Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

So we have discussed the first section where Krishna discussed how action with detachment, with the mood of renunciation is better than renunciation of action, 

1-12: Karma yoga

Essentially how by performing Karma Yoga one can stay free from bondage.

13-17: The Jnana of a Karma-yogi I: 5 factors of action

Previous point is explained philosophically further in second section where it describes what keeps a Karam Yogi free from bondage is the Gyana of the Karama Yogi. Which describes 5 factors of action and describes how when one understand these five factors and act, one will stay free from bondage.

18-40: The Jnana of a Karma-yogi II: the modes control all activities

Further analysis on elements of action and how those elements of actions like Karma, Karta, Gyana, determination, drithi, knowledge, doer, action, how all these things effect when a person is doing activities. And then depending on in which mode these are done appropriate result comes about. 

41-48: Karma yoga offered to Krishna

49-55: Jnana yoga with bhakti offered to Krishna

56-78: Bhakti yoga

 

First section is Karma yoga, it is better to do one’s activity then to renounce activity, we discussed about Nitya Karam and Anitya Karma, now we will see some important point how action in renunciation which ultimately culminates in Bhakti integrates the virtues of both , Bhakti is Karma with detachment from matter and attachment to Krishna, 

Bhakti Synthesizes Karma and Gyana

+ve -Ve
Karma Natural Binding Thesis
Gyana Liberating Unnatural Antithesis
Bhakti Natural Liberating Synthesis

 

So positive of Karma is, it is natural we all wanted to be active but negative of karma is, it causes bondage in material existence,  then +ve of Gyana is, it is liberating because one is not going to get into activity, it is slowly liberating but the –Ve is that being inactive is unnatural,  Hagalian who was a European thinker, he had the idea that first one proposes one particular idea that is Thesis,  then one tries to counter that idea that is antithesis, and then one combines Thesis and Antithesis together that is Synthesis, Synthesis is a higher understanding which integrate both contrary school of thoughts while removing their negative parts of problems, so we will see Bhakti is the synthesis,  so when we act in devotion to the Supreme Lord, action is natural but because the action is not motivated by our own desires, it is motivated to serve the Lord it is not binding it is liberating, so in this way Bhakti is natural and liberating the positives of both, and negatives of both are removed, so this is the spirit in which we act. 

So now when we talk about Gyana,

There are 4 types of Gyanis: 

  1. Those who Don’t practice bhakti at all. 

They just practice Gyana Sadhana

  1. Practice bhakti, but offend Lord’s form (Mayavadis–7.24,9.11)

Both of above 1 & 2 falls down as explained by Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Pad

  1. Practice bhakti to attain sayujya (Brahmavadis-12.3-5,18.54-55)
  2. Practice bhakti, and by devotees association, attain prema.

So the word Gyani shouldn’t be equated all the times with Mayavadis.

Krishna has said earlier naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet, if one renounces out of frustration because kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet, then we will not get phala of Tyaga renunciation itself is not the fruit, our goal for renunciation is purification and illumination we wanted to be free from Anarthas and we wanted to get higher understanding, 

Tyagaphala :

1.Purification

2.Illumination

Misery can be an initial spur but not a sustainer for renunciation.

The only sustainers are philosophical conviction and devotional attraction

Renunciation is not lack of ambition but is super-ambition

  • Renounce not because what the world offers is too tough, but too little
  • In material life, the pleasure is not worth the trouble
  • In spiritual life, the happiness is worth whatever trouble is required

 

Now referring kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet

Kaya-klesha – trouble for the body

BG 17.5-6: Don’t trouble the body unnecessarily

māṁ caivāntaḥ śarīra-sthaṁ
tān viddhy āsura-niścayān

talks about those who torment their bodies out of illusion. They are demoniac. This is one extreme.

18.8: Don’t give up duty due to fear of trouble for the body

This is another extreme pamper the body and not taking necessarily trouble. 

Inference: Accept bodily trouble when it is necessary for the sake of duty

e.g. taking bath in the morning with cold water, house wives has to cook in the summer.

Bg 18.10

na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma
kuśale nānuṣajjate
tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo
medhāvī chinna-saṁśayaḥ

Synonyms: 

na — never; dveṣṭi — hates; akuśalam — inauspicious; karma — work; kuśale — in the auspicious; na — nor; anuṣajjate — becomes attached; tyāgī — the renouncer; sattva — in goodness; samāviṣṭaḥ — absorbed; medhāvī— intelligent; chinna — having cut off; saṁśayaḥ — all doubts.

Translation: 

The intelligent renouncer situated in the mode of goodness, neither hateful of inauspicious work nor attached to auspicious work, has no doubts about work.

Till now from 18.7 to 18.9 Krishna has talked about the Tyaga in three modes. Now He will elaborate how Tyaga will lead to liberation. 

Tyaga in terms of Tyaga in goodness will lead to liberation, 

na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma, is that work which is inauspicious, Kusala Karam means that expertise in work which brings good results, 

so there are some works which are pleasurable to us and some works which are unpleasant to us. 

na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma, so some works which we don’t like to do but we still do them, because it is duty, 

kuśale nānuṣajjate, and some works we like to do but that doesn’t mean we just keep doing that and forget that there is higher reality in life, 

so either way one doesn’t just let material dominate one’s conception, 

tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo, so such a person is Tyagi, who is neither attached not averse, sattva-samāviṣṭo, such a person is absorbed in Satto Guna, 

medhāvī chinna-saṁśayaḥ, medhāvī, such a person is truly intelligent, because their intelligence is able to comprehend that material does not have to have monopoly on the emotional, that means all our emotions don’t have to be restricted to material things, we can have emotions for higher things also, 

all doubts of such a person are removed because he understood that art of work is to work with detachment. Otherwise one have so many doubts that if I do this will I get enjoyment, if I get enjoyment will I also get bondage, how can I save myself from bondage, should I renounce all the works, all these Samsaya goes away from a person who is medhāvī, who acts in Karma Yoga.

So at this point Krishna is talking about Karam Yoga but how this Karma Yoga will mature into Bhakti Yoga that Krishna will mention in the later part if this chapter.

Srila Prabhupada explained everything from the perspective of Bhakti Yoga over here.

End of transcription.