Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 3

English Translation

That ancient Yoga itself, which is this, has been taught to you by Me today, considering that you are My devotee and friend, For, this (Yoga) is a profound secret.

Detailed Commentary

Explanation: 'Bhakto'si me sakha cheti' – Arjuna already considered the Lord his dear friend, but now he has become a *bhakta*. Arjuna is an old *sakha-bhakta*, but a new *dasya-bhakta* (devotee in the mood of a servant). Commands or instructions are given only to a servant or a disciple, not to a friend. When Arjuna surrendered to the Lord, only then did the Lord's instruction begin. That which is not spoken to a friend is revealed before a surrendered disciple. Arjuna says to the Lord, "I am Your disciple, therefore I have surrendered to You; teach me." Thus, the Lord reveals Himself to Arjuna and unravels the mystery. Arjuna had a special sentiment towards the Lord; it was then that he renounced the 'Narayani Sena,' equipped with splendor and weapons, and accepted the unarmed Lord as his *Sarathi* (charioteer). Ordinary people consider the objects given by God as their own, but do not consider God as their own. Such people do not see the glorious Lord but only His glory. Believing wealth to be real corrupts their intellect, and they do not pay attention to the Lord. Some people worship the Lord only for the attainment of wealth. By desiring the Lord, wealth also follows; but by desiring wealth, the Lord cannot come. Wealth bows at the feet of the devotee; but true devotees do not worship the Lord for wealth. They desire only the Lord. Those who desire wealth are devotees of wealth, and those who desire the Lord are devotees of the Lord. Arjuna renounced wealth and embraced only the Lord, so in the battlefield, despite the presence of great men like Bhishma, Drona, Yudhishthira, etc., the great divine instruction of the Gita was received only by Arjuna, and later he also received the kingdom. 'Sa evayam maya te'dya yogah proktah puratanah' does not mean that I have fully explained Karma Yoga, but rather that whatever has been said is complete. Further, by answering Arjuna's question regarding the Lord's birth, the Lord again began to describe the same Karma Yoga. The Lord says that the Karma Yoga which I taught to the Sun at the beginning of creation, I have taught to you today. After a long time, that Yoga became unmanifest, and I was also unmanifest. Now I have also appeared in an avatar and have re-manifested the Yoga. Therefore, the Karma Yoga which has been liberating humans from the bondage of actions since time immemorial will liberate them from the bondage of actions even today. 'Rahasyam hyetaduttamam' – Just as in the eighteenth chapter, verse sixty-six, the Lord revealed the 'Sarvaguhyatam' (most profound secret) to Arjuna, saying, "Surrender to Me, I will liberate you from all sins," similarly here, He reveals the 'Uttama Rahasya' (supreme secret): "I Myself gave instruction to the Sun at the beginning of creation, and I am giving you that very instruction today." The Lord, as if, tells Arjuna that despite being your *Sarathi* and obeying your commands, I am giving you the same instruction that I gave to the Sun at the beginning of creation. I am directly that very Being, and I have now appeared in an avatar secretly – this is a great mystery. This mystery I am revealing to you today; because you are My devotee and dear friend. What to say of ordinary people, even a spiritual seeker's vision often goes more towards the instruction and less towards the Preceptor (the one giving the instruction). Upon reading and hearing this context, one's attention goes to the 'Yoga' that is taught, but generally not to the fact that the Preceptor, Lord Krishna Himself, is the primal Narayana. That which is not easily grasped is a mystery. Here, the Lord introduces Himself with the word 'Rahasyam,' implying that the seeker's vision should always be directed towards the Lord. By calling Himself the 'Adi Upadeshta' (Primal Preceptor), the Lord, as if, reveals Himself as the 'Guru' of all humanity. While acting in a play, a person does not reveal their true form to the public, but they might reveal themselves to someone intimate. Similarly, during His human avatar, the Lord reveals His *Ishvara-bhava* (divine nature) to Arjuna, meaning He reveals what should be kept hidden. This is the supreme secret. Karma Yoga itself can also be considered a supreme secret. That the very actions by which a living being is bound ('Karmana badhyate jantuh') can also bring about its liberation is a supreme secret. Attachment to objects and performing actions for oneself leads to bondage, whereas performing actions selflessly for the welfare of others, without considering objects as one's own, leads to liberation. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable circumstances, wealth or poverty, health or sickness – in any situation, this Karma Yoga can be practiced independently. There are three main secrets in Karma Yoga: (1) Nothing is mine. Because my true Self is *Sat* (eternal/existent), and whatever has been received is all *Asat* (non-eternal/perishable), then how can the non-eternal be mine? How can the transient have a connection with the eternal? (2) I need nothing for myself. Because in the true Self (*Sat*), there is never any incompleteness or deficiency; then what object should be desired? How can a perishable object that comes into existence be of use to the unproduced, indestructible element? (3) I have to do nothing for myself. The first reason is that the Self is a conscious part of the Supreme Lord, and action is inert. The Self remains eternal and continuous, but actions and their results have a beginning and an end. Therefore, performing actions for oneself connects one with actions and results that have a beginning and an end. Actions and results come to an end, but their attachment remains within, which is the cause of birth and death – 'Karanam gunasango'sya sadasadyonijanmasu' (Gita 13.21). The second reason is that the responsibility of 'doing' falls upon one who can do, meaning one who has the capability to act and who wants to achieve something. Being inactive, changeless, immutable, and complete, the conscious Self cannot do anything without the connection to the body; therefore, this principle must be accepted that the Self has to do nothing for itself. The third reason is that the Self is *Sat* and complete; therefore, it never has any deficiency, nor is there any possibility of it – 'Naabhavo vidyate satah' (Gita 2.16). Due to the absence of deficiency, there is no desire to gain anything. This automatically proves that the Self does not have the responsibility of 'doing,' meaning it has to do nothing for itself. In Karma Yoga, 'karma' (actions) are for the world, and 'yoga' is for oneself. However, one does not experience 'yoga' by performing actions for oneself. The experience of 'yoga' will only occur when the entire flow of actions is directed towards the world. Because the body, senses, mind, intellect, objects, wealth, property, and whatever else we possess, are all non-different from the world, they belong to the world, and they must be engaged in the service of the world. Therefore, to sever the connection with the world, which consists of objects and actions, one must act for others. This is Karma Yoga. When Karma Yoga is perfected, attachment to action, craving for gain, desire to live, and fear of death – all these cease to exist. Just as people perform many actions in the light of the sun, but the sun itself has no personal connection with those actions, similarly, all actions occur in the light of the 'Self' (consciousness), but the 'Self' has no connection with them; because the 'Self' is conscious and immutable, while actions are inert and changeable. However, when the 'Self,' by mistake, considers even a slight connection with those objects and actions, that is, considers them as its own and for itself, then those actions surely bind it. Not abandoning prescribed actions under any circumstances and being ready for work at the appointed time is also the unique characteristic of the sun. A Karma Yogi, like the sun, is always ready to perform their prescribed duties at the appointed time. If Karma Yoga is practiced correctly, then if the Karma Yogi has the *samskaras* (latent impressions) of knowledge, they automatically attain *Jnana* (knowledge), and if they have the *samskaras* of devotion, they automatically attain *Bhakti* (devotion). Practicing Karma Yoga benefits not only oneself but also the entire world. Whether others see it or not, understand it or not, accept it or not, by performing one's duty correctly, others are automatically inspired to perform their duties, and thus everyone is served. A profound point: In the Gita, at the beginning of the instruction, from the eleventh to the thirtieth verse of the second chapter, the Lord describes the experience (*Viveka*) common to all humanity. This is not just the experience of humans, but of all living beings; because the experience of one's own existence ('I am') is present in all animate and inanimate beings. Trees, mountains, etc., also have this experience, but they cannot express it. In animals and birds, it is directly observable; for example, when animals and birds fight among themselves, they fight over their own existence. If they did not experience their separate existence, why would they fight? Humans certainly have this direct experience; however, they neither focus on their experience nor honor it. This experience itself is called *Viveka* (discrimination) or *Nija-Jnana* (innate knowledge). This *Viveka* is inherent in everyone and is God-given. The senses, mind, and intellect are parts of *Prakriti* (nature); therefore, the knowledge derived from them is *Prakriti-janya* (born of Prakriti). The spiritual knowledge obtained through these senses, mind, and intellect by reading and hearing scriptures is also, in a way, *Prakriti-janya*. The Supreme Truth (*Paramatma tattva*) is completely unique compared to this *Prakriti-janya* knowledge. Therefore, the *Paramatma tattva* can only be known through *Nija-Jnana* (self-knowledge). Giving importance to *Nija-Jnana* (i.e., *Viveka*) brings the power to know 'Who am I? What is mine? What are inert and conscious? What are Prakriti and Paramatma?' This *Viveka* also