Pradyumna: (leads chanting) Translation: "One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities."

Prabhupäda:

karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed
akarmaëi ca karma yaù
sa buddhimän manuñyeñu
sa yuktaù kåtsna-karma-kåt
[Bg. 4.18]

I have been requested to simply translate this verse, Hindi. So... [Hindi] Intelligent, buddhimän [Hindi]. The subject matter is very easy and difficult also. The example is given, just like a boy flying kite, and with that, what is called, reel, he is doing like that. But in one way the kite is coming down, and in the other way the kite is going up. And one who is seeing from outside, he sees only the boy is moving the reel. That's all.

Similarly, unless one is very intelligent, he cannot understand what is karma and akarma. That is the whole subject matter of Bhagavad-gétä. Arjuna was thinking that "I am going to commit some sinful activities by killing my kinsmen, the other side, my brothers, my nephews, my master, my grandfather, my so many relatives." So he was seeing sinful activity in that fight. So long there is deliberation of sinful and pious activities, that is called karma. Karma has got two results, either suffering or enjoying. Of course, in this material world there is no enjoyment. But with the hope of enjoyment, we agree to suffer. And that is called enjoyment.

Just like a businessman, he is working very hard, whole day and night, and he gets some profit, say, two lakhs; he thinks that he is very happy, he is enjoying. But actually, he is working very hard. But because he has no knowledge, he is thinking that "I am profiting. I am making profit. This is my happiness." But in the çästras those who are working so hard simply for some sense gratification... Especially in Western countries we have seen, this is very factual. Even very old man, he is working very hard, very big business magnate, very big politician, working very hard, and at night he goes to the nightclubs, pays $50 for entrance fee, and then he spends for wine and women lots of money. So this is his happiness. Even old man, eighty years old, he is also going to the club. Because in the material world the happiness means wine and women. That's all.

Yan maithunädi-gåhamedhi-sukhaà hi tucchaà kaëòüyanena karayor iva duùkha-duùkham [SB 7.9.45]. Prahläda Mahäräja said that the gåhamedhi attached to this material life, gåhamedhi... Gåha means compact in a room. So I am the living entity, spirit soul, I am compact within this body, encaged, or I am encaged within this universe. This is also compact. So one who is attached to this compact position, packed up in the body or within this universe, they are called gåhamedhi. Apaçyatäm ätma-tattvaà gåheñu gåha-medhinäm [SB 2.1.2]. They cannot see what is ätma-tattva, self-realization. Apaçyatäm ätma-tattvaà gåheñu gåha-medhinäm [SB 2.1.2].

So we are working very hard to become very happy, but that is not possible. That is not possible. We are making deliberation, "This is pious activities, this is impious." That is also good. Doing things blindly, that is another thing, but if one has this deliberation, "This is sinful activity and this is sinful activity," he is better than them.

But there is another position which is beyond this sinful activity and pious activity. That is called akarma, akarma. Akarma means there is no result, either sinful or pious. That is called akarma. And karma means there is result, either pious result or impious result. That is called karma. So we have already discussed in the Second Chapter that Kåñëa says how karma should be done in summarizing. Yajïärthät karmaëo 'nyatra loko 'yaà karma-bandhanaù [Bg. 3.9]. If you work for yajïa... Yajïa means to satisfy the Lord. That is yajïa. Yajïa... The human society is required to perform yajïa. That is described in the Second Chapter. Yajïärthät karmaëo 'nyatra loko 'yaà karma-bandhanaù [Bg. 3.9].

yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiñaiù
bhuïjate te tv aghaà päpä
ye pacanty ätma-käraëät

Therefore our life should be trained up, educated in such a way, that all the activities should be conducted for yajïa. Yajïa means to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yajïärthe, for His satisfaction. This is Vedic civilization.

That Vedic civilization, the whole Vedic civilization, aim is to satisfy the Supreme. That is Vedic civ... Brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra. The division is there, but the whole aim is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But at the present moment, we are so educated, we do not know what is the meaning of Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our position. We do not know even the meaning. We do not know what is Viñëu and how to satisfy Him, what is the meaning of yajïa. All forgotten. That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization begins by performing yajïa for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Viñëu. That is prescribed in the varëäçrama.

