There can never be Cessation of Action-Bhagavad Gita Verses 3.24-3.25

Discussion in 'Chitvish on Hindu Culture & Vedanta' started by Chitvish, Oct 2, 2008.

  1. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Is there any harm if perchance the Lord ever deviated from dharma ?
    Here is the answer:

    Uthsideurimeth lOkaanakuryaam karma chedaham
    Sankarasya cha karthasyamupahanyaamimaa: praja: 3.24

    These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of "castes" and would destroy these beings.

    The principle elaborated in the three previous verses is again emphasised and a point is brought out similar to that raised by Arjuna in the first chapter. In those verses, Arjuna had said that by fighting, he would be causing the disruption of society.
    In this verse, by referring to Himself, the Lord turns the tables on Arjuna. He brings home clearly to him by His own example that if he does not engage in action, he will corrupt the whole of society and that his bad example will be responsible for allowing its values to be destroyed.
    The conclusion is that even if a man has gained fulfilment in his own life, it behoves him to act for others.
    This idea is very clearly brought out in the next verse.

    Sakthaa: karmaNyavidvamsO yatha kurvanthi baratha
    Kuryad vidvamsthathaasakthas(h)chikirshurlOka sangraham 3.25

    As the "ignorant" men act from attachment to action, Oh, Bharatha, so should the "wise" men act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world.<SCRIPT><!--D(["mb","\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang\u003d\"EN-GB\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang\u003d\"EN-GB\"\u003eThe Lord shows Arjuna that there is\nabsolutely no difference between the action of an ignorant man and that of one\nwho is enlightened; action is action, whoever performs it.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang\u003d\"EN-GB\"\u003eThe difference is found only in the result.\nThe result of an ignorant man\u0026#39;s action is enjoyed by himself and concerns\nmainly himself because he is attached to it; he acts and benefits from the\nresults which make a deep impression on him.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang\u003d\"EN-GB\"\u003eIn the case an enlightened man, the doer is\nnot attached to the action and the results are not attached to him. The effects\nspread out in the world and everything benefits from them. The impression of\nthe result passes him by, leaving him free from the bondage of action. This is\nbecause, he has realised the Self as separate from activity and from the basis\nof eternal contentment. His actions are in response to the needs of the time;\nthey fulfil the demands of their surroundings.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang\u003d\"EN-GB\"\u003eThe wise are tools in the hands of the\nDivine; they innocently carry out the divine plan. Their actions arise from the\ndesire for \u0026quot;the welfare of the world\u0026quot;.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n*On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 4:22 PM, chithra viswanathan \u003cspan dir\u003d\"ltr\"\u003e\u0026lt;\u003ca href\u003d\"mailto:chitvish@gmail.com\" target\u003d\"_blank\" onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\"\u003echitvish@gmail.com\u003c/a\u003e\u0026gt;\u003c/span\u003e wrote:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cblockquote class\u003d\"gmail_quote\" style\u003d\"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex\"\u003e\n\u003cfont color\u003d\"#888888\"\u003e--",1]);//--></SCRIPT>

    The Lord shows Arjuna that there is absolutely no difference between the action of an ignorant man and that of one who is enlightened; action is action, whoever performs it.
    The difference is found only in the result. The result of an ignorant man's action is enjoyed by himself and concerns mainly himself because he is attached to it; he acts and benefits from the results which make a deep impression on him.
    In the case an enlightened man, the doer is not attached to the action and the results are not attached to him. The effects spread out in the world and everything benefits from them. The impression of the result passes him by, leaving him free from the bondage of action. This is because, he has realised the Self as separate from activity and from the basis of eternal contentment. His actions are in response to the needs of the time; they fulfil the demands of their surroundings.

    The wise are tools in the hands of the Divine; they innocently carry out the divine plan. Their actions arise from the desire for "the welfare of the world".

    Love,
    Chithra.
     
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  2. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Cheeniya's Supplemenary Post:

    As we all know, Lord Shiva represents Fire at Tiruvannamalai. He is called Arunachala at this holy place and many Saints have adorned this place. Arunachala is a combination of Arunam and Achalam. Arunam represents the red hue of fire and Achalam means 'motionless'. How is that He is described as motionless when He Himself says that there will be great havoc if He ceases to act? To understand this, we must know that all motions are relative and can be observed only in relation to something else. The Lord, being all-pervasive, cannot be seen in relation to anything else because everything is within Him. So He appears motionless though He is in reality an epitome of action.

