Action

The Blessed Lord said: In this world a twofold path was taught by Me long ago, O sinless one: the path of knowledge for the followers of Sankhya, and the path of action for the yogis.

श्रीभगवानुवाच | लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ | ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ||३-३||

Arjuna said: If you consider wisdom superior to action, Janardana, then why do you urge me to this terrible deed, Keshava?

अर्जुन उवाच | ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन | तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ||३-१||

You have a right to action alone, never to its fruits. Do not let the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन | मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ||२-४७||

One should not give up the work suited to one's nature, Kaunteya, even though it has faults; for all undertakings are enveloped by fault, as fire is by smoke.

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् | सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ||१८-४८||

Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly done, than the duty of another well performed. Doing the work ordained by one's own nature, one incurs no fault.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ||१८-४७||

Action that is prescribed, free of attachment, performed without passion or aversion by one who desires no fruit — that is called sattvic.

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् | अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ||१८-२३||

For an embodied being cannot give up actions entirely; but one who gives up the fruits of action is called a relinquisher.

न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः | यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते ||१८-११||

But even these actions should be performed while giving up attachment and their fruits — this, Partha, is my definite and highest conviction.

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च | कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम् ||१८-६||

The Blessed Lord said: The wise understand renunciation to be the giving up of actions prompted by desire; the discerning call the surrender of the fruits of all actions relinquishment.

श्रीभगवानुवाच | काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः | सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः ||१८-२||

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever austerity you practice, son of Kunti, do it as an offering to me.

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् | यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ||९-२७||

Surrendering all actions to Me, with your mind fixed on the Self, free from desire and from any sense of "mine," and rid of your fever, fight.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा | निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ||३-३०||

Actions are performed in every way by the gunas of nature; but one whose self is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the doer."

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः | अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ||३-२७||

There is nothing in the three worlds, Partha, that I need to do, nothing unattained that I need to attain, yet I engage in action.

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन | नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ||३-२२||

Therefore, always perform the action that must be done, without attachment; for by performing action without attachment, one attains the Supreme.

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर | असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ||३-१९||

Perform your prescribed action, for action is better than inaction; even the maintenance of your body could not be accomplished through inaction.

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः | शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ||३-८||

For no one can remain even for a moment without performing action; everyone is driven to act, helplessly, by the gunas born of nature.

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् | कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ||३-५||

Not by abstaining from action does one attain freedom from action, nor by renunciation alone does one reach perfection.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते | न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ||३-४||

Established in yoga, perform your actions, Dhananjaya, abandoning attachment and remaining even-minded in success and failure. This evenness of mind is called yoga.

योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय | सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ||२-४८||