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BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary – by Swami Gambhirananda

Others : |Hathayoga Pradipika | Gheranda Samhita | Bhagavad-gita|Yoga Sutra |Vyasa Bhasya| Bhoja Vritti|Taittariya Upanishad|

BHAGAVADGITA

Chapter I

1.1 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.

1.2 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

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commentary starts from 2.10.

1.47 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The

commentary starts from 2.10.

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 2

RO

2.1 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.2 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.3 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.4 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.5 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.6 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.7 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.8 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

2.9 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary

starts from 2.10.

error

2.11 Bhisma, Drona and others are not to be grieved for, because they

are of noble character and are eternal in their real nature. With regard to

them, asocyan, who are not to be grieved for; tvam, you; anvasocah,

grieve, (thinking) 'They die because of me; without them what shall I do

with dominion and enjoyment?'; ca, and; bhasase, you speak;

prajnavadan, words of wisdom, words used by men of wisdom, of

intelligence. The idea is, 'Like one mad, you show in yourself this

foolishness and learning which are contradictory.' Because, panditah,

the learned, the knowers of the Self -- panda means wisdon about the

Self; those indeed who have this are panditah, one the authority of the

Upanisadic text, '...the knowers of Brahman, having known all about

scholarship,...' (Br. 3.5.1) ['Therefore the knowers of Brahman, having

known all about scholorship, should try to live upon that strength which

comes of Knowledge; having known all about this strength as well as

scholorship, he becomes meditative; having known all about both

meditativeness and its opposite, he becomes a knower of Brahman.'] --

; na anusocanti, do not grieve for; gatasun, the departed, whose life has

become extinct; agatasun ca, and for those who have not departed,

whose life has not left, the living. The ideas is, 'Your are sorrowing for

those who are eternal in the real sense, and who are not to be grieved

for. Hence your are a fool!.'

2.12 Why are they not to be grieved for? Because they are eternal.

How? Na tu eva, but certainly it is not (a fact); that jatu, at any time;

aham, I ; na asam, did not exist; on the contrary, I did exist. The idea is

that when the bodies were born or died in the past, I existed eternally.

[Here Ast. adds ghatadisu viyadiva, like Space in pot etc.-Tr.] Similarly,

na tvam, nor is it that you did not exist; but you surely existed. Ca, and

so also; na ime, nor is it that these ; jana-adhipah, rulers of men, did not

exist. On the other hand, they did exist. And similarly, na eva, it is surely

not that; vayam, we; sarve, all; na bhavisyamah, shall cease to exist;

atah param, after this, even after the destruction of this body. On the

contrary, we shall exist. The meaning is that even in all the three times

(past, present and future) we are eternal in our nature as the Self. The

plural number (in we) is used following the diversity of the bodies, but not

in the sense of the multiplicity of the Self.

2.13 As to that, to show how the Self is eternal, the Lord cites an

illustration by saying,'...of the embodied,' etc. Yatha, as are, the manner

in which; kaumaram, boyhood; yauvanam, youth, middle age; and jara,

decrepitude, advance of age; dehinah, to an embodied being, to one

who possesses a body (deha), to the Self possessing a body; asmin, in

this, present; dehe, body --. These three states are mutually distinct. On

these, when the first state gets destroyed the Self does not get

destroyed; when the second state comes into being It is not born. What

then? It is seen that the Self, which verily remains unchanged, acquires

the second and third states. Tatha, similar, indeed; is Its, the unchanging

Self's dehantarapraptih, acquisition of another body, a body different

from the present one. This is the meaning. Tatra, this being so; dhirah,

an intelligent person; na, does not; muhyati, get deluded.

2.14 'In the case of a man who knows that the Self is eternal, although

there is no possibility of delusion concerning the destruction of the Self,

still delusion, as of ordinary people, caused by the experience of cold,

heat, happiness and sorrow is noticed in him. Delusion arises from being

deprived of happiness, and sorrow arises from contact with pain etc.'

apprehending this kind of a talk from Arjuna, the Lord said, 'But the

contacts of the organs,' etc. Matra-sparsah, the contacts of the organs

with objects; are sita-usna-sukha-duhkha-dah, producers of cold, heat,

happiness and sorrow. Matrah means those by which are marked off

(measured up) sounds etc., i.e. the organs of hearing etc. The sparsah,

contacts, of the organs with sound etc. are matra-sparsah. Or, sparsah

means those which are contacted, i.e. objects, viz sound etc. Matrasparsah,

the organs and objects, are the producers of cold, heat,

happiness and sorrow. Cold sometimes produces pleasure, and

sometimes pain. Similarly the nature of heat, too, is unpredictable. On

the other hand, happiness and sorrow have definite natures since they

do not change. Hence they are mentioned separately from cold and

heat. Since they, the organs, the contacts, etc., agamapayinah, have a

beginning and an end, are by nature subject to origination and

destruction; therefore, they are anityah, transient. Hence, titiksasva,

bear; tan, them -- cold, heart, etc., i.e. do not be happy or sorry with

regard to them.

2.15 What will happen to one who bears cold and heat? Listen: Verily,

the person...,'etc. (O Arjuna) hi, verily; yam purusam, the person whom;

ete, these, cold and heat mentioned above; na, do not; vyathayanti,

torment, do not perturb; dhiram, the wise man; sama-duhkha-sukham,

to whom sorrow and happiness are the same, who is free from

happiness and sorrow when subjected to pleasure and pain, because of

his realization of the enternal Self; sah, he, who is established in the

realization of the enternal Self, who forbears the opposites; kalpate,

becomes fit; amrtattvaya, for Immortality, for the state of Immortality, i.e.

for Liberation.

2.16 Since 'the unreal has no being,' etc., for this reason also it is

proper to bear cold, heat, etc. without becoming sorrowful or deluded.

Asatah, of the unreal, of cold, heat, etc. together with their causes; na

vidyate, there is no; bhavah, being, existence, reality; because heat,

cold, etc. together with their causes are not substantially real when

tested by means of proof. For they are changeful, and whatever is

changeful is inconstant. As configurations like pot etc. are unreal since

they are not perceived to be different from earth when tested by the

eyes, so also are all changeful things unreal because they are not

perceived to be different from their (material) causes, and also because

they are not perceived before (their) origination and after destruction.

Objection: If it be that [Here Ast. has the additional words 'karyasya

ghatadeh, the effect, viz pot etc. (and)'.-Tr.] such (material) causes as

earth etc. as also their causes are unreal since they are not perceived

differently from their causes, in that case, may it not be urged that owing

to the nonexistence of those (causes) there will arise the contingency of

everything becoming unreal [An entity cannot be said to be unreal merely

because it is non-different from its cause. Were it to be asserted as

being unreal, then the cause also should be unreal, because there is no

entity which is not subject to the law of cuase and effect.]? Vedantin:

No, for in all cases there is the experience of two awarenesses, viz the

awareness of reality, and the awareness of unreality. [In all cases of

perception two awarenesses are involved: one is invariable, and the

other is variable. Since the variable is imagined on the invariable,

therefore it is proved that there is something which is the substratum of

all imagination, and which is neither a cause nor an effect.] That in

relation to which the awareness does not change is real; that in relation

to which it changes is unreal. Thus, since the distinction between the

real and the unreal is dependent on awareness, therefore in all cases (of

empirical experiences) everyone has two kinds of awarenesses with

regard to the same substratum: (As for instance, the experiences) 'The

pot is real', 'The cloth is real', 'The elephant is real' -- (which

experiences) are not like (that of) 'A blue lotus'. [In the empirical

experience, 'A blue lotus', there are two awarenesses concerned with

two entities, viz the substance (lotus) and the quality (blueness). In the

case of the experience, 'The pot is real', etc. the awarenesses are not

concerned with substratum and qualities, but the awareness of pot,of

cloth, etc. are superimposed on the awareness of 'reality', like that of

'water' in a mirage.] This is how it happens everywhere. [The

coexistence of 'reality' and 'pot' etc. are valid only empirically --

according to the non-dualists; whereas the coexistence of 'blueness'

and 'lotus' is real according to the dualists.] Of these two awareness,

the awareness of pot etc. is inconstant; and thus has it been shown

above. But the awareness of reality is not (inconstant). Therefore the

object of the awareness of pot etc. is unreal because of inconstancy; but

not so the object of the awareness of reality, because of its constancy.

Objection: If it be argued that, since the awareness of pot also changes

when the pot is destroyed, therefore the awareness of the pot's reality is

also changeful? Vedantin: No, because in cloth etc. the awareness of

reality is seen to persist. That awareness relates to the odjective (and not

to the noun 'pot'). For this reason also it is not destroyed. [This last

sentence has been cited in the f.n. of A.A.-Tr.] Objection: If it be argued

that like the awareness of reality, the awareness of a pot also persists in

other pots? Vedantin: No, because that (awareness of pot) is not

present in (the awareness of) a cloth etc. Objection: May it not be that

even the awareness of reality is not present in relation to a pot that has

been destroyed? Vedantin: No, because the noun is absent (there).

Since the awareness of reality corresponds to the adjective (i.e. it is used

adjectivelly), therefore, when the noun is missing there is no possibility of

its (that awareness) being an adjective. So, to what should it relate? But,

again, the awareness of reality (does not cease) with the absence of an

object.. [Even when a pot is absent and the awareness of reality does

not arise with regare to it, the awareness of reality persists in the region

where the pot had existed. Some read nanu in place of na tu ('But,

again'). In that case, the first portion (No,...since...adjective. So,...relate?)

is a statement of the Vedantin, and the Objection starts from nanu punah

sadbuddheh, etc. so, the next Objection will run thus: 'May it not be said

that, when nouns like pot etc. are absent, the awareness of existence

has no noun to qualify, and therefore it becomes impossible for it (the

awareness of existence) to exist in the same substratum?'-Tr.]

Objection: May it not be said that, when nouns like pot etc. are absent,

(the awareness of existence has no noun to qualify and therefore) it

becomes impossible for it to exist in the same substratum? [The

relationship of an adjective and a noun is seen between two real entities.

Therefore, if the relationship between 'pot' and 'reality' be the same as

between a noun and an adjective, then both of them will be real entities.

So, the coexistence of reality with a non-pot does not stand to reason.]

Vedantin: No, because in such experiences as, 'This water exists',

(which arises on seeing a mirage etc.) it is observed that there is a

coexistence of two objects though one of them is non-existent.

Therefore, asatah, of the unreal, viz body etc. and the dualities (heat,

cold, etc.), together with their causes; na vidyate, there is no; bhavah,

being. And similarly, satah, of the real, of the Self; na vidyate, there is no;

abhavah, nonexistence, because It is constant everywhere. This is what

we have said. Tu, but; antah, the nature, the conclusion (regarding the

nature of the real and the unreal) that the Real is verily real, and the

unreal is verily unreal; ubhayoh api, of both these indeed, of the Self and

the non-Self, of the Real and the unreal, as explained above; drstah, has

been realized thus; tattva-darsibhih, by the seers of Truth. Tat is a

pronoun (Sarvanama, lit. name of all) which can be used with regard to

all. And all is Brahman. And Its name is tat. The abstraction of tat is

tattva, the true nature of Brahman. Those who are apt to realize this are

tattva-darsinah, seers of Truth. Therefore, you too, by adopting the

vision of the men of realization and giving up sorrow and delusion,

forbear the dualities, heat, cold, etc. -- some of which are definite in their

nature, and others inconstant --, mentally being convinced that this

(phenomenal world) is changeful, verily unreal and appears falsely like

water in a mirage. This is the idea. What, again, is that reality which

remains verily as the Real and surely for ever? This is being answered in,

'But know That', etc.

2.17 Tu, but -- this word is used for distinguishing (reality) from

unreality; tat viddhi, know That; to be avinasi, indestructible, by nature

not subject to destruction; what? (that) yena, by which, by which

Brahman called Reality; sarvam, all; idam, this, the Universe together

with space; is tatam, pervaded, as pot etc. are pervaded by space. Na

kascit, none; arhati, can; kartum, bring about; vinasam, the destruction,

disappearance, nonexistence; asya, of this avyayasya, of the Immutable,

that which does not undergo growth and depletion. By Its very nature

this Brahman called Reality does not suffer mutation, because, unlike

bodies etc., It has no limbs; nor (does It suffer mutation) by (loss of

something) belonging to It, because It has nothing that is Its own.

Brahman surely does not suffer loss like Devadatta suffering from loss of

wealth. Therefore no one can bring about the destruction of this

immutable Brahman. No one, not even God Himself, can destroy his

own Self, because the Self is Brahman. Besides, action with regard to

one's Self is self-contradictory. Which, again, is that 'unreal' that is said

to change its own nature? This is being answered:

2.18 Ime, these; antavantah, destructible; dehah, bodies -- as the idea

of reality which continues with regard to water in a mirage, etc. gets

eliminated when examined with the means of knowledge, and that is its

end, so are these bodies and they have an end like bodies etc. in dream

and magic --; uktah, are said, by discriminating people; to belong

nityasya, to the everlasting; anasinah, the indestructible; aprameyasya,

the indeterminable; sarirnah, embodied One, the Self. This is the

meaning. The two words 'everlasting' and 'indestructible' are not

repetitive, because in common usage everlastingness and destructibility

are of two kinds. As for instance, a body which is reduced to ashes and

has disappeared is said to have been destoryed. (And) even while

existing, when it becomes transfigured by being afflicted with diseases

etc. it is said to be 'destroyed'. [Here the A.A. adds 'tatha dhana-naseapyevam,

similar is the case even with regard to loss of wealth.'-Tr.] That

being so, by the two words 'everlasting' and 'indestructible' it is meant

that It is not subject to both kinds of distruction. Otherwise, the

everlastingness of the Self would be like that of the earth etc. Therefore,

in order that this contingency may not arise, it is said, 'Of the everlasting,

indestructible'. Aprameyasya, of the indeterminable, means 'of that

which cannot be determined by such means of knowledge as direct

perception etc.' Objection: Is it not that the Self is determined by the

scriptures, and before that through direct perception etc.? Vedantin:

No, because the Self is self-evident. For, (only) when the Self stands

predetermined as the knower, there is a search for a means of

knolwedge by the knower. Indeed, it is not that without first determining

oneself as, 'I am such', one takes up the task of determining an object of

knowledge. For what is called the 'self' does not remain unknown to

anyone. But the scripture is the final authority [when the Vedic text

establishes Brahman as the innermost Self, all the distinctions such as

knower, known and the means of knowledge become sublated. Thus it

is reasonable that the Vedic text should be the final authority. Besides,

its authority is derived from its being faultless in as much as it has not

originated from any human being.]: By way of merely negating

superimposition of qualities that do not belong to the Self, it attains

authoritativeness with regard to the Self, but not by virtue of making

some unknown thing known. There is an Upanisadic text in support of

this: '...the Brahman that is immediate and direct, the Self that is within

all' (Br. 3.4.1). Since the Self is thus eternal and unchanging, tasmat,

therefore; yudhyasva, you join the battle, i.e. do not desist from the war.

Here there is no injunction to take up war as a duty, because be (Arjuna),

though he was determined for war, remains silent as a result of being

overpowered by sorrow and delusion. Therefore, all that is being done

by the Lord is the removal of the obstruction to his duty. 'Therefore, join

the battle' is only an approval, not an injunction. The scripture Gita is

intended for eradicating sorrow, delusion, etc. which are the cases of the

cycle of births and deaths; it is not intended to enjoin action. As

evidences of this idea the Lord cites two Vedic verses: [Ka. 1.2.19-20.

There are slight verbal differences.-Tr.]

2.19 But the ideas that you have, 'Bhisma and others are neing killed by

me in war; I am surely their killer' -- this idea of yours is false. How? Yah,

he who; vetti, thinks; of enam, this One, the embodied One under

consideration; as hantaram, the killer, the agent of the act of killing; ca,

and; yah, he who, the other who; manyate, thinks; of enam, this One; as

hatam, the killed -- (who thinks) 'When the body is killed, I am myself

killed; I become the object of the act of killing'; ubhau tau, both of them;

owing to non-discrimination, na, do not; vijanitah, know the Self which is

the subject of the consciousness of 'I'. The meaning is: On the killing of

the body, he who thinks of the Self (-- the content of the consciousness

of 'I' --) [The Ast. omits this phrase from the precedig sentence and

includes it in this place. The A.A. has this phrase in both the places.-Tr.]

as 'I am the killer', and he who thinks, 'I have been killed', both of them

are ignorant of the nature of the Self. For, ayam, this Self; owing to Its

changelessness, na hanti, does not kill, does not become the agent of

the act of killing; na hanyate, nor is It killed, i.e. It does not become the

object (of the act of killing). The second verse is to show how the Self is

changeless:

2.20 Na kadacit, neverl; is ayam, this One; jayate, born i.e. the Self has

no change in the form of being born -- to which matter is subject --; va,

and (-- va is used in the sense of and); na mriyate, It never dies. By this

is denied the final change in the form of destruction. The word (na)

kadacit), never, is connected with the denial of all kinds of changes thus

-- never, is It born never does It die, and so on. Since ayam, this Self;

bhutva, having come to exist, having experienced the process of

origination; na, will not; bhuyah, again; abhavita, cease to be thereafter,

therefore It does not die. For, in common parlance, that which ceases to

exist after coming into being is said to die. From the use of the word va,

nor, and na, it is understood that, unlike the body, this Self does not

again come into existence after having been non-existent. Therefore It is

not born. For, the words, 'It is born', are used with regard to something

which comes into existence after having been non-existent. The Self is

not like this. Therfore It is not born. Since this is so, therefore It is ajah,

birthless; and since It does not die, therefore It is nityah, eternal.

Although all changes become negated by the denial of the first and the

last kinds of changes, still changes occuring in the middle [For the six

kinds of changes see note under verse 2.10.-Tr.] should be denied with

their own respective terms by which they are implied. Therefore the text

says sasvatah, undecaying,. so that all the changes, viz youth etc.,

which have not been mentioned may become negated. The change in

the form of decay is denied by the word sasvata, that which lasts for

ever. In Its own nature It does not decay because It is free from parts.

And again, since it is without qualities, there is no degeneration owing to

the decay of any quality. Change in the form of growth, which is

opposed to decay, is also denied by the word puranah, ancient. A thing

that grows by the addition of some parts is said to increase and is also

said to be new. But this Self was fresh even in the past due to Its

partlessness. Thus It is puranah, i.e. It does not grow. So also, na

hanyate, It is puranah, i.e. It does not grow. So also, na hanyate, It is not

killed, It does not get transformed; even when sarire, the body;

hanyamane, is killed, transformed. The verb 'to kill' has to be understood

here in the sense of transformation, so that a tautology [This verse has

already mentioned 'death' in the first line. If the verb han, to kill, is also

taken in the sense of killing, then a tautology is unavoidable.-Tr.] may be

avoided. In this mantra the six kinds of transformations, the material

changes seen in the world, are denied in the Self. The meaning of the

sentence is that the Self is devoid of all kinds of changes. Since this is

so, therefore 'both of them do not know' -- this is how the present

mantra is connected to the earlier mantra.

error

2.22 Yatha, as in the world; vihaya, after rejecting jirnani, wornout;

vasamsi, clothes; narah, a man grhnati, takes up; aparani, other; navani,

new ones; tatha, likewise, in that very manner; vihaya, after rejecting;

jirnani, wornout; sarirani, bodies; dehi, the embodied one, the Self which

is surely unchanging like the man (in the example); samyati, unites with;

anyani, other; navani, new ones. This is meaning.

2.23 Why does It verily remain unchanged? This is being answered in,

'Weapons do not cut It,' etc. Sastrani, weapons; na, do not; chindanti,

cut; enam, It, the embodied one under discussion. It being partless,

weapons like sword etc. do not cut off Its limbs. So also, even pavakah,

fire; na dahati enam, does not burn, does not reduce It to ashes. Ca,

and similarly; apah, water; na enam kledayanti, does not moisten It. For

water has the power of disintegrating a substance that has parts, by the

process of moistening it. That is not possible in the case of the partless

Self. Similarly, air destroys an oil substance by drying up the oil. Even

marutah, air; na sosayati, does not dry; (enam, It,) one's own Self. [Ast.

reads 'enam tu atmanam, but this Self', in place of enam svatmanam.-

Tr.]

error

2.25 Moreover, ucyate, it is said that; ayam, This, the Self; is avyaktah,

unmanifest, since, being beyond the ken of all the organs, It cannot be

objectified. For this very reason, ayam, This; is acintyah, inconceivable.

For anything that comes within the purview of the organs becomes the

object of thought. But this Self is inconceivable becuase It is not an

object of the organs. Hence, indeed, It is avikaryah, unchangeable. This

Self does not change as milk does when mixed with curd, a curdling

medium, etc. And It is chnageless owing to partlessness, for it is not

seen that any non-composite thing is changeful. Not being subject to

transformation, It is said to be changeless. Tasmat, therefore; vidivata,

having known; enam, this one, the Self; evam, thus, as described; na

arhasi, you ought not; anusocitum, to grieve, thinking, 'I am the slayer of

these; these are killed by me.'

2.26 This (verse), 'On the other hand,' etc., is uttered assuming that the

Self is transient. Atha ca, on the other hand, if (-- conveys the sense of

assumption --); following ordinary experience, manyase, you think;

enam, this One, the Self under discussion; is nityajatam, born

continually, becomes born with the birth of each of the numerous

bodies; va, or; nityam, constantly; mrtam, dies, along with the death of

each of these (bodies); tatha api, even then, even if the Self be of that

nature; tvam, you; maha-baho, O mighty-armed one; na arhasi, ought

not; socitum, to grieve; evam, thus, since that which is subject to birth

will die, and that which is subject to death will be born; these two are

inevitable.

2.27 This being so, 'death of anyone born', etc. Hi, for; mrtyuh, death;

jatasya, of anyone born; dhruvah, is certain; is without exception; ca,

and mrtasya, of the dead; janmah, (re-) birth; is dhruvam, a certainly.

Tasmat, therefore, this fact, viz birth and death, is inevitable. With regard

to that (fact), apariharye, over an enevitable; arthe, fact; tvam, you; na

arhasi, ought not; socitum, to grieve.

2.28 It is not reasonable to grieve even for beings which are constituted

by bodies and organs, since 'all beings remain unmanifest' etc. (Bharata,

O descendant of Bharata;) bhutani, all beings, avyaktaduni, remain

unmainfest in the beginning. Those beings, viz sons, friends, and others,

constituted by bodies and organs, [Another reading is karya-karanasanghata,

aggregates formed by material elements acting as causes and

effects.-Tr.] who before their origination have unmanifestedness

(avyakta), invisibility, nonperception, as their beginning (adi) are

avyaktaadini. Ca, and; after origination, before death, they become

vyakta-madhyani, manifest in the middle. Again, they eva, certainly;

become avyakta-nidhanani, unmanifest after death. Those which have

unmanifestness (avyakta), invisibility, as their death (nidhana) are

avyakta-nidhanani. The idea is that even after death they verily attain

unmanifestedness. Accordingly has it been said: 'They emerged from

invisibility, and have gone back to invisibility. They are not yours, nor are

you theirs. What is this fruitless lamentation!' (Mbh. St. 2.13). Ka, what;

paridevana, lamentation, or what prattle, can there be; tatra, with regard

to them, i.e. with regard to beings which are objects of delusion, which

are invisible, (become) visible, (and then) get destroyed!

2.29 'This Self under discussion is inscrutable. Why should I blame you

alone regarding a thing that is a source of delusion to all!' How is this

Self inscrutable? [It may be argued that the Self is the object of egoism.

The answer is: Although the individualized Self is the object of egoism,

the absolute Self is not.] This is being answered in, 'Someone visualizes

It as a wonder,' etc. Kascit, someone; pasyati, visualizes; enam, It, the

Self; ascaryavat, as a wonder, as though It were a wonder -- a wonder is

something not seen before, something strange, something seen all on a

sudden; what is comparable to that is ascarya-vat; ca, and; tatha,

similarly; eva, indeed; kascit, someone; anyah, else; vadati, talks of It as

a wonder. And someone else srnoti, hears of It as a wonder. And

someone, indeed, na, does not; veda, realize It; api, even; srutva, after

hearing, seeing and speaking about It. Or, (the meaning is) he who sees

the Self is like a wonder. He who speaks of It and the who hears of It is

indeed rare among many thousands. Therefore, the idea is that the Self

is difficult to understand. Now, in the course of concluding the topic

under discussion, [viz the needlessness of sorrow and delusion,from the

point of view of the nature of things.] He says, 'O descendant of Bharata,

this embodied Self', etc.

2.30 Because of being partless and eternal, ayam, this dehi, embodied

Self; nityam avadhyah, can never be killed, under any condition. That

being so, although existing sarvasya dehe, in all bodies, in trees etc., this

One cannot be killed on account of Its being allpervasive. Since the

indewelling One cannot be killed although the body of everyone of the

living beings be killed, tasmat, therefore; tvam, you; na arhasi, ought not;

socitum, to grieve; for sarvani bhutani, all (these) beings, for Bhisma and

others. Here [i.e. in the earlier verse.] it has been said that, from the

standpoint of the supreme Reality, there is no occasion for sorrow or

delusion. (This is so) not merely from the standpoint of the supreme

Reality, but --

2.31 Api, even; aveksya, considering; svadharmam, your own duty, the

duty of a Ksatriya, viz battle -- considering even that -- ; na arhasi, you

ought not; vikampitum, to waver, to deviate from the natural duty of the

Ksatriya, i.e. from what is natural to yourself. And hi, since that battle is

not devoid of righteousness, (but) is supremely righteous -- it being

conducive to virtue and meant for protection of subjects through

conquest of the earth --; therefore, na vidyate, there is nothing; anyat,

else; sreyah, better; ksatriyasya, for a ksatriya; than that dharmyat,

righteous; yuddhat, battle.

2.32 Why, again, does that battle become a duty? This is being

answered (as follows) [A specific rule is more authoritative than a general

rule. Non-violence is a general rule enjoined by the scriptures, but the

duty of fighting is a specific rule for a Ksatriya.]: Partha, O son of Partha;

are not those Ksatiryas sukhinah, happy [Happy in this world as also in

the other.] who labhante, come across; a yuddham, battle; idrsam, of

this kind; upapannam, which presents itself; yadrcchaya, unsought for;

and which is an apavrtam, open; svarga-dvaram, gate to heaven? [Rites

and duties like sacrifices etc. yield their results after the lapse of some

time. But the Ksatriyas go to heaven immediatley after dying in battle,

because, unlike the minds of others, their minds remaind fully engaged in

their immediate duty.]

2.33 Atha, on the other hand; cet, if; tvam, you; na karisyasi, will not

fight; even imam, this; dharmyam, righteous; samgramam, battle, which

has presented itself as a duty, which is not opposed to righteousness,

and which is enjoined (by the scriptures); tatah, then, because of not

undertaking that; hitva, forsaking; sva-dharmam, your own duty; ca, and;

kritim, fame, earned from encountering Mahadeva (Lord Siva) and

others; avapsyasi, you will incur; only papam, sin.

2.34 Not only will there be the giving up of your duty and fame, but

bhutani, people; ca api, also; kathayisyanti, will speak; te, of your;

avyayam, unending, perpetual; akrtim, infamy. Ca, and; sambhavitasya,

to an honoured person, to a person honoured with such epithets as

'virtuous', 'heroic', etc.; akirtih, infamy; atiricyate, is worse than;

maranat, death. The meaning is that, to an honoured person death is

perferable to infamy.

2.35 Moreover, maharathah, the great chariot-riders, Duryodhana and

others; mamsyante, will think; tvam, of you; as uparatam, having

desisted; ranat, from the fight; not out of compassion, but bhayat, out of

fear of Karna and others; ca, and ; yasyasi laghavam, you will again fall

into disgrace before them, before Duryodhana and others; yesam, to

whom; tvam, you; bahumato bhutva, had been estimable as endowed

with many qualities.

2.36 Ca, and besieds; tava, your; ahitah, enemies; vadisyanti, will

speak; bahun, many, various kinds of; avacya-vadan, indecent words,

unutterable words; nindantah, while denigrating, scorning; tava, your;

samarthyam, might earned from battles against Nivatakavaca and

others. Therefore, kim nu, what can be; duhkhataram, more painful;

tatah, than that, than the sorrow arising from being scorned? That is to

say, there is no greater pain than it.

2.37 Again, by undertaking the fight with Karna and others, va, either;

hatah, by being killed; prapsyasi, you will attain; svargam, heaven; or

jitva, by winning over Karna and other heroes; bhoksyase, you will enjoy;

mahim, the earth. The purport is that in either case you surely stand to

gain. Since this is so, Kaunteya, O son of Kunti; tasmat, therefore;

uttistha, rise up; krta-niscayah, with determination; yuddhaya, for

fighting, i.e. with the determination, 'I shall either defeat the enemies or

shall die.'

2.38 As regards that, listen to this advice for you then you are engaged

in battle considering it to be your duty: Krtva, treating; sukha-duhkhe,

happiness and sorrow; same, with equanimity, i.e. without having likes

and dislikes; so also treating labha-alabhau, gain and loss; jaya-ajayau,

conquest and defeat, as the same; tatah, then; yuddhaya yujyasva,

engage in battle. Evam, thus by undertaking the fight; na avapsyasi, you

will not incur; papam, sin. This advice is incidental. [The context here is

that of the philosophy of the supreme Reality. If fighting is enjoined in

that context, it will amount to accepting combination of Knowledge and

actions. To avoid this contingency the Commentator says, 'incidental'.

