OVERVIEW – REFINED ACTION
I Atman – the real Guru Verses 1-8
II Atman and Action Verses 9-17
III Actions do not Bind the Enlightened Verses 18-23
IV The 12 Yajnas (sacrifices) Verses 24-30
V Yajnas Culminate in Wisdom Verses 31-37
VI Therefore Gain Wisdom Verses 38-42
I. The only qualification a teacher needs is spiritual development. You can communicate only to the extent you have purified yourself and uncovered Atman. Atman communicates Itself. Krsna assures Arjuna that whenever there is a decline in dharma righteousness and upsurge in adharma unrighteousness He will come into the world to protect the good, destroy evil and establish virtue.
II. Atman enables all actions, material or spiritual, divine or bestial. Atman does not act. Atman is not responsible for the quality of action. Nor is Atman affected by the outcome of the action. Just as petrol enables all cars to move but itself is immobile. And, it is not responsible for the quality of driving and is unaffected by the result.
III. Actions backed by desire bind you with more desire. Actions dedicated to a higher ideal, performed in a spirit of service and sacrifice, liberate you from existing desire. Action should arise from intellectual clarity and not from mere whims and fancies of the mind. The mind should be content and intellect focused on the higher goal. Find fulfillment in the action. Do not crave for the fruit of action.
IV. Life consists of three sections – receipt of stimuli from the world, reaction by the mind and intellect, and response back into the world. This portion further divides them into twelve and converts every segment into worship. These are the twelve yajnas. In every yajna there is an offering and a kindling. Thus worship becomes a constant awareness of Atman rather than an occasional ritual in the midst of worldly activities.
V. When yajna is performed vasanas or desires reduce. The highest yajna is jnana yajna by which you gain knowledge of Atman. The preparatory practices are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Knowledge destroys mental agitation and removes the delusion that the world is real. You go about life’s activities objectively, without involvement.
VI. Knowledge is gained by sense control, devotion, and sraddha. Sraddha is the capacity of the intellect to absorb knowledge, reflect upon it till you live it. Then you attain supreme Peace. If not, you will not gain success in the world or even happiness. Spiritual growth is a far cry! Therefore establish yourself in yoga, union with Atman.