Being a conversation between Arjuna,
Prince of India, and the Supreme Being
in the form of Krishna

Translated from the Sanskrit Text
by
Sir Edwin Arnold,
M.A., K.C.I.E., C.S.I.

New York
Truslove, Hanson & Comba, Ltd.
67 Fifth Avenue
1900

Dedication

TO INDIA

So I have read this amazing and inspiring speech,
Between Krishna and Prince Arjun as they talked with each other;
So I have written down its wisdom here,--its hidden meaning,
For England; O our India! as dear to me as she!

EDWIN ARNOLD

This famous and amazing Sanskrit poem appears as part of the Mahabharata, in the sixth section, known as the "Bhishma" Parva, of the great Hindu epic. It holds great popularity and authority in India, where it's considered one of the "Five Jewels"—pancharatnani—of Devanagari literature. In straightforward yet dignified language, it presents a philosophical system that still represents the predominant Brahmanic belief today, combining the teachings of Kapila, Patanjali, and the Vedas. Its declarations are so elevated, its aspirations so sublime, and its piety so pure and gentle that Schlegel, after studying the poem, expresses his delight and admiration for its unknown author: "The respect of masters is regarded by the Brahmans as one of the holiest acts of devotion. Therefore, you, the most sacred poet and prophet of the divine, whoever you may be among mortals, author of this poem, whose oracles uplift the mind to all that is noble, eternal, and divine, I greet you first, and I shall always honor your footprints." Lassen echoes this wonderful tribute; indeed, some of the morals conveyed here are so striking, and the parallels—sometimes even verbatim—between its teachings and those of the New Testament are so close that a debate has emerged between Pandits and Missionaries about whether the author drew from Christian sources or if the Evangelists and Apostles were influenced by him.

This brings up the question of when it was written, which can’t be definitively determined. It must have been added to the ancient epic at a time later than the original Mahabharata, but Mr. Kasinath Telang has put forward some reasonable arguments suggesting it was created before the Christian era. However, most evidence indicates that it was composed around the third century after Christ; and perhaps there are indeed traces of the teachings from Galilee and the Syrian incarnation in this Brahmanic poem.

Its setting is the flat land between the Yamuna and Saraswati rivers—now known as Kurnool and Jind. The straightforward plot features a conversation between Prince Arjuna, the brother of King Yudhishthira, and Krishna, the Supreme Deity, who is disguised as a charioteer. A massive battle is about to occur between the armies of the Kauravas and the Pandavas, and this dialogue takes place in a war chariot positioned between the two opposing forces.

The poem has been translated into French by Burnouf, Latin by Lassen, Italian by Stanislav Gatti, Greek by Galanos, and English by Mr. Thomson and Mr. Davies, with the prose version by the latter being truly commendable for its accuracy and clarity. Mr. Telang has also published a version in colloquial rhythm in Bombay, which is highly knowledgeable and insightful, but doesn’t capture the dignity or elegance of the original. If I dare to present a translation of this remarkable poem after so many esteemed scholars, it’s in grateful acknowledgment of the insights gained from their work, and because English literature would definitely be lacking without a popular rendition of such a beloved poetic and philosophical piece from India.

There’s not much more to add that the "Song Celestial" doesn’t explain by itself. The original Sanskrit is written in the Anushtubh meter, which can’t be easily adapted for Western audiences. So, I’ve transformed it into our adaptable blank verse, shifting into lyrical forms wherever the text naturally breaks. For the most part, I think the meaning is accurately preserved in the following pages; however, Schlegel himself remarked: "In reconditioribus me semper poetafoster mentem recte divinasse affirmare non ausim." Those interested in exploring the philosophy of the poem can find a great introduction in Mr. Davies' volume, published by Messrs Trubner & Co.

EDWIN ARNOLD, C.S.I.

CONTENTS

I. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__
II. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__
III. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_2__
IV. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_3__
V. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_4__
VI. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_5__
VII. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_6__
VIII. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_7__
IX. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_8__
X. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_9__
XI. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_10__
XII. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_11__
XIII. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_12__
XIV. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_13__
XV. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_14__
XVI. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_15__
XVII. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_16__
XVIII. __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_17__

Dhritirashtra:
Positioned for battle on the holy ground--
At Kurukshetra--tell me, Sanjaya! tell me
What happened to my people and the Pandavas?

Sanjaya:
When he saw the Pandava army,
King Duryodhana went to Drona,
And said these words: "Oh, Guru! look at this force,
How vast it is with the fighting men of Pandu,
Assembled under the son of Drupada,
Your student in battle! There stand:
Leaders like Arjuna, and also Bhima,
Masters of archery; Virata, Yuyudhan,
Drupada, standing out on his chariot,
Dhrishtaket, Chekitan, the strong lord of Kasi,
Purujit, Kuntibhoj, and Saivya,
With Yudhamanyu, and Uttamauj,
Subhadra's son; and Drupadi's; all renowned!
All on their shining chariots!
On our side, too—oh best of Brahmins! look
At the excellent leaders, commanders of my army,
Whose names I am happy to mention: you first,
Then Bhishma, Karna, Kripa fierce in battle,
Vikarna, Aswatthaman; next to these
Strong Saumadatti, along with many more,
Brave and seasoned, ready to fight and die
For me their king, each with their weapon drawn,
Each skilled on the battlefield. The weakest, it seems—
Our side looks less formidable where Bhishma leads,
And Bhima facing him is quite strong!
Let's ensure our captains near Bhishma's ranks
Get ready with whatever help they can! Now, blow my horn!"

Then, at the command of the old king,
With a sound to stir the blood, roaring all around
Like a lion's roar, the trumpeter
Blew the mighty conch; and, at the sound of it,
Trumpets and drums, cymbals and gongs and horns
Burst into sudden noise; like the blasts
Of a raging storm, the uproar seemed!
Then could be seen, on their golden chariot
Yoked with white horses, blowing their battle horns,
Krishna the God, Arjuna by his side:
Krishna, with his hair tied back, blew his great conch
Carved from the "Giant's bone;" Arjuna blew
Indra's loud gift; Bhima the fierce—
Wolf-bellied Bhima—blew a long reed conch;
And Yudhisthira, Kunti's noble son,
Sounded a mighty shell, "Victory's Voice;"
Nakula blew sharply on his conch
Named the "Sweet-sounding," Sahadev on his
Called "Gem-bedecked," and Kasi's Prince on his.
Sikhandi on his chariot, Dhrishtadyumn,
Virata, Satyaki the Unconquered,
Drupada, with his sons, (O Lord of Earth!)
Long-armed Subhadra's children, all blew loudly,
So that the clamor shook their enemies' hearts,
With trembling earth and thundering heaven.

Then it was—
Watching the battlefield set by Dhritirashtra,
Weapons drawn, bows ready, the war
About to begin—Arjun, whose flag featured
Hanuman the monkey, said this to Krishna,
his charioteer:
"Drive, fearless one! to that open ground
Between the armies; I want to see up close
Those who will fight with us, those we must defeat
Today, in this battle; because, surely,
Everyone gathered here is ready for bloodshed,
Following Dhritirashtra's wicked son."

Thus, Arjuna prayed, (O Bharata!)
Between the armies that heavenly Charioteer
Drove the shining chariot, guiding its milk-white horses
Where Bhishma led, and Drona, and their Lords.
"Look!" he said to Arjuna, "where they stand,
Your relatives of the Kurus:" and the Prince
Noted on both sides the family of his house,
Grandfathers and fathers, uncles and brothers and sons,
Cousins and sons-in-law and nephews, mixed
With friends and respected elders; some on this side,
Some on that side arranged: and, seeing those opposed,
Such kin turned enemies—Arjuna's heart
Filled with compassion, while he spoke this:

Arjuna.
Krishna! As I see this gathering of our people,
ready to spill their blood, I feel weak, my tongue is dry,
A shiver runs through me, and my hair stands on end; my hand
weakly drops the Gandiv, my trusty bow; a fever burns
my skin, making it feel parched; I can barely stand;
I feel like my life is slipping away;
All I can see ahead is pain and sorrow!
This is not right, O Keshav! Nothing good
can come from killing each other! I hate
victory and power, wealth and comfort,
if they come at this terrible cost! Oh! what victory
could possibly bring joy, Govinda? What riches
could be worth it; what rule make up for it; what
life itself could be sweet if it’s bought with such blood?
Seeing that those standing here are ready to die,
for whom life was enjoyable, and pleasure was nice,
and power was so valuable: grandfathers, fathers, and sons,
brothers, fathers-in-law, and sons-in-law,
elders and friends! Should I deal death to these
even if they try to kill us? Not a single blow,
O Madhusudan! will I strike to gain

The rule of all Three Worlds; then, how much less To take an earthly kingdom! Killing these Would only bring suffering, Krishna! If they are Guilty, we’ll become guilty by their deaths; Their sins will fall on us if we kill Those sons of Dhritirashtra, and our relatives; What peace could come from that, O Madhava? For if truly, blinded by desire and anger, They can’t see, or won’t see, the sin Of royal lines being overthrown and family members killed, How could we, who see, not avoid such a crime— We who understand the guilt and feel the shame— O you Delight of Men, Janardana? By the downfall of families, their Sweet, ongoing household devotion perishes, And with neglected rituals, piety dies— Impiety enters that home; Its women lose their grace, and from there arise Wild passions and the mixing of castes, Leading that family down a path to Hell, And whoever causes its doom through wicked anger. Moreover, the souls of honored ancestors Fall from their place of peace, deprived Of funeral offerings and the fading waters from death. So our holy hymns teach. Thus, if we kill Relatives and friends for the sake of earthly power, Ahovat! what a terrible mistake it would be! I think it’s better, even if my relatives strike, To face them without weapons and bare my chest To arrows and spears, than to retaliate.

So saying, in front of those two armies,
Arjuna collapsed on his chariot seat,
And dropped his bow and arrows, feeling weak and troubled.

HERE ENDS CHAPTER I. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Arjun-Vishad,"
Or "The Book of the Distress of Arjuna."

Sanjaya.
He, filled with deep compassion and sorrow,
With tear-filled eyes, feeling hopeless, in serious tones
The Driver, Madhusudan, then spoke:

Krishna.
How has this weakness come over you? Where does
This shameful trouble, dishonorable to the brave,
Obstruct the path of virtue? No, Arjun!
Do not allow yourself to be weak! It tarnishes
Your warrior name! Shake off this cowardice!
Wake up! Be yourself! Rise, Scourge of your Enemies!

Arjuna.
How can I, in this fight, shoot arrows
at Bhishma or Drona—oh, you leader!--
Both are revered, both are honorable men?

Better to live on scraps of food
With those we love alive,
Than feast on their blood at a lavish table,
And live with guilt to survive!
Ah! who knows what’s worse—to be
The winner or the loser here,
When those who died confront us angrily
Making life feel bleak and drear?
In pity lost, tossed by doubts,
My thoughts—distracted—turn
To You, the Guide I hold in high regard,
So I may learn to discern:
I don’t know what could ease the pain
Buried deep in my soul and mind,
If I were the unquestioned ruler of the earth—
A god—and they were left behind!

Sanjaya.
Arjuna spoke to the Lord of Hearts,
And with a sigh, said, "I won’t fight!" then fell silent.
To him, with a gentle smile, (O Bharata!)
While the Prince cried in despair between the two armies,
Krishna responded with the most divine words:

Krishna.
You’re grieving over something that shouldn’t make you sad! You’re speaking
Words without wisdom! Because those who are wise at heart
Don’t mourn for those who live or those who die.
Neither I, nor you, nor anyone here,
Has ever not existed, nor will ever cease to be,
Forever and ever after.
All that lives, lives on! Just as a person experiences
Childhood, youth, and old age,
So there are rises and falls
Of life in other forms,
Which the wise understand and do not fear. What troubles you—
Your sensory life, reacting to the elements—
Bringing you heat and cold, sorrow and joy,
It’s short-lived and ever-changing! Endure it, Prince!
Like the wise do. The soul that remains unmoved,
The soul that calmly and steadily
Accepts sorrow and joy alike,
Lives in everlasting life! What exists
Can never stop existing; what does not exist
Will not be. To understand this truth about both
Is the perspective of those who separate essence from appearance,
Substance from shadow. Indestructible,
Learn this! Life is, spreading life through all;
It can never be reduced, halted, or changed by any means.
But these temporary bodies that it animates
With an immortal, endless, infinite spirit,
They will perish. Let them perish, Prince! and fight!
He who says, "Look! I’ve killed a man!"
He who thinks, "Look! I’ve been killed!" both
Understand nothing! Life cannot be killed. Life is not killed!
The spirit was never born; the spirit will never cease to be;
There was never a time when it was not; End and Beginning are illusions!
The spirit remains birthless, deathless, and unchanging forever;
Death has not touched it at all, even though its body seems dead!

Who knows it is endless, self-sustaining,
Immortal, unbreakable--can anyone
Say, "I have killed a man, or caused one to die?"

No, but it’s like when someone takes off
Their old, worn-out clothes,
And putting on new ones, says,
"I'm wearing these today!"
So the spirit lets go
Of its physical form,
And moves on to receive
A new place to call home.

I say to you, weapons cannot touch the Soul;
Fire cannot burn it, water cannot drown it,
Nor can harsh winds destroy it. Indestructible,
Unapproached, untouched, unharmed,
Immortal, always present, steady, certain,
Invisible, indescribable, beyond
Words and thoughts, always wholly itself,
This is how the Soul is defined! How, then,
Knowing this as you do, can you grieve when you shouldn't?
How can you cry, if you hear that the man who just died
Is, like the newborn, still alive—
One continuous, existing Spirit—will you shed tears?
Birth leads to death; death leads to birth:
This is how it must be! And you mourn,
Chief of the strong, for what happens
That could not happen otherwise? The birth
Of living beings goes unnoticed; death
Also comes unnoticed; in between them, beings perceive:
What is there to be sorrowful about, dear Prince?

