Bhakti Shastri (064) – Bhagavad Gita Chapter 03 Text 27 to 32

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Aapka Mandir… Hare Krishna.
Welcome to our Bhagavad Gita study, the part of the Bhakti Shastri course. Today we are discussing the third chapter and we are going into the section, the fourth section which discusses about how Karma Yoga is different from Karmakanda. Karmakanda causes bondage, Karma Yoga doesn’t cause bondage.
So 3.25 and 26 talked about the contrast between the Vidwam and Asaktah, those who are enlightened and attached as contrasted with those who are ignorant and attached, Avidwam and Asaktah. So now what is the difference between these two, that will be talked in the next three verses. So the 3.27 which we discussed today is a famous verse, Prabhupada would quote this quite frequently.
Prakrteh kriyamanani, gunai karmani sarvasah, ahamkara vimudhahatma, kartam iti manyate. So Prakrteh kriyamanani, kriyamanani means being done, kriya is action, so kriyamanani is being done, that which is done by Prakrti, Prakrti kriyamanani, gunai karmani sarvasah. So the gunas of Prakrti, they do the actions, ahamkara vimudhahatma, the conditioned soul is vimudhah, is deluded by ahamkara, ahamkara is ego, kartam aham, thinks that I am the doer, iti manyate, I know things.
Now what does this verse actually mean, if it says that everything is done by the three modes, then what is the reason or rationale for the Bhagavad Gita telling Arjuna, do this, don’t do this, act in this way, don’t act in this way. What would be the logic for all this if the Bhagavad Gita were actually telling this message that everything is done by the three modes. So actually the scriptures give philosophy within a context and the context has to be understood.
So the important point is here that the modes of the doer and the soul who thinks that I am the doer is deluded, is vimudhah, the important point is to understand that the soul is not the only doer, the soul is definitely a doer, but the soul is not the only doer, the soul is one of the doers. So let’s consider this now, the soul is one of the doers, what does it mean? It essentially means that the soul is initiating the action. Baldev Dev should use the example in Vedanta Sutra that a woodcutter cuts trees.
So in his Govinda Vashi he explains that when a woodcutter cuts a tree, who is actually cutting the tree? It is not the woodcutter, it is the axe. So without the axe if the woodcutter goes and starts hitting with the hands, the woodcutter will not be able to cut the tree. So for cutting a tree the tool, that is the axe, is essential.
So the cutter of the tree is actually the axe, but at the same time the axe will not move on its own. The axe has the capacity to cut, but the axe does not have the consciousness by which to decide whether to cut or to not cut. So the axe moves because there is a conscious being who desires to cut a tree.
So therefore now among these two, that the woodcutter is desiring and deciding to cut the tree and the axe being used to cut the tree, which is important? Both are important. It depends on the context. So similarly, when we talk about our actions, for example right now I am speaking.
So how am I speaking? It is through the body. The voice box is producing some sound. So that is basically the organ of speech which is enabling me to speak.
So now without this organ of speech I will not be able to speak. At the same time even if that organ of speech is present, if I do not have the desire to speak, I will not speak. No sound will come out.
So the organ of speech is like the tool for speaking and the soul is the person. Soul is like the woodcutter. So both of them have to come together and speak.
Now this is with respect to normal actions, which we do. When Krishna is talking about here, he says that actually our actions, the way we are inclined to act and the way we act, it is largely determined by the three modes. So somebody works very passionately in a very driven way to achieve something.
So somebody decides that I want to climb up Mount Everest and then works very hard, trains, develops a lot of muscles and stamina and then starts the climb and there is a lot of courage despite the danger and possible disaster and still keeps persevering and persevering and finally climbs up Mount Everest. So who actually did the climbing? Was it the soul or was it the body? It is the body that did the climbing. The body is the tool and the body is governed by the laws of material nature.
The body being governed by the laws of material nature, the soul has a particular kind of desires which also are governed by material nature. Not governed entirely, but generally for the soul, the gamut of choice of desires is determined by material nature. What does it mean? Suppose a student gets an exam, a competitive exam.
What is the capital of India? Moscow, Washington, London, three options. No fourth option. None of these is the capital.
What should I do? No, that’s all options. If you take only one of them, what will you do then? So actually here, whichever answer the student chooses is wrong because all the answers are wrong. So like that, what happens to the conditioned soul is that when the soul is disconnected from Krishna, the soul gets caught within material nature.
What do you want to do? How do you want to act? In ignorance, in passion, in goodness. See, all three are wrong actions for the soul because the soul by nature is spiritual and being spiritual, the soul’s natural actions are to love and serve Krishna. But if the soul doesn’t know anything about spiritual knowledge, the soul is not connected with Krishna, then the only options that are there for the soul are the options that are provided by material nature.
And all these options are based on the platform of ignorance, the platform of forgetfulness of Krishna, the platform of ignorance of one’s spiritual identity. So there is variety, how the soul wants to act, goodness, passion, ignorance, but ultimately there is no real variety because the soul just doesn’t know about God. Now that is actually the predicament for the souls in the non-human species.
They just have to act the way material nature pushes them to act. In human body also, the material nature keeps pushing us to act in particular ways. We can’t entirely resist or reject the pulls and pushes of material nature.
