Verses Of Gita Chapter 3🔗

अर्जुन उवाच

Arjuna uvaacha:

jyaayasi chet karmanas te mata buddhir janardana tat kim karmani ghore maam niyojayasi Keshava 3.1

Arjuna: Arjuna; uvaacha: said; jyaayasi: speaking highly; chet: although; karmanah: action; te: your; mata: opinion; buddhih: knowledge; janardana: Janardana; tat: therefore; kim: why; karmani: in action; ghore: terrible; maam: me; niyojayasi: engaging me; keshava: Keshava (slayer of gthe demon Keshu)

3.1 Arjuna said:

O Janardana, O Kesava, Why do You make me engage in this terrible war if You think that knowledge is superior to action?

vyaamishrena: by ambiguous; iva: as; vakyena: words; buddhim: intelligence; mohayasee: confusing; iva: as; me: my; tat: therefore; ekam: one; vada: tell; nishchitya: for certain; yena: by which; shreyah: benefit; aham: I; apnuyam: may have

3.2 My intelligence is confused by Your conflicting words. Tell me clearly what is best for me.

श्री भगवानुवाच

Shri Bhagavan uvaacha:

Shri Bhagavan uvaacha: the Lord said; loke: in the world; asmin: this; dvividha: two kinds of; nishtha: faith; pura: before; prokta: were said; maya: by Me; anagha: O sinless one; jnana yogena: by the yoga of knowledge; saankhyaanaam: of the Sankhya; karma yogena: by the yoga of action; yoginaam: of the yoga practitioners

3.3 The Lord said,

‘O sinless Arjuna, as I said before, in this world there are two paths; Self knowledge for the intellectual and the path of action of the knowing.

na karmanaam anaarambhaan naishkarmyam purushoshnute na cha sannyasanaad eva siddhim samadhigacchati 3.4

na: without; karmanaam: of the actions; anaarambhaan: abstaining; naishkarmyam: freedom from action; purushah: man; ashnute: achieve; na: not; cha: also; sannyasanaat: by renunciation; eva: surely; siddhim: success; samadhigacchati: attain

3.4 A person does not attain freedom from action by abstaining from work, nor does he attain fulfillment by giving up action.

na hi kashchit kshanam api jaatu tishthati akarmakrut kaaryate hyavashaha karma sarvaha prakruti jair gunaiha 3.5 Na: not, hi: surely, kashchit: anyone, kshanam: for a moment, api: also, jaatu: even, tishthati: stands, akarmakrut: without doing something, kaaryate: forced to work, hi: surely, avashaha: helplessly, karma: action, sarvaha: all, prakriti jaih: of the modes of material nature, gunaiha: by the attributes

3.5 Surely, not even for a moment can anyone stand without doing something. He is always in action, despite himself, as this is his very nature.

karmendriyaani samyamya ya aaste manasaa smaran indriyaarthaan vimudhaatma mithyaachaaraha sa uchyate 3.6

karmeindriyaani: the five working sense organs; samyamya: restraining; ya: who; aste: remains; manasaa: mentally; smaran: recollecting; indriyaarthaan: objects of the senses; vimudha: foolish; atma: soul; mithyaachaaraha: hypocrite; sa: he; uchyate: is called

3.6 He who restrains the sense organs, but who still thinks of the objects of the senses is deluded and is called a hypocrite.

yas tvindriyaani manasaa niyamya aarabhate arjuna karmendriyaih karma yogam asaktaha sa vishishyate 3.7

yah: who; tu: but; indriyaani: senses; manasaa: by the mind; niyamya: controlling; aarabhate: begins; arjuna - O Arjuna; karma indriyaih: by the active sense organs; karma yogam: work of devotion; asaktaha: without attachment; sah: he; vishishyate: superior

3.7 He who begins controlling the senses by the mind and performs selfless work through the sense organs is superior, O Arjuna.

niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyaayo hya akarmanaha shareera yaatraa api cha te na prasiddhyed akarmanaha 3.8

niyatam: prescribed; kuru: do; karma: work; tvam: you; karma: work; jyaayah: better; hi: than; akarmanaha: without work; shareera: body; yaatraa: maintenance; api: even; cha: also; te: your; na: never; prasiddhyet: possible; akarmanaha: without work

3.8 Do your prescribed work, as doing work is better than being idle. Even your own body cannot be maintained without work.