Wonderful and thoughtful to reflect on!
Challenging and uncertain to talk about!
Strange and amazing to convey with words,
Mysterious for everyone to hear!
And no one knows how incredible it is,
When seeing, speaking, and listening come to an end!

This life within all living things, my Prince!
Remains unharmed; don't hesitate to endure, then,
For what cannot be harmed. Do your part!
Be mindful of your name, and don’t be afraid!
Nothing better can happen to a warrior
Than a just battle; happy is the warrior
Who finds joy in battle—comes now,
Glorious and fair, unrequested; opening for him
A path to Heaven. But if you shy away
From this honorable field—as a Kshattriya—
If, knowing your duty and your task, you let
Duty and task go aside—that will be sin!
And those to come will speak of your disgrace
From age to age; but disgrace is worse
For men of noble blood to bear than death!
The leaders in their battle chariots
Will think it was fear that drove you from the fight.
From those who considered you strong-hearted, the scorn
You must face, while all your enemies
Will spread bitter words about you, mocking
The courage you once had; what worse fate could come
Than this? Either—if killed—you will gain a safe place in Swarga, or—if alive
And victorious—you will rule as an earthly king.
So, rise, Son of Kunti! strengthen
Your arm for battle, brace your heart to face—
Indifferently—pleasure or pain,
Gain or loss, victory or defeat:
With that mindset, prepare for the fight, for that way
You will not sin!

So far, I’ve been speaking to you
as from the "Sankhya"—not very spiritually—
Now hear the deeper teachings of the Yog,
which, if you grasp and understand, will break
your bond of action, the bondage of your deeds.
Here, no end will be blocked, no hope destroyed,
no loss to fear: faith—yes, even a little faith—
will save you from the pain of your fears.
Here, O Glory of the Kurus! shines one rule—
one steady rule—while changing souls follow
many difficult laws. Don't be fooled by
the words of those poorly educated who praise
their Vedas, saying, "This
is all we have, or need;" being weak at heart
with desires, seeking Heaven, which, they say,
comes as "fruit of good deeds done;" promising people
much gain in new lives for acts of faith;
with numerous rites overflowing; on which
great merit will build towards wealth and power;
Yet, those who most desire wealth and power
have the least stability of soul, the least grasp
on heavenly meditation. They teach a lot,
from the Vedas, about the "three qualities;"
But you, be free from the "three qualities,"
free from the "pairs of opposites," and free
from that troubled righteousness that keeps score;
self-governed, Arjuna! Simple, satisfied!
Look! Just as a tank pours out water
to meet all needs, so these Brahmans draw
texts for every requirement from the well of holy scripture.
But you, want nothing! Ask for nothing! Find the full reward
of doing right in doing what’s right! Let right actions be
your motive, not the fruits that come from them.
Live in action! Work! Make your actions
your devotion, setting aside all self,
disregarding gain and merit; remain steady
in good or bad: steadiness
is Yog, is devotion!

Yet, the right action
Is much less than the right-thinking mind.
Find refuge in your soul; make that your heaven!
Disdain those who pursue virtue for its rewards!
The mind of pure devotion—even here—
Sets aside good deeds and bad equally,
Rising above them. Devote yourself to pure devotion:
With perfect meditation
Comes perfect action, and those with a good heart rise—
More surely because they seek no benefit—
Stepping forth from the bounds of the body,
Step by step, to the highest levels of bliss. When your strong soul
Has freed itself from those tangled messages
That foolishly lead, then it shall soar
To high disregard of what’s denied or said,
This way or that way, in written doctrines.
No longer troubled by priestly teachings,
It shall live safely and surely; steadfastly focused
On meditation. This is Yoga—and Peace!

Arjuna.
What is the sign of someone with a steady heart,
Strong in deep meditation? How
Can we recognize his words, Kesava? Does he sit, does he move
Like everyone else?

Krishna.
When one, O Son of Pritha!
Letting go of desires that unsettle the mind—
Finds deep comfort in his soul,
He has achieved Yoga—such a person is!
In sorrow not overwhelmed, and in joy
Not overly elated; living beyond the turmoil
Of passion, fear, and anger; settled in the peace
Of elevated contemplation;—such a person
Is a Muni, a Sage, the true Recluse!
He who is not bound to anyone or anywhere,
By the ties of flesh, takes both bad and good
Without despairing or exulting, such
Displays the clearest signs of wisdom! He who draws
As a wise tortoise retracts its four feet safely
Under its shell, pulls his five fragile senses back
Under the shield of the spirit from the world
That otherwise attacks them, such a person, my Prince!
Has the mark of wisdom! Things that tempt the senses
Stay distant from the self-controlled; truly, it happens,
The cravings of someone who lives above
Fade away—aroused no more. Yet it may happen,
O Son of Kunti! that a disciplined mind
Might sometimes feel the fury of the senses sweep in, and wrest
Strong self-control by its roots. Let him reclaim
His reign! Let him overcome this, and focus
On Me. That person alone is wise
Who maintains mastery over himself! If someone
Dwells on sensory objects, attraction arises;
From attraction springs desire, desire ignites
Into fierce passion, passion leads to
Recklessness; then memory—completely betrayed—
Lets go of noble purpose and erodes the mind,
Until purpose, mind, and person are all undone.
However, if one interacts with sensory objects
Without love or hate, making them
Serve his free soul, which rests in peaceful mastery,
Look! That person reaches tranquility;
And from that tranquility shall emerge
The end and relief from his earthly pains,
Since a governed will brings peace to the soul.
The soul of the ungoverned is not his,
Nor does he have knowledge of himself; without that,
How does serenity grow? And lacking that,
How can he hope for happiness?

The mind
That chooses to follow sensory experiences
Sees its wisdom drift away,
And, like a ship caught in a storm, is driven
Toward destruction and death. Only with him, great Prince!
Whose senses aren't misled by appearances--
Only with him who maintains his control,
Shows perfect wisdom. What is midnight darkness
To uninformed souls shines as bright day
To his clear sight; what appears as bright day
Is recognized as night, deep night of ignorance,
To his insightful eyes. Such is the Saint!

And like the ocean, day by day taking in
floods from all lands, which never overflow
Its coastline, not breaking, and not leaving,
fed by the rivers, but not swelling from them;--

So is the perfect one! to his soul's ocean
The world of sense pours streams of enchantment;
They leave him as they found him, without disturbance,
Taking their tribute, but remaining a sea.

Yeah! Whoever, shedding the burdens of the flesh
Lives as a master, not a slave to their desires; free
From pride, from passion, from the sin of "Self,"
Achieves peace! Oh, Pritha's Son!
That is the state of Brahm! There’s no fear
When that final step is taken! Live where he wants,
Die when he must, such a person moves beyond all complaints,
To blessed Nirvana, joining the Gods, attaining.

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER II. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Sankhya-Yog,"
Or "The Book of Doctrines."

Arjuna.
You whom all mortals praise, Janardana!
If meditation is a greater pursuit
Than action, then why, great Kesava,
Do you urge me into this terrible battle?
Now I am confused by your uncertain words!
Tell me one thing, and tell me plainly;
Which path will lead me to the better outcome?

Krishna.
I told you, blameless Lord! there are two paths
shown to this world; two schools of wisdom.

First
The Sankhya, which saves through actions
Recommended by reason; next, the Yoga, which encourages
Attainment through meditation, spiritually:
Yet these are one! No one can escape from action
By avoiding it; nor can anyone reach
Perfection through mere renunciation.
Indeed, at no moment, at any time,
Is there an actionless state; the law of his nature
Forces him, even against his will, into action;
[For thought is action in imagination]. He who sits
Suppressing all bodily activities,
Yet in his idle heart thinks about them,
Plays the foolish and guilty hypocrite:
But he who, with a strong body serving the mind,
Dedicates his physical abilities to worthy work,
Not seeking gain, Arjuna! such a person
Is respectable. Do your assigned tasks!
Work is better than idleness;
The body's life cannot continue without work.
There is a holy task to perform,
Unlike worldly labor, which does not bind
The faithful soul; such earthly duty do
Free from desire, and you will fulfill
Your divine purpose. Prajapati spoke—
In the beginning, when all humans were created,
And, along with humanity, the sacrifice— "Do this!
Work! Sacrifice! Increase and multiply
Through sacrifice! This shall be Kamaduk,
Your 'Cow of Abundance,' giving back her milk
Of all plenty. Worship the gods with this;
The gods will grant you grace. Those foods you desire
The gods will give to Labor, when it pays
Tithes in the fire of sacrifice. But if someone eats
The fruits of the earth, giving kind Heaven
No gift of toil, that thief steals from his world."

Whoever eats food after making a sacrifice is free from blame, but those who throw a feast just for themselves eat and drink sin. People live by food; food comes from rain, and rain comes from righteous sacrifices, which are rewarded by hard work. Thus, action comes from Brahma, who is One, the Only, and All-encompassing; always present in sacrifice. Those who hold back to indulge their own senses, without contributing to the progress of this great world, live a wasted, shameful life. Living only for themselves, focused solely on their own interests, they have no part in anything; they achieve nothing, and nothing they do or don’t do affects them; they have no hope of helping the living beings on earth. Therefore, perform your duty with a detached spirit, because through fulfilling your responsibilities, you can achieve the highest happiness. By their actions, Janak and ancient sages reached bliss! Moreover, for the good of your kind, you should embrace action. What the wise choose, the unwise people follow; what the best do, the masses will imitate. Look at me, O Son of Pritha! In all three worlds, I am not bound by any labor, there’s no height to reach, no gift left to gain, yet I still act! And if I didn’t act—serious and watchful—those who look to me for guidance would fall back into laziness because I was inactive, and they would stray from what is good, disrupting the order of the world and leading its beings to ruin, Bharata! Just as the ignorant work under the sway of their senses, let the enlightened work, free from those senses, but committed to bringing liberation and happiness to the world, without planting despair in the hearts of the simple and busy. Yes! Let everyone play their part in all they find to do, with a free spirit. Everything is created by Nature through the interplay of qualities. The fool, deceived by his own ego, thinks, "I did this" and "I made that"; but—oh, strong-armed Prince!—a wiser mind, understanding the nature of visible things within the world of the senses and how the qualities interact, stays detached even from its own actions. The ignorant live intertwined with them, unaware of Nature's ways, oblivious to the highest goals, slow and dull. Do not let those who possess knowledge stumble; instead, fulfill all your responsibilities for My sake, with your meditation focused inwardly, seeking no gain, content and serene, unconcerned about the outcome—just fight! Those who follow My guidance— the wise and willing hearts—will be free from any consequences of their actions. But those who ignore My guidance, believing they understand, know nothing and fall into confusion and folly. Truly, the knowledgeable act according to their nature, as do lower creatures of their kind, but it's futile to struggle against the rules. It's inevitable that sensory objects will provoke attraction and aversion, yet the enlightened person does not yield to them, recognizing them as foes. Ultimately, it’s better to do your own task, even if you fail, than to take on someone else's work, no matter how good it may seem. Dying while doing your duty is not a bad thing; but those who seek different paths will continue to wander.

Arjuna.
But tell me, Teacher! What makes a person
Go towards harm against their will, as if they’re
Being pushed down that wrong path?

Krishna.
It's desire!
It's passion! Born from darkness,
That drives him. With strong cravings,
Sinful, and powerful, this is man's enemy!
Just like smoke clouds pure fire, like rust
Dims a shiny mirror, like the womb holds
An unborn child, so is the world
Defeated, tainted, trapped in this fleshly desire.
The wise fall victim to it; it is the relentless foe
Of wisdom, taking on many forms,
Beautiful but deceptive, subtle as a flame.
The senses, mind, and reason—these, O Son of Kunti!
Are its prey; in its game with these
It drives man mad, misleading and blinding him.
So, you noblest child of Bharata!
Control your heart! Restrain the tangled senses!
Resist the false, tempting sin that drains
Knowledge and judgment! Yes, the world is strong,
But what understands it is stronger, and the mind
Strongest; and above all is the ruling Soul.
Therefore, recognizing Him who reigns supreme,
Put all your soul into your own soul!
Fight! Defeat foes and doubts, dear Hero! Slay
What haunts you in enticing forms, and would betray!

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER III. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Karma-Yog,"
Or "The Book of Virtue in Work."

Krishna.
This everlasting Yoga, this profound connection,
I taught Vivaswata, the Lord of Light;
Vivaswata passed it to Manu; he
Gave it to Ikshwaku; and so it was handed down
Through all my royal Rishis. With time,
The truth faded and was lost, noble Prince!
Now once again it is revealed to you--
This ancient knowledge, this ultimate mystery--
Because I see you as a devoted follower and friend.

Arjuna.
Your birth, dear Lord, happened in recent times,
While bright Vivaswata lived before that!
How can I understand what you’re saying,
"I was the one who taught from the beginning?"

Krishna.
I've had many births, Arjuna, and so have you!
But I know my past lives, while you don’t know yours,
O Slayer of your Enemies! Even though I am
Unborn, eternal, and indestructible,
The Lord of all living things; still—
Through Maya, my magic that influences
The ever-changing forms of Nature,
I come, go, and come again. When Righteousness
Declines, O Bharata! and Wickedness
Is strong, I rise, from age to age, taking
Tangible form, moving among people,
Helping the good, pushing back the evil,
And restoring Virtue to her rightful place.
Whoever understands the truth about my births on earth
And my divine purpose, when he leaves his body,
Will no longer bear its burden, will not fall
Back into earthly life: he comes to me, dear Prince!
Many come to me, freed from fear,
Anger, and desire; focusing their hearts
On me—my Devotees—purified
By the sacred flame of Knowledge. Such individuals
Become one with my essence. Those who worship me,
I elevate; but everyone everywhere
Will find their way to me; although those souls
That seek rewards for their actions often sacrifice
To lesser gods. I say to you,
Here, they get their reward. But I am the One
Who created the Four Castes, assigning them places
Based on their qualities and talents. Yes, I
Created the Tranquil; I, who live
Forever, created all these mortal lives:
My essence isn’t stained by actions, as the deeds
Are done without my involvement.[FN#7] Whoever understands me working this way
Is not bound by action; action doesn’t hold him;
And realizing this, all the saints of old
Worked, seeking liberation. You should work
Just like your ancestors did in the past.

