Changes

In this verse Arjuna asks in order to know what the characteristic attributes of a man of steady Knowledge (sthitaprajna) are. In this adhyaya, the characteristics of a sthitaprajna, whether he arrived at this state through the course of Knowledge (Jnana-yoga nishta) by renunciation of all karmas, or through the course of Karma (Karma yoga) are described. These are characteristic attributes are the means to attain that state, since they are to be attained by effort.<ref name=":1" />  

In this verse Arjuna asks in order to know what the characteristic attributes of a man of steady Knowledge (sthitaprajna) are. In this adhyaya, the characteristics of a sthitaprajna, whether he arrived at this state through the course of Knowledge (Jnana-yoga nishta) by renunciation of all karmas, or through the course of Karma (Karma yoga) are described. These are characteristic attributes are the means to attain that state, since they are to be attained by effort.<ref name=":1" />  

*'''कामान्त्यजति''' '''। Abandons desires:''' A man, satisfied in the Self alone by himself, completely casts off all the desires of the mind. (Bhag. Gita. 2.55)

*'''आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः ।''' '''Content in Self''': A man, satisfied in the Self alone by himself, completely casts off all the desires of the mind. When a man completely abandons all the various desires that enter the heart and is satisfied with the True Innermost Self (Pratyagatman) in himself, without longing for external possessions, averse to everything else because of his acquisition of the immortal nectar, -i.e., his realisation of the Supreme Truth, - then he is said to be one in whom the knowledge arising from the discrimination of the Self and the not-Self has been steadied. (Bhag. Gita. 2.55)

*'''आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः ।''' '''Content in Self''': When a man completely abandons all the various desires that enter the heart and is satisfied with the True Innermost Self (Pratyagatman) in himself, without longing for external possessions, averse to everything else because of his acquisition of the immortal nectar, -i.e., his realisation of the Supreme Truth, - then he is said to be one in whom the knowledge arising from the discrimination of the Self and the not-Self has been steadied. (Bhag. Gita. 2.55)

*अनुद्विग्नमनाः  

*'''अनुद्विग्नमनाः, विगतस्पृहः''' '''वीतरागभयक्रोधः । Free from Emotions''': He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all longing for pleasures has departed, who is free from attachment, fear and anger, he is called a muni, a man of steady knowledge. ,  (Bhag. Gita. 2.56, 57)

*विगतस्पृहः

*'''सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहः । Detachment:''' He is without attachment anywhere even though he moves about in the world. (Bhag. Gita. 2.57)

*'''वीतरागभयक्रोधः । Free from Emotions''': He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all longing for pleasures has departed, who is free from attachment, fear and anger, he is called a muni, a man of steady knowledge. He is without attachment anywhere, and neither rejoices nor hates. (Bhag. Gita. 2.56, 57)

*'''शुभाशुभम् नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टिः । Equanimity:''' A Jnani neither rejoices on meeting with anything good (auspicious) nor hates anything which is not good. (Bhag. Gita. 2.57)

*सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहः

*'''इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः संहरते । Withdrawal of senses from Sense-organs''': He who completely withdraws the senses from sense-objects, as the tortoise (withdraws) its limbs from all sides, his knowledge is steady. Withdrawal of the senses is due to disinterest in external objects (developed due to austerity) thereby even the subtle sense of taste, inclination (Rasa) or subtle attachment vanishes in the case of one who experiences Brahman. (Bhag. Gita. 2.58).<ref name=":1" />

*शुभाशुभम् नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टिः

*'''विषय-विनिवर्तनम्''' '''। Withdrawal of senses from External Objects:''' He who seeks prajna should seek to rein in and control the sense-organs for they agitate the mind. The subtle senses which act even though the mind is withdrawn still creates the longing. This longing also leaves the seeker on experiencing the Brahman.  (Bhag. Gita. 2.59).

