of meanings appropriate for various stages of consciousness. An attempt will be made to give some of its meanings according to the limited understanding of the author.

The plain meaning is that every person, in a moment of emotional disturbance and confusion, should make a conscious effort to act rationally and take recourse to action which is exemplary, and which would bring reward in this world and the next. At the crucial moment, being overtaken by emotion can be disastrous.

Going deeper, the verse provides a splendid way of deciding upon the right course of action suited to one's normal nature and temperament. The way every one would act in a given situation depends upon his nature and temperament, his environment and the stage of his spiritual development. At normal times, it is not difficult to decide upon the right course of action. Even if there is a conflict, intellect can analyse the situation and solve the problem. However, the difficulty arises in an emotional disturbance when, along with the senses and the mind, the intellect gets affected also; and can no longer be relied upon to perform an impartial analysis. This is what had happened to Arjuna. In such situations, the intellect very often cooks up an apparently infallible and consistent argument, which might be applicable to another person but is not applicable to the person in question. We have seen that this is indeed what happened in Arjuna’s case.

We shall see how this verse provides three touchstones to test whether a certain course of action is right or not with reference to the person concerned. The touchstones are universal in applicability although their verdict is not absolute but relative to the subject in question. They work in normal state of mind as well as in a state of mental disturbance and confusion when the mind and intellect are polluted. The only thing essential is that one must be able to apply the touchstones honestly and then act according to their verdict.

The first touchstone is 'Anaryajushtam' or 'shunned by the noble'. Shri Krishna tells Arjuna that such an act (withdrawing from the battle) as he proposes to do is shunned by the noble. It should be remembered that noble is a relative term. A person may have different ideals and values and, therefore, there may not be any consensus on who are noble persons. But, each person is bound to have some whom he regards noble and for whom he has unreserved regard. Such persons may be saints, teachers, parents etc. endowed with noble qualities within the value system of the subject in question. The person concerned should now try to imagine one of these noble persons in his situation and should ask ' would he do as I want to do ‘. He would get an answer suited to his conscience. It is interesting that in an emotional disturbance or confusion, when the balance of mind is lost, the regard which one has for his teachers etc. remains intact; and, although one cannot see directly what is the right course of action for him in the situation, one is able to see much more clearly what his noble persons would do in that situation.

The second touchstone mentioned by Krishna is 'Asvargyam' not leading to heaven. A person should think of what would be the ultimate result of the course of action proposed. Interestingly, as has been mentioned earlier, Arjuna had considered and analysed the evil arising out of fighting the battle, but he had not considered the ultimate result of his withdrawal from the battle, the action which he proposed to do in the case of a materialistic person, the ultimate result would be with reference to material attainments only, while in the case of a person who believes in rebirth, the ultimate result would take into account the subsequent births also. Hence, this yardstick also is relative.

The third touchstone is 'Akirtikaram' - not bringing fame. The subject should ask, 'if what I propose to do becomes publicly known, would it bring fame to me' However a person may say that he does not care for public opinion, no person can really live in isolation from the society without developing internal conflicts and complexes.

Thus the three touchstones prescribed by Bhagavan Shri Krishna take care of different aspects of one's personality and decision making process. The first touchstone takes care of one's value system or conscience. The second one ensures that the course of action adopted is rational in the sense that it results into something desirable from the point of view of the subject in question. The third touchstone takes care of the social component of one's self. In most cases, all the three touchstones would give the same verdict. Even if it is not so, at less two are bound to give positive or negative answer on the basis of which it can be decided whether the proposed course of action should be pursued or not.

The three touchstones have been pursued in the subsequent verses also by Shri Krishna. Verses 11 to 30 follow from the first touchstone (even the knowledge about self propounded in verses from 12 to 30 is according to how the wise and the noble men think). Verses 31 and 32 dwell upon the second touchstone and verses 33 to 35 elaborate the third touchstone.

The above mentioned interpretations of the verse are at intellectual level. The three touchstones discussed above can certainly guide the intellect in a moment of disturbance and tension. But, getting the right guidance is one thing and being able to follow it is quite another. In spite of ascertaining intellectually what is the right course of action, the mind, overwhelmed with sorrow or emotion may refuse to co-operate (we shall see a little later that, this, indeed, was Arjuna's condition). In this situation, it would be necessary to go to the root of ignorance (in the spiritual sense) in order to overcome it so that the mind may be free from disturbance and confusion. This cannot be done at mental or intellectual level. One has to seek refuge in the self who is source and substance of all sensuous and mental experiences and to whom all the thoughts belong. this verse helps to root out the ignorance from its very foundations.

The verse says 'from where did this ignorance arise' The supreme self is ever pure and perfect consciousness and bliss free from blemish and ignorance. He is the ultimate reality from which all the material universe, interplay of mental experiences, ego and intellect arise and in which they end. There is no real existence of anything apart from him. Then, from where does ignorance arise. Shri Krishna has posed this question to Arjuna but he does not expect an answer at the mental level. This question has not to be tackled at an intellectual level. There is no use thinking hard on concentrating on this question because that would be mental or intellectual effort and would fail to go at the root of the problem. Mind cannot solve the problem because mind itself is the problem in such a situation. What is required is Atmavichara (introspection) in which one should sit relaxed (rather than with concentration) preferably with eyes closed and put the question to oneself very naturally without straining oneself in any way. If stray thoughts (which may be disturbing also) arise, they should neither be encouraged consciously nor suppressed with effort. They should be ignored like uninvited guests or pedestrians on a road. Some times, one may be unconsciously carried away by a thought stream, but it does not matter at all. As soon as it is remembered what one was sitting for, one should come back to the question which quietly and wait for what comes. Of course, this introspection is more useful as a regular daily practice than as a device to meet a particular situation. Every day about 10 or 15 minutes of introspection may be adequate to ensure a steady evolution towards permanent removal of ignorance.

As far as the question itself is concerned, no absolute answer can be quoted which would do the trick (removal of ignorance) in every case. One must find the answer himself and by his own evolutionary process. Even the answer that one would be getting finally may not work, if told to him in the beginning itself.

However, some general remarks can be made about the origin of ignorance. A hint is contained in the verse itself. 'Vishame' which has been translated as 'untimely' to fit into the intellectual meaning, but can also mean 'in unevenness'. Ignorance arises out of unevenness or disturbance of mind and not vice versa as one normally thinks. In fact, according to the terminology of Upanishads, mind itself is a disturbance of the otherwise calm and even surface of 'Chitta' (pure consciousness) which is the true nature of self. Basically there is no difference between ' Chitta' and 'Mana' (mind) when it is even and free from disturbance, it reflects 'Jynana' (knowledge) which is self and is called 'Chitta'; and if it is uneven and disturbed (whether in a positive direction of happiness or in the negative direction of sorrow) it is called mind. When the disturbance becomes excessive the balance of mind is lost we call it ignorance, infatuation or emotional disturbance. Thus, ignorance has no real basis at all. If one encourages it, it assumes various forms - obsession, infatuation, anger, frustration, sorrow etc. and deludes the senses, mind and intellect. But when it is ignored it loses its power. Also when we try to see its source or basis, it is found that it has no basis at all - it is merely on assumption totally unfounded and uncalled for. Going back to the previous meaning of 'Vishama' ignorance is untimely at all times.

It has been mentioned in Kathopanishada that the supreme self and lord cannot be known by speaking, listening or by intellectual effort. He can be known only by his own grace and he reveals Himself only to His devotees. Whoever knows Him never grieves. Shri Krishna is the Supreme Lord and the inner most Self of all beings. When His grace is assured, Arjuna's ignorance cannot last for long.

Rather harsh words Shri Krishna has used for Arjuna, and the emphasis is meant. Arjuna has been addressed twice - first as Partha (son of Pritha) and then as Parantapa (scorcher of enemies). Arjuna's despondency has been called unmanliness and faintheartedness. Shri Krishna intends to shock Arjuna so that he admits his ignorance explicitly and comes up with a request to his Lord to remove it with the supreme and eternal Jynana (knowledge).

On an intellectual plane, the previous verse had indicated how to arrive at the right course of action in a state of emotional disturbance and confusion. Having applied those yardsticks and come to the right conclusion (to fight the battle, in Arjuna's case) in this verse Shri Krishna tells Arjuna to shake off the weakness of heart and rise up to the righteous activity. He has no sympathy for the ignorance and confusion, which stand in the way of taking up the righteous action even after it has been ascertained by a rational analysis. Also, Shri Krishna has called the weakness of mind of faintheartedness paltry, meaning thereby that it is well within one's power to overcome it, once one's true potential has been realised. If a person dwells only on an intellectual plane, this is perhaps all that he can do in any dilemma; assertion rationally, according to the previous verse, what is the right course of action for him, and then remembering (according to this verse) that the faintheartedness is just a temporary and paltry affair not suited to his real nature, rise up to the action. The two verses give a complete guidance to the rationalist.

If we are prepared to go beyond intellect, this verse has other reverberations also. Having realised that ignorance has no real basis at all, it is like a ghost who feeds on illusion, it is apparent that this, ignorance is not worthy of the true nature of self. It is unmanliness of the man (Self) because in spite of the fact that the self, who is the witness, the consent given, the sustainer and the experience, overlord of all, is ever-present, the senses, mind and the intellect deluded by ignorance tend to go astray. The faintheartedness or ignorance is paltry because the moment the true nature of Self is revealed, the faintheartedness or ignorance vanishes altogether and the senses, mind and intellect, working perfect co-ordination, automatically come to know what is the right course of action and follow it.

The first verse shows how one should go to the root of ignorance to know its true nature. The second verse shows how one should, knowing the true nature of self, discard ignorance of faintheartedness and engage in the righteous activity. Thus, in a nutshell, the two verses contain the complete knowledge and guidance.

In spite of the fact that the entire knowledge and guidance is contained in the previous two verses, Arjuna does not feel equal to pursue the righteous course of action (fight the battle) yet. This only shows that, unlike an intellectual argument, transmission of knowledge is seldom instantaneous. There have been very few examples like that of Janaka who had received the Brahma Jynana from the great sage Ashtavakra instantaneously. In most cases, one has to follow one's own evolutionary path and pass through all the necessary stages. Indeed we must be ever grateful to Shri Krishna and Arjuna that the knowledge was not transmitted instantaneously otherwise we would have been deprived of it.

Shri Krishna has not really started the teaching yet. Although the two previous verses do contain the entire knowledge in a nutshell, they are meant more for shocking Arjuna so that he is more aware of his conflicts and then requests Shri Krishna to remove them. At the psychological and spiritual level, unless and until a person himself recognises consciously what are his weaknesses or problems, it is not possible for anybody to tackle them externally. A Guru must make his pupil see his ignorance and weak points and guide him how to remove them. The real Guru is inside oneself only. The external Guru can only make his pupil see his internal Guru for guidance and knowledge. There is no use imposing any knowledge from outside without the pupil realising the need for it. In this case, however, Shri Krishna, the Jagadguru (the supreme teacher of the universe), is the inner most Self of all beings and is the internal Guru for Arjuna and for all of us. By His divine power, He has assumed a human form and is playing the role of an external Guru also.

Arjuna has seen, mentally pondering over the two verses, that rationally the proper thing for him is to fight. Accordingly he has abandoned the intellectual argument (verses 38 to 45 Chapter I). Now he says 'How shall I fight?' In spite of knowing that the righteous thing for him is to fight, he is unable to reconcile himself to the unpleasantness arising out of fighting the battle. How should he shoot arrows at Bhishma and Drona (his aged grandsire, and teacher respectively) who are worthy of worship? If one has to do this in order to follow the righteous activity or Dharma, One must mentally get reconciled to this conflict. As we shall see later, in the path of Yoga (divine union) there is no need to get reconciled to anything, because there is nothing to get reconciled to. There are no conflicts at all.

There has been an emotional change also in Arjuna since he has had the benefit of the two previous verses: previously his feelings were out of love, compassion and pity for his kinsmen. Now it is regard for his elders and teachers, which is uppermost. Very soon it is going to be transformed into devotion and taking refuge in the supreme teacher, Shri Krishna. Then he will be ready to receive the supreme instruction.

The cry of Arjuna's heart is much like that in verses 33 and 35 in the previous chapter, but with a difference that now respect for his elders and masters is uppermost in his mind than simply attachment with his kinsmen. It was considered very dishonourable to live on alms for a Kshatriya, but Arjuna feels that even that is better than to kill his reverend teachers for the sake of worldly pleasures.

The conflict and confusion in Arjuna's mind becomes explicit for the first time. He does not know whether he should follow the call of his Dharma and fight or he should follow his heart and not fight. He does not know what the future has in store for him - whether the Pandavas will win or the Kauravas. Moreover, he sees no charm in life even after killing the Kauravas. What should he do in a situation in which winning and loosing are equally frustrating?

Arjuna admits his weakness and confusion and asks Bhagavan Shri Krishna what is good for him. As long as a person does not recognise his deficiency himself, it is impossible for any one else to remove it. It would not have been possible, for example, to impart any such knowledge to Duryodhana as was imparted to Arjuna in Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta for the simple reason that he never felt the need for it. Such knowledge cannot be imposed from outside. It is useful only if the pupil sincerely desires it and makes a request about it. Towards the end of Bhagavad Geeta, Shri Krishna has said that this knowledge should never be imparted to a man who lacks penance, and devotion and who is not willing to listen to it and in no case to him who finds fault in Me.

Not only this, the effectiveness of communication depends upon the degree of sincerity and the extent of devotion which the pupil has for his master. Shri Krishna has stated in verse 34, of Chapter IV that the supreme knowledge can be known through homage, repeated inquiry and service towards the men of knowledge. Then only would the knowledge be effectively imparted to the pupil. The reason is that even after one has recognised the need for knowledge, one’s ego comes in the way of the communication of knowledge. For a perfect communication of the highest knowledge, the ego must dissolve completely, at least at the time of the teaching. This can happen only when the pupil has total faith, and devotion for his master and he makes a complete surrender to the master.