We are recognized outside the world as "Hindus." The "Hindu" word is a foreign word. Actually, India's position or bhäratéya kristi,(?) bhäratéya civilization, is varëäçrama-dharma. This question was put by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu when He was talking with Çré Rämänanda Räya. This Rämänanda Räya was governor of Madras under the region of Mahäräja Pratäparudra of Orissa. And Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was a sannyäsé. Rämänanda Räya belonged to the second class. He was not a brähmaëa. In Orissa, the Karana,(?) they are accepted as çüdras. So he belonged to that community, Karana(?) community. But he was so learned in spiritual education that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu agreed to talk with him about spiritual advancement of life.

So the first question was that, "What is the method of progress in human life?" Sädhya-sädhana. So Rämänanda Räya gave Him the information,

varëäçramäcäravatä
puruñeëa paraù pumän
viñëur ärädhyate panthä
nänyat tat-toña-käraëam

Because human life is meant for understanding position of Viñëu, and his position, what is the relationship with Viñëu, and how to achieve the highest success of life. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. These things are there.

The whole subject matter of Vedas, are these three things, what is our relationship with God... First of all we must know what is God. Then we must know what is our relationship with God. And if we act according to that relationship, then our aim of life is fulfilled. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Sambandha means relationship, and abhidheya means the activities, and prayojana means the ultimate goal of life. So the ultimate goal of life is to understand Viñëu. Na te viduù.

Not nowadays. Even in... formerly there were persons, they did not know what is the goal of life. Because it is the material world. In the material world the sense gratification program is very prominent. But we do not know that by the program, karma, of sense gratification, we become entangled. Therefore that sense gratification process is regulated. In the Vedas that is regulated.

Just like our sense gratification program is loke vyaväya ämiña madya-seväù. These are the very prominent program for sense gratification. What is that? Vyaväya. Vyaväya means sex life. Ämiña. Ämiña means eating fish and meat. Ämiña. And madya-sevä, intoxication. This is the general tendency of anyone who is in the material world. And in the Western world it is very prominent. In our country it was not prominent, but now the program is "Make it prominent. Eat more meat, drink wine, and work very hard." This is the program, going on. The leaders are recommending. So actual, there is tendency already. Ämiña madya-sevä, vyaväyämiña-madya-sevä, and if we encourage them more, then they become entangled more and more. The Manu-saàhitä says, pravåttir eñä bhütänäà nivåttis tu mahä-phalä. That is general tendency. But it has to be minimized, because in the spiritual position there is no such thing.

Even ordinary students who are trying to make progress in spiritual life, they are not interested, ämiña-madya-sevä. They are not interested. This is practical. Even these European and American boys, they were accustomed to vyaväyämiña-madya-sevä, keeping boyfriend, girlfriend, and drinking, and intoxication, and gambling, and meat-eating, everything. They were accustomed from the childhood. But they have given up. Pravåttir eñä bhütänäà nivåttis tu mahä-phalä. That is general tendency. The Vedic civilization tries to control.

You have got tendency for sex life-make it regulated by marriage ceremony. This is Vedic civilization, not that like cats and dogs you meet together and have sex life. No. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gétä. Dharmäviruddhaù kämaù, which is not against religious principles, that kind of sex life, Kåñëa says, "I am that sex life." So nothing is denied. Nothing is denied, but everything should be regulated. That is human form of life. And that regulative principle begins from the varëäçrama-dharma, four kinds of varëas and four kinds of äçramas. Brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra. These are varëas. Cätur-varëyaà mayä såñöam [Bg. 4.13]. This is.... This program is chalked out by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You cannot neglect it. Then the karmas will topsy-turvy.

