Title: The Secret Code Of The Bhagavad Gita 

The True Intent, Spirit and Wisdom 
Of The Bhagavad Gita 


Author: K. P. S. Kamath, M. D. 
THE SECRET CODE OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA 

Text version Published by https://www.hinduwebsite.com, 2008


AN OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS 


Just as all the water in the vast, deep ocean is of no use to a thirsty 
pilgrim, all the profound wisdom in the vast ancient scriptures of 
India is useless to the seekers of knowledge unless they can apply at 
least some of it in their everyday life. The Bhagavad Gita is like a 
small, deep well of sweet water just off the shore of the ocean. The 
problem is that the water cannot be easily drawn up from that well. 
The water dispensed by the guardians of this well does not taste like it 
came from that well. This book is like a small jug tied to a long rope 
using which one can draw up some sweet water from that well and 
quench one's thirst. 

The main goal of this book is to bring to the general public the true 
intent, spirit and wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita. It is the result of 
fifteen years of study and research of the sacred book of the Bhagavad 
Gita. Because this book deals with the little known aspects of the 
Bhagavad Gita, it might arouse incredulity, anger and hostility in some 
readers who are not aware of its basis and context. Truly spiritual 
people, who are endowed with divine qualities, will refrain from 
indulging in personal attacks against the author of this book before 
reading the entire book, just because their view differs from that of 
the author. Sensible point by point contradiction or rebuttal, civil 
debate on the merits or demerits of the book, and 
intelligent argument against its basic thesis are always welcome. 

Everyone who is familiar with the Bhagavad Gita knows its 
Mahabharata context. However, there is another context to the 
Bhagavad Gita: Historical. This context consists of decadence of 
Orthodox Vedic Dharma, commonly known as Brahmanism, and rise of 
various heterodox Dharmas during the post-Vedic period (900-200 B. 

C. E) in opposition to it. The Original Gita was composed in defense 
of the class system known as Varnashrama Dharma, one of four 
pillars of Brahmanism. In a sense it was the "Policy Paper" on the 
Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma on which 
Varnashrama Dharma rested. There are 64 shlokas of the Original Gita 
in the current text of the Bhagavad Gita. Various later interpolations 
into its text were made by the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha seers in 
an attempt to overthrow Brahmanism, and by Brahmanic seers to 
reestablish it. The Bhagavad Gita is not just a dry and esoteric 

document elucidating ancient Indian philosophy. It is a dynamic text 
which brims with conflict, energy and practical wisdom. One can 
discern a battle of wits between two groups holding diametrically 
opposite views. Without examining and understanding the historical 
context in some detail, it is well nigh impossible to properly reconcile 
all the contradictions glaringly evident in the text of the Bhagavad Gita 
as it exists today. 

As a result of interpolations into its text by various later authors, we 
can find embedded in the Bhagavad Gita three distinct Gitas 
promoting three pairs of distinct doctrines. They are: the 
Brahmanic Gita promoting the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma (3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60); the Upanishadic Gita promoting 
the doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga (2:39-40), 
and the Bhagavatha Gita promoting the doctrines of Lord 
Krishna as the avatar of the Supreme Lord and Bhaktiyoga 

(18:64-66). 

In the text of this book, the Brahmanic shlokas and concepts are 
shown in Orange color; the Upanishadic shlokas and concepts in 
Blue color, and the Bhagavatha shlokas and concepts in Green 
color. 

All these Gitas address the three fundamental issues raised by Arjuna 
in the battlefield of Kurukshetra just as the Great War was about to 
ensue: Shokum (Grief), Dwandwam (fickleness or unsteadiness of 
mind as a result of loss of wisdom, engendered by mind's attachment 
to sense objects) and Karmaphalam (good and bad consequences of 
action). As a result of these three issues, Arjuna suffers from a 
paralyzing emotional crisis resulting in a massive panic attack (1:2830). 


Firstly, anticipating death of his own people, Arjuna suffers from 
Shokum (1:47). 

Secondly, his attachment to his own people causes him to 
suffer Dwandwam (1:35-37): Should I fight to gain back my 
kingdom or should I just walk away? Should I kill them or should I die 
in their hands unarmed and unresisting? 

Thirdly, Arjuna fears incurring sin -bad Karmaphalam (1:36)-in the 
act of killing his own people, and consequently going to hell. 


The apparent agenda of the Bhagavad Gita: How to overcome 
Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam consequent to desire and 
attachment to sense objects (people, power and wealth) and desire-
driven action by means of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga. 

Isn't this all there is to the Bhagavad Gita? Everyone knows this. 
What, then, is the Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita? 

The Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita is that, in fact, it is the 
manifesto of a great socio-religious revolution to overthrow the 
decaying Orthodox Vedic Dharma (Brahmanism) and to establish in its 
place a New Dharma centered on Lord Krishna. The 
Brahmanic Dharma rested on the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma. The doctrine of the Gunas said that one's socially 
designated duty/action is determined by his inherent Guna (Quality) 
rooted in Nature (Prakriti) (3:27). Everyone acts helplessly under the 
spell of their Gunas (3:5). It is futile to even try to resist them 
(3:33). Anyone who thought he could defy the dictates of his Guna 
and act as he chooses is suffering from the delusion of Ahamkara 
(egoism) (3:27). The doctrine of Karma said that all actions are 
determined by the Gunas and they earn Karmaphala (fruits, 
consequences). Depending upon good or bad quality of these actions, 
one goes to heaven or hell after death. After exhausting his merit or 
demerit in heaven or hell, he returns to earth to live out his 
comeuppance in another life (9:20). 

The Brahmanic Dharma was held up by four pillars: sacrificial rites 
(Yajna, Karma) dedicated to the Vedic gods (4:12; 17:4); 
hierarchical class system based on the Gunas and Karma known as the 
Varnashrama Dharma (18:41-45); sanctity of the Vedas (17:2324), 
and supremacy of Brahmins over the other three classes 
(18:42). Because Varnashrama Dharma, based on the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma, gave Brahmins supremacy over all other classes, 
they developed pathological vested interest in perpetuating it. 

During the post-Vedic period (900-200 B. C. E) the upper classes of 
Brahmanism -Brahmins and Kshatriyas-became obsessed with 
ostentatious desire-driven sacrificial rites, known as Kamya Karma 
(18:2). Kama (hankering for and attachment to sense objects such as 
lordship and wealth here on earth and heaven hereafter, 2:43; 
3:37) and Sankalpa (desire for fruits of sacrifices, 6:14) 
became hallmarks of Kamya Karma. Kamya Karma became the 
outstanding symbol of corruption and decadence of Brahmanism 
(3:12-13; 16:12-20). Obsession of the upper classes with Kamya 


Karma had serious consequences in the society. In the course of time, 
the upper classes suffered from the same three maladies Arjuna 
suffered on the battlefield: severe Dwandwam in their pursuit of 
Karmaphalam; and the rest of the society suffered much Shokam 
due to loss of innocence. Large sections of the society, including many 
grief-stricken Brahmins and Kshatriyas, began to abandon 
Brahmanism in favor of various heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism 
and Jainism. Soon Brahmanism was in grave danger of disappearing 
altogether. An internal revolution to either reform Brahmanism; or 
salvage what little was left of it, or replace it with an entirely New 
Dharma became an urgent necessity. 

The New Dharma, successively engineered by the Upanishadic and 
Bhagavatha seers, rested on the doctrines of Lord Krishna as the 
avatar of the Supreme Lord and Bhaktiyoga. The two pillars of 
this Dharma were the two aspects of the Upanishadic doctrine of 
Buddhiyoga: Sanyasa (detachment from sense objects 5:1) and 
Tyaga (renunciation of fruits of action 2:51). Thus Sanyasa 
countered Kama, of Kamya Karma, and Tyaga countered Sankalpa 
of Kamya Karma. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna, the Hero of the 
revolution, systematically dismantles all aspects of the Brahmanic 
Dharma beginning with its very foundation: the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma (2:45). He offers Himself as the power greater 
than the Gunas (7:14; 14:19). He discredits the Gunas as the seat of 
all common human weaknesses such as desire, attachment, 
possessiveness and rage. Taking refuge in Him alone would help one 
to overcome the force of the Gunas. Surrendering to Him alone in 
Bhaktiyoga one would overcome the doctrine of Karma and attain 
Moksha (18:66). He goes on to downgrade or condemn Vedic 
ritualists (2:41-44); the Vedas (2:46, 52-53); Kamya Karma 
(2:47-51), and the Varnashrama Dharma (5:18-19; 6:29). The true 
spirit of Lord Krishna's Dharma in the Bhagavad Gita is exactly 
opposite of Brahmanism: to establish a New Dharma centered on 
One God; worship of that God by Bhaktiyoga (Bhakti combined with 
Sanyasa and Tyaga); equality of all people regardless of their birth 
class, caste or family; simplicity of life based on detachment from 
sense objects and selfless service to God and humanity. 

The Upanishadic and Bhagavatha revolutionaries accomplished their 
goal in the Bhagavad Gita on the pretext of addressing the three 
issues raised by Arjuna on the battlefield: Shokum, Dwandwam, and 
Karmaphalam. They blamed the doctrine of the Gunas as the cause 
of Shokam and Dwandwam, and the doctrine of Karma as the cause 
of Karmaphalam, resulting in Samsara -the cycle of birth, death and 


rebirth. They said that desire (Kama) for, attachment (Sangas) to and 
possessiveness (Moha) of sense objects are the functions of the 
Gunas, and one must cross over them by taking refuge in 
Atman/Brahman/Lord in order to get over Shokam and Dwandwam. 
They said that desire for fruits of action (Sankalpa) caused one to earn 
Karmaphalam, and therefore one must give it up from all Yajnas in 
order to overcome the doctrine of Karma. Lord Krishna's New Dharma 
succinctly addresses these three evils, glaringly evident in the post-
Vedic society, in His Ultimate Shloka of the Bhagavad Gita: 

18:66: Abandon all Dharma (Brahmanism and all its sub-Dharmas 
such as Varnashrama Dharma, Jati Dharma and Kula Dharma; 
and also all heterodox Dharmas: Buddhism, Jainism and Ajivika,) and 
surrender unto Me alone (not to the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma; or other gods, such as Indra and Agni, because now I am the 
Eternal Dharma 14:27); I shall liberate you from all evil 
(Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam engendered by the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma); do not grieve. 
With this one shloka, Lord Krishna ended the decaying Brahmanism 
and all other Dharmas of the land and launched a New Dharma, right? 
Well, let us not be presumptuous. Read on. 

This book also explains how and why, in spite of Lord Krishna's 
revolution to overthrow it, Brahmanism survived and even thrived to 
the modern times. All discredited aspects of Brahmanism infiltrated in 
disguised forms the egalitarian Hinduism, which succeeded it. Thanks 
to Brahmanic death-grip on it, today Hinduism is riddled with 
thousands of mindless and vulgarly ostentatious rituals, and senseless 
superstitions, so characteristic of the decadent Brahmanic 
Dharma. And it is treading the same ruinous path that Brahmanism 
took 2,500 years ago. Lord Krishna's revolution against Brahmanism in 
the Bhagavad Gita has been cleverly hidden from the public by 
Brahmanic vested interests by means of brilliant feats of verbal 
gymnastics, literary manipulations, distorted interpretations, blatant 
misrepresentations and long-winded commentaries. In fact, the very 
manifesto to overthrow Brahmanism has cleverly been converted into 
the handbook of Brahmanism! Lord Krishna's Revolution to overthrow 
Brahmanism has been thus totally neutralized. This book exposes this 
grave injustice against Lord Krishna and His revolution, and reveals 
the true intent, spirit and wisdom of His Gita. 

Those who are not familiar with the Bhagavad Gita are recommended 
to have a copy of the Bhagavad Gita at hand when they read this 


book. I recommend The Bhagavad Gita with Sanskrit Text, 
translated by Swami Chidbhavananda, Published by 
Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaitturai, Tamil Nadu. This is 
an excellent small, 247 page, handbook without any commentary by 
the Swami. The same author also published another book with 
extensive commentary. The translations in the Secret Code book are 
mostly taken from his book. 

For those serious students of the Bhagavad Gita, who wish to know the 
true purpose of the Bhagavad Gita, and benefit from the profound 
wisdom in it without unnecessary religious bias or mind-boggling 
explanations, I offer free day-long seminars anywhere in the United 
States. 

Brief outlines of the Eighteen Chapters of the Secret Code of 
the Bhagavad Gita: 

Chapter One: A Personal Note: This is the preface of this book. It 
explains the basic thesis of this book; the background of the book, and 
some personal observations. This chapter also contains 

1. Essential Glossary, which gives the meanings of the most 
common Sanskrit words used in the text of the Bhagavad Gita; and 
2. Apparatus of Mind, which explains the hierarchy of the mind's 
components as per 3:42. Without a thorough understanding of this 
concept, it is next to impossible to properly understand the basic 
tenets of the Bhagavad Gita. 
Chapter Two: The Two Distinct Contexts of the Bhagavad Gita: 

This chapter explains the two contexts of the Bhagavad Gita: The 
Mahabharata context and the Historical context. It explains how both 
these contexts address the same three issues: Shokam, Dwandwam 
(fickleness of mind caused by disconnection of the mind from its 
wisdom, engendered by attachment to sense objects and fruits of 
action) and Karmaphalam (fruit or consequence) arising from any 
motivated Action. In the Mahabharata context, Arjuna was confronted 
with these three evils just as the Great War was about to begin; and in 
the Historical context, the post-Vedic society (900-200 B. C. 
E) suffered the same three evils due to the steady decay of 
Brahmanism, the dominant socio-religious force of the time. Whereas 
the Original Gita (Chapter Three of this book) tackles these three 
issues with reference to Arjuna, the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha Gitas 


tackle these three issues with reference to corruption and decadence 
of Brahmanism. 

Chapter Three: The Original Gita: This chapter reveals the 64 
shlokas of the Original Gita embedded in the Bhagavad Gita, which 
promote the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, the foundation of 
Brahmanism. The Original Gita is nothing but a parable to address the 
issue of Kshatriyas abandoning Brahmanism in the post-Vedic period in 
response to it decadence. In as sense it is the Policy Paper of 
Brahmanism. 

Chapter Four: The Three Distinct Gitas: This chapter reveals the 
three distinct Gitas in the Bhagavad Gita: The Original Gita; the 
Upanishadic Gita, and the Bhagavatha Gita. These three 
Gitas promote three distinct creeds: Brahmanic, Upanishadic and 
Bhagavatha. 

Chapter Five: Decay of Dharma and Rise of Adharma: This 
chapter explains how Brahmanism decayed due to the rampant 
obsession of the upper classes (Brahmins and Kshatriyas) with Kamya 
Karma (desire-driven sacrificial rites). The decay of Brahmanism arose 
from Kama (selfish desire, hankering) for sense objects (lordship, 
pleasure, heaven) and Sankalpa (desire for fruits or Karmaphala of 
sacrificial rites). The goal of Brahmanism was to enjoy wealth and 
lordship here on earth and attainment of heaven hereafter by 
means of vulgar and ostentatious sacrificial rites. 

Chapter Six: The Great Nastik Revolt: This chapter deals with the 
ascendance of Buddhism and other heterodox Dharmas, which arose in 
revolt against decadent Brahmanism. These heterodox Dharmas posed 
grave threat to the very existence of Brahmanism. 

Chapter Seven: Brahmanism Defends Itself: This chapter explains 
how Brahmanism defended itself and urged Kshatriyas not to abandon 
Brahmanism as well as Varnashrama Dharma. They attempted this by 
adding pro-Varnashrama Dharma shlokas into the text of the Original 
Gita. 

Chapter Eight: The Upanishadic Dharma: This chapter explains the 
basic tenets of the Upanishads: Knowledge of Atman and 
Buddhiyoga, which were diametrically opposed to the Brahmanic 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. In contrast to the Brahmanic 
goal of lordship and pleasure here on earth and heaven hereafter, the 
goal of Upanishadism was to attain Bliss of Atman here one earth 


and Nirvana hereafter. Recognizing these doctrines as real threat to 
Brahmanism, Brahmanic seers neutralized the Upanishads by declaring 
them as Shruthi (revealed scripture) as well as Top Secret (Rahasya). 
This top secret was revealed to the public by some bold Upanishadic 
seers in the Gita, a Smrithi (remembered) scripture, so that it can be 
read or heard by anyone, regardless of one's class or gender. 

Chapter Nine: Outlines of the Upanishadic Revolution: This 
chapter describes the basic strategies and tactics of the Upanishadic 
revolution in the Bhagavad Gita designed to overthrow the decaying 
Brahmanic Dharma. The Original Gita was thus converted into the 
Upanishadic Gita. 

Chapter Ten: The Upanishadic Revolution -1: This chapter 
explains the true intent of Chapter Two of the Bhagavad Gita, namely 
to overthrow Brahmanism. It explains how the Upanishadic seers 
declared that Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam are the products 
of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, and replaced them with 
the Upanishadic doctrines of the Knowledge of Atman and 
Buddhiyoga. 

Chapter Eleven: The Upanishadic Revolution -2: Reforming 
Brahmins: This chapter explains the true intent of the Chapter Four of 
the Bhagavad Gita: to reform corrupt Brahmins, who were obsessed 
with earning Karmaphalam by means of Kamya Karma. It explains 
how Lord Krishna gave the brainy Brahmins Jnanayoga (Sanyasa) to 
take the place of Kamya Karma. 

Chapter Twelve: The Upanishadic Revolution -3: Reforming 
Kshatriyas: This chapter explains the true intent of the Chapter Three 
of the Bhagavad Gita: to reform greedy Kshatriyas, who were 
obsessed with earning Karmaphalam by means of vulgar and 
ostentations Kamya Karma. It explains how Lord Krishna gave 
the action-oriented Kshatriyas Karmayoga (Tyaga) to take the place of 
Kamya Karma. 

Chapter Thirteen: The Upanishadic Revolution -4: Demolishing 
Varnashrama Dharma: All Men Are Created Equal: This chapter 
explains the true intent of Chapter Five of the Bhagavad Gita: to 
replace hierarchical Varnashrama Dharma with egalitarianism 
engendered by the knowledge that Atman is the same in everyone 
regardless of one's class or lack thereof. 


Chapter Fourteen: The Upanishadic Revolution -5: Liberation 
through Yoga: This chapter explains the role of Yoga in achieving 
liberation from the doctrine of Karma. Lord Krishna declares that one 
who merely wishes to know about Yoga is superior to Vedic ritualist. 

Chapter Fifteen: The Bhagavatha Revolution: This chapter 
explains how the seers of Bhagavatha creed took over the 
Upanishadic Gita and replaced the doctrine of Knowledge of 
Atman/Brahman with the doctrine of Lord Krishna, and replaced 
the doctrine of Buddhiyoga with doctrine of Bhaktiyoga. The 
Upanishadic Gita was thus converted into the Bhagavad Gita. It 
also explains the true intent of the Ultimate shloka: Abandon all 
Dharma and surrender unto Me alone; I shall liberate you from 
all evil (Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala resulting from the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma); do not grieve. 

Chapter Sixteen: The Battle for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma: 

This chapter explains how the Bhagavad Gita became the battleground 
for Brahmanism on one side and the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha 
seers on the other, for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma. It also explains 
how over the centuries various Brahmanic commentaries on the 
Bhagavad Gita hid the true intent and destroyed the true spirit of 
the Bhagavad Gita in order to promote the interests of Brahmanism, 
while praising Lord Krishna to the skies. 

Chapter Seventeen: The Legacy of Brahmanism and the Need 
for Reforms: This chapter explains how Brahmanic commentators 
have distorted the true meanings of shlokas to hide the revolutionary 
intent of the Bhagavad Gita. It also deals with the legacy of 
Brahmanism and how Hinduism is ignoring the basic tenets of Lord 
Krishna's doctrines in the Bhagavad Gita; and how Hinduism is 
gradually and imperceptibly following the same ruinous path 
Brahmanism took in ancient India. 

Chapter Eighteen: The Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita: This 
chapter explains how the wisdom of all three Gitas could be applied in 
real life. Several case studies are discussed in this chapter. 


The Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita 

CHAPTER ONE 

A Personal Note 

I have been asked by several of my Hindu friends, none of whom has 
read even one page of the Bhagavad Gita, "Who are you to analyze 
the Bhagavad Gita? Who is your Guru, anyway? What makes you think 
you are right? Have you sought the approval and blessing of our 
religious Gurus for your book?" I owe all these people answers even 
though their questions reflected their knee-jerk defense of the revered 
text in which they have placed implicit faith. Whether that faith is 
blind, or one rooted in proper understanding of the sacred text, is 
altogether another matter. What is even more dangerous is the blind 
faith of people in whatever saffron-clad people tell them about the 
Bhagavad Gita. 

Question: Who are you to analyze the Bhagavad Gita? 

Answer: I have been practicing psychiatry in the United States since 
1974. During this period, I have treated countless people afflicted with 
the same three maladies prince Arjuna suffered from on the battlefield 
of Kurukshetra: Shokam (Grief), Dwandwam (loss of wisdom 
resulting in fickleness of mind) and fear of bad Karmaphalam 
(negative consequences of action). The entire text of the Bhagavad 
Gita is a psychological manual par excellence, geared to resolve these 
three issues faced by Arjuna on the battlefield, and, as we will discover 
soon, also by the post-Vedic society as a whole in the centuries 
preceding the Common Era. The Bhagavad Gita is not only a manual to 
help distraught individuals suffering from Grief, Dwandwa and fear of 
bad Karmaphala, but also a guide to solving the same three problems 
in the society as a whole. I believe that I have something original to 
contribute to our understanding of the essential purpose, wisdom and 
message of the Bhagavad Gita. 

Question: Who is your Guru, anyway? 

Answer: My Guru is none other than Lord Krishna Himself. I do not 
need a Brahmanic Guru to interpret to me what Lord Krishna said in 
plain language, or what He really meant to say. I have read numerous 
commentaries written by various Gurus and Swamis, and I am quite 
familiar with what they have to say. During my fifteen years of 
incessant study and contemplation of the Bhagavad Gita, I have felt 


the Lord's presence and encouragement in my heart. If you read this 
book you will realize that I could not have revealed the Secret Code of 
the Bhagavad Gita without His encouragement, permission, guidance, 
and blessings. 

Question: What makes you think you are right? 

Answer: Whether I am right or not is for the readers to decide. I have 
studied the Bhagavad Gita on a daily basis for over fifteen years with a 
great deal of reverence and devotion. In this book I have explained in 
plain language what I have discovered in the Bhagavad Gita. I have 
not resorted to convoluted logic, obfuscation and distortion to convey 
my message. No one can and should judge this book without first 
thoroughly studying the Bhagavad Gita itself, and then reading this 
book in its entirety. I am fully aware of the risk of being branded as 
one deluded by Ahamkara (egoism) by Brahmanic Gurus. This 
accusation has always been the Ultimate Weapon -Brahmmastra-of 
Brahmanism to shame its critics and reformers into silence. 

Question: Have you sought the approval and blessing of our religious 
leaders for your book? 

Answer: I must answer this question as follows: If you were to write 
a book that exposes to the public wholesale corruption by certain 
government officials, would you send a draft of your book to them for 
their approval and blessing? The main purpose of this book is to 
expose how Brahmanism hid the true intent and destroyed the true 
spirit of the Bhagavad Gita. No Brahmanic religious leader would face 
that truth. Besides, the Bhagavad Gita belongs to the world and not 
just to a group of people who claim authority over it. 

Truth is the only God 

The only God I know is Truth. Lord Krishna embodies that Truth. This 
book is the story of my discovery of that Truth in the Bhagavad Gita. 

My allegiance is to that Truth alone and to no one else and nothing 
else: not to Hinduism, not to Brahmanism, not to any class, caste or 
family. I have laid bare in this book the Truth I discovered in and 
about the Bhagavad Gita. I believe that I would not have discovered 
these truths had I been tutored, indoctrinated, -or should I say 
brainwashed-by a Brahmanic Guru. A Brahmanic Guru can teach us 
only what his Guru taught him. And that Guru passed on to him what 
his Guru taught him. There is no room for inquiry and original thinking. 
We may never know the true motive of the very original Guru from 


whom the succession of Gurus learned. Just as a copying machine 
faithfully reproduces the original print including ink-spots and 
blemishes, Gurus also repeat faithfully to their students everything 
they learned from their Gurus. No Swami or Guru I have ever known 
over the years has been free from some vested interest in maintaining 
his personal status, security and interests. Swamis and Gurus who 
knowingly or out of ignorance mislead the public about the true intent 
and spirit of the Bhagavad Gita, and people bewildered by ignorance or 
blind faith, might find this book unpalatable or even objectionable. 
However, open-minded, reasonable, and secure people, who are well-
grounded in their sense of righteousness; who are not deluded by 
fanaticism; and who are thirsty for new knowledge and hungry for new 
insights should have nothing to worry about. This book should bring 
them some breath of fresh air. Truth shall liberate us all. 

Reading commentaries is "Tough going" 

Several people have asked me the question, "How did you get 
interested in this project?" Well, it was purely accidental. About twenty 
years ago, as I was hurrying toward the baggage claim area of St. 
Louis, Missouri, airport, a middle-aged American man accosted me 
with a book in his hand. He offered me a hard-bound "free copy" of 
The Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada in 
return for a ten dollar donation. The book promptly went on the 
bookshelf in my family room, where it stayed unopened for the next 
few years. Then, one day an American doctor friend of mine asked me 
if I had a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. I lent him the book. After a few 
months, he returned the book with a terse note, "tough going." 

Since then I have talked with innumerable Indians about the Bhagavad 
Gita, and every single one of them said that it was mighty hard to 
understand commentaries written by various authorities, leave alone 
its text. In fact, I have met Indians who have attended regular 
discourses on the Bhagavad Gita by various Gurus and Swamis for 
over ten years and yet have gained little understanding of its essential 
wisdom. Words such as "tough, confusing, contradictory, disjointed, 
and incomprehensible" frequently cropped up in conversations 
regarding the Bhagavad Gita. Challenged by this, I started to read the 
Bhagavad Gita in earnest. The first chapter was easy enough. When I 
went to the second chapter, I found it so confusing, incoherent, and 
self-contradictory that I had to resist the temptation to throw the book 
across the room. Only my utmost regard for the sanctity of the book 
prevented me from doing so. Over the next two years, I kept reading 


the book again and again without making any headway. I often 
wondered, "Why should a holy book be so difficult to understand?" 

Why is it so hard to follow the commentaries? 

Three things struck me repeatedly: 

1. Shlokas often contradicted each other. For example, in 2:37, Lord 
Krishna tells Arjuna that if he died fighting, he would gain heaven; if 
he won, he would enjoy the earth. Therefore, he must fight. Fair 
enough. However, in the very next shloka, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to 
fight without worrying about gain or loss, victory or defeat, pleasure of 
pain. Such blatant contradictions were too numerous to ignore. 
Obviously, there was an argument going on here between two 
opposing parties! It dawned on me that the Bhagavad Gita was not a 
text written by one person as claimed by all Brahmanic commentators, 
unless, of course, the author suffered from multiple personality 
disorder! Commentators who are not aware of this fact would certainly 
have to indulge in long-winded explanations and convoluted logic to 
reconcile these two diametrically opposite views. Those who are aware 
of this fact would have to indulge in obfuscation and distortion to 
conceal this fact. 
2. Very often the commentary of the Brahmanic author had little to do 
with the actual content in the shloka. The author frequently brought in 
the Lord or some other topic into the commentary even when the 
shloka under study made no mention of either. For example in 2:50 
and 2:51, the word Buddhiyukta simply refers to the mind yoked to 
Buddhi and thus steadied by it. Neither Atman nor the Lord is part of 
the equation here. Atman is added to this equation only after 2:54. 
Swami Prabhupada interprets the term Buddhiyoga as "devotional 
service to the Lord." In other words, according to him Buddhiyukta 
means Bhakti. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna is declared as the 
Lord of being only in 4:6, and Bhakti is not introduced till Chapter 
Seven. 
3. I noticed another quirk: all anti-Vedic shlokas were interpreted as 
though they were pro-Vedic without recognizing the fact that Lord 
Krishna condemns the Old Vedic Dharma for a specific purpose: to 
replace it with His New Dharma. Often the commentator went in a 
tangent, and said pages after pages of totally inscrutable things, 
sometimes quoting scriptures such as Puranas, which postdated the 
original text by several centuries. Most commentaries on the anti-
Brahmanism shlokas were too brief, or long-winded and extremely 

confusing. It occurred to me that all Brahmanic commentators were 
indulging in serious kind of distortion and obfuscation to hide the true 
intent of these shlokas and to further their own agendas; or simply to 
fill the gaps in their own knowledge. I have given three examples of 
Brahmanic commentaries in this book an the later chapters. 

Shloka 3:42: A treasure 

I found a treasure of wisdom when I stumbled upon the threshold of 
shloka 3:42: The Senses are superior to sense objects; the Mind 
is superior to the Senses; the Intellect is superior to the Mind; 
and that which is superior to the Intellect is Atman. 


This seminal shloka described the hierarchy of various components of 
the apparatus of mind. Clearly, this shloka was at least 2500 years 
ahead of Sigmund Freud. Once I crossed this, it threw the doors wide 
open for psychological insights in the text. It became evident to me 
that the psychological part of the Gita was mostly in Chapters Two to 
Six, which are of the Upanishadic origin. After several more years of 
study, I wrote a small guide on the stress management aspects of the 
Bhagavad Gita. I also offered some classes on this topic to Indian 
audiences in the U. S. A. Being a psychiatrist I restricted my 
observations only to psychological and secular aspects of the 
Bhagavad Gita. 


Searching for the Lord 

All this changed when I met Swami Dayananda Saraswati at his 
Ashram in Pennsylvania in 2005. We discussed the need to spread the 
message of the Bhagavad Gita. Swami Dayananda Saraswati gave me 
four massive volumes of his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. He 
seemed to approve my psychological insights into the Bhagavad Gita 
but made a recommendation that changed the course of my inquiry 
into it. He said that I must bring Ishwara, the Lord, into the text. 
According to him no commentary on the Bhagavad Gita was authentic 
until it had the element of Ishwara in it. So I went in search of the 
Lord in the Bhagavad Gita. 

True purpose of the Lord 

As I got deeper into the Bhagavad Gita in search of Ishwara, however, 
it dawned on me that the real purpose of Ishwara in it was not to 
persuade Arjuna to resume fighting, but to establish a New Dharma to 
replace the decaying Brahmanic Dharma. After carefully reading the 
actual text over fifty times I concluded that 636 of the 700 shlokas had 
nothing to do with Arjuna's dilemma whatsoever. I suspected that 
there must be another context to the Bhagavad Gita than the 
Mahabharata alone. Study of India's ancient history and the 
Upanishads gave me the needed insight into the Historical context of 
the Bhagavad Gita. It dawned on me that the Bhagavad Gita was, in 
fact, the manifesto of a grand socio-religious revolution, engineered by 
the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha scholars, to overthrow the decadent 
Brahmanism. It became clear to me that both Brahmanic Old Guard 
and the Revolutionaries opposing them were battling each other in the 
Bhagavad Gita using Arjuna's Shokam, Dwandwam and fear of bad 
Karmaphalam in the battlefield as a mere pretext. I had unwittingly 
stumbled upon The Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita. It took me 
over one hundred careful readings of the actual text, and study of over 
twenty commentaries by various Brahmanic as well as western authors 
of the Bhagavad Gita, before the jigsaw puzzle of the Bhagavad Gita 
was more or less put together. By means of this book I humbly submit 
to the readers my findings and conclusions. 

Three basic purposes of this book 

1. To reveal the fact that the Bhagavad Gita was in reality the 
manifesto of a great socio-religious revolution by the Upanishadic and 
Bhagavatha scholars to overthrow the decaying, sacrifice-obsessed, 
hierarchical Brahmanic Dharma of ancient India, with the avowed goal 

to establish in its place an enlightened egalitarian New Dharma of 
people serving humanity selflessly and worshipping one God with 
devotion. This was Lord Krishna's revolution. 

2. To expose how Brahmanism, that enduring elitist instrument of 
religious and social order of ancient India, not only survived the coup 
but even engineered a successful counterrevolution by means of 
brilliant feats of manipulation of, and interpolation into, the text of the 
Bhagavad Gita. In fact, Brahmanism's counterrevolution was so 
successful, and its victory over Lord Krishna's revolution so complete, 
that it even converted the Bhagavad Gita into its own handbook! 
3. To reveal how over the centuries since the Bhagavad Gita became 
the text as we find it today, countless commentaries on the Bhagavad 
Gita were written by Brahmanic scholars who continued the tradition of 
hiding the true intent and destroying the true spirit of Lord Krishna's 
revolution. The Brahmanic resurgence has been carried out with such 
unsurpassed literary savvy and brilliant oratorical skills, that to this 
day no one seems to know about either Lord Krishna's revolution to 
overthrow Brahmanism or Brahmanism's counterrevolution to 
reestablish itself. In fact, few people even know that ritual-oriented, 
hierarchical Brahmanism and egalitarian Bhaktiyoga of Lord Krishna 
are mutually exclusive concepts. 
Karmaphalam 

Like all actions motivated by selfishness, the resurgence of 
Brahmanism was not free from bad long term consequences on whole 
of India. Thanks to Brahmanism's undisputed victory over Lord 
Krishna, and its steady resurgence and propagation, India became the 
home of hundreds of gods and thousands of mindless rituals designed 
to appease them; the society of thousands of Jatis (castes), 
incessantly competing among themselves for supremacy over each 
other; and the land which ardently fostered one of the two most 
despicable afflictions of humanity: untouchability. 

Enduring power of Brahmanism 

In the final analysis, however, the Bhagavad Gita is the supreme 
symbol of how Brahmanism tenaciously hung on to its hollow 
traditions and mindless rituals; prevailed through invasions, 
conquests, and occupations; destroyed entirely, or engulfed 
completely, all religious reformers and adversaries into its ever-
resilient body; and inexorably dug its powerful tentacles deep into the 


body of the ever-assimilating Hindu Dharma which succeeded it. It is 
also a testament to the infinite sustaining power of Brahmanism, 
whose iron hand has had such ruthless grip on the psyche of a whole 
Indian nation for over four thousand and five hundred years. But alas, 
it is also the ironic story of how, in the process, Brahmanism made 
Lord Krishna, the Hero of that very revolution to uproot it, its Poster 
Person as well as its Precious Prisoner. 

Metaphor 

Many authorities on the Bhagavad Gita have considered the episode in 
which Arjuna suffers from shokam, Dwandwam (unsteadiness of mind 
consequent to loss of wisdom) and fear of bad Karmaphalam on the 
battlefield as a metaphor for predicaments we all face in life in which 
we feel confused as to the right thing to do. However, this episode is 
also a metaphor for a more serious quandary Indian society faced at a 
crucial moment in the post-Vedic period of its ancient history: 
widespread disaffection over the degradation of the Brahmanic 
Dharma and rise of Adharma (4:7). Whereas a portion of Brahmins 
and Kshatriyas, the upper classes of Brahmanism, suffered Dwandwam 
due to their obsession with earning good Karmaphalam by means of 
desire-driven sacrifices (Kamya Karma), the rest of the society 
suffered from Shokam over the loss of innocence. Various heterodox 
Dharmas (Para-Dharmas 3:35; 18:47) arose in revolt against 
Brahmanism, and even gained widespread adherents and royal 
patronage. These egalitarian and rational Para-Dharmas posed a grave 
threat to the hierarchical Brahmanic Dharma in the well-organized 
class system of which Brahmins enjoyed unchallenged supremacy. 

A parable to shore up Varnashrama Dharma 

The Original Gita was a brilliant attempt by beleaguered Brahmanism 
to shore up the class system, known as Varnashrama Dharma, in the 
face of dire threats to its very existence. They inserted into the 
Mahabharata text the parable of a distraught Kshatriya prince who, 
overwhelmed by Shokam, Dwandwam and fear of bad Karmaphalam 
wishes to abandon his socially designated duty. At this critical 
moment, his best friend and charioteer prince Krishna gives him a 
stern lecture about the Brahmanic doctrine of the Gunas and Karma. 
In a sense, it was Brahmanism's "policy paper" in its struggle with 
heterodox Dharmas. The text of the Bhagavad Gita has 64 shlokas of 
this Original Gita. As abandonment of Brahmanism in favor of Para-
Dharmas escalated, more Brahmanic shlokas in support of 


Brahmanism were interpolated into the text of the Original Gita (1:3844; 
2:4-5; 3:35; 18:47-48). 

As Brahmanism's prestige continued to decline despite it, an internal 
revolution, led by some Upanishadic seers, to overthrow it entirely 
ensued. The strategy of the Upanishadic scholars was very simple: 
discredit and dismantle the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
(3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60), on the foundation of which rested the whole 
Brahmanic Dharma. The Brahmanism scholars reacted to neutralize 
this internal threat by adding more pro-Brahmanism shlokas. The text 
of the modified Original Gita thus became the battleground for that 
civil war between the entrenched Old Guard and the reform-minded 
Revolutionaries. At some later point, the Bhagavathas entered the fray 
on the side of the Upanishadic scholars. As both sides kept adding 
shlokas to further their respective agendas, the 64 shloka-long 
Original Gita gradually expanded to become the 700 shloka-long 
Bhagavad Gita as we know it today. No wonder it often comes across 
contradictory, disjointed, and rather confusing to the unwary. 

Battle for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma 

In the sizzling drama of the Bhagavad Gita, played robustly on the 
grand stage of the Mahabharata epic, Lord Krishna and prince Arjuna 
are mere puppets playing out their metaphoric roles and singing 
whatever shlokas the Brahmanic directors on the one side and the 
Upanishadic and Bhagavatha directors on the other prompted them to 
from behind the scenes. The naïve in the audience are fooled by the 
Brahmanic faction into believing that their dialogue was, indeed, 
meant to resolve only Arjuna's predicament at the critical moment on 
the battlefield of Kurukshetra: should he fight to regain his kingdom, 
or should he just walk away from the battlefield? What the shrewd in 
the audience perceive is that the entire discourse in the Bhagavad Gita 
was meant to resolve an infinitely greater quandary the Indian society 
faced in the decisive post-Vedic period of its history: an epic struggle 
between the proponents of the decaying Old Dharma and 
revolutionaries who wanted to establish a New Dharma. The Original 
Gita thus became the battleground on which the cousins of the 
Brahmanic Dharma fought a socio-religious war for the Soul of the 
Ancient Dharma. Sadly, even though the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha 
seers won the battle of the Bhagavad Gita as evidenced by its new title 
the Bhagavad Gita, they lost the war for the Soul of the Ancient 
Dharma as evidenced by Brahmanism's continued stranglehold on all 
aspects of Indian society -cultural, social, religious and psychological. 


Essential Glossary 

The following is the partial list of Sanskrit words used in this book. 
Most of these words have multiple meanings. Knowing this well, 
various authors of the Bhagavad Gita cleverly used them to convey 
their messages without coming across as indulging in frontal attacks. 
This left room for much ambiguity in the interpretation of the shlokas, 
a situation which both sides took full advantage of. Ancient Sanskrit 
scholars were masters of double entendre. The readers should 
familiarize themselves with these words to make the best use of this 
book. 

Atman: The Self, the essence or the Soul of man. It represents 
Brahman, the Universal Spirit, residing in the heart of man. It is said 
to be the seat of Absolute Bliss. It is eternal, deathless and 
indestructible. Knowledge of Atman counters ignorance-born Grief 
engendered by death. 

Ahamkara: Egoism. This, according to Brahmanism, causes one to 
become ignorant of his duty as designated by his Guna (inherent 
Quality). Accusing its critics of suffering from Ahamkara became the 
ultimate weapon of Brahmanism against any upstart. 

Ajnana: Ignorance caused by the disconnection of the Mind from inner 
wisdom as well as Atman, due to attachment to sense objects. 

Avidya: Lack of Knowledge of Atman, brought on by the Mind's 
attachment to sense objects induced by the force of the Gunas. Avidya 
causes Grief. 

Bhagavan: The Lord. 

Bhagavathas: Followers of the creed centered on Lord Krishna, also 
known as Vaasudeva. 

Bhakti: Worshipping of Lord Krishna by means of single-minded 
devotion. 

Bhaktiyoga: This consists of two elements: Bhakti of the Bhagavathas 
and Yoga of the Upanishads. Yoga here stands for single-minded effort 
to achieve a specific goal. In the Gita it consists of two elements: 
Sanyasa and Tyaga. Bhaktiyoga means worshipping Lord Krishna or 
God with single-minded devotion in the spirit of Yoga. 


Brahma: The Vedic god, also known as Prajapati, the originator of 
beings. 

Brahman: This is the all-pervading Universal Spirit, which is to be 
found everywhere and in everything. The part of Brahman residing in 
the heart of man as his divine essence is known as Atman. Brahman is 
without any Nature-born Qualities, known as the Gunas, hence it is 
known as Nirguna (Guna-less). Brahman is beyond the perception of 
Senses. Hence it is said to be "Not this; not this! (Naeti, Naeti). In the 
Vedas, Brahman was known as a mysterious force. This entity became 
the main focus of the Upanishads. 

Brahmanism: This was the instrument of law and social order in the 
ancient Indian society. It is also known as Orthodox Vedic Dharma. It 
controlled the society by means of a hierarchical class system known 
as Varnashrama Dharma. The Brahmanic Dharma rested on the 
bedrock of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. The four pillars on 
which its superstructure stood were: sanctity of the Vedas; sacrificial 
rites known as Karma or Yajnas; class system known as Varnashrama 
Dharma, and supremacy of Brahmin class over the other three classes. 

Brahmins: The priestly class that dominated the Brahmanic society. 
They were the most learned of the four classes, and they monopolized 
all ancient sacred scriptures. 

Buddhi: Intellect or wisdom. It is that part of mind which stands for 
discriminatory powers, judgment, reasoning, insight, moral values, 
noble virtues, memory, knowledge, etc. 

Buddhiyoga: It is the method by which one's mind is steadied by 
yoking it with Buddhi (Wisdom). When the mind controls its Senses 
(desires for sense objects) it becomes connected with Buddhi. The 
mind then operates as per the dictates of Buddhi. The mind thus 
steadied by yoking with Buddhi is known as Buddhiyukta mind. A 
person who has achieved this is known as the Buddha, the 
Enlightened. Opposite of Buddhiyukta is Dwandwa (unsteadiness of 
mind). Buddhiyoga counters Dwandwa of mind. All actions performed 
in the spirit of Buddhiyoga earn neither good nor bad Karmaphala 
(fruit of deed). A person of Buddhiyukta Mind always does the right 
thing. 

Devas: Vedic gods representing the forces of Nature: Indra, Varuna, 
Vayu, Agni, Varuna, Ashwins, etc. They were the principal deities of 


Brahmanism. All sacrifices were dedicated to them. Lord Krishna 
absorbs them all into His person in the Bhagavad Gita. 

Dharma: The literal meaning is "that which holds." In practice it 
stands for righteousness, religion, Law, system, duty, order, what 
aught to be done, and the right thing to do. Opposite of Dharma is 
Adharma (irreligion). Para-Dharma stands for alien or heterodox 
Dharma. 

Dwandwa: Pairs of opposites the mind experiences when it comes 
into contact with sense objects: likes and dislikes; pleasure and pain; 
gain and loss; honor and dishonor; virtue and vice, and the like. It also 
means stress, unsteadiness of mind, fickleness of mind, ambivalence, 
doubt, restlessness, mood swings, unsteadiness, confusion, mental 
conflict, obsession and loss of focus and loss of discrimination. The 
practical meaning of Dwandwa is loss of wisdom or discriminating 
faculty. Opposite of Dwandwa-ridden mind is Buddhiyukta (steady) 
mind. 

Gunas: These are ‘Qualities' which are forces of nature within us that 
are irrepressible. The force of the Gunas can be comapred to the force 
of gravity. The Gunas affect the quality of all actions. There are three 
modes: Satvic (Goodness); Rajasic (Passion), and Tamasic 
(Darkness). Brahmanism divided society into four great classes based 
on these three Qualities. The doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
became the foundation of Brahmanism. However, the Upanishadic 
seers claimed that the Gunas were the sources of lust, jealous rage, 
attachment, delusion, and the like, and must be crossed over in order 
to attain enlightenment. The Gunas express themselves by means of 
Senses (desires) and Organs of Action (Karmaendriyas) such as hands, 
legs, mouth and genitals. 

Indriyani: The Senses. The Senses not only represent the functions of 
five Senses, but also the raw impulse or drive (desire) to obtain sense 
objects. They also stand for attachment and possessiveness. They 
represent the Id in modern psychiatry. 

Ishwara: The Lord. Parameshwara: The Supreme Lord. 

Jiva: Same as Atman. 

Jnana: Knowledge. In the Gita this term refers to Knowledge of 
Atman. 


Jnanayoga: This is the art and science of Yoga by which one 
renounces his desire for, attachment to and possessiveness of sense 
objects and progressively attains the Knowledge of Atman. In the Gita 
this was given to Brahmins to replace Kamya Karma (desire-driven 
sacrifices). 

Karma: Action; a sacrificial ritual ("the Works"); obligatory duty 
designated by one's social class; fruit of one's action known as 
Karmaphala. 

Kamya Karma: This refers to desire-driven action. In the Bhagavad 
Gita it refers to sacrificial rites performed to gain wealth and heaven. 

Karmaphala: Fruit of one's action. The Brahmanic theory said that all 
actions lead to earning Karmaphala. The fruits of our actions 
accumulate. When one dies, he would go to hell or heaven depending 
upon the quality of his fruits. After exhausting his merit or demerit, he 
would be reborn on earth in a higher or lower class of people. This 
cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is known as Samsara. This theory 
motivated people to do good works in life. It also explained to them 
the cause of their current misery in life. 

Karmayoga: This is the Yoga of Selfless Action. In the Gita this was 
given to Kshatriyas to replace Kamya Karma. 

Kshatriyas: The warrior class. They are second of the two upper 
classes in the four-tier Varnashrama Dharma. Many of them were 
brilliant philosophers. Most Upanishadic philosophy was their creation. 
In fact, the revolution to overthrow Brahmanism in the Bhagavad Gita 
was led by them. 

Manas: The Mind, the middle of three components of the mental 
apparatus. Its three functions are thinking, feeling and acting. 
Dwandwa is experienced in this part. Manas is superior to the Senses 
(Indriyani) and inferior to the Buddhi (Intellect). 

Moksha: The Bhagavatha concept of liberation of Atman from 
Samsara, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, resulting in union with 
the Supreme Lord. 

Nirvana: The Upanishadic concept of liberation from Samsara and the 
final merger of Atman with Brahman 

Prajapati: The Vedic Lord of beings; also known as Brahma. 


Prakriti: Nature, which manifests itself in the form of three Gunas: 
Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. 

Purusha: Literally, a person, the same as Atman. 

Samadhi: It is the ultimate goal of Yoga. It is a mystical experience in 
which one attains Absolute Bliss of Atman by means of the Mind's 
merger with Atman. 

Sanyasa: Renouncing attachment to sense objects. The first of two 
pillars of Yoga. 

Shishya: An Upanishadic disciple. 

Shruthi: Ancient "revealed" scriptures. Literal meaning is "that which 
was heard." 

Smrithi: Ancient epics that are rooted in Shruthis. Literal meaning is 
"remembered" scriptures. 

Sthithaprajnya: This is a steady state of mind which has attained 
Bliss of Atman and immunity to worldly stress (Dwandwa and Grief). 
This is also known as the state of Self-realization. 

Sudras: The labor class of people, who did menial tasks in the society. 
They were not allowed to hear the Shruthis. 

Sukham: The Bliss one experiences when his mind comes in contact 
with Atman. This counters Shokam (Grief). 

Shokam: Grief one experiences when one loses someone he is 
attached to. This happens because one's attachment to people leads to 
loss of knowledge that Atman is deathless. 

Tyaga: Renouncing the fruit of one's action, the second of two pillars 
of Yoga. 

Upanishads: These are also "revealed" scriptures which are basically 
opposed to Brahmanism. However, they were incorporated into the 
Vedic literature by Brahmanism as Vedanta, the end of the Vedas, as a 
way to silence them. Most of the Upanishads were the creation of 
Kshatriyas. 


Vaishyas: The third of four classes of people, whose profession was 
business and cattle-raising. 

Varnashrama Dharma: This is the hierarchical class system by which 
the Brahmanic society was divided into four classes: Brahmins, 
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. Then there were outcastes, who 
were outside the pale of the society. 

Vedas: "Revealed" ancient scriptures: Rig Veda; Yajur Veda; Sama 
Veda, and Atharva Veda. Also known as Shruthis, that which was 
heard. 

Vishayan: Sense objects such as money, wealth, people, power, etc. 

Yoga: This word stems from the word "yoke." It means harnessing 
oneself to a specific task with single-minded concentration. 

The Apparatus of Mind 

To understand the essential wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, we must 
first understand the hierarchy of the apparatus of mind. It is 
impossible to understand the Bhagavad Gita without first mastering 
the following information: 

3:42: The Senses (Indriyani) are superior to the Mind (Manas); 
the Mind is superior to the Senses; Intellect (Buddhi) is 
superior to the Mind; and that which is superior to the Intellect 
is Atman. 
Let us study the picture below carefully. 


1. The Mind (Manas, self) is the large oval in the center of the picture 
below. Its three functions are thinking (likes and dislikes); feeling 
(pleasure and pain), and action (gain and loss). The wavy line in the 
center of the Mind illustrates the Dwandwa (pairs of opposites). The 
Manas represents the Ego of Freudian psychology. 
2. The Senses (Indriyani) are the five udder-like projections hanging 
from the lower part of the Mind in the picture below. Their main 
functions are to desire sense objects such as food, drinks, wealth, 
power, land, etc., and to get attached to them. The Senses also 
represent raw impulses and drives. The Senses represent the Id part 
of Freudian psychology. When the Senses come into contact with 
sense objects, the Mind experiences Dwandwa. The Senses have seven 
allies, which are rooted in the Gunas: lust, jealous rage, hubris, 
possessiveness, greed, jealousy, and insecurity. When these 
weaknesses infect the Senses, the Mind's Dwandwa becomes severe 
and one indulges in self-destructive and evil acts. 
3. Sense objects (Vishayan) are shown as five small circles at the 
very bottom. These represent various objects, both tangible and 
intangible. The Senses desire for, get attached to and become 
possessive of them. In the picture below, the broken lines represent 
attachments of the Senses to sense objects. 
4. The Intellect (Buddhi) is the medium-sized oval over the Mind. It 
represents Wisdom. The seven components of Buddhi are: memory, 
knowledge, judgment, insight, reasoning, moral values and 
noble virtues. The Intellect has a stabilizing effect on the Mind. The 
more the Mind girdled with Wisdom, less Dwandwa it suffers. When 

the Mind firmly yokes itself with Buddhi, it becomes Buddhiyukta, or 
wise. This part of the mind represents Superego of Freudian 
psychology. 

