Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.
My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.
If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.
CHAPTER 4, TEXT 12: The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.
There are four levels of motivation for any activity (Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Chaitanya Sikshamrita):
Love
Duty
Profit
Fear
Here's an example:
Going to work -
Love: I love teaching. I love my students. I love my subject matter. Duty: My job is to teach. I'm responsible for these kids' education. Profit: I'm here for the money (even though it ain't much) and for paid summers off. Fear: If I don't go to work to teach, I will lose my paycheck, I'll lose my home, I'll go hungry, I'll lose my WiFi...
Any of this sound familiar?
For the most part, humans operate out of Profit and Fear. Sometimes we level up to Duty, maybe even to Love. But mostly, we're either in it for the money/rewards or we're terrified of what will happen if we don't do our job/do the needful.
That's just life, right?
In fact, one could say, hey, what's the problem with doing something for the money? Krishna knows this is how human beings operate, that's why He makes the declaration in this verse that to be greedy for the fruits of one's labor makes a person becomes entangled.
Now we see that entanglement is the problem.
When we're entangled, we're not free.
And the soul wants freedom.
Most of all, the soul wants freedom to love.
At the end of the day, when we look at the four kinds of motivation, let's all admit that if we could, we'd do everything out of love. I love my job, I love my family, I love my car, I love throwing out the trash...
But we're not there.
So the Bhagavad-gita emphasizes doing things at least out of Duty, because that's one step away from Love.
But let's all admit where we're really hanging out: Profit and Fear.
And so Krishna is so wondrous, so amazing, that He says that if we just remember Him and offer our endeavors to Him, even if it's out of Profit or Fear, He is pleased. After all, everything belongs to Him and He is everything: "All that exists is a product of Krsna's energy, and Krsna is all good." We can't go wrong if we keep Krishna in our hearts.
So no matter what activity I do, from cooking a meal to putting gas in the car to managing a business, when I keep Krishna in my heart He elevates all of my activities. Prabhupad writes: "Activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are on the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is therefore filled with peace in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This makes sense, for if an action does not entangle us further, we're free, and if we're free, we're at peace.
Prabhupad then writes the beautiful, beautiful secret of Krishna consciousness: "[the] realization that there is no existence besides Kṛṣṇa is the platform of peace and fearlessness." Whether I'm motivated to act out of Love, Duty, Profit, or Fear, if I can choose this one little shift in consciousness - everything belongs to Krishna, let me keep Him in mind, let me offer my action to Him - then I am free. I am at peace. What's more, to remember Krishna is in and of itself an act of Love.
I was in the middle of writing this post while cooking dinner. I was excited to make a delicious soup for myself and my husband. But then I remembered this principle. So before we ate, I offered the soup to Krishna with a little more attention. Just a little.
CHAPTER 5, TEXT 2: The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work.
All over the world -
Flights grounded.
Factories closed.
Vehicle traffic has been reduced to a trickle.
From the very beginning of this coronavirus pandemic, I have been consumed with curiosity: does this cessation of human activity have a positive impact on our environment? Is the air cleaner? Water clearer?
There are some facts to indicate that yes, there has been a change:
Measurements of nitrogen dioxide pollution in China
An image of clear water in Venice canals
But there is always a caveat in any report that there is a positive environmental impact because humans are retreating: the change is temporary. Very temporary.
In fact, it has been shown in the past that when there have been shutdowns as a result of outbreaks or even economic depressions (and thus a slowing of production and transportation), there is always a rebound, and the pollution gets even worse than before - often called "revenge pollution."
Sure, it's admirable to step back and pause and let go of all of these unnecessary activities, like going to sports games, shopping for a summer dress, or vacations to Mexico (I'm charged with all of these!). But staying at home and watching Netflix/reading/cooking/snacking/sleeping/taking walks/Zoom conferencing with friends-coworkers-classmates can only go on for so long. The video above seems to romanticize all of these empty cities and roadways of the world and kind of sigh in disappointment that China is reemerging to go back to work.
But humans must work. At some point, humans must emerge, and we shall emerge with a vengeance, because after all, we need to make a living AND make up for lost time.
So just because human beings on an unprecedented global scale are retreating indoors does not mean that the world will change at all after this crisis. Srila Prabhupad writes in this purport that, "Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mere renunciation of fruitive activities does not actually purify the heart of a conditioned soul." This means that renouncing activities does not have long-lasting effects. The key phrase here is to "purify the heart" - the world has become so polluted because our hearts have become polluted. An example is of a thief who has gone to sleep - sure, he's not committing crimes while asleep so everything seems fine. But once he wakes up, because he has not purified his heart of the stealing mentality, he'll simply steal again.
That said, Krishna does emphasize in this verse that "the renunciation of work... is good for liberation." The purpose of renunciation of work is to stop the frenetic engagement in enjoyment and suffering in the material world. In this sense, we can experience "liberation." I can certainly attest for myself during this time of "lockdown" here in New York City (the epicenter of the coronavirus in the United States), that I experience a beautiful, quiet space to reflect upon my life, like sitting upon the shore of a silent, still lake.
Without reflecting upon the bigger meaning and purpose of life, though, ceasing work is useless. Prabhupad quotes verses from the Srimad Bhagavatam (5.5.4-6), and one line says, "One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about his real identity." Fascinating, no? The material perception of failure is very external: one became a drug addict, or a nobody, or a corrupt wealth businessman, or a prison convict. We certainly wouldn't consider a Harvard graduate, Nobel Prize winner, New York Times bestselling author, or director of worldwide charities a failure. But this verse is saying here that they're ALL failures - from the drug addict to the Nobel Prize winner - if they have not made any inquiry into their real identity as a spirit soul.
Sounds extreme, but the fact is that happiness and suffering come and go, come and go endlessly, and no matter which way we look at it, we're still stuck on the same merry-go-round of pain and pleasure, pain and pleasure.
This time of renunciation of work should not be romanticized. It is a special time to reflect inward; atatho brahma jijnasa - the time to inquire to about my true spiritual identity and purpose is now. This is real knowledge and true success.
That said, knowledge is not enough. Like the thief who eventually wakes up, I need to purify my heart and then act upon that purified knowledge. Prabhupad writes, "Jñāna (or knowledge that one is not this material body but spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has to act in the status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material bondage." In this way, the two must go hand in hand - knowledge and action. Only then can there be real change in the world.
Sure enough, the canals in Venice will become polluted again, the nitrogen dioxide pollution levels in China will rise again, and the whole machinery of this world will kick back into high, furious gear.
And the global temperature will continue to rise, and the Amazon rainforest will continue to be burned down, and the islands of plastic waste in the ocean will continue to expand.
But I have this precious opportunity right now, within my grasp, to purify my heart, find my purpose, to be able to go out into the world again to live with restraint and love. That is the greatest change I can make in the world.
CHAPTER 3, TEXT 33: Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes. What can repression accomplish?
The phrase nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣyati is translated as "What can repression accomplish?" This is a rhetorical question, because if this question is asked to any sane, intelligent person, the response would most likely be:
"A headache."
"Frustration."
"Nothing."
Repression is simply not a healthy way to live life and it accomplishes nothing. Krishna mentions that we're all conditioned by this world, "even a man of knowledge," so there's no point in denying reality and repressing one's nature and one's desires.
A very straightforward example of this is eating. The human body (and all living bodies on the planet) is built to eat and digest food. Sometimes the pursuit for not only food but delicious food is a major source of anxiety and turmoil for the living being.
So how about... not eating? After all, food is entangling - all that money! all those calories! all that time to prepare it!
But asking "How about we just stop eating?" is about as productive of a question as "What can repression accomplish?" Repressing our need to eat leads to headache, frustration, and absolutely nothing.
We need to eat. We need to sleep. We need a place to live. We need work. We need money and a livelihood. We need human connection. We need to be understood.
In this regard, Krishna advises that we do our duties and simply keep Him in our hearts with devotion. Prabhupad writes, "Kṛṣṇa consciousness helps one to get out of the material entanglement, even though one may be engaged in his prescribed duties in terms of material existence (159). This approach to spiritual life is very practical. Do your prescribed duties - do the needful - and remain conscious of Krishna. Anyone can do this. This path is open to the entire world at all times.
In practical terms, this means that I can take the food that I was already going to eat and simply offer it to Krishna first with a little love. That food then transforms my mind and even my body. This is beyond repression - this is expression of love.
CHAPTER THREE, TEXT 9: Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.
In the purport, Prabhupad writes that "both good and evil work have their reactions, and any reaction binds the performer" (138). I'm stumped by this. I can wrap my mind around evil work having reactions and being binding (hellooooo prison), but good work? How does good work "bind the performer"?
I'm genuinely at a loss. I see no harm in doing good work. Follow the law, take care of myself and my family, contribute something to society - how is this a cause of bondage?
The only equivalent I can draw is that of a prisoner. A prisoner may follow all the rules of prison, be kind and respectful to inmates as well as guards, work out and be healthy, read good books, even learn new subjects or develop friends, but he's still just a prisoner. He may be doing "good work" but he's still in prison.
How happy can a prisoner truly be?
A prisoner is not free.
The nature of the soul is to be free.
And in this material world, we are not free.
The nature of the soul is also to be active, though - "[the soul] is always active and cannot stop even for a moment" (3.5 Purport) - and my actions have a funny way of coming back to bite me or delight me. I often find myself tangled up in webs of bad as well as good consequences that I wish I could just cut away from.
It's well known that dopamine is the "feel good" hormone that is produced whether one is exercising, getting hundreds of Likes on a post on Facebook, or smoking a cigarette. We get addicted to dopamine, for better or for worse.
So instead of sense gratification (read: a hit of dopamine) for myself, I see in this verse that the key is to offer all work and all results to Krishna. Prabhupad writes, "Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Krsna" (138). What's interesting here is that by satisfying Krishna, our senses do get pleasure! If I satisfy Krishna by offering him a cookie, then I eat that cookie, then I am not only getting free from the reactions of work, I'm also experiencing pleasure. I would call that a win/win.
Of course, offering Krishna a cookie just so that I can eat it and enjoy it is not necessarily the highest stage of selfless love and service. Ultimately, "This practice [of offering one's work to Krishna] will not only save one from the reaction of work, but also gradually elevate one to transcendental loving service of the Lord" (138). Prabhupad emphasizes that by learning to offer our work to Krishna, we are "gradually elevated" to a higher consciousness. We all need time to learn to love. And in time, the more we offer our work to God, we become free. Prabhupad writes that "While performing such activities one is in a liberated stage. This is the great art of doing work" (138). The word "liberated" is significant here, because liberated means that one is free.
Free.
We all want to be free, we all want to be free of this prison of this world. Offering one's work to Krishna is the "great art" that opens the door to freedom wide.
