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Talk:Types of Kriyamāna/Āgāmī Karm:Prāyaschitta Karm

2026-06-08T19:07:54Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

These are acts of atonement or penances/expiation done to counterbalance Vikarma or evil effects of Kāmya and other acts. In a way, Prāyaschitta Karma is also a kind of Kāmya karm, because it is done with the goal or the desire to cleanse one of the evil effects of bad deeds. Below are cited some verses elucidating different aspects of this category of actions in summary.

''By not performing the duties commanded by scriptures, by doing prohibited things, and by being led astray by uncontrolled senses, a person can become fallen. Such a person must perform an atonement, because doing so brings joy to his conscience and also to his community. '''Yājnavalkya Smriti 3.219-220'''''

''All Rishis describe a penance for an evil Karma that was unintentionally committed; some declare, on the evidence of the Shruti, that it may be performed even for an intentionally committed offence. '''Manusmṛti'''''

''A sin unintentionally committed is expiated by the recitation of Vedic scriptures, but that which men in their foolishness commit intentionally, by various special penances. Manusmriti 11.46 Tapas, they say, is a self-reflection, whereby reality is sought to be determined or it is a way of repentance for the sins of previous life. '''Garuda Purāṇa 3.21.3'''''

''Prāya is a penance wherein the mind is controlled. Hence, Prāyascitta (expiation) is a way of self-control. It is not the tonsure of the head which they do while entering penance. '''Garuda Purāṇa 3.21.4'''''

''Atonements are heavy or light depending on whether the evil act was committed knowingly or unknowingly, respectively, by the doer. '''Mahābhārata 12.35.45'''''

''Following scriptures such as Smriti texts and Dharma Shastra prescribed atonement procedures frees one of the results of evil actions. But these atonement procedures are meant only for him who believes in the scriptures and has faith. '''Mahābhārata 12.35.46'''''

''But they who have a prominence of hate and arrogance, and who lack faith or and do not adhere to scriptures, no procedure for atonement is prescribed for them in the scriptures. '''Mahābhārata 12.35.47'''''

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Types of Kriyamāna/Āgāmī Karm:Naimittika Karm:Paurāṇic Karm

2026-06-08T19:04:33Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Paurāṇic karm refers to rituals and observances rooted in the teachings of the Purāṇas. These include a wide range of vrata- vows and austerities undertaken for spiritual merit, health, prosperity, or devotion to a Devi or Devta. The Purāṇas elaborate on these acts in great detail, prescribing specific procedures, timings, and benefits associated with each vrata, making them accessible to devotees across different social and spiritual backgrounds.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Types of Kriyamāna/Āgāmī Karm:Naimittika Karm:Shrauta or other Ceremonial Actions

2026-06-08T18:48:12Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Śrauta rituals and other ceremonial practices are deeply rooted in the Vedic tradition, performed to uphold dharm and invoke divine blessings. Śrauta rituals refer specifically to those prescribed in the śruti (Vedas), such as elaborate yajñas conducted with precise Vedic recitations. These rituals are often performed by qualified priests following strict injunctions.

Beyond Śrauta practices, various ceremonial practices are observed. For example, devotees of Viṣṇu observe Ekādaśī fasting, believing it purifies the mind and body. Annual śrāddha ceremonies are performed to honor ancestors, while yajñas are conducted on auspicious occasions such as full-moon nights for spiritual merit and prosperity. Additionally, saṃskāras marking key transitions in life, from birth to marriage and beyond, serve to sanctify an individual’s journey, reinforcing their connection with tradition and dharm.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Types of Kriyamāna/Āgāmī Karm:Naimittika Karm

2026-06-08T18:41:09Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

These are karm-s that are done only on specific occasions or for specific reasons. These are divided into the following two categories:
#'''Śrauta or other Ceremonial Actions:''' are integral to the Vedic tradition, encompassing rituals performed to uphold dharm and seek divine blessings. Śrauta rituals, derived from śruti (Vedic texts), include elaborate yajñas conducted with precise recitations by qualified priests. Alongside these, various ceremonial observances shape religious life, such as the Ekādaśī fast observed by Viṣṇu devotees for spiritual purification, annual śrāddha ceremonies to honor ancestors, and yajñas performed on auspicious occasions like full-moon nights. Additionally, saṃskāras—rituals marking significant life transitions—sanctify an individual’s journey, reinforcing their connection with tradition and dharm.
#'''The Smārtta or Varṇāśrama Dharm:''' refers to duties that are specific to certain social classes (varṇa dharm) or stages of life (āśrama dharm).
#'''Paurāṇic karm:''' described in Purāṇa-s, eg.: vrata-s.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Types of Kriyamāna/Āgāmī Karm:Nitya Karm:Sādhāraṇa Dharm or Sanātana Dharm

2026-06-08T18:00:34Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Sādhāraṇa Dharm refers to the universal precepts of dharm that are generally required to be practiced irrespective of time, place, or circumstance, subject to certain recognized exceptions. Examples include speaking the truth, giving alms, refraining from theft, and similar ethical obligations. However, these principles are not always applied in an absolute manner. For instance, speaking the truth is not regarded as dhārmic when it would cause harm to a virtuous person.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Types of Kriyamāna/Āgāmī Karm

2026-06-08T17:55:51Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

With regard to present, sañcita and prārabdha karmas exist as saṃskāra-s whereas the kriyamāna/āgāmī karmas are pure energy/action. Kriyamāna or āgāmī karmas may be classified into several categories as described below:

'''1. Nitya Karm'''
*Śārīra Karm
*Sādhāraṇa Dharm or Sanātana Dharm
*Pañcamahāyajñas

'''2. Naimittika Karm'''
*Śrauta or other Ceremonial Actions
*The Smārtta or Varṇāśrama Dharm
*Paurāṇika karm

'''3. Kāmya Karm'''

'''4. Vikarm or Pratiṣiddha Karm (Evil and Prohibited Karm)'''
*Mahāpātaka karm
*Upapātaka karm
*Pātaka karm
*Aśucikara

'''5. Prāyaścitta Karm'''

'''6. Akarm'''

'''7. Niṣkarm or Karmayog'''

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Classification of Puruṣhakāra Karm: A Time Perspective:Āgāmi Karm

2026-06-07T14:15:02Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

It is that karm which will be performed in the future, and that which is being performed currently. Sometimes, āgāmi karm itself is divided into two categories: kriyamāṇa (“being performed”) karm and āgāmi (“future”) karm. The former refers to the fresh karm performed in the present lifetime, whereas the latter represents intended future actions or plans that have not yet been acted upon and currently exist only in the form of thoughts. These plans may or may not eventually be carried out, but the very fact that they are entertained in the mind is said to result in karmic consequences. For example, a person may plan to kill someone he hates but never carry out the act. Nevertheless, according to the doctrine of karm, the evil intention itself results in bad karm whose consequences must be experienced at some point in the future.

Some authors define āgāmi karm in another way:

“….karm or future actions which our present actions will cause. Effects of one’s actions can become causes for his future actions and reactions…..”

However, future actions may or may not be effects of present actions. They may not be related to present actions at all. Such actions can perhaps also be treated as āgāmi karm.

Sometimes, though comparatively rarely, a further distinction is made between āgāmi karm and kriyamāṇa karm. According to this view, āgāmi karm is that whose fruit will manifest in future lives and will therefore be added to the stock of sañcita karm, whereas kriyamāṇa karm is that whose effects will be experienced relatively soon and definitely within the present lifetime. However, this distinction resembles the categories of dṛṣṭa-phala karm and adṛṣṭa-phala karm. Therefore, this definition of āgāmi karm and kriyamāṇa karm will not be adopted here.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Classification of Puruṣhakāra Karm: A Time Perspective:Prārabdha (‘set into motion’) Karm

2026-06-07T11:51:35Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

It is that part of the Saṃcita Karm which results in the present body. It is what we call our ‘fate’ in the present life.<ref>In other words, it is that part of the Karmāshaya Samskāras that have ripened to yield the threefold result (‘trivipāka’).</ref> We have no control over it once it comes into effect. In fact, even spiritually enlightened saints have to suffer the results of ripened karm that have started taking effect. Within the doctrine of karm, this is presented as an explanation for why even virtuous people suffer, and why saints sometimes have difficult lives or die painful deaths.

There is a misconception that prārabdha relates only to the effects of karm-s performed in a previous life that were added to the stock of saṃcita karm. Even in the current life, individuals constantly perform karm-s that become a part of the saṃcita karm and may also fructify. All such karm that fructifies in the present life constitutes prārabdha. Therefore, in essence, prārabdha refers to all saṃcita karm, whether performed in this life or in past lives, that has ripened under appropriate conditions and begun to yield fruit.

In Pañcadaśī 7.152–165, Swami Vidyāraṇya (1296–1391 CE) classifies prārabdha into three categories.<ref>Numerous books and articles explain these three types employing inaccurate and confusing examples. I have stuck close to Swami Vidyāraṇya’s definitions. </ref> This classification explains how ordinary as well as spiritually enlightened people experience karm that has ripened and begun to yield its effects.
#Icchā-Prārabdha: Even enlightened human beings know that actions have specific consequences. For example, we know that stealing can result in consequences such as arrest and imprisonment. Nevertheless, overcome by attachments and desires (‘icchā’), we perform good or bad actions, exercise our free will, and face the consequences. In the Mahābhārata, Yudhiṣṭhira knew that gambling was a harmful addiction. Yet, he indulged in it recklessly, due to which he lost his kingdom and caused himself and his family considerable suffering. In this example, the prārabdha resulted from actions performed in his present life itself, and they bore fruit in that same life. As another example, ṛṣi Viśvāmitra was overcome by lust and disrupted his meditation to father a child through an apsarā, a celestial nymph. In the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, ṛṣi Saubhari interrupted his underwater meditation after observing two fish mating and decided to marry. An illustration of someone reaping fruit in the next life is a person who is intensely attached to violent acts and is therefore reborn as a violent creature, such as a tiger.
#Anicchā-Prārabdha: The overpowering influence of vāsanā-s from the past can make one act in injudicious ways, even though one does not wish to (‘anicchā’), and thereby suffer the consequences. Conversely, a yogabhraṣṭa individual who had made great spiritual progress in previous lives, but had somehow become distracted by worldly attractions, will continue to be drawn towards spirituality in a future life because of the latent influence of those past efforts. For example, children born into criminal or otherwise adverse environments sometimes display unusually virtuous dispositions.
#Parecchā-Prārabdha: Sometimes enlightened persons perform actions for the sake of others, even though these actions bring personal suffering. For example, a knowledgeable ṛṣi chooses to impart knowledge to students even though such altruistic efforts might draw derision from the society around him (‘What a fool he is to impart his knowledge to ungrateful people for free’). This category of prārabdha is found in an enlightened person who does good to others without any selfish motives. Their desires and corresponding actions do not result in any fruit, just as roasted grains resemble unroasted grains but do not germinate, whereas the latter do. The ‘desires’ of enlightened persons are therefore not really ‘desires’ in the ordinary sense of the word, but a spontaneous outpouring of their elevated nature that has become a channel for Divine Will.

It is often difficult to determine which category of prārabdha an enlightened sage is experiencing. However, Svāmī Vidyāraṇya points out that for the enlightened person, the suffering or rejoicing that manifests as prārabdha is ultimately unreal. This is because the sage has surrendered his entire being to the blissful Bhagavān and has mentally detached himself from the physical body. Therefore, the pure and enlightened ātmā of the sage does not experience suffering even though the body and mind may be in pain.

Examples often cited in this context include Svāmī Rāmakṛṣṇa Paramahaṃsa and Rāmāṇa Maharṣi, who in modern times experienced physically painful final days due to cancer and a tumour respectively. Nevertheless, they remained peaceful and cheerful, having understood that the material world, including the body, mind, and pain, is transitory and unreal, whereas their true nature, the ātmā, is Divine, eternal, and free from suffering.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Classification of Puruṣhakāra Karm: A Time Perspective:Sañchita(‘accumulated’) Karma

2026-06-07T11:35:39Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Saṃcita (“accumulated”) karm is the sum total of all accumulated karm (''saṃskāra''-s) from one’s past lives as well as from the past portion of the present life. A portion of these, namely the ''vāsanā saṃskāra''-s, manifests in the individual’s overall character and behaviour, including attitudes, tendencies, proclivities, desires, aptitudes, innate skills, and similar traits. Another portion of the ''saṃcita'' karm matures into ''prārabdha'' karm.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:The Mechanics of Voluntary Karm (Puruṣhakāra Karm)

2026-06-07T11:19:03Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

How '''''puruṣakāra karm''''' (voluntary action) be performed in a more precise manner?

''The knower (''jñātā''), knowledge (''jñāna''), and the object of knowledge (''jñeya''), these three motivate action. Likewise, the doer (''kartā''), the organs (''karaṇa''), and activity (''karm''), these are the three constituents of action.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.18'''''

''There are threefold instigators of ''karm''. First, the ''manas'' generates the thought. Then, the ''buddhi'' takes a decision and results in action. Finally, the heart (the ''ātmā'' seated in the heart) experiences pleasurable and non-pleasurable consequences arising from the actions performed.'' '''''Mahābhārata 12.248.1'''''

In light of the above verses and the preceding sections, '''''puruṣakāra karm''''' (voluntary action) is completed in the following steps:

'''1. Object of Knowledge (''jñeya'')'''

First, a cognition through one of the sense organs, or a thought that is new, recalled from memory, or arising in a dream, appears in the ''manas'' (mind).

'''2. Knowledge (''jñāna'')'''

This object of knowledge is presented to the ''buddhi'' and is interpreted through the filter of the five '''''karmayoni'''''-s. This interpretation results in the formation of knowledge and leads to a decision regarding action. The '''''Bhagavad Gītā''''' provides a threefold classification of ''jñāna'' to emphasize the importance of cultivating the ''sāttvika'' variety:

''The jñāna by which one sees the One Imperishable Being in all beings, undivided in separate beings, know that jñāna to be sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.20'''''

''The jñāna which sees in all beings separate entities of various kinds due to their differentiation, know that jñāna to be rājasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.21'''''

''That jñāna which is attached to a single effect as though it were whole, without concern for the real cause, without grasping the real truth, and trivial, that jñāna is declared to be tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.22'''''

'''3. Desire and Resolve (''karmayoni'' and ''saṃkalpa'')'''

The object, interpreted by the ''buddhi'', creates a motivation or desire (''karmayoni'') concerning the necessity of performing an action (''saṃkalpa''). The decision of the ''buddhi'' may be influenced by the ''citta'' (reservoir of ''vāsanā''-s), ''ahaṃkāra'', and the senses (''indriya''-s) through the ''manas'', but the final resolution (''niścaya'') belongs to the ''buddhi''.

As described:

“The ''manas'' also collects and organizes data from ''ahaṃkāra''. Information from the ''ahaṃkāra'' can be valid and useful, but its inherent bias must be taken into account. The individual consciousness of ego is born when an infant begins to view existence exclusively in terms of subject and object. This limited ‘I’ perceives every object or relationship as either pleasant or unpleasant. Left undisciplined, the unruly ''ahaṃkāra'' continually reinforces a human being’s alienation from the One Absolute Reality.”<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, p. 278.</ref>

“As the ''manas'' debates whether or not to take an action, information retrieved from the unconscious portion of the mind (''citta'') is added to the various suggestions of the ''ahaṃkāra'' and senses. The ''citta'' is analogous to a computer’s hard drive, a reservoir of all your ''saṃskāra''-s and the storehouse of information defined as useful in fulfilling your desires.”<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, p. 278.</ref>

“The ''buddhi'' is the only function of the mind that has the competence to discriminate and decide. It has the potential for great wisdom. However, without sufficient exercise and purification through ''sādhanā'', the ''buddhi'' may reflect the limited perspective of the senses, ''ahaṃkāra'', and ''citta'' instead of the wisdom of the superconscious mind. This is a perfect example of the ‘squeaky wheel’ theory. Sometimes the loud insistence of the ego, senses, memories, imagination, fear, anger, and selfish desires can become the sole basis upon which ''buddhi'' makes a decision.

When employed regularly, however, the purified ''buddhi'' has the reflective quality of a well-polished mirror. It is the instrument through which the conscious mind can know the will of the Divine Reality. With the regular practice of seated meditation, the ''buddhi'' increasingly reflects the intuitive library of knowledge of the superconscious mind. The purified ''buddhi'' can always discriminate between the ''preya'' [worldly, temporary happiness] and the ''śreya'' [spiritually beneficial]. When the ''manas'' presents us with the choices that echo the calls of the senses, ''ahaṃkāra'' (ego), and ''citta'' (unconscious mind), the purified ''buddhi'' will unerringly define and endorse the ''śreya''. That choice will lead us to our highest and greatest good.”<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, pp. 279–280.</ref>

'''4. Knower (''Parijñātā'')'''

The ''buddhi'' (intellectual organ) presents the knowledge to the ''ātmā'', which is the true knower. The ''ātmā'' is the witness-consciousness (''sākṣī'') and the substratum of all cognition, while the ''buddhi'' merely reflects and channels the knowledge gathered.

'''5. Doer (''Kartā'')'''

The ''ātmā'', when influenced by the ego (''ahaṃkāra''), identifies with the body-mind complex and thinks, “I am the doer,” and desires the fruits of action. While the ''ātmā'' itself is ''nirguṇa'' (beyond the three ''guṇa''-s), the ''ahaṃkāra'' is ''saguṇa'' (composed of the ''guṇa''-s), and therefore the perceived doer (''kartā'') is classified into three types in the '''''Bhagavad Gītā''''':

''The doer who is free from attachment, free from the speech of egotism, full of steadfastness and enthusiasm, and who is not perturbed by success or failure, he is said to be a Sāttvika doer.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.26'''''

''The doer who is swayed by passion, who eagerly seeks the fruit of his karm, who is greedy, violent-natured, impure, and who is moved by joy and sorrow, he is said to be a Rājasa doer.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.27'''''

''The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, wicked, deceitful, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating, he is said to be a Tāmasa doer.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.28'''''

Thus, while the ''ātmā'' is the ultimate source of consciousness, the ''guṇa''-laden ''ahaṃkāra'' attributes agency and thereby distorts the perception of doership unless purified through ''viveka'' and ''sādhanā''.

'''6. Organs and Activity (''Karaṇa'')'''

Once the ''saṃkalpa'' (resolve) is formed in the ''buddhi'', it initiates action through the ''manas'' and the ''prāṇa''-s, which animate the ''karmendriya''-s (organs of action). The action (''kṛti'') may be physical, verbal, or mental. If the action is purely mental, such as contemplation, memory, or meditation, then the ''manas'' alone acts under the directive of the ''buddhi''. In physical or verbal actions, the respective sensory and motor faculties are employed.

'''7. Fruit of Action (''Karm'') and Its Impressions (''Saṃskāra'')'''

Once an action is performed, it creates a dual effect:

''External result (''karmaphala''):'' the tangible or intangible outcome experienced as pleasure or pain, success or failure, and similar consequences.

''Internal imprint (''saṃskāra''):'' the subtle impression stored in the ''citta'' (subconscious mind), which shapes future tendencies, desires, and even rebirth.

The '''''Bhagavad Gītā''''' classifies action (''karm'') according to the quality of intent, detachment, and wisdom behind it:

''That karm which is ordained and is performed without attachment, without desire or hate, and with no desire for its fruit, is said to be Sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.23'''''

''That karm which is performed by one who wants to satisfy his desires, with great effort and with ego, is declared to be Rājasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.24'''''

''That karm which is undertaken because of delusion, disregarding the consequences, loss or injury, and without regard to one’s ability, is termed Tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.25'''''

=== Prābhākara Mīmāṃsā Model of Karm ===

The Prābhākara school offers a parallel and highly analytical model describing how ''puruṣakāra'' (human initiative) unfolds:

# '''Kāryatājñāna''' (Knowledge of Duty): The initial cognition that “something ought to be done” arises from a sense of duty or recognition of a ''śāstrīya niyama'' (scriptural mandate) or an internal moral imperative.
# '''Kṛtisādhyatājñāna''' (Knowledge of Doability): This is followed by the realization that the intended act is capable of being accomplished through one's own effort (''kṛti'').
# '''Svaviśeṣattāpratisandhāna''' (Self-Identification with the Action): The self appropriates the action by relating it to its own identity or interest, namely, “I must do this.”
# '''Cikīrṣā''' (Will to Act): The intention or resolve to undertake the action arises, expressed as “I want to do this.”
# '''Ceṣṭā''' (Effort): Volitional effort begins through the body-mind complex in the form of planning, movement, speech, and related activities.
# '''Kriyā''' (Execution): The action is finally performed externally, completing the chain of volitional activity.<ref>Anand, Kewal Krishna. ''Indian Philosophy – The Concept of Karma.'' Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan, 1982, Delhi.</ref>

Purification of the ''buddhi'' is emphasized through the practice of spiritual disciplines that restrain the ''manas'' (mind), ''citta'' (the repository of memories and impressions), ''ahaṃkāra'' (ego), and the senses (''indriya''-s). A pure ''buddhi'' is essentially of the nature of ''sattva guṇa'', being clear, reflective, and luminous. Consequently, ''sattva'' and ''buddhi'' are frequently used in closely related senses within scriptural literature. When the ''buddhi'' becomes tainted by ''rajas'' (desire and agitation) or ''tamas'' (inertia and ignorance), it becomes clouded and gives rise to erroneous decisions and binding actions.

When the ''buddhi'' becomes free from these impurities, it no longer generates ''saṃkalpa'' (will or desire to act) rooted in ego or attachment. Instead, it becomes a transparent instrument through which the Divine Will (''Īśvara-icchā'') operates without obstruction. Such a person, established in ''śuddha sattva'', is referred to as an ''akartā'' (Non-Doer), because actions are no longer self-driven but flow from higher wisdom, like a flute played by the Bhagavān.

''“Purifying the buddhi is essential. The more you cleanse and clarify the buddhi, by the practice of seated meditation and all forms of meditation in action, the greater will be your access to the superconscious mind.”''<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, pp. 279–280.</ref>

Perlmutter further explains:

''“Yog science recognizes a parallel in human life. The collective noise of the senses (indriya-s), the opinions and projections of the ahaṃkāra (ego), and the persistent power of the citta’s stored memories and imaginations often become so loud and overpowering that they drown out the quiet, resolute signal of the buddhi (intellect).

To hear that signal, and more importantly, to heed its guidance, the seeker must learn the art of inner silence.

This begins by consciously reducing the volume of the chatter of the manas (restless mind), the cravings of the senses, the distortions of the ego, and the unconscious pull of memory.

This ‘noise reduction’ is accomplished through the practice of attention control, which is the very foundation of Yog. Directing awareness inward, again and again, is how the luminous voice of the buddhi becomes audible. Once heard, it becomes the inner compass guiding one toward clarity, purpose, and liberation.”''<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, p. 281.</ref>

[[File:Chariot analogy.png|thumb]]

The chariot analogy presented in '''''Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.3–4''''' is particularly useful for understanding this concept.

A modern scholar employs this Upaniṣadic analogy to explain:

''“This image has many important implications. First, it is the role of the buddhi to keep you headed in the best direction. The manas serves as reins to steer you for your highest and greatest good. When all the major functions of the mind are coordinated to work in harmony, the real Ātman makes all the decisions. The buddhi, reflecting the will of the Divine Reality, communicates this wisdom to the manas, and the senses and body obey. But when the senses are uncontrolled, they immediately take to the road of desire that promises pleasure. Then we are not determining our destiny. We are enslaved to the whim of our horses.”''

''“If you are ignoring your Divine Nature at the moment a thought, desire, or emotion appears in your awareness, you are likely to disregard or overlook the wise and good counsel of the buddhi and fall sway to the siren call of the senses, ahaṅkāra, and citta. You may even be fooled temporarily into believing that you are choosing the preya through your own free will, but actions chosen based on fear, anger, and greed will always result in disease.”''<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, pp. 283–284.</ref>

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:The Mechanics of Voluntary Karm (Puruṣhakāra Karm)

2026-06-07T11:17:45Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Summary of how '''''puruṣakāra karm''''' (voluntary action) is performed in a more precise manner.

''The knower (''jñātā''), knowledge (''jñāna''), and the object of knowledge (''jñeya''), these three motivate action. Likewise, the doer (''kartā''), the organs (''karaṇa''), and activity (''karm''), these are the three constituents of action.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.18'''''

''There are threefold instigators of ''karm''. First, the ''manas'' generates the thought. Then, the ''buddhi'' takes a decision and results in action. Finally, the heart (the ''ātmā'' seated in the heart) experiences pleasurable and non-pleasurable consequences arising from the actions performed.'' '''''Mahābhārata 12.248.1'''''

In light of the above verses and the preceding sections, '''''puruṣakāra karm''''' (voluntary action) is completed in the following steps:

'''1. Object of Knowledge (''jñeya'')'''

First, a cognition through one of the sense organs, or a thought that is new, recalled from memory, or arising in a dream, appears in the ''manas'' (mind).

'''2. Knowledge (''jñāna'')'''

This object of knowledge is presented to the ''buddhi'' and is interpreted through the filter of the five '''''karmayoni'''''-s. This interpretation results in the formation of knowledge and leads to a decision regarding action. The '''''Bhagavad Gītā''''' provides a threefold classification of ''jñāna'' to emphasize the importance of cultivating the ''sāttvika'' variety:

''The jñāna by which one sees the One Imperishable Being in all beings, undivided in separate beings, know that jñāna to be sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.20'''''

''The jñāna which sees in all beings separate entities of various kinds due to their differentiation, know that jñāna to be rājasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.21'''''

''That jñāna which is attached to a single effect as though it were whole, without concern for the real cause, without grasping the real truth, and trivial, that jñāna is declared to be tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.22'''''

'''3. Desire and Resolve (''karmayoni'' and ''saṃkalpa'')'''

The object, interpreted by the ''buddhi'', creates a motivation or desire (''karmayoni'') concerning the necessity of performing an action (''saṃkalpa''). The decision of the ''buddhi'' may be influenced by the ''citta'' (reservoir of ''vāsanā''-s), ''ahaṃkāra'', and the senses (''indriya''-s) through the ''manas'', but the final resolution (''niścaya'') belongs to the ''buddhi''.

As described:

“The ''manas'' also collects and organizes data from ''ahaṃkāra''. Information from the ''ahaṃkāra'' can be valid and useful, but its inherent bias must be taken into account. The individual consciousness of ego is born when an infant begins to view existence exclusively in terms of subject and object. This limited ‘I’ perceives every object or relationship as either pleasant or unpleasant. Left undisciplined, the unruly ''ahaṃkāra'' continually reinforces a human being’s alienation from the One Absolute Reality.”<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, p. 278.</ref>

“As the ''manas'' debates whether or not to take an action, information retrieved from the unconscious portion of the mind (''citta'') is added to the various suggestions of the ''ahaṃkāra'' and senses. The ''citta'' is analogous to a computer’s hard drive, a reservoir of all your ''saṃskāra''-s and the storehouse of information defined as useful in fulfilling your desires.”<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, p. 278.</ref>

“The ''buddhi'' is the only function of the mind that has the competence to discriminate and decide. It has the potential for great wisdom. However, without sufficient exercise and purification through ''sādhanā'', the ''buddhi'' may reflect the limited perspective of the senses, ''ahaṃkāra'', and ''citta'' instead of the wisdom of the superconscious mind. This is a perfect example of the ‘squeaky wheel’ theory. Sometimes the loud insistence of the ego, senses, memories, imagination, fear, anger, and selfish desires can become the sole basis upon which ''buddhi'' makes a decision.