5. Atman is the small circle above the Intellect. This is the Self, the 
essence of man, the divinity within him. It is the Brahman in the body. 
It is deathless, eternal and indestructible. It is also free from desire, 
attachment, possessiveness and action. In this desireless state, It is 
the seat of Absolute Bliss. When the Buddhiyukta Mind merges with 
Atman after giving up all desire, attachment and possessiveness, it 
attains a steady state of Mind that is absolutely peaceful and immune 
to stress. This state of Mind is known as Sthithaprajnya. This is when 
one is said to have attained Self-realization. Samadhi is the ultimate 
transcendental state of Mind in which one is totally oblivious to the 
world around him and his Atman has merged with Brahman. 
Self-realization 

The picture below illustrates the progression of the Mind in the 
direction of Self-realization. The first picture represents the mind of a 
non-Yogi. 
The second picture represents the mind of a practicing Yogi. The Mind 
is firmly yoked with Buddhi; the Senses are withdrawn (desires are 
controlled); attachments to sense objects have decreased, and the 
sense objects have become less important. One's actions become 
increasingly selfless. 
The third picture represents the mind of the Self-realized man. The 
Mind is yoked with Buddhi and centered on Atman. The Senses are 
withdrawn; attachments are almost gone, and the sense objects are 
not important at all. 


Progression from mediocrity to Self-realization 



CHAPTER TWO 

The Two Distinct Contexts of the Bhagavad Gita 

The Bhagavad Gita, The Song of the Lord, is a beautiful 700 shloka 
long poem universally acknowledged as the Soul of Hindu Dharma and 
philosophy. It is, for the most part, a dialogue between Lord Krishna 
and Pandava prince Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra just as the 
Great War of the Mahabharata epic was to begin. This is the 
Mahabharata context of the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita has 
another context: Historical. Without the knowledge of this context, it is 
next to impossible to make proper sense of most of the shlokas in it. 
This context consists of consequences of decay of Brahmanism, 
ancient India's instrument of social order, in the post-Vedic period of 
India's history. Most available commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita 
make no mention of this context. Either the authors are not aware of 
it, or they do not want to acknowledge it. 

The Mahabharata Context 

The original version of the Mahabharata epic, known simply as Jaya 
(Victory), was said to have been composed by a great sage by the 
name of Vyasa probably between 900 and 500 B.C. E. It had about 
9,000 shlokas in it. Over the ensuing centuries the epic Jaya grew to 
about ten times its original length and acquired the title, the 
Mahabharata, the story of the Great Bharatas. The current version of 
the Mahabharata has nearly 100,000 shlokas in it, and it is longest 
epic ever written! 

The Mahabharata epic is primarily about a Great War between two sets 
of cousin princes over the inheritance of their ancestral kingdom of 
Kuru in northwest India about three thousand years ago. These cousin 
princes of Kuru family at war were collectively known as the Bharatas, 
being the descendents of the great legendary king Bharata who lived 
several generations earlier. The conflict begins when the five virtuous 
Pandava princes, sons of the late king Pandu, demand their share of 
kingdom from their cousins, the Kauravas. The legitimacy of their 
demand comes under cloud because their father had abdicated his 
throne and retired to the forest when he was still young. The Pandava 
princes were born and raised in the forest. The blind older brother of 
king Pandu, Dhritharashtra by name, took over the kingship and 
appointed his one hundred sons, the Kauravas, as his legitimate 
successors. When the Pandavas demand their share of the kingdom, 
the Kauravas decide to get rid of them by hook or by crook. However, 


failing to assassinate the Pandavas by various devious means, the 
Kauravas finally agree to divide the kingdom under pressure from the 
elders of the clan. 

As the mighty and noble Pandavas expand their kingdom and prosper, 
the Kauravas become consumed with jealous rage for their success. 
Unable to annihilate the Pandavas by force the Kauravas now resort to 
stratagem to recover what they had lost through settlement. They 
invite the Pandavas to play dice with them. Their fraudulent maternal 
uncle rigs the game. In the heat of the game, the Pandavas, led by 
their naïve oldest sibling Yudhistira, lose their head and gamble away 
their kingdom, themselves, and finally, even their common wife, 
Draupadi. The Kauravas humiliate the vanquished Pandavas in public 
court. The elders intervene again, and a compromise is reached 
according to which the Pandavas must spend thirteen years in exile, 
one of which incognito, before getting back their kingdom. 

The Pandavas return from their thirteen year long exile stronger than 
ever due to their alliance with powerful neighboring kings. Chief 
among their allies is a wise prince of Yadava tribe and Vrishni family, 
known as Krishna. When they demand the return of their lost 
kingdom, now firmly in power, the Kauravas refuse to oblige. All 
attempts at mediation for a fair settlement fail. The Kauravas even 
refuse to concede just five villages to the Pandavas. The Great War 
becomes inevitable. Rulers of various kingdoms of India polarize to 
one side or the other. On the designated day, both sides meet face to 
face on the great battlefield of Kurukshetra. At this critical juncture, 
prince Arjuna, the greatest warrior among the Pandavas, suffers a 
sever panic attack at the prospect of killing his own people. Suffering 
from anticipatory grief (Shokam), fickleness of mind (Dwandwam) 
and fearing bad consequences from his action (Karmaphalam), 
Arjuna decides to walk away from the battle. The 64 shloka-long 
parable of the distraught prince Arjuna, known simply as the Gita, 
begins at this point in the Mahabharata. For the purposes of our 
discussion, let us name this Gita the Original Gita. 

The Historical Context: The Original Gita: Doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma 

The Historical context consists of the reason why the Original Gita was 
added to the perennially expanding Mahabharata epic around 350 B. 

C. Like the Mahabharata epic, the Original Gita was a quintessentially 
Brahmanic text. Its main goal was to promote Varnashrama Dharma, 
the hierarchical class system that divided the Brahmanic society into 

four profession-based classes (18:41-45). The Varnashrama Dharma 
was one of four pillars on which Brahmanic Dharma rested, the other 
three pillars being, sanctity of the ancient, orally transmitted scriptures 
known as the Vedas (17:24); sacrificial rites known as Karma or Yajna 
(17:1), and supremacy of Brahmins over the other three classes 
(Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras, 18:41-44). This class system was 
rooted in the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma (3:5, 
27,33;18:59-60). These doctrines stated that everyone helplessly 
performs his socially designated duty born from the Gunas (Qualities), 
an irresistible mysterious force of nature within him. Furthermore, the 
consequences of one's actions, known as Karmaphala, accumulate, 
and one goes to hell or heaven depending on the accumulated sin or 
merit (9:20). After the exhaustion of the sins or merit, however, one 
would return to the earth to suffer or enjoy another life (9:21). His 
status in his current life is determined by the quality of his action in 
the past life (6:41). This belief system gave the evolving Brahmanic 
society of ancient India a semblance of stability and order. Over time 
the nexus of two upper classes of Brahmanism, Brahmin priests and 
Kshatriya aristocrats, became infected with greed and arrogance. They 
began to abuse sacrificial rites and the class system for personal gains. 
A large number of disgusted and aggrieved people of all classes, 
especially Kshatriyas, began to abandon Brahmanism in favor of 
burgeoning heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism, Jainism and other 
assorted Dharmas. All these heterodox Dharmas, which the Bhagavad 
Gita refers to as Para-Dharmas (3:35; 18:47), had little regard for 
Brahmanism, especially for the Varnashrama Dharma. Whereas some 
of them, such as Buddhism, were indifferent to it, the others, such a 
Lokayata, were blatantly hostile to it. 

At this critical moment in the history of Brahmanism, when the 
ascendance of Para-Dharmas gravely threatened the very existence of 
Varnshrama Dharma, the author of the Original Gita brilliantly 
accomplished the feat of promoting it by inserting into the text of the 
Mahabharata a parable in which a disgusted and aggrieved prince 
wishes to abandon his Kshatriya Dharma at the critical moment when 
the Great War was about to begin, and his wise friend prince Krishna 
gives him a crash course on the fundamentals of the Varnashrama 
Dharma and the need for him to perform his bounden duty as a 
warrior. This 64 shloka long parable is the Original Gita. We will study 
the Original Gita in the next chapter. Here is the outline of that 
parable. 


The parable of a distraught warrior: Grief, Dwandwa and fear of 
Karmaphala 

Just as the Great War of the Mahabharata is about to begin, a 
supremely confident Pandava prince Arjuna (1:20) decides to take a 
final look at all the enemies he is about to slaughter. He asks prince 
Krishna, his best friend, guide, brother-in-law, and presently his 
charioteer, to park his chariot between the two armies (1:21-22). The 
stage is now set to for one of the most dramatic moments of the 
Mahabharata epic as well as ancient India's turbulent history. 

At this critical moment, Arjuna suddenly becomes sad out of 
compassion for his kin whom he must kill to regain his kingdom 
(1:27). He develops a severe panic attack (1:28-30) due to fear of 
earning bad Karmaphala (sin) on account of killing his own people 
(1:31, 36). His emotional attachment to his adversaries causes Arjuna 
to suffer doubt and fickleness of mind known as Dwandwa (1:35, 46). 
He renounces both the rewards of Brahmanism for performing his 
socially designated duty: victory, empire and pleasure here on earth 

(1:31) and lordship of heaven hereafter (1:35). Thus paralyzed by 
Grief, Dwandwa and fear of bad Karmaphala, Arjuna refuses to fight 
(1:47). 
Victorious you will enjoy the earth; dead you will go to heaven 

Prince Krishna scolds Arjuna that his behavior is unmanly, shameful, 
ignoble, heaven-barring and indicative of feebleness of mind and heart 
unbecoming of a noble prince (2:2-3). He reminds Arjuna of his 
Kshatriya (warrior class) duty (2:31) as dictated by the Brahmanic 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma (3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60). Prince 
Krishna argues that Arjuna's obligation to perform his socially 
designated duty as a Kshatriya surpasses all other personal 
consideration (2:33). Victorious in the battle he would gain the earth 
and enjoy lordship here on earth; dead on the battlefield he would 
gain heaven hereafter (2:37). Either way, he would earn good 
Karmaphala by performing his socially designated duty. 

If you renounce your socially designated duty you will suffer 
dishonor here on earth and hell hereafter 

On the contrary, says prince Krishna, if Arjuna refused to fight, 
abandoning his socially designated duty as per Varnashrama Dharma 
he would court disgrace in the eye of his peers (2:33) here on earth. 
"Dishonor in the society is worse than death," says prince Krishna 


(2:34-35). Besides, by abdicating his socially designated duty, he 
would earn bad Karmaphala (2:33), which implied that he would go 
straight to hell hereafter. According to Brahmanism, one is totally 
helpless against the dictates of one's Guna, and it is useless to even 
try to repress it (3:33). If he thought that he could rebel against the 
dictates of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, he was merely 
deluded by his Ahamkara (egoism) (3:27; 18:59). Prince Krishna says, 

"Bound by your own Karma born of your Guna that which you 
wish not to do, even that you shall do helplessly against your 
own will, O Kaunteya!" (18:60) 

Thus shamed and browbeaten by prince Krishna's stern lecture about 
his Kshatriya duty bound by his Guna and Karma; fearing shame here 
on earth and hell hereafter for not performing it; giving up his egoism, 
and submitting helplessly to the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, 
Arjuna overcomes his Grief, Dwandwa and fear of earning bad 
Karmaphala, and resigns himself to do what must be done: fight 
(18:73). This, in brief, is the essence of the 64 shloka long Brahmanic 
Original Gita. 

It should be noted here that the Original Gita was not in the form of a 
thoughtful and investigative dialogue characteristic of the Upanishadic 
Gita that succeeded it. In the Original Gita prince Arjuna simply 
expresses his misgiving about the war and prince Krishna issues a 
sharp scolding for it and a delivers a stern lecture on the necessity, 
virtues, and benefit of performing his Kshatriya Duty (Dharma) as per 
the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. In the Original Gita, from the 
beginning to the end the relationship between prince Arjuna and prince 
Krishna remains that of equals. Prince Krishna is neither the Guru 

(2:7) nor the Lord of beings (4:6) of the Upanishadic Gita, nor is he 
the Supreme Lord of the Bhagavatha Dharma (11:3). Arjuna's 
surrender is only to the doctrine of the Gunas and Karma, and not to 
prince Krishna. He merely acknowledges prince Krishna's grace and 
agrees to act according to his word (18:73). 
Let us now review the 64 shloka-long Original Gita embedded in the 
text of the Bhagavad Gita. 


CHAPTER THREE 

The Original Gita 

Varnashrama Dharma and the Doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma 


As we read before, there are only 64 shlokas from the Original Gita in 
the current text of the Bhagavad Gita. The following 45 shlokas, 
invoking the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
constitute the essence of the Original Gita. The remaining 636 shlokas 
in the text of the Bhagavad Gita were interpolated by various authors 
later. They have nothing to do with Arjuna's dilemma. We will study 
these in great detail later. The first 19 shlokas of the Original Gita, 
introducing various heroes participating in the Great War and dealing 
with preparation for the war, have been excluded here for the sake of 
brevity. 

Arjuna gets ready for the battle 

1:20: Sanjaya said to Dhritharashtra: O Lord of the Earth, viewing 
the army of Dritharashtra thus arrayed battle-ready against 
him, Pandava (Arjuna), whose flag adorned Hanuman (monkey 
God, the symbol of strength and loyalty), lifted his bow and said 
the following words to Hrishikesa (Krishna). 
In the above shloka, Arjuna lifts his bow as a symbol of his self-
confidence and battle-readiness. He was resolved to kill his enemies 
and gain back his kingdom. 

Arjuna wishes to look at his adversaries 

1:21-23: Place my chariot, O Achyuta, between the two armies 
so that I may behold the war-minded that stand here, with 
whom I must wage this war. I desire to look at those that 
throng here to fight, intent on pleasing in battle the evil-
minded son of Dhratarashtra. 

A supremely confident Arjuna asks prince Krishna to park his chariot in 
the demilitarized zone between the two armies so that he can assess 
his enemies before the battle ensues. Considering what follows, I can 
hardly resist the temptation to interpret this shloka as a metaphor for 
Arjuna requesting prince Krishna to, "establish my mind in the 
Dwandwa-free zone!" 


Arjuna experiences anticipatory Grief 

1:24-27: Thus requested by Gudakesha, Hrishikesha, O Bharata, 
having placed the best of chariots in between the two armies; 
facing Bheeshma and Drona and all the rulers of earth, spoke, 
"O Partha, behold all the Kurus gathered together." Standing 
there Partha then saw in both the armies, paternal uncles, 
grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, cousins, sons, 
grandsons, comrades, fathers-in-law and benefactors. He, the 
son of Kunti, gazing at those kinsmen posted in positions spoke 
thus in sadness, filled as he was with choking compassion. 

When one expects to lose someone he is emotionally attached to, he 
suffers from anticipatory grief. This grief would certainly be heightened 
greatly if one must kill his loved ones by his own hands. Now Arjuna 
feels sorry for his own people. Arjuna faces a new concern: what are 
the consequences of his violence against his own people? 

Fear of earning bad Karmaphala brings on a severe panic attack 

1:28-30: Seeing my kinsmen, collected here prompted by war, 
my limbs fail me, O Krishna, and my mouth is parched up. My 
body quivers and my hairs stand on end. The bow Gandiva slips 
from my hand and my skin burns all over. I am unable to stand; 
my mind whirls as it were; and Kesava, I see adverse omens. 

The thought of killing his own people arrayed against him, Arjuna 
suffers a panic attack. Panic attack is an emotional distress with many 
severe physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms brought 
on by one's mind getting flooded with fear. What was Arjuna afraid of? 
Based on all we know of him from the Mahabharata, his fear is highly 
unlikely to be that of fear of dying in battle. Rather, his fear was that 
of earning grave sin by killing his hapless relatives and friends, his own 
people. Committing sin means earning bad Karmaphala by doing 
something wrong in the eye of one's Dharma. According to 
Brahmanism, one who commits sin goes straight to hell after death 
(1:44). 

1:36: What delight can we derive, O Janardana, by doing away 
with these sons of Dritharastra? Sin (bad Karmaphala) only will 
accrue to us by slaying these desperados. 
1:45: Goaded by greed of pleasures of a kingdom we are, alas, 
bent on perpetrating the great sin of killing our kinsmen. 

In the above two shlokas, Arjuna expresses grave concern about 
earning sin or bad Karmaphala by his action. 

Arjuna suffers from Dwandwa due to attachment to his own 
people 

In the following three shlokas, Arjuna questions the first of two basic 
premises of Brahmanism: perform your duty and gain victory, empire 
and pleasure here on earth. 

1:31-32: I do not foresee any good ensuing from the slaughter 
of my own people in battle. O Krishna, I hanker not for victory 
or empire or even pleasure. Of what avail to us is kingdom or 
enjoyment or even life, O Govinda? 

1:37: We should not therefore slay the sons of Dhratarashtra, 
our kinsmen; for how can we, O Madhava, killing our own 
kinsmen be happy? 
In the following shloka, Arjuna questions the second of two basic 
premises of Brahmanism: perform your duty and attain heaven 
hereafter. 

1:35: Though myself slain by them, I would not, O 
Madhusudana, seek to slay them even for the sake of 
domination over three worlds, how then for the earth? 
Now Arjuna expresses his disgust with the whole situation: 

1:33-34: Those for whose sake we seek kingdom, enjoyment 
and pleasures, they stand here in battle, staking life and 
property: Teachers, fathers, sons as well as grandfathers, 
brothers-in-law and other relatives. 

Arjuna expresses disgust at the fact that his own people, for whose 
sake he was waging the war, are willing to give up everything to fight 
him! Who are these people who have given up their attachment to life 
and wealth? Well, I suspect that in the Historical context this enigmatic 
shloka refers to Sramanas, the ascetics of the heterodox Dharmas, 
who gave up all attachment to worldly things and opposed 
Brahmanism tooth and nail. 

Unable to resolve his mental conflict, Arjuna conjures up a 
strange scenario: 


1:46: Should the sons of Dhratarashtra with weapons in hand 
slay me, unresisting and unarmed in the battle that would 
indeed be better for me. 
Dwandwa-stricken Arjuna considers abandoning his own Dharma 

1:47: So saying, overwhelmed with grief in the battlefield, 
Arjuna sat on the seat of his chariot, abandoning his bow and 
arrows. 
Unable to find an acceptable solution to his predicament, Arjuna 
resorts to renouncing his claim for his own kingdom in return for 
avoiding earning bad Karmaphala. In effect, Arjuna decides to 
abandon his bounden duty as dictated by Varnashrama Dharma. Note 
here the contrast between shloka 1:20, in which Arjuna lifts his bow, 
symbolic of doing his Dharma, and shloka 1:47, in which he abandons 
it, symbolic of his abandoning it. If this shloka were to be the 
summary of the BG Chapter One, it would read as follows: 

So saying, overwhelmed by Grief; his mind befuddled by 
Dwandwa; and paralyzed by the fear of earning bad Karmaphala, 
Arjuna consideres abandoning his Kshatriya Dharma. 

[In the Historical context this was exactly what aggrieved Kshatriyas 
were doing in the post-Vedic period of India. Disgusted by the 
obsession of the upper classes with earning Karmaphala by means of 
sacrificial rites, they were giving up their Kshatriya Dharma and 
becoming Sramanas, inactive monks. So, 1:47 is the crucial shloka 
that instigates prince Krishna's stern lecture on the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma. ] 

Prince Krishna chastises and shames Arjuna 

2:1-3: Sanjaya said to Dhritharashtra: Madhusudana spoke these 
words to Arjuna who was overwhelmed with compassion and 
was grieving with eyes full of tears: Arjuna, how could you 
have these impure, ignoble (Unarya), heaven-barring and 
dishonorable thoughts at this critical juncture? Do not yield to 
this impotence! It does not befit you. Give up this petty feebleheartedness 
and stand up! 

Prince Krishna chastises Arjuna by pointing out to him that his 
behavior is unbecoming of a noble Kshatriya. Arjuna's behavior is 
impure because it is indicative of feeble-heartedness and unmanliness. 


His refusal to fight is not befitting an Arya (nobleman), and it would 
certainly bring dishonor to him here on earth and disbarment from 
heaven hereafter. 

Shame has always been a powerful motivator in India where 
conforming to social norms and expectations has always been of 
paramount importance. Shame is what one feels when he believes that 
he is looked down upon by those in society for doing something wrong 
in their eyes. Brahmanism controlled the society by means of shaming 
the dissenters. "When you do something, always keep in mind what 
ten people in the society think of you!" has always been the message 
of Brahmanism. Besides, who are you to question the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma? 

In the Historical context, by means of these three shlokas Brahmanism 
scholars try to shame all those Kshatriyas who were abandoning 
Brahmanism to embrace Para-Dharmas. 

[Note here that heroism, honor, nobility, gaining wealth and heaven 
are the hallmarks of Kshatriyas as per the dictates of Brahmanism. In 
the Upanishadic Gita that follows immediately, these epithets are 
entirely discarded. The message of the Upanishadic Krishna is that 
Arjuna should act without regards to honor or dishonor (14:25), gain 
or loss (2:38), good Karma or bad (2:50-51). "Do the right thing, and 
don't worry about what others think of you!" is the message of the 
Upanishads (18:63). 

Prince Krishna reminds Arjuna about his duty as a Kshatriya 

2:31-32: Prince Krishna continued: Looking at your own duty as 
well, you should not waver; for there is nothing more welcome 
to a Kshatriya than righteous war. Happy are the Kshatriyas, O 
Partha, who obtain such warfare that comes unsought as an 
open gateway to heaven. 

Every Kshatriya should eagerly seek to perform his duty to fight a 
righteous war, and he should look at it as an opportunity to gain 
wealth here on earth and heaven hereafter. Once again, heaven is a 
very desirable place to go to as far as Brahmanism is concerned. 

Dishonor here on earth and hell hereafter! 

2:33-36: Lord Krishna continued: If you will not wage this 
righteous warfare, then forfeiting your own duty and honor, 


you will incur sin (and go to hell). People will forever recount 
your infamy. To the honored, infamy is certainly worse than 
death. The great chariot-warriors will view you as one who fled 
the war out of fear; you that were highly esteemed by them 
will be lightly held. Your enemy will also slander your strength 
and speak many unseemly words. What could be more painful 
than that? 

Nothing is worse than shame in the soceity for an honorable Kshatriya. 
Infamy for abandoning his bounden duty would make life a hell here 
on earth, and guarantees one hell hereafter. What can be worse than 
this? 

If you win you will enjoy the earth; if you die you will go to 
heaven 

2:37: Slain you will gain heaven; victorious you will enjoy the 
earth. Therefore rouse up O son of Kunti and be resolved to 
fight. 
This shloka explains the two fundamental concerns of Brahmanism: 

Life here on earth and hereafter. 

The doctrine of the Gunas 

Now prince Krishna explains to Arjuna the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma. Since the Original Gita was not an Upanishad, Arjuna 
does not ask Krishna a question to instigate the following lecture. 

3:5: None can remain really actionless even for a moment; for 
everyone is helplessly driven to action by the Gunas born of 
Prakriti. 
According to Brahmanism, the Gunas are irresistible force of nature 
(Prakriti) within us that relentlessly drives all our actions. The word 
'helplessly' is invariably associated with the force of the Gunas. It was 
the view of the Brahmanical seers that no one could defy it even if he 
wished to (18:60). Aside from making everyone believe that they were 
mere puppets in the hands of the Gunas, this doctrine gave no hope of 
redemption for anyone who indulged in evil behavior. Even a thief 
could justify his behavior as his duty (Dharma) driven by his Guna! 

[We will read later how the Upanishadic seers point out that the Gunas 
also make people commit stupid (2:62-63) and evil acts (3:36-40) by 


virtue of the fact that all common human weaknesses such as desire, 
hatred, attachment, and delusion are rooted in them.] 

3:27: The Gunas of Prakriti perform all Karma (action). With the 
understanding clouded by egoism, man thinks, "I am the doer." 
As we read earlier, whenever a man resisted the dictates of 
Brahmanism, he was branded as deluded by egoism (Ahamkara). One 
must meekly submit to the dictates of the society and not "make 
waves." Any dissent or self-assertion is considered as the sign 
of ignorance engendered by Ahamkara. One must always be humble 
and obedient. This doctrine kept people of all four classes in their 
proper place. Upstarts had no place in Brahmanical society. Due to this 
rigid tendency, all innovative ideas were stifled, and dissenters had no 
choice but to abandon Brahmanism when it became thoroughly 
corrupted. 

3:33: Even a wise man behaves in conformity with his own 
nature (Guna); beings follow nature (the Gunas); what shall 
restraints avail? 
Who is a wise man according to Brahmanism? A wise man is one who 
attains perfection (Samsiddhim) by faithfully performing his 
designated duty (18:45). Prince Krishna reminds Arjuna that it is 
pointless to resist the force of the Gunas. He should just do what 
comes naturally to him. Again the operative word here is helplessness. 

18:17: He who is free from the notion of egoism (Ahamkara) and 
whose understanding (wisdom) is not tainted (by Ahamkara), 
though he kills people, he kills not; nor is he bound (by his 
actions). 
One, who acts without the ignorance of Ahamkara, is acting according 
to his Guna assigned to him by Brahmanic Dharma. And therefore, he 
does not earn any bad Karmaphala (sin) even if he kills people. How 
can a warrior killing enemies in the line of duty earn sin? In fact, he 
would earn honor here on earth and heaven hereafter. Just in case 
Arjuna forgot how powerful the Gunas are, prince Krishna reminds 
Arjuna: 

18:40: There is no being on earth, or again in heaven among 
the Devas, that is liberated from the three Gunas, born of 
Prakriti. 

When even the Devas are under the spell of the Gunas, how can mere 
mortal like Arjuna resist its force? 

The Varnashrama Dharma 

Now prince Krishna explains how the three Gunas are distributed 
among the four classes of Varnashrama Dharma. 

18:41: The duties of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, as 
also of Sudras, O scorcher of foes, are distributed according to 
the Gunas born of their own nature. 
One's duty is dictated by the class in which one is born. This, in turn, 
is determined by the Gunas assigned to that class. 

18:45: Devoted each to his own duty, man attains the highest 
perfection. How engaged in his own duty, he attains perfection, 
that do you hear. 
What is it that one attains by doing his own duty? It is the status of 
highest perfection (Sumsiddhim). This merely means one has attained 
the highest social status in his class by being an ideal member of the 
Brahmanic society. It is like being given Bharata Ratna title to a 
distinguished person. This is not the state of Self-realization of the 
Upanishadic seers. Atman and Brahman are not in this equation. 

18:42: Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, 
and also uprightness, knowledge, realization, belief in a 
hereafter-these are the duties of Brahmanas, born of their own 
nature. 
As can be seen, the Brahmins assigned themselves the highest Guna, 
namely, Satvic. Note here that the belief in the hereafter was essential 
to Brahmanism. This belief was rooted in the doctrine of Karma: when 
one earns enough Karmaphala, he would attain heaven or go to hell, 
depending upon the nature of his deeds. 

18:43: Heroism, vigor, firmness, resourcefulness, not fleeing 
from battle, generosity and lordliness are the duties of the 
Kshatriyas born of their own nature. 
These qualities rooted in Rajasic Guna defined the behavior of 
Kshatriyas. 


18:44: Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of 
the Vaishyas, born of their own nature; and action consisting of 
service is the duty of the Sudras born of their own nature. 
The lower classes were assigned the Guna which defined their 
respective professions. 

Prince Krishna browbeats Arjuna with Brahmanism's ultimate 
weapon: Ahamkara 

18:59-60: If filled with Ahamkara, you think, "I will not fight," 
vain is this, your resolve; your nature (Guna) will compel you. 
Bound by your own Karma (comeuppance) born of your nature 
(Guna), that, which from delusion (of your Ahamkara) you wish 
not to do, even that you shall do helplessly against your will, O 
Kaunteya. 

In these defining Brahmanic shlokas, prince Krishna finally browbeats 
Arjuna with the ultimate weapon of Brahmanism: Ahamkara. He 
reminds Arjuna how helpless he is in the face of the overwhelming 
force of the Gunas and Karma. If this were true, there was no need at 
all for prince Krishna to intervene and give Arjuna a lecture on the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. All he had to do was to sit tight in 
his chariot and wait for Arjuna to helplessly resume fighting. 

18:72: Has this been heard by you, O Partha, with an attentive 
mind? Has the delusion of your ignorance (engendered by your 
Ahamkara) been destroyed, O Dhananjaya? 
The reader should note here that the delusion of ignorance prince 
Krishna refers to in this Brahmanic shloka is that of Ahamkara. What 
this means is that when a man becomes egoistic, his mind becomes 
disconnected from his inner sense of duty as dictated by Brahmanic 
Dharma. In contrast, the ignorance mentioned in the Upanishadic Gita 
that follows is that engendered by the Gunas themselves, and not by 
Ahamkara. 

A meek Arjuna surrenders to the doctrine of the Gunas and 
Karma 

18:73: His Ahamkara thus "deflated" by prince Krishna's scolding and 
lecture on the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, Arjuna says: My 
delusion (engendered by my Ahamkara) is destroyed. I have 
regained my memory (of my duty) through your grace, O 

Achyuta. I am firm (free from panic and Grief); I am free from 
doubt (Dwandwa). I shall act (to win the war and enjoy the earth, or 
die in battle and attain heaven) according to your word (regarding 
the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma). 

The above Brahmanic shloka obliquely addresses the issues of 
Arjuna's Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam by means of 
Arjuna's complete surrender to the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. 
Arjuna then resigns himself to performing helplessly his Kshatriya duty 
as per Kshatriya Dharma. Note here that in the Original Gita, Arjuna 
does not surrender to prince Krishna as he does in the Upanishadic 
Gita (2:7). He merely says that he will act according to prince 
Krishna's word. The relationship between Arjuna and Krishna remains 
that of equals from the beginning to the end. 

As will study in the future chapters how, in contrast to the Brahmanic 
Gita, the Upanishadic Gita tells Arjuna to willfully choose to perform 
action (18:63) without regards to honor or dishonor (14:25). Both the 
Upanishadic Gita and Bhagavatha Gita attempt to overthrow 
Brahmanism on the pretext of addressing these three issues posed by 
Arjuna in the Original Gita: Shokam, Dwandwam and 
Karmaphalam. 


CHAPTER FOUR 
The Three Distinct Gitas 


Through the prism of dispassionate scrutiny 

If the Bhagavad Gita has only 64 shlokas of the Original Gita in its 
text, how can we account for the remaining 636 shlokas in it? And 
what purpose do they serve? Who added them, when and why? Why 
do all the currently available commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita 
pretend as if all these shlokas belonged in the Original Gita, and that 
their only goal was to motivate Arjuna to fight? Now things get a little 
complicated. Let me explain it this way: 

If we showed a white sheet of paper to a child and asked, "What color 
is this paper?" the child would answer, "White." If we gave that paper 
to a physicist and asked him the same question, he would reply, "This 
paper appears to be of white color. But in fact, white is made up of 
seven different colors, the same colors we see in a rainbow." To the 
open-minded skeptics, he might prove his point by passing a beam of 
bright light through a transparent prism and projecting the emerging 
spectrum of seven colors on a white screen. If we showed the same 
white paper to some people whose livelihood depends on believing 
that white is a distinct color by itself, they might refuse to accept the 
result of the physicist's experiment no matter how scientifically 
accurate and convincing it might be to reasonable people. History has 
repeatedly taught us that the forces of darkness fueled by blind faith 
and kindled by survival instinct is almost always more enduring than 
the forces of light promoted by reason engendered by dispassionate 
scrutiny. The Inquisition of the 17th century Italian scientist Galileo 
Galilei by the ignorant Roman Catholic Clergy, for claiming that planets 
circled the sun, is a prime example of this reality. 

This is exactly the state of affairs with our current understanding of 
the sacred text of the Bhagavad Gita as well. Brahmanic 
commentators of the Bhagavad Gita would like us to believe that it is a 
monolithic text; it was written by one author in one straight stretch; 
its only context is the Mahabharata war, and its only purpose was to 
motivate a despondent Arjuna to resume fighting on the sacred 
battlefield of Kurukshetra. This is like an elderly mother in massive 
denial insisting that her grownup son could fit very well into the small 
shirt he wore as a toddler. Everyone knows she does not make any 
sense, but no one wants to confront her with the reality out of respect 
for her age. 


If we pass the text of the Bhagavad Gita through the prism of 
dispassionate scrutiny, it yields overwhelming evidence that it was 
written by many authors over a vast stretch of time to achieve three 
different goals in two widely divergent contexts. 636 of 700 shlokas in 
the Bhagavad Gita have absolutely no relevance to Arjuna's 
predicament on the battlefield. They have to do with the Upanishadic 
and Bhagavatha revolutions to overthrow Brahmanism, and 
Brahmanism's counterrevolution to reestablish its authority. In order 
to explain away this unpleasant reality, various Brahmanic 
commentators have indulged in much verbosity, distortion, 
obfuscation, misinterpretation and misrepresentation. 

Jigsaw puzzle pieces from three different boxes 

Another simple way of looking at the Bhagavad Gita is: it is like a large 
box holding 700 pieces of jigsaw puzzle, which originally came from 


The three distinct Gitas in the Bhagavad Gita 

three different smaller boxes with three distinct pictures on their 
covers. The person who claims guardianship of the large box, in total 
denial, insists that the 700 pieces belong to the large box, and that 
they fit well to make one complete picture. However, the reality is that 
they don't fit no matter how well the guardian pretends that they do. 
If one looks at the picture he has attempted to put together, one can 


hardly make any sense of it. Our task is to diligently sort out the 
jigsaw puzzle pieces and assemble them so that the three distinct 
original pictures become visible. 

The reality is that the Bhagavad Gita, as we know it today, has three 
distinct Gitas representing three separate creeds based on three 
different pairs of doctrines, each superimposed on, and interlaced 
with, the other. These three Gitas are hidden in plain sight in the body 
of the text. Only painstaking analysis of the Bhagavad Gita reveals this 
spectrum in all its colorful glory. Before we investigate the process by 
which this came to be, let us take a brief look at these three distinct 
Gitas with three distinct goals. 

1. The Brahmanic Gita promoting the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma 
The Brahmanic Gita promotes the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma (3:5, 27, 33, 35; 18:41-48; 59-60) and all aspects of 
Brahmanism: the Vedas (17:24), Yajnas (4:12; 17:1-12; 18:5), 
Varnashrama Dharma (18:41-45), and supremacy of Brahmins over 
the other three classes (18:42). It forbids class admixture 
(Varnasankara, 1:42-44; 3:24). 


The Brahmanic Dharma 


The main emphasis of Brahmanic Gita is on the need for people of all 
classes to faithfully perform their respective duties as per the dictates 
of Varnashrama Dharma and attain perfection (18:41-45); enjoy life 
here on earth and attain heaven hereafter (2:37); and to prevent 
admixture of classes (Varnasankara, 1:38-44). In fact, it is 
Brahmanism's contention that one must helplessly perform his duty as 
determined by his Guna and Karma and not question it (18:59-60). He 
who attempts to defy them is deluded by his Ahamkara (egoism). The 
64 shloka long Original Gita promoting the Varnashrama Dharma 
is part of this Gita. 

2. The Upanishadic Gita promoting the doctrines of Knowledge 
of Atman and Buddhiyoga 
The primary goal of the Upanishadic Gita is to overthrow Brahmanism 
based on the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, and replace it with a 
New Dharma based on the doctrines of the Knowledge of 
Atman/Brahman and the doctrine of Buddhiyoga (2:39-40). 

The Upanishadic Gita identifies the doctrine of the Gunas as the cause 
of Grief and Dwandwa here on earth; and the doctrine of Karma as the 
cause of Karmaphala resulting in Samsara hereafter. It identifies the 
Gunas as the hotbed of all human weaknesses such as selfish desire, 
jealous rage, attachment and delusion. 

By means of the Upanishadic doctrine of Knowledge of Atman one 
would overcome Grief (2:25-26) and attain Bliss of Atman here on 
earth (2:71; 5:21); and by means of the Upanishadic doctrine of 
Buddhiyoga one would overcome Dwandwa here on earth (2:50); and 
cancel-out Karmaphala (2:51), which would liberate one from Samsara 
hereafter (2:72; 6:15). 

The Upanishadic Gita downgrades or condemns all aspects of 
Brahmanism: The doctrine of the Gunas (2:45; 14:19-20); the 
doctrine of Karma (2:40); the Vedas (2:46, 52-53); the desire-driven 
Yajnas (2:47-49; 3:17-18); the Vedic ritualists (2:41-44); the 
Varnashrama Dharma (5:18-19; 6:29). In this Gita, Brahman replaces 
Vedic gods as the Ultimate Divinity (4:24). 

The Upanishadic Gita also attempts to wean away both Brahmins and 
Kshatriyas from Kamya Karma (desire-driven sacrifices), and to reform 
them by giving Jnanayoga (Knowledge of Atman) to the former (4:19, 
37-38) and Karmayoga (selfless service to humanity) to the latter 
(3:19-23) in its place. 


The Upanishadic Dharma 

In contrast to the hierarchical system of Brahmanism, the hallmark of 
Upanishadism is equality of all people by virtue of the fact that Atman 
is the same in all (6:29). To achieve this state of same-sightedness 
(5:18-19), one must overcome the force of the Gunas by attaining 
Atman and Brahman by means of Yoga. One can overcome the 
doctrine of Karma by acting in the spirit of Buddhiyoga, without 
desiring any fruits. It is the contention of the Upanishads that no one 
is helpless when it comes to action, and that he can choose to act after 
appropriate reflection (18:63). The shlokas that symbolize the 
Upanishadic intent and spirit are: 

2:45: The Vedas enumerate three Gunas (which promote desire, 
attachment, and delusion). You must transcend the three Gunas, O 
Arjuna. Be free from Dwandwa (engendered by attachment to sense 
objects). Being of goodness of mind (being free of Guna-rooted 
weaknesses such as lust and jealous rage), unconcerned with getting 
(earning Karmaphala from your actions) and keeping (becoming 
possessive), be centered on Atman (which gives Bliss here on earth 
and Nirvana hereafter). 
5:18-19: Men of Self-knowledge are same-sighted on a Brahmana 
imbued with learning and humility, a cow (the animal of Brahmins), 


and elephant (the animal of Kshatriyas), a dog (the animal of Sudras) 
and a dog-eating outcaste (untouchable). Transitory existence 
(Samsara) is overcome even here (on earth) by them whose mind 
rests on equality of all beings. Brahman (the Universal Spirit) is 
flawless and same in all; therefore they (those who are same-sighted 
on all beings) are established in Brahman. 

6:29: His mind being harmonized by Yoga (which helps him to 
overcome the Gunas), the Yogi sees himself in all beings and all beings 
in himself; he sees the same in all (he goes beyond hierarchy of class 
system). 
3. The Bhagavatha Gita promoting the doctrines of Lord Krishna 
and Bhaktiyoga 
The goal of the Bhagavatha Gita is to launch a New Dharma centered 
on Lord Krishna as the earthly avatar of Supreme Lord 
(Parameshwara), who replaces Atman/Brahman as the Supreme Deity 
(10:20, 12). This Gita replaces Buddhiyoga with Bhaktiyoga (9:23-33; 
18:65-66) as the means to attain freedom from Grief and Dwandwa 
here on earth, and Moksha (liberation) from Karmaphala, (and 
Samsara) hereafter. Thus Bhaktiyoga counters the Brahmanic doctrine 
of the Gunas and Karma. Lord Krishna absorbs all aspects of 
Brahmanism into Himself, including all the Vedic gods (11:39). 

The main emphasis of the Bhagavatha Gita is on surrendering to Lord 
Krishna and worshipping Him alone in devotion and no one else 
(9:23). In the Bhagavatha Gita, Lord Krishna Himself is the Eternal 
Dharma (14:27). If one takes refuge in Lord Krishna, he would not 
need any other Dharma such as Brahmanic Dharma and its various 
offshoots such as Varnashrama Dharma, Jati Dharma and Kula 
Dharma (1:38-44); Buddhism, Jainism, and the like. By taking refuge 
in Lord Krishna, one could cross over the force of the Gunas (7:14); 
and by dedicating all actions to Him one would overcome the law of 
Karma (9:27-28). 

All this was succinctly expressed by Lord Krishna in His Ultimate 
Shloka, the most profound of all shlokas in the Bhagavatha Gita: 

18:66: Abandon all Dharmas and take refuge in Me alone; I 
shall liberate you from all evil (Grief and Dwandwa engendered 
by the doctrine of the Gunas and Karmaphala engendered by 
the doctrine of Karma); do not grieve! 

The Bhagavatha Dharma 

In the following chapter, let us examine various historical processes 
that contributed to the three distinct Gitas in the Bhagavad Gita. 


CHAPTER FIVE 

Decay of Dharma and Rise of Adharma 

4:7: Whenever there is decay of Dharma and rise of Adharma I 
embody Myself, O Bharata! 
The Arya 

To understand the evolution of the Gita as well as the revolutions in 
the Bhagavad Gita we must first examine in some detail its Historical 
context, namely decay of the Brahmanic Dharma and the serious 
consequences that followed. Around 1500 B. C. E. northern India was 
dominated by a group of elite people who called themselves as the 
Arya. They spoke an archaic form of Sanskrit. They considered 
themselves as the nobility of the ancient Indian society. Much of the 
information we have about the Arya people, their language, culture, 
and religion comes to us from Rig Veda, a collection of sacred hymns 
composed by their bards probably between 1500 and 1000 B. C. E. 
Three more Vedas, mostly related to sacrificial rites dedicated to 
various nature gods, were composed during the last centuries of this 
period, which is generally known as the Vedic period. These Vedas, or 
treasures of knowledge, were orally transmitted by special class of 
priests through brilliant feats of memory from generation to 
generation. The Vedas were considered as divinely revealed, and were 
known as Shruti, meaning that which was heard (2:52-53). Only men 
of the upper classes were allowed to hear the Vedas. The belief system 
of the Arya people rooted in the sacred Vedas is known as 
Brahmanism or Orthodox Vedic Dharma. This Dharma was anchored in 
the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma and was the main instrument of 
social order and stability in most of northern India, which came to be 
known as Aryavarta, the land of the Arya. As we read before, this 
Dharma stood on four pillars: sanctity of the Vedas; the class system 
known as the Varnashrama Dharma; sacrificial rites known as Yajna 
dedicated to Vedic gods, and supremacy of Brahmin class over the 
other three classes. 

Kingdoms and Republics 

In the beginning of Vedic period, the Arya settlements were mostly in 
the region of Punjab. Over the next five centuries the Aryan culture 
gradually spread in the southeasterly direction, along the rivers 
Yamuna and Ganga. The Aryan aristocracy formed various ancient 
kingdoms (1:4-7) -Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Chedi, Kashi, Kosala-and 


republics such as Shakyas, Koliyas, Mallas, and the like. Human nature 
being what it is, these kingdoms often fought amongst themselves for 
territory, cows, and supremacy. Lust (Kama) for wealth and jealous 
rage (Krodha) against each other characterized their relationship 
(16:12-14). Very often, their petty jealousies manifested themselves 
in the form of ever grandiose sacrificial rites. The great epic 
Mahabharata, often referred to as the fifth Veda, is about a Great War 
that allegedly took place, perhaps around 1000 B. C. E. on the ancient 
battlefield of Kurukshetra (1:1) about one hundred miles north of New 
Delhi, India, in which all these kingdoms fought on one side or the 
other. There is no material evidence to prove that the Mahabharata 
war, as it was depicted in the Epic, was an actual historical event. It is 
very likely, however, that the core of the Mahabharata epic was based 
on an actual war that took place in that region sometime during last 
part of the Vedic period. Like all other secular texts of ancient 
India, the Mahabharata epic too was thoroughly worked over and 
"Brahmanized." For example, the five noble Pandava princes were 
declared as born from the boons granted to their mother by various 
Vedic gods. Just about every major character in the epic was given 
some genetic connection with a Vedic divinity. In contrast to the 
Shruthis, which are considered revealed knowledge, the Mahabharata 
epic was considered as Smriti, a remembered scripture. People of all 
classes could listen to the Smritis. We will study later why this fact 
became so crucial to those within Brahmanism who engineered a 
revolution to overthrow it. 

Yajnas take the center stage 

Let us now examine the developments in the post-Vedic society that 
instigated revolts against Brahmanism; the rise of Nastik creeds, and 
the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha revolutions that followed. In the 
beginning of the Vedic period the Kshatriya class held preeminence 
among the four social classes. The Kshatriya aristocratic class 
consisted of the king and his entourage consisting of his chief priest, 
ministers, general, and nobles. To legitimize their rule, consecrate 
their success, and promote their power, prosperity, health, and 
longevity the kings often performed various highly elaborate and 
pompous Yajnas (2:43; 4:12) by Adhikara (entitlement 2:47): 
Rajasooya, Vajapaeya, Ashvamaedha, Jyotisthoma, etc. Their Adhikara 
was granted to them by various Vedic scriptures such as the 
Brahmanas (17:23). Not anyone could perform any Yajna he liked. 
Priests trained in the art of Yajnas performed these increasingly 
complex and exacting rituals and were richly rewarded for their 
services. Inevitably, such ostentatious desire-driven (Kamya) Karma 


created unnecessary jealousy and hatred among the intensely 
competitive kings (16:18).[1] Since they needed each other in this 
whole sacrificial farce there developed a quid pro quo -I scratch your 
back and you scratch mine-relationship between Kshatriyas and 
Brahmins. Selfish Brahmins performed various grandiose Vedic 
sacrifices for the benefit of vain Kshatriya nobles (2:43) invoking Vedic 
gods to reward them with pleasure and lordship here on earth (4:12) 
and heaven hereafter (9:20). Sometimes these Yajnas were meant to 
destroy their enemies (16:14).[2] 

Brahmins go to the top of the heap 

As people settled down and began to cultivate agricultural crops, 
sacrificial rites to appease nature gods for rain (3:14) and protection 
from natural calamities became more important and widespread even 
among the less prosperous classes. Naturally Brahmins gained the 
upper hand by virtue of their mastery over Sanskrit language, 
monopoly over the Vedas, and the expertise over increasingly 
complicated art of Vedic sacrifices. This gave the Brahmins the 
opportunity to declare their superiority over Kshatriyas in the 
hierarchy of the Aryan society as well as to become powerful and 
wealthy themselves. The Brahmin superiority over Kshatriyas was 
repeatedly drummed in by means of various oral as well as written 
texts composed by the former. Gradually Brahmins became the 
uppermost class in the hierarchy of Varnashrama Dharma (18:41-42). 
Endowed with brilliant literary skills, they created myths that they 
possessed supernatural powers. Displeased, they could lay dreadful 
curses and bring on disaster even on powerful kings who offended 
them. They even claimed power over Vedic gods by means of their 
knowledge of magical shlokas known as mantras. Throughout India's 
long history Brahmins did whatever they needed to do to maintain 
their supremacy over other classes. This is as true even today as it 
was in ancient India. 

Yajnas (Karma) become corrupted 

Now something happened that gravely threatened the sacrifice-
centered Brahmanism: Kama (selfish desire) and Sangas (attachment) 
infected the upper classes. They became addicted to Kamya Karma 
with the goal (Sankalpa) of gaining personal pleasure, prestige, power, 
and heaven (2:41-43). Consumed with jealous rage (Krodha) against 
rival kings, they performed grand sacrifices with a great deal of 
ostentation and expense. Extravagant Yajnas became status symbol 
(2:43; 16:12-20) for the prestige-seeking Kshatriyas. Gaining 


Karmaphala -fruit of Yajna - became the end in itself. Devas were 
more or less forgotten (3:12-13). Selfish desire (Kama, 3:37) for, 
attachment (Sangas, 2:62) to, and possessiveness (Moha, delusion, 
2:52-53, 63) of, and design (Sankalpa) for wealth, power, and social 
prestige characterized all sacrificial activities of the upper classes of 
the society. Every sacrificial rite was performed with a design, will, 
intention, or ulterior motive (Sankalpa, 6:1-4) to obtain one object of 
desire or another. Egoism (Ahamkara 2:71) -"I" and "Mine"-poisoned 
the minds of both the performing priests and sponsoring nobles (2:71; 
16:12-20). 

Society experiences Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala 

Over time, the terms Kama, Krodha, Moha, Sangas, and Sankalpa 
engendered by Kamya Karma came to be strongly identified with the 
decadent Brahmanism. Entanglement of mind with wealth, power, 
honor, and heaven engendered by these Guna-rooted human foibles 

(3:37) invariably leads to disconnection of the mind from its inner 
wisdom leading to unsteadiness of mind -Dwandwa (2:14, 41; 
4:22).[3] This, in turn, leads to self-ruin (2:62-63), and evil acts 
against others (3:37-40). Increasingly Kamya Karmas were performed 
disregarding the ordinances of ancient scriptures (16:21-24; 17:1) 
solely for the purposes of gaining Karmaphala. There was another 
side-effect due to mind's entanglement with material things: ignorance 
of Atman -Avidya or Ajnana. When one loses the Knowledge of Atman, 
the stage is set for him to suffer from Grief. In other words, the upper 
classes of post Vedic society experienced the same three maladies 
Arjuna suffered on the battlefield: Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala. 
Brahmanism Dharma becomes Adharma 

There came a time when the greedy priests gave so much importance 
to the performance of the increasingly complicated Yajnas in violation 
(16:23-24) of their original intent (3:10-11; 4:15) that they claimed 
that without their performance the universe itself would be 
destabilized. The performance of sacrificial rites became more 
important than even the gods (3:12) for whom they were supposed to 
be dedicated! For every affliction of society, there was only one cure: 
performance of sacrifices (2:42); more sacrifices, and more elaborate, 
expensive, vulgar and pompous sacrifices (2:43; 16:15). To top it all, 
gruesome animal sacrifices became rampant and important part of 
Vedic sacrificial rites. Thousands of innocent horses, cows, buffaloes, 
bulls, goats, and birds were slaughtered mercilessly every year all over 
the country. Gradually the sacred Vedic Dharma degenerated into 


despicable irreligion (Adharma 4:7). As the sacrificial rites became 
tainted by corruption (BG: 2:43, 49), the prestige of the sacred Vedas 
and the moral authority of Brahmins steadily declined. There arose 
much disaffection and antipathy for Brahmanism in society. Loss of 
nobility and purity in the practice of the Ancient Dharma (11:18; 
14:27) led to much Grief in the post-Vedic society resulting in 
disastrous consequences: wholesale abandonment of Brahmanism by 
millions of aggrieved people. 

