BHAGAVAD GITA

1) Arjuna said: O Mahabaho, Hrsikesa, Kesinisudana, I wish to
know the distinction between the principle of renunciation of
action and the principle of renunciation of the fruits of action.

2) The Supreme Lord said: According to the learned, the
abandonment of all materially desirable actions is called
renunciation (sannyasa), and the abandonment of the fruits of all
kinds of action (whether daily, incidental, or based on material
desire) is called detachment (tyaga).

3) Some scholars (of the Sankhya school) hold that action (on
account of its faults such as violence) should be renounced. Others
(of the Mimaμsaka school) hold that (scripturally enjoined) duties
based on sacrifice, charity, and austerity should never be
abandoned.

4) O Best of the Bharatas, now hear My perfect conclusion
regarding renunciation. O foremost among men, it has been
clearly defined that renunciation is of three types.

5) Duties based on sacrifice, charity, and austerity should never be
abandoned. Such duties must be performed, because they serve to
purify the hearts of the intelligent.

6) Moreover, O Partha, all these actions are to be performed as a
matter of duty, abandoning attachment and fruitive desire. Know
this to be My irrevocable, perfect, supreme conclusion.

7) Renunciation of one's daily duties is never desirable. To
abandon routine duties out of delusion is false renunciation, or
renunciation of the nature of ignorance.

8) One who abandon his routine duties out of fear of bodily
discomfort, considering them a cause of inconvenience, performs
renunciation of the nature of passion. Thus, he does not attain
(knowledge, which is) the fruit of genuine detachment.

9) O Arjuna, one who performs routine works as a matter of duty,
and abandons attachment and fruitive desire such a person
performs renunciation of the nature of goodness. This is My
opinion.

10) A sharply intelligent, renounced person who is endowed with
the nature of goodness, and who is free from all doubts, neither
resent troublesome duties, nor is he attached to those works which
bestow happiness.

11) Actually, it is impossible for the embodied soul to utterly
renounce all action. Therefore, one who is truly renounced is he
who renounces the fruits of his actions.

12) Persons who aspire for the fruits of their actions acquire three
types of rewards after death good, bad, and mixed. But a true
renunciate (sannyasi) never touches such fruits of action.

13) O mighty hero, in the scripture known as Sankhya, or
Vedanta, these five causes of the accomplishment of all actions
have been described, and you may now learn of these from Me.

14) (With the help of these five factors, all actions are effected:)
The body, ego (in the form of the knot of spirit and matter), the
separate senses, the different endeavors, and destiny, or the
intervention of the Supreme Universal Controller.

15) Whatever lawful or unlawful action a man performs with his
body, mind, or speech, is caused by these five elements.

16) Therefore, a wicked fellow who considers himself to be the
only performer of action can never perceive the actual situation,
due to his irrational conception.

17) He who is free from egotism (arising from aversion to the
Absolute), and whose intelligence is not implicated (in worldly
activities) even if he kills every living being in the whole world, he
does not kill at all, and neither does he suffer a murderer's
consequences.

18) Knowledge, the knowable, and the knower these three are the
impetus for action. The attempt, the work, and the performer
these three form the basis of action.

19) In the Sankhya scripture, knowledge, action, and the
performer have each been classified according to their (good,
passionate, or ignorant) natures. Now hear of these categories
from Me.

20) That knowledge by which one imperishable and undivided
divine principle (My superior divine potency) is seen to be present
in all the diverse living beings, is known as knowledge of the
nature of goodness.

21) In the world of the living beings, that knowledge by which one
experiences multifarious separate attempts (of conflicting nature,
due to individual separate interests) and many separate
(independent) conceptions of the truth such knowledge is known
to be of the nature of passion.

22) And that knowledge by which one becomes attracted to
trivialities (insignificant matters), considering them to be all in all
(ultimate), and which is irrational, devoid of scriptural
deliberation, and bigoted (like an animal's) that knowledge is
known to be of the nature of ignorance.

23) That action which is constantly executed by a detached person
who is indifferent to obsession and repulsion, is certainly action of
the nature of goodness.

24) And that action which is performed with tremendous
endeavor by an ambitious or egotistical person, is known as action
of the nature of passion.

25) And action of the nature of ignorance is that which, out of
illusion, is undertaken without consideration of its consequences,
its injurious effects, mischieviousness, and one ́s capability to
perform it.

26) A worker of the nature of goodness is one who is fully
detached, non-egotistic yet patient and enthusiastic, and
unaffected in the face of success or failure.

27) A worker of the nature of passion is said to be one obsessed, a
fruit-hunter, greedy, violent, engaged in unscriptural or
abominable practices, and dominated by elation and lamentation.

28) A worker of the nature of ignorance is one who is fickle-
minded, of gross mentality, pretentious, fraudulent, given to
insulting others, lazy, morose, and a proscrastinator.

29) O Dhananjaya, hear Me attentively, I shall clearly describe the
three different types of intelligence and de- termination, classified
according to the modes of nature.

30) O Partha, good intelligence is that by which the intrinsic
nature of (religious) inclination and (irreligious) disinclination,
duty and nonduty, fear and courage, as well as bondage and
liberty (and all such distinctions) can be perceived in reality.

31) O Partha, passionate intelligence is that by which the intrinsic
nature of religion, irreligion, duty, and nonduty can only be partly
ascertained.

32) Intelligence spoiled by ignorance is that deluded perception by
which irreligion is taken as religion, and everything is taken as its
opposite.

33) O Partha, determination of the nature of goodness is that one-
pointed determination which continuously controls the mind, the
vital life forces, the senses, and all their activities.

34) O Partha, O Arjuna, determination of the nature of passion is
that which, out of fruitive desire, always resorts to ritualistic
religion for the purpose of amassing wealth in the attempt to
fulfill mundane desires.

35) Determination of the nature of ignorance is that by which an
unintelligent person does not give up sleep, fear, lamentation,
dejection, and pride.

36-37) O Bharatarsabha, now hear from Me about three kinds of
happiness. That which by cultivation gives birth to delight while
causing the death of all miseries, which in the beginning troubles
one like poison but subsequently pleases one like nectar, and
which arises from pure self-knowledge that happiness is said to be
of the nature of goodness.

38) Happiness of the nature of passion is said to be that which is
born from the contact of the senses with their objects, and which
in the beginning is perceived as nectar, but subsequently realized
to be just like poison.

39) Happiness of the nature of ignorance is that which from
beginning to end produces delusion of the soul, and arises from
sleep, laziness, and negligence.

40) Either on Earth (among all life-forms, headed by the humans)
or in the heavenly plane among the celestial gods, no one and
nothing is liberated from these three modes which are born of
material nature.

41) O Parantapa, according to the modes (of goodness, passion,
and ignorance) which are born of their natures, all the duties of
the brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra sections are divided in
a projected manner (in graded classification).

42) Internal and external sense control, austerity, purity,
forbearance, straightforwardness, knowledge, realization, and
theism certainly these are all the natural duties of the brahmana
section.

43) Valor, zeal, endurance, expertise, courage in battle, charitable
disposition, and leadership certainly these are all the
characteristic actions of the ksatriya section.

44) Agriculture, tending to the cows, and trade are the natural
work for the vaisya section; and natural to the sudras is the
rendering of service to the brahmana, ksatriya, and vaisya
sections (giving assistance to their various works).

45) Self-knowledge is attained by a person who dedicates himself
to the appropriate action prescribed for his natural qualification.
Now hear from Me how he attains perfection in this way.

46) A man achieves perfection by the performance of the
appropriate duties prescribed for him according to his
qualification. By the execution of his duties, he worships the
Supreme Lord from whom the generation and impetus of all
beings arises, and who permeates and pervades this entire
universe (exercising His Supreme qualification of Lordship over
one and all).

47) Although there may be imperfections in their execution, it is
better to remain faithful to one's natural prescribed duties than to
perform another's duties immaculately. Sin is never incurred by a
man conforming to his natural duties.

48) O Kaunteya, despite imperfections in their execution, duties
prescribed according to one ́s nature should not be abandoned.
Verily, all action (karma) is (more or less) covered by
imperfections, as fire is covered by smoke.

49) His intelligence detached from all mundane objects, the self-
controlled and desireless person attains to the ultimate perfection
of cessation of reactionary work by abandoning the fruits of all his
actions.

50) O Kaunteya, now hear from Me in brief how the person who
has attained the perfection of cessation of all reactionary work
attains to the divine plane of the Absolute, the attainment of which
is the supreme goal of (divine self-perceptive) knowledge.

51-53) Endowed with intelligence of the nature of goodness,
mentally controlled with determination of the nature of goodness,
detached from the sense objects of sound, touch, form, taste, and
smell, free from obsession and repulsion, aloof to the association
of materialistic persons, a temperate eater, a controller of the
body, mind, and speech, constantly absorbed in thought of the
Supreme Lord, thoroughly detached from the mundane world;
non-egotistic, devoid of despotism, vanity, lust, anger, and the
acceptance of service from others such a person, devoid of all
sense of possessiveness and absorbed in divine tranquillity, is
certainly qualified to achieve divine self-perception.

54) The spotlessly purehearted and self-satisfied soul who has
attained to his conscious divine nature neither grieves nor craves
for anything. Seeing all beings equally (in the conception of My
supreme energy), he gradually achieves supreme devotion (prema-
bhakti) unto Me.

55) By the potency of that supreme devotion, he is able to
completely know My nature of Almighty Lordship and majesty
(aisvaryamaya-svarupa). Thereafter, acquiring the perception of
his divine relationship with Me, he enters into a group of My
intimate personal associates, whose nature is nondifferent from
Mine.

56) Although always active in the performance of all kinds of
duties, those who have taken exclusive refuge in Me attain to the
eternal plane of flourishing service, by My grace.

57) By the art of service connection, offering all your actions unto
Me with the understanding that I alone am the supreme goal, take
refuge in linking your intelligence with Me (becoming detached
from general duties) and thus be loyally devoted to Me always.

58) When you have devoted your heart to Me, you will be able to
surpass all kinds of formidable obstacles and adversities by My
grace. And if out of pride you do not hear My words, you will
surely reap ruination.

59) Out of pride you are thinking, 'I shall not fight', but such a
decision will surely be in vain because your nature (befitting a
ksatriya) will certainly compel you to engage in battle.

60) O Kaunteya, being compelled by the tendency of your nature,
that very duty which out of delusion you are now avoiding will be
(soon) inevitably executed by you.

61) O Arjuna, the indwelling Supreme Lord, by the potency of His
deluding energy, causes the living beings to wander hither and
thither (in many postures), as though each were merely a puppet
on strings, riding on a carousel. Verily, that Lord is dwelling
within the heart of all living beings.

62) O Bharata, surrender unto Him in all respects. By His grace
you will attain the supreme peace and the eternal abode.

