Interpretation of the verse ‘yastu atmaratireva’ etc.

gokulkr · August 3, 2004

To understand the full implications of this karmayoga, a few intricate questions raised in Gita, and a few important observations made in respect of karma have to be noticed. Gita clearly states:

1. Nobody can remain without any activity. To be inactive is impossible

2. To be satisfied with only such activities that quench one’s hunger, thirst and such other impulses only is to waste one’s life and to shirk one’s responsibility. It amounts to committing the sin of evading one’s responsibility.

3. One will not attain the goal of life by abdicating all activity. Merely abstaining from the Kamyakarmas also will not help one to attain the goal of life.

4. One must do one’s prescribed duties.

5. One who suppresses his senses but mentally goes on thinking the objects is a hypocrite. Therefore, the better course would be to discharge one’s duties duly regulating the senses and without being attached.

6. Activities result in bondage only when these are undertaken without dedication to

God.

7. Great persons like Janaka attained the goal of life by discharging their duties and thereby obtaining the knowledge and grace of God. People follow the great persons in the society. Therefore, to set a lesson to others it is necessary to discharge one’s prescribed duty. Even God undertakes activities to set a lesson to men. It is not desirable to mislead the people interested in doing their prescribed duties.

8. God created the people and the activities. He formulated a cycle of their mutual help and co-operation between men and deities. This has to be respected.

9. While discharging one’s prescribed duties, one sho uld not arrogate independent agency to oneself.

10. One should dedicate his activities at the feet of God, realizing the supremacy of God, without the motivation of any results excepting the God’s knowledge and grace, realizing that God is the real agent, and he is only an instrument.

To understand the full implications of this karmayoga, a few intricate questions raised in Gita, and a few important observations made in respect of karma have to be noticed. Gita clearly states:

1. Nobody can remain without any activity. To be inactive is impossible

2. To be satisfied with only such activities that quench one’s hunger, thirst and such other impulses only is to waste one’s life and to shirk one’s responsibility. It amounts to committing the sin of evading one’s responsibility.

3. One will not attain the goal of life by abdicating all activity. Merely abstaining from the Kamyakarmas also will not help one to attain the goal of life.

4. One must do one’s prescribed duties.

5. One who suppresses his senses but mentally goes on thinking the objects is a hypocrite. Therefore, the better course would be to discharge one’s duties duly regulating the senses and without being attached.

6. Activities result in bondage only when these are undertaken without dedication to

God.

7. Great persons like Janaka attained the goal of life by discharging their duties and thereby obtaining the knowledge and grace of God. People follow the great persons in the society. Therefore, to set a lesson to others it is necessary to discharge one’s prescribed duty. Even God undertakes activities to set a lesson to men. It is not desirable to mislead the people interested in doing their prescribed duties.

8. God created the people and the activities. He formulated a cycle of their mutual help and co-operation between men and deities. This has to be respected.

9. While discharging one’s prescribed duties, one sho uld not arrogate independent agency to oneself.

10. One should dedicate his activities at the feet of God, realizing the supremacy of God, without the motivation of any results excepting the God’s knowledge and grace, realizing that God is the real agent, and he is only an instrument.

Interpretation of the verse ‘yastu atmaratireva’ etc.

In the context of Karmayoga, a statement is made that ‘One who is completely absorbed in God, has the joy of the vision of God, and being fully satisfied with the grace of God is not interested in anything else, need not undertake any activity. This verse describes the position of one who is in asamprajnata Samadhi and also one who is liberated. These two need not undertake any activity. This verse does not apply to jnanin in general.

Therefore, it is not correct to interpret this verse as advocating the absence of Karma for jnanin in general, and restricting karmayoga only to karmins. Jnanayoga and karmayoga are not two exclusive paths. Karma is as much necessary for jnanins as jnana is essential for karmins. It is only a matter of degree. Sanaka, Sanandana etc. great jnanins have less of karma, while others have more of karma. In any case both jnana and karma are essential for both. Therefore, the verse ‘yastu atmaratireva’ etc. does not envisage jnanins as against karmins in the context of karmayoga. Its purpose is altogether different. It describes the state of a person who is in asamprajnatasamadhi and one who is liberated.

In the context of Karmayoga, a statement is made that ‘One who is completely absorbed in God, has the joy of the vision of God, and being fully satisfied with the grace of God is not interested in anything else, need not undertake any activity. This verse describes the position of one who is in asamprajnata Samadhi and also one who is liberated. These two need not undertake any activity. This verse does not apply to jnanin in general.

Therefore, it is not correct to interpret this verse as advocating the absence of Karma for jnanin in general, and restricting karmayoga only to karmins. Jnanayoga and karmayoga are not two exclusive paths. Karma is as much necessary for jnanins as jnana is essential for karmins. It is only a matter of degree. Sanaka, Sanandana etc. great jnanins have less of karma, while others have more of karma. In any case both jnana and karma are essential for both. Therefore, the verse ‘yastu atmaratireva’ etc. does not envisage jnanins as against karmins in the context of karmayoga. Its purpose is altogether different. It describes the state of a person who is in asamprajnatasamadhi and one who is liberated.