    When we take a look at the night sky, there is an indescribable stillness about it despite the billions of stars and other heavenly bodies. But ask any quantum physicists about it and they'll talk endlessly about the furious actions that go on involving the Black Holes, galaxies, quasars and the rest. The Universe continues to expand and with the help of technologically advanced versions of telescopes, we can only observe a fraction of the ever expanding Universe. The effect of the initial explosion which is referred to as the Big Bang continues to be seen in the birth of new galaxies. When the Lord decides it is time, the Implosion called Pralaya will start when all the physical manifestations of the Universe will be sucked into the great Oneness. This endless cycle of one becoming many and the many dissolving into One is represented by the Cosmic Dance of Lord Shiva. This is also symbolically represented in the Deeparadhana in Temples which starts with a single lamp which is progressively increased to a lamp with 108 faces and ended with a single lamp atop a Kumbha or a pot.

    David Bohm, the renowned quantum physicist, talks of the Implicate and Explicate orders of Nature. The Implicate Order, as explained by Bohm, is the unbroken, undifferentiated Oneness in which there are no differences or distinctions where everything is connected to everything else. It is nothing but what we know as the Brahman. At the Implicate Level, everything is made of the same substance. The Explicate Order is the world of objects with names and forms like humans, beasts, birds, trees etc. which we perceive through our senses. Only at this level, we see ourselves different from each other. At the Implicate level, all matter, whether here on earth or at the outer space, is involved in the eternal dance of Energy or the series of explosions and implosions known to us as the cycle of Birth and Death. Viewed in this perspective, the Lankavathara Sutra's pronouncement that 'Nirvana is where there is no birth, no extinction; it is seeing into the state of Suchness, absolutely transcending all the categories constructed by the mind' becomes so profound.

    Whichever way it is looked at, the Lord is the hub of all activity and how true it is that if He ceases to act, nothing can exist! But as the Lord does not gain or lose as a result of all such actions, we call them as His Leela. We cannot comprehend His Leela unless we develop a spiritual outlook. All His Leelas are meant to lead us into the path of righteousness. He could have ended the atrocities of the Kauravas with just a snapping of His fingers but He caused the Kurukshetra War to happen and made the Right prevail over the Wrong through elaborate machinations only to create in us an awareness of the Right and the
    Sri.
     
  3. corallux

    corallux Bronze IL'ite

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    My Dear Gita Gurus,

    "No pain without gain" goes a popular proverb. If just by sitting in a place, one feels she/he will get spiritual upliftment,then that person needs to be corrected.

    Great people have achieved their goals by sheer hard work. That is how they have become role model for the masses. No one is immune from this. The story of the Divine Mother sitting on a needle tip as a penance before she skilled Mahishasur is a shining example of this.

    The Dashavatars of Lord Vishnu are a perfect example of how he had to perform actions to get "Dharma" back into order. The Lord's Sahasranams end with his assurance that he will manifest himself every time there is a threat to Dharma.

    "Yogashmam vahamyaham" says the Lord. Meaning that our welfare is his concern. The wise souls thus put their faith in the divine order and go about their daily tasks.

    Dear Cheeniyaji, Science is now waking up to what the scriptures always said. Atom is the core of every substance in this world, both living & non-living. Shri Lalita Sahasranam says she is "Paramanu" the nucleus of everything.

    As for the example you have provided us of the lamps, they also represent the souls. No doubt we are different. The culmination of the rows into a single lamp shows that in the end we all merge into the same Life source the Supreme Brahman.

    Oh yes, people may argue that the Pandavas won because of Lord Krishna's mischief on the battle field. I believe that he is the best statesman the world has ever produced. His tactful handling of complex political situations can put any diplomat to shame.

    On this occasion of Navratri, I dedicate this to you my Gurus who inspire me to be a better human.

    Wish you all a very Happy Navratri.

    Regards,
    Corallux
     
  4. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Lux,
    So prompt, as usual, thanks!
    The Universe is not a chaos, but it is a cosmos. Lawless-ness is not noticed anywhere in the working of the cosmic forces.
    Here, Krishna suggests that Arjuna should work, unattached to his own ego-centric, limited concept of himself and his relatives and must enter the battle-field as a champion fighting for a noble and righteous cause.
    Your FB speaks of your values of life and their understanding! Our blessings to you, Luxma.
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
  5. mkthpavi