63) I have now disclosed more and more hidden treasures to you.
Remember all this, and then do as you wish.

64) Now again hear My supreme teaching, the most hidden of all
hidden treasures. You are extremely dear to Me, and really, this is
why I am explaining this for your true benefit.

Commentary
65) Think of Me, serve Me, worship Me, offer your very self unto
Me, and surely you will reach Me. Sincerely, this is My promise to
you because you are My dear friend.

66) Totally abandoning all kinds of religion, surrender exclusively
unto Me. I will liberate you from all kinds of sins, so do not
despair. Commentary

67) You should never disclose this hidden treasure to the ease-
lover, the faithless, those who are averse to My service, or those
malicious persons who are envious of Me.

68) One who recounts the glories of this most hidden of all hidden
treasures to My devotees such a person, attaining supreme
devotion for Me, will reach Me without a doubt.

69) In human society there is no one who pleases Me by his actions
as does he (who preaches the glories of this Bhagavad-gita: the
Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute), and (in the future) there
will never be one more dear to Me in the whole world than he.

70) And one who regularly reads, contemplates, or sings with a
devoted heart this holy conversation between us, will thereby
effect My worship through the sacrifice of wisdom. Certainly this
is My opinion.

71) And the faithful and devout who simply hear this without
jealously will become liberated, and will attain to the auspicious
abodes befitting those endowed with the merit of supreme virtue
(sukrti).

72) O Partha, have you heard all this with singular alertness? O
Dhananjaya, has your darkness of delusion been dispelled?

73) Arjuna said: O infallible one, by Your grace my delusion has
been dispelled. I can now remember who I am, all my doubts have
gone, and I have become reposed in surrender unto You. Now I
shall follow Your order.

74) Sanjaya said: In this way I heard this amazing, ecstatic
conversation between the Supreme Soul Vasudeva and Arjuna.

75) By the mercy of Srila Vyasadeva I heard this most hidden
treasure which emanated directly from the holy lotus mouth of the
Supreme Lord of all mystic power, Lord Sri Krsna Himself.

76) O King, repeatedly remembering this incredible divine
conversation of Lord Sri Krsna and Arjuna, my heart rejoices,
over and over again.

77) O King, and now I repeatedly remember I marvel at that
amazing, tremendous universal form of the Supreme Lord Hari,
and my whole being thrills with emotion.

78) Wherever there is the Supreme Lord of all mystic power, Lord
Sri Krsna Himself, and wherever there is the conqueror of wealth
who carries the bow, Arjuna himself at that very place the
goddess of good fortune, at that very place the goddess of victory,
at that very place flourishing prosperity, and at that very place
supreme virtue prevails. Certainly that is my firm resolution.

INDEX

Chapter Seventeen

The Threefold Division of Faith

Sraddhatraya-vibhag-yoga

1) Arjuna inquired: O Krsna, what is the position of those who
perform worship with faith, but neglect the injunctions of the
scriptures? Is that considered to be in goodness, passion, or
ignorance?

2) The Supreme Lord said: Such faith is of three types, according
to an embodied soul's previously developed tendencies good,
passionate, or ignorant. Now please hear about this from Me.

3) O Bharata, all men have a particular type of faith according to
their individual mentalities. The very nature of the living being is
based on faith their internal and external nature is modeled
according to their faith. Therefore, their nature may be discerned
according to the manner of worship or reverence in which they
have faith.

4) Persons endowed with the nature of goodness worship the good-
natured demigods; persons of passionate nature worship the
passionate Yaksa demigods and cannibalistic Raksasa demons,
while those of ignorant faith worship the ghosts and the dead, in
the plane of darkness.

5-6) Proud and pretentious fools cause the derangement of the
body's natural elements and torment the indwelling soul, which is
My fragmental spiritual particle. Motivated by intense craving to
display their mental and bodily prowess, they perform
excruciating non-scriptural austerities. You should know them as
first-class confirmed demons.

7) According to the three modes of material nature, there are also
three preferences of food. In the same way, there are three kinds
of sacrifice, three kinds of austerity, and three kinds of charity.
Now hear of all these.

8) Edible or offerable foods which increase longevity, zeal,
strength, health, happiness and satisfaction, and which are
succulent, milky, wholesome, and attractive these are dear to
persons of the nature of goodness.

9) Edibles dear to persons of passionate nature are too bitter
(nimba, etc.), too sour, too salty, too hot, too pungent (chili
pepper, etc,) too dry (dry-roasted chick-peas, etc.), and too
heating (mustard seed, etc.). Such foods cause unhappiness,
distress, and disease.

10) Such food is dear to the ignorant: food which is cold, due to
being cooked more than three hours before; food which is
tasteless, exudes a bad odor, or was cooked the day before; the
remnants of others (with the exception of remnants left by one's
guru); and impure foodstuffs (such as meat, wine, and onions).

11) Sacrifice of the nature of goodness is in accordance with
scriptural injunctions, and performed with a resolute sense of
duty by a person devoid of fruitive desire.

12) But, O Bharata, know that sacrifice which is performed in
fruitive expectation and merely as a display of pomp and
grandeur, to be sacrifice of the nature of passion.

13) And that sacrifice which ignores the injunctions of the
scriptures, which is performed without the distribution of gifts
such as foodstuffs, without uttering the appropriate mantras,
without presentations to the guru, and without faith, is known as
sacrifice in ignorance.

14) Worship of the deity, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and
the enlightened soul, as well as cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy,
and nonviolence these all constitute austerity of the body.

