How to Realize the Ultimate Truth

Arjuna next asks Krishna about sannyas (devotional focus on the Divine and serving God’s children, instead of personal needs) and tyaga (relinquishment). Now that Arjuna has some understanding about the spiritual life and how it works, he is curious to learn about its highest or deepest stages.

Krishna defines a sannyas as one who no longer desires to do things for self-reward such as fame, fortune, power, ego, or pride. On the most basic level, sannyas is the cessation of selfishness. Yet there are subtle levels, gray areas that may not seem selfish from a social standpoint, but are still forms of wanting something in the relative world. So sannyas is the state whereby a person’s mind chooses to act for the good of others, for no other reason than to relieve mankind’s suffering.

Tyaga is when a person no longer holds onto, cares for, or takes any special pleasure in the results of actions However, even when acting selflessly, by the law of nature, good karma will come back to the person. When the person is not influenced by even those good -karma returns, this is said to be tyaga (full relinquishment).

Action or Inaction

Krishna notes there are differing views about the topic of action; some say all action is to be stopped, and others believe that action that is selfless, such as helping the truly needy through charitable acts, austerity, and sacrifice, is worthy of doing. Krishna weighs in on the subject by distinguishing between three types of relinquishment (tyaga).

He says, selfless acts of sacrifice, gifts, and austerity are to be performed, as they purify the person. But the value in these acts only comes to those who perform them without desire for reward. (This discussion is an extension of the topic as discussed in Chapter 17.)

1. Tamasic relinquishment: either not doing worthy actions or takis Tamasic, that is, against spiritual development.

2. Rajasic relinquishment: done to relinquish action out of fear (eg, running away from a responsibility).

3. Sattwic relinquishment: performance of worthy duties and responsibilities without care for anything in return, clinging neither to pleasant acts nor avoiding or disdaining unpleasant ones.

So the true relinquished is one who cares not for the consequences of their actions; they just ‘do the right thing’ and let the chips fall where they may. A modern day example of this is the ‘whistle-blower, ’ one who cannot sit by idly while their company breaks the law and harms people or the environment. They act knowing they might prevent harm.

Another example of sattwic relinquishment is the behavior of loving parents. They sometimes have to discipline their children, even though the children may say, ‘I hate you’ or ‘I don’t love you.’ Their job is to protect their children, even if it means some temporary ban on the child’s happiness or restriction of their movements. So parents must be willing to accept whatever response the child gives to the discipline such as anger or withholding love. And if the child tries to bribe the parent with love, the parent, aware of the scheme, ignores the loving praise, and sticks to their guardian duties.

Thus, sannyas and tyaga have been clarified by Krishna. Whether living as a monk or on a family path, these principles are equally applicable to people in all walks of life. Acting selflessly and without caring about how the results will profit you personally is a truly spiritual action.

For those who do not relinquish action fully, the consequences or reward of the actions have tri-fold results: good, not good, and mixed.

The consequences of their actions follow the person (Soul) into death (of the body). But for those who fully relinquish the results of result will be Divine. They will be on the higher or quicker path to Self-Realization. [Verse 1–12]

O mighty armed, O master of the senses, O slayer of the Keshi demon. I wish to understand the truth about renunciation (sannyas) and relinquishing the rewards of action (tyaga). [1]

Lord Krishna said:

The wise say, giving up the desires for results of activities is called renunciation (sannyas); and the learned say giving up the rewards of action is relinquishment (tyaga). [2]

Some philosophers declare that all actions should be given up as evil; while others say actions of sacrifice, charity, and austerity are never to be given up. [3]

O Arjuna, hear from Me the actual truth regarding renunciation. There are three types of renunciation. [4]

Actions of sacrifice, charity, and austerity are not to be renounced; but must be performed. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity purify the discriminative mind. [5]

However, O Arjuna, these acts are to be done without any expectation of results, but done as duty for its own sake. This is my highest, definitive conclusion. [6]

Renouncing these prescribed actions is not proper, while abandoning them for illusory reasons is called tamasic. [7]

