06.026
श्रीभगवानुवाच॥
The Lord spoke:
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥६-२६-१॥
I imparted this eternal yoga to Vivasvan, who then conveyed it to Manu; Manu, in turn, passed it on to Ikshvaku.
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥६-२६-२॥
Thus, the royal sages understood this tradition. However, over a long period, this yoga was lost here, O Parantapa.
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥६-२६-३॥
Today, I have imparted this ancient knowledge to you because you are my devotee and friend. This is indeed the supreme secret.
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said:
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥६-२६-४॥
Arjuna is puzzled and asks Krishna how he should understand that Krishna spoke to Vivasvan in the beginning, considering that Krishna's birth is recent compared to Vivasvan's.
श्रीभगवानुवाच॥
The Lord spoke:
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥६-२६-५॥
Krishna tells Arjuna that both of them have had many past births, but while Krishna is aware of all of them, Arjuna is not.
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥६-२६-६॥
Even though I am birthless and my transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in my original transcendental form by my internal potency.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥६-२६-७॥
Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Bharata, I incarnate myself to restore balance.
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥६-२६-८॥
"To protect the virtuous, to destroy the wicked, and to establish righteousness, I appear in every age."
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥६-२६-९॥
O Arjuna, one who truly understands my divine birth and actions, upon leaving the body, does not take birth again and attains me.
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥६-२६-१०॥
Many who are free from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in me and taking refuge in me, have been purified by the austerity of knowledge and have attained my divine state.
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥६-२६-११॥
In whatever way people approach me, I reciprocate with them accordingly. Everyone follows my path in all respects, O son of Pritha.
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥६-२६-१२॥
Those who desire the success of their actions worship the gods here, for in the human world, success born of actions is quickly achieved.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥६-२६-१३॥
I have created the fourfold division of society based on qualities and actions. However, know that while I am the creator of this system, I am also beyond creation and immutable.
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥६-२६-१४॥
Actions do not taint me, nor do I have a longing for their results. Therefore, one who understands this truth about me is not entangled in actions.
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥६-२६-१५॥
Thus, knowing this, actions were performed by the ancients and also by those desiring liberation. Therefore, you should perform actions as were done by the ancients in the past.
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥६-२६-१६॥
The nature of action and inaction is perplexing even to the wise. I will explain to you the truth of action, by knowing which you will be freed from all evils.
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥६-२६-१७॥
The nature of action, forbidden action, and inaction must be understood, as the path of action is indeed profound.
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥६-२६-१८॥
He who can perceive inaction within action and action within inaction is truly wise among men. He is the one who is engaged in all actions.
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥६-२६-१९॥
The wise call him a sage whose every action is free from desire and resolve, and whose deeds are consumed by the fire of knowledge.
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥६-२६-२०॥
He who has given up attachment to the results of his actions, who is always content and independent, even though fully engaged in work, does nothing at all.
निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥६-२६-२१॥
A person who is free from desires, who has control over their mind and self, and who has given up all possessions, performs actions only for the maintenance of the body and does not incur sin.
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वंद्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥६-२६-२२॥
One who is content with whatever comes of its own accord, who is beyond dualities and free from envy, who remains equipoised in both success and failure, is never entangled even while performing actions.
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥६-२६-२३॥
For one who is free from attachment and liberated, with a mind established in knowledge, all actions performed as a sacrifice are completely dissolved.
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥६-२६-२४॥
The act of offering, the oblation, and the fire are all considered as Brahman. The one who offers is also Brahman, and through this realization, one reaches Brahman by being absorbed in actions that are Brahman.
दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते। ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥६-२६-२५॥
Some yogis worship the divine as a form of sacrifice, while others offer sacrifices into the fire of Brahman using sacrifice itself.
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति। शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥६-२६-२६॥
Some people sacrifice their senses like ears into the fire of restraint, while others sacrifice objects like sound into the fire of the senses.
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे। आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥६-२६-२७॥
Others offer all the actions of the senses and the actions of the life forces into the fire of self-discipline, which is kindled by knowledge.
द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥६-२६-२८॥
Some perform sacrifices with material possessions, others through austerity, yoga, or self-study and knowledge. Ascetics who are firm in their vows also perform sacrifices.
अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे। प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥६-२६-२९॥
Some offer the incoming breath into the outgoing breath, and the outgoing breath into the incoming breath. Others, having restrained the movements of both the incoming and outgoing breaths, are dedicated to the practice of breath control.
अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति। सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥६-२६-३०॥
Others, who regulate their diet, offer their life energies into the life forces. All these individuals are knowledgeable about sacrifices and have their sins eradicated through sacrifices.
यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्। नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥६-२६-३१॥
Those who partake in the remnants of sacrifice attain the eternal Brahman. For those who do not perform sacrifices, this world is not available, let alone the next, O best of the Kurus.
एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे। कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥६-२६-३२॥
In this way, various types of sacrifices are laid out in the realm of Brahman. Understand that they all arise from actions; by knowing this, you will achieve liberation.
श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप। सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥६-२६-३३॥
O Arjuna, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is superior to any material sacrifice. Ultimately, all actions culminate in knowledge.
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥६-२६-३४॥
Approach those who have realized the truth with reverence, inquiry, and service. They will impart knowledge to you, for they are wise and have seen the truth.
यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव। येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥६-२६-३५॥
Once you have realized this knowledge, O son of Pāṇḍu, you will never again fall into illusion. You will see all living beings entirely within the Self and also within Me.
अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः। सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥६-२६-३६॥
Even if you are considered the worst of all sinners, with the boat of knowledge, you will be able to cross over all sins.
यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥६-२६-३७॥
Just as a blazing fire reduces wood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn all actions to ashes.
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते। तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥६-२६-३८॥
Indeed, there is nothing as purifying as knowledge in this world. Over time, one who has achieved perfection in yoga discovers this truth within themselves.
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः। ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥६-२६-३९॥
A person with faith, dedication, and self-control gains knowledge, and upon gaining this knowledge, he quickly achieves the highest peace.
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥६-२६-४०॥
The ignorant and faithless, who have a doubting mind, are doomed to destruction. For the doubting soul, there is neither this world nor the next, nor any happiness.
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥६-२६-४१॥
O Dhananjaya, actions do not bind the one who has renounced actions through yoga, whose doubts have been dispelled by knowledge, and who is self-controlled.
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥६-२६-४२॥
Therefore, O Bharata, cut off this doubt born of ignorance residing in your heart with the sword of knowledge, and engage in yoga. Arise and take action.