We have to act in responsible ways. That means if we don’t strongly fight against the pushes of material nature, we’ll be impelled to act in particular ways. So that means a Kshatriya will be impelled to fight.
A Kshatriya will be impelled to manage, to delete, to manage, to administer. That’s the nature and the nature cannot be given up. A Vaishya will be money-minded.
A Vaishya will have a particular inclination by which the Vaishya will think about, okay, this, this, this, this, that’s all. That’s how the mind will be and that’s how the actions will turn out. So here the point which Krishna is making to Arjuna through the context of this verse is that you cannot entirely resist or reject your material nature, but act according to your nature, but within the limits of dharma.
So a Vaishya is money-minded. But in the Vaishya history, yes, earn money, but by dharmic means. A Kshatriya in the 18th chapter we’ll see has a quality called as Ishwarabhav.
Now Ishwarabhav is, now literally speaking if you translate, the mood of God. That’s what Ishwarabhav would be. Bhav is mood or emotion.
Ishwar is control, ultimate control is Krishna. So Ishwarabhav and Krishna talks about this quality not in a negative sense, but in a positive sense. What do we mean by positive sense? Krishna talks about the quality in the sense that it is a desirable quality.
Ishwarabhav is a laudable quality in Kshatriyas. So it is yudhe chaap ke palayanam, just as in the same breath that he talks about other good qualities, yudhe chaap ke palayanam for example, the Kshatriyas never flee from a battle. A palayanam means to run away.
A palayanam means to never run away. And yudhe, in a battlefield, even if they are faced against very difficult odds, Kshatriyas will not run away. This is a quality that indicates the heroism of Kshatriyas, the courage of Kshatriyas.
So in that same list of qualities he talks about Ishwarabhav also. So Ishwarabhav is not a negative quality in a Kshatriya. It is just a fact of nature.
The Kshatriya will have that nature. The Kshatriya will have an inclination to delegate, to organise, to manage, to administer. So rather than trying to reject, resist or suppress that nature, one is encouraged to dovetail that nature in Krishna’s service.
So if you see the previous verse, he is talking about joshyet sarvakarmani. Joshyet means to dovetail. So Krishna is continuing that theme over here.
And the essential message that he is giving through this verse is that if you think that you are the fighter of Kshatriya as a Kshatriya or you are the announcer as a Gyan Jyoti, in both cases, actually you have to understand that you are impelled by your mind and your mind is making you act in particular ways. So rather than entirely trying to reject the mind, try to get the mind’s pushings within the limits of dharma and dovetail yourself in devotional service. So the point which Krishna is making to Arjuna is that if you are thinking right now, I will renounce the world and I will go to the forest, it is simply the mode is impelling you to do this.
But this impulse of the mode is not in harmony with your normal nature. And because it is not in harmony with your normal nature, there will be disruption. So understand what is your nature and act accordingly.
Why act accordingly? Not just we completely surrender to our nature, but rather we dovetail our nature in devotional service. When we dovetail our nature in devotional service, or at least within the presence of dharma, devotional service is bhakti yoga. Below bhakti yoga might be karma yoga, which is what Arjuna is talking about over here.
But even by that you will become purified gradually. So the emphasis of this verse is, recognise that your body has certain inclinations. Your mind has certain inclinations.
You cannot resist or reject them completely. Therefore dovetail them. That is what we will see from the next verse.
Tattvavit is one who is a knower. Krishna has used the word tattvadarshina earlier in 2.16. Tattvadarshi means seer of truth. Tattvavit is knower of truth.
Gunakarmavibhagayo. The difference between work and devotion. Gunakarmavibhagayo.
Proper translation. That is work in devotion and work for good results. Gunaguneshu vartanta.
So the person understands that actually when I am acting, essentially what is happening? Gunaguneshu vartanta. The modes are acting in relationship with each other. Gunaguneshu vartanta.
Itimattvana sajyate. Knowing this a person doesn’t become attached. Na sajyate.
So here what is Krishna saying? Tattvavit. The person who is the knower of the absolute truth, such a person understands that when I am acting, when as a brahmana I am studying shastra and teaching shastra, I might become proud. I know so much knowledge.
I know far more than other people. And see how nicely I give classes. So if I become like that, then I am misidentifying with my psychophysical nature and that sort of mentality will cause me bondage.
But if I understand, Gunaguneshu vartanta. Gunaguneshu vartanta. That means that actually the modes, the senses are interacting with each other.
And basically in the material field, action is being performed according to my nature. So then I will not become bound because I will understand that this is my nature, this is how I should be acting. Gunaguneshu vartanta.
So in this way, we will be able to act and move forward in our life if we take things systematically. Gunaguneshu. So how do we do Gunaguneshu vartanta? Krishna is not telling over here.
Because the modes are acting, therefore what should you do? Neither that you surrender to the modes, nor that you completely try to resist the modes. Neither are possible. But what does the Tattvavit do? Tattvavit knows that actually if I don’t get attached, then I will not become bound.
Iti matva na sajyate. Na sajyate means the person says that I will not become bound by this. So all this may seem a little bit abstract and philosophical for us because to familiarise ourselves with the concept of the three modes itself takes some time.
