Sankhya Yoga
Krishna begins the real teaching. The eternal soul, the steady mind, action without attachment. The chapter that holds the Gita's most quoted verse: 2.47.
All 72 verses of this chapter on one page. Read straight through, or press play and follow each verse as it is recited.
सञ्जय उवाच तं तथा कृपयाऽविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् । विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥
Sanjaya said: To Arjuna, overcome by pity, his eyes full of tears and clouded with grief, Madhusudana spoke these words.
श्री भगवानुवाच कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् । अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन ॥
Krishna said: Arjuna, where has this delusion come from in this crisis? Noble people do not follow it. It does not lead upward, and it brings disgrace.
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते । क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥
Do not yield to weakness, Partha. It does not suit you. Cast off this petty weakness of heart and rise, scorcher of foes.
अर्जुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन । इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥
Arjuna said: How can I fight Bhishma and Drona with arrows in battle, O Madhusudana? They are worthy of worship, O destroyer of enemies.
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके । हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैवभुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥
It is better to live on alms in this world than to kill these great teachers. If I kill them, the pleasures I enjoy here will be stained with blood and bound to greed.
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयोयद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः । यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामस्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥
We do not know which is better for us: to fight or not to fight. We do not even know whether we will conquer them or they us. The sons of Dhritarashtra stand before us, and we do not wish to live after killing them.
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावःपृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः । यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मेशिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥
My nature is overwhelmed by weakness, and my mind is confused about duty. I ask you: tell me with certainty what is best for me. I am your student; instruct me, for I have taken refuge in you.
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् । अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धम्राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ॥
Even if I gained an unrivaled, prosperous kingdom on earth or lordship over the gods, I see nothing that could remove this grief that dries up my senses.
सञ्जय उवाच एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप । न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ॥
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Gudakesha, the scorcher of foes, said to Govinda, “I will not fight,” and fell silent.
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत । सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥
Hṛṣīkeśa spoke to the grieving Arjuna, smiling slightly, in the midst of the two armies.
श्री भगवानुवाच अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे । गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥
The Blessed Lord said: You grieve for what should not be grieved for, yet speak words of wisdom. The wise do not grieve for the dead or the living.
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः । न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ॥
I was never absent, nor were you, nor these kings. Nor will any of us cease to be in the future.
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा । तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥
Just as the embodied one passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so too it passes into another body. The wise are not deluded by this.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥
Contacts with the senses, O son of Kunti, bring heat and cold, pleasure and pain. They come and go; they are impermanent. Endure them, O Bharata.
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ । समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥
The wise person who is not shaken by these, and remains equal in pain and pleasure, becomes fit for freedom.
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः । उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥
The unreal has no being; the real has no nonbeing. Seers have understood the boundary of both.
अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति ॥
Know that to be imperishable by which this entire world is pervaded. No one can destroy this imperishable reality.
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः । अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥
These bodies are said to be finite, but the embodied being is eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable. Therefore, fight, Arjuna.
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥
Whoever thinks this imperishable being is the killer, and whoever thinks it is killed, both do not understand. It neither kills nor is killed.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणोन हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥
It is never born and never dies. It did not come into being, and it will not cease. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient, it is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् । कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥
One who knows the imperishable, eternal, unborn, and unchanging cannot think of killing or causing death.
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहायनवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि । तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥
As a person discards worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, the embodied being discards worn-out bodies and enters new ones.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥
Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, and wind cannot dry it.
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च । नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ॥
This embodied self cannot be cut, burned, wetted, or dried. It is eternal, all-pervading, unmoving, fixed, and timeless.
अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते । तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥
It is unseen, beyond thought, and said to be unchanged. Therefore, knowing it this way, you should not grieve.
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् । तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
O mighty-armed one, even if you think this embodied being is always born and always dies, you still should not grieve like this.
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
For what is born, death is certain; for what dies, birth is certain. What cannot be avoided should not be grieved over.
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत । अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥
All beings are unmanifest before birth and unmanifest after death; they are manifest only in between. Why grieve over that?
आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः । आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श्रृणोतिश्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥
Some behold the inner being as wondrous; some speak of it as wondrous; some hear of it as wondrous; and even after hearing, no one truly knows it.
देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत । तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
O descendant of Bharata, the embodied one in every body is eternal and cannot be slain. Therefore you should not grieve for any being.
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि । धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाछ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥
Considering your own duty, you should not waver. For a warrior, no action is more beneficial than a righteous battle.
यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् । सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥
An unbidden battle is an open gate to higher realms. O Partha, fortunate are the warriors who receive such a war.
अथ चैत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि । ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
If you do not fight this righteous war, you will abandon your duty and honor and incur blame.
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् । संभावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥
And all beings will speak of your everlasting disgrace. For an honored person, disgrace is worse than death.
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः । येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥
The great warriors will think you withdrew from battle out of fear. Those who once held you in high regard will see you as small.
