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The Bhagvad Gita - 1,2,3 of 18 Discourses...
Courtesy of Moon1969 <moon1969@aol.com>
SGS Writes....
First, Second, Third Discourses...
I am posting a English translation of the Gita...from the original
work by Shri Sankaracharya..transalated by Allady Mahadeva Sastry..
Begin Transmission>>>>>>
The Bhagavad gita
With the Sanskrit version of Sri Sankaracharya
Translated from Sanskrit into English in 1897 by Alladi Mahadeva
Sastry
With the grace of Sadhguru Sri Gnanananda giri Swamigal, Tapovanam,
the verses were manually converted into a data file from the copy
of the book supplied by The University of Wisconsin Library,
Madison, Wisconsin by S.G. Sundhar in the January of 1995.
Introduction
The text of the Gita as cited by Sankara has come down the
centuries as the authentic text and has withstood the changes in
time and space. According to Sankara, it is the epitome of the
essentials of the whole Vedic teaching. Gita is a text which has to
be comprehended with reference to the time it was written. Inspite
of the changes in time and culture and technology, the basic
precincts and values and morals of the humans does not change. In
this age of conflict and tension, contradictions and despairs,
confusions and distractions, Gita stands more relevant than to the
age in which it was originally created.
First Discourse
The Despondency Of Arjuna
Samjaya narrates the course of the war
Dhritharashtra said
1. What did Pandus sons and mine do when they assembled together
on the sacred plain of Kurukshetra, eager for battle, O samjaya ?
Samjaya said
2. Having seemn the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle-array,
prince Duryodhana then approached his teacher and spoke therse
words:
Duryodhana addresses Drona
3. O teacher, Look at this grand army of the sons of Pandu,
marshalled by thy talented pupil, the s on of Drupada.
4. Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and
Arjuna, - Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada, the master of a great
car(Maharathas).
5. Dhristaketu, Chekitana and the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit
and Kunti bhoja and that eminent man Saibya.
6. The heroic Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas;the son of
Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi, all masters of grat
cars(maharathas).
7. But know, O betst of the twice born, who are the most
distinguished among us, the leaders of my army; these I name to
thee by way of example.
8. Thyself and Bheeshma, and Karna, and also Kripa, the victor in
war, Asvatthaman and Vikarna and also Jayadratha, the son of
Somadatta;
9. And many other heroes who have given up their lives for my sake
fighting with various weapons, all well skilled in battle.
10. This army of ours protected by Bhishma is inadequate, whereas
that army of theirs which is under the protection of Bhima is
adequate.
11. And therefore do ye all, occupying your respective positions
in the several divisions of the army support Bhishma only.
Both armies ready for battle
12. His mighty grandsire, (bhishma), the oldest of the Kauravas,
in order to cheer him, sounded on high a lions roar and blew his
conch
13. Then, all at once, conches and kettle-drums, cymbols, drums
and horns were played upon, and the sound was tumultous uproar.
14. Then too, Madhava and the son of Pandu, seated in a grand
chariot yoked to white horses, blew their celestial conches.
15. Hrishikesa blew the Panchajanya, and Arjuna blew the
Devadatta. Bhima(The doer) of terrible deeds, blew his great conch
Paundra.
16. Prince Yudhistira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya,
while Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.
17. The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandin, the master
of a great car, Dhrishtadhyumna and Virata, and the unconquered
Satyaki.
18. Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of Earth, and the Son
of Subhadra, of mighty arms, all blew their respective conches.
19. That tumultous sound rent the hearts of (the people) of
Dhritarashtras party, making both heaven and earth resound.
Arjunas survey of the Enemy
20.- 22 Then seeing the people of Dhrithirashtras party regularly
marshalled, while the discharge of weapons began, Arjuna, the son
of Pandu, shose ensign was a monkey, O King of Earth, took up his
bow and said thus to Krishna: O Achyuta (Immortal), place my
chariot between the two armies, that I may just see those who
stand here desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight in
this strife of battle.
23. I will observe those who are assembled here and are about to
engage in battle decirous to do service in war to the evil minded
son of Dhiritharashtra
Samjaya said
24-25 O descendant of Bharatha, Hrishikesa (Krishna) thus
addressed by Gudakesa (Arjuna) stationed that excellent car
between the two armies in front of Bhishma and Drona and all the
rulers of earth, and said O Pritha, look at these assembled
Kauravas.
26-27 Then the son of Pritha saw arrayed there in both armies
fathers and grand fathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers,
sons, grandsons and comrades, fathers-in-law and friends
27-28 When the son of Kunti saw all the kinsmen standing, he was
overcome with deepest pity and said thus in sorrow-
Arjunas words of despondency
Arjuna said
28-29 Seeing these kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed and desirous to
fight, my limbs droop down, and my mouth dried is dried up. A
trmor comes on my body and my hairs stand on end.
30 The Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin is burning. Iam
also unable to stand and my mind is whirling round, as it were.
31 And, O Kesava, I see omens foreboding evil. Nor do I see any
good from killing my kinsmen in battle.
32. I desire not victory, O Krishna nor kingdom or pleasure. Of
what avail is dominion to us O Ggovinda? Of what avail are
pleasures and even life?
33-34 They for whose sake dominion, enjoyments and pleasires are
soght by us are here standing, having staked their life and
wealth: teachers, fathers, sons as well as grandfathers;maternal
uncles, fathers- in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law as also other
relatives.
35 These, O Slayer iof Madhu, I do not wish to kill, though they
kill me, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds;how
much less, for the sake of the earth!
36 O Janardana, what delight shall be ours after killing the sons
of Dhiritharashtra? On killing these felons, sin only will take
hold of us.
37 We had then better not slay our own kinsmen, the sons of
Dhiritharashtra; for, how can we be happy, O Madhava, after
slaying our own people.
Arjunas grief at the evils of war
38-39 Though these, whose intelligence is stricken by greed,
perceive no evil in the extinction of families and no sin
treachery to friends, yet, O Janardana, should not we, who clearly
see evil in rge extinction of a family, learn to refrain from this
sinful deed ?
40 On the extinction of a family, the immediate dharmas of that
family disappear. When the dharmas disappear, impiet (Adharma)
overtakes the whole family.
41 By the prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the
family become corrupt. Women corrupted, there will be
intermingling of castes(Varna-Samkara), O descendant of Vrishnis.
42 Confusion of castes leads the family of these destroyers of
families to hell; for, their forefathers fall (down to hell),
deprived of the offerings of pinda and water.
43 By these evil deeds of the destroyers of families which cause
the intermingling of castes, the eternal dharmas of castes and
families are subverted.
44 We have heard O Janardana, that necessary is the dwelling in
hell of the men whose family dharmas are subverted.
45 Alas! we have resolved to commit a great sin, inasmuch as we
are endeavouring to slay our kinsmen out of a craving for the
pleasures of dominion.
46 It would be better for me, if the sons of Dhiritharashtra, with
arms in hand, should slay me unarmed and unresisting in the
battle.
Samjaya said
47 Having said thus, Arjuna, sorrow stricken in mind, cast aside
his bow and arrows in the midst of the battle and sat down in the
chariot
Second Discourse
Sankhya Yoga
Arjunas weakness condemned by the Lord
Samjaya said:
1. To him who was thus overcome with pity and afflicted, and whose
eyes were full of tears and agitated, the destroyer of Madhu spoke
as follows:
The Lord said:
2. Whence in (this) perilous strait has come upon thee this
weakness cherished by the unworthy, debarring from heaven and
causing disgrace, O Arjuna?
3. Yield not to unmanliness, O Son of Prithva. It does not become
thee. Cast off the base weakness of heart and arise, O tormentor
of foes.
Arjuna seeks instruction from the Lord
Arjuna said:
4. O Slayer of Madhu, how shall I assail in battle with arrows
Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of worship, O Slayer of enemies.
