06.038
Pancharatra: Bhagavad Gita 16th chapter.
श्रीभगवानुवाच॥
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
[श्री (śrī) - auspicious; भगवान् (bhagavān) - Lord; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(The auspicious Lord said:)
The Blessed Lord said:
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः। दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥६-३८-१॥
abhayaṁ sattvasaṁśuddhirjñānayogavyavasthitiḥ। dānaṁ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyastapa ārjavam ॥6-38-1॥
[अभयम् (abhayam) - fearlessness; सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः (sattvasaṁśuddhiḥ) - purity of mind; ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः (jñānayogavyavasthitiḥ) - steadfastness in the yoga of knowledge; दानम् (dānam) - charity; दमः (damaḥ) - self-control; यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - sacrifice; स्वाध्यायः (svādhyāyaḥ) - self-study; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; आर्जवम् (ārjavam) - honesty;]
(Fearlessness, purity of mind, steadfastness in the yoga of knowledge, charity, self-control, sacrifice, self-study, austerity, honesty.)
"Fearlessness, purity of heart, and steadfastness in the path of knowledge, along with charity, self-control, sacrifice, self-study, austerity, and honesty are the qualities to be cultivated."
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्। दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥६-३८-२॥
ahiṁsā satyamakrodhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam। dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīracāpalam ॥6-38-2॥
[अहिंसा (ahiṁsā) - non-violence; सत्यं (satyaṁ) - truth; अक्रोधः (akrodhaḥ) - absence of anger; त्यागः (tyāgaḥ) - renunciation; शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace; अपैशुनम् (apaiśunam) - non-slander; दया (dayā) - compassion; भूतेषु (bhūteṣu) - towards all beings; अलोलुप्त्वं (aloluptvaṁ) - absence of greed; मार्दवम् (mārdavam) - gentleness; ह्रीः (hrīḥ) - modesty; अचापलम् (acāpalam) - steadiness;]
(Non-violence, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peace, non-slander, compassion towards all beings, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, steadiness.)
The qualities of non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peace, non-slander, compassion towards all beings, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, and steadiness are described here.
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता। भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥६-३८-३॥
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucamadroho nātimānitā। bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīmabhijātasya bhārata ॥6-38-3॥
[तेजः (tejaḥ) - brilliance; क्षमा (kṣamā) - forgiveness; धृतिः (dhṛtiḥ) - fortitude; शौचम् (śaucam) - purity; अद्रोहः (adrohaḥ) - non-enmity; न (na) - not; अतिमानिता (atimānitā) - pride; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - are; सम्पदम् (sampadam) - wealth; दैवीम् (daivīm) - divine; अभिजातस्य (abhijātasya) - of the one born; भारत (bhārata) - O Bharata; ॥६-३८-३॥ (॥6-38-3॥) - (verse number);]
(Brilliance, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, non-enmity, not pride, are the divine wealth of the one born, O Bharata.)
O Bharata, the qualities such as brilliance, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, non-enmity, and humility are the divine attributes of a person born with a divine nature.
दम्भो दर्पोऽतिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च। अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् ॥६-३८-४॥
dambho darpo'timānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyameva ca। ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm ॥6-38-4॥
[दम्भः (dambhaḥ) - hypocrisy; दर्पः (darpaḥ) - arrogance; अतिमानः (atimānaḥ) - excessive pride; च (ca) - and; क्रोधः (krodhaḥ) - anger; पारुष्यम् (pāruṣyam) - harshness; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; अज्ञानम् (ajñānam) - ignorance; च (ca) - and; अभिजातस्य (abhijātasya) - of one born; पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pritha; सम्पदम् (sampadam) - qualities; आसुरीम् (āsurīm) - demonic.;]
(Hypocrisy, arrogance, excessive pride, anger, harshness, and ignorance, O son of Pritha, are the qualities of one born with a demonic nature.)
O son of Pritha, the qualities of one born with a demonic nature include hypocrisy, arrogance, excessive pride, anger, harshness, and ignorance.
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता। मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव ॥६-३८-५॥
daivī sampadvimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā। mā śucaḥ sampadaṃ daivīmabhijāto'si pāṇḍava ॥6-38-5॥
[दैवी (daivī) - divine; सम्पद् (sampad) - wealth; विमोक्षाय (vimokṣāya) - for liberation; निबन्धाय (nibandhāya) - for bondage; आसुरी (āsurī) - demonic; मता (matā) - is considered; मा (mā) - do not; शुचः (śucaḥ) - grieve; सम्पदं (sampadam) - wealth; दैवीम् (daivīm) - divine; अभिजातः (abhijātaḥ) - born; असि (asi) - you are; पाण्डव (pāṇḍava) - O son of Pandu;]
(The divine wealth is for liberation, the demonic is considered for bondage. Do not grieve, you are born with divine wealth, O son of Pandu.)
