5.In spiritual practice, the intention of the mind is what matters, not the external activities. One may be living in the holy land of Vrindaban, but if the mind contemplates on eating rasgullās in Kolkata, one will be deemed to be living in Kolkata. Conversely, if a person lives amidst the hubbub of Kolkata and keeps the mind absorbed in the Divine Lord of Vrindaban, he will get the benefit of residing there. All the Vedic scriptures state that our level of consciousness is determined by the state of our mind:
"The mind is the cause of bondage, and the mind is the cause of liberation." Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj states the same principle:
"Bondage and liberation depend upon the state of the mind. Whatever form of devotion you choose to do, keep the mind engaged in meditation upon God."
Those who do not possess this spiritual vision see the external distinction between a karm sanyāsī and a karm yogi, and declare the karm sanyāsī to be superior because of the external renunciation. But those who are learned see that both the karm sanyāsī and the karm yogi have absorbed their minds in God, and so they are both identical in their internal consciousness.
6. Living in a cave in the Himalayas, a yogi may feel that he has renounced, but the test of that renunciation comes when he returns to the city. For instance, one sadhu practiced austerities for twelve years in the mountains of Garhwal. He came down to Haridwar to participate in the holy fair called Kumbh Melā. In the hustle and bustle of the fair, someone accidentally placed his shoe on the sadhu's bare foot. The sadhu was infuriated, and screamed, "Are you blind? Can you not see where you are going?" Later he repented for permitting anger to overcome him, and lamented, "Twelve years of austerities in the mountains got washed away by living one day in the city!" The world is the arena where our renunciation gets tested.
In this verse, Shree Krishna says that while performing one's duties in the world, a person should slowly learn to rise above anger, greed, and desire. Instead, if one first gives up duties, it is very difficult to purify the mind; and without a pure mind, true detachment remains a distant dream.
We are all propelled to work by our nature. Arjun was a warrior, and if he had artificially renounced his duty, to retire to the forest, his nature would make him work there as well. He would probably gather a few tribesmen and declare himself their king. Instead, it would be more fruitful to use his natural inclinations and talents in the service of God. So the Lord instructs him, "Continue to fight, but make one change. At first, you came to this battleground on the presumption of saving a kingdom. Now, instead, simply dedicate your service unselfishly to God. In this way, you will naturally purify the mind and achieve true renunciation from within."
A tender and unripe fruit clings fast to the tree that bears and nourishes it. But the same fruit, when fully ripe, severs its connection from its sustainer. Similarly from the material existence, the karm yogi gets the experience that matures into wisdom. Just as sound sleep is only possible for those who have worked hard, deep meditation comes to those who have purified their minds through karm-yog.
7. The word ātmā has been used in multiple ways in the Vedic literature: for God, for the soul, for the mind, and for the intellect. This verse typifies all these uses. Shree Krishna describes the karm yogi who is yog yukt (united in consciousness with God). He says that such a noble soul is: 1) viśhuddhātmā, of purified intellect, 2) vijitātmā, who has conquered the mind, and 3) jitendriya, one who has controlled the senses.
Such karm yogis, with purified intellect, see God situated in all living beings, and behave respectfully toward everyone without attachment. Since their actions are not motivated by the desire for self-enjoyment, their knowledge is progressively clarified. As their desires are eliminated, the senses, mind, and intellect that were being propelled for sense pleasures come under control. These instruments are now available for the service of the Lord. Devotional service leads to realized knowledge from within. In this way, karm-yog naturally brings about these successive stages of enlightenment, and hence is no different from karm sanyās.
8-9. Whenever we accomplish anything substantial, we are overcome with the pride that we have done something great. The pride of being the doer of one's actions is a stumbling block to rising beyond material consciousness. However, the God-conscious karm yogis overcome this obstacle with ease. With purified intellect, they see themselves as separate from the body, and hence they do not attribute their bodily actions to themselves. The body is made from the material energy of God, and thus they attribute all their works as done by the power of God. Since they have surrendered to the will of God, they depend upon Him to inspire their mind and intellect in accordance with His divine will. So, they remain situated in the understanding that God is the doer of everything.
The Sage Vasishth advised Lord Ram:
"O Ram, externally engage in actions diligently, but internally practice to see yourself as the non-doer and God as the prime mover of all your activities." In this divine consciousness, the karm yogis see themselves as mere instruments in the hands of God. Shree Krishna explains in the following verse the consequences of work done in this consciousness.
10. Both Hindu and Buddhist scriptures abound with analogies of the lotus flower. The word is used as a respectful appellation while describing various parts of God's divine body. Hence charaṇ-kamal means "lotus-like feet," kamalekṣhaṇa means "lotus-like eyes," kar-kamal means "lotus-like hands," etc.
Another word for the lotus flower is paṅkaj, which means "born from mud." The lotus flower grows from the mud found at the bottom of the lake, yet it rises above the water and blossoms toward the sun. Thus, the lotus flower is often used in Sanskrit literature as an example of something that is born amidst the dirt, and rises above it while retaining its beautiful purity.
Further, the lotus plant has large leaves that float atop the water surface of the lake. Lotus leaves are used in Indian villages for plates, as they are waterproof, and liquid poured on them does not soak through, but runs off. The beauty of the lotus leaf is that, although the lotus owes its birth, growth, and sustenance to the water, the leaf does not permit itself to be wetted. Water poured on the lotus leaf runs off the side, due to the small hair growing on its surface.
With the help of the beautiful analogy of the lotus leaf, Shree Krishna says that just as it floats atop the surface of the lake, but does not allow itself to be wetted by the water, similarly, the karm yogis remain untouched by sin, although performing all kinds of works, because they perform their works in divine consciousness.