In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna going back to the narrative of “Karma Yoga” and the “Gnyaana Yoga” after narrating His “Avatara-Rahasyam” to Arjuna. This is as part of the fourth “Adhyaaya” of the Bhagawad Gita and we’re now witnessing a fresh narrative from Bhagawan Krishna wherein He says that one should be able to see “Karma Yoga” as he / she performs the “Gnyaana Yoga”, and at the same time, one should also be able to see the “Gnyaana Yoga” as he / she keeps performing his / her “Karma”. This is a very important point that Bhagawan is stressing here, wherein we get a sense that both the “Karma Yoga” and the “Gnyaana Yoga” are intertwined with each other and are not separate entities as discussed in the third “Adhyaaya”. Previously till now, we’ve been witnessing the narrative that one can attain the “Atma-Saakshaakaaram” through the “Gnyaana Yoga”, which is the second advanced step after “Karma Yoga”. However, since Arjuna was more interested in finding out an escape route by bypassing the “Karma Yoga”, Bhagawan Krishna changed His narrative by saying that one can attain the highest “Atma-Saakshaakaaram” by performing the “Karma Yoga” itself, and “Gnyaana Yoga” is not deemed to be necessary in everyone’s case. However, now, with this new narrative of seeing “Gnyaana Yoga” within the “Karma Yoga”, Arjuna has a huge confusion now! So what is Arjuna’s confusion? Let us witness as follows!
So what is Bhagawan Krishna trying to say here? When He says that we should be able to see the “Gnyaana Yoga” within the “Karma Yoga” that we perform, we need to understand that while performing our “Karma” there are two distinctive parts to it – Firstly, the physical effort that is involved in performing the “Karma”. Second is the mental involvement and emotional involvement that we need to have while performing the “Karma”. For instance, when we’re visiting a temple of Bhagawan and when we’re performing the “Pradakshina” (Circumventing) around Bhagawan’s “Sannidhi”, our legs are walking along the pathway laid for the “Pradakshina” of the temple, aren’t they? This is the physical part. Second, it is not only our legs that are merely walking around. Our mind and emotions are also involved, aren’t they? This is because, as we circumvent Bhagawan’s divine abode, we also think of Him, we chant some shlokas in praise of Him, etc. while we do the “Pradakshina”, aren’t we? This is the mental and emotional involvement part and this directly contributes to the “Gnyaana Yoga”.
Thus, going to the temple and circumventing around Bhagawan’s shrine constitutes our “Karma Yoga” and thinking about Him, chanting Mantras and Shlokas while circumventing around His shrine constitutes our “Gnyaana Yoga”. Hence, we can see clearly here as to how the “Karma Yoga” and “Gnyaana Yoga” are intertwined with each other and they are not separate entities. Thus, the point in a nutshell here is that, we should perform our “Karma Yoga” with complete awareness, and this awareness is what we refer to as the “Gnyaana Yoga”. If such is the case, there might be another question here – Can we practise “Gnyaana Yoga” sitting at our homes itself, instead of going to the temple? If we go to the temple, most of the time it is crowded and there are serpentine queues to worship Bhagawan. Hence, instead of “wasting time” standing in the queue, can we sit at home, think of Bhagawan’s shrine and thus practise the “Gnyaana Yoga” straightaway?
Now, this is what Arjuna is exactly asking here. For this, Bhagawan clearly says that one cannot skip the “Karma Yoga” and move into the “Gnyaana Yoga” straightaway! Going to the temple physically is very important and it is our duty to perform this action. Bhagawan has given us hands and legs primarily for this reason and it is our bound duty to perform this action meticulously. However, this “Karma Yoga” should not be mere physical actions, is what Bhagawan is highlighting and emphasizing here. The point here is that, we should never compromise on our “Karma Yoga”, but at the same time, we should develop that awareness while performing it. This is what is important and for today, let us understand this point very clearly and we shall wait till the next episode to continue this discussion further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 