You say, confused, "It's been asked before
By singers and wise people, 'What is action,
And what is inaction?'" I will teach you this,
And by knowing, you'll understand which work truly saves.
You must properly meditate on the three:--
Doing, not doing, and undoing. Here
The path is thorny and dark! The one who realizes
How action can be rest and rest can be action--he
Is the wisest among his peers; he holds the truth!
He does well, whether acting or resting. Freed
From the pangs of desire in all his actions,
Cleansed in deed by the pure fire of truth,
The wise call him wise; and such a person,
Renouncing the fruits of deeds, is always content.
Always self-satisfied, if he works,
Does nothing that stains his individual soul,
Which, free from fear and hope, masters self,
Rejecting external impulses, giving to
The body's needs only what the body requires, lives
Sinless amid all sin, with equal calm
Accepting whatever happens, unshaken by grief,
Unmoved by joy, without envy; the same
In good and bad times; not bound
By the bonds of deeds. No, the one
Whose desires are gone, whose soul is free,
Whose heart is set on truth--for such a person,
Whatever he does is a work of sacrifice,
Which turns purely to ash and smoke
Consumed on the altar! Everything is God!
The sacrifice is Brahm, the ghee and grain
Are Brahm, the fire is Brahm, the flesh it consumes
Is Brahm, and to Brahm reaches he
Who, in such duty, mediates on Brahm.
Some followers serve the gods
With flesh and altar smoke; but others
Who, lighting subtler fires, perform a purer rite
With the intention of worship. Among them are those
Who, in the white flame of self-control, burn away
The joys of the senses, the delights of sight and sound,
Giving up kind words and the sounds of song:
And those who, igniting fires with the torch of Truth,
Burn the bliss
Of youth and love on a hidden altar, renouncing happiness:
And those who offer their wealth,
Their penance, meditation, piety,
Their diligent study of the scriptures, their knowledge
Earned through long austerities:
And those who, making silent sacrifice,
Inhale their breath to fuel the flame of thought,
And exhale to lift the heart on high,
Controlling the flow of each breath
So that no sigh escapes that does not nourish the soul:
And those who, day by day denying their needs,
Place life itself upon the altar flame,
Burning their bodies to a frailty. So! All these keep
The rite of offering, as if they were slaughtering
Victims; and all in this way erase much sin.
Yes! And those who partake in the immortal food
Left behind by such sacrifice, pass to Brahma,
To The Unending. But for the one who makes
No sacrifice, he has no part or share
Even in this life. How can he share
In another, O thou Glory of your Line?

In front of Brahma, all these offerings are laid out and accepted! Understand that everything happens through action; knowing this will free you from doubt. The sacrifice made through Knowledge is better than the greatest gifts offered by wealth since the value of gifts—oh my Prince!—depends on the mind that gives and the will that serves. These qualities are achieved through respect, diligent search, and humble attention to those who know the Truth and teach it. Once you know the Truth, your heart won’t suffer from confusion anymore, because the Truth will reveal everything to you, just as you are revealed to Me. Furthermore, Son of Pandu, even if you were the worst of wrongdoers, this noble ship of Truth would carry you safely across the ocean of your sins. Just as a fire consumes fuel until only ashes remain, the flame of Knowledge eliminates the worthless dross of actions. There is no purifier like it in this world, and anyone who seeks it will find it within themselves as they grow perfect. By believing, they receive it when the soul is mastered, clinging to the Truth, and arrives—armed with knowledge—at a higher level of peace, the ultimate tranquility. But those who are uneducated, those without full faith, and those who fear will fail; there is no peace here or elsewhere, no hope or happiness for those who doubt. The one who, being self-sufficient, has conquered doubt, separating self from service and soul from actions, enlightened and free, my Prince! Actions no longer bind him! Cut through, then, with the sword of wisdom, Son of Bharata! This doubt that constricts your heart! Break the ties born from your ignorance! Be courageous and wise! Join me in the field! Rise!

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER IV. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Jnana Yog,"
Or "The Book of the Religion of Knowledge,"

Arjuna.
But, Krishna! sometimes you praise
the renunciation of actions, and at other times,
you advocate for action through service. Please clearly explain
which path is better?

Krishna.
Stopping work
Is good, and doing work with purity
Is good; and both lead to ultimate happiness;
But of these two, the better path is for him
Who, while working with devotion, does not hold back.

That is the true Renouncer, strong and steadfast,
Who—seeking nothing, rejecting nothing—remains immune
To the "opposites." O brave Prince!
By acting, he easily breaks away from all action:
It's the new scholar who talks as if there were two,
This Sankhya and this Yoga: wise people understand
That whoever embraces one reaps the benefits of both!
The realm of high peace that Sankhyans achieve
Yogins also attain. Who sees these two as one
Sees with clear vision! Yet such detachment, Chief!
Is hard to achieve without a lot of holiness.
Whoever is anchored in holiness, self-disciplined,
Pure-hearted, master of the senses and of self,
Lost in the shared life of all living things—
A "Yogayukt"—is a Saint who heads
Straight toward Brahm. Such a person is not tainted
By the stains of action. "I do nothing for myself!"
Thus will he think—who understands the truth of truths—
While seeing, hearing, touching, smelling; when
He eats, walks, or breathes; sleeps or speaks,
Cling or let go, opens his eyes or closes them;
Always assured "This is just the sense-world interacting
With senses." He who acts with the thought of Brahm,
Detaching the end from the act, content with the act,
The world of senses can no longer stain his soul
Than water can damage the glazed lotus leaf.
With life, with heart, with mind—indeed, with the aid
Of all five senses—letting go of ego—
Yogins constantly strive toward their souls' liberation.
Such devotees, renouncing the results of actions,
Achieve endless peace: the uncommitted, the passion-bound,
Seeking a reward from work, are held down.
The embodied sage, turned inward within his soul,
At each action sits like a god in "the town
Which has nine gateways," neither doing anything
Nor causing any action. This world's Lord creates
Neither the work, nor the desire for the work,
Nor the craving for the results of work; it is the person's own self
That drives them to these! The Master of this World
Does not take on the good or evil deeds
Of anyone—remaining beyond! Humanity falters here
Through ignorance, clouding knowledge. But for those
Whose inner darkness is illuminated by light,
The Truth shines brightly and clearly
As if a Sun of Wisdom has risen to cast
Its beams of dawn. Those who meditate on Him,
Who seek, who merge with Him, who stay with Him,
The enlightened souls take that path
Which has no return—casting off their sins
By the power of faith. [Anyone willing can have this Light;
Whoever possesses it sees.] To the one who sees wisely,
The Brahman with his scriptures and rituals,
The cow, the elephant, the unclean dog,
The Outcast devouring dog meat, are all the same.

The world is overwhelmed—yes! even here!
By those who place their faith in Unity.
The sinless Brahma exists in Unity,
And they exist in Brahma. Don't be too joyful
in finding happiness, and don’t be too sad
when facing grief, but stay centered in Brahma and
consistently remain steady! The wise person whose soul
withdraws from outside distractions finds bliss within;
connected to Brahma through devotion,
their spirit experiences eternal peace. The joys
that come from sensory experiences are just temporary and.
They lead to certain sorrows: those joys have a beginning and an end!
The wise mind takes no pleasure, Kunti's Son!
in such things! But if a person learns,
even while living under the weight of their body,
to control desire and anger, they are truly blessed!
They are the Yukta; they find happiness,
contentment, and inner light: their life is intertwined
with Brahma's life; they approach Nirvana!
This is how the Rishis find rest, having cleared
away their sins, resolved their doubts, and kept their hearts
calm and controlled. Joyful in all that is good, they live,
close to the peace of God; and all those who live
free from greed and anger,
who conquer themselves and their senses, know the Soul!

The saint who keeps his calm soul away from the world
Rejecting all sensations, letting nothing in;
Whose calm eyes look steadily from fixed brows,
Whose outward breath and inward breath flow
Even and slow through nostrils that are still and closed;
That person—with heart, mind, and body restrained,
Focused on liberation, having set aside
Passion, fear, and anger—has, even now,
Achieved liberation, forever set free.
Yes! for he knows Me, the one who values
The sacrifice and worship, God revealed;
And He who disregards, being the Lord of Worlds,
Lover of all living things, God unrevealed,
In whom anyone can find safety and protection!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER V. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Karmasanyasayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Renouncing the Fruits of Actions."

Krishna.
So, the person who does their work without expecting anything in return, that man, O Prince!
Is both a Sanyasi and a Yogi.
And he is not one who does not kindle the flame
Of sacrifice, nor puts their hand to work.

Consider the true Renouncer to be someone who worships through action, for without renunciation, one doesn’t truly act as a Yogin. It is rightly said: "Through actions, the devotee develops faith, and saintliness is found in the abandonment of all actions; because the perfect Yogin acts, yet remains free from passions and unchained by results, disregarding outcomes."

Let each person uplift
The Soul through their true self, not crush their true self,
Because the Soul, which is a friend to the self, can become its enemy.
The Soul is a friend to the self when the self is in control,
But the self becomes an enemy if the Soul's own essence
Rejects the self as if it were not part of itself.[FN#10]

The noble spirit
Of someone who lives freely and in harmony
Is centered within, experiencing both
Joy and sorrow; warmth, cold; fame and disgrace.
He is the Yogi, he is Yukta, joyful
In the light of truth; living on a peak,
With controlled senses
Where the dirt, the stone, and the shining gold
All appear the same. By this, he is recognized
As one who shows equal kindness to companions, friends,
Passersby, strangers, lovers, and foes,
Outsiders and family; cherishing all equally,
Whether they are good or bad.

He should sit in solitude,
Meditating steadily,
With his thoughts in control and his passions set aside,
Free from possessions. In a nice, quiet place
Having a fixed spot—not too high,
Nor too low—let him stay, his belongings
A cloth, a deerskin, and Kusa-grass.
There, focusing intently on The One,
Restraining his heart and senses, silent and calm,
Let him achieve Yoga and attain
A pure soul, keeping his body,
Neck, and head steady, his gaze focused
On the tip of his nose,[FN#11] absorbed in his surroundings,
Tranquil in spirit, fearless, dedicated
To his Brahmacharya vow, devout,
Reflecting on Me, lost in thought of Me.
That devoted Yojin, so disciplined,
Reaches peace beyond—My peace, the peace
Of great Nirvana!

But for earthly needs
Religion isn't for those who fast too much
Or feast too much, nor for those who let
Their minds go idle; nor for those who waste
Their strength in sleepless nights. No, Arjuna! true
Piety is what helps most with life's aches and pains,
where one is moderate
in eating, resting, and playing;
Balanced in desire and action; sleeping on time,
waking on time for duty.

When a person,
In life, focuses on their soul with thoughts
Strictly contained—untouched internally
By the turmoil of the senses—then they are Yukta. Look!
A steady lamp burns protected from the wind;
This is like the Yogi's mind
Shielded from sensory storms and shining brightly towards Heaven.
When the mind is calm, comforted by sacred practice;
When the Self reflects on itself and finds
Peace within; when it experiences the indescribable joy
Beyond all sensory experience, revealed only to the soul—
Only to the soul! and, knowing this, does not waver,
Staying true to the deeper Truth; when, holding onto this,
It considers no other treasure as valuable,
But, kept within, remains unmoved and unshaken
By the deepest sorrow, call that state "peace,"
That joyful separation in Yoga; call that person
The perfect Yogin!

Steadfastly, the will
Must work towards this until effort leads to ease,
And thought has moved on from thinking. Let go of
All desires created by dreams of fame and fortune,
Closing the doorways of the senses tightly
With careful guarding; then, step by step, it arrives
At the gift of assured peace and a calmed heart,
When the mind is wrapped in itself, and the soul reflects
Unburdened. But, whenever the heart
Breaks—wild and uncertain—beyond control, so often
Let him rein it back, let him pull it back
Under the soul's guidance; for perfect happiness
Grows only in a tranquil heart,
The spirit free of passion, cleansed from wrongdoing,
Devoted to the Infinite. He who dedicates
His soul to the Supreme Soul, leaving behind sin,
Moves unobstructed towards the endless joy
Of unity with Brahma. He who so dedicates himself,
So merges, sees the Life-Soul present
In everything alive, and all living things
Within that Life-Soul. And whoever
Recognizes Me in all, and all in Me,
I will never let go; nor will he ever
Release his hold on Me; wherever he may be,
Whatever his life is, in Me he dwells and thrives,
Because he knows and worships Me, Who resides
In everything that lives and connects with Me in all.
Arjuna! if a person sees everywhere—
Taught by his own likeness—one Life,
One Essence in both Evil and Good,
Consider him a Yogi, truly! well-accomplished!

Arjuna.
Slayer of Madhu! once more, this practice,
This Peace, coming from balance,
Revealed by you—I find no stability
In it, no calm, because the hearts of people
Are restless, impulsive,
Willful and intense. It seems to me,
It would be just as easy to control the wandering wind as to tame a man's heart.

Krishna.
Hero with long arms! It's undeniable that
It's tough to control a man's heart, which is often fickle;
But with practice, it can become self-controlled, Prince!
This discipline, I tell you,
Doesn't come easily to those who can't control themselves;
But whoever wants to master themselves
Will achieve it if they work hard at it.

Arjuna.
And what happens to someone who, despite their faith,
Fails, Krishna, in their efforts; falling away
From purity and missing the ideal path?
Are they not lost, wandering away from Brahma's light,
Like a fleeting cloud that drifts between earth and sky
When lightning strikes it, and it disappears?
I would love to hear your answer on this,
Because, Krishna, no one but you can resolve the doubt.

