3.8. Perform your ordained duty-action according to scriptural injunction; for action is superior to inaction, and even the maintenance of your body cannot be accomplished without action.
Commentary: 'Perform your ordained action' – The scriptures enjoin the performance of two types of actions: prescribed (vihita) and ordained/duty-bound (niyata). Prescribed actions refer to those generally commanded by the scriptures as injunctions, such as vows, fasting, worship, etc. It is difficult for an individual to perform all these prescribed actions completely. However, it is easier to renounce forbidden actions. Not being able to perform prescribed actions is not as detrimental as the benefit gained from renouncing forbidden actions; such as not lying, not stealing, not committing violence, etc. When forbidden actions are renounced, prescribed actions begin to happen spontaneously. Ordained action refers to the duty-action received according to one's varna (class), ashrama (stage of life), inherent nature, and circumstances; such as eating, conducting business, building a house, showing the way to a lost person, etc.
From the perspective of Karmayoga, whatever duty-action prescribed by the scriptures and in accordance with one's varna-dharma is received, whether severe or gentle, that alone is ordained action. Here, through the words 'Perform ordained action,' the Lord is telling Arjuna that, being a Kshatriya, fighting the war received due to circumstances according to your varna-dharma is your natural action (Gita 18.43). For a Kshatriya, the action of war, which appears violent and severe, is not actually severe; rather, for him, it is ordained action. In the second chapter, the Lord said that even from the perspective of your own dharma, fighting is ordained action for you – 'Considering also your own duty, you should not waver' (2.31). In truth, one's own dharma and ordained action are one and the same. Although for Duryodhana and others, war is also an action received according to their varna-dharma; nevertheless, because it is unjust, it is distinct from ordained action; for they wish to seize the kingdom unjustly through war. Therefore, for them, this war is not ordained and righteous action.
'For action is superior to inaction' – Here, the Lord answers the word 'superior' (jyāyasī) that appeared in Arjuna's question in the first verse of this chapter (3.1) with the very word 'superior' (jyāyaḥ). There, Arjuna's question is: If you consider knowledge superior to action, then why engage me in severe action? In answer to this, the Lord here says that action is considered superior by Me compared to inaction. Thus, Arjuna's thought is to desist from the severe action of war, and the Lord's thought is to engage Arjuna in the ordained action of war. That is why later, in the eighteenth chapter, the Lord says that even if it is defective, one should not renounce natural (ordained) action – 'O son of Kunti, even if defective, one should not abandon action that is natural to oneself' (18.48). The reason is that by renouncing it, fault is incurred and one's connection with actions also remains. Therefore, performing ordained action is superior to renouncing action. Furthermore, performing action without attachment is considered even more superior; because through this, all connection with actions is completely severed. Thus, in the first half of this verse, the Lord commands Arjuna to perform ordained action with a detached attitude, and in the second half, He says that without performing action, even your livelihood will not be sustained.
In Karmayoga, 'action is superior to inaction' – this is the Lord's principal doctrine. This very point the Lord has clarified with the words 'Let not your attachment be to inaction' (Gita 2.47) – O Arjuna, may you not have attachment to inaction. The reason is that a person who shirks duty-actions will waste his precious time in negligence, laziness, and sleep, or will perform actions forbidden by the scriptures, leading to his downfall. Compared to renouncing actions in essence, it is superior to sever connection with actions while still performing them. The reason is that desire, craving, attachment to results, partiality, etc., alone forge a connection with actions, whether a person acts or not. By practicing Karmayoga with the aim of renouncing desire, etc., the renunciation of desire, etc., happens with great ease. 'Nor can you ever maintain your body without action' – A notion had arisen in Arjuna's mind that if one simply does not act, then connection with actions will be severed automatically. Therefore, the Lord motivates him to act through various reasonings. Describing one of those reasonings, the Lord says: O Arjuna, you will have to perform action. What to say of others, without performing action, even the maintenance of your body (eating, drinking, etc.) will become impossible. Just as in Jnanayoga, connection with the world is severed through discrimination, similarly, in Karmayoga, by properly performing duty-actions, connection with the world is severed. Therefore, Karmayoga should not be considered in any way inferior to Jnanayoga. A Karmayogi, considering the body as belonging to the world, engages it in the service of the world itself, meaning he retains no sense of personal ownership over the body. He establishes the oneness of the gross, subtle, and causal bodies with the gross, subtle, and causal world respectively, whereas a Jnanayogi establishes his oneness with Brahman. Thus, a Karmayogi establishes oneness with the inert principle, and a Jnanayogi establishes oneness with the conscious principle.