That is to say, although the context is of the supreme Reality, the advice

to fight is incidental. It is not an injunction to combine Knowledge with

actions, since fighting is here the natural duty of Arjuna as a Ksatriya.].

The generally accepted argument for the removal of sorrow and delusion

has been stated in the verses beginning with, 'Even considering your

own duty' (31), etc., but this has not been presented by accepting that

as the real intention (of the Lord). The real context here (in 2.12 etc.),

however, is of the realization of the supreme Reality. Now, in order to

show the distinction between the (two) topics dealt with in this scripture,

the Lord concludes that topic which has been presented above (in 2.20

etc.), by saying, 'This (wisdom) has been imparted,' etc. For, if the

distinction between the topics of the scripute be shown here, then the

instruction relating to the two kinds of adherences -- as stated later on

in, 'through the Yoga of Knowledge for the men of realization; through

the Yoga of Action for the yogis' (3.3) -- will proceed again smoothly,

and the hearer also will easily comprehend it by keeping in view the

distinction between the topics. Hence the Lord says:

2.39 Partha, O son of Prtha (Arjuna); esa, this; buddhih, wisdom, the

Knowledge which directly removes the defect (viz ignorance) that is

responsible for sorrow, delusion, etc. [Mundane existence consists of

attraction and repulsion, agentship and enjoyership, etc. These are the

defects, and they arise from ignorance about one's Self. Enlightenment

is the independent and sole cause that removes this ignorance.]

constituting mundane existence; abhihita, has been imparted; te, to you;

sankhye, from the standpoint of Self-realization, with regard to the

discriminating knowledge of the supreme Reality. Tu, but; srnu, listen;

imam, to this wisdom which will be imparted presently; yoge, from the

spandpoint of Yoga, from the standpoint of the means of attaining it

(Knowledge) -- i.e., in the context of Karma-yoga, the performance of

rites and duties with detachment after destroying the pairs of opposites,

for the sake of adoring God, as also in the context of the practice of

spiritual absorption. As as inducement, He (the Lord) praises that

wisdom: Yuktah, endowed; yaya, with which; buddhya, wisdom

concerning Yoga; O Partha, prahasyasi, you will get rid of; karmabandham,

the bondage of action -- action is itself the bondage

described as righteousness and unrighteousness; you will get rid of that

bondage by the attainment of Knowledge through God's grace. This is

the idea.

2.40 Moreover, iha, here, in the path to Liberation, viz the Yoga of

Action (rites and duties); na, there is no; abhikrama-nasah, waste of an

attempt, of a beginning, unlike as in agriculture etc. The meaning is that

the result of any attempt in the case of Yoga is not uncertain. Besides,

unlike as in medical care, na vidyate, nor is there, nor does there arises;

any pratyavayah, harm. But, svalpam api, even a little; asya, of this;

dharmasya, righteousness in the form of Yoga (of Action); when

pracised, trayate, saves (one); mahato bhayat, from great fear, of

mundance existence characterized by death, birth, etc.

2.41 Kuru-nandana, O scion of the Kuru dynasty; iha, is this path to

Liberation; there is only eka, a single; vyavasayatmika, one-pointed;

buddhih, conviction, which has been spoken of in the Yoga of

Knowledge and which has the characteristics going to be spoken of in

(Karma-) yoga. It is resolute by nature and annuls the numerous

branches of the other opposite thoughts, since it originates from the

right source of knowledge. [The right source of knowledge, viz the Vedic

texts, which are above criticism.] Those again, which are the other

buddhayah, thoughts; they are bahu-sakhah, possessed of numerous

branches, i.e. possessed of numerous variations. Owing to the influence

of their many branches the worldly state becomes endless, limitless,

unceasing, ever-growing and extensive. [Endless, because it does not

cease till the rixe of full enlightenment; limitless, because the worldly

state, which is an effect, springs from an unreal source.] But even the

worldly state ceases with the cessation of the infinite branches of

thoughts, under the influence of discriminating wisdom arising from the

valid source of knowledge. (And those thoughts are) hi, indeed; anantah,

innumerable under every branch. Whose thoughts? Avyavasayinam, of

the irresolute ones, i.e. of those who are devoid of discriminating wisdom

arising from the right source of knowledg.

2.42 Partha, O son of Prtha; those devoid of one-pointed conviction,

who pravadanti, utter; imam, this; yam puspitam vacam, flowery talk,

which is going to be stated, which is beautiful like a tree in bloom,

pleasant to hear, and appears to be (meaningful) sentences [Sentences

that can be called really meaningful are only those that reveal the self.-

Tr.]; -- who are they? they are -- avipascitah, people who are

undiscerning, of poor intellect, i.e. non-discriminating; veda-vada-ratah,

who remain engrossed in the utterances of the Vedas, in the Vedic

sentences which reveal many panegyrics, fruits of action and their

means; and vadinah, who declare, are apt tosay; iti, that; na anyat,

nothing else [God, Liberation, etc.]; asti, exists, apart from the rites and

duties conducive to such results as attainment of heaven etc. And they

are kamatmanah, have their minds full of desires, i.e. they are swayed by

desires, they are, by nature, full of desires; (and) svarga-parah, have

heaven as the goal. Those who accept heaven (svarga) as the supreme

(para) human goal, to whom heaven is the highest, are svarga-parah.

They utter that speech (-- this is supplied to construct the sentence --)

which janma-karma-phala-pradam, promises birth as a result of rites and

duties. The result (phala) of rites and duties (karma) is karma-phala. Birth

(janma) itself is the karma-phala. That (speech) which promises this is

janma-karma-phala-prada. (This speech) is kriya-visesa-bahulam, full of

various special rites; bhoga-aisvarya-gatim-prati, for the attainment of

enjoyment and affluence. Special (visesa) rites (kriya) are kriya-visesah.

The speech that is full (bahula) of these, the speech by which that is full

(bahula) of these, the speech by which these, viz objects such as

heaven, animals and sons, are revealed plentifully, is kriya-visesa-bahula.

Bhoga, enjoyment, and aisvarya, affluence, are bhoga-aisvarya. Their

attainment (gatih) is bhoga-aisvarya-gatih. (They utter a speech) that is

full of the specialized rites, prati, meant for that (attainment). The fools

who utter that speech move in the cycle of transmigration. This is the

idea.

2.43 Partha, O son of Prtha; those devoid of one-pointed conviction,

who pravadanti, utter; imam, this; yam puspitam vacam, flowery talk,

which is going to be stated, which is beautiful like a tree in bloom,

pleasant to hear, and appears to be (meaningful) sentences [Sentences

that can be called really meaningful are only those that reveal the self.-

Tr.]; -- who are they? they are -- avipascitah, people who are

undiscerning, of poor intellect, i.e. non-discriminating; veda-vada-ratah,

who remain engrossed in the utterances of the Vedas, in the Vedic

sentences which reveal many panegyrics, fruits of action and their

means; and vadinah, who declare, are apt tosay; iti, that; na anyat,

nothing else [God, Liberation, etc.]; asti, exists, apart from the rites and

duties conducive to such results as attainment of heaven etc. And they

are kamatmanah, have their minds full of desires, i.e. they are swayed by

desires, they are, by nature, full of desires; (and) svarga-parah, have

heaven as the goal. Those who accept heaven (svarga) as the supreme

(para) human goal, to whom heaven is the highest, are svarga-parah.

They utter that speech (-- this is supplied to construct the sentence --)

which janma-karma-phala-pradam, promises birth as a result of rites and

duties. The result (phala) of rites and duties (karma) is karma-phala. Birth

(janma) itself is the karma-phala. That (speech) which promises this is

janma-karma-phala-prada. (This speech) is kriya-visesa-bahulam, full of

various special rites; bhoga-aisvarya-gatim-prati, for the attainment of

enjoyment and affluence. Special (visesa) rites (kriya) are kriya-visesah.

The speech that is full (bahula) of these, the speech by which that is full

(bahula) of these, the speech by which these, viz objects such as

heaven, animals and sons, are revealed plentifully, is kriya-visesa-bahula.

Bhoga, enjoyment, and aisvarya, affluence, are bhoga-aisvarya. Their

attainment (gatih) is bhoga-aisvarya-gatih. (They utter a speech) that is

full of the specialized rites, prati, meant for that (attainment). The fools

who utter that speech move in the cycle of transmigration. This is the

idea.

2.44 And vyavasayatmika, one-pointed; buddhih, conviction, with

regard to Knowledge or Yoga; na vidhiyate, does not become

established, i.e. does not arise; samadhau, in the minds -- the word

samadhi being derived in the sese of that into which everthing is

gathered together for the enjoyment of a person --; bhoga-aisvaryaprasaktanam,

of those who delight in enjoyment and wealth, of those

who have the hankering that only enjoyment as also wealth is to be

sought for, of those who identify themselves with these; and apahrtacetasam,

of those whose intellects are carried away, whose

discriminating judgement becomes covered; taya, by that speech which

is full of various special rites.

2.45 To those who are thus devoid of discriminating wisdom, who

indulge in pleasure, [Here Ast. adds 'yat phalam tad aha, what result

accrues, that the Lord states:'-Tr.] O Arjuna, vedah, the Vedas;

traigunya-visayah, have the three qualities as their object, have the three

gunas, [Traigunya means the collection of the three qualities, viz sattva

(purity), rajas (energy) and tamas (darkness); i.e. the collection of

virtuous, vicious and mixed activities, as also their results. In this

derivative sense traigunya means the worldly life.] i.e. the worldly life, as

the object to be revealed. But you bhava, become; nistraigunyah, free

from the three qualities, i.e. be free from desires. [There is a seeming

conflict between the advices to be free from the three qualities and to be

ever-poised in the quality of sattva. Hence, the Commentator takes the

phrase nistraigunya to mean niskama, free from desires.] (Be)

nirdvandvah, free from the pairs of duality -- by the word dvandva,

duality, are meant the conflicting pairs [Of heat and cold, etc.] which are

the causes of happiness and sorrow; you become free from them. [From

heat, cold, etc. That is, forbear them.] You become nitya-sattvasthah,

ever-poised in the quality of sattva; (and) so also niryoga-ksemah,

without (desire for) acquisition and protection. Yoga means acquisition of

what one has not, and ksema means the protection of what one has. For

one who as 'acquisition and protection' foremost in his mind, it is difficult

to seek Liberation. Hence, you be free from acquisition and protection.

And also be atmavan, self-collected, vigilant. This is the advice given to

you while you are engaged in your own duty. [And not from the point of

view of seeking Liberation.]

2.46 If there be no need for the infinite results of all the rites and duties

mentioned in the Vedas, then why should they be performed as a

dedication to God? Listen to the answer being given: In the world,

yavan, whatever; arthah, utility, use, like bathing, drinking, etc.; one has

udapane, in a well, pond and other numerous limited reservoirs; all that,

indeed, is achieved, i.e. all those needs are fulfilled to that very extent;

sampluhtodake, when there is a flood; sarvatah, all arount. In a similar

manner, whatever utility, result of action, there is sarvesu, in all; the

vedesu, Vedas, i.e. in the rites and duties mentioned in the Vedas; all

that utility is achieved, i.e. gets fulfilled; tavan, to that very extent; in that

result of realization which comes brahmanasya, to a Brahmana, a

sannyasin; vijanatah, who knows the Reality that is the supreme Goal --

that result being comparable to the flood all around. For there is the

Upanisadic text, '...so all virtuous deeds performed by people get

included in this one...who knows what he (Raikva) knows...' (Ch. 4.1.4).

The Lord also will say, 'all actions in their totality culminate in

Knowledge' (4.33). [The Commentators quotation from the Ch. relates to

meditation on the qualified Brahman. Lest it be concluded that the

present verse relates to knowledge of the qualified Brahman only, he

quotes again from the Gita toshow that the conclusion holds good in the

case of knowledge of the absolute Brahman as well.] Therefore, before

one attains the fitness for steadfastness in Knowledge, rites and duties,

even though they have (limited) utility as that of a well, pond, etc., have

to be undertaken by one who is fit for rites and duties.

2.47 Te, your; adhikarah, right; is karmani eva, for action alone, not for

steadfastness in Knowledge. Even there, when you are engaged in

action, you have ma kadacana, never, i.e. under no condition whatever;

a right phalesu, for the results of action -- may you not have a hankering

for the results of action. Whenever you have a hankering for the fruits of

action, you will become the agent of acquiring the results of action. Ma,

do not; thus bhuh, become; karma-phalahetuh, the agent of acquiring

the results of action. For when one engages in action by being impelled

by thirst for the results of action, then he does become the cause for the

production of the results of action. Ma, may you not; astu, have; sangah,

an inclination; akarmani, for inaction, thinking, 'If the results of work be

not desired, what is the need of work which involves pain?'

2.48 If action is not to be undertaken by one who is under the impulsion

of the fruits of action, how then are they to be undertaken? This is being

stated: Yogasthah, by becoming established in Yoga; O Dhanajaya,

kuru, undertake; karmani, actions, for the sake of God alone; even there,

tyaktva, casting off; sangam, attachment, in the form, 'God will be

pleased with me.' ['Undertake work for pleasing God, but not for

propitiating Him to become favourable towards yourself.'] Undertake

actions bhutva, remaining; samah, equipoised; siddhi-asidhyoh, in

success and failure -- even in the success characterized by the

attainment of Knowledge that arises from the purification of the mind

when one performs actions without hankering for the results, and in the

failure that arises from its opposite. [Ignorance, arising from the impurity

of the mind.] What is that Yoga with regard to being established in which

it is said, 'undertake'? This indeed is that: the samatvam, equanimity in

success and failure; ucyate, is called; yogah, Yoga.

2.49 Then again, O Dhananjaya, as against action performed with

equanimity of mind for adoring God, karma, action undertaken by one

longing for the results; is, hi, indeed; durena, quite, by far; avaram,

inferior, very remote; buddhi-yogat, from the yoga of wisdom, from

actions undertaken with equanimity of mind, because it (the former) is

the cause of birth, death, etc. Since this is so, therefore, saranam

anviccha, take resort to, seek shelter; buddhau, under wisdom, which

relates to Yoga, or to the Conviction about Reality that arises from its

(the former's) maturity and which is the cause of (achieving) fearlessness.

The meaning is that you should resort to the knowledge of the supreme

Goal, because those who under take inferior actions, phala-hetavah,

who thirst for rewards, who are impelled by results; are krpanah, pitiable,

according to the Sruti, 'He, O Gargi, who departs from this world without

knowing this Immutable, is pitiable' (Br. 3.8.10). [See note under 2.7.-Tr.]

2.50 Listen to the result that one possessed of the wisdom of

equanimity attains by performing one's own duties: Buddhi-yuktah,

possessed of wisdom, possessed of the wisdom of equanimity; since

one jahati, rejects; iha, here, in this world; ubhe, both; sukrta-duskrte,

virtue and vice (righteousness and unrighteousness), through the

purification of the mind and acquisition of Knowledge; tasmat, therefore;

yujyasva, devote yourself; yogaya, to (Karma-) yoga, the wisdom of

equanimity. For Yoga is kausalam, skilfulness; karmasu, in action.

Skilfulness means the attitude of the skilful, the wisdom of equanimity

with regard to one's success and failure while engaged in actions

(karma) -- called one's own duties (sva-dharma) -- with the mind

dedicated to God. That indeed is skilfulness which, through equanimity,

makes actions that by their very nature bind give up their nature!

Therefore, be you devoted to the wisdom of equanimity.

2.51 The words 'phalam tyaktva, by giving up the fruits' are connected

with the remote word 'karmajam, produced by actions'. Hi, because;

[Because, when actions are performed with an attitude of equanimity, it

leads to becoming freed from sin etc. Therefore, by stages, it becomes

the cause of Liberation as well.] buddhi-yuktah, those who are devoted

to wisdom, who are imbued with the wisdom of equanimity; (they)

becoming manisinah, men of Enlightenment; tyaktva, by giving up;

phalam, the fruit, the acquisition of desirable and undesriable bodies;

[Desirable: the bodies of gods and others; undesirable: the bodies of

animals etc.] karmajam, produced by actions; gacchanti, reach; padam,

the state, the supreme state of Visnu, called Liberation; anamayam,

beyond evils, i.e. beyond all evils; by having become janma-bandhavinirmuktah,

freed from the bondage of birth -- birth (janma) itself is a

bondage (bandha); becoming freed from that --, even while living. Or: --

Since it (buddhi) has been mentioned as the direct cause of the

elimination of righteousness and unrighteousness, and so on, therefore

what has been presented (in the three verses) beginning with, 'O

Dhananjaya,...to the yoga of wisdom' (49), is enlightenment itself, which

consists in the realization of the supreme Goal, which is comparable to a

flood all around, and which arises from the purification of the mind as a

result of Karma-yoga. [In the first portion of the Commentary buddhi has

been taken to mean samattva buddhi (wisdom of equanimity); the

alternative meaning of buddhi has been taken as 'enlightenment'. So,

action is to be performed by taking the help of the 'wisdom about the

supreme Reality' which has been chosen as one's Goal.]

2.52 When is attained that wisdom which arises from the purification of

the mind brought about by the pursuit of (karma-) yoga? This is being

stated: Yada, when, [Yada: when maturity of discrimination is attained.]

at the time when; te, your; buddhih, mind; vyatitarisyati, will go beyond,

cross over; moha-kalilam, the turbidity of delusion, the dirt in the form of

delusion, in the form of non-discrimination, which, after confounding

one's understanding about the distinction between the Self and the not-

Self, impels the mind towards objects -- that is to say, when your mind

will attain the state of purity; tada, then, [Tada: then, when the mind,

becoming purified, leads to the rise of discrimination, which in turn

matures into detachment.] at that time; gantasi, you will acquire;

nirvedam, despassion; for srotavyasya, what has to be heard; ca, and;

srutasya, what has been heard. The idea implied is that, at that time

what has to be heard and what has been heard [What has to be

heard...has been heard, i.e. the scriptures other than those relating to

Self-knowledge. When discrimination referred to above gets matured,

then the fruitlessness of all things other than Self-knowledge becomes

apparent.] becomes fruitless.

2.53 If it be asked, 'By becoming possessed of the wisdom arising from

the discrimination about the Self after overcoming the turbidity of

delusion, when shall I attain the yoga of the supreme Reality which is the

fruit that results from Karma-yoga?', then listen to that; Yada, when at

the time when; te, your; buddhih, mind; that has become sruti-vipratipanna,

bewildered, tossed about, by hearing (the Vedas) that reveal

the diverse ends, means, and (their) relationship, i.e. are filled with

divergent ideas; sthasyati, will become; niscala, unshakable, free from

the trubulence in the form of distractions; and acala, steadfast, that is to

say, free from doubt even in that (unshakable) state; samadhau, in

samadhi, that is to say, in the Self -- samadhi being derived in the sense

of that in which the mind is fixed; tada, then, at that time; avapsyasi, you

will attain; yogam, Yoga, the enlightenment, Self-absorption, that arises

from discrimination. Having got an occasion for inquiry, Arjuna, with a

view to knowing the characteristics of one who has the realization of the

Self, [By the word samadhi is meant the enlightenment arising from

discrimination, which has been spoken of in the commentary on the

previous verse. The steadfastness which the monks have in that

enlightenment is called steadfastness in Knowledge. Or the phrase may

mean, 'the enlightenment achieved through meditation on the Self', i.e.

the realization of the supreme Goal.] asked:

2.54 O Kesava, ka, what; is the bhasa, description, the language (for

the description) -- how is he described by others --; sthita-prajnasya, of

a man of steady wisdom, of one whose realization, 'I am the supreme

Brahman', remains steady; samadhi-sthasya, of one who is Selfabsorbed?

Or kim, how; does the sthitadhih, dhih, man of steady

wisdom; himself probhaseta, speak? How does he asita, sit? How does

he vrajeta, move about? That is to say, of what kind is his sitting or

moving? Through this verse Arjuna asks for a description of the man of

steady wisdom.

2.55 In the verses beginning from, 'When one fully renounces...', and

ending with the completion the Chapter, instruction about the

characteristics of the man of steady wisdom and the disciplines (he had

to pass through) is being given both for the one who has, indeed,

applied himself to steadfastness in the Yoga of Knowledge after having

renounced rites and duties from the very beginning [Even while he is in

the stage of celibacy.], and for the one who has (applied himself to this

after having passed) through the path of Karma-yoga. For in all the

scriptures without exception, dealing, with spirituality, whatever are the

characteristics of the man of realization are themselves presented as the

disciplines for an aspirant, because these (characteristics) are the result

of effort. And those that are the disciplines requiring effort, they become

the characteristics (of the man of realization). [There are two kinds of

sannyasa -- vidvat (renunciation that naturally follows Realization), and

vividisa, formal renunciation for undertaking the disciplines which lead to

that Realization. According to A.G. the characteristics presented in this

and the following verses describe not only the vidvat-sannyasin, but are

also meant as disciplines for the vividisa-sannyasin.-Tr.] O Partha, yada,

when, at the time when; prajahati, one fully renounces; sarvan, all; the

kaman, desires, varieties of desires; manogatan, that have entered the

mind, entered into the heart --. If all desires are renounced while the

need for maintaining the body persists, then, in the absence of anything

to bring satisfaction, there may arise the possibility of one's behaving like

lunatics or drunkards. [A lunatic is one who has lost his power of

discrimination, and a drunkard is one who has that power but ignores it.]

Hence it is said: Tustah, remains satisfied; atmani eva, in the Self alone,

in the very nature of the inmost Self; atmana, by the Self which is his

own -- indifferent to external gains, and satiated with everything else on

account of having attained the nector of realization of the supreme Goal;

tada, then; ucyate, he is called; sthita-prajnah, a man of steady wisdom,

a man of realization, one whose wisdom, arising from the discrimination

between the Self and the not-Self, is stable. The idea is that the man of

steady wisdom is a monk, who has renounced the desire for progeny,

wealth and the worlds, and who delights in the Self and disports in the

Self.

2.56 Moreover, that munih, monk [Sankaracarya identifies the monk

with the man of realization.] ucyate, is then called; sthita-dhih, a man of

steady wisdom; when anudvignamanah, his mind is unperturbed;

duhkhesu, in sorrow -- when his mind remains unperturbed by the

sorrows that may come on the physical or other planes [Fever,

headache, etc. are physical (adhyatmika) sorrows; sorrows caused by

tigers, snakes, etc. are environmental (adhibhautika) sorrows; those

caused by cyclones, floods, etc. are super-natural (adhidaivika).

Similarly, delights also may be experienced on the three planes.] --; so

also, when he is vigata-sprhah, free from longing; sukhesu, for delights -

- when he, unlike fire which flares up when fed with fuel etc., has no

longing for delights when they come to him --; and vita-raga-bhayakrodhah,

has gone beyond attachment, fear and anger.

2.57 Further, prajna, the wisdom; tasya, of that person, fo that

sannyasin; pratisthita, remains established; yah, who; anabhi-snehah,

has no attachment for; sarvatra, anything anywhere, even for body, life,

etc.; who na abhinanadati, neither welcomes; na dvesti, nor rejects; tat

tat, anything whatever; subha-asubham, good or bad; propya, when he

comes across it, i.e. who does not rejoice on meeting with the good, nor

reject the bad on meeting with it. Of such a person, who is thus free

from elation or dejection, the wisdom arising from discrimination remains

established.

2.58 And besides, yada, when; ayam, this one, the sannyasin practising

steadfastness in Knowledge; samharate, fully withdraws; ['Fully'

suggests absolute firmness in withdrawal, and 'withdraws' suggests full

control over the organs] indriyani, the senses; indriya-arthebhyah, from

all the objects of the senses; iva, as; kurmah, a tortoise; sarvasah, wholly

(withdraws); angani, its limbs, from all sides out of fear; -- when the man

engaged in steadfastness to Knowledge withdraws thus, then tasya, his;

prajna, wisdom; pratisthita, remains established -- (the meaning of this

portion has already been explained). As to that, [That is , so far as the

phenomenal world is concerned.] the organs of a sick person, too,

cease to be active when the refrains from sense-objects; they get fully

withdrawn like the limbs of a tortoise. but not so the hankering for those

objects. How that (hankering) gets completely withdrawn is being stated:

2.59 Although visayah, the objects, (i.e.) the organs, figuratively implied

and expressed by the word 'objects', or, the objects themselves;

vinivartante, recede; niraharasya dehinah, from an abstinent man, from

an embodied being, even from a fool who engages in painful austerity

and abstains from objects; (still, they do so) rasavarjam, with the

exception of the taste (for them), with the exception of the hankering that

one has for objects. The word rasa is well known as referring to the

sense of taste (hankering), as in such expressions as, 'sva-rasena

pravrttah, induced by his own taste (i.e. willingly)', 'rasikah, a man of

tastes', 'rasajnah, a connoisseur (of tastes)', etc. Api, even that; rasah,

taste of the nature of subtle attachment; asya, of this person, of the

sannyasin; nivartate, falls away, i.e. his objective perception becomes

seedless; when drstva, after attaining; param, the Absolute, the Reality

which is the supreme Goal, Brahman, he continues in life with the

realization, 'I verily am That (Brahman).' In the absence of full realization

there can be no eradication of the 'hankering'. The idea conveyed is

that, one should therefore stabilize one's wisdom which is characterized

by full realization. [If it be held that attachment cannot be eliminated

without the knowledge of Brahman, and at the same time that the

knowledge of Brahman cannot arise until attachment is eradicated, then

we get involved in a vicious circle. In answer it is said that gross

attachments are eliminated through discrimination which restrains the

senses from being overpowered by objects. And the full Knowledge

arising thereof eliminates the subtle inclinations as well. Hence there is

no vicious circle involved.] Since the organs have to be first brought

under his own control by one who desires to establish firmly the wisdom

which is characterized by full realization, therefore the Lord speaks of the

evil that arises from not keeping them under control:

2.60 Hi, for; kaunteya, O son of Kunti; pramathini, the turbulent;

indriyani, organs; prasabham, violently; haranti, snatch away; manah, the

mind; vipascitah, of an intelligent; purusasya, person; api, even; yatatah,

while he is striving diligently [Repeatedly being mindful of the evils that

arise from sense-objects.] -- (or,) the words purusasya vipascitah (of an

intelligent person) are to be connected with the remote word api (even).

[The Commentator says that api may be construed either with yatatah or

with vipascitah purusasya.-Tr.] Indeed, the organs confound a person

who is inclined towards objects, and after confounding him, violently

carry away his mind endowed with discriminating knoweldge, even when

he is aware of this. Since this is so, therefore,

2.61 Samyamya, controlling, having subdued; sarvani, all; tani, of them;

asita, one should remain; yuktah, concentrated; mat-parah, on Me as

the supreme -- he to whom I, Vasudeva, the inmost Self of all, am the

supreme (parah) is mat-parah. The idea is, he should remain

(concentrated) thinking, 'I am not different from Him.' Hi, for; the prajna,

wisdom; tasya, of one, of the sannyasin remaining thus concentrated;

yasya, whose; indriyani, organs; are vase, under control, by dint of

practice; [The organs come under control either by constantly thinking of

oneself as non-different from the Self, or by constantly being mindful of

the evils that result from objects.] pratisthita, becomes steadfast. Now,

then, is being stated this [This:what is described in the following two

verses, and is also a matter of common experience.] root, cause of all

the evils that beset one who is the verge of being overwhelmed:

2.62 Pumsah, in the case of a person; dhyayatah, who dwells on, thinks

of; visayan, the objects, the specialities [Specialities: The charms

imagined in them.] of the objects such as sound etc.; upajayate, there

arises; sangah, attachment, fondness, love; tesu, for them, for those

objects. Sangat, from attachment, from love; sanjayate, grows; kamah,

hankering, thirst. When that is obstructed from any quarter, kamat, from

hankering; abhijayate, springs; krodhah, anger. Krodhat, from anger;

bhavati, follows; sammohah, delusion, absence of discrimination with

regard to what should or should not be done. For, an angry man,

becoming deluded, abuses even a teacher. Sammohat, from delusion;

(comes) smrti-vibhramah, failure of memory originating from the

impressions acquired from the instructions of the scriptures and

teachers. When there is an occasion for memory to rise, it does not

occur. Smrti-bhramsat, from that failure of memory; (results) buddhinasah,

loss of understanding. The unfitness of the mind to discriminate

between what should or should not be done is called loss of

understanding. Buddhi-nasat, from the loss of understanding;

pranasyati, he perishes. Indeed, a man continues tobe himself so long as

his mind remains fit to distinguish between what he ought to and ought

not do. When it becomes unfit, a man is verily ruined. Therefore, when

his internal organ, his understanding, is destroyed, a man is ruined, i.e.

he becomes unfit for the human Goal. Thinking of objects has been said

to be the root of all evils. After that, this which is the cause of Liberation

is being now stated: [If even the memory of objects be a source of evil,

then their enjoyment is more so. Hence, a sannyasin seeking Liberation

cannot avoid this evil, since he has to move about for food which is

necessary for the maintenance of his body. The present verse is an

answer to this apprehension.]

