Chapter 3: Karma Yoga
yat: what; yat: what; aacharati: act; shreshthah: great; tat: that; tat: that; eva: certainly; itarah: common; janah: persons; sa: he; yat: what; pramaanam: evidence; kurute: perform; lokah: world; tat: that; anuvartate: follow in footsteps
3.21 Whatever action is performed by a great person, others follow. They follow the example set by him.
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन। नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि।।३.२२।।
na me partha asti kartavyam trishu lokeshu kinchan na anavaptam avaptavyam varta eva cha karmani 3.22 na: not; me: mine; partha: O son of Pritha; asti: is; kartavyam: duty; trishu: in the three; lokeshu: worlds; kinchan: anything; na: no; anavaptam: in want; avaptavyam: to be gained; varta: engaged; eva: certainly; cha: and; karmani: work
3.22 O Paartha, there is nothing that I must do in the three worlds. Neither am I in want of anything nor do I have anything to gain. Yet, I am always in action.
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ।।३.२३।।
yadi hyaham na varteyam jaatu karmanya atandritaha mama vartma anuvartante manushyaaha partha sarvashaha 3.23 yadi: if; hi: certainly; aham: I; na: not; varteyam: engage; jaatu: ever; karmani: work; atandritaha: with care; mama: My; vartma: path; anuvartante: follow; manushyaaha: persons; partha: Partha; sarvashaha: in all respects
3.23 If I did not engage in work with care, O Partha, certainly, people would follow My path in all respects.
उत्सीदेयरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम। सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः।।३.२४।।
utsideyur ime lokaa na kuryaam karma ched aham sankarasya cha kartaa syaam upahanyaam imaaha prajaaha 3.24 utsideyuh: ruin; ime: these; lokaa: worlds; na: not; kuryaam: do; karma: work; chet: if; aham: I; sankarasya: confusion of species; cha: and; kartaa: doer; syaam: shall be; upahanyaam: destroy; imaaha: these; prajaaha: beings
3.24 If I do not work, then these worlds would be ruined. I would be the cause of creating confusion and destruction.
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । क्र्याद्विद्वांस्त्रथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम । ।३.२५। I
saktaaha karmanya avidvamso yathaa kurvanti bhaarata kuruaad vidvams tatha asaktash chikirshur loka sangraham 3.25 saktaaha: attached; karmani: work; avidvamsah: ignorant; yathaa: as; kurvanti: do; bhaarata: Bharata; kuryat: do; vidvan: wise; tatha: and; asaktah: without attachment; chikirshuh: desiring; loka sangraham: leading people
3.25 As the ignorant do their work with attachment to the results, O Bharata, the wise do so without attachment, for the welfare of people.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्। जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन्।।३.२६।।
na buddhi bhedam janayed ajnaanam karma sanginaam joshayet sarva karmaani vidvaan yuktaha samaacharan 3.26 na: not; buddhi: intelligence; bhedam: disrupt; janayet: do; ajnanam: ignorant; karma: work sanginaam: attached; joshayet: encouraged; sarva: all; karmaani: work; vidvaan: wise; yuktaha: engaged; samaacharan: practising
3.26 Let not the wise disturb the minds of the ignorant who are attached to the results of work. They should encourage them to act without attachment.
prakruteha kriyamaanaani gunaiha karmaani sarvashaha ahaankara vimudhaatma kartaham iti manyate 3.27
prakruteha: of material nature; kriyamaanaani: all being done; gunaiha: by the attributes; karmaani: work; sarvashaha: all kinds of; ahankara: ego; vimudha: confused; atma: being; karta: doer; aham: I; iti: thus; manyate: thinks
3.27 People, confused by ego, think they are the doers of all kinds of work while it is being done by the energy of nature.
