Ishtopadesh Gatha 31

English Translation of Acharya Pujyapada swami’s Ishtopadesh – Deliberation (vivechana) and Poetic Translation by Acharya shri Vidyasagarji maharaj

Utthanika (Prelude):

Here, the disciple asks, “Why do pudgals (matter particles) become bound? That is, why and how does the soul continuously bind with pudgals?”

इष्टोपदेश गाथा 31

कर्म कर्म हिताबन्धि, जीवो जीवहितस्पृह: स्वस्वप्रभावभूयस्त्वे, स्वार्थं को वा न वाञ्छति ॥31॥

Karma karma hitaabandhi, jeevo jeevahitasprihaḥ
Swasvaprabhaavabhooyastve, swartham ko vaa na vaañchati. ॥31॥

Roman Transliteration:
Actions bind beings to their results; living beings desire their own well-being.
When immersed in their own innate nature, who would not seek their true self-interest?

Poetic Translation (Padyanuvad )

Karma chaahata tabhi karma-hit, karma-karma se jab bandhata
Jeev chaahata tabhi jeevahit, jeevan jisse hai sadhata.

Apne-apne prabhaav ke vash, balshaali hain jab hote,
Swaarth siddhi mein kaun-kaun fir, tatpar na ho? Sab hote. ॥31॥

Kamra works in its own cause; the soul works for its own good: who is there in the world that will not work for his own good when he has the power to do so?

Note – Since karma produces karma, and thus is the cause of the perpethation of the soul’s bondage, it is here described as working in its own cause, the soul also works for its own good, that is to say against the karmic power, when it is able to do so. The interests of the two thus clash with each other. The acharya here exhorts the soul that has acquired the wisdom of the saints to gird up its loins for the destruction of the enemy; further is no one in the world who will not like to destroy his foe when he has the power to do so, especially such a foe or karma, that acts by stealth and strikes mercilessly and hard.

Deliberation (vivechana)

A soul desires the welfare of other souls, while karma inherently seeks to perpetuate itself. When karma is weak, the soul becomes powerful; conversely, when the soul is weak, karma dominates. To destroy karma, the soul must adopt a specific state of purity and dedication. Karma cannot be dissolved during its intense activation; however, when karma’s influence is mild, the soul, through purity, can sever its ties with karma.

The soul’s inclination toward welfare is not constant. At times, a sense of welfare arises in the morning but fades by evening, and vice versa.

Consider the analogy of a swimmer who, despite being skilled, cannot showcase their talent in turbulent waters. When the river’s current is strong, the swimmer risks drowning. To cross a river, one does not leap into a monsoon-swollen torrent. Instead, they wait for the river’s current to subside. However, even if the current is mild, success also requires the swimmer’s own determination and effort. If their willpower or movement diminishes, they cannot swim effectively, even in calm waters. Success in swimming depends on a harmonious balance between the river’s state and the swimmer’s readiness.

Similarly, in life, the soul needs both a favorable environment and a strong resolve to overcome challenges. Without this balance of effort and opportunity, crossing the ocean of worldly existence becomes impossible, even over countless lifetimes.

Worldly beings often abandon their own welfare during intense phases of karma and become preoccupied with others’ concerns. However, when karma weakens, and the soul becomes stronger, it can focus on its own liberation. When the soul succumbs to attachment and aversion, karma binds to it. Even if the soul does not wish to form karmic bonds, it inadvertently does so through these emotions.

In conclusion, just as a swimmer can cross a river by harnessing favorable conditions and their own effort, a worldly being can overcome the ocean of existence by acting with determination and in the right circumstances. When karma’s flood subsides and the soul takes a determined leap, it can undoubtedly secure its own well-being and liberation.

Through Right Meditation, the Soul Achieves Its Welfare

The soul can secure its welfare only through dharma-dhyana (meditation on righteousness) and shukla-dhyana (pure meditation). Acharyas provide two analogies to illustrate the effectiveness of shukla-dhyana:

1. The Weak Child vs. The Strong Youth:
   A weak child, lacking strength in their limbs, wields an axe to chop wood. They strike the wood repeatedly, but the process is slow, and the wood takes a long time to split. In contrast, a strong and skilled wrestler uses the same axe but strikes precisely at the wood’s joint. With one powerful blow, the wood is split into three parts.Similarly, a seeker using the “axe” of dharma-dhyana strikes at karma, but the process is slow, and the results take time. However, when the seeker employs the “powerful axe” of shukla-dhyana and strikes precisely at the core of karma, a single, focused effort destroys a significant amount of karma.
2. Karma’s Self-Perpetuating Nature:
   Karma seeks to sustain itself by generating new karmic bonds. The pre-existing, strong karmic impressions (dravya-karma) create audayika bhavas (manifestations of karma) within the soul, which lead to actions that generate new karmas. This process nourishes karma’s “progeny.”In contrast, the soul inherently seeks liberation (moksha), which is its true welfare. By adopting practices like the three jewels (ratna-traya: right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct) and the fourfold worship (aradhana), the soul paves the path to liberation and fulfills its true purpose. This aligns with the meaningful aphorism: “Who does not desire their own welfare?”