2.63 Pumsah, in the case of a person; dhyayatah, who dwells on, thinks

of; visayan, the objects, the specialities [Specialities: The charms

imagined in them.] of the objects such as sound etc.; upajayate, there

arises; sangah, attachment, fondness, love; tesu, for them, for those

objects. Sangat, from attachment, from love; sanjayate, grows; kamah,

hankering, thirst. When that is obstructed from any quarter, kamat, from

hankering; abhijayate, springs; krodhah, anger. Krodhat, from anger;

bhavati, follows; sammohah, delusion, absence of discrimination with

regard to what should or should not be done. For, an angry man,

becoming deluded, abuses even a teacher. Sammohat, from delusion;

(comes) smrti-vibhramah, failure of memory originating from the

impressions acquired from the instructions of the scriptures and

teachers. When there is an occasion for memory to rise, it does not

occur. Smrti-bhramsat, from that failure of memory; (results) buddhinasah,

loss of understanding. The unfitness of the mind to discriminate

between what should or should not be done is called loss of

understanding. Buddhi-nasat, from the loss of understanding;

pranasyati, he perishes. Indeed, a man continues tobe himself so long as

his mind remains fit to distinguish between what he ought to and ought

not do. When it becomes unfit, a man is verily ruined. Therefore, when

his internal organ, his understanding, is destroyed, a man is ruined, i.e.

he becomes unfit for the human Goal. Thinking of objects has been said

to be the root of all evils. After that, this which is the cause of Liberation

is being now stated: [If even the memory of objects be a source of evil,

then their enjoyment is more so. Hence, a sannyasin seeking Liberation

cannot avoid this evil, since he has to move about for food which is

necessary for the maintenance of his body. The present verse is an

answer to this apprehension.]

2.64 Certainly the functions of the organs are naturally preceded by

attraction and repulsion. This being so, caran, by perceiving; visayan,

objects, which are unavoidable; indriyaih, with the organs such as ears

etc.; raga-dvesa-viyuktaih, that are free from those attraction and

repulsion; and are atma-vasyaih, under his own control; vidheya-atma,

[A.G. takes atma-vasyaih in the sense of '(with the organs) under the

control of the mind'. He then argues that it the mind be not under

control, there can be no real control, over the organs. Hence the text

uses the second expression, 'vidheyatma, whose mind can be subdued

at will'. Here atma is used in the sense of the mind, according to the

Commentator himself.] the self-controlled man, whose mind can be

subdued at will, a seeker after Liberation; adhigacchati, attains;

prasadam, serenity, self-poise. What happens when there is serenity?

This is being answered:

2.65 Prasade, when there is serenity; upajayate, there follows; hanih,

eradication; asya sarva-duhkhanam, of all his, the sannyasin's, sorrow

on the physical and other planes. Moreover, (this is so) hi, because;

buddhih, the wisdom; prasanna-cetasah, of one who has a serene mind,

of one whose mind is poised in the Self; asu, soon; pari-avatisthate,

becomes firmly established; remains steady (avatisthate) totally (pari), like

the sky, i.e. it becomes unmoving in its very nature as the Self. The

meaning of the sentence is this: Since a person with such a poised mind

and well-established wisdom attains fulfilment, therefore a man of

concentration [A man who is free whom slavery to objects of the

senses.] ought to deal with the indispensable and scripturally nonforbidden

objects through his senses that are free from love and hatred.

That same serenity is being eulogized:

2.66 Ayuktasya, for the unsteady, for one who does not have a

concentrated mind; na asti, there is no, i.e. there does not arise;

buddhih, wisdom, with regard to the nature of the Self; ca, and; there is

no bhavana, meditation, earnest longing [Longing to have a continuous

remembrance of the knowledge of Brahman which arises in the mind

from hearing the great Upanisadic sayings (maha-vakyas).] for the

knowledge of the Self; ayuktasya, for an unsteady man. And similarly,

abhavayatah, for an unmeditative man, who does not ardently desire the

knowledge of the Self; there is no santih, peace, restraint of the senses.

Kutah, how can there be; sukham, happiness; asantasya, for one

without peace? That indeed is happiness which consists in the freedom

of the senses from the thirst for enjoyment of objects; not the thirst for

objects -- that is misery to be sure. The implication is that, so long as

thirst persists, there is no possibility of even an iota of happiness! It is

being stated why a man without concentration does not possess

wisdom:

2.67 Hi, for; yat manah, the mind which; anu-vidhiyate, follows in the

wake of; caratam, the wandering; indriyani, senses that are tending

towards their respective objects; tat, that, the mind engaged in thinking

[Perceiving objects like sound etc. in their respective varieties.] of the

objects of the senses; harati, carries away, destroys; asya, his, the

sannyasin's; prajnam, wisdom born from the discrimination between the

Self and the not-Self. How? Iva, like; vayuh, the wind; diverting a navam,

boat; ambhasi, on the waters. As wind, by diverting a boat on the waters

from its intended course, drives it along a wrong course, similarly the

mind, by diverting the wisdom from the pursuit of the Self, makes it

engage in objects. After having stated variously the reasons for the idea

conveyed through the verse, 'For, O son of Kunti,' etc. (60), and having

established that very idea, the Lord concludes thus:

2.68 Since the evils arising from the activities of the organs have been

described, tasmat, therefore; mahabaho, O mighty-armed one; tasya,

his, the sannyasin's; prajna, wisdom; pratisthita, becomes established;

yasya, whose; indriyani, organs; sarvasah, in all their varieties,

differentiated as mind etc.; nigrhitani, are withdrawn; indriya-arthebhyah,

from their objects such as sound etc. In the case of a man of steady

wisdom in whom has arisen discriminating knowledge, those which are

these ordinary and Vedic dealings cease on the eradication of ignorance,

they being effects of ignorance. And ignorance ceases because it is

opposed to Knowledge. For clarifying this idea, the Lord says:

2.69 ya, that which; sarva-bhutanam, for all creatures; is nisa, night --

which being darkness (tamah) by nature, obliterates distinctions among

all things; what is that? that is the Reality which is the supreme Goal,

accessible to the man of steady wisdom. As that which verily appears as

day to the nocturnal creatures is night for others, similarly the Reality

wich is the supreme Goal appears to be night, as it were, to all

unenlightened beings who are comparable to the nocturnal creatures,

because It is beyond the range of vision of those who are devoid of that

wisdom. Samyami, the self-restrained man, whose organs are under

control, i.e. the yogi [The man of realization.] who has arisen from the

sleep of ignorance; jagarti, keeps awake; tasyam, in that (night)

characterized as the Reality, the supreme Goal. That night of ignorance,

characterized by the distinctions of subjects and objects, yasyam in

which; bhutani, the creatures, who are really asleep; are said to be

jagrati, keeping awake, in which night they are like dreamers in sleep; sa

nisa, it is night; pasyatah, to the seeing; muneh, sage, who perceives the

Reality that is the supreme Goal, because that (night) is ignorance by

nature. Therefore, rites and duties are enjoined only during the state of

ignorance, not in the state of enlightenment. For, when Knowledge

dawns, ignorance becomes eradicated like the darkness of night after

sun-rise. [It may be argued that even after illumination the phenomenal

world, though it is known to be false, will continue to be perceived

because of the persistence of past impressions; therefore there is scope

for the validity of the scriptural injunctions even in the case of an

illumined soul. The answer is that there will be no scope for the

injunctions, because the man of realization will then have no ardent

leaning towards this differentiated phenomenal world which makes an

injunction relevant.] Before the rise of Knowledge, ignorance, accepted

as a valid means of knowledge and presenting itself in the different forms

of actions, means and results, becomes the cause of all rites and duties.

It cannot reasonably become the source of rites and duties (after

Realization) when it is understood as an invalid means of knowledge. For

an agent becomes engaged in actions when he has the idea, 'Actions

have been enjoined as a duty for me by the Vedas, which are a valid

means of knowledge'; but not when he understands that 'all this is mere

ignorance, like the night'. Again, the man to whom has come the

Knowledge that all these differences in their totality are mere ignorance

like the night, to that man who has realized the Self, there is eligibility

only for renouncing all actions, not for engaging in actions. In

accordance with this the Lord will show in the verse, 'Those who have

their intellect absorbed in That, whose Self is That' (5.17) etc., that he

has competence only for steadfastness in Knowledge. Objection: May it

not be argued that, there will be no reason for being engaged even in

that (steadfastness in Knowledge) if there be no valid means of

knowledge [Vedic injunctions.] to impel one to that. [Because, without an

injunction nobody would engage in a duty, much less in steadfastness to

Knowledge.] Answer: No, since 'knowledge of the Self' relates to one's

own Self. Indeed, by the very fact that It is the Self, and since the validity

of all the means of knowledge culminates in It, [The validity of all the

means of knowledge holds good only so long as the knowledge of the

Self has not arisen.] therefore the Self does not depend on an injunction

to impel It towards Itself. [Does the injunction relate to the knowledge of

the Self. or to the Self Itself? The first alternative is untenable because a

valid means of knowledge reveals its objects even without an injunction.

The second alternative also is untenable because the Self is selfrevealing,

whereas an injunction is possible in the case of something yet

to be achieved. And one's own Self is not an object of that kind.] Surely,

after the realization of the true nature of the Self, there is no scope again

for any means to, or end of, knowledge. The last valid means of (Self-)

knowledge eradicates the possibility of the Self's becoming a perceiver.

And even as it eradicates, it loses its own authoritativeness, in the same

way as the means of knowledge which is valid in dream becomes

unauthoritative during the waking state. In the world, too, after the

preception of an abject, the valid means of that perception is not seen to

be a cause impelling the knower (to any action with regard to that

object). Hence, it is established that, for an knower of the Self, there

remains no eligibility for rites and duties. The attainment of Liberation is

only for the sannyasin [Liberation is attained only by one who, after

acquiring an intellectual knowledge of the Self in a general way, is

endowed with discrimination and detachment, has arisen above all

desires, has become a monk in the primary sense, and has directly

realized the Self by going through the process of sravana (understanding

of Upanisadic texts about the Self), etc.], the man of enlightenment, who

has renounced all desires and is a man of steady wisdom; but not for

him who has not renounced and is desirious of the objects (of the

senses). Such being the case, with a view to establishing this with the

help of an illustration, the Lord says:

2.70 Sah, that man; apnoti, attains; santim, peace Liberation; yam, into

whom, into which person; sarve, all; kamah, desires, all forms of wishes;

pravisanti, enter, from all directions, like waters entering into a sea,

without overwhelming him even in the presence of objects; they vanish in

the Self, they do not bring It under their own influence, tadvat, in the

same way; yadvat, as; apah, waters, coming from all sides; pravisanti,

flow into; samudram, a sea; that remains acala-pratistham, unchanged,

that continues to be its own self, without any change; apuryamanam,

(even) when filled up from all sides with water. Na, not so the other; who

is kama-kami, desirous of objects. Kama means objects which are

sought after. He who is given to desire them is kama-kami. The idea

implied is that he never attains (peace). Since this is so, therefore.

2.71 Sah puman, that man who has become thus, the sannyasin, the

man of steady wisdom, the knower of Brahman; adhi-gacchati, attains;

santim, peace, called Nirvana, consisting in the cessation of all the

sorrows of mundane existence, i.e. he becomes one with Brahman; yah,

who; vihaya, after rejecting; sarvan, all; kaman, desires, without a trace,

fully; carati, moves about, i.e. wanders about, making efforts only for

maintaining the body; nihsprhah, free from hankering, becoming free

from any longing even for the maintenance of the body; nirmamah,

without the idea of ('me' and) 'mine', without the deeprooted idea of

'mine' even when accepting something needed merely for the upkeep of

the body; and nir-ahankarah, devoid of pride, i.e. free from self esteem

owing to learning etc. This steadfastness in Knowledge, which is such,

is being praised:

2.72 O Partha, esa, this, the aforesaid; is brahmisthitih, the state of

being established in Brahman, i.e. continuing (in life) in indentification

with Brahman, after renouncing all actions. Na vimuhyati, one does not

become deluded; prapya, after attaining ; enam, this Rcchati, one

attains; brahma-nirvanam, identification with Brahman, Liberation;

sthitva, by being established; asyam, in this, in the state of Brahmanhood

as described; api, even; anta-kale, in the closing years of one's life.

What need it be said that, one who remains established only in Brahman

during the whole life, after having espoused monasticism even from the

stage of celibacy, attains indetification with Brahman!

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 3

RO

error

error

3.3 Anagha, O unblemished one, O sinless one; [This word of address

suggests that Arjuna is qualified to receive the Lord's instruction.]

dvividha, two kinds of ; nistha, steadfastness, persistence in what is

undertaken; asmin loke, in this world, for the people of the three castes

who are qualified for following the scriptures; prokta, were spoken of;

maya, by Me, the omniscient God, who had revealed for them the

traditional teachings of the Vedas, which are the means of securing

prosperity and the highest Goal; pura, in the days of yore, in the

beginning the creation, after having brought into being the creatures.

Now then, which is that steadfastness of two kinds? In answer the Lord

says: The steadfastness jnanayogena, through the Yoga of Knowledge-

Knowledge itself being the Yoga [Here jnana, Knowledge, refers to the

knowledge of the supreme Reality, and Yoga is used in the derivative

sense of 'that (Knowledge) through which one gets united with

Brahman'.]-; had been stated sankhyanam, for the men of realizationthose

possessed of the Knowledge arising from the discrimination with

regard to the Self and the not-Self, those who have espoused

monasticism from the stage of Celibacy; itself, those to whom the entity

presented by the Vedantic knowledge has become fully ascertained (see

Mu. 3.2.6)-,the monks who are known as the parama-hamsas, those

who are established in Brahman alone. And the steadfastness karmayogena,

through the Yoga of Action-action itself being the Yoga [Yoga

here means 'that through which one gets united with, comes to have,

prosperity', i.e. such actions as go by the name of righteousness and are

prescribed by the scriptures.] had been stated yoginam, for the yogis,

the men of action (rites and duties). This is the idea. Again, had it been

intended or stated or if it will be stated in the Gita by the Lord-and if it

has also been so stated in the Vedas-that Knowledge and action are to

be practised in combination by one and the same person for attaining

the same human Goal, why then should He here tell His dear supplicant

Arjuna, that steadfastness in either Knowledge or action is to be

practised only by different persons who are respectively qualified? If, on

the other hand, it be supposed that the Lord's idea is, 'After hearing

about both Knowledge and action, Arjuna will himself practise them (in

combination); but, to others, I shall speak of them as being meant to be

pursued by different persons', then the Lord would be imagined to be

unreliable, being possessed of likes and dislikes! And that is untenable.

So, from no point of view whatsoever can there be a combination of

Knowledge and action. And what has been said by Arjuna regarding

superiority of Wisdom over action, that stands confirmed for not having

been refuted; and (it also stands confirmed) that steadfastness in

Knowledge is suitable for being practised by monks alone. And from the

statement that they (Knowledge and action) are to be followed by

different persons, it is understood that this has the Lord's approval.

Noticing that Arjuna had become dejected under the impression, 'You

are urging me to that very action which is a source of bondage', and

was thinking thus, 'I shall not undertake action', the Lord said, 'Na

karmanam anarambhat, not by abstaining from action,' etc. Or:-When

steadfastness in Knowledge and steadfastness in action become

incapable of being pursued simultaneously by one and the same person

owing to mutual contradiction, then, since it may be concluded that they

become the cause of attaining the human Goal independently of each

other, therefore, in order to show-that the steadfastness in action is a

means to the human Goal, not independently, but by virtue of being

instrumental in securing steadfastness in Knowledge; and that, on the

other hand, steadfastness in Knowledge, having come into being

through the means of steadfastness in action, leads to the human Goal

independently without anticipating anything else-,the Lord said:

3.4 Purusah, a person; na does not; asnute, attain; naiskarmyam,

freedom from action, the state of being free from action, steadfastness in

the Yoga of Knowledge, i.e. the state of abiding in one's own Self which

is free from action; anarambhat, by abstaining; karmanam, from actionsby

the non-performance of actions such as sacrifices etc. which are or

were performed in the present or past lives, which are the causes of the

purification of the mind by way of attenuating the sins incurred, and

which, by being the cause of that (purification), become the source of

steadfastness in Knowledge through the generation of Knowledge, as

stated in the Smrti (text), 'Knowledge arises in a person from the

attenuation of sinful acts' [the whole verse is: Jnanam utpadyate

pumsamksayatpapasya karmanah; Yathadarsatalaprakhye

pasyatyatmanamatmani. 'Knowledge arises...acts. One sees the Self in

oneself as does one (see oneself) in a cleaned surface of a mirror'.-Tr.]

(Mbh. Sa. 204.8). This is the import. From the statement that one does

not attain freedom from action by abstaining from actions, it may be

concluded that one attains freedom from action by following the

opposite course of performing actions. What, again, is the reason that

one does not attain freedom from action by abstaining from actions? The

answer is: Because performing actions is itself a means to freedom from

action. Indeed, there can be no attainment of an end without (its) means.

And Karma-yoga is the means to the Yoga of Knowledge characterized

by freedom from action, because it has been so established in the

Upanisads and here as well. As for the Upanisads, it has been shown in

the texts, 'The Brahmanas seek to know It through the study of the

Vedas, sacrifices, (charity, and austerity consisting in a dispassionate

enjoyment of sense-objects)' (Br. 4.4.22), etc. whch deal with the means

of realizing the goal of Knowledge under discussion, viz the Realm of the

Self, that the Yoga of Karma is a means to the Yoga of Knowledge . And

even here (in the Gita), the Lord will established that, 'But, O mightyarmed

one, renunciation is hard to attain without (Karma-)yoga' (5.6); 'By

giving up attachment, the yogis undertake work...for the purification of

themselves' (5.11); 'Sacrifice, charity and austerity are verily the purifiers

of the wise' (18.5), etc. Objection: Is it not that in such texts as-

'Extending to all creatures immunity from fear' (Na. Par. 5.43), (one

should take recourse to freedom from action)-, it is shown that

attainment of freedom from action follows even from the renunciation of

obligatory duties? And in the world, too, it is a better known fact that

freedom from action follows abstention from actions. Hence also arises

the question, 'Why should one who desires freedom from action

undertake action?' Reply: Therefore the Lord said: Na ca, nor; samadhigacchati,

does he attain; siddhim, fulfilment steadfastness in the Yoga of

Knowledge, characterized by freedom from action; sannyasanat eva,

merely through renunciation-even from the mere renunciation of actions

which is devoid of Knowledge. What, again, is the reason that by the

mere giving up of actions which is not accompanied with Knowledge, a

person does not attain fulfulment in the form of freedom from actions?

To this query seeking to know the cause, the Lord says:

3.5 Hi, because; na kascit, no one; jatu, ever; tisthati, remains; api,

even; for so much time as a ksanam, moment; akarma-krt, without doing

work. Why? Hi, for; sarvah, all creatures; karyate karma, are made to

work; verily avasah, under compulsion; gunaih, by the gunas-sattva

(goodness); rajas (activity), and tamas (mental darkness); prakrti-jaih,

born of Nature. The word 'unenlightened' has to be added to the

sentence, since the men of realzation have been spoken of separately in,

'who is not distracted by the three gunas (qualities)' (14.23). For Karmayoga

is meant only for the unenlightened, nor for the men of Knowledge.

Karma-yoga, on the other hand, is not pertinent for the men of

Knowledge who, because of their not moving away from their own Self,

are not shaken by the gunas. This has been explained similarly in, 'he

who has known this One as indestructible' (2.21). But, if one who is not

a knower of the self does not perform prescribed action, then this is

certainly bad. Hence the Lord says:

3.6 Yah, one who; samyamya, after withdrawing; karma-indriyani, the

organs of action-hands etc.; aste, sits; manasa, mentally; smaran,

recollecting, thinking; indriya-arthan, the objects of the senses; sah, that

one; vimudha-atma, of deluded mind; ucyate, is called; mithya-acarah, a

hypocrite, a sinful person.

3.7 Tu, but, on the other hand, O Arjuna; yah, one who is unenlightened

and who is eligible for action; arabhate, engages in;-what does he

engage in? the Lord says in answer-karma yogam, Karma-yoga; karmaindriyaih,

with the organs of action, with speech, hands, etc.; niyamya,

controlling; indriyani, the sense-organs; manasa, with the mind; and

becoming asaktah unattached; [Here Ast; adds 'phalabhisandhi-varjitah,

free from hankering for results'.-Tr.] sah, that one; visisyate, excels the

other one, the hypocrite. This being so, therefore,

3.8 Tvam, you, O Arjuna; kuru, perform; niyatam, the obligatory; karma,

duties, those daily obligatory duties (nitya-karmas) or which one is

competent (according to the scriptures), and which are not heard of

[although no result of daily obligatory duties is mentioned in the

scriptures, still Sankaracarya holds that it is either heaven or purification

of the heart, because something done must have its consequence.-Tr.]

as productive of any result; hi, for, from the point of view of result;

karma, action; is jyayah, superior; akarmanah, to inaction, to nonperformance

(of duties). Why? Ca, and; akarmanah, through inaction;

api, even; te sarira-yatra, the maintenance of your body; na prasiddhyet,

will not be possible. Therefore, the distinction between action and in

action is abvious in this world. 'And as regards your ideea that action

should not be udnertaken because it leads to bondage-that too is

wrong.' How?

3.9 Ayam, this; lokah, man, the one who is eligible for action; karmabandhanah,

becomes bound by actions- the person who has karma as

his bondage (bandhana) is karma-bandhanah-; anyatra, other than; that

karmanah, action; yajnarthat, meant for Got not by that meant for God.

According to the Vedic text, 'Sacrifice is verily Visnu' (Tai. Sam. 1.7.4),

yajnah means God; whatever is done for Him is yajnartham. Therefore,

mukta-sangah, without being attached, being free from attachment to

the results of actions; O son of Kunti, samacara, you perform; karma,

actions; tadartham, for Him, for God. An eligible person should engage

in work for the following reason also:

3.10 Pura, in the days of yore, in the beginning of creation; srstva,

having created; prajah, the beings, the people of the three castes; sahayajnah,

together with the sacrifices; Prajapati, the creator of beings,

uvaca, said; 'Anena, by this sacrifice; prasavisyadhvam, you multiply.'

Prasava means origination, growth. 'You accomplish that. Esah astu, let

this sacrifice be; vah, your; ista-kama-dhuk, yielder of coveted objects of

desire.' That which yields (dhuk) coveted (ista) objects of desire (kama),

particular results, is istakama-dhuk. How?

3.11 'Bhavayata, you nourish; devan, the gods, Indra and others;

anena, with this sarifice. Let te devah, those gods; bhavayantu, nourish;

vah, you-make you contented with rainfall etc. Thus bhavayantah,

nourishing; parasparam, one another; avapsyatha, you shall attain; the

param, supreme; sreyah, Good, called Liberation, through the attainment

of Knowledge;' or, 'you shall attain heaven-which is meant by param

'sreyah.' [The param sreyah (supreme Good) will either mean liberation

or heaven in accordance with aspirant's hankering for Liberation or

enjoyment.] Moreover,

3.12 'Yajna-bhavitah, being nourished, i.e. being satisfied, by sacrifices;

devah, the gods; dasyante hi, will indeed give, will distribute; among vah,

you; the istan, coveted; bhogan, enjoyments, such as wife, childeren and

cattle. Sah, he; is eva, certainly; a stenah, thief, a stealer of the wealth of

gods and others; yah, who; bhunkte, enjoys, gratifies only his own body

and organs; with dattan, what enjoyable things have been given; taih, by

them, by the gods; apradaya, without offering (these); ebhyah, to them,

i.e. without repaying the debt [The three kinds of debt-to the gods, to

the rsis (sage), and to the manes-are repaid by satisfying them through

sacrifices, celibacy (including study of the Vedas, etc.), and procreation,

respectively. Unless one repays these debts, he incurs sin.] to them.'

3.13 Those again, who are yajna-sista-asinah, partakers of the

remnants of sacrifices, who, after making offering to the gods and

others, [The panca-maha-yajnas, five great offerings, which have to be

made by every householder are offerings to gods, manes, humans,

creatures and rsis (sages).] are habituated to eat the remnants (of those

offerings), called nectar; they, santah, by being (so); mucyante, become

freed; sarva-kilbisaih, from all sins-from those sins incurred through the

five things [the five things are; oven, water-pot, cutting instruments,

grinding machines and broom. A householder incurs sin by killing insects

etc. with these things, knowingly or unknowingly. It is atoned by making

the aforesaid five offerings.], viz oven etc., and also from those others

incurred owing to injury etc. caused inadvertently. Tu, but; the papah,

unholy persons, who are selfish; ye, who; pacanti, cook; atma-karanat,

for themselves; te, they, being themselves sinful; bhunjate, incur; agham,

sin. For the following reasons also actions should be undertaken by an

eligible person. Action is definitely the cause of the movement of the

wheel of the world. How? This is being answered:

3.14 It is a matter of direct perception that annat, from food, which is

eaten and is transformed into blood and semen; bhavanti, are born;

bhutani, the creatures. Anna-sambhavah, the origin of food; is parjanyat,

from rainfall. Parjanyah, rainfall; bhavati, originates; from yajnat, from

sacrifice. This accords with the Smrti, 'The oblations properly poured

into fire reaches the sun. From the sun comes rain, from rain comes

food, and from the sun comes rain, from rain comes food, and from that

the creatures' (Ma.Sm.3.76). (Here) sacrifice means its unique [Also

termed as the unseen result (adrsta).-Tr.] result. And that sacrifice, i.e.

the unique result, which arises (samudbhavah) from action (karma)

undertaken by the priest and the sacrificer, is karma-samudbhavah; it

has action for its origin.

3.15 Again, [a different reading in place of this is: 'Tat ca vividham

karma kuto jatamityaha, From where did those various kinds of action

originate? In reply the Lord says...' Still another reading is: 'Tat ca karma

brahmodbhavam iti aha, And the Lord says: That action has the Vedas

as its origin.'-vide A.A., 1936, p. 116). Astekar's reading is: Tat ca evam

vidham karma kuto jatamityaha, And from where has this kind of aciton

originated? The answers this.'-Tr.] viddhi, know; that karma, action; is

brahmodbhavam, it has Brahma, the Veda, as its udbhavam, origin.

[Here Ast. adds 'revealer'-Tr.] Further, Brahma, called the Veda, is

aksara-samudbhavam, it has aksara, the Immutable, Brahman, the

supreme Self, as its source. This is the meaning. Since the Veda came

out, like the breath of a man, from the supreme Self Itself, called the

Immutable, therefore the Veda, being the revealer of everything, is sarvagatam,

all pervading. Even though all-pervading, the Veda is nityam, for

ever; pratisthitam, based; yajne, on sacrifice, because the injunctions

about sacrifices predominate in it.

3.16 O Partha, sah, he; jivati, lives; mogham, in vain; yah, who, though

competent for action; na anuvartayati, does not follow; iha, here, in the

world; cakram, the wheel of the world; evam, thus; pravartitam, set in

motion, by God, on the basis of the Vedas and the sacrifices; aghayuh,

whose life (ayuh) is sinful (agham), i.e. whose life is vile; and indriyaaramah,

who indulges in the senses-who has his arama, sport,

enjoyment, with objects, indriyaih, through the senses. Therefore, the

gist of the topic under discussion is that action must be undertaken by

one who is qualified (for action) but is unenlightened. In the verses

beginning from, '(A person does not attain freedom from action by

adstaining from action' (4) and ending with, 'You perform the obligatory

duties...And, through inaction, even the maintenance of your body will

not be possible' (8), it has been proved that before one attains fitness for

steadfastness in the knowledge of the Self, it is the bounden duty of a

person who is qualified for action, but is not enlightened, to undertake

Karma-yoga for that purpose. And then, also in the verses commencing

from '(This man becomes bound) by actions other than that action

meant for God' (9) and ending with 'O Partha, he lives in vain,' many

reasons [Such as, that it pleases God, secures the affection of the gods,

and so on.] have been incidentally stated as to why a competent person

has to undertake actions; and the evils arising from their nonperformance

have also been emphatically declared. Such being the

conclusion, the question arises whether the wheel thus set in motion

should be followed by all, or only by one who is ignorant of the Self and

has not attained to the steadfastness which is fit to be practised by the

Sankhyas, the knowers of the Self, through the Yoga of Knowledge only,

and which is acquired by one ignorant of the Self through the means of

the practice of Karma-yoga mentioned above? Either anticipating

Arjuna's question to this effect, or in order to make the meaning of the

scripture (Gita) clearly understood, the Lord, revealing out of His own

accord that the following substance of the Upanisads-Becoming freed

from false knowledge by knowing this very Self, the Brahmanas

renounce what is a compulsory duty for those having false knoweldge,

viz, desire for sons, etc., and then lead a mendicant life just for the

purpose of maintaining the body; they have no duty to perform other

than steadfastness in the knowledge of the Self (cf. Br. 3.5.1)-has been

presented here in the Gita, says:

3.17 Tu, but; that manavah, man, the sannyasin, the man of

Knowledge, steadfast in the knowledge of the Self; yah, who; atmaratih

eva syat, rejoices only in the Self-not in the sense objects; and atmatrptah,

who is satisfied only with the Self-not with food and drink; and is

santustah, contented; eva, only; atmani, in the Self; tasya, for him; na

vidyate, there is no; karyam, duty [Duty with a view to securing

Liberation.] to perform. [Rati, trpti and santosa, though synonymous, are

used to indicate various types of pleasures. Or, rati means attachment to

objects; trpti means happiness arising from contact with some particular

object; and santosa means happiness in general, arising from the

acquisition of some coveted object only.] All people surely feel contened

by acquiring an external thing. But this one, without depending on it,

remains contented only with the Self; thta is to say, he remains detached

from everything. The idea it that, for a man who is such a knower of the

Self, there is no duty to undertake.

