यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ।। ३.१७।।

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ।। ३.१८ ।।

yas tv-ātma-ratir-eva syād-ātma-tṛptaś-ca mānavaḥ |
ātmany-eva ca santuṣṭas-tasya kāryaṁ na vidyate || 3.17 ||

naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana |
na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ || 3.18 ||

Audio-BG-3.17

Self-knower - the sole exception

The pedestal of the Self-knower, and hence of Self-knowledge itself, is quite supreme and sovereign. It cannot be compared to that of the ordinary people and their thoughts and actions. The seeker of the Self is not to seek anything from the outside world. Thus all desires and possessions lose their significance to the Self-knower. In such intense inwardness, can any rule or procedure relating to the outside world and interactions apply?

Jijñāsur-api yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate, says Krishna in verse 6.44. Even a mere enquirer of Yoga pursuit rises, by dint of that pursuit, above all Vedic injunctions and prohibitions.

In fact, Self-pursuit is the most refined form of all religious pursuits. One who takes to such a spiritual pursuit does, by the very dint of it, rise above all religious prescriptions. What spiritual pursuit imbues him with is far beyond what religious observances can bestow. Spiritual sādhanā is thus self-supporting, self-enriching and self-sublimating.

Self-knower is one who embodies in abundant measure such inward enrichment and sublimation. this puts him above board in all matters. Only for one who expects something from the world, the world can think of laying down its rules or demands. Given to non-expectation, the mind outlives all considerations resulting from religious dos and donts. Whatever delight or contentment worldly gains can bring about, much more does the Knower enjoy from freeing his mind from worldly constraints and embracing the Self within. Desire or expectation of any kind will only tend to constrict and weaken the mind. It is antagonistic to the very freedom Self-knowledge bestows.

Krishna describes the Self-Knower as Ātma-ratih, meaning one who constantly rejoices in his own Self. He further adds that the Knower is an Ātma-tṛptah, signifying that he is fully content with his own within. In him there can be no feeling of any kind of want or absence. Krishna also emphasizes that such a one is Ātmani eva ca santuśṭah, meaning that the Knower finds his supreme delight in his own Self, within himself. When thus everything that one looks for either from this world or from those beyond is gained by the Knower from his Self-knowledge alone, what a great state of loftiness and fullness will that be !

In verse 22 of chapter 6 Krishna has described this inward fullness very effectively :

"On gaining which, one does not aspire for anything else." The Self and its Knowledge become the sole supreme gain for him, which dismisses all needs and desires for anything else. To seek the Self is to gain phychological sufficiency. When the mind outlives all its wants and yearnings and hence is freed from the resulting shackles and botherations caused by ego and possessiveness, it achieves a sense of sufficiency. Equally so, when the intelligence is relieved from all its quests and contradictions, there results a deep spiritual fullness and transparence. Self-Knower has both the excellences in ample measure.

In such a state of inward sovereignty and profusion, can there be any relevance for a sense of duty or obligation at all? It is true that Scriptures enjoin several duties and obligations, but they do not apply to such a Knower. The Knower's fullness makes him rise above all kinds of duty, enjoined by anyone or anything whatsoever. The sense of duty will have its meaning and relevance only when one suffers from the characteristic notes of doership, enjoyership and sufferership. When these tripple notions subside and become extinct, how can any motivation or urge ever reign?

The Knower's within is like space, which surrounds and penetrates everything visible and perceptible. Does space ever actively involve itself in any of the movements or forces that the heavenly bodies orginate and display? yet, is not space the mother and source of all?

The inward fullness and majesty of the Self-knower will be somewhat similar, although this will still be only an approximate illustration. One can say that the Knower is like the invisible and all-pervasive God. Everything revolves around God, but God as such does not do anything specifically. The Knower too, by his own inward magnificence and sublimity, will be a constant source of welfare. In one way or another, his presence will imply salutary effects all around. Think of what happened when the great Agastya Maharshi stepped into Dandakaranya. The Sage's heart was immensely touched by the pitiable desert he saw around. He instantly sat there communing with the surroundings. Before long, the sky shed profusely making the whole land fertile and green. The whole sequence was natural, spontaneous.

In the case of Knowers, this is what always results, wherever they are and whatever they seem to be doing. The creativity and effectiveness of the human becomes the best and most sublime when he elevates himself to the supreme loftiness of the Self, effacing his ego and all its possessiveness. Words will always fail to describe such a crowning fruition of human life on earth !

In verse 18 of chapter 4, in the words karmaṇyakarma yah paṣyet.........sa yuktah kṛtsna-karmakṛt, Krishna beautifully shows how the lofty vision of the Knower carries with it the potential of supreme effectiveness and creativity. The Knower's perception is such that it embodies the merit of all actions. It makes man an all-performer.

The final message of Krishna in this discussion is that the call and compulsion of Yajña are relevant to all of mankind; but the Self-knower stands as the singular exception, meaning that his life itself becomes a full-fledged Yajña. Whatever is true of the Knower is also relevant to the true seekers who exclusively take to this supreme spiritual path of Bhagavadgītā. Such an assurance or confirmation is necessary to enable seekers to confidently pursue the path of wisdom and yoga, as laid down by Krishna.