Journey of the Spiritual Soul

      Spiritual journey for man is long and arduous. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord has outlined a simple and straightforward path without too many complex or complicated rituals or tantras (techniques). Spiritual values are clearly defined, and the desire for fruit of action is adjudged as an obstacle on this journey.

“Knowledge is better than ritual practices. Meditation is better than the knowledge. But the renunciation of the fruit of action is most superior. Peace immediately comes with the renunciation.”
—Chapter 12, verse 12
The Lord has once again inspired us to renounce and detach from the fruit of action. In simple words, it means that we must not build expectations for our actions. We may instead perform our actions as a part of our spiritual duty, as acts of righteousness and acts of goodness and virtue. The science of modern psychiatry has hailed this view of Hindu philosophy—that expectations are indeed the cause of most mental and emotional stresses. Detachment from these expectations, on the other hand, ushers peace and bliss.

“He who has no ill will to any being who is friendly and compassionate, free from egoism and attachment, even minded in pain and in pleasure, and forgiving.”
—Chapter 12, verse 13
If we love God with all our heart, see Him in all beings, and do not worry about the rewards thereof, we shall usher peace and joy in our life.

“The jiva (soul) in the body is an eternal portion of Myself. Seated in the prakrti, it attracts the (five) senses, the mind being sixth.”
—Chapter 15, verse 7
“When jiva (soul) takes up a (new) body and when it leaves it, it leaves taking these (senses and mind as gunas), as the wind carries the scent from their places.’
—Chapter 15, verse 8
In the two verses above is a new idea that the soul, or atman, transmigrates along with the mind and senses from the previous birth. Only the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether (space) —are left behind as the dead body.

“Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfast in the divine knowledge, charity, self-restraint, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, honesty, and integrity—these are the divine virtues of the spiritual person.”
—Chapter 16, verse 1
“Nonviolence, harmlessness, absence of anger, renunciation, equanimity, abstinence of malicious talk, compassion, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness.”
—Chapter 16, verse 2
“Splendor, forgiveness, courage, cleanliness, purity, absence of animosity, freedom from vanity—these are all some more qualities of the person endowed with divinity.”
—Chapter 16, verse 3
Thus, Hindu philosophy has offered a long list of moral and spiritual values for mankind in these most precious verses of the Bhagavad Gita. One is directed by the Lord to adapt theses spiritual virtues and not be concerned with the fruits of actions. The Bhagavad Gita has been hailed all around the world as the torchbearer of spiritual virtues.

“The demonic do things they should avoid and avoid the things that they should do. They have no sense of uprightness, purity, or truth.”
“’There is no God’, they say, ‘no truth, no spiritual law, no moral order. The basis of life is sex; what else can it be?’ Holding such distorted views, possessing scant discrimination, they become enemies of the world, causing suffering and destruction.”
—Chapter 16, verses 7–9
The Lord has depicted a plain and straightforward view of the persons of vice and sin. In the above verse, the philosophy of materialism has been denounced in favor of the scriptural teachings of living by the divine virtues.

“Those men who practice austere penance not sanctioned by scriptures are given to hypocrisy and egoism, impelled by the force of lust, power, and attachment.”
—Chapter 17, verse 5
Here, there is a clear disapproval of severe physical tortures and austerities practiced by some in the name of spiritual sadhana. The essential concept of austerity is to refine our conduct toward divinity by keeping vigil on our thoughts, words, and deeds at all times.

“The foods which promote longevity, purity, strength, health, happiness, and cheerfulness are juicy, oleaginous, substantial, agreeable, and are dear to sattvic people.”
—Chapter 17, verse 8
Food has been given the highest importance in Hindu culture. It is the sattvic foods that lead to the sattvic nature and, finally, to spiritual attainment.

“Men of learning say that all action is evil and as such should be abandoned, while others declare that acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance should not be given up.”
—Chapter 18, verse 3
In this last chapter of the Gita, the Lord once again explains the philosophy of work. Acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance are promoted as necessary acts of life. These may not be given up. Only by performing such acts do we become pure and move toward the godhead.

“The happiness, which may be like poison in the beginning and like nectar in the end, born of blissful knowledge of the Self, that happiness is sattvic.”
—Chapter 18, verse 37
The Lord again narrates the ancient Upanishad teaching. We may not be tempted by what appears sweet in the beginning, nor may we reject that which is bitter. The material and sensual rewards often appear tempting and attractive in the beginning. The joy and bliss of the spiritual and virtuous deeds are more important.

“That pleasure, which is derived from the contact of the senses with their objects, at first is like nectar but is poison in the end, such happiness is said to be rajasic.”
—Chapter 18, verse 38
We are only too familiar with sensual gratifications that bring the sensation of sweet pleasures in the beginning but which often lead us to disease and destruction.

“That happiness which deludes the soul in the beginning and in the end, which is born from sleep, sloth, and heedlessness, that is declared as tamasic.”
—Chapter 18, verse 39
Sloth, laziness, and carelessness are considered as the worst qualities of man.

 Both in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, war became inevitable and was permitted in Hindu theology. The war, however, was conducted under the direct supervision of the Divine. The Divine is symbolic of higher consciousness and spiritual virtue. The war became a weapon to uphold righteousness and to confront and stall wickedness; it was not intended as a means to get justice or revenge. War outside spiritual virtue had no sanction in the Hindu pantheon.
 Later in the period of Mahavira and Buddha, the issue of nonviolence (ahimsa) again occupied the attention of the sages. We shall witness the evolutionary patterns that emerged in that era.

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