Bhagavad Gita Chapter IV (Renunciation of Action) Verses 14 to 21
Verse14
Na mama karmani limpanti na me karma-phale spreha !
Iti mam yo’bhijanati karmabhir ma sa badhyate !!
Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any desire for the fruits-of-actions. He who knows Me thus is not bound by his actions.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Actions do not affect Me. Nor have I any desire for the fruits of action. Whoever knows Me to be so, is not bound by Karma.
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
The Ever-pure and the All-full cannot be tainted, nor can It have any sense-of-imperfection which can germinate any “desire.” The Lord, the Self, declares here: “Actions do not taint Me nor have I any anxiety for the fruits of actions.” Taint or “desire” can come only to an ego, which is “the Self, functioning through a given mind and intellect.” When the subtle-body is tainted by “desires” and agitations, then the ego in it seems to be played upon by these two. This is better understood by the following analogy.
The Sun, reflected in a bowl of water, is entirely dependent upon the condition of the water. The reflected-sun is shaken when the water in the bowl is disturbed and it appears to be dim when the water is muddy. Neither the dimness nor the agitations of the reflection have caused any change at all in the original object-the Sun, in the Infinite Heavens. Similarly, the ego suffers the evil tendencies and such other taints of the mind and also gets disturbed, due to the “desires” for the fruits of its actions. The Self, in Its Pure Conscious-nature, is not at all affected by these delusory disturbances of Its own reflection in the mental pool.
“He who knows Me thus” meaning the one who has renounced his identifications with his limited ego and has rediscovered himself to be none other than the Self, is no more affected by his actions in the outer world. When the reflected sun understands that its real nature is that of the Sun in the sky, thereafter the muddiness of the water or its disturbances can no longer affect it.
Verse 15
Evam Jnatva krtam karma purvair api mumukshubih !
Kuru karma’aiva tasmat tvam purvaih purvataram krtam!!
Having known this, the ancient seekers-after-freedom also performed action; therefore, you too perform action, as did the ancients in the olden times.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Knowing thus, the ancient aspirants after liberation performed works. Therefore you too do work as these ancients did from time immemorial.
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
After knowing Me that “ I am non-agent and I have no longing for the fruits of actions,” and realizing the All-full Self-hood, there shall no more be any “desire”or “egoistic vanities.” The technique of Karma Yoga, as enunciated and propounded in the last chapter, was practiced, say Krsna, even in olden times by many an intelligent seeker. In short, there is nothing new in the “path-of Action” and all seekers trying to realize the self had been following he same technique.
Therefore, there is enough evidence to prove its efficiency and thus Krsna informs Arjuna that he will be well-advised if he too were to perform selfless actions as explained earlier (III-30), as the ancients did in olden times.
Verse 16:
Kim karma kim akarm’eti karvayo’apy atra mohitah !
Tat te karma pravakyami yaj jnatva mokshyase’subhat !!
What is action? What is inaction? As to this, even the “wise” are deluded. Therefore, I shall teach you “action” (the nature of action and inaction), knowing which, you shall be liberated from the evil (of Samsara- the wheel of birth and death).
Swamy Chinmayananda
What is work and not what is ‘no work’, is a subject regarding which even the wise are perplexed. I shall therefore speak to you about work, by knowing which one is liberated fro evil (or the life of bondage in Samsara).
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by SwamyChinmmayananda:
All of us understand that ‘action’ means movement of the limbs with relation to things in the outer world, and ‘inaction’ means a state of existence wherein there is a total cessation of such vigorous and conscious movements. This is the popular definition of ‘action’ and ‘inaction’ which, no doubt, is quite acceptable as far as the every day activities of life are concerned. But from the philosophical stand-point, the concept and features of both ‘action’ and ‘inaction’ change.
