Is Krishna’s advice in the Gita practical in today’s world?

The most quoted verse from the Bhagavad Gita is also perhaps, the most misunderstood idea in the entire text. In Chapter 2, Krishna tells Arjuna, “You have a right to perform your actions, but not to the fruits thereof.” He later points to King Janaka, a ruler who remained detached while actively engaged in worldly affairs.

The idea of acting without being affected by outcomes or Nishkama Karma has always sounded counterintuitive to me. We take up actions precisely because we want certain results and we do get attached to outcome. To say that we should act without caring for outcomes seems to go against how we are wired.

Interestingly, the Mahabharata itself seems to acknowledge this dilemma. In the Shanti Parva, there is an interesting episode where Sulabha, a learned yogini, challenges King Janaka’s claim of being detached while still ruling a kingdom. She questions whether it is truly possible to make decisions, punish wrongdoers, lead a nation or care for others without being psychologically entangled in outcomes. She suggests that even the desire to appear detached can be a form of hidden ego.

Her argument cuts through the spiritual jargon. She says that the human mind, by its very nature, seeks meaning, validation and control. Even when we say we are acting out of duty, we often carry an unspoken hope for success and appreciation.

This puts us in a strange position. On one hand, we have Krishna asking us to act without attachment. On the other, we have Sulabha questioning whether such detachment is even psychologically possible. So which one do we believe? The beauty about Mahabharata is that it does not give you clear answers but teases the reader to find their own truth. 

The real insight lies in understanding where the person is acting from. When the mind is split, detachment is nearly impossible. Take Arjun, for instance. One part of him wants to protect his kin. Another urges him to fulfill his role as a warrior. Krishna’s teaching is not intended to suppress either side, but to help him arrive at inner clarity. He lays out different approaches: karma yoga, jnana yoga, bhakti yoga, all aimed at helping Arjun find alignment within. Once that happens, action follows. Arjun picks up his bow not because he has numbed his emotions, but because the fog has lifted.

This clarity is what makes detached action possible. When there is no internal tug-of-war, the need for external validation fades. You simply do what needs to be done.

We all experience this in small ways. When the path ahead is obvious, we act without overthinking. A mother caring for her child does not weigh outcomes. Her sense of duty is so deeply ingrained that action happens without friction. The doing becomes its own reward.

You see something similar in high-performance sports. If you remember MS Dhoni’s batting in the 2011 World Cup Finals, he was completely locked in. He was absolutely clear about his role in the situation in his bones. Therefore, he was able to focus on each ball without thinking about the outcome. 

This is where the idea of detached action begins to make sense. When you are clear from within about what needs to be done, the action takes over. You give your best without being consumed by what it will lead to. The process becomes the reward. There is no mental chatter, no noise. You are simply there, doing what needs to be done.

Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called this state “flow.” It is a condition where you are fully immersed in what you are doing with deep focus, effortless energy and a complete absorption in the moment. The sense of self fades. You are not doing the task to get somewhere else. You are doing it because it feels like the only thing that matters right now.

But let’s be honest. Most people do not live in this state. Most are simply trying to keep up with what society expects of them. Their actions are driven more by habit and pressure than any deep inner calling. For such people, detachment is not a helpful instruction. Their mind is already juggling too many conflicting thoughts. In such a state, the desire for a specific outcome may be the only thing keeping them from inaction. And that is fine. Acting with attachment is still better than being paralysed by indecision.

In fact, Krishna himself says in the same verse where he talks about detached action, “Do not become attached to inaction” This part is often ignored. We talk about detachment, but forget that action is non-negotiable. In daily life, results do matter. The motivation to achieve something is often what gives people a sense of direction. Over time, as they engage with life more deeply, a different kind of motivation may emerge. But it starts with movement, not stillness.

So yes, Karma Yoga is a profound idea. But like all deep ideas, it needs to be understood in the right context. Without clarity of purpose, detachment is forced and fragile. But when there is alignment between what you feel and what you do, detachment is no longer an effort. It is a natural outcome.

Until then, there is no shame in hoping for results. In wanting success. In feeling disappointed by failure. That is where most of us begin. But if we keep showing up, keep doing what needs to be done, we may slowly find ourselves in a place where action happens out of our deep inner calling. And perhaps that is what Krishna really meant all along.

(Views are personal)

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