15) Speech which does not disturb others, which is truthful,
pleasing yet beneficial, as well as regular recitation of the Vedas
all these are known as verbal austerity.

16) Self-satisfaction, graceful gravity, firmness, self-control, and
purification of consciousness are all known as mental austerity.
17) When performed by a desireless, devout soul with sublime
faith in the Supreme Lord, this threefold austerity is of the nature
of goodness.

18) That unenduring and uncertain austerity which is proudly
performed just for the sake of gain, worship, and name and fame,
is known as austerity of the nature of passion.

19) That austerity which is performed with foolish and injudicious
preoccupation, causing self-torture or meant to harm others, is
known as austerity of the nature of ignorance.

20) Charity given without expectation of return, as a matter of
duty, with due consideration of place, time, and recipient, is
considered to be of the nature of goodness.

21) Otherwise, charity given with an agitated mentality, in
anticipation of receiving something in return, or with a desire of
gaining entry into the heavenly plane, is known as charity of the
nature of passion.

22) Charity given disrespectfully and scornfully to an unworthy
recipient at an improper place and time is known as charity of the
nature of ignorance.

23) The phrase 'Om Tat Sat' is mentioned in the scriptures as
indicative of Parabrahman, the Supreme Spirit. At the time of
universal creation, the brahmaas, the Vedas, and sacrifices were
ordained by this threefold combination.

24) For this reason, the followers of the Vedas always begin the
performance of their scripturally enjoined duties based on
sacrifice, charity, and austerity, by uttering the vibration 'Om',
which represents Brahman, the Absolute.

25) Vibrating the word 'Tat', which also represents Brahman, the
Absolute, and rejecting the desire for the fruits of their actions,
the liberation-seekers conduct the performance of different kinds
of sacrifices and austerities, and execute the duty of giving charity.

26) O Partha, the word 'Sat' indicates the truth, as well as persons
who are dedicated servants of truth. It is also applied in the
performance of auspicious activities.

27) The word 'Sat' is employed to indicate both the eternality of
the object of sacrifice, austerity, and charity, as well as duty
performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.

28) O Partha, sacrifice, charity, and austerity, or any duty
performed without faith in the supreme objective, is known as
'asat', or depraved. Such works can never bestow an auspicious
result, either in this world or the next.

INDEX

Chapter Sixteen

The Godly and Ungodly Temperaments

Daivasura-sampad-vibhaga-yoga

1-3) The Supreme Lord said: O Bharata, all these qualities
appear in a man endowed with a virtuous and godly nature
fearlessness, gracious-heartedness, absorption in self-knowledge,
charity, control of the external senses, sacrifice, study of the
Vedas, austerity, sincerity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom
from anger, detachment from the mundane, tranquillity,
disinclination to see other's faults, compassion for others, freedom
from greed, gentleness, modesty, steadfastness, vigor, forgiveness,
patience, cleanliness, nonenviousness, and freedom from egotism.

4) O Partha, these perverted qualities are found in a man of
demoniac mentality: pride, conceit, egotism, anger, mercilessness,
and injudiciousness.

5) The godly and virtuous qualities have been described as the
cause of liberation, and the demoniac qualities have been
described as the cause of certain bondage. O Pandava, you need
not worry, for your nature is godly and virtuous from birth.

6) O Partha, the living beings in this world are seen to be of two
natures godly and demoniac. I have already elaborately described
the godly nature to you, so now hear from Me about the demoniac
nature.

7) The demoniac nature cannot understand religious inclination
or irrelgious disclination. Not a trace of purity, good practices, or
truthfulness can be found in them.

8) The persons of demoniac nature say that the universe is nothing
more than imaginary, baseless, godless, and born of their mutual
cohabitation. They conclude that the whole world was created
simply for lust.

9) Supporting such a conception, the demons, who are less
intelligent bereft of self-knowledge, and the embodiment of
ghastly deeds and inauspiciousness, become powerful simply for
the purpose of world annihilation.

10) Resorting to insatiable lusty desires, totally infatuated and
preoccupied in sensual pursuits, such demons, in a mad frenzy of
arrogance and pride engage in ghastly malpractices.

11-12) Up until their last breath they remain stricken with
unlimited fears and anxieties. They are convinced that
gratification of their lust is the ultimate pursuit. Ensnared by
hundreds of multifarious desires and overcome with lust and
anger, they go on trying to amass wealth unlawfully just for the
purpose of sense gratification.

13) The demoniac persons say, "Today I got what I wanted, and
tomorrow I will get what I want. This is all my wealth, and in the
future, more and more will be mine."

14) "I have killed one enemy, and I will kill others. I am the lord
of all I survey, I am the enjoyer, I am successful, powerful and
happy."

15-16) "What can match my wealth and aristocracy? I shall
perform sacrifice and give charity to the needy, and I shall
thereby enjoy." Deluded by ignorance, filled with anxiety,
victimized by allurements, and addicted to sense enjoyment, those
demoniac persons are doomed to detestable hells such as
Vaitarani.

17) Always conceited, impertinent, and intoxicated by wealth and
grandeur, all these demons (make a great show to) perform non-
scriptural pseudo-sacrifices.

18) Steeped in egotism, mad with power, and carried away by lust
and anger, utterly despising Me who am situated in their own and
others' bodies as the Supersoul, they ascribe faults to all the good
qualities (of the true saints).

