कर्मयोग

अर्जुन उवाच । ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन । तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥

Arjuna said: O Janardana, if you consider knowledge to be superior to action, then why, O Keshava, do you urge me to engage in this terrible action of war?

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे । तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥

You seem to bewilder my understanding with apparently conflicting statements. Tell me clearly the one path by which I may attain the highest good.

श्रीभगवानुवाच । लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ । ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥

The Supreme Lord said: O sinless Arjuna, in this world I have taught two paths from ancient times — the path of knowledge for the contemplatives, and the path of action for those inclined to work.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते । न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥

A person does not attain freedom from action merely by abstaining from action, nor does one attain perfection by renunciation alone.

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् । कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥

No one can remain without acting even for a moment; everyone is helplessly compelled to act by the qualities born of material nature.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् । इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥

One who restrains the organs of action but continues to dwell mentally on sense objects, deludes himself and is called a hypocrite.

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन । कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥

But he who controls the senses with the mind, O Arjuna, and engages the organs of action in the yoga of action without attachment, is superior.

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

Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible without action.

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः । तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥

Except for action performed as a sacrifice, this world is bound by action. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your duty as an offering, free from attachment.

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः । अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥

In ancient times, the Creator, having created mankind along with sacrifice, said: By this you shall prosper, and may this fulfill all your desires.

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः । परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥

By this sacrifice, nourish the gods, so that the gods may nourish you in turn. Nourishing one another, you shall attain the highest good.

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

Nourished by sacrifice, the gods will grant you the enjoyments you desire. But one who enjoys these gifts without offering anything in return is indeed a thief.

यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः । भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥

The virtuous who eat the remnants of a sacrifice are freed from all sins, but those who cook only for their own sake eat nothing but sin.

अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः । यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥

All beings arise from food, food is produced by rain, rain comes from sacrifice, and sacrifice arises from action.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् । तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

Know that action arises from the Vedas, and the Vedas arise from the imperishable Supreme. Therefore, the all-pervading Divine is ever established in sacrifice.

एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः । अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥

O Partha, one who does not follow this cycle set in motion, living sinfully and delighting only in the senses, lives in vain.

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः । आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥

But for the person who takes delight in the Self alone, who is satisfied and content within the Self, there remains nothing that needs to be done.

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन । न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥

For such a person, there is no purpose to be served by action, nor any loss by inaction; nor does he depend on any being for any self-interest whatsoever.

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर । असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥

Therefore, always perform your prescribed duty without attachment; for by performing action without attachment, a person attains the Supreme.

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः । लोकसङ्ग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥

Great souls like King Janaka attained perfection through action alone. Considering the welfare of the world too, you should perform action.

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥

Whatever a great person does, others follow. Whatever standard he sets by his own example, the world pursues.

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

O Partha, there is no duty for me to perform in all the three worlds, nor is there anything unattained that I need to attain; yet I continue to engage in action.

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

For if I did not engage in action tirelessly, O Partha, people in every way would follow my path.

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

If I did not perform action, these worlds would perish; I would become the cause of confusion, and I would destroy these people.

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥

O Bharata, just as the unwise act with attachment to results, so too should the wise act, but without attachment, desiring the welfare of the world.

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् । जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥

The wise should not unsettle the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action; rather, by performing all actions themselves in a spirit of yoga, they should inspire others to do the same.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः । अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥

All actions are performed entirely by the qualities of material nature; but one whose mind is deluded by ego thinks, I am the doer.

तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः । गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥

But one who understands the truth about the divisions of the gunas and their actions, O mighty-armed one, knowing that it is merely the gunas acting upon the gunas, does not become attached.

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु । तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥

Those deluded by the qualities of nature become attached to the actions of the gunas. One of complete knowledge should not unsettle those of lesser understanding whose knowledge is incomplete.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि सन्न्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा । निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥

Surrendering all actions to Me with a mind fixed on the Self, free from desire and possessiveness, fight, freed from mental fever.

ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः । श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः ॥

Those who, full of faith and without envy, constantly follow this teaching of mine are also freed from the bondage of action.

ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् । सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ॥

But those who, out of envy, disregard this teaching and do not follow it, know them to be devoid of all wisdom, deluded, and ruined.

सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि । प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥

Even a wise person acts according to his own nature. All beings follow their nature; what can mere suppression accomplish?

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ । तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥

Attraction and aversion toward the objects of each sense are naturally present. One should not fall under their control, for they are obstacles on one's path.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥

Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly performed, than the duty of another well performed. Death while doing one's own duty is preferable, for pursuing another's duty is fraught with danger.

अर्जुन उवाच । अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः । अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ॥

Arjuna said: O Varshneya, then impelled by what does a person commit sin, even unwillingly, as if driven by force?

श्रीभगवानुवाच । काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः । महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥

The Supreme Lord said: It is desire, it is anger, born of the mode of passion, all-devouring and greatly sinful; know this to be the enemy here.

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च । यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥

As fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and an embryo by the womb, so is this knowledge covered by that desire.

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा । कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥

O son of Kunti, even the wise person's knowledge is covered by this eternal enemy in the form of desire, an insatiable fire that is never satisfied.

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते । एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥

The senses, mind, and intellect are said to be its seat. Through these, this desire veils true knowledge and deludes the embodied soul.

तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ । पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ॥

Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, first control the senses, and then slay this sinful destroyer of knowledge and wisdom.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥

The senses are said to be superior to the body, the mind superior to the senses, the intellect superior to the mind, and that which is superior even to the intellect is the Self.

एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥

Thus knowing the Self to be beyond the intellect, and steadying the mind by the Self, O mighty-armed one, slay this formidable enemy in the form of desire.