Arjuna said (to Sri Krishna): O Hrishikesha, O Mighty-Armed, O Slayer of (the demon) Keshi! I desire to know the true meaning of sannyasa (renunciation) and also of tyaga (relinquishment), and the distinction between them.
The Blessed Lord said: Sages call “sannyasa” the renunciation of all actions done with desire. The wise declare that “tyaga” is the renunciation of the fruits of activities.
Some philosophers say that all work should be forsaken as full of taint. Others declare that the activities of yajna (holy fire rite), dana (philanthropy), and tapas (self-discipline) ought not to be abandoned.
Consequently, understand from Me the ultimate truth about renunciation, O Best of the Bharatas (Arjuna). For renunciation has been spoken of as consisting of three kinds, O Tiger among Men.
The action involved in yajna, dana, and tapas verily ought to be performed, and should not be forsaken, for the holy fire rite, philanthropy, and self-discipline sanctify the wise.
But even these activities ought to be performed, O Partha (Arjuna), forsaking attachment to them and the desire for their fruits. This is My supreme and sure conviction.
The relinquishment of dutiful action is improper. Renunciation of such action through delusion is spoken of as tamasic (evil).
He who relinquishes action as being intrinsically difficult, for fear of painful trouble to the body, is performing rajasic renunciation. He is unable to attain the reward of renunciation.
O Arjuna, when dutiful action is performed solely because it should be done, forsaking attachment to it and its fruit, that renunciation is considered sattvic.
The renunciant absorbed in sattva, with a calm understanding, free from doubts, neither abhors unpleasant action nor delights in a pleasant one.
It is truly impossible for an embodied being to abandon actions completely, but he who relinquishes the fruit of action is called a renunciant.
The triune fruit of action—good, harmful, and mixed—springs up in nonrenunciants after their demise, but in renunciants never.
O Mighty-armed (Arjuna), learn from Me the five causes for the performance of all action, which are chronicled in the highest wisdom (Sankhya) wherein all action terminates.
The human body; the pseudoagent there; the manifold instrumentality (senses, mind, and intelligence); the various divergent functions; and, lastly, the fifth of these, the presiding deity, destiny:
These five are the causes of all actions—either right or wrong—performed by man through his body, speech, and mind.
This being the case, whoever of perverted consciousness views through a nonclarified understanding the Self as the exclusive disposer of action, he sees not.
He who is above the obsession of egoism, whose intelligence is unadulterated, though he slay these people (ready for battle at Kurukshetra), he slays not; neither is he bound by such act.
The knower, the knowledge, and the known constitute the triune stimulus to action. The agent, the instrument, and the activity are the threefold basis of action.
Knowledge, action, and agent in the Sankhya philosophy are described as being of but three kinds, according to the distinction of the three gunas. Please hear duly about these also.
O Arjuna, understand that knowledge to be sattvic by which the one indestructible Spirit is perceived in all beings, undivided in the divided.
But that knowledge which perceives in the aggregate world of beings manifold entities of different varieties, distinct from one another—understand that knowledge to be rajasic.
And that knowledge which concentrates on a single effect as if it were the whole, disregarding motive, lacking conformance with the principles of truth—trivial and easy—is declared to be tamasic.
That action which is divinely directed, which is performed in a state of complete nonattachment, without attraction or repulsion and without desiring the fruits of action, is said to be sattvic.
Action that is inspired by longing for satisfaction of desires, or performed with egotism and colossal effort, is said to be rajasic.
Tamasic action is that which is instituted through delusion, without measuring on e’s ability, and disregarding the consequences—loss to oneself of health, wealth, and influence; and harm to others.
That agent who is without egotism or attachment, untouched by fulfillment or unfulfillment, and endowed with courage and zeal, is called sattvic.
That instrument of action, or agent, who is full of attachment, full of longing for the fruits of action, full of greed, impurity, and ruthless propensities; who becomes easily jubilant or depressed, is called rajasic.
An agent who is oscillating in body and mind, conscienceless, arrogant, unscrupulous, malicious, slothful, grieving, and procrastinating is tamasic.
