विवेचन सारांश

Know about The knowledge, The object of Knowledge and the Knower

Bhagavān explained the 5 factors as follows:

उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वर: |

परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुष: पर: || 13.23||

Within the body also resides the Supreme Being. He is said to be the Witness, the Permitter, the Supporter, Transcendental Enjoyer, the ultimate Controller, and the Paramātmā (Supreme Soul).

Based on past karma Bhagavān also bestows different abilities to different people depending on the past Karma. One may call this as divine providence for whatever we get from HIM to facilitate performing our actions in life. Some people are very good at financial management and at making money. They succeed in all their ventures of earning money by their brilliance in finance. Even if they take risks they get lucky that the risk becomes worth taking. This special intellect is given by HIM. Likewise some are good in music, sports, arts and so on depending on their past Karma. Hence destiny is listed as one of the five factors responsible for Karma.

• Śarīravākmanobhi ryat-  With the body mind and speech  
• karma prārabhate naraḥ- persons begin to perform their actions
• Nyāyyaṃ vā - prescribed duties
• viparītaṃ vā-  opposing or prohibited actions 
• pañcaite tasya hetavaḥ- these five are the reasons and causes.
• tatraivaṃsati kartāram- thus the doer
• Ātmānaṃ kevalaṃ tu yaḥ- who is the absolute self
• Paśyatyakṛtabuddhitvān- to see unintelligent or impure mind and does not care about analytical intelligence
• na sa paśyati durmatiḥ- so views the foolish person

The five factors as mentioned earlier are the contributory factors for actions performed either properly or improperly by the body, speech and mind. Those who do not understand these five factors regard themselves as the doer and speak with ‘I’ ness and their intellect. One has to recognise that the soul which is present within as an  unattached witness, is the doer of all actions, and the driving force of our lives.

The life force is bringing with it the Karma of our past lives, the desires and the mind. These three propel our sense organs and our body to perform actions. Following are the statements to understand the behavioural aspect of resultant of actions:

• The soul is neither wild or vicious and neither feels pleasure or pain.
• The mind experiences joy or sorrow as consequences of desires. 
• None can escape or dodge the fruits of our Karma. In the human world, an innocent person can get punished for a crime committed by another, but such matters will not occur in the jurisdiction of the Karma. The one who has done wrong will get the appropriate punishments.
• It also does not happen that one does good karma and another gets the fruits. 
• The favourable and unfavorable fruits cannot be traded either.
• If one has sinned it does not get cancelled by doing punya.
• They run parallel and the outcomes of good or bad have to be experienced separately but no set off is possible.

If the mind awakens the desires, resulting in inauspicious actions through speech or actions, it is the mind that bears the brunt of it; the soul is not affected. Hwever, ignorant persons with deluded intellect regard the soul as the doer. The soul can be known only through realisation. Common people do not understand this.

There are some pseudo hypocrites who claim to have attained HIM but these ignorants think that since they have never lost HIM there is nothing to attain. Scriptures are clear that the soul is beyond actions and this is not easily understood by such people. The role of the soul which is actionless is not easily understood. All the 5 factors can act on their own without proximity to the soul and hence the actionless nature of soul is emphasised.

The statement that the soul is responsible for actions and on the other hand that soul has nothing to do with actions may seem confusing. The difference is that:

•  The soul is definitely there but devoid of desires and fruits. It is that the soul's role ends with activating the senses.

This mystery of the divine can be understood in the state of spiritual realisation of a yogi. Our soul is Paramātmā. If we believe our identity as anything other than Parabrahma it is a misconception. Any action is performed by the body, speech and mind. A thought in the mind with the intent of engaging in a Karma is also an action.  A person may think of killing but actually doesn't, still the Karma gets registered though no bodily action has happened.

The 5 factors are hence responsible for actions. Bhagavān revealed this knowledge to destroy the pride of doership in the soul. Those who see themselves as the doer of action do not see the things as they truly are. Although a farmer is responsible for sowing the grains, the crop yield also depends on the quality of soil, fertility, proper amount of rain at proper time, the wind flow, etc. A typhoon can destroy everything. The farmer cannot take full credit for the crops grown. The credit has to be shared along with many factors. Likewise, only if the body is energised by the soul, it could act; if not for the energisation. no action would be possible.

ParaBrahmā cannot be described by voice. By HIS inspiration, the voice gets the power to speak.

यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुर्मनो मतम्‌।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

ParaBrahmā cannot be understood by mind and intellect. 

यच्चक्षुषा न पश्यति येन चक्षूंषि पश्यति।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

ParaBrahmā cannot be seen with eyes; by HIS inspiration the eyes see. 

यच्छ्रोत्रेण न शृणोति येन श्रोत्रमिदं श्रुतम् ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ७ ॥

ParaBrahmā cannot be heard by ears, but by HIS inspiration the ears can hear. 

यत् प्राणेन न प्राणिति येन प्राणः प्रणीयते ।

तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

ParaBrahmā cannot be energised by life force; by HIS inspiration the life air functions. 

This does not mean the soul has no role in performing Karma. It is like a driver controlling the steering wheel and deciding which turn to take. Soul should not also claim any credit for any action. If we see ourselves as the doer of actions we can enjoy the fruits also. Once we free ourselves from these desires then by HIS grace using the body, mind and intellect, we realise that we are not the doer or the enjoyer. All actions are meant for HIM.

• nāhaṅkṛto bhāvo- Free from the nature of false ego 
  
• Buddhir yasya na lipyate- unaffected with the reasoning and worldly objects,
  
• Hatvāpi sa imāṃllokān- Even having killed
  
• na hanti na nibadhyate- neither killed nor gets entangled.
  

Bhagavān says that if a person performs his actions with a sense of unattachment, he does not get bound by those actions. Even if he slays living beings, he does not become the killer. The crux of this principle lies in the level of consciousness. The one who has risen above this consciousness and is established firmly in the spirit of consciousness is not bound by the actions. By killing in the battlefield one does not get any sins as the action is not motivated by a selfish mind. It is the body mind consciousness which is subjected to the three gunas, which in turn are controlled by nature; the Prakṛti. The soul is not affected as it is ‘nirguna’ and ‘gunathith’.

Bhagavān in the form of soul is in all beings, and is responsible for each life, then why is HE allowing us to commit crimes and sinful acts? 
Bhagavān is certainly present in all living beings but HE pervades the entire universe also which is made of 3 Gunas; and each being acts according to the nature of the individual's Guna or characteristic. These Gunas are the result of past Karma of human beings. Although the Prakṛti is of three modes, one has the freedom to think and act. Each living being should rise above the three gunas and have the mind and intellect under control instead of being under their control.

This statement can be easily misunderstood with half baked knowledge, thus leading to wrong actions. It should be understood that HE is not the doer. A knowledgeable person is not desirous of the fruits of the karma that he does or that which happened through him. He is not the doer. If material comforts come effortlessly without wishing for it, he finds no reason to refuse it. His reasons are far reaching and all encompassing. One who has control of mind will not desist from anything as they do not have any pleasurable impulse to be in such acts.

A swami's visit to a brothel: 

Once a learned Swami ji was found visiting a brothel and the disciple asked why he visited such places as it was not considered good. The Swami ji replied that it is in such places that he gets potential listeners whom he can guide to tread the right path. He clarifies that he does not believe in those who cover their faces in fear of visiting. The one who visit openly are the ones who need help in their search of happiness. He sits with such persons and teaches them that their source of happiness is temporary, and leads them to the path of eternal bliss. Thus, he can bring them out of the temporary state of happiness and show them the right path. This was the way Swami ji engaged himself for leading people towards the right path. He was not engaged in any undesirable acts and did not exploit the people there but helped them to come to the proper path and helped them to the upliftment.

One needs courage to tread the path of spirituality. It is not meant for faint hearted people nor for those who are content with an average life of temporary pleasure and pain. Common people think that their way of leading life is the way to live. The one who can gamble all his earnings to get temporary happiness certainly has the capability to put all his effort to seek eternal bliss. 

Having described the intellect in this sloka, Bhagavān spoke further on the persona with purified intellect who can be free from false pride of being the doer and are not bound in the Karmic reactions of their actions. They are not bound by bad karma also.

In the 5th chapter, Bhagavān stated that those who were detached by results are never tempted by sins:

ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति य: |
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा || 5.10||

Those who dedicate their actions to God, abandoning all attachment, remain untouched by sin, just as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.

From a material perspective, such people may appear to be working, but from a spiritual perspective they are free from selfish motivation. They do not get bound by the results of Karma.

Rahim was a great poet during the Mughal period, and an ardent devotee of Bhagavān Sri Krishna. When he gave alms in charity, he would lower his eyes. 

