Essays on the Gita, First Series (Arya Publishing House, 1922)

But at present the Gita does not proceed to that latter point. Since the mind is the instrumental cause, since inaction is impossible, what is rational, necessary, the right way is a contro lle d action .o f. .the subjectiye_and oy«tiye organism. The mind mmt bring prises under ite control as an instrument of the intdligent wdi and then the qr^hfpFacHdn must be us^ for their proper office, for a ction , but for action done as Yoga. But what is the essence of this self-control, what is meant by action done as Yoga, Karmayoga ? It is n on-attachm ent, it is to do works without clinging with the mind to the objects of sense and the fruit of the works. Not vimMhdtmA, and his AchAra, his formally regulated method of self-discipline, is a false and vain method, — ^this surely is all that th^ Oita means. WORKS AND SACRIFICE 2complete inaction, which is an error, a confusion, a self-delusion, an impossibility, but action fuU and free_,done wi thorn subje^^ sense and passion, desireless and unattoched works, are the first secret of perfection. Do action thus self-controlled, says Kri^na, niyatam kuru _karma_ twqmji I have said that knowledge, the intelligence, is greater, than woiics, jydyast karmano buddhth,^t 1 did no^mean that i nac tion js grea ter than action ; the contrary is the truth, karma jydyo akarmanah. For knowledge does not mean renunciation of works, it mearw tguaUty and npn^aUachiDe^ jto. desicfi and the p^ects of sense; and it means the poise of the intelligent will, in the Soul free and high-uplifted above the lower instrumentation of Prakriti* and contrplUng the works of the mind and the s^es 2 ind Mdy^ip J:he power of self-knowledge and the pure objectless self-delight of spiritual _jealisatipn, niyatam karma, ^wddht)!oga-isiulfilled--hy yoRa ; the Yoga _q L. the self-libeiauilg,. intelligent • Again, I cannot accept the current interpretation of niyatam karma as if it meant fixed and formal works and were equivalent to the Vedic nityakarma, t he regular works of sacrifi ce, ce remon ial and^ riile o f Vedic "Il^ng.