ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया।।
।।18.61।।
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(Gita 18/61)
This means that The Lord though seated in the hearts of all beings, He by His Divine potency, deludes them all. Then the question arises, that is it God only, that makes every one do things?
Now listen to the answer. There is one thing, that is “doing” and another thing, that is the “happenings”. We have the power to “do”; but we have no power in what “happens.” God says –
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ।।
।।2.47।।
Karmamyevaadhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachan |
Maa karmaphalaheturbhoormaa te sangostavka ||
(Gita 2/47)
Your right is to work only, but never to its fruit, let not the fruit of action be your object, nor let your attachment be to inaction (Gita 2/47).
One thing is that we do, and another is what takes place (happens). Actions is that which we do, and fruit (outcome) is that which happens (takes place). Only the pride of doer-ship that remains, will become the cause of enjoying the fruits in the future. Actions that are done without a sense of doer-ship, do not become fruit bearing karmas (actions). The work that we do, we do with attachment and desire for fruit, but that which happens (takes place) is in accordance to ordinance put in place by God.
A man must be careful in doing, whereas he must remain happy in what happens (takes place). The meaning of remaining careful in doing is, putting your total effort and abilities in doing work, renouncing pride of doership and desire for fruit, as the work done with pride of doership and desire for fruit is binding. But –
यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते।
हत्वापि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते।।
।।18.17।।
Yasya naahankruto bhaavo budhiryasya na lipyate |
Hatvaapi sa imaamllokaann hanta na nibadhyate ||
(Gita 18/17)
He who is free from egoism, whose intellect is not tainted, though he may slay other creatures, he slays not, nor is he bound (by actions) (Gita 18/17)
Therefore the meaning of being careful in “doing” means renouncing both, the pride of doership and desire for enjoying the fruit. This sense of doership and desire for enjoyment is not created by God, it is created by the “jeev” (embodied soul) himself.
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते।।
।।5.14।।
na kartṛtvaṁ na karmāṇi, lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ
na karma-phala-saṁyogaṁ, svabhāvas tu pravartate
(Gita 5/14)
God neither creates sense of doer-ship, nor does he cause one to act, that you do such and such work. God does not link the action to its fruits, that you will get this fruit for performing this particular action. This is not something that has been fabricated by God. Man himself has created a sense of doer-ship. He himself performs actions and himself becomes an enjoyer or sufferer of the fruit.
Man coming under the influence of his nature instilled over infinite years, acts accordingly, but he accepts that whatever he does, he does due to inspiration from God. The truth is that as long as there is pride of doership, and desires fruit of actions, till then, man does not act according to the inspiration received from God. He does things as inspired by his desires, and its fruit is bondage. But, when selfishness, desires, attraction, disparity etc. does not remain and the inner faculties are purified; then his actions are not fruit bearing, they are not binding.
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येद।
।।4.18।।
Karmanyakarmayah paschyet
(Gita 4/18)
In other words, that man sees inaction in action, and –
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः।
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः।।
।।4.19।।
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
Jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ
(Gita 4/19)
“He whose actions are burnt up by the fire of wisdom, him the seers call wise (Pandita).” (Gita 4/19)
“Samārambhāḥ” it means the undertaking that are free from attachment and aversion. “kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ” – which means, all actions that are entirely free from resolve and desire. Such a man, is` “Jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ” that is, all his actions, are burnt in the fire of this wisdom. What is this wisdom? That relationship between nature and Self (purush) is severed. All actions are taking place in Nature (Prakruti), not in the self, therefore “karmas” (binding actions) do not take place. Actions are burnt in the fire of wisdom, and when does wisdom arise? When “sarve “samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ” When all actions are free from resolve and desire. And as long as desire and resolves remain, till then, man himself is performing actions.
Now one has to think that when actions are our own, then is there independence in performing those actions or lack of it? Then they say that one is independent in doing in accordance to one’s rights, but not entirely independent. Just as you are independent in living in your country, but to go to another country, you have to get permission from the other country. Similarly he is independent within his own field and according to his rights. We are independent to work in this world, but we are not independent in going to other worlds.
