Chapter 4.1 Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga - Slokas 1-23
Yoga of renunciation of action in Knowledge
Hari Om!
Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita is titled as “Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga”. It means Yoga of renunciation of action in Knowledge. In this chapter, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna about the succession of students who learned about this Imperishable Yoga of the Knowledge of Brahman (Brahma vidya) from Him. Further, He explains why He takes avatar in every age and why one should know about his avatars. He also defines what “actionless actions” are. He discusses about the different types of yagnas (sacrifices) people do to reach Him and gain Supreme Peace. He declares that even the “worst sinner” can be purified by this Knowledge.
Sloka1-3
Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that He taught this Imperishable Yoga to Vivaswan (Surya, the sun god). Vivaswan then taught this to Manu (the ancient law giver of the code of conduct). Manu taught this to Ikshvaku, (the ancestor of the solar dynasty). This yoga, by long lapse of time, had been lost. That same ancient yoga has been taught by Lord Krishna to Arjuna now since Sri Krishna considers Arjuna as His devotee and friend. Lord Krishna further says, “This is a supreme secret”.
In slokas 1-3, Lord Krishna is explaining the “Guru shishya parampara” (the uninterrupted succession of the teacher and the student). Let us remember that The Lord is the “Aadi guru” (the first teacher).
Sloka 4-6
Arjuna asks the Lord as to how it is possible for Sri Krishna to have taught this yoga to Vivaswan, since the birth of Krishna was later than the birth of Vivaswan, the sun god. Lord Krishna answers that many births of Himself and that of Arjuna have passed. The Lord knows them all (the births) but Arjuna does not know them. The Lord takes a body of His own will, even though He is unborn and Imperishable.
Why does The Lord take up a body in every age? The answer follows:
Sloka 7-8
7. Yada-yada hi dharmasya glaanir bhavathi bharata
Abhyutthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam shrujaamyaham
“Whenever there is decay of dharma (righteousness), O Bharata, and the rise of adharma (unrighteousness), then I manifest Myself “
8. Paritraanaaya saadhunaam Vinaashaaya ca duskrtaam
dharmasamsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge-yuge
“For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of Dharma (righteousness), I am born in every age”.
These two slokas need to be explained in some detail.
Here, the Lord says He takes a physical body, which can be a human or even an animal body, when the wicked (adharmic) people dominate the world and suppress and harass the good (dharmic) citizens.
The Lord takes it upon Himself to
1) Protect the good people (from suppression)
2) Punish and destroy the wicked people and
3) Establish Dharma (righteousness)
The word “Dharma” is a very complex word and has many meanings.
Dharma is that which holds together different aspects of an object into a whole thing.
“the Law of Being” (as per Swami Chinmayanandaji).
It denotes the essential nature of anything without which that thing cannot exist.
For example, the dharma of salt is saltiness, the dharma of fire is heat, the dharma of water is wetness, the dharma of sugar is sweetness and so on.
In the same manner, “the Dharma of a human being is to realize his true nature” (that I am not the body, or the mind or the intellect but “I am The Imperishable Brahman”). This Truth is stated in the Mahaavaakyam from the Yajur Veda, which says, “Aham Brahmaasmi” (I am Brahman). As per Lord Krishna, the goal of a human being should be to realize his true nature that I am Atman (Brahman), while living in this world of names and forms.
Sri Krishna discussed at length about the nature of The Atman in Chapter 2. (Please refer to my commentary on Chapter 2.2 slokas 20-25).
In this context, I would like to add the words of Raja Parikshit in Srimad Bhagavatham. He says, “Dharma stands on four legs”. They are Tapas (Penance), Shauca (cleanliness), Daya (compassion), and Satyam (Truth). Of these, he says, in the Kali Yuga, man can be said to practice dharma only by the observance of Satyam (Truth). The reason given is that pride is responsible for the destruction of Tapas and indulgence and arrogance for the destruction of the other two. (Shauca and Daya)
Why should a person know the different avatars of the Lord?
