athaitadapyashaktosi kartum madyogamaashritaha |
sarvakarmaphalatyaagam tataha kuru yataatmavaan || 11 ||
If, even doing this is not possible, then take refuge in my yoga; cast off the fruits of all actions, with self control.
atha : if
etat : this
api : even
ashaktaha : not possible
asi : is
kartum : doing
madyogam : my yoga
aashritaha : take refuge
sarvakarmaphalatyaagam : cast off the fruits of all actions
tataha : then
kuru : do
yataatmavaan : self control
In explaining the law of karma or action, Shri Krishna uses the term “fruit” to denote the result of an action. We know from basic physics that every action must result in a reaction, it must give a result. This result can be material (money), emotional (joy) or intellectual (satisfaction). By calling it a fruit, Shri Krishna reminds us that every result contains the seed of a future action hidden within it. This seed can give rise to innumerable actions, which can give rise to innumerable seeds, and so on and so forth.
How does that seed germinate into an action? If we eat a delicacy for the first time, our tastebuds send a signal to our ego which says “this delicacy is tasty”. The ego then says “I like this delicacy, it makes me happy, therefore I shall have it again”. The delicacy contained the seed of desire, but the ego made the delicacy into a source of happiness, paving the way for future actions towards acquiring that delicacy.
This is the condition of a majority of seekers. We are so tied up in the material world that we find it difficult to go beyond the satisfaction of our ego. We cannot bring bhakti or devotion into our lives like Shri Krishna prescribed in the previous shloka. Our primary desires are material, not spiritual. For seekers in this condition, Shri Krishna gives two simple suggestions: submit the results of actions to him, and control the senses as much as possible.
So if we eat a delicacy for the first time, our taste buds will definitely say that it is tasty. But instead of letting the ego say “this delicacy is tasty”, we can say “I submit this lovely taste to Ishvara, may he enjoy it”. The ego does not get a chance to assert itself, and in this manner the seed of future action is destroyed on the spot. Conversely, if we are studying for an exam and are worried about the result, we can say “I submit the result of this exam to Ishvara, good or bad”. This will eliminate constant worrying and the consequent stress caused by it, leaving our mind free to study efficiently.
Shri Krishna also asks us to control our mind and our senses. Both our mind and our senses have a natural affinity for sense objects. If we leave them unchecked, they will start brooding over sense objects and develop an attachment towards them. The second chapter had explained how this happens in great detail. So therefore, checking our senses and our mind will reduce the inflow of selfish desires to a great extent, and submission of results to Ishvara will transfer our enjoyership from our ego to Ishvara. This is karma yoga, the most simple and basic spiritual technique that takes us one step closer to Ishvara.
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