The End of Sorrow by Eknath Easwaran

Author:Eknath Easwaran
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nilgiri Press

CHAPTER FIVE

Renounce & Rejoice

ARJUNA

1. O Krishna, you have recommended both the path of selfless action and also sannyasa, the path of renunciation of action. Tell me definitely which is better.

In the last chapter, Sri Krishna was talking to Arjuna about sannyasa, renunciation of action, and karma yoga, performance of action. In particular, he was telling Arjuna that it is by karma yoga, through hard, intense, selfless performance of action, that we reach the unitive state where by our very presence we help those around us and even influence our environment.

Arjuna now shows how representative he is of all of us in his tendency to classify everything into this or that. We can imagine Sri Krishna listening to him with a friendly smile in the same way that we listen to our little children at home when they ask questions which amuse us. For example, the other day little Geetha asked me whether she could tie the laces of my shoes. When I said yes, she asked, “Tight, loose, or medium?” For a first-grader I thought she was commanding a wealthy vocabulary. She is right in the Arjuna line of thinking, but while he talks only about two classes, she had three.

This need to categorize is a characteristic of the intellect; it must divide everything into two. One has to be either good or bad according to the intellect. However, there isn’t any person who falls into such categories. Most of us are sometimes good, sometimes bad, and at other times both. Just as there is no human being who cannot show signs of utter selflessness, there is no one among the majority of us who also cannot show signs of utter selfishness.

SRI KRISHNA

2. Both renunciation of action and performance of action lead to the supreme goal. But the path of action is better than renunciation.

It is difficult for us to understand those rare creatures in the history of mysticism who help people around them by their very presence. Sri Ramana Maharshi was one of these. Sometimes when people came to him for help, he would sit reading the newspaper. This is not our usual conception of action: somebody sits rustling his newspaper and helps people. But many who were sore in spirit, or insecure and resentful, having knocked on all other doors, have gone into Sri Ramana Maharshi’s presence as a last resort, sat and looked at him, and come out with their burden relieved, with their heart strengthened and their spirit soaring.

A distinguished philosopher once went to Ramana Maharshi’s ashram with his pocket bulging with a long series of questions. He wondered whether the sage would have time to answer all his questions in detail. With utter simplicity, not very characteristic of a distinguished philosopher, he tells us how he went in and looked at Sri Ramana Maharshi, kept on looking at him, and found that none of his questions were necessary. This is the best way to answer questions – by making them unnecessary. Remember, too, the story

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