GITA Summary, Chapter - 3 of 18 (Karma Yoga)

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Hare Krishna. Pranam to all Vaishnavas,

I surrender unto the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, begging for His merciful blessings to, advise Gita-rahasya to His Bhaktas of this group .

GITA Summary of Chapter – 3 ( Karma Yoga)

Preface

Arjuna asks a strange question. Krishna never said that "vision is greater than action" in Chapter 2, and there were no "contradictions" in his presentation.

The idea of karmayoga is to participate in life, do one's dharma, and achieve salvation at the same time . There is a general belief that salvation can be achieved only by renouncing the world and becoming an ascetic. Jnanayoga represents that sentiment. But, It is possible to achieve salvation through karmayoga. In this chapter , Krishna explains why Arjuna must practice karmayoga. His argument is that "not even for a moment can a man be without action" , so karmayoga must be practiced to deal with that anyway. Another point is that "he who withdraws himself from actions, but ponders on their pleasures in his heart", in other words, even the "austere soul" , will not avoid karma. Krishna confirms, "Action is greater than inaction".

Also, Krishna warns" But the man lost in selfish delusion thinks that he himself is the actor" . The true Self (the Âtman or Purusa) does not cause anything to happen in the world. The gunas are the causes of all events. Salvation, therefore, is to overcome the "delusion" that we have any effect on events, or that they can really affect us. Life is just like watching a drama : we can get caught up in it emotionally, but it really can't materially affect us.

Sloka 1arjuna uvaca :

jyayasi cet karmanas te / mata buddhir janardanatat kim karmani ghore mam / niyojayasi kesava(Arjuna said: O Janardana, if You consider that intelligence related to bhakti, which is beyond the modes, is superior to action, then why, O Kesava, are You engaging me in this ghastly activity of fighting?)Sloka 2vyamisreneva vakyena / buddhim mohayasiva metad ekam vada niscitya / yena sreyo 'ham apnuyam(My intelligence seems to be bewildered by Your apparently ambiguous statements. Please, therefore, tell me decisively which path will be most beneficial for me.)Sloka 3sri bhagavan uvaca :

loke 'smin dvi-vidha nistha / pura prokta mayanaghajnana-yogena sankhyanam / karma-yogena yoginam(Sri Bhagavan said, "O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained clearly that there are two types of firm faith in this world. The faith of the sankhya-vadi-jnanis is in the path of jnana-yoga and that of the yogis is in niskama-karma-yoga.)Sloka 4na karmanam anarambhan / naiskarmyam puruso' snutena ca sannyasanad eva / siddhim samadhigacchati(Without performing karma as prescribed in sastra, a person cannot attain knowledge in the form of naiskarmya, nor can a person with an impure heart attain perfection merely by renouncing action (sannyasa).Sloka 5na hi kascit ksanam api / jatu tisthaty akarmakrtkaryate hy avasah karma / sarvah prakrti-jair

gunaih(No one can exist without performing action, even for a moment. Everyone engages in action influenced by the modes of attachment, envy and so on which are born of his nature.)Sloka 6karmendriyani samyamya / ya aste manasa smaranindriyarthan vimudhatma / mithyacarah sa ucyate(A deluded person who forcibly controls his working senses while internally meditating on sense objects is to be known as a hypocrite.)Sloka 7yas tv indriyani manasa / niyamyarabhate 'rjunakarmendriyaih karma-yogam / asaktah sa visisyate(O Arjuna, according to the injunctions of sastra, a person who performs action with his working senses (karmendriyas), but who has controlled his senses by his mind and who is free from all fruitive desires, is superior to the hypocrite who refrains from activity.)Sloka 8niyatam kuru karma tvam / karma jyayo

hy akarmanahsarira-yatrapi ca te / na prasidhyed akarmanah(Perform your prescribed duties such as sandhya and upasana, because action (karma) is better than inaction (akarma). If you refrain from action, you will not even be able to maintain your body.)Sloka 9yajnarthat karmano' nyatra / loko'yam karma-bandhanahtad-artham karma kaunteya / mukta-sangah samacara(O Kaunteya, all actions other than niskama-karma offered to Sri Visnu are a cause of bondage to this world. Therefore, become free from all desires for the fruits of your actions, and perform appropriate action solely for His satisfaction.)Sloka 10saha-yajnah prajah srstva / purovaca prajapatihanena prasavisyadhvam / esa vo 'stu ista-kama-dhuk(In the beginning of creation, Prajapati Brahma created brahmanas who were qualified to perform yajna, and also