[1] In fact, the beginning of the Mahabharata war could be traced to 
the Rajasooya Yajna performed by Yudhistira, the eldest Pandava 
prince, to consecrate his ascendance to the throne of Indraprastha. 
[2] In the Mahabharata, Drupada of Panchala performs Kamya Karma 
to obtain a son who would destroy his arch enemy Drona. 
[3] In modern times Dwandwa could be described as that feverish 
state of mind seen in people entangled with material things, who 
indulge in stupid acts due to loss of wisdom. 

CHAPTER SIX 
The Great Nastik Revolt 


Intellectual ferment 

By 600 B. C. a great intellectual ferment was brewing across the Indo-
Gangetic plain the like of which India has not seen since. Countless 
different Kshatriya-inspired philosophies sprang up from the agitated 
intellect of the Indo-Gangetic civilization. Disgusted and disenchanted 
by the decadence of Brahmanism a number of reactionary groups 
opposed to it arose over the centuries following the Vedic period. 
These people who lost faith in the Vedas or Vedic sacrifices came to be 
known as Nastik -unbelievers or naysayers. Most of these groups were 
led by Kshatriya nobles. Thousands of wandering sophists known as 
Parivrajaka crisscrossed the country questioning anything and 
everything, including the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, the 
Vedas, Vedic sacrificial rites, Varnashrama Dharma, and supremacy of 
Brahmins. They engaged each other in robust public debate on every 
topic on earth. They challenged their adversaries to win them over or 
to follow them. The public halls all over the country were packed with 
curious people eager to learn and experiment with new ideas to cope 
with life and its vicissitudes. New Age Philosophies thrived everywhere. 

Kshatriyas lead the exodus 

Soon massive winds of change began to blow through India resulting 
in the overthrow of the decaying old social, political, and religious 
orders. Aggrieved by the decadence of Brahmanism, a large number of 
dissenting Brahmins and Kshatriyas began to abandon it en masse. 
Lord Buddha (563-483B. C.) and Lord Mahaveera (599-527 B. C.), 
both Kshatriya princes, were the products of this revolt. Over the next 
few centuries, heterodox religious orders, Buddhism and Jainism, both 
ascetic and Nastik in nature, began ascendancy under the sponsorship 
of disillusioned ruling clans and support of even lower social classes. 
Emperor Chandrgupta Maurya (ruled 321-297 B. C.), the first great 
emperor of India and protégé of Chanakya, the quintessential Brahmin 
genius, abandoned Brahmanism, embraced Jainism, became an 
ascetic, and starved himself to death in the manner of Jain monks in 
South India. His son Bindusara abandoned Brahmanism and became 
an Ajivika, a creed which believed in predetermined destiny. His 
grandson emperor Ashoka the Great (r. 268-233 B. C.), gave up 
violence as well as Brahmanism, and became an ardent supporter of 
Buddhism, then known simply as Dhamma. He even sent emissaries 


abroad to spread Buddhism. Buddhism became a World Religion. The 
Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda) (r. 155-130 B. C.) and Kushana 
emperor Kanishka (r. 78-114 B. C.) also became Buddhist. Royal 
patronage of Buddhism made it the dominant religion of India till the 
rise of Hinduism around 4th century A. D. under the patronage of 
Gupta emperors. 

Two Nastik reactionaries arise 

1. The first of these two groups resorted to Sanyasa-literally, 
"throwing down"-and renounced not only all material comforts but 
also all socially obligated duties. In other words, not only did they 
reject the Vedas, but also they abandoned Varnashrama Dharma. 
Sanyasa became synonymous with the word inaction (Akarma 2:47). 
Within this group, which came to be known as Sramanas, three 
distinct subgroups emerged: 
A. The first subgroup, following the teachings of Gautama Buddha, 
later developed into Buddhism. This was essentially a rational religion 
that emphasized right thinking and conduct. Buddhists rejected all 
aspects of Brahmanism except for the doctrine of Karma. Right 
conduct, not birth-class, should decide one's greatness, they said. The 
Buddhist monks were known as Bhikkus as they made their living by 
begging. The Buddha became a demigod. Beggars became holy and 
begging became fashionable in India. 
B. The second subgroup, following the philosophy of Vardhamana 
Mahaveera, later on formed Jainism. The hallmark of this religion 
was absolute nonviolence toward all living things. This religion was 
clearly reacting to the horror of animal sacrifices rampant in 
Brahmanism. Some of these monks walked around naked as an 
expression of their complete renunciation of material things and 
violence. Mahaveera became a demigod. 
C. The third subgroup consisted of individual Ascetics (Muni), who 
renounced everything and wandered in search of the Ultimate Reality 
(Brahad. Up. 4:4:22). They practiced severe austerities (Tapas) in the 
form of self-denial and self-torture (17:5-6) as means of mastering 
their senses to achieve personal liberation from Samsara. Half-naked 
Sadhus and Sanyasins who wander all over India even now belong to 
this subgroup. 
2. The second major Nastik reactionary group, known as Materialists 
or Lokayatas, went in the opposite direction (Maitra. Up.: 8:9). The 

leading subgroup in this category was Charvakas, who, declaring Vedic 
teachings as humbug, taught that pursuit of happiness should be the 
only goal in life. This was a largely rational philosophy which the 
priests of Brahmanism hated with passion (16:7-11). All of their 
revolutionary literature was destroyed by the pro-Vedic fanatics. What 
little we know of this philosophy comes to us from quotes in various 
Brahmanic scriptures condemning them.[1] 

Brahmanism faces grave danger 

The net result of this trend was that by 3rd century B. C. a large 
number of people of all classes, especially Kshatriyas, were 
abandoning the elitist Brahmanism and embracing egalitarian 
heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism and Jainism. This was no 
different than the disgusted "lower castes" and "outcastes" 
abandoning Brahmanized Hinduism, and embracing Christianity, Islam, 
and Buddhism in the modern times. Becoming a monk or ascetic not 
only meant giving up material comforts but also abandoning 
Brahmanism and socially designated duty ordained by Varnashrama 
Dharma. To Brahmanism, dissolution of Varnashrama Dharma or class 
system meant class confusion (Varnasankara 1:41) and its 
consequences, namely birth of unwanted progeny and decimation of 
elite class. 

The age of invasions 

This also happened to be the time when north India experienced 
waves of fresh invasion from the northwest frontier. Alexander the 
Great invaded India in 327 B. C. From then onwards northern India 
knew no rest. It was threatened continually from the northwest by 
various border kingdoms: Bactrian, Scythian or Shakas, and Kushanas, 
among others. Kshatriyas abandoning their Dharma could not have 
happened at a worse time. If all aggrieved Kshatriyas gave up their 
duty, embraced nonviolence, and became monks who would protect 
the country against the invaders? Facing imminent disaster for 
Brahmanism as well as the land of the Arya, Brahmanism seers sprang 
into action. They inserted into the ever expanding and popular 
Mahabharata a brief parable of Arjuna's Grief by means of which they 
conveyed to the public the need to strengthen Varnashrama Dharma in 
order to preserve social order and stability. This, as we read before, 
became the Original Gita. 


[1] The Mind of India, Edited by William Gerber, Southern Illinois 
University Press 1977, page 102. 

CHAPTER SEVEN 

Brahmanism Defends Itself 

Brahmanism worries about Varnasankara 

We do not know exactly how effective the Original Gita was in stopping 
the bleeding. For three centuries following the death of the Buddha in 
483 B. C. Buddhism rose in leaps and bounds and the prestige of 
Brahmanism continued to decline steadily. Large number of Kshatriya 
men left their family and became Bhikkus of Buddhism, munis of 
Jainism and Ascetics of other creeds. As Buddhism became the 
dominant Dharma of India, Brahmanism felt a great threat to its very 
existence. Buddhism had little regard for the Varnashrama Dharma as 
its main motto was equality of all human beings based on right 
conduct and not their class of birth.[1] This meant free admixture of 
the upper class women with the lower class men. Brahmanism 
chronically worried that admixture of upper class women with the 
lower class men would lead to the birth of unwanted progeny (1:3844) 
and decimation of elitist class (3:24). 

By now the Mahabharata epic, the quintessentially Brahmanic text, 
was very popular with the masses. The Original Gita, dealing with 
Arjuna's Grief on the battlefield and prince Krishna's lecture 
enunciating the Brahmanism doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, was 
already part of the Mahabharata epic. Taking advantage of the 
Mahabharata's popularity with the masses, some later Brahmanic 
scholar seems to have added the following shlokas into the Original 
Gita to warn people about the serious consequences to the society due 
to abandonment of Brahmanism. 

Brahmanism warns against class admixture 

The following seven shlokas, warning of the evil consequences of 
Varnasankara -upper class women producing children with lower class 
men, were interpolated in the Original Gita between 1:37 and 1:45 by 
the proponents of Brahmanism in a desperate attempt to shore up the 
weakening Varnashrama Dharma in the face of ascendance of 
Buddhism and Jainism, both of which rejected it. Children of such 
union, being uncultured, would fail to perform proper rituals to 
appease ancestral souls. The result would be, they claimed, wholesale 
condemnation of everyone responsible for Varnasankara to hell. One 
clue to the later addition of these seven shlokas is the term 


Jatidharma. The caste system, in contrast to class system, evolved 
later in the post-Vedic period. 

1:38-44: Arjuna said: Even though they (Kauravas), goaded by 
greed, neither feel guilt in destroying their own family nor 
perceive crime in treachery to friends, why should we not have 
the wisdom to refrain from such a Sin, O Janardana, knowing 
well the evil in the destruction of the family? When families 
decline, their eternal family laws (Kula Dharma) perish; with the 
demise of sacred rites, impiety overtakes the entire family. The 
decline in family values leads to women becoming unchaste; 
corruption of women leads, O Varshneya, to admixture of 
Varnas (classes). Varnasankara (admixture) leads to deprivation 
of manes-cakes and libations to ancestral souls, causing the 
souls to fall, which guarantees hell to families as well as to the 
family destroyers. The eternal caste virtues (Jatidharma) and 
family merits become destroyed due to Varnasankara caused 
by the family destroyers. We have heard repeatedly, O 
Janardana, that hell is verily the long-lasting abode of those 
men whose family religious practices have been ruined. 

Brahmanism puts forth the argument here against Varnasankara as 
this leads to destruction of ancient rituals and traditions enshrined in 
various sub-Dharmas of Brahmanism such as the Varnashrama 
Dharma, Jati Dharma (caste system), Kula Dharma (family traditions), 
etc. The bottom line is that Brahmanism feared loss of elite status for 
the upper classes. It might interest the reader to note here that these 
are the very Dharmas which Lord Krishna asks people to abandon in 
his Ultimate Shloka 18:66. 

Brahmanism defends the upper classes 

The following two shlokas with four hidden agendas were added by 
Brahmanism seers to shore up Brahmanism. 

2:4-5: Arjuna pleads with Krishna: O Madhusudana, slayer of foes, 
how can I counter-attack with arrows Bheeshma and Drona 
who are worthy of worship? It is better to live in the world 
eating beggar's food than to kill these great masters. Even 
though they are desirous of wealth, they are my superiors. If I 
kill them, my enjoyment of wealth and desires will be tainted 
with blood. 


The literal meaning of the first shloka, of course, is that Arjuna feels 
guilty for having to counter-attack when attacked by two great sages 
whom he worships ardently. Therefore, he asks Madhusudana, an 
expert in killing enemies, for some guidance. His alternative is to give 
up his Kshatriya Dharma and make his living by begging. The literal 
meaning of the second shloka is that he can forgive their desire for 
wealth because they are both his superiors. Besides, if he won the war 
by killing them both, he would not be able to enjoy his blood-stained 
gains due to his sense of sinfulness over killing them. 

There are at least four hidden Brahmanic agendas in these two 
shlokas all of which must be examined in the context of India's history 
between 400 and 200 B. C. 

1. The first hidden agenda: The phrase two "great sages worthy of 
worship" probably refers to Lord Buddha and Lord Mahaveera, both of 
whom were worshipped as great teachers even by a large section of 
the Brahmanic society. Both these great men were, as it were, 
"attacking" the corrupted Brahmanism by their Nastik philosophies. 
Both these teachers rejected everything Brahmanism stood for: The 
Vedas, Vedic sacrifices, Varnashrama Dharma, and supremacy of 
Brahmins. Brahmanism, now in precipitous decline, was in a rather 
precarious position of having to "counter-attack" heterodox Dharmas. 
On the one hand, pro-Brahmanism authors knew that there was great 
merit in the teachings of the Buddha as well as Mahaveera. On the 
other hand, Brahmanism wanted to hang on to its ritual-oriented 
ancient traditions. Brahmanic seers wondered how they could counterattack 
these opponents. 
2. The second hidden agenda: Arjuna poses the question: Why 
should I not abandon Kshatriya Dharma and make my living by 
begging instead? This statement must be examined in the context of 
rise of Buddhism. A large number of Kshatriyas were becoming 
Bhikkus or begging monks of Buddhism, Digambaras of Jainism, and 
Sadhus of Asceticism around this time disgusted by the decadence of 
Brahmanic Dharma. Arjuna says rhetorically, in effect, "If I can't lick 
them I will join them." By means of this shloka, Brahmanism seers set 
the stage to interpolate the following fateful shloka: 
3:35: It is better to perform one's own Dharma, however 
imperfectly, than to perform another's Dharma perfectly. Better 
destruction in one's own Dharma; the Dharma of another is full 
of fear. 

It is interesting to note here that Brahmanic seers admit in this shloka 
that Brahmanism is performing its own Dharma imperfectly, Kamya 
Karma being an example of that imperfection, and yet it perversely 
defends its faulty performance by saying that death or destruction 
while imperfectly performing one's own Dharma leads to heaven, and 
death while performing perfectly an alien (Para) Dharma leads to hell. 
The fear mentioned is obviously that of going to hell for abandoning 
one's socially designated duty (2:33), or for being responsible for 
Varnasankara (1:38-44). The Brahmanic seers do not bother to stop 
for a minute to reflect, "Why are so many people abandoning 
Brahmanism? What are we doing wrong?" Instead they attempt to 
promote their own Dharma by perversely fear-mongering another's 
Dharma, and by implying that death while performing Kamya Karma 
leads to attainment of heaven. This type of perverse logic and fear-
mongering afflicts the minds and actions of many religious leaders of 
Hinduism even today. 

3. The third hidden agenda: The second of these two shlokas shores 
up the position of Brahmins (represented by Drona) and Kshatriyas 
(represented by Bheeshma) in the post-Vedic society when the 
prestige of these two upper classes was taking a good deal of beating 
due to their hankering for wealth, pleasure, and heaven (2:43) by 
means of Kamya Karma. In these shlokas they are both described as 
superiors worthy of worship even though they are desirous of wealth. 
The fact is that in the Mahabharata epic neither patriarch Bheeshma 
nor Guru Drona was desirous of any wealth whatsoever. They had 
nothing personally to gain by this dreadful war. They were both on the 
dole of Kauravas and were merely returning, though reluctantly, the 
debt they owed them. Therefore, the phrase "even though they are 
desirous of wealth" cannot be justified in the Mahabharata context. 
The real intent of these shlokas is: So what if Brahmins and Kshatriyas 
have become selfishly desirous of wealth? Remember that they are the 
elite of the society and worthy of worship as per the dictates of 
Varnashrama Dharma. Just bear it and grin. 
4. The fourth hidden agenda: How could one enjoy the wealth and 
desires tainted with blood? In the Mahabharata context, the sin of 
killing the two great sages could rob Arjuna of the enjoyments of gains 
he made by his deeds (Karma). The ensuing sense of guilt and 
sinfulness could defeat the very purpose of the deed. 
In the Historical context, however, the reference to tainting with blood 
one's enjoyment refers to rampant animal sacrifices sponsored by 
Brahmanism and opposed by both the Buddha and Mahaveera. Both 


these Mahatmas abhorred animal sacrifices and questioned: How could 
one enjoy anything earned by violent means? 

Brahmanism maintained that animal sacrifices were legitimate in the 
process of rituals (Karma) prescribed by the Vedas to attain wealth, 
pleasure, and heaven, and there is no need to feel any guilt or sin for 
enjoying the Karmaphala ensuing from them. They had already 
addressed this issue in the Original Gita by explaining how the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma determined every person's class 
and duty, and why one should perform his duty faithfully as dictated 
by them. Once again, they buttress their own Dharma by their 
perverse logic: 

18:47-48: Better is one's own Dharma, though imperfectly 
performed, than the Dharma of another well performed. He 
who does the duty ordained by his own nature (Guna) incurs no 
sin (bad Karmaphala). One should not abandon, O Kaunteya, the 
duty (Karma/action) to which (Varna) one is born, though it is 
attended with evil; for all undertakings are enveloped by evil, 
as fire by smoke. 

In these two shlokas, the Brahmanism scholars argue that all 
undertakings have something unpleasant about them, which they are 
totally helpless to change (3:5, 27, 33; 18:60). Everyone must 
perform his duty as dictated by the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
even if it means Kshatriyas killing their "own people" in the line of 
their duty, and Brahmins killing animals in the performance of Yajnas. 
If a Brahmin must sacrifice animals in the course of a Yajna he 
performs as per his priestly duty, he must do so accepting it as the 
dictates of the doctrines of his Dharma. There is no need to stigmatize 
such actions as evil. Any gain made in the course of such actions, say, 
a kingdom gained by Kshatriyas or priestly remuneration gained by the 
Brahmins, is not tainted. 

These appeals to all classes of people not to abandon Brahmanism 
Dharma did not help in stopping the wholesale desertion. As Buddhism 
began its ascendance, the fortunes of Brahmanism declined steadily. 
Soon Brahmanism was in danger of disappearing altogether. The stage 
was now set for the Upanishadic revolution to overthrow the decadent 
Brahmanism. 

[1] In the Buddha's Words, Bhikku Bodhi, Wisdom Publication, Boston, 2005, page 
132. 

CHAPTER EIGHT 
The Upanishadic Dharma 


Uncertain times 

As we read earlier, the post-Vedic period of 1000-300 B. C. was one of 
great tumult, uncertainty, and insecurity. The situation was something 
like the uncertainties we are experiencing in 21st century related to 
global warming, ice caps and glaciers melting, terrorism, pollution, 
globalization, economic stagnation, and the like. There was much 
political and social instability in the land. Kings were being dethroned, 
kingdoms were being swallowed-up, and tribes were breaking up. Old 
orders were being replaced with new ones. There was a deep sense of 
disillusionment and insecurity in the air. During this period numerous 
great texts known as the Upanishads, which later came to be known 
as confidential discourses (Rahasya), were composed by great 
unknown authors, most certainly many of them royal saints (BG: 4:12; 
9:2; Chandogya Upanishad: 1:8:1; 5:11:7; Brahad. Up.: 2:1:1-15; 
6:2:1). Reflecting the uncertain mood of the time the Maitraayani 
Upanishad (1:4) went so far as to say, "Demigods and demons are 
dying! The oceans have dried up! Mountains have crashed down! The 
Pole Star is unstable! Even the Earth is foundering! We are all like a 
frog in the dry well!" Intellectuals of India were not satisfied by the 
mindless and intellectually sterile Kamya Karma as a panacea for all 
the ills and miseries of life (2:42-43). Gradually it dawned on them 
that the Brahmanism itself had a terribly corrupting influence on the 
society (Mundaka Upanishad: 1:2:6-10). They frantically searched for 
new solutions for pressing life-problems. 

The doctrine of Atman and Brahman: That thou art 

In contrast to the ritual-oriented Vedas, Upanishads were thought-
provoking discourses that dealt with truly mind-boggling concepts of 
all-pervading Brahman, the Imperishable Universal Spirit (12:1, 3) and 
Atman, the Self, the indestructible essence of that spirit in man (2:1630). 
The Brahman was identified as the seat of Absolute Bliss (5:21, 
24-26) and was without any qualities (Nirguna 13:31). Because 
Brahman was beyond the reach of our Senses, It could only be 
described in negative terms (12:3): Not this, not this: Naeti, Naeti: 
(Brahadaranyaka Upanishad: 4:4:22). The central theme of the 
Upanishads was "Tat tvam asi" (Chandogya Upanishad: 6:9:4): That 
thou art, meaning the Atman and the all-pervading Brahman are one 
and the same. Another way of putting this was: "Aham Brahmaasmi": 


I am Brahman (Mundaka Upanishad: 3:2:9). Brahman could be 
obtained only through abstinence (Chandogya Upanishad: 8:5:1-3); 
and by truth and penance (Mundaka Upanishad: 3:1:5). Brahman was 
free from old age, death, pain, grief, desire, etc. (Chandogya 
Upanishad: 8:7:3) and he who knows Brahman obtains everything 
(Chandogya Upanishad: 8:7:3). He who knows Atman overcomes Grief 
(Chandogya Upanishad: 7:1:3). The ultimate goal of Atman was 
Nirvana -end of Samsara-by means of merger with Brahman (6:15). 
This was in contrast to Brahmanic Dharma in which one's Atman was 
born again and again (2:26; 18:42) based on the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma. 

The Upanishads versus the Vedas 

Many of the Upanishads were blatantly skeptical about or hostile to 
Brahmanism in general and sacrifices in particular in the prevalent 
spirit of the day. Some of them even ridiculed the greedy priests 
mercilessly. Chandogya Upanishad (1:12:1-5) compared the orthodox 
priests to a procession of dogs holding the tail of the dog in front 
chanting piously, "Om, let us eat! Om, let us drink! Om, may divine 
Varuna, Prajapati, Savitri bring us food! Lord of food, bring hither 
food, bring it, Om!" They relegated Vedic knowledge to lower level 
than the Knowledge of Atman (Mundaka Upanishad: 1:4), the anchor 
of Upanishadic philosophy. They branded indulgence in Vedic sacrifices 
as a sign of ignorance (Avidya) and declared that Vedic sacrifices led 
to darkness (ignorance); and delighting in Vedic knowledge (2:42) led 
to greater darkness (Brahadaranyaka Upanishad: 4:4:10; 
Isopanishad: 9, 12). They condemned desire-driven sacrifices in no 
uncertain terms (Mundaka Upanishad: 1:2-10). They declared that 
Atman cannot be attained by the Vedas (Mundaka Upanishad: 3:2:3; 
Svetasvatara Upanishad: 3:13; Maitrayani Upanishad: 2:5). 

The Gunas are the cause of Grief and Dwandwa 

If Atman resides in the body, why is it that we do not know It? Well, 
the Upanishadic seers blamed it on the force of the Gunas (Natural 
Qualities) (Maitrayani Upanishad: 3:2). The best way to explain the 
force of the Gunas is that it is like gravity. Just as gravity attracts all 
objects to it, it attracts Atman and binds it to the body (14:5). By 
means of the same magnetic attraction, the Gunas induce the Mind to 
desire sense objects and get attached to them (3:28-29, 3:34, 37-43; 
2:62-63). The Mind's attachment to sense objects creates the 
following problems: 


Dwandwam: When the Senses become entangled with sense objects 
the Mind becomes disconnected from Wisdom and suffers from 
unsteadiness, loss of judgment, doubt and other symptoms of stress 
(2:14). 

Shokam: Once the mind becomes deluded by its entanglement with 
sense objects, it becomes ignorant of Atman in the body. When one 
loses awareness of the eternal nature of Atman, he suffers Shokam 
(Grief) upon the death of loved one by failing to recognize that Atman 
is deathless (2:20). 

Kamya Karma promotes Karmaphalam and Samsara 

The doctrine of Karma (Ch. Up: 5:10:7) evolved over several centuries 
before the Original Gita was composed. It said that all actions or deeds 
(Karma) result in consequences known as Karmaphalam (3:9). This 
doctrine was beyond the power of even gods to change (5:15). It 
explained why people suffered misery on earth even when they did 
nothing wrong to deserve it. 

As we read earlier, the goal of all Kamya Karma was not only to obtain 
pleasure and lordship here on earth but also to attain heaven after 
death (2:43). Initially the Brahmanic priests guaranteed the Kshatriyas 
quick success on earth if they performed sacrifices (4:12). Inevitably 
the question arose in the minds of Kshatriya nobles: "What if we 
earned more Karmaphala than we could use up in one life time?" Well, 
the clever priests had a ready answer for it too (9:20): "Don't worry; 
you will go to heaven and have wonderful time there mingling with the 
Devas!" That assurance gave the Kshatriya sponsors of sacrifices some 
peace of mind. The problem with this assurance, according to the 
Upanishadic seers, was the fact that the theory of Karma said that 
once their Karmaphala was exhausted, they would take birth (9:21) on 
this transient, joyless earth again (9:33). In other words, the voyage 
to heaven of Devas always came with the compulsory return ticket. 
This meant Karmaphala earned by means of Kamya Karma promoted 
transmigration of the Atman hereafter. 

The prevalent sentiment, as exemplified by the Upanishadic theories, 
however, was that returning to this transient, joyless world was more 
a punishment than reward (9:33). The Upanishadic seers said that if 
one wished to avoid the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, he should 
perform actions that earn neither good nor bad Karmaphala (2:38; 
2:50-51). Obviously, the Upanishadic idea of Nirvana -merger of 
Atman with Brahman-and end of Samsara was quite in contrast to the 


idea of Samsara -the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth of Atmanpromoted 
by Brahmanism (9:20). In contrast to Brahmanism's goal of 
pleasure here on earth and heaven hereafter, the Upanishad's 
goal was Bliss of Atman here on earth and Nirvana hereafter. 
The question is, how could one go about attaining these two goals? 

The doctrine of Yoga: Sanyasa and Tyaga 

The Upanishadic seers had a very simple answer to the havoc 
(Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam) caused by the doctrines of 
the Gunas and Karma, and by Kamya Karma rooted in them: 
Buddhiyoga. The root-word of Yoga is Yoke. It means girdling one's 
mind to inner wisdom to a tackle a specific task and to achieve a 
specific goal. Yoga has two essential elements to it: Sanyasa and 
Tyaga. 

1. Sanyasa means giving up desire for, attachment to and 
possessiveness of sense objects. When one achieves this goal, his 
mind connects with Buddhi, his inner wisdom, and becomes 
Buddhiyukta. Because detachment from sense objects connects the 
mind to its inner wisdom (Buddhi), this Yoga is known as Buddhiyoga 
or Yoga of Wisdom. The mind thus stabilized by wisdom (Buddhiyukta 
mind) not only overcomes Dwandwam, but also gains knowledge of 
Atman. Knowledge of Atman counters Shokam. In practice, Sanyasa 
countered Kama associated with Kamya Karma. Lord Krishna assigned 
Sanyasa, also known as Jnanayoga, to the brainy Brahmin class 
(3:3), in an attempt to wean them away from Kamya Karma. 
2. Tyaga means renouncing fruits of action. All selfless actions earn 
neither good nor bad Karmaphala, and thus they break the bonds of 
Karma (2:39-40). Tyaga countered Karmaphalam. In practice, 
Tyaga countered Sankalpa, desire from fruits, evident in Kamya 
Karma performed by Kshatriyas. Tyaga, also known as Karmayoga, 
was given by Lord Krishna to the action-oriented Kshatriyas (3:3) in 
an attempt to wean them aways from Kamya Karma. 
The Upanishadism versus Brahmanism 

Intellectually, these Upanishadic insights were eons ahead of the 
sterile and mindless sacrificial rites promoted by the Vedas. Clearly the 
Upanishadic doctrines of the Knowledge of Atman and Buddhi Yoga 
were diametrically opposed to the Brahmanism's doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma. The Knowledge of Atman countered the doctrine of 
the Gunas, and the practice of Yoga countered the doctrines of Karma, 


and of course, Kamya Karma rooted in it. To the Yajna-addicted 
Brahmins and Kshatriyas, it was easier to admit that their practice of 
Brahmanism was imperfect (3:35; 18:47) than to give up their 
mindless rituals performed against the ordinances of ancient scriptures 
(16:21-24; 17:1-4). To them the very intent (Sankalpa, 6:1-4) of 
performing various Yajnas was to earn Karmaphala (4:12). The 
Upanishadic teachings of detachment from sense objects; selfless 
Karma, and freedom from Grief, Dwandwa, and Karmaphala (2:47-51) 
struck at the very root of the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma, and they posed grave internal threat to its very existence. 

Brahmanism declares the Upanishads as "Top Secret." 

In order to deal with this internal threat the clever Vedic priests did to 
the Upanishads what modern businesses do to whistle-blowers: 
promote them to oblivion and declare their discovery a Top Secret. 
First they declared the Upanishads as integral part of the Vedas even 
though the Vedic and Upanishadic doctrines were diametrically 
opposed to each other. Then they interpolated into the texts of the 
Upanishads whatever pro-sacrifice stuff that served their purpose 
(Traittiriya Up: 1:1-9). Incredible amount of obscure, irrelevant, and 
inappropriate materials (E.g. Brahadaranyaka Upanishad: 4:4:2-10) 
were added to the original texts till no ordinary person could 
comprehend what was already a rather complex concept. The essential 
elements of the Upanishadic philosophy were buried in the avalanche 
of irrelevant materials. Then they incorporated them into the Vedic 
corpus as the Vedanta, the end of the Vedas, and gave them the 
sacred status of Shruthi, that which was heard. The net result was that 
the Upanishads became, more or less, that which you won't hear 
any more. This was how the explosive new thought diametrically 
opposed to Brahmanism was contained and kept under wraps away 
from any busybody curious to know more about it. Even though the 
literal meaning of the word Upanishad was "sitting near devotedly," it 
came to mean a secret -Rahasya (4:3). This is no different from a 
corrupt government classifying some damning information adverse to 
it as "Top Secret." 

It is significant to note here that in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna 
claims that He is the author of the Vedanta (15:15) but not the Vedas. 
He simply states that He is the knower of the Vedas. 


Misdeeds of the upper classes yield Karmaphala 

Pretty soon the misdeeds of the ritualist Brahmins and Kshatriyas 
began to yield Karmaphala here on earth. As the bloody sacrifices 
flourished, anti-Brahmanism sentiment in society mounted; 
abandonment of Brahmanism escalated; heterodox Dharmas 
flourished; and Brahmanism slipped into a moribund condition. In spite 
of these developments, the sacrifice-obsessed Vedic Brahmins and 
Kshatriyas were blissfully indifferent to the graffiti on the walls. 


CHAPTER NINE 

Outlines of the Upanishadic Revolution 

As the Dwandwa-ridden upper classes were feverishly busy earning 
Karmaphala by means of Kamya Karma, the society at large suffered 
much Grief over the state of affairs. A revolution was urgently needed 
from within to overthrow Brahmanism, or reclaim what was left of it. 
Some great Upanishadic seers of theological genius and outstanding 
literary skills must have decided that time was ripe for drastic action. 
It took some brave Upanishadic seers to finally reveal that profound 
secret (4:3) -the Knowledge of Atman/Brahman and Yoga-in the Gita, 
a Smriti which could be read, heard, and studied by anyone, including 
women and Sudras (9:32). In other words, they converted the 
modified Original Gita into the Upanishadic Gita. 

Setting the stage 

First, they introduced the Upanishadic format of thoughtful 
discourse between an enlightened Guru and a novice Shishya. No 
more lecturing. 

4:34: Seek that enlightenment by prostrating, by questions and 
by service; the wise (Gurus), the seers into the Truth will 
instruct you in that knowledge. 
Second, they promoted prince Krishna to the position of an 
Upanishadic Guru and demoted prince Arjuna to the position of his 
humble disciple (Shishya, 2:7). This enabled Guru Krishna address 
the evils of Grief, Dwandwa and fear of Karmaphala by revealing to 
Arjuna -and to the world-the secret doctrines of the Upanishads: 
Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga (2:39-40). 

2:8-7: I do not find any remedy to the Grief that parches my 
senses, though I were to gain unrivalled and prosperous 
monarchy (here) on earth or even sovereignty over the 
celestials (hereafter). My nature is weighed down with the taint 
of feeble-mindedness (Dwandwa); my understanding is clouded 
(because of fear of bad Karmaphala) as to my duty. I entreat you, 
say definitely what is good for me. I am your disciple. Do 
instruct me who have taken refuge in you. 

Third, a little bit later they elevated Guru Krishna to the position of 
the Lord of beings (4:6), a position equal to that of Prajapati of 


Brahmanism, to protect the revolutionary shlokas from being 
destroyed by the Brahmanic vested interests, and to reform corrupt 
Brahmins (Chapter Four) and greedy Kshatriyas (Chapter Three). 
However, unlike Prajapati, Lord Krishna declares Himself as more 
powerful than the Prakriti (the Gunas). 

4:6-8: Though I am unborn, imperishable and the Lord of 
beings, yet subjugating My Prakriti, I come into being by My 
own Maya. Whenever there is decay of Dharma and rise of 
Adharma, then I embody Myself, O Bharata. For the protection 
of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the 
establishment of Dharma I am born age after age. 

The basic strategies of the Upanishadic Revolution 

1. They discredited the doctrine of the Gunas: The revolutionaries did 
this by exposing the Gunas as the source of various human 
weaknesses such as desire, attachment, delusion, jealous rage and 
ignorance, and therefore as the enemy of man (3:37-40). The Gunas 
are the cause of one's ruin (2:62-63) and evil acts (3:37). They 
countered every pro-Guna shloka in the Original Gita with anti-Guna 
shloka (3:28-29, 34; 14:19-27). 


2. They replaced the doctrine of the Gunas with the doctrine of 
Knowledge of Atman (2:39): They introduced Atman, the divine 
essence of man, as the force greater than the Gunas (2:16-30; 2:45; 
3:43; 14:19). Whereas the Gunas caused Grief and Dwandwa, 
Knowledge of Atman countered both of them with Bliss. 
3. They discredited the doctrine of Karma: They said that earning both 
good and bad Karmaphala merely promotes Samsara (9:20). 
Permanent liberation (Nirvana) from Samsara should be one's goal in 
life (6:15). 
4. They recommended Buddhiyoga as a means to attain Knowledge 
of Atman as well as to break the bonds of Karma (2:40): By 
controlling the Guna-rooted weaknesses such as desire, attachment 
and delusion, the mind connects with the Bliss of Atman. This they 
called Sanyasa. Sanyasa countered Kama (hankering for sense 
objects as seen in Kamya Karma). They recommended performing all 
actions selflessly, so that one earns neither good nor bad Karmaphala 
(2:51). This they called Tyaga. Tyaga countered Sankalpa, the desire 
for fruits associated with Kamya Karma. 
5. They attacked all the remaining aspects of Brahmanism: the Vedas 
(2:46, 52-53), Kamya Karma (2:43, 49; 3:17-18; 15:1-4), Vedic 
ritualists (2:41-44), Varnashrama Dharma (5:18-19; 9:29), and 
Samsara (15:1-4). 
6. They attempted to reform the ritualists: they divided Buddhiyoga 
into two Yogas and gave Jnanayoga (Knowledge of Atman) to the 
brainy Brahmins and Karmayoga (Yoga of Action) to brawny 
Kshatriyas (3:3). 
7. They consolidated the revolution by explaining the basic tenets of 
the Upanishadism -Atman, Brahman, Yoga, and Nirvana in BG 
Chapters Five, Six, Eight, Thirteen and Fifteen. 
Basic tactics of the Upanishadic revolution 

The Upanishadic seers chose their words carefully in launching the 
revolution. They used various tactics to express their views, leaving 
room for ambiguity. Most of their revolutionary shlokas superficially 
appear to be applicable to Arjuna's predicament. As we will read in the 
next chapter, deeper analysis would prove this not to be the case. This 
gave Brahmanic scholars enough room to save face: 


Clever use of multiple meanings of words Karma and Dharma: The 
words Dharma and Karma have multiple meanings, depending upon 
the context and intent of their use. 

Using metaphors to convey the message (2:22-24; 4:37; 15:1-4). 

Double entendre: Using the same shloka to give dual meanings, one 
with reference to the Mahabharata context and the other the Historical 
(2:47-49). As we will read later, their shlokas did not fit the 
Mahabharata context as well as they did the Historical context. 

Using pun (2:29; 52-53) to convey the hidden message. They used 
words such as Karma, Dharma, Shruthi, and Veda in such a way that 
the discerning reader would know their hidden, anti-Brahmanism 
intent. 

Pretending as if the shlokas were meant for Arjuna when, in fact, they 
were meant for errant ritualists. They gave a clue to this fact by 
addressing Arjuna as sinless (3:3; 15:20), and a person with divine 
qualities (16:5) meaning, these shlokas did not apply to him. It is a 
like a good scolding given by a father to his noble son within the 
earshot of his errant nephew. The scolding given was meant for the 
waywardly nephew, not for the noble son. 

Choice of the Gita as the manifesto of the Revolution 

1. Firstly, the theme of the Original Gita came rather handy. In it the 
noble prince Arjuna suffers from Grief and Dwandwa due to his 
attachment to his relatives and friends (sense objects), and obsesses 
over earning bad Karmaphala from his actions. Unable to deal with this 
predicament, he desires to abandon his Dharma. The post-Vedic 
society was riddled with the same three maladies. A large number of 
Kshatriyas were abandoning Brahmanism full of Grief over its 
decadence. The upper classes of Brahmanism were suffering from 
Dwandwa due to their obsession with earning Karmaphala by means of 
Kamya Karma. 
2. Secondly, the Brahmanism seers had already set the precedence by 
adding pro-Brahmanism shlokas into the Original Gita to shore up their 
Dharma. Being part of a Smrithi, the Gita was a very popular scripture 
even among the masses. The Upanishadic seers must have concluded 
that the modified Original Gita was a fair game to initiate their 
revolution. 

3. Thirdly, the Mahabharata epic enjoyed great prestige and popularity 
among the masses in India. In fact, it came to be known as the Fifth 
Veda even though it was merely a Smriti (remembered) scripture. By 
adding Upanishadic (Shruthi) concepts into a Smriti, the vested 
interests could not conceal them from the public by reclassifying them 
as Shruthi. In contrast to Shruthis, which could be listened to only by 
twice-born (dvija), Smriti could be listened to by even women and 
lower classes of the society. 
Why prince Krishna was made the protagonist of the Revolution 

1. Firstly, even though until the Gita episode in the original 
Mahabharata Krishna was merely a prince of Vrishni clan without any 
superhuman qualities, he was noted to be person of exceptional 
virtues. In the Mahabharata, Kings and princes of both sides revered 
him. Of all the people in the Mahabharata, none came even close to 
him in terms of possessing profound charisma and wisdom. By 
elevating him first to Guruhood and then to Godhood, opposition to 
newer ideas by various vested interests could be greatly minimized. 
The power of pro-Vedic lobby was so great that no less a person than 
the God Himself would be needed to say what must be said and get 
away with it! Brahmins dared not destroy shlokas said to have come 
out of God's mouth. 
2. Secondly, whereas Buddhism looked up to the demigod Buddha and 
Jains worshipped the demigod Mahaveera, Vedic religion had no great 
hero to look up to. Vedic scholars could not decide which of their 
elusive Vedic gods was supreme. From time to time they appointed 
one god or another as the Supreme. Long time ago it was Dyaus the 
wise; then Varuna the Solemn reigned supreme; then came ferocious 
Rudra; then sauntered in Prajapati (3:10); then rose the boisterous 
and sensuous Indra (9:20). Aggrieved people of all classes badly 
needed a steady credible local hero in flesh and blood they could look 
up to. Even though prince Krishna died about seven hundred years 
before the Upanishadic revolution, he was very much "alive" in the 
popular imagination of people, who were transfixed by the ever-
expanding great epic Mahabharata. Prince Krishna's stature was 
growing leaps and bounds in the epic. By a stroke of genius the 
revolutionary authors voted for prince Krishna, a local hero born and 
raised in the region of Mathura, the heart of Aryavarta. He belonged to 
the tribe of Yadavas who were said to have descended from Sudras. 
And they called him Krishna, the Black One, the color the elite of 
Brahmanism detested! What did He use to replace mindless sacrificial 
rites of Brahmanism? Yoga, the long-lost art and science of an ancient 

civilization that thrived along the Indus River for several thousand 
years before the Arya people entered India. 

3. Thirdly, in the ancient Vedas, the Vedic supreme god Indra's 
favorite enemy was a person by the name of Krishna who belonged to 
a local Krishna tribe. The choice of a person by the name of Krishna to 
replace Indra, the Vedic supremo was certainly not accidental. In the 
later parts of the Mahabharata, the five Pandava princes, born from 
the boon of Vedic gods Yama, Vayu, Indra, and Ashwins, surrender to 
Lord Krishna and become His ardent followers. Discerning students of 
the Gita cannot fail to see the symbolism in the choice of Krishna as 
the Supreme God to replace Vedic supreme God Indra. 
4. By the time the Bhagavathas took over the Gita a century or so 
later, their cult of Vasudeva was already popular in the western part of 
north India. Somewhere along the way the identity of Vasudeva and 
Krishna merged (7:19; 10:37; 11:50) resulting in rapid enlargement 
of the base of the New Dharma. 

CHAPTER TEN 

The Upanishadic Revolution -1 

Doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga 

The Upanishadic revolution begins with BG 2:6. Most of the shlokas in 
BG Chapter Two to Six are geared toward launching the Upanishadic 
revolution. BG 2:1-3 were already explained in the chapter dealing 
with the Original Gita, and BG 2:4-5 were explained in the chapter 
titled Brahmanism Defends Itself. Below I have realigned some shlokas 
to facilitate the flow of the Upanishadic reasoning. 

Shokam, Dwandwam, and Karmaphalam are reintroduced 

The Upanishadic seers set the stage for their revolution by 
reintroducing three issues shared by both Arjuna in the Mahabharata 
context and the post-Vedic society in the Historical context: Grief, 
Dwandwa, and obsession with Karmaphala. 

1. Dwandwam: 2:6: Whether we should conquer them or they 
should conquer us -I do not know which is better. 
This shloka was meant to highlight Arjuna's Dwandwam as a result of 
his attachment to his relatives and friends whom he must kill to attain 
his kingdom. Right in the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna appears to 
be thoroughly confused. 

2. Fear of earning bad Karmaphalam: 2:6: These cousins of ours 
are standing before us in this battlefield, killing whom we 
should not care to live. 
In the second sentence of the same shloka, Arjuna expresses his fear 
of committing a sin (earning bad Karmaphala) the burden of which 
might make it impossible for him to go on living. When one knowingly 
commits a sin, which is wrong-doing in the eye of his Dharma, he has 
to constantly live with the fear of going to hell. 

This shloka gave the Upanishadic seers the pretext to introduce 
Buddhiyoga, which destroys Dwandwam, and eliminates 
Karmaphalam (2:14-15, 38, 50-51). 


3. Shokam: 2:8: I do not find any relief from the Grief that is 
drying up my senses, even if I were to gain unrivalled and 
prosperous monarchy (here) on earth or even supremacy in 
heaven (hereafter). 
In this shloka Arjuna expresses profound Grief, which neither rewards 
of Brahmanism -prosperous monarchy here on earth and supremacy in 
heaven hereafter-could assuage. 

This shloka gave Krishna the pretext to impart to Arjuna Knowledge 
of Atman, which destroys Grief (2:16-30), and overcomes the force of 
the Gunas. 

The Upanishadic format is set up 

2:7: My nature (fighting spirit, natural disposition of a Kshatriya) is 
weighed down with the taint of feeble-mindedness (Dwandwam) 
; my understanding is bewildered as to my duty (due to my fear 
that my actions might earn me bad Karmaphalam). I entreat you; 
say definitely what is good for me (give me the benefit of your 
wisdom). I am your disciple. Do instruct me who have taken 
refuge in you. 
The first sentence of this shloka explains what happens to the 
Dwandwa-ridden mind. Arjuna's entanglement with his relatives and 
teachers has disconnected his Mind from his Buddhi resulting in feeblemindedness 
(Dwandwam). The bewilderment as to his duty happens 
because he fear the consequences of his action -bad Karmaphala. On 
the one hand, he wants to kill his relatives for a just cause. On the 
other hand, he is afraid of earning bad Karmaphala in the process. The 
result is the inability to decide what the right thing to do is. 

In the last sentence of this shloka, the Upanishadic seers set up the 
Upanishadic format which elevates prince Krishna to the status of 
Arjuna's Guru. The hidden intent in this shloka is that it authorizes 
Guru Krishna to impart to the world Knowledge of Atman (2:11-13; 
16-30) and Buddhiyoga (2:48-53) to replace the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma, while appearing to address Arjuna's Grief, 
Dwandwa and concern about earning bad Karmaphala. 

2:9: After addressing Hrishikesha thus, Gudakesha, the terror 
of foes, said to Govinda, "I shall not fight," and held silence. 

Arjuna's silence gave Guru Krishna the opportunity to begin his 
discourse on the Knowledge of Atman. 

2:10: Sanjaya said to Dhritharashtra: O Bharata, smiling as it 
were, Hrishikesha spoke these words to the despondent one 
stationed between the two armies: 
Guru Krishna is smiling, perhaps because he is amused by Arjuna's 
naiveté. More likely, he is happy to grab this opportunity to overthrow 
decadent Brahmanism. 

Guru Krishna takes up the subject of Shokam, the first of three 
central issues in the Bhagavad Gita 

2:11: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for; yet 
you spell words of wisdom. The wise (who have gained the 
Knowledge of Atman) grieve neither for the living nor for the 
dead. 
There are two meaning to the first sentence of this shloka. First, from 
existential point of view, there is no need to grieve over those who, by 
virtue of their wickedness, deserve to die. Second, wise people, who 
have gained the Knowledge of Atman, know that when someone dies, 
his Atman does not die, and so there is no need to grieve. 

The second sentence of this shloka addresses the fact that Arjuna is 
already grieving over those who are still alive. In other words, Arjuna 
is going through what is known as anticipatory grief. There are 
occasions in life when we grieve over the loss of loved ones by means 
other than death -such as breakup or move to a distant place. But a 
person who is wise, unattached to people does not feel the need to 
grieve either for the living or the dead. They are beyond grief. 

We must note here that teaching Arjuna Knowledge of Atman to 
overcome Grief is only an excuse for Guru Krishna to give the post-
Vedic society the doctrine of Atman to replace the doctrine of the 
Gunas. 

Knowledge of Atman counters Grief 

2:12-13: Nor I, nor you, nor any of these ruling princes was 
ever non-existent before; nor is it that we shall cease to be in 
the future. As the Atman in the body experiences childhood, 


youth and old age, He also passes on to another body (after 
death). The wise one is not deluded about this. 

Grief arises from loss of people one is attached to. One's attachment 
to sense objects is due to the force of the Gunas. Once the mind is 
deluded by the Gunas, it loses touch with Atman, and so it forgets 
about it. The wise, who know the eternal nature of Atman, are not 
deluded by the Gunas and so they do not feel the need to grieve. After 
death, Atman enters into another body and goes through the various 
stages of life. The knowledge of this nature of Atman overcomes Grief 
(Ch. Up.: 7:1:3; 8:7:3). To get in touch with Atman, however, one 
must first overcome three functions of the Gunas: desire for, 
attachment to, and possessiveness of sense objects. 

2:16: The unreal (body) has no (permanent) existence; the real 
(Atman) never ceases to be (it is permanent). The truth about 
both these has been realized by the (Upanishadic) seers. 
A distinction must be made between the impermanent body and 
permanent Atman. He who knows this is an enlightened man who 
never grieves. 

2:17-18: Know that to be verily indestructible by which all this 
(the body as well as the world) is pervaded. No one can destroy 
the Immutable. These bodies of the Indweller (Atman), who is 
eternal, indestructible and immeasurable are said to have an 
end. Fight therefore, O Bharata (without worrying about death of 
people you are attached to). 

Whereas Atman occupies the body Brahman pervades the whole 
universe. It is immutable (unlike the Gunas) and indestructible (unlike 
the body formed by Prakriti). How can one grieve over something that 
never dies? 

2:19: He who holds Atman as slayer and he who considers It as 
the slain, both of them are ignorant. It slays not, nor is It slain. 
Whereas the Gunas are cause of all action (3:5, 27 and 33), Atman is 
completely actionless (13:29). Not only is it indestructible, but also it 
does not slay anyone. A person who does not know the difference 
between the two is ignorant of Atman. The second sentence of this 
shloka might be a veiled reference to the Vedic god Indra, the slayer 
of Vrtra, the demon. The author wants to stress the difference 
between the Vedic divinity Indra, who is the very personification of the 


Gunas, and the Upanishadic divinity Atman, which is free from the 
Gunas. The word Indriyani (Senses) is derived from Indra, who is 
described as sensuous. 

2:20: The Atman is neither born nor does it die. Coming into 
being and ceasing to be do not take place in it. Unborn, eternal, 
constant and ancient, It is not killed when the body is slain. He 
who cognizes the Atman as indestructible, eternal, unborn and 
changeless, how can he slay or cause another to slay? 
Atman is described with many adjectives: indestructible, all-pervasive, 
constant, etc. These epithets are diametrically opposite of those 
applied to describe various Vedic gods such as Indra, the slayer of 
Vrtra; Vayu who blows; Agni that lights now and extinguishes later, 
and the like. Atman is unlike anything anyone has been able to 
experience by his five Senses. And unlike the Vedic gods who, in the 
Vedas, are elevated now and demoted later; enthroned now and 
dethroned the next day; appear now and disappear later; vulnerable 
now and invulnerable the next moment, Atman is stable, eternal, 
changeless and everlasting. Note here that the Upanishadic seers are 
setting the stage to replace the Vedic gods with Brahman as the 
Supreme Deity. 

2:25: This Atman is said to be un-manifested, unthinkable and 
immutable. Therefore, knowing It as such, you should not 
grieve. 
In the shloka above, Atman is compared with the Gunas. The Gunas 
manifest themselves in the quality of one's actions; they can be 
thought of a Satvic, Rajasic or Tamasic; and they manifest as one 
Guna now and another next moment. Atman has no such qualities. 
Once a person intuitively knows Atman as such, he will never grieve 
again. 

2:30: This indweller in the bodies of all is ever invulnerable, O 
Bharata. Therefore you should not grieve for any being. 
What is Atman ever invulnerable to? It is invulnerable to old age, 
death, grief, pain, etc. (Cha. Up.: 8:7:3), which are the products of 
the Gunas. Once a person intuitively recognizes this fact, he has 
attained the Knowledge of Atman. He then goes beyond grief. 


As we will read below, there is another reason why the Upanishadic 
seers introduce Atman here: to establish It as the Divinity of the 
Upanishadic Dharma to replace the Vedic gods. 

Guru Krishna hints of a New Dharma with new divinity: Atman 

2:22: As a man casting off worn out garments puts on new 
ones, so the embodied Atman, casting off worn-out bodies 
enters into others that are new. 
The literal meaning of this shloka needs no elaboration. All Brahmanic 
commentators safely stick to this explanation. However, there is a 
hidden meaning to this shloka. This shloka is a metaphor for the entity 
of Atman discarding the worn-out Brahmanism centered on the Vedic 
gods-Indra, Agni, Varuna, Maruts, etc. and entering into the body of 
New Dharma of the Upanishads. The code words here are ‘worn-out' 
and ‘new.' In the Vedic times Brahman represented a mysterious 
magical force. In the Upanishadic times, it came to mean the all-
pervading Universal Spirit. So there is a paradigm shift in the concept 
of Brahman. How do we know this to be the case? The next three 
shlokas support this view. 