Sloka 9
“He who knows My divine birth and action, having dropped the body, comes unto Me, O Arjuna”
In other words, The Lord is promising that He will give Moksha to a devotee, who learns, with faith and devotion, the births and actions of Him that are explained in Hindu scriptures. This sloka, to me, stresses the importance of learning, listening to. discussing and spreading the word of the scriptures.
And what other actions do the “wise” people take to reach The Lord?
Sloka 10-11
Sri Krishna says that the “wise” people free themselves from attachment, fear and, anger. They take refuge in Him and purified by the fire of (Self) Knowledge, they reach Him.
What about the people “other than the wise”?
About others, He says “In whatever way men approach me, I reward them”.
Sloka 13-15
“The fourfold caste (varna) has been created by Me according to Guna and Karma, but I am actionless and changeless, even though I am the author thereof”.
This sloka is complicated but I will try to simplify it as best as I can.
The term “varna” means “color” but not the color of the skin but “the nature of a person’s thoughts and actions”. Human beings are either “Sattvic” (divine, good), “Rajasic” (doing actions to fulfill desires) or “Tamasic” (dull) or a combination of these (thoughts and actions).
The jiva in whom Satva guna predominates is a Brahmana. When Rajas and Sattva are mixed, the jiva is a Kshatriya. The person is considered a Vaishya, if he is mainly Rajasic with some Sattva and Tamas. Sudra is one with mainly Tamas and Rajas. The same person can feel different Gunas at different times of the day. (For the sake of our discussion, Gunas can be defined as thought textures.)
Our job after taking the human birth is to recognize where we are (self-enquiry) and to take all the actions needed (sadhanas or spiritual practices) to evolve upward and finally merge with The Lord within us (Self Realization).
Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi is a prime example of a saint who practiced this enquiry (“Who am I?”) (“Naan Yaar?” In Tamil). Whenever we are angry or happy or sad, Bhagavan Ramana would ask us to enquire “Who is angry or happy or sad?”. The answer is inevitably “I am”. The next logical question he advises us to ask is, “Who am I?”. After consistently meditating on this enquiry, we come to realize that “I am not this body. I am not these thoughts (mind). I am The Imperishable Self (Atman), that gives life to this body, which perishes with time”.
Another inevitable benefit that comes with this line of enquiry is that we forget what we were angry or sad or happy about since we are focusing on the subject (Purusha) within us and not focusing on the objects outside us.
Sri Krishna goes on to say that He has no desire for the fruits of actions. He also says that one should know what are considered as right actions. The right action is how a Sage behaves.
How does a Sage (saintly person) behave?
Sloka 19.-23
Lord Krishna says that “a Sage is one who acts with no desires and whose actions are burnt by the Fire of (Self) Knowledge.”
Even though a person may be a family man, earning daily wages and dealing with all kinds of people and circumstances, “one who has rediscovered The Self (God) within him, even though engaged in activity, he does not do anything”. These are called “actionless actions”.
Why are they called “actionless actions?” Sri Krishna explains:
Since the actions are undertaken with the “Yagna spirit” (sacrificial or selfless actions), they do not cause fresh vaasanaas . The person does not incur sin. He is content with what comes to him without effort, even minded in success and failure, free from envy, though acting, he is not bound. He is not attached to his actions or their results. He is a free man. Since he acts for the sake of sacrifice (in the “Yagna spirit”), all his actions are dissolved. (Vaasanaas are mental impressions that are formed from the experience from past lives and in this life.)
(Please refer to the end of chapter 3.2 describing the story of Vyadha Gita from Mahabharata. In this story, the housewife and the butcher act in this world as the perfect examples of this “Yagna spirit”).
We will see next in Chapter 4, the many types of sadhanas (spiritual practices) people perform to reach The Lord. Lord Krishna will also tell us how even the “worst sinner” can overcome their sins and get purified.
Hari Om!
Dr.Shanmugam