men, devas and all the other subjects. He then blessed them, saying, "May you prosper by this yajna, and may it fulfil all your desires". )Sloka 11devan bhavayatanena / te deva bhavayantu vahparasparam bhavayantah / sreyah param avapsyatha(May you please the devas by this yajna, and may they please you in turn by granting your desired fruits. Satisfying one another in this way you will attain the supreme auspicious goal.)Sloka 12istan bhogan hi vo deva / dasyante yajna-bhavitahtair dattan apradayaibhyo / yo bhunkte stena eva sah(Being pleased by your yajna, the devas will award you your desired goals. Therefore a person who enjoys the ingredients given by the devas, without first offering them to the devas, is certainly a thief.)Sloka 13yajna-sistasinah santo / mucyante sarva-kilbisaihbhunjate te tv agham papa / ye

pacanty atma-karanat(Saintly persons who accept the remnants of yajna become free from sin, but those who cook grains and other foodstuffs for their own sake are sinful, and certainly partake of sin.)Sloka 14annad bhavanti bhutani / parjanyad anna-sambhavahyajnad bhavati parjanyo / yajnah karma-samudbhavah(All living beings are born from food grains, which are produced from rain. Rains are produced from yajna, and yajna is born of prescribed duties. )Sloka 15karma brahmodbhavam viddhi / brahmaksara-samudbhavamtasmat sarva-gatam brahma / nityam yajne pratisthitam(Know that prescribed duties are inspired by the Vedas and that the Vedas originate from Aksara. The all-pervading brahma is therefore always situated in yajna.)Sloka 16evam pravarttitam cakram / nanuvartayatiha yahaghayur

indriyaramo / mogham partha sa jivati(O Partha, in this world one who does not follow this cycle of karma, which is established by the Vedas, becomes attached to his senses and engaged in sinful activity. Thus he lives in vain.)Sloka 17yas tv atma-ratir eva syad / atma-trptas ca manavahatmany eva ca santustas / tasya karyam na vidyate(However, a person who delights in the self and who remains contented and satisfied in the self, has no duties to perform.)Sloka 18naiva tasya krtenartho / nakrteneha kascanana casya sarva-bhutesu / kascid artha-vyapasrayah(One who is atmarama does not attain any virtue by performing action in this world, nor does he incur any fault through not acting, and nor does he need to depend on any jiva in the universe for attaining his purpose.)Sloka 19tasmad

asaktah satatam / karyam karma samacaraasakto hy acaran karma / param apnoti purusah(Therefore, always perform your prescribed duties without attachment. By working in this way, a person attains the highest end. You should certainly always perform your karma free from all attachment, for that is how a person attains the Supreme.)Sloka 20karmanaiva hi samsiddhim / asthita janakadayahloka-sangraham evapi / sampasyan kartum arhasi(Saintly kings such as Janaka attained supreme perfection by performing karma (prescribed duties). Therefore, in consideration of setting an ideal for people in general, you should perform your prescribed duty.)Sloka 21yad yad acarati sresthas / tat tad evetaro janahsa yat pramanam kurute / lokas tad anuvarttate(Common people will follow the behaviour of a great man, and the whole world

will emulate the standards that he sets.)Sloka 22na me parthasti karttavyam / trisu lokesu kincanananavaptam avaptavyam / varta eva ca karmani(O Partha, I have no need to perform prescribed duties (karma), because there is nothing within the three worlds that I cannot attain, nor is there anything that I desire to attain. Even so, I am always engaged in performing prescribed duties.)

Sloka 23yadi hy aham na vartteyam / jatu karmany atandritahmama cartmanuvarttante / manusyah partha sarvasah(O Partha, if I ever failed to engage vigilantly in My prescribed duties, common people would certainly imitate Me in all respects.)Sloka 24utsideyur ime loka / na kuryam karma ced ahamsankarasya ca kartta syam / upahanyam imah prajah(If I did not perform karma, then everyone would become degraded and I would become the cause of promoting varna-sankara [unwanted population]. In this way, I would be instrumental in the destruction of the entire population.)Sloka 25saktah karmany avidvamso / yatha kurvanti bharatakuryad vidvams tathasaktas / cikirsur loka-sangraham(O descendant of Bharata, ignorant people perform karma with attachment. Those who are wise should also work, but without attachment, to set an ideal for the people in general )Sloka 26na buddhi-bhedam janayed / ajnanam karma-sanginamyojayet sarva-karmani / vidvan yuktah samacaran(One who is learned and experienced in jnana-yoga should not bewilder the intelligence of ignorant people by inducing them to give up their prescribed duties (karma) to engage in the culture of jnana. Rather, by properly performing all his own actions in a composed and detached state of mind, he should encourage them to engage in their own prescribed duties.)Sloka

