Karma Yoga: Activities in God's Consciousness"

Externally performing various actions, but actually abandoning their fruits, a wise person, purified by the fire of transcendental knowledge, attains peace, detachment, patience, spiritual vision and bliss.
The fifth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita states that simply studying spiritual science does not lead to the perfection of life. It is necessary to combine spiritual knowledge with real spiritual activity. This combination is called bhakti yoga. Arjuna loses for us the condition of a novice transcendentalist who thinks that the path of spiritual development is a rejection of all activity. He does not understand how activity and renunciation can be combined. But bhakti yoga is unique in that it allows you to act in this world without receiving karmic consequences. Acting in bhakti yoga by the standards of the material world is considered inactive.
What is the problem of karma? As long as a person seeks sensual pleasures, while he works to make his body comfortable in this world and sleep, while we think that happiness is in luxury and wealth, the soul has to be born again and again in a material body. This is called eternal slavery. We just like chains and shackles. Why? Yes, because they are made of gold. What kind of gold is this? This is the gold of sexual pleasure, fame and power. And one can voluntarily give up these "ornaments" only by using the system of bhakti yoga.

TEXT 1


arjuna uvcha 
sannyasam pockets krishna 
punar yogam ca shamsasi 
yach chreya etayor ekam 
tan me bruhi su-nishchitam
arjunah uvaca - Arjuna said; sannyasam - rejection; pockets - of action; krsna — O Krsna; punah - again; yogis - <$! > devotional service; ca — also; shamsasi - extol; yat - which; sreyah - more beneficial; etayoh - of these two; ekam - one; tat - that; me — to me; bruhi - say it; su-niscitam - definitely.
Arjuna said: O Krishna, first You ordered me to give up activities, and then you gave advice to act in devotional service. I ask you, tell me plainly which course of action is better.

TEXT 2


sri-bhagavan 
uvcha sannyasah karma- 
yogash ca nihsreyasa-karab ubhau 
tayos tu karma-sannyasat 
karma-yogo visishyate
sri-bhagavan uvaca - the Supreme Lord said; sannyasah - giving up activities; karma-yogah - activities in devotional service; ca - i; nihsreyasa-karau - leading to liberation; ubhau - both; tayoh - of those (two); tu - same; karma-sannyasat - renunciation of fruitive activities; karma-yogah - activities in devotional service; visisyate - is considered better.
The Supreme Lord said: Both refusal and activities in devotional service lead one to liberation. Still, acting in devotional service is better than giving up activities.

TEXT 3


jneiah sa nitya-sannyasi 
yo on dwesti on kankshati 
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho 
sukham bandhat pramuchyate
jneiah - one that should be considered; sah — he; nitya - forever; sannyasi - the renounced; yah - which; na - not; dwesti - he hates; na - not; kanksati - desires; nirdvandvah - overcoming the influence of duality; hi - unconditionally; maha-baho - O mighty-armed; sukham - happily; bandhat - from captivity; pramucyate - is completely liberated.
He who does not despise the fruits of his labor, but does not aspire to them, is considered to always live in renunciation of the world. Having overcome the influence of duality, such a person easily breaks the shackles of material slavery and gains full liberation, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

TEXT 4


sankhya yoga prithag balah 
pravadanti on the pandits 
ekam apy asthyt 
samyag ubhayor vindate phalam
sankhya — analytic study of the material world; yogaau - and activities in devotional service; prthak - variously; balah - unreasonable; pravadanti - they say; na - not; panditah - knowledgeable; ekam - to one; api - even; asthitah - come; samyak - completely; ubhayoh - both; vindate - gains; phalam - the result.
Only the ignorant can say that devotional service [karma yoga] is different from the analytic study of the material world [sankhya]. The truly wise claim that one who does not turn down one of these paths achieves the goal of both.

