Prakriti at Play

SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDA

Spiritually ignorant people are attached to actions (karma) and the results of action (karmaphal). The man of wisdom remains totally unattached to both.  What makes one person attached and the other so unattached?

Doership and Enjoyership

Sri Krishna points out that, in reality, all actions are performed by the qualities of Prakriti (gunas), but a person with a strong sense of doership, deluded by egoism, will always get attached to the results of action.

Upon analysis, we find that we act because we desire to gain something. In acting, I become a doer (karta) so that I may become an enjoyer (bhokta). The notion of doership is closely associated with the notion of enjoyership. Wherever there is a sense of doership, there will be attachment to actions and results.

The wise man has true understanding; he knows that all actions are being carried out by the qualities of Prakriti.

Prakriti, matter, by itself is lifeless. It lacks sentiency. But it appears to be sentient because of another factor Consciousness (Caitanya)-the life-giving principle. Consciousness, the life-giving principle andPrakriti, (matter) both go together.

Qualities of Prakriti

Prakriti has three qualities-sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Each of these expresses differently. Tamo guna expresses as inertia, rajo guna as activity and sattva guna as knowledge. All these expressions manifest through certain mediums.

The physical body, by itself, has inertia. It is tamasic. But when prana shakti functions through it, there is activity.  The pranas are an expression of the activity aspect (rajo guna). The mind-intellect, sense organs are an expression of sattva guna, the knowledge aspect. The entire equipment of the body, pranas, senses, mind and intellect is part of Prakriti’s gunas.

Consciousness

In the presence of Consciousness, matter is enlivened. The activities are all carried out by matter -the body, pranas and so on. As far as Caitanya is concerned, it is totally actionless. We will not call it inactive, but actionless. In its presence all activities are happen, but it does nothing.  Without this life- giving principle, matter is inert. However, we are unaware of this vital fact. We identify ourselves with the body, pranas, senses, mind-intellect and say, ‘I am the doer’.

I must identify with Consciousness, but I identify myself with this inert body.

When I think I am the karta, I also become the bhokta. I become attached to the equipment, its expressions, actions, and to the results of such actions. It is a very subtle point. We do not even know that these things are happening. That is why we are called ignorant. This spiritual dimension is lacking. Firmly believing that we are the body, and mind-intellect we take upon ourselves all their activities and become the doers. This identification leads to attachment and sorrow. We are utterly unaware of this Caitanya principle which is our true nature.

The wise man is the complete opposite- he knows the Reality.

The Wise Man

The wise man realizes the Truth and understands: ‘I am Pure Consciousness. In my presence Prakriti stands as body, pranas, sense organs, mind-intellect. The same Prakriti also stands as the world of objects, emotions, thoughts, sounds, colour, taste, smell, touch. Prakriti is playing with Prakriti. Why should I get involved and identify myself with this or that?’

Ignorant people are attached to karma phal because they lack this discrimination of matter and Spirit. They identify with the body and are attached to it. The wise man knows that identified with the body, he becomes the doer. If he identifies with the world of objects, he is bound and dependent on them.

He knows the Truth and remains unattached. He watches the play of Prakriti.

The Author is the Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide.

ACTION TO PERFECTION   BLOG   14

A Responsible Leader

SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDA

Whatever a great person or a Shreshta Purusha (leader) does, his example is

followed by others (Bhagavad Gita 3.21). For instance, if you admire someone

in the field of sports, music, theatre or spirituality, there is a tendency to imitate

the behaviour of that person. You follow the standards, values, ideals and

conduct upheld by him/her. Whatever a great person or leader does, people will

imitate him. Therefore, it is the crucial responsibility of a leader to live an

Practice what You Preach

Once, a determined lady travelled a long way with her son to the ashrama of a

Mahatma.   She requested him, “Please advise my son not to indulge in sweets

as he has a medical condition”. The Mahatma asked them to revisit him after a

On returning after the elapsed time, the Mahatma looked at the boy and advised,

“Don’t eat so many sweets. It is bad for your health. Be moderate.”

The lady was taken aback. “But why”, she asked, “Did you not say this a month

The Mahatma replied “At that time, I could not have said it. I too was eating a

lot of sweets.  First, I myself had to give them up, only then could I counsel

Each One is a Leader

In society, every person is a leader to someone else. I may be looking up to

some person for guidance or advice, but there is also somebody who holds me

in high esteem and looks to me for direction. In a family where there is a five-

year old and a three-year old, the three-year old looks up to the five-year old.

Consecutively, the five-year old may look up to a cousin or a neighbour.

At home, the head of the family is a leader to other family members – they

consider him to be a source of strength and wisdom; in an organization, the

members look up to its head for guidance and inspiration.  So each one of us has

the responsibility of setting an example by the values we uphold, by our conduct

and speech. We have to first live the values that we want others to follow, be it

our children, neighbours, friends or co-workers.

