यस्य नाहङ् कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते | हत्वाऽपि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते || 17 || |
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Commentary
A person who has attained a state of self-realization and has transcended the egoistic sense of being the doer does not harbor the notion of personal agency. Such a person recognizes that all actions are performed by the interplay of various factors, including the body, mind, senses, and the universal laws governing the world. Hence, there is no personal identification with the actions performed.
The intellect of a yogi remains untainted and encompasses a deep understanding of the nature of himself as the Higher Self, the role of his mind as a tool, and the power of his Will to control and transcend the mind’s limitations. The intellect, in this context, refers to the higher faculty of discernment and understanding. It implies that the person’s decision-making is free from selfish motives, attachments, and prejudices. The intellect remains unaffected by desires, aversions, and ego-driven intentions.
This verse conveys a metaphorical interpretation where the slaying of people symbolizes the internal enemies that a person must conquer on their spiritual path. These enemies include desires, attachments, false beliefs, ego, and other negative tendencies. The yogi, who has realized the true nature of the self, does not identify with these inner enemies as being a part of their essential being. He understands that these enemies arise from the conditioning of the mind and the influence of the ego. Therefore, even though he engages in the process of overcoming these inner enemies, he does not perceive himself as the doer of these actions.
The yogi recognizes himself as the embodiment of the Higher Self, always calm, self-controlled, and unaffected by the fluctuations of the external world. He understands that his true essence is pure bliss and that his state of being is unchanging and independent of external circumstances.
The yogi acknowledges that his mind, although a valuable tool, is limited in its functioning. It possesses its own intelligence and consciousness, derived from his own projection of thought. He realizes that his mind is blind and can only analyze, derive, infer, or conclude based on limited sensory perceptions through sensory and motor nerves.
The yogi discerns that it is his mind that performs actions, whether good or bad, and faces the consequences accordingly. He recognizes that it is not him, the Higher Self, who directly engages in these actions, but rather his mind acting as the intermediary.
The yogi’s intellect remains untainted by selfish motives, biases, and illusions. It is guided by wisdom, discrimination, and a deep understanding of the ultimate reality. This untainted intellect helps the yogi discern between what is transient and illusory and what is eternal and true. He is not bound by the karmic consequences because he does not identify himself as the doer or owner of the actions.
Therefore, the yogi understands the importance of training his mind to align with his Higher Self. He recognizes that through the power of his Will, he can exert control over his mind. He understands that his Will is the power of his soul, transcending the limitations of the mind.
In summary, the yogi’s perspective revolves around the understanding of his true nature as the Higher Self, the recognition of his mind as a tool with its own limited intelligence, and the realization that he has the power to control and direct his mind through the strength of his Will.