3.2. You appear to perplex my intellect with Your speech that looks confusing. Hence tell me, with certainty, that particular thing by which I may attain the good (emancipation).
3.3. The Bhagavat said The two-fold path in this world-[the one] with Yoga of knowledge for men of reflection [and the other] with Yoga of action for men of Yoga-has been declared to be one by Me formerly, O sinless one !
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
Translation · English
3.5. For, no one can ever remain, even for a moment, as a non-performer of action; because everyone, being not master of himself, is forced to perform action by the Strands born of the Prakrti (Material cause)
3.6. Controlling organs of actions, whosoever sits with his mind, pondering over the sense objects-that person is a man of deluded soul and [he] is called a man of deluded action.
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥
Translation · English
3.7. But, controlling sense-organs by mind, whosoever undertakes the Yoga of action with the action-senses he, the detached one, is superior [to others], O Arjuna !
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥
Translation · English
3.8. You must perform your action which has been enjoined. For, action is superior to inaction; and even the maintenance of your body could not be properly accomplished through inaction.
3.9. The world is fettered by action which is other than the Yajnartha action; hence, O son of Kunti, being freed from attachment, you most properly perform Yajnartha action.
3.10. Having created creatures formerly [at the time of creation] together with necessary action, the Lord of creatures declared : 'By means of this, you shalll propagate yourselves; and let this be your wish-fulfilling-cow.'
3.12. The devas, gratified with necessary action will grant you the things sacrificed. [Hence] whosoever enjoys their gifts without offering them to these devas-he is surely a thief.
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥
Translation · English
3.13. The righteous persons, who eat the remnants (objects enjoined) of the actions to be performed necessarily, are freed from all sins. But those who cook, intending their own selves, are sinners and eat sin.
3.14. From food arise the things that are born; from the rain-cloud the food arises; from the sacrifice the rain-cloud arises; the sacrifices arises from action;
3.15. Action arises from the Brahman, you should know this; the Brhaman arises from what does not stream forth; therefore the all-pervading Brahman is permanently based on the sacrifice.
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥
Translation · English
3.16. Whosoever does not roll forward the wheel, thus set in motion in this world, he is a man of sinful life rejoicing in the senses; and he lives in vain, O son of Prtha !
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥
Translation · English
3.17. But the man, who simply rejoices in the Self; and who is satisfied in the Self; and who delights in the Self alone-there exists no action for him to be performed.
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥
Translation · English
3.18. No purpose is served for him by what he has done or by what he has not done. For him there is hardly any dependenc on any purpose among all beings.
3.19. Therefore, unattached always, you should perform action that is to be performed; for, the person, performing action without attachment, attains the Supreme.
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥
Translation · English
3.20. It was by action alone that Janaka and others had attained emancipation. Further, at least having regard to hold the world (the society) together you should act.
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥
Translation · English
3.22. O son of Prtha ! For Me, in the three worlds there is nothing that must be done; nor is there any thing unattained [so far] to be attained; and yet I exert in action.
3.25. [Therefore] just as the unwise persons, being attached to action, do, O son of Prtha, so the wise should perform, [But] being unattached and desiring to hold the world together.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥
Translation · English
3.26. Let the wise master of Yoga fulfil (or destroy) all actions by performing them all, and let him not creat any disturbance in the mind of the ingnorant persons attached to action.
3.27. The actions are performed part by part, by the Strands of the Prakrti; [yet] the person, having his self (mind) deluded with egoity, imagines 'I am [alone] the doer'.
3.28. But, O mighty-armed one, the knower of the real nature of the divisions of the Strands and of their [respective] divisions of work, realises : 'The Strands are at their [respective] purposes' And hence he is not attached.
3.29. Men, completely deluded by the Strands of the Prakrti, are attached to the actions of the Strands. Man, who know fully, should not confuse them, the dullard, who do not know fully.
3.30. Renouncing all actions in Me, with mind that concentrates on the Self; being free from the act of reesting and from the sense of possession; and [conseently being free from [mental] fever; you should fight.
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः ॥
Translation · English
3.31. Those who constantly follow this doctrine of Mine-such men, with faith and without finding fault [in it], are freed from [the results of] all actions.
