Chapter 18 Shloka 31

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यामेव च।

अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धि: सा पार्थ राजसी।।३१।।

O Paartha, son of Prithaa,

that intellect by which an individual

does not truly perceive dharma and adharma,

duty and that which is contrary to duty,

is a rajsic intellect.

Chapter 18 Shloka 31

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यामेव च।

अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धि: सा पार्थ राजसी।।३१।।

Now Lord Krishna speaks of the rajsic intellect. He says:

O Paartha, son of Prithaa, that intellect by which an individual does not truly perceive dharma and adharma, duty and that which is contrary to duty, is a rajsic intellect.

My little one, understand this carefully!

The Lord says, “Look Arjuna, the rajsic intellect is that which cannot discriminate between dharma and adharma, duty and that which is not one’s duty, on account of:

a) the predominance of greed and avarice;

b) the prevalence of attachment;

c) the preponderance of moha and its resultant ignorance;

d) an inherent attachment to actions.”

Abha, my little one, first understand what is dharma.

Dharma (धर्म)

Dharma is that path of life, treading which:

a) one progresses towards the true Self – the Atma;

b) the humaneness of a man develops and matures;

c) a human being, having attained a humane attitude, advances towards divinity and godhood;

d) an individual becomes an embodiment of divine qualities;

e) man becomes replete with compassion, mercy and forgiveness;

f) man is able to do justice even towards his enemies;

g) an individual learns to love all beings;

h) man does not quarrel with anyone on account of their beliefs or convictions;

i)  a man develops infinite faith in the Truth;

j)  man is filled with kindness and mercy;

k) man relinquishes his false pride in the knowledge he possesses;

l)  man renounces his false pride in his status.

Dharma is that path of life, which is a necessary prerequisite for man’s spiritual advancement. Spiritual advancement:

a) is possible through the practice of the qualities of the Supreme in one’s life;

b) is possible through advancement towards one’s true Self;

c) is inherent in the annihilation of false, individualistic pride in the body-self;

d) is inherent in the elimination of the individualistic belief ‘I am this body’.

Dharma teaches one to transcend the body idea. Dharma is that which leads the bodily faculties towards spiritual progress and advancement toward the Atma Self.

Bliss is our birthright.

To abide in bliss is our dharma.

The sole role of dharma is to re-establish the wayward pilgrim of spirituality in the bliss that was inherently his.

The basic, natural qualities constitute dharma. The basic qualities of any object whatsoever are the dharma of that object. Thus it is evident that the natural temperament of an individual is representative of his qualities and go to form that individual’s dharma. Every constituent of Prakriti is replete with the three attributes of sattva, rajas and tamas. The ratio in which these three attributes inhere in that particular object or person, determines that individual’s natural dharma.

Nobody can relinquish his natural dharma. Any attempt to do so only results in endless sorrow. Every being possesses energy in accordance with his basic dharma. That energy permeates every pore of his body; it permeates his mind and his intellect. It is essential for him to utilise and spend that energy, or else that energy begins to consume him! This basic energy is present in the infant and in the smallest child. It is the individual’s dharma to spend this energy, but it is not possible to spend it entirely only upon himself, because:

a) this energy will keep on growing;

b) this energy is not in the hands of the individual;

c) no one can hinder the flow of this energy;

d) nor can anyone put a stop to it.

One can utilise this energy positively for good purposes, or misuse it for negative ends.

Now let us proceed a little further. At first a child reposes a blind faith in his parents.

1. It is natural for him to wish to please his parents.

2. It is natural for him to wish to attract his parents.

3. It is natural for him to seek his parents’ acceptance of his status as an individual.

Hence at first he does all that will please his parents. This is the natural dharma of a child. However, the parents do not, from the beginning:

a) encourage the child to engage in small acts of service;

b) allow the child to progress naturally on the path of duty.

Therefore the inborn sense of duty is not awakened in the child.

Duty cannot be imposed – it is not tutored – a child is led naturally into it. It is up to the elders of the family to thus transform the natural instincts – the natural dharma of the child into a desire to engage in dutiful actions. The performance of duty leads each individual towards a blissful existence.

Virtuous qualities

Adherence to duty will necessarily generate positive and virtuous qualities.

1. Then one will inevitably become silent towards oneself.

2. One will learn to remain uninfluenced by others’ qualities.

3. One will learn to use the body-self for others.

4. Then one will attain purity of the mind-stuff.

The one who adheres to positive qualities gives happiness to others. He is forgetful of his own interests and desires. Thus he begins to transcend the body idea and progress towards the state of a sthit pragya or one who possesses the stable intellect of equanimity. In time, the qualities of such a one will become beneficial for the welfare of all.