Bhagavan – the Ultimate Example

Sri Krishna cites His own example. He tells Arjuna that though He has no duties

to perform and nothing to achieve, yet He tirelessly engages in action.

Moreover, if He did not ever remain engaged in action, with alertness and

vigilance, other people would follow His example. The Lord has nothing to lose

by not engaging in karma or anything to gain by performing action.

You must have seen and experienced in your life that if a child misbehaves,

people ask ‘Who are your parents?  Is this what they taught you?’ If disciples do

not work properly, they ask ‘Who is your Guru?’ Even the Guru is not spared.

If the present generation does not take care of peace, prosperity and happiness,

the next generation will hold us responsible. Is it not so? A leader or a great

person must ensure that the followers are upholding the rules of right conduct; if

they misbehave, the leader is held responsible.

Similarly, Sri Krishna states that the people are His responsibility. He says, ‘I

cannot let them perish.  I have to engage in karma to guide and bring them on to

the righteous path’. Whenever Bhagavan uses the word ‘I’ in the immediate

context, it means Shreshta Purusha.

If you see Shri Krishna as the Lord of the universe, you know that the Lord

functions through all the laws and forces of Nature; if He takes time off – even

for a few seconds – all the worlds will perish. So, whether you regard Shri

Krishna as Ishvara or Shreshta Purusha, He knows He has responsibilities to

fulfil and always fulfils them.

Blog 14 in the Karma Yoga series.

The Author is the Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide.

ACTION TO PERFECTION  

The Art of Selfless Action

  SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDA

The best way to live is to remain steadfast in our duties and dedicate all our actions to God. Since we are continuously receiving and taking from the world, we should contribute to the smooth functioning of the wheel of action by fulfilling our responsibilities towards society. Sri Krishna declares that he who does not fulfil these responsibilities lives in vain (Bhagavad Gita 3.16) Everyone must know their responsibilities, feel responsible, and fulfil them.

          The principle is that as long as we have something to achieve or gain in life, we feel incomplete; so long as there are goals to be achieved and objects to be acquired, action will be required to obtain them.  Some people may want to secure admission to a renowned college, get a well-paying job, go to USA or even perform rituals to go to heaven. As long as you want to reach somewhere, become something or achieve anything, you have to do something.

Seeking Happiness

By deeply analysing this situation, we realise that all this wanting to achieve, become or reach, is only meant to gain total fulfilment and completeness in life. In simple words, what we want is everlasting happiness. Everything we do is for this sole purpose.

          However, As long as we seek this happiness externally, in things or beings, our pursuit will never end. It will go on and on. It is important to appreciate that happiness is not in any object or being.  Happiness itself is neither a thing nor the nature of anything. When you taste sugar, you taste sweetness. Sweetness is the essential quality of sugar. It is its very nature. In that same way, happiness is not the nature or property of any particular object. It is a projection of the mind.

          There are only two entities: one is I, myself, and the other is the entire world. Logically applying the maxim of remainder – parishesa nyaya – if happiness is not in the world, then it is my own nature.

The Realised Master

The Realised Master having attained the infinite Self knows that happiness is his/her nature (ananda svarupa), it is his own Self. Such a human being is totally fulfilled within and is independent of the external world.

          The realised one revels in the Self, is satisfied with the Self and content in the Self alone. There is nothing more for him to achieve by doing something, nor is there anything that he will lose by not performing actions. An enlightened person is no longer dependent on any being or objects for anything. Such a person has no duties to perform. But that does not mean he/she does not work.

          Let us take the example of a well-settled person whose children are earning well and taking good care of him. As such, he does not need to work; but if he is in good health and wants to use his time productively, he may work whenever he chooses – there is no compulsion. However, this does not apply to a young person, with family responsibilities – he cannot renounce everything.  Similarly, Arjuna had responsibilities to fulfil; he had to fight against the Kaurava forces. The time was not right for him to renounce action

Selfless Action Leads to Perfection

The supreme state of Perfection can be attained by the selfless performance of action without attachment to the results. What is this Perfection?

          The path of selfless action cleanses the mind of likes, dislikes; it becomes pure. When such a person enquires into the nature of the Truth, he gains Knowledge of the Infinite Self. He revels in that Self-knowledge; he is content and fulfilled.  This is how one moves from selfless action to Perfection.  Noble kings of the past such as King Janaka of Mithila worked in the world and attained Perfection. Janak Maharaj was the epitome of the perfect king, ruler, warrior and householder. He attained Perfection and continued to work in the world by serving others as his worship of the Supreme.

          Thus, Sri Krishna highlights the path of selfless action as the way to the Supreme State. Perfection cannot be gained by merely renunciation of action.

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