3rd chapter: verses 22, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 3, 2020.
-In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna provides a unique approach to life as a whole. With complete absorption in Brahman and a mind centered in Atman (Adhyātma-chetasā), take a spiritual attitude to life. Do this by surrendering all actions to the Lord. By doing so, one can perform all duties, free of worries.
-When we perform our work with the sense of “doership”, it creates mental burden. This can be remedied by dedicating all actions to the Lord, as if one is performing them as a servant for the Lord. By doing so, one can go about doing his duty or even sit quietly not doing anything, free of any stress.
-Any duty – one involving technical work or the duty of sitting quietly at home during a lockdown – becomes pleasant with Adhyātma-chetasā. With this attitude, one should have the strong conviction that he is an instrument in the hands of the Lord and dedicate all actions and results to Him.
-Karma Yoga is not limited to physical actions alone. Every word, thought, idea and speculation can be linked to Yoga, by combining Tyāga and Yoga. Join every activity to a higher spiritual ideal through Tyāga – this can be done by developing Adhyātma-chetasā.
-22nd verse: Lord Krishna says: “There is nothing for Me to do by which I want to attain anything. Still, I don’t keep quiet. I do everything as Swadharma”. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment.
-If we do not do our duty as “Swadharma”, without attachment, there is every chance we will do it as “Paradharma”. To avoid this, we should stick to Swadharma.
-Lord Krishna: A person who is inactive when he has work to do – such a person will go down in spiritual and material life. On the other hand, a person who performs duties with full dedication but without attachment – such a person will accrue the fruits of actions, and will not be bound. He will know the essence of everything and is called “Tattwa-vit”.
-Those who constantly practice this teaching – that all actions should be performed with a spiritual attitude, dedicating the actions/results to God – they will be on the path to spiritual freedom and will be free from all bondages.
-Lord Krishna: This universal teaching should be practiced with great śraddhā, without unnecessary criticism and fault finding. śraddhā helps us evolve and sublimate our ego, which allows us to pursue a higher spiritual ideal.
-Shankaracharya says: “If our ego is strong and we cannot practice giving up the sense of doership – then do your work for the sake of the Lord like a servant serving the master. Spiritual seeker with this Adhyātma-chetasā becomes free from all worries and sorrow. Any person who does not listen to these teachings, becomes a victim of his skepticism and remains imprisoned within the walls of his worries”.
-Prakriti has two meanings: (1) External nature of the phenomenal world (2) Human consciousness. If we think of ourselves as the evolute of Prakriti, we cannot develop Adhyātma-chetasā. One who can detach from Prakriti is a jñāni, and becomes liberated.
-33rd verse: Even a wise man may follow the characteristics of his external nature, because of his Prārabdha -karma. However, what is common across all wise men is this Adhyātma-chetasā.
-34th verse: Attachment and aversion to senses are natural – however, jñānis are not bound by these. They look upon them as natural characteristics without identifying with them.
-35th verse: It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.
-Even the attempt of performing Swadharma has spiritual value, as it saves us from following “Paradharma. Swadharma also helps in purification of our ego, by investing it in actions that are for the good of others, and thereby opening the pathway to spiritual freedom.