Meditation and Right Actions: Implications for Individuals and Society
Sarvam Gurukrupa
In a philosophical verse,
the sage traces the role of good actions and meditation for social behaviour. The
verse reads:
अधारयन्त वह्नयोSभजन्त सुकृत्यया | भागं देवेषु यज्ञियम् ||(1.020.8)[1]
Those unsupported by guides/controls
(अ-धार-यन्त) must be
propelled by wisdom (वह्-नयो); those not enjoying an inner
life (अ-भज्-अन्त) must be propelled by good action and meditation (सुकृत्य-या). Fate of the god-seeking, it is divine/adorable/worthy of worship (भागं देवेषु यज्ञियम्).
Comment
This verse is rich with advice. The Sanskrit word for a ruler is यन्तृ which also
means, guiding controlling and directing. We interpret यन्त occurring in this verse to
mean ‘guide, control’
Implications
The verse can be divided
into three phrases. The three phrases are: अधारयन्त वह्नयो; अभजन्त सुकृत्यया; and भागं देवेषु यज्ञियम्. The
discussion of the verse is divided into five parts, because the three phrases
are connected with some missing links that will be suggested in this
discussion.
1.
अधारयन्त वह्नयो (वह्-नयो): Those who do
not have external guides or controls (अ-धार-यन्त), must be
propelled by wisdom (वह्-नयो). The word for
wisdom used here is नयः. This means
among other things, righteous conduct, virtue, foresight, statesmanship, justice,
equity. This phrase applies to rulers as well as individuals:
a.
A ruler without a guide, (advisor or theory which shows
the way) must be propelled by statesmanship, justice, equity and foresight.
b.
An individual free from external controls (rules, or rulers)
must be propelled by righteous conduct, virtue and foresight.
Although the phrase has both meanings (1a and 1b),
the remaining part of the verse seems to
favour individuals.
2.
For individuals to act righteously and virtuously even
when they are free from external controls, they should enjoy a rich inner life.
The Sanskrit word that denotes “enjoyment” is भज्, and the word
denoting the “interior or inner” is अन्त. The second phrase refers to the enjoyment of the interior: भज्-अन्त.
3.
अभजन्त सुकृत्यया : Those not
enjoying inner life (अ-भज्-अन्त) must be propelled by good action and meditation (सुकृत्य-या). This is presumably because a rich inner life is fostered by good action
and meditation.
That meditation fosters an inner life is self evident, since meditation
takes on to the inside of the being. What about good actions?
It can argued with reference to some verses from Bhagavad Gita that good
actions also foster a rich inner life (see appendix for details). In short the
argument is: Good action fosters Satva guna. Satva guna fosters inner happiness
and knowledge. Inner happiness and knowledge constitute a rich inner life.
4.
Meditation
and accumulation of Satva guna have another implication. It leads to god
seeking. The relevant Sanskrit words are देव-इषः, or देवेषु.
What
does god-seeking lead to? The last phrase addresses this question.
5.
भागं देवेषु यज्ञियम् : The fate of the god-seeking, is ‘divine,
worthy of worship or adoration’ (यज्ञियम्). This suggests that
those who seek God move towards sainthood. This is divine, worthy of worship
and adoration.
This verse seems to suggest that the logic of a free society, (i.e., a
society without external rulers and rules) leads to a society of saints. The
explicit and implicit links in the chain of the argument are as follows:
For a free society to operate successfully:
Individuals without controls should act righteously (explicit). Righteous
action is a result of enjoyment of a rich inner life (implicit). Those not
enjoying a rich inner life should engage in meditation and good action
(explicit). Meditation and good action generate Satva guna, Satva guna fosters
inner happiness and knowledge (implicit, see appendix for details). Happiness
and knowledge foster a rich inner life (implicit). Accumulation of Satva guna
also leads to God seeking (implicit). The fate of the god seeking is divine,
worthy of worship or adoration (explicit). That is, sainthood.
Thus the logic of free society leads to a society of saints.
Appendix
Argument: That good action fosters a rich inner life.
Chain: Good action fosters Satva, Satva fosters inner happiness and knowledge.
The Gita says: कर्म-णः सुकृत-स्य-अहुः सात्विकं निर्मलं फलम् | (14.16)
Word meaning: Action-
ascertainment (कर्म-णः) good action is pervading (सुकृत-स्य-अहुः) Sattvika (सात्विकं) pure (निर्मलं) fruit (फलम्)
That is: Action – determination of nature: good action
is pervading with Satvika guna, its fruit is pure.
Thus, good action results
in a strengthening of Sattvika Guna. What are the effects of Satva guna on
inner life?
In another verse, the
Gita says:
… सत्वं ... सुख-सङ्ग-इन बध्-नाति ज्ञान-सङ्ग-इन च-अनघ || (14.6)
Word meaning: Satva (सत्वं)
happiness association master (सुख-सङ्ग-इन) binds not much (बध्-नाति) knowledge association master (ज्ञान-सङ्ग-इन) also sinless (च-अनघ)
That is: Satva guna gives mastery in relation to
happiness which does not bind too much, and, mastery in relation to knowledge
which is also sinless.
What is happiness that
does not bind too much? It is happiness that does not depend too much on
external and sensual inputs. The latter are not denied, but are not overmuch
required. That means the happiness must have an inner source. Thus, the
dominance of satva gives inner happiness as well.
Unsupported
(अ-धार) guide/control (यन्त, यन्तृ = guiding,
controlling) propel (वह्) wisdom (नयः) not-enjoy (अ-भज्) interior (अन्त) a correct
action (सुकृत्य) meditation (या) | Fate (भागं) god (देव) seeking (इष: = इषु) divine/adorable/worthy
of worship (यज्ञिय = यज्ञियम्)