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Bhagavad Gita Studies |
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a
center for Our Present Moment Collective Awakening |
(Based on Swami Dayananda's Home-Study Course) Yoga and the Gita Chapter 2, verse 48 yogasthah kuru karmaani sangam tyaktvaa dhananjaya siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhuutvaa samatvam yoga ucyate Remaining steadfast in yoga, oh Dhananjaya (Arjuna), perform actions, abandoning attachment, remaining the same to success and failure alike. This evenness of mind is called yoga. Chapter 2, verse 50 buddhiyukto jahaatiha ubhe sukrtaduskrte tasmaadyogaaya yujyasva yogah karmasu kaushalam One who is endowed with the samatva buddhi, sameness of mind, gives up both punya and paapa here, in this world. Therefore commit yourself to karma-yoga. Karma-yoga is discrimination in action. One of the key themes weaving through the Gita is the relationship between the path of action in the world, karma-yoga, and the path of sannyaasa, the renunciation of the world to pursue self-knowledge. Karma is any action performed and also the results of those actions and in these two verses, Krishna presents a two-fold definition of karma-yoga: samatvam yogah ucyate and yogah karmasu kaushalam. With reference to the results of your actions, there is sameness samatva, in your response. With reference to action itself, because there is a choice involved, a karma yogi always chooses to follow the rules of dharma, basic ethics and morality. These two verses are commonly quoted and frequently mistranslated and misunderstood. Verse 48 is often found to say "give up the fruits of your actions" implying that a yogi doesn't participate in the world, is not able to enjoys the fruits of creation. It is like saying you can cook a wonderful meal, but you cannot enjoy eating it. Of course this makes no sense at all. The underlying teaching here is that you are the author of your own actions. You can choose to do, or not do, or do it differently. However, the results of those actions are totally out of your control. They may be exactly what you wanted, more than what you wanted, less that what you wanted, or the total opposite of what you wanted. Whatever the result, the yogi receives the result as prasada, a gift from the Divine. This is samatvam, eqanimity with what arises. There is nothing to give up, other than the attachment to a specific outcome. If your action was successful, Fantastic. enjoy the moment. If it was unsuccessful, that's okay too. Experience disappointment if that is what arises, but recognize that the "Self" is unaffected by success or failure.
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Essential Verses of the Bhagavad Gita Stitha Prajna: How Does a Wise Person Interact with the World? BG II vs. 55-72
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