19) Because those demons are envious, cruel, evil, and decadent, I
continually cast them asunder to revolve in the cycle of birth and
death, in the wombs of despicable demoniac species.

20) O Kaunteya, repeatedly taking birth in the demoniac species,
these fools cannot come to Me, the embodiment of the Divinity.
Thus, they descend lower and lower to the most vile and degraded
condition of life.

21) The three suicidal gates leading to hell are lust, anger, and
greed. Therefore, they must be completely abandoned.

22) O Kaunteya, one who is actually liberated from these three
gateways to hell, acts for his best self-interest. Thus, he attains to
the supreme destination.

23) A person who transgresses the injunctions of the scriptures
and behaves whimsically can never attain perfection, happiness,
or the supreme destination.

24) Therefore, the scriptural injunctions concerning duty and
nonduty are your only precedent. Having understood the
scriptural command in this plane of action that is, to act
exclusively for the Lord's pleasure it behooves you to now apply
these teachings practically.

INDEX

Chapter Fifteen

The Supreme Person

Purusottama-yoga

1) The Supreme Lord said: The holy scriptures proclaim that this
material world is like an unchangeable Banyan tree with its roots
facing upwards and its branches down, known as an Asvattha
(transitory) tree. Its nutriments are the Vedic aphorisms, which
are represented by its leaves. Whoever knows this tree in this way
is a genuine knower of the Vedas.

Commentary: The purport of the statement that the tree of this
mundane world has its roots facing upwards, is that the root cause of
the creation is to be found in the supreme, uppermost holy abode.
Thus, it emanates from and subsequently away from the Supreme
Lord. The statement that its branches face downwards indicates that
due to the reactions of exploitative actions, progressively lower and
lower births from the animals down to the most degraded species
branch out from this tree. Therefore, the Banyan tree of this temporal
world is known as 'Asvattha', which means 'ephemeral', or 'that which
does not remain until tomorrow'. However, it is eternal in the sense
that it constantly appears by virtue of the flow of causal and effectual
current. That the leaves of the tree represent the world-sustaining
section of the Vedas known as karma-kanda, means that inasmuch as
the leaves of a tree nourish and beautify it, this section of the Vedas
similarly nourishes the world, causing it to expand and flourish. In
conclusion, although this mundane world evolves from the eternal
deluding potency of the Lord (maya), it is perishable; and although it
is nourished by the fruitive section of the Vedas (karma-kanda), it is
enlightened by means of the indirect, veiled statements (paroksa-vada)
of the Vedas. One who knows the purport of the Vedas in this way is a
genuine knower of their essence.
It is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.3.43-46)
karmakarma vikarmeti, veda-vado na laukikah
vedasya cesvaratmatvat, tatra muhyanti surayah
parosa-vado vedo 'yam, balanam anusasanam
karma-moksay karmani, vidhatte hy agadam yatha
nacared yas tu vedoktaμ, svayam ajno 'jitendriyah
vikarmana hy adharmena, mrtyor mrtyum upaiti sah
vedoktam eva kurvano, nihsango 'rpitam isvare
naiskarmam labhate siddhim, rocanartha phala srutih
"The conceptions of action, inaction, and prohibited action are
delineated in the Vedas. Because the Vedas are the embodiment of the
Supreme Lord, even great scholars are bewildered in determining their
purport. The Vedic purport is presented in an indirect, veiled manner,
in order to instruct undisciplined, childishly foolish persons. As a
father entices a sick child to take medicine by displaying sweetmeats,
the scriptures similarly display the heavenly fruits of pious action,
with the underlying purpose of effecting cessation of mundane
action."

2) Some of its branches extend upwards (in the planets of the
demigods and celestial beings), some of the branches extend
downwards (in the planets of the humans, animals, and lower
species), and its mature (three modes of) nature and aim and
object (of sound, smell, touch, taste, and form) are its fresh, young
shoots. Some aerial roots also extend downwards, to take root in
the land of exploitation, within the human plane.

Commentary: Within the overall manifestation of this 'perishable yet
constant' material world, some of the living beings, nourished by the
modes of goodness, are wandering throughout the upper planetary
system, having become enveloped by the egoistic conception of gods
and celestial beings. Others, influenced by the modes of passion and
ignorance, are wandering throughout the planets of the humans,
animals, trees, and other lower species, having become enveloped by
the egoistic conceptions of such species. The sense objects sound,
smell, touch, taste, and form are represented by the new shoots of the
branches of the tree of this material world, since they are merely
transformations of the five unmixed primary elements
(pancatanmatra) which evolve from the egoistic conception of the
living beings of this plane.
Furthermore, although the principal root is situated upwards (inverted,
and in aversion to the Supreme Lord), some of the subsequent down-
going aerial roots of the Banyan tree remain rooted in the soil of the
human plane of the land of exploitation. This indicates that the attempt
to enjoy the fruits of one's action within human life the exploitative
mentality of separate interest is supplying the nourishing sap in the
form of a separate, secondary cause of the tree of this material world.

3-4) In the human plane, that inverted form of the Banyan tree
representing this material world cannot be known, and its origin,
end, and foundation cannot be perceived (except by the means of
Vedic knowledge). From the association of true saints, one
acquires the sharp axe of intense detachment from the mundane.
Using this weapon to chop down that illusory Banyan tree (of
one's own mundane existence) which is stubbornly rooted in
aversion to the Supreme Lord, one attains to the plane of no
return, which is none other than the lotus-feet of the Lord. Then,
by the method of exclusive, uninterrupted devotion, one should
approach for shelter the holy lotus feet of the Supreme Lord
Visnu, and pray, "I am now surrendering unto that Original
Person, the Supreme Lord of all, from whose deluding potency
(maya) this perpetual tree of the material world has emanated and
expanded."

