sañjaya uvāca
taḿ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭam
aśru-pūrṇākulekṣaṇam
viṣīdantam idaḿ vākyam
uvāca madhusūdanaḥ
Translation
Sanjaya said: Seeing Arjuna full of compassion, his mind depressed, his eyes full of tears, Madhusudana, Krishna, spoke the following w...View More
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kutas tvā kaśmalam idaḿ
viṣame samupasthitam
anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam
akīrti-karam arjuna
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who kn...View More
klaibyaḿ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
kṣudraḿ hṛdaya-daurbalyaḿ
tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa
Translation
O son of Pritha, do not yield to this degrading impotence. It does not become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser ...View More
arjuna uvāca
kathaḿ bhīṣmam ahaḿ sańkhye
droṇaḿ ca madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
pūjārhāv ari-sūdana
Translation
Arjuna said: O killer of enemies, O killer of Madhu, how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhishma and Drona, who are wor...View More
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān
śreyo bhoktuḿ bhaikṣyam apīha loke
hatvārtha-kāmāḿs tu gurūn ihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān
Translation
It would be better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who a...View More
na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyo
yad vā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ
yān eva hatvā na jijīviṣāmas
te ‘vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ
Translation
Nor do we know which is better—conquering them or being conquered by them. If we killed the sons of D...View More
karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
shishyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam
Translation
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am as...View More
na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād
yac chokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām
avāpya bhūmāv asapatnam ṛddhaḿ
rājyaḿ surāṇām api cādhipatyam
Translation
I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to dispel it even ...View More
sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaḿ
guḍākeśaḥ parantapaḥ
na yotsya iti govindam
uktvā tūṣṇīḿ babhūva ha
Translation
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told Krishna, “Govinda, I shall not fight,” and fell silent.
View Moretam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ
prahasann iva bhārata
senayor ubhayor madhye
viṣīdantam idaḿ vacaḥ
Translation
O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krishna, smiling, in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna.
View Moreśrī-bhagavān uvāca
aśocyān anvaśocas tvaḿ
prajñā-vādāḿś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūḿś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief....View More
na tv evāhaḿ jātu nāsaḿ
na tvaḿ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param
Translation
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
View Moredehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraḿ yauvanaḿ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
Translation
As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober pe...View More
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ‘nityās
tāḿs titikṣasva bhārata
Translation
O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and dis...View More
yam hi na vyathayanty ete
purusham purusharsabha
sama-duhkha-sukham dhiram
so ’mrtatvaya kalpate
Translation
O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation.
View Morenāsato vidyate bhāvo
nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ
ubhayor api dṛṣṭo ‘ntas
tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ
Translation
Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is...View More
avināśi tu tad viddhi
yena sarvam idaḿ tatam
vināśam avyayasyāsya
na kaścit kartum arhati
Translation
That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.
View Moreantavanta ime dehā
nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ
anāśino ‘prameyasya
tasmād yudhyasva bhārata
Translation
The material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is sure to come to an end; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata.
ya enaḿ vetti hantāraḿ
yaś cainaḿ manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijānīto
nāyaḿ hanti na hanyate
Translation
Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays not nor is slain.
View Morena jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaḿ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ‘yaḿ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
Translation
For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, ...View More
vedāvināśinaḿ nityaḿ
ya enam ajam avyayam
kathaḿ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha
kaḿ ghātayati hanti kam
Translation
O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?
View Morevasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ’parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi
Translation
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.
View Morenainaḿ chindanti śastrāṇi
nainaḿ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaḿ kledayanty āpo
na śoṣayati mārutaḥ
Translation
The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
View Moreacchedyo ‘yam adāhyo ‘yam
akledyo ‘śoṣya eva ca
nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
acalo ‘yaḿ sanātanaḥ
Translation
This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, im...View More
avyakto ‘yam acintyo ‘yam
avikāryo ‘yam ucyate
tasmād evaḿ viditvainaḿ
nānuśocitum arhasi
Translation
It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.
