Sacrifice

Bhagavad-Gita Third Chapter

The Meaning of Sacrifice

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

IN the Third Chapter, Kṛṣṇa pivots from metaphysics to ethics. He has explained the nature of soul and God. What are we to do about it? Now that we have contemplated the eternal nature of the atma, how are we to act?

Arjuna’s idea of right and wrong so far is colored by social considerations, not by any real sense of God consciousness. In fact, society consciousness and God consciousness are always coming into clash. Arjuna has advanced the idea that ethical considerations, including family and country, should trump social duty. His duty as a warrior is subordinate to the greater good of the society. Therefore he should not fight. In fact, fighting is sinful and immoral. Inaction would be better, since action here would be bad karma.

Kṛṣṇa does not argue against social conventions and ordinary religious duties. But he wants to take the conversation to a higher level. He wants Arjuna to understand the basis of proper conduct. Religious rituals are fine, but they must be based on wisdom. Wisdom means a proper understanding of reality.

Reality is eternal. What is not eternal cannot possibly be considered real. The soul and the Supreme soul are real. Work, or karma, must reflect this understanding.

Religion means “proper adjustment.” Our ethics must be in line with ontology. If the soul is eternal and God is eternal, our relationship with God must be one of sacrifice.

Sacrifice is the basis of religion. Our work or karma must be centered around sacrifice.

Sacrifice is the most essential idea of religion. Sometimes the idea of sacrifice is defined as an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure. In a more general sense, sacrifice means an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. Kṛṣṇa teaches that work must be done as a sacrifice for God or karma will bind one to this material world. One who acts selfishly will be reborn as a reaction to karma.

Kṛṣṇa appeals to Arjuna, explaining that karma must be done in sacrifice to divinity; one who so acts becomes unattached and free from karmic reaction.

“Sacrifice is primordial,” Kṛṣṇa says, “In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all gods and men taught sacrifice as part of life. Sacrifice fulfills human life. Even simple sacrifice pleases the gods and will also please you. The Vedas teach that we must perform sacrifice to the gods. They in turn give us rain and healthy crops.”

“When the gods are happy, they give us rain. All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain. Since rains are born of sacrifice, which flows from duty, following duty is a form of sacrifice. The food that comes from the earth is not karma-free. Those who prepare food for selfish enjoyment, eat only sin. Food offered in sacrifice to God, on the other hand, frees His devotees from sin. One who does no sacrifice, but enjoys the gifts of the gods without repaying them is no better than a thief.”

“The Vedas teach duty and sacrifice. The Vedas are God-given. So, God is always found in acts of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the basis of religion. Understand this, Arjuna and do your duty in sacrifice to God without selfishly thinking of the consequences. For one who avoids sacrifice leads a life of sin. One who lives delighting only in the senses lives in vain.

"Rejoice in the spirit. One who is self-realized and joyful in the spirit will transcend mundane duty and enter into the spirit of total sacrifice. Such a self-realized soul serves a higher purpose. When one surrenders to God, he finds a higher meaning in doing his karma and dharma. He is neither chained to work, merely to do his duty, nor has he any reason to avoid work. Surrendered in sacrifice, he finds the perfection of self-realization in action. He is neither dependent on others nor attached to the resluts of karma. One who acts in this way one attains the Supreme. His karma is in perfect harmony.”

“You may think that I am speaking in the abstract. You are a king and must act as a king. But even kings like Janaka and others attained the perfectional stage I have described through proper adjustment in the performance of their karma and dharma. You may have reached the stage of nonattachment where you think that duties no longer pertain to you. In that case, for the sake of educating the people in general, you should do your work, accept your karma, and perform your duties without attachment to the results.

"You are a great man, Arjuna. Remember, that whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow. In fact, the whole world will follow whatever standards he sets by his example."[i]

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[i] यज्ञार्थात् कर्मणोन्यत्र लोकोयं कर्मबन्धनः

तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ३.९

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः

अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वम् एष वोस्त्व् इष्टकामधुक् ३.१०

देवान् भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः

परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परम् अवाप्स्यथ

३.११

इष्टान् भोगान् हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः

तैर् दत्तान् अप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः

३.१२

यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः

भुञ्जते ते त्व् अघं पापा ये पचन्त्य् आत्मकारणात्

३.१३

अन्नाद् भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्याद् अन्नसंभवः

यज्ञाद् भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः

३.१४

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि

ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्

तस्मात् सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्

३.१५

एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः

अघायुर् इन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ३.१६

यस् त्व् आत्मरतिर् एव स्याद् आत्मतृप्तश् च मानवः

आत्मन्य् एव च संतुष्टस् तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते

३.१७

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन

न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिद् अर्थव्यपाश्रयः ३.१८

तस्माद् असक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर

असक्तो ह्य् आचरन् कर्म परम् आप्नोति पूरुषः ३.१९

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिम् आस्थिता जनकादयः

लोकसंग्रहम् एवापि संपश्यन् कर्तुम् अर्हसि ३.२०

यद्यद् आचरति श्रेष्ठस् तत्तद् एवेतरो जनः

स यत् प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस् तद् अनुवर्तते ३.२१

yajñārthāt karmaṇonyatra lokoyaṃ karmabandhanaḥ

tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara 3.9

sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ

anena prasaviṣyadhvam eṣa vostv iṣṭakāmadhuk 3.10

devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ

parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha

3.11

iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ

tair dattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ

3.12

yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ

bhuñjate te tv aghaṃ pāpā ye pacanty ātmakāraṇāt

3.13

annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād annasaṃbhavaḥ

yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ

3.14

karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi

brahmākṣarasamudbhavam

tasmāt sarvagataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam

3.15

evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ

aghāyur indriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati 3.16

yas tv ātmaratir eva syād ātmatṛptaś ca mānavaḥ

ātmany eva ca saṃtuṣṭas tasya kāryaṃ na vidyate

3.17

naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana

na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścid arthavyapāśrayaḥ 3.18

tasmād asaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara

asakto hy ācaran karma param āpnoti pūruṣaḥ 3.19

karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ

lokasaṃgraham evāpi saṃpaśyan kartum arhasi 3.20

yadyad ācarati śreṣṭhas tattad evetaro janaḥ

sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas tad anuvartate 3.21