5) Devoid of vanity and delusion, aloof to unholy company,
dedicated to realization of the eternal self, free from lusty desire,
liberated from the joys and sorrows of duality, and liberated from
ignorance, those surrendered souls reach the supreme destination.

6) My supreme holy abode is that place which the surrendered
souls reach, never to return again. Neither sun, nor moon, nor fire
nothing can illuminate that all-illumi- nating supreme abode.

7) The soul is a part of Me (as My separate fragmental particle or
potency). Although he is eternal, he acquires the mind and five
perceptual senses, which are parts of material nature (as creations
of maya, My deluding potency).

8) The soul (jiva) is the proprietor of the body and its
paraphernalia. When he departs from the body, he carries all
these senses to enter into another body, just as the air carries the
fragrance of a flower.

9) Adopting the fleshy ear, eye, skin, tongue, and nose, and also
accepting the subtle mind, this soul exploits the sense objects
sound, form, touch, taste, and smell.

10) Foolish men cannot perceive anything of the soul's departure
from the body, residence within the body, or his exploitation of
sensual objects. However, those endowed with eyes of wisdom are
able to observe the entire operation.

11) Even some assiduous yogis can actually see the soul present
within the body. But foolish persons of impure heart can never see
the soul, despite their endeavors.

12) That effulgence which emanated from the sun and illuminates
the whole universe, and which is present within the moon and
within fire you should surely know that to arise from My personal
effulgence.

13) Appearing within the soil of the Earth, I maintain all beings
by My potency; and in the form of the nectarean moon, I nourish
all the crops (such as rice and barley).

14) Entering into the body of the living being as the power of
digestion, I digest the four types of eatables (chewed, sucked,
licked, and drunk), by the agency of the ascending and descending
vital airs.

15) I am situated (as the Supersoul) within the heart of all souls,
and from Me arises the soul's remembrance, knowledge, and the
dissipation of both (according to his karma, or action in the
mundane plane). I am the exclusive knowable (ecstatic) principle
of all the Vedas. I am the author of the Vedanta Vedavyasa, the
expounder of the knowable meaning of the Vedas. And certainly I
am the knower of the purport of the Vedas.

16) In this world, there are two kinds of souls: the fallible and the
infallible. All being from Lord Brahma down to the lowest
stationary life-forms are known as fallible (as they have deviated
from their intrinsic nature). But the personalities who are
eternally situated in their divine nature are known as infallible
(personal associates of the Lord).

17) But totally distinct from both these types of souls, there is a
Supreme Person who is known as Paramatma, the Supersoul. He
is the Supreme Lord. Entering into the three worlds in His eternal
form, He maintains all beings in the universe.

18) Because I am transcendental to the fallible souls and also
superior to My infallible eternal associates, My glories are sung in
the world and in the scriptures as Purusottama, the Supreme
Person.

19) O Bharata, one who unmistakably knows Me in My eternal,
all-conscious, ecstatic form as that Supreme Person, is the perfect
knower of full-fledged theism, and he worships Me in all respects
(in the devotional flavors of peacefulness, servitorship, friendship,
parenthood, and consorthood).

20) O purehearted Arjuna, I have thus explained to you this most
hidden treasure of all the scriptures. O Bharata, embracing this
nectar in the core of their hearts, the virtuous souls revel in the
perfection of supreme success.

INDEX

Chapter Fourteen

The Three Modes of Material Nature

Gunatraya-vibhaga-yoga

1) The Supreme Lord said: I shall now again describe to you that
supreme wisdom, knowing which all the sages attained the
supreme perfection beyond this mundane plane.

2) By taking refuge in this knowledge, the soul attains a nature
(predominantly) similar to Mine. Then he is neither born at the
time of universal creation, nor does he experience the pangs of
death at the time of universal annihilation.

3) O Bharata, material nature, known as pradhana, is the womb
into which I cast the seed (in the form of the individual soul which
is born of the marginal potency). From that place, all beings
headed by Lord Brahma are generated.

4) O Kaunteya, Brahman personified as mother nature is the
progenitress of all the various bodies born within all species of life,
headed by demigods and humans and I (as the causal
consciousness) am the seed-giving father.

5) O mighty hero, Arjuna, these three material modes of nature
goodness, passion, and ignorance which are manifest from
material nature, cause the unchangable, embodied spirit soul to be
enslaved by mundane sentiments based on happiness,
unhappiness, and delusion.

6) O sinless one, due to its comparatively purer nature among
these three material modes, the mode of goodness is an
illuminator of the nature of things and is of a peaceful nature. It
enslaves the spirit by attachment to happiness and knowledge.

7) O son of Kunti, you should know the mode of passion to be the
embodiment of obsessions for sensual enjoyment. The origin of
covetousness and infatuation, it enslaves the soul by attachment to
action.

8) And, O Bharata, you should know that the mode of ignorance is
born from darkness, and is the deluder of all beings. That mode of
ignorance captivates the embodied by carelessness, laziness, and
slumber.

9) O Arjuna, goodness conditions the soul to happiness, and
passion conditions him to action. But the mode of ignorance,
covering the living being's knowledge, conditions him to
indolence, slothfulness, and slumber.