When employed regularly, however, the purified ''buddhi'' has the reflective quality of a well-polished mirror. It is the instrument through which the conscious mind can know the will of the Divine Reality. With the regular practice of seated meditation, the ''buddhi'' increasingly reflects the intuitive library of knowledge of the superconscious mind. The purified ''buddhi'' can always discriminate between the ''preya'' [worldly, temporary happiness] and the ''śreya'' [spiritually beneficial]. When the ''manas'' presents us with the choices that echo the calls of the senses, ''ahaṃkāra'' (ego), and ''citta'' (unconscious mind), the purified ''buddhi'' will unerringly define and endorse the ''śreya''. That choice will lead us to our highest and greatest good.”<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, pp. 279–280.</ref>

'''4. Knower (''Parijñātā'')'''

The ''buddhi'' (intellectual organ) presents the knowledge to the ''ātmā'', which is the true knower. The ''ātmā'' is the witness-consciousness (''sākṣī'') and the substratum of all cognition, while the ''buddhi'' merely reflects and channels the knowledge gathered.

'''5. Doer (''Kartā'')'''

The ''ātmā'', when influenced by the ego (''ahaṃkāra''), identifies with the body-mind complex and thinks, “I am the doer,” and desires the fruits of action. While the ''ātmā'' itself is ''nirguṇa'' (beyond the three ''guṇa''-s), the ''ahaṃkāra'' is ''saguṇa'' (composed of the ''guṇa''-s), and therefore the perceived doer (''kartā'') is classified into three types in the '''''Bhagavad Gītā''''':

''The doer who is free from attachment, free from the speech of egotism, full of steadfastness and enthusiasm, and who is not perturbed by success or failure, he is said to be a Sāttvika doer.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.26'''''

''The doer who is swayed by passion, who eagerly seeks the fruit of his karm, who is greedy, violent-natured, impure, and who is moved by joy and sorrow, he is said to be a Rājasa doer.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.27'''''

''The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, wicked, deceitful, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating, he is said to be a Tāmasa doer.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.28'''''

Thus, while the ''ātmā'' is the ultimate source of consciousness, the ''guṇa''-laden ''ahaṃkāra'' attributes agency and thereby distorts the perception of doership unless purified through ''viveka'' and ''sādhanā''.

'''6. Organs and Activity (''Karaṇa'')'''

Once the ''saṃkalpa'' (resolve) is formed in the ''buddhi'', it initiates action through the ''manas'' and the ''prāṇa''-s, which animate the ''karmendriya''-s (organs of action). The action (''kṛti'') may be physical, verbal, or mental. If the action is purely mental, such as contemplation, memory, or meditation, then the ''manas'' alone acts under the directive of the ''buddhi''. In physical or verbal actions, the respective sensory and motor faculties are employed.

'''7. Fruit of Action (''Karm'') and Its Impressions (''Saṃskāra'')'''

Once an action is performed, it creates a dual effect:

''External result (''karmaphala''):'' the tangible or intangible outcome experienced as pleasure or pain, success or failure, and similar consequences.

''Internal imprint (''saṃskāra''):'' the subtle impression stored in the ''citta'' (subconscious mind), which shapes future tendencies, desires, and even rebirth.

The '''''Bhagavad Gītā''''' classifies action (''karm'') according to the quality of intent, detachment, and wisdom behind it:

''That karm which is ordained and is performed without attachment, without desire or hate, and with no desire for its fruit, is said to be Sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.23'''''

''That karm which is performed by one who wants to satisfy his desires, with great effort and with ego, is declared to be Rājasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.24'''''

''That karm which is undertaken because of delusion, disregarding the consequences, loss or injury, and without regard to one’s ability, is termed Tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.25'''''

=== Prābhākara Mīmāṃsā Model of Karm ===

The Prābhākara school offers a parallel and highly analytical model describing how ''puruṣakāra'' (human initiative) unfolds:

# '''Kāryatājñāna''' (Knowledge of Duty): The initial cognition that “something ought to be done” arises from a sense of duty or recognition of a ''śāstrīya niyama'' (scriptural mandate) or an internal moral imperative.
# '''Kṛtisādhyatājñāna''' (Knowledge of Doability): This is followed by the realization that the intended act is capable of being accomplished through one's own effort (''kṛti'').
# '''Svaviśeṣattāpratisandhāna''' (Self-Identification with the Action): The self appropriates the action by relating it to its own identity or interest, namely, “I must do this.”
# '''Cikīrṣā''' (Will to Act): The intention or resolve to undertake the action arises, expressed as “I want to do this.”
# '''Ceṣṭā''' (Effort): Volitional effort begins through the body-mind complex in the form of planning, movement, speech, and related activities.
# '''Kriyā''' (Execution): The action is finally performed externally, completing the chain of volitional activity.<ref>Anand, Kewal Krishna. ''Indian Philosophy – The Concept of Karma.'' Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan, 1982, Delhi.</ref>

Purification of the ''buddhi'' is emphasized through the practice of spiritual disciplines that restrain the ''manas'' (mind), ''citta'' (the repository of memories and impressions), ''ahaṃkāra'' (ego), and the senses (''indriya''-s). A pure ''buddhi'' is essentially of the nature of ''sattva guṇa'', being clear, reflective, and luminous. Consequently, ''sattva'' and ''buddhi'' are frequently used in closely related senses within scriptural literature. When the ''buddhi'' becomes tainted by ''rajas'' (desire and agitation) or ''tamas'' (inertia and ignorance), it becomes clouded and gives rise to erroneous decisions and binding actions.

When the ''buddhi'' becomes free from these impurities, it no longer generates ''saṃkalpa'' (will or desire to act) rooted in ego or attachment. Instead, it becomes a transparent instrument through which the Divine Will (''Īśvara-icchā'') operates without obstruction. Such a person, established in ''śuddha sattva'', is referred to as an ''akartā'' (Non-Doer), because actions are no longer self-driven but flow from higher wisdom, like a flute played by the Bhagavān.

''“Purifying the buddhi is essential. The more you cleanse and clarify the buddhi, by the practice of seated meditation and all forms of meditation in action, the greater will be your access to the superconscious mind.”''<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, pp. 279–280.</ref>

Perlmutter further explains:

''“Yog science recognizes a parallel in human life. The collective noise of the senses (indriya-s), the opinions and projections of the ahaṃkāra (ego), and the persistent power of the citta’s stored memories and imaginations often become so loud and overpowering that they drown out the quiet, resolute signal of the buddhi (intellect).

To hear that signal, and more importantly, to heed its guidance, the seeker must learn the art of inner silence.

This begins by consciously reducing the volume of the chatter of the manas (restless mind), the cravings of the senses, the distortions of the ego, and the unconscious pull of memory.

This ‘noise reduction’ is accomplished through the practice of attention control, which is the very foundation of Yog. Directing awareness inward, again and again, is how the luminous voice of the buddhi becomes audible. Once heard, it becomes the inner compass guiding one toward clarity, purpose, and liberation.”''<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, p. 281.</ref>

[[File:Chariot analogy.png|thumb]]

The chariot analogy presented in '''''Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.3–4''''' is particularly useful for understanding this concept.

A modern scholar employs this Upaniṣadic analogy to explain:

''“This image has many important implications. First, it is the role of the buddhi to keep you headed in the best direction. The manas serves as reins to steer you for your highest and greatest good. When all the major functions of the mind are coordinated to work in harmony, the real Ātman makes all the decisions. The buddhi, reflecting the will of the Divine Reality, communicates this wisdom to the manas, and the senses and body obey. But when the senses are uncontrolled, they immediately take to the road of desire that promises pleasure. Then we are not determining our destiny. We are enslaved to the whim of our horses.”''

''“If you are ignoring your Divine Nature at the moment a thought, desire, or emotion appears in your awareness, you are likely to disregard or overlook the wise and good counsel of the buddhi and fall sway to the siren call of the senses, ahaṅkāra, and citta. You may even be fooled temporarily into believing that you are choosing the preya through your own free will, but actions chosen based on fear, anger, and greed will always result in disease.”''<ref>Perlmutter, Leonard. ''The Heart and Science of Yoga.'' AMI Publishers, 2005, New York, pp. 283–284.</ref>

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions:Avividiṣhā Karmayoni

2026-06-07T05:23:38Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

''Avividiṣā'' is listed among the five ''karmayoni''-s in Sāṃkhya literature. The ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'' of the ''Śānti Parva'' defines it in the following manner:<ref>Various definitions of ''avividiṣā'' occur in different Sāṃkhya texts and commentarial traditions.</ref>

''The desire not to know (avividiṣā) is a source of action. It is the state of having no desire to know anything. It is cessation from all acts. Thus it is said, “Having known everything, one ceases to perform acts. That source of action is called avividiṣā.”'' '''''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda, Śānti Parva'''''

The ''Yuktidīpikā'', in its commentary on '''''Sāṃkhya Kārikā 29''''', offers a somewhat different explanation:

''The absence of a desire to obtain knowledge, as in a person who has consumed poison, is in deep sleep, or is in a state of stupor, is referred to as avividiṣā.'' '''''Yuktidīpikā on Sāṃkhya Kārikā 29'''''

These definitions suggest that avividiṣā denotes the absence of a desire for further knowledge. However, the term is interpreted differently across Sāṃkhya sources. In the ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'', avividiṣā appears as a condition associated with the completion of knowledge and the consequent cessation of purposive activity. In the ''Yuktidīpikā'', by contrast, it denotes a lack of interest in acquiring knowledge and is illustrated through states such as stupor or unconsciousness.

A sāttvika form of ''avividiṣā'' may be understood as the absence of desire for further knowledge arising from spiritual fulfillment, contentment, or the attainment of the highest knowledge. Such a condition corresponds closely to the description found in the ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'', where one who has already attained knowledge ceases from further striving.

A rājasa form of ''avividiṣā'' may be understood as the avoidance of knowledge due to attachment, anxiety, ambition, or fear of undesirable consequences. In such cases, knowledge is not rejected because it has been transcended, but because it is perceived as inconvenient or threatening.

A tāmasa form of ''avividiṣā'' may be understood as the absence of interest in knowledge arising from ignorance, inertia, negligence, or delusion. This interpretation approximates the examples given in the ''Yuktidīpikā'', where the absence of the desire to know is associated with states such as stupor or unconsciousness.

This threefold classification is an interpretive application of the guṇa doctrine and is not explicitly stated in the primary Sāṃkhya sources discussing ''avividiṣā''.

These differing definitions may be understood as reflecting distinct manifestations of avividiṣā. At one end lies the condition of a spiritually accomplished individual who, having attained the desired knowledge, no longer seeks further objects of inquiry. At the other lies the absence of intellectual aspiration arising from ignorance, inertia, or preoccupation with other concerns.

The ''Yuktidīpikā'' further emphasizes that the ''karmayoni''-s are to be employed in accordance with dharma. Consequently, the value of any particular motivational state depends upon the manner in which it contributes to right conduct and spiritual development.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions:Shraddhā Karmayoni

2026-06-07T05:04:31Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Among the five ''karmayoni''-s described in Sāṃkhya literature, ''śraddhā'' (faith, conviction, or deeply held value-orientation) functions as an important source of action. It shapes an individual's motivations, priorities, and patterns of conduct, thereby influencing the actions that are undertaken and the goals toward which they are directed.

The ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'' defines śraddhā as a motivating force expressed through disciplined conduct, study, charity, austerity, sacrificial acts, and adherence to spiritual and ethical obligations.

''Śraddhā is a source of action. One who possesses faith performs duties with self-restraint, studies sacred knowledge, practices charity, undertakes austerities, performs yajña-s, and follows prescribed disciplines for spiritual welfare.'' '''''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda, Śānti Parva'''''

In this sense, śraddhā is not merely belief but a disposition that manifests in conduct and sustained commitment to particular values and ideals.

The Bhagavad Gītā states that the nature of an individual's faith corresponds to the condition of the inner faculties:

''The faith of every person conforms to his inner disposition, O Bhārata. A person is constituted by faith. Whatever his faith, that indeed he is.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.3'''''

Accordingly, faith is said to assume different forms according to the predominance of the three guṇa-s. Sāttvika faith is directed toward purity, self-discipline, spiritual growth, and higher realization. ''Sāttvika persons worship the deva-s.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.4''''' Likewise, ''That yajña which is performed according to scriptural injunctions, without desire for its fruits, and with the conviction that it ought to be performed, is sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.11''''' Similarly, ''The charity which is given at the proper place and time, to a worthy recipient, without expectation of return, is considered sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.20'''''

Rājasa faith is associated with desire, ambition, achievement, status, and attachment to results. ''Know that yajña to be rājasa which is performed with desire for its fruits and for the sake of ostentation.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.12''''' Likewise, ''Charity given with the expectation of return or with desire for its fruit is considered rājasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.21'''''

Tāmasa faith is characterized by delusion, ignorance, disregard for scriptural guidance, and harmful or misguided practices. ''Those of tāmasa disposition worship spirits of the dead and other lower beings.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.4''''' Likewise, ''That yajña which is performed without regard for scriptural procedure, without proper offerings, mantras, remuneration, or faith, is considered tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.13''''' Similarly, ''Charity given at an improper place or time, to an unworthy recipient, and without respect, is declared tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.22'''''
==== Śraddhā and Conduct ====

The Bhagavad Gītā extends this threefold classification to numerous aspects of human life, including worship, food, sacrifice (''yajña''), austerity (''tapas''), and charity (''dāna''). Faith therefore serves as an underlying determinant of conduct, shaping both the character of actions and the manner in which they are performed.

Within the doctrine of the ''karmayoni''-s, śraddhā functions as a foundational motivational force that directs the intellect and influences the course of human action. It links inner conviction with outward conduct and thereby serves as an important source of both karma and spiritual development.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions:Shraddhā Karmayoni

2026-06-06T18:27:46Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

=== Śraddhā ===

Among the five ''karmayoni''-s described in Sāṃkhya literature, ''śraddhā'' (faith, conviction, or deeply held value-orientation) functions as an important source of action. It shapes an individual's motivations, priorities, and patterns of conduct, thereby influencing the actions that are undertaken and the goals toward which they are directed.

The ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'' defines śraddhā as a motivating force expressed through disciplined conduct, study, charity, austerity, sacrificial acts, and adherence to spiritual and ethical obligations.

''Śraddhā is a source of action. One who possesses faith performs duties with self-restraint, studies sacred knowledge, practices charity, undertakes austerities, performs yajña-s, and follows prescribed disciplines for spiritual welfare.'' '''''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda, Śānti Parva'''''

In this sense, śraddhā is not merely belief but a disposition that manifests in conduct and sustained commitment to particular values and ideals.

The Bhagavad Gītā states that the nature of an individual's faith corresponds to the condition of the inner faculties:

''The faith of every person conforms to his inner disposition, O Bhārata. A person is constituted by faith. Whatever his faith, that indeed he is.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.3'''''

Accordingly, faith is said to assume different forms according to the predominance of the three guṇa-s. Sāttvika faith is directed toward purity, self-discipline, spiritual growth, and higher realization. ''Sāttvika persons worship the deva-s.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.4''''' Likewise, ''That yajña which is performed according to scriptural injunctions, without desire for its fruits, and with the conviction that it ought to be performed, is sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.11''''' Similarly, ''The charity which is given at the proper place and time, to a worthy recipient, without expectation of return, is considered sāttvika.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.20'''''

Rājasa faith is associated with desire, ambition, achievement, status, and attachment to results. ''Know that yajña to be rājasa which is performed with desire for its fruits and for the sake of ostentation.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.12''''' Likewise, ''Charity given with the expectation of return or with desire for its fruit is considered rājasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.21'''''

Tāmasa faith is characterized by delusion, ignorance, disregard for scriptural guidance, and harmful or misguided practices. ''Those of tāmasa disposition worship spirits of the dead and other lower beings.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.4''''' Likewise, ''That yajña which is performed without regard for scriptural procedure, without proper offerings, mantras, remuneration, or faith, is considered tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.13''''' Similarly, ''Charity given at an improper place or time, to an unworthy recipient, and without respect, is declared tāmasa.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 17.22'''''
==== Śraddhā and Conduct ====

The Bhagavad Gītā extends this threefold classification to numerous aspects of human life, including worship, food, sacrifice (''yajña''), austerity (''tapas''), and charity (''dāna''). Faith therefore serves as an underlying determinant of conduct, shaping both the character of actions and the manner in which they are performed.

Within the doctrine of the ''karmayoni''-s, śraddhā functions as a foundational motivational force that directs the intellect and influences the course of human action. It links inner conviction with outward conduct and thereby serves as an important source of both karma and spiritual development.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions:Sukhā Karmayoni

2026-06-06T18:11:42Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

In the Kapilāsurisaṃvāda, Sukhā is defined in the following words:

Sukhā is a source of action. He who desires happiness performs atonements with the greatest effort. E.g. A virtuous deed towards the brāhmaṇa-s and cows when overcome with passion and anger. Doing japaḥ may enable even those born of a marriage in which the woman is from a higher caste than the man to attain Brahmaloka. Thus it is said, ‘‘Exerting in action, austerity or acquisition of knowledge, and performing atonements and austerities are characteristic of the efforts to gain happiness.’’

In short, the characteristic of Sukhā Karmayoni is the desire to increase one’s happiness in this life and in the next.

Pursuit of joy, pleasure, happiness and the like are fundamental to human nature. But the motivations and purpose of these pursuits of happiness can vary. Accordingly, ‘happiness’ as a motivation for action too can be classified along the three guṇa-s, as taught by Kṛṣṇa

''Now hear from me, Arjuna, '''the three kinds of happiness'''. '''Gita 18.36ab.'''''

''That happiness in which one rejoices after long practice, and in which one reaches the end of his sorrow, which is like poison in the beginning and like nectar at the end, which springs from the tranquil joy of the intellect that is merged in the ātmā – know that happiness to be '''Sāttvic'''. '''Gita 18.36cd-37'''''

''That happiness which arises from the contact of the senses and their objects and which is like nectar at first but like poison at the end – that happiness is declared to be '''Rājasic.''' '''Gita 18.38'''''

''That happiness which deludes the ātmā both at the beginning and at the end and which arises from sleep, indolence and negligence – that is declared to be '''Tāmasic'''. '''Gita 18.39'''''

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions:Dhṛti Karmayoni

2026-06-06T18:09:22Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Among the five ''karmayoni''-s described in Sāṃkhya literature, ''dhṛti'' (steadfastness, firmness, or resolve) occupies an important place as a motivating factor underlying action. The ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'' of the ''Śānti Parva'' defines dhṛti as the capacity by which an individual maintains and protects a chosen resolve through actions of body, speech, and mind.<ref>For this text occurring in certain South Indian recensions of the Mahābhārata, see Knut Jacobsen (2008). Similar definitions are found in commentaries on the ''Tattvasamāsa Sūtra'', including the ''Kramadīpikā'', and in the ''Yuktidīpikā'' commentary on ''Sāṃkhya Kārikā'' 29.</ref>

Dhṛti is a source of action. A person preserves steadfastness through actions arising from speech, mind, and body. Therefore, one who maintains resolve with respect to speech, action, and thought is said to possess dhṛti.''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda, Śānti Parva''

In this sense, dhṛti refers to sustained commitment toward a chosen objective. Vows, long-term undertakings, spiritual disciplines, and deliberate commitments are examples of the operation of dhṛti as a motivating force behind action.

The Bhagavad Gītā classifies dhṛti according to the predominance of the three guṇa-s.

==== Sāttvika Dhṛti ====

That steadfastness by which, through Yoga, one restrains the activities of the mind, the prāṇa-s, and the senses, O Pārtha, is sāttvika. '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.33'''''

Sāttvika dhṛti is characterized by unwavering commitment to self-discipline, spiritual practice, and higher realization. It is associated with clarity, self-control, and perseverance directed toward liberation (mokṣa).

==== Rājasa Dhṛti ====

That steadfastness by which one clings to dharma, artha, and kāma because of attachment and desire for the fruits of action, O Arjuna, is rājasa. '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.34'''''

Rājasa dhṛti is directed toward the pursuit of worldly goals, achievements, rewards, status, prosperity, or desired outcomes. Although it may involve discipline and sustained effort, it remains associated with attachment to results.

==== Tāmasa Dhṛti ====

That steadfastness by which a person of dull understanding does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, depression, and pride, O Pārtha, is tāmasa. '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.35'''''

Tāmasa dhṛti denotes persistence in states of ignorance, delusion, inertia, or self-destructive patterns of behaviour. Rather than facilitating growth or liberation, it reinforces conditions that obstruct right knowledge and purposeful action.

==== Relation to the Puruṣārtha-s ====

The Bhagavad Gītā's classification of dhṛti may also be understood in relation to the four puruṣārtha-s—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. Sāttvika dhṛti is particularly associated with the pursuit of mokṣa and higher spiritual realization. Rājasa dhṛti is generally connected with the pursuit of dharma, artha, and kāma when accompanied by attachment to desired results. Tāmasa dhṛti, by contrast, is associated with dispositions that impede the attainment of any of the puruṣārtha-s.

Within the Sāṃkhya understanding of action, dhṛti functions as one of the principal motivational forces that transform intention into sustained activity. As a karmayoni, it serves as an intermediary link between intellectual determination and the eventual manifestation of action.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions:Dhṛti Karmayoni

2026-06-06T17:09:09Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Among the five ''karmayoni''-s described in Sāṃkhya literature, ''dhṛti'' (steadfastness, firmness, or resolve) occupies an important place as a motivating factor underlying action. The ''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda'' of the ''Śānti Parva'' defines dhṛti as the capacity by which an individual maintains and protects a chosen resolve through actions of body, speech, and mind.<ref>For this text occurring in certain South Indian recensions of the Mahābhārata, see Knut Jacobsen (2008). Similar definitions are found in commentaries on the ''Tattvasamāsa Sūtra'', including the ''Kramadīpikā'', and in the ''Yuktidīpikā'' commentary on ''Sāṃkhya Kārikā'' 29.</ref>

{{Quote|
Dhṛti is a source of action. A person preserves steadfastness through actions arising from speech, mind, and body. Therefore, one who maintains resolve with respect to speech, action, and thought is said to possess dhṛti.
|''Kapilāsurisaṃvāda, Śānti Parva''
}}

In this sense, dhṛti refers to sustained commitment toward a chosen objective. Vows, long-term undertakings, spiritual disciplines, and deliberate commitments are examples of the operation of dhṛti as a motivating force behind action.

The Bhagavad Gītā classifies dhṛti according to the predominance of the three guṇa-s.

==== Sāttvika Dhṛti ====

{{Quote|
That steadfastness by which, through Yoga, one restrains the activities of the mind, the prāṇa-s, and the senses, O Pārtha, is sāttvika.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.33'''''
}}

Sāttvika dhṛti is characterized by unwavering commitment to self-discipline, spiritual practice, and higher realization. It is associated with clarity, self-control, and perseverance directed toward liberation (mokṣa).

==== Rājasa Dhṛti ====

{{Quote|
That steadfastness by which one clings to dharma, artha, and kāma because of attachment and desire for the fruits of action, O Arjuna, is rājasa.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.34'''''
}}

Rājasa dhṛti is directed toward the pursuit of worldly goals, achievements, rewards, status, prosperity, or desired outcomes. Although it may involve discipline and sustained effort, it remains associated with attachment to results.

==== Tāmasa Dhṛti ====

{{Quote|
That steadfastness by which a person of dull understanding does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, depression, and pride, O Pārtha, is tāmasa.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.35'''''
}}

Tāmasa dhṛti denotes persistence in states of ignorance, delusion, inertia, or self-destructive patterns of behaviour. Rather than facilitating growth or liberation, it reinforces conditions that obstruct right knowledge and purposeful action.

==== Relation to the Puruṣārtha-s ====

The Bhagavad Gītā's classification of dhṛti may also be understood in relation to the four puruṣārtha-s—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. Sāttvika dhṛti is particularly associated with the pursuit of mokṣa and higher spiritual realization. Rājasa dhṛti is generally connected with the pursuit of dharma, artha, and kāma when accompanied by attachment to desired results. Tāmasa dhṛti, by contrast, is associated with dispositions that impede the attainment of any of the puruṣārtha-s.

Within the Sāṃkhya understanding of action, dhṛti functions as one of the principal motivational forces that transform intention into sustained activity. As a karmayoni, it serves as an intermediary link between intellectual determination and the eventual manifestation of action.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions

2026-06-06T16:53:19Z

Sachi Anjunkar: /* Karmayoni-s as Sources of Action */

By Vishal Agarwal

Sāṃkhya literature describes five ''karmayoni''-s ("sources of action" or "wombs of action") that arise within the ''buddhi'' and function as antecedent causes of action (''karma'') and knowledge (''jñāna''). These represent motivational and cognitive tendencies that precede the manifestation of action and serve as intermediate stages between intention and execution.

The ''karmayoni''-s originate within the ''buddhi'' and, through the operation of the ''prāṇa''-s, ''manas'', and other internal faculties, become expressed as concrete actions or forms of knowledge. They thus occupy an intermediary position between the formation of a resolve in the intellect and its external manifestation.

Sāṃkhya texts compare the ''karmayoni''-s to an embryo or latent potentiality that has not yet fully developed into an observable result. In this sense, they represent incipient states from which actions and cognitions subsequently emerge.

The doctrine of the five ''karmayoni''-s explains how intentions formed within the intellect are transformed into activity through the coordinated functioning of the internal organs (''antaḥkaraṇa'') and vital forces (''prāṇa''-s). As such, the ''karmayoni''-s serve as important links between cognition, volition, and action within the Sāṃkhya account of human behaviour.

These five karmayonis are:

#Dhṛti (fortitude, steadfastness or resolve)
#Śraddhā (deep conviction or faith)
#Sukhā (desire for pleasure)
#Vividhiṣā (desire for knowledge)
#Avividhiṣā (absence of desire for knowledge)

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Five Karmayonis – Five Motivators and Incubators of Actions

2026-06-06T16:52:54Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

== Karmayoni-s as Sources of Action ==

Sāṃkhya literature describes five ''karmayoni''-s ("sources of action" or "wombs of action") that arise within the ''buddhi'' and function as antecedent causes of action (''karma'') and knowledge (''jñāna''). These represent motivational and cognitive tendencies that precede the manifestation of action and serve as intermediate stages between intention and execution.

The ''karmayoni''-s originate within the ''buddhi'' and, through the operation of the ''prāṇa''-s, ''manas'', and other internal faculties, become expressed as concrete actions or forms of knowledge. They thus occupy an intermediary position between the formation of a resolve in the intellect and its external manifestation.

Sāṃkhya texts compare the ''karmayoni''-s to an embryo or latent potentiality that has not yet fully developed into an observable result. In this sense, they represent incipient states from which actions and cognitions subsequently emerge.

The doctrine of the five ''karmayoni''-s explains how intentions formed within the intellect are transformed into activity through the coordinated functioning of the internal organs (''antaḥkaraṇa'') and vital forces (''prāṇa''-s). As such, the ''karmayoni''-s serve as important links between cognition, volition, and action within the Sāṃkhya account of human behaviour.

These five karmayonis are:

#Dhṛti (fortitude, steadfastness or resolve)
#Śraddhā (deep conviction or faith)
#Sukhā (desire for pleasure)
#Vividhiṣā (desire for knowledge)
#Avividhiṣā (absence of desire for knowledge)

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:Who is the Real Doer:The Divine Bhagavān is the Doer

2026-06-05T19:04:13Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

== Īśvara as the Ultimate Ground of Agency ==

While Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Mīmāṃsā, and Vedānta generally affirm the jīvātmā as the immediate agent (''kartā'') of action, many Vedāntic traditions additionally maintain that all finite agency ultimately depends upon Īśvara. In this view, the individual self possesses agency and exercises choice, but its capacity to know, will, act, and experience the results of action is made possible by the sustaining presence of the Supreme.