Those who relinquish action out of fear of physical ailments, thinking, ‘this is causing pain’, enact greedy (rajasic) relinquishment, the spiritual benefits of renunciation are not obtained in this way. [8]

O Arjuna, one’s prescribed duty that is performed for its own sake, while renouncing the desire for rewards, is considered a pure (sattwic) form of renunciation. [9]

This renouncer, endowed with goodness (sattwa), who is neither adverse to disagreeable work, nor desirous of enjoyable work, have no doubts about work. [10]

It is not possible for the embodied to renounce all actions. But those that renounce the fruits of action are called true renouncers. [11]

[12]

Krishna next outlines five factors taken from Vedic Sankhya philosophy that are needed for accomplishing action:

1. The field of action (where you perform the action)

2. The body.

3. The senses.

4. Bodily functions.

5. The body’s ruling deities.

No matter what a person does, says, or thinks, rightly or wrongly, whether helpful or unhelpful, these five factors are involved. To say that the Soul is the doer would be to express an incorrect or delusional view, because the Soul is eternal, unmoving, and wholly uninvolved in action.

Only those who act without ego or agenda (‘I am not the doer’) and without concern for receiving favorable or unfavorable results, and who acts without being bound by the action in either way will achieve Self-Realization.

There are some issues with this type of talk however. First, since all people have some combination of gunas, and the goal of life is to go beyond the gunas, one needs to be careful to not judge others according to their perceived predominant guna. This sets up a ‘holier-than-thou attitude in one’s mind that destroys the goodness of one’s good acts.

No human being has a life that is 100% pure. Having human characteristics means, even for the greatest saints, they too must be on guard to not get caught in subtle ego traps.

Secondly, merely having the intellectual awareness that one’s thoughts are rajasic or tamasic is not enough to transition to sattwic thinking. In fact, being locked into less than sattwic thoughts and actions, even though temporary, is an example of bondage.

A person can see themselves trapped, but not be able to release themselves from these thoughts. It is a subtle form of addiction and is related to the addiction to materialism, greed, pride, and power.

Thus, just discussing or reading such lofty ideas as set out by Lord Krishna, is not enough to transform one’s life or to liberate the subtlest levels of the reader’s mind. It is a good start, however, but then the real work, the lifelong work begins.

So when reading such philosophy, it is best to remember that the words are there to guide you. But when the storm comes and the mind becomes locked by anger, greed, pride, lethargy, or other smaller-minded patterns, one can only pray with the greatest of sincerity and desperation for God to release them from this bondage.

As Krishna has said, God is the doer in life. So even when we are attempting to become free from rajasic and tamasic mental tendencies, it is actually the grace of God that allows for such release.

When times become more despondent, it causes a person to more fully and sincerely (often out of sheer desperation) put all their energies and intentions into calling God for their release and asking for salvation from the current storm. Such storms keep the devotee humble in this ongoing life-process.

Therefore, being the ideal sattwic person is something to continually strive for, while looking inward instead of outward. (As previously mentioned, the goal is to move beyond sattwa to Eternal Soul;

but in the context of mental attributes, sattwa is the most desirable attribute prior to eternal transcendence.) [Verse 13–17]

O mighty armed, learn from Me the 5 factors that cause the accomplishment of all action, as it is cited in Sankhya philosophy. [13]

The five factors are the body, the ego, the senses, the various and manifold vital forces, and the eternal Soul. [14]

Whatever action a person performs with the body, speech and mind, whether proper or improper, these 5 factors are the cause. [15]

As such, those who ignorantly believe their body is the only doer, are lacking spiritual wisdom and have no realization. [16]

Those who don’t have this egotistical belief, whose understanding is not affected by favorable and unfavorable things, even though slaying these people, they neither slay nor are bound by their action. [17]

Next Krishna discusses the nature of action in depth. The are three causes of action:

1. Knowledge.

2. Knowable object.

3. Knower.

And there are three bases of action:

1. The means to act (eg, senses, limbs)

2. The action itself.

3. The doer.

In addition to knowledge of and desire to act, there must be the ability to act and a person to achieve the action.

