THE FIRST DISCOURSE

Dhritarashtra said:

I
Sanjaya,
when my sons
and the sons of Pandu
had gathered,
longing to fight
in the field of dharma,
the field of Kuru,
what did they do?

Sanjaya said:

2
When he truly saw
the force
of the Pandavas
gathered together,
Duryodhana
approached
Drona the teacher,
and said these words: 1

3
'Master,
look at the sons
of Pandu-
4 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FIRST DISCOURSE 5

the great army 7

drawn up And, on our side too,
by Drupada's son - 2 there are those
one of your own who are distinguished;
wise students. recognize them,
highest of the twice-born.
4 I will name them for you
Great heroes so that you will know
who throw the arrow these leaders of my army.
in the same way
as Bhima and Arj una 8
in battle: You, Drona,
Yuyudhana and Virata, and Bhishma,
arid Drupada, and Karna,
with the great chariot. 3 and Kripa,
always victorious
5 in battle,
D hrishtasaketu, and the son
the bold leader, of Somadatta too.'
and Cekitana,
the intelligent one; 9
and the brave King of Kashi; And many others -
Purujit, who conquers widely, heroes who
and Kuntibhoja,' are ready
and Shaibya, both bull and man. to give up life
for my sake-
6 throwing many
Mighty Yudhamanyu, different weapons,
passionate in battle, all skilled in battle.
and Uttamaujas
most powerful; IO
the son of Subhadra, This force
and the sons of Draupadi, of ours
all indeed guarded by Bhishma
with great chariots.' is unbounded;
although this force,
6 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FIRST DISCOURSE 7

of theirs- swift chariot,

guarded by Bhima, Krishna, son of Madhu,
is bounded. 7 and Arjuna, son of Pandu,
both blew
II their divine conch horns.
All of you,
truly honourable ones, IS
must indeed The bristling-haired Krishna'
protect Bhishma' blew the horn
in all manoeuvres, called Pancajanya;
each holding down Arjuna, winner of wealth,
his own place, blew the horn Devadarta;
as appropriate.' and wolf-bellied Bhima,
awesome in his deeds,
!2 blew the horn Paundra.
Giving Duryodhana
great joy, r6
Bhishma, Kunti's son, King Yudhishthira,
the old Kuru grandfather, blew the horn Endless Victory,
ctying a high called Anantavijaya;
lion's roar, Nakula and Sahadeva
with full force both blew the two horns
blew his conch horn; Lovely Sound, called Sughosha,
and Chalice of Gems,
I} called Manipushpaka.
then the conch horns
and kettledrums, I7
the cymbals, drums, The One from Kashi,
bull-mouth trumpets, the highest bowman,
all suddenly and Shikhandin
were sounded, with the great chariot,
and the sound grew Dhrishthadyumna,
into great tumult. and Virata,
and Satyaki,
I4 still unconquered; 10
Then, standing
with white horses
yoked in a great,
8 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FIRST DISCOURSE 9

I8 make my chariot stand

Ruler of the Earth: in the middle of
Drupada of swift step, the two armies,
and the Sons of Draupadi,
all together, 2.2
and the strong-armed until I see fully
Son of Subhadra, these men drawn up
they blew conch horns in a hunger
one by one. for battle.
With whom
I9 must I fight
The great cry in beginning
tore the hearts this battle?
of the Sons
of Dhritarashtra; 23
the tumult I see those
made the sky who are about to fight -
and the earth those who have
resound. gathered here,
wishing to do
2.0 loving service in battle
When he saw for the hard-souled son
the sons of Dhritarashtra of Dhritarashtra.'
drawn np in battle array
in the emerging 24
clash of weapons, Son of Bharata:
the Son of Pandn, in this way,
with his monkey banner, bristling-haired Krishna
raised his bow.U was spoken to
by thick-haired Arjuna, 12
2I while Krishna made
Then straight-haired Arjuna the great chariot
spoke these words stand between both armies.
to bristling-haired Krishna:
'Lord of the Earth, 25
Unchanging One, Facing Bhishma
and Drona
and all the rnlers
IO THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FIRST DISCOURSE II

