(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

Not Action, but the Desire to Perform Action and the Anxiety That Comes With it, Must be Surrendered

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भा: कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिता: |
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहु: पण्डितं बुधा: || 4.19||

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ|| 4.19||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 4- Ver. 19:

The wise call him a sage (even) if he begins all deeds without desire or resolve, and if his actions have been burned in the fire of knowledge.

Explanation

Not action, but the desire to execute the action and the anxiety for the fruit of action, must be surrendered.
The soul erroneously associates itself with the physical body. It conducts actions in this ignorance to obtain happiness from the realm of matter. These behaviours bound the soul in karmic reactions because they are motivated by a desire for sensuous and mental pleasure.

When the soul is enlightened by divine understanding, however, it learns that the bliss it wants can only be found in loving service to God, not in the things of the senses. Then it aspires to conduct every deed for God’s pleasure.

Verse & what we can learn

Renunciation of the desire to perform action and the anxiety that comes with it should be Renounced but not the action itself. This is the spirit of Yajna.

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 are 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 verse, Shri Krishna tells Arjuna about enlightened people.

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