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Chapter III |  |
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Chapters
arjuna uvaca jyayasi cet karmanas te Arjuna said: 1. If it is held by you, O Janardana, that knowledge is superior to action, why then do you, O Kesava, enjoin on me this terrible action? vyamisreneva vakyena 2. With these perplexing words, you are, as it were, confusing my comprehension. Tell me with certainty the path by pursuing which I may get at the Supreme. sri-bhagavan uvaca loke 'smin dvi-vidha nistha The Blessed Lord Said: 3. I gave the twofold path. O sinless one, to the world in the beginning - the path of knowledge to the discerning, the path of work to the active [devotional service]. na karmanam anarambhan 4. Man gains not actionlessness by abstaining from activity, nor does he rise to perfection by mere renunciation. na hi kascit ksanam api 5. None can ever remain really actionless even for a moment; for everyone is helplessly driven to action by the Gunas, born of Prakriti. karmendriyani samyamya 6. That deluded man is called a hypocrite who sits controlling the organs of action, but dwelling in his mind on the objects of the senses. yas tv indriyani manasa 7. But he excels, O Arjuna, who, restraining the senses by the mind, unattached, directs his organs of action to the path of work. niyatam kuru karma tvam 8. Engage yourself in obligatory work; for action is superior to inaction, and if inactive, even the mere maintenance of your body would not be possible. yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra 9. The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of Yajna. Do therefore, O son of Kunti, earnestly perform action for Yajna alone, free from attachment. saha-yajnah prajah srstva 10. Having created mankind in the beginning together with Yajna, the Prajapati said: "By this shall you propagate; this shall be the milch cow of your desires." devan bhavayatanena 11. Cherish the Devas with this; and may those Devas cherish you; thus cherishing one another, you shall reap the supreme good. istan bhogan hi vo deva 12. "Cherished by Yajna, the Devas shall bestow on you the enjoyments you desire." A thief verily is he who enjoys what is given by them without returning to them anything. yajna-sistasinah santo 13. The good who eat the remains of Yajna are freed from all sins; but the sinful ones who cook food only for themselves, they verily eat sin. annad bhavanti bhutani 14. All living beings subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and Yajna is born of karma. karma brahmodbhavam viddhi 15. Know karma to have risen from the Veda, and the Veda from the Imperishable. The all-pervading Veda is, therefore, ever centered in Yajna [acts of sacrifice]. evam pravartitam cakram 16. He who does not follow on earth the wheel thus revolving, sinful of life and rejoicing in the senses, he, O Partha, lives in vain. yas tv atma-ratir eva syad 17. But the man who rejoices in the Self, is satisfied with the Self, and is centred in the Self, for him verily there is no obligatory duty. naiva tasya krtenartho 18. For him there is in this world no object to acquire by doing an action; nor is there any loss by not doing an action; nor has he to depend on anybody for anything. tasmad asaktah satatam 19. Therefore, constantly perform your obligatory duty without attachment; for, by doing duty without attachment man verily obtains the Supreme. karmanaiva hi samsiddhim 20. Janaka and others indeed achieved perfection by action; therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work. yad yad acarati sresthas 21. Others follow whatever a great man does; people go by the example he sets up. na me parthasti kartavyam 22. There is naught in the three worlds, O Partha that has not been done by Me, or anything unattained that might be attained; still I engage in action. yadi hy aham na varteyam 23. If ever I failed to engage in work relentless, O Partha, men would in every respect follow My path. utsideyur ime loka 24. These worlds would perish if I did not do action; I should be the cause of confusion of species and I should thereby destroy the peace of these beings. saktah karmany avidvamso 25. As the unenlightened act from attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the enlightened act without attachment, desirous of the guidance of the multitude. na buddhi-bhedam janayed 26. Let not the wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people attached to karma. By doing persistently and precisely let the wise induce the others in all activities. prakrteh kriyamanani 27. The Gunas of Prakriti perform all karma. With the understanding clouded by egoism, man thinks, "I am the doer." tattva-vit tu maha-baho 28. But, O mighty-armed, the one who is in knowledge of the Absolute truth does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results. prakrter guna-sammudhah 29. Those deluded by the Gunas of Prakriti get attached to the functions of the Gunas. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the mediocre whose knowledge is imperfect. mayi sarvani karmani 30. Surrendering all actions to Me, with your thoughts resting on Self, freed from hope and selfishness and cured of mental fever, engage in battle. ye me matam idam nityam 31. Those who ever abode in this teaching of Mine, full of sraddha and free from caviling, they too are released from actions. ye tv etad abhyasuyanto 32. But those who out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them are; deluded in all knowledge and devoid of discrimination, know them to be ruined. sadrsam cestate svasyah 33. Even a wise man behaves in conformity with his own nature; beings follow nature; what can repression accomplish? indriyasyendriyasyarthe 34. Attachment and aversion of the senses for their respective objects are natural; let none come under their domination; they are verily his enemies. sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah 35. One's own dharma, though imperfect, is better than the dharma of another well discharged. Better death in one's own dharma; the dharma of another is full of fear. arjuna uvaca atha kena prayukto 'yam Arjuna said: 36. O Varshneya, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engagaed by force? sri-bhagavan uvaca kama esa krodha esa The Blessed Lord said: 37. It is desire, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath begotten by the Rajoguna; all consuming, all sinful, know this as the foe here on earth. dhumenavriyate vahnir 38. As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo by the womb, so is this living entity similarly covered by different degrees of this lust. avrtam jnanam etena 39. Knowledge is covered, O son of Kunti, by this insatiable fire of desire, the constant foe of the wise. avrtam jnanam etena 40. The senses, the mind and the intellect are said to be its seat; by these it deludes man by veiling his wisdom. tasmat tvam indriyany adau 41. Therefore, O eminent of the Bharatas, mastering first the senses, slay it - the sinful, the destroyer of knowledge and self-realization. indriyani parany ahur 42. The senses are said to be superior to the body; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and what is superior to the intellect is Atman [soul]. evam buddheh param buddhva 43. Thus knowing Him as superior to the intellect, restraining the self by the Self, slay, O mighty-armed, the enemy in the form of desire, difficult to overcome. In the Upanishad of the Bhagavad Gita, the knowledge of Brahman, the Supreme, the science of Yoga and the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, this is the third discourse designated. THE YOGA OF ACTION |
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