Third alternative

In our daily life, we get attached to actions, feelings and physical possessions and this attachment is termed as aasakti (interest). We also get detached from them which is virakti (hatred or disinterest). However, Krishna refers to a third state, anaasakti (dropping both interest and hatred) which is beyond both. He says that the avidwan (ignorant) act with an attachment to action and the vidwan (wise) act unattached, for the welfare of the world (3.25). On various occasions, Krishna also uses veet-raag which is neither raag (fondness or attachment) nor viraag (aversion or detachment) but transcends both.

Actions and feelings based on aasakti and virakti can make us miserable. For example, the presence of a loved one (aasakti) brings us happiness and their absence makes us unhappy. Similarly, the presence of a hated one (virakti) makes us unhappy and their absence brings relief. Hence, both aasakti as well as virakti can swing us between the polarities of pleasure and pain. Krishna, therefore, advises us to transcend both and be anaasakt, while performing any action.

The welfare of the world can be equated to compassion which flows when the actions are performed with anaasakti. When actions are performed with aasakti or virakti, it’s like a garbage truck scattering filth everywhere, ultimately harming society.

While mentioning about the divine and demonic natures, Krishna mentions ‘abhayam’ as the first daiva quality (16.1). Though abhayam is interpreted as fearless, it is beyond both fear and fearlessness. While fear is an expression of an inner feeling, fearlessness could be the suppression of that feeling, however, abhayam is beyond both.

To understand the Bhagavad Gita, we should always keep in mind the third alternative like anaasakti, veet-raag and abhayam. Krishna cautions that our  sense organs experience raag (attachment) and dwesh (aversion) for their respective sense objects. One should be aware of this duality and that the two are one’s enemies (3.34). The indication is that our senses are only capable of perceiving polarities and going beyond the polarities require deeper understanding.

The wind

Krishna says, “Amongst purifiers, I am the wind” (10.31). Wind stands for veet-raag and anaasakti. It carries unpleasant odours without aversion and pleasant scents without any attachment. It drops both with ease in due course of time. This is nothing but anaasakti, which is beyond aasakti (attachment) and virakti (detachment). The wind is the best example to understand the third alternative.

Krishna also gave the example of the lotus leaf which doesn’t get attached to water though it stays and survives in the water (5.10). When one is free of raag (fondness), dwesh (hatred) and has his indriyas (senses) under control, one attains peace even while moving among sense objects (2.64). This is nothing but a state of peace and joy of veet-raag.

 Krishna says he is Yamaraj (Lord of death) among Law enforcers (10.29). While death is powerless at the level of atma (soul), it is powerful and a certainty in the external world. Death is equanimous with no fear or favour and has no attachment. These are essential qualities for any law enforcer. Being equanimous to every situation is another name for the third alternative.

Transcending Gunas and polarities

While describing about the state of a person who has transcended gunas (modes of nature) -guna-ateeth, Krishna says, “Illumination (symbolizing satva), activity (rajo) and ignorance (tamo), he hates not when present nor longs for them when absent (14.22). He who, remaining like one unconcerned, is not disturbed by gunas; who, realising that only gunas are operating throughout creation, is firm and centred in the Self” (14.23). The crux is not to hate when we are dominated by any one of the gunas nor long for a specific guna.

Another way of looking at the third alternative is to transcend the polarities -dwandwa. Krishna encourages us to become atma-vaan (established in self) by transcending the polarities (dwandwa-atheeth) (2.45). He further assures, “Content with whatever is got unsought, rising above the pairs of dualities (dwandwa-atheeth), free from envy, equanimous in success and failure (sidhi-asiddhi), though acting he is not bound” (4.22). He calls them nitya-sannyasi (perpetual renunciant), i.e. one who neither hates nor desires; is free from the pairs of opposites (dwandwa-atheeth) and is liberated from all entanglements (5.3).

Krishna uses the word sthita-prajna for third alternative and says that a sthita-prajna is neither excited by sukh (pleasure) nor agitated by dukh (pain), is free from raag (attachment), bhay (fear) and krodh (anger) (2.56). He further says that a wise person is one who isn’t filled with joy when coming across good nor does he hate bad and is always without attachment (2.57).

Paramatma is not bound

Krishna says, “Nor these acts bind Me, for I remain above them, unconcerned and unattached” (9.9). The key is anaasakti or veet-raag. While we tend to get attached to things or achievements, Paramatma is not attached to his mighty creations. When we take ourselves to be a karta (doer), we are bound by our karmas to karma bandhan (bondage of action) while the Paramatma is like a sakshi (witness) who is not bound.

Krishna describes about the devotee and says, “He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, renouncer of good and evil, alike to friend and foe; to honour and dishonour, alike to experiences of warmth and chill, to pleasure (sukh) and suffering (dukh), free from attachment, he who is full of devotion is dear to me” (12.17 and 12.18). Essentially, it is witnessing these feelings and emotions rather than identifying with them.

Anaasakti is like being a performer in a drama as well as being a part of the audience to witness the drama at the same time. While the first part is our duty in the outer world, the latter is for our inner self. While the motivation and choice of action come from gunas, it is anaasakti that should be practiced while performing these actions.

A point to be noted is that we don't have to throw away our physical possessions. It's about relinquishing the attachment and aversion at the mind level. Once this is achieved, they would remain just instruments which can be used as per requirement. This leads us to the state of nimitta-matra where we become an instrument in the hand of existence.