Jñāna Karma Sannyāsa Yoga

श्रीभगवानुवाच। इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave.abravīt

This everlasting (system of) devotion I declared to the sun, the sun declared it to Manu , and Manu communicated it to Ikṣvāku. Coming thus by steps

एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥

evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa

it became known to royal sages. But O terror of (your) foes! that devotion was lost to the world by long (lapse of) time. That same primeval devotion I have declared to you to-day

स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥

sa evāyaṃ mayā te.adya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ bhakto.asi me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam

seeing. that you are my devotee and friend for it is the highest mystery.

अर्जुन उवाच। अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥

arjuna uvāca aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti

Later is your birth the birth of the sun is prior. How then shall I understand that you declared (this) first?

श्रीभगवानुवाच। बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa

I have passed through many births, O Arjuna I and you also. I know them all, but you, O terror of (your) foes! do not know them.

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥

ajo.api sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro.api san prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā

Even though I am unborn and inexhaustible in (my) essence even though I am lord of all beings still I take up the control of my own nature and am born by means of my delusive power.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham

Whensoever, O descendant of Bharata! piety languishes, and impiety is in the ascendant, I create myself.

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge

I am born age after age, for the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, and the establishment of piety.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥

janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so.arjuna

Whoever truly knows thus my divine birth and work, casts off (this) body and is not born again. He comes to me O Arjuna! Many from whom affection

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥

vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ

fear

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥

ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

and wrath have departed who are full of me who depend on me and who are purified by the penance of knowledge have come into my essence. I serve men in the way in which they approach me. In every way, O son of Pṛthā! men follow in my path.

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā

Desiring the success of actions, men in this world worship the divinities, for in this world of mortals, the success produced by action is soon obtained.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥

cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam

The fourfold division of castes was created by me according to the apportionment of qualities and duties. But though I am its author know me to be inexhaustible and not the author.

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥

na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā iti māṃ yo.abhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate

Actions defile me not. I have no attachment to the fruit of actions. He who knows me thus is not tied down by actions.

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥

evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam

Knowing this, the men of old who wished for final emancipation, performed action.

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥

kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo.apyatra mohitāḥ tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase.aśubhāt

Therefore do you, too, perform action as was done by men of old in olden times. Even sages are confused as to what is action, what inaction. Therefore I will speak to you about action, and learning that, you will be freed from (this world of) evil. One must possess knowledge about action

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥

karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ

one must also possess knowledge about prohibited action and again one must possess knowledge about inaction. The truth regarding action is abstruse.

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt

He is wise among men, he is possessed of devotion, and performs all actions, who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction.

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ

The wise call him learned, whose acts are all free from desires and fancies, and whose actions are burnt down by the fire of knowledge.

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ karmaṇyabhipravṛtto.api naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ

Forsaking all attachment to the fruit of action, always contented, dependent on none, he does nothing at all, though he engages in action.

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥

nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam

Devoid of expectations, restraining the mind and the self, and casting off all belongings, he incurs no sin, performing actions merely for the sake of the body.

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥

yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate

Satisfied with earnings coming spontaneously rising above the pairs of opposites free from all animosity and equable on success or ill-success he is not fettered down even though he performs (actions).

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate

The acts of one who is devoid of attachment who is free whose mind is fixed on knowledge and who performs action for (the purpose of) the sacrifice are all destroyed.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā

Brahman is the oblation with Brahman (as a sacrificial instrument) it is offered up Brahman is in the fire and by Brahman it is thrown

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते। ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥

daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati

and Brahman, too, is the goal to which he proceeds who meditates on Brahman in the action. Some devotees perform the sacrifice to the gods, some offer up the sacrifice by the sacrifice itself in the fire of Brahman.

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति। शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥

śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati

Others offer up the senses, such as the sense of hearing and others, in the fires of restraint others offer up the objects of sense, such as sound and so forth, into the fires of the senses.

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे। आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥

sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite

Some again offer up all the operations of the senses and the operations of the life-breaths into the fire of devotion by self-restraint, kindled by knowledge. Others perform the sacrifice of wealth the sacrifice of penance the sacrifice of concentration of mind

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥

dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ

the sacrifice of Vedic study and of knowledge and others are ascetics of rigid vows.

अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे। प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥

apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe.apānaṃ tathāpare prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ

Some offer up the upward life-breath into the downward life-breath and the downward life-breath into the upper life-breath and stopping up the motions of the upward and downward life-breaths devote themselves to the restraint of the life-breaths.

अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति। सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥

apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati sarve.apyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ

Others, who (take) limited food, offer up the life-breaths into the life-breaths. All of these, conversant with the sacrifice, have their sins destroyed by the sacrifice.

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्। नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥

yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam nāyaṃ loko.astyayajñasya kuto.anyaḥ kurusattama

Those who eat the nectar-like leavings of the sacrifice repair to the eternal Brahman. This world is not for those who perform no sacrifice, whence (then) the other, O best of the Kauravas!

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे। कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase

Thus sacrifices of various sorts are laid down in the Vedas . Know them all to be produced from action, and knowing this you will be released (from the fetters of this world). The sacrifice of knowledge O terror of (your) foes! is superior to the sacrifice of wealth for action

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप। सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥

śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate

O son of Pṛthā! is wholly and entirely comprehended in knowledge. That you should learn by salutation question

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥

tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ

and service. The men of knowledge who perceive the truth will teach knowledge to you.

यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव। येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि (var अशेषाणि) ॥

yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava yena bhūtānyaśeṣāṇi drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi

Having learnt that, O son of Pāṇḍu! you will not again fall thus into delusion and by means of it, you will see all beings, without exception, first in yourself, and then in me.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः। सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥

api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi

Even if you are the most sinful of all sinful men

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥

yathaidhāṃsi samiddho.agnirbhasmasātkurute.arjuna jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā

you will cross over all trespasses by means of the boat of knowledge alone. As a fire well kindled O Arjuna! reduces fuel to ashes

न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते। तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥

na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati

so the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes. For there is in this world no means of sanctification like knowledge and that one perfected by devotion finds within one's self in time.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः। ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥

śraddhāvā.Nllabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati

He who has faith, whose senses are restrained, and who is assiduous, obtains knowledge. Obtaining knowledge, he acquires, without delay, the highest tranquillity.

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥

ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati nāyaṃ loko.asti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ

He who is ignorant and devoid of faith, and whose self is full of misgivings, is ruined. Not this world, not the next, nor happiness, is for him whose self is full of misgivings.

योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥

yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañchinnasaṃśayam ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya

Actions, O Dhanañjaya ! do not fetter one who is self-possessed, who has renounced action by devotion, and who has destroyed misgivings by knowledge.

तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥

tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata

Therefore, O descendant of Bharata! destroy, with the sword of knowledge, these misgivings of yours which fill your mind, and which are produced from ignorance. Engage in devotion. Arise!