3.18 Moreover, tasya, for him, who rejoices in the supreme Self; na,

there is no; artham, concern; eva, at all; krtena, with performing action.

Objection: In that case, let there be some evil called sin owing to nonperformance!

Reply: Iha, here, in this world; na, nor is there; for him

kascana, any (concern); akrtena, with nonperfromance. Certainly there is

no evil in the form of incurring sin or in the form of self-destruction. Ca,

moreover; asya, for him; na asti, there is no; kascit artha-vyapasrayah

sarva-bhutesu, dependence on any object, from Brahma to an unmoving

thing, to serve any purpose. Vyapasrayah is the same as

vyapasrayanam, dependence, which is possible of being created by

action promted by necessity. (For him) there is no end to gain by

depending on any praticular object, due to which there can be some

action for that purpose. 'You (Arjuna) are not established in this fullest

realization which is comparable to a flood all around.'

3.19 Since this is so, therefore, asaktah, remaining unattached;

samacara, perform; satatam, always; karyam, the obligatory; daily

karma, duty; hi, for; acaran, by performing; (one's) karma, duty; asaktah,

without attachment, by doing work as a dedication to God; purusah, a

person; apnoti, attains; param, the Highest, Liberation, through the

purification of the mind. This is meaning. And (you should perform your

duty) for the following reason also:

3.20 Hi, for; in the olden days, the leaned Ksatriyas, janakadayah,

Janaka and others such as Asvapati; asthitah, strove to attain;

samsiddim, Liberation; karmana eva, through action itself. If it be that

they were possessed of the fullest realization, then the meaning is that

they remained established in Liberation whlile continuing, because of

past momentum, to be associated with action itself-without renouncing

it-with a veiw to preventing mankind from going astray. Again, if (it be

that) Janaka and others had not attained fullest realization, then, they

gradually became established in Liberation through action which is a

means for the purification of the mind. The verse is to be explained thus.

On the other hand, if you think, 'Obligatory duty was performed even by

Janaka and others of olden days who were surely unenlightened.

[Ajanadbhih: This is also translated as, 'surely because they were

unenlightened'.-Tr.] There by it does not follow that action has to be

undertaken by somebody else who has the fullest enlightenment and has

reached his Goal', nevertheless, tvam, you, who are under the influence

of past actions; arhasi, ought; kartum, to perform (your duties);

sampasyan api, keeping also in view; loka-sangraham, [V.S.A gives the

meanings of the phrase as 'the welfare of the world', and 'propitiation of

mankind'.-Tr. ] the prevention of mankind from going astray; even that

purpose. By whom, and how, is mankind to be prevented from going

astray? That is being stated: [In Ast. this introductory sentence is as

follows:loka-samgrahah kimartham kartavyam iti ucyate.-Tr.]

3.21 Yat yat, [This is according to the Ast. The G1. Pr. reads, yat yat

yesu yesu.-Tr.] whatever action; a sresthah, superior person, a leader;

acarati, does; itarah, another; janah, person, who follows him; does tat

tat eva, that very action. Further, yat, whatever; sah, he, the superior

person; kurute, upholds; as pramanam, authority, be it Vedic or secular;

lokah, an ordinary person; anuvartate, follows; tat, that, i.e. he accepts

that very thing as authoritative. 'If you have a doubt here with regard to

the duty of preventing people from straying, then why do you not

observe Me?'

3.22 O Partha, na asti, there is no; kartavyam, duty; kincana,

whatsoever; me, for Me (to fulfill); even trisu lokesu, in all the three

worlds. Why? There is na anavaptam, nothing (that remains) unachieved;

or avaptavyam, to be achieved. Still varte eva, do I continue; karmani, in

action.

3.23 Again, O Partha, yadi, if; jatu, at any time; aham, I; an, do not;

varteyam, continue; atandritah, vigilantly, untiringly; karmani, in action;

manusyah, men: anuvartante, willl follow; mama, My; vartma, path;

sarvasah, in every way, I being the Highest. And if that be so, what is

the harm? In reply the Lord says: [Ast. omits this sentence completely.-

Tr.]

3.24 Cet, if; aham, I; na kuryam, do not perform; karma, action; all ime,

these; lokah, worlds; utsideyuh, will be ruined, owing to the obsence of

work responsible for the maintenance of the worlds. Ca, and, futher;

syam, I shall become; karta, the agent; sankarasya, of intermingling (of

castes). Consequently, upahanyam, I shall be destroying; imah, these;

prajah, beings. That is to say, I who am engaged in helping the

creatures, shall be destroying them. This would be unbefitting of Me,

who am God. 'On the other, if, like Me, you or some one else possesses

the conviction of having attained Perfection and is a knower of the Self, it

is a duty of such a one, too, to help others even if there be no obligation

on his own part.'

3.25 O scion of the Bharata dynasty, yatha, as; some avidvamsah,

unenlightened poele; kurvanti, act. saktah, with attachment; karmani, to

work, (thinking) 'The reward of this work will accrue to me'; tatha, so;

should vidvan, the enlightened person, the knower of the Self; kuryat,

act; asaktah, without attachment, remaining unattached. [Giving up the

idea of agentship and the hankering for the rewards of actions to

oneself.] Whay does he (the enlightened person) act like him (the

former)? Listen to that: Cikirsuh, being desirous of achieving;

lokasamgraham, prevention of people from going astray. 'Neither for Me

who am a knower of the Self, nor for any other (knower of the Self) who

wants thus prevent people from going astray, is there any duty apart

from working for the welfare of the world. Hence, the following advice is

being given to such a knower of the Self:'

3.26 Vidvan the enlightened man; na janayet, should not create; buddhibhedam,

disturbance in the beliefs-disturbance in the firm belief, 'This

has to be done; and the result of this action is to be reaped by me';

ajnanam, of the ignorant, of the non-discriminating one; karmasanginam,

who are attached to work. But what should he do? Himself

samacaran, working, performing those very activities of the ignorant;

yuktah, while remaining diligent; josayet, he should make them do;

sarva-karmani, all the duties. How does an anillumined, ignorant person

be come attached to actions? In reply the Lord says:

3.27 Karmani kriyamanani, while actions, secular and scriptural, are

being done; sarvasah, in ever way; gunaih, by the gunas, (i.e.) by the

modifications in the form of body and organs; (born) prakrteh, of Nature-

Nature, (otherwise known as) Pradhana [Pradhana, Maya, the Power of

God.], being the state of equilibrium of the three qualities of sattva, rajas

and tamas; ahankara-vimudha-atma, one who is deluded by egoism;

manyate, thinks; iti, thus; 'Aham karta, I am the doer.' Ahankara is selfidentification

with the aggregate of body and organs. He whose atma,

mind, is vimudham, diluded in diverse ways, by that (ahankara) is

ahankara-vimudha-atma. He who imagines the characteristics of the

body and organs to be his own, who has self-identification with the body

and the organs, and who, through ignorance, believes the activities to be

his own-, he thinks, 'I am the doer of those diverse activities.'

3.28 Tu, but, on the other hand; he who is a knower, tattva-vit, a

knower of the facts;-knower of what kinds of facts?-guna-karmavibhagayoh,

about the varieties of the gunas and actions, i.e. a knower

of the diversity of the gunas and the diversity of acitons; [Guna-vibhaga

means the products of Prakrti which consists of the three gunas. They

are the five subtle elements, mind, intellect, ego, five sensory organs, five

motor organs and five objects (sound etc.) of the senses. Karma-vibhaga

means the varieties of inter-actions among these.-Tr.] na sajjate, does

not become attached; iti matva, thinking thus; 'Gunah, the gunas in the

form of organs;-not the Self-vartante, rest (act); gunesu, on the gunus in

the form of objects of the organs.'

3.29 Those again, guna-sammudhah, who are wholly deluded by the

gunas; prakrteh, of Nature; sajjante, become attached; guna karmasu, to

the activities of the gunas, thining, 'We do actions for results.' Krtsna-vit,

the knower of the All, one who is himself a knower of the Self; na

vicalayet, should not disturb; tan, those who are attached to actions;

(who are) mandan, of dull intellect; akrtsnavidah, who do not know the

All, who are all attention on the results of actions. Unsetting of beliefs is

itself the disturbance. That he should not do. This is the idea. Again, in

what manner should duties be under-taken by a seeker after Liberation

who is not enlightened, who is qualified for actions (rites and duties)? As

to this, the answer is being stated:

3.30 Vigata-jvarah, devoid of the fever of the soul, i.e. being free from

repentance, without remorse; yuddhyasva, engage in battle; sannyasya,

by dedicating; sarvani, all; karmani, actions; mayi, to Me, who am

Vasudeva, the omniscient supreme Lord, the Self of all; adhyatmacetasa,

with (your) mind intent on the Self-with discriminating wisdom,

with this idea, 'I am an agent, and I work for God as a servant'; and

further, bhutva, becoming; nirasih, free from expectations ['Free from

expectations of results for yourself']; and nirmamah, free from egoism.

You from whom has vanished the idea, '(this is) mine', are nirmamah.

3.31 Ye, those; manavah, men; who (nityam, ever;) anutisthanti, follow

accordingly; me matam, My teaching- this teaching of Mine, viz that

'duty must be performed', which has been stated with valid reasoning;

sraddhavantah, with faith; and anasuyantah, without cavil, without

detracing Me, Vasudeva, the Teacher [Here Ast. adds 'parama,

supreme'-Tr.]; te api, they also, who are such; mucyante, become freed;

karmabhih, from actions called the righteous and the unrighteous.

3.32 Tu, but; ye, those who are the opposite of them (the former); who

abhyasuyantah, decrying; etat, this instruction of Mine; na, do not;

anutisthanti, follow; me, My; matam, teaching, they are deluded in

various ways with respect to all knowledge. Viddhi, know; tan, them;

sarva-jnana-vimudhan, who are deluded about off knowledge; acetasah,

who are devoid of discrimination; nastan, to have gone to ruin. 'For

what reason, again, do they not follow your teachings, perform duties

that are not theirs and not follow their own duties? How is it that by

remaining opposed to You, they do not fear the evil which will arise from

transgressing Your commandments? As to that, the Lord says:

3.33 Api, even; jnanavan, a man of wisdom-what to speak of a fool!;

cestate, behaves; Sadrsam, according to;-what? svasyah, his own;

prakrteh, nature. Nature means the impressions of virtue, vice, etc. [Also,

knowledge, desires, and so on.] acquired in the past (lives) and which

become manifest at the commencement of the present life. All creatures

(behave) according to that only. Therefore, bhutani, beings; yanti, follow;

(their) prakrtim, nature. Nigrahah kim karisyati, what can restraint do, be

it from Me or anybody else? If all beings behave only according to their

own nature-and there is none without his nature-, then, since there

arises the contingency of the scriptures becoming purposeless owing to

the absence of any scope for personal effort, therefore the following is

being stated:

3.34 Raga-dvesau, attraction and repulsion, in the following mannerattraction

towards desirable things, and repulsion against undesirable

things; (vyavasthitau, are ordained,) are sure to occur, arthe, with regard

to objects such as sound etc.; indriyasya indriyasya, of all the organs,

with regard to each of the organs. As to that, the scope of personal

effort and scriptural purpose are being stated as follows: One who is

engaged in the subject-matter of the scriptures should, in the very

beginning, not come under the influence of love and hatred. For, that

which is the nature of a person impels him to his actions, verily under the

influence eof love and hatred. And then follow the rejection of one's own

duty and the undertaking of somebody else's duty. On the other hand,

when a person controls love and hatred with the help of their opposites

[Ignorance, the cause of love and hatred, has discrimination as its

opposite.], then he becomes mindful only of the scriptural teachings; he

ceases to be led by his nature. Therefore, na agacchet, one should not

come; vasam, under the sway; tayoh, of these two, of love and hatred; hi

because; tau, they; are asya, his, this person's pari-panthinau,

adversaries, who, like robbers, put obstacles on his way to Liberation.

This is the meaning. In this world, one impelled by love and hatred

misinterprets even the teaching of the scriptures, and thinks that

somebody else's duty, too, has to be undertaken just because it is a

duty! That is wrong:

3.35 Svadharmah, one's own duty; being practised even though

vigunah, defective, deficient; is sreyan, superior to, more commendable

than; para-dharmat, another's duty; though svanusthitat, wellperformed,

meritoriously performed. Even nidhanam, death; is sreyah,

better; while engaged svadharme, in one's own duty, as compared with

remaining alive while engaged in somebody else's duty. Why?

Paradharmah, another's duty; is bhayavahah, fraught with fear, since it

invites dangers such as hell etc. Although the root cause of evil was

stated in, 'In the case of a person who dwells on objects' (2.62) and

'.....because they (attraction and repulsion) are his adversaries' (34), that

was presented desultorily and vaguely. Wishing to know it briefly and

definitely as, 'This is thus, to be sure', Arjuna, with the idea, 'When this

indeed becomes known, I shall make effort for its eradication', said:

3.36 Atha, now then; varsneya, O scion of the Vrsni dynasty; being

prayuktah, impelled; kena, by what acting as the cause; as a servant is

by a king, does ayam, this; purusah, man; carati, commit; papam, sin, a

sinful act; api, even; anicchan, against his wish, though not himself

willing; niyojitah, being constrained; balat, by force; iva, as it were-as if

by a king, which illustration has already been given? The Lord (Bhagavan)

said: 'You hear about that enemy, the source of all evil, of which

you ask-.' 'Bhaga is said to consist of all kinds of majesty, virtue, fame,

beauty, detachment as well as Liberation [Liberation stands for its cause,

Illumination.], (V.P.6.5.74). That Vasudeva, in whom reside for ever,

unimpeded and in their fullness, the six qualities of majesty etc. and who

has the knowledge of such subjects as creation etc., is called Bhagavan.

'He is spoken of as Bhaga-van who is aware of creation and

dissolution, gain and loss, [Gain and loss stand for future prosperity and

adversity.] ignorance and Illumination of all beings' (ibid. 78).

3.37 Esah, this; kamah, desire, is the enemy of the whole world,

because of which the creatures incur all evil. This desire when

obstructed in any way turns into anger. Therefore, krodhah, anger, is

also identical with this (desire). It is rajoguna-samudbhavah, born of the

quality of rajas; or, it is the origin of the quality of rajas. For, when desire

comes into being, it instigates a person by arousing rajas. People who

are engaged in service etc., which are effects of rajas, and who are

stricken with sorrow are heard to lament, 'I have been led to act by

desire indeed!' It is mahaasanah, a great devourer, whose food is

enormous. And hence, indeed, it is maha-papma, a great sinner. For a

being commits sin when goaded by desire. Therefore, viddhi, know;

enam, this desire; to be vairinam, the enemy; iha, here in this world.

With the help of examples the Lord explains how it is an enemy:

3.38 Yatha, as; vahnih, fire, which is naturally bright; avriyate, is

enveloped; dhumena, by smoke, which is born concomitantly (with fire)

and is naturally dark; or as adarsah, a mirror; is covered malena, by dirt;

ca, and; garbhah, a foetus; is avrtah, enclosed; ulbena, in the womb by

the amnion; tatha, so; is idam, this; avrtam, shrouded; tena, by that.

Again, what is that which is indicated by the word idam (this), and which

is covered by desire? The answer is:

3.39 Jnanam, Knowledge; is avrtam, covered; etena, by this;

nityavairina, constant enemy; jnaninah, of the wise. For the wise person

knows even earlier, 'I am being induced by this into evil.' And he always

[Both at the time when desire arises in him, and also when he is forced

to act by it.] feels distressed. Therefore, it is the constant enemy of the

wise but not of a fool. For the fool looks upon desire as a friend so long

as hankering lasts. When sorrow comes as a consequence, he realizes,

'I have been driven into sorrow because of longings', but certainly not

earlier. Therefore it is the constant enemy of the wise alone. In what

form? Kama-rupena, in the form of desire-tha which has wish itself as its

expression is kama-rupa; in that form-; (and) duspurena, which is an

insatiable; analena, fire. That which is difficult to satisfy is duspurah; and

(derivatively) that which never has enough (alam) is analam. Again,

having what as its abode does desire, in the form of a viel over

Knowledge, become the enemy of all? Since when the abode of an

enemy is known, it is possible to easily slay the enemy, therefore the

Lord says:

3.40 Indriyani, the organs; manah, mind; and buddhih, the intellect;

ucyate, are said to be; asya, its, desire's; adhisthanam, abode. Esah,

this one, desire; vimohayati, diversely deludes; dehinam, the embodied

being; avrtya, by veiling; jnanam, Knowledg; etaih, with the help of these,

with the organs etc. which are its abodes. [The activities of the organs

etc. are the media for the expression of desire. Desire covers the

Knoweldge of the Self by stimulating these.]

3.41 Since this is so, therefore, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, adau

niyamya, after first controlling; indriyani, the organs; prajahihi, renounce;

enam, this one, the enemy under consideration; which is papmanam,

sinful-which is desire that is accustomed to sinning; and jnana-vijnananasanam,

a destroyer of learning and wisdom, jnana, learning, means

knowledge about the Self etc. from the scripures and a teacher. Vijnana,

wisdom, means the full experience of that. Renounce, i.e. discard, from

yourself the destroyer of those two-learning and wisdom, which are the

means to the achievement Liberation. It has been said, 'After first

controlling the organs, renounce desire the enemy'. As to that, by taking

the support of what should one give up desire? This is being answered:

error

3.43 Buddhva, understanding; atmanam, the Self; evam, thus; as

param, superior; buddheh, to the intellect; and samstabhya, completely

establishing; atmana, with the mind, i.e. establishing (the Self) fully in

spiritual absorption with the help of your own purified mind; O mightyarmed

one, jahi, vanquish; this satrum, enemy; kama-rupam, in the form

of desire; which is durasadam, difficult to subdue-which can be got hold

of with great difficulty, it being possessed of many inscrutable

characteristics.

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 4

RO

4.1 In the beginning of creation, with a veiw to infusing vigour into the

Ksatriyas who are the protectors of the world, aham, I; proktavan,

imparted; imam, this; avyayam, imperishable; yogam, Yoga, presented in

the (preceding) two chapters; vivasvate, to Vivasvan, the Sun. Being

endowed with this power of Yoga, they would be able to protect the

Brahmana caste. The protection of the world becomes ensured when

the Brahmanas and the Ksatriyas are protected. It (this Yoga) is

avyayam, imperishable, because its result is undecaying. For, the resultcalled

Liberation-of this (Yoga), which is characterized by steadfastness

in perfect Illumination, does not decay. And he, Vivasvan, praha, taught

(this); manave, to Manu. Manu abravit, transmitted (this); iksvakave, to

Iksvaku, his own son who was the first king. [First king of the Iksvaku

dynasty, otherwise known as the Solar dynasty.]

4.2 Rajarsayah, the king-sages, those who were kings and sages (at the

same time); viduh, knew; imam, this Yoga; which was evam paramparapraptam,

received thus through a regular succession of Ksatriyas. Sah,

that; yogah, Yoga; nastah, is lost, has go its traditional line snapped; iha,

now; mahata kalena, owing to a long lapse of time. parantapa, O

destroyer of foes. By para are meant those against oneself. He who, like

the sun, 'scorches' (tapayati) them by the 'rays' of the 'heat' of his

prowess is parantapa, i.e. scorcher of antagonists. Noticing that the

Yoga has got lost by reaching people who are weak and have no control

of their organs, and that the world has become associated with goals

that do not lead to Liberation,

4.3 Sah, that; puratanah, ancient; yogah, Yoga; eva, itself; ayam, which

is this; proktah, has been taught; te, to you; maya, by Me; adya, today;

iti, considering that; asi, you are; me, My; bhaktah, devotee; ca sakha,

and friend. Hi, for; etat, this Yoga, i.e. Knowledge; is a uttamam,

profound; rahasyam, secret. Lest someone should understand that the

Lord has said something contradictory, therefore, in order to prevent

that (doubt), as though raising a question,

4.4 Bhavatah, Your; janma, was aparam, later, in the abode of

Vasudeva; (whereas) the birth vivasvatah, of Visvasvan, the Sun; was

param, earlier, in the beginning of creation. Therefore, katham, how;

vijanyam, am I to understand; etat, this, as not inconsistent; iti, that;

tvam, You, yourself; who proktavan, insturcted this Yoga; adau, in the

beginning, are the same person who are now teaching me? By way of

demolishing the doubt of fools with regard to Vasudeva, that He has no

God-hood and omniscience-to which very purpose was Arjuna's

question-

4.5 O Arjuna, bahuni, many; janmani, lives; me, of Mine; vyatitani, have

passed; tava ca, and so have yours. Aham, I; veda know; tani, them;

sarvani, all; (but) tvam, you; va vetta, know not, due to your power of

understanding being obstructed by righteousness, unrighteousness, etc.

However, parantapa, O scorcher of foes; aham, I know, possessing as I

do unobstructed power of knowledge, because by nature I am enternal,

pure, enlightened and free. 'In that case, how, in spite of the absence of

righteousness and unrighteousness, can there be any birth for You who

are the eternal God?' That is beng answered:

4.6 Api, san ajah, though I am birthless; and avyayatma, undecaying by

nature, though I am naturally possessed of an undiminishing power of

Knowledge; and so also api san, though; isvarah, the Lord, natural Ruler;

bhutanam, of beings, from Brahma to a clump of grass; (still) adhisthaya,

by subjugating; svam, My own; prakrtim, Prakrti, the Maya of Visnu

consisting of the three gunas, under whose; spell the whole world exists,

and deluded by which one does not know one's own Self, Vasudeva;-by

subjugating that Prakrti of Mine, sambhavami, I take birth, appear to

become embodeid, as though born; atma-mayaya, by means of My own

Maya; but not in reality like an ordinary man. It is being stated when and

why that birth occurs:

4.7 O scion of the Bharata dynasty, yada yada hi, whenever; bhavati,

there is; a glanih, decline, decrease; dharmasya, of virtue consisting of

the duties of castes and stages of life of living beings, which are the

means to achieving properity and Liberation; and abhyutthanam,

increase, rise; adharmasya, of vice; tada, then; do aham, I; srjami,

manifest; atmanam, Myself, through Maya. Why?

4.8 Paritranaya, for the protection; sadhunam, of the pious, the

followers of the virtuous path; vinasaya, for the destruction; duskrtam, of

the evil-doers, of the sinful ones; and also dharmasamsthapanarthaya,

for establishing virtue fully;-for that purpose, sambhavami, I manifest

Myself; yuge yuge, in every age.

4.9 Yah, he who; evam, thus, as described; vetti, knows tattvatah, truly,

as they are in reality; that divyam, divine, supernatural; janma, birth,

which is a form of Maya; ca karma, and actions, such as protection of

the pious, etc.; mama, of Mine; na eti, does not get; punarjanma, rebirth;

tyaktva, after casting off; this deham, body. Sah, he; eti, attains, comes

to; mam, Me-he gets Liberated, O Arjuna. This path of Liberation has

not been opened recently. What then? Even in earlier days-

4.10 Bahavah, many; vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah, who were devoid of

attachment, fear and anger; manmayah, who were absorbed in Me, who

were knowers of Brahman, who were seers of (their) identity with God;

mam upasrithah, who had taken refuge only in Me, the supreme God,

i.e. who were steadfast in Knowledge alone; and were putah, purified,

who had become supremely sanctified; jnana-tapasa, by the austerity of

Knowledge-Knowledge itself, about the supreme Reality, being the

austerity; becoming sanctified by that austerity of Knowledge-; agatah,

have attained; madbhavam, My state, Goodhood, Liberation. The

particular mention of 'the austerity of Knowledge' is to indicate that

steadfastness in Knowledge does not depend on any other austerity. 'In

that case, You have love and aversion, because of which You grant the

state of identity with Yourself only to a few but not to others?' The

answer is:

4.11 Yatha, according to the manner in which, the purpose for which,

seeking, whatever fruit; prapadyante, they approach; mam, Me; aham, I;

bhajami, favour; tan, them; tatha eva, in that very manner, by granting

that fruit. This is the idea. For they are not seekers of Liberation. It is

certainly impossible for the same person to be a seeker of Liberation

and, at the same time, a seeker of rewards (of actions). Therefore, by

granting fruits to those who hanker after fruits; by granting Knowledge to

those who follow what has been stated (in the scriptures) and are

seekers of Liberation, but do not hanker after rewards; and by granting

Liberation to those who are men of wisdom and are monks aspiring for

Liberation; and so also by removing the miseries of those who suffer- in

these ways I favour them just according to the manner, in which they

approach Me. This is the meaning. On the other hand, I do not favour

anybody out of love or aversion, or out of delusion. Under all

circumstances, O son of Prtha, manusyah, human beings; anuvartante,

follow; sarvasah, in every way; mama, My; vartma, path, [The paths

characterized by Knowledge and by action (rites and duties).] the path of

God who am omnipresent. By 'human beings' are meant those people

who become engaged in their respective duties to which they are

qualified according to the results they seek. 'If Your wish to be

favourable is the same towards all creatures on account of the absence

of the defects of love and aversion in You who are God, and You are

there with Your capacity to grant all rewards, why then do not all,

becoming desirous of Liberation, take refuge in You alone with the very

knowledge that Vasudeva is everything?' As to that, hear the reason for

this:

error

4.13 Catur-varnyam-meaning the same as catvarah varnah, the four

castes; srstam, have been created; maya, by Me who am God, which

accords with such Vedic texts as, 'The Brahmanas were His face...' (Rg.

10.90.12); guna-karma-vibhagasah, through a classification of the gunas

and duties. [A.G. writes: guna-vibhagena karma-vibhagah, classification

of the duties, determined by the classification of the gunas.-Tr] By the

gunas are meant sattva, rajas and tamas (see note under 2.45; also see

Chapter 14). As to that, the control of the mind and body, austerity, etc.

are the duties of the Brahmanas, who are sattvika, i.e. have a

predominance of the quality of sattva (purity, goodness, etc.). Courage,

valour, etc. are the duties of the Ksatriyas, in whom sattva becomes

secondary and rajas (passion, attachment, etc.) preponderates.

Agriculture etc. are the duties of the Vaisya, in whom tamas (indolence,

ignorance, etc.) is secondary and rajas is predominant. Service is the

only duty of the Sudra, in whom rajas is secondary and tamas

predominates (see chapters 14, 16,17 and 18). In this way, the four

castes have been created by Me through a classification of the gunas

and duties. This is the idea. And these four castes do not prevail in the

other worlds. Hence the specification, 'in the human world'. 'Well, in

that caste, by virtues of Your being he agent of the acts of creation of

the four castes,etc. You become subject tothe consequence of those

actions? Therefore you are not eternally free and the eternal Lord!' This

is being answered: Api, even though; I am kartaram, the agent; tasya, of

that act, from the empirical standpoint of maya; still, from the highest

standpoint, viddhi, know; mam, Me; to be akartaram, a non-agent; and

therefore, also know Me to be avyayam, changeless, not subject to the

cycle of births and deaths. 'In reality, however, I am not the agent of

those actions of which you think I am the agent.' Because --

4.14 Because of the absence of egoism, those karmani, actions; na

limpanti, do not taint; mam, Me, by becoming the originators of body

etc. And me, for Me; na sprha, there is no hankering for the results of

those actions. But in the case of transmigrating beings, who have selfidentification

in the form, 'I am the agent', and thirst for actions as also

for their results, it is reasonable that actions should taint them. Owing to

the absence of these, actions do not taint Me. Anyone else, too, yah,

who; abhijanati, knows; mam, Me; iti, thus, as his own Self, and (knows),

'I am not an agent; I have no hankering for the results of actions'; sah,

he; na badhyate, does not become bound; karmabhih, by actions. In his

case also actions cease to be the originators of body etc. This is the

import.

4.15 Jnatva, having known; evam, thus, that 'I am not an agent; I have

no desire for the results of actions'; karma, duties; krtam, were

undertaken; api, even; purvaih, by the ancient; mumuksubhih, seekers of

Liberation. Tasmat, therefore; tvam, you; kuru, undertake; karma, action;

eva, itself. You ought not to sit quietly, or even renounce. Therefore, you

(undertake actions) because they were performed by the ancients as

well-if you have no Self-knowledge, then (undertake actions) for selfpurification;

or, if you have Self-knowledge, then (undertake actions) in

order to prevent people from going astray-, as were krtam, performed;

purvataram, earlier; purvaih, by the ancient ones, Janaka and others; not

actions as are undertaken in the present day. [This last portion of the

sentence is translated by some as follows: You should not undertake

actions which are done in the present manner (i.e. do not perform

actions in the manner undertakne by people nowadays, which neither

purifies the mind nor helps people). (See G1. Pr. p. 114.) 'If action has

to be undertaken here, then I shall do so following Your instruction itself.

What is the use of specifying that it was done earlier by the ancient

ones?' 'The answer is: Because there is a great difficult as regards

actions.' How?