*'''इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः संहरते । Withdrawal from External Objects''': He who completely withdraws the senses from sense-objects, as the tortoise (withdraws) its limbs from all sides, his knowledge is steady. Withdrawal of the senses is due to disinterest in external objects (developed due to austerity) thereby even the subtle sense of taste, inclination (Rasa) or subtle attachment vanishes in the case of one who experiences Brahman. He who seeks prajna should seek to rein and control the sense-organs for they agitate the mind (Bhag. Gita. 2.58 - 61).<ref name=":1" />

*

*

* '''निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः। Free from bondage of [[Karma (कर्म)|Karma]]''': Once the realization dawns that "I am Brahman," a jiva becomes free from Avidya; additionally he is also freed from anything that is born of that Avidya, namely ajnana. Every human being is born with and thus inherently has the ajnana of believing the body itself as Atman. The first thing born of ajnana is kartrtva, doer-ship, and when there is a doer-ship, there is also enjoyer-ship. As a karta, the doer, must also take the consequences of his karma, thus he is the karma-phala-bhokta, the reaper of the results of action. The one who sows, reaps. These results are different types of punya and papa. The Jivanmukta is free from Avidya, and therefore, from doer-ship and enjoyer-ship. He is no longer attached to any action (Karmabandha) he has done. Karmas are many, accumulated from the past janmas and there is no freedom from karma or action itself, what we can freed ourselves is the Karmabandha, freedom from Kartrtva or doer-ship. Atman has no kartrtvam, therefore anyone who has realized this becomes free from Kartrtvam.

* '''निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः। Free from bondage of [[Karma (कर्म)|Karma]]''': Once the realization dawns that "I am Brahman," a jiva becomes free from Avidya; additionally he is also freed from anything that is born of that Avidya, namely ajnana. Every human being is born with and thus inherently has the ajnana of believing the body itself as Atman. The first thing born of ajnana is kartrtva, doer-ship, and when there is a doer-ship, there is also enjoyer-ship. As a karta, the doer, must also take the consequences of his karma, thus he is the karma-phala-bhokta, the reaper of the results of action. The one who sows, reaps. These results are different types of punya and papa. The Jivanmukta is free from Avidya, and therefore, from doer-ship and enjoyer-ship. He is no longer attached to any action (Karmabandha) he has done. Karmas are many, accumulated from the past janmas and there is no freedom from karma or action itself, what we can freed ourselves is the Karmabandha, freedom from Kartrtva or doer-ship. Atman has no kartrtvam, therefore anyone who has realized this becomes free from Kartrtvam.

== What happens to Jivanmukta's Karma? ==

== What happens to Jivanmukta's Karma? ==

Long time ago there used to live a king named Bharata, (Ajanabha), the son of Rishabha. He led a pious life and duly discharged the duty of performing all the required dharmik activities. After dividing all the hereditary fortune, he retired to a life of recluse in Salagramakshetra on the banks of river Gandaki. Bharata was rid of all craving for the pleasures of sense and, developing (great) tranquility of mind, derived supreme gratification. Once Bharata went to bathe in a river. A deer had also come to drink water there. While the deer was drinking water, there was the terrible roar of a lion. The deer gave a frightened leap and gave an untimely birth. The baby fell into the river. The mother deer died as a result of the leap. But Bharata rescued the baby deer from the water and raised it in his ashrama (hermitage). Soon he grew attached to the deer and forgot everything else. He had given up his kingdom, his sons, and his friends and forgotten them all. But he could not forget the deer. <ref name=":4">https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-vishnu-purana/d/doc57597.html</ref>

Long time ago there used to live a king named Bharata, (Ajanabha), the son of Rishabha. He led a pious life and duly discharged the duty of performing all the required dharmik activities. After dividing all the hereditary fortune, he retired to a life of recluse in Salagramakshetra on the banks of river Gandaki. Bharata was rid of all craving for the pleasures of sense and, developing (great) tranquility of mind, derived supreme gratification. Once Bharata went to bathe in a river. A deer had also come to drink water there. While the deer was drinking water, there was the terrible roar of a lion. The deer gave a frightened leap and gave an untimely birth. The baby fell into the river. The mother deer died as a result of the leap. But Bharata rescued the baby deer from the water and raised it in his ashrama (hermitage). Soon he grew attached to the deer and forgot everything else. He had given up his kingdom, his sons, and his friends and forgotten them all. But he could not forget the deer. <ref name=":4">https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-vishnu-purana/d/doc57597.html</ref>

