Bhagavad Gita

Any devotee who seeketh to worship with faith any such aspect, I verily bestow the unswerving faith of that man

He endowed with that faith, seeketh the worship of such a one, and from him he obtaineth his desires, I verily decreeing the benefits;

Finite indeed the fruit that belongeth to those who are of small intelligence. To the Shining Ones go the worshippers of the Shining Ones, but my devotees come unto Me

Those devoid of Reason think of Me, the unmanifest, as having manifestation, knowing not My supreme nature, imperishable, most excellent

Nor am I of all discovered, enveloped in My creation-illusion. This deluded world knoweth Me not, the unborn, the imperishable

I know the beings that are past, that are present, that are to come, O Arjuna, but no one knoweth Me

By the delusion of the pairs of opposites, sprung from attraction and repulsion, O Bhârata, all beings walk this universe wholly deluded, O Parantapa

But those men of pure deeds, in whom sin is come to an end, they, freed from the delusive pairs of opposites, worship Me, steadfast in vows

They who, refuged in Me, strive for liberation from birth and death, they know the , the whole -knowledge, and all action

They who know Me as the knowledge of the elements, as that of the Shining Ones, and as that of the Sacrifice, they harmonised in mind, know Me verily even in the time of forthgoing

}} What is that , what -knowledge, what Action, O Purushottama? And what is declared to be the knowledge of the Elements, what is called the knowledge of the Shining Ones?

What is the knowledge of Sacrifice in this body, and how, O, Madhusûdana? And how, at the time of forthgoing art Thou known by the -controlled?

}} The indestructible, the supreme is the ; His essential nature is called -knowledge; the emanation that causes the birth of beings is named Action;

Knowledge of the Elements concerns My perishable nature, and knowledge of the Shining Ones concerns the life-giving energy; the knowledge of Sacrifice tells of Me, as wearing the body, O best of living beings

And he who, casting off the body, goeth forth thinking upon Me only at the time of the end, he entereth into My being: there is no doubt of that

Whosoever at the end abandoneth the body, thinking upon any being, to that being only he goeth, O Kaunteya, ever to that conformed in nature

Therefore at all times think upon Me only and fight. With mind and Reason set on Me, without doubt thou shalt come to Me

With the mind not wandering after aught else, harmonised by continual practice, constantly meditating, O Pârtha, one goeth to the Spirit supreme, divine

He who thinketh upon the Ancient, the Omniscient, the All-Ruler, minuter than the minute, the supporter of all, of form unimaginable, refulgent as the sun beyond the darkness,

}} In the time of forthgoing, with unshaken mind, fixed in devotion, by the power of yoga drawing together his life-breath in the centre of the two eyebrows, he goeth to this Spirit, supreme, divine

That which is declared indestructible by the Veda-knowers, that which the controlled and passion-free enter, that desiring which Brahmacharya is performed, that path I will declare to thee with brevity

All the gates closed, the mind confined in the heart, the life-breath fixed in his own head, concentrated by yoga,

"Aum!" the one syllabled , reciting, thinking upon Me, he who goeth forth, abandoning the body, he goeth on the highest path

He who constantly thinketh upon Me, not thinking ever of another, of him I am easily reached, O Pârtha, of this ever-harmonised Yogî

Having come to Me, these Mahâtmâs come not again to birth, the place of pain, non-eternal; they have gone to the highest bliss

The worlds, beginning with the world of Brahmâ, they come and go, O Arjuna; but he who cometh unto Me, O Kaunteya, he knoweth birth no more

The people who know the day of Brahmâ, a thousand ages in duration, and the night a thousand ages in ending, they know day and night

From the unmanifested all the manifested stream forth at the coming of day; at the coming of night they dissolve, even in That called the unmanifested

This multitude of beings, going forth repeatedly, is dissolved at the coming of night: by ordination, O Pârtha, it streams forth at the coming of day

Therefore verily there existeth, higher than that unmanifested, another unmanifested, eternal, which in the destroying of all beings, is not destroyed

That unmanifested, "the Indestructible," It is called; It is named the highest Path. They who reach It return not. That is My supreme abode

He, the highest Spirit, O Pârtha, may be reached by unswerving devotion to Him alone, in whom all beings abide, by whom all This is pervaded