4.16 Kavayah api, even the intelligent; mohitah, are confounded in this

subject of action etc.; iti atra, as to; kim karma, what is action; and kim

akarma, what is inaction. Therefore, pravaksyami, I shall tell; te, you; of

karma, action; akarma ca, as also of inaction; jnatva, by knowing; yat,

which-action etc.; moksyase, you will become free: asubhat, from evil,

from transmigration. 'And you should not think thus: What is called

karma is the movement of the body etc. as are well-known in the world;

and akarma, inaction, is not doing those, (i.e.) sitting quietly. What is

there to understand (further) in that regard?' 'Why?' The answer is:

error

error

4.19 Budhah, the wise, the knowers of Brahman; ahuh, call; tam, him;

panditam, learned, in the real sense; yasya, whose, of the one who

perceives as stated above; samarambhah, actions-whatever are

undertaken; are sarve, all; kama-sankalpa-varjitah, devoid of desires and

the thoughts which are their (desires') causes (see 2.62)-i.e., (those

actions) are performed as mere movements, without any selfish purpose:

if they are performed by one (already) engaged in actions, then they are

for preventing people from going astray, and if they are done by one who

has withdrawn from actions, then they are merely for the maintenance of

the body-; and jnanagni-dagdha-karmanam, whose actions have been

burnt away by the fire of wisdom. Finding inaction etc. in action etc. is

jnana, wisdom; that itself is agnih, fire. He whose actions, karma,

described as good and bad, have been dagdhani, burnt away by that fire

of wisdom, is jnana-agni-dagdha-karma. However, one who is a

perceiver of 'inaction' etc. [Perceiver of inaction etc.: He who knows the

truth about action and inaction as explained before.-Tr.] is free from

actions owing to the very fact of his seeing 'inaction' etc. He is a monk,

who acts merely for the purpose of maintaining the body. Being so, he

does not engage in actions although he might have done so before the

dawn of discrimination. He again who, having been engaged in actions

under the influence of past tendencies, later on becomes endowed with

the fullest Self-knowledge, he surely renounces (all) [Ast. adds this word

sarva, all.-Tr.] actions along with their accessories as he does nnot find

any purpose in activity. For some reason, if it becomes impossible to

renounce actions and he, for the sake of preventing people from going

astray, even remains engaged as before in actions-without attachment

to those actions and their results because of the absence of any selfish

purpose-, still he surely does nothing at all! His actions verily become

'inaction' because of having been burnt away by the fire of wisdom. By

way of pointing out this idea, the Lord says:

4.20 With the help of the above-mentioned wisdom, tyaktva, having

given up the idea of agentship; and phala-asangam, attachment to the

results of action; he who is nitya-trptah, ever-trptah, ever-contented, i.e.

has no hankering for objects; and nirasrayah, dependent on nothing-.

Asraya means that on which a person leans, desiring to achieve some

human goal. The idea is that he is dependent of any support which may

be a means of attaining some coveted seen or unseen result. In reality,

actions done by a man of Knowledge are certainly inactions, since he is

endowed with the realization of the actionless Self. Actions together with

their accessories must be relinquished by one who has become thus,

because they have no end to serve. This being so, api, even though; he

remains abhi-pravrttah, engaged as before; karmani, in actions-getting

out of those (actions) being impossible-, either with the intention of

preventing people from going astray or with a view to avoiding the

censure of the wise people; sah, he; eva, really; na karoti, does not do;

kincit, anything, because he is endued with the realization of the

actionless Self. [From the subjective standpoint of the enlightened there

are no actions, but ordinary people mistakenly think them to be actions,

which in reality are a mere semblance of it.] On the other hand, one who

is the opposite of the above-mentioned one, (and) in whom, even before

undertaking works, has dawned the realization of his identity with

Brahman, the all-pervasive, inmost, actionless Self; who,being bereft of

solicitation for desirable objects seen or unseen, has renounced actions

along with their accessories, by virtue of seeing no purpose to be served

by undertaking actions meant to secure some seen or unseen result,

and makes effort only for the maintenance of the body, he, the monk

steadfast in Knowledge, becomes free. Hence, in order to express this

idea the Lord says:

4.21 Nirasih, one who is without solicitation-one from whom asisah

[Asih is a kind of desire that can be classed under prayer. (Some

translate it as desire, hope.-Tr.)], solicitations, have departed; yata-cittaatma,

who has the mind and organs under control-one by whom have

been controlled (yatau) both the internal organ (citta) and the external

aggregate of body and organs (atma); (and) is tyakta-sarva-parigrahah, [

Parigraha: receiving, accepting, possessions, belongings.-V.S.A] totally

without possessions- one by whom have been renounced (tyaktah) all

(sarvah) possessions (parigrahah); na apnoti, he does not incur; kilbisam,

sin, in the form of evil as also rigtheousness-to one aspiring for

Liberation, even righteousness is surely an evil because it brings

bondage-; [Here Ast. adds tasmat tabhyam mukto bhavati samsarat

mukto bhavati ityarthah, therefore, he becomes free from both of them,

i.e. he becomes liberated from transmigration.-Tr.] kurvan, by

performing; karma, actions; kevalam, merely; sariram, for the purpose of

maintaining the body-without the idea of agenship even with regard to

these (actions). Further, in the expression, 'kevalam sariram karma', do

the words sariram karma mean 'actions done by the body' or 'actions

merely for the purpose of maintaining the body? Again, what does it

matter if by (the words) sariram karma is meant 'actions done by the

body' or 'actions merely for the purpose of maintaning the body? The

answer is: If by sariram karma is meant actions done by the body, then it

will amount to a contradiction [Contradiction of the scriptures.] when the

Lord says, 'one does not incur sin by doing with his body any action

meant for seen or unseen purposes, even though it be prohibited.' Even

if the Lord were to say that 'one does not incur sin by doing with his

body some scripturally sanctioned action intended to secure a seen or

an unseen end', then there arises the contingency of His denying

something (some evil) that has not come into being! (Further,) from the

specification, sariram karma kurvan (by doing actions with the body), and

from the use of the word kevala (only), it will amount to saying that one

incurs sin by performing actions, called righteous and unrighteous, which

can be accomplished with the mind and speech and which come within

the purview of injunction and prohibition. Even there, the statement that

one incurs sin by performing enjoined actions through the mind and

speech will involve a contradiction; even in the case of doing what is

prohibited, it will amount to a mere purposeless restatement of a known

fact. On the other hand, when the sense conveyed by sariram karma is

taken as acctions merely for the purpose of maintaining the body, then

the implication will be that he does not do any other work as can be

accomplished physically, orally, or mentally, which are known from

injunctions and prohibitions (of the scriptures) and which have in view

seen or unseen results; while he appears to people to be working with

those very body (speech) etc. merely for the purpose of maintaining the

body, yet he does not incur sin by merely making movements of the

body etc., because from the use of the word kevala, (merely) it follows

that he is devoid of the sense of agentship implicit in the idea, 'I do.'

Since there is no possibility of a person who has reached such a state

incurring evil as suggest by the word sin, therefore he does not become

subject to the evil of transmigration. That is to say, he certainly becomes

free without any obstacle since he has all his actions burnt away by the

fire of wisdom. This verse is only a reiteration of the result of full

illumination stated earlier. It becomes faultless by accepting the

interpretation of sariram karma thus. In the case of the monk who has

renounced all possessions, since owning food etc. meant for the bare

sustenance of the body is absent, therefore it becomes imperative to

beg for alms etc. for the upkeep of the body. Under this circumstance,

by way of pointing out the means of obtaining food etc. for the

maintenance of the body of a monk as permitted by the text, 'What

comes unasked for, without forethought and spontaneously...' [Unasked

for: what comes before the monk gets ready for going out for alms;

without forethought: alms that are not given with abuses, and have not

fallen on the ground, but collected from five or seven houses without any

plan; spontaneously: alms brought to one spontaneously by devoted

people.] (Bo. Sm. 21. 8. 12) etc., the Lord says:

4.22 Yadrccha-labha-santustah, remaining satisfied with what comes

unasked for-yadrccha-labha means coming to possess something

without having prayed for it; feeling contented with that-. Dvandvaatitah,

having transcended the dualities-one is said to be beyond dualities

when his mind is not distressed even when afflicted by such opposites

as heat and cold, etc.-. Vimatsarah, being free from spite, from the idea

of enmity; and samah, equipoised; siddhau ca asiddhau, is success and

failure, with regard to things that come unasked for-. The monk who is

such, who is equipoised, not delighted or sorrowful in getting or not

getting food etc. for the sustenance of the body, who sees inaction etc.

in action etc., who is ever poised in the realization of the Self as It is,

who, with regard to the activities accomplished by the body etc. in the

course of going about for alms etc. for the bare maintenance of the

body, is ever clearly conscious of the fact, 'I certainly do not anything;

the organs act on the objects of the organs' (see 5.8; 3.28), he, realizing

the absence of agentship in the Self, certainly does not do any actions

like going about for alms etc. But when, abserving similarly with common

human behaviour, agentship is attributed to him by ordinary poeple, then

he (apparently) becomes an agent with regard to such actions as moving

about for alms etc. However, from the standpoint of his own realization

which has arisen from the valid means of knowledge presented in the

scriptures, he is surely not an agent. He, to whom is thus ascribed

agentship by others, na nibadhyate, is not bound; api, even; krtva, by

performing such actions as moving about for alms merely for the

maintenance of the body, because action which is a source of bondage

has been burnt away along with its cause by the fire of wisdom. Thus,

this is only a restatement of what has been said earilier. When a person

who has already started works becomes endowed with the realization of

the identity of the Self with the actionless Brahman, then it follows that in

the case of that man, who has experienced the absence of agentship,

actions and purposes in the Self, actions become relinquished. But if this

becomes impossible for some reason and he continues to be engaged in

those acitons as before, still he certainly does not do anything. This

absence of action has been shown in the verse, 'Having given up

attachment to the results of action...' (20). Of that very person with

regard to whom has been shown the absence of aciton4.23

Muktasya, of the liberated person who has become relieved of

such bondages as righteousness and unrighteousness, etc.;

gatasangasya, who has got rid of attachment, who has become

detached from everything; jnana-avasthita-cetasah, whose mind is fixed

in Knowledge only; his karma, actions; acaratah, undertaken; yajnaya,

for a sacrifice, to accomplish a sacrifice [A.G. takes yajna to mean Visnu.

So, yajnaya will mean 'for Visnu'. Sankaracarya also interprets this word

similarly in 3.9.-Tr.]; praviliyate, gets destroyed; samagram, totally-saha

(together) agrena (with its consequence, result). This is the meaning. For

what reason, again, does an action that is underway get destroyed

totally without producing its result? This is being answered: Because,

error

4.25 Apare, other; yoginah, yogis, ritualists; pari-upasate, undertake;

yajnam, sacrifice; daivam, to gods; eva, alone. A sacrifice by which the

gods are adored is daiva-yajna; they perform only that. This is the

meaning. Brahma-agnau, in the fire of Brahman: By the word brahman

is meant That which is referred to in such sentences as, 'Brahman is

Truth, knowledge and infinite' (Tai. 2.1), 'Knowledge, Bliss, Brahman'

(Br. 3.9.28), 'the Brahman that is immediate and direct-the self that is

within all' (Br.3.4.1), which is devoid of all worldly characteristiscs like

hunger etc. and which is beyond all particular qualifications-as stated in,

'Not this, not this' (Br.4.4.22). That which is Brahman is the fire.

[Brahman is called fire because, as reflected in wisdom, It burns away

everything, i.e. ignorance, or because everything merges into It during

dissolution (pralaya).] And it is spoken of as Brahmagni with a view to

referring to It as that into which the offering is made. In that fire of

Brahman, apare, others, other knowers of Brahman; upa-juhvati, offer;

yajnam, the Self, which is referred to by the word yajna (sacrifice), it,

having, been presented as a synonym of the Self;-that Self, which is a

sacrifice, which is reality is verily the supreme Brahman, which is

associated with such limiting adjuncts as the intellect etc., which is

associated with all the qualities of the limiting adjuncts superimposed on

it, and which is the oblation, (they offer) yajnena, by the Self itself as

described above. The offering (of the Self) in that (Brahman) is nothing

but the realization of that Self which is assoicated with the limiting

adjuncts to be the supreme Brahman which is free from adjuncts. The

monks, steadfast in the realization of the identity of Brahman and the

Self, make that offering. This is the meaning. Beginning with, 'The ladle

is Brahman' etc., this sacrifice characterized as full realization is being

included among such sacrifices as daiva-yajna etc. with a view to

eulogizing it in the verses beginning with, 'O destroyer of enemies,

jnana-yajna is greater than the sacrifices involving (sacrificial) materials'.

4.26 Anye, others, other yogis; juhvati, offer; indriyani, the organs; viz

srotradini, car etc.; samyama-agnisu, in the fires of self-control. The

plural (in fires) is used because self-control is possible in respect of each

of the organs. Self-control itself is the fire. In that they make the offering,

i.e. they practise control of the organs. anye, others; juhvati, offer;

visayan, the objects; sabdadin, viz sound etc.; indriyagnisu, in the fires of

the organs. The organs themselves are the fires. They make offerings in

those fires with the organs of hearing etc. They consider the perception

of objects not prohibited by the scriputures to be a sacrifice.

4.27 Further, apare, others; juhvati, offer, i.e. merge; sarvani, all; indriyakarmani,

the activities of the organs; and also the prana-karmani,

activities of the vital force- prana means the air in the body; they offer its

activities such as contraction, expansion, etc; atma-samyama yogaagnau,

into the fire of the yoga of self-control-withdrawal (samyama)

[Samyama consists of concentration, meditation, and Self-absorption.

The idea conveyed by the verse is that by stopping all activities, they

concentrate the mind on the Self.] into the Self (atma) is self-control

(atma-samyama); that itself is the fire of yoga (yoga-agni); (they offer) into

that fire; jnana-dipite, which has been lighted by Knowledge, made to

blaze up by discriminating knowledge, as if lighted up by oil.

4.28 Tatha, similarly; apare, others; are dravya-yajnah, perfomers of

sacrifices through wealth-those sacrificers who spend wealth (dravya) in

holy places under the idea of performing sacrifices; tapo-yajnah,

performers of sacrifices through austerity, men of austerity, to whom

austerity is a sacrifice; [This is according to Ast.-Tr.] yogayajnah,

performers of sacrifice through yoga-those to whom the yoga consisting

in the control of the vital forces, withdrawal of the organs, etc., is a

sacrifice; and svadhyaya-jnana-yajnah, performers of sacrifices through

study and knowledge. Sacrificers through study are those to whom the

study of Rg-veda etc. accroding to rules is a sacrifice. And sacrificers

through knowledge are those to whom proper understanding of the

meaing of the scriptures is a sacrifice. Others are yatayah, ascetics, who

are deligent; samsita-vratah, in following severe vows. Those whose

vows (vratah) have been fully sharpened (samsita), made very rigid, are

samsita-vratah. [Six kinds of sacrifices have been enumerated in this

verse.] Further,

4.29 Pranayama-parayanah, constantly practising control of the vital

forces-i.e. they practise a form of pranayama called Kumbhaka (stopping

the breath either inside or outside) ['Three sorts of motion of Pranayama

(control of the vital forces) are, one by which we draw the breath in,

another by which we throw it out, and the third action is when the breath

is held in the lungs or stopped from entering the lungs.'-C.W., Vol.I,

1962, p. 267. Thus, there are two kinds of Kumbhaka-internal and

external.]-; prana-apana-gati ruddhva, by stopping the movements of the

outgoing and the incoming breaths-the outgoing of breath (exhalation)

through the mouth and the nostrils is the movement of the Prana; as

opposed to that, the movement of Apana is the going down (of breath)

(inhalation); these constitute the prana-apana-gati, movements of Prana

and Apana; by stopping these; some juhvati, offer as a sacrifice;

pranam, the outgoing breath, which is the function of Prana; apane, in

the incoming breath, which is the function of Apana-i.e. they practised a

form of pranayama called Puraka ('filling in'); while tatha apare, still

others; offer apanam, the incoming breath; prane, in the outgoing

breath, i.e. they practise a form of pranayama called Recaka ('emptying

out'). [Constantly practising control of the vital, forces, they perform

Kumbhaka after Recaka and Puraka.]

4.30 Besides, apare, others; niyata-aharah, having their food regulated;

juhvati, offer; pranan, the vital forces, the different kinds of vital forces;

pranesu, in the vital forces themselves. Whichever function of the vital

forces is brought under control, in it they offer the other functions. These

latter become, as it were, merged in the former. Sarve api, all; of ete,

them; yajna-vidah, are knowers of the sacrifice; and yajna-ksapitakamasah,

have their sins destroyed by the sacrifices as mentioned

above. After accomplishing the above-mentioned sacrifices,

4.31 Yajna-sista-amrta-bhujah, those who partake of the nectar left over

after a sacrifice, i.e. those who, after performing the sacrifices described

above, eat, during the leisure after the sacrifice, the food called nectar,

as prescribed by the injunctions; yanti, reach; sanatanam brahma, the

eternal Brahman. For the sake of consistency (with the Upanisads) it is

understood that if they (the sacrificers) are seekers of liberation, (then

they reach Brahman) in due course of time. [The Upanisads describe the

different stages through which those who do good deeds and practise

meditation have to pass before reaching the qualified Brahman after

death. For liberation there is need also of purification of the heart, Thus,

they reach Brahman by stages, and not immediately after death. (See

Ch. 8.5 and subsequent portion; also, Br. 4.3.35 to 4.4.25, etc.)] Even

ayam lokah, this world, common to all beings; na asti, ceases to exist;

ayajnasya, for one who does not perform sacrifices, for him who does

not have to his credit even a single one of the above sacrifices. Kutah

anyah, what to speak of the other world which can be achieved through

special disciplines; kurusattama, O best among the Kurus!

4.32 Evam, thus; bahu-vidha yajnah, various kinds of sacrifices as

described; vitatah, lie spread; mukhe, at the mouth, at the door;

brahmanah, of the Vedas. Those which are known through the Vedasas

for instance, 'We offer the vital force into speech', etc.-are said to be

vitatah, spread, elaborated; mukhe, at the mouth; brahmanah, of the

Vedas. Viddhi, know; tan, them; sarvan, all; to be karmajan, born of

action, accoplished through the activities of body, speech and mind, but

not born of the Self. For the Self is actionless. Hence, jnatva, knowing;

evam, thus; vimoksyase, you will become liberated from evil. By knowing

thus- 'These are not my actions; I am actionless and detached'-You will

be freed from worldly bondage as a result of this full enlightenment. This

is the purport. Through the verse beginning with, 'The ladle is Brahman'

etc., complete Illumination has been represented as a sacrifice. And

sacrifices of various kinds have been taught. With the help of [Some

translate this as: As compared with...-Tr.] those (sacrifices) that are

meant for accomplishing desireable human ends, Knowledge

(considered as a sacrifice) is being extolled: How?

4.33 O destroyer of enemies, jnana-yajnah, Knowledge considered as a

sacrifice; is sreyan, greater; dravyamayat yajnat, than sacrifices requiring

materials [Including study of the Vedas, etc. also.] For, a sacrifice

performed with materials is an originator of results, [Worldly prosperity,

attaining heaven, etc.], but Knowledge considered as a sacrifice is not

productive of results. [It only reveals the state of Liberation that is an

achieved fact. (According to Advaitism, Liberation consists in the

removal of ignorance by Illumination. Nothing new is produced thereby.-

Tr.)]. Hence it is greater, more praiseworthy. How? Because, sarvam,

all; karma-akhilam, actions in their totality, without exception; O son of

Prtha, parisamapyate, culminate, get merged (attain their

consummation); jnane, in Knowledge, which is a means to Liberation

and is comparable to 'a flood all around' (cf.2.46). This is the idea, which

accords with the Upanisadic text, 'As when the (face of a die) bearing

the number 4, called Krta, wins, the other inferior (numbers on the diefaces)

get included in it, so whatever good actions are performed by

beings, all that gets merged in this one (Raikva). (So it happens) to

anyone who knows what he (Raikva) knew' (Ch. 4.1.4). In that case, by

what means is this highly estimable Knowledge acquired? The answer is

being given:

4.34 Viddhi, know; tat, that, the process by which It is acquired; by

approaching teachers pranipatena, through prostration, by lying fully

streched on the ground with face downward, with prolonged salutation;

pariprasnena, through inquiry, as to how bondage and Liberation come,

and what are Knowledge and ignorance; and sevaya, through the

service of the guru. (Know it) through these and other (disciplines) [Other

disciplines such as control of the mind, body, etc. Sankaracarya's own

words in the Commentary are evamadina, after which Ast. puts a full

stop, and agreeing with this, A.G. says that the word viddhi (know) is to

be connected with evamadina. Hence this translation. Alternatively,

those words have to be taken with prasrayena. Then the meaning will

be, 'Being pleased with such and other forms of humility...'-Tr.]. Being

pleased with humility, jnaninah, the wise ones, the teachers; tattvadarsinah,

who have realized the Truth; upadeksyanti, will impart, will tell;

te, you; jnanam, the Knowledge as described above. Although people

may be wise, some of them are apt to know Truth just as it is, while

others may not be so. Hence the qualification, 'who have realized the

Truth'. The considered view of the Lord is that Knowledge imparted by

those who have full enlightenment becomes effective, not any other.

That being so, the next verse also becomes appropriate:

4.35 Jnatva, knowing; yat, which-by acquiring which Knowledge

imparted by them; O Pandava, na vasyasi, you will not come under;

moham, delusion; punah, again; evam, in this way, in the way you have

come under delusion now. Besides, yena, through which Knowledge;

draksyasi, you will see directly; bhutani, all beings; asesena, without

exception, counting from Brahma down to a clump of grass; atmani, in

the Self, in the innermost Self, thus-'These beings exist in me' ; and

atha, also; see that these are mayi. in Me, in Vasudeva, the supreme

Lord. The purport is, 'You will realize the identity of the individual Self

and God, which is well known in the Upanisads.' Moreover, the

greatness of this Knowledge is:

4.36 Api cet asi, even if you be; papa-krt-tamah, the worst sinner,

extremely sinful; sarvebhyah, among all; papebhyah, the sinners (papa,

lit. sin, means here sinner) ; still santarisyasi, you will cross over; sarvam,

all; the vrjinam, wickedness, the ocean of wickedness, sin; [Ast. reads

papa-samudram, (ocean of sin) in place of papam.-Tr.] jnana-plavena

eva, with the raft of Knowledge alone, by using Knowledge alone as a

float. Here [Here, in the scriptures imparting spiritual instructions.],

righteousness (formal religious observance), too, is said to be an evil in

the case of one aspiring for Liberation. How Knowledge destroys sin is

being told with the help of an illustration:

4.37 O Arjuna, yatha, as; a samiddhah, blazing; agnih, fire, a well lighted

fire; kurute, reduces; edhamsi, pieces of wood; bhasmasat, to ashes;

tatha, similarly; jnanagnih, the fire of Knowledge-Knowledge itself being

the fire; kurute, reduces; bhasmasat, to ashes; sarva-karmani, all

actions, i.e. it renders them ineffective, for the fire of Knowledge itself

cannot directly [Knowledge destroys ignorance, and thereby the idea of

agentship is eradicated. This in turn makes actions impossible.] burn

actions to ashes, like pieces of wood. So, the idea implied is that full

enlightenment is the cuase of making all actions impotent. From the

force the context [If the body were to die just with the dawn of

Knowledge, imparting of Knowledge by enlightened persons would be

impossible, and thus there would be no teacher to transmit Knowledge!]

it follows that, since the result of actions owing to which the present

body has been born has already become effective, therefore it gets

eshausted only through experiencing it. Hence, Knowledge reduces to

ashes only all those actions that were done (in this life) prior to the rise of

Knowledge and that have not become effective, as also those performed

along with (i.e. after the dawn of) Knowledge, and those that were done

in the many past lives. Since this is so, therefore,

4.38 Hi, indeed; na vidyate, there is nothing; pavitram, purifying,

sanctifying; iha, here; sadrsam, comparable; jnanena, to Knowledge.

Yoga-samsiddhah, one who has become perfected, who as attained

fitness through yoga-the seeker after Liberation who has become

samsiddhah, purified, qualified; yogena, through the yoga of Karma and

the yoga of concentration-; kalena, after a long time; vindati, realizes, i.e.

attains; tat, That, Knowledge; verily svayam, by himself; atmani, in his

own heart. That means by which Knowledge is invariably attained is

being taught:

4.39 Sraddhavan, the man who has faith; labhate, attains; jnanam,

Knowledge. Even when one has faith, he may be indolent. Therefore the

Lord says, tatparah, who is diligent, steadfast in the service of the

teacher, etc., which are the means of attaining Knowledge. Even when

one has faith and is diligent, one may not have control over the organs.

Hence the Lord says, samyata-indriyah, who has control over the

organs-he whose organs (indriyani) have been withdrawn (samyata) from

objects. He who is such, who is full of faith, diligent, and has control over

the organs, does surely attain Knowledge. However, prostrations etc.,

which are external, are not invariably fruitful, for there is scope for

dissimulation faith etc. But this is not so in the case of one possessing

faith etc. Hence they are the unfailing means of acquiring Knowledge.

What, again, will result from gaining Knowledge? This is being answered:

Labdhva, achieving; jnanam, Knowledge; adhigacchati, one attains;

acirena, soon indeed; param, supreme; santim, Peace, supreme

detachment called Liberation. That Liberation soon follows from full

Knowledge is a fact well ascertained from all the scriptures and

reasoning. One should not entertain any doubt in this matter. For doubt

is the most vicious thing. Why? The answer is being stated:

4.40 Ajnah, one who is ignorant, who has not known the Self; and

asradda-dhanah, who is faithless; [Ast. adds here: guruvakya-sastresu

avisvasavan, who has no faith in the instructions of the teacher and the

scriptures.-Tr.] and samsaya-atma, who has a doubting mind; vinasyati,

perishes. Although the ignorant and the faithless get ruined, yet it is not

to the extent that a man with a doubting mind does. As for one with a

doubting mind, he is the most vicious of them all. How? Na ayam lokah,

neither this world which is familiar; na, nor also; parah, the next world; na

sukham, nor happiness; asti, exist; samsaya-atmanah, for one who has

a doubting mind. For doubt is possible even with regard to them!

Therefore one should not entertain doubt. Why?

4.41 Yoga-sannyasta-karmanam, one who has renounced actions

through yoga: that person who is a knower of the supreme Goal, by

whom actions called righteous or unrighteous have been renounced

through the yoga characterized as the Knowledge of the supreme Goal.

How does one become detached from actions through yoga? The Lord

says: He is jnana-samchinna-samsayah, one whose doubts (samsaya)

have been fully dispelled (samchinna) by Knowledge (jnana)

characterized as the realization of the identity of the individual Self and

God. O Dhananjaya, he who has thus renounced actions through yoga,

atmavantam, who is not inadvertent, not careless; him, karmani, actions,

seen as the activities of the gunas (see 3.28); na nibadhnanti, do not

bind, (i.e.) they do not produce a result in the form of evil etc. Since one

whose doubts have been destroyed by Knowledge-arising from the

destruction of the impurities (of body, mind, etc.) as result of the practise

of Karma-yoga-does not get bound by acitons owing to the mere fact of

his actions having been burnt away by Knowledge; and since one who

has doubts with regard to the practice of the yogas of Knowledge and

actions gets ruined-

4.42 Tasmat, therefore, O scion of the Bharata dynasty; atistha, take

recourse to, i.e. undertake; yogam, yoga -performance of actions, which

is a means to full Illumination; and now, uttistha, rise up for battle;

chittva, cutting asunder; jnanasina, with the sword of Knowledge-

Knowledge is full Illumination, which is a destroyer of such defects as

sorrows, delusion, etc.; that itself is the sword; with that sword of

Knowledge-;enam, this; samsayam, doubt; atmanah, of your own, which

is a source of one's own ruin and is most sinful; hrtstham, in the heart,

residing in the intellect; ajnana-sambhutam, arising from ignorance, born

of non-discrimination. The word atmanah is used because doubt

concerns oneself. Indeed, another's doubt cannot be removed by

someone else. Hence the word 'own' is used. So, although the doubt is

with regard to the Self, it is really one's own.

