52. Activity

Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 15

Activity Is the Soul's Nature


Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


In the following words the author of the sUtras gives an
example to show that the individual spirit soul performs actions,
using other its own potency, or some other instrument to perform
them.


SUtra 38


yathA ca takShobhayathA

yathA - as; ca - and; takSha - carpenter; ubhayathA - inboth
ways.


In both ways like a carpenter.

Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


As a carpenter performs actions, employing both his own
power and a host of tools, so does the individual spirit soul,
employing both his own power and the various life-airs. Thus the
soul employs the material body and other instruments also, to
perform actions. It is the pure spirit soul who thus uses the
modes of material nature to perform actions. That is why the
scriptures sometimes say that the modes of material nature are
the performer of actions.

That the individual spirit soul is indeed the performer of
actions is confirmed in Bhagavad-gItA (13.22), where it is said:


kAraNaM guna-sa~Ngo .asya
sad-asad-yoNi-janmasu


"The living entity in material nature thus follows
the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. Thus he
meets with good and evil among the various species."*

These words explain the scripture passages that declare the
modes of nature to be the performers of action. It is foolish for
a person to think himself the sole performer of action and ignore
the five factors of action. Of course it is not that the
individual spirit soul never performs any action. The idea that
the soul never does anything is clearly refuted by the many
scriptural statements urging the soul to act such a way that he
may attain liberation. When in the Bhagavad-gItA (2.19) the Lord says:


nAyaM hanti na hanyate

"The self slays not nor is slain."

that does not mean that the individual spirit soul never performs
any action, but rather that the eternal spirit soul can never be
cut or slain. The meaning of the statement that the soul never
acts has thus already been explained.
In both this life and the next the devotees perform various
actions of devotional service to the Lord. Because these actions
are free from the touch of the modes of nature, because they are
under the jurisdiction of the Lord.as spiritual potency and
because they lead to liberation, these actions are said not to be
action, for they are not material actions. This is explained by
the Supreme Lord Himself in these words:


sAttvikaH kArako .asa~NgI
rAgAndho rAjasaH smR^itaH
tAmasaH smR^iti-vibhraShTo
nirguNo mad-apAshrayaH


"One who acts without attachment is in the mode of
goodness. One who is blinded with desire is in the mode of
passion. One whose intelligence is broken is in the mode of
ignorance. One who takes shelter of Me is free from the grip of
the modes of nature."

That the pure spirit soul experiences the results of his
actions is described in Bhagavad-gItA (13.21):


puruShaH sukha-duHkhAnAM
bhoktR^itve hetur ucyate


"The living entity is the cause of the various
sufferings and enjoyments in this world."*

Because it is by nature conscious it is the soul that
experiences the results of actions, the modes of nature do not
experience them. This refutes the idea that the modes are active
and the soul is not. In this way it is proved that it is the conscious
soul who experiences happiness and other sensations. In this way
the individual spirit soul brings knowledge to itself and others.
Both kinds of action exist for the soul. In the Prashna UpaniShad
(4.9) it is said:


eSha hi draShTA spraShTA shrotA


"It is the soul who sees, touches, and hears."

Thus, by this example of the carpenter, the idea that the
individual spirit soul is the only factor in action, and there
are no others, is clearly refuted.