In chapter 4, when Bhagavan hailed the Sanyasi and the power of renunciation, Arjuna was confused. He asked Bhagavan Krishna that you praise renunciation and at the same time you ask me to perform action; Arjuna requested Bhagavan Krishna that which of the two is best suited for me- either renunciation of action or yoga of action.
Bhagavan said that both renunciation as well as yoga of action lead to the highest bliss; however, yoga of action is superior because it suits all. One should not renounce the action in the beginning stage of life itself. Instead, one should perform action and renounce the result of action. By performing action without the expectation of result one gets the maturity to live a life of equality. If an aspirant renounce the action in the beginning stage itself, it will drag him to laziness and subsequently ignorance. Till one gets the maturity of mind to cross over the dualities of nature, to free himself from the pair of opposites, he has to perform action but without the expectation of result. Only a perpetual sanyasi who neither hates nor desires, and free from the pairs of opposites is fit for renunciation of action. All others have to perform action without the expectation of result.
One should not renounce the action out of laziness or ignorance. A sanyasi or a jnani is deeply involved in meditation, so he may not get time or may not be aware of the outside world and in that case, he can renounce the action itself. A jnani will be completely detached from the materialistic world or he may consider the outside world as temporary and not that important. In that case, he may renounce the action itself. All the others have to perform action and do their obligatory duties, else it will lead them to ignorance.
Bhagavan Krishna inspite of His all-pervading and all-knowing nature He performed action till the end of His worldly life and showed the world how to do action without expectation. Therefore, performing action is inevitable for all till one gets the appropriate knowledge.
Bhagavan says that the knowledge one attains by performing karma as a yoga is not different from the knowledge one attains by practicing jnana yoga. Karma yoga as well as Jnana yoga both give the knowledge of equality; that is to see non-difference in this visibly separate world. This vision of equality is the basic step to reach the Supreme. Moreover, by performing karma as a yoga purifies the mind in which the seeds of Atma Jnana can be sowed easily. Practicing karma yoga for a long time destroys one’s ego and doer ship nature and he feels that he is not performing the action, instead his senses are performing action and he feels that he is the witness of his own actions. At this juncture, he feels a separateness between his Atma and anatma. Even at this stage, he has to perform action for the welfare of the world.
He who performs action and dedicate it to Brahman is not bound by his action and so sin do not incur him. If one performs the action without expectation of result then he is not bound by his action at the same time if one performs an action impelled by desire then he is bound by that action and it will influence him to take repeated births to experience the results. If one mentally renounces and remains unaffected by the fruits of the action then he remains peaceful in this body which Bhagavan says as the nine gated city (body with nine orifices). When a person understands that it is the nature that acts and Atma is the mere witness then he remains in peace. It is at this stage he identifies with Atma. However, this knowledge is covered with ignorance. One has to strive to get this knowledge with purity of mind. When one’s intellect is absorbed in Atma, then his sins are dispelled and he attains the Supreme.
Bhagavan says that a true Jnani do not see difference in this manifested world. In his vision there is only Brahman and nothing else. He sees everyone as equal or as Brahman; it may be a beggar or a king, an elephant or a dog, a sinner or a Brahmana, he sees no difference in them. In his vision, all these forms and gunas are external differences; there is nothing in this world other than Brahman. Such a Jnani neither rejoices when he gets something nor does he grieve when he loses something. Because he knows that he is Brahman and far more superior than the nature itself. He always rests in peace in Brahman. He finds happiness in the Self. This does not mean that he is passive or experiencing loneliness. Actually, he rejoices in the Self. A wise man does not find happiness in the external world because it is temporary and comparing to the happiness of Atma, it is negligible. A jnani or a yogi is an ever-happy, content man. One who rejoices in Brahman becomes Brahman himself. A jnani of this nature can renounce the action itself; because the actions do not bind him. If a person has not reached this level of freedom, then he has to perform action without expecting result to free himself from bondage.
In the next chapter Bhagavan talks about the different ways for a person to attain purity and equality of mind.
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