Bhakt Tulsidas heard about this and asked him as to why his hands were high and eyes low

ऐसी देनी देन जू - कित सीखे हो सैन।

ज्यों-ज्यों कर ऊँचे करो, त्यों-त्यों नीचे नैन॥

Rahim replied beautifully that the giver is someone else who keeps giving day and night; but people give credit to me and I feel embarrassed, hence I look down.

देनहार कोई और है, देवत है दिन रैन।

लोग भरम हम पर करें, याते नीचे नैन॥

This kind of feeling makes us free from the egoistic pride of our ownership which is false.

• Jñānaṃ- knowledge
  
• jñeyaṃ- knowable, the objective of knowledge
  
• parijñātā- the knower  
  
• trividhā karmacodanā- the three kinds of karma,
  
• Karaṇaṃ- instrument (the senses)
  
• karmasaṅgrahaḥ- activities  
  

Bhagavān explained the limbs of action and also the Karmic reaction of action, and becoming free from the fruits of action. Here HE explains the three factors which propel the action. This shloka throws light on important knowledge about three factors:

• the knowledge
• the object of knowledge
• the knower which leads to actions

For example:

• Knowledge is knowing how a pen writes
• Pen is the object of knowledge 
• We are the knower

Thus, the three factors jointly constitute the contents of actions. The doer (Karta) utilises the instrument (Karana) of action to perform the action (Karma).

• Jñānaṃ karma ca kartāca- knowledge, action and the doer
  
• tridhaiva guṇabhedataḥ- the three modes of Guna
  
• Procyate guṇasaṅkhyāne- Scriptural knowledge which deals with Guna
  
• yathāvacchṛṇutānyapi- hear them as they are
  

Knowledge, action and the doer are declared to be of three kinds according to  Sāṃkhya philosophy. The three kinds are related to the three modes of nature; Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik. Every human being is made of these three Gunas of nature, and the body is made up of 24 elements.

In the 13th chapter, Bhagavān gave these details:

महाभूतान्यङ्ककारो बुद्धिरव्यक्त मेव च |
इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचरा: ||13.5||

The field of activities is composed of the five great elements, the ego, the intellect, the unmanifest primordial matter, the eleven senses (five knowledge senses, five working senses, and mind), and the five objects of the senses. 

इच्छा द्वेष: सुखं दु:खं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृति: |
एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ||13.6||

Desire and aversion, happiness and misery, the body, consciousness, and the will—all these comprise the field and its modifications.

These elements operate because of the actionlessness of the soul. ‘Purusa’ is the soul and ‘Prakṛti’ is our body. Sāṃkhya philosophy states to know the three Gunas of the unmanifest ‘Prakṛti’ in order to know the spiritual realisation, the reality of the soul and the body. The only way to know the unmanifest is through spiritual realisation.   

In the14th chapter, Bhagavān gave us an introduction of the three Gunas and described how it binds us to life. In the 17th chapter, HE went into details on how these three modes influence the kind of faith that one develops. HE also spoke about the food choices induced by these three modes and the differentiation of the actions related to yajna (sacrifice), dana (charity) and tapas (penance).

In this chapter, Bhagavān spoke on the three types of knowledge, the instruments of action and the doer in relation to the three modes of Guna. 

We follow 6 systems of thought:

• Nyaya: Focuses on logic and epistemology, providing a framework for reasoning and understanding the world.
• Vaisheshika: Deals with the atomic theory and the nature of reality, emphasizing the existence of fundamental atoms.
• Sāṃkhya : Explores the relationship between matter (Prakṛti) and consciousness (Puruṣa), aiming to understand the nature of reality and liberation.
• Yoga: Emphasizes the practical path of self-realization through physical and mental discipline, leading to union with the self.
• Purva Mimamsa: Focuses on the interpretation and understanding of the Vedas, particularly the rituals and actions prescribed in them.
• Vedanta: Explores the nature of Brahman (the ultimate reality) and the relationship between the individual self (Atman) and Brahman, aiming for self-realization and liberation.

Of these, Sāṃkhya is considered as an authority in the analysis of material nature. It considered the soul as the ‘Puruṣa’. Prakṛti is the material nature and includes all things made from it. Sāṃkhya states that the cause of misery is the desire of the ‘Puruṣa’ to enjoy the ‘Prakṛti’. As the propensity of enjoyment subsides the ‘Puruṣa’ is released from the bondage of material nature and attains eternal liberation. The Sāṃkhya philosophy does not talk about the supreme Paramātmā and hence is considered insufficient to understand. 