That time wherein going forth Yogîs return not, and also that wherein going forth they return, that time shall I declare to thee, O prince of the Bhâratas

Fire, light, day-time, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path—then, going forth, the men who know the go to the

Smoke, night-time, the dark fortnight also, the six months of the southern path returneth

Light and darkness, these are thought to be the world's everlasting paths; by the one he goeth who returneth not, by the other he who returneth again

Knowing these paths, O Pârtha, the Yogi is nowise perplexed. Therefore in all times be firm in yoga, O Arjuna

The fruit of meritorious deeds, attached in the Vedas to sacrifices, to austerities, and also to almsgiving, the Yogî passeth all these by having known this, and goeth to the supreme and ancient Seat

}} To thee, the uncarping, verily shall I declare this profoundest Secret, wisdom with knowledge combined, which, having known, thou shalt be freed from evil

Kingly Science, kingly Secret, supreme Purifier, this; intuitional, according to righteousness, very easy to perform, imperishable

Men without faith in this knowledge, O Parantapa, not reaching Me, return to the paths of this world of death

By Me all this world is pervaded in My unmanifested aspect; all beings have root in Me, I am not rooted in them

Nor have beings root in Me; behold My sovereign Yoga! The support of beings, yet not rooted in beings, My their efficient cause

As the mighty air everywhere moving is rooted in the Ether, so all beings rest rooted in Me—thus know thou

All beings, O Kaunteya, enter my lower nature at the end of a world-age; at the beginning of a world-age again I emanate them

Hidden in Nature, which is mine own, I emanate again and again all this multitude of beings, helpless, by the force of Nature

Nor do these works bind me, O Dhananjaya, enthroned on high unattached to actions

Under Me as supervisor, Nature sends forth the moving and unmoving: because of this, O Kaunteya, the universe revolves

The foolish disregard Me, when clad in human semblance, ignorant of My supreme nature, the great Lord of beings;

Empty of hope, empty of deeds, empty of wisdom, senseless, partaking of the deceitful, brutal and demoniacal nature

Verily the Mahâtmâs, O Partha, partaking of My divine nature, having known Me, the imperishable source of beings

Always magnifying Me, strenuous, firm in vows, prostrating themselves before Me, they worship Me with devotion ever harmonised

Others also, sacrificing with the sacrifice of wisdom, worship Me as the One and the Manifold everywhere present

I the ablation; I the sacrifice; I the ancestral offering; I the fire-giving herb; the mantram I; I also the butter; I the fire; the burnt-offering I;

I the Father of this universe, the Mother, the Supporter, the Grandsire, the Holy one to be known, the Word of Power, and also the Rik, Sâma, and Yajur,

The Path, Husband, Lord, Witness, Abode, Shelter, Lover, Origin, Dissolution, Foundation, house, Seed imperishable

I give heat; I hold back and send forth the rain; immortality and also death, being and non-being am I, Arjuna

The knowers of the three, the Soma-drinkers, the purified from sin, worshipping Me with sacrifice, pray of Me the way to heaven; they, ascending to the holy world of the Ruler of the Shining Ones, eat in heaven the divine feasts of the Shining Ones

They, having enjoyed the spacious heaven-world, their holiness withered, come back to this world of death. Following the virtues enjoined by the three, desiring desires, they obtain the transitory

To those men who worship Me alone thinking of no other, to those ever harmonious, I bring full security

Even the devotees of other Shining Ones, who worship full of faith, they also worship Me, O son of Kuntî, though contrary to the ancient rule

I am indeed the enjoyer of all sacrifices and also the Lord, but they know Me not in Essence, and hence they fall

They who worship the Shining Ones go to the Shining Ones; to the Ancestors go the Ancestor-worshippers; to the Elements go those who sacrifice to Elementals; but My worshippers come unto Me

He who offereth to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, water, that I accept from the striving self, offered as it is with devotion

Whatsoever thou doest, whatsoever thou eatest, whatsoever thou offerest, whatsoever thou givest, whatsoever thou doest of austerity, O Kaunteya, do thou that as an offering unto Me

