Srimad BhagavadGita

A doubt might arise: As discussed in the previous sloka, to be able to perform the designated karmas per his varna and asrama, one will have to perform the activity of procuring the essentials for performing those karmas. As a result of performing these activities, the ego "I' and the attachment 'mine', likes and dislikes, indulgence in worldly activities, accepting donation, wandering from place to place will become inevitable. These will attach his senses to various activities and thus distract them, thus aggravating this mumukshu's already existing latent tendencies or impressions in the mind (vāsanas since beginning less time). This jiva will thus get more and more entangled in bondage and end up being a nitya samsāri (one who is stuck in this eternal cycle of birth and death forever).

Clarification: This sloka clarifies the doubt by describing those karmas which will lead to this downfall and those which will not. Krishna says, "This world is bound by karmas, other than those prescribed as a sacrifice. O Arjuna, Therefore giving up attachment, perform these karmas for the sole purpose of sacrifice".

yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra (Other than the actions like earning money, etc, directed towards the sole purpose of performing the sacrifices prescribed in the sastras). Yajña in this context refers to all the karmas prescribed in the sāstras and yajñārtha karmam. refers to all the activities that support the performance of these karmas eg: activities like procuring the items required for the sacrifice, etc. yajno vai vishnuhu iti srutehe yajna eeswaraha ('Yajña is Vishnu', this statement from the vedas tells us that the one addressed as Yajna is Sarveswara alone). This is the meaning for yajna given by Adisankara too. However, in the slokas that follow, the word Yajna has been used in the context of a yaga (a sacrifice- a vedic ritual) alone. Therefore it is appropriate to consider the same meaning here too.

yajñārthāt (for the soul purpose of the yajña) It means that these activities exist solely for the purpose of

the yajna.

anyatra (other) By appending the words karmaṇi kriyamāṇe (actions being done) to anyatra

we can derive the actual meaning. The meaning is, 'Excluding the activities performed solely for the purpose

of yajna, at all other times when activities like procuring items for self enjoyment'.

ayaṃ lokaḥ (all the conscious beings of this world who are bound) Since the words 'karma bandhanāt' follow next, ayam lokaḥ here signifies all the conscious beings of this world who are eligible for getting bound to this material world.

karma bandhanaḥ The meaning of these words can be explained in 2 ways, karmaiva bandhanaṃ yasya saḥ (with the bondage called karma) or karmaṇā bandhanaṃ yasya saḥ (with the worldy tendency developed due to karma which is binding). Only when earning money, etc, are done to satisfy ones own self interests do ego, attachment, likes, dislikes, arrogant egoistic speech, accepting donation, wandering from place to place inflict him. These disturb his senses and aggravate his already existing vāsanas resulting in further bondage with the body causing the jiva to continue to wander in this eternal cycle of birth and death. When procurement of money, essentials, etc, is done as part of a sacrificial ritual prescribed by the sāstras, without any self interest in it, solely as worship of Bhagawān, there is no scope for such undesirable consequences (as stated above) to occur.

tadarthaṃ karma samācara Since activities performed as part of a sacrificial ritual are not binding, only these must be performed. Krishna is instructing Arjuna to perform all activities like earning money, fighting a war, etc, as a part of the sole purpose namely sacrifice (yajña).

Q: 'Along with serving the purpose of the yajña, these will be of use to us too', Can such a thought be entertained?

A: The answer is 'mukta saṇgaḥ samācara'. While performing these karmas, the thought must also be given up that their result will benefit us too in addition to serving the main purpose of the sacrifice. Such a thought is what subjects one to the bondage of karma. It was explained in detail earlier that karmas must be performed without any desire for their rewards i.e renouncing the rewards of ones actions. Slokas 3.27 and 3.28 talk about performing karmas without the feeling that 'I am the independent doer of actions' i.e renouncing the sense of doership. This sloka talks about giving up the karma bondage, which is the thought that 'these activities performed as part of a sacrifice will be of use to me too' (renounciation of attachment). Together these 3 explain about renounciation of rewards, doership and attachment.

Q: The nyāya, prayojanamanuddiśya sa mando'pi pravartate (even a fool does not perform any action without a purpose) states that no one performs any activity without a purpose. Is it then possible for someone to perform an activity without any set purpose, with the sole sentiment that it is performed as worship of Bhagawān?

A: When good natured men serve their friends and relatives, they do not perform the service expecting serve any purpose in return. They consider the service itself as the purpose. Similarly mātā pitā bhrātā nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛdgatirnārāyaṇaḥ॥ Subalo Up 6.4, as stated here, when Nārayaṇa is the most natural friend and relative in all ways as father, mother, brother, etc, worshipping HIM for the sake of worship alone, must happen without any issue.

Summary:

The inference of this sloka is that when activities like procuring essentials, earning money, etc, are performed without attachment, for the sole purpose of the sacrificial rite, Paramapuruṣa who is worshipped in this sacrifice bestows HIS mercy by removing this jiva's karma vāsanas (existing latent tendencies or impressions in the mind due to the karmas performed) which have been with him since countless lifetimes and directs his mind and the other senses solely towards the soul resulting in a vision of the soul as reward. vigraho havirādānaṃ yugapatkarmasannidhiḥ | prītiḥ phalapradānaṃ na vidyate|| Vigraha (a body), accepting havis (anything offered as an oblation with fire), presence in all the activities at the same time, affinity, granting rewards, a devata has none of these). This theory propounded by purva mīmāṃsakas that the above 5 are not there for a devata, that they merely have titles like Indra, etc, that 'apūrva' which arises from Karma is the granter of rewards, are rejected in this sloka. Instead of assuming apūrva to be the granter of rewards for which there is no concrete evidence in the sastras, one must realise that it is the Paramapurusa having all the 5 qualities stated above, who is the granter of rewards either directly or through the devatas. For this there are multitude of rewards in the sastras. Bhagawad Ramanuja's in his commmentary on the Bhagawad Giitaa, states that HE is karmabhiraaraadhitaha- One who is worshipped by karma, i.e the acceptor of havis and the one who is pleased by these offerings. The one whom Purusha Sukta rug Vedam establishes as the Paramapurusha has an auspicious divine form as resplendent as the sun and has his presence in all the activities happening in the whole world at the same time. The word dadaati tells us that this Paramamurusha has the 5 attributes like vigraha, ability to grant rewards, etc, listed above.