Bg. 4.24

Such a person's work becomes 'sacrifice'. One's work becomes absolute by offering it to the Supreme Lord. Thus ends the Section explaining karma in the mood of jnana. Question: It is only devotional action that is akarma or there is something else? Answer: Any work that is performed dutifully without attachment is akarma, niskama karma also. What brings reactions is the attachment in one's activities. That is why passion, which brings attachment, is an enemy and that is what binds one to the fruits or reactions. Detached work brings no reaction. Question: You said that real activity comes from the soul so how can one understand that the modes of material nature are acting, because they are matter? Answer: There are three things with the possibility of being the doer. Krsna has already said that He is not the doer, He just create the system ‑ the law of karma. In that system the living entity is present. And Krsna said also if the living entity thinks he is the doer, he is in illusion. So that leaves the doership to the modes of material nature. But as you are pointing out, the modes of material nature are inconscious, so how can they be the doer? Therefore the answer could be that no one is doing anything. Is that a fact? The modes of material nature have a presiding deity but they they are inconscious ‑ it is 'pradhana' it is just matter. One can also answer that the living entity is the doer because he gives the 'impulse' through his desire. But Srila Prabhupada has already said that the desire is a subtle form of conditioning. Therefore one's impulses are also condition the modes of material nature ‑ therefore goes back to the modes being the doer. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana and other acaryas explain that the living entity is actually the doer but not the only doer ‑ but he has to take responsability for himself. But one tend to think that he is the only doer: 'because of my great effort, my power, I have done so much!' To stop us from thinking like that Krsna explains that such a person is just bewildered, in illusion. But actually the impulse is coming from his desires. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana explains that if the living entity has no freedom of doership than what would be the use of vedic injunctions instructing him to do one thing to go to heaven or another thing to get his desires, and so on... He uses the Vedas to prove that the living entities has free will and doership. But he is not the only doer, that is the point. [ D . SACRIFICES PROPERLY PERFORMED LEAD TO TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE. (4. 25‑33) 1 . Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods through sacrifices, and others sacrifice to Brahman. To control the mind, some sacrifice their hearing, their senses, or their breath. Some sacrifice their possessions, perform severe austerities, practice yoga, or study the Vedas. All who sacrifice advance towards the Supreme. These sacrifices approved by the Vedas suit different workers. Knowing this, one becomes liberated. (25‑32) ] REVIEW: Krsna has explained how to do one's work as a sacrifice through this niskama karma. In Text 24 He said: "A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature." Krsna is describing in this verse work as a sacrifice. And the result of that type of work is association with Krsna and is on the platform of knowledge. Now, Krsna is going to explain others sacrifices, other austerities, other activities from the Vedas, other systems that ultimately will end in knowledge.