Here it must be remembered that in terms of the social relationship that existed between Arjuna and Shri Krishna, the two were friends and equals. In spite of this, Arjuna has not only recognised and admitted his deficiency but has proclaimed himself as a disciple of Shri Krishna and sought refuge in him. As long as this had not happened, Shri Krishna’s words (verses 2 and 3) though full of meaning, were in the nature of a friendly advice. Now Arjuna is ready to receive the supreme and divine knowledge and Shri Krishna also has a definite responsibility as a teacher to enlighten Arjuna, because he has taken refuge in Him.

Knowledge at an intellectual level can be learnt without a personal bond of devotion and surrender for the teacher. A certain devotion to the subject and mental effort in the form of concentration is sufficient for intellectual learning. But, whenever the knowledge is such that it transcends the mind like spiritual knowledge or arts and music etc. a personal bond of devotion towards the teacher and complete surrender to him is a must.

Some people think that admitting one’s inferiority and taking refuge in one’s teacher is a sign of weakness and lack of confidence and results into subduing one’s personality. The fact is that not admitting one’s weakness in spite of recognizing it internally is a weakness resulting from overextended ego which is the biggest obstacle in one’s progress in any field, and more so in spiritual field. Surrender to an external person would certainly be a sign of weakness and lack of confidence, but it does not have to be so. As has been remarked earlier, the real teacher is one’s own supreme Self (Paramatma) who is beyond the mind, ego and intellect. The purpose of any spiritual instruction is to lead the way to the Self. The external teacher must kindle the light of knowledge so that the mind of the pupil guided by the light of Self, the ultimate teacher, is able to see its own path. Thus, a surrender to even an external teacher must ultimately become surrender to Self, discarding or at least ignoring the prompting of mind, ego and intellect. This surrender is the gateway of knowledge and the biggest strength against worldly miseries

The surrender spoken of above must be total and not partial. If Arjuna had requested Shri Krishna to suggest a way out of his fighting the battle, surrendering himself at his feet for this purpose, it would have been a partial surrender. In such a surrender, although ego and intellect are surrendered to the Lord, mind is not surrendered fully. The surrender is conditional because the request to the Lord is something like ‘please do anything but grant the wishes of the mind’. Arjuna’s surrender is not partial but total. He says ‘Tell me decisively what is good for me’. He has not laid down any conditions. Shri Krishna is the external as well as internal teacher for Arjuna, being the Supreme Self. Accordingly, as soon as a total surrender is made to Him, the journey of knowledge begins.

Another illuminating example of total surrender is that of Goswami Tulasidas in one of the lines of his famous Sankata Mochana Hanuman Stuti which means ‘O Supreme Lord, Shri Hanuman! Solve fast whatever be my problem’. The great devotee does not specify his problem. He requests Shri Hanuman to decide, in his own enlightened wisdom what is his problem and then solve it in the way that he wants. This is the real surrender.

When total surrender cannot be practiced in the beginning, partial surrender may have to be resorted to for a start. But, at some stage, it must give way to total surrender if the ultimate goal is to be realised.

The divine instruction of Bhagavad Geeta starts with surrender and ends with surrender. The final instruction also is to take refuge in Me resigning all Dharmas. In the beginning the surrender though total is at the level of intention only because he has a number of doubts at intellectual level, a lot of grief disturbing his mind and some ego troubling him also.

At the final stage of the instruction, his intellect has been fully satisfied by removing all doubts, the ego has been subdued, and the mind is free from grief. At this stage, following the righteous activity becomes a natural and spontaneous process and no Dharma is needed for guidance. Simply surrender to the supreme Self is sufficient which takes care of everything.

Worldly problems can be, and must be, tackled at worldly level; but worry and grief arising out of them cannot be tackled at worldly level. That is why Arjuna says that even if he achieves the highest of worldly attainments (unrivalled kingdom on the earth and lordship of gods meaning a complete command of the forces of nature) he does not see anything which could dispel his grief. He would be unhappy whether he won or lost. He would be unhappy even if he did not fight (then his brothers and other friends and relations in Pandava army would not survive). There is no solution of this unhappiness or grief at the worldly level although it can be ascertained whether to fight or not.

On the face of it, it may look strange that, having made a complete surrender to Shri Krishna, Arjuna again asserted that he would not fight. If he has already decided not to fight, why does he request to tell him decisively what is good for him? Is he going back on surrender?

The truth is that ‘I will not fight’ is a desire of the mind and having surrendered himself to Shri Krishna, he does not want to hide that. He says, "in spite of the fact that I intend to take refuge in you, I am full of grief of which I see no solution (last verse) and I do not wish to fight." If the mind had become free from grief and desires with the intent of surrender no further instruction would have been necessary, since the stage depicted in Verse 66 of Chapter XVIII would have arrived.

Arjuna has noted that in spite of his taking refuge in Lord and leaving it to him to decide what is good for him, the grief still persists and the mind still has its own desires. He must be puzzled that although the supreme guidance from the supreme Lord is assured, the mind is still unhappy and has its own reservation. While, there is a childlike simplicity in Arjuna’s outburst, ‘I will not fight’, there is a tremendous wisdom also contained in these words. Even if fighting is good for him, he does not want to fight half-heartedly, suppressing his feelings and emotions. Whatever is good for him, he wants to do it whole-heartedly without any mental reservation. His earlier request to Shri Krishna ‘Tell me decisively what is good’ can hardly be taken in a restrictive sense to mean that he simply wanted to know whether he should fight or not. Shri Krishna had already told him that his decision not to fight did not measure up to the three touchstones and therefore, he must give up his faint-heartedness and get up to fight. Moreover, if Arjuna had merely wanted to substitute his discretion with Shri Krishna’s about whether to fight or not, Bhagavan’s reply should have consisted of one sentence, ‘you must fight’. There would not have been any necessity of such a prolonged discourse. Arjuna wanted not only to know what is the right course of action for him, but more importantly, he also wants Shri Krishna to remove all his intellectual doubts, grief and mental reservations so that, free from all misgivings, he himself feels inspired to follow the righteous course of action. This is the ultimate purpose of any spiritual instruction – to make the mind transcend the field of happiness, sorrow and desires and establish contact with the pure consciousness of Self so that one naturally and automatically engages in the activity which is good for him.

Arjuna is immersed deep in sorrow and Shri Krishna is all smiles. The Liladhara (divine player) seems to be amused at His own Lila (divine play). Spells of sorrow, happiness, pessimism, optimism, success, failure, pleasure, pain, knowledge, ignorance etc. are what else but His Lila? It is because of Him that these come and it is because of Him they go. He is uninvolved, unaffected and ever smiling in Bliss which is His own nature.

Shri Krishna’s smiling reaction must be very reassuring to Arjuna. He knows that Shri Krishna, his best friend and all capable Master would not be teasing him. He must be having a solution of all the problems he has posed – and particularly that of the (apparently) insurmountable grief (verse 8). Not only this, the smile indicates that there is no problem at all in reality except that of ignorance (Moha). With the first few verses of the instruction that follows, the sorrow of Arjuna vanishes in no time. Next time when he speaks (verse 54) he is on a different plane altogether, his sorrow having gone away long ago.

As if smilingly means that it is a smile as well as a concern and seriousness which Shri Krishna is wearing. Sanjaya is not quite able to describe Shri Krishna’s expression; so he says ‘as if smilingly’. Shri Krishna has been listening to all that Arjuna had to say very patiently. Only when he fell silent, Shri Krishna chooses to speak.

Shri Krishna acknowledges that Arjuna has been speaking like the wise inasmuch as his intellectual arguments are valid (verse 38 to 45 of the last chapter) and yet his thinking is not like the wise. Unlike the wise who do not grieve for anything living or dead, he is grieving for those who should not be grieved for. If Arjuna wants to follow the wise, he must follow them in all respects. Wisdom does not lie in intellectual expression alone; it lies in the way of thinking and overall conduct. Since wise do not grieve for living or dead, it follows that the wise do not grieve for anything at all. In fact, grieving or sorrow is a conclusive evidence for ignorance. For a learned man, in possession of knowledge, there cannot be any situation which calls for grieving. Grieving is never justified. It arises out of ignorance. That is why, Shri Krishna tells Arjuna ‘you talk like the wise but you are not wise because you grieve and the wise never grieve’. Of course, Shri Krishna is tactful. He does not tell Arjuna directly that he is not wise. He says ‘although you speak like the wise, you are grieving while the wise never grieve.’ Thus Shri Krishna leaves it to Arjuna to draw the conclusion himself.

The words Gatasuna and Agatasuna (meaning dead and living respectively) have other reverberations also. They seem to convey ‘time which has gone’ and ‘the time which has not gone yet’ also. Thus, one should not grieve for what has already happened and is irrecoverable and also one should not grieve for what is inevitable. It has been shown to Arjuna by Shri Krishna (verse 2) that the right thing for him is to fight. Once that has been ascertained, it is inevitable that in the battle he will have to fight with his kinsmen and they will be killed. To grieve for that is not wisdom. There are rational grounds on which one can understand intellectually why grieving is not justified under any circumstances. The spiritual light in which it can be seen why grieving is pointless is contained in the following verses which unfold the eternal wisdom of Sankhya.

The path of knowledge is full of light, bliss and optimism. There is no room for despair, frustration or pessimism in it. To be overwhelmed with sorrow does not fit into the conduct of a learned Pandits at all. Thus this verse and the following verses (up to verse 30) are an elaboration of the first touchstone viz. ‘Asvargyama’ mentioned in verse 2. Having stipulated that the wise or learned never grieve, Shri Krishna elaborates in the following verses how they think and what knowledge they keep in mind for keeping sorrow away

Shri Krishna explains why one should not grieve for the dead. The existence of every being is absolute and infinite. It is not bound by birth and death or, for that matter, by any event in time. There was no time when all of us did not exist and there will be no time when we will cease to be. We are all eternal beings without beginning and end. Time is powerless against us. Shri Krishna takes the mind off from the relative part of existence (which is permeated by time, space and senses, subject to creation and destruction and which gives rise to happiness, sorrow etc.) to the absolute existence, which is beyond senses and time. No matter what happens at worldly level (sphere of relative existence), we always are, unaffected and above everything that is worldly. Turning attention from the relative field of existence to the absolute existence of our being is the only way of shaking off ignorance and sorrow. All the ignorance, troubles, tensions arise out of thoughts (concerning sense experiences) and are themselves thoughts. Once attention is fixed on the owner of these thoughts who is the Absolute Being, the ignorance melts away and there is an end to all the troubles, tensions and sorrow.

A person passes into the stages of childhood, youth and old age, but his being remains the same. Nobody says that he is a different person just because he has grown into a different stage. The same principle applies when, after death, there is rebirth into a different body. The event of death, and passing into another body is equivalent to the transformations of childhood, youth and old age. In all these transformations, the being of the person does not change at all, he remains the same and unaffected.

Sensations of cold, heat, comfort, discomfort, pleasure, pain, happiness, sorrow etc. have no absolute existence of their own. They arise as a result of the contact of the senses ( including the outer senses of vision, hearing, taste, touch and smell, and the mind, the inner sense) with the relevant sense objects. Since both the senses and their objects are changeable and perishable, these sensations arising out of the contact between the two are transient, finite and have definite beginnings and ends. As compared to the infinite and immutable existence of the Being or the Self, referred to in the previous two verses, the existence of these sensations of pleasure and pain etc. are finite. From the standpoint of an infinite entity, the existence of a finite entity is negligible. A person who dwells in the world of senses, mind, ego, and intellect only and who is not conscious of his existence beyond these, attaches undue importance to the positive and negative experiences of the senses and the mind and they get the better of him. However, once a person becomes aware of his true nature, he knows that he is infinitely more and well above the world of senses and mind. Then he does not mind going through these experiences, which are finite and fleeting, and attaches only marginal significance to them.

Shri Krishna, having explained why one should not grieve for the dead in the previous two verses, explains in this verse why one should not grieve for those who are living and suffering. Sufferings are but transient phenomena as compared to the permanent reality of one’s Self.

When one becomes familiar with the interplay of the attributes of nature, one also knows that as long as one has the body, senses and the mind, their contact with their sense objects is inevitable. It is neither possible to avoid these contacts (and the consequent pleasant and unpleasant experiences) nor possible to manipulate them so that one has only pleasant experiences to the exclusion of the unpleasant ones. Hence, from a rational standpoint also, it is best not go get too involved in them and take them in their stride. However, a purely rationalistic viewpoint, without the spiritual consciousness may lead to a feeling of helplessness and pessimism.

When a person lives only in the world of senses and mind he is all the time tormented by their pleasant and unpleasant experiences. When one becomes aware of his infinite reality beyond the senses and the mind, one is not tormented by these experiences in spite of being affected by them. Two examples may be suitable here :

Firstly, we are like an infinite ocean, infinitely deep; which has ripples and waves (disturbances of the senses and the mind) on the surface on account of the wind (the sense objects) with which it comes in contact. But deeper down, it is absolutely calm and quiet without any trace of disturbance or even motion. As long as we think that we are the surface only being unaware of our infinite depth, we find ourselves tormented by the ripples and waves. We try desperately to maintain the crests (happiness) and avoid the troughs (sorrow). The more we get involved with the waves, the more tormented we feel, because we think our life is only these ripples and waves. However, when we are aware of the entire ocean that we are, we realise that the surface, with its disturbance, is only an infinitesional part of our Self and its disturbance hardly reflects our true nature which is entirely free from disturbance for infinite depth below the surface. We do not deny the surface disturbance, but we are not tormented by it. We know that the surface disturbance is inevitable as long as the surface comes in contact with the wind blowing above. We also know that the surface disturbance, however large, does not penetrate to deeper levels. Moreover, the surface disturbances are fleeting, transient - they come and go. Hence, we do not attach undue importance to them. We are even in happiness and sorrow – which does not mean remaining unaffected by them (that is impossible) but it means not attaching undue importance to them.

