Chapter 18 Shloka 9
कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन।
संगं त्यक्तवा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः।।९।।
Now Bhagwan describes sattvic tyaag.
He who performs his obligatory deeds, knowing ‘this is my duty’, having relinquished attachment and the desire for the fruit of action, engages in sattvic tyaag.
The Lord is unambiguously stating, “The relinquishment of actions is not true renunciation. The relinquishment of the desire for the fruit of action and the severing of attachment comprises sattvic tyaag.”
He who engages in action with the conviction ‘this must be done’, such a one:
a) is oblivious to both nivritti – abstinence from action, and pravritti – pursuance of action;
b) does not reflect upon the merit or demerit of the action;
c) does not dwell upon his glories;
d) does not dwell at all upon his virtues or their praise. Virtues exist, but such a one does not seat himself upon a pedestal of virtue;
e) is not enmeshed by action;
f) is devoid of attachment;
g) is devoid of the pride of doership and smilingly fulfils his duty, knowing the essence of action, that it is qualities that interact with other qualities.
If the meaning of tyaag is the relinquishment of attachment, then the relinquishment of the mind is true tyaag – because attachment is an offspring of the mind.
If attachment and the desire for the fruit of deeds is extinct:
a) who will dwell on likes and dislikes?
b) raag and dvesh – excessive attachment and hatred will be eliminated;
c) equanimity towards both esteem and insult will necessarily be acquired;
d) joys and sorrows will cease to influence one;
e) one will not be agitated by loss and gain;
f) the afflictions of hopes and expectations will not touch one;
g) one can transcend duality;
h) one can be free of both sankalp and vikalp – thoughts and resolutions, both positive and negative;
i) one’s intellect will remain nirlipt or uninfluenced;
j) one will be free of aberrations;
k) one will be devoid of moha.
Then the sadhak or spiritual aspirant:
a) will become completely indifferent towards himself;
b) will be eternally satiated;
c) will be a sanyasi or renunciate at heart;
d) will engage in selfless deeds devoid of attachment;
e) will engage in selfless worship, which again is free of attachment;
f) will possess knowledge which he imparts selflessly and without attachment;
g) will be possessed of a stable intellect;
h) will cease to be influenced by any qualities – his own as well as those of others; thus he will become a gunatit;
i) will be replete with divine qualities.
1. This is the tyaag of a sanyasi or renunciate. It is the highest tyaag.
2. This is true tyaag.
3. This is the tyaag of karma phal or the fruit of actions.
The Lord has stipulated earlier that the Atmavaan pandit, even though he possesses great knowledge, deals with the ignorant as one of them. He does not destroy the other’s convictions, but serves all diligently. At the other’s behest, he even dons the form of a charioteer. Helping others to fulfil their own tasks, such a one accords the credits of those actions to the latter.
