The Bhagavad Gita delves into the intricate relationship between humans, celestial beings, and the Supreme God, emphasising the significance of performing prescribed duties with the right mindset and offering sacrifices as a means to fulfil one's responsibilities. Through its verses, the Bhagavad Gita sheds light on the path to self-realisation, worldly responsibilities, and spiritual fulfilment.
The Bhagavad Gita Verse Summary 11-19
The celestial gods (devatās), who administer the universe under the Supreme Lord's direction and occupy specific posts for limited tenures based on their past deeds, will be satisfied through your sacrifices. By performing yajña (sacrificial rituals) to satisfy the Supreme Lord, all celestial gods are appeased, and through the cooperation between humans and these gods, immense prosperity will flourish for everyone.
Pleased by sacrifices, the celestial gods provide life's necessities and expect us to fulfil our duties with the right mindset, serving the Supreme Lord. Shree Krishna explains that enjoying these gifts without giving anything back is essentially theft. Using these resources for personal pleasure without recognising God's dominion is wrong, as everything belongs to Him and should be used in His service.
In the Vedic tradition, those who are spiritually inclined and prepare food as an offering to God, transforming it into prasād, are freed from all types of sin, as stated by Shree Krishna. On the other hand, those who prepare food solely for their pleasure essentially consume only sin. The text also highlights that vegetarianism is advocated by many spiritual traditions and renowned figures and that eating for personal enjoyment rather than as an offering to God incurs karmic consequences.
Shree Krishna explains that all living beings rely on food generated by rain for survival. Rain results from performing sacrifices arising from carrying out prescribed duties. In this natural cycle, rain produces grains that are consumed and transformed into blood, creating semen and human bodies. Humans perform yajñas to appease the gods, who then cause rain, perpetuating the cycle.
The Vedas, manifested from God's breath, outline human beings' duties. They are designed to gradually elevate individuals from ignorance to goodness through controlled desires and sacrifices dedicated to God. When these duties are consecrated as yajña, they become divine and non-different from God himself, thus involving the omnipresent Lord in acts of sacrifice, as stated in various scriptures, including the Bhāgavatam and the Vedas.
O Parth, those who neglect their duties within the cycle of sacrifice outlined by the Vedas live solely for sensory pleasure, making their lives meaningless. The cycle of nature requires all elements to contribute to its smooth operation, and humans, endowed with free will, must fulfil their responsibilities to foster prosperity and spiritual growth. Neglecting these duties leads to discord, punishment, and a vain existence, as Shree Krishna explains to Arjun.
Those who find joy, enlightenment, and complete satisfaction within themselves are free from obligations. Shree Krishna explains that this inner satisfaction comes only by renouncing desires for external objects, as material desires are the root of all bondage and sin. Once a soul attains self-realisation and unites with God, the Vedic duties meant for materially conditioned souls no longer apply since the enlightened soul has transcended their jurisdiction.
Self-realised souls operate on a transcendental level of consciousness, focusing on spiritual activities like meditation and worship. They have no stake in performing or abandoning worldly duties. Shree Krishna explains that worldly responsibilities do not bind these souls and that they do not rely on others to fulfil their needs; they may choose to continue their duties or embrace renunciation, as illustrated by historical examples of both paths.
Therefore, let go of attachment and perform your duties, as acting without concern for the results leads one to attain the Supreme. Shree Krishna emphasises the importance of performing prescribed duties for those who have yet to reach the transcendental level while also clarifying that these duties do not bind transcendentalists. He advises Arjun to follow the path of karma yogi rather than karm sanyās.
Shree Krishna explains his reasons for this preference in the next verse.
The Bhagavad Gita Verse Summary 20 - 26
King Janak achieved perfection through karm yog while fulfilling his kingly duties. Even after reaching the transcendental platform, he continued to perform his worldly responsibilities to set a positive example. Shree Krishna emphasises that great leaders must act in an exemplary manner to inspire society, as their actions set the standards for others to follow; thus, Arjun should practice karm yog to guide the world through his example.
There is nothing I need to accomplish in the three worlds, O Parth, and I have nothing to gain or achieve. Still, I continue to perform my prescribed duties. While we all work to seek bliss and feel incomplete without it, Shree Krishna, being perfect and complete in Himself, works not for His own need but for the welfare of others, demonstrating this to Arjun.
O Parth, if I did not diligently perform the prescribed duties, everyone would follow My example in every way. During His divine pastimes on Earth, Shree Krishna played the role of a king and great leader as the son of King Vasudeva from the Vrishni dynasty, and He states that failing to perform prescribed Vedic activities would lead lesser personalities to imitate Him, causing them to be misled and Him to be at fault for their misguided actions.
If I stopped doing my prescribed duties, the world would fall into chaos, and I would be responsible for the disorder and loss of peace. When Shree Krishna came to Earth, He followed the conduct fitting for His royal role to prevent others from copying Him and causing social turmoil. He advised Arjun to fulfil his duty to protect dharma, explaining that neglecting this duty would set a bad example, leading to chaos and the destruction of righteousness.
Shree Krishna emphasises that the wise should always act for humankind's benefit, wishing for the world's welfare. As those who lack knowledge perform their tasks with a focus on outcomes, O descendant of Bharat, so should the wise act without attachment to results to guide others on the correct path. He urges Arjun to perform his duties faithfully, not for material rewards, but to set an ideal for society, especially in the context of the righteous war he is engaged in.
Shree Krishna emphasises that great persons are responsible for setting a good example, as common people follow them. The wise should avoid disrupting the mindset of those focused on results; instead of encouraging them to cease their work, they should lead by example, performing their own duties with wisdom. He urges that wise people should not lead the ignorant to abandon their duties but should inspire them to perform their responsibilities with care, as abandoning work without understanding higher knowledge could lead to greater harm.
Have you ever wondered what makes the wise different from the ignorant if both follow Vedic practices? Shree Krishna tackles this fascinating question in the following two verses.
Join our class to explore his insightful answers and expand your knowledge!
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [Telugu]- 29 July to 1 August 2024.