yajnaarthaat karmano ‘nyatra loko‘yam karmabandhanaha tad artham karma kaunteya mukta sangaha samaachara 3.9

yajna: sacrifice; arthaat: for; karmanah: work done; anyatra: otherwise; lokah: world; ayam: this; karmabandhanaha: bondage by work; tat: Him; artham: for; karma: work; kaunteya: O son of Kunti; mukta: liberated; sangaha: attachment; samaachara: do perfectly

3.9 Work has to be performed selflessly; otherwise, work binds one to this world. O son of Kunti, perform your work for Me and you will do it perfectly, liberated and without attachment.

saha yajnaaha prajaaha srshtva purovaacha prajapatihi anena prasavishyadhvam esha vostvishta kaamadhuk 3.10

sah: along with; yajnaaha: sacrifices; prajaaha: people; srshtvaa: creating; pura: before; uvaacha: said; prajapatihi: the lord of creation; anena: by this; prasavishyadhvam: be more and more prosperous; esha: certainly; vah: your; astu: let it be; ishta: desired; kamadhuk: bestower of gifts

3.10 Brahma, the lord of creation before creating human kind as selfless sacrifice said, ‘By this selfless service, be more and more prosperous and let it bestow all the desired gifts.’

devaan bhaavayata anena te devaa bhaavayantu vaha parasparam bhaavayantaha shreyaha param avapsyatha 3.11

devaan: celestial beings; bhaavayata: having pleased; anena: by this sacrifice; te: those; devaa: demigods; bhaavayantu: will please; vaha: you; parasparam: mutual; bhaavayantaha: pleasing one another; shreyaha: prosperity; param: supreme; avapsyatha: achieve

3.11 The celestial beings, being pleased by this sacrifice, will also nourish you; with this mutual nourishing of one another, you will achieve supreme prosperity.

ishtaan bhogaan hi vo devaa daasyante yajna bhaavitaaha tair dattaan apradaayaibhyo yo bhunkte stena eva saha 3.12 ishtaan: desired; bhogaan: necessities of life; hi: certainly; vaha: to you; devaa: demigods; daasyante: award; yajna: sacrifice; bhaavitaaha: satisfied; taih: by them; dattan: things given; apradaaya: without offering; ebhyaha: to the celestial beings; yaha: who; bhunkte: enjoys; stena: thief; eva: certainly; saha: he

3.12 Satisfied with the selfless service, the celestial beings certainly award you the desired necessities of life. He who enjoys the things given by them without offering to the celestial beings is certainly a thief.

yajna shishta ashinaha santo muchyante sarva kilbishaiha bhunjate te tvagham paapaa ye pachantya atma kaaranaat 3.13

yajna: sacrifice, shishta: food; ashinaha: eaters; santaha: devotees; muchyante: get relief from; sarva: all; kilbishaiha: sins; bhunjate: enjoy; te: they; tu: but; agham: grievous; paapa: sins; ye: those; pachanti: prepare food; atma kaaranaat: for sense enjoyment

3.13 Those who eat food after selfless service are free of all sins. Those who prepare food for sense enjoyment do grievous sin.

annaad bhavanti bhutaani parjanyaad anna sambhavaha yajnaad bhavati parjanyo yajnaha karma samudbhavaha 3.14

annaat: from grains; bhavanti: grow; bhutaani: beings; parjanyaat: from rains; anna: food grains; sambhavaha: possible; yajnaat: from sacrifice; bhavati: becomes possible; parjanyah: rains; yajnaha: sacrifice; karma: work; samudbhavaha: born of

3.14 All beings grow from food grains, from rains the food grains become possible, the rains become possible from selfless sacrifice.

karma brahmodbhavam viddhi brahmaakshara samudbhavam tasmaat sarvagatam brahma nithyam yajne pratishthitam 3.15

karma: work; brahma: Creator; udbhavam: born of; viddhi: know; brahma: Creator; akshara: Supreme; samudbhavam: born of; tasmaat: therefore; sarvagatam: all-pervading; brahma: Supreme; nithyam: eternally; yajne: in sacrifice; pratishthitam: situated

3.15 Know that work is born of the Creator and He is born of the Supreme. The all-pervading Supreme is eternally situated in sacrifice.

evam pravartitam chakram na anuvartayati iha yaha aghaayur indriyaaraamo mogham partha sa jeevati 3.16

evam: prescribed; pravartitam: established; chakram: cycle; na: not; anuvartayati: adopt; iha: in this; yaha: who; agha ayuh: life full of sins; indriya araamah: satisfied in sense gratification; mogham: useless; partha: O son of Pritha; sa: he; jeevati: lives

3.16 O Partha, he who does not adopt the prescribed, established cycle lives a life full of sins. Rejoicing in sense gratification, he lives a useless life.

