श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता

Karma Yogaश्लोक ९/४३21%

Bhagavad Gita 3.9

Perspective Switcher · अध्ययन दृष्टिकोण
Preserves original scripture. Adapts linguistic and contemplative depth.

Beginner (जिज्ञासु): Direct entry: original verse, clear literal translation, and accessible life takeaway. (मूल श्लोक, सरल शब्दार्थ और जीवनोपयोगी सार।)

मूल पाठSource scriptureOriginal Sanskritमूल संस्कृत

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर

Explain this line · इस पंक्ति को सरल भाषा में समझें

मूल पाठ सहायकReading aid for the sourceRoman transliterationलिप्यन्तरण (IAST)

yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara

मूल पाठ सहायकReading aid for the sourceWord by word (पदच्छेद व अन्वय)पदच्छेद
Tap on highlighted terms to inspect classical root (धातु), grammatical case, and philosophical clarity:
  • yajña-arthāt

    for the sake of sacrifice

  • karmaṇaḥ

    than action

  • anyatra

    else

  • lokaḥ

    material world

  • ayam

    this

  • karma-bandhanaḥ

    bondage through one’s work

  • tat

    that

  • artham

    for the sake of

  • karma

    action

  • kaunteya

    Arjun, the son of Kunti

  • mukta-saṅgaḥ

    free from attachment

  • samāchara

    perform properly

अनुवादTranslationLiteral Hindi Translationमूल हिन्दी अनुवाद (अक्षरशः)मूलानुवाद · Literal

यज्ञ (कर्तव्यपालन) के लिये किये जानेवाले कर्मोंसे अन्यत्र (अपने लिये किये जानेवाले) कर्मोंमें लगा हुआ यह मनुष्य-समुदाय कर्मोंसे बँधता है, इसलिये हे कुन्तीनन्दन ! तू आसक्ति-रहित होकर उस यज्ञके लिये ही कर्तव्य-कर्म कर।

अक्षरशः अनुवाद — मूल संस्कृत श्लोक के प्रत्येक पद का प्रत्यक्ष अर्थ।

अनुवादTranslationLiteral English TranslationLiteral Text

This world is held in the bondage of work only when work is not performed as a sacrifice. O Arjuna, you must perform work for this purpose, free from attachment.

Direct literal rendering preserving Sanskrit philosophical terminology.

परम्परागत भाष्यTraditional commentaryTraditional Commentary (परम्परागत भाष्य)परम्परागत भाष्य

Pluralistic Tradition Neutrality (सम्प्रदाय-तटस्थता):

Classical commentaries represent distinct philosophical darshanas (Advaita, Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita). Dharma Granth presents multiple traditional viewpoints without declaring any single tradition as universal or exclusive.

Layers side by side · परतों की तुलना

Each layer is labelled by what it is. None is presented as the correct or best reading.

Original Sanskrit

Source scripture

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः। तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर।।3.9।।

Literal translation

Translation of the source text

This world is held in the bondage of work only when work is not performed as a sacrifice. O Arjuna, you must perform work for this purpose, free from attachment.

Traditional commentary

No reviewed traditional commentary has been added for this verse yet, so there is nothing to compare. Commentaries will appear here only with their commentator, edition and review status.

Simple explanation

Editorial explanation, not scripture

yajña-arthāt—for the sake of sacrifice; karmaṇaḥ—than action; anyatra—else; lokaḥ—material world; ayam—this; karma-bandhanaḥ—bondage through one’s work; tat—that; artham—for the sake of; karma—action; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mukta-saṅgaḥ—free from attachment; samāchara—perform properly

संपादकीय व्याख्याEditorial explanationSimple Explanation (सरल व्याख्या)सरल व्याख्याEditorial Exposition · Not Scripture

yajña-arthāt—for the sake of sacrifice; karmaṇaḥ—than action; anyatra—else; lokaḥ—material world; ayam—this; karma-bandhanaḥ—bondage through one’s work; tat—that; artham—for the sake of; karma—action; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mukta-saṅgaḥ—free from attachment; samāchara—perform properly

शोध संदर्भResearch context · not scriptureComparative Research Noteशोध टिप्पणी

यज्ञ (कर्तव्यपालन) के लिये किये जानेवाले कर्मोंसे अन्यत्र (अपने लिये किये जानेवाले) कर्मोंमें लगा हुआ यह मनुष्य-समुदाय कर्मोंसे बँधता है, इसलिये हे कुन्तीनन्दन ! तू आसक्ति-रहित…। आदत और परिणाम एक चक्र बनाते हैं: जो बार-बार किया जाता है, वह अगली प्रवृत्ति को मजबूत करता है। यह पंक्ति कर्म को उसी चक्र के रूप में देखती है, भाग्य के आकस्मिक प्रहार के रूप में नहीं।

A modern parallel offered for reflection. It is not part of the scripture, and it has not been checked against the original sources it may allude to.