O Winner of Wealth (Arjuna), I will explain, separately and exhaustively, the threefold distinctions of intelligence and fortitude according to the gunas. Please listen.
That intellect is sattvic, O Partha (Arjuna), which correctly understands the paths of desireful action and renunciation, undutiful and dutiful actions, as the causes of apprehension and fearlessness, bondage and salvation.
O Partha (Arjuna), that intellect is rajasic by which one perceives in a grossly distorted manner righteousness (dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma), dutiful action and undutiful action.
O Partha (Arjuna), that intellect is tamasic which, being enveloped in gloom, considers irreligion as religion, and looks upon all things in a perverted way.
The resolute constancy by which one regulates the functions of the mind, prana, and senses—by restraining their prostitution (wayward oscillation) through yoga practice—that fortitude (dhriti) is sattvic, O Partha (Arjuna).
The resolute inner patience that causes one to regulate his mind to dharma (religious duty), desire, and riches—while longing for the fruits thereof, because of attachment—that, O Partha (Arjuna), is rajasic-dhriti.
That by which a stupid man does not forsake over-sleep, fear, sorrow, despair, and wanton conceit, O Partha (Arjuna), is tamasic-dhriti.
O Stubborn Bull of Realization 6 (Arjuna)! Pray hear from Me now about the three kinds of happiness: Transcendent happiness (supreme bliss), gained by repeated recollection of the mind , 7 and in which one knows the extinguishment of all pain;
That which is born of the clear perceptive discrimination of Self-realization—that happiness is called sattvic. It seems like poison at first, but like nectar afterward.
That happiness which springs from the conjunction of the senses and matter is termed rajasic. It seems like nectar in the beginning and like poison in the end.
That elusive happiness which originates and ends in self-delusion, stemming from over-sleep, slothfulness, and miscomprehension, is called tamasic.
There is no being in the world, or again among the deities in the astral heaven, who is free from these three qualities, born of Prakriti (Cosmic Nature, created by God).
O Scorcher of Foes (Arjuna)! The duties of Brahmins, of Kshatriyas, of Vaishyas, as also of Sudras, are allocated according to the gunas (qualities) springing from their own nature.
Mind control, sense control, self-discipline, purity, forgiveness, honesty, wisdom, Self-realization, and faith in a hereafter constitute the duties of Brahmins, springing from their own nature.
Valor, radiance, resolute endurance, skillfulness, not fleeing from-battle, munificence, and leadership are the natural duties of the Kshatriyas.
Tilling the soil, cattle breeding, and business are the natural duties of the Vaishyas. Actions that are of service to others are the natural duty of the Sudras.
Each one attentive to his own duty, man gains the highest success. How, devoted to his inborn duty, he attains success—that hear.
A man attains perfection by worshiping, with his natural gifts, Him from whom all beings are evolved, and by whom all this world is permeated.
Better than the well-accomplished dharma (duty) of another is on e’s own dharma, even though lacking merit (somewhat imperfect). He who performs the duty decreed by his inborn nature contracts no sin.
O Offspring of Kunti (Arjuna), one should not abandon on e’s inborn duty, even though it has some imperfection, for all undertakings are marred by blemishes, as flame by smoke.
That individual gains uttermost perfection—the actionless state of realization through renunciation—who keeps his intellect ever detached from worldly ties and passions, 22 who is victorious in regaining his soul, and who is without desires.
O Son of Kunti (Arjuna), hear from Me, in brief, how he who gains such perfection finds Brahman, the supreme culmination of wisdom.
Absorbed in a completely purified intellect, subjugating the body and the senses by resolute patience, forsaking (as much as possible) sound and all other sense entanglements, relinquishing attachment and repulsion;
Remaining in a sequestered place, eating lightly, controlling body, speech, and mind; ever absorbed in divine meditation and in soul-uniting yoga; possessing dispassion;
Peaceful, renouncing egotism, power, vanity, lust, anger, possessions, and the “me and mine” consciousness—he is qualified to become one with Brahman.