TEXT 5


yat sankhyaih prapyate sthanam 
tad yogaair api gamyate 
ekam sankhyam ca yogam ca 
yah pasyati sa pasyati
yat - which; sankhyaih - by the philosophy of sankhya; prapyate - is achieved; sthanam - the place; tat - that; yogaai — devotional service; api - also; gamyate - is achieved; ekam - one; sankhyam - analytical study of the material world; ca - i; yogam - activities in devotional service; ca - i; yah - which; pasyati - sees; sah — that; pasyati - sees.
One who knows that the goal of sankhya can also be achieved through devotional service, and understands that analytic study of the world and devotional service are equal, sees the true state of things.

TEXT 6


sannyasas tu maha-baho 
duhkham aptum ayogatah 
yoga yukto munir brahma 
na cirenadhigaccati
sannyasah - life in renunciation of the world; tu - but; maha-baho - O mighty-armed; duhkham — misfortune; aptum - (may) bring; ayogatah - devoid of devotional service; yoga-yuktah - one who is engaged in devotional service; munih — the sage; brahma - of the Supreme; na chirena - without delay; adhigaccati - reaches.
Refusal of activity in itself, without devotional service to the Lord, will not bring happiness to anyone. But a thoughtful person who devotes himself to devotional service can immediately reach the Supreme.

TEXT 7


yoga-yukto visuddhatma 
vijitatma jitendriyah 
sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma 
kurvann api na lipyate
yoga-yuktah - engaged in devotional service; visuddha-atma - the purified soul; vijita-atma - self-controlled; jita-indriyah - one whose senses are restrained; sarva-bhuta - to all living entities; atma-bhuta-atma - being compassionate; kurvan api - although active; na - not; lipyate - gets entangled.
One who is engaged in devotional service, who is pure in soul and has curbed his mind and feelings, is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Although such a person is always absorbed in activity, he is never bound by its consequences.

TEXTS 8 - 9


naiva kincit caromiti 
yukto manieta tattva-vit 
pashyan srinvan sprishan jigranh 
asnan gachchan swapan shvasan
pralalan visridjan grhannann 
unmishan nimishann api 
indriyanindriyartheshu 
vartanta iti dharayan
na - not; eva - of course; kincit - anything; karomi - doing; iti - like that; yuktah - acting (in the divine consciousness); manieta - will begin to think; tattva-vit - one who has known the truth; pasyan - the seer; srinvan - hearer; sprishan - touching; jigran - smelling; asnan - eating; gaccchan - walking; svapan - asleep; svasan - breathable; pralapan - speaking; visrigan - emitting; grhnan - accepting; unmisan - the revealer; nimisan - closing; api - although; indriyani - feelings; indriya-arthesu - in activities related to sense gratification; vartante - they are engaged; iti - like that; dharayan - counting.
When a person with divine consciousness sees, hears, perceives, smells, eats, walks, sleeps or breathes, he always knows that he does nothing. He knows that when he talks, empties his intestines or fills his stomach, opens or closes his eyes, it’s just material feelings that interact with objects of perception, but he is not involved in all this.

TEXT 10


brahmani adhaya karmani 
sangam tyaktva caroti yah 
lipyate na sa papena 
padma-patram ivambhasa
brahmani - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhaya - initiating; karmani - action; sangam - attachment; tyaktva - having rejected; karoti - performs; yah - which; lipyate - is affected; na - not; sah — he; papena - by sin; padma-patram - lotus leaf; willow - how; ambhasa - with water.
Just as water does not wet the lotus leaf, sin never stains one who does his duty without attachment to the fruits of his labor, sacrificing them to the Supreme Lord.

TEXT 11


cayenne manasa buddhya 
kevalair indriyair api 
yoginami karma kurvanti 
sangam tyaktvatma-suddhaye
cayenne - by the body; manasa - with the mind; buddhya - by reason; kevalaikh - purified; indriyaih - by the senses; api - even; yoginas — people who are Krsna conscious; karma - activity; kurvanti - carry out; sangam - attachment; tyaktva - having rejected; atma - of one's own; suddhaye - for the sake of purification.
Having abandoned all attachments, yogis allow their body, mind, mind, and even feelings to act only for self-purification.

