Arjuna Uvaacha
Jyaayasee chet karmanaste mataa buddhir
janaardana;
Tat kim karmani ghore maam niyojayasi
keshava.(1)
Arjuna said:
If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is
superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O Kesava, dost Thou ask me to
engage in this terrible action?
yaamishreneva vaakyena buddhim mohayaseeva
me;
Tadekam vada nishchitya yena shreyo’ham
aapnuyaam.(2)
With these apparently perplexing words Thou confusest, as
it were, my understanding; therefore, tell me that one way
for certain by which I may attain bliss.
Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Loke’smin dwividhaa nishthaa puraa proktaa
mayaanagha;
Jnaanayogena saankhyaanaam karmayogena
yoginaam.(3)
The Blessed Lord said:
In this world there is a twofold
path, as I said before, O sinless one, the path ofknowledge of the Sankhyas and
the path of action of the Yogis!
Na karmanaam anaarambhaan naishkarmyam
purusho’shnute;
Na cha sannyasanaad eva siddhim
samadhigacchati.(4)
Not by the non-performance of actions does man
reach actionlessness, nor by mere renunciation does he attain to
perfection.
Na hi kashchit kshanamapi jaatu
tishthatyakarmakrit;
Kaaryate hyavashah karma sarvah
prakritijair gunaih.(5)
Verily none can ever remain for even a moment without performing action; for, everyone
is made to act helplessly indeed
by the qualities born of Nature.
Karmendriyaani samyamya ya aaste manasaa
smaran;
Indriyaarthaan vimoodhaatmaa mithyaachaarah
sa uchyate.(6)
He who, restraining the organs
of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in mind, he, of deluded understanding, is called
a hypocrite.
Yastwindriyaani manasaa
niyamyaarabhate’rjuna;
Karmendriyaih karmayogam asaktah sa
vishishyate.(7)
But whosoever, controlling the
senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga with the organs of action,
without attachment, he excels!
Niyatam kuru karma twam karma jyaayo
hyakarmanah;
Shareerayaatraapi cha te na prasiddhyed
akarmanah.(8)
Do thou perform thy bounden duty, for action
is superior to inaction and even the maintenance of the body would
not be possible for thee by inaction.
Yajnaarthaat karmano’nyatra loko’yam
karmabandhanah;
Tadartham karma kaunteya muktasangah
samaachara.(9)
The world is bound by actions
other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti,
perform action for that sake (for sacrifice) alone, free from attachment!
Sahayajnaah prajaah srishtwaa purovaacha
prajaapatih;
Anena prasavishyadhwam esha
vo’stvishtakaamadhuk.(10)
The Creator, having in the
beginning of creation created mankind together with sacrifice, said: “By this shall
ye propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires (the cow which yields the desired objects)”.
Devaan bhaavayataanena te devaa bhaavayantu
vah;
Parasparam bhaavayantah shreyah param
avaapsyatha.(11)
With this do ye nourish the gods, and may the
gods nourish you; thus nourishing one another, ye shall attain to the
highest good.
Ishtaan bhogaan hi vo devaa daasyante
yajnabhaavitaah;
Tair dattaan apradaayaibhyo yo bhungkte
stena eva sah.(12)
The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the
desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the
gods without offering (in return) to them, is verily a thief.
Yajnashishtaashinah santo muchyante sarva
kilbishaih;
Bhunjate te twagham paapaa ye pachantyaatma
kaaranaat.(13)
The righteous, who eat of the
remnants of the sacrifice, are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food (only)
for their own sake, verily eat sin.
Annaad bhavanti bhootaani parjanyaad anna
sambhavah;
Yajnaad bhavati parjanyo yajnah karma
samudbhavah.(14)
From food come forth beings, and
from rain food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action.
Karma brahmodbhavam viddhi brahmaakshara
samudbhavam;
Tasmaat sarvagatam brahma nityam yajne
pratishthitam.(15)
Know thou that action comes from Brahma, and
Brahma proceeds from the Imperishable. Therefore, the
all-pervading (Brahma) ever rests in sacrifice.
Evam pravartitam chakram naanuvartayateeha
yah;
Aghaayur indriyaaraamo mogham paartha sa
jeevati.(16)
He who does not follow the wheel thus set
revolving, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, he lives in vain, O
Arjuna!
Yastwaatmaratir eva syaad aatmatriptashcha
maanavah;
Aatmanyeva cha santushtas tasya kaaryam na
vidyate.(17)
But for that man who rejoices
only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, who is content
in the Self alone, verily there
is nothing to do.
