Work Done for Sense Gratification Is Vikarma – Work Done for Krishna Is Akarma Without Fruitive Reaction

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Bhagavad-gītā 4.16 — April 5, 1974, Bombay 740405BG-BOMBAY [33:43 Minutes] Bg-04.16_740405BG-BOMBAY Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat, etc] kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ tat te karma pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt [Bg. 4.16] [break] [02:06] Translation: "Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all sins." Prabhupāda: kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ tat te karma pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt [Bg. 4.16] So... So again the same beginning: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. Everything is being spoken on that basis.

Now, everyone has to work. Kṛṣṇa never says to Arjuna that "You haven't got to work. I am your friend. I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

You simply sleep, and I shall do everything for you." He never said like that. He could say that. Just like modern, rascal incarnation of Gods, they say to their devotees that "You simply think of me. I shall do everything for you." But Kṛṣṇa never said that.

Kṛṣṇa said that man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], but never said that "You sit down idly." Never said that. Kṛṣṇa, rather, said that "You better do akarma than sit down idly. Even you do something mischievous, that is also good than to sit down idly." He never said. Karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadā...

Simply He said that "You work. You have got the right to work according to your capacity, according to your position." That position is brāhmaṇa position, kṣatriya position, vaiśya position, śūdra position. In any position, you work, but the result should be given to Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. That is tyāga.

Tyāga means to give up the result to Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Sat-nyāsa. Sat means the Supreme.

And anyone who renounces everything for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, he is sannyāsī. That will be explained in the Fifth Chapter. Kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī [Bg. 6.1].

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