06.026
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Lord spoke:
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam। vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt ॥6-26-1॥
I imparted this eternal yoga to Vivasvan, who then conveyed it to Manu; Manu, in turn, passed it on to Ikshvaku.
evaṁ paramparāprāptamimaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ। sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa ॥6-26-2॥
Thus, the royal sages understood this tradition. However, over a long period, this yoga was lost here, O Parantapa.
sa evāyaṃ mayā te'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ। bhakto'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam ॥6-26-3॥
Today, I have imparted this ancient knowledge to you because you are my devotee and friend. This is indeed the supreme secret.
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said:
aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ। katham etad vijānīyāṃ tvam ādau proktavān iti ॥6-26-4॥
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.
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Lord spoke:
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna। tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa ॥6-26-5॥
Krishna tells Arjuna that both of them have had many past births, but while Krishna is aware of all of them, Arjuna is not.
ajo'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro'pi san। prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā ॥6-26-6॥
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.
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata। abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ॥6-26-7॥
Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Bharata, I incarnate myself to restore balance.
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām। dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge ॥6-26-8॥
"To protect the virtuous, to destroy the wicked, and to establish righteousness, I appear in every age."
janma karma ca me divyam evaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ। tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti mām eti so'rjuna ॥6-26-9॥
O Arjuna, one who truly understands my divine birth and actions, upon leaving the body, does not take birth again and attains me.
vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ। bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ ॥6-26-10॥
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.
ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham। mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ॥6-26-11॥
In whatever way people approach me, I reciprocate with them accordingly. Everyone follows my path in all respects, O son of Pritha.
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ। kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmaja ॥6-26-12॥
Those who desire the success of their actions worship the gods here, for in the human world, success born of actions is quickly achieved.
cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ। tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ॥6-26-13॥
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.
na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā। iti māṁ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate ॥6-26-14॥
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.
evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ। kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam ॥6-26-15॥
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.
kiṁ karma kimakarmeti kavayo'pyatra mohitāḥ। tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt ॥6-26-16॥
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.
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ। akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ॥6-26-17॥
The nature of action, forbidden action, and inaction must be understood, as the path of action is indeed profound.
karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ। sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt ॥6-26-18॥
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.
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ। jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ ॥6-26-19॥
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.
tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ। karmaṇyabhipravṛtto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ ॥6-26-20॥
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.
nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ। śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam ॥6-26-21॥
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.
yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvaṃdvātīto vimatsaraḥ। samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate ॥6-26-22॥
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.
gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacētasaḥ। yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyatē ॥6-26-23॥
For one who is free from attachment and liberated, with a mind established in knowledge, all actions performed as a sacrifice are completely dissolved.
brahmārpaṇaṃ brahmahavirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam। brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā ॥6-26-24॥
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.
daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate। brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati ॥6-26-25॥
Some yogis worship the divine as a form of sacrifice, while others offer sacrifices into the fire of Brahman using sacrifice itself.
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati। śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati ॥6-26-26॥
Some people sacrifice their senses like ears into the fire of restraint, while others sacrifice objects like sound into the fire of the senses.
sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare। ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite ॥6-26-27॥
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.
dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare। svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ sanśitavratāḥ ॥6-26-28॥
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.
apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe'pānaṃ tathāpare। prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ ॥6-26-29॥
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.
apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati। sarve'pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ ॥6-26-30॥
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.
yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam। nāyaṃ loko'styayajñasya kuto'nyaḥ kurusattama ॥6-26-31॥
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.
evaṁ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe। karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṁ jñātvā vimokṣyase ॥6-26-32॥
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.
śreyāndravya-mayād-yajñāj-jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa। sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate ॥6-26-33॥
O Arjuna, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is superior to any material sacrifice. Ultimately, all actions culminate in knowledge.
tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā। upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ ॥6-26-34॥
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.
yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava। yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi ॥6-26-35॥
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.
api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ। sarvaṁ jñānaplavenai'va vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi ॥6-26-36॥
Even if you are considered the worst of all sinners, with the boat of knowledge, you will be able to cross over all sins.
yathaidhāṃsi samiddho'gnirbhasmasātkurute'rjuna। jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā ॥6-26-37॥
Just as a blazing fire reduces wood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn all actions to ashes.
na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate। tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati ॥6-26-38॥
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.
śraddhāvāṁllabhate jñānaṁ tatparaḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ। jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati ॥6-26-39॥
A person with faith, dedication, and self-control gains knowledge, and upon gaining this knowledge, he quickly achieves the highest peace.
ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṁśayātmā vinaśyati। nāyaṁ loko'sti na paro na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ ॥6-26-40॥
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.
yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañchinnasaṃśayam। ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya ॥6-26-41॥
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.
tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṃ hṛt-sthaṃ jñānāsināt-manaḥ। chittvainam saṃśayaṃ yogam ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata ॥6-26-42॥
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.
