« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6
Karma-yoga in its perfect form (Bg 3.3 to 3.9)
Kṛṣṇa answers Arjuna’s question, explaining that there are different paths for different types of transcendentalists, but no one can become free from material bondage simply by artificially giving up work. As long as we have a material body, we are forced to act according to our nature. The real problem is not action itself, but selfish action performed for personal enjoyment. When work is performed as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu, without attachment to the results, the same activity that would otherwise bind us brings us to the liberated platform. In this way, Kṛṣṇa introduces us to the path of niṣkāma-karma-yoga, the higher form of karma-yoga. As before, He starts from the conclusion and then explains in detail the path for reaching it.
Text 3: śrī-bhagavān uvāca
loke ’smin dvi-vidhā niṣṭhā, purā proktā mayānagha
jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ, karma-yogena yoginām
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service.
Text 4: na karmaṇām anārambhān, naiṣkarmyaṁ puruṣo ’śnute
na ca sannyasanād eva, siddhiṁ samadhigacchati
Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.
Text 5: na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api, jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma, sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ
Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.
Text 6: karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya, ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā, mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.
Text 7: yas tv indriyāṇi manasā, niyamyārabhate ’rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam, asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate
On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.
Text 8: niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ, karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ
śarīra-yātrāpi ca te, na prasidhyed akarmaṇaḥ
Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work.
Text 9: yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra, loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya, mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara
Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.
In the second chapter, Kṛṣṇa spoke about the difference between body and soul following the sāṅkhya system of analytical study. Later, He spoke about the path of buddhi-yoga, the process of working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Sāṅkhya system is connected with the path of jñāna-yoga, but when this transcendental knowledge is used to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness (karma-yoga), one comes to the platform of buddhi-yoga.
As Prabhupāda explains, “Therefore, both the yogas [sāṅkhya-yoga and karma-yoga] are interdependent, as religion and philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation.” When work is predominant, devotional practice is called karma-yoga, and when the cultivation of knowledge is predominant, it is called jñāna-yoga. These are two steps on the path of self-realization, but ideally, work and knowledge should come together. For best results, we should work for Kṛṣṇa with sound philosophical understanding of our eternal nature, Kṛṣṇa’s position, and our eternal relationship with Him. This is the essence of the process of buddhi-yoga. Chapter three covers the working process (karma-yoga), while chapter four covers the topic of transcendental knowledge (sanātana-yoga) that deepens it.
The process of practical devotional service is simple and sublime, but still, there are many who are more inclined to follow the process of philosophical speculation. While this can also be dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it has many pitfalls. The first is that it tends to lead to premature renunciation, where one decides to abandon his duties before controlling his senses. This is a common trap that Kṛṣṇa alerts us to repeatedly. The second problem is that this is an indirect process. The practice of austerity and philosophical speculation may gradually help one to control his senses and gradually come to a platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but this is not automatic or guaranteed.
In general, the path of jñāna (mental speculation) is higher than karma (ordinary fruitive activities). However, when we speak of karma-yoga (action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness), even if devoid of deep philosophical understanding, it is much better than ordinary philosophical speculation, because it allows us to directly engage our senses in Kṛṣṇa’s service. As Prabhupāda explains, “Of these two, the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is better because it does not depend on purifying the senses by a philosophical process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is itself the purifying process, and by the direct method of devotional service it is simultaneously easy and sublime.”
In the beginning of the Gītā, Arjuna was inclined to the path of premature renunciation, just as we may be. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa alerted him right in the beginning: “Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.”
Renunciation is useful when it’s properly conducted, but premature renunciation creates many problems. As Kṛṣṇa mentions in text 3.5, activity is the very nature of the soul. In material life we are forced to act by the influence of the material modes, and on the spiritual platform we serve Kṛṣṇa according to our natural devotional propensity. In both cases, there is no question of staying idle for long. And, even if one can, in fact, be elevated to a platform of renunciation, renunciation alone doesn’t help much in attaining spiritual perfection.
What happens when we artificially try to renounce? That’s text 3.6: “One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.”
As long as our hearts are not pure, the mind will go everywhere, attracted to different sense objects. We will pretend to be renunciants, but our activities will not match this projected position. Even if we can effectively check our external senses, it will be short-lived. This is what Kṛṣṇa calls mithyā-ācāraḥ, a pretender.
