बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं श्रृणु । प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनंजय
Hear, O Dhananjaya, the threefold distinction of intellect and resolve according to qualities, as I declare them fully and separately.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये । बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्विकी
That intellect which knows the path of engagement and withdrawal, what ought to be done and what ought not, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation—that, O Partha, is sattvic.
यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च । अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी
That intellect by which one incorrectly understands righteousness and unrighteousness, what should be done and what should not—that, O Partha, is rajasic.
अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसाऽऽवृता। सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी
That intellect, O Partha, which, enveloped in darkness, regards unrighteousness as righteousness and perceives all things in a perverted way—that is tamasic.
धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्रणेन्द्रियक्रियाः । योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्विकी
That firmness by which one sustains the activities of the mind, the life-force, and the senses, through unwavering yoga, O Partha, is called sāttvic firmness.
यया तु धर्मकामार्धान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन । प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी
But the firmness by which, O Arjuna, one holds fast to duty, desire, and wealth, seeking their fruits with attachment, that firmness, O Partha, is said to be rājasic.
यथा स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं भदेमेव च । न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी
That firmness by which a person of confused understanding does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despondency, and even delusion, O Partha, is declared to be tāmasic.
सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं श्रुणु मे भारतर्षभ । अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति
Now hear from me, O best of the Bharatas, the threefold happiness, in which one delights through practice and by which suffering comes to an end.
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्। तत्सुखं सात्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्
That which, in the beginning, is like poison but in the end resembles nectar, that happiness is declared to be sāttvic, born from the clarity of self-understanding.
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपभम् । परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम्
That happiness which arises from the contact of the senses with their objects, which at first seems like nectar but in the end is like poison, is known as rājasic.
यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः । निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्ताभसमुदाहृतम्
That happiness which, both at the beginning and in its result, deludes the self, arising from sleep, laziness, and negligence, is said to be tāmasic.
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः । सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेमिः स्यात्रिभिर्गुणैः
There is no being on earth or even among the gods in heaven that is free from these three qualities born of nature.
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप । कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः
O scorcher of foes, the duties of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras are divided according to the qualities arising from their own nature.
शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च । ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्
Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, patience, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith—these are the natural duties of a brāhmaṇa.
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् । दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम्
Valor, vigor, firmness, skill, not fleeing in battle, generosity, and lordliness—these are the natural duties of a kṣatriya.
कृषिगोरक्ष्यरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् । परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्
Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the natural duties of a vaiśya; service is the natural duty of a śūdra.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरत्तः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु
A person attains perfection by being devoted to their own duty; hear how one engaged in their own work attains perfection.
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां योन सर्वमिदं ततम्। स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवःक
From whom all beings arise, by whom all this is pervaded—by worshipping Him through one's own work, a person attains perfection.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्विषम्
Better is one's own duty, though imperfect, than another's duty well performed; performing the work prescribed by one's own nature, one does not incur sin.
सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् । सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः
One should not abandon the work born of one's own nature, O son of Kunti, even if it is flawed; for all undertakings are enveloped by faults, as fire is by smoke.
असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः । नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां संन्यासेनाधिगच्छति
He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has mastered himself and is free from desire, attains the supreme perfection of renunciation through non-action.
सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाऽऽप्नेति निबोध मे । समासेनैव कौन्तेय निष्ठा ज्ञानस्य या परा
Learn from me, in brief, O son of Kunti, how one who has attained perfection reaches Brahman, the supreme goal of knowledge.
बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्याऽऽत्मानं नियम्य च। शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च
With purified intellect, steadfastness, and self-control, having abandoned the objects of the senses such as sound, and casting aside attachment and aversion,
विविक्तसेवी लध्वाशी यतकाक्कायमानसः। ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः
One who dwells in solitude, eats moderately, and is disciplined in body and mind, devoted always to meditation and yoga, and has embraced detachment,
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् । विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते
Having relinquished ego, strength, pride, desire, anger, and possessiveness, becoming free from 'mine', peaceful, one is fit for becoming Brahman.
ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचतिक न काङ्क्षति । समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्तभक्तिं लभते पराम्
Having become Brahman, with a serene self, one neither grieves nor desires; equal towards all beings, one attains supreme devotion to Me.
भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः। ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम्
By devotion, one comes to know Me truly, who and what I am in essence; then, having known Me in truth, one enters into Me immediately thereafter.
सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः । मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम्
Even while always performing all actions, one who takes refuge in Me attains, by My grace, the eternal and imperishable state.
चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः । बुद्धियोगमपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव
Dedicate all actions to Me with your mind, being devoted to Me; relying on the yoga of intellect, let your mind be fixed on Me at all times.
मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि । अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि
With your mind fixed on Me, by My grace you will overcome all difficulties; but if, out of ego, you do not listen, you will perish.