Srimad Bhagavat Gita does not mean – work is worship

Bhagavad-Gita does not teach that we should give up our work but to perform our work motivated by the highest ideals. Arjuna, in the first chapter of Sri Bhagavad-Gita, was speaking in a pseudo-spiritual way, that, “There’s too much confusion in fighting this war so I am not going to fight. Krishna, my charioteer, I am not going to fight. I am going to become a real saint and just practice meditation, whatever.” And the whole Bhagavad-Gita was to teach Arjuna – you must perform your duty but you must transform your consciousness. Duryodhana was fighting on one side and he was motivated by envy and greed; and Arjuna was fighting in the spirit of compassion, humility and love of God; extreme examples; but this is the teaching of Gita. Some people misinterpret and they say what Gita speaks is ‘work is worship’ but if that is all Gita taught; ‘work is worship’ then the Gita would not be seven hundred verses. It would be three words – work is worship. In Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna speaks eloquently, scientifically, philosophically and logically how to make your work – worship and that is all-important. yajñārthāt karmaṇo ‘nyatra loko ‘yaḿ karma-bandhanaḥ tad-arthaḿ karma kaunteya mukta-sańgaḥ samācara. In the third chapter, Krishna tells that whatever work one’s done or one does should be an offering to the Supreme otherwise whatever work one does is simply a cause of karmic bondage. Krsna tells – yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam – All that you do, all that you offer and give away, all charity you perform, all austerities you perform should be done as an offering of devotion to Me. This is Gita.