Spiritual fulfillment through devout actions
Having explained how human society has within itself a basic fourfold categorization, which facilitates its activities and harmonizes social well-being, Krishna explains how all categories have full scope to strive for and gain spiritual fulfillment. The differences in class or category – far from being any ground for superiority, inferiority or other such divisive or discriminating considerations – institute a wholesome mutuality and complementariness. Nothing great will be beautiful and meaningful, unless it embodies ample variety and distinctions!
Performing attentively one’s own activity, man attains spiritual fruition. Listen as to how one, engaged in his own duty, reaches perfection.
Each may be given to his way of life, profession or pursuit. No matter what it is, or how greatly it differs from that of others, fulfillment lies in pursuing these with full interest and dedication.
While the pursuit is external, the attitude with which it is conducted is purely an internal quality. And this is what verily counts in bringing the necessary inner enrichment. The lively pursuit of one’s way of life – whatever it may be – can verily lead to spiritual perfection.
What is meant by ‘perfection’? Krishna explains it in the course of his further elucidation (49-55). Siddhiḥ, meaning the spiritual fruition, is a word he has used earlier. Here, he speaks of sam-siddhiḥ, meaning fruition of a perfect (samyak siddhiḥ) nature. It means that there is nothing more than this. What is this spiritual perfection is to be thought of in depth. Krishna’s discussion is thus very important even to advanced sādhakas.
How does this fruition work and where lies its emphasis?
By devoutly offering one’s own action (and pursuit) to that from which all beings have emerged, and by which all this is pervaded, man attains perfection.
When does one’s pursuit become lively, interesting and dedicated? The question is indeed crucial. Krishna has a clear answer too. Everyone’s action, judged in the background of Nature, is an important link in the complex chain of Universal creation. But people generally fail in making this evaluation. The mind is carried away by the force of selfish notes. And the intelligence comes up with its peculiar arguments and evaluations.
An individual is but a member of the family; the family is likewise a member of the nation; the nation is of the whole continent; the continent itself a unit of the wide earth; and the earth too is only a planet in one of the countless galaxies, small and big, constituting the universe. Who but the ignorant can stop thinking merely at the level of himself and his family?
As denizens of the earth, we are related to the whole world, just as an individual is related to his family. So, one’s life is more a persuasion for the individual to think with all humility, fondness and dedication about the very Source of the Creation.
Krishna describes this source with a note of absoluteness. It is that from which the entire universe including all the beings has emerged. How high then should the seeker’s imagination rise! It is not just the source of oneself, his family or even the entire denizens of earth. The seeker has to think far wider and deeper. He has to reflect upon and comprehend the supreme Source from which has emerged all existence – planets, heavenly bodies and the five elements (pañca-bhūtas).
Krishna says that this Source is not distant to anyone. Though time-wise It is ancient, It permeates and pervades the entire range of existence. That means, the seeker need not feel dissuaded, thinking that It is inaccessible.
Such deep contemplation will naturally expand the thinking mind and the seeker is bound to feel humble. How does one express his obeisance and allegiance to It? Is it by placing some flowers, or through naivedyam (offering of some objects)? The pious resignation should be of a much deeper and broader kind. It should touch and involve the heart and mind of the seeker. How will it take place? What is the right means for it?
Worshipping the all-pervading Source
Practices of worship have a basic constriction, misunderstanding, resulting from lack of right introspection. The supreme Presence one seeks to worship is, he feels, not in the flower or in the places lying between the shrine and the flower garden but only in the chosen idol at home or in a temple. It implies a grave lack of introspection, and also concern for what one does. The dearth of purity and sublimity is evident.
Krishna wants the seeker to understand the limitation and redress it as soon as possible. A seeker must always be given to vicāra, enquiry and evaluation. That is why he makes it clear that true worship has an entirely different note and rationale, which he delineates emphatically.
The commencing line of the verse “yataḥ pravṛttiḥ bhūtānām – from which or from where have emerged all beings”, is thus very suggestive. Krishna adds “yena sarvam-idam tatam”. This pinpoints that the same Presence is not merely the Source of all existence, but also interpenetrates, permeates, the entire creation. This clearly implies that the supreme Presence sought to be worshipped, contemplated upon and reached, equally pervades the seeker’s body, his personality. In fact, is it not even in the flower and the plant, in the ground from where the plant has sprouted and also in the one that plucks and offers the flower piously, as much as in the idol or picture he worships?
