Srimad BhagavadGita

In śloka 2.39, Kṛṣṇa declared to Arjuna that karmas must be performed with a specialised buddhi as karma yoga, which HE he was going to impart to Arjuna. In śloka 2.40, Kṛṣṇa glorified karma yoga by differentiating between its remarkable features and those of other ways of execution of karmas. In this śloka, Kṛṣṇa brings out the speciality of karma yoga by stating the difference between karma yoga buddhi and kāmya karma buddhi in its purpose as well as its result. In short Kṛṣṇa is describing the nature of the buddhi in both these cases. Kṛṣṇa says, "Since a karma yogi's buddhi which is resolute on the reality of the soul is firmly fixed on mokṣa as the only goal, it is always one-pointed. On the other hand, for one who is irresolute about the real nature of the soul, his varied buddhis (intelligences) are unlimited as kāmya karmas (fruitive activities) are countless and each buddhi is in turn many branched."

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iha (Activities other than the duties laid down by the śāstras) Worldly activities which are neither prescribed nor condemned by the śāstras serve varied purposes and hence they cannot serve as means to the singular goal called mokṣa. We therefore conclude that only the activities prescribed in the śāstras come under the practice of Karma Yoga which is a means to mokṣa. Not every activity can be considered as eligible for practice of karma yoga. The nitya (daily) and naimittika (occasional) karmas, kāmya karmas (fruitive activities) performed without attachment to their rewards and their many branches as prescribed in the śāstras come under the practice of karma yoga.

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ (A buddhi which is resolute about the reality of the soul) The word vyavasāyam has many meanings including strenuous labour, enterprising activity, strong resolve, etc. The meaning for 'vyavasāyam' suitable for the present context is 'strong resolve'. Based on this if the meaning of vyavasāyātmikā is taken to be 'that which resolves' then it will become a repetition of the word buddhi (intelligence) in 'vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ' since intelligence also is decisive. Hence the meaning should be taken as 'resolute or firmly determined'. Since the real nature of the soul has been explained so far in this chapter, it must be concluded that vyavasāyam (resolve) is the unshakeable resolve about the real nature of the soul and that Vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ therefore is the buddhi which is resolute about the reality of the soul in the practice of karma yoga.

avyavasāyinām buddhayaḥ (The buddhis of kamya karmis which lack the true knowledge about the reality of the soul) The buddhi of one who performs kāmya karmas is not resolute about the real nature of the soul. While performing works with the desire for heaven, etc, it is sufficient to know that an entity called the soul exists which is different from the body and which exists for a long time. The knowledge that the soul is eternal, has knowledge and bliss as its inherent nature and that it is subservient to Bhagawān, is not needed. But a karma yogi's buddhi is endowed with this knowledge. To sum it up, a kamya karmi's buddhi lacks the 'firm conviction in the true knowledge about the real nature of the soul'.

vyavasāyātmikā buddhi, avyavasāyinām buddhayaḥ Vyavasāyātmikā buddhi refers to a Karma Yogi's buddhi and avyavasāyinām buddhayaḥ refers to kamya karmis buddhi. Both differ as a Karma Yogi's buddhi is based on 'firm conviction about the real nature of the soul' and kamya karmi's buddhi is not.

Q: Both mokṣa (liberation) and heaven (highest reward of kāmya karmas obtained in the form of a stay in Indra's heavenly planet called swarga) are the rewards obtained only after leaving the body. How is it that knowledge of the soul is a prerequisite only for mokṣa and not for heaven?

A: Below is the reasoning.

The practice of kāmya karmas does not require knowledge of the soul. 

For soul knowledge to be a pre requisite for kāmya karmas, the below three conditions must be true. The notes under each of the conditions state with reasons why the condition is not true.

1)No desire to perform kāmya karmas in the absence of soul knowledge.

Reasoning: This is not the case because having the desire for enjoying the pleasures in heaven is not dependent on the knowledge about the soul. Even without soul knowledge, desire for anything which is pleasurable develops naturally.   

2)Unable to practise the means for the fulfilment of kāmya karmas in the absence of soul knowledge.

Reasoning: This is not the case too because the performer already has his body and other instruments essential for the performance of sacrifices like jyotiṣṭomīya yāga for the attainment of heaven. It is already known to him that even after his death his soul will live in heaven and experience its pleasures. This much knowledge is enough for him to fulfil the means for achieving heaven. Knowledge about the nature of the soul is not needed for the same. It's absence causes no hurdle in the practise of the means.

3)Without soul knowledge one cannot experience the rewards of kāmya karmas.

