Bhagavad Gita Verse 28, Chapter 5

yatendriyamanobuddhirmunirmokshaparaayanaha |
vigatechhaabhayakrodo yaha sadaa mukta eva saha || 28 ||
 
That person who has restrained his senses, mind and intellect, and whose ultimate goal is liberation, who is devoid of desire, fear and anger; that person is also a monk, he is ever liberated.
 
yatendriyamanobuddhihi : restrained senses, mind and intellect
munihi : monk
moksha : liberation
paraayanaha: ultimate goal
vigata : devoid
ichhaa : desire
bhayaha : fear
krodaha : anger
yaha : one who
sadaa : ever
mukta : liberated
eva : also
saha : that person
 
Shri Krishna continues the preview of steps needed for preparing ourselves for meditation. The "that person" refers to the person from the previous shloka who has prepared himself physically for meditation. Now, the internal preparation is pointed out.
 
First, Shri Krishna says that while sitting for meditation, there should be no other objective but that of liberation. If the objective is not pure, if one wants to harm someone by meditation, then the practice will be distracted and the goal will not be reached. In the Puraanic literature, there are many examples of demons that practiced meditation for powers that would help them destroy others. Such goals are not to be harboured. The only goal should be liberation.
 
Also important is the role that we identify with when we sit for meditation. If sit down as father, we will always think of children. If sit down as an employee, we will think of job-related problems all the time. These roles do not go away easily due to our strong identification with one or many roles. There should be no role while meditation, only the goal of liberation.
 
So therefore, one who through karmayoga and purified his mind of fear, anger and desire, who has restrained his sense organs, and whose ultimate goal is liberation and not some worldly goal, that person is ready for meditation. But what is the object of meditation? The last shloka of this chapter addresses this point.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 5

sparshaankritvaa bahirbaahyaanshchakshushchaivaantare bhruvooho |
praanaapaanau samau kritvaa naasaabhyantarachaarinau || 27 ||
 
Keeping external sense objects outside, and eyes in the center of the eyebrows, and also equalizing the incoming and outgoing flow of breath inside the nostrils;
 
sparshaan : sense objects
kritvaa : keeping
bahihi : outside
baahyaan : external
chakshuhu : eyes
cha : and
eva : also
antare : center
bhruvooha : the eyebrows
praanaapaanau : incoming and outgoing breath
samau : equal
kritvaa : making
naasa : nostrils
abhyantara : inside
chaarinau : flow of breath through nostrils
 
Shri Krishna gives a preview of the upcoming chapter on dhyaana yoga or meditation in this and the next shloka. He explains the technique of meditation in a nutshell, but goes into the details in the next chapter. In a nutshell, the technique involves clearing the mind of all external sense object impressions, keeping eyes focused on one point, and equalizing the incoming and outgoing breath.
 
The eternal essence cannot be realized if the mind is dwelling on sense objects, therefore the technique requires us to temporarily cut off connection with sense objects. Practically, we cannot shut off the world completely i.e. if we hear a sound somewhere, it will enter into our ears. The point is that we should not let our mind chase any sense perception. Further, even if the mind is not receiving sensory inputs, it should be restrained from going into the past or the future.
 
Next, Shri Krishna asks us to focus the eyes in the middle of the eyebrows. This is because the eyes follow the mind and its thoughts. If the mind is restless, the eyes will wander. So keeping the eyes steady has the effect of stabilizing the mind. In the same way, if the mind is restless, it is reflected in the breath. So we are asked to balance the incoming and outgoing breath with the aim of calming the mind. If the breathing becomes harmonious, we know that the mind has become calm.
 
So in this manner, Shri Krishna describes how we should physically prepare ourself for meditation. In the next shloka, he points out the internal preparation. We notice that this shloka ends in mid-sentence. The rest of the sentence is found in the next shloka.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 5

kaamakrodhaviyuktaanaam yateenaam yatachetasaam |
abhito brahmanirvaanam vartate viditaatmanaam || 26 ||
 
One who is free from desire and anger, one who is has subdued the mind; for that seeker who has realized the eternal essence, ultimate liberation exists from all sides.
 
kaamakrodha : desire and anger
viyuktaanaam : free from
yateenaam : seeker
yatachetasaam : one who has subdued the mind
abhitaha : from all sides
brahmanirvaanam : ultimate liberation
vartate : exists
viditaatmanaam : one who has realized the eternal essence
 
With this shloka, Shri Krishna concludes the teachings of the fifth chapter. In this shloka, he provides the last set of attributes of the person who has attained liberation by establishing himself in the eternal essence. He says that such a person is free from desire and aversion due to his control of his mind and intellect. 
 
Like we saw in the previous shloka, ignorance of the true nature of oneself is the critical defect of the mind. It is this ignorance alone that creates desire and aversion. We do not find pleasure within ourselves, so we rush outside with desire. If the desire is not obtained, we get irritated and angry. This is the life of an ignorant person in a nutshell. It is the constant seeking of pleasure, and getting annoyed when pleasure is not obtained. So the wise person, having removed his ignorance, is free from desire and anger.
 
So then, to conclude the chapter's teachings, Shri Krishna says that such a wise person - one who has identified with the eternal essence - obtains liberation from all sides. In other words, such a wise person is liberated while he is living, and remains liberated after he dies.
 
The Gita prescribes a step-by-step approach to liberation,  which is elaborated in various chapters throughout the text. It begins with karma yoga, where a seeker follows his svadharma to purify his mind and prepare it for instruction. Next, he receives instruction and knowledge on the eternal essence through shravana (hearing), manana (clearing doubts through self-inquiry) and nidhidhyaasana (internalization). The last step of internalization is accomplished through dhyaana yoga or meditation, which is the topic of the next chapter.
 
But before we begin the next chapter, Shri Krishna provides a preview of dhyaana yoga in the next and last three shlokas of this chapter.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 5

labhante brahmanirvaanamrishayaha ksheenakalmashaaha |
chhinnadvaidhaa yataatmaanaha sarvabhootahite rataaha || 25 ||
 
The wise seeker, whose defects have been destroyed, who has eliminated all doubts, who has complete control over his self, who is engaged in the welfare of all beings; he obtains liberation.
 
labhante : obtains
brahmanirvaanam : ultimate liberation
rishayaha : that wise seeker
ksheena : have been destroyed
kalmashaaha : all defects
chhinnadvaidhaa : all doubts have been eliminated
yataatmaanaha : who has complete control over his self
sarvabhoota : all beings
hite : welfare
rataaha : engaged
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna further explains the nature of one who is liberated by establishing himself in the eternal essence. Such a liberated seeker is called a "rishi". It means one who knows, one who has knowledge of the eternal essence. Typically, we think of a rishi as someone who has a beard and wears a robe. It is not so. A rishi uses knowledge and discrimination constantly and knows the difference between the real and the unreal. Such a rishi has four attributes per this shloka: free of all defects, free from all doubts, complete self control, and engaged in the welfare of all beings.
 
The rishi is "ksheena-kalmasha", which means that he has freed himself of all mental impurities. The core or the key mental impurity is ignorance which manifests in the form of affinity for worldly pleasures. It is ignorance alone from which all impurities are others based off. It is through karmayoga that we rid ourselves of all mental impurities.
 
Next, the rishi is "chhinna-dvaidah". He is free from all doubts regarding who is really is. Until the mind has doubts, the notion that "I am the eternal essence" will come and go, but it will not be permanent. There will be no conviction behind it. Desires that push us out into the world are the obstruction to such a permanent conviction. "Chhinna - dvaidah" also means free of all notions of duality.
 
