The Yoga of Knowledge

तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् ।विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥

taṃ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam |viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ||

Sanjaya said: To Arjuna, who was overcome with pity, his eyes troubled and full of tears, Krishna spoke these words.

कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् ।अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन ॥

kutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣame samupasthitam |anāryajuṣṭamasvargyamakīrtikaramarjuna ||

Krishna said: Arjuna, where has this weakness come from at such a critical time? It does not suit a noble person, it does not lead to heaven, and it brings disgrace.

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते ।क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥

klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate |kṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa ||

Do not give in to this unmanliness, Arjuna; it does not suit you. Shake off this petty weakness of heart and stand up, you who trouble your enemies.

कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।इषुभिः प्रति योत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥

kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṃkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana |iṣubhiḥ prati yotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana ||

Arjuna said: Madhusudana, how can I fight back with arrows against Bhishma and Drona in battle? They deserve my worship.

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके ।हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke |hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ||

It would be better to live on alms in this world than to kill these great teachers. If I kill them, even for the sake of gain, every pleasure I enjoy here would be stained with blood.

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः ।यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम- स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥

na caitadvidmaḥ kataranno garīyo yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ |yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāma- ste'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ||

We do not even know which is better for us: that we defeat them or that they defeat us. The sons of Dhritarashtra stand before us, and after killing them we would not even wish to live.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः ।यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥

kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasammūḍhacetāḥ |yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṃ brūhi tanme śiṣyaste'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam ||

My nature is overcome by weakness and pity, and my mind is confused about dharma. Tell me clearly what is truly good for me. I am your student and I come to you for shelter; teach me.

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद् यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् ।अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ॥

na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād yacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām |avāpya bhūmāvasapatnamṛddhaṃ rājyaṃ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam ||

I see nothing that could remove this grief that dries up my senses, not even an unrivalled, wealthy kingdom on earth or rule over the gods.

एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप ।न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ॥

evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa |na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṃ babhūva ha ||

Sanjaya said: Having spoken this way to Krishna, Arjuna said, 'I will not fight,' and fell silent.

तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥

tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata |senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṃ vacaḥ ||

Then, O king, Krishna, as if smiling, spoke these words to Arjuna, who sat grieving between the two armies.

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

aśocyānanvaśocastvaṃ prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase |gatāsūnagatāsūṃśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ||

Krishna said: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, and yet you speak words that sound wise. The wise do not grieve for the dead or for the living.

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ॥

na tvevāhaṃ jātu nāsaṃ na tvaṃ neme janādhipāḥ |na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param ||

There was never a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these kings. And none of us will ever stop existing in the future.

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥

dehino'sminyathā dehe kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā |tathā dehāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati ||

Just as the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth and old age in this body, it also passes into another body. A steady person is not confused by this.

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥

mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ |āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata ||

When the senses touch their objects, we feel cold and heat, pleasure and pain. These come and go and do not last, so learn to bear them patiently, Arjuna.

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥

yaṃ hi na vyathayantyete puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha |samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dhīraṃ so'mṛtatvāya kalpate ||

A wise person who is not shaken by these, who stays the same in pain and pleasure, becomes fit for immortality.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ |ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ ||

What is unreal never truly exists, and what is real never stops existing. Those who see the truth have understood the nature of both.

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥

avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam |vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati ||

Know that what fills and pervades all this is indestructible. No one can destroy what cannot perish.

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥

antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ |anāśino'prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata ||

These bodies are said to come to an end, but the one who lives in them is eternal, indestructible and beyond measure. Therefore fight, Arjuna.

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥

ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaścainaṃ manyate hatam |ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate ||

Whoever thinks the Self is a killer, and whoever thinks it is killed, both fail to understand. It does not kill, and it is not killed.

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥

vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enamajamavyayam |kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ||

Arjuna, if a person knows the Self to be indestructible, eternal, unborn and unchanging, how can that person kill anyone, or cause anyone to be killed?

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥

nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ |na cainaṃ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ||

Weapons cannot cut the Self, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it and wind cannot dry it.

अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च ।नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ॥

acchedyo'yamadāhyo'yamakledyo'śoṣya eva ca |nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo'yaṃ sanātanaḥ ||

It cannot be cut, burned, wetted or dried. It is eternal, present everywhere, stable, unmoving and the same forever.

अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥

avyakto'yamacintyo'yamavikāryo'yamucyate |tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ nānuśocitumarhasi ||

It is called unseen, beyond thought and unchanging. Knowing it to be like this, you should not grieve.

