Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Bhagavadgita
SECOND CHAPTER
Sanjaya said:
1. To him who was thus overwhelmed
with pity and sorrowing, and whose eyes were dimmed with tears, Madhusudana
spoke these words: 1
The Blessed Lord said:
2. In such a crisis, whence comes
upon thee, O Arjuna, this dejection, un-Aryalike, disgraceful and contrary to
the attainment of heaven? 2
3. Yield not to unmanliness, O son of
Prithâ! Ill doth it become thee. Cast off this mean faint-heartedness and
arise, O scorcher of thine enemies!
Arjuna said:
4. —But how can I, in battle, O
slayer of Madhu, fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are rather
worthy to be worshipped, O destroyer of foes!
5. Surely it would be better even to
eat the bread of beggary in this life than to slay these great-souled masters.
But if I kill them, even in this world, all my enjoyment of wealth and desires
will be stained with blood. 5
6. And indeed I can scarcely tell
which will be better, that we should conquer them, or that they should conquer
us. The very sons of Dhritarâshtra,—after slaying whom we should not care to
live,—stand facing us.
7. With my nature overpowered by weak
commiseration, with a mind in confusion about duty, I supplicate Thee. Say
decidedly what is good for me. I am Thy disciple. Instruct me who have taken
refuge in Thee. 7
8. I do not see anything to remove
this sorrow which blasts my senses, even were I to obtain unrivalled and
flourishing dominion over the earth, and mastery over the gods.
Sanjaya said:
9. Having spoken thus to the Lord of
the senses, Gudâkesha, the scorcher of foes, said to Govinda, "I shall not
fight," and became silent. 9
10. To him who was sorrowing in the
midst of the two armies, Hrishikesha, as if smiling, O descendant of Bharata!
spoke these words. 10
The Blessed Lord said:
11. Thou hast been mourning for them
who should not be mourned for. Yet thou speakest words of wisdom. The (truly)
wise grieve neither for the living nor the dead. 11
12. It is not that I have never
existed, nor thou, nor these kings. Nor is it that we shall cease to exist in
the future. 12
13. As are childhood, youth, and old
age, in this body, to the embodied soul, so
also is the attaining of another
body. Calm souls are not deluded thereat. 13
14. Notions of heat and cold, of pain
and pleasure, are born, O son of Kunti, only of the contact of the senses with
their objects. They have a beginning and an end. They are impermanent in their
nature. Bear them patiently, O descendant of Bharata. 14
15. That calm man who is the same in
pain and pleasure, whom these cannot disturb, alone is able, O great amongst
men, to attain to immortality. 15
16. The unreal never is. The Real
never is not. Men possessed of the knowledge of the Truth fully know both
these. 16
17. That by which all this is
pervaded,—That know for certain to be indestructible. None has the power to
destroy this Immutable. 17
18. Of this indwelling Self, the
ever-changeless, the indestructible, the illimitable,—these bodies are said to
have an end. Fight therefore, O descendant of Bharata. 18
19. He who takes the Self to be the
slayer, he who takes It to be the slain, neither of these knows. It does not
slay, nor is It slain. 19
20. This in never born, nor does It
die. It is not that not having been It again comes into being. (Or according to
another view: It is not that having been It again ceases to be). This is
unborn, eternal, changeless, ever-Itself. It is not killed when the body is
killed. 20
21. He that knows This to be
indestructible, changeless, without birth, and immutable, how is he, O son of
Prithâ, to slay or cause another to slay? 21
22. Even as a man casts off worn-out
clothes, and puts on others which are new, so the embodied casts off worn-out
bodies, and enters into others which are new. 22
23. This (Self), weapons cut not;
This, fire burns not; This, water wets not; and This, wind dries not.
24. This Self cannot be cut, nor
burnt, nor wetted, nor dried. Changeless, all-pervading, unmoving, immovable,
the Self is eternal.
