Ashtravakar and Bhagwad Geeta

Realization of self is the main aim of human form. Life is eternal and is continuous. It does not end with an embodiment. Death of embodiment is a way to new one. Destiny is what we are doing shall have to be undergone in next birth which may be immediate or after gap of years but birth is certain when there is accumulation of acts remaining in store.

Ashtravakar is the best bet to follow self realization. Lord Krishna delivered hos eternal message in Bhagwad Geeta for the emnacipation of entire mankind making Arjun an instrument. Ashtravakar Geeta is easy to understand but when we analyse the references in two, we have an easy understanding as to what we have to realize.

Ashtravakar and Lord Krishna have both emphasize the control of senses





DESIRELESS NESS IS SUPRTEME YOGA

Since time immemorial the self soul has been trying to attain satisfaction from sense gratification.

The difference between self and non self is apparent.

Lord Krishna says in chapter two:

nasato vidayate bhavo nabhavo vidyate satah I

ubhayorapi drishtoantastavanyostatvadarshibhi II (2.16)

The unreal has no existence and real never ceases to be; reality of both has been perceived by seers of truth.

Unreal things are merely transposition. Material nature is transient and eternal one never ends.
Self which is pervading universe is real. The Lord is himself divided in material as well as spiritual nature. The nature of self soul is spiritual. Nature of body is transitory. One has to secure spiritual through material.
Real and unreal both are perceived by a person who sees through wisdom.
Lord Krishna enters material nature through eternal and plays divine and continuous play of creating, maintaining and annihilating universe
But ignorant affected by illusion an inscrutable power of Lord sees universe different from that of Supreme Self. He cannot perceive the superimposition, a reality in dream state.

Identification with material body is to be banished from mind. If one has this much of knowledge, one shall be free from all attachments and disassociation of mind and sense objects shall follow as a matter of course. Material is incongruent to eternal.
Mind is attracted to sense objects and sense objects influence mind and they both influence formation of body for self soul. Mind seeks satisfaction from the transient sense objects.

This is desire.

One desire gives birth to chain of desires. Self Soul identifies with mind and by virtue of this identification presumes itself to be the doer and enjoyer.

Here starts the bondage. Egoism of doer ship causes this bondage. Knowing the bondage due to egoism to be source of all trouble for self soul, one has to give up its identification with mind and intellect to be desire less.

Desire and aversion are two basic source of trouble.

Lord Krishna says in chapter seven:

ichhadueshsamuthen duvandvmohen bharat I

sarvbhutani sanmoham sage yanti parantap II


yesham tavantgatam papam jananam punykarmarham I

te duandvmohonirmuktah bhajante mamdrirhvatah II (7.27-28)

Descendants of Bharat! Crusader of enemy! All beings are deluded because of dualities born out of desire and hate.

The persons who by dint of pious deeds in the past many births have become free from their sins, liberated from the dualities, worship me devotedly.

Entire material activities are centered on these two dualities.

These dualities arising out of desire and aversion are bondage and freedom from them is liberation.

Desire less ness has been compared to the rivers entering into ocean not affecting its volume

Apoorymarhamachalpartitham

Samudramapah parvishanti yadvad I

Tadvadkama yam parvishanti sarve

Sa shantimapnoti na kamkami II (2.70)


As in, always filled, steadily situated Ocean, the entering water do not cause any disturbance, so to the person of steady mind, the rising desires do not cause any disturbance, but who wishes to satisfy the continuously rising desires never attains peace.

Therefore, there is an endless chain.

However, a person devoted to Lord Krishna and percepting Lord everywhere and in every thing, stops craving for material sense gratification.

It does not mean that this person is doing nothing.

As long as this material body exists, it requires limited satiation of sense urges. However, he is detached with these activities like a yogi described in verse 7, 8 and 9 of chapter five of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta and who sees senses involving themselves in sense objects as per dictates of material accumulation.
Lord Krishna says that even wise one acts as per nature:

Sadrisham cheshathate svasyah prikritergyanvanapi I
Parkritim yanti bhutani nigarah kim karishayati II (3.33)

All living beings follow their tendencies: even wise man acts according to his tendencies of his own nature, what is the use of restraint?
All creatures are born with inherent tendencies. A snake when feeling endangered shall bite. A man having no means to satisfy his hunger may beg, steal. This is no exception to the tendency of nature with which beings are born. Even brothers, sisters, parents in a family have different tendencies. Asian, African, English, American, Arabian, all mankind have different tendencies of nature. They have their own ideologies, food habits, customs, festivals, faith and all sorts of way of working. Even a wise also acts as per his tendencies, how the restraint is going to effect.
There is no prohibition on actions but they are to be performed with a sense of detachment and without desire for fruit.


