The Bhagavadgita

1Dr. R. Shankar

THE BHAGAVADGITATranslation into English Verse Form

Author :

Dr. R. Shankar

2

THE BHAGAVAD GITATranslation into English Verse Form

First Edition:Shukla Ekadashi Margashira, Sri Vijayanama Yearthe Day of GITA JAYANTHI 12th December 2013

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Author : Dr. RAJULADEVI SHANKAR

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The Bhagavadgita

3Dr. R. Shankar

CONTENTS

THE BHAGAVADGITA : Translation into English Verse Form 1

First Edition 2

Dedication to Lord Venkateshwara and Goddess Saraswati 4

A Word 5

Impressions 9

Preface 13

Foreword 15

The Bhagavad Gita Translation of Sanskrit Slokas into English 17

Verse Form

Prayer To Lord Vigneshwara 18

ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA The First Discourse 19

SAMKHYA YOGA The Second Discourse 30

KARMA YOGA The Third Discourse 46

JNANA YOGA The Fourth Discourse 55

KARMASANNYASA YOGA The Fifth Discourse 65

ATMA SAMYAMA YOGA The Sixth Discourse 72

VIJNANA YOGA The Seventh Discourse 82

AKSHARA PARA BRAHMA YOGA The Eighth Discourse 89

RAJAVIDYA RAJAGUHYA YOGA The Nineth Discourse 95

VIBHUTI YOGA The Tenth Discourse 102

VISHVARUPA SANDARSHANA YOGA The Eleventh Discourse 111

BHAKTI YOGA The Twelfth Discourse 125

KSHETRA KSHETRAJNA VIBHAGA YOGA The Thirteenth Discourse 129

GUNATRAYA VIBHAGA YOGA The Fourteenth Discourse 136

PURUSHOTTAMA PRAPTI YOGA The Fifteenth Discourse 142

DAIVAASURA SAMPADVIBHAGA YOGA The Sixteenth Discourse 147

SHRADDHATRAYA VIBHAGA YOGA The Seventeenth Discourse 152

MOKSHASANNYASA YOGA The Eighteenth Discourse 158

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Dedication to Lord Venkateshwara

O Lord, You are all in all to me,

And ever inspire me to articulate

All that divine discourse in all serenity

To arouse devotion in humans. And so this I dedicate.

Dedication to Goddess Saraswati

Goddess Ma, me You have always blessed

And thereby I dared to render

The Slokas of the Gita from Sanskrit to rest

In English stanza form for ever.

The Bhagavadgita

5Dr. R. Shankar

A WORD

It is for me to introduce myself in no man's land, that isspirituality, wherein I look to be a stranger, and I venture uponundertaking the genre of Translation of Bhagavad Gita intoEnglish. The Bhagavad Gita advocates, apart from many aspects,mainly the three-fold: karma, bhakti and jnana. The first yoga 'karmaenjoins man to perform action, for he needs to

know that in the Vedas action is rooted;The Vedas emanate from the imperishable, supreme Being.Therefore all-pervading God is rivetedIn the sacrifice that is eternal, everlasting.

[Karma Yoga, Sloka15]

And he, therefore, wishes to follow the principle scrupulously asenunciated below:

Those men who put into operationAlways My instructionsWith staunch faith and without animadversionAre also liberated from bondage of actions.

[Karma Yoga, Sloka 31]

Likewise, I am also smitten by conscience of duty and a scintillaof purity of mind ........ the purity of mind which could be due to myfather's impact upon me as he was a real devotee owing to hisritualistically peforming Lord Satyanarayana vrat on every Pournami(the full moon day) and also his early morning circumambulationsround Lord Hanuman in the month of Kartik . And his demise (on16th December 1967), astonishingly, occurred on the very night at

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7.20 P.M. of the Pournami of Margashir, the most significant monthas specified in the Bhagavad Gita.And I, therefore, felt likeembarking on undertaking translation of the Gita into Englishverse form, notwithstanding myriad tribulations in life.

Life is, indeed, a mlange of miseries and merriments. Manfeels elated in times of glory and despairs when crestfallen. He isaware of the fact that life like time is just fleeting and fluctuating,but he is nevertheless, simply carried away by momentaryoccurrences. He had better be conscious of happenings everymoment and mull over what could be the reasons for all suchevents. No doubt, all those happenstances must be due to materialobjects. When he ponders over those incidents, certain unknown,uncanny power coruscates in his inner vision wherein the vasthorizon of this universe teems with material existences. All ofthem are in conformity with the uncanny power . It is up to him toscour for that power in order to gain sangfroid in mind both in thewhirligig of times of failures and successes, unhappiness andhappiness. This infinitesimal, indefatigable effort brings aboutcertain changes in him from mundane to the transcendental stage.Then he may take refuge in the Bhagavad Gita, the 'Song Celestial'which will decisively offer certain message to him. It redeems himof all agonies and anguishes as, for instance, when he feels

Being free from attachment, fear and knowledge,Being fully absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me,Many men, being purified by the penance of knowledgeAttained liberation and reached to Me.

[Jnana Yoga, Sloka 10]

And also that may be handy to him like a dictionary to look up forsome remedy in times of crisis or happiness for further fillip.

This effort, in turn , will lead him to delve deep intodevotion and help him learn the nuances latent in it and enjoy truequintessence of devotion(bhakti).

The Bhagavadgita

7Dr. R. Shankar

In that state of transcendence man's mind may hanker afterunknown joy. At that moment , the divine song of the Gita repletewith rhyme and rhythm enables man to hear the sonorous,mellifluous music that is a feast to his ears and thereby he mayplunge into esoteric ocean. How Lord Krishna , for instance,induces Arjuna to take to action:Therefore, born of ignorance and stupidityAbiding in your heart, by the sword of knowledge,Hewing asunder this uncertainty,Arise,O Arjuna, accomplish actions sans advantage

[Jnana Yoga, Sloka42]

Having guesstimated this stance of delight in the devotee. Ipurposely wished to translate the Gita into English verse formwith the rhyme of abab. How the rhyme pleases the ears asMatthew Arnold comments, ' Poetry delights, for instance:

Whatever the form whoever the votaryWishes to worship with all veneration,The faith of such a distinct devoteeIn the very form I render unshaken.

It may help readers take delight in translation. I made a meekendeavour to translate each sloka of the Gita consisting totally of701 slokas into English verse form, presuming that there might notbe a translator both at home and abroad, who must have alreadytranslated into English verse form except Sir Edwin Arnold(1832-1904), the author of Light of Asia on Buddha, who only summedup each chapter of the Gita in English verse form in blank verse. Inmy opinion, Sir Edwin Arnold's English versification is only asummation , but not a full-length translation of each sloka in verseform. For instance in his Bhagavad Gita, the Song Celestial:Krishna: Thou grievest where no grief should be! Thou speak'st.Words lacking wisdom ! for the wise in heartMourn not for those that live, nor for those that die.

Nor I, nor any of these,Ever was not, nor ever will not be,For ever and for ever afterwards.

[Sankhya Yoga, Chapter II, lines 34 -39]

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Besides, there have been several translators in English prose,of whom Charles Wilkins in 1785 was the first to translate inprose only. Further, I should mention that great Vinoba Bhave alsohas written on the Gita his full-length commentary only in prose inhis book Talks on the Gita( sixth edition 1978March, Secretary,Sarva Seva Sangh Prakasham Rajghat, Varanasi).

I hope this infinitesimal endeavor of mine in translating eachsloka of the Gita into English verse form with the rhyme abab mayenable readers of English knowing persons to feel the rhythmicresonance of the English language and carry them aloft into ecstasyby quintessence of the Gita.

I wish to express my sense of gratitude to distinguished poetProfessor Shiv K. Kumar who has been kind enough to have writtenForeword, to eminent Professor S. Laxmana Murthy, Warangal tohave written Preface on the translation of the Gita at my earnestrequest. And also I wish to express my thanks to my well-wisherProfessor M.Rajagopala Chary, Kakatiya University, Warangal forhis Impressions on the Gita. I also thank sri S.SuryaNarayana,Librarian, Nirmal for his constant enthusiastic support. I shouldnot fail to express my thanks to my spouse, daughters, my onlyson and daughter-in-law and also to my sons-in law as they alwaysprevailed upon me to write something divine.

Dr. R. Shankar AUTHOR

Dr. R. Shankar

Reader in English (Retired)H. No.1-3-131/36, Shastrinagar,Behind Maremma Temple,NIRMAL, 504106. Adilabad, Telangana, India.Email : rajuladev.shankar@gmail.comMobile : 9908099596, 9533965228

The Bhagavadgita

9Dr. R. Shankar

IMPRESSIONS

I am greatly delighted to find that Dr. R. Shankar hasaccomplished the task of translating the Bhagavad Gita, the mostsacred book of the Hindus, into English successfully. He has alreadypublished his PhD dissertation under the title-- Jayanta Mahapatrathe Poet: Quest for Identity (New Delhi: Prestige Books, 2003) andunder Minor Research Project (SERO, UGC) Shiv K.Kumar's Poetry:Imagery and Symbolism (New Delhi &Jaipur: ABDPublishers,2010). But I think the translation of the Bhagavad Gitais a crowning achievement for any scholar, for it requires aphilosophic bent of mind, analytical reasoning, capacity tounderstand and interpret the abstract ideas in concrete terms,besides intuitive reasoning and creativity. I can say this withauthenticity, because I have had the pleasure of supervising histhesis for his Doctoral degree. He has consciously cultivated a stylethat borders on Deconstruction. This has stood him in good steadfor the present task. Shankar's work on Jayanta Mahapatra is atestimony to his capability to fathom the unfathomable. In thisconnection, we may note Dr. Shiv K. Kumar's comments on Dr.Shankar: here is a scholar who has manifested his poeticsensibility in its intensest form. He has got conscionable confidenceover the English language which he handles with sensitivity andfelicity. I appreciate Mr. R. Shankar's persistent perseveranceand commitment to academic pursuits. One is tempted to quotethe following lines from the Gita in his own translation :

Dhruttva yayaa dharayate manah pranendriya kriyah/Yogena vyabhicharinaya dhrutih sa partha sattviki//The firmness by which man does controlThe functions of the mind, the senses and the vitality.With the yoga of the unswerving meditation sole

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Is proclaimed, O Arjuna!, as the Sattvik quality.(Sloka 33, Mokshasannyasa Yoga ,18th Discourse)

Further, he seems to possess what the eighteenth Sloka says:

Jnanam jneyam parijnata trividha karmachodhana/Karanam karma kareti trividha karmasamgrahah//The knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knowerAre the three types of impulse to action.The organs, the action and the doerAre thus three kinds of constituents of action

Dr. Shankar has accomplished his task with ease and felicityand the result is a highly readable translation. We find in it a certainamount of perspicuity, perspicacity, and perspective steeped inIndian ethos. His fidelity to the original text is quite evident. Forexample, look at the Sloka 3 of Chapter II:

Klaibyam maasmagamah Partha naitatvayyupapadyate |Kshdram hrudayadaurbalyam tyaktvotishtaParantapa ||

Let not cowardice overpower you.It does not behove you, Arjuna.

