69. Actor as well as Audience

In our daily life, we get attached to action and this attachment is termed as aasakti (interest or attachment) or we are detached from it which is virakti (hatred or disinterest). However, Krishna refers to a third state, anaasakti (dropping both attachment and detachment) which is beyond both. He says that the avidwan (ignorant) act with an attachment to action and the vidwan (wise) act unattached, for the welfare of the world (3.25).

Actions based on aasakti and virakti can make us miserable. The presence of a loved one (aasakti) brings us happiness and their absence makes us unhappy. Similarly, the presence of a hated one (virakti) makes us unhappy and their absence brings relief. Hence, both aasakti as well as virakti swing us between the polarities of pleasure and pain. Krishna, therefore, advises us to transcend both and be anaasakt, while performing any action. 

The welfare of the world can be equated to compassion which flows when the actions are performed with anaasakti. When actions are performed with aasakti or virakti, it’s like a garbage truck scattering filth everywhere, ultimately harming society.

Anaasakt is like being a performer in a drama as well as being a part of the audience at the same time. Artists are expected to act in the role assigned to them with dedication and to the best of their abilities. To achieve this, one should keep enhancing one’s skills, knowledge etc. in the field of acting. One should simultaneously be a part of the audience in the gallery, observing the drama. While the first part is our duty in the outer world, the latter is for our inner self. While the motivation and choice of action come from gunas, it is anaasakti that should be practiced while performing these actions. This when mastered, is the Gita implemented.