CHAPTER
NO 18
The ultimate goal of human life is to attain to the state of ‘Moksha’ a release from the cyle of life and death. This chapter is a summation of all others chapters coming before it. The way to achieve release from this cycle of death-birth, has been enunciated no shri bhagavan (for krishna) himseld. The chapter is calles "The yoga of Release by Renunication".+
Arjuna
uvacha
·
sanyasasya mahabaho
tattvam icchami veditum
tyagasya cha hrishikesha
hrithak keshinishudan
Arjuna said, O
Krishna, I want to no the differences between the elements of renunciation and
relinquishment, O Hrishikesha, O Keshinisudam, (names of Krishna)
Shri bhagavan uvacha
·
kamyanama karmanam nyasam
sanyasam kavayah viduh
sarvakarma phalatyagam prahuh
tyagam vichakshanah
The blessed Lord
said, wise men regard ‘renunciation’ as giving up the desires while engaged
in work is relinquishment, So declare the learned.
·
tyajyam doshvat iti eke
karma prahuh manisinah
yagyadantapah karma na
tyajyam iti cha apare
Some learned men
say, since all he work should be given up being evil. While others are of the
view that sacrifice, gift, and penance are not to be abandoned.
·
nischayam shrinu me tatra
tyage bharatasattam
tyagah hi purushvyaghra
trividhih samprakirtitah
O Arjuna, no listem
to my considered view about the relinquishment, O Lion among men (Arjuna)
relinquishment has been said to be of three types.
·
yagyadantapah tapahkarma na
tyajyam karyam eva tat
yagyah danam tapah cha
eva paranani manishinam
Works like
sacrifice, gift and penance are not to be given up, it is one duty to perform
these, as they purify the learned.
·
etani api tu karmani
sangam tyaktva phalani cha
kartavyani iti me partha
nischitam matam uttamam
O Partha, these
works and other works, should be performed without any attachments and desire
for their fruits. This is my settled view.
·
niyatasya tu sanyasah
karmanah na upapadhyate
mohat tasya parityagah
tamasah parikirititah
O Arjuna, the workd
prescribed by the scriptures should not be given up. Therefore, giving up of the
works prescribed by the scriptures, under some delusion, is called the
relinquishment of ‘inert’ nature.
·
chihkham iti eva yat karma
kavya kleshbhayat tyajeta
sah kritva rajasam tyagam
na eva tyagaphalam labheta
If a person gives
up his works because it is sorrowful or physically painful, such a
relinquishment is of passionate nature and the rewards of such works do not
accrue to the relinquisher.
·
karyam iti eva yat karma
niyatam kriyate arjuna
sangam tyaktva phalam cha
eva sah tyagah satvikah matah
Considerinf work as
one’s duty prescribed by the scriptures, abandoning all attachments and
desires for its fruits, is said to be ‘pure’ relinquishment.
·
na dvesti akushalam karma
kushale na anusajjate
tyagi sattva samavistah
medhavi chhinnasanshyaya
O Arjuna, the one
who does not shun disagreebale action and does not desire agreeable action, that
man is pure, he has no doubts and he is wise and a renouncer.
·
na hi dehbhrita shakyam
tyaktum karmani ashesatah
yah tu karma phalatsasi sah
tyagi iti abhidhiyate
It is not possible
for the embodied being to give up a;; work, therfore, if a man abandons the
desires for the fruits of his work is said to be a relinquisher.
·
anistam istam misram cha
trividhih karmanah phalam
bhavati atyabinam pretya natu
samsinam kwachita
Those who work with
desire fir fruits get good, bad and mixed results. These results bind even after
the death, but one who has given up the desires for fruit of his actions, is not
bound by his work.
·
Pancha etani mahabaho
Karnani nibodha me
Sankhye kritante proktane
Sidhaya sarvakarmanam
O, Arjuna for
reaching perfecion in all works these five causes have been described in the
sankhya doctrine.
·
adhisthanam tatha karta
karnam cha prithagvidham
vividhaschya prithakchesta
daivam cha ena atra panchamam
O Arjuna, the base
of action, the doer, and different mens of doing it, and various efforts toward
it, likewise providence has been called the fifth cause.
