Manifestations

   Everything that manifests from Him, the Lord, has the same powers of creation, sustenance, dissolution, however in a kinchit or limited way. What the Lord created, man also creates, but the powers of the latter are limited to his ability, unlike the Lord who is mahat, ‘bruhat’, vast! Man also excels in his intellect in his own limited sphere. This is the reason why man cannot keep quiet even for a second and is always engaged in some work or the other. When the jiva realizes its true nature, it merges in Him, ceasing to remain separate! 

न हि कश्चित् क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मक्रुत् ।कार्यते ह्यावशः कर्म सर्वः प्रक्रुतिजैर्गुणैः॥ (३. ५)

कर्मेंद्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्।इंद्रियार्थान् विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते॥(३. ६)

यस्त्विंद्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेर्जुन। कर्मेंद्रियैः कर्मयोगं असक्तः स विशिष्यते॥ (३. ७)

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः |शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येद् अकर्मणः॥(३. ८)

यज्ञार्थात् कर्मणोन्यत्र लोकोयम् कर्मबंधनः।तदर्थं कर्म कौंतेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर॥(३. ९)

    O Arjuna, “Verily none can ever remain for even a moment without performing action; for, everyone is compelled to act, helplessly indeed, by the qualities born of Nature.” An ignorant man is driven to action helplessly, by force of nature- the gunas (Rajas, Tamas and Sattva). A person, who is restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in mind, is of deluded understanding. He is a hypocrite. But, whosoever, controlling the senses by the mind, engages himself in Karma Yoga with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels! Therefore, you perform your ordained duty, ‘for action is superior to inaction’; remember that even the maintenance of the body would not be possible without action. The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice. Therefore, O son of Kunti, do your duty for the sake of action, karma as a Yajnya, sacrifice, alone- free from any attachment! [3. 5-9]. Thus, karma will not bind, or afflict you as a blemish, thereby karma phala will not accrue and the cause of rebirth will be eliminated!

अन्नाद्भवंति भूतानि पर्जन्याद् अन्न संभवः। यज्ञाद् भवति पर्जन्यो यज्नः कर्म समुद्भवः॥ (३ १४)

  All the jivarashi depend on food and the food depends on rain; rain comes at the appropriate time to support the crops due to the yajnya, sacrifice, performed. This entire universe is a sacrifice. The sun burns and gives life to jivarashi through this rain and food. Everything is yajnya here!

   The Shvetashvatara Upanishad clearly explains this concept of Sacrifice, yajnya. Lord Agni, the Fire-God, the ‘havis’ (the offering), and the process of yajnya (the very function of sacrificial ‘offering’) are ‘yajnya’. The Lord is the ‘yajnya hotr’; He is the yajnya ahuti; He is the ‘bhokta’ and the ‘bhoktru’. Here, each object of creation is an offering to the other. Each action is a sacred action, a sacrificial ritual. Out of this sacrificial function evolves the new and the rewarding ‘karma phala’. ‘Desire’ and ‘Resolve’ (sankalpa) are at the root of this entire Yajnya. Thus, the universe moves on together with sacrifice, and an endless creation and dissolution, said the Lord.