Chapter-IV The Yoga of Action ( Karamyoga)

 

Chapter-IV

The Yoga of Action (Karamyoga)

This chapter dwells on significance of duty, in a detached way, according to both Jnanyoga and Karmayoga; the necessity for action on the part of the wise, and even on the part of God for the benefit and well being of the world and symptoms of wise and unwise, instructions about performance of action without attraction and repulsion and how to overcome desire. It begins with Pandava Prince Arjuna asking Sri Bhagwan that if he considered knowledge as superior to action then why he is forcing him to take this dreadful action. He requests Lord Krisna to tell him definitely one discipline by which he can attain the highest goal. Lord Krishna replying says that there are two courses of Sadhana (spiritual discipline) in this world, In the case of a Sankhayayogi, the Sadhana proceeds along the path of knowledge while in the case of Karmayogi it proceeds from the path of action. A man does not attain freedom from action without entering upon action, nor does he reach perfection merely by ceasing to act. Nobody can ever remain inactive even for a moment, for everyone is helplessly driven to action by nature born qualities. He who outwardly restraining the the organs of sense and action, sits mentally dwelling on the objects of senses, that man of deluded intellect is a hypocrite. On the other hand he excels who controlling the organs of sense and action by the power of his will and remaining unattached, undertakes the Yoga of Action through those organs. So one must perform his allotted duty as action is superior to inaction and by desisting from action one cannot maintain even one’s own body. Man is bound by his own action except when it is performed for the sake of sacrifice. So Krishna tells Arjuna to perform his dutyse indestructible God. Hence the all pervading Infinite is ever present in Sacrifice. The person who does not follow the wheel of creation of does not perform his duties lives a worthless, sinful and sensual life, and a person who takes delight in the self alone, and is gratified with the self and is contented in the self has no duty. So perform the duties efficiently without attachment that ensures the attainment of the supreme by the man. It is through action, without attachment, alone that Janaka and other sages attained perfection. Having an eye to maintenance of world order also will move a person to take action. For whatever a great man does, that very thing other men also do.; whatever standards they set up, the rest follows the same. Lord Krishna says that even He has to continue to work though there is nothing in the world that has not been attained by Him. If he stops acting a great harm will come to the world so Arjuna follow His way in all matters. If He stops to act then the worlds would perish, nay He shall prove to be the cause of confusion and of the destruction of the people. So Arjuna as unwise act with attachment, so should the wise man, seeking the maintenance of world order, act without attachment. A wise man established in self should not unsettle the mind of the ignorant attached to action, but should get them to perform all their duties, duly performing their duties. All actions are being performed by the modes of Prakriti( Primordial matter). The fool who is deluded by egoism thinks ‘ I am the doer”. He who has true insight into the respective spheres of Gunas( modes of Prakriti) and their actions, holding that it is Gunas ( in the shape of senses, mind, etc.) that move among the Gunas ( Objects of Perception) does not get attached to them. Even those men who with an uncavilling and devout mind always follow the teachings of God, are released from the bondage of attraction. They, however who finding fault with this teaching of God, do not follow it take those fools to be deluded in the matter of all knowledge are lost. Attraction and repulsion are rooted in all sense objects. Man should never allow himself to be swayed by them because they are the two principal enemies standing in the way of his redemption. One’s own duty, though devoid of merit, is preferable to duty of another well performed. Even death in the performance of one’s own duty brings blessedness; another’s duty is fraught with fear. Arjuna asks Krishna as to what is the motivating force behind a man committing sin even involuntarily, as though driven by force. Sri Bhagwan replies to Pandava Prince’s query by saying that it is desire begotten of the element of Rajas, which appears as wrath, nay it is insatiable and grossly wicked. Know this to be enemy in this case. As a flame is covered by smoke, mirror by dust, and embryo by amnion, so is knowledge covered by desire, and knowledge stands covered by this eternal foe of the wise, known as desire, which is insatiable like fire. The senses, mind and intellect are declared to be seat of desire, screening the light of truth through these. Desire deludes the embodied soul. So Arjuna first of all you must control your senses, and then kill this evil thing (desire) that obstructs Jnana ( Knowledge of the Absolute or Nirguna Brahma) and Vijnana( Knowledge of Sakara Brahman or manifest Divinity). The senses are said to be greater than the body but greater than the senses is the mind, greater than mind is intellect and greater than intellect is He ( Self). So Arjuna knowing that which is higher than intellect and controlling the mind by reason, kill this enemy of desire that is hard to overcome.