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The Yoga of Knowledge: the Soul and Wisdom
साङ्ख्ययोगः · Sāṅkhya-yoga · 72 verses
Krishna begins by telling Arjuna that grief over the body misses what is real: the self is never born and never dies. He then introduces action without clinging to its results, and describes the steady-minded person, the ideal the rest of the Gita unfolds.
Traditionally linked with the Sun and Jupiter: the Sun's themes of self, authority and inner light, and Jupiter's themes of wisdom and guidance. It is read during a Sun Maha Dasha or when the Sun is weak by transit, to rebuild confidence and a steadier sense of who you are. It is a reflective practice, not a prediction.
सञ्जय उवाच
तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् ।
विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥
sañjaya uvāca
taṃ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam |
viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ||
Sanjaya says: Krishna sees Arjuna overcome with pity, his eyes filled with tears and his mind shaken by sorrow, and begins to speak.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् ।
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
kutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣame samupasthitam |
anāryajuṣṭamasvargyamakīrtikaramarjuna ||
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते ।
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥
klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate |
kṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa ||
Krishna asks: where has this despondency come from at such a moment? It does not suit you, Arjuna, and it brings neither honour nor heaven. Do not give in to weakness; shake off this petty faintheartedness and stand up.
अर्जुन उवाच
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥
arjuna uvāca
kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṅkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana |
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana ||
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् ।
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके ।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव ।
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥
gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān |
śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke |
hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva |
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ||
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो ।
यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः ।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामस्- ।
तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥
na caitadvidmaḥ kataranno garīyo |
yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ |
yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāmas- |
te’vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ||
Arjuna replies: how can I fight Bhishma and Drona with arrows, when they deserve my worship? It would be better to live on alms than to kill such honoured teachers. I cannot even tell which is better for us, to win or to lose, when those we could not bear to live without stand before us.
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः ।
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः ।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे ।
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥
kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ |
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasammūḍhacetāḥ |
yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṃ brūhi tanme |
śiṣyaste’haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam ||
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद् ।
यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् ।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं ।
राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ॥
na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād |
yacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām |
avāpya bhūmāvasapatnamṛddhaṃ |
rājyaṃ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam ||
Arjuna admits that pity has weakened his nature and his mind is confused about duty. He asks Krishna to tell him clearly what is best, declares himself Krishna's disciple, and says even an unrivalled kingdom would not remove the grief that dries up his senses.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप ।
न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ॥
sañjaya uvāca
evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa |
na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṃ babhūva ha ||
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥
tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata |
senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṃ vacaḥ ||
Sanjaya reports that Arjuna said, "I will not fight," and fell silent. Then Krishna, smiling gently, spoke to the grieving Arjuna between the two armies.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
aśocyānanvaśocastvaṃ prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase |
gatāsūnagatāsūṃśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ||
Krishna begins the teaching: you grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।
न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ॥
na tvevāhaṃ jātu nāsaṃ na tvaṃ neme janādhipāḥ |
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param ||
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥
dehino’sminyathā dehe kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā |
tathā dehāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati ||
There was never a time when I, you or these kings did not exist, and none of us will ever cease to be. Just as the soul moves through childhood, youth and old age in this body, it passes into another body; the steady person is not troubled by this.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥
mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ |
āgamāpāyino’nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata ||
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥
yaṃ hi na vyathayantyete puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha |
samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dhīraṃ so’mṛtatvāya kalpate ||
Contact between the senses and their objects brings cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not last, so endure them, Arjuna. The one who is not shaken by them, who stays even in pleasure and pain, becomes fit for immortality.
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।
उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥
nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ |
ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo’ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ ||
What is unreal has no being, and what is real never ceases to be. The seers of truth have understood the final nature of both.
अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥
avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam |
vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati ||
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥
antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ |
anāśino’prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata ||
Know that what pervades all this is indestructible; no one can destroy what does not change. Bodies come to an end, but the one who dwells in the body is eternal, immeasurable and imperishable. Therefore, Arjuna, take up your duty and fight.
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥
ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaścainaṃ manyate hatam |
ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate ||
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् ।
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो ।
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin |
nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ |
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato’yaṃ purāṇo |
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||
Whoever thinks the self kills, and whoever thinks it is killed, both fail to understand: it neither kills nor is killed. It is never born and never dies, it did not come into being and will not cease; unborn, eternal, ancient, it is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।
कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥
vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enamajamavyayam |
kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ||
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय ।
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि ।
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा- ।
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥
vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya |
navāni gṛhṇāti naro’parāṇi |
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇā- |
nyanyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī ||
Knowing the self to be indestructible, eternal and unborn, how could anyone kill or cause to kill? As a person puts on new clothes and discards worn-out ones, the embodied self takes on new bodies, leaving the old ones behind.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥
nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ |
na cainaṃ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ||
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च ।
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ॥
acchedyo’yamadāhyo’yamakledyo’śoṣya eva ca |
nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo’yaṃ sanātanaḥ ||
अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।
तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥
avyakto’yamacintyo’yamavikāryo’yamucyate |
tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ nānuśocitumarhasi ||
Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, wind cannot dry it. It is everlasting, all-pervading, steady, unmoving and ancient, beyond what the senses show, beyond thought and beyond change. Knowing this, you should not grieve.
