“The baffled soul under the influence of a duality of desire and hate as it acts, albeit unmoved, himself the doer of action that is in truth activated by nature.”

Context of the Verse:

            Like Lord Krishna does, you expound on the relative levels of how action happens. He presents the idea that prakriti (material nature) and the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) are the actual doers. They fall under the category of spiritually ignorant people who cannot associate with the truth of their being and think mistakenly that their consciousness is conducting under their own agency. This confusion gives rise to clinging and suffering. It is in line with Karma Yoga which condition us to be detached from the sense of “I am the doer” which shifts the perception to see ourselves as an instrument of the hands of the Divine or nature.

Key Teachings in This Verse:

• Prakriti and Guṇas are the Forces Moving the World: The only reason the world moves is because of the nature’s qualities, not the soul.
• Sensation Of Being Doer: How ego(Ahankara) portrays the false identity of a doer [independent to any divine source].
• Worship: A wise one knows they are not the doer, rather a witness or a tool.
• A Rational Approach to Your Liberation: When you detach yourself from the ego-doership illusion, you attain freedom.

Relevance to Arjuna:

The burden of destruction and death that such battles cause overcomes Arjuna. Krishna clarifies:

• The doer is not Arjuna; actions happen when prakriti operates in Arjuna.
• Arjuna must drop the ego and do right action born of knowledge and duty and not out of selfishness or ego.
• Regarded as an instrument of dharma, Arjuna is free of guilt and attachment to the act of fighting.

Explanation:

            So, this very important words again. It is tolled here, please again read this verse very carefully. Verse number 27 of this 3rd chapter.

             ‘Prakriti” nature is doing everything by the 3 modes of nature, and these are Sattva Guna, Rajo Guna and Tamo Guna. But Muda means foolish, Bemuda means especially foolish. Especially foolish living entities What do they think out of false ego? False ego means, as we discussed, because of this energy we think I am the body. So in this false ego, I am this body. They think I am the doer also. I am the doer, In this way they think. So this is ignorant. We are helpless, almost like puppets in human life. We have got some freedom otherwise in all other lower species, non-human species, animals, reptiles birds, bees. We are just like puppets. We are completely controlled by the modes of nature. As we can see, the animals cannot change their behaviors. The dog will eat in a certain way, will sleep in a certain way, will mate in a certain way, and so do other animals and plants also.

            But human being can change and he should change for good. Unfortunately, we are changing for the worse. We are becoming animal like. Non regulated in our activities, regulation control means human. No control means animals. So this freedom is given so that we can further move up the evolution ladder, get more sattvic bodies. If not, we are able to liberate ourselves. But unfortunately, in today’s civilization, do whatever you want. This life is all in all, there is no next life. So, person becomes very eager to enjoy senses like animals because. He will die very soon and eventually becomes an animal in the next life. So thus nature is doing everything. We are not the doers. In human form of life, we have got certain freedom. But in human form of life also we are almost very much forced, ‘Abasha’ we are passive actors.

            If you have got body of a man, if you are in Ahankar, we will get attracted to women. I think Oh I am choosing a woman. No Sir. You are being forced to choose a woman. Similarly, woman is forced to choose a man helplessly. Mind body gets attracted. And then there is hunger you are forced to eat, forced to work. Then nature makes you believe, because of this energy, because of Rajo Guna and Tamo Guna person thinks I am the body. Now you want name and fame in society, forced to do certain kind of activity. If you have got certain modes of nature, mix of Rajo Guna and Tamo Guna. You will be doing the task of a farmer, businessman, a trader. If you have got Rajo Guna predominantly you will be doing the task of administration, you will be Kshatriya a warrior. If you have got Sattva Guna, you will be doing the task of Brahmana as per the qualities that we have. If we have got Tamsick mode of nature, then you will be doing Shudra work or less than that. As per the quality is helplessly, we think we behave psychology, Physiology is under control of nature. How the body is acting, how the food is getting digested? Nothing is in our control. Unfortunately, we think I am the doer. No nature is doing it is natures plan, just like the government decides. Now we want to make a road here. So the Mason and the Labourer cannot tell I have made the road, engineer cannot tell I have made the road. Government may tell government made the road they are acting as instruments. If engineer tells I will not make the road, Labourer tells I will not work on the field. Will the road not be made? Road will still be made, so the action is being done by government.

            And we can choose to wear similarly, action is being done by Prakriti. We are thinking I am doing benefit to some living entities. I am causing harm to other living and no, we cannot do anything. If harm has to happen, benefit has to happen that happens as per the individual karma of the living entities. We may become instrument. If money order has to go to somebody the postman earlier, this digital transactions were not there before. So postman will carry money. So anybody can choose to act as postman and he can carry money order, but the postman cannot supply money to anybody. So we should not think oh, I am dependent on my boss to give me money. I am dependent on somebody to give me, you know, if money is in Destiny, money will come by Ways and Means we should just do a regulated work, that is it.

            By working hard, we will not be able to increase our Opulence. You might be able to accumulate for some time, but that money will go away either by disease, theft, robbery, or our relatives will enjoy, but we will not be able to enjoy even by accumulation. If I think of these living entities are dependent on me for maintenance. No Prakriti nature is maintaining under supervision of Krishna.

            We may choose to act as instrument. If you do your duty nicely to maintain, your family Members will be rewarded. If you do not do your duty nicely, you will be punished. If a civil engineer, he is not now doing his task nicely, he’ll be punished. If he does nicely, he’ll be rewarded, promoted. But he is not the doer. In a similar fashion, we should understand I am simply an instrument. The work will happen. Harm will happen, good will happen to people. So that is why a living entity saves time from material activities. Yes, we do maintain people, we maintain our family, we maintain everybody. But for ultimate elevation to Krishna consciousness.

            Unnecessary we don’t take anxiety to solve the problem supply because we cannot solve it. Problems will come as per destiny. So we do regulated work, try to solve problems as far as possible. But we should understand it is happening as per the nature. We are simply an instrument. So our focus should be to alleviate Krishna consciousness of my own self and that of my family members and society and nation. This is the prime motto of work for a spiritualist.