Letting Go, and Freedom

संन्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् ।
त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशिनिषूदन ॥1॥

Arjuna said: I want to understand what renunciation really is, mighty-armed one, and what letting go is, and how the two differ.

काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं संन्यासं कवयो विदुः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुस्त्यागं विचक्षणाः ॥2॥

The Lord said: The seers understand renunciation as giving up actions done out of desire. Those who look closely call letting go the giving up of the fruit of all action.

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः ।
यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे ॥3॥

Some thinkers say that action should be given up as a fault; others say that offering, giving and discipline should not be given up.

निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम ।
त्यागो हि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः सम्प्रकीर्तितः ॥4॥

Hear my conclusion about letting go, best of the Bharatas; for letting go, tiger among men, is spoken of as being of three kinds.

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् ।
यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥5॥

Offering, giving and discipline are not to be given up; they are to be done. Offering, giving and discipline make even the thoughtful clean.

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च ।
कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम् ॥6॥

But even these should be done with attachment and fruit let go, Partha; this is my settled and highest view.

नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते ।
मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः ॥7॥

Giving up work that falls to you is not fitting. Giving it up out of confusion is called a dull letting go.

दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् ।
स कृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् ॥8॥

One who gives up work because it is painful, out of fear of bodily trouble, has made a passionate letting go, and gains nothing by it.

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन ।
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ॥9॥

When the work that falls to you is done simply because it should be done, Arjuna, with attachment and fruit let go, that letting go is held to be clear.

न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते ।
त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छिन्नसंशयः ॥10॥

One who neither hates disagreeable work nor clings to agreeable work has let go; filled with clarity, he understands, and his doubts are cut.

न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः ।
यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते ॥11॥

One who dwells in a body cannot give up actions entirely. But one who gives up the fruit of action is the one properly called a renouncer.

अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् ।
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित् ॥12॥

For those who have not let go, the fruit of action is threefold after death: unwanted, wanted and mixed. For those who have renounced, there is none at all.

पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे ।
साङ्ख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम् ॥13॥

Learn from me, mighty-armed one, the five causes said in the reasoning of Sankhya to bring every action to completion.

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् ।
विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम् ॥14॥

The place of action, the doer, the various instruments, the different kinds of movement, and, as the fifth, the part played by what is beyond us.

शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः ।
न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः ॥15॥

Whatever work a person begins with body, speech or mind, right or the reverse, these five are its causes.

तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः ।
पश्यत्यकृतबुद्धित्वान्न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः ॥16॥

This being so, one who, with an untrained understanding, sees only himself as the doer, sees wrongly; his view is poor.

यस्य नाहङ्कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते ।
हत्वाऽपि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते ॥17॥

One whose being is not ruled by "I", whose understanding is not stained, does not kill even when he kills these people, and he is not bound.

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना ।
करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसङ्ग्रहः ॥18॥

Knowledge, what is known and the knower: these three prompt action. Instrument, action and doer: these three make up action.

ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः ।
प्रोच्यते गुणसङ्ख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि ॥19॥

Knowledge, action and doer are also said to be of three kinds, by the difference of the qualities. Hear these too, as the reckoning of the qualities has them.

सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते ।
अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ॥20॥

The knowledge by which one sees a single unfading being in all creatures, undivided among the divided: know that knowledge to be clear.

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् ।
वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ॥21॥

The knowledge that sees, by separateness, many different beings of many kinds in all creatures: know that knowledge to be passionate.

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् ।
अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥22॥

And the knowledge that clings to one activity as though it were everything, that has no reason behind it, misses the point and is trifling: that is called dull.

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् ।
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ॥23॥

Work that falls to one and is done without attachment, without liking or disliking, by someone who does not want its fruit, is called clear.

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः ।
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥24॥

But work done by one who wants what he wants, or done with ego, with much straining, is called passionate.

अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् ।
मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते ॥25॥

Work begun out of confusion, without regard to what will follow, to the loss and harm it causes, or to one's own capacity, is called dull.

मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः ।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥26॥

A doer free of attachment, who does not talk of himself, who has steadiness and spirit, and is unchanged by success or failure, is called clear.

रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः ।
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः ॥27॥

A doer who is full of longing, who wants the fruit of his work, greedy, of a harming nature, unclean, swayed by joy and grief, is called passionate.

