Karma Yoga

Arjuna said

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

jyāyasī cetkarmaṇaste matā buddhirjanārdana
tatkiṃ karmaṇi ghore māṃ niyojayasi keśava

Janardana, if you hold that understanding is greater than action, then why, Keshava, do you urge me into this terrible deed?

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

vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena buddhiṃ mohayasīva me
tadekaṃ vada niścitya yena śreyo'hamāpnuyām

With words that seem to point two ways, you confuse my mind. Tell me, decisively, the one path by which I may reach the highest good.

Krishna said

लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ।
ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥

loke'smindvividhā niṣṭhā purā proktā mayānagha
jñānayogena sāṃkhyānāṃ karmayogena yoginām

Sinless one, as I said before, there are two paths in this world: the path of knowledge for those given to contemplation, and the path of action for those given to yoga.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥

na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo'śnute
na ca saṃnyasanādeva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati

No one reaches freedom from action simply by not beginning it, and no one attains perfection by renunciation alone.

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

na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ

No one can remain without acting even for a moment. Everyone is driven to act, helplessly, by the qualities born of nature.

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

karmendriyāṇi saṃyamya ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthānvimūḍhātmā mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate

Whoever restrains the organs of action but sits dwelling on sense objects in the mind is deluded, and is called a hypocrite.

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥

yastvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate'rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karmayogamasaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate

But whoever governs the senses with the mind, Arjuna, and without attachment takes up the yoga of action with the organs of action, excels.

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

niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ

Do the work that is yours, for action is better than inaction. Without action, even the upkeep of your body would not be possible.

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर ॥

yajñārthātkarmaṇo'nyatra loko'yaṃ karmabandhanaḥ
tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṃgaḥ samācara

This world is bound by action, except action done as an offering (yajna). So, son of Kunti, act for that purpose, free from attachment.

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः।
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥

sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣyadhvameṣa vo'stviṣṭakāmadhuk

In the beginning the Creator brought forth beings together with sacrifice and said: by this you shall flourish; let it be the cow that grants your wishes.

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥

devānbhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha

Nourish the gods with this, and let the gods nourish you. Nourishing one another, you will reach the highest good.

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

iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ
tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ

Nourished by sacrifice, the gods will give you the enjoyments you desire. Whoever enjoys their gifts without offering anything back is simply a thief.

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

yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tvaghaṃ pāpā ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt

The good, who eat what remains after the offering, are freed of all wrongs; but those who cook only for themselves eat sin.

अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥

annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasambhavaḥ
yajñādbhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ

Beings come from food, food comes from rain, rain comes from sacrifice, and sacrifice is born of action.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्।
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣarasamudbhavam
tasmātsarvagataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam

Know that action arises from the Veda, and the Veda from the Imperishable. So the all-pervading Brahman is ever present in sacrifice.

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

evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyurindriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati

Whoever does not keep turning the wheel set in motion this way lives in sin, delighting only in the senses; that life is lived in vain, Partha.

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥

yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ
ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate

But for one who delights in the Self alone, who is satisfied in the Self and content in the Self, there is nothing left that must be done.

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥

naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana
na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ

Such a person has nothing to gain by acting here, nothing to lose by not acting, and depends on no being for anything.

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥

tasmādasaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara
asakto hyācarankarma paramāpnoti pūruṣaḥ

So always do the work that must be done, without attachment. By acting without attachment, a person reaches the Supreme.

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥

karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ
lokasaṃgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyankartumarhasi

Janaka and others reached perfection through action alone. Keeping in view the welfare of the world (lokasangraha), you too should act.

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

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi

Partha, there is nothing in the three worlds that I must do, nothing I lack that I need to gain; and yet I keep on acting.

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

yadi hyahaṃ na varteyaṃ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

For if I ever stopped acting, tirelessly, people everywhere would follow my path, Partha.

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

utsīdeyurime lokā na kuryāṃ karma cedaham
saṅkarasya ca kartā syāmupahanyāmimāḥ prajāḥ

If I did not act, these worlds would fall into ruin; I would be the cause of chaos and would destroy these beings.

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ॥

saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṃgraham

As the unwise act attached to their work, Bharata, so the wise should act, unattached, wishing to hold the world together.

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन् ॥

na buddhibhedaṃ janayedajñānāṃ karmasaṅginām
joṣayetsarvakarmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran

The wise should not unsettle the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action. Acting with discipline themselves, they should inspire others to do all their work gladly.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताऽहमिति मन्यते ॥

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartā'hamiti manyate

All actions are carried out by the qualities of nature, but one whose mind is clouded by ego thinks, "I am the doer."

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

tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate

But one who knows the truth about the qualities and their workings, mighty-armed, sees that it is qualities moving among qualities, and is not attached.

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥

prakṛterguṇasammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu
tānakṛtsnavido mandānkṛtsnavinna vicālayet

Those deluded by the qualities of nature cling to their workings. One who knows the whole should not unsettle the slow of mind who know only a part.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṃnyasyādhyātmacetasā
nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ

Surrendering all actions to me, your mind on the Self, free from hope and from "mine," fight, with the fever gone.

ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः ॥

ye me matamidaṃ nityamanutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ
śraddhāvanto'nasūyanto mucyante te'pi karmabhiḥ

Those who always follow this teaching of mine, with faith and without finding fault, are freed from the bonds of action.

ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ॥

ye tvetadabhyasūyanto nānutiṣṭhanti me matam
sarvajñānavimūḍhāṃstānviddhi naṣṭānacetasaḥ

But those who find fault with it and do not follow my teaching, know them to be confused about all knowledge, lost and without discernment.

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

sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛterjñānavānapi
prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati

Even the wise act according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature; what can mere suppression achieve?

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāgadveṣau vyavasthitau
tayorna vaśamāgacchettau hyasya paripanthinau

Attraction and aversion sit waiting in every sense toward its object. Do not fall under their control; they are robbers on the road.

Arjuna said

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

atha kena prayukto'yaṃ pāpaṃ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchannapi vārṣṇeya balādiva niyojitaḥ

Then what drives a person to do wrong, Varshneya, even against their own will, as if forced?

Krishna said

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenamiha vairiṇam

It is desire, it is anger, born of the quality of passion (rajas): all-devouring and the great wrongdoer. Know it as the enemy here.

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥

dhūmenāvriyate vahniryathā''darśo malena ca
yatholbenāvṛto garbhastathā tenedamāvṛtam

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

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥

āvṛtaṃ jñānametena jñānino nityavairiṇā
kāmarūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca

Knowledge is veiled, son of Kunti, by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, a fire that can never be filled.

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते।
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥

indriyāṇi mano buddhirasyādhiṣṭhānamucyate
etairvimohayatyeṣa jñānamāvṛtya dehinam

The senses, the mind and the intellect are said to be its seat. Through them it veils knowledge and deludes the embodied one.

तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ।
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ॥

tasmāttvamindriyāṇyādau niyamya bharatarṣabha
pāpmānaṃ prajahi hyenaṃ jñānavijñānanāśanam

So first master the senses, best of the Bharatas, and slay this sinful thing that destroys knowledge and wisdom.

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

indriyāṇi parāṇyāhurindriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ
manasastu parā buddhiryo buddheḥ paratastu saḥ

The senses are high, they say; higher than the senses is the mind; higher than the mind is the intellect; and higher than the intellect is the Self.

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

evaṃ buddheḥ paraṃ buddhvā saṃstabhyātmānamātmanā
jahi śatruṃ mahābāho kāmarūpaṃ durāsadam

Knowing what is higher than the intellect, steady the self by the Self, mighty-armed, and slay this enemy in the form of desire, so hard to conquer.