Chapter 3
Karma-yoga
Verses 1-43
Complete Chapter
Krsna provided a prelude to the Bhagavad gita in the previous chapter by discussing a variety of subjects, including sankhya yoga, karma kanda, buddhi yoga, karma-yoga, and others. they lacked organisation. He provides a more detailed description of these paths from this chapter onwards
In this chapter, Krsna explains niskama karma yoga, the great art of carrying out instructions without ulterior motive in order to please the Supreme Lord Krsna and avoid being bound to a job. Krsna also talks about the discrimination needed by someone who wants to triumph over lust (i.e., material desire) and anger.
Depending on the context, the word "karma" could mean either an action or a reaction to an action (fate or destiny). It may also refer to a "fruitive action" that aims to produce a particular outcome.
Krsna instructed Arjuna in 2.49 to practise buddhi yoga and keep all abominable deeds (avaram karma) at a distance. He intended to prove that niskma karama yoga was superior to karma kanda there. However. Arjuna believed that fighting is a detestable action and that wisdom or buddhi yoga entails renunciation of it. Arjuna, however, found Krsna's advice to fight contradictory. So he enquired about it with Krsna.
In
Verse 1 and 2 Arjuna is confused with what should he adhere to , “renunciation”
or “Action”?
Verse 1
अर्जुन उवाच
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥ १ ॥
arjuna
uvāca
jyāyasī cet karmaṇas te
matā buddhir janārdana
tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ
niyojayasi keśava
Translation
Arjuna said: O Janardana, O
Kesava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that
intelligence is better than fruitive work?
Purport
The Supreme Personality of Godhead In order to rescue His close friend Arjuna from the sea of material suffering, has very carefully and in-depth elucidated the nature of the soul in the preceding chapter. And buddhi-yoga or Krsna consciousness has been suggested as the road to realisation. Sometimes Krsna consciousness is mistaken for lethargy, and a person who has this misconception frequently withdraws to a remote location to fully attain Krsna consciousness by reciting the holy name of Lord Krsna. However, it is not advised to chant the holy name of Krsna in a remote location without having received training in the concept of Krsna consciousness, as this will only earn one cheap admiration from the uninformed populace. Arjuna also compared Krsna consciousness, buddhi-yoga, or wisdom in spiritual knowledge improvement, to retiring from an active lifestyle and engaging in penance and austerity in a remote location. In other words, he hoped to deftly use Krsna awareness as a pretext to avoid the fighting. But as a sincere pupil, he brought the situation before his teacher and asked Krsna for advice on the best course of action. In this Third Chapter, Lord Krsna carefully explains karma-yoga, or work in Krsna consciousness.
Verse 2
व्यामिश्रेणेव
वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
तदेकं वद
निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥ २ ॥
vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena
buddhiṁ mohayasīva me
tad ekaṁ vada niścitya
yena śreyo ’ham āpnuyām
Translation
My intelligence is bewildered
by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will
be most beneficial for me.
Purport
Many diverse methods,
including sankhya-yoga, buddhi-yoga, controlling the senses with knowledge,
working without fruitive desire, and the attitude of the novice, were described
in the preceding chapter as an introduction to the Bhagavad-gita. Everything
was presented in a random manner. Action and understanding would require a
more structured map of the road. As a result, Arjuna wished to make sense of
these seemingly complex issues so that the average person might accept them
without misinterpretation. Arjuna was unable to follow the process of Krsna
consciousness, either via inertia or active service, despite Krsna's best
efforts to avoid confusing Arjuna with any verbal gymnastics. In other words,
by asking questions, he opens the door to Krsna consciousness for any students
who are sincerely interested in learning the Bhagavad gita mysterious
knowledge.
In response to Arjuna's question whether to work or renounce work, Krsna will now describe niskāma karma yoga, working with knowledge and detachment. Before that He points out the defects in Arjuna's desire to renounce his prescribed duty to fight.
Verse 3
श्रीभगवानुवाच
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा
निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन
सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ ३ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
loke ’smin dvi-vidhā niṣṭhā
purā proktā mayānagha
jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ
karma-yogena yoginām
Translation
I've previously mentioned that
there are two groups of men who attempt to realise the self, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead replied to the sinless Arjuna. Some people have a
tendency to grasp it by empirical, intellectual analysis, while others do so
through acts of devotion.
Purport
The Lord described two
different methods in the second chapter, verse 39: sankhya-yoga and karma-yoga,
or buddhi-yoga. The Lord makes the same point more obvious in this verse.
Skhya-yoga, or the analytical study of the nature of spirit and matter, is the
subject matter for people who have a propensity for conjecture and
understanding the world through philosophical thought and experimental
knowledge. The sixty-first stanza of the Second Chapter explains how the other
class of men function within Krsna consciousness. The Lord further explains in
verse 39 that one can be freed from the shackles of action by adhering to the
buddhi-yoga principles, or Krsna consciousness, and that the method is
flawless.
This buddhi-yoga is to
completely depend on the Supreme (or more specifically, on Krsna), and in this
way all the senses can be brought under control quite simply. This principle is
articulated more clearly in the sixty-first verse. As a result, both yogas are
interdependent from a religious and philosophical perspective. Philosophy
without religion is mental inquiry, while religion without philosophy is
sentiment or even fanaticism. Because philosophers who are honest in their pursuit
of the Absolute Truth ultimately reach Krsna consciousness, Krsna is the
ultimate aim. Additionally, the Bhagavad-gita states this. The goal of the
entire procedure is to comprehend where the self actually stands in relation to
the Superself.
The other step is directly associating everything with Krsna in Krsna consciousness. The indirect method is philosophical speculation, by which one may gradually reach the point of Krsna consciousness. The Krsna consciousness path is superior to the other one since it does not rely on the intellectual purification of the senses. Krsna consciousness itself is the process of purification, and when done directly through devotional service, it is both simple and sublime.
Verse 4
न
कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्य पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
न च
सन्न्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥ ४ ॥
na karmaṇām anārambhān
naiṣkarmyaṁ puruṣo ’śnute
na ca sannyasanād eva
siddhiṁ samadhigacchati
Translation
Not by merely abstaining from
work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one
attain perfection.
Purport
When one has been purified by
performing the specified form of chores that are established only to purify the
hearts of materialistic men, the relinquished way of life can be embraced. One
cannot succeed by quickly accepting the fourth order of life (sannyasa) without
cleansing. The empirical philosophers claimed that one instantly attains the
same virtue as Narayana by merely embracing sannyasa, or ceasing from fruitful
actions. But Lord Krsna disapproves of this notion. Without heart purification,
sannyasa is nothing more than a disruption of the established order. On the
other hand, if someone commits to the Lord's transcendental service, even
without performing his assigned tasks, the Lord will accept whatever he may be
able to accomplish for the cause (buddhi-yoga). sv-alpam apy Asya dharmasya
trayate mahato bhayat . A small use of this technique can help you get beyond
significant obstacles.
Verse 5
न हि
कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते
ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥ ५ ॥
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api
jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma
sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ
Translation
Everyone is compelled to act
helplessly in accordance with the traits he has learned from the ways of material
nature; as a result, no one can refrain from acting, not even for a split
second.
