Sādhanā through guna-traya philosophy
Krishna’s exposition of the guna-traya philosophy not only makes a deep study of human personality but also shows the way of functioning effectively with integration and harmony while fully interacting with the world and the unique way by which a seeker can attain redemption.
Krishna’s first reference to the gunas was in the 2nd chapter (2.45), in which he described the entire Vedic life as an involvement in the gunas alone. Saying this, he exhorted Arjuna to rise above them by cultivating an attitude of nir-dvandvatā (transcending dual-notions). Rising above the gunas has been Krishna’s clarion call.
In the 3rd chapter he pointed out that everything here or hereafter is enfolded by the three gunas of Nature and none can escape the outcome. Remaining within the gunas alone, one can inwardly attempt transcendence.
The concept may appear strange and even contradictory, but Krishna propounds it emphatically with reason. None can go out of gunas to seek redemption and contentment he looks for. Though gunas are enfolding the human, they do give ample scope for working one’s way to transcend them (3.28; 14.19,20).
The redemption that Krishna expounds is through refinement of mind and intelligence. In building any quality, the seeker has to discern its characteristics in detail. An analytical description of the quality thus becomes necessary to guide the intelligent seeker for qualitative improvement.
The qualities and virtues have their roots in the mind and intelligence. In the mind level, however selective one may be, not all emotions will be good, noble or benevolent. Thus a diligent effort to bring about mental refinement is necessary. For this, the intelligence has to contribute its share of impartial introspection, whereby mind’s constrictive notes will be exposed and eliminated. Then alone the mind will imbibe expansion and nobility.
By way of elaboration, Krishna describes mind’s thick clouds of ignorance, calling them tāmasika, wherein selfish thoughts and lack of any consideration for others dominate. To discern this strong veil of ignorance (avidyā) and safeguard against the havoc it brings is the first task of the seeker.
Then come the delusions and constrictions of rajo-guna. They do not allow the mind to reach its destined brilliance and harmony. The seeker therefore, has to probe further to arrive at the sāttvika state – that which is best for him. This step-by-step ascent Krishna outlines through yajña, dāna and tapas.
Three-fold austerity and charity
Tapas (austerity) is of the body, speech and mind, as Krishna has already explained. He says that this three-fold austerity has to be done with extreme attention and inner involvement. He has something further to add:
The three-fold austerity undertaken with supreme attention by those who desire not any specific reward therefrom, is said to be sāttvika tapas.
All the three levels of austerity – bodily, oral and inner – have to be performed by spiritual seekers without fostering any kind of desires at all. Such performance should be done with supreme attention (parayā śraddhayā). Only then it can be a sāttvika tapas.
Sāttvikatā in any pursuit, including austerity, means full involvement of the mind and intelligence with all the purity they can command and display. In other words, in true spirituality there cannot be anything called mere physical action, dissociated from qualitative attunement of the mind and intelligence.
To distinguish this kind and level of austerity, Krishna explains what the other kinds are, based on the three gunas. The rājasika is one in which the performer will aim at gaining respect, value or honour. He will be very ostentatious in what he does. But that is not the intention of true austerity. Any kind of austerity must be purifying, giving rise to inner enrichment.
The test of any performance is thus the extent of inner enrichment it is able to cause and bestow. Devoid of this inner outcome, any performance at best becomes merely physical or external. Spirituality means mental enrichment through purity, expansion and elevation.
So the seeker must have ample discernment to understand whether his spiritual austerity is becoming a mere tool to invite public appeal, regard or respect (satkāra-māna-pūjārtham 17.18). There should not be the least note of ostentation. Normally such notes are natural and will force themselves upon one’s mind and intelligence. Watchfulness and safeguard are thus necessary at every stage.
Approval and appreciation from people, the esteem they foster and express, the love and fervour generated thereafter – all these are not uncommon. But the true seeker will have to clearly defend himself against their onslaught and ensure that whatever he does is but a pure and natural inner expression. It should come out of his bhāvasamśuddhi (17.16), genuine spiritual fervour and mind’s purity.