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ॥
Translation · English
3.32. But those who, finding fault, do not follow this doctrine of Mine-be sure that these men to be highly deluded in all [branches of] knowledge and to be lost and brainless.
3.34. [For a man of worldly life] there are likes and dislikes clearly fixed with regard to the objects of each of his sense organs. These are the obstacles for him. [The wise] would not come under the control of these.
3.35. Better is one's own duty, [though] it lacks in merit, than the well-performed duty of another; better is the ruin in one's own duty than the good fortune from another's duty.
3.36. Arjuna said Then, induced by what, does this person [of the world] commit sin-eventhough he does not desire it-as if instigated by a force, overpowering [him] ?
3.37. The Bhagavat said This desire, this wrath, born of the Rajas-Strand, is a swallower of festival [and] a mighty bestower of sins. Know this to be the enemy here.
3.41. Therefore, O best among the Bharatas, by controlling completely the sense-organs in the beginning [itself], you must avoid this sinful one, destroying the knowledge-action.
3.42. Different are the sense-organs [from their objects], they say; from the sense-organs different is the mind; from the mind too the intellect is different; what is different from the intellect is That (Self).
3.43. Thus being conscious : 'That is different from the intellect'; and steadying the self with the self; kill the foe that is of the form of desire and that is hard to approach.
अर्जुन उवाच। ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन। तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥
3.1. Arjuna said O Janardana, if knowledg is held to be superior to action by You, then why do You engage me in action that is terrible, O Kesava ?
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे। तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥
3.2. You appear to perplex my intellect with Your speech that looks confusing. Hence tell me, with certainty, that particular thing by which I may attain the good (emancipation).
श्रीभगवानुवाच। लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ। ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥
3.3. The Bhagavat said The two-fold path in this world-[the one] with Yoga of knowledge for men of reflection [and the other] with Yoga of action for men of Yoga-has been declared to be one by Me formerly, O sinless one !
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते। न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥
3.4. A person attains actionlessness not [just] by non-commencement of actions; and not just by renunciation, he attains success (emancipation).
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्। कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
3.5. For, no one can ever remain, even for a moment, as a non-performer of action; because everyone, being not master of himself, is forced to perform action by the Strands born of the Prakrti (Material cause)
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्। इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥
3.6. Controlling organs of actions, whosoever sits with his mind, pondering over the sense objects-that person is a man of deluded soul and [he] is called a man of deluded action.
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन। कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥
3.7. But, controlling sense-organs by mind, whosoever undertakes the Yoga of action with the action-senses he, the detached one, is superior [to others], O Arjuna !
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः। शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥
3.8. You must perform your action which has been enjoined. For, action is superior to inaction; and even the maintenance of your body could not be properly accomplished through inaction.
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः। तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥
3.9. The world is fettered by action which is other than the Yajnartha action; hence, O son of Kunti, being freed from attachment, you most properly perform Yajnartha action.
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः। अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥
3.10. Having created creatures formerly [at the time of creation] together with necessary action, the Lord of creatures declared : 'By means of this, you shalll propagate yourselves; and let this be your wish-fulfilling-cow.'
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः। परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥
3.11. 'With this you must gratify the devas and let the devas gratify you; [thus] gratifying one another, you shall attain the highest good.'
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः। तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥
3.12. The devas, gratified with necessary action will grant you the things sacrificed. [Hence] whosoever enjoys their gifts without offering them to these devas-he is surely a thief.
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः। भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥
3.13. The righteous persons, who eat the remnants (objects enjoined) of the actions to be performed necessarily, are freed from all sins. But those who cook, intending their own selves, are sinners and eat sin.
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः। यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥
3.14. From food arise the things that are born; from the rain-cloud the food arises; from the sacrifice the rain-cloud arises; the sacrifices arises from action;
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्। तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥
3.15. Action arises from the Brahman, you should know this; the Brhaman arises from what does not stream forth; therefore the all-pervading Brahman is permanently based on the sacrifice.
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः। अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥
3.16. Whosoever does not roll forward the wheel, thus set in motion in this world, he is a man of sinful life rejoicing in the senses; and he lives in vain, O son of Prtha !
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः। आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥
3.17. But the man, who simply rejoices in the Self; and who is satisfied in the Self; and who delights in the Self alone-there exists no action for him to be performed.
