people as well as what upsets them. She spends all her time catering to the needs of all. But what about her own needs? The needs of her family are her needs. And what does she get as a result of expanding her मन into मन of all? She has expanded and she derives joy in this state of expansion. She cries when someone else is in pain and very happy when others are happy. Now imagine a भक्त – for him, the whole universe is his family. He does not see anyone as the “other” – so even when he is helping others, he does not feel he is “helping” but is merely taking care of his own self.

18:54/55 (3) – अध्यात्म ज्ञान is nothing else but a journey towards expanding oneself. Reading books, doing बुद्धि-based talk, quoting fancy वेदान्त terms, etc does not take one towards अध्यात्म but only expansion of oneself takes us there. And anyone can achieve this whatever vocation one is doing; be it a housewife, business person, garbage collector, cremation specialist, Beedi maker, etc. No need to be a ब्राह्मण only to attain सिद्धि. If expansion happens – first within family, next village.. town.. country.. universe…. If this is happening, one is gaining भक्ति but if one is going in a reverse direction, one is just any other कामी, that is all. Entire श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता is essentially a text of भक्तियोग only. This भक्ति योग has two parts – कर्मयोग as first phase during which the idea of भक्ति is gained and ज्ञानयोग as second phase where the idea of भक्ति deepens with rise of ज्ञान and eventually culminates in a state of पराभक्ति.

18:54/55 (4) – It may seem odd to listen to words that only after ज्ञान, one is able to connect with the idea of भक्ति but that is what भगवान् is stating here – भक्ति without ज्ञान is mere emotionalism or infatuation (मोह), भक्ति with limited ज्ञान makes one do उपासना (meaning अध्यात्म practices like पूजा, यज्ञ, etc) while the highest ज्ञानी is a परमभक्त since he is wedded to Oneness completely. कर्मयोग may be seen as a small channel for gaining basic level भक्ति where कर्म has priority which then joins the tributary of ज्ञानयोग where ज्ञान takes priority (while the कर्मयोग lifestyle continues) and eventually one reaches the गंगा of भक्ति from where one indulges in भक्तियोग (where the previous two योग’s continue to be pursued) till one reaches his goal of मोक्ष or freedom. And once the goal arrives, all forms of योग drop away as there is nothing else to be done once the goal is reached.

18:54/55 (5) – One गुरु refers to three stages of भक्ति – वैदी भक्ति or मंद भक्ति where one is enthusiastically wedded to doing कर्म like नित्यपूजा, नित्य स्तोत्र पारायण, नित्य अभ्यास of शास्त्र, regular नामजप, etc. Here, the person has this idea that there is an ईश्वर who governs the world and while he may be unsure of the purpose of नित्यकर्म, he still does these while pursuing his usual survival कर्म. Next level is काम्य भक्ति or मध्यम भक्ति where he adores the idea of भगवान् and works hard to live life with the idea that wherever he turns his eye, he sees भगवान् only. But while his भक्ति is not for material gains and not has any trace of selfishness, his pursuit of भक्ति is to attain happiness for himself (at say, वैकुण्ठ or मणिद्वीप, etc) – the “I” idea does not go away. Highest level is पराभक्ति or उत्तम भक्ति where one has become one with ALL and ALL has become part of his own आत्मा – here, one does not have to say that I love ALL in the Universe or I love भगवान् since there is no idea of separation in his मन as he is the ALL already. Self-love need not be expressed separately since this is a natural expression for everyone. So the natural expression of भक्ति at this state is “अहम् ब्रह्म अस्मि”.

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः। मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम्।।18.56।।

18.56 The one who, though always (अपि सदा) performing (कुर्वाणो) all कर्म (सर्व-कर्माणि), has Me as the basis (मद्व्यपाश्रयः), attains (अवाप्नोति) by My grace (मत्-प्रसादात्) the end (पदम्), which is ever the same (शाश्वतं) and imperishable (अव्ययम्).

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः। बुद्धियोगमुपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव।।18.57।।

18.57 By mind (चेतसा) renouncing (संन्यस्य) all कर्म (सर्वकर्माणि) in Me (मयि), having Me as the ultimate (मत्परः), and taking to (उपाश्रित्य) बुद्धि योग, may you always be one (सततं भव) whose mind is centered on Me (मत् चित्तः).

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि। अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि।।18.58।।

18.58 Be centered on Me (मत् चित्तः), by My grace (मत् प्रसादात्), you will cross over (तरिष्यसि) all difficulties (सर्वदुर्गाणि). Now (अथ) if (यद्), out of exaggerated self-opinion (अहङ्कारात्), you (त्वम्)do not listen (न श्रोष्यसि), you shall perish (विनङ्क्ष्यसि).

18:56/58 (1) – What one thinks, one becomes. So if you want to become Universal, think of Oneness all the time. Worship Oneness with flowers in the form of performance of धर्म and in return obtain प्रसाद in the form of affection for ज्ञान. And with this affection for ज्ञान, his भक्ति for it flourishes and he becomes blessed with merger with the Highest owing to this भक्ति. Just as salt drops its separate essence as it integrates itself with water or the wind blows but finally rests in the sky, this man abides in Him with his शरीर, वाक् & मन. Even were he on a rare occasion do a prohibited कर्म, such क्रिया, whether पवित्र or अपवित्र, would be invested with a uniform quality on account of realization on his part of ज्ञान in regard to Him just as water in a dirty pool or big river assume the same sanctity when they merge with गंगा.

18:56/58 (2) – The distinction between Sandalwood and other wood remains so long as they are not devoured by fire, in such a way, distinction between पवित्र and अपवित्र कर्म is felt as long as they do not secure His all-pervading light just as idea of night and day remains till one reaches the region of the Sun. Anything that remains in time and space experiences growth and decay; anything that has a form will lose its form. But once one is out of the grasp of time, space and form, how can such a one be bound by कर्म since he has become formless and his कर्म has attained the state of नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि. How can one which has no form ever perish? It has become सनातन and one with all or has become the all.

18:56/58 (3) – Thus, while doing work in this world, we should dedicate all our work to Him. So first give up निषिद्ध कर्म & काम्य कर्म and stick to only नित्य/नैमित्तिक कर्म. Next, dedicate even the नित्य/नैमित्तिक कर्म to Him only engaging your मन only on your real state of Oneness. If one continues in this state, one will see oneself in Her all the time and not mix themselves up with the various प्रकृति कर्म they are doing. Just as shadow is not the same as शरीर while there is no shadow without शरीर, similarly, the प्रकृति कर्म happens owing to our आत्मा – so connect with the आत्मा and do not take your shadow as your real आत्मा.

18:56/58 (4) – 18:58 brings this idea of My grace (मत् प्रसादात्). So one may do कर्मयोग & ज्ञानयोग and one will gain भक्ति. Is this not enough? Where does this कृपा (grace) come from? Is there an external भगवान् who needs to still shower कृपा on us at this state? I guess on this point, अद्वैत, विशिष्ट अद्वैत and द्वैत differ. As per अद्वैत, one is merely becoming oneself in this journey and कृपा thus means fading away of distinction completely as a natural consequence. So a जीव may be seen as a fractured hand which is not used in this state but once the hand mends itself, the person becomes comfortable using it – reintegration of the fractured hand with the rest of the body is akin to कृपा of भगवान्. And भगवान् is telling अर्जुन here that He will certainly reintegrate His भक्त with Himself once the जीव attains परमभक्ति. But the one who keeps away from His home owing to pride and presence of “I-ness” will perish (even though he is of the imperishable nature) because one who conceives himself of existing in time, space and having a form will certainly experience “perishing” again and again.