works in Karma Yoga – this is a profound point. In Karma Yoga, two aspects of *Viveka* are primary: (1) There is no doubt about one's existence ('I am'). And (2) the objects currently possessed are not under one's ownership; because they were not one's own before and will not remain one's own later. I (the Self) remain continuous, and these received objects – body, senses, mind, intellect, etc. – continuously change, and their separation continuously occurs. Just as actions begin and end, so too their results have union and separation. Therefore, the connection of actions and objects is with the world, not with the Self. In this way, as soon as *Viveka* awakens, desire (*kamana*) is destroyed. With the destruction of desire, inherent desirelessness (*nishkamata*) manifests, meaning Karma Yoga is fully perfected. Desire obscures *Viveka* (Gita 3.38-39). By maintaining a self-interested intellect (*swartha-buddhi*), an enjoyment-oriented intellect (*bhoga-buddhi*), or an accumulation-oriented intellect (*sangraha-buddhi*), a person cannot correctly decide their duty. They try to untangle complications with complications themselves, i.e., with the body, senses, mind, and intellect, and therefore they strive only to change the current situation. But changing the situation is not in one's control, so the complication becomes increasingly tangled instead of resolving. When *Viveka* awakens and there is no self-interested intellect, enjoyment-oriented intellect, or accumulation-oriented intellect, then one's duty becomes clear, and all kinds of complications automatically resolve. External circumstances are formed according to actions, meaning they are the fruits of actions. Wealth or poverty, praise or blame, honor or dishonor, fame or infamy, profit or loss, birth or death, health or sickness – all these circumstances are subject to actions. As a result of auspicious and inauspicious actions, favorable and unfavorable circumstances continuously arise; but connecting with those circumstances – considering them as one's own and becoming happy or unhappy – is foolishness. The import is that the coming of favorable and unfavorable circumstances is the fruit of actions, and being happy or unhappy due to them is the fruit of one's ignorance (*agnata*) – foolishness (*murkhata*). Eradicating the fruits of actions is not within one's power, but eradicating foolishness is completely within one's power. One does not eradicate the foolishness that can be eradicated, and one strives to change the circumstances that cannot be changed – this is a great mistake! Therefore, one should give importance to one's *Viveka*, eradicate foolishness, and rise above favorable and unfavorable circumstances by utilizing them appropriately, meaning becoming *asanga* (detached). One who, by not connecting with any circumstance, utilizes it appropriately – that is, serves others in favorable circumstances and does not become unhappy in unfavorable circumstances (i.e., does not desire happiness) – is easily liberated from the bondage of the world. That which a person does not desire, the unfavorable circumstance, is the result of previously performed inauspicious (sinful) actions. Therefore, sinful actions should never be performed. One should not do anything that would cause distress to anyone, even in a dream. But even if new sinful actions are not performed now, when unfavorable circumstances arise as a result of old sinful actions, worries, sorrow, fear, etc., also arise in the inner consciousness. The reason for this is that we have made worries and sorrow more familiar. Just as a sold cow, being familiar with its old place, repeatedly returns there. But if it is repeatedly taken to a new place, then it stops returning to the old place. Similarly, if we firmly resolve right here and now that it is a mistake to connect with transient circumstances and experience worry and sorrow, and that we will not make this mistake again, then these worries and sorrows will cease to come. Even without the full awakening of *Viveka*, a Karma Yogi possesses a *nischayatmika buddhi* (resolute intellect) that one must sever ties with what is not one's own and serve others instead of indulging in worldly pleasures. Due to this resolute intellect, worldly pleasures do not hold importance in their inner consciousness. Then, no one can mislead them into the illusion that 'there is happiness in enjoyments.' Therefore, by keeping this one resolve firm, their liberation is achieved. Such a resolute intellect is strengthened by *Satsang* (company of the good) and *Swadhyaya* (self-study). Therefore, every seeker should at least make such a beneficial resolve. Everyone is independent in making such a resolve, no one is dependent. It does not require anyone's slightest help; because one is strong in oneself. Connection: "I Myself gave instruction to the Sun at the beginning of creation, and I am giving you that very instruction today" – hearing this, a natural curiosity arises in Arjuna: how did Lord Krishna, who is currently sitting before him, give instruction to the Sun at the beginning of creation? Therefore, to understand this well, Arjuna asks the Lord a question in the next verse.