रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्। आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति।।2.64।।
But one who moves among sense objects with the senses under control, free from attachment and aversion, with self-mastery, attains tranquility.
प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते। प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते।।2.65।।
In tranquility, all suffering ceases for him; and the mind of the serene quickly becomes steady.
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना। न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम्।।2.66।।
For the unsteady, there is no wisdom; nor for the unsteady is there contemplation; without contemplation, there is no peace; and for the unpeaceful, how can there be happiness?
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते। तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि।।2.67।।
When the mind follows the wandering senses, it carries away one's understanding, as the wind carries away a boat on the water.
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः। इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता।।2.68।।
Therefore, O mighty-armed, whose senses are completely restrained from their objects, his wisdom is firmly established.
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी। यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः।।2.69।।
That which is night for all beings, the disciplined one is awake in it; that in which beings are awake, is night for the sage who sees.
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत्। तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी।।2.70।।
Just as waters enter the ocean, which remains unmoved and established, so desires enter one who is unmoved; he attains peace, not the one who desires desires.
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः। निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शांतिमधिगच्छति।।2.71।।
Whoever abandons all desires and moves without longing, free from possessiveness and ego, attains peace.
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति। स्थित्वाऽस्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति।।2.72।।
This is the state of Brahman, O Partha; having attained it, one is not deluded; established in it even at the end of life, one attains Brahman-nirvana.
अर्जुन उवाच ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन। तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव।।3.1।।
Arjuna said: If you consider knowledge superior to action, O Janardana, why do you urge me to engage in this dreadful action, O Keshava?
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे। तदेकं वद निश्िचत्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम्।।3.2।।
With your words, you seem to confuse my understanding as if with contradiction; tell me decisively that by which I may attain the highest good.
श्री भगवानुवाच लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ। ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्।।3.3।।
The Blessed Lord said: In this world, O sinless one, I have previously declared a twofold path: the path of knowledge for the Sankhyas, and the path of action for the Yogis.
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते। न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति।।3.4।।
Not by abstaining from action does a person attain freedom from action; nor by renunciation alone does one reach perfection.
न हि कश्िचत्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्। कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः।।3.5।।
Indeed, no one ever remains even for a moment without performing action; everyone is compelled to act by the qualities born of nature.
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्। इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते।।3.6।।
One who restrains the organs of action but dwells mentally on sense objects, that deluded person is called a hypocrite.
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन। कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते।।3.7।।
But whoever, controlling the senses with the mind, undertakes action through the organs of action, unattached, O Arjuna, excels.
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः। शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः।।3.8।।
Perform your prescribed action; action is indeed superior to inaction. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible by inaction.
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः। तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर।।3.9।।
Except for action done for the sake of sacrifice, this world is bound by action. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform action for that purpose, free from attachment.
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः। अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक्।।3.10।।
Having created beings together with sacrifice in the beginning, the Creator said: 'By this you shall multiply; let this be the fulfiller of your desires.'
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः। परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ।।3.11।।
With this, nourish the gods, and may those gods nourish you; thus nourishing one another, you shall attain the highest good.
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः। तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः।।3.12।।
The gods, nourished by sacrifice, will grant you desired enjoyments. He who enjoys what they give without offering to them is truly a thief.
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः। भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्।।3.13।।
The virtuous, who partake of the remnants of sacrifice, are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook for their own sake alone eat only sin.
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः। यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः।।3.14।।
Beings are born from food; food is produced from rain; rain arises from sacrifice, and sacrifice is born of action.
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्। तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम्।।3.15।।
Know that action arises from the Veda, and the Veda comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Veda is ever established in sacrifice.
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः। अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति।।3.16।।
He who does not follow here the cycle thus set in motion, living in pleasure of the senses, lives in vain, O Partha, leading a sinful life.
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः। आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते।।3.17।।
But the man who delights only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, and content in the Self alone, for him there is nothing to do.
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन। न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्िचदर्थव्यपाश्रयः।।3.18।।
For him there is no purpose in what is done or not done here; nor does he depend on any being for any purpose.
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर। असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः।।3.19।।
Therefore, always perform the action that ought to be done, without attachment; for by acting without attachment, a person attains the highest.
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः। लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि।।3.20।।
Indeed, it was through action alone that Janaka and others attained perfection. Even with a view to the welfare of the world, you ought to act.
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः। स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते।।3.21।।
Whatever a superior person does, others follow; whatever standard he sets, the world follows that.