Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga

Krishna said

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम्।
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥

imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam
vivasvān manave prāha manurikṣvākave'bravīt

I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan, the sun; Vivasvan taught it to Manu, and Manu passed it on to Ikshvaku.

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

evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa

Handed down in this way, one to the next, the royal sages knew it. But over a long stretch of time, scorcher of foes, this yoga was lost to the world.

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

sa evāyaṃ mayā te'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ
bhakto'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam

That same ancient yoga I have taught you today, because you are my devotee and my friend. This is the supreme secret.

Arjuna said

अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः।
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥

aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ
kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti

Your birth came later and Vivasvan's long before. How am I to understand that you taught it in the beginning?

Krishna said

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

bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna
tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa

Many births of mine have passed, and of yours too, Arjuna. I know them all; you do not, scorcher of foes.

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया ॥

ajo'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro'pi san
prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya saṃbhavāmyātmamāyayā

Though I am unborn and my Self does not perish, though I am lord of all beings, I take charge of my own nature and come into being through my own power.

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

janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so'rjuna

Whoever truly knows my divine birth and work, Arjuna, is not born again on leaving the body, but comes to me.

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः।
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥

vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ
bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ

Free from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in me and taking refuge in me, many, purified by the discipline of knowledge, have reached my state.

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

ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

However people come to me, so I receive them. All people follow my path, Partha, in every way.

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

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā

Wanting success in their work, people here worship the gods, for in the human world success born of action comes quickly.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥

cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam

I created the four orders according to the division of qualities and work. Though I am their maker, know me as the non-doer, unchanging.

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

na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā
iti māṃ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate

Actions do not stain me, and I do not long for their fruit. Whoever knows me in this way is not bound by actions.

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

evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ
kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam

Knowing this, the seekers of freedom of old also acted. So you too should act, as the ancients did long ago.

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

kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo'pyatra mohitāḥ
tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt

What is action? What is inaction? Even the wise are confused here. I will explain action to you; knowing it, you will be freed from harm.

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

karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ

One must understand action, understand wrong action, and understand inaction. Deep and hard to grasp is the way of action.

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः।
स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt

Whoever sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among people; that one is a yogi, doing all that is to be done.

यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः।
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ
jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ

One whose every undertaking is free from desire and selfish intent, whose actions are burned in the fire of knowledge, the wise call learned.

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः।
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇyabhipravṛtto'pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ

Having given up attachment to the fruit of action, always content and dependent on nothing, such a person, though fully engaged in action, does nothing at all.

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥

nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ
śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam

Expecting nothing, with mind and body under control, letting go of all possessiveness and doing only the work of the body, one incurs no wrong.

यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः।
समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥

yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate

Content with whatever comes unasked, beyond the pairs of opposites, free from envy, even in success and failure, such a person acts and is not bound.

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ
yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate

For one free from attachment, liberated, whose mind is anchored in knowledge, who works as an offering, all action melts away entirely.

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते।
ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥

daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate
brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati

Some yogis offer sacrifice to the gods alone; others offer the sacrifice itself as an oblation into the fire of Brahman.

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति।
शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥

śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati
śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati

Some offer hearing and the other senses into the fires of restraint; others offer sound and the other objects of sense into the fires of the senses.

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे।
आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥

sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare
ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite

Others offer all the workings of the senses and of the breath into the fire of self-control, kindled by knowledge.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे।
स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥

dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare
svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ

Some offer wealth, some austerity, some yoga; and others, ascetics of firm vows, offer study of scripture and knowledge.

अपाने जुह्वति प्राण प्राणेऽपानं तथाऽपरे।
प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥

apāne juhvati prāṇa prāṇe'pānaṃ tathā'pare
prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ

Others, devoted to breath control, offer the in-breath into the out-breath and the out-breath into the in-breath, restraining the flow of both.

अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति।
सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥

apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati
sarve'pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ

Still others, regulating their food, offer the life-breaths into the life-breaths. All of them know sacrifice, and through sacrifice their impurities are destroyed.

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्।
नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥

yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam
nāyaṃ loko'styayajñasya kuto'nyaḥ kurusattama

Those who eat the nectar left from sacrifice reach the eternal Brahman. This world is not for one who makes no sacrifice; how then the next, best of the Kurus?

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

evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe
karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase

So many kinds of sacrifice are spread out before Brahman. Know them all as born of action; knowing this, you will be set free.

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप।
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥

śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate

Better than any sacrifice of material things is the sacrifice of knowledge, scorcher of foes. All action, Partha, finds its completion in knowledge.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥

tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ

Learn it by bowing down, by asking questions and by serving. The wise who have seen the truth will teach you this knowledge.

यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव।
येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥

yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava
yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi

Knowing it, you will never again fall into delusion like this, Pandava. Through it you will see all beings in your Self, and then in me.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः।
सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥

api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ
sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi

Even if you were the worst of all wrongdoers, you would cross over every wrong by the boat of knowledge alone.

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन।
ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥

yathaidhāṃsi samiddho'gnirbhasmasātkurute'rjuna
jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā

As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge turns all actions to ashes.

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

na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate
tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati

Nothing in this world purifies like knowledge. One perfected in yoga finds it, in time, within oneself.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥

śraddhāvā~llabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ
jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati

One with faith, devoted to it, with the senses mastered, gains knowledge; and having gained it, quickly reaches supreme peace.

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

ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaṃ loko'sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ

But the ignorant, the faithless and the doubting perish. For one who doubts, there is neither this world nor the next, nor any happiness.

योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम्।
आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥

yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasaṃchinnasaṃśayam
ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya

Actions do not bind one who has renounced action through yoga, whose doubts are cut away by knowledge and who is established in the Self, Dhananjaya.

तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनाऽऽत्मनः।
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥

tasmādajñānasaṃbhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinā''tmanaḥ
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata

So, with the sword of knowledge, cut away this doubt born of ignorance that sits in your heart. Take refuge in yoga. Stand up, Bharata!