But essentially, what this means is that a conditioned soul, when the conditioned soul becomes a sadhaka and starts practising spiritual life, at that time the soul understands that I am trapped in a machine. This body is basically like a machine. As a machine, it has certain pushings, certain pullings.
By default. Just like in a computer, sometimes when we choose certain options, they become default options. When they become default options, as soon as we turn on the machine, those settings get activated and the default option turns on.
So like that, based on the way we have acted in the past, the body and the mind, both of them, have developed certain tendencies. So although the computer’s default setting can be changed, but default setting getting activated happens automatically. And changing the default settings doesn’t happen automatically.
That requires conscious involvement and effort. Similarly, the body has certain default settings. And according to those default settings, the soul acts.
So when the soul acts, what does it mean soul acts according to those default settings? The soul is transcendental. When the soul is within the body and the soul is acting in the material realm, the soul will act according to the default settings of the body. So when the soul acts according to the default settings of the body, at that time, the soul actually moves step by step forward in spiritual life.
That means, by acting according to default settings, but keeping that within the limit of dharma. So, I have the nature of a shudra, rather than resenting it and trying to imagine, oh, I would like to be a brahmana. No, if I am a shudra, no problem.
It’s not that shudras are outlaws. It’s not that shudras can’t practise dharma. They have their dharma.
By practising the dharma of a shudra, one will become elevated. So, here Krishna is saying that, recognise that the modes are the doers, and don’t let the modes take you on a ride which takes you outside the precincts of dharma. At the same time, don’t completely resist the modes also.
Neither is possible. Regulate it. Bhagavad Gita offers us a middle way.
Now Prabhupada’s purpose is to focus on the point of tattvavit. Who is tattvavit? Prabhupada correlates this with the Srimad Bhagavatam words. So tattvavit was there over here, and tattvavitas is over there, same words almost.
So now, Krishna continues the same point, and he will explain this further. Gunasammudha means sammudha. Mudha is deluded.
Sammudha is completely deluded. Completely deluded. So, earlier Krishna has said, mudhaatma.
Krishna continues the same thread of thought over here. Let’s take some mudha. So one who is deluded by prakriter guna, by the three modes of material nature.
So a person becomes attached to the gunakarma. You have to remember, the word guna here doesn’t refer to qualities. It refers to modes.
If we say gunakarma as qualities and activities, we will get confused. It doesn’t make much sense over here. Gunakarma here means activities which are within the influence, which are impelled, which are motivated, which are actuated by the three modes.
So, who does that exist? Who becomes attached? Akritsna vidho, one who does not know properly. And, mandaan. Mandaan means lazy.
Kritsnavin navichalayet. Navichalayet means does not disturb. So here is another point which second time Prabhupada is repeating.
Or rather Krishna is repeating what he has talked about earlier. Nabuddhibhedam janayet. He had said at the start of this section.
So now he is again repeating navichalayet. Navichalayet means don’t disturb. So, why don’t disturb? Because by such disturbance one goes under.
One disrupts people’s gradual advancement. See, the Vedic scriptures give two methods for advancement. One is the gradual method and other is the rapid method.
So, the gradual method involves dovetailing people’s propensities for the sake of slow progression. So, karmakanda involves what? People want material enjoyment, so they are given material enjoyment. How? Through the means of dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
So, people go through dharma, artha, kama and that itself cycle may go on for many lifetimes. After that they will gradually seek moksha. So, this is a gradual way for evolution.
Now, the important point in dharma, artha, kama is that social order is maintained while people are also provided sense gratification. How are people provided sense gratification? Because there is arrangement for artha and kama. People, for most people material pleasure is a necessity.
And for devotees also only when we are very spiritually advanced can we survive only on spiritual happiness. So, then in the sadhaka stage we have nice music, we have nice prasad, we have loving devotee association. Are we getting material pleasure or are we getting spiritual pleasure over here? Actually, it should be spiritual happiness, but it does not always spiritual happiness.
When kirtans are going on, are they really spiritual happiness at that time? If it were purely spiritual, then we could have just the same tune being sung every day, month after month, year after year and we would not need to change tunes. It will still be differential. Oh, this devotee sings nicely, this devotee does not sing so nicely.
When there is prasad, we say, what is there for prasad today? If we are actually tasting Krishna through the prasad, then whatever be the prasad, we will be having the same level of enthusiasm. But we don’t. So, this is not necessarily bad.
There is variety in the spiritual realm also and it is not that to prove that I am devoted to prasad I have to take the same food every day. I have transcended the faculty of taste. That is not the mood of bhakti.
We don’t want to transcend, we want to spiritualise. So, the point which is made is that right now in the sadhaka stage we want to give up all material happiness. But because we are living at the material level of consciousness and the material level of reality right now, so therefore, spiritual happiness becomes manifest to us through material means.
when we hear kirtans or we participate in feasts, so at that time the material aspects also play a role in our being attracted or not being attracted. This is not necessarily bad. This is just a arrangement by which we can gradually be elevated slowly, steadily and ultimately we come to the spiritual level where the material level just doesn’t matter for us.
