यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे ।। 3 ।।
tyājyaṁ doṣa-vad ity eke
karma prāhur manīṣiṇaḥ
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma
na tyājyam iti cāpare
tyājyam – must be given up; doṣa-vat – as an evil; iti – thus; eke – one group; karma – work; prāhuḥ – they say; manīṣiṇaḥ – great thinkers; yajña – of sacrifice; dāna – charity; tapaḥ – and penance; karma – works; na – never; tyājyam – are to be given up; iti – thus; ca – and; apare – others.
TRANSLATION
Some learned men declare that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up as faulty, yet other sages maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should never be abandoned.
PURPORT
There are many activities in the Vedic literature which are subjects of contention. For instance, it is said that an animal can be killed in a sacrifice, yet some maintain that animal killing is completely abominable. Although animal killing in a sacrifice is recommended in the Vedic literature, the animal is not considered to be killed. The sacrifice is to give a new life to the animal. Sometimes the animal is given a new animal life after being killed in the sacrifice, and sometimes the animal is promoted immediately to the human form of life. But there are different opinions among the sages. Some say that animal killing should always be avoided, and others say that for a specific sacrifice it is good. All these different opinions on sacrificial activity are now being clarified by the Lord Himself.
TEXT 4
निश्चयं श्रृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम ।
त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः संप्रकीर्तितः ।। 4 ।।
niścayaṁ śṛṇu me tatra
tyāge bharata-sattama
tyāgo hi puruṣa-vyāghra
tri-vidhaḥ samprakīrtitaḥ
niścayam – certainty; śṛṇu – hear; me – from Me; tatra – therein; tyāge – in the matter of renunciation; bharata-sat-tama – O best of the Bhāratas; tyāgaḥ – renunciation; hi – certainly; puruṣa-vyāghra – O tiger among human beings; tri-vidhaḥ – of three kinds; samprakīrtitaḥ – is declared.
TRANSLATION
O best of the Bhāratas, now hear My judgment about renunciation. O tiger among men, renunciation is declared in the scriptures to be of three kinds.
PURPORT
Although there are differences of opinion about renunciation, here the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, gives His judgment, which should be taken as final. After all, the Vedas are different laws given by the Lord. Here the Lord is personally present, and His word should be taken as final. The Lord says that the process of renunciation should be considered in terms of the modes of material nature in which it is performed.
TEXT 5
यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् ।
यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ।। 5 ।।
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma
na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat
yajño dānaṁ tapaś caiva
pāvanāni manīṣiṇām
yajña – of sacrifice; dāna – charity; tapaḥ – and penance; karma – activity; na – never; tyājyam – to be given up; kāryam – must be done; eva – certainly; tat – that; yajñaḥ – sacrifice; dānam – charity; tapaḥ – penance; ca – also; eva – certainly; pāvanāni – purifying; manīṣiṇām – even for the great souls.
TRANSLATION
Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls.
PURPORT
The yogīs should perform acts for the advancement of human society. There are many purificatory processes for advancing a human being to spiritual life. The marriage ceremony, for example, is considered to be one of these sacrifices. It is called vivāha-yajña. Should a sannyāsī, who is in the renounced order of life and who has given up his family relations, encourage the marriage ceremony? The Lord says here that any sacrifice which is meant for human welfare should never be given up. Vivāha-yajña, the marriage ceremony, is meant to regulate the human mind so that it may become peaceful for spiritual advancement. For most men, this vivāha-yajña should be encouraged even by persons in the renounced order of life. Sannyāsīs should never associate with women, but that does not mean that one who is in the lower stages of life, a young man, should not accept a wife in the marriage ceremony. All prescribed sacrifices are meant for achieving the Supreme Lord. Therefore, in the lower stages, they should not be given up. Similarly, charity is for the purification of the heart. If charity is given to suitable persons, as described previously, it leads one to advanced spiritual life.
TEXT 6
एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि संङ्ग त्यक्त्वा फलानि च ।
कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम् ।। 6 ।।
etāny api tu karmāṇi
saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalāni ca
kartavyānīti me pārtha
niścitaṁ matam uttamam
etāni – all these; api – certainly; tu – but; karmāṇi – activities; saṅgam – association; tyaktvā – renouncing; phalāni – results; ca – also; kartavyāni – should be done as duty; iti – thus; me – My; pārtha – O son of Pṛthā; niścitam – definite; matam – opinion; uttamam – the best.
