“But O Arjuna, action undertaken without attachment by one who has mastered his senses is superior to one who controls the mind but does no action.”

Context of the Verse

            The verse comes directly after the previous Verse 6, in which Krishna condemns those who falsely renounce – people who outwardly control action, and inwardly remain attached to desire.

            The positive ideal – the genuine karma yogi – is described by Krishna here in Verse 7: Someone who:

• Mind uses its own self power to control senses
• Practices selfless action through the body,
• Shies away from the consequences.

            This is the answer to the hypocrisy of the previous verse.

Key Teachings in This Verse

• Control the Mind and Senses

            The body must be constrained, no doubt, to get a lick of spiritual progress, but the senses must be tamed by the mind.

• Engage in Action (Karma Yoga)

            Instead of being inactive, Krishna advises Karma Yoga – consciously doing but without self-attachment.

• Detachment (Asakti)

            This is why it is so important to be detached from your results – you must work for your duty, not for your reward.

• Life of Discipline and Action in Balance

            The nobleman controls himself within, while acting outside. Pure within, but serving outside.

Relevance to Arjuna

• Arjuna is conflicted by his love for the people fighting on the opposite side and his role as a warrior.
• Krishna is now teaching the right path, Arjuna must control his mind, do his duty (fighting the war) and not reacting to gain or loss.
• Krishna is instructing Arjuna to be a karma yogi, not a faux renouncer or an armchair philosopher.

            It frames true excellence in the coherent coordination of mind-control, deed and non-attachment.

Explanation

            So, one has to work but work without attachment. That is why even a householder’s life is called Ashrama. Graham Ashram is where spirituality is in center, Krishna consciousness is in center. So, without attachment, even a person is householder. Here Krishna is telling he is much superior, much better than a pretender Sanyasi. So it is told Sanyas Ashram is so strict. If a lusty thought is entertained by a Sanyasi, the injunction is he should leave his body. The body becomes so contaminated. The Sanya fashion is so strict you do not have right to live with a contaminated consciousness. Thus, these things are prohibited in Kaliyuga, so it is not that some people will, shastras were meant for old ages. Now it is 21st century. We have to change the rules. Now the shastras recommend different rules for different millenniums and centuries. That is why the Dhyan Yoga, which was recommended for Satya Yuga. It is not recommended now. The sacrifices, the special kind of sacrifice the Yagya which was meant for Treta yoga is not recommended now, the Dwiti worship for self realization which was for Dwapor Yoga.

            In Kaliyuga, chanting the holy names of the God is the recommended Yagya or the process. Thus, the shastras give the wisdom for different ages and thus they are always applicable. We need to understand what is the recommendation for this age. So thus, in this age it is told one should not take Sanyas every respectable person was expected to take Sanyas, Go to jungle at 50 years one must go with a link. But now there is no Brahmacharya training without Brahmacharya training Sanyas if a person takes, then a person may become a pretender. So now also if a person is very much advanced and qualified, they can take. But it is not allowed for general people.

            Just like now, if somebody doesn’t take education, it is not acceptable. Similarly, some respectable person not taking Sanyas was not acceptable at all in previous ages. However, in Kaliyuga for common beings it is instructed you fulfill your duties wherever you are but you work without attachment, in the spirit of devotion.