Therefore here it is said, karmaëy akarma yaù paçyet. If we regulate this system-brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra-then although they are engaged as a çüdra or as a brähmaëa or as a kñatriya or as a vaiçya, still, they are not becoming entangled in such karma. That is called akarmaëi ca karma. Karmaëi. Karmaëi means there must be result, but you have to make it akarma, no result, no result. And that is bhakti-yoga. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saàhitä.

yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhänurüpa-phala-bhäjanam ätanoti
karmäëi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhäjäà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
[Bs. 5.54]

The very vivid example is Arjuna. Arjuna acted as a kñatriya, but he was not entangled in the result of activities by a kñatriya, because he was doing everything under the instruction of Kåñëa. This is called akarma. If you act... The same thing. You may be a brähmaëa, you may be a kñatriya, you may be a çüdra. It doesn't matter. If you act according to the order of Kåñëa, by the order of Kåñëa, then your karma will not entangle you. Because or you are doing according to the order of Kåñëa, therefore you are performing yajïa. By your occupational duties, you are performing yajïa. Because yajïa means to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Varëäçrama... This varëäçrama program is there to satisfy the Supreme according to one's quality and karma. That is called varëäçrama.

So ultimate goal is to satisfy the Supreme. That they do not know. This is stated by Prahläda Mahäräja. Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not... Everyone is self-interested, but they do not know what is self-interest. Na te viduù svärtha-gatim. Everyone must be self-interested. That is natural. But they do not know what is self-interest. The self-interest is to approach Viñëu or Kåñëa and satisfy Him. That is self-interest. Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà duräçayä [SB 7.5.31]. Duräçayä means by hoping something which is impossible to fulfill. Duräçayä ye bahir-artha-mäninaù. The modern civilization, they are trying to adjust things by material activities.

Just like the greatest example is the United Nations. The United Nations is trying to adjust things, the whole worldly affairs, by a United Nations organization, UNO. But they could not do anything. Because they do not know that how the nation should be united. Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know. All their activities are without God, without God consciousness. Therefore they have failed. Everyone will fail, because they do not know what is the aim of life. That is the mistake.

So this Kåñëa consciousness movement is trying to teach people that the ultimate goal of life is to satisfy Kåñëa, either you, Kåñëa or God. Kåñëa is the most explicit explanation of God. If God can have any name, the "Kåñëa" name is the most perfect name, because Kåñëa means all-attractive. I have explained many times. Unless God is all-attractive, how He can be God? If God is attractive for a certain limited person or limited area, then he is not God. Then you will say, "Our God, your God, his God, that God." But if Kåñëa is all-attractive, that is real God. And that is Kåñëa. That is being proved. Now Kåñëa is all-attractive all over the world. Otherwise, how in America, in Russia, in China, in Europe, all countries?

Recently I have got several literatures printed in Swedish language. We are printing Kåñëa literature almost in all languages of Europe, in English language, in Spanish language, in French language, in Swedish language, in Dutch language and German language, and then Italian language, we are publishing, and it is being sold like hotcakes, anything.

Because this idea, the Kåñëa consciousness idea, is very, very new to them. Kåñëa, God, can be talked with personally. One can go to God personally. These ideas were unknown in the Western countries. But that is possible. That is a fact. We can understand from Vedic literature. But they do not know.

na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà
duräçayä ye bahir-artha-mäninaù
andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäs
te 'péça-tantryäm uru-dämni-baddhäù
[SB 7.5.31]

The blind rascal leaders, they do not know, and they are becoming leaders. So what kind of leader? Andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäù. One blind man is leading several other blind men. So what will be the result? The result must be disaster. That is being done.

Therefore the program is, as it is stated, karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed akarmaëi ca karma yaù. This is intelligence, now we have to work, but without reaping any good or bad result. That means working for Kåñëa. That is called akarma. I have already explained. In this way sa buddhimän manuñyeñu [Bg. 4.18], if you work for Kåñëa... The vivid example is Arjuna. He is working for Kåñëa. So you can do also. Simply by fighting... Arjuna was not chanting Hare Kåñëa. So you can do also. Because... Nowadays in the Kali-yuga because people are... [break] ...because they knew the duty, but at the present moment... [break] ...kalau çüdra-sambhavaù. In the Kali-yuga, because there is no such division, so everyone is çüdra or less than çüdra. This is their yajïa. This is also yajïa. That is stated in the Çrémad-Bhäg.... Yajïaiù saìkértana-präyair yajanti hi su-medhasaù [SB 11.5.32].