Secondly, let us imagine that I carry on a business enterprise and eventually suffer a loss of Rs.500/- while my average monthly income is Rs.1000/-. This would hit me hard and I would naturally be upset and worried as to how to meet my expenses. Similarly, an unexpected gain of Rs.500/- would be a thrilling joy to me. I would be fully involved in the gains and losses of the business and obsessed by them, as my life would depend upon them. Now, if I were to discover that I have a million rupees in a bank from which I can withdraw whatever amount I need, how would I be then affected by gain and losses of Rs.500? I may still not plan to lose, I may still carry on my business for profit, but losses would not torment me because now I am aware of a really substantial wealth which can come to my rescue whenever I need and as compared to which the losses and gains of the business are negligible. Now what would be my attitude to the losses and gains of my profession if the treasure I hold in this mysterious bank is infinite – never depleting? That is the attitude that a learned man has towards the ups and downs of happiness and sorrow. They affect him marginally but fail to torment him. He plays the rules of the game but is not involved in them. The worldly gains and losses, pleasures and pains, happiness and sorrow are still there for him but they lose their binding effect in the wake of the infinite treasure he becomes aware of.

Shri Krishna says that the person who is not tormented by happiness and sorrow etc. arising out of the contact of senses with their objects and who remains even in happiness and sorrow (which means not remaining unaffected but attaching only due importance to them only, having become aware of one’s true nature which is pure consciousness and bliss – the infinite treasure) is eligible for immortality. Who is such a person? That person or Purusa is the supreme Self Himself and none else. He alone is eligible for immortality, and not the senses, mind or the world of manifestation. One must realise Him, rising above the world of senses and their objects, know Him to be one’s Innermost Self, in order to realise immortality

Each verse coming from Bhagavan Shri Krishna in this series starting from verse 11 is very powerful, appropriate and charged with infinite wisdom and inspiration, destined to cut asunder the bonds of sorrow and ignorance.

Shri Krishna says that there are two kinds of entities – the Sat (Real) and the Asat (unreal). The ultimate existence is only of the Being Who is Sat. He never ceases to exist and he is the ultimate reality of even the Asat. The Asat has no existence of its own; it exists only in the world of appearances. It is really Sat seen through the window of senses and mind. When one transcends the senses and the mind, and dwells in the pure consciousness, there is no Asat at all; everything is the Being of Sat only. The nature of Sat and Asat is going to be explained in the next two verses.

This verse can be appreciated at a purely rational or intellectual plane also. One should apply oneself to the facts and circumstances, which actually arise without grudging what, could have happened had a certain thing happened in a different way. Very often, we undergo a lot of mental agony (and some times live in fools paradise too) by dwelling in various possibilities and probabilities which could have happened but did not happen. This is Asat and does not exist. A rational approach, undoubtedly, consists in taking the mind off the Asat and applying it to really existing facts and circumstances for achieving the desired objective, as far as possible.

The Being, the supreme Self of all beings and non-beings pervades all this – the entire world of manifestation, which is Asat. The Being is immutable – no one other than Himself can transform Him (from unmanifest to manifest, or from one form to another). Of course, when the occasion arises, he transforms Himself to maintain divine order. He is indestructible for the simple reason that there is no one other than Himself who could attempt His destruction. The action of destruction like all other actions is his own manifestation. How can then there be anything such as ‘His destruction’. He cannot be the subject or object of any activity. The (Asat) subject, the (Asat) object and the (Asat) activity are all His manifestation. He permeates them all.

The ‘bodies’ must be understood in a generalised sense meaning the transient world of manifestation including the entire material universe, all the living beings and all the psychological elements like ideas, grief, emotion, pleasure, reasoning, pride, humiliation etc. This is the world of Asat, which is perceived through the five material senses – vision, smell, taste, hearing and touch and the internal senses mind, ego and intellect. The material universe (including bodies of living beings) are perceived by the material senses and the psychological elements are perceived by mind, ego and intellect. For instance, grief, pleasure, emotion etc. are perceived by the mind. Distinction between reasonable and unreasonable is perceived by the intellect and pride and humiliation is perceived by ego. All these ‘bodies’ are perishable.

No material form would remain the same to the perception of the five senses. Feelings of grief, pleasure, emotion, pride etc. would never remain the same; they would fluctuate, come and go. On the contrary, the dweller of the ‘bodies’ is the Self, Who is eternal, infinite and imperishable. Every manifestation is Asat, merely a spectacle in which Sat (Self) is seen through the window of senses in a particular form.

Shri Krishna says that all the bodies of the Dweller are perishable while the Dweller is imperishable, eternal and infinite; therefore, fight. This logic is not clear to the intellect. After all, if the bodies are perishable, in any case, fighting or not fighting is immaterial. How does it follow that Arjuna should fight. Arjuna could have asked why he should get unnecessarily involved in the action of fighting when the bodies are in any case perishable, particularly when he does not want to fight. This question must have arisen in Arjuna’s mind now only but he puts it in the beginning of the third chapter (verse 1 and 2 of chapter III).

However, this question arises only at the intellectual level and only till the awareness of the Self has not been fully realised. When the Self, the dweller of all the bodies is known, not at the level of senses, mind or intellect but at his own level (pure consciousness) the righteous action automatically follows. The logic of the verse would become clear only when the dweller of bodies is known intimately.

The series of verses, spoken by Bhagavan Shri Krishna, starting from verse 11 and ending with this verse, summarise the theory of Sankhya beautifully and most effectively. The first verse assures Arjuna that all sorrows are unfounded and vanish with the light of knowledge. The second and third verses fix attention on the eternal, imperishable and infinite Being that one is. The fourth and fifth verses establish that all the experiences of the senses (including the mind) are finite and transient and therefore inconsequential from the standpoint of the Being. Immortality cannot be achieved without transcending the level of sensory experiences. The sixth verse speaks of the distinction between Sat and Asat while the seventh and the eighth (the present one) verses describe the nature of Sat and Asat respectively. If these eight verses are read whole-heartedly and pondered over, they are capable of destroying any sorrow.

In order to strengthen the wisdom of Sankhya, Shri Krishna describes the nature of the Self in detail in the following verses. An intimate and extra sensory awareness of Self is essential for appreciating the knowledge and wisdom of Sankhya.

Like the activity of killing, the Being, the Self is never the subject or object of any activity. The subject and object of any activity as well as the activity itself all belong to the relative field of Asat. Any activity, like killing, arises out of the interaction of senses and their objects. The self, in His essential nature remains unaffected. While engaged in an activity, one should know at what level the activity is carried out so that even while fully engaged in the activity one can remain uninvolved and unattached. In the example of the Self as infinite ocean mentioned earlier*, all the activity is at the level of the surface only. Deeper down, there is no motion or activity.

He is one and eternal. Hence, the question of His birth and death and rebirth does not arise. He is unaffected by whatever happens to the body.

This verse, grammatically, can be translated in two different ways. One is that whoever knows Him (Self) to be indestructible etc. cannot suppose that he slays or causes anyone to slay. The other way is that whoever knows Him who is indestructible etc. cannot suppose that he slays or cause anyone to slay. According to the first meaning, one should know His nature (that he is indestructible etc.) in order to attain non-involvement with activity. According to the second meaning, one should know Him in order to achieve non-involvement. Both the meanings are valid. In fact knowing Him is not different than knowing His nature. When one knows Him, one knows everything.

The second line of the verse reverberates with yet another meaning ‘How does That man, O Partha, slay or cause anyone to slay’ whoever knows Him (the self) becomes Him. Hence the second line of the verse might as well be talking about Him, now there being no difference between the man who was ignorant and the Man who is all knower.

A remarkably lucid and straightforward illustration. It is so simple that even a child can grasp the concept very well. A child resents change of clothes just as an ignorant man resents death, which is nothing but change of body.

Forces of nature or elements are powerless against Him (Self). On the contrary the elements are endowed with His power. The power of burning that fire has is His own power. Hence, the fire cannot burn Him.

There is illustration from Kenopanishada that once, in order to subdue the ego of gods, the Brahma (Self is Brahma) became manifest before the gods but they could not recognize Him. The gods requested the fire god to go and fathom this strange person. When the fire god appreciated the Brahma, He asked ‘Who are you and what is your power?’ The fire god replied, ‘I am fire and I can burn anything on earth’. Brahma placed a straw before him and said, ‘Burn this’. The fire god could not burn the straw with all his power. Similarly, the wind god would not blow the straw. Later, Indra, the lord of gods realised with the help of the goddess Uma (symbolic of devotion) that this strange person was Brahma – the supreme Self.

Having declared that the weapons, elements of nature cannot affect Him, Shri Krishna says that the eternal Being cannot be the object of any activity like cleaving, burning, wetting etc. There can be so such thing as burning Him. When we see something burning, He Himself is seen as burning fire, the action of burning and the object, which burns, and He remains the same.

He is eternal, beyond the purview of time, although he permeates the entire concept and span of time alone. When even time is powerless against Him, where is the question of any activity (such as burning, wetting, piercing etc.) which happens within the domain of time, getting the better of Him?

He is stable, immovable and yet all pervading. He does not have to go anywhere. He is everywhere already. He permeates the entire space. He is beyond the space. Space, like time is but one of His manifestations. He cannot be moved. Who is there to move Him anyway?

He is the same in spite of His countless manifestations, countless activities, countless interplay of space, time, forces of nature, elements, experiences of mind, intellect and ego. Who can fathom him but He Himself.

Kenopanishada declares:

"What one does not see with the eyes but by which the eyes see, know that to be Brahma… what one does not hear with the ears but by which the ears hear, know that to be Brahma … (verses 7 and 8 of Kenopanishada – part I). What one does not think with the mind, but by which the mind thinks, know that to be Brahma .. (verse 5). What one does not express with the speech but by which the speech expresses, know that to be Brahma.. (verse 4). Neither the eyes reach there, nor speech, nor mind. How to describe its nature? Neither we ourselves know, nor have we been able to know from others, because it is different from known and even unknown entities (verse 3),’

He is unmanifest to the senses because He is beyond the senses. The senses cannot comprehend Him. The senses get their power from Him. He alone manifests Himself but remains unmanifest to all his manifestations.

He is incomprehensible to the mind, being beyond the mind. Intellect, a faculty of mind, cannot understand Him. He is beyond the ego also. Hence the feeling ‘This is mine; this is not mine. This is me; this is another' cannot occur to Him.

He is unchangeable. Nothing can change Him. Of course he expresses Himself in any form he likes, when the occasion arises.

Knowing His nature fully means becoming Him. There is no way of describing Him because he is beyond all descriptions. All the means of description (speech, vision, hearing, thinking, intellectual understanding) though His manifestations only, are powerless to comprehend Him. Hence, to know Him is to be Him. When that happens, there is no cause of grief left. Even fixing attention on Him, ignoring the prompting of ego, intellect and mind, without getting fully integrated with Him, diminishes the grief considerably.

Shri Krishna takes up an alternative viewpoint. Even if it is supposed that one’s Self is a finite soul, which takes birth and dies with the body, there is no reason for grieving. This conclusion remains valid even from a point of view, which is contrary to the truth.

Even if the dweller in the body is assumed to be a soul which is born with the birth of the body and dies with the death of the body, the cycle of birth and death must be taken as an inevitable sequence. Whoever is born, is sure to die and whoever is dead must be reborn. When this is inevitable, why should any one grieve? One must get reconciled to it. This verse can be interpreted even for a person who does not believe in rebirth and soul at all. The meaning then is ‘death is certain for whoever is born and whoever is dead must have had a birth. This meaning is equally valid. For a rationalist, it is a very powerful teaching." Over the inevitable, you should not grieve.’ The inevitable must be accepted, be reconciled to and taken in its stride. Of course, one must try to find the best possible solution of a problem but one must remember that the best under the given circumstances may not be ideally the best: it may not be perfect. Hence, one must accept the best possible solution along with its drawbacks for the simple reason that there is no better alternative. A perfectionist who is not satisfied with anything short of an ideally perfect solution and who is not prepared to accept a compromise taking into account the realities of the situation, remains unhappy very often. To maintain happiness, the inevitable must be accepted and taken in its stride.

However, it may be noted that in the logic of this verse, there can be a shadow of pessimism. It may sound like ‘constant birth and death of the soul may be undesirable, but it is inevitable hence do not be unhappy’. Death is accepted as an undesirable event but, it is argued, it should not be grieved for, because it is inevitable. The origin of this streak of pessimism lies in the fact that we have fallen from the framework of Sankhya. We have made an assumption that the Self is a finite being limited by time, while in fact He is infinite and eternal. Knowing Him in essence, nothing remains undesirable. Hence, the question of getting reconciled to something unpleasant does not arise. There is no trace of pessimism in the supreme knowledge of Sankhya.

In his own subtle style, Bhagavan Shri Krishna seems to bring home the point that the moment one becomes oblivious of the Reality one cannot maintain the natural bliss and unflinching optimism. For a rationalist (who is an unbeliever) who is confronted with something unpleasant; the only argument available is ‘take it in its stride, do not worry about it; after all it is inevitable’. If it works (and it does work in the case of a confirmed rationalist who is not too emotional) well and good; otherwise the worry and unhappiness is inevitable. There is no solution of the grief at his level.

