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.
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः । बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः
Freed from passion, fear, and anger, absorbed in me, taking refuge in me, many, purified by the austerity of knowledge, have attained my state.
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः
In whatever way people approach me, in that very way do I respond to them; O Pārtha, all people follow my path in every way.
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः । क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा
Desiring success in actions, people here worship the deities, for in the human world, success from actions is quickly gained.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः । तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्
The fourfold order was created by me according to division of qualities and actions; though I am its creator, know me as the non-doer, imperishable.
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा । इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते
Actions do not taint me, nor do I desire the fruits of actions; whoever truly knows me thus is not bound by actions.
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः । कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्
Knowing this, even the ancient seekers of liberation performed action; therefore, you too should act as the ancients did in former times.
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः । तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्
What is action, and what is inaction? Even the wise are confused here; I will explain to you that action, knowing which you will be freed from evil.
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः । अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः
One must understand action, one must understand wrong action, and one must understand inaction; the path of action is indeed deep.
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः । स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्
Whoever sees inaction in action and action in inaction, he is wise among men; he is integrated, a doer of all actions.
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसंकल्पवर्जिताः । ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः
He whose undertakings are all free from desire and intention, whose actions are burned up by the fire of knowledge, the wise call him learned.