Bhagavad Gita 3.7यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥
yas tvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate ’rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam asaktaḥ sa viśhiṣhyate
Sanskrit recitation
Why act at all · 3.1–3.9 · Teaching
Translation
But whoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels.
Hindi translation
हे अर्जुन! जो मनुष्य मनसे इन्द्रियोंपर नियन्त्रण करके आसक्तिरहित होकर (निष्काम भावसे) समस्त इन्द्रियोंके द्वारा कर्मयोगका आचरण करता है, वही श्रेष्ठ है।
Meaning
If anyone performs actions with his organs of action (viz., hands, feet, organ of speech, etc.) controlling the organs of knowledge by the mind, and without expectation of the fruits of the actions and without egoism, he is certainly more worthy than the other who is a hypocrite or a man of false conduct. (Cf.II.64,68IV.21).The five organs of knowledge are the eyes, the ears, the nose, the skin and the sense of taste (tongue).
After Swami Sivananda
Why act at all· 3.1–3.9→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 3.1Arjuna said: If Thou thinkest that knowledge is superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O…
- 3.2With this seemingly perplexing speech, you seem to be confusing my understanding;…
- 3.3The Blessed Lord said, "In this world, there is a twofold path, as I said before, O…
- 3.4Man does not reach actionlessness by not performing actions; nor does he attain perfection…
- 3.5Verily, no one can remain for even a moment without performing action; for everyone is…
- 3.6He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in his mind,…
3.7But whoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga…
- 3.8Perform your bounden duty, for action is superior to inaction, and even the maintenance of…
- 3.9The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do…
Word-by-word→
- tu
- but
- saḥ
- they
- yaḥ
- who
- arjuna
- Arjun
- manasā
- by the mind
- niyamya
- control
- asaktaḥ
- without attachment
- ārabhate
- begins
- karma-yogam
- karm yog
- indriyāṇi
- the senses
- viśhiṣhyate
- are superior
- karma-indriyaiḥ
- by the working senses
Related verses
- 18.57Mentally renouncing all actions in Me, having Me as the highest goal, and resorting to the…
- 2.33But if you will not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned your own duty and…
- 3.19Therefore, without attachment, always perform the actions that should be done; for by…
- 13.15Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without being attached to them;…