3.8 — Outward restraint, inner dwelling

Sanskrit · Teaching film · Everyday practice

Speaker: Krishna, addressing Arjuna.

The shloka

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥ ८ ॥

Brief meaning

Krishna tells Arjuna to perform his allotted work, since action is better than inaction. Without action, even the life of the body could not be sustained.

In the conversation

Krishna contrasts two people. One holds the body still while the mind keeps dwelling on what it has given up. The other governs the senses through the mind and acts without attachment. Krishna then tells Arjuna to perform his work, because even the life of the body depends on action. Renunciation that is only outward is called pretence.

Word by word

नियतम् कुरु कर्म त्वम्

Do your allotted work,

कर्म ज्यायः हि अकर्मणः

for action is better than inaction.

शरीरयात्रा अपि च ते

Even the journey of your body

न प्रसिद्ध्येत् अकर्मणः

could not be sustained without action.

Going deeper

Krishna calls the outwardly still but inwardly dwelling person mithyācāra, one whose conduct is false. He distinguishes the karmendriyas, the organs of action, from the mind that governs them. The praised person acts with the hands and feet, yet the mind is steady and unattached. Niyata karma, allotted work, means the duty that is rightly ours. The teaching values honest inner discipline over a show of renunciation.

Everyday reflection

You give up sweets for a month, and spend the whole time thinking about them. The outward rule is kept, but the mind is not at peace. Compare that with simply eating well, attending to your work, and letting the craving lose its hold as other things fill your day. Restraint can help, but its purpose is a changed relationship, not an impressive display. Where are you keeping a rule while the mind keeps feeding the longing?

Consider today: Choose one responsibility and do it properly today.