of the world, 29
Arjuna, my legs
son of Pritha, said, collapse,
'Look at the Kurus, my mouth
gathered in this way!' is parched,
my body
26 trembles,
Arjuna, son of Pritha, and my hair
saw fathers, bristles; 14
and then grandfathers
standing there - 30
teachers, mother's brothers, the Gandiva bow
brothers, sons, drops from my hand,
grandsons, my skin
and friends, too; is burned,
and I find
27 no rest;
fathers-in-law, my mind
and companions seems to wander;
of strong heart.
Looking at all 31
his relatives I see
come together perverse omens;
in both armies, and before me
the son of Kunti 13 I see no good
in killing
28 my people
broke down in battle,
with deep compassion Lovely-Haired Krishna!
and said,
'Krishna, now that 32
I have seen Krishna, I long
my own people here, neither for victory,
coming near and nor kingship
longing to fight, nor pleasures.
Lord of the Cows, 15
I2 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FIRST DISCOURSE
'3
what is kingship to us, the sons of Dhritarashtra?
what are delights, Evil would still cling to us
or life itself? when we'd killed
these men here,
33 with their bows drawn.
The ones
on whose behalf 37
we long for kingship, Therefore we are not
delights, and pleasures - entitled to kill
these are the very ones the sons of Dhritarashtra,
drawn up in battle, our own kinsmen.
giving up After we had killed
life-breath and wealth! 16 our own people,
how would we take pleasure,
34 Son of Madhu? 18
Teachers,
fathers and sons 38
and grandfathers, too, Even if those whose thoughts
mother's brothers, are overwhelmed by greed
fathers-in-law · do not see the wrong done
grandsons, by the destruction
brothers-in-law - of family,
also other family - and the fault
of meanness
35 and injury to friends,
Killer of Madhu, 17
even though they 39
are ready to kill, Mover of Men,
I don't want to kill them - how would we not know
even for the kingship through clear vision
of the three worlds, to turn away
and certainly not from this evil -
for the earth. the wrong done
by the destruction
36 offamily?
Mover of Men,
what joy would it be
for us to kill
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FIRST DISCOURSE I5
I4

40 44
In the destruction Mover of Men,
of family, those humans
the eternal dharma whose dharma
of family perishes; has vanished
when dharma perishes, will live
its absence for ever in hell;
also conquers we have heard this
the whole family. over and over again.

41 45
Son of Vrishni, 19 Oh! we are set
when the absence upon doing
of dharma has conquered, a great harm;
the women of the family we are eager to kill
are defiled, our own people,
and caste-confusion is born all for the sake
in the corruption of pleasure
ofwomen;~
0
and a kingdom.

42 46
the caste-blending If the sons
of the family of Dhritarashtra,
and the family-destroyers weapons in hand,
indeed brings them hell: should strike me
bereft of offerings unarmed in battle,
of rice and water,21 this would be
their ancestors greater peace
will surely fall. for me!'

43 47
The dharma of caste, After he spoke,
and the eternal dharma Arjuna sat down
of family, on the chariot seat,
are uprooted in the midst of battle,
by these wrongful acts and let go of
of family-destroyers, both his bow and arrow,
since they create his whole being
a blending of caste. 22 recoiling in grief.
 THE SECOND DISCOURSE I7
this is not fitting for you.
Let go of this
lowly weakness of the heart
THE SECOND DISCOURSE and stand up,
Scorcher of the Enemy! 3

Arjuna said:

4
Killer of Madhu,
Sanjaya said: how will I fight
Drona and Bhishma
I with arrows
Krishna, in battle?
Killer of Madhu, How will! fight
spoke these words these honourable men,
to the despairing one Killer of the Enemy?
whose eyes were
filled with tears, 5
and who was overcome Better to eat beggar's food
with pity. than to kill these great-souled
teachers here on earth;
The Blessed One said: for if I killed these teachers,
striving after their goals
2 here on earth,
How does I would eat food
this faint heart covered in blood.
come to you
in time of difficulty? 6
This is not suitable Facing the sons
for a noble one; 1 of Dhritarashtra,
it is not heavenly, we do not know
and brings on disgrace. which has more weight for us:
should we conquer them,
3 or should they conquer us?
Do not become Even after we've killed them,
a cowardly eunuch,' we would not want to live!
Son of Pritha;
I8 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE I9

7 both armies,
My own nature is struck spoke these words
by pity, and a sense of wrong, to the despairing one:
and my mind is clouded
as to dharma: The Blessed One said:
I ask you which is best -
tell me! I am your student! II

Correct me, who lies You speak as if

fallen before your feet. with words of wisdom,
[but] you have mourned
8 that which is
I don't ever see not to be mourned.
what would take away Wise men mourn neither
my grief- that grief those whose life-breath is gone,
which dries up the senses, nor those whose breath remains.
even though I might gain
opulent and unrivalled I2
kingship here on earth, I have never
or even lordship of the gods. 4 not existed;
nor have you, nor have
Sanjaya said: these lords of men.
Nor will we
9 cease to exist,
Scorcher of the Enemy,' all of us,
after speaking from now onwards.
to bristling-haired Krishna,
thick-haired Arjuna I3
said: 'I will not fight!' Just as childhood,
He spoke this way youth and age
to Krishna, the cow finder, exist in the body
and then became quiet. of the embodied self,'
in this way, one takes on
ro another body.
Son of Bharata, Those who see clearly
bristling-haired Krishna are not confused by this.
seemed to
begin to laugh,
and in between
20 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE
2!

I4 to effect
Son of Kunti, the destruction
the touches of the senses, of the imperishable.
bringing pain and pleasure,
heat and cold: r8
they come and go, These bodies
and they don't last for ever. have an end;
You must try to endure them, but they are said
son of Bharata. 7 to belong to tbe eternal
embodied self-
I5 that which is never lost
Bull among Men, and cannot be measured.
the one whom So fight, Son of Bharatal
these touches
do not make tremble, 19
the one for whom The one who perceives
pain and pleasure are alike, the self as a killer,
that one is ready and the one who perceives
for immortality. the self as killed:
neither of them know
16 that this self
Being is not found does not kill,
in that which does not exist. nor is it killed.
Non-being is not found
in that which exists. 20
The limit of both The self is not born
being and non-being nor does it ever die.
is perceived by those Once it has been, this self will
who see the truth. never cease to be again.
Unborn, 8 eternal,
17 continuing from the old,
Know this: the self is not killed
that with which when the body is killed.'
all this world is woven
is not to be destroyed. 2I
No one is able The one who
knows the eternal
and the indestructible,
22 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE 23

that which is unborn, 25

and imperishable, The self
how does he cause to die, is not readily seen;
Son of Pritha, and whom? by sight or mind;
How does he kill, and whom? it is said to be formless
and unchanging;
22 so, when you
Just as one have known this,
throws out old clothes you should not mourn.
and then takes on
other, new ones; 26
so the embodied self And even
casts out old bodies if you think
as it gets the self is
other, new ones. eternally born,
or eternally dead -
23 still, you should not
Weapons do not mourn it,
cut the self, Strong-Armed One. 10
nor does fire
burn it, 27
nor do waters Death is fixed
drench it, for those
nor does wind who are born,
dry it. and birth is fixed
for those who die;
24 since such an end
The self is certain,
is not to be pierced, you should not grieve.
nor burned,
nor drenched, 28
nor dried; Son of Bharata,
it is eternal, beings have beginnings
all-pervading and fixed - which are formless,
unmoving from the beginning. and middle states
which do have form,
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE
24 25