yas tva atma ratir eva syaad atma truptash cha maanavaha atmany eva cha santushtas tasya kaaryam na vidyate 3.17

yah: who; tu: but; atma ratih: takes pleasure; eva: certainly; syaat: remains; atma truptah: satisfied in self; cha: and; maanavaha: man; atmany: in oneself; eva: certainly; cha: and; santushtah: satiated; tasya: his; kaaryam: work; na: not; vidyate: exist

3.17 One who takes pleasure in the self, who is satisfied in the self and who is satiated in oneself, for him certainly, no work exists.

naiva tasya krutena artho na akruteneha kashchana na chaasya sarva bhuteshu kashcid artha vyapa aashrayaha 3.18

na: never; eva: certainly; tasya: his; krutena: by doing duty; arthaha: purpose; na: not; akrutena: without doing duty; iha: in this world; kashchana: whatever; na: never; cha: and; asya: of him; sarva bhuteshu: all living beings; kashcit: any; artha: purpose; vyapa aashrayaha: taking shelter of

3.18 Certainly, he never has any purpose for doing his duty or for not doing his duty in this world. He does not depend on any living being.

tasmaad: therefore, asaktaha: without attachment, satatam: always, kaaryam: work, karma: work, samaachara: perform, asaktah: not attached, hi: certainly, acharan: performing, karma: work, param: supreme, aapnoti: achieves, poorushaha: man

3.19 Therefore, one should work always without attachment. Performing work without attachment, certainly, man achieves the Supreme.

karmana: by work; eva: also; hi: certainly; samsiddhim: perfection; asthita: situated; janaka: Janaka; adayaha: other kings; loka sangraham: educating people; eva: also; api: therefore; sampashyan: considering; kartum: act; arhasi: deserve

3.20 King Janaka and others attained perfection by selfless service. To guide others you too must act selflessly.

yat: what; yat: what; aacharati: act; shreshthah: great; tat: that; tat: that; eva: certainly; itarah: common; janah: persons; sa: he; yat: what; pramaanam: evidence; kurute: perform; lokah: world; tat: that; anuvartate: follow in footsteps

3.21 Whatever action is performed by a great person, others follow. They follow the example set by him.

na: not; me: mine; partha: O son of Pritha; asti: is; kartavyam: duty; trishu: in the three; lokeshu: worlds; kinchan: anything; na: no; anavaptam: in want; avaptavyam: to be gained; varta: engaged; eva: certainly; cha: and; karmani: work

3.22 O Paartha, there is nothing that I must do in the three worlds. Neither am I in want of anything nor do I have anything to gain. Yet, I am always in action.

yadi hyaham na varteyam jaatu karmanya atandritaha mama vartma anuvartante manushyaaha partha sarvashaha 3.23

yadi: if; hi: certainly; aham: I; na: not; varteyam: engage; jaatu: ever; karmani: work; atandritaha: with care; mama: My; vartma: path; anuvartante: follow; manushyaaha: persons; partha: Partha; sarvashaha: in all respects

3.23 If I did not engage in work with care, O Partha, certainly, people would follow My path in all respects.

utsideyur ime lokaa na kuryaam karma ched aham sankarasya cha kartaa syaam upahanyaam imaaha prajaaha 3.24

utsideyuh: ruin; ime: these; lokaa: worlds; na: not; kuryaam: do; karma: work; chet: if; aham: I; sankarasya: confusion of species; cha: and; kartaa: doer; syaam: shall be; upahanyaam: destroy; imaaha: these; prajaaha: beings

3.24 If I do not work, then these worlds would be ruined. I would be the cause of creating confusion and destruction.

saktaaha karmanya avidvamso yathaa kurvanti bhaarata kuryaad vidvams tatha asaktash chikirshur loka sangraham 3.25

saktaaha: attached; karmani: work; avidvamsah: ignorant; yathaa: as; kurvanti: do; bhaarata: Bharata; kuryat: do; vidvan: wise; tatha: and; asaktah: without attachment; chikirshuh: desiring; loka sangraham: leading people

3.25 As the ignorant do their work with attachment to the results, O Bharata, the wise do so without attachment, for the welfare of people.

na buddhi bhedam janayed ajnaanam karma sanginaam joshayet sarva karmaani vidvaan yuktaha samaacharan 3.26

na: not; buddhi: intelligence; bhedam: disrupt; janayet: do; ajnanam: ignorant; karma: work sanginaam: attached; joshayet: encouraged; sarva: all; karmaani: work; vidvaan: wise; yuktaha: engaged; samaacharan: practising

