Chapter 8 Shloka 3

श्री भगवानुवाच

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।

भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्ग: कर्मसंज्ञित:।।३।।

The Lord says:

The Supreme Brahm is Indestructible.

His Supreme Nature is Adhyatam;

karma is that which gives rise

to the idea of individual existence.

Chapter 8 Shloka 3

श्री भगवानुवाच

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।

भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्ग: कर्मसंज्ञित:।।३।।

The Lord says:

The Supreme Brahm is Indestructible. His Supreme Nature is Adhyatam; karma is that which gives rise to the idea of individual existence.

Kamla, understand this carefully.

Brahm

1. Brahm is the Indestructible Eternal Essence.

2. Brahm is the Ancient, Indivisible One.

3. He is the essential cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution.

4. He is the Lord of all creation.

5. He is the omnipresent Self of all.

6. He is the Support of all and the Master of all.

7. He is Lord of the threefold energy which constitutes the world.

8. He is the Lord of time and of the three worlds.

9. He is the Creator and Controller of the world.

10. It is He who creates order and discipline in the world.

11. He sustains the world and nourishes it.

12. He constitutes all the forms of the world – the animate and the inanimate.

Adhyatam (अध्यात्म)

Adhyatam is the nature of the Supreme. His subtle essence is Adhyatam. The constitution of That Supreme Essence of all yagyas is Adhyatam. The nature of Brahm is silence – the core of Adhyatam.

Swabhav (स्वभाव)

a) The actual essence;

b) The gist of one’s life;

c) The subtle reality;

d) The sentiment that finds expression;

e) The mode of one’s conduct;

f) Factual reality.

The basic Prakriti, both gross and subtle, is Brahm’s Swabhav, whereby He creates this entire universe.

Brahm’s creative faculty – His threefold energy constituting the three gunas, is His Swabhav. This constitutes the foundation upon which Brahm wrought this entire creation. To create all and still remain hidden is the Swabhav of Brahm.

1. He is ever silent towards Himself.

2. He is impartial and detached where He Himself is concerned.

3. He is untouched, pure and blemishless.

4. He perceives all equally and is completely devoid of attachment.

5. After creating this entire universe He remains eternally silent.

6. Despite creating the universe from the three gunas or attributes, He Himself is devoid of those gunas; He is beyond those gunas.

7. Having given everything to everyone, He Himself remains hidden from view.

For the individual:

a) Adhyatam is the inculcation of Brahm’s divine nature.

b) Adhyatam is the discerning knowledge of that Supreme Essence.

c) Knowledge of one’s Essential Self is a vital facet of Adhyatam.

d) Discrimination between the inanimate and the conscious is an essential component of Adhyatam.

e) Having moulded one’s life in accordance with the nature of Brahm, to make one’s actions an unbroken string of Yagya is Adhyatam.

f) To know Brahm’s divine nature and to follow it in life is Adhyatam.

g) To make one’s life a yagya like Brahm’s supreme yagya, is Adhyatam.

h) To establish others silently is Adhyatam.

i)  To be immaculate, as is That Supreme Brahm, is Adhyatam.

j)  To become detached and blemishless like Brahm is Adhyatam.

k) To act without any interest for oneself as does the Supreme, is  Adhyatam.

l)  To be untouched by all attributes as the Supreme One transcends all qualities, is Adhyatam.

m)   To imbibe a nature whereby divine qualities flow unceasingly, is Adhyatam.

n) Identification with all as the Supreme One identifies with all, is Adhyatam.

o) To contain a unique spirit beneath the most ordinary exterior, is Adhyatam.

p) To be established in an unshakeable state of equanimity, is Adhyatam.

q) To renounce identification with the individualistic ‘I’, ‘mine’, and the ego and to relinquish the body idea and be identified with the Atma, is Adhyatam.

1. Brahm wrought all beings.

2. His deed constitutes those deeds performed in the spirit of yagya.

3. In fact, yagya is His only deed.

4. The doer is completely invisible in any act of yagya.

Understand this once more. There are no deeds that can be ascribed to Brahm. Only yagya flows forth from Him. He endows the fruits of each one’s desires and imparts the wherewithal for the fulfilment of desires. However, He Himself remains ever hidden from view. Thus, He is the Eternal non-doer.

