Chapter
18 - The Yoga of Liberation by
Renunciation
Arjun
said:
O
Mighty-armed, O inner-controller of all, O
Slayer of Kesi, I desire to know severally
the true nature of Renunciation (Sannyas)
(Samkhya Yoga) and of relinquishment or
abandonment (Tyag) (Karma Yoga). (18.01)
The
Blessed Sri Krsn said:
The
wise understand by renunciation (sannyas)
- the giving up of all actions prompted by
desire; the learned declare the
abandonment of the fruits of all actions
as relinquishment (tyag). Some
philosophers declare that actions should
be given up as evil, while others say that
acts of sacrifice, gift and penance are
not to be given up. (18.02 - 03)
Hear
from Me the conclusion or the final truth
about relinquishment, O best of the
Bharats (Arjun); relinquishment, O best of
men, has been declared as three fold.
(18.04)
Acts
of sacrifice, gift and penance are not to
be relinquished but should be performed;
for sacrifice, gift and penance are
purifiers of the wise. (18.05)
But
even these actions should be performed,
giving up attachment and desire for
fruits. This O Parth, is My decided and
best view. (18.06)
Verily
the renunciation of any duty that ought to
be done is not proper. Its abandonment
through delusion (ignorance) is declared
to be Tamasic (of the mode of ignorance).
(18.07)
He
who abandons action because it is painful
or from fear of physical suffering, does
not gain the reward of relinquishment by
practicing Rajasic such relinquishment.
(18.08)
But
he who performs a prescribed duty
(obligatory duty), O Arjun, because it
ought to be done, abandoning attachment
and also the desire for fruit, that
relinquishment is regarded as Sattavic
(good). (18.09)
The
wise man, who renounces, whose doubts are
dispelled, who is situated in the mode of
goodness, has no aversion to a
disagreeable action and no attachment to
an agreeable one. (18.10)
It
is indeed impossible for any embodied
being to abandon actions entirely. But he
who relinquishes the fruits of action is
verily called a relinquisher. (18.11)
Pleasant,
unpleasant and mixed - three fold is the
fruit of action accruing after death to
those who have not relinquished the fruit,
but there is none whatever for those who
have relinquished the fruit. (18.12)
O
mighty armed Arjun, learn from Me, these
five factors for the accomplishment of all
actions, as stated in the Samkhya
doctrine. (18.13)
The
seat of action (body), the doer (agent),
the instruments of various sorts (various
senses), many kinds of efforts and
providence (destiny) (impression) being
the fifth. (18.14)
Whatever action a man performs with his
body, speech and mind, whether it is right
or wrong, these five are its factor.
(18.15)
Such
being the case; the man of perverse mind,
who, on account of impure (untrained)
understanding, looks upon his self as the
doer, does not sees at all. (18.16)
He
who is free from the egoistic notion,
whose intellect is not tainted, though he
slays these people, he slays not, nor is
he bound (by actions). (18.17)
Knowledge,
the knowable and the knower; form the
three fold incitement (incentive) to
action; and the instrument, the action and
the agent (doer) are three fold
constituents (basis) of action. (18.18)
Knowledge),
the Karma (or action), and the Karta (or
agent) are declared, in the science of
modes, (Samkhya Philosophy) to be the
three kinds only, according to difference
in the modes. Hear thou duty of these
also. (18.19)
The
knowledge by which one sees the
Imperishable Being (Reality) in all
Beings, undivided in the divided (not
separated in all the separate beings) know
that knowledge to be Sattvic (of
goodness). (18.20)
The
knowledge by which one sees manifold
entities of different kinds as varying
from one another, know that knowledge to
be Rajasic (of the nature of passion).
(18.21)
But
that which clings to one single effect as
if the whole, which is without reason,
without foundation in truth and is
trivial, is declared to be Tamasic (of the
mode of ignorance). (18.22)
An
action which is ordained by the
scriptures, which is performed without
attachment, without love hate by one who
seeks no reward, that is said to Sattavic
(of the nature of goodness). (18.23)
But
by action which is performed with great
strain by one who seeks to gratify his
desires or is impelled by self-sense
(egoism) that is declared be to be Rajasic
(Passionate). (18.24)
The
action which is undertaken from delusion;
without regard to consequences or to loss,
injury and one's own capacity, is declared
to be tamasic. (18.25)
The
doer who is free from attachment, who is
non-egoistic, who is enndowed with
firmness and zeal and who is unaffected by
success and failure, is called Sattvic (of
the nature ofgoodness). (18.26)
The
doer who is passionate, who eagerly seeks
the fruit of actions, who is greedy,
oppressive by nature, impure, who is moved
by joy and sorrow. such an agent is said
to be Rajasic (passionate). (18.27)
The
doer who is unsteady, (unbalanced) vulgar,
arrogant, deceitful, malicious, indolent,
despondent and procrastinating, he is said
to be Tamasic (of the mode of ignorance).
