3-25 to 3-26

सक्ताः कर्मनि अविद्वाम्सो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्यात् विद्वान् तथा असक्तः चिकीर्षुर् लोक सङ्ग्रहम् ॥ २५ ॥
न बुद्धि भेदम् जनयेत् अज्ञानाम् कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।
जोषयेत् सर्व कर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन् ॥ २६ ॥

saktAH karmani avidvAmso yathA kurvanti bhArata |
kuryAt vidvAn tathA asaktaH cikIrSur loka saGgraham || 25 ||
na buddhi bhedam janayet ajJAnAm karmasaGginAm |
joSayet sarva karmANi vidvAn yuktaH samAcaran || 26 ||

भारत [bhArata] Arjuna, यथा [yathA] just as अविद्वाम्सः [avidvAmsaH] people without complete knowledge of the Self कुर्वन्ति [kurvanti] do their work कर्मणि सक्ताः [karmaNi saktAH] while being attached to their actions, तथा [tathA] in the same way, विद्वान् [vidvAn] the person who has realized the Self कुर्यात् [kuryAt] must work असक्तः [asaktaH] without attachments, लोकसङ्ग्रहम् चिकीर्षुः [lokasaGgraham cikIrSuH] with an intent to show the right way to the world. न जनयेत् [na janayet] Don’t cause बुद्धि भेदम् [buddhi bhedam] conflict of intellect अज्ञानाम् [ajJAnAm] among people who don’t know about the Self, कर्मसङ्गिनाम् [karmasaGginAm] who are attached to actions. विद्वान् [vidvAn] A person with knowledge युक्तः समाचरन् [yuktaH samAcaran] must be focused on working without attachments, as the means to realize the Self. जोषयेत् [joSayet] In this manner, the person must initiate delight सर्वकर्माणि [sarvakarmANi] in all actions.

People without complete knowledge of the Self have not attained perfection. They have a relationship with their actions and it cannot be broken. To realize the Self, they work without attachment to outcomes.

A person who has realized the Self would be famous for his excellence. He must also work in the same way, even though he isn’t interested in worldly pleasures. He does this to show the right way to the people of the world through his actions.

We realize our Self by being active while acknowledging that we don’t make things happen.

People who haven’t realized the Self are unable to pursue that knowledge directly. Due to the influence of past deeds, they are bound to activity. Those who desire moksha are qualified to work without attachment to outcomes. A person who knows the Self must not cause confusion by preaching a way to achieve moksha without the need for activity.

What must he do then? As said previously, such a person must work without attachment to outcomes as well. He is aware that such activity leads to the realization of the Self - without the need to contemplate. He must instill delight in all activity.

Delight in your activity. It is part of the Lord’s play.

People who have realized the Self and those who haven’t – when both of them work without attachment to outcomes, then what’s the difference between them? In the next Shloka, the Lord explains the difference. He also shows a way to realize that the Self is not the doer over here. This will help in the practice of working without attachments .