Gita–Action and Renunciation–Karma Vairagya Yog–Chapter 5
2January 13, 2013 by styagi68
This chapter starts with another question from Arjun. He asks what is the difference between renunciation (Sankhya) and uniting the consciousness with the Universal Consciousness through prescribed action (Karma Yog).
Krishna answers that only the unintelligent view these two things as different. For the enlightened the two are really the same (verse 4). Even though if for some people renunciation may lead to non-activity then performing activity to unite the consciousness with Universal consciousness is superior (verse 6).
It is important to understand this concept of uniting your consciousness with the Universal Consciousness. Uniting your consciousness with the Universal Consciousness means uniting your intent (or your interests) completely with the universal intent (or interest). Working for the welfare of the whole universe without creating duality emerging from stronger identification with your own body. Body is an instrument. Let us say you had ten cars. You need to go from one place to another. It does not matter which car you use. The car should not “feel bad” because you took another car.
Krishna makes it clear that there is no “paap” or “punya” as the soul is not the doer (verse 14). Once you realize that your soul is the same as the Universal Consciousness then no results give you stress. You perform the actions with the intent of universal welfare and you will never be stressed as you did not want anything selfishly to begin with. However–this is the beauty of the system–if the whole society (or a large part of it) worked on this principle then you will get everything that would be good for your selfish requirements automatically. But with no stress.
Krishna cautions about identification with the body and pursuit of sensory pleasures. All such pleasures have a beginning and an end (verse 22). He recommends staying focused on the universal bliss of knowing that you are working for the universal welfare with no intent of selfish gain. This does not mean no personal gain, only that no personal gain by hurting anyone else.
The chapter ends with a glimpse of what comes next in terms of physical and mental practices to help control the senses and reducing identification with the body.
Analytical Faith 
Just some clarifications, as I started reading this recently ..
It is important to understand this concept of uniting your consciousness with the Universal Consciousness. Uniting your consciousness with the Universal Consciousness means uniting your intent (or your interests) completely with the universal intent (or interest). Working for the welfare of the whole universe without creating duality emerging from stronger identification with your own body. Body is an instrument. Let us say you had ten cars. You need to go from one place to another. It does not matter which car you use. The car should not “feel bad” because you took another car.
>> Instead of using a car analogy, let’s use children. Still the other >> child should not feel bad that she wasn’t taken by her father? If >> she does not feel bad how she is going to “improve” herself that >> she will taken next time. So, “feel bad” is probably necessary.
Krishna makes it clear that there is no “paap” or “punya” as the soul is not the doer (verse 14). Once you realize that your soul is the same as the Universal Consciousness then no results give you stress.
>> If soul is not the doer but then who is it? For example, if I am
>> smoking who intrigues me to smoke? My brain, at least in
>> science. I am doing a sin that should affect my soul. Not
>> necessarily. My soul is clean and it is as it is when it born (do
>> soul born sometime?). The word stress denotes the “aftermath” >> of smoking. Who gets the stress? Ideally everything. Doesn’t this
>> experiences has let someone defines certain things in life as
>> “paap” and similarly as “punya”. Doesn’t the list of paap and
>> punya gone obsolete when new things comes into universe?
>> Atleast Charras wasn’t paap when Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
>> was living as he smoked it, but it is now paap or you cannot use >> it since law says “no”. So Paap and Punya is my own
>> conscience?
Not expecting an answer, but I feel someone writes “Gita for Beginners” would be great.
Steve
Very good points. A few clarifications
1. Feeling good or bad is essential to decide what to do. We can’t chose the right from wrong if there is no “right” or “wrong”. However, the question is two fold: a) how do we decide what is right? and 2) how do we become effective at doing what is right. Gita says that when you merge selfish interest with universal interest then you are doing the right thing.
2. In terms of becoming effective, Gita recommends giving up the attachment to the outcome. When we are nervous or excited we don’t perform most effectively. Let us say I draw two parallel lines 2 feet apart and ask you to walk between them. You will have no difficulty doing that. However, if this path was between two skyscrapers with no side rails, most of us will not be able to walk across it. Why? So the attachment to the outcome or fear of a negative outcome impedes are ability to achieve things which we can achieve otherwise. Hence the directive to not worry about the outcome.
Sandeep