Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Imam vivaswate yogam proktavaan aham avyayam;
Vivaswaan manave praaha manur ikshwaakave’braveet.(1)
The Blessed Lord said:
I taught this
imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku.
Evam paramparaa praaptam imam raajarshayo viduh;
Sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nashtah parantapa.(2)
This, handed down thus in regular
succession, the royal sages knew. This Yoga, by a long lapse of time, has been lost here, O Parantapa (burner of foes)!
Sa evaayam
mayaa te’dya yogah proktah puraatanah;
Bhakto’si
me sakhaa cheti rahasyam hyetad uttamam.(3)
That same ancient Yoga has been today taught
to thee by Me, for, thou art My devotee and friend; it is the supreme secret.
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Aparam bhavato janma param janma
vivaswatah;
Katham etadvijaaneeyaam twam aadau proktavaan iti.(4)
Later
on was Thy birth, and prior to it was the birth of Vivasvan (the Sun); how am I
to understand that Thou didst teach this Yoga in the beginning?
Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Bahooni me vyateetaani janmaani tava chaarjuna;
Taanyaham veda sarvaani na twam vettha parantapa.(5)
The
Blessed Lord said:
Many births of Mine have passed, as well as of
thine, O Arjuna! I know them all but thou knows not, O Parantapa!
Ajo’pi sannavyayaatmaa
bhootaanaam eeshwaro’pi san;
bhootaanaam eeshwaro’pi san;
Prakritim swaam adhishthaaya sambhavaamyaatmamaayayaa.(6)
Though
I am unborn and of imperishable nature, and though I am the Lord of all beings,
yet, ruling over My own Nature, I am born by My own Maya.
Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanir bhavati bhaarata;
Abhyutthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srijaamyaham.(7)
Whenever
there is a decline of righteousness, O Arjuna, and rise of unrighteousness,
then I manifest Myself!
Paritraanaaya saadhoonaam vinaashaaya cha dushkritaam;
Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge.(8)
For
the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the
establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.
Janma karma cha me divyam evam yo vetti tattwatah;
Tyaktwa deham punarjanma naiti maameti so’rjuna.(9)
He
who thus knows in true light My divine birth and action, after having abandoned
the body is not born again; he comes to Me, O Arjuna!
Veetaraagabhayakrodhaa manmayaa maam upaashritaah;
Bahavo jnaana tapasaa pootaa madbhaavam
aagataah.(10)
Freed from attachment, fear and
anger, absorbed in me, taking refuge in me, purified by the fire of knowledge,
many have attained to My Being.
Ye yathaa maam prapadyante taamstathaiva
bhajaamyaham;
Mama vartmaanuvartante manushyaah paartha
sarvashah.(11)
In whatever way men approach Me,
even so do I reward them; My path do men tread in all ways, O Arjuna!
Kaangkshantah karmanaam siddhim yajanta iha
devataah;
Kshipram hi maanushe loke siddhir bhavati
karmajaa.(12)
Those who long for success in
action in this world sacrifice to the gods, because success is quickly attained
by men through action.
Chaaturvarnyam mayaa srishtam gunakarma
vibhaagashah;
Tasya kartaaram api maam viddhyakartaaram
avyayam.(13)
The fourfold caste has been
created by Me according to the differentiation of Guna and
Karma; though I am the author
thereof, know Me as the non-doer and immutable.
Na maam karmaani limpanti na me karmaphale
sprihaa;
Iti maam yo’bhijaanaati karmabhir na sa
badhyate.(14)
Actions do not taint Me, nor
have I a desire for the fruits of actions. He who knows Me thus is not bound by
actions.
Evam jnaatwaa kritam karma poorvair api
mumukshubhih;
Kuru karmaiva tasmaat twam poorvaih
poorvataram kritam.(15)
Having known this, the ancient seekers after
freedom also performed actions; therefore, do thou perform actions as did the
ancients in days of yore.
Kim karma kim akarmeti kavayo’pyatra
mohitaah;
Tat te karma pravakshyaami yajjnaatwaa
mokshyase’shubhaat.(16)
What is action? What is
inaction? As to this even the wise are confused. Therefore, I shall teach thee
such action (the nature of action and inaction), by knowing which thou shalt be
liberated from the evil (of Samsara, the world of birth and death).
Karmano hyapi boddhavyam boddhavyam cha
vikarmanah;
Akarmanashcha boddhavyam gahanaa karmano
gatih.(17)
For, verily the true nature of
action (enjoined by the scriptures) should be known, also (that) of forbidden
(or unlawful) action, and of inaction; hard to understand is the nature (path)
of action.
Karmanyakarma yah pashyed akarmani cha
karma yah;
Sa buddhimaan manushyeshu sa yuktah
kritsnakarmakrit.(18)
He who seethe inaction in action
and action in inaction, he is wise among men; he is a Yogi and performer of all
actions.
Yasya sarve samaarambhaah kaamasankalpa
varjitaah;
Jnaanaagni dagdhakarmaanam tam aahuh
panditam budhaah.(19)
He whose undertakings are all
devoid of desires and (selfish) purposes, and whose
actions have been burnt by the
fire of knowledge,—him the wise call a sage.