TRANSLATION
All these activities should be performed without attachment or any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Pṛthā. That is My final opinion.
PURPORT
Although all sacrifices are purifying, one should not expect any result by such performances. In other words, all sacrifices which are meant for material advancement in life should be given up, but sacrifices that purify one’s existence and elevate one to the spiritual plane should not be stopped. Everything that leads to Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be encouraged. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said that any activity which leads to devotional service to the Lord should be accepted. That is the highest criterion of religion. A devotee of the Lord should accept any kind of work, sacrifice or charity which will help him in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord.
TEXT 7
नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते ।
मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः ।। 7 ।।
niyatasya tu sannyāsaḥ
karmaṇo nopapadyate
mohāt tasya parityāgas
tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ
niyatasya – prescribed; tu – but; sannyāsaḥ – renunciation; karmaṇaḥ – of activities; na – never; upapadyate – is deserved; mohāt – by illusion; tasya – of them; parityāgaḥ – renunciation; tāmasaḥ – in the mode of ignorance; parikīrtitaḥ – is declared.
TRANSLATION
Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If one gives up his prescribed duties because of illusion, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
Work for material satisfaction must be given up, but activities which promote one to spiritual activity, like cooking for the Supreme Lord and offering the food to the Lord and then accepting the food, are recommended. It is said that a person in the renounced order of life should not cook for himself. Cooking for oneself is prohibited, but cooking for the Supreme Lord is not prohibited. Similarly, a sannyāsī may perform a marriage
ceremony to help his disciple in the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one renounces such activities, it is to be understood that he is acting in the mode of darkness.
TEXT 8
दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् ।
स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् ।। 8 ।।
duḥkham ity eva yat karma
kāya-kleśa-bhayāt tyajet
sa kṛtvā rājasaṁ tyāgaṁ
naiva tyāga-phalaṁ labhet
duḥkham – unhappy; iti – thus; eva – certainly; yat – which; karma – work; kāya – for the body; kleśa – trouble; bhayāt – out of fear; tyajet – gives up; saḥ – he; kṛtvā – after doing; rājasam – in the mode of passion; tyāgam – renunciation; na – not; eva – certainly; tyāga – of renunciation; phalam – the results; labhet – gains.
TRANSLATION
Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to have renounced in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation.
PURPORT
One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not give up earning money out of fear that he is performing fruitive activities. If by working one can engage his money in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or if by rising early in the morning one can advance his transcendental Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one should not desist out of fear or because such activities are considered troublesome. Such renunciation is in the mode of passion. The result of passionate work is always miserable. If a person renounces work in that spirit, he never gets the result of renunciation.
TEXT 9
कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन ।
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ।। 9 ।।
kāryam ity eva yat karma
niyataṁ kriyate ’rjuna
saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ caiva
sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ
kāryam – it must be done; iti – thus; eva – indeed; yat – which; karma – work; niyatam – prescribed; kriyate – is performed; arjuna – O Arjuna; saṅgam – association; tyaktvā – giving up; phalam – the result; ca – also; eva – certainly; saḥ – that; tyāgaḥ – renunciation; sāttvikaḥ – in the mode of goodness; mataḥ – in My opinion.
TRANSLATION
O Arjuna, when one performs his prescribed duty only because it ought to be done, and renounces all material association and all attachment to the fruit, his renunciation is said to be in the mode of goodness.
PURPORT
Prescribed duties must be performed with this mentality. One should act without attachment for the result; he should be disassociated from the modes of work. A man working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a factory does not associate himself with the work of the factory, nor with the workers of the factory. He simply works for Kṛṣṇa. And when he gives up the result for Kṛṣṇa, he is acting transcendentally.
TEXT 10
न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते ।
त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छिन्नसंशयः ।। 10 ।।
na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma
kuśale nānuṣajjate
tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo
medhāvī chinna-saṁśayaḥ
na – never; dveṣṭi – hates; akuśalam – inauspicious; karma – work; kuśale – in the auspicious; na – nor; anuṣajjate – becomes attached; tyāgī – the renouncer; sattva – in goodness; samāviṣṭaḥ – absorbed; medhāvī – intelligent; chinna – having cut off; saṁśayaḥ – all doubts.
TRANSLATION
The intelligent renouncer situated in the mode of goodness, neither hateful of inauspicious work nor attached to auspicious work, has no doubts about work.
