Bhagavad-gita As It Is

dhrtarastra uvaca
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva
kim akurvata sanjaya
dhrtarastrah —King Dhrtarastra; uvaca —said; dharma-ksetre —in the place
of pilgrimage; kuru-ksetre —in the place named Kuruksetra; samavetah —
assembled; yuyutsavah —desiring to fight; mamakah —my party (sons);
pandavah —the sons of Pandu; ca —and; eva-certainly; kim —what; akurvata
— did they do; sanjaya —O Sanjaya.

Dhrtarastra said: O Sanjaya, after assembling in the place of
pilgrimage at Kuruksetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do,
being desirous to fight?

sanjayah —Sanjaya; uvaca —said; drstva —after seeing; tu —but; pandava-
arukam —the soldiers of the Pandavas; vyudham —arranged in military
phalanx; duryodhanah —King Duryodhana; tada —at that time; acaryam — the
teacher; upasangamya —approaching nearby; raja —the king; vacanam —
words; abravit —spoke.

Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered by the sons
of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the
following words:

pasya —behold; etam —this; pandu-putranam —of the sons of Pandu; acarya
—0 teacher; mahatim —great; camum —military force; vyudham —arranged;
drupada-putrena —by the son of Drupada; tava —your; sisyena — disciple;
dhimata —very intelligent.

O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly
arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada.

atra —here; surah —heroes; mahesvasah —mighty bowmen; bhfma-arjuna —
Bhlma and Arjuna; samah —equal; yudhi —in the fight; yuyudhanah —
Yuyudhana; viratah —Virata; ca —also; drupadah —Drupada; ca —also;
maharathah —great fighter.

Here in this army there are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to
Bhlma and Arjuna; there are also great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata
and Drupada.

dhrstaketuh —Dhrstaketu; cekitanah —Cekitana; kasirajah —Kasiraja; ca —
also; viryavan —very powerful; purujit —Purujit; kuntibhojah —Kuntibhoja; ca
—and; saibyah —Saibya; ca —and; nara-pungavah —heroes in human society.

There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrstaketu,
Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya.

yudhamanyuh —Yudhamanyu; ca —and; vikrantah —mighty; uttamaujah —
Uttamauja; ca —and; viryavan —very powerful; saubhadrah —the son of
Subhadra; draupadeyah —the sons of DraupadI; ca —and; sarve —all; eva —
certainly; maha-rathah —great chariot fighters.

There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the
son of Subhadra and the sons of DraupadI. All these warriors are great
chariot fighters.

asmakam —our; tu —but; visistah —especially powerful; ye—those; tan —
them; nibodha —just take note, be informed; dvijottama —the best of the
brahmanas; nayakah —captains; mama —my; sainyasya —of the soldiers;
samjha-artham —for information; tan —them; bravfmi —I am speaking; te —
your.

O best of the brahmanas, for your information, let me tell you about
the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force.

bhavan —yourself; bhfsmah —Grandfather Bhlsma; ca —also; karnah —
Kama; ca —and; krpah —Krpa; ca —and; samitihjayah —always victorious in
battle; asvatthama —Asvatthama; vikarnah —Vikarna; ca —as well as;
saumadattih —the son of Somadatta; tatha —and as; eva —certainly; ca —and.

There are personalities like yourself, Bhlsma, Karna, Krpa,
Asvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta called Bhurisrava, who
are always victorious in battle.

anye —many others; ca —also; bahavah —in great numbers; surah-heroes;
mad-arthe-for my sake; tyakta-jivitah —prepared to risk life; nana —many;
sastra-weapons; praharanah —equipped with; sarve —all of them; yuddha —
battle; visaradah —experienced in military science.

There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives
for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of
weapons, and all are experienced in military science.

aparyaptam —immeasurable; tat —that; asmakam —of ours; balam —
strength; bhlsma —by Grandfather Bhlsma; abhiraksitam —perfectly protected;
paryaptam —limited; tu —but; idam —all these; etesam —of the Pandavas;
balam —strength; bhima —by Bhlma; abhiraksitam —carefully protected.

Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by
Grandfather Bhlsma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully
protected by Bhlma, is limited.

ayanesu —in the strategic points; ca —also; sarvesu —everywhere;
yathabhagam —as they are differently arranged; avasthitah —situated;
bhismam — unto Grandfather Bhlsma; eva —certainly; abhiraksantu —support
may be given; bhavantah —all of you; sarve —respectively; eva —certainly; hi
—and exactly.

Now all of you must give full support to Grandfather Bhlsma, standing
at your respective strategic points in the phalanx of the army.

tasya —his; sanjanayan —increasing; harsam —cheerfulness; kuru-vrddhah
—the grandsire of the Kuru dynasty (Bhlsma); pitamahah —the grandfather;
simha-nadam —roaring sound, like a lion; vinadya —vibrating; uccaih —very
loudly; sahkham —conchshell; dadhmau —blew; pratapavan —the valiant.

Then Bhlsma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the
grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly like the sound
of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy.

tatah —thereafter; sahkhah —conchshells; ca —also; bheryah —bugles; ca —
and; panava-anaka —trumpets and drums; go-mukhah —horns; sahasa —all of
a sudden; eva —certainly; abhyahanyanta —being simultaneously sounded; sab
—that; sabdah —combined sound; tumulah —tumultuous; abhavat —became.

After that, the conchshells, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns were all
suddenly sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous.

tatah —thereafter; svetaih —by white; hayaih —horses; yukte —being yoked
with; mahati —in the great; syandane —chariot; sthitau —so situated; madhavah
—Krsna (the husband of the goddess of fortune); pandavah — Arjuna (the son
of Pandu); ca —also; eva —certainly; divyau —transcendental; sankhau
—conchshells; pradadhmatuh —sounded.

On the other side, both Lord Krsna and Arjuna, stationed on a great
chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.

pahcajanyam —the conchshell named Pancajanya; hrsikesah —Hrslkesa
(Krsna, the Lord who directs the senses of the devotees); devadattam —the
conchshell named Devadatta; dhanahjayah —Dhananjaya (Arjuna, the winner
of wealth); paundram —the conch named Paundram; dadhmau — blew; maha-
sahkham —the terrific conchshell; bhima-karma —one who performs
Herculean tasks; vrkodarah —the voracious eater (Bhlma).

Then, Lord Krsna blew His conchshell, called Pancajanya; Arjuna
blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhlma, the voracious eater and performer of
Herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell called Paundram.

sahadevah —Sahadeva; ca —and; sughosa-manipuspakau —the conches
named Sughosa and Manipuspaka; kasyah —the King of KasI (Varanasi); ca —
and; paramesvasah —the great archer; sikhandl —Sikhandl; ca —also; maha-
rathah —one who can fight alone against thousands; dhrstadyumnah —
Dhrstadyumna (the son of King Drupada); viratah —Virata (the prince who
gave shelter to the Pandavas while they were in disguise); ca —also; satyakih
—Satyaki (the same as Yuyudhana, the charioteer of Lord Krsna); ca —and;
aparajitah —who were never vanquished before; drupadah —Drupada, the
King of Pancala; draupadeyah —the sons of Draupadi; ca —also; sarvasah —
all; prthivT-pate —O King; saubhadrah —the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu);
ca —also; maha-bahuh —greatly armed; sahkhan —conchshells; dadhmuh —
blew; prthak prthak —each separately.

King Yudhisthira, the son of KuntI, blew his conchshell, the
Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosa and
Manipuspaka. That great archer the King of KasI, the great fighter
Sikhandl, Dhrstadyumna, Virata and the unconquerable Satyaki,
Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the others, O King, such as the son of
Subhadra, greatly armed, all blew their respective conchshells.

sah —that; ghosah —vibration; dhartarastranam —of the sons of Dhrtarastra;
hrdayani —hearts; vyadarayat —shattered; nabhah —the sky; ca —also;
prthivim —the surface of the earth; ca —also; eva —certainly; tumulah —
uproarious; abhyanunadayan —by resounding.

The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious, and
thus, vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of
the sons of Dhrtarastra.

atha —thereupon; v yavasthitan —situated; drstva —looking on;
dhartarastran —the sons of Dhrtarastra; kapi-dhvajah —one whose flag is
marked with Hanuman; pravrtte —while about to be engaged; sastra-sampate
—the arrows released; dhanuh —bow; udyamya —after taking up; pandavah —
the son of Pandu (Arjuna); hrsikesam —unto Lord Krsna; tada —at that time;
vakyam —words; idam —these; aha —said; mahi-pate —O King.

O King, at that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, who was seated in his
chariot, his flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to
shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra. O King, Arjuna then
spoke to Hrslkesa [Krsna] these words:

arjunah —Arjuna; uvaca —said; senayoh —of the armies; ubhayoh —of both
the parties; madhye —in between them; ratham —the chariot; sthapaya —
please keep; me —my; acyuta —0 infallible one; yavat —as long as; etan — all
these; nirikse —may look; aham —I; yoddhu-kaman —desiring to fight;
avasthitan —arrayed on the battlefield; kaih —with whom; maya —by me; saha
—with; yoddhavyam —to fight with; asmin —in this; rana —strife; samudyame
—in the attempt.

Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two
armies so that I may see who is present here, who is desirous of fighting,
and with whom I must contend in this great battle attempt.

yotsyamanan —those who will be fighting; avekse —let me see; aham —I; ye
—who; ete —those; atra —here; samagatah —assembled; dhartarastrasya — the
son of Dhrtarastra; durbuddheh —evil-minded; yuddhe —in the fight; priya
—well; cikfrsavah —wishing.

Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the
evil-minded son of Dhrtarastra.

sahjayah —Sanjaya; uvaca —said; evam —thus; uktah —addressed; hrsTkesah
—Lord Krsna; gudakesena —by Arjuna; bharata —O descendant of Bharata;
senayoh —of armies; ubhayoh —of both; madhye —in the midst of; sthapayitva
—by placing; rathottamam —the finest chariot.

Sanjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, being thus addressed by
Arjuna, Lord Krsna drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of
both parties.

bhisma —Grandfather Bhisma; drona —the teacher Drona; pramukhatah —
in the front of; sarvesam —all; ca —also; mahiksitam —chiefs of the world;
uvaca —said; partha —O Partha (son of Prtha); pasya —just behold; etan —all
of them; samavetan —assembled; kurun —all the members of the Kuru
dynasty; id —thus.

In the presence of Bhlsma, Drona and all other chieftains of the world,
Hrslkesa, the Lord, said. Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus who are
assembled here.

tatra —there; apasyat —he could see; sthitan —standing; parthah —Arjuna;
pitfn —fathers; atha —also; pitamahan —grandfathers; acaryan —teachers;
matulan —maternal uncles; bhratfn —brothers; putran —sons; pautran
—grandsons; sakhm —friends; tatha —too, svasuran —fathers-in-law; suhrdah
—wellwishers; ca —also; eva —certainly; senayoh —of the armies; ubhayoh
—of both parties; api —including.