3.26 Let not the wise disturb the minds of the ignorant who are attached to the results of work. They should encourage them to act without attachment.

prakruteha kriyamaanaani gunaiha karmaani sarvashaha ahaankara vimudhaatma kartaham iti manyate 3.27

prakruteha: of material nature; kriyamaanaani: all being done; gunaiha: by the attributes; karmaani: work; sarvashaha: all kinds of; ahankara: ego; vimudha: confused; atma: being; karta: doer; aham: I; iti: thus; manyate: thinks

3.27 People, confused by ego, think they are the doers of all kinds of work while it is being done by the energy of nature.

tattvavit tu mahaabaaho guna karma vibhaagayoha gunaa guneshu vartanta iti matva na sajjate 3.28

tattvavit: one who knows the Truth; tu: but; mahaabaaho: mighty-armed one; guna: attributes; karma: work; vibhagayoha: differences; guna: attributes; guneshu: in sense gratification; vartante: engaged; iti: thus; matva: thinking; na: never; sajjate: becomes attached

prakruter guna asammudhaaha sajjante guna karmasu taan akrutsna vido mandaan krutsna vin na vichaalayet 3.29

prakruteh: by the material nature; guna: attributes; asammudhaah: fooled; sajjante: become engaged; guna: attributes; karmasu: actions; tan: those; akrutsna vidah: persons with less wisdom; mandaan: lazy; krutsnavit: who has wisdom; na: not; vichaalayet: unsettle

One who knows the Truth, O mighty-armed one, knows the differences between the attributes of nature and work. Knowing well about the attributes and sense gratification, he never becomes attached.

mayi sarvaani karmaani sannyasya adhyaatma chetasaa niraashir nirmamo bhutvaa yudhyasva vigata jvaraha 3.30

mayi: to Me; sarvaani: all kinds of; karmaani: work; sannyasya: renouncing; adhyaatma: spiritual knowledge; chetasaa: consciousness; niraashih: without desire for gain; nirmamah: without sense of ownership; bhutvaa: being; yudhyasva: fight; vigata jvaraha: without being lazy

3.30 Dedicating the results of work to Me, with consciousness filled with spiritual knowledge, without desire for gain and without sense of ownership, without being lazy, do what you have to do.

ye me matam idam nithyam anutishthanti maanavaaha shraddhaa vanto anasuyanto muchyante te api karmabhihi 3.31

ye: who; me: My; matam: teaching; idam: these; nithyam: always; anutishtòhanti: execute regularly; maanavaahòa: persons; shraddhaa vantahò: with faith; anasuyantahòa: without envy; muchyante: become free; te: all of them; api: even; karmabhihòi: from the bondage of fruitive actions

3.31 Those persons who execute their duties according to My teaching and who follow these teachings faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of actions.

ye tvetad abhyasuyanto naanutishthanti me matam sarva jnaana vimudhaamstaan viddhi nashtaan achetasaha 3.32 ye: those; tu: but; etat: this; abhyasuyantah: out of envy; na: not; anutishthanti: regularly perform; me: My; matam: teaching; sarvajnaana: all kinds of knowledge; vimudham: fooled; tan: they; viddhi: know; nashtaan: ruined; achetasaha: without Consciousness

3.32 But those who do not regularly perform their duty according to My teaching are ignorant, senseless and ruined.

sadrusham cheshtate svasyaaha prakruter jnaanavaan api prakrutim yaanti bhutaani nigrahaha kim karishyati 3.33

sadrusham: according to; cheshtate: tries; svasyaaha: by one's nature; prakruteha: modes; jnaanavaan: wise; api: even; prakrutim: nature; yaanti: goes through; bhutaani: living beings; nigrahaha: suppression; kim: what; karishyati: can do

3.33 Even the wise person tries to act according to the modes of his own nature, for all living beings go through their nature. What can restraint of the senses do?

indriyasya: of the senses; indriyasya arthe: for sense objects; raaga: attachment; dveshau: repulsion; vyavasthitau: put under control; tayoh: of them; na: never; vasham: control; agacchet: come; tau: those; hi: certainly; asya: his; paripanthinau: stumbling blocks

3.34 Attachment and repulsion of the senses for sense objects should be put under control. One should never come under their control as they certainly are the stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.

shreyaan: better; svadharmah: own duty; vigunaha: in a faulty manner; paradharmaat: other’s duty; svanushthitaat: perfectly done; svadharme: in one’s duty; nidhanam: death; shreyaha: better; paradharmaha: other’s duty; bhaya avahaha: dangerous

3.35 It is better to do one’s own duty, even if it is in a faulty manner, than to do someone else’s duty perfectly. Death in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than doing another’s duty, as this can be dangerous.

