Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 9 - Shloka (Verse) 27

व्याख्या--भगवान्का यह नियम है कि जो जैसे मेरी शरण लेते हैं, मैं वैसे ही उनको आश्रय देता हूँ (गीता 4। 11)। जो भक्त अपनी वस्तु मेरे अर्पण करता है, मैं उसे अपनी वस्तु देता हूँ। भक्त तो सीमित ही वस्तु देता है, पर मैं अनन्त गुणा करके देता हूँ। परन्तु जो अपने-आपको ही मुझे दे देता है, मैं अपनेआपको उसे दे देता हूँ। वास्तवमें मैंने अपने-आपको संसारमात्रको दे रखा है (गीता 9। 4), और सबको सब कुछ करनेकी स्वतन्त्रता दे रखी है। अगर मनुष्य मेरी दी हुई स्वतन्त्रताको मेरे अर्पण कर देता है, तो मैं भी अपनी स्वतन्त्रताको उसके अर्पण कर देता हूँ अर्थात् मैं उसके अधीन हो जाता हूँ। इसलिये यहाँ भगवान् उस स्वतन्त्रताको अपने अर्पण करनेके लिये अर्जुनसे कहते हैं।]

क्योंकि यह बात है? इसलिये --, हे कुन्तीपुत्र तू जो कुछ भी स्वतःप्राप्त कर्म करता है? जो खाता? जो कुछ श्रौत या स्मार्त यज्ञरूप हवन करता है? जो कुछ सुवर्ण? अन्न? घृतादि वस्तु ब्राह्मणादि सत्पात्रोंको दान देता है और जो कुछ तपका आचरण करता है? वह सब मेरे समर्पण कर।

Since worshipping Him is easy, He states that this very thing is necessary with 'Yatah'.

'Yat karoshi' refers to actions like walking that occur naturally (spontaneously) without scriptural injunction. 'Yad ashnasi' means whatever enjoyment/food you partake of.

Regarding 'Havana' (sacrifice), he negates it being natural, implying it is scriptural (Shrauta).

'Matsamarpanam' means offer all that to Me.

Since I accept even a leaf offered with devotion, therefore all actions should be performed such that they are offered to Me; this worship of Me is very easy—He states this.

Whatever you do (out of attachment/nature), whatever you eat, whatever sacrifice you perform (Shrauta or Smarta), whatever you give (gold etc. to Brahmins), whatever austerities you perform—make it 'Mad-arpanam' (offered to Me). Do it with the understanding, 'Moved by the Lord, I do all this for Him alone,' offering it to Me, Vasudeva. Addressing him as 'Kaunteya' implies that since you are related to Me, this is very easy for you.

Or, the hidden meaning is: Just as Kunti, by her husband's order, produced you through association with Indra etc. but remained free from the bond of that act, so too, acting in this way, you will be liberated from karmic bonds.

Therefore, 'Yat karoshi' (whatever you do... offer it).

Therefore, offer everything to Me—He says with 'Yat'.

Whatever you 'do' (like walking), offer it for My pleasure thinking, 'I am performing circumambulation (Pradakshina) of the Lord Himself.'

Similarly, regarding speech etc., one should infer it as chanting His names (Nama-sankirtana).

Whatever worldly action you perform for body maintenance, whatever you eat to sustain the body, and whatever Vedic obligatory/occasional rites like Homa, charity, and austerity you perform—offer it all to Me.

'Arpanam' (offering) means performing all worldly and Vedic actions such that the agency, enjoyership, and object of worship are surrendered to Me.

The meaning is: Regarding the deities appearing as objects of worship in sacrifices, and regarding yourself as the doer and enjoyer—realize that since all belong to Me and their nature, existence, and activity depend on My will, surrender everything—yourself (the doer/enjoyer/worshipper), the host of deities (worshipped), and the host of actions—to Me, the Supreme Principal (Sheshi) and Supreme Doer.

