Karma Yoga: Shlokas 20 to 28
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 13 to 19 can be found here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
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कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादय: |
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि || 20||
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जन: |
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते || 21||
karmaṇaiva hi sansiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ
loka-saṅgraham evāpi sampaśhyan kartum arhasi
yad yad ācharati śhreṣhṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
कर्मणैव (karmaṇaiva) – indeed through action; हि (hi) – surely; संसिद्धिम् (saṁsiddhim) – perfection; आस्थिता (āsthitā) – attained; जनकादय: (janakādayaḥ) – Janaka and others; लोकसंग्रहम् (lokasaṁgraham) – welfare of the world; एव (eva) – only; अपि (api) – also; सम्पश्यन् (sampashyan) – considering; कर्तुम् (kartum) – to perform; अर्हसि (arhasi) – should;
यद्यद (yadyad) – whatever; आचरति (ācarati) – does; श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) – the best; तत्तद (tattad) – that indeed; एव (eva) – certainly; इतरो (itaro) – the common; जनः (janaḥ) – person; स (sa) – he; यत् (yat) – whatever; प्रमाणं (pramāṇaṁ) – standard; कुरुते (kurute) – sets; लोकः (lokaḥ) – the world; तत् (tat) – that; अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) – follows;
Indeed, through action alone, Janaka and others attained perfection. You should also perform your duties, considering only the welfare of the world. That way, you can set an example for others to follow. Whatever the great and saintly people do, that becomes the standard that the world follows.
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन |
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि || 22||
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣhu lokeṣhu kiñchana
nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ varta eva cha karmaṇi
न (na) – not; मे (me) – my; पार्थ (pārtha) – O Partha (Arjuna); अस्ति (asti) – is; कर्तव्यं (kartavyaṁ) – duty to be done; त्रिषु (triṣu) – in the three; लोकेषु (lokeṣu) – worlds; किञ्चन (kiñcana) – anything;
न (na) – not; अनवाप्तम (anavāptam) – not acquired; अवाप्तव्यं (avāptavyaṁ) – to be acquired; वर्त (varta) – exist; एव (eva) – indeed; च (ca) – and; कर्मणि (karmaṇi) – in action.
O Partha, there is no duty for me to do in the three worlds. There is nothing not acquired, to be acquired. Yet, I engage in rightful action.
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रित: |
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्या: पार्थ सर्वश: || 23||
yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ
यदि (yadi) – if; ह्य (hi) – indeed; अहं (ahaṁ) – I; न (na) – not; वर्तेयं (varteyaṁ) – were to exist; जातु (jātu) – ever; कर्मणि (karmaṇi) – in action; अतन्द्रित: (atandritaḥ) – without being lazy.
मम (mama) – my; वर्त्मा (vartmā) – path; अनुवर्तन्ते (anuvartante) – follow; मनुष्या: (manuṣyāḥ) – humans; पार्थ (pārtha) – O Partha; सर्वश: (sarvaśaḥ) – in all respects.
If I did not engage in rightful actions, without being lazy, O Partha, humans would follow my path in all respects.
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् |
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमा: प्रजा: || 24||
utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ched aham
sankarasya cha kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
उत्सीदेयुः (utsīdeyur) – would perish; इमे (ime) – these; लोका (lokā) – worlds; न (na) – not; कुर्यां (kuryāṁ) – do; कर्म (karma) – action; चेत (cet) – if; अहम् (aham) – I; | (|) – (end of verse).
सङ्करस्य (saṅkarasya) – of unwanted population; च (ca) – and; कर्ता (kartā) – the doer; स्याम् (syām) – would be; उपहन्याम् (upahanyām) – would destroy; इमाः (imāḥ) – these; प्रजाः (prajāḥ) – people.
If I ceased to perform prescribed actions, all these worlds would perish. I would be responsible for the chaos that would prevail, and would thereby destroy the peace of the human race.
सक्ता: कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत |
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् || 25||
saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvānso yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryād vidvāns tathāsaktaśh chikīrṣhur loka-saṅgraham
सक्ताः (saktāḥ) – attached; कर्मणि (karmaṇi) – to actions; अविद्वांसः (avidvāṁsaḥ) – the ignorant; यथा (yathā) – as; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) – they perform; भारत (bhārata) – O Bharata (Arjuna).
कुर्यात् (kuryāt) – should do; विद्वान् (vidvān) – the wise; तथा (tathā) – in the same manner; असक्तः (asaktaḥ) – unattached; चिकीर्षुः (cikīrṣuḥ) – wishing; लोकसंग्रहम् (lokasaṁgraham) – welfare of the world.