Absolute truth does exist, and it can be fully realized. But unfortunately those who realize it are very few. Desire less ness is not to remain without food and forcefully restrain all the senses from their objects.

The statement made in verse 59 of chapter two is very important.

Vishya vinivartante niraaharasy dehinaahI

Rasvrajam rasoapiasya param drishtva nivartate II (2.59)

Forbidding senses from sense objects entails control of senses but the desires from enjoying them is not extinguished. But the person who has realized self, his palate of his sense objects vanishes.

This verse is verily sign of highest point of devotion. Reaching such a mile stone of spirituality, the devotee becomes desire less, which is the peak point of self-liberation.
One now sees the nothing except Lord. He finds the overflowing mercy of Lord in every aspect of life in present embodiment.
If a human being is deprived of sense objects by force or denial, he goes on thinking about the way how to satiate that urge. Verse 6 and 7 of chapter three put these phenomena as:

Karmendrarham sanyam ya aste mansa samran I
Indrayarthanvimarhatmah miyhyacharah sa uchayate II

Yastuindrarhi mansa niyamyarbharatearjun I
Karmendriyeah karamyogasaktah sa vishishayte II (3.6-7)

One who outwardly restrains his organs of senses from action but mentally dwells upon the sense objects, that man of deluded intellect, is hypocrite.

Arjun! On the other hand, he who controls the organs of senses and action by his will power and remaining unattached and is able to undertake yoga of action through those organs, he excels.


The real factor for causing bondage is the attachment and mind is the root cause of attachment. One verily does not reflect that thing, persons or objects which one has never come across by seeing, hearing, tasting, experimenting or by any other means but reflection of those things which have been experienced goes deep in memory and comes up in mind time and again. This causes a sort of repetition contours on the mind set. One remembers his past pleasure and pain because of this memory and attachment to it. The memory is to analyze own self, Lord and thyereby attaining self realization.
Outwardly restraining the organs of senses and action, sitting aloof from them but always craving for them in mind, is nothing but hypocrisy and does not dilute the process of bondage.
It is the control of senses organs and action by will power and remaining unattached to them, that one undertakes yoga of action through those organs. One cannot restrain the nature from coming in form of reactions but if the doer (who is actually not doer) does not identify itself with body it can avoid attachment to the act of body. Reality is that only a witness of action involves itself with the fruits and deeds of nature consisting of mind, senses, body, and instincts and so on.

This identification is bondage.

As soon as reality of Material nature, Eternal nature of Supreme Self dawns upon the seeker, taste for sense gratification subsides.

Due to development of higher taste of devotion to Lord Krishna increases day by day.

To him this is not an ordinary happiness; rather it is transcendental happiness; well beyond the reach of sense objects; it is realization of self.
The inclination to enjoy a sense objects is contacted with one’s being conditioned to certain acts out of ego. This urge remains in mind in form of ego, which further involves mind set followed by the self soul to act in the material world full of distress and misery. As long this ego and desire for material enjoyment subsists, the transcendental progress does not take off.

Mind, intellect and senses orgasm is a strong set up of material nature that once the eternal self soul comes in their contact it identifies itself with this set up so deeply that its separation becomes impossible.

Yatato hiapi kontey purushach vipashchitah I

Indraiyani parmathini haranti parasabham manah II (2.60)

The agitating senses forcibly over power the mind of yogi having complete knowledge of discrimination.

Lord Krishna is stressing the importance of regulation of relation of senses with sense objects. While in material world embodied self soul can not remain without action. To maintain body one has to eat, but eating the vegetarian food only to nourish body is a necessity. Such is a case for all other senses.
Vedic scriptures have made regulations for the senses and sense objects. One can follow these but devotion to Lord, complete surrender to his lotus feet build up distaste for sense objects and material world. Where there is devotion to eternity, there is a certain aversion to materialism. Senses even overtake great yogis who try to reach the peak of attainment.

Tani sarvarhi sanyamya yuktaeet matparah I

Vashe hi yasyeindriyarhi tasy prgya partishithitah II (2.61)

Lord tells to Arjun to control all his senses and stay devoted to Him. Whose senses are controlled, he is of steady intellect.

But the mercy of Lord Krishna takes the devotee to that point from where he becomes averse to sense enjoyment.


All senses automatically abstaining from their objects and serving the Lord, mind fixed on his lotus feet, ear hearing tales about the pass time of Lord, eyes having spectrum of Lord’s figures, feet traveling to his temple and abode of Lord, nostrils smelling the flowers, leaves surrendered to Lord, his desire to attain the perception of Lord, hand making offerings to Lord, head bowing before Lord in obeisance.
These activities of devotion when become a routine, then the devotee has no moment left to think of senses. But for mere maintenance of one’s body that to serve the Lord and to meditate him, a devotee is blessed with complete control of his senses. Surrender to Lord is of utmost importance as it leads to liberation. Liberation does not mean to going to some other sphere.