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 occasions like festivals, admission to college, etc), काम्य कर्म (desire fulfilment act), प्रायश्चित्त कर्म (acts of repentance 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 a person who has attained सिद्धि, 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.

यदहङ्कारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे। मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति।।18.59।।

18.59 If (यद्), relying on (आश्रित्य) your exaggerated self-opinion (अहङ्कारम्), you think (इति मन्यसे): “I will not fight” (न योत्स्ये), this (एष:) resolution of yours (ते व्यवसाय:) (will be) मिथ्या; your natural disposition (प्रकृति: त्वां) will impel you (नियोक्ष्यति).

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा। कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत्।।18.60।।

18.60 O कौन्तेय, out of delusion (मोहात्) (in this case, in the form of an impulsive action and misplaced sympathy), what (यद्) you don’t wish (न इच्छसि) to do (कर्तुं), you will do (just) (करिष्यसि) that (तद्) – even despite (your) will (अवश: अपि) – (as you are) bound (निबद्धः) by your (स्वेन) कर्म (कर्मणा) born of your own disposition (स्वभावजेन).

18:59/60 (1) – Just when you think you are getting a grip on the ideas being conveyed here, भगवान् throws a googly. भगवान् tells अर्जुन that everyone is compelled by their own स्वभाव to do कर्म as per it. It is difficult if not impossible to change one’s स्वभाव. So even if अर्जुन wants to take up a संयासी lifestyle, he will be unable to do so. So he may go to ऋषीकेश, join an आश्रम there but will contest the अखाडा परिषद् elections over there or fight with other inmates in the आश्रम on aspects that he considers as justified at such a place. Change of place merely changes an external ecosystem but one’s own स्वभाव runs the same way wherever it goes. So the question that comes up is – if स्वभाव cannot be changed, why did भगवान् provide multiple templates as per त्रिगुण and make us feel miserable about ourselves 😊? If a तामसी will remain a तामसी, a criminal will quote भगवान् stating that since स्वभाव is never going to change, he will remain a criminal. So should an attempt to change our (or others’ स्वभाव) not be done at all?

18:59/60 (2) – One needs to be careful here. A तामसी is very sure of himself that what he sees with his eyes and experiences with his senses is true. Given this, he has no need for the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता and there is no need to thrust श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता onto him. A राजसी does काम्य कर्म and is happy and revelling in it. So why should श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता be thrust upon him? A सात्विक is by nature detached and doing all actions for the परा and why should श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता be thrust on someone who is already a कर्मयोगी? So who needs the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता? And this brings us to a more important question – who are we? Are we a सात्विक्, are we a राजसी or are we a तामसी?

18:59/60 (3) – All of us are hopelessly mixed up; at times, we are सात्विक्, at times a राजसी and at times a तामसी. Maybe over a period of time, we show a preference for one गुण over the other two but while one कर्म on a certain morning takes a सात्विक् shape, another कर्म in the very next second takes a तामसी shape. And in this state where everyone is mixed up, it is not possible to determine which गुण is predominant in us. So what does one do in this case? For those who are perfectly set in their lifestyle and entertain no self-doubt at all, no श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता is required for such sure-footed people. But those of us who are not so sure-footed and thus entertain self-doubts as to the validity of the thousands of कर्म that we do, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता then becomes handy for one in this state.  And more intense the extent of self-doubt, the more handy does this शास्त्र become since listening to the same message again and again helps us be on track.

18:59/60 (4) – Now imagine three kids holding a balloon filled with hydrogen standing in a balcony of a multi-storied building (represented as three different persons each with a त्रिगुण orientation) – one on ground floor, one on 10th and one on 20th. Now each of them may release the balloons at the same time but all the balloons will take to the sky – there is no height advantage as long as one is holding the right balloon. From a sky दृष्टी, the relative distance between floors is insignificant; similarly from a पुरुषोत्तम दृष्टी, the differences between गुण are irrelevant since only such a one reaches Him who goes beyond the गुण.

18:59/60 (5) – So what holds the balloon down? It is weight in the form of अहङ्कार and फल कामना that is attached to our स्वभाव. स्वभाव need not be changed but the weight of अहङ्कार and फल कामना needs to be moderated to lighten ourselves up. So do कर्म that is natural to you – whether this कर्म is guided by your family or otherwise. No matter what कर्म one does (whatever vocation one picks up), pursue it in an अहङ्कार-रहित and फल-रहित mode. Is भगवान् goading अर्जुन to do war? अर्जुन, as per his स्वभाव has been rooting for war and came to कुरुक्षेत्र on his own accord. But he developed a sudden वैराग्य that is not as per his स्वभाव. And भगवान् was there at the right time around him and cleared his doubt. So when अर्जुन came to war, he took on to अहङ्कार and left his गांडीव and post the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, he will shed his अहङ्कार and pick up his गांडीव again only to fight the war as a धर्मयुद्ध. Gaining अध्यात्म सिद्धि is not possible for one who does not shed his अहङ्कार and फल कामना, no matter how much सत्वगुण संपन्न he may be.

