Chapter 18 Shloka 7
नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते।
मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः।।७।।
Now Bhagwan explains further:
It is not proper to renounce obligatory deeds; to relinquish such deeds due to moha is tamsic tyaag.
My little one, understand this carefully. The Lord says that the relinquishment of obligatory actions is tantamount to tamsic tyaag.
Niyat karma – Obligatory actions
1. Natural deeds.
2. Imperative actions.
3. Pre-decided actions.
4. Those acts which are self motivated and self controlled.
5. Actions ordained by destiny.
6. Acts which are naturally born of contact.
7. Normal, daily acts.
8. Acts which are certain and will necessarily occur.
9. The universal law.
10. Acts that are enjoined by the Scriptures.
11. Acts that make one noble and elevated.
12. Meritorious deeds.
– All these constitute niyat karma or obligatory actions.
Actions are bound to spring from all external contact – the sadhak or spiritual aspirant must only vigilantly witness his internal self and his values.
Tamsic tyaag
The Lord says that to relinquish action:
a) due to moha;
b) due to sheer foolishness;
c) due to ignorance and the knots of attachment which lie within;
d) due to the fact that one has not gauged the reality;
e) due to the pain or inconvenience it may cause;
f) due to the fact that one is unable to bear adversity;
g) knowing it to be adverse and unpleasant;
– is tamsic tyaag.
The very practice of the Lord’s devotee lies in his success in the realm of obligatory acts. Yagya, tapas and daan – all these are obligatory actions. They are practised in an ordinary atmosphere in one’s everyday life. Adherence to duty is also a part of one’s obligatory deeds.
Moha
Now understand moha.
1. Moha gives rise to delusion.
2. The stupor of intellect that occurs due to ignorance is moha.
3. Moha causes the application of erroneous principles.
4. Moha is also the cause of excessive self confidence.
Due to moha:
1. Man is eternally caught in the web of anxiety.
2. One believes one perceives the truth in the untrue.
3. One suffers from superstition.
4. Man cannot see anything from a new perspective.
5. Man does not know himself, in fact he finds it impossible to do so – and he does not even possess any inclination to do so.
6. A discrepancy occurs between man’s intellectual beliefs, his mental concepts and his practical life.
The intellect holds the Scriptures in reverence whereas the mind does not give them any place, since the Scriptures forbid one to do as one likes! The mind rejects whatever the intellect upholds as the Truth. Thus knowledge and life are at variance. This moha causes many sages, too, to abandon the path of spirituality.
1. Thus they preach duty, but do not fulfil their own obligations!
2. They preach love and forgiveness, but do not practice these qualities in their homes and amongst their loved ones.
3. They preach compassion, but do not practice it in their homes.
4. They preach the renunciation of the body-self, but snatch away the family’s rights over that body! They leave their homes, thus snatching away their father’s son, their children’s father, their wife’s husband, their brother’s sibling and their country’s servitor!
Thus, to desist from obligatory deeds that are born of one’s natural attributes, is indeed tamsic tyaag.
Listen carefully: that renunciation which was not practised by the Lord Himself, can only be categorised as tamsic or rajsic, else, proof of such renunciation would be found in the Lord’s life.
All this is said only to stress that such renunciation or relinquishment is not appropriate. Renunciation should be attempted only after proper consideration and understanding.
1. Know why you have renounced.
2. Know what you have renounced.
3. Understand beforehand, the repercussions of your renunciation and who may suffer on account of it.
4. Consider also whether your renunciation is going to be an aid to your spiritual practice or detrimental to it.
