1. In the Fifth Chapter, we were able to see, through imagination and inquiry, how high a man can soar. Karma, vikarma and akarma, together complete the sadhana, the path. Karma is gross. In all our actions performed as svadharma, there should be the accompanying action of the mind. The action performed for educating the mind is vikarma, which is special karma or subtle karma. Karma and vikarma are both necessary, and as we go on practicing both, we lay the foundation of akarma.

In the last chapter we saw how, here karma and sannyasa become one. In the beginning of the Sixth Chapter, the Lord says again that though the stand of the karma-yogi seems different from that of the sannyasi, they are quite the same. The difference is only in the way of looking at things. The aim of the latter chapters is to discover the path to reach the state described in Chapter Five.

2. Many people mistakenly imagine that the spiritual life, and books like the Gita, are intended only for ascetics. When a man says, "I am not an ascetic," he seems to imply that ascetics form a species, like horses, lions, bears and cows; and it is further implied that the spiritual life is only intended for that species. It is as if all other creatures in the work-a-day world belong to some different species with thoughts and ways of its own. Such thinking has divided humanity into two kinds of beings, ascetics and worldly men.

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