In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Lord Krishna emphasises the duty of each and every member of society to carry out their functions and responsibilities in each and every stages of life. He also speaks why such duties ought to be performed, what benefits one can gain by performing them. Blending poetry with philosophy, Lord Krishna describes how these three kinds of desire shroud Atman, the divine spark in you. Sattva is like smoke around fire. The brilliance and splendour of Atman shines forth in a sattvika person. Rajas covers Atman like dust on a mirror. He talks about creating energy, focussing the intellect on the ideal, surrender to it and act dedicatedly towards it. “Cultivate sattva, refine rajas and eliminate tamas”. He concludes with a highly inspiring message “Kill the formidable enemy in the form of desire by rising to the highest desire, that of Self Realisation”.
arjuna uvāca
jyāyasī cet karmaṇas te
matā buddhir janārdana
tat kiḿ karmaṇi ghore māḿ
niyojayasi keśava
Translation
Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Keshava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive w...View More
vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena
buddhiḿ mohayasīva me
tad ekaḿ vada niścitya
yena śreyo ‘ham āpnuyām
Translation
My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me.
View Moreśrī-bhagavān uvāca
loke ‘smin dvi-vidhā niṣṭhā
purā proktā mayānagha
jñāna-yogena sāńkhyānāḿ
karma-yogena yoginām
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try ...View More
na karmaṇām anārambhān
naiṣkarmyaḿ puruṣo ‘śnute
na ca sannyasanād eva
siddhiḿ samadhigacchati
Translation
Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.
View Morena hi kaścit kṣaṇam api
jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma
sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ
Translation
Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can ref...View More
karmendriyāṇi saḿyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
Translation
One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.
View Morekarmendriyāṇi saḿyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
Translation
On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Krishna consciousness] without attachment, ...View More
yas tv indriyāṇi manasā
niyamyārabhate ‘rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam
asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate
Translation
Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work.
View Moreyajñārthāt karmaṇo ‘nyatra
loko ‘yaḿ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaḿ karma kaunteya
mukta-sańgaḥ samācara
Translation
Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perfo...View More
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
eṣa vo ‘stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
Translation
In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Vishnu, and ...View More
devān bhāvayatānena
te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaḿ bhāvayantaḥ
śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
Translation
The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all.
View Moreistan bhogan hi vo deva
dasyante yajna-bhavitah
tair dattan apradayaibhyo
yo bhunkte stena eva sah
Translation
In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajna [sacrifice], will supply all necessities to you. But he who...View More
yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaḿ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
Translation
The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare...View More
annād bhavanti bhūtāni
parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
yajñād bhavati parjanyo
yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
Translation
All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of pr...View More
karma brahmodbhavaḿ viddhi
brahmākṣara-samudbhavam
tasmāt sarva-gataḿ brahma
nityaḿ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam
Translation
Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently th...View More
evaḿ pravartitaḿ cakraḿ
nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyur indriyārāmo
moghaḿ pārtha sa jīvati
Translation
My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only fo...View More
yas tv ātma-ratir eva syād
ātma-tṛptaś ca mānavaḥ
ātmany eva ca santuṣṭas
tasya kāryaḿ na vidyate
Translation
But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated—fo...View More
naiva tasya kṛtenārtho
nākṛteneha kaścana
na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu
kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ
Translation
A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need...View More
tasmad asaktah? satatam´
karyam´ karma samacara
asakto hy acaran karma
param apnoti purus?ah?
Translation
Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.
View Morekarmaṇaiva hi saḿsiddhim
āsthitā janakādayaḥ
loka-sańgraham evāpi
sampaśyan kartum arhasi
Translation
Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should...View More
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaḿ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
Translation
Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
View Morena me pārthāsti kartavyaḿ
triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptam avāptavyaḿ
varta eva ca karmaṇi
Translation
O son of Pritha, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anythin...View More
yadi hy ahaḿ na varteyaḿ
jātu karmaṇy atandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
Translation
For if I ever failed to engage in carefully performing prescribed duties, O Partha, certainly all men would follow My path.
View Moreutsīdeyur ime lokā
na kuryāḿ karma ced aham
sańkarasya ca kartā syām
upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
Translation
If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereb...View More
saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāḿso
yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryād vidvāḿs tathāsaktaś
cikīrṣur loka-sańgraham
Translation
As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading...View More
na buddhi-bhedam´ janayed
ajñanam´ karma-sanginam
jos?ayet sarva-karman?i
vidvan yuktah? samacaran
Translation
So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rath...View More
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahańkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
Translation
Te spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of ...View More
tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho
guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta
iti matvā na sajjate
Translation
One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the differences betw...View More
prakṛter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ
sajjante guṇa-karmasu
tān akṛtsna-vido mandān
kṛtsna-vin na vicālayet
Translation
Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not u...View More
mayi sarvan?i karman?i
sannyasyadhyatma-cetasa
nirasir nirmamo bhutva
yudhyasva vigata-jvarah?
Translation
Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethar...View More
ye me matam idaḿ nityam
anutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ
śraddhāvanto ‘nasūyanto
mucyante te ‘pi karmabhiḥ
Translation
Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bonda...View More
ye tv etad abhyasūyanto
nānutiṣṭhanti me matam
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāḿs tān
viddhi naṣṭān acetasaḥ
Translation
But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them are to be considered bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and ruined ...View More
sadṛśaḿ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ
prakṛter jñānavān api
prakṛtiḿ yānti bhūtāni
nigrahaḥ kiḿ kariṣyati
Translation
Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes. What can rep...View More
indriyasyendriyasyārthe
rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaśam āgacchet
tau hy asya paripanthinau
Translation
There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses and their objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment...View More
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ
para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt
sva-dharme nidhanaḿ śreyaḥ
para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
Translation
It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course...View More
arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto ‘yaḿ
pāpaḿ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya
balād iva niyojitaḥ
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrishni, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?
View Moreśrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later tr...View More
dhumenavriyate vahnir
yathadarso malena ca
yatholbenavr?to garbhas
tatha tenedam avr?tam
Translation
As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust.
View Moreāvṛtaḿ jñānam etena
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
duṣpūreṇānalena ca
Translation
Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.
View Moreindriyāṇi mano buddhir
asyādhiṣṭhānam ucyate
etair vimohayaty eṣa
jñānam āvṛtya dehinam
Translation
The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through them lust covers the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders ...View More
tasmāt tvam indriyāṇy ādau
niyamya bharatarṣabha
pāpmānaḿ prajahi hy enaḿ
jñāna-vijñāna-nāśanam
Translation
Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destr...View More
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraḿ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
Translation
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is ev...View More
evaḿ buddheḥ paraḿ buddhvā
saḿstabhyātmānam ātmanā
jahi śatruḿ mahā-bāho
kāma-rūpaḿ durāsadam
Translation
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by del...View More