Bhagavad Gita · 3.16 · Path of Selfless Service·16 of 43
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥
evaṁ pravartitaṁ chakraṁ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyur indriyārāmo moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati
Sanskrit recitation
Work as offering · 3.10–3.16 · Teaching
Translation
He who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, lives in vain, O Arjuna.
Meaning
This is the wheel of action set in motion by the Creator on the basis of the Veda and sacrifice.He who does not follow the wheel by studying the Vedas and performing the sacrifices prescribed therein but who indulges only in sensual pleasures lives in vain. He is wasting his life. He is leading a worthless life indeed.One who does not live in accordance with this law and who is selfish commits sin. He violates the law of the Creator and that is the worst sin.
After Swami Sivananda
Work as offering· 3.10–3.16→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 3.10The Creator, having in the beginning created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall you propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires—the cow that yields all the desired objects."
- 3.11With this, nourish the gods, and may the gods nourish you; thus, nourishing each other, you shall attain the highest good.
- 3.12The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the gods without offering anything in return is indeed a thief.
- 3.13The righteous who eat the remnants of the sacrifice are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food solely for their own sake indeed consume sin.
- 3.14From food come forth beings; from rain, food is produced; from sacrifice arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action.
- 3.15Know that action comes from Brahma, and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervasive Brahma ever rests in sacrifice.
3.16He who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, who is of sinful life, rejoicing in the senses, lives in vain, O Arjuna.
Word-by-word→
- evam
- thus
- pravartitam
- set into motion
- chakram
- cycle
- na
- not
- anuvartayati
- follow
- iha
- in this life
- yaḥ
- who
- agha-āyuḥ
- sinful living
- indriya-ārāmaḥ
- for the delight of their senses
- mogham
- vainly
- pārtha
- Arjun, the son of Pritha
- saḥ
- they
- jīvati
- live
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