यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धन: |
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्ग: समाचर || 9||
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara
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
Translation:
O Arjuna! Works other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice (Yajna) binds this world. So perform work for sacrifice without attachment.
Commentary:
The teacher of the Gita dives new interpretations to familiarise with terms like yajna, sannyasa, tyaga etc. Ordinarily, yajna means a certain form of ritual, accompanied with the sacred fire, oblations, mantras and tantras, and other rites. The Lord defines the word as an act performed with no selfish motive for the service or humanity. Whatever may be the scope of work, great or small, if it is done as an act of dedication to God and service to beings, it becomes a yajna. This is within the capability of all men to perform and acquire merit. Generally, it is a mistaken view to think that karma binds men to Samsara. And even if it is good work, man has to be born again and again to enjoy the fruits of such karma. They argue that karma should be given up. But the Lord clears this misconception. When karma is done with the desire of enjoying its fruits, it binds man to the wheel of birth and death. What is done without desire and attachment cannot bind man. On the other hand, it purifies the mind and heart and leads to ultimate freedom.
Work done with attachment binds; the same work performed without attachment, liberates. Work performed as dedicated to God or as service to mankind liberates. So there is nothing evil in work as such. The evil lies in the personal motive behind it – the desire for reward and enjoyment. The Lord exhorts Arjuna to work intensely (samachara). But he wants his disciple to understand the principle behind work. One should understand it correctly and go into action. Otherwise he is caught in the meshes of karma. The law of work is thus explained here. 1. Yajna should be done as an act of dedication to God and as a service to humanity. 2. Yajna should be done without any attachment for the fruits thereof. Work done in this spirit, though it is of a common quality is transformed into a great yajna. Work then becomes worthier. It purifies and liberates.
How to serve without attachment
… Swami Sadananda recalled: “Once in the northwest I was on my way to meet a brother disciple. I was supposed to arrive in the evening, but the train was delayed and I did not arrive until midnight. Instead of disturbing anybody at that hour, I slept on the veranda of a dharamshala. In the morning, I found a leprosy patient lying next to me. At first I felt some hesitation, but then by the grace of the guru, the thought of Swamiji spontaneously arose in my mind. I said to myself: ‘Lord Shiva Himself is lying beside me in the form of this leper to receive my service!’ Soon I managed to heat up some water, and with a clean piece of cloth I cleaned his blisters. When I later reached my brother disciple, I arranged for some medical help and a good diet for that man for a few days.”
Swami Sadananda said: “Through such service, the heart expands so much that after experiencing it once, one does not want to lose that joy of service. Simply carrying on one’s duties monotonously as a routine will not do. Unless one feels that he is worshipping Lord Shiva Himself through his work, he will end up with a dry feeling. Moreover, egotism and pride will raise their heads, and there will be factionalism. Swamiji made this idea firm in my mind. Serve, but after the work is finished, contemplate and meditate on God. The mind should not think of that work again. This is service done without attachment.” (Source: Stories of Vedanta Monks – Volume II by Swami Chetanananda)
“Work should be looked upon as a Yajna, a sacrifice. The whole work should be done perfectly, even as one would perform a sacrifice. Every work should be considered a spiritual discipline, a means to God-realization. Only thus will character be formed.” …..
…..”To be successful in any work, you must look upon the work itself as your ideal. You may have a fancy for a work for a day or two and then give it up as soon as it loses charm. This is no good. Shashi Maharaj (Swami Ramakrishnananda) demonstrated in his life how to work. For sixteen years he followed the same routine in the same place. Some-times his sufferings became so intense that he abused Shri Ramakrishna and Swamiji in the strongest language. Still he did not give up the work entrusted to him.”
“Work for work’s sake. Your whole mind should be fixed upon the work. Let that be your ideal, the be-all and end-all of life. Never mind success or failure.” — Swami Turiyananda (Source: Spiritual Talks by the First Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna)
Swami Turiyananda(Referring to D. who was present): “He is daily going down into Tamas, becoming more and more lazy in the name of spiritual progress. They think that inaction in itself is the ideal. If it be so, why, then the wall also should be considered to have attained Samadhi. Should not one transcend all dualities? To maintain one’s mental balance under all circumstances, to remain absolutely unmoved – that indeed is the goal!
“Worship of Narayana-how exquisite! This is the characteristic of the present age. Meditation and work both are excellent, if properly done. They are equally good.
“The idea once prevailed that Swamiji has preached differently from Shri Ramakrishna. That idea is considerably discredited now. Practice of medicine is bad if you seek remuneration. Selflessly done, it leads to salvation. They say that work binds. Well, if it binds, it also unbinds. What kind of meditation is this, half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening! Must not there be an uninterrupted flow throughout the day? Closing eyes for a few minutes and spending the remaining day in gossip! One must try long and hard, only then can one have realization.
“As you sow, so you reap. If you want anything, start seeking it at once. You may not be able to do the best, but do as best as you can. Now or never!” (Source: Spiritual Talks by the First Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna)
Swami Turiyananda: “Work done in the spirit of service can lead one as surely to the goal as meditation and Japa.
“The Gitâ read between the lines, is found to emphasize work. There is a deeper meaning behind its saying that the Jnâni has no work to do. It means that he has not, like the ordinary worker, any egoistic feeling attached to his work.
“All those old ideas that the Sannyasin should renounce all works except begging, can no more satisfy us, especially after we have been enlightened by the life and teachings of the Master and Swamiji. They have thrown a new light on these things, they have given a new expression to the ancient light.”
Hearing that a certain work was incon-venienced for want of a trained worker, the Swami said, “Never mind. Do your best. Work yourself to death, if need be. Nothing but good will come of it.
“I am against our work being done by paid men. Better you wind it up…. Go on working, ready to sacrifice even life for the Master’s work. I am sure he will provide all necessary help in time. Do not worry.
“I do not at all like the idea of separating work from worship. Work is worship. All work is His service. I have seen that people who practise austerities in solitude often become selfish. But the worker has to mix and live with many for the sake of his work and has thus to cultivate patience, sympathy, love, and selflessness. Besides Upasana (worship) also is work, and its fruits also have to be dedicated to the Lord.” (Source: Spiritual Talks by the First Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna)
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3 🔻 (43 Verses)
Question: What kind of work does not bind?
Answer: Work dedicated to God and humanity, and performed without desire for its fruits, does not cause bondage.