Krishna.
He’s not lost, Son of Pritha! No!
Neither the earth nor heaven is out of reach, even for him,
Because no heart that holds a true desire
Walks the path of loss! If someone fails,
Seeking righteousness, they will come at death
To the Realm of the Just; they will dwell there
For countless years, and being reborn,
Will begin life again in a beautiful home
Among the gentle and happy. It may happen
That they descend into a Yogi's family
On the foundation of Virtue; but that is rare! Such a birth
Is hard to achieve on this earth, Chief!
So they regain the heights of heart
They previously attained, and they strive anew
For perfection, with greater hope, dear Prince!
For by the old desire they are drawn on
Unknowingly; and merely desiring
The purity of yoga means to transcend
Beyond the Sabdabrahm, the spoken Ved.
But as a Yogi, working hard and long,
Cleansed from wrongdoings, perfected through lives
Following one after another, they finally place
Their feet on the farther path. Such a person ranks
Above ascetics, higher than the wise,
Beyond those who accomplish great deeds! Be a
Yogi, Arjuna! And among such ones believe,
The truest and best is he who worships Me
With their innermost soul, focused on My Mystery!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER VI. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Titled "Atmasanyamayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Self-Discipline."

Krishna.
Listen now, dear Prince! If your soul is focused
Always on Me—continuing to practice Yoga,
Always making Me your refuge—you will surely come
To a complete understanding of Me.
I will share with you the highest knowledge,
Complete and detailed, which, once you know it,
Leaves nothing more to learn in this world.

Out of thousands of people, maybe one
seeks the Truth; and of those few who do--
and even rise high--only one here and there
truly knows Me, as I am, the absolute Truth.

Earth, water, fire, air, spirit, life, and consciousness,
And individuality—these eight
Represent my presence, revealed.

This is my lower nature; learn about the higher,
By which, O Brave One! this Universe
Is brought to life through its life principle;
Where visible worlds are created
As from a womb. Know! I am that womb:
I create and I destroy this Universe:
There is no other Master, Prince, than me!
No other Creator! All of this depends on me
Like a string of pearls on its thread.
I am the fresh taste of water; I
The silver of the moon, the gold of the sun,
The sacred words from the Vedas, the thrill
That passes through the air, and the strength
Of a man's seed. I am the sweet smell
Of the damp earth, I am the fire's bright light,
The vital air that moves in everything that moves,
The holiness of pure souls, the eternal root
From which everything has sprung;
The wisdom of the wise, the intellect
Of the informed, the greatness of the great.
The brilliance of the splendid. Son of Kunti!
That is what I am, free from passion and desire;
Yet I am the right desire in all who long,
Leader of the Bharatas! For all those moods,
True, passionate, or ignorant,
That Nature forms, come from me; but all
Are merged in me—not I in them! The world—
Misled by those three qualities of existence—
Knows Me not, Who am beyond them all,
Above them all, Eternal! It’s hard
To see through that divine veil of diverse appearances
That conceals Me; yet those who worship Me
See beyond it and transcend.

I’m not familiar
with wrongdoers, nor with the foolish,
nor with the petty or rude; nor with those
whose judgments are deceived by appearances,
nor with those who follow the path of Asuras.[FN#12]

Four types of people understand me: the one who cries,
Arjuna! and the one who longs for knowledge;
And the one who works to assist; and the one who sits
Confident in me, enlightened.

Of these four,
O Prince of India! highest, nearest, best,
That last is, the devoted soul, wise, focused
On "The One." Dear, above all, am I
To him; and he is dearest to me!
All four are good and seek me; but my own,
The true of heart, the faithful—focused on me,
Taking me as their ultimate blessing,
They are not "mine," but I—even I myself!
After many lifetimes, they come to Me!
Yet it’s hard to find the wise Mahatma,
That man who says, "All is Vasudeva!"[FN#13]

There are also those whose knowledge, distracted
By this desire or that, end up serving
Lesser gods, through various rituals, limited
By what shapes them. To all these--
Worship whatever shrine they will, whatever forms, in faith--
It is I who give them faith! I am satisfied!
The heart that seeks favor from its God,
Darkened yet fervent, gets what it desires,
The lesser blessing--but it is I who provide!
Yet soon withers the small fruit they gather:
Those narrow-minded people, who worship this way,
Go where they worship, moving on with their gods.
But Mine come to me! Blind are the eyes
That think the Unmanifested is visible,
Not truly understanding Me in my essence!
Eternal, unseen, unexpressed,
Hidden behind my magical veil of illusions,
I am not seen by all; I am not known--
Unborn and unchanging--to the indifferent world.
But I, Arjuna! know all things that were,
And all that are, and all that are to come,
Although not one among them knows Me!

By the passion for the "pairs of opposites,"
By the two traps of Like and Dislike, Prince!
All creatures live confused, except for a few
Who, free from sins, holy in action, enlightened,
Released from the "opposites" and grounded in faith,
Cling to Me.

Who cling to Me, seeking refuge from birth and death, those are the ones who have the Truth! Those who know Me as BRAHMA, know Me as the Soul of Souls, the ADHYATMAN; they understand KARMA, my work; they know I am ADHIBHUTA, the Lord of Life, and ADHIDAIVA, the Lord of all the Gods, and ADHIYAJNA, the Lord of Sacrifice; Worship Me sincerely, with hearts full of love and faith, and find and hold Me in the hour of death.

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER VII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Vijnanayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Discernment."

Arjuna.
Who is that BRAHMA? What is that Soul of Souls,
The ADHYATMAN? What, You Best of All!
Your work, the KARMA? Tell me what it is
You call ADHIBHUTA? And what does
ADHIDAIVA mean? Yes, and how can it be
That You are ADHIYAJNA in your flesh?
Slayer of Madhu! Also, please tell me
How good people find You in their last moments?

Krishna.
I am BRAHMA! the One Eternal GOD,
And ADHYATMAN is the name of My Being,
The Soul of Souls! What comes from Me,
Causing all life to exist, is called KARMA:
And, manifested in different forms,
I am the ADHIBHUTA, Lord of Lives;
And ADHIDAIVA, Lord of all the Gods,
Because I am PURUSHA, who creates.
And ADHIYAJNA, Lord of Sacrifice,
I--speaking with you in this body here--
Am, you embodied one! (for all the shrines
Flame unto Me!) And, at the moment of death,
He who has meditated on Me alone,
In shedding his body, comes to Me,
Enters into My Being--don't doubt it!
But, if he meditates on something else
At the moment of death, in shedding the flesh,
He goes to what he sought, Kunti's Son!
Because the Soul is shaped by its desires.

Have Me in your heart always! And fight!
You too, when your heart and mind are focused on Me,
Will definitely come to Me! Everyone who clings
With a strong, unwavering will and firm faith,
Recognizing no other gods: everyone comes to Me,
The Ultimate, Purusha, the Holiest!

Whosoever has known Me, Lord of wise ones and singers,
Ancient of days; of all the Three Worlds' Support,
Boundless,--but to every single atom, the Giver
Of that which brings it to life: whoever, I say,

Hath known My form, which surpasses human understanding;
Seen my brilliance--which no eye has seen--
Brighter than the sun's shining gold,
Dispelling darkness,--to him has been

Right life! And, in the hour when life is ending,
With a steady mind and trusting faith,
Drawing a final breath beneath calm, unwavering brows,
In happy peace that faithful one dies,--

In joyful peace, we move on to Purusha's heaven.
The place that those who read the Vedas call
AKSHARAM, "Ultimate;" where saints and ascetics have worked hard—
their journey is the same.

That path—the ultimate path—is followed by the one who closes
the gates of all their senses, secures desire
safely in their heart, focuses the essential breaths
on their departing thoughts, firmly resolved;
And, softly chanting OM, the sacred sound—
symbol of BRAHM—dies while meditating on Me.

For those who disregard all other gods and focus solely on Me,
I am easily reached by such a Yogi; and, once they find Me,
These great souls do not return to birth,
To a life that is full of suffering and eventually ends,
But instead follow the path of ultimate bliss.

The worlds, Arjuna—even Brahma's world—
Roll back again from Death to Life's unrest;
But they, O Kunti's Son! who reach Me,
No longer experience birth. If you know Brahma's Day
Which lasts a thousand Yugas; if you know
The thousand Yugas that make up Brahma's Night,
Then understand Day and Night as He does!
When that vast Dawn breaks, the Invisible
Becomes Visible again;
When that deep Night falls, everything
Fades back into Him Who sent it forth;
Yes! this vast company of living beings—
Constantly created—dies
At Brahma's Nightfall; and, at Brahma's Dawn,
Arises, without its will, to new life.
But—higher, deeper, innermost—there exists
Another Life, unlike sensory life,
Beyond sight, unchanging. This endures
When all created things have disappeared:
This is that Life called the Unmanifest,
The Infinite! the All! the Uttermost.
Once reaching it, none return. That Life
Is Mine, and I am there! And, Prince! through faith
That does not waver, there is a way to reach
That place. I, the PURUSHA, I Who spread
The Universe around me—in Whom dwell
All living Things—can be reached and seen!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . [FN#14]

Richer than the sacred fruit from the Vedas,
Greater than gifts, better than prayer or fasting,
Such is wisdom! The Yogi, understanding this,
Achieves the Ultimate Perfect Peace at last.

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER VIII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Aksharaparabrahmayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Devotion to the One Supreme God."

Krishna.
Now I will reveal to you--whose heart
Does not turn away--that final wisdom, deeply hidden,
That furthest secret of My Heavens and Earth,
Which, once known, will free you from suffering,--
A royal wisdom! a Kingly mystery!
Yes! for the soul, such light that cleanses it
From every sin; a light of holiness
With a deep brilliance shining; clear to see;
Easy to follow, limitless!

Those who don't accept this, lacking faith
To understand the greater wisdom, won't find Me,
The Destroyer of your enemies! They fall back
Into the world of the Flesh, where everything changes!

By me, the entire vast universe of things
Is spread out;—by me, the Unmanifest!
In me are all existences contained;
Not I in them!

Yet they are not contained,
Those visible things! Accept and try to embrace
The majestic mystery! My existence--
Creating everything, sustaining everything--still resides
Outside of all!

See! just as the endless air
Moves in the limitless space, but is not space,
[And space would be space without the moving air];
So everything is in Me, but is not I.

At the end of each Kalpa, Indian Prince!
Everything returns to My Being:
At the start of each Kalpa, all
Emerge new-born from Me.

By Energy
And with the help of Nature, my outer self,
Again, and again, I send forth
The realms of visible things--against their will--
All of them--by the power of Nature.

Yet these great creations, Prince! don't involve me
Don't chain me! I stand apart from them,
Different, and Elevated, and Free; not attached at all!

Thus the essence of worlds, shaped by Me,
Creates everything that exists, whether in motion or at rest,
Alive or inanimate! Thus the worlds continue on!

The uneducated minds misinterpret Me, hidden in form;--
They see nothing of My secret Presence, nothing
Of My hidden Nature that governs all that lives.
Chasing empty hopes, doing pointless deeds; fed
On worthless knowledge, they mindlessly seek
A destructive path, the way of animals and demons.
But My Mahatmas, those with noble hearts
Who walk the divine path, worship Me
With focused hearts,--knowing Me as the Source,
The Eternal Source, of Life. Continuously
They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their promises
Of respect and love, with unwavering faith
Adoring Me. Yes, and those also adore,
Who, offering the sacrifice of awakened hearts,
Sense a single Spirit's presence,
One Force everywhere, though diverse!
I am the Sacrifice! I am the Prayer!
I am the Funeral Cake set for the deceased!
I am the healing herb! I am the ghee,
The Mantra, and the flame, and that which burns!
I am—of all this vast Universe—
The Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Protector!
The culmination of Learning! That which purifies
In cleansing water! I am OM! I am
Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Veda;
The Way, the Nurturer, the Lord, the Judge,
The Witness; the Abode, the Refuge,
The Friend, the Source, and the Sea of Life
Which gives, and takes back; Treasure of Worlds
And Treasure-Chamber! Seed and Seed-Sower,
From which endless harvests come! The sun's heat is mine;
Heaven's rain is mine to give or withhold;
I am Death, and I am Immortal Life,
Arjuna! SAT and ASAT, Visible Life,
And Invisible Life!

Yea! those who study
The threefold Vedas, who drink the Soma-wine,
Cleanse their sins, offer sacrifices—from Me they gain
Entrance to heaven; where the divine foods

Of great gods, they are fed in high Indra's heaven.
Yet they, when that incredible joy is over,
Paradise exhausted, and pay for the rewards earned,
Return to the world of death and change once again.

They got what they deserved! They saved their treasure,
Following the threefold Scripture and its teachings;
Those who seek it gain the temporary joy
Of happiness that comes and goes! I give them that!

But to those lucky ones who worship Me,
Not looking elsewhere, with focused minds,
I promise them complete happiness ahead.

No, and for those whose hearts follow other gods
In simple faith, their prayers reach out to me,
O Kunti's Son! even if they pray incorrectly;
For I am the Receiver and the Lord
Of every sacrifice, which they don’t understand
Properly; so they fall back to earth!
Those who follow gods go to their gods; those who vow
Their souls to ancestors go to their ancestors; minds
Given over to evil spirits sink to the spirits;
And whoever loves Me comes to Me.
Whoever offers Me in faith and love
A leaf, a flower, a fruit, or poured-out water,
That offering I accept, made with devotion
And goodwill. Whatever you do, Prince!
Eating or sacrificing, giving gifts,
Praying or fasting, let it all be done
For Me, as Mine. This way you will free yourself
From Karmabandh, the chain that holds people
To good and evil outcomes, and you will come
Safely to Me—when you are free from the body—
Through faith and surrender united with Me!

I am the same for everyone! I don’t know hate,
I don’t know favoritism! What is created is Mine!
But those who worship Me with love, I love;
They are in Me, and I am in them!