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् ।
तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
atha cainaṃ nityajātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyase mṛtam |
tathāpi tvaṃ mahābāho naivaṃ śocitumarhasi ||
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca |
tasmādaparihārye’rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ||
Even if you think the self is always being born and always dying, you still should not grieve. Death is certain for whatever is born, and birth is certain for whatever dies, so do not sorrow over the unavoidable.
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥
avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata |
avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā ||
आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन- ।
माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।
आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः शृणोति ।
श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥
āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidena- |
māścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ |
āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti |
śrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit ||
देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।
तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
dehī nityamavadhyo’yaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata |
tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ||
Beings are unseen before birth, seen in the middle, and unseen again after death; what is there to mourn in that? One person sees the self as a wonder, another speaks of it as a wonder, another hears of it as a wonder, yet some, even after hearing, do not truly know it. The self in every body is beyond harm, so grieve for no being.
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥
svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi |
dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo’nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate ||
यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।
सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥
yadṛcchayā copapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam |
sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam ||
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi |
tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ||
Look to your own duty, Arjuna: for a warrior nothing is higher than a righteous battle. Fortunate are those who meet such a chance unsought, like an open door to heaven. If you refuse this just fight, you abandon your duty and your good name, and take on blame.
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥
akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te’vyayām |
sambhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate ||
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥
bhayādraṇāduparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ |
yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam ||
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥
avācyavādāṃśca bahūnvadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |
nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ||
People will speak of your lasting disgrace, and for someone once honoured, disgrace is worse than death. The great warriors will think you left the battle from fear, and those who once respected you will think little of you. Your enemies will say many hurtful things; what could pain you more?
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥
hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm |
tasmāduttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ ||
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau |
tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ||
If you fall in battle you reach heaven; if you win, you enjoy the earth. So stand up, resolved. Treat pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike, then take up the fight, and you will incur no sin.
एषा तेऽभिहिता साङ्ख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां शृणु ।
बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ॥
eṣā te’bhihitā sāṅkhye buddhiryoge tvimāṃ śṛṇu |
buddhyā yukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi ||
नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥
nehābhikramanāśo’sti pratyavāyo na vidyate |
svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt ||
So far this was the wisdom of knowing the self. Now hear the wisdom of yoga, by which you can cast off the bondage of action. On this path no effort is wasted and no obstacle defeats it; even a little of this practice protects you from great fear.
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥
vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana |
bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām ||
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।
वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥
yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ |
vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ ||
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥
kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām |
kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati ||
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥
bhogaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayāpahṛtacetasām |
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate ||
The resolved mind is single in purpose; the irresolute mind has endless branches. Some people, fond of flowery words and rituals, speak of heaven and rebirth as the rewards of action and of pleasure and power as the goal. For those drawn to enjoyment and power, the steady, resolute understanding does not form.
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान् ॥
traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna |
nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakṣema ātmavān ||
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके ।
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥
yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake |
tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ||
The Vedas deal with the three gunas; rise above them, Arjuna: free from opposites, ever steady in goodness, free from worry about gaining and keeping, and self-possessed. To a knower of truth, all the Vedas are as useful as a small pond when water floods everywhere.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana |
mā karmaphalaheturbhūrmā te saṅgo’stvakarmaṇi ||
You have a right to action alone, never to its fruits. Do not make the fruit of action your motive, and do not become attached to inaction. This is among the most quoted verses of the Gita: do your best, but do not let the result be the reason you act or the thing that rules your peace.
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय ।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ॥
yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanañjaya |
siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate ||
Established in yoga, perform your actions, Arjuna, letting go of attachment and staying even-minded in success and failure. This evenness of mind is called yoga.
दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय ।
बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥
dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanañjaya |
buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ ||
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।
तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥
buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte |
tasmādyogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam ||
Action is far lesser than the yoga of wisdom, so take refuge in wisdom; those who work only for rewards are to be pitied. One whose understanding is steady frees themselves from both good and bad outcomes even in this life. So devote yourself to yoga: yoga is skill in action.
