1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 17

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 17

Bhishma on his Bed of Arrows

Yasya na aham krutah bhavah buddhih yasya na lipyate I

Hatva api sah iman lokan na hanti na nibhadhyate II sloka 17

यस्य न अहं कृतः भावः बुद्धिः यस्य न लिप्यते I 

हत्वा अपि सः इमान् लोकान् न हन्ति न निभध्यते II अलोक्स 17

He who is free from the notion of egoism and whose understanding is not tainted - though he kills these people, he kills not, nor is he bound.

A person who does not think that he alone is the doer, realising the over-lordship of the Brahman; whose mind does not consider both action and the fruits of the action as belonging to him; such a person even when he kills these people, including Bhishma and other elders, in the war, he does not really kill them. He does not experience the consequences of his actions, of fighting the war.

Modifications such as agency and egotism create differences between one man and another. But as man evolves higher, he is able to outgrow all modifications and be established in the Brahman. Let us take examples of men affected by modifications  and those not affected by them. Men acting on the stage as murdering or as being murdered  know that it is pretence and hence agency and egoism is absent in them in that act. They are not affected by these modifications. But where an actual modification takes place  men are affected by it. 

In the same way a spiritually evolved man sees the stage and life as one and the same. Because of the absence of egoism, no modification of any kind takes place in his mind. There are instances of this in the Mahabharata war itself. When Arjuna vanquished his grandfather Bhishma he did not harbour any egotistical feeling that he had caiused the death of teh grandsire. His mind was free from that modification.  While waiting to give up his body in the auspicious northern passage of the sun, Bhishma did not feel that he was vanquished. Non-ego was the cause of it. As a man casts off worn out clothing, Bhishma cast off his old body, unattached as he was to it. 

The reflection of a moving body is seen in the mirror. That mirror is not the creator of the reflection or the movement. The reflection also does not leave any impression on the mirror. While reflecting things as they are, the mirror is ever itself, unattached, unffected and unmodified. Like the mirror is the atman. That jivatman who traces his original state of pure consciousness regains his taintless understanding. Freed from egoism he is not affected by the actions of the body or the senses. 

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 16

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Components if Karma  - 13-16

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 16

The Banyan Tree of Creation

Tatra evam sati kartaram atmanam kevalam tu yah I

Pashyati akruta buddhitvat na sah pashyati durmatih II sloka 16

तत्र एवं सति कर्तारं आत्मानं केवलं तु यः I 

पश्यति अकृत बुद्धित्वात न सः पश्यति दुर्मतिः II अलोक्स 16

That being so, the man of perverse mind, on account of his imperfect understanding looks upon the self, the Absolute, as an agent - he does not see at all.

Thus the doership of the jivatma requires the previous assent of the Lord. So, if a person thinks that the soul alone is the doer and none else is the doer, then he is of wicked and perverse mind. He does not have the correct knowledge and does not see the true nature of things

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 15

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Components if Karma  - 13-16

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 15

45th & 46th Azhagiyasingars of Ahobila Mutt

Sharira vak manobhih yat karma prarabhate narah I

Nyayam  va viparitam va pancha ete tasya hetavah II sloka 15

शरीर वाक् मनोभिः यत् कर्म प्रारभते नरः I 

न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं व पञ्च एते तस्य हेतवः II श्लोक 15

Whatever action a man performs with his body, speech or mind, whether right or wrong - these five are its causes.

Whatever action a man performs with his body, speech or mind, whether right (in accordance with the shastras) or wrong  (forbidden by the shastras) - these five (mentioned in sloka 14)  are its causes.

Of the  five causes, the fifth cause ie., the SUpreme Brahman, who is the internal ruler of all, is the principal cause, in carrying out the work. The doership of the individual soul (the second cause) is dependent on the Lord. 

All activities carried on by man are through thought word or deed. The subtlest of karma takes place in the mind in the form of thoughts and feelings. Not a moment passes without the mind doing karma of one kind or another. The gross manifestations of it are words and deeds.