From the point of view of one who does not believe in rebirth, all living beings were nonexistent for an infinite time before birth and will become non-existent for an infinite time after death. They exist only for a finite time between birth and death. Why should anyone grieve for something which, in the overall perspective of an infinite time span, existed only for an infinitesimal period? Life, then, is but a momentary phenomenon like a spark, which comes into existence for a while and disappears never to appear again.

The verse remains valid from the viewpoint of Sankhya also. The cycle of birth and rebirth goes on, but as far as that particular form or body is concerned, the living being was unmanifest ever before birth and will remain unmanifest ever after death. Hence, one should not grieve for a particular manifestation of (human body for instance) the supreme Self because it was just a momentary phenomenon.

There is no streak of pessimism in this case at all, since it remains valid from the point of view of Sankhya also.

Someone sees Him as a wonder, another likewise speaks of Him as a wonder, and as a wonder another hears of Him. Yet even on hearing someone does not know Him. (29)

Eyes cannot see Him (eyes see because of Him) and yet whatever the eyes see in nothing other than Him (because apart from Him nothing else exists; all the manifestation is permeated by Him). This is the wonder. He does not have to see Himself with the eyes (His vision is not restricted to the sense perception of the eyes) and yet He, appearing as a manifestation having eyes, sees Himself (a visible manifestation of Him). This is the wonder. Also, in the state of Turiya or Samadhi, when a mediator transcends mind, intellect and ego, he perceives nothing but pure consciousness and bliss. All distinctions, including those between the seer, the act of seeing and the object seen disappear. He alone remains. At this stage, one sees Him not with the eyes, but in pure consciousness. This is the wonder.

Similarly, the speech cannot describe Him (the speech describes because of Him) and yet whatever the speech describes and can describe is nothing but Him. This is the wonder. He does not have to express Himself by speech (His power of expression is not limited to speech) and yet he chooses to express Himself by speech. This is the wonder. A person who experiences Him in the state of Samadhi, cannot describe Him at that time because the sense of speech has been transcended. When he comes back to the world of senses, he may attempt to describe His nature by speech, but he cannot describe Him fully. Even whatever he describes, sounds like a wonder. The description may be full of contradictions also. Kathopanishada describes Him as a smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. Ishavasyopanishada says in its opening verse that He is whole and the world also is whole. This (world) whole has come out of that (Brahma) whole. Taking out whole from whole, what is left. There are indeed wonderful descriptions. Many such wonderful and mysterious descriptions are found in the Upanishadas, and other scriptures.

Likewise the ears cannot hear Him (they hear because of Him) and yet whatever the ears hear is Him only. Although He does not need ears for hearing, he chooses to manifest Himself in countless manifestations that hear with the help of ears. This is the wonder. Also, when someone who has had no direct experience of Him listens to the descriptions of the realised sages and scripture mentioned above, one certainly hears of Him as a wonder.

In spite of hearing (not hearing literally but reading, listening to the saints, practicing religious rites etc.) some one does not know Him. None can know Him except He Himself. To know Him, therefore, one has to become Him. As a matter of fact, He alone manifests Himself as ignorant and as wise, as the teacher like Shri Krishna and as pupil like Arjuna. The ignorant becomes the wise when He so ordains. It is not because of reading, practicing religious rites and listening to discourses that one knows Him but it is by His grace that one knows Him.

Kathopanishada declares:

"The Self is not realised by speaking, listening or by intellectual effort. He is realised by one whom he chooses He unfolds His nature only to him.

Kathopanishada throws light on what is knowing Him:

"If you think you have known Brahma very well, you certainly know Him a little only…. I do not think I know Him very well. Also, I do not think that I do not know Him, because I know Him also. Whoever out of us knows Him, knows the meaning of my statement. Who thinks that he cannot be known, know him as one who knows Him. But who thinks he knows Him, certainly does not know Him. Those who think they know Him, are ignorant of Him and those who pose that they do not know, know Him."

Much like the supreme Self, this verse coming from Him (Shri Krishna) also is to be spoken and heard as a wonder. It must have been spoken by Shri Krishna as a wonder and heard by Arjuna as a wonder. It is indeed unfathomable by mortal effort. Perhaps, Shri Krishna wanted to reassure Arjuna that there is nothing unusual if he has not been able to know the Self in spite of such an elaborate and lucid description. This knowledge would come gradually by an evolutionary process taking its own time.

Or perhaps Shri Krishna wanted to impress upon Arjuna that he is indeed lucky that, by the grace of the supreme Self, he is going to attain this knowledge which is so rare. One thing clearly follows from the verse: the Self cannot be known by any mechanical process alone like speaking, writing, listening, reading or performing Tapas, practicing religious rites, making intellectual inquiries, etc. As Kathopanishada declares in no uncertain terms, Self cannot be known without His own grace. It may come here and now or it may not come for long. One does not know when the grace will descend on him. Till then, faith, devotion, effort and practice of one’s duty have to be kept up. After all, what does it matter when He will grace us? He is surely going to do it ultimately. Of what consequence is the barrier of time? It exists only at the level of sense consciousness. When the senses and the mind are transcended and one dwells in pure consciousness that is Him, no ‘time’ exists. When eventually we know Him, it is immaterial how long we had lived in ignorance, just as it does not matter whether we lived in a dream-prison for one day or for several years as long as we woke up after the night’s sleep.

Shri Krishna concludes the theme propounded by Him from verse 11 up to 29. So far, He was elaborating the first touchstone mentioned in verse 2 viz. Anaryajushtam the knowledge on account of which the noble (Arya) would not withdraw from the battle if they were in Arjuna’s place. It can also be said that the teaching from verses 11 up to here is an elaboration of the entire verse 2 – explaining the baselessness of ignorance and explain the knowledge, which destroys the ignorance and confusion.

The three verses starting with this one and up to 33 dwell on the second touchstone mentioned by Shri Krishna in verse 2 viz. Asvargyam. Withdrawal of battle would not lead to heaven – the ultimate consequence would not be desirable. Alternatively, it can be said that having explained the knowledge of the Absolute, Bhagavan Shri Krishna now weighs the situation from a rational and worldly point of view. Thus the verses starting with this one and up to 38 elaborate the worldly point of view arising out of the verse 3.

Arjuna had been saying that he was seeing adverse omens and that he does not see any good in killing his kinsmen and that the battle would lead to unhappiness and sin. Shri Krishna asserts in this verse that he is very lucky to get such an opportunity of taking up a righteous battle which is sure to bring its own reward; if not in this life, in the afterlife (heaven). An opportunity to do good work does not come every now and then. A person who gets such opportunity should consider himself lucky and be happy and should avail of this opportunity to engage fully in the righteous activity. Instead of seeing any adverse omens, Shri Krishna sees all luck and heaven for Arjuna, having got a God sent opportunity to fulfil his Kshatriya Dharma.

This is in reply to Arjuna’s remarks in verse 45 of Chapter I in which he said that the Pandavas were about to commit a great sin. Shri Krishna declares that having got such an opportunity to engage in Dharma battle, if Arjuna abandons it; not only he would fall from his Dharma and reputation, but would incur sin also. This is a clear warning to Arjuna and to all of us that whoever does not act righteously according to the circumstances and the opportunities available, loses fame, commits dereliction of duty, and what is more, incurs sin. A sin either brings immediate adverse result or it is stored up as a SanchitaKarma and brings an adverse result later in the life or in one of the subsequent births. However, as will be propounded later, the process of incurring sin is not irrevocable and it is possible to destroy sins without suffering their adverse results.

Shri Krishna elaborates on the third touchstone of verse 2 viz. Akirtikaram (not leading to fame) in this verse and the next two. These factors Arjuna had not considered before concluding that he should not fight.

It is impossible for a man who has reached the height of his fame to cope with such a humiliation. If Arjuna withdraws from the battle, not many would think that Arjuna did so out of love and compassion for his kinsmen. Most of the warriors would naturally think that he is doing so out of fear. Is he ready to live with this grace and humiliation?

Arjuna was worried about the grief, which would result by killing his kinsmen. What about this grief of utmost insult and humiliation? This would completely crush his personality and finish his career altogether.

Shri Krishna’s reply to verse 6 spoken by Arjuna is which he said that ‘we do not know what is better for us or who will win. Even if we win, we do not want to live, having killed our kinsmen.’ Arjuna thought that he is a loser either way – if he loses, he is killed even if he wins, he would not like to enjoy a victory which is stained in the blood of his people. Shri Krishna tells him that from the point of view of Dharma, he is a gainer both ways, he has nothing to lose. If he won, he would enjoy the earth; if he lost, he would attain heaven, having died fighting for a righteous cause.

This verse concludes the teaching from verse 31 up to verse 36, which pertains to the practical aspects of life, and after life. The theme of these verses was contained in a nutshell, in verse 3.

Arjuna had showed tremendous concern for averting sin, which he thought, would arise out of fighting the battle. He wanted to give a thought to this problem and how to avert it. Now, Shri Krishna decisively tells him that engaging in the righteous activity (fighting battle in Arjuna’s case) having attained equanimity in happiness, sorrow, in gain and loss, in victory and defeat, one does not incur sin. Happiness and sorrow are the objects of mind; they arise in mind and they are experienced by it. Similarly gain and loss are considered by the intellect, being its objects. Victory and defeat are the objects of ego. Thus our sensitivity to happiness and sorrow, gain and loss, victory and defeat is due to mind, intellect and ego respectively. Attaining equanimity unhappiness and sorrow, gain and loss, victory and defeat is rising above the perturbation of mind, intellect and ego. This happens when one is established in the knowledge of Sankhya, having cut asunder the bonds of ignorance. Then one should engage oneself in the righteous activity whole-heartedly knowing that this way no sin can be incurred.

Bhagavan Shri Krishna has not assured happiness, gain or victory as against sorrows, loss and defeat in this path of knowledge. No one can guarantee that. These things (happiness, sorrow etc.) are unpredictable and unavoidable by nature. The ignorant get involved in them; they desperately try to attain happiness, gain and victory. When they succeed, they get more and are scared at the thought of losing what has been attained. When they do not get them and get sorrow, loss or defeat instead; they blame something or the other, become unhappy. Those who are religion bound and believe that one’s own actions – righteous and sinful are responsible for happiness and sorrow etc. which come in the nature of reward or punishment. Those who have attained the ultimate knowledge, simply ignore them and get along with the righteous activity.

Shri Krishna has not assured happiness, gain or victory, but he has assured that one would not incur sin by engaging in the righteous activity, having attained equanimity in happiness, sorrow etc. From a rationalistic point of view also, it is a perfect guidance. One should ignore the uncontrollable factors and concentrate on the controllable aspect of life. Engaging in the righteous activity under the given circumstances is always within one’s control while happiness, sorrow etc arising out of it are beyond one’s control. One should know this and be even in them.

In a way this verse sums up the entire knowledge, which was said in two verses (verse 2 and 3 of this Chapter) earlier, and from verse 11 to 37 later. There are broadly two aspects of leading a perfect life: attain balance of mind (including intellect and ego) having removed ignorance and then pursue the righteous action under the given circumstances. This is the path, which guarantees avoidance of sin. The first part (removing ignorance and attaining balance of mind) has been emphasized in verse 2, in verses from 11 to 30 and the first line of this verse. The second part (engaging in the righteous activity) has been mentioned in verse 3, in verses from 31 to 36, summarized again in verse 37 and now mentioned in the second line of this verse. Thus what was mentioned in verses 2 and 3 and expounded later from verses 11 to 37, has been summed up in this single verse. And yet, this verse is not merely a summing up of the earlier teachings; it is a step further. It provides a natural transition from the theoretical framework of Sankhya to the realm of practice and direct experience of Yoga, which is about to be propounded by Shri Krishna. This verse is the threshold of Yoga.

So far the teaching was, more or less on an intellectual plane emanating from the three touchstones mentioned in verse 3 which are within the realm of intellect. Looking from another point of view, Shri Krishna explained to Arjuna, why he should not grieve knowing the nature of the real dweller of the body and why it is the best practical course for him to fight. He assured him worldly enjoyments if he won, and better after-life if he lost.

Now Shri Krishna proposes to begin a discourse of Yoga – the path of union with the Self in which direct experience rather than understanding is of the essence and in which one leaves behind the binding influence of actions. As long as one is in the realm of actions (described from verses 31 to 37) he is bound by actions. A sin (spoken of in verse 33) binds a person by the prospect of an adverse result either immediately or later (if not in this life, in one of the subsequent births). Even a noble, righteous action, if done from the point of view of earning a reward has a binding effect with respect to the reward which may come now or later. Thus both noble and evil actions, when performed from worldly point of view, bind a person with their consequences – favourable or adverse. Even a person who does not believe that every action must bring its reward or punishment may be bound by the influence of actions in a different way. A noble action performed with the expectation (latent or explicit) of a return or at least an expression of gratitude may bind the person with this expectation and may lead to frustration when no one even expresses a gratitude for the noble deed done. Similarly, an evil action done to harm someone may bind the person with the hatred, ill feeling and fear, which are associated with it. The fear may be of being caught and punished, if it is an illegal act, or of retaliation from the person harmed at some time or other, or of defamation, should the act become publicly known. Hence, in any case, actions, good or bad, when performed from a worldly point of view, have a binding influence.

In the path of Yoga, when the integration with the Self is realised, actions lose their binding influence. When this happens actions begin to be performed in a natural and spontaneous way without leaving behind any obsession or worry. Desire is neither the motive force of the actions performed, nor is it generated by the actions. Evil actions disappear altogether since they can arise only with the motivation of evil desire. Righteous actions are performed without creating any splash in the mind or ego. Whenever intellectual analysis is needed, it is done in a natural manner. Whenever vigorous activity is demanded by the situation, it is attended to also. The state of Yoga, union or integration with Self remains intact always.