·
shariravangabhyanobhih yat
karma prorabhate narah
nyayam va viparitam va
pancha ete tasys hetvah
Because , any work
undertaken through mind, word or body whether in accordance with the scriptures
or not, all these five factors are involved in it.
·
tatra evam sati kartaram
atmanam kevalam tu yah
pashyati akritbuddhivat
na sah pashyati durmati
Even then a person
who on account of perversity of his mind, regards himself as the doer, that
person of tainted inteligence does not see the truth.
·
yasya na ahankritah bhavah
buddhih yasya na lipyate
hatna api sah iman lokan
na hanti na nidadhayate
A person who has no
illusion of his being the doer and whose mind is not tainted, may kill all these
people, he neither kills nor will be bound (by his actions).
·
gyanam gyeyam parigyata
trividha karmachodana
karanam karm karta iti
trividhah karma sangrahah
The knower, the
knowledge and the object of knowledge all lead to action, The doer, the means of
action and the action are the collection of action.
·
gyanam karma cha karta
cha tridha eva gunabhedatah
prachyate gunasankhyabe
yathavat shrinu tani api
Knowledge and
action and the doer are said to be of three types each in the sankhya doctrine,
according to the difference in their modes or qualities know these from me.
·
sarva bhuteshu yena ekam
bhavam avyayam ikshate
avibhaktam vibhaktesu tat
gyanam viddhi satvikam
O Arjuna, the
knowledge which enables a person to perceive the oneness of the Imperishable is
pune, know you.
·
prithaktvena tu yat gyanam
nanabhavan prithagvidhan
vetti sarveshu bhuteshu tat
gyanam viddhi rajasam
The knowledge which
sees different beings in different creatures, by reason of their separate
identities, know that knowledge to be of passionate kind.
·
yat tu kritsnavat ekasmin
karya saktam ahaitukam
atatvarthavat alpam cha tat
tamasam udahritam
The knowledge which
sees the body as one in which the whole is situated and remains attached to the
body under this belief, know that unreal knowledge to be ‘inert’.
·
niyatam sangarahitam
angadveshatah kritam
aphalaprepsuna karmayat
tat satvikam uchyate
The work done
according to the scriptures, without the sense of doer-ship without any hope for
the rewards, by a man, free of dualities of likes and dislikes, that work is
said to be ‘pure.’
·
yat tu kamepsuna karma
sahankarena va ounah
kriyate bahulayasam tat
rajasam udahritam
The work done with
great efforts, by a person howing desires of rewards, who is not free of self
sense is said to be of ‘passionate’ type.
·
anubandhan kshayam hinsam
unvekshya cha paurusham
mohat arambhyate karma
yat tat tamsam uchyate
The work done out
of sheer ignorance, without any concern for the resultant loss or violence,
unmindful of ones capacity is said to be of ‘inert’ nature.
·
muktasanga anahamvadi
driityutsahasamanvitah
sidhyasidhyo nirvikarah
karta satvikah uchyate
One who is free
from desires, does not speak proud words, full of zeal and having patience,
unconcerned with the success or failure, free of happiness or sadness is
‘pure’.
·
ragi karmaphala prepsuh lubdhah
hinsatmakah ashuchih
harshashokanvitah karta
rajasah parikirtatah
The one who is
desirous of rewards, is attached to work, greedy and violent in nature, having
impure conduct, swayed by happiness and sadness, that doer is by
‘passionate’ kind.
·
ayuktah prakritah sthabdah
shathah naiskritikah alasah
vishadi chirghasutri cha
karta tamasah uchyate
Person of
imbalanced mind, devoid of learning, proud, deceitful, destroyer of the means of
livilihood of others of sad nature, procrastinor that one is calles of
‘inert’ type.
·
buddheh bhedam dhriteh cha
eva gunatah trividhim shrinu
prochyamanas ashesena
prithaktvena dhananjaya
Now hear O, Arjuna,
from me, the distinctions of intelligence and of steadfastness, caused by the
modes (qualities) which is of threefold.
·
pravritim cha nrivitim cha
karyakarye bhayabhaye
bandham moksham chaya
vettibuddhih sa partha satviki
The intelligence
that can distinguish between the action and non-action, what should be done and
what binds the soul and what does not that intelligence is pure.
