Passage 1
श्रीभगवानुवाच— योगो बहुविधः प्रोक्तो योगिनामात्मसिद्धये। कर्मयोगः प्रथमतः ज्ञानयोगस्ततः परम्॥१॥
The blessed Lord said: “Many forms of yoga have been taught for the yogins' realization of the Self. Karma-yoga comes first, and jñāna-yoga follows it.
Passage 2
ततश्च भक्तियोगाख्यो योगोत्तम उदाहृतः। पूर्वपूर्वापेक्षया तु श्रेष्ठमुत्तरमुत्तरम्॥२॥
Thereafter comes the supreme yoga called bhakti-yoga. Each succeeding yoga is higher than the one before it.
Passage 3
नैव कर्माणि संत्यज्य योगी त्यागफलं लभेत्। त्यक्तानि तेन कर्माणि यः फलं नाभिकाङ्क्षति॥३॥
A yogin does not gain the fruit of renunciation merely by abandoning actions. Actions are truly renounced by one who does not desire their fruit.
Passage 4
विरुद्धान्येव कर्माणि त्यक्तव्यानि मनीषिभिः। विहितानि तु कर्माणि कुर्याच्चित्तस्य शुद्धये॥४॥
The wise should abandon actions that violate sacred duty, but perform prescribed actions for purification of mind.
Passage 5
स्वाध्यायो नित्यमध्येयः कार्यं कर्म तदीरितम्। नित्यं नैमित्तिकं चापि निरपेक्षतया मुहुः॥५॥
Sacred recitation should be practiced daily. Obligatory and occasional duties should likewise be performed repeatedly without expectation.
Passage 6
पञ्चसंस्थात्मको यज्ञः कार्य एव मदात्मकः। पूर्वकाण्डोदितं सर्वं परकाण्डान्वितं स्मरेत्॥६॥
The fivefold sacrifice, whose essence is myself, must be performed. Remember that everything taught in the earlier Vedic section is connected with the later section.
Passage 7
अनन्वितं तु वेदार्थं यो ब्रूयादेववञ्चितः। तस्य कर्माणि सर्वाणि निरर्थानि भवन्ति वै॥७॥
One whom providence has deceived may declare the Veda's meaning to be disconnected; all that person's actions become fruitless.
Passage 8
यावन्न शुद्ध्यते चित्तं तावत्कर्म समभ्यसेत्। शुद्धेऽपि चित्ते तत्कार्यं लोकसङ्ग्रहमिच्छता॥८॥
One should practice action until the mind is purified. Even after purification, one who seeks the welfare and cohesion of the world should continue it.
Passage 9
अन्यदेव हि तत्कर्म येनाविष्टो निबध्यते। फलाकाङ्क्षाकृतं भूप विरुद्धं वेदवाक्यतः॥९॥
The action by which one becomes possessed and bound is something else: action performed from desire for its fruit, O king, contrary to the Vedic teaching.
Passage 10
वेदोक्तं विमलं कर्म यो ज्ञानेन विघातयेत्। तस्य तज्ज्ञानमखिलं भवेत्सर्वं निरर्थकम्॥१०॥
If someone uses knowledge to obstruct pure action enjoined by the Veda, all of that person's knowledge becomes worthless. Acting Without Identification
Passage 11
असंसक्तः सदा कर्म कुर्यात्संशुद्धमानसः। भावयेत्सततं विद्वान् क्रियमाणान् गुणैर्गुणान्॥११॥
With a thoroughly purified mind, one should always act without attachment. The wise continually understand that the guṇas act upon the guṇas.
Passage 12
असक्तं नित्यमात्मानं भावयेत्प्राकृतेर्गुणैः। वीचीतरङ्गन्यायेन ह्यारभन्ते गुणान् गुणाः॥१२॥
One should contemplate the Self as eternally unattached to prakṛti's guṇas. As waves move other waves, the guṇas set the guṇas in motion.