View Moreatha cainaḿ nitya-jātaḿ
nityaḿ vā manyase mṛtam
tathāpi tvaḿ mahā-bāho
nainaḿ śocitum arhasi
Translation
If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] is always born and dies forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed.
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaḿ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaḿ śocitum arhasi
Translation
One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you s...View More
avyaktādīni bhūtāni
vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanāny eva
tatra kā paridevanā
Translation
All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?
View Moreāścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam
āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ
āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti
śrutvāpy enaḿ veda na caiva kaścit
Translation
Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while oth...View More
dehī nityam avadhyo ‘yaḿ
dehe sarvasya bhārata
tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni
na tvaḿ śocitum arhasi
Translation
O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any living being.
View Moresva-dharmam api cāvekṣya
na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyād dhi yuddhāc chreyo ‘nyat
kṣatriyasya na vidyate
Translation
Considering your specific duty as a kshatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and s...View More
yadṛcchayā copapannaḿ
svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam
sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha
labhante yuddham īdṛśam
Translation
O Partha, happy are the kshatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.
View Moreatha cet tvam imaḿ dharmyaḿ
sańgrāmaḿ na kariṣyasi
tataḥ sva-dharmaḿ kīrtiḿ ca
hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi
Translation
If, however, you do not perform your religious duty of fighting, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose y...View More
akīrtiḿ cāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣyanti te ‘vyayām
sambhāvitasya cākīrtir
maraṇād atiricyate
Translation
People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
View Morebhayād raṇād uparataḿ
maḿsyante tvāḿ mahā-rathāḥ
yeṣāḿ ca tvaḿ bahu-mato
bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam
Translation
The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they...View More
avacya-vadams ca bahun
vadisyanti tavahitah
nindantas tava samarthyam
tato duhkhataram nu kim
Translation
Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you?
View Morehato vā prāpsyasi svargaḿ
jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm
tasmād uttiṣṭha kaunteya
yuddhāya kṛta-niścayaḥ
Translation
O son of Kunti, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom....View More
sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā
lābhālābhau jayājayau
tato yuddhāya yujyasva
naivaḿ pāpam avāpsyasi
Translation
Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat—and by so doing you shall never incur si...View More
eṣā te ‘bhihitā sāńkhye
buddhir yoge tv imāḿ śṛṇu
buddhyā yukto yayā pārtha
karma-bandhaḿ prahāsyasi
Translation
Thus far I have described this knowledge to you through analytical study. Now listen as I explain it in terms of working without fruitive r...View More
nehābhikrama-nāśo ‘sti
pratyavāyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
trāyate mahato bhayāt
Translation
In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.
View Morevyavasāyātmikā buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
buddhayo ‘vyavasāyinām
Translation
Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branc...View More
yām imāḿ puṣpitāḿ vācaḿ
pravadanty avipaścitaḥ
veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha
nānyad astīti vādinaḥ
kāmātmānaḥ svarga-parā
janma-karma-phala-pradām
kriyā-viśeṣa-bahulāḿ
bhogaiśvarya-gatiḿ prati
Translation
Men of small knowledge are very muc...View More
bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāḿ
tayāpahṛta-cetasām
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ
samādhau na vidhīyate
Translation
In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for de...View More
trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā
nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-kṣema ātmavān
Translation
The Vedas deal mainly with the subject of the three modes of material nature. O Arjuna, become transcendental to these three modes. Be free from all d...View More
yāvān artha udapāne
sarvataḥ samplutodake
tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu
brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
Translation
All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows...View More
karmaṇy evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr
mā te sańgo ‘stv akarmaṇi
Translation
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of ...View More
yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi
sańgaḿ tyaktvā dhanañjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā
samatvaḿ yoga ucyate
Translation
Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.
