One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is intelligent among men. (BG. 4.18)
seeing inaction in action means even tho a certain work seems like a frutive work(action) still a krishna conscious person does it only wholly and solly for the satisfaction of krishna.(inaction)
what does seeing action in action means? i have gone through several lectures and srila prabhupada's purport still i dont get it.
Dear devotees please help me to clarify this
Replies
Hare Krishna,
Action in Inaction:
One person who renounced everything in life and runs to jungles .. sits silents and does japa but.. his mind is dwelling on still craving for lust...is said to be a fake renounced. He is considered to do action even though his activities are outwardly showing inactivity.
Example: - there was a rishi who left all samsara and came to jungles to perform sadhana and japa.. and went to take dip in water... and saw two fishes mating .. and is mind got disturbed, agitated and thinking about sex ... his mind is fixed on sex pleasure even though he is outwardly performing no activity .. inwardly his mind is running after so many pleasures..he is doing action while still in inaction.
Inaction in action:
A person who is still in material world enjoying eveything.. yet whose mind is fixed on Krishna is said to be doing inactivity while still doing all kinds of karma.
examples:- King Ambarisha, he was performing his kingly duties and leading a regular householder life and yet he was always fully engrossed into krishna all the time was thinking about Krishna...This type of person is said to do inactivity even while doing all types of activities.
Hare Krishna
thank you mataji ive understood
Hare Krsna
what does seeing inaction in action means?
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
Karma or Action generally produces result or phala.
However there is one type of Karma(Action) that does not produce any result. This type of Karma is akarma(Inaction).
This is further described by Sri Krsna in 4.20
tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ
nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto ’pi
naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
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. ( BG 4.20)
The above is description of Inaction. But externally karma and akarma look the same.
So seeing Inaction in action means to understand that the person who is acting is not acting out of desire for result, but for a higher cause (Krsna). One who can see this is intelligent as per BG 4.18
Example : Arjuna and Duryodhana both fought in battle of Kurukshetra. Duryodhayana performed forbidden actions resulting in negaitve karmic reactions. Arjuna fought for Sri Krsna, Arjuna did not get any negative results.
Hare Krsna
Thank you prabhu