The context:
In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, verses 47 to 50, Shree Krishna advises Arjun to perform duties without attachment to results, dedicating outcomes to God. This equanimity, termed Yog, enables serene acceptance of all circumstances. Working without personal gain elevates skill and dedication. Verses 51-54 emphasise renouncing material desires and ritualistic allurements for divine consciousness, achieving freedom from karmic bondage.
Excerpts from verses 47-50
Perform your prescribed duties without being attached to the outcomes. Focus solely on the effort, not the results. You have a right to perform your duties but are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. The results of your actions are meant for God's pleasure, not for personal enjoyment. Give up the pride of doership, recognise that God is the true source of all your actions, and never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities. Do not become attached to inaction. Embrace work with the proper understanding and spirit as taught by Shree Krishna.
Be steadfast in performing your duty, O Arjun, abandoning attachment to success and failure. Such equanimity is called Yog or union with the Supreme. This equanimity enables us to accept all circumstances with serenity, understanding that the effort is in our hands, not the results. When we dedicate the results to God and calmly accept them as His will, we develop the ability to embrace fame and infamy, success and failure, pleasure and pain equally. This practical approach allows us to navigate life's ups and downs without misery, achieving true Yog by surrendering to the will of God.
Turn to divine wisdom and understanding for guidance, O Arjun, and let go of actions driven by the desire for rewards, as they are less valuable than actions grounded in divine knowledge.
Those who seek to enjoy the fruits of their labour are considered miserly. There are two aspects to work: our external activity and our internal attitude toward it. Shree Krishna advises Arjun to elevate his internal motivation toward work, moving away from self-enjoyment and towards dedicating his efforts to a higher cause. When we detach from the fruits of our labour and offer them to God, we perform work in true knowledge, transcending the miserly approach of seeking personal gain.
One who wisely practices the art of working without attachment can free themselves from both positive and negative reactions in this life. Therefore, aim for Yog, which is the skillful and conscious approach to work. People often wonder if giving up attachment to results will reduce their performance, but Shree Krishna explains that working without personal motivation enhances our skills. For example, a surgeon performs his duty with equanimity and without attachment to the outcome, which allows him to operate skillfully. Similarly, Arjun's example illustrates that giving up attachment to the fruits of his actions did not adversely affect his performance; instead, it inspired him to fight with greater dedication as a duty to God.
Excerpts from verses 51-54
The sages and saints possess great intellect and can free themselves from the attachment that keeps humans trapped in the cycle of birth and death. By acting with this awareness, they attain a state beyond suffering. Shree Krishna teaches that seeking material happiness only leads to misery and dissatisfaction. Recognising this, spiritually knowledgeable individuals renounce attachment, dedicate their actions to God, and accept outcomes as divine mercy, thus freeing themselves from karmic bondage.
Shree Krishna observed that those pursuing worldly pleasures are attracted to the rituals described in the Vedas, which promise material wealth and heavenly rewards. However, spiritually enlightened individuals understand that these pleasures ultimately lead to misery and, therefore, lose interest in such rituals. Once one's intellect transcends delusion, one becomes indifferent to worldly and heavenly enjoyments.
When your intellect no longer desires the materialistic aspects of the Vedas and remains firmly established in divine consciousness, you will attain the state of perfect Yog. As spiritual practitioners progress, they may find Vedic rituals overwhelming and wonder if neglecting them for full devotion is a transgression. Shree Krishna clarifies that being firm in spiritual practice, free from material attractions, is not a transgression but a higher spiritual state.
Hearing this, Arjun asks Bhagwan Shree Krishna the following question: "How does sthitaprajna* (sthita-prajña/ स्थितप्रज्ञ) talk & behave, and what are the qualities of sthitaprajna?"
*The term "sthitaprajna" is derived from two Sanskrit words: "sthita", meaning "steady" or "firm," and "prajna", meaning "wisdom" or "knowledge." Thus, "sthitaprajna" translates to "one who is steadfast in wisdom."
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [Telugu]- 1 July to 5 July 2024.
