28 Apr 2021
Śrī Kishore Ram: What is the main theme of Bhagavad Gītā?
Swāmi replied: Knowledge and devotion are theoretical, which are strongly elaborated and preached by several sages. God Kṛṣṇa is the king ruling Dvārakā. Since, He is a king, unlike a sage, He is very much prone to the practical side, which is called Karma Yoga. A king is always involved in the practical side of administration whereas the sages give advice to him on the theoretical side. Without theory, practice can’t result and without practice, the fruit can’t result. The main subject dealt in the Bhagavad Gītā is Niṣkāma Karma Yoga or the work to be done without aspiration for fruit. The Bhagavad Gītā is called as Yoga śāstra and Yoga means Karma Yoga (karma yogena yoginām…).
Śrī Kishore Ram: What is this work? Is it worldly work or God’s Work?
Swāmi replied: Several people mistook the Bhagavad Gītā preaching the worldly work. In the case of worldly work, there is no need of preaching to do it because every human being does the worldly work naturally without any advice from anybody. Moreover, Kṛṣṇa preached everywhere in the Gītā that the work shall be done without aspiration for fruit. Hence, this must be God’s work only and not the worldly work because in worldly work, leaving the aspiration for fruit is meaningless. If you are employed, you will take your salary for your work. If you apply Kṛṣṇa’s advice to worldly work, it means that you shall do the work to the employer without aspiring salary from him! In such case, the employer will exploit your foolishness. Therefore, the work preached by Kṛṣṇa in the Gītā is only God’s work and not worldly work.
Kṛṣṇa said that Arjuna shall fight the war and the war is God’s work and not worldly work. The aim of the war is to destroy unjust people and establish justified people. Hence, the work in the form of war clearly indicates that the work is God’s work and not worldly work. If the war is fought just for the sake of Arjuna to achieve property without analysis of justice as is done by an advocate to his client, it should have been worldly work. Even if it is worldly work, it becomes God’s work because in such worldly work, Arjuna getting justified share of property is justice. God always supports justice and destroys the injustice and this is God’s work (dharma saṃsthāpanārthāya…). Hence, war is having two angles. One angle is that it is worldly work and the other is that it is God’s work. Every worldly work need not be God’s work. But this war is God’s work because the main aim of the war is to establish justice and destroy injustice. If Arjuna fights the war just to achieve his share of property even if it is not justified on his side, Kṛṣṇa will not be so much interested in it. Kṛṣṇa is very much interested in the war because the main aim of the war is to establish justice and destroy injustice and not mere achieving property. Hence, Kṛṣṇa asked Arjuna to participate in the war and do God’s work. Therefore, the theme of the Bhagavad Gītā, which is God’s work is completely applicable to the war. Kṛṣṇa showed cosmic vision in which He showed that He had already killed the unjust people, which means that He is telling Arjuna that He can do His work without the help of anybody. Arjuna is given a chance to participate in the service of God so that Arjuna can uplift himself.
Kṛṣṇa stressed the sacrifice of fruit of work, called Karma Phala Tyāga. This applies only when the sacrifice is to God and not to the employer. Sacrifice of mere service is called Karma Saṃnyāsa that alone is done by saints (saṃnyāsins) only. Householder must do both sacrifice of fruit of work as well as sacrifice of work. Both these shall be done without aspiration of any fruit in return and such explanation of Karma Yoga is justified only in the case of God and not in the case of worldly persons. Therefore, the total theme of the Bhagavad Gītā is Karma Yoga or practical philosophy related to God’s work, which consists of both sacrifice of work and sacrifice of fruit of work. In the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa used the word Karma Phala Tyāga (sacrifice of fruit of work) as alternative name for Karma Yoga. The reason is that Karma Phala Tyāga indicates only householders, who must also do Karma Saṃnyāsa. Karma Saṃnyāsa cannot represent Karma Yoga because Karma Saṃnyāsa indicates the saints only and it can’t bring Karma Phala Tyāga because saints can only do Karma Saṃnyāsa. This means that wherever Karma Phala Tyāga exists Karma Saṃnyāsa also co-exists and wherever Karma Saṃnyāsa exists Karma Phala Tyāga need not compulsorily exist. Therefore, Karma Phala Tyāga is used as alternative name of Karma Yoga and Karma Saṃnyāsa is not used as alternative name for Karma Yoga as seen in śloka “dhyānāt karma phala tyāgaḥ” in the Gītā.
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