Bhagavad-gita As It Is
CHAPTER 5: Karma-yoga -- Action in Krishna Consciousness
©1989, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Text:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8-9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26,
27-28,
29
TEXT 1
arjuna uvaca
sannyasam karmanam krsna
punar yogam ca samsasi
yac chreya etayor ekam
tan me bruhi su-niscitam
WORD FOR WORD
arjunah uvaca -- Arjuna said; sannyasam -- renunciation;
karmanam -- of all activities; krsna -- O Krishna;
punah -- again; yogam -- devotional service; ca --
also; samsasi -- You are praising; yat -- which;
sreyah -- is more beneficial; etayoh -- of these two;
ekam -- one; tat -- that; me -- unto me; bruhi
-- please tell; su-niscitam -- definitely.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: O Krishna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then
again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me
definitely which of the two is more beneficial?
PURPORT
In this Fifth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that work
in devotional service is better than dry mental speculation. Devotional
service is easier than the latter because, being transcendental in nature,
it frees one from reaction. In the Second Chapter, preliminary knowledge
of the soul and its entanglement in the material body were explained. How
to get out of this material encagement by buddhi-yoga, or
devotional service, was also explained therein. In the Third Chapter, it
was explained that a person who is situated on the platform of knowledge
no longer has any duties to perform. And in the Fourth Chapter the Lord
told Arjuna that all kinds of sacrificial work culminate in knowledge.
However, at the end of the Fourth Chapter, the Lord advised Arjuna to wake
up and fight, being situated in perfect knowledge. Therefore, by
simultaneously stressing the importance of both work in devotion and
inaction in knowledge, Krishna has perplexed Arjuna and confused his
determination. Arjuna understands that renunciation in knowledge involves
cessation of all kinds of work performed as sense activities. But if one
performs work in devotional service, then how is work stopped? In other
words, he thinks that sannyasa, or renunciation in knowledge,
should be altogether free from all kinds of activity, because work and
renunciation appear to him to be incompatible. He appears not to have
understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the
same as inaction. He inquires, therefore, whether he should cease work
altogether or work with full knowledge.
TEXT 2
sri-bhagavan uvaca
sannyasah karma-yogas ca
nihsreyasa-karav ubhau
tayos tu karma-sannyasat
karma-yogo visisyate
WORD FOR WORD
sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Personality of Godhead said;
sannyasah -- renunciation of work; karma-yogah -- work in
devotion; ca -- also; nihsreyasa-karau -- leading to the
path of liberation; ubhau -- both; tayoh -- of the two;
tu -- but; karma-sannyasat -- in comparison to the
renunciation of fruitive work; karma-yogah -- work in devotion;
visisyate -- is better.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in
devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional
service is better than renunciation of work.
PURPORT
Fruitive activities (seeking
sense gratification) are cause for material bondage. As long as one is
engaged in activities aimed at improving the standard of bodily comfort,
one is sure to transmigrate to different types of bodies, thereby
continuing material bondage perpetually. Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.4-6)
confirms this as follows:
nunam pramattah kurute vikarma
yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti
na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam
asann api klesa-da asa dehah
parabhavas tavad abodha-jato
yavan najijnasata atma-tattvam
yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai
karmatmakam yena sarira-bandhah
evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte
avidyayatmany upadhi yamane
pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve
na mucyate deha-yogena tavat
"People are mad after sense gratification, and they do not know that this
present body, which is full of miseries, is a result of one's fruitive
activities in the past. Although this body is temporary, it is always
giving one trouble in many ways. Therefore, to act for sense gratification
is not good. One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes
no inquiry about his real identity. As long as he does not know his real
identity, he has to work for fruitive results for sense gratification, and
as long as one is engrossed in the consciousness of sense gratification
one has to transmigrate from one body to another. Although the mind may be
engrossed in fruitive activities and influenced by ignorance, one must
develop a love for devotional service to Vasudeva. Only then can one have
the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence."
Therefore, jnana (or knowledge that one is not this material body
but spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has to act
in the status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material
bondage. Action in Krishna consciousness is not, however, action on the
fruitive platform. Activities performed in full knowledge strengthen one's
advancement in real knowledge. Without Krishna consciousness, mere
renunciation of fruitive activities does not actually purify the heart of
a conditioned soul. As long as the heart is not purified, one has to work
on the fruitive platform. But action in Krishna consciousness
automatically helps one escape the result of fruitive action so that one
need not descend to the material platform. Therefore action in Krishna
consciousness is always superior to renunciation, which always entails a
risk of falling. Renunciation without Krishna consciousness is incomplete,
as is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
(1.2.258):
prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate
"When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things related to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking them to be material, their
renunciation is called incomplete." Renunciation is complete when it is in
the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no
one should claim proprietorship over anything. One should understand that,
factually, nothing belongs to anyone. Then where is the question of
renunciation? One who knows that everything is Krishna's property is
always situated in renunciation. Since everything belongs to Krishna,
everything should be employed in the service of Krishna. This perfect form
of action in Krishna consciousness is far better than any amount of
artificial renunciation by a sannyasi of the Mayavadi school.
TEXT 3
jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi
yo na dvesti na kanksati
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho
sukham bandhat pramucyate
WORD FOR WORD
jneyah -- should be known; sah -- he; nitya --
always; sannyasi -- renouncer; yah -- who; na --
never; dvesti -- abhors; na -- nor; kanksati --
desires; nirdvandvah -- free from all dualities; hi --
certainly; maha-baho -- O mighty-armed one; sukham --
happily; bandhat -- from bondage; pramucyate -- is
completely liberated.
TRANSLATION
One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to
be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily
overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed
Arjuna.
PURPORT
One who is fully in Krishna consciousness is always a renouncer because he
feels neither hatred nor desire for the results of his actions. Such a
renouncer, dedicated to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, is
fully qualified in knowledge because he knows his constitutional position
in his relationship with Krishna. He knows fully well that Krishna is the
whole and that he is part and parcel of Krishna. Such knowledge is perfect
because it is qualitatively and quantitatively correct. The concept of
oneness with Krishna is incorrect because the part cannot be equal to the
whole. Knowledge that one is one in quality yet different in quantity is
correct transcendental knowledge leading one to become full in himself,
having nothing to aspire to or lament over. There is no duality in his
mind because whatever he does, he does for Krishna. Being thus freed from
the platform of dualities, he is liberated -- even in this material world.