1. A controversial corollary will be picked up today. Certain धर्म texts like मनुस्मृति have lines which state that a शूद्र must not be made to hear the वेद. In fact, it states further that hot lead must be poured in the ears of a शूद्र who happens to have heard the वेद. Now, how can we accept lines like these next to glorious verses giving highest ज्ञान? So we often hear this शास्त्र being burnt by protestors and the word मनुवादी (as a गाली) is affixed to one defending this text. Some like Arya Samajis have brought out studies to suggest that such lines are later day interpolations and not written by मनु and have proposed removing such verses from the शास्त्र – their concern being that the brilliant श्लोकs of this शास्त्र are being ignored owing to intense emotions generated by a few verses. Such people are tagged as “apologists” by the opposers. So is there a way to reconcile these odd श्लोक with others?
   1. It is obvious that we must reject a literal interpretation of such lines and anyone doing such a दुष्कर्म quoting this शास्त्र must be severely punished. शास्त्र are indeed meant for all mankind – in fact, there is a line in विष्णु पुराण that व्यासाचार्य jumped with joy after composing this पुराण since the benefit of this पुराण could be obtained by women and शूद्र too apart from others. And besides, how is anyone to know who is a गुण ब्राह्मण & गुण शूद्र? While the nature of कर्म done by people may be tagged as ब्राह्मण कर्म, वैश्य कर्म, etc., this does not make such people a गुण ब्राह्मण & गुण शूद्र, as we have discussed earlier. Therefore, all शास्त्र are indeed meant for all and not kept away from anyone. And living in a tradition where a significant majority of Bhakti Saints like Alwars and Nayannars are not ब्राह्मण but persons from the so-called lower जाति should leave us with no doubt that the message of the भगवान् can never be kept away from anyone. But a good question to ask is – whether all people want to hear the वेद? 😊
   1. Dharampal in his book “Beautiful Tree” has noted in his research on the 17th century schooling across the length and breadth of the country that not only were people who were classified as शूद्र जाति going to schools, even some teachers were from the शूद्र जाति in these schools. So what have been taught in our history that all so-called lower जाति people have been kept away from schooling may not be fully true (though it is true too at some other times). In any case, the literacy or skill based education must be made available to all and there is no reason to believe that this was kept away from anyone in the past too. But caution was exercised in conveying the message of the वेद to all. Why so?
   1. We have noted earlier that a गुण शूद्र is one who has a predominantly तामस गुण. So one must be conscious of the fact that a तामसी reading the शास्त्र is liable to misinterpret the words of the शास्त्र and draw opposite meanings which can be dangerous to themselves and the society. So the idea is not to keep certain people away from the message the वेद, it is essentially to guard people from taking on to तमोगुण in their प्रवृत्ति since they will not take on to the meaning of the text properly. And such people will use the शास्त्र as a justification to do दुश्कर्म (which indeed is done time and again) which will bring disrepute to the वेद itself. So knowing the योग्यता of the person is critical before one conveys the ideas of the वेद to anyone just like योग्यता is checked before admitting anyone to a medical college.
   1. Lastly, note the irony that while in the ancient times, the message of the वेद was probably kept away from a certain section of the population wrongly, in our emancipated modern times of “Equality for all”, the message of the वेद is lost EQUALLY to the entire population as such ज्ञान is not part of education curriculum 😊 or design of Law or study of Economics or… . Now you may call me a confirmed apologist 😊😊.

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति। भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया।।18.61।।

18.61 O अर्जुन, the भगवान् (ईश्वरः) causing all beings (सर्वभूतानां) to spin around (भ्रामयन्), (as if) mounted (आरूढानि) on a machine (यन्त्र) by माया (मायया), remains (तिष्ठति) in the seat of intellect (ह्रृद्-देशे) of all beings (सर्वभूतानि).

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत। तत्प्रसादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम्।।18.62।।

18.62 With all (your) being (सर्वभावेन), surrender (शरणं गच्छ) to that alone (तम् एव) (who is the centre of your being and is in the form of your natural disposition moving you through life), O भारत. By that (भगवान्’s) grace (तत प्रसादात्), you will attain (प्राप्स्यसि) ultimate peace (परां शान्तिं), the timeless (शाश्वतम्) abode (स्थानं).

18:61/62 (1) – In chapter eleven, भगवान् had instructed अर्जुन as “निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्”  viz “Be My instrument”. This श्लोक too says that lives of all beings are to be viewed as those who are mounted on a machine; as the machine energizes, their lives also move. Does it mean that all of us are mere puppets and भगवान् is running the whole show including crime, wars, innovations and devastations? If that is the case, why should we do anything at all? To this, the usual analogy given is that of petrol in the sense that petrol indeed energises the car, petrol does not determine the direction and speed of the car. Similarly, भगवान् merely energizes all beings by imparting चित् शक्ति  to all but all of us have the free will to live lives as per our स्वभाव.

18:61/62 (2) – As per कर्म of our past lives, we ended up acquiring a certain kind of स्वभाव. And भगवान् ensures that this स्वभाव is allowed to play out just like petrol does not intervene the mind of the driver. However, if a driver drives rashly, petrol is depleted faster and thus every expression of स्वभाव has its own consequences. And while भगवान् allows each स्वभाव to play out as it is, we need to also recognize this truth that our स्वभाव is nothing else but our own habitual behaviour over eons of lives and such deeply entrenched habits are difficult to change. So how do we continue to live our स्वभाव while seeking मोक्ष (freedom)?

18:61/62 (3) – The resting place of भगवान् is the हृदय of all. In the नित्यपूजा क्रिया, we do a प्राण प्रथिष्ठान of the देवता into the मूर्ति in front of us, chant the necessary मंत्र but at the end, we chant “अस्मात् बिम्बात् आवाहितम् श्रीकष्णदेवम् (or श्रीराम, श्रीललिता, etc) यथास्थानं प्रतिष्ठापयामि” meaning that after the पूजा is over, we bring back the देवता back into our हृदय which is the सनातन location of भगवान्. And unlike petrol which is जड, the भगवान् within us is चित् स्वरूप and thus as a कर्मयोगी, we perform all our कर्म knowing well that while the परा may seem far away from us, it is actually very near to us. Hard work on its own is कर्म but this कर्म becomes a कर्मयोग when the कर्म is performed not for our देह but on behalf of the देही within our हृदय. And over time, we will gain a state of ease of मन as our anxieties involved in conduct of कर्म abates. When we see ourselves in a state of समत्वम् despite being intensely busy outside, we know that भगवान् has given this state as a प्रसाद for cultivating a कर्मयोग lifestyle adequately.

18:61/62 (4) – “Why cannot my life be adventurous? Why should I bind myself within my “perceived” स्वभाव? Why cannot I yearn for a satisfactory material life while working for मोक्ष at the same time? ” These are good प्रश्न but these are akin to an athlete asking – “Why cannot I get up late? Why do I need to practice every day? Why cannot I eat tasty food that may lack adequate protein content?” The intensity with which we seek the outcome determines the lifestyle we adopt. If we are non-serious about a certain outcome, we will ask tons of प्रश्न but the day we get serious about outcome, our प्रश्न will change from “Why? ” to “What?”.

Today’s श्लोक can remind us of the famous dialogue in the movie आनन्द viz “हम सब रंगमंच की कठपुतलियाँ हैं जिनका डोर ऊपरवाले की हाथों मे है|” 😊

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया। विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु।।18.63।।

18.63 Thus (इति) I (मया) have told (आख्यातं) to you (ते) the knowledge (ज्ञानम्) that is more secret (गुह्यतरं) than a secret (गुह्याद्). Think (विमृश्य) this (एतद्) it over completely (अशेषेण), (then) do (तथा कुरु) as you wish (यथा इच्छसि).

18:63 (1) – “Do as you wish”. As much as a गुरु may want to command, even though he may be tempted to do so, he must merely give advice – the शिष्य must think on the advice and take the decision. On अध्यात्म ज्ञान, even if the instructor is भगवान् Himself, He needs to only provide decision templates and relevant rationale but the end decision must clearly be that of the शिष्य. This is why भगवान् says – यथा इच्छसि तथा कुरु. Do as you please.

18:63 (2) – But to one who has fully surrendered to you and is shaken and thus unable to think, why should someone who is in a sane frame of मन not make a decision? Especially if this is for a person who is very dear to you, why should we not make the decision for them instructing them to merely execute? True empowerment requires that we empower the person to make the decision himself . And the job of an instructor must be to provide thought templates articulating the outcomes clearly to enable the decision taker to think on his own. And whether it is a small matter like buying a dress or war between nations, the decision must be made by the party to the decision. But the length of the response or the depth of the thought-template probably depends on the size of the issue at hand and the intellectual merit of the recipient.

18:63 (3) – And भगवान् is telling अर्जुन that He has communicated ज्ञान that is गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं. And what is गुह्यम् of गुह्यतरं is गुह्यतमम्. And in 15:20, we have discussed about three types of ज्ञान – गुह्यम्, गुह्यतरं & गुह्यतमम् and अध्यात्म विद्या is a गुह्यतमम् विद्या meaning the most subtle ज्ञान that requires a sharp बुद्धि to make the most use of it. So if one listens to this casually, one will not catch it but only if we are able to develop our faculties through intense कर्मयोग, we will acquire the necessary सूक्ष्मता to imbibe this विद्या in its true spirit for making our journey towards freedom.

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः श्रृणु मे परमं वचः। इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम्।।18.64।।

18.64 Listen (श्रृणु) once more (भूयः) to My (मे) paramount declaration (परमं वचः), the most secret of all (सर्वगुह्यतमं). You are (असि इति) definitely (दृढम्) dear (इष्ट:) to Me (मे), so (तत:) I will tell (वक्ष्यामि) you (ते) what is good (हितम्).

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु। मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे।।18.65।।

18.65 Become one whose mind is on Me (मन्मना भव), who is devoted to Me (मद्भक्त:), and who is disposed to worship of Me (मद् याजी), do नमस्कार to Me (मां नमस्कुरु),  you will reach (एष्यसि) Me alone (माम् एव); truly (सत्यं) I promise (प्रतिजाने) you (ते), (as) you are (असि) dear (प्रिय:) to Me (मे).

18:64/65 (1) – Here one can sense that भगवान् is probably wondering as to what decision अर्जुन may make. Even though He told अर्जुन to make his own decision, भगवान् probably saw अर्जुन continuing to remain silent. So He repeats the message again. And since अर्जुन is very dear to भगवान् and wanting to be sure that अर्जुन makes the right decision, He again reiterates the essence of the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. And if anyone is asked to give a summary of the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, one may mug-up and quote 18:65 and 18:66 as a response. As an interesting aside, भगवान् is conveying the गुह्यतमम् message to अर्जुन since he is very dear to Him; so if our kids or friends are dear to us, we too must speak about this ज्ञान with them or else we must conclude that maybe they are not dear to us 😊.

18:64/65 (2) – वेद has four parts – the संहिता and ब्राह्मण are together called as कर्मकांड or the यज्ञ aspect and the idea is to undertake the यज्ञ of day to day living keeping the देवता in mind. The अरण्यक and उपनिषद् are the latter parts of the वेद called as ज्ञानकांड focussed on ज्ञान behind the यज्ञ. On the same lines, the summary of the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता is also expressed by 18:65 representing कर्मयोग and 18:66 as ज्ञानयोग. And pursuing both these streams, one moves from a low-level भक्त to the state of परमभक्त as conveyed in chapter twelve.

18:64/65 (3) – 18:65 is a repeat of 9:34 as reiterated below; it has a minor variation in the last few words.

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु। मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानंमत्परायणः।।9.34।।

May you be one whose mind (remains) in Me (मन्मना भव), devoted to Me (मद् भक्त:) and who performs all actions to me (मद् याजी). Do नमस्कार to Me (मां नमस्कुरु). Engaging your mind (आत्मानं युक्त्वा) in this manner (एवम्), having Me (मत्) as the supreme goal (पर-अयण:), you will attain (एष्यसि) Me alone (माम् एव).

18:64/65 (4) – A कर्मयोगी performs all कर्म as an agent. He does not work for himself but for the Highest Reality. So the first message is – Fix your mind on Her. You may not know what or who She is but at least work and engage in life recognizing Her presence everywhere. Next, be Her भक्त meaning live life with a view that whatever one does, eventually the goal is to merge into Her. This may happen in this life or after many lives – but do live with the view that eventually you will merge into Her.

18:64/65 (5) – So when we are a kid, we do what our mother tells us. We guide our life as per her words only. When more grown up, we live life as per the words of an inspiring teacher (if we are lucky to get one) and before any कर्म, we may say – “What would my teacher have done in this situation? OK – I will do the same कर्म as my teacher would have done.” This teacher may be our mother or our father or someone from our college or the author of an autobiography. Thus, we see that most successful lives seem to have an inspiration and most do not claim originality of their own. A कर्मयोगी similarly works or does all his कर्म under inspiration of भगवान् and replaces his individuality with that of भगवान्.

18:64/65 (6) – Next, worship Her with full enthusiasm. To begin with, one may worship Her for a few minutes but over a period of time, offer every act that you do, every experience that you experience, every statement you utter, for Her only. Last, do नमस्कार to Her. Whatever you obtain in life, accept these with humility that it is for Her that you have received life’s gifts. Offer these to Her first and then use from this a little that you need for survival after seeking Her permission. And भगवान् is assuring अर्जुन, and through him to us, that He promises that if we adopt a भगवान्-inspired lifestyle, there is absolutely no doubt that we will reach Him. Very high standard, right? 😊

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज। अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।।18.66।।

18.66 Giving up all धर्म (or अधर्म) (सर्वधर्मान्-परित्यज्य) , surrender (शरणं व्रज) to Me alone (मामेकं). I (अहं) will completely free (मोक्षयिष्यामि) you (त्वा) from all पाप’s (सर्व-पापेभ्य:). Do not grieve (मा शुचः).

18:66 (1) – A superficial reading seems to suggest – “Do not bother about धर्म. Just dedicate yourself to Me alone. If you do that, your पाप will get obliterated and I will certainly give you freedom.” Where is ज्ञान in this line? For such an ordinary superficial meaning, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता need not waste its time. First, how can one not bother about धर्म when throughout the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, भगवान् has been extolling us to live as per धर्म. Second, when one is asked to dedicate oneself to भगवान् alone, who is this भगवान्? Is it श्रीकृष्ण or राम or शिव or..? There are some people who quote this line selectively and claim that this श्लोक is proof that भगवान् means श्रीकृष्ण only and none else. If after Ch nine, ten, eleven & fifteen, we ascribe श्रीकृष्ण alone as भगवान्, it means we are a तमोगुणी. And what do we mean by taking शरण of भगवान्? Do we run away to ऋषीकेश leaving family? And last, why should भगवान् give us freedom if we leave everything? Clearly, there is a lot more to this श्लोक than a superficial pop reading.

18:66 (2) – This श्लोक is called as the चरम श्लोक meaning the final advice in the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता and may also be seen as His Highest advice. So the first advice is – सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य meaning give up धर्म. And धर्म here includes both धर्म and अधर्म कर्म. And since all of us do some कर्म or another, how can we give up all types of कर्म since the activity of giving up is also a कर्म? And here, chapter thirteen is handy which says clearly that the doer is प्रकृति while पुरुष is a witness. So giving up कर्म means giving up doer-ship. You are doing a कर्म because a situation demanded it. And if any other sensible person would have done the same thing in such a situation, how can such a कर्म be MY कर्म? It is merely a धर्म. So do such a कर्म and even though your body does such a कर्म, it does not become your कर्म since as a कर्मयोगी, you are anyway in the zone of नैष्कर्म्य सिद्धि meaning your कर्म are निष्काम . Says ज्ञानेश्वर – Just as hope gives birth to pain or slander to पाप or misfortune to poverty; it is अज्ञान that makes us do you धर्म or अधर्म which in turn lead to स्वर्ग or नरक. But once one cultivates ज्ञान, अज्ञान falls away and we will have relinquished all notions of पुण्य and पाप and कर्म are done within the lap of Oneness.