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 5

RO

5.1 (O Krsna,) samsasi, You praise, i.e. speak of; sannyasam,

renunciation; karmanam, of actions, of performance of various kinds of

rites enjoined by the scriptures; punah ca, and again; You praise yogam,

yoga, the obligatory performance of those very rites! Therefore I have a

doubt as to which is better-Is the performance of actions better, or their

rejection? And that which is better should be undertaken. And hence,

bruhi, tell; mam, me; suniscitam, for certain, as the one intended by You;

tat ekam, that one-one of the two, since performance of the two

together by the same person is impossible; yat, which; is sreyah, better,

more commendable; etayoh, between these two, between the

renunciation of actions and the performance of actions [Ast. reads

karma-yoga-anusthana (performance of Karma-yoga) in place of karmaanusthana

(performance of actions).-Tr.], by undertaking which you think

I shall acquire what is beneficial. While stating His own opinion in order

to arrive at a conclusion-

5.2 Ubhau, both, to be sure; sannyasah, renunciation of actions; ca,

and; karma-yogah, Karma-yoga-their performance-; nihsreyasa-karau,

lead to Liberation. Though both lead to Liberation by virtue of being the

cause of the rise of Knowledge, even then, tayoh, between the two

which are the causes of Liberation; Karma-yoga, tu, however; visisyate,

excels; karma-sannyasat, over mere renunciation of actions. Thus He

extols Karma-yoga. [Karma-yoga is better than renunciation of actions

that is not based on Knowledge.] Why? In answer the Lord says:

5.3 For, O mighty-armed one, he who is free from duality becomes

easily freed from bondage. That performer of Karma-yoga, yah, who; na

dvesti, does not hate anything; and na kanksati, does not crave; jneyah,

should be known; as nitya-sannyasi, a man of constant [A man of

constant renunciation: He is a man of renunciation ever before the

realization of the actionless Self.] renunciation. The meaning is that he

who continues to be like this in the midst of sorrow, happiness and their

sources should be known as a man of constant renunciation, even

though engaged in actions. Hi, for; mahabaho, O mighty-armed one;

nirdvandvah, one who is free from duality; pramucyate, becomes freed;

sukham, easily, without trouble; bandhat, from bondage. It is reasonable

that in the case of renunciation and Karma-yoga, which are opposed to

each other and can be undertaken by different persons, there should be

opposition even between their results; but it canot be that both of them

surely lead to Liberation. When such a question arises, this is the answer

stated:

5.4 Balah, the fools; na panditah, not the learned ones; pravadanti,

speak of; sankhya-yogau, Sankhya [Sankhya, i.e. monasticism, is that

which is suited for sankhya, Self-inquiry.] (the Path of Knowledge) and

(Karma-)yoga; as prthak, different, having opposite and different results.

The learned ones, the wise, however, admit one, unconflicting result.

How? Any one who samyak, properly; asthitah, resorts to, i.e. follows;

ekam api, even one, between the Path of Knowledge and (Karma-) yoga;

vindate, gets; phalam, the result; ubhayoh, of both. For, the result of

both is that Liberation itself. Therefore there is no conflict with regard to

the result. Objection: After beginning the topic with the words,

'renunciation' and '(Karma-) yoga', how is it that the Lord speaks of the

identity of the results of the path of Knowledge and (Karma-) yoga, which

is beside the point? Reply: This defect does not arise. Although the

question was put by Arjuna merely with regard to renunciation and

Karma-yoga, yet the Lord, without actually avoiding them, and by adding

something special which was intended by Him, gave the answer by

expressing them through other words, 'Sankhya' and '(Karma-) yoga'.

Those very 'renunciation and 'Karma-yoga', when they are (respectively)

associated with Knowledge and such of Its means as equanimity etc.,

are meant by the words 'Sankhya' and 'yoga'. This is the Lord's veiw.

Therefore there is no discussion out of the context. How can the result

of both be attained by the proper performance of only one? The answer

is:

5.5 Sthanam, the State called Liberation; yat prapyate, that is reached;

sankhyaih, by the Sankhyas, by the monks steadfast in Knowledge; tat

prapyate, that is reached; yogaih, by the yogis; api, as well. The yogis

are those who, as a means to the attainment of Knowledge, undertake

actions by dedicating them to God without seeking any result for

themselves. The purport is that, by them also that Stated is reached

through the process of acquiring monasticism which is a result of the

knowledge of the supreme Reality. Therefore, sah, he; pasyati, sees

truly; yah, who; pasyati, sees; Sankhya and yoga as ekam, one, because

of the identity of their results. This is the meaning. Objection: If this be

so, then monasticism itself excels yoga! Why, then, is it said, 'Among the

two, Karma-yoga, however, excels renunciation of actions'? Reply: Hear

the reason for this: Having is veiw the mere giving up of actions and

Karma-yoga, your question was as to which one was better of the two.

My answer was accordingly given that Karma-yoga excels renunciation

of actions (resorted to) without Knowledge is Sankhya. This is what was

meant by me. And that is indeed yoga in the highest sense. However,

that which is the Vedic Karma-yoga is figuratively spoken of as yoga and

renunciation since it leads to it (supreme Knowledge). How does it lead

to that? The answer is:

5.6 Tu, but, O mighty-armed one; sannyasah, renunciation, in the real

sense; duhkham aptum, is hard to attain; ayogatah, without (Karma-)

yoga. Munih, the meditative man-the word muni being derived in the

sense of one who meditates on the real nature of God; yoga-yuktah,

equipped with yoga, with Vedic Karma-yoga in the form of dedication to

God without thought of results (for oneself); adhigacchati, attains;

brahma, Brahman; na cirena, without delay, very quickly. Therefore it

was said by Me, 'Karma-yoga excels'. [Karma-yoga leads to

enlightenment through the stages of attenuation of attachment,

withdrawal of the internal and external organs from their objects, and

their inclination towards the indwelling Self. (Also see Commentary on

5.12).] The monasticism under discussion is called Brahman because it

leads to knowledge of the supreme Self, as stated in the Upanisad,

'Nyasa (monasticism) is Brahman. Brahman is verily the supreme' (Ma.

Na. 21.2) Brahman means monasticism in the real sense, consisting in

steadfastness to the knowledge of the supreme Self.

5.7 When again, as a means to attain full enlightenment, this person

becomes yoga-yuktah, endowed with yoga; visuddhatma, pure in mind;

vijitatma, controlled in body; jitendriyah, a conqueror of the organs; and

sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma, the Self of the selves of all beings-one whose

Self (atma), the inmost consciousness, has become the selves (atma) of

all beings (sarva-bhuta) beginning from Brahma to a clump of grass-,

i.e., fully illumined; (then,) thus continuing in that state, he na lipyate,

does not become tainted; kurvan api, even while performing actions for

preventing mankind from going astray. That is to say, he does not

become bound by actions. And besides, this person does not act in the

real sense. Hence,

5.8 Yuktah, remaining absorbed in the Self; tattva-vit, the knower of

Reality-knower of the real nature of Truth, of the Self, i.e., the seer of the

supreme Reality; manyeta, should think; 'na karomi eva, I certainly do

not do; kincit, anything.' Having realized the Truth, when or how should

he think? This is being answered; Api, even; pasyan, while seeing;

srnvan, hearing; sprsan, touching; jighran, smelling; asnan, eating;

gacchan, moving; svapan, sleeping; svasan, breathing; pralapan,

speaking; visrjan, releasing; grhnan, holding; unmisan, opening; nimisan,

closing the eyes. All these are to be connected with the above manyeta

(should think). For the man who has known the Truth thus, who finds

nothing but inaction in action-in all the movements of the body and

organs-, and who has full realization, there is competence only for giving

up all actions because of his realization of the nonexistence of actions.

Indeed, one who proceeds to drink water in a mirage thinking that water

is there, surely does not go there itself for drinking water even after

knowing that no water exists there!

5.9 Yuktah, remaining absorbed in the Self; tattva-vit, the knower of

Reality-knower of the real nature of Truth, of the Self, i.e., the seer of the

supreme Reality; manyeta, should think; 'na karomi eva, I certainly do

not do; kincit, anything.' Having realized the Truth, when or how should

he think? This is being answered; Api, even; pasyan, while seeing;

srnvan, hearing; sprsan, touching; jighran, smelling; asnan, eating;

gacchan, moving; svapan, sleeping; svasan, breathing; pralapan,

speaking; visrjan, releasing; grhnan, holding; unmisan, opening; nimisan,

closing the eyes. All these are to be connected with the above manyeta

(should think). For the man who has known the Truth thus, who finds

nothing but inaction in action-in all the movements of the body and

organs-, and who has full realization, there is competence only for giving

up all actions because of his realization of the nonexistence of actions.

Indeed, one who proceeds to drink water in a mirage thinking that water

is there, surely does not go there itself for drinking water even after

knowing that no water exists there!

5.10 On the other hand, again, one who is ignorant of the Truth and is

engaged in Karma-yoga, yah, who; karoti, acts; adhaya, by dedicating,

by surrendering; all karmani, actions; brahmani, to Brahman, to God;

with the idea, 'I am working for Him, as a servant does everything for his

master', and tyaktva, by renouncing; sangam, attachment, even with

regard to teh resulting Liberation; sah, he; na lipyate, does not get

polluted, is not affected; papena, by sin; iva, just as; padma-patram, a

lotus leaf; is not ambhasa, by water. The only result that will certainly

accrue from such action will be the purification of the heart.

5.11 Since tyaktva, by giving up sangam, attachment with regard to

results; yoginah, the yogis, men of action; kurvanti, undertake; karma,

work; kevalaih, merely- this word is to be construed with each of the

words, body etc., so as to deny the idea of ownership with regard to all

actions-; kayena, through the body; manasa, through the mind;

buddhya, through the intellect; and api, even; indriyaih, through the

organs, which are devoid of the idea of ownership, which are

unassociated with ownership thus: 'I act only for God, and not for my

gain'; atmasudhaye, for the purification of themselves, i.e., for the

purification of the heart, therefore you have competence only for that. So

you undertake action alone. And also since,

5.12 Tyaktva, giving up; karma-phalam, the result of work; yuktah, by

becoming resolute in faith, by having this conviction thus-'Actions are for

God, not for my gain'; apnoti, attains; santim, Peace, called Liberation;

naisthikim arising from steadfastness. It is to be understood that he

attains this through the stages of purification of the heart, acquisition of

Knowledge, renunciation of all actions, and steadfastness in Knowledge.

On the other hand, however, he who is ayuktah, lacking in resolute faith;

he, phale saktah, being attached to result; thinking, 'I am doing this work

for my gain'; kama-karena, under the impulsion of desire-kara is the

same as karana (action); the action of desire (kama-kara; under that

impulsion of desire, i.e. being prompted by desire; nibadhyate, gets

bound. Therefore you become resolute in faith. This is the idea. But one

who has experienced the supreme Reality-

5.13 Aste, he continues; sukham, happily; sannyasya, having given up;

sarva-karmani, all actions-nitya, naimittika, kamya and nisiddha

(prohibited actions); [See note on p. 128.-Tr.] manasa, mentally, through

discriminating wisdom-i.e. having given up (all actions) by seeing inaction

in action, etc. Freed from the activities of speech, mind and body,

effortles, placid in mind, and devoid of all external wants which are

different from the Self, he continues happily. This is what has been said.

Where and how does the vasi, man of self-control, i.e. one who has his

organs under control, remain? This is being answered: Nava-dvare pure,

in the town with nine gates, of which seven [Two ears, two eyes nostrils,

and mouth.] are in the head for one's own experiences, and two are

below for urination and defecation. As possessed of those gates, it is

called the 'town with nine gates'. Being like a town, the body is called a

town with the Self as its only master. And it is inhabited by the organs,

mind, intellect and objects, like citizens, as it were, which serve its needs

and which are productive of many results and experience. Renouncing

all actions, the dehi, embodied one, resides in that town with nine gates.

Objection: What is the need of this specification? For all embodied

beings, be they monks or not, reside in bodies to be sure! That being so,

the specification is needless. The answer is: The embodied one,

however, who is unenlightened, who perceives merely the aggregate of

the body and organs as the Self, he, in his totality, thinks, 'I am in a

house, on the ground, or on the seat.' For one who experiences the

body alone as the Self, there can certainly be no such conviction as, 'I

am in the body, like one's being in a house.' But, for one who realizes

the Self as distinct from the aggregate of body etc. it becomes

reasonable to have the conviction, 'I am in the bdoy. It is reasonable that

as a result of knowledge in the form of discriminating wisdom, there can

be a mental renunciation of the actions of others, which have been

ignorantly superimposed on the supreme Self. Even in the case of one in

whom has arisen discriminating wisdom and who has renounced all

actions, there can be, like staying in a house, the continuance in the

body itself-the town with nine gates-as a consequence of the

persistence of the remnants of the results of past actions which have

started bearing fruit, because the awareness of being distinct (from the

body) arises while one is in the body itself. Form the point of veiw of the

difference between the convictions of the enlightened and the

unenlightened persons, the qualifying words, 'He continues in the body

itself', do have a purpose to serve. Although it has been stated that one

continues (in the body) by relinquishing actions of the body and organs

ignorantly superimposed on the Self, still there may be the apprehesion

that direct or indirect agentship inheres in the Self. Anticipating this, the

Lord says: na eva kurvan, without himself doing anything at all; and na

karayan, not causing (others) to do, (not) inducing the body and organs

to activity. Objection: Is it that the direct or indirect agentship of the

embodied one inheres in the Self and ceases to be after renunciation, as

the movement of a traveller ceases with the stoppage of his movement?

Or, is it that they do not exist owing to the very nature of the Self? As to

this, the answer is: The Self by Its nature has neither direct nor indirect

agentship. For it was stated, 'It is said that...This (Self) is unchangeable'

(2.25). 'O son of Kunti, although existing in the body, It does not act, nor

is It affected' (13.31). And it is also stated in the Upanisad, 'It seems to

meditate, as it were; It seems to move, as it were' (Br. 4.3.7).

5.14 Prabhuh, the Self; na srjati, does not create; lokasya, for anyone;

kartrtvam, agentship, by saying 'Do this'; or even karmani, any objectssuch

objects as chariot, pot, palace, etc. which are intensely longed for;

nor even karma-phala-samyogam, association with the results of

actions-association of the creator of a chariot etc. with the result of his

work. Objection: If the embodied one does not do anything himself, and

does not make others do, then who is it that engages in work by doing

and making others do? The answer is: Tu, but; it is svabhavah, Natureone's

own (sva) nature (bhava)-characterized as ignorance, Maya, which

will be spoken of in, 'Since this divine Maya' (7.14); pravartate, that acts.

But from the highest standpoint-

5.15 Vibhuh, the Omnipresent; na adatte, neither accetps; kasyacit,

anybody's-even a adevotee's; papam, sin; na ca eva, nor even; does He

accept sukrtam, virtue offered by devotees. Why then are such virtuous

acts as worship etc. as also sacrifices, charity, oblation, etc. worship

etc. as also sacrifices, charity, oblation, etc. offered by devotees? To this

the Lord says: Jnanam, knowledge, discriminating wisdom; remains

avrtam, covered; ajnanena, by ignorance. Tena, thereby; jantavah, the

creatures, the non-discriminating people in the world; muhyanti, become

deluded thus-'I do; I make others do; I eat; I make others eat.'

5.16 Tu, but; yesam, in the case of those creatures; of whom tat

ajnanam, that ignorance; atmanah, of theirs-being covered by which

ignorance creatures get deluded-; nasitam, becomes destroyed;

jnanena, by knowledge, by discriminating knowledge concerning the

Self; tesam, their; jnanam, knowledge; adityavat, like the sun;

prakasayati, reveals, in the same way as the sun reveals all forms

whatever; tat-param, that supreme Reality, the Reality which is the

highest Goal, the totality of whatever is to be known.

5.17 Tat-buddhayah, those who have their intellect absorbed in That,

[Here Ast. reads 'tasmin brahmani, in that Brahman'.-Tr.] in the supreme

Knowledge which has been revealed; tat-atmanah, whose Self is That,

who have That (tat) supreme Brahman Itself as their Self (atma); tatnisthah,

who are steadfast in That-nistha is intentness, exclusive

devotion; they are called tat-nisthah who become steadfast only in

Brahman by renouncing all actions; and tat-parayanah, who have That

as their supreme (para) Goal (ayana), who have That alone as their

supreme Resort, i.e. who are devoted only to the Self; those who have

got their ignorance destroyed by Knowledge-those who are of this kind-,

they gacchanti, attain; apunaravrttim, the state of non-returning, nonassociation

again with a body; jnana-nirdhuta-kalmasah, their dirt having

been removed, destroyed, by Knowledge. Those whose dirt (kalmasa),

the defect in the form of sin etc., which are the cause of transmigration,

have been removed, destryed (nirdhuta), by the aforesaid Knowledge

(jnana) are jnana-nirdhuta-kalmasah, i.e. the monks. How do those

learned ones, whose ignorance regarding the Self has been destroyed

by Knowledge, look upon Reality? That is being stated:

5.18 Panditah, the learned ones; sama-darsinah, look with equanimity;

brahmane, on a Brahmana; vidya-vinayasampanne, endowed with

learning and humility-vidya means knowledge of the Self, and vinaya

means pridelessness-, on a Brahmana who has Self-knowledge and

modesty; gavi, on a cow; hastini, on an elephant; ca eva, and even; suni,

on a dog; ca, as well as; svapake, on an eater of dog's meat. Those

learned ones who are habituated to see (equally) the unchanging, same

and one Brahman, absolutely untouched by the qualities of sattva etc.

and the tendencies created by it, as also by the tendencies born of rajas

and tamas, in a Brahmana, who is endowed with Knowledge and

tranquillity, who is possessed of good tendencies and the quality of

sattva; in a cow, which is possessed of the middling quality of rajas and

is not spiritually refined; and in an elephant etc., which are wholly and

absolutely imbued with the quality of tamas-they are seers of equality.

Objection: On the strength of the text, 'A sacrificer incurs sin by not

adoring equally one who is an equal, and by adoring equally one who is

an equal, to himself' (Gau. Sm. 17.20), are not they sinful, whose food

should not be eaten? Reply: They are not open to the charge.

Objection: How?

5.19 Iha eva, here itself, even while they are living; is sargah, rebirth;

jitah, conquered, overcome; taih, by them, by the learned ones who see

with equanimity; yesam, whose; manah, minds, the internal organs; are

sthitam, established, made steadfast; samye, on sameness, in Brahman

that exists as the same in all beings. It is nirdosam, free from defects.

Because of Its existence in such mean objects as an eater of dog's

meat, etc., though It is supposed by fools to be affected by the defects

of those (objects), still It remains untouched by those blemishes, hi,

because It is free from defects. Nor even is It differentiated by Its

qualities, since Consciousness is free from qualifications. And the Lord

will speak of desires etc. (cf. 13.6 etc.) as the attributes of the aggregate

of body and organs, and will also say, 'Being without beginning and

without qualities' (13.31). Nor even are there the ultimate distinctions

which can create differentiation in the Self, [According to the Vaisesikas,

everything is possessed of not only qualities but also of antya-visesa

(ultimate distinction), which is a category like substance, quality, action,

etc. This distinction makes every entity different from other entities.

Thus, individual souls have their own ultimate distinctions by the very

fact that they are individuals. Vedanta denies such a category. Besides,

the Self is one and omnipresent. Therefore there is nothing else from

which It can be distinguished.-Tr.] because there is nothing to prove that

these ultimate distinctions exist in every body. Hence, samam brahma,

Brahman is the same and one. Tasmat, therefore; te, they; sthitah, are

established; brahmani, in Brahman Itself. As a result, not even a shade of

defect touches them. For they have no self-identification in the form of

perceiving the aggregate of body etc. as the Self. On the other hand,

that statement (Gau. Sm. 17.20) refers to the man who has selfidentification

in the form of perceiving the aggregate of body, (organs)

etc. as the Self, for that statement-'A sacrificer incurs sin by not adoring

equally one who is an equal, and by adoring equally one who is not

equal to himself, pointedly refers to persons who are the objects of

adoration. It is indeed seen that in worship, charity, etc. the determining

factors are the possession of such special qualities as being 'a knower

of Brahman', 'versed in the six auxiliary branches of Vedic learning', and

'versed in the four Vedas'. But Brahman is bereft of association with all

qualities and defects. This being so, it is logical that they are established

in Brahman. And 'adoring an equal, ...an unequal,' etc. has reference to

men of action. [Those engaged in actions with a sense of agentship,

etc.-Tr.] But this subject under consideration, beginning from 'The

embodied man...having given up all actions mentally' (13) to the end of

the chapter, is concerning one who has given up all actions. Since the

Self is Brahman which is without blemish and is the same (in all),

therefore-

5.20 Brahmavit, a knower of Brahman, as described; sthitah, who is

established; brahmani in Brahman- who is not a performer of actions, i.e.

one who has renounced all actions; sthira-buddhih, should have his

intellect steady-the man of steady intellect is one who has the

unwavering, firm conviction of the existence of the one and the same

taintless Self in all beings; and further, asammudhah, he should not be

deluded, he should be free from delusion. Na prahrsyet, he should not

get delighted; prapya, by getting; priyam, what is desirable; na ca

udvijet, and surely, neither should he become dejected; prapya, by

getting; apriyam, what is undesirable-because the acquisition of the

desirable and the undesirable are causes of [Ast.'s reading is 'horsavisadau

kurvate, cause happiness and sorrow' in place of 'harsa-visadasthane,

sources of happiness and sorrow', which (latter) reading occurs

in G1. Pr. and A.A.-Tr.] happiness and sorrow for one who considers the

body as the Self; not for the one who has realized the absolute Self,

since in his case there can be no acquisition of desirable and

undesirable objects. Further, the one who is established in Brahman5.21

Asakta-atma, with his heart, internal organ, unattached, bahyasparsesu,

to external objects-sparsah means objects that are contacted,

viz sound etc.; bahya-sparsah means those things which are external

(bahya) and are objects of contact; that person who thus has his heart

unattached, who derives no happiness from objects; he vindati, gets that

sukham, bliss; yat, which is; atmani, in the Self. Brahma-yoga-yuktaatma,

with his heart absorbed in meditation on Brahman-meditation

(yoga) on Brahman is brahma-yoga; one whose internal organ (atma) is

absorbed in (yukta), engaged in, that meditation on Brahman is brahmayoga-

yukta-atma; he asnute, acquires; aksayam, undecaying; sukham,

Bliss. So, he who cherishes undecaying happiness in the Self should

withdraw the organs from the momentary happiness in external objects.

This is the meaning. For this reason also one should withdraw:

5.22 Hi, since; bhogah, enjoyments; ye samsparsajah, that result from

contact with objects, that arise from contact between the objects and

the organs; are eva, verily; duhkha-yonayah, sources of sorrow, because

they are creations of ignorance. It is certainly a matter of experience that

physical and other sorrows are created by that itself. By the use of the

word eva (verily), it is understood that, as it happens here in this world,

so does it even in the other world. Realizing that there is not the least

trace of happiness in the world, one should withdraw the organs from

the objects which are comparable to a mirage. Not only are they

sources of sorrow, they also adi-antavantah, have a beginning and an

end. Adi (beginning) of enjoyments consists in the contact between

objects and senses, and their end (anta), indeed, is the loss of that

contact. Hence, they have a beginning and an end, they are

impermanent, being present in the intervening moment. This is the

meaning. (Therefore) O son of Kunti, budhah, the wise one, the

discriminating person who has realized the Reality which is the supreme

Goal; na ramate, does not delight; tesu, in them, in enjoyments. For

delight in objects is seen only in very foolish beings, as for instance in

animals etc. This extremely painful evil, which is opposed to the path of

Bliss and is the source of getting all miseries, is difficult to resist.

Therefore one must make the utmost effort to avoid it. Hence the Lord

says:;

5.23 Yah saknoti, one who can, is able to; sodhum, withstand; iha eva,

here itself, while alive; prak, before; sarira-vimoksanat, departing from

the body, till death-. Death is put as a limit because the impulse of desire

and anger is certanily inevitable for a living person. For this impulse has

got infinite sources. One should not relax until his death. That is the idea.

Kama, desire, is the hankering, thirst, with regard to a coveted object-of

an earlier experience, and which is a source of pleasure-when it comes

within the range of the senses, or is heard of or remembered. And

krodha, anger, is that repulsion one has against what are adverse to

oneself and are sources of sorrow, when they are seen, heard of or

remembered. That impulse (veda) which has those desire and anger as

its source (udbhava) is kama-krodha-udbhava-vegah. The impulse

arising from desire is a kind of mental agitation, and has the signs of

horripilation, joyful eyes, face, etc. The impulse of anger has the signs of

trembling of body, perspiration, bitting of lips, red eyes, etc. He who is

able to withstand that impulse arising from desire and anger, sah narah,

that man; is yuktah, a yogi; and sukhi, is happy, in this world. What kind

of a person, being established in Brahman, attains Brahman? The Lord

says:

5.24 Yah antah-sukhah, one who is happy within, in the indwelling Self;

and so also antar-aramah, has pleasure within-he disports only in the

Self within; similarly, antar-jyotih eva, has his light only within, has the

indwelling Self alone as his light; [He has not to depend on the organs

like ear etc. for acquiring knowledge.] sah yogi, that yogi; yah, who is of

this kind; brahma-bhutah, having become Brahman, even while he is still

living; adhigacchati, attains; brahma-nirvanam, absorption in Brahmangets

Liberation. Besides,

5.25 Rsayah, the seers, those who have full realization, the monks;

ksina-kalmasah, whose sins, defects like sin etc., have been attenuated;

chinna-dvaidhah, who are freed from doubt; yata-atmanah, whose

organs are under control; ratah, who are engaged; sarvabhutahite, in

doing good to all beings-favourably disposed towards all, i.e. harmless;

labhante, attain; brahma-nirvanam, absorption in Brahman, Liberation.

Further,

5.26 Yatinam, to the monks; yata-cetasam, who have control over their

internal organ; kama-krodha-viyuktanam, who are free from desire and

anger; vidita-atmanam, who have known the Self, i.e. who have full

realization; vartate, there is; brahma-nir-vanam, absorption in Brahman,

Liberation; abhitah, either way, whether living or dead. Immediate

Liberation of the monks who are steadfast in full realization has been

stated. And the Lord has said, and will say, at every stage that Karmayoga,

undertaken as a dedication to Brahman, to God, by surrendering

all activities [The activities of body, mind and organs] to God, leads to

Liberation through the stages of purification of the heart, attainment of

Knowledge, and renunciation of all actions. Thereafter, now, with the

idea, 'I shall speak elaborately of the yoga of meditation which is the

proximate discipline for full realization,' the Lord gave instruction through

some verses in the form of aphorisms:

5.27 Krtva, keeping; bahyan, the external; sparsan, objects-sound etc.;

bahih, outside: To one who does not pay attention to the external

objects like sound etc., brought to the intellect through the ear etc., the

objects become verily kept outside. Having kept them out in this way,

and (keeping) the caksuh, eyes; antare, at the juncture; bhruvoh, of the

eye-brows (-the word 'keeping' has to be supplied-); and similarly,

samau krtva, making equal; prana-apanau, the outgoing and the

incoming breaths; nasa-abhyantara-carinau, that move through the

nostrils; munih, the contemplative-derived (from the root man) in the

sense of contemplating-, the monk; yata-indriya-mano-buddhih, who

has control over his organs, mind and intellect; should be moksa-parayanah,

fully intent on Liberation-keeping his body is such a posture, the

contemplative should have Liberation itself as the supreme Goal. He

should be vigata-iccha-bhaya-krodhah, free from desire, fear and anger.

The monk yah, who; sada, ever remains thus; sah, he; is muktah yah,

who;sada, ever remains thus; sah, he; is muktah, ever, verily free. He

has no other Liberation to seek after. What is there to be realized by

one who has his mind thus concentrated? The answer this is beig

stated:

5.28 Krtva, keeping; bahyan, the external; sparsan, objects-sound etc.;

bahih, outside: To one who does not pay attention to the external

objects like sound etc., brought to the intellect through the ear etc., the

objects become verily kept outside. Having kept them out in this way,

and (keeping) the caksuh, eyes; antare, at the juncture; bhruvoh, of the

eye-brows (-the word 'keeping' has to be supplied-); and similarly,

samau krtva, making equal; prana-apanau, the outgoing and the

incoming breaths; nasa-abhyantara-carinau, that move through the

nostrils; munih, the contemplative-derived (from the root man) in the

sense of contemplating-, the monk; yata-indriya-mano-buddhih, who

has control over his organs, mind and intellect; should be moksa-parayanah,

fully intent on Liberation-keeping his body is such a posture, the

contemplative should have Liberation itself as the supreme Goal. He

should be vigata-iccha-bhaya-krodhah, free from desire, fear and anger.

The monk yah, who; sada, ever remains thus; sah, he; is muktah yah,

who;sada, ever remains thus; sah, he; is muktah, ever, verily free. He

has no other Liberation to seek after. What is there to be realized by

one who has his mind thus concentrated? The answer this is beig

stated:

5.29 Rcchati, one attains; santim, Peace, complete cessation of

transmigration; jnatva, by knowing; mam, Me who am Narayana; who, as

the sarva-loka-mahesvaram, great Lord of all the worlds; am the

bhoktaram, enjoyer (of the fruits); yajna-tapasam, of sacrifices and

austerities, as the performer and the Deity of the sacrifices and

austerities (respectively); (and) who am the suhrdam, friend; sarvabhutanam,

of all creatures-who am the Benefactor of all without

consideration of return, who exist in the heart of all beings, who am the

dispenser of the results of all works, who am the Witness of all

perceptions.

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 6

RO

6.1 Anasritah, without depending on;-on what?-on that which is karmaphalam,

the result of action- i.e. without craving for the result of action-.

He who craves for the results of actions becomes dependent on the

results of actions. But this person is the opposite of such a one. Hence

(it is said), 'wihtout depending on the result of action. Having become

so, yah he who; karoti, performs accomplishes; (karma, an action;)

which is his karyam, duty, the nityakarmas such as Agnihotra etc. which

are opposed to the kamya-karmas-. Whoever is a man of action of this

kind is distinguished from the other men of action. In order to express

this idea the Lord says, sah, he ; is a sannyasi, monk, and a yogi.

