श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता

Karma Yogaश्लोक 9/4321%

Bhagavad Gita 3.9

मूल पाठSource scriptureOriginal Sanskritमूल संस्कृत

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर

मर्मThe Core Shift· Editorial, not scripture
Action binds unless performed as a selfless sacrifice; act dedicated to the common good, freed from possessive clinging.
अर्थMeaning
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.

व्याख्याVyakhya
संपादकीय व्याख्याEditorial explanationVyakhya (व्याख्या)व्याख्याAI-drafted · editor-approved

भगवान इस श्लोक में कर्म के बंधन का रहस्य खोलते हैं, और साथ ही उससे मुक्ति का मार्ग भी। 'यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः', यज्ञ के लिए किए गए कर्मों को छोड़कर, बाकी कर्मों से यह संसार बँधता है। 'तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर', इसलिए हे कुन्तीपुत्र, आसक्ति छोड़कर उस यज्ञ के लिए ही कर्म करो। यहाँ 'यज्ञ' शब्द का अर्थ केवल अग्नि में आहुति देना नहीं है। गीता प्रेस इसे 'कर्तव्य-पालन' कहता है, और इसका व्यापक अर्थ है वह कर्म जो स्वार्थ से ऊपर उठकर, ईश्वर और समष्टि के लिए समर्पण भाव से किया जाए। जब कोई कर्म केवल 'मेरे लिए' होता है, तब वह एक गाँठ बाँधता है; जब वही कर्म 'सबके लिए' या 'ईश्वर के लिए' होता है, तब वह गाँठ खोलता है। यह श्लोक एक अद्भुत परिवर्तन का सूत्र देता है: कर्म को बदले बिना, केवल उसका उद्देश्य बदलकर उसे पवित्र बनाया जा सकता है। एक ही भोजन, जो केवल अपनी भूख के लिए पकाया जाए तो साधारण है, वही भोग लगाकर या दूसरों के साथ बाँटकर प्रसाद बन जाता है। अपने दैनिक कार्य को इसी दृष्टि से देखिए: कार्य आरम्भ करने से पहले मन में एक क्षण के लिए यह संकल्प कीजिए कि यह मैं केवल अपने लिए नहीं, सबके कल्याण के लिए कर रहा हूँ।

स्रोतSources and editionSources and editionस्रोत एवं संस्करण

Content status

  • Original text
  • Translation · from the source archive
  • Commentary · AI-drafted · editor-approved
  • Editorial explanation · draft, awaiting scholarly review

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

Sanskrit edition
Gita Press Edition (गोरखपुर संवत् 2080). Gita Press, Gorakhpur / Muktabodha Digital Archive
Translation
Jayadayal Goyandka (Hindi), Swami Gambhirananda & Swami Sivananda (English)
Last updated
2026-10-23
Licence note (as recorded)
Community dataset — verify license terms at source repo before redistribution.
पाठ-भेद · Variant readings
Variant readings collated from Anandashram (Pune) and Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) critically edited texts.

Found a mistake?

संबंधित ज्ञानRelated wisdom

ये दर्ज संबंध हैं। अपने आप सुझाए हुए पाठ नहीं।

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.

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.

आगे क्या · What next