The Brahmasūtra states:

{{Quote|
The agency of the individual self is derived from the Supreme, because scripture declares it to be so.
|'''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.41'''''
}}

Several scriptural passages describe Brahman or Īśvara as the indwelling controller (''antaryāmin'') who directs and sustains all beings from within.

{{Quote|
The One who, dwelling within the self, impels it from within.
|'''''Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 14.6.7.30'''''
}}

{{Quote|
He who abides within every self causes them to perform good and evil deeds.
|'''''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.6'''''
}}

{{Quote|
He enters everyone and is their inner ruler. He is the inner self of all beings.
|'''''Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 3.11.1'''''
}}

{{Quote|
He enters everything and is the inner doer of all processes.
|'''''Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 3.11.3'''''
}}

The Bhagavad Gītā similarly presents Īśvara as the indwelling Lord present in the hearts of all beings:

{{Quote|
The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing them to revolve through Māyā as though mounted upon a machine.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.61'''''
}}

=== Divine Governance and Human Agency ===

Vedāntic commentators generally interpret such passages as affirming divine governance without denying the agency of the individual self. The jīva acts through its own intentions, desires, and choices, yet these actions occur within an order sustained by Īśvara. The individual therefore remains morally responsible for its actions and experiences their corresponding consequences.

The relationship between divine governance and individual action is addressed in discussions of karma and free will. According to this interpretation, Īśvara provides the conditions, capacities, and cosmic order within which action occurs, while the jīva exercises choice within that framework.

=== Īśvara and the Five Causes of Action ===

The Bhagavad Gītā identifies five factors involved in the accomplishment of action: the body or basis of action (''adhiṣṭhāna''), the doer (''kartā''), the instruments (''karaṇa''), various efforts (''ceṣṭā''), and ''daiva''.

The Mahābhārata presents Hari as pervading all of these factors:

{{Quote|
In the adhiṣṭhāna, the doer, the various instruments, the different efforts, and the fifth factor, daiva—Hari is ever present.
|'''''Mahābhārata 12.347.89–90ab'''''
}}

This passage is frequently cited to illustrate the dependence of all action upon the sustaining presence of the Divine.

=== Ego, Agency, and Non-Doership ===

The Bhagavad Gītā distinguishes between ordinary agency, which arises through identification with ego (''ahaṅkāra''), and the higher realization in which one recognizes the operation of prakṛti and the guṇa-s.

{{Quote|
All actions are performed by the guṇa-s of prakṛti, but one whose mind is deluded by ego thinks, “I am the doer.”
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 3.27'''''
}}

{{Quote|
Those who know the truth regarding the divisions of guṇa-s and actions understand that the guṇa-s act upon the guṇa-s and therefore do not become attached.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 3.28'''''
}}

In this context, non-doership (''akartṛtva'') does not imply the absence of action but the absence of egoistic identification with action.

{{Quote|
He whose sense of ego is absent and whose intellect is untainted neither kills nor becomes bound, even if he should slay these worlds.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.17'''''
}}

=== Spiritual Surrender and Divine Agency ===

Many Vedāntic and Bhakti traditions teach that advanced spiritual realization involves complete surrender (''śaraṇāgati'') to Īśvara. In such a state, the individual no longer regards itself as an independent agent but understands all actions as occurring through the Divine will.

The Bhagavad Gītā describes this attitude of surrender:

{{Quote|
Seek refuge in Him alone with your whole being. By His grace you shall attain supreme peace and the eternal abode.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.62'''''
}}

{{Quote|
Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and bow to Me. You shall surely come to Me.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.65'''''
}}

Similarly, the Anugītā describes the sage as acting in accordance with the inspiration of the indwelling ruler:

{{Quote|
Just as water flows according to the slope of the land, so do I perform those actions which the inner ruler inspires.
|'''''Anugītā 11.1'''''
}}

Many Hindu traditions distinguish between immediate agency and ultimate agency. The jīvātmā functions as the proximate doer of actions and remains responsible for its choices and karma. At the same time, Vedāntic theology regards Īśvara as the ultimate ground of all agency, the indwelling ruler who sustains the faculties of knowledge, volition, and action. The realization of this dependence culminates in the doctrine of non-doership and complete surrender to the Divine.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:The Types of Doer – According to Guṇas

2026-06-05T19:02:39Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

== Classification of the Doer (Kartā) According to the Guṇa-s ==

Within the Sāṃkhya framework, the ''puruṣa'' is intrinsically distinct from ''prakṛti'' and remains beyond the three ''guṇa''-s. However, through its association with ''ahaṅkāra'' (ego-principle), agency becomes superimposed upon the self. Actions are subsequently carried out through the operation of ''buddhi'' (intellect), ''manas'' (mind), the sense faculties, and other instruments belonging to ''prakṛti''.

Because the empirical individual (jīva) functions through an ''ahaṅkāra'' and ''buddhi'' conditioned by the three ''guṇa''-s, the Bhagavad Gītā classifies the doer (''kartā'') according to the predominance of ''sattva'', ''rajas'', or ''tamas''.

=== Sāttvika Kartā ===

{{Quote|
The doer who is free from attachment, free from egotistical speech, endowed with steadfastness and enthusiasm, and who remains unaffected by success or failure, is said to be a sāttvika doer.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.26'''''
}}

The sāttvika doer performs action without attachment to its fruits, acts with determination and diligence, and maintains equanimity in both success and failure.

=== Rājasa Kartā ===

{{Quote|
The doer who is attached, who desires the fruits of action, who is greedy, harmful, impure, and subject to joy and sorrow, is said to be a rājasa doer.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.27'''''
}}

The rājasa doer is characterized by attachment, desire-driven action, and emotional dependence upon outcomes. Such action is motivated primarily by personal gain and achievement.

=== Tāmasa Kartā ===

{{Quote|
The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent, and prone to procrastination is said to be a tāmasa doer.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.28'''''
}}

The tāmasa doer is characterized by delusion, negligence, inertia, and the inability to act with clarity, discipline, or foresight.

=== Significance ===

The threefold classification of the doer presented in the Bhagavad Gītā illustrates how the predominance of the ''guṇa''-s influences human conduct. Rather than describing three different selves, these categories describe the varying psychological and ethical conditions through which agency is expressed in embodied existence. The cultivation of ''sattva'' is regarded as conducive to dhārmic action, inner clarity, and spiritual advancement, whereas the predominance of ''rajas'' and ''tamas'' is associated with attachment, confusion, and bondage.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:Buddhi – the Primary Instrument of Action

2026-06-05T19:01:44Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

== Buddhi as the Primary Instrument (Karaṇa) ==

Within many Hindu philosophical traditions, '''buddhi''' (intellect) is regarded as the principal internal instrument (''antaraṅga karaṇa'') responsible for determination, discrimination, judgment, and decision-making. While the '''jīvātmā''' functions as the conscious agent (''kartā''), the buddhi serves as the primary instrument through which intentional action is directed. Other instruments, including the ''manas'' (mind), ''ahaṅkāra'' (ego-principle), ''citta'', and the sense faculties, operate in conjunction with the buddhi during the process of cognition and action.

The functioning of the buddhi is influenced by ''saṃskāra''-s and ''vāsanā''-s accumulated through previous actions (''karma''). These latent impressions shape tendencies, inclinations, preferences, and patterns of judgment. The influence of past karma upon present circumstances and dispositions is identified as ''daiva'' in the doctrine of action presented in the Bhagavad Gītā. Daiva is listed among the factors involved in the accomplishment of action in '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.14'''''.

Although conditioned by prior karma, the individual is not regarded as entirely determined by past impressions. Through conscious effort, self-discipline, ethical conduct, and spiritual practice, a person may strengthen dhārmic tendencies and weaken adhārmic ones. Such actions in turn generate new ''saṃskāra''-s that further influence the functioning of the buddhi.

The Bhagavad Gītā classifies buddhi according to the predominance of the three ''guṇa''-s:

=== Sāttvika Buddhi ===

{{Quote|
That intellect which knows ''pravṛtti'' and ''nivṛtti'', what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, as well as bondage and liberation, O Pārtha, is sāttvika.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.30'''''
}}

A sāttvika buddhi possesses the capacity for correct discrimination (''viveka'') and accurately distinguishes between dharma and adharma, bondage and liberation.

=== Rājasa Buddhi ===

{{Quote|
That intellect which incorrectly understands dharma and adharma, and what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, O Pārtha, is rājasa.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.31'''''
}}

A rājasa buddhi is characterized by imperfect judgment and a tendency toward partial or distorted discrimination.

=== Tāmasa Buddhi ===

{{Quote|
That intellect which, enveloped in darkness, regards adharma as dharma and perceives all things in a contrary manner, O Pārtha, is tāmasa.
|'''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.32'''''
}}

A tāmasa buddhi is marked by delusion, inversion of values, and a fundamental inability to perceive reality correctly.

The operation of the buddhi is also influenced by its interaction with other components of the ''antaḥkaraṇa''. The ''manas'' presents sensory data and alternatives for consideration, the ''citta'' serves as the repository of memories and latent impressions, the ''ahaṅkāra'' appropriates experiences through the sense of individuality, and the sense organs provide the inputs upon which judgments are formed. Consequently, the buddhi functions within an interconnected psychological framework rather than in isolation.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:Who is the Real Doer:The Ātmā is the Doer

2026-06-05T18:26:39Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Ātmā as Kartā (Doer)

The question of whether the individual self (jīvātmā) is the true agent (kartā) of action occupies an important place in Hindu philosophical discourse. Most Āstika Darśana-s, including Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Pūrva Mīmāṃsā, and Vedānta, affirm that the conscious self is the real doer of actions. While bodily organs, mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), and ego (ahaṅkāra) participate in the process of action, these are generally regarded as instruments (karaṇa-s) employed by the conscious self rather than independent agents.

Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika maintain that action presupposes a conscious substratum possessing desire (icchā), aversion (dveṣa), effort (prayatna), and volition. Since bodily organs are insentient (jaḍa), they cannot initiate action independently. The self serves as the locus of cognition and volition and is therefore regarded as the agent.

The Vaiśeṣika Sūtra states:

''The hand lifts when the self exerts and is conjoined with it.'' '''''Vaiśeṣika Sūtra 5.1.1'''''

Vedānta and Pūrva Mīmāṃsā frequently argue that scriptural injunctions (vidhi) presuppose an agent capable of undertaking prescribed actions. If the self were entirely non-agentive, injunctions concerning yajña, dāna, vrata, and other dhārmika acts would become purposeless.

The Brahmasūtra states:

''The individual self is the doer because scriptural injunctions have a purpose.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.33'''''

Examples of such injunctions include:
*''Performing actions all his life alone must one desire to live for a hundred years.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 2'''''
*''One desiring heaven should perform sacrifice." '''''Taittirīya Saṃhitā 2.5.5'''''

From the Mīmāṃsā perspective, the existence of obligatory and optional actions implies an agent who can intentionally undertake them.

'''Direct Scriptural Identification of the Self as Doer'''

Several texts explicitly describe the self as the performer of actions.

The Brahmasūtra states:

''The self is a doer because scripture declares it to be the performer of sacrifice and other acts.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.36'''''

Similarly, the Upaniṣad-s describe the conscious principle as:

* the performer of yajña-s and actions '''''Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.5.1'''''
* the seer (draṣṭā),
* the hearer (śrotā),
* the thinker (mantā),
* the knower (vijñātā),
* and the doer (kartā) '''''Praśna Upaniṣad 4.9'''''

These passages form an important textual basis for the doctrine of self-agency.

A further argument concerns the relationship between action and its fruit (karmaphala). Hindu philosophical systems generally maintain that the experiencer of the fruit should be connected to the performer of the action.

Pūrva Mīmāṃsā states:

"The fruit of the scriptural injunction belongs to its doer." '''''Pūrva Mīmāṃsā Sūtra 3.7.18'''''

Likewise, the self is described as both the performer of action and the experiencer of its consequences:

"The ātmā possessing numerous qualities is the doer and also the reaper of the fruit of his very actions." '''''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.7'''''

For this reason, Vedānta commentators argue that if insentient entities such as buddhi were the actual agents, the connection between karma and karmaphala would become difficult to explain.

The Brahmasūtra therefore rejects the view that intellect (buddhi) or other instruments can function as independent agents:

"Instruments such as the intellect cannot be the real agents in place of the self, for that would result in the self experiencing the fruit of actions performed by another." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.37'''''

Certain Upaniṣadic passages describe the self as moving, wandering, or functioning independently of bodily conditions.

The Brahmasūtra states:
"The self is a doer because scripture teaches its roaming about." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.34'''''

Examples include:

* "The immortal one goes wherever he wishes." '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.12'''''
* "He moves according to his pleasure within his own body." '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.18'''''

Such passages are interpreted by many Vedāntins as affirmations of the agency and autonomy of the self.

The Self and the Subtle Body

Another important line of reasoning concerns the relationship between the self and the subtle body (sūkṣma śarīra).

The Brahmasūtra states:

"The self is a doer because it takes the organs along with it." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.35'''''

The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad describes the state of deep sleep:

"When this conscious being sleeps in the space within the heart, it withdraws through intelligence the powers of the senses and draws them into itself." '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.17'''''

Similarly, the Bhagavad Gītā describes the relationship between the jīva and the senses:

"An eternal portion of Myself, having become a jīva in the world of living beings, draws to itself the senses and the mind existing in prakṛti." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.7'''''

"When it acquires a body and when it departs from it, it takes these along just as the wind carries fragrances from their source." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.8'''''

"Presiding over hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell, and mind, it experiences the objects of the senses." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.9'''''

"The deluded do not perceive it when it departs, remains, or enjoys in association with the guṇa-s, but those possessing the eye of knowledge behold it." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.10'''''

The Manusmṛti likewise describes the self entering a new embodiment together with its subtle apparatus:

"When the ātmā, clothed with minute particles, enters the embryo of a plant or animal, it assumes a new body in conjunction with its subtle body." '''''Manusmṛti 1.56'''''

These passages are interpreted as evidence that the self actively gathers, carries, and employs the organs of cognition and action.

Vedānta commentators also examine the position that intellect (buddhi) is the true doer.

The Brahmasūtra argues that such a position would render the conscious self subordinate to an unconscious principle:

"If intellect were the real agent, the self would become subservient to it and reduced to an instrument." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.38'''''

The text further argues that meditation and liberation would become difficult to explain if the self possessed no agency:

"If the self were not a doer, it would be incapable of entering samādhi through its own volition." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.39'''''

The objection that the self is inactive during sleep or states of absorption is answered through the analogy of a skilled artisan:

"Just as a carpenter remains a carpenter whether working or resting, so the self remains a doer whether active or inactive." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.40'''''

Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Pūrva Mīmāṃsā, and many Vedānta traditions affirm that the jīvātmā is the primary agent (kartā) of action. Their arguments draw upon scriptural injunctions, direct scriptural descriptions of agency, the doctrine of karmaphala, accounts of transmigration, and analyses of consciousness. While the mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahaṅkāra), and senses participate in action, they are generally understood as instrumental causes operating under the direction of the conscious self. The self alone is regarded as the conscious principle that initiates, directs, experiences, and bears responsibility for action and its consequences.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:Who is the Real Doer:The Ātmā is the Doer

2026-06-05T18:25:21Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Ātmā as Kartā (Doer)

The question of whether the individual self (jīvātmā) is the true agent (kartā) of action occupies an important place in Hindu philosophical discourse. Most Āstika Darśana-s, including Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Pūrva Mīmāṃsā, and Vedānta, affirm that the conscious self is the real doer of actions. While bodily organs, mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), and ego (ahaṅkāra) participate in the process of action, these are generally regarded as instruments (karaṇa-s) employed by the conscious self rather than independent agents.

Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika maintain that action presupposes a conscious substratum possessing desire (icchā), aversion (dveṣa), effort (prayatna), and volition. Since bodily organs are insentient (jaḍa), they cannot initiate action independently. The self serves as the locus of cognition and volition and is therefore regarded as the agent.

The Vaiśeṣika Sūtra states:

''The hand lifts when the self exerts and is conjoined with it.'' '''''Vaiśeṣika Sūtra 5.1.1'''''

Vedānta and Pūrva Mīmāṃsā frequently argue that scriptural injunctions (vidhi) presuppose an agent capable of undertaking prescribed actions. If the self were entirely non-agentive, injunctions concerning yajña, dāna, vrata, and other dhārmika acts would become purposeless.

The Brahmasūtra states:

''The individual self is the doer because scriptural injunctions have a purpose.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.33'''''

Examples of such injunctions include:
*''Performing actions all his life alone must one desire to live for a hundred years.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 2'''''
*''One desiring heaven should perform sacrifice." '''''Taittirīya Saṃhitā 2.5.5'''''

From the Mīmāṃsā perspective, the existence of obligatory and optional actions implies an agent who can intentionally undertake them.

'''Direct Scriptural Identification of the Self as Doer'''

Several texts explicitly describe the self as the performer of actions.

The Brahmasūtra states:

''The self is a doer because scripture declares it to be the performer of sacrifice and other acts.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.36'''''

Similarly, the Upaniṣad-s describe the conscious principle as:

* the performer of yajña-s and actions '''''Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.5.1'''''
* the seer (draṣṭā),
* the hearer (śrotā),
* the thinker (mantā),
* the knower (vijñātā),
* and the doer (kartā) '''''Praśna Upaniṣad 4.9'''''

These passages form an important textual basis for the doctrine of self-agency.

A further argument concerns the relationship between action and its fruit (karmaphala). Hindu philosophical systems generally maintain that the experiencer of the fruit should be connected to the performer of the action.

Pūrva Mīmāṃsā states:

"The fruit of the scriptural injunction belongs to its doer." '''''Pūrva Mīmāṃsā Sūtra 3.7.18'''''

Likewise, the self is described as both the performer of action and the experiencer of its consequences:

"The ātmā possessing numerous qualities is the doer and also the reaper of the fruit of his very actions." '''''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.7'''''

For this reason, Vedānta commentators argue that if insentient entities such as buddhi were the actual agents, the connection between karma and karmaphala would become difficult to explain.

The Brahmasūtra therefore rejects the view that intellect (buddhi) or other instruments can function as independent agents:

"Instruments such as the intellect cannot be the real agents in place of the self, for that would result in the self experiencing the fruit of actions performed by another." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.37'''''

## Movement and Activity of the Self

Certain Upaniṣadic passages describe the self as moving, wandering, or functioning independently of bodily conditions.

The Brahmasūtra states:
"The self is a doer because scripture teaches its roaming about." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.34'''''

Examples include:

* "The immortal one goes wherever he wishes." '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.12'''''
* "He moves according to his pleasure within his own body." '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.18'''''

Such passages are interpreted by many Vedāntins as affirmations of the agency and autonomy of the self.

## The Self and the Subtle Body

Another important line of reasoning concerns the relationship between the self and the subtle body (sūkṣma śarīra).

The Brahmasūtra states:

"The self is a doer because it takes the organs along with it." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.35'''''

The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad describes the state of deep sleep:

"When this conscious being sleeps in the space within the heart, it withdraws through intelligence the powers of the senses and draws them into itself." '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.17'''''

Similarly, the Bhagavad Gītā describes the relationship between the jīva and the senses:

"An eternal portion of Myself, having become a jīva in the world of living beings, draws to itself the senses and the mind existing in prakṛti." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.7'''''

"When it acquires a body and when it departs from it, it takes these along just as the wind carries fragrances from their source." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.8'''''

"Presiding over hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell, and mind, it experiences the objects of the senses." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.9'''''

"The deluded do not perceive it when it departs, remains, or enjoys in association with the guṇa-s, but those possessing the eye of knowledge behold it." '''''Bhagavad Gītā 15.10'''''

The Manusmṛti likewise describes the self entering a new embodiment together with its subtle apparatus:

"When the ātmā, clothed with minute particles, enters the embryo of a plant or animal, it assumes a new body in conjunction with its subtle body." '''''Manusmṛti 1.56'''''

These passages are interpreted as evidence that the self actively gathers, carries, and employs the organs of cognition and action.

Vedānta commentators also examine the position that intellect (buddhi) is the true doer.

The Brahmasūtra argues that such a position would render the conscious self subordinate to an unconscious principle:

"If intellect were the real agent, the self would become subservient to it and reduced to an instrument." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.38'''''

The text further argues that meditation and liberation would become difficult to explain if the self possessed no agency:

"If the self were not a doer, it would be incapable of entering samādhi through its own volition." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.39'''''

The objection that the self is inactive during sleep or states of absorption is answered through the analogy of a skilled artisan:

"Just as a carpenter remains a carpenter whether working or resting, so the self remains a doer whether active or inactive." '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.40'''''

Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Pūrva Mīmāṃsā, and many Vedānta traditions affirm that the jīvātmā is the primary agent (kartā) of action. Their arguments draw upon scriptural injunctions, direct scriptural descriptions of agency, the doctrine of karmaphala, accounts of transmigration, and analyses of consciousness. While the mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahaṅkāra), and senses participate in action, they are generally understood as instrumental causes operating under the direction of the conscious self. The self alone is regarded as the conscious principle that initiates, directs, experiences, and bears responsibility for action and its consequences.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:Who is the Real Doer:The Ātmā is the Doer

2026-06-05T17:55:12Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

''Darśana''-s like ''Nyāya'', ''Vaiśeṣika'', ''Mīmāṃsā'' and ''Vedānta'' declare that the ''ātmā'' is the real doer because it is conscious, sentient, living, whereas everything else is insentient and inert. Therefore, how can the insentient ''ahaṅkāra'' and ''buddhi'' etc., be designated as the primary doer when it is the ''jīvātmā'' which makes them do actions?

''The hand lifts (objects) when the ātmā exerts and is conjoined with the former.'' '''''Vaiśeṣika Sūtra 5.1.1'''''

Several reasons are provided to establish the jīvātmā as the real doer in Vedānta Darśana. First, all the injunctions to act in the sacred texts are meant for the ātmā. If the ātmā were not a doer, these sacred texts would all become superfluous. The śāstra-s are meant to liberate the jīvātmā, and they are addressed to it—not to the ahaṅkāra, buddhi, or others.

''The jīvātmā is the doer because the scriptures (enjoining dhārmika acts) have a purpose. [i.e., if the individual soul were a non-doer, all the scriptural injunctions on adhering to dharm would be purposeless, pointless, meaningless].'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.33'''''

Some examples of these injunctions are:

''Performing actions all his life alone must one desire to live for a hundred years.'' '''''Śukla Yajurveda 40.2 (Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 2)'''''

''He who aspires for heaven should perform yajña.'' '''''Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda, Taittirīya Saṃhitā 2.5.5'''''

Second, the sacred literature itself designates the jīvātmā as the doer:

''The ātmā is a doer because it is said to be the performer of yajña-s and other acts.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.36'''''

''The intelligent/experiencing ātmā performs the yajña-s and other actions.'' '''''Yajurveda, Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.5.1'''''

''That experiencing and intelligent puruṣa is indeed the seer, feeler, hearer, thinker, ascertainer and doer.'' '''''Atharvaveda, Praśna Upaniṣad 4.9'''''

Third, the jīvātmā reaps the fruit of its actions, not of someone else. If the buddhi or other instrumental causes were the real doer, it would be unfair that the jīvātmā should experience the results of actions performed by another entity:

''Instruments like Intellect (buddhi) cannot be co-agents or real agents instead of the ātmā because that would lead to the ātmā experiencing the fruit of actions performed fully or partially by someone else. The mixture of good and evil fruit is consistent with good and evil actions chosen by a conscious entity – the ātmā.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.37'''''

''The fruit of the injunction of the scripture belongs to its doer.'' '''''Pūrva Mīmāṃsā Sūtra 3.7.18'''''

''The ātmā possessing numerous qualities is the doer and also the reaper of the fruit of his very actions.'' '''''Yajurveda, Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.7'''''

Fourth, the ātmā cannot be said to be actionless because there are explicit statements in the sacred texts of its moving about:

''The ātmā is a doer also on account of the teaching about its roaming about.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.34'''''

''The immortal one goes wherever he likes.'' '''''Yajurveda, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.12'''''

''He moves according to his pleasure within his own body.'' '''''Yajurveda, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.18'''''

Fifth, during deep sleep, rebirth, etc., the jīvātmā draws toward itself the subtle organs and mind. When a person dies, these are again pulled together by the jīvātmā, and it leaves the dead body and is reborn.

''The ātmā is a doer because it takes the organs along with it.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.35'''''

''When this being, full of consciousness, is thus asleep in the space within the heart, it absorbs through its intelligence the power of perception of the various organs. When it withdraws the organs from their contact with the external world, it is given the name of ‘svapiti’.'' '''''Yajurveda, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.17'''''

''My fragment, having become an eternal jīva in the world of the living, draws to itself the senses, of which the mind is the sixth, that exist in prakṛti.'' '''''Gītā 15.7'''''

''When the Bhagavān acquires a body and also when He departs from it, He goes, taking these (the senses and the mind) along, just like the wind carries scents from their source.'' '''''Gītā 15.8'''''

''Presiding over the hearing, sight, and touch, taste and smell as well as the mind, He enjoys the objects of the senses.'' '''''Gītā 15.9'''''

''When He departs, stays, or enjoys, in contact with the guṇa-s, the deluded do not perceive Him within, but those with the eye of knowledge see Him.'' '''''Gītā 15.10'''''

''When the ātmā, being clothed with minute particles (subtle senses, mind, etc.), enters into the embryo of a plant or an animal, it then assumes, in conjunction with its subtle body, a new physical body.'' '''''Manusmṛti 1.56'''''

Sixth, the view that the non-conscious buddhi is the real doer makes the conscious jīvātmā dependent upon the former, which is absurd:

''If the buddhi were the real agent (doer of karm), that would make the ātmā subservient to it, and merely an instrumental cause of karm.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.38'''''

Seventh, mokṣa and samādhi would be impossible if the doer were buddhi and not the jīvātmā.

''If the ātmā were not the doer, it would be incapable of samādhi (deep meditation) by its own volition.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.39'''''

If the jīvātmā were a complete non-doer, it would not even be a jñātā or bhoktā in that state. In such a scenario, mokṣa becomes a state of total void or nothingness.

Someone might object that in the state of deep sleep or samādhi, the jīvātmā does not employ the mind, intellect, and other organs for performing any task. But:

''Just like a carpenter remains a doer (of carpentry) whether working or resting, the ātmā is a doer irrespective of whether the person is awake or sleeping.'' '''''Brahmasūtra 2.3.40'''''

The argument that the ātmā is the doer can be summarized thus: the ''buddhi'', ''ahaṅkāra'', mind and organs are all ''jaḍa'' (insentient) whereas the ātmā alone is ''caitanya'' (sentient). The ''jaḍa'' cannot function without being propelled by the ''caitanya'' just like a fan or tube-light cannot operate without electricity. Therefore, the ātmā is the real doer.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who is the Karttā or the Doer of Puruṣhakāra Karm:Who is the Real Doer

2026-06-05T17:53:07Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

The question then arises – who is the doer? Is it the Bhagavān, the ātmā or the organs? There are three major opinions in this regard listed in Śāstras.
#The Ātmā is the Doer
#The Divine Bhagavān is the Doer
#Within the Sāṃkhya paradigm, the puruṣa or the ātmā is not a doer on its own

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who implements the Law of Karm:Divine Grace and Karmaphala

2026-06-01T17:12:28Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

If Bhagavān’s grace means forgiveness of the demerit accumulated, that will lead to a violation of the Law of Karm according to which everyone must reap the fruit of their actions. But as a counter-argument to this, grace can mean these three things that are consistent with the Law of Karm as well-

# The Bhagavān removes hurdles in the path of spiritual progress of human beings. They will still need to make an effort to become enlightened but their struggles will be lesser.
# The Bhagavān takes away the entire stock of Sañcita Karm of the person who is ready for Mokṣa so that he does not have to undergo further experiences in this or in any potential future lives before attaining Mokṣa. This will be discussed in more detail in section 16 later.
# Divine grace shines perpetually on all without any prejudice. It is up to us to accept and benefit from it. For instance, several people stand underneath a fruit-laden tree but only they who extend their hand to pluck a fruit get to savor it.