With great love, contemplate that you are controlled by Me and exist solely for Me (Shesha), and that the worshipped deities share this same nature.

Not only leaf, flower, etc., but just as materials like animals and Soma are procured for sacrifice, should everything be offered to Me (by special effort)? He answers 'Yat'.

Whatever action you perform, whether naturally (by habit) or scripturally, whatever you eat, offer into fire, give in charity, or perform as austerity—do it all in such a way that it is offered to Me.

He establishes the connection of the next verse as the resultant implication of the previous meaning. Having described the Mahatmas, He now instructs on the specific mental attitude required for Bhakti Yoga adopted by them. The verse 'Yat karosi' recalls the specific mantra for offering all natural and scriptural actions.

Here, 'Yat karosi' refers to naturally occurring (worldly) actions (using the logic of the bull and the ox to distinguish general/specific). 'Ashnasi' implies the category of enjoyments for body maintenance. 'Juhoshi' implies all scripturally ordained actions.

'Arpanam' grammatically refers to the object being offered (not the act of offering).

Addressing how actions can be offered to God when the soul is the doer (as established in Brahma Sutras),

he explains that one must offer the 'agency' to the Supreme Doer (recalling BS 2.3.41) and the 'status of being worshipped' to the Supreme Principal (Sheshi).

जीवन में सब प्रकार के कर्म करते हुए हम ईश्वरापर्ण की भावना से रह सकते हैं। सम्पूर्ण गीता में असंख्य बार इस पर बल दिया गया है कि केवल शारीरिक कर्म की अपेक्षा ईश्वरार्पण की भावना सर्वाधिक महत्व की है और यह एक ऐसा तथ्य हैं ? जिसका प्राय साधकांे को विस्मरण हो जाता है।शरीर? मन और बुद्धि के स्तर पर होने वाले विषय ग्रहण और उनके प्रति हमारी प्रतिक्रिया रूप जितने भी कर्म हैं? उन सबको भक्तिपूर्वक मुझे अर्पण करे। यह मात्र मानने की बात नहीं हैं और न ही कोई अतिश्योक्ति हैं यह भी नहीं कि इसका पालन करना मनुष्य के लिए किसी प्रकार से बहुत कठिन हो। एक ही आत्मा ईश्वर? गुरु और भक्त में और सर्वत्र रम रहा है हम अपने व्यावहारिक जीवन में असंख्य नाम और रूपों के साथ व्यवहार करते हैं। हम जानते है कि इन सबको धारण करने के लिए आत्मसत्ता की आवश्यकता है। यदि हम अपने समस्त व्यवहार में इस आत्मतत्व का स्मरण रख सकें तो वह जगत् के अधिष्ठान का ही स्मरण होगा। यदि किसी वस्त्र की दुकान्ा में विभिन्न रूप? रंग? बुनावट और कीमतों के सूती वस्त्र हों तो दुकानदार को सलाह दी जाती हैं कि उसको सदा इस बात का स्मरण रखना चाहिए कि वह सूती कपड़ों का व्यापार कर रहा हैं। किसी भी समझदार व्यापारी को यह करना कठिन नहीं हो सकता। वास्तव में देखा जाय तो इस प्रकार का स्मरण रखना उसके लिए अधिक सुरक्षित और लाभदायक है अन्यथा वह कहीं किसी कपडे़ का मूल्य ऊनी वस्त्र के हिसाब से अत्यधिक बता देगा अथवा अपने माल को टाट के बोरे जैसे सस्ते दामों में बेच देगा। यदि किसी स्वर्णकार को यह स्मरण रखने की सलाह दी जाय कि वह सोने पर कार्य कर रहा हैं? तो वह सलाह उसके लाभ के लिए ही हैं।जैसे आभूषणों में स्वर्ण और कपडे में सूत हैं वैसे ही विश्व के सभी नाम और रूपों में आत्मा ही मूल तत्व हैं। जो भक्त अपने जीवन के समस्त व्यवहार में इस दिव्य तत्त्व का स्मरण रख सकता हैं वही पुरुष जीवन को वह आदर और सम्मान दे सकता हैं? जिसके योग्य जीवन हैं। यह नियम है कि जीवन को जो तुम दोगे वही तुम जीवन से पाओगे। तुम हँसोगे तो जीवन हँसेगा और तुम चिढोगे तो जीवन भी चिढेगा उसके पास आत्मज्ञान से उत्पन्न आदर और सम्मान के साथ जाओगे? तो जीवन में तुम्हें भी आदर और सम्मान प्राप्त होगा।समर्पण की भावना से समस्त कर्मों को करने पर न केवल परमात्मा के प्रति हमारा प्रेम बढ़ता है? बल्कि आदर्श प्रयोजन और दिव्य लक्ष्य के कारण हमारा जीवन भी पवित्र बन जाता हैं। गीता में अनन्य भाव और सतत आत्मानुसंधान पर विशेष बल दिया गया है इस श्लोक में हम देख सकते हैं कि एक ऐसे उपाय का वर्णन किया गया है जिसके पालन से अनजाने ही साधक को ईश्वर का अखण्ड स्मरण बना रहेगा। इसके लिए कहीं किसी निर्जन सघन वन में या गुप्त गुफाओं में जाने की आवश्यकता नहीं है इसका पालन तो हम अपने नित्य के कार्य क्षेत्र में ही कर सकते हैं।इस प्रकार समर्पण की भावना का जीवन जीने से क्या लाभ होगा? उसे अब बताते हैं।

