Chapter 18: Mokṣa Sannyāsa Yogaḥ
18.6 O Pārtha (Arjuna), all these acts of responsibility must also be performed without any expectation of result. That is My final and ultimate opinion.
niyatasya tu sannyāsaḥ karmaṇo nopapadyate I mohāttasya parityāgas tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ II 18.7
18.7 Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If one gives up his prescribed duties through the illusion of renunciation, this is said to be in the state of ignorance.
duḥkhamityeva yat karma kāyakleśabhayāttyajet I sa kṛtvā rājāsaṁ tyāgaṁ nai'va tyāgaphalaṁ labhet II 18.8
18.8 Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome, or out of fear, is said to be in the state of aggression, does not benefit from renunciation.
kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṁ kriyate'rjuna I
saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ II 18.9
18.9 But he who performs what is prescribed, as a matter of duty, without expectation or attachment to the results, his renunciation is of the nature of satva, goodness, O Arjuna.
na dveṣtyakuśalaṁ karma kuśale nā'nuṣajjate I tyāgī sattvasamāviṣṭo medhāvī chinnasaṁśayaḥ II 18.10
18.10 Those who neither hate disagreeable work nor are attached to pleasant work are in a state of intelligence, goodness and renunciation, free of all doubts.
na hi dehabhṛtā śakyaṁ tyaktuṁ karmāṇyaśeṣataḥ I yastu karma-phala-tyāgī sa tyāgītyabhidhīyate II 18.11
18.11 Human beings cannot give up all activities. Therefore the one who has renounced the fruits of such activity is one who has truly renounced.
aniṣṭamiṣṭaṁ miśraṁ ca trividhaṁ karmaṇaḥ phalam I bhavatyatyāgināṁ pretya na tu sannyāsināṁ kvacit II 18.12
18.12 For one who is not renounced, the three kinds of fruits of action—desirable, undesirable and mixed—acrue after death, but not to one who has renounced.
pañcai'tāni mahābāho kāraṇāni nibodha me I sāṅkhye kṛtānte proktāni siddhaye sarvakarmaṇām II 18.13
adhiṣṭhānaṁ tathā kartā karaṇaṁ ca pṛthagvidham I vividhāśca pṛthakceṣṭā daivaṁ caivātra pañcamam II 18.14
18.13,14 Learn from Me Arjuna, the five causes that bring about the accomplishment of all action, as described in Sāṅkhya philosophy. These are: physical body that is the seat of action; the attributes of nature or guṇa, which is the doer; the eleven organs of perception and action by the life forces and finally the Divine.
śarīra-vāṅ-manobhir yat karma prārabhate naraḥ I nyāyyaṁ vā viparītaṁ vā pañcai 'te tasya hetavaḥ II 18.15
18.15 These five factors are responsible for whatever right or wrong actions a man performs by deed, word and thought.
tatraivam sati kartāram ātmānaṁ kevalaṁ tu yaḥ I paśyatyakṛtabuddhitvān na sa paśyati durmatiḥ II 18.16
18.16 Those who think they, their spirit, are the doers, are ignorant and do not see things as they are.
yasya nāhaṅkṛto bhāvo buddhir yasya na lipyate I hatvā 'pi sa imāl lokān na hanti na nibadhyate II 18.17
18.17 One who is egoless, whose intelligence is not of attachment, though he may kill, is not the slayer and is never bound by his actions.
