Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् |

I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan the sun god. Vivasvan then taught it to Manu, the father of mankind. And Manu taught it to Ikshvaku.

एवं परम्पराप्राप्तिमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः |

The saintly kings understood this yoga received through disciplic succession. But over the long course of time, O subduer of enemies, this yoga was lost in the world.

स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः |

That same ancient yoga I am now declaring to you today, for you are My devotee and My friend. This is indeed the supreme secret.

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said: Vivasvan's birth was prior to yours. How then am I to understand that you taught this yoga to him in the beginning?

बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन |

Many births have passed for both you and Me, O Arjuna. I remember all of them. You do not, O subduer of enemies.

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् |

Although I am unborn and My soul is imperishable, and although I am the Lord of all beings, I appear in every age by presiding over My own divine nature through My internal potency.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत |

Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness, O Bharata, at that time I manifest Myself.

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् |

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, and to reestablish the principles of righteousness, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः |

One who knows the truth of My divine birth and activities, O Arjuna, does not take birth again upon leaving the body. He comes to Me.

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः |

Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, fully absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, and purified by the fire of knowledge — many have attained My state of being.

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् |

As all surrender to Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O Arjuna.

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः |

Those who desire quick results from their actions in this world worship the gods; in the human world, the fruits of action come swiftly.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः |

The four divisions of human society were created by Me according to the qualities and actions of people. Though I am the creator of this system, know Me as the non-doer, changeless.

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा |

Actions do not taint Me, nor do I desire the fruits of action. One who knows Me in this way is also not bound by the results of their actions.

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षिभिः |

Knowing this, even the ancient seekers of liberation performed action. Therefore you too must perform action, as the ancients did in former times.

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः |

Even the wise are confused about what is action and what is inaction. I shall now explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be freed from all misfortune.

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः |

The nature of action must be understood, the nature of wrong action must be understood, and the nature of inaction must be understood. The path of action is very difficult to understand.

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः |

One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is wise among men. Such a person is a yogi, a doer of all actions.

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसंकल्पवर्जिताः |

One whose every undertaking is free from desire and personal intention, whose actions have been burned by the fire of knowledge — the wise call such a person learned.

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः |

Having abandoned all attachment to the fruits of action, ever content, depending on no one, though fully engaged in action, such a person does nothing at all.

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः |

Free from desires, with mind and self controlled, having given up all sense of possession, acting only for the body's basic maintenance — such a person incurs no sin.

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः |

Content with whatever comes of itself, beyond the pairs of opposites, free from envy, same in success and failure — even while acting, such a person is never bound.

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः |

The actions of one who is free from attachment, who is liberated, and whose mind is wholly established in knowledge — all such karma performed as sacrifice dissolves entirely.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् |

Brahman is the ladle; Brahman is the oblation; Brahman pours the offering into the fire of Brahman. Brahman alone is the goal to be reached by one who is absorbed in Brahman through every action.

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते |

Some yogis worship the gods through sacrifice; others offer sacrifice itself as an oblation into the fire of Brahman.

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति |

Some offer the senses — hearing and the rest — into the fires of self-restraint. Others offer sound and the other sense objects into the fires of the senses.

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे |

Others offer all the actions of the senses and the functions of the life-breath into the fire of the yoga of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे |

Some offer their wealth as sacrifice; others offer austerity, others yoga practice, and still others offer the sacrifice of scriptural study and knowledge — all these are ascetics of firm vows.

अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे |

Others offer the outgoing breath into the incoming breath, and the incoming breath into the outgoing breath, restraining the movement of both — devoted to pranayama. Still others, with regulated eating, offer the pranas into the pranas.

सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः |

All these knowers of sacrifice, their sins destroyed through sacrifice, partake of the nectar that remains from sacrifice and go to the eternal Brahman.

नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥३१॥

O best of the Kurus, even this world is not for one who performs no sacrifice — how then the next?

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे |

Thus many kinds of sacrifices are spread out in the face of Brahman. Know them all to be born of action — and knowing this, you shall be liberated.

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप |

O scorcher of enemies, the sacrifice of knowledge is superior to any material sacrifice. All action, O Partha, without exception, finds its culmination in knowledge.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |

Seek that knowledge through humble surrender, sincere inquiry, and service. The wise who have seen the truth will instruct you in that knowledge.

यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव |

Having known this, O Pandava, you will not again fall into delusion. By this knowledge you will see all beings without exception within the Self — and then in Me.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः |

Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you shall cross over all sin by the boat of knowledge alone.

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन |

Just as a blazing fire reduces firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge reduces all karma to ashes.

न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते |

There is nothing in this world as purifying as knowledge. In time, the person perfected in yoga discovers this within themselves.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः |

The person of faith who is devoted to it and has mastered the senses obtains knowledge. Having obtained knowledge, they swiftly attain supreme peace.

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति |

The ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting self perish. For the doubting soul there is neither this world, nor the next, nor any happiness.

योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम् |

One who has renounced actions through yoga, whose doubts are cut asunder by knowledge, and who is self-possessed — actions do not bind that person, O Dhananjaya.

तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः |

Therefore, cut asunder the doubt born of ignorance that dwells in your heart with the sword of knowledge. Stand established in yoga. Arise, O Bharata!