स्रोतSources and editionSources and editionस्रोत एवं संस्करण
Sanskrit text
github.com/gita/gita · fetched 2026-09-28
Translations
Hindi: not flagged as AI · English: not flagged as AI
Explanation, reflection, research
Editorial text; no AI flag recorded
Last updated
2026-10-16
Licence note (as recorded)
Community dataset — verify license terms at source repo before redistribution.

Found a mistake?

विस्तृत स्रोत एवं भाष्य वर्गीकरण

Explanation: simple

Where this verse sits प्रसंग

Editorial learning aid · not scriptureसंपादकीय अध्ययन-सहायक
Who is speaking?
Krishna
Who is listening?
Arjuna
What is happening?
Krishna shows how work transforms from a binding burden into an engine of spiritual freedom when offered selflessly.
What is being answered?
How can an active person engage in worldly responsibilities without becoming entangled in stress and karma?

Before this verse

  1. Arjuna asks why Krishna urges him to terrible action if knowledge is superior (3.1).
  2. Krishna explains the two steadfast paths: Jnana Yoga for the contemplative and Karma Yoga for men of action (3.3).

This verse

  1. Krishna reveals that action performed as yajna liberates rather than binds (3.9).

After this verse

  1. Krishna describes the wheel of cosmic sacrifice linking rain, food, action, and the Supreme (3.14-16).
Read previous verseRead full passageContinue the conversation

In one lineएक पंक्ति में

Simple explanationसरल व्याख्या

यज्ञ (समर्पण भाव) के अलावा अन्य कारणों से किया कर्म बंधन बनाता है; अतः हे अर्जुन, आसक्ति छोड़कर उसी हेतु कर्म करो।

Action creates bondage unless done as a sacrifice; act for that higher purpose, free from clinging attachment.

Simple meaningसरल अर्थ

Simple explanationसरल व्याख्या

जब मनुष्य केवल अपने संकीर्ण स्वार्थ के लिए काम करता है, तो वह कर्म के फलों और मानसिक चिंताओं में उलझकर बंध जाता है। इसके विपरीत, जब कर्म को समाज, प्रकृति और ईश्वर के प्रति निःस्वार्थ समर्पण (यज्ञ) मानकर किया जाता है, तो वही कर्म मुक्तिदायक बन जाता है। श्रीकृष्ण निष्काम भाव से कर्तव्य निभाने का आदेश देते हैं।

When work is driven purely by self-centered craving, every task generates anxiety, possessiveness, and karmic entanglement. But when action is transformed into yajña—a dedicated offering for the collective good and cosmic order—it liberates the mind instead of binding it. Krishna instructs Arjuna to act with complete commitment while remaining inwardly untethered from personal cravings.

Sanskrit Word Explorer मुख्य पद-विभाजन

Tap any word to inspect its root (dhatu), grammar, context, and philosophical nuances.

Teaching flow शिक्षा का क्रम

Teaching flow in order. Self-Centered Effort (Anyatra) Working purely for personal gain creates an endless cycle of anxiety, possessiveness, and fear. Then: The Principle of Yajña (Yajñārthāt) Aligning individual action with cosmic reciprocity and collective welfare. Then: Freedom from Attachment (Mukta-saṅgaḥ) Giving complete attention to the craft while loosening attachment to personal praise. Then: Harmonious Execution (Samācara) Acting thoroughly and conscientiously with inner freedom.

Why it matters todayआज इसका महत्त्व

Modern example · not scriptureआधुनिक उदाहरण

  • सौदेबाजी की मानसिकता से मुक्ति

    Viewing work strictly as a quid-pro-quo exchange makes every setback feel like personal exploitation. Shifting to an attitude of craftsmanship and societal contribution restores vitality.

  • पारिस्थितिक और सामाजिक संतुलन

    Yajña is the original ancient model of circular responsibility—acknowledging that we take constantly from nature and society, and must reciprocate through noble effort.

Modern exampleआधुनिक उदाहरण

Modern example · not scriptureआधुनिक उदाहरण

An engineer burned out by corporate metrics shifts their mental posture: instead of obsessing over quarterly bonuses, they focus on building software that genuinely protects user privacy and supports their teammates.

An illustration written to explain the teaching. No outcome is promised.

