Karma

Vedavinasinam nityam ya enam ajam avyayam katham sa purushah partha kam ghatayati hanti kam

Krishna asks: how can one who knows the soul to be indestructible, unborn, eternal, and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill? The question is rhetorical — true knowledge of the self makes the concept of killing spiritually meaningless. Only ignorance creates guilt around fulfilling one's righteous duty.

Sva-dharmam api cavekshya na vikampitum arhasi dharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo 'nyat kshatriyasya na vidyate

Considering your own dharma, you should not waver, for nothing is better for a warrior than a righteous war. Arjuna's prescribed duty as a Kshatriya is to fight a just war. To shrink from this duty would be a violation of his very nature and social responsibility.

Yadricchaya copapannam svarga-dvaram apavritam sukhinah kshatriyah partha labhante yuddham idrisham

Happy are the warriors who are given such an opportunity to fight in a righteous battle that opens wide the doors of heaven. A righteous battle is a rare spiritual opportunity for a warrior — it combines worldly duty with spiritual advancement. Arjuna should see this as a divine gift rather than a curse.

Atha cet tvam imam dharmyam sangramam na karishyasi tatah sva-dharmam kirtim cha hitva papam avapsyasi

But if you do not perform your righteous duty in this battle, then having abandoned your prescribed duty and reputation, you will incur sin. The consequences of abandoning dharma are not merely social — they are spiritual. Failure to act on one's highest duty creates karmic debt and inner corruption.

Hato va prapsyasi svargam jitva va bhokshyase mahim tasmad uttishtha kaunteya yuddhaya krita-nishchayah

Either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight. Krishna presents Arjuna with a win-win scenario — both outcomes of righteous battle lead to benefit. There is no reason for hesitation.

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.

Kamatmanah svarga-para janma-karma-phala-pradam kriya-vishesha-bahulam bhogaishvarya-gatim prati

Being full of desires and intent on heavenly enjoyment, they prescribe many elaborate rituals that promise birth, good actions, and various results aimed at enjoyment and power. Such a materialistic approach to religion keeps the soul bound to the cycle of birth, enjoyment, and death without achieving true liberation.

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.

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.

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.

Ye me matam idam nityam anutishthanti manavah, shraddhavantos 'nasuyanto mucyante te 'pi karmabhih

Those who constantly follow this teaching of Mine with faith and without caviling — they too are freed from the bondage of karma. Faith in sacred teaching, combined with action, leads to liberation.

Na mam karmani limpanti na me karma-phale sprha, iti mam yo 'bhijanati karmabhir na sa badhyate

Actions do not taint Me, nor do I desire the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me is also not bound by the reactions of their own work.

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.

Yasya sarve samarambhah kama-sankalpa-varjitah, jnanagni-dagdha-karmanam tam ahuh panditam budhah

The wise call that person a pandit (learned one) whose every undertaking is free from desire and personal motive, and whose actions are burned up by the fire of knowledge.

Yathaidhamsi samiddho 'gnir bhasmasat kurute 'rjuna, jnanagnih sarva-karmani bhasmasat kurute tatha

As a blazing fire turns wood to ashes, O Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge burns all karmic reactions to ashes.

Na kartritvam na karmani lokasya srijati prabhuh, na karma-phala-samyogam svabhavas tu pravartate

The Lord does not create the agency or actions of people, nor the union of action with its fruits; it is nature that moves and acts. God is not the author of bondage — the individual creates bondage through identification with nature's movements.

Arurukshor muner yogam karma karanam ucyate, yogarudhasya tasyaiva shamah karanam ucyate

For the sage who wishes to ascend to yoga, action is said to be the means; for the one who has already ascended to yoga, serenity (shama) is said to be the means. The spiritual path has two distinct phases: active purification followed by meditative stillness.

Tapasvibbhyo 'dhiko yogi jnanibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikah, karmibhyash cadhiko yogi tasmad yogi bhavarjuna

The yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the follower of the path of knowledge, and greater than the performer of rituals — therefore, O Arjuna, become a yogi. Krishna unequivocally declares yoga the supreme path, surpassing even tapas, jnana, and karma performed as mere ritual.

