Studying the Bhagavad Gita - Part 2
What is right action?
by Alex Rau
In the beginning of Chapter III of the Bhagavad- Gita * - Devotion through the Right Performance of Action - Arjuna asks Krishna if it is true that knowledge is superior to the practice of deeds, as He seems to say in their earlier discourse, why does He urge him to engage in battle against friends and kin?
Krishna answers first that there are two ways of devotion: that of knowledge or the yoga of Sankhya (1) and that of action or karma yoga. In other words, there are basically two kinds of seekers - the introverts whose natural tendencies are toward the contemplative life and the extroverts who lean toward outward works. He goes on to say, however, that no man can completely abandon action. For each of us there is the primal urge to act which originates in the very substance of our being. We are spirit clothed in material bodies. Further, as Krishna states in Chapter XIII - Devotion by Means of Discrimination of the Kshetra (material nature; literally - the field) from Kshetrajna (spiritual man; literally - the field knower) :
“Know that prakriti (2) or nature, and purusha (3) the spirit, are without beginning. And know that the passions and the three qualities (4) are sprung from nature. Nature or prakriti is said to be that which operates in producing cause and effect in actions, individual spirit or purusha is said to be the cause of experiencing pain and pleasure.
“For spirit when invested with matter or prakriti experienceth the qualities which proceed from prakriti; its connection with these qualities is the cause of its rebirth in good and evil wombs.”
Nature and spirit are the two aspects of the One, Parabrahmam (5) , the unknowable, universal Principle. They are eternal; changeable only in outward appearance, in essence - immutable. Coming into incarnation, the divine man takes on the effects of the elemental forces of nature. In manifestation, nature is endowed with all the experiences of its creator. In ignorance, we identify with these transitory experiences rather than with the eternal Reality. We attach ourselves to the senses, to the object of the senses, and think this is who we are. The Knower is obscured.
To return to Arjuna’s original question: why does Krishna urge Arjuna into battle if, as He says, knowledge is better than action? The answer is because this is the “field” upon which Arjuna stands. His caste is that of Kshatriya, the warrior. Though there has been historically and is still a material abuse of the caste system (priest, warrior, merchant, servant) in India, (and elsewhere, for that matter), we will take the reference here as it was intended at the time of this writing as the simple and natural division of personalities, according to those predominant tendencies. Arjuna (name translating to Silver-White), a prince of his nation, is a man of action, renown for his virtuous behaviour, great strength, and courageous deeds. He is loved by his people and is an example for them of the superior man. As such, his duty is clear. Quoting again, chapter III of the Gita:
“...the ignorant performs the duties of life from the hope of reward, so the wise man, from the wish to bring the world to duty and benefit mankind, should perform his actions without motives of interest. He should not create confusion in the understandings of the ignorant, who are inclined to outward works, but by being himself engaged in action should cause them to act also. All actions are effected by the qualities of nature. The man deluded by ignorance thinks, ‘I am the actor.’ But he, O strong-armed one! who is acquainted with the nature of the two distinctions of cause and effect, knowing that the qualities act only in the qualities, and that the Self is distinct from them, is not attached in action.
“...But the wise man also seeketh for that which is homogeneous with his own nature. All creatures act according to their natures; what, then, will restraint effect? In every purpose of the senses are fixed affection and dislike. A wise man should not fall in the power of these two passions, for they are the enemies of man. It is better to do one’s own duty, even though it be devoid of excellence, than to perform another’s duty well. It is better to perish in the performance of one’s own duty; the duty of another is full of danger.” (bold text ours, KYG)
Arjuna is a warrior; his duty as such is to protect and defend his country. Before him stands an army which threatens the peace and security of the people. Reconciliation has been repeatedly tried to no avail. The opposing army is the agressor. For Arjuna to stand down at this point, would appear as cowardice, a circumstance which would have a serious demoralizing effect on his troops. That plus the loss of his military prowess backing the army could cause the death of many more soldiers if not loss of the battle itself. His duty lies in joining the fight.
Looked at allegorically, the Bhagavad-Gita tells the story of every man who must take action, fighting and overcoming all the tendencies of his lower nature. It is difficult, however, to know at times what is best to do or not to do. The way to approach this is to try not to look for the results but to perform all actions selflessly as opportunity presents. Though often the way may seem unclear, with repeated effort of setting aside personal preferences, the light of Buddhi, spiritual discernment, will begin to shine down from the Higher Self to show the path. It is well to remember that our every thought, feeling and action are conditioned by the three qualities : sattva - goodness, rajas - desire, and tamas - indifference. Only for the Higher Self is there no taint of this material existence. It is not attached to nor is it affected by the actions of Prakriti. It is the observer, the “knower of the field”. But to attain to union with the Supreme Self, requires becoming . We must manifest Truth in our beings, rising above the Maya, the illusion of Matter, that is, above a conditioned, changeable existence of dualities to the One Ultimate Reality in which Knower and Known are One. This is the Path of Right Action.
* All Gita quotes and the following W.Q. Judge commentaries in the notes below, are taken from Bhagavad-Gita, Recension by William Q. Judge, Theosophical University Press, 1978
(1) Sankhya - a system of analytical philosophy which teaches liberation through knowledge.
(2) Prakriti - (Judge’s definition *): matter or nature, is the cause of all action throughout the universe, as it is the basis by which action may take place; and herein are included all actions, whether of men, of gods, powers, or what not.
(3) Purusha - (Judge’s definition*): the aspect of the individual spirit in every human breast; it is the cause of our experiencing pain and pleasure through the connection with nature found in the body.
(4) Three Qualities or Gunas - three inherent characteristics of differentiated matter - i.e., sattva - truth, goodness, pure quiescence; rajas - passion, desire, activity; tamas - darkness, ignorance, indifference.
(5) Parabrahmam - a Sanskrit term meaning literally “beyond Brahman” , Brahman being the universal spirit; the impersonal attributeless, unknowable and nameless universal Principle.