3-8

नियतम् कुरु कर्म त्वम् कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।
शरीर यात्रापि च ते न प्रसिध्येत् अकर्मणः ॥ ८ ॥

niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyAyo hyakarmaNaH |
zarIra yAtrApi ca te na prasidhyet akarmaNaH || 8 ||

त्वम् कर्म कुरु [tvam karma kuru] Do your activity- नियतम् [niyatam] it is inevitable. कर्म [karma] Activity ज्यायः [jyAyaH] is superior to अकर्मणः [akarmaNaH] inaction. अपि [api] Even शरीरयात्रा [zarIrayAtrA] the journey through this body न प्रसिध्येत् [na prasidhyet] is not possible ते [te] for you, अकर्मणः [akarmaNaH] when you are inactive.

The word नियतम् [niyatam] is used here to mean ‘invariably accompanied with’. Everyone who is associated with matter is invariably accompanied by activity. Such is the relation between the person and activity. Thus, activity is certainly available to everyone, due to the influence of innumerable actions committed in the past. Activity is easy and isn’t associated with the danger of ignorance. Hence, certainly perform action.

The word ‘inactivity’ is used here to mean ‘the mere practice of contemplation without involving our organs in action’- see (3-4), where it says ‘By avoiding actions, a person cannot get rid of the influence of his past deeds’. Definitely, action is better than mere contemplation on the Self.

Even for a person who is able to contemplate on the Self as an intellectual activity, the pursuit is extremely difficult - that’s because he does not have the experience of being inactive. It isn’t possible to control this method. This pursuit is also associated with the danger of falling into ignorance.

Hence, being with activity is definitely better than merely striving for knowledge.

While imparting the knowledge of the Self in its true form, it is explained later (5-14) that the Self is not the doer when we perform an action – by its very nature, it doesn’t make the outcome happen. Thus, the knowledge about the true nature of the Self is included inside actions that are performed without attachment to outcomes. In this way, these actions are superior.

The statement that activity is superior to inaction holds true indeed, even for a person who is able to focus on the Self. Suppose this person were to give up all activity, pursuing the knowledge of the Self alone. That’s not entirely possible since the practice of contemplation itself happens as an activity inside his body and that is definitely not inactive.

Till the realization of the Self is complete, you need to be associated with a body.

Worship the Lord with wealth accumulated through just means. Conduct your journey in this life inside your body, with the balance coming from this worship. In the छान्दोग्य उपनिशद् [chAndogya upanizad] (7-26-2), it is said- ‘If what we eat is pure, the content of our body will be pure. When the content is pure, our consciousness is firm ‘. Further on, in 3-13, it is said: ‘The person who cooks for his own sake will suffer guilt’.

Thus, even if an intellectual in the pursuit of the Self wanted to avoid activity, the journey through the life of his body would be impossible without any activity. This person needs to perform worship and other duties, till his goal of realizing the Self is met.

The realization of the Self comes from working without being driven by outcomes - by knowing the fact that the Self is not the doer . The ability to work is provided readily by nature- it is easily available. In summary, working without being driven by outcomes is superior, even for a person who is able to meditate on the Self as a purely intellectual activity.

Hence, without doubt, work without being driven by outcomes.

Often, our activities themselves cause agitation, don’t they?

Next, a question: If this is indeed so and we need to be in action, accumulating wealth and so on, the accumulation of wealth would be associated with the feeling that ‘I am the cause’ and ‘This is mine’. Such feelings cause our organs to be agitated and we fall back under the influence of our past deeds. Isn’t that so? The next Shloka answers this question.