Bhagavad Gita 4.19यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः।ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ
Sanskrit recitation
What counts as real action · 4.16–4.23 · Teaching
Translation
He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and selfish purposes, and whose actions have been burned by the fire of knowledge, the wise call him a sage.
Hindi translation
जिसके सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंके आरम्भ संकल्प और कामनासे रहित हैं तथा जिसके सम्पूर्ण कर्म ज्ञानरूपी अग्निसे जल गये हैं, उसको ज्ञानिजन भी पण्डित (बुद्धिमान्) कहते हैं।
Meaning
A sage performs actions only with a view to set an example to the masses. Though he works, he does nothing as he has no selfish interests, as his actions are burnt by the fire of wisdom which consists in the realisaion of inaction in action, through the knowledge of the Self or BrahmaJnana. BrahmaJnana is a mighty spiritual fire which consumes the results of all kinds of actions (Karmas), good and bad, and makes the enlightened sage ite free from the bonds of action. The sage who leads a life of perfect renunciation does only what is reired for the bare existence of his body. (Cf.III.19IV.10IV.37).
After Swami Sivananda
What counts as real action· 4.16–4.23→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 4.16What is action? What is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this. Therefore, I…
- 4.17For verily, the true nature of action enjoined by the scriptures should be known, as well…
- 4.18He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction, he is wise among men; he is a yogi…
4.19He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and selfish purposes, and whose actions…
- 4.20Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, depending on…
- 4.21Without hope, controlling the mind and the self, having abandoned all covetousness, and…
- 4.22Content with what comes to him without effort, free from the pairs of opposites and envy,…
- 4.23To one who is devoid of attachment, who is liberated, whose mind is established in…
Word-by-word→
- tam
- him
- agni
- in the fire
- kāma
- desire for material pleasures
- sarve
- every
- yasya
- whose
- dagdha
- burnt
- jñāna
- divine knowledge
- āhuḥ
- address
- budhāḥ
- the wise
- saṅkalpa
- resolve
- karmāṇam
- actions
- varjitāḥ
- devoid of
- paṇḍitam
- a sage
- samārambhāḥ
- undertakings
Read this when you feel
Related verses
- 16.23He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of…
- 10.11Out of mere compassion for them, I, dwelling within their selves, destroy the darkness…
- 18.54Becoming Brahman, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor desires; he is the same to…
- 2.43Full of desires, with heaven as their goal, (they speak words that are directed to ends)…