CHAPTER-VIII THE PERFECTION OF RENUNCIATION

CHAPTER-VIII

THE PERFECTION OF RENUNCIATION

In the final chapter, Arjuna sought the purpose of renunciation (Thiyagam) and the renounced life.

Krishna said: Giving up of activities based on material desires is called the renounced life (Sanyasam) Giving up the fruits of all activities is called thiyagam.

Many people say that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up and some others say acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should be exempted.

Krishna says acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should not be given up but be performed which purifies the soul.

But they be performed without attachment and as a matter of duty

Prescribed duties should never be renounced and if done it is ignorance.

Any one who gives up the prescribed duties out of fear or bodily discomfort- it is not going to lea him to the elevation of renunciation.

Any one who performs his duty because it ought to be done and renounce all material association and all attachment to the fruits such renunciation is considered the best.

It is impossible for any one to give up all activities. However, he who renounces the fruits of activities is truly renounced.

For those who do not renounce the fruits of activities, his sin is carried away in succeeding births.

Action is qualified as the place of action, the performer, the various senses and different kinds of endeavor and finally the Supreme Soul.

Whatever right or wrong performed by man is caused by these five factors.

Those who have renounced the fruits of action, not motivated by false ego, and whose intelligence is not entangled, even if he happens to kill some one actually does not kill and he is bound by the action- He stress this point to Arjuna to instill the confidence.

Action is motivated by three factors: Knowledge, object of knowledge and the knower.

There are three kinds of knowledge: Action and performer of action.

The knowledge by which one sees that in every different body there is different type of living entity- this is mode of passion.

The knowledge by which one is attached with one type of work as the all in all-it is ignorance and is said to be the mode of darkness.

An action, which is regulated and without attachment, without love, hatred, or desire is the mode of goodness.

Action performed with out respect to scriptures and without concern with future bondage and violence is the mode of ignorance.

One who knows what ought to be done and what should not, what to be feared and what to be not feared is said to be in good mode. Who cannot distinguish between religion and irreligion, under illusion and darkness and strives always in the wrong direction is said to be in the mode of passion.

One who does with determination and steadiness accrued through practice of yoga, which controls the mind, life, and senses- he is in good mode.

If any one holds, the fruits of action are of the nature of passion.

Those who cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation and illusion is said to be in the mode of darkness.

Three kind of happiness: That which initially look like poison but at the end turn out to be nectar- it is happiness o f good.

Happiness derived out of contacts with senses, which at the beginning look like nectar and at the end turn into poison- the happiness of passion.
Happiness blind to self-realization, delusion, arises out of sleep, laziness and illusion- it is happiness of ignorance.

The duties of Brahmanas, Kshathriyas and the Vaisyas and other castes have been divided according to their in-born qualities.

Exhibition of valor, fearlessness, firmness, cleverness and steadiness in the battle, bestowing gifts and lordliness- all these constitute the natural duty of Kshathriyas.

Agriculture, rearing of cows and honest exchange of merchandise- these is the duties of Vaisyas and service to the society is the duty of other castes.

Subjugation of mind, enduring hardships in the discharge of the sacred duties, external and internal purity, straightness of mind and senses, belief in Vedic matters and study and practice the duties laid by scriptures and Vedas-all these are the duties of Brahmanas.

Any one keenly devoted to his duties attains perfection-he is said to be engaged to his inborn duties and reaches the highest consummation.

Man attains highest consummation by worshipping through his own natural duties.

Better is one’s own duties though devoid of merits still performed well- he does not incur sin.

One should not abandon one’s innate duty even though it may be tainted with blemish.

He whose intellect is untainted and unattached and who has subdued his mind reaches the heavenly abode through Sankhya yoga – the path of knowledge.

How to attain the state of action less which is the highest form of Jnanayoga-Endowed with pure intellect and regulated diet, living in a lonely place where there will not be sound and other objects of senses, controlling the mind, taking resolute stand of dispassion, got rid of material attraction and luxuries and tranquil heart- he is well qualified to attain the highest form of bliss.

The karma yogi attains my grace through performing his duties as per the scriptures and resigning all the fruits duties to the Supreme Being.

God abides in the heart of all creatures, causing them to revolve according to their karma.

By surrendering to Him alone, you shall attain Supreme peace.

Give your mind to me, worship Me, and bow to Me- then you fully qualify to reach me.

Resigning all your duties to Me, the all powerful and all supporting Lord, take refuge in Me- alone- I shall absolve you of all sins, worry not.

He who offering the highest love to Me, preaches the most profound gospel of Gita among My devotees, shall come to Me alone.

Whoever studies the Geetha-too shall he worship me through wisdom and sacrifice?

The man who hears the holy Geetha with reverence-will be liberated from sin and will certainly reaches to Me.

Thus, we come to the concluding chapter of the essence of Githa. In the next blog we summarize the essence of Githa, surrender all the works at the Lord’s feet with reverence, and bow before HIM.

R.Jagannathan.