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ parijñātā trividhā karmacodanā I karaṇaṁ karma karteti trividhaḥ karmasaṁgrahaḥ II 18.18
18.18 Knowledge, object of the knowledge and the subject of the knowledge, the knower, are the three factors that stimulate action; the senses, the action and the performer comprise the three components of action.
jñānaṁ karma ca kartā ca tridhaiva guṇabhedataḥ I
procyate guṇa-sañkhyāne yathāvac chṛṇu tānyapi II 18.19
18.19 According to the science of guṇas, there are three types in knowledge, action, and performers of action. Listen as I describe them.
sarvabhūteṣu yenaikaṁ bhāvamavyayamīkṣate I
avibhaktaṁ vibhakteṣu taj jñānaṁ viddhi sāttvikam II 18.20
18.20 That knowledge by which one imperishable reality is seen in all Existence, undivided in the divided, is knowledge in the state of goodness.
pṛthaktvena tu yajjñānaṁ nānābhāvān pṛthagvidhān I vetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu taj jñānaṁ viddhi rājasam II 18.21
18.21 The knowledge by which one sees different realities of various types among all beings as separate from one another; such knowledge is in the mode of aggression.
yat tu kṛtsnavad ekasmin kārye saktaṁ ahaitukam I atattvārthavadalpaṁ ca tat tāmasamudāhṛtam II 18.22
18.22 The irrational, baseless, and worthless knowledge by which one clings to one single effect as if it is everything, such knowledge is in the mode of darkness of ignorance.
niyataṁ saṅgarahitam arāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam I
aphalaprepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikamucyate II 18.23
18.23 Obligatory duty performed without likes and dislikes and without selfish motives and attachment to the fruit, is in the mode of goodness.
yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṁkāreṇa vā punaḥ I kriyate bahulāyāsaṁ tad rājasamudāhṛtam II 18.24
18.24 Action performed with ego, with selfish motives, and with too much effort, is in the mode of aggression.
anubandhaṁ kṣayaṁ hiṁsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam I mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasamucyate II 18.25
18.25 Action that is undertaken because of delusion, disregarding consequences, loss, injury to others, as well as one's own ability, is in the mode of ignorance.
muktasaṅgo'nahaṁvādī dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ I siddhyasiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika ucyate II 18.26
18.26 The performer who is free from attachment, non-egotistic, endowed with resolve and enthusiasm, and unperturbed in success or failure is called sātvika.
rāgī karmaphalaprepsur lubdho hiṁsātmako 'śuciḥ I harṣaśokānvitaḥ kartā rājasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ II 18.27
18.27 The performer who is impassioned, who desires the fruits of work, who is greedy, violent, impure, and affected by joy and sorrow, is called aggressive.
ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko 'lasaḥ I viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate II 18.28
18.28 The performer who is undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, wicked, malicious, lazy, depressed, and procrastinating is called ignorant or tamasic.
buddherbhedaṁ dhṛteś cai 'va guṇatastrividhaṁ śṛṇu I
procyamānamaśeṣeṇa pṛthaktvena dhanañjaya II 18.29
18.29 Now hear Me explain, fully and separately, the threefold division of intellect and resolve, based on modes of material Nature, O Dhanañjaya.
pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca kāryakārye bhayābhaye I bandhaṁ mokṣaṁ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī II 18.30
18.30 O Arjuna, that intellect is in the mode of goodness which understands the path of work and the path of renunciation, right and wrong action, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation.
yayā dharmamadharmaṁ ca kāryaṁ cākāryam eva ca I ayathāvat prajānāti buddhiḥ sā pārtha rājasī II 18.31
18.31 That intellect is in the mode of passion that cannot distinguish between principles of right conduct and wrong doing, and right and wrong action, O Pārtha (Arjuna).
adharmaṁ dharmamiti yā manyate tamasā 'vṛtā I sarvārthānviparītāṁśca buddhiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī II 18.32
18.32 That intellect is in the mode of ignorance that accepts unrighteousness as righteousness and thinks everything to be that which it is not, O Pārtha.
dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate manaḥ-prāṇendriya-kriyāḥ I yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī II 18.33
18.33 Consistent and continuous determination in controlling the mind, breath and senses for uniting with the Divine is goodness, Pārtha.
yayā tu dharma kāmārthān dhṛtyā dhārayate 'rjuna I
prasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣī dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha rājasī II 18.34
18.34 Craving for results of action while clinging to goals of proper conduct, pleasure and wealth is the state of passion, Arjuna.