"Yataatmaanah" is another word used to describe the rishi. He has complete self control, in other words, he has compete control over his mind and senses. He is not like most of us who are under the mind's control. The rishi know that the body, mind and senses are different than his true self which is the eternal essence. Once he realizes that they are different than him and have no relation to him, he does not come under their control.
 
Furthermore, the rishi is "sarva bhuta hite rathaah", which means that he is always engaged in the welfare of all. Now this does not mean necessarily that he is engaged in social service. It means that the rishi is always in a state of total non-violence. He sees no distinction between himself, one person and another person.It is like water and the fish. Regardless of what the fish does, the water lives in total harmony with the fish. One has no fear for the other.
 
So therefore, such a rishi is the one who is fit to attain liberation, where he dissolves himself into the eternal essence, just like a wave dissolves into the ocean.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 5

yontahasukhontaraaraamastathaantarjyotireva yaha |
sa yogi brahmanirvaanam brahmabhootodhigachchati || 24 ||
 
One who finds bliss in the self, who revels in his self, whose knowledge is the self; he is a yogi, and attains liberation through identification with the eternal essence.
 
yaha : one who
antahasukhaha : inner bliss
antaraaraamaha : revels in his inner self
tathaa : and
antarjyotihi : inner light (knowledge)
eva : only
yaha : he who
saha : that person
yogi : true seeker
brahma : eternal essence
nirvaanam : liberated
brahmabhootaha : identified with the eternal essence
adhigachchati : attains
 
Shri Krishna now starts describing how one who is established in the eternal essence eventually attains the eternal essence, in other words, is liberated. The word yogi here refers to a realized seeker. The entire personality of such a seeker is completely turned inward toward the eternal essence. This state is described by three words: antahasukhaha, antaraaraamaha and antarjyotihi.
 
The person who finds bliss within is called antahasukhaha. He does not expect anything from the outside world. The idea that something other than himself will make him happy, that idea has completely gone. To recap a point from the earlier shloka, he experience bliss by seeking positivity within him, it is not negating what is outside. It is like the sun reflected in water. The reflection will never match the brightness of the sun itself. Similarly the joy obtained through the senses is "reflected happiness". But a yogi who has shifted attention to his inner self gets the real deal.
 
Typically, our mind needs to constantly come into contact with an object, person or situation. This  causes agitation in our minds. However, objects, people and situations keep changing. The economy changes, our friends change, our health changes and so on. But the realized seeker is antararaamaha. He revels in himself. Another way to look at this word is "antara-aarama", which means that he rests in himself. He has eliminated all agitations and is completely at ease with himself. There is nothing that compels him to do anything, he just "is".
 
Furthermore, the realized seeker stops looking towards more and more sources of knowledge. He is antarjyotihi. He knows that the eternal essence alone is the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate source of light. In most traditional temples, the only source of light is inside the central room where the deity is located. Symbolically, it depicts the internal light of the self.
 
In this manner, one who is happy in his own self, revels in his own self and finds knowledge in one's own self, such a person is a true enlightened seeker. By such deep identification with the eternal essence, he becomes the eternal essence. In other words, he attains the ultimate liberation or "nirvaana". Liberation is the destruction of all limitations and all notions of finitude. It is the realization that what is in oneself is the same as what is in everything else.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 23, Chapter 5

shoknotihaiva yaha sodhum praakshareeravimokshanaat |
kaamakrodhaadbhavam vegam sa yuktaha sa sukhee naraha || 23 ||
 
He who, even before this body departs, is capable of withstanding the impulse born out of desire and anger; that person is a yogi, that person is blissful.
 
shoknoti : capable of
iha : this body
eva : even
yaha : he who
sodhum : can withstand
praak : before
shareera : body
vimokshanaat : departs
kaamakrodhaadbhavam : born out of desire and anger
vegam : impulse
sa : that is
yuktaha : is a yogi
sa : that is
sukhee : blissful
naraha : person
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna points out exactly why does the mind rush out into the material world. He says that in a person who working towards purifying his mind, there still exists two major obstacles to realization: desire and anger. Both of these generate impulses that cause the mind to go out into the material world. Even though the seeker cannot get rid of desire and anger, but can check the impulses caused by them, that person will attain happiness from within than from without.
 
Let's examine what exactly is desire and anger in the framework of the Gita. Whenever one encounters sense pleasures, or recalls a memory of a sense pleasure, the need to re-experience that sense pleasure is called desire. Conversely, whenever one encounters a sorrowful circumstance, or recalls a sorrowful memory, the repulsion generated is called anger. Both these emotions generate impulses to chase after, or run away from an object, person or circumstance. For the mind to realize the eternal essence, it needs to be even-keel. But these impulses take the mind outwards and destabilize it.
 
Now, there is a possibility of a Catch-22 situation here. There will be an impulse within us to seek joy. Unless we redirect it inward, it will always rush outward. But if we redirect it inward and it does not find joy, it will again go outward. Therefore, turning this impulse inward has to be done intelligently. If all we do is cut ourselves off from the objects that give us pleasure, it will not work. Instead, we must work diligently towards purification of our mind and performance of svaadhyaava, whether it is reading of scriptures, or pooja and so on. As our mind finds exponentially more joy in svaadhyaaya, it will automatically turn inwards and drop its fascination with external objects.
 
The next two shlokas describe the state of the person who finds inner bliss.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 5

ye hi samsparshajaa bhogaa duhkkhayonaya eva te |
aadyantavantaha kaunteyane teshu ramate budhaha || 22 ||
 
For, the pleasures born out of sense contact are only wombs of sorrow. They have a beginning and ending, O son of Kunti. The wise person does not revel in them.
 
ye : he
hi : for
samsparshajaa : born from sense contact
bhogaa : pleasures
duhkhkhayonaya : wombs of sorrow
eva : only
te : they
aadyantavantaha : have a beginning and ending
kaunteyane : O son of Kunti
teshu : in them
ramate : revel
budhaha : the wise person
 
Previously, we saw the need for the seeker to turn inward, away from the sense pleasures of the material world. Here, Shri Krishna provides another compelling reason to turn away from sense pleasures. He says, in no uncertain terms, that pleasures born out of sense contact are not really pleasures at all. They are not just sorrow disguised as pleasure, they are "wombs" of sorrow. Which means, a single experience of sense contact sows the seed for multiple sorrows.
 
For many of us, the period of transition between academic life and work life is when a lot of these seeds are sown. As we start earning money, we automatically seem to find outlets to spend this money. Some develop an attachment to high-end coffee. Some develop an attachment to going to clubs. Some develop a taste for vehicles and so on. If we introspect, we realize that the pleasure obtained by any of these objects is not just fleeting, but results in a chain of sorrow later. Take high-end coffee for instance. The first few times it is quite pleasurable. But later, you cannot do without it.
 
But then, where does the pleasure arise in the first place? The mind is restless without constant sense contact. Depending upon the strength of the vaasanaas that we have cultivated, it experiences a vacuum and rushes out into the material world towards an object in order to fill that vacuum. At the same time, the eternal essence present within us, having identified with the mind, also rushes out into the world. When the sense contact happens, the mind temporarily ceases to move outside and comes into contact with the eternal essence. This results in joy.
 
So, here is where the mix-up happens. The joy was already inside us, the mind causes us to believe that it is outside us. Furthermore, this joy is short-lived because the mind will again go out into the material world. Then the cycle of sorrow (vacuum) and joy (sense contact) will repeat itself. This is called "samsaara".
 