For purposes of self-development,when we consider ‘action,’ it is not to be valued merely by observing its manifested qualities but we must also take into consideration the un-manifested but subtly-working motives behind the very same action. An action, in itself, cannot be considered either as good or bad. It is the motive behind it which determines the quality of the action. Just as the beauty of a fruit is not the last word for its edibility, but it depends upon its contents, so too, a beautiful action in itself could be a poisonous act of criminality, if the motive behind it is low and vicious.
Verse 17:
Karmano hy api boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmanah !
Akarmanas cha boddhavyam gahana karmano gatih !!
For verily (the true nature) of “right action” should be known; also (that) of “forbidden (or unlawful) action” and of “inaction”; imponderable is the nature (path) of action
Swamy Chinmayananda
The truth about the nature of ‘beneficial work’ has to be understood , as also of ‘baneful work’ and of ‘no work’ The way of work is difficult indeed to understand
Swamay Tapasyananda.
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
Life means activity. Where activity has ended, death has entered. In active life alone can we progress or deteriorate. A stagnant pool or water decays and soon gets putrefied; while the flowing water of river ever keeps itself fresh, pure and clean.
Life being dynamic, it cannot, even for a moment, cease to function. Complete cessation of activities is impossible so long as life exists.
Activity, therefore, is the very corner-stone of life. Since man must always actively exist all his lifetime, the entire possibilities of activities have been taken into consideration by the great Seers of old in evaluating life.
Life is constituted of moments of activity and moments of inactivity. Through inactivity, neither progress nor deterioration is ever possible. Deep-sleep or periods of complete cessation in existence are intervals of total holidaying from life, and they can neither make nor mar the individual’s progress in his evolution.
Periods of activity create man. This creative-period depends upon what type of activity we venture upon. According to the ancient Seers, activities can be of two types, constructive or destructive. Constructive activities which contribute towards the evolution of the individual are termed here as Karma. Destructive activities are those that are totally condemned by the Sastra-s, because they tend to devolve the individual, and those are termed in our text books as Vi-karma. The constructive activities (Karma) can be of three kinds: Nitya –Constant or daily duties, Naimittika –special duties on special occasions, and Kamya –work purposeful and self-determined for winning a desirable result or reward.
Krsna is advising Arjuna here that in the largest implications of the Vedik technique, Karma need not be only ritualism, but it can bring within its embrace “all dedicated activities.” The catholicity of this vision of life and of the technique of self-perfection as indicated in the Gita has nowhere been so beautifully brought out, as in this section. And this is the very reason Gita has been the unchallenged “Scripture of the World” for such a long period of its continuous history.
Built upon ancient Vedik doctrine, Krsna here expounds an elaborate theory of self-development. He says that life is but a name for continuous activities. These activities can fall within two distinct classifications as Karma and Vi-karma. Lord Krsna’s advice to Arjuna is to avoid the forbidden actions (Vi-karma) and to pursue the constructive and creative activities of self-development (Karma). In this scientific analysis, without any formality, or mental reservation, Krsna totally rejects “inactivity” (A-Karma).
Verse18:
Karmany akarma yah pasyed akarmani cha karma yah !
Sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah kr’sna-karma-krith !!
He who recognizes inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among men; he is a Yogi and a true performer of all actions.
Swamy Chinamayananda
He who sees work in ‘no work’ and ‘no work in work, he is wise among men. Even while doing all work, he remains established in Yoga
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
By thus following the rules of right-living (Karma), as indicated in Vedanta, when an individual has lived a sufficiently long period of time, the doubt arises as to when exactly can we say that he has completely reached the State of Perfection? This question should necessarily throb in the intellect of all sincere students, and Krsna is trying to indicate this noble goal of fulfillment of all Karma-s in this stanza.
Sankara and other great Acarya-s have all been tirelessly repeating that, right action, undertaken with a sense of devotion and dedication, creates in the bosom of the student a sense of complete detachment, as though he himself is a dis-interested observer of all that is happening within and without him. When thus an individual detaches himself and observes his own activities as part and parcel of the world of activities around, he gains in himself an indescribable poise which is essential for the practice of meditation.
