Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 39

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 39

Avrutam gyanam etena gyaninah nitya vairina I

Kama rupena kaunteya dushpurena analena cha II sloka 39

आवृतं ज्ञानं एतेन ज्ञानिनः नित्य वैरिण ।

काम रूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेण अनलेन च ।। श्लोक ३९ 

Knowledge is covered O son of Kunti, by this insatiable fir of desire, the constant foe of the wise.

Desire grown to the stature of greed is a destructive force and an enemy to all human beings. But the ignorant among them who come under its sway hold it s a helpful friend. Whenever a setback and humiliation ensues from it, the destructive force of desire is momentarily detested as a treacherous factor in the makeup of man. But this feeling vanishes as quickly as it dawns. The unwary ignorant choose to ally with it always. But the case of the knowing man is different. Both while under the influence of desire and while holding it in abeyance the wise man views it as his sworn enemy. He likes no alliance with it. Still in spite of him, it steals into his heart assuming innumerable forms and trying to allure him. It is therefore the constant foe of the wise.

The indicator in the balance moves away from the middle point when there is more weight on one side. The mind of the man moves away from God allured by the weight of lust and greed. 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 38

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 38

Melkote Tirunarayana Perumal

Dhumena avriyate vahnir yatha adarshah malenacha I

Yatha ulbena avrutah garbhah tatha ten idam avrutam II sloka 38

धूमेन आव्रियते वह्निर यथा अदर्शः मलेनाच ।

यथा उल्बेन आवृतः गर्बः तथा तेन इदं आवृतं ।। श्लोक ३८ 

As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo by the womb, so is this covered by that.

The resplendent Atman is veiled by desire, which is in 3 grades corresponding to the 3 gunas. Desire dominated by sattva guna   is like fire being choked by smoke. A little blowing will set it ablaze and the smoke will disappear. Discrimination likewise drives out the thin cloud of sattvic desire adn reveals the atman as it is.   Some effort is required to remove the dust from the mirror. Even so rajasic desire demands strenuous effort for its removal. Lastly tamasic desire is compared with an embryo in the womb. Time and regulated living are the factors for the embryo to develop and be delivered as a baby.  Time and self-preparations  are necessary to eliminate the deep rooted tamasic desire. 

As a patch of cloud hides the balzing sun, the true form of desire hides Iswara. When the cloud disappears the sun becomes visible. When desire disappears Atma reveals himself

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 36

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 36

Serthi-Kanchipuram

Arjuna Uvacha

Atha kena prayuktah ayam papam charati purushah I

Anichchan api varshneya balat iva niyojitah II sloka 36

अर्जुन उवाच

अथ केन प्रयुक्तः अयं पापं चरति पुरुषः।

अनिच्छन अपि वार्ष्णेय बलात् इव नियोजितः ।। श्लोक ३६ 

Arjuna said,

But impelled by what does one (practising jnana yoga)  commit sin, even against his own will, O Varshneya, constrained as it were by force?

Impelled by what does a man practising jnana yoga commit sin in the form of experiencing the objects of the senses, as if constrained by force, even against his own will not to experience the sense objects?

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 37

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 37

Banke Bihari - Brindavan

Sri Bhagavan Uvacha

Kamah esa krodhah eshah rajah guna samudbhavah I

Mahashanoh mahapapma viddhi enam iha vairinam II sloka 37

श्री भगवान उवाच

कामः एषः क्रोधः एषः रजः गुण समुद्भवः ।

महाशनः  महापाप्मा विद्धि एनं इह वैरिणं ।। श्लोक ३७ 

The Blessed Lord said

It is desire, it is wrath begotten by Rajaguna: all consuming, all sinful, know this as the foe here on earth.

Desire is the most destructive foe of man. When this desire is obstructed it transforms itself into wrath. The Lord therefore treats both as one. It takes it origin in rajas  and aggravates it further. As fire cannot be satiated by feeding it with fuel, desire cannot be appeased by supplying it with sense objects. The more it gluts, the more it craves. Sin increases in direct proportion to desire. It is therefore the arch enemy of man.

Time and again man gets humiliated because of his being a victim of lust and greed. Still he is unable to recoil from them and give his thought to God. 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 37

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 37

Banke Bihari - Brindavan

Sri Bhagavan Uvacha

Kamah esa krodhah eshah rajah guna samudbhavah I

Mahashanoh mahapapma viddhi enam iha vairinam II sloka 37

श्री भगवान उवाच

कामः एषः क्रोधः एषः रजः गुण समुद्भवः ।

महाशनः  महापाप्मा विद्धि एनं इह वैरिणं ।। श्लोक ३७ 

The Blessed Lord said

It is desire, it is wrath born of Rajaguna: it is a great devourer, an impeller to sin. Know this as the foe here on earth.