·
yayadharmam adharmam cha
karyam cha akaryam evacha
ayathavat prajanati buddhih
sa partha rajasi
O, Partha, the
intelligence which does not enable one to see the difference between the
righteousness and sinfulness, action and non-action in reality, is said to be of
‘passionate’ kind.
·
adharmam dharmam iti ya
manyate tamasa avrita
sarvarthan viparitan cha
buddhih sa partha tamasi
And, know that, O
Arjuna, the inteligence covered by darkness treats sinfulness as righteousness
and sees the opposite meanings of the elements that intelligence is ‘inert’
indeed.
·
dhritya yaya dharyate
manah pranendriyakriyah
yogena avyabhicharinya
dhritih sa partha satviki
O Arjuna, the
unfaltering steadiness, united with concentration by which man controls his
mind, life force and senses and uphold them, that steadiness is called
‘pure’.
·
yaya tu dharma kamanarthan
dhritya dharayate arjuna
prasangena phalakanchhi
dhritih sa partha rajasi
And O Son of Pritha
(Arjuna), a person desiring the fruits of his actions, being steeped in
steadiness, by which he upholds righteousness welth and actions, is called
‘passionate’.
·
yaya svapnam bhayam shokam
vishadam madam eva cha
na vimunchiti durmedhah
dhritih sa partha tamasi
O Partha, evilmen
do not give up sleep, fear, worry and pain and also madness by steadiness. Such
steadiness is called. ‘inert’.
·
Sukham tu idanim trividham
Shvinu me bharatarshabha
Abhyasat ramate yatra
Dukhantam cha nigachhati
Now hear about the
threefold happiness. O Best among Bharatas (Arjuna), the happiness in which the
devotee practises and find the end of his sorrows.
·
yat tat agre visham
eva pariname amritopamum
tat sukham satvikam proktam
atmabuddhiprasadjam
The happiness which
is like poison in the beginning but results are like nectar, the happiness
granted in the wisdom of god is ‘pure’.
·
vishayendriya samyogata yat
tat agre amritopamum
pariname visham eva tat
sukham rajasam smritam
The happiness
obtained through the union of the senses with their objects, that happines
during the enjoyment, appears to be like nectar but result is like poison that
happiness is ‘passionate’.
·
yat agre cha anubandhe cha
sukham mohanam atmanach
hidralasya pramadotham tat
tamasam udahritam
That happiness
which at the beginning and at the end both, deludes the soul, caused by sleep,
sloth and negligence is called ‘inert’ in nature.
·
na tat asti prithivyam na
divi deveshu va punah satvam
prakritajaih muktam yat
ebhih syat tribhih gunaih
O Arjuna, on the
earth or in heaven, even among gods there is no one who is devvid of the three
qualities (gunas) of nature.
·
brahmanakshatriyavisham
sudranama cha paramtapa
karmani pranibhaktani
svabhava prabhavaih gunaih
O Vanquisher of the
Foes (Arjuna), the division of work, among the Brahmins, he kshatriyas, the
vaishyas and of the Shudras, has been done according to their qualities born of
the nature.
·
shamah damah tapah shaucham
kshantih arjavam eva cha
gyanam vigyanam astikyama
brahmakarma saabhavajam
Piousness, control
of the senses, purity of mind, and body, forbearance and righteouness,
forgiveness, simplicity faith in religion, knowledge of scription and God are
the duties of the Brahmins born of their nature.
·
shaurayam tejah dhritih dakshyam
yuddhe cha api apalayanam
danam iswarbhavah cha
kshatram karma svabhavajama
Bravey,
vigour, patience, resourcefulness, not feeling away in battle, generosity and
leadership are the duties of the kshatriyas born of their nature.
·
krishigaurakshavanijyam
vaishyakarma svabhavajam
paricharyatmakam karma
shudrashyapi svabhavajam
Agriculture, animal
husbandry and trade are the qualities of the Vaishyas born out of their nature,
and to serve all the castes (Varnas) is the duty of the shudras born of their
nature.
·
sve sve karmani abhiratah
sansigidhim labhate narah
svakarmaniratah siddhim
yatha vindati tat shrinuh
Men during their
natural duties reach the supreme state, How being devoted to one’s duty one
reaches perfection, that you hear from me.
