Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga - The Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्। विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत्॥

The Supreme Lord said: I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan (the sun-god); Vivasvan taught it to Manu, and Manu taught it to Ikshvaku.

एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः। स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप॥

Thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, the saintly kings understood this yoga. But over the course of great time, this yoga was lost in the world, O Parantapa (Arjuna).

स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः। भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम्॥

That very same ancient yoga has been today spoken by Me to you, because you are My devotee and My friend — this is a supreme secret.

अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः। कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति॥

Arjuna said: Your birth is recent, and the birth of Vivasvan (the sun-god) was much earlier. How am I to understand that You taught this yoga in the beginning?

बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन। तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप॥

The Supreme Lord said: Many births of Mine have passed, and many of yours too, O Arjuna. I know them all, but you do not know them, O Parantapa.

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्। प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया॥

Although I am unborn, imperishable, and the Lord of all beings, yet presiding over My own material nature, I manifest by My own divine power (Yoga Maya).

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥

Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, O Bharata, then I manifest Myself.

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे॥

For the protection of the righteous, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of dharma, I appear in every age.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन॥

He who knows in truth the divine nature of My birth and activities, upon leaving the body, is not born again — he comes to Me, O Arjuna.

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः। बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः॥

Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the austerity of knowledge — many have attained My nature.

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्। मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः॥

In whatever way people approach Me, I reciprocate accordingly. All human beings follow My path in every way, O Partha.

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा॥

Those who desire success in their actions worship the demigods in this world, for in the human world, success born of action comes quickly.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः। तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्॥

The four divisions of human society were created by Me according to the differentiation of qualities and actions. Though I am the creator of this system, know Me to be the non-doer and imperishable.

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते॥

Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have any desire for the fruits of action. One who understands Me thus is not bound by actions.

एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः। कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम्॥

Knowing this, the ancient seekers of liberation also performed actions. Therefore, you too should perform action as the ancients did in former times.

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्॥

What is action and what is inaction? Even the wise are confused in this matter. I shall explain to you that action, knowing which you shall be freed from evil.

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः॥

One must understand the nature of action, the nature of forbidden action, and the nature of inaction. The course of action is deep and unfathomable.

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्॥

One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among human beings. Such a person is a yogi and a performer of all actions.

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः॥

One whose every undertaking is free from desire and selfish motive, and whose actions are burnt in the fire of knowledge — the wise call such a person a true sage.

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः॥

Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of action, ever content, without dependence — such a person, though fully engaged in action, does nothing at all.

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्॥

Free from desire, with mind and self controlled, having given up all sense of possessiveness — performing action merely with the body, one incurs no sin.

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते॥

Content with whatever comes unsought, beyond dualities, free from envy, and equipoised in success and failure — such a person, even while acting, is never bound.

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते॥

For one who is free from attachment, liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, and who acts for the sake of sacrifice — all karma is entirely dissolved.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना॥

The act of offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, offered by Brahman into the fire of Brahman. Brahman alone is to be attained by one who is absorbed in Brahman through action.

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते। ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति॥

Some yogis perform sacrifice by worshipping the demigods; others offer the self as sacrifice into the fire of Brahman by means of sacrifice itself.

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति। शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति॥

Some offer the senses such as hearing into the fire of self-restraint; others offer the sense objects such as sound into the fire of the senses.

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे। आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते॥

Others offer all the functions of the senses and the functions of the vital breath into the fire of the yoga of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः॥

Some offer their material possessions as sacrifice, some offer austerity, some offer yoga practice, and others of strict vows offer study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.

अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे। प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः॥

Some offer the incoming breath into the outgoing, and the outgoing into the incoming, while others, devoted to pranayama, restrain the movement of both breaths.

अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति। सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः॥

Others, regulating their diet, offer the life breaths into the life breaths. All these are knowers of sacrifice, and their sins are destroyed by sacrifice.

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्। नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम॥

Those who partake of the nectar that remains after sacrifice attain the eternal Brahman. For one who performs no sacrifice, even this world is not happy — how then the next, O best of the Kurus?

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे। कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे॥

Thus many forms of sacrifice are spread throughout the Vedas. Know them all to be born of action. Knowing this, you shall be liberated.

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप। सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते॥

Superior to the sacrifice of material possessions is the sacrifice of knowledge, O Parantapa. All actions in their entirety culminate in knowledge, O Partha.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः॥

Learn that knowledge by humble prostration, by inquiry, and by service. The wise who have seen the truth will instruct you in that knowledge.

यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव। येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि॥

Knowing which, you shall never again fall into delusion, O Pandava. By this knowledge, you shall see all beings without exception in the Self, and then in Me.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः। सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि॥

Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you shall cross over all sin by the boat of knowledge alone.

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा॥

Just as a blazing fire reduces firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all karma to ashes.

न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते। तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति॥

Indeed, there is no purifier in this world equal to knowledge. One who is perfected in yoga finds that knowledge within the Self, in due course of time.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः। ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति॥

One who has faith, is devoted to it, and has controlled the senses, attains knowledge. Having attained knowledge, one quickly reaches supreme peace.

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः॥

The ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting soul perishes. For the doubting person, there is neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness.

योगसन्न्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय॥

One who has renounced actions through yoga, whose doubts have been cut asunder by knowledge, and who is self-possessed — actions do not bind him, O Dhananjaya.

तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः। छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत॥

Therefore, O Bharata, cut asunder this doubt born of ignorance that resides in your heart with the sword of knowledge. Take refuge in yoga — arise!