Chapter
3: The Yoga of Selfless Action
Arjuna, the
dejected, was still in a confused state of mind. He humbly asked Krishna, “You spoke about
intellect being greater than action, and yet you ask me to get involved in this
ghastly action, of fighting a terrible war! I cannot comprehend you. Kindly show
me one way which I can follow.”
In the previous chapter the Lord had discussed two possible
states - action without desiring the fruits and renunciation of action
with steady wisdom. In fact Sri Krishna had categorically stated that
the second state is achievable through the first one. One who performs actions
without attachment and desire for fruits, ultimately gets over all sorrows and
delusions and arrive at a state of Sthitaprajnya or steady intellect.
But Arjuna missed that vital point. He still thought renunciation of
action was better than action, esp. if consequences of that action were
disastrous.
Krishna
responded, “I have shown you two schools of wisdom generally followed in this
world, the path of knowledge or Sankhya and the path of selfless action
for Yogis. One cannot attain liberation from action as obtained by
persons of steady intellect, by simply not choosing to act, nor can one attain
perfection merely by renouncing action.
Nor will anybody be able to remain inactive for even a moment, as
the qualities born out of his nature will impel him to work.”
The qualities which are born out of
nature are of three types – viz. Sattvik or tranquil, Rajasik or active and Tamasik or laziness. These qualities
shape the personalities – whether a person would be restless or calm or a slave
of passions and laziness would be determined by the preponderance of one quality
over the other. Therefore it is nature that drives action. This is a key postulate of Gita. Many people, esp. Western
scholars misinterprete it as Sri Krishna favoring war and violence over
non violence. The Lord here makes it very clear that one cannot simply choose to
remain inactive and thus think that he has become spiritually enlightened. One
need not always attain perfection through renunciation of actions. It is very
difficult for one to remain without acting as the very nature of all living
beings force them to work, and not remain idle. Therefore a non enlightened
soul, one who has not realized the principles of action, and very
importantly one who has not conquered the nature and its qualities,
should never forsake action.
Lord Krishna further
explained that if a person merely sits idle thinking that he has controlled his
senses and passions, all the while meditating upon objects of senses and worldly
affairs, he is deluded. If on the other hand, by controlling the senses with the
help of mind, one indulges in selfless action, one becomes worthy of possessing
that steady intellect.
Lord Krishna thereafter
tells Arjuna, “Oh Arjuna, do your work diligently, as
action is greater than inaction. Even for maintaining your body, you’ll have to
act (partaking of food, sleeping and other essential activities to maintain the
regular functions of the body). However work leads to fetters, which bind a
person to the world, unless the same work is performed selflessly as a sacrifice
unto others. Therefore work for the sake of work, devoid of any attachment (to
the fruits).”
This is further explained in the fifth chapter. A person of
steady intellect, a true sannyasi, one who has truly renounced all actions,
established in Self and beyond nature, knows that all actions are born out of
nature. Even the bodily functions are merely being performed by senses under the
impulse of nature, and he, the Atman, is different from body, mind
and ego and therefore merely a witness to these actions. Actions automatically
fall away from him.
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