Shloka
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः |
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ||३-२०||Transliteration
karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ .
lokasaṃgrahamevāpi sampaśyankartumarhasi ||3-20||Translations
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan
3.20. It was by action alone that Janaka and others had attained emancipation. Further, at least having regard to hold the world (the society) together you should act.
Shri Purohit Swami
3.20 King Janaka and others attained perfection through action alone. Even for the sake of enlightening the world, it is thy duty to act;
Sri Abhinav Gupta
3.20 Karman=aiva etc. Therefore, janaka and others are examples for the fact that emancipation is even for those who perform action.
Sri Ramanuja
3.20 It is also declared that Karma Yoga alone Janaka and others reached perfection.
Because, Karma Yoga is the best means for securing the vision of the self even for a person who is alified for Jnana Yoga, royal sages like Janaka and others, who are foremost among the Jnanins, preferred Karma Yoga as the means for attaining perfection.
Thus, having first declared previously that Karma Yoga must be practised by an aspirant for release who is alified for Karma Yoga alone, as he is unfit for Jnana Yoga, it was next stated with reasons that, even for one who is alified for Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga is better than Jnana Yoga Now it is going to be declared (in verses 20-26) that Karma Yoga must be performed in every way by one who is virtuous.
At least for the guidance of the world, you should do work even if there is no need of it for yourself.
Sri Shankaracharya
3.20 Hi, for; in the olden days, the leaned Ksatriyas, janakadayah, Janaka and others such as Asvapati; asthitah, strove to attain; samsiddim, Liberation; karmana eva, through action itself. If it be that they were possessed of the fullest realization, then the meaning is that they remained established in Liberation whlile continuing, because of past momentum, to be associated with action itself-without renouncing it-with a veiw to preventing mankind from going astray. Again, if (it be that) Janaka and others had not attained fullest realization, then, they gradually became established in Liberation through action which is a means for the purification of the mind. The verse is to be explained thus. On the other hand, if you think, ‘Obligatory duty was performed even by Janaka and others of olden days who were surely unenlightened. [Ajanadbhih: This is also translated as, ‘surely because they were unenlightened’.-Tr.] There by it does not follow that action has to be undertaken by somody else who has the fullest enlightenment and has reached his Goal’, nevertheless, tvam, you, who are under the influence of past actions; arhasi, ought; kartum, to perform (your duties); sampasyan api, keeping also in view; loka-sangraham, [V.S.A gives the meanings of the phrase as ’the welfare of the world’, and ‘propitiation of mankind’.-Tr. ] the prevention of mankind from going astray; even that purpose. By whom, and how, is mankind to be prevented from going astray? That is being stated: [In Ast. this introductory sentence is as follows:loka-samgrahah kimartham kartavyam iti ucyate.-Tr.]
Swami Adidevananda
3.20 Indeed by Karma Yoga alone did Janaka and others reach perfection. Even recognising its necessity for the guidance of the world, you must perform action.
Swami Gambirananda
3.20 For Janaka and others strove to attain Liberation through action itself. You ought to perform (your duties) keeping also in view the prevention of mankind from going astray.
Swami Sivananda
3.20 Janaka and others attained perfection verily by action only; even with a view to the protection of the masses thou shouldst perform action.
Commentaries
Swami Sivananda
3.20 कर्मणा by action? एव only? हि verily? संसिद्धिम् perfection? आस्थिताः attained? जनकादयः Janaka and others? लोकसंग्रहम् protection of the masses? एवापि only? संपश्यन् having in view? कर्तुम् to perform? अर्हसि thou shouldst.Commentary Samsiddhi is Moksha (perfection or liberation). Janaka? (Asvapati) and others had perfect knowledge of the Self? and yet they performed actions in order to set an example to the masses. They worked for the guidance of men.