FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 3.31

యే మే మతమిదం నిత్యమనుతిష్ఠన్తి మానవాః । శ్రద్ధావన్తోఽనసూయన్తో ముచ్యన్తే తేఽపి కర్మభిః ॥ ౩౧ ॥
ye me matam idaṁ nityam
[ye me matam idam nityam]
anutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ
[anutishthanti maanavaah]
śraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto
[shraddhaavanto ’nasooyanto]
mucyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
[muchyante te ’pi karmabhih]
Word-for-word
ye — those who me — My matam — injunctions idam — these nityam — as an eternal function anutiṣṭhanti — execute regularly mānavāḥ — human beings śraddhā - vantaḥ — with faith and devotion anasūyantaḥ — without envy mucyante — become free te — all of them api — even karmabhiḥ — from the bondage of the law of fruitive actions .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ye me matam idaṁ nityam
ye
those who
me
My
matam
injunctions
idam
these
nityam
as an eternal function
anutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ
anutiṣṭhanti
execute regularly
mānavāḥ
human beings
śraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto
śraddhā - vantaḥ
with faith and devotion
anasūyantaḥ
without envy
mucyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
mucyante
become free
te
all of them
api
even
karmabhiḥ
from the bondage of the law of fruitive actions .
Important Words
  • matam — injunctions
    From √man, to think — *that which has been opined*. Kṛṣṇa's *mata* is His decided view, His siddhānta. The verse names the teaching as Kṛṣṇa's personal verdict, not abstract counsel.
  • nityam — as an eternal function
    Adverb — eternally, perpetually. The teaching is not a phase. Faithful execution is *nityam*; intermittent execution is not what the verse promises freedom for.
  • anutiṣṭhanti — execute regularly
    Present indicative of anu-√sthā, to stand after — i.e. to follow through. The verb of *carrying out* what has been stood beneath. Faith without execution is not the verse's subject.
  • śraddhā - vantaḥ — with faith and devotion
    Compound: śraddhā (faith) + vant (possessor of). The very śraddhā the Gītā treats as the soul's coloring (17.2–3). Without it, the rest of the discipline drains away.
  • anasūyantaḥ — without envy
    Negative present participle of asūya, envy/spite. Faith and lack-of-envy are paired — because envy of Kṛṣṇa is the original disqualification that put us here. Removing it removes the bondage at its root.
Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of fruitive actions.
Purport

The injunction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the essence of all Vedic wisdom and therefore is eternally true without exception. As the Vedas are eternal, so this truth of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also eternal. One should have firm faith in this injunction, without envying the Lord. There are many philosophers who write comments on the Bhagavad-gītā but have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. They will never be liberated from the bondage of fruitive action. But an ordinary man with firm faith in the eternal injunctions of the Lord, even though unable to execute such orders, becomes liberated from the bondage of the law of karma. In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one may not fully discharge the injunctions of the Lord, but because one is not resentful of this principle and works sincerely without consideration of defeat and hopelessness, he will surely be promoted to the stage of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
31. Those who always follow My teaching with faith and without envy are free from the bondage of actions.
Commentary

In this verse the Lord speaks to encourage people to take up His teaching.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
31. Only those who always follow my teaching with faith and without envy are free from the bondage of actions.
Commentary

This verse, speaking of the result for those who following the Lord’s teaching, the secret of the Vedas, indicates the supreme position of this teaching. Only (api) those men who always (nityam) follow My teaching, (another meaning: who following the teaching of the Vedas with no beginning because the śrutis are eternal), with firm faith (śraddhāvantaḥ), without having the feeling that it is a fault for one interested in liberation to participate in useless material actions which are only a waste of time (anusūyanto), are free from bondage of action. Api has the sense of limitation (only) in this verse. Another meaning is as follows. Those who follow My teachings, and even those who cannot follow but have faith and also do not disrespect the teachings—even they can be free of the bondage of action. Even though at the present time they cannot follow, by faith in the teachings and lack of envy, their obstacles decrease. A little later, performing the instructions, they become free.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This "without envy" is very important. One shouldn't resent that he has to do what he was told to do. He should whatever he is supposed to do as his duty. Arjuna didn't have to consider the order of the Lord, "please Krsna give me fifty reasons why I should fight in the battle", he just had to execute the order because he had surrended to Krsna, he knew that Krsna was the Lord, the spiritual master ‑ and when that was accepted he had to sacrifice his own desires for the pleasure of the Lord. That is Krsna consciousness. There is no Krsna consciousness without surrender. This is a very difficult thing for the conditioned souls to accept because they are envious of Krsna.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Result of acting according to Lord’s injunctions (Bg. 3.30)