Abandon pusillanimity hovering over you. Arise, O the scorcher of enemies, Arjuna.

and Sloka 4, Ch III:

Na karmanaamanaarambhannaishkarmyam purusho'shnute |Na cha sannyasanaadeva sidhdhim samadhigachchati ||

By non-performance of actionsMan does not obtain liberation from action.By renunciation of actionsHe can not attain perfection.

Lucid syle of the translator can be seen in Sloka 21, Chapter III:

The Bhagavadgita

11Dr. R. Shankar

Yadyadaacharati shreshta stattadevetaro janmah/Sa yatpramanam kurute lokastadanuvartate//Whatever deed the great men execute,The other men also perform that and that very action.Whatever standard the man does institute,

The men of the world follow that criterion.

Sloka 7. Ch IV:

Yadaayadaa hi dharmasya glaanirbhavati Bharata |Abhyutthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srujaamyaham ||Arjuna, whenever the righteousnessIs about to degenerate,

And whenever about to rise is the unrighteousness, Then Myself I demonstrate.

and Sloka 66, XVIII Ch:

Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja/Aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shuchah//Abandoning all actionsTake sole refuge in Me only.I absolve you from all sins.Do not worry.

The philosophical depth is conveyed in an equally seriouslanguage in Sloka 18, Ch IX :

Gatirbharta prabhussakshi nivasassharanam suhruth/Prabhavah pralayah sthanam nidhanam bijamavyayam//

I am the supreme goal, the Supporter, the Sovereign,The Witness, the abode, the shelter, One who wishes well ,The origin, the end and the heaven,The Treasure-house, the seed imperishable.

and Sloka 20, Ch X:

Ahamatma Gudakesha sarvabhutashayastithah/Ahamadishcha madhyam cha bhutanamanta eva cha//

O Arjuna! I am the inner BeingSeated in the hearts of all entities.

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I alone am the beginning,And the middle and the end of all entities.

The adbhuta rasa is aptly exposed in Sloka 16, Ch XI:

Aneka bahudaravaktra netramPasyami tvam sarvato'nantarupam/Nantam na madhyam na punastavadimPasyami visvesvara visvarupa//You with numerous arms, bellies, mouths and eyes I descryAnd with innumerable forms in each direction.Neither end, nor middle ,nor again beginning I espy, O Lord ofthe universe, the form of its manifestation.

What is appreciable is the use of verse and the abab rhymescheme meticulously followed by the translator. I am sureR. Shankar's translation will be a valuable addition to the richwealth of translations available on the Gita and I wish himsuccess in all his fruitful endeavours.

Dr. M. RajagopalacharyProfessor of English (Retd)

Kakatiya UniversityWarangal-500609Telangana State.

The Bhagavadgita

13Dr. R. Shankar

PREFACE

The Bhagavadgita is a scripture of supreme value. Traditionupholds that it is the essence of all the Upanishads. Sri Aurobindohas called it the greatest gospel of spiritual works ever yet givento the race. He has further said:

There are four great events in history, the siege of Troy, thelife and crucifixion of Christ, the exile of Krishna in Brindaban andthe colloquy on the field of Kurukshetra. The siege of Troy createdHellas, the exile in Brindaban created devotional religion ( for beforethere was only meditation and worship), Christ from his own crosshumanized Europe, the colloquy at Kurukshetra will yet liberatehumanity.

The Bhagavadgita is the colloquy at Kurukshetra destined toliberate humanity. A large number of scholars at home and abroadhave translated the scripture into English.

Dr. R. Shankar has translated the scripture into English verse.His deep devotion and spiritual yearning have prompted him toundertake this onerous job. He has laboured hard to give it hisbest. Though the Gita is in simple Sanskrit, it is difficult to renderit into English which has a different cultural background. In addition,the Gita happens to be a harmonious blend of epic poetry andsublime philosophy.The blend makes it a difficult text to translate.

Dr. R.Shankar has voluntarily made his task a little more difficultby choosing to translate it in verse form instead of prose. He mayhave valid reasons for his choice. The verse obviously makes itsown demands. In spite of all these constraints, Dr.R.Shankar, itshould be said, has made an impressive translation of the Gita.

I have read it and marked a few verses at random to highlighthis skill in translation.

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1) The verse sreyan swadharma vigunah is translated as:It is better to discharge his duty, though faultyThan the duty of another perfectly wrought.It is better to meet with death in his own duty,Another 's duty is with fear fraught.

2) Yatroparamathe chittam niruddham yoga sevayaa readsthus in English:Where the mind is restrainedBy the practice of meditation on supreme Self,And where by the purified mind is envisionedGod in the self, attains bliss the very self.

3) To cite one more, the verse athava yoginaameve kulebhavathi dheemataam is rendered as :Or the ascetic takes birthIn the family of the learned transcendental men.Certainly this type of birthIs in this world rare to obtain.

There are many such verses which could be cited. The readerswill discover them on their own while reading the text.I thank Dr. R.Shankar for asking me to write these fewprefatory lines to introduce his work. I am happy to congratulatehim and commend the translation to spiritual seekers whowill find it helpful in understanding the message of the Gita.

Signed by(Dr. S.Laxmana Murthy)

Professor of English (Retired)Kakatiya University

WARANGAL

The Bhagavadgita

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FOREWORD

Translating one language into another is a veryformidable task, especially when the languages involved areSanskrit and English.. I am, therefore, impressed thatDr.R.Shankar has undertaken to translate a timeless Classic likethe Bhagavad Gita into English verse form. But since the translatoris himself an established poet, he has rendered each four linestanza into a metrical verse format, with the first line rhyming withthe third line, and the second line with the fourth.

It is universally acknowledged that the Bhagavad Gitapresents human thoughts and emotions in a highly involuted versepattern. But Dr. R.Shankar's translation reads as if it is not atranslation, but an original work of creation. But the Scripture hasoriginally been written in English.

To present the Bhagavad Gita to the general reader isitself a journey of pilgrimage from the earth to the sky. Althoughthis Scripture has already been translated into English verse bysuch illustrious writers as Sir Edwin Arnold, Dr,R.Shankar hascarved a niche for himself in attempting the impossible. It is well-known that the Bhagavad Gita has already been praised by AldousHuxley and R.W.Emerson, this attempt at translating the Gitacarries a distinct flavor of its own. As someone who has read thisauthor's works, and critical commentaries on some Indian Englishpoets, I have great pleasure in recommending this work to thegeneral reader who will not only enjoy the medium in which it hasbeen rendered , but also leads every reader to enlightenment. Iam delighted to associate myself with this work which, I hope, will

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be appreciated by all the lovers of great Sanskrit Classic. I shouldalso like to commend the publisher who has undertaken to makethis classic available to both general and elitist reader. I wishDr.R.Shankar success in any other undertaking he may choosein the years to come.

Prof. Shiv K.Kumar

Padmabhushan, Dr. Shiv K. KumarProfessor of English (Retired)Poet, novelist. Playwright, novelist,Short-story writer, translator, Critic.

The Bhagavadgita

17Dr. R. Shankar

THE BHAGAVAD GITA

TRANSLATION OF SANSKRIT SLOKAS

INTO ENGLISH VERSE FORM

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Prayer To Lord Vigneshwara

O Lord Ganesha, You were the Scribe

When the Mahabharata sage Vyasa did dictate

I pray, Bestow upon me the brio to imbibe

The inscape of the Gita and it into English to translate.

The Bhagavadgita

19Dr. R. Shankar

Arjuna Vishada Yoga

The Yoga of the Gloom of ArjunaThe First Discourse

Dhritarashtra Uvacha :Sloka 1:

Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre samaveta yuyutsavah |Mamakah pandavaschaiva kimakurvata sanjaya ||

At Kuru the land of sanctity and virtueBelligerent to fight was the mammoth assemblyOf my progeny and also the sons of PanduSanjaya, what transpired there verily

Sanjaya Uvacha :

Sloka 2 :

Drishtva tu pandavanikam vyudham Duryodhanastada |Acharyamupasangamya raja vachanamabhravit ||

Replies Sanjaya :Then having seen the Pandava armyIn phalanx arrayedAnd nearing his Master the king Duryodahana steadilyHis mind betrayed.

Sloka 3 :Duryodhana speaks to Dronacharya :

Pashyaitam panduputranam acharya mahatim chamum |Vyudham Drupadaputrena tava shishyena dhimata ||

Behold, Master! The sons of Pandu werePeerlessly planned as a powerful armyBy the son of mighty Drupada, yourAdroit, sagacious disciple with all acme.

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Sloka 4 :Atraa shuraa maheshvaasaa bheemaarjuna sama yudhi/Yuyudhano viraatashcha drupadascha mahaarathah//In this army the heroes wielding the mighty bows there areEqual in prowess to Bhima and Arjuna.Yuyudhano and Viraata they are,And the chief warrior Drupada.

Sloka 5 :Dhrushtaketushchekitaanah kaasiraajashcha veeryavaan/Purujitkunti bhojashcha narapungavah//Dhrishtaketu, ChekitaanaAnd the valiant King of Kasi,Purujit and KuntibhojaAnd Shaibya the celebrity.

Sloka 6 :Yudhaamanyushcha vikraanta Uttamaujaashcha veeryavaan |Saubhadro Draupadeyaashcha sarva eva mahaarathah ||Strong, mighty Yudhamanyu,Valiant Utthamauja valorous,The sons of Draupadi and the son of Subhadra, Abhimanyu--All of them are principal warriors.

Sloka 7:Asmaakam tu vishishtaa ye tannibodha dvijottama |Naayakaa mama sainyasya samjnartham taanbraveemi te ||On our side were the chief warriors of advantage.O the supreme of the twice-born, you know them---the leaders of my army; for your knowledgeI recall the names of them.

Sloka 8 :Bhavaan Bheeshmashcha. Karnashcha Krupashcha samitimjayah |Ashvatthaama Vikarnashcha saumadattistadaiva cha ||

Yourself, Bhishma and Karna,And Krupa in battle ever victorious,And Ashvaththaama and Vikarna,And even the son of Somadatta thus.

The Bhagavadgita

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Sloka 9:Anye cha bahanah shuraa madarthe tyaktajeevitah |Naanashaastrapraharana ssarve yudhdha vishaaradah ||And many other heroes there areWho have staked their lives for me,Well-equipped with weapons and missiles dissimilar.All are well-skilled in battle verily.

Sloka 10 :Aparyaptam tadasmaakam balam Bheeshmaabhirakshitam |Paryaaptam tvidayeteshaam balam Bheemaarbhirakshitam ||Unrestrainable is our armyFully protected by Bheeshma.But controllable is their armyGuarded in every way by Bheema.

Sloka 11:Ayaneshu cha sarveshu yathaabhaagamavasthitaa |Bheeshma mevaabhirakshantu bhavantassarva eva hi ||Therefore, on each vanguardPlaced in respective positionsYou all indeed guardBhishma, in particular, from all directions.

Sloka 12 :Tasya sanjayanan harsham Kuruvridhah pitamahah |Simhanadam vinadyocchaih shankam dadmau pratapavaan ||Rousing in that king an exhilarationThe valiant Kuru geriatric Bhishma the grandsireBlew like the roar of the lionThe conch in a voice dire.

