Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

“ Arjuna becomes the type of the struggling soul of the disciple, and Shrî Krishna is the Logos of the soul. Thus the teaching of the ancient battlefield gives guidance in all later days, and trains the aspiring soul in treading the steep and thorny path that leads to peace. To all such souls in East and West come these divine lessons, for the path is one, though it has many names, and all souls seek the same goal, though they may not realise their unity.
In order to preserve the precision of the Sanskrit, a few technical terms have been given in the original in foot-notes ”

“ The epithets applied to Shrî Krishna and Arjuna—the variety of which is so characteristic of Sanskrit conversation—are for the most part left untranslated, as being musical they thus add to the literary charm, whereas the genius of English is so different from that of Sanskrit, that the many-footed epithets become sometimes almost grotesque in translation. Names derived from that of an ancestor, as Pârtha, meaning the son of Prithâ, Kaunteya, meaning the son of Kuntî, are used in one form or the other, according to the rhythm of the sentence. ”

“ Supervisor and permitter, supporter, enjoyer, the great Lord, and also the supreme Self; thus is styled in this body the supreme Spirit. [10] (23)
य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह ।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥ २४ ॥ He who thus knoweth Spirit [11] and Matter [10] with its qualities, [12] in whatsoever condition he may be, he shall not be born again. (24)
ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना ।
अन्ये साङ्ख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे ॥ २५ ॥ Some by meditation behold the Self in the self by the Self; others by the Sânkhya Yoga, and others by the Yoga of Action ”

“ On every side, all-swallowing, fiery-tongued,
Thou lickest up mankind, devouring all;
The glory filleth space: the universe
Is burning, Vishnu, with Thy blazing rays. (30)
आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद ।
विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यम्
न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम् ॥ ३१ ॥
Reveal Thy Self; what awful Form art Thou? ”

“ I am supremely dear to the wise, and he is dear to Me. (17)
उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् । आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् ॥ १८ ॥ Noble are all these, but I hold the wise as verily Myself; he, Self united, is fixed on Me, the highest Path. (18)
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते ।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ॥ १९ ॥ At the close of many births the man full of wisdom cometh unto Me; "Vâsudeva [13] is all." ”

“ He must learn not to be attracted by the attractive, nor repelled by the repellent, but must see both as manifestations of the one Lord, so that they may be lessons for his guidance, not fetters for his bondage. In the midst of turmoil he must rest in the Lord of Peace, discharging every duty to the fullest, not because he seeks the results of his actions, but because it is his duty to perform them. ”

“ I worship as it fitting; bless Thou me.
As father with the son, as friend with friend,
With the beloved as lover, bear with me. (44)
अदृष्टपूर्वं हृषितोऽस्मि दृष्ट्वा भयेन च प्रव्यथितं मनो मे ।
तदेव मे दर्शय देव रूपम्
प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥ ४५ ॥
I have seen that which none hath seen before,
My heart is glad, yet faileth me for fear;
Show me, O God, Thine other Form again—
Mercy, O God of Gods, home of all worlds— (45)
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रहस्तमिच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव । तेनैव रूपेण चतुर्भुजेन सहस्रबाहो भव विश्वमूर्ते ॥ ४६ ॥
Diademed, mace and discus in Thy hand. ”

“ Who sitteth, controlling the organs of action, but dwelling in his mind [4] on the objects of the senses, that bewildered man is called a hypocrite. (6)
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन । कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥ ७ ॥ But who, controlling the senses by the mind [4] , O Arjuna, with the organs of action without attachment, performeth yoga by action [5] , he is worthy. ”

“ I hold back and send forth the rain; immortality and also death, being and non-being [9] am I, Arjuna. (19)
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापाः यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते । ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोकमश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ॥ २० ॥ The knowers of the three, [10] the Soma-drinkers, the purified from sin, worshipping Me with sacrifice, pray of Me the way to heaven; they, ascending to the holy world of the Ruler of the Shining Ones, eat in heaven the divine feasts of the Shining Ones. ”

“ Take thou refuge in the Pure Reason [27] ; pitiable are they who work for fruit. (49)
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते । तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥ ५० ॥ United to the Pure Reason [27] one abandoneth here both good and evil deeds; therefore cleave thou to yoga; yoga is skill in action. (50)
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः । जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ॥ ५१ ॥ The Sages, united to the Pure Reason [27] , renounce the fruit which action yieldeth, and, liberated from the bonds of birth, they go to the blissful seat. ”

“ They who with mind [1] fixed on Me ever harmonised worship Me, with faith supreme endowed, these, in My opinion, are best in yoga. (2)
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते । सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥ ३ ॥ They who worship the Indestructible, the Ineffable, the unmanifested, Omnipresent, and Unthinkable, the Unchanging, Immutable, Eternal, (3)
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः । ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ ४ ॥ Restraining and subduing the senses, regarding everything equally, in the welfare of all rejoicing, these also come unto Me. ”

