श्लोकः
अर्जुन उवाच
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning
अर्जुनः उवाच — Arjuna said; ज्यायसी — better; चेत् — if; कर्मणः — than fruitive action; ते — by You; मता — is considered; बुद्धिः — intelligence; जनार्दन — O Kriṣṇa; तत् — therefore; किम् — why; कर्मणि — in action; घोरे — ghastly; माम् — me; नियोजयसि — You are engaging; केशव — O Kriṣṇa.
Translation
Arjuna said: O Janārdana, O Keśava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?
श्लोकः
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning
व्यामिश्रेण — by equivocal; इव — certainly; वाक्येन — words; बुद्धिम् — intelligence; मोहयसि — You are bewildering; इव — certainly; मे — my; तत् — therefore; एकम् — only one; वद — please tell; निश्चित्य — ascertaining; येन — by which; श्रेयः — real benefit; अहम् — I; आप्नुयाम् — may have.
Translation
My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me.
श्लोकः
श्रीभगवानुवाच
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning
श्री-भगवान् उवाच — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; लोके — in the world; अस्मिन् — this; द्वि-विधा — two kinds of; निष्ठा — faith; पुरा — formerly; प्रोक्ता — were said; मया — by Me; अनघ — O sinless one; ज्ञान-योगेन — by the linking process of knowledge; साङ्ख्यानाम् — of the empiric philosophers; कर्म-योगेन — by the linking process of devotion; योगिनाम् — of the devotees.
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service.
श्लोकः
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्य पुरुषोऽश्नउते ।
न च सन्न्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning
न — not; कर्मणाम् — of prescribed duties; अनारम्भात् — by nonperformance; नैष्कर्म्यम् — freedom from reaction; पुरुषः — a man; अश्नुते — achieves; न — nor; च — also; सन्न्यसनात् — by renunciation; एव — simply; सिद्धिम् — success; समधिगच्चति — attains.
Translation
Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.
श्लोकः
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning
न — nor; हि — certainly; कश्चित् — anyone; क्षणम् — a moment; अपि — also; जातु — at any time; तिष्ठति — remains; अकर्म-कृत् — without doing something; कार्यते — is forced to do; हि — certainly; अवशः — helplessly; कर्म — work; सर्वः — all; प्रकृति-जैः — born of the modes of material nature; गुणैः — by the qualities.
Translation
Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.
श्लोकः
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning
कर्म-इन्द्रियाणि — the five working sense organs; संयम्य — controlling; यः — anyone who; आस्ते — remains; मनसा — by the mind; स्मरन् — thinking of; इन्द्रिय-अर्थान् — sense objects; विमूढ — foolish; आत्मा — soul; मिथ्या-आचारः — pretender; सः — he; उच्यते — is called.
Translation
One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.
श्लोकः
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन ।
कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning
यः — one who; तु — but; इन्द्रियाणि — the senses; मनसा — by the mind; नियम्य — regulating; आरभते — begins; अर्जुन — O Arjuna; कर्म-इन्द्रियैः — by the active sense organs; कर्म-योगम् — devotion; असक्तः — without attachment; सः — he; विशिष्यते — is by far the better.
Translation
On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Kriṣṇa consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.
श्लोकः
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning
नियतम् — prescribed; कुरु — do; कर्म — duties; त्वम् — you; कर्म — work; ज्यायः — better; हि — certainly; अकर्मणः — than no work; शरीर — bodily; यात्रा — maintenance; अपि — even; च — also; ते — your; न — never; प्रसिध्येत् — is effected; अकर्मणः — without work.
Translation
Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work.
श्लोकः
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः ।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning
यज्ञ-अर्थात् — done only for the sake of Yajña, or Viṣṇu; कर्मणः — than work; अन्यत्र — otherwise; लोकः — world; अयम् — this; कर्म-बन्धनः — bondage by work; तत् — of Him; अर्थम् — for the sake; कर्म — work; कौन्तेय — O son of Kuntī; मुक्त-सङ्गः — liberated from association; समाचर — do perfectly.