(18.28)
Hear
now the threefold distinction of
understanding and also of firmness, O
winner of wealth (Arjun) according to the
modes, as I declare them fully and
distinctly. (18.29)
The
intellect which knows the path of work and
renunciation, what ought to be done and
what ought not to be done, fear and
fearlessness, bondage and liberation -
that intellect is Sattvic (of the nature
of goodness), O Parth (Arjun). (18.30)
The
intellect by which one wrongly understands
Dharm (the right) and Adharm (the wrong),
what ought to be done and what ought not
to be done, is Rajasic (passionate).
(18.31)
That
which enveloped in darkness, conceives as
right what is wrong and sees all things
perverted (contrary tot he truth), that
intellect, O Parth (Arjun) is Tamasic (of
the nature of ignorance). (18.32)
The
unwavering firmness by which, through
yoga, one controls the activities of the
mind, the life breaths and the senses,
that is Sattvic firmness (firmness of the
nature of goodness). (18.33)
That,
O Parth (Arjun), by which on account of
attachment and desire for reward, one
holds fast to Dharm (duty), pleasure and
wealth, that firmness is Rajasic of the
nature of passion). (18.34)
That,
by which a fool does not give up sleep,
fear, grief, depression (despair) and
conceit (arrogance) that firmness, O
Arjun, is Tamasic (of the nature of
ignorance). (18.35)
And
now hear from Me, O Arjun, the threefold
happiness, in which one rejoices by
practice and surely comes to the end of
pain. That happiness which is like poison
at first by like nectar at the end, which
springs from a clear understanding of the
self to be Sattvic (of the nature of
goodness). (18.36 - 37)
The
happiness which is derived from the
contact of the sense with their objects
and which is like nectar at first but like
poison at the end such happiness is said
to be passionate. (18.38)
That
happens which deludes the soul both at the
beginning and at the end and which arises
from sleep, indolence and heedlessness, is
declared to be Tamasic (of the nature of
ignorance). (18.39)
There
is no being on earth or again among the
gods in heaven, that is liberated from the
three modes born of nature. (18.40)
Of
Brahmin, of Kshatriya, of Vaishya, and
also of Shudra, O conqueror of the foe
(Arjun), the duties are distributed in
accordance with the modes born of their
nature. (18.41)
Serenity,
self control, austerity, purity,
forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge
(wisdom), realization and belief in God
these are the duties of a Brahmin born of
his nature. (18.42)
Heroism,
vigor, firmness, resourcefulness, not
fleeing from battle, generosity and
lordliness are the duties of a Kshatriya
(a member of the warrior class) born of
his nature. (18.43)
Agriculture,
cattle - rearing and trade are the duties
of a Vaishya born of his nature, and
actions consisting of service is the duty
of a Sudra born of his nature. (18.44)
Devoted
to his own duty, man attains perfection
(God Realization). How he, devoted to his
own duty, attains perfection, that do thou
hear. (18.45)
He
from Whom all beings evolve and by Whom
all this is pervaded by worshipping Him
through the performance of his own duty,
man attains perfection. (18.46)
Better
is one's own duty, though devoid of merit
than the duty of another well performed.
He who performs the duty that ordained by
his own nature incurs no sin. (18.47)
One
should not abandon, O Arjun, one's innate
duty even though it may be defective, for
all undertakings are clouded by defects as
fire by smoke. (18.48)
He
whose intellect is unattached every where,
who has subdued his self, from whom desire
has fled - he by renunciation, attain the
supreme state of freedom from action
through Samkhya Yoga (the Discipline of
Knowledge). (18.49)
Know
from Me in brief, O Arjun, how he, who has
attained perfection, attains Brahman (the
Eternal) (the Absolute), that supreme
state of knowledge. (18.50)
Endowed
with a pure intellect, firmly restraining
oneself, turning away from sound and other
objects of the senses, casting aside
attraction and aversion, dwelling in
solitude, eating but little, controlling
speech, body and mind, ever engaged in
meditation and concentration, resorting to
dispassion, having abandoned egoism,
force, arrogance, desire, anger,
covetousness (accumulation), devoid of the
notion of mine ness and tranquil in mind,
such a man becomes qualified to attain
Brahman. (18.51 - 53)
Having
become one with Brahman, and being
tranquil (cheerful) in mind, he neither
grieves nor desires. Regarding all beings
alike he attains supreme devotion to Me.
