चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः। कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः
Bound by countless anxieties ending only with death, convinced that the enjoyment of desires is the highest aim, they are certain of this.
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः । ईहन्तो कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसंचयान्
Tied by hundreds of cords of hope, devoted to desire and anger, they strive to accumulate wealth by unjust means for the sake of sensual enjoyment.
इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् । इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्
This has been gained by me today; I will obtain this desired thing. I have this, and more wealth will come to me again.
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि। ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी
That enemy has been slain by me, and I will kill others as well. I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am accomplished, powerful, and happy.
आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योस्ति सदृशो मया । यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः
I am wealthy and of noble birth; who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice, I will give, I will rejoice—thus are they deluded by ignorance.
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्त मोहजालसमावृताः । प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ
Bewildered by many thoughts, enveloped in the net of delusion, attached to sensual pleasures, they fall into impure hell.
आत्मसंभाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः । यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्
Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride of wealth and status, they perform sacrifices in name only, with hypocrisy and without proper method.
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः । मामत्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः
Relying on ego, strength, arrogance, desire, and anger, they hate Me in their own bodies and in others, being envious.
तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् । क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु
Those hateful, cruel, lowest among men, I hurl endlessly into evil births in demonic wombs, within the cycle of existence.
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनिजन्मनि । मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्
Entering demonic wombs, deluded birth after birth, without attaining Me, O son of Kunti, they go to the lowest state.
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः । कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्रयं त्यजेत्
There are three gates to hell, destructive of the self: desire, anger, and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः । आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्
Freed from these three gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, a person acts for his own welfare and then attains the highest state.
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः। न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्
He who, abandoning scriptural injunctions, acts according to his own desires, does not attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme goal.
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि
Therefore, scripture is your authority in determining what is to be done and what is not to be done. Knowing the rules prescribed by scripture, you should act here.
ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता। तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्वमाहो सजस्तमः
Those who, abandoning scriptural injunctions, worship with faith—what is their position, O Krishna? Is it in goodness, passion, or darkness?
त्रिविधा भवति श्रद्धा देहिनां सा स्वभावजा। सात्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी चेति तां श्रृणु
Faith is threefold in embodied beings, arising from their nature: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Hear about them.
सत्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत। श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः
Faith corresponds to each one's nature, O Bharata. A person is made of faith; whatever his faith is, so he is.
यजन्ते सात्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः। प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः
The sattvic worship the gods; the rajasic worship yakshas and rakshasas; others, the tamasic, worship spirits and hosts of beings.
अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः
Those people who perform fierce austerities not prescribed by scripture, joined with hypocrisy and ego, driven by desire and attachment and strength—
कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः। मां चैवान्तः शरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान्
Tormenting the group of elements in the body, lacking understanding, and Me also dwelling within the body—know them to have demonic resolve.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः । यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु
Food, too, is liked by all in three kinds; so also are sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Hear the distinction among them.
आयुःसत्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः । रस्याःस्रिग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराःसात्विकप्रियाः
Foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction, that are savory, oily, firm, and pleasing, are dear to those of sattvic nature.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः
Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, excessively hot, sharp, dry, and burning, are preferred by those of rajasic nature, and cause pain, grief, and disease.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्
Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, decomposed, leftover, and impure is dear to those of tamasic nature.
अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते। यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्विकः
A sacrifice that is offered according to scriptural injunction, by those who do not seek reward, with the mind firmly set on the thought, 'it must be performed,' is considered sattvic.
अभिसंघाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्। इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम्
But know that sacrifice which is performed for the sake of reward or for show, O best of the Bharatas, as rajasic.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते
Sacrifice that is contrary to scriptural rule, where no food is given, without mantras, without gifts to priests, and without faith, is declared to be tamasic.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते
Worship of the gods, the twice-born, teachers, and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and nonviolence—these are called bodily austerity.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्भयं तप उच्यते
Speech that does not cause distress, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, as well as study and recitation of the scriptures—these are called austerity of speech.
मनःप्रसादः सम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः । भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते
Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of disposition—these are called mental austerity.