{"id":4533,"date":"2026-09-16T20:16:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:46:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/bhagavad-gita-chapter-3-karma-yoga-iast\/"},"modified":"2026-09-19T03:01:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T21:31:58","slug":"bhagavad-gita-chapter-3-karma-yoga-iast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/bhagavad-gita-chapter-3-karma-yoga-iast\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 in English IAST: Karma Yoga"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u0cb2\u0cbf\u0caa\u0cbf \u00b7 \u0932\u093f\u092a\u093f\u0903 \u00b7 Script: \u0c95\u0ca8\u0ccd\u0ca8\u0ca1<\/a>  \u00b7  \u0938\u0902\u0938\u094d\u0915\u0943\u0924\u092e\u094d<\/a>  \u00b7  English IAST<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3: Karma Yoga<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Forty-three verses. The Gita’s answer to the question of whether to work or to withdraw is here.
Tap any verse card to open its page with the word-by-word meaning. Pages are ready for every verse of this chapter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

All eighteen chapters are listed here: \u015ar\u012bmad Bhagavad G\u012bt\u0101<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1<\/span>arjuna uv\u0101ca
jy\u0101yas\u012b cetkarma\u1e47aste mat\u0101 buddhirjan\u0101rdana|
tatki\u1e43 karma\u1e47i ghore m\u0101\u1e43 niyojayasi ke\u015bava || 1 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.1 \u2192<\/span><\/a>2<\/span>vy\u0101mi\u015bre\u1e47eva v\u0101kyena buddhi\u1e43 mohayas\u012bva me|
tadeka\u1e43 vada ni\u015bcitya yena \u015breyo’ham\u0101pnuy\u0101m || 2 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.2 \u2192<\/span><\/a>3<\/span>\u015br\u012bbhagav\u0101nuv\u0101ca
loke’smindvividh\u0101 ni\u1e63\u1e6dh\u0101 pur\u0101 prokt\u0101 may\u0101nagha|
j\u00f1\u0101nayogena s\u0101\u1e45khy\u0101n\u0101\u1e43 karmayogena yogin\u0101m || 3 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.3 \u2192<\/span><\/a>4<\/span>na karma\u1e47\u0101man\u0101rambh\u0101nnai\u1e63karmya\u1e43 puru\u1e63o’\u015bnute|
na ca sa\u1e43nyasan\u0101deva siddhi\u1e43 samadhigacchati || 4 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.4 \u2192<\/span><\/a>5<\/span>na hi ka\u015bcitk\u1e63a\u1e47amapi j\u0101tu ti\u1e63\u1e6dhatyakarmak\u1e5bt|
k\u0101ryate hyava\u015ba\u1e25 karma sarva\u1e25 prak\u1e5btijairgu\u1e47ai\u1e25 || 5 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.5 \u2192<\/span><\/a>6<\/span>karmendriy\u0101\u1e47i sa\u1e43yamya ya \u0101ste manas\u0101 smaran|
indriy\u0101rth\u0101nvim\u016b\u1e0dh\u0101tm\u0101 mithy\u0101c\u0101ra\u1e25 sa ucyate || 6 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.6 \u2192<\/span><\/a>7<\/span>yastvindriy\u0101\u1e47i manas\u0101 niyamy\u0101rabhate’rjuna|
karmendriyai\u1e25 karmayogamasakta\u1e25 sa vi\u015bi\u1e63yate || 7 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.7 \u2192<\/span><\/a>8<\/span>niyata\u1e43 kuru karma tva\u1e43 karma jy\u0101yo hyakarma\u1e47a\u1e25|
\u015bar\u012bray\u0101tr\u0101pi ca te na prasiddhyedakarma\u1e47a\u1e25 || 8 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.8 \u2192<\/span><\/a>9<\/span>yaj\u00f1\u0101rth\u0101tkarma\u1e47o’nyatra loko’ya\u1e43 karmabandhana\u1e25|
tadartha\u1e43 karma kaunteya muktasa\u1e45ga\u1e25 sam\u0101cara || 9 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.9 \u2192<\/span><\/a>10<\/span>sahayaj\u00f1\u0101\u1e25 praj\u0101\u1e25 s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6dv\u0101 purov\u0101ca praj\u0101pati\u1e25|
anena prasavi\u1e63yadhvame\u1e63a vo’stvi\u1e63\u1e6dak\u0101madhuk || 10 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.10 \u2192<\/span><\/a>11<\/span>dev\u0101nbh\u0101vayat\u0101nena te dev\u0101 bh\u0101vayantu va\u1e25|
paraspara\u1e43 bh\u0101vayanta\u1e25 \u015breya\u1e25 paramav\u0101psyatha || 11 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.11 \u2192<\/span><\/a>12<\/span>i\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101nbhog\u0101nhi vo dev\u0101 d\u0101syante yaj\u00f1abh\u0101vit\u0101\u1e25|
