Action

Sukha-duhkhe same kritva labhalabhau jayajayau, tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi

Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.

Esha te 'bhihita sankhye buddhir yoge tv imam shrinu buddhya yukto yaya partha karma-bandham prahasyasi

So far I have declared to you the wisdom of Sankhya philosophy. Now hear about Yoga, by which you shall break through the bonds of karma. Having explained the Sankhya (philosophical analysis of the self), Krishna now transitions to the practical path of Yoga — specifically karma yoga, the yoga of selfless action.

Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana, ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango 'stv akarmani

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.

Yoga-sthah kuru karmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya, siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva samatvam yoga ucyate

Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.

Durena hy avaram karma buddhi-yogad dhananjaya buddhau sharanam anviccha kripanah phala-hetavah

O Dhananjaya, keep all abominable activities far distant by means of devotional service, and in that consciousness surrender to the Lord. Those who want to enjoy the fruits of their work are misers. Fruitive action is far inferior to the yoga of wisdom. Seeking refuge in equanimous intelligence, one should act without attachment to results.

Buddhi-yukto jahatiha ubhe sukrita-dushkrite, tasmad yogaya yujyasva yogah karmasu kaushalam

One who practices yoga of the intellect abandons both good and bad deeds in this life. Therefore, strive for yoga. Yoga is skill in action.

Karma-jam buddhi-yukta hi phalam tyaktva manisinah janma-bandha-vinirmuktah padam gacchanty anamayam

By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries. Renouncing the fruits of karma through wisdom-yoga, the wise transcend the cycle of rebirth.

Arjuna uvaca: Jyayasi chet karmanas te mata buddhir janardana, tat kim karmani ghore mam niyojayasi keshava

Arjuna asks Krishna: if you consider knowledge superior to action, why then do you urge me to engage in this terrible war? He is confused by what seems like contradictory advice.

Sri bhagavan uvaca: Loke 'smin dvividha nishtha pura prokta mayanagha, jnana-yogena sankhyanam karma-yogena yoginam

Krishna explains that from the beginning of creation He has taught two paths: the path of knowledge (jnana yoga) for the contemplative, and the path of action (karma yoga) for the active. Both lead to the same supreme goal.

Na karmanam anarambhan naishkarmyam purusho 'shnute, na ca sannyasanad eva siddhim samadhigacchati

Not by abstaining from action does one attain freedom from action. Nor by mere renunciation does one attain perfection.

Na hi kashcit kshanam api jatu tishthaty akarma-krit, karyate hy avashah karma sarvah prakriti-jair gunaih

No one can remain without action even for a moment. Indeed, all beings are compelled to act by their qualities born of material nature.

Yas tv indriyani manasa niyamyarabhate 'rjuna, karmendriyaih karma-yogam asaktah sa vishishyate

But one who controls the senses with the mind and engages in karma yoga through the organs of action, without attachment — that person is far superior. Genuine karma yoga unites mental control with engaged, detached action.

Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyayo hy akarmanah, sharira-yatrapi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmanah

You should thus perform your prescribed Vedic duties, since action is superior to inaction. By ceasing activity, even your bodily maintenance will not be possible.

Yad yad acarati shresthas tat tad evetaro janah, sa yat pramanam kurute lokas tad anuvartate

Whatever action a great person performs, common people follow. And whatever standards they set by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

Yadi hy aham na varteyam jatu karmany atandritah, mama vartmanuvartante manushyah partha sarvashah

If I ever ceased to act tirelessly, O Partha, all men would follow My path. The actions of a great person become a standard; people follow their example in all matters.

Na buddhi-bhedam janayed ajnanam karma-sanginam, joshayed sarva-karmani vidvan yuktah samacaran

The wise should not unsettle the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action. Rather, performing all actions with devotion, one should inspire them to act. Gentle example teaches better than disruptive instruction.

Mayi sarvani karmani sannyasyadhyatma-cetasa, nirashir nirmamo bhutva yudhyasva vigata-jvarah

Therefore, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on the self, free from desire and possessiveness, and cured of mental fever, fight.

Evam jnatva kritam karma purvair api mumukshubhih, kuru karmaiva tasmat tvam purvaih purvataram kritam

Knowing this, the ancient seekers of liberation also performed action. Therefore, perform your duty as the ancients did in earlier times.

Kim karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'py atra mohitah, tat te karma pravakshyami yaj jnatva mokshyase 'shubhat

Even the wise are bewildered as to what is action and what is inaction. I shall teach you what action is, knowing which you shall be freed from all inauspiciousness.