18:66 (3) – Next words are माम् एकम् शरणम् व्रज – “Take शरण of Me alone”. Now what does शरण mean? Fall at the feet of someone? Yes but that is a लौकिक meaning and there is a deeper meaning. What is our idea about ourself? We may say – I am a man or woman. I am a father. I am a son. I am a citizen of भारत, etc. And are these untrue? While at a प्रकृति level, these are true but at a पुरुष level, these are not. We are just a प्राणी who have taken a certain provisional reality – and the nature of प्राण is same in an ant as is within us. But the weight of प्रकृति is so heavy on us that our prism of thought is through these provisional realities. So I think like a male when I see the world and talk about history based on an भारतिय historical experiential template. These templates kill our objectivity and even though we recognize this, to shake off these prisms is difficult. So effectively, our idea of ourselves has taken शरण of our provisional reality. So taking शरण in Him means taking शरण in the idea that we are the परा. Our identity is the same as ब्रह्म and if we keep this ज्ञान as the basis of every thought and action, we have taken शरण of Him. Thus, there is no falling at anyone’s feet but living with the ज्ञान that we are the same तत्व  of सत्-चित्-आनन्द as Her is akin to taking शरण of Her. But if we read the महाभारत or other शास्त्र from a क्षत्रिय lens or a woman lens or a political lens, it means that our prism is burdened under the weight of प्रकृति. And if these “forms” burden our thoughts, how can we ever conceive of the Formless?

18:66 (4) –  Who is this एकम्? At the lower level, it may be an इष्ट with an एकरूप with whom we can connect easily and all our कर्म connects with such a भगवान्. And we revolve our life around his इष्ट. Next we move to an idea of भगवान् who is अनेकरूप whereby wherever we turn to, in all aspects as wonderfully dealt with in chapter ten, we see भगवान् only. Thus, our दृष्टि has broadened from first stage. But there is one more level of भगवान् viz अरूप where we see भगवान् not as a form but as अरूप, लोक-less and Attribute-less Reality. Now, we cannot conceive of the Highest as अरूप until we get rid of our own आत्मा as having रूप. But the day we realize that we are also अरूप living within a रूप, we can immediately take शरण of the एकम्, the One.

18:66 (5) – “I will free you from all पाप कर्म”. If we take शरण of the अरूप One, we will be freed from all the पाप that we do. Does पाप कर्म mean only the negative selfish क्रिया that we do? Not really. All कर्म done with doer-ship, whether पाप or पुण्य bind us or create कर्मबन्धन. And while पाप कर्म will give us lower bodies and पुण्य कर्म give us access to higher abodes, there is no अध्यात्म growth that will happen for us as long as we are in the zone of कर्म. Thus, when भगवान् is promising us that He will give us freedom from all कर्म, He means both पाप or पुण्य कर्म (viz कर्म done with doer-ship) and वेद sees both कर्म as पाप only. Now if you read again this verse, its meaning will read as – Do away with doer-ship whatever कर्म you do and let the basis of all कर्म be rooted to the अरूप तत्व of Mine. If you can do so, all your कर्म attains the state of नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि and you will then regain My state of सत्-चित्-आनन्द. So do not grieve”. And like the wave merges into the ocean or rivers into the sea, you will come into Me and rest in Me, that is My promise.

18:66 (6) – What does connection with the अरूप mean? If I am a अरूप being of सत्-चित्-आनन्द mode, why should I play the role of my उपाधि लक्षण which may be that of a man or woman or a citizen of भारत? These are temporal roles and why should I bother about these? If I am a citizen of भारत, should I support the idea of “world with no borders” or secession of states from भारत with a logic – “What difference does it make? How do I discharge my duty as a supporter of the house, parent of my kids, husband of my wife, etc when I know that these relationships are unreal? Any urging to do धर्म will in fact push me to adopt “रूप” more seriously than turn to ” अरूप” – is it not? Why should I be “more-man” to realize that I am neither man nor woman? 😊

18:66 (7) The above contradiction is the most confusing element of अध्यात्म. If we can crack this puzzle, we can crack the riddle of अध्यात्म urgings. Answer could be given as follows – if we take a scientist, he is indifferent to outcome of the experiment but he is attached to the trait of being objective. An actor does each role he takes on by immersing himself into the role and while he is not attached to the role he plays, he is attached to the idea of doing the role well. When one is attached to a higher ideal, the lower just drops away and this is best exemplified by 2:59 which is reproduced below:

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः ।रसवर्जं रसोप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ॥२.५९॥

For one who does not feed the senses (निराहारस्य देहिनः), the senses (विषयाः) come back (विनिवर्तन्ते) to oneself leaving the longing behind (रसवर्जम्). Having seen (दृष्ट्वा) परा (परम्) even (अपि) the longing (अस्य रसः) goes away (निवर्तते).

18:66 (8) – Let us take an easier example – a person may have trained for three years and finally climbed to reach the Everest Base Camp. Now, he develops a sudden वैराग्य to reach the summit. This वैराग्य may be taken as तमस् if the trigger for this is fear when he hears accounts of many people to have died during this कर्म or he may have been told that 150000 have already scaled the summit and he feels that his achievement will not be a big deal since many have already done it. This वैराग्य may be taken as रजस् if the trigger for this is a wisdom that scaling K2 is a bigger achievement than Everest owing to its difficult terrain. Note that the स्वभाव of wanting to scale the peak has not got eliminated with this क्षणिक् वैराग्य. Worse is in this  वैराग्य mode, he attempts to cultivate a new स्वभाव of starting a new hotel or selling mountain equipment at the Base camp and waste lot of time is taking on to hundreds of new कर्म instead of sticking to existing स्वभाव and doing योग. So what should he do at the Base Camp?

18:66 (9) – Since his स्वभाव is to scale a peak and he has already reached the Base Camp, he should continue with this कर्म instead of getting distracted by frivolous talk. And if the vision of the परा appeals to him, he should watch himself as to whether he will experience exhilaration if he succeeds and experiences disappointment if he fails. If he is aligned with परा, he will remain in the सत्-चित्-आनन्द state irrespective of outcome but if he goes through emotions, he can gauge that he has to work more. Thus, he will resort to more deeper practice of कर्मयोग to encounter more situations where he can test himself and deepen ज्ञानयोग too to get a better grip on the idea of परा. So he works more harder. Hence, अर्जुन is also being asked to undertake war as a कर्मयोगी instead of fighting the war with enmity or anger or leaving the war owing to his emotional confusion or मोह for his brothers, uncles, गुरु’s, etc.

