March 14 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 3; Verses 3.25 (Day 74) Karma Yoga

 March 14 – Day 74

Verse 3.25

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।

कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥ ३-२५॥ 

saktāḥ karmaṇyavidwānso yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryād vidwāns tathāsaktaśh chikīrṣhur loka-saṅgraham (25) 

ஸக்¹தா¹: க¹ர்மண்யவித்³வாந்ஸோ யதா² கு¹ர்வந்தி¹ பா⁴ரத¹ |
கு¹ர்யாத்³வித்³வாம்ஸ்த¹தா²ஸக்¹த¹ஶ்சி¹கீ¹ர்ஷுர்லோக¹ஸங்ரஹம் ||25|| 

25. As the ignorant men, act from attachment to action, O Bharata (Arjuna), so should the wise act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world! 

Commentary – The ignorant man works in expectation of fruits.  He says, “I will do such and such work and will get such and such fruit.”  But the wise man who knows the Self, serves not for his own end.  He should so act that the world, following his example, would attain peace, harmony, purity of heart, divine light and knowledge.  A wise man is one who knows the Self.  

(Cf. II.64; III.19; XVIII. 49) 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda [verse 25] 

The verb is the most important word in this verse, and it is often overlooked. The tone is not optional but obligatory. The wise man is left with no choice; in fact the very validity of his wisdom would be questioned if he did not abide by the commandment contained in this verse.

What is ignorance? Identification of the self, which is but the witness consciousness, with the body and the world, which constantly change. What is wisdom? Realization that the self is but the witness of this world-process and world-activity. The wise man will, therefore, not interfere with the course of nature, either by positively providing fuel for it by his own desires or cravings, or by negatively holding it back by refusing to let his body function as part of the world, which it is!

The world is maintained by God’s energy and the world includes the wise man’s physical being, too. He is part of the whole, and his egoistic withdrawal from life will confuse the minds of others on the field.

In order, therefore, to ensure the welfare of the society in which he lives and to set an example for others to follow, the wise man must do his duty in this world, and what is more important, do it as if he were as interested in the affairs of the world as the ignorant (so that the ignorant man has no excuse to avoid following the wise). The difference is not in external appearance or behaviour, but it is the wise man’s inward spirit of non-attachment.

Is it possible for one to deceive oneself and others that he lives in this spirit? Surely it is. Deceiving others is waste of time. Self-deception is a misnomer – surely, the wise man is free from pretension. His wisdom is luminous enough to keep away the darkness of attachment born of ignorance.

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