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Philosophy
Bhagavad Gita Chapter Summaries Chapter 3: 43 verses – The Yoga of Desireless Action (Karma Yoga)
BY PRAKASH PARAMESWARAN
K
rishna has already described karma yoga (yoga of action) in Chapter 2 in verses 2.41 – 2.51 and jnana (knowledge of self) in verses 2.10 – 2.30. The dialogue between him and Arjuna continues in Chapter 3. 3.1 – 3.2: Arjuna expresses confusion about why Krishna asks him to fight since he comes away from the dialogue in Chapter 2 with the idea that knowledge (jnana) is superior to the path of action (karma yoga) and wants to know which of the two paths will lead him to the highest good. 3.3 – 3.8: Krishna reiterates the existence of the twofold path (of jnana and karma) and then proceeds to resolve Arjuna’s confusion. One cannot reach the actionless state (knowledge of self), i.e., the state where there is no desire for action (as a means to an end), by either renunciation (taking sannyasa1) or by non-performance of action. The gunas2 of prakriti will force everyone to perform action. One who restrains his organs of actions but is occupied mentally with sense objects is a hypocrite, while one who controls the senses with the mind and performs karma yoga without attachment is superior. Performing action to fulfill one’s duties is superior to inaction. 3-9 – 3.16: Krishna declares the origin of mankind and of sacrificial action to be Brahman3 and urges Arjuna to perform sacrificial action without attachment. Action not performed as a sacrifice will bind one to the results of those actions. Action performed in the form of a sacrifice produces rain, which in turn produces food, which in turn helps beings exist. One that does not set this wheel of sacrificial action in motion, lives uselessly, maliciously, and trapped in sensual delights. Humans create their own gods through their sacrifices, and the gods will provide sought after nourishment/pleasures. This nourishment must be used to work to attain the
highest (self). If one simply enjoys these pleasures without giving back, one is a thief. 3.17 – 3.26: Krishna starts by saying that for those situated in the self, there is really nothing to do. Those that perform action without attachment attain this state of self-realization. King Janaka is given as an example of one who reached this state through action and then continued to act to set an example for other people and to set a standard that the world can follow. Krishna says he himself (as Brahman) has nothing left to attain yet he performs action. If he does nothing, the world will become tamasic and perish. Krishna ends by saying that, just as the ignorant act from attachment to action, the wise should act without attachment with the intent to maintain the welfare of the world. The wise should even persuade those ignorant about the self to perform their duties even with the intention of enjoying the fruits of their actions. Eventually in time, they also will be able to reach the state of performing duties without attachment (i.e., aspire to buddhi/karma yoga or yoga of desireless action). 3.27 – 3.29: Krishna points out that all actions are brought about by the gunas of prakriti and if one thinks that one is ‘the doer’ situated in ahamkar, then that is a delusional state. But one that is situated in the self instead, realizes that it is all an interplay of the gunas (see YSP I.16)—the gunas as senses, moving among the gunas as sense objects and, therefore, one is not attached to action. 3.30 – 3.32: Krishna then asks Arjuna to fight and surrender his actions to him (Brahman) with mind centered in the self and freed from desire and the notion of “mine.” He states that those who practice this teaching with faith and without petty objections will also be released from the bondage of their actions. Those
1 Asceticism including all claims to social and family standing, complete withdrawal from worldly life. 2 Sattva, rajas, and tamas. 3 Supreme or universal self, cosmic oneness, ultimate reality, single binding unity behind all diversity Photo: RIMYI Archives
The Light | Spring – Summer 2021
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