• Sarvabhūteṣu- all living beings  
• yenaikaṃ- the one by which
• bhāvam- situation
• avyayam- imperishable
• Īkṣate- sees
• Avibhaktaṃ-undivided 
• vibhakteṣu- in the numberless that is divided
• tajjñānaṃ- that knowledge
• viddhi sāttvikam- mode of goodness.

When a person has one undivided imperishable reality within all diverse beings, his knowledge is said to be in the mode of godness, i.e. Sattvik. The visible world which is based on time, space and location, looks different from each location. The world is full of diversity; the hidden unity and uniformity is in HIM. This vision is possible only with the cultivation of spiritual eyes which cannot be acquired without spiritual practices. We perceive only through our mind and senses which depend on our intellect and the ‘I’ ness (the ego) which is powered by life energy emanating from the soul as an eternal part of Paramātmā.

Creation gives the appearance like a panorama of diversity and material entity of living beings, but the substratum of everything is the supreme Bhagavān. One should strive to possess this vision of knowledge of the unity existing in the variety of creation, like the electricity that goes through the different gadgets or the same gold cast into different ornaments.

For knowledgeable persons, Paramātmā is in all entities as said in Srimad Bhagavatha: 

Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.

There is only one entity that is Paramātmā. Chaitanya Prabhu ji said that all creation is Bhagavān Sri Krishna one with out second.

The following four terms from in the context of Vedanta Philosophy:

• Sajatiya bheda shunya - one with all similar entities. HE is one with all other forms of Bhagavān and as different manifestations. HE has a soul which is a tiny fragment of a larger part, like the flame which has various parts of its own. 
• Vijatiya bheda shunya - He is the one with dissimilar entities which is maya; an insentient and HE who is sentient. Maya is the energy of Paramātmā and the energy is one with its own energy like the heat and fire. 
• Svagata bheda shunya - Various parts of HIS body are not different from HIM. All the parts perform the function of all other parts. Brahma sutra says  that every limb of HIS body can see, hear, talk, smell, eat and think. Hence all are not differentiated from HIM.
• Svayam siddha - does not require the support of any other entity. Maya and soul are not independent. If they are not energised they cease to exist. Paramātmā does not need support to exist. 

Bhagavān Sri Krishna satisfies all the 4 points listed and hence HE is ‘avyaya dhyana tattva’ (the imperishable tattva). If we can see the entire creation with this understanding, then we can see the entire creation in unity with HIM; and this is considered as sattvik knowledge.

Young man in a train:

Once a 26 year old young man and father were traveling by train. The young man was constantly laughing excitedly seeing the trees outside from the window. Co-passengers felt it was strange that a 26 year old was laughing loudly like a child, at the sight of trees and plants. They looked at the young fellow weirdly. Father spoke to the son and asked him to watch the clouds and see how it was traveling with them. He started watching the clouds and laughed happily. The people around wondered how the father could treat him like a child and asked the father about the behavior. They advised that the young man was abnormal and that he be taken to a doctor. The father replied that they were indeed coming back from a doctor. The son was blind and today he was seeing the wonders of the outside world which he had never seen all these years. The people who questioned were embarrassed and felt ashamed.

People often have preconceptions without thinking, and the behaviour becomes a slave of the prejudices in our mind. People who get the divine sight when they understand Paramātmā will have a joyous feeling like the young boy. People with an open mind and heart without any prejudice or preconceptions reflect on the conscious which is the first step in yoga. If one cannot think objectively then they will remain afflicted with the prejudice and impartial attitude and joyful heart.

• Pṛthaktvena- because of division  
• yajjñānaṃ- which knowledge
• nānābhāvān- multifarious situations
• pṛthagvidhān- different
• vetti sarveṣu- to know in all 
• bhūteṣu- living entities
• tajjñānaṃ viddhi rājasam - know it as rajasik knowledge

Rajasik knowledge which is induced by the mode of passion, causes one to see individuals as unconnected, manifold, and separate living entities. A Rajasik person thinks of different situations and objects differently. His mind is not regulated. The sattvik sees behind the surface, whereas a Rajasik cannot penetrate the surface and remains at the mercy of variations of senses. The strong bonding with dualities like love- hate, loss- gain saga of relationships prevents him from grasping the underlying spiritual invisible truth. Bhagavān explains that Rajasik knowledge is one in which the world is not seen in connection with HIM. The living beings are perceived in their plurality with distinction of caste, race, creeds, nationality and so on which divides human society along very thin lines. The knowledge that divides is in the mode of passion.