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः ।
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥28॥

A doer who is unsteady, coarse, stiff-necked, dishonest, who does others down, lazy, gloomy and always putting things off, is called dull.

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं शृणु ।
प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय ॥29॥

Hear now, Dhananjaya, the threefold difference of understanding and of steadiness, by the qualities, told fully and one by one.

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये ।
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥30॥

The understanding that knows when to act and when to hold back, what should and should not be done, what to fear and what not, what binds and what frees, is a clear one, Partha.

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च ।
अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥31॥

The understanding by which one does not rightly make out dharma from what is against it, or what should be done from what should not, is a passionate one, Partha.

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता ।
सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥32॥

The understanding that, wrapped in darkness, takes what is against dharma to be dharma and sees everything the wrong way round, is a dull one, Partha.

धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः ।
योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥33॥

The steadiness by which, through unswerving practice, a person holds the workings of mind, breath and senses, is a clear steadiness, Partha.

यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन ।
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥34॥

But the steadiness by which one holds on to duty, wealth and pleasure, attached and wanting their fruit, is a passionate steadiness, Arjuna.

यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च ।
न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥35॥

The steadiness by which a person of poor understanding will not let go of sleep, fear, grief, gloom and conceit is a dull steadiness, Partha.

सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं शृणु मे भरतर्षभ ।
अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ॥36॥

Now hear from me the three kinds of happiness, best of the Bharatas: that in which one comes to delight by practice, and so reaches the end of sorrow.

यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् ।
तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥37॥

What is like poison at first and like nectar in the end is called clear happiness, born of the clarity of an understanding turned to the self.

विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् ।
परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥38॥

What comes from the meeting of sense and object, like nectar at first and like poison in the end, is held to be passionate happiness.

यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः ।
निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥39॥

The happiness that clouds a person both at the start and afterwards, arising out of sleep, sloth and heedlessness, is called dull.

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः ।
सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥40॥

There is no being on earth, nor again among the gods in heaven, that is free of these three qualities born of nature.

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप ।
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥41॥

The work of brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras is divided according to the qualities that arise from their own nature, scorcher of foes.

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च ।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम् ॥42॥

Calm, restraint, discipline, cleanliness, patience, straightness, knowledge, insight and belief in what is beyond: this is the brahmin's work, arising from his nature.

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् ।
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥43॥

Courage, vigour, firmness, skill, not fleeing in battle, giving, and the bearing of a ruler: this is the kshatriya's work, arising from his nature.

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् ।
परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥44॥

Farming, tending cattle and trade are the vaishya's work, arising from his nature; and work that serves is the shudra's, arising from his.

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः ।
स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥45॥

A person finds fulfilment by taking joy in the work that is his own. Hear how one finds it by being intent on his own work.

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥46॥

By worshipping through his own work the one from whom beings stir and by whom all this is spread out, a person finds fulfilment.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥47॥

Your own work, done imperfectly, is better than someone else's done well. Doing the work laid down by his own nature, a person takes on no fault.

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् ।
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ॥48॥

One should not give up the work he is born to, Kaunteya, even if it has faults in it; every undertaking is wrapped in some fault, as fire is in smoke.

असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः ।
नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां संन्यासेनाधिगच्छति ॥49॥

One whose understanding is unattached everywhere, who has won himself and is free of craving, reaches through renunciation the highest fulfilment, beyond all action.

सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाप्नोति निबोध मे ।
समासेनैव कौन्तेय निष्ठा ज्ञानस्य या परा ॥50॥

Learn from me in brief, Kaunteya, how one who has found fulfilment reaches Brahman; that is the highest ground of knowledge.

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च ।
शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ॥51॥

Joined to a cleansed understanding, holding himself in check with firmness, giving up sound and the other objects of sense, laying aside liking and disliking,

विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः ।
ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः ॥52॥

keeping to solitary places, eating little, with speech, body and mind restrained, always given to the practice of meditation, taking refuge in dispassion,

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् ।
विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥53॥

letting go of ego, force, pride, desire, anger and possession, without "mine", at peace: such a one becomes fit to be Brahman.

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ॥54॥

Having become Brahman, clear within, he neither grieves nor hankers. The same towards all beings, he comes to the highest devotion to me.

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः ।
ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम् ॥55॥

Through devotion he comes to know me as I am, how great I am and who I am; and knowing me as I am, he enters me straight away.

