Bhagvad Gita - Chapter: 3 Karma Yogah

Karma Yogah - The gods, nourished by sacrifices, will bestow upon you the desired enjoyments. He who enjoys these without giving them in return is verily a thief.

इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविता: |
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव स: ||12||

The gods, nourished by sacrifices, will bestow upon you the desired enjoyments. He who enjoys these without giving them in return is verily a thief.

Stena: Thief or one who takes without giving.
Yajñabhāvitāḥ: Nourished by sacrifices.
Iṣṭān: Desired or wished-for.

Krishna warns that those who take benefits without offering them back are thieves. This stark analogy emphasizes the importance of selfless contribution, urging individuals to give freely, respecting the cycle of giving and receiving.

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Karma Yogah - The righteous who eat the remnants of sacrifices are freed from all sins. But those sinful ones who cook food only for themselves, eat only sin.

यज्ञशिष्टाशिन: सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै: |
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ||13||

The righteous who eat the remnants of sacrifices are freed from all sins. But those sinful ones who cook food only for themselves, eat only sin.

Yajñaśiṣṭa: Remnants of sacrifice.
Kṛilbiṣaiḥ: Sins or impurities.
Ātmakāraṇāt: For oneself or selfish reasons.

Sacrificial remnants purify the mind and spirit, Krishna explains, while those who only feed themselves accumulate sin. He advocates selflessness over selfishness, underscoring the purifying power of serving the greater good.

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अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भव: |
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञ: कर्मसमुद्भव: ||14||

From food arise all beings; from rain food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action.

Annasaṁbhavaḥ: Produced from food.
Prajāḥ: Living beings or progeny.
Karma: Action or deed.

Krishna reveals the cycle linking food, rain, and sacrifice. This sequence highlights interdependence, showing that actions performed in line with nature sustain life, reinforcing the cyclical nature of karma and duty.

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Karma Yogah - Know that action has its origin in the Vedas, and the Vedas originate from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Veda is eternally based on sacrifice.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् |
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ||15||

Know that action has its origin in the Vedas, and the Vedas originate from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Veda is eternally based on sacrifice.

Brahmākṣara: The Imperishable Brahman.
Samudbhavam: Born from or originating.
Veda: Knowledge or scripture.

Krishna connects karma to divine creation, explaining that the natural order stems from the eternal. Here, he integrates cosmic law and individual duty, suggesting that universal order requires a commitment to selfless, sacrificial action.

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एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह य: |
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ||16||

He who does not follow here the cycle of sacrifice set in motion, lives sinfully, delighted in the senses. He lives in vain, O son of Pritha.

Cakraṁ: Cycle or wheel.
Aghāyuḥ: Sinful or wicked.
Indriyārāma: One who delights in senses.

Failure to respect this cycle leads to a wasted life, says Krishna. He cautions against a self-centered existence, stressing that fulfillment arises from upholding one’s role within the cosmic framework, beyond mere sensory enjoyment.

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यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानव: |
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ||17||

But the man who is content to the self alone, who is satisfied with the self, for him there is no prescribed duty.

Ātmarati: One who delights in the self.
Ātmatṛpta: Self-satisfied or content.
Mānava: Human or person.

Krishna describes the self-contented person, who is fulfilled without external dependency. This ideal of self-sufficiency showcases a state where actions flow effortlessly from inner completeness rather than external need.

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नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन |
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रय: ||18||

For him, there is no purpose in work, nor any reason to avoid work. For such a person, there is no dependence on anything in the world.

Kṛtenārthaḥ: Purpose achieved by action.
Vyapāśrayaḥ: Dependence or reliance.
Sarvabhūteṣu: Among all beings.

A self-sufficient person, Krishna teaches, is unaffected by praise or blame. He portrays independence from outcomes as essential for spiritual maturity, urging Arjuna to act without concern for external validation or reward.

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