O Bharata (Arjuna), as the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to the results, the wise should perform their duties without attachment, wishing for the welfare of the world.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् |
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्त: समाचरन् || 26||
na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām
joṣhayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācharan
न (na) – not; बुद्धिभेदं (buddhibhedaṁ) – disruption of understanding; जनयेत (janayet) – should cause; अज्ञानां (ajñānāṁ) – of the ignorant; कर्मसङ्गिनाम् (karmasaṅginām) – who are attached to their actions;
जोषयेत् (joṣayet) – should inspire; सर्वकर्माणि (sarvakarmāṇi) – in all duties; विद्वान् (vidvān) – the wise; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) – engaged; समाचरन् (samācaran) – performing correctly.
The wise should not incite confusion within the minds of those less knowledgeable, who are attached to the outcomes of their actions, by suggesting that they cease to do their duties. Instead, by executing their responsibilities in a discerning way, the wise should encourage those less knowledgeable to fulfill their designated duties as well.
प्रकृते: क्रियमाणानि गुणै: कर्माणि सर्वश: |
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते || 27||
prakṛiteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśhaḥ
ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
प्रकृतेः (prakṛteḥ) – of nature; क्रियमाणानि (kriyamāṇāni) – being performed; गुणैः (guṇaiḥ) – by the modes; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) – actions; सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) – in all respects;
अहङ्कार (ahaṅkāra) – ego; विमूढ (vimūḍha) – deluded; आत्मा (ātmā) – the soul; कर्ता (kartā) – doer; अहम् (aham) – I; इति (iti) – thus; मन्यते (manyate) – thinks.
Actions in all respects are driven by the three modes of nature. But the soul, deluded by ego, thinks ‘I am the doer’.
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयो: |
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते || 28||
tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣhu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate
तत्त्ववित् (tattvavit) – the knower of truth; तु (tu) – but; महाबाहो (mahābāho) – O mighty-armed (Arjuna); गुणकर्मविभागयोः (guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ) – of the differences of the modes of nature and their actions;
गुणाः (guṇāḥ) – the modes of material nature; गुणेषु (guṇeṣu) – in the modes; वर्तन्ते (vartante) – act; इति (iti) – thus; मत्वा (matvā) – thinking; न (na) – not; सज्जते (sajjate) – gets attached.
O mighty-armed (Arjuna), the knower of truth understands that the soul is distinct from guṇas and karmas. And those who know that the guṇas in the shape of the senses move among the guṇas in the shape of the objects of perception, do not get attached.
The Path of Karma Yoga
In 3.20, Krishna gives the example of King Janaka. He was a great monarch who had an enormous amount of wealth, yet he was also a self realized soul who performed his duties as a king without any attachment. King Janaka was such an enlightened person that even the greatest of sages, Vyasa (also known as Ved-Vyasa) the son of Lord Parashurama and Gandhavati, and half brother of Bhishma, sent his son Shuka to Janaka for learning key lessons of life.
Similarly, in the Srimad Bhagavatam, we find the story of King Harishchandra that parallels Janaka’s path of Karma Yoga. King Harishchandra was a righteous king who faced numerous trials but remained committed to truth and duty. His story demonstrates how, despite hardships and worldly responsibilities, one can remain steadfast on their spiritual path.
Leading by Example
Using such examples, Shri Krishna urges Arjuna to perform his duties considering the welfare of the world. This selfless action is essential for social harmony and progress. He emphasizes the fact that the wise must set an example through their actions, as others often emulate the actions of the great.
As Arjuna was in a position of leadership and the whole of humanity would be following his example, if He chose to not perform his duties without attachment, he would incur all the more sin for causing millions of humans who would follow his example to also commit this sin.
This is the concept behind all advertisements. They will show a Sachin Tendulkar drinking boost and saying ‘boost is the secret of my energy’. Why? Because he is a role model for youngsters and they will want to do whatever they seem him doing. Doesn’t matter if boost was actually the secret of his energy, just because people saw him drink it and say it, they will believe it and follow it.
Shri Krishna has used this technique more than 5000 years ago by giving Arjuna (and humanity) the advertisement where Janaka is performing his duties without any attachment.
This is also a great lesson in leadership that Krishna has given here. He says that people will follow whatever the leader does. So for example, if you are a leader and you want your employees to be honest, you have to lead by example and demonstrate your honesty. If you are dishonest, your employees will also behave dishonestly.
Just like King Janaka, who had everything he could ask for and still kept performing his duties without attachment, we should also strive to do the same in our own lives.
Tulsidas’ dohas and teachings
I would like to refer to two dohas written by Sage Tulsidas which reflects these teachings of Shri Krishna beautifully:
जे जन रूखे बिषय रस चिकने राम सनेहं ।
तुलसी ते प्रिय राम को कानन बसहिं कि गेहं ।।
jē jana rūkhē biṣaya rasa cikanē rāma sanēham
tulasī tē priya rāma kō kānana basahiṁ ki gēham .