Sloka 13 :Tatashshamkhashcha bheryashcha panavaanakagomukhaah |Sahasaivaabhyahanyanta sa shabdhastumulo'bhavat ||Then the conches , kettledrums, evenThe drums, trumpets and tabors aroundWere blared out all of a sudden.Highly tumultuous was every sound.

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Sloka 14:Krishna and Arjuna blew their conches :

Tatah shvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane stitau |Madhavah pandavaschaiva divyau shankau pradadhmatuh ||Then drawn by the steeds milk - white,In the stately chariot seatedBoth Krishna and Arjuna with all mightThe celestial conches sounded.

Sloka15 :Paanchajanyam Hrusheekesho devadatta Dhananjayah |Paundram dadhmau mahaashankham bheemakarmaa

Vrukodharah ||Lord Krishna blew the Panchajanya conch.Arjuna, the victor of riches, the Devadatta conch sounded.Paundra, the mighty, great conchBheema, the warrior of terrible deeds sounded.

Sloka16 :

Anantavijayam raajaa kuntiputro yudhishtirah |Nakula Shadevashcha sughosha manipushpakau ||The conch Anantavijaya, the KingYudhishtira, the son of Kunti, blew.Nakula sounded his conch Sughosha by blowing.Sahadeva his conch Manipushpaka blew.

Sloka17:

Kaashyashcha parameshvaasa shshikhandee cha maharathahDhrushtadyumno viraatashcha saatyakishchaaparaajitaah ||The king of Kasi, the excellent archerAnd Shikhandee, the great chariot- warrior,Dhrushtadyumna, and Viraata the ruler,And Sathyaki, the invincible victor.

Sloka18 :

Drupado draupadeyaashcha sarvashah pruthiveepate |Saubhadrashcha mahaabaahushshankhaan dadhmuh

pruthakpruthak ||

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The sons of Draupadi as well as Drupada,O Lord of the Earth, in all directions,The mighty-armed Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra---All of them sounded their conches from their several positions.

Sloka 19 :Sa ghosho Dhartarashtranam hridayani vyadarayat |Nabhascha prithvim chaiva tumulo vyanunadayan ||Those thunderous peals laceratedThe Kauravas' hearts wryAs they reverberatedThe earth and the sky.

Sloka 20:Atha vyavasthitan dhrishtva Dhartarashtran kapidhvajah |Pravritte shastrasampate dhanur udhyamya pandavah ||Hrishikesham tada vakyam idam aha mahipateNow, having kenned Dhritarashtra's sonsSteadily positioned about to throwAs were ready the weaponsArjuna, on the monkey-ensign-emblem chariot picked up the bow

Sloka 21:He thus spake the sentence to Lord KrishnaHe thus spoke these words, O Emperor,To Krishna, the Slayer of Kesi,

Arjuna Uvacha :Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapayame ' chyuta ||

Arjuna said :Set my chariot there in the centreOf the two warring armies, O God of Eternity.

Sloka 22 :Yavad etan nirikshe ' ham yoddhu kaman avasthitan |Kair maya saha yoddhavyam asmin ranasamudyame ||Just now I have caught sight of thoseStanding here eager to fight no little,To be fought by me thoseIn the beginning of this battle.

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Sloka 23:Yotsyamanan avekshe 'ham ya ete 'tra samagatash |Dhartarashtrasya durbhuddher yuddhe priyachikirshavah ||

The well-wishers I want to vetwho have assembled here ready to battle,Intently disposed to abetThe wicked-minded Duryodhana in this battle.

Sloka 24 :Sanjaya Uvacha :

Evamukto Hrishikesho gudakesena Bharata /Senayor ubhayor madhye sthapayithva rathottamam //

O King, urged by Arjuna thus,Lord Krishna setIn the midst of the two armiesThe glorious chariot

Sloka 25 :Bhishma Drona pramukhatah sarveshamcha mahikshitam |Uvacha Partha pashyitan samavetan kuruniti ||

In front of Bhishma, DronaAnd all the kings, andLord Krishna addressed, O Arjuna,Behold these Kauravas thus assembled at handSanjaya narrates what happened later.

Sloka 26 :Tatra pashyat sthitan Partha pitrun atha pitamahan |Acharyan mathulan bhratrun putran pautran sakhimstatha ||

Sloka 27 :Svashuran suhrudaschaiva senayor ubhayor api /There Arjuna saw placed in positionsUncles and grand-fathers,Teachers, maternal uncles, grandsons,Sons, friends and also brothersFathers-in-law, and well-disposed personsOn both sides in each army .

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Sloka 27 :

Tan samikshya sa Kaunteya sarvan bandhun avasthitan ||Having viewed all the relations,Standing arrayed fairly.

Sloka 28 :

Kripaya parayavishto vishidannidam abravit /Arjuna was filled with profound compassionAnd he uttered poignantly

Sloka 28: Arjuna Uvacha:

Dhrishtvamam svajanam Krishna yuyutsum samupasthitam /O Krishna, having seen the persons of relationAssembled here, longing to battle eagerly.

Sloka 29:

Seedanti mama gaatraani mukham cha parishushyati |Vepadhushcha shareere me romaharsha jaayate ||

My limbs are breaking down,And my mouth is parching,My body the shiver is running down,My hair is bristling.

Sloka 30 :

Gaandeevam sramsate hastattvakchaiva paridahyate/Na cha shaknomyavasthaatum bhramateeva cha me manah//

Gandeeva the bow slides from my hand.My dermis all over my body burns.I am not even able to stand.And my mind in a whirling state turns.

Sloka 31:

Nimittaani cha pashyaami vipareetaani Keshava |Na cha shreyo'nupashyaami hatvaa svajanamaahave ||

O Krishna, I see onlyVain, futile premonitions.And any good I do not seeIn slaying in battle my relations.

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Sloka 32:Na kaanjshe vijayam Krishna na cha raajyam sukhaani cha |Kim no raajyena Govinda kim bhogairjeevitena vaa ||

I do not hanker after victory, Krishna,Nor do I yearn for kingdom and pleasures.Of what use is the kingdom, Krishna?Of what use is this life itself, or are the luxuries?

Sloka 33:

Yeshaamarthe kaanjshitam no raajyam bhogaah sukhaani cha |Ta ime 'vasthitaa yudhdhe praanaam styaktvaa dhanaanicha ||

For whose sake are desiredThese kingdom, pleasures and luxuries.Those very persons here in battle stand arrayedRisking their lives and renouncing their riches.

Sloka 34:Aachaaryah pitarah putraastathaiva cha pitaamahah|Maatulaashvashuraah pautraassyaassambandhina stathaa ||

The very men are the teachers, fathers andThe grand fathers as well as the sons,The maternal uncles, fathers-in-law andThe sons, the brothers-in-law, and other relations.

Sloka 35:Etaanna hantumichchami ghnato'pi Madhusudana/Api trilokaraajyasya hetoh kim nu maheekrute//

I do not wish to slay them even for glee,Krishna, even though they may kill me,For the sake of the three worlds' sovereignty.For the earthly kingdom how then shall I be ready?

Sloka 36:Nihatya dhaartaraashtraannah kaa preetissyaajanardhana/Paapamevaashrayedasmaan hatvaitaanaatataayina//By slaying Dhritaraashtraa's sonsO Krishna, what joy can be there?Only sin will take hold of usIf we kill these felons here.

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Sloka 37:Tasmaannaarhaa vayam hantum dhaartaraashtraan

svabaandhavaan |Svajanam hi katham sukhinassyaama Maadhava ||Therefore it does not behove usTo kill our relations, Dhritaraashtraa's sons.For by slaying our own relationsKrishna, how can we go into raptures?

Sloka 38:Yadyapyete na pashyanti lobhopahata chetasah |Kulakshayakrutam dosham mitradrohe cha paatakam ||Even if these men do not see verilyWith their minds blinded by greed,The evil in obliteration of the entire familyAnd the sin of treachery to the friends indeed,

Sloka 39:Katham na jneyamasmaabhih paapaadasmaannivartitum/Kulakshaya krutam dosham prapashyadbhirjanaardhana//Why should not we think,Turning away from this sin,About this evil emerging on the brinkOf the race decay, O Krishna, when we take in?

Sloka 40:Kulakshaye pranashyanti kuladharmaassanaatanaah |Dharme nashteh kulam krutsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ||With the extirpation of the family become vanquishedThe age-old traditions of the race.As the righteousness gets vanishedThe unrighteousness will engulf the entire race.

Sloka 41:Adharmaabhibhavaatkrushna pradushyanti kulastriyah |Streeshu dushtaasu vaarshneya jaayate samkarah ||With the preponderance of vice, O Krishna,The women of the family plunge into depravity.By the profligacy of the women, Krishna,The intermingling of castes grows profusely.

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Sloka 42:

Samkaro narakaayaiva kulaghnaanaam kulasya cha |

Patanti pitaro hyeshaam luptapindodaka kriyah ||

The interblending of blood throws

Into the hell the destroyers of the family and the race.

The fore-fathers certainly fall into throes

As they are deprived of the oblations of water and rice.

Sloka 43:

Doshairaitehkulaghnaanaam varnasamkaarakakaih |

Utsaadyante jaatidharmah kuladharmaashcha shaashvataah ||

By the evil deeds of the destroyers of the descent

Who are the root-cause for the race profligacy,

Perish the traditions of the race permanent

And the formalities of the family.

Sloka 44:

Utsanna kuladharmaanam manushyaanaam Janaardhana |

Narake niyatamvaaso bhavateetyanushushruma ||

Deprived of the traditions of the family

O Krishna, are those men who

Dwell for an indefinite time in hell verily.

That we have heard this is true.

Sloka 45:

Aho bata mahatpaapam kartum vyavasitaa vayam/

Yadraajyasukhalobhena hantum svajanmudyataah//

O What a pity! A great sin

We have set our mind to perpetrate.

Owing to lust for delight and throne

Our own kinsmen we have prepared ourselves to extirpate.

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Sloka 46:

Yadi maam aprateekaaramashastram shastrapaanayah |Dhaartaraashtraa rane hanyustanmekshemataram bhaveth ||

If without arms and resistance,The sons of Dhritaraashtra, armed better,Should slay me in battle perchance,For me it would be better.

Sanjaya uvaacha :

Sloka 47:

Evamuktvaarjuna ssamkhye rathopastithe upavishat/Visrujya sasharam shokasamvignamaanasah//Arjuna, having thus on the battlefield articulated in lowSpirits, slumped down in the hinder part of the chariot.He chucked out his arrows and his bowAs his mind with dejection and grief was fraught.

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SAMKHYA YOGAThe Yoga of Knowledge

The Second Discourse

Sloka1:Sanjaya uvaacha :

Tam tathaa krupayaa'vishtamashrupurnakulekshanam |Visheedantamidam vaakyamuvaacha Madhusudana ||

Thus to him fraught with pity,Whose eyes with tears were blurred,Who sorrowed with despondency,Lord Krishna uttered the word.

