Bhagavad-gītā 12.10

Explain simply

Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥१०॥

abhyāse 'py asamartho 'si
mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmāṇi
kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi

Word for word (synonyms)

abhyāse
in the practice of
api
even
asamarthaḥ
unable
asi
you are
mat-karma
My work
paramaḥ
supreme
bhava
you become
mat-artham
for My sake
api
even though
karmāṇi
what
kurvan
performing
siddhim
perfection
avāpsyasi
achieve

Translation

If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage.

Defined in the Gītā

Yoga

What is yoga?

Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.

Bhagavad-gītā 2.48

See the definition

Purport

One who is not able even to practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, under the guidance of a spiritual master, can still be drawn to this perfectional stage by working for the Supreme Lord. How to do this work has already been explained in the fifty-fifth verse of the Eleventh Chapter. One should be sympathetic to the propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are many devotees who are engaged in the propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and they require help. So, even if one cannot directly practice the regulated principles of bhakti-yoga, he can try to help such work. Every endeavor requires land, capital, organization, and labor. Just as, in business, one requires a place to stay, some capital to use, some labor, and some organization to expand, so the same is required in the service of Kṛṣṇa. The only difference is that in materialism one works for sense gratification. The same work, however, can be performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, and that is spiritual activity. If one has sufficient money, he can help in building an office or temple for propagating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Or he can help with publications. There are various fields of activity, and one should be interested in such activities. If one cannot sacrifice the result of such activities, the same person can still sacrifice some percentage to propagate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This voluntary service to the cause of Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help one to rise to a higher state of love for God, whereupon one becomes perfect.

What this verse teaches

Work for Kṛṣṇa

This verse in a ladder 1
The staircase of practice Bhagavad-gītā 12.8–12
  1. fix your mind upon Me 12.8
  2. follow the regulated principles of bhakti-yoga 12.9
  3. try to work for Me 12.10
  4. giving up all results of your work 12.11
  5. the cultivation of knowledge 12.12

All ladders of the Gītā

In thematic compilations 1

Bhakti Throughout the Gītā

  • Kṛṣṇa recommends pure bhakti, yet He presents simpler forms of bhakti to accommodate everyone. (12.8-12 mayy eva mana ādhatsva...)

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.