Use the mind to do right actions (Part 1 of Ch3: Karm Yoga)

Chapter 3

Karma Yoga

 Part 1

Use the mind to do right actions

Synopsis: This part contains 8 stanzas from 3.1 to 3.8. It strats with the question of Arjun about Karma Yoga and Jnan Yoga. In response to that Krushna describes the basic consideration of Karma Yoga.

ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥ ३-१ ॥

jyāyasī cētkarmaṇastē matā buddhirjanārdana |
tatkiṁ karmaṇi ghōrē mām niyōjayasi kēśava ||3.1||

  1. Arjuna asked – Oh Krsna! If knowledge is considered by you to be superior to action, then, why do You engage me in this cruel action, Oh Krsna?

Inference:  In this seemingly simple question,  it is pointed out that one has to be clear about the relation of Karm yoga and Jnan yoga with each other. This question has come up due to the following reasons by Arjun..

i)  Arjun tells Krushna ‘Te mata’ means according to you, knowledge is superior. In Sanskrit can have more than one meaning.  Buddhi is translated here as knowledge.

Iin Chapter 2, in the beginning (2.11) and also in the end (2.72)  Krushna has described the importance of knowledge, whereas in the middle (2.47 and 2.48 ) he has  told how Karma should be done. For this, Arjun thinks that Krushna has favored, Jnan over Karma. So he asks Krushna, when according to your own thinking as  knowledge is superior why do you tell me to do Karma (of killing)?  What he means is that your telling is inconsistent.  

ii)  For Arjun the present Karma of killing Bhisma etc is unpleasant and if there is an escape by taking a path of knowledge, so much the better.

iii) Arjun thinks that the there are two alternative paths viz Karma and Jnan Yoga and therefore asks which is better. Most people think like this but in reality one has to walk on both the paths i. e. of Karma and Jnan. This point is explained at length in the following chapters.

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥ ३-२ ॥

 vyāmiśrēṇēva vākyēna buddhiḥ ṃ mōhayasīva mē|

tadēkaṃ vada niścitya yēna śrēyō'hamāpnuyām||३.2||

2. Through seemingly conflicting statements, you are confusing my intellect as it were. Tell me definitely one of these two, by which I will attain (the supreme) good.

Inference:

i) Here the word buddhiḥ should be taken as intellect which means an instrument for getting knowledge. In the previous Stanza buddhi is as knowledge.

ii) Here, Arjun wants Krushna to preach him one out of Jnan and Karma, by following which he will get what is good for him. Krushna understands Arjun’s confusion of thinking Jnan and Karma as different. As the question itself is wrong, Krushna cannot answer like that. 

śrī bhagavānuvāca |

लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ ३-३ ॥ 

loke'smin dvividhā niṣṭhā purā prokttā mayā'nagha |
jñānayōgena sāṁkhyānāṁ karmayōgena yōginām ||3.3||

The Lord said:
3. On sinless one! In this world, twofold discipline has been initiated by Me in the beginning (of creation); in the form of Jñāna yōga for Sankhyas and Karma Yoga for Yogis.

Inference:

i) Word nistha is translated as way of doing. Thus it is said that there are two ways. That does not mean these are two independent ways

ii)  The path of jnan yoga means knowledge requires clear mind. The clarity of mind can only be attained by doing one’s works in Karma Yoga way, the meaning of which will be explained in detail in what follows.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥ ३-४ ॥

na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣō'śnutē|
na ca sannyasanādēva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati||3.4||

4. By avoiding action, a person does not attain liberation. By mere renunciation also, one does not attain liberation.

Inference:

i) The word Naishkarmyam  also called Nishkam is an important technical word. Its meaning is ‘the way of doing work without any longjng for definite rewards’

I.e. in Nishkam karma there has to be an action. If the action itself is not done, it cannot be called as Nishkam Karma.

ii) The word Sanyas is another technical word whose basic meaning is’ to quit’ In the Gita its meaning is to be understood according to the context.

iii) A person merely quitting the actions does not get any Siddhi. The word Siddhi has somewhat differing meanings. Here its meaning should be ‘perfect knowledge of SELF’.

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥ ३-५ ॥

  na hi kaścit kṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt|

kāryatē hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ||3.5||


5. Indeed, no one can ever remain without action even for a moment, because everyone is helplessly made to do action by the gunas born of prakriti.

Inference:

 i) Here Action (Karma) includes physical and mental, voluntary as well as involuntary acts. Even when one appears to be idle, his mind will be active. In the sleep his conscious mind will be at rest but his subconscious mind will be active. Also breathing and heart action is involuntarily on. Thus one cannot live action-less even for a moment.

ii) In Gita the underlying cause for this incessant activity is described as Prakrutij Gunas.  What is the significance of this?  This truth is understandable from Vedantic  definition of Prakriti. According to Vedant this universe can be divided in two parts. 1. Which does not change wrt to time and place. This part is called as Purush or God. 2. The second part which continuously change is called Prakriti.  A change can occur only when there is some action. This characteristic of the incessant action is called Guna  i.e. feature of Prakruti. Thus in this Universe, except for God all entities are continuously performing actions.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥ ३-६ ॥

karmendriyaṇi saṁyamya ya āste manasā smaran |
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate || 3.6 ||

6. Having restrained the organs of action, that deluded person who remains dwelling on the sense-objects mentally is called a hypocrite.

Inference:

i) A person who restrains the organs of actions  but mentally craves for sense objects  is a pretender. Such behavior is deceptive. That person appears to be dissociated from the sense objects outwardly but hideously attached to them.

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन ।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥ ३-७ ॥

yastvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyarabhatē'rjuna|
karmēndriyaiḥ karmayōgamasaktaḥ sa viśiṣyatē||3.7||

7. Oh Arjuna! But, having restrained the sense organs by the mind, he who pursues karma yōga with the organs of action without attachment excels

Inference:

A person who regulates the organs by his mind, and who does actions according to karm yoga without attachment excels. Here the term ‘Karm Yoga without attachment’

Is used.  As will be seen later, ‘without attachment’  itself  is one of the important  consideration of KarmaYoga. The karma Yoga is the important subject of the Gita and it is described in detail from Chapter 3 to 6..     

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥ ३-८ ॥

niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyō hyakarmaṇaḥ|
śarīrayātrā'pi ca tē na prasiddhyēdakarmaṇaḥ||3.8||

8. Perform the obligatory action, for action is superior to inaction. From inaction, even the maintenance of the body would not be possible for you.

Inference:

i) One has to perform actions because it is better than no action. Actions should be according to one’s obligations which are according to one’s position in the life. The position is to be understood  in various contexts such as member of family, community, citizen of a nation, and most important as an element of the universe which is creation of God.

Utilitarian:

1. In this part, you have known about two ways of righteous living 1. Jnan Yoga and Karm Yoga depending upon your disposition are introduced.  If you are intellectual type Jnan Yoga means a path of knowledge will be good for you. For the men of acions, the path of Karm Yoga is appropriate. You would learn more about these paths in what follows.

2.The basic concepts of performing right actions are described and are summarized as follows. It should be noted that the subject of Karm Yoga proper is yet to be initiated.

i) You may think by not doing actions you will be saved from folly of wrong doing but that of is a bad act of evasion of duty.

ii)  It is simply impossible to remain action less because any way your mind will always be working.

iii) Having said that you have to use your mind to regulate your desires so that you do right actions. If you control your body from doing some inappropriate actions but at the same time think about them, after some time you can fall in the trap of doing faulty actions. So be mindful.