25. This (Self) is said to be
unmanifested, unthinkable, and unchangeable. Therefore, knowing This to be
such, thou oughtest not to mourn. 25
26. But if thou shouldst take This to
have constant birth and death, even in that case, O mighty-armed, thou oughtest
not to mourn for This. 26
27. Of that which is born, death is
certain, of that which is dead, birth is certain. Over the unavoidable,
therefore, thou oughtest not to grieve. 27
28. All beings are unmanifested in
their beginning, O Bhârata, manifested in their middle state and unmanifested
again in their end. What is there then to grieve about? 28
29. Some look upon the Self as
marvellous. Others speak of It as wonderful. Others again hear of It as a
wonder. And still others, though hearing, do not understand It at all. 29
30. This, the Indweller in the bodies
of all, is ever indestructible, O descendant of Bharata. Wherefore thou
oughtest not to mourn for any creature. 30
31. Looking at thine own Dharma,
also, thou oughtest not to waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya
than a righteous war. 31
32. Fortunate certainly are the
Kshatriyas, O son of Prithâ, who are called to fight in such a battle, that
comes unsought as an open gate to heaven. 32
33. But if thou refusest to engage in
this righteous warfare, then, forfeiting thine own Dharma and honour, thou
shalt incur sin.
34. The world also will ever hold
thee in reprobation. To the honoured, disrepute is surely worse than
death. 34
35. The great chariot-warriors *
will believe that thou hast withdrawn from the battle through fear. And thou
wilt be lightly esteemed by them who have thought much of thee.
36. Thine enemies also, cavilling at
thy great prowess, will say of thee things that are not to be uttered. What
could be more intolerable than this?
37. Dying thou gainest heaven;
conquering thou enjoyest the earth. Therefore, O son of Kunti, arise, resolved
to fight.
38. Having made pain and pleasure,
gain and loss, conquest and defeat, the same, engage thou then in battle. So
shalt thou incur no sin. 38
39. The wisdom of Self-realisation
has been declared unto thee. Hearken thou now to the wisdom of Yoga, endued
with which, O son of Prithâ, thou shalt break through the bonds of Karma. 39
40. In this, there is no waste of the
unfinished attempt, nor is there production of contrary results. Even very
little of this Dharma protects from the great terror. 52
41. In this, O scion of Kuru, there
is but a single one-pointed determination. The purposes of the undecided are
innumerable and many-branching. 53
42-44. O Pârtha, no set determination
is formed in the minds of those that are deeply attached to pleasure and power,
and whose discrimination is stolen away by the flowery words of the unwise, who
are full of desires and look upon heaven as their highest goal and who, taking
pleasure in the panegyric words of the Vedas, declare that there is nothing
else. Their (flowery) words are exuberant with various specific, rites as the
means to pleasure and power and are the causes of
45. The Vedas deal with the three
Gunas. Be thou free, O Arjuna, from the triad of the Gunas, free from the pairs
of opposites, ever-balanced, free from (the thought of) getting and keeping,
and established in the Self. 45
46. To the Brâhmana who has known the
Self, all the Vedas are of so much use as a reservoir is, when there is a flood
everywhere. 46
47. Thy right is to work only; but
never to the fruits thereof. Be thou not the producer of the fruits of (thy)
actions; neither let thy attachment be towards inaction. 47
48. Being steadfast in Yoga,
Dhananjaya, perform actions, abandoning attachment, remaining unconcerned as
regards success and failure. This evenness. of mind (in regard to success and
failure) is known as Yoga.
49. Work (with desire) is verily far
inferior to that performed with the mind undisturbed by thoughts of results. O
[paragraph continues] Dhananjaya, seek refuge in this evenness of mind. Wretched are they
who act for results.
50. Endued with this evenness of
mind, one frees oneself in this life, alike from vice and virtue. Devote
thyself, therefore, to this Yoga. Yoga is the very dexterity of work. 50
51. The wise, possessed of this
evenness of mind, abandoning the fruits of their actions, freed for ever from
the fetters of birth, go to that state which is beyond all evil.
52. When thy intellect crosses beyond
the taint of illusion, then shalt thou attain to indifference, regarding things
heard and things yet to be heard. 52
53. When thy intellect, tossed about
by the conflict of opinions—has become immovable and firmly established in the
Self, then thou shalt attain Self-realisation.