TEXT 4
sankhya-yogau prthag balah
pravadanti na panditah
ekam apy asthitah samyag
ubhayor vindate phalam
WORD FOR WORD
sankhya -- analytical study of the material world; yogau --
work in devotional service; prthak -- different; balah --
the less intelligent; pravadanti -- say; na -- never;
panditah -- the learned; ekam -- in one; api -- even;
asthitah -- being situated; samyak -- complete;
ubhayoh -- of both; vindate -- enjoys; phalam -- the
result.
TRANSLATION
Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being
different from the analytical study of the material world [Sankhya]. Those
who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of
these paths achieves the results of both.
PURPORT
The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul
of existence. The soul of the material world is Vishnu, or the Supersoul.
Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One
process is to find the root of the tree, and the other is to water the
root. The real student of Sankhya philosophy finds the root of the
material world, Vishnu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in
the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference
between the two because the aim of both is Vishnu. Those who do not know
the ultimate end say that the purposes of Sankhya and karma-yoga
are not the same, but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these
different processes.
TEXT 5
yat sankhyaih prapyate sthanam
tad yogair api gamyate
ekam sankhyam ca yogam ca
yah pasyati sa pasyati
WORD FOR WORD
yat -- what; sankhyaih -- by means of Sankhya philosophy;
prapyate -- is achieved; sthanam -- place; tat --
that; yogaih -- by devotional service; api -- also;
gamyate -- one can attain; ekam -- one; sankhyam --
analytical study; ca -- and; yogam -- action in devotion;
ca -- and; yah -- one who; pasyati -- sees;
sah -- he; pasyati -- actually sees.
TRANSLATION
One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can
also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical
study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they
are.
PURPORT
The real purpose of philosophical research is to find the ultimate goal of
life. Since the ultimate goal of life is self-realization, there is no
difference between the conclusions reached by the two processes. By
Sankhya philosophical research one comes to the conclusion that a living
entity is not a part and parcel of the material world but of the supreme
spirit whole. Consequently, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the
material world; his actions must be in some relation with the Supreme.
When he acts in Krishna consciousness, he is actually in his
constitutional position. In the first process, Sankhya, one has to become
detached from matter, and in the devotional yoga process one has to
attach himself to the work of Krishna consciousness. Factually, both
processes are the same, although superficially one process appears to
involve detachment and the other process appears to involve attachment.
Detachment from matter and attachment to Krishna are one and the same. One
who can see this sees things as they are.
TEXT 6
sannyasas tu maha-baho
duhkham aptum ayogatah
yoga-yukto munir brahma
na cirenadhigacchati
WORD FOR WORD
sannyasah -- the renounced order of life; tu -- but;
maha-baho -- O mighty-armed one; duhkham -- distress;
aptum -- afflicts one with; ayogatah -- without devotional
service; yoga-yuktah -- one engaged in devotional service;
munih -- a thinker; brahma -- the Supreme; na cirena
-- without delay; adhigacchati -- attains.
TRANSLATION
Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional
service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged
in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay.
PURPORT
There are two classes of sannyasis, or persons in the renounced
order of life. The Mayavadi sannyasis are engaged in the study of
Sankhya philosophy, whereas the Vaisnava sannyasis are engaged in
the study of Bhagavatam philosophy, which affords the proper
commentary on the Vedanta-sutras. The Mayavadi sannyasis
also study the Vedanta-sutras, but use their own commentary, called
Sariraka-bhasya, written by Sankaracarya. The students of the
Bhagavata school are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord,
according to pancaratriki regulations, and therefore the Vaisnava
sannyasis have multiple engagements in the transcendental service
of the Lord. The Vaisnava sannyasis have nothing to do with
material activities, and yet they perform various activities in their
devotional service to the Lord. But the Mayavadi sannyasis, engaged
in the studies of Sankhya and Vedanta and speculation, cannot relish the
transcendental service of the Lord. Because their studies become very
tedious, they sometimes become tired of Brahman speculation, and thus they
take shelter of the Bhagavatam without proper understanding.
Consequently their study of the Srimad-Bhagavatam becomes
troublesome. Dry speculations and impersonal interpretations by artificial
means are all useless for the Mayavadi sannyasis. The Vaisnava
sannyasis, who are engaged in devotional service, are happy in the
discharge of their transcendental duties, and they have the guarantee of
ultimate entrance into the kingdom of God. The Mayavadi sannyasis
sometimes fall down from the path of self-realization and again enter into
material activities of a philanthropic and altruistic nature, which are
nothing but material engagements. Therefore, the conclusion is that those
who are engaged in Krishna conscious activities are better situated than
the sannyasis engaged in simple speculation about what is Brahman
and what is not Brahman, although they too come to Krishna consciousness,
after many births.
TEXT 7
yoga-yukto visuddhatma
vijitatmajitendriyah
sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma
kurvann api na lipyate
WORD FOR WORD
yoga-yuktah -- engaged in devotional service; visuddha-atma
-- a purified soul; vijita-atma -- self-controlled;
jita-indriyah -- having conquered the senses; sarva-bhuta --
to all living entities; atma-bhuta-atma -- compassionate; kurvan
api -- although engaged in work; na -- never; lipyate --
is entangled.
TRANSLATION
One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind
and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always
working, such a man is never entangled.
PURPORT
One who is on the path of liberation by Krishna consciousness is very dear
to every living being, and every living being is dear to him. This is due
to his Krishna consciousness. Such a person cannot think of any living
being as separate from Krishna, just as the leaves and branches of a tree
are not separate from the tree. He knows very well that by pouring water
on the root of the tree, the water will be distributed to all the leaves
and branches, or by supplying food to the stomach, the energy is
automatically distributed throughout the body. Because one who works in
Krishna consciousness is servant to all, he is very dear to everyone. And
because everyone is satisfied by his work, he is pure in consciousness.
Because he is pure in consciousness, his mind is completely controlled.
And because his mind is controlled, his senses are also controlled.
Because his mind is always fixed on Krishna, there is no chance of his
being deviated from Krishna. Nor is there a chance that he will engage his
senses in matters other than the service of the Lord. He does not like to
hear anything except topics relating to Krishna; he does not like to eat
anything which is not offered to Krishna; and he does not wish to go
anywhere if Krishna is not involved. Therefore, his senses are controlled.