Purport
The soul is always active by
nature, hence it is not a matter of embodied life. The physical body cannot
move in the absence of the spirit soul. The spirit soul, which is always active
and cannot stop even for a second, uses the body simply as a dead vehicle. In
order to avoid engaging in activities set forth by the illusory energy, the
spirit soul must be used in the beneficial activity of Krsna consciousness. The
spirit soul acquires material modes when it comes into contact with material
energy, hence it's important to carry out the specified tasks outlined in the
sastras in order to purify the soul of these affinities.
 |
| Pretender pretends but his action reveal everything |
Verse 6
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि
संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा
मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥ ६ ॥
karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
Translation
One who restrains the senses
of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and
is called a pretender.
Purport
There are many pretenders who,
instead of working in Krsna consciousness, put on the appearance of meditation
while actually focusing their thoughts on sensual pleasure. These imposters may
also use dry philosophical discourse to deceive sophisticated followers, but in
the eyes of this passage, they are the biggest cheats. One can participate in
any aspect of the social order for sense gratification, but by abiding by the
rules and guidelines associated with his particular standing, he can gradually
cleanse his existence. But even though he occasionally speaks about philosophy,
the greatest cheater is the one who pretends to be a yogi while truly seeking
for things that make him feel good.
Verse 7
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि
मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन ।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः
कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥ ७ ॥
yas tv indriyāṇi manasā
niyamyārabhate ’rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam
asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate
Translation
On the other hand, if a
sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins
karma-yoga [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.
Purport
It is far preferable to stay
in one's own business and fulfil the purpose of life, which is to break free
from material bondage and enter God's kingdom, rather than becoming a
pseudo transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense
gratification. The main svartha-gati, or self-interested goal, is to get to
Vishnu. The entire system of Varna and Asrama is intended to assist us in
achieving this life's objective. A homeowner may also get there through a
controlled service in Krsna consciousness. One can make progress towards
self-realization by leading a disciplined life, as instructed in the sastras,
and keeping on with his work without attachment. An honest person who
uses this approach is in a much better position than a phoney imposter who uses
show-bottle spiritualism to defraud the unwary public. A sincere street sweeper
is vastly preferable to a fake meditator who practises meditation solely for
financial gain.
Verse 8
नियतं कुरु
कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।
शरीरयात्रापि
च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥ ८ ॥
niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ
karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ
śarīra-yātrāpi ca te
na prasidhyed akarmaṇaḥ
Translation
Perform your prescribed duty,
for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s
physical body without work.
Purport
There are many fictitious
meditators who falsely claim to be of noble descent, as well as renowned
professionals who claim to have given up everything to grow in the spiritual
life. Lord Krishna didn't want Arjuna to develop a false persona. Instead, the
Lord wanted Arjuna to carry out the tasks that were assigned to him as a
ksatriya. Arjuna was a householder and a military leader, thus it was best for
him to continue in these roles and carry out his religious responsibilities as
required of the ksatriya householder. Such acts progressively purify a common
man's heart and set him free from material taint. The Lord and the religious
scriptures never approve of so-called renunciation for the sake of maintenance.
After all, one must put some effort into keeping their body and soul in
harmony. Work should not be abandoned rashly or without first purging
materialistic tendencies. Anyone who lives in the material world undoubtedly
has an impure propensity to dominate material nature or, to put it another way,
to pursue sense satisfaction. Such contaminated tendencies need to be
eliminated. One should never attempt to become a so-called transcendentalist by
giving up employment and living at the expense of others without first doing
the necessary obligations.
Verse 9
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र
लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः ।
तदर्थं कर्म
कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥ ९ ॥
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra
loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya
mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara
Translation
Work done as a sacrifice for
Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material
world. So, O son of Kunti, complete your assigned tasks to His pleasure, and
you'll be free from servitude forever.
The prescribed
responsibilities for a specific social position and quality are designed in
such a way that it is possible to achieve that goal since one must work even
for the basic maintenance of the body. Yajna refers to sacrifices made to Lord
Visnu. Additionally, all sacrifices are made in order to please Lord Visnu.
Yajno vai visnu is a Vedic injunction. In other words, whether one participates
in the mandated yajnas or serves Lord Vishnu personally, the goal is the same.
Krsna consciousness consequently entails performing yaja as instructed in this
passage. The Varnasrama institution likewise seeks Lord Visnu's satisfaction.
Therefore, in order to satisfy
Visnu, one must put forth effort. Any more work carried out in this world of
matter will result in bondage because both good and evil work have their
effects, and any such effect ties the performer to the task. Therefore, in
order to please Krsna (or Visnu), one must work in Krsna consciousness; and while
engaging in such actions, one is in a stage of liberation. This is the great
art of working, and it starts off needing a lot of skilled coaching. Therefore,
one should act extremely cautiously, either under the skilled direction of a
Lord Krishna devotee or under the direct guidance of Lord Krishna Himself
(under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work). Nothing should be conducted
for sense fulfilment, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
In addition to rescuing one from the effects of work, this practise gradually
raises one to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, which is the only
way to enter the kingdom of God.
In the verses 10-16 Karma Kanda to Karma Yoga is explained. Lord Krsna has designed this material world to encourage yajna or sacrifice. He does this by making material advancement dependent upon sacrifice. By worshiping the Lord for material well-being, one becomes purified.
Verse 10
सहयज्ञाः
प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः ।
अनेन
प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥ १० ॥
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
eṣa vo ’stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
Translation
In the beginning of creation,
the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along
with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this
yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything
desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”
Purport
The Lord of Creatures (Visnu)
offers the conditioned souls a chance to return home—to Godhead—through the
material creation. Because they have forgotten their connection to Visnu, or
Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all living things in the material
creation are subject to the laws of material nature. According to the
Bhagavad-gita, "vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedya," the Vedic
principles aim to aid us in comprehending this eternal relationship. According
to the Lord, studying the Vedas would help you better understand Him. The
phrase "patim vivasyatmesvaram" appears throughout the hymns of
the Vedas. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is therefore the Lord of
all living things.
The guardian of everyone and
the Lord of all worlds, living things, and natural beauty is Lord Visnu, who is
also known as the praja-pati. The purpose of the material world that the Lord
created was to teach the conditioned souls how to perform yajnas (sacrifices)
for the satisfaction of Visnu, allowing them to live in great comfort and
anxiety-free while still in the material world and then enter the kingdom of
God once their current material body has served their purpose. That is the
entirety of the conditioning programme for the soul. The conditioned souls
progressively become Krsna conscious and transform into godly beings in every
way by performing yajna.
The Vedic texts advise
chanting the names of God throughout the Age of Kali, and Lord Caitanya developed
this transcendental system to ensure the safety of all men during this time.
Krsna consciousness and Sankirtana-yajna work effectively together.
 |
Verse 11
देवान्भावयतातेन
ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।
परस्परं
भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥ ११ ॥
devān bhāvayatānena
te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ
śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
Translation
The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please
you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign
for all.
Purport
The demigods have the
authority to manage material affairs. The demigods, who are countless helpers
in various portions of the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are
entrusted with providing air, light, water, and all other blessings for
preserving the body and soul of every living being. The way a person performs
yajnas determines how much they enjoy and dislike something. Even though some
yajnas are performed to appease specific demigods, Lord Visnu is revered in all
yajnas as the main benefit. The Bhagavad-gita further states that Krsna
Himself is the recipient of all yajnas, or bhoktaram yajna-tapasam. As a
result, the primary goal of all yajnas is to ultimately satisfy the yajna-pati.
The demigods in charge of the various supply departments are naturally pleased
when these yajnas are perfectly carried out, and there is no shortage of the
supply of natural goods.