Therefore, Shri Krishna urges us to become wise people and realize that sense contact is not the true source of joy. Next, Shri Krishna goes into the root cause of the mind rushing out into the world.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 21, Chapter 5

baahyasparsheshvasaktaatmaa vindatyaatmani yatsukham |
sa brahmayogayuktaatmaa sukhamakshayamashrute || 21 ||
 
One who is not attached to external sense-contacts finds inner bliss. Such a person, established in contemplation of the eternal essence, experiences inexhaustible joy.
 
baahyasparsheshu : external sense contacts
asaktaatmaa : person without attachment
vindati : finds
aatmani : inner
yat : one who
sukham : bliss
saha : that person
brahmayogayuktaatmaa : established in contemplation of the eternal essence
sukham : joy
akshayam : inexhaustible
ashrute : experiences
 
So far, Shri Krishna explained the vision of a realized seeker. From this shloka onwards, he starts turning us towards the topic of meditation. Turning oneself inwards, away from the sense objects of the world, is the first step towards meditation. To this end, he explains the reason for turning inward.
 
Our entire life is geared towards the pursuit of happiness. However, if we introspect, we realize that the happiness we get from sense objects such as tasty food or a visually appealing movie is instantaneous, but fleeting. Sense objects are finite, and so it the happiness that they can provide. Moreover, if we are not careful, we get attached to whatever gives us instant happiness so that we can repeat that experience. This also leads to sorrow, which comes from constant commentary and judgement from intellect when we lose access to sense objects.
 
But Shri Krishna gives us a better alternative. When we slowly move away from sense objects and turn inward to contemplate on the eternal essence, we can tap into a source of happiness that is much greater than any happiness produced by sense objects. Moreover, this happiness is never-ending, it is inexhaustible, because it is derived out of the eternal essence which is infinite.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 5

na prahrishyetapriyam praapya nodvijetpraapya chaapriyam |
sthirabuddhirasammoodho brahmavid brahmani sthitaa || 20 ||
 
Having obtained a desirable situation, he does not get elated; nor does he get perturbed if it is undesirable. The person of steady intellect is never deluded; the knower of the eternal essence is established in the eternal essence.
 
na : does not
prahrishyet : get elated
priyam : desirable
praapya : obtains
na : does not
udvijet : get perturbed
praapya : obtains
cha : and
apriyam : undesirable
sthirabuddhih : with steady intellect
asammoodhaha : without delusion
brahmavid : the knower of the eternal essence
brahmani : in the eternal essence
sthitaa : is established
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna emphasizes the realized seeker's outlook towards situations in the material world. Like any other person, the realized seeker encounters pleasant and unpleasant situations. He cannot avoid them. But the difference is that these situations do not destabilize the realized seeker. In other words, they do not cause elation or depression.
 
Usually, when something undesirable happens to someone that we do not know, it does not affect us. But if it happens to us - say we fall sick - it affects us deeply. But the wise person has transcended the ego. He recognizes that every situation is part of nature. In nature, elements are interacting with the elements in multiple configurations. Once he has this vision, happenings of the world do not impact the realized seeker.
 
It is important to note that situations, both good and bad, have their place in our lives. Unpleasant experiences are useful from relative world perspective because they usually have a lesson embedded within them. With each unpleasant situation the emotion of sadness will arise. But in a realized seeker there will be a space between the emotion and the self. For example, if we are on a boat, the ups and downs of the sea will impact us. But if we are standing on a rock on the shore, the ups and downs of sea do not affect us.
 
Why do realized seekers remain unperturbed? Their understanding of the eternal essence has become stable and firm. They have become "sthitha prajnya". They are free from the delusion of doership and enjoyership. Initially, when this knowledge is first gained, it stays on the surface. We experience the eternal essence sporadically, for a brief instance, then immediately go back into identification with the body/mind/intellect.
 
So therefore, the one who constantly maintains the identification of the eternal essence becomes one with the eternal essence. He remains a pure witness of the ups and downs of the material world.
 
Footnotes
 
1. Tulsidas has said that the ocean remains same in rain or drought, but a small lake overflows and dries up. It is a simple yet powerful example of the different between a realized seeker's vision and an ordinary person's vision.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 5

ihaiva tairjitaha sargo yeshaam saamye sthitam manaha |
nirdosham hi samam brahma tasmaadbrahmani te sthitaaha || 19 ||
 
Here in this world itself, they have conquered creation, those who establish their intellect in equanimity. For, the eternal essence is defect-free and harmonious; therefore, they are established in the eternal essence.
 
iha : here in this world
eva : itself
taiha : they
jitaha : have won
sargaha : creation / duality
yeshaam : those who
saamye : equanimity
sthitam : established in
manaha : intellect
nirdosham : defect-free
hi : for
samam : harmonious
brahma : eternal essence
tasmaad : therefore
brahmani : in the eternal essence
te : they
sthitaaha : are established
 
In the last shloka, Shri Krishna spoke about the wise person who sees the same eternal essence in everyone. Here, he goer deeper into this point and addresses some questions that could come up when trying to understand that shloka.
 
Consider a hardened criminal. Most of us would classify his behaviour as defective. Now, given the context of the previous shloka where the wise person perceives a criminal and a saint with the same vision. How does it actually happen? To address this point, Shri Krishna mentions in this shloka that the personality of the criminal has the defect, not the eternal essence. The eternal essence is inherently defect-free.
 
Another question that may arise is this. When and where does one attain the eternal essence? How much time will it take and how far away is it? The answer is that notions such as near/far, and slow/fast are dualities. Any such duality belongs to nature, not the the eternal essence. Therefore, one whose intellect has transcended duality immediately attains the eternal essence. Notions such as near/far, and slow/fast cease to have meaning.
 
Finally, Shri Krishna explains that attaining the eternal essence is possible here and now. We do not have to wait for another birth. Following the technique of karma yoga, we have to purify our mind and make it steady and harmonious, so that it can meditate on the eternal essence.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 5

vidyavinayasampanne braamhane gavi hastini |
shuni chaiva shvapaake cha panditaaha samadarshinaha || 18 ||
 
A braahman endowed with knowledge and sense control, a cow, an elephant, a dog, even a dog-eater - the wise person perceives (all these) as one.
 
vidya : knowledge
vinaya : sense controlled
sampanne : endowed with
braamhane : a braahman
gavi : a cow
hastini : an elephant
shuni : a dog
cha : and
eva : even
shvapaake : dog-eater
cha : and
panditaaha : wise person
samadarshinaha : perceives as one
 
Shri Krishna further elaborates on the vision of a realized seeker in this shloka. Unlike most of us how tend to focus on the differences, the realized seeker focuses on the eternal essence which is common in every plant, animal, human, situation and inanimate object. In chapter two, we saw the example of the child who wants a cookie shaped like a lion, whereas the adult does not really care because his focus is in the dough that is common within each cookie.
 
A spectrum of entities has been laid out before us, from the braahman that has a high level of sattva, to a cow that has lesser sattvic content, all the way to an individual with a miniscule, almost non-existent level of sattva. Shri Krishna says that the wise person sees the eternal essence in all of them.
 
This ability to see the oneness is all is praised throughout our scriptures. In the Raamaayana, Tulsidaas says the one should view both friends and enemies equally. Why? Because when enemies leave, they give sorrow. But when friends leave, they too give sorrow. It is just a matter of perspective.
 
Now, just because the wise person views everyone with a similar vision does not mean he treats them similarly, or deals with them similarly. He will deal with a dog differently than how he would treat a braahman. How is it possible? It is just like we see our body as one, but we treat our eye differently then we would treat the soles of our feet.
 