Those who have released their bond to sensory pleasures of the physical world and have drenched themselves in the divine elixir of love and devotion towards Lord Ram are truly cherished by the Lord. Their chosen lifestyle – whether they reside as ascetics in the solitude of the forest or engage in worldly duties as householders – does NOT matter.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the physical renunciation of worldly life that brings one closer to God, but rather the intensity and sincerity of one’s love and devotion towards the Divine. Thus, whether one is a forest-dwelling hermit or a dutiful householder does not matter; what truly counts is the depth of their devotion to Lord God.
सोचिअ गृही जो मोह बस करइ करम पथ त्याग ।
सोचिअ जती प्रपंच रत बिगत बिबेकं बिराग ।।
sōci’a grhī jō mōha basa kara’i karama patha tyāga.
sōci’a jatī prapanca rata bigata bibēka birāga.
Two kinds of individuals evoke feelings of empathy and sorrow: Firstly, the householders who, in their ignorance, have strayed from the virtuous path laid out in the scriptures. Secondly, the ascetics (Jati) who, despite renouncing worldly life to embark on a spiritual journey, still find themselves ensnared by the allure and pleasures of the material world.
All these teachings make it very clear that we should never think of just giving up our duties in order to make progress on the spiritual path.
We hold on to attachments. Not the other way around.
There’s this story of Ashtavakra Muni (a sage with 8 deformities in his body). Despite his deformities, he was a greatly enlightened soul. Once, he visited the court of King Janaka. Seeing his unusual appearance, the ministers in the court started giggling and making faces. Unfazed, the Muni walked straight up to King Janaka and remarked, “You think you have learned scholars in your court, but all I see are cobblers.” Surprised, the King asked, “Why do you say so?” The Muni replied, “Because only cobblers judge a product based on the quality of its skin.”
Recognizing the wisdom in these words, King Janaka fell at the Muni’s feet and asked for forgiveness on behalf of everyone. He then asked the Muni if he could help answer a question that had been bothering him for a long time. His question was, “How can we get rid of attachment? In response to this question, Ashtavakra Muni started running out of the court, towards the King’s garden. Confused by this sudden behavior, Janaka and his ministers also started running behind him. Upon reaching the garden, Ashtavakra Muni hugged a tree and started screaming “Leave me, leave me!”
Though everyone was puzzled by this spectacle, King Janaka immediately understood the message that the Muni was trying to convey.
We keep saying things like “this desire is consuming me and not letting go of me” or “this habit is not going away from me” or “this addiction is not leaving me” whereas the truth is that we are the ones holding on to various attachments, not the other way round. So if we want to get rid of attachment we just have to let go of attachments. Attachments are never holding on to us.
How Shri Krishna Himself lead by example
Shri Krishna had said that people who are enlightened are not required to follow the rules of yoga. Now Shri Krishna is Bhagavan Himself and still He keeps performing his duties. That is totally for the benefit of humanity. Krishna tells Arjuna that “I don’t have to do any duties in any part of the universe and yet here I am, doing my duties”.
Bhagavan has everything. Bhagavan does not need anything from anybody. And yet here Bhagavan is performing His duties. That is the example being set for Arjuna and the rest of humanity. Do your duties not because you need something but because it is the right thing to do and it is also helping set the right example for others to follow.
Lord Krishna states that if he did not perform duties without attachment, he will become responsible for setting the wrong example for humankind to follow. During olden times, one’s duties were determined by their varna (brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya, shudra) and ashrama (what stage of life you were in, brahmachari, grihasta, vanaprasta, sannyasa).
Although Krishna is beyond all varnas, when he was in Vrindavan, he belonged to the Vaishya varna and he performed the duties accordingly. He used to take the cows for grazing, and other required activities. At the age of 11 when he came to Mathura he belonged to Kshatriya varna and he performed his duties by killing Kamsa. And as a King he built the city of Dwarka to protect all his citizens.
Although Krishna is the source of all the vedas, when he was a brahmachari, he went to a gurukul and performed his duties as a student by studying the vedas and serving his guru Sandipani muni. And when Krishna was in grihastha ashrama, he performed his duties and married. He actually married over 16000 women and was such a perfect husband. Not a single one of his wives ever complained about anything 🙂 Whereas most of us modern day men have only one wife and still are not able to keep her happy.
Actually Krishna had 8 principal wives. The other ~16000 women were the ones whom he had rescued from the demon Narakasura. They were not accepted by society once they were rescued and to save them from social harassment, Krishna married all of them. The point to be noted is his act of performing the prescribed duties at every varna and ashrama that he associated himself with.