Yajnas performance offers numerous more
advantages that finally result in freedom from material dependency. According
to the Vedas, "ahara-suddhau sattva-suddhih sattva-suddhau
dhruva-smrti smti-lambhe sarva-granthinam vipramoksah," all acts get
pure by performing yajnas. By engaging in yajna, one can sanctify their food,
which in turn sanctifies their very existence. This sanctification of existence
in turn sanctifies finer tissues in the memory, which in turn sanctifies the
ability to think about the path to liberation. All of these factors work
together to create Krsna consciousness, which is a major necessity for modern
society.
Verse 12
इष्टान्भोगान्हि
वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः ।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो
यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥ १२ ॥
iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā
dāsyante yajña-bhāvitāḥ
tair dattān apradāyaibhyo
yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ
Translation
In charge of the various
necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajña
[sacrifice], will supply all necessities to you. But he who enjoys such gifts
without offering them to the demigods in return is certainly a thief.
Purport
In the name of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Visnu, the demigods are permitted to act as suppliers.
As a result, they must be appeased by carrying out the required yajnas.
Different types of yajnas are recommended for different types of demigods in
the Vedas, but they are all eventually offered to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. It is advised to offer sacrifice to the demigods for someone who
cannot comprehend what the Personality of Godhead is. The Vedas advocate many
sorts of yajnas based on the various material qualities of the individuals
involved. The basis for worshipping many demigods is also the same, namely,
according to their various attributes.
For instance, it is advised
that meat eaters worship the goddess Kali, the hideous embodiment of material
nature, and that animal sacrifices be made in her presence. But Visnu's
transcendental worship is advised for people who are acting in a positive
manner. However, the ultimate goal of all yajnas is to gradually advance one to
the transcendental state. At least five yajnas, also known as panca-maha-yajna,
are required for regular men.
Verse 13
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः
सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै ।
भुञ्जते ते
त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥ १३ ॥
yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
Translation
The devotees of the Lord are released
from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for
sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat
only sin.
Purport
The devotees of the Supreme Lord, or those who are in Krsna consciousness, are known as santas and are constantly in love with the Lord. As long as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all delights), Mukunda (the giver of freedom), or Krsna (the all-attractive person), is there, the santas are bound by a covenant of love and are unable to accept anything without first giving it to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a result, these devotees constantly engage in yajnas in various forms of devotional service, such as sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam, and arcanam, and these yajnas keep them free from any type of contamination or sinful association in the real world. Others who cook for themselves or their own pleasure are not only thieves but also eaters of all types of sin. How can someone who steals and commits sins be happy? It cannot be done. People must therefore be taught to practise the simple act of sankirtana-yajna in full Krsna consciousness if they are to be joyful in all ways. Without it, there can be no world peace or happiness.
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| Food offered to Lord marks the completion of cycle of sacrifice |
Verse 14
अन्नाद्भवन्ति
भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः ।
यज्ञाद्भवति
पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥ १४ ॥
annād bhavanti bhūtāni
parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
yajñād bhavati parjanyo
yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
Translation
All living bodies subsist on
food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance
of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.
Purport
Food grains or vegetables are factually eatables. The human
being eats different kinds of food grains, vegetables, fruits, etc., and the
animals eat the refuse of the food grains and vegetables, grass, plants, etc.
Human beings who are accustomed to eating meat and flesh must also depend on
the production of vegetation in order to eat the animals. Therefore,
ultimately, we have to depend on the production of the field and not on the
production of big factories. The field production is due to sufficient rain
from the sky, and such rains are controlled by demigods like Indra, sun, moon,
etc., and they are all servants of the Lord. The Lord can be satisfied by
sacrifices; therefore, one who cannot perform them will find himself in
scarcity – that is the law of nature. Yajña, specifically the saṅkīrtana-yajña
prescribed for this age, must therefore be performed to save us at least from
scarcity of food supply.
Verse 15
कर्म
ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् ।
तस्मात्सर्वगतं
ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ १५ ॥
karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi
brahmākṣara-samudbhavam
tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma
nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam
Translation
Regulated activities are
prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is
eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.
Purport
In this verse, the requirement
of work for the sole purpose of appeasing Krishna is more clearly expressed. If
the yajna-purusa, Visnu, requires our work, we must learn the proper method of
work from Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas. Therefore, the Vedas are
manuals of practical instruction. Anything carried out against the Vedas'
instructions is referred to as vikarma, which also means unlawful or sinful
action. In order to avoid the effects of work, one should always follow the
Vedic instructions. Similar to how one must work under the guidance of the
state in daily life, one must also work under the control of the Lord's supreme
state. Such
Vedic instructions come directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead's
breathing. Asya mahato bhutasya nisvasitam etad yad rg-vedo yajur-vedah'
sama-vedo 'tharvangirasah', thus it is said. The four Vedas—the Rig Veda, Yajur
Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda—are all products of the great Personality of
Godhead's breathing. As stated in the Brahma-sahit, the Lord has the
omnipotence to carry out through each of His senses the actions of all other
senses, therefore as He is omnipotent, He can talk by inhaling air. In other
words, the Lord can impregnate through His eyes and speak through His
breathing. In fact, it is claimed that He just glanced at the natural
world when creating all living things. The conditioned souls were created or
impregnated into the womb of material nature, and then He imparted instructions
in the Vedic wisdom on how to bring those conditioned souls back to Godhead. We
must always keep in mind that everyone in the material world is a conditioned
soul seeking material pleasure. However, the Vedic instructions are written in
such a way that after fulfilling one's perverted wants, one can subsequently
return to Godhead. The opportunity for the conditioned souls to achieve
liberation exists, so they must make an effort to follow the yajna process by
turning into Krsna conscious beings. Even individuals who have
disregarded the Vedic edicts are able to adopt Krsna consciousness principles,
which will replace the accomplishment of Vedic yajnas or karmas.
 |
| A purposeful life is where one offers food to lord completing the cycle of sacrifice. |
Verse 16
एवं
प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः ।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो
मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥ १६ ॥
evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakraṁ
nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyur indriyārāmo
moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati
Translation
My beloved Arjuna, one who
does not adhere to the cycle of sacrifice provided by the Vedas in human
existence leads a life that is undoubtedly filled with sin. Such a person
merely exists to satisfy their senses, and their life is meaningless.
Purport
The Lord here condemns the
mammonist mindset of "work very hard and enjoy sense gratification".
Therefore, the cycle of doing yajnas indicated above is essential necessary for
individuals who wish to enjoy this life. One who disregards these laws leads a
highly dangerous life and faces increasing condemnation. According to the law
of nature, this human form of life is intended for self-realization in one of
the three ways—karma yoga, jnana yoga, or bhakti yoga. The
transcendentalists, who are above vice and virtue, do not need to adhere
strictly to the specified yajna rituals, but those who pursue sense
gratification need to be purified by the aforementioned cycle of yajna rituals.
Different
types of activities exist. Those who are not Krsna conscious are undoubtedly
involved in sensory consciousness; as a result, they must carry out virtuous
deeds. The yajna system is designed so that sensory-conscious people can
fulfil their needs without being caught up in the reaction of sense-gratifying
work. The world's prosperity is not dependent on our own efforts, but rather on
the demigods, who directly carry out the Supreme Lord's underlying plan. As a
result, the yajnas are specifically directed at the demigods named in the
Vedas. It indirectly involves practising Krsna consciousness since, after
mastering yajnas, one is certain to attain Krsna consciousness. However, these
rules only count as moral norms if executing yajas does not result in Krsna
consciousness. Therefore, in order to achieve Krsna consciousness, one should
transcend moral codes rather than limiting their application to them.
