On Philosophy: Bhagavad Gita Chapter Summaries, Prakash Parameswaran

ON Philosophy Bhagavad Gita Chapter Summaries

Chapter 3: 43 verses – The Yoga of Desireless Action (Karma Yoga)

BY PRAKASH PARAMESWARAN

Krishna 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 diversityPhoto: RIMYI Archives

who do not practice this teaching are senseless and doomed to destruction.

3.33 – 3.35: Krishna points out that all, including the wise, act according to their material nature (prakriti). Attachment and aversion (see YSP II.7,II.8) are seated in the senses in the context of sense objects. So, one must be restrained to get beyond material nature which includes all of one's samskaras4 and vasanas5. It is better to perform one’s duty in an imperfect manner than perform another’s duty in a perfect manner.

3.36 – 3.43: Arjuna asks what causes man to commit evil, even unwillingly sometimes, as if constrained to do so by some internal force. Krishna says it is desire and anger born of rajas, which is all consuming and the enemy. This unappeasable “never to be satisfied” desire born of rajas obscures the intellect and is the eternal enemy of the wise. It is seated in the senses, the mind, and the intellect, and it deludes the embodied one by obscuring wisdom. Krishna urges Arjuna to kill this desire born of rajas, which is the destroyer of knowledge and discrimination. Knowing that the mind (manas) is superior to the senses (indriyas) and that the intellect (buddhi) is superior to the mind, and with the knowledge that the self (atman, purusha) is superior to the intellect, Krishna asks Arjuna to use the composure attained by being situated in the self to destroy the enemy (rajas) which shows up as desire.

Chapter 4: 42 verses – The yoga of sacrificial action with knowledge of self (jnana)

4.1 – 4.12: Having concluded the presentation of jnana (knowledge) and karma yoga (path of desireless action) in chapters 2 and 3, Krishna declares that he had taught this to ancestors of the warrior/ruler class. They had handed this down to their progeny, and thus these kings who were also sages were able to maintain dharma (righteousness, that which upholds) in the world. This knowledge [of yoga] was lost because it fell into the hands of people who could not control their senses and could not work towards liberation (moksha). And Krishna declares that he is now teaching this to Arjuna to reestablish this knowledge that was lost to the world.

Krishna further declares that he is situated beyond the gunas in an eternal state. He is born in every Anyone that understands Krishna (their true self) is also not bound by their actions since they are also performing action without attachment to the fruit of their actions.

age (in human form), whenever there is a decline in righteousness, for the protection of the good and the destruction of the wicked so that dharma may be upheld. He who understands Krishna’s birth and action for establishing and upholding righteousness attains knowledge of self, becomes one with Krishna, becomes liberated while living, and is never born again. Krishna says that by becoming free from attachment, fear, anger, being absorbed in the self (Krishna, Brahman), taking refuge in the self and by purification through tapas6 of knowledge (brahma-jnana), many have become one with him.

In whatever way he (Krishna, Brahman) is approached, rewards accrue accordingly, those who seek selfish rewards from their actions, he binds them to their selfish ends, and they end up in bondage to the material things in the world (in karmic cycles/samsara7), those who have renounced attachment and seek liberation (moksha) he gives them that. Worldly success can be attained easily, but it is very difficult to attain the knowledge of self.

4.13 – 4.15: People end up in four different stations in life based on their gunas and karma (actions). Krishna as Brahman is beyond the ahamkara (sense of “I”, doership based on desired fruit for actions), so actions do not taint him. Anyone that understands Krishna (their true self) is also not bound by their actions since they are also performing action without attachment to the fruit of their actions. Krishna then states that knowing this, seekers of liberation in the past also performed action and he asks Arjuna to perform such action.

4.16 – 4.23: Krishna states that even the wise are confused about what action is and what inaction is and states that he will explain so that one may be liberated. One must know the nature of correct action, wrong action and inaction. The path of action is hard to understand. He who sees inaction in action and action

4 Mental impressions 5 Behavioral tendency 6 The heat of knowledge of self burns all samskaras and vasanas and purifies the person. 7 The cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound.

in inaction is wise, a yogi, and a performer of all action. Inaction in action means that one does not act in the world to establish bondage with the results of the action. One identifies instead with the actionless self, and acts from a state of vidya8 no matter what action is being done. Action in inaction may happen when a person may not be doing any action but is in a state of avidya9, as in the mind is active with the notion of ahamkara “I am a doer,” and engaged mentally with planning and obtaining fruits for actions performed. It is the body/ mind/senses/ ahamkara that performs action based on desired fruits not the self. He who acts without desire and selfish purpose and whose past actions have been burnt by the fire of knowledge (brahma- jnana) is called a sage. Even though such a person is content to be situated in the actionless self, not doing anything (based on attachment to rewards for actions), without coveting anything, he is still engaged in activity to set an example to the others. He is content with what comes to him without effort that seeks fruits, he is free from the pairs of opposites, free from envy, is even-minded in success or failure, he is not bound. He who acts devoid of attachment, is liberated, whose thought is established in knowledge (of self), whose work is a sacrifice, his actions are reduced to nothing (creates no bondage), so it becomes the inaction that is desired. This is Brahman in action and one that acts like this will attain to Brahman.