• Yattu- by which
• kṛtsnavad- in all
• ekasmin- in one
• kārye- work  
• saktam- with attachment
• ahaitukam- without cause
• Atattvārtha- without knowledge of reality
• vadalpaṃ- very little
• ca tattāmasam- mode of ignorance
• udāhṛtam- is said to be

• Niyataṃ- Regulated
• saṅgarahitam- without attachment
• arāgadveṣataḥ- without love or hatred
• Aphalaprepsunā- without desire of karmaphala  
• yattatsāttvikamucyate- in the mode of goodness

Bhagavān proceeds to explain about the three types of actions, based upon the influence of gunas.

Action which is in accordance with the scriptures and free from attachment and aversion and without desire for rewards, is said to be in the mode of goodness (Sattvik karma. One should evaluate one’s own karma from these pointers. If our Karma satisfies the criteria we can say that we are doing Sattvik karma.

Proper action differs with place and time. 

• In 3rd century, ‘eat, drink and make merry’ was considered as the proper action.
• In 17th- 18th century England and later in France they said that if everyone becomes selfish and does not think of others there will be chaos in the world. Other than self gratification one should care for others. For example, if the husband is sick, the wife should take care and vice versa. In helping others conflict with self interest then the self interest should be prioritised.
•  Mr. Butler, a philosopher, said that catering to others after taking care of oneself is wrong, and helping others is a virtue. A lioness feeds her kids while remaining hungry herself. However Butler’s concept of service was limited to alleviation of material suffering. If a person is hungry he should be fed first. However, after 6 hours the person will be hungry again and the problem is not solved.
• Later on, Philosopher Benathan and George Steward Mill recommended the principle of doing what is best for the majority. They suggested that the majority opinion will determine what is right and wrong. A thousand ignorant people cannot equal a learned man. Others suggested that it is best to go by one’s conscience. Every person's conscience is different even in a family. Even the same person’s conscience may change over time. If you ask a murderer he will say that he felt bad initially but later it became acceptable and turned into a habit. Remorse disappears with time.

 In Mahabharata the following is said about proper action:  

श्रूयतां धर्मसर्वस्वं, श्रुत्वा चैवावधार्यताम्।

आत्मनः प्रतिकूलानि, परेषां न समाचरेत्।।

If you do not like the way others behave in a certain way, then do not behave with them similarly, but ensure that the behaviour is according to the scriptures.

Behave with others as you want them to behave with you. Action in the mode of goodness is to do duty in accordance with scriptures and should be without attachment and aversion and not for the fruits of action.

• Anubandhaṃ- of future bondage
• kṣayaṃ- destruction
• hiṃsām- violence and distress to others
• anavekṣya- without considering the consequences
• ca pauruṣam- capacity or ability
• Mohādārabhyate- illusion sets in
• Yattattāmasamucyate- Such are in the mode of ignorance.

That action which begins out of illusion and without any thought of ability and capacity, and disregarding the consequences, is in the mode of ignorance. Such action is initiated by a Tamasik. The intellect of such people is covered by the fog of ignorance; they are oblivious and unconcerned about right or wrong, and interested only in themselves. They pay no heed for hardships to others, and bring harm to them and to others. They are thoughtless and their actions cause decay of one’s health, vitality, money prosperity and property. It is a waste of time, money and resources. Eg: gambling, stealing, corruption, drinking and so on.

Questions and Answers

Santosh ji

Q: Should we strive to have a combination of Sattvik and Rajasik knowledge?

A: The ultimate aim is to become 'Gunathitha’. Even Sattvik knowledge brings bondage as the person starts taking pride in it and enjoys the adulations. But, reaching the state of ‘gunathith’ rising above all the three modes of Guna is difficult. So one has to progress step by step. We should gradually change our attitude from Rajasik to Sattvik, and adopt the teachings of Gītā and move towards the path of getting to become ‘gunathith’. One should realise that it is through HIS grace that we are what we are; whatever we achieve is because of HIM and that we are not great. We should share the knowledge or prosperity that we got from HIM, to help others without claim on the doership.