A man of controlled senses cannot be offensive to anyone. One may ask,
"Why then was Arjuna offensive (in battle) to others? Wasn't he in Krishna
consciousness?" Arjuna was only superficially offensive because (as has
already been explained in the Second Chapter) all the assembled persons on
the battlefield would continue to live individually, as the soul cannot be
slain. So, spiritually, no one was killed on the Battlefield of
Kuruksetra. Only their dresses were changed by the order of Krishna, who
was personally present. Therefore Arjuna, while fighting on the
Battlefield of Kuruksetra, was not really fighting at all; he was simply
carrying out the orders of Krishna in full Krishna consciousness. Such a
person is never entangled in the reactions of work.
TEXTS 8-9
naiva kincit karomiti
yukto manyeta tattva-vit
pasyan srnvan sprsanjighrann
asnan gacchan svapan svasan
pralapan visrjan grhnann
unmisan nimisann api
indriyanindriyarthesu
vartanta iti dharayan
WORD FOR WORD
na -- never; eva -- certainly; kincit -- anything;
karomi -- I do; iti -- thus; yuktah -- engaged in the
divine consciousness; manyeta -- thinks; tattva-vit -- one
who knows the truth; pasyan -- seeing; srn van -- hearing;
sprsan -- touching; jighran -- smelling; asnan --
eating; gacchan -- going; svapan -- dreaming; svasan
-- breathing; pralapan -- talking; visrjan -- giving up;
grhnan -- accepting; unmisan -- opening; nimisan --
closing; api -- in spite of; indriyani -- the senses;
indriya-arthesu -- in sense gratification; vartante -- let
them be so engaged; iti -- thus; dharayan -- considering.
TRANSLATION
A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing,
touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always
knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while
speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always
knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and
that he is aloof from them.
PURPORT
A person in Krishna consciousness is pure in his existence, and
consequently he has nothing to do with any work which depends upon five
immediate and remote causes: the doer, the work, the situation, the
endeavor and fortune. This is because he is engaged in the loving
transcendental service of Krishna. Although he appears to be acting with
his body and senses, he is always conscious of his actual position, which
is spiritual engagement. In material consciousness, the senses are engaged
in sense gratification, but in Krishna consciousness the senses are
engaged in the satisfaction of Krishna's senses. Therefore, the Krishna
conscious person is always free, even though he appears to be engaged in
affairs of the senses. Activities such as seeing and hearing are actions
of the senses meant for receiving knowledge, whereas moving, speaking,
evacuating, etc., are actions of the senses meant for work. A Krishna
conscious person is never affected by the actions of the senses. He cannot
perform any act except in the service of the Lord because he knows that he
is the eternal servitor of the Lord.
TEXT 10
brahmany adhaya karmani
sangam tyaktva karoti yah
lipyate na sa papena
padma-patram ivambhasa
WORD FOR WORD
brahmani -- unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhaya
-- resigning; karmani -- all works; sangam -- attachment;
tyaktva -- giving up; karoti -- performs; yah -- who;
lipyate -- is affected; na -- never; sah -- he;
papena -- by sin; padma-patram -- a lotus leaf; iva
-- like; ambhasa -- by the water.
TRANSLATION
One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results
unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf
is untouched by water.
PURPORT
Here brahmani means in Krishna consciousness. The material world is
a sum total manifestation of the three modes of material nature,
technically called the pradhana. The Vedic hymns sarvam hy etad
brahma (Mandukya Upanisad 2), tasmad etad brahma nama-rupam
annam cajayate (Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.10), and, in the
Bhagavad-gita (14.3), mama yonir mahad brahma indicate that
everything in the material world is a manifestation of Brahman; and
although the effects are differently manifested, they are nondifferent
from the cause. In the Isopanisad it is said that everything is
related to the Supreme Brahman, or Krishna, and thus everything belongs to
Him only. One who knows perfectly well that everything belongs to Krishna,
that He is the proprietor of everything and that, therefore, everything is
engaged in the service of the Lord, naturally has nothing to do with the
results of his activities, whether virtuous or sinful. Even one's material
body, being a gift of the Lord for carrying out a particular type of
action, can be engaged in Krishna consciousness. It is then beyond
contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though
remaining in the water, is not wet. The Lord also says in the Gita
(3.30), mayi sarvani karmani sannyasya: "Resign all works unto Me
[Krishna]." The conclusion is that a person without Krishna consciousness
acts according to the concept of the material body and senses, but a
person in Krishna consciousness acts according to the knowledge that the
body is the property of Krishna and should therefore be engaged in the
service of Krishna.
TEXT 11
kayena manasa buddhya
kevalair indriyair api
yoginah karma kurvanti
sangam tyaktvatma-suddhaye
WORD FOR WORD
kayena -- with the body; manasa -- with the mind;
buddhya -- with the intelligence; kevalaih -- purified;
indriyaih -- with the senses; api -- even; yoginah --
Krishna conscious persons; karma -- actions; kurvanti --
they perform; sangam -- attachment; tyaktva -- giving up;
atma -- of the self; suddhaye -- for the purpose of
purification.
TRANSLATION
The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and
even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.
PURPORT
When one acts in Krishna consciousness for the satisfaction of the senses
of Krishna, any action, whether of the body, mind, intelligence or even
the senses, is purified of material contamination. There are no material
reactions resulting from the activities of a Krishna conscious person.
Therefore purified activities, which are generally called
sad-acara, can be easily performed by acting in Krishna
consciousness. Sri Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.
187) describes this as follows:
iha yasya harer dasye
karmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasu
jivan-muktah sa ucyate
"A person acting in Krishna consciousness (or, in other words, in the
service of Krishna) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a
liberated person even within the material world, although he may be
engaged in many so-called material activities." He has no false ego, for
he does not believe that he is this material body, or that he possesses
the body. He knows that he is not this body and that this body does not
belong to him. He himself belongs to Krishna, and the body too belongs to
Krishna. When he applies everything produced of the body, mind,
intelligence, words, life, wealth, etc. -- whatever he may have within his
possession -- to Krishna's service, he is at once dovetailed with Krishna.
He is one with Krishna and is devoid of the false ego that leads one to
believe that he is the body, etc. This is the perfect stage of Krishna
consciousness.
