Sastra Caksusa

seeing through the eyes of scriptures

TEXT 9

yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah tad-artham karma kaunteya mukta-sangah samacara

SYNONYMS

yajna-arthat--only for the sake of Yajna, or Visnu; karmanah--work done; anyatra--otherwise; lokah--this world; ayam--this; karma-bandhanah--bondage by work; tat--Him; artham--for the sake; karma--work; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; mukta-sangah--liberated from association; samacara--do perfectly.

TRANSLATION

Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.

PURPORT

Since one has to work even for the simple maintenance of the body, the prescribed duties for a particular social position and quality are so made that that purpose can be fulfilled. Yajna means Lord Visnu, or sacrificial performances. All sacrificial performances also are meant for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu. The Vedas enjoin: yajno vai visnuh. In other words, the same purpose is served whether one performs prescribed yajnas or directly serves Lord Visnu. Krsna consciousness is therefore performance of yajna as it is prescribed in this verse. The varnasrama institution also aims at this for satisfying Lord Visnu. "Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman/visnur aradhyate....." (Visnu Purana 3.8.8). Therefore one has to work for the satisfaction of Visnu. Any other work done in this material world will be a cause of bondage, for both good and evil work have their reactions, and any reaction binds the performer. Therefore, one has to work in Krsna consciousness to satisfy Krsna (or Visnu); and while performing such activities one is in a liberated stage. This is the great art of doing work, and in the beginning this process requires very expert guidance. One should therefore act very diligently, under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Krsna, or under the direct instruction of Lord Krsna Himself (under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work). Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Krsna. This practice will not only save one from the reaction of work, but will also gradually elevate one to transcendental loving service of the Lord, which alone can raise one to the kingdom of God.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

“The smrti scriptures say that one is bound by actions: karmana badhyate jantuh. (Mahabharata 12.241.7) Therefore, I will become bound by performing actions.”

“No, action offered to the Supreme Lord does not bind one.” That is explained in this verse.

“Dharma offered to Visnu without personal desire is called yajna. Persons become bound by karma by any other actions for any other purpose. Therefore you should perform actions for the perfection of such dharma.”

“But even if I perform actions which are offered to Visnu, if I perform them with desires, then I will still become bound.”

“One should become devoid of the desire for results (mukta sangah).”

Thus the Lord spoke to Uddhava:

sva-dharma-stho yajan yajnair anasih-kama uddhava na yati svarga-narakau yady anyan na samacaret

asmil loke vartamanah sva-dharma-stho ‘naghah sucih jnanam visuddham apnoti mad-bhaktim va yadrcchaya

My dear Uddhava, a person who is situated in his prescribed duty, properly worshiping by Vedic sacrifices but not desiring the fruitive result of such worship, will not go to the heavenly planets; similarly, by not performing forbidden activities he will not go to hell.

One who is situated in his prescribed duty, free from sinful activities and cleansed of material contamination, in this very life obtains transcendental knowledge or, by fortune, devotional service unto Me. SB 11.20.10-11

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Visnuswami
Sridhara Swami's Commentary

Everyone in the world is locked and  bound  to  the  material  existence  by actions. The renunciates state that: since all actions lead to bondage  they should not be performed. But refuting this Lord Krishna states  yagna-artaht that sacrifices done for the Supreme Lord without expectation of reward  are exempt  from  bondage.  This  is  confirmed   in   the   Tattitrya   Samhita I.VII.XXXXIV that sacrifice is non-different from the Supreme Lord. But  for all other actions not sanctioned by worship to Him and not  offered  to  Him the result is bondage. Therefore actions should be  performed  in  this  way without desires with firm faith and dedication to the Supreme Lord.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Madhvacarya
Madhvacarya's Commentary

Living entities are bound to the material existence by their  actions.  This bondage by actions is spoken of very clearly in the Vedic  scriptures.  Here Lord Krishna states yagna-arthat meaning actions that are  performed  as  an offering for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord  without  desiring  reward are the only actions which are free  from  bondage.  This  is  the  purport. Lord Krishna also states mukta-sangah meaning free from attachment which  is the qualifying statement. Inappropriate are actions that crave  desires  due to attachment.  Appropriate are actions  that  are  free  from  desires  and attachment. All actions should be performed as a sacrifice  to  the  Supreme Lord and no sacrifice  should  ever  be  performed  with  an  intention  for reward. These statements and others are given in the Upanisads.

Now begins the summary.

The statements of living entities being bound to material  nature  by  their actions refers to actions which are contrary to divinity  and  righteousness as delineated in Vedic scriptures. Jaya is a name given to  the  resplendent Supreme Lord and this name means glory. According to the Barkashruti in  the word Jaya the Ya signifies yagna. Therefore yagna is the performance of  the prescribed activities given in the Vedic scriptures for the satisfaction  of the Supreme Lord.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Ramanuja
Ramanuja's Commentary

Instead of working hard to acquire funds for self  gratification  endeavours which causes one to bound in the material  existence.  Activities  performed as an offering to the Supreme Lord known as yagna  or  sacrifice  should  be performed which are not bound to the material nature. Lord Krishna uses  the word sanga which means attachment this means that attachment will  be  there when the action is undertaken for self service but as  an  offering  to  the Supreme Lord one is free from  such  ulterior  motivations.  All  activities when done as an offering to the Supreme Lord with  anticipating  any  reward become consecrated through yagna or acts of worship done  for  the  pleasure of  atma-purusha,  the  Supreme  Lord  internally  within  the   heart   and externally pervading  all  existence.  The  Supreme  Lord  recognising  such devotion will mitigate all  the  sins  and  the  merits  from  such  offered actions which bind  one  to  receiving  punishment  or  rewards  since  time immemorial and neutralising them direct one from inside, and following  this path with very little difficulty one can  achieve  self-realisation.  It  is now shown that all persons of every segment  of  society  without  exception must nourish  themselves  by  food  offered  as  yagna  consecrated  worship exclusively and that sins are imbibed by all those who do not do so.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Nimbaditya
Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

As is revealed in many passages in the Vedic scriptures  that: One who has realised the effulgent Supreme Lord  becomes  free from  all  bondage.  The  smrti  scriptures  also  state  that jivas, living entities are bound by actions and  declare  that all actions are ropes of bondage. So  Arjuna  might  postulate why he is being motivated  to  execute  actions.  Anticipating this Lord Krishna states in this verse:  yagna-arthat  meaning acts of sacrifice. Everyone is bound by their actions but  the actions that are prescribed in  the  Vedic  scriptures  as  an offerring to the  Supreme  Lord  cause  no  bondage.   Actions performed according to the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures is declared as sacrifice and verily is non-different from  the Supreme Lord Himself. So with firm faith and proper  procedure one should do their duty for the sake of the Supreme and  make it an offerring without  attachment  as  propitiation  to  the Supreme Lord.

Views: 339

Comment by Paramananda das on March 4, 2014 at 2:29am

bookchanges :

111 Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, 
  > otherwise work binds one to this material world. 
  > Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties 
  > for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always 
  > remain unattached and free from bondage. has been changes into:
Comment by Paramananda das on March 4, 2014 at 2:30am

Bg 3.9

109 
110 TEXT 9
111 
112 TRANSLATION
113 
114 Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, 
  > otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. 
  > Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties 
  > for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always 
  > remain free from bondage.
Comment by Paramananda das on March 4, 2014 at 2:35am

remain unattached has been removed , mukta sanga ...

In the purport some subtle changes are there as well see http://bookchanges.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Bg-Chapter-3-diff...

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