But for most sadhakas, for most people who are not necessarily sadhakas of spiritual truth, they are basically dharmic people, they are religious people and they want to stay within the precincts of dharma. Now, when I say dharma, it’s like a big circle. Within dharma there is a para dharma and then there is para dharma.
So, within the circle of dharma, dharma, artha, kaam, moksha also comes. And in this as the circle of dharma becomes smaller and smaller, it takes us closer and closer to the ultimate goal that is Krishna. So, in the system of dharma, artha, kaam, moksha, Krishna may not be the goal of people.
Their goal is artha and kaam primarily. Although they acknowledge Krishna and they want to also worship Krishna, but they don’t want to purely devote themselves to Krishna. But when people come to dharma, prajita, kaitavatra, paramo nirmatsarana, Bhagavatam talks about para dharma.
At that place, dharma, artha, kaam, moksha is pushed aside. So, at that level of reality, the focus becomes not dharma, artha, kaam, but it becomes prema, love of Krishna. So, that is the level where people are ready to settle down, become fixed on the ultimate truth.
So, what Krishna is saying over here is that don’t try to rush people to the higher level of renunciation. So, there is dharma, artha, kaam, and there is moksha. So, when people are not ready for moksha, if you push them towards moksha prematurely, that will create problems for them.
They will not be able to do that. Krishna says, do not disturb these people. What will happen? Earlier in this chapter, it doesn’t talk about mithyachara sauchiti.
A person is pushed to renounce the world and when the person renounces the world, he doesn’t have the capacity to renounce the world and the person becomes hypocritical at that time. That is undesirable. Now, this chapter may raise this issue again and again that we also have devotees in the renounced order.
So, in the early days of our movement, it was thought as if if you want to be a serious devotee, you have to be renunciate. And if somebody is not renunciate, that means that person is not a serious devotee. But this is a misconception.
One’s seriousness is not determined by one’s ashram. One’s seriousness is determined by one’s conviction, one’s commitment. And that is what is important.
At the end of our life, Krishna is not going to see which ashram we lived in. Krishna will see how much ashray we have taken. Not whichever ashram we are in.
The ashram is a facility by which we can take ashray of Krishna. So, whichever ashram we stay in, what is important is how much ashray of Krishna we take. So, if somebody is in the renounced order, that person becomes proud, saying, I am a renunciate.
I don’t take ashray of Krishna. It doesn’t make much of a difference. If somebody is in the grhastha ashram, he doesn’t take ashray of Krishna.
I am an influential person in the world. I am giving charity in the temple. It’s because of me that all the renunciates are being maintained.
Then one is not taking ashray of Krishna. There is also a lot of spiritual advancement. So, our spiritual advancement is not determined by where we are situated.
It is determined by how we are situated. How means how in our consciousness we are situated. So, here Krishna is telling that different people have different natures.
So, depending on their convictions, depending on their level right now, they have to be situated accordingly. If we try to push them first, it will not work. So, again we have to remember with respect to Krishna conscious situation, Krishna is not talking here about bhakti yoga at all.
He is talking about a comparison between karma yoga and jnana yoga. So, essentially he is telling that people who are not qualified to give up their karma, that means there are three levels. There is karma yoga, there is karma kanda and there is jnana yoga.
So, Krishna is telling here, now he is repeatedly his point is don’t give up, don’t go for jnana yoga. Even if jnana yoga is higher, people are not capable of doing it. So, don’t do it and don’t instruct people to do it.
Let them act according to that level. So, now let them act in the world. How should they act? Krishna is telling Arjuna, you act in karma yoga, people may be acting only in karma kanda.
But you act in karma yoga for what purpose? By this you will become elevated. By this gradually you will become, because you set a good example, you will be contributing to social order and also because you are acting in detachment, you will become elevated. So, let’s look at this verse.
So, one who is deluded by the bonds of mother nature, prakṛtir guṇa sammūḍhaha, sajjante guṇa karma. So, he says, attached people, how do they act? When they act, they become attached. When they do guṇa karma, they become attached.
Previous verse says, na sajjate, don’t become attached. But he says, they will become attached. But even if they are becoming attached, na vichālayate, don’t disturb them.
Because through that attachment, gradually they will develop realisation, they will develop detachment. But if they are told to prematurely renounce, they will disrupt their spiritual life entirely. They will disrupt society also.
So, Prabhupāda writes that such bewildered persons may be engaged in such primary moral principles of life as non-violence and similarly benevolent work. Now, here Prabhupāda makes a very significant statement that Lord Kṛṣṇa advises not to disturb them and simply waste valuable time. But the devotees of the Lord are more kind than the Lord because they understand the purpose of the Lord.
Consequently, they undertake all kinds of risks, even to the point of approaching ignorant men to try to engage them in the acts of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which are absolutely necessary for the human being. So here, Kṛṣṇa, Prabhupāda says, the devotees are contradicting Kṛṣṇa’s will. Actually, they are not contradicting, they are fulfilling Kṛṣṇa’s will.
Ultimately, within this progression, dharmārtha-kāma-moká¹£a, Kṛṣṇa ultimately wants all souls to come back to the spiritual world and to be with Him and to be forever happy with Him. That’s what Kṛṣṇa ultimately wants. But, when He wants this ultimately, transitionally, there is a progression.
