[Advaita-l] A Conversation between Divine Will and Free Will

[Mahesh Ursekar]

Pranams:

>> But one may argue about why others see as a jnAni acting
>> if there's no prarabdha.

I think the Gita gives a clue to this in one of the tougher verses to
understand. 4/18:
"One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is
intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position,
although engaged in all sorts of activities"

So, while the Jnani is acting also, s/he is not acting i.e. creating
no kriyamana karma and whose prarabdha karma and sanchita karma is
destroyed. This view is covered by  "inaction in action". But what is
"action in inaction" i.e. while not acting, how can one do action? I
have read a number of commenteries on this aspect but none have been
very satisfying. Any thoughts?

Regards, Mahesh



On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 20:12:41 -0800, praveen.r.bhat at exgate.tek.com
<praveen.r.bhat at exgate.tek.com> wrote:
> praNAm all,
> 
> Maheshji wrote:
> > As before, I am in agreement of all that you say but your statement
> > below is not completely clear.
> 
> >> Perhaps, thats the reason, Adi ShankarA says in the UpadeSha
> >> sahasri that karma and jnAna cannot go hand in hand.
> 
> > I suppose you mean motivated karma above...because as per the Gita 3/5
> > - "none can remain actionless even for a moment..." and as per 3/17
> > "..(only) for one centered in the Self, there is no obligatory
> > duty..".
> 
> Yes, if you want to call it motivated karma, for a non-jnAni. For a jnAni,
> there is only prarabdha karma; tripurA rahasya actually categorizes the
> realized also and about those of the highest order, it is said that there is
> no prarabdha karma also (this latter thing is a commentator's
> interpretation) ! But one may argue about why others see as a jnAni acting
> if there's no prarabdha.
> 
> 
> Maheshji said:
> > I would just like to make a brief comment on your other statement:
> 
> >> means immense bhakti
> >> and no matter what the act/results are, one must take it as (karma)phala
> or
> >> prasAda only!
> 
> > Many a person in West frowns on the above attitude and many activists
> > have taken this to mean docile acceptance of injustice in society.
> > Which makes it quite apt that Lord Krishna gave his teaching in the
> > battlefield and not in some remote forest - dharma enjoins one to
> > fight injustice but I guess most people, giving in to meekness, use
> > the above as a cover for inaction!
> 
> Precisely the point. Thats the reason I said we fall under the category of
> TD, who sometimes call it divine will and at other times, think of free
> will. IMHO, "cover for inaction" may be true in some cases, but not in all.
> 
> jai bajrangabali,
> --praveeN
>