अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम्।
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित्।।18.12।।
18.12 The threefold results of actions-the undesirable, the desirable, and the mixed-accrues after death to those who do not resort to renunciation, but never to those who resort to monasticism.
18.12 The threefold fruit of action (evil, good and mixed) accrues after death to the non-abandoners, but never to the abandoners.
18.12. The three-fold fruit of action, viz., the undesired, the desired and the mixed, accrues [even] after death ot those who are not men of relinishment, but never to those who are men of renunciation.
18.12 अनिष्टम् unwished or disagreeable or evil? इष्टम् wished or agreeable or good? मिश्रम् mixed? च and? त्रिविधम् threefold? कर्मणः of action? फलम् fruit? भवति accrues? अत्यागिनाम् to nonrenouncers? प्रेत्य after death? न not? तु but? संन्यासिनाम् to renouncers? क्वचित् ever.Commentary One fruit (of action) is pleasant? another is unpleasant? while the third is a mixture of both. Those in whom good actions preponderate are rorn as gods. Men of evil lives are rorn into animal or vegetable kingdoms. If their actions are eally good and bad? they are rorn into the human kingodm. These distinctions of good? evil and mixed do not exist for the liberated sage who has gone beyond the bonds of Karma by destroying egoism? by annihilating the idea of agency and by abandoning the hope of rewards of actions.The action of a renouncer does not generate desire or attachment thereto. Therefore? after death he is not born again. The actions that are performed without any desire for the reward can bring no bondage to the man at any time.He who has surrendered the fruits of all his works to the Lord is free from the bondage of Karma. Some kind of action is inevitable and natural to all beings? but the man of renunciation abandons the fruits of actions.Phalam Fruit This is caused by the operation of various external factors. This is brought forth by Avidya (ignornace). It is like jugglery and very delusive. The term Phala denotes something that ickly passes away? something not real? not solid.Karma Action Virtue and vice.Anishtam Disagreeable or evil? such as hell? the animal kingdom? etc.Ishtam Wished or agreeable or good.Misram Good and evil mixed together the human birth.Only the unenlightened who have not renounced the fruits of actions reap these three sorts of fruits. The real Sannyasins who belong to the highest order of Sannyasa (Paramahamsa Parivrajakas) who are ever engaged in meditation on the pure? immortal Self? who are solely devoted to Selfknowledge? and who rest in their own essential nature as ExistenceKnowledgeBliss Absolute do not reap any fruits as the fire of Selfknowledge has burnt ignorance and its effects which are the seeds of Samsara.Only a liberated sage who has attained knowledge of the Self and who has no identification with the body can totally relinish all actions. He knows that the Self is beyond all actions and that action is attributed to the Self by ignorance. The ignorant man who identifies himself with the body cannot abandon actions. He thinks that he is the agent or the doer of all actions and expects to attain the fruits of his actions and so he is born again and again in this world to reap the fruits of these actions.
18.12 These trividham, threefold-of three kinds; phalam, results; karmanah, of actions characterized as the righteous and the unritheous; anistam, the undesirable, consisting in (birth in) hell, (among) animals, etc.; istam, the desirable, consisting in (birth as) gods and others; and misram, the mixed, having a mixture of the desirable and the undesirable, consisting in (birht as) human beings;-these results that are of these kinds, bhavati, accrues; pretya, after death, after the fall of the body; atyaginam, to those who do not resort to renunciation, to the unilllumined, the men with rites and duties, who are not men of renunciation in the truest sense. The derivative sense of the word phala (pha-la) is this: On accunt of being accomplished through the operation of diverse external accessories, and a result of ignorance, comparable to the charm cast by jugglery, a source of great delusion and appearing as though close to the indwelling Self, it is phalgu (unsubstantial), and as a conseence it undergoes layam (disappearance). (The result that is of this kind accrues to those who do not resort to renunciation). Tu, but; na kvacit, never; sannyasinam, to those who resort tomonasticism for the sake of the highest Reality, to the class of monks called paramahamsas who remain steadfast in Knowledge alone. For, it cannot be that those who are devoted wholly to steadfastness in complete enlightenment do not dig out the seed of transmigration. This is the meaning. Therefore it is only for those who have realized the supreme Truth that it is possible to become a monk who renounces actions totally, because action, accessories and results are superimmpositions on the Self through ignorance. But the renunciation of all actions is not possible for an unenlightened person who perceives the locus (the body etc.), action, agentship and accessories as the Self. This the Lord shows in the following verses:
18.12 Anistam etc. To those who are not men of relinishment : to those who are full of [desire for] fruit. Even at the stage of mundane life, where all the five factors do exist for actions, those persons, blind with their ignorance, obstinately burden their own Self with the entire load of agency. Hence they fetter their own Self with their own thinking. But, in fact, there is no bondage for Him (the Self). This is now being taught as :