Even any other action is a form of worship of the Great Lord (Maheshvara/Self), for He is the objective everywhere. 'Yat karosi'—

whether good or bad. Since those sacrificing to other deities have limited desires and minimize the fruit, you should offer everything to Me following the previously stated instruction—meditating on everything as consisting of Me.

This indeed is Sannyasa Yoga.

Since it was already stated that Govinda (the Lord) does not regard the means (material instruments), isn't this answer redundant? No.

Having stated the general principle, this is the specific conclusion.

What kind of worship is yours? He answers: 'Yat karosi'—actions like walking derived from natural attachment even without scripture. 'Yad ashnasi'—eating for satisfaction or ritual success. 'Yajjuhoshi'—performing daily Homa etc. by scriptural force. 'Yaddadasi'—giving food/gold to guests/Brahmins. 'Yat tapasyasi'—performing penance like Chandrayana for expiation or self-control.

These imply all obligatory and occasional duties. Therefore, whatever worldly actions are inevitable due to nature, and whatever Vedic actions are inevitable due to scripture—offer them all to Me.

Using the Atmanepada ('Kurusva') shows that the fruit of offering belongs to the offerer, not to Me. Dedicating inevitable actions to Me, the Supreme Preceptor, is itself My worship; no separate effort is required for it.

Since I accept what is offered with devotion, therefore, to remove the obstacle of experiencing the fruits of past and present actions, make it all offered to Me.

'Yat karosi'—whatever worldly or Vedic act you do. Eating, sacrificing, giving—offer all to Me.

Even bodily functions like marriage, procreation, sleep, etc., should be done with the idea of removing obstacles to God's service, not for personal pleasure.

Eating should be to gain strength for service through His Prasad. Homa is in the mouth of sorrow (born of separation). Charity is to purify wealth for use in God's service. Austerity is for evoking God's compassion.

Thus, all this becomes offered to God.

'Yat karoshi'—whatever you do that occurs naturally. 'Yad ashnasi'—what you eat. 'Yajjuhoshi'—whatever Shrauta or Smarta sacrifice you perform. 'Yaddadasi'—whatever gold, food, ghee, etc., you give to Brahmins. 'Yat tapasyasi'—whatever austerity you perform. O Kaunteya, make that 'Mad-arpanam' (an offering to Me).

Therefore, being devoted to worship with the described attitude of Yoga in God's service, perform all worldly and Vedic (obligatory/occasional) actions only as offered to Me. Through that, attainment of Me follows without bondage.

