06.025
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said:
jyāyasī cetkarmaṇaste matā buddhirjanārdana। tatkiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśava ॥6-25-1॥
O Janardana, if you consider intelligence to be superior to action, then why do you urge me to engage in this dreadful action, O Keshava?
vyāmiśreṇaiva vākyena buddhiṁ mohayasīva me। tadekaṁ vada niścitya yena śreyo'hamāpnuyām ॥6-25-2॥
You confuse my mind with mixed words. Therefore, please tell me decisively one thing by which I can attain the ultimate good.
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Blessed Lord spoke:
loke'smin dvividhā niṣṭhā purā proktā mayānagha। jñānayogena sāṅkhyānāṃ karmayogena yoginām ॥6-25-3॥
In this world, I have previously described the twofold path, O sinless one: the path of knowledge for the contemplative and the path of action for the active.
na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo'śnute। na ca saṃnyasanādeva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati ॥6-25-4॥
A person cannot achieve a state of inaction simply by avoiding actions, nor can he attain perfection merely through renunciation.
na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt। kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ ॥6-25-5॥
No one can ever remain inactive even for a moment, for everyone is compelled to act by the modes of nature.
karmendriyāṇi saṃyamya ya āste manasā smaran। indriyārthānvimūḍhātmā mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate ॥6-25-6॥
He who controls the organs of action but sits in contemplation of sense objects with the mind is considered a deluded soul, a hypocrite.
yastvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate'rjuna। karmendriyaiḥ karmayogamasaktaḥ sa viśiṣyate ॥6-25-7॥
"O Arjuna, the one who controls his senses with his mind and engages in the yoga of action without attachment, using the organs of action, excels."
niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ। śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasidhyedakarmaṇaḥ ॥6-25-8॥
You should perform your prescribed duties, as action is superior to inaction. Without action, even the basic maintenance of your body would not be possible.
yajñārthāt karmaṇo'nyatra loko'yaṁ karmabandhanaḥ। tadarthaṁ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara ॥6-25-9॥
Actions should be performed as a sacrifice, otherwise, they cause bondage in this world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your duties without attachment.
sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ। anena prasaviṣyadhvameṣa vo'stviṣṭakāmadhuk ॥6-25-10॥
In the beginning, having created all beings along with sacrifices, the Creator said: "Through this, may you prosper and let it be the fulfiller of your desires."
devānbhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ। parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha ॥6-25-11॥
By performing sacrifices for the gods, may they bless you in return. Supporting each other in this way, you will achieve the highest good.
iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ। tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ॥6-25-12॥
The gods, being pleased by sacrifices, will grant you the enjoyments you desire. However, one who enjoys these gifts without sharing them with others is nothing but a thief.
yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ। bhuñjate te tvaghaṃ pāpā ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt ॥6-25-13॥
Saintly individuals who partake in the remnants of sacrifices are freed from all sins, while those who cook for themselves alone are considered sinful and partake in sin.
annādbhavanti bhūtāni parjanyādannasambhavaḥ। yajñādbhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ ॥6-25-14॥
Beings are born from food, and food is produced by rain. Rain is produced by sacrifice, which in turn arises from action.
karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣarasamudbhavam। tasmātsarvagataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam ॥6-25-15॥
Understand that actions originate from Brahman, which itself arises from the imperishable. Hence, the omnipresent Brahman is eternally established in the act of sacrifice.
evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ। aghāyurindriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati ॥6-25-16॥
O son of Pṛthā, the person who does not follow the cycle of duties set forth lives a life of sin and indulgence, ultimately in vain.
yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ। ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate ॥6-25-17॥
A person who finds joy, satisfaction, and contentment within himself alone has no duties to perform.
naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana। na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ ॥6-25-18॥
He has no purpose to fulfill by action or inaction in this world, nor does he depend on any being for any purpose.
tasmādasaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samācara। asakto hyācarankarma paramāpnoti pūruṣaḥ ॥6-25-19॥
Therefore, always perform your duty without attachment, because by doing so, a person reaches the highest state.
karmaṇaiva hi saṁsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ। lokasaṅgrahamevāpi sampaśyankartumarhasi ॥6-25-20॥
Janaka and others achieved perfection solely through action; therefore, you should act, considering the welfare of the world.
yadyad ācarati śreṣṭhas tattad evetaro janaḥ। sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas tad anuvartate ॥6-25-21॥
People follow the example set by a great person. Whatever actions he performs, others imitate. The standards he sets become the norms for the world.