The impact of not performing our duties
If you remember, in the beginning of chapter 2, Arjuna tells Krishna that if he killed all these wise and great men in the battlefield, that will cause a lot of destruction of values and disharmony in society. Here Krishna is saying that in fact, if He does not perform his prescribed duties, that is when there will actually be disharmony and destruction of social values and society itself.
As an example, Krishna says that if men do not perform their duty of protecting the women, then the women get exploited and it gives rise to unwanted children who grow up without any values and that causes further degradation and destruction in society.
In modern societies we see many examples where men just desert their wives and the poor woman has to do multiple jobs to support her children who grow up feeling unwanted and they do not even take care of their single mother who worked hard to bring them up, etc. A lot of such kids develop bad habits, keep bad company, engage in activities that are harmful to themselves as well as the society.
The message is thus very clear. Not performing our duties impacts not only ourselves, but also impacts the society at large and we incur a bigger sin because of that.
Non-attachment and Self-realization
Krishna again reiterates that it is the ignorant people who perform their duties with attachment towards the results whereas the wise perform duties without attachments and for the welfare of society.
There is a verse in the Isha Upanishad:
ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ।।
Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiṁ ca jagatyāṁ jagat |
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya sviddhanam ||
All this, whatever moves in the universe, including the universe itself, is pervaded by the Supreme. Therefore, renounce and enjoy, and covet not the wealth of others.
This verse of the Isha Upanishad emphasizes the importance of non-attachment and the right understanding of ownership, which aligns with Krishna’s teachings. The Upanishad asks one to perform their duties without attachment, to renounce the fruits of action and not to covet what belongs to others, which is very similar to Krishna’s message in verse 3.25.
We have to keep in mind that we will always be surrounded by people who are still living in the materialistic plane and are not on the spiritual path. Even in our own homes we may find that some family members are not ready for the spiritual path.
Shri Krishna is advising that we should not try dictating a new way of life to these people and we should let them continue doing their duties. We should not try to dictate a new way of life for them. We should instead continue doing our duties without attachment and leading by example. Gradually, the people close to us will start following our example. Actions speak louder than words. And this is what Krishna is saying.
A great example is that of the Beatles musician George Harrison. The Beatles were the most popular band of all time and they had millions of fans all over the world. When George Harrison came to India and met Srila Prabhupada, he said he is interested in spirituality and if he should also shave his head and start living in the ashram. Then Shrila Prabhupada used these verses we just discussed and instead advised George Harrison to use his musical talent to attract his followers towards Krishna consciousness. Whatever the great men do, the ordinary men follow. George Harrison went on to play a key role in bringing countless westerners on the path to Krishna consciousness.
All actions are caused by the gunas
In 3.27 Shri Krishna says that all actions are caused by the three modes of nature. There are three gunas that Krishna will explain. These are Sattvic (goodness), Rajasic (passion) and Tamasic (ignorance/ badness). We are part of nature and there are many things that we do unknowingly because of nature. For example we digest our food, we extract oxygen from the air, etc without even being conscious of it. This is actually the Prakriti or nature which is doing the actions, not us. Similarly, all other actions we consciously perform, we may think that we are the doer, however it is actually these modes of nature which are causing our actions.
In 3.27 you will see the line ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate. Mudha means foolish. Vimudha means utterly foolish. Shri Krishna is saying that the utterly foolish Atma which is under the influence of ahankara (false ego, false identity) thinks that it is the doer of all the actions.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam you will find this verse (11.25.19):
ये गुणाः साङ्क्षिकाः प्रोक्ताः प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्य च।
येषामात्मन्यवस्थानां नोपलभ्येत तत्त्ववित्॥
ye guṇāḥ sāṅkṣikāḥ proktāḥ prakṛteḥ puruṣasya ca|
yeṣām ātmany avasthānāṁ nopabhyeta tattva-vit||
The wise person who can discern the separate identities of the soul and nature, and their combined actions, can understand that it is nature in its various forms, which comes into contact with the soul, causing the soul to enjoy various conditions.
You may have heard the statement “We are all spiritual beings having a human experience”. So what caused spiritual beings to land up on the material world? It is because of desires to enjoy sensory pleasures and turning away from Bhagavan due to the false ego that we land up in the material world.
So it is not just enough to do our duties without attachment but we should also realize that we should not have any pride in what we do. We should do it with humility, understanding that our actions are influenced by Prakriti and our gunas. When we realize this and also endeavor to dissolve our false ego and start identifying with our higher self, that is the way to liberation that Krishna is showing us.
The explanations for the next set of Shlokas , 29 to 35 can be found here.
kṛṣṇadaasa
Servant of Krishna
Aka +Vinayak Raghuvamshi