BG 03.15 karma brahmodbhavam viddhi... cited

Expressions researched:
"brahmaksara-samudbhavam" |"karma brahmodbhavam viddhi" |"nityam yajne pratisthitam" |"tasmat sarva-gatam brahma"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 3.15, Translation and Purport:

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.

Yajñārtha-karma, or the necessity of work for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa only, is more expressly stated in this verse. If we have to work for the satisfaction of the yajña-puruṣa, Viṣṇu, then we must find out the direction of work in Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas. The Vedas are therefore codes of working directions. Anything performed without the direction of the Vedas is called vikarma, or unauthorized or sinful work. Therefore, one should always take direction from the Vedas to be saved from the reaction of work. As one has to work in ordinary life by the direction of the state, one similarly has to work under direction of the supreme state of the Lord. Such directions in the Vedas are directly manifested from the breathing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said, asya mahato bhūtasya niśvasitam etad yad ṛg-vedo yajur-vedaḥ sāmavedo 'tharvāṅgirasaḥ. "The four Vedas-namely the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda, and Atharva Veda—are all emanations from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead." (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.5.11) The Lord, being omnipotent, can speak by breathing air, for as it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, the Lord has the omnipotence to perform through each of His senses the actions of all other senses. In other words, the Lord can speak through His breathing, and He can impregnate by His eyes. In fact, it is said that He glanced over material nature and thus fathered all living entities. After creating or impregnating the conditioned souls into the womb of material nature, He gave His directions in the Vedic wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead. We should always remember that the conditioned souls in material nature are all eager for material enjoyment. But the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one's perverted desires, then return to Godhead, having finished his so-called enjoyment. It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation; therefore the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of yajña by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Even those who have not followed the Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajñas, or karmas.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fifteen: "Activity, karma, arises from the Vedas and the Vedas spring from the Supreme Godhead. Therefore the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice (BG 3.15)."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "Yajñārtha-karma, or the necessity for work for the satisfaction..."

Prabhupāda: Yajñārtha-karma. Yajña means "sacrifice," artha, "for the purpose of," and karma, "fruitive activity." Everyone is engaged in some activity, but what shall be the purpose of such activity? Yajñārtha. Yajñārtha means simply to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. That should be the purpose. Yajñārtha-karma, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "We have to work for the satisfaction of the yajña-puruṣa, Viṣṇu, then we must find the direction of work in Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas. The Vedas are therefore codes of working directions. Anything performed..."

Prabhupāda: Just like you get license to do some business. Why? The government gives you license to do some business. That means if you want to do business you must satisfy the government. You cannot do whimsically. You cannot do. This is Veda. One who is law-abiding subject. Similarly, anyone who is following the codes of Vedas or scriptures he is actually working. Otherwise, persons who are violating, he is becoming implicated, criminals. Similarly, if we defy the rules and regulation of Vedas or scripture, then we are being implicated, the criminals for being punished. Therefore work should be yajñārtha, for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu or the supreme government. That should be the mode of work. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Anything performed without the direction of the Vedas is called vikarma."

Prabhupāda: Vikarma.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Vikarma or unauthorized work or sinful work. Therefore one should always take direction from the Vedas..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The same example as I always cite, that your direction is "Keep to the right." Then if you don't keep to the right, if you go to the left, then it is vikarma, your driving is unlawful. You are immediately... Similarly, as soon as you perform vikarma... Karma, vikarma, akarma, there are three kinds of work. So vikarma means against the rules. So as soon as we act against the rules, immediately we are bound up by the criminal codes. Therefore if we work for the supreme government, Kṛṣṇa, simply for His satisfaction, there is no vikarma, there is no criminality. There is no criminality. Because ultimately the Supreme Lord is to be satisfied. So if you work for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord you are not subjected to any criminal law. You are free. That is liberation. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "As one has to work in ordinary life by the direction of the state, similarly one has to work under the direction of the supreme state of the Lord. Such instructions in the Vedas are directly manifested from the breathing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said all the four Vedas, namely the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda and Atharva Veda, are emanations from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead. The Lord, being potent, can speak by His breathing air, as it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We should not think how it is that Lord gave His laws through breathing. Because with breathing we cannot speak anything. That means I am calculating the strength of God with my capacity. The Brahma-saṁhitā says no. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya vṛttimanti. The every part, or every limb, of the body of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, can act of other limb. Just like I can see through the eyes only. But Kṛṣṇa can see through His finger also. That is His omnipotency. Omnipotency means every limb has got the potency of all other limbs. That is called omnipotency. We speak of omnipotency, but we do not know the meaning of omnipotency. This is omnipotency, that by His glance God created this world by His glance. Sa īkṣata sa asṛjata. These are Vedic hymns. So we can say that how is that, simply God saw and there was creation? Yes. That is omnipotency. Why do you think in terms of your capacity? That is materialism. As soon as you think of God in my capacity, that is materialism. You have to accept as it is said in the Vedas. Then you understand what is God. Otherwise you cannot. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Lord, being potent, can speak by breathing air as is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, for the Lord has omnipotence to perform through each of His senses the actions of all other senses. In other words, the Lord can speak through His breathing and He can impregnate by His eyes. It is said that He glanced over the material nature and thus fathered all the living entities. So after impregnating the conditioned souls into the womb of the material nature, He gave His direction in the Vedic wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead. We should always remember that the conditioned souls in material nature are all eager for material enjoyment, and the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one's perverted desires, then return to Godhead, having finished his so-called enjoyment. It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation. Therefore the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of yajña by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Those who have not followed Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajñas or karmas."

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

And if your karma is regulated by the direction of Kṛṣṇa, just like Arjuna regulated his karma, his warfare, by the direction of Kṛṣṇa, then by regulation of karma, you perform yajña, sacrifice, and from, for your performance of yajña, sacrifice, there is regulated rainfall, and from regulated rainfall there is sufficient production of grains and foodstuff, and from your sufficient foodstuff, you can grow yourself, body, maintain your body very nicely. The whole program is like that. Annād bhavanti,

annād bhavanti bhūtāni

parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ

yajñād bhavati parjanyo

yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ

(BG 3.14)

Karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi. And the nature of our karma, how we should work, that is directed. That is directed in Vedic literature, just like Bhagavad-gītā, just like Arjuna was directed. Now,

karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi

brahmākṣara-samudbhavam

tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma

nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam

(BG 3.15)

"Therefore, my dear Arjuna, if you begin your life by performance of yajña, then that means at once your life becomes spiritualized. At once your life becomes spiritualized, that what you want."

evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakraṁ

nānuvartayatīha yaḥ

aghāyur indriyārāmo

moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati

(BG 3.16)

Now, here is injunction that "That is the circle." That is the circle, that how to work. That injunction is there.

Now, why your, or this work? Any work. Suppose you will drive a motor car. That is a sort of work in the street. There is injunction that "You should drive on the right. You should stop your car when there is red light. You should not proceed an inch." So, so many regulations, even for your driving car, anything... Anything of your life—you want to do—there are directions, proper directions from the authorities. And why not for your spiritual life? Why not for?

For spiritual life you can do anything and everything, whatever you like, what you manufacture in your own brain? No. How can you do it? In every field of your work, in practical life, you have got some direction, that "You have to act in this direction." Suppose you are working, running on a factory. Oh, there are so many factory laws. Anywhere you go, there are direction from the superior authorities.