Translation
Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.
श्लोकः
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः ।
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥ 10 ॥
Meaning
सह — along with; यज्ञाः — sacrifices; प्रजाः — generations; सृष्ट्वा — creating; पुरा — anciently; उवाच — said; प्रजा-पतिः — the Lord of creatures; अनेन — by this; प्रसविष्यध्वम् — be more and more prosperous; एषः — this; वः — your; अस्तु — let it be; इष्ट — of all desirable things; काम-धुक् — bestower.
Translation
In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”
श्लोकः
देवान्भावयतातेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥ 11 ॥
Meaning
देवान् — demigods; भावयता — having pleased; अनेन — by this sacrifice; ते — those; देवाः — demigods; भावयन्तु — will please; वः — you; परस्परम् — mutually; भावयन्तः — pleasing one another; श्रेयः — benediction; परम् — the supreme; अवाप्स्यथ — you will achieve.
Translation
The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all.
श्लोकः
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः ।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning
इष्टान् — desired; भोगान् — necessities of life; हि — certainly; वः — unto you; देवाः — the demigods; दास्यन्ते — will award; यज्ञ-भाविताः — being satisfied by the performance of sacrifices; तैः — by them; दत्तान् — things given; अप्रदाय — without offering; एभ्यः — to these demigods; यः — he who; भुङ्क्ते — enjoys; स्तेनः — thief; एव — certainly; सः — he.
Translation
In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajña [sacrifice], will supply all necessities to you. But he who enjoys such gifts without offering them to the demigods in return is certainly a thief.
श्लोकः
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै ।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning
यज्ञ-शिष्ट — of food taken after performance of yajña; अशिनः — eaters; सन्तः — the devotees; मुच्यन्ते — get relief; सर्व — all kinds of; किल्बिषैः — from sins; भुञ्जते — enjoy; ते — they; तु — but; अघम् — grievous sins; पापाः — sinners; ये — who; पचन्ति — prepare food; आत्म-कारणात् — for sense enjoyment.
Translation
The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.
श्लोकः
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः ।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning
अन्नात् — from grains; भवन्ति — grow; भूतानि — the material bodies; पर्जन्यात् — from rains; अन्न — of food grains; सम्भवः — production; यज्ञात् — from the performance of sacrifice; भवति — becomes possible; पर्जन्यः — rain; यज्ञः — performance of yajña; कर्म — prescribed duties; समुद्भवः — born of.
Translation
All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.
श्लोकः
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् ।
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning
कर्म — work; ब्रह्म — from the Vedas; उद्भवम् — produced; विद्धि — you should know; ब्रह्म — the Vedas; अक्षर — from the Supreme Brahman (Personality of Godhead); समुद्भवम् — directly manifested; तस्मात् — therefore; सर्व-गतम् — all-pervading; ब्रह्म — transcendence; नित्यम् — eternally; यज्ञे — in sacrifice; प्रतिष्ठितम् — situated.
Translation
Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.
श्लोकः
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः ।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning
एवम् — thus; प्रवर्तितम् — established by the Vedas; चक्रम् — cycle; न — does not; अनुवर्तयति — adopt; इह — in this life; यः — one who; अघ-आयुः — whose life is full of sins; इन्द्रिय-आरामः — satisfied in sense gratification; मोघम् — uselessly; पार्थ — O son of Prithā (Arjuna); सः — he; जीवति — lives.
Translation
My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain.
श्लोकः
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning
यः — one who; तु — but; आत्म-रतिः — taking pleasure in the Self; एव — certainly; स्यात् — remains; आत्म-तृप्तः — self-illuminated; च — and; मानवः — a man; आत्मनि — in himself; एव — only; च — and; सन्तुष्टः — perfectly satiated; तस्य — his; कार्यम् — duty; न — does not; विद्यते — exist.
Translation
But for one who takes pleasure in the Self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the Self only, fully satiated – for him there is no duty.