    mkthpavi Senior IL'ite

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    Dear C & C
    Inaction is destruction personified!
    Imagine what would happen if one of our body organs simply stops doing what it is supposed to do. Our metabolism and our very existence will be under threat. Similarly, for the Cosmic Body, each of us are organs and even if one of us stops performing our duties, it has the potential of causing unhappiness and negative impact.
    We may feel lazy or dejected at times while doing an activity...but if at that given time, that is the best option, one should keep doing it. Many of us crib and complain about work load etc...but then I notice not many 'DO' something about it. Why cant they try for other career options? Why cant they pursue their other interests / hobbies if work is so taxing? Laziness, complacence and complaining is not an option really.
    Thanks for a lively, lovely post - most needed tonic for my generation where we take everything for granted, look for shortcuts and remain unhappy despite technological and material progress !!
    Thanks and love
    Your IL disciple
    Pavithra
     
  6. gayathriar

    gayathriar Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear C & C

    Everybody and everything seem to work ceaselessly. As per Cheeniya last week, our heart never ceases to pump until our last breath and so does the earth rotate and revolve ceaselessly. Lord Krishna's words that 'the world will prerish if I do not act' reminds of the story of Hanuman in which the Vayu baghavan is angry with Indra for striking Hanuman with vajrayudham and stops performing his action. The whole world came to a standstill and Brahma intervened to revive Anjaneya to spare the universe. When we stop acting, aberrations start setting in. Presence of so many physical ailments amidst is a proof of this outcome of inaction.

    Since action is inevitable, why not do that with a sense of detachment? Well, this is the tough part to practise and I think that is the reason the Lord re-iterates it over and over.

    The cosmic dance of Shiva and His Arunachala form and the still sky filled with stars and the furious actions going on sums it all up. Many thanks for providing ample food for thought.

    -Gayathri.
     
  7. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Corallux
    On the subject of non-stop work, let us look at the task undertaken by Lord Ganeshji for Veda Vyasa. When Vyasa wanted Geneshji to write down the Mahabharat as he narrated it, Ganeshji said that He would be only too happy to do that but stipulated that the entire Mahabharat should be narrated non-stop. Vyasa agreed and Ganeshji broke His tusk to use as a writing material. Why did Ganeshji stipulate that the entire Mahabharat should be narrated non-stop? It was because the Lord wanted the story to be narrated without any additional input from Vyasa. He knew that if there were interruptions, the narrator might add his own perspective to what happened and by stipulating that it should be narrated non-stop, Ganeshji ensured that it would only be a factual recording of events.

    The emphasis on 'ceaseless activity' is only to prevent the mind from becoming a Devil's workshop. Devil thrives gloriously when there is no work to do!

    May the Goddess bless you with good health, wealth and sublime happiness!
    Sri
     
  8. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Pavithra
    Anyone going against the Laws of Nature is bound to cause damage to the good order of the society. You have summed this up nicely by saying "Similarly, for the Cosmic Body, each of us are organs and even if one of us stops performing our duties, it has the potential of causing unhappiness and negative impact." It only shows how each individual is integrated into the functioning of the cosmic body. The whole of this Chapter is meant to drive home the fact that we must all not only keep acting continuously but also act within the framework of the Divine Laws.

    When all the major constituents of the vast Universe like the galaxies, stars and planets act within such Divine Laws, how can we assume that we are not bound by the same laws? Imagine what will happen if one of the planets of the Solar System decides to break free of the laws that govern their movements!
    Sri
     
  9. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Gayathri
    We do not have to go to the mind boggling size of the ever expanding Universe and the trillions of stars and galaxies interacting with each other to understand the meaning of and need for ceaseless action. Let us just look at our own bodies and the ceaseless action that goes on inside us to keep us alive and healthy. Our internal organs keep acting even while we are asleep. What we are today is not what we were yesterday. The cells of our body keep getting replaced continuously. Think of the perfect co-ordination among the various organs of our body in keeping us healthy and alive. Think of how we fall sick if there is a temporary aberration in the interaction of our internal organs. The same laws that govern the cosmic activity govern our system too. If we can't learn our Gita lessons from these examples within and without, we never will!
    Sri
     
  10. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Pavi,
    Let us imagine what would happen to mankind on the globe if the laws of the universe are relaxed for a while. The whole world would crash into destruction.
    The pride of human intelligence appears childish when one contemplates on the beneficient power that keeps the planets in their orbits.
    The Lord, hence, says that if He does not work the world would perish.
    Karma Yoga, besides being the path of self-purification and self-realisation, is the divine technique to secure peace and prosperity for mankind in this earthly life.
    Love,
    Chithra




     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2008

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