Bg. 12.11

BG 12.11

Devanagari

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रित: । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं तत: कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

athaitad apy aśakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśritaḥ sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān

Synonyms

atha even though ; etat this ; api also ; aśaktaḥ unable ; asi you are ; kartum to perform ; mat unto Me ; yogam in devotional service ; āśritaḥ taking refuge ; sarva-karma of all activities ; phala of the results ; tyāgam renunciation ; tataḥ then ; kuru do ; yata-ātma-vān self-situated.

Translation

If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness of Me, then try to act giving up all results of your work and try to be self-situated.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

11. If you cannot do this, take shelter of dedicating all prescribed actions to Me. While controlling your mind, act with detachment from the results of the work.

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

11. If you cannot do this, take shelter of My protective nature. While controlling your mind, act with detachment from the results of the work.

Purport

It may be that one is unable even to sympathize with the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness because of social, familial or religious considerations or because of some other impediments. If one attaches himself directly to the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there may be objections from family members, or so many other difficulties. For one who has such a problem, it is advised that he sacrifice the accumulated result of his activities to some good cause. Such procedures are described in the Vedic rules. There are many descriptions of sacrifices and special functions for the full-moon day, and there is special work in which the result of one’s previous action may be applied. Thus one may gradually become elevated to the state of knowledge. It is also found that when one who is not even interested in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness gives charity to some hospital or some other social institution, he gives up the hard-earned results of his activities. That is also recommended here because by the practice of giving up the fruits of one’s activities one is sure to purify his mind gradually, and in that purified stage of mind one becomes able to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of course, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not dependent on any other experience, because Kṛṣṇa consciousness itself can purify one’s mind, but if there are impediments to accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one may try to give up the results of his actions. In that respect, social service, community service, national service, sacrifice for one’s country, etc., may be accepted so that some day one may come to the stage of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā (18.46) we find it is stated, yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānām: if one decides to sacrifice for the supreme cause, even if he does not know that the supreme cause is Kṛṣṇa, he will come gradually to understand that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme cause by the sacrificial method.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

If you are unable to do this, then taking shelter of the process of offering all your actions to Me (mad-yogam āśritaḥ), give up all the results of your actions as described in the first six chapters (karma-yoga). The meaning is this. In the first six chapters, the Lord spoke of niṣkāma-karma-yoga offered to the Lord, a method to attain liberation. In the second six chapters, the Lord spoke of bhakti-yoga, the method of gaining the Lord Himself. Bhakti-yoga has two types: being fixed in bhakti through internal senses, and being fixed in bhakti through external senses. The first type of bhakti, using internal senses, has three sub categories: smaraṇa ātmika and manana ātmika (mentioned in verse 8, using mind and intellect), and for those who desire remembrance, but cannot do continual remembrance, practice of the above, called abhyāsa-rūpa (verse 9). These three are difficult for a person with poor intelligence, and easy to perform for one with good intellect and no offenses. The second type, relying on external senses, is composed of hearing and chanting (verse 10). It is easy to perform for everyone. Those who are qualified for performing both methods (internal and external) are most outstanding. This was stated in the second six chapters. Those who cannot do this, who do not have faith in fixing the senses on the Lord, those who are qualified for niṣkāma-karma offered to the Lord as mentioned in the first six chapters of the Gītā , are in an inferior position to the devotees (verse 11).

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

If you or others are not able to do these activities, such as cleaning My temple, which are very easy and pleasing to Me, if you are prevented by obstacles such as being the leader of a great family, take shelter of My protective nature (mad yogam āśritaḥ), and perform all activities which are to be performed with renunciation of the results, with controlled mind (yatātmavān). By performance of fire sacrifice and full moon sacrifices devoid of desire for results which are form of worship of Me, knowledge arises within the person like the lotus arising from the muddy water. One realizes ones position and paramātmā’s position as servant and master, and then realizes the supreme position of the Lord. Gradually supreme bhakti will manifest. The Lord will later say: yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarvam idaṁ tatam sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, through performing his own duties, a man can attain perfection. BG 18.46 mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām He will then attain supreme bhakti to Me. BG 18. 54

Surrender Unto Me

This means 'sakama karma'. One keeps the work that he is attached to but he gives the results to Krsna. (DS) The verses 8 and 9 deal with a more internal process of Krsna consciousness. Either always think of Krsna or try to think of Krsna. The verse 10 it is also for Krsna. Externally work for Krsna. The verse 11, if he cannot think always of Krsna or try to think of Him, or work externally for Him, then at least give Krsna the results of his work. [5. Cultivating meditation or knowledge. (12) ]