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Action with knowledge and detachment (Bg 4.19 to 4.24)
Kṛṣṇa now describes the consciousness of a devotee who understands the process of action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A devotee remains active, but his actions no longer entangle him. How is it possible? Because he does not work out of personal desire. He works for Kṛṣṇa, without false proprietorship and attachment to results, absorbed in the spiritual platform.
Text 19: yasya sarve samārambhāḥ; kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ; tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
Text 20: tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ, nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto ’pi, naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.
Text 21: nirāśīr yata-cittātmā, tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma, kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.
Text 22: yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo, dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāv asiddhau ca, kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
Text 23: gata-saṅgasya muktasya, jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ
yajñāyācarataḥ karma, samagraṁ pravilīyate
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.
Text 24: brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir, brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ, brahma-karma-samādhinā
A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.
In the previous section, Kṛṣṇa explained that karma, vikarma, and akarma are not understood by externals. The main point is the consciousness of the worker. Action performed for sense gratification binds us to this material world, while action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness frees us. Pious material action inside the restraints of the Vedic injunctions is much better than plain sinful action, but it is not sufficient to liberate us.
Now, Kṛṣṇa explains the symptoms of a person who works with this consciousness. In other words, He describes the work of a person whose actions no longer bind him.
Prabhupāda explains it in his purport:
“Because the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is devoid of all kinds of sense-gratificatory propensities, it is to be understood that he has burned up the reactions of his work by perfect knowledge of his constitutional position as the eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is actually learned who has attained to such perfection of knowledge. Development of this knowledge of eternal servitorship to the Lord is compared to fire. Such a fire, once kindled, can burn up all kinds of reactions to work.”
The symptom of a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that he loses all interest in sense gratification or, in other words, in all kinds of selfish activities. A karmī worships demigods, aspiring to be elevated to Svargaloka, while a jñānī aims for impersonal liberation and a yogī for mystical perfections. All of them desire some personal benefit from their practice. A pure devotee, however, simply desires to serve Kṛṣṇa. He is the only one who completely gives up the covering of false ego. This is not a cause but a consequence. The cause is his realization of his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, which starts with transcendental knowledge. Knowledge leads to realization, realization leads to practical activity in devotional service, and such practice destroys all material contamination, starting from the results of previous karma, just as a fire destroys a forest.
Different from a jñānī, however, a pure devotee does not stop acting. Instead, he connects all his actions with Kṛṣṇa. In another passage, Prabhupāda gives an ingenious example. Money falls from someone’s pocket. A man looks around and, not seeing the owner, takes it. Another, understanding the money is not his, leaves it on the ground. A third, understanding the situation, takes it and returns it to the owner. The first is criminal, the second is neglectful, only the third is in knowledge.
The first is compared to the materialist. Without knowledge of the true owner, he claims things for himself, and thus becomes entangled in sinful reactions. The second is the jñānī, renouncing things that are not his to begin with, due to imperfect knowledge. The third is the pure devotee, who uses everything for Kṛṣṇa, understanding perfectly to whom everything belongs.
From text 4.20 to 4.24, Kṛṣṇa describes the person who has understood this secret. The symptom of the advancing devotee is that he is engaged in all kinds of activities, but because he is situated in knowledge, he is not bound by these activities. On the contrary, this work devoid of attachment, performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, frees him from all karmic reactions. As Prabhupāda explains in his purport, “Such an unattached person is always free from the resultant reactions of good and bad; it is as though he were not doing anything. This is the sign of akarma, or actions without fruitive reactions. Any other action, therefore, devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is binding upon the worker, and that is the real aspect of vikarma, as explained hereinbefore.”
This is the practical meaning of seeing “inaction in action.” A devotee works, preaches, manages, writes, maintains a family, collects money, and performs many other duties, but because these activities are performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without personal attachment and for the satisfaction of the Lord, they do not bind him. An ordinary materialist creating a multinational company with hundreds of branches and worldwide operations would certainly have to work very hard and accumulate heaps of karma that would bind him for many lives. Prabhupāda, however, created something on a similar scale through our spiritual society, working in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The work may appear similar on the outside, but the results are completely opposite.
Another point is that knowledge should not be merely theoretical, but bring a change in our activities. In other words, knowledge should not just remain on the intellectual level, but bring a change of heart. For this, knowledge should be received with the proper attitude, following the process of service and sincere inquiry that Kṛṣṇa describes in text 4.34.
How can this be practically done? There are many possibilities. We can assist individual devotees who are teaching us, we can serve Prabhupāda by participating in his mission, and we can serve the Bhagavad-gītā itself by transmitting this knowledge to other people, teaching them whatever we know. This type of service is not just a matter of gratitude; it invisibly gives us the qualification to understand the knowledge we are receiving on a deeper level.