Summing up, the individual soul has its support in the Lord and it derives its power from the Lord. The soul by means of the senses, body etc.,  given by the Lord,  makes effort for performing the work. Just as shifting of heavy stones tress etc requires effort by many persons, for a person to do any action, the five factors are required. 

How is the atman connected with these activities going on in the body speech and mind? The answer comes.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 14

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Components if Karma  - 13-16

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 14

The five factors are expounded as below:

Sita with Luv & Kush

Adhishtanam tatha karta karanam cha pruthak vidham I

Vividhah cha pruthak cheshtah daivam cha eva panchamam  II sloka 14

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता कर्णं च पृथक् विधं I 

विविधाः च पृथक् चेष्टाः दैवं च एव पञ्चमं 

The body, the agent, the various senses, the different functions of various sorts, and the presiding deity also, the fifth.

The five causes are  1)body, 2) doer, ie. the jivatma, 3)  the five senses of action - the karma indriyas and the mind, 4)  the five fold prana moving about in the body as prana, vyana, apana, samana and udana (mentioned in Chapter 15 sloka 14) and 5)  the supreme Brahman.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 13

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Components if Karma  - 13-16

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 13

Sethubandanam

Pancha etani maha baho karanani nibodha me I

Sankhye krutante proktani siddhaye sarva karmanam II sloka 13

पञ्च एतानि महाबाहो  कारणानि निबोध मे I 

साण्ख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सीद्धये सर्व कर्मणां II श्लोक 13

Learn from Me, O mighty armed one, these five factors in the accomplishment of all action, as taught in the sankhya which is the end of action.

As in Chapter 2, here also sankhya refers to the philosophy of Vedanta and not to that of sage Kapila, which deals with cosmology. According to vedanta, the undertaking of all karma is to transcend it ultimately. He who does karma imperfectly and he who shuns karma for any reason whatsoever can not get to that state which is beyond karma. Prakriti which is characterised  as composed of karma is the training ground for the jivatman. As children go to school to learn, the jivatman comes into the world to learn his lesson. The childrem apply themselves diligently to their studies.They are not to waste time. The required attainments have to be reached within  the precribed time. Then they have to pass out successfully. They are not to get stuck in the school permanently. These points are clearely borne in the minds of the pupils. All these points apply to the jivatman as well. He is to learn his lessons from prakriti. He has to know of the nature of karma even when he is involved in it; and to get himself beyond it, is the goal set for him

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 12

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Tyaga of sattvika nature is indispensable 9-12

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 12

Ram Durbar

Anishtam ishtam mishram cha trividham karmanah phalam I

Bhavati atyaginam pretya na tu sanyasinam kvachit II sloka 12

अनिष्टं इष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलं I 

भवति अत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु संयसिनां क्वचित् II श्लोक 12

The three fold fruit of action - evil, good and mixed - accrues after death to one who does not relinquish but there is none ever for the one who renounces

Arjuna, you may ask: The karmas like pancha maha yagna, agnihotra etc. give only temporary fruits like swarga, as stated in the shastras. Then why should a person who desires only moksha do these karmas?

The results of the karmas are of three kinds. ie. (i) undesirable, like suffering in hell; (ii) Desirable like enjoying swarga ; (iii) Mixed like pleasures in the world like wealth, cows sons etc. Experiences in this world are called mixed or mishra because they involve both pleasure and pain.

So a person who has not given up the fruits of his karmas, undergoes the results of his karmas, in one of the three ways mentioned above. These results of the karmas occur naturally after the performance of karmas.

But, he who has given up the doership and the results of his actions, ie., who has done sattvica tyagam (mentioned in sloka 9) does not experience the fruits of his actions, other than moksha at any time. 

The karmas like pancha maha yagna and agnihotra etc. are nitya karmas ie., compulsory. If these karmas are performed, with desire for fruits like swarga such fruits will be achieved. But if the same karmas are done without desire for fruits and for the pleausre of the Lord, then one will not get inferior fruits liek swarga. They will attain moksha in due course.

