Bhagavadgita -Radhakrishnan 57

The Bhagavadgita -S. Radhakrishnan

Prev.png
INTRODUCTORY ESSAY
12. The Way of Action: Karma-marga


When the long agony of Arjuna had borne its fruit, he learned that in God's will is his peace.[1] Under the control of the Lord, nature (prakrti) carries on its work. The individual intelligence, mind and senses function for the great universal purpose and in its light. Victory or defeat does not disturb, as it is willed by the Universal Spirit. Whatever happens, the individual accepts without attachment or aversion. He has passed beyond the dualities (dvandvatita). He does the duty expected of him, kartavyam karma, without travail and with freedom and spontaneity The man of the world is lost in the varied activities of the world. He throws himself into the mutable world (ksara). The quietist withdraws into the silence of the Absolute (aksara) but the ideal man of the gita goes beyond these two extremes and works like Purusottama who reconciles all possibilities in the world without getting involved in it. He is the doer of works who yet is not the doer, kartãram akartaram. The Lord is the pattern of an unwearied and active worker who does not, by His work forfeit His integrity of spirit. The liberated soul is eternally free like Krsna and Janaka.[2]Janaka carried on his duties and was not per-Cp-turbed by the events of the world.[3]The freed souls work for the guidance of men who follow the standards set by the thoughtful. They live in the world but as strangers. They endure all hardships in the flesh[4] and yet they live not after the flesh.



Next.png

References and Context

  1. ↑ XXVIII, 73.
  2. ↑ Isa Up. asks us to look upon the whole world as dwelling in the Supreme and to perform actions, as such actions do not bind us: sa karma lip ate nare. Cp. yah kriyiivain sac pandits. M.B., Vana-arva, 312, Io8. Amanda ' ' in his comment on S. on Katha UpO, II,says :viveki sarvadd nzuktah kurvato nasti: hartrtcalepavadam asritya srisrikrsna Janaka yatha'.In the Adhyatma Ramayana, Rama tells Laksmana: "He who has fallen in the stream of this world remains unsullied even though he may outwardly perform all kinds of actions."pravahapatitah karyam kurvann api na liiyatebahye sarvatra kartrtvam avahann api raghavq.
  3. ↑ Infinite indeed is my wealth of which nothing is mine. If Mithila is burnt, nothing that is mine is burnt."anantam Bata me vittam nasty me nasti kincanamithilayam pradiptaycñ na me cit pradahyate.M.B., ,Santiparva, VII, I
  4. ↑ Se says that the saints, the great ones, live in peace. Like the spring season, they confer good on the world. Themselves having crossed the mighty ocean of samsara, they enable others to cross the same, with no apparent motive in doing sosancta mahãnto nivasanti santah vasantaval lokahitam carantaztirnah svayam bhimabhavarnavam janan ahetunanyanapi tarayantah Cp. Bliagavata The good people suffer for the sorrows of the world. prayaso lokatapena taayante sãdhavo janah. They consume themselves in order that they may light the world.