Bhagavad Gita · 3.29 · Path of Selfless Service·29 of 43
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु।तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥
prakṛiter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇa-karmasu
tān akṛitsna-vido mandān kṛitsna-vin na vichālayet
Sanskrit recitation
Lead by how you live · 3.17–3.29 · Teaching
Translation
Those deluded by the qualities of Nature are attached to the functions of the qualities. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish one who is of imperfect knowledge.
Meaning
The ignorant people do action with the expectation of fruits. The wise people who have the knowledge of the Self should not distract the faith or conviction or belief of such ignorant persons. If they unsettle their minds they will give up actions and become victims of inertia. They will lead an idle life. They should be encouraged by the wise to do actions of the Sakama type (actions for the sake of their fruits) in the beginning. The wise ones should turn the minds of the ignorant by giving them gradual instructions on Karma Yoga (Yoga of selfless, desireless action) and its benefits, viz., purification of the heart that leads to the attainment of Selfrealisation.
After Swami Sivananda
Lead by how you live· 3.17–3.29→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 3.17But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self and is content in the Self alone, indeed there is nothing to do.
- 3.18For him, there is no interest whatsoever in what is done or not done; nor does he depend on any being for any purpose.
- 3.19Therefore, without attachment, always perform the actions that should be done; for by performing actions without attachment, one reaches the Supreme.
- 3.20Janaka and others attained perfection indeed through action alone; even with the intention of protecting the masses, you should perform action.
- 3.21Whatever a great man does, others also do; whatever he establishes as the standard, the world follows.
- 3.22There is nothing in the three worlds, O Arjuna, that needs to be done by Me, nor is there anything unattained that needs to be attained; yet I engage Myself in action.
- 3.23For, should I not ever engage myself in action, unwearied, people would in every way follow my path, O Arjuna.
- 3.24These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.
- 3.25As the ignorant act out of attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the wise act without attachment, wishing for the welfare of the world.
- 3.26Let no wise man unsettle the minds of ignorant people who are attached to action; he should engage them in all actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion.
- 3.27All actions are wrought in all cases by the qualities of Nature alone. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the doer."
- 3.28But he who knows the Truth, O mighty-armed Arjuna, about the divisions of the qualities and their functions, knowing that the Gunas, as senses, move amidst the Gunas, as the sense-objects, is not attached.
3.29Those deluded by the qualities of Nature are attached to the functions of the qualities. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish one who is of imperfect knowledge.
Word-by-word→
- tān
- those
- guṇa
- by the modes of material nature
- mandān
- the ignorant
- sajjante
- become attached
- kṛitsna-vit
- persons with knowledge
- prakṛiteḥ
- of material nature
- guṇa-karmasu
- to results of actions
- na vichālayet
- should not unsettle
- sammūḍhāḥ
- deluded
- akṛitsna-vidaḥ
- persons without knowledge
Related verses
- 3.1Arjuna said: If Thou thinkest that knowledge is superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O…
- 3.3The Blessed Lord said, "In this world, there is a twofold path, as I said before, O…
- 3.18For him, there is no interest whatsoever in what is done or not done; nor does he depend…
- 3.24These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion…