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Chapter 3 · Karma-yoga · 43 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 3 · Karma-yoga
3.253.27

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 3.26

Exemplary action and leadership by example

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।

जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥ २६ ॥

na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed

ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām

joṣayet sarva-karmāṇi

vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran

Translation

So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness].

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Guide Others Through Devotion

  1. 1A learned person should not make those attached to work’s rewards stop working, but guide them through devotional work toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that all Vedic rituals aim at understanding Kṛṣṇa, the ultimate goal of life.
  3. 3Set an example by dedicating the results of your work to Kṛṣṇa’s service, without disturbing others in their activities.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 3, Karma-yoga: exemplary action and leadership by example.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 3.26 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 3.19Exemplary action and leadership by exampleBG 3.20Exemplary action and leadership by exampleBG 2.47Responsibility without ownership of outcomes

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.