Sloka 2:Sri Bhagavan uvaacha:

Kutastvaa kashmalamidam vishame samupastitham |Anaaryajushtamasvargyamakeertikaramarjuna |

Whence upon you has this dejectionSwooped at this critical juncture,Which is adopted by ignoble men, is unworthy of heaven,O Arjuna, which brings dishonour.

Sloka 3:Klaibyam maasmagamah Partha naitatvayyupapadyate |Kshdram hrudayadaurbalyam tyaktvotishtaParantapa ||

Let not cowardice overpower you.It does not behove you, Arjuna.Abandon pusillanimity hovering over you.Arise, O the scorcher of enemies, Arjuna.

Arjuna uvaacha:Sloka 4:

Katham Bhishmaham sanjkhye Dronam cha Madhusudana |Ishubhi pratiyotsyaami pujaarhavarisudana |

How can I, in the battle,Fight, O Krishna, with arrows Bheeshma

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And Drona who are no littleVenerable, Lord Krishna.

Sloka 5:Guruna hatvaa hi mahanubhavaanShreyo bhoktum bhaikshyamaheehalokeHatvaarthakamaansthu gurunihaiva |Bhunjeeya bhogaan rudhirapradhigdaan ||By not slaying the most noble superiorsIt is better to subsist on alms in this world.By slaying for wealth and comforts those superiorsOne will enjoy pleasures as blood-smudged in this world.

Sloka 6:Na chaitadvidmah kataranno gareeyo |Yadvaa jayema yadi vaa no jayeyuh ||Yaaneva hatvaa na jijeevishaama |Ste'vasthitaah pramukhe Dhartarashtrah ||For us which is better we can not augurWhether we stand victors or they conquer.By killing whom we wish not to live longer.Those very sons of Dhritarashtra have arrayed themselves in order.

Sloka 7:Kaarpanyadoshopahata svabhaavah |Pruchchaami tvaam dharmasammudhachetaah ||Yachchreyassyannishchitam bruhi tanme |Shishyaste'ham shaadhi maam tvaam prapannam ||Smacked by the flaw of nature of pity and timidityI ask you as I am doubt-ridden of righteous duty.'What is decisively good,' tell me.I am Your disciple. As I submit to you, instruct me.

Sloka 8:Na hi prapashyaami mamaapanudyaDyachchokamuchchoshanamindriyanaam |AvaapyabhumaavasapatnamruddhamRaajyam suraanamapi chadhipatyam ||For I can not perceive what does relent

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The withering effect of grief on my sensesThough having obtained on this earth, peerless, opulentKingdom and also lordship over the deities.

Sloka 9:Sanjaya uvaacha:

Eva muktvaa hrusheekesham gudaakeshah Parantapah |Na yotsna iti Govindamuktvaa tushneembabhuva ha ||

Sanjya said:Having thus spoken to Sri Krishna,Arjuna, the scorcher of the opponent,I will not fight it, again said to Sri Krishna, And became totally silent.

Sloka10:Tamuvaacha hrusheekeshah prahasanniva Bharata |Senayorubhayormadhye visheedantamidam vachah ||

Lord Krishna, as if in jest smiling,O Dhritarashtra, spoke to himAmidst the two armies lamenting,The following words prim.

Sloka11:Sri Bhagavan uvaacha:

Ashochyaananvashochastvam prajnaavaadaamshcha bhaashase|

Gataasunagataasumshcha naanushochanti panditaah ||You keen over those unworthy of sorrow.Yet you utter the words of wise acumen.The sagacious men do not express woeOver the dead or the living men.

Sloka12:Na tveham jaatu naasam na tvam neme janaadhipaah |Na chaiva na bhavishyamassarve vayamatah param ||Neither was there a time when I was not,When neither you, nor these kings that were not there.Nor the truth that it is not a fact that hereafter notAll of us shall exist is not there.

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Sloka13:Dehino'smin yathaa dehe kaumaaram yauvanam jaraa |Tathaa dehaantara praaptiedheerastatra na muhyati ||Just as the soul in this physical bodyUndergoes boyhood, youth and old ageSo also the soul transmigrates into another body.Therefore, feels not deluded the sage.

Sloka 14:Maatraasparshaastu Kaunteya sheetoshnasukhaduhkhadaah |Agamaapaayino'nityaastaam stithikshasva Bharata ||

Contiguity of senses with each entity,Arjuna, brings forth heat and cold, pain and pleasure.These experiences are fleeting and transitory.Therefore, Arjuna, with silence them endure.

Sloka 15:Yam hi na vyathayantyete purusham purusharshabha |Samaduhkhasukham dheeram so'mrytattvaaya kalpate ||The wise man whom these ( contacts) do not torture,O Arjuna, the chief of the humanity,Who feels equanimous in pain and pleasure,Surely becomes deserving of immortality.

Sloka 16:Naasato vidyate bhavo naabhaavo vidyate satah |Ubhayorapi drushto'ntastvanayostattvadarshibhih ||The nonentity has no entity.The entity has no nonentity.Between the two by the sages in realityIs discerned the intrinsic verity.

Sloka 17:Avinaashi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidam tatam |Vinashamavyayasyaasya nakashchitkartumarhati ||Know that the soul alone is imperishable,By which is pervaded the entire universe.The destruction to this substance indestructibleNo one is able to cause.

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Sloka 18:Antavanta ime deha nityasyoktaashshareerinah |Anashino'prameyasya tasmaadyudhyasya Bharata ||These bodies related to the soulWhich is imperishable, immortal,Incomprehensible are affirmed as perishable.Therefore, O Arjuna, fight the battle.

Sloka 19:Ya enam vetti hantaaram yashchainam manyate hatamUbhai tau na vijanito naayam hanti na hanyate ||

One who surmises that the soul can murder,Another who misconstrues that the soul is exterminated,Of the truth both the two men are not awareThat the soul neither kills nor is eliminated.

Sloka 20:Na jaayate mriyate naa kadaachitNnaayam bhuttvaa bhavithaa va na bhuyah |Ajo nityashshaashvato'yaam puraanoNa hanyate hanyamaane shareere ||

This soul is never born, nor dies ever,Having never been, nor will it exist again.This soul is unborn, eternal, permanent forever,Is not slain, though the body is slain.

Sloka 21:Vedaavinashanam nityam ya enamajamavyayam |Katham sa purushah Partha kam ghaatayati hanti kam ||

He who discerns this soul to be imperishable,Eternal, unborn and free from decay.How and whom will he cause to be extinguishable,Arjuna, and how and whom will he slay?

Sloka 22:Vaasaamsi jeernani yathaa vihaayaNavaani gruhnaati naro'paraani |Tathaa shareeraani vihaaya jeernaNyaanyaani samyaati navaani dehee ||

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As man takes off the tattered dressesAnd puts on new ones,So also the soul discards the tattered bodiesAnd transmigrates into new ones.

Sloka 23:Nainam chindanti shastraani nainam dahati paavakah |Nachainam kledayantyaapo na shoshayati maarutah ||

No weapon can slash this soul ,This soul the fire can not incinerate;Water can not wet this soul,Wind can not desiccate.

Sloka 24:Achchedyo'yamadaahyo'yamakledyo'shoshyaeva cha |Nitya sarvagathasthaanurachalo'yaa sanaatanah ||

This soul can not be incinerated, is not lacerable,This soul can not be desiccated, and also is not wettable.This soul is eternal, stable,Omnipresent, ancient, immovable.

Sloka 25:Avyakto'yamachintyo'yamavikaro'yamuchyate |Tasmadevam viditvainam naanushochatimarhasi ||

This soul is non-manifest, it is unthinkable.It is spoken as unchanging.Therefore discerning this as immutable,You ought not to be grieving.

Sloka 26:Atha chainam nityajaatam nityam vaa manyasemrutam |Tathaapi tvam mahabaaho nainam shochitumarhasi ||

If you regard this soul as constantly subject toBirth and never subject to existence any more,Even then, O mighty-armed Arjuna, youShould not, in that way, deplore.

Sloka 27:Jaatsya hi dhruvo mrutyurdhruvam janmamrutasya cha |Tasmadaparihaarye'rthe na tvam shochitumarhasi ||

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Indeed for those born death is indispensable.For the dead beings birth is certainly true.Therefore this issue is inevitable.And so it does not suit you to rue.

Sloka 28:Avyaktadeeni bhutaani vyaktamadhyaani Bharata |Avyakti nidhanaanyenva tatra kaa paridevanaa ||Beings before birth are non-manifest.In the interregnum in form, Arjuna, they are apparent.After death, they turn again to be non-manifest.In such a situation why lament?

Sloka 29:

Aashcharyavatpashyati kashchidenaMaashcharyavadvadati tathaiva chaanyah |AshcharyvachchainamanyashshrunnotiShruthvaapyenam vedana chaina kashchit ||

One perceives this soul as an awe.Another similarly utters this soul as a wonder.Some other hearkens about this soul in awe.Though having heard, some men can not ken this soul without blunder.

Sloka 30:

Dehi nityamavdhyoam dehe sarvasya Bharata |Tasmaatsarvaani bhutaani na tvam shochitumarhasi ||

This soul ever existing in allThe bodies, Arjuna, can not be slain.Hence it is not proper at allFor you to mourn in vain.

Sloka 31:

Svadharmapi chaavekshya na vikampitumarhasi |Dharmyaadhdhi yudhdhachreyo'nyath kshatriyasya na vidyate ||

Further, considering your own dutyIt is unbefitting for you to waver.Nothing is greater than the righteous war trulyFor the man of the class of warrior.

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Sloka 32:

Yadruchchayaa chopapannam svargadwaaramapaavrutam |Sukhinah kshatriyaah Partha labhante yudhdhameedrusham ||

Of its own accord that opens the unsolicitedGates of heaven very freely.Arjuna, those warriors feel delightedWho come by a chance to fight voluntarily.

Sloka 33:Athachetvamimam dharmyam samgramam na karishyasi |Tatassva dharmam keertim cha hitvaa paapamavaapsyasi ||But if you are not readyTo fight this righteous war,Then giving up your dutyAnd losing your fame, the sin you will incur.

Sloka 34:Akeertim chaapi bhutaani kathayishyanti te'vyayaam |Sambhavitasya chaakeertirmaranaadatirichyate ||Further, people will bruitAround your everlasting disgrace.To the man who has enjoyed reputeWorse than death is the disgrace.

Sloka 35:Bhayaadranaduparatam mansyante tvaam maharathaah |Yeshaam cha tvaam bahumato bhutvaayaasyasilaaghavam ||As retreating from battle out of fearThe chief warriors treat you,Amongst whom you are revered dear.And you will little receive regard due.

Sloka36:Avaachyavaadamshcha bahuun vadishyanti tavahitaah |Nindantastava saamarthyam tato duhkhataram nu kim ||Many unbecoming words of shameYour enemies speak out very liberally.They belittle your caliber and name.What is more distressing than this really?

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Sloka 37:Hato vaa praapyase svargam jitvaa va bhokshyase maheem |Tasmaduttishta Kaunteya yudhdhayaa krutanishchayah ||If slain in battle, heaven you will experience.Or you enjoy sovereignty if you conquer.Therefore, Arjuna, arise at once,And feel strongly determined to fight war.

