The Path of Action
Arjuna is confused: if knowledge is higher than action, why act at all? Kṛṣṇa explains that no one can live without acting — and that action done without selfish desire is itself a path to liberation. The chapter introduces the idea of performing one's duty as an offering, and names desire and anger as the twin enemies that obscure wisdom.
अर्जुन उवाच
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव।।3.1।।
arjuna uvācha
jyāyasī chet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana
tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśhava
Word-for-Word Translation
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; jyāyasī—superior; chet—if; karmaṇaḥ—than fruitive action; te—by you; matā—is considered; buddhiḥ—intellect; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Krishna; tat—then; kim—why; karmaṇi—action; ghore—terrible; mām—me; niyojayasi—do you engage; keśhava—Krishna, the killer of the demon named Keshi
Meaning
Arjuna said: If Thou thinkest that knowledge is superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O Kesava, doest Thou ask me to engage in this terrible action?
Explanation
Arjuna picks up on what feels like a contradiction: in the previous chapter Krishna praised the steady wisdom of one who has gone beyond action, yet now urges him into battle. His question is honest, not rebellious — he genuinely wants clarity before he commits himself. This sets up the whole chapter's task of showing that knowledge and action are not really at odds.
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे।
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम्।।3.2।।
vyāmiśhreṇeva vākyena buddhiṁ mohayasīva me
tad ekaṁ vada niśhchitya yena śhreyo ’ham āpnuyām
Word-for-Word Translation
vyāmiśhreṇa iva—by your apparently ambiguous; vākyena—words; buddhim—intellect; mohayasi—I am getting bewildered; iva—as it were; me—my; tat—therefore; ekam—one; vada—please tell; niśhchitya—decisively; yena—by which; śhreyaḥ—the highest good; aham—I; āpnuyām—may attain
Meaning
With this seemingly perplexing speech, you seem to be confusing my understanding; therefore, tell me one certain way by which I may attain bliss.
Explanation
Arjuna asks for one clear path rather than a mixture of ideas, showing how easily the mind gets tangled when it hears many teachings without seeing how they fit together. It's a reminder that sincere confusion, honestly voiced, is often the doorway to deeper understanding rather than something to be ashamed of.
श्री भगवानुवाच
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ।
ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्।।3.3।।
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
loke’smin dvi-vidhā niṣhṭhā purā proktā mayānagha
jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ karma-yogena yoginām
Word-for-Word Translation
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Blessed Lord said; loke—in the world; asmin—this; dvi-vidhā—two kinds of; niṣhṭhā—faith; purā—previously; proktā—explained; mayā—by me (Shree Krishna); anagha—sinless; jñāna-yogena—through the path of knowledge; sānkhyānām—for those inclined toward contemplation; karma-yogena—through the path of action; yoginām—of the yogis
Meaning
The Blessed Lord said, "In this world, there is a twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one: the path of knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of action of the Yogins."
Explanation
Krishna begins to resolve Arjuna's confusion by naming two long-recognized approaches — contemplative knowledge and disciplined action — rather than presenting them as rivals. Both are valid starting points suited to different temperaments, and the rest of the chapter will show how action, rightly performed, actually leads to the same freedom that contemplation seeks.
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति।।3.4।।
na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣhkarmyaṁ puruṣho ’śhnute
na cha sannyasanād eva siddhiṁ samadhigachchhati
Word-for-Word Translation
na—not; karmaṇām—of actions; anārambhāt—by abstaining from; naiṣhkarmyam—freedom from karmic reactions; puruṣhaḥ—a person; aśhnute—attains; na—not; cha—and; sannyasanāt—by renunciation; eva—only; siddhim—perfection; samadhigachchhati—attains
Meaning
Man does not reach actionlessness by not performing actions; nor does he attain perfection by mere renunciation.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that naiskarmya, freedom from the reactions of work, is not achieved simply by artificially ceasing activity, nor is perfection reached by merely renouncing the world in outward dress while the mind still hankers after sense enjoyment; such false renunciation, he notes, actually causes one to fall further into illusion. Real freedom comes only through knowledge of the self as distinct from the body and through working in Krishna consciousness, which is why karma yoga, and not artificial sannyasa, is recommended for most people.
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः।।3.5।।
na hi kaśhchit kṣhaṇam api jātu tiṣhṭhatyakarma-kṛit
kāryate hyavaśhaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛiti-jair guṇaiḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
na—not; hi—certainly; kaśhchit—anyone; kṣhaṇam—a moment; api—even; jātu—ever; tiṣhṭhati—can remain; akarma-kṛit—without action; kāryate—are performed; hi—certainly; avaśhaḥ—helpless; karma—work; sarvaḥ—all; prakṛiti-jaiḥ—born of material nature; guṇaiḥ—by the qualities
Meaning
Verily, no one can remain for even a moment without performing action; for everyone is made to act helplessly, indeed, by the qualities born of Nature.