and deaths which, by happy accident,

again, are formless; then warriors take pleasure
why would one grieve over this? when they find
such a battle,
29 Son of Pritha.
It is a wonder
that anyone sees this, 33
and a wonder If you will not
that anyone else speaks it, engage this fight
and a wonder for the sake
that yet another hears it. of dharma,
Yet even when they've heard it, you will have shunned
no one knows it at all. your own dharma
and good name,
30 and shall cause harm.
Son of Bharata,
the embodied self 34
which exists in the body And people
of everyone will tell stories
is eternally of your own
free from harm; eternal disgrace;
so you should not grieve and for those
for any living beings. who are esteemed,
disgrace
31 surpasses death.
And as you discern
your own dharma, 35
you should not waver. The warriors
For the warrior, in their great chariots
there can be found will think you shrank
nothing greater from the joys of battle
than battle because of fear;
for the sake of dharma. and where they once
thought of you highly,
32 they will now think you unworthy.
And if the open door
of heaven
is reached
26 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE 27

36 joined to this insight,

And those who are you will avoid
hostile to you the bonds of action!'
will speak
many unspeakable words, 40
ridiculing In this yoga,
your power. no effort
What greater pain goes to waste,
is there? and no momentum
is lost;
37 even a little
If you are killed, of this dharma
you shall reach heaven; rescues one from great fear.
or if you triumph,
you shall enjoy the earth; 41
so stand up, Joy of the Kurus,
Son of Kunti, this insight here
firm in your resolve is firm in nature,
to fight! and singular,
but the insights
38 of those who waver
When you have made are endless,
pleasure and pain the same - with many branches.
also gain and loss,
and victory and defeat, 42
then join yourself The ones who
to battle; do not see
and in this way, proclaim
you will not cause harm. this overblown speech;
passionate
39 in the world of Veda 12
Son of Pritha, they declare,
this insight has been spoken 'There is nothing else!'
to you in terms of samkhya;
now hear it 43
in terms of yoga; Their nature is desire,
with heaven as their object;
they turn to
28 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE
29
different rituals 47
whose aim is power Your authority is
and consumption, in action alone,
but whose fruit of action and never
is really rebirth. in its fruits;
motive should never be
44 in the fruits of action,
To those clinging nor should you cling
to consumption to inaction. 14
and power,
whose thoughts are stolen by this, 48
that insight Abiding in yoga,
whose nature is firm engage in actions!
is not given Let go of clinging,
in meditation. and let fulfilment
and frustration
45 be the same;
Arjuna, the Vedas for it is said
belong to the three gunas, yoga is equanimity.
and you must be free
of the three gunas, 49
free from opposites, 13 Winner of Wealth,
eternally dwelling in truth, action is far inferior
neither acquiring nor keeping, to the yoga of insight.
self-possessed. Look for refuge
in insight;
46 for those who are
For a brahmin motivated by fruits
who discerns, are to be pitied.
there is as much value
in all the Vedas 50
as there is The one who is
in a well joined to insight
when water overflows casts off
on every side. both good
and evil acts.
So join yourself
to yoga;
yoga is ease in action.
30 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE 3I

5I How would the one

The wise ones whose thoughts are firm
joined to insight, speak? Or sit? Or move about?
and who have
let go of the fruit, The Blessed One said:
freed from
the bonds of birth, 55
they go to that place Son of Pritha,
which is without pain. when a person renounces
all the desires
52 in the mind,
When your insight that one is said
crosses well beyond to be content
the tangle of confusion, in the self, by the self,
then you will and firm in wisdom.
become disillusioned
with those revelations 56
which had been heard, The person whose mind
and may be heard [again]." is free from anxiety
about sorrows,
53 and free from greed
When your insight for pleasures,
is in deep focus, with rage, passion and fear gone,
and when it stands whose thoughts are firm,
motionless, that one is said to be a sage.
ignoring the revelation
which had been heard, 57
then you will The person who has
reach yoga. no longing anywhere,
coming across
Arj una said: this and that,
pure and impure,
54 who neither loves nor hates,
Lovely-Haired One, that one's wisdom
what language is there stands firm.
for a person
whose wisdom is firm
and meditation steady?
32 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE
33

