Bhagwad Gita - Post 26

Karmanyevaadhikaaraste

Maa phaleshu kadaachana;

Maa karmaphalahetur bhoor

Maa te sango’stwakarmani.

Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits;

let not the fruits of actions be thy motive,

nor let thy attachment be to inaction.

This is an extremely popular verse of the Bhagwad Gita, so much so that even most school children in India are familiar with it. We all know how this verse used to echo in our ears in yesteryears when the Sunday Mahabharatha serial was on. 

It offers deep insight into the proper spirit of work and is often quoted whenever the topic of karma yoga is discussed. The verse gives the instructions regarding the science of work: 

1)               Do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results.

2)             The fruits of your actions are not for your enjoyment. 

3)             Even while working, give up the pride of doer-ship. 

4)             Do not be attached to inaction.

We will take up the first 2 in today's post.

Do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results.

This refers to the action that we generally speak of, which includes duty, the performance of obligatory works. This injunction on action is born of the very structure of prakriti, which never ceases from moving further; and, all prakriti is potential activity. 

Even if we keep quiet and do not do any work, that consciousness of our not doing any work is also a work.

Hence, nobody can be without any kind of action. Total inactivity is not possible because every cell of the body is active. The mind is active, the growth which the body undergoes is an activity. 

There is continuous movement in the cosmos. It is like a train moving eternally on the rails, and in as much as there is no inactivity anywhere on account of the involvement of all things in the processes of prakriti, we should make the best of things.

Finally, in the state of the ultimate purusha, there is no activity, because there is no contact with prakriti and there is no flux or natural reaction.

But until that time, as long as the purusha, or the consciousness of the Atman, is involved in this body, there is a reciprocal action of the Atman and the body. 

Our duty is to act in such a manner that action does not bind us. The consideration of the fruit of an action is contrary to the concept of duty. A person who expects something from the performance of duty has not performed duty. 

Duty is not a wage earner. A person does not perform duty because something comes out of it. It is a necessary obligation on our part to participate in the very structure of the cosmos. 

If our legs walk, they are performing their duty, but they do not get salary because they are walking. The limbs of the body work independently, and no limb asks for recompense or consideration from the other parts of the body. If the eyes show us the way to go and the legs walk, the eyes may tell us to give them something because they helped us by showing the direction. 

This does not happen because mutual cooperation is the essence of duty; and in mutual cooperation, no expectation of fruits is possible because the very fact of mutual cooperation brings all the fruits that are required. 

The fruits of your actions are not for your enjoyment. 

To perform actions is an integral part of human nature. Having come into this world, we all have various duties determined by our family situation, social position, occupation, etc. While performing these actions, we must remember that we are not the enjoyers of the results—the results are meant for the pleasure of God.

dāsa bhūtamidaṁ tasya jagatsthāvara jangamam

śhrīmannārāyaṇa swāmī jagatānprabhurīśhwaraḥ

(Padma Puran) [v40]

“God is the Master of the entire creation; all moving and non-moving beings are his servants.” 

Material consciousness is characterized by the following manner of thoughts, “I am the proprietor of all that I possess. It is all meant for my enjoyment. I have the right to enhance my possessions and maximize my enjoyment.”

The reverse of this is Spiritual consciousness (in the path of devotion), which is characterized by thoughts such as, “God is the owner and enjoyer of this entire world. I am merely his selfless servant. I must use all that I have in the service of God.” 

Accordingly, Sri Krishna instructs Arjuna not to think of himself as the enjoyer of the fruits of his actions.

We have the right to do our duty, but the results are not dependent only upon our efforts. A number of factors come into play in determining the results—our efforts, destiny (our past karmas), the will of God, the efforts of others, the cumulative karmas of the people involved, the place and situation (a matter of luck), etc. 

Now if we become anxious for results, we will experience anxiety whenever they are not according to our expectations. So, Sri Krishna advises Arjun to give up concern for the results and instead focus solely on doing a good job. The fact is that when we are unconcerned about the results, we are able to focus entirely on our efforts, and the result is even better than before.

Duty is also, automatically, a privilege. The gods in heaven know that we deserve whatever is necessary for our existence under the conditions of the duty that we have to perform. So, there is no point in our working in this world, or doing anything, for that matter, under the impression that something will come. 

Continued......

Love.