“ Sages have known as renunciation the renouncing of works with desire; the relinquishing of the fruit of all actions is called relinquishment by the wise. (2)
त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः । यज्ञदानतपः कर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे ॥ ३ ॥ "Action should be relinquished as an evil," [4] declare some thoughtful men; "acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity should not be relinquished," say others. (3)
निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम । त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः सम्प्रकीर्तितः ॥ ४ ॥ Hear my conclusions as to that relinquishment, O best of the Bhâratas ”

“ Again, O mighty-armed, hear thou My supreme word, that, desiring thy welfare, I will declare to thee who art beloved. (1)
न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः । अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ॥ २ ॥ The multitude of the Shining Ones, or the great Rishis, [1] know not my forthcoming, for I am the beginning of all the Shining Ones and the great Rishis. (2)
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम् । असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ ३ ॥ He who knoweth Me, unborn, beginningless, the great Lord of the world, he among mortals without delusion, is liberated from all sin. ”

“ Manah is the mind, both in the lower mental processes in which it is swayed by the senses, by passions and emotions, and in the higher processes of reasoning; Buddhi is the faculty above the ratiocinating mind, and is the Pure Reason, exercising the discriminative faculty of intuition, of spiritual discernment ”

“ Yoga killeth out all pain for him who is regulated in eating and amusement, regulated in performing actions, regulated in sleeping and waking. (17)
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते । निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥ १८ ॥ When his subdued thought is fixed on the Self, free from longing after all desirable things, then it is said, "he is harmonised." (18)
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता । योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥ As a lamp in a windless place flickereth not, to such is likened the Yogî of subdued thought, absorbed in the yoga of the Self. ”

“ Even the wise are herein perplexed. Therefore I will declare to thee the action by knowing which thou shalt be loosed from evil. (16)
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः । अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥ १७ ॥ It is needful to discriminate action, to discriminate unlawful action, and to discriminate inaction; mysterious is the path of action. (17)
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः । स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥ १८ ॥ He who seeth inaction in action, and action in inaction, he is wise among men, he is harmonious, even while performing all action. ”

“ My womb is the great Eternal; in that I place the germ; thence cometh the birth of all beings, O Bhârata. (3)
सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः संभवन्ति याः । तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥ ४ ॥ In whatsoever wombs mortals are produced, O Kaunteya, the great Eternal is their womb, I their generating father. (4)
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः । निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥ ५ ॥ Harmony, [2] Motion, Inertia, such are the qualities [3] , Matter [4] -born; they bind fast in the body, O great-armed one, the indestructible dweller in the body. ”

“ Inertia, verily, having shrouded wisdom, attacheth on the contrary to heedlessness. (9)
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत । रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा ॥ १० ॥ Now Harmony prevaileth, having overpowered Motion and Inertia, O Bhârata; now Motion, having overpowered Harmony and Inertia; and now Inertia, having overpowered Harmony and Motion. (10)
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते । ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत ॥ ११ ॥ When the wisdom-light streameth forth from all the gates of the body, then it may be known that Harmony is increasing. ”

“ He seeth, who seeth that the Sânkhya and the Yoga are one. (5)
संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः । योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म न चिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ६ ॥
But without yoga, O mighty-armed, renunciation is hard to attain to; the yoga-harmonised Muni swiftly goeth to the Eternal. (6)
योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः । सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥ ७ ॥ He who is harmonised by yoga, the self purified, Self-ruled, the senses subdued, whose Self is the Self of all beings, although acting he is not affected. ”

“ Listen thou how perfection is won by him who is intent on his own duty [19] . (45)
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥ ४६ ॥ He from whom is the emanation of beings, by Whom all This is pervaded, by worshipping Him in his own duty [19] a man winneth perfection. (46)
श्रेयान् स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ ४७ ॥ Better is one's own duty [20] though destitute of merits than the well-executed duty [20] of another. He who doeth the duty [19] laid down by his own nature incurreth not sin. ”

“ The self, deluded by egoism [11] , thinketh: "I am the doer." (27)
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः । गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ २८ ॥ But he, O mighty-armed, who knoweth the essence of the divisions of the qualities and functions, holding that "the qualities move amid the qualities," [12] is not attached. (28)
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु । तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥ २९ ॥ Those deluded by the qualities of nature are attached to the functions of the qualities. ”

“ When a man abandoneth, O Pârtha, all the desires of the heart [33] , and is satisfied in the Self by the Self, then is he called stable in mind [34] . (55)
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः । वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥ ५६ ॥ He whose mind [31] is free from anxiety amid pains, indifferent amid pleasures, loosed from passion, fear and anger, is called a sage [35] of stable mind. ”

“ Wisdom is enveloped by unwisdom; therewith mortals are deluded. (15)
ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः । तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ॥ १६ ॥ Verily, in whom unwisdom is destroyed by the wisdom of the Self, in them wisdom, shining as the sun, reveals the Supreme. ”

“ The objects of sense, but not the relish for them, [38] turn away from an abstemious dweller in the body; and even relish turneth away from him after the Supreme is seen. (59)
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः । इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥ ६० ॥ O son of Kuntî, the excited senses of even a wise man, though he be striving, impetuously carry away his mind [39] . (60)
तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः । वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ ६१ ॥ Having restrained them all, he should sit harmonised, I his supreme goal ”