Gita 3.7
Karma Yoga
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन | कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगं असक्तः स विशिष्यते ||७||
yas tv indriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate 'rjuna | karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogaṃ asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate ||7||
In essence: True mastery is not suppressing the body but directing its actions through a disciplined mind—free from attachment, fully engaged.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guru ji, this seems contradictory. How can I fully engage in action while being unattached? If I don't care about results, won't my work be half-hearted?"
Guru: "You misunderstand attachment. A surgeon performing an operation—does he care about the outcome?"
Sadhak: "Of course he cares! He wants the patient to survive."
Guru: "Yes, he cares deeply. But during the surgery, if he's thinking 'What if I fail? What will people say? What about my reputation?'—can he operate well?"
Sadhak: "No, he needs total focus on the task at hand."
Guru: "Exactly. That total focus IS non-attachment. His hands are completely engaged, his mind is fully present—but not wandering to results, fears, or desires. He cares about healing, but he's not entangled in personal gain. This is karma yoga in action."
Sadhak: "But I do get entangled. My mind constantly goes to outcomes—will I succeed, what will I gain, what if I lose?"
Guru: "That's why Krishna says 'manasā niyamya'—control the senses WITH the mind. The mind must be trained. Right now your mind is untrained, like a wild horse. It runs toward sense objects and imagined futures. Training the mind is the work. It doesn't happen by wishing."
Sadhak: "How do I train it?"
Guru: "By practice. Every time you notice the mind racing toward results, bring it back to the action. Every time you catch yourself fantasizing about success or dreading failure, return to this moment, this task, this breath. Over time, the mind learns to stay present. The karma yogi 'excels' not because they're superhuman but because they've practiced this return, again and again."
Sadhak: "Is the goal to never think about outcomes at all?"
Guru: "Planning is fine. Thinking ahead is practical wisdom. But planning with anxiety, imagining outcomes with fear or greed—that's attachment. The difference is subtle but real. Plan with clarity, then release. Act with excellence, then let go. The result belongs to the field of karma, not to your psychological peace."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before beginning your day's activities, pause for a moment. Remind yourself: today I will act with full engagement, but I will not let my peace depend on results. Choose one significant task for the day. Commit to giving it your best effort while consciously releasing expectation about its outcome. Visualize yourself working with complete focus, then visualize yourself accepting whatever result comes with equanimity. This mental rehearsal trains the karma yoga muscle.
During work or activities, catch the moment when your mind races ahead to results—the promotion, the praise, the completion. When you notice this, gently return attention to the action itself. Ask: 'What does this task need from me right now?' Let the answer be your focus. If anxiety about outcomes arises, acknowledge it without fighting: 'I see you, fear of failure. Now, back to work.' This simple return is the practice. You may need to do it a hundred times in a day. Each return strengthens the mind's capacity to stay present.
Reflect on one action you took today. Notice if you were attached to its outcome—did you feel anxious before, or disappointed/elated after based on results? Without judgment, observe this. Then recall a moment, however brief, when you were simply absorbed in doing—not thinking about what you'd get. Recognize that moment as a glimpse of karma yoga. The goal is not perfection but increasing these moments. End by acknowledging: results happened as they happened. Your work was your offering. Peace does not depend on outcomes.