Karma Yoga Sastra -Tilak
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CHAPTER XI
RENUNCITATION AND KARMA-YOGA
Every ordinary human being in the world carries out all his activities with the feeling of 'mine', or, 'for my benefit'. But, as that man who has become a scient, has lost his 'mine-ness' (mamatva), he begins to perform all the activities in the world created by the Isvara with the feeling (the mine-less, i. e., nirmama feeling) that they are of the Paramesvara, and that the Paramesvara has created him for performing them : this is the difference between the Jnanin and the Ajnanin [1]. When one takes into account this doctrine of the Gita, the plain meaning of the words, " 'sama' becomes a 'karana' to the person who has become steeped in Yoga", becomes apparent [2]. Some commentators on the Gita interpret this stanza as meaning that, the man, who has become steeped in Yoga, should thereafter take to 'sama' that is, 'santi', and do nothing else. But this meaning is not correct, 'sama' means ' peace of mind ' ; and instead of describing that ' sama' as the ultimate 'result' (karya), it is said in this stanza that this 'sama' or 'sanli' is the 'cause' (karana) of something else— "samah karanam ucyate". Therefore, 'soma' must be considered as a 'karana' (cause), and we must see what the 'karya' (result) of it is. If one considers the previous and subsequent context, it becomes clear that that result (karya) is 'Karma' ; and then this stanza has to be interpreted as meaning, that the Yogin should make his mind peaceful, and perform all his further activities by means of that sama or santi (peace); and one cannot interpret it, as has been done by the commentators, as meaning that 'the Yogin (yogarudha) should give up Karma'. In the same way, the words "sarvarambha- parityagi" and "aniketah" must be interpreted as indicating the Abandonment of the Hope of Fruit, rather than the Abandonment of the Action itself, as has been shown by me in my commentary attached to the translations of the verses in the various places. The second illustration given by the Blessed Lord in addition to His own, for proving the proposition that the Jnanin must perform all the various duties prescribed for the four castes, giving up the Hope for Fruit, and according to the Sastras, is that of Janaka. Janaka was a Karma-yogin of a very high order. He had become unselfish to such a great extent that he is said to have uttered the words: "milhilayam pradiptayam na, me dahyati kimacana" [3], i, e., "I will not feel it at all, even if the capital of my kingdom is burnt"; and in explaining why he was still carrying on the activities of ruling, though he had no selfish interest or advantage or disadvantage of his left, Janaka himself says: — devebhyas ca pitrbhyas ca bhutebhyo 'tithibhih saha l ity artham sarva evaite samarmbha bhavanti vai II[4]
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