TEXT 12
yuktah karma-phalam tyaktva
santim apnoti naisthikim
ayuktah kama-karena
phale sakto nibadhyate
WORD FOR WORD
yuktah -- one who is engaged in devotional service;
karma-phalam -- the results of all activities; tyaktva --
giving up; santimn -- perfect peace; apnoti -- achieves;
naisthikim -- unflinching; ayuktah -- one who is not in
Krishna consciousness; kama-karena -- for enjoying the result of
work; phale -- in the result; saktah -- attached;
nibadhyate -- becomes entangled.
TRANSLATION
The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers
the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union
with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes
entangled.
PURPORT
The difference between a person in Krishna consciousness and a person in
bodily consciousness is that the former is attached to Krishna whereas the
latter is attached to the results of his activities. The person who is
attached to Krishna and works for Him only is certainly a liberated
person, and he has no anxiety over the results of his work. In the
Bhagavatam, the cause of anxiety over the result of an activity is
explained as being one's functioning in the conception of duality, that
is, without knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Krishna is the Supreme
Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. In Krishna consciousness,
there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Krishna's energy, and
Krishna is all good. Therefore, activities in Krishna consciousness are on
the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect.
One is therefore filled with peace in Krishna consciousness. But one who
is entangled in profit calculation for sense gratification cannot have
that peace. This is the secret of Krishna consciousness -- realization
that there is no existence besides Krishna is the platform of peace and
fearlessness.
TEXT 13
sarva-karmani manasa
sannyasyaste sukham vasi
nava-dvare pure dehi
naiva kurvan na karayan
WORD FOR WORD
sarva -- all; karmani -- activities; manasa -- by the
mind; sannyasya -- giving up; aste -- remains; sukham
-- in happiness; vasi -- one who is controlled; nava-dvare
-- in the place where there are nine gates; pure -- in the city;
dehi -- the embodied soul; na -- never; eva --
certainly; kurvan -- doing anything; na -- not;
karayan -- causing to be done.
TRANSLATION
When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces
all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material
body], neither working nor causing work to be done.
PURPORT
The embodied soul lives in the city of nine gates. The activities of the
body, or the figurative city of body, are conducted automatically by its
particular modes of nature. The soul, although subjecting himself to the
conditions of the body, can be beyond those conditions, if he so desires.
Owing only to forgetfulness of his superior nature, he identifies with the
material body, and therefore suffers. By Krishna consciousness, he can
revive his real position and thus come out of his embodiment. Therefore,
when one takes to Krishna consciousness, one at once becomes completely
aloof from bodily activities. In such a controlled life, in which his
deliberations are changed, he lives happily within the city of nine gates.
The nine gates are mentioned as follows:
nava-dvare pure dehi
hamso lelayate bahih
vasi sarvasya lokasya
sthavarasya carasya ca
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within the body of a
living entity, is the controller of all living entities all over the
universe. The body consists of nine gates [two eyes, two nostrils, two
ears, one mouth, the anus and the genitals]. The living entity in his
conditioned stage identifies himself with the body, but when he identifies
himself with the Lord within himself, he becomes just as free as the Lord,
even while in the body." (Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.18)
Therefore, a Krishna conscious person is free from both the outer and
inner activities of the material body.
TEXT 14
na kartrtvam na karmani
lokasya srjati prabhuh
na karma-phala-samyogam
svabhavas tu pravartate
WORD FOR WORD
na -- never; kartrtvam -- proprietorship; na -- nor;
karmani -- activities; lokasya -- of the people;
srjati -- creates; prabhuh -- the master of the city of the
body; na -- nor; karma-phala -- with the results of
activities; samyogam -- connection; svabhavah -- the modes
of material nature; tu -- but; pravartate -- act.
TRANSLATION
The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create
activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the
fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature.
PURPORT
The living entity, as will be explained in the Seventh Chapter, is one of
the energies or natures of the Supreme Lord but is distinct from matter,
which is another nature -- called inferior -- of the Lord. Somehow the
superior nature, the living entity, has been in contact with material
nature since time immemorial. The temporary body or material dwelling
place which he obtains is the cause of varieties of activities and their
resultant reactions. Living in such a conditional atmosphere, one suffers
the results of the activities of the body by identifying himself (in
ignorance) with the body. It is ignorance acquired from time immemorial
that is the cause of bodily suffering and distress. As soon as the living
entity becomes aloof from the activities of the body, he becomes free from
the reactions as well. As long as he is in the city of body, he appears to
be the master of it, but actually he is neither its proprietor nor
controller of its actions and reactions. He is simply in the midst of the
material ocean, struggling for existence. The waves of the ocean are
tossing him, and he has no control over them. His best solution is to get
out of the water by transcendental Krishna consciousness. That alone will
save him from all turmoil.
TEXT 15
nadatte kasyacit papam
na caiva sukrtam vibhuh
ajnanenavrtam jnanam
tena muhyantijantavah
WORD FOR WORD
na -- never; adatte -- accepts; kasyacit -- anyone's;
papam -- sin; na -- nor; ca -- also; eva --
certainly; su-krtam -- pious activities; vibhuh -- the
Supreme Lord; ajnanena -- by ignorance; avrtam -- covered;
jnanam -- knowledge; tena -- by that; muhyanti -- are
bewildered; jantavah -- the living entities.
TRANSLATION
Nor does the Supreme Lord assume anyone's sinful or pious activities.
Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which
covers their real knowledge.
PURPORT
The Sanskrit word vibhu means the Supreme Lord who is full of
unlimited knowledge, riches, strength, fame, beauty and renunciation. He
is always satisfied in Himself, undisturbed by sinful or pious activities.