The divine qualities lead to liberation, while the demonic qualities are considered to lead to bondage. Do not grieve, O son of Pandu, for you are born with divine qualities.
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च। दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ॥६-३८-६॥
dvau bhūtasargau loke'smindaiva āsura eva ca। daivo viśtaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ॥6-38-6॥
[द्वौ (dvau) - two; भूतसर्गौ (bhūtasargau) - creations; लोके (loke) - in the world; अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this; दैव (daiva) - divine; आसुर (āsura) - demonic; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; दैवः (daivaḥ) - divine; विस्तरशः (viśtaraśaḥ) - in detail; प्रोक्तः (proktaḥ) - is described; आसुरम् (āsuram) - demonic; पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pritha; मे (me) - by me; शृणु (śṛṇu) - hear;]
(Two creations exist in this world: the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described in detail; hear from me about the demonic, O son of Pritha.)
In this world, there are two types of beings created: the divine and the demonic. The divine nature has been elaborately described; now hear from me about the demonic nature, O Arjuna.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः। न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ॥६-३८-७॥
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ। na śaucaṃ nāpi cācāro na satyaṃ teṣu vidyate ॥6-38-7॥
[प्रवृत्तिं (pravṛttiṃ) - engagement; च (ca) - and; निवृत्तिं (nivṛttiṃ) - renunciation; च (ca) - and; जनाः (janāḥ) - people; न (na) - not; विदुः (viduḥ) - know; असुराः (asurāḥ) - demons; न (na) - not; शौचं (śaucaṃ) - cleanliness; न (na) - not; अपि (api) - even; च (ca) - and; आचारः (ācāraḥ) - conduct; न (na) - not; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; तेषु (teṣu) - in them; विद्यते (vidyate) - exists;]
(Engagement and renunciation the people do not know, the demons. Neither cleanliness, nor even conduct, nor truth in them exists.)
The demonic people do not know what is right engagement and what is renunciation. Cleanliness, proper conduct, and truth do not exist in them.
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्। अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥६-३८-८॥
asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram। aparasparasambhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam ॥6-38-8॥
[असत्यम् (asatyam) - unreal; अप्रतिष्ठम् (apratiṣṭham) - without foundation; ते (te) - they; जगत् (jagat) - world; आहुः (āhuḥ) - say; अनीश्वरम् (anīśvaram) - without God; अपरस्पर (aparaspara) - mutual; सम्भूतम् (sambhūtam) - arisen; किम् (kim) - what; अन्यत् (anyat) - other; काम (kāma) - desire; हैतुकम् (haitukam) - cause;]
(They say the world is unreal, without foundation, without God, arisen from mutual desire, what other cause is there?)
They claim that the world is unreal, without any foundation or God, and that it has arisen from mutual desire, questioning what other cause there could be.
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः। प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥६-३८-९॥
etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno'lpabuddhayaḥ। prabhavanty ugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato'hitāḥ ॥6-38-9॥
[एताम् (etām) - this; दृष्टिम् (dṛṣṭim) - view; अवष्टभ्य (avaṣṭabhya) - holding; नष्टात्मानः (naṣṭātmānaḥ) - lost selves; अल्पबुद्धयः (alpabuddhayaḥ) - of small intelligence; प्रभवन्ति (prabhavanti) - arise; उग्रकर्माणः (ugrakarmāṇaḥ) - fierce deeds; क्षयाय (kṣayāya) - for destruction; जगतः (jagataḥ) - of the world; अहिताः (ahitāḥ) - enemies;]
(Holding this view, the lost selves of small intelligence arise for the destruction of the world, engaging in fierce deeds, as enemies.)
Those who hold this view, with lost selves and small intelligence, engage in fierce deeds, becoming enemies of the world, leading to its destruction.