By becoming engrossed in Brahman—calm-souled, neither lamenting nor craving; beholding equality in all beings—he gains supreme devotion toward Me.
By that supreme devotion he realizes Me and My nature—what and who I am; after knowing these truths, he quickly makes his entry into Me.
Over and above performing faithfully all on e’s duties, taking shelter in Me, it is by My pleasure a devotee obtains the eternal, unchangeable state.
Mentally dedicating all actions to Me, considering Me as the Supreme Goal, employing buddhi-yoga (union through discriminative wisdom), continuously absorb thy heart in Me.
With heart absorbed in Me, and by My grace, thou shalt overcome all impediments; but if through egotism thou wilt not heed Me, thou shalt meet destruction.
If, clinging to the ego, thou sayest: “I will not battle,” fruitless is thy resolution! Prakriti, thine inborn nature, will force thee to fight.
O Offspring of Kunti (Arjuna), shackled by thine own karma, inborn in thy nature, what through delusion thou wouldst not do, thou wilt helplessly be compelled to do.
O Arjuna, the Lord is lodged in the hearts of all creatures, and by His cosmic delusion (maya) compels all beings to rotate as if attached to a machine.
O Descendant of Bharata (Arjuna), take shelter in Him with all the eagerness of thy heart. By His grace thou shalt obtain the utmost peace and the Eternal Shelter.
Thus hath wisdom, most secret of all secrets, been given to thee by Me. After exhaustively reflecting about it, act as thou desirest.
Again listen to My supreme word, the most secret of all. Because thou art dearly loved by Me, I will relate what is beneficial to thee.
Absorb thy mind in Me; become My devotee; resign all things to Me; bow down to Me. Thou art dear to Me, so in truth do I promise thee: Thou shalt attain Me!
Forsaking all other dharmas (duties), remember Me alone; 34 I will free thee from all sins (accruing from nonperformance of those lesser duties). Do not grieve!
Never voice these truths to one who is without self-control or devotion, nor to one who performs no service or does not care to hear, nor to one who speaks ill of Me.
Whosoever shall impart to My devotees the supreme secret knowledge, with utmost devotion to Me, shall without doubt come unto Me. Not any among men performs more priceless service to Me than he; in all the world there shall be none dearer to Me.
Whosoever shall impart to My devotees the supreme secret knowledge, with utmost devotion to Me, shall without doubt come unto Me. Not any among men performs more priceless service to Me than he; in all the world there shall be none dearer to Me.
He who studies and knows (intuitively perceives) this sacred dialogue between us will be worshiping Me by the sacrifice (yajna) of wisdom. Such is My holy utterance.
Even that individual—full of devotion and devoid of scorn—who merely listens to and heeds 45 this sacred dialogue, being freed from earthly karma, shall dwell in the blessed worlds of the virtuous.
O Partha (Arjuna), hast thou listened to this wisdom with concentrated heart? O Dhananjaya, hast thy delusion-born ignorance been annihilated?
Arjuna said: My delusion is gone! I have regained memory (of my soul) through Thy grace, O Achyuta (matchless Krishna). I am firmly established; my dubiousness has vanished. I will act according to Thy word.
Thus have I listened to this wondrous discourse between Vasudeva (Krishna) and the high-souled Partha (Arjuna), causing the hair on my body to stand on end in a thrill of joy.
Through the grace of Vyasa, this supreme secret Yoga has been bestowed on me, manifested to my consciousness directly by Krishna himself, the Lord of Yoga!
O King Dhritarashtra, as I recall and recall the extraordinary and sacred dialogue between Keshava (Krishna) and Arjuna, I am overjoyed again and again.
And, O King Dhritarashtra, as I recall and recall again the colossal manifestation 48 of Hari (Krishna), great is my amazement; I am ever renewed in joy.
Such is my faith: that, wherever is manifest the Lord of Yoga, Krishna; and wherever is present Partha 49 (Arjuna, a true devotee), expert wielder of the bow of self-control, there too are success, victory, attainment of powers, and the unfailing law of self-discipline (which leads to liberation).