27prakrteh kriyamanani / gunaih karmani sarvasahahankara-vimudhatma / karttaham iti manyate(All aspects of material activity are performed by the gunas (binding forces) of the Lord's material prakrti [nature], but a person whose intelligence is bewildered by false ego thinks himself to be the doer.)Sloka 28tattvavit tu maha-baho / guna-karma-vibhagayohguna gunesu varttanta / iti matva na sajjate(O Maha-baho Arjuna, one who is tattva-vit, who knows that the soul is aloof from the gunas and also knows the laws of karma (actions), does not falsely identify himself as the doer. Because he understands that the senses are engaged in their respective sense objects, he is aloof from them.)Sloka 29prakrter guna-sammudhah / sajjante guna-karmasutan akrtsna-vido mandan / krtsna-vin na vicalayet(Those bewildered by the three gunas become attached to sense objects. But one who is complete in knowledge should not unsettle such uninformed and less intelligent persons.)Sloka 30may sarvani karmani / sannyasyadhyatma-cetasanirasir nirmamo bhutva / yudhyasva vigata-jvarah(With your mind fixed in the self and offering all your activities to Me, being freed from desire, possessiveness and lamentation, fight.)Sloka 31ye me matam idam nityam / anutisthanti manavahsraddhavanto 'nasuyanto / mucyante te 'pi karmabhih(Those who are free from envy, who have complete faith in Me, and who always abide by this desire of Mine (to

perform niskama-karma-yoga), are liberated from the bondage of karma (fruitive activities).Sloka 32ye tv etad abhyasuyanto / nanutisthanti me matamsarva-jnana-vimudhams tan / viddhi nastan acetasah(But know that those envious persons who do not follow these instructions of Mine are bereft of discrimination and all true jnana, and are ruined in their endeavours for perfection.)Sloka 33sadrsam cestate svasyah / prakrter jnanavan apiprakrtim yanti bhutani / nigrahah kim karisyati(Even a wise man acts according to his own acquired disposition, for all beings follow their respective natures. What can be achieved by repression?)Sloka 34indriyasyendriyasyarthe / raga-dvesau vyavasthitautayor na vasam agacchet / tau hy asya paripanthinau(All the senses are invariably controlled by

attachment and aversion to their respective objects. Therefore one should never come under their sway because such attachment and aversion impede auspiciousness for the sadhakas.)Sloka 35sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah / para-dharmat svanusthitatsva-dharme nidhanam sreyah / para-dharmo bhayavahah( It is far better to execute one's sva-dharma, even though imperfectly, than to perform another's duty perfectly. It is better to die discharging one's own duty in accordance with the varnasrama system than to engage in another's duty, for it is dangerous to follow another's path. )Sloka 36árjuna uvaca :

atha kena prayukto 'yam / papam carati purusahanicchann api varsneya / balad iva niyojitah(Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrsni, what is it that forcibly impels a person to engage in sinful activities, although he is unwilling to do so? )Sloka 37sri bhagavan uvaca :

kama esa krodha esa / rajo-guna-samudbhavahmaha-sano maha-papma / viddhy enam iha vairinam(Sri Bhagavan said: This desire to enjoy sense objects, which indeed transforms into wrath, is born of passion. It is all-devouring and extremely formidable. Know it to be the primary enemy of the jivas in this world.)Sloka 38dhumenavriyate vahnir / yathadarso malena cayatholbenavrto garbhas / tatha tenedam avrtam(Just as fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and an embryo by the womb, true knowledge of the jiva remains covered by degrees of lust.)Sloka 39avrtam jnanam etena / jnanino nitya-vairinakama-rupena kaunteya /

duspurenanalena ca(O Kaunteya, the true knowledge of the wise is covered by the eternal enemy in the form of kama, which burns like fire and can never be satiated. )Sloka 40indriyani mano buddhir / asyadhisthanam ucyateetair vimohayaty esa / jnanam avrtya dehinam(The senses, mind and intelligence are said to be the dwelling places of this desire to enjoy. With their help, this lust covers the knowledge of the jiva and completely bewilders him.)Sloka 41tasmat tvam indriyany adau / niyamya bharatarsabhapapmanam prajahi hy enam / jnana-vijnana-nasanam(Therefore, O best of the descendants of Bharata, first control your senses in order to completely slay this evil kama [lust] which is the destroyer of both jnana (wisdom) and vijnana (realization of Me).Sloka 42indriyani parany ahur /

indriyebhyah param manahmanasas tu para buddhir / buddher yah paratas tu sah(The senses are said to be superior to inert matter, and the mind is superior to the senses. The intelligence is superior to the mind, and he, the atma, is superior even to the intelligence.)Sloka 43evam buddheh param buddhva / samstabhyatmanam atmanajahi satrum maha-baho / kama-rupam durasadam(O Maha-baho, in this way, knowing the jivatma to be superior to the intelligence, control the mind with the pure intelligence that is related to the true self, and destroy this insatiable enemy in the form of kama, the desire to enjoy.)

Ohm Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!!!

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev

 

(To Continue in next part ..)

NB - : The above is saved in the Folder, ‘Gita’ in ’s FILES. The chapter-wise summary of remaining (15) chapters of Bhagavad Gita , will be posted in (16) parts, in the coming days.

 

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