Naiva tasya kritenaartho naakriteneha
kashchana;
Na chaasya sarvabhooteshu kashchidartha
vyapaashrayah.(18)
For him there is no interest
whatsoever in what is done or what is not done; nor does he depend on any being for any
object.
Tasmaad asaktah satatam kaaryam karma
samaachara;
Asakto hyaacharan karma param aapnoti
poorushah.(19)
Therefore, without attachment,
do thou always perform action which should be done; for, by performing action
without attachment man reaches the Supreme.
Karmanaiva hi samsiddhim aasthitaa
janakaadayah;
Lokasangraham evaapi sampashyan kartum
arhasi.(20)
Janaka and others attained perfection verily by action
only; even with a view to the protection of the masses thou
shouldst perform action.
Yadyad aacharati shreshthas tattadevetaro
janah;
Sa yat pramaanam kurute lokas tad
anuvartate.(21)
Whatsoever a great man does,
that other men also do; whatever he sets up as the standard, that the world
follows.
Na me paarthaasti kartavyam trishu lokeshu
kinchana;
Naanavaaptam avaaptavyam varta eva cha
karmani.(22)
There is nothing in the three
worlds, O Arjuna, that should be done by Me, nor is there anything unattained that should
be attained; yet I engage Myself in action!
Yadi hyaham na varteyam jaatu
karmanyatandritah;
Mama vartmaanuvartante manushyaah paartha
sarvashah.(23)
For, should I not ever engage
Myself in action, unwearied, men would in every way follow My path, O Arjuna!
Utseedeyur ime lokaa na kuryaam karma ched
aham;
Sankarasya cha kartaa syaam upahanyaam
imaah prajaah.(24)
These worlds would perish if I did not perform
action; I should be the author of confusion of castes and
destruction of these beings.
Saktaah karmanyavidwaamso yathaa kurvanti
bhaarata;
Kuryaad vidwaam stathaa saktash chikeershur
lokasangraham.(25)
As the ignorant men act from
attachment to action, O Bharata (Arjuna), so should the wise act without attachment,
wishing the welfare of the world!
Na buddhibhedam janayed ajnaanaam
karmasanginaam;
Joshayet sarva karmaani vidwaan yuktah
samaacharan.(26)
Let no wise man unsettle the
minds of ignorant people who are attached to action; he should engage them in all
actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion.
Prakriteh kriyamaanaani gunaih karmaani
sarvashah;
Ahamkaaravimoodhaatmaa kartaaham iti
manyate.(27)
All actions are wrought in all
cases by the qualities of Nature only. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks: “I am
the doer”.
Tattwavittu mahaabaaho gunakarma
vibhaagayoh;
Gunaa guneshu vartanta iti matwaa na
sajjate.(28)
But he who knows the truth, O mighty-armed
Arjuna, about the divisions of the qualities and their functions, knowing
that the Gunas as senses move amidst the Gunas as the sense-objects,
is not attached.
Prakriter gunasammoodhaah sajjante
gunakarmasu;
Taan akritsnavido mandaan kritsnavin na
vichaalayet.(29)
Those deluded by the qualities of Nature are attached to the functions of the qualities. A man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish one of imperfect knowledge.
Mayi sarvaani karmaani sannyasyaadhyaatma
chetasaa;
Niraasheer nirmamo bhootwaa yudhyaswa
vigatajwarah.(30)
Renouncing all actions in Me,
with the mind centred in the Self, free from hope and egoism, and from (mental) fever,
do thou fight.
Ye me matam idam nityam anutishthanti
maanavaah;
Shraddhaavanto’nasooyanto muchyante te’pi
karmabhih.(31)
Those men who constantly
practise this teaching of Mine with faith and without cavilling, they too are freed
from actions.
Ye twetad abhyasooyanto naanutishthanti me
matam;
Sarvajnaanavimoodhaam staan viddhi nashtaan
achetasah.(32)
But those who carp at My
teaching and do not practise it, deluded in all knowledge and devoid of discrimination, know
them to be doomed to destruction.
Sadrisham cheshtate swasyaah prakriter
jnaanavaan api;
Prakritim yaanti bhootaani nigrahah kim
karishyati.(33)
Even a wise man acts in
accordance with his own nature; beings will follow nature; what can restraint do?