Having become deeply attached to the deer, Bharata died watching the deer and thinking of it. Since he thought of the deer while dying, he was born as a deer in his next life. The only difference was that he was born as a '''jatismara deer''', that is, a deer that remembered the incidents of its past life. As a deer, Bharata left his mother and came again to Salagramakshetra because he remembered his old place. He lived on dry leaves and dry grass and lamented as he strayed from the path to realize the Atman due to attachment.  

Having become deeply attached to the deer, Bharata died watching the deer and thinking of it. Since he thought of the deer while dying, he was born as a deer in his next life. The only difference was that he was born as a '''jatismara deer''', that is, a deer that remembered the incidents of its past life. As a deer, Bharata left his mother and came again to Salagramakshetra because he remembered his old place. He lived on dry leaves and dry grass and lamented as he strayed from the path to realize the Atman due to attachment. <blockquote>अहो कष्टं भ्रष्टोऽहमात्मवतामनुपथाद्यद्विमुक्तसमस्तसङ्गस्य विवि-क्तपुण्यारण्यशरणस्यात्मवत आत्मनि सर्वेषामात्मनां भगवति वासुदेवे तदनुश्रवणमननसङ्कीर्तनाराधनानुस्मरणाभियोगेनाशून्यसकलयामेन कालेन समावेशितं समाहितं कार्त्स्न्येन मनस्तत्तु पुनर्ममाबुधस्यारान्मृगसुतमनु परिसुस्राव २९ (Bhag. Pura. 5.29)<ref>Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AE Skanda 5 Adhyaya 8])</ref></blockquote>After he left his beastly form, Bharata was reborn the second time as a '''jatismara brahmana'''. <blockquote>तत्रापि स्वजनसङ्गाच्च भृशमुद्विजमानो भगवतः कर्मबन्धविध्वंसनश्रवणस्मरणगुणविवरणचरणारविन्दयुगलं मनसा विदधदात्मनः प्रतिघातमाशङ्कमानो भगवदनुग्रहेणानुस्मृतस्वपूर्वजन्मावलिरात्मानमुन्मत्तजडान्धबधिरस्वरूपेण दर्शयामास लोकस्य २ (Bhag. Pura. 6.2)<ref name=":5">Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AF Skanda 5 Adhyaya 9])</ref></blockquote>In this life he was truly learned, well versed in all the shastras. Since he had attained the supreme knowledge, he saw no point in reading the Vedas or in doing work. Apprehending his fall through attachment to his people in the previous incarnation  and (therefore) terribly afraid of such attachment, he kept to himself and spoke little, only when he had to. He showed himself to the world as an insane, stupid, blind and deaf fellow, clasping firmly with his mind the divine feet of Shri Mahavishnu at all times. He roamed about like a bull, barebodied alike in heat and cold (शीतोष्णवातवर्षेषु वृष),<ref name=":5" /> his body was dirty, his clothes were filthy, he rarely ever interacted with people, ate whatever was given/available, spent time within himself and moved very slowly. Because of this, he was called JadaBharata and people treated him badly.<ref name=":4" />

 

अहो कष्टं भ्रष्टोऽहमात्मवतामनुपथाद्यद्विमुक्तसमस्तसङ्गस्य विवि-क्तपुण्यारण्यशरणस्यात्मवत आत्मनि सर्वेषामात्मनां भगवति वासुदेवे तदनुश्रवणमननसङ्कीर्तनाराधनानुस्मरणाभियोगेनाशून्यसकलयामेन कालेन समावेशितं समाहितं कार्त्स्न्येन मनस्तत्तु पुनर्ममाबुधस्यारान्मृगसुतमनु परिसुस्राव २९ (Bhag. Pura. 5.29)<ref>Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AE Skanda 5 Adhyaya 8])</ref>

 

After he left his beastly form, Bharata was reborn the second time as a '''jatismara brahmana'''.  

