True selflessness begins where expectations end. When love becomes the
intention, not reward or recognition, service turns into joy. This wisdom
reminds us that fulfilment isn’t found in what we get, but in how deeply we
give.
Nishkama Karma (or Nishkamya Karma) from the Bhagavad Gita signifies
performing duties selflessly, without attachment to rewards, recognition,
or outcomes. Rooted in Sanskrit (nish=without, kama=desire), this principle
of Karma Yoga emphasizes focusing on the action itself rather than the
results. It helps purify the mind, reduce anxiety, and foster spiritual
growth. The term is Nishkam Karma or निष्काम कर्म. First let’s try to
understand its meaning.
Nishkam/निष्काम is a sandhi of nih+kam or निः+काम. Here “nih” or “निः”
means “without” and “kam/काम” means “kamna”/”कामना”, i.e. any kind of
desire.
Karma/कर्म means “work”/”action”, “kri/कृ ” dhatu.
So, the term “Nishkam Karma” means “action or without desire” or “work
without motive”.
To elaborate this— Krisha suggests that we have rights only on the work or
the action, and not on its results, whether it is good or bad. Our works,
our desires should be “desireless”, we should not desire for any pleasing
(or unpleasing) result.
As I have already mentioned “Nishkama Karma” is the central message of
Bhagavad Gita, readers will surely notice that are many verses in Bhagavad
Gita discussin “Nishkam Karma” theme.
In this article our topic is Swami Vivekananda‘s quotes and comments on
Bhagavad Gita‘s teaching “Nishkam Karma”.
Swami Vivekananda on Nishkama Karma
Here you’ll find Swami Vivekananda’s mentions, quotes and commentaries on
Bhagavad Gita’s teaching “Nishkam Karma”.
Now, what is the meaning of working without motive? Nowadays many
understand it in the sense that one is to work in such a way that neither
pleasure nor pain touches his mind. If this be its real meaning, then the
animals might be said to work without motive. Some animals devour their own
offspring, and they do not feel any pangs at all in doing so. Robbers ruin
other people by robbing them of their possessions; but if they feel quite
callous to pleasure or pain, then they also would be working without
motive. If the meaning of it be such, then one who has a stony heart, the
worst of criminals, might be considered to be working without motive. The
walls have no feelings of pleasure or pain, neither has a stone, and it
cannot be said that they are working without motive. In the above sense the
doctrine is a potent instrument in the hands of the wicked. They would go
on doing wicked deeds, and would pronounce themselves as working without a
motive*. If such be the significance of working without a motive, then a
fearful doctrine has been put forth by the preaching of the Gita*.
Certainly, this is not the meaning.
The next is, Nishkâma Karma, or work without desire or attachment. People
nowadays understand what is meant by this in various ways. Some say what is
implied by being unattached is to become purposeless. If that were its real
meaning, then heartless brutes and the walls would be the best exponents of
the performance of Nishkama Karma. Many others, again, give the
example of Janaka,
and wish themselves to be equally recognised as past masters in the
practice of Nishkama Karma! Janaka (lit. father) did not acquire that
distinction by bringing forth children, but these people all want to be
Janakas, with the sole qualification of being the fathers of a brood of
children! No! *The true Nishkama Karmi (performer of work without desire)
is neither to be like a brute, nor to be inert, nor heartless. He is not
Tâmasika but of pure Sattva*. His heart is so full of love and sympathy
that he can embrace the whole world with his love. { KR: PIRAR KUTRAM
NEEKKI THAN KUTRAM KANGIR PIN…..; ANBIRKKUM UNDO ADAIKKUM THAAZH…..}The
world at large cannot generally comprehend his all-embracing love and
sympathy
Swamiji observed {KR NO ONE CAN WORK WITHOUT AN OBJECTIVE, PURPOSE AND
DEZIRE AS BRAHMA SUTRA OPENING VERSE SAID,” ATHATHO BRAHMA JGNASA: MEANING
LETS DEZIRE TO LEARN VEDAS; SEZIRE IS STRESSED BUT FOR LEARNING THE VEDA
WHICH SHALL NOT BE USED FOR SELF AS SASTRIGAL BUT MUST RAISE PUBLIC
STANDARDS AS RISHIS AS YOHINATH OF UP; RIG VEDA NASADIYA SUKTAM SAYS THAT
THE MANIFESTATIONS BEGAN ONLY OUT OF THHE DESIRE OF BRAHMAMAND THE DESIRE
FOR THE SOULS TO ATTAIN THE MUKTI AND LEAD KINDLY LIFE OR TURN AROUND
BODIES AS A SYSTEM; ALL IN PUBLIC INTEREST AND NOT FOR SELFISH ATTAINMENT}
The result of every work is mixed with good and evil. There is no good work
that has not a touch of evil in it. Like smoke round the fire, some evil
always clings to work. We should engage in such works as bring the largest
amount of good and the smallest measure of evil. Arjuna killed Bhishma and
Drona; if this had not been done Duryodhana could not have been conquered,
the force of evil would have triumphed over the force of good, and thus a
great calamity would have fallen on the country. The government of the
country would have been usurped by a body of proud unrighteous kings, to
the great misfortune of the people. Similarly, Shri Krishna killed Kamsa,
Jarâsandha, and others who were tyrants, but not a single one of his deeds
was done for himself. Every one of them was for the good of others. We are
reading the Gita by candle-light, but numbers of insects are being burnt to
death. Thus it is seen that some evil clings to work. Those who work
without any consciousness of their lower ego are not affected with evil,
for they work for the good of the world. To work without motive, to work
unattached, brings the highest bliss and freedom. This secret of Karma-Yoga
is taught by the Lord Shri Krishna in the Gita.