·
yatha pravnitih bhutanam
yena sarvam idam tatam
sva karmana tam abhyarchya
siddhim vindati manavah
The supreme being
of whom all the beings arise and who pervades this universe, by worshipping him
by one’s own naturally assigned duties one reaches perfection.
·
shreyam svadharmah vigunah
pardharmat svanusthitat
svabhavaniyatam karma kurvam
ha apnoti kilbisham
One own law,
however defective is better than the law of the others however well observed,
because while doing his duties orclained by the nature, a man does not in our
sin.
·
sahjam karma kaunteya
sadhosam api na tyajeta
sarvarambhah hi doshena
dhumena agnih eva avritah
O Arjuna, One’s
own natural work should not be given up even if defective, smoke covers fire,
all the laws are covered by one defect or the other.
·
asaktabuddhih sarvatra
jitatma vigatsprihah
naiskarmya siddhim parmam
sanyasena adhigachhati
Whose mind is free
of attachments anywhere, having intelligence and having no desires with subdued
self, can attain to the supreme state by renunciation.
·
siddhim praptah yatha brahma
tatha apnoti nibodha me
samasena eva kaunteya
histha gyanasya ya para
O Son of kunti (Arjuna)
now hear in briefl from me as to how one attained to perfection also reaches
Brahman, that is the supreme fruition of wisdom.
·
budhya vishnuddhya yuktah
dhritya atmanam niyamya cha
shabdadin vishayan tyaktva
ragadveshau vyudasya cha
Having pure
intelligence, steadily controlling one’s self, having shunned the sounds and
other objects of senses, becoming free of like and dislike.
·
viviktasevi laghavashi
yatvakkayamanasah
dhyanayogaparah nityam
vairagyam sanupashritah
Living in clean
land, eating frugally, subliving speech, mind and body, contantly engaged in
meditation, well established in dispassion, living in seclusions.
·
ahamkaram balam darpam
kamam krodham parigraham
vinuchya nirmamah shantah
brahmabhayay kalpate.
And free of pride,
power, self-sense, desire, anger, possession, tranquil in mind, he becomes
worthy of uniting with the Brahman.
·
brahmabhutah prasannatma na
shochati na kanchhati
samah sarveshu bhuteshu
madbhaktim labhate param
Having become
united with the brahman, of cheerful disposition he neither grieves nor desires,
regarding all beings as alike. he attains to my state.
·
bhaktya mam abhijanti
yavan yah cha asmi tattvatah
tatah mam tattvatah
gyetva vishate tadantaram
Devotee knowing me
well and truly, what Iam and what is my power, having known these elements
through his devotion he dissolves in me.
·
sarvakarmani api sada
kurvanah madvapashrayah
matprasadat avapnoti
shashwatam padam avyayam
Performing all
actions, taking refuge in me, by my grace he obtains the eternal, Imperishable
state or abode.
·
chetasa sarvakarmani mayi
sanyasya matparah
buddhiyogam upashritya
machhitiah satatam bhava
Mentally
surrendering all your action to me, taking me to be the highest goal, being
steadfast in discrimination, fix your mind contantly in me.
·
machhitah sarvadurgani
matprasadat tarishyasi
atha cheta tvam ahamkarat
na shrosyasi vinangakshyasi
Fixing your
thoughts upon me, by my grace, you shall transcend all the obstacles, but if
driven by the sense of self you do not listen to me, you shall perish.
·
yat ahamkaram ashritya
na yotse iti manyase
mitha esh vyavasayah
te prakritih tvam niyokshyati
Filled with the
sense of self if youthink I will not fight. Your this resolve is useless, the
nature will compel you to fight.
·
svabhavajena kaunteya nibaddhah
svena karmana kurtum
na ichhasi yat mohata
karishyasi avashah api tat
O son of kunti (Arjuna)
bound by your own action born of your own nature, that you do not wish to
perform, being deluded, you shall do it, as if compelled.
·
ishwarah sarvabhutanam
hriddeshe arjuna tisthati
brhramayam sarvabhutani
yantraruddrani mayaya
O Arjuna, causing
all being to believe, by his illusive power, as if riding on a machine, the lord
dwells in the heart of all beings.
·
tam eva sharanam gachha
sarvabhavena bharata tat prasadat
param shantim sthanam
prapsyasi shashvatam
Run to him for
shelter with all your being, O Arjuna, by his grace only shall you obtain
supreme peace and the eternal abode.