4.24 – 4.33: These verses present the different types of sacrificial actions performed for purification of the mind on the path of spirituality. When sacrificial action is performed with the realization of self and that nothing exists apart from Brahman, the performer of the action, the action itself and the results, this is jnana-yagna or ‘wisdom sacrifice.’ This is the sacrifice performed by the knowers of Brahman. They, having realized that the self and Brahman are one, renounce all action and remain situated in that actionless state of the self yet performing action in the world as sacrifice. Some perform sacrificial rites to the gods or perform sacrifice by restraining the senses or by directing the senses to specific objects that are not forbidden. Others perform sacrifice by performing samyama10 on the self thereby dissolving all the actions of the senses and the prana (life force that wants to act for selfish interests). Some perform sacrifice by using their wealth for charity, and others perform intense tapas as sacrifice. Some practice yoga (the eight-limbed raja yoga) and others perform study of the Vedas as sacrifice. Some practice inhalation, exhalation, and retention of breath. Some perform sacrifice by restricting their food intake. All these are knowers of sacrifice whose evils will be destroyed by sacrifice. Those that do not perform any form of sacrifice are not fit to live in this world. Those that do are on the path of union with Brahman. This section ends with Krishna stating that wisdom sacrifice (from 4.24 and 4.25) is superior to the sacrifice of material objects, and that all actions are comprehended in wisdom (jnana, knowledge of self).

4.34 – 4.42: This section establishes that nothing purifies one as much as knowledge (of self) which is attained by the constant practice of yoga (karma yoga and dhyana yoga (yoga of meditation/samadhi)). One must approach those that have had direct experience (darshan11) of this knowledge (of self), prostrate to them, provide service to them, and question them, and they will teach this knowledge. With that knowledge all delusion will be lost, and one will see that the self is the same in all beings, which is Krishna (Brahman). This is the essence of the Upanishads as stated in the mahavakyas12. Even the biggest sinners can get past all their sins with this boat of knowledge and this knowledge will burn to ashes all past actions. One that has faith, is devoted to this knowledge, and has restrained the senses, quickly attains this knowledge, and goes quickly to the state of supreme peace. There is no happiness for those that are ignorant, doubting, and faithless. The chapter ends with Krishna stating that, for those that have renounced selfish actions through karma yoga, whose doubts are removed by knowledge (of self) and who are situated in the self, actions they perform do not bind them to samsara (karmic cycles of birth and death). So, with the sword of knowledge (jnana), he asks Arjuna to cut away this ignorance (ajnana, avidya), resort to yoga, and stand up.

Prakash Parameswaran is a CIYT, Level 2. As a yoga sadhaka, he has been fortunate to study with senior teachers on the path of yoga. He has a keen interest in the philosophy behind yoga as presented in the Upanishads, Samkhya, The Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Prakash resides in Plano, Texas.

8 Knowledge of self. 9 Ignorance of self. 10 Iterative performance of concentration, meditation, and absorption with an object of meditation. 11 Viewing or beholding 12 The great sayings from the Upanishads.

ON Teaching A Tribute to Felicity Green

1933–2021

BY PAT MUSBURGER AND KATIE DAVIDSON “Whatever you do, for heaven’s sake do it whole-heartedly.

That is what makes life interesting.”—Felicity Green, from an interview in 1982

Felicity Green, a pioneer of Iyengar Yoga in the United States, died peacefully in the company of her son and daughter-inlaw on April 23. An influential teacher whom Mr. Iyengar called “as strong as a lion,” was both compassionate and stern in her teaching. Felicity followed her own advice and lived her life wholeheartedly, never being afraid to make bold changes when the spirit called on her to do so. At the 2010 IYNAUS Convention in Portland she was only the third person to be honored with the Lighting the Way Award for her numerous contributions to the Iyengar Yoga community. Her journey with Iyengar Yoga began in 1962 when she moved from South Africa to Palo Alto, CA with her husband David Hall and two young sons. Despite her medical background as a trained occupational therapist and her experience as the daughter of a doctor, Felicity sought alternative solutions for her chronically dislocating shoulder. As a result, she discovered French Iyengar teacher Jean Bernard Rishi in 1970 and thus began a journey that was to become her life’s work. Felicity studied with Rishi for four years, travelling to France for teacher training before meeting B.K.S. Iyengar in the states in 1974. In 1976 she travelled to Pune for the first time, returning every few years until 2000. Felicity considered Guruji to be her spiritual father.

Felicity was a founding member of the Institute for Yoga Teacher Education in San Francisco and instrumental in the first teacher training program in the U.S. When West Coast and East Coast organizations merged in 1976, she became a member of the first Board of IYNAUS. In the minutes of an early IYNAUS board meeting, she is given credit for the idea of standardizing the assessment process. She served on the faculty at IYISF from 1976 to 1983. In 1980 Felicity and David formed a partnership with Lolly Font and Elise Miller to create the California Photo: Steve Horn Yoga Center in Palo Alto. According to Elise, as one of the first teachers in the area, Felicity “was a guiding light to many students and teachers, and her legacy will live on with all who had the privilege to study with her.” In 1981, Felicity moved to British Columbia to live at the Yasodhara Ashram and study with Swami Sivananda Radha, whom she later came to regard as her spiritual mother. This experience deepened her understanding and relationship with yoga philosophy and catalyzed a change within. When asked in a 1982 interview what her purpose in life was she responded, “To try to be clear enough so I do what I’m meant to do.” By this time, Felicity had four sons who were mostly grown. With her householder duties complete she sought a divorce and devoted her life to teaching—what she was meant to do. Largely due to her time with Swami Radha, and unlike many Iyengar teachers at the time, Felicity began to regularly incorporate philosophy instruction into her asana classes. From the early ‘80s until the mid 2000s, Felicity was in high demand for her teacher training

Her journey with Iyengar Yoga began in 1962 when she moved from South Africa to Palo Alto, CA with her husband David Hall and two young sons.