There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties,
his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons,
grandsons, friends, and also his father-in-law and well-wishers—all
present there.

tan —all of them; samfksya —after seeing; sah —he; kaunteyah —the son of
KuntI; sarvan —all kinds of; bandhun —relatives; avasthitan —situated; krpaya
—by compassion; par ay a —of a high grade; avistah —overwhelmed by;
visfdan —while lamenting; idam —thus; abravit —spoke.

When the son of KuntI, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends
and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus:

arjunah —Arjuna; uvaca —said; drstva —after seeing; imam —all these;
svajanam —kinsmen; krsna —O Krsna; yuyutsum —all in fighting spirit;
samupasthitam —all present; sidanti —quivering; mama —my; gatrani —limbs
of the body; mukham —mouth; ca —also; parisusyati —drying up.

Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, seeing my friends and relatives present
before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering
and my mouth drying up.

tvak —skin; ca —also; eva —certainly; paridahyate —burning.

My whole body is trembling, and my hair is standing on end. My bow
Gandlva is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning.

na —nor; ca —also; saknomi —am I able; avasthatum —to stay; bhramati —
forgetting; iva —as; ca —and; me —my; manah —mind; nimittani —causes; ca
—also; pasyami —I foresee; viparTtani —just the opposite; kesava —O killer of
the demon KesI (Krsna).

I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and
my mind is reeling. I foresee only evil, O killer of the KesI demon.

na —nor; ca —also; sreyah —good; anupasyami —do I foresee; hatva —by
killing; svajanam —own kinsmen; ahave —in the fight; na —nor; kankse —do I
desire; vijayam —victory; krsna —O Krsna; na —nor; ca —also; rajyam
—kingdom; sukhani —happiness thereof; ca —also.

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in
this battle, nor can I, my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory,
kingdom, or happiness.

kim —what use; nah —to us; rajyena —is the kingdom; govinda —O Krsna;
kim —what; bhogaih —enjoyment; jfvitena —by living; va—either; yesam —for
whom; arthe —for the matter of; kahksitam —desired; nah —our; rajyam
—kingdom; bhogah —material enjoyment; sukhani —all happiness; ca —also;
te —all of them; ime —these; avasthitah —situated; yuddhe —in this battlefield;
pranan —lives; tyaktva —giving up; dhanani —riches; ca —also; acaryah
—teachers; pitarah —fathers; putrah —sons; tatha —as well as; eva — certainly;
ca —also; pitamahah —grandfathers; matulah —maternal uncles; svasurah
—fathers-in-law; pautrah —grandsons; syalah —brothers-in-law;
sambandhinah —relatives; tatha —as well as; etan —all these; na —never;
hantum — for killing; icchami —do I wish; ghnatah —being killed; api —even;
madhusiidana —O killer of the demon Madhu (Krsna); api —even if; trailokya
—of the three worlds; rajyasya —of the kingdoms; hetoh —in exchange; kim
—what to speak of; nu —only; mahT-krte —for the sake of earth; nihatya —by
killing; dhartarastran —the sons of Dhrtarastra; nah —our; ka —what; pritih —
pleasure; syat —will there be; janardana —O maintainer of all living entities.

O Govinda, of what avail to us are kingdoms, happiness or even life
itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed in
this battlefield? O Madhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons,
grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law
and all relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are
standing before me, then why should I wish to kill them, though I may
survive? O maintainer of all creatures, I am not prepared to fight with
them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth.

papam —vices; eva —certainly; asrayet —must take upon; asman —us; hatva
—by killing; etan —all these; atatayinah —aggressors; tasmat —therefore; na —
never; arhah —deserving; vayam —us; hantum —to kill; dhartarastran —the
sons of Dhrtarastra; svabandhavan —along with friends; svajanam —kinsmen;
hi —certainly; katham —how; hatva —by killing; sukhinah —happy; syama —
become; madhava —O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune.

Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not
proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra and our friends. What should
we gain, O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we
be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

yadi —if; api —certainly; ete —they; na —do not; pasyanti —see; lobha —
greed; upahata —overpowered; cetasah —the hearts; kula-ksaya —in killing the
family; krtam —done; dosam —fault; mitra-drohe —quarreling with friends; ca
—also; patakam —sinful reactions; katham —why; na —shall not; jneyam —
know this; asmabhih —by us; papat —from sins; asmat —ourselves; nivartitum
—to cease; kula-ksaya —the destruction of a dynasty; krtam —by so doing;
dosam —crime; prapasyadbhih —by those who can see; janardana —O Krsna.

O Janardana, although these men, overtaken by greed, see no fault in
killing one`s family or quarreling with friends, why should we, with
knowledge of the sin, engage in these acts?

adharmah —irreligious; abhibhavati —transforms; uta —it is said.

With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is
vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in
irreligious practice.

adharma —irreligion; abhibhavat —having been predominant; krsna — O
Krsna; pradusyanti —become polluted; kula-striyah —family ladies; strTsu —of
the womanhood; dustasu —being so polluted; varsneya —O descendant of
Vrsni; jayate —it so becomes; varna-sankarah —unwanted progeny.

When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the
family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O
descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny.

sahkarah —such unwanted children; narakaya —for hellish life; eva —
certainly; kula-ghnanam —of those who are killers of the family; kulasya — of
the family; ca —also; patanti —fall down; pitarah —forefathers; hi — certainly;
esam —of them; lupta —stopped; pinda —offerings; udaka —water; kriyah —
performance.

When there is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is
created both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition.
In such corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and
water to the ancestors.

dosaih —by such faults; etaih —all these; kula-ghnanam —of the destroyer of
a family; varna-sahkara —unwanted children; karakaih —by the doers;
utsadyante —causes devastation; jati-dharmah —community project; kula-
dharmah —family tradition; ca —also; sasvatah —eternal.

Due to the evil deeds of the destroyers of family tradition, all kinds of
community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

utsanna —spoiled; kula-dharmanam —of those who have the family
traditions; manusyanam —of such men; janardana —0 Krsna; narake —in hell;
niyatam —always; vasah —residence; bhavati —it so becomes; id —thus;
anususruma —I have heard by disciplic succession.

O Krsna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession
that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.

ahah —alas; bata —how strange it is; mahat —great; papam —sins; kartum —
to perform; v yavasitah —decided; vayam —we; yat —so that; rajya —kingdom;
sukha-lobhena —driven by greed for royal happiness; hantum —to kill;
svajanam —kinsmen; udyatah —trying for.

Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful
acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.

yadi —even if; mam —unto me; apratikaram —without being resistant;
asastram —without being fully equipped; sastra-panayah —those with
weapons in hand; dhartarastrah —the sons of Dhrtarastra; rane —in the
battlefield; hanyuh —may kill; tat —that; me —mine; ksemataram —better;
bhavet — become.

I would consider it better for the sons of Dhrtarastra to kill me
unarmed and unresisting, rather than fight with them.

sanjayah —Sanjaya; uvaca —said; evam —thus; uktva —saying; arjunah —
Arjuna; sankhye —in the battlefield; ratha —chariot; upasthah —situated on;
upavisat —sat down again; visrjya —keeping aside; sa-saram —along with
arrows; capam —the bow; soka —lamentation; samvigna —distressed; manasah
—within the mind.

Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside
his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed
with grief.

sahjayah uvaca —Sanjaya said; tam —unto Arjuna; tatha —thus; krpaya — by
compassion; avistam —overwhelmed; asru-purna —full of tears; akula —
depressed; Tksanam —eyes; visTdantam —lamenting; idam —this; vakyam
—words; uvaca —said; madhusudanah —the killer of Madhu.

Sanjaya said: Seeing Arjuna full of compassion and very sorrowful, his
eyes brimming with tears, Madhusudana, Krsna, spoke the following
words.

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kutah —
wherefrom; tva —unto you; kasmalam —dirtiness; idam —this lamentation;
visame —this hour of crisis; samupasthitam —arrived; anarya —persons who do
not know the value of life; justam —practiced by; asvargyam —that which does
not lead to higher planets; akfrti —infamy; karam —the cause of; arjuna —O
Arjuna.

The Supreme Person [Bhagavan] said: My dear Arjuna, how have
these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who
knows the progressive values of life. They do not lead to higher planets,
but to infamy.

klaibyam —impotence; ma —do not; sma —take it; gamah —go in; partha —O
son of Prtha; na —never; etat —like this; tvayi —unto you; upapadyate —is
befitting; ksudram —very little; hrdaya —heart; daurbalyam — weakness;
tyaktva —giving up; uttistha —get up; parantapa —O chastiser of the enemies.

O son of Prtha, do not yield to this degrading impotence. It does not
become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser
of the enemy.

arjunah uvaca —Arjuna said; katham —how; bhismam —unto Bhisma; aham
—I; sahkhye —in the fight; dronam —unto Drona; ca —also, madhusudana —O
killer of Madhu; isubhih —with arrows; pratiyotsyami —shall counterattack;
puja-arhau —those who are worshipable; arisudana —O killer of the enemies.

Arjuna said: O killer of Madhu [Krsna], how can I counterattack with
arrows in battle men like Bhisma and Drona, who are worthy of my
worship?

gurun —the superiors; ahatva —by killing; hi —certainly; maha-anubhavan —
great souls; sreyah —it is better; bhoktum —to enjoy life; bhaiksyam —begging;
api —even; iha —in this life; loke —in this world; hatva —killing; artha —gain;
kaman —so desiring; tu —but; gurun —superiors; iha —in this world; eva —
certainly; bhuhjiya —has to enjoy; bhogan —enjoyable things; rudhira —blood;
pradigdhan —tainted with.

It is better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the
lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though they are avaricious,
they are nonetheless superiors. If they are killed, our spoils will be tainted
with blood.

na —nor; ca —also; etat —this; vidmah —do know; katarat —which; nah —us;
gariyah —better; yat —what; va —either; jayema —conquer us; yadi —if; va —or;
nah —us; jay eyuh —conquer; yan —those; eva —certainly; hatva —by killing; na
—never; jijivisamah —want to live; te —all of them; avasthitah —are situated;
pramukhe —in the front; dhartarastrah —the sons of Dhrtarastra.

Nor do we know which is better-conquering them or being conquered
by them. The sons of Dhrtarastra, whom if we killed we should not care to
live, are now standing before us on this battlefield.

karpanya —miserly; dosa —weakness; upahata —being inflicted by;
svabhavah —characteristics; prcchami —I am asking; tvam —unto You; dharma
— religion; sammudha —bewildered; cetah —in heart; yat —what; sreyah —all¬
good; syat —may be; niscitam —confidently; bruhi —tell; tat —that; me —unto
me; sisyah —disciple; te —Your; aham —I am; sadhi —just instruct; mam —me;
tvam —unto You; prapannam —surrendered.

Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because
of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is
best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You.
Please instruct me.

na —do not; hi —certainly; prapasyami —I see; mama —my; apanudyat —
they can drive away; yat —that; sokam —lamentation; ucchosanam —drying up;
indriyanam —of the senses; avapya —achieving; bhumau —on the earth;
asapatnam —without rival; rddham —prosperous; rajyam —kingdom; suranam
—of the demigods; api —even; ca —also; adhipatyam —supremacy.

I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my
senses. I will not be able to destroy it even if I win an unrivalled kingdom
on the earth with sovereignty like the demigods in heaven.

sahjayah uvaca —Sanjaya said; evam —thus; uktva —speaking; hrsTkesam —
unto Krsna, the master of the senses; gudakesah —Arjuna, the master at
curbing ignorance; parantapah —the chastiser of the enemies; na yotsye —I
shall not fight; iti —thus; govindam —unto Krsna, the giver of pleasure; uktva
—saying; tusnim —silent; babhuva —became; ha —certainly.

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told
Krsna, "Govinda, I shall not fight," and fell silent.

tam —unto him; uvaca —said; hrsfkesah —the master of the senses, Krsna;
prahasan —smiling; iva —like that; bharata —O Dhrtarastra, descendant of
Bharata; senayoh —of the armies; ubhayoh —of both parties; madhye —
between; visTdantam —unto the lamenting one; idam —the following; vacah
—words.

O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krsna, smiling, in the midst of
both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna.

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; asocyan —
that which is not worthy of lamentation; anvasocah —you are lamenting; tvam
—you; prajha-vadah —learned talks; ca —also; bhasase —speaking; gata —
lost; asun —life; agata —not past; asun —life; ca —also; na —never; anusocanti
— lament; panditah —the learned.

The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are
mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament
neither for the living nor the dead.

na —never; tu —but; eva —certainly; aham —I; jatu —become; na —never;
asam —existed; na —it is not so; tvam —yourself; na —not; ime —all these;
janadhipah —kings; na —never; ca —also; eva —certainly; na —not like that;
bhavisyamah —shall exist; sarve —all of us; vayam —we; atah param —
hereafter.

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these
kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.

dehinah —of the embodied; asmin —in this; yatha —as; dehe —in the body;
kaumaram —boyhood; yauvanam —youth; jara —old age; tatha —similarly;
dehantara —transference of the body; praptih —achievement; dhTrah —the
sober; tatra —thereupon; na —never; muhyati —deluded.

As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to
youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The
self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.

matra —sensuous; sparsah —perception; tu —only; kaunteya —O son of
KuntI; sfta —winter; usna —summer; sukha —happiness; duhkha-dah —giving
pain; agama —appearing; apayinah —disappearing; anityah —nonpermanent;
tan —all of them; titiksasva —just try to tolerate; bharata —O descendant of the
Bharata dynasty.

O son of KuntI, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and
distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance
and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense
perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them
without being disturbed.

yam —one who; hi —certainly; na —never; vyathayanti —are distressing; ete
— all these; purusam —to a person; purusarsabha —is best among men; sama
— unaltered; duhkha —distress; sukham —happiness; dhTram —patient; sah
—he; amrtatvaya —for liberation; kalpate —is considered eligible.

O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by
happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for
liberation.

na —never; asatah —of the nonexistent; vidyate —there is; bhavah
—endurance; na —never; abhavah —changing quality; vidyate —there is; satah
—of the eternal; ubhayoh —of the two; api —verily; drstah —observed; antah —
conclusion; tu —but; anayoh —of them; tattva —truth; darsibhih —by the seers.

Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent
there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers
have concluded by studying the nature of both.

avinasi —imperishable; tu —but; tat —that; viddhi —know it; yena —by
whom; sarvam —all of the body; idam —this; tatam —widespread; vinasam
—destruction; avyayasya —of the imperishable; asya —of it; na kascit —no one;
kartum —to do; arhad —able.

Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is
able to destroy the imperishable soul.

antavantah —perishable; ime —all these; dehah —material bodies; nityasya —
eternal in existence; uktah —it is so said; sarTrinah —the embodied souls;
anasinah —never to be destroyed; aprameyasya —immeasurable; tasmat —
therefore; yudhyasva —fight; bharata —O descendant of Bharata.

Only the material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal
living entity is subject to destruction; therefore, fight, O descendant of
Bharata.

yah —anyone; enam —this; vetti —knows; hantaram —the killer; yah —
anyone; ca —also; enam —this; manyate —thinks; hatam —killed; ubhau —both
of them; tau —they; na —never; vijamtah —in knowledge; na —never; ayam
—this; hand —kills; na —nor; hanyate —be killed.

He who thinks that the living entity is the slayer or that he is slain, does
not understand. One who is in knowledge knows that the self slays not nor
is slain.

na —never; jayate —takes birth; mriyate —never dies; va —either; kadacit —
at any time (past, present or future); na —never; ayam —this; bhutva —came
into being; bhavita —will come to be; va —or; na —not; bhuyah —or has come
to be; ajah —unborn; nityah —eternal; sasvatah —permanent; ayam —this;
puranah —the oldest; na —never; hanyate —is killed; hanyamane —being
killed; sarTre —by the body.

For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does
he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and
primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.

veda —in knowledge; avinasinam —indestructible; nityam —always; yah —
one who; enam —this (soul); ajam —unborn; avyayam —immutable; katham —
how; sah —he; purusah —person; partha —O Partha (Arjuna); kam —whom;
ghatayati —hurts; hand —kills; kam —whom.

O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible,
unborn, eternal and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?

vasamsi —garments; jimani —old and worn out; yatha —as it is; vihaya —
giving up; navani —new garments; grhnati —does accept; narah —a man;
aparani —other; tatha —in the same way; sarTrani —bodies; vihaya —giving up;
jimani —old and useless; anyani —different; samyati —verily accepts; navani
—new sets; dehi —the embodied.

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the
soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

na —never; enam —unto this soul; chindanti —can cut into pieces; sastrani
—all weapons; na —never; enam —unto this soul; dahati —burns; pavakah —
fire; na —never; ca —also; enam —unto this soul; kledayanti —moistens; apah
—water; na —never; sosayati —dries; marutah —wind.

The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be
burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.

acchedyah —unbreakable; ayam —this soul; adahyah —cannot be burned;
ay am —this soul; akledyah —insoluble; asosyah —cannot be dried; eva
—certainly; ca —and; nityah —everlasting; sarva-gatah —all-pervading;
sthanuh — unchangeable; acalah —immovable; ayam —this soul; sanatanah
—eternally the same.

This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither
burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable,
immovable and eternally the same.

avyaktah —invisible; ayam —this soul; acintyah —inconceivable; ayam —
this soul; avikaryah —unchangeable; ayam —this soul; ucyate —is said; tasmat
—therefore; evam —like this; viditva —knowing it well; enam —this soul; na —
do not; anusocitum —may lament over; arhasi —you deserve.

It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable, and
unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.

atha —if, however; ca —also; enam —this soul; nitya-jatam —always born;
nityam —forever; va —either; manyase —so think; mrtam —dead; tathapi —still;
tvam —you; maha-baho —O mighty-armed one; na —never; enam —about the
soul; socitum —to lament; arhasi —deserve.

If, however, you think that the soul is perpetually born and always dies,
still you have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed.

jatasya —one who has taken his birth; hi —certainly; dhruvah —a fact;
mrtyuh —death; dhruvam —it is also a fact; janma —birth; mrtasya —of the
dead; ca —also; tasmat —therefore; apariharye —for that which is unavoidable;
arthe —in the matter of; na —do not; tvam —you; socitum —to lament; arhasi
—deserve.

For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is
dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your
duty, you should not lament.

avyaktadmi —in the beginning unmanifested; bhiitani —all that are created;
vyakta —manifested; madhyani —in the middle; bharata —0 descendant of
Bharata; avyakta —nonmanifested; nidhanani —all that are vanquished; eva —
it is all like that; tatra —therefore; ka-what; paridevana —lamentation.

All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their
interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what
need is there for lamentation?

ascaryavat —amazing; pasyati —see; kascit —some; enam —this soul;
ascaryavat —amazing; vadad —speak; tatha —there; eva —certainly; ca —also;
anyah —others; ascaryavat —similarly amazing; ca —also; enam —this soul;
anyah — others; srnoti —hear; srutva —having heard; api —even; enam —this
soul; veda —do know; na —never; ca —and; eva —certainly; kascit —anyone.

Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and
some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him,
cannot understand him at all.

dehi —the owner of the material body; nityam —eternally; avadhyah —
cannot be killed; ayam —this soul; dehe —in the body; sarvasya —of everyone;
bharata —O descendant of Bharata; tasmat —therefore; sarvani —all; bhutani
—living entities (that are born); na —never; tvam —yourself; socitum —to
lament; arhasi- deserve.

O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body is eternal and can
never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any creature.

svadharmam —one`s own religious principles; api —also; ca —indeed;
aveksya —considering; na —never; vikampitum —to hesitate; arhasi —you
deserve; dharmyat —from religious principles; hi —indeed; yuddhat —of
fighting; sreyah —better engagements; any at —anything else; ksatriyasya —of
the ksatriya; na —does not; vidyate —exist.

Considering your specific duty as a ksatriya, you should know that
there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious
principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.

yadrcchaya —by its own accord; ca —also; upapannam —arrived at; svarga
—heavenly planet; dvaram —door; apavrtam —wide open; sukhinah —very
happy; ksatriyah —the members of the royal order; partha —O son of Prtha;
labhante —do achieve; yuddham —war; Tdrsam —like this.

O Partha, happy are the ksatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities
come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.

atha —therefore; cet —if; tvam —you; imam —this; dharmyam —religious
duty; sangramam —fighting; na —do not; karisyasi —perform; tatah —then;
svadharmam —your religious duty; kfrtim —reputation; ca —also; hitva —
losing; papam —sinful reaction; avapsyasi —do gain.

If, however, you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly
incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a
fighter.

akirtim —infamy; ca —also; api —over and above; bhutani —all people;
kathayisyanti —will speak; te-of you; avyayam —forever; sambhavitasya —for
a respectable man; ca —also; akfrtih —ill fame; maranat —than death;
atiricyate —becomes more than.

People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been
honored, dishonor is worse than death.

bhayat —out of fear; ranat —from the battlefield; uparatam —ceased;
mamsyante —will consider; tvam —unto you; maha-rathah —the great generals;
yesam —of those who; ca —also; tvam —you; bahu-matah —in great estimation;
bhutva —will become; yasyasi —will go; laghavam —decreased in value.

The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will
think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will
consider you a coward.

avacya —unkind; vadan —fabricated words; ca —also; bahun —many;
vadisyanti —will say; tava —your; ahitah —enemies; nindantah —while
vilifying; tava —your; samarthyam —ability; tatah —thereafter; duhkhataram
—more painful; nu —of course; kim —what is there.

Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your
ability. What could be more painful for you?

hatah —being killed; va —either; prapsyasi —you gain; svargam —the
heavenly kingdom; jitva —by conquering; va —or; bhoksyase —you enjoy;
mahim —the world; tasmat —therefore; utdstha —get up; kaunteya —O son of
KuntI; yuddhaya —to fight; krta —determination; niscayah —uncertainty.

O son of KuntI, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the
heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom.
Therefore get up and fight with determination.

sukha —happiness; duhkhe —in distress; same —in equanimity; krtva — doing
so; labhalabhau —both in loss and profit; jayajayau —both in defeat and
victory; tatah —thereafter; yuddhaya —for the sake of fighting; yujyasva —do
fight; na —never; evam —in this way; papam —sinful reaction; avapsyasi —you
will gain.

Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or
distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat—and, by so doing, you shall never
incur sin.

esa —all these; te —unto you; abhihita —described; sahkhye —by analytical
study; buddhih —intelligence; yoge —work without fruitive result; tu —but;
imam-this; srnu —just hear; buddhya —by intelligence; yuktah —dovetailed;
yaya —by which; partha —O son of Prtha; karma-bandham —bondage of
reaction; prahasyasi —you can be released from.

Thus far I have declared to you the analytical knowledge of sankhya
philosophy. Now listen to the knowledge of yoga whereby one works
without fruitive result. O son of Prtha, when you act by such intelligence,
you can free yourself from the bondage of works.

na —there is not; iha —in this world; abhikrama —endeavoring; nasah —
loss; asti —there is; pratyavayah —diminution; na —never; vidyate —there is;
svalpam —little; api —although; asya —of this; dharmasya —of this occupation;
trayate —releases; mahatah —of very great; bhayat —from danger.

In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement
on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.

vyavasayatmika —resolute Krsna consciousness; buddhih —intelligence; eka
—only one; iha —in this world; kuru-nandana —O beloved child of the Kurus;
bahu-sakhah —various branches; hi —indeed; anantah —unlimited; ca —also;
buddhayah —intelligence; avyavasayinam —of those who are not in Krsna
consciousness.

Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is
one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are
irresolute is many-branched.

yam imam —all these; puspitam —flowery; vacam —words; pravadand —
say; avipascitah —men with a poor fund of knowledge; veda-vada-ratah —
supposed followers of the Vedas; partha —O son of Prtha; na —never; anyat
—anything else; asd —there is; id —this; vadinah —advocates; kama- atmanah
—desirous of sense gratification; svarga-parah —aiming to achieve heavenly
planets; janma-karma-phala-pradam —resulting in fruitive action, good birth,
etc.; kriya-visesa —pompous ceremonies; bahulam —various; bhoga —sense
enjoyment; aisvarya —opulence; gatim —progress; prati — towards.

Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words
of the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to
heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being
desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is
nothing more than this.

bhoga —material enjoyment; aisvarya —opulence; prasaktanam —those who
are so attached; tayd —by such things; apahrta-cetasam —bewildered in mind;
vyavasayatmika —fixed determination; buddhih —devotional service of the
Lord; samadhau —in the controlled mind; na —never; vidhTyate —does take
place.

In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and
material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute
determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take
place.

traigunya —pertaining to the three modes of material nature; visayah — on
the subject matter; vedah —Vedic literatures; nistraigunyah —in a pure state of
spiritual existence; bhava —be; arjuna-0 Arjuna; nirdvandvah —free from the
pains of opposites; nitya-sattva-sthah —ever remaining in sattva (goodness);
niryoga-ksemah —free from (the thought of) acquisition and preservation;
atmavan —established in the Self.

The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material
nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of
them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety,
and be established in the Self.

yavan —all that; arthah —is meant; udapane —in a well of water; sarvatah
—in all respects; sampluta-udake —in a great reservoir of water; tavan
—similarly; sarvesu —in all; vedesu —Vedic literatures; brahmanasya —of the
man who knows the Supreme Brahman; vijanatah —of one who is in complete
knowledge.

All purposes that are served by the small pond can at once be served by
the great reservoirs of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can
be served to one who knows the purpose behind them.

karmani —prescribed duties; eva —certainly; adhikarah —right; te—of you;
ma —never; phalesu —in the fruits; kadacana —at any time; ma —never; karma-
phala —in the result of the work; hetuh —cause; bhuh —become; ma — never; te
—of you; sangah —attachment; astu —be there; akarmani —in not doing.

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not
entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of
the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your
duty.

yoga-sthah —steadfast in yoga; kuru —perform; karmani —your duty;
saiigam —attachment; tyaktva —having abandoned; dhananjaya —O
Dhananjaya; siddhi-asiddhyoh —in success and failure; samah —the same;
bhutva —having become; samatvam —evenness of mind; yogah-yoga; ucyate
—is called.

Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all
attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.

durena —by discarding it at a long distance; hi —certainly; avaram —
abominable; karma —activities; buddhi-yogat —on the strength of Krsna
consciousness; dhananjaya —O conqueror of wealth; buddhau —in such
consciousness; saranam —full surrender; anviccha —desire; krpanah —the
misers; phala-hetavah —those desiring fruitive action.

O Dhananjaya, rid yourself of all fruitive activities by devotional
service, and surrender fully to that consciousness. Those who want to
enjoy the fruits of their work are misers.

buddhi-yuktah —one who is engaged in devotional service; jahati —can get
rid of; iha —in this life; ubhe —in both; sukrta-duskrte —in good and bad
results; tasmat —therefore; yogaya —for the sake of devotional service;
yujyasva —be so engaged; yogah —Krsna consciousness; karmasu —in all
activities; kausalam —art.

A man engaged in devotional service rids himself of both good and bad
actions even in this life. Therefore strive for yoga, O Arjuna, which is the
art of all work.

karma-jam —because of fruitive activities; buddhi-yuktah —being done in
devotional service; hi —certainly; phalam —results; tyaktva —giving up;
mamsinah —devotees who are great sages; janma-bandha —the bondage of
birth and death; vinirmuktah —liberated souls; padam —position; gacchanti
—reach; anamayam —without miseries.

The wise, engaged in devotional service, take refuge in the Lord, and
free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits
of action in the material world. In this way they can attain that state
beyond all miseries.

yada —when; te —your; moha —illusory; kalilam —dense forest; buddhih —
transcendental service with intelligence; vyatitarisyati —surpasses; tada —at
that time; gantasi —you shall go; nirvedam —callousness; srotavyasya —all that
is to be heard; srutasya —all that is already heard; ca —also.

When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion,
you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be
heard.

sruti —Vedic revelation; vipratipanna —without being influenced by the
fruitive results of the Vedas; te —your; yada —when; sthasyati —remains;
niscala —unmoved; samadhau —in transcendental consciousness, or Krsna
consciousness; acala —unflinching; buddhih —intelligence; tada —at that time;
yogam —self-realization; avapsyasi —you will achieve.

When your mind is no longer disturbed by the flowery language of the
Vedas, and when it remains fixed in the trance of self-realization, then you
will have attained the Divine consciousness.

arjunah uvaca —Arjuna said; sthita-prajnasya —of one who is situated in
fixed Krsna consciousness; ka —what; bhasa —language; samadhi-sthasya —of
one situated in trance; kesava —O Krsna; sthita-dhTh —one fixed in Krsna
consciousness; kim —what; prabhaseta —speak; kim —how; asTta —does
remain; vrajeta —walk; kim —how.

Arjuna said: What are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is
thus merged in Transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his
language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prajahati
—gives up; yada —when; kaman —desires for sense gratification; sarvan —of
all varieties; partha —O son of Prtha; manah-gatan —of mental concoction;
atmani —in the pure state of the soul; eva —certainly; atmana —by the purified
mind; tustah —satisfied; sthita-prajhah —transcendentally situated; tada —at
that time; ucyate —is said.

The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, when a man gives up all varieties of
sense desire which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind finds
satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental
consciousness.

duhkhesu —in the threefold miseries; anudvigna-manah —without being
agitated in mind; sukhesu —in happiness; vigata-sprhah —without being too
interested; vita —free from; raga —attachment; bhaya —fear; krodhah —anger;
sthita-dhih —one who is steady; munih —sage; ucyate —is called.

One who is not disturbed in spite of the threefold miseries, who is not
elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and
anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

yah —one who; sarvatra —everywhere; anabhisnehah —without affection;
tat —that; tat —that; prapya —achieving; subha —good; asubham —evil; na
—never; abhinandati —prays; na —never; dvesti —envies; tasya —his; prajha
—perfect knowledge; pratisthita —fixed.

He who is without attachment, who does not rejoice when he obtains
good, nor lament when he obtains evil, is firmly fixed in perfect
knowledge.

yada —when; samharate —winds up; ca —also; ayam —all these; kurmah —
tortoise; ahgani —limbs; iva —like; sarvasah —altogether; indriyani —senses;
indriya-arthebhyah —from the sense objects; tasya —his; prajna
—consciousness; pradsthita —fixed up.

One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the
tortoise draws his limbs within the shell, is to be understood as truly
situated in knowledge.

visayah —objects for sense enjoyment; vinivartante —are practiced to be
refrained from; niraharasya —by negative restrictions; dehinah —for the
embodied; rasa-varjam —giving up the taste; rasah —sense of enjoyment; api
—although there is; asya —his; param —far superior things; drstva —by
experiencing; nivartate —ceases from.

The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the
taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by
experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.

yatatah —while endeavoring; hi —certainly; api —in spite of; kaunteya —O
son of KuntI; purusasya —of the man; vipascitah —full of discriminating
knowledge; indriyani —the senses; pramathmi —stimulated; haranti —throws
forcefully; prasabham —by force; manah —the mind.

The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly
carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring
to control them.

tani —those senses; sarvani —all; samyamya —keeping under control; yuktah
—being engaged; asTta —being so situated; mat-parah —in relationship with
Me; vase —in full subjugation; hi —certainly; yasya —one whose; indriyani
—senses; tasya —his; prajha —consciousness; pradsthita —fixed.

One who restrains his senses and fixes his consciousness upon Me is
known as a man of steady intelligence.

dhyayatah —while contemplating; visayan —sense objects; pumsah —of the
person; saiigah —attachment; tesu —in the sense objects; upajayate —develops;
saiigat —attachment; sanjayate —develops; kamah —desire; kamat —from
desire; krodhah —anger; abhijayate —becomes manifest.

While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops
attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from
lust anger arises.

krodhat —from anger; bhavati —takes place; sammohah —perfect illusion;
sammohat —from illusion; smrti —of memory; vibhramah —bewilderment;
smrti-bhramsat —after bewilderment of memory; buddhi-nasah —loss of
intelligence; buddhi-nasat —and from loss of intelligence; pranasyati —falls
down.

From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of
memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when
intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.

raga —attachment; dvesa —detachment; vimuktaih —by one who has been
free from such things; tu —but; visayan —sense objects; indriyaih —by the
senses; caran —acting; atma-vasyaih —one who has control over; vidheyatma
—one who follows regulated freedom; prasadam —the mercy of the Lord;
adhigacchad —attains.