It is freedom from attachment of body, mind, intellect, senses and their evolutes. Lord Krishna has used word ‘matparha’ at many places in his eternal message, which means complete surrender of all the above conditioning of self soul.

Dhayayto vishiyanpunsah sangteshuupjayate I

Sangadsanjayate kamah kamatkrodhoabhijayate II


Krodhatbhavati sammoha sammohat smiritivibharamahI

Samiritirbhanshad budhinasho budhinashatparhashayatiII(2.62-63)

Thinking about sense objects, it brings attachment with sense objects, attachment breeds lust, lust results in anger which further leads to delusion, which causes loss of intellect and this leads to fall.

This is brief analysis as to what happens by attaching with sense objects. When one conditioned self soul, out of conditioning to material attachment and sense of enjoyment, contemplates sense objects, it brings about an attachment with them, which results in a chain of desires, desire being remained unfulfilled results in breeding frustration, this frustration brings delusion. Deluded one loses memory; this diminishes intellect, with loss of intellect one again goes to the grip of material nature in three modes.
Identification with material body, the self soul follows the mind set which, out of practice in previous series of bodies (see verse 7, 8 and 9 of chapter 15) contemplates on senses and their objects in material forms. It leads to attachment which develops in lust. When there is some obstruction in fulfillment of lust, it leads to anger. Anger causes frustration, delusion and loss of intellect. All these are materialistic symbols which affect the life of embodied soul. The deeper it identifies with sense objects, deeper it goes to acquire lust, anger, frustration, delusion, and intellect and steep fall in material world.
Forgetting its real self one has been identifying with material nature from the time immemorial. with diversion of all this attachment towards Lord Krishna, one is sure to attain one’s real self.
It is not a material object which can be acquired, but one has to convince one self in mind that this material world is different from spiritual one and one has boarded a wrong plane from which one has to consciously disembark oneself and board an spiritual plane to go to one’s own home. Self soul is different from material body; it is consciousness which is our real self.

This real self has no distress nor does it have any happiness. It is always unaffected by the worldly duals of happiness and distress, heat and cold, desire and aversion, it is a disciplined witness looking at every happening impartially. Neither it involves in any activity nor does it tend to do that activity. it is the mind and intellect which play havoc. The mistake of identification of this real ‘I’ with outer material body, mind, intellect, senses is the real cause of bondage. The process of freedom and bondage are so simple that one can do both within a second. de- identify your self from material nature to be free and bind your self with outer self created by oneself helped to be developed by surroundings in material forms.

ragduveshviyuktestu vishyaniindreyerahscharan I

atamvashayervidheyaatma parsadamadhigachhati II


parsade sarvdukhanam hanirasyoupjayate I

parasanchetsyo heashu budhi paryavtithate II (2.64-65)

But a man of disciplined mind, though moving among the objects of senses, with senses under control, free from likes and dislikes attains tranquility of mind.

With the attainment of such tranquility of mind, all his sorrows come to an end and the intellect of such person of placid mind, soon withdrawing from all sides, becomes firmly established in God.

It is the mind which plays either in material world or in spiritual side. Lord Krishna has repeatedly emphasized surrender of mind unto him. For understanding proper purport of this verse one has to go to following verses in Bhagwad Geeta.



One may not be able to set off the palate of sense objects with their abandonment. With devotion to Lord, one can be able to evolve dispassion for sense gratification.
The vast majority of people remains in illusion and are unfulfilled because they stubbornly hold onto the misconception that they are the center of the universe.
The mad pursuit of material sense gratification is of no use. Even an ant in stone gets its daily needs fulfilled. One requires developing full potential that human form offers to them for attainment of self realization. There is no relation of this self soul but with identification, one creates hoards of relations. These are not only relation with few human beings but even with pets, material property and every aspect of transitory acquisition. Those who would like to throw off the shackles of illusion and realize the absolute truth should seek it with a completely open mind. If they hold on to a preconception of what is the absolute truth, that preconception will distort their vision and prevent them from realizing the absolute truth. their vision of reality will be twisted around their prejudice. so pure and pious objectivity is required. If one is daring enough to throw all prejudices and be prepared to accept whatever he may discover, the absolute truth is revealed to him in due course of time, and he is sure to enter into an eternal life, full of bliss, and full of knowledge. True and simple person do attain the absolute truth by complete surrender to Lord Krishna.

Surrender means surrender of mind, intellect; senses are devoted in service of Lord Krishna.