Sanyyasa, means renunciation. he who is possessed of this is a

sannyasi, a monk. And he is also a yogi. Yoga means concentration of

mind. He who has that is a yogi. It is to be understood that this man is

possessed of these qualities. It is not to be understood that, only that

person who does not keep a fire (niragnih) and who is actionless

(akriyah) is a monk and a yogi. Niragnih is one from whom the fires [viz

Garhapatya, Ahavaniya, Anvaharya-pacana, etc.], which are the

accessories of rites, have bocome dissociated. By kriya are mean

austerity, charity, etc. which are performed wityout fire. Akriyah,

actionless, is he who does not have even such kriyas. Objection: Is it

not only with regard to one who does not keep a fire and is acitonless

that monasticsm and meditativeness are well known in the Vedas, Smrtis

and scriptures dealing with meditation? Why are monasticism and

meditativeness spoken of here with regard to one who keeps a fire and

is a man of action-which is not accepted as a fact? Reply: This defect

does not arise, because both are sought to be asserted in some

secondary sense. Objection: How is that? Reply: His being monk is by

virtue of his having given up hankering for the results of actions; and his

being a man of meditation is from the fact of his doing actions as

accesories to meditation or from his rejection of thoughts for the results

of actions which cause disturbances in the mind. Thus both are used in

a figurative sense. On the contrary, it is not that monasticism and

meditativeness are meant in the primary sense. With a veiw to pointing

out this idea, the Lord says:

6.2 Yam, that which is characterized by the giving up of all actions and

their results; which prahuh, they, the knowers of the Vedas and the

Smrtis, call; sannyasam iti, monasticism, in the real sense; viddhi,

known; tam, that monasticism in the real sense; to be yogam, Yoga,

consisting in the performance of actions, O Pandava. Accepting what

kind of similarity between Karma-yoga, which is characterized by

engagement (in actions), and its opposite, renunciation in the real sense,

which is characterized by cessation from work, has their equation been

stated? When such an apprehension arises, the answer is this; From the

point of view of the agent, there does exist a simialrity of Karma-yoga

with real renunciation. For he who is a monk in the real sense, from the

very fact of his having given up all the means needed for accomplishing

actions, gives up the thought of all actions and their results-the source of

desire that leads to engagement in work. [Thoughts about an object lead

to the desire for it, which in turn leads to actions for getting it. (Also see

note under 4.19)] also, even while performing actions, gives up the

thought for results. Pointing out this idea, the Lord says: Hi, for; kascit,

nobody, no man of action whosoever; asannyasta-sankalpah, who has

not given up expactaions-one by whom has not been renounced

expectation, anticipation, of results;bhavati, becomes, i.e. can become;

yogi, a yogi, a man of concentration, because thought of results is the

cause of the disturbance of mind. Therefore, any man of action who

gives up the thought of results would become a yogi, a man of

concentration with an unperturbed mind, because of his having given up

thought of results which is the cause of mental distractions. This is the

purport. Thus, because of the similarity of real monasticism with Karmayoga

from the point of veiw of giving up by the agent, Karma-yoga is

extolled as monasticism in, 'That which they call monasticism, know that

to be Yoga, O Pandava.' Since Karma-yoga, which is independent of

results, is the remote help to Dhyana-yoga, therefore it has been praised

as monasticism. Thereafter, now the Lord shows how Karma-yoga is

helpful to Dhyana-yoga:

6.3 Aruruksoh, for one who wishes to ascend, who has not ascended,

i.e. for that very person who is unable to remain established in Dhyanayoga;-

for which person who is desirous to ascend?-munch, for the sage,

i.e. for one who has renounced the results of actions;-trying to ascend to

what?-yogam, to (Dhyana-) yoga; karma, action; ucyate, is said to be;

the karanam, means. Tasya, for that person, again; yoga-arudhasya,

when he has ascended to (Dhyana-) yoga; samah, inaction, withdrawl

from all actions; eva, alone; ucyate, is said to be; karanam, the means

for remaining poised in the state of meditation. This is the meaning. To

the extent that one withdraws from actions, the mind of that man who is

at cease and self-controlled becomes concentrated. When this occurs,

he at once becomes established in Yoga. And accordingly has it been

said by Vyasa: 'For a Brahmana there is no wealth conparable to (the

knowledge of) oneness, sameness, truthfulness, character, equipoise,

harmlessness, straightforwardness and withdrawal from various actions'

(Mbh. Sa. 175.37). After that, now is being stated when one becomes

established in Yoga:

6.4 Hi, verily; yada, when; a yogi who is concentrating his mind, sarvasankalpa-

sannyasi, who has given up thought about everything-who is

apt to give up (sannyasa) all (sarva) thoughts (sankalpa) which are the

causes of desire, for things here and hereafter; na anusajjate, does not

become attached, i.e. does not hold the idea that they have to be done

by him; indriya-arthesu, with regard to sense-objects like sound etc.;

and karmasu, with regard to actions-nitya, naimittika, kamya and

nisiddha (prohibited) because of the absence of the idea of their utility;

tada, then, at that time; ucyate, he is said to be; yoga-arudhah,

established in Yoga, i.e. he is said to have attained to Yoga. From the

expression, 'one who has given up thought about eveything', it follows

that one has to renounce all desires and all actions, for all desires have

thoughts as their source. This accords with such Smrti texts as: 'Verily,

desire has thought as its source. Sacrifices arise from thoughts' (Ma.

Sm. 2.3); 'O Desire, I know your source. You surely spring from thought.

I shall not think of you. So you will not arise in me' (Mbh. Sa. 177.25).

And when one gives up all desires, renunciation of all actions becomes

accomplished. This agrees with such Upanisadic texts as, '(This self is

identified with desire alone.) What it desires, it resolves; what it resolves,

it works out' (Br. 4.4.5); and also such Smrti texts as, 'Whatever actions

a man does, all that is the effect of desire itself' (Ma. Sm. 2.4). It accords

with reason also. For, when all thoughts are renounced, no one can even

move a little. So, by the expression, 'one who has given up thought

about everything', the Lord makes one renounced all desires and all

actions. When one is thus established in Yoga, then by that very fact

one's self becomes uplifted by oneself from the worldly state which is

replete with evils. Hence,

6.5 Uddharet, one should save; atmanam, oneself sunk in the sea of the

world; atmana, by oneself; one should save, ut-haret, should uplift

(oneself) from that, i.e. make it attain the state of being established in

Yoga. Na avasadayet, one should not lower, debase; atmanam, oneself.

Hi, for; atma eva, oneself is verily; atmanah one's own; bandhuh, friend.

Centainly there is no other friend who can bring about liberation from this

world. In fact, even a friend is an obstacle to Liberation, he being the

source of such bondages as love etc. Therefore the emphatic statement,

'For one is one's own friend, is justifiable. Atma eva, oneself verily; is

atmanah, one's own: ripuh, enemy. Anyone else who is an external

harmful enemy, even he is of one's own making! Therefore the firm

conclusion, 'oneself verily is one's own enemy's is reasonable. It has

been said that 'oneself is verily one's own friend, oneself verily is one's

own enemy.' As to that, (the self) [Ast. has this additional word, atma,

self.-Tr.] of what kind is one's own friend, or (the self) of what kind is

one's own enemy? This is being answered:

6.6 Tasya, of him; yena, by whom; jitah, has been conquered, subdued;

his eva atma, very self, the aggregate of body and organs; that atma,

self; is bandhuh, the friend; atmanah, of his self. The idea is that he is a

conqueror of his senses. Tu, but; anatmanah, for one who has not

conquered his self, who has no self-control; atma eva, his self itself;

varteta, acts; satruvat, like an enemy; satrutve, inimically, with the

attitude of an enemy. As an enemy, who is different from oneself, does

harm to oneself, similarly one's self behaves like an enemy to oneself.

This is the meaning. [If the body and organs are under control, they are

helpful in concentrating one's mind on the Self; but, if they are not under

control, they oppose this concentration.]

6.7 Parama-atma, the supreme Self; jita-atmanah, of one who has

control over the aggregate of his body and organs; prasantasya, who is

tranquil, who is a monk with his internal organ placid; samahitah,

becomes manifest, i.e. becomes directly manifest as his own Self.

Moreover, (he should be equipoised) sita-usna-sukha-duhkhesu, in the

midst of cold and heat, happiness and sorrow; tatha, as also; manaapamanayoh

in honour and dishonour, adoration and despise.

6.8 A yogi, jnana-vijnana-trpta-atma, whose mind is satisfied with

knowledge and realization-jnana is thorough knowledge of things

presented by the scriptures, but vijnana is making those things known

from the scriptures a subject of one's own realization just as they have

been presented; he whose mind (atma) has become contented (trpta)

with those jnana and vijnana is jnana-vijnana-trpta-atma-; kutasthah,

who is unmoved, i.e. who becomes unshakable; and vijita-indriyah, who

has his organs under control;- he who is of this kind, ucyate, is said to

be; yuktah, Self-absorbed. That yogi sama-losta-asma-kancanah, treats

equally a lump of earth, a stone and gold. Further,

6.9 The first line of the verse beginning with 'benefactor,' etc. is a single

compound word. Visisyate, he excels, i.e. he is the best among all those

who are established in Yoga-(a different reading is vimucyate, he

becomes free); sama-buddhih, who has sameness of view, i.e. whose

mind is not engaged with the question of who one is and what he does;

with regard to a suhrd, benefactor-one who does some good without

consideration of return; mitram, a friend, one who is affectionate; arih, a

foe; udasinah, a neutral, who sides with nobody; madhyasthah, an

arbiter, who is a well-wisher of two conflicting parties; dvesyah, the

hateful, who is repulsive to oneself; bandhuh, a relative;- to all these as

also sadhusu, with regard to good people, who follow the scriptures; api

ca, and even; papesu, sinners, who perform prohibited actions-with

regard to all of them. Therefore, to acquire this excellent result-

6.10 A yogi, a man of meditation; satatam yunjita, should constantly

concentrate; atmanam, his mind; sthitah, by staying; rahasi, in a solitary

place, in mountain caves etc.; ekaki, alone, without any companion;

yata-citta-atma, with mind and body controlled; nirasih, without

expectations, free from hankering; and aparigrahah, free from

acquisition. From the uise of the qualifying words, 'in a solitary place'

and 'alone', it follows that (he has to undertake all these) after espousing

monasticism. And even after renunciation, he should concentrate his

mind by desisting from all acquisition. This is the meaning. Now then

have to be stated the rules regarding seat, food, movements, etc. as

disciplines for yoga in the case of one practising concentration; as also

the signs of one who has succeeded in Yoga, and the consequent result

etc. Hence this is begun. Among these, the seat is being first spoken of:

6.11 See Commentary under 6.12

6.12 Pratisthapya, having established; sthiram, firmly; sucau, in a clean;

dese, place, which is solitary, either naturally or through improvement;

atmanah, his own; asanam, seat; na ati ucchritam, neither too high; na

ati nicam, nor even too low; and that made of caila-ajina-kusa-uttram,

cloth, skin, and kusa-grass, placed successively one below the other-the

successive arrangement of cloth etc. here is in a reverse order to that of

the textual reading-. What follows after thus establishing the seat?

Upavisya, sitting; tatra, on that; asane, seat; yogam yunjyat, he should

concentrate his mind. To what purpose should he concentrate his mind?

In answer the Lord says: atma-visuddhaye, for the purification of the

internal organ. How? Krtva, making; manah, the mind; ekagram, onepointed,

by withdrawing it from all objects; and yata-citta-indriya-kriyah,

keeping the actions (kriyah) of the mind (citta) and senses (indriya) under

control (yata). The external seat has been spoken of. Now is being

stated how the posture of the body should be:

6.13 See Commentary under 6.14

6.14 Dharayan, holding; kaya-siro-girvam, the body (torso), head and

neck; samam, erect; and acalam, still-movement is possible for one

(even while) holding these erect; therefore it is specified, 'still'-; sthirah,

being steady, i.e. remaining steady; sampreksya, looking svam

nasikagram, at tip of his own nose -looking at it intently, as it were; ca,

and; anavalokayan, not looking; disah, around, i.e. not glancing now and

then in various directions-. The words 'as it were' are to be understood

because what is intended here is not an injunction for looking at the tip

of one's own nose! What then? It is the fixing the gaze of the eyes by

withdrawing it from external objects; and that is enjoined with a veiw to

concentrating the mind. [What is sought to be presented here as the

primary objective is the concentration of mind. If the gaze be directed

outward, then it will result in interrupting that concentration. Therefore

the purpose is to first fix the gaze of the eyes within.] If the intention were

merely the looking at the tip of the nose, then the mind would remain

fixed there itself, not on the Self! In, 'Making the mind fixed in the Self'

(25), the Lord will speak of concentrating the mind verily on the Self.

Therefore, owing to the missing word iva (as it were), it is merely the

withdrawl of the gaze that is implied by sampreksya (looking). Further,

prasantatma, with a placid mind, with a mind completely at peace;

vigata-bhih, free from fear sthitah, firm; brahmacari-vrate, in the vow of a

celibate, the vow cosisting in serivce of the teacher, eating food got by

beggin, etc.-firm in that, i.e. he should follow these; besides, mat-cittah,

with the mind fixed on Me who am the supreme God; samyamya, by

controlling; manah, the mind, i.e. by stopping the modifications of the

mind; yuktah, through concentration, i.e. by becoming concentrated;

asita, he should remain seated; matparah, with Me as the supreme Goal.

Some passionate person may have his mind on a woman, but he does

not accept the woman as his supreme Goal. What then? He accepts the

king or Sive as his goal. But this one (the yogi) not only has his mind on

Me but has Me as his Goal. After that, now is being stated the result of

Yoga:

6.15 Yunjan, concentrating; atmanam, the mind; evam, thus, according

to the methods shown above; sada, for ever; the yogi, niyata-manasah,

of controlled mind; adhi-gacchati, achieves; santim, the Peace, the

indifference to worldly attachments and possessions; nirvana-paramam,

which culminates in Liberation; and mat-samstham, which abides in Me.

Now are bieng mentioned the rules about the yogi's food etc.:

6.16 (Tu, but) O Arjuna, Yoga na asti, is not; atiasnatah, for one who

eats too much, for one who eats food more than his capacity; na ca, nor

is Yoga; anasnatah, for one who does not eat; ekantam, at all. This

accords with the Vedic text, 'As is well known, if one eats that much

food which is within one's capacity, then it sustains him, it does not hurt

him; that which is more, it harms him; that which is less, it does not

sustain him' (Sa. Br.; Bo. Sm. 2.7.22). Therefore, a yogi should not eat

food more or less than what is suitable for him. Or the meaning is that

Yoga is not for one who eats more food than what is prescribed for a

yogi in the scriptures on Yoga. Indeed, the quantity has been mentioned

in, 'One half of the stomach is to be filled with food including curries; the

third quarter is to be filled with water; but the fourth quarter is to be left

for the movement of air,' etc. Similarly, Yoga is not for ati svapnasilasya,

one who habitually sleeps too long; and Yoga is na eva, surely

not; jagratah, for one who keeps awake too long. How, again, does

Yoga become possibel? This is being stated:

6.17 Yogah bhavati, Yoga becomes; duhkha-ha, a destroyer of sorrowthat

which destroys (hanti) all sorrows (duhkhani)-, i.e., Yoga destroys all

worldly sorrows; yukta-ahara-viharasya, of one whose eating and

movements are regulated- ahara (lit. food) means all that is gathered in,

[According to the Commentator, ahara, which also means food, includes

mental 'food as well. See Ch. 7.26.2.-Tr.] and vihara means moving

about, walking; one for whom these two are regulated (yukta) is yuktaahara-

vihara-; and also yukta-cestasya, of one whose effort (cesta) is

moderate (yukta); karmasu, in works; similarly, yukta-svapnaavabodhasya,

of one whose sleep (svapna) and wakefulness (avabodha)

are temperate (yukta), have regulated periods. To him whose eating and

movements are regulated, whose effort in work is moderate, whose

sleep and wakefulness are temperate, Yoga becomes a destroyer of

sorrows. When does a man become concentrated? That is being

presently stated:

6.18 A yogi, nihsprhah, who has become free from hankering, thirst;

sarva-kamebhyah, for all desirable objects, seen and unseen; is tada,

then; ucyate, said to be; yuktah, Self-absorbed; yada, when; the

viniyatam, controlled; cittam, mind, the mind that has been made fully

one-pointed by giving up thought of external objects; avatisthate, rests;

atmani eva, in the non-dual Self alone, i.e. he gets established in his own

Self. An illustration in being given for the mind of that yogi which has

become Self-absorbed:

6.19 Yatha, as; a dipah, lamp; nivata-sthah, kept in a windless place; na

ingate, does not flicker; sa upama, such is the simile-that with which

something is compared is an upama (smile)-; smrta, thought of, by the

knowers of Yoga who understand the movements of the mind; yoginah,

for the yogi; yata-citasya, whose mind is under control; and yunjatah,

who is engaged in; yogam, concentration; atmanah, on the Self, i.e. who

is practising Self-absorption. By dint of practising Yoga thus, when the

mind, comparable to a lamp in a windless place, becomes concentrated,

then-

6.20 Yatra, at the time when; cittam, the mind; niruddham, restrained,

entirely prevented from wandering; uparamate, gets withdrawn; yogasevaya,

through the practice of Yoga; ca, and; yatra eva, just when, at

the very moment when; pasyan, by seeing, by experiencing; atmanam,

the Self, which by nature is the supreme light of Consciousness; atmana,

by the self, by the mind purified by concentration; tusyati, one remains

contented, gets delighted; atmani eva, in one's own Self alone-.

[Samadhi is of two kinds, Samprajnata and Asamprajnata. The

concentration called right knowledge (Samprajnata) is that which is

followed by reasoning, discrimination, blisss and unqualified egoism.

Asamprajnata is that which is attained by the constant practice of

cessation of all mental activity, in which the citta retains only the

unmanifested impressions.-Cf. C. W., Vol. I, 1962, pp. 210, 212.

According to A.G. the verses upto 6.20 state in a general way the

characteristics of samadhi. From the present verse to the 25th,

Asamprajnata-samadhi is introduced and defined.-Tr.] Besides,

6.21 Yatra, when, at the time when; vetti, one experiences; tat, that;

atyantikam, absolute-which is verily limitless, i.e. infinite; sukham, Bliss;

yat, which; buddhi-grahyam, can be intuited by the intellect, intuited by

the intellect alone, without the help of the senses; and which is

atindriyam, beyond the senses, i.e. not objective; (-when one

experieneces this kind of Bliss) and sthitah, being established in the

nature of the Self; ayam, this person, the illumined one; eva, surely; na

calati, does not swerve; tattvatah, from that Reality-i.e. does not deviate

from the nature of Reality-. Further,

6.22 Labdhva, obtaining; yam, which-by acquiring which Selfattainment;

na manyate, one does not think; that there is aparam, any

other; labham, acquisition; tatah adhikam, superior to that; and also,

sthitah,being established; yasmin, in which Reality of the Self; na

vicalyate, one is not perturbed; api, even; guruna, by great; duhkhena,

sorrow, as may be caused by being struck with weapons, etc.-. The

yoga that has been spoken of as a particular state of the Self,

distinguished by its characterisics in the verses beginning with 'At the

time when the mind gets withdrawn,' (20) etc.-

6.23 Vidyat, one should know; tat, that; duhkha-samyoga-viyogam,

severance (viyoga) of contact (samyoga) with sorrow (duhkha); to be

verily yoga-sanjnitam, what is called Yoga-i.e. oen should know it

through a negative definition. After concluding the topic of the result of

Yoga, the need for pursuing Yoga is again being spoken of in another

way in order to enjoin 'preservance' and 'freedom from depression' as

the disciplines for Yoga: Sah, that; yogah, Yoga, which has the results

as stated above; yoktavyah, has to be practised; niscayena, with

perservance; and anirvinnacetasa, with an undepressed heart. That

which is not (a) depressed (nirvinnam) is anirvinnam. What is that? The

heart. (One has to practise Yoga) with that heart which is free from

depression. This is the meaning. Again,

6.24 See Commentary under 6.25

6.25 Tyaktva, by eschewing; asesatah, totally, without a trace; sarvan,

all; the kamam, desires; sankalpa-prabhavan, which arise from thoughts;

and further, viniyamya, restraining; manasa eva, with the mind itself, with

the mind endued with discrimination; indriya-gramam, all the organs;

samantatah, from every side; uparamet, one should withdraw, abstain;

sanaih sanaih, gradually, not suddenly;-with what?-buddhya, with the

intellect;- possessed of what distinction?-dhrti-grhitaya, endowed with

steadiness, i.e. with fortitude. Krtva, making manah, the mind; atmasamstham,

fixed in the Self, with the idea, 'The Self alone is all; there is

nothing apart from It'-thus fixing the mind on the Self; na cintayet, one

should not think of; kincit api, anything whatsoever. Thisis the highest

instruction about Yoga.

6.26 In the beginning, the yogi who is thus engaged in making the mind

established in the Self, etat vasamnayet, should bring this (mind) under

the subjugation; atmani eva, of the Self Itself; niyamya, by restraining;

etat. it; tatah tatah, from all those causes whatever, viz sound etc.; yatah

yatah, due to which, doe to whatever objects like sound etc.; the

cancalam, restless, very restless; and therefore asthiram, unsteady;

manah, mind; niscarati, wanders away, goes out due to its inherent

defects. (It should be restrained) by ascertaining through discrimination

those causes to be mere appearances, and with an attitude of

detachment. Thus, through the power of practice of Yoga, the mind of

the yogi merges in the Self Itself.

6.27 Uttamam, supreme, unsurpassable; sukham, Blisss; upaiti, comes;

hi enam yoginam, to this yogi alone; prasanta-manasam, whose mind

has become perfectly tranquil; santa-rejasam, whose (quality of) rajas

has been eliminated, i.e. whose rajas, viz defects such as delusion etc.

['The five klesas, pain-bearing obstructions, are: ignorance, egoism,

attachment, aversion, and clinging to life' (P.Y.Su.2.3).] have been

destroyed; brahma-bhutam, who has become identified with Brahman,

who is free even while living, who has got the certitude that Bramhman is

all; and akalmasam, who is taintless, free from vice etc.

6.28 Sada yunjan, by constantly concentrating; atmanam, his mind;

evam, thus, in the process stated; vigata-kalmasah, the taintles, sinless

yogi, free from the obstacles to Yoga; sukhena, easily; asnute, attains;

atayantam, absolute-that which exists by transcending limits-, supreme,

unsurpassable; sukham, Bliss; of brahma-samsparsam, contact with

Brahman-the Bliss that is in touch [In touch with, i.e. identified with,

homogeneous with, in essential oneness with.] with the supreme

Brahman. Now is being shown that result of Yoga which is the

realization of identity with Brahman and which is the cause of the

extinction of the whole mundane existence . [Liberation is conceived of

in two ways-total cessation of sorrows, and attainment of unsurpassable

Bliss.]

6.29 Yoga-yukta-atma, one who has his mind Self-absorbed through

Yoga, whose mind is merged in samadhi; and sarvatra-sama-darsanah,

who has the vision of sameness everywhere-who has the vision

(darsana) of sameness (sama-tva), the knowledge of identity of the Self

and Brahman everywhere (sarvatra) without exception, in all divergent

objects beginning from Brahma to immovable things; iksate, sees;

atmanam, the Self, his own Self; sarva-bhuta-stham, existing in

everything; and sarva-bhutani, everything from Brahma to a clump of

grass; unified atmani, in his Self. The fruit of this realization of the unity

of the Self is being stated:

6.30 Yah, one who; pasyati, sees; mam, Me, Vasudeva, who am the

Self of all; sarvatra, in all things; ca, and; sees sarvam, all things, all

created things, beginning from Brahma; mayi, in Me who am the Self of

all;-aham, I who am God; na pranasyami, do not go out; tasya,of his

vision-of one who has thus realized the unity of the Self; ca sah, and he

also; na pranasyati, is not lost; me, to My vision. That man of realization

does not get lost to Me, to Vasudeva, because of the indentity between

him and Me, for that which is called one's own Self is surely dear to one,

and since it is I alone who am the seer of the unity of the Self in all.

6.31 This being so, i.e. after reiterating (in the first line of the present

verse) the idea of full realization contained in the previous verse, the

result of that (realization), viz Liberation, is being spoken of (in the

second line): The yogi, the man of full realization; vartate, exists; mayi, in

Me, in the supreme state of Visnu; sarvatha api, in whatever condition;

vartamanah, he may be. He is verily ever-free. The idea is that he is not

obstructed from Liberation by anything. Furthermore,

6.32 Atma-aupamyena: Atma means the self, i.e. oneself. That by which

a comparison is made is an upama. The abstract from of that is

aupamya. Atma-aupamya means a standard as would be applicable to

oneself. O Arjuna, yah, he who; pasyati, judges; sarvatra, in all beings;

samam, by the same standard, in the same manner; atma-aupamyena,

as he would apply to himself-. And what does he view with sameness?

That is being stated: As sukham, happiness, is dear to me, so also is

happiness agreeable to all creatures. Va, and-the word va is (used) in

the sense of and; just as yadi, whatever; duhkham, sorrow is

unfavourable, unwelcome to me, so also is sorrow unwelcome and

unfavourable to all creatures. In this way, he looks upon happiness and

sorrow as pleasant and unpleasant to all bengs, by the same standard

as he would apply to himself. He does not act against anyone. That is ,

he is non-injurious. He who is thus non-injurious and steadfast in full

Illumination, sah, that yogi; paramah matah, is considered as the best

among all the yogis. Noticing that his Yoga-as spoken of and consisting

in full Illumination- is hard to acquire, Arjuna, with a view to hearing the

sure means to its attainment, said:

6.33 O Madhusudana, ayam, this; yogah, Yoga; yah proktah, that has

been spoken of; tvaya, by You; samyena, as sameness; na pasyami, I do

not see, I cannot conceive;-what?-etasya, its; sthiram, steady,

undisturbed; sthitim, continuance; cancalatvat, owing to the

unsteadiness of the mind, which is well known.

6.34 Hi, for, O Krsna-the word krsna is derived from the root krs

[Another derivative meaning may be-'the capacity to draw towards

Himself all glorious things of this and the other world'.], in the sense of

'uprooting'; He is Krsna because He uproots the defects such as sin etc.

of devotees-; manah, the mind; is cancalam, unsteady. Not only is it very

unsteady, it is also pramathi, turbulent. It torments, agitates, the body

and the organs. It brings them under extraneous control. Besides, it is

balavat, strong, not amenable ot anybody's restraint. Again, it is drdham,

obstinate, hard as the (large shark called) Tantu-naga (also known as

Varjuna-pasa). Aham, I; manye, consider; tasya, its-of the mind which is

of this kind; nigrahah, control, restraint; to be (suduskaram, greatly

difficult;) vayoh iva, as of the wind. Control of the wind is difficult. I

consider the control of the mind to be even more difficult than that. This

is the idea. 'This is just as you say.'

6.35 Mahabaho, O mighty-armed one; asamsayam, undoubtedly-there

is no doubt with regard to this; that the manah, mind; is durnigraham,

untractable; and calm, restless. Tu, but; it-the modifications of the mind

in the form of distractions-grhyate, is brought under control; abhyasena,

through practice- abhyasa means repetition of some idea or thought of

the mind one some mental plane ['Some mental plane' suggests some

object of concentration.]-; and vairagyena, through detachment-vairagya

means absence of hankering for enjoyment of desirable things, seen or

unseen, as a result of the practice of discerning their defect. That mind

is thus brought undr control, restrained, i.e. completely subdued. By

him, however, who has not controlled his mind-

6.36 Me, My; matih, conviction; is iti, that; Yoga is dusprapah, difficult

to be attained; asamyata-atmana, by one of uncontrolled mind, by one

who has not controlled his mind, the internal organ, by practice and

detachment. Tu, but, on the other hand; sakyah, Yoga is possible;

avaptum, to be attained; yatata, by one who strives, who repeatedly

makes effort; upayatah, through the means described above; and

vasyatmany, by one of controlled mind, by him whose mind has been

brought under control through practice and detachment. As to that, by

accepting the practice of Yoga, actions leading to the attainment of this

or the next world may be renounced by a yogi, and yet he may not attain

the result of perfection in Yoga, i.e. full Illumination, which is the means

to Liberation. Consequently, at the time of death his mind may waver

from the path of Yoga. Apprehending that he may be thereby ruined.

6.37 O krsna, aprapya, failing to achieve; yoga-sam-siddhim, perfection

in Yoga, the result of Yoga, i.e. full Illumination; kam gatim, what goal;

gacchati, does one attain; who, though upetah sraddhaya, possessed of

faith, belief in God and in the other world; is ayatih, not diligent, devoid

of effort on the path of Yoga; and, at the time of death, too, calitamanasah,

whose mind becomes deflected; yogat, from Yoga, (i.e.)

whose memory has been lost?

6.38 Mahabaho, O Mighty-armed one; ubhaya-vibhrastah, fallen from

both, having fallen from the Path of Action and the Path of Yoga;

apratisthah, without support; vimudhah, deluded-having become

deluded; brahmanah pathi, on the path of Brahman, on the path leading

to Brahman; kaccit na, does he not; nasyati, get ruined; iva, like; a

chinna-abhram, scattered cloud? Or is it that he does not?

