Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18
Moksh Sannyas Yog – The Yog of Liberation through Renunciation
Arjun said:
1. O Mahabahu Krishna, I wish to know the true nature of Sannyas (renunciation) and of Tyag (relinquishment) separately, O Hrishikesh, O Keshinisudan Krishna.
Shree Bhagavan
Krishna said:
2. The wise understand by sannyas the giving up of actions prompted by desire; and the erudite declare the abandonment of the fruits of all actions as tyag.
3. Some say that action should be abandoned as an evil, and others declare that acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity are not to be abandoned.
4. Hear my conclusion regarding tyag, O Bharatasattam Arjun. Tyag is declared to be of three kinds, O Purushvyaghra Arjun.
5. Acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity are not to be abandoned and should be performed. Sacrifice, charity and austerity are purifiers of the wise.
6. However, even these actions are to be performed abandoning attachment and desire for fruits. O Parth Arjun, it is my considered and supreme opinion.
7. Renunciation of obligatory action is not proper. Relinquishment of it due to delusion is declared to be tamasi.
8. The one who gives up a duty merely because it is painful or because of fear of physical suffering, performs rajasi relinquishment, and does not obtain the reward of that relinquishment.
9. When an action is performed because it is a duty, abandoning attachment and also desire for its fruits, O Arjun, then that relinquishment is regarded to be sattvik.
10. The intelligent renouncer, situated in the nature of goodness and whose doubts are dispelled, has no aversion to disagreeable action and no attachment to agreeable action.
11. Indeed, an embodied being cannot abandon actions entirely; but the one who gives up the fruit of action is said to be the relinquisher (Tyagi).
12. Those who have not relinquished, accrue three types of fruit of action after death – undesired, desired and mixed. But there is none whatsoever for those who have renounced.
13. O Mahabahu Arjun, learn from me these five factors declared in the Sankhya doctrine for accomplishment of all actions.
14. The seat of action (the physical body), the doer, instruments of various kinds, many kinds of efforts and providence being the fifth.
15. Whatever act humans undertake by their body, speech and mind, whether right or wrong, these are its five factors.
16. Such being the case, one who looks upon himself as the sole agent of action due to an imperfect understanding does not really see.
17. Those who are free from an egoistic state of mind, whose intellect is not befouled, even though they slay these people, they slay not and are not bound by their action.
18. Knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knower are the threefold inducement to action. The instrument, the act and the doer are the threefold constituents of action.
19. It is declared in Sankhya that knowledge, action and the doer are of three kinds, according to difference in their qualities. Hear about these also.
20. The knowledge by which one undivided imperishable being is seen in all divided beings, know that knowledge to be sattvik.
21. The knowledge by which one perceives multiplicity of beings in different kinds of creature by reasons of their separateness, know that knowledge to be rajasi.
22. However, the knowledge which is attached to one single effect as if it were the whole, without concern for the cause, without a real purpose and small in significance is declared to be tamasi.
23. The action which is obligatory and is free from attachment, which is performed without desire or hate and with no wish to obtain fruit is said to be sattvik.
24. But the action which is performed with a wish to fulfil desires, or impelled by egoism and with much effort is declared to be rajasi.
25. The action which is undertaken because of delusion, without regard to consequences or to loss and injury as well as disregarding one’s own strength is said to be tamasi.
26. The doer who is free from attachment and has no speech of egotism, who is accompanied by steadfastness and enthusiasm, and is tranquil in success and failure is said to be sattvik.
27. The doer who is passionate, desires the fruits of action, and is greedy, violent-natured, impure and subject to joy and sorrow is proclaimed to be rajasi.
28. The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, wicked, deceitful, lazy, despondent, and procrastinating is said to be tamasi.
29. Hear now the threefold distinctions of intellect and also of steadfastness set forth completely and separately according to their qualities, O Dhananjay Arjun.
30. The intellect by which one knows when to act and when to abstain; what is to be done and what is to be avoided; what is to be feared and what is to be embraced, along with the knowledge of bondage and liberation is known to be sattvik, O Parth Arjun.
31. The intellect by which one distinguishes incorrectly what is right and what is wrong, and what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, is rajasi, O Parth Arjun.
32. The intellect which is enveloped in darkness, by which one incorrectly imagines wrong to be right and sees all things contrary to the truth is tamasi, O Parth Arjun.
33. The unswerving steadfastness by which through concentration, one holds fast the functions of the mind, the life breaths and the senses, is sattvik, O Parth Arjun.
34. But the steadfastness by which one holds to duty, pleasure and wealth with attachment to desires for fruits of action, is rajasi, O Parth Arjun.
35. The steadfastness by which a stupid person does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despondency and conceit, is tamasi, O Parth Arjun.
36. And now hear from me, O Bharatarshabh Arjun, the three kinds of happiness. The happiness that is consistently enjoyed through practice, and which puts an end to suffering.
37. That happiness which is like poison in the beginning and like nectar in the end, and that arises from the tranquillity of one’s own intellect is declared to be sattvik.
38. That happiness which arises through contact between the senses and their objects, and which is like nectar in the beginning but like poison in the end is remembered as rajasi.
39. That happiness which deludes the self both at the beginning and at the end and which arises from sleep, laziness and negligence is declared to be tamasi.
40. There is no being either on earth or in heaven among the gods, which can exist free from these three qualities born of the material nature.