Instead, it is much better to perform our duties and use our senses to serve Kṛṣṇa by performing karma-yoga, acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As Prabhupāda mentions, “Instead of becoming a pseudo transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment, it is far better to remain in one’s own business and execute the purpose of life.” A sincere householder can reach perfection by living a regulated life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but a pretender will fail, even if posing as a great renunciant.
Kṛṣṇa then orders Arjuna, “Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work.” What exactly are the prescribed duties Kṛṣṇa speaks about here? In Vedic societies this would be clear, for prescribed duties are a central aspect of the varṇāśrama system. Everyone would have a clear set of duties, like in the case of Arjuna fighting in the battle of Kurukṣetra. In our case, it may not be so clear at first, but we have general guidelines according to our position in life, as a student, a householder, a monk, and so on. Each of these positions brings us different duties, and we can understand it more clearly with the help of the spiritual master, or some senior spiritual guide.
More than just being essential for the working of society, performing our duties is essential for purifying our tendency to enjoy materially, and helping us to follow the spiritual path. For example, a man who desires a woman has to enter family life and maintain the wife for her whole life, as well as the children. If a man takes this duty seriously, he will not think about getting another woman, and thus his tendency for woman hunting will be controlled. Later in life, after his family duties are completed and the desire for material enjoyment has subsided, he may be able to ascend to a platform of renunciation. If, however, he abandons his family while the desire is still there, he will just go after another woman.
Material duties can be avoided only when we attain a platform of true purification of the heart. For example, a man who is free from lust will not desire to enter family life, and will thus avoid all the duties connected with that. A devotee who is happy in living in a temple and serving there may avoid all duties connected with maintaining a house, and so on. This purification of the heart is very difficult to obtain separately, but it comes naturally when we sincerely engage in devotional service.
As long as we need to live in this world, we will need certain things to maintain our lives and satisfy our material desires, and all these things must be obtained lawfully through the performance of duties. As Prabhupāda explains, “Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder kṣatriya. Such activities gradually cleanse the heart of a mundane man and free him from material contamination. So-called renunciation for the purpose of maintenance is never approved by the Lord, nor by any religious scripture. After all, one has to maintain one’s body and soul together by some work.”
Even a sannyasi has many duties to perform, although of a different nature. Duties are thus an unavoidable component of life in this world, but they can be connected with devotional service when we dovetail our activities with service to Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa concludes in text 3.9, that’s the way to become free from all karmic reactions. All activities performed outside this spirit bring upon us pious and impious karmic reactions that bind us to this world.
This brings us to the platform of niṣkāma-karma-yoga, which is karma-yoga in its higher form. In this platform, a devotee, enriched by spiritual realization, works for Kṛṣṇa without material attachment and without desire for results. In other words, one is able to dedicate all activities to Kṛṣṇa and work for His satisfaction, without expecting material results. Niṣkāma-karma-yoga is not the same as pure love of Godhead, but it is a platform that allows us to develop it.
Love comes from service. A mother comes to love her child so unconditionally as a result of all the tireless service and sacrifices. A mother who would have maids doing everything would not develop such a deep attraction. Similarly, love for Kṛṣṇa may appear as a very difficult goal at first, but when we start tirelessly serving Him, it becomes natural.
In the beginning, one may desire liberation, but as one advances, even this last selfish desire may be surpassed, and one comes to the platform of pure devotional service, desiring nothing else apart from the opportunity to continue to serve Kṛṣṇa, be it here or in the spiritual world. A devotee who attains this platform remains always pure, even if he or she appears to be acting in this world, building temples, distributing books, taking care of a Kṛṣṇa-conscious family, and so on.
A mundane person may sometimes appear to work without selfish desires, working for the good of the country or humanity, but this platform is not spiritual, nor is it truly free from desires, since the material desire is simply transferred. Only a devotee can become truly niṣkāma (desireless).
This point is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 19.149): “Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful.”
How can a devotee give up material desires? Prabhupāda goes into detail in his purport to the same verse. The key is in understanding our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. When we situate ourselves in this platform, all material things lose their meaning. As he explains:
“The devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa has no desire other than serving Kṛṣṇa. Even so-called liberated people are full of desires. Fruitive actors desire better living accommodations, and jñānīs want to be one with the Supreme. Yogīs desire material opulence, yogic perfections and magic. All of these nondevotees are lusty (kāmī). Because they desire something, they cannot have peace.”