Kṛṣṇa explained so far that if one has desires, then he may work with desire in a religious way. Now He will explain that even if one has no desire, he should still work to set example for others. The previous section described "indriya-ārāma” person (living only for the satisfaction of the senses) and the next section will describe "ātmārāma or atma-tṛpta" (one who is satisfied in himself i.e. krsna consciousness) person.
From Verse 17-35 importance of Niskama Karma Yoga to set the right example in front of others is explained.
Verse 17
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव
स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च
सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ १७ ॥
yas tv ātma-ratir eva syād
ātma-tṛptaś ca mānavaḥ
ātmany eva ca santuṣṭas
tasya kāryaṁ na vidyate
Translation
But for one who takes pleasure
in the Self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied
in the Self only, fully satiated – for him there is no duty.
Purport
A person who has attained full
Krsna consciousness and is completely content with the results of his Krsna
consciousness actions is free from all obligations. His Krsna consciousness
causes all impiety within to be quickly cleansed, which is the result of
countless yajna performances. One gains complete confidence in his eternal
place in relation to the Supreme through such cleansing of the mind. He no
longer has any responsibilities to the Vedic edicts since his duty becomes
self-illuminated by the grace of the Lord. Such a Krsna conscious person no
longer enjoys material affairs like wine, women, and other infatuations, and is
no longer engaged in material pursuits.
Verse 18
नैव तस्य
कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य
सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥ १८ ॥
naiva tasya kṛtenārtho
nākṛteneha kaścana
na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu
kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ
Translation
A self-realized man has
no motivation to carry out his assigned tasks, and he also has no excuse not to
do them. Additionally, he is not dependent on any other living being.
Purport
A self-realized man is no
longer required to carry out any assigned duties, with the exception of Krsna
consciousness activities. As will be discussed in more detail in the verses that
follow, Krsna consciousness is not also inaction. A Krsna conscious individual
will not seek refuge from a human or a god. Anything he performs while in Krsna
consciousness is sufficient to fulfil his commitment.
Verse 19
तस्मादसक्तः
सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो
ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरूषः ॥ १९ ॥
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ
kāryaṁ karma samācara
asakto hy ācaran karma
param āpnoti pūruṣaḥ
Translation
Therefore, without being
attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for
by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.
Purport
For believers, the Supreme is
the Personification of Godhead; for the impersonalist, it is deliverance.
Therefore, one who is acting for Krsna or in Krsna consciousness, with the
right guidance and without attachment to the outcome of the result, is
undoubtedly moving closer to the ultimate objective of existence. Arjuna is
informed that since Krishna desired him to participate in the Battle of
Kurukshetra, he should do it for Krishna's interest.. Being a good or peaceful
man is a personal commitment, while acting for the Supreme means acting without
commitment to the outcome. That is the best kind of perfect deed, according to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri. Krsna. Vedic rites, such as mandated
sacrifices, are carried out to cleanse the body of impious activities that were
committed in the name of sensual pleasure. However, in Krsna consciousness,
action transcends the effects of good or evil effort. A person who is fully
aware of Krsna has no attachment to the outcome and only acts in Krsna's best
interests. Although he participates in many different activities, he has no
attachments.
Verse 20
कर्मणैव हि
संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।
लोकसङ्ग्रहमेवापि
सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ २० ॥
karmaṇaiva hi saṁsiddhim
āsthitā janakādayaḥ
loka-saṅgraham evāpi
sampaśyan kartum arhasi
Translation
Kings such as Janaka attained
perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the
sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.
Purport
All kings, including Janaka,
had attained self-realization, hence they were exempt from carrying out the
obligations outlined in the Vedas. They nevertheless carried out all required
tasks in order to serve as role models for the entire populace. The father of
Sita and the father-in-law of Lord Rama was Janaka. Being a great devotee
of the Lord, he was transcendentally placed, but as the ruler of
Mithila (a region of the Indian state of Bihar), he had to instruct his
citizens in carrying out the necessary tasks. The Battle of Kurukshetra was
unnecessary for Lord Krsna and Arjuna, the Lord's enduring friend, yet they
engaged in combat to demonstrate to society that when good
arguments fail, violence may also be justified. Even the Supreme
Personality of Godhead tried to stop the battle before the Battle of
Kurukshetra, but the opposing side was adamant about fighting. Fighting is
therefore necessary for such a just cause. Even though a person in Krsna
consciousness may not be interested in the outside world, he or she
nevertheless tries to instruct society in proper living and behaviour. The next
stanza explains how experienced Krsna conscious individuals can behave in
a way that inspires others to follow them.
 |
| Be a role model |
Verse 21
यद्यदाचरति
श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स
यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
Translation
Whatever action a great man
performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts,
all the world pursues.
Purport
People in general are always
in need of a leader who can instruct the populace through real-world behaviour.
If a leader smokes, he or she cannot advise others to give up smoking. Before
starting to teach, a teacher should act appropriately, according to Lord
Caitanya. The ideal instructor is referred to as Acarya when they instruct in
that manner. To teach the common man, a teacher must adhere to the sastra's
(Scripture's) tenets. Rules that go against the principles of the revealed
scriptures cannot be created by the teacher. The revealed scriptures, including
the Manu-Samhita and like ones, are regarded as the normative texts that
human civilization should aspire to follow. As a result, the leader's
instruction ought to be founded on these established sastras. One must adhere
to the norms as they are upheld by excellent teachers if they want to better
themselves. The "Srimad-Bhgavatam" further states that the best approach
to advance on the road to spiritual enlightenment is to imitate the actions of
great devotees. The father, the head of a school, and the king are all regarded
as the natural leaders of the defenceless people in general. Since all such
natural leaders have a significant responsibility to their subordinates, they
ought to be familiar with the canonical works on morality and religion.
न मे
पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं
वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ २२ ॥
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ
triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ
varta eva ca karmaṇi
Translation
O son of Pṛthā, there is no
work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want
of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anything – and yet I am engaged in
prescribed duties.
Purport
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no duties to fulfil because everything in the Personality of Godhead is in complete splendour and is existent in all truth. One who is responsible for dispensing the fruits of labour has a specific task, while one who has nothing to accomplish within the three planetary systems most definitely has none.
But despite this, Lord Krsna is fighting on the
battlefield of Kurukshetra as the ksatriyas' leader because it is their duty to
defend the vulnerable. Even though He is exempt from all the laws of the
revealed scriptures, He keeps all of their prohibitions in mind and do not do
anything that violate them.
Verse 23
यदि ह्यहं न
वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते
मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥ २३ ॥
yadi hy ahaṁ na varteyaṁ
jātu karmaṇy atandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
Translation
Because, O Prtha, if I ever
failed to diligently do the required responsibilities, it is certain that other
men would follow My example.
Purport
There are customary family
usages intended for every civilised individual in order to maintain the
equilibrium of social tranquilly for advancement in spiritual existence.
Although Lord Krsna is not subjected to the same laws and restrictions as
conditioned souls, He yet abided by them because He came to earth to establish
religious precepts. Otherwise, since He is the greatest authority, simple men
would imitate Him. It is clear from the Rama-Bhagavatam that Lord Krsna was
carrying out all the religious responsibilities that were expected of a
householder, both inside and outside the home.
Verse 24
उत्सीदेयुरिमे
लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।
सङ्करस्य च
कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥ २४ ॥
utsīdeyur ime lokā
na kuryāṁ karma ced aham
saṅkarasya ca kartā syām
upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
Translation
If I did not perform
prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the
cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of
all living beings.