tairdatt\u0101naprad\u0101yaibhyo yo bhu\u1e45kte stena eva sa\u1e25 || 12 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.12 \u2192<\/span><\/a>13<\/span>yaj\u00f1a\u015bi\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101\u015bina\u1e25 santo mucyante sarvakilbi\u1e63ai\u1e25|
bhu\u00f1jate te tvagha\u1e43 p\u0101p\u0101 ye pacanty\u0101tmak\u0101ra\u1e47\u0101t || 13 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.13 \u2192<\/span><\/a>14<\/span>ann\u0101dbhavanti bh\u016bt\u0101ni parjany\u0101dannasambhava\u1e25|
yaj\u00f1\u0101dbhavati parjanyo yaj\u00f1a\u1e25 karmasamudbhava\u1e25 || 14 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.14 \u2192<\/span><\/a>15<\/span>karma brahmodbhava\u1e43 viddhi brahm\u0101k\u1e63arasamudbhavam|
tasm\u0101tsarvagata\u1e43 brahma nitya\u1e43 yaj\u00f1e prati\u1e63\u1e6dhitam || 15 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.15 \u2192<\/span><\/a>16<\/span>eva\u1e43 pravartita\u1e43 cakra\u1e43 n\u0101nuvartayat\u012bha ya\u1e25|
agh\u0101yurindriy\u0101r\u0101mo mogha\u1e43 p\u0101rtha sa j\u012bvati || 16 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.16 \u2192<\/span><\/a>17<\/span>yastv\u0101tmaratireva sy\u0101d\u0101tmat\u1e5bpta\u015bca m\u0101nava\u1e25|
\u0101tmanyeva ca santu\u1e63\u1e6dastasya k\u0101rya\u1e43 na vidyate || 17 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.17 \u2192<\/span><\/a>18<\/span>naiva tasya k\u1e5bten\u0101rtho n\u0101k\u1e5bteneha ka\u015bcana|
na c\u0101sya sarvabh\u016bte\u1e63u ka\u015bcidarthavyap\u0101\u015braya\u1e25 || 18 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.18 \u2192<\/span><\/a>19<\/span>tasm\u0101dasakta\u1e25 satata\u1e43 k\u0101rya\u1e43 karma sam\u0101cara|
asakto hy\u0101carankarma param\u0101pnoti p\u016bru\u1e63a\u1e25 || 19 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.19 \u2192<\/span><\/a>20<\/span>karma\u1e47aiva hi sa\u1e43siddhim\u0101sthit\u0101 janak\u0101daya\u1e25|
lokasa\u1e45grahamev\u0101pi sampa\u015byankartumarhasi || 20 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.20 \u2192<\/span><\/a>21<\/span>yadyad\u0101carati \u015bre\u1e63\u1e6dhastattadevetaro jana\u1e25|
sa yatpram\u0101\u1e47a\u1e43 kurute lokastadanuvartate || 21 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.21 \u2192<\/span><\/a>22<\/span>na me p\u0101rth\u0101sti kartavya\u1e43 tri\u1e63u loke\u1e63u ki\u00f1cana|
n\u0101nav\u0101ptamav\u0101ptavya\u1e43 varta eva ca karma\u1e47i || 22 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.22 \u2192<\/span><\/a>23<\/span>yadi hyaha\u1e43 na varteya\u1e43 j\u0101tu karma\u1e47yatandrita\u1e25|
mama vartm\u0101nuvartante manu\u1e63y\u0101\u1e25 p\u0101rtha sarva\u015ba\u1e25 || 23 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.23 \u2192<\/span><\/a>24<\/span>uts\u012bdeyurime lok\u0101 na kury\u0101\u1e43 karma cedaham|
sa\u1e45karasya ca kart\u0101 sy\u0101mupahany\u0101mim\u0101\u1e25 praj\u0101\u1e25 || 24 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.24 \u2192<\/span><\/a>25<\/span>sakt\u0101\u1e25 karma\u1e47yavidv\u0101\u1e43so yath\u0101 kurvanti bh\u0101rata|
kury\u0101dvidv\u0101\u1e43stath\u0101sakta\u015bcik\u012br\u1e63urlokasa\u1e45graham || 25 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.25 \u2192<\/span><\/a>26<\/span>na buddhibheda\u1e43 janayedaj\u00f1\u0101n\u0101\u1e43 karmasa\u1e45gin\u0101m|
jo\u1e63ayetsarvakarm\u0101\u1e47i vidv\u0101nyukta\u1e25 sam\u0101caran || 26 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.26 \u2192<\/span><\/a>27<\/span>prak\u1e5bte\u1e25 kriyam\u0101\u1e47\u0101ni gu\u1e47ai\u1e25 karm\u0101\u1e47i sarva\u015ba\u1e25|
aha\u1e45k\u0101ravim\u016b\u1e0dh\u0101tm\u0101 kart\u0101hamiti manyate || 27 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.27 \u2192<\/span><\/a>28<\/span>tattvavittu mah\u0101b\u0101ho gu\u1e47akarmavibh\u0101gayo\u1e25|