10) O Bharata, goodness overcomes passion and ignorance,
passion overcomes goodness and ignorance, and ignorance
overcomes goodness and passion. Each mode in turn conquers the
others in an unending battle for supremacy.

11) When cognizance of the factual nature of the sense objects
abundantly appears within the perceptual senses of this body, you
should surely know this to be the characteristic development of
the mode of goodness. This will be recognized by the
aforementioned symptom of happiness.

12) O Arjuna, most noble of the Bharata dynasty, know that
greed, overexertion, ambitious attempts, incessant sensual
pleasure, and desire are born when the mode of passion develops
in a person.

13) O Kurunandana, with the influence of the mode of ignorance,
all the symptoms of injudiciousness, despondency, indolence, and
falsehood become manifest.

14) If any soul succumbs to the jaws of death at a time when
predominantly the mode of goodness influences him, he goes to
the pure planets of the worshipers of Hiranyagarbha (Brahma)
and other gods.

15) When a person dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth in
the karmi society of men addicted to fruitive work. If one dies in
the mode of ignorance, he takes birth amongst the animal or other
grossly ignorant species.

16) It is proclaimed by the learned that good works bestow a
result of peace and happiness, passionate works result in misery,
and ignorant works result in darkness or deathliness.

17) From the mode of goodness, knowledge arises; from the mode
of passion, greed arises; and from the mode of ignorance, insanity,
delusion, and foolishness ensue.

18) Persons in the mode of goodness ascend (up to Satyaloka),
those in the mode of passion remain in the middle (in human
society), and abominable fellows of ignorant nature fall down to
the lower planes (of hellish suffering).

19) When a person perceives that apart from the three modes of
nature there is no other cause of action in this modal world, and
when he can know the Lord of the three modes, who is
transcendental to them, he becomes divinely inspired with love for
Me.

20) When the soul transcends these three modes of material
nature from which the body is produced, and becomes absolutely
liberated from birth, death, old age, and misery, he then tastes the
ambrosia of divine love unalloyed by the modes of nature.

21) Arjuna said: O Lord, (1) by which symptoms can a person
transcendental to these three modes of material nature be
identified? (2) How does he behave, and (3) how does he transcend
the modes?

22-25) The Supreme Lord replied: O Pandava, (1) one who
neither resents the appearance of revelation (the effect of the
mode of goodness), activation (the effect of the mode of passion),
and stupefaction (the effect of the mode of ignorance), nor
hankers for their cessation; (2) who remains perfectly poised,
being situated indifferently and unperturbed by the modal effects
(based on happiness and unhappiness), remembering, 'The modes
are engaging (with their respective objects)'; who is equally
disposed to joy and sorrow; who is situated in continuous self-
perception; who sees a lump of earth, a rock, or a piece of gold
with the vision of equality; who is equipoised upon receiving
either desirable or undesirable things; who is intelligent, and
remains situated in equilibrium in the face of abuse or praise,
honor or dishonor; who sees alike both friend and foe; and who is
completely aloof to all causes of obsession and abnegation
certainly such a person is to be known as having transcended the
three modes of material nature.

26) (3) A person who renders service exclusively unto Me (in My
form of Syamasundara) by the path of pure devotion
(unadulterated by all spurious attempts based on exploitation or
renunciation), absolutely transcends these three modes of material
nature. He thus becomes qualified for the cognizance of his
internal divine identity.

27) I alone am the original mainstay of the undivided divine
vitality, the inexhaustible nectar, the timeless pastimes, and the
sweetness of the ambrosia of profound love divine.

INDEX

Chapter Thirteen

The Predominated and the Predominator

Prakrti-purusa-viveka-yoga

1) Arjuna said: O Kesava, I would like to know the principles of
the predominated, the predominator, the sphere of action, the
knower of that sphere, knowledge, and the knowable.

2) The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, this (gross and subtle or
physical and mental) body is known as the sphere of action, or
ksetra. The conscious entity (the soul) who experiences the
existence of this body is described by seers of the truth as the
knower of the sphere of action, or ksetra-jna.

3) O Bharata, you should also know Me as the knower of all
spheres of action (as the Supersoul situated within the heart of all
living beings). Such fundamental and essential knowledge of the
sphere of action and the knowers of that sphere (knowledge of the
mundane, the soul, and the Supersoul) is considered by Me to be
actual knowledge.

4) Now hear from Me a summary of the substance and nature of
this sphere of action, and in which way it is produced. Also hear of
the fundamental form and potency of the knower of the sphere of
action.

5) That fundamental principle of the sphere of action and its
knower has been variously described in many, many ways by the
Rsis, the different Vedic aphorisms, as well as the aphorisms of
the Vedanta-sutra scripture, which is replete with sound logic and
irrefutable conclusions.

6-7) The five major elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether),
the personality component of ego, the element of intellect, the
primordial element of material nature, the five perceptual senses
(eye, tongue, tactile sense, nose, and ear), the five senses of action
(voice, hands, legs, anus, and genital), the internal sense (mind),
the five acceptable objects of the senses (form, taste, touch, smell,
and sound), desire, hatred, happiness, unhappiness, the body, the
perceptual faculty of the mind, patience, and the six material
transformations of birth, sustenance, growth, maturity, decline,
and destruction summarily, all these are known as k,etra, the
sphere of action.

