Moksha Sanyaas Yoga

Arjuna said: I want to understand the truth about renunciation, Krishna, and about relinquishment as well, each one separately.

Krishna said: The wise know renunciation to be the giving up of actions driven by desire. The discerning call the letting go of the fruits of all actions relinquishment.

Some wise ones say that action should be given up as an evil. Others say that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be given up.

Hear my firm conclusion about relinquishment, Arjuna. Relinquishment, indeed, has been declared to be of three kinds.

Acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be given up. They should be performed. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity purify the wise.

But even these actions should be done by giving up attachment and the fruits. This is my firm and final conviction, Arjuna.

Giving up an obligatory action is not proper. To abandon it out of delusion is called relinquishment rooted in tamas.

Whoever gives up an action merely because it is painful, out of fear of bodily strain, performs relinquishment rooted in rajas. He does not gain the fruit of relinquishment.

When an obligatory action is done simply because it ought to be done, Arjuna, giving up attachment and the fruit as well, that relinquishment is held to be rooted in sattva.

The one of relinquishment, filled with sattva, wise, and free of doubt, does not hate a disagreeable action, nor cling to an agreeable one.

The embodied self cannot give up actions entirely. But whoever gives up the fruits of action is called one of relinquishment.

The threefold fruit of action, the undesirable, the desirable, and the mixed, comes after death to those who do not relinquish. But it never comes to those who do.

Arjuna, learn from me these five causes for the accomplishment of all action, as taught in the Sankhya system where action comes to rest.

The seat of action, the agent, the various instruments, the many and distinct activities, and the divine as the fifth.

Whatever action a person performs with body, speech, or mind, whether right or wrong, these five are its causes.

This being so, anyone whose discernment is untrained and who sees the Self alone as the agent does not see truly. Such a person is wrong in mind.

One who is free of the sense of 'I am the doer', whose discernment is untainted, does not kill even when killing these people, and is not bound.

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower are the threefold prompting to action. The instrument, the act, and the doer are the threefold makeup of action.

Knowledge, action, and the doer are of three kinds, set apart by the gunas. So it is declared in the teaching on the gunas. Hear of these too, as they are.

The knowledge by which one sees a single, imperishable being in all beings, undivided within the divided: know that knowledge to be sattvic.

The knowledge that sees in all beings manifold separate entities, each kept apart: know that knowledge to be rajasic.

But the knowledge that clings to one thing as if it were the whole, without reason, not grounded in truth, and trivial: that is called tamasic.

The prescribed action that is done without attachment, free of liking and aversion, by one who does not seek its fruits: that is called sattvic.

But the action that is done with much strain by one who seeks to satisfy desires or is full of ego: that is called rajasic.

Action begun in delusion, with no regard for its consequences, the loss it brings, the injury it does, or one's own ability, is called action in the mode of darkness.

An agent free from attachment, free from ego, firm and full of zeal, unmoved by success and failure, is called an agent of goodness.

An agent who is attached, who craves the fruits of action, greedy, cruel by nature, impure, swept by joy and sorrow, is called an agent of passion.

An agent who is undisciplined, coarse, obstinate, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent, and given to delay is called an agent of darkness.

Now hear the threefold division of discernment and firmness by the modes, Arjuna, set out fully and one by one.

The discernment that knows action and withdrawal, what should be done and what should not, fear and fearlessness, bondage and freedom, that discernment, Arjuna, is of goodness.

The discernment that grasps dharma and adharma wrongly, and what should be done and what should not, that discernment, Arjuna, is of passion.

The discernment that, wrapped in darkness, takes adharma for dharma and sees all things upside down, that discernment, Arjuna, is of darkness.

The firmness that holds steady, unwavering through yoga, controlling the workings of the mind, the breath, and the senses, that firmness, Arjuna, is of goodness.

The firmness with which one clings to duty, pleasure, and wealth, out of attachment and craving their fruits, that firmness, Arjuna, is of passion.

The firmness by which a dull mind will not let go of sleep, fear, grief, despair, and conceit, that firmness, Arjuna, is of darkness.

Now hear from me the three kinds of happiness, Arjuna. There is the happiness one comes to enjoy through practice, in which one reaches the end of sorrow.

That which is like poison at first but like nectar in the end, born of the serenity of one's own discernment: that happiness is called sattvic.

That which arises from the contact of the senses with their objects, like nectar at first but like poison in the end: that happiness is called rajasic.

