“The wise see that there is action in the midst of inaction and inaction in the midst of action. Their consciousness is unified, and every act is done with complete awareness.”
Bhagavad Gita 4.18
For the past three weeks, I have been mulling over the above verse (one of the most puzzling verses in the Bhagavad Gita) to the point of having sleepless nights. Intoxicated with thoughts, words, and voices that leave their mark like a drowsy hangover that has remnants from the previous night: blurry, vague, but within reach.
My day is consumed with the pursuit of understanding its deep meaning. The present environment is toxic, harsh, and unforgiving. Nothing I do is good enough, nothing I say is worth understanding, and stepping back to listen is considered complacent and harmful, so I retreat inward to learn.
Lord Krishna explains how one can act in a way that does not bind us to the fruits of our actions. But to understand this, I had to go back to the meaning of karma. Sanskrit is a language that is layered with subtle nuances and meanings. It is a language of deep emotions and subtle pronunciations. It is a language where one word can reflect different expressions, depending on the context. When we view our ancient scriptures from a Western lens, it takes away from the essence of what is being conveyed. I believe that, to understand the depth of these sacred texts, we need to read and feel from the core of our hearts.
The word karma, or “action,” can have multiple meanings:
- action in general
- a reaction created from my action
- a system of action and reaction
- a particular action
Now, all past actions hold space within our physical, emotional, and mental bodies in the form of memories. It is through these memories, which are constantly being re-packaged or re-created by none other than the ego, that we act or react from.
To further grasp the meaning of the verse, it’s important to understand that the word karma is further divided into three types:
- Karma: action aligned with one’s consciousness
- Akarma: non-action or non-reaction
- Vikarma: immoral action
As each day goes by, the verse is becoming clearer and brighter to me but even more difficult to put into practice because of our attachments to our deep-rooted memories, beliefs, etc. You see, it’s not about an action, and its attachment to the fruits, that is in question here; it is much more than that. It’s a practice steeped in svādhyāya and complete devotion to that place within that is untouched – the divinity within.
In my humble way, I finally understood the depth of this verse. As I mentioned earlier, actions reside as memories in every fiber of our being, so if:
- I am in a state of physical activity (action), and my mental and emotional body is in a state of inaction, free from all reactions, complete devotion, alignment with my consciousness, then I am free from all karmic ties. This is yoga.
- I am in a state of physical inactivity (inaction), but my mental and emotional body is in a state of activity (action) or reacting, this too will create karmic bondage for myself.
- I am in a state of physical activity (action), and so is my mental and emotional body, as it is reacting to the benefits of that action, I am most certainly creating karmic bondage for myself.
I struggled even today to put what I have understood into words and, in doing so, I am sure I have accumulated some karmic attachments; I am not perfect, but I’m not one to shy away from going back to my practice to unlearn and relearn until I align with my divinity.
As we step onto the battlefield of the world’s injustices (and yoga), remember that liberation is no easy task. It requires action from a place of true alignment with one’s consciousness; one who understands this dynamism begins to pave the way for others to follow.