Footnotes
 
1. "Vinaya" usually means humility, but it is translated as sense control in the context of this shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 5

tadbuddhyastadaatmanaastannishthaastatparayaanaaha |
gacchantyapunaraavrittim jnyaanirdhootakalmashaaha || 17 ||
 
His intellect lies in that, his mind lies in that, his conviction lies in that, his goal lies in that. He reaches that state from which there is no return, (due to) his sins removed by knowledge.
 
tadbuddhyaha : intellect lies in that
tadaatmanaaha : mind lies in that
tannishthaaha : conviction lies in that
tatparayaanaaha : goal lies in that
gacchanti : reaches that state
apunaraavrittim : from which there is no return
jnyaanirdhoota : knowledge removes
kalmashaaha : sins
 
Many years ago, I was talking to a renowned musician who made a statement that stuck with me: "You know you are a true musician when you breathe, eat, sleep, walk and talk music. There is nothing in your life but music". That statement reveals how much thirst a person has for his goal.
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna illustrates the personality of the seeker whose aspiration for the eternal essence is so intense that his entire personality resonates with that thirst for the eternal essence. His mind, intellect, conviction, goal - all these are aligned with the eternal essence.
 
It is important that both the mind and intellect need to be convinced that the only goal worth pursuing is the eternal essence, even if the eternal essence has not yet been realized. It is like the scientists who planned the mission to the moon, yet none of them had ever been on the moon. The mind needs to have love for the moon, and the intellect needs to enjoy the intellectual challenge that the task entails. If only the mind is convinced, it could lead into superstition. If only the intellect is convinced, it could lead into nihilism. Only when mind and intellect are convinced is when the whole personality is oriented towards the eternal essence.
 
So then, what happens to such a person with intense thirst for the eternal essence? Once he gains the knowledge of the eternal essence, he transcends all duality, including the notion of sins and demerits. Poetically, Shri Krishna puts it as the "state from which there is no return", because all notions of duality have completely disappeared.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 16, Chapter 5

jnyaanena tu tadajnyaanam yeshaam naashitamaatmanaha |
teshaamaadityavatjnyaanam prakashayati tatparam || 16 ||
 
For those who have destroyed ignorance through knowledge, such knowledge illumines the eternal essence, just like the sun.
 
jnyaanena : through knowledge
tu : for
tat : that
ajnyaanam : ignorance
yeshaam : those who have
naashitam : destroyed
aatmanaha : their
teshaam : for them
aadityavat : like the sun
jnyaanam : knowledge
prakashayati : illumines
tat : that
param : eternal essence
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna compares the dispelling of ignorance to the dispelling of darkness by the sun. The light of the sun does not create anything new. It just shows us what was already there, but was hidden by darkness. Similarly, the knowledge of the eternal essence does not create anything new in us. It just reveals our true nature.
 
Why does Shri Krishna emphasize knowledge so much? The central theme of the Gita is the removal of delusion. The root cause of delusion is ignorance, which is nothing but our identification to the body, mind and intellect. All our efforts should be towards uprooting this ignorance through the correct knowledge. However, our lives are spent in trying to solve problems at the worldly level.
 
There is always one aspect of our lives that is incomplete or imperfect. For some of us, it could be our job. For others, it could be our family and friends. For some others, it could be our health. Given these various imperfections, we try to better our situation by changing our job, friends and so on. This results in a roller coaster ride of joys and sorrows.
 
But if we take a truly objective look at this situation, it turns out that we are looking for perfection in the material world, which will always be imperfect. Shri Krishna says here that the only way to get to the root of this problem is to remove our ignorance of the eternal essence.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 5

naadatte kasyachitpaapam na sukritam vibhoohu |
ajnyaanenaavritam jnyaanam tena muhyanti jantavaha || 15 ||
 
Neither does the eternal essence accept anyone's sins, nor anyone's merits. Ignorance veils knowledge, that is how creatures are deluded.
 
na : not
aadatte : accept
kasyachit : anyone's
paapam : sins
na : not
sukritam : merits
vibhoohu : eternal essence
ajnyaanena : ignorance
aavritam : veiled
jnyaanam : knowledge
tena : that
muhyanti : deluded
jantavaha : creatures
 
In the sequence of shlokas describing the vision of the enlightened seeker, Shri Krishna provided the illustration of the city dweller and also asserted that the eternal essence is separate and distinct from action and its adjuncts including doership, results and enjoyership of result.
 
In this shloka, he takes us another step further in explaining the distinctness of eternal essence from action. He says that even sin and merit also have nothing to do with eternal essence. He also further says that action, result, doership, enjoyership, sin, merit - the notion that these belong to the "I", the eternal essence, is termed as ignorance. This ignorance is caused due to our strong identification with the body, mind and intellect.
 
Let us refer to the Pac-Man example from the previous post. Based on his actions in the video game, the Pac-Man character can gain points (merits) or lose points (demerits). This gaining and losing of points is again based on rules of the video game. It, too, is a fully automatic system that does not require any external intervention to work.
 
Now, in some places in the Gita, Shri Krisha asks us to offer merit and sin to God. But here it is said that eternal essence does not take sin or merit. So how do we reconcile this seeming contradiction? The key thing to understand here is that the person who thinks he is associated with action, sin and merit is at one level, and the person who has identified himself with eternal essence is at another level. It is just like saying that the points accumulated in a Pac-Man game have no bearing in the real world. The game and the real world are two different realms.
 
Another way to look at it is as follows. Sin and merit are duality. They are two sides of the same coin, as it were, just like black/white, heat/cold and day/night. When you rise above it, duality has no bearing. Day and night do not mean anything when one is in outer space, when one leaves the earth and rises above it.
 
Here's another noteworthy point. Shri Krishna has used an interesting word to refer to ignorant people in this shloka. He calls them creatures. It is a subtle hint that as long as we operate with body identification, we are similar to animals who also operate only at that level.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 5

na kartritvam na karmaani lokasya srijati prabhuh |
na karmaphalasaiyogam svabhaavastu pravartate || 14 ||
 
Neither agency nor actions, in this world, are created by the eternal essence, and neither does it connect actions to results; for nature organizes all this.
 
na : not
kartritvam : agency, doership
na : not
karmaani : actions
lokasya : in this world
srijati : create
prabhuh : eternal essence
na : not
karmaphala : results and actions
saiyogam : connect
svabhaavaha : nature
tu : for
pravartate : organizes all this
 
Earlier, Shri Krishna provided the example of the dweller in the city to illustrate the distinction between the eternal essence and the body, mind and intellect. In this shloka, he takes us one step further by saying that the eternal essence is beyond the realm of action. Furthermore, since action implies doership, results and their enjoyership, action and everything that comes with it is in the realm of prakriti or nature. The eternal essence is separate and distinct from action.
 
Any self-contained system has inherent rules which govern its operations. For example, let us consider the Pac-Man video game. The game is played in a computer that has four buttons which are used to move Pac-Man up, down, left or right. The rules of the game are programmed into the system. If the player manages to get the fruit while evading the monsters, he wins the game. All this happens automatically. It does not require external intervention by any divine or human entity.
 
But if we take a step back, the Pac-Man character does not really "move" anywhere. It is an illusion created by the computer by projecting the Pac-Man image to different parts of the screen. One who is watching the game very objectively knows that there is no movement of left, right etc.
 
