कर्मयोग

ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन। तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव

॥ 3.1 ॥

If, O Janardana, according to You, knowledge is superior to action, why then, O Keshava, do You engage me in this terrible action?

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे। तदेकं वद निश्िचत्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम्

॥ 3.2 ॥

With these seemingly conflicting words You are, as it were, bewildering my understanding. Tell me that one thing for certain by which I can attain to the highest.

लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ। ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्

॥ 3.3 ॥

In the beginning [of creation], O sinless one, the twofold path of devotion was given by Me to this world: the path of knowledge for the meditating, the path of work for the active.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते। न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति

॥ 3.4 ॥

By non-performance of work none reaches worklessness; by merely giving up action no one attains to perfection.

न हि कश्िचत्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्। कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः

॥ 3.5 ॥

Verily none can ever rest for even an instant without performing action; for all are made to act, helplessly indeed, by the gunas, born of Prakriti.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्। इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते

॥ 3.6 ॥

He who, restraining the organs of action, sit revolving in the mind thought regarding objects of sense, he, of deluded understanding, is called a hypocrite.

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन। कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते

॥ 3.7 ॥

But, O Arjuna, he who, controlling by the senses by the mind, unattached, directs his organs of action to the path of work, excels.

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः। शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः

॥ 3.8 ॥

Do you perform obligatory action; for action is superior to inaction; and even the bare maintenance of your body would not be possible if you are inactive.

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः। तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर

॥ 3.9 ॥

The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of yajna; do you, therefore, O son of Kunti, perform action for yajna alone, devoid of attachment.

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः। अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्

॥ 3.10 ॥

The Prajapati, having in the beginning created mankind together with yajna, said, “By this shall you multiply: this shall be the milk cow of your desire.”

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः। परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ

॥ 3.11 ॥

“Cherish the devas with this, and may those devas cherish you: thus cherishing one another, you shall gain the highest good.

इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः। तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः

॥ 3.12 ॥

“The devas, cherished by yajna, will give you desired-for-objects.” So, he who enjoys objects given by the devas without offering [in return] to them, is verily a thief.

यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः। भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्

॥ 3.13 ॥

The good, eating the remnants of yajna, are freed from all sins: but those who cook food [only] for themselves, those sinful ones eat sin.

अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः। यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः

॥ 3.14 ॥

From food come forth beings: from rain food is produced: from yajna arises rain; and yajna is born of karma.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्। तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्

॥ 3.15 ॥

Know karma to have risen from the Veda, and the Veda from the Imperishable. Therefore the all-pervading Veda is ever centered in yajna.

एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः। अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति

॥ 3.16 ॥

He who here follows not the wheel thus set revolving, living in sin, and satisfied in the senses, O son of Pritha–he lives in vain.

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः। आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते

॥ 3.17 ॥

But the man who is devoted to the self, and is satisfied with the self, and content in the self alone, has no obligatory duty.

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन। न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्िचदर्थव्यपाश्रयः

॥ 3.18 ॥

He has no object in this world [to gain] by doing [an action], nor [does he incur any loss] by non-performance of action–nor has he [need of] depending on any being for any object.

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर। असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः

॥ 3.19 ॥

Therefore, do you always perform actions which are obligatory, without attachment; by performing action without attachment, one attains to the highest.

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः। लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि

॥ 3.20 ॥

Verily by action alone, Janaka and others attained perfection; also, simply with the view for the guidance of men, you should perform action.

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः। स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते

॥ 3.21 ॥

Whatsoever the superior person does, that is followed by others. What he demonstrates by action, that people follow.

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन। नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि

॥ 3.22 ॥

I have, O son of Pritha, no duty, nothing that I have not gained; and nothing that I have to gain in the three worlds; yet, I continue in action.

यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः

॥ 3.23 ॥

If ever I did not continue in work without relaxation, O son of Pritha, men would, in every way, follow in My wake.

उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्। सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः

॥ 3.24 ॥

If I did not do work, these worlds would perish. I should be the cause of the admixture [of races], and I should ruin these beings.

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत। कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्िचकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम्

॥ 3.25 ॥

As do the unwise, attached to work, act, so should the wise act, O descendant of Bharata, [but] without attachment, desirous of the guidance of the world.

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्। जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन्

॥ 3.26 ॥

One should not unsettle the understanding of the ignorant, attached to action; the wise one, [himself] steadily acting, should engage [the ignorant] in all work.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः। अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताऽहमिति मन्यते

॥ 3.27 ॥

The gunas of Prakriti perform all action. With the understanding deluded by egoism, man thinks, “I am the doer.”

तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः। गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते

॥ 3.28 ॥

But one, with true insight into the domains of guna and karma, knowing that gunas as senses merely rest on gunas as objects, does not become attached.

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु। तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत्

॥ 3.29 ॥

Men of perfect knowledge should not unsettle [the understanding of] people of dull wit and imperfect knowledge, who deluded by the gunas of Prakriti attach [themselves] to the functions of the gunas.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा। निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः

॥ 3.30 ॥

Renouncing all actions to Me, with mind centered on the self, getting rid of hope and selfishness, fight–free from [mental] fever.

ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः। श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः

॥ 3.31 ॥

Those men who constantly practice this teaching of Mine, full of shraddha and without cavilling, they too are freed from work.

ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्। सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः

॥ 3.32 ॥

But those who decrying this teaching of Mine do not practice [it], deluded in all knowledge, and devoid of discrimination, know them to be ruined.

सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति

॥ 3.33 ॥

Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings follow nature: what can restraint to?

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ। तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ

॥ 3.34 ॥

Attachment and aversion of the senses for their respective objects are natural: let none come under their sway: they are his foes.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः

॥ 3.35 ॥

Better is one’s own dharma, [though] imperfect, than the dharma of another well-performed. Better is death in one’s own dharma: the dharma of another is fraught with fear.

अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः

॥ 3.36 ॥

But impelled by what does man commit sin, though against his wishes, O Varshneya, constrained as it were by force?

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्

॥ 3.37 ॥

it is desire–it is anger, born of the Rajo-guna: of great craving, and of great sin; know this as the foe here [in this world].

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च। यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम्

॥ 3.38 ॥

As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo by the secundine, so is it covered by that.

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा। कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च

॥ 3.39 ॥

Knowledge is covered by this, the constant foe of the wise, O son of Kunti, the unappeasable fire of desire.

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते। एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम्

॥ 3.40 ॥

The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be its abode: through these, it deludes the embodied by veiling his wisdom.

तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ। पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्

॥ 3.41 ॥

Therefore, O Bull of the Bharata race, controlling the senses at the outset, kill it–the sinful,the destroyer of knowledge and realization.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः। मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः

॥ 3.42 ॥

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 that which is superior to the intellect is he [the atman].

एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना। जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्

॥ 3.43 ॥

Thus, knowing Him who is superior to the intellect, and restraining the self by the self, destroy, O mighty-armed, that enemy, the unseizable foe, desire.