Explanation
Because everyone is compelled to act by the qualities of material nature working through body and mind, the real question was never whether to act but how to act and with what inner attitude. This lays the practical foundation for karma yoga — work is unavoidable, so the path must be to transform the spirit in which it's done.
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्।
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते।।3.6।।
karmendriyāṇi sanyamya ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā mithyāchāraḥ sa uchyate
Word-for-Word Translation
karma-indriyāṇi—the organs of action; sanyamya—restrain; yaḥ—who; āste—remain; manasā—in the mind; smaran—to remember; indriya-arthān—sense objects; vimūḍha-ātmā—the deluded; mithyā-āchāraḥ—hypocrite; saḥ—they; uchyate—are called
Meaning
He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in his mind, he of deluded understanding is called a hypocrite.
Explanation
Krishna warns against a subtle form of self-deception: outwardly restraining the body while the mind still wanders after sense pleasures is worse than honest engagement, since it mixes pretense with unresolved desire. Genuine practice asks for harmony between inner intention and outer conduct, not just appearances.
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते।।3.7।।
yas tvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate ’rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam asaktaḥ sa viśhiṣhyate
Word-for-Word Translation
yaḥ—who; tu—but; indriyāṇi—the senses; manasā—by the mind; niyamya—control; ārabhate—begins; arjuna—Arjun; karma-indriyaiḥ—by the working senses; karma-yogam—karm yog; asaktaḥ—without attachment; saḥ—they; viśhiṣhyate—are superior
Meaning
But whoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels.
Explanation
In contrast to the hypocrite of the previous verse, here is someone who uses the mind itself to guide the senses toward purposeful, detached action — engagement without inner grasping. This is the seed of karma yoga: not less activity, but activity held loosely, without personal stake in the outcome.
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः।।3.8।।
niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
śharīra-yātrāpi cha te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
niyatam—constantly; kuru—perform; karma—Vedic duties; tvam—you; karma—action; jyāyaḥ—superior; hi—certainly; akarmaṇaḥ—than inaction; śharīra—bodily; yātrā—maintenance; api—even; cha—and; te—your; na prasiddhyet—would not be possible; akarmaṇaḥ—inaction
Meaning
Perform your bounden duty, for action is superior to inaction, and even the maintenance of the body would not be possible for you through inaction.
Explanation
Krishna's instruction is direct and practical — perform your duty, since even keeping the body alive requires action, and pretending otherwise is neither honest nor wise. There's a gentle nudge here for anyone tempted to use spirituality as an excuse for passivity or escaping responsibility.
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर।।3.9।।
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara
Word-for-Word Translation
yajña-arthāt—for the sake of sacrifice; karmaṇaḥ—than action; anyatra—else; lokaḥ—material world; ayam—this; karma-bandhanaḥ—bondage through one’s work; tat—that; artham—for the sake of; karma—action; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mukta-saṅgaḥ—free from attachment; samāchara—perform properly
Meaning
The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), perform actions for that sake alone, free from attachment.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that yajna here specifically means work performed for the satisfaction of Vishnu — Krishna himself — since sacrifice in the Vedic sense is always ultimately offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Any work not done in this spirit causes bondage in the material world, which is why Arjuna, as a kshatriya, is told to fight for Krishna's sake rather than for his own; the same principle extends to every occupation performed as an offering to the Lord rather than for personal sense gratification.
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः।
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्।।3.10।।
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛiṣhṭvā purovācha prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣhyadhvam eṣha vo ’stviṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk
Word-for-Word Translation
saha—along with; yajñāḥ—sacrifices; prajāḥ—humankind; sṛiṣhṭvā—created; purā—in beginning; uvācha—said; prajā-patiḥ—Brahma; anena—by this; prasaviṣhyadhvam—increase prosperity; eṣhaḥ—these; vaḥ—your; astu—shall be; iṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk—bestower of all wishes
Meaning
The Creator, having in the beginning created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall you propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires—the cow that yields all the desired objects."
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that Brahma, at the beginning of creation, gave humanity the practice of yajna along with two purposes: to allow regulated sense gratification and to gradually lead people toward liberation from material bondage. Sacrifice performed in this connection with Vishnu is compared to a "milch cow" because it supplies all one's genuine necessities of life; the human form of life, unlike animal life, is specifically meant for yajna, and neglecting this purpose reduces human civilization to a struggle for sense gratification alone.