41. The duties of the brahmins, the kshatriyas, the vaishyas and the shudras, O Parantap Arjun, are distributed according to the qualities which arise from their own nature.
42. Tranquillity, self-control, austerity, cleanliness, forgiveness and uprightness, knowledge, discernment and faith in the supreme are the duties of the brahmins, born of their innate nature.
43. Heroism, vigour, steadfastness, skill, not fleeing even in battle, generosity and lordly spirit are the duties of the kshatriyas, born of their innate nature.
44. Agriculture, tending cattle and trade are the duties of the vaishyas, born of their innate nature, whilst actions of service are the duties of the shudras, born of their innate nature.
45. Devoted to one’s own duties, one attains perfection. Hear now how the one devoted to one’s own duty, attains perfection.
46. Human beings attain perfection with performance of their own proper duty as a worship to the one from whom all beings arise and by whom this entire universe is pervaded.
47. It is better to perform one’s own duty imperfectly than performing the duty of another perfectly. One does not incur sin by performing the duty prescribed by one’s own nature.
48. One should not abandon the duty suited to one’s nature, O Kaunteya Arjun, even though it may be defective. Indeed, all undertakings are enveloped by defects, as fire is by smoke.
49. With one’s intellect unattached at all times and with a conquered self that is free from desire, by renunciation one attains the highest perfection, transcending all actions.
50. Learn from me briefly, O Kaunteya Arjun, how having attained perfection, one attains Brahm, which is the highest state of knowledge.
51. Endowed with pure wisdom, guiding the self with firmness, turning away from sound and other objects of sense, and casting aside attraction and hatred;
52. Dwelling in solitude, eating lightly, modulating speech, body and mind, ever absorbed in meditation, and taking refuge in dispassion;
53. Relinquishing egotism, force and arrogance, desire, anger and possession of property, and becoming selfless and tranquil, one becomes worthy of oneness with Brahm.
54. One who has united with the Brahm and whose self is tranquil, who neither laments nor desires, and for whom all beings are equal, attains the supreme devotion to me.
55.Through devotion to me one comes to perceive who I am in reality, and then having known me in truth merges with me immediately.
56. Further, if the one who performs all actions always taking refuge in me, attains by my grace the eternal imperishable abode.
57. Mentally surrendering all actions to me, regarding me as the supreme, and resorting to steadfastness in understanding, constantly fix your thought on me.
58. Fixing your thought on me, you shall pass over all difficulties through my grace. But if through egotism, you do not listen to me then you shall perish.
59. If filled with egotism you think, “I shall not fight”, your resolve will be in vain. Your material nature will compel you.
60. O Kaunteya Arjun, through delusion even if you wish not to act, you will do that against your will, bound by your action born of your innate nature.
61. The lord abides in the hearts of all beings, O Arjun, and by the power of illusion causes all beings to wander as if they were mounted on a machine.
62. Go with your whole being to him alone for shelter, O Bharat Arjun. By his grace you will attain supreme peace and eternal abode.
63. Thus, the knowledge that is more confidential than all that is secret has been expounded to you, by me. After reflecting on this fully, do as you desire.
64. Listen again to my ultimate word, the most secret of all. You are surely beloved of me; therefore, I shall tell you for your good.
65. Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, sacrifice to me, bow down to me. In this way you will come to me. I promise you truly, for you are dear to me.
66. Abandoning all duties, take refuge in me alone. I shall liberate you from all evils; do not grieve.
67. You should never divulge this to one who does not observe austerity, who lacks devotion, who does not desire to listen or who speaks ill of me.
68. The one who shall explain this supreme secret to my devotees, having performed the highest devotion to me shall doubtlessly come to me.
69. No one among all humankind will do more pleasing service to me than that person and there will be no other on the earth dearer to me than that one.
70. It is my opinion that whoever will study and recite this sacred dialogue of ours, will have worshipped me through the sacrifice of knowledge.
71. And the one who listens to it with faith, and without derision, even they shall be liberated and attain the happy realm of those who have been righteous in action.
72. O Parth Arjun, have you heard all this with a focussed mind? Have your ignorance and delusion been destroyed, O Dhananjay Arjun?
Arjun said:
73. “O Achyuta Krishna, by your grace my confusion has vanished and my understanding is restored. I stand resolute, free from doubt, and I will act according to your guidance.”
Sanjay said:
74. Thus, I have heard this wonderful dialogue between Vasudev Krishna and the great-soul Parth Arjun, which causes my hair to stand on end.
75. By the grace of Vyas, I have heard this supreme and most secret yog, expounded directly by Krishna himself, the lord of yog.
76. O king, remembering again and again this marvellous and holy dialogue between Keshav Krishna and Arjun, I rejoice again and again.
77. And remembering again and again that sublime form of Hari Krishna, my astonishment is great, O king, and I rejoice again and again.
78. Wherever there is Krishna, the lord of yog, and wherever is Parth Arjun the archer, there will surely be fortune, victory, wealth and righteousness, this is my conviction.
Thus ends the eighteenth chapter, entitled Moksh Sannyas Yog – The Yog of Liberation through Renunciation containing the discourse between Shree Krishna and Arjun in the Upanishad called the Bhagavad Gita, the science of Brahm, the scripture of Yog.
—Awadhesh Sharma
www.hinduguru.com.au
