(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

If A Devotee Can’t Even Work For The Divine In Devotion, He Should Endeavour To Surrender The Results Of His Deeds And Be Centered In Himself

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रित: |
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं तत: कुरु यतात्मवान् || 12.11||

athaitad apy aśhakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśhritaḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān|| 1211||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 12- Ver. 11:

If doing so is impossible, seek refuge in my yoga and cast aside the fruits of all acts with self-control.

Explanation

Arjuna’s well-being might be achieved in three ways, according to Shree Krishna. He urged Arjuna to labour for Him in the third. That, however, necessitates a cleansed and firm mind. Those who aren’t sure about their relationship with God and haven’t made God-realization their life’s purpose may find it difficult to labour for His delight. As a result, Shree Krishna now offers the fourth option for wellbeing.

“Continue your efforts as before, Arjuna,” he urges, “but become detached from the outcomes of your activities.” Our mind will be purified from the modes of ignorance (tamas) and passion (rajas) and brought to the mode of virtue through such detachment (sattva). Renouncing the fruits of our labours in this way will assist us in removing worldliness from our lives.

Verse & what we can learn

Every action must elicit a response, or produce a consequence. This outcome can be monetary, emotional (pleasure), or intellectual (satisfaction). Shri Krishna reminds us that every result holds the seed of a future action hidden inside it by naming it a fruit. This seed can produce an infinite number of acts, which can produce an infinite number of seeds, and so on.

What is the process by which that seed becomes an action? When we first try a dish, our tastebuds send a signal to our ego that says, “This food is tasty.” “I like this dish; it makes me happy, so I will eat it again,” the ego asserts. The delicacy carried the seed of want, but the ego transformed it into a source of satisfaction, paving the road for future acts aimed at obtaining it.

We are so enslaved by the material world that transcending the ego’s happiness is tough. We cannot practice bhakti, or devotion, as Shri Krishna advised in the previous shloka. Our fundamental motivations are material rather than spiritual. Shri Krishna offers two easy instructions to searchers in this situation: submit the results of deeds to him, and regulate the senses as much as possible.

Shri Krishna also challenges us to master our minds and senses. Sense things have a natural affinity for both our minds and our senses. If we don’t intervene, they’ll begin to obsess on sense items and form attachments to them. The second chapter went into great detail about how this occurs.

As a result, checking our senses and minds will significantly lessen the inflow of selfish desires, and submitting the results to Ishvara will shift our enjoyer ship from our ego to Ishvara. This is karma yoga, the most fundamental spiritual practice that brings us closer to Ishvara.

To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There is also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the next shloka Shri Krishna tells Arjuna what one should do to attain peace.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…