The highly ravenous desire born of rajas guna originating from old subtle impressions. It has for its objects sound and other sense objects. It is a foe to him who is practising  jnana yoga, as he is joined with prakriti constituted constituted of the gunas which rise and subside periodically. It attracts him towards the objects of senses. It is this desire alone which, when hampered, develops into anger towards those persons who are the cause of such hindrance. It is a powerful cause of sin. It incites the aspirant to do harm to others. Know this, which is born of the guna called rajas, as the natural enemy of the jnana yogins.

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 35

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Spiritual Practices Conforming to Dispositions -33-35

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 35

Arjuna & Krishna

श्रेयान स्वधर्मः विगुणः परधर्मात स्वनुस्थितात  ।

स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मः भयावः ।। श्लोक ३५ 

Shreyan svadharma vigunah paradharmat svanusthitah I

Svadharma nidhanam shreyah paradharmah bhayavah II sloka 35

Better is one's own duty, though illdone, than the duty of another well performed. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.

Therefore karma yoga is better than jnana yoga. For, it forms one's duty, since it is natural to one  and easy to perform, and though defective, is free from liability to interruption and fall. Jnana Yoga, on the other hand, though performed well for sometime, constitutes the duty of another, as it is difficult to practise for one conjoined with Prakriti. It is therefore liable to interruption. For a person who lives practising karma yoga - which is his duty because he is qualified for it -  even death with out success in one birth doesnot matter. For, in the next birth, it will be possible for him to perform karma yoga without any impediments. Jnana yoga is fraught with fear because of the possibility of errorsfor anyone who is conjoined with prakriti. It is another's duty, on account of it being not easily adopted by him.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 36

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 36

Serthi-Kanchipuram

Arjuna Uvacha

Atha kena prayuktah ayam papam charati purushah I

Anichchan api varshneya balat iva niyojitah II sloka 36

अर्जुन उवाच

अथ केन प्रयुक्तः अयं पापं चरति पुरुषः।

अनिच्छन अपि वार्ष्णेय बलात् इव नियोजितः ।। श्लोक ३६ 

Arjuna said,

But dragged on by what does a man commit sin, unwillingly though, O Varshneya, constrained as it were by force?

Sri Krishna is here addressed as Varshneya because of his coming of the Vrishni race.

In Chapter 2 slokas 62 & 63 the root cause of all evils has been unmistakably pointed out. Yet Arjuna raises that question again here for further elucidation.

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 34

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 34

Serthi - Thirukannapuram Sowriraja Perumal

Indriyasya indriyasya arthe raga dveshau vyavasthithau I

Tayo na vasham agachet tau hi asya pari panthinau II sloka 34

इन्द्रियस्य इन्द्रियस्य अर्थे राग द्वेषौ व्यवस्थिथौ ।

तयोः न वशं आगच्छेत  तौ हि अस्य परि पन्थिनौ ।। श्लोक ३४ 

Each sense has fixed attachment to, & aversion for, its corresponding object. But no one should come under their sway; for they are his foes.

An unavoidable attraction has been fixed for organs of sense like ear towards the objects like sound and for organs of action like that of tongue towards their objects like tasty food. This longing is in the form of desire to experience these objects, which is caused by old subtle impressions. When their experience is thwarted, an unavoidable aversion is experienced. Thus, these two, attachment and aversion, bring under their control one who aspires to follow jnana yoga, and forcibly engage him in actions appropriate to them,  in spite of his having established some sort of control over the senses.

Such an aspirant fails to get the experience of the self, and therefore becomes completely lost. SO no one practising jnana yoga should come under the sway of attachment and aversion, which are ruinous. These two are indeed his unconquerable foes that deter him from the practise of jnana yoga. 

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 35

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Spiritual Practices Conforming to Dispositions -33-35

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 35

Arjuna & Krishna

श्रेयान स्वधर्मः विगुणः परधर्मात स्वनुस्थितात  ।

स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मः भयावः ।। श्लोक ३५ 

Shreyan svadharma vigunah paradharmat svanusthitah I

Svadharma nidhanam shreyah paradharmah bhayavah II sloka 35

One's own dharma, though imperfect, is better than the dharma of another well discharged. Better death in one's own dharma; the dharma of another is full of fear.

