यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन | ज्ञानाग्नि: सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा || 37 || |
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“O Arjuna, as a flame converts firewood into ashes, so the fire of wisdom consumes all karma to ashes”.
Commentary: Knowledge is acquisition and application of information and skills through education and experience. Wisdom is knowledge put into action with clear judgment and discrimination. When the inner spirit performs action through the body with clear discrimination, wisdom dawns upon the consciousness. Repeated application of knowledge brings wisdom. For example, try to repeat the words ‘Shiva, Shiva’ constantly by closing your eyes but do not imagine a picture or a video in your mind. Repetition of this chant continuously can make you aware that you have an inner voice, which speaks invisibly. This voice has no physical form…it is the vibration of your will power in the darkness of inner space. It is functioning on the surface of life forces bubbling within the body. Just like continuous focus of sunlight through a lens can burn a paper, repeated chanting of any mantra will increase the intensity of vibration, generating a heat that will create a spiritual light. In this light of wisdom, karma can be burnt.
Every action has a consequence, a direct result that manifests over a period of time. In simple terms, this result is karma. Living itself is the burning of karma and a yogi without karma cannot exist in the physical body. The yogi may prolong his stay in the body by voluntarily attaching to something material, like a desire for a fruit or other basic things so that he can prolong his stay and work out the karma. There are three ways to work out karma quickly – 1. In the night before sleep, mentally distance yourself from everything you experienced during the day – family, work, possessions and all other desires. 2. During the day, do not think negatively. Always speak out of love and sympathy, not with careless frustration, hatred or anger. When someone hurts you or does not listen to you, think “oh I sympathize with his/her ignorance” and do not react. When your loving words hurt others, it will not add to your karma. This is the reason all the religions of the world emphasize love as the ultimate response 3. The third way to remove karma is to practice the art of meditation under a Guru’s guidance.