BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:18

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:18

 

karmany akarma yah pasyed

akarmani ca karma yah

sa buddhiman manusyesu

sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

karmani--in action; akarma--inaction; yah--one who; pasyet--observes;

akarmani--in inaction; ca--also; karma--fruitive action; yah--one who;

sah--he; buddhi-man--is intelligent; manusyesu--in human society;

sah--he; yuktah--is in the transcendental position;

krtsna-karma-krt--although engaged in all activities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is

intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position,

although engaged in all sorts of activities.

 

PURPORT

 

A person acting in Krsna consciousness is naturally free from the

bonds of karma. His activities are all performed for Krsna; therefore

he does not enjoy or suffer any of the effects of work. Consequently

he is intelligent in human society, even though he is engaged in all

sorts of activities for Krsna. Akarma means without reaction to work.

The impersonalist ceases fruitive activities out of fear, so that the

resultant action may not be a stumbling block on the path of

self-realization, but the personalist knows rightly his position as

the eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore

he engages himself in the activities of Krsna consciousness. Because

everything is done for Krsna, he enjoys only transcendental happiness

in the discharge of this service. Those who are engaged in this

process are known to be without desire for personal sense

gratification. The sense of eternal servitorship to Krsna makes one

immune to all sorts of reactionary elements of work.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.