॥श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः॥
The Bhagavad Gita aims to reconcile the seemingly impossible equation of the limited individual being (Jīva) with the omnipresent and omnipotent God (Īśvara). It posits that while one might feel perpetually wanting, connected to the world, and unable to control negative emotions, there is a profound connection with Īśvara. The Gita, rooted in the Vedas, offers a method—the teaching tradition (sampradāya)—to understand this oneness, as Īśvara cannot be known through conventional means of knowledge like direct perception or inference. The Gita's 18 chapters are structured to progressively unveil this truth: the first six focus on the Jīva, the next six on Īśvara, and the final six on the oneness between the two, which is attained only through knowledge.
Within this overarching framework, the concepts of Karma and Human Freedom are explored in depth.
Karma: Action, Doership, and Divine Ordination
Karma, in the context of the Bhagavad Gita, is multifaceted, encompassing actions, their results, and the cosmic laws governing them. Good actions (karma) are said to bring happiness (puṇya), while wrong actions lead to unhappiness (pāpa). However, the individual's role in the cycle of action and result is complex.
The Nature of Action and Results: A core teaching is captured in the phrase "karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana" – an individual has a choice and qualification only over the action (karma), but not over its results (phala). This is a universal statement of fact, implying that one is not the author of karmaphala. For example, clapping an act, but the sound it produces is an inevitable result, not a matter of choice.
The Role of Īśvara: The source clarifies that Īśvara is the karmaphalahetu, the giver of the fruits of action, and the one who created these infallible laws. Therefore, every result of action is considered a prasāda (graceful acceptance) from Īśvara, which should be accepted reverentially. This understanding fosters an attitude of equanimity (samatva) towards expected (siddhi) or unexpected (asiddhi) outcomes, which is the essence of Karma Yoga.
Doership (Kartr̥tva) and Its Illusion: A critical aspect of karma is doership (kartṛtva), which defines actions that can produce puṇya and pāpa. While a cow gives milk or kicks without incurring puṇya or pāpa due to lack of doership, a human being, as a self-conscious kartā, inevitably gathers them. The individual who identifies as a kartā and bhoktā (enjoyer) is bound by saṃsāra (the cycle of happiness and unhappiness).
However, the deeper Vedantic truth is that the ātmā (Self) is akartā (actionless). The doer, or kartā, is considered mithyā (as-though existent) – it does not truly exist without the ātmā, yet the ātmā itself performs no action. This is an "anirvacanīya" (inexplicable) paradox. This "as-though" kartā does not reap puṇya or pāpa. The śāstras reveal that one is akartā and abhoktā (non-enjoyer), which brings freedom from saṃsāra, guilt, and hurt.
Types of Karma and Their Transcendence: The source mentions three types of karma that bind a jīva (individual soul) who considers themselves a kartā:
Sañcita karma: Accumulated actions from beginningless time.
Āgāmi karma: Actions gathered in the present life that will fructify later.
Prārabdha karma: Actions from past lives that are already fructifying in the current birth.
The "fire of knowledge" (jñānāgniḥ) is said to reduce all these karmas to ashes. When an individual understands "I am not a kartā", the sañcita and āgāmi karmas disappear. While prārabdha karma may continue to manifest (like a released arrow running its course), there is no one to claim its results for the enlightened individual.
Karma Yoga and Its Purpose: Karma Yoga is defined as an attitude towards karma and its results. It is not about performing Karma Yoga but about cultivating an attitude related to karmaphala and karma itself. It serves to neutralize rāga-dveṣa (desires and aversions) and durita (unfolding pāpa). It also cultivates a mind conducive to knowledge and earns grace from Īśvara. The so-called "skill in action" (Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam) is misunderstood as a definition of yoga. Instead, it should be understood as karmasu yogaḥ kauśalam, meaning performing actions in keeping with dharma (righteousness), with yogaḥ or samatva, is called as kauśala, efficiency. This approach helps purify the mind (antaḥkaraṇaśuddhi) and prepares one for the pursuit of knowledge (jñāna).
Human Freedom: Choice, Impulses, and the Path to Self-Control
Human freedom, unlike animal behaviour, lies in the capacity for choice and discernment over actions and impulses.
The Power of Choice: A key distinction between humans and animals is the ability to choose over action. Animals act purely on impulse; a dog barks because it feels like barking, without choice. Human freedom, however, involves the capacity "to do (kartum śakyaṃ), not to do (akartum śakyaṃ), and even to do differently (anyathā vā kartuṃ śakyaṃ)". For example, one might feel like shouting but can choose to speak in a normal voice, or want to hit but refrain from doing so. This choice at the action level defines human freedom.