The souls cannot suddenly give up things. There is a progressive treatment that is happening. For example, a parent has a child in the hospital.
At that time, the parent wants the child to come back home from the hospital. But that doesn’t mean that if the child is in the middle of a treatment, which is going to take either as a complex disease, which requires several months of treatment, the parent can’t feel that, can’t say that, I want my child home, so let him just leave everything and come home. That sort of coming home will not be of much use.
The first child in the hospital, the child has to get treated, get cured, and then come back home. So, there is a process of gradual treatment, that is dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa, which takes bahūnāṁ janma-nāmanti. And there is a rapid treatment, which involves the practise of bhakti-yoga.
So now, bhakti-yoga is what Śrīla Prabhupāda is talking about over here, that the devotees think that even if people get a little disturbed, let them practise spiritual life. Let them take the fast-track treatment. So, imagine that there is a hospital where there is a slow course of treatment and there is a fast course of treatment.
Now, naturally, if there are two kinds of treatments, everyone wants fast course of treatment, but maybe the fast course of treatment involves more sacrifices. You have to practise a very severe diet, and have a very strict exercise regimen, and involves so many sacrifices that people say, I can’t do this. So, let me take the slow-track treatment.
I can get cured in one month or I can get cured in one year, but I can’t do this fast-track treatment. So, let me take the one-year treatment. So, like that, there is a slow-track treatment and there is a fast-track treatment.
So, dharmārtha-kāma-mukṣi is the slow-track and bhakti is the fast-track. So, Prabhupāda says that let a devotee practise the fast. Devotees want people to take up the fast-track treatment.
That’s why the Lord’s purpose is fulfilled by the devotees. The devotee is going and telling people, please do this, do this. So now, after this, Krishna says that ultimately the karma-yoga also has to be offered to him.
He is the object of karma-yoga. Ultimately. So, sannyāsyādhyātmachetasā nirāśir nirmamobhutvā vidyasvābhigatājvarahā So, mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi unto me all karmas sannyāsya give the fruits of all work to me.
ādhyātmachetasā ādhyātmachetasā means with spiritual consciousness. nirāśir nirmamobhutvā means without any desire and without any possessiveness. vidyasvābhigatājvarahā fight without lethargy.
Actually, this is one of very important verses and Prabhupāda says this is almost like military discipline. In a military, what is the point? Military discipline means in a military, when a person is told to do something, just do it. However one feels.
Early in the morning, the cadets are told to wake up and go for marching. The discipline is so strict that they are not allowed to disobey. This is what they are told to do.
Just do it. Don’t ask any questions. Why is that? Because the military is a very serious service.
When the soldiers are on the war field at that time, they have to obey the orders. And by obeying the orders itself, it’s a matter of life or death for them as well as for their colleagues. So they have very strict training.
Practising spiritual life is not just a matter of life or death. It’s a matter of eternal life versus repeated birth and death. It’s also a very serious matter.
Because it’s a serious matter, it has to be accorded the due amount of gravity in terms of commitment and training. So this verse talks about that. So let’s look at this.
There are four lines in it. And each of these lines talks about something which will take one upwards. So vigata-jvaraha yudhyasva-vigata-jvaraha So yudhyasva is the primary verb in it.
What should you do, Arjuna? Fight. Fight how? Vigata-jvaraha. Vigata-jvaraha means give up lethargy.
So this is talking about giving up the mode of ignorance. So to have asha and to have mamata, to have desires and to have attachments for possessions. That is the mode of passion.
So the D line, 3.30 D says give up ignorance. 3.30 C says give up passion. This refers to when one comes to spiritual consciousness, that is actually coming not just to goodness but even going beyond goodness.
Because in goodness one still has attachment to worldly things. So sannyas and adhyatmachittha, they are actually at the peak of goodness. And mayi sarvani karma is transcendental.
So it’s not just devotional, it is transcendental. What is the difference between devotional and transcendental? Actually, devotional means somebody can be in three modes of material nature and at the same time do devotional activities. So all of us are doing devotional activities.
But are all of us transcendental? No, we are not yet transcendental. We are struggling to transcend. And sometimes we are pulled down, sometimes we are able to rise up.
So that means there is ignorance, passion, goodness, then there is transcendence. And in transcendence also, actually there is spiritual and there is devotional. In transcendence there is spiritual and devotional.
What is the difference between spiritual and devotional? Spiritual would mean in general anything to do with the soul. So even brahmavad, even impersonalism can be spiritual. But devotional means that which is centred on Krishna.
Now devotional in that sense of perfection is the highest level. That means within the spiritual realm also if we have there is spiritual and there is devotional. So devotional is the highest.
But the wonderful aspect of devotional is that devotional can extend from the highest down to the lowest. So the path of bhakti is a path that stretches up to the summit but then it goes down to the valley also, to the lowest level. That means that a person in tamo guna can also practise bhakti yoga.
And of course a person if practises bhakti yoga steadily won’t stay in tamo guna forever. A person staying on in tamo guna forever, that means a person is not seriously practising bhakti. A person is not letting the potency of bhakti bring about an inner transformation.
If that inner transformation is to be brought out then the person has to practise bhakti seriously. And then the person will no longer stay in the three modes. So the point is bhakti can be practised from any mode.
