Chapter two was a very broad summary of the entire Gita. In it, we learned many things. Most importantly, we were given two definitions of yoga: yoga as skill in action, and yoga as perfect evenness of mind. Krishna introduced the three main paths of yoga – jnana (knowledge), karma (action), and raja (meditation).
It finished by telling us that by attaining a state of mind free from selfish desires and the “ego-cage of ‘I’, ‘me’, and ‘mine’,” we are free – liberated.
BG 18.78: Wherever there is Shree Krishna, the Lord of all Yog, and wherever there is Arjun, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be unending opulence, victory, prosperity, and righteousness. Books Regional Languages ಶ್ರೀ ಮಡ್ ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತ: Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Kannada). You save: $18.00 (25%) Add to Cart.
Chapter three focuses on karma yoga, the most attainable path for the layperson (a layperson being one who still lives in the material world – has a family, a job, etc.).
The first two verses, continuing the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna, has Arjuna ask Krishna the following: “Why, Krishna, do you say that knowledge is greater than action, and yet you still ask me to wage this terrible war? Your advice appears to be inconsistent. Please, tell me one path which will lead to greater spirituality.”
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Arjuna is obviously frustrated at this point – perhaps feeling a bit overwhelmed (as we all were by the last chapter!) as it is so much information given all at once. How does it all work together? Well, maybe we’l find out by the end of the book, but for now Krishna simplifies it.
Verse 3 begins Krishna’s response: “Since the beginning of time I have declared two paths which lead to higher truth – that of jnana yoga – philosophical speculation or spiritual wisdom, and that of karma yoga, the path of selfless service.”
As you can imagine, you cannot have either of these fully without help from the other. Verse 4 continues: “One cannot achieve freedom from reaction by abstaining from work alone, nor can one attain perfection by renunciation alone.” Verse 5 adds: “One cannot refrain from acting as it is our necessity as material beings driven by impulses not always conscious.” I would add here that even non-action is a form of action, but that comes later.
Verse 6 says what Krishna really wants to say: “Those who abstain from action while still allowing the mind to dwell on sense pleasures are foolish and insincere.” In other words, if you are constantly yearning for that donut, but don’t eat it, the weight of it in your mind has more impact than eating it would.
I’ll expand on this to say that the translation of karma is action, but as you’ll see throughout this chapter it is important to understand the intention behind the action. We cannot always know what results will come of our actions, but if we act with pure intent – without selfish desire or grasping for a certain result or reward – then we will be further along the path than one who lets the mind free but refrains from acting on it. It is especially important here to realize the text is talking about the inner world – the inner battle – more than the external world.
Some translations of this last verse use the word “pretender” rather than “insincere” or “foolish” but I feel like that is a bit harsh. Not all have realized this is the case for them, so pretender speaks a bit too much to a conscious intention for this verse, I feel.
Verse seven clarifies this further: “But those who control their senses through the mind, using them for selfless service will excel.” What is selfless service? This keeps coming up so let’s explore this term a bit. What do you think?
Selfless service, as I understand it, is acting from a place of non-attachment to the benefits you will receive from acting. As an example, if I, as a yoga teacher, teach yoga in order to be the most famous teacher in the city and define success as monetary gain for myself, that is selfish. Whereas, if I teach from a place of wanting to help others without regard for my own material or egoic gain, it is selfless. This isn’t to say that paying the bills isn’t important, but rather that the place where you come from – what is most important to you – has great effect on your inner world and therefore your spiritual world.
Verse 8 follows with exactly what I emphasized as commentary – that some work is necessary. “Fulfill all your duties, Arjuna, for action is better than inaction. Even to maintain your body you must act.” Duty here can be translated from dharma – which at the time this text was written was considered your duty by birth. So, in Arjuna’s case, he was born into the warrior class. Therefore, it is his duty to act as a warrior would act. If you were born as a merchant it is your duty to sell your product. All modes of life have a purpose in maintaining a function of society, and likewise all modes of life are required to have a healthy body.
Verse 9 has been translated very differently in a lot of the texts I have. So, I’m going to give you a very generalized translation. “All who act from selfish action are bound to the material world. Act selflessly and perform your duties [in the name of Vishnu], without any thought of personal gain.”
