VERSE NUMBE 24 OF KARMA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF ACTION OR THE METHOD OR WORK

THE HOLY YOGA

CHAPTER THREE

KARMA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF ACTION OR THE METHOD OF ACTION

VERSE NUMBER 24

Text in Transliteration:

utseedeyur ime lokaa na kur yam karma ced aham

samkarasya cha kartaa syaam upahanyaam imaah prajaah

Text in English:

These worlds would perish if I did not do action; I should be the cause of confusion of species and I should destroy these beings.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

The potentiality of a seed is known only when it sprouts and grows. The worth of a man is known only through his actions.

To be devoid of function is equivalent to be dead. The difference between the two is very little. The body of the dead disappears while that of the funtinoless drags on a wretched existence, proving itself a burden to society.

Fostering the body is common to high and low. The difference, therefore, between the two cannot be known merely from bodily existence. For, if life got confined to the physical level only, there would be  no difference between the refined and the crude, between the enlightened and the ignorant, between the virtuous and the vicious. The levelling down would mean confusion of species.

Through the meticulous performance of one’s dharma one’s attainments get exemplified. The level of one’s evolution becomes self-evident through the discharge of one’s duty. Where karma is kept in abeyance, the distinctions get lost. If Iswara, the Cosmic Intelligence does not induce His beings in their respective functions confusion of species is bound to take place, leading to cosmic calamity.

COMMENTARY BY DR. S. RADHAKRISHNAN:

God, by His incessant activity, preserves the world and prevents it from falling back into non-existance.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:

If I did not engage in action, people would also be inactive. They would not do their duties accoding to the Varnasrama Dharma (code of morals governing their own order and stage of life). Hence confusion of castes would arise. I would have to destroy these beings.              

Comments of the blogger:

In Brahman there is no action. Only the universe, the veda or the body of Ishwara, is full of action.

Just imagine a stage: except the sky and atman everything here is indulged in action. In the vacuous sky above the atmosphere is full of energy. According to Einstein's theory there is a circular movement of energy around the sphere of the planets that give them their pulling power. Each planets pulling power is determined by its size. Which means, there is energy in the vacuous sky around the spehere of the planets. And this is responsible for the planets staying in their respective course. The Super Intelligence of the universe is the witness for the movements of this univers which is in a constant flux. This universe is acting and reacting within the same and the witness is the real one which has no stack in whatsoever happens. But because of its proximity everything here happens according to an inner rhythm and this is called rta in the Vedas. Thus what is there is restated by the Lord. This was the case before the Krishna Avatara. It must be born in mind.   

When Brahman works at the cosmic level as Saguna Brahman, he is worshipped as Govinda, Vishnu, Ranganadha, Shiva, Lingeshwara, Paramasivan, Dhevi, etc. Brahman Himself is Nirguna Brahman in whom not action takes place. Saguna Brahman is always at work. If He does not work even for a second there would be utter cataclysm. Shivathandavam should be understood in this cosmic context.