Merely because an individual is keeping quiet, we cannot ever conclude that he is inactive. Physical inactivity is no criterion to call one an idler. On the other hand, it is a fact well known to all of us, that, when we are intensely thinking whenever we are in a state of creative thinking –we are invariably quiet and inactive, physically. Therefore, in the physical inactivity of one, which is labeled as idleness by the hectic foot-path-walkers in life, we can detect intense activity in his deep “within.” A Buddha under the fig-tree, an artist at his easel, a musician at his instrument, a writer at his desk –all of them punctuate their activities with ‘still moments of intense inactivity’ –called unactivity –and they bend forward to pour out their artistic and literary creations. All these physical moments of cessation are not mere inactivity but they are the necessary quietude and silence when the mind and intellect function with the highest velocity. Thus, he who has a capacity to introspect, can easily detect perfect action in complete inaction.
Such an individual who can thus stand constantly apart from himself and observe “the activity in inactivity” and “complete inactivity even in the highest activity … called unactivity” … is termed here, we must carefully note, not a man of realization (Jnani), but an intelligent, full-grown human creature (Buddiman). “He is the intelligent one among men,” and he is certainly one who is very near to the Self (Atma Yuktah).
Verse 19
Yasya sarve samarambhah kama-samkalpa-varjitah !
Jnan agni-dagdha-karmanam tam ahuh panditam budhah !!
Whose undertaking are all devoid of desire and purposes, and whose actions have been burnt by the Fire-of-Knowledge, him the “wise” call a Sage.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Whose undertakings are devoid of self-centred objectives, whose works have been burnt up by the fire of knowledge- him the wise call a sage
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
He is called a Saint, a man-of-Perfection, “whose undertakings are all devoid of plan and desire-for-result.” Planning is a shackle upon the freedom of one’s activities. In all planning, we are forcing the circumstances into a desired mould, a wished-for pattern. In thus driving the situations to mould themselves into a planned pattern, we are exhausting ourselves and vainly fighting against terrible odds. This method of activity drains away all inspiration and joy from the worker.
One who is a perfect Sage, says Krsna, is one who will undertake to act “Without planning” and “Without any desire for fruits.” In this context, these two qualifications of a perfect act are to be understood with kindness and sympathy. A literal meaning of these two terms should not be used here, as in that case the statement would become absurd.
The instruction to act “without planning and desire” does not mean that a man-of-Equilibrium, in his inspired activity, should not make use of his better intelligence and plan his activities to gain a desired result. It only means that, while he is at work, he should not allow his abilities and capacities to run to waste, with his mental pre-occupations and sentimental fears regarding the results-of-his-work. Vedanta does not in any way ignore man’s intellect. The way of life as advised in the Gita provides only a more efficient means to act and achieve, to live and to enjoy, cultivating and applying our own potentialities more intelligently.
An individual, who has thus come to live intelligently and act diligently, becomes fully wedded to the piece of work in hand and gets do entirely drunk with the joy of his own inspiration, that the action cannot leave upon him even a trace of its reaction. Our mind and intellect will venture forth to worry over the unknown possibilities and dangers, unless they can find a more secure hold upon something nobler and diviner. A perfect Sage is one whose mind is ever hitched on to the cognition of the Divine, so that, even when he functions in the world outside, he is revelling in his own Consciousness within.
Verse 20:
Tyaktva karma-phalasanfam nitya-trpto nirasrayah !
Karmany abhipravritoo naiva kinchit karoti sah!!
Having abandoned attachment to the fruits-of-action, ever-content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything, though engaged in actions.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Without attachment to the fruits of action, ever-satisfied and free from calculations, he is verily doing nothing, even though engaged in actions.
