कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्। तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्।।3.15।।
karma brahmodbhavam viddhi brahmaaksharasamudbhavam | tasmāt sarvagataṁ brahma nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam ||3.15||
Translation
Know that work is born of Brahman, and Brahman is born of the imperishable letters. Therefore, the all‑pervading Brahman, ever‑present, is established in sacrifice.
Word Meanings
karma — work; brahmodbhavam — produced from Brahman; viddhi — you should know; brahmākṣarasamudbhavam — directly manifested from the Supreme Brahman; tasmāt — therefore; sarvagataṁ — all‑pervading; brahma — Supreme Lord; nityaṁ — eternally; yajñe — in sacrifice; pratiṣṭhitam — situated
Understanding the Verse
In this concise verse Krishna explains the fundamental relationship between action (karma) and the Supreme Reality (Brahman). The opening phrase ‘karma brahmodbhavam’ asserts that all activity finds its source in Brahman. In the Vedic worldview, Brahman is not an abstract principle distant from everyday life; it is the substratum from which every manifested activity springs. Thus, every deed, whether worldly or spiritual, is a manifestation of the divine substratum.
The next clause ‘viddhi brahmākṣarasamudbhavam’ deepens this insight by pointing to the source of Brahman itself. The term ‘akṣara’ (imperishable letters) refers to the Vedic mantra or the eternal sound‑vibration that underlies all creation. These letters are not merely linguistic symbols; they are the very essence of divine consciousness. By stating that Brahman is ‘samudbhavam’ of the imperishable letters, the verse teaches that the Supreme is continually expressed through the sacred syllables of the Vedas. Consequently, the Vedas are not external scriptures but the living breath of Brahman, eternally revealing the divine purpose behind all action.
‘Tasmāt sarvagataṁ brahma nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam’ provides the practical implication of this metaphysical truth. Because Brahman pervades every direction (sarvagata) and exists eternally (nitya), the proper arena for expressing one's duties is the sacrificial act (yajña). In the Gita’s broader discourse, ‘yajña’ transcends the ritual of fire offerings and encompasses any self‑less action performed in alignment with divine will. When a person conducts work as an offering to the all‑pervading Brahman, the act itself becomes a sacred sacrifice, purifying the doer and sustaining the cosmic order.
Thus, the verse integrates three essential concepts: the origin of action in the Supreme, the Vedic letters as the conduit of that Supreme, and the sacralization of all duty through self‑less sacrifice. By internalizing this teaching, a practitioner recognizes that every task, from the simplest household chore to grand spiritual endeavors, is an expression of Brahman. Performing these tasks with devotion transforms ordinary life into a continuous, living yajña, aligning the individual’s micro‑cosm with the macro‑cosmic reality. This alignment not only fulfills one’s dharma but also sustains the universal harmony ordained by the Vedas.