Your question was,
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया।।
।।18.61।।
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(Gita 18/61)
He is seated in everyone’s heart and just like a driver of a car, he takes everyone (all beings) around. In other words, man himself does nothing. It is God’s hand in the activities taking place in all beings.
Then how much of it is God’s hand?
यन्त्रारूढानि मायया।।
।।18.61।।
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(Gita 18/61)
It means, that God ( Ishvar ) abides in the hearts of all beings, causing them to revolve according to their nature. (Gita 18/61 ). He gives inspiration. According to a man’s past and present actions, the Lord inspires a man.
The Lord only inspires –
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ।।
।।5.14।।
Na kartrutvam na karmaani lokasya srujati prabhu |
Na karmaphalasanyogam svabhaavastru pravartate || (Gita 5/14)
God does not inspire that – ‘You do this work’, ‘Get engrossed in doing this thing’ Nor does he inspire that you will have to undergo these fruits (i.e. enjoy or suffer these consequences). He also does not inpire that you should become a doer.
Then what does God do? He only ignites a fire within, by which all work takes place. Just as when electricity is connected to the speaker system, then the sound spreads. When the electricity is connected with the heater then there is heat, and when it is connected with the ice-maker, ice is made. The electricity touches the instruments, but electricity does not have any insistence that I should get this work done by this particular instrument. Electricity is impersonal and impartial, merely by its existence and ignition power, all work takes place.
Similarly with God’s presence and igniting power, actions take place, according to a man’s inner senses and nature. In man’s nature that pride of doership and desire for fruit is the main driver. Man is independent in whether to have pride of doership and desire for fruit. Man is independent in desiring or not desiring, in likes and dislikes (attraction or repulsion). But when he has pride of doership, desire for fruit, attraction-repulsion etc, then he becomes deluded by the instruments and therefore in “doing” he becomes dependent.
Therefore Arjuna asked –
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः।।3.36।।
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ, pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya, balād iva niyojitaḥ (3:36)
Even though a man does not want, why does he commit sinful acts? God said – “kaamesh” – The desire that, I should get this, I should not get this, this should happen, this should not happen – this is the inertness of all sins and futility. Desire is also that I get a voluptuous woman, get lots of money (gold) and I get name and fame. However, at the heart of desire is that whatever is favorable to me, should happen and whatever is not favorable to me, should not happen.
As long as there is desire, man remains dependent, he remains subordinate. Man is entirely independent in holding on to or letting go of this desire.
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ।।3.34।।
Indriyasyeindriyasyaarthe raagdveshshou vyavasthithou |
Tayorna vashmaagacchetou hyasya paripanthinou || (Gita 3/34)
Attachment and aversion abide in each and every sense-object, through the feeling of agreeableness or disagreeableness towards it’s senses.
If you come under the sway of attraction and aversion, then those likes and dislikes will gain strength. But on not coming under the sway of likes and dislikes, attraction and aversion will be wiped out. Thus Lord has said not to come under the sway of attraction and aversion. Consequently, wipe out likes and dislikes and purify the instrument (sense objects).
He has also given another solution – तमेव शरणं गच्छ (18:62) ‘tam eva śaraṇaṁ gaccha” (18:62) – Take refuge in That Lord alone, Who inspires all beings. On taking shelter, what will happen? To this, God says –
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु। ।।18.65।।
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (Gita 9/34, 18/65)
Fix thy mind on Me, be devotee to Me, worship Me, prostrate thyself before Me.
By doing so, everything will be alright and you will attain only God. Therefore the solution is that either get rid of attraction and aversion, and purify the sense objects, or take shelter in the Lord.
Therefore as long as a being (jeev) has pride of doership, he works according to his wishes, he will have to bare the consequences of his actions and he will have to suffer.
Therefore it is false to think that what we are doing is being done by God’s inspiration. Whatever type of work we do, accordingly we will have to bear the consequences. It is God’s ordinance that as you do, so you shall reap. Therefore one must be always very careful in doing and one must remain happy in the outcome (that which takes place), that all is happening in accordance to my very own Lord.
Narayana ! Narayana !! Narayana !!!
From Book ‘Jeevan ka Satya’ in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji.
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