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Chapter 18
What is the difference between 'Vihita Karma' and 'Niyata Karma?' All actions, which are sanctioned by scriptures, are called 'Vihita Karna'. All those actions sanctioned by scriptures cannot be performed, by a person because there is mention of several fasts, on all dates and days. If a man ohserves all those fasts, when will he have meals? But, out of those action sanctioned by the scripture, the duty that ought to be done, according to one's caste, (social order), stage of life and circumstances, is called 'Niyata Karma'. All the occupations of the four castes (Varnas) - Brahmana, Ksatriya, Vaisya and Sudra, are included in the 'Niyata Karma'.
If one's duty is abandoned, out of delusion, it is tamasika abandonment, and if it is abandoned, in order to gain pleasure and rest, it is rajasika abandonment. But if the duty is discharged by abandoning the desire for fruit and also attachment to it, it is sattvika abandonment. It means, that a tamasika person gets entangled in delusion, a rajasika in comforts and luxuries, while a sattvika person, discharges his duty carefully, without expecting any reward. A person abandons his affinity, with actions and their fruits, because of this sattvika nature or sattvika abandonment, not the rajasika and the tamasika ones. In fact, the latter two, are not abandonment, in the true sense of the word.
A layman regards abandonment of actions, as real abandonment. But according to Lord Krsna, real abandonment consists in abandoning attachment, and desire, which lead to bondage [1].
If external abandonment, is regarded as the real abandonment, every dead person should attain salvation, because he abandons all the worldly possessions, as well as his body and he does not even remember, them. Therefore internal abandonment of attachment and desire etc., is real abandonment, which frees a man, from bondage.
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