In the tāmasika kind, it is ignorance and delusion that works throughout. The austerity that results from such delusion will naturally lose its very purpose. It will also be a torture to the mind, senses and body. To hurt or harm another can also be the objective. Any such wrong note or objective makes one’s performance impure and harmful.
Why is Krishna describing this tāmasika kind? There is enough scope for this note of vitiated performance to creep in, when we take the common human mind into account. One has to be careful against such vitiated notion, putrefaction at all times. Constant vigil and self-examination will alone help the seeker against such downfall.
Krishna now proceeds to classify dāna, the act of gifting, and describes the sāttvika, rājasika and tāmasika kinds:
Gift given, ensuring that it is done in the right place, time and to the right recipient, but without expecting anything in return, with the sure feeling that it is one’s duty to offer such gift, is said to be sāttvika dāna.
Any gift becomes sāttvika only when it is made without expecting anything in return. Not even an inkling of reciprocal service or help of any kind should taint the mind while making the gift. The recipient should be one who deserves the gift. It should serve his need. The receiver must be one who will make proper use of the gift.
Give at a time when the recipient needs the material. The time and place for such giving are also important. If the recipient’s need for it and also the time in which he needs it are considered and heeded, it makes the giving most effective.
But there can be gifts which are made disregarding all these. For instance, the giver may gift with an unpleasant or reluctant note (parikliṣṭam). He also expects some service in return from the receiver (praty-upakāra-artham) or he has, in view, some special gain (phalam uddiśya) – it may be a spiritual reward or name and recognition. All these make the gift rājasika (17.21).
If any dāna is made in an improper place and at an inappropriate time, disharmonious with the prevailing conditions, with disrespect or even insult shown to the recipient, then it becomes tāmasika, the worst.
The giver must not feel any sense of superiority while giving. His attitude should be: “I am graced with a considerate mind. I am also blessed with some resources to help. That is why I am making the gift, if at all. For such resourcefulness and benevolence, I am grateful to Nature and the Supreme. Let me continue to deserve these virtues. In fact, I am indebted to those who receive what I give. They are the ones who fulfill my heart and its yearning”.
No extent of gratitude will be in excess. While giving implies a degree of affluence in the giver, any thought of condescension will easily desecrate his mind and heart. Thus sufficient caution and safeguard become inevitable. This is where scriptures and their authors come with timely caution, help and guidance.
See how Krishna analyses the act, the attitude and motivation leading to the act, showing clearly when and how these can go wrong and the ways by which they can become right and noble. The exhortation is to foster the benevolent notes and eschew the maleficent ones. So, a constant effort to gain purity and sublimity becomes inevitable.
Keeping this in view, Krishna enters into a brief discussion of the three words ‘Om Tat Sat’ (17.23-27). ‘Om Tat Sat’, he says, represent the supreme Reality, Brahman. Brāhmaṇas, Vedas and Sacrifices (yajñas) originated therefrom.
‘Om’ is a combination of three letters – ‘a’, ‘u’ and ‘m’. When the three are combined, it results in the birth of ‘Om’, the monosyllable.
‘Om’ is the mother of all sounds, words and expressions. Hence it also represents the entire gamut of knowledge. Vedas consider ‘Om’ as the most holy and revealing word. It is prefixed to all hymns and mantras. The entire Vedas are virtually an elaboration of ‘Om’.
‘Om’ is the subject of Mānḍūkyopaniṣad. The Upanishad states that the three component syllables of ‘Om’ represent the three basic states of awareness – wakeful, dream and deep sleep – ‘a’ representing the wakeful state, ‘u’ denoting the dream state and ‘m’ signifying the deep sleep state.
All the three states revolve around a substratum, as explained in the Mānḍūkya. This substratum is different from what it supports, namely the wakeful, dream or sleep states. This ‘fourth’ is the Self, it declares. Mānḍūkya describes it explicitly concluding that it is called ‘the fourth’ (turīya – caturtham manyante), the Ātmā, and emphasizes that, that is the one to be realized (sa ātmā sa vijñeyaḥ).