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ।।3.11।।
devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ śhreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
Word-for-Word Translation
devān—celestial gods; bhāvayatā—will be pleased; anena—by these (sacrifices); te—those; devāḥ—celestial gods; bhāvayantu—will be pleased; vaḥ—you; parasparam—one another; bhāvayantaḥ—pleasing one another; śhreyaḥ—prosperity; param—the supreme; avāpsyatha—shall achieve
Meaning
With this, nourish the gods, and may the gods nourish you; thus, nourishing each other, you shall attain the highest good.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that the celestial gods (devas) are empowered administrators of universal affairs — controlling sun, moon, air, rain, and so on — appointed by the Supreme Lord as His representatives, and that offering sacrifice to satisfy them keeps the cosmic machinery running smoothly for everyone's benefit. This cooperative arrangement between humanity and the gods, Prabhupada notes, is ultimately meant to lead people gradually to God realization, since the demigods themselves are parts of the Lord's universal form and pleasing them in this way is a step toward pleasing Krishna.
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः।।3.12।।
iṣhṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajña-bhāvitāḥ
tair dattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
iṣhṭān—desired; bhogān—necessities of life; hi—certainly; vaḥ—unto you; devāḥ—the celestial gods; dāsyante—will grant; yajña-bhāvitāḥ—satisfied by sacrifice; taiḥ—by them; dattān—things granted; apradāya—without offering; ebhyaḥ—to them; yaḥ—who; bhuṅkte—enjoys; stenaḥ—thieves; eva—verily; saḥ—they
Meaning
The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the gods without offering anything in return is indeed a thief.
Explanation
Krishna's plain language here — calling one who enjoys without offering anything back a thief — is meant to jolt Arjuna out of any residual sense that he's entitled to life's gifts by right. Everything received, from breath to sustenance, ultimately flows from a source beyond ourselves, and forgetting that is the root of the acquisitive mindset the Gita keeps warning against.
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्।।3.13।।
yajña-śhiṣhṭāśhinaḥ santo muchyante sarva-kilbiṣhaiḥ
bhuñjate te tvaghaṁ pāpā ye pachantyātma-kāraṇāt
Word-for-Word Translation
yajña-śhiṣhṭa—of remnants of food offered in sacrifice; aśhinaḥ—eaters; santaḥ—saintly persons; muchyante—are released; sarva—all kinds of; kilbiṣhaiḥ—from sins; bhuñjate—enjoy; te—they; tu—but; agham—sins; pāpāḥ—sinners; ye—who; pachanti—cook (food); ātma-kāraṇāt—for their own sake
Meaning
The righteous who eat the remnants of the sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food solely for their own sake indeed consume sin.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains this verse in terms of prasadam — food first offered to Krishna in sacrifice and then eaten as His mercy purifies the eater of past sinful reactions, whereas cooking only to gratify one's own senses, without offering anything to the Lord, is eating nothing but sin. This is the practical basis of the devotional injunction, cited elsewhere in the Gita, to accept only food that has been offered to Krishna, since such prasadam sustains both body and spiritual life.
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः।।3.14।।
annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
annāt—from food; bhavanti—subsist; bhūtāni—living beings; parjanyāt—from rains; anna—of food grains; sambhavaḥ—production; yajñāt—from the performance of sacrifice; bhavati—becomes possible; parjanyaḥ—rain; yajñaḥ—performance of sacrifice; karma—prescribed duties; samudbhavaḥ—born of
Meaning
From food come forth beings; from rain, food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action.
Explanation
Prabhupada traces this chain — food, rain, sacrifice, prescribed duty — back further still to the Vedas and ultimately to Krishna himself, showing that the entire cycle sustaining life is set in motion and controlled by the Supreme Lord, not by impersonal nature alone. Anyone who understands this chain of dependence and still refuses to perform sacrifice for the Lord's satisfaction, Prabhupada notes, is certainly leading a life of sin, since they enjoy nature's gifts without acknowledging their true source.
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्।
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्।।3.15।।
karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi brahmākṣhara-samudbhavam
tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣhṭhitam
Word-for-Word Translation
karma—duties; brahma—in the Vedas; udbhavam—manifested; viddhi—you should know; brahma—The Vedas; akṣhara—from the Imperishable (God); samudbhavam—directly manifested; tasmāt—therefore; sarva-gatam—all-pervading; brahma—The Lord; nityam—eternally; yajñe—in sacrifice; pratiṣhṭhitam—established
Meaning
Know that action comes from Brahma, and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervasive Brahma ever rests in sacrifice.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that prescribed duties originate in the Vedas, and the Vedas themselves are directly manifested from the Imperishable Supreme — Krishna, the Personality of Godhead — so that the all-pervading Absolute Truth is eternally situated in the activity of sacrifice. This establishes that Vedic yajna is not an arbitrary human ritual but a transcendental activity flowing from the Lord himself, which is why performing one's prescribed duty as sacrifice connects the worker directly back to Krishna.
