Yog of Knowledge and Action
Chapter 4, Verse 9
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar-janma
naiti māmeti so’rjuna
Whosoever thus knows in truth My divine birth and deeds O Arjuna, is not reborn again, and after leaving the body comes to Me.
Here, Krishna told Arjuna that full Realisation will not be attained through one’s own effort. One can try one’s best, one can do one’s sadhana and train oneself to see God in whatever one does, in everything. But only when one is fully absorbed in serving God, will one attain liberation, will one reach Him, will one attain His Grace by His Will. Whoever realises this, is not separate from Him at any moment; after leaving this body, one goes directly to Him. This means that even in this lifetime itself, one can attain the state of a Jivan Mukta, a realised being who walks in this world and is non-attached to the action. Whatever one does, is out of Love for God. Because of one’s great reverence and exclusive love for Him, one will attain Him.
When one aims only for the Lord – not for His creation, not for liberation, not for Moksha – one is free. One will attain Him fully. But if you long for liberation, He will only give you liberation. Liberation doesn’t mean you attain Him. He will put you in one of the heavens, in one of the lokas, such as Brahma Loka. When the brahmins who concentrate on the formless God die, they go to the Brahma Loka, where they are bound by the life cycle of Brahma. When the lifetime of one Brahma is finished and another Brahma is born, they are also born with Him. They are bound by this cycle of time.
The Lord says, “If you come to Me, if you attain Me, you will be eternally present with Me.” There will be no chance of you coming back again into this world. Those who do their work with an attitude of surrender, knowing that only God is the doer, will attain Him. Whoever surrenders, sees that whatever Lord Krishna does, is for the good of this world. Every activity of His, is for the upliftment of humanity. He has also given the Gita for this. Whoever surrenders to the Word of the Gita and practices its teaching wholeheartedly, with love in their hearts, is free, and attains Him.
“... after leaving the body comes to Me.” In that state, you will never take birth again. That’s why I was saying, “Great is the Vaishnava who is completely surrendered to the Lord.” The quality of a Vaishnava is to surrender to the Lord and attain Him. But the action of a Vaishnava is also very important. It’s not just about saying, “I love God! I love God! I love God!” You also have to serve Him. You have to have this deep knowledge through meditation that He is the core of the Self in each person: you have to train the mind to see Him in everybody and in everything. Therefore, one is not waiting to die to attain Him, to realise Him. No. Now, in this moment, do everything to see Him, do everything to feel His Love. Whether you attain Him now or not, don’t be concerned about it. Let Him give you whatever is needed. Learn to accept it. It’s not only after you leave the body that you will attain God. No. First you attain Him now in every moment of your life. Then, after death, there is no rebirth: you are out of the wheel of birth and death, you are not anymore in this drama, in this game. You are in the Lord, in His cosmic Body. There’s no way that you will incarnate here again, because you are completely free from karma.
The song Vaishnava jana to, written by Narsinh Mehta, describes the qualities of a Vaishnava, and is very much related to this chapter. The translation in English says, “One who is a true devotee of God, who is a Vaishnava, feels the pain of others. They help those who are in misery, but never let ego or pride enter their minds. A Vaishnava respects the whole world. They do not censure anyone. They keep their words, actions, and thoughts pure. The mother of such a soul is blessed. A Vaishnava sees all equally renounces greed and avarice, views others as members of one family.
Their tongue might get tired, but they will never speak falsehood. Their hands will never touch the property of another. A Vaishnava does not succumb to worldly attachments; they are detached from worldly pleasures. They are enticed by the name of Sri Rama. The holy sites of pilgrimage are embodied within them. A Vaishnava has no deceit and has renounced all types of lust and anger. The author of this poem, Narsinh Mehta, would be grateful to meet such a soul, whose virtue liberates their entire lineage.”
Bhagavad Gita