In all theistic traditions including Hindu Dharm, Divine Grace is an accepted notion. His Grace over-rides considerations of Karm and its fruit to liberate us from its effects. However, Divine Grace can simply mean the bounties that He provides to all, irrespective of their class, status, level of ethical or spiritual attainments. These bounties include the air we breathe, the light and warmth of the sun and so on. These gifts are provided to everyone without prejudice and it is up to us to decide how we use them-

“In the light of the doctrine of karm it may seem that man is responsible for whatever happens to him in his life in the form of pleasure or pain. Since Bhagavān is only the giver of man’s karmphala, His role is no different from the role of a cashier in a bank. The cashier cannot give any money to the depositor other than his invested capital and its interest. Where then is the scope for Bhagavān’s grace in Hindu Dharm? In reply, Hindu Dharm says that Bhagavān’s grace cannot be conditional. Any conditional gift cannot be called real grace. Therefore, Bhagavān’s grace has to be unconditional, unbiased and impartial. Just as the sun shines on both the good and the wicked, so also Bhagavān showers His grace impartially on everyone, whether good or evil. The good use Bhagavān’s grace for good purposes. The wicked use Bhagavān’s grace for bad purposes.
Shri Ramakrishna explains this with the help of a beautiful analogy. In a small room a candle is burning. By the light of the candle one person is reading a holy book, while another person in the same room is forging dollar bills. In this analogy the candlelight represents Bhagavān’s grace. It is impartial; it shines equally on both. The two persons are using Bhagavān’s grace for two completely different purposes – one good, and the other bad. Perhaps one of them will eventually turn into a saint, while the other will end up in prison.” <ref> Swami Bhaskarananda. ''The Essentials of Hindu Dharm''. Viveka Press, 2002.</ref>

“According to Shri Ramakrishna the breeze of Bhagavān’s grace is always blowing. Everyone in this world is like the owner of a sailboat. As long as the sail of the boat is not unfurled one cannot take advantage of the breeze – one cannot get the benefit of Bhagavān’s grace. But as soon as the sail is unfurled, the breeze of divine grace starts moving the boat. In this analogy the act of unfurling the sail is no other than making self-effort. Without self-effort one will neither be able to appreciate nor enjoy the benefit of Bhagavān’s grace.”<ref>Swami Bhaskarananda. ''The Essentials of Hinduism''. Viveka Press, 2002.</ref>

Another example may be provided to explain how the unconditional and equal grace showered by the Divine reflects his universal love and justice-

“Suppose a householder has four children; the eldest has finished his education, done his training, got a job, and is bringing in some money for the general family maintenance. The next child has passed his examinations, but has not yet enrolled in the service or employment, and the third is still studying. The fourth one is not even old enough to go to school, so he is just playing around and enjoying himself. If one wanted to know which one of the four was most loved by his father, it would seem very difficult to decide, but nevertheless if one tried to decide one would say that the youngest was getting most of his father’s love, Because he is helpless, he does not contribute anything, he is not even clever enough to recite anything learnt at school – and yet he is loved the most. The mother loves him, and whenever the father comes home and is given food, the little boy sits on his lap and gets fed by the father. Sometimes the boy picks up one or two pieces of food and puts them into his father’s mouth in response to all that is being done for him. This little offering of a child fills the father with the greatest joy of his life.

In the same way, the Absolute is the father of all in this universe and whether one is incapable of doing anything, whether one is earning anything or not, whether one is about to repay the debt, it does not matter. He loves all of us.” <ref> His Holiness Shantanand Saraswati. ''The Man Who Wanted to Meet Bhagavān''. Bell Tower, 1996.</ref>

In summary, according to this viewpoint, Divine Grace means that He has provided a level playing ground for everyone and given all of us basic amenities that are needed for us to live, flourish and exercise our free well. These gifts are provided to all of us equally irrespective of how we use them. But due to our exercise of free will, we modify the quality and the quantity of these gifts available to us.

4. The fourth viewpoint is that Divine Grace is the sole exception to the otherwise universal Law of Karm.

“Saint Nammalvar is reported to have asked Bhagavān why all the men are not saved by His Grace, and to have got the reply from the Bhagavān that since man is endowed with a free will, Bhagavān would wait to see man’s predilection for Him…..Thus, although at first sight there is an irreconcilable opposition between the doctrine of self-effort or free-will and the doctrine of Grace, writers of Bhakti everywhere have found no difficulty in reconciling both to their satisfaction. They treat Grace as only an exception to the universality of the Law of Karm. All accept both the doctrines and allow each its own sphere of influence.” <ref>Krishnaswami, O. R. ''Open Your Heart to God Through Bhakti Yoga''. Dev Publishers and Distributors, 2014.</ref>

This view is specifically found in the Bhakti traditions of Hindu Dharm and may be illustrated with the following story-

'''Story: Karur Ammā & Bilvamangala'''
[[File:Karur Ammā & Bilvamangala.png|thumb]]

In the 16th-17th century in the town of Guruvāyūr in Kerala (India) lived two devotees of Kṛṣṇa – an elderly lady named Kurūr Ammā, and a poet named Vilvamaṅgala. The people of the town believed that Kṛṣṇa often appeared in front of these two Bhaktas in the form of a child to play with them.

One day, a friend of the two devotees came to visit Vilvamaṅgala and requested, “Dear friend, I have a terrible stomachache that refuses to go. Can you inform your friend Kṛṣṇa about it?” Vilvamaṅgala agreed.

The next day, when Kṛṣṇa appeared before Vilvamaṅgala, he said, “Kṛṣṇa, my friend asked me to inform you that he is suffering from a bad stomachache.” Kṛṣṇa replied, “Well, this is because of some bad Karm that he did in a previous life. He must reap the fruit of that now.”

Vilvamaṅgala conveyed Kṛṣṇa’s message to his suffering friend the following day. Disappointed, the man now went to Kurūr Ammā and begged her to ask Kṛṣṇa to remove his stomachache.

When Kṛṣṇa came to play with Kurūr Ammā, she pleaded with him lovingly, “Dear Kṛṣṇa, a friend came to me with a very bad stomachache. He is really suffering a lot. You are very kind and merciful. Please do this favor on me and remove his pain.” Kṛṣṇa replied, “As you wish. His pain will go away.”

The gentleman’s stomachache indeed disappeared. When he met Vilvamaṅgala a few days later, he told the poet how his stomachache went away after Kurūr Ammā had requested Kṛṣṇa. This made Vilvamaṅgala very angry. When Kṛṣṇa came to visit him the next time, Vilvamaṅgala complained, “You are being partial. When I told you about my friend’s stomachache, you said that he was suffering due to his bad Karm. But when Kurūr Ammā spoke to you, you responded to her request favorably and my friend got healed.”
[[File:Karur Ammā & Bilvamangala 2.png|thumb]]

Kṛṣṇa replied, “Instead of being happy that your friend’s pain is gone, you are upset that I answered Kurūr Ammā’s loving request and that your friend was healed because of her and not you. I am not partial to anyone. I respond to the prayers of my Bhaktas after determining whether they have said it with feeling and love or not. You just conveyed your friend’s request to me as if you were doing a favor on him. But Kurūr Ammā requested me with love and sincerity, and therefore I fulfilled her wish.”

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who implements the Law of Karma:Īshvara and the Problem of Evil and Suffering

2026-06-01T17:08:26Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Some objectors do not accept any Divine role in the oversight or implementation of the Law of Karm. Some are mentioned here:

'''1.The first objection is that there is a lot of suffering and evil in this world.''' Couldn’t the omniscient and loving Bhagavān bring an end to these and ensure that everyone is happy, virtuous and spiritually enlightened? We also see that some virtuous people suffer whereas evil people flourish and are happy. This indicates that the Lord is partial and unfair. The Hindu tradition responds that the diversity of experiences in this world results from the diversity of actions of people, who have Free Will -

''Brahman cannot be attributed with partiality and cruelty because he takes into account the respective actions of individuals, Moreover, the Vedic texts too declare it to be so. '''Brahmasūtra 2.1.34'''''

''Humans are reborn into virtuous or evil realms by their virtuous and evil acts respectively. And if their acts are mixed, they are reborn as humans. '''Atharvaveda, Praśna Upaniṣad 3.7'''''

''The diversity (of experiences and forms) in this creation results from the diversity of the actions of individuals. '''Sāṃkhyasūtra 6.41'''''

''The current existence is the fruit of the individual’s former karma. '''Nyāyasūtra 3.2.60'''''

'''2. The second objection is that at the beginning of the creation, there are no prior actions that should have resulted in the fruit of any original human beings.''' And yet, we do see that even our most ancient forefathers had different abilities and experiences. Does this not indicate that the Divine favored some and was unfair to others at least in the beginning of the human creation? Again, the Hindu sacred literature addresses this problem and responds that this is neither the first creation nor is it the last. The cycle of creation-existence-dissolution is beginning-less and endless. Likewise, the ātmā-s and their Karmas are also eternal, beginning-less -

''The Bhagavān fabricated the moon and the sun as in the previous creation. '''Ṛgveda 10.190.3'''''

''Both the conscious ātmā and the unconscious material creation, the Master as well these two that are dependent on Him are all unborn. Yajurveda, '''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 1.19'''''

''Know that the Prakṛti and the Puruṣa (ātmā) are without a beginning. '''Gītā 13.19'''''

''In the next creation, Bhagavān connects each jīvātmā with the residual karma from the previous cycle of creation. The cycle of creation and destruction of the universe, and karma are both without a beginning. '''Brahmasūtra 2.1.35'''''

''At the time of pralaya, the Devas who have not yet exhausted the fruit (= abode in heaven) of their good karmas are then reborn in heaven during the next cycle of creation. Whereas those Devas who had exhausted the fruit of their karma before the pralaya are then reborn as humans when the next cycle of creation starts. '''Mahābhārata 12.272.52'''''

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Who implements the Law of Karm:Law of Karm versus Omnipotent Īshvara Paradox

2026-06-01T17:04:40Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

''1. If the law of Karm is inexorable, then everyone must bear the fruit of his or her karm. The law of Karm is therefore self-operating and does not require an Īśvara to administer it. This is the view of some teachers of Pūrva Mīmāṃsā Darśana and also the Sāṃkhya Darśana.'''

''The conjunction of fruit of Karm-s with their doer is not presided over by the Lord because the law of Karm is self-sufficient to function automatically. '''Sāṃkhya Sūtra 5.2'''''

But this view will mean that Īśvara is powerless before Karm and therefore Īśvara is not omnipotent. Vedānta rejects this view because of explicit statements in the revealed Vedic texts that the Divine is the impeller of actions and that He also gives fruit of all actions-

''It is Brahman Himself who makes him (a person) do a good deed whom He wishes to raise from these worlds; and it is He Himself who makes him do a bad deed whom He wishes to throw down. '''Ṛgveda, Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad 3.8''''''''

''As he does and as it conducts himself, so he becomes. He becomes virtuous through a virtuous act and evil through an evil act. '''Yajurveda, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.5''''''''

'''2.But, If Īśvara can over-rule the law of Karm, then it means that this universe is not just and Īśvara is whimsical. It also means that the Law of Karm is not universal.'''

Vedānta and other scriptures respond to this objection by stating that the Lord administers the Law of Karm but he does so fairly. Everyone gets the fruits of their own respective actions. When the scriptures say that our actions themselves are inspired or impelled by the Lord, and so is our happiness and sorrows, all it means is that the Lord has power over the Law of Karm but chooses to be fair and just, as is clarified by many other scriptural passages-

''The fruit of karm come from the Divine because that possibility (alone) is reasonable. '''Brahmasūtra 3.2.38'''''

''Brahman cannot be attributed with partiality and cruelty because he takes into account the respective actions of individuals, Moreover, the Vedic texts too declare it to be so. '''Brahmasūtra 2.1.34'''''

''Some jīvas take birth in the wombs of various embodied creatures. Others enter fixed or static creatures (plants) according to their karm and according to the spiritual wisdom that they have heard and acquired. Yajurveda, '''Kaṭha Upaniṣad 5.7'''''

''Humans are reborn into virtuous or evil realms by their virtuous and evil acts respectively. And if their acts are mixed, they are reborn as humans. '''Atharvaveda, Praśna Upaniṣad 3.7'''''

''He who is the doer of a karm, is also the enjoyer of the consequences of whatever he has done. Yajurveda, '''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.7'''''

''As a matter of fact, Īśvara helps the effort of Man, i.e., when Man is trying to obtain a particular fruit, it is Īśvara that accomplishes that fruit for him. When Īśvara does not accomplish it, Man’s action becomes fruitless. '''Vātsyāyana Bhāṣya on Nyāya Sūtra 4.1.21'''''

''3. Another view could be that if Īśvara does not control the Law of Karm, then it means that there are two independently omnipotent entities – Īśvara, and the Law of Karm. Hindu Dharm rejects this view because the entire universe with its cosmic laws reflects the control and will of the Īśvara.'''

''4. In the Sāṃkhya Darśana, Brahman and also Puruṣa are completely inactive and simply observers. Prakṛti evolves into the universe solely due to its proximity to the Īśvara.

According to this view, Īśvara is a ‘non-doer’ and therefore He cannot be the implementer of the Law of Karm either. However, the Hindu tradition overall considers the Īśvara as a ‘doer’ (although not in the ordinary sense of the word as applied to humans) and his activities include witnessing our Karm, enabling us to perform our Karm, and reap their respective and deserved fruit.'''
[[File:Lord Vishnu.png|thumb|Bhagavān Viṣṇu]]

Brahman delegates this task of judging the deeds of people to other Deities. In the Vedas, Deva Varuṇa is the witness of all our actions and he binds the evil doers with his noose. Yama, the Devtaa of Death, was assigned the task of judging our Karm in the most ancient texts. He would take the Jīva of the dying person from the body and send him to heaven or hell depending on the balance of his deeds – whether there was a preponderance of good or bad deeds. In subsequent literature, Yama is said to have requested Brahmā to be relieved of this task, whereupon Citragupta was born as a son to Brahmā to take over and assist Yama.

In traditional Hindu narratives, Citragupta is depicted as the secret witness to each of our actions. After death, the Jīvas are taken to the court of Citragupta, who reads out the detailed records of the deeds committed, their impacts and moral worth and then sends the doer to heaven or hell. Citragupta is typically depicted as an accountant or record keeper with a scroll (or manuscript), inkpot and pen. He is worshipped as their patron Deity by the traditional community of Hindu scribes/accountants (Kāyastha-s) in several parts of India.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:The Complexity of Karm:Necessity of a Perfect Judge of Our Actions

2026-06-01T16:59:13Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Every complex society has a formal code of law or conduct that defines different crimes and their corresponding punishments. And yet, we need courts of law and competent judges who examine and evaluate alleged crimes and their doers to determine the appropriate quantum of punishment. Likewise, every large business corporation has guidelines for reward and merit (salary raise, etc., and bonus) for employees based on their performance. But it takes a human manager with first-hand knowledge of his employee performance to determine the exact reward and merit increase for his employees.

Likewise, our sacred texts and those who know and practice their teachings have spelled out detailed guidelines on evil and pious Karm-s and their respective fruit that we get. Given the complexity of Karm discussed above, how can we be sure that everyone gets the just deserts of their actions? Several solutions have been provided in the Dharmic traditions:

# The Vedic ceremonial traditions (in Brāhmaṇa, Kalpasūtra texts) define quite rigidly the procedures of these ceremonies (Yajñas) and the result to be expected from them. In later ages, the scholars of the Pūrva Mīmāṃsā tradition like Śabara postulated that performance of Yajñas created an entity called ‘apūrva’ which connected the performer of the Yajña with the result at a later time, or even after he had died. It might be noted that the Pūrva Mīmāṃsā Sūtras themselves do not advocate the concept of ‘apūrva’. Furthermore, they do not discuss the role of Īśvara in this matter simply because it is beyond their scope of discussion.

# Followers of other Darśanas like Vaiśeṣika postulate that our actions lead to an entity called ‘adṛṣṭa’ (the ‘unseen’) which later connects the doer with the results of his deeds, either later in the present life or in a future life. They do not deny the agency of Īśvara in the operation of ‘adṛṣṭa’. The Nyāya Darśana states that Īśvara accords the respective fruit of Karm to the doers. In later times, these two Darśanas got fused and it was accepted that, this connection is implemented by the Divine Bhagavān.

# Yog Darśana declares that the performance of each Karm results in ‘saṃskāra-s’ that are material and reside within the mind of the doer. Even when the doer dies, the mind, with these ‘saṃskāra-s’ stored in them, transmigrates with the Jīva, ensuring that the Jīva can reap the results of the deeds even in the next life or lives at an appropriate time. It might be noted that Yog Darśana does not deny the role of Īśvara in dispensing the fruit of actions on the doer but is simply silent on His role in this matter.

# The Sāṃkhya Darśana denies the role of the Divine Bhagavān in dispensing the fruit of actions to the doers because the actions are self-sufficient in bestowing their fruit on the doer at a later time.

# The Buddhists and Jains have developed very extensive lists of deeds, their classifications, and so on and have mapped them laboriously to their respective results so that the process of reaping the respective fruit of each karm becomes a very mechanical or automatic one. A detailed discussion on Buddhist and Jain theories is outside the scope of the present compilation.

Any theory (like the last two mentioned above) that actively denies the role of any intelligent and all-knowing Īshvara in connecting the doer with the effects of his Karm at a later period and in a future life fails to explain the following aspects of the Law of Karm:

#If the latent effects of Karm reside completely inside the mind of the human doer before manifesting as the fruit of these actions, how do we explain cases like a lion devouring the doer? Does this mean that his mind brought the doer in front of the lion to be mauled to death or did the latent effects from the mind of the doer transfer to the lion and motivate the beast to maul the human being?
#Natural calamities like an avalanche can result in deaths. How can the Karm of the doers initiate the avalanche to bury them alive?
#Many external factors affect the moral evaluation of our Karm-s. If the latent effects are stored mechanically inside one’s mind or somewhere else, how do we ensure that the doer reaps a fruit that is just and takes into account all these external factors? After all, even in the real world, we need live and wise judges to arrive at a correct judgment despite the existence of codes of law.
#When the universe comes to an end, the entire material universe, including our minds that store the latent effects of our deeds, are destroyed. In the next cycle of creation, when the minds are created afresh and conjoined to the Jīva-s, how will each Jīva get a mind that has the exact residual latent effects of Karm that he had in the previous cycle of creation?

All theories of the Law of Karm that do not include the role an intelligent, all-knowing Judge who evaluates our actions correctly cannot explain scenarios like the four listed above. Therefore, the dominant streams like Veda, Vedānta, Nyāya, Bhakti and other genres of Śāstras declare that Īshvara oversees and implements the Law of Karm.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:The Complexity of Karm:Law of Karm as a General Guideline

2026-06-01T16:56:11Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

It is futile to get obsessed with and paranoid about each and every Karm that we perform and their exact consequences. Instead, one must grasp at the essence of the Law of Karm, which is that good actions produce good results (and vice versa) and therefore we must strive to make good, informed and wise choices every time.

''“One of my own experiences provided me an analogy for understanding how to effectively process the concept of karm. Some years ago, I contracted malaria. I couldn’t trace when the infected mosquito had bitten me, and I therefore had no way to know where I was at the time or even where I was bitten. Neither could I discern which mosquito but me. But my symptoms were clear: I had been bitten by a malaria-carrying mosquito and now had to take the proper treatment. I also realized I should be more careful in the future; for instance, when I am now in infested areas. I try to sleep under a mosquito net."''

''"We may not be able to trace the specific reason for our suffering, but we can ascertain that at some time we have acted in a sway that sowed the seed that grew into our present condition. We might have committed that action in this life or another. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is recognizing our symptoms, taking the proper treatment now, and being careful to avoid reinfection in the future.”<ref>Swami, Radhanath. ''The Journey Within''. Mandala Publications, 2016.</ref>''

This is not a copout to explain away the imperfections in the Law of Karm. It is indeed a perfect Law, but its complexity makes it difficult for us to model the cause and effect relationships precisely and perfectly. It is not even worthwhile to do so. While the Law of Karm has an explanatory value for why life seems unfair, and it encourages us to follow Dharm, a person who is advanced on the path of Mokṣa will eventually transcend the results of Karm.

''“It should be born in mind that like the natural sciences, the doctrine of karm enunciates general laws governing actions and their effects. The physical science gives us the general law that a cloud is formed out of water vapor and that rain is produced by the clouds. It will however be well-nigh impossible to determine exactly how many inches of rainfall a particular spot will have at a particular time. To ascertain this, an enquirer will have to take into account and examine so many factors that the exercise will not be worth his while. Similarly, the doctrine of Karm lays down some general principles from which we can derive sufficient knowledge to enable us to lead a balanced life. The aspirant for Moksha (liberation), who has firmly grasped the principles of Karm, can truly control his self and acquire, in the words of the Upanishad, the competence of being the ‘master of his self’.” <ref>Swami Hariharananda Aranya. ''Yog Philosophy of Patanjali with Bhasvati''. University of Calcutta, 2000.</ref>''

Despite our best intentions, we human beings are creatures with finite understanding and knowledge. Therefore, even our noblest actions can have unforeseen negative effects on ourselves and others. But the Law of Karm exhorts us to do our best, pick the best option (pious actions), with the noblest intentions, with as much knowledge and understanding as we can acquire, with faith and with a proper consideration of external factors like place, time, stakeholders and so on.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:The Complexity of Karm:External Modifiers of Karm

2026-06-01T16:54:17Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Internal modifiers of the moral worth of Karm:
#Whether they are generally regarded as evil or good deeds,
#Role of the doer (direct doer, instigator, condone),
#Intent of the doer,
#Knowledge/Ignorance or understanding with which the deed was performed,
#Ability or the capacity of the doer and
#Shraddhā (faith in the efficacy and propriety) in the mind of the doer.

If Hindu scriptures were to teach only inapplicable Utopian ideals, they would be worthless or of very limited value to most people from a practical perspective. Therefore, according to Śāstras, the practice of General (‘sādhāraṇa’ or ‘sanātana’) Dharm often gets modified by considerations of the impact, place, occasion, or time, situation, means adopted to accomplish the action, the status of whom we are dealing with, stakeholders etc. These factors are called Dharm-Nimitta or Dharm-Lakshana or Dharm-Kāraka Hetu, meaning that they are instrumental factors in determining the appropriateness or inappropriateness of Dharm/Karm. Numerous external factors can alter the moral worth or propriety of our actions. Examples of these external factors (mixed with some internal factors as well) are given below-

''The following make Dharm manifest: desha (place), kāla (time), upāya (correct procedure), dravya (material good), shraddhā (faith), pātra (deserving beneficiary), tyāga (relinquishing one’s ownership). '''Shankha Likhita Dharmsūtra (quoted in Bhatta Lakshmidhara’s Krityakalpataru, Brahmachārikānda)''''

''At the right place and time, with the correct procedure (e.g., respectfully and with utterance of mantras), whatever appropriate gift is given with faith to a deserving beneficiary – all this is indicative of Dharm. '''Yājnavalkya Smriti 1.6'''''

Śāstras generally collapse these numerous constraints further into two main ones: Desha (location, region or country) and Kāla (time, or situation) -

''In their scriptures dealing with Dharm, Artha and Kaama and Moksha too, the Sages have regarded ‘time’ and ‘place’ as the primary factors which humans should consider to achieve their goals. '''Mahabharata 12.135.22'''''

''The person, who examining the current significance of place and time, and applying his wisdom, acts in harmony with these alone gains the fruits of his aspirations. '''Mahabharata 12.135.23'''''

''The same deed can be considered as Adharm or Dharm depending upon the place and time in which it is done. Under certain circumstances, stealing, lying and violence are also considered as Dharm. '''Mahābhārata 12.36.11'''''

Note that these factors are all external to the body and mind of the doer because they exist in the environment around him (time, place) and other living creatures or stakeholders.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:The Complexity of Karm:Inapplicability of Lists of Good and Bad Karm

2026-06-01T16:53:08Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Noble action, inaction and evil action are sometimes difficult to distinguish from each other because one can also get bewildered about the moral propriety and consequences of our actions. For example, stealing in general is considered evil Karm, but there are times when it is not so, even according to our sacred texts -

''Upon being hungry for three days, he may steal food from the home of a non-Brahmana. And if he is caught in the act, he should confess about what exactly he has stolen. '''Yājnavalkya Smriti 3.43'''''

''He who, when in danger of losing his life, accepts food from any person whatsoever, is no more tainted by sin than the sky by mud. '''Manusmṛti 10.104'''''

Likewise, on the matter of speaking Truth, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna in the Mahābhārata:

''Speaking the truth always is indeed a great virtue. Indeed, nothing, no virtue is perhaps superior to speaking the truth. But the practical aspects of speaking truth are very difficult to understand. '''Mahābhārata 8.49.27'''''

''Sometimes truth is protected by speaking the truth, sometimes by not speaking it at all or sometimes even by speaking a lie. If a person is losing everything, then it is better to speak a lie if that lie will save that person from utter ruin. '''Mahābhārata 8.49.28'''''

''If speaking a truth will cause someone’s death or break someone’s marriage, then it is better to tell a lie. In such situations, speaking the truth is equivalent to a lie, and speaking a lie is equivalent to speaking the truth. '''Mahābhārata 8.49.29'''''

''Only a fool thinks that speaking a formal truth alone is Dharm at all times. Instead, he alone is a knower of Dharm who speaks the truth only after considering the situation (as stated in the above verses). '''Mahābhārata 8.49.30'''''

''If a false promise can get you freedom from kidnappers, then better tell a lie. It would be a greater evil to promise a ransom to kidnappers and then pay the amount to them after freedom, because wealth given to evil men begets misery for the speaker of the truth himself. One must not therefore hesitate to speak a lie if it promotes Dharm. '''Mahābhārata 8.49.54-55'''''

Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa then narrates two stories where there was an inversion of Dharm and Adharm, and Truth and Falsehood. In the first story, he talks about a hunter, who had the responsibility of taking care of his blind parents and other family members. He always spoke the truth; he never caused pain to anyone and never neglected his duties and obligations. He was the sole bread-winner for his parents, wife, and children. One day, he could not find any food, and had to kill a blind animal to get some food for his dependents. The hunter went to heaven, even though he did the heinous crime of killing a blind animal, because he did it for the sake of his blind parents and to feed his family.

In the second story, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa describes a Brahmana named Kaushika who took a vow of speaking truth at all times. One day, a band of bandits came to his home, chasing a group of innocent people who were trying to escape bandits and had passed by Kaushika’s home. Upon being asked as to whereabouts of these innocent people fleeing the bandits, Kaushika spoke the ‘truth’, resulting in the bandits capturing the innocent victims and killing them. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa calls this ‘truthful’ Kaushika as a fool, as one ignorant of Dharm who misused his vow of speaking truth to cause harm to innocent people; and as a result of speaking this ‘truth’, Kaushika went to Hell.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Karm Mīmāmsa or the Science of Karm:Inviolability of the Law of Karm

2026-06-01T16:49:56Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Everyone must reap the fruit of their prior karm in entirety till Moksha is achieved. No one can cheat the Law of Karm for two reasons: First, the record of all that we do resides in our mind. And second, Bhagavān, who is fair and just, and who is all-knowing, is a witness to everything that we do.