sB the one whose senses

When a person are in control-
draws in the senses that one's wisdom stands firm.
from the sense-objects
in every sphere, 62
like a tortoise Clinging is born
pulls in its limbs, to someone
that one's wisdom who dwells on
stands firm. the spheres of the senses;
desire is born
59 from clinging;
These spheres of sense and anger is born
fall away from the from desire.
embodied self
who continues to fast- 63
all except taste; Confusion arises
and then taste, too, from anger;
falls away from the one and from confusion
who has seen the highest. 16 memory strays;
from the fall of memory
6o comes the loss of insight;
Son of Kunti, and one is lost
the senses tear apart when one's insight is lost.
and violently seize
the mind- 64
even for one One not joined
who makes great effort, to passion and hatred,
and who knows always moving
the tremor of reality Y in the spheres of the senses
by the senses,
6r the one who thus restrains the self,
The person who and who governs the self,
has practised yoga, attains peace.
restraining all these senses,
should sit, 65
with me as a pinnacle; In calmness,
there occurs
the withdrawal
34 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE SECOND DISCOURSE 35

of all pain; 69
for that person The restrained one
whose thought is placid, is watchful
insight becomes steady during the night
right away. of all beings;
and in the time
66 when beings are watchful,
There is no insight that is the night
for one who has not of the sage who sees. 19
practised yoga;
there is no peace 70
for the one As the ocean becomes full,
who does not concentrate;" yet is steady and unmoved
and from where does pleasure come as the waters enter it,
for the one who has no peace? so the one whom
all desires enter
67 in this way gains peace;
When the mind yet this is not so for
is led by the one who desires desire. 20
the roving senses,
then it steals 71
one's wisdom, The person who
like the wind casts away all desires,
steals a ship who moves away from clinging,
on the water. who has no idea
of 'mine',
68 and who has no idea
Strong-Armed One, of 'I',
the wisdom that one comes to peace. 21
of the person
who has drawn in 72
the senses Son of Pritha,
from their objects this is the state of Brahman;
in every sphere, if one has not reached this,
that one's wisdom stands firm. one is confused.
But firm in this,
even at the time of ending,
one reaches Brahman,
the bliss of cessation. 22
 THE THIRD DISCOURSE
37

was taught by me in ancient times:

the yoga of knowledge
for those who follow samkhya,
THE THIRD DISCOURSE and the yoga of action
for those who practise yoga. 2