gu\u1e47\u0101 gu\u1e47e\u1e63u vartanta iti matv\u0101 na sajjate || 28 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.28 \u2192<\/span><\/a>29<\/span>prak\u1e5btergu\u1e47asamm\u016b\u1e0dh\u0101\u1e25 sajjante gu\u1e47akarmasu|
t\u0101nak\u1e5btsnavido mand\u0101nk\u1e5btsnavinna vic\u0101layet || 29 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.29 \u2192<\/span><\/a>30<\/span>mayi sarv\u0101\u1e47i karm\u0101\u1e47i sa\u1e43nyasy\u0101dhy\u0101tmacetas\u0101|
nir\u0101\u015b\u012brnirmamo bh\u016btv\u0101 yudhyasva vigatajvara\u1e25 || 30 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.30 \u2192<\/span><\/a>31<\/span>ye me matamida\u1e43 nityamanuti\u1e63\u1e6dhanti m\u0101nav\u0101\u1e25|
\u015braddh\u0101vanto’nas\u016byanto mucyante te’pi karmabhi\u1e25 || 31 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.31 \u2192<\/span><\/a>32<\/span>ye tvetadabhyas\u016byanto n\u0101nuti\u1e63\u1e6dhanti me matam|
sarvaj\u00f1\u0101navim\u016b\u1e0dh\u0101\u1e43st\u0101nviddhi na\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101nacetasa\u1e25 || 32 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.32 \u2192<\/span><\/a>33<\/span>sad\u1e5b\u015ba\u1e43 ce\u1e63\u1e6date svasy\u0101\u1e25 prak\u1e5bterj\u00f1\u0101nav\u0101napi|
prak\u1e5bti\u1e43 y\u0101nti bh\u016bt\u0101ni nigraha\u1e25 ki\u1e43 kari\u1e63yati || 33 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.33 \u2192<\/span><\/a>34<\/span>indriyasyendriyasy\u0101rthe r\u0101gadve\u1e63au vyavasthitau|
tayorna va\u015bam\u0101gacchettau hyasya paripanthinau || 34 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.34 \u2192<\/span><\/a>35<\/span>\u015brey\u0101nsvadharmo vigu\u1e47a\u1e25 paradharm\u0101tsvanu\u1e63\u1e6dhit\u0101t|
svadharme nidhana\u1e43 \u015breya\u1e25 paradharmo bhay\u0101vaha\u1e25 || 35 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.35 \u2192<\/span><\/a>36<\/span>arjuna uv\u0101ca
atha kena prayukto’ya\u1e43 p\u0101pa\u1e43 carati p\u016bru\u1e63a\u1e25|
anicchannapi v\u0101r\u1e63\u1e47eya bal\u0101diva niyojita\u1e25 || 36 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.36 \u2192<\/span><\/a>37<\/span>\u015br\u012bbhagav\u0101nuv\u0101ca
k\u0101ma e\u1e63a krodha e\u1e63a rajogu\u1e47asamudbhava\u1e25|
mah\u0101\u015bano mah\u0101p\u0101pm\u0101 viddhyenamiha vairi\u1e47am || 37 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.37 \u2192<\/span><\/a>38<\/span>dh\u016bmen\u0101vriyate vahniryath\u0101dar\u015bo malena ca|
yatholben\u0101v\u1e5bto garbhastath\u0101 tenedam\u0101v\u1e5btam || 38 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.38 \u2192<\/span><\/a>39<\/span>\u0101v\u1e5bta\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101nametena j\u00f1\u0101nino nityavairi\u1e47\u0101|
k\u0101mar\u016bpe\u1e47a kaunteya du\u1e63p\u016bre\u1e47\u0101nalena ca || 39 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.39 \u2192<\/span><\/a>40<\/span>indriy\u0101\u1e47i mano buddhirasy\u0101dhi\u1e63\u1e6dh\u0101namucyate|
etairvimohayatye\u1e63a j\u00f1\u0101nam\u0101v\u1e5btya dehinam || 40 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.40 \u2192<\/span><\/a>41<\/span>tasm\u0101ttvamindriy\u0101\u1e47y\u0101dau niyamya bharatar\u1e63abha|
p\u0101pm\u0101na\u1e43 prajahi hyena\u1e43 j\u00f1\u0101navij\u00f1\u0101nan\u0101\u015banam || 41 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.41 \u2192<\/span><\/a>42<\/span>indriy\u0101\u1e47i par\u0101\u1e47y\u0101hurindriyebhya\u1e25 para\u1e43 mana\u1e25|
manasastu par\u0101 buddhiryo buddhe\u1e25 paratastu sa\u1e25 || 42 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.42 \u2192<\/span><\/a>43<\/span>eva\u1e43 buddhe\u1e25 para\u1e43 buddhv\u0101 sa\u1e43stabhy\u0101tm\u0101nam\u0101tman\u0101|
jahi \u015batru\u1e43 mah\u0101b\u0101ho k\u0101mar\u016bpa\u1e43 dur\u0101sadam || 43 ||<\/span><\/span>Meaning of verse 3.43 \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