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति।।3.16।।
evaṁ pravartitaṁ chakraṁ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyur indriyārāmo moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati
Word-for-Word Translation
evam—thus; pravartitam—set into motion; chakram—cycle; na—not; anuvartayati—follow; iha—in this life; yaḥ—who; agha-āyuḥ—sinful living; indriya-ārāmaḥ—for the delight of their senses; mogham—vainly; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; saḥ—they; jīvati—live
Meaning
He who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, lives in vain, O Arjuna.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that this wheel of sacrifice, set in motion by the Supreme Lord at the beginning of creation, is meant to keep the entire cosmic and social order functioning, and one who refuses to participate in it, living only for sense gratification like an animal, is described as living a sinful and wasted life despite drawing breath. The human form of life, unlike that of animals, is specifically meant for self-realization through sacrifice and Krishna consciousness, so neglecting this purpose to chase sense pleasure alone squanders the very opportunity the human birth provides.
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते।।3.17।।
yas tvātma-ratir eva syād ātma-tṛiptaśh cha mānavaḥ
ātmanyeva cha santuṣhṭas tasya kāryaṁ na vidyate
Word-for-Word Translation
yaḥ—who; tu—but; ātma-ratiḥ—rejoice in the self; eva—certainly; syāt—is; ātma-tṛiptaḥ—self-satisfied; cha—and; mānavaḥ—human being; ātmani—in the self; eva—certainly; cha—and; santuṣhṭaḥ—satisfied; tasya—his; kāryam—duty; na—not; vidyate—exist
Meaning
But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self and is content in the Self alone, indeed there is nothing to do.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that this rare state of being satisfied in the self refers specifically to one fixed in Krishna consciousness, who has realized the soul's constitutional position in relation to the Supersoul, not merely someone who has stopped desiring material things. Such a person has no further duty to perform prescribed action for personal advancement, since work of that kind is meant precisely to bring one to this stage of self-realization, which he or she has already reached.
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः।।3.18।।
naiva tasya kṛitenārtho nākṛiteneha kaśhchana
na chāsya sarva-bhūteṣhu kaśhchid artha-vyapāśhrayaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
na—not; eva—indeed; tasya—his; kṛitena—by discharge of duty; arthaḥ—gain; na—not; akṛitena—without discharge of duty; iha—here; kaśhchana—whatsoever; na—never; cha—and; asya—of that person; sarva-bhūteṣhu—among all living beings; kaśhchit—any; artha—necessity; vyapāśhrayaḥ—to depend upon
Meaning
For him, there is no interest whatsoever in what is done or not done; nor does he depend on any being for any purpose.
Explanation
Even one who has reached inner contentment has no personal stake left in doing or not doing — action or its absence makes no difference to their own liberation. Yet, as the coming verses reveal, such a person doesn't simply withdraw; freedom from selfish need becomes the very basis for acting purely for others' benefit.
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः।।3.19।।
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samāchara
asakto hyācharan karma param āpnoti pūruṣhaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
tasmāt—therefore; asaktaḥ—without attachment; satatam—constantly; kāryam—duty; karma—action; samāchara—perform; asaktaḥ—unattached; hi—certainly; ācharan—performing; karma—work; param—the Supreme; āpnoti—attains; pūruṣhaḥ—a person
Meaning
Therefore, without attachment, always perform the actions that should be done; for by performing actions without attachment, one reaches the Supreme.
Explanation
The instruction circles back to its central theme with fresh emphasis: constant, dutiful action without attachment is itself the road to the Supreme. This is reassuring for anyone who fears that ordinary responsibilities — work, family duties, daily obligations — are somehow obstacles to spiritual life; done rightly, they are the path itself.
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि।।3.20।।
karmaṇaiva hi sansiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ
loka-saṅgraham evāpi sampaśhyan kartum arhasi
Word-for-Word Translation
karmaṇā—by the performance of prescribed duties; eva—only; hi—certainly; sansiddhim—perfection; āsthitāḥ—attained; janaka-ādayaḥ—King Janak and other kings; loka-saṅgraham—for the welfare of the masses; eva api—only; sampaśhyan—considering; kartum—to perform; arhasi—you should
Meaning
Janaka and others attained perfection indeed through action alone; even with the intention of protecting the masses, you should perform action.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that King Janaka and other self-realized kings of old attained perfection through the performance of their prescribed duties in Krishna consciousness, proving that renunciation of family life is not required for spiritual perfection — action performed with knowledge and devotion is sufficient. Krishna also urges Arjuna to act for lokasangraha, the guidance and welfare of the people in general, because as a prominent kshatriya his conduct will set the standard that ordinary people naturally imitate.
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते।।3.21।।
yad yad ācharati śhreṣhṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
Word-for-Word Translation
yat yat—whatever; ācharati—does; śhreṣhṭhaḥ—the best; tat tat—that (alone); eva—certainly; itaraḥ—common; janaḥ—people; saḥ—they; yat—whichever; pramāṇam—standard; kurute—perform; lokaḥ—world; tat—that; anuvartate—pursues
Meaning
Whatever a great man does, others also do; whatever he establishes as the standard, the world follows.
