According to Ishopanishad (ईशावास्योपनिषद -10), the Self (आत्मा) concept is different from both proper knowledge (विद्या) and ignorance (अविद्या). This appears confusing, as proper knowledge (विद्या) is a part of absolute knowledge (ज्ञानम्) and knowledge is a function of Self (आत्मा). But the Vedas consider everything only at the universal level. Knowing properly is also an operation (कर्म). Everything in the universe is a combination of both objects and events and their perception. Objects represent Nature (प्रकृति) in limited form of mass and energy, both of which are inseparable though their degree of dominance in any combination may vary (there is no bare mass or bare charge, even though some people claim so). Confined energy is mass. Where mass dominates, it is called objects and where there is no confinement, it is called energy. Since energy always moves mass, the creation is never static, but is always going through various transformations – hence operation – कर्म. Their cognition (संविदित दर्शन) is knowledge (ज्ञानम्).
Gita 3-9 advises constructive actions as per universal principles (यज्ञार्थात् कर्म) for executing action without attachment or inertia (मुक्तसंगः समाचर). For any action, there must be a need and knowledge about the mechanism to fulfill such need. This creates a desire (ज्ञानजन्य भवेत् इछा) that is put into practice through different agencies of action (इछाजन्य कृति भवेत्). This leads to execution of the work (कृतिजन्य भवेत् कार्य). The resultant effect is operation proper (तदेतत् कृतमुच्यते). Thus, the role of mind in any action is important. By using the term मुक्तसंगः, the Lord has tried to play down the role of mind and highlight intelligence. As has been pointed out earlier, mind is highly mobile, but intelligence retains the information by slowing down mind. Mind is attached to sense organs, which receives impulses from the external world – thus increasing attachment. By slowing down mind, its link from the senses is weakened and it turns inward to intelligence. The advice here is: do not give importance to your mind. Give importance to your intelligence in all actions. Then only you can discriminate between the comfortable (प्रेयस्) and the desirable (श्रेयस्). This only will lead to action conducive to liberation (अबन्धन).
The next stanza (Gita 3-10) says that having created the Universe in such an operation (यज्ञार्थात् कर्म), the Creator blessed the created to prosper by following similar principles that led to their creation as it will yield them everything they want. The question is how? Operations as per universal principles (यज्ञार्थ कर्म) have two divisions: natural (प्राकृत) and practicable (विधेय). The first is what really happens in Nature. It has three divisions: Consciousness related (sentience or cognitive – आध्यात्मिक – उत्तमपुरुष), micro or quantum energy related that creates different elements (physics – आधिदैविक – मध्यमपुरुष) and macro or mass interaction related that creates the objects of our desire by combining different elements (chemistry – आधिभौतिक – प्रथमपुरुष). The practicable (विधेय) is the imitation of natural principles by people (मानुषयज्ञ) to get the desired result (देवाननुविधा वै मनुष्याः and यद्वै देवा अकुर्वंस्तत् करवाणि – शतपथब्राह्मणम्).
The word Yagnya (यज्ञ) has been interpreted as sacrifice, which does not convey its full meaning. The word has been derived from the root यज्, which has three meanings: beyond quantum, quantum interaction and macro interaction (यज् देवपूजा, संगतिकरण, दानेषु). The last is chemical interaction at macro level (स्थूलशरीर सम्वन्धी). Since everyone is a child of God, everyone has excellence in equal measure (ईशावास्यमिदम् सर्वम्). But it is unequally distributed. Some people excel in one area while others excel in other areas. There is no one who is totally useless (अयोग्यपुरुषः नास्ति), though the person who can put everyone and everything to its proper use is rare (योजकः तस्य दुर्लभः). Each one of us is like a cup full to the brim. If we want more milk or sugar, we have to first give up (देवदानम्) some concoction to enjoy the extra milk or sugar (तेन त्यक्तेन भुंजिथा). Since this changes the ability of the physical body (भूतशरीर सम्वंन्धी) for interaction with others, it is called chemistry related (वाङ्मय or अन्नमयकोष).
