Finding action in inACTION & inaction in action

“Those who see action in inaction and inaction in action are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing all kinds of actions, they are yogis and masters of all their actions.” – Bhagavad Gita 4.18

This is the translation of the words told by Lord Shri Krishna to Arjuna just before the Action Sequence (Kurukshetra) in Mahabharata.

I feel that it is like a puzzle given to us to see (perceive & interpret) “Action in inaction & inaction in action”. Several people have seen it through their own lenses. I also want to make a conscious attempt to add a little to that spectrum of thoughts. My perspective is –

Acting

In continuation to my previous blogs considering the life as a drama & we all are actors( https://researchsubbu.blogspot.com/2018/09/be-actor-of-emotions.html, https://researchsubbu.blogspot.com/2021/06/be-star-actor.html ), here comes the word “Action”, usually told by the directors in the shooting of a movie… The Supreme Director God himself says about action.

Inaction itself is an action in some scenes where we are not asked to perform. Some scenes may demand no action from some great actors also. So, there is a possibility that Inaction (not doing action) may be the requirement of the script for a particular scene. Thus, unless & until we understand the Bigger Script of God, we should not judge anybody’s action or inaction. Therefore, we can say the action & inaction are purely contextual.

The action of great actors is such that it would appear to be always real. We feel that they are not acting, but they are living in that role. This is inaction in action.

The actor should never feel that he is acting so that he can perform better & looks as if it is real. But at the same time, he should not be carried away by the emotions of the roles he is performing as it is acting only.

Action= life; Inaction=death

Action in Inaction: Even after death also, the thoughts & good deeds of those people will be inspiring others for doing actions. Though they are not alive, their teachings are alive. That is how we can find life in death also.

Inaction in Action: If a person is not doing good things or the things up to his abilities, though he is alive, he is treated as dead. Moreover, nothing is permanent in life. Our life itself is not permanent. Being conscious of this fact is Inaction in Action.

Action=Discharging, Inaction=Charging

Action in inaction may be perceived as the inaction may be the preparation for the action. People take a gap to recharge themselves. They sit back & regain their energies for action. It is like charging the mobile phone.

Inaction in action is like making the unwanted apps inactive to save the power. It will bring down the load or stress.

Action=Body (physical); Inaction=Mind (psychological)

Every work, job, task requires both physical & mental capabilities, but in different proportions. For some jobs, the physical work may be more dominant compared to the mental effort and vice versa. Whereas, usually, as the physical work is visible directly, it is appreciated. Ideally, we should identify the physical & psychological component of any activity or task and appreciate accordingly.

Action=on field; Inaction=reserve

In sports also, we often see the players on the field. But we forget to appreciate the role of the players kept on reserve. Though they are in inaction mode, they are always ready come in action mode as per the requirement. So, the action & inaction roles are as per the strategy/requirement/situation of the game. Therefore, the action & inaction modes are always dynamic in nature & may be interchanged depending on the situations.

Action=equipment in service; Inaction=Standby/breakdown equipment

For every critical equipment or machine, there will be a standby equipment which is available to come in service when the running equipment fails. So, it is important that all the critical equipment should have standby and the standby equipment should always be ready. It is also crucial to bring back the breakdown equipment to the available state. That is how we should focus not only on the Action state but also on the inaction state.

Action= motion; Inaction= rest

Again, we will go back to Newton to understand this concept better. Previously also we have learnt from his apple story. https://researchsubbu.blogspot.com/2021/07/learnings-from-newtons-apple-story.html. Now let us learn from Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Newton’s Laws of Motion

A body continues to be in its state of rest (Inaction) or uniform motion (Action) unless an external force (God or situations created by God) acts on it. It again explains nishkaam kriya. The action & inaction of us are in God’s hands.

Every action (karma) has an equal & opposite reaction (karma). Our present karmas are reflections of previous karmas & will get reflected in future karmas also. So, our actions & inactions are a result of our previous actions & inactions & will lead to our future actions & inactions. So, we should always focus on our present actions & inactions mindfully.

Our actions & inactions may influence the actions & inactions of others & vice versa. Hence, we should be careful about our actions & inactions considering the holistic perspective.