No, Prince!
If someone living a bad life thinks of Me,
count him among the good;
He’s chosen the right path; he will grow
righteous soon; he will find that peace
which doesn’t change. You, Prince of India!
Know that no one can be lost if they trust Me!
Oh, son of Pritha! Whoever turns to Me,
no matter if they come from a terrible background,
man or woman; from the Vaisya caste
or the lowly Sudra—everyone
can walk the highest path; so how much more
the holy Brahmins and My Royal Saints?
Ah! you who have come into this troubled world—
fleeting and false—put your faith in Me!
Set your heart and mind on Me! Worship Me! Bring
offerings to Me! Bow down to Me! Make
Me your greatest joy! and, united,
your spirits shall be guided to My rest.

HERE ENDS CHAPTER IX. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Rajavidyarajaguhyayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by the Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly
Mystery."

Krishna.
Listen closely, you Long-Armed Lord! to these final words I speak--
Meant to bring you joy and peace, since you love Me always--
Not even the mighty assembly of gods or revered Rishis understand
My True Nature, Who created the gods and Rishis long ago;
Only he knows, free of sin and wise,
Who sees Me, Lord of the Worlds, with eyes enlightened by faith,
Unborn, undying, and without beginning. Whatever qualities
Are given to mortals, all of those qualities come from Me!
Intellect, skill, enlightenment, endurance, self-control,
Truthfulness, balance, and the emotional ups and downs,
Along with birth and death, fear and fearlessness, and shame,
And honor, and gentle kindness, and peace that remains the
same
No matter what happens, along with joy, tears, devotion, and frugality,
And the desire to give, and the will to help--all come from My gift!
The Seven Great Saints, the Four Elders, and the Noble Manus set--
Together sharing My work to govern the worlds, I created them too;
And Rishis, Pitris, Manus, all were born from one thought of My mind;
From there arose, to populate this world, the races of humankind;
Whoever understands My Reign of mystical Majesty--
That ultimate truth--is forever linked in flawless faith to Me:
Yes! knowing Me as the source of all, by Me all beings were created,
The wise in spirit hold onto Me, embraced within My Being;
Hearts focused on Me; breaths offered to Me; praising Me, each to each,
They find happiness and peace, with thoughts and words of devotion;
And to these--serving well, loving continuously--
I grant a mind of perfect calm, drawing them closer to Me;
And all for love of them, I dwell within their troubled souls,
And with the bright rays of wisdom’s light, I dispel their ignorance.

Arjuna.
Yes! You are the Ultimate Reality! The Supreme Presence!
The Great Purification! You are God
Eternal, All-creating, Holy, First,
Without beginning! Lord of Lords and Gods!
Acknowledged by all the Saints—by Narada,
Vyasa, Asita, and Devalas;
And here You are declaring it to me!
What You have said I now know to be true,
O Kesava! that neither gods nor men
Nor demons can understand Your mystery
Made clear, Most Divine! Only You
Yourself know, Supreme Maker!
Master of all living beings! Lord of Gods!
King of the Universe! To You alone
Belongs the explanation of the heavenly greatness
Of those qualities with which You fill
These worlds of Yours; Ever-present, Immanent!
How shall I comprehend, Supreme Mystery!
To know You, even though I think about it continually?
Under what form of Your countless forms
Can You be grasped? Ah! yet again, please recount,
Clearly and completely, Your great manifestations,
The secrets of Your Majesty and Power,
You High Joy of Humanity! Never enough
Can my ears take in the nectar of such words!

Krishna.
Alright! So be it! Kuru Prince! I will reveal to you
Some parts of My greatness, whose powers are countless!
I am the Spirit that resides deep in every creature's heart;
From Me they come; by Me they live; at My command they depart!
I am Vishnu among the Adityas, those Lords of Light;
Maritchi among the Maruts, the Kings of Storm and Blight;
By day I shine, the golden Sun of blazing cloudless Noon;
By Night, among the stars I glide, the spotted Moon!
Of the Vedas, I am Sama-Ved; of the gods in Indra's Heaven
Vasava; of the faculties given to living beings
The mind that understands and thinks; of Rudras, Sankara;
Of Yakshas and Rakshasas, Vittesh; and Pavaka
Of Vasus, and of mountain peaks, Meru; Vrihaspati
Know Me among planetary Powers; among heavenly Warriors
Skanda; of all the waters, the Sea that drinks them all,
And Bhrigu of the holy Saints, and OM of sacred speech;
Of the prayers you whisper; of the snowy Himalayas,
And Aswattha, the fig tree, of all the trees that grow;
Of the Devarshis, Narada; and Chitrarath, of those
That sing in Heaven, and Kapila of the sages, and the gem
Of flying steeds, Uchchaisravas, from the Amrit wave that burst;
Of elephants, Airavata; of males the Best and First;
Of weapons, Heaven's hot thunderbolt; of cows, white Kamadhuk,
From whose great milky udder all hearts' desires are stroked;
Vasuki of the serpent tribes, wrapped around Mandara;
And thousand-fanged Ananta, on whose broad coils rests
Vishnu; and of water beings, Varuna; Aryam
Of Pitris, and of those who judge, I am Yama the Judge;
Of fearsome Daityas, Prahlada; of what marks days and years,
I am Time itself; of woodland beasts—buffaloes, deer, and bears—
The lordly painted tiger; of birds, the vast Garud,
The whirlwind among the winds; among chiefs, Rama stained with blood,
Makar among fishes of the sea, and Ganges among the streams;
Truly! First, and Last, and Center of all that is or seems
I am, Arjuna! The Supreme Wisdom of all that is wise,
The words on lips that speak, and eyesight of the eyes,
And "A" of written letters, Dwandwa of woven speech,
And Endless Life, and boundless Love, whose power supports each;
And bitter Death that seizes all, and joyous sudden Birth,
That brings to light all beings that are to be on earth;
And of the unseen virtues, Fame, Fortune, Song am I,
And Memory, and Patience; and Skill, and Constancy:
Of Vedic hymns, the Vrihatsam, of meters, Gayatri,
Of months, Margasirsha; of all the three seasons,
The flower-crowned Spring; in a dice game, the winning
Double-Eight;
The brilliance of the brilliant, and the greatness of the great,
Victory I am, and Action! and the goodness of the good,
And Vasudev of Vrishni's race, and of this Pandu lineage
Yourself!—Yes, my Arjuna! yourself; for you are Mine!
Of poets, Usana; of saints, the divine sage Vyasa;
The strategy of conquerors, the power of kings,
The deep unbroken silence in the mysteries of learning;
The wisdom of all the learned, the seed of all that thrives.
Living or lifeless, still or stirred, whatever beings exist,
None of them in all the worlds exists without Me!
Nor can any tongue tell, Arjuna! nor can the telling ever cease
Of My boundless glories, of which I teach you some;
For wherever there is wondrous work, and majesty, and might,
All has proceeded from Me. Receive this rightly!
Yet how should you, O Prince! grasp the enormity of this word?
I, who am all, and made it all, remain its separate Lord!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER X. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Vibhuti Yoga,"
Or "The Book of Religion through Divine Glories."

Arjuna.
This, for my peace of mind, I have heard from You,
The revealing of the Supreme Mystery
Called Adhyatman; understanding this,
My darkness is gone; for now I know--
O Lotus-eyed![FN#21]--where the birth of people comes from,
And where their death comes from, and what the greatness
Of Your immortal rule is. I would love to see,
As You Yourself declare, Sovereign Lord!
The likeness of that glory of Your Form
Fully revealed. O You Most Divine!
If this is possible, if I can handle the sight,
Make Yourself visible, Lord of all prayers!
Show me Your very self, the Eternal God!

Krishna.
Look, Son of Pritha! I'm showing you
All those countless shapes that represent my Mystery:
I'm revealing all my forms, endless, rich, divine,
My shifting colors, my infinite forms. See! in this face of mine,
Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Aswins, and Maruts; look
At countless wonders, Indian Prince! revealed only to you.
Behold! this is the Universe!--Look! everything that's alive and dead
I encompass all in one--in Me! Stare, as you've asked,
At GOD ETERNAL, VERY GOD! See Me! see what you've prayed for!

You can't! -- nor, with human eyes, Arjuna! ever will you!
So, I’m giving you divine insight. Have different eyes, new light!
And, look! This is My glory, revealed to human sight!

Sanjaya.
Then, O King! as the God spoke,
He stood before Pritha's Son, revealing
All the glory, wonder, and awe
Of His vast, powerful form.
With countless eyes watching,
With countless mouths commanding,
Countless mystical forms merging
Into one Form: supremely present
Wearing countless radiant glories,
Carrying countless heavenly weapons,
Crowned with garlands of star clusters,
Dressed in garments of woven light,
Emitting from His perfect Presence
Breaths of every subtle essence
Of all heavenly fragrances; radiating
Blinding brilliance; covering--
Endless, beautiful--all spaces
With His all-seeing faces;
So He revealed! If there should emerge
Suddenly in the sky
A burst of a thousand suns
Flooding the earth with unimaginable light,
Then that might reflect the Holy One's
Majesty and radiance imagined!

So did Pandu's Son see
This entire universe wrap up
All its massive diversity
Into one enormous form, and be
Visible, and seen, and mixed
In one Body--subtle, magnificent,
Nameless--the All-encompassing
God of Gods, the Never-Ending
Deity!

But, totally amazed,
Excited, overwhelmed, dazzled, and confused,
Arjuna knelt; and bowed his head,
And joined his palms; and cried out, saying:

Arjuna.
Yes! I have seen! I see!
Lord! everything is encompassed in You!
The gods are in Your magnificent form! The beings
Of earth, and heaven, and hell
Exist in Your Divine form,
And in Your face shine all the qualities

Of Brahma, sitting alone
On His lotus throne;
Of saints and sages, and the serpent races
Ananta, Vasuki;
Yes! mightiest Lord! I see
Your countless arms, and chests, and faces,
And eyes—all around
Perfect, diverse;
And there is no end to You, no beginning,
Nowhere a center! Shifts—
Wherever the soul's gaze looks up—
Your central Self, all-powerful and all-victorious!

Infinite King! I see
The crown on You,
The club, the shell, the discus; see You shining
In unbearable light,
Illuminating earth, heaven, and hell
With brilliance blazing, glowing, flashing; turning

Darkness to bright day,
I look in every direction;
Oh, Lord! I worship You, the One,
The Ultimate of thought,
The Treasure-Palace created
To hold the riches of the worlds; the Shield provided

To protect the laws of Virtue;
The source from which Life's stream flows
All waters of all rivers of all existence:
The One that is Unborn, Unending:
Unchanging and Unmixing!
With strength and greatness, beyond thought, beyond sight!

Silver of the moon and gold
of the sun are glories rolled
from Your great eyes; Your face, shining gently
throughout the stars and skies,
brings a warm surprise
to Your Universe. The worlds are filled with wonder

Of Your perfections! Space
Starry and empty place
From one pole of the Blue to the other, from edge to edge,
Has You in every spot,
You, You!--Where You are not,
Oh Holy, Marvelous Shape! is found nowhere!

O Mystic, Terrifying One!
At the sight of You, it becomes clear,
The Three Worlds tremble; the lesser gods approach You;
They join their hands and bow
Their bodies, chests, and heads,
And, quietly worshiping, praise and honor You!

Rishis and Siddhas cry
"Hail! Highest Majesty!"
From sage and singer comes the hymn of glory
In sweet harmony,
Praising You;
While countless groups join in the tale,

Rudras, who ride the storms,
The shining forms of the Adityas,
Vasus and Sadhyas, Viswas, Ushmapas;
Maruts, and those great Twins
The heavenly, fair Aswins,
Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Siddhas, and Asuras,[FN#22]--

These see You and honor
In sudden, overwhelming fear;
Yes! the Worlds—seeing You in a staggering form,
With countless faces,
With eyes that all see,
Countless eyes, huge arms, immense limbs,

Flanks, lit by the sun and stars,
Feet planted here and there,
Displays of fear, mouths both angry and gentle;--
The Three vast Worlds before You
Worship, like I worship You,
Tremble, like I tremble, to see such greatness!

I watch You touch the skies
With your forehead, in a stunning way
Huge, rainbow-colored, sparkling; and your mouth
Opened, and eyes that see
Everything, whatever it may be
In all Your worlds, east, west, north, and south.

O Eyes of God! O Head!
My inner strength is gone,
My heart's power has vanished, and my mind's wishes are silenced!
When I look at You like this,
With fearsome brows aglow,
With a fiery gaze, and lips bright with flame

Fierce as those flames that will
Consume, at the end of everything,
Earth, Heaven! Oh no! I see no Earth and Heaven!
You, Lord of Lords! I see,
You only—only You!
Now let Your mercy be given to me,

You Refuge of the World!
Look! into the cavern thrown
Of Your wide-opened throat, and lips pale-touched,
I see our greatest ones,
Great Dhritarashtra's sons,
Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, trapped and defeated!

The Kings and Chiefs pulled in,
That wide gorge inside;
The finest of both these armies shattered and split apart!
Between Your jaws they lie
Mangled, completely bloodied,
Ground into dust and death! Like streams rushing down

With frantic urgency, they rush In a chaotic, furious surge Straight into the depths of the vast ocean, So to that fiery cave Those great and courageous heroes Flood in endless streams, moving helplessly!

Like moths that flutter towards a light at night,
Drawn to their fiery fate, flying and dying,
So they flock to their end,
Blind and dazzled, carried along
Continuously, all those crowds, wildly flying!

Thou, who has created humans,
Devours them once more,
One after another, great and small, the same!
The beings You make,
With fiery mouths You take,
Lapping them up! Lord God! Your fears hit

From one end of the earth to the other,
Filling life to the brim, from birth
To death, with terrifying, intense dread!
Ah, Vishnu! help me understand
Why do You look like this?
Who are You, feasting on Your dead?

Who? Awful Deity!
I humble myself before You,
Namostu Te, Devavara! Please be gracious![FN#23]
O Mightiest Lord! Tell me
Why do You have such a fierce face?
Where does this terrible aspect come from?