Arjuna said:
54. What, O Keshava, is the
description of the man of steady wisdom, merged in Samâdhi? How (on the other
hand) does the man of steady wisdom speak, how sit, how walk? 54
The Blessed Lord said:
55. When a man completely casts away,
O Pârtha, all the desires of the mind, satisfied in the Self alone by the Self,
then is he said to be one of steady wisdom. 55
56. He whose mind is not shaken by
adversity, who does not hanker after happiness, who has become free from
affection, fear, and wrath, is indeed the Muni of steady wisdom. 63
57. He who is everywhere unattached,
not pleased at receiving good, nor vexed at evil, his wisdom is fixed. 57
58. When also, like the tortoise its
limbs, he can completely withdraw the senses from their objects, then his
wisdom becomes steady. 58
59. Objects fall away from the
abstinent man, leaving the longing behind. But his longing also ceases, who
sees the Supreme. 59
60. The turbulent senses, O son of
Kunti, do violently snatch away the mind of even a wise man, striving after
perfection.
61. The steadfast, having controlled
them all, sits focussed on Me as the Supreme. His wisdom is steady, whose
senses are under control.
62. Thinking of objects, attachment
to them is formed in a man. From attachment longing, and from longing anger
grows.
63. From anger comes delusion, and
from delusion loss of memory. From loss of memory comes the ruin of
discrimination, and from the ruin of discrimination he perishes. 63
64. But the self-controlled man,
moving among objects with senses under restraint, and free from attraction and
aversion, attains to tranquillity. 64
65. In tranquillity, all sorrow is
destroyed. For the intellect of him who is tranquil-minded, is soon established
in firmness. 65
66. No knowledge (of the Self) has
the unsteady. Nor has he meditation. To the unmeditative there is no peace. And
how can one without peace have happiness?
67. For, the mind which follows in
the wake of the wandering senses, carries away his discrimination, as a wind
(carries away from its course) a boat on the waters.
68. Therefore, O mighty-armed, his
knowledge is steady, whose senses are completely restrained from their
objects. 68
69. That which is night to all
beings, in that the self-controlled man wakes. That in which all beings wake,
is night to the Self-seeing Muni. 69
70. As into the ocean,—brimful, and
still,—flow the waters, even so the Muni into whom enter all desires, he, and
not the desirer of desires, attains to peace. 70
71. That man who lives devoid of
longing, abandoning all desires, without the sense of 'I' and 'mine,' he attains
to peace. 71
72. This is to have one's being in
Brahman, O son of Prithâ. None, attaining to this, becomes deluded. Being
established therein, even at the end of life, a man attains to oneness with
Brahman.
The end of second chapter, designated
The Way of Knowledge.
Sanjaya. Him, filled with such
compassion and such grief,
With eyes tear-dimmed, despondent, in stern words
The Driver, Madhusudan, thus addressed:
Krishna. How hath this weakness taken thee?
Whence springs
The inglorious trouble, shameful to the brave,
Barring the path of virtue? Nay, Arjun!
Forbid thyself to feebleness! it mars
Thy warrior-name! cast off the coward-fit!
Wake! Be thyself! Arise, Scourge of thy Foes!
Arjuna. How can I, in the battle, shoot with shafts
On Bhishma, or on Drona- O thou Chief!-
Both worshipful, both honourable men?
With eyes tear-dimmed, despondent, in stern words
The Driver, Madhusudan, thus addressed:
Krishna. How hath this weakness taken thee?
Whence springs
The inglorious trouble, shameful to the brave,
Barring the path of virtue? Nay, Arjun!
Forbid thyself to feebleness! it mars
Thy warrior-name! cast off the coward-fit!
Wake! Be thyself! Arise, Scourge of thy Foes!
Arjuna. How can I, in the battle, shoot with shafts
On Bhishma, or on Drona- O thou Chief!-
Both worshipful, both honourable men?
Better to live on beggar's bread
With those we love alive,
Than taste their blood in rich feasts spread,
And guiltily survive!
Ah! were it worse- who knows?- to be
Victor or vanquished here,
When those confront us angrily
Whose death leaves living drear?