Reasoning: This is not the case too. When jyotiṣṭomīya yāga is performed, other than successfully completing the yāga there is no need of meeting any other prerequisite for attaining its reward which is heaven. For experiencing kingly comforts, entertainment in the form of fine dance and music by delicate and beautiful apsaras (celestial maidens) like Menaka and Ūrvasi, pleasure of their embrace under a royal canopy and many other similar pleasures, knowledge of the true nature of the soul is not needed at all. In fact this knowledge will become a hurdle in their experiences.

It is therefore proved that kāmya karmas can be performed even without the knowledge of the soul.

The Practice of kāmya karmas without the knowledge of the soul is not against the śāstras. 

Śāstras may prescribe certain procedures as steps to provide perceivable direct assistance and unperceivable indirect assistance in the completion of a karma. It has been established above with reasoning that there is no perceivable direct assistance that the soul knowledge provides in the execution of kāmya karmas. In executing kāmya karmas, firm conviction about the reality of the soul does not provide any unperceivable indirect assistance too. Unperceivable indirect assistance is of two kinds. They are listed below along with the reasons to show that soul knowledge does not provide such assistance too in the execution of kāmya karmas.

1) atṛpta upakāratvaṃ (The assistance that lacks satisfaction)

Reasoning: Though the parts of a yāga like 'prayājam', etc, do not directly assist in the completion of the procedure of the main yāga, they do contribute towards gaining the reward of the main yāga. This is the kind of assistance which does not have the satisfaction of being a main contributor to the yāga. We do not see the knowledge of the soul assisting in this way in gaining the rewards of kāmya karmas (since soul knowledge does not assist in the gain of any material rewards and assists in gaining the highest reward of mokṣa alone). Therefore soul knowledge has no atṛpta upakāratvaṃ.

2)Sannipatya upakāratvaṃ (Assistance in performing a certain procedure of the yāga)

Reasoning: With respect to kāmya karmas, Prokṣaṇa (consecration by sprinkling holy water) and such other activities complete the procedure of the yāga and so they are said to be assisting the performance of the yāga. The śāstras impose that 'You must do prokṣaṇaṃ'. However they have never imposed in the same manner for kāmya karmas that 'You must know the real nature of the soul'. Therefore soul knowledge has no sannipatya upakāratvaṃ too.

Soul knowledge by itself fetches far greater results than what kāmya karmas fetch, therefore it cannot be assisting kāmya karmas. This has been proved in the sārīra śāstra. Statements from the śrutis and Bhagawad Gītā like plavāhyete adhrudhā yajña rūpāḥ... etacchreyo yebhinandanti mūdhāḥ Munḍaka Up 1.2.7 (These yāgas are unstable boats...Fools who consider as the Highest Good fall victims again and again to old age and death) and yāmimāṃ pushpitām... B.G 2.42, tell us that even those without soul knowledge can attain heaven, etc. All upaniṣads unanimously declare that those who have no soul knowledge take the Dhūmādi mārgaṃ (path of smoke) to reach heaven and redeem their puṇya credits there. It is thus clear that it is in line with the śrutis to practise kāmya karmas and reap their fruit without the need for firm conviction about the knowledge of the soul. In fact when soul knowledge is considered to be a part of the procedure for performing kāmya karmas, the above stated śruti statements will be challenged. 

Knowledge of the soul is a prerequisite for mokṣa.

For achieving mokṣa, soul knowledge aids in all ways. This is because attaining one's essential nature is what mokṣa is. Without firm conviction in the knowledge about the soul, desire to attain the soul state cannot arise. Without knowledge and desire to achieve, why will someone make efforts towards achieving the soul state? For the karma, jnāna and bhakti yoga practices which are the three means for attaining mokṣa, śāstras themselves prescribe soul knowledge as a step without which the practice cannot be complete. It is logical to say that one who is not sure about himself cannot attain his own essential nature. Therefore it is illogical for a mumukṣu (seeker of mokṣa) to not have firm conviction on the real nature of the soul.  Since the purpose of the śāstras is to assist a person in attainment of the highest goal called 'mokṣa', they impose that a mumukṣu must acquire soul knowledge. So, the absence of this knowledge will be against the śāstras.

From all of the above it is proved that it is important for a mumukṣu to possess vyavasāyātmikā buddhi (firm conviction about the real nature of the soul) and an avyavasāināṃ i.e a performer of kāmya karmas need not have it.

