so next verse Krishna will tell what is vision of Avidvan and what is the vision of Vidvan

 

We are discussing 4th section how Karma Yoga is different from Karma Kanda, Karma Kanda cause bondage Karma Yoga doesn’t cause bondage.

 

3.25 & 3.26 talked about the contrast between the the Vidyan and Asaktah those who are enlightened and detached as contrasted with those who are ignorant and attached avidyan and saktah. So what is the difference between these two is talked in next 3 verses.

Bg 3.27

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

Word for word: 

prakṛteḥ — of material nature; kriyamāṇāni — being done; guṇaiḥ — by the modes; karmāṇi — activities; sarvaśaḥ — all kinds of; ahaṅkāra–vimūḍha — bewildered by false ego; ātmā — the spirit soul; kartā — doer; aham — I; iti — thus; manyate — he thinks.

Translation: 

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.

 

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni, kriyamāṇāni means being done Kriya is action so kriyamāṇāni is being done, so that which is done by Prakriti .

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, so the Gunas of Prakriti, they do the actions 

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, the condition soul is vimudha deluded by Ahankara, ego 

kart āham, thinks that I am the doer iti manyate, one who thinks 

 

What is the meaning of this verse; if everything is done by three modes then what it is the reason or rational telling in BG do this or don’t do this. Scripture gives philosophy within context which has to be understood. So the important point is here it is mentioned that the modes are the doer and the soul which thinks that I am the doer is deluded, is vimūḍhā. The important point to understand is that Soul is definitely doer but soul is not the only doer. Soul is one of the doers. 

So what does it mean that soul is one of the doer, it essentially means that the soul is initiating the action.

Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan says in Vendant Sutra that when a wood cutter is cutting the tree it is not wood cutter himself it is also the tool, axe. So woodcutter cannot cut without axe and although axe has the capacity but it doesn’t have the consciousness to decide to cut or not to cut. So axe cut because there is a conscious being who desire to cut the tree. So among these two which is important, both are important it depends on context. 

So similarly for our action in this world for example while speaking body organs speak and without the organ a person will not be able to speak at the same time if the organ is present but the person doesn’t have the desire to speak then no sound will come out, so both is required to speak. 

So this is with respect to normal actions which we do, when Krishna is talking here He says actually our actions the way we are inclined to act and the way we act it is largely determined but three modes e.g. a person wanted to climb Mount Everest, who is climbing soul or body?…it is body which is climbing, the tool,  which is governed by material nature, the soul has particular kind of desire which is ALSO governed by material nature not governed entirely, but generally for soul the gamut of choice of desired is determined by material nature suppose if a student is writing exam and a question is asked what is the capital of India and options provided are Moscow, Washington or New York, then a student think which option to select as all the options are wrong. Similarly when a conditioned soul is disconnected from Krishna it is caught within material nature so within material nature what you wanted to do, how you wanted to act? In mode of goodness, mode of passion or mode of ignorance, all three are worn action for the soul, because the soul by nature is spiritual and being spiritual the soul natural action are to love and serve Krishna but the soul doesn’t know anything about spiritual knowledge the soul is not connected with Krishna then the only option which are available for the soul are provided by material nature and all these actions are based on the platform of forgetfulness of Krishna, about the ignorance of one’s spiritual identity so there is verity in 3 modes but ultimately there is no real. Actually that is the predicament of soul in non-human species they just have to act as the material nature pushes itself to act, in human body also there is pull and pushes of material nature, we have to act in responsible nature. Material nature will be pushing us to work in a particular way we cannot entirely resist or reject the push of material nature, if we don’t flight strongly against material nature we will be impelled to act in a particular way like a Kshetriya is impelled to fight similarly a Vaisya will think about money, a nature cannot be given up.

Krishna is making point you cannot entirely resist or reject material nature but act according to your nature within the realm of Dharma, so a Vaisya is money minded he can earn money by dharmic way, Kshetriya is having quality as Ishwara Bhava (in 18th chapter) (mood of God or emotion of God, Krishna talk about this quality in a positive way, which means a desirable way, never flee from battle even in difficult situation, it is a fact of nature, rather than suppress the nature try to dovetail that nature in Krishna’s services. 

So the point which Krishna is making to Arjuna is that if you are thinking that I will renounce and go in forest it is simply modes impelling you but this impulse of mode is not in harmony with your normal nature and because it is not in harmony with your normal nature there will be disruption. So understand your nature and act accordingly why accordingly not that complete surrender to our nature but rather We should dovetail our nature in devotional service or Karma yoga by that you will be purified gradually. 

So the important meaning of this verse is recognize that your body has certain inclinations your mind has certain inclinations you cannot resist and reject them completely so therefore dovetail them that is what we will see from next verse