ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोग

श्रीभगवानुवाच । इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् । विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥

The Supreme Lord said: I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan (the sun god), Vivasvan taught it to Manu, and Manu taught it to Ikshvaku.

एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः । स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥

Thus received through succession, this yoga was known to the saintly kings. But, O Parantapa, over the long course of time, this yoga was lost to the world.

स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः । भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥

That same ancient yoga I have today explained to you, because you are My devotee and My friend. This is indeed the supreme secret.

अर्जुन उवाच । अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः । कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥

Arjuna said: Your birth was recent, while the birth of Vivasvan was long ago. How am I to understand that you taught this yoga in the beginning?

श्रीभगवानुवाच । बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन । तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥

The Supreme Lord said: Many births have passed for both you and Me, O Arjuna. I remember all of them, O Parantapa, but you do not.

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् । प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥

Although I am unborn and My nature is imperishable, and though I am the Lord of all beings, I manifest by My own divine power, governing My own material nature.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥

Whenever righteousness declines, O Bharata, and unrighteousness rises, I manifest Myself.

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥

To protect the righteous, to destroy the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of righteousness, I appear age after age.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥

One who truly understands the divine nature of My birth and activities, upon leaving the body, is not born again but comes to Me, O Arjuna.

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः । बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥

Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, purified by the austerity of knowledge, have attained My nature.

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥

As people approach Me, so do I respond to them. O Partha, everyone follows My path in every way.

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः । क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥

Those desiring success in action worship the gods in this world, for in the world of humans, success born of action comes quickly.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः । तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥

The fourfold order of society was created by Me according to the divisions of quality and action. Though I am its creator, know Me to be the eternal non-doer.

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा । इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥

Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have any desire for the fruits of action. One who understands Me in this way is also not bound by action.

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः । कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥

Knowing this, even the ancient seekers of liberation performed action. Therefore, you too should perform action, just as it was done by those before you in ancient times.

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः । तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥

Even the wise are confused as to what is action and what is inaction. I shall explain to you the nature of action, knowing which you shall be freed from misfortune.

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः । अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥

One must understand the nature of action, and also of wrong action, and also of inaction; the nature of action is indeed profound and difficult to understand.

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः । स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥

One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among men; that person is a true yogi, having accomplished all action.

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः । ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥

One whose every undertaking is free from desire and selfish intent, and whose actions have been burned up in the fire of knowledge, is called wise by the learned.

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः । कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥

Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of action, ever content and dependent on nothing, such a person, though engaged in action, does nothing at all.

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः । शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥

Free from expectation, with mind and self controlled, having given up all possessiveness, and performing action only for the maintenance of the body, such a person incurs no sin.

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः । समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥

One who is content with whatever comes unsought, who has risen above dualities, is free from envy, and remains equal-minded in success and failure, is not bound even while performing action.

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः । यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥

For one who is free from attachment, liberated, with mind established in knowledge, and who performs action as a sacrifice, all action dissolves completely.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् । ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥

The act of offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, offered by Brahman into the fire of Brahman; one who sees all action as Brahman attains Brahman alone.

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते । ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥

Some yogis worship the gods through sacrifice, while others offer the sacrifice itself as an oblation into the fire of Brahman.

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति । शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥

Some offer their senses, such as hearing, into the fire of restraint, while others offer sound and other sense objects into the fire of the senses.

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे । आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥

Others offer all the activities of the senses and the vital breath into the fire of self-restraint kindled by knowledge.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे । स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥

Some perform sacrifice with material possessions, some through austerity, and some through yoga, while other disciplined seekers perform sacrifice through study and knowledge.

अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे । प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥

Others, devoted to the practice of breath control, offer the outgoing breath into the incoming breath and the incoming into the outgoing, thereby restraining the movement of both.

अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति । सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥

Others, regulating their diet, offer the life-breaths into the life-breaths themselves. All these are knowers of sacrifice, and their impurities are destroyed through sacrifice.

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् । नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥

Those who partake of the nectar-like remnants of sacrifice attain the eternal Brahman. O best of the Kurus, this world is not for one who performs no sacrifice; how then the other world?

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे । कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥

Thus many kinds of sacrifice are described in the mouth of the Vedas. Know all of them to arise from action; understanding this, you shall be liberated.

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप । सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥

O Parantapa, the sacrifice of knowledge is superior to sacrifice performed with material possessions. O Partha, all action in its entirety culminates in knowledge.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया । उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥

Learn that wisdom through humble submission, sincere inquiry, and service. The wise, who have realized the truth, will impart that knowledge to you.

यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव । येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥

Knowing this, O Pandava, you shall never again fall into such delusion, for by this knowledge you shall see all beings within yourself, and thus within Me.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः । सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥

Even if you are the most sinful among all sinners, you shall cross over the ocean of sin by the boat of knowledge alone.

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन । ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥

Just as a blazing fire reduces firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ashes.

न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते । तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥

There is nothing in this world as purifying as knowledge. One who has become perfected through yoga finds this within the self in due time.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः । ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥

The person who is full of faith, devoted to this pursuit, and has mastered the senses attains knowledge, and having attained knowledge, quickly reaches supreme peace.

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति । नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥

The ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting soul are ruined. For the person of doubt, there is neither this world, nor the world beyond, nor happiness.

योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम् । आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥

Actions do not bind one who has renounced action through yoga, whose doubts have been dispelled by knowledge, and who is established in the Self, O Dhananjaya.

तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः । छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥

Therefore, O Bharata, cut asunder with the sword of knowledge this doubt born of ignorance that dwells in your heart, take refuge in yoga, and arise.