Can you ever worship such an all-pervading Source by a flower or any other customary offering, however well chosen it may be?
Ascent in devotional pursuit
What is the right way then? Krishna answers in the next line: sva-karmaṇā tam-abhyarcya – by worshipping that Source in and through all your activities. Right from the moment of waking up in the morning, performing one’s ablutions, bathing, reading any material relevant to one’s life and profession, taking meals, going to the place of work, attending to domestic routines, interacting with people – all these, whether personal, professional or social, small or big, should be rightly included in the process and content of worship.
It should not be that during the half an hour session with the Idol, one feels devotional and during the rest of the day his attitude becomes different. The whole range of one’s activities should constitute worship, ensuring that devotion and worship remain ceaseless. This alone will make the seeker a wholesome devotee and win for him an unbreakable connection with the supreme Reality. Such ceaseless worship will take any human to spiritual perfection, says Krishna summarily.
Here, Krishna specifies a significant ascent in devotional pursuit. Earlier, he had referred to material offerings, explaining that they could be a means to elevate the seeker and purify his mind and intelligence. A leaf, flower, fruit or even water would suffice for the purpose, he said, when the offering is well smeared with devotion (9.26). The thing offered is not what matters. For, the supreme Reality does not need any of them at all! The offering is an effort, a religious process, meant to lead the one who offers, to his goal. ‘Devotionalizing’ the thing offered is the prime factor in the whole process.
But now, in this verse, Krishna does not mention the material part at all. He expects the devotee to outlive all such constricted practices. No external or additional item finds place here. Instead, all that one does from day-break should constitute the devotional content and offering. From a piecemeal worship, Krishna lifts the seeker to the level of wholesome devotion. The difference is marked and the seeker should not miss it.
Actions that conform to one’s own nature
One’s own pursuit (as ordained by his dharma), even if imperfect, is better than that of another, though performed well. Engaged in the ordained activity, one acquires no taint.
Well, in offering one’s own activities, should one be concerned about whether they are good or bad, praiseworthy or otherwise? Krishna disallows all such considerations. The thought of choosing any special activity for offering to the Supreme is incorrect, baseless. When the whole existence has itself emerged from the same Source, and that Source permeates everything, is there any need for selecting anything in particular in preference to the rest? Divinity rests in the thought and attitude of the seeker. The seeker has to think of the Supreme, its absolute samatva (uniformity) and omnipresence. That will be sufficient to make everything equally divine.
To consider that one’s action or pursuit is not good and hence disharmonious to spiritual elevation is gravely wrong. To prefer and to adopt another’s activities or pursuits on the ground that they seem better, will be self-defeating. Such thoughts of differentiation are to be eliminated. It has been already pointed out that the differences in tendencies in different individuals are born of and preserved by Nature, and none has any option in this matter.
Allow Nature to play its role and be governed discreetly by it. In such pious and wholesome adherence to Nature, no harm can ever accrue. All possible wrongs and sins, if at all, get obliterated in this sovereign note, Krishna makes it clear.
In spite of the amazing variety in the nature, tendencies and pursuits of people, Bhagavad Gita’s uniqueness is that it assures and awards uniform blessedness to all. It holds that everyone, given to his own pursuit, can become equally divine, devotional. And in so doing, is the key for spiritual perfection and fulfillment. What more does anyone want then?
Why does Krishna uphold such a non-preferential view and adherence to naturalness as the right way for elevation? He explains the point further:
One should not abandon one’s own pursuit (inherited naturally according to his dharma), even if it is tainted. All activities are enveloped with imperfection – like fire with smoke.
These are some of the very great spiritual statements we can ever come across. The seeker should regard them as paramount and shape his thoughts and assessments accordingly.
It is possible that an individual is given by birth and growth to some tendencies and pursuits, which are, normally judged, derogatory or defective in nature. For instance, in our tradition, involvement in trading of meat or slaughtering animals for the purpose is considered inauspicious. The epic instance of Dharmavyādha in Mahābhārata is an apt illustration. Dharmavyādha was a hunter by birth and was given to trading meat as his profession. That did not deter him from being spiritual and achieving the desired ascent. He became a renowned Knower of Truth, to whom Kaushika, an austere Brāhmaṇa, was sent for learning Brahmavidyā and overcoming pride and egotism. People may wonder as to how this is so. The answer lies in the message of Bhagavad Gita.