Purport
Naturally, when Lord Krsna descends, he handles with such laws and ordinances to preserve the reputation and necessity of such significant performances. Since the Lord is the father of all living things, He also bears some of the blame if they make poor decisions. Therefore, the Lord Himself descends and reforms society whenever there is widespread disregard for regulating principles. The Lord must be followed, but we must also keep in mind that we cannot act like Him. This is an important point to keep in mind. Imitating and following are not equivalent.
 |
| Bal krishna lifted Govardhana hill on his little finger to protect village men fro the wrath of Lord of rain 'Indra' |
By raising Govardhana Hill, like the Lord did when He was a child, we cannot mimic Him. Any human being cannot do it. The position of the Isvaras, or those who can truly direct the motions of the sun and moon, should always be regarded as superior. One cannot emulate the superpowerful isvaras without such power.
Lord Shiva consumed so much poison that he swallowed an ocean, yet if the average person attempts to consume even a small amount of this poison, he will perish. Shiva ingested the poison that churned out of Samudra Manthan - 'Churning of the ocean of milk' by asuras and devtas, to defend the three realms, and as a result, his neck turned blue, earning him the nickname Neelakantha (literally, "the blue-throated one"; "neela" is Sanskrit for "blue" and "kantha" for "throat").
A beautiful poem on Samudra Manthan is written by Author Ashutosh Agnihotri
Many so-called pretending followers of Lord Siva desire to smoke marijuana and other intoxicating drugs, forgetting that by doing so they are bringing their own deaths closer by copying the Lord Siva's actions who do it to keep the others safe from harmful effects of it. Great personalities are unaffected by their unconventional activities. They sometimes act independent of the law of nature just to please their devotees . Such actions are not to be performed by those who are inferior to them. It is best, therefore, not to imitate the powerful but to follow their instructions.
Similar to this, some fake devotees of Lord Krishna prefer to mimic the Lord
during His rasa-lila, or dance of love, despite their limitation to lift
govardhana hill. Therefore, it is advisable to simply follow the
powerful's directions rather than trying to emulate them. One should also avoid
attempting to hold their positions without being qualified. Without the
authority of the Supreme Godhead, there are countless "incarnations"
of God.
In the verses 25-29 emphasis
is on attached worker (Karma Kandi) and detached worker (Karma Yogi).
The verses 3.25, 3.27 and 3.28
will describe the differences between detached worker and attached worker. The
verses 3.26 and 3,29 will describe how the detached worker deals with an
attached worker.
Verse 25
सक्ताः
कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम्
॥ २५ ॥
saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṁso
yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryād vidvāṁs tathāsaktaś
cikīrṣur loka-saṅgraham
Translation
As the ignorant perform their
duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without
attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.
Purport
Different desires distinguish
between a person who is in Krsna consciousness and a person who is not. A Krsna
conscious individual refrains from acting in a way that hinders the growth of
Krsna consciousness. He might even behave just like an ignorant person who is
too preoccupied with material things, yet that person is only concerned with
his sense fulfilment while the other is only concerned about Krsna. As a
result, it is necessary for the Krsna conscious individual to instruct others
on how to behave and how to utilise the outcomes of action for the advancement
of Krsna consciousness.
 |
न
बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि
विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥ २६ ॥
na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed
ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām
joṣayet sarva-karmāṇi
vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran
Translation
A learned person should not
force ignorant men to quit working so as not to disturb
their minds devoted to the fruitful outcomes of the assigned duties.
Instead, he should involve them in a variety of activities [for the slow
advancement of Krsna consciousness] by working with a devotional mindset.
Purport
Everything in the Vedas,
including all instructions for material actions, including rituals and
sacrifices, is intended to help people understand Krsna, who is the ultimate
aim of existence. But the conditioned spirits study the Vedas to that aim since
they are unaware of anything other than sense enjoyment. But one eventually
rises to Krsna consciousness through fruitful actions and sense enjoyment that
are controlled by Vedic rites. In order to avoid interfering with other
people's activities or understanding, a realised soul in Krsna consciousness
should instead demonstrate how all work can be done in the service of Krsna. The
learned Krsna conscious person has the power to act in a way that the
uninformed person seeking sense fulfilment can pick up good acting and
behaviour skills. A slightly advanced Krsna conscious person can immediately
begin serving the Lord without needing to wait for additional Vedic formulations,
even though the ignorant man is not to have his activities interfered with. For
this lucky guy, performing the Vedic rituals is unnecessary since, with direct
Krsna consciousness, one can achieve all the benefits that would otherwise come
from performing the required obligations.
Verse 27
प्रकृतेः
क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा
कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥ २७ ॥
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
Translation
The spirit soul bewildered by
the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in
actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature
Purport
Even when two people, one in
Krsna consciousness and the other in material consciousness, appear to be
operating on the same level, there is a vast gap between their respective
positions. False ego convinces a person in material consciousness that they are
the ones who actually do everything. He is unaware that the material nature,
which functions under the direction of the Supreme Lord, is what creates the
body's mechanism. The materialistic person is unaware that eventually, Krsna is
in charge of him. The false egotist always claims to have accomplished
everything on his own, which is a sign of ignorance. He is
unaware that this gross and subtle body was created by material nature on the
direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that as a result, all of
his physical and mental efforts ought to be directed towards serving Krsna, in
Krsna consciousness. The ignorant man is factually bewildered by the false ego
as a result of his long history of misusing his senses for sense gratification,
which causes him to forget his eternal relationship with Krsna. As a result, he
forgets that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also known as Hrsikesa, or
the master of the senses of the material body.
The jiva's capacity for free choice and accountability will always exist. However, the body, senses, and life energies as well as the paramatma, who is the activator of everything, enable the jiva's doership. Jiva is not the only determinant A discussion of how the jiva can overcome the effects of karma and svabhava is included at the chapter's conclusion.
In the following verses 28-29 it is
highlighted that The individual who has attained knowledge of the Absolute
Truth (tattva-vit) is aware that he is distinct from his senses and their
objects and refrains from engaging in sense satisfaction because they are aware
of the distinctions between work done out of devotion and effort intended to
produce fruit. The uninformed are seldom bothered by him (See the verse 26 described
above ).
Verse 28
तत्त्ववित्तु
महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु
वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ २८ ॥
tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho
guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta
iti matvā na sajjate
Translation
One who is in knowledge of the
Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense
gratification, knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work
for fruitive results.
Purport
The one who is the holder of
absolute knowledge is convinced of his uncomfortable position in relation to
material things. He is aware that his place should not be in the physical
universe because he is an integral component of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Krsna. He is aware of his true nature as an integral part of the
Supreme, who is unending bliss and wisdom, and he understands how he has become
stuck in the materialistic view of existence. He is intended to integrate his
actions into devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna,
in his unadulterated state of being. His involvement in Krsna consciousness's
activities leads to a natural detachment from the transient and contextual
activities of the material senses. He understands that the Lord
has complete control over his material circumstances, thus he is not troubled
by any form of material reaction, which he views as the Lord's mercy. A person
who is aware of the Absolute Truth in its three distinct manifestations—namely,
Brahman, Paramatma, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead—is referred to as
tattva-vit in the Ramayana because he is also aware of his own factual
situation in respect to the Supreme.