''Bhīshma said - Just as a calf can recognize its mother from a thousand cows, similarly an act that has been done in the past can reach its doer (from amongst millions of humans). '''Mahābhārata 12.322.16'''''

''A man can never forsake the action done by him far into the sky, or deep into the sea or high on the mountain; whether he is held by his mother on her head or kept in her lap. '''Garuda Purāņa 1.113.20'''''

''Bhagavān Shiva said to Parvati - There is not one person in the three worlds who does not experience the fruits of his actions. '''Mahābhārata 13 chapter 145 (Southern Recension)'''''

''Bheeshma said: Dharm has many gates. No action is without its fruit. '''Mahābhārata 12.174.2cd'''''

''Evil as well as virtuous deeds indeed all bear fruit. That fruit does not get destroyed away even in a hundred lives till it is experienced by the doer. '''Nārada Purāṇa 2.29.18'''''

It is futile to hide one’s deeds thinking that ‘if no one watches me, there will be no consequences’ because the Divine powers surely witness what we do.

''Only a fool tries to hide his evil karm intentionally from others. His evil karm might not be visible to others, but the Devas surely see it. '''Mahābhārata 12.193.27'''''

The results of our Karm cannot leave us because they cling to us. The results do not get deposited somewhere else from where we retrieve them later, they are always close to us. Even death cannot rid us of our Karm. They travel with our ātmā into the next body and start acting soon after rebirth -

Whichever deed one has done, its respective fruit stalks the doer. If the doer runs fast, the fruit chases him with an equal speed. When the doer sleeps, the fruit also lays down with him. When he stands, the result stands next to him. When he walks, the result of his deed walks right behind him. Additionally, the fruit of past actions does not leave the doer even when he is performing newer deeds. They follow the doer everywhere like his shadow. '''Mahābhārata 12.181.8-9'''

''The Jīvātmā or his deeds and that which has given in charity never perish. Upon death, only the physical body dies and the Jīvātmā abandons and moves into another body (along with its deeds etc.). '''Mahābhārata 12.187.1'''''

''One starts experiencing the fruit of deeds done in his prior body as soon as he is reborn as a fetus within his pregnant mother. '''Mahābhārata 12.181.14cd'''''

Śāstras declare that even at the destruction of the universe, it does not rid our ātmā of the non-ripened karm that it has performed in its various lives.

''At the time of pralaya, the Devas who have not yet exhausted the fruit (= abode in heaven) of their good karms are then reborn in heaven during the next cycle of creation. Whereas those Devas who had exhausted the fruit of their karm before the pralaya are then reborn as humans when the next cycle of creation starts. '''Mahābhārata 12.272.52'''''

''In the next creation, Bhagavān connects each jīvātmā with the residual karm from the previous cycle of creation. The cycle of creation and destruction of the universe, and karm are both without a beginning. '''Brahmasūtra 2.1.35'''''

A scholar explains the unfailing operation of the Law of Karm using the modern analogy of an ‘Investment
Program’:<ref> Armstrong, Jeffrey (Kavindra Rishi). ''Karm: The Ancient Science of Cause and Effect''. Mandala Publishing, 2007.</ref>

"“Another metaphor for this system of cause and effect and how it influences our every action is to see karm as a financial arrangement. From this perspective, the whole of nature is a great bank in which all wealth is deposited. Humans have free will, which is an endowment of capital they receive
by being eternal and conscious. Through the investing of their money (free will) in various actions and enterprises, they earn interest, receive payments, establish savings accounts, and open investments that eventually yield their R.O.I. (return on investment) at various future dates. This means, of course, that reincarnation is an ongoing process of paying debts and receiving the profits on our portfolios of investments. We wouldn’t want it to be any other way. If you work for two weeks, you expect to receive a paycheck. The problem is the same law that gives you your pay also holds you accountable for breaking any of the rules of the system. There is no way to have free will without having both positive and negative consequences from its use.”"

Another modern example is that of the credit card:

"“When we use a credit card to buy something, we’re essentially borrowing money from the company that issues the card. This is why the restaurant owner lets us leave his establishment after giving him only the promissory note of a credit card slip. This isn’t real money, just the promise of receiving payment. For the moment, we’ve enjoyed a pleasant meal at no expense. Wow! Credit cards are great! You can get something for nothing – at least until the statement arrives in the mail. “Gee,” you might think after scanning the lengthy list of charges. “I’d forgotten, but the credit card company makes it their business to remember, and they do a very good job at it. Just like the law of karm, which also never forgets a debit or credit to our karmic account. The consequences of each of our thoughts and actions are precisely recorded at the causal plane of reality. All the effects produced by the causes that leave our mental chute of intention are entered into our karmic ledger, and we are responsible for them…..”"<ref> Hines, Brian. ''Life is Fair''. Radha Soami Satsang Beas, 1999.</ref>

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Karm Mīmāmsa or the Science of Karm:Evil and Pious Karm: A Basic Checklist

2026-06-01T16:47:10Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

We all love simple checklists giving do’s and don’ts. The following list is given in the Mahābhārata,
Manusmṛti and in other Hindu and Buddhist scriptures:
[[File:Evil and Pious Karma.jpg|thumb|Evil and Pious Karma]]
'''Three physical evils:'''
# Stealing
# Violence
# Adultery

'''Four Verbal Evils'''
# Speaking harsh words
# Lies
# Words meant to swindle
# Speaking nonsense

'''Three Mental Evils'''
# Coveting goods belonging to others.
# Thinking bad of others.
# Disbelief (in scriptures, Dhar and in Bhagavān).

'''Three Pious Physical Acts:'''
# Giving charity
# Vow of Non-Violence (Ahimsā Vrata)
# Service (Sevā)

'''Four Verbal Pious Actions'''
# Talking sweetly and lovingly.
# Speaking beneficial words towards others.
# Speaking the truth.
# Studying scriptures, chanting, and listening to discourses.

'''Three Mental Pious Acts'''
# Being contended always
# Believing in the words of holy men and scriptures
# Control over sense organs

Many such lists of good and bad Karm are given in several other sacred Hindu texts. Below is one more list of evils and virtues:

These faults which tend to destroy the creatures. These are anger, exultation, grumbling, covetousness, perplexity, doing injury, hypocrisy, lying, gluttony, calumny, envy, lust, secret hatred, neglect to keep the senses in subjection, neglect to concentrate the mind. The eradication of these (faults) takes place through the means of (salvation called) Yog.
Likewise, freedom from anger, from exultation, from grumbling, from covetousness, from perplexity, from hypocrisy (and) hurtfulness; truthfulness, moderation in eating, silencing a slander, freedom from envy, self-denying liberality, avoiding to accept gifts, uprightness, affability, extinction of the passions, subjection of the senses, peace with all created beings, concentration (of the mind on the contemplation of the Âtmā), regulation of one's conduct according to that of the Âryas, peacefulness and contentedness; these (good qualities) have been settled by the agreement (of the wise) for all (the four) orders; ''he who, according to the precepts of the sacred law, practices these, enters the Universal soul. '''Āpastamba Dharmsūtra 1.8.23.4-6'''''

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Karm Mīmāmsa or the Science of Karm:The Law of Karm

2026-06-01T16:45:28Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

In simple terms, the Law of Karm states:

#Every action has a consequence, bringing either happiness or sorrow. Good deeds lead to joy, while harmful actions result in suffering. This is the essence of Karm, a word that signifies both action and its outcome.
#You harvest what you plant.
#What goes around comes around.
#You receive in proportion to what you give.
#Life is like a mirror, what you reflect into the world is what you see reflected back at you.

This universal law reminds us that our choices shape our experiences. We often see that our actions do not bear fruit in our entire lifetime. Therefore, Hindu Dharm considers Rebirth upon death as a natural corollary or a complement to the Law of Karm. Hindu scriptures declare:

''He who is the doer of a karm, is also the enjoyer of the consequences of whatever he has done. Yajurveda, '''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.7'''''

''Virtuous karm (puṇya) leads to a virtuous world, and evil acts to a sinful world. Both of them (i.e., a mixture) lead to the world of men (i.e., to a human birth). Atharvaveda, '''Praśna Upaniṣad 3.7'''''

''He who performs binding karms with his current body has to reap their results in a future birth. Just as one can infer the seed from its fruit, and the fruit from the seed. Caraka Saṃhitā, '''Sūtrasthāna 11.31'''''

''Performance of virtuous karm begets happiness, and of evil karm begets sorrow. In all cases, it is only one’s karm that brings forth results. Karm that has not been performed does not beget any fruit. '''Mahābhārata 13.6.10'''''

''He who practices Adharm, whose wealth is earned through falsehoods and who is ever engaged in violence against others will never attain happiness in this world. '''Manusmṛti 4.170'''''

''As you sow, so you will reap. Never does a mango tree grow out from a neem seed. '''Brahma Purāṇa 136.20'''''

In modern parlance, the Law of Karm and its relationship to the doctrine of Rebirth can be summarized in the following words:

''“Every human action has consequences, and within the action both motive and act pronounce consequences that must be paid for or rewarded depending on their moral worth.
Thus, if I help the older person to cross the street, I accumulate merit in the form of good karm. And if I were to have the heart attack and die after the completion of this good act, and if justice is to be done in the universe, then I must be rewarded. But if I am dead, then the reward must be done in my next life. If I am not rewarded in my next life, then the universe is not a just place. But it is a just place. Therefore, the reward must be done in my next life, I must be brought to suffer [= enjoy] the reward.”''
''“…..the law of karm describes or governs (depending on how one views the epistemological status of the law) how certain qualities of consequences, affecting the agent, arise from moral actions and how and to what degree they affect the agent in the current and subsequent lives. The qualities of the consequences are moral-resultant qualities, such as possessed merit and demerit, created dispositions or tendencies to desire, and character, as well as the pleasure and pain they eventually produce.”''<ref> Reichenbach, Bruce R. ''The Law of Karm: A Philosophical Study''. University of Hawaii Press, 1990.</ref>

'''The Story of Śveta illustrates a lesson on Karm'''

One day, Ṛṣi Agastya was doing Yog on a lake. Suddenly, he saw a shining chariot come down from the sky. From that chariot, a king came down, and he started eating garbage on the bank of the lake! Ṛṣi Agastya was very surprised. He asked the king, “You live in heaven. You can get all kinds of tasty food there. Then why are you coming to earth to eat garbage?” King Śveta replied, “When I was a king on this earth, I did a lot of charity. I gave clothes. I gave toys. But I never gave any food to anyone. I loved to eat food. I wanted all the food for myself. When I died, Bhagavān Brahmā took me to heaven because I had done a lot of charity. But Bhagavān said that I would not get anything to eat because I never gave any food in charity and finished all the delicious things to eat without sharing them. Bhagavān Brahmā also said that as punishment, I will get to eat only garbage. Therefore, when I am hungry, I have to come back to the earth, and there I have to eat garbage.”

The king then said to the Ṛṣi “Ṛṣi Agastya, I have realized my mistake now. I have understood that we should not be stingy in sharing anything that we have with others. We should share with others whatever is dear to us. Please convey my message to everyone that whatever we share with others, the same things alone will be given to us after we die. If we do not share any particular thing with others, that very thing will not be given to us in the future.”
[[File:A shining chariot of king.jpg|thumb]]

Ṛṣi Agastya blessed him for the wonderful teaching. With his powers, he freed the king of his curse. The king then ate the garbage for the last time, and then flew back to heaven in his chariot. This story teaches us that whatever we don’t share with others, that very thing will be taken from us later.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Karm Mīmāmsa or the Science of Karm:Definition and Modes of Karm

2026-06-01T15:43:26Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

Karm, derived from the root ‘kṛ’ means action, which is physical, mental, and verbal. The concept of Karm includes the intent behind it and also the result or the fruit of Karm. Some actions are not performed with a beneficial or a goal in mind (‘Pravṛtta Karm’). According to Kṛṣṇa, they do not constitute Karm because they do not contribute to rebirth in another body.

''Karm is that creative force which brings into existence the great variety of beings. '''Gītā 8.3'''''
[Existence of a great variety of beings (bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro): Due to ignorance, all perform karm with a desire for their fruit, with attachments, and under the sense that ‘I am the doer’. As a result of the karm that they discharge (visarga) bear fruit in the form of repeated births, joys and sorrows, and other results.]

''Karm binds and enables one to obtain another body. It is due to mighty karm alone that one transmigrates from one body to another. '''Mahābhārata 12.210.45'''''

Karm means the continuous activity of the sense organs, the organs of action, the fourfold mind, and the vital forces (prāṇas) that bring about a change in their state.<ref>Aranya, Swami Hariharananda. ''Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali with Bhasvati''. University of Calcutta, 2000.</ref>

''Smell, taste, form, sound, touch as the fifth, mental functioning, and functioning of the intellect, these are the seven instrumental causes of karms. '''Anugītā 10.5'''''

In the Vaiśeṣika Darśana, Karm is defined in a somewhat different manner:

''Upward motion, downward motion, expansion, contraction, and movement (from one place to another) are the five kinds of Karm. '''Vaiśeṣika Sūtra 1.1.7'''''

The difference in this definition is that Vaiśeṣika Darśana is not restricted to human actions. Therefore, this peculiar definition tries to encompass the activity of all natural entities in addition to human Karm. This text does, however, deal with human actions specifically too and explains that the main driver of Karm is the ātmā. When this ātmā connects with the mind and other organs and performs Karm, the results are experienced in the form of pain and happiness.

''Joy and sorrow result when the ātmā, the sense organs, the objects of senses, and the mind are connected. '''Vaiśeṣika Sūtra 5.2.15'''''

We perform Karm not merely with our hands, but in many different ways. Therefore, Karm can be classified according to the organs of our body involved in doing them into three categories:

'''Kāyika Karm:''' Actions that are performed by our organs of action, i.e., hands, legs/feet, reproductive organs, etc., or any other part of the body. Facial expressions are also included.

'''Mānasika Karm:''' Actions performed through our thoughts. E.g., thinking good or bad things. Even dreams are included in this category.

''O Varuṇa, it is not solely my will that is responsible for my sins. Liquor, anger, gambling, and thoughtlessness all contribute to them. Even the elder leads one astray. A dream is sometimes sufficient to seduce a man. '''Ṛgveda 7.86.6'''''

'''Vācika Karm:''' Actions performed through speech or communication. The tongue is not the only organ involved in our speech. Many other organs, like the vocal cords, the diaphragm, etc., are involved. Moreover, a lot of our communication is non-verbal, like a mean look at someone, turning red with anger, etc. These types of communication are also included in this type of Karm.

Note that there is no strict division between these three types of Karm, and the classification is purely according to how they appear to others. For example, a person first thinks that he will give charity. Then, he does it physically by donating clothes to poor people. So here, the Karm is Kāyika Karm, although the mind is involved in making the decision. But till the person does not give any clothing in charity and merely resolves mentally to do it, his karm is '''Mānasika Karm.'''

According to the Manusmṛti, there are different ways in which these different types of Karm yield their respective results ''One suffers the fruit of mental sins mentally, of verbal sins verbally, and of physical sins in one’s body. '''Manusmṛti 12.8'''''

[[File:Screenshot_2025-02-16_150131.png|thumb]]
==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Basic Precepts of the Hindu Principle of Karm

2026-06-01T14:54:18Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal

The Law of Karm is a fundamental and core doctrine of. Its basic tenets, with a focus<ref>In some heretical views found in ancient India, the Law of Karm was not accepted. Alternate theories were that everything in this world was random (yadṛchhā), or it followed a natural progression (svabhāva), or time (kāla) was responsible for all changes, or that our experiences were simply due to fate (niyati). In other words, there was no cause-and-effect relationship between what we do and what we experience later. Yājnavalkya Smriti 1.350.</ref><ref>Walli, Koshelya. ''Theory of Karman in Indian Thought.'' Bharata Manisha, 1977, Varanasi.</ref>
<ref>Buddhist and Jain traditions overlap considerably with beliefs about the Law of Karm. The former also have elaborate classifications of different types of karm, their psychological effects, and so on. They have a greater breadth and are more comprehensive overall, even though they might not have the same depth as the other Dharmic traditions in some overlapping areas.</ref> may be summarized below based on Śāstra, traditions, and beliefs -
#We reap what we sow. Good action begets joy; bad begets sorrow. To be happy in the long run, we should perform good deeds and avoid bad ones.
#We are responsible for our own choices, and therefore, we own the consequences of the choices that we make in life.
#What we call fate or luck is the result of our past actions.
#The Divine is a witness to all our deeds. He is fair, impartial, and all-knowing. The Divine implements the Law of Karm. He gives us the just fruit of our actions.
#There is a time lag between the time an action is done and the time we reap its results.
#Rebirth after death is a natural consequence of the Law of Karm. We are not able to reap the fruit of all our actions in this life. One of the reasons why we are reborn is to reap the fruit of the balanced actions.
#Our past and present actions influence the state we are reborn into, our life span, and the joys and sorrows that we experience. They also influence our basic character, tendencies, preferences, inherent abilities or disabilities, likes, and dislikes. Therefore, we must make the right choices at every moment to improve our prospects.
#The results of our prior actions can be supportive of, neutral to, or opposed to our present efforts. One of the two (results of our prior actions or our present efforts) can dominate and determine the results of our present actions. Fatalism is unacceptable because the Principle of Karm is empowering and makes us take responsibility for our actions.
#The cycle of actions-results-actions is beginning-less and is due to the beginning-less false knowledge that envelopes individual ātmā-s.
#Every action is finite in scope and impact. Therefore, no action can lead to an infinite result like eternal heaven or hell<ref>Hammerman, David, and Lisa Lenard. ''The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reincarnation''. Alpha Books, 2000, p. 316.</ref>.
#Both good and bad actions are bonds that tie us to the cycle of births and deaths. We need to transcend Karm and its fruit by following one or more of the spiritual paths taught in the Śāstras.
#Repeated performance of virtuous deeds makes one fit to transcend Karm and make progress on the path(s) leading towards Moksha.

==References==
[[Category:The Science of Karma]]

Talk:Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children

2026-04-17T14:50:54Z

Sachi Anjunkar: /* Book Reviews in Popular Media */

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-57627-0

==University Presentations==
# Central Sanskrit University, Prayagraj
# BHU, Varanasi

==Recorded Interviews==
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWs8XYB7aC8&t=3s COHNA talk]
# [https://youtu.be/OYJ4RDi1H1A?feature=shared Prashant Parikh talk]
# [https://youtube.com/watch?v=dsM3EA2umIU&si=azxj0Jx7njNMj3t6 PGurus]
# [https://youtu.be/3KPBoPHCgHc Brihat]
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8t5m5SZfzA The Jaipur Dialogues]
#[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ac6Fkj9hHk Sanatana is Way Forward for Bharat at The Jaipur Dialogues]

==Book Reviews in Popular Media==
# [https://swarajyamag.com/topic/Colonial%20Discourse%20and%20the%20Suffering%20of%20Indian%20American%20Children Swarajya]
# [https://www.brhat.in/dhiti/colonialdiscourse Brhat]
# [https://theprint.in/opinion/mill-macaulay-marx-hinduphobia/2894160/ The Print]

==Misc==
# [https://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2024/05/15/groundbreaking-book-exposes-suffering-of-indian-children-in-american-education-system/ HPI Press Release]

Talk:Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children

2026-04-17T14:50:27Z

Sachi Anjunkar: /* Book Reviews in Popular Media */

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-57627-0

==University Presentations==
# Central Sanskrit University, Prayagraj
# BHU, Varanasi

==Recorded Interviews==
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWs8XYB7aC8&t=3s COHNA talk]
# [https://youtu.be/OYJ4RDi1H1A?feature=shared Prashant Parikh talk]
# [https://youtube.com/watch?v=dsM3EA2umIU&si=azxj0Jx7njNMj3t6 PGurus]
# [https://youtu.be/3KPBoPHCgHc Brihat]
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8t5m5SZfzA The Jaipur Dialogues]
#[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ac6Fkj9hHk Sanatana is Way Forward for Bharat at The Jaipur Dialogues]

==Book Reviews in Popular Media==
# [https://swarajyamag.com/topic/Colonial%20Discourse%20and%20the%20Suffering%20of%20Indian%20American%20Children Swarajya]
# [https://www.brhat.in/dhiti/colonialdiscourse Brhat]
# [https://theprint.in/opinion/mill-macaulay-marx-hinduphobia/2894160/]

==Misc==
# [https://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2024/05/15/groundbreaking-book-exposes-suffering-of-indian-children-in-american-education-system/ HPI Press Release]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Prayer for the Departed Yogī and All Humanity

2026-01-08T12:10:47Z

Sachi Anjunkar: Created page with "By Vishal Agarwal '''Context''' The final mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad envisions Brahman as the Light of the universe, replete with spiritual treasures, wisdom, and bliss. It is a prayer addressed to the Lord as the Cosmic Fire and Light, the knower of all actions and intentions, beseeching Him to grant mokṣa. '''अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि..."

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Context'''

The final mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad envisions Brahman as the Light of the universe, replete with spiritual treasures, wisdom, and bliss. It is a prayer addressed to the Lord as the Cosmic Fire and Light, the knower of all actions and intentions, beseeching Him to grant mokṣa.

'''अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् ।
युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम ॥ १८ ॥'''

''O Agni, lead us along the auspicious path to spiritual wealth. O Deva, You who know all deeds and intentions, remove from within us all crooked evils completely. To You we offer our salutations again and again.''
'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 18'''''

This mantra is numbered as verse 16 in the Mādhyandina recension.

'''Purport'''

At the time of death, the yogī is no longer capable of performing elaborate ritual worship due to physical weakness. Nevertheless, his vision expands beyond himself, and he prays for the welfare of all beings. Addressing the Divine as Agni, the Light and Consciousness that pervades the universe and knows all actions, he seeks the removal of evil tendencies from all and the bestowal of the supreme treasure of spiritual wisdom. His prayer is not limited to personal liberation but extends to the liberation of all humanity, asking the Lord to guide everyone upon the path leading to mokṣa.

'''Notes'''

This mantra occurs in several other Vedic contexts, including the Ṛgveda, where the word raye denotes material wealth and Agni refers to the sacrificial fire in the yajña altar. In the context of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, however, both terms are elevated in meaning. Raye signifies spiritual wealth or liberating wisdom, while Agni represents Brahman itself as the illuminating principle of consciousness.

A brief discussion of the differing sequence and wording of the concluding mantras in the Kāṇva and Mādhyandina recensions is necessary here. In the Mādhyandina Yajurveda tradition, the concluding section consists of three mantras, numbered 15 to 17. In this recension, the dying yogī first fixes his mind on Om and prays for liberation in mantra 15. He then prays for the welfare of all beings and for liberation in mantra 16. Finally, in mantra 17, he relinquishes all attachments and merges his identity with the infinite Brahman through meditation on Om. The movement here proceeds from the external world toward the innermost realization, and the only divinity addressed is Brahman, manifested as Agni.

In the Kāṇva recension, the concluding section consists of four mantras, numbered 15 to 18. Brahman is not named explicitly, although Om is invoked, and various epithets of Sūrya such as Pūṣan and Yama appear, which function as distinct deities in other Vedic contexts. The progression in this recension moves from the yogī’s inner realization outward toward cosmic manifestation, offering a more detailed description of the stages of death and liberation. The fifteenth mantra is a self reflection of the sage, urging concentration upon Brahman without distraction. The sixteenth mantra describes the yogī’s immediate ascent toward Truth after death. The seventeenth mantra corresponds to the stage of life review, in which the dying yogī severs all remaining attachments and aligns himself with Om. The final, eighteenth mantra is a prayer offered at cremation for the welfare of all humanity, urging all beings to orient themselves toward Brahman as the yogī has done.

These four mantras of the Kāṇva recension also occur in '''बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्''' 5.15.1 to 5.15.4. In the Mādhyandina Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 14.8.3, the three concluding mantras of the Mādhyandina version of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad appear verbatim. Together, these traditions present a comprehensive and profound account of the death and final ascent of the jīvanmukta yogī into complete mokṣa.

'''Illustrations'''

The narratives that follow illustrate how enlightened individuals desire the welfare of all beings, without regard to birth, social status, gender, or moral history. Their outlook mirrors the universal prayer of the Ṛṣi expressed in the final mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad.

'''King Vipaścit Forsakes Heaven for the Sake of the Fallen'''

King Vipaścit was a just and capable ruler who regarded all his subjects as his own children. He ensured that his kingdom was free from thieves, murderers, and deceivers, and that virtuous people lived without fear or harassment. Through his righteous governance and personal virtue, he accumulated great merit.

Upon his death, King Vipaścit attained heaven as a result of his meritorious actions. However, according to Hindu tradition, kings are also accountable for the misdeeds committed by their subjects, at least to some degree. For this reason, Indra, the ruler of heaven, requested King Vipaścit to accompany him briefly to hell in order to witness the consequences borne by those who had committed grave wrongs.

As they traversed hell, the king and Indra heard the anguished cries of beings undergoing severe torments as a result of their past actions. When they were about to depart, a voice called out to King Vipaścit from within a blazing fire. The suffering being said that while alive in the king’s realm, he had experienced nothing but kindness and protection. Though he acknowledged his own wrongdoing, he begged the king not to leave, explaining that the mere presence of the compassionate ruler made his torment slightly more bearable. Another voice echoed from elsewhere, declaring that although the king might not remember him, his presence eased the pain inflicted upon his body.

Deeply moved, King Vipaścit turned to Indra and declared that his residence in heaven was meaningless if he could not alleviate the suffering of his former subjects. He affirmed that compassion and love surpassed all heavenly pleasures and expressed his willingness to remain in hell if his presence could reduce the agony of even a single being.

Indra objected, explaining that each being must inevitably experience the results of his or her own actions. Since the residents of hell had committed evil deeds, they were destined to suffer there, whereas King Vipaścit, by virtue of his righteous conduct, deserved to remain in heaven.

The king replied that he had never performed virtuous actions with the intention of attaining heaven. He questioned the value of good karma if it failed to cultivate compassion within the heart. He declared his wish to donate the entire fruit of his good karma to the suffering beings in hell, so that they might be reborn on earth and receive another opportunity to pursue righteous living, or at least experience a reduction in their suffering.

Indra responded that the act of charity itself constituted additional good karma, which would further entitle the king to prolonged residence in heaven. Undeterred, King Vipaścit declared that he wished to relinquish not only the merit he had accumulated in the past but also any merit he might acquire in the future. He affirmed that he had no desire for heaven at all and sought only the happiness of all beings.

At that moment, Bhagavān Viṣṇu appeared before them, seated upon Garuḍa. Addressing the king, He declared that one who is entirely free from desire for the fruits of action, even the attainment of heaven, becomes worthy of mokṣa. He then granted King Vipaścit everlasting liberation, drawing him into His divine presence.

As a result of this divine grace, King Vipaścit attained mokṣa and resided eternally in the company of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. The merit generated by his virtuous deeds was distributed among the suffering beings in hell, thereby shortening their period of torment and enabling their rebirth upon the earth.

'''Rāmānujācārya Risks Hell for the Sake of Others'''

Śrī Rāmānujācārya was a great Hindu saint who lived in South India between 1017 and 1137 CE. On one occasion, he learned that a revered teacher named Goṣṭhipūrṇa possessed the knowledge of a powerful sacred mantra, the recitation of which could truly please Bhagavān Viṣṇu and grant liberation.

