Karma

Bhagavad-Gītā Summary

Chapter 18 cont.

Cycle of Repeated Birth and Death

Rejection and Proper Renunciation

Arjuna asks Krishna about the purpose of renunciation and the meaning of the renounced order of life.  He wants to know the difference between the word tyāga “to give up” and sannyāsa which means “to renounce.” These are synonyms, but there is a distinction.

Krishna explains that while giving things up may sometimes be superficial, true renunciation implies leaving not only karmic activity, but its result. Real renunciation is threefold, it leaves behind any attachment to good or bad karma, the soul’s agency in initiating reactive karma, as well as the results of karma.

It is impossible to stop acting; all living beings are by nature active. And there is virtue in sacrifice charity and penance according to great thinkers who say these should not be renounced.

Surrender

True renunciation, then, is not a question of avoiding work, but of surrendering one’s work, one’s motivation and even one’s self to God who is the Super-subject and the Original Agent. True renunciation implies dedication, by which Krishna means surrender in divine love. (sarva-dharman parityajya maṃ ekam śaranam vraja.)

Krishna explains that renunciation by itself is not necessarily virtuous, since it may be done in goodness, passion, or ignorance. He explains that sacrifice charity and penance while they purify even the great souls. should be done without expecting results. One should not renounce one’s duty out of foolishness, passion, or even attachment to good karma. All of these are relative truths.



Renunciation of duty  because of foolishness or illusion  is in the mode of ignorance;  renunciation  that involves rejection of one’s duty because it is troublesome is said to be  in the mode of passion.  One who does his duty because it ought to be done, who  renounces attachment to the fruit of his work acts in goodness.  One who does his duty out of knowledge, who neither hates  bad karma nor is  attached to good karma as an end to itself, understands the true nature of karma and renunciation.

Karma

In the 18th chapter Krishna explains that it is impossible for an embodied soul to give up work. Karma is inevitable. One who dedicates himself to God and gives up the fruits of karma is truly renounced. One who is attached to the fruits of karma will suffer the reaction after death,  while those who are free from  attachment will neither suffer the results of bad karma nor enjoy the results of good karma.

Krishna further explains the laws of action and reaction known as karma:

 The laws of action and reaction are explained in the  Vedas.  Action has five  factors:  1. The place of action, or the body;   2. the subject, or the  embodied jivatma soul; 3. the senses and the mind which are the instruments of action; 4. the  actions or endeavours, and; 5. the Super-subject, the supreme Atma or inner Ruler who is the ultimate cause.  The individual soul has the freedom to act within the constraints of the modes of material nature and overseen by the Paramatma by whose divine will all action takes place.




Whatever  good or bad karma  the embodied soul  incurs  through mind-body or speech  is impelled by these five factors.  One who considers himself the only subject, disregarding the five factors of action has clouded intelligence and cannot see things as they are.



Krishna explains that a renounced soul of pure intelligence who does his duty unmotivated by ego is untouched by karma. Even killing, he does nothing. Nor is he bound by his actions.

Subject, object, and perception are the three factors that motivate  karma. Knowledge of the act to be performed, the act itself and the performer of the act are the three aspects of action.

Quantum Energy

Each of these are affected by the three influences of material nature, sattva, raja, tama, the strings that pull the living soul according to his inclination until he is bound and conditioned.

A further analysis of karma:

Karma may also be divided into the three constituents of action:  The embodied soul  or doer of action,  the senses  or agents of action, and the action that is done.  These in turn are influenced  by how one is bound  in terms of goodness, passion and ignorance.   (sattva, raja, tama).

Subject, object, and perception are also influenced by goodness passion and ignorance.  The combination of these create varieties of karma.

Perception: Sattvik, Rajashik, Tamasik

A philosophical perception of the inconceivable oneness and distinction of all living beings is sattvik.  That perception which identifies different living beings with their physical body is rajashik. That perception which disregards truth is darkness and ignorance and is tamasik.