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries By Swamy Chinmayananda
He who has “abandoned all concern for actions” and has also “renounced all his attachments for their fruit,” is a perfect worker. Due to long disuse, the Hindu scriptural declarations have come to be mis-interpreted in our midst. Hasty pandita-s vaguely mouth the statements of the Rsi-s, and the ordinary laity in their hurried life jump to their own fancied conclusions. Thus, we have fallen into a wrong tradition of accepting superstitious absurdities as the very backbone of our noble philosophy.
Herein is a clear example. The Path of work is notoriously unknown in this country, and yet very wisely declared by every fool, and scandalized and laughed at by all educated Hindu mongers in their own consummate ignorance. The general belief is that “to act without an eye upon the fruits of our activities is the Path of Action.” This misunderstanding has no support at all in the entire bulk of our Sastra-s, and this is most clearly brought out here in this stanza.
We are not asked here to renounce the fruits-of-actions as such nor to ignore them, but we are only warned to renounce our mental slavery and intellectual cleaning to the “expected-fruits.” Only when we get pre-occupied with the expected fruits of our actions do we come to exhaust ourselves, and thus become inefficient in our activities Forsaking (tyaktva) our clinging (Sanga) to the fruits-of-action (Karma-phala), we are advised to strive for and to achieve the welfare of the society.
“Nitya-trptah” –Ever satisfied: -A perfect Master has no clinging to the fruits of his actions, because such an anxiety can come only in one who has got a desire for it. One who has realized, his intellect can have no more desires. He is, ever afterwards, completely satisfied in his intimate experience of the Infinite as his own Self and, therefore, he could feel no incomplete-ness. Thus, having no desire, he acts on in the world not seeking any fulfillment for himself.
“Nirasrayah”: Depending on nothing: -The ordinary mortal lives and functions, depending entirely upon the quality and quantity of the fruits of his actions. In the profit so earned, an average man seeks to discover his own sustenance and joy. In the case of a sage, he is ever free from the demands of life, and therefore, he can never be a beggar at the gates of actions. He demands no fruits, he needs no wages, the very actions that he is doing are in themselves sufficient rewards for him, because he acts always in divine inspiration.
Such an individual, who has rediscovered the Self, “though seemingly engaged in activity,” does not do anything.
Verse 21:
Nirasir yatachit’atma tyakta-sarva-parigrahah !
Sareeram kevalam karma kurvan n’spnoti kilbisham !!
Without hope (desire), with his mind and self controlled, having abandoned all sense of possessions, doing mere bodily action, he incurs no sin.
Swamy Chinmayananda
One who is free from desires, whose mind is well-controlled, and who is without any sense of ownership, incurs no sin from works, as his actions are merely physical
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
Mere bodily activity is not action that will merit a reaction. It has already been seen that the reactions of actions take place in the mental and in the intellectual zones. An action can leave a mark on our subtle-body only when we act with an ego-centric consciousness that we are the actors, and these marks can be effective only when our actions are motivated by powerful and strong ego-centric “desire.”
Ego is created only when the Self, in its assumed delusion, identifies itself with the body, mind and intellect, and their respective fields of objects. This ego draws its sustenance from the “hopes of the future,” and also from the “satisfaction of the present” possessions.
Therefore, the stanza declares that an individual, (a) when he has completely renounced hope, (b) when he has brought his body and mind under perfect control, and (c) when he has relinquished all sense of possessions, can no longer sustain the illusory concept of the ego in him. When the ego has ended, the actions performed by that individual’s body become incapable of leaving any permanent mark upon his constitution, or on his intellectual character.
A Self-realised Saint’s activities do not touch him at all since he is not the actor: the actions only flow through him. Such a truly Great One becomes not a doer of actions, but serves as a glorious instrument for the Lord’s Will to express itself.
An ego-less man-of-Perfection is the “wonder instrument” through which the Divine orchestra plays, singing the song of the Lord’s own Will, faithfully. Any activity undertaken by a perfect Master does not and cannot bring about any consequences, good or evil, upon him; he is only a “Divine-instrument.”