Śrī Rāmānuja approached the teacher with humility and requested instruction in this mantra. Goṣṭhipūrṇa agreed, but only on the strict condition that the mantra must be kept secret and never revealed to others. Śrī Rāmānuja accepted this condition without hesitation.

The teacher then initiated him into the sacred Vaiṣṇava mantra ''Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya''. However, after reflecting deeply, Rāmānuja concluded that a mantra capable of granting liberation should not be withheld from humanity. Ascending to the upper level of the temple at Tirukkoṭṭiyūr in present day Tamil Nadu, he gathered the assembled devotees and proclaimed the mantra openly so that all might benefit from it.

When Goṣṭhipūrṇa learned of this act, he was greatly angered and reprimanded Rāmānuja for violating his explicit instruction. He warned him that such disobedience would surely result in his condemnation to hell. Rāmānuja responded calmly that if his own descent into hell could secure liberation for countless others, he would willingly accept that fate.

These words profoundly moved his teacher. Goṣṭhipūrṇa was brought to tears, embraced Rāmānuja, and declared that his disciple alone had truly grasped the inner meaning and compassionate intent of the sacred mantra.

'''Compassion in the Lineage of Śrī Rāmānuja'''

In the spiritual lineage established by Śrī Rāmānuja, another eminent saint named Piḷḷai Lokācārya was born approximately a century later, between 1205 and 1311 CE. Such was his compassion and spiritual attainment that Bhagavān Viṣṇu is said to have blessed him with the assurance that all who associated with him would attain liberation along with him.

Piḷḷai Lokācārya’s compassion extended to all living beings without exception. It is said that he would gently touch even ants with loving awareness and gaze upon plants for long periods, believing that such contact and attention might aid even these forms of life in progressing toward Bhagavān Viṣṇu. His life stands as a testament to the ideal of universal compassion and selfless concern for the spiritual welfare of all beings.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Life Review and Remembrance of Brahman

2026-01-08T11:57:29Z

Sachi Anjunkar: Created page with "By Vishal Agarwal '''Context''' This mantra is traditionally recited in the final moments of life to remind the aspirant that the physical body is temporary and perishable, whereas the ātmā is eternal and constitutes one’s true identity. '''वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।''' '''ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं..."

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Context'''

This mantra is traditionally recited in the final moments of life to remind the aspirant that the physical body is temporary and perishable, whereas the ātmā is eternal and constitutes one’s true identity.

'''वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।'''
'''ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ १७ ॥'''

''May my vital airs merge into the immortal and all pervading Breath of the Lord. Then may this body end in ashes. O mind, remember Om, remember my past deeds. O mind, remember Om, remember my past deeds.''
'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 17'''''

The repetition of phrases in this mantra reflects intensity of aspiration, earnestness, and unwavering faith.

In the Mādhyandina recension, this mantra is numbered as verse 15, and the latter half shows a slight variation.

'''वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥'''

''May my vital airs merge into the immortal and all pervading Breath of the Lord. Then may this body end in ashes. O mind, remember Om, remember your inherent capacity to attain Brahman. O mind, remember Om, remember my deeds.''
'''''Mādhyandina Saṃhitā 40.15'''''

'''Purport'''

As the yogī approaches the moment of death, he naturally undergoes a process often described as a review of life, wherein past actions, intentions, and the underlying saṃkalpas associated with them arise in awareness. Unlike an ordinary person, the yogī is not disturbed by this process. He is neither bewildered by the rapid physiological changes nor distracted by the discomforts that may accompany dying.

Instead, his mind remains firmly absorbed in Om, the śabda Brahman, the sonic manifestation of Brahman. This absorption is effortless, for Brahman has been the constant object of contemplation throughout his embodied life.

In the case of an ordinary individual, the vital airs, mind, and subtle senses envelop the ātmā and together constitute the subtle body that transmigrates to assume another physical form. In contrast, for the realized yogī, the subtle body itself dissolves. The prāṇas, mind, and subtle faculties disintegrate and merge into the cosmic order, leaving the ātmā completely free and united with Brahman.

The mantra, spoken in the first person, thus reflects the inner meditation of the yogī who progresses from the state of jīvanmukta to that of a mukta, one who has attained complete mokṣa and is no longer subject to rebirth. Having lived his entire life as a continuous yajña or kratu offered to the Divine, his cremation becomes the final oblation, wherein the body itself is offered into Brahman.

'''Notes on Life Review, Departure of the Jīvātmā, and Final Remembrance'''

A dying person often experiences hallucinations or unusual phenomena and gradually loses the capacity to hear and see before complete unconsciousness sets in. During this process, memories begin to withdraw from the conscious mind or manas and recede into the subconscious mind or citta. The dying individual may experience this withdrawal as a panoramic life review. In cases of sudden death, such as beheading, this transfer of memories may remain incomplete, due to which the individual, upon rebirth, may retain a stronger recollection of a previous life. In more gradual deaths caused by old age or illness, the life review may unfold over a few minutes or even seconds. This phenomenon is especially reported in situations such as drowning, where death occurs over a brief but perceptible interval.

While this process is unfolding, the impressions or residues known as saṃskāras, generated by the karmas performed during life, become firmly embedded in the mind. The subtle mind, which is distinct from the physical brain, then ceases its independent functioning and merges with the vital energies or prāṇas.

This process is described in the scriptural statement that the mind reaches the prāṇas at the time of departure.

''When a person departs from here, the mind reaches the prāṇa.''
'''''Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.6'''''

A corresponding teaching is also indicated in the Brahmasūtra.

''The mind follows the prāṇa.''
'''''Brahmasūtra 4.2.3'''''

The mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad under discussion alludes to this process of life review, with the crucial distinction that in the case of the yogī, the final thoughts are exclusively centered on Brahman, which alone had occupied his awareness throughout his embodied life.

Thus, the last thoughts of a dying individual, shaped by his vāsanās, provide an indication of the nature of his subsequent existence. These thoughts determine the channel or nāḍī through which the jīvātmā, enclosed within the subtle body or puryaṣṭaka, exits the heart, as well as the aperture through which it departs from the body.

This process is vividly described in the Upaniṣads.

''The front portion of the heart becomes luminous. By that luminosity the jīvātmā departs, whether through the eye, or through the crown of the head, or through other parts of the body. Following that outgoing vital force, all the organs depart. The jīvātmā becomes conscious and departs in the light of that consciousness. Knowledge and action, along with the awareness of past karmic residues, accompany him.''
'''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.2'''''

However, the final thoughts that arise in the mind at the moment of death are not random or accidental. They are determined by the dominant orientation of one’s life, including habitual interests, temperament, actions, and depth of spiritual understanding. As explained in traditional teachings, the direction taken by the udāna prāṇa at death is shaped by these concluding thoughts, which in turn generate the conditions and trajectory of rebirth.

This principle is poetically expressed by the medieval saint Jñāneśvar.

''The longings that a person feels while alive, which remain fixed in his heart, arise in the mind at the moment of death.''

'''Comparative Perspectives on Death, Final Thought, and Rebirth'''

The Buddhist tradition also describes the same process of dying and final cognition in greater detail. The Buddha compared the last moments of thought to a herd of cows confined within a barn.

''When the barn door is opened, the strongest cow goes out first. If no cow is particularly strong, then the habitual leader goes out first. If no such cow exists, the one nearest to the door goes out first. If none of these conditions apply, all attempt to exit together.''

Buddhist texts further emphasize that death is not an instantaneous event but a gradual process.

''Dying does not occur at a precise moment in time. It is not a clear cut event but a process. The Tibetan Book of the Dead maps the experiences encountered at the time of death and indicates the signposts leading to different realms. At death, as in dreams, one inhabits a world composed of mental images. These realms are creations of the mind. One whose spirit has cultivated dispassion recognizes these experiences as manifestations of consciousness itself and is able to pass through them with clarity and composure.''

The Bhagavad Gītā expresses a closely related doctrine regarding the importance of the final thoughts at the time of death.

''For whatever object a person thinks of at the final moment, when he leaves the body, that alone does he attain, O son of Kuntī, being constantly absorbed in that thought.''
'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.6'''''

''Therefore, at all times remember Me and perform your duty. With mind and understanding absorbed in Me, you shall surely attain Me.''
'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.7'''''

These verses are often popularly interpreted to mean that merely remembering the Divine at the final moment enables even a deeply immoral individual to attain mokṣa. This reading, however, is inconsistent with the traditional understanding of the Gītā. Death is a process rather than an instantaneous event, and the mind undergoes a comprehensive life review in which the dominant tendencies cultivated throughout life surface naturally. It is these deeply ingrained dispositions that manifest as the final thoughts, not an arbitrary or momentary act of will.

Indeed, the second verse explicitly emphasizes constant remembrance of the Divine throughout life, not remembrance limited to the final moment. This teaching accounts for situations such as instantaneous death, where habitual remembrance alone determines the final cognition. This interpretation is consistently upheld by the classical commentators, even though popular readings often overlook this nuance.

The process of yogic death is discussed briefly in the eighth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā and is elaborated further in yogic and tantric texts such as the Dharmaputrikāsaṃhitā.

'''Illustrations'''

In the discussion of the previous mantra, the life of Ramana Maharṣi was cited as an example of a realized sage who used his terminal illness to instruct his disciples on the impermanence of the body and the primacy of the ātmā. In accordance with the teaching of the present mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, saints transcend identification with the physical body or dehavāsanā by firmly abiding in the awareness of the ātmā alone.

Ṛṣi Dadhīci, whose attainment of mokṣa was discussed earlier, provides another profound illustration. Having completely overcome attachment to the body, he willingly embraced physical death for the welfare of creation, without hesitation or fear, exemplifying the highest ideal of self transcendence.

'''Saints Who Accepted Death as a Divine Gift'''

'''Swami Ramakrishna Paramahaṃsa (1836–1886 CE) Accepts His Death as a Gift of Mother Kālī'''

Swami Ramakrishna Paramahaṃsa was one of the greatest devotees of Mother Kālī. He related to Kālī as his own living mother. He visited Her temples, sang before Her mūrti, spoke to Her, and wept in Her presence with the simplicity and intimacy of a child before his mother.

In the later years of his life, Ramakrishna Paramahaṃsa fell gravely ill. Physicians diagnosed him with throat cancer and declared that his life would not last long. His disciples and admirers were deeply distressed. Unable to reconcile the impending death of such a saint, they pleaded with him, saying that since Kālī was his divine mother, he should ask Her to cure his illness.

Ramakrishna initially refused, stating that he did not wish to ask Mother Kālī for anything. However, under repeated insistence, he finally agreed to pray. The following day, when the disciples eagerly asked whether he had prayed for healing, Ramakrishna replied that he had indeed prayed to Mother Kālī. He then narrated Her response.

''Why do you ask Me for such a trivial thing. Your body will perish one day in any case. Ask for something of greater value.''

Ashamed, Ramakrishna said that he then prayed that he might always remain at Her feet and never lose his devotion to Her. When the disciples heard this, they wept. They realized that their Guru would soon leave his body, yet they also felt blessed to witness a saint who valued bhakti to Mother Kālī above his own physical existence.

'''The Nirvāṇa of Maharṣi Dayānanda Sarasvatī (1824–1883 CE)'''

Swami Dayānanda Sarasvatī was a great reformer who revived Vedic dharm throughout northern India. He challenged oppressive social practices by demonstrating their incompatibility with Vedic teachings. He travelled tirelessly, urging people to study the Vedas and abandon harmful customs.

A few months before his death, he was invited by the Maharaja of Jodhpur to preach. The Swami openly criticized the Maharaja for his attachment to a dancer named Nanhijān. Fearing the loss of her livelihood, she bribed a cook to serve poisoned milk to the Swami. That very day, Swami Dayānanda fell seriously ill.

Despite the best medical care arranged by the Maharaja, including relocation to Mount Abu and later to Ajmer under British administration, his condition worsened. His body became covered with painful sores, yet he bore his suffering with remarkable serenity and courage. Whenever asked about his condition, he replied calmly.

''I am in the hands of the Lord.''

His composure deeply impressed physicians and onlookers alike. Overcome with remorse, the cook eventually confessed and begged forgiveness. Seeing genuine repentance, Swami Dayānanda told him that he had unknowingly caused great harm, as the Swami could have served society many more years. Nevertheless, he forgave the cook, gave him money, and urged him to flee to Nepal.

Until the end, Swami Dayānanda continued to instruct his followers, emphasizing that the body is perishable, while the ātmā is eternal. On the day of Dīpāvalī in 1883, he asked that all doors and windows be opened. Lying on his side, he recited the following Vedic mantra.

'''वि॒द्यानि॑ देव सवितर् दु॒रितानि॑ परा॒ सुव ।'''
'''यद् भ॒द्रं तन्न॒ आ सुव ॥'''

''O Lord, Creator of the universe, remove all forms of vice and sorrow from us. Grant us that which is ennobling.''
'''''Yajurveda Mādhyandina Saṃhitā 30.3'''''

After reciting this mantra, Swami Dayānanda peacefully gave up his body.

Among those present was Gurudatta Vidyārthī, a young man influenced by Western education and inclined toward agnosticism. Witnessing the Swami’s serene death, the bliss on his face despite intense suffering, and his unwavering commitment to Vedic truth until the final moment, Gurudatta was profoundly transformed. He dedicated his life to the study of the Vedas and later emerged as a prominent leader of the Ārya Samāj, the movement founded by Swami Dayānanda Sarasvatī.

'''Yogī Devrāhā Bābā Leaves the Body Voluntarily'''

In more recent times, the life and passing of Yogī Devrāhā Bābā is frequently cited as an illustration of conscious and voluntary departure from the physical body. On 19 June 1990, Devrāhā Bābā is said to have decided consciously to leave his body. He seated himself in deep meditation, surrounded by his disciples.

During this period of meditation, his disciples observed a striking physical phenomenon. The lower parts of his body gradually became pale and cold, while the upper portion of his body appeared red and intensely warm, resembling a high fever. This gradual physiological change was interpreted by those present as a deliberate withdrawal of vital energies from the lower regions of the body toward the head.

Shortly after his passing, one of his disciples placed the sage’s head in his lap. At that moment, the skull of Devrāhā Bābā is said to have cracked spontaneously, splashing blood upon the disciple. This event was traditionally interpreted as a sign that the ātmā had exited the body through the brahmarandhra, the tenth aperture located at the crown of the head. According to yogic doctrine, departure through this aperture signifies complete liberation or mokṣa.

It is also widely believed that Devrāhā Bābā had lived for several centuries. Even in the decades preceding his death, many individuals claimed personal encounters with him in the early twentieth century, during which time he already appeared extremely aged. Photographic records from those decades similarly depict him as an elderly ascetic. These accounts have contributed to the widespread belief that the sage’s lifespan extended far beyond that of an ordinary human being.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death

2026-01-08T08:54:20Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death (Mantras 15–16)'''

The textual order and wording of the concluding mantras of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad differ between the Kāṇva and Mādhyandina Śākhās. According to the Sarvānukramaṇī of the Śukla Yajurveda, belonging to the Mādhyandina Śākhā and traditionally attributed to Muni Kātyāyana, the final three mantras describe the last moments of a Yogī who attains mokṣa at the time of the physical body's dissolution. By analogy and in accordance with classical commentaries, the same interpretation applies to the final four mantras of the Kāṇva recension.

These mantras describe the stages of death as experienced by a spiritually enlightened Yogī. In contrast to the ordinary person, whose death leads to rebirth, the Yogī undergoes his final death and merges into Brahman, which is of the nature of light, truth, and bliss.

==Mantra 15==
'''**हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥ १५ ॥**'''

==Translation==
''The face of Truth is covered by a golden vessel. O Pūṣan, remove that covering, so that I, devoted to Truth, may behold it.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 15'''''

==Mantra 16==
'''**पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह तेजः ।
यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥**'''

==Translation==
''O Pūṣan, the sole Seer, Yama, Sun, offspring of Prajāpati, withdraw your rays and gather your brilliance, so that I may behold your most auspicious form. That Puruṣa who dwells there, I indeed am He.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 16'''''

==Mādhyandina Recension==
In the Mādhyandina Śākhā, the final mantra combines the first half of Mantra 15 with the concluding quarter of Mantra 16 from the Kāṇva recension. The remaining portions do not appear in this version.

'''**हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
योऽसावादित्ये पुरुषः सोऽसावहम् । ओम् खं ब्रह्म ॥**'''

==Translation==
''The face of Truth is covered by a golden disc. That Puruṣa who abides in the Sun, that indeed am I. Oṃ. All-pervading space, the Supreme Brahman.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad Mādhyandina Saṃhitā 17'''''

==Purport==
The ordinary human being remains bound by the splendour and attractions of the material world. Its brightness and diversity distract the mind away from Brahman and conceal the face of ultimate Truth. These worldly objects and their enjoyments are not truly real, for they are finite, perishable, and inevitably mixed with sorrow. For such a person, the radiance of the world acts as a veil over Truth.

The Yogī, however, is steadfastly devoted to Brahman alone. Even at the moment of death, he is neither bewildered nor fearful. His awareness remains fixed upon his final goal. He meditates upon the Supreme as his sole nourisher, guide, and controller. He prays that the brilliance of the solar realm may withdraw, allowing his ātmā to pass beyond it and reach the Puruṣa who transcends even the luminous sphere of the Sun.

Many Upaniṣads affirm that one who perceives himself as separate from Brahman does not attain mokṣa. Liberation belongs only to one who dissolves all sense of separateness and fully identifies with Brahman. For this reason, the enlightened Yogī declares, not as a verbal assertion but as immediate realization, that he is that very Puruṣa who abides within the Sun. Through this complete identity with Brahman, the Yogī attains mokṣa and enters eternal light and bliss.

'''Notes'''

The expression ''सोऽहम्'' is traditionally known as the Haṃsa Mantra, the mantra of the white swan, in Vedic and Yogic literature. It is strongly recommended for regular contemplation and recitation in order to reinforce the experiential identity of the individual self with Brahman. When ''सोऽहम्'' is repeated continuously as ''सोऽहम् सोऽहम् सोऽहम्'', it naturally sounds like **हंसो हंसो हंसो**, which explains the appellation Haṃsa Mantra. The white swan symbolizes the Ātmā, purity, and the faculty of discernment by which the eternal is separated from the non-eternal.

In the Mādhyandina recension of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, the final three mantras are addressed to Agni, whereas in the Kāṇva recension, Mantras 15 and 16 are addressed to Pūṣan and the concluding mantras to Agni. Both Agni and Pūṣan function as guides on the path to mokṣa. Even in the case of an ordinary individual, prayers are offered to Agni at the time of cremation, requesting the Deva to guide the departing Jīvātmā towards a favourable future state.

As the Jīvātmā departs from the physical body at death, it may follow different pathways depending upon its karm, desires, and degree of spiritual realization. The Bhagavad Gītā classifies these trajectories into two principal paths.

''Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern course of the sun; departing then, the yogī who knows Brahman attains Brahman.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.24'''''

''Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the six months of the southern course of the sun; departing then, the yogī reaches the lunar light and returns again.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.25'''''

''These two paths, the bright and the dark, are considered eternal in this world. By the former one does not return, by the latter one returns again.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.26'''''

In the concluding mantras of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, the Yogī is described as following the first of these two paths, the path of light, which leads to mokṣa, whereas the second path culminates in rebirth. This explains the recurring imagery of light, the sun, and guidance by luminous deities in these verses.

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 15 and the central portion of Mantra 17 of the Mādhyandina recension are cited in the Maitrāyaṇīya Upaniṣad 6.36 with a slight variation. The broader context of that passage further clarifies the intent of these mantras, namely the final ascent of the enlightened Yogī along the luminous path culminating in union with Brahman.

'''Selected Vedic and Upaniṣadic Passages with Translation'''

{| class="wikitable"
! Devanāgarī Text
! English Translation
|-
| नमोऽग्नये पृथिव्यां यजमानाय धेहि ते लोकममृते लोकमस्मै
| Adoration to Agni who dwells in the earth, who remembers the world. Bestow the world on this worshipper.
|-
| नमो वायवेऽन्तरिक्षे यजमानाय धेहि ते लोकममृते लोकमस्मै
| Adoration to Vāyu who dwells in the atmosphere, who remembers the world. Bestow the world on this worshipper.
|-
| नमो आदित्याय दिव यजमानाय धेहि ते लोकममृते लोकमस्मै
| Adoration to Āditya who dwells in the heaven, who remembers the world. Bestow the world on this worshipper.
|-
| नमो ब्रह्मणे सर्वत्र यजमानाय धेहि ते सर्वममृते सर्वमस्मै
| Adoration to Brahmā, who dwells in all, who remembers all. Bestow all on this worshipper.
|-
| हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्
| The face of truth is covered with a golden container or covering.
|-
| तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय विष्णवे
| O Pūṣhan, remove the covering, so that we may reach the eternal real, the all pervading.
|-
| योऽसावादित्ये पुरुषः सोऽसावहम्
| The Puruṣa who abides within the Sun up there, that being indeed I am.
|-
| एष ह वै सत्यधर्म यदादित्यस्य आदित्यत्वम्
| Indeed, that which is the sunhood of the Sun is the eternal real.
|-
| तच्छुक्लं पुरुषमलिङ्गम्
| That is the bright one, the personal, without any distinguishing mark.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये इव चक्षुषि चाग्नौ
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which is, as it were, in the midst of the Sun, the eye, and fire.
|-
| एतद् ब्रह्म एतद् अमृतम् एतत् तेजः
| That is Brahman, that is the immortal, that is splendor.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये अमृतं यस्य हि सोमः प्राणा वा अन्यकं च
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which is the nectar in the midst of the Sun, of which the Moon and living beings are offshoots.
|-
| एतद् ब्रह्म एतद् अमृतम् एतत् सत्यधर्म
| That is Brahman, that is immortal, that is the eternal real.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये यजुः ॐ आपो ज्योति रसोऽमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवः स्वरोम्
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which shines as the Yajurveda in the midst of the Sun that is Om, water, light, essence, immortal, Brahman, bhūr, bhuvas, svar, Om.
|-
| अष्टपादं शुचिं हंसं त्रिसूत्रं सूक्ष्ममनुययम्
| The eight footed, the pure, the swan, three stringed, minute, imperishable.
|-
| द्विधाभेदं तेजसे धं सर्वं पश्यन् पश्यति
| Blind to the two attributes, kindled in light, he who sees Him sees all.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये उदिता द्वे मयूखे भवतः
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which, rising in the midst of the Sun, becomes the two light rays.
|-
| एतत् सविता सत्यधर्म एतद् यजुः एतदग्निः एतद्वायुः एतत् प्राणः एतदापः एतच्चन्द्रमा एतच्छुक्लम् एतद् अमृतम् एतद् विष्णोः पदम् एतन्नारायणम् तस्मिन्नेव
| That is the knower, the eternal real. That is the Yajus, that is heat, that is fire, that is wind, that is breath, that is water, that is the Moon, that is the bright, that is the immortal, that is the place of Brahman. That is the ocean of light. In it indeed,
|-
| यजमानः सैन्धव इव लीयते
| The worshippers get dissolved like a lump of salt.
|-
| एषा वै एकता हि सर्वकामाः समाहिताः
| It is oneness with Brahman, for in it all desires are contained.
|-
| इत्योदाहरन्ति
| On this point they quote.
|-
| अशंधु धारय इवाणुवाते रतः संफुर्यसावन्तर्गः सुराणाम्
| Even as a lamp is moved by a gentle breeze, he who dwells within the Devas shines forth.
|-
| यो हैवं विद् स सवित् स एतवित् सैकधाम एतः य आत्मकः
| He who knows this is the knower. Having grasped the oneness, he becomes identified with it.
|-
| ये विद्वांस इवायुरुचर्यज्मन् विद्युतोऽर्चिषः परमे व्योमन्
| They rise perpetually like spray drops, like lightning flashes in the highest sky.
|-
| तेऽऋषयो वै यशसा आत्मवासो जटाभिः पथ इव कृण्वन्ति मनः
| They, entering the light of glory, appear like crests of flame along the path of fire.
|-
|
| Maitrāyaṇiya Upaniṣhad 6.36
|}

'''Brahman as the Infinite Source of Creation in the Upaniṣads'''

This lengthy Upaniṣadic passage declares that only a portion of Brahman’s splendor illumines the sun, the moon, and other luminaries, and that upon attaining mokṣa the individual merges into Brahman, which is the ultimate source of the entire creation.

Similarly, '''बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्''' 5.1.1 explains the sacred utterance '''''ॐ खं''''' in the following words.

'''ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।'''
'''पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ।'''
'''ॐ खं ब्रह्म खं पुराणं वायुरं खमिति ह'''
'''मा आह कौरव्यायणिपुत्रः । वेदोऽयं ब्रह्मविदां'''
'''वेदितव्यं यदिदं सर्वम् ॥ १॥'''

''Om. That Brahman is infinite. This universe too is infinite. The infinite universe arises from the infinite Brahman. Even after the infinite universe is taken from the infinite Brahman, Brahman remains infinite and complete.
Om is Brahman which is space, the primeval space, the space in which the wind moves. Thus indeed spoke the son of Kauravyāyanī. This is the Veda of the knowers of Brahman. Through it one knows all that is to be known.''
'''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.1.1'''''

This passage proclaims Brahman to be infinite and eternal, using the analogy of boundless and formless space in which equally formless wind moves. In the same manner, Brahman is formless, all pervading, and contains everything within Itself. Brahman alone is the final goal of the yogī and the only reality that truly needs to be known.

Finally, '''बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्''' 5.5.2 reiterates that the Puruṣa dwelling in the sun, which is Brahman, is identical with the Puruṣa dwelling in the right eye, which is the jīvātmā. This teaching is presented as part of a meditative instruction.

'''तस्य यमसौ स आदित्यः । य एष एतस्मिन् मण्डले पुरुषो यश्चायं दक्षिणेऽक्षन् पुरुषः । तावेतावन्योऽन्यस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठितौ रश्मिभिरेषोऽस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठितः प्राणैरयममुष्मिन् । स यदोऽस्मिन् शरीरात् प्रैति शुक्लमेवैतन्मण्डलं पश्यति नैनमेते रश्मयः यान्ति ॥ २॥'''

''He who is that Satya is that sun. The Puruṣa who is in that solar orb and the Puruṣa who is in the right eye are established in one another. This solar being rests in the ocular being through his rays, and the ocular being rests in the solar being through the organs. When the jīvātmā is about to depart from the body, it sees the solar orb as devoid of its rays. Those rays no longer reach it.''
'''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.5.2'''''

At the time of departure, the yogī who has constantly practiced this and similar meditations finds it easy to dissolve his individuality into Brahman. This realization corresponds to the declaration of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, “That very Puruṣa dwelling up there, I am He.”

'''Ramana Maharṣi and Final Merging with the Infinite'''

In more contemporary times, a striking illustration of this Upaniṣadic teaching is found in the life of Ramana Maharṣi, who attained mokṣa through direct realization of the Self.

Ramana Maharṣi’s health began to decline in 1947. When physicians advised amputation of his arm above a cancerous tumor, the sage responded calmly and with a gentle smile.

''There is no need for alarm. The body is itself a disease. Let it have its natural end. Why mutilate it? A simple dressing on the affected part will do.''

Two further operations were nevertheless undertaken, but the tumor reappeared. Indigenous systems of medicine and homeopathy were also tried, yet the disease did not yield to treatment. Throughout this period, the sage remained supremely indifferent to bodily suffering. He sat as a witness, observing the gradual wasting of the body. His eyes shone with undiminished brilliance, and his grace flowed toward all beings. Ramana insisted that the crowds who arrived in great numbers be permitted to have his darśana.