The teaching of Sankhya so far was primarily meant for intellect. When the intellect has become active and disturbed (as was the case with Arjuna), it must be satisfied first, so that one can proceed further. With every verse recited by Bhagavan Shri Krishna so far, the intellect gains in understanding. Accordingly, there is a clear logical chain all through. As far as the following verses are concerned, they are transcendental to the intellect. Hence, the intellect may not be able to perceive any logical chain and may be quite baffled at times. For the same reason, it may be very difficult to convey the full import of the verses by means of words. At times the discourse may sound like repetitions to the intellect. However, all the verses, are full of divine message and lift a person endowed with faith and devotion from a worldly level to the realm of Yoga. They are truly beyond words.

Shri Krishna assures that in the path of Yoga – divine union with Self- no effort is ever lost. Whatever one does in order to attain Yoga never goes waste. Also, whatever progress has been achieved once, can never be destroyed. There might be a gap (if in the progress the person left the path of Yoga due to some diversion or temporary phase of ignorance) but he would be able to start from the same point where he left his journey. No matter how long the gap, the progress previously attained would still be in tact. It is a process of irreversible evolution of consciousness and awareness in which the consciousness goes on expanding till it becomes infinite and realises the Self in full glory. From the point of universality, the process may be compared to the mental growth from childhood to adulthood. As a child we are obsessed with toys. We require them for pleasure and happiness. As we grow, the process of mental development and attaining maturity, gradually brings about a stage when the toys no longer obsess us and they are by no means indispensable for our happiness. We realise that there are more important and more enjoyable things in the world and we were involved in the world of toys only on account of our limited outlook and immaturity. We do not have to put any external restraint on ourselves in order to grow out of the world of toys. It comes as a natural process of mental development. Also, having once grown out of the world of toys, one cannot slip back to that stage. Similarly a person with limited consciousness is involved in the world of senses and sense objects and regards them indispensable for happiness. With the process of expansion of consciousness in the path of Yoga, he grows out of the world of senses and realises that there is something more profound and more enjoyable than the objects of senses. He need not achieve this stage by putting artificial restraints on himself, it comes as a natural process following the path of Yoga. Like the mental development from childhood to adulthood, this process of evolution and expansion of consciousness is irreversible. There is no slipping back.

This is a great assurance and hope indeed. No such assurance can be given in respect of the worldly attainments. There is no guarantee that happiness, gain or victory once attained will not be lost. In this immortal path of Yoga, Jagadguru Yogeshvara Shri Krishna assures that no effort is lost and no attainment ever perishes.

Shri Krishna has also assured that there is no adverse result in this. There can always be an adverse result when we go after the worldly things. We may go after happiness, and get sorrow instead. We may go after gain and get loss. We may try to be victorious in an encounter and we may get defeat. In the path of Yoga, however, if we want to move forward, we will move forward only – nearer the goal. The backward direction just does not exist. That is why Bhagavan Shri Krishna gave the eternal assurance in verse 38 that having attained equanimity of mind and pursuing righteous activity, you will not incur sin.

As if this much were not tempting enough, Lord Krishna further says that even a little of this practice delivers from great fear. This may reassure those who might think that progress in this path might be sure but somewhat slow. Even a faint light dispels most of the darkness and one can see one’s way. Even when a part of the sun is visible on the horizon, the darkness of the night is gone. Similarly, even a little of the awareness realised in this glorious path dispels a vast amount of ignorance. What more hope and assurance could any one ask for?

The path of Yoga is unidirectional, pointed towards Self only. The intellect established in Him, remains steadfast in Him. Hence the goal is one and the intellect is one pointed. On the contrary the intellect of the irresolute (who live in the world limited by sensory experiences) wanders endlessly from one sense object to another. The goal is never clear. The mind goes after happiness, but it does not get stable and assured happiness anywhere in the sense objects. Hence, it wanders from one object to another endlessly and yet spells of sorrow are unavoidable. Even during spells of happiness, one is sometimes dissatisfied desiring greater happiness; some times fears that the spell of happiness might go away as it must indeed; for spells of happiness and sorrow have beginnings and ends and are transitory. Like desires of the mind, ego and intellect of a person dwelling in the world of senses can never remain in a state of stable satisfaction. They have to keep wandering from one object to another. The condition of a man with irresolute intellect is like a sailor who has no destination and who drifts with the mind endlessly from one direction to another not knowing where to go finally. Even while drifting with the wind, his sailing is not smooth; he comes across rough sea, storm, whirlpools, rocks etc. On the contrary, a man of resolute intellect is like a sailor who navigates towards a predetermined destination continuously irrespective of the direction of the wind and intervening obstacles.

Shri Krishna has chosen not to define elaborately his newly introduced term ‘resolute intellect’. He does not wish to impart the knowledge at the level of reasoning. Hence, even without defining ‘resolute intellect’ in precise terms, he brings home the import of the term through indirect but more effective means. In the subsequent verses the Lord explains what it is not.

The above description of the state of persons without the resolute intellect is poetic, telling and intriguing though not very precise from an intellectual point of view. In comparison, the verse 14 and 15, which roughly deal with the same subject from the point of view of Sankhya, are more precise but less poetic and intriguing. The purpose of the present verse is to shake up the beliefs of a mind which is in the irresolute state and to bring home the point, rather dramatically not so much that the beliefs are all wrong, but that there is something beyond which is more profound where resolute intellect resides.

Vedas, lighthouses of eternal wisdom and knowledge, are divided into three parts – Karma Kanda, Upasana Kanda and Jyan Kanda. Karma Kanda deals with various actions, rites and rituals that should be performed in order to bring success and prosperity in this life and after life. Upasana Kanda deals with disciplining of the mind and devotion towards the Ultimate. Jyan Kanda deals with the nature and knowledge of the absolute reality. Thus, the Vedas deal with every phase of life and every field of activity (physical, mental and spiritual) and guide persons at various stages of development. In these verses, the reference to Veda is a reference to the Karma Kanda of Vedas and it is not meant to condemn even Karma Kanda which is useful even for a realised Yogi, since worldly aspects of life are also to be taken care of. What has been said is that the undiscerning limit themselves by the letter of the Veda (Karma Kanda) and proclaim that there is nothing else. They are unaware of the realms that exist beyond the domain of Karma Kanda of Vedas.

Even if the meaning of ‘Veda’ in these verses is not limited to Karma Kanda, the import remains significant. Even Vedas can never describe the full nature of the unmanifest Self. Hence, remaining engrossed in and confined to the letter of Vedas (even taken as whole) one cannot attain the complete knowledge about Him. Hence even those who study and practice entire Vedas well but remain confined to their letter are undiscerning. Resolute intellect and Yoga is not attained until one castes away the bondage of all the scriptures and finally settles down in His being.

The undiscerning, engrossed in the letter of Vedas speak flowery words. The use of the term ‘flowery words’ seems to be of great significance. It signifies that they live in the world of appearances, which is ‘Asat’. They are ‘Kamatmanah’ which literally means ‘whose self is full of desires’. They mistake the desires as emanating from their selves, whereas the supreme Self of all is beyond desires. The desires belong to the mind only.

They are ‘Svargapara’: regard heaven as their goal. Heaven can mean pleasure or happiness at the level of senses which is experienced in the present life or in subsequent ones with a body consciousness. They proclaim birth as the result of action, to enjoy the accomplishments of action – to enjoy heaven. They are obsessed by various ways of attaining enjoyment and power because they are oblivious of anything more profound and subtle. Their ‘chitta’ has been captivated by the flowery words.

"Chitta" is regarded as the pure state of mind, which is free from the perturbations of emotions (pleasant and unpleasant), ego and intellect. Chitta is the pure consciousness in which senses and the mind merge when the stage of Turiya or Samadhi is reached. The Chitta reflects the true nature of Self. The same Chitta becomes mind when it is disturbed in the domain of sense objects. Hence, it has been said in the verse that the flowery words or appearances or ‘Asat’ captivates their Chitta.

It has been highlighted in these verses what the resolute intellect is not. Now in the following verse, Bhagavan Shri Krishna tells what the resolute intellect is like.

The Vedas (the Karma Kanda) deal with the realm of the three Gunas. Prakriti or nature – the manifestation and interplay of appearances, the Asat – has three Gunas or modes viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Out of these, the nature of Rajas is creation and activity by means of desires. An ambitious person’s efforts to gain power and wealth motivated by desires are on account of RajoGuna. The nature of Sattva is motivation towards Dharma, positive movement. The nature of Tamas is retardation or pursuit of evil –Adharma. The entire world experienced by senses has arisen out of the interplay of these three Gunas of Prakrti. These Gunas permeate the entire world –the sense objects, senses, mind, intellect and ego –. Hence, to be without the three Gunas is to be outside the world of senses. This need not mean that one should ever stay in the state of Samadhi in which sense consciousness vanishes and one experiences pure consciousness of the Self. This is impossible. As long as one has a body, the stage of Samadhi cannot become permanent. One would have to come back to the body-consciousness. Nor is it necessary to remain ever in a state of Samadhi in order to attain Yoga. What is really meant here is to come out of the limitation of the three Gunas and the world of senses. In the example of the ocean (mentioned while discussing verse 15), it would mean coming out of the surface consciousness and to be aware of the entire ocean (including the surface) as the Self. The world of the three Gunas is not be discarded, renounced or dissolved by going in perpetual Samadhi. Only it should not be allowed to limit our true Self. Once we become aware of the infinite reality that we are, the finite world of senses would fail to get the better of us.

The pairs of opposites are happiness and sorrow, desire and aversion, love and hatred, pleasure and pain etc. As long as one is involved in the world of senses, one is subject to these pains and wanders among them endlessly. Shri Krishna tells Arjuna to remain beyond the domain of these pains.

"Yogakshema" means Yoga and Kshema. Yoga (not to be confused with the Divine Union) means trying to acquire what one does not have, and Kshema means trying to preserve what one has. Shri Krishna wants Arjuna to cut off his bonds with Yogakshema also.

Ever established in purity means freedom from ignorance. Ignorance limits knowledge and makes one a prisoner of the three Gunas, pairs of opposites and Yogakshema. Purity is the supreme knowledge leading to full, infinite awareness. There is nothing as pure as the supreme knowledge. When one gets this knowledge, one does not waiver and does not limit oneself.

Arjuna might have asked, what does one get after losing the entire world of enjoyments, earth and power, snapping ties with happiness, sorrow, desires, possessions etc. Does anything remain after losing everything? Shri Krishna says ‘Be Atmavan – possessed of the Self’. If one is possessed of the Self, one has everything because the Self is the source of everything - the world arising out of the three Gunas all possessions, all experiences. This is the process of integration with the Self that Jagadguru Shri Krishna is teaching Arjuna in which one has everything and yet one is not tied down to anything. Be Atmavan – possessed of the Self who is the ultimate source as well as destination of everything that is perceived by the senses, every sense that perceives, and all acts and perception. The entire world and the mind (senses, ego and intellect all taken together) rise in the Self, interact with each other in the Self and set in the Self. Every manifestation arises in the Self and disappears in the Self. And Self is our own. It is nearer to us than anything that we perceive or think. We are the ultimate source of anything that can be perceived or imagined and even what cannot be perceived or imagined. When we are Atmavan, the entire manifest universe and all experiences and actions are in us and there is much more. Where is the question of attachment to a few living forms, a handful of material possessions or cherishing some experiences when the entire world is in us? Can the ocean feel any attachment to a few waves that arise in it? The waves rise from the ocean and dissolve in the ocean. The ocean does not lose or gain anything when the waves are formed or destroyed. By renouncing attachment to particular forms (Asat manifestations) which arise in one’s own Self, one attains the knowledge of the essence (Sat) which includes all the form and is much more – infinitely more. This is the knowledge, which liberates from all bondage. Having attained this knowledge, this awareness; one renounces bondage to the world of three Gunas, pairs of opposites (particularly attachments and aversion), all sense of possessions, but without any tears. If a toy were snatched from a child, he would certainly resent it. But, when the child grows up, and his fascination for toys is gone, he never feels sorry for this change of attitude in him. Similarly when a realised person renounces attachment and aversion to the world on attaining the knowledge, he does not miss anything, although another person artificially trying to renounce the world forcibly while the true awakening of knowledge has not come, undergoes a lot of stress and strain and conflicts.

Bhagavan Shri Krishna makes it very clear that simply reading understanding and following the Vedas (including Karma Kanda, Upasana Kanda and Jyana Kanda) is not enlightenment or knowledge. An enlightened knower of Brahma, though he might have attained the awareness of Self or Brahma by Vedas, loses interest in them when he gets the supreme knowledge. For him all the Vedas (containing of theory of Jyana Kanda, methods of worship and mental discipline of Upasana Kanda, and rites and rituals for attaining worldly gains of Karma Kanda) are like a small well which is situated in a place flooded on all sides with water. Water in the well is the same as the water outside. Then why should anybody insist on water from the well only in such a place? Moreover, the water in the well is limited while the water outside is unlimited. The water in the well is contained in a particular form (characteristic of Asat manifestation) while the water outside is formless (essence of Sat). Having found the eternal source of water (the infinitely flood place) why should any one be interested in the well which is limited and exhaustible?

Here Shri Krishna does not intend to disparage the Vedas. The Vedas have remained a very important means of attaining perfection in worldly life and getting Self-realisation, but they are only the means and not the end. One requires a vehicle only for reaching the destination. After reaching the destination, the vehicle is no longer required. Similarly the Vedas are not required when one has reached the ultimate goal. Moreover, although a number of sages have attained Brahma by following the Vedas, it cannot be guaranteed that any one who reads, understands and practices Vedas for a certain period of time will necessarily attain Self realisation. Nor are the Vedas only means of enlightenment. A number of sages, particularly devotees, have attained the ultimate without recourse to Vedic knowledge. Shri Krishna has, therefore, pointed out the limitation of the Vedas. This limitation, however, does not undermine their value. They remain the greatest source of knowledge and inspiration to mankind, but they are a manifestation. A manifestation is bound to be limited while the knowledge of Self is in the domain of the unmanifest.

