|
Bhagavad
Gita - January 23, 2009
Chapter
3, Verses: 26-28
Swami
Yogatmananda
Vedanta
Society of Providence
Please
click the 'Play' button to start.
It may take a minute.
Launch
in external player
To download
the lecture, please right-click here
and then click "Save Target As..."
III.26:
The
enlightened being should not create disturbance in the beliefs of the
ignorant, who are attached to work. Working, while himself remaining
diligent, he/she should make them do all duties.
III.27:
While actions are being done in every way by the gunas (qualities) of
Nature, one who is deluded by egoism thinks thus: 'I am the doer'.
III.28:
But O mighty-armed one, the one who is a knower of the facts about the
varieties of guns (qualities) and actions does not become attached thinking
thus: 'The organs rest (act) on the objects of the organs.'
The
above image is from Gita Darshan by courtesy of Sri
Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad.
To
Order Audio/Video CDs : bookstore@vedantaprov.org
List
of Audio/Video CDs, DVDs
| 
|
Summary
of this lecture:
Like Arjuna, who is torn between fighting and not fighting, we face
so many internal and external conflicts every day which pull us in many
different directions and confuse us. The only way out is to act in an
unattached way. Right activity is a means to an end--after we reach
the goal, there is no need for action at all. However, illumined souls
like Krishna continue to work in order to set an example for others.
In Verse 27, Krishna tells Arjuna that a person deluded by ego feels
"I am the doer," whereas the realized person understands the
separation between the Self and nature (Prakriti/ 3 gunas). To
this person, the Self is like a movie screen onto which is projected
all actions. We claim "I am not the doer" when we are guilty
of something, but only the egoless person can truly say that they do
not act. The actions of a realized soul may look like the actions of
any ordinary person; but here is a big, inner difference: his/her
actions completely detached.
When we follow their example and cultivate the idea that "I am
not the body," we come to realize that we are Peace, Bliss, Consciousness
Absolute. This is our goal!
|
