Karma Yoga - Doing our duty

One of the four pillars of yoga, Karma yoga focuses on the adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining detached from the reward.

Quotes from the Gita:

Bhagavad Gita 3.6 कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् । इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥३- ६॥ karmendriyani samyamya ya aste manasa smaran indriyarthan vimudhatma mithyacarah sa ucyate "One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender." Bhagavad Gita 3.8 नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः । शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥३- ८॥ niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyayo hy akarmanah sarira-yatrapi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmanah "Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work." Bhagavad Gita 3.19 तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर । असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥३- १९॥ tasmad asaktah satatam karyam karma samacara asakto hy acaran karma param apnoti purushah "Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme." Bhagavad Gita 3.30 मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा । निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥३- ३०॥ mayi sarvani karmani sannyasyadhyatma-cetasa nirasir nirmamo bhutva yudhyasva vigata-jvarah "Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight." Bhagavad Gita 3.37 काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः । महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥३- ३७॥ sri-bhagavan uvaca kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah mahasano maha-papma viddhy enam iha vairinam "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world."

It is interesting to note how this detachment from results is achieved in the Arabic phrase In šaʾ Allāh (إن شاء الله) . By adding a phrase, which means - "If God wills" to our plans, we accept a dimension beyond our physical / material abilities

स्थितप्रज (sthita-prajnah) Sage of steady mind

Quote from the Bhagavad Gita

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः ।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥२- ५६॥

Transliteration -

duhkhesv anudvigna-manah

sukhesu vigata-sprhah

vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah

sthita-dhir munir ucyate

SYNONYMS

duhkhesu--in the threefold miseries; anudvigna-manah--without being agitated in mind; sukhesu--in happiness; vigata-sprhah--without being too interested; vita--free from; raga--attachment; bhaya--fear; krodhah--anger; sthita-dhih--one who is steady; munih--a sage; ucyate--is called.

Translation by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada :

One who is not disturbed in spite of the threefold miseries, who is not elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur is here.

Translation from 19th century by KÂSHINÂTH TRIMBAK TELANG :

He whose heart is not agitated in the midst of calamities, who has no longing for pleasures, and from whom (the feelings of) affection, fear, and wrath have departed, is called a sage of steady mind.

Translation by Anand Aadhar Prabhu :

He who, whether things turn out good or bad in this, stays unaffected in whatever situation and hates nor praises, is fixed in knowing it perfectly.

Translations by Shankaracharaya and D. B. Gangolli.

He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all longing for pleasures has departed, who is free from attachment, fear and wrath, he is called a sage, a man of steady knowledge.His heart if not distressed in calamities such as may arise from disorder in the body , (adhyatmika), etc. Unlike fire, which increases as fuel is added, his longing for pleasures does not increase as more pleasures are attained. He is said to be a man of steady knowledge. He is called a sage, a Sannyasin, one who has renounced works.(3) Absence of attachment, delight and aversion.

      --- Sri Shankaracharaya

He does not hanker after happiness, nor does he get perturbed or agitated by misery or unhappiness; whether it is good or bad, he takes in his stride whatever comes his way without attachment or hatred;

       --- Sri. Gangolli D.B