Desires (Rāga-Dveṣa) as a Privilege and a Challenge: Humans are endowed with desires (rāga and dveṣa – attraction and aversion), which is presented as a privilege not afforded to animals. These desires, while natural endowments like hands and legs, often control individuals, leading to a cycle of happiness when fulfilled and unhappiness when not. Managing these desires, rather than trying to eliminate them entirely (which is not possible even for an enlightened person, much like hunger cannot be totally removed), is crucial. Understanding the nature of karma and its results is essential for managing rāga-dveṣa.
Self-Effort and Upliftment: The Gita emphasizes self-effort in the journey towards freedom, stating, "You have to pull yourself by yourself" (uddharet ātmanātmānaṃ). This involves using discrimination (viveka) and consistent, adequate effort, often through learning from a teacher. It is important not to look down upon oneself ("I cannot do it") as self-deprecation makes one an enemy to oneself. By diligently managing rāga-dveṣa, one becomes a "friend to oneself".
The Path to Significance: Human life, despite its inherent limitations of birth, old age, disease, and sorrow (janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam), offers the unique opportunity to define one's priorities and utilize time effectively. The ultimate goal (puruṣārtha) of human existence is to transcend the feeling of being small and insignificant by gaining knowledge. This knowledge reveals that the individual is not merely a confined body-mind complex but Brahman itself, the limitless and only truly significant entity in the universe.
The Interplay and Path to Liberation (Mokṣa)
The concepts of karma and human freedom converge on the path to mokṣa (liberation), which the Gita defines as naiṣkarmya siddhi – the accomplishment of actionlessness. This is not the absence of action, but the realization that one, as the ātmā, is not the doer (akartā).
Resolving the Dilemma: Arjuna's initial confusion between the paths of Karma Yoga (action) and saṃnyāsa (renunciation of action) is central to the Gita. Krishna clarifies that there are two primary niṣṭhās (commitments) for mokṣa: Karma Yoga and Jñāna Yoga (the pursuit of knowledge). Both paths lead to the same goal, mokṣa, with Karma Yoga purifying the mind and preparing one for Jñāna Yoga. saṃnyāsa itself can be a means (vividiṣā saṃnyāsaḥ, for knowledge) or an end (sarvakarmasaṃnyāsa, the state of actionlessness achieved through knowledge).
The Role of Bhakti and Śraddhā: Bhakti (devotion) is presented as an essential element across all paths and for all types of devotees—those in distress (ārta), those desiring gain (arthārthī), those desiring knowledge (jijñāsu), and even the knower (jñānī). Without bhakti, neither Karma Yoga nor saṃnyāsa can be fruitful. Bhakti transforms ordinary actions into yoga. The highest form of bhakti is realizing that Īśvara is non-separate from oneself. Śraddhā (faith), particularly the conviction that Jīva and Īśvara are one, is crucial for beginning and sustaining the pursuit of knowledge.
Transcending the Guṇas: The Gita extensively describes the three guṇas (qualities) of prakṛti (nature) – sattva (associated with knowledge, happiness), rajas (ambition, drive), and tamas (laziness, indifference). Every individual is a combination of these guṇas, and one's personality and actions are influenced by their predominance. Human freedom allows for a change in this guṇa composition; one can cultivate sattva through practices like satsaṅga (association with the wise) and right actions, thereby climbing the ladder towards knowledge and liberation. The ultimate goal is to become guṇātīta—free from the binding influence of the guṇas—by understanding their nature and realizing oneself as distinct from them.
The Ultimate Freedom in Knowledge: The path culminates in jñāna (knowledge), which is considered the greatest purifier. This knowledge is not merely intellectual understanding but a direct realization that "I am Brahman" (Ahaṃ Brahman). It entails seeing the entire universe (jagat) as a manifestation of Īśvara, where all objects are merely nāmarūpas (names and forms), an expression of Īśvara's knowledge. The jagat is mithyā (as-though real, not absolutely real, but not non-existent) and non-separate from Brahman.
This realization frees the individual from the cycle of karma and saṃsāra. The enlightened one, the jñānī, though still performing actions in the world, sees themselves as akartā (non-doer), thereby transcending the results of action. This state of being, where the ego and sense of separate doership vanish, is the ultimate sarvakarmasaṃnyāsa and mokṣa, leading to an unchanging peace and fulfillment. By surrendering completely to Īśvara, one is freed from all pāpa and puṇya, which are the very causes of saṃsāra.
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