The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 6.26: ṣaḍviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

6.26.1

śrībhagavānuvāca |
imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam |
vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave'bravīt || 1 ||

The Blessed Lord said:
I told this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvat; Vivasvat told it to Manu; (and) Manu told it to Ikshvâku:

6.26.2

evaṃ paraṃparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ |
sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ paraṃtapa || 2 ||

Thus handed down in regular succession, the royal sages knew it. This Yoga, by long lapse of time, declined in this world, O burner of foes.

6.26.3

sa evāyaṃ mayā te'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ |
bhakto'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam || 3 ||

I have this day told thee that same ancient Yoga, (for) thou art My devotee, and My friend, and this secret is profound indeed.

6.26.4

arjuna uvāca |
aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ |
kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti || 4 ||

Arjuna said:
Later was Thy birth, and that of Vivasvat prior; how then should I understand that Thou toldest this in the beginning?

6.26.5

śrībhagavānuvāca |
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna |
tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha paraṃtapa || 5 ||

The Blessed Lord said:
Many are the births that have been passed by Me and thee, O Arjuna. I know them all, whilst thou knowest not, O scorcher of foes.

6.26.6

ajo'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro'pi san |
prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya saṃbhavāmyātmamāyayā || 6 ||

Though I am unborn, of changeless nature and Lord of beings, yet subjugating My Prakriti, I come into being by My own Mâyâ.

6.26.7

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata |
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham || 7 ||

Whenever, O descendant of Bharata, there is decline of Dharma, and rise of Adharma, then I body Myself forth.

6.26.8

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām |
dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya saṃbhavāmi yuge yuge || 8 ||

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of Dharma, I come into being in every age.

6.26.9

janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ |
tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so'rjuna || 9 ||

He who thus knows, in true light, My divine birth and action, leaving the body, is not born again: he attains to Me, O Arjuna.

6.26.10

vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ |
bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ || 10 ||

Freed from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of Knowledge, many have attained My Being.

6.26.11

ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham |
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ || 11 ||

In whatever way men worship Me, in the same way do I fulfil their desires: (it is) My path, O son of Prithâ, (that) men tread, in all ways.

6.26.12

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ |
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā || 12 ||

Longing for success in action, in this world, (men) worship the gods. Because success, resulting from action, is, quickly attained in the human world.

6.26.13

cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ |
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam || 13 ||

The fourfold caste was created by Me, by the differentiation of Guna and Karma. Though I am the author thereof, know Me to be the non-doer, and changeless.

6.26.14

na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā |
iti māṃ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate || 14 ||

Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any thirst for the result of action. He who knows Me thus is not fettered by action.

6.26.15

evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ |
kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam || 15 ||

Knowing thus, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed action. Do thou, therefore, perform action, as did the ancients in olden times.

6.26.16

kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo'pyatra mohitāḥ |
tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt || 16 ||

Even sages are bewildered, as to what is action and what is inaction. I shall therefore tell you what action is, by knowing which you will be freed from evil.

6.26.17

karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ |
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ || 17 ||

For verily, (the true nature) even of action (enjoined by the Shâstras) should be known, as also, (that) of forbidden action, and of inaction: the nature of Karma is impenetrable.

6.26.18

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ |
sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt || 18 ||

He who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, he is intelligent among men, he is a Yogi and a doer of all action.

6.26.19

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṃkalpavarjitāḥ |
jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ || 19 ||

Whose undertakings are all devoid of plan and desire for results, and whose actions are burnt by the fire of knowledge, him, the sages call wise.

6.26.20

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ |
karmaṇyabhipravṛtto'pi naiva kiṃcitkaroti saḥ || 20 ||

Forsaking the clinging to fruits of action, ever satisfied, depending on nothing, though engaged in action, he does not do anything.

6.26.21

nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ |
śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam || 21 ||

Without hope, the body and mind controlled and all possessions relinquished, he does not suffer any evil consequences, by doing mere bodily action.

6.26.22

yadṛcchālābhasaṃtuṣṭo dvaṃdvātīto vimatsaraḥ |
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate || 22 ||

Content with what comes to him without effort, unaffected by the pairs of opposites, free from envy, even-minded in success and failure, though acting, he is not bound.

