Chapter 18: Moksha Sannyasa Yoga - Part 2

Now we will talk about the four dimensions of yoga. In this chapter, the first dimension is described in verses 13 to 17, the second from 18 to 40, the third from 41 to 48, and the fourth from 54 to 66. At the end, we will also try to understand the verses related to Sanjay.

Let us begin with the first dimension.

The first dimension explains that there are five factors responsible for the completion of any action. But the person himself is separate from these five. He is a witness, an observer. To remain established in this witnessing state is yoga.

Krishna says that according to Sankhya philosophy, there are five causes behind every action: the base (body or situation), the doer, the instruments, the effort, and destiny. Whatever action a person performs through body, speech, or mind—whether right or wrong—these five factors are always involved.

But even then, the person who thinks “I alone am the doer” is mistaken. Such a person does not see the truth. On the other hand, the one who does not have the feeling “I am the doer,” and whose intellect is not attached to actions, even if he appears to act, he is not truly bound by those actions.

The deeper point here is that all actions happen through these five factors, but the true self—the soul—is beyond them. It is only a witness.

For example, when hunger arises, who is actually hungry? If we observe carefully, hunger is in the body, not in the soul. The soul only witnesses that hunger is happening. Then the mind becomes active and starts thinking of solutions. The senses and body begin to act. Tools and materials are gathered. And even destiny plays a role in whether the action completes or not.

So the entire process happens, but if a person remains aware that “I am just the witness,” then even while acting, he is not bound by action.

This connects with what Krishna said earlier: you have the right to act, but not to the results, and you should not consider yourself the cause of the results.

So the essence of the first dimension is this: perform actions, but remain a witness. If you become involved and identify yourself as the doer, you get bound. If you remain a witness, you stay free. This is what it means to be established in yoga.

Now the second dimension explains that action has six components, and all of them are influenced by the three qualities—sattva, rajas, and tamas. Because of this, every action has some imperfection. To go beyond this imperfection, one must awaken to the true self. That is yoga.

These six components are divided into two groups. The first three are internal—knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower. These create the motivation for action. The next three are external—the instruments, the action itself, and the doer. These bring the action into completion.

Every action first happens in the mind as a thought, and then it manifests externally. That is why even a negative thought is considered significant, because it is like a seed. If not stopped at the thought level, it later becomes action.

Krishna explains that all these components are influenced by the three qualities, so they exist in three forms—sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. If a person is in tamas, he should move toward rajas. From rajas, he should move toward sattva. And from sattva, he should go beyond and realize the self.

Only the one who goes beyond all three qualities and becomes established in the self is truly a yogi.

So instead of trying to perfect actions endlessly, one should focus on knowing the self. Actions are like leaves, and the self is like the root. If the root is nourished, the leaves naturally become healthy. In the same way, when a person is established in the self, his actions automatically become right.

Now Krishna also explains the three types of knowledge, action, doer, intellect, determination, and even happiness—each based on sattva, rajas, and tamas. The key idea is that everything in the world is influenced by these three qualities, and nothing at that level can be completely pure. So one must go beyond them.

For example, sattvic happiness may feel difficult in the beginning but becomes like nectar in the end. Rajasic happiness feels good at first but later becomes painful. Tamasic happiness comes from laziness and ignorance and leads to dullness.

So a person should gradually move from tamas to rajas, from rajas to sattva, and from sattva to the higher spiritual state.

Now the third dimension explains that one should perform their natural duty and turn it into worship of the Divine.

Krishna says that the four types of roles—Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra—are based on a person’s nature and qualities, not superiority or inferiority. Each person has different tendencies based on their past impressions, and accordingly, their duties are different.

A person should first understand their own nature, then choose actions according to it. When someone works according to their natural inclination, they find fulfillment and inner satisfaction.

Krishna emphasizes that one’s own duty, even if imperfect, is better than someone else’s duty performed perfectly. Acting against one’s nature may look attractive but does not bring true fulfillment.

The important point is to perform one’s natural work in the right spirit. It should be done with full involvement, without ego, without selfishness, and without attachment to results. When action is done in this way, it becomes worship.

There are three ways to turn action into worship. One is to do it with complete absorption, where the sense of “I” disappears. The second is to ensure that the intention behind the action is pure—free from selfishness and ego. And the third is to act as an instrument, feeling that the Divine is the real doer.

When action is done in this spirit, it leads to realization.

Krishna also says that even if one’s natural duty has some flaws, it should not be abandoned. Just like fire is always covered by some smoke, every action has some imperfection.

So the overall message is that instead of trying to escape action or make it perfect, we should understand our nature, act accordingly, remain detached, and gradually move toward self-realization.