यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते।।3.7।।
3.7 But, O Arjuna, one who engages in Karma-yoga with the organs of action, controlling the organs with the mind and becoming unattached-that one excels.
3.7 But whosoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna, engages himself in Karma Yoga with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels.
3.7. But, controlling sense-organs by mind, whosoever undertakes the Yoga of action with the action-senses he, the detached one, is superior [to others], O Arjuna !
3.7 यः whose? तु but? इन्द्रियाणि the senses? मनसा by the mind? नियम्य controlling? आरभते commences? अर्जुन O Arjuna? कर्मेन्द्रियैः by the organs of action? कर्मयोगम् Karma Yoga? असक्तः unattached? सः he? विशिष्यते excels.Commentary If anyone performs actions with his organs of action (viz.? hands? feet? organ of speech? etc.) controlling the organs of knowledge by the mind? and without expectation of the fruits of the actions and without egoism? he is certainly more worthy than the other who is a hypocrite or a man of false conduct. (Cf.II.64?68IV.21).The five organs of knowledge are the eyes? the ears? the nose? the skin and the sense of taste (tongue).
3.7 Tu, but, on the other hand, O Arjuna; yah, one who is unenlightened and who is eligible for action; arabhate, engages in;-what does he engage in? the Lord says in answer-karma yogam, Karma-yoga; karma-indriyaih, with the organs of action, with speech, hands, etc.; niyamya, controlling; indriyani, the sense-organs; manasa, with the mind; and becoming asaktah unattached; [Here Ast; adds phalabhisandhi-varjitah, free from hankering for results.-Tr.] sah, that one; visisyate, excels the other one, the hypocrite. This being so, therefore,
3.7 Yas tu etc. When actions are being performed [by him], there is no loss of his knowledge. For, when the mind does not function, he does his work like a machine-man. Therefore -
3.7 Conseently, he who, with aspiration to have the vision of the self, directs his senses to action according to the scriptures, such action being of the same class as those which he practised earlier, and who then begins to practise Karma Yoga, after renouncing attachment, with the senses which are naturally inclined to action - he, by reason of there being no chance of errors, excels a man following Jnana Yoga, because there is no fear of a fall in his case.
In contrast to this, the householder (not the sannyasi), who performs scriptural actions (karma yogam) without longing for fruits of his actions (asaktah) is superior. Ramanujacarya says in this regard that he is superior to the person practicing jnana because of the impossibility of going astray.
Now Lord Krishna reveals that a person performing karma yoga, actions performed without attachment to the rewards is superior to the cheating renunciate spoken of in the previous verse. That person who performs their actions with the mind offering them to the Supreme Lord is properly performing karma yoga by which their mind gradually becomes purified and they develop spiritual knowledge.
Lord Krishna previously spoke of the pretensions of the pretenders renouncing all actions with great effort by forcefully subjugating the desires of the mind. Now to show the predominant role of the mind in influencing our thoughts He uses the word manasa remembering in mind. Karma yoga the yoga of actions is suitable according to the stage of development one is in. One should not think that karma yoga is only for the grihastas or householders because by the word manasa it is asserting that karma yoga can also be used by renunciates as well.
Controlling the senses by strength of mind, utilising them to assist in achieving attma tattva by performing the prescribed duties given in the Vedic scriptures according to the natural attributes found within their character by the natural disposition of their natural impulses, then that person although performing karma yoga the yoga of actions is superior to the performer of jnana yoga the yoga of cultivating knowledge inasmuch as falsely performing jnana yoga with duplicity is far inferior to performing karma yoga with sincerity.
Controlling the senses by strength of mind, utilising them to assist in achieving attma tattva by performing the prescribed duties given in the Vedic scriptures according to the natural attributes found within their character by the natural disposition of their natural impulses, then that person although performing karma yoga the yoga of actions is superior to the performer of jnana yoga the yoga of cultivating knowledge inasmuch as falsely performing jnana yoga with duplicity is far inferior to performing karma yoga with sincerity.
Yastwindriyaani manasaa niyamyaarabhate’rjuna; Karmendriyaih karmayogam asaktah sa vishishyate.
yaḥ—who; tu—but; indriyāṇi—the senses; manasā—by the mind; niyamya—control; ārabhate—begins; arjuna—Arjun; karma-indriyaiḥ—by the working senses; karma-yogam—karm yog; asaktaḥ—without attachment; saḥ—they; viśhiṣhyate—are superior
