DOER AND WITNESS

One who does something is a doer; one who merely observes is a witness. From the very moment of our birth we have been engaged in action. Our coming into existence is consequent on the left over of vasanas (mental impressions) of previous births. Vasanas instigate action and therefore we cannot escape from doing action so long as we are slaves to the vasanas. All our doings are like the fluttering of the wings of a caged bird and similar to the dogs tasting its own blood on biting a bone. Our restlesness and suffering cannot be removed by mere action. The occasional pleasure we derive from action is similar to the dogs tasting its own blood! Once we understand the cause of action, the process of it and the result, we can change its course. Our attitude towards action can be altered and also we can minimise the result of vasanas. Free Will play an important role in this respect. It is Free Will only that has caused sankalpas and action initially, and therefore, we can assume that Free Will has a say over the mental impressions.
By Free Will, I mean the Consciousness shining in every individual. Consciousness is the expression of the Ultimate Reality which is Satchitananda or Awareness in our term. Consciousness when shines in an individual is atmachaitanyam or kudasthan and it is the life giver to the individual. Originally out of the sankalpas of Consciousness only, thoughts and actions emanated as a evolutionery process. Consciousness has therefore the power for the involution also withdrawing itself from sankalpas, thoughts and actions, apparently performed. In the absence of this involution, this evolution process goes on adinfinitum perpetuated by likes and dislikes and sankalpas.
There are different concepts about action. Majority of us believe that every action and its consequence is dependent on Fate. A few egoistic persons consider their cleverness for their success and put the blame on others when they face failures.Yet another group is of the view that events cannot be altered although we have freedom to alter our attitude towards those events. Another set of persons view the entire ‘action’ as sankalpam – an appearance or imagination like a mirage in a desert. The basic truth on which all these concepts are fashioned is that there is one and only Reality call it by any name as satchitananda or Awareness which is ‘Ekam’ ‘Adwaitham’. When viewed from this absolute truth, the concept of actor, action and thing acted upon cannot stand to test leave alone further analysis on this trio.
As already discussed above, man has the Free Will and has the freedom to utilise the intellect for
introspection and to analyse the inner functioning. This is known as tatwa vicharam or vedanta vicharam through which tatwa gnana is gained. With the understanding of the Truth wisdom dawns in him. Wisdom is otherwise known as Arul gnanam which is bestowed on the individual whom HE chooses. Even before one is graced by the Arul gnanam, with the limited tatwa gnanam one can uplift himself from mere ‘doer’ to the ‘karmayogi’. At this stage he would discern that in the field of action created by Maya or Sankalpam, jeeva is acting whereas Iswara (Cosmic Consciousness) is the bestower of result – in other words jeeva is karmahethu and Iswara is karmaphalahethu.This is what BhagaVAD Geeta emphasises in the 3rd chapter through the popular sloka “karmanyevadhikarasthe …” A karmayogi never rejoices nor feels disappointed over the result – favourable or unfavourable. He firmly believes that Iswara is the
bestower of results. Karma yogi is definitely superior to mere ‘doer’ since he is connecting Iswara to his doings whereas the ‘doer’ connecting himself to his ego. From this karmayogi stage one has to uplift himself to the witness.
In the witness stage there are two steps – one is jeevasakshy and the other is sarvasakshy. As a
jeevasakshy one has neither likes nor dislikes nor the sense of doership. He identifies with
Atmachaitanyam (Brahman or Awareness reflected in the individual) and at the same time considers the anthakarana as a upady for expression. He is least affected by the emotions suffered by the anthakarana. He is a mere observer – a witness – a sakshy. He is not responsible either for ‘doings’ or for the result of such doings. In the next step i,e, sarvasakshy, atmachaitanya immerses in Iswara (akanda chaitanya) and on this realisation, there is neither action nor body-consciousness. Only Cosmic Consciousness IS.

A ‘kartha’ (doer) acts with ego in front; A karmayogi is aware of God consciousness while performing action. Jeevasakshy does not attach himself to action and he identifies himself with atmachaitanyam. Sarvasakshi is the merger of atmachaitanyam (individual consciousness) with akandachaitanyam (Cosmic Consciousness)
Jeeva has to raise to atmachaitanya to be a jeevasakshi and atmachaitanya has to raise to
Akandachaitanya to be a sarvasakshy. Thus, so far, we have analysed the “doer” and the “witness” Beyond this is BEING which is beyond our imagination and explanation!!

The following proclamations taken from the scriptures reveals the different facets of that ONE TRUTH: ‘Egoistic persons consider themselves to be the doer. In reality Gunas bring forth the action’ (B.G)
‘He really sees who sees all actions being done in all respects ony by Nature (formd by Gunas) and the Self is the non-doer,’(B.G)
“You have only the right to act and you cannot decide the result thereof”(B.G)
“Analysing by the intellect remove the false notion of doership. Take refuge in that source which stands apart from the body” (Yogavasishta)
“Spirit even when dwelling in the bodyis really transcendent beyond the triple nature . He has been declared to be the witness, the guide…” (B.G)
‘This self-effulgent Atman which is distinct from thr five sheaths, the witness of the three states, the Real, the Changeless. The everlasting Bliss is to be realised by the wise man as his own self (Vivekachoodamani)
“That Divine Being devoid of any quality projects various forms with the help of his own power for his inscrutable purpose and dissolves the whole divine form in Himself” (Swe.upanishad)
“That which is free from differentiation whose essence is never non-existent, which is unmoved like the ocean without waves; the ever free ; of indivisable form – that Brahman are thou” (vivekachoodamani)