PURPORT
A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or in the mode of goodness does not hate anyone or anything which troubles his body. He does work in the proper place and at the proper time without fearing the troublesome effects of his duty. Such a person situated in transcendence should be understood to be most intelligent and beyond all doubts in his activities.
TEXT 11
न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः ।
यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते ।। 11 ।।
na hi deha-bhṛtā śakyaṁ
tyaktuṁ karmāṇy aśeṣataḥ
yas tu karma-phala-tyāgī
sa tyāgīty abhidhīyate
na – never; hi – certainly; deha-bhṛtā – by the embodied; śakyam – is possible; tyaktum – to be renounced; karmāṇi – activities; aśeṣataḥ – altogether; yaḥ – anyone who; tu – but; karma – of work; phala – of the result; tyāgī – the renouncer; saḥ – he; tyāgī – the renouncer; iti – thus; abhidhīyate – is said.
TRANSLATION
It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. But he who renounces the fruits of action is called one who has truly renounced.
PURPORT
It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that one can never give up work at any time. Therefore he who works for Kṛṣṇa and does not enjoy the fruitive results, who offers everything to Kṛṣṇa, is actually a renouncer. There are many members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who work very hard in their office or in the factory or some other place, and whatever they earn they give to the Society. Such highly elevated souls are actually sannyāsīs and are situated in the renounced order of life. It is clearly outlined here how to renounce the fruits of work and for what purpose fruits should be renounced.
TEXT 12
अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् ।
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित् ।। 12 ।।
aniṣṭam iṣṭaṁ miśraṁ ca
tri-vidhaṁ karmaṇaḥ phalam
bhavaty atyāgināṁ pretya
na tu sannyāsināṁ kvacit
aniṣṭam – leading to hell; iṣṭam – leading to heaven; miśram – mixed; ca – and; tri-vidham – of three kinds; karmaṇaḥ – of work; phalam – the result; bhavati – comes; atyāginām – for those who are not renounced; pretya – after death; na – not; tu – but; sannyāsinām – for the renounced order; kvacit – at any time.
TRANSLATION
For one who is not renounced, the threefold fruits of action – desirable, undesirable and mixed – accrue after death. But those who are in the renounced order of life have no such result to suffer or enjoy.
PURPORT
A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness acting in knowledge of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa is always liberated. Therefore he does not have to enjoy or suffer the results of his acts after death.
TEXT 13
पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे ।
सांख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम् ।। 13 ।।
pañcaitāni mahā-bāho
kāraṇāni nibodha me
sāṅkhye kṛtānte proktāni
siddhaye sarva-karmaṇām
pañca – five; etāni – these; mahā-bāho – O mighty-armed one; kāraṇāni – causes; nibodha – just understand; me – from Me; sāṅkhye – in the Vedānta; k�
�ta-ante – in the conclusion; proktāni – said; siddhaye – for the perfection; sarva – of all; karmaṇām – activities.
TRANSLATION
O mighty-armed Arjuna, according to the Vedānta there are five causes for the accomplishment of all action. Now learn of these from Me.
PURPORT
A question may be raised that since any activity performed must have some reaction, how is it that the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not suffer or enjoy the reactions of work? The Lord is citing Vedānta philosophy to show how this is possible. He says that there are five causes for all activities, and for success in all activity one should consider these five causes. Sāṅkhya means the stock of knowledge, and Vedānta is the final stock of knowledge accepted by all leading ācāryas. Even Śaṅkara accepts Vedānta-sūtra as such. Therefore such authority should be consulted.
The ultimate control is invested in the Supersoul. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. He is engaging everyone in certain activities by reminding him of his past actions. And Kṛṣṇa conscious acts done under His direction from within yield no reaction, either in this life or in the life after death.
TEXT 14
अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् ।
विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम् ।। 14 ।।
adhiṣṭhānaṁ tathā kartā
karaṇaṁ ca pṛthag-vidham
vividhāś ca pṛthak ceṣṭā
daivaṁ caivātra pañcamam
adhiṣṭhānam – the place; tathā – also; kartā – the worker; karaṇam – instruments; ca – and; pṛthak-vidham – of different kinds; vividhāḥ – various; ca – and; pṛthak – separate; ceṣṭāḥ – the endeavors; daivam – the Supreme; ca – also; eva – certainly; atra – here; pañcamam – the fifth.
TRANSLATION
The place of action [the body], the performer, the various senses, the many different kinds of endeavor, and ultimately the Supersoul – these are the five factors of action.
PURPORT
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Page 94
