GITA 3.18

GITA 3.18

We are now in Tirupper Nagar, which is one of the important Kshetrams of Chola region. It is also called Koyiladi. 

Alwars have praised this place as Tirupper Nagar. But Appakkudatthan is a familiar name. The Lord here, is in reclining pose, on the banks of Kaveri. The Lord is known as Sri Appala Rangan. Aadi Rangam, Appala Rangam, Madya Rangam, etc., are Ranga Kshetrams on the banks of Kaveri. Sri Rangapattanam, in Karnataka, is regarded as Aadi Rangam. Next is Appala Rangam. Further East, we get Sriranam, reagarded as Madya Rangam, where the Lord is Sri Kasturi Rangan. If we proceed further East, we get Tiruvindalur, where the Lord is Sri Parimala Rangan. Before this place, we come across Kumbakonam, where the Lord is Sri Aaravamudan. In all these Five places, the Lord is in Reclining pose and is on the banks of Kaveri. 

We will now see the 18th sloka of Chapter III of Gita:

naiva tasya krtenartho
nakrteneha kascana
na casya sarva-bhutesu

kascid artha-vyapasrayah

A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.

"A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being."

In sloka 17, we observed that a person, having got Atman sakshatkaram, need not do anything. In continuation, the Lord is stating the same concept. A person having achieved atman darshan, is to do no more to have atman darshan. He does not incur any sin by not doing anything. He is attached to atman, and Arjuna is not in that stage, Sri Krishna says in sloka 18. Let us assume a person has not had atman darshan till now, like many. Such person(s), have to necessarily perform Karma yoga. But if by the grace of Lord or by some means, he has atman darshan, then he is not expected to do anything more ,for atman darshan. Naiva = certainly not, tasya = he, who has had atman darshan, krtena = by some of his action, arta= any result. Having reached atman darshan, certainly, he has to do nothing more for that atman darshan. We have reached Koyiladi from Srirangam. Why should we bother to do anything more to reach Koyiladi? Akrtena = (Such a paeron, even if) not doing anything, kascana = he is not to lose anything. In the second half of this sloka, He tells, that such a person, after atman darshan, has no attachments in this life. Sarva-bhuteshu = form everything in life, like relatives, friends, material benefits, etc., vyapasrayah = no desire or satisfaction or happiness is needed. He has no need for anything in this life; he has already got atman sakshatkaram, and so no need to do anything to realize atman darshan; and, he will not incur any sin, by not doing anything. But this is the state of very few people and they are yogis and Kaivalyarti, one who enjoys his own atman. As mentioned earlier, we can divide people in Three categories: Aiswaryarti, Kaivalyarti and Bhagavallabharti. Aiswaryarti wants to enjoy life in this world. He also desires to enjoy swarga or heaven. Kaivalyarti does not like this life or world, and almost reaches upto Viraja river that separates this Universe from Vaikuntam. He has no desire to reach Vaikuntam and enjoy the company of the Lord. They will choose neither this world nor Vaikuntam, but another place, and without a body will be enjoying their own souls. We are not aware of any such persons at present; but in olden days, there were persons, who controlled their organs, and had atman darshan. These persons had no need to do anything. People like sage Sukhacharya, had no need to bathe or follow other duties. Today, many question the need for bathing or wearing religious marks on the forehead or wearing dress in a particular way, etc., to get gyana. True, but we have not attained that stage, to leave all karma! A snake charmer is able to play with deadly snakes. We can not try to imitate him! Arjuna is yet to reach the stage of a person having had atman darshan. So, he can not escape doing his duties nor can avoid papa or sin, by not doing anything. Thus in sloka 17, it was told that a person having had atman darshan, has all - Dharakam, Poshakam and Bhogyam- in enjoying atman darshan. Now, in this sloka 18, it is told that such  a person has no need to do any karma to get atman darshan, will not incur any papa or sin for having abandoned any karma, and is not attached to anything in this life. We talked about Kaivalyarti. Person above this stage, Bhagawallabharti, also does not need anything in this world, after serving the Lord. 

In this kshetram, the Lord exhibits His Divine quality of Swamitvam. By this quality, the Lord, residing in us, waits for the opportune moment, when we would relinquish our desires in this world and seek Him only. When our children commit mistakes, we chide them, but keep our relationship, so that at least in future, we could correct them. If we have a property, we are the swamy (possessor) of that property. At any cost we would establish our rights. Similarly, the Lord is our Swamy, and so He is residing in us and waits for the right time to possess us! This is what Nammalwar says while singing in praise of the Lord here, that the Lord is occupying fully in him and would not leave or desert him!

                                                                                                   (continued)