18:66 (10) – But is there a need to still kill anyone? Who has given us the gall to decide that we are on the side of धर्म and therefore have a claim to kill another? These are sensible questions though filled more with emotion than rooted in reality. When we use furniture, we kill trees for our use. When we eat food, we kill plants and animals for our stomach. Since भगवान् permeates everything, who gave us a तमस् view that killing plants and animals is fine but humans is not? Key point is note is to see whether war is inevitable and whether we have made adequate efforts to prevent it from happening. Similarly, we need to question whether our consumption patterns are need-based rooted in minimalism or are based on greed. If we stick to minimalism, rule out all options for engaging in war but this becomes inevitable, we engage in war not to kill the enemy in hatred but to discharge our धर्म and remain open to both consequences. And just as we have to surgically remove our leg that has accumulated gangrene even though we love it, we fight with forces of अधर्म not to damn them to hell but to give them another chance to live their lives and get on onto the route of expansion.

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन। न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति।।18.67।।

18.67 Never should this be told by you to one who is not austere, who is not a devotee, nor to one who has no wish to listen, nor certainly to him who is cynical of Me.

18:67 (1) – भगवान् disqualifies four kinds of people to listen to the message of the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. To me, this is important. अध्यात्म is not meant for being forced down into everyone. The first exclusion is a person who is generally of an undisciplined type. Even on लौकिक matters, a person who is casual and not disciplined will struggle to achieve success. On matters of श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, because he does not value discipline himself, the urging of श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता about ideas of सात्विक् तप will irritate himself and he will dismiss this either as utopian or unnecessary. And since he has no interest in changing his lifestyle, he will be abhorred by the extent of तप that श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता actually is pushing one to adopt and will wonder whether all this तप is worth the reward. Worse still, he may make fun of this obsession for तप and even distort the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता message to suit his तमस् attitude. So avoid teaching श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता to such a person.

18:67 (2) – Now even if a person is disciplined, if he is devoid of devotion to his गुरू, such a person is not eligible for the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. Note the distinction between आचार्य and गुरू where the former may teach us लौकिक ज्ञान while the latter is the one who gives us अध्यात्म विद्या. But even if one is learning, one credits himself for his बुद्धि शक्ति to pick up ज्ञान and does not have reverence for the गुरू, such a one is ineligible. Next, even if one is disciplined and has reverence for a गुरु at a personal level but he is not really keen to hear the Gita, avoid teaching अध्यात्म to such a person too.

18:67 (3) – Howsoever precious a pearl may be, unless it has an aperture, one cannot thread it to make a jewel. An ocean may be deep but rain over it will waste the water. Why waste food on one whose stomach is full? So do not be casual in conveying अध्यात्म to someone just because he is disciplined and respects the teachers unless this person really wants to listen to the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता . An eye can appreciate beauty but can it detect fragrance; a thing thus becomes worthy only where it is appreciated. And lastly, even if a person has all these three qualities but he has no reverence for the idea of Oneness and single reality, take care to avoid such a person too.

18:67 (4) – There has to be a tilt towards Oneness within a person. Such a person must be one who wants to spread happiness and include others too in his quest for joy. When a person is oriented in such a direction, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता can aid one in expansion of such a person. If this is not the case, even though this person may be brilliant, he may be eager to read the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता to argue against Oneness – such a बुद्धि is असुर बुद्धि that seeks joy in dividing rather than uniting. What is the use of a wonderful body decked with ornaments but no life in it? What is the use of a beautiful house made of gold and jewels; yet one cannot enter it owing to a cobra at its entrance? What is the use of best cooked food mixed with poison? Do not therefore allow one who is devoid of these qualities to touch अध्यात्म even as a joke.

य इमं परमं गुह्यं मद्भक्तेष्वभिधास्यति। भक्तिं मयि परां कृत्वा मामेवैष्यत्यसंशयः।।18.68।।

18.68 The one who (य:) will teach (अभिधास्यति) this paramount (इमं परमं) secret (गुह्यं) to My devotees (मद् भक्तेषु), offering (कृत्वा) the highest (परां) devotion (भक्तिं) unto Me (मयि) – that one will reach (एष्यति) Me alone (माम् एव). There is no doubt (असंशयः).

न च तस्मान्मनुष्येषु कश्चिन्मे प्रियकृत्तमः। भविता न च मे तस्मादन्यः प्रियतरो भुवि।।18.69।।

18.69 Among people (मनुष्येषु च), there is no one (न कश्चिद्) more dear (प्रिय-कृत्तमः) to Me (मे) than that (तस्मात्), and there will not be (न भविता) another (अन्य:) more dear (प्रियतर:) to Me (मे) on earth (भुवि) than that.

अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः। ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाहमिष्टः स्यामिति मे मतिः।।18.70।।

18.70 And the one who (य: च) studies (अध्येष्यते) this (इमम्) dialogue (संवादम्) of ours (आवयो:), which is in keeping with धर्म (धर्म्यं) – by that (तेन) ritual, in the form of knowledge (ज्ञान-यज्ञेन), I (अहम्) would be (स्याम्) worshipped (इष्ट:). This is (इति) My vision (मे मति:).

18:68/70 (1) – One who is devoted to Me will reach Me – this is the line here. How pompous, one may say. भगवान् is obsessed with Himself 😊. This may be a तमोगुणी expression. Let us talk about self-love. All of us have it. It does not have to be taught and since we are born, we love ourselves. Why? Even someone who may say ‘I hate my nose’ does not mean he hates himself but he loves his self-image very much and is unhappy because the nose does not appeal to his self-image. Where did we get this self-love from? भगवान् is the only organism who exists. There is no other. And he is in a state of सत्-चित्-आनन्द. He is very happy with Himself. And what are we? We are nothing else but Him only. After all, there is no other. So our love for ourselves is actually His quality that has passed on to us. But something has gone wrong.

18:68/70 (2) – While we have taken on self-love from भगवान्, as a जीव, our self-definition became stunted and instead of the Universal I, I took on self-love for a limited I. And hence I suffer. Now, भगवान् adores one who speaks about Him since this person is speaking of the Universal I instead of the limited I. And since भगवान् loves Himself, he loves the one who speaks about Him since the speaker in reality and the speech in reality is Him only. Therefore, one who always speaks about Him is the dearest of भगवान् and closest in His heart. By singing the glories of भगवान्, a भक्त is doing a कर्म that is the most favourite expression of भगवान् which is the expression of self-love.

18:68/70 (3) – There are two important धर्म of one who wants to be a भक्त of Oneness. He must do अध्ययन and he must do अध्यापन. The former means study and the latter means to teach. And वेद considers teaching as a form of worship. And भगवान therefore says that he loves the teacher of the वेद since such a person is actually worshipping Him through the act of teaching. How so? Such an act of teaching is called as ज्ञान यज्ञ since in pursuing ज्ञान, we have kindled the blazing अग्नि of ज्ञान and poured into this अग्नि an आहुती of our अज्ञान and offered to the देवता viz the परमात्मा.  Thus both the acts of study and teaching, if done as one’s धर्म and not to enhance our अहंकार, becomes transformed as an act of ज्ञान यज्ञ and भगवान् loves such persons who undertake ज्ञान यज्ञ since their मन, while doing this कर्म, are always within Him.