श्लोकः
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning
न — never; एव — certainly; तस्य — his; कृतेन — by discharge of duty; अर्थः — purpose; न — nor; अकृतेन — without discharge of duty; इह — in this world; कश्चन — whatever; न — never; च — and; अस्य — of him; सर्व-भूतेषु — among all living beings; कश्चित् — any; अर्थ — purpose; व्यपाश्रयः — taking shelter of.
Translation
A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.
श्लोकः
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरूषः ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning
तस्मात् — therefore; असक्तः — without attachment; सततम् — constantly; कार्यम् — as duty; कर्म — work; समाचर — perform; असक्तः — unattached; हि — certainly; आचरन् — performing; कर्म — work; परम् — the Supreme; आप्नोति — achieves; पूरुषः — a man.
Translation
Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.
श्लोकः
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।
लोकसङ्ग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning
कर्मणा — by work; एव — even; हि — certainly; संसिद्धिम् — in perfection; आस्थिताः — situated; जनक-आदयः — Janaka and other kings; लोक-सङ्ग्रहम् — the people in general; एव अपि — also; सम्पश्यन् — considering; कर्तुम् — to act; अर्हसि — you deserve.
Translation
Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.
श्लोकः
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ 21 ॥
Meaning
यत् यत् — whatever; आचरति — he does; श्रेष्ठः — a respectable leader; तत् — that; तत् — and that alone; एव — certainly; इतरः — common; जनः — person; सः — he; यत् — whichever; प्रमाणम् — example; कुरुते — does perform; लोकः — all the world; तत् — that; अनुवर्तते — follows in the footsteps.
Translation
Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
श्लोकः
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ 22 ॥
Meaning
न — not; मे — Mine; पार्थ — O son of Prithā; अस्ति — there is; कर्तव्यम् — prescribed duty; त्रिषु — in the three; लोकेषु — planetary systems; किञ्चन — any; न — nothing; अनवाप्तम् — wanted; अवाप्तव्यम् — to be gained; वर्ते — I am engaged; एव — certainly; च — also; कर्मणि — in prescribed duty.
Translation
O son of Prithā, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anything – and yet I am engaged in prescribed duties.
श्लोकः
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥ 23 ॥
Meaning
यदि — if; हि — certainly; अहम् — I; न — do not; वर्तेयम् — thus engage; जातु — ever; कर्मणि — in the performance of prescribed duties; अतन्द्रितः — with great care; मम — My; वर्त्म — path; अनुवर्तन्ते — would follow; मनुष्याः — all men; पार्थ — O son of Prithā; सर्वशः — in all respects.
Translation
For if I ever failed to engage in carefully performing prescribed duties, O Pārtha, certainly all men would follow My path.
श्लोकः
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥ 24 ॥
Meaning
उत्सीदेयुः — would be put into ruin; इमे — all these; लोकाः — worlds; न — not; कुर्याम् — I perform; कर्म — prescribed duties; चेत् — if; अहम् — I; सङ्करस्य — of unwanted population; च — and; कर्ता — creator; स्याम् — would be; उपहन्याम् — would destroy; इमाः — all these; प्रजाः — living entities.
Translation
If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings.
श्लोकः
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥ 25 ॥
Meaning
सक्ताः — being attached; कर्मणि — in prescribed duties; अविद्वांसः — the ignorant; यथा — as much as; कुर्वन्ति — they do; भारत — O descendant of Bharata; कुर्यात् — must do; विद्वान् — the learned; तथा — thus; असक्तः — without attachment; चिकीर्षुः — desiring to lead; लोक-सङ्ग्रहम् — the people in general.
Translation
As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.
श्लोकः
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ॥ 26 ॥
Meaning
न — not; बुद्धि-भेदम् — disruption of intelligence; जनयेत् — he should cause; अज्ञानाम् — of the foolish; कर्म-सङ्गिनाम् — who are attached to fruitive work; जोषयेत् — he should dovetail; सर्व — all; कर्माणि — work; विद्वान् — a learned person; युक्तः — engaged; समाचरन् — practicing.
Translation
So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development of Kriṣṇa consciousness].
श्लोकः
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥ 27 ॥
Meaning
प्रकृतेः — of material nature; क्रियमाणानि — being done; गुणैः — by the modes; कर्माणि — activities; सर्वशः — all kinds of; अहङ्कार-विमूढ — bewildered by false ego; आत्मा — the spirit soul; कर्ता — doer; अहम् — I; इति — thus; मन्यते — he thinks.
Translation
The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.
श्लोकः
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ 28 ॥
Meaning
तत्त्व-वित् — the knower of the Absolute Truth; तु — but; महा-बाहो — O mighty-armed one; गुण-कर्म — of works under material influence; विभागयोः — differences; गुणाः — senses; गुणेषु — in sense gratification; वर्तन्ते — are being engaged; इति — thus; मत्वा — thinking; न — never; सज्जते — becomes attached.
Translation
One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results.
श्लोकः
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥ 29 ॥
Meaning
प्रकृतेः — of material nature; गुण — by the modes; सम्मूढाः — befooled by material identification; सज्जन्ते — they become engaged; गुण-कर्मसु — in material activities; तान् — those; अकृत्स्न-विदः — persons with a poor fund of knowledge; मन्दान् — lazy to understand self-realization; कृत्स्न-वित् — one who is in factual knowledge; न — not; विचालयेत् — should try to agitate.
Translation
Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the performers’ lack of knowledge.
श्लोकः
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि सन्न्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥ 30 ॥
Meaning
मयि — unto Me; सर्वाणि — all sorts of; कर्माणि — activities; सन्न्यस्य — giving up completely; अध्यात्म — with full knowledge of the self; चेतसा — by consciousness; निराशीः — without desire for profit; निर्ममः — without ownership; भूत्वा — so being; युध्यस्व — fight; विगत-ज्वरः — without being lethargic.
Translation
Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight.
श्लोकः
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः ।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः ॥ 31 ॥
Meaning
ये — those who; मे — My; मतम् — injunctions; इदम् — these; नित्यम् — as an eternal function; अनुतिष्ठन्ति — execute regularly; मानवाः — human beings; श्रद्धा-वन्तः — with faith and devotion; अनसूयन्तः — without envy; मुच्यन्ते — become free; ते — all of them; अपि — even; कर्मभिः — from the bondage of the law of fruitive actions.
Translation
Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of fruitive actions.
श्लोकः
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् ।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ॥ 32 ॥
Meaning
ये — those; तु — however; एतत् — this; अभ्यसूयन्तः — out of envy; न — do not; अनुतिष्ठन्ति — regularly perform; मे — My; मतम् — injunction; सर्व-ज्ञान — in all sorts of knowledge; विमूढान् — perfectly befooled; तान् — they are; विद्धि — know it well; नष्टान् — all ruined; अचेतसः — without Kriṣṇa consciousness.
Translation
But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them regularly are to be considered bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and ruined in their endeavors for perfection.
श्लोकः
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥ 33 ॥
Meaning
सदृशम् — accordingly; चेष्टते — tries; स्वस्याः — by his own; प्रकृतेः — modes of nature; ज्ञान-वान् — learned; अपि — although; प्रकृतिम् — nature; यान्ति — undergo; भूतानि — all living entities; निग्रहः — repression; किम् — what; करिष्यति — can do.
Translation
Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes. What can repression accomplish?
श्लोकः
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥ 34 ॥
Meaning
इन्द्रियस्य — of the senses; इन्द्रियस्य अर्थे — in the sense objects; राग — attachment; द्वेषौ — also detachment; व्यवस्थितौ — put under regulations; तयोः — of them; न — never; वशम् — control; आगच्चेत् — one should come; तौ — those; हि — certainly; अस्य — his; परिपन्थिनौ — stumbling blocks.
Translation
There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses and their objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment and aversion, because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.