So it’s like a big, big ladder. You can imagine a ladder which extends down, down, down to the lowest level. The lowest level of ignorance.
And it’s a ladder that goes up, up, up not just to goodness but beyond goodness to transcendence. And within transcendence not just spiritual but also pure emotional. So that’s the process of bhakti yoga.
So Krishna is saying mayi sarvani karmani offer all your work to me. So this is the first time again Krishna has talked about offering something to himself. In 2.61 he had said control your senses and offer the control senses to me.
So here he is saying Control the senses and fix the mind on me. So here it was without lethargy, without attachments, without desires, with renounced consciousness, with renounced spiritual consciousness. Do your work and offer the fruits of your work to me.
So this is Prabhupada’s purport classic purport here. Let’s look at it. This verse indicates the purpose of the Bhagavad Gita.
Very significant. The purpose of the Bhagavad Gita is indicated in this verse. What is the purpose? It is to offer everything to Krishna.
So Prabhupada uses the word as if in military discipline here. Now here Prabhupada makes an interesting point. The living entity cannot be happy independent of the cooperation of the Supreme Lord because the eternal constitutional position of the living entity is to become subordinate to the desires of the Lord.
So it’s our nature to be connected with Krishna, to love Krishna and to gain happiness thereof. Just as a fish cannot be happy outside water, we cannot be happy separated from Krishna. Just as a living being cannot say the Padyavali has a beautiful verse which says that my dear Lord, just as the land without water turns to desert, just as a living being cannot live without food, just as a sick person needs medicine, just as a person in a desert needs water, just as a person in a mine needs food, just as the flowers need sunlight for blossoming.
So it gives various examples of nature and finally it says that similarly, O Lord, I need you. So the point of this verse is that actually you, we need you, my dear Lord. Please reveal yourself to us.
Please reveal yourself to us. So that is our nature. We cannot live without Krishna.
Now, Prabhupada says that if there is any reluctance to execute his own order, which is without consideration of so-called kinsmen in the bodily relationship, that reluctance should be thrown off. In this way, one can become a Jwara or without feverish mentality or lethargy. The word Jwara has one more meaning, that is fever.
Jwara. So Jwara means fever or lethargy. Now fever can make us do two things.
When we are feverish, we just feel, I’ve got fever, I can’t do anything, I just want to lie down, cuddle in a bed and pull a blanket over ourselves and go to sleep. So we feel like that. Feverishness can also lead to hyperactivity at times.
That is not so much like a physical fever, but it is a mental fever. For example, people use the word mania. Mania means, say, some cricket world cup comes up or soccer world cup comes up.
People become manic. People wear T-shirts of their favourite stars and there are hoardings and they are always talking about it. And there is this almost people are gripped by a mania over there.
So how does this gripping by the mania happens? It happens because they are having that fever over there. So the modes subject people to their influence and the modes are also subtle. It’s not that somebody will come.
It’s like police will come and arrest a person. Oh, you are under arrest, we handcuff you. Then if somebody comes like that, then the person will try to run away or try to evade arrest.
So when the modes come, the modes don’t interest them. Now I am mode of ignorance coming. Surrender to me.
Modes don’t come like that. Now I am mode of passion coming. Obey me.
The modes come wearing attractive masks. So the world cup is coming. Enjoy.
Yeah, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. But what do they do in the name of enjoyment? They become puppets of the mode of passion. Puppets of the mode of ignorance.
And it’s amazing how after sometime when the mania gets over, people completely forget it or we see fashions. When a particular fashion grips people then everybody may have a hairstyle of a particular kind or everybody may wear shoes of a particular kind. And then suddenly after some time that whole mania goes off.
So now even from the material point of view if you observe it in a detached way, you’ll say, what is this happening? It’s so foolish. But that is how it works. Jwara means feverishness.
People become feverish about doing certain things. So this feverishness is a result of the modes. And we have to be able to see these modes acting in nature, in society.
If you see according to surveys, how do people spend their lives? Major part of their life goes in work. They go to office and they work. And when they leave their workplace, after that their time goes into two activities.
Watch and shop. They come home and they are with their family but they are not watching their family. They are watching TV.
So the whole family is united. United in illusion. All of them are adoring, taking darshan of the illusions that are displayed on the television.
And they become dull and lulled. They become physically lulled. Physically lulled means physically they become inactive.
And mentally they become dulled. Dulled and lulled. So what happens when such a thing happens? Actually on the television all the enjoyment is second hand.
Second hand means that actually there is a hero and heroine dancing and kissing and everybody is watching. If I was there, it would be so nice over there. It’s all second hand enjoyment.
Other people are enjoying and we think that I am enjoying. That’s why generally when people watch some TV or watch some movies in a movie theatre, they want something to eat. They have some potato chips or something like that.
Why? Because everything is illusion. Something must be real. Something has to be real.
I have to get something. Everything else I am imagining and trying to get. So people sometimes eat potato chips and then they become like potatoes.
Obesity is a big problem. One of the biggest causes of obesity is unconscious eating. Unconscious eating.
Normally if we are conscious of what we are eating then the body itself sends signals that this is enough. And then we can stop. But when we are not conscious of what we are eating, if we are doing some other activity which excites us a lot, then our consciousness goes in another direction and then we are not aware of how much we are eating.
