 |
Chapter 13
Distinction between The Self And The Not-Self
67. Distinguishing Between The Body And The Self Helps Karmayoga
3. One who performs swadharma should give up the fruit of actions: it is the main thing that is emphasised everywhere in the Gita. One must act, but one must also renounce the fruit; one must water a plant and tend it with care, but should not expect for himself any return therefrom in the form of its shade, fruit or flower. This is what karmayoga in the form of performance of swadharma means. Karmayoga does not just mean doing karma. Karma is, in fact, going on everywhere in the world; there is no need to tell anybody that it should be done. It may be easy to say or even understand, but difficult to put into practice, that one should perform swadharma properly—not just any sort of karma—and renounce the fruit, as desire for fruit is considered to be the incentive for action. Action without desire for the fruit for oneself is against the prevalent current; it is diametrically opposite to what normally goes on in the world. We often say that a man doing a lot of work is a karmayogi. But it is an inaccurate use of language. This is not karmayoga as per the Gita’s definition. You can hardly find a single karmayogi of the Gita’s definition among the millions who work; he is rare even among the millions who perform swadharma. In fact, judging by the true and subtle meaning of karmayoga, a perfect karmayogi can hardly be found. To work and then to renounce its fruit is something most unusual. The Gita has elucidated this particular point so far. 4. Another complementary point has been put forth in the Thirteenth Chapter. It is the distinction between the body and the Self. If we can make this distinction, it can help us in renouncing the fruit. We see something with the eyes and call it a form, a body or an image. But the eyes make us familiar with the outer form only; to get to know a thing fully we have to enter into its interior. We have to peel off the skin of a fruit to taste the pulp within. We have to break a coconut to get its soft kernel. A jackfruit too has a rough exterior but inside there is sweet and juicy pulp. We need to distinguish between the outer and the inner while looking at ourselves as well as at others. The outer cover is to be set aside. What does it mean? It means that we should make a distinction between the outwardly visible form of anything and its inner essence. Everything has an outer body and an inner soul; just as we have a physical body outside and the soul or the Self within. This is true about karma as well. The fruit of the karma is like its outer body which should be discarded, and the purification of mind that results from it is its soul which should be cherished. We should inculcate the habit of making this distinction; we should acquire this penetrating insight. We should train and discipline the eyes, the mind and the reason through constant practice to achieve this purpose. Everywhere we should leave aside the body and adore the soul. The Thirteenth Chapter has explained this distinction for us to reflect over it. |
 |