One who can control his senses by practicing the regulated principles of
freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord and thus become free
from all attachment and aversion.

prasade —on achievement of the causeless mercy of the Lord; sarva —all;
duhkhanam —material miseries; hanih —destruction; asya —his; upajayate —
takes place; prasanna-cetasah —of the happy-minded; hi —certainly; asu —
very soon; buddhih —intelligence; pari —sufficiently; avadsthate —established.

For one who is so situated in the Divine consciousness, the threefold
miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such a happy state, one`s
intelligence soon becomes steady.

na asti —there cannot be; buddhih —transcendental intelligence; ayuktasya
—of one who is not connected (with Krsna consciousness); na —neither; ca
—and; ayuktasya —of one devoid of Krsna consciousness; bhavana —mind
fixed in happiness; na —neither; ca —and; abhavayatah —one who is not fixed;
santih —peace; asantasya —of the unpeaceful; kutah —where is; sukham —
happiness.

One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a
controlled mind nor steady intelligence, without which there is no
possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?

indriyanam —of the senses; hi —certainly; caratam —while herding over; yat
—that; manah —mind; anuvidhiyate —becomes constantly engaged; tat — that;
asya —his; harati —takes away; prajham —intelligence; vayuh —wind; navam
—a boat; iva —like; ambhasi —on the water.

As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even one of the
senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man`s intelligence.

tasmat —therefore; yasya —of one`s; maha-baho —O mighty-armed one;
nigrhTtani —so curbed down; sarvasah —all around; indriyani —the senses;
indriya-arthebhyah —for the sake of sense objects; tasya —his; prajna —
intelligence; pratisthita —fixed.

Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are restrained from their
objects is certainly of steady intelligence.

ya —what; nisa —is night; sarva —all; bhutanam —of living entities; tasyam
in that; jagarti —wakeful; sarhyamT —the self-controlled; yasyam —in which;
jagrati —awake; bhutani —all beings; sa —that is; nisa —night; pasyatah —for
the introspective; muneh —sage.

What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-
controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the
introspective sage.

apuryamanam —always filled; acala-pratistham —steadily situated;
samudram —the ocean; apah —water; pravisanti —enter; yadvat —as; tadvat
—so; kamah —desires; yam —unto one; pravisanti —enter; sarve —all; sah
—that person; santim —peace; apnoti —achieves; na —not; kama-kamT —one
who desires to fulfill desires.

A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that
enter like rivers into the ocean which is ever being filled but is always still
— can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such
desires.

vihaya —after giving up; kaman —all material desires for sense gratification;
yah —the person; sarvan —all; pumdn —a person; carad —lives; nihsprhah —
desireless; nirmamah —without a sense of proprietorship; nirahahkarah —
without false ego; sah —all; sandm —perfect peace; adhigacchad —attains.

A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives
free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is
devoid of false ego-he alone can attain real peace.

esa —this; brahmi —spiritual; sthitih —situation; partha —O son of Prtha; na
—never; enam —this; prapya —achieving; vimuhyati —bewilders; sthitva —
being so situated; asyam —being so; anta-kale —at the end of life; api —also;
brahma-nirvanam —spiritual (kingdom of God); rcchati —attains.

That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a
man is not bewildered. Being so situated, even at the hour of death, one
can enter into the kingdom of God.

arjunah —Arjuna; uvaca —said; jyayasT —speaking very highly; cet —
although; karmanah —than fruitive action; te —your; mata —opinion; buddhih
—intelligence; janardana —O Krsna; tat —therefore; kim —why; karmani —in
action; ghore —ghastly; mam —me; niyojayasi —engaging me; kesava —O
Krsna.

Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You urge me to engage in
this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive
work?

vyamisrena —by equivocal; iva —as; vakyena —words; buddhim
—intelligence; mohayasi —bewildering; iva —as; me —my; tat —therefore;
ekam —only one; vada —please tell; niscitya —ascertaining; yena —by which;
sreyah —real benefit; aham —I; apnuyam —may have it.

My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions.
Therefore, please tell me decisively what is most beneficial for me.

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; loke —in
the world; asmin —this; dvi-vidha —two kinds of; nistha —faith; pura —
formerly; prokta —was said; maya —by Me; anagha —O sinless one; jnana-
yogena —by the linking process of knowledge; sahkhydnam —of the empiric
philosophers; karma-yogena —by the linking process of devotion; yoginam
—of the devotees.

The Blessed Lord said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that
there are two classes of men who realize the Self. Some are inclined to
understand Him by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others are
inclined to know Him by devotional work.

na —without; karmanam —of the prescribed duties; anarambhat —non¬
performance; naiskarmyam —freedom from reaction; purusah —man; asnute
—achieve; na —nor; ca —also; sannyasanat —by renunciation; eva —simply;
siddhim —success; samadhigacchati —attain.

Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from
reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.

na —nor; hi —certainly; kascit —anyone; ksanam —even a moment; api —
also; jatu —even; tisthati —stands; akarma-krt —without doing something;
karyate —forced to work; hi —certainly; avasah —helplessly; karma —work;
sarvah —everything; prakrti-jaih —out of the modes of material nature;
gunaih —by the qualities.

All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of
the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing
something, not even for a moment.

karma-indriyani —the five working sense organs; samyamya —controlling;
yah —anyone who; aste —remains; manasa —by mind; smaran —thinking;
indriya-arthan —sense objects; vimudha —foolish; atma —soul; mithya-acarah
—pretender; sah —he; ucyate —is called.

One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind
dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a
pretender.

yah —one who; tu —but; indriyani —senses; manasa —by the mind; niyamya
—regulating; arabhate —begins; arjuna —O Arjuna; karma-indriyaih —by the
active sense organs; karma-yogam —devotion; asaktah —without attachment;
sah —he; visisyate —by far the better.

On the other hand, he who controls the senses by the mind and engages
his active organs in works of devotion, without attachment, is by far
superior.

niyatam —prescribed; kuru —do; karma —duties; tvam —you; karma —work;
jyayah —better; hi —than; akarmanah —without work; sarira —bodily; yatra —
maintenance; api —even; ca —also; te —your; na —never; prasiddhyet —
effected; akarmanah —without work.

Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. A man
cannot even maintain his physical body without work.

yajha-arthat —only for the sake of Yajna, or Visnu; karmanah —work done;
anyatra —otherwise; lokah —this world; ayam —this; karma-bandhanah —
bondage by work; tat —Him; artham —for the sake of; karma —work; kaunteya
—O son of KuntX; mukta-saiigah —liberated from association; samacara —do
it perfectly.

Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise
work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of KuntI,
perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you
will always remain unattached and free from bondage.

saha —along with; yajhah —sacrifices; prajah —generations; srstva —by
creating; pura —anciently; uvaca —said; praja-patih —the Lord of creatures;
anena —by this; prasavisyadhvam —be more and more prosperous; esah —
certainly; vah —your; astu —let it be; ista —all desirable; kama-dhuk —
bestower.

In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth
generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Visnu, and
blessed them by saying, "Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice] because
its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things."

devan —demigods; bhavayata —having been pleased; anena —by this
sacrifice; te —those; devah —the demigods; bhavayantu —will please; vah
—you; parasparam —mutual; bhavayantah —pleasing one another; sreyah
—benediction; param —the supreme; avapsyatha —do you achieve.

The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you; thus
nourishing one another, there will reign general prosperity for all.

istan —desired; bhogan —necessities of life; hi —certainly; vah —unto you;
devah —the demigods; dasyante —award; yajha-bhavitah —being satisfied by
the performance of sacrifices; taih —by them; dattan —things given; apradaya
—without offering; ebhyah —to the demigods; yah —he who; bhuhkte —enjoys;
stenah —thief; eva —certainly; sah —is he.

In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied
by the performance of yajna [sacrifice], supply all necessities to man. But
he who enjoys these gifts, without offering them to the demigods in
return, is certainly a thief.

yajha-sista —food taken after performance of yajna; asinah —eaters; santah
—the devotees; mucyante —get relief from; sarva —all kinds of; kilbisaih
—sins; bhunjate —enjoy; te —they; tu —but; agham —grievous sins; papah
—sinners; ye —those; pacanti —prepare food; atma-karanat —for sense
enjoyment.

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because
they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food
for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

annat —from grains; bhavanti —grow; bhutani —the material bodies;
parjanyat —from rains; anna —food grains; sambhavah —are made possible;
yajhat —from the performance of sacrifice; bhavati —becomes possible;
parjanyah —rains; yajhah —performance of yajha; karma —prescribed duties;
samudbhavah —born of.

All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain.
Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is
born of prescribed duties.

karma —work; brahma-Vedas; udbhavam —produced from; viddhi —one
should know; brahma —the Vedas; aksara —the Supreme Brahman
(Personality of Godhead); samudbhavam; directly manifested; tasmat
—therefore; sarva-gatam —all-pervading; brahma —Transcendence; nityam
—eternally; yajhe —in sacrifice; pratisthitam —situated.

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are
directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in
acts of sacrifice.

evam —thus prescribed; pravartitam —established by the Vedas; cakram —
cycle; na —does not; anuvartayati —adopt; iha —in this life; yah —one who;
aghayuh —life full of sins; indriya-aramah —satisfied in sense gratification;
mogham —useless; partha —O son of Prtha (Arjuna); sah —one who does so;
jivati —lives.

My dear Arjuna, a man who does not follow this prescribed Vedic
system of sacrifice certainly leads a life of sin, for a person delighting only
in the senses lives in vain.

yah —one who; tu —but; atma-ratih —takes pleasure; eva —certainly; syat —
remains; atma-trptah —self-illuminated; ca —and; manavah —a man; atmani —
in himself; eva —only; ca —and; santustah —perfectly satiated; tasya —his;
karyam —duty; na —does not; vidyate —exist.

One who is, however, taking pleasure in the self, who is illumined in the
self, who rejoices in and is satisfied with the self only, fully satiated—for
him there is no duty.

na —never; eva —certainly; tasya —his; krtena —by discharge of duty; arthah
—purpose; na —nor; akrtena —without discharge of duty; iha —in this world;
kascana —whatever; na —never; ca —and; asya —of him; sarva-bhutesu —in
all living beings; kascit —any; artha —purpose; v yapa-asrayah —taking shelter
of.

A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his
prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor
has he any need to depend on any other living being.

tasmat —therefore; asaktah —without attachment; satatam —constantly;
karyam —as duty; karma —work; samacara —perform; asaktah
—nonattachment; hi —certainly; acaran —performing; karma —work; param
—the Supreme; apnoti —achieves; purusah —a man.

Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should
act as a matter of duty; for by working without attachment, one attains
the Supreme.

karmana —by work; eva —even; hi —certainly; samsiddhim —perfection;
asthitah —situated; janaka-adayah —kings like Janaka and others; loka-
sahgraham —educating the people in general; eva —also; api —for the sake of;
sampasyan —by considering; kartum —to act; arhasi —deserve.

