न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते | न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति || 4|| |
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“One cannot achieve freedom from action by avoiding (dutiful) action; nor by mere renunciation can one attain perfection”
Commentary
Lord Krishna implies in this verse that one should aspire for perfection and freedom from action. However He warns that such a state cannot be attained by avoiding actions. Material activities performed to take care of family and the society by following ethical and moral values will lead to a peaceful retirement, when the pension of regular income can be enjoyed without compulsion of performing activity. Similarly a devotee can receive the divine pension of peace and freedom from action, only after performing continuous spiritual activities.
The esoteric meaning is that the pursuit of life should be from vibration to vibrationless state through spiritual activity. All the universes floating in space from the smallest cell on our hand to the distant star that is light years away are vibrations that manifest externally and undergo change perpetually. Vibratory matter consists of solids, liquids, gases, galaxies, solar systems, planets, all living and non-living forms that go through transformations in the chamber of cosmos. Attachments and desires to own, possess or control the ever-changing objects and human forms including our own bodies leads to enormous suffering. This attachment to everything that is intrinsically undergoing change is the root cause of rebirth in a new life which provides another learning environment. Therefore, Lord Krishna implies the goal is to attain the vibrationless state in which there is no further need for action, leading to suffering in the material world. This vibrationless state is in the consciousness of the soul. Consciousness is the ocean of absolute calmness on which the temporary waves of thoughts, forms, attachments, and all dualities dance continuously within the delusional cycles of time and karma.
In the earlier chapter, Lord Krishna states that the soul is unmanifested (avyaktah), unchangeable (avikaryah) and imperishable (avyayasya). The end purpose of life is to then realize these states in our own soul consciousness. This soul perfection cannot be attained by renunciation of work and living as a recluse on some mountain. By continuous activity in the society, the devotee can eventually earn the pension of freedom from action, from the Divine Director.