Verse-18
Chapter 4 — Gyan Karma Sannayasa Yoga
Verse 18
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ch karma yaḥ
sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt
🕉 English Translation
Karma mein akarma jo dekhe sadaa,
Akarma mein bhi karma hai dekhta.
Sabhi purusho main hai wahi buddhimaan..
Karma karte bhi usko yogi hee jaan.
📜 Translation
English
The man who sees action in inaction and inaction in action, he is wise amongst the men and he is a yogi, a true performer of all actions.
If reward for a noble result is in front of us then the importance of moving towards it enhances. If an issue is given importance given by intellect then the path becomes easy; the footsteps automatically move towards that end. While performing if one is aware that by giving up desire for fruits and egoism the actions will become inaction, even by performing action the state will be of inaction and on the other hand one who knows that even by doing actions he is actually not doing anything. But if the inner state of mind is full of attachment, desires and longings, egoism then even inactivity will lead to bondage. He would be vigilant, would be aware in his inner state lest he should succumb to entanglements. Further more, he has to be cautious of the cycle of births and deaths. Both these situations are good.
The word 'yeh' has been used twice, that is to say that both are wise and yogis amongst men. One has taken an inspiration from the positive aspect and freed himself from the bondages of action, as while in the world and performing action he still is detached; the other taking the warning has saved himself. The wise bee is the one who sits in one corner and enjoys the honey and then remaining unentangled flies away to its base.
Foolish is the one who while enjoying the taste of honey entangles its wings in it, and gives up its life there. While performing action or abstaining from it, in both eventualities the person who is detached, he is wise. He will exhaust his previous bondages and will not allow new ones to grow. That is why he is satiated. The egoism and desire for fruits of action distances him from divinity and when these two hurdles are overcome yoga on its own becomes accomplished. That is why he is a yogi too. What is the state of such a yogi? This state is being explained by the following few verses.