Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga

This is after a very long hiatus, we continue our journey into the world of Bhagavad Gita. So far we have covered Chapter - 2. As said earlier chapter 2 is a summary for the entire Gita. In fact, I have continued reading Gita and have reached Bhakti Yoga (Chapter 12). And the idea pervasive throughout is: Sankya and Karma are two ways to attain nirvana. Sankya is the way of so called sanyasi and Karma is the way of action; action with no desire for its result. I read the same in Chapter 12 when Bhagavan says:

shreyo hi jnanamabhyaasaath

jnanadhyanam vishishyathay

dhyanath karmaphalathyaga

sthyagath shantinarantharam

Meaning: Jnana (Knowledge) is superior to action (with no knowledge). Dhyanam is superior to mere knowledge. Much superior to mere dhyana is the karma devoid of desire for results. And this denouncing of desire for results leads to peace very soon.

This was just a recap on the points discussed till now and to reinstate the fact that it is not wearing of saffron or denouncing family life, that alone can lead to niravana; but you can still doing your karma accroding to your dharma and still attain nirvana. So do your karma according to your dharma as parent, child, sister, brother, cousin, grandchild, friend, lover etc. But these actions should not be with a desire for results. We should love but still have a sense of dettachment. Seems very difficult but does not actually look impossible.

So to understand the Karma Yoga more we step into Chapter 3 - Karma yoga.

Arjuna asks

jayasi cheth karmanasthay

matha budhirjanardhana

tath kim karmani ghoray maam

niyojayasi kesava

Meaning: hey kesava, if you say jnana is superior to karma, then why do you want me to do this horrendous karma (war) ?

Sri Bagavan uvacha

lokesmin dwivividha nishta

pura prokhtha mayanagha

jnanayogena saankhyaanaam

karmayogena yoginaam

Meaning: I have preached two ways for the people in the world - Jnanayoga and karma yoga.

na karmanam na arambaath

naishkarmyam purushoshnuthay

na cha sanyasanadeva

sidhim samadhigathchathi

Meaning: Man cannot attain a state of "absence of karma" by resorting to inaction. Also, mere sanyasa does not mean somebody has attained siddhi or perfection

niyatham kuru karma thwam

karma jyayo hyakarmanah

shareerayaatrapi cha thay

na prasidhyeydkarmanah

Meaning: You definitely do your karma. Karma here refers to "Niyatha Karma" or bounden duty of an individual in his home or office. As action is better than inaction. and if you do not do karma, you may not be even able to sustain your body

yagnarthath karmanonyathra

lokoyam karmabandana

thadhartham karma kountheya

mukhtasangah samachara

Meaning: Hey kounteya (son of kunti), those karma which are done without a sense of yagna OR as yagna OR for yagna leads to bondage. So we need to do karma or action as a self sarifice for the benefit of all, without selfish interests. It can also be interpreted that Karma should be an offeing to God (God = Yagna).