Chapter 3 · Verse 15

Path of Selfless Service

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्। तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्

karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi brahmākṣhara-samudbhavam tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣhṭhitam

Word Meanings

karma — duties; brahma — in the Vedas; udbhavam — manifested; viddhi — you should know; brahma — The Vedas; akṣhara — from the Imperishable (God); samudbhavam — directly manifested; tasmāt — therefore; sarva-gatam — all-pervading; brahma — The Lord; nityam — eternally; yajñe — in sacrifice; pratiṣhṭhitam — established

Language:

Translation

Know that prescribed action originates from the Vedas, and the Vedas spring from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Supreme is eternally established in sacrifice.

Commentary

कर्म action? ब्रह्मोद्भवम् arisen from Brahma? विद्धि know? ब्रह्म Brahma? अक्षरसमुद्भवम् arisen from the Imperishable? तस्मात् therefore? सर्वगतम् allpervading? ब्रह्म Brahma? नित्यम् ever? यज्ञे in sacrifice? प्रतिष्ठितम् (is) established.Commentary Brahma may mean Veda. Just as the breath comes out of a man? so also the Veda is the breath of the Imperishable or the Omniscient. The Veda ever rests in the sacrifice? i.e.? it deals chiefly with sacrifices and the ways of their performance. (Cf.IV.24 to 32).Karma Action? Brahmodbhavam arisen from the injunctions of the Vedas.