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana। nānavāptamavāptavyaṁ varta eva ca karmaṇi ॥6-25-22॥
O Arjuna, there is no duty for me in all the three worlds. There is nothing that I need to achieve or obtain, yet I am always engaged in action.
yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ। mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ॥6-25-23॥
O Pārtha, if I were not to engage in action tirelessly, people would follow my path in every way.
utsīdeyurime lokā na kuryāṁ karma cedaham। saṅkarasya ca kartā syāmupahanyāmimāḥ prajāḥ ॥6-25-24॥
If I did not perform action, these worlds would perish; I would be the creator of chaos and destroy these creatures.
saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata। kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṅgraham ॥6-25-25॥
O Bharata, just as the ignorant act with attachment to their actions, the wise should act without attachment, aiming for the welfare of the world.
na buddhibhedaṁ janayedajñānāṁ karmasaṅginām। joṣayetsarvakarmāṇi vidvānyuktaḥ samācaran ॥6-25-26॥
The wise should not disturb the minds of the ignorant who are attached to actions. Instead, he should engage them in all actions, performing his duties properly and remaining steadfast.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ। ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate ॥6-25-27॥
All actions are performed by the modes of material nature. However, the soul deluded by ego thinks, "I am the doer."
tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ। guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate ॥6-25-28॥
O mighty-armed one, the knower of the truth regarding the division of qualities and actions, understanding that qualities function within their own realm, remains unattached.
prakṛter guṇasaṁmūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu। tān akṛtsnavido mandān kṛtsnavin na vicālayet ॥6-25-29॥
People who are confused by the qualities of nature become attached to the activities of those qualities. A wise person, who has complete understanding, should not unsettle those ignorant individuals.
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṃnyasyādhyātmacetasā। nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigatajvaraḥ ॥6-25-30॥
Renounce all actions in me with a mind focused on the self, free from desires and sense of ownership, and fight without any distress.
ye me matamidaṁ nityamanutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ। śraddhāvanto'nasūyanto mucyante te'pi karmabhiḥ ॥6-25-31॥
Those who follow my teachings with faith and without envy are also freed from the bondage of actions.
ye tv etad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣṭhanti me matam। sarvajñānavimūḍhāṁs tān viddhi naṣṭān acetasaḥ ॥6-25-32॥
Those who, out of envy, do not follow my teachings, should be understood as being devoid of all knowledge, lost and lacking in intelligence.
sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyaḥ prakṛterjñānavānapi। prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati ॥6-25-33॥
Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature; what can restraint achieve?
indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāgadveṣau vyavasthitau। tayor na vaśamāgacchettau hyasya paripanthinau ॥6-25-34॥
In every sense object, attachment and aversion are present. One should not fall under their influence, as they are obstacles to one's progress.
śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt। svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ॥6-25-35॥
It is better to perform one's own duties imperfectly than to master the duties of another. Death in carrying out one's own duty is preferable; the duty of another is perilous.
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said:
atha kena prayukto'yaṁ pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ। anicchannapi vārṣṇeya balādiva niyojitaḥ ॥6-25-36॥
Arjuna asks, "O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, by whom is a man compelled to commit sin, even against his will, as if driven by force?"
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Blessed Lord spoke:
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ। mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenam iha vairiṇam ॥6-25-37॥
Desire and anger, arising from the mode of passion, are all-consuming and highly sinful. Recognize them as formidable enemies in this world.
dhūmenāvriyate vahniryathādarśo malena ca। yatholbenāvṛto garbhastathā tenedamāvṛtam ॥6-25-38॥
Just as fire is obscured by smoke, a mirror by dust, and an embryo by the womb, in the same way, knowledge is obscured by desire.
āvṛtaṃ jñānametena jñānino nityavairiṇā। kāmarūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca ॥6-25-39॥
O son of Kunti, knowledge is obscured by this eternal enemy in the form of insatiable desire, which burns like fire.
indriyāṇi mano buddhirasyādhiṣṭhānamucyate। etairvimohayatyeṣa jñānamāvṛtya dehinam ॥6-25-40॥
The senses, mind, and intellect are considered the seat of desire. Through these, desire deludes the embodied soul by obscuring knowledge.
tasmāttvamindriyāṇyādau niyamya bharatarṣabha। pāpmānaṃ prajahi hyenaṃ jñānavijñānanāśanam ॥6-25-41॥
Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, first control the senses and then destroy this sin which destroys both knowledge and wisdom.
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ। manasastu parā buddhiryo buddheḥ paratastu saḥ ॥6-25-42॥
"The senses are said to be superior, but the mind is above the senses. Beyond the mind is the intellect, and beyond the intellect is the self."
evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā sanstabhya-ātmānam-ātmanā। jahi śhatruṁ mahā-bāho kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam ॥6-25-43॥
O mighty-armed one, thus having realized the transcendental nature of the intellect and having controlled the mind by the self, conquer the formidable enemy in the form of desire.