Everything is there in the çästra. Therefore we have to follow the çästra. At the present moment... Kåñëa-varëaà tviñäkåñëaà säìgopäìgästra-pärñadam, yajïaiù saìkértana-präyaiù. This is the recommendation for this age, how to worship God. So this is the method. Kåñëa-varëaà tviñäkåñëam. Tviñä, by complexion, akåñëa, yellowish color, akåñëa. How it is akarma means yellowish? That is a big explanation. This is indicating to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Kåñëa-varëam. Kåñëaà varëayati. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu simply was chanting Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare...

Here is the picture. So we are trying to follow Him. That was kåñëaà varëayati. This is the statement of çästra. So whom we shall worship in this age of Kali? Because according to different ages there are different prescription. So because this Kali-yuga is very, very fallen, everyone is a çüdra, there is no brähmaëa, no kñatriya, no vaiçya, therefore, the one prescription is given there, that harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalam, kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva... [Adi 17.21].

It is very difficult to bring one to the brahminical culture, to the kñatriya culture, to the vaiçya culture, because everything is finished, and it will be finished more and more. Therefore the only saving platform is this harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalam. Then everyone will be saved. Therefore we are pushing on this movement. Chant Hare Kåñëa mantra anywhere.

And it has become practical. Even in Africa, in the village, where they have got so big, big earrings, they are also chanting Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra. They are also chanting. Therefore the African government is a little afraid of this movement. Yes. Anyway, that's a big story. So anywhere we don't find any difficulty. Either you go in the interior of Africa or Europe... Europe, America, we have gone into. We are sending our buses and devotees with books in the village, in the interior village, because Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted it.

påthivéte äche yata nagarädi gräma
sarvatra pracära haibe mora näma

We are trying our bit, send devotees. And they are helping. These European, American boys, they are helping me very much. Even the girls, they are also helping. So it is very good opportunity. So to push this movement... And we are trying our best.

So by chanting this Hare Kåñëa mantra and by engaging yourself in the devotional service, although it looks like karma... Just like people say, "These people are also collecting money. They are going to sell books. And they are also eating. And simply because they are dancing and chanting Hare Kåñëa, they have become so great?" Yes. This is the process. And actually, they have become great. Although it looks like similar activities, that they are also using motorcar, they are also using microphone and typewriter and dictaphone and airplane... "So everything he is using. So how they have become so great or so advanced?" This is the intelligence. Here it is said that karmaëy akarma yaù paçyet. Although they are acting just like ordinary human being-they are using everything, they are also fighting for the land, for Kåñëa, and everything looks like that-but akarmaëi, that is akarma, they are not producing any result, because it is being done for Kåñëa. This is the secret.

Karmaëi yaù akarma. Akarma means which does not have... I have already explained. So if you work the same thing sva-karmaëä, never mind, you are doing the çüdra's business or brähmaëa's business. It doesn't matter. Whether you are acting for Kåñëa? That is wanted. If you are acting for Kåñëa, then you are not becoming entangled by the resultant action, pious or impious. It is above. Pious and impious, they are consideration of this material platform. In the spiritual platform there is no such thing, absolute. Whatever you are doing, it is all-good, all-spiritual. That is called absolute. In the Absolute there is no such distinction, "This is pious, this is impious." Everything is spiritual.

So we have to act like that. If you act spiritually for satisfying Kåñëa, varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù... Svanuñöhitasya dharmasya saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam [SB 1.2.13]. If you can satisfy Kåñëa by your activities... It doesn't matter whether it is çüdra activity or brähmaëa activity. But the aim is whether you are satisfying Kåñëa. Then it is akarma.