Karmani means

Expressions researched:
"Karmani means"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Karmaṇi means there must be result, but you have to make it akarma, no result, no result.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

Therefore here it is said, karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet. If we regulate this system—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—then although they are engaged as a śūdra or as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya or as a vaiśya, still, they are not becoming entangled in such karma. That is called akarmaṇi ca karma. Karmaṇi. Karmaṇi means there must be result, but you have to make it akarma, no result, no result. And that is bhakti-yoga. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā.

Sarva-karmāṇi means either good work or bad work. There are reactions of bad work, and there is reaction of good work.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

Yathā, "as," as an edhāṁsi. Edhāṁsi means "fuel." Sammidho 'gniḥ, "blazing fire." Bhasmasāt, "turns into ashes." "Just like blazing fire, whatever you put into it, any fuel, that becomes turned into ashes, similarly," jñānāgniḥ, "when your fire of knowledge will be ablaze, then sarva-karmāṇi, all reactions of your work, will turned into ashes." Because the reaction of our karma, reaction of our work, is the cause of our bondage. There are good work and bad work. Here it is stated, sarva-karmāṇi. Sarva-karmāṇi means either good work or bad work. There are reactions of bad work, and there is reaction of good work. But a, a person who is going to be liberated from this material bondage, for him, both good work and bad work are reprehensible. There is no need of reaction of good work also. In this material world we are attached to perform good work. Not all. Those who are in the modes of goodness, they want to do some good work in the material estimation. And those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, they do work, bad work, passionate work, work in ignorance. But those who are going to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no need, either this good work or bad work.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Karmaṇi means that you are as you are.

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So this dharma, brāhmaṇa-dharma, kṣatriya-dharma, they're divided according to karma. You cannot avoid this karma. Dharma means karma, activity. Brāhmaṇa, he's practicing, śamo damas titikṣā ārjava jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These are karmas. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. Kṣatriya-karma svabhāva-jam. So dharma means this is sva-dharma. Brāhmaṇa's executing the karma of brāhmaṇa, he's dharma.

Reporter: Yes, but then karmaṇy evādhikāras te...

Prabhupāda: Karmaṇi means that you are as you are...

Reporter: No, no (indistinct) evādhikāras te. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Anyway...

Reporter: 'Cause activity...

Prabhupāda: Dharma means karma. Dharma does not mean inactivity. Because it is said, brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).

Reporter: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It is karma. So brāhmaṇa's activity means brāhmaṇa. So that activity is karma. Ah? Yajana yājana paṭhana pāṭhana dāna pratigraha, these are brāhmaṇas.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Karmaṇi means he must act according to his position. If he claims to become a brāhmaṇa, he must act as brāhmaṇa.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: If you become dependent on others, then what is the value of this education? Therefore kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Everyone is a śūdra. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement says striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ: (BG 9.32) never mind, even if you are śūdra, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll become perfect. Either you become woman or vaiśya or śūdra, it doesn't matter, or any other pāpa-yoni, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ, te 'pi yānti parām (BG 9.32). So this is the most liberal movement, that it doesn't matter what you are, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness then you become perfect. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He's on the Brahman platform, above all these different modes of material nature. These brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these are differences on the material platform. But when you come to the spiritual platform, there is no such difference. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). So we are trying to bring everyone to that spiritual platform. Therefore they cannot understand. They vision everything from materialistic point of view. They have no idea of spiritual life, therefore they misunderstand. But if we read thoroughly Bhagavad-gītā, then everything is clear. Sve sve karmaṇi means he must act according to his position. If he claims to become a brāhmaṇa, he must act as brāhmaṇa. Guṇa-karma. If you actually have the brāhmaṇa's qualification, you must act as a brāhmaṇa. Otherwise, what is the use of claiming that "I am a brāhmaṇa"? That is not accepted.