Sad

Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own kin, O Madhava (Krishna)?

A kṣatriya is not supposed to refuse to battle or gamble when he is so invited by some rival party. Under such an obligation, Arjuna could not refuse to fight, because he had been challenged by the party of Duryodhana. In this connection, Arjuna considered that the other party might be blind to the effects of such a challenge. Arjuna, however, could see the evil consequences and could not accept the challenge. Obligation is actually binding when the effect is good, but when the effect is otherwise, then no one can be bound. Considering all these pros and cons, Arjuna decided not to fight.

Slain, you will obtain heaven; victorious, you will enjoy the earth; therefore, stand up, O son of Kunti, resolved to fight.

In either case you will be benefited. Therefore, stand up with the firm resolution I will conquer the enemy or die.

Therefore, stand up and obtain fame. Conquer the enemies and enjoy the unparalleled kingdom. Verily, by Me they have already been slain; be thou a mere instrument, O Arjuna.

Be thou merely an apparent or nominal cause. I have already killed them in advance. I have destroyed them long ago.Fame People will think that Bhishma, Drona and the other great warriors whom even the gods cannot kill have been defeated by you and so you will obtain great fame. Such fame is due to virtuous Karma only.Satrun Enemies such as Duryodhana.Savyasachi Arjuna who could shoot arrows even with the left hand.

"I have slain that enemy, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord; I enjoy, I am perfect, powerful, and happy."

I will be the lord of all I survey. I will kill everyone who will not serve me. In fact I am the lord of all creation. I will be successful in all my undertakings. I have got plenty of landed property, cattle and immense wealth. I have got plenty of children and grandchildren. Even Indra is not eal to me. I am not an ordinary man. I am very powerful, strong, healthy and happy in every respect.In this verse there is a description of the vain imaginations of the people of demoniacal nature.

The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the gods without offering anything in return is indeed a thief.

When the gods are pleased with you sacrifices, they will bestow on you all the desired objects such as children, cattle, property, etc. He who enjoys what has been given to him by the gods, i.e., he who gratifies the cravings of his own body and the senses without offering anything to the gods in return is a veritable thief. He is really a dacoit of the property of the gods.

But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self and is content in the Self alone, indeed there is nothing to do.

The sage does not depend on external objects for his happiness. He is ite satisfied with the Self. He finds his joy, bliss and contentment within his own Self. For such a sage who has knowledge of the Self, there is nothing to do. He has already done all actions. He has satisfied all his desires. He has complete satisfaction. (Cf.II.55).

Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything even while being engaged in activity.

The same idea of inaction in action is repeated here to produce a deep impression on the minds of the aspirants. He who works for the wellbeing of the world and he who performs actions without egoism and attachment for the fruits, to set an example to the masses, really does nothing at all though he is ever engaged in activity, as he possesses the knowledge of the Self which is beyond all activity and as he has realised his identity with It.As Brahman the Absolute is selfcontained, all the desires are gratified if one realises the Self. He is ever satisfied and does not depend on anything, just as a man who has the favour of the king does not depend on the minister or the government official for anything. (Cf.IV.41)

The one who is full of faith, devoted to it, and has subdued their senses obtains this knowledge; and upon obtaining the knowledge, they attain the supreme peace immediately.

He who is full of faith, who constantly serves his Guru and hears his teachings, who has subdued the senses surely gets the knowledge and quickly attains the supreme peace or salvation (Moksha). All the above three qualifications are indispensable for an aspirant if he wants to attain to the supreme peace of the Eternal quickly. One alifiaction alone will not suffice. (Cf.X.10,11)

The Blessed Lord said, "I shall now declare to thee, who does not cavil, the greatest secret—the knowledge combined with experience (Self-realisation). Having known this, thou shalt be free from evil."

