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We live in the world of action (办补谤尘补产丑奴尘颈). There is no escape from activity. Every activity has an end result; good, bad or indifferent. Some actions have quick results. For example, if we put our hand in the fire, the result is immediate. Some actions take more time to fructify. Yet there are others which take a very long time to fructify. Likewise all actions done by a human being do not necessarily fructify in his life time. They may spill over to next birth and in this way begins the cycle of life and death. It has been noted already that as long as the cycle of birth and death persists, there is little chance for a human being to experience perfect happiness. Hence the goal of self realization consists in getting aid of the cycle of birth and death. But as long as one does an act, he cannot escape it. That is the riddle how to break this vicious circle.

No one can renounce work but if we learn the skill of performing work the same work will release us from the bondage of karma.

One may feel tempted to suggest that one need not indulge in any action. This is neither possible, nor desirable. The entire humanity cannot be advised to stop all work. That will be an absurdity.

The 叠丑补驳惫补诲驳墨迟腻^[1] declares:

A man does not experience freedom from action by not beginning an activity, nor does he succeed in the goal of self realization by merely giving up all activity.

Why? Because^[2] nobody can stay without any action even for a second (even sleeping, breathing and sitting etc. are in a way only variety of action). The reason is that everybody becomes helpless and is forced to engage himself in an activity under the influence of the three attributes of 辫谤补办峁泃颈 viz, sattva rajas and tamas.

On the other hand our scriptures^[3] have emphatically advised that a human being while doing his duty in this world should desire to live a hundred years.

Then how to get over this seemingly impossible situation? Our ancient sages have through self realization come to the conclusion that it is only the action done with a view to a desire for the result that leads to the cycle of birth and death. Any action done for its own sake, as a part of one鈥檚 duty without any attachment to its result does not lead to the cycle of birth and death. It is the desire that entangles and spreads its tentacles. Therefore a desireless action is all that is required. This does not mean that a desirelsss action will not end in a result. It will, but this will fail to entangle the door in the world. It also means that while one is necessarily and even intensely interested in doing a work, the result that flows form it whether good or bad, whether according to expectations on below expectations, should not bother him either way and it should be accepted as it is. That way a person while doing his assigned work absolves himself of all that would otherwise follow from its result.

The 叠丑补驳补惫补诲驳墨迟腻 says:

A person who engages himself in an activity without any attachment to its result, who is always contented and who does not seek support any where in effect, does not do any activity.^[4]

础驳补颈苍鈥�

鈥楢 person who has become totally free from desires, who has brought his mind and self under control and who has given up possessions in entirely, does not acquire any faulty or quilt merely by indulging in physical work only.^[5]

It is not easy to attain such a state of mind. But one who is keen to experience that inimitable bliss has to strive for it.

Swami Vivekananda has spoken and written extensively on Karmayoga at one place, the Swami says 鈥淲hat is Karmayoga鈥�. The knowledge of the secrete of work. We see that the whole universe is working. For what? For salvation, for liberty; from the atom to the highest being, working for the one end, liberty for the mind, for the body, for the spirit.

Karmayoga shows the process, the secrete and the method of doing it to the best advantage.

What does it say? Work incessantly, but give up all attachment to work. So not identify yourself with anything. Hold our mind free. All this that you see, the pain and the miseries are but the necessary conditions of this world, poverty and wealth and happiness are but momentary; they do not belong to our nature at all. This 鈥業 and mine鈥� cause the whole misery. With the sense of possession comes selfishness and selfishness bringing on misery. Every act of selfishness or thought of selfishness makes us attached to something and immediately.

So, Karmayoga says, first destroy the tendency to project this tentacle of selfishness and when we have the power of checking it hold it in and do not allow the mind to get into the ways of selfishness.

Karmayoga gives us the method that will help us in giving up all attachment, though it is indeed very hard.^[6]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

鈥孖产颈诲-滨滨滨-4.

[2]:

鈥孖产颈诲-滨滨滨-5.

[3]:

鈥屸�渒urvanneha karm膩峁噄 jijivi峁�et 蝉补迟补峁� 蝉补尘腻岣�鈥�. I艣膩. V膩. Upa.-2.

[4]:

鈥�艢谤墨尘补诲 Bhagavad G墨t膩 - IV-20.

[5]:

鈥孖产颈诲 - IV-21.

[6]:

鈥�Yoga Perceived and Practised by Sages of India鈥�. p.69.