Atman is superior to the Vedic gods and the Gunas (Senses) 

2:23: Weapons do not cleave Atman, fire burns It not, water 
wets It not, wind dries It not. 
The literal meaning of this shloka is that in contrast to the body that 
experiences the forces of nature by means of the Senses, Atman is 
immune to them. Not only does Atman not act, it is immune to the 
forces of nature. All Brahmanic commentaries just stick to this simple 
literal meaning. 

The hidden meaning of this shloka, however, is that the Atman is 
invulnerable to the powers of the leading Vedic gods Indra, who wields 
his weapon Vajrayudha; Agni, the fire god who burns; Varuna the 
water god who wets, and Maruta, the wind god who dries. The power 
of Atman is superior to the power of the Vedic gods (Talavakara 
Upanishad 3:4-11; Katha Upanishad: 2:6: 3). There are frequent 
references in the Upanishads to Vedic gods "running away" from 
Atman/Brahman. In the Upanishads, the Devas also stand for the 
Senses. Weapon, fire, wind, and water are felt by the Senses. Atman 
is superior to the Senses, which are the functions of the Gunas (desire, 
attachment, etc.). In other words, Atman is more powerful than the 


Vedic Devas as well as the Gunas. As we will read later, all Vedic gods 
will be retired soon and Atman/Brahman will become the Supreme 
Deity. Just in case you did not get the hidden message in the above 
shloka, Guru Krishna repeats himself: 

2:24: This Atman is un-cleavable, incombustible and neither 
wetted nor dried. It is eternal, all pervading, stable, immovable 
and everlasting. 
Having said all this, nothing more needs to be said about Atman! 

Guru Krishna tackles the doctrine of Karma with reasoning 

2:26-28: Or, if you conceive of Atman as given to constant 
births and deaths (as is the case with the doctrine of Karma), 
even then, O mighty armed, you should not sorrow. Death is 
certain of that which is born; birth is certain of that which is 
dead. You should not therefore lament over the inevitable. 
Beings are all, O Bharata, un-manifested in their origin (before 
entering the body), manifested in their mid-state (during one's 
lifetime) and un-manifested again in the end (after death). What 
is the point then for anguish? 

In these three shlokas, Guru Krishna tackles the doctrine of Karma, 
which says that everyone must go through the cycle of births and 
deaths. Here Guru Krishna tries to tap into Arjuna's Buddhi, the seat of 
reasoning. His argument is simple: If you know that births and deaths 
are inevitable, why would you suffer anguish? Even here, the fact that 
Atman is recycled means it is indestructible. 

Guru Krishna chides Vedic scholars 

2:29: One beholds the Atman as wonderful; another mentions 
of It as marvelous; another hears of It as amazing; while 
others, even after hearing, know It not at all. 
The hidden meaning of this shloka is that even Vedic scholars, who 
have heard about Atman by listening to Shruthi (that which is heard the 
Vedas and Upanishads), still know It not at all: shruthvaapyenam 
veda na chaiva kashchit. Here the words shranothi, shruthva and veda 
have been cleverly used as puns. What Guru Krishna is saying here is 
that there are people who have heard from the Shruthis about Atman 
and yet they have no Knowledge of Atman. Why? Well, their obsession 


with Kamya Karma, promoted by the force of the Gunas, has 
prevented them from knowing Atman. 

Guru Krishna explains Dwandwam and need to control it 

2:14: The contacts of the senses with their objects create, O 
son of Kunti, feelings of heat and cold, of pain and pleasure 
(Dwandwam). They come and go and are impermanent. Bear 
them patiently, O Bharata. 
Now Guru Krishna explains how to control Dwandwa. When the Senses 
come into contact with sense objects, the Mind experiences Dwandwa: 
I like this, I dislike this; this makes me feel good, this makes me feel 
bad; I want to gain this, I don't want to lose it. A Dwandwa-ridden 
mind has no peace. However, unlike Atman, Dwandwam is 
impermanent. If one can control his Senses (desire and attachment) 
he can control Dwandwa. Peace of mind is thus restored. 

Actions performed without Dwandwa, earn no Karmaphalam 

2:15: That man, O the best of men, is fitted for immortality 
(freedom from Samsara), whom these (pairs of opposites) do not 
torment (when he acts), who is balanced in pain and pleasure 
and (whose mind is made) steadfast (by his Buddhi). 
If one acts with Buddhiyukta (steady) mind, and without Dwandwa of 
pain and pleasure, gain and loss, honor and dishonor, he earns no 
Karmaphala, and so he breaks the bonds of Karma and attains 
immortality. How does this address Arjuna's concern about earning 
bad Karmaphala by killing his own people? 

2:38: Treating alike pain and pleasure, gain and loss, victory 
and defeat, engage yourself in the battle. Thus you will incur no 
sin (Karmaphalam). 
"Fight in the spirit of Buddhiyoga!" says the Upanishadic Guru Krishna 
to Arjuna. "Don't worry about gain and loss; victory and defeat; 
heaven or hell! Thus you will not earn any Karmaphala!" Do you 
remember what the Brahmanic prince Krishna said to Arjuna in the 
very previous shloka, 2:37? Slain you will gain heaven; victorious 
you will enjoy earth. Therefore rouse up, O son of Kunti, 
resolved to fight! 


In effect, the Upanishadic Guru Krishna says to Arjuna in 2:38: "No, 
no, no, no! Forget what I said as prince Krishna of Brahmanism in 
2:37! That is Brahmanical thinking. Here is what the Upanishadic 
thinking is: Don't engage yourself in any action with the desire to gain 
either the earth or the heaven. Instead, engage yourself in action 
without Dwandwa (gain and loss, victory and defeat, pain and 
pleasure, honor and dishonor), desire for Karmaphala (lordship here 
on earth and heaven hereafter). You should fight with evenness, 
equilibrium and equanimity of mind characterized by Buddhiyoga. Your 
attitude should be: If I win, I gain no Karmaphala as I did not hanker 
for it. If I die, I will die without gaining any Karmaphala, and so I will 
not go to either heaven or hell. Since I am not concerned with gaining 
anything from my action, I earn no Karmaphala." The question is, 
which Krishna's advice is the right one for a hero ready for war? 

It should be obvious to even half-witted warriors, leave alone 
Arjuna, that this Upanishadic advice is not appropriate for any real 
warrior. Every warrior must go to war with Brahmanic determination to 
win the war, enjoy the glory here on earth and heaven hereafter. No 
right-minded person wages war against his enemies unless he has 
something to gain. This Upanishadic shloka, added to counter 2:37, 
therefore, is not appropriate to Arjuna's predicament at all, even 
though all Brahmanic commentators pretend as though it is. Even 
though every Brahmanic commentator has tried to apply it to Arjuna, 
in reality it applies only to the Vedic ritualists in the Revolutionary 
context, wherein Guru Krishna is trying to reform Vedic ritualists 
performing desire-driven Karma, as we will read in 2:47-51. He wants 
them to perform Yajna (Karma) in the mode of Buddhiyoga, free from 
Dwandwa and without hankering for Karmaphala. How do we know 
this to be true? Read on. 

Now Guru Krishna introduces the two doctrines of his New 
Dharma 

2:39: This Knowledge of the Atman (which overcomes Shokam 
and Dwandwam, and replaces the doctrine of the Gunas) has been 
described to you from Sankhya (analytical or theoretical) point of 
view. Listen now as I explain to you Buddhiyoga, by the 
practice of which you will breakthrough the bonds of Karma 
(meaning, you will earn neither good nor bad Karmaphalam, so you 
will transcend the doctrine of Karma). 

Guru Krishna spelled-out Knowledge of Atman, which counters 
Shokam, in 18 shlokas above. Before one could gain Knowledge of 


Atman, he must steady his mind and thus overcome Dwandwam as 
well. This doctrine will replace the doctrine of the Gunas from now 
onwards. All actions performed in the spirit of Buddhiyoga (without 
Dwandwam) earn neither good nor bad Karmaphala, and so it breaks 
the bonds of Karma. In other words, from now onwards, Buddhiyoga 
will replace the doctrine of Karma. Having introduced these two 
doctrines, Guru Krishna compares them to the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma as exemplified by Kamya Karma. 

2:40: In this endeavor (the practice of Buddhiyoga) there is no 
loss of attempt (since nothing was desired in the first place); nor is 
there any adverse effect (such as Dwandwa and Karmaphala, which 
are associated with Kamya Karma). The practice of even a little of 
this Dharma ( based on the doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and 
Buddhiyoga, unlike the Brahmanic Dharma,) protects one from 
great fear (of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth). 
In this shloka Guru Krishna compares his New Dharma with 
Brahmanism. When a Vedic ritualist performs Kamya Karma, he might 
not get any results at all even after sacrificing ten animals. Much to his 
grief he might not beget a son, win a war, acquire new territory, or 
gain heaven. In contrast, there is no grief in the practice of 
Buddhiyoga as nothing was desired, nor expected in return. Whereas 
desire for and attachment to sense objects causes Dwandwa in the 
performers of Kamya Karma, there is no Dwandwa in the mind of the 
Buddhiyogi as he desires nothing and is attached to nothing. Whereas 
a ritualist performs Kamya Karma desiring fruits (Sankalpa), a 
Buddhiyogi acts without desiring any fruits and so he earns neither 
good nor bad Karmaphala. Therefore, he does not have to fear being 
born again and again. 

Some commentators explain the fear as that of death. Others do not 
make any comment about it at all. Both Shankaracharya and 
Ramanujacharya correctly identify this as fear of being born again. 

It is important to note here the phrase asya Dharmasya -this 
Dharma. Obviously, Guru Krishna is emphasizing this phrase to draw 
the attention of the reader to his Upanishadic Dharma based on the 
doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga, which are 
diametrically opposed to the Brahmanism doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma, which he intends to discredit, overthrow, and replace. This is 
a revolution, not an evolution. 


The word Dharma has many meanings. Brahmanic commentators 
explain the phrase "asya Dharma" here as "this discipline," 
"Karmayoga," "occupation," etc. How do we know that this is certainly 
not the case? Well, having established this Dharma Guru Krishna 
immediately launches a frontal attack against Brahmanism and comes 
out swinging at the Vedic ritualists, Kamya Karma, the Gunas and 
Karma and the Vedas themselves. 

Lord Krishna condemns Vedic ritualists 

2:41: To the one whose mind has been steadied by Buddhiyoga 
there is only one goal (attaining the Bliss of Atman). Many 
branching and endless are the goals (lordship, wealth, heaven, 
etc.) of irresolute in mind (Dwandwa-ridden Vedic ritualists). 
A Yogi's mind is steadied by his Buddhi and is focused solely on the 
Atman. A Vedic ritualist's mind is Dwandwa-ridden due to desire for, 
attachment to, and possessiveness of power, wealth, and heaven 
(read 2:43 below). How do we know that Guru Krishna is attacking the 
Vedic ritualists? Read the next shloka. 

2: 42: The ignorant (Vedic ritualists who are deluded by the Gunas) 
who delight in the flowery words disputing about the Vedas say 
that there is nothing other than this (Kamya Karma). 
The Vedic ritualists loved to engage each other in debate about various 
Vedic doctrines that promoted Kamya Karma. The phrase "nothing 
other than this" refers to the fact that for every malady in the society 
Brahmanism had only one remedy: "Perform Kamya Karma to get 
whatever you want! And give us food, cows, and gold!" The 
Upanishadic seers claimed that ignorance engendered by "delighting in 
the disputations" as far worse than that arising from performing 
Kamya Karma itself (Brahadaranyaka Upanishad: 4:4:10; 
Isopanishad: 9, 12). 

2:43: They (the Vedic ritualists) are desire-ridden, who hold 
attainment of heaven as the goal of birth and its activities; and 
who are addicted to pompous sacrificial rites bringing pleasure 
and lordship. 
Guru Krishna attacks the two fundamental goals of Brahmanism and 
Kamya Karma: desire for pleasure and lordship here on earth and 
heaven hereafter, and lambastes the Vedic ritualists indulging in 
pompous Kamya Karma. Note here that Guru Krishna derides the fact 


that attainment of heaven is the goal of these rituals, the very goal 
prince Krishna of Brahmanism repeatedly recommended to Arjuna in 
the Original Brahmanic Gita (2:3; 32, 37)! As we will read soon, the 
end of Samsara, not heaven, is the goal of this Dharma. Obviously, 
Guru Krishna is referring to Vedic ritualists, and not Arjuna. 

2:44: There is no steadiness of mind for them (the Vedic 
ritualists), who are entangled with pleasure and power and 
whose wisdom is stolen away. 
When the mind is entangled with sense objects, Dwandwa is the result 
(2:14). The Dwandwa-ridden Mind is unsteady because it is deprived 
of the steadying effect of Buddhi. Another way of putting this is: He, 
who's Mind is guided by Buddhi, becomes the Buddha (enlightened); 
he whose mind is entangled with sense objects becomes the Buddhu 
(stupid)! 

The anthem of the Upanishadic Revolution 

2:45: The Vedas enumerate three Gunas (which promote desire, 
attachment, and delusion). You must transcend the three Gunas, 
O Arjuna. Be free from Dwandwa. Being of goodness of mind 
(being free of Guna-rooted weaknesses such as desire and jealous 
rage), unconcerned with getting (earning Karmaphala from your 
actions) and keeping (becoming possessive), be centered on 
Atman (which, gives Bliss here on earth and Nirvana hereafter). 

This single shloka forms the anthem of the Upanishadic Gita as well as 
the revolution: Get over the Gunas, all three of them; eliminate 
Dwandwa; cultivate goodness by giving up common human 
weaknesses rooted in the Gunas such as greed, lust, and rage; 
become detached from sense objects and give up fruits of action, and 
be centered on Atman. The word Nityasatvasto here stands for 
eternally fixed in goodness or truth. it does not represent Sattvic Guna 
as some Brahmanic commentators claim. The bottom line is: Instead 
of submitting to the power of any of the Gunas, one should take refuge 
in Atman, the power higher than the Gunas. Instead of yielding to 
doctrine of Karma and craving Karmaphala, one should renounce it 
and act in the spirit of Buddhiyoga. Even though Guru Krishna seems 
to address this shloka to Arjuna, clearly he is addressing Vedic 
ritualists steeped in Kamya Karma. 

Guru Krishna downgrades the Vedas 


2:46: To an enlightened Brahmin (who has overcome the doctrines 
of the Gunas and attained the Knowledge of Atman) all the Vedas 
are as useful as a tank of water when there is a flood 
everywhere. 
In this shloka Guru Krishna attacks Vedas themselves. What use is a 
tank of water (the limited and "lower knowledge" of "all the Vedas") 
when there is water overflowing all around (the infinite Knowledge of 
Atman)? He proposes that compared to the vast Knowledge of 
Atman/Brahman all the knowledge in the Vedas is insignificant. The 
Upanishads repeatedly say, "One cannot know Brahman by the 
Vedas." Why? The Vedic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
promote desire, attachment, possessiveness, ignorance of 
Atman, and Samsara. This also means that a ritualist who performs 
Kamya Karma based on Vedic knowledge is ignorant, and cannot hope 
to attain Self-realization. 

Pointing his finger at the Vedic ritualists, Guru Krishna lays 
down the Law 

2:47: Your Adhikara (entitlement) is only to the performance of 
Karma (Yajna), and never to its fruits (which belong to Devas 3:1112). 
Never be the cause of any Karmaphala (do not indulge in 
Kamya Karma). And yet, never become attached to inaction (nor 
become a monk or an Ascetic, who does absolutely nothing). 
In this seminal shloka Guru Krishna lays down the Law to the Vedic 
ritualists who obsessively perform Kamya Karma desiring one sense 
object or another. The word Adhikara in this shloka refers to the 
entitlement claimed by various Kshatriyas to perform certain Yajnas, 
and expect appropriate rewards from them by virtue of their 
accomplishments in war and expansion of their territory. For example, 
to perform Ashvamedha Yajna (horse sacrifice), kings were first 
required to prove their entitlement by virtue of their accomplishments 
and conquests. These entitlements were based on Vedic scriptures and 
were granted to them by various priests on their payroll. 

The correct meaning of this verse is that the Vedic ritualists' 
entitlement is only to the selfless performance of Yajnas, and not to its 
fruits, because, according to the true intent of Prajapati, the fruits 
belong to the Vedic Devas (3:11-13). According to Guru Krishna, the 
Yajnas should be the means by which people "repay their debts" to the 
gods for their benevolence (3:12). "A thief verily is he who enjoys 
what is given by them without returning them anything. The 


good who eat the remains of Yajna are freed from all sins; but 
the sinful ones who cook food for themselves, they verily eat 
sin (3:12-13)." Yajnas were not meant to be grand parties in which 
one got drunk on Soma and cooked barbecue! However, once the 
selfish motive was removed from the ritual of Yajna, one might totally 
lose interest in performing any Karma and become attached to inaction 
(akarmani). In other words, one might become a monk or an Ascetic, 
who does nothing at all. Guru Krishna does not want this side-effect 
from his verdict either. So he tells them, "Do not become inactive once 
you give up performance of Kamya Karma." As we will read in the next 
two chapters, Lord Krishna gives Jnanayoga to Brahmins and 
Karmayoga to Kshatriyas in the place of Kamya Karma. 

Every Brahmanical commentary explains this shloka only in the 
context of Arjuna's predicament even though it has no relevance to it 
whatsoever. Not only did Arjuna have the entitlement (Adhikara) to 
wage the war but also he had every right to expect fruit of his action. 
The whole purpose of the war was to gain back his kingdom. 
Furthermore, as the Brahmanism seers said in 2:33, it was his 
bounden duty to do so, failing which he would incur dishonor and sin. 
He would be a hypocrite, if not a fool, to say, "I will wage this dreadful 
war against my own people without desiring to regain my kingdom!" 
War is not just a ritual. It is a dreadful way of correcting an injustice. 
Therefore, this shloka applies only to the Vedic ritualists who hankered 
for fruits while performing Yajna, which were originally supposed to be 
without any selfish motive (3:9; 4:15-17). 

Perform Yajna without attachment to sense objects -in the 
spirit of Buddhiyoga 

2:48: Perform Karma (Yajna), O Dhananjaya, being fixed in 
Buddhiyoga, renouncing attachments, and steady-minded 
(without Dwandwa). Equilibrium in success and failure (being of 
steady mind) is verily Yoga. 
If Guru Krishna does not want the ritualists to perform Yajna without 
desiring Karmaphala, what should their attitude be? Guru Krishna 
recommends the ritualists to perform Yajna, if they must, without 
desire for or attachment to sense objects; and with evenness, 
equanimity, and equilibrium. His mind is steady in the face of success 
as well as failure. One should always keep in mind that he is merely 
returning the debt to the Devas. In this shloka, Guru Krishna 
introduces the first of two elements of Buddhiyoga: Sanyasa -giving 
up Kama (hankering) for sense objects. 


Yajnas performed with Buddhiyukta mind breaks the bonds of 
Karma 

2:49: Motivated Karma is, O Dhananjaya, far inferior to that 
performed with equanimity of mind engendered by 
Buddhiyoga. Take refuge in the evenness of the Buddhi. 
Wretched are those (ritualists) who hanker for Karmaphala. 
Guru Krishna says that Yajna performed in the spirit of Buddhiyoga is 
superior to the one with desire for fruits. Those ritualists who desire 
fruits are wretched, indeed as they suffer Dwandwa and earn 
Karmaphala. By recommending giving up desire for fruits Guru Krishna 
at once pulled the rug from under Kamya Karma and the Gunas in 
which they were rooted. If there is nothing to be gained by performing 
Yajna, what is the point of performing Yajna at all? In this shloka Guru 
Krishna introduces the second element of Buddhiyoga: Tyaga -giving 
up Sankalpa for sense objects. 

2:50: The one whose mind is stabilized by Buddhi frees himself 
in this life from good deeds (good Karmaphala) as well as evil 
deeds (bad Karmaphala); therefore girdle yourself to Yoga; work 
done skillfully is verily Yoga. 
Once the mind is stabilized by Buddhi, it becomes free from the 
Dwandwa of desire and aversion, and so one's actions become free 
from both good and bad Karmaphala here on earth. Yoga is nothing 
but works done skillfully, meaning done in such a way that one does 
not suffer from Dwandwa and Karmaphala as its side-effect. Just as a 
skillful surgeon avoids complications such as infection and bleeding, a 
skillful Yogi avoids earning Dwandwa and Karmaphala while 
performing Yajna. 

2:51: The wise with Buddhiyukta mind, renouncing selfishness 
in action, freed from the fetters of birth, verily go to the 
stainless state. 
When one gives up attachment and selfishness while performing any 
Karma, he earns no Karmaphala. By not earning Karmaphala, one 
overcomes Samsara hereafter. This means, when one performs 
selfless action he is breaking the bonds of Karma and thus defies the 
doctrine of Karma. Note here that Atman is not part of the equation in 
Buddhiyoga up to this point. 

Guru Krishna directly attacks the Vedas 


2:52: When your Buddhi transcends the taint of delusion 
(engendered by Kamya Karma), then shall you be disgusted by 
things you will hear (Shruthis yet to be heard) as well as that you 
have already heard (the Vedas). 
In this shloka Guru Krishna says that when a Buddhiyogi has raised 
himself above the bewilderment engendered by desire and attachment 
associated with Kamya Karma, he would be disgusted with Shruthis 
yet to be revealed as well as the Vedas, which promote them. Here the 
Upanishadic seers use the word Nirvedam as pun to express disgust 
with the Vedas. This word means disgust as well as Vedalessness. 
What are the Shruthis yet to be revealed? I believe they were referring 
to the newer Shruthis that were being churned out around this time 
promoting sacrificial rites, such as Taittiriya Upanishads. All 
Brahmanism commentators simply gloss over this shloka which 
expresses disgust with Vedic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma that 
promote Kamya Karma. 

2:53: When your Buddhi, (even while being) tossed about by the 
conflicting Vedic doctrines, is firmly steadied in equilibrium (by 
Buddhiyoga), then you shall achieve the transcendental state of 
Yoga (Samadhi). 
Once again Guru Krishna uses the word Shruthi as pun. The word 
Shruthiviprathipanna can be interpreted as merely conflicting opinions 
one hears, or conflicting Vedic doctrines. For one to achieve the 
transcendental state of mind known as Samadhi, the highest state of 
steadiness and concentration one could hope to achieve in life, he 
must learn to steady his mind against the temptations of various 
conflicting Vedic doctrines, such as the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma, that promote desire, attachment and delusion. Once again, 
Brahmanic commentators either gloss over this shloka or obfuscate its 
true meaning altogether. Ramanujacharya goes a step further. He 
simply says that the word Shruthi in this shloka does not mean the 
Vedas, but just what one hears! 

Atman is added to the equation of Buddhiyoga 

2:54: Arjuna asks: What is the mark of the man of steadfast 
wisdom, O Keshava, who is steeped in Samadhi? How does the 
man firm in wisdom speak, sit and walk? 
So far Buddhiyoga consisted of the Mind being steadied by Buddhi 
(Intellect). This equation did not have Atman or the Lord in it. Now 


Guru Krishna introduces Atman into the equation. The term Samadhi transcendental 
state of Yoga-stands for the Absolute Bliss one 
experiences by his mind's direct contact with Atman. This steady state 
of mind is also known as Sthithaprajnya, the mind of steadfast 
wisdom. One can achieve the Absolute Bliss associated with the 
transcendental state of mind only when he is able to maintain 
steadiness of concentration and singleness of purpose even as his 
Buddhi is caught in the cross current of various conflicting Vedic 
doctrines that promote Kamya Karma. Based on the answers Guru 
Krishna gives in the following shlokas, a more appropriate question 
could have been, "What does it take for a man to achieve the 
Sthithaprajnya state of mind conducive to achieving Samadhi (contact 
with Atman)?" 

Get rid of desire for sense objects 

2:55: When a man abandons all desires of the heart and is 
satisfied in Atman and by Atman, then he is said to have 
achieved the Sthithaprajnya State. 
The answer is simple: Give up all desires of the heart and be satisfied 
with the Bliss of Atman. Desire is rooted in the Gunas (3:37). The 
moment one gives up all his desires, his Mind will connect with his 
Buddhi as well as Atman. 

Get rid of fear, attachment and anger 

2:56: He whose mind is not perturbed by adversity, who does 
not crave for happiness (free from Dwandwa), who is free from 
fondness, fear and anger (Guna-rooted weaknesses), is the Muni 
(sage) of transcendental wisdom. 
For one to achieve the Sthithaprajnya state of mind, he must 
overcome Dwandwa and all the Guna-rooted weaknesses such as 
fondness for sense objects; fear of losing them, and jealous rage for 
other's possessions. 

2:57: He who is unattached everywhere, who is not delighted at 
receiving good nor dejected by receiving evil, he is poised in 
wisdom. 
Not only must one give up desire for sense objects, but also he must 
give up his attachments to them. When one gives up attachments to 
sense objects Dwandwa disappears. The steadiness of Mind thus 


achieved, becomes the stepping stone to achieve Sthithaprajnya state 
of mind. Such a person does not jump in joy when he receives a 
fortune, nor sink into despair when he suffers a misfortune. Basically it 
is Buddhiyukta Mind that has achieved evenness, equilibrium, 
equanimity, in addition to the Absolute Bliss of Atman. 

Do not underestimate the power of the Senses (desires rooted 
in the Gunas) 

2:60: The excited senses, Arjuna, impetuously carry away the 
mind of even a wise man who is striving for perfection. 
Is it easy to give up desire and achieve the Sthithaprajnya state of 
Mind? Not at all, says Guru Krishna. Even wise people often fall prey to 
their desires and entanglements engendered by the Gunas and their 
representative in the body, the Senses. 

2:67: Just as the gale of wind pushes a ship on the waters, the 
mind that yields to the roving Senses breaks away from its 
Wisdom. 
The Mind is constantly caught between the Senses (desires) on the 
one hand and Buddhi (doing the right thing) on the other. Very often, 
the Senses win and even wise people do stupid things. 

For one to steady his mind he must learn to say 'No.' 

2:58: When also, like a tortoise withdrawing its limbs into its 
body, one withdraws his senses from sense objects, his wisdom 
is set steady. 
Withdrawing Senses simply means saying "No!" to one's desires for 
sense objects and reducing attachments to them. It is a long and 
arduous task. Once the Mind has controlled its desires, it connects with 
Buddhi (Wisdom) and becomes steady. In the picture below, the 
Senses have shrunk in size; attachments to sense objects are almost 
gone, and the sense objects have become insignificant. The Mind is 
girdled with Buddhi and centered on Atman. 


2:59: Sense objects drop out for the abstinent man though not 
the longing for them. However, his longing also ceases when he 
intuits the Supreme (Atman). 
Merely abstaining from sense objects does not mean the desire for 
them is gone. However, once one gets in touch with Atman, even 
those cravings disappear. Why? Well, Atman enjoys the Bliss 
associated with not wanting or needing anything. 

A Bhagavatha shloka suddenly pops up! 

2:61: The Yogi, having controlled them all, sits focused on Me 
as the supreme goal. His wisdom is constant whose Senses 
(desire and attachment) are subjugated. 
Guru Krishna declares himself as God only in BG Chapter Four. This 
shloka, 2:61, in which Guru Krishna suddenly claims himself to be 
God, is inappropriately interpolated into this Upanishadic chapter by a 
later Bhagavatha scholar. This is but one of many examples of how the 
Gita has been corrupted by various well-meaning authors who cared 
little for the integrity of the text in their exuberance to promote their 
religious agendas. If I were Arjuna I would ask Guru Krishna, "Why 
should the Yogi sit focused on you, Guruji? Are you God or 
something?" 


Guru Krishna warns about the danger of attachment to sense 
objects 

2:62-63: Brooding on the objects of senses (people, wealth, 
power, etc.) man develops attachment to them; from attachment 
comes hankering ("I must have it"); from hankering sprouts forth 
jealous rage (I hate him because he has it and I don't); from 
jealous rage proceeds delusion (bewilderment due to disconnection 
of mind from wisdom); from delusion confused memory (of right 
thing to do) ; from confused memory the ruin of reason (one's 
actions become irrational); due to the ruin of reason he perishes. 

The summary of the above two shlokas is that the Guna-rooted 
weaknesses of desire, attachment, and possessiveness disconnect the 
mind from Buddhi leading to one indulging in stupid and ruinous 
behavior. Enjoy life but do not get entangled 

2:64-66: But the disciplined Yogi, moving among objects with 
his senses (desires) under control, and free from attraction and 
aversion (Dwandwa), gains tranquility. In tranquility, all his 
sorrow (Grief) is destroyed. For the Buddhi of the tranquil-
minded is soon established in equilibrium (becomes 
Buddhiyukta). There is no wisdom in the fickle-minded (who is 
Dwandwa-ridden due to his attachment to sense objects); to the one 
with unsteady mind, there is no peace. And how can the mind 
without peace enjoy happiness (of Atman)? 

What is the secret of gaining tranquility and overcoming Grief? One 
should freely move among various sense objects without desire and 
attachment. By controlling these, one prevents Dwandwa. Such a mind 
achieves evenness, equilibrium, and equanimity associated with 
Buddhiyoga. For one to enjoy happiness and peace, his mind must first 
be steadied. 

2:68: Therefore, Arjuna, his cognition is well-poised, whose 
Senses are completely restrained from their objects. 
Complete control over one's Senses (desires and attachments) is 
essential for one's mind to become absolutely steady. Once the Senses 
are controlled, the Mind connects with Buddhi, yokes itself to it, and 
becomes Buddhiyukta. The main goal of Buddhiyoga is to control one's 
desires and attachment to sense objects as well as for the fruits of 
one's actions. 


Attaining the Bliss of Atman here on earth 

2:70-71: Not the desirer of desires, but that man attains Peace 
(of Atman), in whom all desires merge even as rivers flow into 
the ocean which is full and unmoving. That man attains Peace 
(here on earth) who is devoid of cravings, freed from all desires 
and without the feeling of "I" and "mine." 

This shloka shows how Yoga promotes Bliss here on earth in contrast 
to Kamya Karma which promotes Dwandwa here on earth. To achieve 
the absolute Bliss of Atman even during one's lifetime, one must one 
give up all aspects related to Kamya Karma: desire for, and 
attachment to, and possessiveness (delusion of "I" and "mine") of 
sense objects. In these shlokas Guru Krishna is clearly referring to the 
Vedic ritualists who were obsessed with accumulating Karmaphala by 
means of Kamya Karma and enjoying life here on earth. These shlokas 
have no relevance to Arjuna's predicament. 

Attaining Nirvana hereafter 

2:72: This, O Partha, is the Brahman state. Attaining this none 
will be bewildered (by the Gunas and desire for and attachment to 
sense objects). Being established in It even at the hour of death, 
a man gets into oneness with the Brahman (attains Nirvana 
hereafter). 
Whereas the goal of Kamya Karma of Brahmanism was to attain 
heaven hereafter (2:37, 43), the goal of the Upanishadic Yoga was to 
attain Nirvana hereafter. Note here that the Upanishadic seers declare 
that Atman and Brahman are one and the same. The man who attains 
Atman has attained the state of Brahmanirvana -extinction of Atman 
by means of merger with Brahman. 

In this chapter, Guru Krishna of Upanishadism brings about a 
paradigm shift in the Brahmanic concerns about the issue of here and 
hereafter. In the place of Brahmanic goal of pleasure and wealth here 
on earth, he recommends Bliss of Atman. Instead of Brahmanic goal of 
attainment of heaven hereafter, he recommends Nirvana, end of 
Samsara. The Chapter Two of the Bhagavad Gita achieves five of the 
seven goals of the Upanishadic revolution. Let us now study the sixth 
goal: Reforming Brahmins and Kshatriyas. 


CHAPTER ELEVEN 
The Upanishadic Revolution-2 
Reforming Brahmins 


Consolidation of the revolution 

Every revolution, whether social, political, or religious, is followed by 
two early developments: one, protecting the revolution from the well-
entrenched vested interests; and two, reforming the recalcitrant Old 
Guard. Having established the Upanishadic Dharma based on the 
Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga, the Upanishadic seers must 
have felt quite vulnerable to the counter-attacks of Brahmanism. They 
quickly consolidated their position by declaring Guru Krishna as the 
Lord of all beings (4:6), a position akin to that of the Vedic god 
Prajapati, and made all future revolutionary shlokas come out of His 
mouth. This guaranteed that none of the shlokas uttered by Lord 
Krishna so far and in the future could be destroyed by the Brahmanic 
reactionaries. 

However, we must keep in mind that the Upanishadic Gita was still 
vulnerable to editing, interpolation, scrambling, and other tactics by 
the vested interests to dilute or neutralize their revolutionary intent. 
One of many examples of this is seen in the act of switching of 
Chapter Three and Four by the final editor of the Bhagavad Gita. It is 
an unfortunate reality that every single ancient scripture, including the 
Vedas, the Upanishads, Sankhya Darshan, and Yoga Sutras, has been 
manipulated, "worked over" and altered by Brahmanism scholars to 
suit their interests. Texts which they hated, such as those of Lokayata 
philosophy, were entirely destroyed. 

Reforming the ritualists 

The Bhagavad Gita is full of epithets that denigrate Vedic ritualists. 
Guru Krishna as well as Lord Krishna condemns Vedic ritualists 
mercilessly as infirm in mind (2:41), ignorant (2:42; 3:26), desire-
ridden and addicted to sacrificial rites (2:43), devoid of discrimination 
(2:44), despicable (2:49), thieves (3:12), sinful (3:13), vain (3:16), 
unwise (3:25), egoistic (3:27), dullards (3:29), men of small intellect 
(7:23), men who fall or perish (9:24), hypocritical, proud and arrogant 
(16:10), self-conceited, stubborn and ostentatious (16:17), insolent 
and egoistic (16:18); worst among men (16:19), so on and so forth. 
Of course, He describes the selfless Yogi in exactly the opposite 


epithets. In fact, He says that one who "merely wishes to know of 
Yoga is superior to Vedic ritualists" (6:44). 

Now the Upanishadic seers went about reforming the Old Guard: 
Brahmin and Kshatriya ritualists. They further divided the 
"Imperishable" Buddhiyoga into Jnanayoga and Karmayoga (3:3). 
They assigned Jnanayoga -the Yoga of the Knowledge of Atman-to the 
brainy Brahmins, and Karmayoga -Yoga of Action-to the brawny 
Kshatriyas: 

3:3: Lord Krishna said: The twofold path (Jnanayoga and 
Karmayoga) was given by Me, O sinless one, to the world in the 
beginning-the path of Knowledge (Sankhya) to the discerning 
(Brahmin class) and the path of Karma (Yoga) to the active 
(Kshatriya class). 
Note here that Lord Krishna refers to Arjuna as "sinless" thus hinting 
that whatever follows does not apply to him, but only to Brahmins and 
Kshatriyas who were busy earning (Karmaphala) by means of Kamya 
Karma. 

Switching back the chapters 

In the Bhagavad Gita as it exists now, Lord Krishna declares Himself 
as the Lord of beings in Chapter Four. In that chapter Lord Krishna 
declares that it was He who instructed the imperishable Buddhiyoga of 
BG Chapter Two to the sun god and through him to various royal 
sages. However, in BG Chapter Three, Lord Krishna talks to Arjuna as 
if He is already the Lord (3:3), besides referring to issues raised in 
Chapter Four (3:1) which followed it. Therefore, in the original version 
of the Upanishadic Gita, Chapter Four giving Brahmins Jnanayoga 
must have come before Chapter Three giving Kshatriyas Karmayoga. 
Some ancient editor must have switched these chapters around 
deliberately for a specific purpose. If the editor was a Brahmanic 
scholar, his intention was to dilute the revolution by confusing the 
readers. If the editor was an Upanishadic scholar, his motive was to 
convert the text into an Upanishadic dialogue. This is another example 
of how the text of the Bhagavad Gita has been repeatedly manipulated 
by various vested interests to serve their own ends resulting in 
incredible amount of unnecessary confusion. 

There are two goals for Chapter Four of the Bhagavad Gita: The first 
goal is to elevate Guru Krishna to the position of the Lord of beings 
(4:6-7). This guaranteed that the revolutionary shlokas will not be 


destroyed by the vested interests. The second goal is to reform 
Brahmins by weaning them away from Kamya Karma and initiating 
them in the science of Jnanayoga (the Yoga of Knowledge of Atman). 
They are urged to give up material sacrifice dedicated to Vedic gods 
and, instead, are encouraged to perform "Knowledge Sacrifice (4:33)," 
which means practicing Yoga to gain the Knowledge of Atman. Instead 
of earning Karmaphala by means of Kamya Karma, they are 
encouraged to "burn their Karmaphala in the fire (Yajna) of Knowledge 
of Atman (4:37)" by which is meant, "You cancel-out all Karmaphala 
when you worship Atman by means of Yoga." Now let us study the 
revolutionary shlokas from BG Chapter Four. 

Lord Krishna claims authorship of Yoga 

4:1-2: This Imperishable Yoga (Buddhiyoga of BG Chapter Two) I 
declared to Vivasvat (Sun god); Vivasvat taught it to Manu (the 
Lawgiver); Manu told it to Ikshvaku. Thus transmitted in regular 
succession the royal sages (not the Vedic Brahmins) knew it. This 
Yoga, by long efflux of time decayed in this world, O scorcher 
of foes. 

Guru Krishna starts out in this chapter by declaring that he is the Guru 
of Sun god. The Sun god gave the doctrine of Buddhiyoga to Manu, his 
son; and Manu gave it to Ikshvaku, the founder of Ikshvaku or Sun 
dynasty. The Imperishable Yoga Lord Krishna refers to here is, of 
course, Buddhiyoga he taught to Arjuna in BG Chapter Two (2:40, 4751; 
64-68). This Yoga is "Imperishable" because the Imperishable 
Atman was introduced into its equation in 2:55-59. It decayed over 
time because it was declared as a Top Secret and kept away from the 
public by Brahmanic priests. Now Lord Krishna has revived it and 
revealed it to Arjuna and the public at large by including it in the 
Mahabharata, a Smriti to which everyone has access. It was 
transmitted in regular succession by royal sages (Kshatriyas), not 
Vedic priests. It is no longer a Top Secret. 

4:3: The same ancient Yoga has been today told to you by Me, 
for you are My devotee and friend; and this secret is supreme 
indeed. 
This shloka referring to Arjuna as His Bhakta (devotee) is clearly a 
later addition by the Bhagavatha scholars who attempted to convert 
the Upanishadic Gita into the Bhagavatha Gita. Like this and the 
shloka 2:61, we will encounter such later Bhagavatha interpolations 
from time to time, especially toward the end of chapters. Lord Krishna 


refers to His Yoga as Supreme Secret over six times in the text of the 
Bhagavatha Gita. Why? Obviously He is referring to the Secret Code of 
the Bhagavad Gita: dismantling Brahmanism based on the doctrines of 
the Gunas and Karma, and establishing in its place a New Dharma 
based on the Upanishadic doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and 
Buddhiyoga. He wants everyone to know this Supreme Secret. The 
days of secrecy and Brahmanic intrigue are over. Now Arjuna gives 
Lord Krishna the opportunity to declare His Divinity. 

4:4: Arjuna said: Later was Your birth, earlier was the birth of 
Vivasvat; how then am I to understand that You told it in the 
beginning? 
Here Arjuna faithfully plays his role of the humble, eternally perplexed 
and curious disciple in the Upanishadic tradition (4:34), thus giving 
Lord Krishna the opportunity to declare His incarnation and its true 
purpose. 

Lord Krishna declares His supremacy over Prakriti (the Gunas) 

4:5-6: Many are the births taken by me and you, O Arjuna. I 
know them all while you know not, O scorcher of foes. Though 
I am unborn, imperishable and the Lord of beings, yet 
subjugating My Prakriti, I come into being by My own Maya. 

Arjuna does not remember his many births because he is deluded by 
his entanglement with sense objects, engendered by the Gunas 
(Prakriti). Lord Krishna subjugated His own Prakriti (Gunas) and was 
born on earth by his own Maya (illusion, magic). Lord Krishna is telling 
His audience that He is more powerful than Prakriti (the Gunas), and 
therefore, he can remember His prior births. 

It should be recalled here that Brahmanism shored up Varnashrama 
Dharma as well as the supremacy of Brahmins by embellishing the 
Gunas of Prakriti as the ultimate force no one could resist (3:5, 27, 
33; 18:59-60). Anyone going against the Gunas was declared as 
deluded by Ahamkara. Lord Krishna declares here that He is a force 
greater than the Gunas. Unlike all the Vedic gods who are subject to 
the power of the Gunas (18:40), He alone is more powerful than the 
Gunas, and so He is even more powerful than the Vedic gods. And now 
He will teach us all how we, too, could cross over the Gunas. As we 
will read later, one way to overcome the force of the Gunas is to take 
refuge in Lord Krishna (14:19; 18:66), who is superior to the Gunas. 


Lord Krishna explains the real purpose of His birth 

4:7: Whenever there is decay of Dharma and rise of Adharma, 
then I embody myself. 
The decay of Dharma and rise of Adharma Lord Krishna is referring to 
in this shloka is clearly that of Brahmanism, which was in a moribund 
condition during this period (3rd century B. C.) due to corruption of 
Vedic sacrifices. As the Adharma of Kamya Karma grew, so did the 
decay of Brahmanism. Brahmanic seers admit to this themselves 
(3:35; 18:47). The question that needs to be answered is why does it 
take God to do this feat? Well, the nexus of Brahmins and Kshatriyas 
held Brahmanism in such a strong death-grip that no less a person 
than God Himself was needed to do what was needed to be done, and 
protect the revolution from reactionaries. Any person who challenged 
the perversion of Brahmanism was immediately declared as heretic 
and one deluded by Ahamkara. Brahmanism vilified even the great 
reformers, the Buddha and Mahaveera, as upstarts who tried to 
destroy Brahmanism. It is possible that the term Adharma was used 
also with reference to various anti-Vedic Dharmas of the time which 
were in ascendence during this time, chief among which was the 
Lokayata. 

4:8: I take birth age after age for the protection of the good 
and the destruction of the doers of evil deeds and for the 
establishment of Dharma. 
The doers of evil deeds are those who recklessly indulge in desire-
driven sacrifices -Kamya Karma. It is clear from this shloka that the 
Upanishadic seers elevated Guru Krishna to the position of Lord of 
being (4:6), for a specific purpose: to overthrow the decadent 
Brahmanism and to establish a New Dharma to replace it. 

Three interpolated Bhagavatha shlokas 

4:9: He who thus knows My divine birth and action in true light, 
having dropped the body, comes not to birth again, but comes 
unto Me, O Arjuna. 
This is a Bhagavatha shloka as evidenced by the fact that Lord Krishna 
offers Himself as the goal of Moksha. Up to this point Lord Krishna is 
merely the Lord of beings, whose main purpose of birth is to establish 
Upanishadic Dharma centered on Atman. He is not yet the Supreme 
Lord of the Bhagavathas(11:3) worshipping whom one attains Moksha 


(18:66). In any case, the author of this shloka wants everyone to 
acknowledge Lord Krishna's divine birth and to know His action in the 
true light: to establish Dharma. One who follows His Dharma 
overcomes the doctrine of Karma, and thus attains freedom from 
Samsara. Why? 

4:10: Freed from passion, fear and jealous rage (engendered by 
the Gunas), filled with Me, taking refuge in Me (which would 
counter the power of the Gunas), purified by penance (Yoga) in the 
fire of Knowledge (of Atman), many have entered into My Being 
(attained Moksha). 
This shlokas was also interpolated by a later Bhagavatha seer as 
evidenced by the fact that Lord Krishna has taken over the position of 
Brahman the Supreme. This does not take place in the Bhagavad Gita 
until after the Bhagavathas had taken over the Gita. This shloka also 
raises the issue of Moksha, which is a Bhagavatha concept. In any 
case, to attain Moksha, one must give up Guna-rooted weaknesses; 
surrender to Lord Krishna, and take up Yoga of Knowledge of Atman. 

4:11: In whatever way men identify with Me, in the same way 
do I carry out their desires; men pursue My path, O Partha, in 
all ways. 
In this Bhagavatha shloka, Lord Krishna asks Brahmins to identify with 
Him upon which He would fulfill their desires. The real intent in this 
shloka is, "There is no need for you to worship Vedic gods with Kamya 
Karma to fulfill your desires. Just identify with Me and worship Me, and 
I will carry out your desires." 

Brahmanism strikes back 

4:12: Longing for success in action on earth, they worship the 
gods; for quickly is success born of action in this world of man. 
This shloka, promoting sacrifices dedicated to the Vedic gods, was 
added here later by the Brahmanism scholars to counter the previous 
anti-sacrifice shloka. The word action in this shloka means sacrificial 
rite. In effect they are telling people: "Forget what Lord Krishna said in 

4:11 about identifying with Him and fulfilling your desires through 
Him. Worshiping the Vedic gods Indra, Agni, Varuna, and Vayu by 
sacrifices leads to quick success in this world of man. Don't give up 
performing Kamya Karma!" A casual reader, not familiar with the 
battle between Brahmanism and Revolutionaries, could easily become 

confused by this shloka and believe that Lord Krishna is endorsing 
Kamya Karma. Exactly opposite is true (3:17-18). 

Lord Krishna offers Himself as a model for Brahmins to emulate 

4:13: The fourfold Varna was created by Me by the different 
distribution of Guna and Karma. Though I am the author 
thereof, know Me to be eternal non-doer (my actions are 
performed so selflessly that I never earn any Karmaphala). 
Now Lord Krishna offers Himself as a model for Brahmins to emulate. 
He explains His stance whenever He does any deed. For example, 
when He created the fourfold Varnashrama Dharma according to the 
distribution of the Gunas and Karma, He neither desired any fruits nor 
gained any. He is the eternal non-doer, meaning, no matter what He 
does, He does it so selflessly that it is as if he did nothing at all, and so 
He earns no Karmaphala whatsoever (5:8-9). If anything good came 
out of Varnashrama Dharma, Lord Krishna did not earn good 
Karmaphala. If anything bad ensued from it, he did not earn bad 
Karmaphala for it either. Lord Krishna seems to be saying, "Don't 
blame Me for the mess you have created with Varnashrama Dharma!" 

4:14: Nor do (My) actions taint Me (I earn no bad Karmaphala), 
nor is the fruit of action desired by Me. He, who thus knows Me 
(identifies with me and follows my example of selfless action), is not 
bound by action (does not earn Karmaphala). 
Lord Krishna wants Brahmins to follow His example and perform their 
deeds (Yajnas) like He does -neither desiring fruits nor gaining them. 
He is asking them to perform Yajna in such a way that they are not 
tainted by Karmaphala. In other words, give up Kamya Karma and 
perform all Karma is the spirit of Yoga (2:47-49). 

Lord Krishna offers Brahmins a crash course on proper ways of 
performing Yajnas. 

4:15: Having known thus (that Yajna should be performed without 
desire for Karmaphala) even the ancient seekers after liberation 
performed action (sacrifice); therefore do you perform action, as 
did the ancients in olden times. 
This shloka explains that the ancient seers performed Yajna in the 
spirit mentioned above: neither desiring the fruits nor gaining them. 
The ancient seers performed sacrifices seeking liberation. The question 


is: what were they seeking liberation from? Well, they were seeking 
liberation from indebtedness to the Devas for their benevolence. If one 
did not return to the Vedic gods something for their benovelence, it 
was considered a sinful act of omission (3:12, 13, 16). One would then 
earn bad Karmaphala, and rot in hell. Lord Krishna urges Brahmins to 
perform sacrifices, if they must, like the ancient sages did and not like 
the contemporary greedy priests did. Now Lord Krishna gives these 
sages a refresher course on performing Karma in the right manner. 

4:16-17: Sages (of the present time) too are perplexed as to what 
action is (proper way to perform Yajna) and what inaction (nonperformance 
of Yajna, Sanyasa) is. Therefore I shall tell you what 
action (right way to perform Yajna) is, by knowing which you shall 
be freed from evil (of Dwandwa and Karmaphala). It is needful to 
discriminate (proper) action, forbidden action (Kamya Karma) 
and inaction (being a monk or Sanyasin); inscrutable is the way of 
Karma. 

The contemporary sages are confused as to what is the proper way to 
perform a sacrifice as well as to abstain from it because, in the case of 
corrupt Brahmins Dwandwa has disconnected their mind from their 
wisdom; and in the case of Sramanas, Grief has confused their 
comprehension. Its ways are too deep for these dull-witted ritualists to 
understand. Therefore, Lord Krishna will have to explain the three 
kinds of sacrifices: desireless sacrifices (the original, 4:15), desire-
driven sacrifices (of decadent Brahmanism), and non-performance of 
sacrifices (as is the case with Ascetics and Buddhist monks). What 
does it take for such a bewildered Brahmin ritualist to be a Jnanayogi, 
the one who strives for the Knowledge of Atman? 

4:18: He who sees inaction (detachment from fruit, Tyaga) in 
action (sacrifice), and action (earning Karmaphala) in inaction 
(Sanyasa), he is wise among men; he is a Yogi although he is 
engaged in all kinds of activities. 
A person who performs sacrifices will not earn any Karmaphala when 
he gives up his desire for fruit. On the other hand, a person who has 
given up performing sacrifices could still earn Karmaphala by not 
giving up his desire for fruit (Sankalpa 6:1-4). A person who is 
perceptive of this truth is wise (Yogi). Such a Yogi, who perfectly 
understands this fundamental truth about action, inaction, and 
forbidden action, could freely engage himself in all kind of activities, 
including sacrificial rites, without being bound by its Karmaphala. So 


what should Brahmins do to become wise (attain enlightenment of 
Atman)? 

Lord Krishna explains how to perform Yajna perfectly 

4:19: He whose doings are all devoid of design (Sankalpa to gain 
fruit) and desire for personal gains, and whose actions are all 
burnt (purified) by the fire of Knowledge (of Atman), him the 
sages call wise (Yogi). 
Lord Krishna urges Brahmins to give up Sankalpa (design, motive, 
desire or intent to earn Karmaphala, 6;1-4), and attachment to fruits 
of sacrifices, both of which immediately free them from Karmaphala. 
So instead of earning Karmaphala by fire sacrifice, Lord Krishna tells 
Brahmins to burn their Karmaphala in the metaphoric fire of 
Knowledge of Atman. To attain Knowledge of Atman, one must give up 
his Guna-rooted weaknesses, which means he is purified. 

