Summary:

Chapter 2, Verse 47: Humans have free will (purushartha) in actions but not in results. Results are governed by Ishvara's impartial laws, not personal wishes. Your free will gives you three choices: do, not do, or do differently. Common misinterpretation of verse suggests indifference to results. Correct understanding is that expectations and desires are natural – what's crucial is recognizing that results follow universal laws, not personal preferences. Emotional instability arises from not understanding these laws, leading to blame (either of self or world) or passive resignation to “destiny.” Intelligent living requires exploring all options beyond binary choices while understanding that results correspond to the quality of actions (garbage in, garbage out). Verse essence: Your authority lies only in choosing and performing action, never in controlling its results, as these are governed by universal laws.

Revision:

We started the session by pointing out one needs a Sattvic mind (discerning, and emotionally mature) in order to recognize one's truth is bigger then the Sattvic mind. We demonstrated what “emotional maturity” means by giving 4 examples how childhood conditioning can throw us off emotionally in adulthood, and how it can be disguised as being spiritual. Examples were given from two books, specializing in fields of psychology: Healing Developmental Trauma (Laurence Heller), and Power of Attachment (Diane Poole Heller). 

Let me give you four we mentioned in the video…

1) Avoidant Attachment: (Struggles with emotional intimacy, keeping a safe distance from others)

Reason for this condition in your life: In childhood, your caregivers may have been emotionally distant, dismissive, or unavailable. When you expressed emotions or needs, you might have been ignored or told to “toughen up.” To protect yourself from the pain of rejection or neglect, you learned to suppress your emotions and rely on yourself. As an adult, this coping mechanism makes emotional closeness feel unsafe, which can be mistaken for independence or self-sufficiency in the spiritual world.

Symptoms:

• You feel uncomfortable with emotional closeness or sharing personal feelings.
• You might dismiss others’ emotions as “too much” or unnecessary.
• You prioritize independence, sometimes to the point of isolating yourself.
• You avoid conflict or emotionally charged situations by withdrawing or shutting down.
• You have a hard time asking for help or relying on others, feeling like you’re better off alone.

Spiritual Statement: “I don’t need anyone; I’ve risen above attachment and emotional needs. I’m self-reliant and spiritually free.”

What’s Actually Happening: Your avoidance of intimacy is a defense mechanism to protect yourself from emotional pain or rejection. You may rationalize this as spiritual detachment or enlightenment, but it’s really a way to avoid vulnerability and connection.

Repair Techniques:

• Practice Emotional Naming: Name your emotions. EG: “I feel irritated” or “I feel sad,” instead of brushing it off.
• Allow Small Vulnerabilities: Share something personal with someone you trust, like a worry or a memory.

2) Anxious Attachment: (Fear of abandonment, needing constant reassurance)

Reason for this condition in your life: In childhood, your caregivers may have been inconsistent—sometimes attentive and loving, but other times unavailable or distracted. This unpredictability made you feel unsafe, so you learned to cling to others and overanalyze their behavior as a way to keep the connection. As an adult, this coping strategy shows up as needing constant reassurance and fearing rejection, which might be mistaken for heightened empathy or spiritual sensitivity.

Symptoms:

• You constantly seek validation and worry about being abandoned or unloved.
• You overanalyze interactions, like replaying a conversation and searching for signs of rejection.
• You feel anxious when someone doesn’t respond quickly, assuming they’re upset with you.
• You may cling to unhealthy relationships out of fear of being alone.

Spiritual Statement: “My emotional sensitivity and deep need for connection make me spiritually attuned and empathetic toward others.”

What’s Actually Happening: Your emotional hypervigilance is a response to past instability. While it might feel like heightened empathy, it’s often rooted in fear of rejection and a need for reassurance. This can lead to over-dependence on others for your sense of worth.

Repair Techniques:

• Self-Soothing: Deep breathing, meditation, or grounding exercises to reduce the need for external reassurance.
• Develop Self-Worth Practices: Focus on activities that make you feel confident and valued, such as learning a skill.
• Set Boundaries: Learn to balance closeness with independence in relationships by giving yourself space to self-regulate rather than immediately seeking validation.

3. Trust Issues

Reason for this condition in your life: Your parents said one thing, but did something else. They didn't honor their promise. Thus you learned people can't be trusted. So you stopped depending on others. You become the “self-independent” type.

Symptoms:

• You avoid commitments or keep relationships superficial to protect yourself from being let down, hurt, or disappointed.
• Over-controlling in situations, as it gives a sense of safety.
• Avoiding romantic relationships, convinced they'll end in heartbreak.
• Not comfortable delegating tasks, because you don't trust others will do them as well as you.
• When someone offers you emotional support, it's brushed off, assuming they don't really care, that they have an agenda behind it.

Spiritual Statement: “I don’t depend on people because everything I need comes from within. Relying on others is a sign of weakness.”

What’s Actually Happening: This person might have been deeply hurt or betrayed in the past, so they avoid vulnerability by keeping others at a distance. They frame their self-reliance as spiritual independence but are actually protecting themselves from the risk of being let down.

Repair Techniques:

• Rebuild trust in yourself by making small promises to yourself (e.g., taking a break or completing a task) and following through.
• Take small risks with others by sharing something vulnerable or asking for help.

4. Autonomy Problems

Reason for this condition in your life: Parents were overly controlling, thus you learned that your own independence isn't important. Feel ashamed setting boundaries. Taught you to prioritize their needs over your own.