In pity lost, by doubtings tossed,
My thoughts- distracted- turn
To Thee, the Guide I reverence most,
That I may counsel learn:
I know not what would heal the grief
Burned into soul and sense,
If I were earth's unchallenged chief-
A god- and these gone thence!
With those we love alive,
Than taste their blood in rich feasts spread,
And guiltily survive!
Ah! were it worse- who knows?- to be
Victor or vanquished here,
When those confront us angrily
Whose death leaves living drear?
In pity lost, by doubtings tossed,
My thoughts- distracted- turn
To Thee, the Guide I reverence most,
That I may counsel learn:
I know not what would heal the grief
Burned into soul and sense,
If I were earth's unchallenged chief-
A god- and these gone thence!
Sanjaya. So spake Arjuna to
the Lord of Hearts,
And sighing, "I will not fight!" held silence then.
To whom, with tender smile, (O Bharata!)
While the Prince wept despairing 'twixt those hosts,
Krishna made answer in divinest verse:
Krishna. Thou grievest where no grief should be! thou speak'st
Words lacking wisdom! for the wise in heart
Mourn not for those that live, nor those that die.
Nor I, nor thou, nor any one of these,
Ever was not, nor ever will not be,
For ever and for ever afterwards.
All, that doth live, lives always! To man's frame
As there come infancy and youth and age,
So come there raisings-up and layings-down
Of other and of other life-abodes,
Which the wise know, and fear not. This that irks-
Thy sense-life, thrilling to the elements-
Bringing thee heat and cold, sorrows and joys,
'Tis brief and mutable! Bear with it, Prince!
As the wise bear. The soul which is not moved,
The soul that with a strong and constant calm
Takes sorrow and takes joy indifferently,
Lives in the life undying! That which is
Can never cease to be; that which is not
Will not exist. To see this truth of both
Is theirs who part essence from accident,
Substance from shadow. Indestructible,
Learn thou! the Life is, spreading life through all;
It cannot anywhere, by any means,
Be anywise diminished, stayed, or changed.
But for these fleeting frames which it informs
With spirit deathless, endless, infinite,
They perish. Let them perish, Prince! and fight!
He who shall say, "Lo! I have slain a man!"
He who shall think, "Lo! I am slain!" those both
Know naught! Life cannot slay. Life is not slain!
Never the spirit was born; the spirit shall cease to be never;
Never was time it was not; End and Beginning are dreams!
Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the spirit for
ever;
Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it
seems!
Who knoweth it exhaustless, self-sustained,
Immortal, indestructible,- shall such
Say, "I have killed a man, or caused to kill?"
And sighing, "I will not fight!" held silence then.
To whom, with tender smile, (O Bharata!)
While the Prince wept despairing 'twixt those hosts,
Krishna made answer in divinest verse:
Krishna. Thou grievest where no grief should be! thou speak'st
Words lacking wisdom! for the wise in heart
Mourn not for those that live, nor those that die.
Nor I, nor thou, nor any one of these,
Ever was not, nor ever will not be,
For ever and for ever afterwards.
All, that doth live, lives always! To man's frame
As there come infancy and youth and age,
So come there raisings-up and layings-down
Of other and of other life-abodes,
Which the wise know, and fear not. This that irks-
Thy sense-life, thrilling to the elements-
Bringing thee heat and cold, sorrows and joys,
'Tis brief and mutable! Bear with it, Prince!
As the wise bear. The soul which is not moved,
The soul that with a strong and constant calm
Takes sorrow and takes joy indifferently,
Lives in the life undying! That which is
Can never cease to be; that which is not
Will not exist. To see this truth of both
Is theirs who part essence from accident,
Substance from shadow. Indestructible,
Learn thou! the Life is, spreading life through all;
It cannot anywhere, by any means,
Be anywise diminished, stayed, or changed.
But for these fleeting frames which it informs
With spirit deathless, endless, infinite,
They perish. Let them perish, Prince! and fight!
He who shall say, "Lo! I have slain a man!"
He who shall think, "Lo! I am slain!" those both
Know naught! Life cannot slay. Life is not slain!
Never the spirit was born; the spirit shall cease to be never;
Never was time it was not; End and Beginning are dreams!
Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the spirit for
ever;
Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it
seems!