The attitude of an enlightened Brahmin mentioned in this verse is equally applicable to the worldly possessions, gains and losses, happiness and sorrow, love and hatred and other pairs of opposites and the world of three Gunas which are the subject matter of Karma Kanda of the Vedas. All these are also in the same well which is only a form; otherwise water is the same everywhere, inside the well and outside. The worldly possessions, attainments and experiences, like water inside the well, are of no special interest to the knower of the Self.

By far the most famous teaching of Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta and the most often quoted verse. At the same time it is commonly felt that the ideals set up by Shri Krishna in this verse are too high to be practiced by an ordinary human being. If this verse is taken in isolation, and an attempt is made to follow it by forced restraint and by suppressing the mind, before one has achieved the required level of awareness, it may be indeed very difficult to follow the practice prescribed. In fact the result may be much the same as trying to put into practice verse 3 without any evolution of consciousness. The previous verse of this chapter, particularly those from 40 to 46 is a necessary prelude to this verse. This verse depicts the practical side of Yoga. When Shri Krishna stated the same practical aspect of life in verse 3, it sounded so difficult for Arjuna to follow, particularly in his state of ignorance and emotional disturbance. The teaching had not begun then at all (hence his outburst in verses 4, 5 and 6). After an input of the knowledge of Sankhya theory, when Shri Krishna comes back to the same practical side in verses 37 and 38, it does not seem so difficult. It does not give rise to another outburst from Arjuna. After the magnificent verses related to Yoga starting from 40 to 46, when Shri Krishna comes to the practical aspect of life, against the background of the immediately preceding verses, it appears much easier. It is like the gradual process of climbing a hill. Shri Krishna showed the target (the peak of the hill) from the bottom of the hill. When the same target is shown again after some climbing has been accomplished, the target looks much easier. Likewise, Bhagavan Shri Krishna has been showing the goal of the practical aspect of life from various angles and from various stages of progress and the target looks easier and easier.

Coming to the meaning of the verse, Shri Krishna says that one has a right only to the action or effort, not to its fruit. What is in our power is to make the best possible effort,. It is never in our power to achieve the final result. It is perfectly rational statement. Although the ultimate result may depend upon the quality and quantity of effort put in, even with the best possible effort in the given circumstances, success can never be guaranteed. Further, Shri Krishna says ‘do not be Karmaphalhetu’ (live not for fruits of actions). When a person’s happiness or unhappiness is tied to the success or failure of his actions, actions of such a person are entirely motivated by desires and he always remains obsessed by the final result of the actions. Even at the stage of effort, the person is all the time apprehensive of the final outcome. He is haunted by the prospect of a failure and he thinks that if the effort does not being success, it is a waste. Either he is too pessimistic or he is too optimistic. If he is too optimistic, he anticipates a success, thinks of it all the time, so much that he is not able to put in the best possible effort. If he is too pessimistic, he anticipates a failure and is not enthusiastic about putting in much of an effort. In either case, he is not able to put in the best possible effort. On the contrary, a person who avoids these two extremes, who is neither obsessed by the success nor apprehensive of the failure, is able to put in the best possible effort.

Not being ‘Karmaphalahetu’ in the above sense does not mean that one should not have a perspective for the future or that one should blindly put in an unplanned effort. This would be having attachment to inaction. Having a proper perspective of the future, defining and identifying the desirable objective and putting in best possible planned effort and reviewing the progress at every possible stage is all a part of effort which must be done with full enthusiasm; otherwise it would mean attachment to inaction. However, all this can be done without becoming Karmaphalahetu, which is the other extreme to be avoided. When effort is put in with full consciousness and enthusiasm (avoiding attachment to inaction) but without obsession or apprehension (avoiding being Karmaphalhetu), it is likely to bring the best possible result.

Apart from the fact that action done in this way (knowing that only action is within our control and not the final result and avoiding the two extremes) has maximum chances of success, it leads to the highest goal – bondage from action and union with the Self. Action performed in accordance with this verse may or may not succeed in its immediate outcome but a person engaged in such an activity constantly definitely attains the supreme goal. Knowing this, one should go on performing action without attachment either to the fruit of the action (live not for the fruit of the action) or to inaction. It must be noted that avoidance of attachment should not lead to negative attachment or aversion. Not living for fruits of action does not mean despising fruits of action.

All these explanations and logistics are needed only by those whose awareness has not yet developed fully. One who has reached the stage described in the previous verses does not need any intellectual analysis. He knows that fulfilment of action is a worldly sense can never be guaranteed and he does not worry about it. He knows that fulfilment of the action in the sense of the ultimate goal is always assured. He just goes on performing action free from attachment. His actions are not motivated by desires. In fact they do not need any material motivation.

Remaining even in success and failure means giving them their due importance – not more, less. Knowing from the previous verse that one has no right to success or failure, the only importance a failure deserve is that we should draw useful lessons and modify the future action suitably. Allowing them to dishearten us or to make us pessimistic would be giving them more importance than they deserve. Similarly, not even analysing them in order to draw useful lessons is giving them less than due importance. Likewise, success should be welcomed and enjoyed but should not be allowed to inflate our ego or make us believe that we are chosen to be always successful. Successes and failures are relevant only to the course of action which may have to be kept up or suitably modified according to what happens at every stage; but they have no relevance to the ultimate goal – union with self. In the examples of the infinite ocean (mentioned while discussing verse 15), the waves and ripples may appear all important to a person who thinks he is only the surface whereas, in reality, he is the entire ocean. When he is aware of his entire dimensions, he gives only their due importance to the waves and ripples. Similarly, a person with insufficient awareness of his self, cannot remain even in successes and failures; he gives them too much importance. While a person who knows the reality of the self, reaps the successes and failures in their own place.

Attachment has to be renounced both from the action as well as from its fruit. Shri Krishna has already explained renouncing attachment from action in the previous verse. It means avoiding the two extremes – being Karmaphalehetu and being disinterested in action. Renouncing attachment from the fruit of the action means taking successes and failures as they come and leaving them as soon as they go. When a stone is thrown in a pond of clean water, it leads to a surface disturbance. The larger the stone, the more violent is the disturbance. However, in no time, water settles down again without leaving any sign of its previous disturbance. On the other hand, a stone thrown in mud or slush leaves a permanent mark. Similarly, successes and failures have their impact only momentarily on a Yogi. The moment they leave, the mind of the Yogi is free from their thoughts. In the case of those who are attached to the fruits of action, the mind is preoccupied with their thoughts and desires even before they come and after they go. Sometimes they have a permanent mark also – a wound which never heals up completely. At the stage of action or effect they are obsessed by the prospect of a success or scared of the prospect of a failure. They anticipate the result and keep thinking about it all the time. Their action is tied to the expectation of a return. This expectation or desire is the motive force for the action. After the fruit of action has come – in the form of success or failure, they are bound by it. Failures frustrate them and discourage further action. Successes create further desires and expectations leading to further activity and further escalation of desires. Thus, the cycle of action, fruit desire and further action goes on. Renouncing attachment from action and fruit means breaking this cycle, allowing action to take place on a natural and divine order, enjoying fully the fruits of action as they come but without clinging to them or their desires afterwards.

When one is established in the divine union with Self (Yogastha), the actions are performed in the above-mentioned way, renouncing attachment and remaining even in success and failure. For when one is united with Oneself, one has the perspective of the full knowledge, One knows how much importance to give to the successes and failures – fruits of action and therefore one is even in them. Also, one sees the action that one has to perform at each stage irrespective of the success or failure. Hence, the actions are performed spontaneously, in a natural way, without any attachment. One does not cling to the fruits of the actions.

The evenness of mind is synonymous with Yoga. It cannot come without the perspective of Yoga and establishment in Yoga automatically leads to this evenness of mind. It is ignorance, which is responsible for limiting the perspective and creating distortions.

Buddhiyoga or Yoga of the intellect means the evenness and equanimity of mind, which has been mentioned in the previous verse. In the realm of activity, intellect is supreme. However, when one is established in Yoga – union with Self – the intellect also attains the divine perspective and the activity carried out by it becomes natural, spontaneous, divine and free from attachment. Having asked Arjuna to get established in Yoga, now Shri Krishna asks him to take refuge in the intellect, which has attained the divine perspective and has become free from doubts and misgivings. Taking refuge in this intellect is sufficient to take care of the entire activity, which flows, naturally from it. On the contrary, trying to take care of the activity remaining involved in activity only (without getting established in Yoga) one becomes Karmaphalhetu who lives for the fruits of actions alone and whose actions are desire bound. The ordinary ununited intellect has a limited and distorted perspective and is unable to liberate a person from the bondage of actions. Karmaphalahetu are pitiable because they are caught up in the endless cycle of action – fruits – desires – action and they fail to realise the ultimate goal. Remaining confined to the domain of action, one cannot attain the whole perspective – the perspective of the Self, just as one who remains involved with the turbulent surface of the ocean, cannot get the entire perspective of the depth. However by getting established in Yoga, not only one gets perspective of the Self, but one automatically achieves perfection in the field of activity also because the united intellect, equipped with equanimity of mind automatically takes care of all actions in a natural way. Hence, Bhagavan Krishna has declared that action is inferior to the Buddhiyoga. Involved in actions alone, one remains bound by them, trapped in desires, while getting established in Yoga and then leaving actions to the intellect, one gets liberated from all bonds and becomes Self.

Some times this verse is misunderstood to mean that action is unnecessary, uncalled for and are an obstacle in the path of knowledge. Had this been the case, Shri Krishna would not have asked Arjuna to ‘perform actions, having established in yoga’. What Bhagavan means really is that performing actions established in Yoga is far better than performing them at their own level when they lead to bondage. One who is established in Yoga just cannot remain without performing actions (and these actions are righteous actions only, needless to say) and they are performed without any attachment, desires or motives.

A person with united intellect casts off evil quite naturally. All evil actions are motivated by desires and arise out of ignorance. When the intellect is united with Self, desires lose their overpowering effect and ignorance disappears. Thus, there is no question of evil action. Even righteous actions are performed without any expectation or attachment. Hence, they are also cast off in the sense that they do not bind the doer with any reward.

According to the theory of Karma, all actions good or bad bring inevitably their consequences in this life or in a subsequent life. However, the theory of Karma may be applicable only to desire motivated and fruit-bound actions and not actions performed by a person of united intellect. Actions performed by a person established in yoga do not bring any consequences – good or bad. Hence, Shri Krishna says that one with united intellect casts off both good and bad actions – bad actions by not performing them at all and good actions by performing them in such a way as to make them lose their binding effect. For this reason such actions are called non-actions (Akarmas).

It may be remarked that from the point of view of another observer confined to the field of activity, the actions of a Yogi may still appear to be bringing consequences. Some of his actions may appear to lead to pleasant and unpleasant results. Also, he may appear to be coming across unprecedented fortunes and miseries indicating that actions performed by him in past lives are still bringing consequences. This phenomenon has been interpreted in various ways. Within the framework of the theory of Karma, it is maintained that liberation from Karmas comes in three stages. First, selfless actions performed without attachment fail to get stored as future Sanchita Karmas (the entire stock of Karmas which has yet to bear fruit) while the past Sanchita Karmas remain intact. In the second stage, with enlightenment of knowledge, all Sanchita Karmas except Prarabdha (that part of sanchita Karmas, which are destined to bring fruit in the present life) get destroyed. However, Prarabdha has to be gone through in any case. Unexplained fortunes and miseries befalling realised sages are on account of this Prarabdha. However, if the path of selfless action devoid of attachment is pursued, no Karma will be carried over to the next life and, after death, when all the Prarabdha has been exhausted (in the theory of Karma, the event of death marks the exhaustion of the Prarabdha), there will be no further birth. The third stage is when the Prarabdha also is exhausted and salvation or complete freedom free action is attained.

Without assuming the theory of Karma, the enjoyments and sufferings of a realised sage are explained by noting that they exist only relative to an external observer. The person established is united intellect does not perceive any experience as enjoyment or suffering. He perceives them only as a divine play of which he is both a part and a whole. It may appear to others that he had an unusual stroke of good luck or that a totally undeserved misery has befallen him, but to him who is united with Self, happiness does not appear as happiness and miseries do not appear as miseries. Everything is an integral part of his own blissful divine nature in which nothing is pleasant or unpleasant and there are no conflicts. Distinction between good and bad vanish altogether.

Hence, Shri Krishna advises Arjuna to pursue Yoga, which is the skill in performing action without getting involved in them, without being bound by them and without getting involved in any conflicts or doubts. In this stage, in fact features of action as well as non-action are present. One performs the action and yet one does not perform any action.

The wise, of united intellect, having renounced the fruits born of their actions and being liberated from the bonds of birth, arrive at a state devoid of suffering. (51)

Those who possess the united intellect are the wisest, because in their case the intellect has gained the highest perspective. Fruits of actions are cast off in the sense that they do not lead to further desires and desire bound action. The fruits of action can certainly be enjoyed, but they are regarded as irrelevant for the attainment of the ultimate goal, which one surely achieves, Shri Krishna guarantees in this verse, by proceeding steadily on the path of Yoga.

