Although Krishna has been stressing the need for asakti (detachment) throughout, he knows very well how hard it is for the human mind to give up sakti or to rise above its attachmental notes. Right in the beginning he had denounced sanga, showing in an explicit manner how it leads to total downfall (2.62-63). He also emphasized the need for expanding the mind by developing a non-attachmental vision, anabhisnehah (2.57). His cardinal position is: One given to detached activity is by far the excellent human model (3.7).
He explains as well as extols again and again involvement in activity without getting attached to the results, saying that such a pursuit will itself be a full-fledged means for fetching the supreme gain (3.19). His comparison of the activity of the Wise with that of an attached person, pointing out that externally both will appear the same, strikes a stunningly revealing note (3.25). He holds that detachment does not dampen or immobilize activity; instead it makes the actions free and wholesome. Detachment primarily ensures inward freedom and joy for the performer. The culture and refinement of detachment, asangatva, is to be worked and gained at the mind and intelligence level.
In the 4th chapter Krishna again emphasizes that sanga is something to be sternly abandoned, and only then one’s activity will have the right quality and potential (4.20). It is the impurity that works havoc in every individual. Striving for purity is thus the first requirement for yoga pursuit as well as true spiritual attainment (5.11).
Essence of Krishna’s instruction has thus been to scrupulously overcome the evil of attachment, and in its place to ceaselessly cultivate the sublimity of detachment.
Is Krishna’s instruction too hard to follow? At the same time, that is the only redress for all the ills of worldly life. Realizing the difficulty of the seekers in overcoming mind’s likes and dislikes, he now makes a new and striking proposition.
Fondness for Guru facilitates spiritual pursuit
As against all the denouncements proclaimed so far against sanga and sakti, here Krishna takes a diametrical turn in the matter. In the opening verse of the seventh chapter, his call is entirely different. “Let the mind of the devotee be wholesomely attached to Me” says he.
Attachment is constricting, painful and binding. But when fostered towards the Sadguru or the supreme Reality, its effect is entirely different. For those, who find it a struggle to drop attachment, this should provide a great relief. All that they need to do is to change the focus of their attachment and place it on their spiritual Master or the supreme Reality. A thing hard to leave is not left! Instead, one’s focus alone is changed. Will that solve the problem? Can it bring the desired outcome and fulfillment?
Mayi asakta-manah are the words with which this new phase of instruction begins. What does it signify? Sakti means attachment, and asakti denotes it in full measure. Do not try to fight the attachment, if that is the present quality of the mind. Let the whole of that trait, asakti, be given a new place and purpose.
This is a very great principle. Sreemad Bhagavatam also speaks about it. There too Krishna and Kapila discuss the subject in more clear terms. Kapilamuni says:
Attachment results in bondage, when placed on fleeting worldly relationships. But placed on the Wise, it brings detachment and liberation.
The Wise will draw your heart and lead the mind effortlessly to expansion, and mind’s attachment to extinction. The seeker, the disciple, will be attuned to the Teacher’s instruction with a tenacity that helps the Master to take him to perfection with ease and facility. The interaction between them becomes more focused and purposeful.
Representing himself as the supreme Reality, the Teacher brings all the complexity of existence and creation within the forefront of his display, his manifestation. Whatever is to be imparted to the seeker is embodied therefore in this display. The whole variety of creation, the distinct place of each within it, how everything and all together constitute the whole and serve the overall purpose of expression and fulfillment – all these are emphasized, in a very endearing, undeniable way. The student yearns to listen to, absorb and actualize all that his dear Teacher says and promises. The mind, instead of resentment and rebellion, meets all the facts and compulsions with a fondness and attunement, which otherwise may well neigh be impossible.
Before leading Arjuna’s mind to this endless expansion, Krishna says that what he would now impart constitutes samagra-jnana, comprehensive knowledge, consisting of both jnana and vijnana. The two facets, when rightly gained, will leave nothing else to be known (7.2).
Can Krishna make such a claim? Is not the world astounding, stupendous, in every way? In its measure, might, magnitude and potential, the creation around is infinite, surpassing all human comprehension. How can an individual ever think of gaining such a full, comprehensive knowledge, which denies anything further or beyond? Is not the statement “the unknown will always exceed the known” ever-binding for one and all?
The question has its answer. Think of knowledge and the knowing process itself. At any time, viewed from any angle, there are only two hemispheres governing the entire gamut of knowledge. One is of the object, which includes everything perceptible to our senses, with all the variety and endlessness manifest before us. The other is of the Subject, which is seemingly residing in our body. This Subject is what the Self denotes, represents.
Jnana, spiritual knowledge, generally refers to Self-knowledge, by which the Imperishable Immortal Self is known, felt and realized. Vijnana implies all the ‘objectude’ around, consisting of the pancabhutas, together with their creative display. When jnana and vijnana are properly acquired, what is there left behind, uncovered or exempted?
Rarity of spiritual pursuit
As a further prelude, Krishna points to the rarity of true spiritual seeking and what exactly is its goal and reward:
Very rare is the man who takes up spiritual quest and pursuit – may be one in thousands. Amongst such striving seekers, very rare is one who understands Me, the Supreme, in all essence.
