Chapter 18 - Mokṣha Sanyās Yog

Shloka यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् | स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ||१८-४६|| Transliteration yataḥ pravṛttirbhūtānāṃ yena sarvamidaṃ tatam . svakarmaṇā tamabhyarcya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ ||18-46|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.46. That, whence the activities of the beings arise; by which this universe is pervaded-worshipping That by one’s own prescribed action, a man attains success. Shri Purohit Swami 18.46 Man reaches perfection by dedicating his actions to God, Who is the source of all being, and fills everything....

Shloka श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ||१८-४७|| Transliteration śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt . svabhāvaniyataṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam ||18-47|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.47. Better is one’s own prescribed duties, [born of one’s nature, even though] it is devoid of ality, than another’s duty well executed; the doer of duty, dependent on (or prescribed according to) one’s own nature, does not incur sin. Shri Purohit Swami 18.47 It is better to do one’s own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it....

Shloka सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् | सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ||१८-४८|| Transliteration sahajaṃ karma kaunteya sadoṣamapi na tyajet . sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnirivāvṛtāḥ ||18-48|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.48. O son of Kunti ! One should not give up the nature-born duty, even if it is (appears to be) defective. For, all beginnings are enveloped by harm just as the fire by smoke. Shri Purohit Swami 18.48 The duty that of itself falls to one’s lot should not be abandoned, though it may have its defects....

Shloka असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः | नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां संन्यासेनाधिगच्छति ||१८-४९|| Transliteration asaktabuddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigataspṛhaḥ . naiṣkarmyasiddhiṃ paramāṃ saṃnyāsenādhigacchati ||18-49|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.49. He, whose mind entertains no attachment to anything, who is self-conered and is free from craving-he attains by means of renunciation the supreme success of actionlessness. Shri Purohit Swami 18.49 He whose mind is entirely detached, who has conquered himself, whose desires have vanished, by his renunciation reaches that stage of perfect freedom where action completes itself and leaves no seed....

Shloka सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाप्नोति निबोध मे | समासेनैव कौन्तेय निष्ठा ज्ञानस्य या परा ||१८-५०|| Transliteration siddhiṃ prāpto yathā brahma tathāpnoti nibodha me . samāsenaiva kaunteya niṣṭhā jñānasya yā parā ||18-50|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.50. Having attained the success, how he attains the Brahman, an attainment which is confirmed to be the final beatitude of true knowledge-that you must learn from Me briefly. Shri Purohit Swami 18.50 I will now state briefly how he, who has reached perfection, finds the Eternal Spirit, the state of Supreme Wisdom....

Shloka बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च | शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ||१८-५१|| Transliteration buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto dhṛtyātmānaṃ niyamya ca . śabdādīnviṣayāṃstyaktvā rāgadveṣau vyudasya ca ||18-51|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.51. He, who has got a totally pure intellect by fully controlling his self (mind) with firmness, and renouncing sense-objects, sound etc., and driving out desire and hatred; Shri Purohit Swami 18.51 Guided always by pure reason, bravely restraining himself, renouncing the objects of sense and giving up attachment and hatred;...

Shloka विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः | ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः ||१८-५२|| Transliteration viviktasevī laghvāśī yatavākkāyamānasaḥ . dhyānayogaparo nityaṃ vairāgyaṃ samupāśritaḥ ||18-52|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.52. Who enjoys solitude, eats lightly, has controlled his speech-organ, body and mind; who is permanently devoted to the meditation-Yoga; and who has taken shelter in the perennial desirelessness; Shri Purohit Swami 18.52 Enjoying solitude, abstemiousness, his body, mind and speech under perfect control, absorbed in meditation, he becomes free - always filled with the spirit of renunciation....

Shloka अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् | विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||१८-५३|| Transliteration ahaṃkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ parigraham . vimucya nirmamaḥ śānto brahmabhūyāya kalpate ||18-53|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.53. Relinshing egotism, violence, pride, desire, wrath, and the sense of possession-he, the unselfish and calm one, is capable of becoming the Brahman. Shri Purohit Swami 18.53 Having abandoned selfishness, power, arrogance, anger and desire, possessing nothing of his own and having attained peace, he is fit to join the Eternal Spirit....

Shloka ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ||१८-५४|| Transliteration brahmabhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati . samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu madbhaktiṃ labhate parām ||18-54|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.54. Having become the Brahman, the serene-minded one neither grieves nor rejoices; remaining eal to all beings, he gains the highest devotion to Me. Shri Purohit Swami 18.54 And when he becomes one with the Eternal, and his soul knows the bliss that belongs to the Self, he feels no desire and no regret, he regards all beings equally and enjoys the blessing of supreme devotion to Me....

Shloka भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः | ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम् ||१८-५५|| Transliteration bhaktyā māmabhijānāti yāvānyaścāsmi tattvataḥ . tato māṃ tattvato jñātvā viśate tadanantaram ||18-55|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.55. Through devotion he comes to know of Me : Who I am and how, in fact, I am-having correctly known Me, he enters Me. Then afterwards, Shri Purohit Swami 18.55 By such devotion, he sees Me, who I am and what I am; and thus realising the Truth, he enters My Kingdom....

Shloka सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः | मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ||१८-५६|| Transliteration sarvakarmāṇyapi sadā kurvāṇo madvyapāśrayaḥ . matprasādādavāpnoti śāśvataṃ padamavyayam ||18-56|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.56. Performing all [his] actions all the time and taking refuge in Me, he attains, through My Grace, the eternal, changeless state. Shri Purohit Swami 18.56 Relying on Me in all his action and doing them for My sake, he attains, by My Grace, Eternal and Unchangeable Life....

Shloka चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः | बुद्धियोगमुपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव ||१८-५७|| Transliteration cetasā sarvakarmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ . buddhiyogamupāśritya maccittaḥ satataṃ bhava ||18-57|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.57. [Hence] renouncing by mind all actions in Me, O descendant of Bharata, and taking hold of the knowledge-Yoga, you must always be with your thought-organ [turned] towards Me. Shri Purohit Swami 18.57 Surrender then thy actions unto Me, live in Me, concentrate thine intellect on Me, and think always of Me....

Shloka मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि | अथ चेत्त्वमहंकारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ||१८-५८|| Transliteration maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāttariṣyasi . atha cettvamahaṃkārānna śroṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi ||18-58|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.58. Having your thought-organ turned towards Me, you shall pass over all obstacles by Me Grace. On the other hand, if you don’t give up your sense of ego, you will not liberated yourself, [instead] you will perish. Shri Purohit Swami 18.58 Fix but thy mind on Me, and by My grace thou shalt overcome the obstacles in thy path....

Shloka यदहंकारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे | मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति ||१८-५९|| Transliteration yadahaṃkāramāśritya na yotsya iti manyase . mithyaiṣa vyavasāyaste prakṛtistvāṃ niyokṣyati ||18-59|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.59. In case, holding fast to the sense of ego, you think (decide) ‘I shall not fight’, that resolve of yours will be just useless. [For] your own natural condition will incite you [to fight]. Shri Purohit Swami 18.59 If thou in thy vanity thinkest of avoiding this fight, thy will shall not be fulfilled, for Nature herself will compel thee....

Shloka स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा | कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोपि तत् ||१८-६०|| Transliteration svabhāvajena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā . kartuṃ necchasi yanmohātkariṣyasyavaśopi tat ||18-60|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 18.60. O son of Kunti ! Being bound fully by your own duty, born of your own nature, and also being [hence] not independent, you would perform what you do not wish to perform, because of your-delusion. Shri Purohit Swami 18.60 O Arjuna! Thy duty binds thee....