यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते । कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सादित्येवाभिधीयते
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'sat'; and any action done for these purposes is likewise termed 'sat.'
अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह
Whatever is offered, given, or performed as austerity or act without faith, O Partha, is called 'asat'—it is neither fruitful here nor hereafter.
संन्यासत्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् । त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिपूदन
O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the truth about renunciation and abandonment, and how they differ, O Hrishikesha, O slayer of Kesi.
काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः
The wise declare the abandonment of actions done with desire as renunciation; the learned describe the giving up of all fruits of action as abandonment.
त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः । यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे
Some thinkers say that action should be given up as evil, while others declare that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned.
निश्चयं श्रृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम। त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः संप्रकीर्तितः
Hear from me the final conclusion about abandonment, O best of the Bharatas; for abandonment, O tiger among men, is declared to be of three kinds.
यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत्। यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम्
Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned; they must be performed, for sacrifice, charity, and austerity are purifying for the wise.
एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च । कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम्
Even these actions, O Partha, should be performed, giving up attachment and desire for results; this is my firm and supreme view.
नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते । मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः
But renunciation of prescribed action is not proper; abandoning it out of delusion is declared to be tamasic abandonment.
दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् । स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत्
Whoever gives up action because it is difficult, out of fear of bodily suffering, performs abandonment of the rajas type and does not obtain the fruit of abandonment.
कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन । सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्विको मतः
But when prescribed action is performed only because it ought to be done, giving up attachment and desire for results, that abandonment is considered sattvic.
न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते । त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छिन्नसंशयः
The one endowed with purity, intelligence, and free from doubt does not hate unpleasant action nor is attached to pleasant action; such an abandoner is filled with goodness.
न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः । यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते
Indeed, it is not possible for an embodied being to abandon all actions entirely; but one who renounces the fruits of action is truly called an abandoner.
अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् । भवत्यत्यागिनीं प्रेत्य न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित्
Unpleasant, pleasant, and mixed—these threefold results of action come to those who do not abandon; but never to those who renounce.
पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे। साङ्ख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणां
Learn from me, O mighty-armed one, the five causes declared in the Sankhya system as necessary for the accomplishment of all actions.
अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम्। विविधाश्च पृथक्केष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम्
These are: the body as the seat of action, the agent, the various instruments, the different kinds of activity, and the divine as the fifth.
शरीरवाङ्भनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः। न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः
Whatever action a person undertakes by body, speech, or mind—whether just or unjust—these five are its causes.
तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः । पश्यत्यकृतबुद्धित्वान्न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः
But one who, due to unrefined understanding, sees only oneself as the sole agent in this, that person does not truly see.
यस्य नाहंकृतो भवो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते । हत्वाऽपि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते
One who is free from ego and whose intellect is untainted—though killing these worlds, he neither kills nor is bound.
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना । करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसंग्रहः
Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower—these three are the impetus for action; instrument, action, and agent—these three are the sum of action.
ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः । प्रोच्यते गुणसंख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि
Knowledge, action, and agent are declared to be threefold according to the distinction of qualities; hear these as they are explained in the enumeration of qualities.
सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते । अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्विकं
That knowledge by which one sees the single, imperishable essence in all beings, undivided in the divided—know that to be sattvic.
पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् । वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम्
But the knowledge by which one perceives various entities of different kinds as separate in all beings—know that to be rajasic.
यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् । अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तासममुदाहृतम्
And that which, clinging to a single effect as if it were the whole, is irrational, without real basis, and limited—such knowledge is called tamasic.
नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् । अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्विकमुच्यते
Action that is prescribed, performed without attachment, without desire or aversion, by one seeking no reward—that is called sattvic.
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म ताहङ्कारेण वा पुनः। क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम्
But action performed with desire, or with self-conceit, or with much effort—that is called rajasic.
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् । मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते
Action undertaken out of delusion, disregarding consequences, loss, harm, or one's own ability—that is called tamasic.
मुक्तसङ्गोनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्विक उच्यते
One who is free from attachment and ego, endowed with resolve and enthusiasm, unchanged in success or failure—such an agent is called sattvic.
रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः । हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः
The agent who is passionate, seeking the fruits of action, greedy, violent, impure, subject to joy and sorrow—is called rajasic.
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैकृतिकोऽलसः । विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते
Unrefined, vulgar, arrogant, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating—the agent is called tamasic.