Gita series - 42. Bhagavad Gita - Chapter III. 22 –24:

“Partha! There is no is no work for me to do in all the three worlds, nor there is anything that I have to acquire. Yet, I am engaged in discharging my duties. In case I do not perform my duties consciously, all men would follow me. In case I do not discharge my duties properly, the universe will be annihilated. Further, I become the cause for such annihilation and destroyer of the humanity.” The Brahman is the cause for every activity that unfolds in this universe. Krishna’s words ‘there is no work for me to do’ require a detailed study. Krishna says these words as the Brahman without attributes. Brahman without attributes is eternally pure and does not get involved in any causative acts. There is another side of the Brahman which is known as the Brahman with attributes and is the cause of all acts that unfolds in this universe. As per Saiva siddhanta principle, the Brahman without attributes is called Shiva and the Brahman with attributes is called Shakthi. They are considered as two different components of the Brahman, the static and kinetic energies respectively, the former giving rise to the latter.

Though Krishna does not speak about this differentiation here, but it is entailed. When Krishna says ‘there is no work for me to do’, he refers to the Brahman without attributes. When He says, ‘yet I am engaged in discharging my duties’ He refers to the Brahman with attributes. It is but natural that Brahman need not acquire anything as everything is sourced from Him only. The three worlds Krishna refers to are the three vyahrits of Gayathri mantra Bhuhu, Bhuvaha, Suvaha. The vyahritis of Gayatri mantra are nothing but the modifications of consciousness. They could also mean gross, subtle and casual bodies. Out of these three types of bodies, only the first one is visible. The three states of consciousness awake, dream and deep sleep manifest in the three bodies respectively. The second part of His statement explains that if the Brahman with attributes stops functioning, the impact on the universe would be devastating. This stage of the Brahman can be compared to our biological heart. If it ceases to function for a moment, the gross body ceases to exist. Krishna though an incarnation, comports like a normal human being, which prompted him to say that all men would follow him. Krishna was respected and revered for his altruistic actions. Krishna makes this statement in his capacity as an unfeigned guru. Comprehending the results if attributes of the Brahman cease to function is difficult.

We have discussed in several earlier articles that the law of the Lord is law of karma. Brahman acts mainly through law of karma. There has to be a place in which the karma of a soul has to unfold and this place is known as the gross body. If the Brahman chooses to ignore the law of karma for a moment, the whole universe will be exterminated into nothingness. If God Himself fails in His duty, the faith we repose in Him would become misplaced. God is comprehended beyond indolence, an embodiment of auspiciousness, justice and permissiveness. Therefore, Krishna being the godhead would not like to be the cause for destroying the humanity by not discharging His duties, which places immense faith in Him for its very survival.