Summary of Chapter 3 of Bhagavad Gita - Delivered to the Chinmaya Mission Boston - Newton group

1. Maximum Happiness to the Maximum Number of People for the
Maximum Time
CHINMAYAMISSIONBOSTON
The Holy Geeta
Chapter 3

2. Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga – Path of Action - Summary
• Always DO the RIGHT ACTION with the RIGHT ATTITUDE
• RIGHT ACTION
 Refrain from ‘prohibited’ actions (niseda)
 Perform ‘obligatory’ duties (nitya) and ‘occasional’ duties (naimitikka)
 Reduce selfish actions (sakama) prompted by personal desires
 Action is superior to inaction
• RIGHT ATTITUDE
 Work Is Worship – Spirit of Sacrifice or ‘Yagna’
 Lead with PASSION – others will follow
 Give up the ‘Ego’ (e.g., child pushing the car, Namboodiri running in a
moving train)
 Strive for a ‘Higher Goal’ (e.g., salt in a spoon of water vs salt in a pond)
 Act without
o Regrets for the past
o Expectations of the future
o Excitement in the present
 Act without ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’
 Act as per your ‘Dharma’ - better to do our own duty (dharma) imperfectly
than another’s perfectly

3. Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga – Path of Action - Summary
• Always DO the RIGHT ACTION with the RIGHT ATTITUDE
• RIGHT ACTION
 Refrain from ‘prohibited’ actions (niseda)
 Perform ‘obligatory’ duties (nitya) and ‘occasional’ duties (naimitikka)
 Reduce selfish actions (sakama) prompted by personal desires
 Action is superior to inaction

4. Chapter 3 – Verses
Play verses 1-8

5. Hierarchy of Actions

6. Video on WikiLeaks

7. Group Discussion
Form two groups and discuss if the actions on Julian Assange is correct or not.
1. Group #1: Argue that Julian is doing a service to the World and is doing the
right action
2. Group #2: Argue that Julian is NOT doing the right action and is dis-obeying
the laws of all nations by ignoring the confidentiality of documents

8. Chapter 3 – RIGHT ATTITUDE
• Always DO the RIGHT ACTION with the RIGHT ATTITUDE
• RIGHT ATTITUDE - Work is Worship
 The world is bound by actions driven by ego and ego-centric desires
but not by those done in a spirit of sacrifice
 Yajna (Sacrifice) = common endeavor, selfless, for the good of the many

9. Chapter 3 – What is the Yajna spirit?
1:58:50 Chap3 – DVD 1

10. Chapter 3 – Selfless Service – CNN Heroes
CNN Heroes – Selfless Service

11. Chapter 3 – Verses
Play verses 9-16

12. Wheel of Life (1)
Food
Beings
Action
Sacrifice
Rain

13. Wheel of Life – We are all ‘Connected’
Food
Beings
Action
Sacrifice
Rain

14. Chapter 3 – Verses
Play verses 17-30

15. Summary
• Always DO the RIGHT ACTION with the RIGHT ATTITUDE
• RIGHT ATTITUDE - Work is Worship
 Actions for the welfare of others (selfless actions – Yajna spirit)
 Not attached to the actions
 Renouncing all actions in me

16. Video – Chip Conley - Measuring What Makes Life Worthwhile

17. Spirit of Sacrifice
19. Therefore always perform actions which should be done, without
attachment, for, by performing action without attachment, man attains
the supreme
Vasanas
Desires
Thoughts
Actions
Results

18. Chapter 3 – Without unsettling the minds of Ignorant people
29. Those deluded by the qualities of nature, (GUNAS) are attached to the
functions of the qualities. The man-of-perfect knowledge should not
unsettle the ‘foolish’ who are of imperfect knowledge.
26. Let no wise man unsettle the minds of ignorant people who are attached
to action; he should engage them all in actions, himself fulfilling them
with devotion.

19. Chapter 3 – Renouncing All Actions in Me
30. Renouncing all action in Me, with the mind centered on the Self, free from
hope and egoism (ownership), free from (mental) fever, (you) do fight.

20. Chapter 3 – Verses
Play verses 31-43

21. Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga – Path of Action - Summary
• Always DO the RIGHT ACTION with the RIGHT ATTITUDE
• RIGHT ACTION
 Refrain from ‘prohibited’ actions (niseda)
 Perform ‘obligatory’ duties (nitya) and ‘occasional’ duties (naimitikka)
 Reduce selfish actions (sakama) prompted by personal desires
 Action is superior to inaction
• RIGHT ATTITUDE
 Work Is Worship – Spirit of Sacrifice or ‘Yagna’
 Lead with PASSION – others will follow
 Give up the ‘Ego’ (e.g., child pushing the car, Namboodiri running in a
moving train)
 Strive for a ‘Higher Goal’ (e.g., salt in a spoon of water vs salt in a pond)
 Act without
o Regrets for the past
o Expectations of the future
o Excitement in the present
 Act without ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’
 Act as per your ‘Dharma’ - better to do our own duty (dharma) imperfectly
than another’s perfectly