Sacrifice Your Ego – In Gita Verse 3.9 Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.
Bhagavad Gita Verse 3.9 emphasises the importance of performing actions as a sacrifice to the Supreme God, Viṣṇu, to avoid bondage in the material world. Krishna advises Arjuna to perform his prescribed duties without attachment, dedicating them to God, thus remaining free from the bonds of karma.
Krishna elucidates that abandoning actions out of fear of bondage is not the right approach. When one engages in actions other than those dedicated to Yagya-Karma (sacrificial actions), they become bound by those actions. Therefore, Krishna urges Arjuna to be unattached and perform actions for the Supreme God.
Escaping from one’s duties to avoid the bondage of karma is counterproductive. This avoidance, driven by fear, only leads to greater bondage. The desire to escape is not a sign of independence but of dependence. As long as one lives, they must engage in actions; thus, the solution is not to run away but to transform actions into sacrifices dedicated to God.
In discussing the concept of bondage, Krishna highlights that the act of running away does not free a person from bondage. Instead, it entangles them in new forms of bondage. The weak run away, becoming weaker with each attempt to escape. Fear-driven actions only lead to more bondage, regardless of where one goes or what one does.
The man resides within a household, feeling bound by his home, yet the home itself does not bind him. Rather, the sense of bondage arises from his attachment and sense of ownership. Even if he leaves his home, the sense of ‘mine’ will follow him, binding him to whatever new place he inhabits. The same principle applies to relationships and desires. Leaving a wife, for instance, does not eliminate sexual desire; it merely shifts the object of that desire.
Krishna’s message is clear: running away is futile. One cannot escape from oneself, and all the roots of bondage lie within. To free oneself from the bondage of karma, one must transform their actions into sacrifices. When actions are dedicated to God, they become Yajna, free from personal attachment and, consequently, from bondage.
Bondage arises from the sense of ‘mine’ – whether it pertains to house, wealth, family, religion, or karma. The only action that does not lead to bondage is one performed as a sacrifice to God, where the doer is merely an instrument, and God is the true performer.
Krishna advises Arjuna to embrace this mindset, transforming his actions into sacrifices. By doing so, Arjuna will no longer be bound by his actions, as the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ will be dissolved. This transformation requires a shift in perspective, recognising that all actions are ultimately God’s.
The story of Nanak exemplifies a profound transformation. Employed as a servant in a small estate, Nanak’s daily duty was to distribute rations to soldiers, meticulously measuring wheat, lentils, and gram. One fateful day, as he counted the rations, he reached the number thirteen and was struck by the word ‘tera,’ meaning ‘yours’ in Punjabi, signifying God’s ownership. This epiphany marked his spiritual awakening. From that moment, Nanak dedicated all his actions to God, transcending worldly calculations and embracing divine service. His experience aligns with Krishna’s teaching that recognising actions as God’s, and not one’s own, leads to true liberation.
Krishna’s words to Arjuna emphasise the importance of acting from one’s subjectivity, with courage and responsibility. When actions are performed with the understanding that they are for God, they become sacrifices, freeing the doer from bondage. This approach requires living in the present moment, without judgement or demands, and recognising that resistance to act is rooted in ego.
These teachings challenge individuals to prioritise life itself over societal norms, wealth, or recognition. True religiousness, according to Krishna, involves sacrificing everything for life, not sacrificing life for anything else. This perspective liberates individuals from the constraints of societal expectations and allows them to live authentically and freely.
Krishna’s message to Arjuna emphasises the transformation of actions into sacrifices dedicated to God. By adopting this approach, one can liberate oneself from the bondage of karma, thereby embracing life with courage and responsibility. This requires a fundamental shift in perspective, acknowledging that all actions are ultimately God’s and living in the present moment without attachment or fear. In essence, it calls for the sacrifice of one’s ego in all endeavours.
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