Chapter 18 : Moksha-Sanyas Yog
1
Arjuna said:
O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the purpose of renunciation [tyaga]
and of the renounced order of life [sannyasa], O killer of the Kesi demon,
master of the senses.
2
The Supreme
Personality of Godhead said: The giving up of activities that are based
on material desire is what great learned men call the renounced order of
life [sannyasa]. And giving up the results of all activities is what the
wise call renunciation [tyaga].
3
Some learned
men declare that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up as
faulty, yet other sages maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance
should never be abandoned.
4
O best of
the Bharatas, now hear My judgment about renunciation. O tiger among men,
renunciation is declared in the scriptures to be of three kinds.
5
Acts of sacrifice,
charity and penance are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed,
sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls.
6
All these
activities should be performed without attachment or any expectation of
result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Prtha. That
is My final opinion.
7
Prescribed
duties should never be renounced. If one gives up his prescribed duties
because of illusion, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
8
Anyone who
gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort
is said to have renounced in the mode of passion. Such action never leads
to the elevation of renunciation.
9
O Arjuna,
when one performs his prescribed duty only because it ought to be done,
and renounces all material association and all attachment to the fruit,
his renunciation is said to be in the mode of goodness.
10
The intelligent
renouncer situated in the mode of goodness, neither hateful of inauspicious
work nor attached to auspicious work, has no doubts about work.
11
It is indeed
impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. But he who
renounces the fruits of action is called one who has truly renounced.
12
For one who
is not renounced, the threefold fruits of action -- desirable, undesirable
and mixed -- accrue after death. But those who are in the renounced order
of life have no such result to suffer or enjoy.
13
O mighty-armed
Arjuna, according to the Vedanta there are five causes for the accomplishment
of all action. Now learn of these from Me.
14
The place
of action [the body], the performer, the various senses, the many different
kinds of endeavor, and ultimately the Supersoul -- these are the five factors
of action.
15
Whatever right
or wrong action a man performs by body, mind or speech is caused by these
five factors.
16
Therefore
one who thinks himself the only doer, not considering the five factors,
is certainly not very intelligent and cannot see things as they are.
17
One who is
not motivated by false ego, whose intelligence is not entangled, though
he kills men in this world, does not kill. Nor is he bound by his actions.
18
Knowledge,
the object of knowledge, and the knower are the three factors that motivate
action; the senses, the work and the doer are the three constituents of
action.
19
According
to the three different modes of material nature, there are three kinds
of knowledge, action and performer of action. Now hear of them from Me.
20
That knowledge
by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all living entities,
though they are divided into innumerable forms, you should understand to
be in the mode of goodness.
21
That knowledge
by which one sees that in every different body there is a different type
of living entity you should understand to be in the mode of passion.
22
And that knowledge
by which one is attached to one kind of work as the all in all, without
knowledge of the truth, and which is very meager, is said to be in the
mode of darkness.
23
That action
which is regulated and which is performed without attachment, without love
or hatred, and without desire for fruitive results is said to be in the
mode of goodness.
24
But action
performed with great effort by one seeking to gratify his desires, and
enacted from a sense of false ego, is called action in the mode of passion.
25
That action
performed in illusion, in disregard of scriptural injunctions, and without
concern for future bondage or for violence or distress caused to others
is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
26
One who performs
his duty without association with the modes of material nature, without
false ego, with great determination and enthusiasm, and without wavering
in success or failure is said to be a worker in the mode of goodness.
27
The worker
who is attached to work and the fruits of work, desiring to enjoy those
fruits, and who is greedy, always envious, impure, and moved by joy and
sorrow, is said to be in the mode of passion.
28
The worker
who is always engaged in work against the injunctions of the scripture,
who is materialistic, obstinate, cheating and expert in insulting others,
and who is lazy, always morose and procrastinating is said to be a worker
in the mode of ignorance.
29
O winner of
wealth, now please listen as I tell you in detail of the different kinds
of understanding and determination, according to the three modes of material
nature.
30
O son of Prtha,
that understanding by which one knows what ought to be done and what ought
not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what
is binding and what is liberating, is in the mode of goodness.
31
O son of Prtha,
that understanding which cannot distinguish between religion and irreligion,
between action that should be done and action that should not be done,
is in the mode of passion.
32
That understanding
which considers irreligion to be religion and religion to be irreligion,
under the spell of illusion and darkness, and strives always in the wrong
direction, O Partha, is in the mode of ignorance.