Texts 4.20 and 4.21 describe the symptoms of a person who attained perfection in the process:
a) He abandons attachment to the results of his activities. He works to the best of his ability and leaves the results for Kṛṣṇa to decide.
b) He is always satisfied and remains independent. To be satisfied is a symptom of someone on the transcendental platform. Such a person does not depend on external material arrangements to be happy. He can continue to work tirelessly even if completely alone and without support, as we can observe in the case of Śrīla Prabhupāda in his first year in the United States.
c) Although active, he performs no fruitive action, since all his activities are on the spiritual platform. This is inaction in action. Externally it may look like karma, but in reality it is akarma.
d) His mind and senses are perfectly controlled. This is the result of perfect knowledge combined with spiritual practice.
e) Knowledge of one’s eternal relationship of service destroys the false ego, which is the root cause of the sense of material proprietorship. Understanding that Kṛṣṇa owns everything, and that everything should be used in His service, a pure devotee lives without attachment. Personally, he works only for the bare necessities for maintaining his body. Thus he works without sinful reactions.
Prabhupāda gives us an even higher meaning in the purport to text 4.21:
“He knows that because he is part and parcel of the Supreme, the part played by him, as a part and parcel of the whole, is not his own activity but is only being done through him by the Supreme. When the hand moves, it does not move out of its own accord, but by the endeavor of the whole body. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is always dovetailed with the supreme desire, for he has no desire for personal sense gratification. He moves exactly like a part of a machine. As a machine part requires oiling and cleaning for maintenance, so a Kṛṣṇa conscious man maintains himself by his work just to remain fit for action in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.”
In the teachings of Lord Kapila in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, a person who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called a separatist, because his desires and actions are not connected with Kṛṣṇa. A pure devotee, on the other hand, dovetails his desires with Kṛṣṇa’s desires, and allows himself to be guided by Kṛṣṇa in his actions, becoming an instrument in His hands. This doesn’t mean he gives up his independence, but that he becomes connected with the Lord in the most intimate way. This is the key for becoming free from karma.
Text 4.22 brings another important symptom: the liberated worker is satisfied with what comes from his honest endeavor. His benchmark is not the result (which is decided by Kṛṣṇa), but his effort in trying to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is a crucial point, because attachment appears not only as greed, but also as frustration, envy, anxiety, depression, etc., when our plans fail. As long as we work with attachment, we will experience all these emotions. A pure devotee, on the other hand, is free. He is free from material duality (pleasant and unpleasant), does not envy, is steady in both success and failure, and is never entangled. All of this comes as a result of genuine detachment.
This process of transforming work into sacrifice is described in text 4.23: “The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.”
The word is yajñāyācarataḥ. The devotee acts (ācarataḥ) for the sake of Yajña (Kṛṣṇa). In this way, all his work (karma) becomes transcendental. It stops being a material activity and becomes a form of sacrifice, already spiritual in nature, which is accepted by Kṛṣṇa. As Prabhupāda mentions, “He knows his constitutional position in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and thus his mind cannot be drawn from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consequently, whatever he does, he does for Kṛṣṇa, who is the primeval Viṣṇu. Therefore, all his works are technically sacrifices because sacrifice aims at satisfying the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa.”
The whole section is then summarized by Kṛṣṇa in text 4.24. The devotee who works for Kṛṣṇa was already described as transcendental, and his devotional service is also transcendental, as Kṛṣṇa already mentioned in text 4.23. The fact that such a devotee goes back to Godhead as the result of his efforts is also not surprising. What is surprising is that not only is the result of the activities spiritual but, as Kṛṣṇa mentions, “that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.” This means that even the offerings and material objects used by a pure devotee to perform his service become spiritual. How is this possible? Prabhupāda explains in his purport:
“The word brahma (Brahman) means “spiritual.” The Lord is spiritual, and the rays of His transcendental body are called brahma-jyotir, His spiritual effulgence. Everything that exists is situated in that brahma-jyotir, but when the jyotir is covered by illusion (māyā) or sense gratification, it is called material. This material veil can be removed at once by Kṛṣṇa consciousness; thus the offering for the sake of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the consuming agent of such an offering or contribution, the process of consumption, the contributor and the result are – all combined together – Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth covered by māyā is called matter. Matter dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the process of converting the illusory consciousness into Brahman, or the Supreme. When the mind is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is said to be in samādhi, or trance. Anything done in such transcendental consciousness is called yajña, or sacrifice for the Absolute. In that condition of spiritual consciousness, the contributor, the contribution, the consumption, the performer or leader of the performance and the result or ultimate gain – everything – becomes one in the Absolute, the Supreme Brahman. That is the method of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
Certain philosophies conclude that this material world is separate from and different in nature from Brahman. This is called dualism. The Vedic conclusion, however, is that there is nothing separate from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is spiritual, but when it is covered by illusion, it appears to be material. When it is again connected with Kṛṣṇa, the veil of illusion is removed, and its real substance is revealed as spiritual. This applies to everything: people, activities, and even material objects. Everything is part of Kṛṣṇa’s energy.