The second is physical interaction at sub-atomic or quantum level (देवसंगमन) related to the subtle form of objects (सूक्ष्मशरीर सम्वन्धी) to get the desired object. This practice is invariably used in Tantra. The general principle is, Nature not only creates everything, but also provides alternatives for their sustenance. For example, we require appropriate food for sustenance. If we require stronger bones, we should eat bones, but since that is not desirable, Nature provides alternate calcium rich food that serves the same purpose by breaking up at subatomic or quantum level to generate the required effect. If we require blood, we should take-in blood. For this also, Nature provides different food that increase blood. Similarly, we use the alternatives provided in Nature for recreating the Natural effect through quantum interaction. People who live near rivers infested with crocodiles used to apply turmeric on their body before crossing river, as its smell is a deterrent to crocodiles. Smell is a quantum property. Couples wanting a male child performed a ritual (पुंसवन कर्म), which ensured the birth of a male child. This is still practiced successfully in some places in India and Nepal. These are described in the Braahmana (ब्राह्मणम्) part of the Vedas. However, most of the commentaries do not interpret these correctly. Since quantum systems deal with energy exchange, these are called energy related (प्राणमयकोष).
Where the emphasis is on the mind, but material objects are used as supplements to imitate natural processes, it is called worship (देवपूजा). It is related to the causal body (मनसोत्पद्यते बिन्दुर्यथा क्षीरं घृतात्मकम् – योगकुन्डलिन्युपनिषद), as the mind is placed in the specific energy field and energy is modified by mind through recitation of mantras (शक्तिमध्ये मनः कृत्वा मनः शक्तेश्च मध्यगम् – ibid), i.e. connect one’s mind with the universal mind through energy (मनसा मन आलोक्य तत्त्यजेत्परमं पदम् – ibid). It may be noted that all dates related to worship (like Diwali or Holi etc) follow the lunar calendar (चन्द्रमा मनसो जातः – पुरुषसूक्त). Since physical objects are not important here, it leads to the creation of another base (उक्थ or विन्दु), which surrounds material offered to give rise to the desired object. Thus, it is called mind related (मनोमयकोष).
All structures are formed when the positive charge of the nucleus (अग्निम्) is confined by the negative charge or the electron orbit (सोम) limiting or separating it from others (चंद्रार्कमध्यमा शक्तिर्यत्रस्था तत्र बन्धनम् – योगकुन्डलिन्युपनिषद). Thus, in our sacrifices, we pour ghee, which is soma, to fire, by reciting specific mantras and using specific ingredients (समीधा) that determine the nature of quantum interaction. The nucleus (अग्निम्) carries positive charge that always moves out from the center to the periphery (गति). The electron orbit (सोम) limits this motion to specific energy levels by pushing it back towards the center (आगति). Where each outgoing ray reaches equilibrium with the incoming force (स्थिति), that point is called the position of the electron (चंद्र). Hence in quantum mechanics, it is said that the electron has no fixed position – it is only a probability wave. These three – the nucleus, the intra-nucleic field and the electron orbit – are called आत्मा, प्राण and पशु respectively for that object. The term आत्मा has been described earlier. Since the intra-nucleic field is the interplay of energy, it is प्राण. The radiation coming out of the electron orbits interacts with our eyes to make the object perceptible. Hence it is called पशु (यत् अपश्यत् तत् पशवः – तैत्तिरीय आरण्यक). These constitute the macro world.
There is constant exchange of energy between the nucleus (आध्यात्मिक प्राण) and the intra-nucleic field (आधिदैविक प्राण). Both go into each other. This has been described by ऐतरेय आरण्यक as: “I am the first derivative of the non-perishable bosonic (energy) field. Though I am its derivative, I eat into it for sustenance though I do not have any teeth (it only absorbs and releases). In return, it also eats into me” (अहमस्मि प्रथमजा ऋतस्य पुर्वे देवेभ्योअमृतस्य नाम. यो मा ददाति स इ देवमावत अहमन्नमन्नमदन्तमद्मि). This is the so-called vacuum energy of modern cosmology. In the Vedas, it is called प्रहितांसंयोग. It is a continuous process. In the Nature, it requires continuous operation. For this reason, Gita 3-9 used the term “यज्ञार्थात् कर्म”. Atoms could combine with each other to produce everything in the universe only because of this “eating” (उच्छिष्ठात जज्ञिरे सर्वम – अथर्ववेद – 11-9-11). We enjoy the objects that are its “left over” – प्रवर्ग्य. For this reason, the Isha Upanishad says: ईशावास्यमिदम् सर्वम्. Since this is the universal perpetual inertia, anyone following this principle will not be trapped into the differential inertia that is cause for attachment (कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते). Hence this is called अबन्धन कर्म. But it has another important implication.
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