That’s the time when we tend to overeat. And especially if something tastes good also. And if it has a lot of fat contained in it then it can just bloat up like an overblown balloon.
And then some diseases come and a person’s health becomes worst terribly sometimes. So the point is we are talking about here that it’s the modes which are acting. So when people watch TV, and what happens when they watch TV? Television is not run by compassionate people who want to do social work.
It’s run by passionate people who are out to earn money. So there are all kinds of advertisements. Purchase this, take this, watch this.
So basically what does the TV tell you? Basically the television tells us your watch is wrong. It’s an old-fashioned watch. Your cell phone is old.
Throw it away. Take this new cell phone. Your computer is old.
Take this one. Basically what it tells us is take this, take this, take this. All the commercials, they tell us that.
And when they tell us that, essentially what it means is if you don’t have it, you’re a goner. You’re an old-fashioned person. What’s the use? So then what happens when people watch television? Then they go and shop.
Take this, take this, take this, take this. So actually there is a whole addiction called as shopaholism. It’s like there are shopaholics.
Less like there are alcoholics, there are shopaholics. Alcoholics are people who just can’t stop drinking. Even when their drinking causes harm, even ruin to their health, to their families, to their relationships, to their intelligence, to their integrity, still, they can’t stop.
The same with shopaholics. Just have a shop. Take this, take this, one more thing, one more thing, one more thing, one more thing.
And especially now with credit card coming up, people don’t realise how much I’m spending many times. Spend so much and purchase so many things. So, shop till you drop.
Just keep shopping. Drop physically or they drop financially. And even after that they somehow want to keep.
It can become an addiction. So why does it happen? Because from everywhere around messages are coming, take this, take this, take this, take this. So, actually people have to be very careful.
So here, as devotees, we may see these as trends, where society is becoming modern or it has become progressive or all that. But essentially what is happening is the mode of action is taking a stronger grip on people’s minds. So people come from their workplace, they have done work over there, then they think, I want to relax.
And they sit in front of their TV and watch. So when they watch, they get so many ideas. I can get this, I can get this, I can get this.
So, the whole business of advertising is the best advertisers are those who can make us feel that we won’t be able to live without the things which are being advertised. Although we can very easily live without them. What we don’t need, they make us feel that we need it as much as if we can’t live without it.
That is how advertisement influences us. Take this, take this, take this, take this. Then people go and shop.
So, these are three primary activities. Work, watch, shop. People go work, and work, work, work.
And then they come back, I want to relax. And they watch. And after watching television, they feel what to do? I want to get all these things.
Shop. And now normally when you shop, then what happens? At that time, shopping doesn’t happen free. So one has to earn more money, work more.
And they work more, then what happens? They feel, I’m so tired. I want to watch more TV to relax. They watch more TV, then they get more see more advertisement.
They get more ideas. Then they shop more. And in this way, they just get trapped.
Work, watch, shop. WWS is the worldwide stupidity that is encompassing everyone. And this is actually an example of how the mood of passion can captivate a person.
So here, while I give an elaborate example, it’s a slight detour from our discussion, but I’m simply trying to illustrate the point that kartaham iti manyate, that when there is a feverishness, so Krishna says, represents the activity, the prescribed duty. So all of us have to live in the world. And while living in the world, we have to do prescribed duties.
But how do we do prescribed duties? While living in the world, we can be overcome by the frenzy, by the mania, by the feverishness that is present in the world. So we have to stay in it. This is a kind of feverishness which can leave people senseless and bankrupt at times.
So one has to stay away from that. How will that happen? You want to avoid the feverishness? One shouldn’t have too many desires, shouldn’t have too much possessive mentality. Ultimately, I’ve come in this world.
I came with nothing, I’ll go with nothing. The only thing that will go with me is my connection with Krishna. So why should I bother to acquire this and that and that? All the things.
What is the use of that? So Socrates was a famous Greek thinker. one time he was known to be very simple and austere. So one time people found that he had gone to the marketplace and he was standing in the marketplace looking at the various wares that are being sold for a long time.
So one of his friends invented a needle and said, Oh Socrates, you’ve also been bitten by the shopping bug? You also… I started shopping, he says. You’re also dreaming about shopping? He says, No. Socrates was great.
He said, I am looking at all the unnecessities that people are shopping. What do you need all these things for? These are all unnecessities. This is a kind of feverishness that we have to stay free from.
Then? Now Krishna will talk in the next two verses about faith. So these are my words. These are eternal words.
Arjuna, don’t think that these are just words which I have spoken to you to make you fight. These are eternal truths about how the modes are and how we become entangled and how we have to stay free from those modes. So those people who act according to… those manavas who act according to these modes faithfully.
Those who act with faith and who act without envy. What happens to them? They will become liberated from the bondage of karma. Muchante.
Muchante means they will be liberated. So Krishna is telling here that by faith by faithful adherence to my instructions those who follow this, they will become liberated. Now Prabhupada’s purport here is quite significant.
Prabhupada says that it is eternally true. Krishna’s words are true. He says an ordinary person with firm faith in eternal injunctions of the Lord, even though unable to execute such orders becomes liberated from the bondage of the law of karma.
