CHAPTER NO 3

This chapter focuses on various reasons why action is essential for the man; why should one act according to one’s caste (Varna); how should one act; which actions help take one to the path of liberation; which actions cause the bondage of life-death cycle etc. Since this chapter’s main theme is: How should one act or work and what methods to employ for the end, this chapter is entitled "Karma-Yoga" or "The Method of work"


Arjuna Uvacha

·  jyayasi cheta karmanah
te mata budhih janardana
tat kim karmanas ghore
mam niyojayasi keshava

Arjuna said –
O Janardana (Krishna), if you regard knowledge to be superior to action, why do you want me to undertake such gruesome action.

·  vyamishrena vakyena
buddhim mohayaseeve me
tadekam vad nishchitya
yena shreyoahmapnuyam

My mind is confused by the ambiguous statement. Tell me the one definite knowledge by which I may obtain the supreme goal.

Shribhagavan uvacha

·  loke asmin dvividha
nistha pura prokta maya anagha
gyanyogena sankhyanam
karmyogena yoginam

The Blessed Lord said :
O Blameless (Arjuna), two fold life had been preached by me in the past. Way of knowledge for the contemplative minds and the ways of works for those who are action oriented.

·  na karmnam anarambhata
naishkarmyam purushah ashrute
na cha sanyasanat eva
siddhim samadhigachhati

By abstaining from work one does not obtain freedom from action, nor by renouncing his work does one reach perfection in life.

·  na hi kaschkshana api
jatu tishathati akarmkrit
karyate hi avashah karma
sarvah prakitijaih gunaih

A person cannot remain in a state of worklessness for even a moment, undoubtedely all governed by the nature, act as if forced to do so.

·  karmendriyani sanyamya yah
aste manasa smaran
indriyarthana vimudhatma
mithya charah sah uchayate

The unwise, who controls his sense organs by force and whose mind is indulging in the objects of desire, such one is called a man of false conduct (a hypocrite).

·  yah tu indriyani mansa
niyamya arbhate arjuna
karmendriyaih karmayogam
asaktah sah vishishyate

O Arjuna – the one whose even mind is under control and who does the work without any desire for its reward, he is superior.

·  niyatam karu karma tvam
karma jyayah hi akarmanah
shariryatra api cha te nav
prasidhyayeta karmanahv

Do your duty (as prescribed by the scriptures), because it is better to work than to remain idle and without work you cannot even take care of your body.

·  yagyarthata karmanah
anyatra lokah ayam karmabandhanah
tada artham karma kaunteya
mukta sangah samachar

All other works, not prescribed by the scriptures, put the man in bondage. Therefore, O Arjuna, you do the works prescribed by the scriptures without attachment, meticulously.

·  sahayagyah prajah shristava
pura uvacha prajapatih
anena pravishyachhvan aishah
vah astu istakamdhuk

In the ancient days, the lord of creation (Brahma) created subjects through sacrifice and He told them : May you grow and may these sacrifices bring forth desired pleasures to you.

·  devah bhavayat anena te
devah bhavayanta vah
parasparam bhavayantah
shreyah param avapasyatha

And may you cause progress to the gods through these sacrifices, may the gods help you prosper, thus progressing and prospering by mutual efforts may you attain the supreme goal.

·  istan bhogan hi vo deva
dasyante yagyabhavitah
taih dattan apradaya aibhyo
yo bhungatte stayene eva sah

Thus fostered, the gods will grant you the desired pleasure. And the one who enjoys these gifts without giving back them in return is a thief indeed.

·  yagyashistashinah santo
muchayante sarvakilvishaih
bhunjate te twagham papa
ye pachanti atma karnata.

The noble men who eat the leftovers of the sacrifice are absolved of all sins, the sinful, who cook for them alone, eat the sins only.

·  annat bhavanti bhutani
parjanyat annasambhavah
yagyat bhavati parjanyo
yagyah karma samudbhavah

All the things are produced by food, the food is produced by rain and the rain is produced by sacrificial fires and sacrifice is created by work.

·  karma brahmodabhavan vidhhi
brahma akasharsamudbhavam
tastmat sarvagatam brahma
nityam yagye pratisthitam

Work is caused by Veda and the Vedas are created by the imperishable. Therefore, know that, the brahma, which is all pervading is always present in the sacrifice.

·  evam pravartitam chakram
na anuvartayati iha yah
aghayu indriyaramo
mogham partha sah jivati

O Arjuna, who does not conduct himself thus, in accordance with the wheel of life set in motion, who indulges in sensual delights, is evil in his nature wastes his life in vain

·  yah tu atmaratir eva syat
atmatriptah cha manavah
atmani eva cha santushtah
tasya karyam na viddyate

But the man who rejoices in the self only; who is satisfied in the self and who is content with the self, for him no work remains to be done.

·  na eva tasya kritena arthah
na akritena eha kaschan
na cha asya sarvabhuteshu
kaschit arthavya pashrayah

No business, such a person, has in this world to do nor is he concerned with not doing anything, he retains no ties with other creatures.

·  tasmat asaktah satatam
karyam karma samachar
asakto hyacharankarma
param apnoti purushah

Therefore, you carryout your works in accordance with the scriptures, with detachment, because one who is not attached reaches the ultimate goal by just performing his works.

·  karmana eva hi sansidhim
asthita jankadayah
lok sangraham eva api
sampashyam kartum arhasi

Many wisemen like Janaka, have attained to perfection by doing work without any attachment, so you also should work for the sake of maintenance of the world order.

· Yat yat acharati shreshthah
tat tat eva itarah janah
sah yat pramanam kurute
lokah tat anuvartate

What conduct is shown by the superiormen, other men also conduct themselves accordingly, whatever standard conduct is set by such men (of superior wisdom) others behave in the same way.