TEXT 12


yuktah karma-phalam tyaktva 
shantim apnoti naistkhikim 
ayuktah kama- 
karena phale sakto nibadhyate
yuktah - one who engages in devotional service; karma-phalam - the result of all his actions; tyaktva - giving; shantim - peace; apnoti - gains; naisthikim - unshakable; ayuktah - one who is devoid of Krsna consciousness; kama-karen - the result of his labor, which he wants to enjoy; phale — to the result; saktah - attached; nibadhyate - is enslaved.
The soul, unwaveringly devoted to Me, finds true peace and tranquility, for it gives Me all the fruits of its labor. To the one who is not in union with the Most High, who is driven by the desire to enjoy the fruits of his labor, slavery is destined.

TEXT 13


sarva-karmani manasa 
sannyasaste sukham your 
nava-dvure pure dehi 
naiva kurvan na karayan
sarva — everything; karmani - action; manasa - with the mind; sannyasya - by rejecting; aste - abides; sukham - happily; yours is self-controlled; nava-dvare - with nine gates; pure - in the city; dehi - the conditioned soul; na - not; eva - unconditionally; kurvan - doing; na - not; karayan - becoming the cause of action.
When an embodied living being, having learned to control himself, renounces all activities in his mind, he happily lives in a city with nine gates [material body], without performing any actions and without becoming their cause.

TEXT 14


na kartritvam na karmani 
lokasya srjati prabhuh 
na karma-phala-samyogam 
svabhavas tu pravartate
on - no; kartritvam - ownership; on - no; karmani - action; lokasya — of the people; srjati - creates; prabhuh - the owner (body city); on - no; karma-phala - with the results of activities; samyogam - connection; svabhavah - the totality of the modes of material nature; tu - but; pravartate - acts.
The embodied spirit, the owner of the city-body, does not perform actions, does not induce others to activity and does not create its fruits. All this is done by the modes of material nature.

TEXT 15


nadatta 
kasyachit papam na 
caiwa sukrtam vibhuh ajnanenavrtam jnanam 
tena muhyanti jantavah
na - not; adatte - accepts; kasyachit — anyone's; papam - sinful activities; on - no; ca — also; eva - unconditionally; su-krtam - pious activities; vibhuh - the Supreme Lord; ajnanena - by ignorance; avritam - covered; jnanam - knowledge; tena - by that; muhyanti - fall into error; jantavah - living entities.
The Supreme Lord is not responsible for the sinful and righteous deeds of living entities. Creatures embodied in the body are in the grip of illusion because their true knowledge is hidden by ignorance.

TEXT 16


jnanena tu tad ajnanam 
yesham nasitham atmanah 
tesam aditya-vaj jnanam 
prakashayati tat param
jnanena - by knowledge; tu - but; tat - that; ajnanam - ignorance; yesam - of whom; nasitham - scattered; atmanah - of the living entity; tesam - those; aditya-wat - like the rising sun; jnanam - knowledge; prakasayati - opens; tat param - Krsna consciousness.
But when a living being gains knowledge, the light of this knowledge dispels the darkness of ignorance and reveals to him the true nature of things, just as the sun, rising above the horizon, illuminates everything around.

TEXT 17


tad-buddhayas tad-atmanas 
tan-nishthas tat-parayanah 
gacchanty apunar-avrittim 
jnana-nirdhuta-kalmashah
tat-buddhayah - those whose mind is always absorbed by the Supreme; tat-atmanah - those whose mind is always focused on the Supreme; tat-nisthah - those who believe only in the Supreme; tat-parayanah - those who have completely entrusted themselves to Him; gaccanti - go; apunah-avrittim - for liberation; jnana - by knowledge; nirdhuta — eliminated; kalmashah - those whose sins.
When the mind, reason, faith and hopes are wholly directed towards the Almighty, a person, thanks to perfect knowledge, gets rid of all the filth of sin, and then the path to liberation opens before him.