Similarly, one who sees the world from the absolute standpoint of the eternal essence knows that in reality, there is no action. Action only exists from the standpoint of nature or prakriti. And if action only exists in nature, so does doership, enjoyership, and connection of actions to their results. It is a self-governing automatic system.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 5

sarvakarmaani manasaa sannyasyaaste sukham vashee |
navadvaare pure dehee naiva kurvanna kaarayan || 13 ||

Having mindfully renounced all actions, the conqueror remains established in bliss. The embodied one, in the city with nine gates, neither acts nor causes to act.

sarvakarmaani : all actions
manasaa : mindfully
sannyasya : having renounced
aaste : remains established
sukham : bliss
vashee : the conqueror (of mind and senses)
navadvaare : with nine gates
pure : city
dehee : the embodied one
na : not
eva  : ever
kurvan : acts
na : nor
kaarayan : causes to act

Having spoken about the karmayogi's vision, Shri Krishna now provides an illustration of the enlightened seeker's vision in these shlokas. The picture he paints here is that one who identifies himself with the eternal essence, knows that he is only a dweller in the body, just like the resident of a city knows that he is a dweller, who is totally distinct from the city.

Imagine that you move into a new city for a job. As part of the move, you begin to utilize the city's services such as water, electricity, garbage collection, telephone, cable etc. But while you utilize these services, you know that you are a resident of the city. You don't begin to think that you are directly responsible for running the city. For example, when you someone picks up the garbage, it is part of the city's services. You are in no way "running" the services.

Similarly, the enlightened seeker knows that he is the eternal essence, which is a dweller in the body and separate from the body. The body is pictorially depicted as a city with nine gates, each gate being an orifice (ear, nostril, eye) and so on. So when the seeker uses his hands, for example, he knows that the body, mind and intellect are operating independently. The enlightened seeker is in actuality, doing nothing at all. Just like the resident knows that the city's services operate by themselves, and he is just a witness, similarly the enlightened person knows that the self is just a resident in the body, totally separate from the body.

Another indication of the seeker's state is that he has complete control of his senses, and that he has mentally renounced the notion of doership. He knows that it is the body, mind and intellect that is performing action. This is indicated in the first part of the shloka. The end result is that the seeker, knowing that he is separate and distinct from the actions of the body, mind and intellect, lives in complete bliss.

Footnotes

1. Adi Shankaraachaarya in his commentary of this shloka gives an indicator that differentiates an enlightened seeker from an ordinary seeker. Let's say we ask someone the question: "where are you sitting?". If the person answers "on a chair" etc, then he is an ignorant seeker. If he answers "I am always sitting in the body", he is an enlightened seeker.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 5

yuktaha karmaphalam tyaktvaa shaantimaapnoti naishtikeem |
ayuktaha kaamakaarena phale sakto nibadhyate || 12 ||
 
One who is established in yoga, who has given up the result of action, attains everlasting peace. One who is not established in yoga, who has attachment to results due to desire, gets bound.
 
yuktaha : one established in yoga
karmaphalam : result of action
tyaktvaa : who has given up
shaantim : peace
aapnoti : attains
naishtikeem : everlasting
ayuktaha : one who is not established in yoga
kaamakaarena : due to desires
phale : results
saktaha : attachment
nibadhyate : gets bound
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna compares and contrasts a karma yogi and a materialistic person. While both perform the very same action, and could very well get the same result, their attitude towards the work is different. One who follows karma yoga maintains the attitude that "I am not attached to the results", whereas the materialistic person does not maintain this attitude.
 
The ignorant person does action for sake of the result. He does not find joy in work itself. If the result is favourable, he gets extremely elated. But this happiness, and in some instances, peace of mind, is temporary. The minute a result of actions becomes favourable, he gets extremely dejected and disappointed. But the karma yogi does not wait for the result of the action to give joy. He finds joy in the work. The peace that he attains is driven from within, rather than from without.
 
It is this mental attitude that differentiates the karma yogi from the materialistic person. The easiest way to gauge our progress towards karma yoga is to constantly monitor our state of mind. If we get agitated for long periods of time when we receive the result of our action, it is an indication that we have generated an attachment to the result, which in turn indicates that the ego is strong.
 
The words used to describe both types of seekers bear closer scrutiny. "Yuktaha" literally means yoked or established. In this context, yuktaha means one whose mind is yoked to the intellect. In other words, the mind is under the guidance of the intellect. In contrast, "ayuktaha" is one whose mind is not yoked to the intellect. It follows the direction of the mind and the senses. This difference in the orientation of the mind determines the fate of the seeker.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 5

kaayena manasaa buddhyaa kevalairindriyairapi |
yoginaha karma kurvanti sangam tyakvaatmashuddhaye || 11 ||
 
Solely with body, mind, intellect and senses does the seeker perform actions, casting off all attachment, for the purification of the self.
 
kaayena : with body
manasaa : mind
buddhyaa : intellect
kevalaih : solely (without a sense of mine)
indriyaihi : senses
api : only
yoginaha : seeker
karma : actions
kurvanti : perform
sangam : attachment
tyakvaa : cast off
aatmashuddhaye : purification of self
 
In the previous shloka, Shri Krishna explained how a karma yogi offers his actions to Ishvara. But how exactly does he do that? Shri Krishna in this shloka says that the karma yogi continuously keeps the thought that the body, mind, intellect and senses - all these are the property of Ishvara, given by Ishvara. Therefore, all the work done is for the benefit for Ishvara, and not for the ego.
 
The Gita teaches that the body, mind, intellect and senses are not really "ours". But due to our conditioning, we come to think that they are ours. We then begin to do things for their benefit. For example, the tongue likes sweet food, so we undertake actions to satisfy it by eating things that may not be healthy from a long term perspective. When actions are done for the satisfaction of body, mind, intellect and senses, the sense of "mine-ness" develops and the ego gets strengthened. We then begin to serve the ego.
 
In this regard, let us recall example of the CFO we had encountered a while ago. As long as the CFO thinks that she is working for company, things will go smoothly. But if she begins to think that working for herself, starts misusing the company's funds as her own funds, she gets into trouble. Similarly, a karma yogi treats his body, mind, intellect and senses as instruments of Ishvara. When that attitude comes, all actions and their results also get offered to Ishvara. In this manner, the seeker detaches himself from the body, mind, intellect and senses from the ego,  and attaches them to Ishvara. This is what is meant by "casting off all attachment".
 
Now, let's examine the second part of shloka where Shri Krishna talks about purification of self. What happens when karma yogi continues to dedicate actions to Ishvara? His mind gets cleared of all selfish desire, and his ego begins to lose its power. The end result is that the mind is purified of all vaasanaas - which is what is meant by "self" in the shloka. Purification of mind brings the karmayogi closer to self-realization.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 5

brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani sangam tvyaktvaa karoti yaha |
lipyate na sa paapena padmapatramivaambhasaa || 10 ||
 
Having offered all actions to the eternal essence, and having cast off attachments, he who performs actions does not get tainted by sins, just like water does not taint a lotus leaf.
 
brahmani : eternal essence
aadhaaya : offered
karmaani : all actions
sangam : attachment
tvyaktvaa : cast off
karoti : perform action
yaha : one who
lipyate : taint
na : do not
saha : him
paapena : sins
padma-patram : lotus leaf
iva : like
ambhasaa : water
 
Previously, we came across the vision of one who has realized the self. He knows that he is not the doer of all his actions. But what about the one who has not realized the self, and who is still working to sublimate his selfish desires? What is his vision?
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna says that the person who has not realized the self (that includes most of us) offers all actions in a spirit of devotion to Ishvara. Shri Krishna reiterates that if one has selfish desires, karma yoga is the ideal path to follow. The karma yogi works for a higher ideal such as Ishvara, but one who does not follow karma yoga works for the ego.
 
Shri Krishna brings Arjuna back to karma yoga with this shloka. Arjuna harbours desires, therefore Shri Krishna does not want him to jump straight into the yoga of renunciation, which is a totally different level.
 
