Third discourse
KARMA-YOGA
*Arjuna's perplexity
*Which is better, Knowledge or Action?
Arjuna said:
1.
If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is superior to action, O Janardana, why then dost Thou, O Kesava, direct me to this terrible action?
Moreover,
2.
With an apparently perplexing speech, Thou confusest as it were my understanding. Tell me with certainty that one (way) by which I may attain bliss.
*The Paths of Knowledge and Action
The Blessed Lord gives the following reply, which is in conformity with the question:
The Blessed Lord said:
3.
In this world a twofold path was taught by Me at first, O sinless one: that of the Sankhyas by devotion to knowledge, and that of the Yogins by devotion to action.
4.
Not by abstaining from action does man win actionlessness, nor by mere renunciation does he attain perfection.
*The ignorant are swayed by Nature
5.
None, verily, even for an instant, ever remains doing no action; for every one is driven helpless to action by the energies born of Nature.
*The unenlightened should not give up Karma-Yoga
6.
He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking in his mind of the objects of the senses, self-deluded, he is said to be one of false conduct.
7.
But whoso, restraining the senses by mind, O Arjuna, engages in Karma-Yoga, unattached, with organs of action, he is esteemed.
Wherefore,
8.
Do thou perform (thy) bounden duty; for, action is superior to inaction. And even the maintenance of the body would not be possible for thee by inaction.
9.
Except in the case of action for Sacrifice's sake, this world is action-bound. Action for the sake Thereof, do thou, O son of Kunti, perform, free from attachment.
10.
Having first created mankind together with sacrifices, the Prajapati said, ''By this shall ye propagate: let this be to you the cow of plenty-(the cow which yields all desires).''
How can this be achieved by sacrifice?
11.
Whith this do ye nourish the Gods, and the Gods shall nourish you: thus nourishing one another, ye shall attain the supreme good.
Moreover,
12.
''Nourished by the sacrifice, the Gods shall indeed bestow on you the enjoyments ye desire.'' Whoso enjoys-without offering to Them-Their gifts, he is verily a thief.
On the other hand,
13.
The righteous, who eat the remnant of the sacrifice, are freed from all sins; but sin do the impious eat who cook for their own sakes.
*The wheel of the world should be set going
For the following reason also should action be performed by him who is qualified for action. For, it is action that sets the wheel of the world going. How ?—-The answer follows:
14-15.
From food creatures come forth: the production of food is from rain; rain comes forth from sacrifice; sacrifice is born of action; know thou that action comes from Brahman and that Brahman comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Brahman ever rests in sacrifice.
16.
He who follows not here the wheel thus set in motion, who is of sinful life, indulging in senses, he lives in vain, O son of Pritha.
*Karma-Yoga is not meant for the Self-knower
17.
That man, verily, who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self, who is content in the Self alone,-for him there is nothing to do.
Moreover,
18.
For him, there is here no interest whatever in what is done or what is not done. Nor is there in all beings any one he should resort to for any object.
*Arjuna qualified for Karma-yoga
19.
Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform the action which should be done; for, performing action without attachment, man reaches the Supreme.
*The wise should set an example to the masses
For the following reason also (shouldst thou perform action):
20.
By action only, indeed, did Janaka and others try to attain perfection. Even with a view to the protection of the masses thou shouldst perform(action).
Who should secure the welfare of
the world? And how?
The answer follows :
21.
Whatsoever a great man does, that alone the other men do; whatever he sets up as the standard, that the world follows.
22.
I have nothing whatsoever to achieve in the three worlds, O son of Pritha, nor is there anything unattained that should be attained; yet I engage in action.
23.
For, should I not ever engage in action, unwearied, men would in all matters follow My path, O son of Pritha.
24.
These worlds would be ruined if I should not perform action: I should be the cause of confusion of castes, and should destroy these creatures.
*The wise man's action as contrasted with that of the ignorant
25.
As ignorant men act attached to work, O Bharatha, so should the wise man act, unattached, from a wish to protect the masses.
26.
Let no wise man cause unsettlement in the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action; he should make them do all actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion.
In what way is an ignorant man attached to actions?
27.
Actions are wrought in all cases by the energies of Nature. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks ''I am the doer.''
But as regards the wise man:
28.
But he who knows the truth, O mighty-armed, about the divisions of the energies and (their) functions, is not attached, thinking that the energies act upon the energies.
29.
Those deluded by the energies of Nature are attached to the functions of the energies. He who knows the All should not unsettle the unwise who know not the All.
*How an aspirant for Moksha should do actions
How then should action be performed by the ignorant man who seeks moksha and who is qualified for action only?
The answer follows:
30.
Renouncing all actions in Me, with thy thought resting on the Self, being free from hope, free from selfishness, devoid of fever, do thou fight.
31.
Men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine with faith and without cavilling, they too are liberated from actions.
32.
But those who, carping at this, My teaching, practise it not,-know them as deluded in all knowledge, as senseless men doomed to destruction.
*Influence of man's nature on his conduct
33.
Even the man of knowledge acts in conformity with his own nature; (all) beings follow (their) nature; what shall coercion avail?
*Scope for man's personal exertion
34.
Love and hate lie towards the object of each sense; let none become subject to these two; for, they are his enemies.
35.
Better one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is productive of danger.
*Desire is the enemy of man
Arjuna said:
36.
But by what dragged on, O Varshneya, does a man, though reluctant, commit sin, as if constrained by force?
The Blessed Lord said:
37.
It is Desire, it is Wrath, born of the energy of Rajas, all-devouring, all-sinful; that, know thou, is the foe here.
*Desire enshrouds wisdom
38.
As fire is surrounded by smoke, as a mirror by rust, as the foetus is enclosed in the womb, so is this covered by it.
39.
Covered, O son of Kunti, is wisdom by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is greedy and insatiable.
40.
The senses, mind and the intellect are said to be its abode. This one diversely deludes the embodied being by veiling Knowledge.
*How to kill out desire
41.
Therefore, O scion of the Bharatas, restrain the senses first, do thou cast off this sinful thing which is destructrve of knowledge and wisdom.
42.
They say that the senses are superior: superior to the senses is mind: superior to mind is reason; one who is even superior to reason is He.
43.
Thus knowing Him who is superior to reason, subduing the self by the self, slay thou, O mighty-armed, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.
END OF THIRD DISCOURSE
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