TEXT 18


vidya-vinaya-sampanne 
brahmane gavi hastini shuni 
civa shva-pake ca 
panditah sama-darsinah
vidya — learning; vinaya - and good manners; sampanne - in whose wealth; brahmane - in brahmana; gavi - in the cow; hastini - in the elephant; shuni - in the dog; ca - i; eva - unconditionally; sva-pake - in a dog-eater (untouchable); ca — also; panditah - the sages; sama-darsinah - those who see in the same way.
The humble sages, possessing true knowledge, look equally at the learned and well-mannered brahmana, cow, elephant, dog and dog-eater [untouchable].

TEXT 19


ihaiva tair jitah sargo 
yesham samye sthitam manah 
nirdosham hi samam brahma 
tasmad brahmani te sthitah
iha - here (in this life); eva - undoubtedly; taiih - by those; jitah - defeated; sargah - birth and death; yesam - of whom; samye - in equilibrium; sthitam - situated; manah - the mind; nirdosham - impeccable; hi - unconditionally; samam - balanced; brahma - like the Supreme; tasmat - therefore; brahmani - in the Supreme; those are they; sthitah — abiding.
Those who are always balanced and impartial have already overcome birth and death. Having become impeccable, like Brahman, they abide in Brahman.

TEXT 20


na prahrishyet priyam prapya 
nodvidget prapya chapriyam 
sthira-buddhir asammudho 
brahma-vid brahmani sthitah
na - not; prahrsyet - will rejoice; priyam - pleasant; prapya - having received; na - not; udvidget - upset; prapya - having received; ca - i; apriyam - unpleasant; sthira-buddhih - firm by the mind; asammudhah - not subject to illusion; brahma-vit - one who has realized the Supreme; brahmani - on the spiritual level; sthitah - situated.
He who does not rejoice in successes and is not upset by troubles, who has a calm mind, who is not affected by illusion and is well versed in the science of God, has already reached spiritual existence.

TEXT 21


bahya-sparshesv asaktatma 
vindaty atmani yat sukham 
sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma 
sukham aksayam asnute
bahya-sparsesu - for external, sensual pleasures; asakta-atma — one who is not attached; vindati - experiences; atmani - in oneself; yat - which; sukham - happiness; sah — he; brahma yoga - by concentrating the mind on Brahman; yukta-atma — associated with the true Self; sukham - happiness; aksayam - the unlimited; ashnute - tastes.
Such a person, free from worldly attachments, is not attracted by material, sensual pleasures: he is always immersed in a trance and draws joy within himself. Thus, a person who comprehends his true “I” and is always focused on the Almighty, enjoys boundless happiness.

TEXT 22


ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga 
duhkha-yonaya eva te 
ady-antavantah kaunteya 
na tesu ramata budhah
ye - which; hi - unconditionally; samsparsa-jah - born of contact with material senses; bhogah — pleasure; duhkha - of suffering; yonayah — the sources; eva - of course; those are they; adi - the beginning; anta — the end; vantah - having; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; na - not; tesu - in those; ramate - enjoys; budhah - is intelligent.
An intelligent man eschews pleasures born from the contact of material feelings with objects of perception, for such pleasures are a source of suffering. All material pleasures, O son of Kunti, have a beginning and an end, therefore the sage never gratifies them.

TEXT 23


saknotihaiva yah sodhum prak 
sarira-vimokshanat 
kama-krohodhodbhavam vegam 
sa yuktah sa sukhi narah
saknoti - can; iha eva - here (in his present body); yah - which; sodhum — endure; prak - before; sarira - from the body; vimoksanat - liberation; kama - by desire; krodha - and with anger; udbhavam - generated; vegam - impulse; sah — that; yuktah - being in a trance; sah — that; sukhi - happy; narah - man.
If a person in his current body has learned to restrain the desires of material feelings and curb his desires and anger, then he has already reached perfection and has found true happiness in this world.