Sloka 38:Sukhaduhkhe same krutvaa laabhaalaabhau jayaajayau/Tato yudhdhaya yujyasva naivam paapamavaapyasi//Treat alike pain and delight,Gain and loss, and defeat and success.Then feel prepared to engage in fight.Thereby you will not incur sinfulness.

Sloka 39:Eshaa te'bhihita samkhye budhdhiryoge tvimaam shrunu |Budhdhyaa yukto yayaa Partha karmabandam prahasyasi ||This knowledge of Jnanayoga to youHas been explicated. Now hear the same from the yoga of action.Being strongly united with that knowledge, you,Arjuna, will be able to cast off the shackles of action.

Sloka 40:Nehaabhikramanasho'sti pratyavaayo na vidyate |Svalpamapyasya dharmasya traayate mahato bhayaat ||In this path there is no loss of endeavour.There are no adverse effects.Even a little practice of this disciplined orderHim( man) from great fear protects.

Sloka 41:Vyavasaayatmikaa budhdhirekeha Kurunandana |Bahushaakhaa hyantaashcha budhdhayo'vyavasaayinaam ||The minds on this path are determinate,Arjuna, and single-minded.The minds that are indeterminateIn thoughts are endless and varied.

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Sloka 42:Yaamimaam pushpitaam vaacham pravadantya vipashchitah |Vedavaadarataah Partha naanyadasteetivaadanah ||All these pompous words of speechUtter the men of poor insight.O Arjuna, the putative followers of Vedas preachThe fruits of no other than heavenly delight.

Sloka 43:Kaamaatmanaah svargaparaa janmakarmaphalapradaam |Kriyaavisheshabahulaam bhogaishvaryagatim prati ||The followers filled with desires of sense gratificationsWith the sole goal of heaven by the acts resulting in good birth,Engage themselves in a multiplicity of specific actionsFor attainment of sense-enjoyments and opulence worth.

Sloka 44:Bhogaishvaryaprasaktaanaam tayaa'pahrutachetasaam |Vyavasaayaatmikaa budhdhissamaadhau na vidheeyate ||

They whose minds are deeply attached to pleasure and power,And are bewildered by such discourse,Whose intellect though resolute in statureCan not concentrate their minds upon transcendental course.

Sloka 45:Trigunuavishayaa vedaa nisthrigunyo bhavaarjuna |Nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakshema aatmavaan ||

The Vedas, out of the three, deal with each characteristic.So, Arjuna, in them be disinterested.Be antithetical. In the eternal God you remain static.Be unconcerned about gain and safety. In the self you be instituted.

Sloka 46:Yaavaanartha udapaane sarvatassamplutodake |Taavaansarveshu vedeshu braahmanasya vijaanatah ||

The well water is of what use.The water of all - the pervading floods is of the same advantage.Likewise, the enlightenment from all the Vedas is of what use.To a man of self-realization is there the same advantage.

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Sloka 47:Karmanyevaadhikaaraste ma phaleshu kadaachaa |Ma karmaphalaheturbhurmaate sanjo'stvakarmani ||You have only right to do actionYou have no claim over fruits of action.You should not become the cause for fruits of action.You should display no attachment to inaction.

Sloka 48:Yogasthah kuru karmaani sanjam tyaktvaa Dhananjaya |Sidhdhyasidhdhyoh samo bhutvaa samatvam yoga uchyate ||Being equi-poised in yoga, perform your duty,Arjuna, by renouncing all affinity.Be unmindful of both failure and victory.Is called yoga this state of equanimity.

Sloka 49:Durena hyavaram karma budhdhiyogaaddhananjaya |Budhdhau sharanamanvichcha krupanah phalahetava ||

Action with attachment is inferior,Arjuna, to the work done with equanimity.In the equi-poise of mind seek shelter.Those aspiring for fruits are niggardly.

Sloka 50:Budhdhiyukto jahatteha ubhe sukrutadushkrute |Tasmadyogaaya yujyasva yogah karmasu kaushalam ||Endued with equanimity one should removeIn this life the returns of good and evil.Therefore for this yoga of equanimity one should strive.Skill in action in this yoga lies well.

Sloka 51:Karmajam budhdhiyuktaa hi phalam tyaktvaa maneesinah |Janmabandhavinirmuktaah padam gachchyantyanaamayam ||

Endowed with equanimity the men of wisdomRenounce the fruits of actions.From bondage of birth by getting freedom,They attain the supreme blissful state sans afflictions.

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Sloka 52:Yadaa te mohakalilam budhdhirvyatitarishyati |Tadaa gantaasi nirvedam shrotavyasyashrutasya cha ||

When your intellect passes overThe mire of delusionThen you will acquireTowards what is heard and what is to be heard the dispassion.

Sloka 53:Shrutivipratipannaa te yadaa sthaasyati nishchalaa |Samadhavachala budhdhistadaa yogamavaapsyasi ||

On being perplexed by hearing of many a version,When your intellect remains steady,Steadfast on God in meditation,Then you will attain the union with the Deity.

Arjuna Uvaacha:Sloka 54:

Sthitaprajnasya kaa bhasha samaadhisthasya Keshava |Stithadheeh prabhasheta kimaaseeta vrajetakim ||

What is the description of the man of steady perceptiveness,O Krishna, with the merger of supreme knowledge?What does the man of staid mind express?How does he sit? How does he budge?

Sri Bhagavan uvacha:Sloka 55:

Prajahaati yadaa kamaan sarvaan Partha manogataan |Atmanyevaatamanaa tushtaah stithaprajnastadochyate ||

When man sheds all passions,Arjuna, emanating from his mind,And through the mind in his self gets fulfillment of satisfactions.He is then said to possess transcendental mind.

Sloka 56:Duhkheshvanudvijnamanah sukheshu vigataspruhah |Veetaraagabhayakrodhah stithadheermuniruchyate ||

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Remaining unperturbed in mind amidst dolour,Not aspiring for many a worldly enjoyment,Being free from attachment, fear and anger,The man is said to be the sage of stable discernment.

Sloka 57:Yassarvatraanabhisnehastattatpraapsya shubhashubham/Nabhinandanti na dveshti tasya prajnaa pratishtitaa//The man who feels unattached to anything,Who experiences good and evil occurring,Who neither rejoices nor expresses loathingIs perfectly fixed in his understanding.

Sloka 58:Yadaa samharate chaayam kurmo'jnaaneena sarvashah |Indriyaaninindriyaarthebhyastasya prajnaa pratishtithaa ||

When this yogi as a tortoise retractsAll its limbs from every direction,Similarly withdraws all his senses from the sense-objects,His mind is said to be in one perfect position.

Sloka 59:Vishayaa vinivartante niraahaarasya dehinah |Rasavarjam raso'pyasya param drushtvaa nivartate ||

Sense- objects refrainFrom the abstemious self.Yet the taste in mind ever does remain.The taste will vanish on the mind's realizing the Self.

Sloka 60:Yatato hyapi Kaunteya purushasyavipashchitah/Indriyaani pramaadheeni haaranti prasabham manah//

Even when the wise man does essay,Arjuna, to restrain himself,Yet the turbulent senses carry away,By force, the steadfast mind of the self.

Sloka 61:Taani sarvaani samyamya yukta aaseetamatpara |Vashe hi yasyendriyaani tasya prajna pratishtitaa ||

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Having fully restrained all his sensesOne should sit in devotion to Me.For are brought under control whose sensesHis wisdom is said to be steady.

Sloka 62:

Dhyaayato vishayaan pumsah samjasteshupajaayate/Samgatsamjaayate kaamah kaamatkrodho'bhijaayate//

As man over the sense-objects ruminatesAttachment to them emerges.From attachment the desire emanates.From desire the anger arises.

Sloka 63:

Krodhadhbhavati sammohah sammohaat smrutivibhrama |Smrutibhramshadhbudhdhinaasho budhdhinaashaat

pranashyati ||

From anger arises infatuation.The confusion of memory emanates from infatuation.From the confusion of memory emerges the loss of reason.From the loss of reason the man falls into destruction.

Sloka 64:

Raagadveshavimukttaistu vishayandriyaishchran |Aatmavashairvidheyaatmaa prasaadamadhigachchati ||

But the man free from attachment and animosity,While enjoying the sense-objects through the sensesFully restrained by the mind, having the self-mastery,Attains the supreme peace at ease.

Sloka 65:

Prasaade sarvaduhkhanaam haanirasyopajaayate/Prasannachetaso hyaashu budhdhih paryavatishtati//On attaining placidity of mind all miseriesWill be totally annihilated.The intellect of the man replete with mental easeIndeed soon gets firmly in the Self riveted.

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Sloka 66:

Naasti budhdhirayuktasya na chaayuktasya bhaavanaa |Na chaa bhaavayatah shantirashaanttasya kutah sukham ||

There is no intellect to a man sans restraint of sensesAnd no vestige of devotion to Self-realization.And to the man of no contemplation there is no peace at ease.To the man of no peace whence is elation?

Sloka 67:

Indriyaanaam hi charataam yanmano'nuvidheeyate |Tadasya harati prajnaam vaayurnaavamivaambhasi ||Of the senses indeed rovingOn one of which the mind centres,So also the mind carries away his reasoning,As the gale veers the ship on the waters.

Sloka 68:

Tasmaadasya Mahaabaho nigruhitaani sarvashah |Indriyaanieenindriyaarthabhyastasya prajnaapratishtitaa ||Therefore, Arjuna, whose sensesAre under complete restraintFrom the love of the objects of the senses,His mind is steadily consistent.

Sloka 69:

Yaa nishaa sarvabhutaanaam tasyaam jaagarti samyamee |Yasyaam jaagarti bhutaani saa nishaa pashyatomuneh ||What is night to all beingsIn that very time is wakeful the man of sense-restraint,In which time are wakeful all the beings,That is the night for the clairvoyant.

Sloka 70:Aapurvyamaanamachala pratishtitamSamudramaapah pravishanti yadvat |Tadvatkaamaa yam pravishanti sarveSa shaanti maapnoti na kaamakaami ||

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As the water is fraught, it remains tranquilBecause of ever flow of the riparian waters,So also the man in whom all enjoyments commingleAttains peace; but not he who craves for desires.

Sloka 71:

Vihaayaa kaamaan yassarvaan pumanshcharati nispruhah |Nirmamo niramhakaarah sa shaanti madhigavhchati ||

The man who abnegates inclinationsWho feels rid of desires at ease,Who moves free from egoism and affiliations,Who thirsts for enjoyment, attains peace.

Sloka 72:

Eshaa brahmeestithih Partha nainaam prapyavimuhyati |Stithvaa'syamantakaale'pi Brahmanirvaanamruchchti ||

Arjuna, this is the supreme blissful state.Attaining this, man never feels delusion.Even at the end-moment of life, being fixed in this state,Man attains God-realization.

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KARMA YOGA

The Yoga of ActionThe Third Discourse

ARJUNA UVAACHA:Sloka 1:

Jyaayasee chetkarmanaste mataa budhdhirjanaardhana |Tatkim karmani ghore maam niyojasi Keshava ||

Arjuna said:' Knowledge is superior to action'If You consider, O Krishna,Then why into dreadful actionDo You urge me , O Krishna?

