Geeta Study Group, Richmond, VA, USA - CH. 4 - Shlokas , 20,21,22-ON-1/12/2020

  We are discussing about Karm, Karta and Akarm. Karma can be divided in 3 parts. 1- Nitya karm ,   2- Naimitik karma &   3- Kamya karm.

 Nitya karm means, which we have to do for body and lifeliving. These are unavoidable karm. for this we don't desire any fruit, so, no karmfal is binding us. Yes , if you earn money with cheating or looting, then , that becomes AKarm & for that you Have to bare Karmfal . 

  2nd is Naimitik karm. = we have some reason to do karm. e.g. we see an old or weak person carrying heavy thing & we help him, then it becomes Naimitik karm. That act had motive after it. In these pendemic days, people donate food, clothes ,medicines,etc. to needy people. Now this donations called Naimitik karm. There is Nimita- reason-motive  for that karm . This comes in the category of SWADHARM also . 

    Then comes , Kaamya karm . In this act , we our self create occasions. In this we do karm ,having some desire- kamnaa. People wish that there should be fame and name , so, wealthy person arrange great maariage function , some religious institution arrange Maha Ygna ; Political party leader will gather people for meeting, Dharna or Morchaa.So in all thes karma there is some or other wish is hidden. The karm done for having some fruit of it it ,becomes Kaamya karm .

   There are 2 other karma also . Prayshchit karm -Repentance- In this ; when we come to know that something has gone wrong by us , ; we , repent for that and try to beg pardon from either God or go to the place or person to forgive . . This is called Prayshchit- repentance karm .

  Lastly comes Nishiddha karm . The act , which should not be done  at all . In this come gambling ,boundless enjoyment of senses, harming or hurting any being etc. These all are Nishiddha karm 

  Let's come again to shloka 20,21,23. Here in shloka 20th, I am going word by word. TYaktvaa= leaving-given up . What is given up ? "Karmfal aasangam"Aasangam= attechment ;of ,Karmfal= fruirful result . 

  Then comes "Nitya trupt"nitya= always , trupt = satisfied. "Niraashrya"simple meaning is without shelter. Here , who is not in the shelter of the senses,i.e. under  the power of senses & who has no temptation of having pleasure of material life and who seeks God's blessings. 

  "karmani abhi pravrutth api " Apl= yet , pravruttah= who is engaged ,Abhi= deeply , Karmani= in action,Sah= such person , "KAROTI"= does karm NAiv= not doing karm . 

 The whole sentance of this shloka is --"Who has left the attechment of fruitful result, Who  always remain satisfied in any situation, Who is not bounded with senses or swept with senses, Who does not seek pleasure in material happiness,but, seeks shelter of God only-YET, who is engaged deeply in action-pravrutti-karm; he\she practising Akarm,i.e. Akartabhaav. 

   IN21st , Krishna again repeat the same thing in other words; which we had read in 3rd. ch .also. He described the way of karm. HERE "Niraashi "without desire for fruit, " yad chitt aatma" Yad= who , "chittayma= controll over mind and intelligence,"tyakt sarv" = leaving everything-all senses of proprietership, storage of materials - "Aparigrah"like money, clothes, food And any type of biased thinking, jalousy, reveng feeling. IN short , collection of material and mental feelings. 

  Then comes, " Shaariram" = body ,"keval"= only ,"karm" = act , "kurvan"= does, "na" =not ,"aapnoti" = acquire ," kilbisham"= sinful reaction. 

 "Who has no desire for fruit, Who has controll over mind & intelligence, Who has left all senses of proprietership over possessions, and Acts only for the bare neccessity of life ( see here comes, Nitya karm ), that person; Though, do karm is not affected by sinful result. 

   Now, in 22nd Krishna shows what is "shaareeram kevalm karm " 

"yad yacch"== out of its own, "laabh"= gains. means; person does not make endeavor even to maitain body , "Santushto",= who is satisfied with which he gains coming from his own accoed. 

Then comes "dwandaateeto " = who is free from duality. who remains in same calm ness ,in "sukh-dukh, likes-dislikes, good -bad, in short in any situation stays "sthita"balanced minded. Then "Ateet" = free from  duality. Then word comes, "vimatsar"= without envy Here the shloka says ,- " The person, who is satisfied with gain which comes without any endeavor, even to maintain body, and Who has surpassed duality. Going further, word is " samah" = steady . "siddhavsiddau" here 2 words are combind. Siddhi+asiddhi= succsses or failure. "krutvaa api" api= yet, krutva= does "karm"= acts, "nah"= never ." Nibadhyate " = not affected.  Just like Lord Shankara . He ,who bismearing ashes, can anythig affect Him ? He is always "nitya santushta" ever satisfied. He does not need sheltter or He does not desire anything . Nothing affects Him. Like Him, person should do work. 

So , the entire meaning is --" person who does not make endeavor to maintain body , Who is satisfied with which he gains coming from its own accord, Who surpasses duality,Who is steady ,Who does not have any effect of succssess or failure, IS never entangled by anything. means no "karmbandhan" ; though he performs action . This is Akarta bhaav,or AKARMA   Akarma does not have meaning to be idle. "Vikarma, according to Vinoba Bhaave , means " Vishesh karma .when we do karm, with whole heartedly, with full love and feeling in mind , that , we are doing karma for God then , that karm becomes "vishesh karm - vikarma. And it is considered as Akarm . 

  In these Krishna teaches about Karma, Akarma and Akartabhaav. If stheer  Aatm bhaav is there then no karm can bind us in "karm bandhan" Aatmbhaav becomes our raincoat which does not allow the drops of karma bandhan on us . 

