अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते। तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि
This is said to be unmanifest, inconceivable, and unchanging; therefore, knowing it thus, you should not grieve for it.
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्। तथापि कत्वं महाबाहो नैनं शोचितुमर्हसि
But even if you think this is constantly born and constantly dies, even then, O mighty-armed, you should not grieve for it.
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च। तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि
For death is certain for the born, and birth is certain for the dead; therefore, you should not grieve over what is unavoidable.
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत। अव्यक्तनिधनान्येन तत्र का परिदेवना
Beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle, O Bharata, and unmanifest again in their end; what cause is there for lamentation?
आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन- माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः। आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श्रृणोति श्रुत्वाऽप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित्
Someone sees this as a wonder, likewise another speaks of it as a wonder, another hears of it as a wonder, yet even after hearing, no one truly knows it.
देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत। तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि
The embodied one in the body of everyone is always indestructible, O Bharata; therefore, you should not grieve for any beings.
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि । धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते
Also, considering your own duty, you should not waver; for a warrior, there is nothing better than a righteous battle.
यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् । सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लन्ते युद्धमीदृशम्
Happy are the warriors, O Pārtha, who encounter such a battle that comes of itself, opening the gates of heaven.
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि। ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि
But if you do not undertake this righteous battle, then forsaking your own duty and honor, you will incur sin.
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् । संभावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते
Even creatures will speak of your lasting disgrace; and for one who is esteemed, dishonor is worse than death.
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः । येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम्
The great chariot-warriors will think you withdrew from battle out of fear; and having been held in high regard by them, you will come to be considered insignificant.
अवाच्यवादांश्चक बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः । निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम्
Your adversaries will utter many unspeakable words, criticizing your abilities; what could be more painful than that?
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् । तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः
If slain, you will attain heaven; if victorious, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, rise up, son of Kunti, resolved to fight.
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ । ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि
Treat pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike; then engage in battle, and you will not incur sin.
एषा तेऽभिहिता साङ्ख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्रृणु। बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि
This wisdom has been declared to you in the context of reasoning; now hear it in the context of discipline. Endowed with this wisdom, O Partha, you will cast off the bondage of action.
नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते। स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात्
Here, there is no loss of effort, nor is there any negative result. Even a little of this discipline protects one from great fear.
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन । बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम्
Here, O joy of the Kurus, wisdom is single-minded; but the intellects of those who lack resolve are many-branched and endless.
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः । वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः
Those who lack discernment speak flowery words, delighting in the letter of the Vedas, O Partha, and declaring that nothing else exists.
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् । क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति
Desiring pleasure and heaven, they speak of actions that yield birth and the fruits of deeds, filled with elaborate rituals, aiming at enjoyment and prosperity.
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयाऽपहृतचेतसाम् । व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते
For those attached to enjoyment and wealth, whose minds are carried away by such words, single-pointed wisdom is not established in meditation.
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन । निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान्
The Vedas concern the three qualities; transcend these qualities, O Arjuna. Be free from duality, ever established in purity, unconcerned with acquisition and preservation, and rooted in the Self.
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके। तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः
As much use as there is in a well when water is overflowing everywhere, so much use is there in all the Vedas for a Brahmin who knows.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदा च न । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि
Your right is only to action, never to its fruits at any time. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनंजय । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते
Established in discipline, perform actions, abandoning attachment, O Dhananjaya. Being the same in success and failure, this equanimity is called discipline.
दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनंजय। बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः
Indeed, action is inferior to wisdom joined with discipline, O Dhananjaya. Seek refuge in wisdom; those motivated by the fruits of action are pitiable.
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीहक उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते । तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्
Endowed with wisdom, one abandons both good and evil deeds in this world. Therefore, devote yourself to discipline; discipline in action is skillfulness.
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः । जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम्
Those wise ones, joined with understanding, having abandoned the fruit born of action, are freed from the bondage of birth and attain the state free from affliction.
यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति। तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च
When your intellect crosses beyond the thicket of delusion, then you will become indifferent to what is to be heard and what has been heard.
श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला । समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि
When your intellect, confused by the scriptures, stands unmoving and steady in concentration, then you will attain yoga.
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव । स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किं
O Keśava, what is the description of one whose wisdom is steady, who is established in concentration? How does one of steady mind speak, sit, and move?