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः । निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥
Your enemies will speak many unworthy words, mocking your strength. What could be more painful than that?
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् । तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥
If you are killed, you will attain heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the kingdom. Therefore, rise, Kaunteya, and fight with resolve.
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ । ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
Treat pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike. Then enter the battle; you will not incur wrongdoing.
एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्रृणु । बुद्ध्यायुक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ॥
This wisdom has been taught to you in Sankhya. Now hear it in yoga. Equipped with this understanding, Arjuna, you will cast off the bondage of action.
नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते । स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥
In this human world, no effort toward this steady wisdom is ever lost. No harmful result comes from it. Even a little practice of this dharma protects one from great fear.
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन । बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥
O son of the Kurus, the resolute intellect is one-pointed here. The intellect of the irresolute is many-branched and endless.
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः । वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥
The unwise speak flowery words. They delight in the ritual sections of the Vedas and say nothing else exists.
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् । क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥
Those without clear seeing speak flowery words that promise birth and action-fruit, and describe many rites for enjoyment and power.
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् । व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥
For those whose minds are carried away by pleasure and power, steadfast determination in meditation does not arise.
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन । निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान् ॥
The Vedas deal with the three qualities. Arjuna, rise beyond the three qualities, beyond opposites, fixed in lasting reality, free from concern for gain and security, and established in the true self.
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके । तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥
For one who understands, all the Vedas are as useful as a small puddle when a great reservoir of water is at hand.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
You have a right to action alone, never to its fruits. Do not become the cause of the result, and do not cling to inaction.
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ॥
O Dhananjaya, perform actions while established in yoga, abandoning attachment. Remain equal in success and failure, for equanimity is called yoga.
दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय । बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥
Action driven by craving is far below the steadiness of clear discernment. Seek refuge in clear discernment, for those who chase results are pitiable.
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते । तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥
One who is united with clear discernment casts off both good and bad deeds in this life. Therefore, devote yourself to yoga, for yoga is skill in action.
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः । जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ॥
Wise people, united in clarity, abandon the fruit born of action and reach the flawless state, free from the bondage of birth.
यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति । तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च ॥
When your intellect crosses the swamp of delusion, you will grow dispassionate toward what has been heard and what remains to be heard.
श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला । समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि ॥
When your intellect, unmoved by conflicting teachings, becomes steady in complete stillness, you will attain yoga.
अर्जुन उवाच स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव । स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् ॥
Arjuna said: O Kesava, what are the marks of one whose wisdom is steady and who is absorbed in stillness? How does a person of steady understanding speak, sit, and walk?
श्री भगवानुवाच प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान् । आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥
The divine said: When a person gives up all desires that arise in the mind, and is satisfied in the true self by the true self alone, that person is called steady in wisdom.
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः । वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥
The steady-minded sage is unshaken by sorrow, free from craving in joy, and beyond attachment, fear, and anger.
यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् । नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
One who feels no clinging anywhere, and neither rejoices nor hates when good or bad comes, has steady wisdom.
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
When this one draws the senses fully back from sense-objects, like a tortoise withdrawing its limbs, wisdom is steady.
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः । रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ॥
Objects fall away from the self-denying person, but the taste for them remains. For the one who has seen the supreme reality, even that taste falls away.
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः । इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥
Even for a wise person who strives, the turbulent senses can forcibly carry away the mind.
तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः । वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
Having restrained all the senses, the disciplined one should sit devoted to Me. For one whose senses are under control, wisdom is firmly established.
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते । सङ्गात् संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥
Thinking about sense objects creates attachment to them. Attachment gives rise to desire; desire gives rise to anger.
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः । स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥
From anger comes delusion; from delusion, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of discernment; from loss of discernment, ruin.
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् । आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥
The disciplined person, moving among objects with senses under control and free from attraction and aversion, attains serenity.
प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते । प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥
In inner clarity, all suffering falls away. For one whose mind is clear, understanding settles quickly.
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना । न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥
A restless mind has no steady discernment, no steady purpose, no peace, and without peace, no happiness.
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते । तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥
As the winds carry a boat on water, even one roaming sense can sweep away the mind's discernment.
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, the wisdom of one whose senses are fully restrained from sense-objects is steady.
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी । यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥
What is night for all beings is wakefulness for the self-controlled one. What all beings wake toward is night for the seer who knows the real.
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठंसमुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् । तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वेस शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥
As rivers flow into the sea and the sea remains steady, so desires may enter a disciplined person without disturbing inner peace. The person who wants pleasures does not find peace.
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः । निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शांतिमधिगच्छति ॥
One who gives up all desires, moves without craving, without possessiveness, and without ego, attains peace.
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति । स्थित्वाऽस्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ॥
Arjuna, this is the Brahmic state. Having reached it, one is never deluded. Remaining established in it even at the end of life, one attains freedom in the supreme reality.