Chapter 5 : Karma-Sanyas Yog
1
Arjuna
said: O Krishna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again
You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely
which of the two is more beneficial?
2
The Personality
of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both
good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better
than renunciation of work.
3
One who neither
hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced.
Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage
and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
4
Only the ignorant
speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical
study of the material world [Sankhya]. Those who are actually learned say
that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results
of both.
5
One who knows
that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained
by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional
service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.
6
Merely renouncing
all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot
make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can
achieve the Supreme without delay.
7
One who works
in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is
dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such
a man is never entangled.
8-9
A person in
the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching,
smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within
himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating,
receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the
material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from
them.
10
One who performs
his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme
Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by
water.
11
The yogis,
abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with
the senses, only for the purpose of purification.
12
The steadily
devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of
all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine,
who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.
13
When the embodied
living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he
resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither
working nor causing work to be done.
14
The embodied
spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor
does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action.
All this is enacted by the modes of material nature.
15
Nor does the
Supreme Lord assume anyone's sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings,
however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real
knowledge.
16
When, however,
one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed,
then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything
in the daytime.
17
When one's
intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then
one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and
thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.
18
The humble
sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and
gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].
19
Those whose
minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered
the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and
thus they are already situated in Brahman.
20
A person who
neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining
something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and
who knows the science of God, is already situated in transcendence.
21
Such a liberated
person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance,
enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys
unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme.
22
An intelligent
person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact
with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning
and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.
23
Before giving
up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material
senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and
is happy in this world.
24
One whose
happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is
inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme,
and ultimately he attains the Supreme.
25
Those who
are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged
within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings,
and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme.
26
Those who
are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined
and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in
the Supreme in the very near future.
27-28
Shutting out
all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between
the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the
nostrils, and thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist
aiming at liberation becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who
is always in this state is certainly liberated.
29
A person in
full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of
all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods,
and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace
from the pangs of material miseries.
Karma-Sanyas Yog |