gItA sAram
Author's note:
"bhagavad gItA kinchita dhItA .... kriyate tasya yamEna na carcha [For he who studies the bhagavad gItA even a little...., there shall be no quarrel with Death]", so sang AchArya shankarA in his classic bhaja gOvindham. Here's "kinchitam" gItA - select verses mainly dealing with Knowledge of The Self - edited into free form language. (Acknowledgment: R.K.Mutt's English translation by Swami Prabhavananda)
Chapter 2: sAnkya yOga
46. To the one who is the Self, scriptures are as useful as water in a reservoir during a flood.
47. You have the right to work, but not the results. Do not desire either the results of your work or inaction.
59. The senses fade for the absistent, but longing remains. Longing fades for one who Sees.
62. Thought of objects begets attachment to them. Attachment begets longing and longing, anger.
63. Anger deludes. Delusion clouds discrimination. Indiscrimination ruins.
71. The man without desire and a sense of "I" and "mine" attains peace.
Chapter 3: karma yOga
Why act?
2. If knowledge (of the Self) is superior, why act?
4. Because non-performance of action one does not yield Perfection.
6. He who controls his actions while thinking of sense objects is a hypocrite.
7. Perform action obligatory to you, for even maintenance of the body is impossible otherwise.
17. The man who is the Self (and only him) has no obligatory duty.
19. Performing obligatory action without attachment (to the results) yields the Highest.
20. I have no duty and nothing to gain, oh Arjuna, yet I continue in action.
22. (For) If I did not, the three worlds would perish.
How not to act
26. The (three) gunAs of prakrithi perform all action, yet deluded by egoism, one thinks "I am the doer".
How to act
27. Acting for My sake, with a mind focussed on Me, getting rid of desire and "I"-ness, fight!
35. It is better to do your obligatory duty imperfectly than another's perfectly.
The nature of sin and its transcendence
36. Oh Krishna, why does man sin even against his own better judgement as if impelled by some unseen force ?
37. The unseen force is desire; it is anger, born of (non-fulfilment of) deep craving.
39. Knowledge is covered by desire as smoke covers fire.
40. Desire lurks in the senses, the mind, and the intellect.
41. The mind is superior to the senses; the intellect, to the mind; and the Atman, to the intellect.
42. Thus using your Self (Atman) to restrain your self (senses, mind, and intellect), destroy that unseen foe: desire.
Chapter 4: jnAna karma samnyAsa yOga
8. To foster good and destroy evil, I incarnate on this earth in every age.
11. I fulfill all desires, however men worship Me, for all ways are Mine.
14. No action taints me, for I am above them. Knowing Me thus will make you thus.
19. He who acts without plans and desire for results is wise.
24. The offering is Brahman; the offered is Brahman; and so are the offerer and the recepient. Seeing thus is Brahman.
36. Even the worst sinner can transcend his sin by Knowledge.
37. Nothing purifies like Knowledge. In time, one realizes one's own Self.
38. The resolute one attains Knowledge and as a consequence, Supreme Peace.
39. Renoucing actions by Yoga and doubts by Knowledge one is the Self.
Chapter 5: samNyAsa yOga
1. Between renouncing and performing action (as per karma yoga), which is better?
2. Though both are good, performance of action is better.
4. Knowledge and action are not different.
5. He who realizes so alone Realizes.
6. Renunciation of action is not possible without action.
Who is the true Renouncer ?
7. One who sees his Self as the self of all is not tainted by his actions.
10. He who acts without attachment is not touched by his actions like water does not wet a lotus leaf.
18. The Knower of the Self sees his Self in everything.
23. He who can withstand impulses of desire and anger is a happy man.
24. He who finds light within himself gains absolute freedom.
26. Free of lust and anger and realizing his Self, such a renouncer is ever free.
Chapter 6: dhyAna yOga
1. He who acts with no care for results is a Renoucer of action and a Yogi; not somebody who has renouced family or is inactive.