tattvavit tu mahaabaaho guna karma vibhaagayoha gunaa guneshu vartanta iti matva na sajjate 3.28
tattvavit: one who knows the Truth; tu: but; mahaabaaho: mighty-armed one; guna: attributes; karma: work; vibhagayoha: differences; guna: attributes; guneshu: in sense gratification; vartante: engaged; iti: thus; matva: thinking; na: never; sajjate: becomes attached
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मुढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मस् । तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत । ।३.२९।। prakruter guna asammudhaaha sajjante guna karmasu taan akrutsna vido mandaan krutsna vin na vichaalayet 3.29 prakruteh: by the material nature; guna: attributes; asammudhaah: fooled; sajjante: become engaged; guna: attributes; karmasu: actions; tan: those; akrutsna vidah: persons with less wisdom; mandaan: lazy; krutsnavit: who has wisdom; na: not; vichaalayet: unsettle
One who knows the Truth, O mighty-armed one, knows the differences between the attributes of nature and work. Knowing well about the attributes and sense gratification, he never becomes attached.
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा । निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।।३.३०।।
mayi sarvaani karmaani sannyasya adhyaatma chetasaa niraashir nirmamo bhutvaa yudhyasva vigata jvaraha 3.30 mayi: to Me; sarvaani: all kinds of; karmaani: work; sannyasya: renouncing; adhyaatma: spiritual knowledge; chetasaa: consciousness; niraashih: without desire for gain; nirmamah: without sense of ownership; bhutvaa: being; yudhyasva: fight; vigata jvaraha: without being lazy
3.30 Dedicating the results of work to Me, with consciousness filled with spiritual knowledge, without desire for gain and without sense of ownership, without being lazy, do what you have to do.
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमन्तिष्ठन्ति मानवाः । श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मूच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः । ।३.३१।।
ye me matam idam nithyam anutishthanti maanavaaha shraddhaa vanto anasuyanto muchyante te api karmabhihi 3.31 ye: who; me: My; matam: teaching; idam: these; nithyam: always; anutishtòhanti: execute regularly; maanavaahòa: persons; shraddhaa vantahò: with faith; anasuyantahòa: without envy; muchyante: become free; te: all of them; api: even; karmabhihòi: from the bondage of fruitive actions
3.31 Those persons who execute their duties according to My teaching and who follow these teachings faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of actions.
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानूतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्। सर्वज्ञानविमुढांस्तान्विद्धिः नष्टानचेतसः ।।३.३२।।
ye tvetad abhyasuyanto naanutishthanti me matam sarva inaana vimudhaamstaan viddhi nashtaan achetasaha 3.32
ye: those; tu: but; etat: this; abhyasuyantah: out of envy; na: not; anutishthanti: regularly perform; me: My; matam: teaching; sarvajnaana: all kinds of knowledge; vimudham: fooled; tan: they; viddhi: know; nashtaan: ruined; achetasaha: without Consciousness
3.32 But those who do not regularly perform their duty according to My teaching are ignorant, senseless and ruined.
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेज्ञानवानपि। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति।।३.३३।।
sadrusham cheshtate svasyaaha prakruter jnaanavaan api prakrutim yaanti bhutaani nigrahaha kim karishyati 3.33 sadrusham: according to; cheshtate: tries; svasyaaha: by one's nature; prakruteha: modes; jnaanavaan: wise; api: even; prakrutim: nature; yaanti: goes through; bhutaani: living beings; nigrahaha: suppression; kim: what; karishyati: can do
3.33 Even the wise person tries to act according to the modes of his own nature, for all living beings go through their nature. What can restraint of the senses do?
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियरस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ । तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ।।३.३४।।
indriyasya indriyasya arthe raaga dveshau vyavasthitau tayor na vasham agacchet tau hyasya paripanthinau 3.34 indriyasya: of the senses; indriyasya arthe: for sense objects; raaga: attachment; dveshau: repulsion; vyavasthitau: put under control; tayoh: of them; na: never; vasham: control; agacchet: come; tau: those; hi: certainly; asya: his; paripanthinau: stumbling blocks
3.34 Attachment and repulsion of the senses for sense objects should be put under control. One should never come under their control as they certainly are the stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात । स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः।।।३.३५।।
shreyaan svadharmo vigunaha paradharmaat svanushthitaat svadharme nidhanam shreyaha paradharmo bhayaavahaha 3.35 shreyaan: better; svadharmah: own duty; vigunaha: in a faulty manner; paradharmaat: other's duty; svanushthitaat: perfectly done; svadharme: in one's duty; nidhanam: death; shreyaha: better; paradharmaha: other's duty; bhaya avahaha: dangerous
3.35 It is better to do one's own duty, even if it is in a faulty manner, than to do someone else's duty perfectly. Death in the course of performing one's own duty is better than doing another's duty, as this can be dangerous.