'A crucial point regarding spiritual practice': Arjuna has a disinclination towards actions, meaning there is an insistence in his mind to not act. It is not only Arjuna's case, but rather, other seekers on the spiritual path also often commit this grave mistake in this matter. Although their desire is to practice spiritual discipline, and they do practice, yet they also keep along their desired circumstances, conveniences, and sense of ease, which become a great obstacle in their practice. A seeker who seeks ease in attaining the Truth and wishes to attain it quickly is, in reality, attached to comfort, not a lover of the practice itself. One who desires to attain the Truth with ease has to endure difficulty, and one who desires to attain it quickly has to endure delay. The reason is that by desiring ease and speed, the seeker's vision shifts from the 'means' to the 'result,' which causes weariness in the practice and also delay in attaining the goal. One who has this firm resolve or objective that, however it may be, I must attain the Truth, his vision does not go towards ease and speed. A resolute person engaged in work with earnestness, when he buckles down wholeheartedly for the fulfillment of his objective, does not look towards pleasure and pain – 'A resolute person intent on his work does not reckon pain or pleasure' (Bhartrihari's Niti Shatakam). What to say of a seeker, even an ordinary greedy person does not look towards hardship. It is often seen that even if perspiration is flowing, hunger-thirst is felt, or the need to relieve oneself is perceived, still, if there is a special sale of goods and money is coming in, that greedy merchant endures all hardships. Exactly like a greedy person, a seeker should have steadfastness in the goal. He should not be able to rest without attaining the goal, life should begin to feel burdensome, eating-drinking, comfort, etc., should not feel good at all, and there should be reverence and earnestness for the practice in his heart! When there is a longing to attain the goal, delay becomes unbearable, but the desire that it be attained quickly is not there. Longing is one thing, and the desire for quick attainment is another. A seeker who practices with attachment enjoys pleasure in the practice and feels anger when there is delay or obstacle in it, and he finds fault with the practice. But a seeker who practices with reverence and love, when there is delay or obstacle in the practice, begins to weep with a sense of anguish, and his longing and intensity increase. This is the difference between quickness and longing. In quickness, the seeker's sense of comfort and convenience remains – that if Truth is attained quickly, then later we will rest! Thus, with vision fixed on the result, reverence for the practice diminishes. But in longing, the seeker finds rest in his practice itself – what else is there to do besides the practice? What work is better than this to do? Therefore, this very work (practice) is to be done, whether with ease or difficulty, quickly or with delay. Thus, his full power gets engaged in the practice, whereby he attains the Truth quickly. However, a seeker desiring quick accomplishment may become despondent if there is delay in attaining the goal. Therefore, a seeker should give more respect to the means than even to the goal, as Mother Parvati has said: 'Even if it takes crores of births of continuous effort, I will wed Sambhu (Shiva) and not remain unmarried. I will not abandon Narada's instruction; Shiva Himself says it hundreds of times.' (Manas 1.81.5)
In Mother Parvati's sentiments, there is no haste. In them, the means is given more respect than the goal itself. In the present verse, the Lord, making Arjuna the medium, cautions seekers that they should renounce their conveniences and sense of ease (which is the root obstacle in practice) and engage with great earnestness in performing duty-actions.
Connection: In the previous verse, the Lord stated that even bodily maintenance is not possible without action. This proves that performing action is very necessary. But since a person is bound by action – 'The creature is bound by action,' then what should a person do to be freed from bondage – this the Lord explains in the next verse.
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