Bhagavad Gita 3.9

Chapter 3, Verse 9

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः। तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर॥

Transliteration

yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara

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.

Word-by-word meaning

yajña-arthāt — for the sake of sacrificekarmaṇaḥ — than actionanyatra — elselokaḥ — material worldayam — thiskarma-bandhanaḥ — bondage through one’s worktat — thatartham — for the sake ofkarma — actionkaunteya — Arjun, the son of Kuntimukta-saṅgaḥ — free from attachmentsamāchara — perform properly

Commentary

Yajna means sacrifice or religious rite or any unselfish action done with a pure motive. It means also Isvara. The Taittiriya Samhita (of the Veda) says Yajna verily is Vishnu (174). If anyone does actions for the sake of the Lord, he is not bound. His heart is purified by performing actions for the sake of the Lord. Where this spirit of unselfishness does not govern the action, it will bind one to Samsara however good or glorious it may be. (Cf. II.48).

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 9?▼

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.

Which chapter and verse of the Bhagavad Gita is this?▼

This is verse 9 of Chapter 3 (Karm Yog — Path of Selfless Service) of the Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of 18 chapters and 700 verses spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.