Idam (this) alludes to knowledge of the Self.Jnana Theoretical knowledge of Brahman through the study of the Upanishads, also known as Paroksha Brahma Jnana.Vijnana Direct intuitive perception of Brahman or AtmaSakshatkara, also known as Aparoksha Brahma Jnana.This alone forms the direct means of attaining to liberation from evil or the bondage of Samsara, freedom from birth and death.The knowledge of the Self is the most profound secret. It can hardly be described in words. It can be realised only through direct experience or spiritual intuition. Atman or Brahman or the selfluminous, eternal, Supreme Purusha is ever shining in the chambers of the hearts of men. Throughout the ages there have always been a few who have trodden the spiritual path and found out this secret or the spiritual treasure of the precious pearl of the Self. Knowledge of the Self is the only direct means for attaining liberation, Karma Yoga purifies the heart and leads to the dawn of the knowledge of the Self.Lord Krishna says, O Arjuna, I shall teach you this profoundest secret knowledge combined with realisation as you are free from jealousy. From this we can clearly understand that freedom from jealousy is an important qualification for an aspirant. Knowledge can only dawn in a mind which is free from all forms of jealousy which causes great distraction of the mind and produces intense heartburning

Those who have no faith in this Dharma, O Parantapa, return to the path of this world without attaining Me.

Arjuna asks, O Lord, why do people not attempt to attain this knowledge of the Self when it can be easily attained, when it is the highest of all things, and when it gives the greatest benefits All should certainly attain this knowledge. The Lord replies, O My beloved disciple, people have no faith in this Dhrama or knowledge and so return to the path of this world of death. Even if they strive with the help of the means of their own imagination they cannot attain Me as they are not endowed with the right means prescribed by the scriptures.Dharma means law, religion, knowledge of the Self.This faith is not mere intellectual belief in certain dogmas or principles. It is not merely belief in the statement of another. It is unshakable firm inner conviction that the knowledge of the Self alone can give one supreme peace, immortality and eternal bliss. It was this strong and unflinching faith of Sri Sankara that goaded him to leave his mother and take shelter under the kind protection of his Guru Sri Govindapada for attaining this knowledge which is the supreme purifier, intuitional, accordig to righteousness, very easy to perform, and imperishable. It was the strong faith of Lord Buddha that induced him to have that iron determination which he expressed in these words, I will not budge an inch from my seat till I get illumination

They are possessed of the deceitful nature of demons and undivine beings, filled with vain hopes, vain actions, and vain knowledge that is senseless.

They entertain vain hopes, for there can be no hope in perishable forms. It is vain hope because they run after transient objects and miss the Eternal. It is vain action, because it is not performed by them as sacrifice unto the Lord. The Agnihotra (a ritual) and other actions performed by them are fruitless, because they insult the Lord. They are senseless. They have no,discrimination. They have no idea of the eternal Self. They worship their body only. They behold no self beyond the body. They neglect their own Self. They do atrocious crimes and cruel actions. They rob others property and murder people. They partake of the nature of the demons and the undivine beings.The Rakshasa are Tamasic and the Asuras are Rajasic.Prakriti means here Svabhava (ones own nature).They see the external human body only. They have no knowledge of the Self that dwells within the body. They do not behold God in the universe. They life for eating and drinking only.He who entertains hope of getting the rewards of actions through mere Karma alone, without the grace of the Lord is one of empty hope and empty deed. Karmas are insentient. They cannot give rewards independently. The omniscient Lord Who knows the relationship between Karmas and their fruits can dispense them

For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no one else, for those ever-united, I secure what they have not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.

Ananyah Nonseparate. This is another interpretation. Persons who, meditating on Me as nonseparate, worship Me in all beings -- to them who are ever devout, I secure gain and safety. They consider themselves as nonseparate, i.e., they look upon the Supreme Being as nonseparate from their own Self they look upon the Supreme Being as their own Self.Those devotees who behold nothing as separate from themselves have no selfish interests of their own. They certainly do not look for their own gain and safety. They have no desire for life or death. They have taken sole refuge in the Lord. They have nothing to lose, because there is nothing they call their own. Their very bodies become Gods. They have no desire for acisition because all their desires are gratified by their communion with the Lord. They have eternal satisfaction as they possess all the divine Aisvarya, the supreme wealth of the Lord.They entertain no other thoughts than those of the Lord. Conseently the Lord Himself looks after their bodily wants, such as food and clothing (this is known as Yoga), and preserves what they already possess (this is known as Kshema). He does these two acts. Just as the father and mother attend to the bodily needs of their children, so also the Lord attends to the needs of His devotees.They direct their whole mind with full faith towards the Lord

Even those devotees who, endowed with faith, worship other gods, worship Me alone, O Arjuna, but by the wrong method.

