Karma Yoga: Shlokas 29 to 35
If you have not already done so, I would request you to review the Chapter 2, Sankhya Yoga before studying chapter 3 as that would help set the right context.
You can find the explanation of shlokas 20 to 28 can be found here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
You can also listen to all the episodes through my Spotify Portal.
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढा: सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु |
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् || 29||
prakṛiter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇa-karmasu
tān akṛitsna-vido mandān kṛitsna-vin na vichālayet
प्रकृतेर् (prakṛter) – of material nature; गुणसम्मूढा: (guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ) – deluded by the modes; सज्जन्ते (sajjante) – become attached; गुणकर्मसु (guṇa-karmasu) – to activities under the modes; तान् (tān) – them; अकृत्स्नविदः (akṛtsna-vidaḥ) – one who is imperfectly knowledgeable; मन्दान् (mandān) – the foolish; कृत्स्नवित् (kṛtsna-vit) – one who is fully knowledgeable; न (na) – not; विचालयेत् (vichālayet) – should disturb.
Those deluded by the modes of material nature become attached to activities under these modes. A person who is fully knowledgeable should not disturb these ignorant individuals who lack the required knowledge.
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा |
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वर: || 30||
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasyādhyātma-chetasā
nirāśhīr nirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ
मयि (mayi) – in me; सर्वाणि (sarvāṇi) – all; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) – duties or actions; संन्यस्य (saṁnyasya) – having dedicated; अध्यात्मचेतसा (adhyātmachetasā) – with a mind focused on the spiritual; निराशीर् (nirāśīr) – without expectation; निर्ममो (nirmamo) – without sense of proprietorship; भूत्वा (bhūtvā) – having become; युध्यस्व (yudhyasva) – fight; विगतज्वर: (vigatajvaraḥ) – free from mental fever or hesitation.
Dedicate all your duties to me, with a mind focused on the spiritual. Without expectation or sense of proprietorship, and free from hesitation, go forth and fight.
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवा: |
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभि: || 31||
ye me matam idaṁ nityam anutiṣhṭhanti mānavāḥ
śhraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto muchyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
ये (ye) – those who; मे (me) – my; मतम् (matam) – opinion or doctrine; इदं (idam) – this; नित्यम् (nityam) – always; अनुतिष्ठन्ति (anutisthanti) – follow; मानवा: (manavāh) – human beings; श्रद्धावन्तः (śraddhāvantaḥ) – having faith; अनसूयन्तः (anasūyantaḥ) – without envy or finding faults; मुच्यन्ते (mucyante) – are liberated; ते (te) – they; अपि (api) – also; कर्मभि: (karmabhiḥ) – from actions or duties.
Those who abide by these teachings of Mine, with profound faith and free from envy, are released from the bondage of karma.
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् |
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतस: || 32||
ye tvetad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣhṭhanti me matam
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāns tān viddhi naṣhṭān achetasaḥ
ये (ye) – those who; तु (tu) – but; एतत् (etat) – this; अभ्यसूयन्तः (abhyasuyantaḥ) – criticize or find fault; न (na) – not; अनुतिष्ठन्ति (anutisthanti) – follow; मे (me) – my; मतम् (matam) – opinion or doctrine; सर्वज्ञान (sarvajnana) – all knowledge; विमूढान् (vimudhan) – deluded, bewildered; तान् (tan) – them; विद्धि (viddhi) – know; नष्टान् (nastan) – lost; अचेतसः (achetasah) – without intelligence, mindless.
But those who find faults with My teachings, being bereft of knowledge and devoid of discrimination, they disregard these principles and bring about their own ruin.
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्या: प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि |
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रह: किं करिष्यति || 33||
sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān api
prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati
सदृशं (sadrisam) – according to; चेष्टते (chestate) – acts; स्वस्या: (svasyah) – of his own; प्रकृते: (prakriteh) – nature; ज्ञानवान (jnanavan) – the learned; अपि (api) – even; प्रकृतिं (prakritim) – nature; यान्ति (yanti) – goes; भूतानि (bhutani) – all beings; निग्रह: (nigrahah) – repression; किम् (kim) – what; करिष्यति (karishyati) – can do.
Even wise people act according to their natures, for all living beings are propelled by their natural tendencies. What can repression accomplish?
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ |
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ || 34||
indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣhau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaśham āgachchhet tau hyasya paripanthinau
इन्द्रियस्य (indriyasya) – of the senses; इन्द्रियस्य (indriyasya) – of the senses; अर्थे (arthe) – in the objects; राग (raga) – attachment; द्वेषौ (dveshau) – and aversion; व्यवस्थितौ (vyavasthitau) – situated; तयोः (tayoh) – of them; न (na) – not; वशम (vasham) – to the control; आगच्छेत (agacchet) – one should become; तौ (tau) – those; ह्य (hi) – certainly; अस्य (asya) – his; परिपन्थिनौ (paripanthinau) – stumbling blocks.
