3-3

श्री भगवान् उवाच -
लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानाम् कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ ३ ॥

zrI bhagavAn uvAca -
loke'smin dvividhA niSThA purA proktA mayAnagha |
jJAnayogena sAGkhyAnAm karmayogena yoginAm || 3 ||

श्री भगवान् उवाच [zrI bhagavAn uvAca] The Lord said- अनघ [anagha] Flawless Arjuna, अस्मिन् लोके [asmin loke] in this world, द्विविधा निष्ठा [dvividhA niSThA] there are two types of practices. पुरा प्रोक्ता मया [purA proktA mayA] I have said this long ago. साङ्ख्यानाम् [sAGkhyAnAm] For people who want to reason out the knowledge of the Self, ज्ञानयोगेन [jJAnayogena] it’s via contemplation. योगिनाम् [yoginAm] For diligent people, कर्मयोगेन [karmayogena] it’s via accomplishing deeds without being driven by desire.

Lord Krishna says- You have not grasped what was said before. What I said before is that the world is full of different people, who are entitled to different things. I described the two types of practices- knowledge and action- without any mix-up: These two practices are to be followed by people who are qualified to perform them. Indeed, not everyone who desires moksha is directly qualified to pursue the knowledge of the Self.

However, everyone is definitely entitled to work without attachments, doing it as My service. They get rid of their flaws by performing such actions. Their organs lose all their agitation. Then, they qualify to realize the Self.

You reach the goal by being active and offering your activity as service to the Lord.

It is said in 18-46: ‘Any human being attains the goal by worshipping the Lord with his own work - The Lord, by whom all this is pervaded, from whom all beings get their ability to commence action’

In this way, it is explained that actions done just as a service to the Lord will lead us to our goal of moksha . In the previous chapter, 2-47 said ‘You have the authority only in action’- Working without being driven by desire moves our intellect beyond the delusions and desires arising from association with material objects.

Focusing your thought without being affected by this world is another way to achieve the goal.

The characteristics of a person who is standing firm in wisdom are described starting in 2-55: ‘When a person gives up all desires that enter the mind, then, he is said to be standing firm in wisdom ‘. The technique of contemplation was described. This technique is called [ jnAnayOga ]. It is for people who can reason out the knowledge of the Self through their intellect alone. People with such focused intellect are called [sAnkhyA:]. The word सङ्ख्या [saGkhyA] means intellect. These people can focus on the knowledge of the Self alone without wavering.

In summary: People are always entitled to do their work without being driven by desire – even people whose intellect is still turned by material objects. Others whose intellect remains unaffected are qualified to contemplate using that intellect. Both of them are different paths to achieve moksha .

Thus, nothing contradictory or mixed-up was said.

The next Shloka says that the exclusive practice of contemplation is very difficult for all people – even those in whom the desire for moksha has taken birth.