Na mama karmani limpanti na me karma-phale spreha !
Iti mam yo’bhijanati karmabhir ma sa badhyate !!
Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any desire for the fruits-of-actions. He who knows Me thus is not bound by his actions.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Actions do not affect Me. Nor have I any desire for the fruits of action. Whoever knows Me to be so, is not bound by Karma.
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
The Ever-pure and the All-full cannot be tainted, nor can It have any sense-of-imperfection which can germinate any “desire.” The Lord, the Self, declares here: “Actions do not taint Me nor have I any anxiety for the fruits of actions.” Taint or “desire” can come only to an ego, which is “the Self, functioning through a given mind and intellect.” When the subtle-body is tainted by “desires” and agitations, then the ego in it seems to be played upon by these two. This is better understood by the following analogy.
The Sun, reflected in a bowl of water, is entirely dependent upon the condition of the water. The reflected-sun is shaken when the water in the bowl is disturbed and it appears to be dim when the water is muddy. Neither the dimness nor the agitations of the reflection have caused any change at all in the original object-the Sun, in the Infinite Heavens. Similarly, the ego suffers the evil tendencies and such other taints of the mind and also gets disturbed, due to the “desires” for the fruits of its actions. The Self, in Its Pure Conscious-nature, is not at all affected by these delusory disturbances of Its own reflection in the mental pool.
“He who knows Me thus” meaning the one who has renounced his identifications with his limited ego and has rediscovered himself to be none other than the Self, is no more affected by his actions in the outer world. When the reflected sun understands that its real nature is that of the Sun in the sky, thereafter the muddiness of the water or its disturbances can no longer affect it.
Verse 15
Evam Jnatva krtam karma purvair api mumukshubih !
Kuru karma’aiva tasmat tvam purvaih purvataram krtam!!
Having known this, the ancient seekers-after-freedom also performed action; therefore, you too perform action, as did the ancients in the olden times.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Knowing thus, the ancient aspirants after liberation performed works. Therefore you too do work as these ancients did from time immemorial.
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
After knowing Me that “ I am non-agent and I have no longing for the fruits of actions,” and realizing the All-full Self-hood, there shall no more be any “desire”or “egoistic vanities.” The technique of Karma Yoga, as enunciated and propounded in the last chapter, was practiced, say Krsna, even in olden times by many an intelligent seeker. In short, there is nothing new in the “path-of Action” and all seekers trying to realize the self had been following he same technique.
Therefore, there is enough evidence to prove its efficiency and thus Krsna informs Arjuna that he will be well-advised if he too were to perform selfless actions as explained earlier (III-30), as the ancients did in olden times.
Verse 16:
Kim karma kim akarm’eti karvayo’apy atra mohitah !
Tat te karma pravakyami yaj jnatva mokshyase’subhat !!
What is action? What is inaction? As to this, even the “wise” are deluded. Therefore, I shall teach you “action” (the nature of action and inaction), knowing which, you shall be liberated from the evil (of Samsara- the wheel of birth and death).
Swamy Chinmayananda
What is work and not what is ‘no work’, is a subject regarding which even the wise are perplexed. I shall therefore speak to you about work, by knowing which one is liberated fro evil (or the life of bondage in Samsara).
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by SwamyChinmmayananda:
All of us understand that ‘action’ means movement of the limbs with relation to things in the outer world, and ‘inaction’ means a state of existence wherein there is a total cessation of such vigorous and conscious movements. This is the popular definition of ‘action’ and ‘inaction’ which, no doubt, is quite acceptable as far as the every day activities of life are concerned. But from the philosophical stand-point, the concept and features of both ‘action’ and ‘inaction’ change.
For purposes of self-development,when we consider ‘action,’ it is not to be valued merely by observing its manifested qualities but we must also take into consideration the un-manifested but subtly-working motives behind the very same action. An action, in itself, cannot be considered either as good or bad. It is the motive behind it which determines the quality of the action. Just as the beauty of a fruit is not the last word for its edibility, but it depends upon its contents, so too, a beautiful action in itself could be a poisonous act of criminality, if the motive behind it is low and vicious.
