According to Lord Krśńa, neither action, nor reaction nor the sense of doership devolves on the Supreme Soul (Paramátman). All these follow certain laws of nature.

Let us first examine whether Parama Puruśa, without whose permission not even a blade of grass can move, has any role to play in relation to action, reaction and the sense of doership; whether He Himself does anything in this connection.

It is said that doership, action and reaction are performed by nature. But what is the philosophical definition of “nature”? What is ordinarily called “nature” in English is called “Svabháva” in Saḿskrta. What is the normal state or form of “Svabháva”. Svabbava is the style adopted by Prakrti for her operation. That is, Svabháva is not an objective entity, it is only an actional flow, a special style of action.

Now the question arises, what is Prakrti? In “Ánanda Sútram” it has been said: “Shaktih sá Shivasya Shaktih.”

Prakrti belongs to whom? She belongs to Parama Puruśa. Now Prakrti, who is sheltered in Parama Puruśa, operates both directly and also through others according to Her style of functioning. It is of course a fact that Parama Puruśa does not do anything directly; rather He gets things done indirectly through the vast operational system He has created.

It has been said before that Prakrti is a force dependent upon Parama Puruśa. Her only work is to keep Parama Puruśa satisfied. The only aim of Prakrti is to satisfy and give pleasure to Parama Puruśa. What should be the aim of Prakrti? Her only thought is, “I shall satisfy Parama Puruśa, I must please Him.” That is why Prakrti always remains engrossed in the thought of Parama Puruśa, and, as a result, is gradually transformed into Parama Puruśa Himself.

Mádhava, Mádhava Anukhańa Souṋari
Sundarii Mádhava Bhelii

Vidyápati said, “Thinking of Mádhava (Krśńa) every moment, gradually She herself became Mádhava”. By constantly ideating on Mádhava, Rádhá gradually merged into Mádhava. This is why different scriptures and renowed philosophers have proclaimed, “Prakrti sá nitya nivrttá”. In other words, Prakrti gradually dissolves each and every moment. As a result of constant ideation on Parama Puruśa, portions of Prakrti gradually merge in Him.

As Prakrti is also infinite, Her absolute merger is not possible. Prakrti is a perpetually dissolving entity. Every moment a certain portion of Prakrti gets metamorphosed into Parama Puruśa. So, when Prakrti is constantly being transformed into Parama Puruśa and is also dependent on Him, Parama Puruśa may say, “I am absolutely unconcerned about doership, action and reaction.” Parama Puruśa may certainly say that neither is He involved directly in these affairs, nor does He do anything, and He continues to do everything through the vast operational system which He created. It is of course true.

What is understood by “Kartrttva” of an action? The literal meaning of “Kartrttva” is authority, that is, I am the proprietor or owner of a particular action, and everything there shall move according to my will. This feeling, centering on “I”, is called “Kartrttva”. Parama Puruśa never wants that there should be this “I”-centered feeling towards the small worldly objects. He will never permit this to happen. It occurs primarily because of the influence of Avidyámáyá. That is why if Parama Puruśa says that He does not do anything directly, it is not a false statement.

Now we must consider “Karmáńi” or action. What is action? The relative change of position of an object is called action. Suppose there is a certain object to my left. When I move this object and place it to my right, then the object is displaced. This displacement is called action. Whatever exists in this Cosmos is within the all-pervasive mind of Parama Puruśa – there is nothing outside Him. Hence the question of spatial change in relation to Him does not arise. Everything bappens within His mind. For this reason, what Krśńa said about action is true, because action or inaction lies only within His mind. So it was correctly said that Parama Puruśa does not directly do any action.

Now let us consider the experiencing of reactions. Wherever there is action, there is reaction. A famous scientific principle says, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction provided the three fundamental relative factors – time, space and person – remain unchanged.” That is, every reaction can also be called a kind of action. If we call “an action” “Pratyaya múlaka karma”, then the reaction of the action would be called “Saḿskára múlaka karma” (reactive momenta). If an action is accomplished within the mind of Parama Puruśa, then its reaction shall also occur there. For this reason, Parama Puruśa never experiences or undergoes reactions.

Yet that Controlling Entity, without Whose wish, without Whose order not even a blade of grass can move, cannot possibly remain absolutely aloof from action, reaction and the sense of doership. He has thus created an operational system as per the necessity and he has delegated the responsibility to it. In addition, He maintains a strict vigil over this system regarding the determination of appropriate reactions to actions.

He strictly observes the amount of ego functioning in each unit being. When human beings undergo the reactions of their bad actions or ego, it is impossible for Parama Puruśa to remain neutral or silent. Rather He feels sorry when He observes ego in people and wonders where they derived it from. Is there anything which human beings can call their own?

Parama Puruśa feels happy when He sees the reactions to good actions: good fruits for good actions. But when He sees the miserable conditions resulting from bad actions He feels distressed. He thinks, “Why should humans indulge in bad actions? The reactive momenta are expressing themselves according to the operational system – people must experience the reactions of their actions. I am helpless in this regard.”

The sun rises in the east – it is an infallible law of Parama Puruśa. How can He order the sun to rise in the west? He will not, because it is a law given by Him. If one violates the laws made by oneself, everything will be totally destroyed. The good fruits of good actions and the bad fruits of bad actions are both bondages. So intelligent people must work, and while working they should ideate, “I am the machine and Parama Puruśa is the machine-operator. I don’t need the good fruits, I don’t want them. Rather I am prepared to undergo the results of my bad actions and offer the fruits of my good actions to Parama Puruśa.”

Human beings should live in this world with this ideation. In order to survive in this world, one must work. The aim of life is to work. And while working one should think, “I must do good work without attachment to the fruits thereof. I wish to surrender those fruits at the feet of Parama Puruśa.”