Explanation
Great figures set examples that ordinary people naturally follow, which is why Krishna keeps stressing that Arjuna's actions carry weight beyond his own private concerns. Anyone in a position of visibility or influence — a parent, a teacher, a leader in a community — bears something of this same responsibility to act well, since others are watching and learning from example.
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि।।3.22।।
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣhu lokeṣhu kiñchana
nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ varta eva cha karmaṇi
Word-for-Word Translation
na—not; me—mine; pārtha—Arjun; asti—is; kartavyam—duty; triṣhu—in the three; lokeṣhu—worlds; kiñchana—any; na—not; anavāptam—to be attained; avāptavyam—to be gained; varte—I am engaged; eva—yet; cha—also; karmaṇi—in prescribed duties
Meaning
There is nothing in the three worlds, O Arjuna, that needs to be done by Me, nor is there anything unattained that needs to be attained; yet I engage Myself in action.
Explanation
Krishna reveals something remarkable about himself: as the Supreme, he has nothing to gain and nothing left to achieve, yet he still acts. If the source of all existence engages in action without necessity, it underscores that action itself isn't the problem — attachment to its fruits is.
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः।।3.23।।
yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
yadi—if; hi—certainly; aham—I; na—not; varteyam—thus engage; jātu—ever; karmaṇi—in the performance of prescribed duties; atandritaḥ—carefully; mama—my; vartma—path; anuvartante—follow; manuṣhyāḥ—all men; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; sarvaśhaḥ—in all respects
Meaning
For, should I not ever engage myself in action, unwearied, people would in every way follow my path, O Arjuna.
Explanation
Krishna extends the logic of the previous verse: if even he, who has no personal need to act, remained inactive, humanity would lose its example and drift. This is a striking statement of divine responsibility — the Lord's activity in the world is itself an act of compassion and guidance for those who look to him.
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्।
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः।।3.24।।
utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ched aham
sankarasya cha kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
utsīdeyuḥ—would perish; ime—all these; lokāḥ—worlds; na—not; kuryām—I perform; karma—prescribed duties; chet—if; aham—I; sankarasya—of uncultured population; cha—and; kartā—responsible; syām—would be; upahanyām—would destroy; imāḥ—all these; prajāḥ—living entities
Meaning
These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.
Explanation
Krishna paints the consequence of inaction in vivid terms — the collapse of order and the confusion of purpose across the worlds — to impress on Arjuna how much is actually at stake in his own choice to act or withdraw. The point isn't limited to cosmic scale; neglecting one's proper responsibilities, at any level, tends to create disorder that ripples outward.
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम्।।3.25।।
saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvānso yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryād vidvāns tathāsaktaśh chikīrṣhur loka-saṅgraham
Word-for-Word Translation
saktāḥ—attached; karmaṇi—duties; avidvānsaḥ—the ignorant; yathā—as much as; kurvanti—act; bhārata—scion of Bharat (Arjun); kuryāt—should do; vidvān—the wise; tathā—thus; asaktaḥ—unattached; chikīrṣhuḥ—wishing; loka-saṅgraham—welfare of the world
Meaning
As the ignorant act out of attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the wise act without attachment, wishing for the welfare of the world.
Explanation
Krishna distinguishes not the outward activity of the wise from that of the ignorant, but the inner attitude behind it — one acts from attachment, the other from a wish to benefit others. This is a useful measure for self-reflection: the same task, whether it's driven by ego or by genuine care for others' welfare, can look identical from the outside yet be worlds apart within.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन्।।3.26।।
na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām
joṣhayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācharan
Word-for-Word Translation
na—not; buddhi-bhedam—discord in the intellects; janayet—should create; ajñānām—of the ignorant; karma-saṅginām—who are attached to fruitive actions; joṣhayet—should inspire (them) to perform; sarva—all; karmāṇi—prescribed; vidvān—the wise; yuktaḥ—enlightened; samācharan—performing properly
Meaning
Let no wise man unsettle the minds of ignorant people who are attached to action; he should engage them in all actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion.
Explanation
A person of wisdom shouldn't disturb the faith of those still attached to fruitive results, but rather engage them skillfully and lead by quiet example. This is practical guidance for anyone further along a spiritual path — encourage others gently in their own stage of practice rather than unsettling them with premature teachings.
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताऽहमिति मन्यते।।3.27।।
prakṛiteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśhaḥ
ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
Word-for-Word Translation
prakṛiteḥ—of material nature; kriyamāṇāni—carried out; guṇaiḥ—by the three modes; karmāṇi—activities; sarvaśhaḥ—all kinds of; ahankāra-vimūḍha-ātmā—those who are bewildered by the ego and misidentify themselves with the body; kartā—the doer; aham—I; iti—thus; manyate—thinks
Meaning
All actions are wrought in all cases by the qualities of Nature alone. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the doer."
Explanation
Krishna locates the deeper cause of the ego's claim of being the doer in a basic misunderstanding — mistaking the workings of material nature's qualities for one's own independent agency. Recognizing this doesn't remove the need to act, but it loosens the false sense of ownership that turns simple activity into a burden of pride.