Verse 17:
Karmano hy api boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmanah !
Akarmanas cha boddhavyam gahana karmano gatih !!
For verily (the true nature) of “right action” should be known; also (that) of “forbidden (or unlawful) action” and of “inaction”; imponderable is the nature (path) of action
Swamy Chinmayananda
The truth about the nature of ‘beneficial work’ has to be understood , as also of ‘baneful work’ and of ‘no work’ The way of work is difficult indeed to understand
Swamay Tapasyananda.
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
Life means activity. Where activity has ended, death has entered. In active life alone can we progress or deteriorate. A stagnant pool or water decays and soon gets putrefied; while the flowing water of river ever keeps itself fresh, pure and clean.
Life being dynamic, it cannot, even for a moment, cease to function. Complete cessation of activities is impossible so long as life exists.
Activity, therefore, is the very corner-stone of life. Since man must always actively exist all his lifetime, the entire possibilities of activities have been taken into consideration by the great Seers of old in evaluating life.
Life is constituted of moments of activity and moments of inactivity. Through inactivity, neither progress nor deterioration is ever possible. Deep-sleep or periods of complete cessation in existence are intervals of total holidaying from life, and they can neither make nor mar the individual’s progress in his evolution.
Periods of activity create man. This creative-period depends upon what type of activity we venture upon. According to the ancient Seers, activities can be of two types, constructive or destructive. Constructive activities which contribute towards the evolution of the individual are termed here as Karma. Destructive activities are those that are totally condemned by the Sastra-s, because they tend to devolve the individual, and those are termed in our text books as Vi-karma. The constructive activities (Karma) can be of three kinds: Nitya –Constant or daily duties, Naimittika –special duties on special occasions, and Kamya –work purposeful and self-determined for winning a desirable result or reward.
Krsna is advising Arjuna here that in the largest implications of the Vedik technique, Karma need not be only ritualism, but it can bring within its embrace “all dedicated activities.” The catholicity of this vision of life and of the technique of self-perfection as indicated in the Gita has nowhere been so beautifully brought out, as in this section. And this is the very reason Gita has been the unchallenged “Scripture of the World” for such a long period of its continuous history.
Built upon ancient Vedik doctrine, Krsna here expounds an elaborate theory of self-development. He says that life is but a name for continuous activities. These activities can fall within two distinct classifications as Karma and Vi-karma. Lord Krsna’s advice to Arjuna is to avoid the forbidden actions (Vi-karma) and to pursue the constructive and creative activities of self-development (Karma). In this scientific analysis, without any formality, or mental reservation, Krsna totally rejects “inactivity” (A-Karma).
Verse18:
Karmany akarma yah pasyed akarmani cha karma yah !
Sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah kr’sna-karma-krith !!
He who recognizes inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among men; he is a Yogi and a true performer of all actions.
Swamy Chinamayananda
He who sees work in ‘no work’ and ‘no work in work, he is wise among men. Even while doing all work, he remains established in Yoga
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
By thus following the rules of right-living (Karma), as indicated in Vedanta, when an individual has lived a sufficiently long period of time, the doubt arises as to when exactly can we say that he has completely reached the State of Perfection? This question should necessarily throb in the intellect of all sincere students, and Krsna is trying to indicate this noble goal of fulfillment of all Karma-s in this stanza.
Sankara and other great Acarya-s have all been tirelessly repeating that, right action, undertaken with a sense of devotion and dedication, creates in the bosom of the student a sense of complete detachment, as though he himself is a dis-interested observer of all that is happening within and without him. When thus an individual detaches himself and observes his own activities as part and parcel of the world of activities around, he gains in himself an indescribable poise which is essential for the practice of meditation.
