CHAPTER 3
PATH OF SERVICE
Arjuna asked: If You consider that acquiring transcendental
knowledge is better than working, then why do You want me to engage in this
horrible war, O Krishna? You seem to confuse my mind by apparently conflicting
words. Tell me, decisively, one thing by which I may attain the Supreme.
(3.01-02)
Lord Krishna said: In this world I have stated a twofold
path of spiritual discipline in the past. The path of Self-knowledge for the
contemplative ones, and the path of unselfish work (Seva, Karma-yoga) for all
others. (3.03)
One does not attain freedom from the bondage of Karma by
merely abstaining from work. No one attains perfection by merely giving up
work, because no one can remain actionless even for a moment. Everyone is
driven to action ¾ helplessly indeed ¾ by the forces of Nature. (3.04-05)
Anyone, who restrains the senses but mentally dwells upon
the sense objects, is called a pretender. (3.06)
WHY ONE SHOULD SERVE OTHERS?
The one who controls the senses by the trained and purified
mind and intellect, and engages the organs of action to selfless service is
considered superior. (3.07)
Perform your obligatory duty, because working is indeed
better than sitting idle. Even the maintenance of your body would not be
possible without work. (3.08)
Work other than those done as a selfless service (Seva)
binds human beings. Therefore, becoming free from selfish attachment to the
fruits of work, do your duty efficiently as a service to Me. (3.09)
TO HELP EACH OTHER IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF THE CREATOR
In the beginning the creator created human beings together
with selfless service (Seva, sacrifice) and said: By serving each other you
shall prosper and the sacrificial service shall fulfill all your desires.
(3.10)
Nourish the celestial controllers with selfless service, and
they will nourish you. Thus nourishing one another you shall attain the Supreme
goal. (3.11)
The celestial controllers, served by selfless service, will
give you all desired objects. One who enjoys the gift of celestial controllers
without sharing with others is, indeed, a thief. (3.12)
The righteous who eat after feeding others are freed from
all sins, but the impious who cook food only for themselves ¾ without first
offering to God, or sharing with others ¾ verily eat sin. (3.13)
The living beings are born from food grains, grains are
produced by sacrificial work or duty performed by farmers and other field
workers. Duty is prescribed in the scriptures. Scriptures (such as the Vedas,
the Holy Bible, the Holy Koran) come from the Supreme Being. Thus the
all-pervading Supreme Being or God is ever present in selfless service.
(3.14-15)
The one who does not help to keep the wheel of creation in
motion by sacrificial duty (Seva), and rejoices sense pleasures, that sinful
person lives in vain. (3.16)
The one who rejoices the Supreme Being, who is delighted
with the Supreme Being, and who is content with the Supreme Being alone, for
such a Self-realized person there is no duty. Such a person has no interest,
whatsoever, in what is done or what is not done. A Self-realized person does
not depend on anybody, except God, for anything. (3.17-18)
LEADERS SHOULD SET AN EXAMPLE
Always perform your duty efficiently and without any selfish
attachment to the results, because by doing work without attachment one attains
Supreme. (3.19)
King Janaka and others attained perfection of Self-realization
by selfless service (Karma-yoga) alone. You should also perform your duty with
a view to guide people, and for the welfare of the society. (3.20)
Because whatever noble persons do, others follow. Whatever
standard they set up, the world follows. (3.21)
O Arjuna, there is nothing in the three worlds — heaven,
earth, and the lower regions — that should be done by Me, nor there is anything
unobtained that I should obtain, yet I engage in action. (3.22)
Because, if I do not engage in action relentlessly, O
Arjuna, people would follow My path in everyway. These worlds would perish if I
do not work, and I shall be the cause of confusion and destruction of all these
people. (3.23-24)
WHAT SHOULD THE WISE DO TO
THE IGNORANT
As the ignorant work with attachment to the fruits of work,
so the wise should work without attachment, for the welfare of the society.
(3.25)
The wise should not unsettle the mind of the ignorant ones
who are attached to the fruits of work, but the enlightened one should inspire
others by performing all works efficiently without selfish attachment. (See
also 3.29) (3.26)
ALL WORKS ARE THE WORKS OF NATURE
The forces of Nature do all works. But due to delusion of
ignorance people assume themselves to be the doer. (See also 5.09, 13.29, and
14.19) (3.27)
The one who knows the truth about the role of the forces of
Nature in getting work done does not become attached to the work. Such a person
knows that it is the forces of Nature that get their work done by using our
organs as their instruments. (3.28)
But those who are deluded by the illusive power (Maya) of
Nature become attached to the works done by the forces of Nature. The wise
should not disturb the mind of the ignorant whose knowledge is imperfect. (See
also 3.26) (3.29)
Do your duty dedicating all works to God in a spiritual
frame of mind free from desire, attachment, and mental grief. (3.30)
Those who always practice this teaching of Mine ¾ with faith
and are free from cavil ¾ become free from the bondage of Karma. But those who
carp at this teaching and do not practice it, consider them ignorant,
senseless, and lost. (3.31-32)
All beings follow their nature. Even the wise act according
to their own nature. What, then, is the value of sense restraint? (3.33)
TWO MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCKS ON THE PATH OF PERFECTION
Attachments and aversions for the sense objects remain in
the senses. One should not come under the control of these two, because they
are two major stumbling blocks, indeed, on one’s path of Self-realization.
(3.34)
One’s inferior natural work is better than superior
unnatural work. Death in carrying out one’s natural work is useful. Unnatural
work produces too much stress. (See also 18.47) (3.35)
LUST IS THE ORIGIN OF SIN
Arjuna said: O Krishna, what impels one to commit sin as if
unwillingly and forced against one’s will? (3.36)
Lord Krishna said: It is the lust born out of passion that
becomes anger when unfulfilled. Lust is insatiable and is a great devil. Know this
as the enemy. (3.37)
As the fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as
an embryo by the amnion; similarly, Self-knowledge gets covered by different
degrees of this insatiable lust, the eternal enemy of the wise. (3.38-39)
The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be the
abode of lust; with these it deludes a person by veiling the Self-knowledge.
(3.40)
Therefore, O Arjuna, by controlling the senses first, kill
this devil of material desire that destroys Self-knowledge and Self-realization.
(3.41)
HOW TO CONTROL LUST
The senses are said to be superior to the body, the mind is
superior to the senses, the intellect is superior to the mind, transcendental
knowledge is superior to the intellect, and the Self is superior to transcendental
knowledge. (3.42)
Thus, knowing the Self to be superior to the intellect, and
controlling the mind by the intellect that is purified by spiritual practices,
one must kill this mighty enemy, lust, O Arjuna. (3.43)
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