Sloka 2:Vyaamishreneva vaakyena budhdhim mohayaseeva me |Tadekam vada nishchitya yena shreyo'hamapnuyaam ||By paradoxical expressionMy intellect You confuse.Therefore You speak about the exact decisionBy which I may obtain the highest use.

Lord Krishna uvaacha:-Sloka 3:

Loke'smin dvividhaa nishtaa puraa proktaamayaanagha |Jnaanayogena samkhyanaam karmayogena yoginaam ||In this world the two types of the spiritual pathWere enunciated by Me, O Sinless, Arjuna, in the past.In case of Samkhya yoga, the man adopts knowledge-path.In case of Karma yoga, he hast to take up the action-path at last.

Sloka 4:Na karmaanamanaarambhannaishkarmyam purusho'shnute |Na cha sannyasanaadeva sidhdhim samadhigachchati ||By non-performance of actionsMan does not obtain liberation from action.By renunciation of actionsHe can not attain perfection.

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Sloka 5:Na hi kashchitkshanamapi jaatu tishtatyakarmakrut |Kaaryate hyavashah karma sarvah prakrutijairgunaih ||Anyone even for a moment indeedNever remains without labour.Everyone is, by force, made to do some deedBy the traits born of Nature.

Sloka 6:Karmendriyaani samyamya ya aste manasaasmaran |Indriyaarthaanvimudhaatmaa mithyaachaarassa uchyate ||Restraining sense-organs the manRemains in his mind mulling overThe objects of the senses, the deluded manIs considered to be the pretender.

Sloka 7:Yastvindriyaani manasaa niyamyarabhate'rjuna |Karmendraih karmayogamasaktassa vishishyate ||But he who by the mind with the restrictionOf the senses, Arjuna, does enterThrough the organs, upon the yoga of actionWithout attachment is said to be better.

Sloka 8:Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyaayo hyakarmanah |Shareerayaatraapi cha te na prasidhdhyedakarmanah ||You perform your prescribed duty.For action is superior to inaction.Even the maintenance of your physical bodyIs not possible through inaction.

Sloka 9:Yajnaarthaatkarmano'nyatra loko'yam karmabandanah |Tadartham karma Kaunteya mukthasanghah samaachaara ||Deeds other than that for the sacrificeBind this world by the result of each action.Therefore, Arjuna, perform the very sacrificeEfficiently without affiliation.

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Sloka 10:Sahayajnaah prajaasrushtvaa purovaacha prajapathih/Anena prasavishyadvameshavo'stvishtakaamadhuk//Having created the mankind along with sacrifice,Brahma the Creator said to them at the time of creation,You shall prosper by this sacrifice.Let it be the cow-giver of each of your ambition.

Sloka 11:Devaanbhaavayataanena te devaa bhavayantu vah |Parasparam bhaavayantah shreyah paramavapsyatha ||By this sacrifice the gods you foster.Those gods foster you in turn.Nourish, dispassionately, one another.The highest good you will earn.

Sloka 12:Ishtaan bhogaan hi vo devaa daasyante yajnabhaavitaah |Tairdattanapradaayaibhyo yo bhunjkte stena eva sah ||The coveted necessaries of life , by sacrifice beingFostered the demigods bestow upon you indeed.The gifts given by the gods to them in return without offeringHe who enjoys the gifts is a thief indeed.

Sloka13:Yajnashishtaashinassanto muchyante sarvkilbhishaih |Bhunjate te tvagham paapaa ye pachantyatmakaaranaat ||

The virtuous men partaking of the remnantsOf the sacrifice are absolved of all sins.Preparing food the sinful aspirantsFor the nourishment of their body eat only sins.

Sloka 14:Annadbhavanti bhutaani parjanyadannasambhavah |Yajnadbhavati parjanyo yajnah karma sambhavah ||All entities emerge from food.The production of food comes out through the rain.The torrent of rain pours out from the deedOf the sacrifice. The sacrifice is born of action in the main.

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Sloka 15:Karmabrahmodbha vamvidhdhi Brahmaakshara samudhbhavam|Tasmatsarvagatam brahmanityam yajnepratishtitam ||

Know that in the Vedas action is rooted;The Vedas emanate from Imperishable supreme Being.Therefore all-pervading God is rivetedIn the sacrifice that is eternal , everlasting.

Sloka 16:Evam pravartitam chakram nanuvartayateeha yah |Aghayurindriyaaraamo mogham Partha sa jeevati ||Thus the cycle of life set in motionThe man who in this world follows notRejoicing only in sensual gratification,Arjuna, leads his life in sin and naught.

Sloka 17:Yastvaatmaratireva syaadaatmatruptashcha maanavah |Aatmanyeva cha santushtahtasya kaaryam na vidyate ||But to the man who rejoices in the self only,Who attains in the self entire satiety,Who feels contented with his self only,There is no ordained duty.

Sloka 18:Naiva tasyakrutenaartho naakruteneha kashchana |Na chaasya sarvabhuteshu kashchidarthavyapaashriyah ||To him there is no advantage for any executed performance.Nor any use for any performance not undertaken.To him there is no need for dependenceOf any kind on any being of creation.

Sloka 19:Tasmadasaktassatatam kaaryam karma samaachara |Asakto hyaacharan karma paramaapnoti purushah ||Therefore always displaying no affiliation,Perform your duty worthy of action.For being unattached, that man who performs his actionShall attain self-realization.

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Sloka 20:Karmanaiva hi samsidhdhimasthitaa janakaadayah |Lokasamgrahamevaapi sampashyan kartumarhasi ||By action only Janaka and other wise menAttained the perfection.Keeping an eye to the need of the right path to the menOf the world too you should always do action.

Sloka 21:Yadyadaacharati shreshta stattadevetaro janmah/Sa yatpramanam kurute lokastadanuvartate//Whatever deed the great men execute,The other men also perform that and that very action.Whatever standard the man does institute,The men of the world follow that criterion.

Sloka 22:Na me Parthaasthi kartavyam trishulokeshu kinchana |Naanvaaptamavaaptavyam varta eva cha karmani ||O Arjuna, there is not any thing for MeIn these worlds to do.There is not anything unattained by Me,Nor anything worth attaining. Yet the action I do.

Sloka 23:Yaadi hyaham na varteyam jaatu karmanyatandritah |Mama vartmanuvartante manushyah Partha sarvashah ||For if I do not ever busyMyself in action without relaxation,Arjuna, men of the world follow trulyIn all matters My course of action.

Sloka 24:Utseedeyurime lokaa na kuryam karma chedaham |Sankarasya cha kartaa syamupahanyamimaah prajah ||These worlds will be put to obliterationIf I do not perform action.I will happen to be the cause of confusionAnd of the annihilation of the population.

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Sloka 25:Saktaah karmanya vidvaamso yatha kurvanti Bharata |Kuryaadvidvaamstatha'saktashchikeershurloka samgraham ||O Arjuna, with attachment to actionAs the ignoramuses perform their duty,So the wise men sans attachment to fruit of actionShould do seeking the welfare of the society.

Sloka 26:Na budhdhibhedam janayedajnaanam karmasamjinaam |Joshayetsarva karmaani vidvanyuktaa samaacharan ||Without disruption of the intelligenceOf the ignoramuses fully attached to action,The sage united with the Self acting in mind with balanceShould induce the ignorant men to do each action.

Sloka 27:Prakruteh kriyamaanaani gunaih karmaani sarvashah |Ahankaaravimudhatmaa kartaahamiti manyate ||By the traits of NatureAre performed all actions.The fool whose mind is deluded by egoistic natureSurmises that he is the doer of all actions.

Sloka 28:Tattvavittu Mahabaaho gunakarma vibhaagayoh/Gunaa guneshu vartanta iti mattvaa na sajjate//Arjuna, the man in the knowledge of TruthHas got insight into the differences of traits and actions.He knows the senses move amidst sense-objects in truth.Hence realizing this, he feels no affiliations.

Sloka 29:Prakrutergunasammudhaah sajjante gunakarmasu |Taanakrutsnavido mandaankrutsnavinna vichaalayet ||The men deluded by the Natural traitsFeel attached to actions and traits.The men of quick perception and witsShould not confound the nitwits.

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Sloka 30:Mayi sarvaani karmaani sannyasyaadhaatmachetasaa |Niraasheernirmamo bhutvaa yudhdhyasya vigatajvarah ||

To Me all kinds of actionsSurrendering with your mind fixed on the Self arightSans desire, sans egoistic emotions,And becoming free from mental fever, you fight.

Sloka 31:Ye me matamidam nityamanutishtanti maanavaah |Shradhdhaavanto'nasuyanto muchyante te'pi karmabhih ||Those men who put into operationAlways My instructionsWith staunch faith and without animadversionAre also liberated from the bondage of actions.

Sloka32:Ye tvetadbhyasuyanto naanutishtanti me matam |Sarvajnaana vimudhaamstan vidhdhi nashtaanachetasah ||But those men who carp at this instructionOf Mine do not put it into operation.Perceive them as fools plunging into delusionIn all matters of knowledge and also as ruined without discrimination.

Sloka 33:Sadrusham cheshtate svasyaah prakruterjnaanavaanapi |Prakrutim yaanti bhutaani nigrahah kim karishyati ||In accordance with his own primordial nature.Even the wise man does act.All creatures follow their own primordial nature.What can the restraint bring into effect?

Sloka 34:Indriyasyeindriyasyaarthe raagadveshau vyavasthit/Tayorna vashamaagchchetau hyaasya paripantinau//In the objects of each senseAre rooted attraction and repulsion.Man should not come under their influence.For both of them are the enemies of his redemption.

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Sloka 35:Shreyaan svadharmo vigunah paradharmaatsvanushtitaat |Svadharme nidhanam shreyah paradharmo bhayaavahah ||It is better to discharge his duty, though faulty,Than the duty of another perfectly wrought.It is better to meet with death in his own duty.Another's duty is with fear fraught.

Arjuna uvaacha:Sloka 36:

Athe kena prayukto'yam paapam charati purushah |Anichchannapi Vaarshneya balaadiva niyojitah ||

Arjuna said:Then impelled by whatDoes this man commit sin?O Krishna, though voluntarily not,By force, as it were, driven.

Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha:Sloka 37:

Kaama esha krodhaesha rajogunasamudbhavah |Mahashano mahapaapmaa vidhdhyenamiha vairinam ||

Lord Krishna said:It is desire begotten of the featureOf passion which looks like wrath.It is all-pervading and grossly sinful in nature.Know this as the enemy here in truth.

Sloka 38:Dhumenavriyate vahniryathaa''darshomalena cha |Yatholbhenaavruto garbha tatha tenedamavrutam ||As by smoke is enveloped the conflagration,As the mirror is wrapped up by mire,As the embryo is enclosed by the amnion,So also this knowledge is covered by the desire.

Sloka 39:Aavrutam jnaanametena jnaanino nityavairina/Kaamarupena Kaunteya dushpurenaanalenacha//

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This knowledge of the wiseIs shrouded by the everlasting enemy in rage,Arjuna, in the disguiseOf desire which is insatiable like the blaze.