·
iti me gyanam akhyatam
guhyat guhyataram maya
vimrishya etet ashesena
yatha icchasi tatha kuru
Thus the knowledge
which is greater secret than all secrets, has been given to you by me, having
considered it fully, now you act as you like.
·
sarvaguhyatamam bhuyah
shrinv me paramam vachah
isti asi me dridhamiti tato
vakshyami te hitam
Listen to once gain
to my supreme word most secret of all, because you are very dear to me,
therefore I will tell you what is good for you.
·
manmanah bhava madbhaktah
madhaji mam namaskuru
mama eva asyasi satyam te
pratijane priyah asi me
·
sarvadharman paritajya
mam ekam sharanam braja
aham tva sarvapapebhyah
makshayishyami ma shuchah
Abandoning all
dharmas (duties) come to me alone, I will liberate you from all sins, do not
grieve.
·
idam te na atapskaya na
abhaktaya kadaschana
na cha ashushrushave vachyam
na cha mam yah abhyasuyati
This knowledge is
never to be spoken by you to one who is devoid of penances, or devotion, nor to
one who does not serve, nor to one who does not listen, nor to one who denounces
me.
·
yah imam paramam guhyam
madbhakteshu adhidhasyati
bhaktim mayi param kritva
mam eva esyati ashaushya
He who has supreme
devotion in me, will teach this supreme secret to my devotees, shall undoubtedly
come to me.
·
na cha tasmat manusyeshu
kaschita me priyakritamah
bhavita na cha me tasmat
anyah priyatarah bhuvi
No one is there
among men who does a greater service to me, nor shall be there another on earth
dearer to me than he.
·
adheshyate cha ya imam
dharmyam samvadmavayoh
gyanayagyena tene aham
istah syam iti me matih
And he who will
study this sacred dialogue between us, shall have worshipped me by the sacrifice
of knowledge (gyana-yagya) Iam convinced of this.
·
shradhavan anusuyah cha shrinuyat
api yah narah sah api
muktah subhan lokan
prapnuyat punyakarmanam
That man also, who
hears this, faithfully and free of cavil, he too will be liberated and attain to
the hapy worlds of those who do righteous deeds.
·
kachit etat shritam partha
tvaya ekagrena chetasa
kachidgyana sammohah
pranastaste dhananjaya
Have you heard, O
Son of Pritha (Arjuna) this with single-pointed mind? Has the delusion caused by
youe ignorance been dispelled O, Dhananjaya (Arjuna)?
Arjuna uvacha
·
nastomohah smritalabdha
tvat prasadat maya achyuta
stithah asmi gatasandehah
karishye vachanam tava
Arjuna said : As I
have gained my memory (knowledge) through your grace, my delusion is destroyed O
Achyuta (Krishna) Iam firm, my doubts are gone, I will do according to your
word.
Sanjaya uvacha
·
iti aham vasudeva sya
parthasya cha mahatmanah
samvadam imam ashrousham
adbhutam romaharshanam
Sanjay Said : Thus
have I heard this amazing dialogue between vasudeva and high souled Arjuna,
which causes hair to stand on end.
·
vyasprasadat shrutavan etat
guhyam aham param
yogam yogeshvarat krishnat
sakshat kathayatah svayam
Through the grace
of sage vyasa I have heard this supreme and most secret yoga, directly from
krishna, the lord of yoga, himself declaring it.
·
rajah savsmritya samsmritya
samvadam imam adbhutam
keshavarjunayoh punayam
hrishyami cha muhurmuhuh
O King, remembering
this wonderful and sacred dialogue between Keshava and Arjuna, I rejoice again
and again.
·
tatcha sansmritya samsmritya
rupam ati adbhutam harih
vismayah me mahan rajah
hrishyami cha punah punah
Remembering and
remembering again, that most wonderful form of Hari, great is my wonder, O King
I rejoice and again.
·
yatra yogeshwarah krisho yatra patho dhanurdharar
tatra shrinvijayo butirdhuva hitirmatrimam
Whereever is
Krishna, the Lord of yoga, whereever is Partha, the archen, these are posperity,
victory, hapiness and sound policy, this is my conviction.
END
OF GITA