Thus the same karma gives different fruits, depending on the desire of the person concerned. How? The karmas do not directly give fruits. IT is only the Lord who is pleased with the karmas and grants fruits. So the Lord grants the desire of the person doing the karma.

Knowing this, a person should understand that he is not the doer and the Lord gets things done by him for his own pleasure. A parrot in a cage is given food and kept happy only for the pleasure of the king whose pet it is.

Similarly human beings and others perform actions only by the grave of the Lord and for his pleasure. The creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe is all sport of the Lord who bestows bodies and indriyas to individual beings.

Thus a person may not by himself achieve the fruits of his actions but actually by the grave of his Lord.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 11

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Tyaga of sattvika nature is indispensable 9-12

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 11

Antaryami in Every creation

Na hi deha bhruta shakyam tyaktum karmani asheshatah I

Yah tu karma phala tyagi sah tyagi iti abhidhayate II sloka 11

न हि देह भृत शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्मणि अशेषतः I 

यः तु कर्म फल त्यागी सः त्यागी इति अभिदायते II  श्लोक 11

It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to renounce action entirely. But he renounces the fruit of action is regarded as one who has renounced.

There are several points of similarity between the bodily existence and a flight in an aeroplane. One is called a jivatman as long as one is embodied; this one is a godward pilgrim. Another one is called a passenger as long as he is flying. Bodily existence is renounced permanently by the jivatman on the attainment of moksham. The plane is vacated only on reaching the destination. Conditions while in the body are all alike while those in the plane, which flies over plains, hills, dales etc. Bodily existence has its pleasant and unpleasant aspects and its ups and downs The plane does not stop its work while in flight lest it should crash. Bodily activities also cannot be suspended by the  embodied.

Karma takes place as long as the body lasts. Breathing, eating, sleeping - all these are bodily activities going on ceaselessly. Obligatory duties also have to be executed relentlessly. The prudent man has his profitable way of getting his work done. While in the plane if the passenger gets worried about the possible dangers and risks in flying, he defeats himself and the purpose of his flight. He does not improve matters by worrying himself; rather he loses stamina. Instead if he resigns to those eventualities, to the vrew and Providence and if he engages himself in his higher pursuits, he stands to gain. His conducting himself in this way amounts to renouncing the fruit of his flight, but not the flight itself. man should engage hismelf in earthly duties that fall to his lot. He ought not to be concerned with the consequences of his duties. While doing his duties, if he keeps his mind fixed on the Maker, his gain is immense and he is one who has truly renounced.

A man's body gets hurt accidentally. He neither weeps over or neglects it. He bandages the wound and gives all attention to it. If need be money is spent for the cure. But in the midst of all these activities, there is no attachment whatsoever to the wound that has come about. It is attended to so that it may be healed. That man who gets the wound treated is the one who has renounced  it but not he who neglects it to the point of its becoming septic. Bodily activities are like the wound. They can not be neglected. They ought to be carried on with complete detachment. He who does so has really renounced karma and everything worldly. 

And how about the man who is attached to life and karma? The answer comes.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 10

The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's  Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission

Tyaga of sattvika nature is indispensable 9-12

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 10

Na dveshti akushalam karma kushale na anusajjate I

Tyagi sattva samavishtah medhavi chinna sanshayah II sloka 10

न द्वेष्टि अकुशलम् कर्म कुशले न अनुसज्जते I 

त्यागी सत्त्व समाविष्टः मेधावी चिन्न संशयः II श्लोक 10

The relinquisher imbued with sattva and a steady understanding and with his doubts dispelled, hates not a disagreeable work nor is he attached to an agreeable one.

A wise person; who possesses sattva quality; who knows the real truth about Brahman; who is clear of all doubts; who gives up the thought that he is the doer; who gives up the desire for fruits of karmas;

Such a person does not hate bad works, which produce undesirable results and which are done by him inadvertently by mistake. He does noot also become attached to good works, which yield desirable fruits like swarga, sons, wealth and so on.

Therefore tyaga, which is in accordance with shastras, means giving up the sense of doership, attachment and fruits in regard to karmas (as explained in sloka 4); and not giving up of karmas themselves.