Passage 13
किमर्थं सज्जते तत्र पुमान् सङ्गविवर्जितः। एवं लक्षणयुक्तानि यः कर्माण्यभिमन्यते॥१३॥
Why should the puruṣa, free of attachment, cling there? If someone claims as one's own actions characterized in this way,
Passage 14
सोऽन्येनापि कृतं पापं किमात्मनि न मन्यते। असङ्गः सर्वदा तिष्ठेत्पुत्रदारगृहादिषु॥१४॥
why does that person not also claim another's sin as one's own? Remain always unattached amid children, spouse, home, and the rest.
Passage 15
गुणावेशं न कुर्वीत निर्गुणः पुरुषः स्वयम्। इत्येवं कर्मणां तत्त्वं तुभ्यमुक्तं मया मुहुः॥१५॥
The puruṣa is itself beyond guṇas and should not identify with their activity. Thus I have repeatedly explained to you the truth of action.
Passage 16
एतद्विज्ञाय पुरुषः प्रवृत्तोऽपि निवर्तते। अथ तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानयोगं निबोध मे॥१६॥
Knowing this, a person remains inwardly withdrawn even while active. Now I shall explain jñāna-yoga; understand my teaching. Hearing, Reflection, and Contemplation
Passage 17
येन युक्तः प्रसन्नात्मा गृहस्थोऽपि विमुच्यते। यथोपनिषदोख्यातमात्मतत्त्वमतीन्द्रियम्॥१७॥
Joined to this yoga, even a serene householder is liberated. The truth of the Self, beyond the senses, is taught in the Upaniṣads.
Passage 18
तथा श्रद्धासमायुक्तः शृणुयाच्छ्रीगुरोर्मुखात्। प्रपन्नो गुरुपादाब्जं विरक्तो भवरोगतः। यथा यथा संश्रुणुयादाद्रियेत तथा तथा॥१८॥
Full of faith, dispassionate toward the disease of worldly existence, and surrendered at the guru's lotus feet, one should hear that truth from the revered guru's mouth. The more one hears, the more deeply one should honor it.
Passage 19
यथा यथाद्रियमाणः शृणोति तथा तथा चित्ततापं क्षिणोति। ततः श्रुत्वा मननं तस्य कुर्यादेकान्तेऽसौ संस्थितः शुद्धवृत्त्या॥१९॥
As one listens with growing reverence, the mind's torment steadily diminishes. Having heard, one should sit in solitude with a pure disposition and reflect upon the teaching.
Passage 20
यत्र यत्र श्रुतमर्थं स्वयुक्त्या मन्येतासौ विश्रयत्नं तु किञ्चित्। तत्र तत्र श्रीगुरोः संनिकर्षं संशोधयेत्संशयोच्छेदनाय॥२०॥
Wherever one's own reasoning finds any uncertainty in the meaning heard, one should approach the revered guru and clarify it, cutting away doubt.
Passage 21
एवं निश्चितमात्मानं मननेनावबुध्य च। अभ्यासयोगनिष्ठाभिरभ्यसेत्तत्समाधये॥२१॥
Having ascertained and understood the Self through reflection, one should practice with steadfast discipline until absorbed in it.
Passage 22
समाहिते स्वात्मनि ध्यानयोगाद्विशुद्धया धारणयाभ्युपेतः। भवेन्निदिध्यासनपूर्वनिष्ठया समाधिमांश्च निर्विकल्पो नितान्तम्॥२२॥
With the mind gathered into the Self through meditation and supported by purified concentration, one becomes steadfast through nididhyāsana and enters utterly nonconceptual samādhi.
Passage 23
तदास्य जायते कश्चिदात्मानन्दः समृद्धिमान्। तस्य भोगमनादृत्य भूप योगं प्रवर्तयेत्॥२३॥
Then an abundant measure of the Self's bliss arises. Disregarding even the enjoyment of that bliss, O king, one should continue the yoga.
Passage 24
वियोजयेत्प्रकृतितः पुमांसं चित्सुखात्मकम्। सुखभोगे प्रवृत्तस्तु योगी लुब्ध इतीर्यते॥२४॥
One should distinguish the puruṣa, whose nature is conscious bliss, from prakṛti. A yogin who turns toward enjoying bliss is called greedy.
