Man can be described as a conglomeration of thoughts and ideas. Every little thought becomes an integral part of his life. The quality of feelings one has, determines his future. Therefore, he must install sacred ideas in his heart. The fostering of pure thoughts will promote the spirit of selfless service in our hearts. Nishkama Karma uproots the bestiality in man and confers divinity on him. Selfless service is a more exalted means of spiritual progress than such other ways as meditation, bhajan and yoga. This is so because when we undertake meditation, japa or yoga, we do so for our own benefit and not for the good of others. These are aimed at subjugating one’s individual desires and securing happiness for oneself. What we should aspire for is the attainment of the good of others without any desire for personal gain.
Nishkama Karma or selfless service is the fragrant flower of altruistic love. It is not to be performed for the satisfaction of the person rendering the service or the person at whose bidding it is so done, but for God. Man should regard Nishkama Karma as the purpose for which he is given life. (SSB 1979, pp. 5-6)
Arjuna! Every Karya (Deed) or Karma (Activity) has a beginning and an end. But Nishkama Karma (Desireless Karma) has no such. Desire the fruits of Karma and you get born again and again because of being caught up in that desire; give up that desire, you are liberated from the flux. The practice of this type of renunciation ends the states of bondage. The main point is to stick to the goal. The goal is Karma, not Karmaphala. (GV, p. 36)
If you have an eye on the fruits of your actions, you are liable to be affected by worry, anxiety, and restlessness. The Lord has said in the Gita (2:47),
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥ २-४७
Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karmaphala hetur bhurma Te Sangostvakarmani
‘Refuse the fruit’ (ma phaleshu), that is to say: the deed yields results, but the doer should not desire the result, or do it with the result in view. When man has a right to engage in Karma, he has a right also to the fruit; no one can deny this or refuse his right. But the doer can, out of his own free will and determination, refuse to be affected by the result, whether favourable or unfavourable. The Gita shows the way: ‘Do... and deny the consequence’. The desire for the result of your action is a sign of Rajo guna; the giving up of action because you cannot benefit by the fruit, is a sign of Tamo guna. To engage oneself in Karma, knowing that the result will follow and yet not being attached to it or getting concerned with it - that is the sign of Sattva guna.
The Karma Yogi who has learnt this secret of ‘Karma combined with Phala tyaga’ should have Sama buddhi, more than Sanga buddhi, for the Sanga buddhi draws him into attachments and entanglements. Krishna advises that one should rise above this Sanga buddhi.
yoga-sthah kuru karmani
sangam tyaktva dhananjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva
samatvam yoga ucyate
Bhagavad Gita (2:48)
He declared in that Samatvam is genuine Yoga (Samatvam Yoga ucyate). (GV, pp. 38-39)
The Gita has pointed out the type of actions that should be performed in daily life. The Gita proclaims that the secret of human life is to recognise and follow the path of Dharma, which means engaging ourselves in selfless and sacred actions that promote the welfare of our fellowmen. Only then can our actions be considered Sattvika in nature. Once they become Sattvika then they may be classified as Nishkama Karma. (SS June 87, p. 158)
Nishkama Karma or selfless service is the fragrant flower of altruistic love. Man should regard Nishkama Karma as the purpose for which he is given life. It is in the field of action or Karma, that a man most patently reveals his character and type. That is why so much importance has been given to Nishkama Karma. Just as a mirror can show you the type of face you have, your actions show the type of feelings you have.
Nishkama Karma creates a special bond of Love between the Creator and the Jiva (man). Let us suppose that we have engaged a coolie in our garden. He works perfunctorily from morning to evening, collects his wages and goes away. He never really worries himself about the garden. At the same time, a housewife toils throughout the day and though she is not paid anything, she performs her duties with selfless devotion expecting nothing from her husband. The coolie can never be dear to the master of the house as the housewife is. So too, one who performs selfless actions without desire for its results is dear to God. (ML, pp. 280-281)