SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
yagyArthAth karmaNO’nyathra lOkO’yam karmabandhana: |
thadhartham karma kaunthEya mukthasanga: samAchara ||
word-by-word meaning
yagyArthAth karmaNa: anyathra – Only when engaging in actions other than those which are meant for yagya
ayam lOka: – this world
karma bandhana: – becomes bound by karma
(Thus)
hE kaunthEya – Oh arjuna!
thadhartham – those which are part of yagya
karma – karmas (actions)
mukthasanga: – devoid of attachment
samAchara: – you perform
Simple Translation
Only when engaging in actions other than those which are meant for yagya, this world becomes bound by karma. (Thus) Oh arjuna! You perform those karmas (actions) which are part of yagya, devoid of attachment.
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Outside Yajña [1. From yaja=deva-pujāyām=the Sacrifices; or the formulated holy rites of Divine Worship, daily, occassional, etc. Throughout, it is the postulation of the Law of Sacrifice. For praises of Yajña, see 49th and 50th Anuvākas, Tait: Up: Nārāyaṇam.]-intended work, the world becomes work-bound. With that object, Kaunteya!, do work, void of attachment.’
Instead of work, such as that of acquiring money required to enable one to perform the śāstra-bid Yajñas [2. From yaja=deva-pujāyām=the Sacrifices; or the formulated holy rites of Divine Worship, daily, occassional, etc. Throughout, it is the postulation of the Law of Sacrifice. For praises of Yajña, see 49th and 50th Anuvākas, Tait: Up: Nārāyaṇam.], works for selfish ends are inaugurated. It is the latter by which the world (men) becomes bound. Hence engage in works, such as getting money, for the sake of the Yajñas[3. From yaja=deva-pujāyām=the Sacrifices; or the formulated holy rites of Divine Worship, daily, occassional, etc. Throughout, it is the postulation of the Law of Sacrifice. For praises of Yajña, see 49th and 50th Anuvākas, Tait: Up: Nārāyaṇam.].
Sanga or attachment comes, when work is undertaken for self-service (ātma-prayojana). Free from such motive, go to work.
All labour, when solely spent in the service of the Yajñas[4. From yaja=deva-pujāyām=the Sacrifices; or the formulated holy rites of Divine Worship, daily, occassional, etc. Throughout, it is the postulation of the Law of Sacrifice. For praises of Yajña, see 49th and 50th Anuvākas, Tait: Up: Nārāyaṇam.], becomes consecrated, through the Yajñas[5. From yaja=deva-pujāyām=the Sacrifices; or the formulated holy rites of Divine Worship, daily, occassional, etc. Throughout, it is the postulation of the Law of Sacrifice. For praises of Yajña, see 49th and 50th Anuvākas, Tait: Up: Nārāyaṇam.], as acts of Worship done to please the Supreme Spirit (Parama-purusha). He (God) will then efface all the deeds (sin and merit) of the immemorial past, binding the man, and point out the way how, with little trouble, one can achieve ātmā-cognition.
It is now shown that all persons of every ambition, without exception, must support existence by yajña-consecrated food only; and that sin is incurred by those who do not do so.
archived in http://githa.koyil.org
pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.