There are three kinds of knowledge, action, and doers, according to the three gunas:

1. Sattwic action: knowledge (seeing) that all beings are eternal and are a part of the One Soul. (In essence, there is no diversity, since we are all the same Soul.)

2. Rajasic action: seeing the separateness in all beings (and not the common Soul)

3. Tamasic action: seeing and clinging to one single thing as if it were everything and missing its true eternal essence.

An example of rajasic distinctions is seeing the media portray how two groups are different from one another (eg, red states and blue states; creating dramatically sharp distinctions between sides to allegedly make a story more engaging), or governments who divide groups or religions to conquer both groups. On the human level, fighting with friends or relatives over property or things is rajasic.

Tamasic actions include doing anything in a wholly attached manner; never reasoning whether it is valid; unfounded in truth; clinging onto a person, idea, philosophy, herb, drug or anything material, instead of letting go and embracing the eternal spirit or Soul.

Sattwic actions: following one’s duties (responsibilities) without attachment, like/dislike, or desire for the rewards of the action. These people do not seek work; rather they take the work that comes to them in the form of responsibility.

This behavior has no sense of I: the person works as a Divine instrument.

Rajasic actions: acting on the desire that fame, fortune, power, or glory will come to you from your actions. This type of action depletes energy. Those who act rajasically constantly work, run, develop, create, fix, and so on. This behavior is greedy, passionate, violent, unclean, easily excited by joy or sorrow, success, or failure.

Tamasic actions: when work is done blindly, without forethought as to reasons, ability, consequences (who if anyone benefits or is harmed by the action). This behavior shows itself as undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, knavish, indecisive, lethargic, procrastinating, arrogant, or dishonest. [Verse 18–28]

The knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower are the threefold cause of action. The senses, the work, and the doer are the threefold basis of action. [18]

Sankhya philosophy declares knowledge, action, and the doer to be threefold, depending on the threefold nature of the gunas. Hear the details. [19]

The One, unchangeable, unending knowledge that is seen in all creatures is pure (sattwic) knowledge. [20]

Knowledge that sees distinction between different creatures is passionate (rajasic) knowledge. [21]

And the knowledge that is restricted to one kind of work as the whole truth, without reason, unfounded on truth, and superficial, is darkness (tamasic). [22]

Actions ordained, performed without desiring the rewards of the action, unattached, without craving or aversion, is purity (sattwic). [23]

Actions performed while desiring the rewards of the action, with egotism, or with much effort, is rajasic. [24]

Actions done under delusion, without considering one’s own ability, consequence, loss, and injury is tamasic. [25]

Free from attachment, without egotism, endowed with perseverance and enthusiasm, unaffected in success or failure, is one who works with purity (sattwa). [26]

Those whose have passions and desires for reward, greed, malicious, impurity, who are easily moved by joy or sorrow, are overly active (rajasic) workers. [27]

Those who are unqualified, vulgar, arrogant, deceptive, overbearing, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating, are ignorant (tamasic) workers. [28]

People often say that the work they did got them off the track, ie, off their spiritual path. They often ask, should I do A or B; should I build my company or spend more time in meditation? But as we see from Krishna’s discussion, it is not what you do but how you do it, A person can work long hours on a project, and it can be sattwic or rajasic. If the work feels like it is what they were born to do; if it feels like it is their responsibility; if by helping others the person feels humbled and grateful to be allowed to participate in this action, and when the unpleasant aspects of the work are done in the same spirit, then it is sattwic work.

However, if a person is working on a project to become rich, famous, or powerful; working to avoid their family or social life, then this is rajasic work. It is a very subtle point, but a little focus on the distinction makes a world of difference in how a person lives their life.

While discussing this point, a common question is raised, ‘I choose to work to support my family. Is that not sattwic action? ’ This is a most important question. There are two parts to the answer. By not working for your own personal gain, but for others. Still, within this context, a person must choose a respectable job, and not merely do anything, even if it is unethical, all in the name of supporting a family.