The speciality that vyavasāyātmikā buddhi has over avyavasāyinām buddhayaḥ with respect to the purpose it serves is thus shown.

ekā, bahu-śākhā hyanantāśca Here with these words the speciality of vyavasāyātmikā buddhi over avyavasāyinām buddhayaḥ with respect to its reward is going to be shown.

ekā (This buddhi which is resolute about the real nature of the soul in the practice of karma yoga is singular)

Q: How is this vyavasāyātmikā buddhi said to be singular? To say that 'It is one, as the essential nature of this buddhi is one' is not possible, since many such buddhis can exist. To say that the buddhis are still one-pointed, as the main basis of all these buddhis is the same and their path is the same, is also not possible since the existence of many supporting parts to them, their rewards, etc, cannot be overlooked. If it is said that it is the collection of these buddhis that is considered as one, then the many kāmya karma buddhis which are opposed to this karma yoga buddhi should also not be called many-branched. Therefore, how can this buddhi be said to be singular?

A: Since all of the karma yoga buddhis have attainment of mokṣa as their common goal, they are said to be one. Hence there is no scope for these questions to arise. All the karmas are imposed on a mumukṣu for the fulfilment of the sole purpose called mokṣa. As all the nitya and naimittika karmas executed by a mumukṣu, either directly or indirectly aid in the attainment of mokṣa, it is clear that their ultimate reward is mokṣa alone. As stated, sarvamāyureti Chāndogya Up 4.11.2 (he gains complete longevity), such intermediate rewards too are for strengthening the resolve towards mokṣa. Since all the karma yoga buddhis are bound by the single rule which is the attainment of mokṣa alone, they are all one in śāstric essence. Though the karmas are varied, they are all tools for the fulfilment of the one goal called mokṣa, hence they all come across as prescribed by a single rule. Even though they may be fulfilled by different methods, their determining statements may be different, their intermediate results may be different, as they are bound by a common rule statement, they are all one in śāstric essence. The example quoted to understand this better is as follows. āgneya, agnīṣomīya, upāṃśu yāga, aiṃdrāgna yāga, aiṃdram-dadhi, aiṃdram-payah are 6 yajñas. The statements ya evaṃ vidwān pourṇamāsīṃ yajate and ya evaṃ vidwān amāvāsyāṃ yajate group them into two by stating that three of these yajñas must be performed on darśa- the new moon day and the other three on pūrṇamāsa- the full moon day. The rule statement etābhyām darśa-pourṇamāsābhyāṃ groups them all together by declaring all of them together to be the means for attaining heaven. Thus they are one in śāstric essence and are called the darśa-pourṇamāsa yāga. Similarly, since the śāstras impose the rule that "All the nitya and naimittika karmas imposed by various rule statements must be performed considering them as our means to mokṣa with true knowledge about the real nature of the soul", karma yoga which constitutes all these karmas has only one śāstric essence. Therefore the buddhi in this matter is rightly called 'ekā' here.

In this way in the first half of this śloka the specific purpose of karma yoga buddhi and its specific reward are told. Now in the second half of the śloka it is said that these two specifications are not present for kāmya karma buddhi.

avyavasāyinām buddhayaḥ (The buddhis of kamya karmis which lack the true knowledge about the real nature of the soul) In the elaboration of these words stated above, it was shown that the specific purpose that karma yoga buddhi possesses is not there for kāmya karma buddhi. With the following words from the latter half of the śloka, it will be shown that the specific reward that karma yoga buddhi delivers is not there for kāmya karma buddhi.

anantāḥ (are unlimited as kāmya karmas are countless) Kāmya karmis desire varied rewards like heaven, sons, cattle, animals, food, kingdom, etc, and perform specific karmas which deliver these results. Hence their buddhis too are unlimited like their unlimited desires. 

bahu- śākhāḥ (each buddhi is in turn many branched) The kāmya karma called darśa-pourṇamāsa is prescribed for gaining the reward of heaven. If this darśa-pourṇamāsa is picturised as a huge tree delivering the principal reward called 'heaven', all the intermediate rewards like extension of longevity denoted by 'āyurāśaste' which are not opposed to the principal reward in any way, are the branches of this tree and thus very much a part of this tree. In this way, buddhis are many, and each is again multi-branched. However, for a karma yogi whose goal is mokṣa, the intermediate rewards like extension of longevity are only considered as supportive in achieving mokṣa. Hence, the desired reward is mokṣa alone. To sum it up, since the principal desired rewards of kamya karmis are varied and infinite, their respective buddhis are also unlimited. Further, since within a reward there are multiple intermediate rewards, their buddhis too are many-branched. Thus these kāmya karma buddhis lack the single reward feature of karma yoga buddhi.

A few doubts might arise here:

Doubt 1: When the nitya and naimittika karmas are designed to provide various principal rewards and intermediate rewards, how can they all be said to give a single reward namely mokṣa?

