- 3.1ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।Arjuna asks why Krishna urges action if knowledge is the higher path.
- 3.2व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।He says Krishna's words sound mixed and asks for one clear path.
- 3.3लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।Krishna says there are two valid disciplines: knowledge and selfless action.
- 3.4न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।A person does not reach freedom by simply avoiding action.
- 3.5न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।No one can stay without acting even for a moment.
- 3.6कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।Controlling the body while dwelling on desires is hypocrisy.
- 3.7यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन ।The better path is to control the senses and work without attachment.
- 3.8नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।Krishna tells Arjuna to do his duty because action is better than inaction.
- 3.9यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः ।Selfish work binds, but work done as sacrifice frees.
- 3.10सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः ।The Creator linked human life with sacrifice from the very beginning.
- 3.11देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।Humans and devas support each other through sacrifice.
- 3.12इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः ।Enjoying what is given without offering back is like stealing.
- 3.13यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः ।Those who eat after sacrifice are purified, while the selfish consume sin.
- 3.14अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः ।Life depends on food, food on rain, rain on sacrifice, and sacrifice on action.
- 3.15कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् ।Action comes from Brahman, so sacrifice belongs to the sacred order.
- 3.16एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः ।One who ignores this cycle and lives only for pleasure lives in vain.
- 3.17यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।A person fulfilled in the Self has no selfish task left to chase.
- 3.18नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।Such a person is not dependent on action or inaction for fulfillment.
- 3.19तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।So one should still act, but without attachment.
- 3.20कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।Even rulers like Janaka reached perfection through action.
- 3.21यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।People follow the example set by those they consider great.
- 3.22न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।Krishna himself has nothing to gain, yet he still acts.
- 3.23यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः ।If Krishna stopped acting, others would imitate that inaction.
- 3.24उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।The world would fall into disorder if he failed to act.
- 3.25सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।The wise should work without attachment, unlike the ignorant who cling to results.
- 3.26न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।The wise should guide ordinary people gently rather than confuse them.
- 3.27प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।Nature performs all actions, but ego makes people think they are the doer.
- 3.28तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।One who understands the gunas sees nature acting within nature.
- 3.29प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।The wise should not unsettle those who are still attached to action.
- 3.30मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।Krishna tells Arjuna to offer all action to Him and fight without ego or anxiety.
- 3.31ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः ।Those who follow this teaching with faith are freed from bondage.
- 3.32ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् ।Those who reject it out of faultfinding lose clarity and fall.
- 3.33सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।Even the wise still act according to their own nature.
- 3.34इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ ।Attraction and aversion must not be allowed to rule the mind.
- 3.35श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।It is safer to do your own duty imperfectly than another's well.
- 3.36अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः ।Arjuna asks what force pushes people into wrongdoing against their will.
- 3.37काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।Krishna says desire and anger, born of rajas, are the enemy.
- 3.38धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।Desire covers wisdom the way smoke hides fire and dust hides a mirror.
- 3.39आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा ।This endless desire hides the knowledge of the wise.
- 3.40इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते ।Desire works through the senses, the mind, and the intellect.
- 3.41तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ ।So one must first control the senses and destroy this enemy.
- 3.42इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ।The senses are above the body, the mind above the senses, the intellect above the mind, and the Self above the intellect.
- 3.43एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।Knowing this, Arjuna must steady himself and conquer desire.
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