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन। न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥
3.18. No purpose is served for him by what he has done or by what he has not done. For him there is hardly any dependenc on any purpose among all beings.
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर। असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥
3.19. Therefore, unattached always, you should perform action that is to be performed; for, the person, performing action without attachment, attains the Supreme.
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः। लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥
3.20. It was by action alone that Janaka and others had attained emancipation. Further, at least having regard to hold the world (the society) together you should act.
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः। स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
3.21. Whatsoever a great man does, other commoners do the same; whatever standard he sets up, the world follows that.
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन। नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥
3.22. O son of Prtha ! For Me, in the three worlds there is nothing that must be done; nor is there any thing unattained [so far] to be attained; and yet I exert in action.
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥
3.23. For, if I were ever not at work unwearied, all men would follow My path, O son of Prtha !
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्। सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥
3.24. These worlds would perish if I were not to perform action; and I would be a cause of confusion; I would destroy these people.
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत। कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ॥
3.25. [Therefore] just as the unwise persons, being attached to action, do, O son of Prtha, so the wise should perform, [But] being unattached and desiring to hold the world together.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्। जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥
3.26. Let the wise master of Yoga fulfil (or destroy) all actions by performing them all, and let him not creat any disturbance in the mind of the ingnorant persons attached to action.
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः। अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥
3.27. The actions are performed part by part, by the Strands of the Prakrti; [yet] the person, having his self (mind) deluded with egoity, imagines 'I am [alone] the doer'.
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः। गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥
3.28. But, O mighty-armed one, the knower of the real nature of the divisions of the Strands and of their [respective] divisions of work, realises : 'The Strands are at their [respective] purposes' And hence he is not attached.
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु। तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥
3.29. Men, completely deluded by the Strands of the Prakrti, are attached to the actions of the Strands. Man, who know fully, should not confuse them, the dullard, who do not know fully.
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा। निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥
3.30. Renouncing all actions in Me, with mind that concentrates on the Self; being free from the act of reesting and from the sense of possession; and [conseently being free from [mental] fever; you should fight.
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः। श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः ॥
3.31. Those who constantly follow this doctrine of Mine-such men, with faith and without finding fault [in it], are freed from [the results of] all actions.
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्। सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ॥
3.32. But those who, finding fault, do not follow this doctrine of Mine-be sure that these men to be highly deluded in all [branches of] knowledge and to be lost and brainless.
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥
3.33. Even a man of knowledge acts in conformity to his own Prakrti, the elements go [back] to the Prakrti; [and] what will the restraint avail ?
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ। तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥
3.34. [For a man of worldly life] there are likes and dislikes clearly fixed with regard to the objects of each of his sense organs. These are the obstacles for him. [The wise] would not come under the control of these.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥
3.35. Better is one's own duty, [though] it lacks in merit, than the well-performed duty of another; better is the ruin in one's own duty than the good fortune from another's duty.
अर्जुन उवाच। अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ॥
3.36. Arjuna said Then, induced by what, does this person [of the world] commit sin-eventhough he does not desire it-as if instigated by a force, overpowering [him] ?
श्रीभगवानुवाच। काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥
3.37. The Bhagavat said This desire, this wrath, born of the Rajas-Strand, is a swallower of festival [and] a mighty bestower of sins. Know this to be the enemy here.
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च। यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥
3.38. As the fire is concealed by smoke and a mirror by dirt, and as the embryo is concealed by membrance-cover, so He is concealed by this (foe).
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा। कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥
3.39. O son of Kunti ! The knowledge of the wise is concealed by this eternal foe, which looks like a desired one, and which is the fire insatiable.
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते। एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥
3.40. It basis is said to be the sense-organs, the mind and the intellect. With these it deludes the embodied by concealing knowledge.
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ। पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ॥
3.41. Therefore, O best among the Bharatas, by controlling completely the sense-organs in the beginning [itself], you must avoid this sinful one, destroying the knowledge-action.
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः। मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥
3.42. Different are the sense-organs [from their objects], they say; from the sense-organs different is the mind; from the mind too the intellect is different; what is different from the intellect is That (Self).
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना। जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥
3.43. Thus being conscious : 'That is different from the intellect'; and steadying the self with the self; kill the foe that is of the form of desire and that is hard to approach.