Passage 25
विविक्तः प्रकृतिं पश्येदगुणसाम्यात्मिकां पुमान्। तदास्य सकलः कालो भवेद्दृष्टिपथे स्फुटम्॥२५॥
Distinct from it, the puruṣa should see prakṛti as the equilibrium of the guṇas. Then the entire course of time becomes clearly visible.
Passage 26
कुण्डलीभूतभोगीन्द्रभोगतुल्योऽतिमेचकः। कालाम्भोधरसंकाशो महाशब्दो महामदः॥२६॥
Time appears intensely dark, like the coiled body of the serpent king, resembling a black raincloud, tremendous in sound and might.
Passage 27
सर्वाणि चापि भूतानि कालयन् कलनात्मकः। सोऽपि तस्यात्मचेष्टावद्भासते कालसञ्चयः॥२७॥
Measuring and consuming all beings, time embodies calculation; yet to the seer that whole accumulation of time appears like a movement within the Self. Direct Realization of Brahman
Passage 28
निश्चेष्टस्यैव कर्माणि स्मर्यमाणानि भूरिशः। ततः परं परं ब्रह्म स्वात्मभेदेन भावयेत्॥२८॥
Actions are merely remembered in abundance by the motionless witness. Beyond them, one should contemplate supreme Brahman as nondifferent from one's Self.
Passage 29
ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्म भवति श्रुतमर्थं विचिन्तयन्। अंशांशिनोरभिन्नत्वाद्ब्रह्मैवायं प्रजायते॥२९॥
Contemplating the meaning heard, the knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. Because the portion and the whole are not separate, this one becomes Brahman itself.
Passage 30
विस्फुलिङ्गो यथा वह्नेः सम्प्राप्य महदिन्दनम्। तथैवात्मा चितिं लब्ध्वा व्यापको जायते क्षणात्॥३०॥
As a spark from fire becomes expansive upon reaching great fuel, the individual Self, attaining pure consciousness, becomes all-pervading in an instant.
Passage 31
दृढमूलात्मानुभवप्रसादेन विशुद्धधीः। न पुनर्जायते ज्ञानी भवबन्धाय कश्चन॥३१॥
Through the grace of firmly rooted realization of the Self, understanding becomes pure; the knower is never born again into worldly bondage.
Passage 32
प्रपञ्चो विद्यमानोऽपि नामुं बध्नाति पूर्ववत्। अहन्ताममताशून्यं ध्वस्ताज्ञानमनोमलम्॥३२॥
Though the phenomenal world remains, it no longer binds the knower as before, who is free of ego and possessiveness, ignorance destroyed and the mind cleansed.
Passage 33
स्वाभाविकी व्यापकता निरुद्धा मनसास्य ताम्। भूपः प्राप्य मनश्छेदाद्योगी ब्रह्मैव जायते॥३३॥
The mind had confined the Self's natural all-pervasiveness. Cutting through mind and regaining that expanse, O king, the yogin becomes Brahman itself.
Passage 34
यत्सुखं दिव्यरामायाः प्रसङ्गे सुरतोद्भवम्। ततः कोटिगुणं प्राप्य योगी नात्रापि सज्जते॥३४॥
The yogin attains bliss millions of times greater than the pleasure arising in union with a divine beloved, yet does not cling even to this.
Passage 35
पुंप्रकृत्योर्वृत्तिर्यावत्तावद्भोगः प्रवर्तते। वियुक्ते पुरुषे शुद्धः स्वात्मानन्दोऽवशिष्यते॥३५॥
Enjoyment continues only while puruṣa and prakṛti interact. When puruṣa is distinguished from her, pure bliss of the Self alone remains.
Passage 36
अप्रतर्क्योऽप्रमेयश्च व्यापको विश्वतः स्फुटम्। विश्वोपसंहृतिकरो विशिष्टः सुखराशितः॥३६॥
Beyond inference and measure, manifestly pervading the universe, it gathers the cosmos back into itself and is distinguished as a mass of bliss.