Even kings like Janaka and others attained the perfectional stage by
performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of
educating the people in general, you should perform your work.

yat —whatever; yat —and whichever; acarati —does he act; sresthah —
respectable leader; tat —that; tat —and that alone; eva —certainly; itarah —
common; janah —person; sah —he; yat —whichever; pramanam —evidence;
kurute —does perform; lokah —all the world; tat —that; anuvartate —follow in
the footsteps.

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in
his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the
world pursues.

na —none; me —Mine; partha —O son of Prtha; asti —there is; kartavyam —
any prescribed duty; trisu —in the three; lokesu —planetary systems; kincana
—anything; na —no; anavaptam —in want; avaptavyam —to be gained; varte
—engaged; eva —certainly; ca —also; karmani —in one`s prescribed duty.

O son of Prtha, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three
planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to
obtain anything—and yet I am engaged in work.

yadi —if; hi —certainly; aham —I; na —do not; varteyam —thus engage; jatu
—ever; karmani —in the performance of prescribed duties; atandritah —with
great care; mama —My; vartma —path; anuvartante —would follow; manusyah
—all men; partha —O son of Prtha; sarvasah —in all respects.

For, if I did not engage in work, O Partha, certainly all men would
follow My path.

utsideyuh —put into ruin; ime —all these; lokah —worlds; na —do not;
kuryam —perform; karma —prescribed duties; cet —if; aham —I; sankarasya —
of unwanted population; ca —and; karta —creator; syam —shall be; upahanyam
—destroy; imah —all these; prajah —living entities.

If I should cease to work, then all these worlds would be put to
ruination. I would also be the cause of creating unwanted population, and
I would thereby destroy the peace of all sentient beings.

saktah —being attached; karmani —prescribed duties; avidvamsah —the
ignorant; yatha —as much as; kurvanti —do it; bharata —O descendant of
Bharata; kuryat —must do; vidvan —the learned; tatha —thus; asaktah —
without attachment; cikfrsuh —desiring to; loka-sahgraham —leading the
people in general.

As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results,
similarly the learned may also act, but without attachment, for the sake of
leading people on the right path.

na —do not; buddhi-bhedam —disrupt the intelligence; janayet —do;
ajnanam —of the foolish; karma-sanginam —attached to fruitive work; josayet
—dovetailed; sarva —all; karmani —work; vidvan —learned; yuktah — all
engaged; samacaran —practicing.

Let not the wise disrupt the minds of the ignorant who are attached to
fruitive action. They should not be encouraged to refrain from work, but
to engage in work in the spirit of devotion.

prakrteh —of material nature; kriyamanani —all being done; gunaih —by the
modes; karmani —activities; sarvasah —all kinds of; ahahkara-vimudha —
bewildered by false ego; atma —the spirit soul; karta —doer; aham —I; iti —
thus; manyate —thinks.

The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of
material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in
actuality carried out by nature.

tattvavit —the knower of the Absolute Truth; tu —but; maha-baho —O
mighty-armed one; guna-karma —works under material influence; vibhagayoh
—differences; gunah —senses; gunesu —in sense gratification; vartante —
being engaged; id —thus; matva —thinking; na —never; sajjate —becomes
attached.

One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does
not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the
differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results.

prakrteh —impelled by the material modes; guna-sammudhah —befooled by
material identification; sajjante —become engaged; guna-karmasu —in
material activities; tan —all those; akrtsna-vidah —persons with a poor fund of
knowledge; mandan —lazy to understand self-realization; krtsna-vit —one who
is in factual knowledge; na —may not; vicalayet —try to agitate.

Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage
themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise
should not unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the
performers` lack of knowledge.

mayi —unto Me; sarvani —all sorts of; karmani —activities; sannyasya —
giving up completely; adhyatma —with full knowledge of the self; cetasa —
consciousness; nirasih —without desire for profit; nirmamah —without
ownership; bhutva —so being; yudhyasva —fight; vigata-jvarah —without
being lethargic.

Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind
intent on Me, and without desire for gain and free from egoism and
lethargy, fight.

ye —those; me —My; matam —injunctions; idam —this; nityam —eternal
function; anutisthanti —execute regularly; manavah —humankind;
sraddhavantah —with faith and devotion; anasuyantah —without envy;
mucyante — become free; te —all of them; api —even; karmabhih —from the
bondage of the law of fmitive action.

One who executes his duties according to My injunctions and who
follows this teaching faithfully, without envy, becomes free from the
bondage of fruitive actions.

ye —those; tu —however; etat —this; abhyasuyantah —out of envy; na —do
not; anutisthanti —regularly perform; me —My; matam —injunction; sarva-
jhana —all sorts of knowledge; vimudhan —perfectly befooled; tan —they are;
viddhi —know it well; nastan —all ruined; acetasah —without Krsna
consciousness.

But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not
practice them regularly, are to be considered bereft of all knowledge,
befooled, and doomed to ignorance and bondage.

sadrsam —accordingly; cestate —tries; svasyah —in one`s own nature;
prakrteh —modes; jnanavan —the learned; api —although; prakrtim —nature;
yanti —undergo; bhutani —all living entities; nigrahah —suppression; kim —
what; karisyati —can do.

Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for
everyone follows his nature. What can repression accomplish?

indriyasya —of the senses; indriyasya arthe —in the sense objects; raga —
attachment; dvesau —also in detachment; vyavasthitau —put under regulations;
tayoh —of them; na —never; vasam —control; agacchet —one should come; tau
—those; hi —certainly are; asya —his; paripanthinau —stumbling blocks.

Attraction and repulsion for sense objects are felt by embodied beings,
but one should not fall under the control of senses and sense objects
because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.

sreyan —far better; sva-dharmah —one`s prescribed duties; vigunah —even
faulty; para-dharmat —from duties mentioned for others; svanusthitat —than
perfectly done; sva-dharme —in one`s prescribed duties; nidhanam —
destruction; sreyah —better; para-dharmah —duties prescribed for others;
bhaya-avahah —dangerous.

It is far better to discharge one`s prescribed duties, even though they
may be faulty, than another`s duties. Destruction in the course of
performing one`s own duty is better than engaging in another`s duties, for
to follow another`s path is dangerous.

arjunah uvaca —Arjuna said; atha —hereafter; kena —by what; prayuktah —
impelled; ayam —one; papam —sins; carati —acts; purusah —a man; anicchan
— without desiring; api —although; varsneya —O descendant of Vrsni; balat
—by force; iva —as if; niyojitah —engaged.

Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrsni, by what is one impelled to sinful
acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Personality of Godhead said; kamah —lust; esah
—all these; krodhah —wrath; esah —all these; rajo-guna —the mode of
passion; samudbhavah —born of; maha-sanah —all-devouring; maha-papma
—greatly sinful; viddhi —know; enam —this; iha —in the material world;
vairinam — greatest enemy.

The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact
with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and
which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.

dhumena —by smoke; avriyate —covered; vahnih —fire; yatha —just as;
adarsah —mirror; malena —by dust; ca —also; yatha —just as; ulbena —by the
womb; avrtah —is covered; garbhah —embryo; tatha-so; tena —by that lust;
idam —this; avrtam —is covered.

As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the
embryo is covered by the womb, similarly, the living entity is covered by
different degrees of this lust.

avrtam —covered; jnanam —pure consciousness; etena —by this; jnaninah —
of the knower; nitya-vairina —eternal enemy; kama-rupena —in the form of
lust; kaunteya — O son of KuntI; duspurena —never to be satisfied; analena —
by the fire; ca —also.

Thus, a man`s pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the
form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

indriyani —the senses; manah —the mind; buddhih —the intelligence; asya
—of the lust; adhisthanam —sitting place; ucyate —called; etaih —by all these;
vimohayati —bewilders; esah —of this; jnanam —knowledge; avrtya
—covering; dehinam —the embodied.

The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this
lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.

tasmat —therefore; tvam-you; indriyani —senses; adau —in the beginning;
niyamya —by regulating; bharatarsabha —O chief amongst the descendants of
Bharata; papmanam —the great symbol of sin; prajahi —curb; hi —certain ly;
enam —this; jhana —knowledge; vijhana —scientific knowledge of the pure
soul; nasanam —destroyer.

Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb
this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this
destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.

indriyanT —senses; parani —superior; ahuh —is said; indriyebhyah —more
than the senses; param —superior; manah —the mind; manasah —more than the
mind; tu —also; para —superior; buddhih —intelligence; yah —one which;
buddheh —more than the intelligence; paratah —superior; tu —but; sah —he.

The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the
senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even
higher than the intelligence.

evam —thus; buddheh —of intelligence; param —superior; buddhva —so
knowing; samstabhya —by steadying; atmanam —the mind; atmana —by
deliberate intelligence; jahi —conquer; satrum —the enemy; maha-baho —O
mighty-armed one; kama-rupam —the form of lust; durasadam —formidable.

Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to material senses, mind
and intelligence, one should control the lower self by the higher self and
thus— by spiritual strength—conquer this insatiable enemy known as
lust.

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; imam —
this; vivasvate —unto the sun-god; yogam —the science of one`s relationship to
the Supreme; proktavan —instructed; aham —I; avyayam —imperishable;
vivasvan —Vivasvan (the sun-god`s name); manave —unto the father of
mankind (of the name Vaivasvata); praha —told; manuh —the father of
mankind; iksvakave —unto King Iksvaku; abravit —said.

The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to
the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of
mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.

evam —thus; parampara —disciplic succession; praptam —received; imam —
this science; rajarsayah —the saintly kings; viduh —understood; sah —that
knowledge; kalena —in the course of time; iha —in this world; mahata —by
great; yogah —the science of one`s relationship with the Supreme; nastah —
scattered; parantapa —O Arjuna, subduer of the enemies.

This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic
succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course
of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is
appears to be lost.

sah —the same ancient; eva —certainly; ayam —this; maya —by Me; te —unto
you; adya —today; yogah —the science of yoga; proktah —spoken; puratanah
—very old; bhaktah —devotee; asi —you are; me —My; sakha — friend; ca
—also; id —therefore; rahasyam —mystery; hi —certainly; etat —this; uttamam
—transcendental.

That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today
told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend;
therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

arjunah uvaca —Arjuna said; aparam —junior; bhavatah —Your; janma —
birth; param —superior; janma —birth; vivasvatah —of the sun-god; katham —
how; etat —this; vijamyam —shall I understand; tvam —You; adau —in the
beginning; proktavan —instructed; id —thus.

Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You. How am I
to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?

srT bhagavan uvaca —the Personality of Godhead said; bahuni —many; me
—of Mine; vyatitani —have passed; janmani —births; tava —of yours; ca — and
also; arjuna —O Arjuna; tani —all those; aham —I; veda —do know; sarvani
—all; na —not; tvam —yourself; vettha —know; parantapa —O subduer of the
enemy.