5. Better indeed in this world to live even upon alms than to slay
the teachers of high honor. But, were I to slay these teachers, I
should only in this world enjoy the pleasures of wealth, delights
stained with blood.
6. And we know not which is the better alternative for us.; nor do
we know whether we shall conquer them or they will conquer us.
Even the sons of Dhiritharashtra, after killing whom we do not wish
to live, stand arrayed against us.
7. My heart contaminated by the taint of helplessness, my mind
confounded about Dharma, I ask thee: Tell me what is absoultely
good. I am thy pupil. Instruct me, who have sought thy grace.
8. I do not indeed see what can dispel the grief which burns up my
senses, even after attaining unrivalled and prosperous dominion on
earth or even lordship over gods.
Samjaya said:
9. Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Gudhakesa, the tormentor of
foes, said to Govinda, I will not fight, and verily remained
silent.
10. To him who was grieving in the midst of the two armies, O
descendamt of Bharata, Hrishikesa as if smiling, spoke thes words:
The Lord said:
11. For those who deserve no grief thou hast grived, and words
wisdom thou speakest. For the living and or the dead the wise
grieve not.
12. Never did I exist, nor you, nor thsese rulers of men; and no
one of us will ever hereafter cease to exist.
13. Just as in this body the embodied (Self) passes into childhood
and youth and old age, so does he pass into another body. There
the wise men are not distressed.
14. The sense contacts it is, O Son of Kunti, which cause heat and
cold; pleasure and pain; they come and go, they are impermanent.
They endure bravely, O descendant of Bharata.
15. That wise man whom, verily, these afflict not, O Chief of men,
to whom pleasure and pain are the same, he for immortality is fit.
The real and the Unreal
16. Of the unreal no being there is; there is no non being of the
real. Of both these is the truth seen by the seers of the Essence.
17. But, Know that to be imperishable by which all this is
pervaded. None can cause the destruction of that, the
Inexhaustible.
18. The bodies of the embodied (Self) who is eternal,
indestructible and lnowable are said to have an end. Do fight,
therefore, O descendant of Bharatha.
The Self is unconcerned in action
19. Whoever looks upon him as the Slayer, and whoever looks upon
him as the slain, both these know not aright. He slays not, nor is
he slain.
The Self is immutable
20. He Is not born, nor does he ever die; after having been, He
again ceases not to be; nor the reverse. Unborn, eternal,
unchangeable and primeaval, He is not slain when the body is slain.
The enlightened man has to renounce works
21. Whoso knows him as indestructible, eternal, unborn and
inexhaustible, - How, O Son of Pritha, and whom does such a man
cause to slay, and whom does he slay?
How the Self is immutable
22. Just a man casts off worn out clothes and puts on others which
are new, so the embodied (Self) casts off worn out bodies and
enters which are new.
How the Self is Changeless
23. His weapons cut him not, Him fire burns not, and him water
wets not; him wind dries not.
24. He cannot be cut, nor burnt, nor wetted, nor dried up. He is
everlasting, all-pervading, stable, firm and eternal.
No Room for grief
25. He, it is said, is unmanifest, unthinkable and unchangeable.
Wherefore, knowing himto be such, thou hadst better grieve not.
26. But even if thou thinkest of him as ever being born and ever
dying, even then, O mighty armed, thou oughtst not to grieve thus.
27. To that which is born, death is indeed certain; and to that
which is dead, birth is indeed certain, birth is indeed certain.
Wherefore about the unavoidable thing, thou oughtst not to grieve.
28. Beings have their beginning unseen, their middle seen, and
their end unseen again. Why any lamentation regarding them ?
29. One sees him as wonder; and also another speaks of him as
wonder; and as a wonder hears of Him; and though hearing, none
understands him at all.
30. He, the embodied (Self) in every ones body can never be
killed, O descendant of Bharatha. Wherefore thou oughtst not to
grieve about my creature.
A Warrior should fight
31. Having regard to thine own duty also, thou oughtst not to
waver. For to a Kshatriya, there is nothing more wholesome than a
lawful battle.