He does not create a particular situation for any living entity, but the
living entity, bewildered by ignorance, desires to be put into certain
conditions of life, and thereby his chain of action and reaction begins. A
living entity is, by superior nature, full of knowledge. Nevertheless, he
is prone to be influenced by ignorance due to his limited power. The Lord
is omnipotent, but the living entity is not. The Lord is vibhu, or
omniscient, but the living entity is anu, or atomic. Because he is
a living soul, he has the capacity to desire by his free will. Such desire
is fulfilled only by the omnipotent Lord. And so, when the living entity
is bewildered in his desires, the Lord allows him to fulfill those
desires, but the Lord is never responsible for the actions and reactions
of the particular situation which may be desired. Being in a bewildered
condition, therefore, the embodied soul identifies himself with the
circumstantial material body and becomes subjected to the temporary misery
and happiness of life. The Lord is the constant companion of the living
entity as Paramatma, or the Supersoul, and therefore He can understand the
desires of the individual soul, as one can smell the flavor of a flower by
being near it. Desire is a subtle form of conditioning for the living
entity. The Lord fulfills his desire as he deserves: Man proposes and God
disposes. The individual is not, therefore, omnipotent in fulfilling his
desires. The Lord, however, can fulfill all desires, and the Lord, being
neutral to everyone, does not interfere with the desires of the minute
independent living entities. However, when one desires Krishna, the Lord
takes special care and encourages one to desire in such a way that one can
attain to Him and be eternally happy. The Vedic hymns therefore declare,
esa u hy evasadhu karma karayati tam yam ebhyo lokebhya unninisate. esa
u evasadhu karma karayati yam adho ninisate: "The Lord engages the
living entity in pious activities so that he may be elevated. The Lord
engages him in impious activities so that he may go to hell."
(Kausitaki Upanisad 3.8)
ajno jantur aniso 'yam
atmanah sukha-duhkhayoh
isvara-prerito gacchet
svargam vasv abhram eva ca
"The living entity is completely dependent in his distress and happiness.
By the will of the Supreme he can go to heaven or hell, as a cloud is
driven by the air."
Therefore the embodied soul, by his immemorial desire to avoid Krishna
consciousness, causes his own bewilderment. Consequently, although he is
constitutionally eternal, blissful and cognizant, due to the littleness of
his existence he forgets his constitutional position of service to the
Lord and is thus entrapped by nescience. And, under the spell of
ignorance, the living entity claims that the Lord is responsible for his
conditional existence. The Vedanta-sutras (2.1.34) also confirm
this. Vaisamya-nairghrnye na sapeksatvat tatha hi darsayati: "The
Lord neither hates nor likes anyone, though He appears to."
TEXT 16
jnanena tu tad ajnanam
yesam nasitam atmanah
tesam aditya-vajjnanam
prakasayati tat param
WORD FOR WORD
jnanena -- by knowledge; tu -- but; tat -- that;
ajnanam -- nescience; yesam -- whose; nasitam -- is
destroyed; atmanah -- of the living entity; tesam -- their;
aditya-vat -- like the rising sun; jnanam -- knowledge;
prakasayati -- discloses; tat param -- Krishna
consciousness.
TRANSLATION
When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is
destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up
everything in the daytime.
PURPORT
Those who have forgotten Krishna must certainly be bewildered, but those
who are in Krishna consciousness are not bewildered at all. It is stated
in the Bhagavad-gita, sarvam jnana-plavena, jnanagnih sarva-karmani
and na hi jnanena sadrsam. Knowledge is always highly esteemed. And
what is that knowledge? Perfect knowledge is achieved when one surrenders
unto Krishna, as is said in the Seventh Chapter, 19th verse: bahunam
janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. After passing through many,
many births, when one perfect in knowledge surrenders unto Krishna, or
when one attains Krishna consciousness, then everything is revealed to
him, as everything is revealed by the sun in the daytime. The living
entity is bewildered in so many ways. For instance, when he
unceremoniously thinks himself God, he actually falls into the last snare
of nescience. If a living entity is God, then how can he become bewildered
by nescience? Does God become bewildered by nescience? If so, then
nescience, or Satan, is greater than God. Real knowledge can be obtained
from a person who is in perfect Krishna consciousness. Therefore, one has
to seek out such a bona fide spiritual master and, under him, learn what
Krishna consciousness is, for Krishna consciousness will certainly drive
away all nescience, as the sun drives away darkness. Even though a person
may be in full knowledge that he is not this body but is transcendental to
the body, he still may not be able to discriminate between the soul and
the Supersoul. However, he can know everything well if he cares to take
shelter of the perfect, bona fide Krishna conscious spiritual master. One
can know God and one's relationship with God only when one actually meets
a representative of God. A representative of God never claims that he is
God, although he is paid all the respect ordinarily paid to God because he
has knowledge of God. One has to learn the distinction between God and the
living entity. Lord Sri Krishna therefore stated in the Second Chapter
(2.12) that every living being is individual and that the Lord also is
individual. They were all individuals in the past, they are individuals at
present, and they will continue to be individuals in the future, even
after liberation. At night we see everything as one in the darkness, but
in day, when the sun is up, we see everything in its real identity.
Identity with individuality in spiritual life is real knowledge.
TEXT 17
tad-buddhayas tad-atmanas
tan-nisthas tat-parayanah
gacchanty apunar-avrttim
jnana-nirdhuta-kalmasah
WORD FOR WORD
tat-buddhayah -- those whose intelligence is always in the Supreme;
tat-atmanah -- those whose minds are always in the Supreme;
tat-nisthah -- those whose faith is only meant for the Supreme;
tat-parayanah -- who have completely taken shelter of Him;
gacchanti -- go; apunah-avrttim -- to liberation;
jnana -- by knowledge; nirdhuta -- cleansed; kalmasah
-- misgivings.
TRANSLATION
When one's intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the
Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete
knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.
PURPORT
The Supreme Transcendental Truth is Lord Krishna. The whole
Bhagavad-gita centers around the declaration that Krishna is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the version of all Vedic
literature. Para-tattva means the Supreme Reality, who is
understood by the knowers of the Supreme as Brahman, Paramatma and
Bhagavan. Bhagavan, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the last
word in the Absolute. There is nothing more than that. The Lord says,
mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya. Impersonal Brahman
is also supported by Krishna: brahmano hi pratisthaham. Therefore
in all ways Krishna is the Supreme Reality. One whose mind, intelligence,
faith and refuge are always in Krishna, or, in other words, one who is
fully in Krishna consciousness, is undoubtedly washed clean of all
misgivings and is in perfect knowledge in everything concerning
transcendence. A Krishna conscious person can thoroughly understand that
there is duality (simultaneous identity and individuality) in Krishna,
and, equipped with such transcendental knowledge, one can make steady
progress on the path of liberation.
TEXT 18
vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
WORD FOR WORD
vidya -- with education; vinaya -- and gentleness;
sampanne -- fully equipped; brahmane -- in the brahmana;
gavi -- in the cow; hastini -- in the elephant; suni --
in the dog; ca -- and; eva -- certainly; sva-pake --
in the dog-eater (the outcaste); ca -- respectively;
panditah -- those who are wise; sama-darsinah -- who see
with equal vision.