According to Krishna, even if some evil is associated with one’s life and pursuit, it does not hinder the individual’s spiritual enrichment and elevation. For, he says, all undertakings are coupled with some evil, as is fire with smoke. Fire is brilliant, whereas smoke is not. Why should the brilliant fire be coupled with the dull dark smoke?
The summary of Krishna’s elucidation is: (i) the four-fold inner categorization of humans is a creation of Nature, to facilitate the much needed variety of activities. It is more a desirable mutuality than any demeaning or disturbing distinction. It enables collective existence to remain creative and fulfilling. (ii) None should think of his activity or pursuit as demeaning or downgrading; nor should anyone aspire for another’s pursuit, considering the other to be superior in any way. And (iii) it will be wrong and perilous to abandon one’s pursuit on the ground that it hosts some evil, as all undertakings, judged closely, are associated with evil, as is fire with smoke.
Dis-attachment and freedom from actions (naiṣkarmya-siddhiḥ)
Krishna now emphasizes that despite the fundamental note of variety, anyone of any category has the full scope and potential to attain the highest spiritual enrichment:
Dis-attached everywhere, self-regulated, free of any cravings, one attains the supreme naiṣkarmya-siddhiḥ through sannyāsa (renunciation).
Naiṣkarmya-siddhiḥ is the great spiritual attainment of such an inner fullness and contentment that the seeker no more aspires for anything by any kind of active involvement.
One has to have asakta-buddhiḥ (dis-attached perception) towards everything. What activity or profession one does or follows, is not the relevant consideration here, but how, with what basic and overall attitude he does it. Dis-attachment is not at all impossible. In a way, it is but natural, if only one cares to think and evaluate life properly.
Human beings live on the earth, the existence and function of which are not in anyone’s hands. Air, water, heat and all other resources essential to maintain life, belong exclusively to Nature. Being thus dependent on factors, which are not at all under one’s control, how can one claim ownership over his body? Consequently, can one have possessiveness over whatever the body does and gets as an outcome of its activity? To feel possessive about anything is thus fallacious, unfounded.
Dis-attachment is the natural course for an intelligent human, especially a seeker of Truth. Krishna says that this dis-attachment should be to everything everywhere, with regard to all matters. Sarvatra means all-fold.
Jitātmā means one who has adequate control over oneself. Jitātmā and yatātmā are words dear to Krishna. He uses them often throughout the Bhagavad Gita dialogue. In fact, this sensory moderation is the foundation of spiritual pursuit. Senses, mind, intelligence and ego have to be sublimated. None of these constituents should pose as an enemy or hindrance at any time.
Vigata-spṛhaḥ means the seeker must not have any lingering craving for any kind of sensory enjoyment. When desires fall, does not attachment too dissolve?
Dis-attachment is the core word in the whole verse. When one becomes dis-attached, a full-scale revolution dawns in him. For such a one, no activity can be a hindrance. Dis-attachment when applied to any action, good or bad, has a sublimating and elevating effect. A dis-attached brāhmaṇa and a dis-attached śūdra are equal in their inward spiritual enrichment. Whatever they do, leads them to naiṣkarmya siddhi.
Freedom from actions while engaged in actions
Krishna began to speak of dis-attachment (asakti) right from the 3rd chapter (3.19). He was emphasizing that everyone is kept active by the guṇas of prakṛti. None has any option in the matter. Sattva, rajas and tamas are the constituents of prakṛti, which go to shape all activities including those of humans. One should perform the respective activity, but remain dis-attached to it (tasmād asaktaḥ ...3.19). Armed with disattachment, accept and do whatever is natural.
In doing so, the human can attain to the supreme fruition (param- āpnoti). It is the same dis-attachment that Krishna brings here too. He describes it as a means to attain sam-siddhiḥ – the wholesome fruition – whereby the spiritual fulfillment is achieved together with the secular welfare. How amazingly beautiful and effective is this kind of blending! The last chapter revels in this subtle discussion.
Krishna emphasizes renunciation again (sannyāsena-adhigacchati). The very ego that brings notions such as ‘I am doing; I have to gain; I am losing’, etc. has to be dropped. It is not that one becomes inactive as a result; but he becomes freed of the possessiveness that ruled him earlier. If thus, all the different activities of the four categories of people have the same scope to lead their respective actors to the same spiritual goal, where is any advantage or disadvantage for anyone? Is this not a mystery, a wonder? The seeker has to think repeatedly about this point and grasp its full message.
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(From Essential Concepts in Bhagavad Gita - Volume 6)