The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed.
I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!

ajah —unborn; api —although; san —being so; avyaya —without
deterioration; atma —body; bhutanam —all those who are born; Tsvarah —the
Supreme Lord; api —although; san —being so; prakrtim —transcendental form;
svam — of Myself; adhisthaya —being so situated; sambhavami —I do
incarnate; atma-mayaya —by My internal energy.

Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates,
and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every
millennium in My original transcendental form.

yada —whenever; yada —wherever; hi —certainly; dharmasya —of religion;
glanih —discrepancies; bhavati —manifested, becomes; bharata —O
descendant of Bharata; abhyutthanam —predominance; adharmasya —of
irreligion; tada —at that time; atmanam —self; srjami —manifest; aham —I.

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O
descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time
I descend Myself.

paritranaya —for the deliverance; sadhunam —of the devotees; vinasaya —
for the annihilation; ca —also; duskrtam —of the miscreants; dharma
—principles of religion; sarhsthapana-arthaya —to reestablish; sambhavami —I
do appear; yuge —millennium; yuge —after millennium.

In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as
to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium.

janma —birth; karma —work; ca —also; me —of Mine; divyam
—transcendental; evam —like this; yah —anyone who; vetti —knows; tattvatah
—in reality; tyaktva —leaving aside; deham —this body; punah —again; janma
—birth; na —never; eti —does attain; mam —unto Me; eti —does attain; sah
—he; arjuna —O Arjuna.

One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and
activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this
material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.

vita —freed from; raga —attachment; bhaya —fear; krodhah —anger; mat-
maya —fully in Me; mam —unto Me; upasritah —being fully situated; bahavah
—many; jhana —knowledge; tapasa —by penance; putah —being purified;
mat-bhavam —transcendental love for Me; agatah —attained.

Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in
Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became
purified by knowledge of Me—and thus they all attained transcendental
love for Me.

ye —all of them; yatha —as; mam —unto Me; prapadyante —surrender; tan
—unto them; tatha —so; eva —certainly; bhajami —do I reward; aham —I;
mama —My; vartma —path; anuvartante —do follow; manusyah —all men;
partha —O son of Prtha; sarvasah —in all respects.

All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly.
Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.

kahksantah —desiring; karmanam —of fruitive activities; siddhim
—perfection; yajante —worship by sacrifices; iha —in the material world;
devatah —the demigods; ksipram —very quickly; hi —certainly; manuse —in
human society; loke —within this world; siddhih bhavati —becomes successful;
karmaja —the fruitive worker.

Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore
they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from
fruitive work in this world.

catur-varnyam —the four divisions of human society; maya —by Me; srstam
—created; guna —quality; karma —work; vibhagasah —in terms of division;
tasya —of that; kartaram —the father; api —although; mam —Me; viddhi —you
may know; akartaram —as the non-doer; avyayam —being unchangeable.

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed
to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And,
although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet
the non-doer, being unchangeable.

na —never; mam —unto Me; karmani —all kinds of work; limpanti —do
affect; na —nor; me —My; karma-phale —in fruitive action; sprha —aspiration;
iti —thus; mam —unto Me; yah —one who; abhijanati —does know; karmabhih
—by the reaction of such work; na —never does; sah —he; badhyate —become
entangled.

There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of
action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become
entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.

evam —thus; jnatva —knowing well; krtam —performed; karma —work;
purvaih —by past authorities; api —although; mumuksubhih —who attained
liberation; kuru —just perform; karma —prescribed duty; eva —certainly;
tasmat —therefore; tvam —you; purvaih —by the predecessors; purvataram —
ancient predecessors; krtam —as performed.

All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding
and so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you should perform
your duty in this divine consciousness.

kim —what is; karma —action; kim —what is; akarma —inaction; iti —thus;
kavayah —the intelligent; api —also; atra —in this matter; mohitah
—bewildered; tat —that; te —unto you; karma —work; pravaksyami —I shall
explain; yat —which; jnatva —knowing; moksyase —be liberated; asubhat
—from ill fortune.

Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and
what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which
you shall be liberated from all sins.

karmanah —working order; hi —certainly; api —also; boddhavyam —should
be understood; boddhavyam —to be understood; ca —also; vikarmanah —
forbidden work; akarmanah —inaction; ca —also; boddhavyam —should be
understood; gahana —very difficult; karmanah —working order; gatih —to
enter into.

The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one
should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what
inaction is.

karmani —in action; akarma —inaction; yah —one who; pasyet —observes;
akarmani —in inaction; ca —also; karma —fruitive action; yah —one who; sah
—he; buddhiman —is intelligent; manusyesu —in human society; sah —he;
yuktah —is in the transcendental position; krtsna-karma-krt —although
engaged in all activities.

One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent
among men, and he is in the tranecendental position, although engaged in
all sorts of activities.

yasya —one whose; sarve —all sorts of; samarambhah —in all attempts;
kama —desire for sense gratification; sahkalpa —determination; varjitah —are
devoid of; jhana —of perfect knowledge; agni —fire; dagdha —being burnt by;
karmanam —the performer; tarn —him; ahuh —declare; panditam —learned;
budhah —those who know.

One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of
desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose
fruitive action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.

tyaktva —having given up; karma-phala-asahgam —attachment for fruitive
results; nitya —always; trptah —being satisfied; nirasrayah —without any
center; karmani —in activity; abhipravrttah —being fully engaged; api —in
spite of; na —does not; eva —certainly; kincit —anything; karoti —do; sah —he.

Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied
and independant, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all
kinds of undertakings.

nirasTh —without desire for the results; yata —controlled; citta-atma —mind
and intelligence; tyakta —giving up; sarva —all; parigrahah —sense of
proprietorship over all possessions; sarTram —in keeping body and soul
together; kevalam —only; karma —work; kurvan —doing so; na —never; apnoti
does not acquire; kilbisam —sinful reactions.

Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly
controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and
acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected
by sinful reactions.

yadrccha —out of its own accord; labha —gain; santustah —satisfied;
dvandva —duality; atitah —surpassed; vimatsarah —free from envy; samah —
steady; siddhau —in success; asiddhau —failure; ca —also; krtva —doing; api —
although; na —never; nibadhyate —is affected.

He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free
from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure,
is never entangled, although performing actions.

gata-sahgasya —unattached to the modes of material nature; muktasya —of
the liberated; jnana-avasthita —situated in transcendence; cetasah —of such
wisdom; yajhaya —for the sake of Yajna (Krsna); acaratah —so acting; karma
—work; samagram —in total; pravilTyate —merges entirely.

The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature
and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely
into transcendence.

brahma —spiritual nature; arpanam —contribution; brahma —the Supreme;
havih —butter; brahma —spiritual; agnau —in the fire of consummation;
brahmana —by the spirit soul; hutam —offered; brahma —spiritual kingdom;
eva —certainly; tena —by him; gantavyam —to be reached; brahma —spiritual;
karma —activities; samadhina —by complete absorption.

A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure to attain
the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual
activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is
offered is of the same spiritual nature.

daivam —in worshiping the demigods; eva —like this; apare —some; yajnam
—sacrifices; yoginah —the mystics; paryupasate —worship perfectly; brahma
—the Absolute Truth; agnau —in the fire of; apare —others; yajnam —sacrifice;
yajhena —by sacrifice; eva —thus; upajuhvati —worship.

Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods by offering different
sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrffices in the fire of the
Supreme Brahman.

srotra-admi —hearing process; indriyani —senses; anye —others; samyama —
of restraint; agnisu —in the fire; juhvati —offers; sabda-adm —sound vibration,
etc.; visayan —objects of sense gratification; anye —others: indriya —of sense
organs; agnisu —in the fire; juhvati —sacrifice.

Some of them sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of
the controlled mind, and others sacrifice the objects of the senses, such as
sound, in the fire of sacrifice.

sarvani —all; indriya —senses; karmani —functions; prana-karmani
—functions of the life breath; ca —also; apare —others; atma-samyama
—controlling the mind; yoga —linking process; agnau —in the fire of; juhvati
—offers; jhana-dipite —because of the urge for self-realization.

Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of mind and sense
control, offer the functions of all the senses, as well as the vital force
[breath], as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.

dravya-yajhah —sacrificing one`s possessions; tapo-yajhah —sacrifice in
austerities; yoga-yajhah —sacrifice in eightfold mysticism; tatha —thus; apare
—others; svadhyaya —sacrifice in the study of the Vedas; jhana- yajhah
—sacrifice in advancement of transcendental knowledge; ca —also; yatayah
—enlightened; samsita —taken to strict; vratah-vows.

There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material
possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice the yoga of
eightfold mysticism, and others study the Vedas for the advancement of
transcendental knowledge.

apane —air which acts downward; juhvati —offers; pranam —air which acts
outward; prane —in the air going outward; apanam —air going downward;
tatha —as also; apare —others; prana —air going outward; apana —air going
downward; gatT —movement; ruddhva —checking; pranayama —trance
induced by stopping all breathing; parayanah —so inclined; apare —others;
niyata —controlled; aharah —eating; pranan —outgoing air; pranesu —in the
outgoing air; juhvati —sacrifices.

And there are even others who are inclined to the process of breath
restraint to remain in trance, and they practice stopping the movement of
the outgoing breath into the incoming, and incoming breath into the
outgoing, and thus at last remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Some
of them, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself,
as a sacrifice.

sarve —all; api —although apparently different; ete —all these; yajha-vidah
—conversant with the purpose of performing; yajha —sacrifices; ksapita —
being cleansed of the result of such performances; kalmasah —sinful reactions;
yajha-sista —as a result of such performances of yajha; amrta-bhujah —those
who have tasted such nectar; yanti —do approach; brahma —the supreme;
sanatanam —eternal atmosphere.

All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become
cleansed of sinful reaction, and, having tasted the nectar of the remnants
of such sacrifice, they go to the supreme eternal atmosphere.

na —never; ayam —this; lokah —planet; asd —there is; ayajnasya —of the
foolish; kutah —where is; anyah —the other; kuru-sattama —O best amongst
the Kurus.

O best of the Kuril dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily
on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?

evam —thus; bahu-vidhah —various kinds of; yajhah —sacrifices; vitatah —
widespread; brahmanah —of the Vedas; mukhe —in the face of; karma-jan —
born of work; viddhi —you should know; tan —them; sarvan —all; evam —thus;
jhatva —knowing; vimoksyase —be liberated.

All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all
of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you
will become liberated.

sreyan —greater; dravyamayat —than the sacrifice of material possessions;
yajnat —knowledge; jnana-yajnah —sacrifice in knowledge; parantapa —O
chastiser of the enemy; sarvam —all; karma —activities; akhilam —in totality;
partha —O son of Prtha; jnane —in knowledge; parisamapyate —ends in.

O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice of knowledge is greater than the
sacrifice of material possessions. O son of Prtha, after all, the sacrifice of
work culminates in transcendental knowledge.

tat —that knowledge of different sacrifices; viddhi —try to understand;
pranipatena —by approaching a spiritual master; pariprasnena —by
submissive inquiries; sevaya —by the rendering of service; upadeksyand
—initiate; te —unto you; jhanam —knowledge; jhaninah —the self-realized;
tattva —truth; darsinah —the seers.

