Chapter 3 · Verse 3 · Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 3.3
Sanskrit
श्री भगवानुवाच लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ। ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्।।3.3।।
Transliteration
śhrī bhagavān uvācha loke’smin dvi-vidhā niṣhṭhā purā proktā mayānagha jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ karma-yogena yoginām
In plain words
You don't have to be like someone else, and you don't have to choose between thinking deeply about your life or actually living it—you get to do both, in the way that fits who you are. Krishna says: there are two sacred pathways, and the one that calls to your temperament, your gifts, your honest nature—that is the one that will carry you. Stop waiting to become someone different before you begin.
Word by Word
Krishna reveals the eternal wisdom that has always existed in creation: there are two sacred pathways to liberation, not one. The contemplative soul ascends through jnana—the direct inquiry into the nature of Self—while the active soul rises through karma yoga, sanctifying each action as an offering.
Both paths are equally valid, equally divine; the difference lies only in temperament and readiness. In our modern search for meaning, we need not choose between contemplation and engagement—we can honor our unique nature while remaining devoted to truth.
Listen
Bhagavad Gita 3.3 — BG 3.3
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