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते।।3.28।।
tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣhu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate
Word-for-Word Translation
tattva-vit—the knower of the Truth; tu—but; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; guṇa-karma—from guṇas and karma; vibhāgayoḥ—distinguish; guṇāḥ—modes of material nature in the shape of the senses, mind, etc; guṇeṣhu—modes of material nature in the shape of objects of perception; vartante—are engaged; iti—thus; matvā—knowing; na—never; sajjate—becomes attached
Meaning
But he who knows the Truth, O mighty-armed Arjuna, about the divisions of the qualities and their functions, knowing that the Gunas, as senses, move amidst the Gunas, as the sense-objects, is not attached.
Explanation
One who truly understands how the modes of nature interact with the senses and their objects no longer clings to the results, seeing the whole transaction as nature acting upon nature rather than the self acting upon something of its own. This understanding is less an abstract philosophy and more a practical release valve for the anxiety that comes from over-identifying with outcomes.
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत्।।3.29।।
prakṛiter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇa-karmasu
tān akṛitsna-vido mandān kṛitsna-vin na vichālayet
Word-for-Word Translation
prakṛiteḥ—of material nature; guṇa—by the modes of material nature; sammūḍhāḥ—deluded; sajjante—become attached; guṇa-karmasu—to results of actions; tān—those; akṛitsna-vidaḥ—persons without knowledge; mandān—the ignorant; kṛitsna-vit—persons with knowledge; na vichālayet—should not unsettle
Meaning
Those deluded by the qualities of Nature are attached to the functions of the qualities. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish one who is of imperfect knowledge.
Explanation
Krishna cautions the wise against unsettling those still bewildered by nature's modes and attached to their actions — better to let understanding unfold gradually than to disrupt someone's sincere, if imperfect, effort. Patience and tact toward others at a different stage of the path is itself a mark of maturity.
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।।3.30।।
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasyādhyātma-chetasā
nirāśhīr nirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
mayi—unto me; sarvāṇi—all; karmāṇi—works; sannyasya—renouncing completely; adhyātma-chetasā—with the thoughts resting on God; nirāśhīḥ—free from hankering for the results of the actions; nirmamaḥ—without ownership; bhūtvā—so being; yudhyasva—fight; vigata-jvaraḥ—without mental fever
Meaning
Renouncing all actions in Me, with the mind centered on the Self, free from hope and egoism, and from mental fever, fight thou.
Explanation
Prabhupada identifies this as the essential teaching of Krishna consciousness: dedicating all activities to Krishna, acting as an agent of the Supreme rather than a proprietor, free from hankering for results and from the mental fever caused by false claims of ownership. Arjuna is instructed to fight because it is Krishna's will, not merely his own martial duty, and this same principle — working for Krishna without personal motive — is what Prabhupada holds up as the practical method for anyone to become free from anxiety while remaining fully engaged in the world.
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः।।3.31।।
ye me matam idaṁ nityam anutiṣhṭhanti mānavāḥ
śhraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto muchyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
ye—who; me—my; matam—teachings; idam—these; nityam—constantly; anutiṣhṭhanti—abide by; mānavāḥ—human beings; śhraddhā-vantaḥ—with profound faith; anasūyantaḥ—free from cavilling; muchyante—become free; te—those; api—also; karmabhiḥ—from the bondage of karma
Meaning
Those who constantly practice this teaching of Mine with faith and without caviling, they too are freed from actions.
Explanation
Prabhupada emphasizes that "my opinion" here refers specifically to the philosophy of surrender to Krishna in Krishna consciousness, and that those who accept this teaching with faith, free from envy toward the Lord's instructions, become liberated from the reactions of fruitive work even without necessarily being philosophically advanced. Faith in Krishna and freedom from envy of Him are presented as the decisive qualifications, since intellectual understanding alone cannot substitute for a surrendered, trusting heart.
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः।।3.32।।
ye tvetad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣhṭhanti me matam
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāns tān viddhi naṣhṭān achetasaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
ye—those; tu—but; etat—this; abhyasūyantaḥ—cavilling; na—not; anutiṣhṭhanti—follow; me—my; matam—teachings; sarva-jñāna—in all types of knowledge; vimūḍhān—deluded; tān—they are; viddhi—know; naṣhṭān—ruined; achetasaḥ—devoid of discrimination
Meaning
But those who criticize My teaching and do not practice it, deprived of all knowledge and lacking discernment, know them to be doomed to destruction.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that those who criticize this teaching of surrender to Krishna out of envy, refusing to follow it, are considered deluded in all their knowledge despite whatever discrimination or scholarship they may claim, and are described as lost, without any real spiritual intelligence. The fault Prabhupada stresses is envy of the Supreme Lord's authority specifically — not merely a general closed-mindedness — since it is this envy that blocks surrender and keeps one bound to material existence.