yayā svapnaṁ bhayaṁ śokaṁ viṣādaṁ madameva ca I na vimuñcati durmedhā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī II 18.35
18.35 Ignorant resolve which cannot go beyond dreaming, fear, grief, despair and, delusion—such is in darkness, Pārtha.
sukhaṁ tvidānīṁ trividhaṁ śṛṇu me bharatarṣabha I abhyāsād ramate yatra duḥkhāntaṁ ca nigacchati II 18.36
yat tad agre viṣaṁ iva pariṇāme 'mṛtopamam I
tat sukhaṁ sāttvikaṁ proktaṁ ātma-buddhi-prasādajam II 18.37
18.36,37 And now hear from Me, O Arjuna, about three kinds of pleasure. The pleasure that one enjoys from spiritual practice results in cessation of all sorrows. The pleasure that appears as poison in the beginning, but is like nectar in the end, comes by the grace of Self-knowledge and is in the mode of goodness.
viṣayendriya-saṁyogadyat tad agre 'mṛtopamam I pariṇāme visam iva tat sukhaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam II 18.38
18.38 Sensual pleasures that appear as nectar in the beginning, but become poison in the end, are in the mode of passion.
yadagre cānubandhe ca sukhaṁ mohanamātmanaḥ I nidrālasyapramādotthaṁ tat tāmasamudāhṛtam II 18.39
18.39 Pleasure that is delusion from beginning to end and born out of sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance.
na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ I
sattvaṁ prakṛti-jair-muktaṁ yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhirguṇaiḥ II 18.40
18.40 No one, either here or among the celestials in the higher planetary systems, is free from these three states of material nature.
brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṁ śūdrāṇāṁ ca parantapa I
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāva-prabhavair-guṇaiḥ II 18.41
18.41 Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are divided in the work they do based on their nature, Parantapa (Arjuna).
śamo damastapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntirārjavameva ca I jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahmakarma svabhāvajaṁ II 18.42
18.42 The nature of Brāhmaṇa is characterized by their calmness, discipline, austerity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and belief in God.
śauryaṁ tejo dhṛtir dākṣyaṁ yuddhe cāpyapalāyanam I dānamīśvarabhāvaś ca kṣātraṁ karma svabhāvajam II 18.43
18.43 Kṣatriya are characterized by their qualities of heroism, vigor, firmness, dexterity, steadfastness in battle, leadership and generosity.
kṛṣi gaurakṣya vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāvajam I paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyā api śvabhāvajam II 18.44
18.44 Those who are good at cultivation, cattle rearing, and trade are known as Vaiśya. Those who are very good in service are classed as śūdra.
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ I svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu II 18.45
18.45 One can attain the highest perfection by devotion to one's natural work. Listen to Me how one attains perfection while engaged in one's natural work.
yataḥ pravṛttirbhūtānāṁ yena sarvamidaṁ tatam I svakarmaṇā tamabhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ II 18.46
18.46 One attains perfection by worshipping the supreme Being from whom all beings originate and by whom all this universe is pervaded through performance of one's natural duty for Him.
śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt I svabhāva-niyataṁ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam II 18.47
18.47 It is better to engage in one's rightful conduct [svadharma], even though one may not perform it to perfection, rather than to accept another's conduct and perform it perfectly. Responsibility prescribed according to one's nature, are never affected by sinful reactions.
sahajaṁ karma kaunteya sadoṣamapi na tyajet I sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenā gnirivā vṛtāḥ II 18.48
18.48 Every work has some defect, just as fire is covered by smoke. One should not give up the work that is born of his own nature, even if such work is full of fault, O Kaunteya (Arjuna).
asaktabuddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigataspṛhaḥ I
naiṣkarmyasiddhiṁ paramāṁ sannyāsenādhigacchati II 18.49
18.49 One whose intelligence is always free from selfish attachment, who has controlled the mind and who is free from desires, by practicing renunciation [sannyāsa], attains the ultimate state of perfection of selfless work or actionlessness [naiṣkarma siddhi].