That which gives rise to the individualistic attitude ‘I am’, is karma. Brahm is ever silent. He is fast asleep towards Himself. Therefore He transcends deeds and only yagya can be ascribed to Him. The Lord says in the Gita, ‘It is attachment which binds the individual to gross actions.’ No karma or deed can be ascribed to the one who is devoid of attachment to the gross body. It can therefore be said that annihilation of attachment leads to the eradication of the individualistic ‘I’. Selfless deeds constitute yagya – deeds performed with attachment are fetters that bind the individual.

Karma is worldly interaction full of attachment. Brahm created all beings through the purity of His supreme yagya. The individual, through his attachment to the gross body, produced the fruits of joy and sorrow, birth and death.

The subtle mystery of karma and its revelation

Little one! Now understand the mystery of karma. Let us first review all that the Lord has said on this topic so far.

1. Your right is only to action. (Chp.2, shloka 47)

2. Renounce attachment, establish yourself in Yoga and perform action with equanimity. (Chp.2, shloka 48)

3. Those who seek the fruits of their deeds are indeed pitiable. (Chp.2, shloka 49)

4. This Yoga of equanimity leads to dexterity in action; it is also the means to emancipate oneself from the fetters of action. (Chp.2, shloka 50)

5. The man of wisdom, endowed with a pure intellect, renounces all fruits of action and thus is freed from the bondage of birth and death. He attains the Supreme state. (Chp.2, shloka 51)

6. One who is completely devoid of desire, attachment, ego and craving, attains peace. (Chp.2, shloka 71)

7. One cannot achieve transcendence from karma through abstaining from embarking on action; nor can one attain perfection through renouncing deeds. (Chp.3, shloka 4)

8. Karmas are performed every moment of one’s life. All beings perform actions enforced by the gunas. (Chp.3, shloka 5)

9. Those foolish ones, who restrain their organs of action through stubborn force and dwell mentally on the objects of the senses, are hypocrites. (Chp.3, shloka 6)

10. It is appropriate to perform all deeds with the organs of action, having freed oneself from attachment. (Chp.3, shloka 7)

11. All deeds in fact create bondage, except for those performed in the spirit of yagya. Be free from attachment and perform actions as an offering to the Supreme Lord. (Chp.3, shloka 9)

12. The deeds of Brahm and of the gods are imbued with the spirit of yagya. Those who have an individualistic attitude perform deeds with motive. (Chp.3, shlokas 10-14)

13. Know that all karmas originate from Brahm; Brahm Himself is born of the Indestructible Essence; therefore He Himself abides in all deeds performed as yagya. (Chp.3, shloka 15)

14. He who does not perform karmas, lives in vain. (Chp.3, shloka 15)

15. Perform all the daily deeds incumbent upon you well and without attachment. The detached individual attains the Supreme Lord even whilst performing actions. (Chp.3, shloka 19)

16. Despite being devoid of selfish motive, I too, perform deeds. (Chp.3, shloka 22)

17. Actions are performed by gunas. Doership is the guna or attribute of the foolish and the ignorant. (Chp.3, shloka 27)

18. I have no desire for the fruits of action therefore actions do not bind Me. (Chp.3, shloka 14)

19. He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction, sees the truth. (Chp.4, shloka 18)

20. Those deeds, which are devoid of desire and resolve, are karmas which are annihilated by the fire of knowledge. (Chp.4, shloka 19)

21. He who seeks no support, who is ever satiated, who is devoid of any desire for the fruits of action and who is rid of attachment, abides in inaction even whilst performing all deeds. (Chp.4, shloka 20)

22. One who is unhampered by the mind and who performs all deeds only with the gross body, does not incur sin. (Chp.4, shloka 21)

23. All karmas of those Yogis are destroyed, whose every action, devoid of attachment, is a yagya. (Chp.4, shloka 23)

24. Those Yogis, who partake of the ‘sanctified remnants’ of yagya and detached action, attain That Brahm. (Chp.4, shloka 31)

25. All actions performed as yagya and devoid of attachment, attain their culmination in gyan yagya or the yagya of knowledge. (Chp.4, shloka 33)

26. He who is the Self of all beings performs all deeds, yet is not touched by those deeds. (Chp.5, shloka 7)

27. He who performs all deeds as an offering to the Lord and without attachment, is not vitiated by action. (Chp.5, shloka 10)

28. The Yogi renounces attachment with the mind, intellect and the sense organs and strives for self purification through action. (Chp.5, shloka 11)

