॥ Om Sri Paramadmane Nama:॥  Ada Tritiyo’dhyaayah:। Karma Yoga (The way of action)

Arjuna Uvacha।

jyayasi cet karmanas te mata buddhir janardana। tat kim karmani ghore mam niyojayasi keshava॥ 3.1

Arjuna said: O Sri Krishna , why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?

vyamisreneva vakyena buddhim mohayashiva me। tad ekam vada niscitya yena sreyo ’ham apnuyam॥ 3.2

My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me.

Sri Bhagavan Uvacha।

loke ’smin dvi-vidha nistha pura prokta mayanagha। jnana-yogena sankhyanam karma-yogena yoginam॥ 3.3

Sri Bhagavan said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service.

na karmanam anarambhan naishkarmyam purusho ’snute। na cha sannyasanad eva siddhim samadhigacchati॥ 3.4

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

na hi kascit ksanam api jatu tisthaty akarma-krt। karyate hy avasah karma sarvah prakriti-jair gunaih:॥ 3.5

Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.

karmendriyani samyamya ya aste manasa smaran। indriyarthan vimudhatma mithyacharah sa ucyate॥ 3.6

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