SKANDHA IX. (continued 2)

The first thing that a man should do is to transcend the limits of Trilokî. This he cannot do as long as he is self-seeking. He should therefore perform his actions unselfishly. And the Lord said as follows: —

1. There is the perishable and the imperishable element in us. Karma or actions appertain to the perishable element. The perishable element constantly changes, so it cannot be our real self or Âtmâ. From the stand-point of our real self, we can dissociate ourselves from our actions, which relate to our transitory nature. Here the system of Sânkhya came into requisition.

2. But by this discrimination, we can not forcibly stop the performance of actions. For the actions are propelled by (a) active tendencies which form an inseparable part of our present nature, and (b) by the necessity of our very existence. So by stopping actions, we force the tendencies to mental channels, and cause more mischief by producing mental germs for the future. And we cannot stop all actions, as some are necessary for our bare existence.

3. Therefore we are to perform actions, and we can perform them unselfishly, if they are done from a pure sense of duty. We are to take duty as a law of our very existence. Yajna is only another name for this law. The Lord of beings, having created all beings with the Yajna, said of yore, — "You shall prosper by the performance of this Yajna and this Yajna shall be the producer of all desired objects for you." Yajna consists of mutual sacrifices, as all beings are dependent on one another. "Think of the Devas by means of Yajna, and the Devas shall think of you." All our actions may be classed under duties — duties which we owe to the Devas, the Pitris, the sages, the animals and to other men. If we perform our Karma for the sake of Yajna only, we perform it unselfishly.

4. As discrimination is useful in realising the real self, so restraint is necessary to put down the acquired self. The tendencies of the acquired self, if left to themselves, prompt men to ever recurring actions, which again produce their own effects, some of which develop into fresh tendencies or strengthen the pre-existing tendencies. So restraint is to be constantly practised. The object of restraint is to free the mind from thoughts of the object world and to fix it on the real self, Âtmâ. Here the system of Patanjali comes into requisition. But the system is to be accepted with this reservation that Yoga does not necessarily mean renunciation of Karma. It includes the unselfish performance of Karma and, for the average humanity, renunciation of Karma is harmful as an expedient of Yoga. Though there may be some who do not require Karma for themselves, yet they should not renounce it, if they want to set an example to others and not to confound their intellect.

5. But the Pûrva Mimânsâkas say: Vedic Karma is all in all, and the authority of the Vedas is supreme. Here Sri Krishna had to assert Himself as an Avatâra, and He asked people to accept His own authority. He said there was self-seeking in Vedic Karma, and one could not therefore avoid the recurrence of births by the performance of Vedic Karma. So Sri Krishna said to Uddhava: — "If the Vedas say that men attain Svarga by the performance of Vedic Karma, it is simply by way of inducement, and not as pointing out the supreme end. The father says; 'Boy, eat this bitter medicine and I will give thee this cake in my hand.' The boy takes the medicine for the sweet thing. But that really leads to his recovery from the disease. So the Vedas mean final liberation as the end. But to enforce restraint, they hold out the prospect of Svarga, which is most agreeable to men." (Elaboration of XI. 21. 23.)

Many were unwilling to accept the authority of Sri Krishna, and the chief amongst them was Sisupâla.

This was the teaching of Karma Yoga by Sri Krishna. But the unselfish performance of Karma is not all. It is only a negative virtue. It purifies the mind and frees it from the taint of selfishness. The mind then becomes prepared for the higher planes and becomes fit for the direct influence of Íshvara.

So Sri Krishna gave to His disciples the true conception of Ísvara. He told them Ísvara was One, the source of all existence, all knowledge and all bliss. He told them how one Ísvara pervaded the whole universe and became thus manifested through the Universe. He also pervaded all beings, and became manifested through these beings. The Universe and the Jiva were His Prakritis or bodies as it were. The Universe body was eight-fold in its character, beginning with that most susceptible to His influence and ending with the division most obtuse to that influence. This eight-fold Prakriti also entered into the constitution of Jiva. But there was something more in Jiva, — the consciousness, the knower. This element was Ísvara Himself, as limited by Jiva Prakriti, or Jiva body. The whole universe being the body of Ísvara, His knowledge and powers were unrestricted, whereas the body of the Jiva, being limited and restricted, his powers and knowledge were also restricted.

This highest conception of Ísvara is not adapted for all. So Sri Krishna gave the conception of Ísvara, as manifested by His powers, and as manifested in Time and Space, and lastly as He is manifested in the human body with four hands and the Crown, symbolising His lordship over the whole Universe.

But this conception of Ísvara is not enough. As man owes a duty to all beings, the performance of which is Karma, so he owes a duty to Ísvara, and that duty is Upâsanâ. All beings make sacrifices for one another, and so they owe duty to one another. But Ísvara makes the greatest sacrifice for all beings and He holds all beings close to His bosom in each Kalpa, that they may work out their evolution under the most favorable circumstances. He waits for those that give up everything for His sake, and give themselves entirely up to Him, so that He may bear their Karma upon Himself and hasten their evolution to such an extent, that they may approach His own state. As Ísvara gives Himself to the service of the Universe, so do His Bhaktas too. Men owe the highest duty to Ísvara, and this they discharge by means of Upâsanâ. Upâsanâ is the law of being for all Jivas, when they reach the state of manhood. Surrender is the essence of Upâsanâ, and this Sri Krishna taught to Arjuna.

When a man by performing his duties to other beings and to Ísvara becomes purified and single minded, he is entitled to receive the final teaching, and not before. And Sri Krishna gave that teaching at the very last to Arjuna. He said that Jiva and Íshvara were one in essence. It is the difference in Prakriti that makes all the difference between Jiva and Íshvara. When all the bonds of Prakriti are broken through, only Brahmân remains, the one reality, underlying both Íshvara and Jiva. When we become fixed, in this wisdom all is Brahmân, and final liberation is attained. This is the real teaching of the Upanishads, as embodied in Uttara Mimânsâ. In this connection, Sri Krishna pointed out the fallacy of the Vaiseshika system in attempting to know the Attributeless, through the attributes.

The highest wisdom of the Kalpa was revealed and the world resounds with all glory to Sri Krishna. The Rishis and Mahâtmâs took up His work. All the religious movements and religious writings that have followed only reproduce His teachings.

There was something however wanting in these teachings as given in the Mahâbhârata — the relation of Sri Krishna to His own Bhaktas. What He did for the Universe and how He did it are fully related in the great Epic. But what He did for those that had already given themselves up entirely to Him, who did not require the teaching of Karma, Upâsanâ and Jnâna, who were His own people, who knew no other Dharma than Himself, who had followed Him through ages, and who simply took births as He appeared on this earth, what Sri Krishna did for these Bhaktas, what His relations were with them, are not described in the Mahâbhârata at all. The lordly side is given but not the sweet side. The picture of the Lord edifies and overawes, that of the Lover enchants and enthrals. The Bhâgavata sings what the Mahâbhârata left unsung. That is the peculiar significance of the Tenth Skandha which follows, the Skandha that maddens the hearts of all real devotees.