They worship Me in ignorance. Their mode of worship is contrary to the ancient,rule. Hence they return to this world.People worship Agni, Indra, Surya, Varuna, the Vasus, etc. Even they attain Me, because I am everywhere. But their devotion is not pure. It is vicarious. Water should be given to the root and not to the branches. If the root is satisfied, the whole tree must be and is satisfied. Even so, if I (the root of this world and all the gods) am satisfied, all the gods must be and are satisfied. Though the messages from the five organs of knowledge reach the one consciousness, will it be right and useful to place a sweetmeat in the ear and a flower in the eyes The function of eating must be done by the mouth alone and the function of smelling by the nose alone. Therefore I should be worshipped in My own nature. They should know Me as the Self in all beings. They should recognise Me in other worship. I am the root. I am the source of all the gods and of this whole world. (Cf.IV.11VII.20)

For I alone am the enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices; but they do not know Me in reality, and thus they return to this mortal world.

They do not know that I, the Supreme Self, am the enjoyer of all sacrifices enjoined in the Vedas and the Smritis (the codes of right conduct) and the Lord of all sacrifices. As I am the inner Ruler of this world I am the Lord of all sacrifices (Vide chapter VIII. 4 -- Adhiyajnohamevatra I am the presiding deity of the sacrifice). I am at the beginning and at the end of every sacrifice and yet these people worship other gods. Therefore they worship in ignorance. As they worhsip other gods without recognising Me, and as they have not consecrated their actions to Me, they return to this mortal world after their merits are exhausted from the plane to which they had attained as the result of their sacrifices.Those who are devoted to other gods and who worship Me in ignorance (Avidhipurvakam) also get the fruit of sacrifice. How (Cf.V.29XV.9)

How much more easily, then, do Brahmins and devoted royal saints attain the goal? Having come to this impermanent and unhappy world, do thou worship Me.

Rajarshis are kings who have become saints while discharging the duties of the kingdom.It is very difficult to get a human birth which is the means of attaining the goal of life. Being born in this human body you should lead a life of devotion to the Lord. In the human body alone will you have the power to reflect (VicharaSakti), discrimination and dispassion. Even the gods envy the human birth.This body is impermanent. It perishes soon. It brings pain of various sorts. So give up the efforts for securing happiness and comfort for this body. If you do not aim at Selfrealisation even after attaining a human birth, you live in vain you are wasting your life and you are a slayer of the Self. You will again and again be caught in the wheel of birth and death.

The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.

Pure food increases the vitality and strength of those who eat it. It augments the energy of the mind also.Sattva Cheerfulness purity inner, moral and spiritual strength and courage that keep the mind steady even in great distress.Bala Strength absence of fatigue even in doing difficult work.Priti Absence of retching good appetite.Rasyah Sweet and juicy.Sthirah Substantial which can last long in the body vitalising but not difficult to digest.Hridyah The mere sight of the food is very pleasing to the mind and it is free from odour of smoke or burnt condition.Sattvic food produces cheerfulness, serenity and mental clarity and helps the aspirants to enter into deep meditation and maintain mental poise and nervous eilibrium. It supplies the maximum energy to the body and the mind. It is very easily assimilated and absorbed.A Sattvic man relishes juicy food and other foods which are attractive in form, soft to touch and pleasant to taste, which are small in bulk but great in nourishment like the words from the lips of a spiritual preceptor. Sattvic food is highly conducive to health.Eat that food which will develop Sattva in you. Milk, butter, fresh, ripe fruits, almonds, green Dal, barley, Parwal, Torai, Karela, plantains, etc., are Sattvic. Abandon fish, meat, liors, eggs, etc., ruthlessly if you want to increase Sattva and attain Selfrealisation

Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, and uprightness, as well as knowledge, realization, and belief in God, are the duties of Brahmanas, born of their own nature.

Sama is control of the mind. Dama is control of the senses. Serenity and selfrestraint have already been explained in XVII.2. Austerity of the three kinds has also been explained in XVII.14 to 16.Astikyam Faith in the words of the Guru, in the teachings of the scriptures, in the existence of God, in the life beyond or hereafter and in ones own Self.The mind is absorbed in the Self. This gives peace. Selfrestraint is the helpmate of peace. In obeying the inunctions of the scriptures alone you will attain peace and spiritual progress. You must not argue too much. You must have reverence for and faith in the teaching.As the sandalwood tree is fragrant with its own sweet scent, as a Champaka tree is adorned by its lovely flowers, so also a Brahmana is adorned by these nine virtues which are inseparable from him.Now, O Arjuna, listen to the duties of a Kshatriya.

Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata, and Drupada—all mighty warriors.

Technically, maharatha means a warrior who is proficient in the science of war and who is able to fight alone with ten thousand archers.

Therefore, do all of you, stationed in your respective positions in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhishma alone.

Duryodhana, after praising the prowess of Bhīṣma, further considered that others might think that they had been considered less important, so in his usual diplomatic way, he tried to adjust the situation in the above words. He emphasized that Bhīṣmadeva was undoubtedly the greatest hero, but he was an old man, so everyone must especially think of his protection from all sides. He might become engaged in the fight, and the enemy might take advantage of his full engagement on one side. Therefore, it was important that other heroes not leave their strategic positions and allow the enemy to break the phalanx. Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the Kurus depended on the presence of Bhīṣmadeva. He was confident of the full support of Bhīṣmadeva and Droṇācārya in the battle because he well knew that they did not even speak a word when Arjuna’s wife Draupadī, in her helpless condition, had appealed to them for justice while she was being forced to appear naked in the presence of all the great generals in the assembly. Although he knew that the two generals had some sort of affection for the Pāṇḍavas, he hoped that these generals would now completely give it up, as they had done during the gambling performances.

These I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth."

Arjuna has addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa as Govinda because Kṛṣṇa is the object of all pleasures for cows and the senses. By using this significant word, Arjuna indicates that Kṛṣṇa should understand what will satisfy Arjuna’s senses. But Govinda is not meant for satisfying our senses. If we try to satisfy the senses of Govinda, however, then automatically our own senses are satisfied. Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way – namely, when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one’s own senses – then by the grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied. Arjuna’s deep affection for community and family members is exhibited here partly due to his natural compassion for them. He is therefore not prepared to fight. Everyone wants to show his opulence to friends and relatives, but Arjuna fears that all his relatives and friends will be killed on the battlefield and he will be unable to share his opulence after victory. This is a typical calculation of material life. The transcendental life, however, is different. Since a devotee wants to satisfy the desires of the Lord, he can, Lord willing, accept all kinds of opulence for the service of the Lord, and if the Lord is not willing, he should not accept a farthing. Arjuna did not want to kill his relatives, and if there were any need to kill them, he desired that Kṛṣṇa kill them personally. At this point he did not know that Kṛṣṇa had already killed them before their coming into the battlefield and that he was only to become an instrument for Kṛṣṇa. This fact is disclosed in following chapters. As a natural devotee of the Lord, Arjuna did not like to retaliate against his miscreant cousins and brothers, but it was the Lord’s plan that they should all be killed. The devotee of the Lord does not retaliate against the wrongdoer, but the Lord does not tolerate any mischief done to the devotee by the miscreants. The Lord can excuse a person on His own account, but He excuses no one who has done harm to His devotees. Therefore the Lord was determined to kill the miscreants, although Arjuna wanted to excuse them.

Adhibhuta—knowledge of the elements—pertains to My perishable nature, and the Purusha, or the Soul, is the Adhidaiva; I alone am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best among the embodied.

Adhibhuta the perishable nature the changing universe of the five elements with all its objects all the material objects everything that has birth the changing world of names and forms.Adhidaiva Purusha literally means that by which everything is filled (pur to fill). It may also mean that which lies in this body. It is Hiranyagarbha or the universal soul or the sustainer from whom all living beings derive their sensepower. It is the witnessing consciousness.Adhiyajna Consciousness the presiding deity of sacrifice. The Lord of all works and sacrifice isVishnu. Lord Vishnu identifies Himself with all sacrificial acts. Yajna is verily Vishnu, says the Taittiriya Samhita of the Veda. Lord Krishna says, I am the presiding deity in all acts of sacrifice in the body. All sacrifices are done by the body and so it may be said that they rest in the body.

And whoever, leaving their body, goes forth remembering Me alone at the time of death, they will attain My Being; there is no doubt about this.