“One who simply understands that throughout the entire universe Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer and beneficiary of all kinds of sacrifices, penances and austerities, which should be performed only to attain His devotional service, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being and thus the proprietor of all the material worlds, and that Kṛṣṇa is the only friend who can actually do good to all living entities (suhṛdaṁ sarvabhūtānām) — one who understands these three principles about Kṛṣṇa immediately becomes desireless (niṣkāma) and therefore peaceful. A kṛṣṇa-bhakta knows that his friend and protector in all respects is Kṛṣṇa, who is able to do anything for His devotee. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: “O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” Since Kṛṣṇa gives this assurance, the devotee lives in Kṛṣṇa and has no desire for personal benefit. The background for the devotee is the all-good Himself. Why should the devotee aspire for something good for himself? His only business is to please the Supreme by rendering as much service as possible. A kṛṣṇa-bhakta has no desire for his own personal benefit. He is completely protected by the Supreme. Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa viśvāsa pālana. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that he is desireless because Kṛṣṇa will give him protection in all circumstances. It is not that he expects any assistance from Kṛṣṇa; he simply depends on Kṛṣṇa just as a child depends on his parents. The child does not know how to expect service from his parents, but he is always protected nevertheless. This is called niṣkāma (desirelessness).”
Main points in the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service.”
a) Sāṅkhya-yoga is the analytical study of spirit and matter, while buddhi-yoga is the direct, practical process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness that allows us to become free from material attraction and depend entirely on Kṛṣṇa.
b) To just theoretically understand the difference between spirit and matter without understanding the practical application of this knowledge is not very useful, and, conversely, surrendering without philosophical understanding is not very stable. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. Therefore, sāṅkhya-yoga and buddhi-yoga are interdependent.
c) Jñāna, or mental speculation, can bring one eventually to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but this progression is not guaranteed. It is thus an indirect process. Karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, on the other hand, allows us to connect everything with Kṛṣṇa from the beginning, without depending on a separate purifying process.
“Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.”
a) The classical way to renounce the world in Vedic culture is to take sannyāsa. However, sannyāsa can be accepted only when the heart is purified, which normally happens after a life of performing prescribed duties with a spirit of detachment.
b) Dry philosophers often see only the external and fail to see the substance. They thus conclude that by just externally accepting the dress of a sannyāsī, one ascends to the Brahman platform. Such artificial sannyāsās are just a disturbance to society.
c) Devotional service should also include the performance of prescribed duties, but the process is so powerful that even if one fails to perform social duties, still, whatever he does for Kṛṣṇa is accepted. Sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even a small quantity of devotional service can save us from great difficulties.
“Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.”
a) The nature of the soul is to be always active. If we are not engaged in Kṛṣṇa-conscious activities, we will be forced to be engaged in material activities.
b) When one is on the material platform, the performance of prescribed duties is a path for gradual elevation. However, activities performed on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are always positive, regardless of which platform one is on. The process of acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is thus the direct process.
c) Ultimately, the goal is to somehow reach this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Different purificatory processes, or even sannyāsa, are useful only to the extent they help us to ascend to this platform.
“One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.”
a) As defined, to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the proper process to control the senses. However, many pseudo-transcendentalists reject this process, and instead make a show of meditation or renunciation, without, however, a change of heart. These are the greatest cheaters.
“On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.”
a) Conversely, a sincere person who continues to perform his activities, living a controlled life as prescribed in the scriptures and performing his or her duties for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, without attachment, can quickly make progress, even while working to maintain a family. His position is much better than the showbottle spiritualist.
“Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work.”
a) Kṛṣṇa did not want Arjuna to become a pretender. Arjuna was a kṣatriya and a householder, and Kṛṣṇa desired that he perform the duties connected with his position. Why? Because the performance of prescribed duties gradually cleanses the heart of material contamination.
b) Apart from that, everyone needs to live, and the honest way to obtain what one needs to live is by performing some honest work according to one’s qualifications. No one should use renunciation as a profession to maintain his body, and work should not be given up capriciously, without purification of the heart.
“Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.”
a) The real goal of the performance of duties in the varṇāśrama system is to satisfy the Lord. These duties were enjoined in such a way that both material and spiritual purposes can be achieved simultaneously. However, the same purpose can be achieved when one directly serves the Lord in devotional service.
b) In this way, be it through the practice of varṇāśrama or by directly serving the Lord, everyone has to work for His satisfaction; otherwise, work causes karmic reactions that bind us to this world.
c) As long as one remains fully engaged in devotional service, one remains in a liberated stage. This is the art of doing work, but to learn it, we need to put ourselves under the guidance of an advanced devotee who can teach us, and carefully follow his instructions.
d) Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. By following this process, we can elevate ourselves to the platform of pure devotional service and attain the spiritual world.
Read the entire book:
« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6
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