Chapter 3 · 43 verses

कर्मयोग

Karma Yoga

The Yoga of Action

Krishna explains why action is unavoidable and superior to inaction, the importance of doing one's prescribed duty (svadharma) without attachment, the wheel of yajna, and how desire and anger are the great enemies of the seeker.

Theme: Selfless action as the path to liberation

All Shlokas (Shloka 1–43)

43 verses

3.1
अर्जुन उवाचArjuna said: If Thou thinkest that knowledge is superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O Kesava, doest Thou ask me to engage in this terrible action?
3.2
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे।With this seemingly perplexing speech, you seem to be confusing my understanding; therefore, tell me one certain way by which I may attain bliss.
3.3
श्री भगवानुवाचThe Blessed Lord said, "In this world, there is a twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one: the path of knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of action of the Yogins."
3.4
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।Man does not reach actionlessness by not performing actions; nor does he attain perfection by mere renunciation.
3.5
न हि कश्िचत्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।Verily, no one can remain for even a moment without performing action; for everyone is made to act helplessly, indeed, by the qualities born of Nature.
3.6
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्।He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in his mind, he of deluded understanding is called a hypocrite.
3.7
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।But whoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels.
3.8
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।Perform your bounden duty, for action is superior to inaction, and even the maintenance of the body would not be possible for you through inaction.
3.9
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), perform actions for that sake alone, free from attachment.
3.10
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः।The Creator, having in the beginning created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall you propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires—the cow that yields all the desired objects."
3.11
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः।With this, nourish the gods, and may the gods nourish you; thus, nourishing each other, you shall attain the highest good.
3.12
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः।The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the gods without offering anything in return is indeed a thief.
3.13
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः।The righteous who eat the remnants of the sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food solely for their own sake indeed consume sin.
3.14
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।From food come forth beings; from rain, food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action.
3.15
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्।Know that action comes from Brahma, and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervasive Brahma ever rests in sacrifice.
3.16
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।He who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, lives in vain, O Arjuna.
3.17
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self and is content in the Self alone, indeed there is nothing to do.
3.18
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन।For him, there is no interest whatsoever in what is done or not done; nor does he depend on any being for any purpose.
3.19
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।Therefore, without attachment, always perform the actions that should be done; for by performing actions without attachment, one reaches the Supreme.
3.20
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः।Janaka and others attained perfection indeed through action alone; even with the intention of protecting the masses, you should perform action.
3.21
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः।Whatever a great man does, others also do; whatever he establishes as the standard, the world follows.
3.22
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन।There is nothing in the three worlds, O Arjuna, that needs to be done by Me, nor is there anything unattained that needs to be attained; yet I engage Myself in action.
3.23
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः।For, should I not ever engage myself in action, unwearied, people would in every way follow my path, O Arjuna.
3.24
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्।These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.
3.25
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत।As the ignorant act out of attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the wise act without attachment, wishing for the welfare of the world.
3.26
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।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.
3.27
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः।All actions are wrought in all cases by the qualities of Nature alone. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the doer."
3.28
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः।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.
3.29
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु।Those deluded by the qualities of Nature are attached to the functions of the qualities. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish one who is of imperfect knowledge.
3.30
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा।Renouncing all actions in Me, with the mind centered on the Self, free from hope and egoism, and from mental fever, fight thou.
3.31
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः।Those who constantly practice this teaching of Mine with faith and without caviling, they too are freed from actions.
3.32
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।But those who criticize My teaching and do not practice it, deprived of all knowledge and lacking discernment, know them to be doomed to destruction.
3.33
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि।Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings will follow their nature; what can restraint do?
3.34
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।Attachment and aversion for the objects of the senses abide in the senses; let no one come under their sway; for, they are his enemies.
3.35
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly done, than the duty of another well performed. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.
3.36
अर्जुन उवाचArjuna said, "But what compels man to commit sin, even against his wishes, O Varshneya (Krishna), as if constrained by force?"
3.37
श्री भगवानुवाचThe Blessed Lord said, "It is desire and it is anger, both of the quality of Rajas, all-devouring and all-sinful; know this as the foe here in this world."
3.38
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, and as an embryo is surrounded by the amniotic sac, so is this enveloped by that.
3.39
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is insatiable like fire.
3.40
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते।The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be its seat; through these, it deludes the embodied one, veiling their wisdom.
3.41
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ।Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, control your senses first and then kill this sinful thing, which destroys knowledge and realization.
3.42
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः।They say that the senses are superior to the body; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and He (the Self) is superior even to the intellect.
3.43
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना।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.