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः। मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः ॥६-३८-१०॥
kāmam āśritya duṣpūraṃ dambha-māna-madānvitāḥ। mohād gṛhītvā sad-grāhān pravartante 'śuci-vratāḥ ॥6-38-10॥
[कामम् (kāmam) - desire; आश्रित्य (āśritya) - resorting to; दुष्पूरम् (duṣpūram) - insatiable; दम्भ (dambha) - hypocrisy; मान (māna) - pride; मद (mada) - arrogance; अन्विताः (anvitāḥ) - endowed with; मोहात् (mohāt) - out of delusion; गृहीत्वा (gṛhītvā) - having taken; असत् (asat) - unreal; ग्राहान् (grāhān) - views; प्रवर्तन्ते (pravartante) - they engage; अशुचि (aśuci) - impure; व्रताः (vratāḥ) - vows;]
(Resorting to insatiable desire, endowed with hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, out of delusion, having taken unreal views, they engage in impure vows.)
Driven by insatiable desires and filled with hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, they act out of delusion, embracing false views and engaging in impure practices.
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः। कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः ॥६-३८-११॥
cintām aparimeyāṃ ca pralayāntām upāśritāḥ। kāmopabhogaparamā etāvad iti niścitāḥ ॥6-38-11॥
[चिन्ताम् (cintām) - worry; अपरिमेयाम् (aparimeyām) - immeasurable; च (ca) - and; प्रलयान्ताम् (pralayāntām) - ending in dissolution; उपाश्रिताः (upāśritāḥ) - resorted to; कामोपभोगपरमाः (kāmopabhogaparamāḥ) - dedicated to sensual pleasures; एतावत् (etāvat) - this much; इति (iti) - thus; निश्चिताः (niścitāḥ) - convinced;]
(They are resorted to immeasurable worry and dissolution, dedicated to sensual pleasures, convinced that this is all.)
They are engrossed in endless worries and eventual destruction, indulging in sensual pleasures, believing that this is the ultimate purpose of life.
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः। ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ॥६-३८-१२॥
āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ। īhante kāmabhogārthamanyāyenārthasañcayān ॥6-38-12॥
[आशा (āśā) - hope; पाश (pāśa) - bonds; शतैः (śataiḥ) - hundreds; बद्धाः (baddhāḥ) - bound; काम (kāma) - desire; क्रोध (krodha) - anger; परायणाः (parāyaṇāḥ) - devoted to; ईहन्ते (īhante) - strive; काम (kāma) - desire; भोग (bhoga) - enjoyment; अर्थम् (artham) - for the sake of; अन्यायेन (anyāyena) - unjustly; अर्थ (artha) - wealth; सञ्चयान् (sañcayān) - accumulations;]
(Bound by hundreds of bonds of hope, devoted to desire and anger, they strive for the accumulation of wealth unjustly for the sake of enjoyment of desires.)
Bound by hundreds of chains of hope, they are devoted to desire and anger, striving unjustly for the accumulation of wealth for the sake of sensual enjoyment.
इदमद्य मया लब्धमिदं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्। इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम् ॥६-३८-१३॥
idamadya mayā labdhamidaṃ prāpsye manoratham। idamastīdamapi me bhaviṣyati punardhanam ॥6-38-13॥
[इदम् (idam) - this; अद्य (adya) - today; मया (mayā) - by me; लब्धम् (labdham) - obtained; इदम् (idam) - this; प्राप्स्ये (prāpsye) - will obtain; मनोरथम् (manoratham) - desire; इदम् (idam) - this; अस्ति (asti) - is; इदम् (idam) - this; अपि (api) - also; मे (me) - my; भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will be; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; धनम् (dhanam) - wealth;]
(This today by me obtained, this desire I will obtain. This is, this also my will be again wealth.)
"Today I have obtained this, I shall fulfill this desire. This is mine, and this wealth will be mine again."
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि। ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी ॥६-३८-१४॥
asau mayā hataḥ śatrurhaniṣye cāparānapi। īśvaro'hamahaṃ bhogī siddho'haṃ balavānsukhī ॥6-38-14॥
[असौ (asau) - that; मया (mayā) - by me; हतः (hataḥ) - killed; शत्रुः (śatruḥ) - enemy; हनिष्ये (haniṣye) - I shall kill; च (ca) - and; अपरान् (aparān) - others; अपि (api) - also; ईश्वरः (īśvaraḥ) - God; अहम् (aham) - I; अहम् (aham) - I; भोगी (bhogī) - enjoyer; सिद्धः (siddhaḥ) - perfect; अहम् (aham) - I; बलवान् (balavān) - powerful; सुखी (sukhī) - happy;]
(That enemy was killed by me; I shall kill others also. I am God, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, I am powerful, I am happy.)
The enemy has been slain by me, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord, the enjoyer, accomplished, powerful, and content.
आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया। यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ॥६-३८-१५॥
āḍhyo'bhijanavān asmi ko'nyo'sti sadṛśo mayā। yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñānavimohitāḥ ॥6-38-15॥
[आढ्यः (āḍhyaḥ) - wealthy; अभिजनवान् (abhijanavān) - noble-born; अस्मि (asmi) - am; कः (kaḥ) - who; अन्यः (anyaḥ) - else; अस्ति (asti) - is; सदृशः (sadṛśaḥ) - equal; मया (mayā) - to me; यक्ष्ये (yakṣye) - I will sacrifice; दास्यामि (dāsyāmi) - I will give; मोदिष्य (modiṣya) - I will rejoice; इति (iti) - thus; अज्ञान (ajñāna) - ignorance; विमोहिताः (vimohitāḥ) - deluded;]
(I am wealthy, noble-born; who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice, I will give, I will rejoice, thus deluded by ignorance.)
Deluded by ignorance, they think: "I am wealthy and noble-born; who else is equal to me? I will perform sacrifices, give gifts, and rejoice."
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः। प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ ॥६-३८-१६॥
anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ। prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narake'śucau ॥6-38-16॥
[अनेक (aneka) - many; चित्त (citta) - minds; विभ्रान्ताः (vibhrāntāḥ) - confused; मोह (moha) - delusion; जाल (jāla) - net; समावृताः (samāvṛtāḥ) - enveloped; प्रसक्ताः (prasaktāḥ) - attached; काम (kāma) - desire; भोगेषु (bhogeṣu) - in enjoyments; पतन्ति (patanti) - fall; नरके (narake) - into hell; अशुचौ (aśucau) - unclean;]
(Many minds, confused and enveloped in the net of delusion, attached to desires and enjoyments, fall into the unclean hell.)
Many minds, bewildered and ensnared in the web of delusion, engrossed in sensual pleasures, descend into the impure hell.
आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः। यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम् ॥६-३८-१७॥
ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ। yajante nāmayajñaiste dambhenāvidhipūrvakam ॥6-38-17॥
[आत्मसम्भाविताः (ātmasambhāvitāḥ) - self-conceited; स्तब्धा (stabdhā) - stubborn; धन (dhana) - wealth; मान (māna) - pride; मद (mada) - arrogance; अन्विताः (anvitāḥ) - endowed with; यजन्ते (yajante) - perform sacrifices; नाम (nāma) - in name; यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ) - with sacrifices; ते (te) - they; दम्भेन (dambhena) - with hypocrisy; अविधि (avidhi) - without following the rules; पूर्वकम् (pūrvakam) - preceded by;]
(Self-conceited, stubborn, endowed with wealth, pride, and arrogance, they perform sacrifices in name only, with hypocrisy, without following the rules.)
Those who are self-conceited and stubborn, filled with pride, wealth, and arrogance, perform sacrifices in name only, hypocritically and without following the proper rules.
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः। मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः ॥६-३८-१८॥
ahaṅkāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ ca saṁśritāḥ। māmātmaparadeheṣu pradviṣanto'bhyasūyakāḥ ॥6-38-18॥
[अहङ्कारम् (ahaṅkāram) - ego; बलम् (balam) - strength; दर्पम् (darpam) - pride; कामम् (kāmam) - desire; क्रोधम् (krodham) - anger; च (ca) - and; संश्रिताः (saṁśritāḥ) - resorting to; माम् (mām) - me; आत्म (ātma) - self; पर (para) - others; देहेषु (deheṣu) - in bodies; प्रद्विषन्तः (pradviṣantaḥ) - hating; अभ्यसूयकाः (abhyasūyakāḥ) - envious;]
(Resorting to ego, strength, pride, desire, and anger, hating me in their own and others' bodies, and being envious.)
Those who are filled with ego, strength, pride, desire, and anger, and who hate me in their own and others' bodies, are envious.
तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्। क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु ॥६-३८-१९॥
tān ahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṃsāreṣu narādhamān। kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu ॥6-38-19॥
[तान् (tān) - them; अहम् (aham) - I; द्विषतः (dviṣataḥ) - hateful; क्रूरान् (krūrān) - cruel; संसारेषु (saṃsāreṣu) - in the worlds; नर-अधमान् (nara-adhamān) - lowest of mankind; क्षिपामि (kṣipāmi) - I cast; अजस्रम् (ajasram) - constantly; अशुभान् (aśubhān) - inauspicious; आसुरीषु (āsurīṣu) - in demonic; एव (eva) - only; योनिषु (yoniṣu) - wombs;]
(Them I, hateful, cruel, in the worlds, lowest of mankind, I cast constantly, inauspicious, in demonic only, wombs.)
