VERSE NUMBER 18 OF KARMA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF ACTION OR THE METHOD OF ACTION

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER THREE

KARMA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF ACTION OR THE METHOD OF ACTION

VERSE NUMBER 18

Text in Transcription:

nai ‘va tasya krrtenaa ‘rtho naa ‘krrtene ‘ha kaschna

na cha ‘sya sarvabhooteshu kaschid arthavyapaasrayah

Text in English:

For him there is in this world no object to acquire by doing an action; nor is there any loss by not doing an action; nor has he to depend on anybody for anything.  

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

In sound sleep man is self-sufficient. He has nothing to seek from any entity. But it is a negative state based on nescience. It is temporary. The spiritually enlightened man, on the other hand, enjoys infinite beatitude. Naught else is there for him to obtaine. This Brahmaavasta is never again lost. The Braahma-jnani therefore has nothing to seek from man or God.

SRI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

 One of the signs of the enlingtenment man is that he is enjoying boundless bliss within himself. The surcace of the ocean seems boisterous; but at the bottom it is all calmness. Even such is the state of affair of the Jnani.

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:

The next verse indicates that, though the liberated man has nothing to gain by action or non-action and is perfectly happy in the possession and enjoyment of Self, there is such a thing as desireless action which he undertakes for the welfare of the world.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:

 The sage who is thus rejoicing in the self does not gain anything by doing any action. For him really no purpose is served by any action. No evil (pratyavaya Dosha) can touch him from inaction. He does not lose anything from inaction. He need not depend upon anybody to gain a particular object. He need not exert himself to get the favour of anybody.

Comments by the blogger:

Verses 14 and 15 speakes about the universal or cosmic chain set in motion by the Lord, and verse 16 enjoined on all to give shoulder to sustain the momentum of the rolling of the dharma chakra, the cosmic wheel, and in verse number 17 declares that but for the man who is rejoicing in Self there is no obligation to work. Verse 18 is an elongation of such a Self-possessed Jnani’s state. For him there is no interest whatever in what is done or what is not done. Nor does he depend on any being for any object.

Here, what must be understood is, such a Self- Possessed being is out of the pale of SAMSARA.

Samsara constitutes maya or illusion, kama or desire and karma or action. Into this samsara are beings tossed. Such beings are shrouded in ignorance or  illusion. So they do not know their original self and their real nature of the origine. So they entertain kama or desire. Their senses go out and engage in sense objects. And this constitutes action or karma. This kind of being has a self ordained duty in each reincarnation. And this being is expected to do such duty without any expectation of the fruit thereof. Then by, gradation, such being is raised stage by stage and at last becomes a Brahma – Jnani. For such Soul its origine is known. So the could be no illusion. And such a soul would not form a desire and so there will be no action for him. the common cosmic wheel and its momentum is does not hold out anything for him. He is self possessed and rejoicing in Self alone. Such a soul does not have an expectation from God even.