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  "chapter": {
    "num": 3,
    "slug": "03-discourse-3-the-yoga-of-action-karma-yoga",
    "title": "Discourse 3: The Yoga of Action (Karma Yoga)",
    "of": 18,
    "words": 1167,
    "text": "## Discourse 3: The Yoga of Action (Karma Yoga)\n\n\nVerse 3:1: Arjuna said: If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is superior to action, O \nJanardana, why dost Thou, O Keshava, enjoin on me this terrible action? \n\nVerse 3:2: With these perplexing words Thou only confusest my understanding; therefore \ntell me with certainty the one way by which I may reach bliss. \n\nVerse 3:3: The blessed Lord said: In this world there is a twofold path, as I before said, O \nsinless one that of yoga by knowledge, of the Sankhyas; and that of yoga by action, of the \nYogis. \n\nVerse 3:4: Man winneth not freedom from action by abstaining from activity, nor by mere \nrenunciation doth he rise to perfection. \n\nVerse 3:5: Nor can anyone, even for an instant, remain really actionless; for helplessly is \neveryone driven to action by the qualities born of nature. \n\nVerse 3:6: Who sitteth, controlling the organs of action, but dwelling in his mind on the \nobjects of the senses, that bewildered man is called a hypocrite. \n\nVerse 3:7: But who, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, with the organs of action \nwithout attachment, performeth yoga by action, he is worthy. \n\nVerse 3:8: Perform thou right action for action is superior to inaction, and, inactive, even the \nmaintenance of thy body would not be possible. \n\nVerse 3:9: The world is bound by action, unless performed for the sake of sacrifice; for that \nsake, free from attachment, O son of Kunti, perform thou action. \n\nVerse 3:10: Having in ancient times emanated mankind together with sacrifice, the Lord of \nemanation said: \"By this shall ye propagate; be this to you the giver of desires; \n\nVerse 3:11: \"With this nourish ye the Shining Ones, and may the Shining Ones nourish you; \nthus nourishing one another ye shall reap the supremest good. \n\nVerse 3:12: \"For, nourished by sacrifice, the Shining Ones shall bestow on you the \nenjoyments you desire.\" A thief verily is he who enjoyeth what is given by Them without \nreturning Them aught. \n\nVerse 3:13: The righteous, who eat the remains of the sacrifice, are freed from all sins; but \nthe impious, who dress food for their own sakes, they verily eat sin. \n\nVerse 3:14: From food creatures become; from rain is the production of food; rain \nproceedeth from sacrifice; sacrifice ariseth out of action. \n\nVerse 3:15: Know thou that from Brahma action groweth, and Brahma from the \nImperishable cometh. Therefore the ETERNAL, the all-permeating, is ever present in \nsacrifice. \n\nVerse 3:16: He who on earth doth not follow the wheel thus revolving, sinful of life and \nrejoicing in the senses, he, O son of Pritha, liveth in vain. \n\nVerse 3:17: But the man who rejoiceth in the SELF, with the SELF is satisfied, and is \ncontent in the SELF, for him verily there is nothing to do; \n\nVerse 3:18: For him there is no interest in things done, in this world, nor any in things not \ndone, nor doth any object of his depend on any being. \n\nVerse 3:19: Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform action which is duty, for, by \nperforming action without attachment, man verily reacheth the Supreme. \n\nVerse 3:20: Janaka and others indeed attained to perfection by action: then having an eye to \nthe welfare of the world also, thou shouldst perform action. \n\nVerse 3:21: Whatsoever a great man doeth, that other men also do; the standard he setteth \nup, by that the people go. \n\nVerse 3:22: There is nothing in the three worlds, O Partha, that should be done by Me, nor \nanything unattained that might be attained; yet I mingle in action. \n\nVerse 3:23: For if I mingled not ever in action unwearied, men all around would follow My \npath, O son of Pritha. \n\nVerse 3:24: These worlds would fall into ruin, if I did not perform action; I should be the \nauthor of confusion of castes, and should destroy these creatures. \n\nVerse 3:25: As the ignorant act from attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the wise act \nwithout attachment, desiring the welfare of the world. \n\nVerse 3:26: Let no wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people attached to action; but \nacting in harmony with Me let him render all action attractive. \n\nVerse 3:27: All actions are wrought by the qualities of nature only. The self, deluded by \negoism, thinketh: \"I am the doer.\" \n\nVerse 3:28: But he, O mighty-armed, who knoweth the essence of the divisions of the \nqualities and functions, holding that \"the qualities move amid the qualities,\" is not attached. \nVerse 3:29: Those deluded by the qualities of nature are attached to the functions of the \nqualities. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish whose knowledge is \nimperfect. \n\nVerse 3:30: Surrendering all actions to Me, with thy thoughts resting on the supreme SELF, \nfrom hope and egoism freed, and of mental fever cured, engage in battle. \n\nVerse 3:31: Who abide ever in this teaching of Mine full of faith and free from caviling, \nthey too are released from actions. \n\nVerse 3:32: Who carp at My teaching and act not thereon, senseless, deluded in all \nknowledge, know thou these mindless ones as fated to be destroyed. \n\nVerse 3:33: Even the man of knowledge behaves in conformity with his own nature; beings \nfollow nature; what shall restraint avail? \n\nVerse 3:34: Affection and aversion for the objects of sense abide in the senses; let none \ncome under the dominion of these two; they are obstructors of the path. \n\nVerse 3:35: Better one's own duty though destitute of merit, than the duty of another, well \ndischarged. Better death in the discharge of one' own duty; the duty of another is full of \ndanger. \n\nVerse 3:36: Arjuna said: But dragged on by what does a man commit sin, reluctantly indeed, \nO Varshneya, as it were by force constrained? \n\nVerse 3:37: The Blessed Lord said: It is desire, it is wrath, begotten by the quality of \nmotion; all consuming, all-polluting, know thou this as our foe here on earth. \n\nVerse 3:38: As a flame is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo is wrapped \nby the amnion, so This is enveloped by it. \n\nVerse 3:39: Enveloped is wisdom by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, \nwhich is insatiable as a flame. \n\nVerse 3:40: The senses, the mind and the Reason are said to be its seat; by these enveloping \nwisdom, it bewilders the dweller in the body. \n\nVerse 3:41: Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, mastering first the senses, do thou slay this \nthing of sin, destructive of wisdom and knowledge. \n\nVerse 3:42: It is said that the senses are great; greater than the senses is the mind: greater \nthan the mind is the Reason; but what is greater than the Reason, is He. \n\nVerse 3:43: Thus understanding Him as greater than the Reason, restraining the self by the \nSELF, slay thou, O mighty-armed, the enemy in the form of desire, difficult to overcome.",
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}