Bhagvad-Gita: Treatise of Self-help by BS Murthy (best summer reads of all time TXT) 📕

in those that clamour for ceremonies, which promise rewards here and in hereafter.  

, Given that postulation and going by the contextual nature of this chapter that emphasizes action, the s9 -s16 that eulogize the benefits of ritualistic sacrifices should be viewed. In this context, it is pertinent to note that while describing the Omnipresence of Supreme Spirit in chapter 10, it is postulated that among the Vedas, the Supreme Spirit is Sãma Veda, symbolizing music (s22), and not Rig Veda or Yajur Veda, both associated with ritualism. And again, in (s25) of the same chapter, it is averred that among the sacrifices, the Lord is tapo yagjna, prayer muted, and not Asvamedha, the horse sacrifice. Thus, these eight slokas seem to be clear interpolations.

Besides, s17, s18, and s35 are not only out of context but also break the continuity of the discourse. S24 is but an analogy of s23 and thus is an interpolation. However, the readers may note that these slokas, if interpreted in the ritualistic sacrificial sense, would broadly convey that - 

9.  Man is not attached to his actions performed in ritualistic sacrifices but all other actions bind him. 

10. The Creator wanted mankind to prosper through sacrifices, which shall be the milch cow of man’s desires.

11. Foster the gods through sacrifices 

12. Fostered by sacrifices, gods would bestow desired enjoyments, but they are thieves who do not return anything to them (gods).

13. Those that partake the remnants of sacrificial food are sinless.

14. Food that sustains mankind comes from rains, which are but the outcome of sacrificial ceremonies.

15. Brahma is seated in sacrifice.

16. Who follow the above regimen would attain moksha.

To appreciate the background for these interpolations, one might refer to ‘All about Interpolations’ of this book. Bypassing these would tend them on the path of sequential thinking outlined by the Lord for the enlightenment of man. 

1  
Thus spoke Arjuna:
Capping wants, if betters action
How come Thou then push for war!

2  
Find I hard to grasp all this 
Thou be forthright, what is right.  

3 
Thus spoke the Lord:
Apply knowledge ’n be freed
Or thou make tango, with forgo
Precepts these yore, I fashioned.

4  
Work-shy being, is no freedom
Dormant being, makes no living. 

5  
None like for man, non-action  
Keeps him nature ever engaged.

6  
Refrains if one, ever craving  
Restraint it’s but misleading.

7 
Reins as carnal, tucked in mind 
Strive who doth in deeds excel. 

8 
Lest thee should stake survival 
Turn thy back not on thy work.

19  
Ever thee act at par duty 
Let that be thy goal of life.

20  
Lead mankind in Janakã’s route
To moksha en route deeds selfless. 

21  
As and when thou prove thy worth
Emulates world then acts all thine.  

22  
Left with none to gain or prove
Keep I Myself ever engaged. 

23 
Were I to fail to self-exert  
Man might follow suit as well.

25 
Strive as wise to act freely
Get bound unwise ever restrained.    

26 
Waste not breath, ill-informed with 
Wise show ways through their own deeds.  

  
27 
Gloat as egotists of their deeds
Sourced are acts in one’s nature.

28  
Those that see the senses lie
Behind the deeds are truly freed.

29

Let go wise, who swear by

Joys of life that nature tends.

 

30

Act not with fear or favour

Unto me leave right ‘n wrong.

31  
Whoso takes, this advice  
Feels no burden ever engaged. 

32 
Who this lets go mindlessly  
Gropes in darkness, ever in life.

33  
Beings as by nature ruled
In spite of their self-restraint
Wise too tend to lose their way. 

34

Pays it to see grips avarice 
Senses those thine nature tends.  