18.12 The undesirable result is Naraka etc., the desirable is heaven etc., the mixed is sons, cows, food etc., which are combined with some undesirable results. Those who have not renounced, namely, those who are devoid of renunciation of agency, possessiveness and fruits - they meet with threefold conseences after death. The meaning of after death (Pretya) may be understood as subseent to the performance of actions. But to those who have renounced, none whatsoever, viz., to those who have relinished the sense of agency etc., no such results antagonistic to release accrue. Here the purport is this: Agnihotra, the great sacrifices etc. are obligatory throughout life and are reired for attaining the objects of desire; but in regard to release their application is different. Though externally they appear to be the same in their nature in both the conditions, they are different in their fruits by virtue of difference in application. Their application to release is seen in such texts as The Brahmanas desire to know Him by the study of the Vedas, by sacrifices, by gifts, by austerities conjoined with fasting (Br. U., 4.4.22). Here the performance of actions without sense of agency is enforced. Such giving up agency etc., are relevant only with regard to acts that are actually performed. Thus Sannyasa or renouncing of this kind is established in the Sastras. The same is also called Tyaga or giving up. Sri Krsna now explains the manner of realising that one is non-agent, by attributing all agency to God, who is the Supreme Person and the Inner Ruler, By cultivating this attitude, an aspirant can attain the renunciation of possessiveness with regard to actions and also their fruits. For it is the Supreme Person who performs all actions through the individual selves who belong to Him. The organs, bodies and Pranas of embodied beings are His. They exist for the sake of His own sport as the only purpose. Therefore, even the appeasement of hunger etc., and such other acts which affect the life of the individual souls and their works constitute only the means for accomplishing that purpose, namely, the sport of the Highest Purusa Himself. The purport of the argument is this: The analogy of seeds producing the tree and its fruits is not applicable to the actions of release-seekers. Their actions may look like those of fruit-seekers externally. But as mentally they do not entertain any such purpose, the conseence of their actions can be ite different. The purpose served by their actions is only affording sport for the Supreme Being.
The fault of not following this process of tyaga is described. Those who do not renounce in the prescribed way get results in the form of suffering of hell (anistam), the pleasures of svarga (istam) and human birth (misram) in the next life (pretya).
The result of renunciation of the desire for rewards is being stated by Lord Krishna. The threefold results of actions are disagreeable such as birth in the hellish planets resulting from sinful activities. Agreeable such as birth in the heavenly planets resulting from virtuous activities and mixed which is birth as a human resulting from both sinful and virtuous activities. But these destinations are only awarded to those who have not fully engaged in renunciation. Those jivas or embodied beings who are full of desires, after death in their next life they get the opportunity to pursue these desires, but these limitations never apply to those situated in renunciation. The word sannyasinam means fully renounced and includes both those who abandon the desire for the rewards of actions as well as those who abandon all actions. The purport is that sinful activities that would propel one to hellish planets are impossible for the aspirant situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness and since whatever rewards they would receive for their virtuous actions have been renounced and offered to the Supreme Lord none of the threefold results of actions would have any effect or influence on them.
Renunciation is being praised and is beneficial for all humanity regardless of status or class. But merely renouncing actions is not sufficient. For those enlightened by the light of spiritual wisdom and those aspirants serious about moksa or liberation from material existence the desire for any rewards in the performance of prescribed Vedic activities have been completely abandoned. For them the only goal is the eternal bliss of attaining communion with the Supreme Lord which is their hearts desire. Such enlightened ones perform activities not for the expectation of any rewards but out of compassion for the benefit of all created beings. The word sannyasinam means totally renounced and this denotes that one never performs activities associated with desire even if they are for the benefit of others. Such sannyasis or celibate monks in the renounced order along with sages, ascetics, rishis and paramahamsas who have already surrendered everything to the Supreme Lord are no longer associated with desires as is a normal human being and thus they take action by inaction. They have terminated all karma or reactions to actions and have transcended samskara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. They exist aloof from the world both internally and externally and wholly devote themselves to atma tattva or realisation of the immortal soul and inner meditation on the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as revealed in Vedic scriptures.