A shift in understanding

Editorial learning aid · not scriptureसंपादकीय अध्ययन-सहायक
A common first thought
“I must extract maximum personal profit from every action, or else my labor was completely wasted.”
With this teaching
“I perform my duty with wholehearted excellence as an offering to life; the work itself is my liberation.”

Common misunderstandingआम भ्रांति

Editorial learning aid · not scriptureसंपादकीय अध्ययन-सहायक

Some readers take it to mean

“Yajna in modern life requires ancient fire altars and sacrificial rituals.”

A fuller reading

Yajna represents the cosmic law of mutual support and selfless contribution; any honest work done for the common good is authentic yajna.

What it does not meanयह क्या नहीं कहता

Editorial learning aid · not scriptureसंपादकीय अध्ययन-सहायक

  • Not an excuse to tolerate workplace abuse

    Sacrifice means inner unselfishness, not passive acceptance of injustice or economic exploitation.

  • Not sloppy or careless work

    The verse demands "samācara"—performing action with the highest quality and dedication.

Try this todayआज आज़माएँ

Practical reflection · optionalव्यावहारिक चिंतन

Dedicate One Task as an Offering · 10 mins during active work

आज कोई एक कठिन काम चुनें। शुरू करने से पहले मन में कहें: "मैं यह काम बिना प्रशंसा की चाह के सेवा भाव से कर रहा हूँ।" देखें कैसे दबाव कम होता है।

Choose one mundane or challenging task today. Before starting, silently state: "I perform this for the well-being of all involved, not for personal praise." Observe how anxiety drops.

Pause and think रुकें और सोचें

Which of your daily efforts feel like a heavy burden, and what would happen if you reframed them as a generous contribution?

आपके दैनिक कार्यों में से कौन सा काम आपको बोझ लगता है, और यदि आप इसे समाज के प्रति सेवा मान लें तो क्या बदलेगा?

Was this explanation clear? · क्या यह स्पष्ट था?

Visual demonstration · चित्र द्वारा समझें

Sacrifice vs Selfish Bondage in Action

Editorial diagram · not scripture

Verse 3.9 contrasts action done as an offering with work done for personal craving which binds human beings.

In words

Verse 3.9 compares two modes of action. First, action done as sacrifice is offered to the divine with freedom from attachment, becoming liberating action. Second, selfish action driven by personal craving creates binding karma and entanglement in outcome.

Kind:
Comparison
Based on:
Bhagavad Gita 3.9
Review:
Approved
Motion:
none; the diagram is static

The teaching in everyday life

Editorial contentReviewed by Editorial Scripture Team (V. S. Sharma & S. Shastri), 2026-10-09

Illustrations written by the editors to help you think about the verse. They are not part of the scripture, and they are not the only way to read it.

Teaching illustrated: Action binds unless performed as a selfless sacrifice; act dedicated to the common good, freed from possessive clinging.

Student life
Viewing college assignments solely as annoying hurdles to get a credential, leading to constant resentment and cheating temptations.
When study is approached as yajna—an offering to master knowledge to serve future communities—tedious homework transforms into a joyful spiritual craft.
Professional life
Feeling trapped in a toxic rat race where every project is evaluated exclusively by whether it earns individual bonus points.
Working purely for personal profit breeds chronic anxiety. Transforming your workday into service for clients and teammates unlocks deep craftsmanship and eliminates burnout.
Creative work
Obsessing over subscriber counts and monetization metrics before writing each sentence or stroke of paint.
Clinging to results starves creative joy. Offer your artistic energy as a selfless gift to the world; real depth flows when ego-demands are silenced.
Family responsibility
Keeping an angry internal score of which spouse or sibling has washed more dishes or done more chores.
Scorekeeping turns a household into a transactional battlefield. Approaching domestic labor as an act of loving service preserves harmony and elevates daily life.

Content status

  • Source text · imported from github.com/gita/gita
  • Translation · from the source archive
  • Editorial explanation · draft, awaiting scholarly review

No independent human review is recorded for this verse yet. How this site is made.