View Moredūreṇa hy avaraḿ karma
buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya
buddhau śaraṇam anviccha
kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ
Translation
O Dhananjaya, keep all abominable activities far distant by devotional service, and in that consciousness surrender unto the Lord. Those who want to ...View More
buddhi-yukto jahātīha
ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte
tasmād yogāya yujyasva
yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam
Translation
A man engaged in devotional service rids himself of both good and bad actions even in this life. Therefore strive for yoga, which is the art of all work.
View Morekarma-jaḿ buddhi-yuktā hi
phalaḿ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ
janma-bandha-vinirmuktāḥ
padaḿ gacchanty anāmayam
Translation
By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In ...View More
yadā te moha-kalilaḿ
buddhir vyatitariṣyati
tadā gantāsi nirvedaḿ
śrotavyasya śrutasya ca
Translation
When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.
View Moreshruti-vipratipanna te
yada sthasyati niscala
samadhav acala buddhis
tada yogam avapsyasi
Translation
When your mind is no longer disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas, and when it remains fixed in the trance of self-realization, then you will have attained the divi...View More
arjuna uvaca
sthita-prajñasya ka bhas?a
samadhi-sthasya kesava
sthita-dhih? kim´ prabhas?eta
kim asita vrajeta kim
Translation
Arjuna said: O Krishna, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his langua...View More
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
prajahāti yadā kāmān
sarvān pārtha mano-gatān
ātmany evātmanā tuṣṭaḥ
sthita-prajñas tadocyate
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Partha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which ari...View More
duḥkheṣv anudvigna-manāḥ
sukheṣu vigata-spṛhaḥ
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ
sthita-dhīr munir ucyate
Translation
One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and ang...View More
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas
tat tat prāpya śubhāśubham
nābhinandati na dveṣṭi
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
Translation
In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in pe...View More
yadā saḿharate cāyaḿ
kūrmo ‘ńgānīva sarvaśaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
Translation
One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect cons...View More
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaḿ raso ‘py asya
paraḿ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
Translation
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a hig...View More
yatato hy api kaunteya
puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ
indriyāṇi pramāthīni
haranti prasabhaḿ manaḥ
Translation
The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring to control them.
View Moretāni sarvāṇi saḿyamya
yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
Translation
One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control, and fixes his consciousness upon Me, is known as a man of steady intelligence.
View Moredhyāyato viṣayān puḿsaḥ
sańgas teṣūpajāyate
sańgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ‘bhijāyate
Translation
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger ...View More
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ
sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ
smṛti-bhraḿśād buddhi-nāśo
buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati
Translation
From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when i...View More
rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu
viṣayān indriyaiś caran
ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā
prasādam adhigacchati
Translation
But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of ...View More
prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāḿ
hānir asyopajāyate
prasanna-cetaso hy āśu
buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate
Translation
For one thus satisfied [in Krishna consciousness], the threefold miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such satisfied consciousness, one’s i...View More
nāsti buddhir ayuktasya
na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir
aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham
Translation
One who is not connected with the Supreme [in Krishna consciousness] can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is ...View More
indriyāṇāḿ hi caratāḿ
yan mano ‘nuvidhīyate
tad asya harati prajñāḿ
vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi
Translation
As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.
View Moretasmād yasya mahā-bāho
nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
Translation
Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are restrained from their objects is certainly of steady intelligence.
View Moreyā niśā sarva-bhūtānāḿ
tasyāḿ jāgarti saḿyamī
yasyāḿ jāgrati bhūtāni
sā niśā paśyato muneḥ
Translation
What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introsp...View More
āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaḿ
samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat
tadvat kāmā yaḿ praviśanti sarve
sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī
Translation
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is...View More
vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān
pumāḿś carati niḥspṛhaḥ
nirmamo nirahańkāraḥ
sa śāntim adhigacchati
Translation
A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devo...View More
eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha
naināḿ prāpya vimuhyati
sthitvāsyām anta-kāle ‘pi
brahma-nirvāṇam ṛcchati
Translation
That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a man is not bewildered. If one is thus situated even at the hour of ...View More