· Na me parth asti kartavyam
trishu lokeshu kinchan
na unvaptam avaptavyam
varte eva cha karmani

Therefore, O Arjuna – though, I do not have any work to do in the three worlds and nothing attainable is unavailable to me, yet I am involved in the works.

·  yadi hi aham na varteyam
jatu karmani atandritah
mama vartma anuvartante
manushyah parth sarvashah

O, Arjuna – if I do not perform the work consciously, all men will start behaving like me.

·  utsideyuh ime lokah
na kuryam karma chet aham
sankarasya cha karta syam
uphanyam imah prajah.

If I stop working ; the whole world will sink into corruption (ruin) and I shall become corruptor and destroyer of all these men.

·  saktah karmani avidvansah
yath kurvanti bharata
kuryat vidvan tatha asaktah
chikirshuh loksamghraham

O Bharata (Arjuna) as the unwise perform work being attached with it, so should the wise perform the work without attachment to it to maintain the world order.

·  na buddhibhedam janayeta
agyanam karmasanginam
joshyeta sarvakarmani
vidvan yuktah samacharan

The wise should not cause confusion in the minds of the unwise, while doing his work in unison with the ultimate, he should make others (unwise) to do the same.

·  prakriteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvashah
ahankarvimudhatma
karta aham iti manya te

All the works are performed in accordance with the attributes of nature, yet whose mind is deluded by the sense of ego, believes that he is the doer.

·  tatva vit tu mahabaho
guna karma vibhagayoh
gunah guneshu vartante
iti mattva na sajjate

O, Arjuna, however, the one possessing the true knowledge, knows the distinction between the two modes of natures, knowing that the modes act upon each-other (self remaining unattached) is not attached to the modes (Gunas).

·  prakriteh gunasammudhah
sajjante guna karmasuh
tan akritsnavidah
mandan kritsnavit na vichalayeta

Ignorants are attached to the modes (gunas) of nature and the works produced by them, the wise who knows the whole truth should not unsettle the ignorants who only know the part.

·  mayi sarvani karmani
sanyas adhyatma chetasah
nirashih nirmamah bhutva
yudhyasva vigatjwarah

Therefore, O Arjuna – with your mind firmly in meditation all your deeds you consign to me, without any expectations and without any attachments, freed from your fever, join the war.

·  ye me matam idam nityam
anutisthanti manavah
shraddhavantah unsuyantah
muchyante te api karmabhih

And O Arjuna – any person, who, with a pure mind and with devotion, acts in accordance with my opinion, they are freed from the bondage of their deeds.

·  ye tu etat abhyasuyantah
na anutisthanti me matam
sarvagyana vimudhan tan
viddhi nashtan achetasah.

And the ones whose minds are impure; who are ignorant and do no follow my advice, those are deluded by ignorance and are beyond redemption.

·  sadrisham chestate svasyah
prakriteh gyanvan api
prakritim yanti bhutani
nigrahah kim karishyati

Even wise act as per their nature and creatures act according to their natures what can be gained by stubborness?

·  idriyasya indriyasya arthe
rag dveshau vyasthitau
tayoh na vasham agachheta
tau hi asya paripanthinau

The senses have attachment or aversion to the objects coming into their contacts, one should not be captivated by either (like or dislike) these are the two impediments in the way to perfection.

·  shreyan svadharmah vigunah
pardharmat suanusthitat,
svadharm nidhanam shreyah
pardharmah bhayavah

It is better to follow own law even if it is imperfect, than to follow perfect law of the others. Better one dies following his own law as it is ennobling while law of others is dangerous.

Arjuna uvacha

·  atha kena prayuktah ayam
papam charati purushah
anichhan api varshaneya
balat eva niyojitah

Arjuna said : O Krishna, why the man commits sin without his will, as if forced to do so?

Shribhagvan uvacha

·  kamah aish krodhah aish
rajoguna samudbhavah
mahashanah mahapapma
viddhi enam iha varinam

The blessed Lord said : Produced by the mode of passion (rajaguna) this desire is anger and like the fire it is all consuming and extremely sinful. Regard it to be the enemy here.

·  dhumen avriyate vahinah
yatha adavshah malena cha
yatha ulben avritah garbhah
ten idam avritam

Like smoke covers fire and dust covers mirror and like embryo is covered by the womb similarly knowledge is covered by passions.

·  avritam gyanam etena
gyaninah nityavairina
kama rapena kaunteya
dushpurena analena cha

O Arjuna, the knowledge is covered by the craving, which is like the unsatiable fire, and is a constant enemy of the wise.

·  indriyani manah buddhi
asya adhisthanam uchyate
aitaih vimohayati aishah
gyanam avritya dehinam

Sense organs, mind and intelligence are the abodes (of passion) and it covers the wisdom through these (senses, mind and intelligence) to delude the soul.

·  tasmat tvam indriyani adau
niyamya bharatarshabhah
papamanam prajahi hi enam
gyan, vigyan-nashanam

O Arjuna, therefore, first control your senses and kill this sinful corruptor of knowledge and discernment .

·  indriyani parani ahuh
indriyebhyah param manah
manasah tu para budhih yah
buddheh paratah tu sah

Senses are great but it is said that the mind is greater, intelligence is still greater and greater than the intelligence is He (the Supreme Being).

·  evam buddheh param budhvah
samstabhya atmanam atmana
jahi shatrum mahabaho
kamarupam durasadam

Thus knowing that which is beyond intelligence, controlling the mind by intelligence, O Mighty Armed (Arjuna), slay this foe disguised as craving, and so difficult to subdue.

Iti karmayoga nama tritiyo dhyaya

This Third Chapter is entitled "Karmayoga" is. The Yoga of Action.