Now, let's go a little deeper into the topic of attachment. Attachment can happen at four levels : attachment to the result of an action (I want a reward for singing this song), attachment to the action (I will sing a song only in my way), attachment to the sense of doership (I am singing this song) and attachment to the sense of non-doership (By not singing the song, I am the non-singer of this song). The first three are relatively easier to comprehend. The fourth one arises when one has not properly understood the notion of akarma or inaction from the fourth chapter.
 
So therefore, the karma yogi strives to transcend all four levels of attachment by offering results, actions, doership and non-doership to Ishvara. When he acts in the material world with such a vision, he does not accumulate any further desires, just like a lotus leaf does not get wet even though growing in water.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 8-9, Chapter 5

naiva kinchitkaromeeti yukto manyeta tattvavit |
pashyan-shrunvan-sparshan-jighran-ashnan-gachchan-svapan-shvasan || 8 ||
 
pralapan-visrijan-grihnan-unmishan-nimishan-api |
indriyaaneendriyartheshu vartanta iti dhaarayan || 9 ||
 
Never do I perform any action - in this manner asserts the one established in yoga, who has realized the eternal essence. 
 
Seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, dreaming and breathing; speaking, discarding, grasping, opening and closing of the eyelids. All this is the senses interacting with the sense objects - this is his understanding.
 
na : not
eva : ever
kinchit : anything
karomi : I act
iti : in this manner
yuktaha : one established in yoga
manyeta : asserts
tattvavit : who has realized the eternal essence
 
pashyan : seeing
shrunvan : hearing
sparshan : touching
jighran : smelling
ashnan : eating
gachchan : moving
svapan : dreaming
shvasan : breathing
 
pralapan : speaking
visrijan : discarding
grihnan : grasping
unmishan : opening eyelids
nimishan : closing eyelids
api : even during
 
indriyaani : senses
indriyartheshu : sense objects
vartanta : interacting
iti : this
dhaarayan : understanding
 
In prior shlokas, we learned that one who has realized the eternal essence understands that he is not the enjoyer and doer. So to make this as explicit as possible, Shri Krishna provided a detailed illustration of that teaching in this shloka. Here, he gives a comprehensive list of all activities performed by the body, mind and intellect. By providing this illustration, Shri Krishna demonstrates that one who has realized the eternal essence knows, in fact asserts, that he is not doing anything, and all these activities are happening automatically through the body, mind and intellect.
 
Having looked at this list of activities, we say  - yes we understand that blinking, hearing, dreaming and so on is automatic. But what about the process of thinking? Shri Krishna says that even the process of thought also happens automatically. Till such time as the ego is sublimated, it drives our mind to generate selfish thoughts. As the ego gets sublimated through karma yoga, selfish thoughts slowly transition to selfless ones. But the self , or the "I", is just the witness of all these actions for one who has realized the eternal essence. Till then, the "I" thinks that it is the doer.
 
Only one who has realized the vision of the eternal essence truly knows that he is not the doer. What then, should be the vision of the karmayogi who wants to ultimately have this vision? This topic is tackled in the next shloka.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 5

yogayukto vishuddhaatmaa vijitaatmaa jitendriyaha |
sarvabhootaatmabhootaatmaa kurvannapi na lipyate || 7 ||
 
One who is established in yoga, who has conquered the mind, body and senses, one who sees his own self in all beings, even while acting is not tainted.
 
yogayuktaha : established in yoga
vishuddhaatmaa : one with pure mind
vijitaatmaa : one who has conquered the body
jitendriyaha : one who has control over senses
sarvabhootaatmabhootaatmaa : one who sees his own self in all beings
kurvan : while acting
na : does not
api : even while
lipyate : tainted
 
Imagine that a new factory has opened up in a small town, and the public has been invited to take tours of the factory. In one such tour, we have a businessman, an environmentalist, an engineer and a musician. As he is walking through the factory, the businessman's first thought is about the amount of profit that this factory generates. The environmentalist thinks about the pollution caused by the factory. The engineer marvels at the brand new machines. And the musician loves the rhythm generated by the clanking machines. One's vision gives an indication of how one's mind works.
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna illustrates the vision of one who is acting with the spirit of karma yoga. Even while acting, that person does not generate any further desires, because he has the same vision that a renouncer has. He sees the eternal essence everywhere, in himself as well as in everyone else. And like the example we saw earlier, his vision indicates that his entire personality, including his mind and intellect, have gained the knowledge of the eternal essence.
 
Furthermore, Shri Krishna reminds us that such knowledge is not possible without first bringing the body, mind and senses under control. Actions performed by such an individual do not "taint" him. Only when the sense of doership and enjoyership is present can actions can taint someone, in other words, cause further desires to sprout. When the ego behind actions has gone away, then those actions do not generate further desires.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 5

sannyaasastu mahaabaaho duhkhamaaptumayogataha |
yogayukto munirbrahma nachirenaadhigachchati || 6 ||
 
For renunciation, O mighty-armed, is difficult to attain without yoga. The contemplative person established in yoga swiftly attains the eternal essence.
 
sannyaasaha : renunciation
tu : for
mahaabaaho : O mighty-armed
duhkham : difficult
aaptum : to obtain
ayogataha : without yoga
yogayuktaha : established in yoga
munih : contemplative person
brahma : eternal essence
nachirena : swiftly
adhigachchati : attains
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna says that for a seeker that has not fully exhausted his desires, bypassing the first stage of karmayoga will make attainment of the eternal essence difficult. The best option is to start with karmayoga, because like the yoga of knowledge, it too will yield the same result of self-realization.
 
To understand this, let us examine a different question: Why are there so few PhDs in the world? It takes a certain kind of person to obtain a PhD. One has to be ready to spend most of their life in a lab. One has to do what it takes to get their experiment right. They have to survive on their petty stipend for several years. And all this is for the sole objective of discovering something that benefits mankind.
 
Similarly, not many people can minimize their worldly activities so much that they retire to an ashram to gain knowledge from a teacher. For most of us, the pull of our desires is so strong that we will continue to work in this world. Therefore, liberation has to come from our actions, not through renunciation.
 
Furthermore, Shri Krishna also mentions a caveat about action. One should not perform actions just like that. Karmayoga advocates thoughtful action, where one thinks before one acts. The biggest obstacle in moving forward spiritually is our ego. It creates selfish desires that move us towards the material world. So when we performs actions thoughtfully, in other words, when we ensure that our actions are performed without attachment towards the result, our selfish desires automatically get slowly eliminated.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 5

yatsaankhyaih praapyate sthaanam tadyogairapi gamyate |
ekam saankhyam cha yogam cha yah pashyati sah pashyati || 5 ||
 
One who obtains the state of bliss through knowledge, also reaches that same state through yoga. He who sees knowledge and yoga as one, that person sees (correctly).
 
yat : one who
saankhyaih : through knowledge
praapyate : obtains
sthaanam : state of bliss
tat : that
yogaih : through yoga
api : also
gamyate : reaches
ekam : as one
saankhyam : knowledge
cha : and
yogam : yoga
cha : also
yah : the person who
pashyati : sees
sah : that person
pashyati : sees
 
In this shloka, the words yoga and knowledge need further elaboration to get at the underlying meaning. In the context of this chapter, they mean yoga of action (karmayoga) and yoga of knowledge through renunciation (karma sannyaasa yoga) respectively. Having added this context, the shloka now reads as follows: one who obtains the state of bliss through the yoga of knowledge, also reaches that same state through the yoga of action. In the wise person's view, both of these are one. It is like two passengers boarding a train from different stations. Both reach the same destination.
 
