A question may be raised here, is it not true that everybody is different? After all, since experiences of sukha and duhkha are different for everyone? If ātmā is one and the same, then everybody should have the same experience. But this is not the case.
It is true that sukha, duhkha and so on are all different attributes of the mind. But in spite of all the differences, there is only one vastu, the nirvikalpa ātmā - the self without attributes. Just because each mind has a different perception, it doesn’t mean that vastu is not one. Just like different vessels have different volumes, it doesn’t mean that space is divided into many parts. It remains one undivided whole. In spite of all the differences, there is non-duality alone. The so-called differences are not really differences at all, they are mithyā, therefore they are negate-able through satyam knowledge.
Now Lord Krsna is going to discuss the three-fold nature of karma.
niyataṁ saṅgarahitam arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam | aphalaprepsunā karma yattat sāttvikam ucyate ||18.23||
That action, which is enjoined and which is done without attachment, without being impelled by likes and dislikes, by a person without a (binding) desire for result, is called sāttvika.
niyataṁ - action which is enjoined by Veda. It can also mean any duty that is to be done in a given situation. This is sāttvika karma, the action done by a person whose mind has a predominance of sattva. And while describing it, the definition of karma-yoga is given here. Any action that is to be done which is performed without certain kind of attachment - saṅgarahitam. Then action is done without being impelled by likes and dislikes - arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam.
People do vaidika karma and also daily action which is conforming with dharma, so that they can enjoy heaven and other improved situations later. But the karma spoken here is done by one who is not desirous of that kind of result - aphalaprepsunā. He is a karma-yogī and therefore interested only in karma for purifying his mind, only for the sake of moksa. That kind of action is called sāttvika karma - sāttvikam ucyate.
Now Lord Krsna goes on to define the rājasam-karma.
yattu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ | kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasam udāhṛtam ||18.24||
But that karma which is done by one who has a (pronounced) desire for the result or again with arrogance (and) a lot of exertion is called rājasa.
The word kāmepsunā is the same as phalaprepsunā - by the one who has the desire to obtain results. Kāma is what one desires which is the karma-phala - result, either in the form of material result or punya. And this action is done with pride - sāhaṅkāreṇa. Further, this action is done with a lot of effort - kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ. One who does this type of karma will make elaborate arrangements and make it known that he is doing a great karma. This is called rājasam-karma.
anubandhaṁ kṣayaṁ hiṁsām anavekṣya ca pauruṣam | mohād ārabhyate karma yattat tāmasam ucyate ||18.25||
That action, which is begun not taking into account the natural consequence, loss, injury (to others), and one’s own capacity because of delusion is called tāmasa.
Action which is begun without seeing or taking into consideration certain things is a tāmasam-karma. In such action one does not see the natural consequence - anubandhaṁ. Further one does not consider the losses -
kṣayaṁ. Exhausting of resources like money or loss of energy and effort, loss of credibility and self-respect are not taken into consideration in this type of action.
Then again in tāmasam-karma, one does not consider how the action will harm others - hiṁsām.
Why would a person begin an action without taking consideration into these factors? It is due to delusion - mohād ārabhyate. The incapacity to properly discriminate is because of some false hope.
These divisions are made for each factor, so that we can appreciate the subtle nuances in them. Just like if you do not know the names of different shades of colour, you cannot even distinguish them properly. Similarly, the more you understand varieties of things like emotion, renunciation, food, giving, charity, and so on, in terms of their guna: sattva, rajas, and tamas, the more subtle your appreciation and your action becomes.
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