Karmano hy api boddhavyam boddhavyam ca vikarmanah, akarmanas ca boddhavyam gahana karmano gatih

The intricacies of action must be understood — and similarly the intricacies of forbidden action and of inaction must be known. The truth of action is profound and difficult to fathom.

Karmany akarma yah pashyed akarmani ca karma yah, sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt

One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among people. They are in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.

Evam bahu-vidha yajna vitata brahmano mukhe, karma-jan viddhi tan sarvan evam jnatva vimokshyase

Many forms of sacrifice are spread out before Brahman — know all of them to be born of action. Knowing this you shall be liberated.

Shreyaan dravya-mayad yajnaj jnana-yajnah parantapa, sarvam karmakhilam partha jnane parisamapyate

O destroyer of the enemy, the sacrifice of knowledge is greater than any material sacrifice. All action, O Partha, in its entirety culminates in knowledge.

Tasmad ajnana-sambhutam hrit-stham jnanasinantmana, chittvainam samsayam yogam atishthottishtha bharata

Therefore, with the sword of knowledge, cut asunder the doubt born of ignorance that is lodged in your heart. Arise, O Bharata, take refuge in yoga and stand up to fight.

Brahmany adhaya karmani sangam tyaktva karoti yah, lipyate na sa papena padma-patram ivambhasa

One who performs their duty without attachment, surrendering the results to the Supreme, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.

Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat, yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform—do that as an offering to Me.

Tasmāt tvam uttiṣhṭha yaśho labhasva jitvā śhatrūn bhuṅkṣhva rājyaṁ samṛiddham, mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sāchin

Therefore, arise and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They are already slain by My arrangement; you are merely an instrument.

Prakrityaiva cha karmani kriyamanani sarvashah, yah pashyati tathatmanam akartaram sa pashyati

One who sees that all actions are performed by Prakriti alone, and that the Self is not the doer — that person truly sees. The realization that material nature is the actual agent of all activity liberates consciousness from the burden of doership.

Rajo ragatmakam viddhi trishna-sanga-samudbhavam, tan nibadhnati kaunteya karma-sangena dehinam

Know that rajas (passion) is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti. Because of this quality, the living entity is bound to material action. Rajas drives restless activity through insatiable craving, keeping the soul perpetually bound to results.

Sattvam sukhe sanjayati rajah karmani bharata, jnanam avritya tu tamah pramade sanjayatyuta

Sattva attaches one to happiness, rajas to action, and tamas, covering knowledge, attaches to delusion. Each guna creates its own characteristic pull: sattva toward comfort, rajas toward activity, and tamas toward negligence.

tyajyam dosa-vad ity eke karma prahur manisinah yajna-dana-tapah-karma na tyajyam iti capare

Some thoughtful people hold that all action is tainted with fault and should be abandoned, while others argue that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should never be given up. Krishna presents both views before offering his definitive teaching.

na hi deha-bhrita sakyam tyaktum karmany asesatah yas tu karma-phala-tyagi sa tyagity abhidhiyate

It is impossible for an embodied being to completely give up all action. Therefore, one who renounces the fruits of action is truly called a renunciant. The path of fruit-renunciation is accessible to everyone living in a body.

pancaitani maha-baho karanani nibodha me sankhye krtante proktani siddhaye sarva-karmanam

Krishna asks Arjuna to learn from the Sankhya system the five causes for the accomplishment of all actions. This teaching draws on the analytical tradition of Sankhya to explain the metaphysical structure underlying all activity.

jnanam jneyam parijnata tri-vidha karma-codana karta karma karanam iti tri-vidhah karma-sangrahah

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower form the threefold impulse to action. The doer, the act, and the instrument of action form the threefold basis of action. All action is structured by these two triads.

jnanam karma ca karta ca tridhaiva guna-bhedata procyate guna-sankhyane yathavac chrinu tany api

In the Sankhya analysis of the gunas, knowledge, action, and the doer are each described as threefold according to their gunic quality. Krishna invites Arjuna to hear these distinctions properly, as they illuminate the nature of all activity.

sarva-karmany api sada kurvano mad-vyapasrayah mat-prasadad avapnoti sasvatam padam avyayam

Taking refuge in me, one attains through my grace the eternal, imperishable abode, even while performing all actions always. Divine grace, working through devotion, enables liberation without abandonment of worldly duties.

Yatra yogeshvarah krishno yatra partho dhanur-dharah, tatra shrir vijayo bhutir dhruva nitir matir mama

Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality.