Energy is superior to ego, as fire is to ice!
By Vivek Sharma
Nothing works without energy! Take it for sure. You may have loads of information. But, if it is not converted into energy —ज्ञानाग्नि— it is good for nothing. ज्ञानाग्नि can literally be translated as Intelligent Energy.
Intelligent Energy is the cosmic energy, the source of everything created and uncreated. The same energy is pulsating in every heart, at every centre of what we see around. The seat of this energy is the heart.
In the following shloka, Krishna clarifies as to if the motive force of your actions is limited, the actions will be imperfect and will have repercussions. But, if it is infinitely huge as Intelligent Energy, the action accomplished shall be naturally perfect.
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिता: ।
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ।। 19/4
It means—The, one whose initiatives are without selfish desire and imagination (assumptions) and are inspired by Intelligent Energy instead, such a person is called Pundit (expert) by the wise.
Who is an expert?
Here in this shloka Krishna says that normal actions have lust and imagination as the two motive powers. They stem from the memory network that you have built up life after life. This memory network juts out as a root system of nerves from the brain stem. Neurone is called karma. Yes, karma is a biological reality. So, instead of memory energising your actions and initiatives, if energy, that is pulsating at the centre of your heart energises your neurones, karmas (ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं) then you will carry out those actions perfectly. Such a person whose motive of action is ज्ञानाग्नि is called by the wise ( बुधाः) a Pundit, an expert, the one whose actions don’t fail . Therefore, the message is clear—let your actions be inspired by Intelligent Energy and then they will be perfectly carried out. As long as your motive forces are lust ( selfish desire ) and imagination, your actions will not be perfect. Selfish desire and imagination are the faculties of the memory and not energy. They have limited dimensions and hence limited results.
Hanuman Ji and Kamsa
Now think for a while about Hanuman Ji. His actions are inspired by energy and not memory faculties and look what great feasts He could accomplish for Ram. Now think about Kamsa. His actions were inspired by selfish desire and imagination. He could hold the cattle of Brij hostage for sometime, but then Krishna, inspired by energy, demolished him through perfect action.
We all have that energy within. All that we need to do is inspire all actions with this energy. Just keep selfish desire and imagination out of play and energy will inspire actions itself.
The only obstacle to this is memory, which is nothing but the power of ego. So, technically speaking your ego is your restrictor, you limiter.
In discourse 18, Krishna makes the concept of perfect action (that is ego-less action, that is ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं) clear. He says when energy is your motive force instead of ego, even the worst of actions will be perfect and hence won’t tie you down to results, or repercussions.
यस्य नाहङ्कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते।
हत्वापि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते ।। १७
It means— the one, whose actions are not inspired by ego (selfish desire and imagination), his intellect doesn’t get away from the line of inspiration of Intelligent Energy (ref to physical hierarchy, Dis 3, where intellect is the receiver of Intelligent Energy), doesn’t get tied down by results even if he destroys the whole world, as he doesn’t (since Intelligent Energy does it, not him). It is a perfect action. Krishna has given an extreme example to clear what actions become after it is inspired by Intelligent Energy. As long as your motive force of action is small, ego-led, memory-led, your actions are bound to be imperfect, not in harmony with natural. That is what is the secret of action is as per Krishna. Nothing works without energy! Energy is mightier than ego, as fire is to ice. Fire dissolves ego and gives it a flow!