Bhagavad Gita BG 3.9
Chapter 3, Verse 9 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः । तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥ ९ ॥
yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṃ karma-bandhanaḥ tad-arthaṃ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara
Meaning
This world is bound by action other than that performed for the sake of yajna (sacrifice). Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your duty as an offering, free from attachment.
Understanding
This verse introduces the liberating principle at the heart of Chapter 3. The world operates under karma-bandhana (bondage of action) — every action creates a karmic result that chains the actor. There is only one exception: action performed yajñārthāt — for the sake of yajna, as an offering, not for personal gain. The word yajna comes from the root yaj (to worship, to offer) and in its broadest sense means any dedicated, selfless action. Krishna tells Arjuna: perform your duty as such an offering, mukta-saṅgaḥ — free from clinging to results. This is the core of Karma Yoga in one verse.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| यज्ञार्थात् | yajñārthāt | for the sake of yajna / as an offering / for divine purposes |
| कर्मबन्धनः | karma-bandhanaḥ | bound by karma / in karmic bondage |
| मुक्तसङ्गः | mukta-saṅgaḥ | free from attachment / released from clinging |
| समाचर | samācara | perform / carry out rightly and completely |
| यज्ञ | yajña | sacrifice / selfless offering / any dedicated action |
| कर्मणः | karmaṇaḥ | than action / from action (ablative) |
| अन्यत्र | anyatra | other than / apart from |
| लोकः अयम् | loko 'yam | this world |
| तदर्थम् | tad-artham | for its sake / for that purpose |
| कर्म | karma | action (perform for sacrifice) |
| कौन्तेय | kaunteya | O son of Kunti (Arjuna) |