TEXT 24


yo 'ntah-sukho' ntar-aramas 
tathantar-jyotir eva yah 
sa yoga yogi brahma-nirvanam 
brahma-bhuto 'dhigaccati
yah - which; antah-sukhah - one who has found happiness in himself; antah-aramah - one who takes pleasure in himself; tatha - as well; antah-jyotih - one whose aspirations are directed inward; eva - unconditionally; yah - which; sah — that; yogis - mystic yogi; brahma-nirvanam - liberation (and comprehension of the nature of the Supreme); brahma-bhutah - one who has realized his spiritual nature; adhigaccati - gains.
He who draws happiness, pleasure and pep in himself and whose gaze is always turned inward is truly a perfect mystic yogi. He gains liberation and finally comes to the Almighty.

TEXT 25


labhante brahma-nirvanam 
rishayah ksina-kalmashah 
chinna-dvaidha yatatmanah 
sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
labhante - gain; brahma-nirvanam - liberation (realization of the Supreme Brahman); risayah — those whose gaze is directed inward; ksina-kalmashah — those who have been cleansed of sins; chinna - cut off; dvaidhah - those with duality; yata-atmanah - walking through self-realization; sarva-bhuta — of all living entities; hite - in activities for the good; ratah - employed.
Those who have come out of the duality generated by doubts and directed their mind inward, who have cleansed themselves from the filth of sin and always care about the good of all beings, gain liberation and attain the Supreme Truth.

TEXT 26


kama-krodha-vimuktanam 
yatinam yata-cetasam 
abhito brahma-nirvanam 
vartate seesatmanam
kama - from desires; krodha - and from anger; vimuktanam - those who have become liberated; yatinam - of the saints; yata-cetasam — of those whose minds are restrained; abhitah - very soon; brahma-nirvanam - liberation (realization of the Supreme Brahman); vartate - is; visita-atmanam — of those who have realized their true Self.
Those who have freed themselves from anger and all material desires, have realized their true “I”, have restrained the mind and tirelessly strive for perfection, they will soon become liberated by comprehending the Highest Truth.

TEXTS 27 - 28


sparshan kritva bahir bahyamsh 
cakshush caiivantare bhruvoh 
pranapana samau kritva 
nasabhyantara-carinau
yatendriya-mano-buddhir 
munir moksha-parayanah 
vigatechcha-bhaya-krodho 
yah sada mukta eva sah
sparshan - objects of sensory perception (such as sound); kritva - leaving; bahih - outside; bahyan - external; caksuh — vision; ca — also; eva - unconditionally; antare - between; bhruvoh - eyebrow; prana-apanau - ascending and descending air currents; samau - balanced; kritva - having fixed; nasa-abhyantara - in the nostrils; carinau - moving; yata - curbed; indriya — feelings; manah - the mind; buddhih - whose mind; munih — yogi; moksha - liberation; parayanah - whose goal; vigata - eliminated; iccha - desires; bhaya - fear; krodhah - one whose anger; yah - which; sada - constantly; muktah - liberated; eva - unconditionally; sah - that one.
Having completely abandoned the objects of sensory perception, focusing his eyes on the interbrow, balancing inhalation and exhalation in the nostrils and stopping breathing, the yogi striving for liberation thus tames his mind, feelings and mind and gets rid of desires, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly a liberated soul.

TEXT 29


bhoktaram yajna-tapasam 
sarva-loka-mahesvaram 
suhridam sarva-bhutanam 
jnatva mam shantim ricchati
bhoktaram - one who enjoys; yajna - of the sacrifice; tapasam - of vows and asceticism; sarva-loka — of all the planets and the demigods who command them; maha-isvaram - the supreme controller; su-hridam — the benefactor; sarva — of all; bhutanam - of the living entities; jnatva - having realized; mam - Me (Lord Krishna); shantim - freedom from material suffering; richchati - gains.

A person who has fully realized that I am the only one who enjoys all the sacrifices and fruits of asceticism, that I am the supreme master of all the planets and demigods, as well as the friend and benefactor of all beings, gets rid of material suffering and attains complete peace.