4
One does not reach
the state
beyond action3
Arjuna said: by abstaining
from actions;
I nor does one
Mover of Men, reach fulfilment
if yonr idea is only by renunciation.
that insight is stronger
than action, 5
then why do you No one, not even
enjoin me for one moment,
to such terrible action, 1 ever stands without acting;
Lovely-Haired One? by virtue of the gunas
born in nature,
2 without willing it,
Through words everyone is made
that seem contradictory, to perform action.
you confuse
my insight; 6
tell me one thing The person who sits
that is without doubt - and subdues
how might I reach the active senses,
the higher good? while remembering and mindful
of the objects of the senses:
The Blessed One said: it is said that such a one
is a confused self -
3 who proceeds falsely.
Blameless One,
in this world,
a double foundation
38 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE THIRD DISCOURSE
39
7 'You shall create through this!
But, Arjuna, May this be the cow
the one who begins who grants your desires.
to rein in the senses
through the mind II
and who, without clinging, By this, may you
begins the yoga of action cause the gods to be;
through the active senses, and may the gods
is unique. cause you to be.
As you both
8 sustain each other,
So perform action you will reach
which is restrained, the higher good.' 4
for this action is better
than non·action; I2
and even the working As the gods are created
of your body by sacrifice,
would not succeed they will give you
without action. sought-after pleasures.
The one who enjoys
9 what is given by them
Except for action but does not give to them
whose end is sacrifice, is a thief.
this world is bound by action;
without clinging, IJ
perform action The true ones who eat
towards this end the leftovers
of sacrifice, of the sacrifices
Son of Kunti. are free from all evils;
but the evil ones
IO eat their own impurity,
In ancient times, as they cook
after he created only for themselves. 5
sacrifices
along with humans, I4
the lord of beings said: Beings exist
through food;
Parjanya, the rain,
40 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE THIRD DISCOURSE
4I
is the source of food. r8
Parjanya exists For that person,
through sacrifice there is no goal in action,
and sacrifice nor any goal
exists through action. 6 in non-action;
and that one
15 does not cling to goals,
Know the origin in connection with
of sacrificial action any beings.
as Brahman, arising from
the eternal nature' 19
of Brahman; So, without clinging,
thus all-pervading Brahman always perform
is eternally fixed actions to be done.
in sacrifice. When one performs
actions to be done
r6 without clinging,
The one who does not one attains
set the wheel the highest.
in motion
here on earth 20
lives uselessly, By action alone,
wanting to hurt, King Janaka
impassioned by the senses, and many others
Son of Pritha. gained fulfilment.'
0 bserving even
17 the simple maintenance
The person of the world,
who would be content you should act!
in the self,
pleased in the self, 2I
happy in the self - As the best person
for that one, practises
a reason for action in various pursuits,
does not exist. so too will the rest.
That one sets
42 THE BHAGAVAD ·GJTA THE THIRD DISCOURSE
43
the standard so the wise should act
that the world without clinging,
then follows. but rather, wanting
to keep the world
22. collected together.'
Son of Pritha:
for me, nothing at all 2.6
is to be done One should not give birth
in the three worlds; to the shredding of insight
there is nothing among the ignorant
to be reached who cling to action:
which has not been reached. the wise one, acting
Even so, I move in action. while joined to yoga,
should cause them
2.3 to delight in all action.
Surely if I,
who am inexhaustible, 27
did not undertake Everywhere
any action at all, actions are performed
humankind would by the gunas
follow my path of nature.
everywhere, The Self, confused
Son of Pritha. by the idea of an '!',
thus thinks,
24 'I am the doer.'
If I did not
perform actions, 28
these worlds Strong-Armed One,
would sink down; when the person who knows
I would be a creator the truth of the two spheres -
of scattered confusion, of guna and action -
and I would destroy thinks, 'The gunas
these human beings. are merely revolving
among the gunas,'
25 then that person does not cling.
Son of Bharata,
just as the unwise ones act
while clinging to action,
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE THIRD DISCOURSE
44 45

29 are lost
Those who are confused and thoughtless,
by the gunas of nature confusing all wisdom.
cling to the actions
of those gunas. 33
The one who knows the whole Even the wise person
should not disturb struggles
the fools who according to
do not know the whole. individual nature;
beings follow
30 their own nature.
When you have entrusted So what will
all actions to me, restraint accomplish?
with thought
on the highest self, 34
when you have become Passion and hatred
free from desire, abide in the place
free from the idea of 'mine', between a sense
then fight, wi;h grief gone. and its object;
one should not
3I come under the will
Those who of these two -
eternally follow one's enemies on the path.
this thought
of mine, 35
full of trust, Better one's own dharma,
who do not sneer - even if ineffective,
they are freed, than the dharma
even by actions. of another, practised well!
Better death
32 in one's own dharma!
But recognize The dharma of another
that those who sneer, only brings on fear.
and who do not follow
this idea
of mine,
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE THIRD DISCOURSE 47
46
this eternal enemy;
Arjuna said:
covered by a fire
in the shape of desire,
36
Son of Vrishni, a fire which is
then what always hungry. 10
sets a person
in motion 40
to do harm, It is said
even unintentionally, that the dwelling place of desire
as if driven is insight, mind
by force? and the senses.
Through these,
desire covers wisdom
The Blessed One said:
and confuses
the embodied self.
37
Learn the enemy,
here on earth: 4I
it is desire and anger; So, Bull of the Bharatas:
the guna of rajas, first rein in
or passwn, the senses;
is their source. then strike down
Each is all-consuming this evil one
and evil. who destroys
wisdom
38 and discernment.
As fire, bearer of oblations,
is covered by smoke, 42
and as a mirror They say
is covered by dust, that the senses are crucial;
and as an embryo and the mind more crucial
is covered by the womb, than the senses;
so this wisdom and even more crucial
is covered by this. than the mind is insight;
and much more crucial
than insight, is this [self].
39
Son of Kunti,
the wisdom of the wise
is covered by
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA
48