36  
Thus spoke Arjuna:
Why should one with right intent 
Stray ever on the wayward ways!

37  
Thus spoke the Lord:   
Well, it's passion, lust ’n wrath 
Drag that man on path painful.

38  
Flame ’n mirror as shrouded
Without let by smoke ’n dust  
As well embryo in the womb 
Wisdom is by wants clouded.

39  
Wise all tend to cap all wants 
Which like fire all burn to core.

40 
Veiled off wisdom sees not man 
Mind and body steeped in wants.

41

Rein in matter with thy mind 
Thus thou nip thy wants in bud.

 

 

42  
Score over senses sensuous feelings  
Betters that mind, bettered by knowing
But above all Spirit that reins supreme.

43  
Let thy Spirit 
Rule the roost, 
Restrain thou 
Thy mind mischievous.

Ends thus: 
Theory of Action,
The Third Chapter  
Of Bhagavad-Gita 
Treatise of self-help.

 

Chapter 4

Practical Wisdom

This chapter of 42 slokas, known as jnana yoga, Spiritual Knowledge, is replete with practical wisdom as well.  

So in this chapter as with the previous one, there are interpolations galore. Slokas from 24 to 32 that are of religious/ritualistic nature seem clearly out of context and character. Prior to this seemingly interpolated body of eleven slokas, the nature of the Supreme Spirit and the conduct of those who realize it are dealt with. Thus, the discontinuity in the text brought about by the body of these interpolative slokas would be self-evident. Among these is s24, in which the nature of Brahman is described in terms of sacrificial fire, the oblation, its ladle, and the sacrifice et al, an antithesis of the Gita at any rate.

And the other slokas of this group that describe states of yogic practices may be enlightening in their own way though out of context. But s34 that advises Arjuna to seek wise counsel is irrelevant in the context of the discourse fashioned to set his fears at rest in the battlefield of Kurukshetra itself.

That brings us to the first of the caste-oriented precepts in the Gita - chãtur varnyam mayã srustam (s13). The plain reading of this sloka would have us believe that  the Lord Himself created the four-caste system, of Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra, to suit the inclinations of a given soul towards certain earmarked calling of social and spiritual life in this world. And then, as a rider that is vague at the very best; Lord Krishna says that though He is the author of it all, He should not be deemed as the doer. These so-called caste characteristics and duties as well figure in s 41-s48 of the concluding chapter, which are discussed therein.

It is imperative that we try to see whether these solkas belong to the original text, or are mere later day insertions, meant to sanctify the Aryan caste credo with the underpinning of 'exclusivity of duties' through the venerated Gita. It should not be lost on one that s11’s return of favour by the Lord is juxtaposing to the stated detachment of His as espoused in s14. On the other hand, s12 that is akin to s20, ch.7, itself an interpolation, and s13 do not jell with the spirit of the philosophy.

Just the same, one school of thought tends to view chãtur varnyam as a way of general differentiation amongst men. However, this  would not cut much ice since common sense suggests that Lord Krishna would have been aware that this turn of phrase is likely to be viewed in caste colours rather than in general terms. That being the case, the Lord would have been circumspect in his word choices to convey his scheme of things governing man’s birth if they aren’t as narrow as the Aryan caste system propounds.

Or is the chãtur varnyam His real will, whether one likes it or not? The answer could be found in the Lord's averments as one reads on. The four types of beings the Lord identifies by their nature and disposition are - the virtuous, the vile, the passionate, and the deluded. Isn’t the proposition that people of a given nature and disposition could be bracketed into one single caste so absurd? After all, even a given family provides many shades of human nature in its members, won’t it? That being the case, could Krishna be so naive as not to know about it! Above all, hasn't He declared in
s 29, ch.9, ‘None I favour, slight I none / Devout Mine all gain Me true’.

Slokas like chãtur varnyam that would be encountered intermittently in the Gita are but mischievous, if not malicious, interpolations meant to buttress the Aryan caste prejudices and thus should be dismissed as such. 

