The Bhagavad Gita (21 page)

39  
“Tamasic
happiness, born of dark delusion, is a non-comprehending, sleeplike existence, bitter at both beginning and end. The only pleasure in this type of ‘happiness’ is the meager satisfaction of sleep or the perverse enjoyment that comes with idle pursuits and neglect of duty.

40  “In short, Arjuna, the
gunas,
the forces of nature, characterize all of creation. No creature in this world, or the middle regions, or even among the gods in heaven is free from the
gunas.
The
gunas
and
prakriti
(nature) are identical. Even Brahma the Creator, the loftiest of the working gods,
^*
is not truly liberated. Why? Because his action of creating takes place through the
guna
material of nature, which connects him to nature. Consequently even Brahma must someday cease to exist. So, from Brahma on down to a blade of grass, all living things are connected with
prakriti.”

41  “I have mentioned the importance of doing one’s duty, old friend; now I will explain the nature of prescribed duties. The responsibilities of people in the various segments of society can be divided under four general headings: Seers, Leaders, Providers, and Servers. No particular group of people is superior to any other, but like limbs of the body, each has a respective role to play. These groupings are consistent with the conditioning of the
gunas,
whether that conditioning is from earlier lifetimes or this life. It is said that people are born of their own nature.

42  “Consider them one by one. Society’s
Seers
are the holy ones (in some societies referred to as
Brahmins).
Seers are expected to establish the character and spiritual underpinnings of society. Their duties are generally of pure, unmixed
sattva
and are therefore congenial to a person of
sattvic
nature. This is what is meant by the term ‘born of their own nature.’
Providing spiritual and moral leadership is generally ‘natural’ to Seers.

“Seers must have spiritual knowledge and wisdom — knowledge of God-realization obtained through devout study — and wisdom beyond knowledge, acquired through direct experience of
the Atma.
Seers must have purity of heart, mind, and body; and allow no perversity or corruption to creep in. They must possess serenity, calmness, forbearance, forgiveness, and patience — and hold to an unwavering faith in the Divinity of all life. The primary purpose of the Seers is to help transform society’s exemplary human beings into godly beings.

43  “The primary objective of society’s
Leaders
is to help transform ordinary human beings into exemplary human beings. The Leaders (referred to as
Kshatriyas)
are expected to guard the welfare and prosperity of society by serving the people. They are charged with bringing moral stamina and adherence to duty through courage, fearlessness, resourcefulness, and ingenuity in the face of changing conditions. They must be examples of law, justice, and generosity. They must lead by inspiring the populace through good example and yet be ready to enforce their authority.

“Both groups are strong in their own ways. The strength of the Leaders lies in their courage; the strength of the Seers lies in their spiritual glow.

44  “Society’s
Providers
and
Servers
are, respectively, the business people (referred to as
Vaishyas)
and the workers (referred to as
Sudras).
The combined responsibilities and expectations of these two groupings is to prepare, supply, and equip society with the goods and services it needs. Providers are charged with the
activities of economics and commerce such as growing food, rearing cows for milk and dairy products, the honest manufacture and exchange of merchandise, and trading. Servers (workers) are the foundation. They provide the strength and sinew of society by working with, for, and in the service of all segments of society.

“Although there are different expectations of the four groups, Arjuna, remember that the practices conducive to spiritual growth — worship, controlling the senses, and so forth — are within the competencies of
all
people in all divisions of society.”

45  “All humanity is born for ultimately achieving perfection. This is the very purpose of humanity. Through being devoted to one’s duties each person will find this perfection. But take heed, Arjuna, the person who abhors his or her duty can never become fulfilled.

46   “Through performing work selflessly with no attachment to the outcome and doing it as an act of devotion to the Divine, you attain fulfillment and spiritual perfection. The notion that work and worship are separate activities is common but incorrect. Live your life and do your work in an attitude of adoration of the Divine. Do each and every act for the sake of the Divine. Love God in everything you do. Convert your earthly existence into worship. The one who does this is truly a
yogi.

47  “Your very nature dictates that you perform the duties attuned to your disposition. Those duties are your
dharma,
your natural calling. It is far better to do your own
dharma,
even if you do it imperfectly, than to try
to master the work of another. Those who perform the duties called for by their obligations, even if those duties seem of little merit, are able to do them with less effort — and this releases consciousness that can be directed Godward.

48  “Just as fire produces smoke, people’s actions produce effects that can be negative as well as positive. No activities, regardless of how good, are completely free of blemish. One should not abandon one’s duties even though they may seem tainted. True
yogis
discharge their duties faithfully as acts of devotion to the Divine, and thus free themselves from any contamination.

49  “The person whose mind and intellect are no longer attached to anything whatsoever, who has subdued and gone beyond the sense of self (ego) and the desire for enjoyment — that person has, through renunciation, attained the supreme state of liberation from the bondage of
karma.
This loving
yogi
has become an instrument of Divinity.”

50  “So learn from Me now, friend, as I briefly profile the qualities that make the loving
yogi
one with Me, Brahman, the Godhead. There is no higher achievement in life.

51  “Cultivate a pure intellect. Free your mind and heart of delusion. Be self-restrained. Give up the ego. Subdue your senses through steady will. Abandon the sights, tastes, and noises of the world. Put aside with no regret the likes and dislikes so burdensome in life.