Many devotees fervently wished that the sage would heal his body through supernormal powers. Out of compassion for those distressed by his physical decline, Ramana gently reminded them of the essential truth that Bhagavān was not the body.

''They take the body for Bhagavān and attribute suffering to him. What a pity. They are despondent that Bhagavān is going to leave them and go away. But where can he go, and how.''

The end came on April 14, 1950. That evening, Ramana Maharṣi gave darśana to all the devotees assembled at the āśrama. The devotees began singing Ramana’s hymn to Arunācala, the sacred mountain he deeply revered. He asked his attendants to help him sit upright and opened his luminous and compassionate eyes for a brief moment. A gentle smile appeared, and a tear of bliss flowed from the corner of one eye. At 8:47 PM, his breathing ceased.

At that very moment, a comet was seen moving slowly across the sky. It passed over the summit of the sacred hill Arunācala and disappeared behind it, symbolically marking the sage’s final merging with the Infinite.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death

2026-01-08T08:50:25Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death (Mantras 15–16)'''

The textual order and wording of the concluding mantras of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad differ between the Kāṇva and Mādhyandina Śākhās. According to the Sarvānukramaṇī of the Śukla Yajurveda, belonging to the Mādhyandina Śākhā and traditionally attributed to Muni Kātyāyana, the final three mantras describe the last moments of a Yogī who attains mokṣa at the time of the physical body's dissolution. By analogy and in accordance with classical commentaries, the same interpretation applies to the final four mantras of the Kāṇva recension.

These mantras describe the stages of death as experienced by a spiritually enlightened Yogī. In contrast to the ordinary person, whose death leads to rebirth, the Yogī undergoes his final death and merges into Brahman, which is of the nature of light, truth, and bliss.

==Mantra 15==
'''**हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥ १५ ॥**'''

==Translation==
''The face of Truth is covered by a golden vessel. O Pūṣan, remove that covering, so that I, devoted to Truth, may behold it.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 15'''''

==Mantra 16==
'''**पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह तेजः ।
यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥**'''

==Translation==
''O Pūṣan, the sole Seer, Yama, Sun, offspring of Prajāpati, withdraw your rays and gather your brilliance, so that I may behold your most auspicious form. That Puruṣa who dwells there, I indeed am He.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 16'''''

==Mādhyandina Recension==
In the Mādhyandina Śākhā, the final mantra combines the first half of Mantra 15 with the concluding quarter of Mantra 16 from the Kāṇva recension. The remaining portions do not appear in this version.

'''**हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
योऽसावादित्ये पुरुषः सोऽसावहम् । ओम् खं ब्रह्म ॥**'''

==Translation==
''The face of Truth is covered by a golden disc. That Puruṣa who abides in the Sun, that indeed am I. Oṃ. All-pervading space, the Supreme Brahman.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad Mādhyandina Saṃhitā 17'''''

==Purport==
The ordinary human being remains bound by the splendour and attractions of the material world. Its brightness and diversity distract the mind away from Brahman and conceal the face of ultimate Truth. These worldly objects and their enjoyments are not truly real, for they are finite, perishable, and inevitably mixed with sorrow. For such a person, the radiance of the world acts as a veil over Truth.

The Yogī, however, is steadfastly devoted to Brahman alone. Even at the moment of death, he is neither bewildered nor fearful. His awareness remains fixed upon his final goal. He meditates upon the Supreme as his sole nourisher, guide, and controller. He prays that the brilliance of the solar realm may withdraw, allowing his ātmā to pass beyond it and reach the Puruṣa who transcends even the luminous sphere of the Sun.

Many Upaniṣads affirm that one who perceives himself as separate from Brahman does not attain mokṣa. Liberation belongs only to one who dissolves all sense of separateness and fully identifies with Brahman. For this reason, the enlightened Yogī declares, not as a verbal assertion but as immediate realization, that he is that very Puruṣa who abides within the Sun. Through this complete identity with Brahman, the Yogī attains mokṣa and enters eternal light and bliss.

'''Notes'''

The expression ''सोऽहम्'' is traditionally known as the Haṃsa Mantra, the mantra of the white swan, in Vedic and Yogic literature. It is strongly recommended for regular contemplation and recitation in order to reinforce the experiential identity of the individual self with Brahman. When ''सोऽहम्'' is repeated continuously as ''सोऽहम् सोऽहम् सोऽहम्'', it naturally sounds like **हंसो हंसो हंसो**, which explains the appellation Haṃsa Mantra. The white swan symbolizes the Ātmā, purity, and the faculty of discernment by which the eternal is separated from the non-eternal.

In the Mādhyandina recension of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, the final three mantras are addressed to Agni, whereas in the Kāṇva recension, Mantras 15 and 16 are addressed to Pūṣan and the concluding mantras to Agni. Both Agni and Pūṣan function as guides on the path to mokṣa. Even in the case of an ordinary individual, prayers are offered to Agni at the time of cremation, requesting the Deva to guide the departing Jīvātmā towards a favourable future state.

As the Jīvātmā departs from the physical body at death, it may follow different pathways depending upon its karm, desires, and degree of spiritual realization. The Bhagavad Gītā classifies these trajectories into two principal paths.

''Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern course of the sun; departing then, the yogī who knows Brahman attains Brahman.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.24'''''

''Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the six months of the southern course of the sun; departing then, the yogī reaches the lunar light and returns again.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.25'''''

''These two paths, the bright and the dark, are considered eternal in this world. By the former one does not return, by the latter one returns again.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 8.26'''''

In the concluding mantras of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, the Yogī is described as following the first of these two paths, the path of light, which leads to mokṣa, whereas the second path culminates in rebirth. This explains the recurring imagery of light, the sun, and guidance by luminous deities in these verses.

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 15 and the central portion of Mantra 17 of the Mādhyandina recension are cited in the Maitrāyaṇīya Upaniṣad 6.36 with a slight variation. The broader context of that passage further clarifies the intent of these mantras, namely the final ascent of the enlightened Yogī along the luminous path culminating in union with Brahman.

'''Selected Vedic and Upaniṣadic Passages with Translation'''

{| class="wikitable"
! Devanāgarī Text
! English Translation
|-
| नमोऽग्नये पृथिव्यां यजमानाय धेहि ते लोकममृते लोकमस्मै
| Adoration to Agni who dwells in the earth, who remembers the world. Bestow the world on this worshipper.
|-
| नमो वायवेऽन्तरिक्षे यजमानाय धेहि ते लोकममृते लोकमस्मै
| Adoration to Vāyu who dwells in the atmosphere, who remembers the world. Bestow the world on this worshipper.
|-
| नमो आदित्याय दिव यजमानाय धेहि ते लोकममृते लोकमस्मै
| Adoration to Āditya who dwells in the heaven, who remembers the world. Bestow the world on this worshipper.
|-
| नमो ब्रह्मणे सर्वत्र यजमानाय धेहि ते सर्वममृते सर्वमस्मै
| Adoration to Brahmā, who dwells in all, who remembers all. Bestow all on this worshipper.
|-
| हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्
| The face of truth is covered with a golden container or covering.
|-
| तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय विष्णवे
| O Pūṣhan, remove the covering, so that we may reach the eternal real, the all pervading.
|-
| योऽसावादित्ये पुरुषः सोऽसावहम्
| The Puruṣa who abides within the Sun up there, that being indeed I am.
|-
| एष ह वै सत्यधर्म यदादित्यस्य आदित्यत्वम्
| Indeed, that which is the sunhood of the Sun is the eternal real.
|-
| तच्छुक्लं पुरुषमलिङ्गम्
| That is the bright one, the personal, without any distinguishing mark.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये इव चक्षुषि चाग्नौ
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which is, as it were, in the midst of the Sun, the eye, and fire.
|-
| एतद् ब्रह्म एतद् अमृतम् एतत् तेजः
| That is Brahman, that is the immortal, that is splendor.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये अमृतं यस्य हि सोमः प्राणा वा अन्यकं च
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which is the nectar in the midst of the Sun, of which the Moon and living beings are offshoots.
|-
| एतद् ब्रह्म एतद् अमृतम् एतत् सत्यधर्म
| That is Brahman, that is immortal, that is the eternal real.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये यजुः ॐ आपो ज्योति रसोऽमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवः स्वरोम्
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which shines as the Yajurveda in the midst of the Sun that is Om, water, light, essence, immortal, Brahman, bhūr, bhuvas, svar, Om.
|-
| अष्टपादं शुचिं हंसं त्रिसूत्रं सूक्ष्ममनुययम्
| The eight footed, the pure, the swan, three stringed, minute, imperishable.
|-
| द्विधाभेदं तेजसे धं सर्वं पश्यन् पश्यति
| Blind to the two attributes, kindled in light, he who sees Him sees all.
|-
| नभसोऽन्तर्गतस्य तेजसोऽंशमात्रम् एतदादित्यस्य मध्ये उदिता द्वे मयूखे भवतः
| Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only a portion which, rising in the midst of the Sun, becomes the two light rays.
|-
| एतत् सविता सत्यधर्म एतद् यजुः एतदग्निः एतद्वायुः एतत् प्राणः एतदापः एतच्चन्द्रमा एतच्छुक्लम् एतद् अमृतम् एतद् विष्णोः पदम् एतन्नारायणम् तस्मिन्नेव
| That is the knower, the eternal real. That is the Yajus, that is heat, that is fire, that is wind, that is breath, that is water, that is the Moon, that is the bright, that is the immortal, that is the place of Brahman. That is the ocean of light. In it indeed,
|-
| यजमानः सैन्धव इव लीयते
| The worshippers get dissolved like a lump of salt.
|-
| एषा वै एकता हि सर्वकामाः समाहिताः
| It is oneness with Brahman, for in it all desires are contained.
|-
| इत्योदाहरन्ति
| On this point they quote.
|-
| अशंधु धारय इवाणुवाते रतः संफुर्यसावन्तर्गः सुराणाम्
| Even as a lamp is moved by a gentle breeze, he who dwells within the Devas shines forth.
|-
| यो हैवं विद् स सवित् स एतवित् सैकधाम एतः य आत्मकः
| He who knows this is the knower. Having grasped the oneness, he becomes identified with it.
|-
| ये विद्वांस इवायुरुचर्यज्मन् विद्युतोऽर्चिषः परमे व्योमन्
| They rise perpetually like spray drops, like lightning flashes in the highest sky.
|-
| तेऽऋषयो वै यशसा आत्मवासो जटाभिः पथ इव कृण्वन्ति मनः
| They, entering the light of glory, appear like crests of flame along the path of fire.
|-
|
| Maitrāyaṇiya Upaniṣhad 6.36
|}

'''Brahman as the Infinite Source of Creation in the Upaniṣads'''

This lengthy Upaniṣadic passage declares that only a portion of Brahman’s splendor illumines the sun, the moon, and other luminaries, and that upon attaining mokṣa the individual merges into Brahman, which is the ultimate source of the entire creation.

Similarly, '''बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्''' 5.1.1 explains the sacred utterance **'''ॐ खं'''** in the following words.

'''ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ।
ॐ खं ब्रह्म खं पुराणं वायुरं खमिति ह
मा आह कौरव्यायणिपुत्रः । वेदोऽयं ब्रह्मविदां
वेदितव्यं यदिदं सर्वम् ॥ १॥'''

''Om. That Brahman is infinite. This universe too is infinite. The infinite universe arises from the infinite Brahman. Even after the infinite universe is taken from the infinite Brahman, Brahman remains infinite and complete.
Om is Brahman which is space, the primeval space, the space in which the wind moves. Thus indeed spoke the son of Kauravyāyanī. This is the Veda of the knowers of Brahman. Through it one knows all that is to be known.''
'''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.1.1'''''

This passage proclaims Brahman to be infinite and eternal, using the analogy of boundless and formless space in which equally formless wind moves. In the same manner, Brahman is formless, all pervading, and contains everything within Itself. Brahman alone is the final goal of the yogī and the only reality that truly needs to be known.

Finally, '''बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्''' 5.5.2 reiterates that the Puruṣa dwelling in the sun, which is Brahman, is identical with the Puruṣa dwelling in the right eye, which is the jīvātmā. This teaching is presented as part of a meditative instruction.

'''तस्य यमसौ स आदित्यः । य एष एतस्मिन् मण्डले पुरुषो यश्चायं दक्षिणेऽक्षन् पुरुषः । तावेतावन्योऽन्यस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठितौ रश्मिभिरेषोऽस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठितः प्राणैरयममुष्मिन् । स यदोऽस्मिन् शरीरात् प्रैति शुक्लमेवैतन्मण्डलं पश्यति नैनमेते रश्मयः यान्ति ॥ २॥'''

''He who is that Satya is that sun. The Puruṣa who is in that solar orb and the Puruṣa who is in the right eye are established in one another. This solar being rests in the ocular being through his rays, and the ocular being rests in the solar being through the organs. When the jīvātmā is about to depart from the body, it sees the solar orb as devoid of its rays. Those rays no longer reach it.''
'''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.5.2'''''

At the time of departure, the yogī who has constantly practiced this and similar meditations finds it easy to dissolve his individuality into Brahman. This realization corresponds to the declaration of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, “That very Puruṣa dwelling up there, I am He.”

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death

2026-01-08T08:48:36Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death

2026-01-08T08:47:15Z

Sachi Anjunkar: Created page with "By Vishal Agarwal '''Mokṣa of a Yogī at His Physical Death (Mantras 15–16)''' The textual order and wording of the concluding mantras of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad differ between the Kāṇva and Mādhyandina Śākhās. According to the Sarvānukramaṇī of the Śukla Yajurveda, belonging to the Mādhyandina Śākhā and traditionally attributed to Muni Kātyāyana, the final three mantras describe the last moments of a Yogī who attains mokṣa..."

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: The Temporary and the Permanent

2026-01-08T05:50:50Z

Sachi Anjunkar: Created page with "By Vishal Agarwal '''Context''' Some may be inclined to dismiss the material world and its objects as insignificant or unworthy of attention. The following triad of mantras explains that although created material objects are indeed temporary, they are nevertheless indispensable for embodied existence. When used in accordance with dharm, they can serve as aids on the path to mokṣa. However, ultimate liberation arises only from absorption in the uncreate..."

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Context'''
Some may be inclined to dismiss the material world and its objects as insignificant or unworthy of attention. The following triad of mantras explains that although created material objects are indeed temporary, they are nevertheless indispensable for embodied existence. When used in accordance with dharm, they can serve as aids on the path to mokṣa. However, ultimate liberation arises only from absorption in the uncreated and eternal root cause of the universe, namely Brahman.

'''Mantra 12'''
'''अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥'''

'''Translation'''
''Into blinding darkness they enter who are absorbed in the created effects. Into still greater darkness they surely enter who are absorbed in the Origin or Cause alone.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 12'''''

'''Mantra 13'''
'''अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात् ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥'''

'''Translation'''
''Different indeed, they say, is the result of absorption in the Origin or Cause, and different, they say, is the result of absorption in the created effects. Thus we have heard from the wise ones who explained this clearly to us.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 13'''''

'''Mantra 14'''

'''''सम्भूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।'''''
'''''विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्यामृतमश्नुते ॥'''''

'''Translation'''

''He who knows both the Origin or Cause and the destruction, taken together, transcends death through the perishable and attains immortality through the Root Cause.''
'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 14'''''

'''Purport'''

Whatever is created inevitably perishes, whereas that which is uncreated is eternal. All material objects, together with the sensations they produce, including the human body itself, belong to the realm of creation. They are born, they undergo transformation, they wear out, and they ultimately perish. Only Brahman and the ātmā are unchanging and permanent. They constitute the root cause or seed of the entire creation, for without them nothing can endure.

The first mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad employs the term Jagat, a concept that contrasts the eternal and unchanging nature of the Lord with the non eternal and ever changing character of the universe. The word Jagat literally signifies that which is constantly moving or changing. At every instant, material objects undergo transformation, even when such change is imperceptible to the senses. The human body likewise changes continuously at both gross and subtle levels. What remains constant is the ātmā within. The universe itself is subject to change and eventual dissolution. Hence one should not become excessively attached to Jagat, but should instead direct greater attention to that which is permanent. This teaching recurs throughout Hindu scripture.

''Contact with the objects of the senses gives rise to sensations of cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not endure. Therefore, O Bhārata, endure them with forbearance.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 2.14'''''

''Of the unreal there is no coming into being, and of the real there is no cessation of being. The truth about both has been seen by those who perceive reality.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 2.16'''''

''Apart from the conscious principle, there exists no collection of things anywhere or at any time. Thus have I taught you the truth of existence, that the conscious entity alone is real and all else is unreal.''

'''''Viṣṇu Purāṇa 2.12.43'''''

In the Mahābhārata, the ascetic Sulabhā addresses King Janaka with the following insight.

''In the bodies of all creatures there exist diverse constituents for the fulfillment of different purposes. Their forms change at every moment, but the change is not perceived because it is extremely subtle.''

'''''Mahābhārata 12.320.122'''''

This understanding does not imply that the material world or the body should be neglected. On the contrary, all spiritual disciplines employ them as instruments for progress towards mokṣa. Meditation involves bodily postures, regulation of breath, withdrawal of the senses, and the disciplined use of the mind. Devotion involves emotions, which are modifications of the mind. All such disciplines require the appropriate and careful use of material instruments, including the body and the mind. Hence one should maintain purity and health in one’s surroundings and in one’s body. Yet this alone is insufficient. Attainment of mokṣa requires devotion to Brahman without neglecting physical and mental well being.

In the same manner, relationships and worldly pleasures are created and therefore temporary. They possess a beginning and an end. Nevertheless, in the pursuit of Brahman, the cause of the universe and the sole Reality, one should not entirely reject relationships or the enjoyment of worldly pleasures. The teaching of these mantras is that the pursuit of Brahman and engagement with temporary relationships, pleasures, and bodily and mental needs must be aligned and mutually supportive rather than conflicting. Even while remaining engaged in the world, one should endeavour to make some progress towards mokṣa each day.

Gradually, one ought to shift emphasis from exclusive involvement in the world to increasing absorption in the Divine, thereby making full use of the rare opportunity of human life. Just as a land without toys for children is impoverished, but a land where adults never outgrow childhood toys is even more unfortunate, so too human life demands a transition from transient pursuits to higher and enduring goals. Balance in daily activities such as eating, recreation, and rest is essential even for spiritual progress, as taught in the Bhagavad Gītā.

''Indeed, yog is not for one who eats excessively, nor for one who abstains excessively from eating. It is not for one who sleeps too much, nor for one who remains awake excessively, O Arjuna.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 6.16'''''

''For one whose eating and recreation are regulated, whose actions are disciplined, and whose sleep and waking are balanced, yog becomes the destroyer of sorrow.''

'''''Bhagavad Gītā 6.17'''''

'''Notes on Saṃbhūti and Asaṃbhūti (Mantras 12–14)'''

Analogous to the preceding triad of mantras dealing with Vidyā and Avidyā, the present triad employs the pair Saṃbhūti and Asaṃbhūti. Here Asaṃbhūti is not the negation or opposite of Saṃbhūti, but that which is different from Saṃbhūti. This is made explicit in the third mantra of the triad, where Asaṃbhūti is replaced by the term Vināśa, meaning destruction or perishability. This substitution indicates that Asaṃbhūti denotes that which is perishable.

Both Saṃbhūti and Asaṃbhūti are rare terms in Vedic literature, making their precise interpretation difficult. A relatively late Upaniṣadic passage employs the term Saṃbhūti in the following manner.

'''''सभं तूत् वै यासु नादो वायोस्तप उच्यते ।'''''

''The Saṃbhūti, or origin, of sound, namely the unstruck sound, from Vāyu is said to be the tapas of the heart.''

'''''Kuṇḍikā Upaniṣad 21'''''

More illuminating usages occur in the ancient Jaiminīya Upaniṣad Brāhmaṇa of the Sāmaveda. In one passage, Prajāpati is described as sixteenfold, and Saṃbhūti is mentioned as one of these aspects, though its meaning is not immediately clarified. This ambiguity is resolved later in the same section, where Saṃbhūti is explicitly identified as Prajāpati’s seed, retas, from which beings are born. Elsewhere, Prāṇa is designated as Saṃbhūti, with the explanation that through the Prāṇas, offspring and animals come into existence. In another passage, the Prāṇas are described as the Saṃbhūti of human beings.

From these occurrences, it becomes clear that Saṃbhūti denotes the cause, origin, or seed from which beings arise. Hindu tradition consistently teaches that the uncreated and underlying cause exists eternally, while all effects or manifestations that arise from it are temporary and eventually perish, merging back into their cause, which is Brahman. At the individual level, the ātmā alone is Saṃbhūti, permanently existing, whereas the body that it animates is temporary. Likewise, relationships based on the body and the pleasures enjoyed through it are impermanent.

Traditional and modern commentators have offered varying interpretations of these two terms. Without entering into an extended survey of these views, one concise definition offered by a contemporary teacher may be noted. According to this explanation, Saṃbhūti signifies svatantra sambhava, that which has independent origin. God alone is Saṃbhūti, since He is the cause of all causes and does not derive His existence from anything else. Asaṃbhūti, by contrast, signifies that which is not of independent origin. All beings and objects in the material world are Asaṃbhūti, having come into existence from God, who is the original source of everything.

Accordingly, worship of Asaṃbhūti, described as Asaṃbhūti upāsanā, means attachment of the mind to created beings and objects of the world. This includes celestial beings, ancestors, human beings, spirits, and material objects. The teaching of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad is not that such engagement should be rejected outright, but that exclusive absorption in Asaṃbhūti, to the neglect of Saṃbhūti, leads to bondage. Liberation arises only when engagement with the perishable is properly subordinated to knowledge and devotion directed towards the imperishable cause, Brahman.

'''Illustrations on the Temporary and the Permanent'''

'''Story: The Temporary Nature of the Human Body'''

Under '''''Bhagavad Gītā 11.27''''', Madhvācārya cites a story from the Purāṇas concerning King Purūravas and the Aśvinī Kumāras to illustrate the fleeting nature of the human body. Purūravas was exceedingly proud of his physical beauty and devoted great attention to maintaining his handsome appearance. Once, the Aśvinī Kumāras, the twin Devas renowned for their own radiant beauty, paid him a visit.

Eager to present himself at his best before the arriving Devas, the King hastily applied ointments and lotions to his face. Observing his obsession with outward appearance, the Aśvinī Kumāras smiled and remarked that although he might conceal wrinkles from ordinary sight, they, as Devas, could perceive the minute transformations occurring in his body at every moment. Their words conveyed that the human body is in a state of constant change and decay, however carefully one may attempt to preserve it, and that pride founded upon physical form is therefore misplaced.

'''Story: The Buddha Feeds His Student'''
Once, the Buddha perceived through his insight that in the village of Ālāvī there lived a poor farmer who alone was capable of fully understanding his teaching. He therefore went to that village with the intention of instructing him. When the villagers heard that the Buddha was arriving, they gathered joyfully at the entrance of the village to welcome him.

The farmer, however, was unable to attend the welcome because he was working in his fields. After completing his work, he hurried home intending to eat quickly and then go to hear the Buddha. On reaching home, his wife informed him that their only cow had wandered away. Being dependent upon that cow for survival, the farmer resolved to search for it first and then, after meeting the Buddha, return to eat his meal.

Meanwhile, the villagers assembled around the Buddha and requested him to deliver a sermon. Not seeing the farmer among them, the Buddha chose to rest instead. The farmer searched throughout the village late into the night and eventually came upon the hut where the Buddha was staying. On seeing the Buddha emerge, he fell at his feet and apologised for his absence, explaining that he had been delayed while searching for his lost cow.

The Buddha smiled gently and told him that the cow was behind the hut, but instructed him first to eat some food. Some of the Buddha’s disciples mocked the farmer, suggesting that he had come merely for free food, having neither welcomed the Buddha nor attended the sermon. The Buddha rebuked them, explaining that the farmer was hungry and that a person distressed by hunger could not grasp spiritual teaching. He therefore fed the farmer with kindness.

Once the farmer was nourished and at ease, the Buddha instructed him in dharm. As the Buddha had foreseen, the farmer understood the teaching immediately, and by the end of that night he had attained the first stage of enlightenment. Thereafter, he indeed found his cow behind the Buddha’s hut.

These two illustrations together affirm that while the human body and its conditions are temporary and ever changing, they must nevertheless be cared for appropriately. Spiritual progress requires neither neglect of the body nor attachment to it, but a balanced understanding of its impermanent nature and its role as an instrument for attaining higher wisdom.

'''Story: The Human Condition and the Little Pleasures of Life'''

In the Mahābhārata, Vidura narrates the following parable to Dhṛtarāṣṭra in order to explain the human condition. The story conveys that although life is surrounded by dangers, pressures, and uncertainties, small and moderate pleasures enable human beings to preserve their mental balance and continue forward.

Once, a Brāhmaṇa found himself lost in a vast and dense forest inhabited by ferocious beasts such as lions and tigers. The forest was also infested with poisonous snakes. Overcome with fear, he ran about desperately in search of refuge. In the course of his wandering, he fell into a deep pit whose opening was concealed by trees, creepers, and thick vegetation. Before he could hit the ground, his fall was arrested midway by branches and creepers, leaving him suspended upside down, with his head pointing downward and his feet upward.

From this precarious position, the Brāhmaṇa saw a large venomous serpent coiled at the bottom of the pit. Above him, he noticed a huge elephant approaching the mouth of the pit. At the same time, black and white mice were gnawing at the creepers and branches that supported his body. Above his head hung a beehive, around which bees hovered continuously. Drops of honey began to fall from the hive onto his head. The Brāhmaṇa turned his face slightly and tasted the honey, drinking the drops that fell upon him, even while fully aware of the imminent dangers surrounding him.

Despite the elephant above, the serpent below, the bees around him, and the mice gradually destroying his support, the Brāhmaṇa continued to savour the drops of honey. Vidura explains that human life is similarly beset with anxieties, competing responsibilities, and inevitable suffering. Yet, within these constraints, small and measured enjoyments of life sustain mental equilibrium and preserve the will to persevere. Such pleasures, when pursued within the bounds of dharm, do not obstruct spiritual growth but rather help individuals endure the challenges of worldly existence.

'''Story: The Eighteenth Horse'''
This parable illustrates why engagement with the world in a constructive manner is essential for spiritual progress. Once, an old man who owned a ranch and seventeen horses lay on his deathbed. He summoned his three sons and instructed them that after his death they were to divide his land, house, and possessions equally among themselves, but that the horses were to be divided in a specific manner. He declared that half of the horses should go to the eldest son, one third to the middle son, and one sixth to the youngest son. He added that none of the horses were to be cut or sold. Shortly thereafter, the old man passed away.

The sons divided the land and other possessions without difficulty. When something could not be divided, they sold it and shared the proceeds equally. However, they were unable to divide the seventeen horses according to their father’s instructions, since the number could not be evenly apportioned in the prescribed ratios. Perplexed, they sought the counsel of Kṛṣṇa, renowned for his wisdom.

Kṛṣṇa listened to their problem and offered to lend them one of his own horses. With the additional horse, the total number became eighteen. The division was then carried out with ease. The eldest son received nine horses, the middle son received six, and the youngest son received two. When the horses were counted, it was found that the total given to the three sons was exactly seventeen, leaving one horse remaining. This horse was returned to Kṛṣṇa.

The teaching of this parable is that Bhagavān has created the universe as a field in which the ātmās may pursue knowledge, spiritual growth, and the four aims of human life, namely dharm, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. Without the universe, the ātmās would lack the necessary conditions for this pursuit. Just as complex calculations become effortless when aided by appropriate instruments, so too the ātmā advances more efficiently towards its goals when it employs the universe wisely and in harmony with dharm.

