Isavasya Upanisad & Karma Yoga Discussion - Reflection.

Introduction 

Study of Isavasya Upanisad while, contemplating on Karma Yoga teachings as outlined in Gita (chatper 2, 3) reinforces our Sraddha in the declaration of the Gita.

This must not come as surprise, as this Isavasya Upanisad is from Shukla Yajur Veda - which was revealed to Sri Yajnavalkya Muni by Sri Vivaswan (Sri Surya).  In 4th chapter of Gita Bhagavan says - "Imam vivaswate yogam proktavaan..." i.e. " I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan". So Isavasya Upanisad is many ways the original source material, which later re appeared out of Sri Krishna's lips. 

In Chapter 3  - Sri Krishna says 

Loke’smin dwividhaa nishthaa puraa proktaa mayaanagha; 
Jnaanayogena saankhyaanaam karmayogena yoginaam.

3. In this world there is a twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one,—the path of knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of action of the Yogis!

The two paths can be traced back to Isavasya Upanisad. 

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Isavasya Upanisad & Karma Yoga

In Sruti - Isavasya Upanisad we see the following : -

Om Isavasyam-Idam Sarvam
Yetkinca Jagatyam Jagat | 
Tena Tyaktena Bhunjeethha
Ma Gridhah Kasyasvid-dhanam || - verse 1

All this, whatsoever moves in this Universe, including the Universe, itself moving, is indwelt or pervaded or enveloped or clothed by the Lord. That renounced, thou shouldst enjoy. Covet not anybody’s wealth

Sri Sankara Bhagavathpaada says

QUOTE

One who is thus engaged in the contemplation of the IsvarAtman, can resort only to the renunciation (of the three desires' of son, wealth, heaven) and not to karmas.

There is nobody's wealth, which could be coveted. The meaning is this: Everything has been renounced by contemplation on Ishwara with the idea - 'All this is Atman alone' (आत्मैवेदं सर्वमिती). So all this is of Atman's alone and all this is Atman alone. Therefore, do not cherish any desire for an unreal object.

UNQUOTE

EXT: Karma Performance is a distraction to one, who is engaged in Jnana VIchara.

However, if one is not eligible for Jnana Vichara, then Sruti exhorts him to action, in the very next verse :-

Swami's BhAsyam :

QUOTE

Atman after renouncing the three-fold desire, (the desire) for a son etc. And now for the other who is preoccupied with the not-self and therefore unable to know the Atman, the (next) mantra teaches this : -

UNQUOTE

Kurvanneveha karmani
jijivishet chatam samah
Evamtvayi na-anyatha-itah-asti 
na karma lipyate nare || - verse 2

Performing verily work in this world one should desire to live a full hundred years. This alone is right, for there is no other right path. Action never clings to a man of this temperament.

Swami Chinmayanandaji: In case you are not able to live the life of God-vision , achieved through renunciation, then do certainly desire to live a full hundred years of productive, selfless work.

Swami's BhAsyam: 

QUOTE

Only doing, performing Karmas like Agnihotra here, should one JijiVishet must wish to live (satam samAh) for the period of a hundred years...Therefore, by repeating what is already known, this is enjoined (here) that, should one wish to live a hundred years, one should do so only by doing Karmas.

UNQUOTE

Verses 3 admonished those who live a life, in which they make no attempts to Realize the Self, as it Truly Is.

Verses 4,5,6,7,8 - describe the indescribable & inspire us towards knowing the Self

Verse 9, 10, 11 are famous riddles, which Sri Sankara has demystified for us.

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति ये़ऽविद्यामुपासते ।

ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्याया्ँरताः ।। 1.1.9 ।।

  9. Those who worship avidya (karma born of ignorance) go to pitch darkness, but to a greater darkness than this go those who are devoted to Vidya (knowledge of the Devatas).

अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्ययाऽन्यदाहुरविद्यया ।

इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ।। 1.1.10 ।।

 10. Different indeed, they say, is the result (attained) by vidya and different indeed, they say, is the result (attained) by avidya. Thus have we heard from the wise who had explained it to us.

विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयँ् सह ।

अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ।। 1.1.11 ।।

 11. He who knows both vidya and avidya together, transcends mortality through avidya and reaches immortality through vidya.

From these verses and from Sri Sankara Bhasyam - we can infer that unless we combine Upasana with Karma - we have no hope to rising above the thralldom of Karma.

The Thralldom due to Karma can manifest in two ways  : -

a) Inaction - failing to discharge one's duties as per one's svadharma, prarabdha, sastra and instead claiming to lead a spiritual life - just because of following some Upasana, which we may have incidentally picked up !!

b) Action - Kaamya KArma or acting attached to results of action. This may include discharge of one's svadharma too but with attachment to fruits of results and no devotion to Ishwara or Moksha Sadhana.

To ensure we Act Properly & exhaust our Vasanas/Prarabdha, while developing Chitta Shuddi to become eventually eligible for Jnana Vichara - one has to combine - Karma with Bhakti.

Karma + Bhakti (to Ishwara) ==> Karma Yoga.

The study of verses 9, 10, 11 with Sri Sankara Bhasyam, suitable to the Karma Yoga Synthesis in life & as found in Gita.

Also note verse 10, humbly submits that this truth is handed down by tradition. This again goes to show the importance of a Srotriya Sampradhaaya - i.e. learning the Vedanta as per traditional method.

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Epilogue

The whole discourse of Karma Yoga in this chapter (2nd) and the next (3rd) or the whole of Gita at diverse places has *two things clarified* by Sri Krishna for our sake : -

a) Goal in life (i.e. Highest Bliss or Ishwara or BrahmAtma Jnanam)
b) Right Means to make ourselves eligible to Realize it (i.e. Highest Bliss)


*Goal* - *BrahmAtma Jnanam*

_Vedahmetam Purusham mahantam adityavarnam tamasaha parastat tameva viditvati mrityumeti_
_nanya pantha vidyate ayanaya_

No other way to transcend Suffering.

Sri Sankara has said it in many ways in his Prasthana Traya Bhasyams -
"kēvalājjñānāt kaivalyaprāptiḥ" (18.66)


*Right Means* - "_ Karma Yoga for Chitta Shuddi so we qualify for Jnana Vichara_ "

karmaṇyēvādhikārastē mā phalēṣu kadācana.
mā karmaphalahēturbhūrmā tē saṅgō.stvakarmaṇi৷৷2.47৷৷

a) To ensure we work and crack its secret (i.e. act and yet not get caught in further spirals of Samsaara) - we need Vyavasaatmika Buddhi, w.r.t single-mindedness towards the Goal of human birth.

b) Acting with equanimity (i.e. equipoise in success and failure) becomes a natural outcome of the Vyavasaatmika buddhi, since worldly gains or losses are all Ishwara's prerogative.


Bhagavan says in Chapter 3 : -

yajñārthātkarmaṇō.nyatra lōkō.yaṅ karmabandhanaḥ.
tadarthaṅ karma kauntēya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara৷৷3.9৷৷

This man becomes bound by actions other than that action meant for God. Without being attached, O son of Kunti, you perform actions for Him.

Sri Sankara Bhasyam:

'yajñō vai viṣṇuḥ' iti śrutēḥ yajñaḥ īśvaraḥ, tadarthaṅ yat kriyatē tat yajñārthaṅ karma.

'Sacrifice is verily Visnu' (Tai. Sam. 1.7.4), yajnah means God; whatever is done for Him is yajnartham. Therefore, mukta-sangah, without being attached, being free from attachment to the results of actions; O son of Kunti, samacara, you perform; karma, actions; tadartham, for Him, for God.

We saw Bhagavathpaada already alluded to it while commenting on 2.48 verse

"  _yōgasthaḥ  san  kuru karmāṇi  kēvalamīśvarārtham_ "


O Dhanajaya undertake actions, for the sake of God alone !

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