43
Strong-Armed One,
when you have learned
what is higher than insight - THE FOURTH DISCOURSE
the self, sustained
through the self -
then kill the enemy
that takes the shape of desire
and is hard to approach.

The Blessed One said:

I
I declared
this imperishable yoga
to Vivasvat,
god of the sun,
and he told it to Manu,
the first human,
who told it
to his son lkshvaku.

2
Scorcher of the Enemy,
through many an age,
the royal sages
knew this yoga,
obtained as it was
through lineage;
and then this yoga
was lost to the world.

3
Today I tell
this ancient yoga to you,
since you
are devoted to me,
and since you
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FOURTH DISCOURSE
50 5'
are my friend. 7
This is indeed Son of Bharata,
the highest mystery. whenever there is
a decline
Arjuna said: in dharma,
and the absence
4 of dharma
But your birth increases,
was later, I create myself. 1
and the birth of Vivasvat
was earlier; 8
how should I I come into being
understand from age to age
that you spoke it with the purpose
in the beginning? of fixing dharma -
as a refuge for
The Blessed One said: those who do good
and as a doom
5 for those who do evil.
Arjuna,
many of my births 9
have come and gone, So Arjuna,
and yours, too; when one who truly knows
while I know my divine
them all, birth and action
you do not, leaves the body,
Scorcher of the Enemy. that person does not
go to birth again,
6 but goes to me.
Although I am unborn,
an imperishable self, IO
and the Lord Thinking of me,
of all Beings, resorting to .me,
I govern my own many have reached
earthly nature, my being, purified
and come into being through the heated discipline
by my own creative force.
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FOURTH DISCOURSE
52 53

of wisdom, the fruits of actions.

their greed, fear and anger So too, the one
fully gone. who knows me
is not bound
II by actions.
Son of Pritha,
I devote myself 15
to those Action was undertaken
who resort to me; by the ancient ones
in just the same way, who knew this
people follow and who sought freedom; 3
my path so undertake action
in all places. as was done
by the ancient ones
I2 in earlier times.
Longing for fulfilment
through ritual acts, r6
here in this world, Even the poets
they sacrifice to the gods; are confused by this,
and in this mortal world, saying, 'What is action?
fulfilment born of such acts What is non-action?'
comes into being I tell you,
quickly indeed. when you know this action,
you will be freed
13 from impurity.
The four castes were brought forth
by me, distributing I7
gunas with actions; One should have watchful insight
although I am into action,
the Creator of this world, watchful insight
know me into wrong action,
as the Imperishable One and watchful insight
who does not act. 2 into non-action.
The way of action
14 is hard to fathom.
Actions do not
stain me,
nor do I desire
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FOURTH DISCOURSE
54 55

