Introduction

In the Gı¯ta¯’s commentarial tradition, the injunction to act without desire is referred to as nis.ka¯ma karma – literally, action (karma) without (nis.) desire (ka¯ma).4 Since the phrase nis.ka¯ma karma is well-known and often used, I will occasionally use it, particularly when discussing the Bhagavadgı¯ta¯. Generally, however, I will use the phrase ‘desireless action’ instead. The primary reason for this is that all of the texts I consider – including the Bhagavadgı¯ta¯ – use a wide variety of words to refer to those discouraged states that are generally translated as ‘desire’ in English, such as ra¯ga, iccha¯, abhila¯s.a, and so on. Nis.ka¯ma karma, therefore, is not always accurate shorthand.