33
O son of Prtha,
that determination which is unbreakable, which is sustained with steadfastness
by yoga practice, and which thus controls the activities of the mind, life
and senses is determination in the mode of goodness.
34
But that determination
by which one holds fast to fruitive results in religion, economic development
and sense gratification is of the nature of passion, O Arjuna.
35
And that determination
which cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness and
illusion -- such unintelligent determination, O son of Prtha, is in the
mode of darkness.
36
O best of
the Bharatas, now please hear from Me about the three kinds of happiness
by which the conditioned soul enjoys, and by which he sometimes comes to
the end of all distress.
37
That which
in the beginning may be just like poison but at the end is just like nectar
and which awakens one to self-realization is said to be happiness in the
mode of goodness.
38
That happiness
which is derived from contact of the senses with their objects and which
appears like nectar at first but poison at the end is said to be of the
nature of passion.
39
And that happiness
which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion from beginning to
end and which arises from sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of
the nature of ignorance.
40
There is no
being existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary
systems, which is freed from these three modes born of material nature.
41
Brahmanas,
ksatriyas, vaishyas and sudras are distinguished by the qualities born
of their own natures in accordance with the material modes, O chastiser
of the enemy.
42
Peacefulness,
self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom
and religiousness -- these are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas
work.
43
Heroism, power,
determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership
are the natural qualities of work for the ksatriyas.
44
Farming, cow
protection and business are the natural work for the vaishyas, and for
the sudras there is labor and service to others.
45
By following
his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from
Me how this can be done.
46
By worship
of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading,
a man can attain perfection through performing his own work.
47
It is better
to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly,
than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly. Duties prescribed
according to one's nature are never affected by sinful reactions.
48
Every endeavor
is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one
should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even if
such work is full of fault.
49
One who is
self-controlled and unattached and who disregards all material enjoyments
can obtain, by practice of renunciation, the highest perfect stage of freedom
from reaction.
50
O son of Kunti,
learn from Me how one who has achieved this perfection can attain to the
supreme perfectional stage, Brahman, the stage of highest knowledge, by
acting in the way I shall now summarize.
51-53
Being purified
by his intelligence and controlling the mind with determination, giving
up the objects of sense gratification, being freed from attachment and
hatred, one who lives in a secluded place, who eats little, who controls
his body, mind and power of speech, who is always in trance and who is
detached, free from false ego, false strength, false pride, lust, anger,
and acceptance of material things, free from false proprietorship, and
peaceful -- such a person is certainly elevated to the position of self-realization.
54
One who is
thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and
becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He
is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains
pure devotional service unto Me.
55
One can understand
Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service.
And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter
into the kingdom of God.
56
Though engaged
in all kinds of activities, My pure devotee, under My protection, reaches
the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace.
57
In all activities
just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional
service, be fully conscious of Me.
58
If you become
conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life
by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act
through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.
59
If you do
not act according to My direction and do not fight, then you will be falsely
directed. By your nature, you will have to be engaged in warfare.
60
Under illusion
you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled
by the work born of your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of
Kunti.
61
The Supreme
Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings
of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material
energy.
62
O scion of
Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental
peace and the supreme and eternal abode.
63
Thus I have
explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this
fully, and then do what you wish to do.
64
Because you
are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the
most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your
benefit.
65
Always think
of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus
you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My
very dear friend.
66
Abandon all
varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from
all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
67
This confidential
knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted,
or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.
68
For one who
explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is
guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.
69
There is no
servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one
more dear.
70
And I declare
that he who studies this sacred conversation of ours worships Me by his
intelligence.
71
And one who
listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reactions
and attains to the auspicious planets where the pious dwell.
72
O son of Prtha,
O conqueror of wealth, have you heard this with an attentive mind? And
are your ignorance and illusions now dispelled?
73
Arjuna said:
My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained
my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared
to act according to Your instructions.
74
Sanjaya said:
Thus have I heard the conversation of two great souls, Krishna and Arjuna.
And so wonderful is that message that my hair is standing on end.
75
By the mercy
of Vyasa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the
master of all mysticism, Krishna, who was speaking personally to Arjuna.
76
O King, as
I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Krishna and
Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.
77
O King, as
I remember the wonderful form of Lord Krishna, I am struck with wonder
more and more, and I rejoice again and again.
78
Wherever there
is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the
supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary
power, and morality. That is my opinion.
Moksha-Sanyas Yog |