Godliness – In Gita Verse 4.23 The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.
In Bhagavad Gita Verse 4.23, Krishna speaks of a person whose actions are free from attachment and who is rooted in transcendental knowledge, resulting in their work merging into transcendence. This profound insight offers a path to liberation from karmic bonds, highlighting the importance of acting without attachment and identification.
Consider a house on fire, with the owner initially distraught, tears flowing as he watches his possessions consumed by flames. Suddenly, a neighbour informs him that his son sold the house the previous day. Instantly, the man’s sorrow vanishes, replaced by relief and even a smile. The fire continues to rage, but inside him, the turmoil has ceased. Moments later, his son arrives with news that the sale fell through, and the house is still theirs. The man’s distress returns as quickly as it left. This tale illustrates how attachment and the sense of ownership fuel our inner fires of suffering.
Attachment-free living means recognising that nothing truly belongs to us. Our sense of ‘mine’ is the root of attachment, extending to our possessions, relationships, beliefs, and even our identity. When we identify with something, it becomes an extension of our ego, and we cling to it. But what if we could see beyond this illusion of ownership? What if we could live without the constant need to assert ‘mine’?
Imagine a lamp casting light on a wall. The light represents our attachments, while the flame is our ego. As long as the flame burns, the light will fall somewhere, creating attachments. Moving the lamp doesn’t change its nature; it will illuminate whatever is nearby, claiming it as ‘mine’. This is the essence of ego-driven attachment. Only when the flame is extinguished does the light cease to claim ownership.
Krishna teaches that freedom from attachment requires the dissolution of the ego. When the ego is absent, there is no ‘I’ to cling to anything, no ‘mine’ to create bonds. Life becomes a sacred offering, a yajna, where actions are performed without the desire for personal gain or recognition. In this state, bonds are weakened, and the chains of attachment fall away. The ego, which forges these chains, loses its grip, and one becomes free.
Consider a prince exiled by his father, living in poverty and begging for alms. When his father’s ministers find him years later, informing him of his father’s forgiveness, the prince undergoes a transformation. He discards his begging bowl, stands tall, and reclaims his royal identity. The change is not in his circumstances but in his perception of himself. His world, once limited by his ego’s attachment to a false identity, expands to its true potential.
Krishna’s message is clear: to live without attachment is to live without the ego’s illusions. It is to embrace our unique nature, free from comparison and the desire to be ‘special’. Each person is unique, incomparable, like a car to an elephant. Specialness is relative and breeds competition, while uniqueness is inherent and divine. When we act from our unique nature, we transcend material limitations and connect with our godliness.
Comparison breeds misery, whether through feelings of superiority or inferiority. It creates a hell of constant judgment and dissatisfaction. In contrast, living an uncompared life is heavenly. It allows us to be ourselves, free from labels and judgments. In this state, we are neither strong nor weak, intelligent nor unintelligent; we simply are.
Krishna invites us to embrace our uniqueness and act without attachment or the desire for achievement. In doing so, we find joy in the act itself, independent of outcomes. This joy is our connection to the divine, our true nature. By living authentically and without comparison, we free ourselves from the ego’s chains and experience the boundless joy of being.
Krishna’s teachings remind us to focus on growing our consciousness, responding to life from our unique perspective, and transcending the material to embrace our divine essence. By shedding the ego’s attachments, we live a life of true freedom and joy, where every action becomes a sacred offering to the universe.
Tags: Godliness