Verse 29
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः
सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।
तानकृत्स्नविदो
मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥ २९ ॥
prakṛter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ
sajjante guṇa-karmasu
tān akṛtsna-vido mandān
kṛtsna-vin na vicālayet
Translation
Bewildered by the modes of
material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities
and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them, although these duties
are inferior due to the performers’ lack of knowledge.
Purport
Uninformed people wrongly identify as having a coarse material consciousness and are overflowing with material labels. This body is a gift from the material world, and anyone who is overly preoccupied with it is referred to as manda, or a slothful someone who lacks a knowledge of the spirit and soul. Men who lack knowledge view the body as the person, accept physical links with others as kinship, revere the soil from which they derive their bodies, and view the formality of religious ceremonies as ends in and of themselves. For such materially designated individuals, some of the activities include social work, nationalism, and charity. Under the influence of such titles, they are constantly engaged in the world of materialism; They don't care about spiritual awakening since they believe it to be a myth. However, those who have attained spiritual enlightenment should refrain from making an effort to stir up such financially preoccupied people. It is preferable to pursue one's own spiritual endeavours in silence. These perplexed people might practise fundamental moral values like nonviolence and other types of materially charitable activities.
Lord Krsna urges us not to
bother ignorant men since they cannot appreciate activities in Krsna
consciousness, and doing so would only be a waste of time. However, because
they are aware of the Lord's goal, his followers are kinder than the Lord. As a
result, they take on all kinds of dangers, even going as far as addressing
ignorant individuals in an effort to persuade them to engage in the acts of
Krsna consciousness, which are vitally essential for humans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After describing karma-yoga,
Lord Krsna will now remark that every action must be performed as a gift to
Him because He is ultimately the object of it. This kind of karma yoga is
really bhakti yoga. It has been explained in the verses 3.30-3.32 explained
below-
Verse 30
मयि सर्वाणि
कर्माणि सन्न्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो
भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥ ३० ॥
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi
sannyasyādhyātma-cetasā
nirāśīr nirmamo bhūtvā
yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ
Translation
Therefore, O Arjuna,
surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires
for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight.
Purport
This verse makes the goal of
the Bhagavad-gita very clear. The Lord commands that in order to do obligations
in a manner akin to military discipline, one must become totally Krsna
conscious. Even if following such a mandate may be challenging, it is necessary
to fulfil obligations while relying on Krsna because that is the living
entity's constitutional position. Because the eternal constitutional position
of the living entity is to become subject to the Lord's purposes, the living
entity cannot be content without the cooperation of the Supreme Lord.
Therefore, Krsna commanded Arjuna to engage in battle as though the Lord were
his general. One must give up everything for the Supreme Lord's good
pleasure while also performing the necessary tasks without claiming ownership.
Arjuna merely needed to carry out the Lord's directive; he was not required to
think about it. Since the Supreme Lord is the soul of all souls, someone who
relies exclusively and completely on the Supreme Soul without taking anything
else into account, or who is fully Krsna conscious, is referred to as an
adhyatma-cetas. Nirasih indicates that one must follow the master's
instructions, but one should not anticipate successful outcomes. Although the
cashier may count millions of dollars for his business, he makes no attempt to
claim any of the money as his own. Similar to this, one must
understand that everything in the world belongs to the Supreme Lord rather than
any one particular person. That is the actual meaning of the word mayi, which
means "unto Me." And when one behaves in such Krsna consciousness,
he unquestionably makes no claims to ownership of anything. This awareness is
referred to as nirmama, which means "nothing is mine." And any
reluctance to carry out such a strict instruction, which is without regard for
so-called kinsmen in a physical relationship, should be abandoned; in doing so,
one can become vigata-jvara, or free from feverish thought or lethargy. Everyone
has a specific form of labour to do depending on their quality and position,
and all of these tasks can be completed in Krsna consciousness as
previously mentioned. That will direct you towards the road to emancipation.
Verse 31
ये मे
मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः ।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो
मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः ॥ ३१ ॥
ye me matam idaṁ nityam
anutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ
śraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto
mucyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
Translation
People who carry out their
tasks in accordance with My instructions and adhere to this teaching
obediently, without jealousy, are liberated from the shackles of fruitful
activities.
Purport
The command of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the essence of all Vedic knowledge and is,
thus, consistently and eternally true. The truth of Krsna consciousness is
timeless, just like the Vedas are. This command should be firmly believed in
without envying the Lord. Many thinkers who comment on the Bhagavad-gita do not
believe in Krishna. Never will they be freed from the shackles of productive
action. However, a common man who has a solid belief in the Lord's eternal
commands, despite the fact that he is unable to follow them, is set free from
the shackles of the law of karma. One may not entirely comply with the Lord's
instructions in the early stages of Krsna consciousness,
Verse 32
ये
त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् ।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि
नष्टानचेतसः ॥ ३२ ॥
ye tv etad abhyasūyanto
nānutiṣṭhanti me matam
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāṁs tān
viddhi naṣṭān acetasaḥ
Translation
However, individuals who
disobey these teachings and do not adhere to them on a regular basis out
of envy are to be regarded ignorant, deceived, and unsuccessful in their
pursuit of perfection.
Purport
This obviously shows the fault
of not being Krsna conscious. Disobedience to the order of the ultimate
Personality of Godhead will undoubtedly result in punishment, just as it does
when disobeying the order of the ultimate executive authority. Regardless of
how magnificent he may be, a disobedient individual lacks knowledge of the
Supreme Brahman, Paramatma, and the Personality of Godhead because of a
heartless disposition. As a result, he has little chance of living a flawless
life.
Verse 33
सदृशं
चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं
यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥ ३३ ॥
sadṛśaṁ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ
prakṛter jñānavān api
prakṛtiṁ yānti bhūtāni
nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣyati
Translation
Every person follows the
nature they have inherited from the three modes, therefore even the most
intelligent man behaves in accordance with his own nature. What is repression
capable of ?
Purport
According to the Lord in the
Seventh Chapter (7.14), one cannot be free from the influence of the modes of
material nature unless he is positioned on the transcendental platform of Krsna
consciousness. Therefore, it is impossible to escape the entanglement of my
using only theoretical knowledge or by separating the soul from the body, even
for someone with the highest level of education on the mundane plane. There are
many so-called spiritualists who, while publicly portraying themselves as
knowledgeable in science, actually entirely subordinate to certain forms of
nature that they are unable to overcome on the inside or in private. Even if
someone is exceptionally intelligent academically, his long association with
the material world has bound him. Even though one may be
performing his or her allotted obligations in terms of material existence,
Krsna consciousness aids one in disengaging from the material entanglement.
Therefore, one shouldn't abandon their job without being totally in Krsna
consciousness. Nobody should abruptly abandon their assigned responsibilities
and artificially transform into a so-called yogi or transcendentalist. It is
preferable to remain in one's position and work towards Krsna consciousness while
receiving top-notch instruction. This will enable one to escape Krsna's maya's
control.
Verse 34
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे
रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥ ३४ ॥
indriyasyendriyasyārthe
rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaśam āgacchet
tau hy asya paripanthinau
Translation
There are principles to
regulate attachment (raga) and aversion (dvesa)
pertaining to the senses and their objects. One should not come under the
control of such attachment and aversion, because they are stumbling blocks on
the path of self-realization.
Purport
Attachment means
bringing one's senses in contact with their objects.
Aversion means
hatred for those that obstruct one's sense enjoyment.
One should not fall under the
control of such attachment and aversion.