Indriyasyendriyasyaarthe raagadweshau
vyavasthitau;
Tayor na vasham aagacchet tau hyasya
paripanthinau.(34)
Attachment and aversion for the objects of the
senses abide in the senses; let none come under their sway, for they are
his foes.
Shreyaan swadharmo vigunah paradharmaat
swanushthitaat;
Swadharme nidhanam shreyah paradharmo
bhayaavahah.(35)
Better is one’s own duty, though devoid of
merit, than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in
one’s own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Atha kena prayukto’yam paapam charati
poorushah;
Anicchann api vaarshneya balaad iva
niyojitah.(36)
Arjuna said:
But impelled by what does man commit sin,
though against his wishes, O Varshneya (Krishna), constrained, as it
were, by force?
Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Kaama esha krodha esha rajoguna
samudbhavah;
Mahaashano mahaapaapmaa viddhyenam iha
vairinam.(37)
The Blessed Lord said:
It is desire, it is anger born of the quality
of Rajas, all-sinful and all-devouring; know this as the foe here (in this world).
Dhoomenaavriyate vahnir yathaadarsho malena
cha;
Yatholbenaavrito garbhas tathaa tenedam
aavritam.(38)
As fire is enveloped by smoke,
as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is this enveloped by that.
Aavritam jnaanam etena jnaanino
nityavairinaa;
Kaamaroopena kaunteya dushpoorenaanalena
cha.(39)
O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant
enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which is unappeasable as fire!
Indriyaani mano buddhir asyaadhishthaanam
uchyate;
Etair vimohayatyesha jnaanam aavritya
dehinam(40)
The senses, mind and intellect are said to be
its seat; through these it deludes the embodied by veiling his wisdom.
Tasmaat twam indriyaanyaadau niyamya
bharatarshabha;
Paapmaanam prajahi hyenam jnaana vijnaana
naashanam.(41)
Therefore, O best of the
Bharatas (Arjuna), controlling the senses first, do thou kill this sinful thing (desire), the
destroyer of knowledge and realisation!
Indriyaani paraanyaahur indriyebhyah param
manah;
Manasastu paraa buddhir yo buddheh
paratastu sah.(42)
They say that the senses are
superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind; superior to the mind is the
intellect; and one who is superior even to the intellect is He the Self.
Evam buddheh param buddhwaa
samstabhyaatmaanam aatmanaa;
Jahi shatrum mahaabaaho kaamaroopam
duraasadam.(43)
Thus, knowing Him who is
superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed
Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer!
Hari Om Tat Sat
Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu
Brahmavidyaayaam
Yogashaastre Sri Krishnaarjunasamvaade
Karmayogo Naama Tritiyo’dhyaayah
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the
science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and
Arjuna, ends the third discourse entitled:
In order to remove Moha or
attachment, which was the sole cause of Arjuna’s delusion, Sri Krishna taught
him the imperishable nature of the Atman, the realisation of which would grant
him the freedom of the Eternal. A doubt
therefore arises in Arjuna’s mind as to the necessity of engaging in action
even after one has attained this state. Sri Krishna clears this doubt by
telling him that although one has realised oneness with the Eternal, one has to
perform action through the force of Prakriti or Nature. He emphasises that perfection
is attained not by ceasing to engage in action but by doing all actions as a
divine offering, imbued with a spirit of non-attachment and sacrifice.
The man of God-vision, Sri
Krishna explains to Arjuna, need not engage in action, as he has attained
everything that has to be attained. He can be ever absorbed in the calm and
immutable Self. But to perform action for the good of the world and for the
education of the masses is no doubt superior. Therefore, action is necessary
not only for one who has attained perfection but also for one who is striving
for perfection. Sri Krishna quotes the example of Janaka, the great sage-king
of India, who continued to rule his kingdom even after attaining
God-realisation. Prakriti or Nature is made up of the three qualities—Rajas,
Tamas and Sattwa. The Atman is beyond these three qualities and their
functions. Only when knowledge of this fact dawns in man does he attain
perfection.
The Lord tells Arjuna that each
one should do his duty according to his nature, and that doing duty that is
suited to one’s nature in the right spirit of detachment will lead to
perfection. Arjuna raises the question as to why man commits such actions that
cloud his mind and drag him downwards, by force, as it were. Sri Krishna
answers that it is desire that impels man to lose his discrimination and
understanding, and thus commit wrong actions. Desire is the root cause of all evil
actions. If desire is removed, then the divine power manifests in its full
glory and one enjoys peace, bliss, light and freedom.