There are three types of rewards that a jiva or embodied being accepts after death as a result of actions. They are anistam or hellish rewards in naraka the hellish planets, istam or godly rewards in svarga the heavenly realms and misram or human rewards in the material worlds. These results only bind those who have not renounced the desire for rewards for their actions expecting renumeration. The three types of renunciation to be abandoned are: the rewards of the actions, the attachment to the actions for the reward and the sense of authorship as the doer. If these three are relinquished then there is no bondage to any action. The word preyta means after death when in the next life the appropriate rewards will be reaped but it does not preclude that some results cannot be experienced even before death such as having a son or being exposed and that as such renunciation may still be applied even while receiving the results in life. But the emphasis is on renouncing the desires to receive rewards for ones actions. Anyway even if there is some desire for rewards one should never under any circumstances peform any activity inimical to the Vedic scriptures, the Supreme Lord Krishna or His devotees the Vaisnavas. It is undeniably true that prescribed Vedic activities are obligatory for everyone according to varnasrama or rank and status in life. This is confirmed by the fact that one is born automatically in a certain family, in a certain society, country, continent, planet, etc. based on the hankering for rewards in the previous life by which karma or reactions to actions were incurred awarding the results of ones past life activities. Yet the very same prescribed activities performed without desire for rewards bestows completely different results. This is known as known as viniyogah prithaktva nyaya and is the justification of dispensation by appropriate application. The aspirant for moksa or liberation from material existence who does not desire any rewards is awarded something different then the furtive hankerer. As declared previously, by study of the Vedic scriptures, by yagna or ritual propitiation and worship, by tapah or austerities and by danam or charity the Vaisnava Brahmins seek to commune with the Supreme Lord. Hence the sannyasa or renunciation that is revealed in the Vedic scriptures is non-different from tyaja the renunciation of the desire for rewards, both which include absence of authorship and ego sense and no attachment. In this way prescribed Vedic activities and obligatory activities can be performed without reactions proving the reality that the cessation of all activity is not necessary neither is it feasible or even practical. The manner of divesting from oneself conceptions of authorship thinking of oneself as the doer is to be situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness and assign authorship of all actions which conform to Vedic scriptures over to the Supreme Lord. From this correct determination arises the feeling of selflessness while performing actions and an absence of desire in actions performed. The Supreme Lord controls everything external through His agency of prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical existence and its triplicate agency of the three gunas or modes of material nature which impels all jivas or embodied beings to follow the impulses of the pranas or life airs and the natural propensities of the body they inhabit based upon karma or reactions to actions due to desire for rewards in previous lifetimes. Hence even the gratification of the senses such as appeasing ones appetites and all activities which natures demands necessitates all belong to the Supreme Lord and not the individual. Surrendering all actions solely unto the Supreme Lord is the understanding aspirants are imbued with.
There are three types of rewards that a jiva or embodied being accepts after death as a result of actions. They are anistam or hellish rewards in naraka the hellish planets, istam or godly rewards in svarga the heavenly realms and misram or human rewards in the material worlds. These results only bind those who have not renounced the desire for rewards for their actions expecting renumeration. The three types of renunciation to be abandoned are: the rewards of the actions, the attachment to the actions for the reward and the sense of authorship as the doer. If these three are relinquished then there is no bondage to any action. The word preyta means after death when in the next life the appropriate rewards will be reaped but it does not preclude that some results cannot be experienced even before death such as having a son or being exposed and that as such renunciation may still be applied even while receiving the results in life. But the emphasis is on renouncing the desires to receive rewards for ones actions. Anyway even if there is some desire for rewards one should never under any circumstances peform any activity inimical to the Vedic scriptures, the Supreme Lord Krishna or His devotees the Vaisnavas. It is undeniably true that prescribed Vedic activities are obligatory for everyone according to varnasrama or rank and status in life. This is confirmed by the fact that one is born automatically in a certain family, in a certain society, country, continent, planet, etc. based on the hankering for rewards in the previous life by which karma or reactions to actions were incurred awarding the results of ones past life activities. Yet the very same prescribed activities performed without desire for rewards bestows completely different results. This is known as known as viniyogah prithaktva nyaya and is the justification of dispensation by appropriate application. The aspirant for moksa or liberation from material existence who does not desire any rewards is awarded something different then the furtive hankerer. As declared previously, by study of the Vedic scriptures, by yagna or ritual propitiation and worship, by tapah or austerities and by danam or charity the Vaisnava Brahmins seek to commune with the Supreme Lord. Hence the sannyasa or renunciation that is revealed in the Vedic scriptures is non-different from tyaja the renunciation of the desire for rewards, both which include absence of authorship and ego sense and no attachment. In this way prescribed Vedic activities and obligatory activities can be performed without reactions proving the reality that the cessation of all activity is not necessary neither is it feasible or even practical. The manner of divesting from oneself conceptions of authorship thinking of oneself as the doer is to be situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness and assign authorship of all actions which conform to Vedic scriptures over to the Supreme Lord. From this correct determination arises the feeling of selflessness while performing actions and an absence of desire in actions performed. The Supreme Lord controls everything external through His agency of prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical existence and its triplicate agency of the three gunas or modes of material nature which impels all jivas or embodied beings to follow the impulses of the pranas or life airs and the natural propensities of the body they inhabit based upon karma or reactions to actions due to desire for rewards in previous lifetimes. Hence even the gratification of the senses such as appeasing ones appetites and all activities which natures demands necessitates all belong to the Supreme Lord and not the individual. Surrendering all actions solely unto the Supreme Lord is the understanding aspirants are imbued with.
Anishtamishtam mishram cha trividham karmanah phalam; Bhavatyatyaaginaam pretya na tu sannyaasinaam kwachit.
aniṣhṭam—unpleasant; iṣhṭam—pleasant; miśhram—mixed; cha—and; tri-vidham—three-fold; karmaṇaḥ phalam—fruits of actions; bhavati—accrue; atyāginām—to those who are attached to persona reward; pretya—after death; na—not; tu—but; sanyāsinām—for the renouncers of actions; kvachit—ever
