- 5th chapter: verses 10, 11, 12, 13
-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 14, 2020.
-10th verse: “Those who do their actions without attachment, offering their actions and results to God – they are not affected by anything. They are like a lotus leaf that lives in water, but never gets wet”.
-The ability to detach oneself from the results of actions is one of the most important characteristics of Yoga. When established in Yoga, one does his actions with great efficiency, but mentally remains detached, thereby remaining stress free.
-When we perform actions with obsessive attachment to results, we are enslaved – worried about the results. The path to freedom is to work with full enthusiasm but without obsessive attachment to results of our actions.
-Yuktah is a person who is established in the Yoga ideal. Whatever he does, becomes an offering to the sacrificial fire of Brahman. All his activities get a spiritual direction – even seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening/closing the eyelids.
-11th verse: “A spiritual seeker evolving towards the highest state performs actions with his body, mind, intellect and sense – but remains unaffected, as he practices the spiritual tool of non-attachment in every micro-moment, in every thought, word and deed.”
-The psychological meaning of non-attachment can be understood by contrasting a Yogi with an adventurer. Both work with great tenacity. However, if results fall short of 100%, the Yogi continues to smile, while the adventurer may feel shattered. Non-attachment does not mean indifference to action.
-We feel fatigued when we associate ourselves with the body and mind. Our true nature is Atman. The more we associate with Atman, the farther away we go from the body and mind identity. Then we can watch our body and mind doing the work, without feeling fatigued.
-Nitya-mukta is a person who is ever-free, never bound by any entanglements, and always established in his true nature as Atman. For him there is no origination or termination of bondage, he is never bound, and he does not need to struggle for liberation.
-12th verse: “Those who are established in Yoga (Yuktah), mentally give up obsessive attachment to results of their actions, and attain the highest peace. Those who do not practice Yoga, are swayed by their desires, remain attached to the results of their actions, and get bound.
-Peace described here refers to natural, effortless, perpetual peace. It is not the temporary presence or absence of happiness and unhappiness.
-Rajarshi is one who combines kingly and saintly qualities. He works with full enthusiasm and efficiency like a king, but he remains totally free from attachment.
-13th verse: “The person who has control over his senses, resides in the body of nine gates, established in his true identity as Atman. He looks upon himself distinct from the body, and not involved in any action”.
-Vashi is a person who has succeeded in controlling his senses. He can direct his mind in one direction, rather than letting it be dragged in five directions by the five senses. Whatever he does, he can do with 100% attention.
-The body is compared to a city with nine gates where the Atman resides. The nine gates are: Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, and two in the lower part of the body.
-From Mundaka Upanishad: “The Lord creates this world like a spider. It emits a substance from its body, builds a net, stays there and then withdraws the net into itself. Similarly, the Lord creates this world using Himself as the material and efficient cause. Then He withdraws it within Himself.”
-Jivatma resides within the body, but remains distinct from it, and independent. When the body decays, jivatma accepts another body.
-One cannot practice non-attachment so long as he looks upon himself as the body. The first step to spiritual evolution is to have a belief that there is a transcendental, divine spark that presides over the body and that is distinct from it.