If ‘Om’ is an oral reference to Brahman, ‘Tat’ is a philosophical description of it. ‘Tat’ means ‘That’ and this sarva-nāma, relative pronoun, denotes Brahman. It is the initial word in the Sāmaveda’s Mahāvākya – ‘Tat Tvam Asi’.
To imply anything true and good, ‘Sat’ is employed. Equally so, it is also used to refer to any noble act. ‘Sat’ always goes with the spirit of dedication and offering to the Supreme.
Uttered together, these three words amply convey sublimity, eternality and purity. When taken together, with each word associated with its connotation, they imply and convey the supreme Reality, Brahman.
All religious and Vedic acts are begun with the utterance of ‘Om’ (17.24). In addition, those aspiring for liberation should perform sacrifices, austerities and ceremonies without craving for any specific results (17.25). Thus ‘Om Tat Sat’ has become synonymous with all-fold felicity. Ascetics, especially with spiritual and Vedantic orientation chant ‘Om Tat Sat’ frequently. Orally, mentally and intelligentially, the words link one with the supreme Reality, Brahman.
Inattention leads to downfall
The concluding statement in the chapter gives a note of caution, emphasizing what represents spiritual impurity, decline and downfall:
Whatever, be it sacrifice, gift, austerity or a simple activity, if done with inattention, is considered ‘asat’, unholy. It will bring no benevolent outcome either here or hereafter.
Yajña, dāna and tapas (sacrifice, gift and austerity) are the three legs on which rests the entire religious life and pursuit. An understanding of how these three have to be performed is, therefore, necessary. Krishna emphasizes that it is not enough that one does yajña, dāna and tapas somehow. Even the least inattention or indifference will retard and endanger the performance.
An act may seemingly be good and noble. But if it is done without the necessary attention and involvement, it will prove deleterious. About śraddhā, assiduous application, Krishna had already emphasized (śraddhā-mayo’yam puruṣaḥ 17.3). All the acts virtually become only aids or instruments to generate śraddhā. The śraddhā part alone counts. That alone is the kernel and all the rest is but a shell.
All cannot access scriptures and scriptural injunctions while offering worship or observing religious practices. At the same time, such people are fervent in their intentions and want to be effective in what they do. Is there any place for them and what will happen to their pursuit? Arjuna wanted an elucidation of the subject (17.1), which virtually meant dealing with the very content and role of ‘attention’ (śraddhā). The whole discussion followed as a sequel.
Krishna gives maximum importance to attention. But he makes it clear that mere attention is not sufficient. The attention has to be sāttvika. How to make it so is what he divulges throughout the dialogue. This chapter gives ample guidance to analyze the nature of attention and remove all its inferior or demeaning notes.
The crux is to rid the mind of all wrong expectations and specific preferences. The effort always should be to make the mind pure, gentle, sublime and wholesome. Then the mind will begin to experience joy and fulfillment, which unfortunately people seek in vain through protracted external processes including rituals and ceremonies. Thus all the religious efforts mostly become abortive.
While the true focus should be their own mind and its purity and sublimity, the external acts, which are but a shell, rob the peace and poise away from the performers. Instead of gaining purity by dispossessing desires and allied notes, the mind is filled with them and, as a result, tension and heaviness grow. Intention, though good, the outcome becomes adverse!
The mind will not be clean and pure until the intelligence, the higher faculty, whose function is to know and reason, is re-oriented for the purpose. Krishna thus leads the seeker to the sāttvika dimension, where the thoughts, emotions and responses of the mind will be the best – sublime, selfless, expansive and refined.
The guna-traya discussion is, in fact, an exposition of the complex human psychology, bringing forth the constrictions as well as potentials in the human personality. By this, Krishna wants the seeker to unravel the mysteries of the mind, and also realize its potentials.
Following the guna-traya philosophy, exposed in the 14th chapter, this śraddhā-traya discussion becomes a complement to the subject of human psychology. The fact that in the concluding chapter too Krishna again deals with the guna-traya exposition goes to prove how important the subject is.
The true seeker will not feel the least confronted by the gunas. On the other hand, he should feel enlightened and empowered to understand their intricacies and strive to harness them effectively.
***
(From Essential Concepts in Bhagavad Gita - Volume 5)