TRANSLATION
The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a
learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater
[outcaste].
PURPORT
A Krishna conscious person does not make any distinction between species
or castes. The brahmana and the outcaste may be different from the
social point of view, or a dog, a cow, and an elephant may be different
from the point of view of species, but these differences of body are
meaningless from the viewpoint of a learned transcendentalist. This is due
to their relationship to the Supreme, for the Supreme Lord, by His plenary
portion as Paramatma, is present in everyone's heart. Such an
understanding of the Supreme is real knowledge. As far as the bodies are
concerned in different castes or different species of life, the Lord is
equally kind to everyone because He treats every living being as a friend
yet maintains Himself as Paramatma regardless of the circumstances of the
living entities. The Lord as Paramatma is present both in the outcaste and
in the brahmana, although the body of a brahmana and that of
an outcaste are not the same. The bodies are material productions of
different modes of material nature, but the soul and the Supersoul within
the body are of the same spiritual quality. The similarity in the quality
of the soul and the Supersoul, however, does not make them equal in
quantity, for the individual soul is present only in that particular body
whereas the Paramatma is present in each and every body. A Krishna
conscious person has full knowledge of this, and therefore he is truly
learned and has equal vision. The similar characteristics of the soul and
Supersoul are that they are both conscious, eternal and blissful. But the
difference is that the individual soul is conscious within the limited
jurisdiction of the body whereas the Supersoul is conscious of all bodies.
The Supersoul is present in all bodies without distinction.
TEXT 19
ihaiva tairjitah sargo
yesam samye sthitam manah
nirdosam hi samam brahma
tasmad brahmani te sthitah
WORD FOR WORD
iha -- in this life; eva -- certainly; taih -- by
them; jitah -- conquered; sargah -- birth and death;
yesam -- whose; samye -- in equanimity; sthitam --
situated; manah -- mind; nirdosam -- flawless; hi --
certainly; samam -- in equanimity; brahma -- like the
Supreme; tasmat -- therefore; brahmani -- in the Supreme;
te -- they; sthitah -- are situated.
TRANSLATION
Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already
conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like
Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.
PURPORT
Equanimity of mind, as mentioned above, is the sign of self-realization.
Those who have actually attained to such a stage should be considered to
have conquered material conditions, specifically birth and death. As long
as one identifies with this body, he is considered a conditioned soul, but
as soon as he is elevated to the stage of equanimity through realization
of self, he is liberated from conditional life. In other words, he is no
longer subject to take birth in the material world but can enter into the
spiritual sky after his death. The Lord is flawless because He is without
attraction or hatred. Similarly, when a living entity is without
attraction or hatred, he also becomes flawless and eligible to enter into
the spiritual sky. Such persons are to be considered already liberated,
and their symptoms are described below.
TEXT 20
na prahrsyet priyam prapya
nodvijet prapya capriyam
sthira-buddhir asammudho
brahma-vid brahmani sthitah
WORD FOR WORD
na -- never; prahrsyet -- rejoices; priyam -- the
pleasant; prapya -- achieving; na -- does not;
udvijet -- become agitated; prapya -- obtaining; ca
-- also; apriyam -- the unpleasant; sthira-buddhih --
self-intelligent; asammudhah -- unbewildered; brahma-vit --
one who knows the Supreme perfectly; brahmani -- in the
transcendence; sthitah -- situated.
TRANSLATION
A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor
laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who
is unbewildered, and who knows the science of God, is already situated in
transcendence.
PURPORT
The symptoms of the self-realized person are given herein. The first
symptom is that he is not illusioned by the false identification of the
body with his true self. He knows perfectly well that he is not this body,
but is the fragmental portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is
therefore not joyful in achieving something, nor does he lament in losing
anything which is related to his body. This steadiness of mind is called
sthira-buddhi, or self-intelligence. He is therefore never
bewildered by mistaking the gross body for the soul, nor does he accept
the body as permanent and disregard the existence of the soul. This
knowledge elevates him to the station of knowing the complete science of
the Absolute Truth, namely Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. He thus knows
his constitutional position perfectly well, without falsely trying to
become one with the Supreme in all respects. This is called Brahman
realization, or self-realization. Such steady consciousness is called
Krishna consciousness.
TEXT 21
bahya-sparsesv asaktatma
vindaty atmani yat sukham
sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma
sukham aksayam asnute
WORD FOR WORD
bahya-sparsesu -- in external sense pleasure; asakta-atma --
one who is not attached; vindati -- enjoys; atmani -- in the
self; yat -- that which; sukham -- happiness; sah --
he; brahma-yoga -- by concentration in Brahman; yukta-atma
-- self-connected; sukham -- happiness; aksayam --
unlimited; asnute -- enjoys.
TRANSLATION
Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is
always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the
self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on
the Supreme.
PURPORT
Sri Yamunacarya, a great devotee in Krishna consciousness, said:
yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit
tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu nisthivanam ca
"Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of
Krishna, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex
pleasure I spit at the thought, and my lips curl with distaste." A person
in brahma-yoga, or Krishna consciousness, is so absorbed in the
loving service of the Lord that he loses his taste for material sense
pleasure altogether. The highest pleasure in terms of matter is sex
pleasure. The whole world is moving under its spell, and a materialist
cannot work at all without this motivation. But a person engaged in
Krishna consciousness can work with greater vigor without sex pleasure,
which he avoids. That is the test in spiritual realization. Spiritual
realization and sex pleasure go ill together. A Krishna conscious person
is not attracted to any kind of sense pleasure, due to his being a
liberated soul.
TEXT 22
ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga
duhkha-yonaya eva te
ady-antavantah kaunteya
na tesu ramate budhah
WORD FOR WORD
ye -- those; hi -- certainly; samsparsa-jah -- by
contact with the material senses; bhogah -- enjoyments;
duhkha -- distress; yonayah -- sources of; eva --
certainly; te -- they are; adi -- beginning; anta --
end; vantah -- subject to; kaunteya -- O son of Kunti;
na -- never; tesu -- in those; ramate -- takes
delight; budhah -- the intelligent person.
TRANSLATION
An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which
are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such
pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not
delight in them.
