Chapter 3

कर्मयोग

The Path of Action (Karmayoga)

Krishna explains that no one can stay without acting even for a moment, so the real question is how to act. Work done as an offering, without selfish attachment, frees a person, while desire and anger are named as the inner enemies that cloud judgement.

Do your own duty sincerely, and set a good example for others.

3.1ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन।Arjuna asks Krishna: "If you hold that understanding is better than action, then why do you push me into this terrible deed?"
3.2व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे।Arjuna continues: "Your words seem mixed and they confuse my mind. Tell me clearly the one path by which I can reach what is truly good."
3.3लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ।Krishna replies: "Sinless Arjuna, long ago I taught two ways of life in this world: the path of knowledge for those inclined to reflection, and the path of action (karma yoga) for those inclined to work."
3.4न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।A person does not become free from the bondage of action simply by not starting any work. Nor does anyone reach perfection merely by giving things up.
3.5न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।No one can stay without acting even for a moment. Everyone is driven to act, whether they wish it or not, by the gunas (basic qualities) of nature.
3.6कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्।Someone who holds back the body from acting but keeps dwelling on sense pleasures in the mind is deceiving themselves. Such a person is called a hypocrite.
3.7यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।But one who guides the senses with the mind and, without attachment, uses the body to do the work of karma yoga (action as a discipline) is far better, Arjuna.
3.8नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।Do the work that is yours to do, for action is better than inaction. Without action you could not even keep your body going.
3.9यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।Work binds people in this world unless it is done as yajna (an offering for a higher purpose). So, son of Kunti, do your work as such an offering, free from attachment.
3.10सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः।In the beginning, the Creator brought forth beings together with yajna (sacrifice) and said: "Through this you will flourish. Let this be the source of all you rightly wish for."
3.11देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः।"Nourish the devas (divine powers) through this offering, and let them nourish you. By caring for one another, you will reach the highest good."
3.12इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः।"Pleased by your offerings, the devas will give you the good things you desire. But one who enjoys their gifts without giving anything back is simply a thief."
3.13यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः।Good people who eat what remains after offering are freed from all faults. But those who cook only for themselves are in truth eating wrongdoing.
3.14अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।Living beings come from food; food comes from rain; rain comes from yajna (offering); and yajna arises from action.
3.15कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्।Know that action arises from the Veda (sacred knowledge), and the Veda comes from the Imperishable. So the all-pervading Brahman (ultimate reality) is always present in yajna.
3.16एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।Partha, whoever does not keep turning this wheel that has been set in motion, living carelessly and only for the pleasure of the senses, lives in vain.
3.17यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।But a person who delights only in the Self (one's true inner being), is satisfied in the Self, and is content in the Self alone, has no duty left to fulfil.
3.18नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन।Such a person has nothing to gain here by acting and nothing to lose by not acting. Nor do they depend on any being for any personal purpose.
3.19तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।Therefore, always do the work that needs to be done, without attachment. By acting without attachment, a person reaches the highest.
3.20कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः।King Janaka and others reached perfection through action itself. And keeping in view lokasangraha (the welfare and good order of the world), you too should act.
3.21यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः।Whatever a leading person does, others copy. Whatever standard they set, the world follows.
3.22न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन।Krishna says: "Partha, in all three worlds there is nothing I must do and nothing I have not gained that I need to gain. Yet I keep on acting."
3.23यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः।"If I ever stopped acting tirelessly, Partha, people everywhere would follow my path in every way."
3.24उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्।"If I did not act, these worlds would fall into ruin. I would be the cause of disorder and would harm all these people."
3.25सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत।Just as the unwise work with attachment to results, Bharata, the wise should work just as hard without attachment, wishing for the good of the world.
3.26न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।A wise person should not unsettle the minds of those who are attached to their work. Instead, working steadily themselves, they should inspire others to do their work willingly.
3.27प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः।All actions are actually carried out by the gunas (qualities) of nature. But a person confused by ego thinks, "I alone am the doer."
3.28तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः।But one who knows the truth about the gunas and their actions, mighty Arjuna, sees that it is only the qualities interacting with qualities, and so does not become attached.
3.29प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु।People confused by the gunas get attached to the actions those qualities produce. One who sees the whole picture should not unsettle those who see only part of it.
3.30मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा।Krishna says: "Offer all your actions to me, with your mind fixed on the Self. Free from craving and from the sense of 'mine', and with your anguish gone, fight."
3.31ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः।Those who follow this teaching of mine steadily, with faith and without finding fault, are also freed from the bondage of their actions.
3.32ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।But those who find fault with this teaching and do not follow it are confused about all knowledge. Know them to be lost and lacking discernment.
3.33सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि।Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature; what can mere forceful suppression achieve?
3.34इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।Attraction and aversion are naturally present in every sense towards its objects. Do not fall under their control, for they are obstacles on your path.
3.35श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।It is better to follow your own dharma (rightful duty), even imperfectly, than another's dharma done well. Even dying in one's own dharma is better; another's path brings fear.
3.36अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः।Arjuna asks: "Then, Krishna, what drives a person to do wrong even against their own wish, as if pushed by force?"
3.37काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः।Krishna answers: "It is desire, and it is anger, born of rajas (the quality of restless passion). It is never satisfied and leads to great wrong. Know it as the enemy here."
3.38धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।Just as fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and an unborn child by the womb, so is understanding covered by desire.
3.39आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।Son of Kunti, the wisdom of even the wise is covered by this constant enemy in the form of desire, which, like fire, can never be filled.
3.40इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते।The senses, the mind and the intellect are said to be where desire lives. Through them it covers understanding and confuses the embodied soul.
3.41तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ।Therefore, best of the Bharatas, first bring your senses under control, and then destroy this harmful force that ruins both knowledge and realisation.
3.42इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः।The senses are said to be higher than the body; the mind is higher than the senses; the intellect is higher than the mind; and higher than the intellect is the Self.
3.43एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना।Knowing the Self to be beyond the intellect, and steadying yourself by your own inner strength, mighty-armed Arjuna, conquer this enemy in the form of desire, which is so hard to defeat.