Doing tamasic or rajasic work requires self-aggrandizement and involves ego, either because of a lack of self-worth or by seeking self-contentment. When a person realizes they have done some work that was rajasic or tamasic, often after things fall apart, they sometimes realize the errors in their ways. The tendency is to swing to the other extreme ― self-deprecation. One begins to sulk or dwell in guilt or self-pity. Instead of acting from the point of view of being a good person, the person dwells on how bad they have been. The key here is that the person is still stuck in ‘I.’ Often people wait for punishment or punish themselves or give up on life for some time.

Then they swing back to self-aggrandizement and start the cycle all over again.

It is helpful to know that since both are ego-born (ie, rajasic and tamasic), if a person changes their intent and does something from a sattwic point of view (a selfless act), in that instant, things change for the better.

Often one’s greatest growth comes after hitting the bottom, when things are darkest. It is only then that a person becomes motivated to make a change. We see this in people who wait for the last minute to do their homework or study for tests. On a larger scale, we see this in government when nothing gets done until a tragic disaster occurs. Or in personal growth, such as when a person becomes ‘sick and tired’ of being sick and tired, they finally forgo all the mental chatter, fears, and doubts, and just move ahead in uncharted areas of their life.

So one value of rajasic and tamasic acts is even though they destroy one’s plans and result in embarrassment and humiliation, one must go on. In this way, these less than perfect behaviors sometimes act as a catalyst to the sattwic way of life. Eventually, a person may come to realize that they do not have to wait for a disaster to make positive changes and can begin to implement positive actions sooner. This shift from waiting until something goes wrong to correct it marks a change for the positive. By respecting oneself enough to say ‘I am worth living a Divine life, ’ one chooses more harmonious options in the direction of the Divine.

Everything in nature is cyclical. Even the yugas (eras of life) start with sat (purity) and end in kal (darkness), then sat again resumes.

So too in the natural lives of people, they do good, slip to some degree off their path, and humbled and willing to accept a more harmonious life, return to their path again, cleansed and more open.

If there is some benefit to rajas and tamas in this instance, it is that they help to purify the ego from thoughts of too much and too little (that I am the greatest/I am the worst): both of these are detrimental.

There is no shame then in admitting mistakes (falling off the sattwic path). Be aware to not judge others according to how much sattwa you feel appears in their life. Also it would be useful not to focus only on one’s crown chakra (spiritual energy center) and ignore the baser chakras; the implication being that the person does not need to work on ‘lower evolved’ levels, or that if they work solely on the highest level, the foundations will automatically cleanse. This is a pretense or illusion; it is a form of rajasic or tamasic thought. As the goal of life is to go beyond all three gunas (even sattwa), it is best to not let the intellect dwell on or make judgments about gunas in your life or in other people’s lives.

Therefore, it is suggested here to think of the gunas in the following manner. Anything that brings a sense of wonder, a feeling of purity, a simpleness of thought, lightness, innocence, a sense of inner joy for no apparent reason, or a feeling of becoming more childlike, is something beneficial to try to develop in one’s life.

Anything that makes a person feel that they know something, trying to convince people of why they are right, gathering intellectual information, understanding the difference between things, feeling better than others, feeling too holy to do some sort of unpleasant work, judging, laughing at, blaming, making excuses, or speaking ill about others; all these are signs that a person is off their path of innocent, devotional, tender God-love. This is hardly an exhaustive list, but it is a start, and it covers the essential behaviors.

Now Krishna discusses the distinction of understanding and fortitude:

Three Insights

 

Sattwic: understanding and knowing:

 

• When to act and when to wait.

• Right from wrong action.

• Fear and fearlessness.

• Bondage and liberation.

 

Rajasic: having a distorted understanding and:

 

• Not knowing when to act and when to wait.

• Confusing right from wrong action.

• Not understanding the difference between fear and fearlessness.

• Not understanding bondage and not seeking liberation.

 

Tamasic: having no understanding and seeing wrong things as right.