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः ।
जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ॥
karmajaṃ buddhiyuktā hi phalaṃ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ |
janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padaṃ gacchantyanāmayam ||
यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति ।
तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च ॥
yadā te mohakalilaṃ buddhirvyatitariṣyati |
tadā gantāsi nirvedaṃ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca ||
श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला ।
समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि ॥
śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā |
samādhāvacalā buddhistadā yogamavāpsyasi ||
The wise, steady in understanding, give up the fruits of action and are freed from the bondage of birth, reaching a state beyond sorrow. When your mind crosses the thicket of confusion, you will become indifferent to all you have heard and will hear. When your mind, once bewildered by many teachings, stands firm and still in the self, you will attain yoga.
अर्जुन उवाच
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव ।
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् ॥
arjuna uvāca
sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya keśava |
sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kimāsīta vrajeta kim ||
Arjuna asks: how do we recognise a person of steady wisdom, firmly settled in the self? How does such a person speak, sit and move?
श्रीभगवानुवाच
प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
prajahāti yadā kāmānsarvānpārtha manogatān |
ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate ||
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः ।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥
duḥkheṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukheṣu vigataspṛhaḥ |
vītarāgabhayakrodhaḥ sthitadhīrmunirucyate ||
यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् ।
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehastattatprāpya śubhāśubham |
nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo’ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
Krishna answers: one who has let go of all desires and is content in the self is called steady in wisdom. The mind that is not shaken by sorrow, does not crave pleasures, and is free of attachment, fear and anger belongs to a sage of steady mind. Not clinging anywhere, neither delighted by good nor upset by bad, that person's wisdom is steady. Like a tortoise drawing in its limbs, one who can withdraw the senses from their objects has steady wisdom.
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः ।
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ॥
viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ |
rasavarjaṃ raso’pyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate ||
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः ।
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥
yatato hyapi kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ |
indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ ||
तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः ।
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
tāni sarvāṇi saṃyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ |
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
Objects fall away for someone who abstains, but the taste for them remains; even the taste fades on seeing the Supreme. The restless senses can drag away the mind even of a wise person who is striving. So, holding them all in check, sit steady with your focus on Me; wisdom is firm in one whose senses are under control.
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥
dhyāyato viṣayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgasteṣūpajāyate |
saṅgātsañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho’bhijāyate ||
क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥
krodhādbhavati sammohaḥ sammohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ |
smṛtibhraṃśād buddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati ||
Here is how it unravels: dwelling on sense objects creates attachment, attachment creates desire, desire creates anger, anger creates delusion, delusion confuses memory, a confused memory destroys discernment, and when discernment is lost, the person is lost.
रागद्वेषविमुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् ।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥
rāgadveṣavimuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścaran |
ātmavaśyairvidheyātmā prasādamadhigacchati ||
प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते ।
प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥
prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate |
prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate ||
But a self-controlled person, moving among objects with senses free from attraction and aversion, finds calm. In that calm, all sorrows end, and the mind of such a person soon becomes steady.
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना ।
न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥
nāsti buddhirayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā |
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntiraśāntasya kutaḥ sukham ||
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते ।
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥
indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yanmano’nuvidhīyate |
tadasya harati prajñāṃ vāyurnāvamivāmbhasi ||
For one who has no self-control, there is no steady understanding and no meditation; without meditation there is no peace, and without peace, how can there be happiness? When the mind runs after the roving senses, it carries away wisdom, as the wind carries away a boat on water.
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
tasmādyasya mahābāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी ।
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥
yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī |
yasyāṃ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ ||
So, Arjuna, wisdom is steady in the one whose senses are held back from their objects. What is night for all beings is wakefulness for the self-controlled person, and what others call wakefulness is night for the sage who sees.
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं ।
समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् ।
तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे ।
स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥
āpūryamāṇamacalapratiṣṭhaṃ |
samudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat |
tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve |
sa śāntimāpnoti na kāmakāmī ||
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः ।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ॥
vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ |
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntimadhigacchati ||
As rivers enter the ocean, which is always full and still, so desires enter the one who stays steady, and that person finds peace, not the one who runs after desires. One who gives up all desires and lives free from longing, without "I" and "mine", attains peace.
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति ।
स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ॥
eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṃ prāpya vimuhyati |
sthitvāsyāmantakāle’pi brahmanirvāṇamṛcchati ||
This is the state of living in Brahman, Arjuna. Having reached it, a person is no longer deluded, and standing firm in it even at the end of life, attains Brahma-nirvana, the peace of oneness.
The verses are the traditional Sanskrit text. The explanations are original summaries, not a particular translator's words. The astrology guide is a devotional, reflective practice, not a prediction and not a substitute for professional advice.