That which deludes the self both at the beginning and in the end, arising from sleep, laziness, and heedlessness: that happiness is called tamasic.

There is no being on earth, or among the gods in heaven, that is free from these three qualities born of nature.

The duties of the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras are divided according to the qualities born of their own nature.

Calm, self-control, austerity, purity, forbearance, and uprightness; knowledge, realization, and faith: these are the duties of the Brahmanas, born of their own nature.

Heroism, vigor, firmness, skill, not fleeing from battle, generosity, and leadership: these are the duties of the Kshatriyas, born of their own nature.

Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the duties of the Vaishyas, born of their own nature. Service is the duty of the Shudras, born of their own nature.

Devoted to one's own duty, a person attains perfection. Hear now how one attains perfection while devoted to one's own duty.

From whom all beings arise and by whom all this is pervaded: by worshipping Him through one's own duty, a person attains perfection.

One's own duty, done imperfectly, is better than another's duty done well. Performing the duty set by one's own nature, a person incurs no sin.

One should not give up the duty to which one is born, even though it is flawed. For all undertakings are clouded by flaws, as fire is by smoke.

One whose discernment is unattached to everything, who has mastered the self and is free of longing, attains through renunciation the supreme perfection: the state beyond all action.

Learn from me in brief, Arjuna, how one who has attained perfection reaches Brahman, the supreme consummation of knowledge.

Endowed with pure discernment, restraining the self with firmness, letting go of sense-objects beginning with sound, and casting aside attraction and aversion;

Keeping to solitude, eating lightly, with speech, body, and mind controlled, ever devoted to meditation, taking refuge in dispassion;

Having let go of egotism, force, pride, desire, anger, and possessiveness, free of the sense of mine and at peace, that person is fit to become Brahman.

Having become Brahman, serene in the Self, one neither grieves nor desires. The same toward all beings, that person attains supreme devotion to me.

Through devotion one comes to know me in truth, what and who I am. Then, knowing me truly, one enters into me at once.

Ever performing all actions, taking refuge in me, one attains by my grace the eternal, imperishable state.

Surrender all actions to me in your mind. Hold me as the supreme goal. Resort to the yoga of discernment, and keep your thought fixed on me always.

With your mind fixed on me, you will cross over all difficulties by my grace. But if out of egotism you will not listen, you will perish.

If, relying on egotism, you think "I will not fight," your resolve is in vain. Your nature will compel you.

Bound by your own duty, born of your nature, you will do helplessly, out of delusion, the very thing you do not wish to do.

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, Arjuna. By his power of illusion he causes all beings to revolve as if mounted on a machine.

Take refuge in him alone with your whole being, Arjuna. By his grace you will attain supreme peace and the eternal abode.

This knowledge I have explained to you, more secret than any secret. Reflect on it fully. Then act as you wish.

Hear again my supreme word, the most secret of all. You are dear to me, so I will tell you what is good for you.

Fix your mind on me. Be devoted to me. Worship me. Bow down to me. You will come to me alone. I promise you this truly, for you are dear to me.

Abandon all duties and take refuge in me alone. I will free you from all sins. Do not grieve.

Never speak this to one who lacks austerity, who is not devoted, who has no wish to listen, or who speaks ill of me.

Whoever, with supreme devotion to me, teaches this highest secret to my devotees will come to me alone. Of this there is no doubt.

No one among people serves me more dearly than he does. And no one else on earth will be dearer to me than him.

And whoever studies this sacred dialogue of ours worships me through the sacrifice of knowledge. This is my conviction.

And the person who simply listens to this with faith and without scorn, he too is freed and attains the blessed worlds of those who do virtuous deeds.

Have you listened to this with a focused mind, Arjuna? Has your delusion, born of ignorance, been dispelled?

Arjuna said: My delusion is gone. By your grace I have regained my memory. I stand firm, my doubts dispelled. I will do as you say.

Sanjaya said: So I heard this wondrous dialogue between Krishna and the great-souled Arjuna, which makes the hair stand on end.

By the grace of Vyasa I heard this supreme and secret Yoga, spoken in person by Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, himself.

O King, recalling again and again this wondrous, sacred dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, I rejoice over and over.

And recalling again and again that most wonderful form of Krishna, O King, I am struck with great wonder, and I rejoice over and over.

Where Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, is, and where Arjuna, the wielder of the bow, is, there is fortune, victory, prosperity, and unfailing right conduct. This is my conviction.