Happy Janmashtami! When a person acts selflessly, he can perform any action but will not be bound by that action! Thus speaks the Lord in Chapter 5, Verse 10..
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः ।
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥५- १०॥
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This is because, the cause of bondage is the doership notion or the feeling that “I” am the doer. When one has the knowledge/Jnana, then a person does not perform action motivated by personal desires since he understands that he is only the Lord’s instruments for performance of any action. Such practice of Karma Yoga automatically leads to Brahma Jnana. Constant practice that keeps one aware and alert helps to purify one’s attitude. He subdues his senses. He is able to see himself in all aspects of creation. When such a person acts, he is not bound by those acts. Such a realised soul knows that though he sees, hears, touches, smells, eats, walks, breathes, sleeps, etc., he is not acting. He identifies with the power that causes the senses to act and though he works, since he has given up attachment and offerred his actions to God, is not touched by sin even as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.
There is an interesting story in the scriptures that illustrates this point.
Once , Lord Krishna was camping in the banks of Yamuna along with his entourage. The river Yamuna was flooded and there was no way that it could be crossed. Meanwhile, they find out that on the other side of the river Sage Durvasa had arrived and the Lord tells his wife Rukmani, “Please prepare some food for Sage Durvasa and take it to him for he must be very hungry and tired”
Rukmani immediately arranges a veritable feast and packs it, but since the river was fully flooded, she finds no means to cross it. Even the boatmen were wary of the river and no one was willing to take the chance. She returns to the Lord and tells Him, “Lord how can I take this feast across to the sage if I cannot cross the river”
Krishna thinks only for a moment and tells his wife, with a twinkle in his eye, “Rukmini, tell the river that Krishna, the Naishtika Brahmachari (the “perpetual bachelor”) has requested her to make way. Rukmini, being a wife of yore, doesnt question her husband or his claim and decides to follow the instructions. She tells the river, Yamuna, My husband, the Naishtika Brahmachari has asked you to give way to me, so that I can reach the other shore”.
The river splits apart and Rukmini was able to walk to the other side along with her servants carrying the feast to the sage. She serves the sage the sumptuous food and the Sage enjoyed his meal and blesses her.
Then Rukmani told him, “Sir, I now have to return to the other side by crossing the river Yamuna. Can you please help me do it?”
This time Sage Durvasa replied, “Of course Rukmani, that is my pleasure and duty. Go to the river Yamuna and tell her that the Nitya Upavasi (He who never takes food) has asked her to give way to you. She will help you”.
For the second time, Rukmini is taken aback. Here was the sage who had just partaken of the elaborate feast that she had brought and yet without batting an eyelid, he is able to call himself “Nitya Upavasi”! Sage Durvasa was well known for his short temper and even Rukmini did not dare question his words and irk his temper. She meekly nods and does as she was told. Lo and Behold, once again, the river opens up and allows her and her srevants to cross without any problems.
Once Rukmini reached her Lord, she could barely resist her curiosity any more. At once, she goes to Lord Krishna and asks, “Lord, as per your direction I served the feast and then I wanted to cross the river to return. I told her to give way as per the wishes of Nitya Upavasi. Strangely she did it”.
Lord Krishna laughingly replied, “I know Rukmani that you are terribly confused to see me calling myself as Naishtika Brahmachari and the sage calling himself as Nitya Upavasi. Both of us were telling the truth. This is because we both do not attach ourselves to this ethereal body. We understand that we are really the souls and that the soul does not marry and does not take food and that is how I (my soul) am a Brahmachari and Sage Durvasa (his soul) is an Upavasi. Once you understand this simple truth, you can lead a very contended and happy life”.
This incident is often quoted to illustrate the state of freedom from the binding effects of action that both Lord Krishna and Durvasa exemplify. Realised souls have no ego and seek no personal gain, having renounced everything. They are not bound by their acts.
