The Meaning of Karma

Bhagavad-Gita Third Chapter

Chapter Summary:

What is Karma?

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

Arjuna said: I don’t understand. You say, “Wisdom is better than karma.” Then why am I to fight? You speak of philosophy and the soul. But I am a practical man. Help me, Kṛṣṇa. You are known as the killer of demons. Slay my doubts. What am I to do?"

Kṛṣṇa returns to his point. He has given a brief outline of his views on ethics and metaphysics. Ethics should be grounded in metaphysics. An understanding of the eternal soul is key to proper wisdom. Action should follow wisdom. Both should be based on dedication to divinity. Some may focus on ontology, others on sacrifice, but the goal of meditation and sacrifice are the same. If work has no ethical basis, then humans are no better than animals. The ethical basis of work is sacrifice. Sacrifice leads to an understanding of divinity. One who understands his eternal self and his relationship with the divine will perform sacrifice, so understanding is important. One may do sacrifice without any understanding and gradually come to the same realization.

Arjuna appeals the scriptures and says that he doesn’t want bad karma and so can’t fight. After Kṛṣṇa explains the relative value of karma, he still appears to misunderstand. Kṛṣṇa seems to find that knowledge and wisdom are important. So why not run from the conflict, renounce action and practice yoga and meditation? He is confused.

Kṛṣṇa here begins to explain how karma works. In a narrow sense, karma means “action and reaction.” But in a broader sense the idea of karma-yoga means “ethics.” While the inner meaning of the Bhagavad-Gita is hidden in the mysteries of meditation, karma-yoga is no secret. It means to practice a system of ethical conduct based on the idea of sacrifice.

Before getting to the idea of sacrifice, Kṛṣṇa first points out that there is no escape from karma: Doing nothing is not an option. For evil to prevail it is only necessary that good men do nothing. Arjuna will gain nothing from inaction. In fact, his inaction may lead to disaster.

Kṛṣṇa explains that perfection is not obtained by avoiding karma. Complete inaction is impossible. Renunciation of one’s duty is no solution to the problems of life. Life means struggle. When the struggle is over we have the peace found in death, but this is a false peace. We cannot cease to act. Kṛṣṇa teaches that all of us are forced to act. We are moved by impulses born of the passions of material nature. No one can refrain from action, not even for a second.

Then again, we may pretend to meditate and enter a higher state of consciousness, but we often see yogis who pretend to control the senses but who can’t stop thinking of sensual pleasures. This is simply cheating. Sincere mind and sense control is certainly desirable. A genuine truth-seeker finds self-control through sacrifice. A life of devotion, without attachment, is by far superior to external sense control. Ethical karma then means devotion and sacrifice. This is real meditation in action, or karma-yoga.

Kṛṣṇa says that in light of this, Arjuna should do his duty. He must act; action is better than inaction. A man cannot even maintain his physical body without work. Then do his work as sacrifice. Meditation and self-denial are not the path for a man of passion like Arjuna.
Kṛṣṇa explains that work must be done as a sacrifice for God. Without sacrifice otherwise karma binds us to this world. So work should be undertaken as sacrifice. We must perform our duties for the satisfaction of God, and in that way become unattached and free from bondage.

अर्जुन उवाच ज्यायसी चेत् कर्मणस् ते मता बुद्धिर् जनार्दन तत् किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ३.१ व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे तद् एकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोहम् आप्नुयाम् ३.२ श्रीभगवान् उवाच लोकेस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ३.३ न कर्मणाम् अनारम्भान् नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोश्नुते न च संन्यसनाद् एव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ३.४ न हि कश्चित् क्षणम् अपि जातु तिष्ठत्य् अकर्मकृत् कार्यते ह्य् अवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर् गुणैः ३.५ कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् इन्द्रियार्थान् विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ३.६ यस् त्व् इन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेर्जुन कर्मैन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगम् असक्तः स विशिष्यते ३.७ नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्य् अकर्मणः शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिध्येद् अकर्मणः ३.८ यज्ञार्थात् कर्मणोन्यत्र लोकोयं कर्मबन्धनः तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ३.९

arjuna uvāca

jyāyasī cet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana
tat kiṃ karmaṇi ghore māṃ niyojayasi keśava 3.1

vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena buddhiṃ mohayasīva me
tad ekaṃ vada niścitya yena śreyoham āpnuyām 3.2

śrībhagavān uvāca

lokesmin dvividhā niṣṭhā purā proktā mayānagha
jñānayogena sāṅkhyānāṃ karmayogena yoginām 3.3

na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣośnute
na ca saṃnyasanād eva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati 3.4

na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarmakṛt
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijair guṇaiḥ 3.5

karmendriyāṇi saṃyamya ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate 3.6

yas tv indriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhaterjuna
karmaindriyaiḥ karmayogam asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate 3.7

niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ
śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasidhyed akarmaṇaḥ 3.8

yajñārthāt karmaṇonyatra lokoyaṃ karmabandhanaḥ
tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara 3.9