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Chapter 18
etanyapi tu karmani sangam tyaktva phalam ca
kartavyaniti me partha niscitatn matamuttamam
But, even these actions also as other duties should be performed, giving up attachment and desire, for fruits. This, 0 Partha (Arjuna), is My decisive and firm belief. 6
Comment:-
Etanyapi to karmani sangam tyaktva-phalani ea kartavyaniti me partha niscitam matamuttamam:- Here the term 'Etani', denotes acts of sacrifice, gift and penance, mentioned in the preceding verse, while the term 'Api', denotes other acts in connection with, one's occupation such as business and farming etc., bodily acts, such as eating, drinking, walking, sitting and sleeping-waking etc., in accordance with, scriptural injunctions and other necessary acts, of daily routine. If actions are performed, without having any desire and attachment, for the welfare of others, the flow of actions is towards the world viz., actions are not for one's own self-interest at all, these are totally for the good of others.
Thus we get united with God. But if they are performed with - attachment and desire, for fruit etc., these lead to bondage and not allow the individuality to vanish.
In the Gita, in certain contexts, there is mention of relinquishment of attachment, while in others, the Lord talks of relinquishment, of fruit of actions. Here, in this verse, bom are mentioned together. It means, that where there is a mention of the one, the other should also be presumed. So a striver, should neither be attached to action, nor to the fruit, of actions. By doing so his attachment for the mind, intellect, senses, body and other possessions, is shaken off [1].
Attachment is subtle, while desire for fruit of action, is gross. The attachment of sentient soul, to insentient and perishable world, leads the soul to its birth, in good and evil wombs [2]. As soon as this attachment is relinquished, a striver, realizes his natural detachment.
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