I constantly cast those hateful, cruel, and lowest of mankind into demonic wombs in the worlds.
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि। मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम् ॥६-३८-२०॥
āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani। mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim ॥6-38-20॥
[आसुरीं (āsurīm) - demonic; योनिम् (yonim) - womb; आपन्नाः (āpannāḥ) - attained; मूढाः (mūḍhāḥ) - deluded; जन्मनि (janmani) - birth; जन्मनि (janmani) - after birth; माम् (mām) - Me; अप्राप्य (aprāpya) - without attaining; एव (eva) - certainly; कौन्तेय (kaunteya) - O son of Kunti; ततः (tataḥ) - then; यान्ति (yānti) - go; अधमाम् (adhamām) - to the lowest; गतिम् (gatim) - state;]
(Attaining the demonic womb, the deluded, birth after birth, without attaining Me, O son of Kunti, then go to the lowest state.)
Those who are deluded and attain demonic births, failing to reach Me, O son of Kunti, descend to the lowest state of existence.
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः। कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥६-३८-२१॥
trividhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśanamātmanaḥ। kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṁ tyajet ॥6-38-21॥
[त्रिविधं (trividhaṁ) - threefold; नरकस्य (narakasya) - of hell; इदं (idaṁ) - this; द्वारं (dvāraṁ) - gate; नाशनम् (nāśanam) - destructive; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of the self; कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire; क्रोधः (krodhaḥ) - anger; तथा (tathā) - as well as; लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; एतत् (etat) - these; त्रयम् (trayam) - three; त्यजेत् (tyajet) - should abandon;]
(This is the threefold gate of hell, destructive of the self: desire, anger, and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.)
"Desire, anger, and greed are the three gates leading to hell, which are destructive to the self. Therefore, one should abandon these three."
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः। आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥६-३८-२२॥
etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ। ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim ॥6-38-22॥
[एतैः (etaiḥ) - by these; विमुक्तः (vimuktaḥ) - liberated; कौन्तेय (kaunteya) - O son of Kunti; तमोद्वारैः (tamodvāraiḥ) - from the gates of darkness; त्रिभिः (tribhiḥ) - three; नरः (naraḥ) - a person; आचरति (ācarati) - acts; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - for the self; श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - auspiciousness; ततः (tataḥ) - then; याति (yāti) - attains; पराम् (parām) - supreme; गतिम् (gatim) - state;]
(Liberated by these three gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, a person acts for the self's auspiciousness, then attains the supreme state.)
O son of Kunti, when a person is liberated from these three gates of darkness, he acts for his own good and then reaches the highest state.
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः। न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥६-३८-२३॥
yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ। na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ॥6-38-23॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; शास्त्रविधिम् (śāstravidhim) - the injunctions of the scriptures; उत्सृज्य (utsṛjya) - abandoning; वर्तते (vartate) - acts; कामकारतः (kāmakārataḥ) - according to his own desires; न (na) - not; सः (saḥ) - he; सिद्धिम् (siddhim) - perfection; अवाप्नोति (avāpnoti) - achieves; न (na) - not; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; न (na) - not; पराम् (parām) - the supreme; गतिम् (gatim) - destination;]
(He who abandons the injunctions of the scriptures and acts according to his own desires, he does not achieve perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.)
One who disregards the teachings of the scriptures and acts according to personal desires neither attains success, happiness, nor the ultimate goal.
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ। ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥६-३८-२४॥
tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau। jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṃ karma kartumihārhasi ॥6-38-24॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; शास्त्रं (śāstram) - scripture; प्रमाणं (pramāṇam) - authority; ते (te) - your; कार्य (kārya) - duty; अकार्य (akārya) - non-duty; व्यवस्थितौ (vyavasthitau) - in determining; ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā) - knowing; शास्त्र (śāstra) - scriptural; विधान (vidhāna) - injunction; उक्तं (uktam) - stated; कर्म (karma) - action; कर्तुम् (kartum) - to perform; इह (iha) - here; अर्हसि (arhasi) - you ought to;]
(Therefore, the scripture is your authority in determining duty and non-duty. Knowing the scriptural injunction stated, you ought to perform action here.)
Therefore, let the scriptures be your guide in deciding what is right and wrong. Having understood the teachings of the scriptures, you should act accordingly.