Let us dig deeper to understand what is common between renunciation and action. Imagine that two people are striving for self-realization. One person performs karma yoga, but does not think carefully about how he performs his actions. Without proper thought and discrimination, his actions become selfish and his vaasanaas increase. Ultimately, he does not attain his goal.
 
The other person decides that he prefers renunciation. He goes to an ashram to lead the life of a monk. But even thought he has renounced the material world, he keeps thinking about his life in the material world. He too, does not attain his goal, because his desires prevent him from properly absorbing his teacher's teachings.
 
In both cases, renunciation and action do not work because they are missing the key ingredient - knowledge. Unless one uses discrimination while performing action, or maintains the knowledge that I am not the doer prior to renunciation, the goal is not attained by either person. Therefore, Shri Krishna urges wise people to keep discrimination in the picture while considering either stage of the path.
 
Having reassured Arjuna that both stages yield the same outcome, Shri Krishna next addresses why karma yoga is more appropriate for Arjuna.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 5

saankhyayogau prithagbaalaaha pravadanti na panditaahaa |
ekamapyaasthitaha samyagubhayorvindate phalam || 4 ||
 
Only children say that the yoga of knowledge and the yoga of action are different, wise people do not. One who is perfectly established in one, obtains the result of both.
 
saankhya : yoga of knowledge
yogau : yoga of action
prithak : different
baalaaha : children
pravadanti : say
na : not
panditaahaa : wise people
ekam : one
api : also
aasthitaha : established
samyak : perfectly
ubhayoha : both
vindate : obtain
phalam : result
 
Shri Krishna reiterates his message from third chapter in this shloka. He says that the path to attain self-realization is one, but it has two stages. In the first stage, the seeker performs actions per his svadharma, but focuses on checking and sublimating the ego while performing his actions. This stage is called karma yoga. When the seeker has exhausted the majority of his desires, he becomes ready for the next stage.
 
In the second stage, the seeker minimizes actions other than those performed for gaining knowledge through the guidance of a teacher. The second stage is possible only after the ego has been sublimated through renunciation. This stage is called karma sannyaasa.
 
Shri Krishna then goes on to say that only people who are ignorant of the connection between these two stages say that karma-sannyaasa and karmayoga are different paths. They also think that it is possible to bypass stage one and go straight to stage two. This ability to bypass stage one is only possible for a handful of advanced seekers in this world, seekers who have already sublimated their desires.
 
Therefore, having known this, he urges us to become wise people and to not think of the path to self-realization as two different paths. If we become established in one stage, we will automatically get the result of self-realization that one gets from pursuing the other stage. In other words, we should follow the one path that we are qualified for, and follow it properly.
 
How should a wise person look at these two stages? We will see in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 5

jneyah sa nityasannyaasee yo na dveshti na kaanshati |
nirdvandvo hi mahaabaaho sukham bandhaatpramuchyate || 3 ||
 
He who does not hate anything, nor expects anything, know him to be an eternal renouncer. For one who is free from duality, O mighty-armed, he happily casts off bondage.
 
jneyah : know
saha : that
nitya : eternal
sannyaasee : renouncer
yaha : he who
na : does not
dveshti : hate anything
na : does not
kaanshati : expect anything
nirdvandvaha : free from duality
hi : for
mahaabaaho : O mighty-armed
sukham : happily
bandhaat : bondage
pramuchyate : casts off
 
During the time of the Mahabhaarata war, and even now, there existed a fixed ideal of what it means to become a renouncer, which was that one runs away from the world to some remote place. Shri Krishna needed to change that ideal completely. So he defines what it means to be a renouncer or sannyaasi in this shloka. A renouncer is one who completely gives up his ego, not external objects and situations.
 
In that regard, Shri Krishna says that if we have three qualities: freedom from hatred, expectation and duality, that person is a true renouncer. Firstly, if something is obstacle to happiness, or someone is giving us sorrow, we generate hatred for that person or object. Secondly, if we always keep thinking that we will become happy in the future, we generate expectations, taking consciousness away from the present and into the future. Finally, if we only get attracted to certain aspects of our existence, the other aspects will torture us and bind us. This is what is meant by duality.
 
So therefore, one who has become free from these 3 qualities has truly renounced the material world, even if he continues to perform his duties. This is a high standard indeed. Having clarified the definition of snanyaasi, Shri Krishna compares a sannyaasi to a karmayogi in the next shloka.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 5

Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
sannyaasah karmayogashcha nihshreyasakaraavubhau |
tayostu karmasannyaasaatkarmayogo vishishyate || 2 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
Both renunciation of action and the yoga of action confer ultimate bliss. But, between the two, the yoga of action is superior than renunciation of action.
 
sannyaasaha : renunciation of action
karmayogashcha : yoga of action
nihshreyasakarau : confer ultimate bliss
ubhau : both
tayoh : between those two
tu : but
karmasannyaasaat : than renunciation of action
karmayogaha : yoga of action
vishishyate : superior
 
Advice, given by a teacher to a student, takes into account the student's stage in his learning progression. Shri Krishna, the teacher, replies to Arjuna's question by saying that for someone with Arjuna's proclivity, karma yoga or the yoga of action is a better path than karma sannyaasa or the renunciation of action.
 
By making this statement, Shri Krishna reiterates the teaching imparted to Arjuna in the beginning of the third chapter, when Arjuna had asked a similar question. Shri Krishna throughout the Gita has stressed that we can attain self-realization while staying in the world and performing our duties. Like Arjuna, we often get tempted to renounce the world, especially when we are going through a tough time in our life. But as we have seen earlier, if we retreat from the world but have not fully addressed our ego and our selfish desires, we will still be thinking about the material world in the confines of the cave or the ashram we have retreated into.
 
Therefore, having taken into account Arjuna's mental make-up, knowing fully well that like us, Arjuna still had a lot of desires, Shri Krishna deemed that karma yoga was the right path for Arjuna, and that he was not well-suited to becoming a monk.
 
Now, does the follower of karma yoga attain the same result that the follower of renunciation attains? He addressed this point in the upcoming shlokas.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 5

Arjuna uvaacha:
sannyaasam karmanaam krishna punaryogam cha shansasi |
yachchshreya etayorekam tanme broohi sunishchitam || 1 ||
 
Arjuna said:
First you speak about yoga, then you praise renunciation of action, O Krishna. Of the two, tell me which one, most assuredly, is beneficial for me.
 
sannyaasam : renunciation
karmanaam : action
krishna : O Krishna
punah : then
yogam : yoga
cha : and
shansasi : praise
yat : that
shreya : which is beneficial
etayoha : of the two
ekam : one
tat : which
me : for me
broohi : tell
sunishchitam : most assuredly
 
As he was concluding the previous chapter, Shri Krishna spoke about the renunciation of action through yoga in the second-last shloka. He was quite clear that renunciation of action does not mean running away from action. It means renouncing the agency, or the sense of doership behind the action.
 
Now, Arjuna still retained a desire to run away from the war against his relatives. So even though Shri Krishna was quite clear that one cannot run away from action, Arjuna was still looking for a way to quit fighting the war. So he interpreted the word "renunciation" to mean what most people think renunciation means: going away to a remote ashram, becoming a monk, and then contemplating upon the eternal essence, casting aside any other worldly responsibilities.
 
With this interpretation in mind, he wanted to know whether renunciation of action was better than karmayoga. If that were the case, he could run away from the war to a place of contemplation, and gain self-realization following that path. He wanted an unambiguous answer from Shri Krishna because he had already asked this question at the beginning of the third chapter.