18 undertaking action
Among humans, with the body alone,
the person who sees that one does no evil.
non-action in action,
and action in non-action, 22
has insight; Content with
that one undertakes accidental gifts,
all actions, moving beyond dualities,
steady in yoga. free from malice,
the same in fulfilment
19 and frustration,
Insightful ones even after acting,
call that one a pandit that one is not bound.
who has winnowed
all aims and desires 23
from all endeavours For the one who is free,
and whose action is burned whose clinging is gone,
in the fire and whose thought
of wisdom. stands firm
in wisdom,
20 action performed
When one has let go for sacrifice
of clinging dissolves altogether.
to the fruits of action,
always content ·24
and independent, Brahman is offering;
even when turning Brahman is oblation
towards action, poured out by Brahman
that one does nothing at all. in the fire of Brahman;
Brahman is attained
21 by one absorbed
One who is without desire, in the action
but with a self of Brahman.'
whose thought is restrained,
and who has left off 25
all grasping, Some who practise yoga
offer sacrifice
only to a god;
 THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FOURTH DISCOURSE
s6 57

others sacrifice 29
to the sacrifice Some offer the in-breath
with the sacrifice in the out-breath.
in the fire Others offer the out-breath
of Brahman.' in the in-breath.
They hold the paths
26 of in-breath and out-breath,
Others offer senses focused on deep control
like hearing of the breath.
in the fires
of restraint; 30
others offer sense-objects Some restrict their food,
like sound and offer breaths
in the fires into breaths;
of the senses. all these knowers
of the sacrifice
27 have their evil deeds
Some offer consumed
all actions by sacrifice.
of the senses
and actions of the breath 3I
into the fire Best of the Kurus,
of the yoga this world does not belong
of self-restraint, to those who do not sacrifice,
lit by wisdom. much less the other world.
Those who enjoy
2.8 nectared remains of sacrifice
Some are ascetics go to Brahman,
who have sharpened their vows; existent from the beginning.
they sacrifice
with material things, 32
or with heated discipline, Recognize
or with yoga, that all those many kinds
or with self-study, of sacrifices,
or with wisdom. spread out
before Brahman,
ss THE BHAGAVAD GITA THE FOURTH DISCOURSE
59

are born of action: doers of evil,

when you realize this, you will cross beyond
you will be freed. all wickedness
by the boat
33 of wisdom?
Son of Pritha,
all action 37
is fully contained Arjuna,
in knowledge: just as the lit fire
the sacrifice of knowledge makes the kindling
is better than into ashes,
the sacrifice of worldly things, in this same way
Scorcher of the Enemy. the fire of wisdom
makes all actions
34 into ashes.
Recognize that
by complete surrender, 38
by questioning, In this world,
by serving, there is no purifier
the wise seers like wisdom;
of truth in time, one who is
will show oneself perfected
wisdom to you. by yoga
finds that wisdom
35 in the self.
Son of Pandu,
when you know this 39
you will not again be confused. With wisdom
Through this, as the highest goal,
you will see all beings - controlling the senses,
every single one - and filled with trust
in yourself, one reaches wisdom.
and then in me.' Then, with wisdom reached,
one goes quickly
36 to the highest peace.
Even if you are
the most evil
among all
6o THE BHAGAVAD GITA

40
Without wisdom,
without placing trust,
the doubting self THE FIFTH DISCOURSE
is destroyed;
there is no pleasure
for the doubting self-
not in this world,
nor in the world beyond.

41 Arjuna said:
Winner of Wealth,
actions do not bind I

the self-possessed one Krishna, you praise

whose doubt the renunciation
is severed of actions.
by wisdom, Then again, you praise yoga.
and whose actions Which one is better
are given up to yoga. of these two?
Tell this to me
42 once and for all.'
Son of Bharata,
when, with the knife The Blessed One said:
of your own wisdom,
you have severed this doubt 2

that lives in the heart Both renunciation

and begins without wisdom, and the yoga
then stand up, of action
and dwell in yoga! lead to the highest bliss.
But of the two,
the yoga of action
is better
than renunciation.

3
Strong-Armed One,
the one who
neither hates nor desires