Bhagavatgita a detailed study-chapter3-karmayoga

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4.na karmaNaam anaarambhaath naishkarmyam purushaH aSnuthe

na cha sannyasanaath eva sidDhim samaDhigacChathi

 

Mere non-performance of action does not result in freedom from action nor the renunciation of action brings attainment of perfection.

 

Unless one is ready for renunciation it is not possible to give up action. If Krishna has confirmed that the path of knowledge is superior, Arjuna would have been delighted because it is exactly what he wanted. The path of karma which involved fighting is what he detested. Krishna is not going to help him to take an easy way out and tells him that mere abstention from work is not renunciation.

 

naishkarmyam- The state in which one gets freedom form works even though he goes on acting. That is, freedom from work means freedom from the bondage from karma. This is achieved by nishkaama karma, acting without attachment which is denoted by naishkarmyam.

 

karmaNaam anaarambhaath- When it is said that one has to do karma without expecting result the usual alternative appears to be not doing the work at all. This is what is referred to as karmaNaam anaarambha, not beginning any work, which has already been forbidden in chapter 2 by the sloka ` karmaNyevaaDhikaarasthe,' (2.47) where Krishna said `ma the sango astu akarmaNi,' "you should not resort to inaction." The same is reiterated here.

 

Sannyasanaath eva- by mere renunciation of work.

 

Both the above phrases seem to mean the same thing but it is not so. The first refers to karmayoga and the second to jnanayoga. To do karma yoga it is essential to do karma without attachment. Through nishkama karma one reaches the state of sThithprajna gradually when the next phrase applies. That is, even a sthiTha prajna does not desist from karma but the karma does not create any bondage for him as he has attained sidDhi.

 

The reason why one should not give up karma is explained in the next two slokas.

 

 

5.na hi kaSchith kshaNam api jaathu thishTathi akarmaNaH

kaaryathe hi avaSam karma sarvaH prakrthijaiH guNaiH

 

No one can even for a moment stay without doing any work. He is made to act by the gunas that are inherent in him which is not in his control.

 

It is impossible for any one to give up work altogether because everything , like eating, walking, sleeping etc. is working only. The motivation for action are the gunas which are the natural constituents of mind and body, and everyone acts according to the texture of the gunas within him. So unless one reaches the state of gunaatheetha, in other words sThithparjna, he cannot escape the influence of the gunas over his actions. A gunatheetha is not affected by the action as the sense of agency, that is, the feeling that `I am the doer,' is absent in him . This will be explained in detail later.

 

6,karmendhriyaaNi samyamyaya aasthe manasaa smaran

indhriyaarThaan vimooDaathmaa miThyaachaaraH sa uchyathe

 

One who controls his indhriyas of action but dwells on the sense objects with his mind is a hypocrite and is deluded.

 

.. Man does not attain freedom from karma by giving it up because it is virtually impossible to remain inactive. How a man acts depends upon his propensities and if he controls his senses and refrain from action he will be mentally dwelling on the sense objects . Such a man is vimoodaatma and mithyaachaara, says Krishna, he is a deluded person and a hypocrite. Therefore action is superior to inaction.

 

It is easier to control the indhriyas than to control the mind. If one stops his indriyas from contacting the sense objects as for instance one desists from food on an ekadasi day, not as a spiritual discipline but only because it is traditional will be dwelling on the food which he could enjoy the next day and he may even tell his folks to keep the food which he could not eat that day, for him to consume the next day. This is dwelling on the sense object with the mind. That is, physically stopping the indhriyas. This is not sense control which precedes n mind control as a spiritual discipline. Such a man I called a hypocrite who deludes himself and other that he has achieved self control.