32. Happy Kshatriya, O Son of Pritha, find such a abattle as this,
come of itself, an open door to heaven.
33. Now if thou wouldst not fight this lawful battle, then, having
abandoned thine own duty and fame, thou shalt incur sin.
34. People too, will recount thy everlasting infamy; and to one
who has been esteemed, infamy is more than death.
35. The great car warriors will think thou hast withdrawn from the
battle through fear; and having been (hitherto) higly esteemed by
them, thou wilt incur their contempt.
36. Thy enemies, too, scorning thy power, will take many abusive
words. What is more painful than that
37. Killed, thou wilt reach heaven; victorious, thou wilt enjoy
the earth. Wherefore, O Son of Kunti, arise and, resolved to
fight.
38. Then, treating alike pleasure and pain, gain and loss, success
and defeat, prepare for the battle, and thus wilt thou not incur
sin.
39. This, which has been taught to thee is wisdom concerning
Sankhya. Now listen to wisdom concerning Yoga, which posessing
thou shalt cast off the bond of action.
Yoga, a safe course
40. There is no loss of effort here, there is no harm. Even a
little of this devotion delivers one from great fear.
41. Here, O Son of Kuru, there is one thought of a resolute
nature. Many branched and endless are the thoughts of the
irresolute.
No Wisdom possible for the worldly minded
42-44. No conviction of a resoulute nature is formed in the mind
of those who are attached to pleasures and power, and whose minds
are drawn away by that flowery speech which are the unwise -
enamoured of Vedic utterences, declaring that there is nothing
else, full of desire, having svarga as their goal - utter, (a
speech) which promises birth as the reward of actions and which
abounds in specific acts for the attainment of pleasure and power,
O Son of Prithi.
Advice to the Yogin
45. The Vedas treat of the triad of the gunas. Be, O Arjuna, free
from the triad of the gunas, free from the pairs, free from
acquisition and preservation, ever remaining in the Sattva
(Goodness) and Self- posessed.
Karma Yoga
46. What utility there is in a reservoir by the side of all
spreading flood of water, the same (Utility) there us in all Vedas
for an enlightened Bramhana.
47. Thy Concern is with action alone, never with results. Let not
the fruit of action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be for
inaction.
48. Steadfast in devotion do thy words, O Dhananjaya, casting off
attachment, being the same in success and failure. Evenness is
called Yoga
49. Verily action is far inferior to devotion in wisdom (Buddhi
Yoga), O Dhanajaya. In wisdom (Buddhi) seek thou shelter. Wretched
are they whose motive is the fruit.
The merit of Wisdom
50. He who is endued with wisdom casts off here both good deeds
and bad deeds. Wherefore apply tyself to devotion. In regard to
actions devotion is a power.
Resuts of Karma Yoga
51. For, men of wisdom cast off the fruit of action; posessed of
knowledge (and) released from the bond f birth; they go to the
place where there is no evil.
52. When thy mind shall cross beyond the mire of delusion, then
wilt thou attain toa disgust of what is et to be heard and what
has been heard.
53. When thy mind, peplexed by what thou hast heard, shall stand
firm and steady in the Self, then wilt ou attain Yoga.
The Characteristic attribute of a perferct Sage
Arjuna said:
54. What O Kesava !, is the description of steady knowledge, who
is constant in contemplation ? How oes one of steady knowledge
speak, how sit, how move ?
Satisfaction of the Self
The Lord Said:
55. When a man, satisfed with the Self alone by himself,
completely casts of all the desires of the mind, then he is said
to be one of steady knowledge.
Equanimity in pleasure and pain
56. He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all
longing for pleasures has departed, who is free from attachement,
fear and wrath, he is called a sage, a man of steady knowledge
Absence of attachment, delight and aversion
57. Whoso, without attachment anywhere, on meeting with anything
good or bad, neitehr exults nor hates, his knowledge becomes
steady.
Complete withdrawal of senses from objects
58. When he completely withdraws the senses from sense objects, as
the tortoise (withdraws) its limbs from all sides, his knowledge
is steady.