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति।।3.33।।
sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān api
prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati
Word-for-Word Translation
sadṛiśham—accordingly; cheṣhṭate—act; svasyāḥ—by their own; prakṛiteḥ—modes of nature; jñāna-vān—the wise; api—even; prakṛitim—nature; yānti—follow; bhūtāni—all living beings; nigrahaḥ—repression; kim—what; kariṣhyati—will do
Meaning
Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings will follow their nature; what can restraint do?
Explanation
Krishna makes an honest observation: even a knowledgeable person tends to act according to their own nature, and forcing suppression rarely succeeds against these deep-seated tendencies. Real change comes not from repression but from transforming the motive and direction of one's natural inclinations, which the chapter now turns to address directly.
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ।।3.34।।
indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣhau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaśham āgachchhet tau hyasya paripanthinau
Word-for-Word Translation
indriyasya—of the senses; indriyasya arthe—in the sense objects; rāga—attachment; dveṣhau—aversion; vyavasthitau—situated; tayoḥ—of them; na—never; vaśham—be controlled; āgachchhet—should become; tau—those; hi—certainly; asya—for him; paripanthinau—foes
Meaning
Attachment and aversion for the objects of the senses abide in the senses; let no one come under their sway; for, they are his enemies.
Explanation
Attraction and aversion toward sense objects are natural, but Krishna warns against falling under their control, since they function as inner adversaries that pull the mind away from steadiness. Simply noticing these pulls without automatically obeying them is itself a quiet, daily discipline.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः।।3.35।।
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt
swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
śhreyān—better; swa-dharmaḥ—personal duty; viguṇaḥ—tinged with faults; para-dharmāt—than another’s prescribed duties; su-anuṣhṭhitāt—perfectly done; swa-dharme—in one’s personal duties; nidhanam—death; śhreyaḥ—better; para-dharmaḥ—duties prescribed for others; bhaya-āvahaḥ—fraught with fear
Meaning
Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains this in terms of the Vedic system of varnashrama-dharma: one's own occupational duty, prescribed according to one's particular nature and qualities even if imperfectly executed, is better than adopting another's duty, however well performed, because taking up work unsuited to one's nature disturbs the mind and invites danger, as illustrated by the example of Vishvamitra Muni, a brahmana who took up a kshatriya's occupation and fell into difficulty. Death while faithfully performing one's own prescribed duty is glorious, Prabhupada notes, since it is a step toward Krishna consciousness, whereas imitating another's path, however impressive, is fraught with fear precisely because it is not one's own dharma.
अर्जुन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः।
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः।।3.36।।
arjuna uvācha
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ charati pūruṣhaḥ
anichchhann api vārṣhṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; atha—then; kena—by what; prayuktaḥ—impelled; ayam—one; pāpam—sins; charati—commit; pūruṣhaḥ—a person; anichchhan—unwillingly; api—even; vārṣhṇeya—he who belongs to the Vrishni clan, Shree Krishna; balāt—by force; iva—as if; niyojitaḥ—engaged
Meaning
Arjuna said, "But what compels man to commit sin, even against his wishes, O Varshneya (Krishna), as if constrained by force?"
Explanation
Arjuna's question shifts the discussion toward the psychology of wrongdoing — why does a person sin even against their own better judgment, as if driven by an outside force? This sets up Krishna's diagnosis in the following verses of desire as the underlying compulsion behind so much human struggle.
श्री भगवानुवाच
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्।।3.37।।
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
kāma eṣha krodha eṣha rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśhano mahā-pāpmā viddhyenam iha vairiṇam
Word-for-Word Translation
śhri-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said; kāmaḥ—desire; eṣhaḥ—this; krodhaḥ—wrath; eṣhaḥ—this; rajaḥ-guṇa—the mode of passion; samudbhavaḥ—born of; mahā-aśhanaḥ—all-devouring; mahā-pāpmā—greatly sinful; viddhi—know; enam—this; iha—in the material world; vairiṇam—the enemy
Meaning
The Blessed Lord said, "It is desire and it is anger, both of the quality of Rajas, all-devouring and all-sinful; know this as the foe here in this world."
Explanation
Krishna names the culprit plainly: desire, and the anger that flares when desire is thwarted, both born of the mode of passion, are the persistent enemy working within everyone. Recognizing desire and anger as the actual adversary — rather than other people or circumstances — is often the first honest step toward inner freedom.
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम्।।3.38।।
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśho malena cha
yatholbenāvṛito garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛitam
Word-for-Word Translation
dhūmena—by smoke; āvriyate—is covered; vahniḥ—fire; yathā—just as; ādarśhaḥ—mirror; malena—by dust; cha—also; yathā—just as; ulbena—by the womb; āvṛitaḥ—is covered; garbhaḥ—embryo; tathā—similarly; tena—by that (desire); idam—this; āvṛitam—is covered
Meaning
As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, and as an embryo is surrounded by the amniotic sac, so is this enveloped by that.