श्लोकः
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥ 35 ॥
Meaning
श्रेयान् — far better; स्व-धर्मः — one’s prescribed duties; विगुणः — even faulty; पर-धर्मात् — than duties mentioned for others; सु-अनुष्ठितात् — perfectly done; स्व-धर्मे — in one’s prescribed duties; निधनम् — destruction; श्रेयः — better; पर-धर्मः — duties prescribed for others; भय-आवहः — dangerous.
Translation
It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.
श्लोकः
अर्जुन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः ।
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ॥ 36 ॥
Meaning
अर्जुनः उवाच — Arjuna said; अथ — then; केन — by what; प्रयुक्तः — impelled; अयम् — one; पापम् — sins; चरति — does; पूरुषः — a man; अनिच्चन् — without desiring; अपि — although; वार्ष्णेय — O descendant of Vriṣṇi; बलात् — by force; इव — as if; नियोजितः — engaged.
Translation
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vriṣṇi, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?
श्लोकः
श्री भगवानुवाच
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥ 37 ॥
Meaning
श्रि-भगवान् उवाच — the Personality of Godhead said; कामः — lust; एषः — this; क्रोधः — wrath; एषः — this; रजः-गुण — the mode of passion; समुद्भवः — born of; महा-अशनः — all-devouring; महा-पाप्मा — greatly sinful; विद्धि — know; एनम् — this; इह — in the material world; वैरिणम् — greatest enemy.
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.
श्लोकः
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृत्तम् ॥ 38 ॥
Meaning
धूमेन — by smoke; आव्रियते — is covered; वह्निः — fire; यथा — just as; आदर्शः — mirror; मलेन — by dust; च — also; यथा — just as; उल्बेन — by the womb; आवृतः — is covered; गर्भः — embryo; तथा — so; तेन — by that lust; इदम् — this; आवृतम् — is covered.
Translation
As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust.
श्लोकः
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा ।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥ 39 ॥
Meaning
आवृतम् — covered; ज्ञानम् — pure consciousness; एतेन — by this; ज्ञानिनः — of the knower; नित्य-वैरिणा — by the eternal enemy; काम-रूपेण — in the form of lust; कौन्तेय — O son of Kuntī; दुष्पूरेण — never to be satisfied; अनलेन — by the fire; च — also.
Translation
Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.
श्लोकः
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते ।
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥ 40 ॥
Meaning
इन्द्रियाणि — the senses; मनः — the mind; बुद्धिः — the intelligence; अस्य — of this lust; अधिष्ठानम् — sitting place; उच्यते — is called; एतैः — by all these; विमोहयति — bewilders; एषः — this lust; ज्ञानम् — knowledge; आवृत्य — covering; देहिनम् — of the embodied.
Translation
The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through them lust covers the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.
श्लोकः
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ ।
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ॥ 41 ॥
Meaning
तस्मात् — therefore; त्वम् — you; इन्द्रियाणि — senses; आदौ — in the beginning; नियम्य — by regulating; भरत-ऋषभ — O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata; पाप्मानम् — the great symbol of sin; प्रजहि — curb; हि — certainly; एनम् — this; ज्ञान — of knowledge; विज्ञान — and scientific knowledge of the pure soul; नाशनम् — the destroyer.
Translation
Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bhāratas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.
श्लोकः
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः ॥ 42 ॥
Meaning
इन्द्रियाणि — senses; पराणि — superior; आहुः — are said; इन्द्रियेभ्यः — more than the senses; परम् — superior; मनः — the mind; मनसः — more than the mind; तु — also; परा — superior; बुद्धिः — intelligence; यः — who; बुद्धेः — more than the intelligence; परतः — superior; तु — but; सः — he.
Translation
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.
श्लोकः
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥ 43 ॥
Meaning
एवम् — thus; बुद्धेः — to intelligence; परम् — superior; बुद्ध्वा — knowing; संस्तभ्य — by steadying; आत्मानम् — the mind; आत्मना — by deliberate intelligence; जहि — conquer; शत्रुम् — the enemy; महा-बाहो — O mighty-armed one; काम-रूपम् — in the form of lust; दुरासदम् — formidable.
Translation
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence [Kriṣṇa consciousness] and thus – by spiritual strength – conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.
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