o\u1e43 tatsaditi \u015br\u012bmadbhagavadg\u012bt\u0101s\u016bpani\u1e63atsu brahmavidy\u0101y\u0101\u1e43 yoga\u015b\u0101stre \u015br\u012bk\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47\u0101rjunasa\u1e43v\u0101de karmayogo n\u0101ma t\u1e5bt\u012byo’dhy\u0101ya\u1e25 ||<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

About Karma Yoga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The second chapter ended with the description of the person of steady wisdom. Hearing it, a natural doubt rises in Arjuna: if understanding is the higher thing, why this terrible war? The third chapter opens not with a question but with that protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole chapter turns on one point: nobody becomes free of work by giving up work. What has to be given up is not the work but the grip on it. To make that case the Gita offers three kinds of support: argument, the example of good men, and Krishna’s own conduct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the chapter moves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Verses 1 to 8: Arjuna’s protest, the answer of the two standings, and the statement that nobody can stay even a moment without acting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 9 to 16: Sacrifice and the wheel of the world. The life of one who breaks the circle of giving and receiving is wasted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 17 to 24: The state of one who needs nothing, the holding together of the world, the example of Janaka, and Krishna putting himself forward as the example.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 25 to 35: Do not unsettle the understanding of the ignorant; it is the qualities that do the work; the force of one’s own nature; and the worth of one’s own duty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verses 36 to 43: Arjuna asks what makes a man sin against his will, desire is named, and its seat and its defeat are described.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The two standings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In the third verse Krishna speaks of the yoga of knowledge for the Sankhyas and the yoga of action for the yogis. A large part of the commentarial debate turns on that single line. For Shankara these are two distinct roads for two distinct kinds of people. For Ramanuja they are two stages of one road, and karma yoga is both the earlier and the safer. Madhva puts it through persons: some, like Sanaka and his brothers, stood in knowledge having left their work, while others, like Janaka, became knowers while standing inside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These pages do not decide between the readings. Wherever the acharyas part, each position is recorded in its own terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lokasangraha<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    One important word this chapter gives is lokasangraha, the holding together of the world: keeping people steady in their own duty and keeping the order from collapsing. It is for this that a person who needs nothing for himself still works. The twenty-first verse, that people learn by watching what their seniors do, is as true now as it was then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sources:<\/strong> several.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The forty-three verses of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 in English IAST transliteration, each linked to its page with word-by-word meaning, Kannada and English.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"_manohara_link_phrases":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[187,188],"class_list":["post-4533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bhagavad-gita","tag-krishna","tag-shlokada-artha"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4533"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4668,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4533\/revisions\/4668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dixith.com\/jeevana-sutra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}