Yog of Knowledge and Action
Chapter 4, Verse 17
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ
boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṁ
gahanā karmaṇo-gatiḥ
For verily one must understand the nature of action (karma), and the nature of prohibited action (vikarma) as also the nature of inaction (akarma) — profound indeed is the way of action.
Here Krishna says that one must know the truth about action. It’s only when one surrenders to the Guru’s Feet and takes the advice of the Guru, takes the words of the Guru, that one can know the true nature of duty, “the nature of action.”
“… profound indeed is the way of action.” People generally think that action is only outside action: they consider action to be the work people do. Inaction is usually understood as when you suspend all activities and sit for meditation, not doing anything; or you stop talking and calm your body through Hatha Yoga. However, this
is not real yoga.
Here Krishna referred to ‘inaction’ as ‘akarma’. But if you perform ‘inaction’, without the direction and supervision of a Master, you will not achieve anything. You can sit for meditation, you can control your speech, you can control the body, but this is not true calmness, because there is a motive behind it. Even if the mind, speech and body are controlled, if the motive is egoistic, if there is an expectation, it will not lead you anywhere.
The realised ones, the enlightened souls have the true knowledge: they know which action to perform, and with which motive to do it, so it will lead them to complete renunciation, and not only superficially. So that’s why those who are seeking to liberate themselves should surrender to a Guru, who will lead them out of this game of action, inaction, and prohibited action. Prohibited action means action done with deceit, hypocrisy, violence, greed, pride. On the other hand, when people do work with devotion, they are humble. When one is surrendered to the Guru, automatically one is humble; one is ready to accept what the Guru says, which means one has to remove one’s own will and ways of seeing and embrace what the Guru is giving.
Of course, the Guru has to have certain qualities, otherwise he can’t help you progress. In the world nowadays, there are so many gurus, so many teachers. There are many gurus who teach yoga, true? But if these gurus don’t teach you to attain the perfection of the soul, and if they just focus on the perfection of the body or the mind, it’s not enough. That’s why I said that it’s very important to know the Guru who can
help you advance and attain the ultimate reality. There are many learned people in the world who know all the scriptures. Their head is full of book knowledge, but this doesn’t give them liberation, it doesn’t free them. These people fail to determine what their true nature is. That’s why it is necessary to approach a true Guru and surrender to Him.
Nowadays, there are many schools of yoga; each one claims that their yoga is better than the others. But when one is realised, one sees that all ways are right, because God puts people where they have to be. So if there is true Realisation, there is no judgement. If one has divine knowledge, one should not have any judgement towards anyone; one should not have any enmity or aggressiveness towards anyone.
If people are doing their sadhana, either for their own benefit or to gain something from the world, this can be considered prohibited action and they won’t gain anything from it. Whereas a true Guru teaches one to love God beyond everything and to surrender to God. Then one is free. Otherwise one gets confused. That’s why Krishna says, “Profound indeed is the way of action.” It’s not just by doing a certain yoga that you will attain God, otherwise many people would already be realised. How many asanas are there? Thousands of asanas. But these asanas focus on the physical aspect,
which helps the mental aspect. This is very important, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that it is wrong, but there should also be bhakti in it; bhakti must awaken inside the heart so that you advance towards God-Realisation.
Bhagavad Gita
