pārtha

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

in full view of Bhishma and Drona and all the kings of the earth, and said: Son of Pritha, look at these Kurus gathered here.

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Do not give in to this unmanliness, son of Pritha. It does not suit you. Shake off this small weakness of heart and stand up.

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्

pārtha — Parth

One who knows it as imperishable, eternal, unborn and unchanging — how could such a person kill, or cause anyone to be killed?

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Such a battle has come to you unsought, an open door. Fortunate are the warriors who find it.

एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्रृणु

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

What I have told you so far is by way of analysis. Now hear it by way of practice: with this understanding you will cut the bonds of action.

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Those of small understanding speak flowery words, delighting in the letter of the scriptures, and say there is nothing more —

प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

When a person lets go of every desire that has entered the mind, and is content within the self by the self — then that one is called steady in wisdom.

एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

This is the state of Brahman, son of Pritha. Having reached it, one is not deluded. Established in it, even at the hour of death, one comes to the peace of Brahman.

एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Whoever does not keep this wheel turning lives wrongly, son of Pritha, delighting only in the senses, and lives in vain.

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन

pārtha — Arjun

There is nothing in the three worlds that I must do, son of Pritha, nothing I lack and nothing I need to gain — and yet I act.

यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

For if I did not always act, and act with care, people would follow my path,

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

However people come to me, so I meet them. All paths are mine, son of Pritha.

श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

The offering of knowledge is better than the offering of possessions, Arjuna. All action, without exception, finds its end in knowledge.

पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

There is no destruction for such a person, son of Pritha, either here or beyond. No one who does good ever comes to a bad end.

मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

With your mind attached to me, son of Pritha, practising yoga and taking refuge in me — hear how you will know me completely and without doubt.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Know me as the eternal seed of all beings, son of Pritha. I am the understanding of the understanding, the splendour of the splendid.

अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

With a mind joined by steady practice and not wandering elsewhere, one who remembers the highest, the divine person, reaches him.

अनन्यचेताः सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यशः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

For the one whose mind does not turn elsewhere, who remembers me constantly and always, I am easy to reach, son of Pritha.

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

This same multitude of beings comes into being again and again, and again and again dissolves, helplessly, at the coming of night.

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

That highest person, son of Pritha, is reached by devotion to nothing else — he in whom all beings rest, and by whom all this is pervaded.

नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Knowing these two paths, son of Pritha, one who practises is not confused by them. So at all times be joined in yoga, Arjuna.

महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

But the great-souled, son of Pritha, having taken refuge in the divine nature, worship me with a mind turned nowhere else, knowing me as the imperishable origin of all beings.

मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

For all who take refuge in me, son of Pritha — however low their birth, women, merchants, labourers — reach the highest goal.

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Know me as Brihaspati among priests, son of Pritha; among warriors, Skanda; and among waters, the ocean.

पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Behold my forms, son of Pritha, by hundreds and by thousands — of many kinds, divine, of many colours and shapes.

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

for them, whose thought is on me, I am soon the one who lifts them out of the ocean of death and rebirth.

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च

pāruṣhyam — harshness

Pretence, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance belong to one born to the other nature, Arjuna.

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

There are two kinds of beings brought forth in this world, the divine and the other. The divine I have described at length; hear now of the other.

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Sat is used to mean what truly is and what is good. And the word Sat is used, Arjuna, for an act of praise.

अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत्

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

But an offering made, a gift given, an austerity practised or an act done without faith is called Asat, Arjuna. It is nothing here, and nothing beyond.

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Even these actions should be done having let go of attachment and of their fruits. This is my settled view.

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये

pārtha — son of Pritha

The understanding that knows action and inaction, what should be done and what should not, fear and fearlessness, bondage and release, is of clarity.

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

The understanding by which one wrongly grasps what is right and what is not, and what should be done and what should not, is of restlessness.

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसाऽऽवृता

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

The understanding, wrapped in darkness, that takes what is wrong for what is right, and sees everything the wrong way round, is of inertia.

धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

The steadiness by which one holds the movements of mind, breath and senses, unwavering through practice, is of clarity.

यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

But the steadiness by which one holds to duty, pleasure and gain out of attachment, craving their fruit, is of restlessness.

यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

And the steadiness by which the dull do not let go of sleep, fear, grief, despair and conceit is of inertia.

कच्चिदेतच्छ्रुतं पार्थ त्वयैकाग्रेण चेतसा

pārtha — Arjun, the son of Pritha

Have you heard this with a mind gathered to one point, son of Pritha? Has your confusion, born of unknowing, gone?

इत्यहं वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः

pārthasya — Arjun

So I have heard this wonderful dialogue between Krishna and the great-souled Arjuna, and my hair stands on end.