52  “Seek solitude, eat but little, lead a simple, self-reliant life, curbing your thoughts, speech, and actions. Be
detached, impersonal. Engage your mind always in concentration, contemplation, and meditation on the Godhead.

53  “Cast from yourself all egotism, violence, arrogance, desire, anger, and attachment. Turn your back on luxuries and property. Possess very little, and shed any sense of mine.’ Be calm, at peace with yourself and all others. Enter into the supreme state of unity with Me — I who am Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss.

54  “Thus united with Me, tranquil of mind and heart, neither craving nor grieving anything or anyone, accept all people equally and serve Me, Divinity, in every living creature. Love Me most dearly.

55  “Be very clear about the crucial importance of love. To love is to know Me. The act itself of loving is indeed the experience of really knowing Me, for I
am
Love, Arjuna! To love is to know My innermost nature, the Truth that I am. It is through this sacred and deep knowing that you gain access to Me and become one with My own Self. Loving
is
knowing God! As a deep knower of the Godhead you actually become the Godhead.

56  “Do not renounce action itself but only the sense of doership. Thus, even while engaging in worldly actions be but an instrument of the Divine. When you surrender there is no weariness in your work. As you are fully concentrated on Me, you will come home to Me in eternity.

57  “Mentally cast every thought and act onto Me. Know I am your best friend and only refuge. Be solely devoted to Me. Fix your mind and intellect on Me. Once you recognize that your mind, senses, and body — and all activities performed by them — are Divinity, then your sense of doership, of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ leaves you. When that happens, you have no concern but to do Divinity’s work for Its sake only. Your only interest should be to merge in God. It is by loving God that you rise from the human to the Divine.

58-59  “The one with his or her mind thus fixed on Me can, through My grace, overcome all obstacles. I know, Arjuna, that you are a good devotee and a beloved friend, but if you stay caught in your egoism and do not heed My words, you are lost and you will perish. If, in your vanity you think, ‘I will not fight,’ that misguided resolve will be in vain, because your very nature will drive you to do it.

“You can do no greater harm than fail to follow your inner truth! You have been nurtured in the duties of a warrior-leader. Your aptitudes, temperament, and disposition are such that you must oppose wrongdoing in the world. Facing this righteous fight you cannot simply decide on impulse to practice renunciation and quietism. This ego-driven decision of yours creates a conflict in your personality. Your inner nature will prevail in spite of your ego. Do not yield to this egoism and disgrace yourself.

60  “A man is not different from his nature, Arjuna, and is obliged to act in conformity with it. You yourself have created the tendencies that bind you now. The law
of karma
is more powerful than your ego. Even if in your delusion you think that you do not want to fight, your own nature will force you to. Following one’s nature is the only way to work out one’s
karma.

61  “God dwells in the very heart of every creature and whirls them around and around as though mounted on a revolving machine. It is as if dancing puppets
imagine that they are the dancers rather than merely puppets, and because of this illusion they become increasingly entangled in the strings.

“The
yogi,
however, changes this basic attitude and holds the conviction that all actions are in the Divine One’s hands. In this way the
yogi
lives life as the willing instrument of Divinity.

62  “Seek refuge
only
in the Divine, beloved friend. Always remember the illustrious truth that you have neither existence nor individuality independent of God. Attune your whole life to this truth. Take refuge in Me and experience great peace of mind. Those who do not come fully to Me continue to bring agitation and a stressful life upon themselves.”

63  “I have now taught you the secret of secrets. I have revealed the most mysterious of all mysteries. This sacred knowledge is now yours. Its sole purpose is to lead humanity from the darkness of ignorance to enlightenment, from the perishable world of nature to the imperishable world of Spirit, from the non-Real to the Real, from utter sorrow to eternal bliss, and from death to immortality in Me, Brahman. Reflect upon this daringly and fully, Arjuna. Inquire deeply into these teachings and then act as you choose.”

64  Krishna pauses, “Now listen once again to the most profound secret, the highest of all truths. I tell you this for your everlasting benefit because you are so very dear to Me.

65  “Fix your mind on Me. Give Me your whole heart. Revere Me always and bow before Me only. Make Me
your very own. By these acts you shall discover Me and come to Me. I promise you this because we are forever linked through love, this greatest of unifying forces. This Divine love is both the means for reaching Me and the ultimate goal of all human existence; indeed, it is the pinnacle of human spiritual achievement.

66  “Achieving this is the culmination of all one’s strivings. Past good actions, which have been helpful in your Godward progress, have now fully served their purpose. Therefore, renounce all
dharmas
and take refuge in Me alone.

“Giving up
dharmas
does not mean you suddenly become nonvirtuous; it indicates you have simply moved beyond it all. Taking refuge in Me means that you give up the idea that you are the doer; then it is as though all your acts are performed by Divinity Itself for Its sake alone, with no concern about whether the acts are
dharmic
or
adharmic.
When you are acting as God for God it is impossible to do something
adharmic.

“Through this intense devotion and self-surrender your mistakes and sins (actions that steer you away from Divinity) will be absolved and you will merge with Me, the Supreme, forever liberated from the cares and grief of worldly existence.

67  “Our impromptu seminar on the principles governing humanity’s spiritual development is now finished, O warrior. You must not tell this sacred truth to anyone who is not devoted, nor to anyone who speaks ill of Me, nor to anyone who does not care to listen. No one should try to impose this holy information on another.