Sloka 40:

Indriyaani manobudhdhirasyaadhishtaanamuchyate |Etairvimohayatyesha jnaanamaavrutyadehinam ||

The senses, the mind and the intellectAre declared to be the seat of this lust.Through them this lust which does deflectThe wisdom deludes the man like the gust.

Sloka 41:

Tasmaattvamindriyaanyaadau niyamya Bharatarshabha |Paapanaam prajahi hyenam jnaanavijnaananaashanam ||

Therefore, Arjuna, you restrainFirst your senses.You slay this lustful sinThat obliterates knowledge and realization of bliss.

Sloka 42:

Indriyaani paraanyaahurindryebhyah param manah |Manasastu paraa budhdhiryo budhdheh paratastu sah ||

To the body the senses are thought to be superior.Than the senses the mind is greater.To the intellect the mind is inferior.Than the intellect the soul is nobler.

Sloka 43:

Evam budhdheh param budhdhvaa samstabhyaatmaan amaatmanaa |

Jahi shatrum mahabaaho kaamarupam duraasadam ||

Thus perceiving that (which was) considered superiorTo the intellect, and subduing the mind by the brainpower,Slay this foe, mighty-armed Arjuna, in the guise of desire,That is highly difficult to overpower.

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JNANA YOGA

The Yoga of KnowledgeThe Fourth Discourse

Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha:

Sloka 1:Imam vivasvate yogam proktavaanahamavyayam |Vivasvaan manave praaha manurikshvaakave'braveet ||

Sri Lord Krishna Said:

This imperishable yoga of actionTo the Sun-god was imparted.The Sun-god, in turn, taught it to Manu his son.And Manu in succession to Ikshvaaku instructed.

Sloka 2:Evam paramparapraaptamimam raajarshayo viduh |Sa kaalenaha mahataa yogo nashtah Parantapa ||

Thus in succession this yogaThe royal sages knew was handed down.By the long lapse of time that yoga,Arjuna, in this world went down.

Sloka 3:Sa evaayam mayaa te'dya yogah proktah puraatanah |Bhakto'si me sakhaa cheti rahasyam hyetaduttamam ||

This very ancient yoga by MeTo you has now been imparted.For you are My friend and devotee.And it is the supreme secret indeed.

Arjuna uvaacha:Sloka 4:

Aparam bhavato janma param janma vivasvatah |Kathametadvijaaneeyam tvamaadau prokatavaaniti ||

Posterior is Your birth.Anterior is the Sun- god's birth

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How am I to believe this on earthThat You imparted this yoga at the Creation's birth.

Sri Bhagavan uvaacha:Sloka 5:

Bahooni me vyateetaani janmaani tava chaarjuna |Taanyaham veda sarvaani na tvam vetta Parantapa ||Of Mine and yours many birthsPassed by, O Arjuna.I remember all those births.But you can not remember them , Arjuna.

Sloka 6:Ajo'pi sannavyayaatmaa bhutaanaameeshvaro'pi san |Prakrutim svaamadhishtaaya sambhavaamyaatmamaayayaa ||Though having no birth, and being imperishableAnd the Lord of each entity,Keeping My own Nature under control,I become manifest by My own divine Potency.

Sloka 7:Yadaayadaa hi dharmasya glaanirbhavati Bharata |Abhyutthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srujaamyaham ||Arjuna, whenever the righteousnessIs about to degenerate,And whenever about to rise is the unrighteousness,Then Myself I demonstrate.

Sloka 8:Paritraanaaya saadunaam vinaashaayacha dushkrutaam |Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaamiyuge yuge ||For the protection of the men of virtuousnessAnd extirpation of the savage,For the installation of the righteousnessI Myself take birth from age to age.

Sloka 9:Janma karma cha me divyamevam yo vetti tattvatah |Tyaktvaa deham punarjanma naiti maameti so'rjuna ||My action and divine birthOne who thus perceives in reality,

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On abandoning this body, the rebirthDoes not attain, Arjuna, but reaches to Me.

Sloka 10:Veetaraagabhayakrodha manmayaa maamupaashritah |Bahavo jnaanatapasaa pootaa madbhaavamaagataah ||Being free from attachment, fear and rage,Being fully absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me,Many men ,being purified by the penance of knowledgeAttained liberation and reached to Me.

Sloka 11:Ye yathaa maam prapadyante tanstathaiva bhajaamyaham |Mama vartmanuvartante manushyaah Paartha sarvashah ||In whatever manner those men follow MeI reward them accordingly.My path all men follow trulyIs Mine, Arjuna, in every way really.

Sloka 12:Kaankjshantah karmanaam siddim yajanta iha devataah |Kshipram hi maanushe loke sidhdhirbhavati karmajaa ||Men hankering after the returns of their actionsAdore in this world the gods.For soon in this world of homo sapiensBorn of the actions are attained the rewards.

Sloka 13:Chaaturvarnyam mayaa srushtam gunakarmavibhaagashah |Tasya kartaramapi maam vidhdhyakartaramavyayam ||The four orders of society were created by MeClassifying in accordance with their qualities and actions.Though I am the Author of the societyYou perceive Me the eternal as the non-doer of actions.

Sloka 14:Na mam karmani limpanti Na me karma phale spriha |Iti mam yoh'abhi janati Karma bhirna sa badhyateh ||

Actions taint not MeNor have I desire for their returns

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Thus he who knows Me perfectlyIs not bound by actions.

Sloka 15:

Evam jnathva kritam karmapurvairapi mumukshibhih |kuru karmaiva tasmattvampurvaih purvataram kritam ||

Know thus that was performed the actionBy the ancient liberation-aspirants.Therefore you perform without desire the actionAs performed in olden times by the ancient aspirants.1

Sloka 16:

Kim karma kimakarmetiKavyo'pyatra mohitah |Tatte karma pravakshyamiYadjnatva mokshyase ashubhat ||By what action is and what is inactionThe sages are also deluded.I will teach you that actionKnowing which from the evil you shall be liberated.

Sloka 17:

Karmanya hyapi boddhavyamBoddhavyam cha vikarmanah |Akarmanashcha boddhavyamGahana karmano gatih ||

The action prescribed by the Scriptures be known.The action proscribed by those Scriptures be perceived.The nature of inaction be also knownBecause the path of action is too arcane to be conceived.

Sloka 18:

Karmanya karma yah pashyedakarmani cha karmaya |Sa buddhiman manushyeshuSa yuktah krisnakarmakrit ||

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He who espies inaction in performanceAnd also action in inactionIs the savant among the Homo sapiensAnd is considered the yogic, the doer of all kinds of action.

Sloka 19:Yasya sarve samarambhahKamasamkalpa varjitah |Jnanagni dagdhakaranamTam ahuh panditam budhah ||

He whose all responsibilitiesAre freed from desire and propensityWhose actions are singed by knowledge-blazeIs called a sage by the men of perspicacity.

Sloka 20:Tyaktva karmaphalasangamNitya tripto nirashrayah |Karmanyabhi pravritto'piNaiva kimchit karoti sah ||He who has abandoned attachment to the fruits of actionWho is ever content, who has no predilection to anything,Though engaged in action,Is verily little thought to be the doer of anything.

Sloka 21:Nirashiryatachittatmatyakta sarva parigrahah |shariram kevalam karma kurvannapnoti kilbisham ||He who has no craving, has subdued his mind and body,Who has shed all passions,Who performs all his actions of body,Does not incur any sins.

Sloka 22:Yadriccha labha samtushtoDvandvatito vimatsarah |Samah siddhavasiddhau chaKrittva'pi na nibadhyate ||

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He who feels contented with anything obtained unsolicited,Who is beyond the antithesis and of jealosy who is rid In both

success and failure who is poised,Despite his actions, is not tied.

Sloka 23:

Gata sangasya muktasyagnanavasthitachetasah |yagnaya'charatahkarma samagram praviliyate ||Of a man who has no attachment, himself free from all bonds

who sets,Whose mind in the knowledge of the Self is ensconced,All his actions to the sacrifice who sets,Those actions in entirety to naught are reduced.

Sloka 24:

Brahma'rpanam brahma havirsBrahmagnau'brahmana hutam |Brahmanai'va tena gantavyamBrahmakarma samadhina ||

The ladle is the Supreme, the oblation is the Supreme,In the fire of the Supreme is offered the 'oblation as the Supreme'.By him (the sacrifice) shall be attained the Supreme,Who, as the act of the sacrifice, is absorbed in the Supreme.

Sloka 25:

Daivameva'pare yajnam yoginah paryupasate |Brahmagnavapare yajnam yajnenai'vo'pa juhvati ||

Some ascetics appertaining to many a godPerform the ceremonies for the sacrifice,But others by the union of the self with the supreme GodInto the fire of Brahma offer the sacrifice .

Sloka 26:Shrotradini'ndriyanyaye samyamagnishu juhvati |Shabdadin vishayanya indriyagnishu juhvati ||

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Others offer their senses of hearingInto the fires of the self-control.Some tender the sound and other objects of understandingInto the fires of the senses sole.

Sloka 27:

Sarvani'ndriyakarmani pranakarmani cha'pare |Atmasamyama yogagnau juhvati jnanadipite ||

All the functions of each senseAnd those of the vital airs the ascetics onlyOffer into the fire of the sacrificeOf the Self-control illumined by the wisdom exclusively..

Sloka 28:

Dravyayajnastapoyajna yogayajnastatha'pare |Svadhyayajnanashcha yatayah samshita vratah ||

Some perform with the material possessions, with the penancesome do the sacrifice

Likewise some offer by the merging of the mind into God the sacrifice

Some offer through the erudition by the study of the Scriptures the sacrifice

And the ascetics with the austere vows perform the sacrifice.

Sloka 29:

Apane juhvati pranam prane'panam tatha'pare |Pranapanagati ruddhva pranayamaparayanah ||

Some offer as sacrifice the exhalation into the inhalationSome others do the inhalation into the exhalation as sacrifice soleSome who excel by control in both inhalation and exhalationAre said to be the devotees of breath-control. .

Sloka30:

Apare niyatarahah pranan praneshu juhvati |Sarve'pyete yajnavido yajnakshapita kalmashah ||

Others strictly controlling their dietOffer their vital airs into those airs only.

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All of them are the knowers of the insightOf the sacrifice and have their sins devoured by the sacrifice only.

Sloka 31:

Yajnashishtamrita bhujo yanti brahma sanatanam |Nayam loko'syayajnasya kuto'nyah kurusattama ||

O Arjuna ! those who relish the remnants of nectar of the sacrificeWill attain the eternal Supreme blissThis world is not ecstatic about the man doing no sacrificeHow can the other everlasting world be full of bliss?

Sloka 32:

Evam bahuvidha yajna vitata brahmana mukhe |Karmajan viddhi tan sarvan evam jnatva vimokshyase ||

Thus myriad forms of sacrifice in detailThrough the mouth of the Vedas were elucidated.Perceive them all as born of all action well.Thus discerning, from bondage of action you shall be liberated.

