athaitad apy aśhakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśhritaḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
atha — if;
etat — this;
api — even;
aśhaktaḥ — unable;
asi — you are;
kartum — to work;
mad-yogam — with devotion to me;
āśhritaḥ — taking refuge;
sarva-karma — of all actions;
phala-tyāgam — to renounce the fruits;
tataḥ — then;
kuru — do;
yata-ātma-vān — be situated in the self
Sometimes, a person might find it hard to fully throw themselves into the practice of being connected to God or Krsna. This can happen due to pressures from family, society, or even personal beliefs. For example, a person might want to pray or meditate but feel discouraged because their family doesn’t support it or finds it strange. In such cases, the advice given is quite practical. Rather than stressing over the ideal form of devotion or feeling guilty for not reaching that level, they can still do something meaningful.
The verse suggests that if someone is struggling to engage with God-focused activities directly, they should focus on their work and only give the results of their work to good causes. This means that, instead of working just for their personal gains or success, they should try to support activities that help others or contribute positively to society. This could involve donating to charities, helping in community service, or simply doing their job with the mind of making a positive impact rather than just for money or praise.
By doing this, they are following a practice laid out in ancient teachings that can guide them toward a better understanding of spiritual life. The idea is that even if they aren’t consciously working toward connecting with God, choosing to help others through their efforts purifies their mind over time.
The importance of this practice is that it creates a kind of mindset where a person gradually becomes more aware of values like compassion and selflessness. This can eventually lead them to an interest in familiarizing themselves with the idea of Krsna or God themselves, even without direct teachings or experiences.
Additionally, if someone is completely uninterested in spiritual practices, they can still cleanse their mind by engaging in good deeds, like donating to hospitals or social organizations. When they give away the benefits of their actions, even if they don’t consider it a spiritual act, it still has a positive effect on their heart and mind, preparing them for deeper understanding later on.
In essence, this verse encourages us to take any step—however small—that leads towards kindness, service, and selflessness. It’s telling us that performing good deeds and directing our efforts toward helping others can be a way to move closer to understanding higher spiritual truths eventually. It emphasizes that working for selflessness, even if it’s not for a ‘spiritual’ goal, is still valuable. Through this approach, people can slowly awaken to the idea that believing in or serving Krsna is part of the bigger picture of life, and they can find themselves drawn towards that spiritual connection over time.