From Bhagawad Gita

Geetha Chapter 4 Sloka 19
Continuing in the Religious texts series.

On a random selection of a page from gita press edition of bhagawad gita, I came across this sloka which I thought is worth sharing. The sloka is :


Yasya sarve samarambaha kamasamkalpa varjithaha,
Gyanaagni daghdha karmaanam thamahuhu panditham budhaaha.

One whose actions are started without any attachment or desire or accumulation of material/pleasure, and who continues to perform his karma such, this karmayogi’s actions are burnt away by the fire of wisdom, and he is acknowledged by even the realized ones as a “pundit’.

Like every one of the gita’s 800 slokas, the deeper and more poignantly profound meaning of this sloka can only be found in the analysis portion. This is where the referred Hindi book gives illuminating insights. Let me attempt a translation, within my own limitations with regard to not only the English language, but ability to fully comprehend the meanings from the Hindi text. Here I go regardless, as even a passable translation is appealing enough to me, and I feel the need for sharing :

Cogitating constantly and repeatedly , on the material world gives rise to -- “these are good, useful and are likely to be handy and give me pleasure” --kind of feelings, in one's mind. This mindset is termed as “samkalpa”. Contrary to this, the thought that all material things are not only not good, but actually harmful, kind of mindset is “vikalpaa”. When the latter namely “vikalpa” slowly fades, one comes to a stage, where the “samkalpa” of desiring all these material purely for one’s acquisition/pleasure, predominates. This is more commonly known as “kaama”.(desire).

The seed for both “samkalpa” (These are for me, I must have them etc kind of feeling) and “Kaama” (desire) is “karma” (action). The moment however, when both these feelings are gotten rid of, whilst doing one’s karma, there is neither attachment, nor any binding to the “cause and effect” nature of such action.

All duty bound actions are termed “pravrutti”, and all new start-ups, desiring pleasures and accumulation of worldly material, are termed “aarambham”. Commencing of anything where there is neither desire nor hatred nor attachment for anything material, is termed “samaarambham”. In other words this word is used to indicate commencement of all such desire- less actions. These can therefore neither be binding, nor can they be anti-shaastra, nor are they capable of bringing any harm to anyone.

All actions are related to and part of our physical body and the material world, and have nothing to do with the self. This is so, as any action has to have a beginning and an end, but since the self is eternal, it cannot be a part. In fact both our physical body, as our actions, are part and parcel of the material manifested world. The self though is not a part, purely out of ignorance assumes a co-relation. The realization then, of the self being not a part, and which is eternal etc, is what is more commonly known as “gyana”, and the person attaining this stage is a “gyani”. .

This fire of knowledge (gyanaagni) burns away the fruit yielding power of “karma”. For the gyani who has realized that even his own body has no relation to the self, the attachment/bondage related to any karma therefore does not affect him. Even the so called “prarabda karma” while manifesting itself as favorable/unfavorable times, can never ever get to the stage of making him experiencing them. In other words he neither enjoys the good times, nor does he suffer the bad ones. These just come and go without any sustaining effect.

Like a lotus born and living in a pool of water, remains unaffected, the karma yogi having taken birth in karma filled world, and living in the midst of this, even while performing his karma all the time, still remains unattached with all his actions.

Such a karma yogi is acknowledged as a “pundit” by even those gyanis.


I will not dilute this piece with my own commentaries.


Hope you will all like this.


Love Vichu