The Path of Action

Chapter 3 · Verse 1

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

Arjuna said: If you think understanding is better than action, Krishna, then why are you pushing me into this terrible work?

Arjuna opens the chapter with a complaint, and it is a fair one.

Chapter 3 · Verse 2

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

Your words seem to contradict each other, and they are confusing me. Tell me one thing, plainly, that will get me to what is best.

He asks for one answer.

Chapter 3 · Verse 3

लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ।ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्॥

Krishna said: There are two ways of standing in this world, as I have said before. Some come at it through understanding. Some come at it through action.

Krishna answers by confirming the thing Arjuna was objecting to.

Chapter 3 · Verse 4

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति॥

You do not get free of action by not starting anything. And you do not reach the goal just by walking away.

Two exits closed in one line.

Chapter 3 · Verse 5

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

Nobody stays still even for a moment. Everyone is made to act, whether they like it or not, by the forces that nature is built from.

Here is why not-acting is not available.

Chapter 3 · Verse 6

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

Someone who holds his hands still while his mind runs after the same things he gave up - that man is fooling himself, and the word for him is hypocrite.

The harshest line in the chapter so far, and it is aimed at a specific person.

Chapter 3 · Verse 7

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते॥

But the one who gets the senses in hand with his mind, Arjuna, and then sets his body to work without holding on to it - that one is doing far better.

The same discipline as verse 6, with the order reversed, and the verdict flips.

Chapter 3 · Verse 8

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

Do the work that is yours to do. Working is better than not working. You could not even keep your body going if you did nothing.

A plain instruction, and then a very ordinary argument for it.

Chapter 3 · Verse 9

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर॥

Work binds a person, except when it is done as an offering. So do your work as an offering, Arjuna, holding on to none of it.

Here is the mechanism, and it turns on one word.

Chapter 3 · Verse 10

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः।अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्॥

At the beginning, the Maker brought people and offering into being together, and said: through this, flourish. Let this give you what you need.

A creation story, told in one line.

Chapter 3 · Verse 11

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः।परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ॥

Sustain the powers above with this, and let them sustain you. Sustaining each other, you will come to what is truly good.

The circuit, in one line.

Chapter 3 · Verse 12

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

Sustained by your offering, those powers will give you what you need. Take what they give and hand none of it back, and you are simply a thief.

A hard word, and it is chosen deliberately: stena - thief.

Chapter 3 · Verse 13

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

Good people eat what is left after the offering, and they are freed of all that clings to them. Those who cook only for themselves are eating something else.

A picture from an ordinary kitchen.

Chapter 3 · Verse 14

अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः॥

Living things come from food. Food comes from rain. Rain comes from offering. And offering comes from doing the work.

Four links, and the chain closes at the end of the next verse.

Chapter 3 · Verse 15

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्।तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्॥

Know that action comes from what was spoken, and what was spoken comes from what does not perish. So the all-pervading is present, always, in the act of offering.

The chain closes here, and it closes upward.

Chapter 3 · Verse 16

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

Whoever does not keep this wheel turning lives for his senses alone, Arjuna. That life is wasted.

The conclusion of the circuit argument, and it is blunt.

Chapter 3 · Verse 17

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते॥

But the one who takes his joy in himself, who is satisfied with himself and content in himself - for him there is nothing that has to be done.

The exception.

Chapter 3 · Verse 18

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः॥

He has nothing to gain here by acting, and nothing to lose by not acting. He does not depend on any creature for anything at all.

The exemption, spelled out.

Chapter 3 · Verse 19

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः॥

So do the work that is there to be done, always, without holding on to it. Acting without holding on, a person reaches what is highest.

Tasmāt - therefore.

Chapter 3 · Verse 20

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः।लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि॥

Janaka and others reached the goal by action alone. You should act too, if only for the sake of holding the world together.

A precedent, and then a second reason.

Chapter 3 · Verse 21

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः।स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते॥

Whatever the best person does, everyone else does too. The standard he sets is the one the world follows.

The reason loka-saṅgraha matters, and it is about imitation.

Chapter 3 · Verse 22

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

There is nothing in all three worlds that I have to do, Arjuna, nothing I lack and nothing to get. And I am at work anyway.

Krishna applies the argument to himself, and it is the strongest form of it.