8-12) Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, honesty,
service to the guru, purity, stability, self-control, detachment from
sensual delights, absence of egotism, an objective view of the
miserable defects of material life, that is, birth, death, the
infirmity of old age, disease, etc., freedom from infatuation with
wife, son, home, etc., nonabsorption in the happiness and
unhappiness of others, constant equal-mindedness in the contact
of desirable or undesirable objects, unfaltering and unadulterated
devotion to Me, preference for solitude, indifference to mundane
socializing, perception of the eternality of self-knowledge, and
realization of the goal of divine knowledge certainly all these have
been declared as actual knowledge, and everything apart from
this is ignorance.

13) Now I shall describe jneya, the knowable, knowing which the
ambrosial taste of internal self-satisfaction can be realized. That
element principle is delineated as Brahman. It is beginningless
and eternal. Subordinate to Me, it is indescribable in terms of
mundane cause and effect.

14) That superior principle presides over all directions, and
pervades everything in the universe with His hands, legs, eyes,
heads, faces, and ears everywhere (as Paramatma, the Supersoul).

15) Although that supreme principle is the illuminator of all the
senses and their objects, He is devoid of material senses; although
completely aloof, He is the maintainer of all (in the form of Lord
Visnu); and although transcendental to the three modes of
material nature, He is servable by that modal nature.

16) Present within and without all beings, the supreme principle is
the entirety of moving and stationary beings (as energetic
transformation). Imperceptible to material science due to being
subtle to the extreme, He is the most intimate, yet the most
distant.

17) Although one indivisible element, He is situated as divided
among all living beings. Although situated as an individual
personality along with each and every soul, He is the indwelling
monitor of all beings the singular, indivisible, omnipresent,
aggregate Supreme Lord. He (in the form of Lord Narayana) is
known as the maintainer, annihilator, and creator of all beings.

18) He is known as the illuminator of even the luminaries. He is
known as the unmanifest, beyond even the darkness. He alone is
the fundamental principle of knowledge and the knowable, and
He is knowable by the aforementioned practices defined as
knowledge. He remains situated within everyone's heart as the
Supersoul, Paramatma.

19 Thus, the principles of the sphere of action, knowledge, and the
knowable (ksetra, jnana, and jneya) have been summarily
described by Me. (The knowable has been delineated as Brahman,
Paramatma, and Bhagavan.) Thoroughly understanding these
truths, My devotees attain to bhavamaya-bhajana they adore Me
with all their hearts (having become freed from the color of all
designations).

20) You should certainly know material nature and the soul as
beginningless; and all bodily, sensual, mental, intellectual, or
egoistic transformations, as well as the consequences of the action
of the material modes based on happiness, unhappiness,
lamentation, and delusion to be born of material nature.

21) Material nature has been delineated as responsible for the
cause as the domineering force of the senses, and the effect as the
material body; and the (conditioned) soul himself is known to be
responsible for his accrued happiness and unhappiness.

22) Only due to being bewitched by material nature (prakrti) does
the person (purusa) accrue the various joys and sorrows of that
nature. His infatuation with material qualities is the sole cause of
his taking repeated births in the wombs of higher and lower
species of life.

23) Within this same body (distinct from the soul) the Supreme
Person or Parama Purusa is present as the soul's intimate witness,
sanctioner, supporter, guardian, and Lord. He is known as the
Supersoul.

24) One who thus understands these truths regarding the modal
material nature, the predominated soul, and the predominating
Supersoul such a person will not take birth again, regardless of his
material situation.

25-26) Some persons directly perceive the Supersoul situated
within their hearts by dint of their perfect, pure divine realization.
Some perceive Him by discrimination of spirit and matter, and
some by meditational yoga or by the yoga path of selfless action.
Further, there are those who, not knowing any of these methods,
engage in worship after hearing instruction from authorities.
When their faith has deepened, by that hearing they certainly
surpass this material world of deathly suffering.

27) O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, whatever is born in the world,
whether moving or stationary, know it to be born from the
combination of the sphere of action and its knower.

28) One who sees the Supreme Lord (in the form of the Supersoul)
situated equally within all species from Lord Brahma down to the
immobile life-forms, and who sees the Lord's imperishable nature
remaining within the perishable such a person actually sees.

29) One who thus perceives the impartial and full-fledged
almighty dominion does not degrade himself with wickedness he
progresses toward the supreme destination.

30) One who sees that all action is performed by material nature
(in the form of body, senses, and allied paraphernalia), actually
sees himself, pure spirit soul, as the nondoer. He perceives that the
pure spirit soul has no mundane nature or practice whatsoever.

31) When a truly perceptive person can understand that the
differentiation of the various species of life occurs only within
material nature (or bodily distinction), and that all are again
expanded from the same nature (at the time of universal creation)
then he experiences Brahman realization by seeing equally all
knowers of the sphere of action (within the relativity of nature).

32) O Arjuna, since the Supersoul is by nature beginningless,
transcendental, and eternally perfect, although He is situated in
the body (along with the soul), He neither performs any action nor
does He become implicated by the nature of the sphere of action
(as the conditioned soul does).

33) As ether is situated everywhere (such as in mud) and yet due
to its subtle nature does not mix with anything, similarly, although
pervading the entire body, the discriminating soul does not mingle
with the nature of the body.

34) O Bharata, as one sun illuminates the entire universe so does
the knower of the sphere of action, the Supersoul, illuminate the
whole universe (and the souls within it); and so does the knower of
the sphere of action, the soul, illuminate the entire body.

35) Those who, by the vision of knowledge, can distinguish
between the sphere of action and its two knowers, and who can
thus know the path of liberation of the soul from matter such
persons attain to the transcendental atmosphere.

INDEX