Click the 'Play' button to read out loud this webpage content
The chapter 3 describes the Karm Yog which is explained by Shri Krishna. Here the God explains the importance of karma and that no one can remain for a moment without performing an action. Living beings are always engaged in some or the other karma, however superiors and wiser are those who practice Karma Yog. Such people continue fulfilling their responsibilities and duties, however remain unattached to them.
Shri Krishna defines how every living being is a creation of God and how they are assigned with certain responsibilities. When a person performs his duties considering them an obligation to God, it is equal to perform Yajna. Enlightened souls do not leave their social duties, they do not run away from their responsibilities while executing higher responsibilities of the soul. The wise souls continue to work without finding their profits in the duties or having a personal motive. Shri Krishna also gives example of King Janak who played all his earthly duties by being an ideal King and father.
Arjun then asks Shri Krishna that why people commit sins and sometimes even knowingly. Krishna explains that when a person is surrounded by lust, he loses his ability to separate right from wrong, and his intellect deludes. However by controlling the senses which give birth to desire and lust, one can walk the path of enlightenment and comes closer to the Supreme.
Arjun upon hearing such words from Krishna asks, O Janardan, if you say that knowledge is superior to action, then why do you ask me to continue this war? I am puzzled by your advice, please clear which path I should choose to attain the highest good.
Lord said: O dear, I explained you two path that lead to enlightenment: the path of knowledge and the path of karma. Those who are inclined toward inspection choose the path of knowledge and those who are inclined toward action choose the path of karma.
Freedom from the karma doesn’t come when one refuses from playing his duties.
Those who restrain themselves from actions externally but dwell on things in their mind are deluded, and they are no more than hypocrites.
However, those who control their senses with their mind and work without any attachment in real are the superior people and karma yogis.
O Arjun, you should perform your prescribed Vedic duties because an action is always superior to passiveness. Even your body will not be able to maintain itself if you remain passive.
The work you do should be done for the superior and considering a Yajna; otherwise, the work creates karma and binds you to this materialistic world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your duties without getting attached to them without thinking about the fruit of your karma.
When you do your work and sacrifice it to God, the celestial Gods will be pleased. Hence you will be prosperity surrounding you.
When you perform all your duties to offer them to God, you grant all the necessities in life. However, those who enjoy their possessions and don’t make offerings in return are nothing but thieves.
Similarly, a person who eats food and first offers it to God gets released from all his sins. However, one who makes food just for his enjoyment cultivates sin only.
This sacrifice has a meaning. The food we eat comes from rains, and these rains come when we perform sacrifice or do Yajna. The sacrifice happens when we perform our prescribed duties to offer them to God.
O Parth, those who do not perform their duties continue to remain in the cycle of life and death. Those who work only to please their senses commit a great sin every time.
However, those who are enlightened or satisfied have no duties as they have nothing to lose or gain. Therefore, they are not dependant on anything to fulfill their self-interest.
Therefore, one must perform duties while giving up the attachment, and without getting attached to the fruit of their effort, only then can one attain the Supreme.
As being a warrior, you should perform your duties and set an example for the coming generations. Whatever action you will perform today, people will follow it in the future. Therefore, you need to set standards today that the world will pursue later.
O Parth, there is no duty for me in any world; I have nothing to gain or lose, yet I am bound to engage in whatever prescribed.
If I don’t engage in my duties, I interfere with the ultimate plan, and hence the world will have nothing to follow. If I cease to perform my duties, the world will be doomed. Then I will be responsible for the chaos of the world, and that would destroy the peace of the humans.
O scion of Bharat, perform your duties for the sake of humanity and for leaving an example to the world. Do not become a mere being in this world; rise high and act in an enlightened manner; only then can you perform your prescribed duties without getting attached to the results.
Do not think of yourself as the doer and the prime entity; you are just a mediator and the creation of God. Play your responsibilities as per your role without getting entangled.
Perform your duties and offer them to me and constantly remember the Supreme. Be free from all the desires, selfishness, and fight with your mental grief, which is just an illusion.
Those who follow these teachings of mine with a pure heart and complete dedication without complaining get free from the bondage of karma.
Those who do the opposite, which find fault in my teachings or consider themselves more superior, ruin themselves and remain in the rut of karma.
Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, bring your senses in control first and slay your desires; only then can you remain on the path of knowledge and realization.
Senses are superior to our body, and the mind is superior to the senses. Beyond mind, there is intellect, and beyond intellect, there is soul.
That is why knowing the soul is superior to materialistic knowledge. O mighty-armed Arjun, make your senses passive and don’t let them take control; kill this enemy of desire.