Merely because an individual is keeping quiet, we cannot ever conclude that he is inactive. Physical inactivity is no criterion to call one an idler. On the other hand, it is a fact well known to all of us, that, when we are intensely thinking whenever we are in a state of creative thinking –we are invariably quiet and inactive, physically. Therefore, in the physical inactivity of one, which is labeled as idleness by the hectic foot-path-walkers in life, we can detect intense activity in his deep “within.” A Buddha under the fig-tree, an artist at his easel, a musician at his instrument, a writer at his desk –all of them punctuate their activities with ‘still moments of intense inactivity’ –called unactivity –and they bend forward to pour out their artistic and literary creations. All these physical moments of cessation are not mere inactivity but they are the necessary quietude and silence when the mind and intellect function with the highest velocity. Thus, he who has a capacity to introspect, can easily detect perfect action in complete inaction.
Such an individual who can thus stand constantly apart from himself and observe “the activity in inactivity” and “complete inactivity even in the highest activity … called unactivity” … is termed here, we must carefully note, not a man of realization (Jnani), but an intelligent, full-grown human creature (Buddiman). “He is the intelligent one among men,” and he is certainly one who is very near to the Self (Atma Yuktah).
Verse 19
Yasya sarve samarambhah kama-samkalpa-varjitah !
Jnan agni-dagdha-karmanam tam ahuh panditam budhah !!
Whose undertaking are all devoid of desire and purposes, and whose actions have been burnt by the Fire-of-Knowledge, him the “wise” call a Sage.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Whose undertakings are devoid of self-centred objectives, whose works have been burnt up by the fire of knowledge- him the wise call a sage
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
He is called a Saint, a man-of-Perfection, “whose undertakings are all devoid of plan and desire-for-result.” Planning is a shackle upon the freedom of one’s activities. In all planning, we are forcing the circumstances into a desired mould, a wished-for pattern. In thus driving the situations to mould themselves into a planned pattern, we are exhausting ourselves and vainly fighting against terrible odds. This method of activity drains away all inspiration and joy from the worker.
One who is a perfect Sage, says Krsna, is one who will undertake to act “Without planning” and “Without any desire for fruits.” In this context, these two qualifications of a perfect act are to be understood with kindness and sympathy. A literal meaning of these two terms should not be used here, as in that case the statement would become absurd.
The instruction to act “without planning and desire” does not mean that a man-of-Equilibrium, in his inspired activity, should not make use of his better intelligence and plan his activities to gain a desired result. It only means that, while he is at work, he should not allow his abilities and capacities to run to waste, with his mental pre-occupations and sentimental fears regarding the results-of-his-work. Vedanta does not in any way ignore man’s intellect. The way of life as advised in the Gita provides only a more efficient means to act and achieve, to live and to enjoy, cultivating and applying our own potentialities more intelligently.
An individual, who has thus come to live intelligently and act diligently, becomes fully wedded to the piece of work in hand and gets do entirely drunk with the joy of his own inspiration, that the action cannot leave upon him even a trace of its reaction. Our mind and intellect will venture forth to worry over the unknown possibilities and dangers, unless they can find a more secure hold upon something nobler and diviner. A perfect Sage is one whose mind is ever hitched on to the cognition of the Divine, so that, even when he functions in the world outside, he is revelling in his own Consciousness within.
Verse 20:
Tyaktva karma-phalasanfam nitya-trpto nirasrayah !
Karmany abhipravritoo naiva kinchit karoti sah!!
Having abandoned attachment to the fruits-of-action, ever-content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything, though engaged in actions.
Swamy Chinmayananda
Without attachment to the fruits of action, ever-satisfied and free from calculations, he is verily doing nothing, even though engaged in actions.
