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Bhagavad Gita - May 29, 2009 Chapter 4, Verses: 16-18 Swami Yogatmananda Vedanta Society of Providence     Please click the 'Play' button to start. It may take a minute.   Launch in external player   To download the lecture, please right-click here and then click "Save Target As..."     IV.16: Even the intelligent are confounded as to what is action and what is inaction. I shall tell you of that action by knowing which you will become free from evil. IV. 17: For there is something to be known even about action, and something to be known about prohibited action; and something has to be known about inaction. The true nature of action is inscrutable. IV.18: He/She who finds inaction in action, and action in inaction, he/she is the wise one among human beings; he/she is engaged in yoga and is a performer of all actions!   The above image is from Gita Darshan by courtesy of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad.   To Order Audio/ Video CDs : bookstore@vedantaprov.org   List of Audio/Video CDs, DVDs

Summary of this lecture: In Verse 16, Sri Krishna says that even the wise are confused about what is action and what is inaction (so we need not feel depressed about it). It is very important to remove this confusion. and Lord will show us which actions will lead to liberation. In Verse 17 he refers to "prescribed actions" and "prohibited actions:" Prescribed actions (right action) are those which lead to our freedom from bondage, and prohibited actions take us away from this goal. The outer form of the action (i.e. running, killing, etc.) is neither good nor bad. The moral content resides in the intention behind the action. In Verse 18, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that a true yogi is one who can see action in inaction, and inaction in action. In apparent movement one should see the non-movement of the Self, and in apparent stillness/inaction, one should perceive that the ego is still there and every perception involving the subject perceiving an object means motion. We will continue to discuss this very important verse in the next class.