 

तत्रापि स्वजनसङ्गाच्च भृशमुद्विजमानो भगवतः कर्मबन्धविध्वंसनश्रवणस्मरणगुणविवरणचरणारविन्दयुगलं मनसा विदधदात्मनः प्रतिघातमाशङ्कमानो भगवदनुग्रहेणानुस्मृतस्वपूर्वजन्मावलिरात्मानमुन्मत्तजडान्धबधिरस्वरूपेण दर्शयामास लोकस्य २ (Bhag. Pura. 6.2)<ref name=":5">Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AF Skanda 5 Adhyaya 9])</ref>

 

In this life he was truly learned, well versed in all the shastras. Since he had attained the supreme knowledge, he saw no point in reading the Vedas or in doing work. Apprehending his fall through attachment to his people in the previous incarnation  and (therefore) terribly afraid of such attachment, he kept to himself and spoke little, only when he had to. He showed himself to the world as an insane, stupid, blind and deaf fellow, clasping firmly with his mind the divine feet of Shri Mahavishnu at all times. He roamed about like a bull, barebodied alike in heat and cold (शीतोष्णवातवर्षेषु वृष),<ref name=":5" /> his body was dirty, his clothes were filthy, he rarely ever interacted with people, ate whatever was given/available, spent time within himself and moved very slowly. Because of this, he was called JadaBharata and people treated him badly.<ref name=":4" />

One day, the King of Soubira wanted to go on a palanquin to learn words of wisdom from Kapila Maharshi. The servant of the king looked around for palanquin-bearers and found Bharata. So Bharata bore the palanquin along with the other bearers without any questions. But being a jnani, he was trying to avoid the ants and creatures on the ground. He was walking slowly and this process caused an imbalance of the palanquin. Annoyed at the way his palanquin was being tossed about, the king called out to find the wrong-doer. “What is wrong?” Asked the king of Bharata, “Haven’t you borne the palanquin only for a little while? How is it that you are tired? Can’t you bear a little burden? You look quite strong to me.” Bharata’s answer was this. “Who am I and who are you? What you have seen is only my body and your body. I am not my body and nor are your your body. Our atmans or souls are what we really are. My atman is not strong or tired, nor is it carrying your palanquin upon its shoulders.” Having said this, Bharata was quiet again. But the king got down from the palanquin and fell at his feet. He wanted to know who Bharata really was, for such words of wisdom do not come from an ordinary man. Bharata then told him the truth about the atman and enlightened the King.<ref name=":4" /><ref>''Shrimad Bhagavata Purana'' by Gita Press, Gorakhpur (Page 464 - 478)</ref>

One day, the King of Soubira wanted to go on a palanquin to learn words of wisdom from Kapila Maharshi. The servant of the king looked around for palanquin-bearers and found Bharata. So Bharata bore the palanquin along with the other bearers without any questions. But being a jnani, he was trying to avoid the ants and creatures on the ground. He was walking slowly and this process caused an imbalance of the palanquin. Annoyed at the way his palanquin was being tossed about, the king called out to find the wrong-doer. “What is wrong?” Asked the king of Bharata, “Haven’t you borne the palanquin only for a little while? How is it that you are tired? Can’t you bear a little burden? You look quite strong to me.” Bharata’s answer was this. “Who am I and who are you? What you have seen is only my body and your body. I am not my body and nor are your your body. Our atmans or souls are what we really are. My atman is not strong or tired, nor is it carrying your palanquin upon its shoulders.” Having said this, Bharata was quiet again. But the king got down from the palanquin and fell at his feet. He wanted to know who Bharata really was, for such words of wisdom do not come from an ordinary man. Bharata then told him the truth about the atman and enlightened the King.<ref name=":4" /><ref>''Shrimad Bhagavata Purana'' by Gita Press, Gorakhpur (Page 464 - 478)</ref>