Chapter 3: Summary: The following are the important aspects of the Lord's teachings in this chapter. a) Work - Swadharma should be lubricated with love and beautified with bhavana - dedication. b)A true karmayogi rejoices in action in accordance with the yajna principle. Karma yoga for him is a passport for attaining mental purity. c) A kamayogi never hankers after results. He accepts everything as Lord's prasada . He thus converts soul-entangling karma to soul-liberating yajna. d) Leaders should guide followers without upsetting them. e)Man's work is God's work. Man is an instrument in His hands. Man's work should be an act of dedication to Him. f) Peace of mind is not external but purely internal. Explanations: Chapter III dealing with Karma yoga is part of karma shatka. Karma is the gift of God to humanity. It is incumbent on each individual to use it in a co-operative spirit, strictly in accordance with His plan and purpose and not to suit an individual's whim or fancy. None can afford to remain idle even for a second. Bhagavan gives a wide and comprehensive interpretation of Yajna-sacrifice. Five types of Yajnas are mentioned in the sastras as detailed below. Deva yajna - worship of Gods. The day begins with Deva yajna. Rishi yajna - The great seers and sages of the past have left us with a rich heritage of tradition and precept as regards spiritual discipline. A study of their teachings with feelings of humble surrender and deep-rooted faith is worship to them. Pitr yajna - Remembrance of our fore-fathers through ceremonies. Nara yajna - Whoever places public interest above private needs performs nara yajna. Bhutha yajna-Compassion for lower forms of life-plants and animals. True yajna is co-operative endeavour for communal good. Bhagavan exhorts man to please the Devas through yajna. Devas would then reciprocate with bounties of nature like rain, food air, water etc. The cosmic wheel has yajna for its pivot. Beings are evolved from food. Food is produced by rain. Rain is caused by yajna . Yajna is rooted in prescribed karma which originates from the imperishable vedas. The basic principle of yajna is that man should not grab but give. Thus the world follows yajna and yajna follows the world -"Anu yajnam jagath sarvam, yajnaath chaa anujagath sadaa". Swadharma is one's own duty and forms an inescapable and inherent feature of one's terrestrial existence. It is based on one's own attitude, aptitude and depends to a limited extent on parentage and environment. Man being a part and parcel of nature cannot escape karma -- swadharma. Without an iota of self-approbation and as though in passing, Bhagavan in slokhas 22-24 declares He is the greatest karma-yogi ever. He has nothing to gain through karma, nothing to lose by non-performance. Yet He is ceaselessly active so that man may emulate Him. A leader like Janaka - as quoted by Bhagavan --sets an inspiring example for the commoner. Furthermore he does not confuse them through indoctrination by force, but weans them from negative tendencies with kindly exhortations. The greatest high- way robbers in the path of karmayoga are "likes and dislikes". Man should neutralise emotions engendered by them. How? "Niraasir nirmamo bhuthva" - by performing unmindful of self interest and accepting results, favourable or otherwise, as His grace. In slokha 38, deep with inner significance Bhagavan categorises humanity into three groups: Dhumenaavriyathe vahni - like fire enveloped with smoke. Refers to "satvic" people. Like smoke driven away without much ado they can overcome obstacles quite easily. Yathaadarso malena cha - like a mirror coated with dust. Prtains to the quality of " rajas" to which the rank and file of humanity belong. The impurity in the mirror can be removed with some sustained effort. Like mirror shining devoid of dust the atman becomes effulgent through sincere and dedicated efforts. Yatholbeavritham garbha - like the foetus in the womb- underscores "taamasic" persons. Compared to the previous groups, they require a long time and a great vista of opportunities to become perfect. cont....