अर्जुन उवाच

arjuna uvaacha

arjuna uvaacha: Arjuna said; atha: then; kena: by what; prayuktah: forced; ayam: one; paapam: sins; charati: acts; poorushaha: man; anicchan: without desiring; api: though; vaarshneya: O descendant of Vrishni; balaat: by force; iva: as if; niyojitaha: engaged

3.36 Arjuna said, ‘O descendant of Vrishni, then, by what is man forced to sinful acts, even without desiring, as if engaged by force?’

श्री भगवानुवाच

Shri bhagavaan uvaacha

Shri bhagavaan uvaacha: the Lord said; kaama: lust; esha: these; krodha: anger; esha: these; rajah guna: attribute of passion; samudbhavaha: born of; mahaashanah: all-devouring; mahapapma: greatly sinful; viddhi: know; enam: this; iha: in the world; vairinam: greatest enemy

3.37 The Lord said, ‘It is lust and anger born of the attribute of passion, all-devouring and sinful, which is one’s greatest enemy in this world.’

dhumena avriyate vahnir yathaa aadarsho malena cha yathaa ulbena aavruto garbhas tatha tenedam aavrutam 3.38

dhumena: by smoke; aavriyate: covered; vahnih: fire; yathaa: as; aadarshah: mirror; malena: by dust; cha: also; yathaa: as; ulbena: by the womb; aavrutah: covered; garbhah: embryo; tathaa: so; tena: by that; idam: this; aavrutam: covered

3.38 As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, so also, the living being is covered by lust.

aavrutam: covered; jnaanam: knowledge; etena: by this; jnaaninah: of the knower; nithya: eternal; vairina: enemy; kaama: lust; roopena: in the form of; kaunteya: O son of Kunti; dushpoorena: never satisfied; analena: by fire; cha: and

3.39 The knowledge of the knower is covered by this eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and burns like fire, O son of Kunti.

indriyaani: senses; manah: mind; buddhih: intelligence; asya: of; adhishthaanam: sitting place; uchyate: called; etaih: by these; vimohayati: confuses; esha: of this; jnaanam: knowledge; aavrutya: covering; dehinam: embodied being

3.40 The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the locations of this lust, which confuses the embodied being and covers the knowledge.

tasmaat: therefore; tvam: you; indriyaani: senses; adau: in the beginning; niyamya: by controlling; bharatarshabha: O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata; paapmaanam: symbol of sin; prajahi: curb; hi: certainly; enam: this; jnaana: knowledge; vijnaana: consciousness; naashanam: destroyer

3.41 Therefore, O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata, in the very beginning, control the senses and curb the symbol of sin, which is certainly the destroyer of knowledge and consciousness.

indriyaani: senses; paraani: superior; ahuh: is said; indriyebhyaha: more than the senses; param: superior; manaha: mind; manasah: more than the mind; tu: also; paraa: superior; buddhih: intelligence; yah: who; buddheha: more than intelligence; paratah: superior; tu: but; sah: he

3.42 It is said that the senses are superior to the body. The mind is superior to the senses. The intelligence is still higher than the mind and the consciousness is even higher than intelligence.

evam buddheha param buddhvaa samstabhya aatmaanam aatmana jahi shatrum mahaabaho kaama rupam duraasadam 3.43

evam: and; buddheha: of intelligence; param: superior; buddhva: knowing; samstabhya: by steadying; aatmaanam: of the mind; aatmana: by intelligence; jahi: conquer; shatrum: enemy; mahaabaho: O mighty-armed one; kaama: lust; rupam: in the form of; duraasadam: insatiable

3.43 Knowing the Self to be superior to mind and intelligence, by steadying the mind by intelligence, conquer the insatiable enemy in the form of lust, O mighty-armed one.

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We are forever chasing happiness, but seem to enjoy only fleeting moments of it.

Why is it that we are journeying endlessly after so many goals? We are told to just enjoy the journey without worrying about the goal. But how do we manage to do this?

With an enlightened insight and unique style, Nithyananda captures the essence of the Bhagavad Gita and expresses it in a practical, contemporary fashion. He shows us how to drop the goal and live blissfully in every moment, in eternity...

He leads the seeker on a path of blissful Self-discovery, just as Krishna, the Master of Masters, led Arjuna on his journey.

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