February 21, 2016

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Chapter 18 : Moksha Sanyaas Yoga

Moti Aunty’s discourse

Uddharet Atmana Atmanam Natmanam Avasadayet
Atmaiva Hyatmano Bandhuratmaiva Ripuratmanah. (chp 6, text 5)

It is a man’s duty to rise on his own and not let his soul stoop down. One is his own friend or enemy. In this context the discourse begins with Aunty citing example through a story where a man has a wife whom he ignores completely. After some time he marries another wife and settles with her into a family. After some time he marries another woman and takes her to his social gatherings etc. Finally he marries a fourth woman and makes her his business partner. When the time comes for him to die, he asks his fourth wife who was most dear to him if she would accompany him. She complains that since she has business dealings to finish, she cannot accompany him. Then he asks his third wife, who also expresses her inability to join him due to social commitments. The second wife similarly declines citing familial obligations as a reason. Finally he asks his first wife who he had ignored though out his life, but she happily agrees to accompany him.

This story is symbolic of human life where the most ignored first wife is our own soul. The second, third and fourth wife being respectively familial obligations, social commitments and financial issues.

Most of us are like Duryodhana who knew what is right and wrong, but did not have the inclination to follow the righteous path and he says to Krishna

janami dharmam na cha me pravrutthih janamyadharmam na cha me nivrutthih |
kenaapi devena hrudhisthithena yatha niyuktosmi thatha karomi ||

Which means, I know what is dharma (=righteousness), yet I cannot get myself to follow it! I know what is adharma, yet I cannot retire from it! O Lord of the senses! You dwelt in my heart and I will do as you impel me to do.
So how do we encourage ourselves to do the right thing? The answer is by doing right karma. Karma is not past or future. It is the present. When most of us do karma, we think of the future result. However Krishna has said that we are entitled to only actions and not the fruit

Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarman (Chp 2, txt 47)

The fruits are to be left to God who is not seen, but ties the entire universe and creation together. We have to inquire who is this who ties everything together? Just as a thread cannot be seen in a garland, God is not seen, but just as the threas in the garland is taken out, the garland disintegrates and ceases to exist, the universe ceases to exist if God withdraws himself from it.

mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam sutre mani-gana iva (CHp 7, txt 7)

God can be seen in three forms – jeeva (souls), jagat (material creation) and Jagadish (Lord of Universe)

Coming back to the karma that we have rights over and we should be doing, it is comprised of five elements – Sthaan (place),Kartaa (do-er), Karan (instrument), prayaas (efforts) and bhagya (destiny).

The inspiration to do karma comes from three things – The knowledge, objects of knowledge and knower, these are the motivator of action. Doer, the organs and activity-and are three constituent of action.

Gyanam geyam parigyata trivadha karamchodna I
Karrham karam karteti trividhah karamsangara II (18.18)

Knowledge, knower and objects of knowledge are instruments of motivation to know.
Knowledge and objects of knowledge exist due to material nature but the knower has fallen into an ignorance trap. Becoming doer of activity of senses, mind and intellect and organs of senses with sense objects, the SELF has created this entire universe by mindset. So knowledge, knower and objects of knowledge are motivator and the doer, organ and activity are constituent of action.