Is your Success due to Luck?
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 Verse 47
Introduction
Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between Krishna and Arjun. This dialogue begins just before the war of Mahabharata is about to begin. On seeing his family in opposition, Arjun is gripped with fear and confusion and wants to run away, but Krishna convinces him to fight and tells Arjun why he today raise his weapons to kill his brothers and relatives in this war.
Bhagavad Gits teaches us how to live life!
The core message of the Bhagavad Gita is considered very powerful for it can fundamentally transform the way you live your life. Bhagavad Gita is also called a summary of Vendantic Knowledge or simply ancient Knowledge.
Bhagavad Gita is crystallized form of the Hindu thought.
Bhagavad Gita is 700 verses long, spread across 18 chapters. Here we will understand Verse 47 of Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita.
Verse 2.47
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि || 47 ||
karmany-evadhikaras te ma phaleshu kadachana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango astvakarmani
Translation
You have the right to perform your Karma (action) which is necessary to discharge your duty (Dharma), but you don’t have, at any time, the right to claim the fruits your actions produce.
Don’t consider yourself as the cause of the fruits of your actions, nor be attached to In-action (Akarma)
Commentary
The words Krishna tells Arjun in this verse are nothing but the philosophy of Karma Yoga. Krishna is not taking the name of the term “Karma Yoga” as he is yet to reveal that to Arjun in detail in later chapters. But this sentence in completeness reflects the essence of Karma Yoga.
Thus, this is one of the most important verses of the Bhagavad Gita.
Till this point, Arjun is in a dilemma, as he is gripped with fear and is unable to decide what to do. So Krishna is trying to tell Arjun, how should he decide to take action.
Let’s analyze this verse from the perspective of Arjun.
Ajrun’s Dilemma- Why and How to Act?
Krishna is telling Arjun that a man must act to fulfill his Dharma. We, by now, know that “Dharma” means one’s natural duty. Arjun is a warrior and thus his duty is to fight this war. This means that he needs to pick up his bow and arrows and shoot down the enemy. This answers one question for Arjun i.e. “Why and How should he act?”
The other question which Arjun has in his mind is “If he fights, then he shall become the killer of his own family”. Krishna is thus telling Arjun that he must not think of himself as the Killer, as he has no right to claim the fruits of his actions. And the reason he can’t do so is because he can’t consider his actions as the sole cause of the result.
So Krishna is implying that Arjun can only claim ownership of his actions, and not the result those actions produce!
This means that Arjun can shoot the arrow and claim that it was he who shot that arrow, but at the same time, he can’t claim that the person his arrow hit, died because he shot the arrow. According to Krishna, there were many factors that contributed to the death of that person, and if that person was destined to die, then he would have died anyways, even if Arjun’s arrow wouldn’t have hit him.
So Arjun shooting his arrow at this person is just one of the infinite factors which contributed to this person’s death. And thus Arjun can’t claim that it was Arjun who killed this man.
Who built that Building?
Let’s understand this with an example:
If a building is being constructed, there are many people who are involved in the work. Each construction worker has his task defined. Some carry bricks, some prepare the concrete mortar paste, some carry the sand, some work on iron rods, some work on laying the brinks on plaster, some ensure water supply, some work on the electricals, some work on the plumbing- the list is very long. Then there are others who do more skillful jobs like the architect who designed the building, the contractor who is managing the finances, the site-in-charge who is ensuring the day-to-day operations, the procurement manager who is actually purchasing the raw materials- again the list is very long.
So in essence everyone in the company is contributing towards the construction of this building in their own ways. Now on the day when the building is complete, a brick handler can’t come forward and claim that he was the one who built this building. Well, he can always claim that he was the one who laid the bricks, and in his mind, his claim is right because he thinks if he didn’t lay the bricks, the building would never have been completed.
But can he claim 100% ownership of the construction of the building?
Well, it is obvious, he can’t, for there were so many people involved in this project and everyone contributed in their own ways.
So the brick handler can only claim that he put a few bricks on plaster, and that is it. Nothing more, and nothing less! Because the truth is that there are so many inputs happening in this construction project, and no one man can claim that he is the one due to whom the building is constructed. No one has the right to claim ownership of 100% of the result. But at the same time, everyone has the right to ownership of their own actions.
But can someone say that his job was critical to the result being possible?
Now, in this example, it is evident that no one man can claim ownership of the result. But the architect might say that if he didn’t make the design, then the building wouldn’t be complete. He can say that his job was so critical, that without his input, the final result would never have been achieved.
But is he right?
Well, if he refused to make the design, then some other architect would have done the job. In fact, every worker who contributed to this project could be replaced. So even if one claims that his job was super critical, and thus becomes the cause of the result, then he is mistaken.
The reality is that the CEO of the company, wanted the project to be completed, and he will ensure that every skill is included in the team.
But even the CEO’s input is not the sole input. He can also be replaced. And even behind his management of this project, there are other forces that are contributing in a massive manner but seem invisible.