Man's nature is to have recourse to what gives pleasure and to recoil from what gives pain. Arjuna's temporary set back illustrates this position. From boyhood onwards he had been trained for the dharma of a ruler and a warrior. He delighted in being trained that way, because it was his own duty, svadharma. The impending righteous war demanded his fighting against the revered grandsire, which he didnot like; he even hated it. At this juncture he preferred to be a recluse, subsisting on alms. Nothing good accrues to one by changing one's svadharma  prompted by fear or hatred. Abandoning one's duty and embracing that of another, enticed by ease and pleasure are equally harmful.  Vacillation of the mind is born of weakness; it depraves man more and more. Steadfastness of duty on the other hand, strengthens man and aids the building of character. Constancy is life and vacillation death. Through firm devotion to duty man gains excellence. Arjuna was about to lose his manliness through a change of dharma. Even if he had lived a hermit's life as best he could, his conscience would have been clouded; and that was worse than death. He would have proved himself a coward if he had changed his dharma. Man should always evolve in the make up best suited to him.

A professional farmer does not lose courage and continuous to cultivate even if there be a terrible drought for twelve long years. But a weaver who takes to tilling for a change of occupation gets disheartened if rain falls for one season. A true devotee doesnot deviate from the path of devotion for any reason whatsoever. In life and death, he relies on God.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 33

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 33

Sadrasham cheshtate svasyaha  prakratehe gyanavanapi I

Prakritim yanti bhutani nigraha kim karishyati II sloka 33

सद्रशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रक्रतेः ज्ञान वानपि ।

प्रकृतिं यन्ति भूतानि निग्रह किं करिष्यति ।। श्लोक ३३

Even the man of knowledge acts according to his nature; all beings follow their nature. What will repression do?

Such and such is the nature of the self, which is different from prakriti - this has to be always contemplated upon; thus declare the sastras. Even a person who knows this acts in relation to material objects only according to his own nature, ie., guided by his old subtle impressions. How is this? All beings follow their nature. Beings in conjunctionwith non-conscient matter, all follow only subtle impressions which have continued to come from time immemorial. What ca the control enjoined by the sastras, do to these beings who follow their subtle impressions?

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 34

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 34

Serthi - Thirukannapuram Sowriraja Perumal

Indriyasya indriyasya arthe raga dveshau vyavasthithau I

Tayo na vasham agachet tau hi asya pari panthinau II sloka 34

इन्द्रियस्य इन्द्रियस्य अर्थे राग द्वेषौ व्यवस्थिथौ ।

तयोः न वशं आगच्छेत  तौ हि अस्य परि पन्थिनौ ।। श्लोक ३४ 

Attachment & aversion of the senses for their respective objects are natural; let none come under their domination; they verily are his enemies.

Life in the body and in the senses is not an end in itself; it is only a passing phase. Senses have been serviceable for the evolution of the sub-human into the human. Now the goal for the human into the divine. Senses are stumbling blocks to this. They are therefore labellled as the enemies of the spiritual aspirant. They are required to be transcended. It is from attachments and aversions that they get their power to function. When these dualities are done away with, the senses cease to be enemies. Likes and dislikes are created by the egotistic attitude.When this hurtful attitude is changed to helpful devotional attitude, likes and dislikes melt away; the senses in their turn get tamed down.

The function of the scriptures is to exhort man to change his attitude from the base to the noble. When the life for the individual is converted into the life for the Lord, the senses cease to be enemies. 

When can desire and hatred, the enemies of man be destroyed? These propensities of the mind prove themselves enemies when directed to worldly affairs. They become allies when directed godward. Desires for worldly things must be converted into the desire for God. Let man be annoyed with God and angry with Him for not revealing Himself. Desire and anger cannot be totally destroyed, but they can be transmuted; then they become harmless.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa     

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 32

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 32

Ramar Vadavoor

Ye tu etat abhi asuyantah na anutrishtanti me matam I

sarva gyan vimudan tan viddhi nashtan achetasah II sloka 32

ये तु एतत् अभि असूयन्तः न अनुतिष्टन्ति मे मतं ।

सर्व ज्ञान विमूदान तान् विद्धि नश्तान अचेतसः ।। श्लोक ३२ 

But those who caluminate it, and those who do not practise this  teaching of mine - know them to be absolutely senseless and devoid of all knowledge and therefore lost

 But those who donot follow this view of mine, namely that the self has for Me for its support, is subservient to Me and is actuated only by Me, ie., those who donot perform all acts contemplating in this way as also those who have no faith in the meaning of the sastras and caluminate them -  know them to be extremely deluded  and devoid of reasoning and knowledge and consequently completely lost. For the functioning of the mind is the determination of the real nature of things, and in its absence, those mentioned above are devoid of reason, and therefore apostates in knowledge and extremely deluded in ll ways. 