 Thank you .

Geeta Study Group, Richmond, VA, USA -Ch. 3-Shlokas, 33,34,35.

Up till now , Krishna says the importance of Karma and how to do it . What feeling and intention should be & should not be, while doing karma- action. 

  Now,in 33rd shloka, He says everyone has different style & tendency of doing karma .The personality plays role on karma  and that personality again depends  upon the Gunas; which he has carried with MAN (mind) from last life. This becomes separate subject & will come in coming chapters."Prakruti" plays role. Here prakruti means, nature "Swabhav" .Some times it happens, that ,though the person knows, understands that , the action is not worth doing; but he\she does, because of the confirmity of his\her own nature- according to "Prakruti guna".Everyone has different Gunas- nature- swabhaav , sanskaar. Refinement of education. Every one acts under the influence of nature by birth - "janm datta".  So here words are " gnaanvan api chesht te"means even-also i.e. api, gnaanvan ,who has knowledge ; acts - chesht te -"prakrute:" according to nature. After this , Krishna tells Arjuna  that what is the meaning of supressing or restrain? This, as per my understaning, means that Arjuna should not supress his kshatriya guna. He should consider that & do his karma i.e. should fight for truth. 

    Again in 34th Krishna says , " indriyasya, indriyasyaarthe ". Everysense has its own subjects. We have 5 "gnaanendriyas." Skin, ears, nose ,eyes and tounge.These subjects have   its own feelings.  good or bad. Good feelings give "raag" -aaskti- attechment ,and bad feeling gives "dwesh" -hatered-averson. Let's take examples of these gnaanendriys. 

  Skin:- In winter we like hot water for bath,it feels good, but if at that moment somebody pours cold water, we will hate that person.because cold water gives nagative feelingt to skin. Attechment for hot water and hatefor cold water.! 

    Ears:-We like to hear praise from people , but if somebody say some calumny or bad opinion ,we hate that person. We like sweet music, but if it turns into noise , we hate it . 

    Nose:-We like sweet smell of flowers, perfumes, flavoured food etc.,  but hate the bad smell; like garbage, gas etc..

    Eyes:-Like  to see good wonderful scenery , good looking person, picture etc. , we do not like to see ugly things .

    Tongue:- likes tasty food, sweet food;  not bitter or stail food .

   Thus, the attechment and hatered-averson- are controlled by Indriyas- senses. It becomes hindrances in our ethical knowledgeable livleyhood & affects our karma.Person can not seek spirituality."

    "Tayoho na vashm aagachhtau paripanthen"So, do your karma overcoming from likes and dislikes, love and hate and try to do karma with  getting knowledge about "kashar- akshar; nitya-anitya ;and knowledge about Aatma . Aatmgnaan is the key to overcome these Raag-dwesh.

      Coming to 35th shloka, here the word "swdharm" neds clarification. Genrally we believe that Shaiv, Vaishanav,Buddhist, Jain, Muslim, Krishtian etc., are Dharma and person who has born in the family who believes the vows of that dharm ; then that person becomes as follower of that dharm . But , these are not dharm. These are sects. Swdharm has no connection with these sects. This chapter is telling about "karmyog and karm-sannyaas" ,so, the word "swdharm"also be taken in this context. It does not mean that one should stay into one's sect only and do karm even though it's not helping in one's living .This is one side .We see many translations of sanskrit word -swadharm in English language . Terms like Righteousness, Good conduct, Duty, Noble quality,etc. .Earlier ,it has told in Geeta,"dharma means Law of being of anything of the world " Here Krishna says to Arjuna about his swadharm . Arjun is a Kshatriya- his blood has that spirit & he is by nature -guna-prakruti- is a fighter. That IS his swadharm. Fighting for good, truth and justice. But at this moment, his mind is covered by his senses and behaving as ignorant. He has become weak from heart -hraday daurblya- , because of Maya. And sat down with decision not to fight ! Mahabharat battle is named as Dharmyuddh. Kauravaas acted Adharm by deciving Pandvaas, when "chosar" was played. Arjun has to fight for right;and here it becomes his swadhrma; whether he is kashtriya or not . The point of battle is for truth and justice. Krushna tells him "it becomes your swadharm to fight . If you die in this battle ,that will be better than your this weakness; which will give you disgrace-shame-. That life will be more painful.That will become or called "pardharm" ,for you , as it is dangrous for your name ,fame and your kul- lineage-. "shreyaan swadhrmo vigunah, pardharmh tu anushthtaat" 

So , Krushna used words " swadhrme nidhanm shreshth"

    Now for us , karamyog is swadharm. And doing karmyog with little understanding of "sat-asat karm " beheading on that path, slowly and steadily it will give "chitta shuddhi " With  the help of it we will be able to understand the "gnaan" of living, bhakti gunas, perfect meaning of yog etc. and with that gnaan we can reach to "parbrhma" .

      This way Geeta gives message to become "bhaymukt" by performing swadharm. Let us see. Swadharm is different for wife and husband, father and son.Even we can say sewing niddle and sizzers have their swadharm. Buldozer and tractor has their swadharm Same way, we have to find out and understand our swadharm from our life. The voice of heart =antaraatmaa- . IT IS OUR KRUSHNA . Our original self and obtained self has tug of war between them . When our original self is covered by worldly obtained senses, the original self losts in that "jangal" 

    This shlok tells us to find out our original self- swadharm- and do karma, though we get death, instead of jigling on obtained self. 

       Here I stop.