BHAGAVAD-GITA 3:16

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 3:16

 

evam pravartitam cakram

nanuvartayatiha yah

aghayur indriyaramo

mogham partha sa jivati

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

evam--thus; pravartitam--established by the Vedas; cakram--cycle;

na--does not; anuvartayati--adopt; iha--in this life; yah--one who;

agha-ayuh--whose life is full of sins; indriya-aramah--satisfied in

sense gratification; mogham--uselessly; partha--O son of Prtha

(Arjuna); sah--he; jivati--lives.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of

sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of

sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person

lives in vain.

 

PURPORT

 

The mammonist philosophy of "work very hard and enjoy sense

gratification" is condemned herein by the Lord. Therefore, for those

who want to enjoy this material world, the above-mentioned cycle of

performing yajnas is absolutely necessary. One who does not follow

such regulations is living a very risky life, being condemned more and

more. By nature's law, this human form of life is specifically meant

for self-realization, in either of the three ways--namely karma-yoga,

jnana-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. There is no necessity of rigidly following

the performances of the prescribed yajnas for the transcendentalists

who are above vice and virtue; but those who are engaged in sense

gratification require purification by the abovementioned cycle of

yajna performances. There are different kinds of activities. Those who

are not Krsna conscious are certainly engaged in sensory

consciousness; therefore they need to execute pious work. The yajna

system is planned in such a way that sensory conscious persons may

satisfy their desires without becoming entangled in the reaction of

sense-gratificatory work. The prosperity of the world depends not on

our own efforts but on the background arrangement of the Supreme Lord,

directly carried out by the demigods. Therefore, the yajnas are

directly aimed at the particular demigods mentioned in the Vedas.

Indirectly, it is the practice of Krsna consciousness, because when

one masters the performance of yajnas one is sure to become Krsna

conscious. But if by performing yajnas one does not become Krsna

conscious, such principles are counted as only moral codes. One should

not, therefore, limit his progress only to the point of moral codes,

but should transcend them, to attain Krsna consciousness.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.