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'I am not the doer'

 

Week 16, Shlokas (8-21), Chapter 5

Shri Krishna keeps on describing the persona of a true yogi- the one who has attained the pure knowledge (enlightened knowledge/ the knowledge of the spirit).

The pure knowledge that ‘I am not the doer’ –the one who contains it, is the one who is completely detached from his senses and anything worldly or related to this body. he manifests the formless, is aware and conscious of his surroundings, have his senses performing all their duties but he is unaffected by the feel of the physical body. till the time he was under the influence of maya, he was in a way asleep, and was enjoying the dreamworld…however, as he is awakened by the knowledge of his spirit, he is no more influenced by the effect of karmas as he has attained- ‘I am not the doer’ state.

Just like a lotus is detached by the water surrounding it, in the same way, such a being stands like a lotus in the waters of the material world. 

As a small child, whatever he does is a form of play and where his mind or intellect is not involved not even they are mindful of the worldliness, such is the state in which a yogi performs his karmas and such karmas performed by the physical body of a yogi are called as kayic-karmas.

Now Krishna highlights that which he calls as mental actions (manasic karmas). 

The ones we perform in our thoughts/ mind. even when the body made of five elements is asleep, the mind is active and performs all that the senses desire without involving the senses. Even then, in essence, such meaningless actions can be said to be called by the senses. On the other hand, those actions which are done knowingly are done by the buddhi (intellect). But the yogis-- those who have attained ‘I am not the doer’ state surpass all the effects of karmas performed by their intellect or senses as they do not possess ‘I’ness, nor do they contain any memory of their intellect, mind, or body and so, they remain pious. 

Krishna also insists that only those who have overcome their senses should listen to this knowledge of the essence as it is not possible for commoners to absorb or understand all that Shri Krishna is saying here.

The ones who have not attained their union (the supreme yoga), are tied by the results of their karmas/actions as they are desirous of the outcome, unlike the ones who have attained their union and manifests it as ‘I am not the doer’ state-- are full of peace such that they bestow auspiciousness wherever they drop their sight. Such beings (who have attained the union) carry the body but dwells as pure consciousness and remains detached by their karmas (up to shloka 13).

 

 

P.S. I am trying in the best of my ability to present the essence of all that Shri Krishna is saying here. Again, assuming Shri Gnyaneshwara as my guide—and in my limited resources and understanding I surrender myself. 

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