In this verse the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is at once transferred to the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the purest of the pure. Therefore anyone who is constantly Kṛṣṇa conscious is also the purest of the pure. The word smaran (“remembering”) is important. Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service. Therefore one should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Kṛṣṇa is essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the mahā-mantra – Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya has advised that one be as tolerant as a tree ( taror api sahiṣṇunā ). There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, so that at the end of one’s life one can have the full benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Indeed, it is not possible for an embodied being to completely abandon actions; however, he who relinquishes the rewards of actions is truly called a man of renunciation.

He who has assumed a human body and yet grumbles at having to perform actions is verily a fool. Can fire that is endowed with heat as its natural property ever think of getting rid of it So long as you are living in this body you cannot entirely relinish action. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna Nor can anyone, even for an instant remain actionless for helplessly is everyone driven to action by the alities born of Nature (Cf.III.5). Nature (and your own nature, too) will urge you to do actions. You will have to abandon the idea of agency and the fruits of actions. Then you are ite safe. No action will bind you.The ignorant man who identifies himself with the body and who thinks that he is himself the doer of all actions should not abandon actions. It is impossible for him to relinish actions. He will have to perform all the prescribed duties while relinishing their fruits.Dehabhrita A wearer of the body An embodied being, i.e., he who identifies himself with the body

The threefold fruit of action (evil, good, and mixed) accrues after death to those who do not abandon it, but never to those who do.

One fruit (of action) is pleasant, another is unpleasant, while the third is a mixture of both. Those in whom good actions preponderate are rorn as gods. Men of evil lives are rorn into animal or vegetable kingdoms. If their actions are eally good and bad, they are rorn into the human kingodm. These distinctions of good, evil and mixed do not exist for the liberated sage who has gone beyond the bonds of Karma by destroying egoism, by annihilating the idea of agency and by abandoning the hope of rewards of actions.The action of a renouncer does not generate desire or attachment thereto. Therefore, after death he is not born again. The actions that are performed without any desire for the reward can bring no bondage to the man at any time.He who has surrendered the fruits of all his works to the Lord is free from the bondage of Karma. Some kind of action is inevitable and natural to all beings, but the man of renunciation abandons the fruits of actions.Phalam Fruit This is caused by the operation of various external factors. This is brought forth by Avidya (ignornace). It is like jugglery and very delusive

Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.

Arjuna has addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa as Govinda because Kṛṣṇa is the object of all pleasures for cows and the senses. By using this significant word, Arjuna indicates that Kṛṣṇa should understand what will satisfy Arjuna’s senses. But Govinda is not meant for satisfying our senses. If we try to satisfy the senses of Govinda, however, then automatically our own senses are satisfied. Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way – namely, when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one’s own senses – then by the grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied. Arjuna’s deep affection for community and family members is exhibited here partly due to his natural compassion for them. He is therefore not prepared to fight. Everyone wants to show his opulence to friends and relatives, but Arjuna fears that all his relatives and friends will be killed on the battlefield and he will be unable to share his opulence after victory. This is a typical calculation of material life. The transcendental life, however, is different. Since a devotee wants to satisfy the desires of the Lord, he can, Lord willing, accept all kinds of opulence for the service of the Lord, and if the Lord is not willing, he should not accept a farthing. Arjuna did not want to kill his relatives, and if there were any need to kill them, he desired that Kṛṣṇa kill them personally. At this point he did not know that Kṛṣṇa had already killed them before their coming into the battlefield and that he was only to become an instrument for Kṛṣṇa. This fact is disclosed in following chapters. As a natural devotee of the Lord, Arjuna did not like to retaliate against his miscreant cousins and brothers, but it was the Lord’s plan that they should all be killed. The devotee of the Lord does not retaliate against the wrongdoer, but the Lord does not tolerate any mischief done to the devotee by the miscreants. The Lord can excuse a person on His own account, but He excuses no one who has done harm to His devotees. Therefore the Lord was determined to kill the miscreants, although Arjuna wanted to excuse them.

Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the most noble teachers. But if I were to kill them, even in this world, all my enjoyments of wealth and fulfilled desires would be stained with their blood.

According to scriptural codes, a teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned. Bhīṣma and Droṇa were obliged to take the side of Duryodhana because of his financial assistance, although they should not have accepted such a position simply on financial considerations. Under the circumstances, they have lost the respectability of teachers. But Arjuna thinks that nevertheless they remain his superiors, and therefore to enjoy material profits after killing them would mean to enjoy spoils tainted with blood.

Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna! who are called to fight in such a battle that comes of its own accord as an open door to heaven.

The scriptures declare that if a Kshatriya dies for a righteous cause on the battlefield, he at once goes to heaven.

Here, O joy of the Kurus, there is only one single-pointed determination; many-branched and endless are the thoughts of the indecisive.

Here, in this path to Bliss there is only one thought of a resolute nature there is singleminded determination. This single thought arises from the right source of knowledge. The student of Yoga collects all the dissipated rays of the mind. He gathers all of them through discrimination, dispassion and concentration. He is free from wavering or vacillation of the mind.The worldlyminded man who is suck in the mire of Samsara has no singleminded determination. He entertains countless thoughts. His mind is always unsteady and vacillating.If thoughts cease, Samsara also ceases. Mind generates endless thoughts and this world comes into being. Thoughts, and names and forms are inseparable. If the thoughts are controlled, the mind is controlled and the Yogi is liberated.

But the self-controlled man, moving among objects with the senses restrained and free from attraction and repulsion, attains peace.

The mind and the senses are naturally endowed with the two currents of attraction and repulsion. Therefore, the mind and the senses like certain objects and dislike certain other objects. But the disciplined man moves among senseobjects with the mind and the senses free from attraction and repulsion and mastered by the Self, attains to the peace of the Eternal. The senses and the mind obey his will, as the disciplined self has a very strong will. The disciplined self takes only those objects which are ite necessary for the maintenance of the body without any love or hatred. He never takes those objects which are forbidden by the scriptures.In this verse Lord Krishna gives the answer to Arjuna's fourth question, How does a sage of steady wisdom move about (Cf.III.7.19,25XVIII.9).

In that peace, all pains are destroyed; for the intellect of the tranquil-minded soon becomes steady.

When the mental peace is attained, there is no hankering after senseobjects. The Yogi has perfect mastery over his reason. The intellect abides in the Self. It is ite steady. The miseries of the body and the mind come to an end.

There is no knowledge of the Self for the unsteady, and no meditation is possible for the unsteady, and no peace for the unmeditative, and how can there be happiness for one who has no peace?

The man who cannot fix his mind in meditation cannot have knowledge of the Self. The unsteady man cannot practise meditation. He cannot have even intense devotion to Selfknowledge nor can he have burning longing for liberation or Moksha. He who does not practise meditation cannot possess peace of mind. How can the man who has no peace of mind enjoy happinessDesire or Trishna (thirsting for senseobjects) is the enemy of peace. There cannot be an iota or tinge of happiness for a man who is thirsting for sensual objects. The mind will be ever restless, and will be hankering for the objects. Only when this thirsting dies, does man enjoy peace. Only then can he meditate and rest in the Self.

He attains peace into whom all desires enter, just as waters enter the ocean which, filled from all sides, remains unmoved; but not the man who is full of desires.

Just as the ocean filled with waters from all sides remains unmoved, so also the sage who is resting in his own Svarupa or the Self is not a bit affected though desires of all sorts enter from all sides. The sage attains peace or liberation but not he who longs for objects of sensual enjoyment and entertains various desires. (Cf.XVIII.53,54).

With this seemingly perplexing speech, you seem to be confusing my understanding; therefore, tell me one certain way by which I may attain bliss.

Arjuna says to Lord Krishna, Tecah me one of the two, knowledge or action, by which I may attain to the highest good or bliss or Moksha. (Cf.V.I).

Content with what comes to him without effort, free from the pairs of opposites and envy, even-minded in success and failure, he acts yet is not bound.

The sage is ite satisfied with what comes to him by chance. In verses IV. 18, 19, 20, 22, 22 and 23 there is only a reiteration of the results of the knowledge of the Self which is beyond action. The sage who identifies himself with the actionless Self is not bound as action and its cause which bind one to the round of birth and death have been burnt in the fire of the knowledge of the Self or BrahmaJnana. Just as a seed burnt in the fire cannot germinate, so also the Karmas or actions burnt by the fire of knowledge of the Self cannot produce future birth.Ordinary people think that the sage is also a doer of actions, an agent, active and therefore bound, when they see him doing actions. This is a mistake. From his own point of view and, in truth, he is not an agent at all. He really does no action at all. He feels and says, I do nothing at all. Nature does or the three alities of Nature do everything.He is not affected by heat and cold, pleasure and pain, success and failure, as he always has a balanced state of mind. He is not attached even to the things which are necessary for the bare maintenance of his body. He experiences neither pleasure nor pain, whether or not he obtains food and the other things which are reired for the maintenance of his body

The Blessed Lord said, "Renunciation and the Yoga of action both lead to the highest bliss; but of the two, the Yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action."