4:20: Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of action, ever 
content, depending on nothing (such as fee or wealth), though 
engaged in Karma (Yajna), verily he does not do anything (does 
not earn any Karmaphala). 
"Give up attachment to Karmaphala" exhorts Lord Krishna. Absence of 
Karmaphala means one has overcome the doctrine of Karma and one 
no longer suffers rebirth. Absence of rebirth means attainment of 
Nirvana. So what is the proper way to perform sacrifices, if one must? 

The Anthem of Jnanayoga 

4:21: Hoping for nothing (without hankering for sense objects), his 
mind and self controlled (becoming Buddhiyukta), having 
abandoned all possessions, performing Karma (sacrifices) by 
body alone (without desire and design for fruit), he incurs no sin 
(Karmaphala). 
Lord Krishna tells Brahmins, "If you must perform sacrificial rites, do 
so in the spirit of Yoga: without desire for, attachment to and 
possessiveness of sense objects, and without any desire for fruits of 
action. Perform it as mere physical ritual without any emotional 
element." Lord Krishna has just converted Kamya Karma into 
Nishkama Karma. 


4:22: Content with what he obtains without effort (manipulations 
and coercion), free from Dwandwa ("I like this, I don't like that; I 
want this, I don't want this"), without envy ("he has more cows than 
I"), balanced in success and failure ("if I have it fine, it I don't, that 
is that is fine too"), though acting (performing sacrifices) he is not 
bound (does not earn Karmaphala). 
The Yajna should be performed with a steady state of mind, and only 
as an obligatory ritual. There should be no room for any desire, 
attachment, greed, coercion, or envy. 

4:23: Of one unattached (to sense objects), liberated (from the 
Gunas and Karma) with mind absorbed in Knowledge (of the 
Atman), performing work for Yajna (worship) alone (and not for 
personal gains), his entire Karmaphala (sin/merit) melts away. 
The above three shlokas form the anthem of Jnanayoga. They convey 
the message that when a priest performs sacrifices without hankering 
(Kama) for fruits, without design (Sankalpa), without pairs of 
opposites (Dwandwa), without attachment (Sangas), without 
possessiveness (Moha), and with his mind focused on the Self/Atman, 
he does not earn any Karmaphala. In other words, one must give up 
Guna-rooted weaknesses in all actions. Any personal action or sacrifice 
thus performed with Buddhiyukta-Sthithaprajnya mind is known as the 
Yajna of Knowledge of Atman. For it is free from all the negative 
aspects of Kamya Karma. This is Jnanayoga. What are various 
constituents of the Knowledge Sacrifice in contrast to Kamya Karma? 

Brahman replaces Vedic gods in the Vedic Yajnas 

4:24: The oblation is Brahman, the clarified butter is Brahman, 
offered by Brahman in the fire of Brahman; unto Brahman 
verily he goes who cognizes Brahman alone in his action 
(sacrifice). 

How is the Yajna of the Knowledge of Atman different from the Kamya 
Karma of Brahmanism? Kamya Karma is dedicated to the Vedic gods. 
Unlike in Kamya Karma, all the constituents of the Yajna of Knowledge 
-oblation, ghee, the offering person, fire, object of sacrifice-are made 
up of all-pervading Brahman. The Lord recommends Brahmins to 
recognize "Brahman alone in the sacrifice." There is a paradigm shift of 
the object of Yajna from Vedic gods to Brahman. In other words, Lord 
Krishna "Upanishadizes" the Vedic sacrifices. 


Now Lord Krishna further broadens the definition of Yajna. He explains 
that there are other types of Yajnas (worships) in which both tangible 
and intangible sense objects are sacrificed. What are various different 
types of Yajnas one can find in the vast storehouse of Brahman? 

4:25-30: Some Yogis perform sacrifices to Devas alone (4:12), 
while others (Yogis) offer the self as sacrifice in the fire of 
Brahman (Knowledge Sacrifice). Some offer hearing and other 
senses as sacrifice in the fire of restraint (they say ‘no' to their 
Senses), while others offer sound and other sense-objects as 
sacrifice in the fire of senses (they give up the pleasures of their 
five Senses). Others again offer actions of the Sense Organs 
(such a speech, sex, etc.) and other functions of the life-energy, 
as a sacrifice in the fire of self-control, kindled by Knowledge 
(of Atman). Yet others offer wealth, austerity and Yoga as 
sacrifice, while still others, of self-denial and extreme vows, 
offer sacred study and Knowledge as sacrifice. Yet others offer 
as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the incoming, and the 
incoming in the outgoing, restraining the flow of the outgoing 
and incoming breath, solely absorbed in the regulation of life-
energy (Pranayama). Still others of regulated food habit offer in 
the pranas the functions thereof. All these are knowers of 
Yajna, having their sins destroyed by Yajna. 

The word Yajna is rooted in the word Yaj, meaning ‘to worship.' Any 
sacrifice of tangible or intangible sense objects, done selflessly is a 
Yajna of Knowledge of Atman, for it connects the Mind with Buddhi and 
Atman. A Yajna does not have to have the fire burning in a sacrificial 
altar. People who attempt to control their Senses (desires); people 
who control their Organs of Action, say mouth, hands, sex organs 
(refrain from evil acts); people who give up attachment to sense 
objects; people who practice Pranayama; people who practice 
austerity (Tapas), etc. are sacrificing something, and are thus 
performing a Yajna on the altar of Self-realization. The point is, the 
moment one gives up something he desires, his mind connects with 
his Atman, and his sins (Karmaphala) are destroyed. 

4:32: Various Yajnas such as these are spread out from the 
mouth of Brahman. Know them all to be born of Karma 
(sacrificial rituals of one kind or another); and thus knowing you 
shall be free (from bondage of doctrine of Karma). 
This tricky shloka has been interpreted variously by different authors 
because the phrase "Brahmano mukhe" might mean mouth of 


Brahman, mouth of Brahma, or mouth of Brahmanas (Vedas). 
Regardless, all these sacrifices made in the spirit of Yoga lead to 
liberation from Karmaphala because they involve giving up desire, 
attachment and possessiveness of various sense objects and functions 
of the Senses. 

Performers of Yajna of Knowledge of Atman go to Brahman 

4:31: The eaters of the nectar, the remnants of Yajna (dedicated 
to Brahman) go to Eternal Brahman. This world is not for nonsacrificers, 
how then the other, O best of Kurus? 
In the course of proper performance of Brahmanic sacrifices, whatever 
food remains after the Yajna is consumed as the nectar by the 
sacrificer. The main portion goes to the Vedic gods. This is how he 
pleases Vedic gods, attains Karmaphala, enjoys life here or earth and 
goes to heaven after death. In the case of Yajna of Knowledge of 
Atman, in contrast, the eater of the nectar enjoys Bliss of Atman here 
on earth and goes to Brahman hereafter. The phrase, "This world is 
not for the non-sacrificer" means, for one to achieve peace of mind 
here on earth, he must sacrifice whatever he is attached to. If one is 
not willing to do so he will neither have Bliss here on earth nor Nirvana 
hereafter. 

The hidden meaning of the above shloka is that one who sacrifices all 
the above noted (4:25-30) functions of the Senses, the Organs of 
action, the Mind and the Intellect in the fire of Knowledge of Atman, is 
left with only the Atman. The one who obtains that nectar -Atmanattains 
Bliss here on earth and attains Nirvana hereafter. 

Brahmanic commentators claim this shloka as a directive to perform 
sacrifices for happiness here on earth and heaven hereafter!!! 

Perform Knowledge sacrifice, not material sacrifice 

4:33: Knowledge sacrifice (giving up attachment to sense objects 
and fruit of action to achieve the Knowledge of Atman), O scorcher of 
foes, is superior to wealth sacrifice (sacrificing grains, ghee and 
animals). All (such) Karma (performed in the spirit of Yoga) in its 
entirety, O Partha, culminates in Knowledge (of Atman). 
What is the nature of sacrifice one has to make to gain the Knowledge 
of the Atman? Well, one has to give up desire for, attachment to and 
possessiveness of sense objects; and also he must give up desire for 


fruits of action. The moment one does this, his Mind connects with his 
Buddhi and ultimately with his Atman. How does one go about 
acquiring that enlightenment? 

Seek that Knowledge from the Upanishadic seers 

4:34: Seek that enlightenment by prostrating, by questions and 
by service; the wise, the (Upanishadic) seers into the Truth 
(Knowledge of Brahman) will instruct you in that Knowledge. 
One seeks that Knowledge of Atman from the seers in the format of 
Upanishadic instructions, not by submitting to a Vedic priest 
performing a sacrifice or giving a lecture. Lord Krishna is redirecting 
Brahmins to the wisdom of the Upanishads, away from the rituals of 
Vedic sacrifices. Upanishads frequently state that one cannot gain 
Knowledge of Atman by the Vedas. 

4:35: Knowing this (Truth, Atman/Brahman), O Pandava, you will 
not again fall into this confusion (of Kamya Karma); by this 
(Knowledge of Atman) you will see the whole of creation in your 
Self and in Me. 
What is that confusion or delusion one can avoid? It is the delusion 
engendered by the Gunas which binds one to Karma.[1] By discarding 
Kamya Karma, one's Mind connects with his Buddhi and Atman. He 
becomes one with Brahman. When this happens, he sees the whole 
creation in himself: Aham Brahmasmi -I am Brahman. Note here that 
the word Me at the end is meant to equate Lord Krishna with 
Brahman. Clearly, either the word Brahman was replaced by the word 
Me, or this shloka was added later by the Bhagavatha seers. 

Fire of Knowledge will burn all Karmaphala to ashes 

4:36: Even if you be the most sinful of all sinners, yet shall you 
cross over all (river of) sin by the raft of Knowledge (of Atman). 
Even the worst kind of priests who have indulged in sinful acts can 
cancel-out their accumulated Karmaphala by attaining the Knowledge 
of Atman. Here the metaphor "river of sin" most likely refers to the 
river of blood following gruesome sacrifices of animals. There is a 
hidden agenda in this shloka. According to the Brahmanic doctrine of 
the Gunas, one's actions are forever determined by his Guna, which 
one is not able to repress or change (3:33; 18:59-60). This means, 
when a man is of evil Guna, he has no redemption except by suffering 


in hell after death, and being reborn on earth to pay for his sins. Lord 
Krishna says that even worst kind of sinner can redeem himself by 
taking refuge in Atman. 

4:37: As the blazing fire (of Yajna) reduces fuel to ashes, O 
Arjuna, so does the fire of (Yoga to gain) Knowledge (of Atman) 
reduce all Karmaphala to ashes. 
Lord Krishna uses the metaphor of "blazing fire reducing fuel to ashes" 
to indicate that He is referring to Yajna. In the case of Kamya Karma, 
the blazing fire reduces the fuel and sacrificed materials to ashes. In 
contrast, the fire of Knowledge burns all Karmaphala to ashes. 

4:38: Verily there is no purifier in the world like Knowledge of 
Atman. He, who is perfected in Jnanayoga realizes it in his own 
heart in due time. 
The Knowledge of Atman is a purifier of all sin (bad Karmaphala). For, 
in order to attain that Knowledge, one must give up impurities such as 
desire, attachment, possessiveness, greed, hate, jealousy, and the 
like. The Jnanayogi realizes Atman in his heart. (The Upanishadic seers 
believed that Atman resided in the heart.) 

Shraddha (Faith) counters doubt about Atman 

4:39-42: The man of Shraddha (Faith), devoted to that 
Knowledge (of Atman), the master of Senses (desire, attachment) 
obtains the Knowledge (of Atman). Having obtained the 
Knowledge (of Atman) he goes promptly to Peace Supreme 
(Brahman). The ignorant (one deluded by the Gunas) , the man 
devoid of Shraddha, and the doubting self (Dwandwa-ridden) 
goes to destruction (read 2:62-63). The doubting self has neither 
this world, nor the next (abode of Brahman), nor happiness. With 
work absolved in Yoga, and doubts rent asunder by Knowledge 
(of Atman), O Dhananjaya, actions do not bind him (he earns no 
Karmaphala) w ho is poised in Atman (and thus overcome the force 
of the Gunas). Therefore, severing with the sword of Knowledge 
this ignorance-born doubt ("Is Atman real or not?") about Atman 
(which is) dwelling in your heart, be established in Jnanayoga. 
Stand up, O Bharata. 

These four shlokas aim to ward off doubts in the mind of Brahmin class 
about the concept of the Knowledge of Atman and the benefit of 
gaining it. Brahmins were the most learned of four social classes of the 


ancient society. Even today the most Doubting Toms come from the 
intellectual class of society in India. The ignorance-born doubt Lord 
Krishna is referring to here is due to the delusion of the Gunas. Lord 
Krishna urges Brahmins to give up their entanglements and take 
shelter in Yoga to regain their Jnana or Knowledge of Atman. 

In these shlokas, Lord Krishna introduces a new term: Shraddha Faith. 
He wants Brahmins to cancel-out their doubts about Atman by 
means of Faith. Doubters have neither the happiness of this world 
(because they are afflicted by Shokam and Dwandwam brought on by 
Kamya Karma), nor the peace of the other (due to continued cycle of 
Samsara). Talking like a true Kshatriya, He asks them to "sever with 
the sword of Knowledge of Atman this ignorance-born doubt about 
Atman dwelling in your heart." And then he tells them to stand up, for 
they are, in Lord Krishna's esteem, fallen men (2:62-63; 9:24). 

[1] 16:21-24: In these shlokas Lord Krishna blasts Brahmins who 
perform sacrifices against the ordinance of scriptures: Triple is the 
gate of hell, destructive of the self -lust, anger and greed; 
therefore should one abandon these three. The man who is 
liberated from these three gates to darkness, O Kaunteya, 
practices what is good for him and thus goes to the Supreme 
Good. He who acts (performs sacrifices) on the impulse of 
desire by casting aside the ordinances of scriptures does not 
attain perfection. Nor does he attain happiness, or the Supreme 
Goal. Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in deciding 
what ought to be done and ought not to be done. Having known 
what is said in the ordinances of scriptures you should act 
here. 

CHAPTER TWELVE 

The Upanishadic Revolution -3 

Reforming Kshatriyas 

In Chapter Three of the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishadic Lord Krishna 
urges the sacrifice-obsessed Kshatriyas to give up Kamya Karma, and 
invest their energy in Karmayoga -leading by selfless service to 
humanity. Short of declaring Himself as the Supreme Lord, which he 
did in BG Chapter Four, He is already acting in the full capacity of the 
Lord of beings, born on earth to establish a New Dharma (4:7-8) 
based on the doctrines of Knowledge of the Atman and practice of 
Buddhiyoga (2:39-40). Before we read the commentary on BG Chapter 
Three, we must briefly remind ourselves the main thrust of BG Chapter 
Four: Knowledge of Atman is superior to material sacrifice (Kamya 
Karma): 

4:33: Knowledge sacrifice (giving up attachment to sense objects 
and fruits of action to achieve the Knowledge of Atman), O scorcher 
of foes, is superior to wealth sacrifice (sacrificing grains, ghee and 
animals). All Karma (performed in the spirit of Yoga) in its entirety, 
O Partha, culminates in Knowledge (of Atman). 
To buttress this point further, Lord Krishna went on to say: 

4:37-38: As the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so 
does the fire of Knowledge (of Atman) reduce all Karmaphala to 
ashes. Verily there is no purifier in the world like Knowledge of 
Atman. He, who is perfected in Jnanayoga realizes it in his own 
heart in due time. 

Chapter Three starts with reference to stuff in Chapter Four 

3:1-2: Arjuna said: If it is held by you, Krishna, that Knowledge 
(of Atman) is superior to Karma, why then do you ask me to 
engage in this ghastly action (war)? With these perplexing 
words, you are confusing my comprehension. Tell me with 
certainty the path that is most beneficial for me. 

Lord Krishna's simple answer to this question could have been, 
"Arjuna, when I said that Knowledge of Atman is superior to Karma, I 
did not mean Karma as personal action such as fighting, but Kamya 
Karma, the desire-driven sacrifices." Obviously, the real purpose of 


this shloka is to draw attention of the reader to the fact that the word 
Karma has two main meanings: sacrificial rites and personal action. So 
when Lord Krishna said in BG Chapter Four that Knowledge of Atman 
(Jnanayoga) is superior to Karma, he meant that it is superior to 
Kamya Karma, desire-driven sacrificial rites, and not any personal 
action such as fighting. The Lord had no problem with a person acting 
willfully, decisively and even violently as per his Dharma (18:63). In 
fact Lord Krishna clarifies this point in no uncertain terms in 3:8: 
Engage yourself in obligatory work (of Kshatriya); for action is 
superior to inaction, and if inactive, even the mere 
maintenance of your body would not be possible. 

3:3: Lord Krishna said: The twofold path (Jnanayoga and 
Karmayoga) was given by Me, O sinless one, to the world in the 
beginning-the path of Knowledge (Sankhya) to the discerning 
(Brahmins) and the path of Karmayoga to the active (Kshatriyas). 
Logically, this shloka should have been part of BG Chapter Four, 
immediately after Lord Krishna declared His divinity, as it relates to 
the purpose of His birth, namely to establish a New Dharma and to 
reform the upper classes. In the process of reforming the fallen 
Brahmins and Kshatriyas, Lord Krishna gives the Sankhya part of His 
Dharma (2:39), specializing in the Knowledge of Atman, to the 
cerebral but currently deluded Brahmins; and the Yoga part (2:39-40) 
to the brawny but greedy Kshatriyas. Each of these disciplines has 
elements of the other in it as Lord Krishna clarifies in 5:4: Children, 
not the wise speak of Jnanayoga and Karmayoga as different; 
he who is established in one obtains the fruit (Atman) of both. 

This shloka has no Mahabharata or even neutral context. In this 
shloka, Lord Krishna is no longer a mere Guru, but He is now the Lord 
of beings born to overthrow the Old Dharma and to establish a New 
Dharma. He announces in this shloka that it was He who gave "to the 
world in the beginning" the twofold path to Self-realization. The third 
path, Bhaktiyoga was added to the Upanishadic Gita much later by the 
Bhagavatha scholars, in the evolutionary path of the Gita, and only 
after Lord Krishna threw the doors of His own Dharma wide open to 
"people of inferior birth" -Vaishyas, Sudras, and women (9:32); people 
of all other faiths (7:21-22) and even the outcastes (5:18-19). Note 
here that Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna as "sinless," indicating that 
whatever follows in BG Chapters Three and Four does not apply to 
him, but is meant for sinful Kshatriyas (3:12-13) and Brahmins 

(4:36) who obsessively indulged in Kamya Karma to earn as much 
Karmaphala as possible at the expense of the Vedic gods. 

Renunciation should be both physical and mental 

3:4: By merely abstaining from (Kamya) Karma one does not 
necessarily become free from Karmaphala; nor does he attain 
Self-realization by renunciation alone. 
In this shloka Lord Krishna warns that by merely giving up physical 
performance of Kamya Karma, one does not become free from earning 
Karmaphala. He must also give up desire for and attachment to the 
fruits of action (also read 6:1-4). Likewise, merely giving up wealth 
and material comforts does not guarantee one Self-realization. He 
must give up his mental and emotional attachment to them. So what 
is the solution? He must sincerely act without desire for fruits of 
action, and he must sincerely give up desire for and attachment to 
sense objects in order to attain Self-realization. 

In the Historical context, this shloka is meant to admonish Kshatriyas 
who became Buddhist Bhikkus or Jain monks after giving up all 
sacrificial rites, all material comforts, their socially designated duties, 
and their families as well. Lord Krishna sees no merit in such 
purposeless inaction and renunciation of material comfort. 

3:6: That deluded man is called a hypocrite who sits controlling 
the organs of action, but dwelling in his mind on objects of the 
senses. 
The same point is made in this shloka as above: renunciation should 
be both physical and mental. Logically, this shloka should follow 3:4 
above, and so I have put it here. This shloka is directed toward 
myriads of Ascetics (Sadhus and monks), who, while renouncing all 
material comforts and actions, such as sacrifices as well as sex, were 
mentally preoccupied with them. We see such false Sanyasins, 
Swamis, and Gurus all over India and abroad even today. The first 
thing they do when you meet them is ask for money. Many of them 
even have girl friends. Lord Krishna said this very thing in 6:1-4: It is 
not enough if you give up sacrificial rites; you must also give up 
Sankalpa (design, desire for sense objects). Renunciation of sense 
objects as well as fruits of action should be both physical and mental. 

Brahmanic shloka of the Original Gita 

3:5: None can remain really actionless even for a moment; for 
everyone is helplessly driven to action by the Gunas born of 
Prakriti. 

We read this shloka as part of the Original Gita. Proponents of 
Brahmanism loved this concept as the doctrine of the Gunas 
consecrated their supremacy in the hierarchical class system of 
Varnashrama Dharma. The world "helplessly" is invariably associated 
with this concept (3:27; 3:33; 18:59, 60). If this were true, there was 
no need for Lord Krishna to give Arjuna all this wisdom and motivate 
him to fight. All Lord Krishna would have to do is to sit tight and 
Arjuna would be "helplessly doing" his Kshatriya duty. Throughout the 
BG, Lord Krishna counters this concept by saying that one must "cross 
over the Gunas" (2:45) by recognizing Atman as a force greater than 
Gunas (3:43; 14:19; 18:61). Lord Krishna wants Arjuna to act willfully 
and decisively (18:63) by not submitting to the force of the Gunas, 
with his Mind steadied by Buddhi, and focused on Atman (2:45). It is 
Lord Krishna's contention that Gunas, operating via senses entangle us 
with sense objects, disconnect the Mind from Buddhi; and cause 
ignorance of Atman. Lord Krishna of the Upanishadic Dharma 
immediately counters the Brahmanic doctrine of the Gunas in the 
shloka below: 

Kshatriyas should redirect their energies to public service 

3:7: But he excels, Arjuna, who, restraining the Senses (desires, 
impulses and cravings, which are the functions of the Senses and the 
Gunas) by the mind (which is superior to the Senses), unattached 
(without entanglement), directs his organs of action to the path of 
(selfless public) work. 
This Upanishadic shloka counters the Guna-promoting shloka 3:5 
above. Unlike Kshatriyas doing helplessly whatever selfish activity 
their Guna directs them to do, Lord Krishna wants Kshatriyas to 
restrain their Gunas (desires and attachment) and willfully and 
purposefully redirect their actions in the path of selfless public service. 
Whereas Gunas promote desire for and attachment to fruits of action, 
directing one's energy to the path of selfless work counters them. One 
is not helpless in the face of the Gunas as Brahmanism claimed. 
Simply put, this shloka means, instead of wasting their energy 
performing Kamya Karma as directed by their desires (Gunas), 
Kshatriyas should perform Nishkama Karma (selfless service to 
humanity) in the spirit of Yoga. 

3:8: Engage yourself in your obligatory (Kshatriya) duty; for 
action is superior to inaction, and if inactive, even mere 
maintenance of your body would not be possible. 

So, what should Kshatriyas who give up Kamya Karma do? They 
should do their obligatory work. What is an obligatory work? The 
obligatory duty of Brahmins is to perform obligatory sacrificial rites; 
and that of a Kshatriyas is to maintain Law and Order, protect the 
society from invaders, serve and guide the masses in the right path by 
being role models. Here Lord Krishna is clearly referring to Kshatriyas' 
obligatory duty. This would require them to be energetic and active 
without which he would soon lose their "mighty armed" status in the 
society. Lord Krishna is merely redirecting Kshatriyas to the duties 
they ought to do as dictated by their Dharma instead of performing 
Kamya Karma. We know this to be the case because He says without 
physical work even maintenance of the body is not possible. To the 
sacrifice-sponsoring Kshatriyas there is no physical work entailed in 
sacrificial rites other than bobbing their heads saying, "Mama" when 
the priest prompts him. 

Perform actions selflessly 

3:9: The world is bound by actions other than those performed 
for the sake of Yajna. Do therefore, Arjuna, earnestly perform 
action as Yajna, but free from attachment. 
Originally, all Yajnas were performed without any selfish motive and so 
they earned no Karmaphala (4:15). As we read before, the sole 
purpose of these Yajnas was to return the "debt" owed to the gods for 
their benevolence. In contrast, all of our daily activities have some 
selfish motive and so they earn Karmaphala. Lord Krishna wants 
Kshatriyas to perform their obligatory Kshatriya duty selflessly and 
without attachment to fruits, in the same spirit as Yajna of the olden 
days. Why is Lord Krishna introducing the topic of selfless Yajna here? 
He is trying to wean ritual-obsessed Kshatriyas away from them. 

Lord Krishna gives Kshatriyas a crash course on Yajna 

3:10-11: Having created mankind in the beginning together 
with Yajna, Prajapati said: "By this shall you propagate; this 
shall be the milch cow of your desires. Cherish the Devas with 
this; and may they cherish you; thus cherishing one another, 
you shall reap the supreme good (of the society)." 

It was Prajapati, the Vedic Lord of beings, who created mankind and 
Yajna together so they could cherish each other. Yajnas brought on 
rains; rains brought on food; food brought on people (3:14). The 
people performed Yajnas not only to obtain rains, but also to return 


the debt (RNa) and to thank the gods for their benevolence. They 
burned surplus grains, herbs, ghee, and animals as symbols of their 
gratitude for the benevolence of the gods. Note here that Lord Krishna, 
the Upanishadic Lord of beings, distances himself from Yajnas. Yajnas 
were the creation of the Prajapati, the Vedic god, who himself is not 
free from the Gunas (18:40). Yoga, on the contrary, is the creation of 
Lord Krishna (4:1), who is beyond the power of the Gunas. 

Yajnas should not be barbecue parties! 

3:12-13: (Prajapati continued) "Cherished by Yajna, the Devas 
shall bestow on you the enjoyment you desire." A thief verily is 
he who enjoys what is given by them without returning them 
anything. The good who eat the remains of Yajna are freed 
from all sins; but the sinful ones who cook food only for 
themselves, they verily eat sin. 

As we read earlier, the nexus of Brahmins and Kshatriyas made 
performance of Kamya Karma even more important than the Vedic 
gods they were dedicated to. Yajnas became increasingly pompous, 
vulgar, and extravagant affairs (2:43). Their main concern was how to 
earn more Karmaphala and not how to please the Devas. In fact, far 
from pleasing the Devas, their Yajnas were meant to coerce or even 
force gods into fulfilling their desires. Lord Krishna calls the Kshatriyas 
indulging in Kamya Karma as thieves and sinful because they were 
busy receiving the fruits and not returning anything to the Devas. All 
those performing Yajna were supposed to repay the debt by dedicating 
Yajnas to Devas and eating only the remnants (nectar) of Yajna. 
Instead, drunk with Soma, they turned Yajnas into merry barbecue 
parties. In Chapter Sixteen of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna uses 
some severe language to chastise Kshatriyas who indulge in sensual 
excesses and perform sacrifices disregarding scriptural ordinances.[1] 

Yajnas should be centered on Brahman, not Devas 

Just as He did in shloka 4:24, Lord Krishna "Upanishadizes" all Yajnas. 
He orders all Yajnas to center on Brahman instead of the Devas. 

3:14-16: From food beings become; from rain is food produced; 
from Yajna rain proceeds; Yajna is born of Karma (prescribed 
sacrificial "works"). Know Karma to have risen from Brahma 
(Prajapati), and Brahma from the Imperishable (Brahman). The 
all-pervading Brahman (not Vedic gods) is, therefore, ever 
centered in Yajna. He who does not follow on earth the wheel 


thus revolving, sinful of life and rejoicing in the senses, he, 
Partha, lives in vain. 

These three shlokas describe the traditional wheel or cycle of how 
Yajnas were supposed to work. The Vedic Yajnas were centered on 
Vedic Devas (4:12; 17:4, 14). Once again, Lord Krishna 
"Upanishadizes" the Yajnas. Just as He told Brahmins to center their 
Yajnas on Brahman (4:24), Lord Krishna now tells Kshatriyas to do the 
same. In 3:15 Lord Krishna said Karma arose from Brahma, and 
Brahma (Prajapati) arose from the Imperishable Brahman. Then He 
went on to say that the all-pervading Brahman (not the Devas) is 
centered in Yajna. This is consistent with what Lord Krishna said to 
Brahmins in 4:24: The Oblation is Brahman, the clarified butter is 
Brahman, offered by Brahman in the fire of Brahman; unto 
Brahman verily he goes who cognizes Brahman alone in 
sacrifices. The Upanishadic seers want to make the point again that 
all Yajnas are, and should be, centered in Brahman, not Vedic Devas. 
For, Brahman-centered Yajna becomes selfless, and lead to attainment 
of Bliss here on earth and Nirvana hereafter. Instead, those who 
indulge in Kamya Karma earn bad Karmaphala (sin) instead of good 
Karmaphala (merit). 

Every Brahmanic commentator has his own pro-Vedic interpretation of 
these three anti-Brahmanic shlokas. They claim that the word Brahma 
means the Vedas, not Prajapati. They say that the Vedas arose from 
Brahman, and therefore Vedas are all-pervading! This is a clear 
instance of turning an anti-Vedic Upanishadic shloka into a pro-Vedic 
one. The term ‘all-pervading' applies only to Brahman and none else, 
not to the Vedic god Brahma, and certainly not to the Vedas. The 
Upanishadic seers always considered Vedic knowledge as "lower 
knowledge" than the Knowledge of Atman and Brahman. Far from the 
Vedas being Brahman, the Upanishads repeatedly declared that none 
can attain Brahman by the Vedas. 

Now Lord Krishna drops the bomb shell 

3:17-18: But the man who rejoices in Atman, is satisfied with 
Atman, and is centered in Atman, for him verily there is no 
obligatory act (sacrifice). For him there is in this world no object 
(wealth, heaven) to acquire by doing a sacrificial act; nor is there 
any loss by not doing a sacrificial act (since there was no desire 
for anything to start with); nor has he to depend on anybody 
(priests, the Devas) for anything. 


If a person is focused on Atman within him, finds his happiness in It, 
and is satisfied by It, there is no need for him to perform a Yajna, 
because what would one gain from performing Yajna when he has 
gained Atman, which has everything? Performing Yajna with a desire 
for this or that sense object means one is deficient in something. A 
person whose mind has merged with Atman feels so sated and 
complete that the fruit he gets from performing a petty Yajna is puny 
in comparison. Atman is the seat of Absolute Bliss. A Self-realized 
person needs nothing as he has acquired Brahman who has 
everything. Besides, he does not have to depend upon anyone for 
anything because his satisfaction comes from Atman within, not from 
pleasing gods and priests. This phrase also means, "You do not have 
to depend on either Devas or their brokers, the priests, for your 
happiness!" Then what action is a Kshatriya supposed to indulge in? 

3:19: Therefore, constantly perform your obligatory (Kshatriya) 
duty without attachment (to fruits); for by doing so man verily 
obtains the Supreme. 
The obligatory duty proposed in this shloka is clearly different from the 
obligatory act mentioned in 3:17-18. In this shloka Lord Krishna 
clearly has something else in mind for Kshatriyas: leading by selfless 
service to humanity. Selflessness in action connects one's mind with 
Buddhi and Atman resulting in Self-realization. 

Lord Krishna gives two examples for Kshatriyas to follow 

3:20-21: Janaka and others (royal sages) indeed achieved 
perfection (Self-realization) by (selfless) action; having an eye to 
the guidance of men also you should perform (selfless) action. 
Whatever a great man does is followed by others; people go by 
the example he sets up. 

Lord Krishna encourages Kshatriyas to follow the example of Janaka, a 
royal sage mentioned in the Upanishads. Setting an example by means 
of selfless service is the way to guiding the masses. Leading without 
moral authority is useless. Lord Krishna is saying to Kshatriyas, 
"Instead of wasting your energy in performing mindless sacrifices, 
channel it in the selfless service and guidance of humanity. Be a model 
for them to emulate." What moral authority does Lord Krishna Himself 
have to advice Kshatriyas as to what they should do? Listen. 

3:22-23: There is nothing in the three worlds, Arjuna, that has 
not been done by Me, nor anything unattained that might be 


attained; still I engage in action. If ever I did not engage in 
work relentlessly, Arjuna, men would in every respect follow 
My path. 

In these shlokas Lord Krishna offers Himself as a model for Kshatriyas 
to follow just as He did to Brahmins in 4:13. There is nothing at all 
that he wants or needs, and yet He works selflessly and incessantly for 
the welfare of humanity. If He became inactive, people would become 
inactive, too. 

Here Lord Krishna seems to compare Himself to the Buddha, whom a 
large number of Kshatriyas followed after abandoning Brahmanism. 
Other than begging, the Buddha's followers accomplished absolutely 
nothing. 

Brahmanism seers sneak in a pro-Brahmanism shloka to shore 
up Varnashrama Dharma! 

3:24: These worlds would perish if I did not do action; I should 
be the cause of confusion of classes (Varnasankara) and thereby 
destroy these beings. 
In 4:13, Lord Krishna said that he created the four Varnas based on 
the distribution of the Gunas and Karma only to show that he neither 
desired nor gained any Karmaphala due to that particular action. The 
shloka 3:24, warning about the dangers of Varnasankara (class 
admixture), is clearly a clever later interpolation by the pro-Vedic 
lobby to bolster the cause of Varnashrama Dharma (also read 1:3844). 
The breakdown of class system due to ascendance of Para-
Dharmas was fraught with the danger of decimation of the upper 
classes. This shloka, implying that Lord Krishna is constantly working 
to keep upper class women from co-mingling with lower class men, 
was a desperate attempt to reverse this trend. Nothing could be 
farther from the truth. The constant elevating theme of the 
Upanishadic Gita is equality of all living beings (5:18-19) due to the 
fact that Atman is the same in all, and that one should cross over the 
Gunas and break the bonds of Karma, both of which are the bases of 
Varnashrama Dharma. Lord Krishna mentions twice that even the 
worst kind of person can overcome his Karma by surrendering to Him 
(4:36; 9:30). In His eyes no one is "unwanted progeny" because the 
Atman in everyone is the same. "Unwanted progeny" is a Brahmanic 
obsession. 


The Anthem of Karmayoga 

3:25-26: As the unenlightened (ritualists) act from attachment to 
action (sacrifices), O Bharata, so should the enlightened (Selfrealized 
person) act (do obligatory Kshatriya duties) without 
attachment, desirous of the guidance of the masses. Let not the 
wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people (ritualists deluded 
by the Gunas) attached to Karma (sacrificial rites). By doing 
(selfless service) persistently and precisely let the wise induce 
the others in all activities. 

In 3:25 Lord Krishna compares performers of Kamya Karma with 
Karmayogis. Kshatriya ritualists perform sacrifices with desire for 
fruits. In contrast Karmayogis perform their Kshatriya duties without 
desiring fruits, and guide the masses. In shloka 3:26 Lord Krishna 
advices the enlightened ones not to go on a mission of converting 
ignorant ritualists into Karmayogis -except by setting themselves up as 
an example of exceptional public service. In other words, one can 
change others only by means of his moral authority and not by 
preaching, coercion or force. How does one earn moral authority? Well, 
by doing his work persistently and precisely. The advice is, "Do not 
abuse your power as Kshatriya to change people. Instead use your 
moral authority by being a role model." 

Pro-Guna shloka of the Original Gita 

3:27: The Gunas of Prakriti perform all Karma. With the 
understanding clouded by egoism, man thinks, "I am the doer." 
This shloka, as we read in the chapter titled The Original Gita, is a relic 
of Brahmanism. In effect this shloka said to Arjuna, "How dare you 
think that you can do anything against the force of your Guna? Gunas 
determine all your actions. Deluded by your Ahamkara (egoism), you 
think you can do anything you want!" However, Upanishadic seers 
never get tired of telling that the Gunas are the problem, not the 
solution. Gunas corrupt the Senses as well as Organs of Actions. See 
how Lord Krishna demolishes the above Brahmanic claim in the next 
two powerful shlokas. 

Lord Krishna neutralizes the Doctrine of the Gunas and Karma 

3:28: But, O mighty armed, the one intuitive into the nature of 
Guna and Karma knows that Gunas as Senses merely abide 
with Gunas as Objects, and does not become entangled. 

One, who understands that it is the nature of the Gunas to induce the 
mind to get entangled with sense objects, frees himself from the 
power of the Gunas. If a man becomes aware of his desire to have 
illicit relationship with a woman, he tells himself, "This is my lust 
rooted in the Guna that is deluding me. Let me not fall prey to it." One 
must know that Gunas corrupt people's mind via the Senses. In 14:23 
Lord Krishna tells Arjuna not to be moved by the Gunas. 

3:29: Those deluded by the Gunas of Prakriti get attached to 
the function of the Gunas (desire, attachment and possessiveness). 
The man of perfect knowledge (Yogi who has realized Atman) 
should not unsettle the mediocre (deluded ritualists) whose 
knowledge is imperfect. 
Note here: whereas Brahmanic thinking is that one is deluded by his 
Ahamkara, the Upanishadic thinking is that one is deluded by the 
Gunas. Those deluded by the functions of the Gunas -desire for, 
attachment to, and possessiveness of sense objects-go after sense 
objects. A wise man does not become deluded by the power of the 
Gunas, and so he is able to detach himself from sense objects. One 
should not surrender to the powers of Gunas as suggested by the 
shloka 3:27. Nor should he get into an argument with those 
proponents of the Gunas who are mediocre and ignorant. How, then, 
does one escape from the clutches of the Gunas? 

3:30: Surrendering all action to Me (who is greater than the 
Gunas), with your thoughts resting on Atman, freed from hope 
and selfishness and cured of mental fever (Dwandwa), engage in 
battle. 
This was certainly an Upanishadic shloka which was later modified into 
Bhagavatha shloka by replacing Brahman with Me. Also this shloka has 
been "worked over" by another author, probably with Brahmanic 
leaning, as evidenced by the phrase "engage in battle," which is clearly 
meant to make it look like it was meant for Arjuna. 

In any case, the gist of this shloka is this: Instead of helplessly 
surrendering to the Gunas as proposed by 3:27, one should surrender 
all his actions to the Lord recognizing Him as more powerful than the 
Gunas (3:43; 14:19). By dedicating all action to the Lord, one 
converts his actions into selfless ones and hence earns no Karmaphala 
(5:10). Focusing his mind on Atman, one should give up hankering for 
this and that stuff. This would cure him of his "mental fever" known as 
Dwandwa, engendered by the Gunas. 


Lord Krishna issues a warning 

3:31-32: Those who ever abide in this doctrine of Mine (as the 
Lord), full of Shraddha (Faith) and free from caviling, they too 
are released from bondage (of his actions). But those who carp 
at My teaching and act not thereon, deluded in all knowledge 
and devoid of discrimination (wisdom), know them to be ruined. 

The doctrine Lord Krishna gave to Brahmins in the previous chapter 
was the Knowledge of Atman or Jnanayoga (4:39-42). The doctrine He 
gave to Kshatriyas in this chapter is Karmayoga. However, the 
doctrine Lord Krishna is referring to in the above shloka is one in which 
He is the Supreme Lord, as evidenced by its Bhagavatha tone. Once 
again, just as He recommended Shraddha (Faith) to counter doubts of 
Brahmins in 4:39, Lord Krishna recommends Shraddha to overcome 
jealousy and petty criticism characteristic of Kshatriyas. 

[The three maladies shrewdly recognized by the ancient seers-
doubting everyone's motive, feeling jealous of others' accomplishment, 
and compulsively criticizing reformers regardless of their merit-are 
the hallmarks of elite of the Indian society even today. 

Lord Krishna issues a warning to those ritualists who do not follow his 
advice. Those who do not abide by his teachings and continue to 
indulge in Kamya Karma are thus ruined (2:62-63). Those who abide 
by the above teachings of Lord Krishna are released from bondage of 
their actions because their selfless actions earn them no Karmaphala. 

Pro-Guna shloka of the Original Gita 

3:33: Even a wise man behaves in conformity with his own 
nature (Guna); beings follow nature; what shall restraints avail? 
This, as we read earlier, is another one of those Brahmanic shlokas of 
the Original Gita which promote the Gunas. Not only does it flaunt it 
but also it explains the futility of repressing it! Its advice is: helplessly 
surrender to your inherent Guna! Follow your base instincts! Yield to 
your desires, attachment, and possessiveness! But the Upanishadic 
Lord Krishna refutes this immediately in the very next shloka. 

Lord Krishna declares that the Gunas are the enemy 

3:34: Attachment and aversion (Dwandwa) of the Senses for 
their respective objects are natural (they are the functions of the 

Gunas); let none come under their domination; they are verily 
his enemies. 

Once again, Lord Krishna demolishes the doctrine of the Gunas. Gunas 
are the allies of the Senses. Therefore they are the enemies of the 
Mind. When Senses come into contact with sense objects, the mind 
suffers from Dwandwa -attachment and aversion, pain and pleasure, 
gain and loss (2:14-15). So he must overcome the influence of Gunas 
on the senses by resorting to Buddhi and Atman. 

Pro-Varnashrama Dharma shloka of the modified Original Gita 

3:35: One's own Dharma, though imperfectly performed, is 
better than the Dharma of another well discharged. Better 
death in one's own Dharma; the Dharma of another is full of 
fear. 
This shloka was added to the Original Gita, as we read earlier in the 
chapter titled, Brahmanism Defends Itself, by pro-Brahmanism 
lobby to plead their cause with Kshatriyas who were abandoning 
Brahmanism in droves to become Ascetics, Buddhists, and Jain monks. 
This shloka is in juxtaposition to the shloka 2:4-5 in which Arjuna 
considers giving up his Kshatriya Dharma as well as Brahmanism to 
become a beggar (Bhikku). Along with 18:47-48, it is meant to bolster 
Brahmanism Dharma and to dissuade Kshatriyas and other classes 
from giving up Brahmanism. Now Lord Krishna moves to demolish the 
Gunas once and for all. 

Lord Krishna names Rajas Guna as the enemy 

3:36: Arjuna asks: But dragged by what does a man commit sin, 
unwillingly though, O Krishna, constrained as it were by force? 
In 2:62-63 Guru Krishna explained how attachment to sense objects 
leads to self-ruin. In this shloka, Arjuna wants to know how one could 
overcome the irresistible force of the Gunas, which compels people to 
commit sin. This shloka is meant to provoke Lord Krishna to tell us the 
negative aspects of the Rajasic Guna, the Guna assigned to 
Kshatriyas. Lord Krishna explains in the following shlokas the peril of 
the Gunas: 

3:37: It is selfish desire (Kama), it is jealous rage (Krodha) 
begotten by the Rajoguna; all consuming, all sinful, know this 
(Rajasic Guna) as the foe here on earth. 

Man commits evil acts because of Kama and Krodha rooted in the 
Rajasic Guna. Lord Krishna describes Rajasic Guna as all sinful and foe 
here on earth. Specific reference to Rajasic Guna here indicates that 
the Lord is referring to Kshatriyas, to whose class that Guna is 
designated. 

3:38-41: As fire is enveloped by smoke, as mirror by dust, as an 
embryo by the womb, so is this (mind) covered by that (Rajasic 
Guna). Wisdom is covered, O son of Kunti, by this insatiable fire 
of desire (Rajasic Guna), the constant foe of the wise. The 
Senses, the Mind and the Intellect are said to be its seat; by 
these it deludes man by veiling his wisdom. Therefore, O 
eminent of the Bharatas, mastering first the Senses, slay it 
(Rajasic Guna) -the sinful, the destroyer of Wisdom and 
realization. 

Note here how Lord Krishna uses fire and smoke as metaphor for 
Kamya Karma. Rajasic Guna envelops Wisdom like smoke envelops 
fire of sacrifice. Rajasic Guna is the insatiable fire of desire that 
consumes Wisdom, just as the sacrificial fire insatiably consumes 
materials offered to it. Here the fire of desire is the metaphor for the 
sacrificial fire of Kamya Karma. How does one slay this Guna? One 
slays it by mastering first the Senses (saying No to one's desires, 
cravings, and impulses engendered by the Rajasic Guna). Immediately 
the Mind connects with the Wisdom. In other words, one slays the 
Rajas Guna by means of Buddhiyoga. For one to get a handle on this 
mechanism, one must have some idea about the apparatus of mind. 
Lord Krishna provides this information below. 

Lord Krishna describes the hierarchy of mind's components 

3:42: The Senses are said to be superior (to the sense objects); 
the Mind is superior to the Senses; the Intellect is superior to 
the Mind; and what is superior to the Intellect is He (Atman). 
This shloka explains the hierarchy of various components of the mind 
as shown in the picture below. Understanding this shloka is of 
paramount importance to get insight into the wisdom of the 
Upanishadic Gita. 


The Hierarchy of Apparatus of Mind 

The Senses (Indriyani) not only stand for the five Senses by which we 
perceive the world around us, but also for the unbridled drive that 
drags the mind toward sense objects. It is the Id component -the raw 
impulses-of the mind. It is the child part of the mind. Their main 
function is to desire sense objects and seek to gain them. When the 
Senses come into contact with sense objects, the mind experiences 
Dwandwa (2:14). The seven allies of the Senses rooted in the Gunas 
are: lust, jealous rage, arrogance, possessiveness, greed, jealousy and 
insecurity. 

The Mind (Manas) stands for the adult part -the Ego-of the mental 
apparatus which has three functions: Thinking (I like this, I don't like 
this); feeling (this makes me feel good, this makes me feel bad) and 
acting (I gained this, I lost it). These opposites are known as 
Dwandwa. The more one is attached to sense objects, the greater the 
Dwandwa. The Mind that is operating under the influence of the 
Senses and its Guna-rooted allies, suffers severe Dwandwa. 

The Intellect (Buddhi, Wisdom) stands for the higher faculty of the 
mental apparatus -the Superego. It has seven basic functions: 
Memory, Knowledge, Insight, Judgment, Reasoning, Moral values, and 
Noble virtues. The Mind which is guided by Buddhi becomes 
Buddhiyukta. The Buddhiyukta Mind is free from Dwandwa. 


Atman, also known as the Self, is the Essence of Man. It is the divinity 
bound to the body by the power of the Gunas (14:5). It is the seat of 
Absolute Bliss. When the Buddhiyukta Mind merges with Atman, it 
achieves the Sthithaprajnya state of mind, and enjoys the 
transcendental bliss of Samadhi here on earth and Nirvana hereafter. 

Restrain the lower self with higher Self 

3:43: Thus knowing Him (Atman) as superior to the Intellect, 
restraining the self (Senses, Mind and Intellect) by the Self, slay, 
O mighty armed, the enemy (Rajasic Guna) in the form of desire, 
difficult to overcome. 
The way to slay Rajasic Guna is to use higher faculties to subdue the 
lower faculties. The Mind controls the Senses; the Intellect controls the 
Mind; the Self is the Ultimate Power that controls the Intellect. The 
meaning here is that our Buddhi and the Self should guide us in all our 
behaviors, and not the Senses (desires). When the Senses guide our 
actions, self-ruin (2:62-63), evil acts (3:37-40) and Samsara 

(9:21) are the result. When the Self and Intellect guide our actions, 
Bliss of Atman and Nirvana are the result (2:65, 71-72). 
-

[1] 16:12-20: "Bound by hundreds of ties of hope, given over to 
lust and anger, they strive to secure by unjust means hoards of 
wealth for sensual enjoyment. ‘This today has been gained by 
me; this desire I shall fulfill; this is mine, and this wealth also 
shall be mine in the future. That enemy has been slain by me, 
and others also shall I slay. I am a lord, I enjoy, I am 
successful, powerful and happy. I am rich and well-born. Who 
else is equal to me? I will sacrifice, I will give alms, I will 
rejoice.' Thus deluded by ignorance, bewildered by many a 
fancy, enmeshed in the snare of delusion, addicted to the 
gratification of lust, they fall into foul hell. Self-conceited, 
stubborn, filled with the pride and intoxication of wealth, they 
perform sacrifice in the name of ostentation, disregarding 
ordinance. Given over to egoism, power, insolence, lust and 
wrath, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and 
those of others. Those cruel haters, the worst among men in 
the world, I hurl these evil-doers for ever into the womb of the 
demons only. Entering the demoniac wombs, the deluded ones, 
in birth after birth, without ever reaching Me, they thus fall, O 
Kaunteya, into condition still lower." 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN 

The Upanishadic Revolution -4 

Demolishing Varnashrama Dharma: All Men Are Created Equal 

In Chapter Four of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna gave Sanyasa 
(Jnanayoga) to Brahmins by means of which they could overcome the 
doctrine of the Gunas and attain Atman. In Chapter Three, Lord 
Krishna gave Kshatriyas Tyaga (Karmayoga) by means of which they 
could overcome doctrine of Karma and attain Self-realization. 
Furthermore, in Chapter Two He demolished or downgraded the 
Vedas; Kamya Karma and Vedic ritualists. Now Lord Krishna tackles 
the most delicate of all the issues, the Varnashrama Dharma, the class 
system. This brings us to the heart of any Dharma: ethics. The main 
goal of Varnashrama Dharma was to maintain social order and 
stability. Ethics, other than one performing his Dharma (duty) as per 
one's Guna designated to his class, was not part of this equation. The 
Varnashrama Dharma did not deal with the consequences of class 
system on individuals. It had little sympathy or empathy for the 
suffering of individuals in this class system. This was explained away 
by Brahmanism as caused by their Karmaphala. 

In contrast, the Upanishads, like Buddhism, made ethics their central 
issue. Doing the right thing and empathy for other's suffering, they 
said, is essential part of being human. In BG Chapter Five, the 
revolutionaries address this issue ever so gently. To a casual reader, 
this chapter comes across as describing Brahman to the new converts 
to the Upanishadic Dharma. The hidden intent of this chapter is to 
explain that Brahman is the same in all people. A truly enlightened 
person sees himself in everyone else. This is the basis of Karmayoga, 
selfless service of humanity, in which one sees himself in everyone 
else and everyone else in himself. 

BG Chapter Five has three main goals 

1. Promoting Karmayoga: Karmayoga, selfless service to humanity 
(BG Chapter Three), is superior to Sanyasa, also known as Jnanayoga, 
attaining Knowledge of the Atman (BG Chapter Four) by renouncing 
attachment to sense objects. This is done with the intention of 
promoting the idea that Brahman is the same in all, and that 
dedicating one's action to people is one way not to earn any 
Karmaphala and thus overcome the doctrines of Karma. 