Clarification: It is true that nitya and naimittika karmas give various principal and intermediary rewards. Their rewards are attaining lokas like pitṛ loka, etc, clearance of pāpam (accumulated effect of formidable acts performed earlier) and avoiding the sin incurred for non performance of these karmas. A mumuksu practising karma yoga has no interest in attaining higher lokas like pitṛ loka, etc. Moreover, this reward is also an obstruction to his goal of attaining mokṣa. Therefore he does not receive them as rewards. Clearance of his pāpam purifies his mind thereby assisting him in the attainment of mokṣa and therefore it cannot be considered as a distinct reward. Performance of these karmas averts the sin due to non-performance, thus causing no obstruction in the attainment of mokṣa. In this way, it is appropriate to claim that mokṣa alone is the reward for a karma yoga practitioner. 

Doubt 2: How can the rewards which are obtained as a result of following different śāstric rules, be considered as the result of a single śāstric rule having a single śāstric essence?

Clarification: For everyone else nitya and naimittika karmas are prescribed for obtaining various distinct rewards. So, for them these karmas are the subject matter of distinct śāstric rules, each having distinct essence resulting in varied rewards. A mumukṣu who diligently practises karma yoga does not have any desire for these rewards. Therefore, when a mumukṣu with true knowledge about the real nature of the soul executes these karmas, they all come under the one rule of attaining mokṣa, thereby having one śāstric essence and resulting in only one reward called mokṣa. Differences are seen due to the different purposes they serve.

Doubt 3: How can a mumukṣu who has no material desires, execute kāmya karmas?

Doubt 4: If it is said that they can be executed even when there is no desire for their results, then going by the same, people belonging to the four varṇa dharmas can also execute works outside the scope of their own dharma, belonging to another's dharma?

Clarification: In spite of the lack of interest in the rewards offered by kāmya karmas, a mumukṣu can execute them considering them as his means to attain mokṣa. However this does not permit a person belonging to one varṇa to execute the karmas of another varṇa breaching the eligibility rules of the varṇa. For example, a brāhmanā cannot execute the karmas which are a part of a kṣatriya's dharma. A specific kāmya karma is prescribed for a person eligible for a certain reward. When the same kāmya karma is prescribed for a different reward too, the same person will be eligible to execute it. Based on the nyāya kṣuptakalpyavirodhetu yuktāḥ kṣuptaparigraraḥ (At times when a conflict arises between what is already prepared and what is going to be provided, it is appropriate to practise the earlier prepared one), a person eligible for certain kāmya karmas per his varṇa and āśrama for fulfilling a certain desire becomes eligible to execute the same set of kāmya karmas when he executes them without any desire for their rewards. In nitya, kāmya, jyotiṣṭoma and other such karmas where chanting of the vedas is involved, though there may be difference in the reward going to be delivered, the eligibility criteria for the chanting remains the same. In this way, even in such a case no intermixing of varṇa āśrama dharmas occurs.

Doubt 5: Will performing mutually opposing kāmya karmas not cause conflict? Since it is impossible to perform all the kāmya karmas, is it ok to perform a few and leave the remaining? If yes, then which ones can be left out?

Clarifications: The question is that, certain kāmya karmas conflict with the others with respect to the rewards they confer. For a person who has no desire for their rewards, will executing such karmas with mutually opposing rewards not cause any conflict? The answer is NO. Now coming to the next set of questions. Since karmas are many and it is impossible to execute all of them, which ones to leave and which ones to choose? The śāstras have answered this as taddhi kurvan yathāśakti prāpnoti paramāṃ gatim Manu smṛti 11.34 (One who executes his dharma as much as possible attains the higher end) by stating that as much as is feasible must be done. As per the statements sarvāngopsaṃhāre kāmyaṃ karma prasiddhyati (a fruit bearing action fructifies only when all its parts are completely executed), any shortfall or inaccuracy in the execution of the constituent parts of the kāmya karma will lead to failure in fructification of the karma, reward will not be received and sin will be incurred for the shortfall. However for a mumukṣu practising karma yoga, as is the case with nitya and naimittika karmas, even for kāmya karmas, any shortfall in the execution of the parts of the karma will not obstruct the reward. That does not mean that karmas can be started and left midway. It only means that minor shortfalls in the execution of the constituent parts of the main karma will be overlooked. However care must be taken as far as possible to not alter the nature of the main karma. Also, it is acceptable for a mumukṣu to stop the practice of kāmya karmas which are not supportive to his place of stay and his phase in life.

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Summary: A karma yogi must leave any interest in the principal reward and also the intermediate rewards of the nitya, naimittika karmas prescribed by the śastras and execute them for the sole reward of mokṣa treating all the different nitya naimittika karmas as one in their śāstric essence. Along with the nitya, naimittika karmas, as much as possible he must also execute the kāmya karmas prescribed for his varṇa without wanting their rewards, only for the sake of mokṣa.