Krishna.
You see Me as Time who kills,
Time that brings everything to an end,
The Slayer Time, Ancient of Days, come here to consume;
Besides you, of all these armies of enemy leaders gathered,
There isn't one who will leave the battlefield alive! Don't be
Dismayed any longer! Get up! earn your glory! destroy your enemies!
Fight for the kingdom that's waiting for you once you've defeated them.
They will fall by My hand—not yours! Their death is coming now,
Even as they stand so bravely; You are My instrument!
Strike, strong-armed Prince, at Drona! at Bhishma strike! deal death
To Karna, Jyadratha; silence all their warlike breath!
It's I who command their end! You will just slay the already doomed;
Fight! they must fall, and you must live, victorious on this field!

Sanjaya.
Listening to powerful Keshav's words,
The armored Lord, shaking slightly,
Held his raised palms together and--praying
For Krishna's grace--stood there, saying,
With a bowed head and shaky voice,
These words, spoken timidly:

Arjuna.
Truly, Lord of Strength!
The entire world takes joy
In Your incredible power, following You;
The demons, in fear
At the sight of You, flee
To every direction; and the group

Of Siddhas sing Your name.
How could they not declare
Your Majesty, Divine Might?
You Brahm, greater than Brahma!
You Infinite Creator!
You God of gods, Life's Home and Peace!

You, of all souls the Soul!
The Comprehending Whole!
Of being formed, and formless being the Creator;
O Highest One! O Lord!
Older than time, Who filled
The worlds with abundance of life! O Treasure-Claimer,

Who knows everything, and is
Wisdom itself! O Part
In all, and Everything; for all have come from You
Countless now I see
The forms are of You!
Vayu[FN#24] You are, and He who guards the prison

Of Narak, Yama is dark;
And Agni's shining spark;
Varuna's waves are Your waves. Moon and starlight
Are Yours! Prajapati
You are, and it's to You
They knelt in reverence to the ancient world's distant light,

The first of all humans.
Once more, Oh God! once again
A million times be praised!
Honor and worship be--
Glory and praise,--to You
Namo, Namaste, shouted from every direction;

Cried here, above, below,
Spoken when You leave,
Spoken where You arrive! Namo! we call;
Namostu! God we praise!
Namostu! Nameless Lord!
Hail to You! Praise to You! You One in all;

For You are Everything! Yes, You!
Ah! if in anger now
You should remember I thought You were a Friend,
Speaking casually,
Like people do with each other;
I called You "Krishna," "Prince," not realizing

Your hidden majesty,
The power, the wonder of You;
Did, in my carelessness, or in my love,
On a journey, or in fun,
Or when we were at rest,
Sitting in council, wandering in the grove,

Alone, or in the crowd,
Do You, most Holy! wrong,
May Your grace be given for that foolish sin!
For You are, now I know,
Father of all below,
Of all above, of all the worlds within

Guru of Gurus; more
To respect and admire
Than all that is worthy and supreme!
How, in the vast three worlds
Could anyone be equal?
Could anyone else share Your Majesty?

Therefore, with my body bent
And a respectful intent,
I praise, serve, and seek You, asking for grace.
As a father to a son,
As a friend to a friend, as one
Who loves their lover, turn Your face

In Your kindness to me!
I'm glad I saw
This unknown wonder of Your Form! But fear
Mixes with joy! Please take back,
Dear Lord! for pity's sake
Your earthly shape, which earthly eyes can handle!

Be kind and show me
Your face that I recognize;
Let me see You, like before, adorned
With your halo and crown,
With scepter and garland,
You who hold up everything! Without fear

Let me see once again
The figure I loved before,
You with a thousand arms and countless eyes!
This scared heart is eager
To see restored again
My Charioteer, in Krishna's gentle disguise.

Krishna.
Yes! You’ve seen it, Arjuna! Because I loved you dearly,
The secret face of Me, revealed through a mystical spell,
Shining, and amazing, and vast, majestic, and diverse,
Which no one but you has had the chance to see all these years;
Not through the Vedas does this come, nor through sacrifice, nor charity,
Nor good deeds, nor long penance, nor prayers, nor sung
hymns,
That mortal eyes should endure to see the Immortal Soul revealed,
Prince of the Kurus! This was meant just for you! Be joyful!
Let no more worry shake your heart, because your eyes have seen
My fearsome side mixed with My glory. As I have been
So I will be again for you; with a lighter heart, look!
Once more I am your Krishna, the form you knew before!

Sanjaya.
Vasudev spoke these words to Arjuna
and immediately took back
the beloved appearance
of the cherished charioteer;
peace and joy returned
when the Prince saw once again
the powerful form and face of BRAHMA
wrapped in Krishna's gentle grace.

Arjuna.
Now that I see you again, Janardana!
This friendly human form allows my mind to think
Calm thoughts once more; my heart is still beating again!

Krishna.
Yes! It was both amazing and frightening
To be seen by you as you did, dear Prince! The gods
Both fear and long to see me continually!
Yet, not through the Vedas, nor through sacrifice,
Nor through penance, nor giving, nor prayer
Can anyone see me as you have seen!
Only through complete service, perfect faith,
And total surrender am I known
And seen, and truly entered into, Indian Prince!
Whoever does everything for Me; who finds Me
In all; always worships; loves all
That I have created, and Me, for the pure purpose of love
That person, Arjuna! comes to Me.

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER XI. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Viswarupadarsanam,"
Or "The Book of the Manifesting of the One and Manifold."

Arjuna.
Lord! Among those who serve You—sincere in their hearts—
As You have revealed; and among those who serve,
Worshipping You as the Unseen, the Bodiless, the Distant,
Which path offers the better way of faith and life?

Krishna.
Those who serve Me—just as I present Myself—
Always devoted and fully dedicated,
I consider them very sacred. But those who worship—
Adoring Me, The One, The Invisible,
The Unrevealed, Unnamed, Unthinkable,
Ultimate, All-encompassing, Highest, Certain—
Who adore Me this way, controlling their senses,
With a single focus, joyful in all that is good,
These blessed souls reach Me.

Yet, hard
The struggle is for those who focus their minds
To reach the Unseen. That invisible path
Is rarely traveled by someone in the flesh!
But wherever anyone does all their actions
Giving up self for Me, full of Me, dedicated
To serve only the Highest, day and night
Reflecting on Me--I will quickly lift
Them from life’s ocean of suffering and death,
Whose soul clings tightly to Me. Cling to Me!
Hold Me with your heart and mind! Then you will surely dwell
With Me on high. But if your thoughts
Waver from such heights; if you struggle to keep
Body and soul focused on Me constantly,
Don’t despair! Give Me lesser service! Seek
To reach Me, worshipping with a steady will;
And if you can’t worship steadily,
Work for Me, putting effort into actions that please Me!
For anyone who works truly out of love for Me
Will ultimately succeed! But, if in this
Your weak heart gives up, bring Me your failure! Find
Refuge in Me! Let go of the fruits of labor,
Giving up hope for Me, with a humble heart,
You will still come; for, while knowing is more
Than just effort, worship is even better
Than knowing, and renouncing is best of all.
Close to renunciation--very close--
Lies Eternal Peace!

Who hates nothing
Of all that lives, living himself kindly,
Compassionate, free from arrogance,
Free from self-love, unchanging
By good or ill; patient, content, strong
In faith, mastering himself, true to his word,
Seeking Me, heart and soul; dedicated to Me,--
That man I love! Who does not trouble others,
And is not troubled by them; free of anger,
Living too high for joy, sorrow, or fear,
That man I love! Who, with calm eyes,
Untainted, serene, well-balanced, unbothered,
Works with Me, yet detached from all works,
That man I love! Who, fixed in faith in Me,
Favors no one, scorns no one; does not rejoice,
And does not grieve, letting good or evil happen
When it will, and when it will leave,
That man I love! Who, to friend and foe
Keeping an equal heart, with equal mind
Endures shame and glory; with an equal peace
Endures heat and cold, pleasure and pain; remains
Free of desires, hears praise or slander
In calm restraint, unmoved by each;
Unattached to earthly ties, steadfast in Me,
That man I love! But most of all I love
Those joyful ones for whom living is life
In single fervent faith and unseeing love,
Drinking the blessed Amrit of my Being!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER XII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Bhaktiyog,"
Or "The Book of the Religion of Faith."

Arjuna.
I want to understand, O kind Kesava![FN#26]
About Life that appears, and the Soul that perceives,
And what it is we know—or believe we know.

Krishna.
Yes! Son of Kunti! This body you see
Is the Kshetra, the field where life plays;
And what perceives and knows it is the Soul,
Kshetrajna. In all "fields," you Indian prince!
I am Kshetrajna. I am what observes!
Only that knowledge understands which knows the known
By the knower![FN#27] What is this "field" of life,
What qualities it has, where it comes from,
Why it changes, and the ability
That knows it, the power of this,
And how it knows—listen to these truths from Me!

. . . . . . . . . . . .[FN#28]

The elements, conscious life, the mind,
The unseen vital force, the nine strange gates
Of the body, and the five areas of sense;
Desire, dislike, pleasure and pain, and thought
Deeply intertwined, and the persistence of existence;
All of these are shaped in Matter by the Soul!

Humility, honesty, and kindness,
Patience and respect, valuing the wise.
Cleanliness, consistency, self-control,
Disregarding earthly pleasures, selflessness,
Understanding the certainty of pain
In birth, death, aging, illness, suffering, and sin;
Detachment, not holding too tightly to home,
Kids, and spouse, and all that connect people;
A consistently peaceful heart in good times
And bad, with a firm will
To worship Me—Me only! Never stopping;
Enjoying solitude, avoiding the noise
Of foolish crowds; determined efforts
To reach the understanding of the Ultimate Soul,
And the wisdom to see what it means
To achieve this—this is true Wisdom, Prince!
And anything else is just ignorance!

Now I will talk about the best knowledge to have—
The Truth that gives people Amrit to drink,
The Truth of HIM, the Para-Brahm, the All,
The Uncreated; neither Asat nor Sat,
Not Form, nor the Unformed; yet both, and more;--
Whose hands are everywhere, and everywhere
His feet are planted, and everywhere His eyes
Are watching, and His ears in every place
Are listening, and all His faces everywhere
Shine light and surround His worlds.
Praised in the senses He has given,
Yet beyond sense He is; sustaining all,
Yet He remains unattached: a master of forms and modes
Yet without form or mode;
He is within all beings—and outside them—
Motionless, yet still moving; not perceived
Because of the subtlety of His instant presence; close
To all, to each; yet infinitely far!
Not diverse, and yet still existing
In everything that lives; forever to be known
As the Sustainer, yet at the End of Times,
He makes everything come to an end—and recreates.
The Light of Lights He is, shining eternally
In the heart of the Dark. He is Wisdom
And the way of Wisdom, and the Guide of all the wise,
Planted in every heart.

So I've shared
About the essence of life, how it's shaped, and the wisdom
To understand it. Whoever loves Me,
Realizes this will definitely come to Me!

Know that both Nature and the Spirit
Have no beginning! Understand that the qualities
And changes in them are created by Nature;
That Nature sets the acting frame in motion,
But Spirit gives it life, causing
Feelings of pain and pleasure. Spirit, connected
To shaped matter, forms a bond
With qualities created by Nature, and, thus
Joined to matter, brings forth new life
In good or evil forms.[FN#29]

Yet is this
Yes! in its physical form!--Pure Spirit,
Supreme Spirit; observing, controlling,
Protecting, owning; Lord and Master still
PURUSHA, Ultimate, One Soul with Me.

Whoever understands themselves and knows their soul
PURUSHA, working through the qualities
With Nature's ways, has received the light!
No matter what body they have, they will never again
Carry its burden. A few find the Soul within themselves
Through meditation; some reach this understanding
Through deep philosophy and a holy life; some through action:
Others, even if they never achieve it, hear about the light
From others, grasp it, and hold on to it
Worshipping; indeed! And those—true to their teaching—
Transcend Death!

Wherever you are, Indian Prince!
Life is made up of moving things or things that are still,
plants or seeds that haven’t sprouted—understand that what exists has grown
from the connection of Matter and Spirit: Know
that the true seer is one who sees in everything
the living, commanding Soul; the Supreme Soul,
everlasting amidst the temporary:
For, anyone who perceives in every place,
in every form, the same, unified, Living Life,
does no harm to themselves,
but follows the greatest path that leads to happiness.
Truly seeing is recognizing that actions
are Nature’s way for the Soul to practice
by acting, yet not being the doer; perceiving the multitude
of distinct living things—each of its kind—
coming from One and merging back into One:
then they have BRAHMA, they have achieved!

O Prince!
That Ultimate, High Spirit, Uncreated,
Unqualified, even when it enters the flesh
Takes no stain from actions, works in nothing!
Like the ethereal air, pervading all,
Which, due to its sheer subtlety, avoids taint,
The subtle Soul is everywhere, unstained:
Like the light of the all-piercing sun
[Which is not changed by anything it shines upon,]
The Soul's light shines pure in every place;
And those who, with the eye of wisdom, see
How Matter, and what interacts with it, divide;
And how the Spirit and flesh are in conflict,
Those wise ones follow the path that leads to Life!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER XIII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "The Field and the Knower of the Field,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Separation of Matter and Spirit."

Krishna.
I will reveal to you
This ultimate wisdom, the best of all wisdoms,
Which, when possessed, has led all My saints
To perfection. Relying on such profound truths,
They rise to companionship
With Me, and they are not reborn at the start
Of cycles, nor do they change at dissolutions!

This universe is the womb where I plant
The seed of all lives! From here, Prince of India, comes
The birth of all beings! Whoever you are, Kunti's Son!
Each mortal form is birthed by mothers, conceived by Brahma,
And I am the one who fathers, sending the seed!

Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas are the names of
the qualities of Nature: "Truth,"
"Passion," and "Ignorance." These three bind
the unchanging Spirit to the changing flesh.
Among them, sweet "Truth," through purity,
remains untainted and enlightened, connecting
the sinless Soul to happiness and truth;
Passion, linked to desire,
creating impulse and tendency,
ensnares the embodied Soul, O Son of Kunti!
by the bond of action. But Ignorance, born
from Darkness, blinding mortals, ties down
their souls to stupor, laziness, and drowsiness.
Yes, Prince of India! Truth connects souls
quite pleasantly to the flesh; while Passion ties
through hard work; but Ignorance, which obscures
the light of wisdom, binds the soul to inactivity.
Once Passion and Ignorance are overcome,
Truth remains, O Bharata! Where this
and Ignorance are absent, Passion takes charge;
and Ignorance resides in hearts that are neither good nor agile.
When at all the openings of the Body shines
the Lamp of Knowledge, one can clearly see
that Truth rules in that place;
Where there is desire, eagerness, and unrest,
the drive to strive and gain, and greed,
these stem from ingrained Passion, Prince! And where
Darkness and dullness, laziness and stupor exist,
it is Ignorance that has brought them, Kuru Chief!

Moreover, when a soul departs, fixed in truth, it goes to the place—perfect and pure—of those who know all truth. If it departs in a habitual state of impulse, it will enter the world of spirits bound to work; and if it dies in hardened ignorance, that blinded soul is born again in some unlit womb.

The result of honesty is genuine and sweet;
The result of desires is suffering and hard work; the result
Of ignorance is deeper darkness. Yes!
Because light brings clarity, and desire aches to be fulfilled;
And gloom, confusion, and ignorance
Stem from ignorance. Those who choose the first
Keep rising higher; those who choose the second path
Find themselves in a middle ground; the lost souls sink back
Into lower depths, burdened with foolishness!

When the living person observes life,
They realize the only players are the Qualities,
And understands what lies beyond the Qualities,
Then they are close to Me!

The Soul,
By moving beyond the Three Qualities--
From which all bodies come--conquers
Birth, Death, Sorrow, and Age; and drinks deeply
The everlasting nectar of Amrit.

Arjuna.
Oh, my Lord!
What are the signs of someone who has gone
beyond the Three Modes? How do they live? What path
takes them safely beyond the threefold Modes?

Krishna.
He who calmly observes
The brightness of goodness, the turmoil of passion, the laziness
Of ignorance, remaining unbothered by them,
Not longing for what isn’t there: he who stands
As a traveler and outsider among them,
Unmoved, looking on, saying--calmly--
When challenges arise, "These are the Qualities!"
He to whom--self-contained--grief and joy
Sound like one single word; to whose insightful eyes
The dirt, the stone, and the gold are the same;
Whose equal heart treats everything
With the same kindness for beautiful and ugly things, steady,
Content in both praise and criticism; satisfied
With honor or disgrace; towards friends
And enemies alike in acceptance;
Detached from actions,--he is called
Surmounter of the Qualities!

And so—
With a single, passionate faith worshiping Me,
Going beyond the Qualities, aligns
With Brahma, and reaches Me!

For I am
What Brahma resembles! Mine
Is the Amrit; and Immortality
Is mine; and mine is perfect happiness!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER XIV. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
Entitled "The Yoga of the Division of the Three Gunas,"
Or "The Book of Religion through Discriminating the Qualities."

Krishna.
People call the Aswattha—the Banyan tree—
With its branches below and roots above—
The always-holy tree. Yes! because its leaves
Are green and rustling hymns that whisper Truth!
Whoever understands the Aswattha understands the Vedas and everything else.

Its branches reach up to the sky and down to the ground,[FN#30]
Just like the actions of people, which arise
From their traits: its silver sprays and flowers,
And all the vibrant green of its thickness,
Spring to lively growth with the touch of sun and air,
As people's lives flourish with the attractive
Allure of desire: its dangling rootlets search
For the soil below, helping to anchor it there,

As actions taken in this world of people
Tie them with increasingly tighter bonds again.
If you truly understood the lesson of the Tree,
What its shape means; and where it comes from; and, then

How it must end, and all the troubles of it,
The sharp axe of Detachment you would sharpen,
And cut through the clinging, snaky roots, and bring
This Aswattha of sensory life down low,--to set

New growths rising to that brighter sky,--
Those who reach it will have no day to die,
Nor will they fade away or fall--I mean Him,
FATHER and FIRST, Who created the mystery

Of old Creation; for to Him they come
From passion and from dreams that they escape;
Who break the bonds tying them to flesh,
And,--Him, the Highest, always worshipping--

No longer grow at the mercy of the breeze
Of summer pleasure that stirs the sleeping trees,
What blast of the storm tears them, branch and trunk
To the eternal world pass like these!

Another Sun shines there! Another Moon!
Another Light—not Dusk, nor Dawn, nor Noon—
Those who see it never return;
They have reached My rest, life's greatest blessing!

When, in this world of living existence,
The eternal Spirit, emerging from Me,
Takes on a form, it draws to itself
From the reservoir of Being, which holds everything,--
Senses and intellect. The Supreme Soul
Thus entering the body, or leaving it,
Collects these up, like the wind gathers fragrances,
Blowing over the flower beds. It takes Hearing and Sight,
And Touch and Taste, and Smell,--
Yes, and a conscious mind;--connecting itself
To sensory experiences in this way.

The unaware ones
Don’t notice the Spirit when he arrives or leaves,
Or when he enjoys being in form,
Combined with qualities; but those who can see clearly
Understand. Holy souls see
Who strive for this. Enlightened, they recognize
That Spirit within themselves; but ignorant ones,
Even if they try, can't perceive, having hearts
Unlit and misinformed!

Know this from me: The gathered glory of the suns shines, Lighting up the world; from me, the moons Draw silvery beams and fierce beauty. I penetrate the earth and give all shapes Their living energy; I flow into the plant— Root, leaf, and bloom—to make the forests green With emerging sap. Becoming vital warmth, I radiate in joyful, breathing bodies, and pass, With each breath in and out, to nourish The body with all kinds of food.[FN#31]

For in this world
Existence is twofold: the Divided, one;
The Undivided, one. All living things
Are "the Divided." That which stands apart,
"The Undivided."

Higher still is He,
The Highest, holding everything, whose Name is LORD,
The Eternal, Ruler, First! Who fills all worlds,
Sustaining them. And--dwelling thus beyond
Divided Being and Undivided--I
Am called by people and scriptures, Life Supreme,
The PURUSHOTTAMA.

Whoever knows me like this,
With a clear mind, knows everything, dear Prince!
And with his whole soul always worships me.

Now is the holy, hidden Mystery
Revealed to you! Whoever understands this
Has wisdom! They are free from work in joy!

HERE ENDS CHAPTER XV. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
Entitled "The Yoga of the Supreme Person,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Achieving the Supreme."

Krishna.
Fearlessness, a focused mind, the drive
To always seek wisdom; an open hand
And controlled desires; piety,
A love for solitary study; humility,
Honesty, care not to harm any living thing,
Truthfulness, slow to anger, a mindset
That easily lets go of what others value;
Equanimity, and kindness
That doesn't judge others' faults; and compassion
For all who suffer; a content heart,
Unmoved by desires; a gentle demeanor,
Modest and serious, with noble manhood,
Patience, resilience, and purity;
A spirit untainted by revenge, never one
To think too highly of itself;—these are the traits,
O Indian Prince! of the one who walks
The beautiful path that leads to a heavenly existence!

Dishonesty, arrogance, and pride,
Quick to anger, harsh and cruel words,
And ignorance, blind to its own darkness,--
These are the signs, My Prince! of someone whose fate
Is destined for the realm of the wicked.[FN#32]

The Heavenly Birth brings salvation,
So you should know! The birth with Asuras
Leads to captivity. Be joyful, Prince!
Whose fate is destined for Heavenly Birth.

Two marks are present on all living people,
Divine and Undivine; I spoke to you
About the marks that indicate the Heavenly Man,
Now listen to me about the Unheavenly!

They don't understand, the Unheavenly,
How Souls leave Me; nor how they return
To Me: nor is there Truth in these,
Nor purity, nor a guide for Life. "This world
Has no Law, no Order, nor a Lord,"
They say: "nor has it come into being by Cause
Following Cause, with perfect intention,
But is nothing more than a House of Desire."
And, thinking this, all those lost ones—
With little understanding, dark-minded—give themselves
To evil actions, the curses of their kind.
Surrendered to insatiable desires,
Full of deceit, foolishness, and pride,
In blindness clinging to their mistakes, caught
In the sinful path, they believe this lie
As if it were true—this lie that leads to death—
Finding in Pleasure all the good there is,
And shouting "This is where it ends!"

Caught
In a tangle of a hundred empty hopes,
Slaves to their desires and their anger, they buy
Wealth through dishonorable acts, to satisfy their cravings;
"We gained this much today!" they exclaim. "With this
We’ll fulfill this heart's desire;
This is ours! And that will be ours!
Today we defeated an enemy, and tomorrow we'll defeat
Our other opponent! Look!
Aren't we in charge? Aren't we living well?
Isn't our fortune well-known, bold, and grand?
We are rich, born to privilege! What other people
Live like us? So let’s kill for sacrifice!
Give generously, and let’s celebrate!" They speak
Blinded by ignorance; and thus they fall--
Tossed around by schemes, deceived and trapped
In a net of dark delusion, lost in their lusts--
Down to the foul Naraka. Conceited, foolish,
Stubborn and proud, intoxicated by the allure
Of wealth, and reckless, all their offerings
Have only the appearance of respect, lacking
True devotion to ancient faith. Thus committed
To self-centeredness, force, arrogance, indulgence, anger,
These blasphemers of Mine, in the forms they wear
And in the lives they create, are my enemies,
Despicable and hateful; cruel, wicked, vile,
The lowest of humans, whom I cast down
Again and again, at the end of their lives,
Into some hellish womb, from which--birth after birth--
The devilish wombs bring them back, all deceived;
And until they find and worship Me, sweet Prince!
They walk that dark path.

The Doors of Hell
Are threefold, where people head towards destruction,--
The door of Desire, the door of Anger, the door
Of Greed. A person should avoid those three!
Anyone who steers clear of entering
All three gates of Hell goes directly
To find their peace and reaches the gate of Heaven.

. . . . . . . . . . . .[FN#33]

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER XVI. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Daivasarasaupadwibhagayog,"
Or "The Book of the Separateness of the Divine and Undivine."

Arjuna.
If people ignore the sacred rules,
Careless of scriptures, yet hold faith in their hearts
And worship, what will be the fate of those,
Great Krishna! Sattwa, Rajas, Tamas? Tell me!

Krishna.
Human faith has three forms and comes
From those three qualities—being "true,"
Or "passion-driven," or "dark," as you'll hear!

The faith of each believer, Indian Prince!
Aligns with who they truly are.
Where you see a worshipper, that person
Becomes like what they worship,
[Like the shrine, so is the devotee,]
The "truthful" souls worship true gods; the souls
Following rulers worship demons or spirits;
And the people of Darkness pray
To ghosts and evil spirits. Yes, and those
Who practice harsh self-discipline, not prescribed
By rightful rules—discipline rooted
In self-sufficient, proud hypocrisy—
Those people, driven by passion, violent, wild,
Torturing—foolish ones—My elements
Confined in fine company within their flesh,
(Indeed, I myself, present within the flesh!)
Know them to be devoted to devils, not to Heaven!
For just as foods are threefold for humanity
In nourishing, so is there a threefold way
Of worship, abstinence, and charity!
Hear this from Me! There is a food that brings
Energy, substance, strength, and joy in living,
Being well-seasoned, warm, comforting,
The "truthful" food. And there are foods that bring
Pain and unrest, and fiery blood, and sorrow,
Being too spicy, hot, salty, and sharp,
Therefore craved by an excessive appetite.
And there is disgusting food—left over from the night,
Tasteless, filthy, which the vile will eat,
A feast of rot, suited for the lips
Of those who love the "Darkness."

So, with rituals;--
A sacrifice made without expecting anything in return,
Offered in the right way, when someone who makes a vow
Says, with a sincere heart, "This is what I should do!"
This is the "True" ritual. But a sacrifice for profit,
Done to gain a good reputation, know that this,
O Best of Bharatas! is a Rajas-ritual,
Marked by "passion." And a sacrifice
Done against the rules, without proper offerings
Of food, without holy hymns, or gifts to the priests,
Celebrated without faith, is to be called vile,
The act of "Darkness!"--lost!

Worship of gods
Worthy of worship; humble respect
For those who are Twice-born, Teachers, Elders; Purity,
Honesty, and the vow of celibacy,
And not to harm any helpless being,--
These define a genuine spirituality in action.

Words that bring no harm to anyone, words that are always true,
Kind and soothing words, and those you speak
While softly reading from a Sacred Text,--
These create the true essence of respectful speech.

Peace of mind, kindness,
Influence of the quiet Spirit, ongoing effort
To honor Nature,--these things create
A good ritual and genuine spirituality of Mind.

Such a threefold faith, in utmost devotion
Maintained, with no expectation of reward, by devoted hearts,
Is the perfect expression of Sattwa, true belief.

Religion shown in a proud display
To gain good entertainment, worship, fame,
Such—I'm saying—is of kings, reckless and vain.

Religion pursued by a mindless will
To torment oneself, or gain power to harm
Another,--it's from Tamas, dark and evil.

The gift given with love, when someone says
"Now I must happily give!" when the receiver
Can offer nothing in return; given at the right place,
The right time, and to the right person,
Is a gift of goodness, beautiful and valuable.

The gift given for selfish reasons, where receiving it
Is hoped for again, or when there's an ulterior motive,
Or where the gift is offered with resentment,
This is from Rajas, marked by impulsiveness and negativity.

