साङ्ख्ययोगः

तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् ।
विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः

taṃ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam |
viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ

To him, overcome with pity, his eyes troubled and full of tears, sinking in despair, Madhusudana spoke these words.

कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् ।
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन

kutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣame samupasthitam |
anāryajuṣṭamasvargyamakīrtikaramarjuna

Arjuna, from where has this weakness come upon you at this hour of crisis? It is unworthy of a noble man; it leads neither to heaven nor to honour.

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते ।
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप

klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate |
kṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa

Do not yield to unmanliness, Partha; it does not become you. Cast off this petty faintness of heart and arise, scorcher of foes.

कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।
इषुभिः प्रति योत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन

kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṃkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana |
iṣubhiḥ prati yotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana

Madhusudana, how can I fight Bhishma and Drona with arrows in battle? They are worthy of my worship, slayer of enemies.

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके ।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke |
hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān

Better to live in this world even on alms than to kill these noble elders. If I kill them, even the wealth and pleasures I enjoy here will be stained with their blood.

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः ।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम- स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः

na caitadvidmaḥ kataranno garīyo yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ |
yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāma- ste'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ

Nor do we know which is better for us, that we conquer them or that they conquer us. The sons of Dhritarashtra stand before us, and after killing them we would not even wish to live.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः ।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्

kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasammūḍhacetāḥ |
yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṃ brūhi tanme śiṣyaste'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam

My nature is overpowered by weakness and pity, and my mind is confused about dharma. I ask You: tell me for certain what is best for me. I am Your disciple. Teach me, for I have taken refuge in You.

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद् यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् ।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्

na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād yacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām |
avāpya bhūmāvasapatnamṛddhaṃ rājyaṃ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam

I see nothing that could drive away this grief which dries up my senses, not even an unrivalled, prosperous kingdom on earth or lordship over the devas.

एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप ।
न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह

evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa |
na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṃ babhūva ha

Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Gudakesha, scorcher of foes, said to Govinda, "I will not fight," and fell silent.

तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः

tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata |
senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṃ vacaḥ

Then, O Bharata, between the two armies, Hrishikesha, as if smiling, spoke these words to the grieving Arjuna.

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः

aśocyānanvaśocastvaṃ prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase |
gatāsūnagatāsūṃśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, and yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the dead nor for the living.

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।
न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्

na tvevāhaṃ jātu nāsaṃ na tvaṃ neme janādhipāḥ |
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these kings. Nor will any of us ever cease to be hereafter.

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino'sminyathā dehe kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā |
tathā dehāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati

Just as the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth and old age in this body, so it passes into another body. The steady one is not bewildered by this.

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत

mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ |
āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata

Contacts of the senses with their objects, son of Kunti, give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not last. Endure them, O Bharata.

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते

yaṃ hi na vyathayantyete puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha |
samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dhīraṃ so'mṛtatvāya kalpate

The steady person whom these do not disturb, best of men, who is the same in pain and pleasure, is fit for immortality.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।
उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ |
ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ

The unreal has no being; the real never ceases to be. The seers of truth have seen the final nature of both.

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति

avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam |
vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati

Know that to be indestructible by which all this is pervaded. No one can bring about the destruction of the Imperishable.

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत

antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ |
anāśino'prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata

These bodies of the eternal, indestructible and immeasurable Self are said to have an end. Therefore fight, O Bharata.

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते

ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaścainaṃ manyate hatam |
ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate

One who thinks the Self is a slayer, and one who thinks it is slain, both fail to understand. It neither slays nor is slain.

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।
कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्

vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enamajamavyayam |
kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam

Partha, how can one who knows the Self to be indestructible, eternal, unborn and unchanging cause anyone to be killed, or kill anyone?

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः

nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ |
na cainaṃ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ

Weapons do not cut it, fire does not burn it, water does not wet it and wind does not dry it.

अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च ।
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः

acchedyo'yamadāhyo'yamakledyo'śoṣya eva ca |
nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo'yaṃ sanātanaḥ

It cannot be cut, burnt, wetted or dried. It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, unmoving and everlasting.

अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।
तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि

avyakto'yamacintyo'yamavikāryo'yamucyate |
tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ nānuśocitumarhasi

It is called unmanifest, beyond thought and unchanging. Knowing it to be so, you should not grieve.