'Yat' refers to accumulating worldly wealth, clothes, etc. 'Ashnasi' refers to worldly food. And whatever Vedic actions like Homa, charity, penance you do—do it such that it is offered to Me. This leads to the cessation of all defects.

(Doctrine:) One should avoid unoffered things. One should perform all acts only with offered items.

The 'half-eaten' offering (using first, then offering) is not acceptable to the God of gods; therefore, strictly at the beginning, all actions and objects must be offered.

The idea that 'one should not take back what is given' belongs to a different path.

Just as the conduct of servants is well-known in the world, so one should act only after offering; thereby everything becomes Brahman. This is the principle of the Path of Devotion spoken by the Lord Himself.

यत् whatever? करोषि thou doest? यत् whatever? अश्नासि thou eatest? यत् whatever? जुहोषि thou offerest in sacrifice? ददासि thou givest? यत् whatever? यत् whatever? तपस्यसि thou practisest as austerity? कौन्तेय O Kaunteya? तत् that? कुरुष्व do? मदर्पणम् offering unto Me.Commentary Consecrate all acts to the Lord. Then you will be freed from the bondage of Karma. You will have freedom in action. He who tries to live in the spirit of this verse will be able to do selfsurrender unto the Lord. Gradually he ascends the spiritual path step by step. His greedy nature is slowly dissolved now. He always gives. He is not eager to take. His whole life with all its actions? thoughts and feelings? is dedicated to the service of the Lord eventually. He lives for the Lord only. He works for the Lord only. There is not a bit of egoism now. His whole nature is transformed into divinity. When actions are dedicated to the Lord? there is no rirth for you. This is the simplest method of Yoga. Do not waste your time any longer. Take it up from today.All actions? all results and all rewards will go to the Lord. There is no separte living for the individual. Just as the river joins the sea abandoning its own name and form so also the individual soul joins the Supreme Soul giving up his own name and form? his own egoistic desires and egoism. The individual will has become one with the cosmic will.Whatever thou doest of thy own sweet will? whatever thou offerest in sacrifice as enjoined in the scriptures? whatever thou givest -- such things as gold? rice? ghee? clothes? etc.? to the Brahmins and others -- whatever austerity such as the ChandrayanaVrata (to destroy sin)? control of the senses? etc.? thou doest? do thou all these as an offering unto Me. (Cf.V.32XII.6and8)Now listen to what you will gain by doing thus.

O son of Kunti, yat-karosi, whatever you do, what comes spontaneously; [Actions such as walking etc. that are spontaneous,not injunctions of the scriptures.] yad-asnasi, whatever you eat; and yat-juhosi, whatever you offer as a sacrifice, whatever sacrifices you perform-be it prescribed by the Vedas or by the Smrtis; yatadadasi, whatever you give-gold, food, clarified butter, etc. to Brahmanas and others; and yat-tapasyasi, whatever austerties you undertake; (all) tat, that; kurusva madarpanam, you offer to Me.
'Hear what happens to you when you act thus.'

Whatsoever worldly work you do for the sustenance of the body, whatsoever you set aside for the sustenance of the body, whatsoever Vedic acts, obligatory and occasional, like offerings, charity and austerity you practise - do all that as an offering to Me. 'Arpana' is offering. Do all acts, secular and Vedic, as if the doer, the enjoyer and the worshipped were all offerings to Me. The import is this: The divinities etc., who are the objects of sacrificial worship, charities etc., and you, the agent and experiencer - all belong to Me and have their essence, existence and actions dependent on Me. Thus only to Me, the supreme Principal (Sesi) and supreme agent, offer everything - yourself as the agent, experiencer and worshipper, all the host of divinities who are the object of worship and the sum of actions constituting the worship. Actuated by overwhelming love, contemplate yourself and other factors such as the objects of worship, as dependent on Me as My Sesas, and hence as of a nature that finds delight only in subservience to Me.