Sankhya Yoga

Sañjaya said: To him thus overcome by compassion, Whose eyes were filled with tears and distressed, Despairing, the Slayer of Madhu (Madhusūdana) Spoke this word:

The Blessed Lord (Śrī Bhagavān) said: From where has this dejection come upon you In this perilous place, Unpracticed by the noble (ārya), not leading to heaven, And causing disgrace, O Arjuna?

Do not yield to unmanliness, O son of Pritha (Pārtha), This is not fitting for you. Having abandoned this base weakness of heart, Stand up, O Scorcher of foes (Parantapa)!

Arjuna said: How shall I, in battle, against Bhishma And Drona, O Slayer of Madhu (Madhusūdana), Fight back with arrows? They are worthy of worship, O Slayer of enemies (Arisūdana).

For without killing the teachers (gurūn) of great majesty, It is better to eat even alms in this world. But having killed the teachers (gurūn) desiring wealth here, I would enjoy enjoyments smeared with blood.

And we do not know which is weightier for us, Whether we should conquer or whether they should conquer us. Even having killed whom we would not desire to live, Those sons of Dhritarashtra (Dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ) are stationed in front.

My own nature overcome by the fault of pity, I ask you, my mind confused about duty (dharma). What would be definitely better, tell that to me; I am your disciple, teach me who has taken refuge in you.

For I do not see what would drive away from me The sorrow that dries up the senses, Even having obtained on earth an unrivaled, prosperous Kingdom, or even lordship over the gods.

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus to the Lord of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa), The Thick-haired one (Guḍākeśa), the Scorcher of foes (Parantapa), Having said to the Finder of cows (Govinda), "I will not fight," He became silent.

To him the Lord of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa), As if smiling, O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata), In the middle of both armies, Spoke this word to the despairing one.

The Blessed Lord (Śrī Bhagavān) said: You have grieved for those not to be grieved for, Yet you speak words of wisdom. For the departed and for the not departed, The wise (paṇḍitāḥ) do not grieve.

Never indeed was I not, Nor you, nor these rulers of men; And never shall we not exist, All of us, from here onward.

Just as for the embodied one (dehin) in this body, There is childhood, youth, and old age, So there is the obtaining of another body; The wise one (dhīraḥ) is not bewildered by that.

But the contacts of the senses with their objects, O son of Kunti (Kaunteya), Are givers of cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go, they are impermanent; Endure them, O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata).

For the man whom these do not afflict, O bull among men (puruṣarṣabha), The wise one (dhīraṃ), equal in pain and pleasure, He is fit for immortality.

Of the non-existent there is no being, Of the existent there is no non-being. The boundary of both of these is seen indeed By the seers of truth (tattvadarśibhiḥ).

But know that to be indestructible, By which all this is pervaded. The destruction of this imperishable one, No one is able to perform.

These bodies are said to have an end, Belonging to the eternal embodied one (śarīriṇaḥ), The indestructible and immeasurable; Therefore fight, O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata)!

He who thinks of him as the slayer, And he who considers him slain, Both of them do not know; He does not slay, nor is he slain.

He is not born, nor does he die at any time, Nor having been, will he cease to be again. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, this ancient one, Is not killed when the body is killed.

He who knows him as indestructible and eternal, As unborn and imperishable, How does that person, O son of Pritha (Pārtha), Cause anyone to be killed, or whom does he kill?

Just as casting off worn-out garments, A man takes other new ones, So casting off worn-out bodies, The embodied one (dehī) enters into other new ones.

Weapons do not cut him, Fire does not burn him, Waters do not wet him, Nor does the wind dry him.

He is uncuttable, he is incombustible, He is unwettable and undryable as well. Eternal, all-pervading, stable, Immovable, he is everlasting.

He is said to be unmanifest, Unthinkable, and unchanging. Therefore, having known him thus, You ought not to grieve.

But if you think of him as constantly born, Or as constantly dying, Even then, O Great-armed one (Mahābāho), You ought not to grieve thus.

For certain is death for the born, And certain is birth for the dead. Therefore, over an unavoidable matter, You ought not to grieve.

Beings have unmanifest beginnings, Manifest middles, O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata), And unmanifest ends indeed. What lamentation is there in this?

As a marvel one sees him, And likewise as a marvel another speaks of him. And as a marvel another hears of him, Yet even having heard, no one knows him at all.

The embodied one (dehī) is eternal and unkillable, In the body of everyone, O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata). Therefore, for all beings, You ought not to grieve.

Also considering your own duty (svadharma), You ought not to waver. For than a battle in accordance with duty (dharma), There is no greater good for a warrior (kṣatriya).

Occurring of its own accord, As an open door to heaven, Happy are the warriors (kṣatriyāḥ), O son of Pritha (Pārtha), Who obtain such a battle.

But if you will not engage in this Battle enjoined by duty (dharma), Then having abandoned your own duty (svadharma) and glory, You will incur sin (pāpa).

Also beings will recount, Your everlasting dishonor. And for one who is highly esteemed, Dishonor exceeds death.

The great chariot-warriors (mahārathāḥ) will think of you, As having withdrawn from battle out of fear. And among those by whom you were highly thought of, You will come to be taken lightly.

And your enemies will speak, Many unspeakable words, Deriding your capability. What could be more painful than that?

Either being killed you will attain heaven, Or having conquered you will enjoy the earth. Therefore arise, O son of Kunti (Kaunteya), Resolved upon battle.

Having made pleasure and pain equal, Gain and loss, victory and defeat, Then engage in battle; Thus you will not incur sin (pāpa).

This understanding (buddhi) declared to you is in accordance with knowledge (sāṅkhya); Now hear this in accordance with discipline (yoga). Endowed with which understanding (buddhi), O son of Pritha (Pārtha), You will cast off the bondage of action (karmabandha).

Here there is no loss of effort, Nor does any adverse effect exist. Even a very little of this duty (dharma), Saves from great fear.

Resolute understanding (buddhi) is single here, O joy of the Kurus (Kurunandana). Many-branched and indeed endless, Are the understandings (buddhayaḥ) of the irresolute.

This flowery speech which, The unwise proclaim, Delighting in the words of the Veda, O son of Pritha (Pārtha), Saying "There is nothing else,"

Whose nature is desire, holding heaven as the highest goal, Yielding rebirth as the fruit of action (karma), Abounding in specific rites, Directed towards the attainment of enjoyment and power.

For those attached to enjoyment and power, Whose minds are carried away by that, Resolute understanding (buddhi) Is not established in meditation (samādhi).

The Vedas have the three qualities (guṇas) as their domain; Be free from the three qualities, O Arjuna. Free from the pairs of opposites, eternally stationed in goodness (sattva), Free from acquisition and preservation, possessed of the self (ātman).

As much use as there is in a well, When water is flooded everywhere, So much is there in all the Vedas, For a brahmin (brāhmaṇa) who knows.

Your right is to action (karma) alone, Never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, Nor let your attachment be to inaction (akarma).

Stationed in discipline (yoga), perform actions (karmāṇi), Having abandoned attachment, O Winner of wealth (Dhanañjaya). Having become equal in success and failure, Equanimity is called discipline (yoga).

For action (karma) is by far inferior, To the discipline of understanding (buddhiyoga), O Winner of wealth (Dhanañjaya). Seek refuge in understanding (buddhi); Pitiful are those whose motive is the fruit.

One endowed with understanding (buddhi) casts off here, Both good deeds and bad deeds. Therefore, apply yourself to discipline (yoga); Discipline (yoga) is skill in actions (karmasu).

For the wise, endowed with understanding (buddhi), Having abandoned the fruit born of action (karma), Freed from the bondage of birth, Go to the place that is free from illness.

When your understanding (buddhi) will cross beyond, The thicket of delusion, Then you will go to a state of indifference, Regarding what is to be heard and what has been heard.

When your understanding (buddhi), bewildered by the scriptures (śruti), Shall stand immovable, Unshakable in meditation (samādhi), Then you will attain discipline (yoga).

Arjuna said: What is the description of one of steady wisdom (sthitaprajña), Who is established in meditation (samādhi), O Beautiful-haired one (Keśava)? How would one of steady thought (sthitadhī) speak? How would he sit, how would he walk?

The Blessed Lord (Śrī Bhagavān) said: When one gives up all desires (kāmān), That enter the mind, O son of Pritha (Pārtha), Satisfied in the self (ātman) by the self (ātman) alone, Then he is said to be of steady wisdom (sthitaprajña).

Whose mind is untroubled in sorrows, And who is free from longing in pleasures, Free from passion, fear, and anger, He is called a sage (muni) of steady thought (sthitadhī).

He who is without affection everywhere, Having encountered whatever good or evil, Who neither rejoices nor hates, His wisdom (prajñā) is firmly established.

And when he withdraws, As a tortoise withdraws its limbs from all sides, The senses from the objects of the senses, His wisdom (prajñā) is firmly established.

The objects of the senses turn away, From the embodied one (dehin) who abstains from feeding on them, Except for the taste (rasa); but even his taste, Turns away, having seen the Supreme (param).

For even of a striving, Wise man, O son of Kunti (Kaunteya), The tormenting senses, Forcibly carry away the mind.

Having controlled all of them, One should sit disciplined (yukta), intent on Me; For whose senses are in his control, His wisdom (prajñā) is firmly established.

For a man dwelling on the objects of the senses, Attachment to them is born; From attachment, desire (kāma) is born; From desire, anger (krodha) is born.

From anger arises delusion (sammoha); From delusion, wandering of memory (smṛti); From loss of memory, the destruction of understanding (buddhi); From the destruction of understanding, he perishes.

But wandering among the objects of the senses, With senses freed from attraction and aversion, And brought under his own control, the self-governed one, Attains tranquility (prasāda).

In tranquility (prasāda), the destruction of all his sorrows, Is born for him; For of one whose mind is tranquil, The understanding (buddhi) quickly becomes firmly established.

There is no understanding (buddhi) for the undisciplined one (ayukta), Nor is there meditation (bhāvanā) for the undisciplined one; And for the unmeditating one there is no peace (śānti); For the unpeaceful one, whence comes happiness?

For the mind which follows after, The roving senses, That carries away his wisdom (prajñā), As the wind carries away a ship on the water.

Therefore, of whom, O Great-armed one (Mahābāho), They are restrained from all sides, The senses from the objects of the senses, His wisdom (prajñā) is firmly established.

What is night for all beings, In that the self-controlled one is awake; In what beings are awake, That is night for the seeing sage (muni).

As the waters enter the ocean, Which is being filled yet whose foundation is unmoved, Just so he whom all desires (kāmāḥ) enter, He attains peace (śānti), not the desirer of desires.

Having abandoned all desires (kāmān), the man who, Moves about free from longing, Free from the sense of "mine" (nirmama) and free from ego (nirahaṅkāra), He attains peace (śānti).

This is the state of Brahman (brāhmī sthiti), O son of Pritha (Pārtha); Having attained this, one is not bewildered. Being established in this even at the time of death, One reaches the bliss of Brahman (brahmanirvāṇa).