59. Objects withdraw from an abstinent man, but not the taste. On
seeing the Supreme, his taste too ceases.
60. The dangerous senses, O Son of Kunti carry away the mind of a
wise man, even while striving to (control them).
Devotion to the Lord
61. Resratining them all, a man should remain steadfast, intent on
Me. His knowledge is steady whose senses are under control.
62. When a man thinks of objects, attachment for them arises. From
attachment arises desire; from desire arises wrath.
63. From wrath arises delusion; from delusion, failure of memory,
loss of conscience; from loss of conscience he is utterly ruined.
Self Control leads to peace and happiness
64. He attains peace who, self controleld, approaches object with
the senses devoid of love and hatred and brought under his
own-control.
65. In peace there is an end of all his miseries; for the reason
of the tranquil minded soon becomes steady.
66. There us no wisdom to the unsteady, no meditation to the
unsteady, and to the unmeditative no peace; to the peaceless, how
can there be happiness ?
Self restraint conduces to steady knowledge
67. For the mind which yields to the rowing senses carried away by
his knowledge, as the wind (carries away) a ship on water.
68. Therefore, O mighty armed, his knowledge is steady whose
senses have been entirely restrained from sense objects.
The Universe, a mere dream to the saint
69. What is night to all beings, therein the self controlled one
is awake. Where all beings are awake, that is the night of the
sage who sees.
Subjugation of desire and personal Self
70. He attains peace, into whom all desires enter as waters enter
the Ocean, which, filled from all sides, remains unaltered; but
not he who desires objects.
71. That man attains peace, who abandoning all desires, moves
about without attachment, without selfishness, without vanity.
72. This is the Bramhic state, O Son of Pritha. Attaining to this,
none is deluded. Remaining in this state even at the last period
of life, one attains to the felicity of Bramhan.
Third DisCourse
Karma Yoga
Arjunas Perplexity : Which is better Knowledge or Action
Arjuna said:
1. If it be thought by thee tha knowledge is superior to action, O
Janardana, why then dost Thou O Kesava, direct me to this
terrible action
2. With an apparently perplexing speech, Thou confusestas it were
my understanding. Tell me with certainity that one (way) by which
I may attain bliss.
The paths of Knowledge and Action
The Blessed Lord said:
3. In this world a twofold path was taught by me at first, O
Sinless one; that of Sankhyas by devotion to knowkedge, and that
of Yogins by devotion to Action.
Karma Yoga leads to freedom from Action
4. Not by abstaining from action does man win actionlessness, nor
by mere renunciation does he attain perfection.
The Ignorant are swayed by Nature
5. None, verily, even for an instant, ever remain doing no action;
for everyone is driven helpless to action by the energies born of
Nature.
The unelightened should not give up Karma Yoga
6. He who, retraining the organs of action, sits thinking in his
mid of the objects of tthe senses, self deluded, he is said to be
one of false conduct.
7. But whoso, restraining the senses by mind O Arjuna, engages in
Karma Yoga, unattached, with organs of action, he is esteemed.
8. Do thou perform (thy) bounden duty; for action is superior to
inaction. And even the maintenance of body would not be possible
for thee by inaction.
9. Except in the case of action for Sacrifices sake, this world
is action bound. Action for the sake thereof, do thou, O Son of
Kunti,perform free from attachment.
10. Having first created mankind together with sacrifices, the
Prajapati said, By this shall ye propagate; let thus be to you
the cow of plenty.
11. With this do ye nourish the Gods, and the Gods shall nourish
you; thus nourishing one another, ye shall attain the Supreme God.
12. Nourished by the sacrifice, the Gods shall indeed bestow on
you the enjoyments ye desire Whoso enjoys - without offering to
them - their gifts, he is verily a thief.
13. The righteous, who eat the remnant of the sacrifice, are freed
from all sins; but sin do the impious eat who cook for their own
sakes.