The senses naturally experience attachment and aversion to the sense objects, but do not be controlled by them, because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: || 35||
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt
swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो (Shreyan-sva-dharmo) – Better is one’s own duty; विगुण: (vigunah) – even if imperfectly done; परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् (paradharmat-svanusthitat) – than the duty of another well-performed; स्वधर्मे (svadharme) – in one’s own duty; निधनं (nidhanam) – death; श्रेय: (shreyah) – is better; परधर्मो (paradharmo) – another’s duty; भयावह: (bhayavahah) – is fraught with fear.
Better is one’s own duty, even if imperfectly performed, than the duty of another well-performed; death while performing one’s own duty is better, performing another’s duty is fraught with danger and fear.
Don’t preach to those who don’t have faith
Krishna has explained what it means to be in a state of ignorance and what it means to be wise and what you should do when you are on the path of wisdom and how you should treat those who are still ignorant.
Those who are deluded by the operation of the guṇas become attached to the results of their actions.These people are not ready to understand the higher truths. Krishna says that we should not disturb or agitate these people by trying to force them to understand higher knowledge. We should instead educate them slowly and gently and wherever possible, just lead by example so that they can follow our actions.
For example, suppose you come across someone who is busy getting intoxicated and enjoying sensory pleasures and you give them a prayer mala and ask them to start chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra, guess what will happen. That person will only get agitated and they will start insulting not just you but also the maha mantra and you will be responsible for that. You think you are doing a good deed however you actually land up incurring the sin of causing someone to abuse the name of the Lord.
It is an offense to preach to those who don’t have faith.
The significance of Samatvam
Shri Krishna also talks about the difference between those who understand the deeper realities of life and those who are caught up in the surface-level events. Shri Krishna says that we should fight the battles of life without inner tension, in a calm and serene way. As discussed in chapter two, we should try to distance ourselves from our small “i” and get closer to realizing the big “I” and engage in our duties without attachment and in a state of Samatvam.
Swami Ranganathananda gives the example of machines. He says that only inefficient and faulty machines make a lot of noise and generate a lot of heat while performing their jobs. Really efficient, well oiled machines work very silently. Similarly, once we get on the path to spiritual perfection, our actions should be done calmly, without agitation, in a state of Samatvam. That is the mark of a perfected soul.
Preventing actions from creating bondage
When we perform all works as an offering to Krishna, constantly meditating on Him as the Supreme, we will become free from desire and selfishness. Once we become free from desire and selfishness, we will gain the strength to fight the battles of life. And when we fight those battles with Samatvam, we progress on the path to liberation.
We should remember that action creates bondage but if we perform actions in the way prescribed by Krishna, it will actually lead us towards liberation.
No matter how rich or poor we are, what kind of work we do, what kind of battles we face in life, Shri Krishna is giving us the assurance that as long as we keep doing our duties in the way that he has prescribed, it is certain that we will grow spiritually, grow dear to Bhagavan and progress on the path towards liberation. This promise of Krishna is really very reassuring for all of us who are bound by so many duties and troubled by so many of our lives’ battles.
Fault finding causes self damage
And at the same time, Krishna is also warning that those who reject these teachings and continue with their ignorant ways, such people “bring about their own ruin,” because they reject the path to eternal salvation and keep rotating in the cycle of life and death.
Shri Krishna is talking about those who criticize the divine teachings without understanding them. It is easy to understand this through an example. Few hundred years ago, Galileo presented the concept of heliocentrism (the idea that the Earth revolves around the Sun). Many scientists and scholars dismissed his views, considering themselves wise. However, they were deluded by their limited understanding and ultimately proven wrong. Similarly, individuals who dismiss spiritual teachings without true understanding may miss out on profound knowledge and cause their own downfall.
Shri Krishna had said earlier that our actions are caused by our gunas. Every individual acts according to their nature, influenced by the three gunas: sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance). For example, some people might naturally be more calm and patient (sattva), while others might be more energetic and passionate (rajas).
The role of our inner nature
Here Shri Krishna is saying that every living being acts according to their own inner nature. We discussed in chapter two the concept of Samskaras. That, combined with our predominant gunas is what is meant by ‘our nature’. Our samskaras and gunas determine our inner nature and our actions are heavily influenced by them. Krishna says that even very wise people get carried away by their inner nature.
There are two forces that we have to deal with. External forces and internal forces. Usually, people tend to neglect their internal forces, their samskaras and focus only on controlling or changing the external forces. Animals and other lower life forms are driven entirely by their inner nature. It is only humans who can recognize their inner nature and strive to make it better and align it with goodness and take it towards self-realization and Bhagavan.
