Shloka 3

अक्षरब्रह्मयोगः | Akṣara-Brahma-Yoga

The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman

Devanagari script

आररक्षोर्मुनेयोंगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते । योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शम: कारणमुच्यते,योगमें आरूढ होनेकी इच्छावाले मननशील पुरुष-के लिये योगकी प्राप्तिमें निष्कामभावसे कर्म करना ही हेतु कहा जाता है: और योगारूढ हो जानेपर उस योगारूढ पुरुषका जो सर्वसंकल्पोंका अभाव है* वही कल्याणमें हेतु कहा जाता है

Transliteration

ārurukṣor muner yogaṁ karma kāraṇam ucyate | yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam ucyate ||

Translation

สำหรับมุนีผู้ใคร่จะไต่ขึ้นสู่โยคะ กรรมอันมีวินัยถูกกล่าวว่าเป็นเหตุให้บรรลุโยคะ; แต่สำหรับผู้นั้นเองเมื่อได้ตั้งมั่นในโยคะแล้ว “ศมะ” คือความสงบระงับแห่งสังกัลปะและความดิ้นรนในใจ ถูกกล่าวว่าเป็นเหตุแห่งความผาสุกและความมั่นคง

Word by Word

आरुरुक्षोःof one wishing to ascend (to yoga)

मुनेःof the sage / contemplative person

योगम्yoga

कर्मaction (work)

कारणम्cause / means

उच्यतेis said / is called

योगारूढस्यof one who has ascended to yoga (established in yoga)

तस्यof him / of that (person)

एवindeed / alone

शमःcalmness / cessation (tranquility)

कारणम्cause / means

उच्यतेis said / is called

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

muni (the sage/seeker)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes two stages: for one aspiring to reach yoga, selfless disciplined action is the practical means; for one already established in yoga, the key means is śama—inner stillness and the dropping of restless intentions and mental projections.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Gītā dialogue within Bhīṣma Parva, Arjuna is questioning and clarifying the path of yoga: he frames how a seeker progresses—from active discipline (karma) to settled contemplative stability (śama) once yoga is attained.