3-Karm Yog

 1. At this Arjun asked - "Hey Janaardan, If you consider Gyaan (knowledge) higher than Karm (actions), then Hey Keshav, why do you indulge me in terrible Karm?

 2. You are confusing me saying me mixed language, you tell me one definite thing which is good for me."

 3. Krishn said - "O sinless, I have told two types of paths before in this Lok: for Saankhya Yogee [who like to contemplate and reason] through Gyaan Yog (knowledge), and for Karm Yogee [who are active and like to work hard] through Karm Yog (selfless actions).

 4. A person neither becomes Nish-Karm (where a person's Karm cannot give results, that person is called Nish-Karm) or Yogee, without beginning Karm; nor becomes Siddh [means Saankhya Yogee] by abandoning Karm altogether.

 5. [And one cannot abandon Karm also completely] No person can exist without doing any Karm even for a moment, at any given time, because all people are compelled to do Karm undoubtedly under the influence of the three Gun (Sat, Raj, and Tam) created by Prakriti (nature).

 6. Therefore whoever fool abandons the pleasures by controlling Indriyaan forcefully; and thinks about them [pleasures] in mind, he is said to be a liar and proud.

 7. But Hey Arjun, whoever person controls his Indriyaan through his mind in a detached way, and performs his Karm through his Karm Indriya and follows Karm Yog, only he is the best.
A recurring idea in this chapter is "working without attachment". It refers to doing work merely as a duty and being detached from both action and its outcomes.

 8. Therefore you do Karm according to Shaastra, because doing Karm is better than not doing Karm; besides you will not be able to live also without doing Karm.

 9. [It is not good to abandon Karm also because of the fear of bondage because] The person is bound only by doing other Karm than doing Yagya (done for Vishnu, see also Rin) etc. Therefore Hey Kaunteya, you do Karm for that Yagya (God) only in a detached way.

10. [Besides you will be a sinner by not doing Karm because] Prajaapati (Brahmaa) said after creating the world along with Yagya in the beginning of the Kalp - "You increase yourself through Yagya. May this Yagya fulfill your all desires.

11. And you make progress of Devtaa through this Yagya, and those Devtaa will progress you in turn. Thus considering this as your duty with selfless feelings, you be happy together progressing well.

12. The progressed Devtaa through Yagya will provide you with all the pleasures." Thus whoever enjoys those pleasures without giving [something] to them, he is certainly a thief.

13. Because who eat the remnant food of Yagya, they all are freed from sin, and whoever sinners cook only for themselves, they eat only sins.

14. All living beings are born from grains, grains are grown through rains, rains happen from Yagya, and this Yagya is the result of Karm (actions).

15. Karm are prescribed in Ved, and Ved are created by Brahm (God), because of this reason omnipresent Brahm always exists in Yagya.
[All living beings are the result of food, food is the result of rainfall, rainfall is the result of sacrifice, sacrifice is the result of "Karm", "Karm" is the result of "Sagun Brahm - the Ved, Ved are the result of the omnipresent unmanifested Parabrahm. Therefore the all-pervading Parabrahm resides in the sacrifices named as the "Yagyya". 14-15]

16. Thus Hey Paarth, Whoever person doesn't comply with the tradition of this universe (means doesn't do his Karm according to Shaastra) he lives uselessly enjoying Indriya's pleasures.

17. But whoever loves Aatmaa (soul), is satisfied in Aatmaa, is contented in soul, he doesn't require any duty (Karm or action) to perform.

18. That person has nothing to do with doing or not doing anything, and he has no selfish interest in any of the living being. [He acts only for the welfare of the world.]

19. That is why you do your Karm without any attachment, because such a person (who does his Karm without any attachment), gets Paramaatmaa (God).

20. Janak etc Gyaanee people have also attained Paramaatmaa only like this (by doing detached actions). That is why looking at those people, you also do your Karm.

21. Because whatever is done by the best person, people follow him. Whatever he sets the example people also do the same.

22. Hey Paarth, I don't need to do anything in Trilok (three worlds), and there is nothing I cannot get, still I do Karm.

23. Because Hey Paarth, if I do not do my Karm carefully, then other people will also start behaving like me.

24. If I do not do Karm, then all Lok will be without rules and I will become the introducer of Varnsankar. I will be responsible for all people's destruction.

25. So Hey Bhaarat, As the A-Gyaanee (ignorant) people do Karm in attached way, in the same way the Gyaanee people should also do their Karm in unattached way for the welfare of the world.

26. A Gyaanee Purush (a knowledgeable person) should not confuse the mind of the attached people not to do their Karm which are Shaastra prescribed, rather he himself should do all those Karm and ask them to do the same.

27. In fact, all Karm are performed by the Gun (Sat, Raj, Tam) of Nature (Prakriti), still a proud person considers those Karm as "I did this".

28. But Hey long armed, Who knows about Gun Vibhaag, Karm Vibhaag and their Tattwa (element), that Gyaan Yogee considers that all Gun are being absorbed in Gun, thus does not get attached to anything.

29. While all people are mesmerized by Nature's Gun, they are attached only to Gun and Karm, still a Gyaanee Purush should not confuse to those fools (or A-Gyaanee, or ignorant people) more.

30. Therefore Hey Arjun, You offer all your Karm to me, and fight without feeling any attachment, love, sorrow and expectations.

31. Whoever behave in this way without any bad viewpoint and with devotion to me, they also get freed from all Karm.

32. But whoever doubtful fools do not behave according to my advise, you should consider them deluded and destroyed.

33. All living being act according to their nature, Gyaanee also acts according to his nature, then what somebody's advise will work in this situation?

34. Attachment and jealousy are hidden in all subjects of every Indriya, therefore a person should neither be attached to any Indriya's pleasures, nor he should hate them, because both of them are his great enemies in his path of attainment of Paramaatmaa (God).

35. [Thus winning both of them - attachment as well as jealusy, he should follow his own Dharm.] Because following one's own Dharm is better, even if it is bad, than a good work done according another person's Dharm. Even dying is better while following one's own Dharm, while other's Dharm is fearful."

36. At this Arjun asked - "Hey Vaarshneya, Then why and with whose inspiration does this Purush (human being, or person) behave like a sinner as if he is forced to do that?"

37. Krishn said - "Born from Rajo Gun, this Kaam (desires) is Anger, and this Anger is never satisfied from pleasures and is a very great sinner. You consider it your enemy.

38. As the smoke covers the fire, the dust covers the mirror, and the bag covers the fetus, in the same way this Kaam or passion covers the Gyaan (wisdom).

39. And Hey Kaunteya, when people's fire like Gyaan is covered by this eternal enemy, is never satisfied by Kaam,

40. Indriyaan, mind and intellect are supposed to be its living places and the same covers the Gyaan and deludes the Aatmaa through mind, intelligence and Indriya.

41. Therefore Hey Bhaarat, First you kill this great sinner enemy, Kaam, which destroys Gyaan and science, by controlling your Indriyaan.

42. [And if you think that you are not able to kill your enemy Kaam by controlling your Indriyaan, then it is your mistake, because...] It is said that Indriyaan are beyond (better, mightier, and minute) this physical body, and Man (mind) is beyond these Indriyaan, and intellect is beyond this Man, and beyond this Man is Aatmaa (soul).

43. Thus which is beyond intelligence, knowing that Aatmaa as minute, mightier, and better, and by controlling your mind through intellect (Buddhi), you kill this invincible enemy Kaam".

End of Chapter 3 - Karm Yog