Nature is energy. As you know, modern science has proven that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only be transformed from one type to another. For example, when we drive a car, we are transforming heat energy into mechanical energy. When we use a battery based motor, we are transforming chemical energy into physical energy, etc. Our inner nature is also energy and we cannot just destroy or suppress it, it has to be expressed in one way or another. We can only convert it or transform it into something more positive and spiritually aligned.
Imagine your child was a very gifted artist and her inner nature is artistic. If you ask her to suppress that nature and take up something like computer programming which is not aligned with her artistic nature, just because she can make more money out of it, that will not be good for her and it will not help her succeed either spiritually or materially. Instead, we should help her align her profession with her inner artistic nature. For example, she can be a computer graphics and animations expert where she can utilize her artistic nature while also earning a decent income. Here we are not suppressing her artistic nature and instead giving it a channel to express itself.
Krishna is telling Arjuna here that you cannot merely suppress your internal nature and try to behave like someone else. He is telling Arjuna that you are a Kshatria and your inner nature is to fight for justice and dharma. Don’t try to just suppress that inner nature as it will only lead you towards failure.
There is a famous saying “Do not judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree”. The nature of a fish is to swim. The nature of a monkey is to climb a tree. You should not expect the monkey to swim or the fish to climb the tree.
The message is that we should first of all understand our nature and we should be ourselves and not try to be someone else. Then we need to try and use our intellect to train our mind, purify our Samskaras, elevate our Gunas such that it positively impacts our inner nature and aligns it towards our spiritual evolution.
Now, we should not try to use 3.33 as an excuse to do whatever bad things we want to do, saying it is my nature to do those things and I don’t want to suppress my nature.
Need to avoid attachment as well as aversion
In 3.34 Shri Krishna is saying that regardless of our nature, we should give up both attraction as well as aversion to objects that provide sensory pleasures. Krishna says that attraction and aversion are both like highway robbers who can hijack our minds.
As you may remember, we discussed that aversion is also as bad as attachment because when you have aversion to any sensory object, we end up thinking about that object all the time.
The verse is essentially saying that each of our senses naturally has an attraction (raga) and aversion (dvesha) towards certain objects or stimuli. For instance, our taste buds may crave sweet flavors and reject bitter ones. Similarly, our eyes may be attracted to pleasing sights and repelled by unpleasant ones. These attachments (raga) and aversions (dvesha) are intrinsic to our senses and they are constantly at play.
However, the verse advises us not to be governed by these sensory attractions and repulsions. Why? Because they can become obstacles or distractions on our spiritual path. If we are too attached to the sensory world, we may forget about our spiritual goals. And if we are too repelled by certain aspects of the sensory world, we might become overly negative or pessimistic, which can also hinder our spiritual progress.
So, the key message of this verse from the Bhagavad Gita (3.34) is about balance and self-control. It’s not about rejecting the sensory world entirely, but about not letting our senses and their likes and dislikes dictate our actions and mindset. Instead, we should try to stay centered and focused on our spiritual path, regardless of what our senses might be telling us.
Importance of performing one’s own duties
In continuation of His teaching on aligning our activities with our inner nature, Shri Krishna provides a very important lesson: “It is far better to discharge one’s own prescribed duties, even faultily, than another’s duties, even perfectly. It is better to face death while performing one’s own duties than engaging in someone else’s duties. Following another’s path is dangerous and fraught with fear.”
Lord Krishna emphasizes the importance of following one’s own duties diligently and to never try following someone else’s path. For example, a spiritual leader needs to demonstrate non-violence and it is part of his duties. Even in the face of aggression, he is expected to be tolerant and non-violent. However, for a soldier at war, it is important to put down aggressive enemies using force. A soldier should not try to follow the spiritual master’s non-violence in battle, and the spiritual master should never start shooting down his opponents. That is the moral of this shloka.
Many scholars have explained that even the negative natures of lust & anger (kama and krodha) can be transformed into friends by engaging them in the service of the Lord. For example, Shri Hanuman used his wrath to burn the city of Lanka. However, as he was doing this out of devotion to Lord Rama, and not based on any hatred or jealousy, his action was not considered sinful.
The law of karma is very complex and subjective. What is right for one person could be wrong for another. So, it’s very important for us to first understand what our duties are because that forms the basis for what is rightful action for us. Once we know what the rightful actions are for us, it is easier to avoid indulging in actions that would be considered inappropriate or sinful. The last set of Shlokas for chapter 3 can be found here:
kṛṣṇadaasa
Servant of Krishna
Aka +Vinayak Raghuvamshi