How to follow:
With faith
Without envy
Result – Freedom from all bondage

Focus of Learning

(a) This verse indicates the “Purpose of Bhagavad-gita”

(b) ‘Military discipline’ as the ‘mood’ in Krishna conscious duties

(c) Why such a difficult mood recommended

Duties must be carried out with dependence on Krishna, as in military discipline. Because
That is the constitutional position of the living entity – Eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord
Living entity cannot be happy independent of the co-operation of the Supreme Lord

(d) Meaning of

‘Adhyatma-cetas’ – One who is fully Krishna conscious and depends solely and wholly on the Supreme Soul without personal considerations
‘Nirasih’ – To act on the order of the master without expecting fruitive results
E.g. Cashier counting millions of dollars for the employer
‘Mayi’ (Unto Me) – Nothing in the world belongs to anyone, but everything belongs to the Supreme Lord
‘Nirmana’ (Nothing is mine) – Free from sense of proprietorship
‘Vigatah-jvara’ – Without feverish mentality or lethargy
Give up any reluctance to fight because of bodily relationships

(e) What is the ‘Path of liberation’ recommended in conclusion

Act according to Varnashrama – Everyone according to his quality and position has a particular type of work to discharge
Act in right consciousness – Discharge all such duties in Krishna consciousness

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXT 30

The highest level of self-realized work is pure devotional

service, above ritualistic religion or dutiful work for purification

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.31 Ye, those; manavah, men; who (nityam, ever;) anutisthanti, follow accordingly; me matam, My teaching- this teaching of Mine, viz that 'duty must be performed', which has been stated with valid reasoning; sraddhavantah, with faith; and anasuyantah, without cavil, without detracing Me, Vasudeva, the Teacher [Here Ast. adds 'parama, supreme'-Tr.]; te api, they also, who are such; mucyante, become freed; karmabhih, from actions called the righteous and the unrighteous.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.31 There are those persons who are alified to understand the Sastras and decide for themselves what is My doctrine, and follow them accordingly; there are others who are full of faith in the meaning of the Sastras without however practising it. And there are still others who, even though devoid of faith, do not cavil at it, saying that the true meaning of the Sastras cannot be this, i.e., they do not find any blemish pertaining to the Sastras which possess great alities. All these persons are freed from Karmas which are there from beginningless time and which cause bondage. By the term, api (even) in 'te pi karmabhih' ('even they from Karmas'), these men are divided into three groups. The meaning is that those who, even if they do not act upon the meaning but still believe in this meaning of the Sastras and do not cavil at it, will be cleansed of their evil by their faith and freedom from fault-finding. For, if they have faith they will, before long, take to the practice of this very meaning of the Sastras and be freed. Sri Krsna now speaks of the evil that will befall those who do not practice this instruction of the Upanisads, i.e., those who are faithless and who cavil at it.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.31 See Comment under 3.32
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
3.31 Those men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine with faith and without cavilling, they too are freed from actions.
Commentary

3.31 ये those who? मे My? मतम् teaching? इदम् this? नित्यम् constantly? अनुतिष्ठन्ति practise? मानवाः men? श्रद्धावन्तः full of faith? अनसूयन्तः not cavilling? मुच्यन्ते are freed? ते they? अपि also? कर्मभिः from actions.Commentary Sraddha is a mental attitude. It means faith. It is faith in ones own Self? in the scriptures and in the teachings of the spiritual preceptor. It is compund of the higher emotion of faith? reverence and humility.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.31 Those men who ever follow this teaching of Mine with faith and without cavil, they also become freed from actions.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.31 Those who always act in accordance with My precepts, firm in faith and without cavilling, they too are freed from the bondage of action.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
BG 9.3 BG 4.39 BG 18.71 SB 11.3.31 SB 11.20.27 SB 1.2.12 CC Madhya 22.62 CC Madhya 22.64 CC Madhya 19.152 BRS 1.2.92 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those who follow this teaching with faith and without envy become free from the bondage of action.
Practical Applications
  • Cultivate faith over skepticism — faith opens, skepticism closes.
  • Notice envy of others' spiritual progress and transmute it into inspiration.
  • Read this verse aloud when faith wavers.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is envy quietly poisoning my spiritual practice?
  • What act of faith is being asked of me right now?
Analogy

A boat that trusts the river floats; one that quarrels with the current sinks. Faith in Kṛṣṇa's instruction is buoyancy, not gullibility.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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