“In the olden times, there was a Brahmin named Jada who used to do sinful acts only. He used to spoil all his wealth in gambling, drinking alcohol, hunting poor animals, and visiting the prostitutes. Once, he went on a business trip and earned lots of money and then was returning home. On his way back, Jada stopped for a night in a lonely place. There were thieves in that place & they took away all his earned money and also killed him. As Jada had done only sinful acts in his life so Jada went into a body of ghost. As a ghost, Jada used to wander here & there.
Jada had a pious son who was very religious and learned in the Vedic scriptures. When his father Jada did not come back for quite a long time then his son decided to search for him. His son inquired about his father, wherever he went. While roaming in search of his father, a person told him what had happened to Jada.
Having a desire to uplift the soul of his father, Jada’s son went on a pilgrimage to Gaya to worship the Lord Vishnu so that his father could be released from the ghostly life. While on the journey to Gaya, one evening, the son did his daily worship of Lord Vishnu under the same tree where his father had been killed. His son started reciting the third chapter of Bhagwat Gita under that tree & suddenly a loud sound came from the sky. He looked up and saw his father changed into an Angel being, his body having the colour of a dark rain-cloud. He father Jada had become four-armed & he was dressed in yellow cloth. Jada’s bodily effulgence was going up in all directions in the sky.
Jada said, “My dear son, as a result of reciting of the third chapter of Bhagwat Gita, you have freed me from a ghostly form. Now you should return home. The purpose of your going to Gaya has already been achieved. Then Jada asked his son to liberate his brother and some ancestors also who had led the sinful lives and were suffering in hell. The son said that he would recite the third chapter of Bhagwat Gita until the time all his ancestors trapped in hell were freed.
Then a celestial plane arrived from the Lord Vishnu’s kingdom, Vaikuntha, the spiritual world, and transported the father Jada to the supreme abode. The son returned home and began reciting daily the third chapter of Bhagwat Gita in front of a Deity of Lord Vishnu. As the recitations continued, Lord Vishnu sent His messengers, the Vishnudutas, to the kingdom of Yamaraja, who punishes the sinful ones. The Vishnudutas told Yamaraja that Lord Vishnu has wished him well and has ordered him to free the ancestors of Jada, the conditioned souls suffering in the hell. Yamaraja at once had all the ancestors of Jada released from hell. So that is the greatness of third chapter of Bhagavat Gita.”
Chapter Three of Bhagwat Gita is entitled "Karmayoga, or the Yoga of Action."
On the battle field of Kurukshetra, when Arjuna, the disciple of Lord Krishna got infatuated & forgot his duty to fight, then Lord Krishna reminded Arjuna of his duty to fight a lawful, justful war & gave him the teachings of Bhagwat Gita. Arjuna after having been taught in the path of knowledge by Lord Krishna came back to his path of duty & fought a lawful battle against the Kauravas (his enemies) & won the battle with the grace of Lord Krishna.
Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three (3) is entitled "Karmayoga, or the Yoga of Action." This Chapter has a total of 43 verses.
Verses 1 to 8 are about the discussion of Lord Krishna & Arjuna about the Importance of the Performance of one's duty, in a detached way, according to both Jnanayoga & Karmayoga.
Verses 9 to 16 are about the necessity of Performing Sacrifices etc.
Verses 17 to 24 are about the necessity of action on the part of the wise and even on the part of God Himself, for the good of the world.
Verses 25 to 35 are about the marks of the Wise man and the marks of the unwise man. There are instructions about performance of action without attraction and repulsion.
Verses 36 to 43 are about, how one should overcome the desire.
To read complete chapter Three (3) Verse by Verse in Original Sanskrit Language Text & its English Translation......Click here to read...........Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three (Chapter-3)
Below are some verses from third chapter of Bhagwat Gita:
"na hi kascit ksanam api
jatu tisthaty akarma-krt
karyate hy avasah karma
sarvah prakriti-jair gunaih" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 5)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment."
"niyatam kuru karma tvam
karma jyayo hy akarmanah
sarira-yatrapi cha te
na prasiddhyed akarmanah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 8)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work."
"yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra
loko ’yam karma-bandhanah
tad-artham karma kaunteya
mukta-sangah samachara" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 9)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O Arjuna, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage."
"evam pravartitam chakram
nanuvartayatiha yah
aghayur indriyaramo
mogham Arjuna sa jivati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 16)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain."
"tasmad asaktah satatam
karyam karma samachara
asakto hy acharan karma
param apnoti purushah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 19)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme."
"karmanaiva hi samsiddhim
asthita janakadayah
loka-sangraham evapi
sampasyan kartum arhasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 20)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work."
Jai Shri Krishna