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् ।तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

atha cainaṃ nityajātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyase mṛtam |tathāpi tvaṃ mahābāho naivaṃ śocitumarhasi ||

And even if you think the Self is constantly born and constantly dies, still, mighty Arjuna, you should not grieve.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca |tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ||

For whoever is born, death is certain, and for whoever dies, birth is certain. So you should not grieve over what cannot be avoided.

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata |avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā ||

Beings are unseen before birth, seen in the middle, and unseen again after death. What is there to mourn about this, Arjuna?

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः शृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥

āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidenamāścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ |āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit ||

Some see the Self as a wonder, some speak of it as a wonder, and others hear of it as a wonder. Yet even after hearing about it, no one truly knows it.

देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

dehī nityamavadhyo'yaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata |tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ||

The one who lives in every body can never be killed, Arjuna. So you should not grieve for any living being.

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥

svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi |dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo'nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate ||

Looking at your own dharma as well, you should not waver. For a warrior there is nothing better than a war fought for what is right.

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥

yadṛcchayā copapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam |sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam ||

Fortunate are the warriors, Arjuna, who get such a war, coming to them unasked like an open door to heaven.

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥

atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi |tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ||

But if you do not fight this righteous war, you will abandon your duty and your good name, and you will incur wrongdoing.

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥

akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te'vyayām |sambhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate ||

People will talk about your disgrace for a long time, and for a respected person, disgrace is worse than death.

भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥

bhayādraṇāduparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ |yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam ||

The great chariot-warriors will think you left the battle out of fear, and those who once thought highly of you will look down on you.

अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥

avācyavādāṃśca bahūnvadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ||

Your enemies will say many hurtful things and mock your strength. What could be more painful than that?

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥

hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm |tasmāduttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ ||

If you are killed, you will reach heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the earth. So stand up, son of Kunti, determined to fight.

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥

sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau |tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ||

Treat pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat as the same, and then get ready for battle. In this way you will not incur wrongdoing.

एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां शृणु ।बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ॥

eṣā te'bhihitā sāṃkhye buddhiryoge tvimāṃ śṛṇu |buddhyā yukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi ||

So far I have given you the understanding of Sankhya, the path of knowledge. Now hear about yoga. Joined to this understanding, you will break free from the bondage of karma.

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥

nehābhikramanāśo'sti pratyavāyo na vidyate |svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt ||

On this path no effort is wasted and nothing goes against you. Even a little of this practice protects a person from great fear.

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥

vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana |bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo'vyavasāyinām ||

On this path, Arjuna, the determined mind has one single aim. The thoughts of those who lack determination branch out endlessly.

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥

yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ |vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ ||

There are unwise people who speak in flowery words, taking delight in the letter of the Vedas and saying there is nothing more than this,

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥

kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām |kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati ||

whose minds are full of desire, who aim at heaven, and who praise many special rituals that promise rebirth, pleasure and power as the fruit of action.

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥

bhogaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayāpahṛtacetasām |vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate ||

Those who cling to pleasure and power, whose minds are carried away by such words, do not develop a firm, focused understanding.

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन ।निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान् ॥

traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna |nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakṣema ātmavān ||

The Vedas deal with the three gunas, the qualities of nature. Rise above the three gunas, Arjuna: be free of opposites, always rooted in clarity, unconcerned with getting and keeping, and centred in the Self.

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके ।तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥

yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ saṃplutodake |tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ||

A well is of little use when water floods everywhere. In the same way, all the Vedas are of little further use to a brahmin who truly knows.

योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनंजय ।सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ॥

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanaṃjaya |siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate ||

Steady in yoga, do your work, Arjuna, letting go of attachment and staying the same in success and failure. This evenness of mind is called yoga.

दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनंजय ।बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥

dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanaṃjaya |buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ ||

Action done for its results is far lower than action guided by a steady understanding. Take shelter in that understanding; those who work only for the fruits are to be pitied.

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥

buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte |tasmādyogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam ||

A person joined to this understanding leaves behind both good and bad deeds here. So commit yourself to yoga: yoga is skill in action.

कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः ।जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ॥

karmajaṃ buddhiyuktā hi phalaṃ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ |janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padaṃ gacchantyanāmayam ||

The wise, joined to this understanding, give up the fruits that come from action. Freed from the bonds of rebirth, they reach a state beyond all sorrow.

यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति ।तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च ॥

yadā te mohakalilaṃ buddhirvyatitariṣyati |tadā gantāsi nirvedaṃ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca ||

When your understanding crosses the swamp of confusion, you will no longer care about what you have heard or what you are yet to hear.

श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला ।समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि ॥

śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā |samādhāvacalā buddhistadā yogamavāpsyasi ||

Your understanding is now confused by many conflicting teachings. When it stands firm and unshaken in deep focus, then you will reach yoga.

स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव ।स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् ॥

sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya keśava |sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kimāsīta vrajeta kim ||

Arjuna said: Krishna, how would you describe a person of steady wisdom, settled in deep focus? How does such a person speak, sit and walk?

प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् ।आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥

prajahāti yadā kāmānsarvānpārtha manogatān |ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate ||

Krishna said: Arjuna, when a person gives up all the desires that arise in the mind and is content in the Self, by the Self, that person is called steady in wisdom.

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः ।वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥

duḥkheṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukheṣu vigataspṛhaḥ |vītarāgabhayakrodhaḥ sthitadhīrmunirucyate ||

One whose mind is not disturbed by sorrows, who does not crave pleasures, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् ।नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehastattatprāpya śubhāśubham |nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||

One who is not attached to anything, who neither rejoices when good comes nor resents it when bad comes, has steady wisdom.

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ |indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||

When a person can draw the senses back from their objects, the way a tortoise draws in its limbs, that person's wisdom is steady.

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः ।रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ॥

viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ |rasavarjaṃ raso'pyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate ||

When a person stops feeding the senses, the objects fall away, but the taste for them remains. Even that taste fades once the Supreme is seen.

यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः ।इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥

yatato hyapi kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ |indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ ||

Son of Kunti, the restless senses can forcefully carry away the mind even of a wise person who is trying hard.

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः ।वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

tāni sarvāṇi saṃyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ |vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||

Keeping all the senses under control, one should sit focused, with me as the highest aim. A person whose senses are under control has steady wisdom.

क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥

krodhādbhavati saṃmohaḥ saṃmohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ |smṛtibhraṃśādbuddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati ||

From anger comes confusion, from confusion the memory slips, when memory fails the power of judgement is lost, and when judgement is lost, the person is ruined.

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् ।आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥

rāgadveṣaviyuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścaran |ātmavaśyairvidheyātmā prasādamadhigacchati ||

But a self-disciplined person who moves among objects with senses under control, free from liking and disliking, reaches a calm clarity of mind.

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते ।प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥

prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate |prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate ||

In that clarity all sorrows come to an end, and the understanding of one whose mind is clear soon becomes steady.

नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना ।न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥

nāsti buddhirayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā |na cābhāvayataḥ śāntiraśāntasya kutaḥ sukham ||

One who is not disciplined has no steady understanding and no deep focus. Without focus there is no peace, and without peace how can there be happiness?

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनु विधीयते ।तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥

indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yanmano'nu vidhīyate |tadasya harati prajñāṃ vāyurnāvamivāmbhasi ||

When the mind runs after the wandering senses, it carries away a person's understanding, just as the wind carries away a boat on water.

तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः ।इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

tasmādyasya mahābāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ |indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||

So, mighty Arjuna, one whose senses are fully held back from their objects has steady wisdom.

या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी ।यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥

yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī |yasyāṃ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ ||

What is night for all beings is the time when the self-controlled person is awake, and what all beings are awake to is night for the sage who truly sees.

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् ।तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥

āpūryamāṇamacalapratiṣṭhaṃ samudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat |tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve sa śāntimāpnoti na kāmakāmī ||

Rivers keep flowing into the ocean, yet it stays full and unmoved. In the same way, one into whom all desires flow without disturbing them finds peace, not one who chases desires.

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान् पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः ।निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ॥

vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvān pumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ |nirmamo nirahaṃkāraḥ sa śāntimadhigacchati ||

The person who gives up all desires and lives free of longing, without the sense of 'mine' and without ego, attains peace.

एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति ।स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ॥

eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṃ prāpya vimuhyati |sthitvāsyāmantakāle'pi brahmanirvāṇamṛcchati ||

This, Arjuna, is the state of being rooted in Brahman, the Absolute. Reaching it, one is no longer confused. Staying in it even at the hour of death, one reaches the peace of Brahman.