Chapter 18 Shloka 61

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।

भ्रमयन्सर्वभूतानि यंत्रारूढानि मायया।।६१।।

O Arjuna!

The Lord, abiding in the heart of all,

through His power of illusion,

causes all living beings mounted upon

the vehicle of the body, to revolve.

Chapter 18 Shloka 61

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।

भ्रमयन्सर्वभूतानि यंत्रारूढानि मायया।।६१।।

The Lord says to Arjuna:

O Arjuna! The Lord, abiding in the heart of all, through His power of illusion, causes all living beings mounted upon the vehicle of the body, to revolve.

The Lord abides in the hearts of all beings

It is the Lord seated within the core of all mortal beings Who whirls them through life. That Omniscient One abides in all. Each being:

a) is dependent on the power of That Lord of all;

b) is dependent on the Lord’s illusory maya comprised of the three attributes;

c) engages in action, bound by the attributes caused by the energy of That Lord of all;

d) does everything through the energy endowed by the Supreme.

Therefore the Lord says:

1. Whatever be your temperament or disposition, use it with dispassion.

2. Whatever may be your attributes, use them with a detached attitude.

3. Whatever be your temperament or attributes, use them selflessly.

–  This is your dharma.

–  This should be the mainstay of your life.

–  This is your life’s duty.

Develop and expand your capacities and attributes to the fullest. Nothing can be gained through the renunciation of your temperament or your attributes. In fact, it is not in your hands to renounce these – simply use your attributes and your innate nature fruitfully.

The Lord abides in all. Therefore man must:

a) endeavour to know himself;

b) try to understand his inner voice;

c) endeavour to understand the urgings and bidding of his attributes;

d) try to understand the language of his body-self.

Look little one, either a man becomes happy or unhappy when affected by external forces, or he remains unaffected by these, doing what he deems fit, and thus abides in bliss.

He who is unaffected by external factors:

–  is a gunatit;

–  abides in equanimity;

–  is established in yoga.

If the mind remains uninfluenced:

a) attachment to the external plane will cease;

b) there will be no attraction or repulsion as regards the external world;

c) one will not be influenced towards nivritti or restraint from action;

d) one will remain unaffected, regardless of whether one receives acclaim or abuse;

e) one will not desire escape from sorrow;

f) one will not be attached to joy.

Such a one will be a veritable renunciate or sanyasi. He will be ever established in the Truth. The actions of such a one, who has experienced union with the Supreme abiding within his heart, can only be virtuous and beneficial to all.

Little one, the Lord has said:

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

2. Man endeavours in accordance with his disposition. (Chp.3, shloka 33)

3. This entire universe endeavours within Me. (Chp.10, shloka 8)

4. Prakriti will compel you to engage in action. (Chp.18, shloka 54)

5. Bound by your temperament, you will be constrained to act. (Chp.18, shloka 60)

The Lord now says that the Supreme Master enforces all actions. A natural doubt arises within oneself – Who is it who initiates action? Is it the Lord? Is it one’s disposition? Or is it Prakriti? And how free is man to engage in the action of his choice?

Little one, when the Lord says, “Your right is only to action” He is speaking of actions born of Prakriti. Those actions are not instigated by greed, desire, attachment or hatred. The Lord then says, “Man cannot survive without action even for a moment. He performs deeds, bound as he is by Prakriti.” (Chp.3, shloka 5)

So little one, nowhere in the Gita is freedom of action discussed. In Chapter 3, shloka 6, the Lord has Himself stated, that he who reflects mentally upon sense objects and prevents his sense faculties from partaking of them, is verily a hypocrite.

Little one, one should consider the Lord, Prakriti and nature to be the same. It is sufficient to know that man is not free in action.

1. Therefore man should renounce attachment.

2. Man should forsake the ego.

3. Man should cease to desire the fruits of action.

4. Man should endeavour to know himself and should relinquish both attraction and repulsion.

5. Man should seek the refuge of the Lord.

Little one, if you must do something, engage in spiritual practice or sadhana. It is the mind that takes pride in doership. If the mind is silenced, one will cease to be fettered by actions. In fact, if the mind is silenced, then:

1. The world will become meaningless.

2. Man will abide eternally in bliss.

3. Man will be ever uninfluenced and untouched.

4. The knots of the mind will be cut asunder.

5. The triad of knower, knowledge and the known will be broken.

6. No thoughts, good or evil, will prevail.

7. Then the intellect which is subservient to the body will be annihilated.

8. Then one will unhesitatingly engage in whatever activity the situation one is confronted with demands.

9. There will be no question of restraining one’s body-self from engaging in action.

However, this mind, impelled by ego and attachment, endeavours time and again to restrain one from engaging in action. Then the natural attributes of that being compel him to be drawn towards his basic natural instincts. Man unnecessarily prides himself on being the doer and thus swings constantly between happiness and sorrow.

This is exactly what the Lord is saying here.

1. The individual, fettered by the three attributes of sattva, rajas and tamas, is impelled into action.

2. It is this Prakriti which impels him and sends him whirling around in this world.

3. All these attributes are basically silent.

4. These attributes so to say abide within the heart.

5. Nothing is in the control of the individual.

Everything is happening automatically and spontaneously.