Bhagavad Gita · Bhakti YogaChapter 12, Shloka 10 (12.10)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि
॥ 12.10 ॥
abhyāse'pyasamartho'si matkarmaparamo bhava
madarthamapi karmāṇi kurvan siddhimavāpsyasi
Translation
"If you are unable even to practise, then devote yourself to doing work for my sake; even by doing work for me, you will attain perfection."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. madarthaṃ karma matkarma, tatparamaḥ … matkarmapradhānaḥ; abhyāsena vinā madartham api karmāṇi kevalaṃ kurvan siddhiṃ sattvaśuddhiyogajñānaprāptidvāreṇa avāpsyasi — even without practice, simply by doing work for me, you reach perfection by way of purity of mind, yoga and knowledge.
Acharya Ramanuja — a list of service. madīyāni karmāṇi ālayanirmāṇodyānakaraṇapradīpāropaṇamārjanābhyukṣaṇopalepanapuṣpāpaharaṇapūjanodvartana… — building a temple, planting a garden, lighting lamps, sweeping, sprinkling water, plastering the floor, gathering flowers, worship… chanting the Name, circumambulation, bowing, praise; tāni atyarthapriyatvena ācara — do these with great love.
Acharya Ramanuja — further. He gives a long and very human list of "mat-karma" (work for me): ālayanirmāṇodyānakaraṇapradīpāropaṇamārjanābhyukṣaṇopalepanapuṣpāpaharaṇapūjana — building a temple, planting a garden, lighting lamps, sweeping, sprinkling water, plastering, gathering flowers, worship; and chanting the Name, circumambulation, bowing, praise.
Shridhar Swami. ekādaśyupavāsavratacaryānāmasaṃkīrtanādīni — the Ekadashi fast, singing the Name together, and so on.
Madhusudana Saraswati. matprīṇanārthaṃ karma matkarma śravaṇakīrtanādibhāgavatadharmaḥ — work that pleases me: listening, kirtan and the rest of the bhagavata dharma.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.