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries By Swamy Chinmayananda
He who has “abandoned all concern for actions” and has also “renounced all his attachments for their fruit,” is a perfect worker. Due to long disuse, the Hindu scriptural declarations have come to be mis-interpreted in our midst. Hasty pandita-s vaguely mouth the statements of the Rsi-s, and the ordinary laity in their hurried life jump to their own fancied conclusions. Thus, we have fallen into a wrong tradition of accepting superstitious absurdities as the very backbone of our noble philosophy.
Herein is a clear example. The Path of work is notoriously unknown in this country, and yet very wisely declared by every fool, and scandalized and laughed at by all educated Hindu mongers in their own consummate ignorance. The general belief is that “to act without an eye upon the fruits of our activities is the Path of Action.” This misunderstanding has no support at all in the entire bulk of our Sastra-s, and this is most clearly brought out here in this stanza.
We are not asked here to renounce the fruits-of-actions as such nor to ignore them, but we are only warned to renounce our mental slavery and intellectual cleaning to the “expected-fruits.” Only when we get pre-occupied with the expected fruits of our actions do we come to exhaust ourselves, and thus become inefficient in our activities Forsaking (tyaktva) our clinging (Sanga) to the fruits-of-action (Karma-phala), we are advised to strive for and to achieve the welfare of the society.
“Nitya-trptah” –Ever satisfied: -A perfect Master has no clinging to the fruits of his actions, because such an anxiety can come only in one who has got a desire for it. One who has realized, his intellect can have no more desires. He is, ever afterwards, completely satisfied in his intimate experience of the Infinite as his own Self and, therefore, he could feel no incomplete-ness. Thus, having no desire, he acts on in the world not seeking any fulfillment for himself.
“Nirasrayah”: Depending on nothing: -The ordinary mortal lives and functions, depending entirely upon the quality and quantity of the fruits of his actions. In the profit so earned, an average man seeks to discover his own sustenance and joy. In the case of a sage, he is ever free from the demands of life, and therefore, he can never be a beggar at the gates of actions. He demands no fruits, he needs no wages, the very actions that he is doing are in themselves sufficient rewards for him, because he acts always in divine inspiration.
Such an individual, who has rediscovered the Self, “though seemingly engaged in activity,” does not do anything.
Verse 21:
Nirasir yatachit’atma tyakta-sarva-parigrahah !
Sareeram kevalam karma kurvan n’spnoti kilbisham !!
Without hope (desire), with his mind and self controlled, having abandoned all sense of possessions, doing mere bodily action, he incurs no sin.
Swamy Chinmayananda
One who is free from desires, whose mind is well-controlled, and who is without any sense of ownership, incurs no sin from works, as his actions are merely physical
Swamy Tapasyananda
Commentaries by Swamy Chinmayananda:
Mere bodily activity is not action that will merit a reaction. It has already been seen that the reactions of actions take place in the mental and in the intellectual zones. An action can leave a mark on our subtle-body only when we act with an ego-centric consciousness that we are the actors, and these marks can be effective only when our actions are motivated by powerful and strong ego-centric “desire.”
Ego is created only when the Self, in its assumed delusion, identifies itself with the body, mind and intellect, and their respective fields of objects. This ego draws its sustenance from the “hopes of the future,” and also from the “satisfaction of the present” possessions.
Therefore, the stanza declares that an individual, (a) when he has completely renounced hope, (b) when he has brought his body and mind under perfect control, and (c) when he has relinquished all sense of possessions, can no longer sustain the illusory concept of the ego in him. When the ego has ended, the actions performed by that individual’s body become incapable of leaving any permanent mark upon his constitution, or on his intellectual character.
A Self-realised Saint’s activities do not touch him at all since he is not the actor: the actions only flow through him. Such a truly Great One becomes not a doer of actions, but serves as a glorious instrument for the Lord’s Will to express itself.
An ego-less man-of-Perfection is the “wonder instrument” through which the Divine orchestra plays, singing the song of the Lord’s own Will, faithfully. Any activity undertaken by a perfect Master does not and cannot bring about any consequences, good or evil, upon him; he is only a “Divine-instrument.”
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