(18.54)
Through
devotion he comes to know Me in truth,
what and who I am; then having known Me in
truth, he forthwith enters into Me. (18.55)
Performing
continually all actions whatsoever, taking
refuge in Me, by My grace he attains the
eternal imperishable state. (18.56)
Mentally
surrendering all actions to Me, regarding
Me as the Supreme Goal, resorting to the
Yoga of equanimity, have our mind
constantly fixed on Me. (18.57)
Fixing
your mind on Me, thou shall by My grace,
overcome all obstacles, but if, from
egoism thou will not hear Me, thou shall
perish. (18.58)
If
filled with egoism, thou may think:
"I will not fight," vain is
this, thy resolve, Nature will will compel
thee. (18.59)
O
Arjun, that which from delusion you don't
want to do, bound by your own acts born of
your nature, you will helplessly perform.
(18.60)
The
Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O
Arjun, causing them by His illusive power,
to resolve as if mounted on a wheel.
(18.61)
Flee
into Him for refuge with all thy being, O
Arjun. By His grace you shall obtain
supreme peace and eternal abode. (18.62)
Thus
has this wisdom more secret than all
secrets, been declared to thee by Me.
Having reflected over it fully, do as you
wish. (18.63)
Listen
again to My Supreme Word, the most secret
of all. Well beloved are thou of Me, there
I shall tell thee what is good for thee.
(18.64)
Fix
your mind on Me, be devoted to Me,
sacrifice to Me, prostrate thyself before
Me; so shall you come to Me. I promise
this truly for you are very dear to Me.
(18.65)
Abandoning
all duties, take refuge in Me alone. I
shall liberate you from all sins; grieve
not. (18.66)
This
in never to be spoken by thee to one who
is devoid of austerities or devotion or
who is unwilling to hear or who finds
fault with Me. (18.67)
He
who with supreme devotion to Me teaches
this supreme secret to My devotees, shall
doubtless come to Me. (18.68)
There
is none among men who does dearer service
to Me that he; nor shall there be another
on earth dearer to Me that he. (18.69)
And
he who studies this sacred dialogue of
ours, by him I shall be worshipped through
the sacrifice of knowledge (w isdom) such
is my conviction. (18.70)
And
the man who listens to it with faith and
without scoffing, even he, beings
liberated, shall attain to the happy
worlds of the righteous. (18.71)
O
Arjun, has this been heard by you with
one-pointed mind? O winner of wealth
(Arjun), has your delusion, born of
ignorance, been destroyed? (18.72)
Arjun
said:
O
Acyuta (Krsn), my delusion is destroyed
and I have gained Knowledge (memory),
through your grace. I stand firm with my
doubts dispelled. I shall act according to
your word. (18.73)
Sanjay
said:
Thus
have I heard this wonderful dialogue
between Lord Vasudev (Krsn) (and) the high
souled Parth (Arjun) causing my hair to
stand on end. (18.74)
By
the grace of sage Vyasa, I heard this most
secret and most secret yoga directly from
Krsn Himself The Lord of Yoga, declaring
it. (18.75)
O
King, as I recall again and again this
dialogue, Wondrous and holy; Of Kesav
(Krsn) and Arjun, I thrill with joy again
and again. (18.76)
And
remembering again and again that most
wonderful form of Hari (Krsn). great is my
astonishment, O King, and I thrill with
joy again and again. (18.77)
Wherever
there is Krsn, The Lord of Yoga, And
wherever there is Arjun, The wielder of
the bow; There is prosperity, Victory,
Glory and righteousness (firm policy);
Such is my conviction. (18.78)
Thus
with the utterance of Om, Tat, Sat, the
name of the Lord, in the Upanisad of the
Bhagawad Gita, the knowledge of Brahman,
the supreme, the science of Yoga and the
dialogue between Sri Krsn and Arjun, this
is the eighteenth chapter (discourse)
designated: "The Yoga of Liberation
by Renunciation"
Swami Veet Chintan T'Zorba-Krsna
Jyotish
Shastracharya
& Vedic Astrologer of India
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