While researching upon Sloka no. 3 of Chapter 6 one question kept suspended before my mind and that was… ‘Is it possible to make money while practicing selfless Actions’ (Nishkam Karma)? And all through I kept going deeper to understand the possibility of moving and progressing in two worlds while living the same one single life. Spiritual evolution for any soul is the singular charter for its manifestation on this physical plane; undoubtedly. But spiritual evolution does not happen by itself through any magic wand… on the contrary one has to traverse through countless adversarial experiences and confrontations that suck all within a human. Under such rioting and conflicting experiences for one life after another, how is it possible to float upon an uphill terrain devoid of any thrust machine or wings affixed at ones back?
This question remained a suspended hook, afloat atop my eyes during the entire research upon the verse no. 3, that talks about Selfless acts as the only basic scheme, for all and any furtherance towards the journey of a seeker towards spiritual evolution. And the resolution was self evident.
Two words in this verse are very important since they rule entire verse as the first words of each line. And their supremacy is there, not only for being first in their respective lines… they are supreme for they unravel the purpose the sloka. The first word is “Aruruksho” (One aspirant of) and the second word is “Yogarudhasya” (One who has attuned to Yoga). The words are embroidered in the sloka in a manner to convey a simple pronouncement and that is...
Those who are aspirant of ascension in Yoga, selfless action (referred as Karma) are known as the only way.
Those that have attuned to Yoga absolute control within are known as the only way.
By the time we have reached chapter-6 so much of reiteration has been observed under Gita that the usage of few ordinary words now carry a heavy meaning. For e.g. the word Karma literally means ‘action’ but its continuous usage in the light of Karma yoga here merely means Selfless acts.
Now let us solve the riddle of a modern mind under the light of 3rd Sloka of 6th Chapter that was mentioned in beginning of this note.
1. Is it possible to make money while practicing selfless Actions (Nishkam Karma)?
2. Is there any possibility of moving and progressing in two worlds while living the same one single life?
According to the 1st Sloka of Chapter 6, unless you perform your mandatory obligations in life one cannot ever become a Sanyasi or a Yogi. And mandatory obligations are inclusive of supporting ones family, in accordance with the standards of living, practiced wisely and widely by others around in the light of one’s bracket of earnings. Simplify the aforesaid line and understand it once again like this...
Your Annual earning package is Rs.30 lakh and you live amongst a community that enjoys a similar contour of annual earnings. And there exists a wise standard of living for all those earning around the same bracket of remuneration… hence it is your mandatory obligation to see and ensure that your family is able to support the minimum standard of living in accordance with the surround, where they are pitched at this moment in their lives. The word minimum standard of living in the previous line should be clearly understood as a wisely ascertained standard of living that blends your way of life in the community of your surround. Your moderation in that surround in no way should be stretched beyond and towards extremism. The same example could be observed in the capacity of different profession like self employed, trader, small or medium industry owner etc.
Why did I undertake the aforesaid conflict into this interpretation?
I undertook this conflict under the interpretation of this sloka for two major reasons. Namely, there are seekers seeking inner growth… and while understanding scriptures at times they turn too dry to accommodate their mandatory obligations into the ambit of austerity. They become a minimalist at their own personal end and at the same time they enforce their minimalistic approach (practices) upon others that have to be supported by them (their family) as their mandatory obligation. Such observances create lot of conflict and unease around them. Those being supported by them may not be potent enough to find their own way/raise their effective voices but their suppression or confrontation with enforced austerity creates disharmony that hinders the pursuit of the one that was actually an aspirant of inner growth. For them it should be deeply understood that any austerity or minimalism has to be only practiced in dignified manner by the one or confined to the oneself that has developed a deep inclination towards inner growth and in no way it should be enforced upon others that are yet not prepared for a plunge into the sphere of spiritual ascension.
Second category of seekers belong to a thought that conveys within themselves… that since they have now progressed towards spiritual growth thereby anything and everything rest/apart is for the material plane henceforth they are now not bound by any obligation/duty and therefore they should become inactive within and without. These people should remember under the light of the 1st verse of the 6th Chapter that Karma Yoga or Yoga is about non indulgence and not about inaction. A yogi in fact becomes super active and involved at higher states of evolution. A yogi is able to gather a state where ordinary material/sensorial binding do not obstruct the endeavors under its noble intent. Renunciation is an inner disassociation… it is an inner state grounded in response to expectancies. Renunciation is not about relinquishing or running away from mandatory dispensations. Therefore external distancing does no good to those who are actually supposed to master inward.
The claimant for ascension into inner spiritual growth or the “Aruruksho” cannot qualify the entrance examination that leads to the admission into classroom of understandings that open a new window towards the higher self… unless that claimant is successfully able to ascertain/perform and prove its eligibility in the form of a Total Compliant for all necessary duties prescribed for it (the aspirant).
An interesting word deliberately inserted by the one that envisioned Gita (Muni Ved Vyasa under divine intuitions of Krishna) in the first line of Sloka no. 3 is “Mune”. This word draws few literal meanings like, the one that is thoughtful, the one that is inward, the one that is illuminated with spiritual insight. And under these notes I have referred “Mune” or Muni as “The claimant”. The claimant who truly understands the reasonableness of his/her claims. The foremost fulfillment for a claimant towards spiritual ascension is accomplishment of all prescribed mandatory obligations without indulgence. Now those mandatory obligations include with profit or not for profit activities. Before we move onwards towards the 2nd line of the Sloka 3 Let me assert that all not for profit acts that are performed without humble submission towards service… and are merely demonstrated externally as acts of service/compassion or benevolence are deeds that bind.
Whereas all acts that are performed for profit and executed with highest concern towards integrity upon promises made to the basic objective of the act are considered as evolutional acts. If we understand and practice these words we become sages on board irrespective of the garb/attire.
After having understood the validity of making profits or earning money, Now we have to understand the possibility of earning profits while acting under the discipline of Selfless acts (Nishkam Karma). E.g. Padman etc.