How to follow the ideal of Nishkama Karma Swami Vivekananda suggested— We
say that we cannot do good without at the same time doing some evil, or do
evil without doing some good. Knowing this, how can we work? There have,
therefore, been sects in this world who have in an astoundingly
preposterous way preached slow suicide as the only means to get out of the
world, because if a man lives, he has to kill poor little animals and
plants or do injury to something or some one. So according to them the only
way out of the world is to die. The Jains have preached this doctrine as
their highest ideal. This teaching seems to be very logical. But the true
solution is found in the Gita. It is the theory of non-attachment, to be
attached to nothing while doing our work of life. Know that you are
separated entirely from the world, though you are in the world, and that
whatever you may be doing in it, you are not doing that for your own sake.
Any action that you do for yourself will bring its effect to bear upon you.
If it is a good action, you will have to take the good effect, and if bad,
you will have to take the bad effect; but any action that is not done for
your own sake, whatever it be, will have no effect on you. There is to be
found a very expressive sentence in our scriptures embodying this idea:
“Even if he kill the whole universe (or be himself killed), he is neither
the killer nor the killed, when he knows that he is not acting for himself
at all.” Therefore Karma-Yoga teaches, “Do not give up the world; live in
the world, imbibe its influences as much as you can; but if it be for your
own enjoyment’s sake, work not at all.”
AND NOW IF THE WORDS ARE ALTERED SUITABLY IN AFRAME WORK AS
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते |
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति || 4||
na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣhkarmyaṁ puruṣho ’śhnute
na cha sannyasanād eva siddhiṁ samadhigachchhati
BG 3.4: One cannot achieve freedom from karmic reactions by merely
abstaining from work, nor can one attain perfection of knowledge by mere
physical renunciation.
VIZ KARMIC REACTIONS ARE SERVICE FOR OTHERS AND NOT FOR SELF SO HAD TO
WORK WITH EXPECTATIONS OF RESULTS AS IT WOULD FULFIL THE THIRST OF OTHERS
IN WHICH FAILURE WILL ALSO BE THERE, WHEN THE KARMA CONTINUED WITHOUT
CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURES OR SUCCESS, SIMILARLY SANYASA DOES NOT MEAN WEARIN
THRI THANDI AND KAVI AND GO TO HIMALAYA; IN BG BHAGAVAN SAYS, OH ARJUNA IN
THIS WORLD I HAVE NOTHIG TO DO HEREAFTER; BUT RIDING YOUR CHARIOT SITTING
AT A LOWER LEVEL; WHY; IT IS NOT RIDING THE CHARIOT; BUT MAINTAING DHARMA;
FOR THE SAKE OF DHARMA I AM WORKING ALWAYS YET I ANM IN NONE FOR MY SAKE.
THUS RENUNCIATION IS DOING THE WORK WITH THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PEOPLE.
SELFLESSNESS IS SERVICE TO PEOPLE WITH EXPECTATIONS AND HARD WORK AS
SELF IS REUNCIATED.
K RAJARAM IRS 23126
On Fri, 23 Jan 2026 at 04:37, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]>
wrote:
> True selflessness begins where expectations end. When love becomes the
> intention, not reward or recognition, service turns into joy. This wisdom
> reminds us that fulfilment isn’t found in what we get, but in how deeply we
> give.
>
>
> *N Jambunathan , Chennai " What you get by achieving your goals is not as
> important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a
> happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
>
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Thatha_Patty" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To view this discussion visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZorKgqvE44HkxDHt0xwUa%3DD0qXch_H8t5PLqWrx-w1BoBg%40mail.gmail.com.
