Summary:

Lesson 182 gives examples of Sattvic, Rajasic, Tamasic ACTIONS.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 23, 24, 25

Revision:

• VERSE 21: Rajasic Knowledge: Creates partial vision of world. They're not ignorant of other views; just don't wish to be involved in them. Some sects of religion induce narrow-minded vision of world.
• VERSE 22: Tamasic Knowledge: The WHOLE is seen through one single part. Ignorant of all views, but one. Unreasonable/illogical, can't be argued with, because they'll even put your arguments in their “one single part”.

V23-25:  3-FOLD ACTION (KARMA): Undertakings can be categorized by our intention/motive/quality-of-though behind them.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 23:

niyatam saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam ।
aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate ॥ 18-23॥
Sattvic action is said to be that which is obligatory, which is devoid of attachment, and which is performed without likes and dislikes by one who is not desirous of result.

• Characteristics of Sattvic undertakings:
  • To think about the consequences of actions. Well thought over and planned.
    • EG:
      • Compromising ethics will reinforce knower/doer split.
      • Teaching one thing, while not showing it, will create distrust in self/others.
      • Will this ___, reinforce unity or agitation in minds around me?
  • To consider the time, effort, and money required for the undertaking. Is it doable? Is it sustainable?
    • EG: Some impulsively take on new courses without considering if their work schedule even allows the time.
  • Prioritizing goals.
    • EG: Right now, my work-project has priority. Self-knowledge will be assigned priority.
• VERSE:
  • niyatam: Sattvic undertakings are OBLIGATORY actions (Niyata-karma): Actions for sake of spiritual growth and personal role.
  • saṅga-rahitam: Actions are devoid of attachment.
    • Reminding that even spiritual-growth-actions are merely a MEANS to an END.
    • Alternative view from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 4.3.15: asaṅgaḥ hi ayam puruṣaḥ: This conscious being is without any attachment.
  • arāga-dveṣataḥ: Actions whose likes/dislikes are in name of the well-being of the whole, and not in name of my personal fancies. Reminder: It’s impossible to get rid of likes/dislikes as it’s īśvara-sṛṣṭi.
    • In reference to spiritual-growth, practice is done as prescribed without modifying it.  EG: Drunk-Yoga is modifying original Yoga to suit people’s bias for alcohol.
  • aphala-prepsunā: Done without a binding desire for results.
    • Future expectations are jīva-sṛṣṭi. What actually happens is īśvara-sṛṣṭi.
    • Understanding the Order doesn’t care about my happiness. It’s an impersonal Order that works to uphold the entire universe. All you can do is change your attitude about the results (iswara-prasada).

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 24:

yat tu kāma-īpsunā karma sāhaṃkāreṇa vā punaḥ ।
kriyate bahula āyāsam tat rājasam udāhṛtam ॥ 18-24॥
Rajasic action is said to be that which is full of pain, and which is undertaken by one who seeks result and who is arrogant.

• Characteristics of Rajasic undertakings:
  • Since rajasic actions are product of rajasic thinking (partial, biased) – the undertakings please one group at expense of other’s well-being.
  • What’s more, bahula āyāsam; While performing, they produce pain due to tension/urgency for favorable future results. Eventually leads to fatigue and psychosomatic illness. EG: Steve Jobs.
  • In addition, kāmepsunā sāhaṅkāreṇa (kāma īpsunā sa ahaṅkāreṇa); Undertakings are motivated by desire-for-certain-result or driven by one’s self-centeredness (sake of fame/name/honour).
    • They show as subtle arrogance (superiority) due to sense of ownership (EG: don’t park your car infront of my house!… even though it’s public road). IE: Entitlement.
• Relationship to Career/Projects:
  • Because mind overtime active, activities are left unfinished for weeks. Work (code, writing) is disorganized (because intention is not on completion of activity, but the final-results; thus less attention to detail).
  • One believes in multi-tasking. Quantity is more important then quality (which is sattvic principle).

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 25:

anubandham kṣayam hiṃsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam ।
mohāt ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate ॥ 18-25॥
Tamasic action is said to be that which is undertaken due to delusion without considering the consequences, loss, harm and capacity.

• Characteristics of Tamasic undertakings:
  • Any thoughtless action, without deliberate planning, and without concern who or what it hurts. Driven by strong unresolved emotional complexions (suppressed in childhood usually, EG: rebelliousness).
  • EG:
    • Nigerian Illegal oil refineries. Dumping into Niger Delta river. Companies dumping waste into Ganga/Yamuna, for sake of saving money.
    • Abandoning a course because of a single disagreed part.
    • Speaking without first formulating the beginning-middle-end in the mind. Thoughtless, uninformative speak.
    • Children jumping out of windows, thinking they can fly like Superman.
    • Street racing hoons.
    • Teen gangs targeting random victims.
    • Uploading violent video on TikTok, without considering that it’s normalizing violence.
    • Before war begun in Laṅkā, Sugrīva (king of monkeys) saw Rāvaṇa standing on balcony. Impulsively he attacked without assessing Rāvaṇa’s barely escaped alive. Rāma chided him for thoughtlessness. – Rāmacaritamānasa, Laṅkākāṇḍa.
• Verse:
  • mohāt anavekṣya anubandham kṣayam hiṃsām pauruṣam ca; Action done out of delusion (no education/religion), without considering consequences, nor own/others loss, nor considering who it harms, nor assessment whether one actually has capacity to do a proper job.
    • How to deal with them, so your mind isn't affected excessively? Forgiveness/accommodation/kṣāntiḥ (value #3 per BG, CH13).
      • Opposite of forgiveness? Condemnation: excluding it/them from reality by some narrative or justification.
      • Why forgive? Because noone ever hurt you (space-like field of Awareness; as discussed in 2 previous sessions).
      • What is process of forgiveness/accommodation?
        • Not writing person off based on a single error. EG: Pandavas/Krishna didn't write off Duryodhana.
        • Seeing past form/appearance, recognizing what's behind.
        • All are born ignorant, and innocently make mistakes.
        • Active process of mind, seeing things specifically/factually, rather then generalization (which is product of likes/dislikes).

Keywords: 

Resources:  L182 Mind-Map

—
Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching given to Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya), Paramarthananda & Chinmaya Mission.

Recorded 6 Sept, 2022