The Philosophy of the Karma Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita - 8 : Swami Krishnananda
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25/11/2019.
(Spoken on July 15, 1979.)
8.
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How is it possible for a person to neither like a thing nor not to like a thing?
We have never heard of such a state of affairs. We always have some opinion of things which is either in favour of it or against it because we have personal requirements, we have needs and desires, and anything that is in conformity with the fulfilment of our own needs appears beautiful and valuable, and therefore, good, ethical. But that which is somehow or other tending towards an opposition towards the fulfilment of our own so-called needs and desires is ugly and undesirable. That is an object of vehemence from our own minds.
Hence, any attitude, any judgement that we pass in regard to things outside as valuable or otherwise should proceed from a precedent analysis of the justifiability of our own needs and requirements.
What is the spring of action behind the projection of a particular desire in our mind?
What motivates the mind in a particular direction of like or dislike?
That has to be the object of analysis first. If the basic motive behind is partitioned and is not in a position to take into consideration the extraneous circumstances, then the universe, the law of nature, will set up a reaction of a similar nature. As you judge a thing, so also you will be judged.
Srimad Bhagavad Gita : Ch-4. Slo-11.
"ye yatha mam prapadyante tans tathaiva bhajamyaham
mama vartmanuvartante manushyah partha sarvashah."
"In whatever way people surrender unto me, I reciprocate with them accordingly. Everyone follows my path, knowingly or unknowingly, O son of Pritha."
Ye yatha mam prapadyante tans tathaiva bhajamy aham (B.G. 4.11).
Tit for tat is the law of nature. Whatever you do to the world, that the world will do to you one day or the other. Whatever you think about the world, that the world will think about you. Whatever you give to the world, that the world will give you. In one sense at least, we may say that the whole world is like a mirror in which your face is reflected. You see your own self there. So whatever grinning you do in front of the mirror, that is reflected back upon you and you see it.
This happens because the world is not outside you.
The basic error of our approach is to spring upon the world as if it is an outsider, take it by surprise, and try to conquer it or abandon it. The necessity to set up a balance, samatva, between ourselves and the world in karma yoga arises because of our involvement in the world. The world is neither a friend nor an enemy, just as I am not my own friend and I am not my own enemy. We cannot have such attitudes towards one’s own self when the world is involved in the very structure of our being, and vice versa, so much so that any kind of judgement would be an unwarranted attitude of ours. Judge not lest ye be judged, is a universal maxim because only God can judge things, because He alone isomniscient.
Judgement is passed by a person who has knowledge of every bit of the matter. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the entire circumstance of the case. Then only the judgement can be passed. But if one is a partisan, such a person is unfit to pass a judgement. And we are partisans, it is very well known, because we belong to our own selves, our own families, our own country, our own nationality, our own species, humanity. So how are we fit to say anything about the things in the world? We are not impartial either towards the complainant or towards the defendant. We belong either to that side or this side.
To be continued ...
========================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25/11/2019.
(Spoken on July 15, 1979.)
8.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How is it possible for a person to neither like a thing nor not to like a thing?
We have never heard of such a state of affairs. We always have some opinion of things which is either in favour of it or against it because we have personal requirements, we have needs and desires, and anything that is in conformity with the fulfilment of our own needs appears beautiful and valuable, and therefore, good, ethical. But that which is somehow or other tending towards an opposition towards the fulfilment of our own so-called needs and desires is ugly and undesirable. That is an object of vehemence from our own minds.
Hence, any attitude, any judgement that we pass in regard to things outside as valuable or otherwise should proceed from a precedent analysis of the justifiability of our own needs and requirements.
What is the spring of action behind the projection of a particular desire in our mind?
What motivates the mind in a particular direction of like or dislike?
That has to be the object of analysis first. If the basic motive behind is partitioned and is not in a position to take into consideration the extraneous circumstances, then the universe, the law of nature, will set up a reaction of a similar nature. As you judge a thing, so also you will be judged.
Srimad Bhagavad Gita : Ch-4. Slo-11.
"ye yatha mam prapadyante tans tathaiva bhajamyaham
mama vartmanuvartante manushyah partha sarvashah."
"In whatever way people surrender unto me, I reciprocate with them accordingly. Everyone follows my path, knowingly or unknowingly, O son of Pritha."
Ye yatha mam prapadyante tans tathaiva bhajamy aham (B.G. 4.11).
Tit for tat is the law of nature. Whatever you do to the world, that the world will do to you one day or the other. Whatever you think about the world, that the world will think about you. Whatever you give to the world, that the world will give you. In one sense at least, we may say that the whole world is like a mirror in which your face is reflected. You see your own self there. So whatever grinning you do in front of the mirror, that is reflected back upon you and you see it.
This happens because the world is not outside you.
The basic error of our approach is to spring upon the world as if it is an outsider, take it by surprise, and try to conquer it or abandon it. The necessity to set up a balance, samatva, between ourselves and the world in karma yoga arises because of our involvement in the world. The world is neither a friend nor an enemy, just as I am not my own friend and I am not my own enemy. We cannot have such attitudes towards one’s own self when the world is involved in the very structure of our being, and vice versa, so much so that any kind of judgement would be an unwarranted attitude of ours. Judge not lest ye be judged, is a universal maxim because only God can judge things, because He alone isomniscient.
Judgement is passed by a person who has knowledge of every bit of the matter. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the entire circumstance of the case. Then only the judgement can be passed. But if one is a partisan, such a person is unfit to pass a judgement. And we are partisans, it is very well known, because we belong to our own selves, our own families, our own country, our own nationality, our own species, humanity. So how are we fit to say anything about the things in the world? We are not impartial either towards the complainant or towards the defendant. We belong either to that side or this side.
To be continued ...
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