न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम्।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन्।।3.26।।
3.26 The enlightened man should not create disturbance in the beliefs of the ignorant, who are attached to work. Working, while himself remaining deligen [Some translate yuktah as, in the right manner. S. takes it in the sense of Yoga-yuktah, merged in yoga.-Tr.], he should make them do [Another reading is yojayet, meaning the same as josayet.-Tr.] all the duties.
3.26 Let no wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people who are attached to action; he should engage them in all actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion.
3.26. Let the wise master of Yoga fulfil (or destroy) all actions by performing them all, and let him not creat any disturbance in the mind of the ingnorant persons attached to action.
3.26 न not? बुद्धिभेदम् unsettlement in the mind? जनयेत् should produce? अज्ञानाम् of the ignorant? कर्मसङ्गिनाम् of the persons attached to actions? जोषयेत् should engage? सर्वकर्माणि all actions? विद्वान् the wise? युक्तः balanced? समाचरन् performing.Commentary An ignorant may says to himelf? I shall do this action and thery enjoy its fruit. A wise man should not unsettle his belief. On the contrary he himself should set an example by performing his duties diligently but without attachment. The wise man should also persuade the ignorant never to neglect their duties. If need be? he should place before them in vivid colours the happiness they would enjoy here and hereafter by discharging such duties. When their hearts get purified in course of time? the wise man could sow the seeds of Karma Yoga (selfless service without deire) in them.
3.26 Vidvan the enlightened man; na janayet, should not create; buddhi-bhedam, disturbance in the beliefs-disturbance in the firm belief, This has to be done; and the result of this action is to be reaped by me; ajnanam, of the ignorant, of the non-discriminating one; karma-sanginam, who are attached to work. But what should he do? Himself samacaran, working, performing those very activities of the ignorant; yuktah, while remaining diligent; josayet, he should make them do; sarva-karmani, all the duties. How does an anillumined, ignorant person be come attached to actions? In reply the Lord says:
3.26 Na buddhi-etc. Himself knowing in this way, let him perform actions and let him not disturb the minds of common men. [In the last verse] reference is made of the ignorant person. [The Lord] now demonstrates their ignorance -
3.26 Do not bewilder the minds of ignorant aspirants by saying that there is, besides Karma Yoga, another way to the vision of the self. They cannot practise Jnana Yoga on account of their incomplete knowledge of the self, and attachment to action. They are alified for Karma Yoga because of their being fit only for activity on account of the subtle impressions of their beginningless Karma. What then follows from this? It is this: Even though one is alified for Jnana Yoga because of the complete knowledge of the self, one should do work, holding the view as said previously, that Karma Yoga by itself without Jnana Yoga is an independent means for the vision of the self. He should thus generate love for all types of activity among those who do not know the complete truth. Sri Krsna declares (in the verses 27 to 30) the way in which the self is to be contemplated on as not being an agent as reired by Karma Yoga, after demonstrating the difference between the enlightened and unenlightened among those practising Karma Yoga.
You should not disturb the minds of those attached to action; because their impure hearts by saying “This karma is despicable! Give up action and become successful like me by the practice of jnana.” Instead one should engage them in action (josayet) by saying “Perform action without desire and become successful.” Doing those actions, you set an example for others. “But according to the Bhagavatam, this is contrary to the statement of the Lord: svayam nihsreyasam vidvan na vakty ajnaya karma hi na rati rogino ‘pathyam vanchato ‘pi bhisaktamah A pure devotee who is fully accomplished in the science of devotional service will never instruct a foolish person to engage in fruitive activities for material enjoyment, not to speak of helping him in such activities. Such a devotee is like an experienced physician, who never encourages a patient to eat food injurious to his health, even if the patient desires it.” SB 6.9.50 True, but this is in relation to instructions given about bhakti. It is not contradictory to giving instructions about jnana. Jnana is-dependent on purity of the heart, and purity of the heart is dependent on action without desire. But bhakti is by nature very: strong, and is not dependent even on the purity of the heart. If it is possible for you to produce faith in bhakti, then you may disturb the minds of those attached to action, for those who have faith in bhakti have no obligation for performing karma. should be understood from such statements as the following: tavat karmani kurvita na nirvidyeta yavata mat-katha-sravanadau va sraddha yavan na jayate One should continue to perform the Vedic ritualistic activitie until one actually becomes detached from material sense gratification and develops faith for hearing and chanting about Me. SB 11.20.9 dharman santyajya yah sarvan mam bhajet sa tu sattamah Having taken complete shelter at My lotus feet, however, a saintly person ultimately renounces such ordinary religious duties and worships Me alone. He is thus considered to be the best among all living entities. SB 11.11.32 sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaih saranarh vraja Give up all dharmas and surrender to me alone. Gita 18.66 tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann apakvo ‘tha patet tato yadi If someone gives up his occupational duties and works in Krishna consciousness and then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there on his part? And what can one gain if one performs his material activities perfectly? SB 1.5.17
It may be put forth that if one feels compassion for the ignorant one should give them knowledge of atma-tattva or soul realisation which is the highest. Lord Krishna neutralises this argument by stating na vicalayet tan meaning on should not try to impart knowledge to them. The ignorant should not be influenced to refrain from performing their duties by superior instructions about the atma or soul that they are not qualified to understand. The spiritually wise in Vedic knowledge should inspire the ignorant to perform their duties with attentiveness and care. If the minds of the ignorant become disturbed and unsettled then they may lose faith in working altogether and with actions stopped and knowledge not rising the ignorant would lose out in both ways.
