कर्मयोगः

ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव

jyāyasī cetkarmaṇaste matā buddhirjanārdana |
tatkiṃ karmaṇi ghore māṃ niyojayasi keśava

Janardana, if You hold that understanding is higher than action, then why, Keshava, do You urge me into this terrible deed?

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम्

vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena buddhiṃ mohayasīva me |
tadekaṃ vada niścitya yena śreyo'hamāpnuyām

With these seemingly mixed words You confuse my understanding. Tell me one thing for certain, by which I may reach the highest good.

लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्

loke'smindvividhā niṣṭhā purā proktā mayānagha |
jñānayogena sāṃkhyānāṃ karmayogena yoginām

Sinless one, in this world a twofold path was taught by Me long ago: the yoga of knowledge for the Sankhyas and the yoga of action for the yogis.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति

na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo'śnute |
na ca saṃnyasanādeva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati

A person does not reach freedom from action by not beginning work, nor does he attain perfection by mere renunciation.

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः

na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt |
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ

No one can remain even for a moment without acting. Everyone is driven helplessly to act by the gunas born of prakriti.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते

karmendriyāṇi saṃyamya ya āste manasā smaran |
indriyārthānvimūḍhātmā mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate

One who restrains the organs of action but sits dwelling on sense objects in his mind is deluded and is called a hypocrite.

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन ।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते

yastvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate'rjuna |
karmendriyaiḥ karmayogamasaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate

But one who controls the senses with the mind, Arjuna, and without attachment takes up the yoga of action with the organs of action, he excels.

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः ।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर

yajñārthātkarmaṇo'nyatra loko'yaṃ karmabandhanaḥ |
tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara

This world is bound by action, except action done as yajna. So, son of Kunti, perform action for that sake, free from attachment.

सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः ।
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्

sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ |
anena prasaviṣyadhvameṣa vo'stviṣṭakāmadhuk

In the beginning Prajapati created beings together with yajna and said: By this you shall prosper; let this be your wish-fulfilling cow.

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ

devānbhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ |
parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha

Nourish the devas with this, and may the devas nourish you. Nourishing one another, you will attain the highest good.

इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः ।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः

iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ |
tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ

Nourished by yajna, the devas will give you the enjoyments you desire. One who enjoys their gifts without offering anything to them is nothing but a thief.

यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः ।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्

yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ |
bhuñjate te tvaghaṃ pāpā ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt

The good, who eat what remains after yajna, are freed from all sins. But the wicked, who cook only for themselves, eat sin.

अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः ।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः

annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasambhavaḥ |
yajñādbhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ

Beings come from food, food comes from rain, rain comes from yajna, and yajna is born of action.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् ।
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्

karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣarasamudbhavam |
tasmātsarvagataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam

Know that action arises from the Veda, and the Veda arises from the Imperishable. Therefore the all-pervading Brahman is ever present in yajna.

एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः ।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति

evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ |
aghāyurindriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati

He who does not keep turning the wheel thus set in motion lives a life of sin, delighting in the senses, and lives in vain, Partha.

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते

yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ |
ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate

But for the one who delights in the Self alone, is satisfied in the Self, and is content in the Self, there is no work left to do.

नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः

naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana |
na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ

He has nothing to gain here by acting and nothing to lose by not acting. Nor does he depend on any being for any purpose.

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि

karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ |
lokasaṃgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyankartumarhasi

Janaka and others attained perfection through action alone. And looking to the welfare of the world, you too should act.

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किंचन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiṃcana |
nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi

Partha, there is nothing in the three worlds that I must do, nothing I have not gained or need to gain. Yet I continue in action.

यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः

yadi hyahaṃ na varteyaṃ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ |
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

For if I did not tirelessly engage in action, Partha, people would follow My path in every way.

उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।
संकरस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः

utsīdeyurime lokā na kuryāṃ karma cedaham |
saṃkarasya ca kartā syāmupahanyāmimāḥ prajāḥ

If I did not act, these worlds would fall into ruin. I would be the cause of confusion and would destroy these beings.

