BG4.15

We are at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. In south, we cal it as Vada [North] Mathura to distinguish from Madurai in Tamilnadu. We are at the spot where Sri Krishna was born. The pond near this place is called Pothra kundam. Pavithra [Sacred] has got mutilated as Pothra. When Vasudeva and Devaki were imprisoned, they used this pond for their needs. There is a Gopuram [tower] marking the Sri Krishna Janma bhoomi. Sri Krishna's birth was wonderful and He was born with four arms, with weapons and ornaments. He is not obliged to be born like us and He chooses the parents. We are the ones born in this jail of samsaram. Just as a supervisor of prisons can not be deemed to be a prisoner merely he is also in prison to inspect, Sri Krishna appeared in jail does not mean He was born as a prisoner and He appeared at His will. He took avatar to redeem us. Karmas of the past do not bind Him. He creates all and decides independently when and where to be born. He created all but He never discriminated as to who was higher or lower than others. We will see the 14th sloka:

na mam karmani limpanti
na me karma-phale sprha
iti mam yo ’bhijanati
karmabhir na sa badhyate

"There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work."

Karma will never bind Me [Sri Krishna]. Mam = me, karmani = actions, na limpanti = will not bind . Here karmani implies creation, sustaining and destroying. Me = to me, karma phale= the result or fruit of the creation, na sprha = not desired. Iti = thus, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], yo = that Karma yogi, abhijanati = understands well, karmabhi = karmas which oppose his starting to practice Karma yoga, sa = he, na badyate = will not be bound. A karma yogi has to understand thus [ iti]. This word iti is potent with lots of meanings. This answers a normal complaint against God. He says that the discrimination of who is higher or lower, arising in the creations, can not be attributed to the Lord. In the last sloka He said that He divided His creations into four divisions but further adds that He did not divide. We are confused and think the statements are contradictory. This confusion is resolved in this sloka. We find rich and poor. The poor could think why he was created poor and why all are not created equal? He now says that He is responsible for the creation but not for the high - low feeling. We can understand this with an analogy. Land is common to all vegetation. Why weeds grow? Why not only the plants we need? We can never accuse land being responsible for the growth of unwanted plants. Similarly, Sri Krishna is responsible for all creation. But there are specific reasons attributable for individual growth. Mango tree grew not only because of land, but because of specific mango seed was sown. Similarly for all plants including the unwanted ones. Land is impartial to all, for both desired and unwanted plants. Likewise God is the common factor for all creations. But one's past karma is the specific reason. We also accuse God that since there are differences in creation, He possesses vaishamyam and nairdhrunyam. Sage Veda Vyasa, who made the Bramha soothram or maxims on the teachings of Veda, says in one maxim: vaishamya nairdhrunyena sthapekshtwat. He says that God can not be attributed with vaishamyam and nairdhrunyam, as anticipated. Vaishamyam is discrimination of high and low. He is impartial. High and low is mischief. He has no mischievous intention. Nairdhrunyam is lack of mercy or pitiless. He possesses enormous mercy and wants all to come up in life. Because of benevolence only, He created this world, created seers and other great persons to advice and correct our lives. A farmer can not be blamed if a particular seed was bad. Veda Vyasa adds one word in the maxim, sthapekshatwat or as anticipated. According to the papa/punya one does, one anticipates the ups and downs in this life or future births. So we can only blame ourselves for the ups and downs and can not attribute these to God saying He is mischievous or He is not compassionate. But this also may lead one to a wrong conclusion that one is responsible for the ups and downs based on karma, and so one is independent and God has no place. We may think that either say that all are due to God or all are by us based on our karma alone. How for good things God is made responsible and for bad we are held responsible? This question is justified. A farmer toils hard but if due to bad seeds he does not reap well, none blames the farmer. In fact, people pity on him that his efforts were wasted. Similarly, God has created all good things common to all impartially. If one chooses the bad things and gathers papa, God can not be held responsible and He will also feel bad that one has missed the opportunity. Then we may ask, if that is so, does not He have the capacity to remove the papa from us? Yes, He has, provided we surrender unto Him and seek asylum. Surely then He will remove our anxiety and redeem us. we should realize that the creations are all for our use and He is not affected or benefited by these. He has alraedy told that He has no desires to be fulfilled. If this truth is well understood, that is God created all , but the discrimination can not be attributed to Him, that practicing Karma yoga with this thought will destroy the papa/ punya and seeking refuge in Him will redeem us, then our karma will not affect us.

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