Action is Superior to Inaction

Arjuna said:

If you consider Knowledge as superior to Action, why then do you urge me to this dreadful action of killing our relatives and venerable Gurus?

By seemingly conflicting words, you are confusing my mind.

Tell me only about that which definitely lead to my highest good.

Lord Krishna said:

By merely abstaining from action, one cannot achieve freedom from the bondage of action.

Further, no one can remain inactive even for a moment.

Everyone is driven to action by the forces of Nature. He, who controls all sense organs, but dwells in his mind on the objects of the senses, is called a hypocrite.

On the other hand, a person excels by controlling the sense organs by the power of the will, remaining unattached and also engaging the organs of action. Such actions are called yoga of action.

Man does not attain actionlessness stage by abstaining from action. Again man does not also rise to perfection by mere renunciation.

Therefore, perform your allotted duty. For, action is superior to inaction. By desisting from action, you cannot even maintain your body.

                    

(Main References: Ch.3 – stanzas 1,4,5,6,7,8)

Comments:

Yoga of Knowledge is inward looking.

Yoga of action is outward looking.

Thoughts duly controlled by mind are the source of power and energy for yoga of knowledge.

Works by the body – senses in particular duly controlled by mind are the source of power and energy for yoga of action.

Knowledge leads to sanyasa –renunciation. Action leads to tyaga – sacrifice. Knowledge in its final stage becomes actionlessness.

Action in its final stage becomes perfect or pure action.

A man practicing Yoga of knowledge can cure or curse without any space constraint.

Such Yogis are capable of inflicting their benevolence without any movement of the body. But Karma Yogi has to go physically to accomplish his task. For both of them, their measures of successes or failures depend upon the effectiveness or otherwise of their controls over their minds.

Still, Lord Krishna declares that action is superior to knowledge. This is because that action is unavoidable and that all those with bodies will be forced to perform action by the Nature. 

A common denominator for both Jnana Yogi as well as Karma Yogi is action – but minimum to the former.

Path of Knowledge is more or less – ‘no action’ and there is every possibility of this ‘no action’ state being misused by many who keeps ‘idle’ posing themselves as Jnana Yogis.

Path of Action, which has no such misconception, is superior.