ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्। सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः।।3.32।।
But those who, being envious, do not follow this teaching of mine, know them to be confused in all knowledge, lost and lacking discernment.
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति।।3.33।।
Even the wise acts according to his own nature; all beings follow their nature. What can restraint accomplish?
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ। तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ।।3.34।।
Attachment and aversion are fixed in each sense toward its objects; one should not come under their control, for they are obstacles.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः।।3.35।।
Better is one's own duty, though lacking in merit, than another's duty well performed; death in one's own duty is better, another's duty brings fear.
अर्जुन उवाच अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः।।3.36।।
Arjuna said: By what is a person impelled to commit sin, even unwilling, as if compelled by force, O descendant of Vrishni?
श्री भगवानुवाच काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्।।3.37।।
The Blessed Lord said: It is desire, it is anger, born of the quality of passion; know this as the great devourer, the great sinner, the enemy here.
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च। यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम्।।3.38।।
Just as fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and a fetus by the womb, so is this covered by that.
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा। कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च।।3.39।।
Knowledge is covered by this eternal enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is insatiable like fire, O son of Kunti.
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते। एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम्।।3.40।।
The senses, mind, and intellect are said to be its seat; through these, it deludes the embodied being, covering knowledge.
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ। पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्।।3.41।।
Therefore, first restrain the senses, O best of Bharatas, and destroy this evil, the destroyer of knowledge and wisdom.
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः। मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः।।3.42।।
They say the senses are superior; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and that which is superior to the intellect is he.
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना। जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्।।3.43।।
Thus, knowing that which is beyond the intellect, steady yourself with the self, and destroy the difficult enemy in the form of desire, O mighty-armed.
श्री भगवानुवाच इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्।।4.1।।
The Blessed Lord said: I imparted this imperishable yoga to Vivasvat; Vivasvat spoke it to Manu, and Manu told it to Ikshvaku.
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप।।4.2।।
Thus, received through succession, the royal sages understood this yoga; but over time, O scorcher of foes, that yoga was lost here.
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम्।।4.3।।
That same ancient yoga is declared by me to you today; for you are my devotee and friend—this is indeed the highest secret.
अर्जुन उवाच अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति।।4.4।।
Arjuna said: Your birth is recent, while Vivasvat's birth is ancient; how am I to understand that you taught it at the beginning?
श्री भगवानुवाच बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप।।4.5।।
The Blessed Lord said: Many births have passed for both you and me, Arjuna; I know them all, but you do not, O scorcher of foes.
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया।।4.6।।
Though I am unborn and my essence is imperishable, though I am the Lord of beings, I manifest myself by controlling my own nature, through my own power.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्।।4.7।।
Whenever there is a decline of dharma and a rise of adharma, O Bharata, then I manifest myself.
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे।।4.8।।
For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of evildoers, and for establishing dharma, I come into being in every age.
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन।।4.9।।
Whoever truly knows my divine birth and actions, after leaving the body, does not take birth again, but comes to me, O Arjuna.
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः।।4.10।।
Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in me, taking refuge in me, many have been purified by the austerity of knowledge and attained my state.
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः।।4.11।।
As people approach me, so do I accept them; O Partha, all follow my path in every way.
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा।।4.12।।
Desiring success in actions, people here worship the deities; indeed, success from action comes quickly in the human world.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्।।4.13।।
The fourfold order was created by me according to qualities and actions; though I am its creator, know me as the non-agent and imperishable.
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते।।4.14।।
Actions do not taint me, nor do I desire their results; whoever knows me thus is not bound by actions.
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्।।4.15।।
Knowing this, seekers of liberation in former times performed actions; therefore, you should act as did those ancient ones.
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्।।4.16।।
What is action and what is inaction? Even the wise are confused here; I will explain to you action, knowing which you will be freed from evil.
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः।।4.17।।
One must understand action, one must understand unlawful action, and one must understand inaction; the course of action is indeed profound.
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्।।4.18।।
Who sees action in inaction and inaction in action, that person is wise among humans and accomplished in all actions.