Today’s class with Swami Kaivalyananda was about the 24th shloka, 4th chapter of the Gita. This is the famous, ‘brahmarpanam brahmahavir…‘ Brahman is the offering, brahman is the ghee offered in the fire of brahman by brahman. Brahman alone is attained by seeing brahman is all karma.’

Swamiji explained Shankara’s commentary on this. This means that the one who knows Brahman is devoid of the attitude of separation with anything. This is the knowledge, ‘brahmaiva idam sarvam,’ brahman alone is everything.’ In action, his attitude is ‘guna guneshu vartante,’ it is the senses acting among the sense object, but the Atma is detached.’

However, the Ajnani thinks, ‘I am the doer. I must experience the result of this karma.’ Because the Jnani has no desire behind karma, that cannot truly be called as ‘karma.’ Shankara says, ‘whatever is performed without attachment to the results is not karma.’ Thus, in all aspects of karma, the Jnani has brahmabuddhi, the awareness of Brahman. This awareness is present in all of the Jnani’s experiences. Then Shankara explains the meaning of the word ‘brahman;’ it is satyam, anantam, and jnana; Truth, Infinity, and Knowledge.

17 Oct 2006
Piyush , USA