2. Demoting Varnashrama Dharma based on the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma: A Self-realized Yogi sees Brahman in all living 
creatures. Therefore, he sees all beings, regardless of their social class 
or species, as equal. To him a learned Brahmin imbued in humility, a 
cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eating outcaste are all the same 
(5:18-19). In other words, a Self-realized person achieves samesightedness 
(Samadarshinah) on all living and non-living objects. 
3. Attaining the Bliss of Atman: Self-realized Yogi experiences 
Imperishable Bliss (Sukham) by his contact with the Brahman here on 
earth and Nirvana hereafter. (5:21-.26). 
Karmayoga is superior to Jnanayoga 

5:1: Arjuna said to Lord Krishna: Renunciation of Karma (giving up 
sacrificial rites and taking up Jnanayoga) O Krishna, you 
recommend, and again its performance (Karmayoga). Of the 
two, which one is better? Tell me that conclusively. 
As usual, Arjuna faithfully plays his role of a humble and curious 
student who, by now, is an expert in asking seemingly tough 
questions. The main intent of this shloka is to make the reader aware, 
once again, of the fact that the word Karma has multiple meanings. In 
this shloka, he asks the question, "Which is superior, Jnanayoga 
(renouncing sacrifices and taking up the Knowledge of Atman) or 
Karmayoga (renouncing sacrifices and performing selfless service of 
humanity)?" Here renunciation of Karma means giving up sacrificial 
rites; and performance of Karma means selflessly serving and guiding 
the public. 

5:2: Lord Krishna replies: Both Sanyasa (Jnanayoga) and 
Karmayoga lead to liberation from Samsara. Of the two, 
Karmayoga is superior to Jnanayoga. 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna, a Kshatriya activist to the core, naturally 
proclaims that Karmayoga is superior to Jnanayoga. He buttresses this 
opinion by saying in 5:6 that it is difficult to be a Jnanayogi without 
being a Karmayogi also. After all, how can a Jnanayogi be useful to the 
society if he is sitting around focused on Atman doing absolutely 
nothing worthwhile? In fact, just gaining the Bliss of Atman for oneself 
without doing anything for the benefit of the society is a very selfish 
act. Lord Krishna said in 3:4 that mere renunciation of sense objects 
does not lead to Self-realization. Karmayogi, on the contrary, identifies 
his own Self with the Self of all humanity (5:7), like royal sage Janaka 


did (3:20), and incessantly strives to serve it selflessly. What 
characterizes a mature Jnanayogi? 

5:3: He should be known as constant Sanyasin (Jnanayogi), who 
neither hates nor desires (has overcome the Guna-induced 
Dwandwa); free from Dwandwa, O mighty armed, he is easily set 
free from bondage (of Karma). 
Lord Krishna describes a true Sanyasin or Jnanayogi as one who has 
overcome the force of the Gunas, and Guna-induced Dwandwa, 
meaning, his mind has become Buddhiyukta. Such a mind does not 
earn Karmaphala (2:50) when it acts, and hence is free from bondage 
of Samsara (2:51). 

5:4-5: Children, not wise, speak of Knowledge (Jnanayoga) and 
Karmayoga as different. He who is truly established in one 
obtains the fruit (Bliss here on earth and Nirvana hereafter) of both. 
The state reached by Jnanayogis is also reached by the 
Karmayogis. He sees who sees Jnanayoga and Karmayoga as 
one. 

In these shlokas Lord Krishna asserts that in the final analysis, both 
these paths lead to Self-realization and one is not much different from 
the other (2:39-40). Since Jnanayoga (Sanyasa) and Karmayoga 
(Tyaga) are two elements of Buddhiyoga, all that matters is that one 
become a Buddhiyogi. 

5:6: Sanyasa (Jnanayoga), O mighty armed, is hard to attain to 
without Karmayoga; the man of meditation (Jnanayogi), purified 
by Karmayoga quickly goes to Brahman. 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna goes back to His original stance that 
Karmayoga is essential for all Jnanayogis to attain Brahman. Why is 
this so? Well, for one to become a true Brahmajnani (one knowing 
Brahman), he must identify himself in everyone else and serve them. 
One is purified completely not only when he gives up attachment to 
sense objects, but also when he gives up his fruits of action. What is 
the essential characteristic of a Karmayogi? 

5:7: With the mind purified by Karmayoga (selflessness in action), 
and the self (Mind and Intellect) disciplined, and the Senses 
subdued, one who realizes one's Atman as the Atman in all 
beings, though acting, is not affected. 

The essence of a Karmayogi is that he identifies his own Atman as 
Atman in all beings. A Self-realized person has infinite empathy for 
other people's suffering. When such a person performs service of 
others selflessly he does not earn any Karmaphala. 

A Yogi performs all actions without the "I" and "Mine and thus 
earns no Karmaphala 

5:8-9: The sage centered on Atman should think, "I do nothing 
at all" -though seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, 
going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, emptying, holding, 
opening and closing the eyes -firm in the thought that Senses 
move among Sense Objects. 

All the above mentioned functions that are performed by the Sense 
Organs and the Organs of Action (hands, mouth, etc.) are the 
functions of the Gunas, and one must distance himself from them, and 
focus on the higher power of Atman. The body performs all these 
actions while the mind is focused on Atman. When a person 
disentangles his mind from all sense objects, and his actions from its 
fruits, then all his accomplishments are without the "I" and "mine." He 
experiences all sensations without entanglement; and he performs all 
actions without the egoism. Once the "I" and "Mine" are gone, one's 
mind connects with Atman. 

Let me give an example to illustrate this point: A bank manager met 
with an enlightened businessman in his office. The businessman wore 
an expensive three piece suit. He came to the bank driving a flashy 
luxury car. When the bank manager, looking out the window, admired 
his fancy car, the client looked away from his car, made a gesture of 
futility with his hand, and said, "Well, that car is nothing but a symbol 
of the stupidity of this business. I have it because that it is what it 
takes to do business with all these entangled stupid people in this real 
world. It is all a symbol of false prestige!" Now, this seemingly 
ostentatious businessman is a true Yogi who enjoys the sense objects 
and performs action without getting entangled with either. An 
entangled man would have offered to take the bank manager for a 
drive to show off his car. 

5:10: He, who acts abandoning attachment (to the fruits of his 
action), dedicating his deeds to Brahman, is untainted by sin 
(Karmaphala) as a lotus leaf by water. 

This shloka introduces Brahman as the object of all action. One does 
not earn Karmaphala if he does something without attachment to 
fruits. If one gives up the fruits of his actions, who should have them? 
"Give it to Brahman," says Lord Krishna (Ch. Up: 4:14:3). Since one 
does not claim any credit for or benefit from his deeds, he earns no 
Karmaphala resulting from it. 

5:11: The Yogi, abandoning attachment (to the fruits), performs 
work (Yajna or any work) with the Body, the Mind, the Intellect 
and the Senses for the purposes of self-purification only. 
A Yogi purifies himself when he gives up various Guna-rooted taints 
such as desire, attachment, and possessiveness in all his actions. By 
performing Yajna, one is indulging in an action. By giving up 
attachment to sense objects and the fruit of action, he is purifying 
himself. Thus Yajna becomes a means to overcome the above taints. 

5:12: Abandoning the fruit of action, the Yogi attains peace 
born of steadfastness; impelled by selfish desire, the ritualist is 
bound, attached to fruit. 
Here Lord Krishna compares a person who performs Yajna or any 
act in the spirit of Yoga to a selfish ritualist who performs Kamya 
Karma. Once the mind renounces selfish motive in action, it attains 
peace of mind as a result of the steadiness that follows (2:50). A 
person who constantly hankers for fruit of his deeds has no peace of 
mind, as he constantly worries about getting and keeping (2:45) sense 
objects. 

The Gunas versus Atman 

5:13: Having mentally renounced all actions (having given up 
desire for fruits in), the self-disciplined Indweller (Atman) rests 

happily in the city of nine gates (the Body), neither acting nor 
causing to act. 

The Atman resides in the city of nine gates, meaning the body: two 
eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, one opening of the urethra, 
and one opening of the anus. Atman is devoid of any action, nor does 
It cause action. The job of Atman is to enjoy the absolute peace 
engendered by the state of desireless-ness, detachment and 
actionlessness. 

5:14: The Lord does not create agency or action for the world; 
He does not create union with fruits of action. Nature does all 
this. 
If the Atman does not act or cause one to act, what is the force that 
makes one to act and creates Karmaphala? Well, the answer is Nature 
(Prakriti), meaning the Gunas. For example, we eat because the body 
is hungry, not because Atman is hungry. Nature gives signal to the 
stomach that it is time to eat. Likewise, people fall in love and get 
married because Nature sends hormonal signals to the body saying, "It 
is time for you to start producing children." Atman has nothing to do 
with that decision. Likewise, attachment to sense objects and desire 
for fruits of action are the functions of the Gunas. Why is Lord Krishna 
bringing in here the issue of "action and union with the fruit of action"? 
He wants to make a clear distinction between the Gunas and Atman. 
The Gunas are the source of action as well as the desire to have its 
fruits. Atman could not care less. 

5:15: The Omnipresent (Brahman) does not take note of the 
merit (good Karma) or demerit (bad Karma) of any. Knowledge (of 
Atman) is veiled by ignorance (engendered by the power of the 
Gunas); mortals are thereby deluded (by the Gunas). 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna takes issue with the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma. He says that the merit or demerit (Karmaphala) of 
one's actions is not the concern of Brahman. Whose concern is it then? 
Well, merit and demerit are the function of the doctrine of Karma. 
People perform bad as well as good deeds based on their respective 
Guna. Attachment of the Mind to sense objects (wealth, power, etc.) 
engendered by the Gunas, makes one ignorant of the Knowledge of 
Atman. Regardless of what class one belongs to, if his mind is deluded 
by the Gunas, he becomes ignorant of that Knowledge of Atman. The 
true Knowledge of Atman liberates one from the delusion engendered 
by the Gunas. Note here that the Lord lumps all the Gunas together. 


He does not make a distinction between Satvic and Tamasic. All Gunas 
delude man. 

5:16: When the ignorance of a person (engendered by the Gunas) 
is destroyed by the Knowledge of Atman, Atman shines like the 
sun in him. 
The ignorance that veils the Knowledge of the Atman is rooted in 
man's Gunas. Once one crosses over them by controlling his Senses 
(desires), his ignorance is destroyed and his Atman becomes evident 
to him as well as to all those around him. Such a person is often 
referred to by people as a Mahatma. All Mahatmas in the history of 
India -the Buddha, Mahaveera, Purandaradasa, Suradasa, 
Kanakadasa, Kabirdasa, Tukarama, Jnanadeva, Guru Nanak, 
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Vivekananda, and Mahatma Gandhi are 
examples of Self-realized people in whom Atman shone like sun. They 
all had one thing in common: they renounced their desires and 
attachments to sense objects, and they performed selfless service to 
humanity. Centuries after their death, we can still see that light and 
feel that warmth. 

The Knowledge of Atman cancels-out Karma 

5:17: Those who think on That (Atman), merge with That, get 
fixed in That, have That as the goal, they attain to non-return 
(Nirvana), their taints (ignorance, weaknesses) beings dispelled by 
Knowledge of Atman. 
That, which Lord Krishna refers to, is Atman or Brahman. The way to 
disentangle oneself from various sense objects is to give up the Gunarooted 
weaknesses and focus one's attention on Atman, which needs 
nothing, wants nothing, and has everything. Since all actions of such a 
person are devoid of desire, he earns no Karmaphala and so he is 
liberated one from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. How do we 
know that one has attained the Knowledge of the Atman/Brahman and 
overcome the force of the Gunas and Karma? 

Lord Krishna delivers a body blow to Varnashrama Dharma 

5:18: Men of Atman-Knowledge are same-sighted on a Brahmin 
imbued with learning and humility, a cow (the animal of 
Brahmins), an elephant (the animal of Kshatriyas), a dog (the animal 
of Vaishyas and Sudras) and a dog-eating outcaste. 

There is not another shloka in the Gita -perhaps with the exception of 
18:66-that does more to undermine the Varnashrama Dharma than 
this shloka. The caste system and the scourge of untouchability would 
not have developed in India had this shloka not been ignored by 
Brahmanic scholars, the guardians and interpreters of the Bhagavad 
Gita, in favor of those promoting Varnashrama Dharma. Instead, they 
embellished the caste-promoting shlokas (18:40-45, 47-48). 

In this shloka, Lord Krishna demolishes the hierarchical system of 
Varnashrama Dharma based on the doctrine of the Gunas and Karma. 
He declares that truly enlightened (Self-realized) people, who have 
overcome the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, become blind to 
the Varnashrama Dharma based on those doctrines. Having attained 
Brahman, they see Brahman in everyone else and so they see 
everyone, including animals, as equals. A learned and humble Brahmin 
is on the same footing as a cow, the animal of Brahmins; an elephant, 
the animal of Kshatriyas royals; a dog, the animal of lower 
classes, and dog-eating outcaste! Note here that Lord Krishna does 
not say that a learned Brahmin is equal to Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and 
Sudras. He says he is at the same level as animals belonging to these 
classes! 

5:19: Transitory existence (Samsara) is overcome even here (on 
earth) by them whose mind rests on equality. Brahman is 
flawless and the same in all; therefore they (who know this Truth) 
are established in Brahman. 
Truly enlightened people see everyone as their equals, they and attain 
Self-realization even during their lifetime. Brahman is flawless and the 
same in all people, whether they are Brahmins or outcastes. Those 
who think that they are superior to others are ignorant of the true 
nature of Brahman. What a revolutionary idea for the post-Vedic 
times! 

Self-realization frees one from Grief, Dwandwa and Samsara 

5:20: Established in Brahman, with firm understanding (being 
Buddhiyukta) and with no delusion (engendered by the Gunas) , the 
knower of Brahman rejoices not getting what is pleasant and 
grieves not getting what is unpleasant (he is free from Dwandwa 
and Grief). 
A person, who has attained the peace of Brahman, does not suffer 
from Dwandwa: Feeling happy when he gets something good and 


feeling grief when he gets something bad. He enjoys the 
Sthithaprajnya state of mind which is immune to Grief, Dwandwa, and 
Samsara. 

5:21: With the self (Mind and Intellect) detached from the 
external contacts (by means of withdrawal of his Senses, desires) 
he realizes the Bliss in Atman. Devoted as he is to meditation of 
Brahman, he enjoys Imperishable Bliss. 
The moment one's mind completely disentangles itself from the sense 
objects, it not only connects with his Buddhi, but also it connects with 
the Atman. As one's disconnection is made stronger by focused effort, 
one achieves the permanent peace that is Brahman. As you can see, 
the words Atman and Brahman are used interchangeably. 

Secret of Bliss 

5:22: The delights that are contact-born are verily the wombs 
of pain; they have, O son of Kunti, a beginning and an end; no 
wise man rejoices in them. 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna makes a distinction between two delights: 
one due to contact with sense objects; the other due to contact with 
Atman. The delights of the senses (food, wealth, sexual gratification, 
power, etc.) are temporary and they invariably lead to pain later on, 
whereas, the delight due to one's contact with the Atman is eternal. 

5:23: He who is able to resist the impulse of selfish desire and 
jealous rage even here before he dies, he is a Yogi, and he is a 
happy man. 
Lord Krishna now focuses his attention of Kama (selfish desire) and 
Krodha (jealous rage), the twin scourges rooted in Rajasic Guna 
(3:37). Lord Krishna identifies these two weaknesses in Vedic 
ritualists. He stresses again the need to control them to become a 
Self-realized Yogi, who is eligible to attain the Bliss of Brahman here 
on earth. 

5:24: He whose happiness is within, whose delight is within, 
whose illumination is within, only that Yogi becomes Brahman 
and gains the Beatitude of Brahman. 
One's happiness and contentment must come from his contact with the 
Atman within him and not from his contact with the external sense 


objects. Since Atman and Brahman are one and the same, such a Self-
realized person achieves Nirvana hereafter. 

5:25: With sins (bad Karmaphala) destroyed, doubts (Dwandwa) 
removed, mind disciplined (selfish desire, jealous rage, etc. 
eliminated), being delighted in the welfare of all beings (of all 
four classes and outcastes too), the Rishis attain the Beatitude of 
Brahman. 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna says that when Rishis (sages), whether 
Brahmins or Kshatriyas, overcome bad Karmaphala, Dwandwa, and 
various Guna-rooted weaknesses, they attain the Bliss of Brahman. 
Note here that Lord Krishna calls for "the welfare of all beings," not 
just the upper classes. 

5:26: The Beatitude of Brahman is both here and hereafter for 
those Sanyasins who have shed selfish desire and jealous rage, 
subdued their minds and realized Atman. 
Again, this shloka is addressed to Sanyasins (Brahmins who have 
given up sacrificial rites and attained the Knowledge of the Self). 
Those who have given up the Guna-rooted weaknesses would find 
peace of mind here on earth and liberation from Samsara hereafter. 

How does one control his roving eyes and hankering breath? 

5:27: Shutting out external objects, fixing the gaze between the 
eyebrow, equalizing the outward and inward breaths moving in 
the nostrils, the sage who has controlled the Senses, Mind and 
Intellect, who is solely pursuing liberation, who has cast away 
desire, fear and jealous rage, he verily is liberated (from the evil 
of Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala-Samsara). 
This shloka properly belongs in BG Chapter Six. We will study it in that 
chapter. 

5:28: Having known Me as the Lord of Yajnas and asceticism, as 
the Ruler of all worlds, as the Friend of all beings, he attains 
Peace. 
This shloka is clearly a last-minute interpolation by Lord Krishna's 
Bhagavatha devotees into this essentially Upanishadic chapter dealing 
with Atman and Brahman. All of a sudden the Bhagavatha author 
introduces Lord Krishna being Lord of Yajnas, asceticism, and the 


Ruler of all worlds. Apparently now He replaces Brahman. We have 
seen similar incongruous interpolations in earlier chapters. We will 
come across such untimely and inappropriate interpolations in the 
future chapters also. 


CHAPTER FOURTEEN 

The Upanishadic Revolution -5 

On the Path to Becoming a Yogi 

Whereas BG Chapter Five was primarily devoted to the doctrine of 
Knowledge of Brahman, which replaces the doctrine of the Gunas, BG 
Chapter Six is devoted to the doctrine of Yoga, which replaces the 
doctrine of Karma. Where as in BG Chapter Five Lord Krishna 
explained the need to give up Kama to attain Brahman, in BG Chapter 
Six, Lord Krishna discusses the need to give up Sankalpa to achieve it. 
In addition, He discusses various Yoga-related topics such as the basic 
techniques of meditation; the need to moderate habits, so on and so 
forth. These detailed instructions were meant to convert Vedic 
ritualists into Yogis. 

To be a true Yogi one must give up design in all action 

6:1: He who discharges his duty without seeking its fruits, he is 
a Sanyasin, he is a Yogi; not he who is (merely) without sacred 
fire and without rites. 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna tackles Sankalpa, the intention, desire or 
design of the ritualist performing Kamya Karma. Before starting a 
Yajna, it was customary for the priest to ask the sponsor what his 
Sankalpa was. In other words, the question was put to him, "What 
desire would you like to fulfill by performing this Yajna?" Usually the 
Kshatriya sponsor would say something like, "I want to have a son 
who would destroy my enemy," as it happened with Drupada when he 
performed a Yajna to obtain a son to destroy Drona, his former friend 
and now his arch enemy. 

In this shloka, Lord Krishna warns that one does not automatically 
become a Yogi just because he gives up sacrificial rites. To become a 
Yogi, he must give up his mental desire for fruit (Sankalpa). It is one 
thing to give up something bodily; it is entirely another thing to give it 
up mentally. For example, just because a person gives up eating meat, 
he does not become a vegetarian. To be a true vegetarian, he must 
give up his craving for it too. A true vegetarian is someone who feels 
sick when he merely thinks about eating meat. Lord Krishna simply 
detests hypocrites as He did in 3:6. 


6:2: Know that as Yoga, O Pandava, which is called Sanyasa: 
for none becomes a Yogi without renouncing Sankalpa. 
One becomes a Sanyasi or Jnanayogi only when he renounces 
Sankalpa -design, will, intention, or desire to acquire fruit of action. No 
matter what he does, he must do it without desire for sense objects 
(2:55-59). How many Swamis and Gurus do you know who meet this 
criteria? 

6:3: Karma is said to be the means of the sage who seeks to 
attain Yoga; tranquility is said to be the means when one has 
attained Yoga. 
In this shloka, Lord Krishna once again recommends Karmayoga, 
selfless action (Tyaga), as the means of seeking Yoga. Once a person 
gives up his desire for fruits, his mind becomes connected with Buddhi 
and becomes Buddhiyukta, which means it is free from Dwandwa. The 
tranquility of mind thus attained becomes the means to attain Self-
realization. A mind tranquilized by Buddhi, can more easily attain 
Atman than a mind distracted by various sensory delights. 

6:4: Then alone is one said to have attained to Yoga, when, 
having renounced all Sankalpas, one does not get entangled 
with sense objects and (selfish) actions. 
Once again, Lord Krishna keeps hammering the point: Do not become 
entangled with sense objects; nor seek fruits from your actions. 

It is your choice to elevate yourself or debase yourself 

6:5: Let a man raise himself by his own Self; let him not debase 
himself. For, he is himself his friend, and himself his foe. 
When a man raises his lower self (Mind and Intellect) by allying it with 
his higher Self -Atman, his lower self becomes his friend, for the lower 
self (Mind) attains divine qualities. Instead, if a man's lower self, falls 
prey to its Gunas and attaches itself to sense objects, he degrades 
himself. His self, now aligned with the Senses (allies of the Gunas), 
becomes deluded by the sense objects, and he commits stupid acts 
(2:62-63) or evil acts (3:37-43). We noted this principle of conquering 
the lower self with the higher Self in 3:43. 


The Mind Must Find a Balance Between the Senses and Intellect 

6:6: To him who has conquered his lower self by his higher 
Self, his own self is the friend; but to him who has not subdued 
the self, his own self acts as the foe. 
This shloka is repetition of the previous shloka. 

6:7: A self-disciplined and serene man's supreme self is 
constant in cold and heat, pleasure and pain as also in honor 
and dishonor. 
The Mind that is stabilized by Buddhi and Atman becomes immune to 
Dwandwa. The supreme self referred to here is the self (Mind and 
Intellect put together) that has been elevated by the Atman (the Self) 
and has thus become supreme. It does not refer to Atman itself, as 
Atman is inherently immune to Dwandwa. It is interesting to note here 
how Lord Krishna says that one must be immune to honor and 
dishonor in this Upanishadic shloka, whereas, in the Brahmanic Gita, 
He tells Arjuna that dishonor is worse than death (2:34). On the path 
of evolution, the Gita has come a long way, indeed! 


Self-realization gives one same-sightedness 

6:8: That Yogi is steadfast (Buddhiyukta) who is satisfied with 
Knowledge (of Atman) and Wisdom (Buddhi), who remains 
unshaken (Dwandwa-free), who has conquered the Senses, and 
to whom a clod, a stone and a piece of gold are the same. 
In 5:18-19, Lord Krishna said that a Self-realized person gains 
equanimity of mind and is same-sighted on all living beings. In this 
shloka, this principle is applied even to non-living things. The point is 
that a person, who has become Self-realized by virtue of his conquest 
of his desires for sense objects, has conquered Dwandwa and attained 
evenness, equanimity, and equilibrium. When the Senses of such a 
person come into contact with the sense objects, the Mind does not 
experience Dwandwa. He displays total indifference to material stuff 
regardless what its value is in the eye of ignorant and deluded people. 
He makes no distinction between a clod of earth, a stone, and piece of 
gold. If he loses a piece of gold, he does not grieve over it any more 
than grieving over losing a clump of earth. One can only imagine how 
ignorant people are who hanker constantly for gold, diamond, jewelry, 
money and other material things. 

6:9: He stands supreme who has equal regard for friends, 
companions, enemies, neutrals, arbiters, the hateful, the 
relatives, saints and sinners. 
Whereas the previous shloka dealt with Yogi's attitude of equanimity 
toward material things, this shloka deals with the same attitude 
towards people around him. A person, who has become Self-realized, 
sees Brahman in all people, and so he treats them all as equals. In the 
real world, however, it is rare to find people with such samesightedness. 
The vast majority of people's attitude toward others 
depends upon various considerations such as money, power, title, 
security, self-interest, etc. as evidenced by their sycophantic 
("chamchagiri") behavior. We see such sycophancy even in most so-
called Holy men, Swamis, and Gurus, who are supposed to be above it 
all, and yet they pursue people with power and money. 

Basic principles of meditation to gain concentration 

6:10: A Yogi should always try to concentrate his mind living 
alone in solitude, having subdued his mind and body and gotten 
rid of desires and possessions. 

Some people, who are totally deluded by material things, might need 
to practice meditation to control their Senses. Living alone in solitude 
and discarding desires and possessions is meant to take away sensory 
distractions when one is trying to concentrate his mind on Atman. 

6:11-13: Having firmly fixed in a clean place, his seat, neither 
too high nor too low, and having spread over it the kusa grass, 
a deer skin and a cloth, one over the other; sitting there on his 
seat, making the mind one-pointed and restraining the thinking 
faculty and the senses, he should practice Yoga for self-
purification. Let him hold his body, head and neck erect and 
still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around. 

These three shlokas are self-explanatory. The main goal of Yoga is 
self-purification, by which He means restraining the Mind and Senses 
(giving up weaknesses such as desire, attachment and 
possessiveness). 

5:27: Shutting out external objects, fixing the gaze between the 
eyebrow, equalizing the outward and inward breaths moving in 
the nostrils, the sage who has controlled the Senses, Mind and 
Intellect, who is solely pursuing liberation, who has cast away 
desire, fear and jealous rage, he verily is liberated (from the 
evils of Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala-Samsara). 
The above shloka from BG Chapter Five rightfully belongs in BG 
Chapter Six. To those Sanyasin who do not have the mental strength 
to give up their selfish desires, insecurity, and jealous rage, Lord 
Krishna gives some advice as to how to steady his mind. First he 
should control his roving eyes and focus them between his eyebrows. 
Then he should control his hankering breath by means of Pranayama, 
a part of Astanga Yoga, in which one expands his life force by means 
of control of breath. By learning to control his roving eyes and 
hankering breath, which represent the organs of Senses, he would 
slowly learn to control his other Senses, Sense Organs and mental 
faculties, namely the Mind and the Intellect. Then he should give up 
selfish desire for sense objects; fear of losing or not having them, and 
jealous rage for other's success. Once he has accomplished these 
feats, he attains peace of mind here on earth and freedom from the 
fetters of rebirth. 

6:14-15: Serene and fearless, firm in the vow of Brahmachari, 
subdued in mind, he should sit in Yoga thinking on Me and 
intent on Me alone. Keeping himself ever steadfast in this 


manner, the Yogi of subdued mind attains the Peace abiding in 
Me and culminating in Nirvana. 

These two interpolated shlokas have the tenor of the Bhagavatha 
credo, and must be a mutated version of earlier Upanishadic shlokas. 
The proof of this is in the fact that the word Nirvana is an Upanishadic 
concept and the following 14 shlokas are about Atman and Brahman. 
Nevertheless, the intent of these shlokas is to urge the Yogi to subdue 
his impulses and desires and focus on Atman/Brahman/Ishwara to 
attain ultimate peace and tranquility. 

The Yogi must moderate his habits 

6:16-17: Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much or for 
him who abstains too much from eating; it is not for him, O 
Arjuna, who sleeps too much or too little. For him who is 
moderate in eating and recreation, temperate in his actions, 
who is regulated in sleep and wakefulness, Yoga becomes 
destroyer of pain. 

Moderation in everything one does creates a stable mental state that is 
conducive to Yoga. 

The Self-realized person 

6:18: When the disciplined mind rests in Atman alone, free from 
desire for objects, then is one said to be established in Yoga. 
6:19: ‘As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker' -this is 
the simile used for the disciplined mind of a Yogi practicing 
concentration on the Self. 
6:20: When the mind, disciplined by the practice of Yoga, 
attains quietude, and when beholding the Self by the self, he is 
satisfied with the Self. 
6:21: When he feels that supreme bliss which is perceived by 
Buddhi and which transcends the Senses, and wherein 
established he never moves from Reality (Brahman). 
6:22: And having gained which, he thinks that there is no 
greater gain than that, wherein established he is not shaken by 
the heaviest affliction. 

6:23: Let this disconnection from union with pain be known by 
the name of Yoga. This Yoga should be practiced with 
determination and with undistracted mind. 
The purpose of disciplining the mind with Yoga is to achieve 
disconnection from the pain one gets from his contact with sense 
objects and to establish contact with Atman, the seat of Absolute Bliss. 
When one attains that Bliss, he becomes indifferent to all other 
pleasures of life. 

The Anthem of the doctrine of Yoga 

6:24-29: Abandoning without reserve all desires born of 
Sankalpa, and curbing in, by the mind, all the senses (desires) 
from all sides; with his intellect set in firmness (Buddhiyukta) let 
him attain quietude little by little; with the mind fixed on the 
Self let him not think of anything. By whatever cause the 
wavering and unsteady mind wanders away, let him curb it 
from that and subjugate it solely to the Self. Supreme Bliss 
verily comes to that Yogi whose mind is calm; whose passions 
are pacified, who has become one with Brahman and who is 
sinless. Constantly engaging the mind this way, the Yogi who 
has put away sin, attains with ease the infinite bliss of contact 
with Brahman. His mind being harmonized by Yoga, he sees 
himself in all beings and all beings in himself; he sees the same 
in all. 

These six shlokas explain the fundamentals of Yogic meditation and its 
result. A Yogi who has pacified his mind by the practice of Yoga attains 
the Bliss of Brahman. How does one know that he has attained it? The 
Self-realized Yogi sees himself in others and others in himself; and he 
is same-sighted on all living and non-living objects (5:18-19; 6:8-9). 

6:32: That Yogi, O Arjuna, is regarded as the supreme, who 
judges pleasure or pain everywhere, by the same standard as 
he applies to himself. 
As you can see, this Upanishadic shloka followed 6:29 above before 
6:30-31 were added by the Bhagavathas. The phrase "the same 
standard as he applies to himself" is the foundation of the Upanishadic 
doctrines. 


Two Bhagavatha shlokas 

6:30-31: He who sees Me everywhere and sees all in Me, he 
never becomes lost to Me, nor do I become lost to him. He who, 
established in oneness, worships Me abiding in all beings, that 
Yogi lives in Me, whatever may be his mode of living. 

Once again, these two shlokas must have been interpolated later by 
the Bhagavatha scholars to convert the Upanishadic Gita into the 
Bhagavatha Gita. Here Lord Krishna replaces Brahman as the object of 
Mind's focus, which, in fact, does not happen till BG Chapter Ten. The 
word "worships" -Bhajaty-is the clue to the later addition. Up to now 
Bhakti has been nowhere in sight. Bhaktiyoga is yet to be refined and 
introduced into the BG. 

Arjuna expresses doubt 

6:33-34: Arjuna expresses doubt: This Yoga of equanimity taught 
by you, O Madhusudana -I do not see any stability for it, 
because of restlessness of the mind. The mind verily is, O 
Krishna, restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. I deem it as 
hard to control as the wind. 

Here Arjuna is referring to the Dwandwa of the mind engendered by 
the force of the Gunas. Once the mind gets entangled with sense 
objects, it would not let go or walk away from them. That is why Lord 
Krishna has been warning all along that one must control his Senses 
and stabilize his Mind by girdling it with Buddhi. 

6:35-36: Lord Krishna reassures: Doubtless, O mighty-armed, the 
mind is restless and hard to control (due to the force of the 
Gunas); but by practice and non-attachment (withdrawal of 
Senses), O son of Kunti, it can be controlled. Yoga is hard to 
attain, I concede, by a man who cannot control himself; but it 
can be attained by him who has controlled himself and who 
strives by right means (Yoga). 

In this shloka Lord Krishna counters the claim of Brahmanism that one 
is totally helpless in the face of the force of the Gunas. Lord Krishna 
recommends Yoga as the means to overcome the force of the Gunas: 
detachment from sense objects and giving up fruits of action. 

Some degree of will power is needed for one to control his desire for, 
attachment to, and possessiveness of sense objects. For example, 


most of us are impulsive buyers. We go into a departmental store, see 
some attractive stuff and we buy it on impulse. Now desire has 
conquered good judgment of our Mind and Intellect. There are several 
ways one could bring control over impulsivity such as this. Let your 
Mind connect with your Buddhi. One's Buddhi would then suggest the 
following: 

1. Postpone the buying: One would say to himself, "I very much would 
like to buy this, but let me think about it for a while. The sale is still on 
for four more days and I have four days to think about it. 
2. Question the basis for buying: One could ask himself: Is this item 
absolutely essential for me? If the answers is no, then he would not 
buy it. 
3. Return the stuff: Even if one has succumbed to the temptation, he 
still has time to take corrective action. He can return the stuff and let 
go of it. 
4. Try to manage without the item in question: One can ask himself, 
"Can I manage my life with what I already have? Why should I 
complicate my life by getting another item?" 
When we follow one or more of the above advice, our Mind becomes 
Buddiyukta. Now we have learned to say "NO" to our Senses (desires). 
Exercising even a little bit of will power results in our gaining more will 
power as time passes. Gradually, our Mind would feel more control 
over our Senses. Will power is nothing but the mind functioning under 
the power of Buddhi. 

It is better to try and fail than not try at all 

6:37-39: Arjuna said: He who is unable to control himself, though 
possessed of faith, whose mind deviates from Yoga, what end 
does he meet, O Krishna, having failed to attain perfection in 
Yoga? Fallen from both (failing to control Senses and failing to 
achieve perfection), does he not perish like a rent cloud, without 
any hold, O mighty-armed, deluded in the path of Brahman? 
Deign to dispel completely this doubt of mine, O Krishna; for 
there is none but Yourself who can destroy this doubt. 

Very often, when people fail at something, they go to the other 
extreme. What happens to people who fail to control their Senses and 


Mind in spite of sincere attempts to do so? Are all their efforts a total 
waste? Should they go back to their old ways? 

6:40-43: Lord Krishna said: O Partha, neither in this world nor in 
the next is there destruction for him; for, the doer of good, O 
my son, never comes to grief. Having attained to the worlds of 
the righteous and having lived there for countless years, he 
who falls from Yoga is reborn in the house of the pure and 
prosperous. Or he is born in a family of wise Yogis only; a birth 
like this is verily very difficult to obtain in this world. There he 
gains the knowledge acquired in his former body, and he 
strives more than before for perfection, O joy of Kurus. 

Lord Krishna wants to encourage everyone to keep trying His Yoga 
even if they fail to achieve Self-realization in this lifetime. It is better 
to try and fail than not try at all. He says that when it comes to 
practicing Yoga, nothing is wasted. It is like putting aside money in a 
savings account. Even if one stops depositing in that account regularly, 
whatever has been deposited so far will grow and come to use in the 
future. One can carry his merits through the cycle of birth, death, and 
rebirth. At the end of each cycle, his accumulated merit will be higher 
than in the previous cycle because he becomes more righteous in each 
succeeding birth, until he finally achieves Moksha. 

Lord Krishna downgrades Vedic sacrifices, Vedic priests and 
ritualists 

6:44-46: By that very former practice he is led on in spite of 
himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga is superior 
to the performer of Vedic rites. The Yogi who strives with 
assiduity, purified from sins (Karmaphala) and perfected through 
many births reaches then the Supreme Goal (Nirvana). The Yogi 
is deemed superior to ascetics, superior to men of knowledge 
(of the Vedas) even; he is also superior to ritualists. Therefore 
be you a Yogi, O Arjuna. 

Having given Brahmins and Kshatriyas a discourse on Yoga, Lord 
Krishna declares in these three shlokas the superiority of Yoga over 
Vedic rituals; and of Yogis over Ascetics, learned men (Vedic scholars), 
and Vedic ritualists. He gives a body blow to Vedic ritualists by saying 
that he who merely wishes to know Yoga is superior to Vedic ritualists! 
Whereas a Yogi, purified of Karmaphala, can expect to attain Moksha, 
the ritualists of Kamya Karma, can expect only perpetuation of the 
cycle of birth, death and rebirth. 


6:47: And of all Yogis, he who worships Me with faith, his 
inmost Self merged in Me, -him I hold to be the most devout. 
This last shloka of BG Chapter Six was clearly interpolated by the 
Bhagavatha scholars at a later date to convert the Upanishadic Gita 
into the Bhagavatha Gita. The Yogi's focus is shifted from Brahman to 
Me (Lord Krishna), and the words "worship" -Bhakti-and Faith-
Shraddha-are brought into the equation. 

Further downgrading of Brahmanism 

The following anti-Vedic shlokas are inserted here to illustrate how the 
Upanishadic seers did not miss an opportunity to downgrade 
Brahmanism. 

8:28: The Yogi who knows this (the northern and southern paths of 
Sun) transcends the fruits of meritorious deeds attached to the 
study of the Vedas, sacrifices, austerities (tapas), and charity 
(daana), and attains the supreme primeval abode. 
The final blow to Brahmanism came in the form of four allegorical 
Upanishadic verses: 

15:1-4: They speak of an eternal Ashvattha tree with its root above 
and branches below. Its leaves are Vedic hymns; he who knows it is 
the knower of the Vedas. Below and above spread its branches, 
nourished by the Gunas; sense objects are its buds; and below in the 
world of men stretch forth the roots engendering action (sacrificial 
rites). Its real form is not perceived as such in this world, neither its 
end, nor its beginning, nor its existence. Having cut asunder this firm-
rooted Ashvattha with the strong axe of non-attachment, then that 
Goal should be sought for, going whither, they do not return again. I 
seek refuge in the Primeval Purusha whence streamed forth Eternal 
Activity. 


These four anti-Brahmanism Upanishadic shlokas have been explained 
by many Brahmanic scholar in such a way that they defy simple logic 
or common sense. In fact, they have been turned into essentially pro-
Vedic verses! 

There are two possible explanations to these four enigmatic shlokas: 


1. The above allegorical eternal Ashvattha tree represents Samsara the 
cycle of birth, death and rebirth-as per the Brahmanic doctrines of 
the Gunas and Karma. Keep in mind that Kamya Karma promotes 
Samsara (9:20). 
Its roots go above to the heavens where Vedic gods reside, as well as 
below in the world of men where they engender Kamya Karma. In 
other words, this tree of Samsara is rooted in heavens above and 
earth below. We read in 3:11 how performers of the sacrifices and the 
Devas cherished each other. 

Its leaves are Vedic hymns, which are sung during the sacrificial rites. 
He who knows this tree of Samsara is the knower of the Vedas, the 
Vedic priests. The Vedic priests believed in the hereafter (18:42). 

Its branches, nourished by the Gunas (in which are rooted Kama, 
Krodha, Sanga, Moha, and Dwandwa), go upwards and downwards 
ending in buds which are sense objects. The upward branches seek 
heaven (hereafter) and downward branches seek wealth and power 
(here on earth) (2:43). 

Obviously, these shlokas mean that Samsara is promoted by Kamya 
Karma rooted in the Vedic doctrines of Gunas and Karma, performed 
by ritualists and dedicated to the Vedic gods. 

Its real form is not perceived as such in this world, neither its end, nor 
its beginning, nor its foundation. This sentence might mean that 
Samsara is a mysterious entity whose real form, its beginning, its end, 
and its origin are difficult for one to perceive or fathom. Samsara is a 
cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Cycles have neither a beginning nor 
an end. 

What should one do to this eternal tree of Samsara that is firmly-
rooted in Vedic sacrifices (Karma) performed by men below on earth 
and dedicated to the Devas above in heaven, and nourished by the 
Gunas? Hack it asunder with the strong axe of non-attachment (Yoga). 
Chop it down. Destroy it! Then make it your Goal to reach that 
Abode from which you do not return: the Abode of Primeval Purusha 
(Lord) from where all Eternal Activities stream forth. In other words, 
make it your goal to attain Nirvana, liberation from the cycle of 
Samsara and merger with the Primeval Purusha (Brahman). 

2. An somewhat less plausible interpretation of these four shlokas is as 
follows: The eternal Ashvattha (sacred) tree represents Sanaatana 

Dharma, which has been turned upside down by the Vedic performers 
of Kamya Karma. 

Now the enigmatic sentence: Its real form is not perceived as such in 
this world; neither its end, nor its beginning, nor its existence. This 
statement probably refers to the fact that no one in the post-Vedic 
society seems to know the real form of Sanaatana Dharma, its end, its 
beginning or its fundamental principles. Why is that? Well, it has been 
corrupted beyond recognition by its current practitioners (also read 
4:15). What should one do with this eternal tree of Sanaatana Dharma 
that has been turned upside down? Well, you know the answer. Chop 
down this tree rooted in Karma and nourished by the Gunas (desire 
and attachment) with the strong axe of non-attachment (Yoga). Then, 
instead of seeking the Brahmanic Goal of heaven and rebirth 
(Samsara), that Goal (Brahman) should be sought from which there is 
no return (Nirvana). In other words, chop down the tree of decadent 
Brahmanism rooted in the doctrine of Karma and nourished by the 
Gunas, by the axe of Yoga, and seek the Abode of Brahman (gain 
Knowledge of Brahman). In other words, destroy the old Dharma 
based on the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, which seeks heaven, 
and establish in its place a whole new Dharma based on the doctrines 
of Yoga and Knowledge of Brahman, which seeks Nirvana. 

The very next shloka gives the clue to both the above explanations: 

15:5: Free from pride and delusion, with evil of attachment conquered, 
ever dwelling in Atman, their desires being completely stilled, liberated 
from Dwandwa known as pleasure and pain, un-deluded reach that 
Goal Eternal (Nirvana). 
This is almost the repetition of shloka 2:45. In order to achieve 
Nirvana, the ritualists must overcome various weaknesses rooted in 
the Gunas and associated with Kamya Karma: pride, delusion, 
attachment, desire and Dwandwa. Thus un-deluded, one realizes 
Atman and attains Nirvana. 

The final shloka of the Upanishadic revolution 

The Upanishadic revolution ends with the following three shlokas in the 
Bhagavad Gita in the form of the advice given by the Upanishadic Lord 
Krishna to Arjuna. They squarely counter the Brahmanic advice given 
to Arjuna in 18:59-60, which tell Arjuna that he was totally helpless in 
the face of his Gunas and that he was being egoistic in refusing to 
fight (18:59-60). Here we go: 


18: 61-63: The Lord (who is more powerful than the Gunas) dwells in 
the heart of all beings, O Arjuna, and by His Maya (and not the 
Gunas) causes all beings to revolve as though mounted on a machine. 
Seek refuge in Him alone (in order to overcome the force of the 
Gunas) with all your heart (in which dwells the Atman), O Bharata. By 
His grace you will gain Supreme Peace (here on earth) and Eternal 
Abode (hereafter). Thus has wisdom more profound than all 
profundities been declared to you by Me. Reflect upon it fully and 
act as you choose. 
"The wisdom more profound than all profundities" obviously refers to 
the Upanishadic doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga. 
The phrase "Reflect upon it fully and act as you choose" empowers 
Arjuna to exercise his will, and counters the Brahmanic phrase, "You 
shall do helplessly against your own will" (18:60). When one has 
liberated himself from the Guna-rooted weaknesses, he is a free man 
who can think for himself and act as he chooses. He is no longer the 
slave of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. 

Further elaboration of Upanishadic philosophy 

The Upanishadic seers continued to consolidate their gains by 
elaborating the Upanishadic philosophy, which for obvious reasons, 
were scattered in various chapters by the final editor of the Bhagavad 
Gita. For example, the exposition of Sankhya philosophy, consisting of 
Purusha and Prakriti are strewn in Chapters Seven, Eight, Thirteen and 
Fifteen in haphazard manner. Further elaborations on Brahman are 
made in Chapters Eight, Twelve, Thirteen, Fifteen and Eighteen. It is 
possible that many of these Upanishadic topics were added by various 
seers over a period of time for the sake of either furthering their own 
agendas or completeness of the Upanishadic philosophy. Some of 
these esoteric topics, which have little relevance to the Upanishadic 
revolution, are: Kshetra and Kshetrajna (Chapter Thirteen) and 
northern and southern paths of sun related to the time of death 
(Chapter Eight). At this point, the Bhagavatha scholars take the ball of 
revolution to overthrow Brahmanism and run with it. 


CHAPTER FIFTEEN 
The Bhagavatha Revolution 


The Bhagavatha creed 

The Bhagavatha creed was centered on Lord Vasudeva and its mode of 
worship was known as Bhakti, which has come to mean personal 
devotion. The word Bhagavatha means worshippers of Bhagavan, the 
Lord. The cult of Vasudeva was popular in western part of north India, 
at least during the second century B.C. E., as evidenced by the 
inscription found on the column of Heliodorus situated in Besnaga, five 
miles from Sanchi, India. This pillar, dated around 110 B. C. E., refers 
to Vasudeva as the God of gods. With this and several other similar 
evidences in mind, it is not hard to imagine that the Bhagavatha 
revolution in the Bhagavad Gita, with the goal to establish a broad-
based Dharma centered solely on Lord Krishna, might have taken 
place at the latest in the second century B. C. E. Somewhere along the 
way, the identity of Vasudeva (11:50) merged with that of Lord 
Krishna. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna identifies Himself with 
Vasudeva (7:19: "Vasudeva is all that is" and 10:37: "Of the Vrishnis I 
am Vasudeva."). 

Krishna is an ancient name in India 

1. In the Vedas, someone by the name of Krishna was Indra's favorite 
enemy, being the god of the local tribe named after him. 
2. Chandogya Upanishad mentions Krishna as son of Devaki and 
student of Ghora Angirasa (Ch. Up.: 3:17:6). 
3. In the Mahabharata epic, he is a prince of Yadava confederacy. In it 
he is very much the defender of Brahmanism.[1] 
4. In the Original Gita, playing the role of Arjuna's charioteer and 
mentor, prince Krishna reminds Arjuna of his Kshatriya duty as per the 
Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma (3:5, 27, 33; 18:40-45). 
5. In the early part of the Upanishadic Gita (BG Chapter Two), he is 
the pious Guru of Arjuna who imparts him the Knowledge of Atman 
and Buddhiyoga (2:39-40); and he is also the stern Guru who 
condemns the Vedas (2:46, 52-53), Vedic sacrifices (2:47-49), and 
Vedic ritualists (2:41-44). 
6. In the later Upanishadic Gita (Chapter Four and Three), He becomes 
the Lord of beings (4:6) who took birth to establish Dharma whenever 
there is decay of Dharma and rise of Adharma (4:7). 
7. In the Bhagavatha Gita (Chapters Seven, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, 
Fifteen, Eighteen) His stature grows exponentially. He becomes 

Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Abode, the Supreme Purifier, the 
Eternal, Divine Purusha, the Primeval Deity, the Unborn, the 
Omnipresent (10:12). 

8. He is declared as Parameshwara, the Supreme God above all 
(11:3). 
9. In the later Brahmanic part of the Bhagavad Gita, He uttered pro-
Guna and pro-Yajna verses (Chapters Fourteen, Seventeen and 
Eighteen). 
10. Lord Krishna became the avatar of Vishnu only after the 
Bhagavatha Dharma evolved into Vaishnavism several centuries later. 
In the text of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Vishnu was only the foremost 
among Adityas, the Sun gods (10:21). He was clueless that some day 
he would be an avatara of Vishnu. 
From Monism to Monotheism 

It is obvious that the Upanishadic Gita was taken over by the 
Bhagavatha Dharma in order to establish a broad-based Dharma 
centered on one Supreme God with Lord Krishna as His earthly avatar. 
The Bhagavatha revolution converted the monistic Upanishadic 
Dharma into monotheistic Bhagavatha Dharma, the predecessor of 
Vaishnavism. Lord Krishna replaced Brahman and Atman as the 
Supreme Divinity (10:12, 20); Bhaktiyoga replaced Buddhiyoga as the 
means of worship (9:26-27); and Moksha (liberation from Samsara 
followed by union with the Supreme Lord) replaced Nirvana as the goal 
of worship (9:28; 18:66). In the Bhagavatha Gita, Lord Krishna's 
stature begins to grow exponentially. 

"I am the essence of everything in the Universe" 

To establish His supremacy over everything in the Universe, Lord 
Krishna places himself at the head of every class of living and nonliving 
entity known to mankind. Unlike Brahman's "Not this, not this!" 
Lord Krishna says, "I am this and this!" 

7:7: There is nothing whatsoever higher than Me, O 
Dhananjaya. All this is strung on Me, as rows of gems on a 
string. 
7:8-10: I am the liquidity in the water, O son of Kunti; I am the 
radiance in the moon and sun; I am syllable Om in all Vedas; 
sound in ether and manliness in man. I am the sweet fragrance 
in earth and brilliance in fire; I am the life in all beings and 
austerity in ascetics. Know Me, O Partha, as the eternal seed of 


all beings; I am the intelligence of the intelligent; the splendor 
of the splendid. 

At Arjuna's urging, Lord Krishna describes how He is foremost of all 
various characters, entities and pantheon of Brahmanism, such as 
Adityas, Maruts, Vedas, Devas, Rudras, so on and so forth (10:19-41). 
He ends Chapter Ten by saying: 

10:42: But what need is there, O Arjuna, for this detailed 
knowledge? I stand supporting this whole Universe with a 
single fragment of Myself. 
Lord Krishna replaces Brahman/Atman as the new Divinity 

The reason for the need for the new Divinity was explained in the 
Bhagavad Gita itself: 

12:5-7: Greater is their difficulty whose minds are set on the 
Un-manifested (Brahman)for the goal (Nirvana) of the Unmanifested 
is very hard for the embodied (Atman) to reach. 

The Upanishadic concepts of Atman and Brahman were so complex 
that even learned Vedic scholars had difficulty understanding it (2:29). 
Naturally, the Upanishadic Dharma must have been very inaccessible 
to ordinary people. The Bhagavatha scholars recognized that both 
Atman and Brahman were Nirguna, meaning, they were free from the 
negative attributes (desire, attachment, delusion) of the Gunas. But 
they did not possess any positive attributes (Saguna) other than being 
the seat of Bliss engendered by complete lack of desire combined with 
self-sufficiency. And so they were ideals only in the sense that they 
helped Yogis to overcome the Gunas that bound their Atman to sense 
objects. Devoid of positive attributes, neither Atman nor Brahman 
offered Itself as an ideal Godhead for one to identify with, emulate and 
worship. 

10:12: Arjuna says: You are the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme 
Abode, the Supreme Purifier, the Eternal, Divine Purusha, the 
Primeval Deity, the Unborn, the Omnipresent. 
Simultaneously, Parameshwara took over Atman in the body (10:20; 
15:15). 

10:20; 15:15: I am the Self, O Gudakesha, seated in the hearts 
of all beings. 


From this point onwards, Lord Krishna, the avatar of Parameshwara 
became the Ultimate Deity. 

