Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 544

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-18 Mokṣa Sannyāsa Yogaḥ

Commentary 'The Brahmins desire to know Him by the study of the Vedas, by sacrifices, by philanthropy, by self-discipline associated with fasting' . But here Sri Krishna enjoins the performance of work without the idea of agency or motive. Sri Krishna now teaches how one can realise that one is not the agent, by attributing all agency to God, the Supreme Being and the Inner Ruler. By cultivating this attitude, one can attain freedom from possessiveness with regard to actions and their rewards. For it is the Supreme Being who performs all actions through the individual Selves who are His expressions. The organs, bodies and life-breaths (prāṇa) of all embodied beings are His vestures. The purpose of their existence is for His pleasure alone. Therefore, even the appeasement of hunger etc., and such other acts of daily living are all considered as the means for accomplishing the pleasure of the Supreme Lord Himself. pañcaitāni mahābāho kāraṇāni nibodha me | sāṅkhye kṛtānte proktāni siddhaye sarva karmaṇām || 13 || 13. Learn from Me, O Arjuna, these five causes which that are considered in reasoned deliberation (Saṅkhya-krtānta) to be responsible for the accomplishment of all works.