न वेद यज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानै- र्न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रैः । एवंरूपः शक्य अहं नृलोके द्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर
Not by study of the Vedas, nor by sacrifices, nor by charity, nor by rituals, nor by severe austerities can I be seen in this form by anyone else among mortals, O best of the Kurus.
मा ते व्यथा मा च विमूढभावो दृष्ट्वा रूपं घोरमीदृङ्भमेदम् । व्यपेतभीः प्रीतमनाः पुनस्त्वं तदेव मे रूपमिदं प्रपश्य
Let there be no fear or confusion in you, having seen this terrible and awe-inspiring form of mine. Free from fear, with a joyful mind, behold again that very form of mine.
इत्यर्जुनं वासुदेवस्तथोक्त्वा स्वकं रूपं दर्शयामास भूयः। आश्वासयामास च भीतमेनं भूत्वा पुनः सौम्यवपुर्महात्मा
Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vāsudeva showed his own form again, and, becoming gentle in appearance, the great soul comforted the frightened one.
दृष्ट्वेदं मानुषं रूपं तव सौम्यं जनार्दन । इदानीमस्मि संवृत्तः सचेताः प्रकृतिं गतः
Having seen your human form, so gentle, O Janārdana, I have now regained my composure and returned to my natural state.
सुदुर्दर्शमिदं रूपं दृष्टवानसि यन्मम। देवा अप्यस्य रूपस्य नित्यं दर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः
This form of mine that you have seen is very hard to behold; even the gods are always longing to see this form.
नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया। शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा
Not by the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by charity, nor by sacrifice can I be seen in this way as you have seen me.
भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन। ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परंतप
But by undivided devotion alone can I be truly known, seen, and entered into in this way, O Arjuna, scorcher of foes.
मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः । निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव
He who acts for me, regards me as supreme, is devoted to me, free from attachment, and bears no enmity toward any being—he comes to me, O Pāṇḍava.
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते। ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः
Those devotees who, ever steadfast, worship you in this way, and those who worship the imperishable, the unmanifest—which of them are better versed in yoga?
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते। श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः
Those who, fixing their minds on me, worship me ever steadfast, endowed with supreme faith—these I consider most united with me.
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते। सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम्
But those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the all-pervading, the inconceivable, the unchanging, the immovable, the eternal—
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः । ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताःक
Restraining all the senses, even-minded everywhere, intent on the welfare of all beings—such persons attain me alone.
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् । अव्यक्ता हि गदिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते
But the hardship is greater for those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest; for the path of the unmanifest is difficult for embodied beings to reach.
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः । अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते
But those who, dedicating all actions to me, regarding me as supreme, meditate on me with single-minded yoga, worship me—
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्। भवामि न चिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम्
Of those whose minds are absorbed in me, O Partha, I am the deliverer from the ocean of death and rebirth; I become so for them without delay.
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय । निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न शंशकयः
Fix your mind on me alone; place your understanding in me. Thereafter, you will dwell in me alone—have no doubt about this.
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् । अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाऽऽप्तुं धनंजय
But if you are unable to steady your mind in me, then seek to reach me, O Dhananjaya, through the discipline of repeated practice.
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव। मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्य्यसि
If you are incapable even of practice, then be devoted to my actions; performing actions for my sake, you will attain perfection.
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्
But if you are unable to do even this, then, taking refuge in my discipline, renounce the fruits of all actions, acting with self-control.
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते। ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्
Knowledge is indeed better than practice; meditation is superior to knowledge; renunciation of the fruit of action surpasses meditation, and from renunciation comes immediate peace.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहंकारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी
He who bears no hatred toward any being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, equal in pleasure and pain, and forgiving—
संतुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः । मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मे भक्तः स मे प्रियः
Content always, self-controlled, firm in resolve, with mind and intellect dedicated to me—such a devotee of mine is dear to me.
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः । हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः
He from whom the world does not shrink, and who does not shrink from the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear, and agitation—he too is dear to me.
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः । सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः
He who is without expectation, pure, skillful, impartial, free from distress, and who renounces all undertakings—such a devotee of mine is dear to me.
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति। शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः
He who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, who renounces both good and evil, and is full of devotion—he is dear to me.
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः
He who is equal toward friend and foe, as well as in honor and dishonor, in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and who is free from attachment—
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी संतुष्टो येन केन चित् । अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः
He who is the same in blame and praise, silent, content with whatever comes, homeless, steady-minded, and full of devotion—such a man is dear to me.
ये तु धर्मामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते। श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः
But those devotees who, with faith and making me their supreme aim, follow this immortal dharma as described—they are exceedingly dear to me.
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च। एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव
I wish to know about nature and spirit, the field and the knower of the field, as well as knowledge and what is to be known, O Keshava.
इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते। एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः
This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field; he who knows it, those who understand these matters call the knower of the field.