यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः
For if I did not ever engage in action with diligence, O Partha, people would follow my path in every way.
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् । संकरस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः
These worlds would perish if I did not act; I would be the cause of confusion and would destroy these beings.
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथाऽसक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम्
Just as the unwise, attached to action, act, O Bharata, so should the wise act, without attachment, wishing to maintain the world.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् । जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन्
Let not the wise unsettle the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action; acting with discipline, he should engage them in all actions.
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः। अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते
All actions are performed by the qualities of nature; but one whose mind is deluded by ego thinks, 'I am the doer.'
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः । गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सञ्जते
But the knower of truth, O mighty-armed, about the distinction of qualities and actions, knowing that qualities act upon qualities, is not attached.
प्रकृतेर्गुणसंमूढाः सञ्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु। तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत्
Those deluded by the qualities of nature become attached to actions of the qualities; but the knower of the whole should not disturb the dull-witted who know only in part.
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा । निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः
Dedicating all actions to me, with mind fixed on the self, free from desire and possessiveness, fight, free from mental fever.
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः । श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभिः
Those people who constantly follow this teaching of mine with faith and without envy, they too are freed from actions.
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् । सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः
But those who, out of envy, do not follow this teaching of mine, know them, deluded in all knowledge and lost in mind, as ruined.
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि । प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति
Even a person of knowledge acts according to his own nature; all beings follow their nature—what can restraint accomplish?
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ । तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ
Attachment and aversion are established in each sense toward its objects; one should not come under their control, for they are obstacles on the path.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः
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.
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः
But by what is a person impelled to commit sin, O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, even unwillingly, as if driven by force?
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः । महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्
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
As fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and an embryo by the womb, so is this (knowledge) covered by that (desire).
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा । कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च
Knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise, O son of Kunti, taking the form of desire, which is insatiable as fire.
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते । एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्त्य देहिनम्
The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be its seat; through these, it deludes the embodied being by veiling knowledge.
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ । पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्
Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, restrain the senses first, and destroy this sinful one, the destroyer of knowledge and wisdom.
इन्द्रियामि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः
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 बुद्धाः संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्
Thus, knowing that which is higher than the intellect, steady the self by the self, and O mighty-armed one, destroy the enemy in the form of desire, difficult to conquer.
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् । विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्
I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvat; Vivasvat taught it to Manu, and Manu told it to Ikṣvāku.
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयोऽविदुः । स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परंतप
Thus, received through succession, the royal sages knew this; but through the passage of great time, O scorcher of foes, this yoga was lost here.
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः । भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम्
That same ancient yoga has been declared to you by me today, for you are my devotee and friend; this is indeed the supreme secret.
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति
Your birth is later, Vivasvat's birth is earlier; how am I to understand that you taught this in the beginning?
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन । तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परंतप
Many births of mine have passed, as well as yours, O Arjuna; I know them all, but you do not, O scorcher of foes.
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् । प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया
Though I am unborn, of imperishable self, and the Lord of beings, yet, abiding in my own nature, I manifest myself by my own power.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्
Whenever there is a decline of righteousness, O Bharata, and a rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest myself.
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे
For the protection of the righteous, for the destruction of evildoers, and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being age after age.
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन
Whoever truly knows the divine nature of my birth and deeds, upon leaving the body, does not take birth again, but comes to me, O Arjuna.