Chapter 3 · Verse 23

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

If I did not keep working, carefully, without slacking - people would follow my path, Arjuna, in every way.

The reason he works.

Chapter 3 · Verse 24

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

If I stopped working, these worlds would fall apart. I would be the cause of everything running together, and I would destroy these people.

The consequence, stated at full scale.

Chapter 3 · Verse 25

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम्॥

The unknowing act because they are attached to what they are doing. The one who knows should act just as hard, Arjuna, but unattached, wanting to hold the world together.

Same effort.

Chapter 3 · Verse 26

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन्॥

Do not unsettle the minds of people who are attached to what they do. Let the one who knows keep working, well, and draw them in that way.

A rule about teaching, and it is a restraining one.

Chapter 3 · Verse 27

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः।अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताऽहमिति मन्यते॥

Everything that gets done is done by the forces nature is made of. A person fooled by the I-maker thinks: I am the one doing this.

The strongest claim in the chapter, and it takes authorship away entirely.

Chapter 3 · Verse 28

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

But the one who sees how the strands and their work divide up, Arjuna, thinks: the strands are busy among the strands. And he does not get stuck.

This puts verse 27 right, and it does it by shifting where you are watching from.

Chapter 3 · Verse 29

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु।तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत्॥

People fooled by the strands get attached to what the strands do. The one who sees the whole should not unsettle those who see only part of it.

Verse 26's restraint, repeated, and now with a reason attached.

Chapter 3 · Verse 30

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा।निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः॥

Hand all your actions over to me, with your mind on what is deepest. Let go of expecting anything, let go of mine, and fight - without the fever.

The chapter's instruction, finally given whole.

Chapter 3 · Verse 31

ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः।श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः॥

People who keep to this teaching of mine, trusting it and not picking at it, are set free from what their actions would otherwise bind them to.

A promise, with two conditions attached.

Chapter 3 · Verse 32

ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः॥

But those who pick at this and do not follow it - know them to be lost, confused about everything, out of their senses.

The other half, and it is unusually harsh.

Chapter 3 · Verse 33

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

Even someone who knows better acts according to his own nature. Every creature follows its nature. What is holding it down going to achieve?

A blunt admission, and it arrives right after two verses about following the teaching.

Chapter 3 · Verse 34

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ॥

Pulling toward and pushing away sit fixed in every sense, waiting on their objects. Do not fall under the power of those two. They are what stand in your way.

If suppression will not work, here is what will.

Chapter 3 · Verse 35

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः॥

Better your own work, done badly, than someone else's work done well. It is better to die doing your own work. Someone else's work brings danger.

Krishna is talking about the pull to live a life that is not yours.

Chapter 3 · Verse 36

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

Arjuna said: Then what makes a person do harm, Krishna, even when he does not want to? It is as if something pushes him into it.

The best question in the chapter, and everyone recognises it.

Chapter 3 · Verse 37

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः।महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्॥

Krishna said: It is wanting. It is anger. It comes out of the restless strand, it eats everything, it does great harm. Know that as the enemy here.

One answer, named twice.

Chapter 3 · Verse 38

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम्॥

As smoke covers fire, as dust covers a mirror, as the womb covers what is growing in it - so this covers everything.

Three images for one process, and they are not interchangeable.

Chapter 3 · Verse 39

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च॥

Knowing is covered over by this constant enemy of the wise, Arjuna - a fire in the shape of wanting, and it never fills up.

The image sharpens.

Chapter 3 · Verse 40

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते।एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम्॥

The senses, the mind and the understanding are where it lives. Working through those, it clouds what a person knows and fools the one inside.

Krishna locates it.

Chapter 3 · Verse 41

तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ।पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्॥

So get the senses in hand first, Arjuna, and then strike this thing down - the harm-doer that destroys both knowing and seeing.

The instruction, and the order inside it matters.

Chapter 3 · Verse 42

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

The senses are said to be high. Higher than the senses is the mind. Higher than the mind is the understanding. And higher than the understanding is he.

A ladder, in one line, and the top rung is left almost unnamed.

Chapter 3 · Verse 43

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

Knowing him to be above the understanding, steady yourself by yourself, and strike down the enemy in the shape of wanting - the one that is so hard to get at.

The chapter ends with an instruction and a warning in the same line.