Gita : Ch-3. Slo-22.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-3. ( Karma-yogam )


Slokam-22. ( Hey Arjuna, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to obtain anything—and yet I am engaged in work. )



Na  me  parthasti  kartavyam  trishu lokeshu kincana,



nanavaptamavaptavyam  varta  eva  ca  karmani.



partha  =  hey Arjuna;

me  kartavyam  na  asti  =  for me  there is  nothing  to  perform;

trishu lokeshu  =  why because  in three worlds;

anavaptam  avaptavyam  =  not gained  and to be gained;

kincana  na  (api)  ca  =  not there, still I am;

karmani  varta  eva  =  engaged in karmam continously.

Now Lord Krishna is clarifying His position by stating that there is no performance of any prescribed Vedic action required of Him; yet and still He performs actions for the benefit of the world. So in the same way Arjuna should perform prescribed actions for maintaining world order and offering the results of the actions to the Supreme Lord. This has been revealed in the Krishna Samhita. By sustenance, by maintenance and by destruction the Supreme Lord has nothing to gain. Without any objective whatsoever the Supreme Lord Krishna according to His creative impulse performs all actions perpetually throughout all of creation. Just as a person who is extremely happy may spontaneously sing and dance to express their special pleasure in the same way the Supreme Lord performs all actions to express His consciousness which is perpetually in a state of Supreme Bliss.


Again Lord Krishna is explaining that He is not only giving this instruction but that He follows the performance of prescribed Vedic activities as well for the welfare of the world. Although He is the Supreme Lord of all with no need to attain what He already possesses still Lord Krishna performs Vedic activities in His form or the form of any of His authorised incarnations to set the example and so that all the worlds will beneftit.


Lord Krishna is declaring that in all the three worlds if He by His Supreme Will were to be present in the guise of a human or demi-god or whatever He desired there would of course be no activity He would be bound to perform as He is the maintainer of all the worlds and the Supreme Lord all prescribed activities in the Vedic scriptures are for His pleasure and satisfaction solely. Yet even when he appears in His original two armed form or in any of His scriptural authorised incarnations, Lord Krishna still applies Himself in all kinds of actions for the ultimate benefit and welfare for all the worlds.


In this regard Lord Krishna is using Himself as an example citing that fact that as the creator of all the worlds He has nothing to gain as He controls everything and yet He still performs His transcendental pastimes completely in line with the Vedic scriptures to benefit the welfare of all beings and the world.

To be continued  ...