4. A man unattached to sense-objects and is devoid of selfish will is mature in yoga.
10. The yogi should concentrate on the Self in solitude with mind and body subdued.
15. The yogi of steadfast mind attains Me.
16. Moderation in eating, recreation, effort to work, and sleep allows yoga to destory misery.
19. The subdued mind focussing on the Self is like a lamp in a windless spot.
26. When the mind wanders, let him bring it back to the Self.
27. The yogi constantly meditating thus attains the infinite bliss of Brahman.
30. He who sees Me in everything and everything in Me, is never seperated from Me nor Me from him.
34. Oh Krishna, it is quite hard to control this mind, which is restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding.
35. Though the mind is indeed difficult to control, it can be acheived by abhyAsA and vairAgyA
37-38. Does not a yogi unable to succeed in this quest perish devoid of the support of other paths (karma, jnana)?
40. No, for the doer of good never comes to grief.
41. The virtue of his practise carries him forward despite himself.
42. Such a yogi attains Me gradually after many births.
43. He is superior to a renouncer or a performer of action; Be thou a yogi, Oh Arjuna!
Chapter 7: jnAna vijnAna yOga
6. I Am the orgin and dissolution of the universe.
7. All is strung on Me like beads on a necklace.
8. The three gunAs stem from Me but I Am beyond them.
14. This illusion of Mine is difficult to cross, but for those devoted to Me.
16. The four types of worshippers are those who seek relief from distress, enjoyment, knowledge and the wise.
19. After many births, the wise man seeks refuge in Me.
20. Whatever form one worships Me, that form I make him devoted to.
21. From that worship, one gains his desires granted by Me.
27. By the delusion of opposites, all are blinded at birth.
28. Those of virtuous deeds worship Me with resolve.
29. Those who take refuge in Me, they know Brahman.
Chapter 8: akshara brahma yOga
6. Whatever one thinks of at the time of death is attained by him.
7. Therefore, constantly remember Me, for you shall then come to Me.
8. With the mind constantly focussing on the Supreme Lord, one goes to Him.
14. I am easily attained by the yOgi who thinks of me constantly.
15-16 There is no rebirth after attaining Me.
Chapter 9: rAja vidyA rAja grhyA yoga
4. All beings are in Me but I Am beyond them.
6. As the wind exists in space, so do beings exist in Me.
26. I accept the devout gift of the pure at heart, be it a leaf, flower, fruit, or water.
27. Whatever you do, do it as an offering to Me.
28. That frees you from bondage.
30. Having made your heart steadfast in Me, you come to Me.
Chapter 10: viBhUthi yOga
20. I Am the Self in the Heart of all beings; I am the beginning, middle, and end of all beings.
39. I Am the seed of all beings. There is no being without Me.
Chapter 11: viSvarUpa darshanam
18. Thou art, oh Krishna, the Supreme Being.
32. I am Time almighty that destroys the world, oh Arjuna.
Chapter 12: bhakti yOga
2. Those who worship Me constantly are the best versed in yOga.
8. Fix your mind on Me steadily.
9. If you are unable to fix your mind on Me steadily, practise concentration.
10. If you are unable to practise concentration, do actions only for My sake.
11. If you are unable to act only for My sake, surrender all results of your actions to Me.
12. Knowledge is better than mere practice. Meditation with knowledge is even better. Renounciation of results is the best.
Chapter 13: kshetra kshetrajna
30. He who sees everything is One and their expansion from That is verily That.
31. The Self is without beginning and neither acts nor is affected.
32. He who knows the difference between the kshetra (the body) and the kshetrajna (the Self) remains as the Self.
Chapter 14: guna traya vibhAga yOga
When one sees that action is the result of the three gunAs and knows That which is higher than them, he attains Me.
He who transcends the gunAs and serves Me constantly, attains Me.
Chapter 15: purusha uttama yOga
18 Oh Arjuna, as I trascend the persihable and even the Imperishable, I am celebrated as purusha Uttama.
Chapter 18: mOksha samnyAsa yOga
2. Renunciation of desired actions is samnyAsa. Renunciation of fruit of all action is tyAgA.
5. Sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be renounced.
6. Even then, attachment to their fruits must be given up.
7. Renunciation of obligatory action is improper.
64. Take refuge in Me; I shall liberate you from all sins. Do not grieve!
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