 

• Acting when waiting is more appropriate and vice versa.

• Continually choosing wrong actions instead of right actions.

• Living and making choices based on fear and not knowing fearlessness.

• Living in bondage and not seeking liberation.

Three Roots

Sattwic: having the ability to control one’s thoughts (in sattwa or positivity), and thus speech and actions, roots a person in sattwa Rajasic: clinging to duty, righteousness (and self-righteousness), desire, wealth, desiring rewards of actions, roots a person in rajas.

Tamasic: excess sleep, fear, grief, despondency, vanity, and self conceit roots a person in tamas.

The notion of righteousness as an undesirable trait may raise some eyebrows. Krishna has already said that acting out of duty is sattwic, but here it is seen in the context of an excess, for example, when action is used as an excuse to get what you want. A thought might start pure, but then degrade into a combination of righteousness and personal ambition. This can be seen when people kill in the name of God’s love. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States (1913-1921) claimed that God told him to become President.

However, late in his life he realized that his unyielding grip on achieving his goals resulted from his own personal desires and lack of patience. Some people can sound self-righteous, even when their ideas or methods are wrong. Sounding righteous does not make a person right; it may give what they say a rajasic quality.

Three Pleasures

Sattwic happiness: starts out as poison and ends as nectar and is born of the blissful knowledge of the Soul.

Rajasic happiness: arises from sensory contact and starts like nectar but ends as poison.

Tamasic happiness: begins and ends in self-delusion, owing to excessive sleep, lethargy, and false perception.

There is a saying, ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.’

Beware of one who offers you ‘easy money.’ There is no free ride.

There is no free lunch. Anything worth having is worth earning.

People run after big, easy, fast money; after fame and praise and often end up in a poisoned situation.

When the eyes see lustful things or the taste buds taste overly rich, sweet foods and beverages, though these start as pleasure, they end in poison, that is, in damage, disrepair, and illness.

However, when one’s own awareness realizes, if I make some modifications now, things will be better later, this is sattwa. For example, knowing your Ayurvedic dosha (constitution), and eating foods that balance that dosha such as fresh, organic, whole foods might not unduly excite the taste buds (though it will be tasty and wholesome).

In time, however, digestion improves and the body has more energy and fewer health problems. And the mind is more at peace. This is a form of sattwic pleasure.

Another example is earning money: One can overcharge a person and get an initial larger sum of money. But if the customer has been hurt by paying so much money, they will look elsewhere for a fair deal; somewhere along the line the seller will suffer. On the other hand, if fair fees are set by the seller (and they earn what they need to survive) and the buyer pays what is reasonable for them to continue to survive, there is a natural interdependency, and life becomes more harmonious. Initial self-sacrifice yields sattwic pleasure.

If a student wants to do well in school, they must sacrifice parties for study; and in the end achieve their higher pleasure. If an athlete years of their life to excel. If a person wishes to feel love, they must away worldly (material) things and knowledge and emotions, the more space they have to receive spiritual gifts in return.

All humans, creatures, and all heavenly beings are under the sway of the gunas. Only God, the unchanging source of the gunas, can O Arjuna, now hear Me comprehensively and individually describe the distinction between understanding and fortitude according to the three gunas. [29]

O Arjuna, pure (sattwic) wisdom knows when to act and when to refrain from acting.; it also knows right from wrong action, fear from fearlessness, bondage from liberation. [30]

O Arjuna, distorted (rajasic) wisdom cannot distinguish between righteous and unrighteous, and proper and improper action. [31]

That ignorant wisdom (tamasic) regards unrighteousness as righteousness, and all things contrary to how they really are. [32]

O Arjuna, continuous determination that motivates mental activity, the life breath, and the senses through unwavering practice of yoga, is sattwic willpower. [33]

But that determination by which one clings to duty, desire, and wealth — attached and desiring is rajasic willpower. [34]

O Arjuna, determination by the ignorant who cannot stop dreaming, fearing, grieving, being despondent, and vain, is tamasic willpower. [35]