PURPORT
Material sense pleasures are due to the contact of the material senses,
which are all temporary because the body itself is temporary. A liberated
soul is not interested in anything which is temporary. Knowing well the
joys of transcendental pleasures, how can a liberated soul agree to enjoy
false pleasure? In the Padma Purana it is said:
ramante yogino 'nante
satyanande cid-atmani
iti rama-padenasau
param brahmabhidhiyate
"The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute
Truth, and therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of
Godhead, is also known as Rama."
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also (5.5.1) it is said:
nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
"My dear sons, there is no reason to labor very hard for sense pleasure
while in this human form of life; such pleasures are available to the
stool-eaters [hogs]. Rather, you should undergo penances in this life by
which your existence will be purified, and as a result you will be able to
enjoy unlimited transcendental bliss."
Therefore, those who are true yogis or learned transcendentalists
are not attracted by sense pleasures, which are the causes of continuous
material existence. The more one is addicted to material pleasures, the
more he is entrapped by material miseries.
TEXT 23
saknotihaiva yah sodhum
prak sarira-vimoksanat
kama-krodhodbhavam vegam
sa yuktah sa sukhi narah
WORD FOR WORD
saknoti -- is able; iha eva -- in the present body;
yah -- one who; sodhum -- to tolerate; prak --
before; sarira -- the body; vimoksanat -- giving up;
kama -- desire; krodha -- and anger; udbhavam --
generated from; vegam -- urges; sah -- he; yuktah --
in trance; sah -- he; sukhi -- happy; narah -- human
being.
TRANSLATION
Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges
of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well
situated and is happy in this world.
PURPORT
If one wants to make steady progress on the path of self-realization, he
must try to control the forces of the material senses. There are the
forces of talk, forces of anger, forces of mind, forces of the stomach,
forces of the genitals, and forces of the tongue. One who is able to
control the forces of all these different senses, and the mind, is called
gosvami, or svami. Such gosvamis live strictly
controlled lives, and forgo altogether the forces of the senses. Material
desires, when unsatiated, generate anger, and thus the mind, eyes and
chest become agitated. Therefore, one must practice to control them before
one gives up this material body. One who can do this is understood to be
self-realized and is thus happy in the state of self-realization. It is
the duty of the transcendentalist to try strenuously to control desire and
anger.
TEXT 24
yo 'ntah-sukho 'ntar-aramas
tathantar-jyotir eva yah
sa yogi brahma-nirvanam
brahma-bhuto 'dhigacchati
WORD FOR WORD
yah -- one who; antah-sukhah -- happy from within;
antah-aramah -- actively enjoying within; tatha -- as well
as; antah-jyotih -- aiming within; eva -- certainly;
yah -- anyone; sah -- he; yogi -- a mystic;
brahma-nirvanam -- liberation in the Supreme; brahma-bhutah
-- being self-realized; adhigacchati -- attains.
TRANSLATION
One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and
whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the
Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.
PURPORT
Unless one is able to relish happiness from within, how can one retire
from the external engagements meant for deriving superficial happiness? A
liberated person enjoys happiness by factual experience. He can,
therefore, sit silently at any place and enjoy the activities of life from
within. Such a liberated person no longer desires external material
happiness. This state is called brahma-bhuta, attaining which one
is assured of going back to Godhead, back to home.
TEXT 25
labhante brahma-nirvanam
rsayah ksina-kalmasah
chinna-dvaidha yatatmanah
sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
WORD FOR WORD
labhante -- achieve; brahma-nirvanam -- liberation in the
Supreme; rsayah -- those who are active within;
ksina-kalmasah -- who are devoid of all sins; chinna --
having torn off; dvaidhah -- duality; yata-atmanah --
engaged in self-realization; sarva-bhuta -- for all living
entities; hite -- in welfare work; ratah -- engaged.
TRANSLATION
Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are
engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living
beings, and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme.
PURPORT
Only a person who is fully in Krishna consciousness can be said to be
engaged in welfare work for all living entities. When a person is actually
in the knowledge that Krishna is the fountainhead of everything, then when
he acts in that spirit he acts for everyone. The sufferings of humanity
are due to forgetfulness of Krishna as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme
proprietor, and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to revive this
consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work.
One cannot be engaged in such first-class welfare work without being
liberated in the Supreme. A Krishna conscious person has no doubt about
the supremacy of Krishna. He has no doubt because he is completely freed
from all sins. This is the state of divine love.
A person engaged only in ministering to the physical welfare of human
society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external
body and the mind is not satisfactory. The real cause of one's
difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in one's
forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When a man is
fully conscious of his relationship with Krishna, he is actually a
liberated soul, although he may be in the material tabernacle.
TEXT 26
kama-krodha-vimuktanam
yatinam yata-cetasam
abhito brahma-nirvanam
vartate viditatmanam
WORD FOR WORD
kama -- from desires; krodha -- and anger; vimuktanam
-- of those who are liberated; yatinam -- of the saintly persons;
yata-cetasam -- who have full control over the mind; abhitah
-- assured in the near future; brahma-nirvanam -- liberation in the
Supreme; vartate -- is there; vidita-atmanam -- of those who
are self-realized.
TRANSLATION
Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are
self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection,
are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.
PURPORT
Of the saintly persons who are constantly engaged in striving toward
salvation, one who is in Krishna consciousness is the best of all. The
Bhagavatam (4.22.39) confirms this fact as follows:
yat-pada-pankaja-palasa-vilasa-bhaktya
karmasayam grathitam udgrathayanti santah
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo 'pi ruddha-
sroto-ganas tam aranam bhaja vasudevam
"Just try to worship, in devotional service, Vasudeva, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Even great sages are not able to control the
forces of the senses as effectively as those who are engaged in
transcendental bliss by serving the lotus feet of the Lord, uprooting the
deep-grown desire for fruitive activities."
In the conditioned soul the desire to enjoy the fruitive results of work
is so deep rooted that it is very difficult even for the great sages to
control such desires, despite great endeavors. A devotee of the Lord,
constantly engaged in devotional service in Krishna consciousness, perfect
in self-realization, very quickly attains liberation in the Supreme. Owing
to his complete knowledge in self-realization, he always remains in
trance. To cite an analogous example of this:
darshana-dhyana-samsparsair
matsya-kurma-vihangamah
svany apatyani pusnanti
tathaham api padma ja
"By vision, by meditation and by touch only do the fish, the tortoise and
the birds maintain their offspring. Similarly do I also, O Padmaja!"
The fish brings up its offspring simply by looking at them. The tortoise
brings up its offspring simply by meditation. The eggs of the tortoise are
laid on land, and the tortoise meditates on the eggs while in the water.