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire
from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul
can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.

yat —which; jnatva —knowing; na —never; punah —again; moham —illusion;
evam —like this; yasyasi —you shall go; pandava —O son of Pandu; yena —by
which; bhutani —all living entities; asesani —totally; draksyasi —you will see;
atmani —in the Supreme Soul; atho —or in other words; mayi —in Me.

And when you have thus learned the truth, you will know that all living
beings are but part of Me-and that they are in Me, and are Mine.

api —even; cet —if; asi —you are; papebhyah —of sinners; sarvebhyah —of
all; papa-krttamah —the greatest sinner; sarvam —all such sinful actions;
jhana-plavena —by the boat of transcendental knowledge; eva —certainly;
vrjinam —the ocean of miseries; santarisyasi —you will cross completely.

Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you
are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge, you will be able to
cross over the ocean of miseries.

yatha —just as; edhamsi —firewood; samiddhah —blazing; agnih —fire;
bhasmasat —turns into ashes; kurute —so does; arjuna —O Arjuna; jhana-
agnih —the fire of knowledge; sarva-karmani —all reactions to material
activities; bhasmasat —to ashes; kurute —it so does; tatha —similarly.

As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of
knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

na —never; hi —certainly; jhanena —with knowledge; sadrsam —in
comparison; pavitram —sanctified; iha —in this world; vidyate —exists; tat
—that; svayam —itself; yoga —devotion; samsiddhah —matured; kalena —in
course of time; atmani —in himself; vindati —enjoys.

In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental
knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one
who has achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due course of time.

sraddhavan —a faithful man; labhate —achieves; jhanam —knowledge; tat-
parah —very much attached to it; samyata —controlled; indriyah —senses;
jhanam —knowledge; labdhva —having achieved; param —transcendental;
santim —peace; acirena —very soon; adhigacchati —attains.

A faithful man who is absorbed in transcendental knowledge and who
subdues his senses quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.

ajnah —fools who have no knowledge in standard scriptures; ca —and;
asraddadhanah —without faith in revealed scriptures; ca —also; samsaya —
doubts; atma —person; vinasyati —falls back; na —never; ayam —this; lokah —
world; asti —there is; na —neither; parah —next life; na —not; sukham —
happiness; samsaya —doubtful; atmanah —of the person.

But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures
do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting soul there is happiness
neither in this world nor in the next.

yoga —devotional service in karma-yoga; sannyasta —renounced;
karmanam —of the performers; jhana —knowledge; sahchinna —cut by the
advancement of knowledge; samsayam —doubts; atma-vantam —situated in
the self; na —never; karmani —work; nibadhnanti —do bind up; dhananjaya —
O conquerer of riches.

Therefore, one who has renounced the fruits of his action, whose doubts
are destroyed by transcendental knowledge, and who is situated firmly in
the self, is not bound by works, O conqueror of riches.

tasmat —therefore; ajhana-sambhiitam —outcome of ignorance; hrt-stham
—situated in the heart; jhana —knowledge; asina —by the weapon of; atmanah
—of the self; chittva —cutting off; enam —this; samsayam —doubt; yogam —in
yoga; atistha —be situated; uttistha —stand up to fight; bharata — O
descendant of Bharata.

Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance
should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O
Bharata, stand and fight.

arjunah uvaca —Arjuna said; sannyasam —renunciation; karmanam —of all
activities; krsna —O Krsna; punah —again; yogam —devotional service; ca
—also; samsasi —You are praising; yat —which; sreyah —is beneficial; etayoh
—of these two; ekam —one; tat —that; me —unto me; bruhi —please tell;
suniscitam —definitely.

Arjuna said: O Krsna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and
then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell
me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?

sri bhagavan uvaca —the Personality of Godhead said; sannyasah —
renunciation of work; karma-yogah —work in devotion; ca —also; nihsreyasa-
karau —all leading to the path of liberation; ubhau —both; tayoh —of the two;
tu —but; karma-sannyasat —in comparison to the renunciation of fruitive
work; karma-yogah —work in devotion; visisyate —is better.

The Blessed Lord said: The renunciation of work and work in devotion
are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is
better than renunciation of works.

jneyah —should be known; sah —he; nitya —always; sannyasT —renouncer;
yah —who; na —never; dvesti —abhors; na —nor; kanksati —desires;
nirdvandvah —free from all dualities; hi —certainly; maha-baho —O mighty-
armed one; sukham —happily; bandhat —from bondage; pramucyate
—completely liberated.

One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to
be always renounced. Such a person, liberated from all dualities, easily
overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-
armed Arjuna.

sankhya —analytical study of the material world; yogau —work in
devotional service; prthak —different; balah —less intelligent; pravadanti —do
talk; na —never; panditah —the learned; ekam —in one; api —even though;
asthitah —being situated; samyak —complete; ubhayoh —of both; vindate —
enjoys; phalam —result.

Only the ignorant speak of karma-yoga and devotional service as being
different from the analytical study of the material world [sankhya]. Those
who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of
these paths achieves the results of both.

yat —what; sahkhyaih —by means of sahkhya philosophy; prapyate —is
achieved; sthanam —place; tat —that; yogaih —by devotional service; api —
also; gamyate —one can attain; ekam —one; sahkhyam —analytical study; ca
—and; yogam —action in devotion; ca —and; yah —one who; pasyati —sees;
sah —he; pasyati —actually sees.

One who knows that the position reached by means of renunciation can
also be attained by works in devotional service and who therefore sees
that the path of works and the path of renunciation are one, sees things as
they are.

sannyasah —the renounced order of life; tu —but; maha-baho —O mighty-
armed one; duhkham —distress; aptum —to be afflicted with; ayogatah —
without devotional service; yoga-yuktah —one engaged in devotional service;
munih —thinker; brahma —Supreme; na —without; cirena —delay;
adhigacchati —attains.

Unless one is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, mere
renunciation of activities cannot make one happy. The sages, purified by
works of devotion, achieve the Supreme without delay.

yoga-yuktah —engaged in devotional service; visuddha-atma —a purified
soul; vijita-atma —self-controlled; jita-indriyah —having conquered the senses;
sarvabhuta-atmabhuta-atma —compassionate to all living entities; kurvan api
—although engaged in work; na —never; lipyate —is entangled.

One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his
mind and senses, is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him.
Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

na —never; eva —certainly; kincit —anything; karomi —do I do; iti —thus;
yuktah —engaged in the divine consciousness; manyeta —thinks; tattvavit —
one who knows the truth; pasyan —by seeing; smvan —by hearing; sprsan —by
touching; jighran —by smelling; asnan —by eating; gacchan —by going;
svapan —by dreaming; svasan —by breathing; pralapan —by talking; visrjan —
by giving up; grhnan —by accepting; unmisan —opening; nimisan —closing;
api —in spite of; indriyani —the senses; indriya-arthesu —in sense gratification;
vartante —let them be so engaged; iti —thus; dharayan —considering.

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing,
hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping, and
breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at
all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, opening or closing his
eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with
their objects and that he is aloof from them.

brahmani —the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhaya —resigning unto;
karmani —all works; sahgam —attachment; tyaktva —giving up; karoti
—performs; yah —who; lipyate —is affected; na —never; sah —he; papena —by
sin; padma-patram —lotus leaf; iva —like; ambhasa —in the water.

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the
results unto the Supreme God, is not affected by sinful action, as the lotus
leaf is untouched by water.

kayena —with the body; manasa —with the mind; buddhya —with the
intelligence; kevalaih —purified; indriyaih —with the senses; api —even with;
yoginah —the Krsna conscious persons; karma —actions; kurvanti —they act;
sahgam —attachment; tyaktva —giving up; atma —self; suddhaye —for the
purpose of purification.

The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence,
and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.

yuktah —one who is engaged in devotional service; karma-phalam —the
results of all activities; tyaktva —giving up; santim —perfect peace; apnoti —
achieves; naisthikfm —unflinching; ayuktah —one who is not in Krsna
consciousness; kama-karena —for enjoying the result of work; phale —in the
result; saktah —attached; nibadhyate —becomes entangled.

The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers
the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union
with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes
entangled.

sarva —all; karmani —activities; manasa —by the mind; sannyasya —giving
up; aste —remains; sukham —in happiness; vasT—one who is controlled; nava-
dvare —in the place where there are nine gates; pure —in the city; dehT —the
embodied soul; na —never; eva —certainly; kurvan —doing anything; na —not;
karayan —causing to be done.

When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally
renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the
material body], neither working nor causing work to be done.

na —never; kartrtvam —proprietorship; na —nor; karmani —activities;
lokasya —of the people; srjati —creates; prabhuh —the master of the city of the
body; na —nor; karma-phala —results of activities; sarhyogam —connection;
svabhavah —modes of material nature; tu —but; pravartate —acts.

The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create
activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of
action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature.

na —never; adatte —accepts; kasyacit —anyone`s; papam —sin; na —nor; ca
— also; eva —certainly; sukrtam —pious activities; vibhuh —the Supreme Lord;
ajhanena —by ignorance; avrtam —covered; jnanam —knowledge; tena —by
that; muhyanti —bewildered; jantavah —the living entities.

Nor does the Supreme Spirit assume anyone`s sinful or pious activities.
Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance
which covers their real knowledge.

jhanena —by knowledge; tu —but; tat —that; ajhanam —nescience; yesam
—of those; nasitam —is destroyed; atmanah —of the living entity; tesam —of
their; adityavat —like the rising sun; jhanam —knowledge; prakasayad
—discloses; tat param —in Krsna consciousness.

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which
nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun
lights up everything in the daytime.

tad-buddhayah —one whose intelligence is always in the Supreme; tad-
atmanah —one whose mind is always in the Supreme; tat-nisthah —whose
mind is only meant for the Supreme; tat-parayanah —who has completely
taken shelter of Him; gacchanti —goes; apunah-avrtdm —liberation; jhana —
knowledge; nirdhiita —cleanses; kalmasah —misgivings.

When one`s intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the
Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete
knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.

vidya —education; vinaya —gentleness; sampanne —fully equipped;
brahmane —in the brahmana; gavi —in the cow; hastini —in the elephant; suni
—in the dog; ca —and; eva —certainly; svapake —in the dog-eater (the
outcaste); ca —respectively; panditah-those who are so wise; sama-darsinah
—do see with equal vision.

The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a
learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater
[outcaste] .

iha —in this life; eva —certainly; taih —by them; jitah —conquered; sargah —
birth and death; yesam —of those; samye —in equanimity; sthitam —so situated;
manah —mind; nirdosam —flawless; hi —certainly; samam —in equanimity;
brahma —the Supreme; tasmat —therefore; brahmani —in the Supreme; te
—they; sthitah —are situated.

Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have
already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless
like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.