Chapter 3

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Bhagavad Gita Third Chapter Summary

In Gita Chapter 3, Verses 1–2, Arjuna asks, "O Janardana! If You consider wisdom (knowledge) to be superior to action, then why are You misleading me? Please give me clear advice so that I may attain well-being. Your words seem contradictory. These two-sided (ambiguous) statements are putting me in a state of delusion."

Description of Worship Contrary to Scriptures (Whimsical Conduct)

In Gita Chapter 3, Verses 3–8, the Lord says, "O Sinless one (Arjuna)! In this world, the wise consider knowledge to be superior, and the yogis consider the path of action (Karma Yoga). Yet, there is no one who can remain without performing action. Inactivity is impossible, and the goal cannot be achieved merely by renouncing actions."

The essence of Chapter 3, Verse 4 regarding "actionlessness" (Nishkarmata) is this: if a person needs to harvest an acre of ripe wheat, they must begin the act of cutting; only by completing the task will the work cease to exist. In this way, actionlessness is achieved only through the completion of the task. Similarly, only by starting the devotional actions according to the injunctions of the scriptures will the task of attaining God be completed. Only then will "actionlessness" be achieved, as no further task will remain.

If one does not perform devotional actions, this Trigun Maya (Rajgun-Brahma, Satgun-Vishnu, and Tamgun-Shiva) will forcibly engage the soul in other useless tasks. By nature, the three qualities arising from nature (Prakriti)—Raj-Brahma, Sat-Vishnu, and Tam-Shiva—compel the living being to act.

Under the influence of the qualities emanating from these three deities, a soul performs actions such as gambling, consuming intoxicants like alcohol, theft, looting, adultery, and committing sins for the sake of accumulating wealth, such as adulteration and fraud. Until a human (man or woman) takes refuge in a Complete Guru, they are like a boat without a boatman (Khewatiya), which is tossed about by gusts of wind, water currents, and the flow of the river. Such a boat eventually gets trapped in a whirlpool and is destroyed.

When a human comes under the refuge of a Complete Satguru, they become a boat with a boatman. The Satguru, acting as the boatman, does not let the soul-boat drift or wander aimlessly in the ocean of the world. With His skill, He guides it and safely delivers it to the other shore.

Those who have not found a Complete Guru, the self-willed devotees (Manmukhi seekers), forcibly restrain their sense organs and sit in one place for meditation; however, their minds remain dominated by the influence of the cognitive senses. Such people appear to be in a state of trance (Samadhi) out of hypocrisy and showmanship. They are pretenders. In truth, meditation is not achieved by merely renouncing action. One should continue to perform necessary duties while using knowledge to keep the mind and senses engaged in good deeds. It is superior to perform actions as prescribed in the scriptures. If you do not perform worldly duties, how will your livelihood (sustenance of the family) be maintained?

In Gita Chapter 3, Verse 9, it is stated that religious acts (Yagya) performed with a selfless motive and in accordance with the scriptures are beneficial. One who performs actions other than Yagya—such as religious rituals, the five great sacrifices, and chanting the divine Name—and instead indulges in gambling, alcohol, tobacco, meat-eating, watching films, slandering, or adultery, becomes bound by his karmas. Therefore, perform your dutiful actions as described in the scriptures for the sake of God.

Special Note: The aforementioned Gita Chapter 3, Verses 6 to 9, collectively prohibit Hatha Yoga (stubbornly sitting in a special posture in a secluded place and closing ears and eyes). Instead, they emphasize that performing spiritual practice according to the method described in the scriptures is superior. Every holy scripture describes a system of devotion where one chants the Name and performs Yagyas while simultaneously carrying out worldly duties.

Evidence:

• Holy Gita Chapter 8, Verse 13: It is stated that for the remembrance of me, Brahm, there is only one syllable, "OM" (ॐ). He who chants this until his final breath, even while performing his daily tasks, attains the "Param Gati" (supreme state) related to me.
• Chapter 8, Verse 7: It says, "Remember me at all times and fight as well." In this way, by obeying my command—performing spiritual practice while doing worldly work—you will attain me. Although the Gita Speaker describes his own "Param Gati" as "Ati Ashreshtha" (extremely inferior/useless) in Chapter 7, Verse 18, this is nonetheless the prescribed method for Brahm-sadhana.
• Chapter 8, Verses 8 to 10: The giver of the Gita's knowledge says that one should worship that Supreme God—the Param Akshar Brahm mentioned in Chapter 8, Verse 3. Further details of this Complete God are given in Chapter 8, Verses 8-10, Chapter 18, Verse 62, Chapter 15, Verses 1, 4, and 17. The protocol for Him is the same: a seeker who receives initiation from a Tattvadarshi Saint (Enlightened Saint), chants the Name while performing worldly duties, and eventually leaves the body, attains that Supreme Divine Being (Complete God).
  • The mention of a Tattvadarshi Saint is found in Gita Chapter 4, Verse 34.
  • The identity of a Tattvadarshi Saint is found in Gita Chapter 15, Verse 1.
  • The same evidence is provided in the Holy Yajurveda, Chapter 40, Mantras 10 and 13.

Essence of Yajurveda Chapter 40, Mantra 10:

The Brahm who spoke the Holy Vedas said that regarding the Complete God, some say He manifests as an incarnation (has a form/Aakaar), while others say He never takes birth as an incarnation (is formless/Nirakaar). The Tattva-gyan (True Knowledge) of that Complete God will only be explained by "Dheeranam" (Tattvadarshi Saints). Only they can reveal what the body of the Complete God is truly like and how He manifests. "Listen to the complete information about the Supreme God from Tattvadarshi Saints; even I, the Brahm who gives the knowledge of the Vedas, do not know it."

Nevertheless, while explaining his own method of worship in Chapter 40, Mantra 15, Brahm says: "Chant my mantra OM (ॐ) while working; remember me with special faith and recognize this remembrance as the primary duty of human life. By doing this, after death—i.e., upon leaving the body—you will attain the immortality (Supreme State) related to me." This refers to the subtle body gaining some strength and becoming "immortal" for a limited time, leading to heaven or the great heaven (Brahm-lok), before eventually returning to the cycle of birth and death.