29. The Yogi attains bliss through the renunciation of the fruits of action. The one filled with desires craves the fruits of action and is thus fettered. (Chp.5, shloka 12)

30. The Yogi renounces all deeds mentally and abides in bliss. (Chp.5, shloka 13)

31. Doership, deeds or the endowment of the fruits of action are not wrought by the Lord. These are the spontaneous consequence of the nature of gunas. (Chp.5, shloka 14)

32. They who are established in equanimity, abide in That Brahm. (Chp.5, shloka 19)

33. He who performs all incumbent deeds without the desire for their fruit, is a sanyasi and a yogi. (Chp.6, shloka 1)

34. Karma is the only aid to yoga. (Chp.6, shloka 3)

35. One who is devoid of attachment to sense objects and to deeds, is established in yoga. (Chp.6, shloka 4)

36. The four types of the Lord’s devotees are all performers of noble deeds. (Chp.7, shloka 10)

37. Those four types of devotees, whose sins have been annihilated through their meritorious deeds, worship Me. (Chp.7, shloka 28)

Actions – binding or emancipating

All this proves that gross actions have no potency. The desire for the fruits of action causes bondage. A selfless attitude, devoid of any motivation for the self, renders one’s actions free of bondage and imbues them with the spirit of yagya. If the mind is attached to those sense objects, it becomes a ‘bhogi’ or an enjoying participant – if it is absorbed in the Atma, it becomes a yogi. Actions must be performed but always selflessly. This is the path to salvation and this is the mark of the one who is eternally united with the Supreme.

Little one, ordinary mortals perform selfishly motivated deeds. The sadhak endeavours to perform selfless actions. Such actions must be performed, for they are the means to eradicate the idea of individualism and to cleanse the mire of sin. When selfless deeds reach their zenith, they attain the hues of yagya. The devtas or those possessing divine attributes also perform selfless deeds, but they possess the pride of doership. The very life of a sanyasi is one of actions performed as yagya.

If you do not employ your body for the welfare of others and if you use it only for selfish gain, how can you ever renounce the body? Those who use the body for personal desire fulfilment can never forsake the body idea. Enduring travails for the fulfilment of personal likes is not tapas; the insults and difficulties borne by you whilst fulfilling another’s likes and desires is tapas – this will become a purifying force within you.

a) How detached are you from your body?

b) How detached are you from the defamation or fame that visit you?

c) How detached are you from involvement in action or abstinence from action?

d) How detached are you from your desires?

e) How detached are you from your joys and sorrows?

f) Is your mind under your control or not?

g) How detached are you from your likes and dislikes?

Selfless deeds provide the proof of the above. In fact, your sadhana and the proof of your innate spiritual wisdom render your life selfless. Your aim is to attain the perfection of a selfless attitude; the path towards this is motiveless actions.

Little one, now understand how these motiveless actions can be perceived in life.

1. People consider the one who performs selfless deeds to be foolish, since he does not gratify his selfish desires.

2. Others use him to fulfil their own needs, but nobody sees to his needs.

3. He is an aid to all – but no one helps him.

4. He endures several difficulties and insults whilst doing jobs for others, whereas those who benefit from his endeavours ridicule him in some way or the other and try to show him in a poor light rather than express their gratitude for his many benedictions.

5. People project their inadequacies upon him.

6. People do not bother about any insult hurled at him – instead, they do him down in order to protect their own name and reputation.

7. Such a one is the support of the sorrowful knowing full well that he shall have no support from anyone in his time of need.

8. He serves others for years – even doing their most trivial jobs in order to bestow some joy in their lives. Inevitably, the very people for whom he has given several valuable years of his life refuse to even recognise him and give even their servants a higher place in their lives.

9. Those for whom such a one has given his all, become his judges and hurl all sorts of accusations at him.

10. Such a one endures all this humiliation and even attempts to assuage the feelings of his detractors. He seeks forgiveness even from fools.

11. He is constantly engrossed in the welfare of all beings with all his faculties of body, mind and intellect.

12. With a selfless attitude he performs foolish actions to satisfy the foolish.

13. What he would never do for himself, he endeavours with all his heart and soul to achieve for the other.

14. He never protects himself, but provides the protection sought by the other.

Watching all this, the ordinary man reflects ‘What has he gained out of all this?’

a) He gains transcendence from the body idea.

b) He is always at peace.

c) He does not bother about fame or insult.

d) He does not crave happiness – he is travelling the path of eternal bliss.