Lord Krishna becomes Parameshwara (Supreme Lord) 

The Bhagavatha seers declared Lord Krishna as the Supreme Lord in 

11:3. 
11:13: There in the body of the God of gods, Pandava then saw 
the whole universe with its many divisions drawn together into 
one. Then 
Lord Krishna displays His Universal Form to Arjuna. The whole of BG 
Chapter Eleven is dedicated to describing Lord Krishna's Universal 
Form. The point is everything in this universe exists in Him. An 
enthralled Arjuna exclaims: 

11:38: You are the Primal God, the Ancient Purusha; You are 
Supreme Abode of all this; You are the Knower of the knowable 
and the Supreme Abode; this Universe is pervaded by You, O 
Being of infinite form! 
Bhaktiyoga becomes the means of worship 

They combined Yoga with Bhakti -devotion. Like Yoga, Bhakti did away 
with sacrifices and mindless rituals. Thus devotional worship (Bhakti) 
combined with Yoga of detachment from sense objects (Sanyasa) and 
selfless acts (Tyaga) became Bhaktiyoga. The combination of Bhakti 
and Yoga would bring Bliss here on earth and Moksha hereafter. From 
now onwards, all deeds would be dedicated to Lord Krishna 
("Krishnarpana"). In contrast to the ostentatious Yajnas of 
Brahmanism, Bhaktiyoga is epitome of simplicity. 

10:10: To those who lovingly worship Me with steadfast 
devotion, I give the Yoga of Buddhi by which they come to Me. 
9:14: Glorifying Me always, striving firm in vows, prostrating 
before Me, they worship me with devotion, ever steadfast. 
9:26-29: Whoever offers Me with devotion (Bhakti), a leaf, a 
flower, a fruit or water, I accept that, the pious offering of the 
pure in heart. 


18:55: By Bhakti he knows Me in truth, what and who I am; 
then having known Me in truth, he forthwith enters into Me. 
Look what Lord Krishna asks people to offer Him: a leaf, a flower, a 
fruit, or just water! Not herbs, ghee, grain, or animals. The end result 
of Bhaktiyoga is that the Bhakta gets closer and closer to Lord Krishna 
and increasingly becomes godlier in nature here on earth. Instead of 
the Upanishadic "Aham Brahmasmi" (I am Brahman!) the Bhakta 
would say, "Aham Krishnasmi!" (I am Lord Krishna!). 

Lord Krishna declares His supremacy over the doctrine of the 
Gunas 

7:12-14: Whatever beings are of Sattva, of Rajas, or of Tamas, 
know them to proceed from Me. Still, I am not in them; they are 
in Me. Deluded by these threefold disposition of Prakriti -the 
Gunas, this world does not know Me, who am above them and 
immutable. Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, made up of the 
Gunas, is hard to surmount; but those who take refuge in Me 
alone, they cross over this illusion. 

All one has to do to get over the force of the Gunas is to take refuge in 
the Lord. 

Lord Krishna says worship Me if you want to defeat the 
doctrine of Karma 

8:16: All worlds including that of Brahma are subject to rebirth, 
O Arjuna; but on reaching Me, O Kaunteya, there is no rebirth. 
What Lord Krishna is saying is: If you want to attain Moksha, worship 
Me. If you want to continue Samsara, worship the Devas. He explains 
this further: 

9:20: The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, 
purified from sin, w orshipping, Me by sacrifices (see my comment 
below), pray for the way to heaven. They reach the holy world 
of the Lord of the Devas (Indra) and enjoy in heaven the 
celestial pleasures of Devas. 
Note here that the phrase "worshipping Me by sacrifices" was certainly 
"worshipping Devas by sacrifices" before this shloka was corrupted by 
some later Bhagavatha as well as Brahmanic authors. The Bhagavatha 
scholar must have misunderstood the fact that this and the following 


two verses were meant to show that drinking Soma and worshipping 
Devas promotes return to earth (Samsara), and worshipping Lord 
Krishna alone, and no one else, ends it. By replacing the word Devas 
with the word Me, the true meaning of the whole verse was thoroughly 
perverted. Also, the phrase "purified from sin" was certainly added 
later by a Brahmanic scholar, who wanted one to believe that 
worshipping by Vedic sacrifice purified one's sins. Vedic sacrifices in 
which Brahmins drank Soma always worshipped Vedic gods and 
prayed for the way to heaven (2:43). Vedic priests never worshipped 
Lord Krishna by sacrifice. Therefore shloka 9:20 should have read as 
follows to make sense of it as well as 9:21-25 that follow it: 

9:20: The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, 
worshipping Devas by sacrifices pray for the way to heaven. 
They reach the holy world of the Lord of the Devas (Indra) and 
enjoy in heaven the celestial pleasures of Devas. 
However, 

9:21: Having enjoyed the vast world of heaven, they return to 
the world of mortals on exhaustion of their merits (good 
Karmaphala); thus abiding by the injunction of three Vedas, 
desiring objects of desires (lordship and heaven) they come and 
go (are born again and again). 
Instead, those who worship Lord Krishna alone are rewarded: 

9:22: To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other 
(such as Devas), who are ever devout, I provide gain and 
security. 
9:23-25: Even those devotees, who, endowed with devotion, 
worship other Devas, worship Me alone, O son of Kunti, but by 
wrong method. I am verily the Enjoyer and the Lord of all 
Yajnas. But these men do not know Me in reality; hence they 
fall. Votaries of Devas go to Devas (and return again and again); 
votaries of Pitrus (ancestral spirits) go to the Pitrus; to the 
Bhutas (ghosts) go the Bhuta worshippers; My votaries come to 
Me (never to be born again). 

Note here repeated phrase Me alone. "But these men do not know 
Me in reality; hence they fall" refers to ritualists who worship Vedic 
Devas according to the doctrine of Karma. 


Again, Lord Krishna condemns the Vedic ritualists who worship the 
Devas: 

7:20: Those whose discrimination (Intellect) has been led astray 
by this or that desire go to other gods, following this or that 
sacrificial rite, constrained by their own nature (Gunas). 
7: 23: But the fruit that accrues to those men of small intellect 
(ritualists) is finite. The worshippers of the Devas go to the 
Devas (and keep on returning to earth). My devotees come to Me 
(never to return to earth). 
12:6-7: But those who worship Me, renouncing all actions in Me, 
regarding Me as the Supreme Goal, meditating on Me with 
single-minded Yoga-for them whose thought is set on Me, I 
become very soon the deliverer from the ocean of mortal 
Samsara (they will attain Moksha). 

And by dedicating all fruits of actions to Lord Krishna, His Bhakta goes 
to the Lord's Abode hereafter. 

Lord Krishna absorbs Vedic Devas into Himself 

Lord Krishna downgrades and absorbs both the Vedic Devas and Rishis 
(Vedic sages) into Himself and retires them forever. 

10:2: Neither the hosts of Devas nor the great Rishis know My 
origin (they are deluded by their Gunas). For in every respect I am 
the source of Devas and the great Rishis. 
Umm! Now Devas as well as Rishis are not much superior to other 
lesser humans! Devas and Rishis suffer from Guna-rooted weaknesses, 
too. 

Arjuna affirms: 

11:21: These hosts of Devas indeed enter into You; some in awe 
extol You with joined palms.... 
11:39: You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the Moon, Prajapati, 
and the Great-grandfather. Salutation, salutation to You, a 
thousand times, and again and again, salutations to You. 

11:15-16: Arjuna says: I see all the gods, O God, in Your body 
and hosts of all grades of beings; Brahma, the Lord, seated on 
the lotus, and all the Rishis and celestial serpents. I behold You 
in infinite in forms on all sides, with countless arms, stomachs, 
mouths and eyes, neither Your end nor middle nor the 
beginning do I see, O Lord of the Universe, O Universal Form! 

With these verses the Vedic gods as well as all relics of Brahmanism 
were retired forever into obscurity! Lord Krishna, the Son of the soil, 
the local Hero, incarnation of Supreme Ishwara is now in charge. 
Incidentally, in the latter part of the Mahabharata epic the five 
Pandava princes, who were born from the boons of Vedic gods Yama, 
Vayu, Indra, and Ashwins, become subordinate to Lord Krishna. 
Arjuna, born from the boon of Indra, the supreme Vedic god, humbly 
surrenders to Lord Krishna (2:7; 11:40-42). 

Lord Krishna downgrades Vedic sacrifices 

11:48: Neither by the study of the Vedas, nor by Yajnas, nor by 
charity, nor by rituals, nor by severe penances, can this form of 
Mine be seen in the world of men by anyone else but you, O 
hero of the Kurus. 
Again, 

11:53: Neither by the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by gift, nor 
by sacrifice can I be seen in this form as you have seen Me. 
Just as the Upanishads declared that one cannot obtain Brahman by 
the Vedic rituals, the Bhagavathas declared that one cannot obtain 
Moksha by Vedic 

Lord Krishna takes over Vedic Yajnas 

9:16: I am Kratu, I am Yajna, I am Svadha, I am the medicinal 
herb, I am Mantra, I am also the clarified butter, I am fire, I am 
oblation. 
9:24: I am verily the Enjoyer and the Lord of all Yajnas. But 
these men do not know Me in reality; hence they (ritualists who 
perform Kamya Karma dedicated to Devas) fall. 

9:27: Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer 
in sacrifice, whatever you gift away, whatever austerity you 
practice, do it as an offering to Me (and not to the Devas). 
How is this different from worshipping the Devas by sacrifice? 

9:28: Thus you shall be free from the bondage of actions 
yielding good and bad results (you will overcome the doctrine of 
Karma). With the mind firmly set in the Yoga of renunciation 
(detachment from sense objects and giving up fruits of acts) and 
liberated, you shall come to Me. 
The above shlokas effectively overthrow the doctrine of Karma. 

Lord Krishna warns dissenters and critics of His Dharma 

Anticipating severe jealousy and opposition from the vested interests 
Lord Krishna issues repeated warnings to those who dare to oppose 
Him or His teachings or His Dharma. He calls them demonic, deluded, 
fools, vain and what not. 

7:15: The evil-doers, the deluded, the lowest of men, deprived 
of discrimination by Maya (the power of the Gunas) and following 
the way of the Asuras (demons), do not seek refuge in Me. 
9:3: Men devoid of devotion to this Dharma do not attain Me, O 
oppressor of the foes, but return to the path of the mortal 
world. 
9:11-12: Fools disregard Me as one clad in human form, not 
knowing My higher nature as the Great Lord of beings. They are 
of vain hopes, of vain actions, of vain knowledge, devoid of 
discrimination, partaking verily of the delusive nature of 
Rakshasas and Asuras. 

16:18-20: Given over to egoism, power, insolence, lust and 
wrath, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and 
those of others. Those cruel haters, worst among men in the 
world, I hurl these evil-doers forever into the wombs of the 
demons only. Entering into the Demonic wombs, the deluded 
ones, in birth after birth, without ever reaching Me, they fall 
into a condition even lower. 


That must have been enough to silence even His worst critics! Note 
how Lord Krishna uses the term "O oppressor of the foes" to hint what 
happens to people who become His foes. 

Lord Krishna condemns Ascetics 

Lord Krishna admonishes Ascetics who indulge in extreme austerities: 

17:5-6: Those men who practice violent austerities (Tapas) not 
enjoined by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism are 
doing so by force of lust and attachment. Fools that they are, 
they torture their bodily organs and Me, too, who dwell within 
the body. They are of demonical resolve. 

Lord Krishna condemns Nastik Materialists or Lokayatas 

16:8-11: They say, ‘the universe is unreal, without a moral 
basis, without God, born of mutual union, brought about by 
lust; what else?' Holding this view, these souls of small 
intellect, of fierce deeds, rise as the enemies of the world for 
its destruction. Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, 
pride and arrogance, holding evil ideas through delusion, they 
work with impure resolve. Beset with immense cares ending 
only with death, regarding gratification of lust as the highest, 
and feeling sure that that is all there is to it. 

Lord Krishna lumps the materialists with the worst kind of Kshatriya 
ritualists and His critics and condemns them permanently to the womb 
of demons (16:19-20). Even Lord Krishna could not save them all! 

Lord Krishna throws the doors of His Dharma wide open to one 
and all. 

7:21: Whatever form any devotee with Faith wishes to worship, 
I make that Faith of his steady. Endowed with that Faith, he 
engages in the worship of that form, and from it he obtains his 
desires, which are being actually ordained by Me. 
9:29-33: I am the same to all beings; to Me there is none 
hateful, none dear (I do not discriminate against people of any 
particular Varna). But those who worship Me with devotion, they 
are in Me and I am in them (regardless of their Varna). Even if a 
man of the most sinful conduct worships Me with undeviating 
devotion, he must be reckoned as rightly resolved. Soon does 


he become a man of righteousness and obtains lasting peace. O 
Kaunteya, know for certain that My devotee never perishes. For 
those who take refuge in Me, O Partha, though they may be of 
inferior birth -women, Vaishyas and Sudras-even they attain 
the Supreme Goal. How much more then the holy Brahmanas 
and devoted royal saints! Having come into this transient, 
joyless world, do worship Me. 

By taking refuge in Lord Krishna and dedicating one's deeds to Him, 
one overcomes the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma and thus 
transcends the Varna system. 

Lord Krishna explains who is dear to Him 

In shlokas 12:13-19 Lord Krishna describes characteristics of 
Bhaktiyogis in exactly opposite terms he uses to describe Vedic 
ritualists and declares: 

12:20: Verily, those who follow this immortal Dharma described 
above endued with Shraddha, looking upon Me as the Supreme 
Goal, and devoted, are exceedingly dear to Me. 
Finally Lord Krishna gives his devotees His most profound word 
and solemn pledge 

The following three Bhagavatha shlokas, 18:64-66, counter the 
Brahmanic shlokas 18:59-60 embellishing the Gunas and Karma. We 
read in the previous chapter how the Upanishadic seers countered 
them in shlokas 18:61-63. 

18:64: Listen again to My supreme word, the profoundest of all. 
You are beloved to Me and steadfast of heart; and I shall tell 
you what is for your good: Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to 
Me; sacrifice to Me; prostrate before Me; so shall you come to 
Me. This is My pledge to you, for you are dear to Me. 
Now Lord Krishna pronounces His Ultimate Bhagavatha Shloka of the 
Bhagavad Gita: 

"Give up all Dharma and surrender unto Me alone!" 

18:66: Abandon all Dharma and surrender unto Me alone. I 
shall liberate you from all evil (Grief and Dwandwa engendered by 

the doctrine of the Gunas; and Karmaphala and consequent Samsara, 
engendered by the doctrine of Karma). Do not grieve. 

In one stroke of genius, Lord Krishna establishes a New Dharma; 
appoints Himself as its Godhead; gives people Bhaktiyoga 
(devotion combined with Sanyasa and Tyaga) to overcome the evils 
of Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala engendered by the doctrines of 
the Gunas and Karma; exhorts people of all Dharmas to abandon 
their Dharmas (Brahmanism and all its sub-Dharmas such as 
Varnashrama, Jati and Kula Dharmas; Buddhism, Jainism, 
Asceticism, Lokayata, Ajivika, etc.) and join His Dharma to attain 
Sukham (Bliss) here on earth and Moksha hereafter. Lord Krishna is 
the Dharma (14:27). Those who take refuge in Him alone will not 
need any other Dharma. For, that would enable one to overcome the 
doctrines of the Gunas leading to elimination of Shokam and 
Dwandwam here on earth; and to cancel-out Karmaphalam, which 
would lead to breaking the bonds of Karma and attaining Moksha. By 
overcoming the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, one is beyond the 
clutches of Varnashrama Dharma, the hierarchical class system. In 
the eye of the Lord, all people who surrender to Him alone, regardless 
of his class, caste or family, are equal. 

This Ultimate (Charama) shloka, asking everyone to abandon all 
Dharma, has baffled all Brahmanic commentators as evidenced by 
their confusing, misleading and long-winded commentaries on it. It is 
obvious that either they are not aware of the Revolutionary context 
and intent of this shloka, or they choose not to acknowledge it. The 
word Dharma here has been interpreted by every Brahmanic 
commentator in such a way that it is impossible to understand the true 
meaning of the shloka. None of them explains what the word "papam evil" 
stands for. Let me give you here interpretations of this shloka by 
five Brahmanic Gurus: 

1. Sri Shankaracharya: "'All Dharma or acts of righteousness' -
Dharma (righteousness) here includes Adharma (unrighteousness) 
also. What is sought to be conveyed is the idea of freedom from all 
works (Dharma here means Karma)." (Page 616: Srimad Bhagavad 
Gita Bhashya of Sri Shankaracharya. Published by Sri Ramakrishna 
Math, Madras. Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrior. 
Sri Shankaracharya follows this comment with sixteen pages of 
explanations quoting various Shruthis to justify this. He simply misses 
the point that Bhaktiyoga, the essential part of the New Dharma 
contains Sanyasa (Jnanayoga) and Tyaga (Karmayoga). Giving up all 


Karma does not make any sense at all. He misses the whole idea that 
Lord Krishna is the New Dharma. His call is for all people to abandon 
their current Dharmas (religions) and join His Dharma based on the 
doctrines of Lord Krishna as the avatar of Ishwara and Bhaktiyoga as 
the means to worship Him. 

2. Sri Ramanujacharya: 'Relinquishing all Dharmas means the 
complete relinquishment of the sense of agency, possessiveness, 
fruits, etc. in the practicing of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yogas in the 
way instructed, and the realizing of Me as the agent, object of worship, 
the means and the end. It means that relinquishment is not of all 
devotional duties but only of the sense of agency and the fruits. This is 
the Shastraic relinquishment of all Dharmas.' (Page 598. Sri Ramanuja 
Gita Bhashya. Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras) 
Sri Ramanujacharya follows the above commentary by giving an 
"alternative explanation" which consists of giving up various specific 
Yajnas such as Agnistoma, which, according to him, stand for the word 
Dharma. 

3. Swami Chidbhavananda: "The embodied being is also an 
embodiment of Karma. That Karma is called Dharma which proves 
helpful to the Jivatman in his God-ward progress. On the attainment of 
Godhood that helpful Dharma itself has to be renounced, its purpose 
being fully served." (Page 957-958, The Bhagavad Gita by Swami 
Chidbhavananda. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras) 
Swami Chidbhavananda follows this with four and one half pages of 
complicated argument to justify his conclusion. 

4. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: "The Lord has described 
various kinds of knowledge and processes of religion -knowledge of the 
Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the 
different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the 
renounced order of life, knowledge of attachment, sense and mind 
control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different 
types of religion. Now, summarizing Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says that 
Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to 
him; he should simply surrender to Krishna. That surrender will save 
him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises 
to protect him." (Page 750. Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Published by 
ISKCon, Los Angeles, Ca.) 

The Swami follows this with two pages of commentary extolling Lord 
Krishna and Bhaktiyoga. 

5. Swami Dayananda Saraswati: "Giving up all Karmas, take refuge 
in Me alone. I will release you from all Karma; do not greive. This is 
considered to be the last verse of teaching in the Gita. The teaching of 
the Gita begins with the statement, 'You are grieving over what does 
not deserve to be grieved for -asochyan anvasochastvam, and it ends 
with 'Do not grieve -ma suchah.' So it is clear that the whole purpose 
of the Gita is to remove sorrow. Here it is said, 'sarva Dharman 
parityajya -giving up all dharmas, mam ekam sharanam vraja -take 
refuge in Me alone.' We have to see what Dharma is here." The Swami 
then follows this with the explanation that, "This means the complete 
giving up, parityaga of all Karmas..... There is only one way -actions 
are given up by sheer knowledge, jnana-karma-sanyasa.... Atma is not 
an agent, karta, nor is it an object, karma, of any action, nor 
connected in any way to any kind of action. That is the nature of atma, 
and therefore, it is by nature free from karma. Actionlessness, then, is 
equated with moksha." (Page 373. Bhagavad Gita, Published by Arsha 
Vidya Gurukulam, Coimbatore, India.) 
The Swami then follows this explanation with seven full pages of 
detailed discourse, mostly elaborating on Sri Shankaracharya's 
commentary. 

All Brahmanic commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita basically follow this 
line of thinking when explaining various shlokas that deal with 
overthrowing Brahmanism and replacing it with a New 
Dharma centered on Lord Krishna. Let us review this in greater detail 
in the next chapter. 

-

[1] J. A. B. van Buitenen, University of Chicago Press, 1975: MB: 2 
(26) 43:15, page 104: Referring to Shishupala before slaying him, 
prince Krishna says, "This fool, who must want to die, once proposed 
himself for Rukmini (Krishna's wife) but the fool no more obtained her 
than a Sudra a hearing of the Veda!" 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

The Battle for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma 

We read in the Chapters Two to Six of the Bhagavad Gita how the 
Upanishadic seers countered Brahmanism shlokas and attacked all 
aspects of Brahmanism. The Upanishadic revolution to overthrow 
Brahmanism did not go unchallenged. By hook or by crook the 
Brahmanic scholars reinstated Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma (Yajna) into the Bhagavad Gita. They appealed to one of the 
most basic of human instincts: the need to dominate other human 
beings. As they had done in the past (3:35; 18:47-48), they used Lord 
Krishna Himself as the vehicle to bring about the counter-revolution. 
The result is that Lord Krishna comes across as talking from one side 
of His mouth now and from the other side the next moment. 

We read earlier how the Upanishadic seers countered Brahmanic 
shlokas in BG Chapters Two and Three. They countered 2:37 with 
2:38; 3:5 with 3:7-9; 3:27 with 3:28-29; 3:33 with 3:34; 3:35 with 
3:37-41. Let us now review the battle a little bit closer. 

Brahmanism shores up Varnashrama Dharma 

We read in the chapter titled Brahmanism Defends Itself 
how Brahmanic seers attempted to shore up Varnashrama Dharma 
(1:38-44; 2:4-5; 3:35; 18: 47-48) in reaction to the ascendance of 
heterodox Dharmas. This time around they did so to counter 
Upanishadic tenets of equality of all classes (5:18-19). The following 
shloka decrying Varnasankara (class admixture) was cleverly inserted 
by Brahmanic seers between two Upanishadic shlokas which promoted 
Karmayoga. 

3:24: These worlds would perish if I did not do action; I should 
be the cause of confusion of progeny and their destruction. 
In 4:13, Lord Krishna said that he created the four Varnas based on 
the distribution of the Gunas and Karma only to show that he neither 
desired nor gained any Karmaphala due to that particular action. The 
shloka 3:24, warning about the dangers of Varnasankara (class 
admixture), is clearly a clever later interpolation by the pro-Vedic 
lobby to bolster the cause of Varnashrama Dharma (also read 1:3844). 
The breakdown of class system due to ascendance of Para



Dharmas was fraught with the danger of decimation of the upper 
classes. This shloka, implying that Lord Krishna is constantly working 
to keep upper class women from co-mingling with lower class men, 
was a desperate attempt to reverse this trend. Nothing could be 
farther from the truth. The constant elevating theme of the 
Upanishadic Gita is equality of all living beings (5:18-19) due to the 
fact that Atman is the same in all, and that one should cross over the 
Gunas and break the bonds of Karma, both of which are the bases of 
Varnashrama Dharma. Lord Krishna mentions twice that even the 
worst kind of person can overcome his Karma by surrendering to Him 
(4:36; 9:30). In His eyes no one is "unwanted progeny" because the 
Atman in everyone is the same. "Unwanted progeny" is a Brahmanic 
obsession. 

Here is another example of Brahmanism's surreptitious attempt to 
shore up Varnashrama Dharma: 

18:46: He from whom is the evolution of all beings, by whom all 
this is pervaded, worshipping Him with his own duty, man 
attains perfection. 
This Upanishadic-like shloka, projecting Brahman as the divinity, was 
skillfully and very cleverly inserted between two pro-Varnashrama 
Dharma shlokas (18:45, 18:47) which are part of the Original 
(Brahmanic) Gita, which promoted the doctrine of the Gunas and 
Karma. Here the argument is forwarded that one must worship 
Brahman with his duty designated by the Varnashrama Dharma and 
attain "perfection." This goes squarely against the central theme of 
both Upanishadic and Bhagavatha Gita which simply say that the 
Gunas are the enemies (3:37) and must be crossed over as they 
promote attachment and desire (2:45; 3:37-40; 14:19-27). Nirguna 
Brahman or Saguna Ishwara were what one took refuge in to get away 
from the Gunas. Brahman was never part of the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma. When Lord Krishna said that one does not earn 
Karmaphala when one dedicates his deeds to Brahman (5:10), He did 
not mean deeds based on one's Guna. He meant quite the opposite. 
Giving up selfish motive in all actions means renouncing Guna-rooted 
desire and attachment. 

Shoring up the doctrine of the Gunas 

Even though Lord Krishna never gets tired of telling people to "cross 
over the Gunas" the Brahmanism seers decided to reintroduce the 
"Science of the Gunas" into the Bhagavad Gita (18:19). They 


attempted to legitimize the doctrine of the Gunas by placing the 
following four Upanishadic shlokas (14:1-4) before the fourteen 
shlokas which embellished the three Gunas (14:5-18). These four 
Upanishadic shlokas originally belonged with the subject of Purusha 
and Prakriti (BG Chapter Fifteen). By transposing them here, the 
Brahmanic authors made one think that the knowledge of the "Science 
of the Gunas" would give one Self-realization! Exactly opposite is the 
truth. The fact is that the Gunas destroy wisdom and Knowledge of 
Atman (3:43). The perverse logic of Brahmanism seems to be, "It is 
not enough if you have Knowledge of Atman, you should also have 
Knowledge of the Gunas!" 

14:1-4: I shall again declare that supreme knowledge, the best 
of all forms of knowledge; by knowing which, all the sages 
have passed from this world to the highest perfection. They 
who, having devoted themselves to this knowledge, have 
attained to unity with Me, are neither born at the time of 
creation, nor are they disturbed at the time of dissolution. My 
womb is the Mahat Brahma (Prakriti); in that I place the germ; 
thence, O Bharata, is the birth of all beings. Whatever forms 
are produced, O Kaunteya, in any wombs whatsoever, the great 
Brahma (Prakriti) is their womb, I the seed giver. 

The above four Upanishadic shlokas, promoting Prakriti, are followed 
by the description of the three Gunas rooted in it, which serves no 
purpose whatsoever except to inject the doctrine of the Gunas into the 
Gita, and thus promote the hiearchical class system. This goes 
squarely against what Guru Krishna said in 2:45: Nishtraigunyobhava 
Arjuna! Cross over all three Gunas, Arjuna! As we will read below, 
these fourteen shlokas are followed by numerous shlokas promoting 
both Yajnas and Gunas in Chapters Seventeen and Eighteen. Since the 
promoters of the doctrine of the Gunas assigned themselves the Satvic 
Guna, they had vested interest in promoting the doctrine of the Gunas. 

14:5: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas -these Gunas, O mighty armed, born 
of Prakriti, bind the indestructible (Atman) embodied one fast 
in the body. 
14:6: Of these, Sattva, being stainless, is luminous and unobstructive. 
It binds, O sinless one, by creating attachment to 
happiness and knowledge. 

14:7: Know Rajas to be of nature of passion, of source of thirst 
and attachment (to sense objects and action); it binds fast, O 
Kaunteya, the embodied one to attachment to action. 
14:8: But know Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all 
embodied beings; it binds fast, O Bharata, by heedlessness, 
indolence and sleep. 
14:9: Sattva binds one to happiness, and Rajas to action, O 
Bharata, while Tamas verily veils knowledge and binds one to 
heedlessness. 
14:10: Sattva asserts itself, O Bharata, by predominating over 
Rajas and Tamas; and Rajas over Sattva and Tamas; and Tamas 
over Sattva and Rajas. 
14:11: When the light of knowledge beams through all the 
gateways of the body, then it may be known that Sattva is 
predominant. 
14:12: Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, unrest, 
longing -these arise, O best of the Bharatas, when Rajas is 
predominant. 
14:13: Indiscrimination, inertness, heedlessness and delusion these 
arise, O joy of the Kurus, when Tamas is predominant. 
14:14: If the embodied one meets with death when Sattva is 
predominant, then he goes to the pure worlds of those who 
know the highest. 
14:15: Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those attached 
to action; and, dying in Tamas, he is born in the womb of the 
deluded. 
14:16: The fruit of good action, they say, is Sattvika and pure; 
verily the fruit of Rajas is pain, and ignorance is the fruit of 
Tamas. 
14:17: From Sattva arises wisdom; from Rajas arises greed; and 
from Tamas arise heedlessness, error and ignorance. 

14:18: Those who are fixed in Sattva go upwards; the Rajasikas 
remain in the middle; and the Tamasikas, abiding in the 
functions of the lowest Guna, go downwards. 
Obvious from the above is that those Brahmins of Satvic Guna go to 
heaven and those of Tamas go to hell. 

Lord Krishna demolishes the doctrine of the Gunas once again 

Reading the above shlokas, naïve readers could easily believe that 
Lord Krishna was endorsing the Gunas. There was no reason to 
legitimize and embellish the three Gunas when Lord Krishna has 
repeatedly blamed the Gunas as the fertile bed of all human 
weaknesses such as desire, attachment and delusion, and they must 
be crossed over if one wished to attain Self-realization. They were the 
real enemies which must be slain (2:45; 3:37-43). Here is how Lord 
Krishna Himself demolishes the Gunas once again in the shlokas that 
follow immediately: 

14:19-20: Lord Krishna said: When the seer perceives no agent 
other than the Gunas, and knows Him (Atman/Lord) who is 
higher than the Gunas, he (overcomes the Gunas and) enters into 
My Being. The embodied one having crossed over these three 
Gunas out of which the body is evolved, is free from birth, 
death, decay and pain, and attains immortality. 

The only way to attain Moksha is to take refuge in the Lord by 
recognizing Him as higher than the Gunas which are the source of 
birth, death, decay and pain. Note here how Lord Krishna includes all 
three Gunas in this equation, just as he did in 2:45; 7:12-15 and 

14:21. 
14:21: Arjuna asks: What are the marks, O Lord, of him who has 
crossed over the three Gunas? What is his conduct? And how 
does he rise above the Gunas? 
14:22: Lord Krishna replies: He, O Pandava, who hates not light, 
activity and delusion, when present, nor longs after them when 
absent. 
In this shloka Lord Krishna recommends a totally indifferent attitude 
towards the Gunas. Here the word light stands for Satvic Guna, 
activity refers to Rajasic Guna, and delusion refers to Tamasic Guna. 
Hating something or longing for it are signs of Dwandwa, a function of 


the Gunas. So, when a person overcomes the force of the Gunas, he 
becomes indifferent even to the doctrine of the Gunas. A truly 
enlightened person will not gleefully proclaim, "I am of Satvic Guna!" 
As we will read later in this chapter, this was exactly what Brahmanic 
scholars did. 

14:23: He who sitting like one unconcerned, is moved not by 
the Gunas, who knowing that the Gunas operate, is firm and 
moves not. 
"Do not be moved by the Gunas! Resist them." This advice is exactly 
opposite of Brahmanic advice in 3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60, which says 
that one is totally helpless under its spell and it is pointless to resist it. 
When the mind experiences desire for, attachment to, and 
possessiveness of sense objects, one must recognize them as 
indicative of the Gunas in operation and therefore must not yield to 
them. Lord Krishna says in this shloka that one should be firm and 
unmoving in the face of the force of the Gunas. The advice in the 
above shloka is also consistent with other anti-Guna shlokas (3:28-29; 
3:34). So, how does a man behave when he has overcome the force of 
the Gunas? 

14:24: Balanced in pleasure and pain (he is free from Dwandwa), 
Self-abiding (he is focused on Atman), viewing a clod of earth, a 
stone and gold alike (he is same-sighted on material things); the 
same to agreeable and disagreeable (he shows equanimity in his 
relationships), firm (free from Dwandwa), the same in censure and 
praise (doe not care what others in the society think of him). 
The person who has crossed over the Gunas becomes immune to 
Dwandwa. He achieves evenness, equanimity, and equilibrium. And 
because he achieves Atman, he achieves same-sightedness at all 
sense objects. We read about this in 5:18-19; 6:8-9, 29. Besides, he 
doesn't care what others think of him! 

14:25: The same in honor and dishonor, the same to friend and 
foe, abandoning all (selfish) undertakings -he is said to have 
risen above the Gunas. 
His mind has attained equanimity, evenness, and equilibrium who has 
overcome the Gunas. Note here how Lord Krishna recommends 
transcending the Dwandwa of honor and dishonor. Prince Krishna of 
Brahmanism told Arjuna that dishonor is worse than death. Also note 


here how the modern day Swamis and Gurus run after politicians and 
the rich looking for honor and attention. 

14:26-27: And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, he, 
going beyond the Gunas, is fitted for becoming Brahman. For I 
am the Abode of Brahman, the Immortal, and the Immutable, 
the Eternal Dharma and Absolute Bliss. 

In the above two Bhagavatha shlokas, Lord Krishna now equates 
Himself with Brahman, to attain whom one goes beyond the Gunas. He 
even claims Himself as the Eternal Dharma in which the doctrines of 
the Gunas and Karma have no place. From the above nine anti-Guna 
shlokas it is clear that the shlokas 14:5-18 embellishing the three 
Gunas in detail were inserted by the Brahmanism scholars only to 
shore up the doctrine of the Gunas. 

Brahmanism seers promote Karma (Yajna) 

Brahmanism seers promoted the doctrine of Karma by inserting into 
the Gita shlokas promoting Yajnas. This they did in spite of the 
Upanishadic Lord Krishna's repeated assertion that to an enlightened 
man Yajnas are useless (3:17-18). One example of this is seen in the 
shloka immediately following the one in which Lord Krishna declared 
that Brahmins should identify with Him and follow His path and he 
would fulfill their desires: 

4:12: Longing for success in Karma (sacrifices) on earth, they 
(ritualists) worship the gods; for quickly is success born of 
action in the world of man. 
An unwary reader could easily misinterpret this shloka as Lord Krishna 
endorsing performance of Yajna to worship Vedic gods. The opposite is 
true. Lord Krishna repeatedly warns readers that worshipping the 
Devas is wrong and it would lead to rebirth (9:21; 23; 25). 

In the last part of Chapter Sixteen, Lord Krishna chastised Brahmins 
who indulged in Kamya Karma and warned them: 

16:21-24: Triple is the gate of hell, destructive of the self -lust, 
anger and greed; therefore should one abandon these three. 
The man who is liberated from these three gates to darkness, O 
Kaunteya, practices what is good for him and thus goes to the 
Supreme Good. He who acts (performs sacrifices) on the impulse 
of desire by casting aside the ordinances of scriptures does not 


attain perfection. Nor does he attain happiness, or the Supreme 
Goal. Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in deciding 
what ought to be done (while performing Yajna) and ought not to 
be done. Having known what is said in the ordinances of 
scriptures you should act here. 

Even Lord Krishna could not convince Brahmins to give up mindless 
sacrificial rites. Just as nicotine addicted cigarette smokers cannot 
easily give up smoking, they decided to sabotage Lord Krishna's 
proscription against Kamya Karma. They inserted the entire BG 
Chapter Seventeen (with the exception of 17:5-6) to restore sacrificial 
rites and to further embellish the role of Gunas. In other words, the 
purpose of this chapter was to reintroduce the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma. This they did by posing two rather deceptive questions to 
Lord Krishna: 

Arjuna asks (obviously prompted by pro-Brahmanism priests): 

17:1: What is the nature of Shraddha (faith) of those, O Krishna, 
who though disregarding the ordinance of Shashtras, perform 
sacrifice with dedication (Nista)? Is it one of Sattva, Rajas or 
Tamas? 
Obviously, the real purpose of this shloka is to reintroduce Yajnas 
(Karma) and the Gunas in the text of the Gita. This shloka has two 
questions. The first question is blatantly impertinent. If I were Lord 
Krishna, I would respond, "Why would any idiot want to perform 
sacrifices with Shraddha knowing well it is forbidden by the 
ordinances? Did you not hear what I said in 16:21-24?" This question 
defies Lord Krishna's repeated warning that the only way to perform all 
actions, including sacrifices, is without the taint of the Gunas, 
meaning, desiring no fruits (2:47-49; 4:15-17); without Dwandwa; 
and without the delusion of the Gunas, and only in accordance with the 
ordinances of scriptures. That says it all. There was no need to ask 
about the nature of Faith of someone who performs Yajna with 
dedication against the ordinances of Shastras! 

Without waiting for Lord Krishna's answer to the first question, they 
ask a blatantly disingenuous second question, "Is it one of Satva, 
Rajas, or Tamas?" Nothing could be more devious than this in a holy 
scripture. Obviously they wanted these three words in there! 

Whereas Lord Krishna asked Brahmins to have Shraddha (Faith) in the 
Atman (4:39-40), these Brahmins attempted to reinstate Shraddha in 


the mindless Yajnas performed against scriptural ordinances (17:28)! 
The questions that arise from this shloka are: why would any one want 
to perform Yajnas when they know that they are prohibited? 

Who are these Yajnas dedicated to anyway? Well, they were dedicated 
to the Vedic Devas, not to Lord Krishna (17:4). What is the goal of 
these Yajnas? No one knows. 

What is the point in knowing the Guna-mode of these Yajnas, except 
perhaps to restore them to those who anoint themselves with Satvic 
Guna and so they can perform them to make a living? 

The entire Chapter Seventeen, with the exception of 17:5-6, is 
dedicated to describing various aspects of sacrifices in the three modes 
of the Gunas: Shraddha, food, Yajna, austerity, speech, and gift. 

Sanyasa and Tyaga as related to Yajna 

The Brahmanism seers continued their fixation on the Gunas and 
Karma (Yajna) into BG Chapter Eighteen. This chapter begins with 
another disingenuous question posed by Arjuna (obviously put in his 
mouth by them) with the intention of introducing the topics of Karma 
and Gunas: 

18:1: Arjuna says: I desire to know severally, O mighty armed, 
the truth of Sanyasa, O Hrishikesa, as also of Tyaga, O slayer of 
Kesi. 
First of all, Lord Krishna has already explained what Sanyasa and 
Tyaga are in BG Chapters Three to Six. They are the two essential 
elements of Yoga. In spite of this, Arjuna wishes to "know the truth" 
which means all that Lord Krishna has said so far about them is false. 
In response to this Brahmanic Lord Krishna says: 

18:2: The renunciation of Kamya Karma, the sages understand 
as Sanyasa; the wise declare the abandonment of the fruits of 
all works as Tyaga. 
Thank you very much! Well, according to Lord Krishna of the 
Upanishads, Sanyasa means renouncing desire for and attachment to 
sense objects in addition to renouncing Kamya Karma. Having said 
this, the Brahmins go on to restore ritualistic Yajna. 


Brahmanism restores Yajnas 

18:3: Some (obviously the Upanishadic) sages say that all 
sacrifices should be relinquished as evil (3:17-18), while others 
(Brahmanic sages) say that Yajna, Daana (charity) and Tapas 
(austerity) should not be relinquished. 
Note here how Lord Krishna declared in 11:48 and 11:53 that one 
cannot obtain the Lord by means of the Vedas, Yajnas, Tapas, Daana, 
etc. Regardless, they now declare: 

18:5: Acts of Yajna, gift and austerity should not be given up, 
but should be performed; Yajna, gift and austerity are purifying 
to the wise. 
Nowhere is it mentioned as to why the ritual of Yajna was purifying to 
the wise. As Lord Krishna explained in 3:10-11, Yajnas are a way of 
thanking gods for their benevolence. Subsequently Lord Krishna 
replaces the Vedic gods with Brahman; and still later with Himself. If a 
person is already wise, meaning he has attained Self-realization, what 
is the need for him to perform Yajna? In 3:17-18 Lord Krishna 
declared that Yajnas are useless to people who have realized the Self. 
Obviously, the ritualists are using Yajna to make their living. 
Nevertheless, accepting Lord Krishna's recommendation, they say that 
Yajnas should be performed in the spirit of Yoga (also read 2:47-49): 

18:6: But even these actions should be performed giving up 
attachment and the fruits, O Partha; this is My certain and best 
belief. 
Upanishadic concepts are Brahmanized! 

We read in BG Chapters Three and Four how the Upanishadic seers 
"Upanishadized" Yajnas and their components (3:15 and 4:24). Now it 
is the turn of Brahmanic seers to "Brahmanize" Yoga and all its 
components. 

The Brahmanic scholars feel compelled to divide even abandonment of 
sacrificial rites into three modes of the Gunas: 

18:4: Learn from Me the truth about abandonment, O best of 
the Bharatas. Abandonment, verily, O best of men, has been 
declared (by Brahmanic scholars) to be of three kinds. 

18:7: Verily, the abandonment of any obligatory duty (sacrifices) 
is not proper; such abandonment out of ignorance is declared 
to be Tamasic. 
18:8: He who from fear of bodily trouble abandons action 
because it is painful, thus performing Rajasica abandonment, 
obtains not the fruit thereof. 
18:9: Whatever obligatory work is done, O Arjuna, merely 
because it ought to be done, abandoning attachment and also 
fruit, that abandonment is deemed Satvica. 
First, they declare that abandonment of Yajna is not proper. Secondly, 
they assign Tamasic Guna to abandonment out of ignorance. The only 
ignorance they know of is related to Ahamkara. Thirdly they assign 
Rajasic Guna to Yajna abandoned because it is painful. Why a Yajna is 
painful is not explained. Perhaps one is afraid of getting burned by the 
fire! Fourthly, they declare that a person, obviously a Brahmin, 
performing Yajna abandoning attachment to sense objects and also 
fruits, is of Sattvic Guna. Any person who has given up attachment to 
sense objects and to fruits of action is a Yogi. A Yogi, by definition, is 
one who has crossed over all Gunas. By means of the convoluted logic 
of the above shlokas, the Brahmins have now succeeded in declaring a 
Yogi as of Sattvic Guna. Or, a person who performs Yajna in the spirit 
of Yoga is of Sattvic Guna. This claim completely disregards the fact 
that to be a Yogi one must transcend all three Gunas (2:45; 14:1920). 


18:10: The Tyagi imbued with Sattva, and a steady state of 
mind devoid of doubt (Dwandwa), does not hate performance of 
disagreeable work, nor attached to the agreeable work 
(sacrifices). 

What this means is that a person performing selfless sacrificial rites is 
of Satvic Guna. In other words, all Yogis are of Satvic Guna. According 
to the Upanishads, however, Yoga is nothing but an effort to overcome 
the taint of all three Gunas (2:45). The moment one is described as 
being of certain Guna, he is very much deluded, and not enlightened 
even if he of Satvic Guna. 

18:11: It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to 
renounce action entirely. But he who renounces the fruit of 
action is regarded as one who has renounced. 

In the above shloka, the first part is true when the word Karma stands 
for any action. However, if the word stands for Yajna, no one can 
defend it. Obviously the Brahmins feel a strong need to keep 
performing Yajna if only to make a living. 

Knowledge, Action and Agent in the three modes! 

Now the Brahmins take up the Upanishadic doctrine Knowledge of 
Atman, action and the agent (the doer) and go on to divide them in 
the three modes! 

18:19: Knowledge (of Atman), action and actor are declared in 
the science of the Gunas to be of three kinds only, according to 
the distinction of the Gunas; hear of them also as they are. 
Knowledge of Atman is such a high state of realization (Samadhi) that 
to divide it into three modes is fraudulent at worst and bizarre at best 
(18:20-22). The shloka 18:22 describing Knowledge of Atman in 
Tamasic mode is nothing short of outrageous. 

Now they divide Action into three modes (18:23-25). Yajna performed 
according to ordinance, without attachment to sense objects and to 
the fruits of action, without Dwandwa, is described as Satvic in nature. 
In other words, a Yogi is again declared as one with Satvic Guna, 
completely disregarding the fact that, by definition, to be a Yogi one 
must cross over all three Gunas. 

Now they describe the Agent or the Doer of action in three modes 
(18:26-28). The agent is nothing but the Gunas. 

After explaining these, they describe Buddhi (Intellect) in the three 
modes of the Gunas (18:29-32). By its very definition, Buddhi stands 
for Wisdom. Designating Buddhi as belonging to Tamasic (ignorance) 
Guna (18:32) is beyond any reasonable person's comprehension. A 
Buddhiyukta mind that has overcome unsteadiness of Guna-induced 
Dwandwa is described as Satvic. By definition, a Buddhiyukta mind is 
one which has overcome Guna's functions -desire, attachment and 
possessiveness. Giving it the title of Satvic defies logic. 

Now they describe firmness in the three modes of the Gunas (18:3335). 
The firmness of a Yogi is described as Satvic in nature. 

They now divide happiness into three Guna-modes (18:36-39). 
Remember we read the word Sukham -Bliss of Brahman attained by 


means of Self-realization (5:21). Imagine dividing the Bliss of Atman 
and Brahman in the modes of three Gunas! 

The Brahmanic seers follow the above shlokas describing the duties of 
each class of Varnashrama Dharma as per the doctrine of the Gunas 
and Karma (18:40-47). The Brahmanic shloka 18:48 says: 

One should not abandon the duty to which one is born, though 
it is attended with evil; for all undertakings are enveloped by 
evil, as fire by smoke. 

In effect, this Brahmanic shloka says that one should not quit 
performing his socially designated duty just because such duty entails 
doing something considered as evil, such as killing. Performing his 
duty gains him good Karmaphala and heaven. 

Whereas Brahmanism said that one is totally helpless with the 
Gunas and Karma..... 

Shlokas 18:59-60 are from the Original Gita enunciating the Gunas 
and Karma. These shlokas say that everyone does helplessly whatever 
is dictated by the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma: 

18:59-60: If filled with Ahamkara, you think, "I will not fight," 
vain is this, your resolve; your nature (Guna) will compel you. 
Bound by your own Karma born of your nature (Guna), that, 
which from delusion (of your Ahamkara) you wish not to do, even 
that you shall do helplessly against your will, O Kaunteya. 

Upanishads: No one is helpless! 

The Upanishadic seers shoot down the above Brahmanic assertion by 
means of the three shlokas which represent the wisdom more 
profound than all profundities: 

18:61-62: Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, and 
by His Maya causes all beings to revolve as though mounted on 
a machine. Seek refuge in Him alone with all your heart, O 
Bharata. By His grace you will gain Supreme Peace (here on 
earth) and the Eternal Abode (hereafter). 

18:63: Thus has wisdom more profound than all profundities 
been declared to you by Me. Reflect upon it fully and act as you 
choose. 

What Lord Krishna is saying to Arjuna in the above the first 
two shlokas is that it is not the Gunas but the magic of the Lord that 
moves people. By taking refuge in the Lord alone dwelling within one's 
heart one can overcome the force of the Gunas. Whereas the Gunas 
lead to Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala, surrender to the Lord 
dwelling in the heart leads to Bliss here on earth and Nirvana 
hereafter. All beings "revolve as though mounted on a machine" due to 
the Lord's Maya (illusion, magic), the same Maya by which Lord 
Krishna overcame His Prakriti (4:6). 

They follow these two shlokas by the last Upanishadic shloka in the 
Bhagavad Gita, which simply tells Arjuna to "reflect upon it and act 
as you choose" and not act by meek submission to the doctrine of 
the Gunas and Karma. When he takes refuge in the Lord, he 
overcomes the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, and so he is free to 
make his own decisions and act as he chooses. He is no longer just a 
puppet of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma as claimed by 
Brahmanism. 

The Bhagavathas end the argument 

Now the Bhagavatha seers pick up where the Upanishadic seers left. 

18:64-65: Listen again to My supreme word, the profoundest of 
all. You are beloved to Me and steadfast of heart; therefore I 
shall tell what is for your good. Fix your mind on Me; be 
devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me; prostrate before Me; so shall 
you come Me. This is My pledge to you, for you are dear to Me. 

Then Lord Krishna delivers His Ultimate Shloka; 

18:66: Renounce all Dharmas and take refuge in Me alone; I 
shall liberate you from all evil (Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala 
associated with the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma). Do not 
grieve. 
With this shloka, Lord Krishna eliminated all Dharmas of the land and 
became the Ultimate Dharma. He offered Himself as the One liberating 
people from the three evils (Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala) of the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, the foundation of Brahmanism. 
This was Lord Krishna's finest hour. 

Now you know the Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita. Now you 
know the true intent of the Bhagavad Gita: to overthrow 


Brahmanism and all aspects of it: the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma; Varnashrama Dharma; sacrificial rites; supremacy 
of Brahmins and the Vedas. Now you know the true spirit of the 
Bhagavad Gita: to establish an enlightened, egalitarian Dharma 
centered on Lord Krishna, serving Him and humanity selflessly 
and worshipping Him with single-minded devotion. 


CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 

The Legacy of Brahmanism and the Need for Reforms 

Brahmanism and Bhaktiyoga are mutually exclusive 

As we read in the chapter titled The Original Gita, the main goal of 
Brahmanism was to promote Varnashrama Dharma based on the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. Brahmanism encouraged all classes 
to indulge in sacrificial rites dedicated to various Vedic gods to gain 
Karmaphala in order to enjoy life here on earth and heaven hereafter. 
This is how Brahmanic priests made their living. 

The main intent of the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha Gitas was to 
uproot the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, the very foundation of 
Brahmanism. The main spirit of the Bhagavad Gita was to establish in 
its place an egalitarian society of enlightened people worshiping one 
God with Bhaktiyoga. Obviously, the goals of the Brahmanic Original 
Gita and the Bhagavad Gita are opposite to each other. Whereas 
Brahmanism stood for hierarchical class system (18:41-45), Lord 
Krishna stood for equality of all people (5:18-19). Whereas 
Brahmanism worshipped Vedic gods (4:12; 17:4), Lord Krishna 
recommended worship of One God (9:23; 18:66). Whereas 
Brahmanism indulged in ostentatious sacrificial rites (2:43), Lord 
Krishna recommended simple Bhaktiyoga (9:26). Whereas 
Brahmanism promoted the ritual-oriented Vedas (17:24), Lord Krishna 
promoted the thought-provoking Upanishads (15:15). However, the 
Brahmanic guardians of the Bhagavad Gita did everything within their 
power to perpetuate the agenda of the Brahmanism while taking full 
advantage of the prestige of Lord Krishna. How did they accomplish 
this? 

Obfuscation has made it hard to understand and benefit from 
the wisdom 

Most of the currently available commentaries on the Gita are laden 
with incredible amount of verbiage, twisted logic, obscurantism, 
distortion, misinterpretation, misrepresentation and pages and pages 
of mind-boggling explanations geared to hide the their anti-Brahmanic 
intent, or to explain them away. To distract attention away from the 
anti-Vedic verses, various commentators of the Bhagavad Gita 
obfuscated their meanings, or turned them completely upside down to 
make them sound even pro-Vedic. Just read commentaries by various 
popular authors on blatantly anti-Brahmanism verses, 2:38-53 and 


15:1-4, and many others in BG Chapters Three and Four, and you will 
know for yourself. As we read in the chapter titled the Bhagavatha 
Revolution, blatant misinterpretation of the Ultimate Shloka 18:66 is 
an outstanding example of this. The net result of all these duplicitous 
manipulations and obfuscations is that the real context of the essential 
wisdom of the Gita is lost to almost all students of the Bhagavad Gita. 