The qualities of divinity that spontaneously grow in such a one have been discussed often earlier. Now let us understand such a person’s state:

1. He will have an attitude of equanimity towards acclaim and insult because his sense of duty will not allow him to take cognisance of others’ conduct.

2. He will be eternally satiated because he will not take anything from another for his personal gain. Whatever he has is used for the benefit of all.

Satiation

Satiation does not lie in the renunciation of sense objects:

1. Satiation is gained when attachment to sense objects ceases.

2. Satiation arises through the proper use of the object for a good purpose.

3. Satiation is attained when one uses the object for the happiness of others.

Satiation does not come from the accumulation of objects. This only causes the accumulation of more and more greed and craving.

A person who is satiated will necessarily be devoid of all aberrations  because:

1. Aberrations arise through an effort to conceal one’s negative qualities.

2. Aberrations arise with the endeavour to fill one’s lacunae.

3. Aberrations arise when one makes an effort to establish oneself.

4. Aberrations are generated in order to hide one’s deceit.

What can the well-wisher of all strive to conceal? Such a one, ever engaged in his duty towards all, uses every possible faculty for the other. The internal state of such a one is enriched with virtuous qualities and also the fragrance that emanates from such qualities.

The correct usage of one’s natural energy is what is termed as duty. Duty is not performed for the other but for the sake of one’s own joy, for one’s own happiness. Thus another name for dharma is duty.

You can understand this same fact in yet another manner:

1. Duty is the essence of an individual’s life.

2. This is the dharma of his life.

3. This is the aim of his life.

That which is dharma in energy form, is kartavya or duty in life’s flow. This is the scientific fact. This is the scientific mode of life.

The manifestation of the Self:

a) lies in a life of duty;

b) lies in a life of yagya;

c) lies in a life of love.

My little love, listen! Let me once again explain the meaning of dharma to you explicitly.

First understand the dharma of the mind!

1. It is to believe.

2. It is to value.

3. It is to consider something to be great.

4. It is to consider something to be worth attaining union with.

5. It is acceptance.

6. It is to cogitate.

7. It is to think.

8. It is to imagine.

9. It is to understand.

The mind is coloured with the object of its attachment. Wherever the mind is attached, there it utilises the faculties mentioned above.

Now understand the dharma of the organs of perception!

1. These sense faculties seek to imbibe the knowledge of sense objects.

2. The dharma of each sense faculty is within its control.

3. We cannot separate any sense faculty from its natural dharma.

4. The basic utilisation of every sense faculty is via the attributes inherent in that sense faculty.

The mind is obedient to the sense faculties. It aids and abets them. It believes the knowledge collected by these sense faculties to be true.

Now understand the basic dharma of the intellect.

1. The intellect is the discerning faculty.

2. The faculty that views situations impartially is the intellect.

3. The intellect is the faculty that thinks and comprehends.

4. It takes the decisions.

5. That which transcends illusion and comprehends the subtle truth is the intellect.

6. That faculty which can impartially judge two conflicting views is the intellect.

7. That faculty which can know the truth about itself without any prejudice is the intellect.

8. That faculty which possesses the ability to establish the individual in the Atma is the intellect.

Little one, these attributes of the intellect also pertain to its basic nature. If this is the intellect, then these will be its spontaneous characteristics. That intellect, which is not pure and impartial, is not called ‘intellect’; it is called ‘mind’. The intellect should rid the individual of all aberrations and grant him eternal satiation. The presence of the intellect makes the individual a human being, a veritable deity. The intellect is that which endows the individual with a wide variety of virtuous qualities. This is the natural dharma of the intellect.

The sense organs, the intellect and the mind have their own specific dharmas. The mingling of all these dharmas constitutes the dharma of the individual body unit. Actually, it is said that the dharma of the physical body is death.

The dharma of the jivatma

The jivatma who transcends all these faculties also possesses a dharma. The intrinsic essence of the jivatma is the Atma – the Supreme Atma. To progress towards this, his true Self, is the dharma of the jivatma. That is:

1. To establish the intellect in equanimity  – that is it must become the intellect of the sthit pragya.

2. To render the mind impervious to the influences of the attributes.

3. To ensure that the sense faculties retain their pure strength.

4. To enable the purusha to transcend his individualistic confines to become a Purushottam – the noblest of men.

In fact, it is the dharma of the jivatma to ensure that the mind, intellect and sense organs perform their dharma without hindrance and in perfect freedom, and to further strengthen all these faculties in their respective dharmas.