If one sincerely wishes to reach the ultimate goal, free from the bondage of births and devoid of suffering, there is a lot of optimism for him. He has to set his mind to Yoga, gradually expand his awareness (by a regular process of meditation, devotion or some other suitable practice), have his intellect united and pursue righteous action without attachment. Fruits of action may be enjoyed and may be taken into account for suitably modifying future action, but they are totally irrelevant as far as the goal is concerned. Worldly successes and failures, joys and sorrows, pleasures and pains etc. should be enjoyed or gone through patiently as the case may be, remembering that they have no bearing whatever on the ultimate goal to be reached. One who remains unperturbed by them, does not allow them to sow seeds of future desires, and renounces the fruits of actions in this sense and pursues action without attachment reaches the state which is blissful, devoid of suffering and free from the bondage of birth.

Liberation from the bonds of birth may not mean necessarily that births would cease. Of course, according to the theory of Karma when all Sanchita Karmas are destroyed by the awakening of knowledge and Kriyamana Karmas (new actions) are done being established in yoga, only Prarabdha has to be done through and when that also finishes with death, there will be no more births. However, generally speaking there is no reason why the cessation of births should be necessary for attaining freedom from the bondage of birth. Just as freedom from the bondage of actions can be achieved without stopping actions (in fact stopping actions does not lead to freedom from their bondage as Shri Krishna has asserted in verse 4 of chapter III), so also freedom from the bondage of birth can be achieved even without cessation of births. Bondage of births in the bondage of desires, sufferings, ego etc. which go with the body (physical body as well as the mind and senses) and body consciousness and body experiences. Freedom from this bondage can be achieved while retaining body and body consciousness (although, as mentioned in the previous verse, the bondage may appear to be from the point of view of an external observer).

Such persons are called Jivanamuktas (free from bondage while living). King Janaka is a well-known example of a Jivanamukta. Such persons cast off even the desire of salvation from further births. He does not bother whether the body remains or not.

Even after full realisation of Self, being one with the Self or Brahma, one may take birth, but then the birth and life in the world is in accordance with a divine purpose. The birth and life of Bhagavan Shri Krishna Himself is an example of such divine birth. He is the supreme Self, free from the ignorance and fully realised even before his birth as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki. Shri Krishna has asserted in verse 6 of Chapter IV that He takes birth frequently through his own divine nature. In verse 7 and 8, he has explained the divine purpose for which He takes birth. In verse 9, Shri Krishna has asserted that His birth and His actions are divine and whoever knows them as such, gets liberated from the bondage of birth. Such divine births are called Avataras.

Shri Krishna emphasises that the state of indifference or detachment described in the previous verses is attained only when the intellect completely overcomes the ignorance or ‘Moha’ (which is responsible for the attachment towards the sense objects). The process may be instantaneous or it may take a long time. The state of indifference could have come with the verse 45 of this chapter. As it happened, it came much later resulting in the prolonged discourse of Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta. It all depends upon Shri Krishna’s grace, mercy and will when he chooses to remove Moha. All that we have to do is to follow the teachings, to the best of our ability surrendering all that we do to Him and pray to Him to remove our ignorance. He is our own innermost Self. He will certainly guide us and eventually remove our Moha.

By this verse, Shri Krishna has conveyed to Arjuna that his Moha has not gone as yet. He is not giving any indication as to when it is likely to go. All that he says is that the state of indifference described earlier can come only after the intellect has completely overcome Moha.

It appears that Shri Krishna has given a broad outline of the path of Yoga and shown a few glimpses of the ultimate goal to be reached and now He wants to wait and see whether he shows any keenness to probe into this field further. Accordingly, this verse and the next seem to wind up the present discourse by telling Arjuna that the final goal will be reached when the obstacle of Moha is finally crossed and the intellect finally settles down after hearing various opinions.

Indifference to what has been heard means whatever worldly enjoyments and miseries etc. which have been heard of and known so far. Similarly what is yet to be heard means new possibilities of enjoyments and miseries. For instance, air conditioned comfort was not heard of in ancient times, but it does not mean that a Yogi of that age would not have been indifferent to air conditioned comfort had it existed at that time. Thus ‘what has been heard and what has yet to be heard’ covers the entire world of possibilities which can be experienced by the senses and which are capable of being experienced in future with the progress of civilization. The indifference is really to the possibility of sense experiences rather than to only actual or known experiences.

As long as various theories, opinions, scriptures etc. are influencing the intellect the process of evolution has not yet come to an end. The intellect attains perfect vision and the whole perspective when it is no longer influenced by any of the theories or opinions. It finally settles down, united with Self, with all doubts and conflicts removed and seeing clearly what action to perform though the knowledge that is Self. Then there is no need to cling to any scripture, theory or in fact any kind of external teaching or guidance. The path is self-evident and one moves on unperturbed and undaunted. All the teachings, scriptures, theories and various techniques prescribed are only means and not the end. One has to find, by a process of Self enquiry or introspection as well as prayer to God, one’s own technique and then follow it. A stage comes when one does not need any external assistance or any procedural technique for evolution of consciousness. Then one is established in Yoga.

So far Shri Krishna has not explained any concrete way to get established in Yoga. True, in verse 45 He says ‘Be without the three Gunas’ etc. then in verse 47 He advises Arjuna not to be Karmaphalahetu or be attached to inaction (avoid the extremes of attachment and aversion to action). In verse 48 He asks Arjuna to perform actions established in Yoga, in verse 49, He advises to take refuge in the established intellect, and in verse 50. He again asks Arjuna to pursue Yoga. But, what exactly is the technique to be employed for attaining Yoga has not been explained. Of course, there are instances where simply by listening to the words of supreme wisdom, one attains established intellect or Yoga. The discourse so far is sufficient for such people. But, most us need a sustained process of evolution for which both a technique (a suitable form of meditation, devotion or just prayer) and the grace of Lord is needed. When one pursues this procedure, performing one’s duties also in one’s own profession with a feeling of surrender to the Lord, one day or the other His grace removes the ignorance and one is established in Yoga.

Shri Krishna waits and sees whether Arjuna shows any keenness to know more about the Yoga of established intellect before proceeding further. He has deliberately kept back the missing links in the discourse.

Arjuna no longer talks about his grief. But the grace of the ever-graceful Shri Krishna, the grief is gone and the senses and the mind have returned to normalcy. Only intellectual doubts now remain to be removed by infusion of the divine knowledge.

By his question, Arjuna has also indicated that he is keen to know more about the yoga of established intellect. He wants to first know how does it appear to be a man of established intellect and how he can be distinguished by his outward behaviour and interaction with the world. How does he express himself? (how does he speak?) How does he behave at the time of inactivity (how does he sit)? How does he behave while remaining engaged in activity (how does he walk)? Arjuna wants to know whether his behaviour in these respects is different than ordinary people’s whether the inner fulfilment brings about any outwardly visible changes in a man.

Shri Krishna mentions the most important characteristic of a man of steady intellect and his contrast with an ordinary person, In the case of a person whose intellect is not steady, desires play a very important role in his behaviour. They are his distinguishing marks. His life and entire activity is motivated by desires and his satisfaction depends upon the fulfilment of desires. In contrast, a man of steady intellect casts off the desires completely. He is not motivated by them and he does not need them for satisfaction. He is satisfied in the Self through the Self. He does not need anything else for satisfaction.

Shri Krishna words " casts off all desires that have gone into the mind’ can be interpreted in two ways. One meaning can be that the desires vanish altogether from the mind. This can happen only in the state of Samadhi when one transcends the sense, mind, ego and the intellect. All these, being mere disturbances in Chitta (pure consciousness) vanish leaving behind only the blissful state of the undifferentiated. In this state, there is no mind and there is no desire.

However, as long as one has a body, one cannot remain in a state of perpetual Samadhi of this land: one has to come back to body consciousness or sense consciousness. Moreover, Samadhi in the sense of Turiya is simply one of the states of Self, the other being the ordinary waking consciousness, dream consciousness and deep sleep. There is no reason why one should want to remain in Samadhi (Turiya) in preference to the other states. If this happens, this preference to remain in a state of Turiya itself will take the form of a desire, which one will need for satisfaction and one will fail to attain the state of steady intellect.

The other meaning of casting off desires is that although the desires remain in the mind, they are ignored. They do not dominate the life and activity and they are not needed for satisfaction. They simply arise in the mind and set in the mind without playing any other role in the life of a man of steady intellect. His actions are Self-motivated and natural rather than desire bound. Knowing the Self to be the source of all manifestations, thoughts, emotions and experiences, a man of steady intellect is satisfied in the Self. For being satisfied in the Self, he does not have to be in Turiya. In fact he is equally satisfied in Turiya, waking consciousness, dream consciousness or deep sleep because he knows all of these stated equivalent aspects of the same eternal Self. He happily passes from one state to another not trying to cling to any particular state and also not resenting any state when it comes. When he casts off all the desires, he does not want to annihilate them (that itself would be a desire). He does not resent the desires when they arise in mind, but the desires have no bearing on him. He is all the time conscious of the Self. Knowing that desires as well as the mind have origin in the Self, he does not despise them when they arise. Also, knowing that ultimately they will disappear merging in the Self, he does not cling to them. He sees Self in everything, hence at every stage of satisfaction he is satisfied not through any particular thing but through Self alone.

This state of desirelessness can be maintained in the midst of worldly activity. While fully engaged in worldly activity, a man of steady intellect is free from the bondage of desires. On one hand, he knows Self as only one ultimate reality and is ever satisfied irrespective of whatever happens. On the other hand, he fully participates in the worldly activity in accordance with his own nature, which also is the Self.

When one is free from the bondage of desires, the sorrows and pleasures fail to shake his disposition. Sorrows are patiently withstood without any overreaction when they come and they do not leave any wound when they go. Even in the midst of sorrows, the sage of steady intellect is fully contended internally deep within himself. Similarly, when pleasures come, they are enjoyed at the level of senses, but without any longing for them. They do not lead to escalation of desires and expectations and do not leave behind any craving when they pass off. There is no fear of sorrows and attachment to pleasures. Anger, including all negative emotions like resentment, indignation, frustration, despondency etc. is totally absent before the sage of steady intellect, having known the truth of his self is ever contended and satisfied and there is never any cause of anger.

Shri Krishna’s mention of the absence of Raga (attachment), Bhaya (fear) and Krodha (anger) from the sage of steady intellect is very significant. Raga arises out of ignorance or limited knowledge, when one gives undue importance to sense objects and sense experiences. Krodha arises when desires, flaring from Raga are interrupted. Fear also arises out of ignorance when one wants to avoid sorrows or danger. A stage devoid of all these comes only when ignorance has been completely removed and full knowledge has been attained.

It may be noted that in these verses, Shri Krishna is describing the distinguishing marks of a man of steady intellect and not methods of achieving steady intellect. It would not be right to assume that steady intellect can be gained by renouncing all desires by a mental effort (the previous verse) or by trying to remain the same in happiness and sorrow or by suppressing attachment, fear or anger when they arise. All these characteristics follow gradually and naturally as one advances in the path of Yoga. A Yogi or a sage of steady intellect does not have to strain himself to behave in the way described in these verses (55 to 59): they reflect his natural behaviour. A child would have to undergo a lot of strain and conflict to keep away from toys while a mature person would, quite naturally not be attached to them. Hence, there is not much use of artificially trying to copy the style of a sage of steady intellect. One must pursue the path of Yoga steadily and these characteristics will appear in due course automatically.

The man of steady intellect is unattached everywhere. Knowing his innermost Self as the source of all manifestations and experiences, he has no reason to be attached to any of them. Also, knowing their transient and erratic nature, he remains indifferent to whatever comes his way. He does not rejoice when something pleasant comes his way and he does recoil when something unpleasant meets him. This does not mean that he declines to participate in any celebration or shows no reaction of happiness when someone gives him a good news or that he does not avoid a worldly problem or suffering even when it can be avoided. He participates whole-heartedly in all celebrations – particularly in others happiness – is happy to hear a good news and he does try to solve all worldly problems and alleviate sufferings – particularly the sufferings of others – as far as possible. Also, he is sorry to hear a bad news. Outwardly, his behaviour in happiness and adversity may not be much different from an ordinary person. The real difference is internal and not external. The happiness and sorrow of a man of established intellect remain at a superficial level only, they do not affect him internally. Internally, he is full of bliss, ever satisfied and free from fear, attachment or anger. Any worldly event, howsoever thrilling or shocking externally, is incapable of shaking his internal blissful state free from perturbance. Even when fully engaged in all the worldly activities and fully participating in all kinds of celebrations or functions or condolences, he remains full of bliss internally and therefore unmoved or unattached.

Withdrawing senses from their objects does not mean physically avoiding indulgences of senses in their objects. This is impossible at all times because in ordinary waking consciousness, if the senses are kept away from their objects, the minds continues to think about them; in fact it dwells on them even more. Hence, the withdrawal of the senses from their objects is internal. In the case of a man of established intellect, the senses are turned inwards – towards the Self – the ultimate reality. The mind being the innermost and the subtlest sense is anchored to the Self-consciousness while fully participating in worldly activity. Fully under the control of the mind, the senses move in their objects and yet remain detached from them. They do not allow their contact with the sense objects to pollute the mind and the intellect.

The analogy of a tortoise is very instructive. The tortoise does not keep its limbs withdrawn all the time. If it does so, it cannot maintain its life activity. Similarly, life activity is not possible without allowing the senses to move among their objects. However, one must withdraw the senses from their objects even physically and completely when there is a danger, like a tortoise does. The senses, like the limbs of tortoise are necessary for life activity but are vulnerable. They must be protected from danger at times and for this they must be fully under the control of the mind and must withdraw at its command. Although at normal times, the senses which are turned inwards do not get involved with their objects even while moving among them, there can be situations in which their physical withdrawal from the objects is necessary. Then they must be withdrawn before they pollute the mind and intellect.