Passage 37
यत्र सर्वे महानन्दा एकीभूता भवन्ति वै। स्रोतांसीव समस्तानि विपुले सागरे भृशम्॥३७॥
All great joys become one there, as every river merges completely in the vast ocean.
Passage 38
ज्ञानानि च समस्तानि एकीभूतानि तत्र वै। तत्परं विमलं स्थानं शब्दब्रह्मातिगं ध्रुवम्॥३८॥
All forms of knowledge likewise become one there. That supreme, stainless, immutable state transcends the Brahman expressed in sound.
Passage 39
केवलानुभवानन्दमात्रमक्षरसंज्ञितम्। यत्प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते योगिनो मुक्तबन्धनाः॥३९॥
Called the imperishable, it is pure experiential bliss alone. Having attained it, yogins freed from bondage never return.
Passage 40
तद्धाम शाश्वतं दिव्यं मामकं विद्धि नित्यशः। अथान्यच्छृणु विज्ञानं परमं यन्मयोदितम्॥४०॥
Know that eternal divine abode to be mine. Now hear another supreme realization that I shall declare. The Self as Illuminating Witness
Passage 41
यथावरकमध्यस्थो दीप आवरकं रुचा। भासयत्यखिलं तद्वद्देहमात्मा स्वसंविदा॥४१॥
As a lamp inside a covering illuminates the entire covering with its light, the Self illumines the body through its own awareness.
Passage 42
यश्चोभयं भासयते सोऽन्तरात्मा निगद्यते। भूतान्यहं महच्चैवमिन्द्रियाणि च गोचराः॥४२॥
That which illuminates both is called the inner Self. The elements, ego, cosmic intelligence, senses, and their objects;
Passage 43
सुखं दुःखं तथा मोह इच्छाद्वेषादयोऽपि च। चतुष्टयान्तःकरणमिति लिङ्गप्रविस्तरः॥४३॥
pleasure, pain, delusion, desire, aversion, and the fourfold inner instrument—these constitute the extension of the subtle body.
Passage 44
भासकस्तस्य सर्वस्य स्वयमात्मा चिदात्मकः। मानं दम्भं मदं हिंसामक्षान्तिं कुटिलात्मताम्॥४४॥
The Self, whose nature is consciousness, itself illumines all of that. Pride, hypocrisy, arrogance, violence, intolerance, and crookedness;
Passage 45
अशौचममतां सङ्गो लौल्यमिन्द्रियवश्यता। संसक्तिरिन्द्रियार्थेषु मनोऽहङ्कार एव च॥४५॥
impurity, possessiveness, attachment, restlessness, subjection to the senses, clinging to sense objects, mind, and ego;
Passage 46
संसारदुःखाज्ञानं च दोषाणां चात्मनोऽबुधिः। अलब्धिपरितापश्च पुत्रदारधनस्पृहा॥४६॥
failure to understand worldly suffering, failure to recognize one's own faults, anguish over what is not obtained, and craving for children, spouse, and wealth;
Passage 47
वैषम्यं चापि चित्तस्य स्वकीयपरकीययोः। तथेष्टानिष्टविषये रागद्वेषमतिः क्रमात्॥४७॥
the mind's partiality between one's own and another's, and attraction or aversion toward agreeable or disagreeable objects;
Passage 48
मम चाननुसन्धानं गाढदुःखेऽपि विस्मृतिः। विषयासेविनां सङ्गो विरक्तिर्मज्जनेषु च॥४८॥
failure to remember me, forgetting me even in profound distress, association with those devoted to sense objects, and aversion toward inward immersion;
Passage 49
बाह्यार्थमात्रनिष्ठत्वं लौकिकार्थावमर्शनम्। एतदज्ञानमुदितं सकार्यं भवते मया॥४९॥
exclusive fixation on external objects and absorption in worldly aims: I have explained this ignorance and all its effects to you.