Thus shalt thou be liberated from the bonds of action, yielding good and evil fruits; thyself harmonised by the yoga of renunciation, thou shalt come unto Me when set free

The same am I to all beings; there is none hateful to Me nor dear. They verily who worship Me with devotion, they are in Me, and I also in them

Even if the most sinful worship Me, with un- divided heart, he too must be accounted righteous, for he hath rightly resolved;

Speedily he becometh dutiful and goeth to eternal peace; O Kaunteya, know thou for certain that My devotee perisheth never

They who take refuge with Me, O Partha, though of the womb of sin, women, Vaishyas, even Shûdras, they also tread the highest path

How much rather then holy Brâhmanas and devoted royal saints; having obtained this transient joyless world, worship thou Me

On Me fix thy mind, be devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me; prostrate thyself before Me; harmonised thus in the , thou shalt come unto Me, having Me as thy supreme goal

}} Again, O mighty-armed, hear thou My supreme word, that, desiring thy welfare, I will declare to thee who art beloved

The multitude of the Shining Ones, or the great Rishis, know not my forthcoming, for I am the beginning of all the Shining Ones and the great Rishis

He who knoweth Me, unborn, beginningless, the great Lord of the world, he among mortals without delusion, is liberated from all sin

Harmlessness, equanimity, content, austerity, almsgiving, fame and obloquy are the various characteristics of beings issuing from Me

The seven great Rishis, the ancient Four, and also the Manus, were born of My nature, and mind; of them this race was generated

He who knows in essence that sovereignty and yoga of Mine, he is harmonised by unfaltering yoga; there is no doubt thereof

I am the Generator of all; all evolves from Me; understanding thus, the wise adore Me in rapt emotion

Mindful of Me, their life hidden in Me, illumining each other, ever conversing about Me, they are content and joyful

To these, ever harmonious, worshipping in love, I give the yoga of discrimination by which they come unto Me

Out of pure compassion for them, dwelling within their , I destroy the ignorance-born darkness by the shining lamp of wisdom

}} Thou art the supreme , the supreme Abode, the supreme Purity, eternal divine man, primeval Deity, unborn, the Lord!

All the Rishis have thus acclaimed Thee, as also the divine Rishi, Nârada; so Asita, Devala, and Vyâsa; and now Thou Thyself tellest it me

All this I believe true that Thou sayest to me, O Keshava. Thy manifestation, O Blessed Lord, neither Shining Ones nor Dânavas comprehend

Thyself indeed knowest Thyself by Thyself, O Purushottama; Source of beings, Lord of beings, Shining One of Shining Ones, Ruler of the world!

Deign to tell without reserve of Thine own divine glories, by which glories Thou remainest, pervading these worlds

How may I know thee, O Yogi, by constant meditation? In what, in what aspects art Thou to be thought of by me, O blessed Lord?

In detail tell me again of Thy yoga and glory, O Janardana; for me there is never satiety in hearing thy life-giving words

}} Blessed be thou! I will declare to thee My divine glory by its chief characteristics, O best of the Kurus; there is no end to details of Me

I, O Gudakesha, am the , seated in the heart of all beings; I am the beginning, the middle, and also the end of all beings

Of the Adityas I am Vishnu; of radiances the glorious sun; I am Marîchi of the Maruts; of the asterisms the Moon am I

Of the Vedas I am the Sâma-Veda; I am Vâsava of the Shining Ones; and of the senses I am the mind; I am of living beings the intelligence

And of the Rudras Shañkara am I; Vittesha of the Yakshas and Râkshasas; and of the Vasus I am Pâvaka; Meru of high mountains am I

And know Me, O Pârtha, of household priests the chief, Brihaspati: of generals I am Skanda; of lakes I am the ocean

Of the great Rishis Bhṛigu; of speech I am the one syllable; of sacrifices I am the sacrifice of silent repetitions; of immovable things the Himâlaya

Asvattha of all tree; and of divine Rishis Nârada; of Gandharvas Chitraratha; of the perfected the Muni Kapila

Uchchaishravas of horses know me, nectar-born; Airâvata of lordly elephants, and of men the Monarch

Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; of cows I am Kâmadhuk; I am Kandarpa of the progenitors; of serpents Vâsuki am I