अजेन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पुरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः । ।३.३६ । । arjuna uvaacha atha kena prayuktoyam paapam charati poorushaha anicchann api vaarshneya balaad iva niyojitaha 3.36 arjuna uvaacha: Arjuna said; atha: then; kena: by what; prayuktah: forced; ayam: one; paapam: sins; charati: acts; poorushaha: man; anicchan: without desiring; api: though; vaarshneya: O descendant of Vrishni; balaat: by force; iva: as if; niyojitaha: engaged
3.36 Arjuna said, 'O descendant of Vrishni, then, by what is man forced to sinful acts, even without desiring, as if engaged by force?'
श्री भगवानवाच
काम एश क्रोध एश रजोगुणसमूदभवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विदध्येनमिह वैरिणम। |३.३७।।
Shri bhaqavaan uvaacha kaama esha krodha esha rajoguna samudbhavaha mahaashano mahaapaapma viddhyenam iha vairinam 3.37
Shri bhagavaan uvaacha: the Lord said; kaama: lust; esha: these; krodha: anger; esha: these; rajah guna: attribute of passion; samudbhavaha: born of; mahaashanah: all-devouring; mahapapma: greatly sinful; viddhi: know; enam: this; iha: in the world; vairinam: greatest enemy
3.37 The Lord said, 'It is lust and anger born of the attribute of passion, all-devouring and sinful, which is one's greatest enemy in this world.'
dhumena avriyate vahnir yathaa aadarsho malena cha yathaa ulbena aavruto garbhas tatha tenedam aavrutam 3.38
dhumena: by smoke; aavriyate: covered; vahnih: fire; yathaa: as; aadarshah: mirror; malena: by dust; cha: also; yathaa: as; ulbena: by the womb; aavrutah: covered; garbhah: embryo; tathaa: so; tena: by that; idam: this; aavrutam: covered
3.38 As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, so also, the living being is covered by lust.
aavrutam jnaanam etena jnaanino nithya vairina kaama roopena kaunteya dushpoorena analena cha 3.39
aavrutam: covered; jnaanam: knowledge; etena: by this; jnaaninah: of the knower; nithya: eternal; vairina: enemy; kaama: lust; roopena: in the form of; kaunteya: O son of Kunti; dushpoorena: never satisfied; analena: by fire; cha: and
3.39 The knowledge of the knower is covered by this eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and burns like fire, O son of Kunti.
इन्द्रियाणि मनो ब्रुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानम्ब्र्यते। एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् । ।३.४० ।।
indriyaani mano buddhir asya adhishthaanam uchyate etair vimohayatye esha jnaanam aavrutya dehinam 3.40 indriyaani: senses; manah: mind; buddhih: intelligence; asya: of; adhishthaanam: sitting place; uchyate: called; etaih: by these; vimohayati: confuses; esha: of this; jnaanam: knowledge; aavrutya: covering; dehinam: embodied being
3.40 The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the locations of this lust, which confuses the embodied being and covers the knowledge.
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ। पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम । १३.४१ । ।
tasmaat tvam indriyaany adau niyamya bharatarshabha paapmaanam prajahi hyonam jnaana vijnaana naashanam 3.41 tasmaat: therefore; tvam: you; indriyaani: senses; adau: in the beginning; niyamya: by controlling; bharatarshabha: O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata; paapmaanam: symbol of sin; prajahi: curb; hi: certainly; enam: this; jnaana: knowledge; vijnaana: consciousness; naashanam: destroyer
3.41 Therefore, O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata, in the very beginning, control the senses and curb the symbol of sin, which is certainly the destroyer of knowledge and consciousness.