Explanation
Three ordinary images — smoke veiling fire, dust dulling a mirror, a womb enclosing an embryo — make an abstract point vivid: something essential is present but obscured by a covering. In the same way, our innate awareness isn't absent, only clouded, which is a hopeful way to think about spiritual struggle — the light was never extinguished, only covered.
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च।।3.39।।
āvṛitaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣhpūreṇānalena cha
Word-for-Word Translation
āvṛitam—covered; jñānam—knowledge; etena—by this; jñāninaḥ—of the wise; nitya-vairiṇā—by the perpetual enemy; kāma-rūpeṇa—in the form of desires; kaunteya—Arjun the son of Kunti; duṣhpūreṇa—insatiable; analena—like fire; cha—and
Meaning
O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is insatiable like fire.
Explanation
Krishna specifies that desire itself is what obscures the wisdom even of the knowledgeable, and its insatiable, fire-like nature means it only grows the more it's fed. This matches everyday experience — indulging a craving rarely satisfies it for long, and often intensifies it instead.
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते।
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम्।।3.40।।
indriyāṇi mano buddhir asyādhiṣhṭhānam uchyate
etair vimohayatyeṣha jñānam āvṛitya dehinam
Word-for-Word Translation
indriyāṇi—the senses; manaḥ—the mind; buddhiḥ—the intellect; asya—of this; adhiṣhṭhānam—dwelling place; uchyate—are said to be; etaiḥ—by these; vimohayati—deludes; eṣhaḥ—this; jñānam—knowledge; āvṛitya—clouds; dehinam—the embodied soul
Meaning
The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be its seat; through these, it deludes the embodied one, veiling their wisdom.
Explanation
Desire operates through the senses, mind, and intellect, using each as a base from which to cloud a person's judgment and self-awareness. Understanding this chain — from body toward the more subtle level of intellect — is what allows the next verse's strategy of counterattack to make sense.
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ।
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्।।3.41।।
tasmāt tvam indriyāṇyādau niyamya bharatarṣhabha
pāpmānaṁ prajahi hyenaṁ jñāna-vijñāna-nāśhanam
Word-for-Word Translation
tasmāt—therefore; tvam—you; indriyāṇi—senses; ādau—in the very beginning; niyamya—having controlled; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—Arjun, the best of the Bharatas; pāpmānam—the sinful; prajahi—slay; hi—certainly; enam—this; jñāna—knowledge; vijñāna—realization; nāśhanam—the destroyer
Meaning
Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, control your senses first and then kill this sinful thing, which destroys knowledge and realization.
Explanation
Krishna advises addressing the problem at its source: begin by mastering the senses, and from that stable ground overcome the deeper force of desire that damages both knowledge and direct realization. It's a sequenced, workable approach rather than an all-at-once demand — start where change is most attainable.
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः।।3.42।।
indriyāṇi parāṇyāhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
Word-for-Word Translation
indriyāṇi—senses; parāṇi—superior; āhuḥ—are said; indriyebhyaḥ—than the senses; param—superior; manaḥ—the mind; manasaḥ—than the mind; tu—but; parā—superior; buddhiḥ—intellect; yaḥ—who; buddheḥ—than the intellect; parataḥ—more superior; tu—but; saḥ—that (soul)
Meaning
They say that the senses are superior to the body; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and He (the Self) is superior even to the intellect.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains this hierarchy of senses, mind, and intellect as leading finally to the soul itself, which is superior to all of them; yet he stresses that even knowing the self is not sufficient by itself, because the soul must further engage in the transcendental service of the Lord to be fully situated in its constitutional position. Intelligence fixed in Krishna consciousness, Prabhupada notes, is what actually allows one to conquer the insatiable enemy of desire, since knowledge of the self without connection to Krishna remains incomplete.
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्।।3.43।।
evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā sanstabhyātmānam ātmanā
jahi śhatruṁ mahā-bāho kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam
Word-for-Word Translation
evam—thus; buddheḥ—than the intellect; param—superior; buddhvā—knowing; sanstabhya—subdue; ātmānam—the lower self (senses, mind, and intellect); ātmanā—by higher self (soul); jahi—kill; śhatrum—the enemy; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; kāma-rūpam—in the form of desire; durāsadam—formidable
Meaning
Thus, knowing Him who is superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.
Explanation
Prabhupada explains that this final instruction — to know the self beyond the intellect, steady the mind by spiritual intelligence, and thus slay the formidable enemy of desire — can only be accomplished by the strength one receives from Krishna, since the individual self alone is not powerful enough to defeat this enemy through personal endeavor. The whole chapter's teaching on karma yoga therefore culminates here in Krishna consciousness: work performed in surrender to the Supreme, with intelligence fixed on Him, is what finally frees one from the grip of lust and anger.