Main points in the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda:
“One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.”
a) Knowledge of one’s eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa is like a fire that destroys all karma. The symptom of a devotee who becomes purified in this way is that he becomes free from all tendencies for sense gratification, even while engaged in all kinds of activities. Materialistic people can’t understand the position of such a devotee. Only a person in full knowledge can understand it.
“Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.”
a) The freedom from material bondage described in the previous verse can be attained only when one comes to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such a pure devotee does everything out of love for Kṛṣṇa, and thus desires no results from his service apart from the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
b) A pure devotee is not even concerned with the maintenance of his body. Even for this, he simply depends on the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. He is not anxious to obtain things or to maintain what he already has.
c) Because he performs his duty and gives all results to Kṛṣṇa, he remains free from all karmic reactions, good or bad. He performs akarma.
d) Any other form of work, performed without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, binds us to this world. This material bondage is the essential aspect of vikarma.
“Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.”
a) A pure devotee sees himself as a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just as the hand moves by the effort of the whole body, he connects himself with the desire of Kṛṣṇa, and agrees to act as dictated by Him. He becomes thus an instrument of Kṛṣṇa’s will, instead of an independent actor.
b) This understanding, however, does not imply self-neglect. A Kṛṣṇa-conscious person understands that just as a machine part requires maintenance, his body also needs to be taken care of to remain fit for service. The difference is that he maintains his body for the sake of his service, not out of personal desire, and he does so by honest work, without performing unfair or dishonest activities.
c) In this way, a Kṛṣṇa-conscious person renounces not only the results of his activities, but all sense of material proprietorship, including possession of his own body. Remaining thus completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he remains free from all material reactions.
“He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.”
a) For himself, a devotee is satisfied with what comes naturally. He works honestly according to his position, accepting what comes by its own accord. Because he has no desires to satisfy, he remains independent, without depending on materialistic people.
b) He may work as required, but he does not allow any material obligation to hamper his service to Kṛṣṇa. This is the main focus of his life, and for Kṛṣṇa he may accept any kind of activity, be it pleasant or unpleasant by material calculation.
c) In serving Kṛṣṇa, he is not disturbed by heat or cold, misery or happiness. It is thus said that he is not disturbed by material duality. He does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore he is steady both in success and in failure. This is a level possible only for one who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge.
“The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.”
a) Freedom from duality and from the influence of the material modes brings one to liberation. This comes from becoming situated in our eternal constitutional position as servants of Kṛṣṇa.
b) When we become fixed in this position, our mind cannot be taken away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As a consequence, whatever we do, we do for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. At this point, all our activities become sacrifices aimed at satisfying the Lord. Kṛṣṇa thus takes away all the reactions of such work, and only the spiritual effects remain. In other words, the reactions merge into transcendence.
“A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.”
a) This verse describes how activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness lead ultimately to spiritual perfection. A conditioned soul lives in a material environment and is forced to act materially. Still, one has to become free from it. How is it possible? This process of becoming free, even while acting inside the material environment, is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
b) Just as a person who gets digestive issues from eating too many milk products can be cured by eating curds, which are nothing more than a transformation of milk, a conditioned soul can be freed by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The more our activities in the material world are performed in this consciousness, the more the surrounding atmosphere becomes spiritualized.
c) Everything that exists is situated in the effulgence of the Lord. There is nothing separate from Him. However, when objects are covered by the illusion of sense gratification, they appear to be material. By the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the material veil is removed, and they are seen again in connection with Kṛṣṇa.
d) In this way, Kṛṣṇa is spiritual, the devotee is spiritual, the devotional process is spiritual, the result is spiritual, and even the offering itself is spiritual. In this way, they are all spiritual, all potencies of Kṛṣṇa.
e) Kṛṣṇa’s energy covered by māyā is called matter. Matter connected again with Kṛṣṇa regains its spiritual quality. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the process of converting matter into spirit and contaminated consciousness into pure consciousness.
f) Consciousness fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called samādhi, or trance. All activities performed in such a consciousness are called yajña, or sacrifice. These activities connect the performer, the place, the process, and the offerings with Kṛṣṇa. They all become one in the sense that they are connected with Kṛṣṇa and fully spiritual.
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« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6
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