The gift, thrown carelessly at a bad time,
In the wrong place, to a low recipient,
Given with disdain or harsh unkindness,
Is a gift of Tamas, dark; it does not bless![FN#37]

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER XVII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "The Three Types of Faith,"
Or "The Book of Religion by the Threefold Kinds of Faith."

Arjuna.
I would like to understand better, You Glorious One!
The true essence—Heart's Lord!—of Sannyas,
abstinence; and renunciation, Lord!
Tyaga; and what distinguishes these two!

Krishna.
The poets correctly say that Sannyas
Is giving up all actions that come
From desire; and the most insightful say
Tyaga is letting go of the results of actions.

There are some among the saints who believe
All actions are sinful and should be avoided;
And others who say, "No! The good deeds--
Like worship, penance, and charity--must be done!"
Listen now to My judgment, Best of Bharatas!

It’s well said, O Hunter of your Enemies!
Giving up is in three ways,
And Worship, Sacrifice, Charity, should not be held back;
Instead, they should be done with joy; for all three
Are cleansing waters for genuine souls!

Yet you must practice even those great tasks
In letting go of attachment and all the outcomes
That come from actions. This is my decision, Prince!
This is my unchangeable and firm ruling!

Not doing the work you’re supposed to do
is never right! To avoid it comes
from “Darkness,” and Delusion teaches it.
Avoiding a task that’s hard on the body,
when someone says, "It's unpleasant!" is nonsense!
This person acts out of “passion;” they gain
nothing from their Renunciation! But, Arjun!
Avoiding attachment to the work,
avoiding reward from it,
while still doing it with full commitment,
saying, "It’s right to do!" that is a "true" act
and true abstinence! Those who fulfill their duties like this,
undisturbed if they fail, and if they succeed,
without seeking praise, feeling justified in their own hearts,
free from arguments and doubts, their act is "true":
Because, living in the body, no one can stay
completely detached from action; yet, those who refrain
from seeking the benefits of their actions are truly abstaining.

The results of our efforts, in future lives,
Are threefold for everyone—Good,
Bad, and a mix of both;
But there’s no result at all where there was no effort.

Listen to me, Lord with long arms! Here are the five elements
Involved in every action, as taught in Sankhya,
That are essential. First, there's the force; then
The agent; next, the various tools;
Fourth, the specific effort; and fifth, the Divine.
Whatever any person does
With body, mind, or words, whether good or bad,
Is done through these five. With this understanding,
Whoever, not knowing better, sees themselves
As the only doer knows nothing at all
And perceives nothing. So I say, if someone—
Keeping themselves separate and with a pure mind
Was to kill that entire army, being ordered to do so,
They do not kill; they are not bound by it!

Knowledge, the thing known, and the mind that knows,
These form the threefold foundation of action.
The action, the doer, and the tool,
These create the threefold entirety of the deed.
But knowledge, the agent, and the action are distinguished
By three differentiating qualities. Listen now
To what the qualities are that separate them.

There is "true" Knowledge. Understand that it is this:
To see a single unchanging Life in all Lives,
And in the Separate, One that cannot be separated.
There is imperfect Knowledge: that which perceives
The separate existences as distinct,
And, in their separateness, considers them real.
There is false Knowledge: that which blindly clings
To one as if it were everything, seeking no Cause,
Lacking clarity, limited, dull, and "dark."

There is "right" Action: that which is done—
Carried out without attachment, without passion,
For duty, not for love, hate, or personal gain.
There is "vain" Action: what people chase
Yearning to fulfill desires, driven
By self-interest, with overwhelming stress:
This is Rajas—passionate and empty.
There is "dark" Action: when someone does something
Unaware of the consequences, uncaring of the harm
Or wrong done to others, oblivious if he damages
His own soul—this is Tamas, dark and negative!

There’s the “rightful” doer. The one who acts
Free from selfishness, humble, determined,
Steadfast, unchanging in good or bad times,
Happy to do what’s right—he “truly” acts.
Then there’s the “impassioned” doer. The one who works
From impulse, chasing after gain, bold and brash
To conquer, unrefined; a slave at times
To both sorrow and joy: that’s the Rajas!
And then there are the evildoers; weak-hearted,
Narrow-minded, obstinate, deceitful, careless,
Dull, slow, hopeless—children of the “dark.”

Hear about Intellect and Steadfastness
The threefold separation, Conqueror-Prince!
How these are distinguished by Qualities.

Good is the Mind that understands
The ups and downs of life,
What needs to be done, and what should not be done,
What should be feared, and what should not be feared,
What binds and what frees the soul:
That is of Sattva, Prince! of "truthfulness."
Corrupted is the Mind that, knowing right
And knowing wrong, and what is good to do
And what should not be done, still fails to understand
Anything with a steady mind, nor as the calm truth is:
This is of Rajas, Prince! and "passionate!"
Evil is the Mind that, shrouded in darkness,
Sees wrong as right, and views everything
In opposition to the Truth. O Son of Pritha!
That is of Tamas, "dark" and despairing!

Good is the determination that allows a person
To control their heartbeat and breathe
In life, and manage their senses; grounded
In unwavering faith and devotion:
That is of Sattwa, Prince! "true" and beautiful!
Flawed is the determination that makes a person
Stick to their duty, goals, efforts, and outcomes,
For the sake of life and the pursuit of wealth,
Arjuna! it’s of Rajas, driven by passion!
Dismal is the determination with which the fool
Clings to laziness, sorrow, and fears,
His foolishness and despair. This—Pritha’s Son!—
Is born of Tamas, "dark" and wretched!

Hear further, Chief of Bharatas! from Me
The three types of Pleasure that exist.

Good Pleasure is the kind of joy that lasts,
Pushing away pain forever; it tastes bitter at first
Like poison to the soul, but later
Sweet as Amrit. Drink from that!
It flows from deep content within the Spirit.
And painful Pleasure comes from the bond
Between the senses and the sensory world. Sweet
Like Amrit is its initial taste, but in the end
Bitter as poison. It’s of Rajas, Prince!
And gross and "dark" is the Pleasure that comes
From laziness, sin, and foolishness; at first
And in the end, and throughout life
It confuses the soul. It’s of Tamas, Prince!

For nothing exists on earth, or among the gods
In the highest heaven, that doesn't have its existence connected
To these three Qualities, created by Nature.

The roles of Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas,
And Sudras, O you Slayer of your Enemies!
Are determined by the qualities
Inherent in each:

The qualities of a Brahmin, Prince!
Come from his nature, include calmness,
Self-control, spirituality, purity,
Patience, integrity, knowledge, and the ability to understand
The truth of all that exists. A Kshatriya's pride,
Also from his nature, is found in bravery, passion,
Steadfastness, skillfulness, courage in battle,
Along with generosity and a dignified presence,
Like that of a leader. A Vaisya's role,
Given by his nature, is to cultivate the land,
Care for livestock, and engage in trade. A Sudra's role,
Aligned with his nature, is to serve others.

Whoever works hard and is content with
The tasks given to him, no matter what they are,
Achieves perfection! Listen to how a person
Finds perfection by being so content:
He discovers it through worship brought about by work,
Of Him who is the Source of all life,
Of Him by Whom the universe was created.

Better your own work is, even if imperfect,
Than doing someone else's work, even if it's brilliant.
He won't fall into sin who faces the task
Given to him by Nature! Let no man abandon
His natural duty, Prince! even if it's criticized!
For every job has its faults, just as every flame
Is surrounded by smoke! Only that person achieves
Complete freedom from work whose work is done
With an unfettered mind, a completely calm soul,
Desires forever put to rest, outcomes let go.

Learn from me, Son of Kunti! Also this,
How one, achieving perfect peace, reaches
BRAHM, the ultimate, the highest peak of all!

Devoted—with a heart that's grown pure, self-disciplined
In noble self-control, avoiding tricks
Of song and senses, free from love and hate,
Living in seclusion, with simple food,
With body, speech, and will tamed to obey,
Always committed to holy meditation,
Free from passions, letting go of self,
Arrogance, impatience, anger, pride;
Detached from surroundings, calm, lacking nothing—
Such a person becomes one with the BRAHM;
Such a person, merging with BRAHM, is serene,
Suffering no more, wanting no more; their soul,
Equally loving all that lives, loves well
Me, who created them, and reaches Me.
Through this same love and worship, they know
Me as I am, how high and wonderful,
And knowing this, they immediately enter into Me.
In whatever actions they undertake—grounded
In Me, as their refuge—they have won
Forever by My grace
The Eternal Rest! So strive for this! In your thoughts
Do everything you do for Me! Renounce for Me!
Sacrifice your heart, mind, and will to Me!
Live in faith in Me! By trusting Me,
You will overcome all dangers, by My grace;
But if you rely on yourself and ignore Me,
You can only fail! If today you say,
Depending on yourself, "I will not fight!"
Your intention will be in vain! Your nature
Would drive you to battle. What you try to avoid,
Misled by sweet illusions, you would seek
Against your will, when the moment arises,
Awakening the urges within you.
There’s a Master in the hearts of people
Who directs their actions, with subtle strings—
They dance to whatever tune HE chooses. With all your soul,
Trust Him, and take Him as your support, Prince!
Only then, Arjuna!—will you gain—
By His grace—the ultimate peace,
The Eternal Place!

Thus has this truth been revealed to you,
This ultimate truth, the mystery more concealed
Than any hidden secret. Reflect!
And—as you wish—then take action!

No! But one more time
Take My final word, My deepest meaning have!
You are precious to Me; truly beloved!
Listen! I’m telling you this for your comfort.
Give Me your heart! Honor Me! Serve Me! Hold on
In faith, love, and respect for Me!
Then you will come to Me! I promise it’s true,
Because you are dear to Me!

And forget all those—
rituals and obligations! Come to Me only!
Make Me your only safe place! I will free
your soul from all its sins! Stay positive!

[Hide, the holy Krishna says,
This is for those who have no faith,
Those who do not worship or seek
Wisdom's teachings when she speaks:
Keep it from anyone who mocks;
But wherever, among the group
Of My lovers, someone teaches
This divine, wise speech--
Teaching in faith to bring
Truth to them, and offering
All honor unto Me--
To Brahma he will go!
No, and nowhere will you find
Any person among mankind
Doing a more cherished deed for Me;
Nor will anyone be dearer
In My world. Furthermore,
Whoever reads this conversation
Held by Us on the plain,
Reflecting on it thoughtfully and eagerly,
Has made a sacrifice to Me!
(Krishna speaks this way!)
Yes, and whoever, full of faith,
Listens wisely to what it says,
Listens humbly--when he dies,
Surely his spirit will rise
To those realms where the Blessed,
Free from flesh, rest in joy.]

Have you heard this, O Indian Prince!
With focused mind? has all the ignorance--
That caused your troubles--disappeared, My Arjun?

Arjuna.
Trouble and ignorance are gone! The Light
Has come to me, by Your grace, Lord!
Now I am resolved! My doubts have disappeared!
According to Your word, so I will act!

Sanjaya.
So I gathered the beautiful words of Krishna, O my King!
I have shared, with my heart racing, this wise and amazing story
Written by the great Vyasa, about how Krishna himself revealed
The Yoga, being the Lord of Yoga. Thus is the profound truth revealed!
And whenever I remember, O my Lord King, once more
Arjuna and the God conversing, and all this sacred dialogue,
My joy is immense: when I reflect on that brilliance, beyond words,
Of Hari, clear and evident, there’s no way to express
My wonder, love, and bliss. O Prince of Archers! all hail!
O Krishna, Lord of Yoga! surely there will always be
Blessing, victory, and power, for Your most mighty sake,
Where this song comes from Arjun, and how he spoke with God.

HERE ENDS, WITH CHAPTER XVIII.,
Entitled "Mokshasanyasayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Deliverance and Renunciation,"
THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.

[FN#1] Some repeated lines are omitted here.

[FN#2] Technical terms of Vedic religion.

[FN#3] The entire passage is very complex and hard to translate.

[FN#4] I feel sure that sankhyanan and yoginan need to be switched around here in meaning.

[FN#5] I’m not sure about the accuracy here.

[FN#6] A name for the sun.

Without desire for reward.

[FN#8] That is, "happiness and sadness, success and failure, hot and cold," etc.

[FN#9] i.e., the body.

[FN#10] The Sanskrit has this play on the two meanings of Atman.

So in original.

[FN#12] Beings of low and wicked nature.

[FN#13] Krishna.

[FN#14] I read here janma, "birth;" not jara, "age."

[FN#15] I have removed ten lines of Sanskrit text here, as they are clearly an addition made by some Vedantist.

[FN#16] The Sanskrit poem here reaches a higher level of style and expression, which I have tried to indicate by changing the meter.

Non-violence.

The elixir of immortality.

Called "The Japanese."

[FN#20] The combined form of Sanskrit words.

"Kamalapatraksha"

[FN#22] These are all divine or deified orders of the Hindu Pantheon.

[FN#23] "Hail to You, God of Gods! Be kind!"

The breeze.

"Not looking around," anapeksha.

[FN#26] The Calcutta edition of the Mahabharata includes these three opening lines.

[FN#27] This is the closest possible version of Kshetrakshetrajnayojnanan yat tajnan matan mama.

[FN#28] I’m leaving out two lines of the Sanskrit here, clearly added by some Vedantist.

Uteruses.

[FN#30] I don't see the Sanskrit verses here—though they are quite loosely translated—as "an attack on the authority of the Vedas," like Mr. Davies does, but rather as a beautiful lyrical moment, a new "Parable of the fig-tree."

[FN#31] I’m leaving out a verse here, which was clearly added later.

"About the Asuras," lit.

[FN#33] I'm skipping the last ten shlokas, just like Mr. Davis.

[FN#34] Rakshasas and Yakshas are formless but unpredictable beings with great power, gifts, and beauty, and sometimes also possess kindness.

[FN#35] These are evil spirits, wandering ghosts.

[FN#36] Yatayaman, food that has been left over from the night. In India, this would likely "spoil."

[FN#37] I’m leaving out the final verses because their authenticity is highly questionable.