Chapter 3.1 Karma Yoga- Slokas 1-22

In Chapter 3, titled as Karma Yoga, Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna the path to perfect action in this world. The Lord tells Arjuna to act in this world with the “spirit of yajna” (sacrifice). Sri Krishna also enumerates to Arjuna what the consequences are, of living with and without this “yajna spirit”. He also tells Arjuna how to deal with people who, due to delusion, do not agree with Lord Krishna’s teaching.

Slokas 1-2

Arjuna said, “If you think Knowledge is superior to action, O Janardana (Krishna), why do you engage me in this terrible action? You are confusing me. So, please tell me “one way” by which I will definitely achieve the highest”.

This question by Arjuna, shows that he caught a glimpse of what was taught to him in chapter 2 (Knowledge of The Self), but not its essence. Arjuna is a warrior and he is also a devotee of the Lord. He admits that he is confused, and he wants a direct answer from Krishna himself as to how he can achieve the highest.

Slokas 3-6

The Blessed Lord said, “In this world there are two paths, O sinless one (Arjuna), the path of Knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of Action of the Yogis.” “Without acting, a person cannot reach the highest. And by mere renunciation alone, he does not attain perfection.”. “If someone sits quietly without acting, but thinking of sense objects, he is a hypocrite”.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that there are two paths by which a person can reach the highest. One path is sincerely seeking Self Knowledge like the jnanis (Truth or Knowledge seekers) and the other is sincerely working on the job at hand, detached and not depending the results (karma yogis). Since Arjuna is a warrior, giving up his weapons will not be his dharma. If he runs away to the Himalayas to quietly meditate, then he will be thinking about “Why did I not fight?”. Then that action would become hypocritical as per Lord Krishna. He would neither get Self Knowledge nor progress in Karma Yoga.

“There were two friends. One went to a nearby spiritual discourse on Holy Bhagavatham. The other person went to a friend’s house nearby for some fun event. The first man was thinking of all the fun he missed while listening to the sacred lecture. The second man was craving for the divine bliss his friend was sharing with the devotees. Sin and virtue accrue from the frame of mind and never from the restrictions imposed on the senses.”- Sri Ramakrishna

But then, what can a devotee, aspiring to achieve the highest, do? The answer comes:

Slokas 7-8

“But, he excels, O Arjuna, who, restraining the senses by the mind, unattached, engages his organs of action to the path of work (Karma Yoga).”

“Engage yourself in obligatory work (work required by moral responsibility), for action is superior to inaction. Even mere maintenance of your body is not possible by inaction.”

Sri Krishna tells Arjuna to act, since action is superior to not doing anything. He also wants Arjuna to control his senses by the mind, and not to get emotionally attached. Few years ago, I went to India for our Medical College anniversary reunion. One friend came two hours late. When someone asked him why he was late, he calmly said,” I had to do a C-section. I was delivering my grandchild”. When one of my astonished friends said to him “You are brave”, he just said, “Why? My daughter is like any other patient”. This is an example of detached work.

Sri Krishna now goes on to explain what is selfless (sacrificial) action and what is selfish action and describes the results of each action.

Slokas 10-13

The world is bound by selfish actions (actions motivated by desire to gain something)
The Creator (Prajapathi), in the beginning of creation, created “mankind and sacrifice” together
Prajapathi then said, “By this, shall you (man and woman) propagate – Let this be your Kamadhuk” (wish fulfilling cow)
With this (Kamadhuk), you (mankind) nourish the Devas and they in return, will nourish you.
Nourishing one another, you shall attain the highest
One who enjoys objects given by the Devas without offering to them in return, is verily a thief
Those who eat the remnants (leftovers) of the sacrifices are freed from all sins
Those who cook for themselves verily eat sin

What Sri Krishna is telling Arjuna here is that, if a person acts in a manner of fulfilling his own selfish desires, he will be committing sin. He will develop more vaasanaas (mental impressions) that prevent him from reaching the highest goal. If, on the other hand, a person acts for the benefit of the society he lives in, then that action is considered selfless. He will be exhausting the existing vaasanas and will be moving towards his goal of Self Realization ( realizing his true nature).

Lord Krishna, in the next two slokas beautifully, in a stepwise fashion, dissects from where living beings come forth and the importance of sacrifice (selfless action).

Sloka 14

Annaad bhavanti bhutaani parjanyaad annasambhavaha

Yajnaad bhavathi parjanyo yajnah karmasamudbhavaha

“From food comes forth beings: from rain, food is produced: from sacrifice, rain comes: and sacrifice is born of action”.

Sloka 15

Karma brahmodbhavam viddhi brahmaakshra samudbhavam

Tasmaat sarvaghatam brahma nityam yajne prathishtitam

“Know that action comes from Brahma and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. So, the all pervading Brahman ever rests in sacrifice”.

Sloka 16. “One who does not follow this wheel set revolving, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, he lives in vain, O Partha ( Arjuna )”

We saw earlier how the Prajapathi (the creator) created the living beings along with sacrifice. Now, the “wheel of life” is described by Lord Krishna. He also tells Arjuna what happens if this “wheel of action” is not followed.

What happens to the person who follows this “wheel of action” sincerely?

Slokas 17-19

One who is happy only in the Self (Atman) and is satisfied in The Self, there is nothing

more to do

He does not depend on anyone or anything
By performing action without attachment (to results), man reaches supreme. Therefore, you (Arjuna), also perform action without attachment

Slokas 20-22

Janaka (the king) and others attained perfection by action only
There is nothing in the three worlds that has to be done by Me (Lord Krishna), and there is nothing that should be attained by Me (Lord Krishna) and yet, I keep on acting.

I am reminded of some of the greatest of human beings like Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and Swami Chinmayananda among others. They did not have to work after they reached the highest, and yet they kept on working incessantly for the welfare of others until their last breath. May we all pray to the Lord to give us the mindset to work for others throughout our lifetime.

In the next few slokas, we will find out why The Lord keeps on working when he does not need to, and what will happen if The Lord stops working. We will also come to know what a person should do when he (she) comes in contact with people who object to Lord Krishna’s teachings.

Hari Om!

Dr.Shanmugam