All actions surrendered to him, love, anger, ego, pride too diverted to him.

What one actually does is love, anger, ego, and false pride is toned to actions purporting to sense gratification.

This is a change which one has to be made.

Vihaye kamanayah

sarvanpumanshcharti nisprihah i

nirmamo nirahankarah

sa shantimadhigachhati ii (2.71)


Leaving all desires, a person acts selflessly, without any sense of possession, egoless, he attains perfect peace.

This verse is the crux of this entire text. How one can become desire less. As stated previously by the Lord Krishna, one when tries to force desire less ness, he rather entangles himself in mere frustration. But when attachment and identification to actions are diverted t to Lord Krishna, one tends to liberate himself from the bondage of transmigration.
In Kathopnishada Lord Yama tries to dissuade Nachiketa from seeking wisdom for self realization by offering him many attractive material prosperities, in form of untoward longer life, company of goddesses, large family with unending money but Nachiketa does budge from his vow to know secret of self.

Yama praises his material sacrifice in valli 2 verse:
Sa tuvam piryan priyroopanshch

kamanabhidhayannachiketosrakshi I

Netamsrikaam vittmayiavapto

Yasyam majjanti bahvo manushayah II (2.3)

Oh Nachiketa! Knowing the transient nature, you have renounced desire for sons and company of goddesses, large family with unending money wherein many human beings have drowned

When a person frees himself from desires, has no sense of proprietorship of material belongings, body, mind, intellect, senses and sense objects, he feels the peace of mind within himself.
Lord Krishna says in chapter four that a Karamyogi while undergoing the reactions of past deeds does acts without attachment and desire for their fruits. Such a Yogi does not invite bondage:

Yadidrchhalabhsantushto dvandvatito vimatsarah I

Samah sidhavsidho ch kritvaapi na nibadhyate II (4.22)


The Karamyogi, who is content with whatever he gets without effort, free from jealousy, has transcended all opposites like pleasure and pain, joy and grief and is same in success and failure, is not bound by action.

The yogi, who acts without attachment, is satisfied with whatever he gets without any desire and efforts. He who is free from envoy, jealousy and has transcended all opposites like loss and gain, pain and pleasure, joy and grief, hot and cold, friend and foe, desire and detachment , same in success and failure, though doing acts, is not bound by actions.

In chapter 9 Lord Krishna says:

Yatkroshi yadashnasi yajjuhosh i dadasi yat I
Yattapsaysi kontey tatkurushav madarparham II

Shubhashubhamfalrevam mokshayse karambhandhane I
Sanyasyog yuktaatma vimukto mamupeshayasi II (9.27-28)


Arjun! Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer all to me.

Mind thus established in renunciation of all actions , you will be freed from the bonds of karma in the shape of good and evil effects and freed from them you shall attain me.

All work is subject to change. Soul seated in a particular embodiment having been attached with, what the mind, intellect, senses acquires sense objects for senses gratification. It identifies with embodiment. One eats to attain satisfaction and health but if this exercise of eating is done with a purpose to keep body in perfect shape so that it could meditate on the Lord, this becomes devotion. one with satvica leaning ,one makes sacrifices with a purpose to attain liberation and if has some interested motive, it may do that with a purpose to go to heaven, and some time he gives alms, and also takes a recourse to penance to get rid of worldly misfortunes,
Lord says whatever good or bad is done it should be surrendered unto me. By doing so, embodied soul shall be free from the bondage of fruits of actions. These bodies are essentially resulting of past deeds done by senses in embodiment to undergo them for liberating the self soul. This is the reason Lord Krishna says that whatever pious or impure acts one has to do under the impact of nature, one should surrender them to Lord Krishna for liberation of soul.
Attachment with actions, desires of fruit, pushes self in association with qualities of nature, into worldly pit and bitten by the non- stop time snake, it again indulges in same action and desires, their satisfaction, All again resulting in transmigration.
If one surrenders all deeds to Lord and keeps itself unattached, it slowly and slowly develops infatuation towards \Lord.
Giving up riches, enjoyment and happiness for the sake of Lord, making sacrifices, gifts, and penance to Lord ascertains detachment of self soul from them, which ultimately releases soul from bondage.
Lord Krishna has guaranteed liberation to self soul who is:

yatendriyamanobudhirmunirmokshparayarhah I
vigatechhabhayakrodho ya sada mukta ev ch II ( 5.28)

Yogi who has brought his senses, mind and intellect under control and is free from desire, fear and anger is ever liberated.

Yogi whose mind, senses and intellect are under control he is liberated one while staying in embodiment for the period prescribed to life. This is called ‘Jeevan Mukti’

Karamyogi does all natural acts without any desire for fruits. Such a yogi same in success or failure does not bound itself.

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