प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये ।
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥ १८.३० ॥

pravṛttim ca nivṛttim ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye |
bandham mokṣam ca yā vetti buddhi: sā pārtha sāttvikī || 18.30 ||

Sāttvika buddhiḥ

This is where the last chapter stands distinct and excellent. It gives a beautiful exposition of Nature, and at the same time guides one in the path of self-elevation.

That intelligence, Arjuna, which is able to distinguish between ‘involvemental action’ and ‘freedom from action’, what is ‘to be done’ and what ‘not to be done’, what is ‘fearful’ and wherein lies ‘fearlessness’, what is ‘bondage’ and ‘liberation’, is sāttvika.

Sattva-guṇa always brings knowledge, brilliance and happiness. The sāttvika intelligence will naturally be given to discern matters with precision. Thus activities and involvements become two-fold – pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Like preyas and śreyas (pleasant and auspicious), these two also have different impacts and connotations. Pravṛtti involves us irretrievably into the world and worldliness, no matter how religious and ceremonial the act may be. Nivṛtti represents exactly the opposite. It is the pursuit of freedom and release.

Arjuna confessed to Krishna that what he actually wanted was śreyas (felicity), not anything else. For, he said, by that alone he would be able to get rid of the affliction scorching his senses (2.7,8). Thus Bhagavad Gita becomes a nivṛtti śāstra. And it becomes so, not through abandoning the usual worldly activities, but by instilling into them the beautiful spiritual enrichment of sublime and wholesome dedication.

Limitations of ritualistic peformances

All ritualistic performances, prescribed in the Vedas come under pravṛtti, as their results do not lift the performer from the orbit of the three guṇas (traiguṇya viṣayā vedāḥ - 2.45). Muṇḍakopaniṣad denounces the ritualists, as devoid of true discrimination – no lasting or beneficial effect is gained through them (1.2.7 & 1.2.10). Krishna has clearly assessed the rituals and ritualistic orientation as deluding and darkening. He went to the extent of saying that the flair for bhoga and aiśvarya (enjoyment and prosperity), promised by rituals, robs one of discrimination (2.44). How woeful a plight!

The ritualists are tottering under ignorance. They fondly believe that by dint of the rare rituals they ardently perform, they would attain the highest world. But where is such a world? It is assured for the performer only after his death. This is what makes the promise flowery, not fruitful (2.42). Can anyone be sure of events to follow death, as he is about the outcomes before death? Is death at all there for the Soul that enlivens the body (2.19)?

So, none can at any time verify the truthfulness of such promises. Yet, the delusion is strong. Many fall a prey to the ritualistic pronouncements, like moths before fire.

As opposed to this is the tangible pursuit of wisdom that Krishna emphasizes. It has the direct effect on the mind and intelligence of the performer. Pratyakṣa-avagamam, susukham kartum, avyayam (directly perceivable, pleasant to perform, imperishable) – are the words Krishna uses to describe the wisdom path (9.2). The effects are immediate, here and now. They bestow contentment and fulfillment. The sāttvika intelligence knows this distinction between pravṛtti and nivṛtti (involvemental and liberating) – something extremely creditable and desirable.

The next point Krishna brings is about kārya and akārya. This refers to action and non-action. Non-action is not physical inaction, but enlightened activity, wherein the actor does not have ego or possessiveness about performing actions. Thereby he does not get tainted by whatever results follow. Action in inaction and inaction in action are concepts Krishna explained earlier (4.18).

To act is the compulsion by Nature (3.5). And so inaction is not in the scheme at all. Knowing this well, one should take refuge under spiritual wisdom, which takes away the sting from all actional involvements. When narrowness and selfishness are removed, all actions become sublime and spiritual. Such spiritual interactions will not have any binding effects at all (4.20 & 21). This is the crux of nivṛtti karma. Sāttvika intelligence alone will be able to discern this kind of activity or pursuit and make one an accomplished seeker.

Bondage and liberation are the two intriguing concepts, which sāttvika intelligence will be able to unravel clearly. What is bondage? Where lies liberation? How to achieve it? If actions are a demand of nature and none can think of escaping them, then how to strive for freedom? Is it then in and through actions alone? What is meant by activity that is liberating, and what is involvemental? Contemplation on these lines lifts the mind to sāttvika level.

Arjuna thought that the war was sinful. Krishna held that it is not so. Two persons facing the same scene and having full involvement think differently about the event and its consequence. Obviously, the object situation is not what makes the difference. It is the subjective, personal appraisal that works havoc as well as poise. The disparity is in the perception that the intelligence provides. In Arjuna was the rājasika intelligence; in Krishna it was sāttvika. The divergence in their outlook is striking. Kurukṣetra scene itself is quite illustrative for the purpose. Just as Arjuna, on being enlightened by Krishna, changed his stand and got equipped to proceed with the war without fear or bondage, so can everyone elevate himself. This is the message of the exposition.

Life in the world or worldliness as such is something verily to fear, because of the multiple effects it fetches. Krishna describes it as “mighty fear”, mahad-bhaya (2.40).He also made it clear that the activity-ridden world is verily binding (loko’yam karma-bandhanaḥ 3.9). It is to redress this bondage that he spoke about the wholesome transformation of our life and activities into a full-fold sacrifice, Yajña (yajñārthāt-karmaṇaḥ). Within worldliness, there is no redemption from fear at all.

To be saved from fear, the only way is to be spiritually illumined. The sāttvika intelligence alone will be able to know how worldliness binds and how spiritual wisdom removes this bondage. It is rare to find seekers only because the sāttvika intelligence to discern all this is rare.