Similarly, the devotee in Krishna consciousness, although far away from
the Lord's abode, can elevate himself to that abode simply by thinking of
Him constantly -- by engagement in Krishna consciousness. He does not feel
the pangs of material miseries; this state of life is called
brahma-nirvana, or the absence of material miseries due to being
constantly immersed in the Supreme.
TEXTS 27-28
sparsan krtva bahir bahyams
caksus caivantare bhruvoh
pranapanau samau krtva
nasabhyantara-carinau
yatendriya-mano-buddhir
munir moksa-parayanah
vigateccha-bhaya-krodho
yah sada mukta eva sah
WORD FOR WORD
sparsan -- sense objects, such as sound; krtva -- keeping;
bahih -- external; bahyan -- unnecessary; caksuh --
eyes; ca -- also; eva -- certainly; antare --
between; bhruvoh -- the eyebrows; prana-apanau -- up-and
down-moving air; samau -- in suspension; krtva -- keeping;
nasa-abhyantara -- within the nostrils; carinau -- blowing;
yata -- controlled; indriya -- senses; manah -- mind;
buddhih -- intelligence; munih -- the transcendentalist;
moksa -- for liberation; parayanah -- being so destined;
vigata -- having discarded; iccha -- wishes; bhaya --
fear; krodhah -- anger; yah -- one who; sada --
always; muktah -- liberated; eva -- certainly; sah --
he is.
TRANSLATION
Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision
concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward
breaths within the nostrils, and thus controlling the mind, senses and
intelligence, the transcendentalist aiming at liberation becomes free from
desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly
liberated.
PURPORT
Being engaged in Krishna consciousness, one can immediately understand
one's spiritual identity, and then one can understand the Supreme Lord by
means of devotional service. When one is well situated in devotional
service, one comes to the transcendental position, qualified to feel the
presence of the Lord in the sphere of one's activity. This particular
position is called liberation in the Supreme.
After explaining the above principles of liberation in the Supreme, the
Lord gives instruction to Arjuna as to how one can come to that
position by the practice of the mysticism or yoga known as
astanga-yoga, which is divisible into an eightfold procedure
called yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana,
dhyana and samadhi. In the Sixth Chapter the subject of
yoga is explicitly detailed, and at the end of the Fifth it is
only preliminarily explained. One has to drive out the sense objects
such as sound, touch, form, taste and smell by the pratyahara
process in yoga, and then keep the vision of the eyes between
the two eyebrows and concentrate on the tip of the nose with
half-closed lids. There is no benefit in closing the eyes altogether,
because then there is every chance of falling asleep. Nor is there
benefit in opening the eyes completely, because then there is the
hazard of being attracted by sense objects. The breathing movement is
restrained within the nostrils by neutralizing the up-moving and
down-moving air within the body. By practice of such yoga one is
able to gain control over the senses, refrain from outward sense
objects, and thus prepare oneself for liberation in the Supreme.
This yoga process helps one become free from all kinds of fear and
anger and thus feel the presence of the Supersoul in the transcendental
situation. In other words, Krishna consciousness is the easiest process of
executing yoga principles. This will be thoroughly explained in the
next chapter. A Krishna conscious person, however, being always engaged in
devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other
engagement. This is a better way of controlling the senses than by the
astanga-yoga.
TEXT 29
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
WORD FOR WORD
bhoktaram -- the beneficiary; yajna -- of sacrifices;
tapasam -- and penances and austerities; sarva-loka -- of
all planets and the demigods thereof; maha-isvaram -- the Supreme
Lord; su-hrdam -- the benefactor; sarva -- of all;
bhutanam -- the living entities; jnatva -- thus knowing;
mam -- Me (Lord Krishna); santim -- relief from material
pangs; rcchati -- one achieves.
TRANSLATION
A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate
beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all
planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living
entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.
PURPORT
The conditioned souls within the clutches of illusory energy are all
anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the
formula for peace, which is explained in this part of the
Bhagavad-gita. The greatest peace formula is simply this: Lord
Krishna is the beneficiary in all human activities. Men should offer
everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the
proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon. No one is greater than
He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Shiva and Lord
Brahma. In the Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.7) the Supreme
Lord is described as tam isvaranam paramam mahesvaram. Under the
spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they
survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the
Lord. The Lord is the master of material nature, and the conditioned souls
are under the stringent rules of material nature. Unless one understands
these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either
individually or collectively. This is the sense of Krishna consciousness:
Lord Krishna is the supreme predominator, and all living entities,
including the great demigods, are His subordinates. One can attain perfect
peace only in complete Krishna consciousness.
This Fifth Chapter is a practical explanation of Krishna consciousness,
generally known as karma-yoga. The question of mental speculation
as to how karma-yoga can give liberation is answered herewith. To
work in Krishna consciousness is to work with the complete knowledge of
the Lord as the predominator. Such work is not different from
transcendental knowledge. Direct Krishna consciousness is
bhakti-yoga, and jnana-yoga is a path leading to
bhakti-yoga. Krishna consciousness means to work in full knowledge
of one's relationship with the Supreme Absolute, and the perfection of
this consciousness is full knowledge of Krishna, or the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. A pure soul is the eternal servant of God as His
fragmental part and parcel. He comes into contact with maya
(illusion) due to the desire to lord it over maya, and that is the
cause of his many sufferings. As long as he is in contact with matter, he
has to execute work in terms of material necessities. Krishna
consciousness, however, brings one into spiritual life even while one is
within the jurisdiction of matter, for it is an arousing of spiritual
existence by practice in the material world. The more one is advanced, the
more he is freed from the clutches of matter. The Lord is not partial
toward anyone. Everything depends on one's practical performance of duties
in Krishna consciousness, which helps one control the senses in every
respect and conquer the influence of desire and anger. And one who stands
fast in Krishna consciousness, controlling the abovementioned passions,
remains factually in the transcendental stage, or brahma-nirvana.
The eightfold yoga mysticism is automatically practiced in Krishna
consciousness because the ultimate purpose is served. There is a gradual
process of elevation in the practice of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama,
pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. But these only preface
perfection by devotional service, which alone can award peace to the human
being. It is the highest perfection of life.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fifth Chapter of the Srimad
Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Karma-yoga, or Action in Krishna
Consciousness.
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