1) Arjuna asks Krishna to clarify whether renunciation of work or work in devotion is better for liberation.
2) Krishna replies that both are good paths, but that work in devotion is superior to renunciation as it leads more easily to liberation.
3) One who is situated in transcendence and neither hates nor desires the fruits of activities is a true renunciant and is easily liberated from material bondage.
1) Arjuna asks Krishna to clarify whether renunciation of work or work in devotion is better for liberation.
2) Krishna replies that both are good paths, but that work in devotion is superior to renunciation as it leads more easily to liberation.
3) One who is situated in transcendence and neither hates nor desires the fruits of activities is a true renunciant and is easily liberated from material bondage.
1) Arjuna asks Krishna to clarify whether renunciation of work or work in devotion is better for liberation.
2) Krishna replies that both are good paths, but that work in devotion is superior to renunciation as it leads more easily to liberation.
3) One who is situated in transcendence and neither hates nor desires the fruits of activities is a true renunciant and is easily liberated from material bondage.
Consciousness TEXT 1 अर्जुन उवाच सन्न्यासं कर्ुणां कृष्ण पजनर्योगं च शंससस । र्यच्छ्रेर्य एतर्योरे कं तन्मे ब्रूसि सजसनसितर्् ॥ १ ॥ arjuna uvāca sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi yac chreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi su-niścitam Translation Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial? TEXT 2 श्रीभगवानजवाच सन्न्यास: कर्ुर्योगि सन:श्रेर्यसकरावजभौ । तर्योस्तज कर्ुसन्न्यासात्कर्ुर्योगो सवसशष्यते ॥ २ ॥ śrī-bhagavān uvāca sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate Translation The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work. TEXT 3 ज्ञेर्य: स सनत्यसन्न्यासी र्यो न द्वे सि न काङ्क्षसत । सनद्वु न्द्द्वो सि र्िाबािो सजखं बन्धात्प्रर्जच्यते ॥ ३ ॥ jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate Translation One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna. TEXT 4 सां ख्यर्योगौ पृथग्बाला: प्रवदन्ति न पन्तिता: । एकर्प्यान्तथथत: सम्यगजभर्योसवुन्दते फलर्् ॥ ४ ॥ sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam Translation Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both. TEXT 5 र्यत्ां ख्यै: प्राप्यते थथानं तद्योगैरसप गम्यते । एकं सां ख्यं च र्योगं च र्य: पश्यसत स पश्यसत ॥ ५ ॥ yat sāṅkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ tad yogair api gamyate ekaṁ sāṅkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati Translation One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are. TEXT 6 सन्न्यासस्तज र्िाबािो दज :खर्ाप्तजर्र्योगत: । र्योगर्यजक्तो र्जसनब्रुह्म न सचरे णासिगच्छ्सत ॥ ६ ॥ sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ yoga-yukto munir brahma na cireṇādhigacchati Translation Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay. TEXT 7 र्योगर्यजक्तो सवशुज द्धात्मा सवसर्तात्मा सर्तेन्तिर्य: । सवुभूतात्मभूतात्मा कजवुन्नसप न सलप्यते ॥ ७ ॥ yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā kurvann api na lipyate Translation One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled. TEXTS 8-9 नैव सकसित्करोर्ीसत र्यजक्तो र्न्येत तत्त्वसवत् । पश्यञ्शुृ ण्वन्द्पृशसिघ्रन्नश्नन्द्गच्छ्न्द्वपन्द्वसन् ॥ ८ ॥ प्रलपन्तिसृर्न्द्गृह्णन्नजन्तन्मषसन्नसर्षन्नसप । इन्तिर्याणीन्तिर्याथेषज वतुि इसत िारर्यन् ॥ ९ ॥ naiva kiñcit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighrann aśnan gacchan svapañ śvasan pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan Translation A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them. TEXT 10 ब्रह्मण्यािार्य कर्ाु सण सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोसत र्य: । सलप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रसर्वाम्भसा ॥ १० ॥ brahmaṇy ādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā Translation One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water. TEXT 11 कार्येन र्नसा बजद्ध्या केवलैररन्तिर्यैरसप । र्योसगन: कर्ु कजवुन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुज द्धर्ये ॥ ११ ॥ kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair indriyair api yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śuddhaye Translation The yogīs, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification. TEXT 12 र्यजक्त: कर्ुफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिर्ाप्नोसत नैसिकीर्् । अर्यजक्त: कार्कारे ण फले सक्तो सनबध्यते ॥ १२ ॥ yuktaḥ karma-phalaṁ tyaktvā śāntim āpnoti naiṣṭhikīm ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate Translation The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled. TEXT 13 सवुकर्ाु सण र्नसा सन्न्यस्यास्ते सजखं वशी । नवद्वारे पजरे दे िी नैव कजवुन्न कारर्यन् ॥ १३ ॥ sarva-karmāṇi manasā sannyasyāste sukhaṁ vaśī nava-dvāre pure dehī naiva kurvan na kārayan Translation When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither working nor causing work to be done. TEXT 14 न कतृुत्वं न कर्ाु सण लोकस्य सृर्सत प्रभज: । न कर्ुफलसंर्योगं वभावस्तज प्रवतुते ॥ १४ ॥ na kartṛtvaṁ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ na karma-phala-saṁyogaṁ svabhāvas tu pravartate Translation The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature. TEXT 15 नादत्ते कस्यसचत्पापं न चैव सजकृतं सवभज: । अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन र्जह्यन्ति र्िव: ॥ १५ ॥ nādatte kasyacit pāpaṁ na caiva sukṛtaṁ vibhuḥ ajñānenāvṛtaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ Translation Nor does the Supreme Lord assume anyone’s sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge. TEXT 16 ज्ञानेन तज तदज्ञानं र्येषां नासशतर्ात्मन: । तेषार्ासदत्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशर्यसत तत्परर्् ॥ १६ ॥ jñānena tu tad ajñānaṁ yeṣāṁ nāśitam ātmanaḥ teṣām āditya-vaj jñānaṁ prakāśayati tat param Translation When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime. TEXT 17 तद् बजद्धर्यस्तदात्मानस्तसन्निास्तत्परार्यणा: । गच्छ्न्त्यपजनरावृसत्तं ज्ञानसनिूु तकल्मषा: ॥ १७ ॥ tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ gacchanty apunar-āvṛttiṁ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣāḥ Translation When one’s intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation. TEXT 18 सवद्यासवनर्यसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गसव िन्तस्तसन । शुज सन चैव वपाके च पन्तिता: सर्दसशुन: ॥ १८ ॥ vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ Translation The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]. TEXT 19 इिै व तैसर्ुत: सगो र्येषां साम्ये न्तथथतं र्न: । सनदोषं सि सर्ं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्मसण ते न्तथथता: ॥ १९ ॥ ihaiva tair jitaḥ sargo yeṣāṁ sāmye sthitaṁ manaḥ nirdoṣaṁ hi samaṁ brahma tasmād brahmaṇi te sthitāḥ Translation Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman. TEXT 20 न प्रहृष्येन्तत्प्रर्यं प्राप्य नोसद्वर्ेत्प्राप्य चासप्रर्यर्् । न्तथथरबजन्तद्धरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मसवद् ब्रह्मसण न्तथथत: ॥ २० ॥ na prahṛṣyet priyaṁ prāpya nodvijet prāpya cāpriyam sthira-buddhir asammūḍho brahma-vid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ Translation A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and who knows the science of God is already situated in transcendence. TEXT 21 बाह्यपशेष्वसक्तात्मा सवन्दत्यात्मसन र्यत्जखर्् । स ब्रह्मर्योगर्यजक्तात्मा सजखर्क्षर्यर्श्नुज ते ॥ २१ ॥ bāhya-sparśeṣv asaktātmā vindaty ātmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute Translation Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme. TEXT 22 र्ये सि संपशुर्ा भोगा दज :खर्योनर्य एव ते । आद्यिवि: कौिेर्य न तेषज रर्ते बजि: ॥ २२ ॥ ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ Translation An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kuntī, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them. TEXT 23 शक्नुोतीिै व र्य: सोढजं प्राक्शरीरसवर्ोक्षणात् । कार्क्रोिोद्भवं वेगं स र्यजक्त: स सजखी नर: ॥ २३ ॥ śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prāk śarīra-vimokṣaṇāt kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ Translation Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world. TEXT 24 र्योऽि:सजखोऽिरारार्स्तथािर्ज्योसतरे व र्य: । स र्योगी ब्रह्मसनवाु णं ब्रह्मभूतोऽसिगच्छ्सत ॥ २४ ॥ yo ’ntaḥ-sukho ’ntar-ārāmas tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ brahma-bhūto ’dhigacchati Translation One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme. TEXT 25 लभिे ब्रह्मसनवाु णर्ृषर्य: क्षीणकल्मषा: । सिन्नद्वै िा र्यतात्मान: सवुभूतसिते रता: ॥ २५ ॥ labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ chinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ Translation Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme. TEXT 26 कार्क्रोिसवर्जक्तानां र्यतीनां र्यतचेतसार्् । असभतो ब्रह्मसनवाु णं वतुते सवसदतात्मनार्् ॥ २६ ॥ kāma-krodha-vimuktānāṁ yatīnāṁ yata-cetasām abhito brahma-nirvāṇaṁ vartate viditātmanām Translation Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self- realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future. TEXTS 27-28 पशाु न्कृत्वा बसिबाु ह्यां िक्षजिैवािरे भ्रजवो: । प्राणापानौ सर्ौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यिरचाररणौ ॥ २७ ॥ र्यतेन्तिर्यर्नोबजन्तद्धर्जुसनर्ोक्षपरार्यण: । सवगतेच्छ्ाभर्यक्रोिो र्य: सदा र्जक्त एव स: ॥ २८ ॥ sparśān kṛtvā bahir bāhyāṁś cakṣuś caivāntare bhruvoḥ prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā nāsābhyantara-cāriṇau yatendriya-mano-buddhir munir mokṣa-parāyaṇaḥ vigatecchā-bhaya-krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ Translation Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils, and thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist aiming at liberation becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated. TEXT 29 भोक्तारं र्यज्ञतपसां सवुलोकर्िे वरर्् । सजहृदं सवुभूतानां ज्ञात्वा र्ां शान्तिर्ृच्छ्सत ॥ २९ ॥ bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati Translation A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.