After my first post, I didn’t write any. I am thinking to write about the Bhagavad Gita class happening regularly here.

Today, Swami Kaivalyananda discussed the meaning of the shloka, ‘karmanyakarma yah pashyet akarmani cha karma yah.’
This means, ‘whoever see akarma in akarma, and akarma in karma, is wise among men.’ Swami explained Sri Shankara’s commentary.

The first part, ‘he sees karma in akarma,’ means that when we ordinarily feel, ‘I’m not doing anything. I’m relaxing,’ this is also a karma. Even if the body isn’t active, the mind will be active. Even the thought, ‘I am not doing anything,’ or ‘I have renounced all karmas,’ is a karma. Therefore, the wise sage sees action in inaction.

As for the part, ‘he sees akarma in karma,’ this means that the Karma Yogi has the identification with the True Self while performing karma. This is that the Self is actionless, beyond all vibration. While perforing his dharma, the Karma Yogi keeps this remembrance always with him, that ‘I am not the doer.’ This is seeing akarma in karma, or inaction in action.

14 Oct 2006

— Piyush