So it’s significant. Prabhupada says even though unable to execute such orders. So you wonder, if I am not able to execute the orders how will I become liberated? So then Prabhupada clarifies that.
In the beginning of Krishna consciousness, one may not fully discharge the injunctions of the Lord but because one is not resentful of this principle and works sincerely without consideration of defeat and hopelessness he will surely be promoted to the stage of pure Krishna consciousness. So Prabhupada is saying that we should not be resentful and we work sincerely without consideration of defeat and hopelessness. That means, say for example let us show that we have to become pure devotees of Krishna.
Anya-vilashtha-ashunya. Give up all material desires. That’s not possible for me.
I can’t do it. Okay, even if you are not able to do it, that’s okay. We should not resent the principle.
We may not be able to practise the principle but we should not resent the principle. See, resentment creates a wall between us and Krishna. Why is it like this? Am I the servant? Why is Krishna the enjoyer? Actually the word servant may create a negative connotation in our mind.
Prabhupada writes in his service, the Lord is the most congenial form of intimacy. The relationship of servant and master in the transcendental realm is very sweet. It is based on love.
So, once we understand Krishna loves me and love means service. So, with this understanding when we engage, at that time there is no difficulty. In the sense that even if I am not able to practise certain things, I am not resenting the principle.
There are pure devotees and there are potential pure devotees. Pure devotees mean those who have no material desires. Potential pure devotees means those who have accepted the principle of pure devotion.
Even if they are not able to practise this principle right now, they are moving forward and they will come to that principle and they will come to that practise gradually. Gradually they will come to that level of practise. So, if we do not have any resentment, I want to chant attentively but I am not able to concentrate.
So, what should I do? Throw away the feedback. Forget the chanting. No, that is resentment.
That is frustration. Without hopelessness proposes. Without defeat or hopelessness.
So, even if I am not able to practise, just let me continue. Let me continue. So, if I keep continuing like this, gradually purification will happen.
Krishna is pleased not just by our action but also by our intention. So, if he sees that we are trying to sincerely serve, even if we are not able to serve, then Krishna sees our intention and he is pleased by our intention and then he grants us purification. And when there is purification then there is elevation.
And when there is elevation, then there is satisfaction. Why satisfaction? Because we are connecting with Krishna. So, therefore, even if we are not able to do the actions of devotion service properly, the regular principles, we are not able to follow them properly.
Chanting, we are not able to do attentively. But we have the intention. And with the intention, Krishna, you are the enjoyer, I am the servant, I want to serve you.
We have the intention and with that intention, we keep serving. When we keep serving in that way, then gradually there is purification. There is elevation and then there is satisfaction.
Higher satisfaction will come. And once the higher satisfaction comes, then the prasade sarva-dukkhana bhaja as we discussed earlier in 2.65. And we will be following these principles and become easy. So, vi shraddhavanto.
With faith we act. These are the principles. Even if I can’t follow them, I accept them as true and I will try to follow them to the best of my capacity.
When I follow them to the best of capacity, gradually I will become elevated. So, now this is a two-set word which is a contrast. So, in this verse Krishna says, what happens to those who are faithful? And in the next verse, there is 32, Krishna will say, what happens to those who are faithless? ye tvaitad abhyasuyanto na anu tishthanti me matam sarva-jnana vimudha amstam viddhi nashtana chetu saham ye tvaitad abhyasuyanto abhyasuyanto is envious.
So, na anu tishthanti the previous verse was tishthanti. Tishthanti means to follow. Those who do not follow my instructions abhyasuyanto, because of envy, those who do not follow my instructions sarva-jnana vimudha amstam they all their knowledge becomes diluted viddhi nashtana chetu saham chetu saham is consciousness achetu saham is misdirected consciousness without Krishna consciousness and therefore all their endeavours become ruined.
So, here what Krishna is essentially telling is that if we resent and reject the principle that ultimately everything is meant to be offered to Krishna and we try to withdraw into our own shell of isolation and self-centred enjoyment, then whatever knowledge we acquire, whatever other endeavours we do, they will all be lost. Why they will be lost? Because the soul without Krishna cannot be happy. There were many atheist philosophers many of the biggest atheist philosophers of the last century towards the end of their life they went mad.
Some of them committed suicide. There was one philosopher who had his own philosophy. He said actually there is no God, there is no soul this life is all that we have and this life is filled with suffering.
That was his philosophy. And therefore what a gloomy worldview what a gloomy worldview. There is no God there is no soul, there is no eternal life there is only this life and this life is filled with suffering.
Therefore, his idea was oh, he wrote a famous essay infamous essay. He says the only philosophical question in life is whether to commit suicide tomorrow or today. Life is meaningless, life is filled with suffering whether to commit suicide tomorrow or today.
So, what a gloomy picture of life. And this is not it is gloomy and it is untrue also. So, this is what sarva-jnana-mudhamsa-viddhi-nashtana-cetasah vajra-vijaksa-krishnasya a person will not achieve ultimate perfection that person will stay in the bondage of material existence So, in this way Krishna exhorts Arjuna to continue doing Karma Yoga and gradually rise to Bhakti Yoga.
Thank you very much.