For the majority, the world of enjoyments surrounding them is itself a sufficient allurement. It equally offers enough scope for their life-long striving. None, as a rule, finds either the time or taste for looking to anything superior or beyond. Rarely, one in a thousand, does however feel the compulsion to take up enquiry and aims at elevating his life from the transitory enjoyments.
But even those who have the quest, generally get restricted to ritualistic fascination and promises, as Krishna already said in the fourth chapter (4.12). So, even more rare is the person, a choice one, who will be satisfied only with the comprehensive knowledge of Truth. The Teacher, Krishna says, can be the focus to lead one to such a full-fold knowledge.
Two-fold nature of the Supreme – para and apara
With this precept Krishna prepares Arjuna’s mind to rise to the level of expansion that true spiritual wisdom aims at. Arjuna begins to wonder: What is this full-fold or comprehensive knowledge? Krishna describes it in his own graphical manner:
Earth, water, fire, air and space; and then mind, intelligence and ego – thus is my eight-fold nature. This is yet my lower nature. My higher nature represents sentience, consciousness, by dint of which this whole universe is sustained.
Krishna, after asking Arjuna to redirect all his attachments to Krishna himself, now declares that he represents the aggregate of all beings. His visible body is only a symbol. What it symbolizes is a grand aggregate. In this aggregate everything in the universe is included. As is the earth so are the other four elements, constituting this aggregate. With these five elements, all external objects of existence, perceptible to the senses, stand covered.
What besides these is there? It can only be whatever is within the body, imperceptible to the senses. Thus Krishna lists three more factors, namely mind, intelligence and ego. These evidently do not come within the range of visible matter. Together with the external five, these constitute the aggregate Nature Krishna refers to. “But, it is my lower nature (apara)”, he adds, alluding to something higher. That higher one he calls as para prakrti. That is the power of sentience animating and activating the body of the living beings and also sustaining the whole creation around, made of panca-bhutas.
Krishna now proceeds to say that the whole universe is a product of these two natures:
All existence and forms are but the emanations from this two-fold conjunction. Thus, I am the origin as well as the dissolution of the whole universal display.
Krishna makes it clear that whatever existence or activity, big or small, gross or subtle, external or internal, is there in the universe – in fact, all of it – is proceeding from Him, the Supreme, the One, and that alone. To cause, preserve and dissolve all forms of existence and activity, there is an incessant interplay of the inner Spirit and the outer matter, the sentience and the inert.
Where does the seeker stand now? His mind’s attachment, sanga, is completely placed on the Teacher, and now he finds that the Teacher includes and transcends everything and all, the whole universe. The mind as well as its attachment is thus naturally led to a corresponding expansion. When a point expands into a full circle, it does not undergo extinction, but a full-fledged expansion. The tussle between attachment and detachment, sanga and asanga, vanishes. The evolution and growth become irresistibly smooth.
As one gets attached to his body and bodily relations, he has to now get equally concerned and loving for everything and all in the universe. Is this not the position of God, the Supreme? The seeker thus automatically becomes Godly and all-embracing. How subtle and efficient is Krishna’s approach!
Creation is interwoven in the Supreme
To make his instruction understood with full clarity, Krishna significantly adds:
There is nothing besides and beyond Me, O Dhananjaya. In Me, all this is interwoven, like beads in a thread.
The whole creation is interwoven in the supreme Person, like beads in a string. Here the beads are not different in material from the thread, as it may appear to be at first thought. On the other hand, it is the same thread that is knotted to become the many beads. Beads and knots and thread are all made of the same substance. The oneness linking them all is thereby clearly brought forth.
Arjuna, like any other student, seeker or disciple, is left with no option. His comprehension now has to become clear and all-embracing. There is no scope for any bheda-buddhi, for separating anything from another, anyone from another, as he had first thought about his elders in the opposite camp. The sight of most beloved and venerable Bheeshma and Drona and other kith and kin standing on the enemy side had swept his mind and intelligence. Whether relatives or no relatives, the war was war. It was to be fought between those who wished to fight, kill or get killed. Let those who do not wish so, quit the warfront. Or else, it is clear that they do love to fight, and are ready to meet its destined outcome. Why bring in the ideas of relatives, friends and others?
Attachment no more remains as attachment. Indeed, there is no struggle to remove or replace it. Let the mind be given to one and all alike. Love but love unreservedly, without preference or prejudice.
Krishna stands before Arjuna with a summary position: “I myself am all this complex variety. If you like me, if you are attached to me, naturally you must relish and like all this complexity. Is there anyone or anything in creation that you can choose to condemn or abhor? By that, you will only be condemning me. Thus, your attachment to me, if full and complete, takes the mind above all undue and tormenting preferences and prejudices.”
What the devotee or the seeker is unable to bring about in his mind, in the way of purity or wholesomeness, he finds easy to accomplish, through the power of attachment and identification with the Supreme, with the Guru.
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(From Essential Concepts of Bhagavad Gita - Volume 4)