viddhi

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्

viddhi — know

Know that indestructible, by which all this is pervaded. No one can bring about the destruction of the imperishable.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्

viddhi — you should know

Know that action arises from the Veda, and the Veda from the imperishable. Therefore the all-pervading is present in every offering.

ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्

viddhi — know

But those who scorn it and do not live by it — deluded in every kind of knowledge, without discernment — know them to be lost.

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः

viddhi — know

It is desire, it is anger, born of the strand of restlessness — all-devouring, deeply harmful. Know this as the enemy here.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः

viddhi — know

The four orders were brought forth by me, divided according to quality and work. Know me as their maker — and know also that I am not bound by it.

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे

viddhi — know

So many kinds of offering have been described. Know that all of them arise from action — and knowing this, you will be free.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया

viddhi — try to learn

Learn it by bowing down, by asking, by serving. Those who know will teach you.

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव

viddhi — know

Know that what they call renunciation is yoga, son of Pandu. No one becomes a practitioner without giving up the intention behind the act.

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्

viddhi — know

That is the lower. Know that I have another and higher nature, mighty-armed one: the living, by which this world is upheld.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्

viddhi — know

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

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये

viddhi — know

Whatever states arise from clarity, from restlessness, or from inertia — know that they come from me. I am not in them; they are in me.

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम्

viddhi — know

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

उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम्

viddhi — know

Among horses know me as the one born of the churning of nectar; among elephants, Airavata; and among men, the king.

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत

viddhi — know

Know me also as the knower of the field in every field, Arjuna. Knowledge of the field and of its knower — that I hold to be knowledge.

प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि

viddhi — know

Know that nature and the person are both without beginning. Know too that the changes and the strands arise from nature.

यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम्

viddhi — know

Whatever comes into being, moving or unmoving, know it to arise from the joining of the field and the knower of the field.

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम्

viddhi — know

Know restlessness to be of the nature of craving, arising from thirst and attachment. It binds the embodied one by attachment to action.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्

viddhi — know

Know inertia to be born of unknowing, the deluder of all the embodied. It binds by heedlessness, idleness and sleep.

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्

viddhi — know

The radiance that is in the sun, which lights the whole world, and what is in the moon and in fire — know that radiance to be mine.

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः

viddhi — know

tormenting the elements of the body, senseless — know their resolve to be of the other nature. They torment me, who dwell within them.

अभिसंधाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत्

viddhi — know

But an offering made looking to its fruit, or for the sake of show — know that to be of restlessness.

सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते

viddhi — understand

That knowledge by which one sees one imperishable nature in all beings, undivided in the divided, is of clarity.

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान्

viddhi — know

But the knowledge which, seeing separateness, takes the many natures of beings to be distinct in kind, is of restlessness.