Bhagavad Gita Chapter 03

» Bhagavad Gita 3.1

arjuna uvaca

jyayasi cet karmanas te

mata buddhir janardana

tat kim karmani ghore mam

niyojayasi keshava

"Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Keshava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?"

» Bhagavad Gita 3.2

vyamisreneva vakyena

buddhim mohayashiva me

tad ekam vada niscitya

yena sreyo ’ham apnuyam

"My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.3

sri-bhagavan uvaca

loke ’smin dvi-vidha nistha

pura prokta mayanagha

jnana-yogena sankhyanam

karma-yogena yoginam

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.4

na karmanam anarambhan

naishkarmyam purusho ’snute

na ca sannyasanad eva

siddhim samadhigacchati

"Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.5

na hi kascit ksanam api

jatu tisthaty akarma-krt

karyate hy avasah karma

sarvah prakriti-jair gunaih

"Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.6

karmendriyani samyamya

ya aste manasa smaran

indriyarthan vimudhatma

mithyacarah sa ucyate

"One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.7

yas tv indriyani manasa

niyamyarabhate ’rjuna

karmendriyaih karma-yogam

asaktah sa visisyate

"On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Krishna consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.8

niyatam kuru karma tvam

karma jyayo hy akarmanah

sarira-yatrapi ca te

na prasiddhyed akarmanah

"Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.9

yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra

loko ’yam karma-bandhanah

tad-artham karma kaunteya

mukta-sangah samacara

"Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.10

saha-yajnah prajah srstva

purovaca prajapatih

anena prasavisyadhvam

esa vo ’stv ista-kama-dhuk

"In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Vishnu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”"

» Bhagavad Gita 3.11

devan bhavayatanena

te deva bhavayantu vah

parasparam bhavayantah

sreyah param avapsyatha

"The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.12

istan bhogan hi vo deva

dasyante yajna-bhavitah

tair dattan apradayaibhyo

yo bhunkte stena eva sah

"In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajna [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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.13

yajna-sistasinah santo

mucyante sarva-kilbisaih

bhunjate te tv agham papa

ye pacanty atma-karanat

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.14

annad bhavanti bhutani

parjanyad anna-sambhavah

yajnad bhavati parjanyo

yajnah karma-samudbhavah

"All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.15

karma brahmodbhavam viddhi

brahmakshara-samudbhavam

tasmat sarva-gatam brahma

nityam yajne pratisthitam

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.16

evam pravartitam cakram

nanuvartayatiha yah

aghayur indriyaramo

mogham partha sa jivati

"My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.17

yas tv atma-ratir eva syad

atma-trptas ca manavah

atmany eva ca santustas

tasya karyam na vidyate

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.18

naiva tasya krtenartho

nakrteneha kascana

na casya sarva-bhutesu

kascid artha-vyapasrayah

"A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.19

tasmad asaktah satatam

karyam karma samacara

asakto hy acaran karma

param apnoti purushah

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.20

karmanaiva hi samsiddhim

asthita janakadayah

loka-sangraham evapi

sampasyan kartum arhasi

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.21

yad yad acarati sresthas

tat tad evetaro janah

sa yat pramanam kurute

lokas tad anuvartate

"Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.22

na me parthasti kartavyam

trisu lokesu kincana

nanavaptam avaptavyam

varta eva ca karmani

"O son of Pritha, 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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.23

yadi hy aham na varteyam

jatu karmany atandritah

mama vartmanuvartante

manushyah partha sarvasah

"For if I ever failed to engage in carefully performing prescribed duties, O Partha, certainly all men would follow My path."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.24

utsideyur ime loka

na kuryam karma ced aham

sankarasya ca karta syam

upahanyam imah prajah

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.25

saktah karmany avidvamso

yatha kurvanti bharata

kuryad vidvams tathasaktas

cikirsur loka-sangraham

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.26

na buddhi-bhedam janayed

ajnanam karma-sanginam

josayet sarva-karmani

vidvan yuktah samacaran

"So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development of Krishna consciousness]."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.27

prakriteh kriyamanani

gunaih karmani sarvasah

ahankara-vimudhatma

kartaham iti manyate

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.28

tattva-vit tu maha-baho

guna-karma-vibhagayoh

guna gunesu vartanta

iti matva na sajjate

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.29

prakriter guna-sammudhah

sajjante guna-karmasu

tan akrtsna-vido mandan

krtsna-vin na vicalayet

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.30

mayi sarvani karmani

sannyasyadhyatma-cetasa

nirasir nirmamo bhutva

yudhyasva vigata-jvarah

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.31

ye me matam idam nityam

anutishthanti manavah

shraddhavanto ’nasuyanto

mucyante te ’pi karmabhih

"Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of fruitive actions."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.32

ye tv etad abhyasuyanto

nanutishthanti me matam

sarva-jnana-vimudhams tan

viddhi nastan acetasah

"But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them are to be considered bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and ruined in their endeavors for perfection."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.33

sadrsam cestate svasyah

prakriter jnanavan api

prakritim yanti bhutani

nigrahah kim karishyati

"Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes. What can repression accomplish?"

» Bhagavad Gita 3.34

indriyasyendriyasyarthe

raga-dvesau vyavasthitau

tayor na vasam agacchet

tau hy asya paripanthinau

"There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion 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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.35

sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah

para-dharmat sv-anusthitat

sva-dharme nidhanam sreyah

para-dharmo bhayavahah

"It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.36

arjuna uvaca

atha kena prayukto ’yam

papam carati purushah

anicchann api varsneya

balad iva niyojitah

"Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrishni, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?"

» Bhagavad Gita 3.37

sri-bhagavan uvaca

kama esa krodha esa

rajo-guna-samudbhavah

mahasano maha-papma

viddhy enam iha vairinam

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.38

dhumenavriyate vahnir

yathadarso malena ca

yatholbenavrto garbhas

tatha tenedam avrtam

"As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.39

avrtam jnanam etena

jnanino nitya-vairina

kama-rupena kaunteya

duspurenanalena ca

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.40

indriyani mano buddhir

asyadhisthanam ucyate

etair vimohayaty esa

jnanam avrtya dehinam

"The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through them lust covers the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.41

tasmat tvam indriyany adau

niyamya bharatarsabha

papmanam prajahi hy enam

jnana-vijnana-nasanam

"Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.42

indriyani parany ahur

indriyebhyah param manah

manasas tu para buddhir

yo buddheh paratas tu sah

"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."

» Bhagavad Gita 3.43

evam buddheh param buddhva

samstabhyatmanam atmana

jahi satrum maha-baho

kama-rupam durasadam

"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 [Krishna consciousness] and thus—by spiritual strength—conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust."

<<< Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 02

Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 04 >>>