श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च श्रृणुयादपि यो नरः। सोऽपि मुक्तः शुभाँल्लोकान्प्राप्नुयात्पुण्यकर्मणाम्।।18.71।।

18.71 Even (अपि) the person (नर:) who (य:), having trust (श्रद्धावान्) and not being cynical (अन्-असूय: च), would listen (श्रृणुयात्) (to this teaching), that one also (स: अपि) is freed (मुक्त:) (from much पाप) and would attain (प्राप्नुयात्) the auspicious (शुभान्) worlds (लोकान्) of those who do beneficial actions (पुण्य-कर्मणाम्).

18:71 (1) – It is common for most, if not all, अध्यात्म शास्त्र to indulge in a bit of glorification of the शास्त्र 😊. भगवान् is saying that whosoever even listens to talks on अध्यात्म, he will also benefit. He of course needs to undertake listening with two ingredients – he has to have श्रद्धा and he must listen to the message without a cynical attitude. As भगवान् said earlier – श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानम् means ज्ञान will come to one who has श्रद्धा. We undertake any act only if we have श्रद्धा in it. We go for a movie with a श्रद्धा that the movie will entertain us. We go for fishing with the idea that we will be able to catch fish. Similarly, one listening to श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता must do so with an attitude that such listening will expand him. If there is no such belief, either he may not come to listen to the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता and if he comes owing to peer pressure or because it is fashionable to do so, he will come but will be unable to assimilate what he is hearing.

18:71 (2) – Even a cynical hearer will not benefit from hearing the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. One should listen to श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता because one should have love for such ज्ञान. This is so even for education in school/ college in that if a student does not believe the subjects will add value to him but he still attends the school just to pass exams, he will be unable to assimilate ज्ञान. If the attitude is that “I am full, I do not need anymore”, such a cynical attitude will certainly not benefit the hearer.

18:71 (3) – Now, भगवान् is saying here that even a listener will benefit from just listening to the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. One may not be able to assimilate complex stuff and one may still not be refined enough to imbibe the message fully. But because he has the right attitude and is not cynical, he will attain righteous worlds. This means that even if such a person dies, he will move into an ecosystem where he can continue from where he has left off. So listening to the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता too is beneficial.

कच्चिदेतच्छ्रुतं पार्थ त्वयैकाग्रेण चेतसा। कच्चिदज्ञानसंमोहः प्रनष्टस्ते धनञ्जय।।18.72।।

18.72 O धनञ्जय! have you (कच्-चिद् त्वया) heard (श्रुतम्) this (एतद्) with a one-pointed mind (एकाग्रेण चेतसा)? Has (कच्-चिद्) your (ते) delusion caused by ignorance (अज्ञान-संमोहः) been completely destroyed (प्रनष्ट:)?

अर्जुन उवाच

नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत। स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव।।18.73।।

18.73 अर्जुन said: Gone (नष्ट:) is the delusion (मोह:). I (मया) have gained (लब्धा) recognition (स्मृति:) (without error) (of myself) by Your grace (त्वत्-प्रसादात्), O अच्युत (Changeless). I am (अस्मि) firm (स्थित:) and with doubts gone (गतसन्देहः). I will do (करिष्ये) what You have said (तव वचनं) or कर्म-योग.

18:72/73 (1) – अध्यात्म calls for developing our faculties to the highest to be able to imbibe its message. So भगवान् asks – “Have you been able to focus on my talk?” And the ability to be able to concentrate is seen as most essential for success in this sphere. Are we able to listen fully when talking to others? Are we able to focus fully on work when engaged in any कर्म? Are we able to immerse ourselves fully in the game while playing? If we are unable to focus even while performing ordinary कर्म, we will be unable to imbibe the message of अध्यात्म. And where does this inability to concentrate come from? It is मोह (infatuations) meaning that our mind has too many cravings and these distract us from being able to focus on anything for a long time.

18:72/73 (2) – And unlike the अर्जुन who was unsettled in chapter one, we now have one who has become calm as the enormity of the message of life sunk into him. So he says – “My मोह has been destroyed”. The mirror has been cleared of dust and one is able to see himself clearly. And the expression used by अर्जुन is fascinating – he does not say – “You have taught me something new. You have taught me about प्रकृति & पुरुष, terms like नैश्कर्म्य सिद्धि, ज्ञानयोग, कर्मयोग, त्रिगुण, etc”. All these terms are just props to learn something higher and not an end in themselves. So his takeaway was – “I have become स्थितः” meaning that he has become stable and he has found himself. We are drawn to chapter two again where the term स्थितप्रज्ञ was used which means one whose बुद्धि is स्थित. It is स्थित in what? It is स्थित within itself.

18:72/73 (3) –  And अर्जुन also says another interesting line – “I have regained स्मृति”. We may take this in two ways. Simpler meaning will be that he regained his clarity of मन. He was clear that he had to fight his cousins. He was clear that he was on the side of धर्म. He was clear that पांडव were reasonable and tried their best to avoid the war. He was clear that the war is inevitable. But as he faced his cousins on the युद्धभूमि, he got distracted. And now with confusion gone, he has regained his earlier clarity of मन. The second could be that he has regained his original state of Oneness with the परा as one endowed with सत्-चित्-आनन्द. And in this state, he is no longer distinct from श्रीकृष्ण. And he will therefore follow words of श्रीकृष्ण which is akin to following himself since there is no duality between जीव & परमात्मा. Both are One. And all this clarity came as a result of त्वत् प्रसादात् meaning “By Your Grace” – “This did not come out of my effort alone but Your grace also came towards me and made me one with You”.

सञ्जय उवाच

इत्यहं वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः। संवादमिममश्रौषमद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम्।।18.74।।

18.74 सञ्जय said! Thus (इति) I (अहं) have heard (अश्रौषम्) this (इमम्) extra-ordinary (अद्भुतं) thrilling (रोमहर्षणम्) dialogue (संवादम्) between the great minded (महात्मनः) कृष्ण (वासुदेवस्य) and the अर्जुन (पार्थस्य च)

व्यासप्रसादाच्छ्रुतवानेतद्गुह्यमहं परम्। योगं योगेश्वरात्कृष्णात्साक्षात्कथयतः स्वयम्।।18.75।।

18.75 I (अहं) have heard (श्रुतवान्), by the grace of व्यास (व्यास-प्रसादात्), this paramount (एतद् परं) , secret (गुह्यम्) योग (योगं) from कृष्ण (कृष्णात्), the Lord of योग (योग ईश्वरात्), Himself (स्वयं) directly (साक्षात्) teaching (it) (कथयतः).

18:74/75 (1) – Whenever people recited stories from Periya Puranam to भगवान् रमण महऋषि, tears used to flow ceaselessly from him. If we therefore think that a highest ज्ञानी must not cry, here is an example of One who used to experience unending thrill in listening to the events in the lives of भक्त’s of शिव. And even if we are unable to fathom the depth of bliss experienced by one living in a state of सत्-चित्-आनन्द, have we experienced bliss even by hearing the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता? सञ्जय is a परमज्ञानी himself and he was very happy that he heard the message directly from भगवान् Himself. How much more lucky can one get?

