The Yoga of Understanding

सञ्जय उवाचतं तथा कृपयाऽविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् ।विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥

sañjaya uvācataṃ tathā kṛpayā'viṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam |viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ||

Sanjaya said: To Arjuna, filled with pity, his eyes full of tears and his heart sinking, Krishna spoke these words.

श्री भगवानुवाचकुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् ।अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन ॥

śrī bhagavānuvācakutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣame samupasthitam |anāryajuṣṭamasvargyamakīrtikaramarjuna ||

The Lord said: Arjuna, where does this weakness come from, at a moment of crisis like this? It is unworthy of 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, son of Pritha; it does not suit you. Shake off this petty faintness of heart and stand up, you who scorch your enemies.

अर्जुन उवाचकथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥

arjuna uvācakathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṃkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana |iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana ||

Arjuna said: Krishna, how can I fight Bhishma and Drona with arrows in battle? They deserve my reverence.

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके ।हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैवभुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvānśreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke |hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaivabhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ||

It would be better to live in this world by begging than to kill these honored teachers. If I kill them, even my wealth and pleasures here would be stained with blood.

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयोयद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः ।यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामस्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥

na caitadvidmaḥ kataranno garīyoyadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ |yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāmaste'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ||

- We do not know which is better for us — that we win or that they win. The sons of Dhritarashtra stand before us, and if we killed them we would not even want to live.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावःपृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः ।यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्िचतं ब्रूहि तन्मेशिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥

kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥpṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasaṃmūḍhacetāḥ |yacchreyaḥ syānniśिcataṃ brūhi tanmeśiṣyaste'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam ||

My nature is clouded by weakness and pity, and my mind is confused about what is right. I ask you: tell me clearly what is best. I am your student. I come to you for refuge — teach me.

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् ।अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धम्राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ॥

na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyādyacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām |avāpya bhūmāvasapatnamṛddhamrājyaṃ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam ||

I see nothing that could drive away the grief that dries up my senses — not even an unrivaled, prosperous kingdom on earth, or rule over the gods.

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

sañjaya uvācaevamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa |na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṃ babhūva ha ||

Sanjaya said: Having said this to Krishna, Arjuna, the scorcher of enemies, told Govinda, "I will not fight," and fell silent.

तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥

tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata |senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṃ vacaḥ ||

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

श्री भगवानुवाचअशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

śrī bhagavānuvācaaśocyānanvaśocastvaṃ prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase |gatāsūnagatāsūṃśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ||

The Lord said: You grieve for those who need no grief, and yet you speak words that sound wise. The wise grieve neither for the dead nor 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, so it passes into another body. The steady person is not confused by this.

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥

mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ |āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata ||

Contact of the senses with their objects brings cold and heat, pleasure and pain. These come and go; they do not last. Endure them, Arjuna.

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

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

The person whom these do not disturb, who is the same in pleasure and pain, who is steady — that person is fit for immortality.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥

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

The unreal has no being; the real never ceases to be. Those who see the truth have seen the final nature of both.

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति ॥

avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam |vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścit kartumarhati ||

Know that what pervades all this is indestructible. No one can destroy the imperishable.

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥

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

These bodies of the eternal, indestructible, immeasurable embodied self are said to come to an end. So 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 this self kills, and whoever thinks it is killed — neither understands. It does not kill, and it is not killed.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणोन हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācinnāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ |ajo nityaḥ śāśvato'yaṃ purāṇona hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||

It is never born and never dies. It did not come into being and will not stop being. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient, it is not killed when the body is 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, how can a person who knows the self to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and unchanging kill anyone, or cause anyone to kill?

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहायनवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि ।तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥

vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāyanavāni gṛhṇāti naro'parāṇi |tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇānyanyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī ||

- Just as a person throws away worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so the embodied self throws away worn-out bodies and enters new ones.

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 do not cut it; fire does not burn it; water does not wet it; wind does not 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, all-pervading, stable, unmoving, and everlasting.

अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥

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

It is called unmanifest, unthinkable, and unchanging. So, knowing it to be this way, 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 it is constantly born and constantly dies, still, mighty-armed one, 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 death is certain for what is born, and birth is certain for what dies. 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 unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle, and unmanifest again at their end. What is there to lament?

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श्रृणोतिश्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥

āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidenamāścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ |āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śrṛṇotiśrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit ||

- Some see it as a marvel; others speak of it as a marvel; others hear of it as a marvel. And even after hearing, 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 self dwelling in every body is eternal and can never be killed, Arjuna. So you should not grieve for any creature.

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाछ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥

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

Considering your own duty as well, you should not waver. For a warrior, nothing is better than a righteous battle.

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥

yadṛcchayā copapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam |sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam ||

Happy are the warriors, Arjuna, who meet such a battle by chance — an open door to heaven.

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

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

But if you will not fight this righteous battle, then, having abandoned your duty and your honor, you will incur wrong.

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।संभावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥

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

People will speak of your disgrace forever. And for an honored 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 withdrew from battle out of fear. Those who thought highly of you will think little of you.

अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥

avācyavādāṃśca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ||

Your enemies will say many things that should not be said, mocking 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, resolved to fight.

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

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

Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat as the same, prepare for battle. In this way you will not incur wrong.

एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्रृणु ।बुद्ध्यायुक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ॥

eṣā te'bhihitā sāṃkhye buddhiryoge tvimāṃ śrṛṇu |buddhyāyukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi ||

This is the understanding given by analysis. Now hear it in terms of yoga. Joined to this understanding, son of Pritha, you will break free of the bondage of action.

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥

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

In this path no effort is lost and no harm results. 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 ||

Here, the understanding that is resolute is single, Arjuna. The thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥

yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ |vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ ||

The unwise, who delight in the words of the Vedas, speak flowery words, Arjuna, saying there is nothing else.

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥

kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām |kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati ||

Full of desire, intent on heaven, they speak of rituals that bring rebirth as the fruit of action, many and elaborate, aimed at pleasure and power.

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥

bhogaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayāpahṛtacetasām |vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate ||

Those attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are carried away by such words, do not attain the resolute understanding that rests in meditation.

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन ।निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान् ॥

traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna |nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakṣema ātmavān ||

The Vedas deal with the three qualities of nature. Rise above the three qualities, Arjuna — free of pairs of opposites, always rooted in clarity, not grasping or hoarding, and centered in the self.

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके ।तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥

yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ saṃplutodake |tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ||

As much use as there is in a small well when there is water everywhere, that much use is there in all the Vedas for a brahmin who truly knows.

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana |mā karmaphalaheturbhūrmā te saṅgo'stvakarmaṇi ||

You have a right to your action, but never to its results. Do not let the results of action be your motive, and do not be attached to inaction.

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

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

Established in yoga, do your work, giving up attachment, Arjuna, and staying the same in success and failure. This evenness is called yoga.

दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय ।बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥

dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanañjaya |buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ ||

Action done for results is far inferior to action done with this understanding. Take refuge in understanding. Those who work for results are pitiable.

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥

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

One joined to understanding leaves behind both good and bad deeds here. So devote 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 understanding, give up the results born of action. Freed from the bondage of birth, they reach the state beyond 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 beyond the thicket of delusion, you will become indifferent to what you have heard and what you have yet to hear.

श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला ।समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि ॥

śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā |samādhāvacalā buddhistadā yogamavāpsyasi ||

When your understanding, which has been confused by what you have heard, stands firm and unmoving in meditation, you will reach yoga.

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

arjuna uvācasthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya keśava |sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kimāsīta vrajeta kim ||

Arjuna said: Krishna, what is the mark of one whose wisdom is steady, who is settled in meditation? How does such a person speak, sit, and walk?

श्री भगवानुवाचप्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान् ।आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥

śrī bhagavānuvācaprajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manogatān |ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate ||

The Lord said: When a person gives up all the desires that arise in the mind, son of Pritha, 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 shaken in sorrow, who has no craving in pleasure, who is free from passion, fear, and anger — that sage is called steady in wisdom.

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् ।नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

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

One who is without attachment anywhere, who neither rejoices on getting good nor hates on getting bad — that person's wisdom is steady.

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

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

When a person can withdraw the senses from their objects completely, like a tortoise drawing 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 ||

Sense objects fall away from a person who does not feed on them, but the taste for them remains. Even the taste falls away 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 ||

Arjuna, the turbulent senses forcibly carry off the mind even of a wise person who is striving.

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

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

Restraining them all, one should sit disciplined, intent on me. One whose senses are under control has steady wisdom.

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।सङ्गात् संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥

dhyāyato viṣayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgasteṣūpajāyate |saṅgāt saṃjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho'bhijāyate ||

When a person dwells on sense objects, attachment to them arises. From attachment, desire is born; from desire, anger arises.

क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥

krodhādbhavati saṃmohaḥ saṃmohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ |smṛtibhraṃśād buddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati ||

From anger comes confusion; from confusion, loss of memory; from loss of memory, the ruin of understanding; and from the ruin of understanding, the person is lost.

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् ।आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥

rāgadveṣaviyuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścaran |ātmavaśyairvidheyātmā prasādamadhigacchati ||

| But a self-controlled person, moving among sense objects with senses free of attraction and aversion and under control, attains clarity.

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते ।प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥

prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate |prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate ||

In clarity, all sorrows come to an end. 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 ||

The undisciplined have no understanding and no meditation. Without meditation there is no peace, and without peace, where is happiness?

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते ।तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥

indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yanmano'nuvidhīyate |tadasya harati prajñāṃ vāyurnāvamivāmbhasi ||

When the mind follows the wandering senses, it carries away one's wisdom, as the wind carries away a ship on the water.

तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः ।इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

tasmādyasya mahābāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ |indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||

So, mighty-armed one, the wisdom is steady of one whose senses are fully withdrawn from their objects.

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 when the self-controlled person is awake. When beings are awake, that is night for the sage who sees.

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठंसमुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् ।तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वेस शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥

āpūryamāṇamacalapratiṣṭhaṃsamudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat |tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarvesa śāntimāpnoti na kāmakāmī ||

Just as waters flow into the ocean, which is always being filled yet stays still, so the person into whom all desires flow attains peace — not the one who chases desires.

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः ।निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शांतिमधिगच्छति ॥

vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ |nirmamo nirahaṃkāraḥ sa śāṃtimadhigacchati ||

The person who gives up all desires and moves about free of longing, without "mine," without ego — that person attains peace.

एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति ।स्थित्वाऽस्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ॥

eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṃ prāpya vimuhyati |sthitvā'syāmantakāle'pi brahmanirvāṇamṛcchati ||

This is the state of Brahman, son of Pritha. Having reached it, one is no longer confused. Established in it even at the hour of death, one attains the peace of Brahman.