शास्त्रीय प्रामाणिकता एवं पारदर्शकताSources & Interpretation

स्रोत, संस्करण एवं व्याख्या वर्गीकरण

धर्म ग्रंथ पर मूल शास्त्र, पारंपरिक भाष्य और आधुनिक व्याख्या को पूर्णतः पृथक रखा जाता है ताकि पाठक को किसी भी व्याख्या के शास्त्र होने का भ्रम न हो।

सामग्री वर्गीकरण संकेत (Epistemic Content Labels)

६ स्तरिय प्रमाण व्यवस्था
मूल पाठOriginal text

अपौरुषेय / प्रामाणिक शास्त्र (Primary Canonical Scripture)

मूल संस्कृत, प्राकृत अथवा अवधी श्लोक/मंत्र। यह सर्वोच्च प्रमाण (प्रस्थान) है। इस पाठ में किसी भी आधुनिक व्याख्याकार का हस्तक्षेप नहीं है।

शाब्दिक अनुवादLiteral translation

पदार्थ व अन्वय (Direct Grammatical & Word-for-Word Meaning)

व्याकरणसम्मत प्रत्यक्ष शब्दार्थ (अन्वय)। बिना किसी दार्शनिक संप्रदाय के पूर्वाग्रह के, संस्कृत शब्दों का सटीक भाषांतर।

पारंपरिक भाष्यTraditional commentary

आचार्य परंपरा व टीका (Classical Lineage Commentary)

प्राचीन आचार्य परंपरा (यथा शंकराचार्य, रामानुजाचार्य, मध्वाचार्य, श्रीधर स्वामी) द्वारा विरचित शास्त्रीय भाष्य व टीकाएं।

सरल व्याख्याSimple explanation

भावार्थ व सुबोध प्रबोधन (Accessible Pedagogical Exposition)

आधुनिक जिज्ञासुओं के लिए सरल भाषा में भावार्थ। यह मूल मंत्र नहीं, बल्कि पाठ को सुगम बनाने हेतु संपादकीय व्याख्या है।

आधुनिक चिंतनModern reflection

समसामयिक विमर्श व अनुप्रयोग (Contemporary Application & Analysis)

दार्शनिक, मनोवैज्ञानिक व वैज्ञानिक समरूपताओं पर आधुनिक चिंतन। यह मूल शास्त्र का अंग नहीं है और इसे शास्त्रोक्त सिद्धांत के रूप में नहीं देखा जाना चाहिए।

शोध टिप्पणीResearch note

पांडुलिपि एवं ऐतिहासिक शोध (Critical Apparatus & Manuscript Research)

पांडुलिपि विविधताएं, पाठ-भेद (variant readings), छंद रचना, और ऐतिहासिक व तुलनात्मक भाषावैज्ञानिक शोध। यह शास्त्र का मूल संदेश बदलने हेतु नहीं, बल्कि पाठ की प्रामाणिकता परखने के लिए है।

पहचानकर्ता:Bhagavad Gita Ch. 3, Verse 9
संस्कृत संस्करण:https://github.com/gita/gita

Gorakhpur Recension with Sridhara Swami Subodhini & Shankaracharya Advaita Bhashya collations.

पुरालेखागार / स्रोत:Gita Press, Gorakhpur / Muktabodha Digital Archive
गणना पद्धति:

Standard 700-verse canonical recension across 18 chapters. Kashmiri recension carries 745 verses (noted in comparative apparatus).

संबंध अभी दर्ज नहीं

इस श्लोक के लिए कोई समीक्षित संबंध, पार-ग्रंथ कड़ी या अवधारणा-सूची नहीं है। पड़ोस का श्लोक अपने आप संबंध नहीं बनता।

No reviewed link is stored for this verse. A neighboring verse is not labeled a teaching.

आगे क्या · What next

संबंधित दार्शनिक अवधारणाएं (Philosophical Concepts)

ज्ञान ग्राफ

Karma Yoga

कर्म योग

निष्काम कर्म का मार्ग — परिणामों से अनासक्त होकर कर्तव्य पालन।

अवधारणा सूची में देखें

Karma

कर्म

कर्म का सार्वत्रिक नियम — कार्य और उसके परिणाम जन्मों-जन्मों तक।

अवधारणा विस्तार से जानें

Dharma

धर्म

सृष्टि का नियम, धर्म और जीवन का पवित्र कर्तव्य।

अवधारणा विस्तार से जानें

Manas

मनस्

मन — चिंतन, विचार और भावना की शक्ति।

अवधारणा सूची में देखें

समानांतर संदर्भ व श्लोक (Cross-Scriptural Parallels)

इसी दार्शनिक तत्त्व पर अन्य वैदिक ग्रंथों और उपनिषदों के प्रेरक संदर्भ

Karma YogaBhagavad Gita 2.47
श्लोक देखें

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

"You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but never to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results, nor be attached to inaction."

Karma YogaBhagavad Gita 3.19
श्लोक देखें

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर

"Therefore, without attachment, always perform your duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme."

KarmaBhagavad Gita 4.17
श्लोक देखें

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः

"The nature of action is difficult to understand. One must discern what action is, what wrong action is, and what inaction is."

You have explored Bhagavad Gita 3.9.

आपने इस श्लोक का अध्ययन किया।

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