Sannyasa (renunciation of action) and Karma Yoga (performance of action) both lead to Moksha or liberation or the highest bliss. Though both lead to Moksha, yet of the two means of attaining to Moksha, Karma Yoga is better than mere Karma Sannyasa (renunciation of action) without the knowledge of the Self.But renunciation of actions with the knowledge of the Self is decidedly superior to Karma Yoga.Moreover, Karma Yoga is easy and is therefore suitable to all. (Cf.III.3V.5VI.46)

The enjoyments that arise from contact are only sources of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna; the wise do not rejoice in them.

Man goes in quest of joy and searches in the external perishable objects for his happiness. He fails to get it but instead he carries a load of sorrow on his head.You should withdraw the senses from the senseobjects as there is no trace of happiness in them and fix the min on the immortal, blissful Self within. The senseobjects have a beginning and an end. Separation from the senseobjects gives you a lot of pain. During the interval between the origin and the end you experience a hollow, momentary, illusory pleasure. This fleeting pleasure is due to Avidya or ignorance. Even in the other world you will have the same experience. He who is endowed with discrimination or the knowledge of the Self will never rejoice in these sensual objects. Only ignorant persons who are passionate will rejoice in the senseobjects. (Cf.II.14,XVIII.38)

He who is able, while still here in this world, to withstand the impulse born out of desire and anger before the liberation from the body, he is a Yogi, and he is a happy man.

Yukta means harmonised or steadfast in Yoga or selfabiding.Desire and anger are powerful enemies of peace. It is very difficult to annihilate them. You will have to make very strong efforts to destroy these enemies.When the word Kama (desire) is used in a general sense it includes all sorts of desires. It means lust in a special sense.While still here means while yet living. The impulse of desire is the agitation of the mind which is indicated by hairs standing on end and cheerful face. The impulse of anger is agitation of the mind which is indicated by fiery eyes, perspiration, biting of the lips and trembling of the body. In this verse you will clearly understand that he who has controlled desire and anger is the most happy man in this world, nor he who has immense wealth, a beautiful wife and beautiful children. Therefore you must try your level best to eradicate desire and anger, the dreadful enemies of eternal bliss.Kama (desire) is longing for a pleasant and agreeable object which gives pleasure and which is seen, heard of, or remembered. Anger is aversion towards an unpleasant and disagreeable object which gives pain and which is seen, heard or, or remembered.A Yogi controls the impulse born of desire and anger, destroyes the currents of likes and dislikes,and attains to equanimity of the mind, by resting in the innermost Self, and so he is very happy.(Cf.VI.18)

He who is happy within, who rejoices within, and who is illuminated within, that Yogi attains absolute freedom, or Moksha, becoming Brahman himself.

Within meansin the Self. He attains Brahmanirvanam or liberation while living. He becomes a Jivanmukta.

He who knows Me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, the great Lord of all the worlds, and the friend of all beings, attains peace.

I am the Lord of all sacrifices and austerities. I am their author, goal and their God. I am the friend of all beings, the doer of good to them without expecting any return for it. I am the dispenser of the fruits of all actions and the silent witness of their minds, thoughts and actions as I dwell in their hearts. On knowing Me, they attain peace and liberation or Moksha (deliverance from the round of birth and death and all worldly miseries and sorrows). (Cf.V.15IX.24)

The Supreme Self of him who is self-controlled and peaceful remains balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honor and dishonor.

The selfcontrolled Yogi who is rooted in the Self keeps poise amidst the pairs of opposites (Dvandvas) or the alternating waves of cold and heat, pleasure and pain, honour and dishonour. When the Yogi has subdued his senses, when his mind is balanced and peaceful under all conditions, when he is not in the least influenced by the pairts of opposites, when he has renounced all actions, then the Highest Self really becomes his own Self. He attains to Selfrealisation. As he rests in hiw own Self, he is ever serene or tranil he is not affected by the pairs of opposites, and he stands as adamant in the face of the changing conditions of Nature.