O Arjuna, now hear from Me about the three kinds of happiness, through which happiness lasts and pain ends. [36]

That which begins like poison, ends like nectar; this is pure (sattwic) happiness born of Self-Realization. [37]

That happiness that is caused by the contact of the senses with objects, and seems like nectar at first, but becomes poison later, is rajasic happiness. [38]

Happiness that starts and ends in self-delusion, arising from sleep, laziness, and illusion is tamasic happiness. [39]

There is no creature in heaven or earth that is free from the three gunas, born of nature (prakriti). [40]

The Caste System Myth

Lord Krishna then dispels another myth. This time he examines the caste system. Although the caste system has become a hegemonic tool of the corrupt and power-hungry to lord over the masses, claiming that they are holier than others, the system was actually meant to be a horizontal system based in innate or God-given qualifications.

For example, the largest, strongest people were best suited to be the soldiers; those with a love of prayer were the priests; those with an affinity for the earth were the farmers; and those with have a penchant for serving were the servants.

This system was meant to create a natural interdependency among the groups: each needs the other to make their lives whole. Each person was given innate qualities necessary for the duties they were given. This was more a matter of the natural expression of certain traits:

Brahmins (priests): serenity, self-restraint, discipline, purity, forgiveness (in heart to even those who seek to hurt), directness and decency, knowledge (book learning and direct personal experience), faith in God.

Kshatriyas (soldiers): valor, spiritedness, constancy, resourcefulness, courage, compassion, a giving nature, leadership.

Vaishya (farmers/shopkeepers): ability to work the soil, protect the cows, and have a propensity for agriculture, animal husbandry, and conducting commerce.

Shudra (servants): natural ability and love of serving others and remaining humble at God’s feet.

It is for each person to be completely engrossed in their duties to grow to God. By offering the duties as worship to God, a person merges in love with God.

The most fortunate person is the one who makes their life’s responsibilities (pleasant or difficult) as one’s duty to God. Responsible action saves a person from stress and the agony of spiritual separation. [Note that while using one’s God-gifts, difficulties of a different quality, and less harsh difficulties are incurred then when not accept life when it is difficult. This merely confuses the two forms of difficult life. To say that God wants me to accept this unnatural suffering is a mistake. Lord Krishna admonishes people to do their best, not to give up, make matters worse, and blame God.]

By following one’s life in this way, a person acts from detachment (not desiring good things and not avoiding bad things), and merely witnesses life as it unfolds in front of them. This process develops gradually over time if the will is there to experience a Divine life.

Here, the saying ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’ is most appropriate. Krishna speaks of this in Chapter 2 as well. It is better to do one’s own duty, though imperfect, than to envy another or try to do another’s duty. By gradually learning to give up attachment to all things and accepting life as it unfolds (as it relates to one’s duties) is sannyas. Such a person does not become entrapped by actions and hence, they become liberated: this is grace in action.

[Verse 41–49]

O Arjuna, the duties of Brahmanas (priests), Kshatriyas (soldiers), Vaishyas (business people), and Shudras (servants) are divided according to the qualities (gunas) of their own nature. [41]

The nature of Brahmanas are serenity, self-control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and faith. [42]

The nature of Kshatriyas are heroism, energy, determination, skill, no trace of cowardice in battle, generosity, and leadership. [43]

The nature of business people include agriculture, animal husbandry, and trade.

Service is the nature of Shudras. [44]

People attain perfection by following their own nature’s activities. Now hear how to gain perfection by following your own qualities. [45]

By worshipping God, the source of all beings, all-pervading, humans can attain perfection through performing their own duties. [46]

It is better to practice one’s own duties with mistakes, than to perform another’s duties perfectly. Those who follow their own nature’s activities do not incur sin. [47]

O Arjuna, a person should not renounce the inherent duties with which they were born; even if defective, because all actions are surrounded by evil as fre surrounds smoke. [48]

Those whose understanding is spiritually detached from everything, with controlled mind, without material desires, realize the highest perfection: cessation of reactions through renunciation. [49]

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