यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर।।3.9।।
3.9 The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), perform action for that sake (for sacrifice alone), free from attachment.
3.9 यज्ञार्थात् for the sake of sacrifice? कर्मणः of action? अन्यत्र otherwise? लोकः the world? अयम् this? कर्मबन्धनः bound by action? तदर्थम् for that sake? कर्म action? कौन्तेय O Kaunteya? मुक्तसंगः free from attachment? समाचार perform.Commentary Yajna means sacrifice or religious rite or any unselfish action done with a pure motive. It means also Isvara. The Taittiriya Samhita (of the Veda) says Yajna verily is Vishnu (174). If anyone does actions for the sake of the Lord? he is not bound. His heart is purified by performing actions for the sake of the Lord. Where this spirit of unselfishness does not govern the action? it will bind one to Samsara however good or glorious it may be. (Cf.II.48).
Yajnaarthaat karmano’nyatra loko’yam karmabandhanah; Tadartham karma kaunteya muktasangah samaachara.
yajña-arthāt—for the sake of sacrifice; karmaṇaḥ—than action; anyatra—else; lokaḥ—material world; ayam—this; karma-bandhanaḥ—bondage through one’s work; tat—that; artham—for the sake of; karma—action; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mukta-saṅgaḥ—free from attachment; samāchara—perform properly