Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - sloka 8

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Jnana Yoga & Karma yoga are complementary - 3-8

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 8

Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyayah hi akramanah I

Sharir yatrapi  cha te na prasiddhayed akarmanah II sloka 8

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वां कर्म ज्यायः हि अकर्मणः ।

शरीर यात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्धयेद अकर्मणः ।। श्लोक ८ 

You must perform your obligatory  action; for action is superior to non-action (jnana yoga). For a person following non-action, not even the sustenance of the body is possible

'Obligatory' (Niyatam)  means 'concomitant' (iVyaptam); for action is concomitant with that which is conjoined with prakriti or the body. The contact with prakriti has arisen from beginningless subtle impressions (Vasanas).  You must perform work, because the performance of action is easy and may not cause accidents by reason of its being obligatory. Action is superior to non-action, ie., even to the devotee of jnana. Devotion to jnana alone is indicated by the word 'non-action' (Akarma). Even in the case of one qualified for devotion to jnana, devotion to karma indeed is better because jnana-nishta  is difficult to perform  and liable to accidents; that too, If it has not been practised previously and as it does not come to one naturally. Subsequently it will be described how, one with the knowledge of the true nature of the self can carry on actions along with that knowledge. Moreover, because knowledge of the self too is included in karma yoga, this kind of yoga is superior.

This statement on the superiority  of activity (karma yoga) over gnana yoga  is valid even when there is competency for one to adopt jnana yoga. For, if you abandon all activities to qualify yourself for jnana yoga, then nourishment of the body, which is necessary even for jnana-nishtha, will not be possible. The body has to be necessarily sustained until the means are executed to the full. Performing 'great sacrifices'  with the help of honestly earned wealth, the body has to be sustained by consuming the remainders left after such sacrifices. This is made clear from scriptural texts like, 'When the food is pure, the sattva (mind or inner organ) becomes pure; when the sattva  is pure, then the remembrance (meditation) will be steady (Cha U., 7.26.2). Sri Krishna himself will declare : the sinful ones who cook food for their own sake eat sin (3.13)

Consequently even the sustenance of the body will not be possible in the case of one who practises  jnana-nishtha,  and does not act. Besides the understanding of the true nature of the self is incorporated in karma yoga, as it involves the contemplation of the self as being a non-agent. It is also in line with the nature of life (prakriti). Karma yoga, is for these reasons easier and it is free from danger of downfall. Therefore, you must perform karma yoga only. This is the purport of the verse.

If it is contended that any action such as earning money implies 'I-ness', 'My-ness' etc. and will therefore be disturbing to the senses, and that such a person devoted often to works will be in bondage through subtle impressions of his acts - Krishna replies in the next verse.