Then why push me into this?

Where we are

In 2.49 Krishna said action alone falls far below acting from clear understanding, then described the sage as still as an ocean. Arjuna hears a contradiction: if understanding is better, why fight? So he asks, frustrated, for one straight answer, and Krishna begins by naming two paths.

The verses

1. 3.1

   arjuna uvāca

   Arjuna asks: Krishna, if you hold that understanding is better than action, why are you pushing me into this dreadful deed?

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 3.1

   ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
   तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥ १ ॥

   Hear it

   jyāyasī cet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana
   tat kiṃ karmaṇi ghore māṃ niyojayasi keśava

   Say it

   jyaa-yuh-see chet kur-muh-nus-tay muh-taa bud-dhir juh-naar-duh-nuh
   tut kim kur-muh-ni gho-ray maam ni-yo-juh-yuh-si kay-shuh-vuh

   Word by word

   jyāyasī

   better, superior

   cet karmaṇaḥ

   if, than action

   te matā buddhiḥ

   understanding is held by you

   janārdana

   O Janārdana (Krishna)

   tat kim

   then why

   karmaṇi ghore

   in a terrible deed

   mām niyojayasi

   do you engage me, push me

   keśava

   O Keśava (Krishna)

2. 3.2

   Your words seem to point two ways at once, and they confuse me. Settle it and tell me one clear thing: the way that leads to what is truly good for me.

   Text note: The BORI critical edition reads vyāmiśreṇaiva, “with mixed words indeed”; the traditional text shown here reads vyāmiśreṇeva, “with words that seem mixed”, which keeps Arjuna polite: Krishna only appears to contradict himself.

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 3.2

   व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
   तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥ २ ॥

   Hear it

   vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena buddhiṃ mohayasīva me
   tad ekaṃ vada niścitya yena śreyo 'ham āpnuyām

   Say it

   vyaa-mi-shray-nay-vuh vaak-yay-nuh bud-dhim mo-huh-yuh-see-vuh may
   tuh-day-kum vuh-duh nish-chit-yuh yay-nuh shray-yo-hum aap-noo-yaam

   Word by word

   vyāmiśreṇa iva vākyena

   with words that seem mixed, contradictory

   buddhim mohayasi iva me

   you seem to confuse my mind

   tat ekam vada

   so tell me one thing

   niścitya

   having settled it, decisively

   yena śreyaḥ aham āpnuyām

   by which I may reach what is truly good

3. 3.3

   śrībhagavān uvāca

   Krishna replies: long ago I taught two ways of standing firm in this world. For the reflective there is the path of knowledge; for the active, the path of action.

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 3.3

   लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
   ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ ३ ॥

   Hear it

   loke 'smin dvividhā niṣṭhā purā proktā mayānagha
   jñānayogena sāṃkhyānāṃ karmayogena yoginām

   Say it

   lo-kay-smin dvi-vi-dhaa nish-thaa poo-raa prok-taa muh-yaa-nuh-ghuh
   gyaa-nuh-yo-gay-nuh saang-khyaa-naam kur-muh-yo-gay-nuh yo-gi-naam

   Word by word

   loke asmin

   in this world

   dvividhā niṣṭhā

   a two-fold path, two ways of standing firm

   purā proktā mayā

   was taught by me long ago

   anagha

   O sinless one (Arjuna)

   jñāna-yogena sāṃkhyānām

   the path of knowledge, for those given to reflection

   karma-yogena yoginām

   the path of action, for those given to action

4. 3.4

   No one becomes free of action just by never starting anything. And giving things up, on its own, does not bring fulfilment either.

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 3.4

   न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
   न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥ ४ ॥

   Hear it

   na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo 'śnute
   na ca saṃnyasanād eva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati

   Say it

   nuh kur-muh-naam uh-naa-rum-bhaan naish-kur-myum poo-roo-sho-shnoo-tay
   nuh chuh sun-nyuh-suh-naa-day-vuh sid-dhim suh-mud-hi-guch-chuh-ti

   Word by word

   na karmaṇām anārambhāt

   not by not starting actions

   naiṣkarmyam

   freedom from action, the state where action no longer binds

   puruṣaḥ aśnute

   does a person attain

   na ca saṃnyasanāt eva

   nor by renouncing alone

   siddhim samadhigacchati

   does one reach fulfilment

Context and commentary

The key word is naiṣkarmya, 'action-less-ness': not doing nothing, but a state where action no longer binds you. Arjuna's epithets carry an edge: he appeals to Janārdana, often read as 'the one people turn to', while hinting he is confusing. Readings split here. Śaṅkara holds that knowledge and action can't be combined, so karma yoga purifies the mind to prepare for knowledge. Rāmānuja treats it as a full path to knowing the self. Tilak argued the Gita's core is action, continued even after wisdom. All agree 3.4 rules out simply opting out.