The power of the intellect

1. The energy of the intellect becomes divine only when it is divested of all superimposition and coverings.

2. The energy of the intellect develops strength only when it becomes pure.

3. The energy of the intellect becomes free only when no tendency of the mind can conquer it.

Only then can the purusha gain the elevated status of the Purushottam and become the embodiment of SatChitAnand – Pure Existence, Consciousness and Bliss.

1. Now when the individual becomes attached to the body-self and pollutes it with the ego, he causes a divine manifestation of Brahm to become a mere idol of clay. Thus he saps the strength of that body unit.

2. When he becomes attached to the sense organs and permeates them with the ego, he makes them veritable beggars that continually beg for the alms of sense enjoyment. Thus he causes the depletion of their energy and prowess.

3. When he is attached to the mind and vitiates it with the ego, he causes the mind to be riddled with aberrations and duality and immerse itself in conflicting thoughts. Had it not been for this attachment, the mind would merely have been a mirror of others’ minds and become a source of peace and succour for them.

4. When he becomes attached to the intellect and corrupts it with the ego, the intellect becomes coloured in the hues of personal beliefs and convictions. It becomes smothered by desires and thus its strength is weakened.

That means the body, mind and intellect, along with the sense organs, all leave their respective dharmas and engage themselves in the service of the individualistic ego and the individualistic mind.

Then the individual can abandon all hopes of becoming a Purushottam – because he no longer remains even a purusha with humane qualities.

1. It is the dharma of man to become a Purushottam.

2. It is the dharma of man to be established in his Self.

3. It is the dharma of man to become a witness and watch the activity of the sense organs and the tricoloured qualities from afar.

4. It is the dharma of the individual to be established in his true Essence – Truth, Consciousness and Bliss.

All the qualities possess their own, individual dharma. You have to assess whether your attitude is that of one with divine qualities, of the gunatit and the sthit pragya; this is your dharma. Where the attitude is free of demonic properties, then whatever qualities you may possess will necessarily be utilised in a selfless manner.

1. Those who are entrenched in demonic attitudes, misuse the qualities.

2. Those who are established in divine attitudes, use the same qualities virtuously.

Even a positive quality, used for the establishment of the ego, becomes negative. Any quality, even if it is intrinsically negative, when used in a selfless manner becomes a virtue.

Divinity is an internal state. Demonism, too, is an internal state. The characteristics of the sthit pragya and the gunatit are also internal attitudes. In life, duty means:

a) having a humane attitude;

b) awakening the virtuous tendencies and attitude within;

c) being established in one’s true Self;

d) the renunciation of falsehood and illusion;

e) developing a pure intellect;

f) achieving excellence and nobility;

g) becoming the image of Brahm Himself;

h) abiding in bliss and gifting happiness to others.

Those who are established in the attribute of rajas:

a) are predominantly greedy and full of attachment;

b) are attached to sense objects;

c) perform deeds merely for desire fulfilment;

d) are replete with pride, arrogance, hypocrisy etc.

1. Instead of protecting and shielding the purity of the intellect, they become proud of their vitiated intellect and seek to protect it at all costs.

2. Instead of preventing the mind from becoming a veritable beggar of sense objects, they endeavour to cloak their lacunae and become servitors of their likes and desires.

3. They seek to shield their beggarly mind and even seek the alms of desire fulfilment with arrogance.

–  They seek to purchase men.

–  They seek to purchase love and sincerity.

–  They seek to subjugate their kith and kin and force love from them.

Thus, instead of accomplishing the ideal of becoming the noblest of men, they give the highest place to their mind’s desires and, identifying with those desires, they cause the degradation of their divine, intrinsic being. To top it all, they are filled with false pride and boast, “I am the greatest.”

1. One who does so much injustice to himself, how just can he be to others?

2. How can one who commits such adharma with himself, ever fulfil his dharma towards others?

3. He who sins so greatly with himself cannot be expected to fulfil his obligations towards others!

4. How can one who causes his own downfall, ever establish the other?

How can such a one do his duty towards the world? He must first fulfil his obligations towards his own Self.

1. At least one should elevate one’s intellect to such heights that one’s pride of intellect is justified.

2. Make your mind a king, instead of the beggar that it is at present. Then you can truly be proud of it, then you can try to save it.

3. Turn your body into a sanctified temple of the Lord – then shall the body be worthy of being worshipped!

The intellect of the rajsic being is blind, his mind is avaricious and the body corrupted. How can such a one ever comprehend the rudimentaries of dharma and adharma – duty and non-duty?

Dharma is the Truth. Dharma is justice. Dharma is to tread the path towards greatness and merit. Duty is the natural outflow of dharma.