People who are conscious of
Krsna are naturally reluctant to indulge in sensual activities. However,
individuals who lack this consciousness ought to abide by the guidelines
provided in the revealed scriptures. Unrestrained sense enjoyment is what leads
to material entanglement, while someone who abides by the revealed scriptures'
norms and regulations does not become entangled by sense objects. For instance,
sexual pleasure is required for the conditioned soul and is permitted by the
licence of marital connections. It is illegal to have sex relationships with
any women other than one's wife, according to scriptural prohibitions. One
should regard all other ladies as their mothers. A man is still prone to having
sexual relationships with other women despite such prohibitions. These
tendencies need to be controlled because, if not, they will get in the way of
achieving self-realization. The needs of the material body are permitted as
long as it is present, but only in accordance with rules and regulations. We
shouldn't, however, rely on the management of such allowances. Since there is
always a chance of an accident, even on the royal roads, one must abide by the
rules and regulations without attachment because practising sense gratification
while following rules and regulations may also cause one to err.
Even
on the safest roads, despite their meticulous maintenance, nobody can guarantee
there won't be any danger. Due to material associations, the sense enjoyment
spirit has been prevalent for a very, very long time. Therefore, regulated
sense enjoyment can still go wrong, so it's important to take all precautions
to avoid developing any sort of attachment to it. However, attachment to Krsna
consciousness, or always acting in Krsna's loving service, separates one from
all types of sensory experiences. Therefore, at any stage of life, no one
should attempt to be cut off from Krsna consciousness. Detaching from all sense
attachments has the ultimate goal of placing oneself on the platform of Krsna
consciousness.
Post this sloka, there was
possibility for Arjuna may ask and think-, "What if one adopts
to other's duties such as non- violence, rather than doing one's own duty of fighting
the battle due to attachment and repulsion.
Verse 35 mentioned below will
explain this dilemma
Verse 35
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो
विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥ ३५ ॥
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ
para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt
sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ
para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
Translation
It is much preferable to
perform one's prescribed duties, even if imperfectly, than to perform another's
duties flawlessly. It is better to cause destruction while carrying out one's
own duties than to perform another person's, as doing so can be dangerous.
Purport
Therefore, rather than
performing the duties that are prescribed for others, one should complete their
prescribed duties in full Krsna consciousness. Prescribed duties are
obligations that are materially imposed in accordance with one's psychophysical
state and under the sway of the modes of material nature. The spiritual master
has prescribed certain spiritual obligations for Krsna's transcendental
service. However, one should follow their prescribed duties until death,
whether they are material or spiritual, rather than copying someone else's
prescribed duties. The principles of following the approved direction are
always beneficial to the performer, even though the duties on the spiritual
platform and the duties on the material platform may differ. When one is
seduced by the modes of material nature, one should abide by the rules that are
specific to his or her situation and shouldn't copy other people. In contrast
to a ksatriya, who is in the mode of passion, a brahmana, who is in the mode of
goodness, is nonviolent. As a result, for a ksatriya, it is preferable to be
defeated using violent methods rather than trying to emulate a brahmana who
employs nonviolent methods. Everyone must purify their hearts gradually, not
all at once. However, once a person transcends the modes of material nature and
is fully immersed in Krsna consciousness, he or she is able to carry out any
task under the supervision of an actual spiritual master. In that final stage
of Krsna consciousness, either a ksatriya or a brahmana can act in the role of
the other. The distinctions of the material world do not apply in the
transcendental stage. For instance, Parasurama was initially a brahmana but
later assumed the role of a ksatriya, whereas Visvamitra was originally a
ksatriya but later became a brahmana. They could because they are
transcendentally situated, but as long as someone is on the material platform,
they must carry out their duties in accordance with the laws of material
nature. He must also be fully aware of Krsna consciousness at all times.
In the verses 36-43
emphasis is on conquering the lust, the greatest enemy of human life.
The arch-enemy of spiritual
advancement is lust. One can curb lust by following regulations of religious
life (sense control) and by cultivating knowledge of the soul's real nature.
Refering to 3.34, about raga
and dvesa, Arjuna now asks about the jiva's attachment to the sense objects,
even though it is forbidden by scripture.
Verse 36
अर्जुन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः ।
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ॥ ३६ ॥
arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ
pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya
balād iva niyojitaḥ
Translation
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vṛṣṇi,
by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by
force?
Purport
A living thing is initially
spiritual, pure, and free of any material impurities because it is an integral
part of the Supreme. He is therefore inherently immune to the sins of the
physical world. However, when he comes into contact with the material world, he
behaves in a variety of sinful ways without hesitation and occasionally even
against his better judgement. As a result, Arjuna's query to Krishna is very
upbeat regarding the depraved nature of living things. The living being is
sometimes compelled to act in sin even though he does not want to. However, the
Supersoul within does not drive sinful behaviour; rather, as the Lord explains
in the following verse, sinful behaviour is the result of another factor which
will be explained in next verse.
In the verses 37-43 Krsna will
explain who is the instigator behind jiva’s sinful action?
Verse 37
श्री
भगवानुवाच
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥ ३७ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam
Translation
The Supreme Personality of
Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the
material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the
all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.
Purport
His eternal love for Krishna is changed into lust when a living entity interacts with the material creation, which is associated with the mode of passion. Or, to put it another way, just as milk that comes into contact with sour tamarind transforms into yoghurt, so too does the love of God become transformed into lust. However, unquenched lust becomes wrath, which is then transformed into illusion, which maintains the physical existence. Therefore, lust is the living thing's worst enemy, and it is the only thing that causes the pure living thing to continue to be involved with the material world. Wrath is a manifestation of ignorance; ignorance and its corollaries are manifestations of these modes. Therefore, one can be protected from the degradation of wrath by spiritual attachment if the mode of passion is elevated to the mode of goodness by the prescribed way of living and acting, rather than being degraded into the mode of ignorance. In the verses 2.62-63 this can be understood.
For His ever-increasing
spiritual bliss, the Supreme Personality of Godhead multiplied into many, and
the living things are an integral part of this bliss. They also have some
degree of independence, but they abuse it, turning their propensity for service
into one for sensual pleasure, which makes them vulnerable to lust. The Lord
made this material creation to make it easier for the conditioned souls to
indulge in their lustful tendencies. When the living things become completely
confused by repeated lustful activities, they start to wonder what their true
roles are.
The most devoted follower of
Lord Rama was Hanumaan, the great servant of the Lord showed his wrath by burning the golden city
of Ravana who was one of the most knowledgeble man alive on earth but was blinded by his own ego that made him capture Sita Maa to his palace in Lanka ultimately getting him killed by Lord ram , to this day it is celebrated as win of good over evil in form of vijayadashmi or dussehra.
In the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord also compels Arjuna to exact revenge on his enemies in order to appease the Lord for better of the society to establish the dharm.. Therefore, when used in Krsna consciousness, lust and anger turn into allies rather than enemies.
Verse 38
धूमेनाव्रियते
वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृत्तम् ॥ ३८ ॥
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir
yathādarśo malena ca
yatholbenāvṛto garbhas
tathā tenedam āvṛtam
Translation
The living thing is similarly
covered to varying degrees by this lust, just as fire is covered by smoke, a
mirror is covered by dust, or an embryo is covered by the womb.
