Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Chapter 18

1. Bhagavad-Gita As It IsChapter 18 Text 40-48Perfection through performing one’s own duties.

2. Text 40-41 na tad asti påthivyäà vä divi deveñu vä punaù sattvaà prakåti-jair muktaà yad ebhiù syät tribhir guëaiù brähmaëa-kñatriya-viçäà çüdräëäà ca parantapa karmäëi pravibhaktäni svabhäva-prabhavair guëaiù There is no being existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is freed from these three modes born of material nature. Brähmaëas, kñatriyas, vaiçyas and çüdras are distinguished by the qualities born of their own natures in accordance with the material modes, O chastiser of the enemy.

3. Text 42-44 çamo damas tapaù çaucaà kñäntir ärjavam eva ca jïänaà vijïänam ästikyaà brahma-karma svabhäva-jam çauryaà tejo dhåtir däkñyaà yuddhe cäpy apaläyanam dänam éçvara-bhävaç ca kñätraà karma svabhäva-jam kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyaà vaiçya-karma svabhäva-jam paricaryätmakaà karma çüdrasyäpi svabhäva-jam Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the brähmaëas work. Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the kñatriyas. Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaiçyas, and for the çüdras there is labor and service to others.

4. Qualities/work - 4 Varnas described • Brahmanas - Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness. • Kshatriyas - Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership. • Vaishyas - Farming, cow protection and business. • Shudras - labor and service to others.

5. Text 45-46 sve sve karmaëy abhirataù saàsiddhià labhate naraù sva-karma-nirataù siddhià yathä vindati tac chåëu yataù pravåttir bhütänäà yena sarvam idaà tatam sva-karmaëä tam abhyarcya siddhià vindati mänavaù By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done. By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work.

6. Perfection of life • The Supreme Lord is the beginning of life of every living entity. All living beings are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. Therefore one should worship the Supreme Lord. • Everyone should think that he is engaged in a particular type of occupation by Håñékeça, the master of the senses. And by the result of the work in which one is engaged, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, should be worshiped. That is the perfection of life.

7. Text 47 çreyän sva-dharmo viguëaù para-dharmät sv-anuñöhität svabhäva-niyataà karma kurvan näpnoti kilbiñam It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly. Duties prescribed according to one's nature are never affected by sinful reactions.

8. Varnashram described • One should not imitate another's duty. • No work is abominable, if performed in the service of the Supreme Lord. • Anything done for personal sense gratification is a cause of bondage. • The conclusion is that everyone should be engaged according to the particular mode of nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work only to serve the supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.

9. Text 48 saha-jaà karma kaunteya sa-doñam api na tyajet sarvärambhä hi doñeëa dhümenägnir ivävåtäù Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kunté, even if such work is full of fault.

10. All work is contaminated • In conditioned life, all work is contaminated by the material modes of nature.brähmaëa, he has to perform sacrifices in which animal killing is necessary.kñatriya, however pious he may be, has to fight enemies.vaishya, however pious he may be, must sometimes hide his profit to stay in business, or he may sometimes have to do business on the black market.çüdra serving a bad master, he has to carry out the order of the master, even though it should not be done.E.g. smoke and fire.

11. Perfection – Self realization • One should be determined to serve the Supreme Lord by his occupational duty in Kåñëa consciousness. That is the perfectional point. • When a particular type of occupation is performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, all the defects in that particular occupation are purified. • The results of work are purified, when connected with devotional service. • One becomes perfect in seeing the self within.