Chapter 3
कर्मयोग
Karma Yoga
The third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Karma Yoga" or the "Path of Selfless Service". Here Lord Krishna emphasizes the importance of karma in life. He reveals that it is important for every human being to engage in some sort of activity in this material world. Further, he describes the kinds of actions that lead to bondage and the kinds that lead to liberation. Those persons who continue to perform their respective duties externally for the pleasure of the Supreme, without attachment to its rewards get liberation at the end.
अर्जुन उवाच |...
3.1 Arjuna said If Thou thinkest that knowledge is superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O Kesav...
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे |...
3.2 With this apparently perplexing speech, Thou confusest, as it were, my understanding; therefore ...
श्रीभगवानुवाच |...
3.3 The Blessed Lord said In this world there is a twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one; t...
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते |...
3.4 Not by non-performance of actions does man reach actionlessness; nor by mere renunciation does h...
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् |...
3.5 Verily none can ever remain for even a moment without performing action; for everyone is made to...
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् |...
3.6 He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in mind, he of delu...
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन |...
3.7 But whosoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga with ...
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः |...
3.8 Do thou perform (thy) bounden duty, for action is superior to inaction and even the maintenance ...
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः |...
3.9 The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, the...
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः |...
3.10 The Creator, having in the beginning (of creation) created mankind together with sacrifice, sai...
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः |...
3.11 With this do ye nourish the gods and may those gods nourish you; thus nourishing one another, y...
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः |...
3.12 The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the ...
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः |...
3.13 The righteous who eat the remnants of the sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those sinful o...
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः |...
3.14 From food come forth beings; from rain food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain and sacrifi...
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् |...
3.15 Know thou that action comes from Brahma and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the ...
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः |...
3.16 He who does not follow here the wheel thus set revolving, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in t...
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः |...
3.17 But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self and who is conte...
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन |...
3.18 For him there is no interest whatever in what is done or what is not done; nor does he depend o...
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर |...
3.19 Therefore without attachment, do thou always perform action which should be done; for by perfor...
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः |...
3.20 Janaka and others attained perfection verily by action only; even with a view to the protection...
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः |...
3.21 Whatsoever a great man does, that the other men also do; whatever he sets up as the standard, t...
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन |...
3.22 There is nothing in the three worlds, O Arjuna, that should be done by Me, nor is there anythin...
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः |...
3.23 For, should I not ever engage Myself in action, unwearied, men would in every way follow My pat...
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् |...
3.24 These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I should be the author of confusion of c...
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत |...
3.25 As the ignorant men act from attachment to action, O Bharata (Arjuna), so should the wise act w...
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् |...
3.26 Let no wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people who are attached to action; he should enga...
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः |...
3.27 All actions are wrought in all cases by the alities of Nature only. He whose mind is deluded by...
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः |...
3.28 But he who knows the Truth, O mighty-armed (Arjuna), about the divisions of the alities and (th...
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु |...
3.29 Those deluded by the alities of Nature are attached to the functions of the alities. The man of...
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा |...
3.30 Renouncing all actions in Me, with the mind centred in the Self, free from hope and egoism, and...
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः |...
3.31 Those men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine with faith and without cavilling, they ...
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् |...
3.32 But those who carp at My teaching and do not practise it, deluded of all knowledge, and devoid ...
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि |...
3.33 Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings will follow Nature; what can re...
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ |...
3.34 Attachment and aversion for the objects of the senses abide in the senses; let none come under ...
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |...
3.35 Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit than the duty of another well discharged. Bett...
अर्जुन उवाच |...
3.36 Arjuna said But impelled by what does man commit sin, though against his wishes, O Varshneya (...
श्रीभगवानुवाच |...
3.37 The Blessed Lord said It is desire, it is anger both of the ality of Rajas, all-devouring, all...
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च |...
3.38 As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is this ...
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा |...
3.39 O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which i...
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते |...
3.40 The senses, the mind and the intellect are said to be its seat; through these it deludes the em...
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ |...
3.41 Therefore, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), controlling the senses first, do thou kill this sin...
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः |...
3.42 They say that the senses are superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind; superi...
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना |...
3.43 Thus knowing Him Who is superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the Self, slay th...