Jara-marana-mokshaya mam ashritya yatanti ye, te brahma tad viduh kritsnam adhyatmam karma cakhilam

Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, come to know Brahman in its entirety — the nature of the Self and all karma. Taking refuge in God with the sincere desire to be freed from the cycle of birth and death opens the door to complete spiritual knowledge.

Arjuna uvaca: Kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam kim karma purushottama, adhibhutam ca kim proktam adhidaivam kim ucyate

Arjuna said: O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the Self (adhyatma)? What is karma? What is called the material manifestation (adhibhuta)? And what is said to be the divine element (adhidaiva)? Arjuna poses seven fundamental questions that frame Chapter 8, seeking clarity on the deepest metaphysical concepts.

Shri bhagavan uvaca: Aksharam brahma paramam svabhavo 'dhyatmam ucyate, bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo visargah karma-samjnitah

The Supreme Lord said: The indestructible, transcendental living entity is Brahman, and its eternal nature is called the self (adhyatma). The action pertaining to the development of the material bodies of the living entities is called karma. Krishna gives precise definitions answering Arjuna's questions, grounding the cosmic framework in clear terms.

Bhuta-gramah sa evayam bhutva bhutva praliyate, ratry-agame 'vashah partha prabhavaty ahar-agame

Again and again the day comes, and all beings take birth; and with the coming of night, all are helplessly dissolved. O Partha, the same multitude of beings comes into being again and again helplessly. Souls are compelled to take birth again and again by the force of karma and cosmic cycles — only God-realization breaks this cycle.

Na ca mam tani karmani nibadhnanti dhananjaya, udasina-vad asinam asaktam teshu karmasu

These acts of creation do not bind Me, O Dhananjaya. I remain like one sitting apart, unattached to these actions. The Lord acts through His nature but is never affected by karma, illustrating the perfect freedom that comes from desireless, ego-free action.

Shubhashubha-phalair evam mokshyase karma-bandhanais, sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma vimukto mam upaisyasi

In this way, you shall be freed from the bondage of actions and their good and evil results. With your mind fixed on renunciation and yoga, you shall come to Me. Dedicating all actions to God through yoga of renunciation dissolves karmic bondage and leads to union with the Supreme.

Buddhir jnanam asammohah ksama satyam damah shamah, sukham duhkham bhavo 'bhavo bhayam cabhayam eva ca

Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, self-control and calmness, happiness and distress, birth, death, fear, and fearlessness — all these diverse qualities of living beings arise from Me alone.

Rajasi pralayam gatva karma-sangishu jayate, tatha pralinas tamasi mudha-yonishu jayate

Dying in rajas, one is born among those attached to fruitive activities. Dying in tamas, one is born in the animal kingdom. The destiny shaped by one's predominant guna extends into future lives — passion leads to human rebirth, ignorance to lower species.

Adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ, adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke

The branches of the tree extend both upward and downward, nourished by the three gunas, with sense objects as the sprouts. Its roots extend downward, binding one to actions in the human world.

Tan aham dvishatah kruran samsareshu naradhaman, kshipamy ajasram ashubhan asurishv eva yonishu

Those who are envious and mischievous — the lowest among mankind — I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life. Krishna declares that the demoniac who persist in hatred and cruelty are cast by divine law into ever-lower births that match the quality of their consciousness.

sri bhagavan uvaca: kamyanam karmanam nyasam sannyasam kavayo viduh sarva-karma-phala-tyagam prahus tyagam vicaksanah

Krishna explains that the wise define sannyasa as the giving up of desire-motivated actions, while tyaga is defined by the learned as the abandonment of the fruits of all actions. Both concepts point toward freedom from ego-driven motivation.

anistam istam misram ca tri-vidham karmanah phalam bhavaty atyaginam pretya na tu sannyasinam kvacit

After death, those who are not renunciants receive the threefold fruits of their actions — the undesirable, the desirable, and the mixed. But for true renunciants who have given up attachment to fruits, no such fruits arise at all.