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः ।
मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ॥56॥

Even while doing all his work, one who takes refuge in me reaches, by my grace, the everlasting and unfading place.

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः ।
बुद्धियोगमुपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव ॥57॥

Giving all your actions over to me in your mind, holding me as the highest, taking refuge in that clarity of understanding, keep your thought on me always.

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि ।
अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ॥58॥

With your thought on me you will cross every difficulty by my grace. But if out of ego you will not listen, you will be lost.

यदहङ्कारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे ।
मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति ॥59॥

If, clinging to your ego, you think "I will not fight", that resolve of yours is empty; your own nature will set you to it.

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा ।
कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत् ॥60॥

Bound by the work that springs from your own nature, Kaunteya, you will do, helplessly, the very thing you do not want to do out of confusion.

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति ।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥61॥

The lord dwells in the heart of every being, Arjuna, turning them all about by his power, as though they were mounted on a machine.

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत ।
तत्प्रसादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम् ॥62॥

Go to him for shelter with your whole being, Bharata. By his grace you will find the deepest peace and the everlasting place.

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया ।
विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥63॥

So I have told you the knowledge that is more secret than any secret. Think it over fully, and then do as you wish.

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः ।
इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥64॥

Hear once more my highest word, the most secret of all. You are steadfastly dear to me, and so I will tell you what is good for you.

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।
मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥65॥

Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, worship me, bow to me. You will come to me: this I promise you truly, for you are dear to me.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥66॥

Let go of all duties and come to me alone for shelter. I will free you from every wrong; do not grieve.

Variant reading: अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो (शंकराचार्य के पाठ में)

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन ।
न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति ॥67॥

Never speak this to one who keeps no discipline, who has no devotion, who does not want to listen, or who finds fault with me.

य इदं परमं गुह्यं मद्भक्तेष्वभिधास्यति ।
भक्तिं मयि परां कृत्वा मामेवैष्यत्यसंशयः ॥68॥

One who, with the highest devotion to me, passes on this deepest secret to those devoted to me will come to me without a doubt.

न च तस्मान्मनुष्येषु कश्चिन्मे प्रियकृत्तमः ।
भविता न च मे तस्मादन्यः प्रियतरो भुवि ॥69॥

No one among men does anything dearer to me than he, and no one on earth will be dearer to me than he.

अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः ।
ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाहमिष्टः स्यामिति मे मतिः ॥70॥

And one who studies this conversation of ours, which is in keeping with dharma, worships me by the offering of knowledge: that is my view.

श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः ।
सोऽपि मुक्तः शुभाँल्लोकान्प्राप्नुयात्पुण्यकर्मणाम् ॥71॥

Even the person who only hears it, trusting and not finding fault, will be free, and will reach the good worlds of those who have done well.

कच्चिदेतच्छ्रुतं पार्थ त्वयैकाग्रेण चेतसा ।
कच्चिदज्ञानसम्मोहः प्रनष्टस्ते धनञ्जय ॥72॥

Have you heard this with a mind gathered into one, Partha? Has your confusion, born of not knowing, been destroyed, Dhananjaya?

नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत ।
स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव ॥73॥

Arjuna said: My confusion is gone, Achyuta, and by your grace I have my memory back. I stand here with my doubts ended, and I will do as you say.

इत्यहं वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः ।
संवादमिममश्रौषमद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम् ॥74॥

Sanjaya said: So I have heard this wondrous conversation between Vasudeva and the great-souled Arjuna, and it made my hair stand on end.

व्यासप्रसादाच्छ्रुतवानेतद्गुह्यमहं परम् ।
योगं योगेश्वरात्कृष्णात्साक्षात्कथयतः स्वयम् ॥75॥

By the grace of Vyasa I heard this highest secret, this yoga, told by Krishna, the lord of yoga, himself, face to face.

राजन्संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम् ।
केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं हृष्यामि च मुहुर्मुहुः ॥76॥

O king, remembering again and again this wondrous and holy conversation of Keshava and Arjuna, I rejoice again and again.

तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपमत्यद्भुतं हरेः ।
विस्मयो मे महान् राजन्हृष्यामि च पुनः पुनः ॥77॥

And remembering again and again that most wondrous form of Hari, great is my astonishment, O king, and I rejoice again and again.

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः ।
तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥78॥

Where Krishna is, the lord of yoga, and where Partha is, the archer, there are fortune, victory, well-being and steady right conduct: this is my conviction.