Who knoweth it exhaustless, self-sustained,
Immortal, indestructible,- shall such
Say, "I have killed a man, or caused to kill?"
Nay, but as when one layeth
His worn-out robes away,
And, taking new ones, sayeth,
"These will I wear to-day!"
So putteth by the spirit
Lightly its garb of flesh,
And passeth to inherit
A residence afresh.
His worn-out robes away,
And, taking new ones, sayeth,
"These will I wear to-day!"
So putteth by the spirit
Lightly its garb of flesh,
And passeth to inherit
A residence afresh.
I say to thee weapons reach not the
Life;
Flame burns it not, waters cannot o'erwhelm,
Nor dry winds wither it. Impenetrable,
Unentered, unassailed, unharmed, untouched,
Immortal, all-arriving, stable, sure,
Invisible, ineffable, by word
And thought uncompassed, ever all itself,
Thus is the Soul declared! How wilt thou, then,-
Knowing it so,- grieve when thou shouldst not grieve?
How, if thou hearest that the man new-dead
Is, like the man new-born, still living man-
One same, existent Spirit- wilt thou weep?
The end of birth is death; the end of death
Is birth: this is ordained! and mournest thou,
Chief of the stalwart arm! for what befalls
Which could not otherwise befall? The birth
Of living things comes unperceived; the death
Comes unperceived; between them, beings perceive:
What is there sorrowful herein, dear Prince?
Flame burns it not, waters cannot o'erwhelm,
Nor dry winds wither it. Impenetrable,
Unentered, unassailed, unharmed, untouched,
Immortal, all-arriving, stable, sure,
Invisible, ineffable, by word
And thought uncompassed, ever all itself,
Thus is the Soul declared! How wilt thou, then,-
Knowing it so,- grieve when thou shouldst not grieve?
How, if thou hearest that the man new-dead
Is, like the man new-born, still living man-
One same, existent Spirit- wilt thou weep?
The end of birth is death; the end of death
Is birth: this is ordained! and mournest thou,
Chief of the stalwart arm! for what befalls
Which could not otherwise befall? The birth
Of living things comes unperceived; the death
Comes unperceived; between them, beings perceive:
What is there sorrowful herein, dear Prince?
Wonderful, wistful, to contemplate!
Difficult, doubtful, to speak upon!
Strange and great for tongue to relate,
Mystical hearing for every one!
Nor wotteth man this, what a marvel it is,
When seeing, and saying, and hearing are done!
Difficult, doubtful, to speak upon!
Strange and great for tongue to relate,
Mystical hearing for every one!
Nor wotteth man this, what a marvel it is,
When seeing, and saying, and hearing are done!
This Life within all living things,
my Prince!
Hides beyond harm; scorn thou to suffer, then,
For that which cannot suffer. Do thy part!
Be mindful of thy name, and tremble not!
Nought better can betide a martial soul
Than lawful war; happy the warrior
To whom comes joy of battle- comes, as now,
Glorious and fair, unsought; opening for him
A gateway unto Heav'n. But, if thou shunn'st
This honourable field- a Kshattriya-
If, knowing thy duty and thy task, thou bidd'st
Duty and task go by- that shall be sin!
And those to come shall speak thee infamy
From age to age; but infamy is worse
For men of noble blood to bear than death!
The chiefs upon their battle-chariots
Will deem 'twas fear that drove thee from the fray.
Of those who held thee mighty-souled the scorn
Thou must abide, while all thine enemies
Will scatter bitter speech of thee, to mock
The valour which thou hadst; what fate could fall
More grievously than this? Either- being killed-
Thou wilt win Swarga's safety, or- alive
And victor- thou wilt reign an earthly king.
Therefore, arise, thou Son of Kunti! brace
Thine arm for conflict, nerve thy heart to meet-
As things alike to thee- pleasure or pain,
Profit or ruin, victory or defeat:
So minded, gird thee to the fight, for so
Thou shalt not sin!
Thus far I speak to thee
As from the "Sankhya"- unspiritually-
Hear now the deeper teaching of the Yog,
Which holding, understanding, thou shalt burst
Thy Karmabandh, the bondage of wrought deeds.
Here shall no end be hindered, no hope marred,
No loss be feared: faith- yea, a little faith-
Shall save thee from the anguish of thy dread.
Here, Glory of the Kurus! shines one rule-
One steadfast rule- while shifting souls have laws
Many and hard. Specious, but wrongful deem
The speech of those ill-taught ones who extol
The letter of their Vedas, saying, "This
Is all we have, or need;" being weak at heart
With wants, seekers of Heaven: which comes- they say-
As "fruit of good deeds done;" promising men
Much profit in new births for works of faith;
In various rites abounding; following whereon
Large merit shall accrue towards wealth and power;
Albeit, who wealth and power do most desire
Least fixity of soul have such, least hold
On heavenly meditation. Much these teach,
From Veds, concerning the "three qualities;"
But thou, be free of the "three qualities,"
Free of the "pairs of opposites," and free
From that sad righteousness which calculates;
Self-ruled, Arjuna! simple, satisfied.
Look! like as when a tank pours water forth
To suit all needs, so do these Brahmans draw
Text for all wants from tank of Holy Writ.
But thou, want not! ask not! Find full reward
Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be
Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.
And live in action! Labour! Make thine acts
Thy piety, casting all self aside,
Contemning gain and merit; equable
In good or evil: equability
Is Yog, is piety!
Yet, the right act
Is less, far less, than the right-thinking mind.
Seek refuge in thy soul; have there thy heaven!
Scorn them that follow virtue for her gifts!
The mind of pure devotion- even here-
Casts equally aside good deeds and bad,
Passing above them. Unto pure devotion
Devote thyself: with perfect meditation
Comes perfect act, and the righthearted rise-
More certainly because they seek no gain-
Forth from the bands of body, step by step,
To highest seats of bliss. When thy firm soul
Hath shaken off those tangled oracles
Which ignorantly guide, then shall it soar
To high neglect of what's denied or said,
This way or that way, in doctrinal writ.
Troubled no longer by the priestly lore,
Safe shall it live, and sure; steadfastly bent
On meditation. This is Yog- and Peace!
Arjuna. What is his mark who hath that steadfast heart,
Confirmed in holy meditation? How
Know we his speech, Kesava? Sits he, moves he
Like other men?
Krishna. When one, O Pritha's Son!-
Abandoning desires which shake the mind-
Finds in his soul full comfort for his soul,
He hath attained the Yog- that man is such!
In sorrows not dejected, and in joys
Not overjoyed; dwelling outside the stress
Of passion, fear, and anger; fixed in calms
Of lofty contemplation;- such an one
Is Muni, is the Sage, the true Recluse!
He who to none and nowhere overbound
By ties of flesh, takes evil things and good
Neither desponding nor exulting, such
Bears wisdom's plainest mark He who shall draw
As the wise tortoise draws its four feet safe
Under its shield, his five frail senses back
Under the spirit's buckler from the world
Which else assails them, such an one, my Prince!
Hath wisdom's mark! Things that solicit sense
Hold off from the self-governed; nay, it comes,
The appetites of him who lives beyond
Depart,- aroused no more. Yet may it chance,
O Son of Kunti that a governed mind
Shall some time feel the sense-storms sweep, and wrest
Strong self-control by the roots. Let him regain
His kingdom! let him conquer this, and sit
On Me intent. That man alone is wise
Who keeps the mastery of himself! If one
Ponders on objects of the sense, there springs
Attraction; from attraction grows desire,
Desire flames to fierce passion, passion breeds
Recklessness; then the memory- all betrayed-
Lets noble purpose go, and saps the mind,
Till purpose, mind, and man are all undone.
But, if one deals with objects of the sense
Not loving and not hating, making them
Serve his free soul, which rests serenely lord,
Lo! such a man comes to tranquillity;
And out of that tranquillity shall rise
The end and healing of his earthly pains,
Since the will governed sets the soul at peace.
The soul of the ungoverned is not his,
Nor hath he knowledge of himself; which lacked,
How grows serenity? and, wanting that,
Whence shall he hope for happiness?
The mind
That gives itself to follow shows of sense
Seeth its helm of wisdom rent away,
And, like a ship in waves of whirlwind, drives
To wreck and death. Only with him, great Prince!
Whose senses are not swayed by things of sense-
Only with him who holds his mastery,
Shows wisdom perfect. What is midnight-gloom
To unenlightened souls shines wakeful day
To his clear gaze; what seems as wakeful day
Is known for night, thick night of ignorance,
To his true-seeing eyes. Such is the Saint!
And like the ocean, day by day receiving
Floods from all lands, which never overflows;
Its boundary-line not leaping, and not leaving,
Fed by the rivers, but unswelled by those;-
So is the perfect one! to his soul's ocean
The world of sense pours streams of witchery,
They leave him as they find, without commotion,
Taking their tribute, but remaining sea.
Yea! whoso, shaking off the yoke of flesh
Lives lord, not servant, of his lusts; set free
From pride, from passion, from the sin of "Self,"
Toucheth tranquillity! O Pritha's Son!
That is the state of Brahm! There rests no dread
When that last step is reached! Live where he will,
Die when he may, such passeth from all 'plaining,
To blest Nirvana, with the Gods, attaining.
Hides beyond harm; scorn thou to suffer, then,
For that which cannot suffer. Do thy part!
Be mindful of thy name, and tremble not!
Nought better can betide a martial soul
Than lawful war; happy the warrior
To whom comes joy of battle- comes, as now,
Glorious and fair, unsought; opening for him
A gateway unto Heav'n. But, if thou shunn'st
This honourable field- a Kshattriya-
If, knowing thy duty and thy task, thou bidd'st
Duty and task go by- that shall be sin!
And those to come shall speak thee infamy
From age to age; but infamy is worse
For men of noble blood to bear than death!
The chiefs upon their battle-chariots
Will deem 'twas fear that drove thee from the fray.
Of those who held thee mighty-souled the scorn
Thou must abide, while all thine enemies
Will scatter bitter speech of thee, to mock
The valour which thou hadst; what fate could fall
More grievously than this? Either- being killed-
Thou wilt win Swarga's safety, or- alive
And victor- thou wilt reign an earthly king.
Therefore, arise, thou Son of Kunti! brace
Thine arm for conflict, nerve thy heart to meet-
As things alike to thee- pleasure or pain,
Profit or ruin, victory or defeat:
So minded, gird thee to the fight, for so
Thou shalt not sin!
Thus far I speak to thee
As from the "Sankhya"- unspiritually-
Hear now the deeper teaching of the Yog,
Which holding, understanding, thou shalt burst
Thy Karmabandh, the bondage of wrought deeds.
Here shall no end be hindered, no hope marred,
No loss be feared: faith- yea, a little faith-
Shall save thee from the anguish of thy dread.
Here, Glory of the Kurus! shines one rule-
One steadfast rule- while shifting souls have laws
Many and hard. Specious, but wrongful deem
The speech of those ill-taught ones who extol
The letter of their Vedas, saying, "This
Is all we have, or need;" being weak at heart
With wants, seekers of Heaven: which comes- they say-
As "fruit of good deeds done;" promising men
Much profit in new births for works of faith;
In various rites abounding; following whereon
Large merit shall accrue towards wealth and power;
Albeit, who wealth and power do most desire
Least fixity of soul have such, least hold
On heavenly meditation. Much these teach,
From Veds, concerning the "three qualities;"
But thou, be free of the "three qualities,"
Free of the "pairs of opposites," and free
From that sad righteousness which calculates;
Self-ruled, Arjuna! simple, satisfied.
Look! like as when a tank pours water forth
To suit all needs, so do these Brahmans draw
Text for all wants from tank of Holy Writ.
But thou, want not! ask not! Find full reward
Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be
Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.
And live in action! Labour! Make thine acts
Thy piety, casting all self aside,
Contemning gain and merit; equable
In good or evil: equability
Is Yog, is piety!
Yet, the right act
Is less, far less, than the right-thinking mind.
Seek refuge in thy soul; have there thy heaven!
Scorn them that follow virtue for her gifts!
The mind of pure devotion- even here-
Casts equally aside good deeds and bad,
Passing above them. Unto pure devotion
Devote thyself: with perfect meditation
Comes perfect act, and the righthearted rise-
More certainly because they seek no gain-
Forth from the bands of body, step by step,
To highest seats of bliss. When thy firm soul
Hath shaken off those tangled oracles
Which ignorantly guide, then shall it soar
To high neglect of what's denied or said,
This way or that way, in doctrinal writ.
Troubled no longer by the priestly lore,
Safe shall it live, and sure; steadfastly bent
On meditation. This is Yog- and Peace!
Arjuna. What is his mark who hath that steadfast heart,
Confirmed in holy meditation? How
Know we his speech, Kesava? Sits he, moves he
Like other men?
Krishna. When one, O Pritha's Son!-
Abandoning desires which shake the mind-
Finds in his soul full comfort for his soul,
He hath attained the Yog- that man is such!
In sorrows not dejected, and in joys
Not overjoyed; dwelling outside the stress
Of passion, fear, and anger; fixed in calms
Of lofty contemplation;- such an one
Is Muni, is the Sage, the true Recluse!
He who to none and nowhere overbound
By ties of flesh, takes evil things and good
Neither desponding nor exulting, such
Bears wisdom's plainest mark He who shall draw
As the wise tortoise draws its four feet safe
Under its shield, his five frail senses back
Under the spirit's buckler from the world
Which else assails them, such an one, my Prince!
Hath wisdom's mark! Things that solicit sense
Hold off from the self-governed; nay, it comes,
The appetites of him who lives beyond
Depart,- aroused no more. Yet may it chance,
O Son of Kunti that a governed mind
Shall some time feel the sense-storms sweep, and wrest
Strong self-control by the roots. Let him regain
His kingdom! let him conquer this, and sit
On Me intent. That man alone is wise
Who keeps the mastery of himself! If one
Ponders on objects of the sense, there springs
Attraction; from attraction grows desire,
Desire flames to fierce passion, passion breeds
Recklessness; then the memory- all betrayed-
Lets noble purpose go, and saps the mind,
Till purpose, mind, and man are all undone.
But, if one deals with objects of the sense
Not loving and not hating, making them
Serve his free soul, which rests serenely lord,
Lo! such a man comes to tranquillity;
And out of that tranquillity shall rise
The end and healing of his earthly pains,
Since the will governed sets the soul at peace.
The soul of the ungoverned is not his,
Nor hath he knowledge of himself; which lacked,
How grows serenity? and, wanting that,
Whence shall he hope for happiness?
The mind
That gives itself to follow shows of sense
Seeth its helm of wisdom rent away,
And, like a ship in waves of whirlwind, drives
To wreck and death. Only with him, great Prince!
Whose senses are not swayed by things of sense-
Only with him who holds his mastery,
Shows wisdom perfect. What is midnight-gloom
To unenlightened souls shines wakeful day
To his clear gaze; what seems as wakeful day
Is known for night, thick night of ignorance,
To his true-seeing eyes. Such is the Saint!
And like the ocean, day by day receiving
Floods from all lands, which never overflows;
Its boundary-line not leaping, and not leaving,
Fed by the rivers, but unswelled by those;-
So is the perfect one! to his soul's ocean
The world of sense pours streams of witchery,
They leave him as they find, without commotion,
Taking their tribute, but remaining sea.
Yea! whoso, shaking off the yoke of flesh
Lives lord, not servant, of his lusts; set free
From pride, from passion, from the sin of "Self,"
Toucheth tranquillity! O Pritha's Son!
That is the state of Brahm! There rests no dread
When that last step is reached! Live where he will,
Die when he may, such passeth from all 'plaining,
To blest Nirvana, with the Gods, attaining.
HERE ENDETH CHAPTER II OF THE
BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Sankhya-Yog,"
Or "The Book of Doctrines."
BHAGAVAD-GITA,
Entitled "Sankhya-Yog,"
Or "The Book of Doctrines."
I humbly bow to the
lotus feet of Swamy ji Maharaj for the collection)
(The Blog is reverently for all the seekers of truth,
lovers of wisdom and to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the
spiritual path and also this is purely a non-commercial blog)
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