Purport
The living thing has three
different levels of covering that obstruct his pure consciousness. This cover
is nothing more than lust disguised in various ways, such as smoke from a fire,
dust on a mirror, and the womb surrounding an embryo. It is understood that the
fire of the living spark can only be partially perceived when lust is compared
to smoke. In other words, when the living entity shows a hint of Krsna
consciousness, he can be compared to a fire that is partially obscured by
smoke. Fire does not immediately manifest in the early stage, despite the fact
that fire is required where there is smoke. Similar to the beginning of Krsna
consciousness is this stage.
 |
| Dust on mirror |
 |
| Fire covered by Smoke |
 |
| embryo covered with Womb |
|
Object |
Covered
By |
|
Degree
of lust |
Chance
of overcoming |
|
Fire |
Smoke |
Humans |
Slight |
Maximum |
|
Mirror |
Dust |
Animals |
Medium |
Medium |
|
Embryo |
Womb |
Trees |
Intense |
Minimum |
Verse 39
आवृतं
ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा ।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥ ३९ ॥
āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
duṣpūreṇānalena ca
Translation
Thus the wise living entity’s
pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust,
which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.
Purport
According to the Manu-smriti,
lust is unquenchable by any amount of sensual pleasure, just as a constant
supply of fuel will never put out a fire. Sex is the focal point of all
activities in the material world, which is why it is also referred to as the "shackles
of sex life" or maithunya-agara. Criminals are confined by bars in the
typical prison; similarly, those who violate the Lord's laws are restrained by
sex life. In order to advance a material civilization based on sense
gratification, a living thing must have a longer physical existence. Therefore,
this lust is a representation of ignorance used to confine the living thing to
the physical world. It is possible to feel some happiness while
indulging one's senses, but in reality, the so-called happiness is the ultimate
foe of the sense-indulger.
Verse 40
इन्द्रियाणि
मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते ।
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥ ४० ॥
indriyāṇi mano buddhir
asyādhiṣṭhānam ucyate
etair vimohayaty eṣa
jñānam āvṛtya dehinam
Translation
The senses (indriyāṇi), the
mind (mana) and the intelligence (buddhi) are the seats of this lust. Through
them lust covers one's real knowledge (jñānam āvṛtya) and bewilders him
(vimohayaty).
Purport
The enemy, lust, has captured
strategic positions in the body. In order for someone who wants to defeat the
enemy to know where to find him, the enemy has taken over various strategic
positions within the body of the conditioned soul. As a result, Lord Krsna is
providing hints as to where those locations are. As the centre of all sense
activities, the mind naturally becomes a repository for all concepts of sense
gratification when we are exposed to sensory objects. As a result, the mind and
the senses both turn into places where lust is stored. The intelligence
division then turns into the hub of these lustful tendencies. The spirit soul's
immediate next-door neighbour is intelligence. A false ego is acquired by the
spirit soul under the influence of lusty intelligence, which causes it to
identify with matter.
In the verses 41-43
Lord Krsna has elaborated ‘How to conquer lust’
Verse 41
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ
नियम्य भरतर्षभ ।
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ॥ ४१ ॥
tasmāt tvam indriyāṇy ādau
niyamya bharatarṣabha
pāpmānaṁ prajahi hy enaṁ
jñāna-vijñāna-nāśanam
Translation
Therefore, O Arjuna, best of
the Bhāratas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by
regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and
self-realization.
Purport
The Lord counselled Arjuna to
control his senses right from the start in order to defeat his greatest sinful
foe, lust, which kills the desire for self-realization and detailed knowledge
of oneself. Jnana is the term for knowing oneself as distinct from one's
non-self, or, in other words, realising that one's spirit soul is separate from
one's physical body. The term "vijnana" refers to precise knowledge
of the constitutional position and the Supreme Soul's relationship with the
spirit soul.
The only perverted
manifestation of God's natural love for all living things is lust. However, if
one is raised in Krsna consciousness from an early age, their inherent love for
God cannot turn into lust. It is very challenging when a person's love for God
turns into lust. It is very challenging to get back to the original state when
a person's love for God turns into lust. Even a late beginner, though, can
develop a love for God by adhering to the regulative principles of devotional
service because Krsna consciousness is so potent. Therefore, one can start
controlling their senses in Krsna consciousness, devotional service to the
Lord, and turning their lust into love of Godhead—the highest perfectional
stage of human life—from any stage of life or from the moment they realise how
urgent it is.
One should not try to conquer
over the mind and intelligence first, because they are more powerful than the
senses.
इन्द्रियाणि
पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥ ४२ ॥
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
Translation
The working senses are
superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still
higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.
Purport
Matter< Senses<
Mind<Intelligence<Soul
The senses serve as various
channels for lust-related activities. Although lust is suppressed inside the
body, it can be expressed through the senses. As a result, the body as a whole
is inferior to the senses. When there is higher consciousness, or Krsna
consciousness, these outlets are not in operation. In Krsna consciousness, the
soul has a direct line to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; as a result, the
Supreme Soul is where the hierarchy of bodily functions ends. Stopping the
senses means stopping all bodily actions because bodily action refers to the
sense organs' functions. However, because the mind is active, even when the
body is silent and at rest, the mind will continue to function, just as it does
while dreaming. The determination of the intelligence, however,
comes before the mind, and the proper soul comes before the intelligence.
Therefore, if the soul is conversing with the Supreme directly, then it follows
that all other subordinates, such as the intelligence, mind, and senses, will
also be conversing with the Supreme. Similar language can be found in the Katha
Upanishad, which asserts that the mind is superior to sense objects and that
the objects of sense gratification are superior to the senses. Therefore, there
is no possibility that the senses will become involved in other activities if
the mind is constantly directly engaged in the service of the Lord. This way of
thinking has already been described.
Param
Drstva nivartate. There is no possibility of the mind engaging in
the lower propensities if it is actively serving the Lord in a transcendental
way. The Katha Upanishad refers to the soul as Mahan, the Great. As a result,
the soul is superior to everything else, including sense objects, sense organs,
the mind, and intelligence. The answer to the entire issue is thus to directly
comprehend the constitutional position of the soul.
Verse 43
एवं बुद्धेः
परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥ ४३ ॥
evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā
saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā
jahi śatruṁ mahā-bāho
kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam
Translation
Thus knowing oneself to be
transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence, O mighty-armed
Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence [Kṛṣṇa
consciousness] and thus – by spiritual strength – conquer this insatiable enemy
known as lust.
Purport
This third chapter of the
Bhagavad-gita is a definitive directive to Krsna consciousness, without
considering impersonal voidness the ultimate goal, by realising oneself as
the eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One's tendencies
for lust and the desire to control the resources of material nature undoubtedly
have an impact on one's existence in the material world. The strongest enemy of
the conditioned soul is the desire for dominance and sensual gratification, but
with the power of Krsna consciousness, one can master the sense organs, the
mind, and the intellect. One may not immediately abandon their jobs and other
obligations, but by gradually gaining Krsna consciousness, they can find
themselves in a transcendental state free from the influence of their senses
and minds.
While it is not possible to
abandon one's job or other obligations overnight, one can gradually gain Krsna
consciousness and find themselves in a transcendental state where they are not
affected by their senses or minds, but rather by a steady intelligence that is
focused on their true identity. This concludes the chapter as a whole.
Philosophical conjectures and artificial attempts to control the senses through
the so-called practise of yogic postures cannot aid a man towards spiritual
life in the immature stage of material existence. He needs to receive
training in Krsna consciousness from superior intelligence. Steady your mind.
The Bhaktivedanta Purports to
the Third Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, which are about Karma-yoga, or
performing one's prescribed duty while thinking about Krishna, come to an end
at this point.
Summary of Chapter 3
Keep chanting
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare
Read our previous post from Chapter 2
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