18:74/75 (2) – And it must be seen that most, if not all, भक्त never seem to forget their गुरु in all good times or bad times. When श्रीआंजनेय was about to fly towards श्रीलंका, the first name he took while doing his prayer was that of His गुरु viz सूर्य. And whether it is Rumi whose relationship with his गुरु viz Shams or कबीर about रामानन्द or many others, whether they are going through good to bad times, they always remember their गुरु. No wonder सञ्जय too credited his good luck not to his own बुद्धि or his own तपस्या in his past lives (which may also have been true). His remembers व्यास and thanks him for showering His grace. Getting such a गुरु must be a big achievement I guess though one is reminded that if this has not happened to us thus far, our own पात्रता will have to be worked upon much more intensely. And once this is developed, a गुरु will come on Her own without we having to move out of our house just like तोतापुरी came on His own to train रामकृष्ण परमहंस.

राजन्संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम्। केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं हृष्यामि च मुहुर्मुहुः।।18.76।।

18.76 O राजन्, remembering again and again (संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य) this wondrous (अद्भुतम्) and auspicious (पुण्यं) dialogue (संवादम्) between श्रीकृष्ण and अर्जुन (केशवार्जुनयोः), I rejoice (हृष्यामि च) again and again (मुहु-र्मुहुः).

तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपमत्यद्भुतं हरेः। विस्मयो मे महान् राजन् हृष्यामि च पुनः पुनः।।18.77।।

18.77 And O राजन्! remembering again and (च) again (संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य) that wonderful (तत् अत्यद्भुतं) form (रूपं) of हरी (हरे), my amazement (मे विस्मय:) is great (महान्). Again and again (पुनः पुनः च), I rejoice (हृष्यामि).

18:76/77 (1) – As children, our first exposure to अमर चित्र कथा had given us a lot of joy and gives sweet memories even today when we see our kids reading these. Some got luckier to get exposed to academicians who have done thorough research on our शास्त्र and while being non-practitioners, their intense research helped us see interconnections between शास्त्र and made us expand (e.g, Karen Armstrong). Some more lucky derived greater joy reading the biographies of saints like परमहंस, रमण, गुरु नानक, आदि शंकर, etc by eminent writers like महीपति and others.  Some more luckier of us derived much greater joy reading the ग्रंथ like रामायण or the उपनिषद् either in original (or even indirectly through the eyes of other practicing authors like Rajaji or Kamala Subramanium). Few of us got more luckier to listen to the message of these texts from practicing गुरुs who add their experience of intense साधना and when this aspect is added to the शास्त्र, we are filled with tears of joy when the intent of each श्लोक sinks into our minds with far more depth and meaning.

18:76/77 (2) – Now, we cannot imagine what सञ्जय must be experiencing. Given that this message, while being given to अर्जुन alone, is meant for whole of humanity, सज्जय is truly lucky to be the first one of humanity to receive this message directly. And there is a good reason to believe that सञ्जय must have acquired a very special पात्रता to be the first one to have access to the tone, the demeanour, the expression, the sound level, etc of भगवान् Himself – he must have truly felt that such an अनुभव is a rare one which very few may have had access to. No wonder he is unable to contain his joy and ends up repeating certain words – संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य uttered twice, मुहु-र्मुहुः and पुन-पुन: and also uses the word अद्भुतम्.  And just as we experience joy when we remember a special event that may have happened 20-30 years back, सज्जय is experiencing joy again and again remembering the पवित्र संवादम्. It is said that सञ्जय narrates the गीता and the initial events of the war after ten days on the death of भीष्म to धृतराष्ट्र.

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः। तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम।।18.78।।

18.78 Wherever (यत्र) is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga (योगेश्वरः कृष्ण:); wherever (यत्र) is bow-bearing अर्जुन  (पार्थो धनुर्धरः); there (तत्र), in my opinion (मम मति:) is श्री, विजय, prosperity (भूति) and certain justice (ध्रुवा नीति:).

18:78 (1) – Last श्लोक is also one of the most quoted श्लोक of the श्रीमद्भगवगद्गीता. Interestingly, the first word used in this entire शास्त्र is धर्म and the last word is मम. Combining these together, we get the words मम धर्म making this शास्त्र one that conveys my धर्म. Thus, all who want to follow धर्म may follow this शास्त्र. Now, a simple reading of these श्लोक may suggest that सञ्जय is stating that where ever there is the presence of ‘physical’ श्रीकृष्ण and ‘physical’ पार्थ, victory, prosperity, etc will certainly follow. But such a भौतिक अर्थ cannot give joy to us 😊. So the next time we see a श्रीकृष्णार्जुन picture, its भौतिक सौंदर्य alone should not give us joy but its अध्यात्म सौंदर्य should send us into raptures. And what is the अध्यात्म सौंदर्य of this picture that even got Indonesia to place a massive sculpture of this image outside their own parliament?

18:78 (2) – श्रीकृष्ण represents ज्ञान and पार्थ represents कर्म and thus wherever there is the presence of ज्ञानयोग and कर्मयोग within oneself, सिद्धि is guaranteed. Or श्रीकृष्ण may be seen as representing the Divine कृपा while अर्जुन with his गांडीव representing human प्रयत्न – both have to come together for success. Or these may be seen as the duo of ध्यान & कर्म (meditation & action). कर्म without ध्यान is wasted as is ध्यान with no कर्म. At the macro-level too, a society must be governed both by a धर्मग्रंथ (a set of guiding principles) as well as people who are living adherents to the धर्मग्रंथ. There is a line in the बृहद्अरण्यक उपनिषद् which says that in the presence of धर्म, the weak becomes equal to a strong one. Thus, even if we have an strong oppressor in a society, if धर्म is present there, the weak can take the help of government machinery in the form of Police and Courts and challenge the oppressor. In today’s time, a strong Constitution fulfills the role of a धर्मग्रंथ to ensure presence of धर्म.

18:78 (3) – We often talk about the clash between मन and the हृदय. And the usual wisdom that is given is – follow your हृदय. श्रीकृष्ण may thus be seen as this हृदय, the centre of our being is situated within our हृदय. Our मन, as we discussed earlier, is a part of प्रकृति. And an ideal life is where both the पुरुष तत्व and  प्रकृति present within us are fully integrated. And in such an integrated personality, there is no clash, there is no confusion and instead is present a state of decisive calm, a समत्वम्. And in this state, whatever कर्म one does, it will certainly yield श्री (wealth), विजय (victory), भूति (prosperity) and ध्रुवा नीति: (constant justice). And श्री does not mean material wealth alone but presence of श्रीमहालक्ष्मी within us in the form of complete confidence in oneself – and not the lower जीव but the Universal आत्मा. And whosoever has this within himself, विजय, etc will follow as a natural outcome. And with these wonderful words bestowing noble blessings on all of us, we end our गीता यज्ञ. ॐ तत् सत्

|| ॐ तत् सत् इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीताषु उननिषद्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायाम् योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे मोक्ष-संयासयोगो नाम अष्टादशोऽध्यायः ||