'''The Lame and the Blind Couple: Prakṛti and Puruṣa'''

In the Sāṃkhya Darśana, the relationship between the Jīvātmā and Prakṛti is illustrated through the well known analogy of a lame man and a blind man. The Jīvātmā, identified with Puruṣa, is likened to a crippled man who possesses vision but lacks the capacity to move by himself. Prakṛti, or material nature, is compared to a blind man who has the strength to walk but lacks sight and therefore does not know where to go.

According to this analogy, the crippled man mounts the shoulders of the blind man and guides him by indicating the direction. In this manner, the blind man provides mobility while the crippled man provides direction, and together they are able to reach the desired destination. In the same way, the Jīvātmā employs Prakṛti and its products, namely the body, senses, and mind, as instruments to move through the world and ultimately attain mokṣa, which it cannot reach independently without embodiment.

Vedānta Darśana accepts this illustration in principle but introduces an important refinement. It points out that unlike the blind man in the analogy, who is himself a living being with a destination to reach, Prakṛti is entirely inert and non conscious. Prakṛti has no aspiration, intention, or goal of its own. It does not seek liberation and does not benefit from the attainment of mokṣa. Only the Puruṣa, the conscious Jīvātmā, aspires for liberation.

Accordingly, Vedānta maintains that the relationship is not one of mutual cooperation between two seekers, as suggested in Sāṃkhya, but rather one of instrumentality. Prakṛti functions merely as a means or ladder employed by the Puruṣa to ascend towards its own goal. Once mokṣa is attained, Prakṛti has fulfilled its role and has no further purpose for the liberated Jīvātmā.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Spiritual Wisdom and Karm

2026-01-07T16:41:29Z

Sachi Anjunkar: Created page with "By Vishal Agarwal '''Context''' The following triad of mantras, numbered 9 to 11, clarifies the relative significance and the mutual necessity of Action, designated here as avidyā, and Spiritual Wisdom, designated as vidyā. After the exposition of the nature of Brahman and the characteristics of the Jīvanmukta in the earlier mantras, a possible confusion may arise regarding the role of action and knowledge in spiritual life. These verses address that..."

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Context'''

The following triad of mantras, numbered 9 to 11, clarifies the relative significance and the mutual necessity of Action, designated here as avidyā, and Spiritual Wisdom, designated as vidyā. After the exposition of the nature of Brahman and the characteristics of the Jīvanmukta in the earlier mantras, a possible confusion may arise regarding the role of action and knowledge in spiritual life. These verses address that concern by explaining that neither action nor spiritual wisdom, when pursued in isolation, is sufficient, and that liberation requires a proper integration of both.

'''Mantra 9'''

'''''अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते ।'''
'''''ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥'''''

'''Translation'''

''Into blinding darkness they enter who are absorbed in worldly wisdom and karm alone. Into still greater darkness they surely enter who are absorbed in spiritual wisdom alone.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 9'''''

'''Mantra 10'''

'''''अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्याया अन्यदाहुरविद्याया ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ १० ॥'''''

'''Translation'''

''Different indeed, they say, is the result of spiritual wisdom, and different, they say, is the result of worldly wisdom and karm. Thus we have heard from the wise ones who explained this clearly to us.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 10'''''

'''Mantra 11'''

'''''विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।'''''
'''''अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ॥'''''

'''Translation'''

''He who knows both spiritual wisdom and worldly wisdom together transcends death through worldly wisdom and attains immortality through spiritual wisdom.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 11'''''

'''Purport and Notes on Mantras 9–11'''

It is essential to possess both spiritual wisdom, designated as vidyā, and worldly or mundane knowledge that gives rise to the performance of karm, designated as avidyā. The performance of karm guided by mundane knowledge, when carried out in accordance with dharm as taught in the Śāstras, enables one to overcome obstacles of worldly existence and gradually leads one to the threshold of mokṣa. Spiritual wisdom, vidyā, then enables one to enter fully into the state of mokṣa.

If spiritual wisdom is completely neglected and one remains absorbed only in mundane knowledge and the performance of duties, one eventually descends into darkness, ignorance, and sorrow, as already indicated earlier in the Upaniṣad. Conversely, if one devotes oneself exclusively to spiritual wisdom while ignoring svadharm, namely duties towards oneself and others, and neglects worldly knowledge altogether, one falls into an even graver condition. Without the performance of duties and the application of worldly knowledge, the maintenance of life itself becomes impossible.

The expressions overcoming death and attaining immortality essentially refer to the same truth, though the former is stated indirectly and the latter positively. Death manifests not only as the physical end of life but also as conditions such as poverty, severe illness, humiliation, and other afflictions that obstruct spiritual progress. Worldly wisdom and the conscientious performance of karm reduce the likelihood of such impediments and help one cross these forms of death. True immortality, however, arises only from spiritual wisdom.

The third mantra of this triad therefore teaches that karm performed according to dharm and guided by worldly knowledge enables one to cross the miseries of life, including death itself, while spiritual wisdom alone leads one into the state of immortal bliss. Knowing both together implies that one’s actions must be aligned with spiritual wisdom, and that spiritual wisdom must inform and illumine one’s actions, so that the two function in harmony rather than in opposition. This mantra also occurs in the '''''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.10''''' , where the surrounding passages emphasise that mokṣa is attained solely through vidyā.

The central teaching of these three mantras is that one should diligently perform karm in accordance with dharm, using worldly knowledge appropriately, while simultaneously pursuing spiritual wisdom and enlightenment, ensuring that karm and vidyā complement and support each other.

'''Notes'''

Many translations render vidyā simply as knowledge and avidyā as ignorance, but such renderings are misleading. Vidyā does not signify mere information or intellectual familiarity with spiritual doctrines. It denotes spiritual wisdom that has been fully assimilated into one’s being. No one is entirely devoid of mundane knowledge or awareness of duties, but most beings lack spiritual wisdom. Avidyā therefore signifies non spiritual knowledge, including knowledge of the world and even scriptural injunctions related to dharm, when one believes that supreme good, immortality, and lasting happiness arise solely from such knowledge and the actions based upon it.

Major traditional commentaries interpret the term avidyā in these mantras as karm, and this understanding is adopted here, since all actions arise from worldly knowledge and the injunctions of dharm. Other scriptural texts also employ avidyā as a synonym for karm. The Upaniṣad does not reject the performance of allotted duties or the value of worldly wisdom. On the contrary, it affirms their necessity, while declaring unequivocally that spiritual wisdom alone finally frees one from despair, ignorance, and suffering.

'''Vidyā and Avidyā in the Atharvaveda and the Upaniṣads'''

The complementary pair of Vidyā and Avidyā occurs significantly in the following mantra of the Atharvaveda.

'''''विद्या वा अविद्या च यच्चान्यदुपदेष्यम् ।'''''
'''''शरीरं ब्राह्मणोऽविशत् सामाथर्वो यजुः ॥'''''

'''Translation'''

''Vidyā, Avidyā, and whatever else is fit to be taught, the Brahma, Ṛk, Sāma, and Yajus mantras entered the body.''

'''''Atharvaveda (Śaunaka Śākhā) 11.8.23'''''

In this Atharvavedic mantra, the term Avidyā cannot reasonably mean ignorance, since that sense does not fit the context. It may denote a category of knowledge distinct from Vidyā, or it may signify karm, because the Vedas teach spiritual wisdom, karm, and also other forms of knowledge derived from worldly experience.

The interpretation of Avidyā as the belief that ritual action alone leads to mokṣa is supported by the following verses of the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad.

'''''अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितंमन्यमानाः ।'''''
'''''जङ्घन्यमानाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः ॥ ८ ॥'''''

'''Translation'''
''Abiding in Avidyā, yet thinking themselves to be wise and learned, they wander repeatedly, deluded, like the blind led by the blind.''

'''''Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.8'''''

'''''अविद्यायां बहुधा वर्तमानाः वयं कृतार्था इत्यभिमन्यन्ति बालाः ।'''''
'''''यत्कर्मिणो न प्रवेदयन्ति रागात् तेनातुराः क्षीणलोकाश्च्यवन्ते ॥ ९ ॥'''''

'''Translation'''
''Dwelling in manifold Avidyā, these immature ones imagine, “We have attained our goal.” Because ritualists do not know the truth due to attachment, they fall back when the worlds gained through actions are exhausted and again become miserable.''

'''''Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.9'''''

The Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad presents a more comprehensive perspective, one that does not reject karm but regards it as essential. The shared teaching of the two Upaniṣads is that exclusive reliance on Avidyā, understood as ritual action and other prescribed activities, while neglecting Vidyā, spiritual wisdom, and believing that action alone leads to the supreme good, is erroneous.

'''Vidyā - Avidyā in Other Upaniṣads'''

The third mantra of this triad, corresponding to '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 11''''', also occurs in the Maitrāyaṇīya Upaniṣad 7.8 in a context that criticises non Vedic doctrines which deny the existence of the ātmā and admit nothing beyond the physical body. The narrative found there, as retold by later teachers, is as follows.

During the Devāsura saṅgrāma, the great battle between the Devas and the Asuras, a stage was reached at which many Asuras were slain, tipping the balance of victory in favour of the Devas. At this point, Śukrācārya, the preceptor of the Asuras, resolved to intervene. He withdrew into the forest to perform austerities in order to acquire Sañjīvanī Vidyā, by which he could revive the fallen Asuras.

When Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the Devas, learned of this plan, he reflected that the revival of the Asuras would lead to grave calamity for the Devas. He therefore acted pre emptively. Assuming the form of Śukrācārya through deception, Bṛhaspati appeared among the remaining Asuras. Believing that their teacher had returned, they welcomed him with reverence.

Bṛhaspati, in the guise of Śukrācārya, then proclaimed that he had discovered the highest good. He taught that for a happy life one should eat, drink, and enjoy, that there is no such reality as the ātmā, and that the Vedas and all scriptures are false. Having thus deluded them, he caused the bodies of the slain Asuras to be cremated and departed, thereby preventing their revival and saving the Devas from defeat.

When the real Śukrācārya returned and discovered what had occurred, he attempted to remove these teachings from the minds of the Asuras, but by then they had become firmly rooted in their consciousness.

The pair Vidyā and Avidyā also appears in another Upaniṣad.

'''''अक्षरे ब्रह्मपरे विद्याविद्ये निहिते यत्र गूढे ।
क्षरं ह्यविद्या मृतं तु विद्या विद्याविद्ये ईशते यस्तु सोऽन्यः ॥'''''

'''Translation'''
''Two, Vidyā and Avidyā, are hidden in the imperishable, transcendent Brahman. Avidyā is perishable, whereas Vidyā is immortal. He who rules over Vidyā and Avidyā is distinct from them.''

'''''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.1'''''

In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, several mantras present a triadic framework consisting of the inanimate universe, the living jīvātmā, and the Lord who governs both. By analogy, the imperishable Vidyā must correspond to the jīvātmā, which is eternal, while the perishable Avidyā relates to the inanimate, ever changing physical universe. In this context, Avidyā cannot signify ignorance, as is often assumed. Rather, it denotes knowledge of the perishable world, or the perishable world itself, together with karm undertaken to appropriate its fruits, including those of higher physical realms such as heaven. To suggest that the Lord rules over ignorance would be philosophically incoherent.

Vidyā, on the other hand, may signify the jīvātmā itself, for it is sentient and functions as knower and experiencer, as well as knowledge pertaining to it. Both Vidyā and Avidyā are said to be concealed within the Lord to indicate that He governs and sustains them. The context indicates a pre creative state, in which, during pralaya, both the jīvātmās and the universe exist in an extremely subtle condition without manifest expression. Hence they are described as hidden. Subsequent mantras then unfold the process of creation and the continued lordship of the Divine over the manifested cosmos and individual beings.

For this reason, the expression Akṣare Brahmapare may also be understood as referring to the Imperishable who transcends creation, since this Upaniṣad uses the term Brahman at times to denote the created order as well. Accordingly, '''''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.1''''' employs the pair Vidyā and Avidyā in a sense closely aligned with that of '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 9–11''''', affirming the necessity of recognising both while understanding their proper scope and hierarchy.

'''Illustrations'''

'''Story Brahmā’s Teaching to Indra'''

The following illustration from the Chhāndogya Upaniṣad elucidates the distinction between Vidyā and Avidyā and demonstrates how incomplete understanding of the ātmā leads to error, while sustained inquiry guided by spiritual wisdom leads to liberation.

''*“The ātmā which is free from evil, free from old age, free from death, free from grief, free from hunger, free from thirst, which desires the Truth and has resolved to obtain the Truth, that ātmā should be sought. Him one should desire to understand. He who has discovered and has understood that ātmā obtains all the worlds and all desires.”*''

'''''Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.7.1'''''

When both the Asuras and the Devas heard this proclamation from Prajāpati Brahmā, they desired to understand the nature of this ātmā. Accordingly, they deputed their respective kings, Virocana for the Asuras and Indra for the Devas, to approach Brahmā and learn the truth. The two arrived together at Brahmā’s abode and lived with him for several years as students. At the end of this period, they requested instruction concerning the ātmā.

Brahmā asked them to adorn themselves with their finest garments and ornaments and then look at their reflections in a vessel filled with water. When they had done so, Brahmā said to them that the reflections they saw, namely their bodies decorated with garments and ornaments, constituted the ātmā, and that this was his teaching.

Both Indra and Virocana were initially delighted and departed to convey this teaching to their respective followers. When Virocana returned to the Asuras, he proclaimed that the ātmā was nothing other than the physical body. On this basis, he taught that adorning the body with ornaments, gratifying it with food and drink, and providing it with pleasure was the highest goal. The Asuras accepted this doctrine without reflection. They became intensely absorbed in physical enjoyment, neglected charity and sacred rites, and abandoned faith in any higher principle. Identifying the body with the ātmā, they even buried ornaments, garments, and perfumes with their dead, believing that these would continue to be enjoyed after death.

Indra, however, paused on his return journey and reflected deeply. He reasoned that if the body itself were the ātmā, then the ātmā would necessarily become blind, lame, diseased, and perish when the body did so. Such a doctrine, he concluded, could not provide lasting security or hope. With this doubt, Indra returned to Brahmā and resumed his discipleship.

Brahmā then taught him that the being who experiences dreams during sleep is the ātmā. Indra was initially satisfied and again set out to return. Yet reflection once more arose in his mind. In dreams, he observed, one may experience flying or falling, wealth or poverty, injury or pleasure, but upon waking, none of these dream experiences affect waking life. He therefore concluded that the dreamer too could not be the true ātmā. He returned yet again to Brahmā and sought further instruction.

This time, Brahmā taught that the ātmā is that which exists in deep sleep, a state in which there is no dream, no sorrow, and no disturbance. Indra reflected again and found this explanation unsatisfactory, for in deep sleep there appears to be no awareness at all, as though one ceases to exist. Such a teaching seemed to imply annihilation rather than fulfillment. He therefore returned to Brahmā once more and expressed his concern that this doctrine offered no meaningful goal, for no one seeks non existence.

Brahmā smiled and praised Indra’s persistence and discernment, observing that Virocana and the Asuras had failed precisely because they were satisfied with a superficial and materialistic understanding. He then revealed the final teaching. The body, he explained, is merely an abode of the ātmā and all its organs are perishable. The ātmā itself has no form and is associated with the body in the manner of a rider with a chariot. Freed from bodily association, the ātmā possesses the capacity to see, hear, and know by its own nature. That which animates the body, never perishes, and experiences all contacts between the senses and their objects is the ātmā. Indra himself, Brahmā declared, was that ātmā and not the body.

With this realization, Indra attained clarity and peace. He now understood that existence extends beyond the limitations of bodily life. He became fearless, knowing that even when the body ages, suffers, and dies, the ātmā endures. Thus, through sustained inquiry and the refusal to settle for incomplete explanations, Indra attained true spiritual wisdom, exemplifying the path of Vidyā distinguished from Avidyā.

'''Story: Imperfect and Perfect Sevā of Sambandhar and Appar'''

Appar and Sambandhar once went on a pilgrimage together with their respective retinues and reached a village called Tiruvīlimalai. At that time, the village was afflicted by a severe famine. Unable to bear the suffering of the people, the two saints resolved to remain there and distribute food. They stayed in two different maṭhas along with their attendants and undertook the task of feeding the villagers.

As they possessed no money, they went to the local temple and prayed earnestly to Īśvara. Pleased with their devotion, Īśvara granted them a sovereign gold coin every day, which appeared at the doorstep of their respective maṭhas. The sovereign given to Appar was accepted readily by merchants as pure gold, and the required provisions were easily procured. As a result, food could be distributed to the people well before midday.

The sovereign received by Sambandhar, however, was of inferior purity. Merchants agreed to accept it only at a discount, and therefore the attendants had to return to the maṭha to seek Sambandhar’s consent before making purchases. This caused a daily delay, and food could be distributed only around the afternoon, close to two o’clock. In due course, Sambandhar noticed this difference and inquired into the cause. On learning that the delay was due to the inferior quality of the gold coins he was receiving, he went to the temple and sang ten verses beginning with ''वाचितीरवे काचनाल्गुवीर्'', questioning the Lord as to why he was being given impure gold.

Īśvara, the embodiment of compassion, then replied that Appar was worshipping Him with mind, speech, and deed, whereas Sambandhar was worshipping Him only with mind and speech. Appar, in addition to prayer and song, spent his days cleaning the temple premises and pathways, making them neat and orderly. It was to highlight this distinction, the Lord explained, that the difference in the coins had been arranged.

Indeed, Appar is traditionally depicted carrying a hoe, a long handled gardening tool. Throughout his life, he visited numerous temples and public places and was distressed to see their surroundings neglected and overgrown with weeds. Wherever he went, he cleaned the pathways with devotion, considering such physical service an essential expression of his love for the Divine.

The example of these saints teaches that places of worship and public spaces should be kept clean and that one should not hesitate to perform sevā through direct action when required. The story also illustrates the complementarity of karm and vidyā, showing that spiritual wisdom remains incomplete without corresponding action. Even one who has attained illumination must continue to perform righteous deeds consistently.

'''''यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् ।'''''
'''''यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥'''''

''Acts of yajñas, charity, and austerity must not be abandoned; they are indeed to be performed. Yajñas, charity, and austerity are purifying for the wise.'' '''''Bhagavad Gītā 18.5'''''

'''Story: Spiritual Knowledge Does Not Save the Life of the Paṇḍit'''

Once, several men were crossing the river Gaṅgā in a boat. Among them was a learned paṇḍit who took pride in displaying his erudition. He spoke at length about having studied many texts, including the Vedas, the Vedānta, and the six systems of philosophy. Turning to one of his fellow passengers, he asked whether he knew the Vedānta. The man replied respectfully that he did not. The paṇḍit then asked whether he knew the Sāṅkhya or the system of Patañjali, and again received the same answer. With a sense of superiority, the paṇḍit remarked that the man seemed to have read no philosophy at all.

The paṇḍit continued in this vain manner while the other passenger remained silent. Suddenly, a fierce storm arose, and the boat began to rock violently, threatening to sink. At this moment of danger, the previously silent passenger turned to the paṇḍit and asked him calmly whether he knew how to swim. The paṇḍit replied that he did not.

The passenger then said that although he did not know Sāṅkhya or the system of Patañjali, he did know how to swim. The implication was clear. Mere intellectual learning, when not accompanied by practical capacity and lived understanding, may fail to save one in moments of real crisis. The story illustrates that spiritual knowledge, if confined only to verbal learning and not integrated with life and action, is insufficient.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Nature of the Divine

2026-01-07T14:47:07Z

Sachi Anjunkar:

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Context'''

When the Jīvanmukta ātmā finally sheds its mortal body, it transcends all limitations of space, time, knowledge, happiness, and moral conditioning. It attains a divine state identical with Brahman, except for the absence of control over cosmic functions such as creation and dissolution. The following mantra describes the nature of Brahman in which the liberated ātmā abides after the attainment of mokṣa.

'''Mantra 8'''

'''स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रणमस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम् ।'''''
'''''कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भूर्याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान् व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥ ८ ॥'''''

'''Translation'''

''He is all-pervading, luminous, bodiless, without wound or opening, without veins or sinews, pure, untouched by evil. He, the sage, all-wise, transcendent and self-existent, has duly ordained all objects according to their natures through infinite time.'' '''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 8'''''

'''Purport'''

The opening portion of the mantra may also be rendered as, “He, the spiritually enlightened one, reaches the luminous and mighty Being,” where the subject refers to the Jīvanmukta described in the preceding two mantras. In this reading, the verse simultaneously describes the nature of Brahman and the state attained by the liberated ātmā upon release from embodiment.

The attributes of Brahman enumerated here recur throughout Hindu scriptural literature. Unlike the human body, which requires muscles for movement and networks of veins and nerves for nourishment and sensation, Brahman is all-pervading and requires no physical organs to sustain or govern the universe. Without limbs or bodily structure, Brahman nevertheless directs all cosmic processes. Being omniscient, Brahman is the source and revealer of the Vedas and of all knowledge. From eternity, Brahman has assigned to all beings and objects their inherent characteristics, such as heat to fire and fragrance to flowers. Brahman is self-existent, being uncreated and dependent on nothing else for existence. He is called Kavi, the sage, because all wisdom and insight arise from Him.

Certain Advaita commentators observe that the first half of the mantra employs neuter grammatical forms, indicating a transcendent Brahman beyond all attributes and distinctions, corresponding to Nirguṇa Brahman. The second half employs masculine forms, referring to aspects of Brahman that are connected with the universe and its order, corresponding to Saguṇa Brahman. Thus, the mantra encompasses both the transcendental and immanent dimensions of the Divine.

'''Illustrations'''

'''Who Is the Greatest Emperor'''

One evening, King Akbar invited his courtiers and Birbal to a banquet. In a moment of pride, the King proclaimed that he considered himself the greatest ruler in the world, greater even than Bhagavān. He asked those present whether they agreed with him. The courtiers, fearing the King’s displeasure, remained silent.

Birbal alone rose and declared that Akbar was indeed greater than Bhagavān. Pleased, the King asked him to explain. Birbal replied that if someone offended Akbar, the King could banish that person from his kingdom, whereas Bhagavān could not banish anyone from His kingdom. Akbar then understood the deeper implication. Bhagavān is the emperor of the entire universe, and there is no place outside His dominion. Wherever one goes, one remains within the kingdom of Bhagavān. Realising this, Akbar felt ashamed of his pride and recognised the all-pervading sovereignty of the Divine.

'''Story: The Third Eye of Śiva'''
Once, Bhagavān Śiva was absorbed in deep meditation. His eyes, though slightly open, were turned inward rather than towards the external world. In a playful moment, Devī Pārvatī covered Śiva’s two eyes with her hands. Instantly, darkness spread throughout the entire universe, and all beings were plunged into fear, unable to see.

Moved by the devotion and terror of the beings, a third eye appeared on Śiva’s forehead. When it opened, a brilliant flash of light emerged and illumined the whole universe, restoring sight to all. Through this event, Pārvatī realised that the vision of Śiva could never be obstructed and that the very capacity of the universe to see depended upon His sight alone.

These illustrations convey the truth that Brahman is all-pervading, self-existent, and the ultimate ground of all power, perception, and order, within whom the liberated ātmā abides after attaining mokṣa.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]

Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Nature of the Divine

2026-01-07T14:46:26Z

Sachi Anjunkar: Created page with "By Vishal Agarwal '''Context''' When the Jīvanmukta ātmā finally sheds its mortal body, it transcends all limitations of space, time, knowledge, happiness, and moral conditioning. It attains a divine state identical with Brahman, except for the absence of control over cosmic functions such as creation and dissolution. The following mantra describes the nature of Brahman in which the liberated ātmā abides after the attainment of mokṣa. '''Mantra 8..."

By Vishal Agarwal 

'''Context'''
When the Jīvanmukta ātmā finally sheds its mortal body, it transcends all limitations of space, time, knowledge, happiness, and moral conditioning. It attains a divine state identical with Brahman, except for the absence of control over cosmic functions such as creation and dissolution. The following mantra describes the nature of Brahman in which the liberated ātmā abides after the attainment of mokṣa.

'''Mantra 8'''
'''स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रणमस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम् ।'''''
'''''कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भूर्याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान् व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥ ८ ॥'''''

'''Translation'''
''He is all-pervading, luminous, bodiless, without wound or opening, without veins or sinews, pure, untouched by evil. He, the sage, all-wise, transcendent and self-existent, has duly ordained all objects according to their natures through infinite time.''

'''''Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 8'''''

'''Purport'''
The opening portion of the mantra may also be rendered as, “He, the spiritually enlightened one, reaches the luminous and mighty Being,” where the subject refers to the Jīvanmukta described in the preceding two mantras. In this reading, the verse simultaneously describes the nature of Brahman and the state attained by the liberated ātmā upon release from embodiment.

The attributes of Brahman enumerated here recur throughout Hindu scriptural literature. Unlike the human body, which requires muscles for movement and networks of veins and nerves for nourishment and sensation, Brahman is all-pervading and requires no physical organs to sustain or govern the universe. Without limbs or bodily structure, Brahman nevertheless directs all cosmic processes. Being omniscient, Brahman is the source and revealer of the Vedas and of all knowledge. From eternity, Brahman has assigned to all beings and objects their inherent characteristics, such as heat to fire and fragrance to flowers. Brahman is self-existent, being uncreated and dependent on nothing else for existence. He is called Kavi, the sage, because all wisdom and insight arise from Him.

Certain Advaita commentators observe that the first half of the mantra employs neuter grammatical forms, indicating a transcendent Brahman beyond all attributes and distinctions, corresponding to Nirguṇa Brahman. The second half employs masculine forms, referring to aspects of Brahman that are connected with the universe and its order, corresponding to Saguṇa Brahman. Thus, the mantra encompasses both the transcendental and immanent dimensions of the Divine.

'''Illustrations'''
'''Who Is the Greatest Emperor'''

One evening, King Akbar invited his courtiers and Birbal to a banquet. In a moment of pride, the King proclaimed that he considered himself the greatest ruler in the world, greater even than Bhagavān. He asked those present whether they agreed with him. The courtiers, fearing the King’s displeasure, remained silent.

Birbal alone rose and declared that Akbar was indeed greater than Bhagavān. Pleased, the King asked him to explain. Birbal replied that if someone offended Akbar, the King could banish that person from his kingdom, whereas Bhagavān could not banish anyone from His kingdom. Akbar then understood the deeper implication. Bhagavān is the emperor of the entire universe, and there is no place outside His dominion. Wherever one goes, one remains within the kingdom of Bhagavān. Realising this, Akbar felt ashamed of his pride and recognised the all-pervading sovereignty of the Divine.

==Story: The Third Eye of Śiva==
Once, Bhagavān Śiva was absorbed in deep meditation. His eyes, though slightly open, were turned inward rather than towards the external world. In a playful moment, Devī Pārvatī covered Śiva’s two eyes with her hands. Instantly, darkness spread throughout the entire universe, and all beings were plunged into fear, unable to see.

Moved by the devotion and terror of the beings, a third eye appeared on Śiva’s forehead. When it opened, a brilliant flash of light emerged and illumined the whole universe, restoring sight to all. Through this event, Pārvatī realised that the vision of Śiva could never be obstructed and that the very capacity of the universe to see depended upon His sight alone.

These illustrations convey the truth that Brahman is all-pervading, self-existent, and the ultimate ground of all power, perception, and order, within whom the liberated ātmā abides after attaining mokṣa.

==References==
[[Category: Īshāvāsya Upaniṣhad]]