Surrender

Bhagavad-Gītā 18th Chapter Continued…

Dharma

By now, Krishna has explained the nature of *karma* categorically, going so far as to describe karma in terms of the modes of nature. There’s work in goodness, passion and ignorance, or sattva, rajas, and tamas.

The discussion of karma leads to an understanding of dharma as these two ideas are inter-related. The word dharma derives from dhrit, that which "holds together" or “sustains.” Dharma involves what is essential to the self and as such, Dharma is existential.

Dharma is the ontological reality confronted by consciousness in the phenomenal world, where karma is its the experiential and ethical dimension.

 Dharma in effect has to do with "who you are," where karma has to do with "what you do.” When we say, “This is who I am and what I do,” we’re really talking about dharma in a social sense, a relative sense.  When we ask “who am I?” in an ontological sense, we are looking into eternal or sanatana dharma.

Of course there are relative and absolute conceptions of who you are, just as there are relative and absolute conceptions of what you do. Who you are and what you do come together at the point of “duty.” So dharma sometimes means “duty,” as a societal function, since “who I am,” and “what I do” parallel each other. 

If I ask, “who are you?” and you say, "I am a mother and a teacher.” then you are defined by the social role you play and the work you do. This combination of karmic work, and dharmic self-identity marks you, brands you, categorizes you.

Societal roles are determined by a series of identifications made by conscious beings, after accepting conditioning as a relativized entity in the world of exploitation. As long as one thinks, “I am a man, I am an American, I am a carpenter,” for example, then one becomes conditioned by those ideas to fit the social role in question. This is not eternal dharma, but a relative societal version of dharma.

In this sense dharma also means something like “religion.” If I am born in Mexico, for example, I identify myself as Catholic, where someone born in Thailand might identify as a Buddhist.

But this bodily identification with a particular societal religion has little to do with the true dharma of the living entity. If we consider that the nature or dharma of the soul is to be reunited with God in a loving relationship, many stereotypes about ritual and society will fall away.

This is what Krishna means when he says “sarvadharmaparityaja mamekamsharanam vraja,” Abandon all other dharma, and surrender to Me. He means that the relative, social aspect of dharma is superficial and should be left behind. Real dharma is surrender to God. All else is shallow. 

But before arriving at this conclusion, which is the essence of the Gītā, Krishna pays tribute to the time-tested principles of religion which keep society in check. He explains that since time immemorial, society has been divided into four basic classes, or varnas, according to how one’s nature (svabhava) and dharma (svadharma)is colored by the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance.

Krishna says, “No one is freed from the modes of nature. Not even the gods. brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śudras are distinguished by the qualities born of their own natures in association with the material modes. The qualities of brahmaṇas are given: Serenity and calm, self-control, austerity, purity, forbearance and forgiveness, rectitude, s honesty, wisdom, knowledge, faith in God. Kṣatriyas have the following qualities: Heroism, prowess,determination, courage in battle, generosity and leadership. Farming, cow-protection, and business are natural work for the vaiśyas, and for the śudras there is labor and service to others"

Krishna explains that moral perfection depends on executing one’s duties perfectly, and that ordinarily speaking it will be dangerous to follow another’s path. “Better to do one’s own dharma imperfectly than to someone else’s dharma perfectly. No sin attaches to carrying out the duty attached according to one’s nature. Rather work according to one’s nature, even if defective. All work has some defect just as smoke contaminates fire. But doing one’s own duty is praiseworthy. One who completes one’s duty without attachment, who subdues the ego,  will come through perfect renunciation to the supreme state, transcending all karma."

Krishna is personally advising Arjuna that there is no need to give up the duty of a soldier and become a yogi. Arjuna’s dharma, his constitutional position in society is as a soldier. It will be better for him to do his duty imperfectly as a soldier than to become a perfect yogi. Doing one’s duty and following one’s dharma is purifying even if there are some defects in executing the work itself.

War involves collateral damage. Arjuna is a hero. Krishna tells him,”Be a hero. Don’t worry about “collateral damage.” There’s nothing you can do about that. If you leave your duty for a life as a Yogi, you will only cause disappointment. There is something ennobling in fulfilling your duty: it leads to moral perfection."

Apparently Krishna is advocating that everyone sticks to their dutiful position according to Varnashram dharma; but while he generally supports the “religious framework” of mundane society, his lesson to Arjuna goes deeper.

Leaving aside so-called “duty” or dharma Krishna shifts to the deeper idea that he has been teaching Arjuna all along. Beyond the considerations of freedom from sin, beyond liberation from birth and death, beyond the methods of karma-yoga, beyond jñāna-yoga, or mystic yoga, there is a higher idea: divine love. Bhakti-yoga or dedication leaves behind all mundane concepts of karma and dharma. 

He says, "One can understand the supreme personality as he is only by devotional service. And  when one is in full consciousness  of the supreme Lord by such devotion, he can't enter into the kingdom of God. Though engaged in all kinds of activities, my devotee, under my protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by my grace.  

"In all activities just depend upon me and work always under my protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of me.  If you become conscious of me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditional life by my grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act to false ego, not hearing me, you will be lost.

"If you do not act according to my direction and do not fight, then you will be falsely directed. By your nature, you will have to be engaged in warfare.  

"The supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who were seated as on a machine made of the material energy. O Son of Bharata,  Surrender unto him entirely. By his grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.  

"Because you are my very dear friend I'm speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge hear this from me for this for your benefit.  Always think of me and become my devotee. Worship me and offer your homage unto me. Thus you will come to me without fail. I promise you this because you are my very dear friend.

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear."

When Krishna says, "abandon all varieties of religion" the operative word is "dharma." Dharma means "religion" but carries the sense of "duty" as in "religious duties." While earlier Krishna has already said that it is important to carry out one's social duties, here we are told that social duties are worthwhile only when surrender to God is the aim. In complete surrender to God all other duties are relative and may be left behind. 

Bhaktivedānta Swāmi Prabhupāda coments, 

"There are different kinds of transcendentalists – some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahma vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Krishna himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. 

In other words, devotional service to Krishna, in full consciousness is the most confidential part of knowledge and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-Gita."