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम्

saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata |
kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṃgraham

As the unwise act with attachment to their work, O Bharata, so the wise should act without attachment, wishing for the welfare of the world.

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन्

na buddhibhedaṃ janayedajñānāṃ karmasaṅginām |
joṣayetsarvakarmāṇi vidvānyuktaḥ samācaran

The wise should not unsettle the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action. Doing all work himself with devotion, he should lead them to take delight in their work.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहंकारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ |
ahaṃkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate

All actions are done by the gunas of prakriti. But one whose mind is deluded by ego thinks, "I am the doer."

तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते

tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ |
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate

But one who knows the truth about the division of the gunas and their actions, mighty-armed one, sees that gunas act upon gunas, and is not attached.

प्रकृतेर्गुणसंमूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत्

prakṛterguṇasaṃmūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu |
tānakṛtsnavido mandānkṛtsnavinna vicālayet

Those deluded by the gunas of prakriti are attached to the work of the gunas. One who knows the whole should not unsettle these dull ones who know only in part.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṃnyasyādhyātmacetasā |
nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ

Surrendering all actions to Me, with your mind fixed on the Self, free from hope and from the sense of mine, fight, with the fever of your grief gone.

ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः ।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः

ye me matamidaṃ nityamanutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ |
śraddhāvanto'nasūyanto mucyante te'pi karmabhiḥ

Those who always follow this teaching of Mine with faith and without finding fault are also freed from the bondage of karma.

ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् ।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः

ye tvetadabhyasūyanto nānutiṣṭhanti me matam |
sarvajñānavimūḍhāṃstānviddhi naṣṭānacetasaḥ

But those who find fault with this teaching and do not follow it, know them to be deluded in all knowledge, lost and without discernment.

सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति

sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛterjñānavānapi |
prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati

Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature. All beings follow their nature. What can suppression achieve?

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāgadveṣau vyavasthitau |
tayorna vaśamāgacchettau hyasya paripanthinau

Attraction and aversion lie in wait in every sense for its objects. One should not come under their sway, for they are his enemies on the path.

अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः ।
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः

atha kena prayukto'yaṃ pāpaṃ carati pūruṣaḥ |
anicchannapi vārṣṇeya balādiva niyojitaḥ

Then what is it, Varshneya, that drives a man to commit sin even against his will, as if forced into it?

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ |
mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenamiha vairiṇam

It is desire, it is anger, born of the guna of rajas. All-devouring and most sinful, know this to be the enemy here.

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम्

dhūmenāvriyate vahniryathādarśo malena ca |
yatholbenāvṛto garbhastathā tenedamāvṛtam

As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an unborn child by the womb, so is knowledge covered by desire.

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा ।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च

āvṛtaṃ jñānametena jñānino nityavairiṇā |
kāmarūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca

Son of Kunti, knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which is as hard to satisfy as fire.

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते ।
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम्

indriyāṇi mano buddhirasyādhiṣṭhānamucyate |
etairvimohayatyeṣa jñānamāvṛtya dehinam

The senses, the mind and the intellect are said to be its seat. Through them it veils knowledge and deludes the embodied one.

तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ ।
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्

tasmāttvamindriyāṇyādau niyamya bharatarṣabha |
pāpmānaṃ prajahi hyenaṃ jñānavijñānanāśanam

So, best of the Bharatas, first control the senses, and then slay this sinful thing, the destroyer of knowledge and realisation.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः

indriyāṇi parāṇyāhurindriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ |
manasastu parā buddhiryo buddheḥ paratastu saḥ

The senses are said to be high; higher than the senses is the mind; higher than the mind is the intellect; and higher than the intellect is He, the Self.

एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्

evaṃ buddheḥ paraṃ buddhvā saṃstabhyātmānamātmanā |
jahi śatruṃ mahābāho kāmarūpaṃ durāsadam

Knowing Him who is beyond the intellect, steadying the self by the Self, slay, mighty-armed one, this enemy in the form of desire, so hard to overcome.