Karma Yoga

Arjuna said: If understanding (buddhi) is thought by you to be superior to action (karma), O Agitator of men (Janārdana), Then why do you urge me into this terrible action (karma), O Beautiful-haired one (Keśava)?

With seemingly mixed speech, you confuse my understanding (buddhi). Therefore, having determined it, tell me the one thing, by which I may attain the highest good.

The Blessed Lord (Śrī Bhagavān) said: In this world, a twofold path was declared by me in ancient times, O Sinless one (Anagha): The discipline of knowledge (jñānayoga) for the followers of Sankhya, and the discipline of action (karmayoga) for the yogis.

Not by abstaining from actions (karmāṇi) does a man enjoy actionlessness (naiṣkarmya), Nor by renunciation (sannyāsa) alone does he approach perfection (siddhi).

For no one ever, even for a moment, remains performing no action (akarmakṛt); Everyone is made to perform action (karma) helplessly, by the qualities (guṇas) born of nature (prakṛti).

He who, having restrained the organs of action (karmendriyāṇi), sits remembering with his mind The objects of the senses, that deluded soul is called a hypocrite (mithyācāra).

But he who, having controlled the senses with the mind, O Arjuna, undertakes The discipline of action (karmayoga) with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels.

Perform your allotted action (karma), for action (karma) is superior to inaction (akarma). And even the maintenance of your body would not be accomplished without action (karma).

Except for action (karma) performed for the sake of sacrifice (yajña), this world is bound by action (karmabandhana). For that sake, perform action (karma), O son of Kunti (Kaunteya), freed from attachment.

Having created beings together with sacrifice (yajña) in the beginning, the Lord of creatures (Prajāpati) said: "By this you shall multiply; let this be the milker of your desires."

Nourish the gods with this, and may those gods nourish you. Nourishing each other, you shall attain the highest good.

For the gods, nourished by sacrifice (yajña), will give you the enjoyments you desire. He who enjoys what is given by them without offering to them, he is a thief indeed.

The good who eat the remnants of the sacrifice (yajña) are freed from all sins (kilbiṣaiḥ). But those wicked ones who cook for their own sake eat only sin (agha).

Beings come into existence from food; the production of food is from rain (parjanya). Rain comes into existence from sacrifice (yajña); sacrifice is born of action (karma).

Know that action (karma) arises from Brahman, and Brahman arises from the Imperishable (akṣara). Therefore, the all-pervading Brahman is eternally established in sacrifice (yajña).

Thus set in motion the wheel, he who does not follow it here, Living in sin (agha), delighting in the senses, he lives in vain, O son of Pritha (Pārtha).

But the man whose delight is only in the Self (ātman), and who is satisfied with the Self (ātman), And who is contented only in the Self (ātman), for him there is no work to be done.

For him there is no purpose here in what is done, nor in what is not done. Nor among all beings is there any dependence for him on any object.

Therefore, unattached, always perform the action (karma) that is to be done. For a man performing action (karma) without attachment attains the Supreme (param).

By action (karma) alone, Janaka and others attained perfection (saṃsiddhi). Even considering the holding together of the world (lokasaṅgraha), you ought to act.

Whatever the best man does, that very thing the other people do. Whatever standard he sets, the world follows that.

For Me, O son of Pritha (Pārtha), there is nothing to be done in the three worlds, Nor anything unattained to be attained; yet I engage in action (karma).

For if I were not to engage unwearied in action (karma) at any time, Men would follow my path in every way, O son of Pritha (Pārtha).

These worlds would be destroyed if I were not to perform action (karma). And I would be the maker of mixing (saṅkara), and I would destroy these creatures.

As the ignorant act attached to action (karma), O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata), So the wise should act unattached, desiring the holding together of the world (lokasaṅgraha).

Let him not produce a division of understanding (buddhibheda) in the ignorant who are attached to action (karma). The disciplined wise man should cause them to enjoy all actions, performing them himself.

Actions (karmāṇi) are being performed in every way by the qualities (guṇas) of nature (prakṛti). He whose self is bewildered by ego (ahaṅkāra) thinks, "I am the doer."

But he who knows the truth (tattvavit), O Great-armed one (Mahābāho), of the divisions of qualities (guṇas) and actions (karma), Thinking "The qualities act among the qualities," is not attached.

Those bewildered by the qualities (guṇas) of nature (prakṛti) are attached to the actions of the qualities (guṇakarmasu). The knower of the whole (kṛtsnavit) should not unsettle the dull ones who do not know the whole.

Having renounced all actions (karmāṇi) in Me, with a mind directed to the supreme Self (adhyātmacetasā), Becoming free from expectation and free from the sense of "mine" (nirmama), fight, freed from your fever.

Those men who constantly follow this teaching of Mine, Full of faith (śraddhā) and not sneering, they too are released from actions (karmabhiḥ).

But those who, sneering at this, do not follow My teaching, Know them to be deluded in all knowledge, ruined, and devoid of understanding.

Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature (prakṛti). Beings follow nature (prakṛti); what will restraint accomplish?

In the object of every sense, attachment and aversion are situated. One should not come under their sway, for they are his two enemies.

Better is one's own duty (svadharma), though imperfect, than the duty of another well performed. Death in one's own duty (svadharma) is better; the duty of another brings fear.

Arjuna said: But impelled by what does this person commit sin (pāpa), Even unwillingly, O descendant of Vrishni (Vārṣṇeya), as if driven by force?

The Blessed Lord (Śrī Bhagavān) said: It is desire (kāma), it is anger (krodha), born of the quality of passion (rajoguṇa). The great consumer, the great sinner; know this to be the enemy here.

As fire is enveloped by smoke, and a mirror by dust, As an embryo is enveloped by the amnion, so is this enveloped by that.

Knowledge (jñāna) is enveloped by this, the constant enemy of the knower, In the form of desire (kāma), O son of Kunti (Kaunteya), and by the insatiable fire.

The senses, the mind, and the understanding (buddhi) are said to be its seat. By these it bewilders the embodied one (dehin), having enveloped knowledge (jñāna).

Therefore, having controlled the senses from the beginning, O best of the Bharatas (Bharatarṣabha), Slay this evil one, the destroyer of knowledge (jñāna) and realization (vijñāna).

They say the senses are supreme; beyond the senses is the mind; Beyond the mind is the understanding (buddhi); but what is beyond the understanding (buddhi), that is He.

Thus having known Him who is beyond the understanding (buddhi), having steadied the self (ātman) by the self (ātman), Slay the enemy, O Great-armed one (Mahābāho), whose form is desire (kāma), which is difficult to approach.