April 5 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 4; Verses 4.19-4.20 (Day 96) Karma Yoga

 April 5 – Day 96

Verse 4.19-4.20

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः ।

ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥ ४-१९॥ 

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ (4.19) 

யஸ்ய ஸர்வே ஸமாரம்பா⁴: கா¹மஸங்க¹ல்ப¹வர்ஜிதா¹: |
ஞானாக்³னித³க்³த⁴க¹ர்மாணம் த¹மாஹுஹுப¹ண்டித¹ம் பு³தா⁴: ||4.19|| 

19. He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and (selfish) purposes, and whose actions have been burnt by the fire of knowledge,—him the wise call a sage. 

Commentary: A sage performs actions only with a view to set an example to the masses. Though he works, he does nothing as he has no selfish interests, as his actions are burnt by the fire of wisdom which consists in the realization of inaction in action, through the knowledge of the Self or Brahma-Jnana.  Brahma-Jnana is a mighty spiritual fire which consumes the results of all kinds of actions (Karmas), good and bad, and makes the enlightened sage quite free from the bonds of action.  The sage who leads a life of perfect renunciation does only what is required for the bare existence of his body.  (Cf. III. 19; IV. 10; IV.37) 

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः ।

कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥ ४-२०॥ 

tyaktwā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ nitya-tṛipto nirāśhrayaḥ
karmaṇyabhipravṛitto ’pi naiva kiñchit karoti saḥ (4.20) 

த்¹யக்¹த்¹வா க¹ர்மப²லாஸங்க³ம் நித்¹யத்¹ருப்¹தோ¹ நிராஶ்ரய: |
க¹ர்மண்யபி⁴ப்¹ரவ்ருத்¹தோ¹‌பி¹ நைவ கி¹ன்சி¹த்¹க¹ரோதி¹ ஸ: ||4.20|| 

20. Having abandoned attachment to the fruit of the action, ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything though engaged in activity. 

Commentary: The same idea of inaction in action is repeated here to produce a deep impression on the minds of the aspirants.  He who works for the well-being of the world and he who performs actions without egoism and attachment for the fruits, to set an example to the masses, really does nothing at all though he is ever engaged in activity, as he possesses the knowledge of the Self which is beyond all activity and as he has realized his identity with it.

As Brahman the Absolute is self-contained, all the desires are gratified if one realizes the Self.  He is ever satisfied and does not depend on anything, just as a man who has the favour of the king does not depend on the minister or the government official for anything.  (Cf. IV. 41) 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda:

The ever-vibrant universe is rooted in the supremely quiescent Brahman (absolute reality) who is supreme peace itself. The ever active body is indwelt by the self which is the peace that passeth understanding. Beneath the turbulent surface, the ocean itself is calm. Fragmentation is conflict, wholeness (holiness) is peace.

Activity is the nature of form, quiescence is the nature of the spirit. Ignorant superimposition of the characteristics of the form on the spirit is the root-cause of endless suffering. He who regards the quiescent spirit as the doer of actions paradoxically endeavours to restrain the form (body and mind) from their natural activity! Such a man is full of tensions. He thinks he knows what to do and what not to do; he is full of desires and schemes. Desires and schemes are the generators of tension. He does not know what he is. Only self-knowledge removes selfishness. Hence Gurudev Sivananda emphasized: “Be good, do good”, in that order.

The cell that is ignorant of the body entertains selfish desires and has its own private schemes. When the fire of the knowledge that we are all cells in the body of God burns this ignorance, then contentment born of total self-surrender to the will of God arises. Selfishness, egoism and their retinue of evil disappear, even as the ghosts of the dreamer’s dream vanish on his waking.

A man who is awake in this knowledge is not idle; he is a true channel for the flow of God’s will. The actions of such a man are movements in cosmic consciousness, without cause, without goal, without dependency, and without the idea ‘I do this’.

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