siddhiṁ prāpto yathā brahma tathāpnoti nibodha me I samāsenaiva kaunteya niṣṭhā jñānasya yā parā II 18.50 l18.50 Understand from Me, how one who has achieved this perfection, can attain the Supreme state of Truth, Brahman, by acting in the way I shall now summarize, Kaunteya.
buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto dhṛtyātmānaṁ niyamya ca I śabādīnviṣayāṁstyaktvā rāgadveṣau vyudasya ca II 18.51
viviktasevī laghvāśī yat-avāk-kāyamānasaḥ I dhyāna-yoga-paro nityaṁ vairāgyaṁ samupāśritaḥ II 18.52
ahaṁkāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ parigraham I vimucya nirmamaḥ śānto brahmabhūyāya kalpate II 18.53
18.51,52,53 Endowed with purified intellect; subduing the mind with firm resolve; turning away from the objects of senses; giving up likes and dislikes; living in solitude; eating lightly; controlling the mind, speech, and organs of action; ever absorbed in meditation; taking refuge in detachment; and relinquishing egotism, violence, pride, lust, anger, and proprietorship, one becomes peaceful, free from the notion of "I" and "mine", and fit for attaining oneness with the Supreme Being.
brahmabhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati I samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu madbhaktiṁ labhate parāṁ II 18.54
18.54 Absorbed in the supreme Being, the serene one neither grieves nor desires. Becoming impartial to all beings, one obtains My highest devotional love.
bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaścāsmi tattvataḥ I tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram II 18.55
18.55 By devotion one truly understands what and who I am in essence. Having known Me in essence, one immediately merges with Me.
sarvakarmāṇy api sadā kurvāṇo madvyapāśrayaḥ I mat-prasādād avāpnoti śāśvataṁ padamavyayam II 18.56
18.56 My devotee occupied in everyday life still reaches under My protection the imperishable ultimate abode through my mercy, through devotion to Me.
cetasā sarvakarmāṇi mayi sannyasya matparaḥ I
buddhiyogam upāśritya maccittaḥ satataṁ bhava II 18.57
18.57 While being engaged in activities just depend upon Me, and being fully conscious of Me, work always under My protection.
maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāt tariṣyasi I atha cet tvam ahaṁkārān na śroṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi II 18.58
18.58 When your mind becomes fixed on Me, you shall overcome all difficulties by My grace. But if you do not listen to Me due to ego, you shall perish.
yad ahaṁkāram āśritya na yotsya iti manyase I mithyaiṣa vyavasāyas te prakṛtis tvāṁ niyokṣyati II 18.59
18.59 If due to ego you think: 'I shall not fight,' your resolve is useless, and your own nature will compel you.
svabhāvajena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇa I
kartuṁ necchasi yan mohāt kariṣyasyavaśo 'pi tat II 18.60
18.60 O Kaunteya, you are controlled by your own natural conditioning. Therefore, you shall do even against your will, what you do not wish to do out of delusion.
īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ hṛddeśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati I
bhrāmayan sarvabhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā II 18.61
18.61 The Supreme Lord resides in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the activities of all living entities who are acting as machines under the illusion of the material world.
tameva śaraṇaṁ gaccha sarvabhāvena bhārata I
tatprasādātparāṁ śāntiṁ sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śāśvatam II 18.62 ```
18.62 Surrender to Him completely with all your being. By His grace you will attain supreme peace and the eternal abode.
iti te jñānamākhyātaṁ guhyād guhyataraṁ mayā I vimṛśyai tadaśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru II 18.63
18.63 I have explained the knowledge that is the secret of secrets. After fully reflecting on this, do as you wish.
sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ I iṣṭo 'si me dṛḍhamiti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam II 18.64
18.64 Because you are My dear friend, I express this truth to you. This is the most confidential of all knowledge. Hear this from Me. It is for your benefit.