Chapter 3 - Karm Yog

Shloka एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः | अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ||३-१६|| Transliteration evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ . aghāyurindriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati ||3-16|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.16. Whosoever does not roll forward the wheel, thus set in motion in this world, he is a man of sinful life rejoicing in the senses; and he lives in vain, O son of Prtha ! Shri Purohit Swami 3.16 Thus he who does not help the revolving wheel of sacrifice, but instead leads a sinful life, rejoicing in the gratification of his senses, O Arjuna, he breathes in vain....

Shloka यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः | आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ||३-१७|| Transliteration yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ . ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate ||3-17|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.17. But the man, who simply rejoices in the Self; and who is satisfied in the Self; and who delights in the Self alone-there exists no action for him to be performed. Shri Purohit Swami 3.17 On the other hand, the soul who meditates on the Self is content to serve the Self and rests satisfied within the Self; there remains nothing more for him to accomplish....

Shloka नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन | न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ||३-१८|| Transliteration naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana . na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ ||3-18|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.18. No purpose is served for him by what he has done or by what he has not done. For him there is hardly any dependenc on any purpose among all beings. Shri Purohit Swami 3.18 He has nothing to gain by the performance or non-performance of action....

Shloka तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर | असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ||३-१९|| Transliteration tasmādasaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara . asakto hyācarankarma paramāpnoti pūruṣaḥ ||3-19|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.19. Therefore, unattached always, you should perform action that is to be performed; for, the person, performing action without attachment, attains the Supreme. Shri Purohit Swami 3.19 Therefore do thy duty perfectly, without care for the results, for he who does his duty disinterestedly attains the Supreme....

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;...

Shloka यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः | स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ||३-२१|| Transliteration yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ . sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate ||3-21|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.21. Whatsoever a great man does, other commoners do the same; whatever standard he sets up, the world follows that. Shri Purohit Swami 3.21 For whatever a great man does, others imitate. People conform to the standard which he has set. Sri Abhinav Gupta 3.21 See Comment under 3....

Shloka न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन | नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ||३-२२|| Transliteration na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana . nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi ||3-22|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.22. O son of Prtha ! For Me, in the three worlds there is nothing that must be done; nor is there any thing unattained [so far] to be attained; and yet I exert in action. Shri Purohit Swami 3....

Shloka यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः | मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ||३-२३|| Transliteration yadi hyahaṃ na varteyaṃ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ . mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||3-23|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.23. For, if I were ever not at work unwearied, all men would follow My path, O son of Prtha ! Shri Purohit Swami 3.23 For were I not to act without ceasing, O prince, people would be glad to do likewise....

Shloka उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् | सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ||३-२४|| Transliteration utsīdeyurime lokā na kuryāṃ karma cedaham . saṅkarasya ca kartā syāmupahanyāmimāḥ prajāḥ ||3-24|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.24. These worlds would perish if I were not to perform action; and I would be a cause of confusion; I would destroy these people. Shri Purohit Swami 3.24 And if I were to refrain from action, the human race would be ruined; I should lead the world to chaos, and destruction would follow....

Shloka सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत | कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ||३-२५|| Transliteration saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata . kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṃgraham ||3-25|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.25. [Therefore] just as the unwise persons, being attached to action, do, O son of Prtha, so the wise should perform, [But] being unattached and desiring to hold the world together. Shri Purohit Swami 3.25 As the ignorant act, because of their fondness for action, so should the wise act without such attachment, fixing their eyes, O Arjuna, only on the welfare of the world....

Shloka न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् | जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ||३-२६|| Transliteration na buddhibhedaṃ janayedajñānāṃ karmasaṅginām . joṣayetsarvakarmāṇi vidvānyuktaḥ samācaran ||3-26|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.26. Let the wise master of Yoga fulfil (or destroy) all actions by performing them all, and let him not creat any disturbance in the mind of the ingnorant persons attached to action. Shri Purohit Swami 3.26 But a wise man should not perturb the minds of the ignorant, who are attached to action; let him perform his own actions in the right spirit, with concentration on Me, thus inspiring all to do the same....

Shloka प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः | अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ||३-२७|| Transliteration prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ . ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate ||3-27|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.27. The actions are performed part by part, by the Strands of the Prakrti; [yet] the person, having his self (mind) deluded with egoity, imagines ‘I am [alone] the doer’. Shri Purohit Swami 3.27 Action is the product of the Qualities inherent in Nature. It is only the ignorant man who, misled by personal egotism, says: I am the doer....

Shloka तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः | गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ||३-२८|| Transliteration tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ . guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate ||3-28|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.28. But, O mighty-armed one, the knower of the real nature of the divisions of the Strands and of their [respective] divisions of work, realises : ‘The Strands are at their [respective] purposes’ And hence he is not attached. Shri Purohit Swami 3....

Shloka प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु | तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ||३-२९|| Transliteration prakṛterguṇasammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu . tānakṛtsnavido mandānkṛtsnavinna vicālayet ||3-29|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.29. Men, completely deluded by the Strands of the Prakrti, are attached to the actions of the Strands. Man, who know fully, should not confuse them, the dullard, who do not know fully. Shri Purohit Swami 3.29 Those who do not understand the Qualities are interested in the act. Still, the wise man who knows the truth should not disturb the mind of him who does not....

Shloka मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा | निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ||३-३०|| Transliteration mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṃnyasyādhyātmacetasā . nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ ||3-30|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 3.30. Renouncing all actions in Me, with mind that concentrates on the Self; being free from the act of reesting and from the sense of possession; and [conseently being free from [mental] fever; you should fight. Shri Purohit Swami 3.30 Therefore, surrendering thy actions unto Me, thy thoughts concentrated on the Absolute, free from selfishness and without anticipation of reward, with mind devoid of excitement, begin thou to fight....