I declared this yoga, the yoga set out in the two chapters, to Vivasvat, the sun, at the beginning of creation; I declared it for the strengthening of the kṣatriyas, the protectors of the world, so that, joined with the power of yoga, they might be able to guard the priestly order. When the priestly and the kṣatriya orders are protected, they can protect the world. The yoga is imperishable, since its fruit is imperishable: the fruit of this yoga, marked as steadfastness in the right vision, the fruit named liberation, does not perish. And Vivasvat told it to Manu; Manu told it to Ikṣvāku, his son, the first king.

The Blessed Lord spoke. This discipline (yoga) that has been declared to you is not to be thought of as risen up now merely to spur you to battle. At the very beginning of an aeon I myself declared this discipline to Vivasvat, as the means to liberation, the highest human goal, for the deliverance of the whole world. Vivasvat declared it to Manu, Manu to Ikshvaku; thus, gained through an unbroken succession of handing-down, the royal sages of old knew this discipline. Through the long passage of time, by the dullness of one hearer after another, it became all but lost.

This is a brief sub-gloss. For a fuller reading of this verse, see Madhusūdana, Śaṅkara, or Rāmānuja above.

Salutation to the glorious flawless Awareness; Hari; Om. In this chapter the greatness of the One higher than the buddhi, the difference of action, and the greatness of knowledge are told. This dharma was practised in earlier times, Krishna says, with 'this imperishable yoga I told to Vivasvant'.