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 33

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 33

Sadrasham cheshtate svasyaha  prakratehe gyanavanapi I

Prakritim yanti bhutani nigraha kim karishyati II sloka 33

सद्रशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रक्रतेः ज्ञान वानपि ।

प्रकृतिं यन्ति भूतानि निग्रह किं करिष्यति ।। श्लोक ३३

Even a wise man behaves in conformity with his own nature; beings follow nature; Of what use is restraining them?

Some plants grow tall and slender while others are shrubby and stout; fruits taste sweet while others are bitter. The varying natures in the vegetation cannot be changed,but they can be augmented and enriched. Variation in nature is much more pronounced in humans than in any other species. Dispositions are divergent even among the enlightened. One is an introvert while another is an extrovert. A saint is given to devotion and a sage to discrimination. The yogi disciplines the mind while the man of action lovingly serves mankind. Attaining perfection is their thread of unity in the midst of mental variations. No violence should be done to the vagaries even in saints. Each must be allowed and encouraged to evolve in line with his temperament.

The earthy among men are bound fast to things mundane. Obstructing their worldly ways avails nothing. Inducing them to evolve in tune with their nature aids their growth. Slow sublimation of their nature is the greatest service that can be rendered to them.

An individual complained to Sri Ramakrishna  that he found it impossible to turn his mind Godward. It was asked of him as to what was the thing or being that he loved the most. The man pondered for a while and said that he was inordinately attached to a goat he reared. A suggestion was then made to him to think of that goat as imbued with divinity  and meditate on it. The man did so and had his mind slowly turned Godward.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 

Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 -Karma Yoga - Sloka 31

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yoga - Sloka 31

Jadabharatar dies thinking of his pet deer

Ye me matam idam nityam anutishthati manavah I

Shraddhavantah anasuyantah muchyante te pi karmabhih II sloka 31

ये मे मतं इदं नित्यं अनुतिष्ठति मानवाः । 

श्रद्धावन्तः अनसूयन्तः  मुच्यन्ते ते पी कर्मभिः ।। श्लोक ३१ 

Those men who, full of faith, ever practise this teaching of mine, and those who receive it without cavil - even they are released from Karma.

There are those persons who are qualified to understand the sastras and decide  for themselves what is My doctrine, and follow them accordingly; there are others who are full of faith in the meaning of the sastras without however practising it. And there are still others who,even though devoid of faith, donot cavil at it, saying that the true meaning of the sastras cannot be this, ie., they donot find any blemish pertaining to the sastras which possess great qualities. All these persons are freed from Karmas which are there from beginningless time and which cause bondage. By the term, api (even) in 'te pi karmabhih' (even they from karmas), these men are divided into 3 groups. The meaning is that those who, even if they donot act upon the meaning of the sastras and donot cavil at it, will be cleansed of their evil by their faith and freedom from fault finding. For, if they have faith they will, before long, take to the practice of this very meaning of the sastras and be freed. 


In the next sloka, Sri Krishna speaks of the evil that will befall those who donot practise this instruction of the upanishads, ie., those who are faithless and who cavil at it.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 32

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 32

Ramar Vadavoor

Ye tu etat abhi asuyantah na anutrishtanti me matam I

sarva gyan vimudan tan viddhi nashtan achetasah II sloka 32

ये तु एतत् अभि असूयन्तः न अनुतिष्टन्ति मे मतं ।

सर्व ज्ञान विमूदान तान् विद्धि नश्तान अचेतसः ।। श्लोक ३२ 

But those who carp at my teaching and act not thereon, deluded in all knowledge and devoid of discrimination, know them to be ruined.

Fire hurts the one who mishandles it and it cooks food for another who utilises it properly. Losers are they who do not of this law of nature. Moral and spiritual laws are not different from the laws of nature. Those who avail themselves of these laws progress and prosper, while those others who defy and break them come to grief and debasement.

Cats claws and teeth are benevolent to the kitten and malevolent to the rat. Similarly maya, the power of the Lord, is beneficial to his devotees and harmful to malefactors.

Sri Ramakrishna  Paramahamsa