3.26 na budhdhi bhEdham janayEdh

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 3

<< Chapter 3 verse 25

SlOkam – Original

na budhdhi bhEdham janayEdh agyAnAm karmasanginAm |
jOshayEth sarvakarmANi vidhvAn yuktha: samAcharan ||

word-by-word meaning

agyAnAm – not aware of the nature of AthmA in full
karmasanginAm – for the mumukshus who are connected to karma
budhdhi bhEdham – change in intelligence (that there is another means to self-realisation apart from karma yOga)
na janayEth – should not create
vidhvAn – Being well aware of the nature of AthmA in full
yuktha: – with intelligence (that karma yOga itself can be means for self-realisation without the assistance of gyAna yOga)
samAcharan – practicing karma yOga properly
sarva karmANi jOshayEth – should bring happiness in all activities (to those who practice karma yOga)

Simple Translation

For the mumukshus who are connected to karma and are not aware of the nature of AthmA in full, one should not create change in intelligence (that there is another means to self-realisation apart from karma yOga); one should be well aware of the nature of AthmA in full with intelligence (that karma yOga itself can be means for self-realisation without the assistance of gyAna yOga), should bring happiness in all activities by practicing karma yOga properly.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Let not be unsettled, the mind of the unwise,
attached to works. Let the wise heartily (yuktaḥ) enter into works, to encourage them.’

The unwise (avidvāmsaḥ): are the unlearned in all the wisdom concerning ātmā.

Attached to works: are those who wed themselves to works entirely, who lacking knowledge of ātmā, are unable to take up jñāna; or those who are but fitted to walk the Path of Works, which to them is the sole Means by which to achieve ātmā-illumination.

Let the wise man also behave like the work-attached person, albeit his possession of full ātmā-knowledge, and albeit absence of interest for him in the result of works, and who is fit to walk in the Path of jñāna-yoga. For,

He is looked up to by the world as the best pattern for imitation. To profit the world therefore, by dictating to it the principles of right and wrong, he must set a personal example; which is, by himself treading the Path of Works.

The unwise are the moksha-aspirants, who ignorant of a thorough knowledge of ātmā, are incapable of adopting the jñāna-yoga method.

They are work-attached (karma-sangiṇaḥ): or those who from the persistence of past habits of doing works, have inherited the same tendencies, fitting them for that Path (Karma-Yoga).

Let not the intention of such people be unhinged by preaching to them the existence of other methods—besides karma-yoga-by which ātmā-cognition may be accomplished.

What the wise man has to do in these circumstances, is to seem as if, like the work-attached persons, he is at one heartily (yuktaḥ) with them for work, and that Karma-yoga alone, with no extraneous help of Jñāna-yoga is sufficient to lead to ātmā-illumination.

By taking the lead thus in the Karma-Path, he must inspire other people with love for good works (so that eventually they may become competent to take higher steps and reach perfection).

The difference between how the wise man practices Karma-Yoga, —and how the unwise man—, having been pointed out, the doctrine of how one may act, and yet contemplate on disownment of responsibility as actor, is now inculcated.—

>> Chapter 3 verse 27

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