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् ।
तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि

atha cainaṃ nityajātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyase mṛtam |
tathāpi tvaṃ mahābāho naivaṃ śocitumarhasi

And even if you think of it as constantly born and constantly dying, mighty-armed one, still you should not grieve.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca |
tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi

For death is certain for one who is born, and birth is certain for one who dies. So you should not grieve over what cannot be avoided.

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata |
avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā

Beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle state, and unmanifest again at their end, O Bharata. What is there to lament?

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।
आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः शृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित्

āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidenamāścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ |
āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit

One sees it as a wonder, another speaks of it as a wonder, another hears of it as a wonder. Yet even after hearing, no one knows it.

देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।
तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि

dehī nityamavadhyo'yaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata |
tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi

The Self dwelling in every body is eternal and can never be slain, O Bharata. So you should not grieve for any being.

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते

svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi |
dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo'nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate

Looking at your own svadharma too, you should not waver. For a kshatriya there is nothing better than a war fought for dharma.

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।
सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम्

yadṛcchayā copapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam |
sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam

Happy are the kshatriyas, Partha, who meet such a war, come of its own accord like an open door to heaven.

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि

atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi |
tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi

But if you will not fight this righteous war, you will abandon your svadharma and your honour, and incur sin.

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते

akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te'vyayām |
sambhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate

People will speak of your dishonour for ever, and for a man who has been held in esteem, dishonour is worse than death.

भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम्

bhayādraṇāduparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ |
yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam

The great chariot-warriors will think you withdrew from battle out of fear, and you will fall low in the eyes of those who held you in high regard.

अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम्

avācyavādāṃśca bahūnvadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |
nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim

Your enemies will say many unspeakable things, mocking your strength. What could be more painful than that?

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः

hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm |
tasmāduttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ

If you are slain, you will gain heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the earth. So arise, son of Kunti, resolved to fight.

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि

sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau |
tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi

Treating alike pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, engage in battle. So you will incur no sin.

एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां शृणु ।
बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि

eṣā te'bhihitā sāṃkhye buddhiryoge tvimāṃ śṛṇu |
buddhyā yukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi

This understanding has been taught to you according to Sankhya. Now hear it according to Yoga, Partha. Joined to this understanding, you will break the bondage of karma.

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात्

nehābhikramanāśo'sti pratyavāyo na vidyate |
svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt

On this path no effort is lost and no harm results. Even a little of this dharma protects one from great fear.

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम्

vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana |
bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo'vyavasāyinām

Here, joy of the Kurus, the resolute understanding is single. The thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।
वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः

yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ |
vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ

Partha, the unwise, who delight in the letter of the Vedas and say there is nothing beyond, speak flowery words,

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति

kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām |
kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati

Full of desire and intent on heaven, words that promise rebirth as the fruit of action and are crowded with special rites aimed at pleasure and power.

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते

bhogaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayāpahṛtacetasām |
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate

For those attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are carried away by such words, the resolute understanding does not settle in samadhi.

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान्

traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna |
nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakṣema ātmavān

The Vedas deal with the three gunas. Rise above the three gunas, Arjuna: free from the pairs of opposites, ever established in sattva, unconcerned with gaining and keeping, centred in the Self.

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके ।
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः

yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ saṃplutodake |
tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ

As much use as there is in a small well when there is a flood of water on every side, so much use is there in all the Vedas for the brahmana who knows.

योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनंजय ।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanaṃjaya |
siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate

Established in yoga, Dhananjaya, do your work, giving up attachment and remaining the same in success and failure. This evenness is called yoga.

दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनंजय ।
बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः

dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanaṃjaya |
buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ

Action done for its fruit is far inferior to the yoga of understanding, Dhananjaya. Seek refuge in that understanding. Pitiable are those who work for the fruit.

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।
तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्

buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte |
tasmādyogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam

One joined to this understanding casts off both good and evil deeds here in this life. So devote yourself to yoga. Yoga is skill in action.

कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः ।
जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम्

karmajaṃ buddhiyuktā hi phalaṃ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ |
janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padaṃ gacchantyanāmayam

The wise, joined to this understanding, give up the fruit born of action, are freed from the bondage of birth, and reach the state beyond all sorrow.

यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति ।
तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च

yadā te mohakalilaṃ buddhirvyatitariṣyati |
tadā gantāsi nirvedaṃ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca

When your understanding crosses the thicket of delusion, you will become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is yet to be heard.

श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला ।
समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि

śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā |
samādhāvacalā buddhistadā yogamavāpsyasi

When your understanding, now bewildered by many teachings, stands firm and unshaken in samadhi, then you will attain yoga.

स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव ।
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम्

sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya keśava |
sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kimāsīta vrajeta kim

Keshava, what is the mark of one whose wisdom is steady, who is established in samadhi? How does such a person speak, how does he sit, how does he walk?

प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते

prajahāti yadā kāmānsarvānpārtha manogatān |
ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate

Partha, when a person gives up all the desires of the mind and is content in the Self by the Self, he is called one of steady wisdom.

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः ।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते

duḥkheṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukheṣu vigataspṛhaḥ |
vītarāgabhayakrodhaḥ sthitadhīrmunirucyate

He whose mind is not shaken by sorrow, who has no craving for pleasures, who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् ।
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता

yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehastattatprāpya śubhāśubham |
nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

He who is without attachment anywhere, who neither rejoices on meeting good nor hates on meeting evil, his wisdom is firmly set.

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता

yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

When he withdraws his senses from their objects on every side, as a tortoise draws in its limbs, his wisdom is firmly set.

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः ।
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते

viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ |
rasavarjaṃ raso'pyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate

Sense objects fall away from the embodied one who abstains from them, but the taste for them remains. Even that taste falls away when he has seen the Supreme.

यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः ।
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः

yatato hyapi kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ |
indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ

Son of Kunti, the turbulent senses forcibly carry away the mind even of a wise man who is striving.

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः ।
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता

tāni sarvāṇi saṃyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ |
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

Restraining them all, he should sit in yoga, intent on Me. One whose senses are under control has steady wisdom.

क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति

krodhādbhavati saṃmohaḥ saṃmohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ |
smṛtibhraṃśādbuddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati

From anger comes delusion, from delusion the loss of memory, from loss of memory the ruin of understanding, and with the ruin of understanding he perishes.

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् ।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति

rāgadveṣaviyuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścaran |
ātmavaśyairvidheyātmā prasādamadhigacchati

But the self-controlled one, moving among sense objects with senses under his command and free from attraction and aversion, attains serenity.

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते ।
प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते

prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate |
prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate

In that serenity all his sorrows come to an end, for the understanding of one whose mind is serene soon becomes steady.

नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना ।
न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम्

nāsti buddhirayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā |
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntiraśāntasya kutaḥ sukham

One who is not united in yoga has no understanding and no contemplation. Without contemplation there is no peace, and for one without peace, how can there be happiness?

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनु विधीयते ।
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि

indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yanmano'nu vidhīyate |
tadasya harati prajñāṃ vāyurnāvamivāmbhasi

When the mind follows the wandering senses, it carries away his wisdom, as the wind carries away a boat on the water.

तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता

tasmādyasya mahābāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

Therefore, mighty-armed one, he whose senses are fully restrained from their objects has steady wisdom.

या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी ।
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः

yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī |
yasyāṃ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ

What is night for all beings, the self-controlled one is awake in it. Where all beings are awake, that is night for the sage who sees.

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् ।
तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी

āpūryamāṇamacalapratiṣṭhaṃ samudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat |
tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve sa śāntimāpnoti na kāmakāmī

As waters enter the ocean, which is ever being filled yet stays unmoved within its bounds, so all desires enter the one who attains peace, and not the one who craves desires.

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान् पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः ।
निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति

vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvān pumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ |
nirmamo nirahaṃkāraḥ sa śāntimadhigacchati

The man who gives up all desires and moves about free from longing, without the sense of mine and without ego, attains peace.

एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति ।
स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति

eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṃ prāpya vimuhyati |
sthitvāsyāmantakāle'pi brahmanirvāṇamṛcchati

This, Partha, is the Brahmi state. Having reached it, one is never deluded again. Abiding in it even at the hour of death, one attains the peace of Brahman.