1  
Thus spoke the Lord:
Advice this to Sun I gave  
Told he Manu  
Ikshvãku thus got in turn.

2  
Followed world My word for long   
Lost which mankind in due course.  

3 
It’s but love I nurse for thee
Made Me reveal this Secret 
Wisdom Supreme I gave Sun.

4  
Thus spoke Arjuna:
Born of now, how come Thou 
Did Sun advise there for long!

5  
Thus spoke the Lord:
Born all here times umpteen  
Aware am I but know not thou.

6  
Beyond the pale of birth ’n death  
On My volition I take birth.

7  
Wanes if good ’n vile gain reign 
Know it's then that I come forth. 

8 
It’s thus I from time to time
Manifest here to uproot ill   
And uphold well for public good.

9  
Grasp who this true self of Me  
Are bound to become one with Me.

10  
So with who lead poised life
Reining in their base instincts.

14  
Detached Am from what happens 
It's this knowledge that frees man.

15  
Men of yore all came to know
That's how one can free himself.   

16 
Aspects action, inaction too
Wont to puzzle the wise even.

17 
Apart actions’ rights ’n wrongs 
Inaction no less confounds man.

18  
Grasping action, in non-action
Inaction in action, discern wise.

19  
Whoso privy to this truth
Gives up wants all senses seek. 

20  
He that content leans on none 
Resigned he lives in thick of things. 

21  
Mind if keeps thy greed at bay
It’s no sin thou meet thy needs.

22  
One that truly well realized 
Happy being with his share 
Rids of envy from his mind 
Easy he feels ever engaged 
Treats he alike grief ’n joy 
Wins ’n losses not to speak.

23 
Acts of man to favour none 
Grace they have of deeds selfless.

33  
Better wise deeds than acts selfless 
Wise thus strive to better themselves.

35  
As ’n when thou this realize
In us both then world discern 
And get rid of thy illusions.

36  
Voyage by thy boat knowledge 
Helps thee cross all seas sinful.

37  
Fire as wood to ashes turns
So spark wisdom burns thy sloth.

38  
None that betters this wisdom  
Realize thou by striving hard. 

39
Hone thy senses steeped in faith 
And thou be wise ’n freed of all.

40 
Besides those who this doubt
Here as above suffer uncouth.

41
Doubts at bay with analyzed thought
Detached deeds of applied knowledge
That’s how regardless wise all work.

42 
Thus O Arjun,
Sever doubts with thy sword wisdom
And fight thy foes with all thy strength.

Ends thus: 
Practical Wisdom,

The Fourth Chapter,

Of Bhagavad-Gita,

Treatise of self-help.

 

 

Chapter 5

Art of Renunciation

This chapter of 29 slokas, known as karma sanyãsa yoga, Renunciation of Action, is in response to Arjuna’s plea at the beginning of the chapter, ‘Pray be clear, as Thee aver / Act ’n give up in selfsame breath’ 

Lord Krishna sets the tone for self-help in this chapter with the opening statement, ‘Give up all ’n thou be freed / So’s the case with selfless work / But know latter scores much better’.   

S18 avers the Omnipresence of the Supreme in Brahmans, cows, elephants, dogs and dog eaters. This tasteless description could be but an interpolation as it is so ill behoves the Lord’s eloquence and sophistication of expression seen throughout. Incidentally, the succeeding s19 makes it clear that whoever recognizes Him in all beings attains the Supreme State in life itself. It may be noted that s29 and s30 of next chapter also run along the same lines.

S27-s28 that deal with yogic practices and s29, which asserts the Supreme as the beneficiary of sacrificial rituals, are but interpolation for reasons that bear no repetition.  

 

1  
Thus spoke Arjuna:
Pray be clear, as Thee aver 
Act ’n give up in selfsame breath.   

2  
Thus spoke the Lord:
Give up all ’n thou be freed
So is the case with selfless work 
But know latter scores much better.

3
Wise neither want, nor they shun 
That’s how they give up ever engaged.

4  
Way action ’n path learning  
Know not ignorant not different.

5  
Work highway ’n lane freedom
Know the learned are the same.

6  
What thou forego if thee cease
Deeds selfless make acts forsake.

7  
Such one realized
Self-willed, dutiful 
Within self remains