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952
GĪTA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥ १९ ॥ त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासॉनित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्याभप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किंचित् करोति सः॥२०॥ निराशर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ २१॥ (that is, Abandonment of Action)". This very meaning has been very skilfully, paradoxically, and metaphorically set out in the above stanza; and unless one carefully bears in mind this definition of "akarma', he cannot fully understand the argument about "karma' and 'akarma' in the Gītā. The Blessed Lord now explains this very meaning more explicitly in the following stanzas ) (19) He, whose samārambhāh (that is, Actions) are devoid of the Desire for Fruit, is referred to by Jñānins, as the learned man, whose Actions are reduced to ashes in the Fire of Knowledge.
This clearly shows that, "karma (Action) is reduced to ashes by jñāna", is not to be understood as directing Abandonment of Action, but the performance of Action, having abandoned the Desire for Fruit. (Gi. Ra. Ch. X. pp. 394-400). Similarly, the meaning of the words
sarvārambha-parityāgi', -that is, one who gives up all āraibha or activity', - which appear later on in the description of the devotee of the Blessed Lord (G1. 12. 16; 14. 25), is also made clear by this. Now the Blessed Lord makes the same meaning more explicit as follows-1 (20) (The man) Who, having given up the Attachment for the Fruit of Action, is always happy and niraśraya [that is, one who does not possess a Reason, which has taken
shelter' (aśraya-Trans.) in the means of obtaining the Fruit of Action, by wishing to do a particular Action, for a particular result] is (said to be) doing nothing whatsoever, though he may be engrossed in performing Actions. (21) When a person, who gives up the āśih (that is, the Desire for Fruit), who regulates his Mind, and who has become free
