3:30: With the mind centred on the Self, dedicating all actions to Me, free of expectations and free of the thought “mine,” fight without the fever of fear and anxiety.

He alone who has learned to direct all his energies and the power of his thoughts, emotions, and desires to attain the knowledge of the Self has freedom. The common man remains conscious only of the world of objects, but those who are conscious of the self-existent Reality direct all their energy inward with a one-pointed desire to attain immortality. Ordinary people are ignorant because of their outward desires. The objects of the eternal world constantly lead one to identify with the changing phenomena and to forget the nature of the Self, which is unchanging and everlasting.

Sri Krishna therefore says, “O Arjuna, dedicate all of your actions with a one-pointed mind focused on the highest Self with no expectation or attachment whatsoever. Without fear and anxiety, fight the battle of life.” This verse talks of dedicated action, which actually is prayer inaction. When we pray but cannot dedicate our actions, that prayer is not of much use. Dedicating all of our actions and the fruits we receive therein is higher than the prayer that is uttered by our lips. The poems and hymns we utter are not as profound or as important as dedication of the fruits of our actions. There are two kinds of people: one who praises God all the time, the other remains silent and performs his actions, dedicating all the fruits of his actions to the Lord. It is clear that the latter prayer is superior to the former.

Editor’s Note

This is an excerpt from Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Rama. 1985 edition. The translation of the Sanskrit verse into English was done by Pandit Usharbudh Arya. The commentary is by Swami Rama.

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