Shri Krishna distinguishes the artificial renunciation of a person whose intellect is not yet established from the natural renunciation of a Yogi, which comes on account of experiencing the supreme reality, transcendental to the senses. If a child were to renounce his toys, which are dear to him, he would be thinking of them all the time and would be under great strain. However, if he came across a much better toy, which completely absorbed his mind, he would automatically renounce the other toys without any longing left for them. Similarly, a person who has had direct experience of the supreme glory of the self gives up attachment or taste of these sense enjoyments. Even a few hazy glimpses of the supreme, inexpressible and indescribable by speech or intellect, go a long way in diminishing attachment or binding effect of the sense objects.

It has been made very clear that the taste for sense objects goes not by artificial restraint but by the vision of the supreme Self. The handicaps or darkness are removed only by light; they cannot be wished away.

Bhagavan Shri Krishna makes a categorical statement that senses cannot be controlled by sheer force and intellectual effort. In a particular situation, the intellect may be able to tame the mind and the latter may then be able to discipline the senses, but this control is not a lasting affair. Even in the case of an intelligent person striving hard to control his senses, finally the senses win and they are able to carry away the mind. The intellect may (if it is also not affected) insist that a certain course of action is not right, but the mind, overpowered by senses, may refuse to listen, causing disharmony.

For controlling the senses, on a permanent basis, the efforts of intellect or ego are not sufficient. One has to invoke the power of Self which becomes available only when one surrenders to the self. The next verse explains this technique.

This verse underlines the futility of practicing artificial restraint or suppression of the senses by mental, intellectual or egoistic effort. If such a course is adopted, the senses will eventually emerge victorious. Being turbulent they cannot be kept suppressed all the time.

For the first time Bhagavan Shri Krishna comes to a practical concrete technique for gaining established intellect. The second line of this verse is the converse of verse 58 in which it was stated that a man of established intellect withdraws his senses from their objects. In this verse it has been stated that control of all the senses is necessary in order to attain established intellect. But how to control the senses? It is for this purpose that a concrete method has been prescribed in this verse.

Having clarified in the last verse that the senses cannot be subdued by intellectual effort alone, Shri Krishna says in this verse that they should nevertheless be disciplined to start with. Disciplining means allowing them moderate freedom – not suppressing them too much and not encouraging them also. The previous verse has already explained the futility of trying to suppress the senses. The following two verses will explain the danger in encouraging the senses – giving them unrestrained freedom – and brooding over the sense-objects too much.

Disciplining all the senses in the above sense at one point of time is not very difficult but it is not enough. Bhagavan says ‘Having disciplined them all, let him sit united surrendering to Me". One must, having once disciplined the senses, sit united and surrender himself to Shri Krishna: take refuge in Him. Without His help, progress in the path of Yoga is impossible. By taking refuge in Him, the ego which is the biggest obstacle towards realisation of Self, dissolves and Bhagavan Shri Krishna’s grace is available. This is the crucial stage. From this time onwards, He takes care of the progress and all worries and anxieties in this regard vanish.

All the three ingredients enumerated by Shri Krishna in this verse are very essential. If the senses are not disciplined first (even if only one sense is in a state of agitation) one cannot sit united and every effort to make a surrender to the Lord will be futile. After disciplining the senses, sitting united also is very essential. Sitting united means sitting relaxed and sincere towards the path of Yoga. Only when one sits with disciplined senses, relaxed and sincere, surrender to Bhagavan is possible.

The method prescribed in this verse should be practiced regularly. A daily practice of 15-20 minutes in the morning as well as in the evening may be adequate and may not be difficult for most persons with a busy schedule. It should be a part of the daily routine. It is essential to be relaxed and free from mental agitation at the time of this practice. Otherwise one cannot be united. Also during the practice, one must neither fight against the stray thoughts that may arise nor encourage them consciously. One should simply observe them and ignore them remaining indifferent to them.

Since the present chapter is devoted to Sankhya Yoga, a major part of it about building the necessary theoretical background. This is the only verse in this chapter in which Bhagavan Shri Krishna has spoken of a personal devotion to Him as a means to achieve control of the senses and established intellect. In the subsequent chapters, of course, this devotion is going to be introduced in a big way. Barring some (I do not know whether to call them lucky or unlucky: the devotees think the Sankhya Yogis miss a lot) who can get Self realisation by instructions in Sankhaya alone (up to verse 53 of this chapter), there is nothing like a personal bond of love, devotion and companionship with Bhagavan for attaining liberation from the bondage of the senses and for attaining the divine perspective and established intellect also. That is why as a concrete method Bhagavan Shri Krishna has prescribed surrender to Him as a personal Lord and not surrender to Self (who has been described in verse 19, 25 and in verse 29), although the two are not different.

Having said in verse 60 that the senses are irrepressible and having prescribed a practical method of controlling them, Shri Krishna now spells out the danger of going to the other extreme – consciously encouraging the senses by pondering over their objects. Simply thinking about the sense objects leads to attachment, desire, anger, delusion, and distortion of memory and destruction of intellect. In the field of activity, intellect is supreme. All the (voluntary) activity – physical and mental is guided by intellect. When intellect is destroyed, the man is incapable of conducting himself in this world. He perishes.

These verses warn us that the ignorance, arising as a mere thought, can ruin a person altogether if it is not checked in time. And it is well within one’s power to check it.

Knowledge, as opposed to ignorance, widens the perspective and leads to an expansion of consciousness and finally the total divine perspective is attained in which no conflicts can survive.

This verse brings out the contrast from the process of all of an individual described in the previous two verses. Also, it picks up the thread from verse 61. Having controlled the senses according to the method prescribed in verse 61, when the senses become devoid of attachment and aversion towards their objects, the person get liberated from the bondage of the sense experiences and attains Prasada. Prasada can mean bliss as well as grace. In fact the two are not different. The grace of Self is itself bliss. Grace or bliss is His own nature and is ever present. It is hidden from us only as long as our mind is captivated by the attachment (or aversion which is the negative extreme of attachment) arising out of the contact between senses and their objects. This attachment or aversion becomes the bondage, which limits our own Self and leads to ignorance of grace or bliss. The one who has discarded attachment and aversion towards the sense experiences is called a Sanyasi (renouncer) and he is delivered from bondage and experiences ‘Prasada’. His grace is then freely available.

Why did Shri Krishna not say ‘all sorrows come to an end’ instead of using the expression ‘arises loss of all sorrows’? The sorrows do not come to an end. The senses keep on moving freely among their objects according to their nature giving rise to pleasant and unpleasant experiences. But against the background of the bliss, they lose their overpowering effect. The sorrows (and, indeed the happiness also) suffer a loss in this sense. When the bliss or His grace is experienced; the ego is subdued, the intellect and mind are felt as permeated by the bliss and the senses also experience the bliss through the mind. Thus, ego becomes immune from hurt, humiliation or insult. The intellect is not bewildered. The mind does not get tormented by sorrows and obsessed with happiness. The senses, though moving freely among their objects, remain withdrawn and detached from them. Thus, although sorrows and happiness remain, one becomes immune to them on account of the bliss or ‘Prasada’. When happiness, the mind, rather than being limited and tormented by sense experiences, becomes blissful and reflects the pure consciousness of self, which is, called ‘Chitta’. The mind gets transformed into ‘Chitta’ (pure consciousness). Hence, such a person has been called ‘Prasanna Chetasah’ which means ‘of blissful Chitta’. "Chitta’ is always blissful because bliss is the nature of ‘Chitta’. When this happens, the intellect gets soon firmly established.

Of course, this is a gradual process. In the beginning when one’s consciousness is limited by the pleasant and unpleasant sense experiences, the bliss or grace is not experienced. Also, it is true that without His grace (which is bliss), the bondage of the senses cannot be overcome. Thus one is caught up in a vicious cycle. A beginning has to be made according to the verse 61 (avoiding the extremes mentioned in verse 60 and 62-63) in which prayer and surrender to Bhagavan is essential. Gradually, by His grace, the senses come out of the bondage of their objects, gradually the attachment and aversion is discarded and more and more of grace or bliss are revealed. Now instead of a vicious cycle, it becomes a self-propelling process that accelerates as more and more grace or bliss is revealed. Finally, one becomes completely immune to the perturbations of sorrows and happiness, lives in ‘Prasada’ all the time and the intellect gets firmly established.

In verse 61, Bhagavan Shri Krishna had said that for controlling the senses, having disciplined them, one must sit united ‘surrendering to Me’. A person whose senses, mind, intellect and ego are wavering all the time prompted by their objects is not united. When the senses, mind, intellect and ego perceive a unity in the form of pure consciousness or bliss, a person is united. Without being united, one cannot get established intellect and Bhavana. The word Bhavana used in this verse is difficult to translate. It means devotional attitude, sincerity of purpose, and a whole-hearted approach for a worthwhile cause or belief in God. When one is able to pursue one’s duly whole-heartedly, untiringly, undaunted by pleasant and unpleasant consequences that may arise and irrespective of the outcome, one is said to have Bhavana. Bhavana cannot come unless the person is united. When, the intellect, ego, mind and senses are able to perceive a common thread, the intellect gets established and the heart (or the mind) is filled with Bhavana. In a person who is united with self, the intellect gains the highest divine perspective by being established in Self, and the mind or heart gains the supreme fulfilment in the form of Bhavana. There cannot be peace without Bhavana. As long as Bhavana has not developed, one attaches undue importance to the sense experiences and one cannot pursue one’s duty whole-heartedly. This gives rise to conflicts and restlessness. Sometimes one runs after the sense enjoyment, sometimes he pursues his duty, sometimes he faces frustration and sometimes he feels guilty for not being able to pursue one’s duty.

It is sometimes believed that peace results from happiness at the level of senses. As long as one does not have happiness, one cannot have peace. Shri Krishna points out that the real happiness or bliss results from peace, which comes in Bhavana. As long as the mind is tormented and deluded by the sense experiences, it cannot perceive the bliss or real happiness. Disturbances of sorrows and happiness caused by the contract of senses with their objects take the mind away from its own blissful nature. Only when the mind becomes immune to these disturbances and remains calm even in the midst of sense objects, it reflects the real happiness, which is ever present. Trying to find real happiness by running after sense enjoyments is like trying to see the image of sun in a pond of water by disturbing the water surface more and more. In whatever way the surface of the water is disturbed, it cannot show the image of the sun. The image of the sun is automatically visible the moment the water surface becomes calm. Similarly, only peace of mind, resulting from union with Self and Bhavana, can lead to real happiness. Without peace, there can be no happiness.

Shri Krishna emphasizes that even one wandering sense attached to the mind is enough for working complete damage to the discrimination or intellect. No sense should be underestimated.

This verse along with verse 58 propounds that a complete withdrawal of all the senses from their objects (even while the senses are moving among the objects) is a necessary as well as sufficient condition for gaining an established intellect. As long as even one sense is involved in its objects and is in a position to influence the mind and intellect, the intellect will be carried astray. In order to have established intellect, the involvement of the senses with their objects has to be given up altogether. This is, of course, a gradual process.

The second line of this verse is the same as that of verses 58.

Ordinary beings are not aware of the realms of bliss and eternal peace, which is beyond the sense experiences. These realms are night for ordinary beings because they are not conscious of them. They are only aware of sense-consciousness. They do not know ‘pure consciousness’ which is beyond the senses. This is the realm in which the self-disciplined is awake. Ordinary beings remain awake in the world of senses which is like a night to the accomplished sage, because he ever remains withdrawn from this world. He does not allow his vision to be limited by the senses.

The impact of this magnificent verse cannot be described in words.

The simile of an infinite ocean has been already mentioned in the discussion of verse 15. Sea is noisy, full of activity and waves but only outwardly. Inside, it is calm, quiet and motionless. Even outwardly, it does not flow in any particular direction although the waves appear to be moving towards the shore. When outside waters enter the sea, they do cause some local disturbance, but the sea as a whole remains undisturbed. It does not gain anything if some water is added to it and it does not lose anything if some water is taken out of it. Desires should enter a man likewise. Mere presence of desires in the mind is immaterial. However, one should not fuel them. One must not desire the desires. Similarly, the sense experiences do not interfere with a Yogi as long as their impact is a one-time affair and does not lead to secondary chain of disturbances in the form of desire – action – fruit – desire etc.

How a quiet, peaceful and unperturbed posture can be maintained in the midst of noise and untiring activity, one can realise only when one is taking a stroll on the seashore. I am invariably reminded of this verse every time I go near a sea.

Having relinquished all desires does not mean having destroyed all desires. That is neither necessary nor possible. All that is required is detaching of Self from the desires, allowing them to arise and dissolve in the mind without affecting him in any way. They should not be allowed to limit one’s vision. The feelings of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ also limit one’s vision. When these are also discarded, one attains eternal peace.

After reaching the state of Brahman or Self-realisation, delusion or fall from it, is not possible. Also, it does not matter if one reaches this state even at the last moment. One who reaches Self realisation even at the last moment is not a loser as compared to another who reached it much earlier and perhaps instantaneously. This is so for two reasons. Firstly, the Self is beyond space and time. The concepts of journey towards a destination and delay in reaching a destination remain only as long as one is limited by space and time consciousness. Having become the unlimited Self, one does not remember any journey at all. One knows that one was always there and whatever happened in the relative field was according to His own divine nature. Hence, the question of regretting any ‘delay’ does not arise.

Secondly, when one knows the Self, all preoccupations with duality vanish altogether. Hence, there is no question of his comparing himself with another person who reached Self-realisation ‘much earlier’. He knows himself to be the Self from whom all individualities arise and in whom they set. The one who appeared to get Self realisation earlier is not different from the one who appeared to get Self-realisation belatedly. These differences of duality are only in the world of appearances (Asat) and not in the domain of Sat. The one who has realised the Self lives eternally in Sat without being limited by Asat.