Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (26 page)

Bg 3.4

TEXT 4

TEXT

na karmaṇām anārambhān

naiṣkarmyaṁ puruṣo 'śnute

na ca sannyasanād eva

siddhiṁ samadhigacchati

SYNONYMS

na-
without;
karmaṇām-
of the prescribed duties;
anārambhāt-
non-performance;
naiṣkarmyam-
freedom from reaction;
puruṣah-
man;
aśnute-
achieve;
na-
nor;
ca-
also;
sannyasanāt-
by renunciation;
eva-
simply;
siddhim-
success;
samadhigacchati-
attain.

TRANSLATION

Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.

PURPORT

The renounced order of life can be accepted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties which are laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without purification, one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life (
sannyāsa
). According to the empirical philosophers, simply by adopting
sannyāsa,
or retiring from fruitive activities, one at once becomes as good as Nārāyaṇa. But Lord Kṛṣṇa does not approve this principle. Without purification of heart,
sannyāsa
is simply a disturbance to the social order. On the other hand, if someone takes to the transcendental service of the Lord, even without discharging his prescribed duties, whatever he may be able to advance in the cause is accepted by the Lord
(buddhi-yoga). Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt.
Even a slight performance of such a principle enables one to overcome great difficulties.

Bg 3.5

TEXT 5

TEXT

na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api

jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt

kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma

sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ

SYNONYMS

na
-nor;
hi
-certainly;
kaścit
-anyone;
kṣaṇam
-even a moment;
api
-also;
jātu
-even;
tiṣṭhati
-stands;
akarma-kṛt
-without doing something;
kāryate
-is forced to do;
hi
-certainly;
avaśaḥ
-helplessly;
karma
-work;
sarvaḥ
-everything;
prakṛti-jaiḥ
-out of the modes of material nature;
guṇaiḥ
-by the qualities.

TRANSLATION

All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.

PURPORT

It is not a question of embodied life, but it is the nature of the soul to be always active. Without the presence of the spirit soul, the material body cannot move. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit soul, which is always active and cannot stop even for a moment. As such, the spirit soul has to be engaged in the good work of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, otherwise it will be engaged in occupations dictated by illusory energy. In contact with material energy, the spirit soul acquires material modes, and to purify the soul from such affinities it is necessary to engage in the prescribed duties enjoined in the
śāstras.
But if the soul is engaged in his natural function of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever he is able to do is good for him. The
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
affirms this:

tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer
bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ
ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ.

"If someone takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even though he may not follow the prescribed duties in the
śāstras
nor execute the devotional service properly, and even though he may fall down from the standard, there is no loss or evil for him. But if he carries out all the injunctions for purification in the
śāstras,
what does it avail him if he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious?"
(Bhāg.
1.5.17) So the purificatory process is necessary for reaching this point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore,
sannyāsa,
or any purificatory process, is to help reach the ultimate goal of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, without which everything is considered a failure.

Bg 3.6

TEXT 6

TEXT

karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya

ya āste manasā smaran

indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā

mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate

SYNONYMS

karma-indriyāṇi-
the five working sense organs;
saṁyamya-
controlling;
yaḥ-
anyone who;
āste-
remains;
manasā-
by mind;
smaran-
thinking;
indriya-arthān-
sense objects;
vimūḍha-
foolish;
ātmā-
soul;
mithyā-ācāraḥ-
pretender;
saḥ-
he;
ucyate-
is called.

TRANSLATION

One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.

PURPORT

There are many pretenders who refuse to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness but make a show of meditation, while actually dwelling within the mind upon sense enjoyment. Such pretenders may also speak on dry philosophy in order to bluff sophisticated followers, but according to this verse these are the greatest cheaters. For sense enjoyment one can act in any capacity of the social order, but if one follows the rules and regulations of his particular status, he can make gradual progress in purifying his existence. But he who makes a show of being a
yogī
, while actually searching for the objects of sense gratification, must be called the greatest cheater, even though he sometimes speaks of philosophy. His knowledge has no value because the effects of such a sinful man's knowledge are taken away by the illusory energy of the Lord. Such a pretender's mind is always impure, and therefore his show of yogic meditation has no value whatsoever.

Bg 3.7

TEXT 7

TEXT

yas tv indriyāṇi manasā

niyamyārabhate 'rjuna

karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam

asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate

SYNONYMS

yaḥ-
one who;
tu-
but;
indriyāṇi-
senses;
manasā-
by the mind;
niyamya-
regulating;
ārabhate-
begins;
arjuna
-O Arjuna;
karma-indriyaiḥ-
by the active sense organs;
karma-yogam-
devotion;
asaktaḥ-
without attachment;
saḥ-
he;
viśiṣyate-
by far the better.

