A Karma-YogiN’s attempt is to keep himself within himself — as a detached but interested observer of all that is happening around and within himself. When he thus observes himself, from within himself, as a worker in any given field, it becomes easy for him to see that all actions belong to the above-mentioned instruments-of-action and not to the detached OBSERVER in him. Here, however, he must realise that the OBSERVER in himself is not the Truth, but this OBSERVER is “Truth standing on the open balcony of the intellect.” Even while thus observing ourselves in action, we are ever conscious of the very OBSERVER in ourselves. “The Consciousness that illumines the very OBSERVER, is the Spiritual-centre, the Self,” is the declaration of all Upanishads.
If thus, the Spiritual-centre itself is something beyond the “observer,” why should a Karma-Yogin practise this technique of self-observation called in our Shastras the “witness-attitude” (Sakshibhava)? This is answered at the end of the verse when Bhagavan says, “for the purification of the ego.” By such a practice, the seeker will be entering into the field of activity and pursuing the work without the self-arrogating ego, thereby rendering himself available for an easy and effective purgation of the existing vasana-impurities. To the degree these are removed, to that degree the inner equipments become clearer and steadier, rendering the reflection of the Divine-Consciousness in them more and more vivid.
ALSO BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING FACT THE KARMA-YOGINS PRACTISE WORK WITH DETACHMENT:
