CHAPTER XVIII - THE YOGA OF LIBERATION BY RENUNCIATION

Vasude Vasutum Devam Kans Chanur Mardanam Devaki Parmanandam Krsnam Vande Jagatagurum		To the Lord, the Son of Vasudeva The Destroyer of Kans and Chanur To Supreme Bliss of Devaki To Krsna the Teacher of the Universe - My Salutations!
Arjun uvacha: samnyasasya mahabaho tattvam icchami veditum tyagasya ca hrsikesa prthak kesinisudana		Arjuna said: I desire to know severally, O mighty-armed, the truth of Samyasa and Tyaga, O Hrsikesa (Krishna), O Kesinisudana
Sri Bhagavan uvaca: kamayanam karmanam nyasam samnyasam kavayo viduh sarvakarmaphalatyagam prahus tyagam vicaksanah		The Blessed Lord said: The sages understand Samyasa as renunciation of action prompted by desire; and the wise declare Tyaga to be abandonment of the fruits of all actions
tyajyam dosavad ity eke karma prahur manisinah yajnadanatapahkarma na tyajyam iti ca 'pare		Men of learning say that all action is evil and as such should be abandoned; while others declare that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should not be given up
niscayam srnu me tatra tyage bharatasattama tyago hi purusavayaghra trividhah samprakirititah		Listen to my decision, O best of Bharatas (Arjuna), the truth about Tyaga. Tyaga (abandonment of the fruits of action), O lion among men (Arjuna), is said to be of three kinds
yajnadanatapahkarma na tyajyam karyam eva tat yajno danam tapas cai 'va pavanani manisinam		Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should not be given up. They must be performed, for sacrifice, gift and penance are purifiers of the learned
etany api tu karmani sangam tyaktva phalani ca kartavyani 'ti me partha niscitam matam uttamam		Therefore, O Partha, my considered and best opinion is that these acts and all other duties be performed thereof relinquishing attachment to the fruit.
niyatasya tu samnyasah karmano no 'papadyate mohat tasya parityagas tamasah parikirtitah		Verily, the renunciation of bounded duty is not proper; the abandonment of the same from delusion, is declared to be Tamasic
duhkham ity eva yat karma kayaklesabhatat tyajet sa krtva rajamam tyagam nai 'va tyagaphalam labhet		He who abandons action as troublesome, from fear of physical suffering, does not attain the merit of relinquishment, for this kind of relinquishment is considered Rajasic
karyam ity eva yat karma niyatam kriyate 'rjuna sangam tyaktva phalam cai 'va sa tyagah sattviko matah		Obligatory action, which is done as a duty, giving up attachment and fruit, that alone is regarded as a Sattvic form of relinquishment.
na dvesty akusalam karma kusale na 'nusajjate tyagi sattvasamavisto medhavi chinnasamsayah		A man who has no aversion to disagreeable work, and has no attachment to agreeable actions, is a man who has attained purity, is freed from doubts, he is wise and he has relinquished
na hi dehabhrta sakyam tyaktum karmany asesatah yas tu karmaphalatyagi sa tyagi 'ty abhidiyate		Verily it is not possible for embodied beings to renounce all action completely, but he who renounces the fruit of action is called a man of renunciation
anistam istam misram ca trividham karmanah phalam bhavaty atyaginam pretya na tu samnyasinam kvacit		The threefold fruit of action--good, bad and mixed-is reaped after death by those who have not renounced the fruit; but for those who have renounced the fruit, there is none whatsoever
pancai 'tani mahabaho karanani nibodha me samkhye kratante proktani siddhaye sarvakarmanam		O Mighty-armed (Arjun), know from Me the five causes as said in the Samkhya system for the accomplishment of all actions
adhisthnam tatha karta karanam ca prthagvidham vividhas ca prthakcesta daivam cai 'va 'tra pancamam		The seat, the doer, various sense functions, diverse activities(efforts), and the fifth is providence.
sariravanmanobhir yat karma prarabhate narah nyayyam va viparitam va pancai 'te tasya hetavah		Whatever action a man performs by his body, mind and speech-- whether right or wrong, these five are its causes
tatrai 'vam sati kartaram atamanam kevalam tu yah pasyaty akrtabuddhitvan na sa pasyati durmatih		This being so, he who owing to his impure reason, sees the Self as the doer is of imperfect judgement, and he sees not
yasya na 'hamkrto bhavo buddhir yasya na lipyate hatva pi sa imanl lokan na hanti na nibadhyate		He whose mind is free from self sense (egoism), and whose understanding is free from attachment, even though slaying all these people, slays not, nor is he bound
jnanam jneyam parijnata trividha karmacodana karanam karma karte 'ti trividah karmasamgrahah		Threefold motivation of action is knowledge, knower and the object of knowlege; the threefold constituents of action are the means, the work and the agent
jnanam karma ca karta ca tridhai 'va gunabhedatah procyate gunasamkhyane yathavac chrnu tany api		Knowledge, action and doer are said to be of three kinds, as classified in the Samkhya system which are due to the difference in qualities of the gunas. Hear now of them:
sarvabhutesu yenai 'kam bhavam avyayam ikasate avibhaktam vibhaktesu taj janam viddhi sattvikam		That by which the one Imperishable Being is seen in all beings--undivided among the divided, know that knowledge to be Sattvic
prthaktvena tu yaj jnanam nanabhavan prthagvidhan vetti sarvesu bhutesu taj jnanam viddhi rajasam		And that knowledge by which the manifold existence is seen as separate from the other, know that knowledge to be Rajasic
yat tu krtsnavad ekasmin karye saktam ahetukam atattvarthavad alpam ca tat tamasam udahrtam		That knowledge by which one holds to one individual effect as if it were the whole, without reason, without recognising the truth is of no value and is considered Tamasic
niyatam sangarahitam aragadvesatah krtam aphalaprepsuna karma yat tat sattvikam ucyate		That action which is obligatory and performed without attachment, without sense of doership and without love or hatred by one not desiring fruits, is said to be Sattvic
yat tu kamepsuna karma sahamkarena va punah kriyate bahulayasam tad rajasam udahrtam		But that action which is done in great toil promoted by desire and egoism is said to be Rajasic
anubandham ksayam himsam anaveksya ca paurusam mohad arabhyate karma yat tat tamasam ucyate		Action that is done out of ignorance, without any regard for capacity and results, being a loss to oneself and of injury to others, is considered Tamasic
muktasango 'nahamvadi dhrutyutsahasamanvitah siddhyasiddhyor nirvikarah karta sattvika ucyate		Free from attachment, not using egoistic speech, endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, unaffected by success or failure, such a doer is said to be Sattvic
ragi karmaphalprepsur lubdho himsatmako 'sucih harsasokanvitah karta rajasah parikirtitah		Passionate and seeking the fruits of action, indulging in voilence, impure and swayed by joy and sorrow--such a doer is said to be Rajasic
ayuktah prakrah stabdhah satho naikrtiko 'lasha visadi dirghasutri ca karta tamasa ucyate		Unbalanced, without discrimination, stubborn, decitful, malicious, slothful, despondent and procrastinating--such a doer is said to be Tamasic
buddher bhedam dhretes cai 'va gunatas trividham srnu procyamanam asesena prthaktvena dhanamjaya		Hear now the threefold distinction of understanding and steadiness, O Dhanamjaya (Arjun), according to the qualities of gunas in full and severally
pravrttim ca nivrttim ca karyakarye bhayabhaye bandham moksam ca ya vetti buddhih sa partha sattviki		O Partha, that understanding (Budhi), by which one knows of the path of activity and the path of renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, of fear and fearlessness, what binds and what liberates the soul, is the nature of a Sattvic person
yaya dharmam adharmam ca karyam ca 'karyam eva ca ayathavat prajanati buddhih sa partha rajasi		That by which one wrongly understands Dharma (righteousness) and Adharma (unrighteousnes) and also what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, that understanding O Partha, is Rajasic
adharmam dharmam iti ya manyate tamasa 'vrta sarvarthan viparitamsca buddhih sa partha tamasi		O Partha, that understanding which enveloped in darkness, wrongly accepts Adharma (unrighteousness) as Ddharma (righteousness) and regards all things contrary, is of Tamasic nature
dhrtya yaya dharayate manahpranendriyakriyah yogena 'vyabhicrinya dhritih sa partha sattviki		The unwavering firmness by which through yoga one controls the functions of the mind, life breath, senses, that frimness O Partha, is Sattvic
yaya tu dharmakamarthan dhrtya dharayate 'rjuna prasangena phalakanksi dhritih sa partha rajasi		But that firmenss by which, O Arjuna, one clings to virtue, wealth, pleasures with attachment and desire for fruit--that, O Partha, is Rajasic firmness
yaya svapnam bhayam sokam visadam madam eva ca na vimuncati durmedha dhritih sa partha tamasi		That firmness by which a fool does not give up sleep, fear, grief, despair and arrogance, --that frimness is Tamasic
sukham tv idanim trividham srnu me bharatarsabha abhyasad ramate yatra duhkhantam ca nigacchiati		O best of Bharata (Arjun), hear from Me now the three kinds of happiness. That in which one finds happiness through 'pactice' brings him to the end of sorrow
yat tad agre visam iva pariname 'mrtopamam tat sukham sattvikam proktam atmaduddhiprasadajam		That happiness which is like poison in the beginning and like nectar in the end, born of blissful knowledge of the self; that happiness is Sattavic
visayendrayasamyogad yat tad agre'mrtopamam pariname visam iva tat sukham rajasam smrtam		That joy which is derived from the contact of the senses with their objects, at first is like nectar and is like poison in the end, such happiness is said to be Rajasic
yad agre ca 'nubandhe ca sukham mohanamatmanah nidralasyapramadottham tat tamasam udahrtam		That happiness which deludes the soul in the beginning and in the end, which is born from sleep, sloth and heedlessness, that is declared as Tamasic
na tad asti prthivyam va divi devesu va punah sattavam prakritijair muktam yad ebhih syat tribhir gunaih		There is not a being on earth, nor in the heavens nor among the celestial beings, who is free from these three qualities (gunas) born of nature
brahamanaksatriyavisam sudranam ca paramtapa karmani pravibhaktani svabhavaprabhaviair gunaih		O Paramtapa, the duties of Brahmins, of Ksatriyas, Vaisyas as also Sudras, are divided according to the qualities born of their respective nature
samo damas tapah saucam ksantir arjavam eva ca jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahmakarma svabhavajam		Serenity, self control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, straightforwardness, wisdom, knowledge, belief in God, these are duties of the Brahmin born of his nature
sauryam tejo dhritir daksyam yuddhe ca 'py apalayanam danam isvarabhavas ca ksartam karma svabhavajam		Heroism, vigour, firmness, bravery, resourcefulness, not running away from battle, generosity, rulership-- are the Ksatriyas duties born of his own nature
krsigauraksyavanijyam vaisyakarma svabhavajam paricaryatmakam karma sudrasya 'pi svabhavajam		Cultivation, rearing of cows and trade are the duties of Vaisyas born of his own nature. Action consisting of service is the duty of the Sudra born of his own nature
sve-sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah svakarmaniratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrnu		Each man devoted to his own duty attains the highest perfection. How can one, devoted to his own duty, attain perfection, listen of that now
yatah pravrttir bhutanam yena sarnam idam tatam svakarmana tam abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah		He from whom all beings emanate, and by Whom all this is pervaded, by worshipping Him through performance of his own duty, man attains perfection.
sreyan svadharmo vigunah paradharmat svanusthitat svabhavaniyatam karma kurvana pnoti kilbisam		Better is own's duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well performed. He who attends to one's own duty ordained by one's own nature does not incur sin.
sahajam karma kaunteya sadosam api na tyajet sarvarambha hi dosena dhumena 'gnir iva 'vrtah		O Kaunteya (Arjuna) , one should not give up one's own duty though defective. All undertakings are tainted with defects, as fire by smoke.
asaktabudddhih sarvatra jitatma vigatasprahah naiskarmyasiddhim paramam samnyasena dhigacchiti		He whose intellect is unattached all around, who has subdued his self, freed from desire-- he attains the supreme state of freedom from action by renunciation
siddhim prapto yatha brahma tatha 'pnoti nibodha me samasenai 'va kaunteya nistha jnanasya ya para		O Kaunteya (Arjuna), know from Me briefly how he, who has attained perfection reaches Brahma, the supreme state of knowledge
buddhya visuddhaya yukto dhryta 'tmanam niyamaya ca sabdadin visayams tyaktva ragadvesau vyudasya ca		Endowed with pure understanding, controlling the self with firmness, turning away from sound, and the objects of sense and not giving way to hatred and attracion
viviktasevi laghvasi yatavakkayamanasah dyyanayogaparo nityam vairagyam samupasritah		Living in solitude, eating little, restraining body, mind and speech, always engaged in meditaion and yoga and taking shelter in dispassion
ahamkaram balam darpam kamam krodham parigraham vimucya nirmamah santo brahmabhuyaya kalpate		Casting away egoism, force, arrogance, lust, anger and devoid of greed for possissions, free from the notion of 'mine' and serene--such a person is qualified to be one with Braham
brahamabhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu madbhaktim labhate param		Attaining Brahama, that cheerful self neither grieves nor desires; the same to all beings, he obtains supreme devotion to Me
bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas ca 'smi tattvatah tato mam tattvato jnatva visate tadanantaram		He realizes Me by devotion, in essence what and who I am in truth. Then knowing Me in reality, he forthwith enters into Me
sarvakarmany api sada kurvano madvyapasrayah matprasadad avapnoti sasvatam padam avyayam		Always doing all actions, taking refuge in Me, by My grace, he obtains the eternal, indestrucitible Abode
cetsa sarvakarmani mayi samnyasya matparah buddhiyogam upasritya maccittah satatam bhava		Therefore, mentally resigning all actions to Me, with Myself as the ultimate goal, resorting to Yoga of equanimity, with the mind resting on Me
maccittah sarvadurgani matprasadat tarisyasi atha cet tvam ahamkaran na srosyasi vinanksyasi		With your mind thus fixed on Me, you shall overcome all difficulties by My grace. If out of pride you will not listen to Me, you shall perish
yad ahamkaram asritya na yotsya iti manyase mithyai 'sa vyavasayas te prakritis tvam niyoksyati		If by egoism, you think "I will not fight," this resolve of yours is vain. Your own nature will drive you to fight
svabhavajena kaunteya nibaddhah svena karmana kartum ne 'cchasi yan mohat karisyasy avaso 'pi tat		O Kaunteya, that which, out of delusion you do not wish to do, you shall do, bound by action born of your own nature
isvarah sarvabhutanam hrddese 'rjuna tisthati bhramayan sarvabhutani yantrarudhani mayaya		O Arjuna, the Lord dwells in the heart of all beings and through His illusive force revolves all beings as if mounted on a machine
tam eva saranam gaccha sarvabhavena bharata tatprasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam		Seek refuge in Him alone with all your being. Through His grace you shall attain the Supreme State and the Eternal Abode
iti te jnanam akhyatam guhyad guhyataram maya vimrsyai 'tad asesena yathe 'cchasi tatha kuru		Thus, the knowledge more secret than all sectets has been imparted to you by Me. Reflect on it fully and then act as you wish
sarvaguhyatamam bhuyah srnu me paramam vacah isto 'si me drdham iti tato vaksyami te hitam		Hear again My Supreme Word, the most secret of all. You are exceedingly dear to Me, therefore, I shall tell it for your good
manmana bhava madbhakto madyaji mam namaskuru mam evai syasi satyam te pratijane priyo 'si me		Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, prostrate before Me and you shall come to Me only. Truly this is My promise to you for you are dear to Me
sarvadharman parityajya mam ekam saranam uraja aham tva sarvapapebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah		Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone, for I shall liberate you of all sins,-- grieve not
idam te na 'tapaskaya na 'bhaktaya kadacana na ca 'susrusave uacyam na ca mam yo 'bhyasutati		Never is this to be spoke by you to one who is not asutere, nor to one without devotion, not to him who desires not to listen, nor yet to him who speaks ill of Me
ya mam paramam guhyam madbhaktesv abhidhasyati bhaktim mayi param kritva mam evai 'syaty asamsayah		He, however, who with supreme adoration to Me shall teach this Supreme Secret to My devotees, he shall attain, Me, of this there is no doubt
na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priyakrttmah bhavita na ca me tasmad anyah priyataro bhuvi		Among men, there is none who does Me a dearer service than he, nor shall any one in this world be dearer to Me than he
adhyesyate ca ya imam dharmyam samvadam avahoh jnanayajnena tena 'ham istah syam iti me matih		And he who shall study this sacred dialogue of ours, by him shall I be worshipped through the sacrifice of wisdom. Such is My conviction
sraddhavan anasuyas ca srnuyad api yo narah so 'pi muktah subhaml lokan prapnutat punyakarmanam		The man who hears this with faith, who does not cavil, he too, liberated shall attain the higher region attained through deeds of merit
kaccid etac chrutam partha tvayai 'kigrna cetsa kaccid ajnanasammohah pranastas te dhahamhaya		O Partha (Arjuna), have you heard this with single minded attention? Has your delusion born of ignorance been dispelled, O Dhanamjaya (Arjuna)?
arjuna uvaca: nasto mohah smrtir labdha tbatprasadan maya 'cyuta sthito 'smi gatasandehah karisye vacanam tava		Arjun said: My delusion is destroyed, my memory has come back with thy grace, O Achyuta, I stand firm, my doubts dispelled, I shall do Thy biding
samjaya uvaca: ity aham vasudevaya parthasya ca mahatmanah samvadam imam asrausam acbhutam romaharsanam		Samjaya said: Thus have I heard this marvellous dialogue between Vasudeva (Krsna), and the noble souled Partha, which fills me with ecstacy
vyasaprasadac chrutavan etad guhyam aham param yogam yogesvarat krsnat saksat kathayatah svayam		By the grace of Vyasa, I heard this most sacred, and supreme Yoga from the Lord of Yoga, Krsna Himself, speaking before my very eyes
rajan samsmrtya samsmrtya samvadam imam adbhutam kesavarjunayoh punyam hrsyami ca muhur-muhuh		O King, remembering time and again this marvellous and sacred dialogue between Kesava (Krsna) and Arjuna, I rejoice over and over again
ta ca samsmrtya-samsmrtya rupam atyadbhutam hareh vismayo me mahan rajan hrsyami ca punah-punah		Remembering again and again that most marvellous form of Hari (Krsna), great is my wonder and I am filled with joy time and again.
yatra yogesvarah krsno yatra partho dhanurdharah tatra srir vijayo bhutir dhruva nitir mama		Wherever there is Krsna, the Lord of Yoga and Partha, the archer, assured is there prosperity, victory, glory and sound policy; this is my conviction.
Aum tat sdity srmad bhagavadgita supanisatsu brahmavidyayam yogasastre srikrsnarjuna samvade moksasamnyasayogo nama 'stadaso 'dhyayah		In the Upanisad of the Bhagavadgita the science of the Absolute, the scripture of Yoga and the dialogue between SriKrsna and Arjuna, thus ends the eighteenth chapter 'The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation'. Select from Contents