For example:
The construction project needs permission from the local government. It needs permission from various government offices. The project is dependent on so many external inputs like electricity, water, raw material, money, political will etc that even the project team can’t claim 100% ownership of the result. Even externalities like weather play a crucial role.
So the point is that the project is dependent on so many external factors apart from the work of the project team, that no one can claim 100% ownership of the result.
Even in this example, if one were to think deeply, and make a long list of all the necessary inputs, he would never be able to complete the list, as many inputs are unforeseen and can’t be even visualized.
So the point that Krishna wants to make is that behind every event in his world, there are infinite inputs, some visible but most invisible and unimaginable, that the occurrence of a particular event becomes no less than a miracle. It is a game of infinite possibilities, and what we see getting manifested is the result of so many things coming together in a particular manner at the right time. And in this game of infinite possibilities, the probability that only one person’s input will impact the result is nothing but minuscule.
Therefore Krishna says that Arjun can only claim that he shot his arrow at the target. Rest everything else which happened, happened because of infinite factors, all contributing towards the results. So the person who died, died as he was destined to die. Arjun’s arrow hitting him, in reality, was of no significance. For if that man was destined to die, he would have died by someone else's arrow in that mega war, where arrows were flying in all directions.
Thus Arjun is only the shooter, he can never be the Killer and thus he can never claim the right to be the killer.
So Krishna tells Arjun, that he shouldn’t claim the right to the fruits of his actions, for he is nothing but one factor contributing to the infinite factors which lead to the occurrence of that event.
Krishna says that Arjun shouldn’t lament the fact that he will be a killer, for his assumption of him being the killer comes from his ignorance, from his incomplete knowledge.
The reality is that whatever happens, happens due to the will of the universe, the will which manifests by bringing together an orchestra of infinite probabilities making that event possible, and not due to an action of one person!
Thus Krishna says, fight O Arjun, Fight. Kill your enemies, and don’t be afraid. For you can only be a shooter and never be a killer!
Is In-Action a better choice than Action?
After listening to Krishna, one more question comes to Arjun. He asks Krishna that “If he is not responsible for any result which happens due to his actions, then what is the point of taking any action at all? Why should he act?”
Krishna understands Arjun and appreciates the fact that his question is logical and very important. Krishna then tells Arjun that a man can choose “In-Action” or “A-Karma” and not do anything at all, it is possible for it is a choice and a man is free to make his choices for he has the right to choose and own his actions. Thus “In-Action” or “A-karma” is also an action as it stems from a conscious choice.
However, Krishna warns Arjun that choosing “In-Action” will only bring him sorrow. He will not feel happy.
This happens because every person has a Dharma or “his natural duty”, and every Duty demands Action or Karma to fulfill it. Therefore while in-action could be a strategic call, in-action can’t be the answer to all duties.
Therefore when one chooses “A-Karma” or “In-Action” he a basically refusing to act to fulfill his Dharma, and when a person doesn’t act to fulfill his Dharma, he is indulging in “A-Dharma” and this will create friction in his life. It will cause his mind to feel stress and anxiety. His mind will not be at peace, and when there is no Peace, how can there be Sukh (~lasting Happiness).
This happens as the person is going against his nature and the laws of nature. If you look at nature closely, everything is a result of the action. Karma is engrained in the DNA of the Universe. Thus not acting or In-Action is not a natural choice. When a man goes against his nature, he is bound to be in-complete and distressed. For this reason alone, total inaction is never a good choice to make.
Yet people make this choice, due to laziness or ignorance, and they end up suffering.
Thus Krishna says that the best way to live life is to do “Action” or “Karma” to discharge one’s duty or “Dharma” and give your best to attain the desired result, but at the same time do not consider your actions or your self as the reason for the attainment of the result.
In the language of Engineers, this would mean, giving your input, for the desired output, but don’t consider yourself as the reason for the output you have attained.
This is nothing but Karma Yoga spelled out, but indirectly.
Krishna is saying, to work for the result, but in a detached manner. Work for the sake of your duty, do what is supposed to be done, but at the same time, don’t crave for the result. The result will come on its own accord.
An actor can act to the best of his abilities, but it is not in his hands if the movie will become a hit or will flop!
So he must just Act, for Acting is in his control, and results are not!
Therefore, the lesson is
You can OWN your Actions but never can claim to OWN the rewards, thus..
Control the controllables, and don’t worry about the uncontrollables.
Focus on the Process, not on the Goals!
Karma Yoga means Process Focus!
So the moral of the story is: Do everything what is needed to attain a goal. But when attaining the goal results into world rewarding you with “Success”, dont consider yourself to the reason of this “Success”.
Ask any successful person and he will tell you that while he worked hard, but without luck favouring him, he wouldn’t be successful.
Truth is that, All Success is due to luck. And luck is nothing but the Will of the Universe.
But one must try and do his duty. One must put effort and climb the mountain to bask in the sunshine of luck.
Afterall, Fortune favours the Brave!
