3.7. O Arjuna! That man who, controlling the senses with the mind, and being unattached, engages in the Yoga of Action through all the senses, is superior.
Commentary: The word 'tu' (but) here is given from the viewpoint of declaring the one who acts without attachment as superior not only compared to the hypocrite, but indeed even compared to the Sankhya Yogi. 'Arjuna' means 'pure'. Here, by using the address 'Arjuna', the Lord shows this sentiment: "You possess a pure heart; therefore, how can this doubt regarding obligatory action reside in your heart?" That is to say, this doubt cannot remain steadfast within you.
'Yas tvindriyāṇi manasā niyamya' – Here, the word 'manasā' (with the mind) denotes the entire inner instrument (mind, intellect, chitta, and ego), and the word 'indriyāṇi' (senses) denotes all ten senses, just like the word 'karmendriyāṇi' (organs of action) used in the sixth verse. Controlling the senses with the mind means to realize through discriminative intellect that "I have no connection whatsoever with the mind and the senses." Upon controlling the senses with the mind, the senses lose their independent insistence; meaning, they become applied wherever one wishes to apply them and withdraw from wherever one wishes to withdraw them. The senses come under control only when all sense of 'mineness' (mamatā) towards them is completely absent. In the eleventh verse of the twelfth chapter also, control of the senses is mentioned for the Karma Yogi – 'sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān' (Therefore, with a self-controlled mind, renouncing all fruits of action, perform action). The purport is that the Yoga of Action is practiced only through senses that are under control.
In the previous (sixth) verse, the Lord used the word 'saṁyamya' (restraining) to speak of forcibly restraining the senses in the context of hypocrisy; but here, the word 'niyamya' (regulating) speaks of regulating the senses according to scriptural injunctions (withdrawing them from the forbidden and engaging them in scripturally enjoined duties). Upon regulation, restraint of the senses happens automatically.
'Asaktaḥ' (unattached): Attachment occurs in two places – (1) in actions and (2) in their fruits. All faults reside in attachment alone, not in actions or their fruits. Yoga cannot be accomplished while attachment remains. Only upon renouncing attachment is Yoga accomplished. Therefore, the aspirant should not renounce actions, but should renounce only the attachment to them. Without performing obligatory actions diligently and earnestly while being free from attachment, one cannot sever the connection with actions. An aspirant can be free from attachment only when he does not consider the body, senses, mind, and intellect as 'mine' or 'for me', but considers them as belonging to the world and for the world alone, and engages earnestly in performing duties for the welfare of the world. When he performs all actions not for himself but solely for the welfare of others, his personal attachment to fruits automatically vanishes.
From the ordinary activities performed by the organs of action to all activities including contemplation and meditation, none have any connection with our true nature (Gita 5.11). However, though detached from its nature, this individual soul itself creates attachment and establishes a connection with the world. The true glory of the Karma Yogi lies precisely in being free from attachment. To not desire any fruit obtained from actions, meaning to become completely non-attached, is to be free from attachment. An ordinary person engages in any work only for the fulfillment of his desires; but an aspirant engages in any work with the sole objective of renouncing attachment. Such an aspirant alone is called 'asaktaḥ' here.
When both the Jnana Yogi and the Karma Yogi renounce desire for fruits and attachment, then Karma Yoga proves easier than Jnana Yoga. The reason is that the Karma Yogi then needs no other spiritual practice, whereas the Jnana Yogi needs Karma Yoga (performing action without desire) to eradicate egoism of the body and attachment to objects of action (5.6, 15.11). In Karma Yoga, renunciation of attachment is primary, through which the Karma Yogi attains equanimity. Therefore, the Lord says there is no need to renounce actions; rather, there is need only to perform action without attachment. Whether actions should be renounced or not is not, in fact, even a principle of the Gita. According to the Gita, only attachment in actions (being the cause of fault) is to be renounced. In Karma Yoga, 'karma' (action) is always for the welfare of others, and 'yoga' (union) is for oneself. Arjuna considers action as 'for himself', that is why the duty in the form of war appears dreadful to him. On this, the Lord clarifies that it is attachment alone that is dreadful, not action.
'Karmendriyaiḥ karmayogam ārabhate' – Just as in the first part of this very verse, the word 'indriyāṇi' means all ten senses, similarly here, the word 'karmendriyaiḥ' should be understood as denoting all ten senses. If by the word 'karmendriyaiḥ' only the hands, feet, speech, etc., are taken, then how can actions occur without seeing, hearing, and contemplating with the mind? Therefore, here all instruments, meaning the inner and outer instruments, are also considered organs of action; because action is performed through all of them. When action is performed not for oneself but for the welfare of others, it is called Karma Yoga. Performing action for oneself creates a connection with the action and its fruit, and performing action not for oneself but for others creates a connection of the action and its fruit with others, and a connection of the Supreme Self with oneself, which is eternal. Thus, performing the duty that comes according to place, time, circumstances, etc., with a selfless attitude is the beginning of Karma Yoga. Karma Yogi aspirants are of two types:
(1) One in whom the impetus to act, attachment, and interest exist, but the desire for one's own welfare is primary. For such an aspirant, there is no need to initiate new actions. For him, there is only the need to make proper use of the circumstances that have come.
(2) One in whom the desire for one's own welfare is not primary, and who has greater interest in serving the world, giving it happiness, and reforming society, so that it occurs to his mind that if such and such work is done, many can be served, society can be reformed, etc. If such an aspirant even initiates new actions, there is no harm. However, new actions should be initiated only for the purpose of eradicating attachment to action.
In the Gita, the Lord has told Arjuna only to make proper use of the circumstances that have come; because in Arjuna, the desire for his own welfare was primary (Gita 2.7, 3.2, 5.1).
'Sa viśiṣyate' – He who, renouncing his own selfish interest and attachment to fruits, performs action solely for the welfare of beings, is superior. The reason is that the mere flow of his activities being directed towards the world automatically brings about non-attachment in him.
When an aspirant has the thought of accomplishing his own welfare, he considers actions as obstacles in the path and wishes to abstain from them. But in reality, performing action is not faulty; rather, performing action with desire is faulty. Therefore, the Lord says that one who, being unattached, performs action for the welfare of others is superior to the hypocritical man who restrains the senses externally but internally contemplates on sense objects. In truth, even one who performs action with desire for attaining heaven, etc., is superior to a hypocritical man, then what to say of the Karma Yogi who performs action without desire for the welfare of others! In the fifth chapter, when Arjuna asked which of the two – renunciation and yoga – is superior, the Lord, in reply, declared both as bestowers of welfare, and declared Karma Yoga superior to renunciation of action. Here also, with the same intent, the Karma Yogi who, renouncing selfish motive, performs action for the welfare of others, is declared superior.
Connection: The Gita, in its style, first discusses the subject at hand. Then it states the benefit of doing it and the loss of not doing it. Thereafter, it gives the command to practice it. Here also, while answering Arjuna's question ("Why do you engage me in dreadful action?"), the Lord first states that complete renunciation of actions is impossible. Then, declaring the renunciation of actions while mentally dwelling on sense objects as hypocrisy, He states that the man who performs action without desire is superior. Now, in the next verse, the Lord commands Arjuna to perform his duty accordingly.
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