कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि |
योगिन: कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुद्धये || 11||
kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair indriyair api
yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śhuddhaye
kāyena—with the body; manasā—with the mind; buddhyā—with the intellect; kevalaiḥ—only; indriyaiḥ—with the senses; api—even; yoginaḥ—the yogis; karma—actions; kurvanti—perform; saṅgam—attachment; tyaktvā—giving up; ātma—of the self; śhuddhaye—for the purification
Translation:
The devotees of karma yoga act for self-purification with body, mind, intellect and also senses, abandoning all attachment.
Commentary:
For self-purification: Nishkama Karma is done for self-purification. The yogi works with his body, mind and intellect, without egoism or attachment. He has acquired such control over the senses that they are free from attachment and aversion (raga and dvesha) and so they are described here as ‘Kevalah‘. It seems that the perfect yogi makes the instruments of action work in their proper fields, even as a mechanic makes the machine work. By such work, the mind becomes absolutely pure and liberation is thereby attained. The liberated yogi continues to work so long as the vehicle of the body (upadhi) remains, but all that he does is only for the sake of others, for the benefit of mankind. The seekers should work in that spirit and attain Self-realisation.
Swami Vivekananda Says —
Disciple: But, sir, since the obstacles to Self-manifestation are not overcome without the performance of work in some form or other, therefore indirectly work stands as a means to knowledge.
Swamiji: From the standpoint of the causal chain, it so appears prima facie. Taking up this view it is stated in the Purva-Mimamsa that work for a definite end infallibly produces a definite result. But the vision of the Atman which is Absolute is not to be compassed by means of work. For the rule with regard to a seeker of the Atman is that he should undergo spiritual practice, but have no eye to its results. It follows thence that these practices are simply the cause of the purification of the aspirant’s mind. For if the Atman could be directly realized as a result of these practices, then scriptures would not have enjoined on the aspirant to give up the results of work. So it is with a view to combating the Purva-Mimamsa doctrine of work with motive producing results, that the philosophy of work without motive has been set forth in the Gita. Do you see?[Source]
Question: How can the mind be purified?
Answer: Work without egoism or attachment purifies the mind.
Question: How does the Nishkama karma Yogi act?
Answer: Abandoning all attachment, he works with the body, mind, intellect and senses.
Question: What is the result of such work?
Answer: Purity of mind.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 5 🔻 (29 Verses)
