Work performed in Krishna consciousness burns all karmic reactions through knowledge and surrender to the Lord's will.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Prabhupāda: yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saìkalpa-varjitāḥ jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṃ tam āhuḥ paṇòitaṃ budhāḥ [Bg 4.19] [One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.] tyaktvā karma-phalāsaìgaṃ nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ karmaṇy abhipravṛtto 'pi naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ [Bg 4.20] [Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.] Now, how one can work without any lust? This process is being described by Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. In our last meeting we have discussed the previous verse, that we have to...
We may begin any gorgeous task—it doesn't matter—but we have to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not for sense gratification. That will make us free from the interaction of the activities. So long we are attached to work for sense gratification, so long we shall be under the obligation of reaction. Now, if we want to get out of the reaction of material activities, then this is the formula given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa: kāma-saìkalpa-varjitāḥ. Kāma means one's sense gratification, "I want to do this thing for my sense gratification." That is materialism.
But if I want to do something which will be satisfactory, which will be satisfaction to Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This very simple thing we are discussing in a different way. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is attained by jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. [aside:] Yes? Devotee: If you look from this angle, the tape is broken. Prabhupāda: No. Keith: No. Just the ends of the [indistinct]. Prabhupāda: Just like a fire burns everything, similarly, when we act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, after attainment of full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then just like fire burns everything, similarly, the reaction of our activities will be burned.
Jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. This verse we have already discussed. And the next verse is further explanation of this verse. Tyaktvā karma-phalāsaìgaṃ nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ [Bg 4.20]. [Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.] Now, whatever we do, we desire some fruit out of it. Anything we do, we expect some result out of it.
Sometimes the result may be bad or sometimes the result may be very good. But a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not be attached either to the good result or bad result, because even if I want good result, that is my attachment. And of course, if there is bad result, we haven't got any attachment, but sometimes we lament. That is our attachment.
That is our attachment. So one has to transcend both from the good result and the bad result. How it can be done? It can be done. Just like if you are working on account of some big firm.
Suppose you are a salesman. You are working on behalf of that big firm. Now, suppose if you make one million dollars' profit, you have no attachment for that, because you know that "This profit goes to the proprietor." You have no attachment. Similarly, if there is some loss, you also know that "I have nothing to do with the loss.