6.26.23

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ |
yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate || 23 ||

Devoid of attachment, liberated, with mind centred in knowledge, performing work for Yajna alone, his whole Karma dissolves away.

6.26.24

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahmahavirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam |
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā || 24 ||

The process is Brahman, the clarified butter is Brahman, offered by Brahman in the fire of Brahman; by seeing Brahman in action, he reaches Brahman alone.

6.26.25

daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate |
brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati || 25 ||

Some Yogis perform sacrifices to Devas alone, while others offer the self as sacrifice by the self in the fire of Brahman alone.

6.26.26

śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati |
śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati || 26 ||

Some again offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of control, while others offer sound and other sense-objects as sacrifice in the fire of the senses.

6.26.27

sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare |
ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite || 27 ||

Some again offer all the actions of the senses and the functions of the vital energy, as sacrifice in the fire of control in self, kindled by knowledge.

6.26.28

dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare |
svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ || 28 ||

Others again offer wealth, austerity, and Yoga, as sacrifice, while still others, of self-restraint and rigid vows, offer study of the scriptures and knowledge, as sacrifice.

6.26.29

apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe'pānaṃ tathāpare |
prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ || 29 ||

Yet some offer as sacrifice, the outgoing into the in-coming breath, and the in-coming into the out-going, stopping the courses of the in-coming and out-going breaths, constantly practising the regulation of the vital energy; while others yet of regulated food, offer in the Prânas the functions thereof.

6.26.30

apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati |
sarve'pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ || 30 ||

All of these are knowers of Yajna, having their sins consumed by Yajna, and eating of the nectar—the remnant of Yajna, they go to the Eternal Brahman. (Even) this world is not for the non-performer of Yajna, how then another, O best of the Kurus?

6.26.31

yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam |
nāyaṃ loko'styayajñasya kuto'nyaḥ kurusattama || 31 ||

6.26.32

evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe |
karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase || 32 ||

Various Yajnas, like the above, are strewn in the store-house of the Veda. Know them all to be born of action, and thus knowing, thou shalt be free.

6.26.33

śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ paraṃtapa |
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate || 33 ||

Knowledge-sacrifice, O scorcher of foes, is superior to sacrifice (performed) with (material) objects. All action in its entirety, O Pârtha, attains its consummation in knowledge.

6.26.34

tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā |
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ || 34 ||

Know that, by prostrating thyself, by questions, and by service; the wise, those who have realised the Truth, will instruct thee in that knowledge.

6.26.35

yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava |
yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi || 35 ||

Knowing which, thou shalt not, O Pândava, again get deluded like this, and by which thou shalt see the whole of creation in (thy) Self and in Me.

6.26.36

api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ |
sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ saṃtariṣyasi || 36 ||

Even if thou be the most sinful among all the sinful, yet by the raft of knowledge alone thou shalt go across all sin.

6.26.37

yathaidhāṃsi samiddho'gnirbhasmasātkurute'rjuna |
jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā || 37 ||

As blazing fire reduces wood into ashes, so, O Arjuna, does the fire of knowledge reduce all Karma to ashes.

6.26.38

na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate |
tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati || 38 ||

Verily there exists nothing in this world purifying like knowledge. In good time, having reached perfection in Yoga, one realises that oneself in one's own heart.

6.26.39

śraddhāvām̐llabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ |
jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati || 39 ||

The man with Shraddhâ, the devoted, the master of one's senses, attains (this) knowledge. Having attained knowledge one goes at once to the Supreme Peace.

6.26.40

ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati |
nāyaṃ loko'sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ || 40 ||

The ignorant, the man without Shraddhâ, the doubting self, goes to destruction. The doubting self has neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness.

6.26.41

yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasaṃchinnasaṃśayam |
ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanaṃjaya || 41 ||

With work renounced by Yoga and doubts rent asunder by knowledge, O Dhananjaya, actions do not bind him who is poised in the Self.

6.26.42

tasmādajñānasaṃbhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ |
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata || 42 ||

Therefore, cutting with the sword of knowledge, this doubt about the Self, born of ignorance, residing in thy heart, take refuge in Yoga. Arise, O Bhârata!
The end of chapter four, designated The Way of Renunciation of Action in Knowledge.