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The direct translation includes Vishnu’s name, who is the more orthodox figure of the divine, one of the trinity of Brahma (creator), Shiva (destroyer), and Vishnu (maintainer). Krishna is a human avatar of Vishnu. This is a bit hard for us westerners to wrap our heads around, so let me see if I can explain this relationship of the divine a bit.
The divine in Hinduism is a pantheon of gods and goddesses who all represent different aspects of reality. Many are very relateable characters, as in this story of the Gita. The gods and goddesses take avatars to lend teachings to the humans of the world, or to maintain order. They are also representations or qualities to be cultivated in each of us. I find it interesting that this dialogue is happening with Vishnu, the preserver, as Arjuna is fighting this war to preserve the state and the proper lineage of the kingdom for the benefit of the people.
But also, if we look to the aspect of the internal battle, Arjuna is fighting a battle within his own mind between right and wrong, and Krishna is teaching him how to maintain the balance there.
Verse 10: “At the beginning of creation, mankind and the obligation of selfless service were created together. ‘Through selfless service, you will find the fulfillment of all your desires.’ This is the promise of the Creator.” Verse 11: “Honour and cherish the devas (demigods) in this way and they will then honour and cherish you; through this relationship will come the supreme good.”
This verse is a bit heavy for those of us who may not believe in a Creator, so to speak, but let me explain the history a bit. Hindu’s typically believe that the purpose of life is to allow conditioned souls to achieve liberation and return to unity with divine, whatever that may be for you. Divine in Hinduism is a very broad term. One of the reasons they have so many gods and goddesses is so you can choose the form of the divine which speaks to you the most. So please take this term loosely to mean whatever is most comfortable for you.
By saying in this verse “you will find the fulfillment of all your desires,” then, it is saying that through selfless action you will be liberated from the cycle of rebirth. Rebirth in the Hindu view is typically seen as re-death, and is a negative cycle. Very different from the western view of “oh, to be be born again!” Rather, in Hinduism, samsara is the cycle of rebirth caused by karma – karma wrought by selfish actions. By acting selflessly, then, you leave behind your karma (slowly, as you’ve had many lifetimes to store it up) and will no longer have to suffer through life as a conditioned being.
Verse 12 expands on this: “All human desires are fulfilled by the devas, but anyone who enjoys the things given without offering something in return is a thief.” In other words, there has to be a bit of give and take, as in any relationship.
Verse 13 gives us an example of selfless action: “Those who eat with the spirit of service are freed from their sins, whereas those who prepare food for their own satisfaction eat only sin.” Verse 14 explains this a bit: “Living creatures are nourished by food, and food is nourished by rain; Rain itself is born from selfless worship and service (sacrifice).”
At the time this text was written, it was thought that rain came when the devas were happy. What makes them happy? Sacrifice. Devotion. For a modern sense, we can take this to mean that the way of the world – all its functions are sacrificial – the sky gives up the rain, the food gives up its nourishment, etc. Everything is in a cycle of give and take – so to fit in this process we must also give in order to take without drowning resources.
Verse 15 continues this train of thought with “Every selfless act is born from Brahman (which, within us, is Atman), the eternal, infinite Godhead. Brahman is present in every act of service.” In other words, the deepest, truest part of ourselves, that which is connected to everything else, is where selfless act arises.
The next verse is a bit strong, Verse 16 “This is true for all of life. One who act from a material place rather than this place of unity, acting from the sense pleasure and desires, have waisted their life.”
Waisted in the sense of not moving forward by settling their karma…in other words they will be reborn, they lost the chance to end the cycle. But! There is an upside – verse 17: “One who realizes the Self (unity – deepest sense of belonging) are always satisfied. This is the source of joy and fulfillment, and they no longer seek satisfaction from the external world.”
Verse 18 may need a bit of time. “Someone who has realized the Self (unity) has nothing to lose or to gain by any action.” Let’s explore this a bit. Someone who has realized the unity of all beings, or the true self within, has no need to perform action nor will be affected by it as they ahve transcended the needs of the physical, material world.
I’m going to end us here today as the rest of the chapter explains a bit the difference between activity and inactivity, and how that all works.