Striving for Self-Welfare:
Acharyas explain that when beings recognize their true potential, they strive to secure their welfare. For instance, when the soul in the sixth stage of spiritual development (guna-sthana) experiences negligence (pramada), it makes a conscious effort to overcome it because negligence leads to harm.

The Moksha Marg Prakashak (The Illuminator of the Path to Liberation) further clarifies this interplay:

“At times, the soul is suppressed by karma, and at other times, karma is subdued by the soul.”

When karma dominates, the soul is overwhelmed. However, when the soul’s inner strength (purushartha) grows powerful, it suppresses karma. Occasionally, the soul’s purushartha becomes so potent that karma cannot exert its influence. Ultimately, the soul triumphs.

In the final moments, the soul strikes a decisive blow against karma, annihilating it permanently. Free from karma’s bonds, the soul ascends to the state of liberation (moksha) and eternally resides in Siddhalaya, the abode of the liberated.

Isthopadesh Gatha – Dwadasa Varshiya Shraman Sanskriti Swadhyaya Pathyakram

Anvayarth (Prose Meaning):

• (Karma) Karma
• (Karmahitabandhi) binds its companion karmas for its benefit.
• (Jeevah) The soul
• (Jeevahitasprihah) desires its own welfare.
• (Swasva) Each entity,
• (Prabhavabhooyastve) when in possession of a strong influence or power,
• (Ko va Swartha) who would not
• (Na Vanchhati) desire their own welfare?

Bhaavarth (Interpretation):
In the world, every being, upon gaining strength, strives to achieve its own objectives. When the deluding (mohaniya), knowledge-obscuring (jnanavarana), and other karmas are dominant in a worldly being, they produce feelings of attachment, aversion, ignorance, and false beliefs in the soul. These karmas, in turn, ensure the soul remains bound to their kind—such as deluding and knowledge-obscuring karmas—and drag the soul through the cycles of birth in realms like hell or the lowest states of existence (nigoda).

Since time without beginning, countless souls have wandered in the cycle of worldly existence due to the dominance of these karmas. However, when the soul encounters the beneficial guidance of a true teacher or favorable conditions, it becomes aware of its own potential. At that point, the soul grows strong and begins to restrain (samvara) and shed (nirjara) karmas. By weakening the power of karmas and enhancing its own qualities like knowledge and conduct, the soul endeavors to free itself from karmic bonds.

Thus, every being, when given an opportunity, seeks to accomplish its own benefit.

Uthanika (Context Introduction):
Understand that a being bound by karmas accumulates more karmas. Reflecting on this leads to the next verse—Gatha 32.

Swadhyay Ishtopadesh Gatha 31 to 33

Swadhyay Ishtopadesh Youtube Playlist

इष्टोपदेश Ishtopadesh

गाथा 1 (Gatha 1) | गाथा 2 ( Gatha 2 )| गाथा 3 ( Gatha 3)| गाथा 4 ( Gatha 4) | गाथा 5 ( Gatha 5) | गाथा 6 ( Gatha 6 )| गाथा 7 ( Gatha 7 )| गाथा 8 ( Gatha 8 ) | गाथा 9 ( Gatha 9 ) | गाथा 10 ( Gatha 10)| गाथा 11 ( Gatha 11 )| गाथा 12 ( Gatha 12) | गाथा 13 ( Gatha 13 )| गाथा 14 ( Gatha 14 )| गाथा 15 ( Gatha 15 ) | गाथा 16 ( Gatha 16 )| गाथा 17 ( Gatha 17 )| गाथा 18 ( Gatha 18 )| गाथा 19 ( Gatha 19 )| गाथा 20 ( Gatha 20 )| गाथा 21 ( Gatha 21)| गाथा 22 ( Gatha 22 )| गाथा 23 ( Gatha 23 )| गाथा 24 ( Gatha 24 )| गाथा 25 ( Gatha 25 ) | गाथा 26 ( Gatha 26 )| गाथा 27( Gatha 27 ) | गाथा 28 ( Gatha 28 )| गाथा 29 ( Gatha 29 )| गाथा 30 ( Gatha 30 )| गाथा 31 | गाथा 32 | गाथा 33

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