Tyaktwaa karmaphalaasangam nityatripto
niraashrayah;
Karmanyabhipravritto’pi naiva kinchit
karoti sah.(20)
Having abandoned attachment to the fruit of
the action, ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything though
engaged in activity.
Niraasheer yatachittaatmaa tyaktasarvaparigrahah;
Shaareeram kevalam karma kurvannaapnoti
kilbisham.(21)
Without hope and with the mind
and the self controlled, having abandoned all greed, doing mere bodily action,
he incurs no sin.
Yadricchaalaabhasantushto dwandwaateeto
vimatsarah;
Samah siddhaavasiddhau cha kritwaapi na
nibadhyate.(22)
Content with what comes to him
without effort, free from the pairs of opposites and envy, even-minded in
success and failure, though acting, he is not bound.
Gatasangasya muktasya
jnaanaavasthitachetasah;
Yajnaayaacharatah karma samagram
pravileeyate.(23)
To one who is devoid of
attachment, who is liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, who works
for the sake of sacrifice (for the sake of God), the whole action is dissolved.
Brahmaarpanam brahmahavirbrahmaagnau
brahmanaa hutam;
Brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahmakarmasamaadhinaa.(24)
Brahman is the oblation; Brahman
is the melted butter (ghee); by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of
Brahman; Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always sees Brahman in
action.
Daivam evaapare yajnam yoginah paryupaasate;
Brahmaagnaavapare yajnam
yajnenaivopajuhwati.(25)
Some Yogis perform sacrifice to
the gods alone, while others (who have realised the Self) offer the Self as
sacrifice by the Self in the fire of Brahman alone.
Shrotraadeeneendriyaanyanye samyamaagnishu
juhwati;
Shabdaadeen vishayaananya indriyaagnishu
juhwati.(26)
Some again offer hearing and
other senses as sacrifice in the fire of restraint; others offer sound and
various objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses.
Sarvaaneendriya karmaani praanakarmaani
chaapare;
Aatmasamyamayogaagnau juhwati
jnaanadeepite.(27)
Others again sacrifice all the
functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital energy or Prana) in the
fire of the Yoga of self-restraint kindled by knowledge.
Dravyayajnaas tapoyajnaa
yogayajnaastathaapare;
Swaadhyaayajnaana yajnaashcha yatayah
samshitavrataah.(28)
Some again offer wealth,
austerity and Yoga as sacrifice, while the ascetics of self-restraint and rigid
vows offer study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.
Apaane juhwati praanam praane’paanam
tathaa’pare;
Praanaapaana gatee ruddhwaa
praanaayaamaparaayanaah.(29)
Others offer as sacrifice the
outgoing breath in the incoming, and the incoming in the outgoing, restraining
the courses of the outgoing and the incoming breaths, solely absorbed in the restraint
of the breath.
Apare niyataahaaraah praanaan praaneshu
juhwati;
Sarve’pyete yajnavido yajnakshapita
kalmashaah.(30)
Others who regulate their diet
offer life-breaths in life-breaths; all these are knower’s of sacrifice, whose
sins are all destroyed by sacrifice.
Yajnashishtaamritabhujo yaanti brahma
sanaatanam;
Naayam loko’styayajnasya kuto’nyah
kurusattama.(31)
Those who eat the remnants of
the sacrifice, which are like nectar, go to the eternal Brahman. This world is
not for the man who does not perform sacrifice; how then can he have the other,
O Arjuna?
Evam bahuvidhaa yajnaa vitataa brahmano
mukhe;
Karmajaan viddhi taan sarvaan evam jnaatwaa
vimokshyase.(32)
Thus, various kinds of
sacrifices are spread out before Brahman (literally at the mouth or face of
Brahman). Know them all as born of action, and knowing thus, thou shalt be
liberated.
Shreyaan dravyamayaadyajnaaj jnaanayajnah
parantapa;
Sarvam karmaakhilam paartha jnaane
parisamaapyate.(33)
Superior is wisdom-sacrifice to
sacrifice with objects, O Parantapa! All actions in their entirety, O Arjuna,
culminate in knowledge!
Tadviddhi pranipaatena pariprashnena
sevayaa;
Upadekshyanti te jnaanam jnaaninas
tattwadarshinah.(34)
Know that by long prostration, by question and
by service, the wise who have realized the Truth will instruct thee in (that)
knowledge.
Yajjnaatwaa na punarmoham evam yaasyasi
paandava;
Yena bhootaanyasheshena
drakshyasyaatmanyatho mayi.(35)
Knowing that, thou shalt not, O
Arjuna, again become deluded like this; and by that thou shalt see all beings
in thy Self and also in Me!
Api chedasi paapebhyah sarvebhyah
paapakrittamah;
Sarvam jnaanaplavenaiva vrijinam
santarishyasi.(36)
Even if thou art the most sinful
of all sinners, yet thou shalt verily cross all sins by the raft of knowledge.