Passage 50
येनास्य जायते भ्रंशः स्वात्मानन्दमहोदयात्। तद्विरोधि भवेज्ज्ञानं स्वात्मसंसिद्धिकारणम्॥५०॥
Through ignorance one falls away from the great arising of the Self's bliss. Knowledge opposes it and brings complete realization of the Self. Puruṣa and Prakṛti
Passage 51
अनादिरस्य सम्बन्धः प्रकृत्या गुणरूपया। गुणाश्चैव विकाराश्च तदुत्थाः सर्व एव हि॥५१॥
The jīva's relationship with guṇa-formed prakṛti is beginningless. All guṇas and transformations arise from her.
Passage 52
सर्वत्र प्रकृतिः कर्त्री भोक्ता पुरुष उच्यते। साक्षी सर्वस्य लोकस्य स्वात्मचैतन्यदीपकः॥५२॥
Everywhere prakṛti is the agent, while puruṣa is called the experiencer—the witness of the entire world, illuminating it through the consciousness of the Self.
Passage 53
स एकोऽपि द्विधा जातो जीवान्तर्यामिभेदतः। एवं यो वेद देहेऽस्मिन् वर्तमानं महेश्वरम्॥५३॥
Though one, it appears twofold through the distinction between jīva and inner ruler. One who thus knows the great Lord present within this body
Passage 54
मायामोहसमुद्धता न तस्य भववेदना। केचित्तु ध्यानयोगेन ज्ञानयोगेन चापरे॥५४॥
is not overcome by māyā's delusion or worldly pain. Some behold the Self through meditation, and others through the yoga of knowledge;
Passage 55
अन्ये च कर्मयोगेन पश्यन्त्यात्मानमात्मनि। विनश्वराणि भूतानि विषमाणि परस्परम्॥५५॥
still others see the Self within the Self through karma-yoga. Created beings are perishable and mutually diverse,
Passage 56
समं स्थिरं च सर्वत्र तत्तत्त्वमविनश्वरम्। शब्दात्संजायते ज्ञानं ब्रह्मात्मैक्यैकगोचरम्॥५६॥
but that imperishable reality is equal and stable everywhere. From revelation arises knowledge whose sole object is the unity of Brahman and Self.
Passage 57
तत्परोक्षं स्वानुभवादपरोक्षदशां नयेत्। गुणानुबन्धिनः पश्येत्स एव गुणान् पृथक्॥५७॥
That initially indirect knowledge should be brought through personal realization to direct experience. One then sees the guṇas and what is bound to them as separate from the Self.
Passage 58
प्रकृत्यैव च संजातान् सोऽकर्ता सर्ववस्तुषु। पृथग्भूतान्यनेकानि यद्येकत्वं प्रयान्ति हि॥५८॥
Seeing all things as arisen from prakṛti alone, one knows the Self to be non-agent. When the many separate beings are seen to enter unity,
Passage 59
एकत्वाच्चापि पार्थक्यं तर्हि ब्रह्मात्मदर्शनम्। अनादिमव्ययं चैव निर्गुणं प्रकृतेः परम्॥५९॥
and their diversity is seen to proceed from unity, then Brahman is seen as the Self—beginningless, imperishable, beyond guṇas and prakṛti.
Passage 60
आत्मानमनुसन्धाय किमर्थमनुशोचसि। रञ्जनच्छेदनादीनि कर्माणि व्योम्नि सन्ति न॥६०॥
Having contemplated the Self, why do you grieve? Coloring, cutting, and other actions cannot affect empty space.
Passage 61
सूक्ष्मत्वात्सर्वगतत्वाच्च तथात्मन्यपि सन्ति न। प्रकाशानां प्रकाशो यः सुखानां सुखमुत्तमम्॥६१॥
Because the Self is subtle and all-pervading, such actions cannot affect it either. It is the light of all lights and the highest bliss among all joys.
Passage 62
तमात्मानमभिज्ञाय कृतार्थः किं न जायसे। जाते स्वात्मावबोधे तु संन्यासः किं करिष्यति। भोगानपि प्रभुञ्जानो ज्ञानी तैर्नैव लिप्यते॥६२॥
Knowing that Self, why should you not become fulfilled? Once realization of one's Self has arisen, what can outward renunciation accomplish? Even while fully experiencing enjoyments, the knower is never stained by them.”