6.39 O krsna, arhasi, You should; asesatah, totally; chettum, eradicate,

remove; etat, this; samsayam, doubt; me, of mine. Hi, for; na tvad

anyah, none other than You, be he a sage or a god; upapadyate, can

be; chetta, the despeller, the destroyer; asya, of this; samsayasya,

doubt. Therefore you Yourself should dispel (the doubt). This is the

meaning.

6.40 O Partha, eva vidyate, there is certainly; na vinasah, no ruin; tasya,

for him; iha, here, in this world; or amutra, hereafter, in the other world.

Ruin means a birth inferior to the previous one; that is not there for one

who has fallen from Yoga. Hi, for; na kascit, no one; kalyana-krt,

engaged in good; gacchati, meets with; durgatim, a deplorable end;

tata, My son! A father is called tata because he perpetuates himself

(tanoti) through the son. Since the father himself becomes the son,

therefore the son also is called tata. A disciple is called putra (son). [Sri

krsna addressed Arjuna thus because the latter was his disciple.] But

what happens to him?

6.41 Prapya, attaining, reaching, lokan, the worlds; punya-krtam, of the

righteous, of the performers of the Horse-sacrifice, etc.; and usitva,

residing there, enjoying the stay; for sasvatih, eternal; samah, years;

(then,) when the period of enjoyment is over, the yoga-bhrastah, man

fallen from Yoga, the one who had set out on the path Yoga, i.e. a

monk-as understood from the force of the context [From Arjuna's

question it minght appear that he was asking about the fate of people

who fall from both the paths, viz that of Karma and of Meditation. But

the possibility of getting ruined by performing actios (rites and duties)

according to Vedic instructions does not arise, since their results are

inevitable. However, the question of ruin is relevant in the case of a

monk, for on the one hand he has renounced actions, and on the other

he may fail to attain perfection in Yoga in the present life. Hence, the

Lord's answer relates to the fall and ruin of a monk alone.]; abhijayate, is

born; gehe, in the house; sucinam, of the pious, who perform actions

according to scriptural instructions; and srimatam, who are prosperous.

6.42 Athava, or; bhavati, he is born; kule, in the family; dhimatam, of

wise; yoginam, yogis; eva, only, who are poor-which is different from the

family of the prosperous. Etat janma, such a birth; yat idrsam, as is of

this kind-a birth that is in the family of poor yogis, in a family as

described; is hi, surely; durlabha-taram, more difficult to get, as

compared with the earlier one; loke, in the world. Becuase,

6.43 Tatra, there, in the family of yogis; labhate, tam buddhisamyogam,

he becomes endowed with that wisdom; paurva-dehikam, acquired in

the previous body. And yatate, he strives; bhuyah, more intensely; tatah,

than before, more intensely than that tendency acquired in the previous

birth; samsiddau, for, for the sake of, perfection; kuru-nandana, O scion

of the Kuru dynasty. How does he become endowed with the wisdom

acquired in the previous body? That is being answered:

6.44 Hi, for; tena eva, by that very; purva-abhyasena, past practice-the

powerful habit formed in the past life; hiryate, he, the yogi who had fallen

from Yoga, is carried forward; avasah api, even inspite of himself. If he

had not committed any act which could be characterized as unrigtheous

etc. and more powerful than the tendency created by the practice of

Yoga, then he is carried forward by the tendency created by the practice

of Yoga. If he had committed any unrighteous act which was more

powerful, then, even the tendency born of Yoga gets surely

overpowered. But when that is exhausted, the tendency born of Yoga

begins to take effect by itself. The idea is that it does not get destroyed,

even though it may lie in abeyance over a long period. Jijnasuh api, even

a seeker; yogasya, of Yoga from the force of the context, the person

implied is a monk who had engaged in the path of Yoga with a desire to

known his true nature, but had falled from Yoga-; ;even he, ativartate,

trascends-will free himself from; sabda-brahma, the result of the

performance of Vedic ritual. What to speak of him who after

understanding Yoga, may undertake it with steadfastness! And why is

the state of Yoga higher?

6.45 The yogi, the man of Knowledge; yatamanah, applying himself;

prayatnat, assiduously, i.e. striving more intensely; and as a result,

samsuddha-kilbisah, becoming purified from sin; and aneka-janmasamsiddhah,

attaining perfection through many births- gathering

together tendencies little by little in many births, and attaining perfection

through that totality of impressions acquired in many births; tatah,

thereby coming to have full Illumination; yati, achieves; the param,

highest, most perfect; ;gatim, Goal. Since this is so, therefore.

6.46 A yogi is adhikah, higher; tapasvibhyah, than men of austerity; he

is matah, considered; adhikah, higher than, superior to; api, even;

jnanibhyah, men of knowledge. Jnana here means scriptural learning. (A

yogi is superior) to even those who possess that (learning). The yogi is

adhikah, higher, greater; karmibhyah, than men of action-karma means

Agnihotra etc.; (greater) than those who adhere to them. Since this is so,

tasmat, therefore; O Arjuna, bhava, do you become a yogi.

6.47 Api, even; sarvesam yoginam, among all the yogis, among those

who are immersed in meditation on Rudra, Aditya, and others; yah, he

who; bhajate, adores; mam, Me; antaratmana,with his mind; madgatena,

fixed on Me, concentrated on Me who am Vasudeva; and sraddhavan,

with faith, becoming filled with faith; sah, he; is matah, considered; me,

by Me; to be yukta-tamah, the best of the yogis, engaged in Yoga most

intensely. [It has been shown thus far that Karma-yoga has monasticism

as its ultimate culmination. And in the course of expounding Dhyanayoga

together with its ausxiliaries, and instructing about the means to

control the mind, the Lord rules out the possibility of absolute ruin for a

person fallen from Yoga. He has also stated that steadfastness in

Knowledge is for a man who knows the meaning of the word tvam (thou)

(in 'Thou are That'). All these instructions amount to declaring that

Liberation comes from the knowledge of the great Upanisadic saying,

'Thou art That.']

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 7

RO

7.1 O Partha, mayi asaktamanah, having the mind fixed on Me- one

whose mind (manah) is fixed (asakta) on Me (mayi) who am the supreme

God possessed on the qualification going to be spoken of-. Yogam

yunjan, practising the Yoga of Meditation, concentrating the mind-.

Madasrayah, taking refuge in Me-one to whom I Myself, the supreme

Lord, am the refuge (asraya) is madasrayah-. Anyone who hankers after

some human objective resorts to some rite such as the Agnihotra etc.,

austerity or charity, which is the means to its attainment. This yogi,

however, accepts only Me as his refuge; rejecting any other means, he

keeps his mind fixed on Me alone. Srnu, hear; tat, that, which is being

spoken of by Me; as to yatha, how, the process by which; you who,

having become thus, jnasyasi, will know; mam, Me; asamsayam, with

certainty, without doubt, that the Lord is such indeed; and samagram, in

fullness, possessed of such qualities as greatness, strength, power,

majesty, etc. [Strength-physical; power-mental; etc. refers to

omniscience and will.] in their fullness.

7.2 Aham, I; vaksyami, shall tell; te, you; asesatah, in detail, fully; of that

(Knowledge) about Myself, which is idam, this; jnanam, Knowlege; which

is savijnanam, combined with realization, associated with personal

enlightenment; yat jnatva, after experiencing which Knowledge;

avasisyate, there remains; na anyat, nothing else, anything that can be a

means to human ends; jnatavyam, to be known; bhuyah, again; iha,

here. (In this way) the Lord praises that Knowledge which is intended to

be spoken, in order ot draw the attention of the hearer. Thus, 'he who

knows Me in reality becomes omniscient.' This is the idea. Therefore

Knowledge is difficult to attain because of its superexcellent result. How

so? This is being answered:

7.3 Sahasresu manusyanam, among thousands, among a multitude of

men; kascit, a rare one; yatati, endeavours; siddhaye, for perfection. [For

perfection: for the rise of Knowledge through the purification of the

mind.] Siddhanam api, even of the perfected one; yatatam, who are

diligent-they (those diligent ones themselves) being (considered to be)

verily perfect because they are striving for Liberation; of them-; kascit,

one perchance, indeed; vetti, knows; mam, Me; tattvatah, in truth.

Having drawn the attention of the hearer by arousing interest, the Lord

says:

7.4 Iyam, this; prakrtih, Prakrti, [Prakrti here does not mean the

Pradhana of the Sankhyas.] the divine power called Maya; me, of Mine,

as described; bhinna, is divided; astadha, eight-forl; iti, thus: bhumih,

earth-not the gross earth but the subtle element called earth, this being

understood from the statement, 'Prakrti (of Mine) is divided eight-fold'.

Similarly, the subtle elements alone are referred to even by the words

water etc. Apah, water; analah, fire; vayuh, air; kham, space; manah,

mind. By 'mind' is meant its source, egoism. By buddhih, intellect, is

meant the principle called mahat [Mahat means Hiranyagarbha, or

Cosmic Intelligence.] which is the source of egoism. By ahankarah,

egoism, is meant the Unmanifest, associated [Associated, i.e. of the

nature of.] with (Cosmic) ignorance. As food mixed with position is called

poison, similarly the Unmainfest, which is the primordial Cause, is called

egoism since it is imbued with the impressions resulting from egoism;

and egoism is the impelling force (of all). It is indeed seen in the world

that egoism is the impelling cause behind all endeavour.

7.5 O mighty-armed one, iyam, this; is apara, the inferior (Prakrti)-not

the higher, (but)-the impure, the source of evil and having the nature of

worldly bondage. Viddhi, know; anyam, the other, pure; prakrtim, Prakrti;

me, of Mine, which is essentially Myself; which, tu, however;is param,

higher, more exalted; itah, than this (Prakrti) already spoken of; Jivabhutam,

which has taken the form of the individual souls, which is

characterized as 'the Knower of the body (field)', and which is the cause

of sustenance of life; and yaya, by which Prakriti; idam, this; jagat, world;

dharyate, is upheld, by permeating it.

7.6 Upadharaya, understand; iti, thus; that sarvani, all; bhutani, things;

etat-yonini, have these (etat) as their source (yoni)-things that have these

lower and higher Prakrtis, charcterized as the 'field' and the 'Knower of

the field (body)', as their source are etat-yonini. Since My two Prakrtis

are the source, the cause of all things, therefore, aham, I; am the

prabhavah, origin; tatha, as also; the pralayah, end, the termination;

krtsnasya, of the whole; jagatah, Universe. The maning is this: I, who am

the ominscient God, am the source of the Univese through My two

Prakrtis. Since this is so, therefore-

7.7 O Dhananjaya, asti, there is; na anyat kincit, nothing else

whatsoever, no other cause; parataram, higher; mattah, than Me, the

supreme God; i.e. I Myself am the source of the world. Since this is so,

therefore, sarvam, all; idam, this, all things, the Universe; protam,is

strung, woven, connected, i.e. transfixed; mayi, on Me, the supreme

God; like cloth in the warp, [Like cloth formed by threads constituting its

warp and woof.] and iva, like; maniganah, peals; sutre,on a string. 'What

qualities are You endowed with, by virtue of which all this is strung on

You? This is being answered:

7.8 Kaunteya, O son of Kunti, aham, I; am rasah, the taste, which is the

essence of water. The idea is that water is depedent on Me who am its

essence. This is how it is to be understood in every case. Just as I am

the essence of water, similarly, asmi, I am; the prabha, effulgence; sasisuryayoh,

of the moon and the sun; pranavah, (the letter) Om; sarvavedesu,

in all the Vedas. All the Vedas are established on Me who am

that Om. So also (I am) sabdah, the sound; khe, in space, as the

essence. Space is established on Me who am that (sound). In the same

way, nrsu, in men; (I am) paurusam, manhood- the quality of being man,

from which arises the idea of manhood. Men are established on Me who

am such.

7.9 I am also the punyah, sweet; gandhah, fragrance; prthivyam, in the

earth. The earth is dependent on Me who am its fragrance. The natural

sweetness of smell in the earth is cited by way of suggesting sweetness

of taste of water etc. as well. But foulness of smell etc. is due to contact

with particular things, resulting from nescience, unholiness, etc. of

worldly people. Ca, and ; asmi, I am; the tejah, brilliance; vibhavasau, in

fire; so also (I am) the jivanam, life-that by which all creatures live; sarvabhutesu,

in all beings. And I am the tapah, austerity; tapasvisu, of

ascetics. Ascetics are established in Me who am that austerity.

7.10 O Partha, viddhi, know, mam, Me; to be the sanatanam, eternal;

bijam, seed, the source of growth; sarva-bhutanam, of all beings.

Besides, I am the buddhih, intellect, the power of discrimination of the

mind; buddhimatam, of the intelligent, of people having the power of

discrimination. I am the tejah, courage; tejasvinam, of the courageous, of

those possessed of that.

7.11 I am the balam, strength, ability, virility; balavatam, of the strong.

That strength, again, is kama-raga-vivarjitam, devoid of passion and

attachment. Kamah is passion, hankering for things not at hand. Ragah

is attachment, fondness for things acquired. I am the strength that is

devoid of them and is necessary merely for the maintenance of the body

etc., but not that strength of the worldly which causes hankering and

attachment. Further, bhutesu, among creatures; I am that kamah,

desire-such desires as for eating, drinking, etc. which are for the mere

maintenance of the body and so on; which is dharma-aviruddhah, not

contrary to righteousness, not opposed to scriptural injunctions;

bharatarsabha, O scion of the Bharata dynasty. Moreover,

7.12 Ye bhavah, those things; sattvikah eva, that indeed are made of

(the quality of) sattva; and ye rajasah, those that are made (of the quality)

of rajas; and tamasah, those that are made of (the quality of) tamaswhatever

things are made (of sattva, rajas and tamas) according to the

creatures's own actions: viddhi, know; tan, them, all without exception;

mattah eva iti, to have sprung from Me alone when they come into

being. Although they originate from Me, still, tu, however; aham, I; am na

tesu, not in them-I am not subject to them, not under their control, as

are the transmigrating bengs. Te, they, again; mayi, are in Me, subject to

Me, under My control. [For sattva, rajas, and tamas see note under 2.45

as also Chapters 14, 17 and 18.-Tr.] 'The world does not know Me, the

supreme Lord, even though I am of this kind, and am eternal, pure,

intelligent and free by nature, [See note on p.4.-Tr.] the Self of all beings,

free from all qualities, the cause of burning away the seed of the evil of

transmigration!'-in this way the Lord expresses regret. And what is the

source of that ignorance in the world? That is being stated:

7.13 Sarvam, all; idam, this; jagat, world, the aggregate of creatures;

mohitam, deluded as it is-made to have indiscrimination; ebhih, by

these; aforesaid tribhih, three; bhavaih, things, in the forms of

attachment, repulsion, delusion, etc; and gunamayaih, made of the

gunas, of the transformations of the gunas; na abhijanati, does not

know; mam, Me; who am param, transcendental to, distinct, different;

ebhyah, from these gunas as referred to above; and am avyayam,

undecaying, i.e. free from all (the six kinds of) changes in things, viz birth

etc. [See note on p.38.-Tr.] How, again, do they cross over this divine

Maya of Visnu, constituted by the three gunas? That is being stated:

7.14 Hi, since; esa, this, aforesaid; daivi, divine; Maya mama, of Mine, of

God, of Visnu, which (Maya) is My own; and which is guna-mayi,

constituted by the gunas; is duratyaya, difficult to cross over; therefore,

this being so, ye, those who; wholeheartedly prapadyante, take refuge;

mam eva, in Me alone, in Me who am the Master of Maya and who am

their own Self, by giving up all forms of rites and duties; te, they; taranti,

cross over; etam, this; mayam, Maya, which deludes all beings. That is

to say, they become freed from the bondage of the world. 'If it is that

those who resort to You cross over this Maya, why then do not all take

refuge in You alone?' This is being answered:

7.15 Mudhah, the foolish; duskrtinah, evildoers, sinners; who are naraadhamah,

the most depraved among men; who are also apa-hrtajnanah,

deprived of, despoiled of (their) wisdom; mayaya, by Maya; and

asritah, who resort to; asuram bhavam, demoniacal, ways, such as

cruelty, untruthfulness, etc.; na, do not; prapadyante, take refuge; man,

in Me, the supreme God.

7.16 Again, O Arjuna, foremost of the Bharata dynasty, caturvidhah,

four classes; of janah, people; who are eminent among human beings

and are pious in actions, and are sukrtinah, of virtuous deeds; bhajante,

adore; mam, Me; artah, the afflicted-one who is overcome by sorrow,

who is in distress, ['One who, being in distress and seeking to be saved

from it, takes refuge (in Me).'] being over-whelmed by thieves, tigers,

disease, etc.; jijnasuh, the seeker of Knowledge, who wants to know the

reality of the Lord; artharthi, the seeker of wealth; and jnani, the man of

Knowledge, [i.e. one who, already having intellectual knowledge, aspires

for Liberation.] who knows the reality of Visnu.

7.17 Tesam, of them, among the four; jnani, the man of Knowledge, the

knower of Reality, is nitya-yuktah, endowed with constant steadfastness

as a result of being a knower of Reality; and he also becomes ekabhaktih,

endowed with one-pointed devotion, because he finds no one

else whom he can adore. Consequently, that person of one-pointed

devotion visisyate, excels, becomes superior, i.e. he surpasses (the

others). Hi, since; I, the Self, am priyah, dear; jnaninah, to the man of

Knowledge; therefore aham, I; am atyartham, very much; priyah, dear to

him. It is indeed a well known fact in the world that the Self is dear. The

meaning, therefore, is that Vasudeva, being the Self of the man of

Knowledge, is dear to him. And sah, he, the man of Knowledge, being

the very Self of Me who am Vasudeva; is very much priyah, dear; mama,

to Me. 'If that be so, then the other three-the afflicted and the othersare

not dear to Vasudeva?' 'This is not so!' 'What then?'

7.18 Sarve, ete, all of these three, without exception; are eva, indeed,

udarah, noble, i.e.; they are verily dear to Me. For, no devotee of Mine

can become disagreeable to Me who am Vasudeva. But the man of

Knowledge becomes very much dear. This is the difference. Why is this

so? In answer the Lord says: Tu but; jnani, the man of Knowledge; is

atma eva, the very Self, not different from Me. This is me, My; matam,

opinion, conviction. Hi, for; yuktatma, with a steadfast mind-having his

mind absorbed in the idea, 'I am verily Vasudeva, the Lord, and none

else', that man of Knowledge asthitah, is set on the path leading to, he is

engaged in ascending to, going to; mam eva, Me alone, to the supreme

Brahman; who am the anuttamam gatim, super-excellent Goal to be

reached. The man of Knowledge is being eulogized again:

7.19 Ante, at the end, after the completion; bahunam, of many;

janmanam, births, which becme the repository for accumulating [Ast.

omits this word.-Tr.] the tendencies leading to Knowledge; jnanavan, the

man of Knowledge, who has got hiis Knowledge matured; directly

prapadyate, attains; mam, Me, Vasudeva, who am the inmost Self;

(realizing)-in what way?-iti, that; Vasudeva is sarvam, all. Sah, such a

one, who realizes Me [Here Ast. adds the word Narayana.-Tr.] thus as

the Self of all; is mahatma, a high-souled one. There is none else who

can equal or excel him. Therefore he is su-durlabhah, very rare among

thousands of men, as it has been said (in verse 3). The reason why one

does not realize that all this is verily Vasudeva, the Self, is being stated:

7.20 People, hrta-jnanah, deprived of their wisdom, deprived of their

discriminating knowledge; taih taih kamaih, by desires for various

objects, such as progeny, cattle, heaven, etc.; and niyatah, guided,

compelled; svaya prakrtya, by their own nature, by particular tendencies

gathered in the past lives; prapadyante, resort; anya-devatah, to other

deities, who are different from Vasudeva, the Self; asthaya, following

taking the help of; tam tam niyamam,the relevant methods-those

processes that are well known for the adoration of the concerned

deities.

7.21 Yam yam, whichever; tanum, form of a deity; yah, any covetous

person- among these people with desires; who, being endowed

sraddhaya, with faith; and being a bhaktah, devotee; icchati, wants;

arcitum, to worship; tam eva, that very; acalam, firm, steady; sraddham,

faith; tasya, of his, of that particular covetous person-that very faith with

which he desires to worship whatever form of a deity, in which (worship)

he was earlier engaged under the impulsion of his own nature-; [Ast.

takes the portion 'svabhavatah yo yam devata-tanum sraddhaya arcitum

icchati' with the next verse.-Tr.] vidadhami, I strengthen.

7.22 Yuktah,being endued; taya, with that; sraddhaya, faith, as granted

by Me; sah, that person; ihate, engages in; radhanam, i.e. aradhanam,

worshipping; tasyah, that form of the deity. And labhate, he gets; tan hi,

those very; kaman, desired results; tatah, there-from, from that form of

the deity which was worshipped; as vihitan, they are dispensed, meted

out; maya eva, by Me alone, who am the omniscient, supreme God,

because I am possessed of the knowledge of the apportionment of the

results of actions. The meaning his that he surely gets those desired

results since they are ordained by God. If the reading be hitan (instead

of hi tan), then the beneficence (-hita means beneficent-) of the desired

result should be interpreted in a figurative sense, for desires cannot be

beneficial to anyone!

7.23 Since those non-discriminating men with desires are engaged in

disciplines for limited results, therefore, tat phalam, that result; tesam, of

theirs; alpamedhasam, who are of poor intellect, of poor wisdom;

antavat tu bhavati, is limited, ephemeral, indeed. Deva-yajah, the

worshippers of gods; yanti, go; devan, to the gods. Madbhaktah, My

devotees; yanti, to; mam api, to Me alone. 'Thus, though the effort

needed is the same, they do not resort to me alone for the unlimited

result. Alas! they are surely in a pitiable condition.' In this manner the

Lord expresses his compassion. 'Why do they not take refuge in Me

alone?' The answer is:

7.24 Abuddhayah, the unintelligent, the non-discriminating ones;

ajanantah, unaware; mama, of My; param, supreme; bhavam, state, My

reality as the supreme Self; which is avyayam, immutable, undecaying;

and anuttanam, unsurpassable; manyante, think; mam, of Me; as

avyaktam, the unmanifest, the invisible; apannam, that has become;

vyaktim, manifest, visible, at present [At present, after being embodied

as an Incarnation.]-though I am the ever well-known God. They think so

because they are unaware of My reality. This is the idea. What is the

reason for their ignorance? This is being stated:

7.25 Yoga-maya-samavrtah, being enveloped by yoga-maya-Yoga

means the combination, the coming together, of the (three) gunas; that

(combination) is itself maya, yoga-maya; being enveloped, i.e. veiled, by

that yoga-maya; aham, I; na prakasah, do not become manifest;

sarvasya, to all, to the world. The idea is that I become manifest only to

some devotees of Mine. For this very reason, ayam, this; mudhah,

deluded; lokah, world; na abhijanati, does not know; mam, Me; who am

ajam, birthless; and avyayam, undecaying. [In verse 13 the reason for the

non-realization of the supreme, unqualified Brahman was stated. The

present verse states the reason for the non-realization of the qualified

Brahman.] 'That yoga-maya, because of My being covered by which the

world does not know Me- that yoga-maya, since it belongs to Me, does

not obstruct the knowlege of Me who am God, the possessor of maya,

just as the magic of any other magician does not cover his knowledge.'

Since this is so, therefore7.26

O Arjuna, aham, I, however; veda, know; samatitani, the past

beings; and vartamanani, the present. I know ca, also; bhavisyani, the

future; bhutani, beings. Tu, but; na kascana, no one; veda, knows; mam,

Me. Except the one person who is My devotee and has taken refuge in

Me, no one adores Me, jus because he does not know My reality.

'What, again,is the obstruction to knowing Your reality, being prevented

by which the creatures that are born do not know You?' In anticipation

of such a question, the Lord says this:

7.27 Iccha-dvesa-samutthena, by what arises from likes and dislikes:

iccha, likes, and dvesa, dislikes, are iccha-dvesau; anything arising from

them is icchadvesa-samutthah. (Creatures are duluded) by that. By

what? When that is thus sought to be known in particular, the Lord

answers: dvandva-mohena, by the delusion of duality. Delusion (moha)

that originates from duality (advandva) is dvandva-moha. Those very

likes and dislikes, which are mutually opposed like heat and cold, which

relate to happiness and sorrow and their causes, and which come into

association with all beings in due course, are termed as duality (and this

deludes all creatures). As regards them, when likes and dislikes arise

from the experience of happiness, sorrow and their causes, then, by

bringing the wisdom of all beings under their control, they create

bewilderment which is the cause of the impediment to the rise of

knowledg about the reality of Self, the suprem Truth. Indeed, exact

knowledg about objects even in the external world does not arise in one

whose mind is overpowered by the defects, viz likes and dislikes. It goes

without saying that knowledge of the indwelling Self, beset with many

obstacles as it is, does not arise in a completely bewildered person

whose intelligence has been overcome by them. Therefore, bharata, O

scion of the Bharata dynasty; owing to that delusion of duality arising

from likes and dislikes, sarvabhutani, all creatures become deluded.

Parantapa, O destroyer of foes; they yanti sammoham, become

bewildered, come under delusion; sarge, at the time of their birth, i.e. at

the time of their origination. The idea is that all creatures that come into

being do so prepossessed by delusion. 'Since this is so, therefore all

creatures, being deluded and having their wisdom obstructed by that

delusion of duality, do not know Me who am their Self. Hence, they do

not adore Me as their Self.' 'Who, again, are those that, becoming free

from the delusion of duality, come to know You, and adore You as the

Self in accordance with the scriptures?' In order to elaborate the subject

enquired about, it is being said:

7.28 Yesam jananam, those persons; tu, on the other hand; punyakarmanam,

who are of virtuous deeds, in whom exist virtuous deeds that

are the cause of purification of the mind; whose papam, sin; antagatam,

has come to an end, is almost eradicated, attenuated; te, they; dvandvamoha-

nirmuktah, being free from the delusion of duality as described;

and drdhavratah, firm in their convictions-those who [Here Ast. adds,

'sarva-parityaga-vratena, through the vow of relinquishing everything'.-

Tr.] have the firm knowledge that the supreme Reality is such alone and

not otherwise are called drdhavratah-; bhajante, adore; mam, Me, the

supreme Self. Why do they worship? This is being answered:

7.29 Ye, those who; yatanti, strive; asritya, by resorting; mam, to Me,

the supreme God, by having their minds absorbed in Me; jara-maranamoksaya,

for becoming free from old age and death; te, they; viduh,

know; tat, that; brahma, Brahman, which is the Supreme; they know

krtsnam, everything; about adhyatmam, the individual Self, that

indwelling intity; ca, and; they know akhiliam, all; about karma, actions.

7.30 Ye, those who; viduh, know; mam, Me; sa-adhi-bhuta-adhidaivam,

as existing in the physical and the divine planes; ca, and also; saadhiyajnam,

as existing in the context of the sacrifice; te, they; yuktacetasah,

of concentrated minds-those who have their minds absorbed in

God; viduh, know; mam, Me; api ca, even; prayanakale, at the time of

death. [For those who are devoted to God, there is not only the

knowledge of Brahman as identified with all individuals and all actions

(see previous verse), but also the knowledge of It as existing in all things

on the physical, the divine and the sacrificial planes. Those who realize

Brhaman as existing in the context of all the five, viz of the individual, of

actions, of the physical,of the divine, and of the sacrifices-for them with

such a realization there is no forgetting, loss of awareness, of Brahman

even at the critical moment of death.]

BHAGAVADGITA

English translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary - Swami

Gambhirananda

Chapter 8

RO

8.1 See Commentary under 8.2.

8.2 In order to settle these questions seriatim -

8.3 Aksaram means that which does not perish (na ksarati), the

supreme Self. This agrees with the Upanisadic text, 'Under the mighty

rule of this Immutable, O Gargi...' (Br. 3.8.9). And (the letter) Om is not

accept here [as the meaning of aksara (lit. letter)], because of its being

mentioned (as a letter) later on in, 'The single letter Om, which is

Brahman' (13). Besides, the adjective 'supreme' is more apporpriate with

regard to the absolute, immutable Brahman. By svabhava, self-hood, is

meant the eixtence of that very supreme Brahman in every body as the

indwelling Self. Svabhavah ucyate, self-hood is said to be, is referred to

by the word; adhyatmam, the entity which, as the indwelling Self, exists

in the body (atma) by making it its habitat (adhikrtya), and which in the

ultimate analysis is the supreme Brahman. Visargah, the offerings, the

giving away to gods of things like porridge [Caru: An oblations of rice,

barley and pulse boiled-together to be offered to gods.], cake, etc.;

bhuta-bhava-udbhava-karah, which bring about the origin of the

existence of things; is karma-sanjnitah, meant by action. This sacrifice

consisting in pouring of oblations is called action. The existence (bhava)

of (moving and nonmoving) things (bhuta) is bhuta-bhava. The coming

into being (udbhava) of that (existence) is bhuta-bhava-udbhavah. That

which causes (karoti) this is bhuta-bhava-udbhava-karah, i.e. the

originator of existing things. It is needed from this source that all bengs,

moving and non-moving, originate thorugh the successive processes of

railfall etc. (see 3.14-15).

8.4 Adhibhutam, that which exists in the physical plane, i.e. that which

exists by comprising all creatures;-what is it?-it consists of the ksarah