An example of Brahmanic misinterpretation 

Because of lack of space, I am not able to present many examples of 
Brahmanic distortions of revolutionary shlokas. Let us now review 
Brahmanic commentaries of just two shlokas related to the 
Upanishadic revolution. These two shlokas have nothing to do with 
Arjuna. However, when they are explained as if they are related to 
Arjuna, distortion and obfuscation are the result. 

2:47: Your Adhikara (entitlement) is only to the performance of 
Karma (Yajna), and never to its fruits (which belong to Devas 3:1112). 
Never be the cause of any Karmaphala (do not indulge in 
Kamya Karma). And yet, never become attached to inaction (nor 
become a monk or an Ascetic, who does absolutely nothing other than 
begging). 
This shloka follows six shlokas condemning Vedic ritualists (2:41-44), 
the doctrine of the Gunas (2:45) and the Vedas (2:46). In this seminal 
shloka Guru Krishna lays down the Law to the Vedic ritualists who 
obsessively perform Kamya Karma desiring one sense object or 
another (lordship, wealth, pleasure, heaven, 2:43). The word Adhikara 
in this shloka refers to the entitlement claimed by various Kshatriyas 
to perform certain Yajnas, and desire (Kama) and expect appropriate 
rewards (Sankalpa) from them by virtue of their accomplishments in 
war and expansion of their territory. For example, to perform 
Ashvamedha Yajna (horse sacrifice), kings were first required to prove 
their entitlement by virtue of their accomplishments and conquests. 
These entitlements were based on Vedic scriptures and were granted 
to them by various priests on their payroll. 

The correct meaning, intent and context of this verse is that 
the Kshatriya ritualists' entitlement is only to the selfless performance 
of Yajnas (4:15), and not to its fruits, because, according to the true 
intent of Prajapati, the fruits belong to the Vedic Devas (3:11). 
According to Guru Krishna, the Yajnas should be the means by which 
people "repay their debts" to the gods for their benevolence (3:12). 
They were not meant to be drunken barbecue parties. However, once 


the selfish motive has been removed from the ritual of Yajna, one 
might totally lose interest in performing any Karma and become 
attached to inaction (akarmani). In other words, one might become a 
passive monk or an Ascetic, who does nothing at all. Guru Krishna 
does not want this undesirable side-effect from his verdict either. So 
he tells them, "Do not just become inactive once you give up 
performance of Kamya Karma." The phrase te sangosthva akarmani 
might even be a tongue-in-cheek way of saying do not join Sangha, 
the Buddhist order of monks. So, into what should these Kshatriyas 
channel their energies? "Well," said Lord Krishna. "Instead of 
performing mindless sacrifices, become Karmayogis: serve and guide 
the masses selflessly!" (3:19-22) 

This seminal shloka has no relevance whatsoever to Arjuna, or 
any level-headed warrior for that matter. Every warrior must go to war 
to win it to enjoy the fruit of his toil. Disinterested action in the 
battlefield results in total failure and defeat. As Lord Krishna said in 
3:9, all actions except selfless Yajnas result in Karmaphala. As the 
Brahmanic shloka 2:37 said, "If you die fighting, you will go to 
heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the earth." The shloka 2:47 was an 
attempt by Guru Krishna to dismantle Kamya Karma, the supreme 
symbol of corruption of Brahmanism, and replace it with Nishkama 
Karma -disinterested Yajna. Here are five Brahmanic commentaries on 
this shloka, none of which refers to the true context of this shloka: 
Kamya Karma as a symbol of decadence of Brahmanism. 

1. Sri Shankaracharya: "You have right only to perform work and 
not to undertake the discipline of knowledge. While doing works, do 
not think you have the right to claim their fruits. Never, in any state of 
life whatsoever, should you crave for the fruits of your works -this is 
the idea." 
My comment: The statement "not to undertake the discipline of 
knowledge (Jnanayoga)" is baffling, indeed. In other words, according 
to the Acharya, Guru Krishna is telling Arjuna, "You have the right to 
perform work only but no right to acquire the Knowledge of Atman!" 
Why should Arjuna or any person not have the right to Jnanayoga? 
The sole purpose of the Bhagavad Gita, especially Chapter Four, is to 
give people Knowledge of Atman to attain Bliss of Atman here on earth 
and Nirvana/Moksha hereafter. Besides, the statement, "Never, in any 
state of life whatsoever, should you crave for the fruits of your works" 
means no one will ever indulge in any work for personal gain. This is a 
highly unrealistic goal for anyone to pursue. No one, except a monk, 


can do this. On the other hand, a Brahmins can effortlessly perform 
Yajna, like he is supposed to, without desiring for fruits. 

2. Sri Ramanujacharya: "As for obligatory, occasional and 
desiderative acts taught in the Vedas and associated with some result 
or other, you, an aspirant established in Sattva, have the right only to 
perform them: You have no right to the fruits known to be derived 
from such acts. But acts done without an eye on fruits form My 
worship and become means for release." Sri Ramanujacharya goes on 
explaining this concept and ends his commentary with reference to 
Arjuna as follows: "With regard to inaction, i.e., abstaining from 
performance of duties, as when you said, 'I will not fight,' let there be 
no attachment to such inaction in you. The meaning is let your interest 
be only in the discharge of such obligatory duties like this war in the 
manner described above." 
My commentary: The first sentence obviously refers to Vedic sacrifices, 
and it correctly identifies the true intent of the shloka, but it does not 
elaborate why Guru Krishna lays down this Law. The second sentence, 
however, obfuscates this by bringing in worship of Lord Krishna and 
Moksha. Up to this point in the Gita, the Lord, Bhakti and Moskha are 
not part of the equation. This is an Upanishadic shloka, not a 
Bhagavatha shloka. The sole purpose of this shloka is to teach the 
Vedic ritualists that performing Kamya Karma earns them bad 
Karmaphala, which promotes Samsara. Finally he says that Arjuna 
should fight without desiring for fruits. Imagine one waging a war 
saying, "I will fight for the sake of fighting! I don't care if I win or 
lose!" 

3. Swami Chidbhavananda: "There seems to be an anomaly and 
defeat of purpose in this injunction of the Lord. Not an atom moves 
without a motive. Beings are all busy either to gain something or to 
ward off something unwanted. In the absence of such a motive no 
action needs be performed. But the Lord induces Arjuna not to be 
motivated and at the same time to be intensely active." 
My commentary: At least, the Swami is honest enough to admit his 
genuine confusion. He does not seem to have a clue that this shloka 
refers to the horrors of Kamya Karma. He has no idea why the Lord 
told Arjuna what He did. 

4. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: "There are three 
considerations here: prescribed duties, capricious works, and inaction. 
Prescribed duties are activities enjoined in terms of one's acquired 

modes of material nature. Capricious work means actions without 
sanction of authority, and inaction means not performing one's 
prescribed duties. The Lord advised that Arjuna not be inactive, but 
that he perform his prescribed duty without being attached to the 
result. One who is attached to the result of his works is also the cause 
of the action. Thus he is the enjoyer or sufferer of the result of such 
actions." 

My commentary: According to the Swami, the prescribed duties are 
"activities dictated by one's acquired modes of material nature," 
meaning the socially designated duty as per the Gunas assigned to his 
class. In other words, he is referring to one's actions dictated by his 
Varnashrama Dharma, which is rooted in the Gunas (modes of 
material nature). According to the Swami, Guru Krishna is telling 
Arjuna, "Do your duty as per your Varnashrama Dharma, but without 
attachment to the result." In fact, what Guru Krishna is telling Arjuna 
is, "Do not perform any Karma in the mode of the Gunas -desire for or 
attachment to fruits." Desire and attachment arise from the Gunas. He 
had just told Arjuna to get over all three Gunas in 2:45, the very 
foundation of Varnashrama Dharma. Once the Gunas are overcome, 
Varnashrama Dharma -"activities dictated by one's acquired modes of 
material nature"-does not exist. 

5. Swami Dayananda Saraswati: "The word adhikara here means 
choice, your right, something over which you have power. This choice 
is only with reference to karma, the actions you perform. At no time, 
maa kadachit, however, is there a choice with reference to the results 
of actions, phaleshu. Thus with reference to all actions, you have a 
choice, but with reference to the results thereof, you have no 
choice whatsoever. This is a very simple statement of fact. Even 
for vaidika-karma there is a choice; you can do it, you need not do it, 
and you can do it differently." 
My comment: The Swami follows this with thirteen full pages of 
complicated explanations. As you can see, the Swami refers to Vedic 
rituals in passing, but does not elaborate on it. Instead of interpreting 
this shloka with reference to Vaidika Karma only, the whole burden of 
not having any choice in the result is placed on poor Arjuna. This 
burden of doing anything whatsoever without the right to expect 
anything in return is impossible for any human being to carry. 
However, a Vedic ritualist can perform a Yajna effortlessly without 
desiring anything in return. 


Another example of Brahmanic misinterpretation 

4:15: Having known thus even the ancient seekers after 
freedom performed action; therefore do you perform action, as 
did the ancients in the olden times. 
This shloka has nothing to do with Arjuna's dilemma. Here the word 
Karma means Yajna. It follows two shlokas in which Lord Krishna 
offers Himself as a model for Brahmins to follow when they perform 
sacrificial rites. He said whenever He did any deed, He did it in such a 
way that he neither craved for nor earned any Karmaphala (4:13-14). 
The original purpose of performing Yajna, as the ancient seers did, was 
to clear the debt (Rna) to the gods for their benevolence (3:1112). 
So, Lord Krishna wants contemporary priests to revert back to 
performing Yajna in the same spirit in which it was performed by 
ancient seers, and not in the manner it is performed now (4:16). In 
this and the rest of the shlokas in Chapter Four, Lord Krishna gives 
a crash course to Brahmins on proper ways to perform Yajna and not 
earn any Karmaphala. The message is, "Do not perform Kamya 
Karma, but perform Yajna without any selfish motive like the ancients 
did." The term "liberation" in this shloka does not stand for Nirvana of 
the Upanishads or Moksha of the Bhagavathas. It stands for the 
liberation from the "debt of gratitude" (Rna) owed to the Devas. "A 
thief verily is he who enjoys what is given by them (Devas) 
without returning them anything. The good who eat the 
remains of Yajna are freed from all sins; but the sinful ones 
who cook food only for themselves, they verily eat sin (earn bad 
Karmaphala) (3:13). Clearing the debt, by eating only the remnants of 
the Yajna, liberates one from this burden of debt. Not clearing the debt 
earns one sin or bad Karmaphala. The Self, the Lord, Bhakti, Moksha, 
Karmayoga, etc. are not in the picture as yet. Let us review five 
Brahmanic commentaries on this shloka: 

Sri Shankaracharya: "Knowing thus was work done even by the 
ancients, who have passed away and who sought liberation. Therefore 
do only work. Don't sit inactive; neither renounce. So, since even the 
ancients worked, work for mind's purification if your are ignorant of 
the Self; but if you know the Truth, work for the world's well-being, as 
was done by the ancients such as Janaka in excellent style." 

My comment: Janaka was a royal age, who achieved Self-realization 
by abandoning Yajna and becoming a Karmayogi (3:20). He has no 
relevance to this shloka because, in this shloka Lord Krishna is merely 
asking Brahmins to perform Yajna selflessly, and not abandon it; at 


least, not yet in this chapter. As I mentioned above, gaining Self was 
not the goal of this shloka, even though it is the goal of the latter part 
of Chapter Four. The liberation mentioned in this shloka is that of 
freedom from Rna, indebtedness to god for their benevolence. The 
sole purpose of this shloka is to encourage Brahmins to perform Yajna 
selflessly. 

Sri Ramanujacharya: "Actions of the kind described above were 
performed by the aspirants of old for liberation, who have become free 
from evil after knowing Me in this way. Therefore, having got rid of 
sins by knowledge of Me in the aforesaid way, perform actions in the 
same way as they were performed by those ancients like Vivasvan, 
Manu, etc. in olden times, in the way in which their performance was 
taught by Me even then." 

My comment: As usual, the Acharya brings in the Lord into the 
equation. He also brings in Bhaktiyoga and Buddhiyoga (4:1). His 
comments have absolutely nothing to do with the shloka. Lord Krishna 
is not a Supreme God of the Bhagavathas yet. 

Swami Chidbhavananda: "The knowing aspirant abandons egoism 
and desire; he does not abandon karma. The seekers of freedom 
walked this way through ages. This principle has not been enunciated 
newly for the sake of Arjuna. Why was he then confused on this issue? 
There was nothing strange in it." 

My comment: The Swami recognizes that this shloka forbids Kamya 
Karma. However, he does not explain what the word freedom stands 
for. Performing Yajna selflessly has no relevance to Arjuna. 

Swami Prabhupada: "There are two classes of men. Some of them 
are full of polluted material things within their hearts, and some of 
them are materially free. Krishna consciousness is equally beneficial 
for both of these people..... Arjuna is here advised to act in Krishna 
consciousness, following the foot steps of Lord's previous disciples, 
such as Sun god Vivasvan, as mentioned herebefore." 

My comment: As usual, the Swami brings in Lord Krishna and 
Bhakti into the picture to obfuscate the whole issue. Neither has any 
relevance to this shloka. 

Swami Dayananda: "And what did the seekers, who had gone 
before, do once they had the knowledge? They performed action purva 
karma kartam. Therefore, Krishna tells Arjuna that he should do 


the same -tasmat tvam karmaiva kuru -which meant that Arjuna 
should not take to sanyasa. He should do only what was to be done by 
him." 

My comment: This commentary is part of two pages of explanation. In 
fact, as you read in the chapter titled Reforming Brahmins, the 
Chapter Four of BG was wholly dedicated to inducing Brahmins to give 
up Kamya Karma and take up Sanyasa (Jnanayoga). The first step 
towards this is to convert Kamya Karma into Nishkama Karma, as Lord 
Krishna did in this shloka. Since this shloka does not pertain to Arjuna, 
advising him not to take up Sanyasa is totally out of place here. By 
definition giving up Kamya Karma means taking up Sanyasa (18:2). 

I can give numerous examples such as this to prove the point. But 
then I will need another whole book for that topic alone! 

Hanging on to poor Arjuna! 

As you can see, the ploy used by the old guard is to discuss Lord 
Krishna's comments as applicable to Arjuna only. In other words, the 
whole text is read only in the context of Arjuna's personal dilemma in 
the Mahabharata context only, and not in the historical context even 
though the verses related to condemnation of the Vedas (2:46, 5253) 
and Kamya Karma (2:47-48); downgrading of Vedic Devas (9:2025); 
condemnation of Vedic ritualists (2:41-44); decrying selfish 
desire, jealous rage, delusions, etc. associated with Kamya Karma 
(3:37-40); declaration of Lord Krishna as an avatar of the Supreme 
Lord born to establish a New Dharma (4:6-8); crash courses on proper 
ways of performing Yajna; attempts to wean Brahmins and Kshatriyas 
away from Kamya Karma; establishment of a New Dharma; display of 
Lord Krishna's cosmic form (11:8-40) and the like are blatantly 
irrelevant to Arjuna's immediate predicament, or Grief, Dwandwa and 
fear of bad Karmaphala resulting from it. These were clearly meant to 
address contemporary, acutely pressing historical and social issues, as 
exemplified by decadence of Brahmanism, which resulted in 
widespread Grief, Dwandwa and obsession with Karmaphala in the 
society; and consequent rise of Para-Dharmas. We are to believe that 
Lord Krishna was telling Arjuna, just as the Great War was to begin, 
what is wrong with the Vedic sacrifices and Vedic ritualists! Only 
extremely biased people bogged down by blind faith would refuse to 
see that the Bhagavad Gita was deftly used as a vehicle to address 
another pressing social issue, namely, wholesale disaffection of the 
masses with Brahmanic Dharma. 


The evil of caste system is the curse of Brahmanism 

Over the past two millennia, completely ignoring the egalitarian and 
inclusive message of the Bhagavad Gita, Brahmanism built on the 
foundation of Varnashrama Dharma a whole superstructure of caste 
system (Jati Dharma). In doing so, they appealed to one of the basest 
of human instincts: need to dominate other human beings considered 
as inferior. Over the centuries, untold atrocities were committed by 
"superior" castes against the people of "inferior" castes or "outcastes." 
Gandhiji, who considered the Gita "my mother", dedicated his life to 
cleanse Hinduism of this worst kind of blot on humanity. He embraced 
the outcastes as Harijan, the people of Hari, Lord Krishna. Many pro-
Brahmanism Hindus detested him (and still do) as the Gita's 
philosophy is too broad for their narrow minds; too complex for their 
ignorant intellects and too inconvenient for their brains that are frozen 
in ancient times. It is no coincidence that Gandhi was assassinated by 
a staunch pro-Brahmanism individual. To this day India abounds with 
people who claim to be pukka Hindus who detest people belonging to 
"lower castes." Over the centuries, religious leaders were quick to cash 
in on "miracles" of lower caste Mahatmas such as Kanaka Dasa and 
Santa Chokamele, but were very slow in letting them into Lord's 
temples. Such hypocrisy and discriminatory treatment has led to 
hundreds of thousands of "lower caste" people abandoning Hinduism 
and embracing seemingly more egalitarian or open-minded religions 
basically antagonistic to Hinduism. What is the reaction of fanatics of 
Hinduism to this threat? They build paramilitary outfits named after 
gods -Bajarang Dal, Ram Sena and the like, and mindlessly go on 
rampage: burning churches, killing missionaries, dismantling 
mosques and bad-mouthing other religions. They do not have the 
sense to stop for a minute and ask, "What are we doing that makes 
people want to abandon our Dharma? What can we do to make our 
Dharma better?" You will not find one Guru or Swami worth his salt 
who will condemn such mindless violence, or offer a sensible way out. 

It is time to abandon caste system as well 

Maybe the Varna system had its place in India three thousand years 
ago. The caste system (Jati Dharma), the superstructure built on the 
foundation of Varna class system is an anachronism in the modern 
world; people no longer perform jobs dictated by their caste as was 
the case two thousand years ago. Now, in the fast shrinking world, 
people do whatever job they are most qualified to do as per their 
aptitude, education and training. As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad 
Gita, enlightened people see everyone else in their own image and are 


same-sighted on all people (5:18). We are all part of this incredible 
Creation (13:30). The same Supreme God resides in all of our hearts 

(10:20) regardless which class, caste, creed and religion we belong to. 
This, above all, is the elevating and everlasting message of the 
Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is truly supra-sectarian. Its 
message is applicable to persons of every religion in the world. Lord 
Krishna does not belong to Hinduism alone. He belongs to everyone on 
earth. 
Degradation of the priestly class 

Over the centuries, various Brahmanic rituals have been introduced 
into Hinduism in disguised forms. An unfortunate trend that is 
spreading like wild fire in modern India is the resurgence of mindless 
desire-driven sacrificial rites. Once again, like in the Vedic times, they 
are becoming more and more elaborate and expensive. Performing 
various Yajnas with great ostentation has become common among the 
richer classes. Lucrative sacrificial rites during wedding and 
Brahmopadesham ceremonies have become extremely elaborate 
affairs. No one can object to priests making decent money for their 
living like everyone else. However, Kama seems to have entered into 
this system in full force just as in olden days. I can attest to this from 
my personal experience over the past few years. Dealing with greedy 
priests has become a highly unpleasant experience. The throngs of 
pesky Pandas, which pilgrims encounter in various holy places of India, 
such as Puri, Dwaraka, Haridwar and Madurai, is an example of 
degradation of priestly profession in India. 

The business of God 

Nowadays Brahmanic loyalists are busy building huge temples all over 
India. This frenzy to build temples seems more as a reaction to 
Muslims building mosques and Christians building churches all over 
India, allegedly financed by foreign money, than due to genuine piety. 

Some of them have gone to obscene lengths to embellish these 
temples with ornate architecture. One such temple in India is entirely 
wrapped in gold! Other temples are busy adorning the idols with gold, 
platinum, precious jewels, and the like. Some of them are busy 
building gold or silver chariot to the gods. Bigger statues of various 
gods are springing up across India. Many Hindu temples have become 
multi-crore rupee industries, primarily geared toward deluding pilgrims 
into donating money, gold and jewelry. Nowadays, in certain temples 
people must buy tickets to see the God's image! People who pay more 
get preferences in idol's Darshan. As soon as one enters the temple, 


he is coerced into performing one expensive Pooja or another. More 
and more temples have realized that there is money to be made in the 
name of the Lord. One can no longer go to holy places without being 
thronged by pestering pandas. This degradation of worship of God is 
regrettable. Yet, religious leaders have done absolutely nothing to 
bring ethics and sanity into this business of God. It is not that they do 
not enjoy a great deal of prestige and authority amongst the deluded 
populace. It is simply that their moral compass has broken down and 
they simply don't give a damn. If Lord Krishna is still in these temples, 
one with true vision can see tears of grief running down His cheeks. 

Hypocrisy has become a way of life 

With most Hindus going to temples, performing Poojas and Abhishekas 
of the idol, walking around the idol in circles, reading various 
sthothras, and indulging in other religious activities have become 
mindless rituals rather than sincere desire to identify with the Lord's 
attributes (Vibhutim) and to take refuge in Him in order to overcome 
the seven Guna-rooted weaknesses: Lust, jealous rage, arrogance, 
delusion, greed, envy and insecurity. Instead of asking the Lord to 
give them the wisdom to do the right thing, most people ask for better 
job, more income, success in examination, good son-in-law, or some 
such sense object. This was exactly the case with all Kamya Karma of 
Brahmanism. We see politicians and government officials in India, both 
high level and low, who apply big "Naamas" over their foreheads to 
show off their religiosity; read the Bhagavad Gita daily; bribe gods by 
donating large sums of illicit money to temples, while at the same time 
extorting bribes from poor people to perform even small services for 
which they were already paid salaries by the taxpayers. They dismiss 
these despicable acts by simply saying, "This is India! You can't 
survive here unless you do these things." I have had the misfortune of 
dealing with countless "religious" Hindu bureaucrats who had little 
humanity in them, leave alone divine qualities. In these people their 
religiosity did not translate into good behavior. These are the very 
people who are very often patronized by our Swamis and Gurus. 
I know staunch Hindus both in India and America, who have 
ostentatious temples inside their palatial houses; who place the 
revered text of the Bhagavad Gita at the feet of the idol, and who extol 
the philosophy of the Gita, and yet are entangled to the hilt with their 
children, parents, in-laws, money, gold, jewelry, car, power, position, 
title, and every conceivable sense object. Hindus love to say, 
"Hinduism is not a religion! It is a way of life!" Now hypocrisy has 
become a way of life. When someone points out this hypocrisy, the 
excuse most Hindus give is, "Christians and Muslims are not any 


better!" Echoes of Brahmanic shloka: "One's own Dharma performed 
imperfectly is better than another's Dharma performed perfectly!" 

Dire need for reforms 

If Hindu religious leaders wish to recapture the true spirit of Lord 
Krishna's Dharma as enunciated by the Bhagavad Gita and save it 
from heading in the direction of the Orthodox Vedic Dharma, they 
must rise to the occasion, like the ancient Upanishadic and Bhagavatha 
revolutionaries did, and boldly address these pressing issues. Rituals 
of a hundred different types in our temples and homes, including 
elaborate Poojas and Yajnas, do not make a religion. Elevation of 
humanity to a higher spiritual plane does. Gentle and methodical 
reforms must begin in earnest before drastic actions become 
necessary. But first, Brahmanic Gurus must seek out and know the 
Truth. And that Truth will liberate them from the shackles of delusion 
and deception, and motivate them to do the right thing. 

Prayer based on the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita 

O Lord! I abandon all Dharma and surrender unto you 
alone. Give me the strength to break the shackles of my desire 
for, attachment to and possessiveness of money, power and 
people. Give me the power to overcome Kama, Krodha, Mada, 
Moha, Lobha, Matsarya and Bhaya. Give me the wisdom to 
always do the right thing without selfish motive. Fill my heart 
with virtues of Love, Courage, Generosity, Kindness, Mercy, 
Humility and Truth. Let me become like You as long as I am 
here on earth and return to Your Abode hereafter. 


CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 


The Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita 

The question arises whether there is pragmatic wisdom in the 
Bhagavad Gita relevant to our day-to-day life in the modern times. 
The answer is: of course there is. What does the wisdom of the 
Bhagavad Gita boil down to? As we read, the three fundamental issues 
the Bhagavad Gita addresses are Shokam, Dwandwam and 
Karmaphalam. Each of the three Gitas hidden in the Bhagavad Gita 
offers wisdom to us which we can apply in our daily life. Here is how I 
have attempted to apply it in my psychiatric practice: 

1. The wisdom of the Brahmanic Gita: If you do your socially and 
morally obligatory duty, you will not suffer Grief, Dwandwa or bad 
Karmaphala. 
2. The wisdom of the Upanishadic Gita: If you act in the spirit of 
Buddhiyoga -detachment from sense objects and selflessness in 
action-you will be free from Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala. 
3. The wisdom of the Bhagavatha Gita: If you cultivate Absolute 
Faith (Shraddha) in the Lord, worship Him alone with Bhaktiyoga 
(devotion combined with detachment from sense objects and selfless 
service), you will be free from Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala. 
There is no need to give the reader long-winded lectures on how to 
apply these principles in real life. I have given below three case 
studies illustrating application of wisdom in each of these Gitas. 

Application of the wisdom of the Brahmanic Gita: Performing 
one's morally obligatory duty 

Wisdom: Performing one's morally obligatory duty gives one freedom 
from Grief, Dwandwa and bad Karmaphala. 

A case study: Mary, a fifty five year old married woman, came to see 
me for severe depression and anxiety of about two months duration. 
She complained of sleeplessness, crying spells, mood swings, anguish, 
loss of interest, tension, loss of appetite and a host of other symptoms 
indicative of high level of stress. Obviously Mary was suffering from 
Grief and severe Dwandwa (stress). The question is: Fear of what bad 
Karmaphala caused his woman to suffer from Grief and Dwandwa? 


On further inquiry, she admitted to feeling trapped in a real-life 
stressful situation for several months, which went as follows: Being the 
only child of her parents who were in their nineties, the lady went to 
their house a mile away daily to make sure that they had their meals, 
taken their medications and had their daily bath. Whenever she went 
to their house to check on them she found the house a big mess. 
However, every time she tried to help, her parents became irate, 
hostile and hateful toward her. They told her to get out of their home. 
They cursed her and called her bad names. They threw various objects 
at her to force her out of their house. Being their only child, she had 
been raised by her parents very lovingly. She had never been abused 
verbally or physically by them like this. Even though her parents' 
doctor told her that they were both fairly senile, she was terribly hurt 
by their persistently hostile behavior. It became clear that her fear of 
rejection by them -bad Karmaphala-made it impossible for her to do 
the right thing. In other words, she worried about bad Karmaphala of 
her action, namely loss of love of her parents. She did not want to do 
anything that would upset them even if that action was the right thing 
to do. 

As the situation got worse, she dreaded visiting her parents though 
she worried about them all the time. After each visit with her parents, 
she suffered panic attacks. Toxic emotions such as hurt, sadness, 
helplessness, frustration, and hopelessness kept building up in her 
mind. Soon she reached her breaking point and came down with 
severe depression and anxiety. 

As this lady ventilated her painful emotions with me I listened to her 
empathically. Finding in me an empathetic listener, she broke down 
and cried profusely expressing her helplessness and frustration. This 
ventilation reduced the tension in her mind somewhat. I decided to 
give this lady a whole new perception of the situation. 

After listening to her sorry plight patiently, I asked her, "Who are 
these people you are trying to help?" 
She looked at me as though she wanted to ask me if I was deaf. "What 
do you mean?" she asked. "I told you! They are my parents!" 
"No!!!" I chided her. "They are not your parents!" 
She was baffled even more. She said forcefully, "I told you, they are 
my parents!" 
"They were your parents," I said laconically. "Now they are your 
children." 
This entirely new perception must have struck her like a bolt of 
lightening. The patient appeared stunned for a minute. "They are my 


children?" 
"Yes. Now they are both senile to boot! They don't know what they are 
saying or doing. They are now acting like two children who obviously 
need someone to take care of them. If your five year old son acted like 
this, you would not hesitate to impose your authority on him, would 
you?" 
"But I just can't stand them scold and curse me like they do! It upsets 
me. I just can't take it anymore!" 
"Their scolding should not upset you if you do not think of them as 
your parents, and you realize that they don't know what they are 
doing, right? Besides, you are now a grown up, no longer their little 
princess!" 
The lady was now smiling. The change of perception of her parents as 
helpless children seemed to have made some sense to her. She now 
recognized the reversal of roles. 
Now I decided to tell her about the need to perform her daughterly 
duty without regards to personal consequences. 
I went on, "As their only child, you are motivated only by your love for 
them and your sense of duty, right? You have no other motive, right?" 
"That is right." 
"None of their scolding and cursing should concern you as you are 
merely doing your duty as a daughter. You should just take their 
admonitions smiling, or even laughing. So, quit feeling hurt, sad, 
helpless, hopeless, and frustrated. If you do the right thing with a 
sense of duty and without any selfish motive, your parent's curse will 
not affect you." 
"I see your point, doctor!" 
"In fact, you would be derelict in your duty to your parents if you now 
backed off from taking care of them because of their childish behavior. 
This is when they need you the most!" 
"You are absolutely right, doctor!" 
"Furthermore, if, in the course of time, you are unable to care for 
them due to your own limitations, you may not have a choice but to 
put them in a decent nursing home." 
"Oh! No! No! I can't do that! I would feel very guilty to do that!" 
"Well. Your guilt then would be quite irrational. If you are not able to 
take proper care of them, they might fall down, break their hip, 
become ill and starve to death. You would then feel even guiltier! 
Admitting them to a nice nursing home might be lesser of two evils. At 
least, someone would make sure that they ate their food, took their 
medications and had their bath daily. If and when you do it, you have 
no reason to feel guilty since you are doing it in their best interest and 
without any ulterior design or motive." 


The lady who left my office was very different from the one who had 
walked in. Her painful emotions decreased dramatically in her mind. 
Ventilation of emotions, change of perception of her parents as childlike, 
and the understanding the liberating affects of selfless action 
performed with a sense of duty immediately relieved her of Grief, 
Dwandwa and fear of bad Karmaphala which she had suffered from for 
two months. This is the wisdom of the Brahmanic Gita in action, pure 
and simple. Some might say this is common sense. Well, common 
sense is the first casualty when our mind becomes confused by our 
fear of bad Karmaphala even when we know that the best thing to do 
is to do our duty. 

Application of the wisdom of the Upanishadic Gita: Action in the 
spirit of Buddhiyoga 

Wisdom: All actions performed in the spirit of Buddhiyoga free one 
from Grief, Dwandwa and bad Karmaphala. 

A case study: Linda is a sixty year old white married woman who is 
very depressed over a painful life-situation. An elderly single man in 
his eighties, who had been a father-figure, mentor and friend for over 
forty years, had suddenly broken-up his friendship with her. She 
suffered from much Grief over this loss. In addition, she suffered from 
Dwandwa -self doubt and guilt. She feared that the breakup of this 
relationship was as a result of her actions. In other words, she 
believed that what she was going through was due to bad Karmaphala. 
She described the circumstances as follows: 

Over the past few years, her old friend's health had deteriorated 
steadily. One day when she went to visit him she found him on the 
floor in a coma. She had him hospitalized immediately. The doctors 
diagnosed diabetic coma. When he came to, he expressed much 
gratitude to Linda for saving his life. After he checked into a nursing 
home permanently, he asked Linda if she would help him organize his 
finances. She agreed. While going through the old man's files, Linda 
discovered two un-cashed checks for big amounts. Thinking that the 
old man had forgotten to deposit them in the bank, Linda deposited 
both checks in his account in the bank. Believing that the old man 
might be senile, she did not consult with him. To her surprise both 
these checks bounced. When the old man came to know about this, he 
became furious. Apparently, he had some private arrangement with 
the issuers of these checks that they would not be deposited in the 
account for some time. 


Losing faith in Linda's judgment in managing his finances, the old man 
now began to suspect evil motive in her actions. He abruptly cut off his 
relationship with Linda and told her not to contact him again. Linda 
was devastated by the loss of forty-year-long relationship with the 
father-figure and friend all because of an innocent mistake she made. 
Linda's emotional pain was heightened by the fact that she had no 
relationship with her own father while growing up. Her relationship 
with her own mother was tenuous at best. When she met this old man 
in her early twenties, she filled the vacuum in her heart by making him 
the father she never had. When the old man rejected her, buried pain 
related to her own father resurfaced, the emotional pain doubled and 
became unbearable. She collapsed into depression. 

After listening to her plight empathically, I asked her if she knew 
beforehand that the two checks she deposited were not meant to be 
deposited. She denied ever knowing this. The old man had not told her 
about these checks either. So what she did was done out of goodness 
of heart and not out of any evil design. I asked her if she had 
personally benefited from the old man's estate. She admitted that the 
old man had once given her a good amount of money out of 
appreciation for her devoted care of him over the years. She had 
neither asked for it nor expected it. She said she was willing to return 
his money if that would heal the rift between them. I asked her if she 
had any ulterior motive in taking care of his finances. She swore she 
did not. She said she had served the old man purely out of her respect 
and non-possessive love for him, and without any financial motive. 

"In that case," I said to Linda, "you should not feel guilty or hurt about 
this rift at all. Your motives were pure. You had no ulterior designs 
(Sankalpa) of any kind when you did what you did. If the old man 
suspects your motives in spite of this, you can not help it. It is now his 
problem. If your love for him was truly non-possessive in nature; you 
were not hankering for his money, and your actions were without any 
desire for fruit, you should not grieve over this loss. You should face 
this loss with evenness, equilibrium and equanimity of mind, 
(characterized by Buddhiyukta mind). Write a letter to him explaining 
your position on this matter. Offer to meet with him personally to 
explain to him what happened. If he still refuses to meet with you, 
consider it as his loss, accept the loss as unavoidable, and move on 
with your life. Things like this happen in life." 

Linda asked, "Why did he choose to break up his relationship with me 
even though I had not knowingly done anything wrong?" 
"Well," I said, "even at this advanced age, his attachment for money 


seemed to be greater than his love for you, sad as it might seem to 
you. His wisdom was clouded by his entanglement with money. It 
blinded him to the fact that he was losing a longstanding devoted 
friend during the last phase of his life. Money comes and money goes, 
but good friends like you come along only rarely. He could have simply 
forgiven you for your innocent mistake, and still had you in his life. 
Alas, it was not to be." 

The new perspective of the situation seemed to give Linda the needed 
insight to calm herself down. Her Grief, Dwandwa and guilt over bad 
Karmaphala disappeared. She accepted the loss as one of those 
realities of life and moved on with her life. 

Application of the wisdom of the Bhagavatha Gita: Absolute 
Faith 

Wisdom: Absolute Faith in the Lord counters fear. Higher the level of 
one's faith, the greater is the freedom from Grief, Dwandwa and fear 
of bad Karmaphala. 

A case study: Jo Anne, a 53 year old white married woman came to 
see me for complaints of severe anxiety, sleeplessness, loss of 
appetite ever since she was told a week earlier that her breast cancer 
had recurred. The doctor told her that her cancer had spread to her 
brain and lungs, and that she had only weeks to live. Jo Anne was 
shocked by this bit of bad news. Her mind flooded with terror, she 
developed severe panic attacks. 

After listening to her empathically, I gave her some minor tranquilizer 
to calm her down. Within a day she calmed down somewhat. But the 
reality of imminent death weighed heavily on her mind. I saw her in 
counseling. Aside from listening to her grief over imminent death, 
there was little I could do to help. But wait! It occurred to me that 
maybe, just maybe I could work to strengthen her faith to counter her 
terror. 

I asked Jo Anne, "Do you have Faith in God?" With tears in her eyes 
she said, "Of course, I do." I then challenged her, "How strong is your 
faith?" Jo Anne replied, "I guess not as strong as it should be." I 
handed over to her a small article I had written on the topic of 
Absolute Faith. She wiped her tears, put on her eye glasses and began 
to read it: 


God's Cab 

The other day I hailed a cab for a ride to Jackson. As I got into the cab 
I noticed that God was the cab driver. I told God, "I must be in 
Jackson in thirty minutes. Can you make it?" 
God looked at me earnestly and asked, "Do you have Faith in my 
driving?" I replied, "Of course, absolutely!" 
God smiled and said, "OK. Then just relax and take a nap. I will wake 
you up when we reach Jackson." I slumped in the seat and fell asleep 
expecting a smooth thirty minute ride to Jackson. Little did I know 
what was coming. 

It must have been a few minutes since I fell asleep when I was woken 
up by loud honks of several cars. When I looked up I saw God driving 
the cab one hundred fifty miles per hour through every red traffic light 
on Kingshighway. "Oh, well, He must know what he is doing," I said to 
myself. I fell back into my sleep again. 
Next thing I know, I was woken up by tremendous noise of something 
beating loudly against the windshield. All I could see was that the cab 
was going through a field of ten foot tall lush green corn stalks. "Oh, 
well," I said, "God must have His own crazy reason why He is driving 
through this cornfield." I fell asleep again right away. 
Within a few minutes I was woken up by a big thud of the cab diving 
into a ditch. God had just made a U-turn in the median ditch of 
Interstate 55. Now He was driving the cab north in the southbound 
lanes. Southbound cars were buzzing past us eighty miles per hour on 
both sides honking loudly. "Well," I said to myself. "There must be a 
darned good reason why God seems to have gone out of His mind!" I 
just closed my eyes to catch my nap again. 
Then suddenly, the cab came to a screeching halt. "Here you are!" said 
God. I woke up to see that I was at my destination. I got out of the 
cab and said, "Thanks for the exciting ride! What is the fare?" 
As I reached into my pocket for my wallet I heard God say, "You have 
already paid it in full with your Faith!" Before I could say thanks again, 
He had driven away in his cab. THE END 

Jo Anne took a deep breath and held the paper close to her chest. 
Then, with tears rolling down her pale cheeks, she said, "No. I don't 
have Absolute Faith. I need to work on that. I must have more faith in 
the Lord than I have. I must take whatever I get as His wish." I saw a 
visible change in Jo Anne's gait when she left my office. 


A week later, I saw her picture in the Obituary columns of the local 
newspaper. Her husband called me to inform me that her last few days 
were very peaceful. She had found peace in Absolute Faith. In this 
case, her renewed faith helped her to get over the Grief over her 
imminent death and Dwandwa (stress) of facing it. Knowing that she 
would attain His Abode after her death gave her freedom from fear of 
dying. 

Treating Dwandwa Disorder (Pseudo Bipolar Disorder) 

Over the past twenty five years, the number of people being 
diagnosed as suffering from Bipolar Disorder (formerly known as 
Manic-depressive illness) has increased dramatically all over the world. 
This is a mood disorder in which one suffers from significant mood 
swings. During the "high spells" the patient suffers from elation, high 
energy, grandiosity, impulsiveness, restlessness, agitation, 
preoccupation with making and spending a lot of money, 
sleeplessness, excessive desire for sex and the like. Then the patient 
switches to "low spells" in which the patient feels exactly the opposite 
symptoms, such as depressed mood, low energy level, despair, loss of 
interest in sex and other usual activities, and the like. 

Such mood swings, though of lesser degree, can also be seen in 
people who have become obsessed with money and materials. The 
Bhagavad Gita calls this Dwandwa Disorder. When the mind comes 
into contact with a sense object, it experiences Dwandwa: I like this, I 
don't like this; I feel good about this, I feel bad about it; I gained it, I 
lost it (2:14). Excessive desire for, attachment to and possessiveness 
of money, power, title, and other sense objects disconnect the mind 
from its inner wisdom leading to unsteadiness of mind. The Bhagavad 
Gita variously describes Dwandwa as instability, unsteadiness, 
fickleness, doubt, obsession, restlessness, preoccupation with gaining 
and losing, mental fever and the like. Thus destabilized, the mind loses 
the benefit of its inner wisdom leading to one's ruin (2:62-63) and evil 
acts (3:37-40). The picture below illustrates how the mind entangled 
with materials becomes disconnected from its wisdom and suffers 
severe Dwandwa. 


In the picture above, the large oval represents the Mind. The ziz-zag 
line inside it represents severe Dwandwa. The swollen udder-like 
projections from below the Mind represent the hyperactive 
Senses which desire sense objects (the five circles below). The sense 
objects have become very important. The lines connecting the Senses 
to the circles represent excessive attachments. The Mind is completely 
disconnected from its inner wisdom (Buddhi). Such a Mind, deprived of 
its inner wisdom (knowledge of right from wrong) commits self-
destructive (2:62-63) and evil acts (3:37-40). 

As the world is becoming more and more materialistic, incidents of 
such mood swings have also increased. Severe Dwandwa induced by 
materialism can easily be mistaken for the more serious form of mood 
swings, namely, Bipolar Disorder. Doctors not aware of the Dwandwa 
Disorder often mistakenly diagnose people as suffering from Bipolar 
Disorder and treat them with potentially dangerous drugs. The 
increase in the diagnosis of people with Bipolar Disorder is so great 
that it seems like we are on the verge of becoming a Bipolar Nation! 


Most likely, this is due to drug companies brain-washing doctors into 
diagnosing Bipolar disorders to sell their expensive drugs. 

In my own psychiatric practice, I have seen Bipolar-like syndrome in 
people who are entangled with money, people, power, and the like. 
Since more and more people are becoming obsessed with materialism, 
more and more people are suffering from Dwandwa Disorder. The 
Dwandwa Disorder could also be called Money Disorder. Below I have 
described two cases of Dwandwa Disorder, mistakenly diagnosed a 
Bipolar Disorder, each with completely opposite outcome. 

Case study of John: A 39 year old white married man, father of two 
cute little girls was referred to me by his personal doctor for 
complaints of "Bipolar Disorder." He complained of bouts of depression 
alternating with bouts of elation; panic attacks; racing mind; 
indecision; poor concentration and sleeplessness. These symptoms 
started two years earlier, but had been getting steadily worse for the 
past three months. By the time I saw him, he was completely 
dysfunctional. 

Detailed interview revealed the following: John owned a lucrative 
factory which earned him over one half million of dollars a year. He 
lived in a house worth two million dollars. To make even more money, 
he bought a choice piece of land and developed it. His parents, being 
in the real estate business, guided him. He built fine houses and sold 
them for huge prices. Then suddenly two events surprised him. One, 
the housing market suddenly collapsed. Two, some of the people who 
bought houses from him sued him for building an apartment complex 
on the development. Suddenly he found himself owing banks a huge 
amount of money. To clear his loans, he would have to sell everything 
he owned, except for his factory. He could even lose his house. 

John revealed that over the past two years he drank alcohol on daily 
basis to calm his nerves. By the time he came home, he was a nervous 
wreck. He rarely talked with his two little daughters. He had no time 
for his devoted wife. 

I told John that he suffers from Dwandwa Disorder, which resembles a 
text book case of rapid-cycling Bipolar disorder. I put him on several 
different medications -mood stabilizer, antidepressant and anti-
anxiety-to give him relief from his distressing symptoms. I then gave 
him a choice: Either he takes steps to change his lifestyle or he 
becomes dependent on numerous medications the rest of his life. I 
promised him that if he made changes in his lifestyle, I will take him 


off of his medications one by one. John readily agreed to follow my 
advice. 

1. I met with John and his accountant and advised them that John 
should focus on one business -his factory. He had no business to get 
into a business he had no business to get into. 
2. I told John to sell off his entire property one buy one even if the 
profit margin is low, and clear his loans as soon as possible. In the 
mean time, he should meet with his bankers and rearrange his loans 
so his immediate liability is reduced. 
3. John agreed to quit drinking. 
4. He agreed to sell his two million dollar home and move into a much 
smaller house, which cost much less to maintain. 
5. John agreed to find time for his children and wife; go out to eat with 
them; find time to travel places with his family once his life returned to 
normal. 
6. John agreed to work on reducing attachment to money, property, 
land, etc. and work on improving quality of his life, meaning, finding 
time for fun, travel, reading, and other activities. 
7. He agreed to cultivate some hobbies, which gave him time away 
from his business. 
Over the next six months, John accomplished almost all the above 
goals. He succeeded in clearing all his loans. He settled the lawsuit 
amicably. Decreasing his attachment to various sense objects (alcohol, 
money, property, etc.) seems to have reconnected his Mind to his 
Wisdom and thus stabilized it. I began to withdraw from him one 
medication at a time. Within one year, I took him off of his mood 
stabilizer as well, as now his Wisdom was acting as his mood stabilizer. 

The picture below shows how the Mind is constantly caught between 
the Senses (desire for sense objects such as money, power, food, title, 
etc.) and Wisdom. When the Mind succumbs to the Senses and their 
allies (the Guna-rooted human weaknesses) self-destructive and evil 
acts follow. When the Mind acts under the influence of the Wisdom, 
selfless and pure acts follow. 


All over America today, thousands upon thousands of people like John 
are given diagnosis of Bipolar disorder and put on potentially 
dangerous drugs. Thus deluded by their psychiatrists, they stay on 
medications the rest of their lives. Few psychiatrists take time to 
examine these people's lifestyle, which is at the root of their Dwandwa 
Disorder. 

Uncontrolled Dwandwa and ruin of life 

Here is a case study with exactly the opposite outcome. The following 
case study illustrates the truth in the shlokas 2:62-63: Brooding on 
the sense objects man develops attachment to them; from 
attachment comes desire; from desire sprouts forth anger; 
from anger proceeds delusion; from delusion confused 
memory; from confused memory the ruin of reason; due to the 
ruin of reason he perishes. 

Case study of K.R: A young Indian doctor, married and father of two, 
in training as a surgeon, became very jealous of the wealth of his 
privately practicing physician friends. He could not wait till he 


completed his training three years down the road. So he quit his 
training and took up the job of emergency room physician in a local 
hospital. However, his salary was not enough for him to compete with 
his richer, self-employed friends. He began to brood over his 
misfortune. He began to experience mood swings and anxiety. He 
began to smoke and drink heavily to calm his disturbed mind. 

Soon he was in trouble with his superior at the hospital emergency 
room. The nurses working with him complained that he could not be 
awakened whenever the emergency room needed him. His boss could 
not reason with him that emergencies cases must be attended to right 
away and could not be postponed. Because I was the other Indian 
doctor in town, his boss asked me how he could handle this situation. I 
told him he should deal with his directly and warn him. He ignored the 
warnings and so he was fired from his job. 

Outraged for being fired, K. R. opened his own emergency medical 
practice in the town in competition with the hospital. He advertised his 
business heavily and piled up huge debts. He started admitting people 
to the hospital for frivolous reasons, ordering tests solely to make 
money, performing unnecessary surgery and the like. To make even 
more money, he worked 20 hours a day. He made his hospital rounds 
after midnight. He bragged that he will drive all the leading doctors out 
of town. He got little rest. He did not have time to eat his meals. He 
smoked five packs of cigarettes a day. He did not have time to brush 
his teeth. He neglected his wife and young children. 

Soon his health began to deteriorate. He developed stomach pain due 
to ulcers. He began to ingest narcotics to control his stomach pain. 
Alcohol consumption made his stomach ulcers worse. He felt sleepy all 
the time because of lack of sleep and also due to drugs he took round 
the clock. His teeth turned yellowish brown due to accumulated stain 
from coffee and cigarettes. His body became weak and emaciated. 

To show off his wealth, he leased two very expensive luxury cars. He 
threw lavish parties to his rich friends to proclaim to them that he was 
in no way inferior to them. He deducted the expenses of these parties 
as business expense. He drew a plan to build a ten-bedroom, ten-
bathroom palatial house. He flew only by first class. When he traveled 
he stayed in expensive hotels. He borrowed heavily from local banks to 
support his expensive habits. His friends suspected that he was 
suffering from Bipolar disorder. 


In no time at all it all began to catch up with him. He fell asleep while 
driving his car and ran it into a ditch. He narrowly escaped getting 
killed. He fell asleep on a patient he was operating on in the hospital 
operating room. He was carried out of the operating room by orderlies 
suspended by his limbs, and then he was suspended from the hospital 
staff. The hospital administrator suspected the K. R. was suffering 
from Bipolar disorder. He requested me to evaluate and treat him. I 
excused myself from this task as I knew K. R. well as an arrogant man 
who thought little of psychiatrists. However, I told the administrator 
that even though K. R. displayed symptoms of Bipolar disorder, he 
was, in fact, suffering from Dwandwa Disorder. The administrator was 
mystified by my statement. I simplified the matter by telling him the 

K. R. suffered from Money Disorder. 
K. R. was asked to submit a certificate from a psychiatrist declaring 
him as fit to operate. He saw a psychiatrist in St. Louis, baffled him 
with his bullshit and obtained the needed certificate of clean bill of 
mental health. Not learning his lesson from this mishap, he went on 
with his self-destructive behavior. Now that he had beaten the hospital 
in this game, he became blatantly arrogant. 
As his stomach pain got worse, he began to inject himself with 
powerful narcotics. Once this came to the attention of licensing 
authorities, his license to practice medicine was suspended and he was 
ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation. He went through the motion of 
rehabilitation. Once again he bullshitted everyone, and got back his 
license to practice. After his drug habit relapsed, he went to the drug 
rehabilitation the second time. Each time he came out with the 
delusion that he had beaten the system. 

One day he noticed that the skin over his left forearm was dying. That 
was the site where he had repeatedly injected himself narcotics. He 
needed skin graft over the dead skin. He saw a plastic surgeon. The 
plastic surgeon attached his forearm to his chest to transfer the skin 
graft. With his left forearm attached to his chest, the doctor went on 
with his bad behavior. No one could reason with him. Since his income 
disappeared, the banks began to press him for the repayment of loans. 
When he could not payoff his loans, they came to get whatever money 
he had. He filed for bankruptcy. He lost his house, cars and everything 
else. With his health and finances in complete ruin, he left town and 
moved into a small apartment. He lived on the disability income from 
insurance and the state. In the mean time, his wife and children went 
through hell. Nevertheless, he kept talking about making millions of 
dollars. 


One day he showed up at my office saying he wanted my help. He was 
so emaciated that he was just skin and bones. He threw his health 
insurance card on my table and said feebly, "You will be paid for your 
services. I guarantee you that with this card!" Then he explained that 
he had made the appointment to get some painkiller drugs from me. 
By now, he was beyond my reach. I had to tell him politely that it was 
beyond my power to help him. 

After several years of such misery, penury and poor health, he finally 
died at age fifty seven, a completely broken man in every sense. His 
mind was so strongly attached to money and he was so bogged down 
by human weaknesses that his Mind seemed completely disconnected 
from his inner wisdom. He had no memory of the lessons learned, 
knowledge, judgment, reasoning, insight, moral values and noble 
virtues. His arrogance kept him from getting help from anyone as he 
thought he was smarter than everyone else. No one could reason with 
him. No one could save him. THE END 

Copyright and Publication details:
________________________________________________________________________
This document is made available with the author's express permission
and dowonloadable from https://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacredscripts/hinduism/dn/scb.txt
_________________________________________________________________________