TRANSLATION

On the other hand, he who controls the senses by the mind and engages his active organs in works of devotion, without attachment, is by far superior.

PURPORT

Instead of becoming a pseudo-transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment, it is far better to remain in one's own business and execute the purpose of life, which is to get free from material bondage and enter into the kingdom of God. The prime
svārtha-gati
, or goal of self-interest, is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole institution of
varṇa
and
āśrama
is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization, one can live a controlled life, as prescribed in the
śāstras
, and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and in that way make progress. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who meditates only for the sake of making a living.

Bg 3.8

TEXT 8

TEXT

niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ

karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ

śarīra-yātrāpi ca te

na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

niyatam-
prescribed;
kuru-
do;
karma-
duties;
tvam-
you;
karma-
work;
jyāyaḥ-
better;
hi-
than;
akarmaṇaḥ-
without work;
śarīra-
bodily;
yātrā-
maintenance;
api-
even;
ca-
also;
te-
your;
na-
never;
prasiddhyet-
effected;
akarmaṇaḥ-
without work.

TRANSLATION

Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. A man cannot even maintain his physical body without work.

PURPORT

There are many pseudo-meditators who misrepresent themselves as belonging to high parentage, and great professional men who falsely pose that they have sacrificed everything for the sake of advancement in spiritual life. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not want Arjuna to become a pretender, but that he perform his prescribed duties as set forth for
kṣatriyas
. Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder
kṣatriya
. Such activities gradually cleanse the heart of a mundane man and free him from material contamination. So-called renunciation for the purpose of maintenance is never approved by the Lord, nor by any religious scripture. After all, one has to maintain one's body and soul together by some work. Work should not be given up capriciously, without purification of materialistic propensities. Anyone who is in the material world is certainly possessed of the impure propensity for lording it over material nature, or, in other words, for sense gratification. Such polluted propensities have to be cleared. Without doing so, through prescribed duties, one should never attempt to become a so-called transcendentalist, renouncing work and living at the cost of others.

Bg 3.9

TEXT 9

TEXT

yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra

loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ

tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya

mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara

SYNONYMS

yajña-arthāt-
only for the sake of Yajña, or Viṣṇu;
karmaṇaḥ-
work done;
anyatra-
otherwise;
lokaḥ-
this world;
ayam-
this;
karma-bandhanaḥ
-bondage by work;
tat-
Him;
artham-
for the sake of;
karma-
work;
kaunteya
-O son of Kuntī;
mukta-saṅgaḥ-
liberated from association;
samācara-
do it perfectly.

TRANSLATION

Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.

PURPORT

Since one has to work even for the simple maintenance of the body, the prescribed duties for a particular social position and quality are so made that that purpose can be fulfilled.
Yajña
means Lord Viṣṇu, or sacrificial performances. All sacrificial performances also are meant for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu. The
Vedas
enjoin:
yajño vai viṣṇuḥ.
In other words, the same purpose is served whether one performs prescribed
yajñas
or directly serves Lord Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is therefore performance of
yajña
as it is prescribed in this verse. The
varṇāśrama
institution also aims at this for satisfying Lord Viṣṇu.
"Varṇāśramācāra-vatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān/viṣṇur ārādhyate
..." (
Viṣṇu Purāṇa
3.8.8) Therefore one has to work for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Any other work done in this material world wilI be a cause of bondage, for both good and evil work have their reactions, and any reaction binds the performer. Therefore, one has to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to satisfy Kṛṣṇa (or Viṣṇu); and while performing such activities one is in a liberated stage. This is the great art of doing work, and in the beginning this process requires very expert guidance. One should therefore act very diligently, under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or under the direct instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself (under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work). Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This practice will not only save one from the reaction of work, but will also gradually elevate one to transcendental loving service of the Lord, which alone can raise one to the kingdom of God.

Bg 3.10

TEXT 10

TEXT

saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā

purovāca prajāpatiḥ

anena prasaviṣyadhvam

eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk

SYNONYMS

saha-
along with;
yajñāḥ-
sacrifices;
prajāḥ-
generations;
sṛṣṭvā-
by creating;
purā-
anciently;
uvāca-
said;
prajā-patiḥ-
the Lord of creatures;
anena-
by this;
prasaviṣyadhvam-
be more and more prosperous;
eṣaḥ-
certainly;
vaḥ-
your;
astu-
let it be;
iṣṭa-
all desirable;
kāma-dhuk-
bestower.