Yathaidhaamsi samiddho’gnir bhasmasaat
kurute’rjuna;
Jnaanaagnih sarvakarmaani bhasmasaat kurute
tathaa.(37)
As the blazing fire reduces fuel
to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ashes!
Na hi jnaanena sadrisham pavitram iha
vidyate;
Tat swayam yogasamsiddhah kaalenaatmani
vindati.(38)
Verily there is no purifier in
this world like knowledge. He who is perfected in Yoga finds it in the Self in
time.
Shraddhaavaan labhate jnaanam tatparah
samyatendriyah;
Jnaanam labdhvaa paraam shaantim
achirenaadhigacchati.(39)
The man who is full of faith,
who is devoted to it, and who has subdued all the senses, obtains (this)
knowledge; and, having obtained the knowledge, he goes at once to the supreme peace.
Ajnashchaashraddhadhaanashcha samshayaatmaa
vinashyati;
Naayam loko’sti na paro na sukham
samshayaatmanah.(40)
The ignorant, the faithless, the
doubting self proceeds to destruction; there is neither this world nor the
other nor happiness for the doubting.
Yogasannyasta karmaanam
jnaanasamcchinnasamshayam;
Aatmavantam na karmaani nibadhnanti
dhananjaya.(41)
He who has renounced actions by
Yoga, whose doubts are rent asunder by knowledge, and who is self-possessed,—actions
do not bind him, O Arjuna!
Tasmaad ajnaanasambhootam hritstham
jnaanaasinaatmanah;
Cchittwainam samshayam yogam
aatishthottishtha bhaarata.(42)
Therefore, with the sword of
knowledge (of the Self) cut asunder the doubt of the self born of ignorance,
residing in thy heart, and take refuge in Yoga; arise, O Arjuna!
Hari Om Tat Sat
Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu
Brahmavidyaayaam
Yogashaastre Sri Krishnaarjunasamvaade
Jnaanavibhaagayogo Naama Chaturtho’dhyaayah
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the
science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna
and Arjuna, ends the fourth discourse entitled:
Lord Krishna declares that He is born from age to age, in
order to raise man and take him to the Supreme. Whenever there is a prevalence
of unrighteousness and the world is ruled by the forces of darkness, the Lord
manifests Himself to destroy these adverse forces and to establish peace, order
and harmony. Hence we see the appearance of the great saviors of the world.
What is the secret of Yogic action? This Lord proceeds to explain to Arjuna.
Even though one is not engaged in action, but if the mind is active with the
idea of doer ship and egoism, then it is action in inaction. On the other hand,
though engaged physically in intense action, if the idea of agency is absent,
if one feels that Prakriti does everything, it is inaction in action. The
liberated man is free from attachment and is always calm and serene though
engaged in ceaseless action. He is unaffected by the pairs of opposites like
joy and grief, success and failure.
One who has true union with the Lord is not subject to
rebirth. He attains immortality. Such a union can only be achieved when one is
free from attachment, fear and anger, being thoroughly purified by right
knowledge. The Lord accepts the devotion of all, whatever path they may use to
approach Him. Various kinds of sacrifices are performed by those engaged in the
path to God. Through the practice of these sacrifices the mind is purified and
led God ward. Here also there must be the spirit of non-attachment to the
fruits of actions. Divine wisdom, according to Sri Krishna, should be sought at
the feet of a liberated Guru, one who has realized the Truth. The aspirant
should approach such a sage in a spirit of humility and devotion. God Himself
manifests in the heart of the Guru and instructs the disciple. Having
understood the Truth from the Guru by direct intuitive experience the aspirant
is no longer deluded by ignorance. The liberated aspirant directly beholds the
Self in all beings and all beings in the Self. He cognises through internal experience or intuition that
all beings, from the Creator down to a blade of grass, exist in his own Self
and also in God.
Arjuna is given the most heartening assurance that divine
wisdom liberates even the most sinful. When knowledge of the Self dawns, all
actions with their results are burnt by the fire of that knowledge, just as
fuel is burnt by fire. When there is no idea of egoism, when there is no desire
for the fruits of one’s actions, actions are no actions. They lose their
potency.
In order to attain divine wisdom one must have supreme faith
and devotion. Faith is therefore the most important qualification for a
spiritual aspirant. The doubting mind is always led astray from the right path.
Faith ultimately confers divine knowledge, which removes ignorance once and for
all. Mere intellectual knowledge does not lead to liberation. It cannot grant
one supreme peace and freedom. When one has achieved complete self-mastery and
self-control, when one has intense faith and devotion, then true knowledge
dawns within and one attains liberation and freedom from all weaknesses and
sins.
The Lord concludes by emphasizing that the soul that doubts
goes to destruction. Without faith in oneself, in the scriptures and in the
words of the preceptor, one cannot make any headway on the spiritual path. It
is doubt that prevents one from engaging in spiritual Sadhana and realizing the
highest knowledge and bliss. By following the instructions of the Guru and
through sincere service, one’s doubts are rent asunder and divine knowledge manifests
itself within. Spiritual progress then goes on at a rapid pace.
