Bhagavan Sri Krishna presented to Arjuna the teachings of the sastram from philosophical, ethical and worldly angle in order to remove his sorrow. One has to act – how to act in a way that does not impact the doer or accrue punyam, paapam is the teaching here. Actions should be performed as Karma yoga which gives emotional/ inner strength – there is no loss of effort or negative impact owing to deficiency.
Dharma/ vedic rituals should be practiced for gaining eligibility for moksha jnana and not primarily for earning and enjoying (Artha-kama).
In today’s world, all the competition is finally for the sake of material pursuits and sense enjoyments. There are fewer people whose focus is on work than on enjoyment. For instance, there are some who play to win championships whereas there are some who play for the sake of health and well- being. The former is likely to go through stress and tension whereas the latter is sure to succeed in his goal whether he wins or loses a match. Gita’s main teaching is to enjoy one’s work rather than focusing on the result of work.
Sri Krishna says: Save your mental energy. Do not be absorbed in materialistic gains and pleasures. Keep your mind in prayer and focus on the main intent of the Vedas.
Grihastashrama (household) i s for conditioning our mind to enjoy desires within the boundaries of scriptural injunctions. It is important to gain maturity of mind. Transacting with people, facing others’ raga-dvesha (likes and dislikes) will help build a strong mind.
Sloka 42 – Artha kama pradhana Karmi ninda
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।
वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥ २-४२॥
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥ २-४३॥
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥ २-४४॥
These slokas condemn materialism–aiming to earn and enjoy sense pleasures. Bhagavan Sri Krishna elaborates on Sattvika, Rajasa and Tamasa karma in Chap 16. Here, he warns against Rajasa and Tamasa karma kandis (the materialistic).
Sattvika karma is selfless action which gives material welfare and spiritual benefits to people around and the individual also. Rajasa karma is selfish action but does not impact others. Tamasa karma is action concerned only about one’s own wellbeing with utter disregard for others’ sufferings.
अविपश्चितः – one who does not use his intellect properly to listen to/ learn the meaning of sastram in entirety (amedhasa: avivekina:)
कामात्मानः – embodiment of desire
स्वर्गपरा – having svarga (heaven) as the goal
वेदवादरताः – appreciating portions of the Vedas relating to kamya karma
नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः – there is nothing greater than karma according to them
इमाम् पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्ति – use flowery language
जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् – fruits of these actions become the seed for next janma
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां – elaborate rituals & activities to do a karma
भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति – towards sense enjoyments and supremacy/ leadership
It is important to listen to and contemplate upon what is taught by the guru after patiently and properly listening to the explanation. We should not attribute our own interpretation. Any interpretation should have the backing of the sastras or have the sanction of learned elders. However, there are some people with half- baked knowledge who do not learn the sastram in entirety and have no intellectual growth – they are अविपश्चितः. They are likely to suggest kamya karma to keep their occupation going.
Some portions of the Vedas are prayers to get whatever is sought like the mantra in praise of Kubera seeking his blessings to get all that is desired. This mantra is chanted every time during aarti.
ॐ राजाधि राजाय प्रसह्य साहिने नमो वयं वैश्रवणाय कूर्महे
समे कामान् काम कामाय मा कामेश्वरो वैश्रवणो दधातु
कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय महाराजाय नमः
We do pray to God for all our desires, but we should not stop there without understanding the main intent of the Vedas. People whose chanting of Vedas is only for fulfillment of their desires are वेदवादरताः
जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्, क्रियाविशेषबहुलां and भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति are the adjectives for पुष्पितां वाचं. The intent of the Vedas is to ensure practice of dharma. For that, it lures the student with promises of material benefits and sense pleasures. It is like a mother giving medicines mixed with honey to make it palatable for the child. To do kamya karma, one has to obey the scriptural injunctions. Without doing Nithya karma, kamya karma will not give benefits. With all this practice, one gets rid of desire for enjoyment.
Rituals are good to nurture relationships but we should perform, grow and then come out of it at one stage. Elaborate rituals for gains should not be continued beyond an age. Kamya karma will extend samsara. Nitya-naimitika karma (regular prayers, event-based rituals) should be continued with Ishvararpana buddhi (as an offering to Bhagavan without seeking result) but focus should not be in kamya and prayaschitta karma (karma desiring for material benefits or for atonement of sins). This is karma yoga.
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां – attached to sense enjoyment and power/supremacy
तयापहृतचेतसाम् – intellect is drawn towards material benefits and means to that
समाधौ – in the mind
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः न विधीयते – not having focus in moksha
In earlier days, the king was a guardian of the people and created an environment that was conducive to following dharma whereas sadly, that is not the case today. There is no education for developing value system; it is only for materialism. Laws are only meant to punish crime. There is financial progress but no mental and intellectual strength.
People whose goal is power, and pleasure follow dharma for materialism. Their interest will be more in rituals than in values. They will not be focused on removing kama, krodha, lobha, moha, madha, matsarya (desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride, jealousy).
Brahmalina Swami Omkarananda
मा कुरु धनजनयौवनगर्वं
हरति निमेषात्कालः सर्वम् ।सर्वम्
मायामयमिदमखिलं बुध्वा
ब्रह्मपदं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा ॥ ११॥ Bhaja Govindam
Don’t be proud of wealth and people power. Time will take everything away one day.
काम्ये मतिस्त्यज्यताम् – Give up kamya karma says Sri Adi Sankaracharya in Sadhana Pancakam.
Later Arjuna asks:
संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् ।
त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन ॥ 18-1॥
Sri Bhagavan says
काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः ॥ 18-2॥
The first level of sanyasa is kamya karma sanyasa (giving up religious activities desirous of material results). Then, prayaschitta karma sanyasa (for atonement of sins), later naimitika and at last nitya karma sanyasa.
Sri Krishna in these slokas warns against getting overly absorbed in rituals for material benefits believing the flowery words of those who praise kamya karma. After an age, these should be handed down to the next generation and time devoted to Vedanta study.