The Wheel of the world should be set going
14-15. From food creatures come forth.; the production of food is
rain; rain comes forth from sacrifice;sacrifice is born of
action;know thou that action comes from Bramhan, and that Bramhan
comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all pervading Bramhan
ever rests in sacrifice.
16. He who follows not here the wheel thus set in motion, who is
of sinful life, indulging in senses, he lives in vain, O Son of
Pritha.
Karma Yoga is not meant for the Self Knower
17. That man, verily, who rejoices only in the Self, who is
satisfied with the Self, who is content in the Self alone, - for
him there is nothing to do.
18. For him, there us here no interest whatever in what is done or
what is not done. Nor is there in all beings any one he should
resort to for any object.
Arjuna Qualified for Karma Yoga
19. Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform the action
which should be done; for;, performing action without attachment,
man reaches the Supreme.
The Wise should set an example to the masses
20. By action only, indeed, did Janaka and others try to attain
perfection. Even with a view to the protection of the masses thou
shouldst perform (action).
21. Whatsoever a great man does, that alone the otehr man do;
whatever he sets up as the standard, that the world follows.
22. I have nothing whatsoever to achieve in the three worlds, O
Son of Pritha, nor is there anything unattained that should be
attained; yet I engage in action.
23. For, should I not ever engage in action, unwearied, men would
in all matters follow My path, O Son of Pritha.
24. These worlds will be ruined if I should not perform action; I
should be the cause of confusion of castes, and should destroy
these creatures.
The Wise mans action is contrasted with that of the Ignorant
25. As ignorant men act attached to Work, O Bharata, so should the
wise men act, unattached, from a wish to protect the masses.
26. Let no Wise man cause unsettlement in the minds of the
ignorant who are attached to action; he should make them do all
actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion.
27. Actions are wrought in all cases by the energies of Nature. He
whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks Iam the doer.
28. But he who knows the truth, O mighty armed, about the
divisions of the energoes and (their) functions, is not attached,
thinking that the energies act upon the energies.
29. Those deluded by the energies of Nature are attached to the
functions of the energies. He who knows the All should not
unsettle the unwise who know not the All.
How an aspirant for Moksha should do actions
30. Renouncing all action in Me, with thy thought resting on the
Self, being free from the hope, free from selfishness, devoid of
fever, do thou fight.
31. Men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine with faith
and without cavilling, they too are liberated from actions.
32. But, those who, carping at this, My teaching, practise it not,
- Know them as deluded in all knowledge, as senseless men doomed
to destruction.
Influence of mans nature on his conduct
33. Even the man of Knowledge acts in conformity with his own
nature; (All) beings follow (their) nature; what shall coercion
avail ?
34. Love and hate lie towards the object of each sense; Let none
subject to these two; for they are his enemies.
35. Better ones own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty
of another well discharged. Better is death in ones own duty; the
duty of another is productive of danger.
Desire is the Enemy of Man
Arjuna said:
36. By what dragged on, O Varshneya, does a man, though reluctant,
commit sin, as if constrained by force ?
The Blessed Lord said:
37. It is desire, it is wrath, born of the energy of Rajas, all
devouring, all sinful; that know thou, is the foe here.
Desire enshrouds Wisdom
38. As fire is surrounded by smoke, as a mirror by rust, as the
foetus is enclosed in the womb, so is this covered by it.
39. Covered, O Son of Kunti, is wisdom by this constant enemy of
the wise, in the form of desire, which is greedy and insatiable.
The Seat of Desire
40. the senses, mind, amd reason are said to be its seat; veiling
wisdom through these, it deludes the embodied.
How to kill out desire
41. Therefore, O Lord of the Bharathas, restrain the senses first,
do thou cast off this sinful thing which is destructive of
knowledge and wisdom.
42. They say that the senses are superior; superior to the senses
is the mind; superior to the mind is reason, one who is superior
to reason is He.
43. Then knowing him who is superior to reason subduing the self
by self, slay thou, O mighty armed, the enemy in the form of
desire, hard to conquer.
End transmission>>>>>>>>>>>>
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