Symptoms:

• Feel like you have to please others, even if it's not something you really enjoy or it ignores your own needs.
• Saying “no” feels impossible because you don't want to upset him/her.
• You feel it's selfish or shameful wanting your own independence or space.
• You agree to take on extra work, even though you're already overwhelmed.
• Staying in a toxic relationship because you're afraid to hurt the other person by leaving. Their needs matter more than yours.
• Avoid speaking up in meetings, believing your opinions have low priority over others'.

Spiritual Statement: “I always put others first because love means sacrificing for others. My purpose is to serve.”

What’s Actually Happening: This person might feel guilt or shame for asserting their own needs or setting boundaries. They adopt a spiritual identity of selflessness or service, but it’s really a way to avoid the discomfort of prioritizing themselves.

Repair Techniques:

• Practice setting boundaries by saying “no” in low-stakes situations, and remind yourself it’s okay to prioritize your own needs.
• While in a group, do what you like without asking for others' approval or telling them what you're about to do.

BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 47:
Choice is in your actions, not in the results. Popular verse.

कर्मणि एव अधिकारः ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्म-फल-हेतुः भूः मा ते सङ्गः अस्तु अकर्मणि ॥ २-४७॥
karmaṇi eva adhikāraḥ te mā phaleṣu kadācana ।
mā karma-phala-hetuḥ bhūḥ mā te saṅgaḥ astu akarmaṇi ॥ 2-47॥

Your choice is in action only, never in the results thereof. Do not think you are the author of the results of action. Let your attachment not be to inaction.

Your choice is in action only (karmani eva adhikaraste):

Human has free-will (purushartha). Three choices are given you: I can do (kartuṃ śakyam), not do (akartuṃ śakyam), or do it differently (anyathā kartuṃ śakyam). Noone is stuck in life, you always have a choice. However you can’t choose the result, else everything would happen your way, all the time.

Common misinterpretation of this verse:

Krishna is not saying “don’t worry about results, do actions without expecting results”, this is shallow advice. EG: “Doesn’t matter if lose or win”. This means to you need to become indifferent to circumstances. This is thinking of a muddy water bucket. Reality is, having expectation (such as seeking happiness/highest gain/victory) is integral before any action.

Correct understanding of the verse:

Krishna is saying, understand that results are not in your hands as you don’t govern the universe. This is fact.

EG: I can drop a cup. Once it leaves the hand, law of gravity decides where it goes. Since I didn’t create gravity, I can’t choose how the cup falls. Laws are impartial and unbiased. Whether Indian/European drops it, laws doesn’t discriminate.

Therefore results (karma-phala) are governed by Ishvara’s laws, and not your wishes. The laws were even impartial towards Krishna’s negotiation attempts with Duryodhana to return Indraprastha.

Consequences of not understanding the laws:

1. Emotional Instability: If haven’t understood impartiality of laws – when things don’t go your way, you’ll discouraged, angry towards world and God. To justify not getting what you want, one makes up a story: Either (a) Blaming the world (“I’m wonderful, and the world hasn’t treated me well”), or (b) Blaming self, self-pity (“I’m not good enough, God has forgotten me”). This is muddy vessel water.
2. Chaos: Additionally, if laws had to appease everyone’s preference, there would be chaos. EG: Farmer wants rain. One wants rain after ritual. And wedding doesn’t want rain. Firstly, rain and no-rain can’t happen at same time.
3. Passivity: Erroneous thinking “Everything that happens is per Ishvara’s will / It’s my destiny”, makes one passive.

Conclusion:

Krishna in this verse is pointing out that working with the laws involves knowing where you have a choice, and don’t have a choice (because you can get more, less, opposite, exactly as wanted).

Where we limited ourselves when making a choice…

Shortsighted approach is “Either I do or do not do”. We don't explore in-between options.

For example, in the Ramayana, Dasharatha was preparing the coronation for Rama's kingship of Ayodhya. A few days before, Kaikeyi reminded him of his two promised boons. One was that Rama should go to the forest for 14 years, and her son Bharata should become king. Dasharatha was distraught as Rama was everyone's choice. His mind created two options: (a) I have to fulfill the promise because I’m bound by my promise, or (b) I ignore her demands.

What are choices in-between? Ask Bharat whether he wants kingship. Let subjects choose who they want to be king, as Dasaratha has no right to override people’s preference. Let whole family meet and discuss.

This story shows the importance of remembering you can also do something DIFFERENT. 

Therefore, intelligent living involves…

Asking where do I have a choice right now? What other options do I have? What can I learn from this? Now what?

Again, Krishna is NOT saying…

Krishna is not saying, “Because results are not your hands, everything will happen according to destiny”.

He is saying karmani eva adhikaraste – at any point, even after getting what you don’t want, or not getting anything – you have a choice. And results are keeping with quality of your actions/choices. Thus life treats you how you treat life (garbage in, garbage out).

EG: When you speak from made up images (pratibhasika) about a person, it invokes the unreasonable person in them. Because you’re speaking to them from a limited scope, from your images, from one standpoint. So our image of a person (whose is in flux) gets solidified, making conversation with them difficult. We load the person because of our images, and help them according to our image. Conversely, when you speak from matter of fact, it invokes the reasonable person in them. Fact is, everyone is decently reasonable and discerning.

HOMEWORK: Within your family, not everyone behaves as you want. In what areas are you a role model and have a choice? And what’s not in your control?

NEXT VERSE: Key to having evenness of mind is recognizing impartiality of laws…

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Course was based on Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 29 Dec, 2024