Summary of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4

The journey from the first chapter to the fourth chapter is one of higher and higher levels of integrating or tuning our personality. In the first chapter, we are at the level of selfish action, where we see gain and loss in everything we do. As we move into the second and third chapters, we are introduced to the notion of "nishkaam karma" or desire-less action. Here, we slowly give up attachment to the result of our action by dedicating it to a higher ideal.
 
In this chapter titled "Jnyaana Karma Sanyaasa Yoga", we move one level higher from desire-less action to agency-less action. What does agency-less action mean? As the key shloka in this chapter indicates, it is the ability to see inaction in action and action in inaction. When we are operating at the level of a karmayogi, we express our desires through performing actions, but we diminish our sense of "mine-ness" or enjoyership by dedicating all the results to Ishvara.
 
But as we progress on this path, we begin to realize that all actions happen through Maaya, also known as prakriti or nature. Even actions like the surgeon conducting surgery happen through Maaya, upon closer inspection. We realize that the I, the eternal essence, is just the witness. The I does not do anything. This is agency-less action. Our sense of doership or "I-ness" begins to diminish as well.
 
Ultimately everything is yajnya in brahman. This is a very deep and subtle means of looking at the world. To help us practice developing this vision, Shri Krishna gives us simpler yajnyas such as restraining our senses, worship of a deity and so on. But the end goal is jnaana yagnya or the sacrifice of knowledge. The next chapter goes into more detail about the characteristics which we have to develop in order to be able to realize this very subtle and deep vision.
 
This chapter also gives us a glimpse of Ishvara, the cosmic power and intelligence that controls this universe. Although beyond birth and imperishable, that power manifests itself whenever there is an extreme disharmony in the universe, restores harmony and becomes unmanifest again.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 42, Chapter 4

tasmaadajnyaanasambhootam hritstham jnyaanaasinaatmanaha |
chhittavainam sanshayam yogamaatishthottishtha bhaarata || 42 ||
 
Therefore, with the sword of knowledge, tear your doubts that are born of ignorance and reside in your heart; establish yourself in this path of yoga, and arise, O Arjuna.
 
tasmaat : therefore
ajnyaana : ignorance
sambhootam : born of
hritstham : reside in the heart
jnyaana : knowledge
asina : sword of
aatmanaha : your
chhittavaa : tear
enam : this
sanshayam : doubts
yogam : yoga
aatishtha : establish yourself (in this path)
uttishtha : arise
bhaarata : O Bhaarata
 
In this concluding verse of the fourth chapter, Shri Krishna urges Arjuna to cast away all his doubts and get back to fighting the Kurukshetra war. In other words, he asks the students of the Gita to put the teaching of the fourth chapter into practice, and to act in this world.
 
Shri Krishna reiterates the location of our accumulated ignorance. He uses the word "hritstham" which literally means heart, but actually refers to the four-fold antaha-karana comprising the mind, intellect, memory and ego.
 
This shloka also provides a concise summary of the fourth chapter. Ignorance in the form of individuality, selfishness and finitude, is our natural condition. This ignorance causes us to question our relationship with the world, just like Arjuna got confused in regards to his duty as a warrior. Having gained knowledge, in the form of universality, selflessness and infinitude, we know exactly how to transact with the world. All our doubts are destroyed. We begin to act in a spirit of yajnya, where we see the same eternal essence in the actor, the action and the result. Ultimately, like the shloka says, we arise not just physically, but also spiritually, into a new level of consciousness.
 
om tatsatiti shrimadbhagavadgitasu upanishadsu brahmavidyayaam yogashastre shrikrishnaarjunasamvade jnyaanakarmasanyaasayogonaamo chaturthodhyaahaha || 4 ||

Bhagavad Gita Verse 41, Chapter 4

yogasannyastakarmaanam jnyaanasanchinnasanshayam |
aatmavantam na karmaani nibhandanti dhananjaya || 41 ||
 
One who has renounced actions through yoga, one who has severed all doubts through knowledge, such a self-poised person is not bound by actions, O conqueror of wealth.
 
yoga : yoga
sannyasta: one who has renounced
karmaanam : actions
jnyaana : knowledge
sanchinna : severed
sanshayam : all doubts
aatmavantam : self-poised
na : do not
karmaani : actions
nibhandanti : bind
dhananjaya : O conqueror of wealth
 
Shri Krishna now begins to conclude the fourth chapter with this shloka. He re-emphasizes that one who follows the path of karma-sanyaasa, or renunciation of action, is liberated from all bondage. He refers to Arjuna as Dhananjaya, which means conqueror of wealth, because Arjuna had accumulated massive wealth from conquests of kingdoms. Also, he had gained wealth in the form of knowledge from Shri Krishna.
 
One who has attained the knowledge of self-realization acts without a sense of doership and enjoyership of action. It is important to note that renunciation of action refers to renunciation of doership and enjoyership, not renunciation of the action itself. Actions continue to happen. Furthermore, this yoga or prescribed methodology needs to be learned from a teacher, it is difficult to learn on one's own.
 
Shri Krishna also reiterates the knowledge of self realization dispels all doubts in the seeker's mind. Till this knowledge is attained, doubts such as who is the doer of action, who is the enjoyer of results, what is the relation of the self to action will remain. One who has gained this knowledge and dispelled all such doubts is called "aatmavant" or one who has gained knowledge of our own self.
 
A classic example here is that the space in a pot thinks that it is the pot. Once it knows that it is space, it immediately realizes that it is not subject to modifications like big or small, brown or white, moving or stationary and so on. From that point on, any change to the pot will not affect the space in the pot. Similarly, once our doubts vanish, our actions will not bind us.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 40, Chapter 4

ajnyashchaashraddadhaanashcha samshayaatmaa vinashyati |
naayam lokosti na paro na sukham sanshayaatmanaha || 40 ||
 
One who is ignorant, devoid of faith and who doubts constantly is destroyed. Neither in this world, nor in other worlds is peace attained by one who constantly doubts.
 
ajnyaha : ignorant
cha : and
ashradhaanaha : devoid of faith
cha : and
samshayaatmaa : one who constantly doubts
vinashyati : destroyed
na : not
ayam : this
lokaha : world
asti : is
na : neither
paro : other (worlds)
na : no
sukham : happiness
sanshayaatmanaha : one who constantly doubts
 
Having pointed out the qualifications needed in a seeker to gain knowledge of self-realization, Shri Krishna explains the obstacles, or "disqualifications", that prevent us from accessing that knowledge. There are three main obstacles: ignorance, lack of faith, and constant doubting.
 
Fortunate are those who have had the chance to even come across something called spiritual knowledge, scriptures, Gita and so on. But unless one comes across a taste of the scriptures, one spends their entire life totally ignorant of the eternal reality behind the changing world. So it is this ignorance that becomes the obstacle towards the knowledge of self-realization.
 
Secondly, Shri Krishna says that one who lacks faith will never fully gain this knowledge. As mentioned earlier, we have to possess faith in scriptures, in our teacher, in ourselves and in the truth of the eternal essence until we gain the knowledge of self-realization. Without faith, we will not last in the long and arduous journey.
 
Finally, the person who doubts everything will also find it difficult to gain knowledge. Now, to be sure, skepticism and inquiry is absolutely important. In fact, it is encouraged by spiritual teachers. But constant doubting without taking efforts to resolve those doubts will become a huge roadblock in gaining spiritual knowledge.
 
Shri Krishna also says that constant doubting is not just an obstacle on the spiritual path. It also prevents us from living peacefully in the material world. Each time we board a train or a plane, we implicitly have faith that the driver will take us to our destination safely. If we constantly doubt the capability of the driver, we will never be able to go about our daily business.