There is no commentary for this verse.
The word avidvamsah means ignorant, the ignorance referred to is all those who are not knowledgeable of atma-tattva or soul realisation. Those who have desires and are attached to performing actions to obtain the fruits of such desires are unable to approach the jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Others being more sober are only fit to follow karma yoga the path of prescribed Vedic actions as their means to achieve atma- tattva. Let the wise act and behave like one performing karma yoga performing prescribed Vedic actions even if they have no interest in the results of their actions and are qualified for jnana yoga and even if they have knowledge of atma-tattva. For such a person is naturally great and is looked up to by all the world and should always conduct themselves in an exemplary manner by performing prescribed Vedic activities according to qualification. By this mankind will be cognisant of what is proper and improper in society. Actions of this nature can only be accomplished by one performing karma yoga. The ignorant are conditioned to desires of fruitive activities being fully attached to gaining results and are incapable of adopting the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A person of wisdom should not unhinge the minds and disturb the equilibrium of ordinary people pursuing their dreams of material acquisitions in karma yoga by preaching the superior path of jnana yoga which they are incapable of following. What a person of wisdom must do is set an example by their actions and perform prescribed Vedic activities in karma yoga showing the ignorant by their example that without desire and being unattached to the results it is sufficient to achieve atma-tattva. By setting the example in this manner the great souls inspires the whole society to perform righteous activities so that eventually their minds will be come purified of all dross and they will become competent to advance in spiritual life and attain atma-tattva. The difference between how a person of wisdom performs karma yoga and how the ignorant acts in karma yoga and the reason why will be explained in the next verse.
The word avidvamsah means ignorant, the ignorance referred to is all those who are not knowledgeable of atma-tattva or soul realisation. Those who have desires and are attached to performing actions to obtain the fruits of such desires are unable to approach the jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Others being more sober are only fit to follow karma yoga the path of prescribed Vedic actions as their means to achieve atma- tattva. Let the wise act and behave like one performing karma yoga performing prescribed Vedic actions even if they have no interest in the results of their actions and are qualified for jnana yoga and even if they have knowledge of atma-tattva. For such a person is naturally great and is looked up to by all the world and should always conduct themselves in an exemplary manner by performing prescribed Vedic activities according to qualification. By this mankind will be cognisant of what is proper and improper in society. Actions of this nature can only be accomplished by one performing karma yoga. The ignorant are conditioned to desires of fruitive activities being fully attached to gaining results and are incapable of adopting the path of jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A person of wisdom should not unhinge the minds and disturb the equilibrium of ordinary people pursuing their dreams of material acquisitions in karma yoga by preaching the superior path of jnana yoga which they are incapable of following. What a person of wisdom must do is set an example by their actions and perform prescribed Vedic activities in karma yoga showing the ignorant by their example that without desire and being unattached to the results it is sufficient to achieve atma-tattva. By setting the example in this manner the great souls inspires the whole society to perform righteous activities so that eventually their minds will be come purified of all dross and they will become competent to advance in spiritual life and attain atma-tattva. The difference between how a person of wisdom performs karma yoga and how the ignorant acts in karma yoga and the reason why will be explained in the next verse.
Na buddhibhedam janayed ajnaanaam karmasanginaam; Joshayet sarva karmaani vidwaan yuktah samaacharan.
na—not; buddhi-bhedam—discord in the intellects; janayet—should create; ajñānām—of the ignorant; karma-saṅginām—who are attached to fruitive actions; joṣhayet—should inspire (them) to perform; sarva—all; karmāṇi—prescribed; vidvān—the wise; yuktaḥ—enlightened; samācharan—performing properly