Sloka 33:

Shreyan dravyamad yajnat jnana yajnah Parantapa |

Sarvam karma'khilam Partha jnane parisamapyate ||

Superior to the sacrifice with the material possession.Arjuna, is the sacrifice with knowledge .All actions without exceptionArjuna, culminate in knowledge.

Sloka 34:Tadviddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya/Upadekshyanti te jnanam jnaninastattvadarshinah//Perceive the real knowledge through prostration,By gently questioning, by rendering serviceTo those clairvoyants with the realizationOf Truth. They will impart to you knowledge with advice.

Sloka 35:Yadjnatra na punarmohamevam yasyasi Pandava |Yena bhutanyasheshana drakshyayatmanyatho mayi ||

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O Arjuna! your having realized the Truth-knowledgeIgnorance will not thus again delude you.You will see all beings by this knowledgeIn your own Self, and in Me too.

Sloka 36:

Api chedasi papebhyah sarvebhyah papakrittamah |Sarvam jnana plavenai'va vrijinam samtarishyasi ||Even if you are a wicked personOf all the foulest men committing sins,The raft of knowledge of reasonWill pass you over all the sins.

Sloka 37:Yathai'dhamsi samiddho'gnir bhasmasat kurute'rjuna |Jnanagnih sarva karmani bhasmasat kurute tatha ||

As the blazing fire burnsThe fuel, Arjuna, to ashes,So the flame of knowledge also turnsAll actions to ashes.

Sloka 38:

Na hi jnanena sadrisham pavitramiha vidyate |Tat svayam yogasamsiddhah kalenatmani vindati ||

Nothing exists so sublime and pureAs knowledge here on this earth really.One who through the union makes it oneself sureAttains knowledge within the Self in due time certainly.

Sloka 39:

Shraddhavan labhate jnanam tatparah samyatendriyah |Jnanam labdhva param shantim achirena'dhigacchati ||

He who is full of faith, as Supreme goal exclusively devoted to Self-knowledge,

Who has mastered his senses, the Self-knowledge will attain;Obtaining the Self-knowledge,The Supreme peace he will forthwith gain.

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Sloka 40:Ajnashcha shraddhadhanashcha samshayatma vinashyati |Na'yam loko'sti na paro na sukham samshayatmanah ||

He who is ignorant, and faithless who does remain,Is always doubtful, is doomed to ruination.In this world, or beyond this domainFor the doubting Soul, there is no elation.

Sloka 41:Yogasnnyastakarmanam jnanasamcchinnasamshayam |Atmavantam na karmani nibadhnanti Dhananjaya ||

Him who has dedicated all his actions to the Supreme SelfWho has got, by Self-knowledge, his doubts cleared up,Who is endowed with the knowledge of SelfActions do not tie up.

Sloka 42:Tasmad ajnanasambhutam hritstham jnanasina'tmanah |Chittvai'nam samshayam yogam atishtho'ttishtha Bharata ||

Therefore, born of ignorance and stupidityAbiding in your heart, by the sword of knowledge,Hewing asunder this uncertainty,Arise, O Arjuna! accomplish actions sans any advantage.

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KARMASANNYASA YOGA

The Yoga of Renunciation of Action

The Fifth Discourse

Arjuna Uvacha:Sloka 1:

Sannyasam karmanam Krishna punaryogam cha shamsasi/Yacchreya etayorekam tanme sunishchitam//

Arjuna asks:O Krishna! The renunciation of actionsAgain You extol, also the path of action.Which is the better of these two actionsTell me conclusively the perfect one.

Lord Shri Krishna says:Sloka 2:

Sannyasa karmayogashcha nishreyasakarav ubhau/Tayostu karmasannyasat karmayogo vishishyate//The renunciation of action and the path of actionBoth bring in the supreme liberation.But of the two practices the path of actionIs superior to the renunciation of action.

Sloka 3:Jneya sa nityasannyasi yona dveshti na kankshati/Nirdvandvo hi mahabaho sukham bandhatpramuchyate//He who does not abhor, nor for anything hankerAs a perpetual renouncer is deemed.O Arjuna! for he who is free from roller-coaster,Free from bondage is redeemed.

Sloka 4:Samkhya yogau pruthagbalah pravadanti na panditah/Ekamapyasthitah samyag ubhayor vindate phalam//

The ignorant, not the sagacious, speak distinctionBetween the path of knowledge and that of action.He, who is firmly fixed in either optionWill obtain both fruits out of either action.

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Sloka 5:Yatsankhyaih prapyate sthanamTad yogairapigamyate/Ekam samkhyam cha yogam chaYah pashyati sa pashyati//The state of liberation attained by the sages of knowledgeIs also obtained by the sages of action.The oneness between the path of action and that of knowledgeHe who discerns is the real sage of perception .

Sloka 6:Sannyasastu mahabaho duhkhamaptum ayogatah/Yogayukto munibrahma nachirenadhigacchati//O Arjuna! more arduous is the path of renunciationTo attain than that of action.The sage along with the path of actionContemplating upon God can gain Self-realization.

Sloka 7:Yogayukto vishuddhatma vijitatma jitendriyah/Sarvabhutatma bhutatma kurvannapi na lipyate//He who acts sans fruits, and is pure at soul,Who has conquered his mind, and his senses restrained,Who sees the soul of each being equal to his soul,Though performing, by actions remains untainted.

Sloka 8:Naiva kimchit karomiti yukto manyeta tattvavit/Pashyan shrinvan sprishaan jighrannasnan gacchan svapansvashan//

Sloka 9:Pralapan visrijan grihnannunmishan nimishanapi/Indriyanindriyartheshu vartana iti dharayan//The man of Self-knowledge must be surmising,Though seeing, hearing, touching, smelling,Eating, moving, sleeping, breathing,

The Bhagavadgita

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Speaking, attending to nature calls, perceiving,Opening and closing the organs of vision,That he does not involve himself in anything,Having been determined that the sense organs of actionAre naturally among the objects moving.

Sloka 10:Brahmanyadhaya karmani sangam tyaktva karoti yah/Lipyate na sa papena padma patram iva,mbhasa//

He who performs all actions being presentedTo God by renouncing all advantagesBy sin remains unaffectedAs the lotus-leaf is without water tinges.

Sloka 11:Kayena manasa buddhyaKevalairindriyairapi /Yoginah karma kurvantiSangam tyaktva'tmashuddhaye//

With the body, the mind, the intellect,Sans egoism only with the senses,The sages of action for Self-purification actRelinquishing all inner urges.

Sloka 12:Yuktah karmaphalam tyaktva shantimapnoti naishtikim/Ayuktah karmakarena phale sakto nibadhyate//

The sage of action who abandons the fruitsThe everlasting peace does attain.The man of selfishness, impelled by desirous fruitsGets tied down to the bane.

Sloka 13:Sarvakarmani manasa sannyasya'ste sukham vashi/Navadvare pure dehi nai'va kurvan na karyan//

Mentally forsaking all actionsThe self-controlled man who rests in elationWith the body of nine apertures does no actions

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The sages regard all alike with an identical vision constant.

Nor lets do anything the body's any other section.Sloka 14:

Na kartritvam na karmani lokasya srijati Prabhu /Na karmaphala samyogam svabhavastu pravartate//Neither author-ship, nor actionsOf the earthly beings God ordains,Nor attaching with their fruits the actions;But it is Nature of man which preordains.

Sloka 15:Na'datte kashyachit papam na chai'va sukritam Vibhu/Ajnanena'vritam jnanam tena muhyanti jantavah//The sin God does not acknowledgeNor the virtue of anyone.In ignorance is shrouded the knowledgeThereby the beings are carried away by delusion.

Sloka 16:Jnanena tu tadajnanam yesham nashitam atmanah/Tesham adityavatjnanam prakashayati tat param//But in the case of those is brought to naught whose nescienceBy the knowledge of the Soul.Like the resplendent Sun, their sapienceReveals the Supreme Soul.

Sloka 17:Tadbuddhyas tadatmanas tannishthas tatparayanah/Gacchantyapunaravrittim jnananirdhutakalmashah//

Their intellect being absorbed , and their mind merging,Their austerity for oneness, the state of their goalWherein no metempsychosis is occurring,Whose sins being wiped out by knowledge, they attain Supreme Soul.

Sloka 18:Vidyavinayasampanne brahmane gavi hastini/Shuni chai'va svapake cha panditah samadarshinah//The man of modesty and erudition,The cow and the elephant,

The Bhagavadgita

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The dog and the paria eating the dog's carrion

Sloka 19:Ihai'va tair jitah sargo yesham samye sthitam manah/Nirdosham hi samam brahama tasmad brahmani te stitah//Even in this very life the mortal frame is conquered,Whose mind is equally fixed in the Eternal,For the Souls are flawless and equipoised,Their Souls are, therefore, fixed in the Eternal.

Sloka 20:

Na prahrishyet priyam prapya no'dvijet prapya cha'priyam/Sthirabuddhirasamuddho brahmavidbrahmani sthitah//

He, who does not rejoice in obtaining the pleasant object,By getting the unpleasant, nor feels agitated,Being bewildered, and endowed with intellect,The knower of Supreme Truth, in the transcendence is settled.

Sloka 21:

Bahyasparsheshvasaktatma vindatyatmani yat sukham/Sa brahmayoga yuktatma sukhamakshayam ashnute//

He whose mind remains detached to objects externalFeels that joy which in the Soul does dwell.He who unites himself with the Soul transcendentalWill attain the imperishable and eternal bliss very well.

Sloka 22:

Ye hi samsparshaja bhoga duhkhayonaya eva te/Adyantavantah Kaunteya na teshu ramate buddhah//

The pleasures, born of sense-connectionAre verily a source of tribulations.O Arjuna! They have a beginning and a consummation,The sage never indulges in gratifications.

Sloka 23:

Shaknoti'hai'va yah sodhum prakshariravimokshanat/Kamakrodhodbhavam vegam sa yuktah sa sukhi narah//

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He who is able to conquer here in this life verily,Before casting off his earthly body,Lust, anger and inner urges is a veritable votary.And he alone is truly happy.

Sloka 24:

Yo'ntasukho'ntararamas tatha 'ntarjyotir eva yah/Sa yogi brhmanirvanam brhmabhuto'dhigacchati//The sage who envisions joy within, and rejoices inwardly,Also who feels illumined verily,And becomes self-realised inwardly,Will attain the identification with the Supreme verily.

Sloka 25:Labhante brhmanirvanam rishayah kshinakalmashah/Chinnadvaidha yatatmanah sarvabhutahiteratah//

The sage who is rid of all vicesWhose doubts are cleared off, who restrains himself,Who in others' well-being rejoicesWith the Godhead will unite himself.

Sloka 26:

Kamakrodhaviyuktanam yatinam yatachetasam/Abhito brhmanirvanam vartate viditatmanam//

To those who are free from anger, and urgeTo the ascetics of self-restraint and the mind-controlTo those who have acquired the self-knowledgePermeates everywhere the Supreme Soul.

Sloka 27:

Sparshan kritva bahirbahyamasChakshuschai'va'ntare bhruhovah/

Pranapanau samau kritvaNasabhyant